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Friday, October 28, 2005
Madonna sculpture miraculously discovered among burning thatch
By Marion O’Mara
A rare medieval wooden sculpture of the Madonna miraculously discovered among the burning thatch as a fire gutted the Cosy Thatch pub at Kilmeaden, is to go on permanent display at Waterford Museum of Treasures.
The statue, which is thirty-one inches in height and dates back to the 15th century, has been donated to the museum by the proprietor of the Cosy Thatch, Martin Doyle.
Hidden possibly for centuries in the thatch of the Cosy Thatch public house, the beautifully sculpted hardwood statue was discovered at midnight on the 12th August 1996 when firemen trying to control a fire at the premises pulled down the burning thatch thus exposing the statue.
The discovery of this extremely rare object of Roman Catholic religious devotion is almost miraculous, as only seven medieval statues of the Madonna have survived in Ireland.
The Director of Waterford Museum of Treasures Eamonn McEneaney described the donation as a remarkable act of generosity – of all of the objects donated to the museum since opening in 1999 this sculpture is beyond doubt the finest and rarest.
The Madonna, tall and slender, wears a crown with long flowing hair, the facial features are beautifully carved, the eyes are almond-shaped so typical of late medieval sculpture. The Virgin is wearing a long flowing gown and traces of the original polychrome show that this was once red in colour.
She wears pointed shoes and carries the suckling infant Jesus in her arms who faces towards His mother suggesting a 15th century date for the statue. This is a work of an accomplished sculpture and may even be the work of an Irish artist influenced by an English or Continental model. Specialists in medieval sculpture from the National Museum will visit Waterford shortly to examine the statue.
Mr McEneaney went on to say that is very rare for a museum to acquire objects of this quality adding that as soon as a suitable showcase has been manufactured to allow the statue be displayed in the correct environmental conditions, it will form the centrepiece of the museum’s 15th century gallery.
The Director added that the museum is very fortunate that someone with a lifelong interest in history and archaeology like Mr Martin Doyle has donated the statue for permanent display at the museum. “This donation means that Waterford Museum of Treasures now has seven medieval statues in its collection from the churches of Waterford, making it the single largest collection of medieval statues in the country where due to religious persecution only twentyeight wood statues survive the medieval period,” he said.
The Chairman of the Board of Waterford Museum of Treasures, Mr Frank O’Regan said that the Board of the Museum was greatly impressed by the generosity of Mr Doyle adding that this civic-minded gesture is to be applauded and publicly recognised. On behalf of the Board of Waterford Museum of Treasures, he thanked Mr Doyle for his donation of the statue and he assured him his name would always be associated with the remarkable object and publicly acknowledged in its display’.
“Having objects such as the Kilmeaden Madonna on display will keep Waterford Museum of Treasures at the forefront of Irish museums and make it a place that the people of Waterford will be proud of. It will also be an attraction for the tens of thousands of visitors who come to the museum annually to experience the rich cultural heritage of the city and diocese,” concluded Mr. O’Regan.
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