The ephemeral nature of street art can never be underestimated; as we've seen on many occasions over the years, one incredible piece of art that has taken hours, weeks or months to create can be removed or painted over in moments.
Perhaps that precarious sense of existence is one of the reasons why street art is not as revered or respected as other art forms - although its often short lifespan is arguably why we should cherish, enjoy and acknowledge what are often mind-blowing pieces of work while we can.
Here are ten of the best works of street art (some still in situ, others that have gone down in the annals of history) around Ireland in recent memory.
1. Aches' tribute to three Irish music legends
If you're a Dubliner, you’ll probably be familiar with Aches’ work - although the NCAD graduate has also designed and painted everywhere from Denmark to Melbourne, Hungary to Hong Kong in the past. Some of his astonishingly striking work - his hallmark is that vivid RGB palette, which gives his paintings a 3D effect - has included Rhasidat Adeleke in Dublin, hurlers in Cork and Dolores O’Riordan in Limerick. He also painted the iconic 'Horseboy’ mural in Smithfield. His most recent work is one of his best yet: a mindblowing overlapping triptych honouring three of our finest musicians: Sinéad O’Connor, Dolores Keane and Dolores O’Riordan, on display at Hynes’ Bar in Stoneybatter, Dublin.
2. Emmalene Blake's CMAT mural
Speaking of iconic Irish women in music, a mural of the Dunboyne Diana herself was long overdue. Thankfully, the brilliant Emmalene Blake, whose work can be seen all over the city and further afield - from her portraits of Catherine Connolly and Chappell Roan, to her numerous pro-Palestine political murals - was available to paint this superb rendering of CMAT in her beloved hometown. You'll find it on the side of Ardu Coffee in the County Meath town. It’s also worth noting that Blake is a member of the Minaw Collective, an all-female street artist collective who are responsible for some equally striking work.
3. Maser’s U ARE ALIVE
The most recognisable name in the Irish street art community, Dublin artist Maser aka Al Hester has put his inimitable stamp on plenty of street spaces over the years, with his trademark array of striking colour-clashes; his work has even appeared on custom-designed Expressway coaches, on the outside of Montreal metro stations and on the steps of Wembley Stadium. One of his most iconic pieces, however, is on Dublin's Grantham Street and is as simple as it is effective. His 'U ARE ALIVE (*avail of this once in a lifetime opportunity)’ message, first painted in 2012, which has taken various iterations over the years yet remains a favourite for many Dubliners.
4. Joe Caslin's The Claddagh Embrace
Street artist, teacher and activist Joe Caslin is known for his large scale work in his distinctive 'pencil drawing' style, but his ‘Claddagh Embrace’ piece in 2015 made a momentous impact. Installed in the run-up to the 2015 same-sex marriage referendum and spanning the height of a four-storey building, it featured two men in a tender embrace and was roundly hailed for its subtle-yet-powerful statement; it was no coincidence that it was installed opposite the country’s most iconic gay bar, The George.
5. Friz's 'Welcome to Belfast’ mural
It took Belfast-based artist Marion 'Friz' Noone 16 days to paint her most recent work, a ‘Welcome to Belfast’ mural on the side of the city’s Telegraph Building last November - but what a statement it makes. The Sligo native, who has lived in Belfast since 2008 and whose remarkable work can be seen all over Ireland and further afield, chose to celebrate the city’s status as a UNESCO City of Music by incorporating seven different genres in her piece. A wonderful addition to the plethora of astonishing street art on display in Belfast.
6. KMG's 'Swans of Lir’ in Waterford
Waterford has no shortage of super street art, largely thanks to its brilliant Waterford Walls festival, which invites street artists from all over the world to make their mark on the cityscape every August. One of them was painted last year by Scottish artist KMG, whose 'Swans of Lir' piece was inspired by the story of the Children of Lir. Her work focuses heavily on Celtic folklore and mythology, and this design has both a contemporary and an ancient quality to it - like something you could imagine on an old banknote or embossed on a coin. Beautiful.
7. SmugOne's 'Lugh, the God of Light’ on the Crowne Plaza, Dundalk
If you've ever been to Dundalk, chances are you may have come off the motorway and travelled towards the town centre via the Crowne Plaza hotel. If so, it’s a route that you’re not likely to forget anytime soon, largely thanks to the astonishing mural spanning the 14-storey high building. It’s by Australian artist SmugOne, and depicts Lugh, the God of Light in Irish folklore, brandishing his Gáe Assail (lightning spear) and with his faithful invincible hound Failinis at his heels. It’s Ireland’s tallest mural and it will take your breath away.
8. Kayde's David Attenborough portrait in Arklow
Much like the above-mentioned Aches, Dublin-based artist Kayde has a very distinctive style and colour palette and some of his marvellous work can be spotted around the island of Ireland. His portraiture is especially compelling and the detail is astonishing; just look at his most recent work, a portrait of David Attenborough in his hometown of Arklow, Co. Wicklow to celebrate the naturalist's 100th birthday. It was done in just three days. Amazing work.
9. Bordallo II's Dublin Red Squirrel
Portuguese street artist Bordallo II is internationally renowned for his large-scale installations which are made from recycled materials. So when one of his pieces was installed in Dublin in 2017 - a beautiful red squirrel on the side of a pub - it proved a tourist attraction in itself. Unfortunately (and infuriatingly), the piece was removed as the building was slated to be redeveloped as a hotel. 7 years later, nothing has changed apart from the fact there is now a "dirty wall", as the artist puts it himself, instead of a beautiful piece of street art.
10. SUBSET'S Stormzy in Smithfield
Dubliners will be very familiar with the work of SUBSET, a collective of street artists who made it their mission to transform the drab exterior of the city's walls with their 'Grey Area’ project. One of their most eye-catching murals was a massive Stormzy mural ahead of a Dublin gig in 2017, painted solely "due to the fact that we all think he's a complete boyo". The London rapper himself praised it and made a visit to it; unfortunately, around 2017 the collective were hit by removal orders for many of their artworks across the city. Nine years on, both the mural and the building that was its canvas are long gone.
