At Pat McDonnell Paints, we’ve always believed in the power of paint and colour to uplift and inspire. That’s why we’re proud to stand behind Ardú, a Cork-based street art initiative dedicated to bringing colour Leeside through striking, contemporary mural art.
Founded in 2020, Ardú—taking its name from the Irish word for “rise”- emerged from a desire to inject joy and energy into Cork’s city centre during the quiet days of the Covid lockdowns. From that moment, it has continued to flourish.
Each year, Ardú invites acclaimed artists from Ireland and beyond to create large-scale murals across key city-centre locations. These works have become an integral part of Cork’s cultural landscape, transforming once-ordinary walls into iconic landmarks enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
You can discover many of these murals for yourself using the Ardú map, available here.
“The Wonder of Travel” at Cork Airport by Shane O’Driscoll & Peter Martin
As the first mural to greet visitors arriving in Cork, The Wonder of Travel captures the excitement and possibility that air travel brings to people from Cork and far beyond. Painted by Ardú co-organisers Shane O’Driscoll and Peter Martin, this large-scale piece celebrates both the history and the future of Cork Airport—an important gateway to the region.
Shane O’Driscoll is a Cork-based visual artist whose practice centres on printmaking and mural work. Known for his strong graphic style and bold use of colour and pattern, Shane brings a distinctive design-forward approach to every project he undertakes.
Peter Martin, also based in Cork City, is a muralist, stained glass artist, and secondary school teacher whose public artworks appear across Cork and further afield. His work often blends figurative detail with impactful scale. Speaking about the piece, Peter noted:
This mural hopes to explore the excitement and endless possibilities that air travel brings to the people of Cork and further afield.
Pat McDonnell Paints was proud to support the creation of this mural with the donation of 180 litres of Dulux Weathershield and all necessary painting accessories, helping to ensure the artwork will stand up to the elements for years to come.
“Assembly”, Liberty Street by Hixxy
Assembly brings themes of support, resistance, and balance to life in the heart of Cork City. The mural celebrates Cork’s enduring spirit of solidarity, resilience, and collective strength - qualities that resonate deeply with the community and with Ardú’s mission of uplifting the city through public art. Hixxy explains:
Push and pull, lift up and be held. Redistribute of weight. what does community and friendship mean to you? In these polarising times, building networks and bringing people together, creating support systems and strength through connection and community seems imperative.
The artwork is the creation of Hixxy, a Nottinghamshire-born, Dublin-based artist known for her playful, collage-inspired visual language. Grounded in collage and printmaking, her work often carries a surreal edge while exploring ideas of connection, personal space, limbo, and balance. Through her practice, she investigates the knock-on effects people have on one another and how we navigate the tension between belonging to a community and maintaining individual identity.
Assembly captures these themes with vibrancy and thoughtful composition, adding yet another dynamic piece to Cork’s growing mural landscape.
Mural on Lower Glanmire Road by Kone
Cork-born multidisciplinary artist Kone.one brings his signature blend of graffiti culture, graphic styling, and figurative realism to this striking Ardú 2025 mural. Having travelled extensively throughout his career, Kone returned home to create a vibrant, energetic piece that reflects both his personal connection to the city and his deep artistic roots.
This dynamic mural pays homage to the Port of Cork—an integral part of the city’s history, identity, and continued development. Speaking about the work, Kone shared:
With this piece I wanted to celebrate the Port of Cork. Cork’s Harbour has been a key part in Cork City’s history and development, so I wanted to highlight this. I have taken elements that represent this area such as seagulls, the fishing nets and the water. The location of the mural is one of the main entrances to the city so I wanted to ensure it was a positive, colourful, visual story that can be digested while driving, walking and cycling past it.
Situated at one of Cork’s busiest gateways, the mural provides an uplifting and visually engaging snapshot of maritime life, ensuring that everyone entering the city is greeted with a bold celebration of Cork’s coastal heritage.