Pat McDonnell Paints & Ardú
Ardú is a street arts initiative that brings renowned street artists Leeside to paint stunning murals in city centre locations. Founded in 2020, Ardú aimed to inject vibrancy into the city centre to lift the local community spirit during the lockdown. Since then, the event has welcomed many leading street artists to Cork. Pat McDonnell Paints first connected with Ardú in 2020 and we are proud to continue our partnership with this fantastic initiative through the donation of painting supplies.
In 2023, Pat McDonnell Paints was shortlisted for the ‘Jim McNaughton Perpetual Award for Best Commissioning Practice’ in the 2023 Business to Arts Awards. The nomination is in recognition of our ongoing partnership with the Ardú.
Unveiling Cork's Latest Mural
We were delighted to partner with Ardú in its fourth year of bringing positivity and colour to the streets of Cork City!
Located on Coburg Street, the first of this year's murals from Ardu is a joint project from the co-organisers of Ardú Shane O'Driscoll and Peter Martin. It is the culmination of a project with Transition Year students from St. Angela’s and Christian Brothers College.
The mural design commemorates Tomás MacCurtain - past Lord Mayor of Cork and Irish Republican Army commander. MacCurtain not only contributed to the Irish Revolution but also to Cork City's artistic and cultural life.
The mural depicts MacCurtain with his fiddle and surrounded by his wife, Elisabeth, and 3 of their 5 children. The image of the Lark represents his favourite traditional song - ‘The Lark in the Clear Air’.
Photo Credit: Daragh Keane
We look forward to seeing what new murals Ardu will bring to Cork over the coming weeks!