Graffiti and spray-painted scrawls can be seen in many of the laneways in Mitchelstown, on decrepit and abandoned buildings and on the gates of rear entrances to shops.
Some residents say graffiti and meaningless writing in public spaces are 'an eyesore’ while others define it as ‘art’, but the latest scrawl which was sprayed onto an electrical unit in the town centre has drawn criticism from many.
Cllr Kay Dawson who is chairperson of AROMA in Mitchelstown, said the latest spray-job isn’t of an artistic nature.
“I’m always against that level of graffiti but I’m not against graffiti entirely. If it is a young person who is doing this, I would encourage them to contact our wonderful youth workers in Mitchelstown because maybe there is a project of some kind that they could do.”
Last week, an electrical unit outside Paddy Power’s in Lower Cork Street was sprayed, leading residents to call for action.
“It’s not art, it’s sheer and utter destruction,” said one lady who felt graffiti of any kind had no place in a heritage town. “It doesn’t happen very often but now is the time to act before it gets any worse,” she added.
One teenager said she was against graffiti on historic monuments and places like the old convent, but found it quite amusing to see it in lanes especially when it has a ‘secret message’ that 'only those in the know’ understand.
