Hope Street mural hits the beat: Renowned artist to paint massive tribute to hit show in real-life Port Devine as movie spin-off nears
A massive mural celebrating the cast of ‘Hope Street’ is set for pride of place in the real-life version of the hit cop show’s fictional Port Devine – Co Down seaside town Donaghadee.
The brainchild of the programme’s broadcaster, the BBC, it’s stated that renowned street artist Johnny Hamilton is to paint it. Also known as Jossiepops, his large-scale portraits of area famous faces adorn gable walls in the heart of nearby Bangor.
The mural will bear the image of the late Finnian Garbutt, who played PC Ryan Power in the series and tragically passed away from skin cancer earlier this year at just 28 years old.
According to documents filed by the BBC with a planning application that have been seen by the News Letter, initial conversations with Finnian’s family have “indicated that they are very supportive of his inclusion on the mural”.
Boasting six of the show’s characters, the art is go on a side of Donaghadee Community Centre that overlooks a coastal route around the town. It’s also located close to several ‘Hope Street’ filming locations, so will be visible to people taking popular walking tours connected to the series.
Painting is to start this month; projected to take three weeks to complete, the mural is slated to be unveiled to the public in mid-December to mark a spin-off movie that’s rumoured to be the show’s finale.
Asked why they hit on the mural idea, a BBC spokesman told the News Letter: “We are working to progress an art installation linked to Hope Street, highlighting its role in showcasing Donaghadee and the local creative industries.”
According to planning documents, the artwork will be on the side of the community centre for one year, after which the building will be restored to its previous look.
In ‘Hope Street’, Donaghadee plays the fictional Port Devine, home of the lives and loves of dedicated police officers as they try to keep its streets crime-free.
States the BBC in its planning application: “Hope Street has become a much-loved part of the local community.
“The mural will serve as a tribute to the programme's legacy, its connection to Donaghadee, and the people who have helped bring the series to life over five seasons prior.
“The proposed mural will be located on the Community Centre building in Donaghadee and is intended to remain in place for approximately one year, after which the wall will be restored to its original white finish.
“The town already welcomes visitors through the popular Hope Street Walking Tour, which highlights filming locations featured throughout the series. The mural will complement this visitor experience while also creating a landmark that residents and fans can enjoy.”
Alongside Finnian Garbutt, actors earmarked for the artwork are Kerri Quinn, Niall Wright, Tara Lynne O’Neill, Niamh McGrady and Aaron McCusker.
Spin-off ‘One Of Our Own – A Hope Street Film’ is due for a limited cinema release throughout the UK and Ireland later this year, after which it will be shown by the BBC.
It sees a fan-favourite characters return to probe a daylight assault, with a love interest of one of the detectives falling under suspicion.
Although not confirmed to act as farewell to the series, fans are expecting it to bring tales of Port Devine to a close.