By Chris Ashmore
A specially commissioned mosaic picture of Irish Nationalist Padraig Pearse and his brother William which depicts the two brothers with St. Eunan’s Cathedral in the background, could become part of the new-look Market Square which is set to be redeveloped later this year.
Back in 2016, an Angolan artist Macola Vonga – who had moved to Donegal – created a mosaic mural for the 1916 centenary celebrations. This project highlighted the Pearse brothers’ involvement in the ornamental pulpit at Letterkenny’s St Eunan’s Cathedral.
William Pearse was a sculptor and spent time working on the pulpit and altar rails in the Cathedral during its construction at the turn of the last century, with Pearse also helping out for James Pearse and Sons, the Dublin firm founded by their father.
At Tuesaday’s meeting of Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District Council, Cllr Gerry McMonagle, tabled a motion asking if the Pearse Brothers mosaic could be included in the new Market Square “to show the historical connection between the Pearse brothers and St. Eunan’s Cathedral which overlooks the square.”
Cllr. McMonagle was told that the Council will “endeavour to identify a suitable location” within the Market Square.
Meanwhile, Cllr Donal Coyle has been informed that work on the €3.5million Market Square redevelopment is expected to get underway in the next few months.
Macola Vonga has created works of art on behalf of several local community projects, including the Church Lane mosaic wall mural in Letterkenny and the also the mosaic floor mural in Ramelton Town Hall.
