A GRAFFITI artists’ work on an Irvine underpass has been making waves on social media this week - three years after it first appeared.

The work by local graffiti artist and musician Tragic O’Hara gained some interest after a passer-by noticed the impressive Calacas - Mexican skeletons - murals which decorate the walls beneath Irvine’s Rivergate Mall and posted them on Facebook.

The re-surging popularity has surprised no one more than the artist himself, whose real name is Steven McIntyre.

Speaking to the Times he revealed that he work was commissioned by Rivergate Shopping Centre bosses three years ago.

He said: “I am quite surprised that work is being talked about again because I completed it three years ago. I only do commissioned pieces and the Rivergate commissioned me to paint the underpass and walls beneath the mall. It’s probably a bit grubby now with the weather and amount of time that has passed, but I’m glad it is still making an impact.”

O’Hara, who is from Ardrossan, has become a well known creative force across Ayrshire after he started painting and playing guitar at the age of 14, before becoming immersed in the world of graffiti.

Today he says he hopes his work will inspire others.

He said: “Graffiti is used all over Europe as a way to improve communities and get young kids interested in creative arts and I think it’s something we should do more in the UK. It does work and I know that with that work at the Rivergate the Police have used it on occasion when they are running youth groups, so it can be very effective.”

The Irvine Times contacted Rivergate Shopping Centre bosses for a comment but they did not respond.