A unique project among young Traveller boys where they combine their love of boxing with art has been a huge success in Co Limerick, resulting in a major boost to their confidence and self-esteem, as well as improved attendance at school.
It is a result of collaboration between a number of youth groups and Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, and undertaken by groups in Abbeyfeale, Kilmallock, Askeaton, Ennis, and Limerick city.
The innovative project came about after artist Frank McCarthy noticed how much young Traveller boys spoke about their passion for boxing in all their conversations.
"Working with these young boys on different projects I saw how they brought their love of the sport of boxing into all our conversations and how they spoke so highly of their heroes Muhammad Ali and Tyson Fury.
"This led me to look at how we could turn their passion for boxing into art. It was about channelling those traits and expressing this creatively. So, we came up with the idea of using boxing gloves instead of paint brushes and getting them to box or punch the paint onto the canvas," he said.
Little was he to know just how much it would engage the boys. He found they really loved it - they were enthusiastic, energetic and totally absorbed.
Young students at St Mary's boys’ school in Abbeyfeale in Co Limerick were among the first to be involved and found they really loved it.
It is a totally absorbing process from the get-go. The students get kitted out in their white overalls which act as protective gear, and then don their beloved boxing gloves.
Frank and his colleague artists Harry Bradshaw and Sean Horgan then mix buckets of paint, arrange wooden board canvases and prepare the boys for the 'Paint Punch’, where they dip their boxing gloves into the paint and punch it onto the canvas with great gusto and enthusiasm.
The results have been remarkable, with some beautiful and unique paintings being produced, with Frank explaining it is not entirely surprising to say the art is similar in style to Jackson Pollock.
Among the young artists are cousins Martin, Ricky and Darren O’Brien, and Jim Coffey, all students at St Mary’s boys’ school in Abbeyfeale.
Martin says: "It is your own unique painting. I just love mixing the colours, and no matter how I punch the canvas, it is my own painting, and nobody else will have a painting like that."
His cousin Darren says he just loves punching the canvas. "It's great fun," he says.
Jim Coffey adds: "We just love it when Frank and all came out here to help us paint. We all really loved it."
Ricky O’Brien said they all loved getting into the protective gear and punching their own unique painting onto the wooden canvas.
Triona O’Callaghan, Home School Community Liaison teacher with St Mary’s boys’ school, said the project has been a complete revelation and has had benefits far beyond what they originally thought.
"It is brilliant to see the boys so passionate, so engaged, and so involved in this project. And it has had the added advantage of improving their attendance at school. They have been completely motivated by it and that has been very important for the school," she said.
The work produced by the boys has now been exhibited at The Gaff art space in Limerick, and there are plans to extend the exhibition across the midwest, and to other areas nationally.
Monica Spencer is involved with the Local Creative Youth Partnership in Limerick, which has supported the project, and said it has had impacts far beyond what they originally imagined.
"It has not only resulted in huge engagement, fun participation and collaboration, but also resulted in these wonderful works of art being produced by the young men.
"And they are so proud of their work being on exhibition to a wider audience so there is huge interest in extending this project nationally," she said.
