The colourful bottle banks at Ballymun. Councillor Joanna Byrne wants something similar for Louth's bring banks to brighten up the area.

Councillor Joanna Byrne has proposed to Louth County Council that dull bring bank containers should be brightened up by getting local artists to paint them with colourful murals.   

Speaking at October's Council meeting the Sinn Féin Councillor said that a similar initiative has recently been undertaken by Dublin City Council in Ballymun and it has transformed the area.  

“This is an opportunity for Louth County Council to connect with local artists and organisations, a chance to encourage and support artists at what is a very tough and uncertain time in their industry” Cllr. Byrne said. 

"Most of our county's bring bank areas are near to town centres and busy residential areas. Unfortunately, they industrialise these areas and even when they are clean and tidy still bring dirty untidy aesthetics to the areas they rest in. 

“I want Louth County Council to roll out an initiative where these bring banks are painted in colourful paintings and murals. This has been done in other Council areas and has really added a bit of colour and brightness.

“Let's work with local artists and community groups to showcase local talent at the same time as improving the look of our facilities and bring some colour to our towns.” 

Catherine Duff, the Council’s Director of Services for Operations, stated she had only visited two bring bank areas herself over the prior weekend following up on the recent IBAL report and concurred with Cllr Byrne's concerns of how drab and dull these areas looked. In turn she committed to exploring if a similar project could be rolled out here in Louth as suggested by Cllr Byrne. 

Cllr Byrne concluded “they do say art is the highest form of hope, we will wait in anticipation to see.”