A splash of pop-art colour looks out from a wall at the Mount Carmel Care Home in Callan, and onlookers can’t help but be cheered by the vibrant portraits of residents and staff.The five-panel mural was unveiled just in time for the home’s summer open day, recently, and the collage of familiar faces was a real hit with family and friends. Scroll down to read about this amazing project and click 'NEXT' to see more photographs of the artists! ABOVE: “That’s PJ Fitzpatrick up there,” says Joan Camp. “No,” says PJ, “that’s me down there!”ALL PICTURES: HARRY REID The mural is part of a project to reconnect the residents of Mount Carmel with the wider community, after two years of Covid restrictions.Now, not only has it done just that, but some of the men and women involved have discovered a love and talent for art they never knew they had! Lockdown meant big changes for the Mount Carmel community, which is very much focused on involvement with the local community. The home provides supported living for low dependency residents over 65 years, long-term and respite care for residents who are mainly capable of living independently and who require minimal assistance in a home-from-home environment. There are 20 single bedrooms in the main building as well as independent living bungalows on the grounds of Mount Carmel and the occupants can avail of meals in the centre.Pre-Covid the centre also had day services for non-residents. As restrictions eased, manager of the home, Fergus Keane, wanted to reconnect the residents with the community, and the local community with Mount Carmel. He came up with the idea of the art project.Rachel Burke, an artist facilitator in community education with the ETB, worked with the residents and the day attendees at the centre, on the project. The ETB funded a year-long project, starting last summer. A lot of foundation work was done before the mural was completed - the budding artists did drawings on paper and canvas, and the mural is ‘just a slice’ of the
Mount Carmel mural is helping to reconnect with the Callan community
Rachel Burke, artist facilitator at the Mount Carmel Home in Callan, receiving a bouquet of flowers from resident Tommy Hickey to celebrate the completion of their mural
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Nancy Power and Sally Brett admiring Nancy’s portrait of Sally
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Tom Hickey and Connie McNulty point to Tom’s painting of Connie
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Sally Brett, assistant manager at Mount Carmel Care Home in Callan, with Fergus Keane, Mount Carmel manager, and Rachel Burke, ETB artist facilitator who worked with the residents and day attendees on the mural project
