The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
THE Ché Guevara mural saga has taken yet another turn in Kilkee with retired pharmacist and former Kilkee Chamber secretary, John Williams, claiming the resort town is in the throes of rebellion.
One complete and a second partially complete mural of Ché Guevara have been painted on the side of privately owned property in the town in recent days. This follows Clare County Council’s decision to remove a 20ft-high mural of the famous Argentine revolutionary from a ball alley wall at the West End of Kilkee beach last week.
The image of Ché Guevara was part of the publicity for the annual Ché do Bheatha Festival in the town. The removal of that mural has led to an upsurge in mural creations in recent days.
“It’s a rebellion after the high-handed way the council treated the town. It’s a rebellion as befits Ché Guevara,” a furious Mr Williams told The Clare Champion on Wednesday.
He predicts several images of the late revolutionary figure will adorn Kilkee come the Ché do Bheatha Festival on the weekend of September 27 to 29.
“I’m only guessing but maybe six. It’s completely up to individuals, it’s not organised in any way. A number of business people have decided to put it up on their own premises. There are two up at the moment and I believe there will be others going up in the very near future,” Mr Williams added.
In a separate development, Clare County Council has denied that any council employee called Kilrush gardaí last Friday, alerting them to the creation of one of the new Ché Guevara murals in Kilkee.
“Neither Clare County Council nor any employee of Clare County Council contacted the gardaí in relation to the painting of a Ché Guevara mural in Kilkee last Friday,” the council said.
At last week’s Kilkee Town Council monthly meeting, councillors proposed that the mural, on the ball alley wall, be left untouched until after the upcoming festival.
“This sentiment was relayed by the town clerk, John Corry, who does not have the authority to enforce such a proposal, to the planning authority.
“Clare County Council had scheduled the removal of the mural for Tuesday [of last week] and this proceeded as scheduled, as the mural in question was in breach of local government legislation,” Clare County Council said in a statement.
