Designer/Metalsmith/Sculptor
Kevin J. O'Dwyer
Inspiration & Symbolism
Standing Stones: The verticality of the elements references megalithic monuments across Ireland and the world—markers of ritual, territory, and cosmic alignment.
Chevron Motif: The angular lines evoke the incised chevrons found in the Fourknocks Passage Tomb (Co. Meath), carved by Neolithic communities over 5,000 years ago. This motif links the sculpture to prehistoric astronomy, ritual, and symbolic language.
Global Echo: The chevron pattern is a universal design—found on artefacts from diverse cultures—making this work a fitting symbol for an international congress focused on shared human heritage.
Kevin O’Dwyer’s striking sculpture “Na Fána Fuachtmhara – The Cold Hills” was created as a lasting tribute to the 2008 World Archaeology Congress. Inspired by 5,000-year-old chevron carvings in the Fourknocks Passage Tomb, it connects Ireland’s deep past with contemporary public art.
Na Fana Fuachtmhara -The Cold Hills
University College Dublin Campus
Na Fána Fuaichtmhara (The Cold Hills) is rooted in my fascination with Megalithic symbolism and how ancient markings continue to resonate in contemporary form. This sculpture draws direct inspiration from the incised chevron motifs found deep within the Fourknocks Passage Tomb in County Meath — patterns carved over 5,000 years ago by early communities who looked to the sky for meaning and connection.
The chevron, a universal symbol found in Neolithic cultures across the world, carries a quiet power. In Fourknocks, it’s thought to echo the shape of Cassiopeia, a W-shaped constellation that would have been visible through the tomb’s passage between 3000 BC and 2500 BC. That idea — of ancient peoples aligning architecture with the cosmos — is something that deeply moved me and shaped the direction of this work.
In Na Fána Fuaichtmhara, I’ve reinterpreted that enduring motif within a series of bold, architectural stone-like forms. These vertical structures speak to the presence and mystery of Neolithic standing stones, but through a contemporary sculptural language. It's both homage and reimagining — a way to bridge past and present.
This piece was created in response to and in celebration of the Sixth World Archaeology Conference, held at University College Dublin in 2008. It reflects my ongoing interest in the dialogue between art and archaeology, and how material culture—whether ancient or modern—shapes our understanding of place, time, and identity.