The monument appeared at the walls of the castle - the main building of the city, founded at the beginning of the 13th century (however, not by the Irish themselves, but by the British who conquered part of the island at that time). Since then, he has performed an important defensive role, positioning himself on the Shannon River and guarding the bridge over it, leading to the province of Connaught. For 800 years, the castle has seen many battles, so this situation enriches the idea of a memorial with the theme of military tradition.
But the main thing is that the castle is adjoined by the Castium barracks, which have existed since the end of the 17th century: the 4th Western Brigade of the Irish Armed Forces is now stationed there, whose soldiers constantly participate in peacekeeping operations abroad - it is their dead brothers in arms that the monument is dedicated to …
The structure consists of two parts. The first, "Cenotaph", is composed of four bronze "steles", symbolizing the four cardinal points and four historical provinces of Ireland, thereby expressing the "universal" place of service of the fallen soldiers.
The second, "Basement", a composition of Irish limestone slabs, with its expressive lines should convey the energy of the battle, as well as personify the landscape of the places where the soldiers were born and the country where they died.
The area around the memorial has been turned into a public space.
N. F.
