Hats across the divide

The Maurice Harron sculpture, 'Hands Across The Divide', was installed at Carlisle Circus some years ago. Symbolic of a burgeoning Peace Process the sculpture illustrates two men stretching out their hands in a gesture of reconciliation between both sides of this city.

The sculpture is also regularly listed on many websites and brochures as a tourist attraction.

But, in keeping with the great humour of this city, in recent times the art work has been dubbed' The Tomb of the Unknown Tapper' and the statues' hands have regularly been 'adorned' with such materials as surgical gloves as well as bottles of alcopop.

Last month the figures were purposefully dressed up to highlight International Women's Week.

Now, it appears that someone may be making a 'pointed' protest over the traffic congestion plaguing both sides of the city.

The latest 'artistic reinterpretation' of the sculpture drew this response from the creator of the piece Maurice Harron who told the Sentinel: "It was good to see the nice picture of the two 'tappers'! I always enjoy when they dress these guys up. It's pure Derry humour and you have to smile. I hope that strangers coming into town see that too.

"One of the best versions was back in the 90's when the ceasefire broke down, some artists got elastoplasts and stuck dozens of them all over the bodies - cool!"