Last year there were a few changes in Glounthaune railway station. New additions were electronic screens displaying the arrival time of the next train and number of minutes it will take to arrive. Irish Rail signage on the wall of the train shelter were also removed, leaving patches of unsightly old paint and shabby plaster on the bird mural. The Glounthaune Tidy Towns asked me to fill in the gaps. This was an opportunity to freshen up the mural and add in another few birds. What would work best? Once I’d cleaned, prepped and primed the grubby patches, the blank area above a seagull seemed to cry out for another, so I filled that space with a flying gull with a crab in its beak. Even though their numbers are in decline, the curlew with its long curved beak is still a common sight, so I was happy to paint its distinctive shape. One of the nice things about painting a mural is the people you meet, especially children who stop to look. We are lucky to have this scenic estuary and Harper’s Island bird sanctuary with so much information nearby – a wonderful way for the next generation to learn about our native birds.
My children’s art classes in SNCN Glounthaune, Midleton and Glanmire will resume in September. For more information, check out my website www.frazzledmammy.com/art-classes , Facebook page FB: www.facebook.com/frazzledmammy or contact me at 087 6684021