The O'Connell monument at the top of O'Connell Street in Dublin is set to be revealed over the coming week after cleaning and conservation works on the statue.
The scaffolding being removed today
Work began this morning to remove the scaffolding surrounding the monument. A team spent over 1,000 hours cleaning and restoring the bronze figures and granite blocks of the monument.
The works tackled damage caused by environmental erosion, air pollution, bird droppings, graffiti and decay.
However, other damage - such as the bullet holes in the O'Connell Monument from the 1916 Rising - will not be repaired or restored. That damage tells part of the story of the monument, O'Connell Street and the State itself.
During the works ten bullet holes were identified in the figure of O'Connell, with two bullets through his right temple. In all, 30 bullet holes were counted on the monument.
The works are part of the redesign and redevelopment of O'Connell Street, and the monument is the first of the statues on the street to be completed.
The cost for the works to all eight monuments in the O'Connell Street area will be about €300,000, with around half that spent on the O'Connell monument.
"The quality of the results is very impressive, with the O'Connell monument looking old but well cared for," said Dublin City Council's Heritage Officer, Donncha O'Dulaing.