Arrival of statues prompts reaction

The arrival of the new public art in Lurgan caused a wealth of interest and comment. Here are some of your views shared on our Facebook page.
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Laura McMenamin said: “Horrible eyesore waste of money makes the town look so trampy.”

Warren McStravick said: “It’s shops that bring people into the town, not statues. Should have put them in the park.”

Laura McMenamin said: “Only place to put them is the dump.”

Conall Ó Labhradha said: “There should just be a statue of Rocky balboa, would bring so many people looking pictures.”

Val Mount said: “Waste of money could have been spent on better things.”

Gary McConville said: “More like a statue of a bottle of Buckfast as this town is all its well known for... many of people will be in line for a photo.”

Dj Maguire said: “At a time when austerity is blighting those who struggle daily with huge fuel bills I personally think that the money wasted on this eye-sore could have been better invested in our run down town centre. Lurgan is nothing more than a drive through town and when you consider that it is one of a few towns that has good access to the M1,I think that our town should have a far better array of shops catering for all types of clientelle instead of the empty buildings and dreary shambles of a town centre which it has become.”

Andrew Thompson said: “They should put a pair of hand cuffs on one of them and it would really represent Lurgan.”

Benji Banks said: “Waste of money, waste of time and utterly stupid.”

Kelly McCluskey said: “Saw it today, looks amazing. Good to see the town with some beautiful sculpture.”

Michael Ginesi said: “They should spend money on something useful like build some sort of over pass in William street at gates help stop traffic. Only thing can’t wait to see few funny Facebook pics of people on the statues.”

Dermy Mac Giolla Fhiondain said: “Waste of space and money and they are just gonna end up covered in flegs and bunting.”

Yvonne Murphy said: “We need to attract new business people to this town and keep the few shops we already have, waste of money!”

Jonathan Mackey said: “I don’t mind them, though agree that money could’ve been spent on something much more useful. They were probably bought with some sort of EU grant, a bit like the pavement upgrade that reduced the amount of parking in the centre of town.”

Ruth McKinley said: “I think they are lovely.”

Gordon Boggs said: “What a waste of money. Council need to bring the rates down and get empty shops filled.”

Natalie McGowan said: “Love it♥”

Louise Calvert said: “Everyone wants the town to look better, and when it gets something to make it look better everyone still moans about it. For more shops to come, the place needs to look good to attract people to open shops. I love them and think they look great in the town. Well done to all involved!”

Noeleen Floyd said: “I actually think they are lovely”

Heather Williamson said: “If the money was put into health care it would be better spent.”

David Doyle said: “When I drove past them for the first time they made me smile.”

Donna McCracken said: “The most stupid things I have ever seen and to spend money on them which could of been spent on something more reasonable.”

Fiona Ginesi said: “Such and eyesore. What a waste of money. If the council want people to come to Lurgan they need shops and parking spaces. Come on like that sculpture is a joke. Lurgan is a town with no shops loads of footpaths with no people walking on them, nearly every street has roadworks on them and an ugly tin man and woman as a main feature in our town. Why can the council not listen to the people of Lurgan for once and start spending money on decent things that will actually help Lurgan.”

Megan McConaghy said: “I love them!”

Lee Hughes said: “Gives the town a modern look alright. A body of emptiness, two metal figures with no soul’s pandering over something that is long since gone. Describes this town better than any poet!”

Angela Osborne said: “I think they look great, and are a good focal point in middle of town.”

Stephen Cassidy said: “Embarrassing to say the least! Waste of good money.”

David Doyle said: “Enhancement and development must move forward together.”

Paul Mcveigh said: “Lurgan is good for a pint or a takeaway. The days of good shopping are over, the lack of parking puts people off and sticking them things in the middle of the town isn’t going to attract anyone.”

Marion Campbell said: “Fair enough the money came from the urban regeneration fund and CBC were right to claim it so it didn’t go elsewhere but why use it for huge ultra modern works of art in the middle of a market town.”

Fiona Ginesi said: “Where are these fantastic unique shops I’m missing out on because all I see is a few pound shops, Heatons, and a few other wee shops. Hardly the same as Portadown or Lisburn. But what can we expect when money gets wasted on scrap metal as a focal point.”

Margaret Willison said: “They look awful, surely the money could have been spent better attracting shops back to Lurgan, I visit Lurgan from Australia every year and I can’t believe how neglected it has become, shops closing down all the time, so sad to see a once thriving town becoming a ghost town.”!

Ann-Marie Campbell said: “I really like them. Well done to the artist who created them. It’ll look great when it’s finished

Sarah Mc Gibbon said: “I actually think they’re nice”

Bernie Kerr: “It’s gonna take more than a couple of statues to get this town... off its knees.”