THE SCULPTURE
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What is Life? 1943
Watson and Crick 1953
The Irish connection
The Central Dogma
The multitude of RNAs
A guide to the Sculpture
The Donors
Learn about DNA & RNA
THE SCULPTOR
Charles Jencks
?What is life? 2013
The DNA family
THE BOTANIC GARDENS
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The Donors
The entire cost of the sculpture was raised by private subscription, with assistance in kind from the
garden staff of the National Botanic Gardens and the Office of Public Works.
John Atkins went from Dunmanway in county Cork to obtain his degrees from the Department
of Genetics in Trinity College Dublin (where he is an Honorary Professor). His daughter,
Tara, was once convinced he was a french fries salesman, but in reality John has always
remained in genetics research and is currently a Research Professor at the University
College Cork, as well as Research Professor of Human Genetics at Utah University.
David McConnell is the Professor of Genetics at the Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin.
He is a member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation and the Royal Irish Academy. He received his
PhD from the California Institute of Technology in 1971, and held an Eleanor Roosevelt Research Fellowship
at Harvard University in 1976-77. He pioneered the development of molecular genetics and genetic
engineering in Ireland.
Another donor has sponsored the project in memory of Arthur Edward James Went.
Born in London, Arthur took his primary degree in London, and studied at Oslo University. He
became Assistant Inspector of Fisheries in Dublin in 1936, and Inspector
in 1938. His work was mainly on fishes both marine and fresh-water,
and he specialised on the history of the Irish salmon and
pilchard fisheries. He was a passionate advocate of Natural History and was a lifelong member of
the Dublin Naturalists' Field Club.
The Irish Museums Trust, Fundúireacht Iarsmalanna na hÉireann,
is a registered charity whose objects are For the advancement of education and for
purposes beneficial to the community by aiding the educational work and development of
the National Museum of Ireland and other Public Museums throughout Ireland. To this end the
Trust is empowered, amongst other things, to acquire objects; sponsor exhibitions;
accumulate funds, subscriptions and donations; and to carry out research projects. The fund has raised
funds to support the sculpture in its role as an educational resource for the
gardens.
Feargal Quinn is an independent member of Seanad Éireann. A successful businessman, he
is the founder of the Superquinn supermarket chain, of which he remains non-executive president.
He was first elected as a senator in 1993 from the National University of Ireland constituency and has been
re-elected on four further occasions. He is the recipient of three honorary doctorates from Irish education
institutions (NCEA, National University of Ireland and the University of Dublin) and of a papal knighthood.
He shared with Oprah Winfrey the 2006 "Listener of the Year" award of the International Listening Association.
Jim Watson, co-discoverer of the DNA double helix, also made a generous donation to the sculpture, in
addition to travelling to Ireland to inaugurate the piece on the 60th anniversary of his historic
discovery.
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