Should the Sun go Down on Galway's Che Guevara?
This short film outlines the saga around Galway officials proposed monument to Cuban rebel, Che Guevara. In the Spring of 2012, Labour Councillor Billy Cameron proposed to erect a statue to the rebel in Salthill, Galway.
At first there was widespread support for the proposal with funds secured from both the Cuban and Argentine Embassies. Later confusion arose about erecting a permanent statue of this kind in the promenade area of Salthill so the proposal was passed to Galway Public Arts Committee. In the intervening period, the debate became controversial with widespread opposition from the Chair of the US Foreign Affairs Committee. A personal plea to the Irish Prime Minister to block the Galway proposal followed.
Meanwhile on the west coast of Clare, a commemoration festival was inaugurated in 2011 on the 50th anniversary of Che Guevara's visit to Kilkee from a stop-over at Shannon Airport. Irish artist, Jim Fitzpatrick who designed the famous red and black poster of the rebel met him on that 1961 visit.
The erection of the statue in Galway has yet to be decided.
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