A Graiguenamanagh wood craftsman has put his creative juices to work - not to create a bowl or a statue, but to create a life-size replica of an old Victorian funeral carriage.
Liam (Ducie ) Foley has spent countless hours working on his creation, which is currently sitting in his back yard at the Turfmarket in the centre of Graiguenamanagh town.
The awesome work of art is an exact reproduction of what used to be a carriage that would have been used in Victorian times to transport the family and relatives of the dead to a funeral. However, there is one modern aspect to the replica and that is his use of four top class Mercedes Benz wheels on the carriage which should offer the carriage some good support if ever it takes to the open road.
He told the Kilkenny Advertiser that he just got an idea and just started to build.
“I decided I wanted to build it and so I got working on it. It took me about a year-and-a-half I suppose to complete it. But I’m delighted with it now,” said Ducie.
The carriage is a perfect replica of the old-style horse-drawn carriage and although Ducie doesn’t own horses, it would be capable of being pulled behind two work-horses.
“People seem to love looking at it. It has been admired by lots of people since I finished it. I put it out onto the street last weekend during the Michalmas festival and it drew lots of attention. The children sit on it and play too,” said Ducie.
The carriage isn’t the only work of art that Ducie has lovingly created in recent times. He also has a replica of an old bike that he recently completed and that he is very proud of.
“I built the bike out of wood also and it is very detailed. It has a chain and a carrier and the whole lot - that is a lovely piece,” he said.
Ducie is also partial to antique collection and himself and his wife use a novel heating system in their living room.
“We have an old turnip slicer that must be at least 80 years old that I have converted to an old stove. It is the best of cast iron and gives out amazing heat,” he reported.
Ducie keeps his body and mind active while creating pieces of work that he uses in his home or has on display for people to admire.
If there was ever a need for an old Victorian carriage - Ducie is the man!
