Clíodhna Cussen is working on a sculpture of seventeenth century poet Dáibhí Ó Bruadair.
Dáibhí Ó Bruadair (1625–1698) is considered to have been the last of the Bardic poets in Ireland. He spent most of his life in the Broadford-Drumcollogher area in County Limerick, under the patronage of Sir Seán Fitzgerald of Springfield Castle.
It was a poet's work to celebrate the lives of his patron’s family, commemorating their births and marriages, lauding their achievements, lamenting their deaths, satirising their enemies and composing religious and political verse.
In addition to all this Dáibhí Ó Bruadair responded to the turbulence the country experienced during his lifetime and the decline of the old Gaelic order.
The communities of Drumcollogher and Broadford will commemorate the 300th anniversary of the poet's death in May of this year.
Sculptor Clíodhna Cussen who is from Newcastle West has been commissioned to create a statue to honour Dáibhí Ó Bruadair, who received his education at the Ó Dálaigh bardic school in the locality. Clíodhna Cussen sees the poet as a heroic figure.
Ó thaobh seasamh ar son muintir na Gaeilge agus a mhuintir féin.
The sculptor and her assistants spend up to five hours a day at work on this project. The figure representing Dáibhí Ó Bruadair emerges gradually from blocks of Kilkenny limestone in her back garden. Clíodhna Cussen enjoys working with this stone,
Tá sé mín le obair uirthi agus níl aon stró ag baint leí.
This report for 'Cead Cainte’ was broadcast on 29 April 1998.
'Cead Cainte' was an Irish language current affairs programme
The presenter/reporters included Sinéad Crowley, Seán Ó Tuairisg, Áine Ní Chiaráin, Máirín Ní Ghadhra and Colm Ó Dúlacháin.
This series was made by RTÉ for Teilifís na Gaeilge or TnaG (now TG4).
