Foróige club create mosaic for new hospice

A GROUP of 50 Foróige members have created a stunning mosaic for the new hospice in Castlebar.

The artwork is titled 'The Flight of the Swallow' and, aptly, it will be hung in the teenage room at the facility, which is due to open later this year.

The group involved are from the second year and transition year club combined of Castlebar Foróige.

Their project will feature at the national citizenship awards this weekend, an initiative which invites young people to get involved in a community project.

Mayo Roscommon Hospice chief executive Martina Jennings came along to a Foróige meeting and gave a talk, outlining all about the new hospice unit.

Work – from design to putting the many pieces of tile in position – has been ongoing for a few months now, with guidance given by local art teacher Aoife Ludden, whose daughter is in the club.

Tile Warehouse supported the project by donating some tiles, while other specialist tiles had to be bought.

The impressive finished work is a seascape meets landscape scene, called 'The Flight of the Swallow', featuring thousands of pieces of mixed porcelain glazed and non-glazed tiles.

The mosaic has been created on four separate boards, which will be hung side by side. In total, it measures 2.4m by 2.4m.

The club members are also working on creating a website where people can learn all about the project.

In the meantime, attention turns to the citizenship awards, taking place in Dublin tomorrow (Saturday), featuring youth clubs from all over Ireland, which celebrate the commitment of young people improving their communities.