Stoneybatter residents are outraged after an iconic community mural was defaced by graffiti.
The piece, which was created by artist Sorcha O’ Higgins in 2021, illustrates a vibrant street scene of people and houses. The graffiti was first spotted about two weeks ago, with the word ‘Spud’ now scribbled in black paint on the artwork. The majority of the original piece is not visible as a result of the graffiti.
Joe Costello, a Labour party politician and member of Dublin City Council, says the Council is now working to replace the beloved artwork. Many residents have expressed disappointment that the piece has been tarnished and want it restored as quickly as possible.
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Joe told Dublin Live: “It was erected on private property but we got permission from the owner to have it erected. It was very colourful and well-liked by people. It’s a terrible shame to see it be defaced in this fashion.”
Several murals have been commissioned in the Stoneybatter area, some of which were painted during the pandemic. Joe is the chairperson of Stoneybatter Pride of Place, which seeks to brighten up the area with the use of window-boxes and the planting of trees and flowers. The group also is involved, in conjunction with Dublin City Council, in commissioning murals in the neighbourhood.
Certain sections of the mural will likely be restored, if not the whole piece, as cleaning off the graffiti could likely cause further damage to the artwork. Joe brought the issue of the defacement up in a recent Dublin Central Area meeting and said there were discussions on whether to use existing funding to replace the artwork.
Joe said: “Dublin City Council are concerned about it and are anxious about getting it replaced as soon as possible. A lot of residents have mentioned that it’s a shame and hope that it won’t be something that will happen to other murals in the area.”
Sorcha O’Higgins, the artist behind the mural, created the piece back in June 2021. It is found on a derelict building on Manor Street and was titled “The Urban Living Room” due to its depiction of a lively community. Sorcha understands the upset that the graffiti has caused residents, but she had a different view on the graffiti.
Sorcha told Dublin Live: “ It’s a shame for the community and the council that commissioned the piece, but tagging is the nature of the beast when it comes to urban art. I wouldn’t necessarily decry it as an act of vandalism.”
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