The Naas Ball in Kildare has become a national treasure over the past few years.
It's gained internet notoriety from memes being posted about it.
People love to crack an old joke about the Naas Ball, but how many of us really know where it comes from?
In fact, how many of us know that the Naas Ball isn't its proper name?
What is the Naas Ball actually called?
The Naas Ball's official name is 'Perpetual Motion'.
It was the winning art concept in an anonymous competition held by Kildare County Council in 1993.
Some thirty artists submitted proposals for Stage 1 of the competition.
Four proposals were short-listed for Stage II of the competition where more detailed and highly developed plans were examined.
Perpetual Motion won out, was built at the site on the Naas bypass.
It was subsequently learnt that the artists Remco de Fouw and Rachael Joynt had jointly submitted this piece for the competition.
Who was behind the design?
Remco de Fouw holds an honours degree in Fine Art Sculpture from the National College of Art & Design.
He has exhibited at several prestigious shows including EV A, R.H.A., ESPACE, Oireachtas and Aer Riannta’s Gateway to Art.
He has also won awards from the Arts Council, IONTAS, and the Donal O’Morchada Travel award.
Previous commissions include sculptures for the Highschool, Rathgar 1990 and Waterford Regional Hospital 192.
Rachael Joynt graduated with first class honours in sculpture from the National College of Art & Design.
She has exhibited in several group shows including ESPACE, Oireachtas and Fernhill’s Sculpture in Context, and she has had solo exhibitions at the Project Arts Centre and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Gallery in Belfast. Commissions include People’s Island at D’Olier St., for the Dublin Millennium, Solas na Glasrai at Moore St. and Wood Quay Walk, Winetavern St. for Dublin Corporation and a sculpture at the Visitor’s Centre, Kilrush, Co. Clare for the O.P.W.
She has work in several collections including Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Banks and Temple Bar Properties.
What is the Naas Ball made from?
The Nass Ball is a hollow, ferrocement sphere, approximately 9 meters in diameter.
The colour and texture of the sphere is similar to a road surface and the various road markings depicted would are painted with a similar substance to that of actual roadmarkings.
The road arrows suggest the movement of air water currents over the surface of a globe and follow the main flow of traffic towards Dublin, across the bridge and particularly along the turn off for Naas.
This emphasises the town’s geographical position in relation to the motorway.
In an artist's statement for the competition, the ball is described as: "As an element symbol of motion, the sphere of its size with roadmarkings would act as an impressive yet integrated celebration of travel and motorway design.
"It would appeal to a broad cross-section of roadusers and be a lighthearted and distinctive landmark."
