Write a commentNewry District Electoral Area Forum in partnership with local community representatives from Lisgullion Park and the Armagh Road recently commissioned artist Conor McGinley to paint a wall mural at Lisgullion playing fields. The recently commissioned mural replaced graffiti on a wall adjacent the children’s play park.
A number of interventions and consultations took place over the summer period with young and older residents older people to address antisocial behaviour. The residents key aim was to work towards creating a space to be proud of in which everyone especially young people felt safe, secure and proud of their local community. Part of the community consultation highlighted the issue of graffiti and it was agreed by the Newry District Electoral Area Forum to focus on replacing this with a new piece of artwork which had input from the people living in the area.
DEA Chairperson, Councillor Roisin Mulgrew said, “It is great to see what can be accomplished when the community and statutory sectors work together to accomplish common goals, to improve the areas in which we live and make them more welcoming and inclusive”.
Residents participated in a consultation and wanted the art work to reflect the themes of ‘being young and growing older’, ‘nature’ and ‘superheroes’. Given the proximity of the wall to the children’s playpark residents felt it was important to include the voice of young people in all the decision-making process for the selection of the final artwork image. The image of ‘Groot’ a character from ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy’ was completed last month for the community by the artist Conor McGinley.
