Local artist left ‘devastated’ after theft of 12 posters

A 23-year-old artist whose drawings were put on display by Mullingar Tidy Towns alongside the Royal Canal on the Green Road has been left “devastated” after discovering the posters have been stolen.

“He’s heartbroken over this,” said Martina Fitzpatrick, mother of Padraic, who is from Castlepollard and who attends The Link day services centre run by the Muiriosa Foundation at Robinstown in Mullingar.

The theft was noticed about a fortnight ago, and the family have reported the theft to An Garda Síochána.

The family checked with Westmeath County Council and with Mullingar Tidy Towns to ensure that neither of those bodies had removed the artworks, but they had not.

In fact, Martina explains, it was Mullingar Tidy Towns who arranged for them to go on display.

The illustrations were mainly of Marvel figures, and Padraic had been thrilled when in October 2022, Mullingar Tidy Towns chairman, Cllr Bill Collentine, arranged with sign manufacturer Sean Doran to have the illustrations blown up to poster size.

Sean transferred Padraic’s art on to Dibond sheets, and these were displayed on a wall near Cathedral View.

“They are very distinctive,” says Martina, adding that the thieves did not take the picture of Padraic which had been erected alongside the posters.

Padraic has always loved art, and in 2022, he had a solo exhibition at The Atrium in Mullingar. He has also had artworks displayed at Apache Pizza in Mullingar, and for a time that restaurant also provided drawings from Padraic to young customers to colour-in.

According to Martina, it is not clear when the paintings were removed from the wall, but as soon as she noticed they were missing, she reported the theft to An Garda Síochána in Mullingar.

“The pictures are very distinctive,” she said, asking that if anyone has seen them, or knows where they are, or if anyone witnessed them being removed from the wall, that they contact the gardaí in Mullingar (044) 938 4000.