Moore Street mural ‘is NOT by the artist Banksy’

The internationally renowned graffiti artist Banksy has denied being responsible for a mural which appeared overnight at the site of the surrender of the leaders of the 1916 Rising on Moore Street in Dublin.

The mural, which depicts Patrick Pearse surrendering to British army officers dressed as contemporary building workers, appears to carry the artist's familiar signature.

But Banksy’s agent has told The Irish Times that “this work is NOT by the artist Banksy”.

Banksy is an English-based graffiti artist, political activist and film director whose real identity is unknown.

His street art frequently features satire on political and social subjects, and has appeared on streets and walls around the world.

His work has often dealt with contentious subjects, such as Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in Gaza.

He usually uses stencils to produce his work. In his book, Wall and Piece, he writes that when he started making graffiti, he was always too slow and was either caught or could never finish the piece, so he devised a process of stencilmaking to minimise time.

The Moore St buildings were designated national monuments in 2007. As many as three hundred Irish Volunteers and members of Cumann na mBan escaped to the buildings from the GPO after it caught fire following a bombardment by British artillery during Easter Week 1916.

The properties subsequently became the subject of controversy after development company Chartered Land was granted permission for an 800,000sq ft development on the nearby site of the old Carlton Cinema on O’Connell St.

The building at 14-17 Moore Street have been the location of a number of protests by people concerned that number 18 will be demolished to make way for the development, and that numbers 10 and No 13 will not be protected.

The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has said numbers 13, 18 and 19 are not part of the national monument, and "are not historically significant."