The Navigators
Celebrating fishing traditions of Lough Neagh
This 7ft high public bronze sculpture was installed as part of the Arts in the Wetlands artist's residency project on Route 94 of the Sustrans National Cycle Network in 2010.
The sculpture is located in the fishing village of Maghery and explores boating and fishing traditions on Lough Neagh, the largest lake of the British Isles. In the research for the Art in the Wetlands project, it became obvious that there is an urgent need to nurture existing, but now declining craft traditions in the South Lough Neagh area, such as basket making and traditional boating. Subsequently, Holger devised a community engagement programme as part of his residency that led to the foundation of a permanent community boat building workshop. The group has now built more than ten boats including curachs and has re-introduced the local traditional clinker boats on Lough Neagh. The creative outcome of his residency are two over life-size bronze figures that hold four iroka timber oars, each of which pointing in one direction of the compass rose. They were modelled in plaster in his studio near Maghery and cast in bronze by Kilmainham Art Foundry in Dublin.
