She was born Clare Frewen in 1885, the only daughter among the children of the highly talented three Jerome sisters. She was a cousin of Winston Churchill. She married Wilfred Sheridan, a descendant of Richard Brinsley Sheridan. He was killed in World War 1. They had 3 children, Margaret, Elizabeth and Dick. Elizabeth died very young, and in her grief, Clare decided to make some kind of memorial to her.  A talent for sculpture became evident and a career was launched.

In 1873, this imposing statue was unveiled in Eyre Square in honour of Lord Dunkellin, son of Lord Clanricarde, and heir to the family estates. He had a distinguished military career before being elected MP for Galway City in Parliament. He held the seat for 8 years before being elected for the County in 1865. He died in 1867. There was a very large gathering in the Square on the day of the unveiling with lots of toasts and speeches. The sculpture was a very fine one by the distinguished artist John Henry Foley.

This photograph was originally taken in 1983 as the corporation was preparing to knock down the high wall that ran around St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church and replace it with the railings that had surrounded Eyre Square… one of the better Quincentennial projects that helped improve the face of Galway.