Manannán Mac Lír: Statue theft makes world news

Reports of the statue’s dissappearance have made it into US publication the New York Times, the Russian media giant RT (Russia Today), as well as a plethora of online publications throughout Europe.

Italian publication Recensioni.tv carried reports of the statue’s theft, as did Romanian media outlet Lonews who also carried photographs of Binevenagh and embedded maps from Google. The statue’s theft made news in France and a host of other countries across the globe.

An online campaign for the statue’s return has also attracted the support of people from around the world.

The statue, depicting Celtic sea-god Manannán Mac Lír with arms outstretched overlooking the ocean from the stunning viewing point at Gortmore on Binevenagh mountain, was stolen last week.

It was removed at the base and replaced with a wooden cross bearing the words ‘Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me’ and police say they are investigating the possible religious element to the crime.

The PSNI have issued a satirical ‘missing person appeal’ as they renew their appeals for information about the crime.