Newgrange - Boyne Currach Centre

Celtic Woodcarving

"Maybe the primal movement that drew us away from animal habits and pounded us into the world of making :-

Be it music from the dried out ribcage of the carcass of a cow (the first drum) or the pounding of stones on rock to etch out their eternal message of their humble existence, the pounding of wood or metal to carve shoes from willow or tools for hunting or just pounding with a mallet to keep rythm of the living in your soul.

The instinct is in each of us creating and making art forms for inner satisfaction

Claidhbh in his wood carving studio.

Carving motivates your imagination to expand slowly, then confidently drawing the artist out as every challenge creates another and another until you realise that pen is on paper and your mind is throwing images and thoughts faster than flowing ink.

 

Skill and care required to carve a spiral.

Celtic Art happens in that way. A simple knot repeatedly growing gives you time to look at the alternative routes that may be taken around it. By joining here and extending there, the original can soon turn into 20 different angles on the same drawing which ultimately returns to carving. "

 

Celtic Cross
High crosses were a symbol of Christianity and were found in different forms and sizes throughout Europe.
In Ireland, the most common form of cross found, was the Celtic Cross. These were often found at Market places where both Christians and Pagans came to trade and to do business with each other.
These Celtic Crosses are all hand carved in native Irish timber, their 'stems' vary between three different designs; Knot work, Birds and Tree of life.

 

 

 

 

Love Knot
This Celtic heart symbolises eternal love - woven through a simple Trinity knot. The three points represent the three turning steps in man's life, i.e. birth, coming of age, and death. They are all connected, no beginning, no end, each leading into each other. The Celts believed strongly in the idea of re-birth!

 

 

Salmon
This famous Irish tale concerns our most famous hero, Finn. Here Finn meets with Finnegas, an old Bard or Poet. Finnegas has been living and fishing here in the river Boyne, below Newgrange, for seven years, trying to catch the Salmon of Knowledge. Whoever is the first to eat the salmon will gain it's wisdom.
When Finnegas finally does catch him, he gives it to Finn to cook. But while cooking the salmon a blister appears on the skin of the fish. As Finn bursts the blister with his thumb he burns his thumb and then sucks on it….. thus gaining the knowledge that the fish possessed. Finnegas then gave Finn the flesh too to eat which gave Finn eternal wisdom also.

 

Beard Pullers

 

 

 

 

 

Aonghus and Caer

 

 

 

 

Bird of Peace

 

 

 

 

 

 

Large Circular Spiral

 

 

 

 

 

Human Spiral

 

 

 

 

 

Large Oval Spiral