TREE OF WILDLIFE

Raheny is an interesting place.

While a suburb of the city, it has retained many of its characteristics of a village and one of these is its own newspaper, the RAHENY NEWS.

This is a stencilled four sided foolscap green paper and it is this year celebrating its 40th anniversary. It is just as old as the length of time I've lived in Raheny and I try, particularly in recent times, not to miss an issue.

Just as well as I would have missed this letter from B. Harding, two issues back:

Having witnessed and watched in awe, along with countless other onlookers, the stunning craftsmanship of Tree Sculptor Tommy Craggs, who over the past 10 days has carved some incredible Bird and Wildlife figures on the top of a tree, I would strongly encourage people everywhere to take a stroll down to the corner of St. Anne's Park, at corner of Watermill Road, and be amazed. Figures so far revealed include a majestic 7ft. high swan, a Brent Goose, Curlew, a giant Owl, a Hawk. Rumour has it that even the squirrels in the Park have been fascinated at the work! While locals were originally sad to see the enormous tree having to be reduced in height, due to signs of stress and health and safety concerns, this Monterey Cypress tree yet lives on.

Well, it took me until today to get round to checking it out, and all I can say is that it is magnificent. A beautiful piece of work incorporating much of the special wildlife of the area.

I won't spoil your enjoyment by blathering on. Just check out the photos below and get along there to see this tree of wildlife as soon as you can.

[The combination of low winter sun and surrounding trees was not ideal for photos so I may revisit the tree in more favourable conditions soon.]

---

Update 2016
I mentioned in a comment below that the job was only partly done and that Tommy would be back in the Spring to take it forward.

Well he's back, but off to a somewhat inauspicious start as, before he started work, his scaffolding was stolen.

However, the Council came to the rescue and when I went down to check out the scene yesterday he was busy at work.

I suspect the netting is not so much to keep his techniques secret as to protect passing traffic and pedestrians from instant death by flying chips.

The two wise owl are trying to figure out why the helmet and hearing protection are in one place and Tommy's head is in another.

But once he gets the saw going he's well protected. So I left him to it.

On my way back to the car I happened to glance at his car registration. Clearly a custom job though the 58 still has me foxed. If he had been born in 1958 he'd be 58 this year but he doesn't look that old to me. Perhaps he'll reveal all in due course.

Tommy is on Twitter, Facebook, and has his own Website.