Derry shirt factory sculpture to cost £153,000 after years of delays

Louise Walsh made a presentation to Derry City and Strabane District Council on Tuesday evening

The shirt factory sculpture in Londonderry will now cost £153,000 to be installed, the artist behind the project has said.

Louise Walsh originally started work on the sculpture in 2006.

It was commissioned by Derry City Council and was to be located at King Street in the Waterside.

That was then changed to Harbour Square due to planning problems.

The original cost of the project was £90,000.

Planning permission has still not been granted.

'Hopeful'

Ms Walsh told Derry City and Strabane District Council on Tuesday that she was "ready to walk away if the project doesn't soon get the go ahead.

"The original funding is almost gone because of delays and the price of metal. The city is now going to have to find the funding.

"Getting the planning permission is the big thing at the minute. I've always been hopeful that things will go ahead. I've hung on by the skin of my teeth sometimes.

"There has to be a point where you say enough. If there's a no from planning then that's it for me."

The model of the shirt factory sculpture shows that the piece would be installed not too far from Derry's Guildhall

Louise Walsh had hoped that the piece would be ready for Derry's year as UK City of Culture in 2013.

At the turn of the 20th century, there were more than 30 shirt factories in Derry.

The firms employed thousands of people, mostly women and girls.