Wednesday, September 20, 2017

An Irish Instagram friend





Fergus Spackman, an excellent Irish mason and dry stone waller (and new Instagram friend) picked us up at the ferry from Inisheer yesterday and drove us around the hauntingly beautiful Irish countryside near Galway. We were shown some fine examples of walling including this arch that he built near Oughterard on Lough Corrib 


A string of rustic walls with seating areas and benches surrounding his client's rural property were accented with wonder plantings and fine woodwork including this unique gate. 




Fergus works alone and loves walling on this emerald island. 



His dog Bandit seems to enjoy the walling lifestyle too.

The walls and dry stone features Fergus builds have a funky character much like the structures I enjoy creating. In fact there were a lot of similarities in our work and our outlook on such walling subjects as breakfast breaks versus lunch breaks, shunning mortared veneer, Dr who, the importance of music, refraining from overshaping over engineering stones, enjoying Instagram connections, working hard and playing hard.