Since launching the Munster/All Black 1978 Limited Edition Print last November, I’ve been busy promoting it, and enjoyed the positive reaction that it’s received even in these hardened economic times. It seems that it’s the first time ever, that this has been done to mark that game, so it’s nice to be a part of the thirtieth anniversary celebrations in this way. Having worked on the original painting on and off for over a year, I decided on the final layout after viewing old newspaper cuttings and after twice reading Alan English’s excellent book about the game, ‘Stand up and Fight’. Once I came across the central image of Moss Keane celebrating with Christy Cantillon and Les White, I felt that this image was what I wanted to build the painting around, as it showed what this victory meant to Munster players and fans alike. I feel that the sheer grit and determination shows through here. All of the players, including coach Tom Kiernan feature in the painting, plus some of the key moments such as Jimmy Bowens try-making run, and Seamus Dennison’s crunching tackle on Stu Wilson which set the tone for the whole game, and showed the Kiwis that Munster meant business. Anthony Foley’s father Brendan is also shown in the lineout against Andy Haden, which is a nice connection between that game in ‘78 and our first Heineken cup win in 2006. Tony Ward is also shown, as is Graham Mourie the legendary All Black captain. As the photo below shows, George Hook, the well known rugby pundit has one of the prints in his possession, having been presented with it by the Munster supporters club in Dublin before Christmas.
Since we’ve had the wettest summer in over fifty years, much of the exterior mural work planned has had to take a back seat, and it’s only in the last few weeks that I’ve been able to resume with the outdoor projects. Normally, the end of September/early October, sees the end of outside work until the following Springtime, and it’s nearly all interior murals that I do outside this timeframe. I just completed a large exterior mural in Bruff, Co Limerick commemmorating the ‘Flight of the Earls’ of 1607, which I did on behalf of Limerick County Council in conjunction with Bruff Historical Society.
