michael casey studio barley harbour

Michael Casey is a sculptor with an international reputation. His works can be found throughout Europe and the United States. Bogwood unearthed by the Bord na Mona machinery is the raw material from which Michael creates his distinctive sculptures. A master of form and balance, he quickly sees exciting prospects in new loads of wood as they dry out in his shed and garden. Passing through the village of Newtowncashel the visitor is immediately aware of his influence on the village with several displays. Among his awards are the Irish garden at the Japan Garden Expo with the stark and striking figures of "The Saint and the Scholar". There are numerous studies of herons, bog warriors, mythological bog mirage creatures, bird forms, cormorant and bog eagle, and a variety of fish forms. The aura of Michael Casey's studio, of the garden with the totum pole, strange in an Irish landscape, is certainly one of the most unique tourist attractions in Ireland.