ŠKODA Ireland, were the official car partner to the World Meeting of Families, they launched the event by unveiling a specially commissioned stained-glass ŠKODA KAROQ, which is now displayed here in our showroom.
Over 1,700 individual pieces of glass were hand cut and embedded in 25 metres of lead, in traditional church style, to complete the project. 47 different colours of stained-glass were used to depict modern Irish families of different ethnicities, cultures and life stages.
The stained-glass ŠKODA KAROQ was completed by master stained-glass craftsman, Evan Connan – who is the last fully trained traditional stained-glass designer in Ireland. From a small work shop in Crumlin, over 200 hours of labour were invested in the project. Upon full completion, the windows weighed 87 kilograms and fit perfectly to the contours of the ŠKODA KAROQ.
Speaking about the commemorative display, Cathal Kealey, PR and sponsorship manager for ŠKODA Ireland, said: “One of the sources of inspiration for ŠKODA’s designers is Czech crystal glass art, which is characterised by outstanding craftsmanship and quality. We wanted to reflect that inspiration by producing something unique, to mark our association with the World Meeting of Families.
“We are delighted to have worked with one of Ireland’s most unique craftsmen, to complete this celebration of the Irish families, in stained-glass. Evan was given a blank canvas to bring modern Irish families to life, with colour and imagination, and he has managed to do just that, with the 17 different families portrayed.”
