Restored John Burke Sculpture Unveiled in Blackrock

Cork City Council has unveiled the restored sculpture Off Shore by the renowned Irish sculptor John Burke, returning one of the city's most significant public artworks to its full glory in Blackrock.

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Fergal Dennehy, performed the unveiling on Monday, 25 May 2026, joined by his father, former Lord Mayor John Dennehy (1983–84), who played a central role in the original Cork 800 programme from which the sculpture emerged.

The Lord Mayor spoke of the personal significance of the occasion.

"I am delighted to unveil this restored John Burke sculpture, originally commissioned to mark the Cork 800 celebrations," the Lord Mayor said.

It is especially meaningful to do so alongside my father, former Lord Mayor John Dennehy, who was a driving force behind those historic celebrations.

This restoration ensures the work can continue to be appreciated by residents and visitors for many years to come."

John Burke (1946–2006) was one of the most significant figures in the history of sculpture in Ireland in the second half of the twentieth century. A graduate of the Crawford School of Art and later the Royal Academy in London, he became known for his bold abstract compositions in welded steel, juxtaposing geometric shapes and using colour to soften and disguise unwanted elements of the metal.

As a lecturer at the Crawford, he influenced a generation of prominent Irish artists, including Eilís O'Connell, Vivienne Roche, Maud Cotter, and Jim Buckley. His teaching is widely credited with sparking a renaissance in the well-established tradition of sculpture in Cork.

Off Shore was commissioned in 1985 as part of a Sculpture Symposium held at the former AnCO Training Centre in Bishopstown. The symposium was supported by Cork 800, the programme established by the then Cork Corporation to mark the 800th anniversary of the city's charter in 1185.

The event brought together six artists, John Burke, Eilís O'Connell, Patrick O'Sullivan, Vivienne Roche, Hironori Katagiri, and Jim Buckley, who worked alongside the training centre's professional welders and trainees to each produce a sculpture for permanent installation in Cork city.

The restoration was supported by the members of Cork City Council's South East Local Area Committee and the Council's Arts Office. The Arts Office also oversaw the restoration of Burke's large-scale sculpture Kingfisher at Wilton roundabout in 2021, in collaboration with the South West Local Area Committee.

Along with Off Shore and Kingfisher, Burke's The Red Cardinal at the Department of Health in Dublin stands among his most enduring public works.