The Connemara Giant

The Connemara Giant is a very well preserved late 20th century antiquity.

It is said to embody as “The Connemara Giant”

The name Connemara derives from “Conn Son of the Sea”

An interesting feature of the monument is the local tale that states if you touch the giants hand ( the one holding the stone ) you will be blessed with the knowledge of his ancient tribe.

This continuing tradition is colloquially known as touching the hand of knowledge.

And to this day local school kids will touch the hand to give them luck before an exam.

The Conmhaícne ( descendants of Conn Mhac ) were an ancient tribal grouping that were divided into a number of distinct branches that were found scattered around Ireland in the early medieval period.

They take their name from a mythical ancestor known as Con Mhac “hound son“

The Connemara Giant was designed and made by local artist Mark Joyce. It is made from cast concrete. it was constructed from a breakaway mould.

The Statue is raised on a three tier concrete pedestal four foot six inches in height. The statue itself is six foot in height. The statue is placed almost directly on top of the now unused Galway – Clifden railway line, it faces north overlooking the car park of Joyces Craft Shop (est. 1928).

On the front of the second tier of the pedestal is a Connemara green Marble plaque with RECESS. On the top tier is another plaque this time in Kilkenny limestone. The inscription says

THIS IS

CONNEMARA

(CONN SON OF THE SEA)

BUILT IN 1999

BY JOYCES CRAFT SHOP

FOR NO APPARENT REASON

Touching the hand of knowledge is to be likened to kissing the blarney stone, or drinking a pint of stout in a traditional Irish pub.

It is also noted that “you haven’t truly visited the area of Connemara, until you have touched the hand of the Connemara giant”

Also there is a monument to the rear of the Connemara Giant. This was erected in the 1960’s. This is a sculpture of pair of bookends with a book at its centre. It is made from cast concrete faced with Connemara Green Marble. At the base of this statue is a recreation of a marble fireplace. there is a brass plaque which states

ON THIS SITE

IN 1897 NOTHING

HAPPENED

Important warning :
Since the cache is in a very busy place, be very discreet when it comes to searching and rehinding !!!

This Cache is a cylindrical container