[Maximising potential]
[NOTE – LOTS OF PHOTOS AVAILABLE TO USE FOR THIS PIECE]
Breath of Fresh Éire’ is a street art project built from conversations between Gardaí, the youth of Oberstown Children Detention Campus and Gaisce – The President’s Award.
On 28 March 2024, a mural created by members of An Garda Síochána and young people at Oberstown Children Detention Campus as part of their Gaisce Award was unveiled at Balbriggan Garda station by Minister Joe O’Brien, Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities.
Breath of Fresh Éire, set out to foster a sense of understanding and connection between the young people, An Garda Síochána, and the wider Balbriggan community.
As part of their Gaisce Award, the project was facilitated through a series of seven workshops at Oberstown, led by artist Joe Caslin. The artwork harnesses the voice and imagination of a new generation, showcasing their talent, and promoting positive collaboration between young people from Oberstown Children Detention Campus, community Gardaí from Balbriggan Garda Station and Gaisce – The President’s Award.
Speaking at the official launch Minister Joe O’Brien said, “The art on display here at Balbriggan Garda station, is not only an inspirational display of artistic talent and endeavour; it is also a lasting testament to An Garda Síochána’s commitment to a community approach to policing. The collaborative focus of this initiative between Gardaí, the Artist Joe Caslin, young people in Oberstown and Cairde Balbriggan demonstrates the ability of state agencies and community organisations to work together for the good of the whole community.”
Minister O’Brien added “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all involved for the imaginative approach taken both in the art itself but also in the interagency concept that underpins this project – it is truly “a breath of fresh air” in so many ways.”
The artwork on display at the Garda Station in Balbriggan, Outreach, integrates symbolism which represents the young people who created it and the Gardaí who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.
[PHOTO OF ‘OUTREACH’ HERE]
Speaking to the creative process Joe Caslin, Street Artist and Art Teacher said: “I was delighted to lead the artistic workshops which culminated in the creation of a large-scale mural, gifted to the Balbriggan Community. The workshops provided a safe and supportive space for the young people to express themselves creatively, while the themes and designs of the murals were developed collaboratively to reflect the experiences and perspectives of both the youth and the community.”
The piece depicts a varied group of hands reaching towards a single extended hand of a Garda and speaks of care, collaboration and the need to work together. The hands featured in the painting represent the young people in Oberstown, and members of the Balbriggan community.
Creating a common ground between the Balbriggan Gardaí and the young people in Oberstown was an essential factor in the success of the collaboration. A Gaisce team member, using the Narrative 4 Story Exchange process which employs storytelling as a basis to create empathy, worked closely with both groups to empower the participants and to empathise with each other.
Avril Ryan, CEO, Gaisce – The President’s Award added: “We are proud to partner with Oberstown and An Garda Síochána Balbriggan. Projects like Breath of Fresh Éire demonstrate the value of the Gaisce Award in the lives of young people and how Award activities can provide young people with a framework to link and positively engage with their communities. Through their Gaisce Award progression young people can transform their lives and change their story by uplifting their spirits, providing hope for the future, and opening pathways to new horizons they never imagined were possible. This partnership is an exemplar of what organisations across society can do when we work together to ensure young people can access and achieve their full potential and have their voices heard”.
Damien Hernon, Director, Oberstown Children Detention Campus said: “I would like to congratulate the young people at Oberstown for their participation in this unique project. Young people in Oberstown can, and want to, contribute to the wider community by engaging with opportunities to learn new skills and maximise their potential. We are proud of the beautiful mural that the young people have created in collaboration with An Garda Síochána and hope that this will serve as a symbol of the young people’s ability to make a positive impact in their communities.”
This collaborative project has now been installed on the facade of Balbriggan Garda Station in North Co. Dublin. It is hoped that this project will have a lasting impact on both the youth of Oberstown Children Detention Campus and the community of Balbriggan - represented by Balbriggan Garda Station. In time, the mural will be relocated to the Garda Training College in Templemore, County Tipperary.
Superintendent Paul Franey, Balbriggan Garda Station said: “This project is all about building relationships in challenging spaces. A natural tension exists between Gardaí and young people involved in offending behaviour. We have a responsibility to help young people grow and do better. We can only do that when we understand them and when they understand and trust us. Further relationship challenges exist when providing policing services to our diverse communities, new and old. Trust takes time to foster and grow, but it’s our job to reach out and invest in that process. This project has provided us with the opportunity to reach out in new and interesting ways; and something positive to build on.”
About the project
Breath of Fresh Éire has three distinct components, all of which were developed under the artistic direction of Joe Caslin, street artist and teacher.
- Ten individual art pieces were drawn by Gardaí and the young people at Oberstown using the Narrative 4 Story Exchange process to build mutual trust and understanding. They have been installed for permanent display in Balbriggan Station.
- A large piece of artwork ‘A Breath of Fresh Eire’ was painted by the young people and community Gardai. It represents the evolving community that makes up modern Balbriggan and it been erected at Balbriggan Rugby Club, a local community space.
- A large mural ‘Outreach’ demonstrates the challenges in providing policing services to a multitude of diverse communities, new and old. A police service reaching out across social and cultural divides. The artwork is a collaboration by Gardaí, artist Joe Caslin and young people at Oberstown. The artwork contains images of hands of members of the diverse Balbriggan community, support provided by local group ‘Cairde’. The mural was temporarily exhibited at Balbriggan Garda station before being taken for permanent display at the Garda Training College, Templemore, County Tipperary.