Father Pat Noise

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Plaque in memory of Father Pat Noise
Plaque in memory of Father Pat Noise

Father Pat Noise is a fictitious Roman Catholic priest, described on a hoax commemorative plaque installed by two brothers on O'Connell Bridge in Dublin. The full text of the plaque reads:

THIS PLAQUE COMMEMORATES FR. PAT NOISE ADVISOR TO PEADAR CLANCEY. HE DIED UNDER SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN HIS CARRIAGE PLUNGED INTO THE LIFFEY ON AUGUST 10TH 1919. ERECTED BY THE HSTI

The hoaxers installed it in 2004, and owned up in May 2006 after it was brought to the attention of Dublin City Council by a journalist for the Sunday Tribune. They claimed the work was a tribute to their father, and that the name 'Father Pat Noise' is a play on pater noster, Latin for "our father". The 'HSTI' is also fictitious. Peadar Clancey was a genuine Irish Republican Army officer killed on the evening of Bloody Sunday, 1920 [1]

The plaque was laid in a depression left by the removal of the control box for the "Millennium Countdown" clock installed in the waters of the Liffey in March 1996 as a countdown to the Year 2000. The clock and control box were removed in December 1996 after persistent technical and visibility problems.[2] Dublin City Council stated when the story broke that the Pat Noise plaque would be removed, as it was unauthorised. Several ironic tributes of flowers and messages were left by the plaque.[3] A meeting of the South East Area Committee of the Council in December 2006 supported leaving it in place.[4]

On 22 May 2007, Dublin City Council engineers intended to remove the plaque, but were stopped by City Councillor Dermot Lacey, who insisted the Council's Order should stand.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ In Memory of Father Noise. Museum of Hoaxes (May 9 2006). Retrieved on 2007-03-23.
  2. ^ Egan, Rory. "The Millennium Clock", Sunday Independent, April 2 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-24. 
  3. ^ photograph of tributes from Archiseek Forum thread
  4. ^ Minutes of South East Area committee meeting held on 11th December 2006 (Microsoft Word). Dublin City Council. Retrieved on 2007-03-24. “Motion from Councillor Dermot Lacey: This Committee agrees to discuss and supports the case for leaving the “Fr Noise” Plaque in situ on O’Connell Bridge. Order: Leave plaque in place or provide further report to Committee.” (the December meeting's minutes are attached to the agenda for the January 2007 meeting)
  5. ^ Healy, Alison. "Hoax Plaque on Bridge Will Now be Left In Place", The Irish Times, 24 May 2007. Retrieved on 2007-06-27. 

[edit] External links