A new monument has been unveiled in Creeslough in tribute to much-loved community volunteer, the late Ben McFadden.
‘The Corncutter’, which greets people coming into the north end of the village, is dedicated to the area’s heritage and to Mr McFadden’s legacy. The former chair of the Creeslough Community Association has been remembered as a man who asked for so little, but gave so very much.
The sculpture was unveiled during a poignant gathering last Friday, which was the first anniversary of Ben’s passing.
It was an emotional day for the family, who were full of gratitude to all the people who worked on the memorial. Ben’s granddaughters Sophia and Olivia had the proud honour of officially unveiling the memorial.
“We were delighted as a family to see the effort to get it ready for Friday,” said Majella McFadden, Ben’s daughter and the new Chair of the Creeslough Community Association.
“We were so delighted to see the turnout, it showed the feelings that were held around the town for Dad.”
Mr McFadden’s 40 years of community work lives on through his family and the committee he led with great innovation, generosity and positivity.
The Corncutter was also one of Ben’s ideas, Majella explained.
“Dad had a lot of projects in the pipeline, and this one was three years in the making. He and James McBride picked the site before Covid and it was always going to be a Corn Cutter monument because of the significance in the area.”
The song ‘Cutting the Corn in Creeslough’ or ‘The Emigrant’s Letter’ by Percy French is enshrined in the history of the village, as it was made famous by local star Bridie Gallagher.
The monument was designed by local man Dominic Lafferty and made by engineer John Gillespie of G-FAB Annagry.
The Corncutter Sculpture at Muckish Terrace.
The Creeslough Community Association would like to thank Dominic and John for their creative input into the project, Chris Murray who did the stonework, and Paddy McBride, who was instrumental in the preparation of the area, as well as Rev. David Skuce and Fr. John Joe Duffy who attended the unveiling.
The Creeslough Community Association has long been at the heart of the village, but never more so as in the aftermath of last October’s tragedy.
Majella took on the role of Chairperson in January but credits the entire team in the committee for their work in recent years on local development projects.
She said: “All these wee things we are doing – the Kay McNulty sculpture unveiling, and now the Corncutter, they are small things we are trying to keep going and keep the momentum going around the village without forgetting what has happened.”
