Helping Hands Mural

And that's a wrap for the "Helping Hands, Giving Back Kindness to Ireland" collaborative mural project by Cavan Volunteer Centre, Bounce Back and Teach Solais.

Ernest Hemingway said, "It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end", and we could not agree more!

What started as a great idea quickly became a passion project with an enthusiastic team and an ethos of "the more the merrier."

We're proud of the final mural in Ballyjamesduff, but we're even more proud of the friendships made, smiles shared, and the flurry of new ideas and networks that have stemmed from this initiative.

The final design you see photographed was informed through a series of workshops with young people, which included research into murals, exploration of culture, and an examination of what it means to "give back." We are humbled and honored to say we learned more from the young participants than we could ever hope to teach, and we graciously thank them for that.

Thank you, artist Maria Jordan-O'Reilly, for taking a myriad of beautiful symbols and turning them into a cohesive design, and to artist Michael Coogan, for taking that design from the page to the wall. Together, you enabled us all to lend a hand in painting the mural.

Thank you, Dimitry, of Jago Studio, for capturing and contributing to the creative process.

Thank you to the amazing Ludmilla and the Bounce Back culinary team for making a delicious selection of Ukrainian food for us today at the launch party, and thank you to Ilona, Alina and Polina for performing an incredible Ukrainian and Irish music medley.

Thank you to Leas-chathaoirleach of the Ballyjamesduff municipality, Trevor Smith, for unveiling the plaque and to our supporting partners Ballyjamesduff Community Council, Cavan County Council and the Ukrainian Support Fund of the Department of Rural and Community Development.

Most importantly, we thank the young participants, the incredible volunteers who got involved, and every passerby who picked up a brush or shared a thumbs-up. You made this journey a very enjoyable one.

SPREAD LOVE, CHOOSE KINDNESS.