Red Squirrel — Bordalo II, Dublin
Bordalo II (Artur Bordalo) · A giant red squirrel built from scrap, 2017 · The Workshop Gastro Pub, Tara Street and George’s Quay, Dublin
Photo from the Street Art Utopia archive; photographer and capture date not recorded. Artwork: Bordalo II. Full photograph shown.
Red Squirrel was a giant 3D squirrel that Portuguese artist Bordalo II (Artur Bordalo) built from Dublin scrap on the wall of The Workshop Gastro Pub, at the corner of Tara Street and George’s Quay; it was unveiled on Saturday 15 April 2017. Source Source Source Checked In June 2019 98FM reported that it was coming down because of planned building works, and Street Art Cities now lists it as removed. Source Source Reported
Gone 2019: 98FM reported on 26 June 2019 that the squirrel was coming down; Lovin Dublin (undated) gives the removal date as Tuesday, August 6, which fits 2019, to make way for a hotel. No dated photo of the empty wall was found. Source Source Source Reported
💡 4 things to know
- Built from city wasteAccording to the Irish Times, the waste came from Hammond Lane Metal Recycling in Poolbeg and a yard in Finglas, and the squirrel was built over about a week. Source Checked
- A message about a native speciesBordalo chose the red squirrel because the native species is under threat from deforestation and a virus carried by the grey squirrel, the Irish Times reported. Source Reported
- Filmed for a documentaryHot Press reported that the five-day build was filmed for the Irish Film Board-funded documentary ‘Bordalo II, A Life Of Waste’, co-directed by Trevor Whelan and Rua Meegan. Source Reported
- Taken down for building worksAfter two years on the wall, 98FM reported in June 2019 that the squirrel was coming down because of planned building works; a petition to save it followed the same day. Source Source Reported
📍 Where it is
The side wall of The Workshop Gastro Pub, at the corner of Tara Street and George’s Quay, Dublin. Source Source Checked The squirrel is reported to have been removed in 2019. Source Source Source Reported
Opens a map at 53.3473507, -6.2547384, the point given by Street Art Cities.
🗓️ Sightings
- 201710 Apr
Build announced for 10–15 April · Hot Press
- 201716 Apr
Unveiled on George’s Quay · Daily Edge
- 201717 Apr
Why a giant red squirrel? · Irish Times
- 201720 Apr
The story behind the squirrel · Irish Times
- 20182 May
Still up a year on · TheJournal.ie
- 201926 Jun
Petition to save the mural · Change.org
- 201926 Jun
Reported coming down for building works · 98FM
- 20196 Aug
Removal set for Tue 6 Aug (year from the weekday) · Lovin Dublin
Every stamp links to its source. Amber stamps mark reports and events; red stamps mark the removal. Lovin Dublin’s page is undated: it names “Tuesday, August 6”, which fits 2019.
🗞️ In the sources
Bordalo II squirrel, Dublin
“This massive red squirrel now sits proudly on the side of The Workshop pub”
The squirrel was unveiled on the pub wall.
Why is there a giant red squirrel on Tara Street?
“The mural, which is beside the Workshop Gastro Pub on Georges Quay, was unveiled on Saturday.”
It was unveiled on Saturday 15 April 2017.
Squirrel mural by Tara Street DART station
“It’s a gigantic, 3D red squirrel which, on close inspection, you’ll spot is made out of rubbish.”
Still on the wall a year later.
Dublin’s scrap metal squirrel is coming down
“After spending two years on the side of a building, Dublin’s scrap metal squirrel is coming down.”
The squirrel was to be removed after two years.
✅ The facts
- Location
- The Workshop Gastro Pub wall, Tara Street / George’s Quay, Dublin Source Source Source Checked
- Materials
- Car bumpers, old trash containers and a bicycle gathered before the build (Dublin Inquirer); car parts, bike wheels and plastic barriers (Daily Edge) Source Source Reported
- Build time
- About five days (Hot Press, Daily Edge); about a week (Irish Times). We lean towards about five days for the build: the Irish Times counts from the Monday waste collection, while Hot Press and Daily Edge count the days of building Source Source Source Conflicting
- Permission
- Until September, per a council presentation (Dublin Inquirer); six months, per the Irish Times. We lean towards six months: the Irish Times reports the council’s permission itself, while the Inquirer relays a presentation made before the build Source Source Conflicting
🔗 Related
- Look What They’re Made Of (11 Photos) — Street Art Utopia
- Bordalo II’s trash animals — Street Art Utopia
- All Artwork Files
All sources & image credits
- Hot Press — 10 April 2017
- Dublin Inquirer — 13 April 2017
- Daily Edge — 16 April 2017
- Irish Times — 17 April 2017
- Irish Times — 20 April 2017
- Street Art Cities — Giant Red Squirrel (marked Removed)
- TheJournal.ie — 2 May 2018
- Change.org petition — 26 June 2019
- 98FM — 26 June 2019
- Lovin Dublin — undated (removal set for Tuesday, August 6)
- Hero image: the photograph used in the Street Art Utopia post, photographer not recorded (WAU media #12793); the share image is a 16:9 version of it (WAU media #12794).
Last checked: 12 November 2026 · How we verify art