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Meet the Connemara man building a miniature village in his garden

Tom Wallace has built a mini castle, church and cottage.

RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta

A CONNEMNARA NATIVE has began to build a miniature village in his garden.

Tom Wallace from An Cheathrú Rua in County Galway first built a small thatched cottage before beginning work on his own castle in 2012.

Wallace told RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta that he had no design for the castle, “just a picture in my head as to how it would look”.

I thought when I finished it that I’d leave it at that because it had taken a lot of work, but then I was looking out at it, and I thought it looked a little bit lonely, so I started on the church then last year. I really enjoyed building it.

Wallace, a non-drinker, said he might turn his hand to building a pub next.

I might try something else now, maybe a pub. I never drank a drop in my life, but my friends have assured me they will support me and drink in my pub if I build it!

Hundreds of curious visitors have stopped by to look at the miniature buildings in recent months.

Wallace said that anyone who wants to visit and take pictures is more than welcome. 

Read: This Temple Bar lane is going to be turned into an open-air art gallery

Read: “Smile!” How’s your Culture Night going?

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31 Comments
    BC
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    Mute BC
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    Sep 26th 2014, 11:17 AM

    Wow very impressive, keep building it looks cool.

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    Mute traveling mafia
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    Sep 27th 2014, 12:46 AM

    I lost interest at Connemara man

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Sep 26th 2014, 11:50 AM

    Great stuff, a village built for little people – the yanks will love it !!

    186
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    Mute Declan Carr
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    Sep 26th 2014, 1:33 PM

    Somewhere for M D Higgins to go for his holidays.

    168
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    Mute Adrian Mullett
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    Sep 27th 2014, 9:22 AM

    Brilliant!

    8
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    Mute all kinds of gains
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    Sep 26th 2014, 12:13 PM

    Wonderful people in this world

    165
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    Mute Denis Coleman
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    Sep 26th 2014, 11:33 AM

    I often thought it would be a good idea for someone to build scaled down replicas of the many Abbeys and Monasteries around he country as the were in their heyday.

    97
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    Mute Rusty Balls
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    Sep 26th 2014, 2:29 PM

    This is brilliant, I can’t help but like the quirky, the zany, those people with just the right bit of mad in them. The world needs more people like this and more gardens like this one. It would certainly be more interesting.

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    Mute Gary Guilfoyle
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    Sep 26th 2014, 11:14 AM

    Hope he got planning permission

    69
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    Mute neeneee
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    Sep 26th 2014, 11:19 AM

    Looks great.serious skill needed to build those

    146
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    Mute Dannster
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    Sep 26th 2014, 1:02 PM

    better built than 90% of new buildings tat are goin up

    67
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    Mute George Grey
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    Sep 26th 2014, 11:24 AM

    Sure that’s nothing! I heard of a landlord in Dublin last week that had a whole house underneath the stairs for rent!

    66
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    Mute Sakura
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    Sep 26th 2014, 12:25 PM

    Wonderful

    66
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    Mute Rodger 5
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    Sep 26th 2014, 1:33 PM

    Fanfekentastic idea, beats the bejaysus out of lego or meccano any day, the cemetery will be challenging, or maybe not, give the local nasties a headstone, lol

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    Mute melcoo
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    Sep 26th 2014, 3:02 PM

    There class, well done. The cottage reminds me of when I had to make a cottage for Junior Cert Art, lots of chicken wire and papier mache!

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    Mute Micheal
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    Sep 26th 2014, 7:03 PM

    Build more of them…. It’s a great idea

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    Mute Daniel Murray
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    Sep 26th 2014, 6:22 PM

    The castle would make a cool looking bbq..

    15
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    Mute Shane Diffily
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    Sep 26th 2014, 12:44 PM

    Looks like no Irish town or village I know.

    Where is the oversized, 14-room ranch-style uncompleted mansion, with the half-built stone-wall, unpaved 200m long driveway, piles of weed-overgrown rubble/spoil and kids’ rusting trampoline in the garden?

    Now that would be a real Irish village.

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    Mute Denise Friary
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    Sep 26th 2014, 11:36 AM

    He should get a proper job

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Sep 26th 2014, 11:48 AM

    Denise, eff off!

    215
    BC
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    Mute BC
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    Sep 26th 2014, 11:50 AM

    ffs, the mans an artist so he is.

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    Mute Kieran Stafford
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    Sep 26th 2014, 12:10 PM

    Back to your affluence and the rat race Denise

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    Mute Denis Reidy
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    Sep 26th 2014, 12:30 PM

    He’ a decent bloke, does not charge visitors. Maybe you should visit and ask him what he does for a living. Ever hear of a hobby?

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    Mute Mairead Nic An Iomaire
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    Sep 27th 2014, 9:26 AM

    I’ve known Tom since I was 14, he has a job Denise and he is a very very decent , and obviously talented man, fair play to him, maybe Denise u should shed a bit if light on what your talent is……..?

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    Mute Paraic Hynes
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    Sep 28th 2016, 10:05 PM

    @Denise Friary:And you have the right to judge anyone in what way????

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    Mute Mick O'Neill
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    Sep 26th 2014, 5:26 PM

    any relation to William?

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    Mute Emma Verling
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    Sep 27th 2014, 2:04 PM

    I saw this garden this past summer in An Cheathrú Rua……go hálainn! It’s a beautifully-kept garden in a stunning setting, even without the little structures.

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    Mute Madge O' Boyle
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    Sep 29th 2014, 9:58 AM

    Go hálainn! Maith thú.

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    Mute Cathleen Thadhg
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    Oct 23rd 2014, 11:50 PM

    Tom is a gentle man, always was,

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    Mute Cathleen Thadhg
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    Oct 23rd 2014, 11:49 PM

    halla Éinne should be there somewhere, Tom and micheal on the door step.

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