Lough Boora International Sculpture Symposium and Bord na Mona have received the prestigious Allianz Business2Arts award at a special ceremony in the Royal Hosiptal, Kilmainham. President McAleese presented the award to Kevin O’Dwyer (Lough Boora International Sculpture Symposium) and Mr. Tom Egan (Bord na Mona) at a gala banquet (May 28th) celebrating the special collaboration between Business and the Arts.

Bord na Mona and the Sculpture Symposium won the award in the category Best Business/Arts Collaboration for the First Time. The collaboration was short listed for the award in April with the Bank of Scotland/the National Concert Hall collaboration and FBD Insurance/The National Gallery of Ireland collaboration. With strong competition for the prestigious award, it was truly a great achievement for the artists and the Bord na Mona employees at Boora to gain recognition for their project at a National awards ceremony.

The Symposium brought together a team of 7 national and international artists who created a series of environmental art using the materials associated with both the natural and industrial heritage of the boglands. A team of Bord na Mona employees worked with the artists over a three week period to create the 8 works of art which are on permanent display in the Parklands. The artists involved in the project were: Jorn Ronnau (Denmark), Naomi Seki (Japan), Mike Bulfin (Ireland), Eileen MacDonagh (Ireland), Maurice MacDonagh (Ireland), Kevin O’Dwyer (Ireland) and James Fraher (U.S.A.).

For further information and photographs please contact:

Melanie O’Connor, Public Relations Business2Arts, 01 672 5336.
(Photographs of Award Ceremony)

Kevin O’Dwyer, Lough Boora International Sculpture Symposium, 0506 5336