Monument to Christopher Columbus (Galway)

The Monument to Christopher Columbus is a monument in Galway, Ireland. The memorial was erected in 1992 to commemorate Christopher Columbus's visit to the city in 1477. It stands next to the Spanish Arch.[1][2][3]

History

In 1992, Mick Wilkins, a Cork sculptor, was hired to create a sculpture to commemorate Christopher Columbus's visit to Galway in 1477. The sculpture was gifted by Genoa, Columbus's hometown, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Columbus's setting sail on the voyage that would result in his landing in North America.[4]

The inscription on the plinth reads:


on these shores
around 1477 the
genoese sailor
cristoforo
colombo
found sure signs
of land beyond
the atlantic

la citta di genova
alla citta de galway
29.vi.1992

In June 2020, during the George Floyd protests, a number of monuments were removed or vandalized around the world, this included a number of Christopher Columbus statues in the United States. The monument in Galway was defaced on June 10, with calls to remove the monument.[5][6]

See also

References
  1. "Galway - Gaillimh - Monument for Columbus visit to Galway". statues.vanderkrogt.net. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  2. McGrath, Pat (2020-06-10). "Investigation over damage to Columbus statue in Galway".
  3. "Christopher Columbus Monument | Christopher Columbus Galway". Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  4. "Call to remove two Galway monuments which 'glorify slavery'". Galway Daily. 2020-06-09. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  5. News, GBFM (2020-06-10). "Christopher Columbus sculpture at Spanish Arch Vandalized". Galway Bay FM. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  6. O'Connor, Rachael. "Calls for statue of 'genocidal' Christopher Columbus to be removed in Galway". The Irish Post. Retrieved 2020-06-18.


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