The Sliabh Beagh Arts graffiti bales have returned, this time to an education, retreat and ecotherapy centre based on a Cooneen farm.

Read: The distinctive artwork on bales that’s drawing plenty of attention

Six months ago, a stack of silage bales on the main Belfast Road outside Fivemiletown were transformed by Belfast graffiti artist Kev Largey as part of the Sliabh Beagh Art’s ‘Growth and Decay’ programme.

Funded by the Arts Council for Northern Ireland, the programme aims to introduce quality art works into the everyday lives of farming communities and includes the bales, farm gates woven with colourful fabrics and murals spray painted onto old barns.

A new funding boost from the Arts Council meant that Donna Bannon of Sliabh Beagh Arts was able to commission Mr. Largey to paint more round bales. She was contacted by Director of Common Ground NI, Robbie Breadon, who has recently established a community interest company at Cooneen Cross, aiming to provide a range of eco-educational activities, including how to produce food in traditional and sustainable ways.

“We became familiar with Sliabh Beagh Arts through their facebook page and when they held an event at Mullaghfad Church – we share the common aims of community engagement and community involvement with the environment,” said Mr. Breadon, who has worked in complementary health for 25 years.

Read: The distinctive artwork on bales that’s drawing plenty of attention

Impartial Reporter:

The other painted bales on the Main Road outside Fivemiletown

He also made contact with ‘Save our Magnificent Meadows’, an Ulster Wildlife project that aims to restore wildflowers and species to Fermanagh’s lowland meadows. “In October they said our fields were good for re-seeding but we would have to clear the fields asap,” explained Mr. Breadon. “We got a contractor in to cut the grass. There was one poor field so we told him to leave the six bales at the end of the lane, where they would be visible from the road.”

Despite a setback when the bales were vandalised while Mr. Breadon was out of the country recently, they are now completed and depict the range of wildlife present at the Common Ground Farm: wild hares, butterflies; owls; wrens; salmon and trout.

“It’s making people aware of us which we are very pleased about,” concluded Mr. Breadon.

Appealing for continued funding for Sliabh Beagh Art’s projects, Ms. Bannon said: “We have been working with the Arts Council for 14 years and they are always interested in hearing our quirky ideas like the bales. We hope that will continue well into the future.”