Acclaimed Irish visual artist Fergal McCarthy delivered his unique take on the Battle of Clontarf in a specially commissioned graphic installation.

The Battle of Clontarf as you’ve never seen it before

In the spring of 2014 acclaimed Irish visual artist Fergal McCarthy delivered his unique take on the Battle of Clontarf in a specially commissioned graphic installation in the museum. 

The Battle of Clontarf has been the subject of countless lessons as generations of Irish children were taught the tale of the ill-fated Brian Boru heroically battling the Viking invaders. With a healthy dollop of irreverence, Irish visual artist Fergal McCarthy playfully responded to the 1,000th anniversary of this epic battle by creating a giant graphic novel of the event on the walls of the Little Museum.

Rewriting the story with dozens of humorous drawings with text, McCarthy vividly explored the background to the battle and brought Ireland in 1014 to life in richly imagined detail. His striking black and white images covered the walls of the downstairs gallery at the Little Museum, the mural then continuing across the floor in vinyl cutouts. Blood on the walls and battle soundscapes completed the immersive experience.

Children were invited to contribute to the mural, which gave them the opportunity to themselves rewrite history on the walls of the museum.