Over the years, we’ve supplied Ardú and their incredible artists with paints and supplies to help bring their creative visions to life. Now, we’re delighted to have played a role in their most ambitious project to date: a monumental new mural at Cork Airport.
Painting A Colourful Welcome to Cork
Unveiled this summer, the new mural is Ardú’s biggest yet. Designed and painted by Shane O’Driscoll and Peter Martin, the stunning piece celebrates both the history and the future of Cork Airport. It captures the joy, wonder, and sense of possibility that comes with air travel – something that resonates deeply with both locals and visitors passing through.
A Palette to Inspire
To help bring the design to life, we donated 180 litres of paint, carefully chosen to create a bold, vibrant palette. The result is a striking, colourful artwork that makes an unforgettable first impression at Cork’s gateway to the world.
- Orange (01YY 36/694)
- Dark Blue (43 BB 09/340)
- Light Blue (30 BG 64/140)
- Aubergine (12RR 07/229)
- Yellow (23YY 62/816)
- African Adventure 3 (29YR 19/621)
- White – 120L
The artists used Dulux Weathershield, a high-performance exterior masonry paint designed to withstand the Irish elements. Its durability ensures that this striking mural will remain as vivid and welcoming as the day it was painted for years to come.
And the best part? All of the colours featured in the mural’s palette are available to purchase at Pat McDonnell Paints stores nationwide – so you can bring the same bold, inspiring shades into your own projects.
The Artists Behind the Mural
Shane O’Driscoll, co-organiser of Ardú, is a Cork-based visual artist working mainly in printmaking and large-scale murals. His distinctive style combines strong design with a love of colour and pattern, making him a perfect fit for this landmark project.
Peter Martin, also a co-organiser of Ardú, is a muralist, stained glass artist, and secondary school teacher based in Cork City. His public artworks, which include murals, mosaics, and stained glass, can be seen across Cork and beyond – often blending figurative detail with striking scale.
Together, Shane and Peter have created a mural that not only enlivens Cork Airport’s landscape but also adds to the city’s growing reputation as a hub for creativity and culture.
About Ardú
Ardú (the Irish for rise) was established during the lockdown of October 2020, when the streets of Cork were quieter than ever. Its founders – including O’Driscoll and Martin – saw an opportunity to bring vibrancy to the city centre.
Since then, Ardú has produced a series of large-scale murals by Irish and international artists at key city-centre locations. Each piece adds to Cork’s cultural landscape, turning ordinary walls into must-see landmarks that both locals and visitors can enjoy.
You can explore many of the murals for yourself with the Ardú map, available here.