An unemployed man in Co Offaly has come up with a unique way of passing the time . . . making all kinds of goods and ornaments from sods of turf.
Mr Tom Ruane, from O'Moore Street, Tullamore, has carved picture frames, lamps, pens, Rosary beads, footballs and clocks out of turf sods. His latest creation is a euro symbol.
"The house is full of turf, I wouldn't burn it for the world," he said. I burn oil. You can do wonders with a sod of turf. I myself write with a turf pen, I drink out of a turf mug and I have worn a turf bow tie to weddings." He insists his creations are not for sale but made for himself and his friends. "I don't know if in the future I will set up a business. If I started that and got lots of orders I wouldn't be able to fulfil them because I'm here by myself. Money is not my god."
So what inspired him? "I don't know in the name of God how I thought of it. Why with all the years turf is in Ireland and nobody ever did something creative with it I don't know.
"I was looking at Michael Smurfit being interviewed on Today Tonight 12 years ago and I said to myself I'd love to be able to do something for myself like him. That was probably partly what got me going."
All the turf he works with has to be well seasoned, at least two years old. "When I clean down the sods they shine up like a pair of new shoes," he said.
A selection of Mr Ruane's creations can be viewed on his website at: www.turfman.freeservers.com
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