Meet Laogh - New Cilles Mural
JUNE 12TH, 2020
Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Laogh (Láeg)
Our Mural is finished and we are as proud as punch. This artwork was commissioned from one of the best street artists in the Country, THIS IS FRIZ.
We provided FRIZ with a strong brief including details of our local history and emphasised points we wanted included in the mural. Its only when you get up close and realise that this was created with spray cans that you can truly appreciate the skill involved.
We themed locality with history and the imagery was brilliantly executed.
Laogh was Cuchulainn's charioteer. Legend has it that after dying in battle he was buried along the banks of the Nanny close to where it enters the Irish Sea. When you drive past Sonairte you will see a mound beside it, this is Laogh's final resting place.
Laytown ultimately drew its name from the dead warrior.
Our mural portrays Laogh walking Cuchulainn's horses 'Liath Macha' and 'Dub Sainglend' through the waters off Laytown / Bettystown.
Liath Macha carries a fisherman's net over his back as a nod to local industry.
Laogh is wearing the tara brooch which was found on Bettystown Beach in the 1800's by a local woman. The tara brooch will feature on our new senior football jerseys establishing a beautiful symmetry between local history and our brilliant GAA club. That symmetry will evolve further when we announce our new club sponsor who’s name will front each jersey.
The Nanny and Boyne rivers which border our club are represented on the left and right hand side with the celtic fish designs signifying the industry and prosperity brought by these rivers for generations.
The golden knotwork shows a hurley, sliothar and football intertwined with celtic designs.
Our new white jersey will feature a line drawing of the amazing 'Voyager' sculpture which looks out to sea at Laytown. This sculpture was created by the amazing Linda Brunker who has given us special permission to use this design on the jerseys.
Here we portray Voyager inside the Star of the Sea (Realt Na Mara) which sits prominently in the centre of the mural. Voyager provides a strong female presence and is interpreted here as a ghostly-being overlooking the club, the locality, the people and the communities within it.
It took many people to get this work from plan to finish, thank you to each and every one of you. Very special thanks to Pat Haigney, the man repeatedly defies his age. If he's not at the club doing something he's at the club doing something else. To Dave Geraghty and Adrian Bryan, two proud Meath men, thank you for all your hard work. The understated type volunteers! Also thanks to Mark Pollard for nearly killing the aforementioned volunteers. (Edel, thanks for the coffees and sambos).
#cilles #laytown #bettystown #eastmeath #meathgaa #irishlegends #celticlegends