Finglas born artist Martin Folan has been at work in a basement flat on Balcurris Road, Ballymun, since June this year. In collaboration with a group of young men aged between 16 – 18 from the Columban Youth Project, the issue of daily life ‘on the block’ has been explored through photography, collage and dialogue. This process has resulted in 2 large painted art works for the hoardings at Balcurris playground.

This Wednesday the 8^th September, at 6pm, the first part of the work will be presented by the group to local children in Balcurris playground. The first unveiling will be followed by a barbeque and music. At 8pm, as darkness falls, the second part of the work will be unveiled by the group.

This first piece of work was designed to appeal to the local children who use the playground. Painted as a donation to the children, the work depicts well known cartoon characters including Barney and My Little Pony and will be displayed on the interior hoarding of the playground.  (Click Read More below for full story).

Tara Stapleton, a youth worker with the Columban Youth Project said "The most remarkable aspect of this project was the donation of a painting by the young lads to the kids of the area and in particular the way the young lads value the playground".

The second piece of work will be mounted onto the exterior hoarding of the playground facing the back of 385 – 416 Balcurris Road, and features individual and group portraits of members of the group.

The young men involved in the project were Dano, Peo, Chip, Ger, Darren, Anto, Shane, Wayne, Shane, Gerry and Rusty.

Life on the Block is part of the Hoardings Project, a cross-community arts initiative, between the Aisling Project, Balcurris Boys’ Home, BRYR, BADIG, Community Arts Factory, Columban Youth Project and Breaking Ground is supported by BRL, GAMA and Pierse. This latest unveiling follows the completion of other successful Projects including Looking out on Sunny Days, Michael McLoughlin’s collaboration with Balcurris Boys’ Home and ‘Aisling Bhaile Munna’, the result of Aoife Kane’s work with the Aisling Project.

For more information or visuals please contact Fiona Whelan, Breaking Ground on 01 8832112 or This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it