Public Art

Hitchhiker (2005) by Willie Malone was a public artwork installed along the M7 motorway near Monasterevin, at the Heath/Mayfield section of the route. Jointly commissioned by Kildare and Laois County Councils under the Per Cent for Art Scheme, the sculpture was conceived as a striking roadside landmark for motorists travelling through the region. Created in phosphor bronze, Hitchhiker was designed as an abstract representation of the wheel, a symbol closely associated with travel, movement and journeying. Positioned beside one of Ireland’s principal transport corridors, the work responded directly to its location, reflecting the constant flow of people, goods and ideas across the landscape. Willie Malone is recognised for creating large-scale public artworks that combine strong symbolic content with an appreciation of place and environment. The sculpture became widely recognised by motorway users before its theft in 2011. Weighing over one tonne and standing more than three metres high, it was removed in what Gardaí described as a sophisticated operation. Despite its loss, Hitchhiker remains an important chapter in the story of public art along the M7 corridor.