Wicklow Wander Walls

The murals and art works installed around Wicklow Town in 2023 were commissioned by Wicklow Town Team following a successful funding application under the Town & Village Renewal scheme, operated by the Department of Rural & Community Development. Together with Wicklow Municipal District the Town Team recognised the need for placemaking and to revitalise the important links between Main Street and South Quay. Following a public procurement process, The Walls project from Waterford were chosen to work with the Town Team to develop and manage the project. Community workshops were held in the  July 2023, following which the theme of Wicklow Maritime Heritage Past & Present was selected to include contemporary style artworks and murals with vibrant bright  colours.

10 prominent locations were chosen as follows:

Curtis Hylton - Scout’s Hall

UK artist Curtis Hylton delivered this stunning mural which is inspired by marine life in Wicklow Harbour in a series of very colourful panels inspired by the biodiversity along the Leitrim river…. look out for well know river resident Sammy the Seal. Curtis creates large scale murals using spray paint, his trademark style incorporates a fusion of nature with wildlife. His unique style injects colour into blank walls to lift the area by combining flora and fauna to create murals which lift the area and inspire people to spend more time outdoors.

Emma Jane Rushworth - The Wicklow Heron

Inspired by the local herons which are native to the area and are regularly spotted at this location on the river this beautiful life like heron made by weaving bronze stainless steel and corten steel  was created by Wicklow sculptor Emma Jane Rushworth. Emma’s love for wildlife and capturing it’s form and spirit is her unique technique  of working with wire to create magical pieces.

Mariana Duarte Santos - Doctor’s Steps

The wonderful images on the Doctor’s Steps which wrap around onto South Quay  were created by Mariana Duarte Santos a visual artist from Lisbon. 

This mural takes us on a walk through old Wicklow town, portraying some of the people who would have walked the steps in times gone by, including the local doctor from the late 1800s, who lived at the top of the steps on Main Street, in the premises now occupied by Dwyers pharmacy. Doctor George Halpin was a brother of Captain Robert Halpin, although he did not follow the path of his brothers, three of whom were ships captains, he shared their passion for the sea and spent many hours on his boat which was moored on the river at the bottom of the steps. Local folklore has it that his wife raised a flag to summon him when his presence was required in the surgery and he rushed up the steps to attend to patients.

The images portray some of the many activities which took place in Wicklow harbour and on the murrough in times gone by. Wicklow was always a very vibrant fishing town, reflected in the images of the local dockers, ropes and nets and men and women bringing in the catch. The mural also depicts boats and people at Wicklow regatta races first held in 1878 an event which is still held annually on August Bank holiday weekend. 

Shane O’Driscoll - Anchor House

Shane O’Driscoll, an abstract visual artist from Cork, completed the very colourful mural on Anchor House. This was a very difficult canvas to work on, as it has a shutter, windows and is an unusual shape. Shane’s mural  explores the interaction between colour, shape and the environment. It depicts sailing ships to represent the activity taking place in the harbour and the installation of the new pontoon.

Nean - Salthouse lane (bottom)

Belgian artist Nean was the choice for this realistic mural which features swimmers jumping off of the pier, a rite of passage for generations of young people in Wicklow. Known for his remarkable play on light and working from photographs, the artist illustrates a specific instant using spray cans and paint, creating a nostalgic ambience, sending the viewer back to a moment passed, a lost memory.

Zabou - Salthouse lane (Top)

Zabou a London-based French artist specialising in large-scale realistic murals was the perfect choice for this prominent location. Working with spray paint, she transforms large spaces finding inspiration in the everyday. This mural includes some well known local Wicklow landmarks such as the harbour lighthouse and Black Castle set against a vibrant background.

Slim Safont - New Street (Bottom)

Coming soon…

Phil Galbraith / Pat Dover - Town Hall / Quarantine Hill

This 7m high corten steel ship is based on the Asgard ll, which was built in Arklow and sailed in and out of Wicklow harbour regularly. The design comes from a painting kindly provided by local artist Pat Dover, who lives nearby. Pat’s painting was digitised to facilitate upsizing and then cut out of corten steel sheets. Mounted on a marine grade stainless steel backing frame and backlit with led lighting, the stunning image is visible from many areas around the port area at night.

Beerens - Quarantine Hill

This beautiful mural depicting under sea aquarium images was painted by Michael Beerens who lives and works in Paris. Influenced by his pastime as a deep sea diver, he uses his art to raise awareness of marine ecology and  issues of conservation of the flora and fauna of the underwater world. Inspired by encounters during his underwater dives, Beerens uses his  technique as a painter to magnify the interaction between light and pattern. His works, in bright and assertive colors, are "Bridges to the sea" which attempt to reconnect the urban to this sometimes forgotten nature.

John Brady - Wicklow Sailing Club

John Brady is a graphic designer and mural artist from Dublin, Ireland.  His work merges digital creativity with large-scale mural projects. He studied ‘Graphic Design’ at the Dublin Institute of design and following that he began to explore the area of outdoor murals. He loves the scope and human interaction that these large areas allow. His work is characterised by bold colours, dynamic themes and aims to inspire and connect communities. Here, the theme of maritime was depicted in the colourful and vibrant sail boats that depicts the energy of a busy summer’s day sailing in and around the Wicklow Harbour.