20/06/2025
Finished this lovely project with Derryoober National School, South East Galway, in association with Creative Schools Programme. Before we started the outside mural, which was to be painted on the three sides of the schools boiler room/sports changing room, we- the whole school and I- painted an indoor mural in the main hallway of the school, more on which in my next post. The outside piece was a big project, and to prepare design wise we talked as a school about who would see the mural, what it should evoke about Derryoober as a school, the unique characteristics of the area, the local geography and nature, and more. Painting the mural was a group effort and I’d like to especially thanks 6th class who really rose to the challenge and learned at mural pairing is not a glamorous or easy job :) We developed the design in the classroom and after I’d drafted it onto the walls we went about painting it together. The border around the edge of the design represents the 1km pathway around the edge of the school grounds which was installed during Covid as a local walk for pupils and friends of the school, and which the school uses now on a daily basis. The tree painted on the outside wall of the building is decorated with the hands of all the schools pupils as leaves. A very big thanks to Slavek Kwi, Creative Schools coordinator for inviting me to Derryoober, and to teachers Pádraig and Caroline and the rest of the school team- and especially to all the pupils, for their consistent positive attitude, friendliness, enthusiasm, critical eye and attention to detail. The best compliment was that principal Pàdraig told me the school is now locally known as ‘the school beside the mural.’
