Dismay after statue of Mary Ann McCracken damaged

A panel on the base of the statue in the grounds of Belfast City Council was discovered to have been removed on Friday morning, however, it is not known when the damage was caused.

A Belfast City Council spokesperson said they are aware of the damage and have reported it to police.

“This will be looked into and replaced as soon as possible,” they said.

The statue was unveiled on International Women’s Day in March 2024 to recognise Ms McCracken’s contribution to the city.

Born in the Northern Ireland capital in 1770, Ms McCracken was part of the revival of the Irish language and a supporter of the United Irishmen movement.

She also worked to help those in poverty, particularly women and children, and campaigned against slavery.

Sinn Fein councillor Ronan McLaughlin described the damage to the statue as “disgraceful”, and said it is understood the section removed was written in Irish.

“Even more concerning is that the damage appears to have been aimed specifically at the section inscribed as Gaeilge,” he said.

“This statue stands proudly at City Hall in memory of a remarkable anti-slavery campaigner and Irish republican.

“I have spoken with council officials and called for a full investigation into the damage. I have also asked that the matter be referred to the PSNI.

“Those responsible must be held accountable for their actions to ensure this intolerant behaviour is not repeated.

“Sinn Fein is calling for repairs to be carried out as quickly as possible so the statue can continue to be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.”

Belfast SDLP councillor Gary McKeown also condemned the damage.

“The vandalism of the Mary Ann McCracken statue is disgusting and will appall people right across Belfast and beyond,” he said.

“It’s really important that this is fully investigated and I have spoken to the council to ask that the signage is fixed as soon as possible.

“Belfast has an embarrassingly low number of statues dedicated to women, so the unveiling of this one in the grounds of City Hall last year was particularly welcome and I was delighted to be in attendance.

“This makes it all the more shocking that it appears that someone has attacked it. It’s also notable that it was an Irish language inspection on the statue that was targeted, showing even more intolerance.

“Mary Ann was an inspirational figure whose contribution to our city still resonates to this day, particularly around her work as a social reformer and opponent of slavery. The principles she stood for remain relevant two centuries later.”

Alliance councillor Michael Long said he was disgusted by the damage to the statue.

“Mary Ann McCracken represents everything that is good about the shared history of our city. I was delighted when my proposal for the statue was backed by all parties four years ago, as she speaks to the ideals we all should live up to,” he said.

“Statues such as those of Mary Ann showcase the new, diverse Belfast by looking back to those who took stands and laid the foundations for the freedoms we enjoy today. It makes me despair how anyone could damage a memorial dedicated to someone held in such high regard by so many people.

“I appeal to anyone who has information on this incident to contact police with it immediately.”

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police received a report at around 12.55pm on Friday, July 18 of suspected criminal damage to a statue in the Donegall Square North area of Belfast.

“Inquiries are ongoing and anyone with any information is asked to contact police on the 101 number, quoting reference 687 of 18/07/25.”