Our company participated in the creation of the sculpture “Restless: Liffey Love” by artist Rhona Byrne, which was installed on the banks of the River Liffey in Dublin. The sculpture is made from recycled plastic dredged from the river itself, aiming to raise environmental awareness.
The project was commissioned by Dublin City Council in collaboration with the Irish Nautical Trust. The plastic was collected over the course of eight months by the Liffey Sweeper boat, then transformed into colorful polymer material by Paltech, a company specializing in polymer engineering. The project also involved Billings Jackson, a company focused on urban public space and infrastructure design, and the Irish engineering and manufacturing company SteelSmith.
Byrne found inspiration for the artwork during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she started sailing at the Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club. During this time, she became familiar with the work of the Liffey Sweeper, a boat initiative led by Jimmy Murray from the Irish Nautical Trust. She joined the boat’s crew and took part in their work, which she described as an extraordinary experience.
The artist stated that the sculpture “celebrates the community that cares for the River Liffey – a river that divides, connects, and invites us to reflect on the city we live in and the need for greater civic pride and solidarity.”
You can read more about it in the media:
‘An act of love and hope’: New artwork made of plastic rubbish from river Liffey unveiled
Plastic from Liffey used to make Dublin’s new public art piece
My Life in Culture: Artist Rhona Byrne
You can find out more about the sculpture here.
