Some projects just make sense..

Ever since Rhys McClenaghan did the unthinkable and brought Olympic gold home, there’s been a quiet wee voice in my head going:
“Right, so when am I putting him on a wall then?”

And then - the opportunity finally arrived!

With Rhys being awarded the Freedom of the Borough (massive honour, proper proud moment for Ards and North Down), the timing felt right.
Not “someday” right. Not “when funding appears from the heavens” right.
Now.

The Big Problem: Funding!

We tried. We asked. We went through the motions and the official channels, but we got the usual polite versions of “no” - Repeatedly 😕

But then a hero(es) showed up - the Ards business community stepped up in a big way and backed the project. Lift hire, paint, materials and crucially… securing the wall. No drama, no messing, just good people saying “let’s do this" and so, we did 🙂

And once the wall was sorted, it was game on.

The Wall (location is everything)

If we couldn’t get it on the Blair Mayne Leisure Centre, the next best thing was getting a wall that looks at it. Because it had to feel important and not just on a random gable.

So we landed on a cracking spot:

The Precinct, South Street, Newtownards - right on a main road into the town square. Prime real estate and perfect for people to view.
Even better, the portrait faces Scrabo as well… and if you’re from Ards you’ll know that’s basically a sacred requirement.

The build: three parts to the puzzle 🧩

I broke it into three main chunks (mostly for my own sanity):

The rings (the awkward bit)
The lettering
The face (my favourite part, and also the part that can ruin your week if you get it wrong)

Day 1-3: the rings, the grid, and the slow march forward ☕️

The rings went up first. Not glamorous, but necessary.
Then the writing.
Then the grid went up and the face was finally a go.

Progress was slower than ideal but that was really down to the weather, but I'm fond of coffee and keeping dry, and January in a cherry picker will humble any man - Quickly.

(Side note: I stole a roof for parts of this job - so if you haven’t been to Brew & Yaki, go show them some love. And while you’re at it, The Papel Club have unreal art on show in there. Local places backing local work = exactly what you want.)

Day 4-5: Completely Rained Off 🌧️😢

Me and the rain fell out.

Painting on a wall that’s fully saturated is a complete non-starter. It’s not “a bit tricky”… it’s pointless. You’re basically buttering toast under a running tap.

So I waited. I watched the forecast. I waited some more.

The Weather: A Beautiful Nightmare 💨🌧️

From the start, the elements were having a mighty laugh.

I’m not one to complain… BUT that rain has aged me.
Also: being 40ft up on a cherry picker in gale-force winds is not a hobby I recommend. It’s less “creative flow” and more “survival mode with a paintbrush.”

But… I kept going.

Because when you’re painting Rhys McClenaghan (a man whose entire career is basically perseverance in human form), you don’t really get to bail out without feeling like you're letting everyone down.

(And yes, I felt that pressure. Deeply. 😂)

The Best Bit: Rhys came down to Visit 🙌🏼

Well, I'm happy to report that Rhys is a total gent and well worth a chat.

He came down, had a proper look, talked shop and said he loved it - which helps massively when you’re standing there pretending you’re calm and not internally screaming, “PLEASE LIKE YOUR OWN FACE ON THIS WALL.”

The mural itself was based on a photo from the Paris Olympics - which makes it even more special. It’s not just “Rhys the athlete”. It’s Rhys on the day he won gold!

He agreed to come back and sign it once it was finished too, which was the final box we all wanted ticked.

At that stage we were about 90% done.
Finished when the tag’s on it. Always 😉

The finish: signed, sealed, delivered ✍🏼🫶🏼

A few days later - we got it finished.

Rhys came back down and put his signature on it, properly sealing it as something that belongs to the town now. Hopefully not just “a nice mural” but a new landmark.

And honestly, the best part of this whole job was the collaboration behind it. After being knocked back for funding more times than I can count, seeing the local business community back the vision and help make it happen was class.

Ards has now got something that will permanently celebrate their Olympic champion and hopefully inspire a few kids (and adults) to chase whatever dream they’ve been sitting on.