Mexican sand artist plans Trump tribute on Ballybunion beach
US sand artist Mario Perez has drawn up a design measuring 100m by 50m which he proposes to delineate along the blue flag Ladies Beach as a salute to the new President who enters office on January 20.
Mario, a 53-year-old retired government worker who moved to the Kerry resort three years ago from California, has used Ladies Beach as a canvas for his widely acclaimed work which recently included a tribute to Muster rugby legend Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley.
Mario said: “I propose to do a design on January 20 which will be cool and it will be as big as possible, as Donald Trump does big and likes things done in a grand style.
“It will have a gold effect as it will have a rising sun theme with rays as a central theme and his message of making America great again.
“I have looked at the tides for the day and will start early and reckon my work will take about four or five hours to complete given it will measure the size of a football field.
“I have been in contact with friends all across the US and they are eagerly looking forward to seeing my tribute on the internet. I hope the While House get to see it and maybe President Trump will get to see it and drop in some day to Ballybunion when he’s over in Doonbeg.
"My tribute will be striking and I have no doubt it will attract huge attention in the US.”
Although Mexican by birth, he has no problems with the new president-elect.
“I know he has said things about Mexicans, but there are Mexicans who have caused problems. I know for me, my pension has already gone up. I worked with the government in California and during Obama’s time, my pension dropped.
“For this project I want to do something special. I have looked through countless logos and designs to come up with a special work on a very special beach. It has to be big, given the man,” he said.
Mario also did a tribute to Det Garda Jerry McCabe on the 20th anniversary of his violent death in Adare. “Some people asked me to do a design to commemorate the anniversary. He was brought up in Ballybunion and spent may days on the Ladies Beach. I got a Garda badge and incorporated that in the design.”
