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Druid casts a spell as Kerry’s newest interactive tourist attraction
K
KERRY’S newest interactive tourist attraction, a 12ft druid, has been welcomed to its new home; the aptly named Druid’s View at Molly Gallivan’s Cottage and Traditional Farm in Bonane.
The imposing and impressive Druid figure is the result of an exciting collaboration between two West Cork artists, wood sculptor Anthony Cornforth and metal sculptor Peter Little.
Commissioned by Kerry County Council, the piece replaces a smaller existing druid carved by Anthony in 2002 which had to be removed during recent road improvement works.
The original druid was commissioned by Stephen and Frances O’Sullivan, owners of family-run Molly Gallivan’s Visitor Centre.
Located between Kenmare and Glengarriff on the Beara Peninsula, the druid represents the first settlers in the Sheen Valley more than 6000 years ago.
It is carved from the trunk of a large Monterey cypress tree and cloaked in copper.
To enable visitors to interact and engage with the sculpture, a camera has been placed on the druid’s staff. Visitors can look through an eyepiece enclosed in the druid’s cloak and share in the “druid’s view”.
The druid looks across Sheen valley to the highest peak “Barra-Bui”, where a Cairn on the summit marks the resting place of an ancient Chieftain.
The camera will soon be linked to Molly Gallivan’s website and visitors can upload their photos taken with the druid to the attraction’s popular Facebook page. The photos posted to Facebook announcing the arrival of the new druid have already received over 7000 views.
“We’re delighted with the new and enhanced druid,” stated Stephen and Frances O’Sullivan. “It has been an iconic landmark for Molly Gallivans and Kerry for many years. The feedback from our visitors is that they love the ability to interact with the new sculpture and see what the druid sees.”
Anthony and Peter are known individually in the West Cork region and beyond for their sculptures. This was a first time collaboration for the pair and they are keen to work together in the future. A bio for each artist is included below for reference.
For further information on the druid sculpture, contact Anthony Cornforth on +353 (0)86 392 2129 or ajc-64@hotmail.com
Person of interest leaves jurisdiction in Killarney murder case
Gardaí investigating the murder of Jamey Carney have confirmed that a person of interest left the jurisdiction in the early hours of Tuesday July 7, prior to the discovery of the body.
An Garda Síochána are currently engaging with international law enforcement partners as part of the ongoing investigation into the death at a domestic residence on Muckross Road. The murder investigation is being carried out by the Serious Crime Unit, Kerry Division, with assistance from national units including the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) and the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
The scene at Muckross Road remains preserved today, and the technical examination is continuing.
Gardaí are renewing their appeal for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. In particular, anyone who was in the Muckross Road area between 11pm on July 6 and 5am on July 7, and who may have camera, CCTV, or dashcam footage, is asked to contact the investigation team.
Anyone with information can contact Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
Ade Desbrow wins Killarney Camera Club final seasonal competition
Killarney Camera Club member Ade Desbrow has secured first place in the Unrestricted Category of the club’s final competition of the season.
His winning photograph, titled ‘Submerged Flowers’, took the top spot in the Open Print Competition.
The Open Print Competition serves as a special highlight of the club calendar, encouraging members to print their photos and bring them to life. Presenting an image as a physical print offers a completely different experience from viewing a digital file on a screen, allowing the detail, texture, and craftsmanship of the printed photograph to create a new appreciation of the work.
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