The owner of a Waterford City bar and off licence says he's delighted with the reaction to their new mural
Caoilfhionn Hanton is working on a portrait of Jack Chalton at Norris' on Slievekeale Road as part of Waterford Walls.
Martin Colbert owns the bar, he says they spoke to the organisers of the festival a few weeks back.
"At the moment there's a mural of Jack Charlton being done on the side of the building. A local artist Caoilfhionn Hanton is doing it at the minute and it's creating a bit of a stir so we're delighted with the reaction so far."
He told WLR News that it's really good saying "I actually said to her yesterday, do you know that programme Portrait Artist of the Year? You should apply for that.
"The job she is doing so far is very impressive and apparently a lot of people have been on Facebook sharing images of it and talking about it."
Waterford Walls new festival programme continues today with Irish artists painting alternative walls until August 28th. @WaterfordCounci@artscouncil_ie pic.twitter.com/bpmZ8czxoW
— Street Art Ink (@StreetArtInk) August 11, 2020
Martin Colbert says they had discussed a few options but the idea of Jack Charlton was perfect.
"Unfortunately, the poor man passed away recently so his name was in the news a bit and it made us realise that he is not just a soccer figure.
"We're known here as a sports bar and even though Jack Charlton is a football figure he has transcended that altogether, he is an honorary Irishman and almost like a saint-figure now."
He added that the mural has had a "good reaction from young and old that have been passing by and I'm delighted that's the person we went with".
