Pearse brothers mosaic to take pride of place in Letterkenny’s Market Square

A special mosaic made to commemorate brothers Pádraig and Willie Pearse will have a place in Letterkenny’s new-look Market Square.

The mosaic mural was created in 2016 by artist Macola Vonga for the 1916 centenary celebrations.

The Pearse brothers, who were executed by British firing squad for their roles as revolutionaries in the 1916 Easter Rising, had links to St Eunan’s Cathedral in Letterkenny. The Cathedral’s Sicilian marble pulpit and altar rails were made by the Pearse firm of Dublin, founded by Pádraig and Willie’s father, James Pearse.

The call to include the mural came from Sinn Féin Cllr Gerry McMonagle. He said the mosaic’s inclusion in the new reimagined Square would “show the historic connection between the Pearse Brothers and St Eunan’s Cathedral, which overlooks the Square."

The motion was passed and Cllr McMonagle welcomed the council’s response to seek a suitable location for the mosaic within the Square.

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The works on the Market Square are part of plans for Letterkenny Regeneration Strategy 2040. A total of €3,500,000 has been allocated for the Market Square project.

Under the plans for Letterkenny 2040, the Market Square will be reimagined as an open gathering space with possibility of market stalls returning and an outdoor performance area.

Artist Macola Vonga grew up in Angola, and arrived in Ireland in 1996, immediately becoming involved with the Irish arts scene. His work is heavily influenced by African music, rituals and folklore, and he is a great admirer of the impressionist movement. He is fascinated by the healing power of art and the interplay between art and politics.