The Remember Our Sisters (ROS), a women’s activist group, are objecting to the proposed monument set for a Vancouver park recognizing the contributions of Irish immigrants in building Canada.
Their release said “Given that monuments are permanent, this imbalance will perpetuate into the future the fallacy of Irish women’s unequal contribution to Canada.
They said the “central upright focal point ten feet high” is “such conventional phallic symbolism.” They state that vertical monuments elsewhere have been moved away for this reason.
They say the planned monument at Thornton Park in Vancouver under-represents women, has a phallic design, and has values that aren’t in harmony with Marker of Change, the park’s existing monument to the 14 women shot and killed at L’Ecole Polytechnique, in Montreal, in 1989.
Brendan Flynn, project coordinator for the Ireland Canada Monument, told the Vancouver Sun newspaper the monument was inspired initially by President Mary McAleese’s visit, in 2005.
Flynn said that after years of preparation the Irish Canadian committee planned on starting fundraising for the project. The monument will include a Celtic cross and list the names of the Irish the monument pays tribute to.
He said, “Our mandate is simple: to recognize Irish Canadians with no offence to anyone.
“We feel that the women’s comments are excessive. The issues are before the city’s park board and the art committee. We want to leave matters with them for now.
Read more stories on Irish history here
“This is very sad that this has happened. The last thing the Irish want to do is offend people.”
On December 6, the National Day of Remembrance and Action Against Violence Against Women in Canada, the ROS, released a statement to the press. They complain that the monument will only mention 17 of the 120 Irish women who have made major contributions to Canadian society.
The ROS group believed that the inclusion of the cross on the Irish monument “would thus introduce religious and patriarchal aspects to the memorial gestures”.
“Given that Thornton Park is such a small, flat park, we believe that it may only truly accommodate another public artwork whose values are in harmony with the existing memorial.”
The monuments is currently going through the usual public process and will be on the agenda at the upcoming Public Art Committee meeting in Vancouver. It has already gone through public consultation – from 56 responses received 53 of them were positive.
The monument will have a central column, three meters in height, along with shorter columns, about 1.2 meters. Each column will be decorated with Irish traditional art. The area will also include three benches with ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers.
A representative from ROS was unavailable to comment.
Read more: Ennis memorial planned for Irishmen who died in the Vietnam War
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.TisEyerish | Dec 17, 2012, 11:40 AM EST
Oh, please. Someone please find something productive for these women to do with their time. The monument pictured is absolutely beautiful. Why would anyone want it changed? Perhaps these women need to get their minds out of the gutter...or are they all just frustrated old biddies? Either way...I hope their influence does not change one little bit of this beautiful monument.
warlocks | Dec 13, 2012, 02:04 AM EST
Hey Ladies Stop your foolish ness the next thing you ladies will want is to cut off all church steeples because it reminds you of a Mans Penis ! Now foolish Ladies Repent and get a Real Life
cahalfinbarr | Dec 12, 2012, 11:44 AM EST
Heartiest congratulations to Dara (male or female) who has us wasting our time commenting on such trite and arrant nonsense. One of my favourite books growing up was 'Women of 98'. It has suited these people to write out of history Hildegard, Catherine, Mary and many more who do not fit their agenda. Each and every generation has had its remarkable women. Their monument is the good work they have done. When all injustice has been wiped out, you can spend the rest of your time arguing about the shape or wording of a stone memorial.
IrelandNorth | Dec 12, 2012, 08:28 AM EST
Sounds like latent penis envy to me!
eilisdoran | Dec 12, 2012, 01:39 AM EST
From an artistic point of view, the monument is poorly designed--everything but the kitchen sink has been thrown in--and maybe eiriamach is right and a urinal is there also.
cichaveg | Dec 11, 2012, 09:13 PM EST
I think some people just like to cause controversy I see nothing wrong with the monument. They might consider including more Irish women.
Smyrnian | Dec 11, 2012, 06:56 PM EST
This is silly. These women need to get out more or get it more or both.
Cyn | Dec 11, 2012, 06:47 PM EST
It's called a monolith. Very common form of civic display. It looks nothing like a willie except to those who cannot get willie off their minds. I've never seen a square willie before, anyway.
