The Art And Arist - Select Image To View Photographs

___

NOW SILENT

___

A few days ago (April 2026) I revisited Penrose Quay at night with my Leica Q3 to photograph the "Listening Post" installation. I last photographed the installation in 2019 and in later years I had to avoid the immediate area because of anti-social activity.

___

The Silent Sentinels of Penrose Quay: A Study in Neglect

Walking along Penrose Quay in the early morning light of 2011, a strange phenomenon occurred: the air filled with voices despite the empty streets. What initially seemed like a stray iPad or a trick of the ear was eventually traced to a set of nondescript stainless steel pillars. Nearby, an engraved granite block identified the site as "Listening Post," a public art installation by sculptor Daphne Wright.

A Gateway to the Past

The monument is situated at a site of profound historical weight. During the middle decades of the last century, Penrose Quay served as a primary departure point for emigrant boats. The installation—a collaboration between Wright, Meridian Theatre Company’s Johnny Hanrahan, and sound designer Dan Jones—was designed to bridge that temporal gap.

The four stainless steel posts were engineered to play recordings of interviews featuring:

Original emigrants and their descendants.

Those left behind on Irish shores.

Ship workers who witnessed the departures.

As the city’s first permanent sound installation, the €100,000 project represented a bold attempt to weave oral history into the urban fabric.

The Decay of a Vision

By May 2019, the atmosphere at the site had shifted significantly. While the immediate area showed signs of minor physical improvement, the core of the artwork—the audio—had fallen silent. The failure of the installation serves as a stark example of how ambitious public art can suffer when long-term maintenance is neglected.

In Cork City, there is a visible trend where infrastructure receives a temporary boost during high-profile events, such as royal visits, only to revert to a state of disrepair once the spotlight fades. The "Listening Post" has become a victim of this cycle. The granite marker, described by some as unrefined and uninviting, now stands next to silent pillars that no longer fulfil their purpose.

Civic Disconnect

Local political commentary mirrors this sense of failure. Fianna Fáil Councillor Tom O’Driscoll has noted that despite the investment, few people—locals or tourists alike—actually experience the work. The lack of promotion is compounded by the poor state of the surrounding environment, which has frequently been marred by evidence of on-street alcohol consumption and general lack of care.

When a sound installation loses its voice, it ceases to be a monument and becomes mere street furniture. At Penrose Quay, the silence of the "Listening Post" is a poignant, if unintentional, metaphor for the fading memories of the very emigrants it was built to honor. Without active intervention and civic pride, this piece of Cork’s cultural heritage remains a hollow echo of a good idea.

Man And Dog - Select Image To View Photographs

___