A Tralee artist has said he was “surprised and very disappointed” after someone painted over an 18-foot mural he painted in the Kerry town.
On Lunchtime Live on Tuesday artist Mike O’Donnell said the mural took about a week of constant work to paint just over a year ago.
He painted the mural of a large greyhound running at full speed in a lane just off the main street in the town.
He said he only learned it had been removed when he brought some friends to see it on Saturday afternoon.
“It was erased,” he said. “Completely painted over – much to my surprise.
“It was a substantial work and it was just painted over completely. Systematically painted over. Not graffiti or sprayed over; it was completely painted over.”
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Mr O’Donnell said the work was commissioned by the producers of the film ‘Joyride’ and was not an easy piece to complete.
“It would have taken about a week of constant work,” he said. “It was very substantial.”
“Normally I wouldn’t spend that long with a mural but there were specifications involved and I was liaising with the film crew and the directing team of the movie, so it was fairly specific what they wanted and it took a lot of time.
“It was there and I guess, like many murals, it becomes part of the heritage of the town and to see it erased was not only surprising but very disappointing.”
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The Kerry artist said he has been trying to find out who painted over the piece but has yet to get to the bottom of it.
The building it was painted on was privately owned and the film producers were given permission to erect the mural before Mike began working on it.
“There was no warning,” he said. “The arts, whether murals or acting or music or dancing has a very significant role in promoting community and a sense of belonging and identity and wellbeing so I think any kind of destructive behaviour like that of a mural […] doesn’t promote wellbeing.”
In a statement, Kerry County Council said it had no involvement in the removal of the mural.
“The mural was created for the film on a privately-owned wall,” it said. “Permission was secured at the time from the owner. The council had no involvement in the commissioning or removal of the mural.
“There are several excellent paintings in Tralee by a number of artists and any murals the Authority commissions are intended for long-term existence in a long-term setting.
“It is understandable that the artist is disappointed at the removal of their work after a little over a year from this domain.”
