A new mural artwork celebrating the people and spirit of Rathdowney is designed and created by Portarlington based artist ADW. The mural is inspired by the people, culture, heritage, new communities and natural hinterland landscapes of Rathdowney, as well as creative imagination and artistic license.

This mural artwork is part of a series of murals planned for Laois. In 2019 ADW's mural for Cruinniú na nÓg Laois garnered local and national attention and was inspired by the 1992 Irish film ‘Into the West’ where some of the film's iconic scenes where shot at the Savoy cinema in Portarlington. The mural has not just visually reanimated the old cinema but has becoming a talking point with local recollections and a new sense of pride in one of Portarlington's landmark buildings.

The artwork is commissioned by Laois Arts Office in consultation with members of Rathdowney community and in association with The Walls Project, a creative arts agency who specialise in the delivery of large-scale public and private commissioned artwork across Ireland and Europe. Special thanks to Cllr John King, Clodagh Kennedy (Art/CSPE/SPHE teacher at St Fergal's College), Rev Richard Seymour-Whiteley, and Howard Coburn (Flynn's Medical Hall) for their enthusiasm and contribution in realising this project.

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