Proposal to move Everest sculpture from front of Town Hall

Plans for the new theatre at the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre will see an enhanced street scape at Bank Parade in Newry with one of the proposals being made involving the moving of the Everest sculpture across to the other bridge and position it at the river wall across from Finegan and Son. Currently it is situated directly outside Newry Town Hall. Another planning application is also under way to site a Pat Jennings sculpture further down the Clanrye River wall at Kildare Street.

The monument celebrates Newry man Terence 'Banjo' Bannon who reached the summit of Mount Everest almost 20 years ago, on 31 May 2003. It documents his climb and was unveiled in 2004 by then Mayor of Newry and Mourne Council, Cllr Jack Patterson.

Other proposals include removing the existing boundary fence at the War Memorial to enable it to be more accessible, and a connected part of the public realm. It is also proposed that parking will remain as existing with one additional parking space.

There doesn't seem to be any plans to relocate the Russian Trophy situated beside the Everest monument. The cast iron cannon from the Crimean War is Grade B2 Listed and a planning report says "The proximity of the Russian Trophy to the Town Hall is also significant. Historic photos show that this has been relocated in recent times, meaning that the precise location is not in and of itself significant, however it makes a positive contribution to the setting of the building."

At present Planning Permission for the new theatre and town hall work has been applied for by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.