Cliodhna Cussen facts for kids
Cliodhna Cussen (pronounced KLEE-uh-na KUSS-en) was a talented Irish artist. She was a sculptor, a writer, and an author. Cliodhna was born in 1932 in Newcastle West, County Limerick. She passed away on August 2, 2022. She was married to Pádraig Ó Snodaigh, who was a poet. Her son, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, is a politician.
Her Early Life and Learning
Cliodhna Cussen was born on September 18, 1932. Her parents were Kathleen and Robert Cussen. She had six brothers and sisters. Cliodhna went to school in Limerick. Later, she studied history at University College Dublin (UCD). She even taught there for a while.
While at UCD, she also started studying art. She went to the National College of Art and Design. There, she learned how to carve wood. In 1955, she won a special scholarship. This allowed her to travel to Florence, Italy, to study art even more.
Her Amazing Art Career
Cliodhna Cussen created many important artworks. You can find her sculptures all over Ireland. She often worked with stone and bronze.
One of her most famous sculptures is in Dublin. It's a copy of a 'Long Stone'. This stone was put up in 1986. It marks where Vikings once had a similar stone. This original stone helped stop their longships from getting stuck. She also made a sculpture called 'Who Made The World' in Ballsbridge, Dublin.
In 1986, she added a special statue to a pilgrimage site. This site is called Máméan in Connemara. Her statue shows Saint Patrick as a shepherd. He has a sheep at his feet.
Cliodhna was also a writer. She wrote a novel called An Eochair (which means 'The Key'). This book tells a story about a famous Irish woman named Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill. Cliodhna also wrote three collections of poetry.
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