HEADLESS URBAN EXPRESSION

There Is Much To See Here

THIS MURAL IS BY VERA BUGATTI AND IT IS ON DOMINIC STREET IN DROGHEDA

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DRAWDA URBAN ART TRAIL

The Bridge of Peace, Drogheda’s second-furthest-west crossing, was constructed in the 1970s as part of an inner bypass. For years, its undercroft was a pilgrimage site for me, capturing the vibrant pulse of street art that bloomed annually each August. Locals proudly proclaimed it the world’s longest-running graffiti art event, a canvas for renowned international artists since 1993.

My yearly visits abruptly ceased in 2012, the undercroft’s walls disappointingly bare. A return in 2023 brought further dismay; the once-vibrant space lay silent. Yet, as I wandered Drogheda’s streets, a delightful surprise awaited. Murals, rivalling Waterford’s finest, adorned the town, breathing new artistic life into its fabric.

DRAWDA, a collaborative project between Love Drogheda BIDS, Droichead Arts Centre, and Louth County Council, is the force behind this urban renaissance. Curated by Dee Walsh and mythologist Anthony Murphy, the trail recently welcomed its seventh addition: Vera Bugatti’s captivating mural on Dominick Street.

The mural portrays the Cailleach, a powerful figure in Irish mythology, the divine sorceress and mother goddess intertwined with the creation of the land and ancient monuments. Bugatti, an Italian artist with a background in Conservation of Cultural Heritage, seamlessly blends her artistic vision with historical and iconological research.

Her impressive portfolio includes features in numerous street art publications and international projects across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East. Bugatti views urban art as an extension of her artistic expression, reflecting on environmental concerns, human disturbances, and social issues.

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