FOOTBALL LEGEND and honorary Irishman Jack Charlton drew an outpouring of love from across the country following his passing earlier this week.
The former Republic of Ireland manager who famously brought the team to the quarter finals in the 1990 World Cup-- often referred to simply as Italia '90-- passed away peacefully in his sleep last Friday at the age of 85.
Tributes were paid by some of Ireland's leading politicians, celebrities and friends of the former football star, and now his legacy could be immortalised in the form of a commemorative statue in Dublin city.
Last week, we reported on a new arts campaign which will see six new sculptures erected in areas around Dublin, with organisers urging the community to get involved in deciding what the new statues should commemorate.
Now one Dublin City Councillor has lodged a proposal to commission a commemoration statue of Jack Charlton.
Jack Charlton led the Irish team to its biggest success in history in the 1990 World CupCllr Anthony Flynn put forward the proposal for the empty plinth on Dame Street, where a statue of Daniel O'Connell once stood before it was permanently moved to the Rotunda Hospital in Parnell Square.
However, Deputy Lord Mayor Mary Callaghan has suggested the Aviva Stadium would be a more suitable place for the effigy due to Mr Charlton's significant links to sport, according to Extra.ie.
The statue is estimated to cost around 100,000, with the arts project's overall budget sitting at €600,000.
"I think somewhere like the Aviva would be a good spot, just because he was celebrated there," Deputy Lord Mayor Callaghan said.
Jack Charlton- "A great man and did a lot for Irish football and sport in general""My own view is that the relationship our country had with Jack Charlton is such a feel-good thing. It’s very important in the context of the Irish-English relationship.
"He was a great man and did a lot for Irish football and sport in general," she continued.
"I would be very in favour of it."
Ms Callaghan added that the funds which have been put aside for the project have already been allocated, however, and warned "we need to be careful... that we don't take money away from the community projects".
The threat of vandalism will always be there, she said, referencing the Luke Kelly statue on Sheriff Street which has been spray-painted seven times since it was unveiled in January 2019, but "we can't not put up statues because people want to damage it".
"I certainly think [the Jack Charlton statue] would get a lot of respect."
Watch this space...
