Children express themselves with Clare Haven murals

AN ART project in Ennis has helped to bring some light into the darkness in more ways than one. Working with Clare Haven, children who have been subjected to coercive control and domestic abuse have helped create two colourful murals in the town with the help of a local artist.

The murals were created as part of Clare Haven’s summer therapeutic programme, with the paintings not only helping to brighten up the surroundings but also giving the children an opportunity to talk and share their feelings and experiences.

The artworks were developed with the help of artist Larisa K Bevillard at the rear of Clare Haven’s office building and also at a sensory and wellness garden in Clare Haven’s refuge.

Dr Siobhán O’Connor, manager of services at Clare Haven explained, “During our recent Summer Therapeutic Programme a group of young people who have been subjected to coercive control and domestic abuse, worked with local artist Larisa K Bevillard on a mural to bring light and life to the rear of our offices building.

“This is a building where we provide one to one and group support to women and children / young people who are experiencing abuse. These meetings and appointments can be a difficult process and can take an emotional toll on our service users.”

Over a six-week period these young people aged from 11-16 years old also worked collaboratively to transform a dark space into an interactive seascape “that will form as an oasis” for current and future service users as they enter Clare Haven’s sensory and wellness garden.

The garden was funded by Civil Service Charities Fund, Clare Local Community Development Committee, Dr Elizabeth Logan Fund, The Hospital Saturday Fund, Elm Landscaping, ESB: Energy for Generations Fund, St Francis Credit Union. “It is maintained by two wonderful volunteers, Philip Timllin and Patrick Lynch, who found us through the Clare Volunteer Centre.

Its purpose is to give women and children a place to relax, regulate and reflect as they come to terms with the trauma they experienced or continue to experience,” explained Dr O’Connor.

“Painting the mural provided the young people with opportunities to talk about past experiences, relationships past and present, home life, fears, anxieties, emotional distress, safe relationships, boundaries, recognising the signs of unsafe relationships (power and control), societal values of male dominance in relationships and stereotypical roles of men and women in our society – all while focusing their energies on a creative piece that evolved and grew because of them.”

This year’s Summer Therapeutic Programme follows a very successful pilot programme held in the summer of 2021, that also involved the creation of a mural in Clare Haven’s refuge play area with artist Rachel McManus.

“This work, including the two murals, was done as part of the Clare Haven Children & Young People’s Service under the direction of co-ordinator, Deirdre Murray by Children’s Support Workers Fionnuala Purcell, Denise Cronin, Ursula Galvin, Barbara Kelly and Amanda Kelly and Young People Support Worker Elise Baggs.”

“We could not have done this work without the generous funding from Tusla DSGBV, RTE Toy Show Appeal (Community Foundation Ireland), Smurfit Kappa Foundation and the generosity of the businesses and people in Clare,” she concluded.