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Handcrafted, handpainted piece, stands 6" high, 4.5" wide.
Thorwald’s Cross, Isle of Man
Located at Church Andreas on the Isle of Man, this fragment of a Viking Slab Cross is dated by Rundata to 940 AD. It is a very unique artefact, in that it appears to represent an example of ‘Syncretic Art’ created during a short period of time when both Pagan and Christian belief systems coexisted. It is also unique for bearing the inscription of the erector of the original monument; ‘Porvaldr raised this cross’, with its present title representing this. The cross shows what is believed to be the father of the Norse gods, Odin, being consumed by the wolf, Fenrir, at the events of Ragnarok, signalling the end to the story of the Norse Pantheon. This is significant as it may reveal the conversion point from Paganism to Christianity, with the Christian god rising to prominence following the destruction of the Pagan gods at the mythical battle of Ragnarok. The bird at Odin’s shoulder is thought to be either Huginn or Muninn, Odin’s loyal ravens, whose attachment to Odin have led to him being commonly referred to as ‘The Raven God’.

Thorwald's Cross, Isle of Man

The Walled City, Handcrafted plasterwork. dimensions: 9″ length, 6.5″wide, 2.5″high. Price £60.

The city of Derry/Londonderry is one of the finest examples of a walled city in Europe, and the most complete example in Ireland. The defensive walls were built between 1613-1618 by The Honourable the Irish Society to segregate and protect English and Scottish settlers from the surrounding native Irish following the Plantation of Ulster. The walls proved their purpose during the Williamite Wars in Ireland, when the four city gates were shut to King James II by the 13 Apprentice Boys in 1688, and held out Jacobite forces during 105 days of siege in 1689. The term ‘Maiden City’ was borne out of this unbreachable defense. The walls, with a circumference of approx. one mile, encircle the first planned town in Ireland, designed in a typical fortification layout common during the period. The Siege of Derry would not be the last experience the walls would encounter with conflict, however, as the British Army commandeered segments of the fortifications during ‘The Troubles’ for surveillance purposes. This representation of the 17th century city exhibits the topography of the town, street plans, major buildings, and the bastion defensive structures that shielded the city.

Walled City: Derry in the Siege Period

Grianan of Aileach, handcrafted, handpainted plasterwork piece. Dimensions: 6" across, 2" high. Beautiful when illuminated with a tealight. The origins of the Grianán of Aileach fort are dated back to 1700 BC. It is linked to the Tuatha de Danann who invaded Ireland before the Celts and built stone forts on top of strategic hills. They worshipped Dagda (the Good God) and he too is associated with the origins of Aileach. It was he who ordered the building of a stone fort to act as a burial monument to his dead son. The round fort is built largely without mortar. The interior has three terraces and wooden structures were built against the terraces to provide accommodation. The outline of Bronze Age or Iron Age ramparts can be seen below the fort. Legend states that the giants of Inishowen are lying sleeping but when the sacred sword is removed they will spring to life reclaiming their ancient lands. It is thought that St Patrick visited the site in the 5th century and baptised the local chieftain, Eoghan (from whom Inis Eoghan gets its name), here.

Grianan of Aileach Tealight

Finecast Plaster replica of the Free Derry Corner during its most iconic phase in 1969. Dimensions: 12cm high, 12cm wide, 6cm deep. The gable wall of 33 Lecky Road in the Bogside, Derry, gained worldwide recognition as a symbol of resistance and beacon of Civil Rights at 3am on January 5th, 1969, when local activist, Liam Hillen, accompanied by Eamon McCann, painted the now famous slogan on the wall. The act was inspired by a midnight incursion into the Bogside by the RUC, following a day of violence when Civil Rights marchers were attacked by Ulster Unionists at Burntollet Bridge while the police looked on. The slogan was later repainted on a white backdrop by ‘Caker’ Casey and signified entry into an autonomous Nationalist area which operated without Police interference between 1969 and 1972. The wall has borne silent witness to some of the most tumultuous events of the ‘Troubles’, with The Battle of the Bogside in August 1969 and Bloody Sunday in January 1972 occurring in the surrounding streets. This recreation celebrates the wall in its most iconic, weather-beaten phase during 1969. It now stands, refurbished and repainted regularly, as a globally recognized sounding board for solidarity with oppressed peoples around the world and as a commemoration for a difficult period in Irish history.

Free Derry Corner 1969, Derry City

Piece dimensions: Approx 5" across, 6" high, 2" wide. £ dimensional piece which can bbe displayed in 360 degrees. Handcrafted finecast plasterwork replica of the Beautiful 7th Century Saint Patrick's High Cross at Carndonagh, replete with free standing pillars featuring fully engraved depictions on all sides. Historians date the Carndonagh high cross to the seventh century, making it one of the oldest of its type in Ireland. This early Christian relic is a red sandstone slab cut out in the shape of a cross, and engraved with a rich, low relief that mixes Celtic artwork and Christian iconography. The west face is completely covered with a Celtic interlacing, while the east face depicts a crucifixion scene. Quite surprisingly, the crucifixion scene is placed on the shaft of the cross rather than its head. Typical of Irish crosses, Jesus is not depicted as suffering or defeated, but rather erect and triumphant. Two small, separate pillars frame the cross, decorated with various characters, such as David with his harp and a large warrior believed to be Goliath. Today, the cross and its pillars are a National Monument of Ireland and can be visited freely in Cardonagh.

Handcrafted Saint Patrick's High Cross, Carndonagh, Inishowen, Co. Donegal

Handcrafted plasterwork Grianan of Aileach with St Patrick’s Well on the Hill.
Dimensions approx 5″ length, 3″ high. 3 dimensional piece, able to be displayed in 360 degrees!

More a representation than my usual replication approach to heritage, I thought this fun little piece would make a delightful talking point on any table, or even a beautiful bookstop. This piece is based on the stunning Grianan of Aileach and the hilltop on which it sits overlooking Inch Island and the Inishowen Peninsula, with its winding ascending road, and not forgetting Saint Patrick’s Well on the hillside, site of many a wish and prayer down through the centuries. Legend has it that Saint Patrick himself blessed this well!
It would be a fair bet that this is likely the smallest Grianan anywhere, complete with stairways, levels and even the tunnels visible in the interior! I loved creating this piece and I hope that you’ll love having it your home.

Handcrafted Grianan on the Hill, Co. Donegal

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