Kindred Spirits
Kindred Spirits is a striking and deeply moving public sculpture located in Midleton, County Cork, in the Republic of Ireland. The work stands as a memorial to the Choctaw Nation of Native Americans, commemorating an extraordinary act of generosity that occurred in 1847 during the height of the Great Famine in Ireland. The sculpture was created by Irish artist Alex Pentek and was unveiled in June 2017, representing a remarkable and enduring bond of compassion between two peoples separated by thousands of miles of ocean but united by a shared understanding of suffering and loss.
The historical event at the heart of Kindred Spirits is both remarkable and deeply moving. In 1847, news of the devastating Irish Famine reached the Choctaw people in Oklahoma, who at that time were themselves still suffering the aftermath of the Trail of Tears — the forced removal from their ancestral homeland in the 1830s, during which thousands of Choctaw people perished. Despite their own poverty and hardship, the Choctaw people gathered together and donated $170 (a considerable sum at the time, equivalent to several thousand dollars today) to famine relief in Ireland. This astonishing gesture of solidarity from a people who had themselves known dispossession and starvation struck deep in the Irish consciousness and has never been forgotten.
The sculpture itself is a powerful and hauntingly beautiful installation consisting of nine large stainless steel feathers arranged in a circle, each rising approximately six metres into the air. The feathers are hollow and bowl-shaped at their tips, designed to evoke an empty bowl — a potent symbol of hunger and famine. Together, the nine feathers form a kind of vessel or chalice when viewed from above, suggesting both communal gathering and the act of offering. The overall effect is both stark and graceful, the polished steel catching and reflecting the Irish light in ways that change dramatically with the weather and the hour of day.
Standing inside the circle of feathers, a visitor is immediately struck by the intimacy and power of the piece. The feathers rise around you like a living presence, and the open bowl forms at the top draw the eye skyward. There is a quiet, meditative quality to the space, despite being open to the elements on all sides. The sound of wind moving through the steel structure is subtle but present, adding to the sense of the sculpture as something alive and responsive. On clear days, the light plays off the polished surfaces, creating soft reflections and patterns on the ground and on surrounding foliage. The experience is one of stillness and contemplation.
The sculpture is set within a beautifully maintained public park called Bailick Park on the outskirts of Midleton, a market town in East Cork. The park borders the tidal Owenacurra River estuary, and the landscape around the sculpture is lush and green, with mature trees, open grassland, and views across the water. The estuary is a haven for birdlife, and the natural setting enhances the meditative character of the memorial. Midleton itself is widely known as the home of the Jameson Irish Whiskey Distillery, one of Ireland's most visited heritage attractions, situated just a short distance from the park.
The choice of Midleton as the location for the sculpture has particular resonance, as County Cork was one of the areas most severely affected by the Great Famine. The surrounding landscape would have been home to communities devastated by starvation and emigration in the 1840s, and there is something fitting about placing a famine memorial in this quiet riverside park, where the natural beauty of the setting forms a gentle counterpoint to the severity of the historical events being commemorated.
The connection between the Choctaw Nation and Ireland has grown considerably stronger in the years since the sculpture was unveiled. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, Irish people rallied to raise funds for Navajo and Hopi communities in the United States who were suffering disproportionately from the virus, explicitly citing the 1847 Choctaw donation as their inspiration. Within days, Irish donors raised millions of dollars — a reciprocal act of solidarity that made global headlines and brought fresh attention to the Kindred Spirits sculpture and the history it represents. Representatives of the Choctaw Nation have visited the sculpture and have spoken of their deep appreciation for the memorial.
For visitors, Bailick Park is freely accessible and the sculpture is visible year-round. The park is a short drive or a manageable walk or cycle from the centre of Midleton town. Midleton itself is easily reached from Cork city, approximately 25 kilometres to the west, by road or by the frequent commuter rail service that connects the two. The park has parking nearby and is suitable for visitors of all ages and abilities, with relatively level ground around the sculpture. There is no admission fee to visit the artwork, which is maintained as a public memorial and green space.
The best time to visit is arguably in the golden light of early morning or late afternoon, when the steel feathers catch the sun most dramatically, and when the park tends to be quietest, allowing for undisturbed reflection. However, the sculpture has a particular atmosphere on overcast or misty days as well, when the steel takes on a softer, more subdued quality and the surrounding greenery becomes intensely saturated in colour. Autumn and spring are especially lovely seasons in Bailick Park, with wildflowers and migratory birds adding to the experience. Visitors often leave the site visibly moved, and many take time to read the interpretive signage nearby that explains the history behind the memorial in full.