THE sculptor who carved the intricate Peace Tree in St Anne’s Park which was set alight by vandals says efforts are being made to clean and restore it.
Tommy Craggs, who created the iconic piece using a chainsaw, admitted the damage was worse than first feared – but it’s not beyond salvaging.
He was commissioned to create the striking sculpture in 2014 by Dublin City Council after the mature tree was found to be dying. It took three years to complete.
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He said: “Sadly it is a little worse than I first thought… the scorching is 2-3cm deep in places. There will be detail lost on the turtles and octopuses tentacles.
“But with a good wire brushing to remove the black and a delicate sanding it will not look as bad. The shapes will still be there and maybe the detail could possibly be recurved.”
Lord Mayor of Dublin Tom Brabazon (FF) condemned the deliberate vandalism and appealed to anyone with information to come forward to Gardai.
He said: “This is a beautiful sculpture enjoyed by adults and children alike. It’s so sad to see something like this happen.
“The sculpture was made from a dying Monterey cypress tree and features woodland animals and birds, some of whom have their home in St Anne’s Park and the nearby Bull Island.
“It also includes marine life reflecting Dublin Bay.”
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