A mural for everyone

Peace , equality, inclusion and diversity; all ideals the new mural in Ballyjamesduff stands for.

A short walk up from the tennis court, the mural was created by young people both native and new to the area.

The mural, a creation of many brainstorming sessions and discussions, is filled with symbols resonating with those who created it.

The rural scene mirrors the country town of Ballyjamesduff; doves symbolise peace; sunflowers and red berries representing Ukraine; while a robin serves as a reminder of those we have lost, a butterfly representing hope. Those new to the area wanted to include ivy, as they noticed there is an abundance of it in Ireland.

Two messages reading ‘Spread love’ and ‘Choose kindness’ jump out of the scene in colours of blue, white, yellow and green, each representing Ireland and Ukraine in a subtle way.

The true beauty of the mural, noted by director of Teach Solais Clare Willis, is its openness to the interpretation of viewers.

“The idea was to get some Irish youth, some migrant local youth and some Ukrainian youth all in a room together to talk about what they could do to give thanks to the community.

“We wanted it to be culturally significant to the people who were involved without being a flag or without being political,” she explained.

“The idea came that a mural with a positive message that demonstrated cultural diversity was the way to go,” said Clare.

Workshops took place in the town over several months, teaching young people about culture, diversity and what it means to give back.

Using recurring themes from the workshop, the young people created drawings, which were then transferred onto the wall last June.

“At one stage there were about 30 of us leaning over each other and painting,” Clare remembered fondly.

“It was fantastic.”

The launch of the mural took place last month at the old courthouse with traditional food, music and dance from people who helped create the artwork.

“We had a great time,” she said.

The youth worker said the “response has been fantastic” adding that, as they were painting, people passing praised their work.

“We wanted it to be something that was a reminder of hope and resilience,” she concluded.