The British television presenter, Graham Norton, honoured his hometown of Bandon by inaugurating one of the first monuments in the country to remember the lives lost during the Covid-19 outbreak. The Making Meaning of Covid memorial, a colourful ceramic tile plaque, is the innovative idea of the Creative Bandon Group. It’s a collaborative work from elders at the Bandon Day Care Centre and year 11 students from St Brogan’s and Bandon Grammar, guided by ceramic artist Anne McManamon.
During the dedicatory ceremony held at the Allin Institute, Norton shared his initial fear about the pandemic. “The scary part was not knowing when and how it would end,” he said. He reflected on Covid’s impact on the elderly, such as his mother Rhoda, for whom the world had become much smaller, and expressed many people’s hesitation to remember such a difficult time.
“There are no monuments dedicated to the 80 million victims of Spanish Flu, and There may also be a reluctance to remember the Covid-19 pandemic,” Norton observed. However, he emphasised the importance of not forgetting while creating this memorial in a creative rather than gloomy manner.
Marguerite McDaid from Creative Bandon highlighted the group’s commitment to fostering inclusivity through the arts. She said that the monument was a means of uniting older adults and secondary school students, who were significantly affected by the pandemic.
“Having Graham, a local resident and artist, present here to unveil this masterpiece underscores how culture and entertainment provided solace during those dreadful times,” Ms McDaid added.