Foróige brings colour to Monagea with a new mural

Foroige brings colour to Monagea with a new mural. Lulu Keeley/ohhi_ohno, Artist, Ellie Nolan Foroige Junior Leader (16yrs), Amy Lane (11yrs) Alice McKernan (12yrs), Kateyln Cussen(14yrs) Michelle Browne Kenneally (12yrs),Grace Mullane (12yrs), Saoirse O’Donoghue(12 yrs), Foroiges West Limerick Creative Learning Hub Youth Artists

Twenty-one young people from West Limerick aged between 10-18 years old participated in the Monagea Foroige mural painting

Painting of the mural took place over a week but planning had been going on for months before, the project encouraged creativity for well-being by connecting young people from rural areas through a summer programme.

After extensive consultations with young people from the area, “Farming” was the chosen theme for this section of the wall.

Street art is usually associated with urban landscapes, youth artists from West Limerick brought their talents and creative spark to a rural setting, to turn a plain wall into a visual artwork so as to add colour and beauty to this area in West Limerick. Young people’s hard work aims to embellish and rejuvenate the wall.

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Joe Murphy, of Monagea GAA said, “Monagea GAA would like to thank the facilitating artist Lulu Keeley, Foròige youth, which included young artists from the parish of Monagea and further afield and Elaine Williams from Foróige, for all their hard work and creativity in creating such a beautiful mural at the GAA pitch.”

Not only does this piece aim to be pleasing to the eye, the artwork also represents and expresses the culture and traditions of the Monagea people.

The GAA pitch is central to the Monagea community and is a hive of activity for physical, social, mental spiritual health and well-being. Monagea National School car park, a scenic walking path and the most magnificent views of the mountains bordering the county are all composing to this tight-knit community.

During the week’s work, the local people worked as both participants and spectators in the project. It is already a space where both younger and older people interact, and will now hopefully enjoy this mural painting. The mural offers a creative contribution to the community of Monagea.

“The young people want people who visit to remember Monagea for its amazing sport, culture and leave with a clear appreciation of what Monagea represents.” Stated Elaine Williams, Foròige Creative Learning Hub Coordinator. “People in West Limerick are so kind, supportive and encouraging. I hope people will stop, interact with the space, want to have their picture taken in front of the mural painting, send it to relatives, enjoy it. I know when I see street art it brightens up my day and it’s great for rural communities to have a taste of that too.”

“Lulu is a skilled artist and facilitator, she translated young people’s ideas into a design and worked with the young people to paint the mural. I can’t recommend Lulu Keeley (@ohhi_ohno) enough, we should really help to support our local based artists. It’s so important to encourage young people to express themselves in dynamic and creative approaches to life’s challenges and to ensure the creative arts are a part of their future development”. According to Elaine.

Thank you to Limerick & Clare Education and Training Board Local Creative Youth Partnership, Tusla and the Monagea GAA for funding this initiative.

Foróige is a national youth development organisation, and believes in enabling young people to actively and consciously involve themselves in their own development and in the development of their community.

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