Two new sculptural works by artist Kevin O’Dwyer have been officially launched at Lough Boora Discovery Park, marking the first major additions to the park’s sculpture collection in over a decade. The works, titled Regeneration and Light as a Feather, reflect the park’s evolving story of transformation from industrial peatlands to a landscape of ecological restoration, culture and public enjoyment.
Regeneration draws inspiration from the seed as a symbol of renewal, growth, and cyclical change. Rising vertically from the ground, the work acknowledges the industrial history of the site while pointing toward its continued regeneration.
Light as a Feather offers a contrasting visual language — a suspended, airy form that engages with space, balance, stillness and the quiet expansiveness of Boora’s open horizon.
“Lough Boora is a place shaped by change, resilience and imagination,” said Kevin O’Dwyer. “These works are rooted in the landscape’s capacity to hold memory while continually becoming something new. O’Dwyer says it has been an honour to contribute to this next chapter in the park’s cultural and environmental renewal.”
Developed with the support of Bord na Móna and Offaly County Council, the works highlight the role of the arts in shaping public engagement with landscape and regional identity. The sculptures expand the existing Lough Boora Sculpture Park collection, inviting visitors to encounter the environment through form, material, and movement.
About the Artist
Kevin O’Dwyer is an Irish sculptor and metalsmith whose work explores the relationships between landscape, memory and material. His public artworks are located across Ireland, Europe and the United States, and his studio practice spans sculpture, metalsmithing, and site-specific installation.
Kevin O’Dwyer’s work invites further consideration about the role of the park. Its place in our reflections on landscape and memory; the place of the bogs in the natural landscape and of the place of turf in the household and later industrial economy of the region.
About Lough Boora Discovery Park
Lough Boora Discovery Park is a unique landscape of cutaway bog, regenerated wetlands, wildlife habitats, walking and cycling trails, and a significant collection of site-specific sculpture. The park is managed in partnership between Bord na Móna and Offaly County Council.
The website for Lough Boora tells us that
Lough Boora is home to some of the most innovative land and environmental sculptures in Ireland. The artists, inspired by the rich natural and industrial legacy of the bog lands, have created a series of large-scale sculptures that are now part of the park’s permanent collection.
The website describes Boora as a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts interested in its unique flora and wildlife, the Sculpture Park’s route is enhanced by 24 innovative works of art that dramatically change the landscape with varying contrast depending on the weather, throughout the seasons and over time. Industrial materials of the bog, such as locomotives, rail line, timber and stone have been developed into magnificent sculptures. Over time, the effects of nature have altered the sculptures in colour and developed wonderful colonies of plant growth, enabling them to become part of the landscape once again.’
But there is more to explore. It would be good to see a series of talks in late 2026-27 on Boora and the Bogs of Offaly and their role in landscape history and memory. In the meantime we need to read up on our Frank Mitchell, John Feehan, Simon Schama and W.G. Hoskins.
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