Lost Industries Sculpture - Select Image To View Photographs

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SCULPTOR DENIS O'CONNOR

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I first photographed this in July 2014.

Shadows of Steel: Connecting Cork’s "Lost Industries" and Belfast’s "Sweet Water Arch". While photographing Denis O’Connor’s Lost Industries in Cork this week, I was struck by a powerful sense of déjà vu. The sculpture’s intricate steel silhouettes and narrative linework immediately brought to mind another of his significant pieces: the Sweet Water Arch in Stranmillis, Belfast.

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Separated by over 250 miles, these two works act as metallic mirrors, reflecting the industrial soul and cultural heritage of two very different Irish cities through a unified artistic lens.

The Artist’s Shorthand

Denis O’Connor, alongside his partner Bernie Rutter at Sculpture Works, has developed a distinct visual vocabulary. Based in Derbyshire but with deep roots in Cork, O’Connor uses laser-cut stainless steel to "draw" stories into the landscape. His work is rarely a solid mass; instead, it is a series of frames and outlines that invite the viewer (and the photographer) to look through the art at the city beyond.

Cork: A Narrative of Lost Industries

In Cork, the work is an exercise in industrial archaeology. It captures the "Rebel City" at a crossroads, using gears, tools, and river motifs to document a manufacturing past that has largely vanished. The steel feels industrial and raw, echoing the foundries and shipping lanes of the River Lee.

Belfast: The Sweet Water Arch

Moving north to Belfast, the Sweet Water Arch (installed in 2009) uses a similar arched framework to tell the story of Stranmillis—derived from the Irish An Srúthan Milís (Sweet Stream). While the design language is identical, the symbols shift to match the local landscape:

The Trowel: Representing the famous Annadale brickworks.
Architecture: Nods to Charles Lanyon’s Stranmillis College.
Culture: Silhouettes referencing the Lyric Theatre.
The River: A celebration of the Lagan Navigation.

A Shared Vision

What makes these pieces so compelling to photograph is their collaborative nature. O’Connor famously involves local schools and residents in the design process, ensuring the symbols etched into the steel resonate with the people who walk past them daily.

Whether it is the maritime grit of Cork or the scholarly, riverside charm of Belfast, O’Connor’s arches serve as gateways between what a city once was and what it is becoming. As a photographer, capturing the way the Irish sky fills the gaps in his steel narratives is a reminder that history is never quite solid—it is something we constantly see through.

Man And Dog - Select Image To View Photographs