New Sculpture Celebrates Belfast's Industrial Past
A new sculpture located outside Belfast's Grand Central Station, constructed from components of the dismantled Boyne Bridge, aims to celebrate the city's industrial history.
The Boyne Bridge, which was dismantled to enable construction work on the new Grand Central Station in 2024, was originally reconstructed in 1936 but has origins dating back nearly 400 years.
Peter Richards, one of the artists involved in the sculpture's design, described the project as "an opportunity to celebrate the work that's already gone on in this city and how it's changing."
Following the announcement of the bridge's dismantling, some protests occurred in the Sandy Row area, reflecting the community's sensitivity to the decision.
Historically, the site is notable as the location where William III, also known as King Billy, is believed to have crossed on his way to the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
Elements from the original Boyne Bridge were repurposed for the sculpture, which is installed in Saltwater Square, the new civic space adjacent to the station.
Design Collaboration and Artistic Process
Richards, affiliated with the Golden Thread Gallery, emphasized the collaborative nature of the design process.
"I do a lot of my talking with a pencil, so as we're talking, I'm sketching, and I think we came to this idea relatively quickly,"
he explained.
"I would have done the initial sketch, but I'd have done it as we were all talking, so I'm not sure whose idea it was."
He noted that while other ideas were considered, the team ultimately returned to the concept that was most appropriate for celebrating and commemorating the city's history.
The sculpture is titled Reflections and is oriented to face back toward its original location in Sandy Row.
"The front steel side reflects 'passing through the station and the passing of time',"
Richards added, describing the piece as a small journey that visitors can traverse to experience a moment of history.
Engineering and Construction
Kevin Killen, the sculptor responsible for realizing the nine-metre-high design, discussed the technical aspects of the project.
"We had to get engineers involved from the get-go,"
he said.
"So Peter kind of had the concept and design of it, and I kind of took it and then I rectified it a wee bit and brought it back to the engineer."
Killen explained that the engineer ensured the sculpture was structurally sound.
"It was lovely to work with the material from the Boyne Bridge,"
he added.
Community Art and Official Launch
In addition to the sculpture, murals created by local schoolchildren around Grand Central Station were officially unveiled on Thursday.
Belfast Lord Mayor Tracy Kelly commented on the significance of both art installations.
"The bridge coming down in Sandy Row was quite a sensitive issue for this community, but I hope with the art piece and the two sides of the future and the past will be represented as we move forward,"
she said.
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins highlighted the role of the murals in giving young people a voice.
"The murals give young people a genuine voice in shaping how Belfast welcomes the world,"
she stated.
Regeneration and Community Integration
Translink's Chief Executive Chris Conway emphasized the broader purpose of the new civic space.
"This space is about regenerating the area as well as bringing the transport station into it,"
he explained.
"This was also in the past an interface area, so it was an opportunity to bring communities together into a shared space."
Conway stressed the importance of incorporating the Boyne Bridge into the sculpture to represent the area's heritage and reflect on its future.
