Dublin homeowner Jamie Goldrick has allowed a mural featuring a controversial image of gardaí overseeing a Famine-era eviction to be painted on the side of his house. Goldrick says “It’s important that art can be political.” The mural is an enlarged version of an image created by visual artist Adam Doyle in March 2021, which adapts an eviction painting by Cork artist Daniel MacDonald (1821-1853) to include gardaí and private security workers. Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin tweeted the image with the caption “No words needed,” prompting criticism from Antoinette Cunningham, general secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, who described the TD’s post as “deeply offensive and wholly inappropriate.” The work was finished on Thursday night. No planning permission was sought from Dublin City Council prior to work on the mural starting. The council has previously sought the removal of street art where planning permission was not first received.
