A mural, painted on the front of a house in south Dublin, has been removed after the planners ruled it had to be covered up.
The artwork of two multi-coloured ballerinas wearing boxing gloves in Sandycove had become popular with passers-by and locals.
There were no official objections but An Bord Pleanála said in June that it was depreciating local property values, was out of proportion with the building and a traffic hazard.
That's after the owner, Cathy McGovern, appealed an original decision by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council that it had to be removed.
Fine Gael Senator Barry Ward says it's disappointing, as the mural was a nice addition to the area;
"Put up during the pandemic when people were nearby in the forty foot and passing by here to give a little bit of joy to people but unfortunately a decision had been made by the council and by An Bord Pleanála that they shouldn't be there."
About 9 months ago, @dlrcc told Cathy McGovern to remove a mural by @SolusStreetArt of “Boxing Ballerinas”, on her house in #Sandycove.
Today, we said goodbye to the two colourful ladies who cheered a lot of us up during the pandemic.
Thank you Cathy 🙏 🥊 🩰 #dunlaoghaire pic.twitter.com/geqZd6w3II
— Barry Ward 🇮🇪 🇪🇺 (@barrymward) October 26, 2022
Speaking earlier this year, the owner of the period home Cathy McGovern said she commissioned the work by street artist Solus after seeing similar pieces in New York in 2019, saying she saw her house as a canvas.