Tom Mo | Dec 11, 2012, 05:58 PM EST
Some sick women in this world! Phallic? Give me a break please
Pittsburghkid | Dec 11, 2012, 05:47 PM EST
Are they going to protest the Washington Monument.
seanomelb | Dec 11, 2012, 05:35 PM EST
Therefore if more female than male names appearared on the monument the ladies would be happy. eirieamach has let her imagination run wild lol.
eiriamach | Dec 11, 2012, 05:16 PM EST
Under the central "cross," what's that dark shape that looks like a urinal? Oh, maybe it's a harp-shaped urinal! Uhhh...
Canal Rat | Dec 11, 2012, 04:41 PM EST
Sometimes a monument is just a monument.
eiriamach | Dec 11, 2012, 02:35 PM EST
Clip-on ties from Woolworth's, the kind they give little boys at Christmas time.
eiriamach | Dec 11, 2012, 02:28 PM EST
"Each column will be decorated with Irish traditional art." No, there's nothing at all "traditional" about these columns in the drawing above. They are distortions of Celtic crosses, more like broadswords, and the center column looks like a keyring I once had. They're cheap looking, almost cartoons, and embarrassing parodies of Celtic shapes, drawn the way someone with training in Japanese abstract symbols might design them. Ugh! Ugly! Now I wouldn't say that about a real phallic symbol, but boys, this design ain't art.
Stiofain | Dec 11, 2012, 01:32 PM EST
As many issues that women have today,equal pay,violence,choice,etc. Can't these women focus on life improvement issues?
merefalow | Dec 11, 2012, 01:27 PM EST
what stretch of the imagination made them think that shape was phallic,they are nuns are they,in that case ,forgiveable with nothing to compare ,or are canadian phaluses sqare ended,?ladies,information please. made
RedBranch | Dec 11, 2012, 01:24 PM EST
As long as that border stays on the map....
cillowen | Dec 11, 2012, 12:13 PM EST
what they want is a giant potato without eyes or notin at all canadians will then think they're honoring Idaho The insanity keeps on giving - when don't they (who moan and groan) take a long walk down a short pier.
freebie28 | Dec 11, 2012, 12:05 PM EST
Perhaps these women would prefer a relaxed version of 'The Stiffy at the Liffey'
Proud Canadian2 | Dec 11, 2012, 11:17 AM EST
I am sad to say that there are crazies even in my great country. They are people just looking for attention. I don't see anything wrong with this. I myself would rather see a wall of some kind. These are ladies that are mot getting what they should be getting at home.
MrSinatra | Dec 11, 2012, 10:49 AM EST
i guess vagina shaped would be better?
Unionistsdie | Dec 11, 2012, 10:36 AM EST
Looks like it's the Irish who are being insulted. What is wrong with a permenant statue to Irish women and whois this group to say it's unworthy?
PhlutiePhan | Dec 11, 2012, 10:25 AM EST
The comment of "Tim Whitmore" is very reflective and stands erect.
slainte9 | Dec 11, 2012, 10:09 AM EST
Just a pretext for anti-Irish and anti-Catholic bigotry, ancient racism and an old evil wearing a new dress.
JimmieM | Dec 11, 2012, 10:03 AM EST
Amazing display of intellect ...anything upright is a male member, and causes an arousal with these women?....and then there is people who after 2,000 years of human history think that their tiny spark of wisdom is sufficient to deem the cross as " not appropriate "....I am Amazed
TimWhitmore | Dec 11, 2012, 09:57 AM EST
THERE ARE NO PHALLIC SYMBOLS; ONLY PHALLIC MINDS.
thetint | Dec 11, 2012, 09:34 AM EST
Is it 1st April?
thetint | Dec 11, 2012, 09:29 AM EST
A phallic symbol! This is lunacy. By this womens' activist group's definition most high buildings in the world are "phallic." Are trees phallic too? What about the Washington monument? Come now ladies, let's give rational thought a chance here - it might help your credibility.
rondonaghe | Dec 11, 2012, 08:36 AM EST
I don't know of any pen8s that is square at the top. The structure is tall to accommodate the cross, right?
darao | Dec 11, 2012, 08:34 AM EST
The idea of a monument recognizing the contributions of Irish immigrants to Canada has much merit. About 14% of Canadians trace theri roots to Ireland. I myself am an immigrant. But the design looks really dated and old style. Surely something more creative could be found. Certainly including a religious symbol is not appropriate any more. The Celtic cross is lovely but no longer reflects the Irish community nearly as much as does education, hard work, conviviality, and creativity. Great project but needs design rework.
Hepzibuh | Dec 11, 2012, 07:19 AM EST
I shudder to think what design these women do want.