A stunning new mural now brightens the playground at Abbey Primary School in Boyle, thanks to the imagination and hard work of 2nd class pupils and award-winning artist Harriet Myfanwy Nia Tahany.
Created as part of a Teacher Artist Partnership+ (TAP+) Residency, the ten-week project was guided by Harriet in collaboration with class teacher Lorraine Hunter. The students took part in a series of engaging in-class sessions that explored drawing, working with stencil, spray-painting, visual storytelling and mural design. Excitement built as the children geared up to paint their ideas on a large scale, just in time for a stretch of glorious sunshine that turned their mural-painting days into a celebration of art and summer.
The mural’s centrepiece is a love-knot tree with a heart framing the castle in Lough Key, a visual tribute to the local legend of Úna Bhán, a timeless tale of love and longing rooted in Boyle’s folklore. Beneath the tree, students used layered stencils to create wildflowers and painted detailed figures of children at play, capturing the happy energy of the schoolyard.
The artwork was artist-led and child-powered, with every student contributing creatively and physically , from the early sketches to priming the wall, stencilling and painting by hand. Their joy and sense of ownership were evident in every session, with many children proudly pointing out their contributions to classmates, staff and parents.
The project was supported by the Carrick-on-Shannon Education Centre and received a materials grant from the Roscommon Arts Office, making the colourful transformation of the school wall possible.
To see more of Harriet Myfanwy Nia Tahany’s mural work across the region, visit: www.myfanwynia.com
