WATCH: Birr signwriter Brendan Mooney honoured in heritage film

A new short film celebrating one of Birr’s best-known craftspeople has been released online, capturing the fading art of traditional signwriting through the memories of a local master.

Memories of a Signwriter features Brendan Mooney, who worked for decades hand-painting shopfronts, and pub signs across Birr and beyond.

Filmed by David Cotter, who handled camera, sound and editing, the piece offers an intimate portrait of both the man and his meticulous craft.

The creative director of the film was Brendan's daughter, Naomi McArdle, who noted the film as "the piece of artistic work I am most proud of — both as a daughter and as a creative".

Close-up shots linger on brushstrokes and ageing signage, underscoring the patience and precision that defined Mooney’s work.

The film was also selected by Offline Film Festival and represented as part of the Made in the Midlands programme at screenings in Birr Theatre & Arts Centre and Esker Arts Centre last October.

The project was supported by Offaly County Council as part of the Offaly Creative Ireland programme and shared by Offaly Heritage. It forms part of a wider heritage initiative titled Alphabet Soup, curated by Naomi McArdle and Andrea Moore for Vintage Week 2025.

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