Children's suffering captured in Anthony Lawless' thought-provoking image

Artist Anthony Lawless has created another thought-provoking image on the Clonmel streetscape that encourages people to stop and consider the plight of children suffering all over the world.

His striking image on the  gable end of Gleesons in Irishtown of a distressed child, with the hand of a parent reaching out to console, is entitled "If I should  fall  behind" , taken  from  a Bruce Springsteen lyric.

While the inspiration for the  work came from  within the Clonmel community,it has  resonance on a much wider stage for Anthony.

He was moved by the  campaign  launched  in the Clonmel community to support 23  year-old Emma Lacey, who is enduring a six-year battle with progressive spinal diseases and who underwent brain surgery  in August.

"Clonmel people are absolutely fantastic. Life  can be harrowing and Emma's situation has really struck a chord.

“This is the second time in a year that they have responded in such an incredible fashion to help out young people in the community and their families who are suffering", he said.

Anthony said he wanted to capture the spirit of the campaign  to support Emma Lacey that was taking place  and also to send out a message to  people to remember that there are children suffering all over the world.

He hopes the sight of the image on Gleesons will encourage people to consider what is happening to children all over the world, including the tragedy of thousands of  child refugees all over Europe without a home and in a growing number  of cases  without a parent to help them.

Anthony is passionate about the need to rally to help children suffering in Ireland and all over the world and he has been a consistent advocate for children in direct provision, homeless children and child refugees.

He has visited Calais on a number of occasions and what struck him was the huge number of unaccompanied minors  who were desperate for help and support.

"There are kids as young as eleven and twelve  with no parents roaming all over Europe. 

They have fled the Taliban , the Syrian regime and other horrific situations. I was there in Calais in 2016 and there was between three and four hundred unaccompanied minors there trying to fend for themselves" he said.

"If there were three or four hundren horses left in a field there would be a massive outcry in the world" said Anthony, whose daughter Amy is working on the ground at the moment in Calais.

His dramatic image on Gleesons wall  of the distressed child replaced the painting of the man with a crumbling world in his hands, which was deisgned to create  awareness about global warming. 

The new work  was finished on the morning of the Clonmel  Band Aid event  held in Gleesons  to support Emma Lacey.

"I used the Springsteen lyric  because nobody should be left behind. People are supporting Emma in a very powerful way, just as they did Evan Hickey and his family  before that. 

“People in the community are lifted  by the response to Emma's  plight. Clonmel people do care and they are very kind-hearted" said Anthony.

He is kindly donating  the proceeds  from a limited print edition  of fifty of  the image on Gleesons to The Emma Lacey Trust. 

The "If I Should Fall Behind" print is available for €50  from Anthony, who can be contacted on 086-3021297.