The magic of Portlaoise's 'Bog Road' captured in new comicbook fable

The natural beauty of County Laois has been given an otherworldly spin in a new graphic novel currently being worked on by artist, Barry Keegan.

‘The Bog Road’ is an eco-horror tale, mixing environmental concerns over the destruction of the Irish landscape through industrialisation with a healthy dose of Celtic mysticism and comicbook escapism.

“When I moved to county Laois in Ireland and lived there for three and a half years I fell in love with its hidden beauty,” says Barry, describing the book as a dark fantasy tale.

“I wanted to draw more attention to the midlands of Ireland and bring the land to life. Right now the script is written and all black and white artwork is fully completed by myself.”

Barry has been able to craft his vision thanks to funding from Laois Arts Council.

“I love to write and create visual stories. I hope you enjoy what I’ve put together and hopefully you’ll join me on further adventures.'

The first 12 pages of ‘The Bog Road’ are now online at https://barrykeegan.com/the-bog-road/, coloured by Chris O’Halloran and lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.