Creating The
Wave Sculpture

We were very proud to be involved in sucha historic and important commemoration. When we were first approached to participate in the competition to select an artist for a sculpture to honour all those on board the Lusitania—both the lives lost and the survivors—we were immediately drawn to the project.

The brief asked for something both powerfuland deeply respectful. One of its core requirements was to include the names of all passengers and crew, clearly indicating those who perished and those who survived. Another was that the work would need to integrate seamlessly with the planned circular sunken garden at the memorial site. Our concept grew from the idea of creating a sculpture that would quietly and meaningfully tell the story of the Lusitania’s final voyage—from her departure from New York to her tragic sinking off the Old Head of Kinsale. We also wanted to reflect the aftermath: the rescue of survivors, the recovery and burial of the dead, and the broader historical significance of the event.

Research revealed that the sea was unusually calm on the day the Lusitania sank—a quietness that stood in stark contrast to the tragedy that unfolded. This detail stayed with us, and it began to shape the visual language of our design. We developed the concept around agently inclined bronze wave, 20 metres in length, that would follow the outercurve of the sunken garden. It was designed to serve both as a sculptural element and as a handrail—something tactile and present, visible from above and outside the garden, as well as from within. We were delighted when our concept was selected. And then came the realisation: we would have to build it.

Translating an idea of such scale and sensitivity into physical form was both fascinating and challenging. Every stage of making—from the technical logistics to the finedetails—demanded care and consideration. But the process only deepened our connection to the work and to what it represented. As a result of the commission, we now feel deeply connected to the area—and, more importantly, to the people who wereinvolved in making the memorial a reality. Their “can-do” attitude was trulyinspiring. It’s a place we often return to, and one we bring friends to whenthey visit, whether from overseas or other parts of Ireland.

One particularly memorable visit was with Françoise and Luigi Betgamo, the directors of the foundry Cornille-Havard in Normandy, France where the sculpture was cast. The artisans at their historic bell foundry took enormous pride in casting the ten sections of the Wave. Their craftsmanship and dedication gave the piece an added depth of meaning. Following our tour of the Signal Tower we were invited back to JJ and Josie Hayes’ farmhouse for lunch. We sat around the kitchen table—three links in the chain of the Lusitania sculpture: the artists,the foundry, and the commissioners. We talked about food, work, country life—and discovered, to everyone’s amusement, that the Hayes’ and the Bergamo’s had the exact same teapot. It was a small, incidental moment, and such conversations; casual, human, full of warmth, were likely not so different from the ones shared on board the Lusitania before its sinking. These interactions, between people from different walks of life, are part of what made the project so special. They reminded us that behind every public artwork lies a tapestry of collaboration, care, and connection.

What began as a commission became aconnection—to history, to place, and most importantly, to people.

- Eithne Ring and Liam Lavery - April 2025