What does a rat, a cockroach, and a fly all have in common? Well, they’re all commonly found in and around rubbish dumps – But Dublin’s super size versions form part of an imaginative collection of scrap metal sculptures built not for arts sake, but to protest a controversial state government decision. Despite protests, the dump became a reality but twelve years down the track these quirky landmarks are still attracting plenty of attention, to the point where they now have their own brochure. Pete Michell takes a closer look at these silent sentinels for the conservation cause.