Fr Pat Noise Memorial

[Paul Clerkin]

Mystery plaque to be taken down at O'Connell Bridge
Olivia Kelly

Dublin City Council is to remove a memorial plaque from O'Connell Bridge because it does not know the person commemorated or how the plaque got there.

The bronze plaque, set into the wall on the western side of the bridge, commemorating "Fr Pat Noise" was spotted recently by a Sunday newspaper journalist.

The plaque claims to mark the spot where the priest died in 1919 when his carriage plunged into the River Liffey in "suspicious circumstances".

The council's heritage officer has reviewed historical records but can find no reference either to the priest or the accident, a council spokeswoman said.

Furthermore, the council did not erect the plaque, was not asked permission for its placement on the bridge and has "no idea" how it got there.

The plaque will be removed within days, the spokeswoman said.

[StephenC]

What an intriuging story! Personally I think they should leave this little quirk in place. However I do have to wonder at priorities here when pieces of masonry are missing from the bridge (see OConnell St thread) with little or no proper attention, why get so worked up over such a minor point.

[phil]

Very true Stephen. I wonder when it was put there. Anyone have any idea? Maybe the council should look further afield before deciding to definitely take it down.

[PVC King]

How long has it been in situ?

[Bren88]

I seen this on the news last night, but couldn't find the story on the web to post it. Very strange indeed.
It can't be just a random thing, must be an allusion to something. But nobody has ever heard of him.

[Paul Clerkin]

I reckon its either a prop from some movie, or a teaser for a play or some art thing....

smells of joke to me

[PVC King]

The name is a bit suss alright

[kefu]

Don't know how harmless it is to be honest. They made an absolute balls of putting it in and have damaged the brickwork on the bridge.

[Paul Clerkin]

so its vandalism

[KerryBog2]

I I thought at first it could have been to commemorate the priest who gave the last rites to the unknown gurrier (of Myles na gCopaleen fame) However, the date is wrong.
KB2

[a boyle]

it's a prank.

[lostcarpark]

It's vandalism in a sense, but the plaque is filling in a hole left when the millennium clock ("the chime in the slime") was abandoned.

It's a bit of harmless fun. I think it should be allowed to stay, at least until something more fitting can be found to plug the hole.

And it's hardly the first time a memorial has been erected to a person or event of dubious historical accuracy.

[Sue]

My first thought when I heard this prank was: that's the work of Paul Clerkin!

so I take it this wasn't your handiwork Paul?

[Paul Clerkin]

I would always stop short of vandalism... I would also have made sure to have pages on the net in various places to back up the "background story" of the priest...

[Bren88]

I just like to find out what it means, somebody must of had a reason behind the name. I'd be a little dissappointed if it was just random.

[lostcarpark]

If they had carved the hole out of the stonework for the plaque, that would be vandalism. However, this is filling in an unsightly hole the council had left after a failed project. It may meet the technical definition of vandalism, but as long as no damage has been done to the bridge, I think no moral vandalism has occurred (if such a thing exists).

Hopefully people will see the humour of it.

I'd recommend getting down there to have a look for yourself before it disappears.

[jungle]

It turns out it's been there for three years

http://www.utvinternet.com/newsroom/...?id=73142&pt=n

[phil]

Thanks to those for posting more information about this throughout the day. I must say I find it quite funny. The bridge doesn't look to have been damaged by it and it is nice to see this sort of random activity take place once in a while.

[Sue]

That UTV item is junk journalism, lazily lifted from some other dozy organ. It's clear the plaque is no more than three months there

My guess is that it's some media studies or art student doing a project - and the reaction to the plaque, or rather how we are all "interpreting" it - will be at the centre of his/her thesis

I find that as people have more leisure time and money, hoaxes are becoming more prevalent. Tiresome, really

[lostcarpark]

Agreed. I can't believe it could be there for three years without somebody noticing and it becomming public knowledge. Even three months is probably pushing it.

Then again, I must have walked past that spot hundreds of times without paying notice to either the plaque or the empty space.

I don't find it tiresome, though. It's a hoax, but an imaginative one. An implausible story that just might have a hint of truth about it.

I think it would be a shame if it does get removed. However, I'd like to know the source of the original story and some confirmation of the intentions of the council before I start a letter writing campaign. I've seen this article copied on several forums, but none of them have credited the original source.

[Paul Clerkin]

Its from the Irish Times
Personally i think that the plaque should be removed.

[jackwade]

...and did you notice that "fr pat noise" is an anagram of "pater of sin"?....the plot thickens

[Bren88]

Originally Posted by lostcarpark

Agreed. I can't believe it could be there for three years without somebody noticing and it becomming public knowledge. Even three months is probably pushing it.

If you wake past it, even stopped and read it. Would you think it was anything other than a legitimate plaque. May of thought it strange that you never heard of "Fr Pat Noise". But would you of doubted it. Ands thats only if you have a change to stop and wait on the bridge, most people are hurrying accross it.

Originally Posted by jackwade

...and did you notice that "fr pat noise" is an anagram of "pater of sin"?....the plot thickens

I was thinking along the anagram lines earlier. If you expand pat to patrick or Fr. to father the lsit goes on and on. I think we may need to wait to hear the cause.

[ctesiphon]

It's been there a few months, and I'm sad that the story is finally out. I liked the idea of it being there quietly for years. I was going to post about it in the O'Connell Street thread a few months ago after it first came to my attention, but a friend thought that doing so might blow its cover.

Fr Pat Noise, RIP.

[lostcarpark]

I found a photograph of it dating from February.

If anyone's interested, the photos I took today are here.