Artists who put the colour into Blackhall to see work recognised

Published: Tue 20 Feb 2018, 9:37 AM

Last updated: Tue 20 Feb 2018, 9:50 AM

This Tuesday, February 20, sees the official launch of the colourful mural at Blackhall, which depicts a variety of aspects of Mullingar's life and heritage.

Situated in an historic area of the Mullingar, the mural is a collaborative project between Westmeath County Council Arts Office and the Mullingar Resource Centre art group and centre clients.

Cllr John Shaw, Chairman of Westmeath County Council, will perform the official launch, giving the project an official recognition and affording an opportunity for those involved to celebrate their efforts.

The project was facilitated by local historian Ruth Illingworth and artist Lucy Tormey.

The resulting work is the Mullingar Resource Centre’s visual response to a series of local history lectures delivered by Ruth at the Centre premises on the Delvin Road.

Each section of the wall covers different topics including: The Town Before the Town, The First 500 years, Military Mullingar, Transport in Mullingar, Commercial Mullingar and the Town of Talent and now, with the signage installed the project is complete.

“It was a marvellous project for the Mullingar Resource Centre Art Group,” said Lucy Tormey.

“We have a lot of talent at the centre and are always looking for interesting ways to showcase our abilities. Finding ways to interact in a meaningful way in the local community is a priority for us and this was a perfect opportunity.”

The Mullingar Agricultural Show Committee have sponsored the refreshments for the launch.

Westmeath Arts Officer Miriam Mulrennan comments: “This was one of those genuinely unique projects that evolved from of a lot of ‘what-if’ conversations and discussion. This project will be an exemplar for a long time to come regarding what collaboration - that often over-used term - truly looks like.

“Acknowledgement is due to Mullingar Municipal District for preparing the site-wall for the project; Ruth Illingworth for her dynamic series of lectures which animated the visual expression of the artists in Mullingar Resource Centre, and to Lucy and her group in MRC, without whom we simply would not have this addition to our townscape”.