Tono Brennan, Tom Phelan, Wally O'Sullivan
Ancient tradition copper craft expo launched in library
TWO Ballyfermot locals are hosting a copper craft exhibition in Ballyfermot library that is set to run until the end of January.
Brothers-in-law Wally O’Sullivan and Anthony ‘Tono’ Brennan are hosting a copper craft exhibition with over 50 pieces on display, including portraits and Celtic crosses made by hand.
Copper crafting is an ancient tradition in Ireland that dates back countless years where artists created pieces by hand using rolls of copper.
Tono Brennan explained how the crafting process is carried out from the roll of cooper to the finished artwork.
Tono said: “The copper comes in rolls and you just cut the size to your frame…the work afterwards is really the thing, you push in and push out and doing this and that with your hands.”
Tono picked up his interest in copper crafting from brother-in-law Wally, who has been teaching the craft for a number of years, and noted the mental health benefit of picking it up.
Wally has been teaching the craft for the last decade and will now exhibit his work for the first time alongside his brother-in-law.
Paddy O’Sullivan cuts the ribbon at the launch of the exhibition
Tono noted that the work he does when crafting is beneficial towards his mental health.
Tono said: “It’s absolutely brilliant for your mental health because you could sit down there with your blinkers on for hours, not a bother in the world.”
He finds himself taking time working on copper when he needs space and noted that he likes to create the pieces whenever he has time.
He hopes that the exhibition will help increase the popularity of the cultural form of art and cited a visit to a local youth centre towards the end of last year as a way it can help a community.
Tono said: “I’m hoping that it’ll get further now in Ballyer, kinda make it bigger kind of thing, with all the kids, the young kids.
“We were in the youth centre here before Christmas and we had seven young lads…and we had them sitting down for the whole week doing a lovely piece from horses and cars and going around the Cherry Orchard area.
“They loved it and their mothers and fathers loved it.”
