New Carrick-on-Suir wall mural celebrates the great Clancy Brothers

Carrick-on-Suir’s world famous Clancy Brothers folk ballad group are now immortalised in a giant wall mural in the centre of their hometown.

The striking mural depicting the late Paddy, Tom, Liam and Bobby Clancy from Carrick’s William Street and fellow group member, the late Tommy Makem, adorns the wall of The Tannery Pub on Sean Kelly Square.

The mural was created by renowned Tipperary Town-based mural artist Neil O’Dwyer and replaces the mural he painted on the wall 25 years ago depicting workers at Carrick-on-Suir’s former Irish Leather Tannery, which closed in the 1980s.

Neil said he spent about a week painting the Clancy Brothers mural and needed a hoist for the project as the wall of the pub is very high.

He came up with the idea of painting the Clancy Brothers in collaboration with the proprietor of The Tannery Pub, who commissioned the artwork.

The mural was based on a black and white photograph of the ballad group that he recreated in vibrant colours.

The mural artist said the Clancy Brothers international fame was one of the main things that put Carrick-on-Suir on the map.

It was only appropriate that they should be honoured in the town’s square alongside local cycling legend Sean Kelly, who the square is named after.

“Their contribution to ballad music would have been immense back in the day,” recalled Neil, who is a fan of Clancys’ folk songs.

He said the public reaction to the finished mural has been very positive.

Relatives of the Clancy Brothers and members of Carrick-on-Suir’s Clancy Brothers Music & Arts Festival are among the people who have expressed their delight to him about the mural.

“It’s just one of those jobs that has really worked out. There is good positive energy from the whole thing.”

Neil has been painting wall murals for 40 years and has worked full-time as a mural artist for the past 20 years. His paintings can be seen on walls all over the country.

Only last week he completed a wall mural on Clonmel’s Gladstone Street and recently painted a series of murals for Clonmel Borough District at East Lane in Clonmel.

He also recently repainted the mural in Thomastown of local retired horse trainer Tommy Stack riding Red Rum in the Aintree Grand National