Local artist creates willow bog-themed sculpture for Rathangan roundabout

Beth Murphy a Kildare artist has been growing willow and working with willow since 1997, in Redhills, Kildare.

She set up Willow Wonder in 2005 to promote the ancient craft of basket making as well as environment and heritage.

Her work brings her into schools as a Heritage Expert and also into the wider community as an ETB Tutor.

In March 2022, Murphy was approached by Rathangan Tidy Towns to create a willow sculpture to celebrate the towns past relationship with the bog.

Being no stranger to the bog, having spent childhood summers footing turf to keep the home fires burning through the winter months she was completely onboard with this project.

Her craft of basket making and her love for donkeys, and researching the archives the Rathangan sculpture found its final shape.

Rathangan Tidy Towns were aware of Murphy’s work and her ethos as an artist, working with heritage and environment at community level was something they felt very strong about too.

Having agreed on the size, shape and all elements to be included Murphy then commissioned a colleague Paul Finch to make the steel armature. She completed the sculpture using different weaving techniques and various varieties of willow for contrast and color. Murphy’s own two donkeys played the important part of modeling and it had to be two creels highlighting the
heritage craft of basket making.

One of the pictures from the archives stood out to her, the woman had a strong presence something she wanted the sculpture to reflect, to honor all women who worked alongside the men.

“Coming Home” resonated with Murphy, yes coming home after a hard day on the bog, maybe coming home to our ancestors, our loved ones who have past and we now hold in our hearts, our inner home. Tradition, a way of life, “Coming Home” is a nod to the past and represents Rathangan’s relationship to the bog.

Finally in December 2024, two and a half years in the making “Coming Home” gets the green light from Kildare County Council and is installed on the Bog Cross Roundabout, Rathangan.

Thank you to Rathangan Tidy Towns for commissioning a local artist, promoting our heritage in a sustainable way.