Talented Clare boy uses skills to raise money for homeless group

A KIND-HEARTED youngster has given up his spare time to build reindeer to raise money for a homeless charity.

Ten-year-old Mark Ryan teamed up with his neighbour and friend in O’Brien’s Bridge, Clare, Jack Byrnes, to create hand-made reindeer using timber supplied to them by Mossie and Joan O’Shea of Bridgetown.

It’s the third year in a row the pair have put their talents to good use, with all the proceeds made going to Focus Ireland and another local charity.

Last year they raised €800 for another homeless charity Novas.

This Christmas, they have a target of €1,000 with an increase in the number of Santa’s little helpers they are making.

Mark said: “I'm learning and Jack is teaching me. I paint, prepare, grind and clean the wood. I will learn more – as I get older, I will be able to make a complete reindeer.”

The duo are this year making lots of different types of reindeer – mammies, and little baby deer.

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Mammy reindeer by themselves cost €20, with mammies and babies in a set €30. A baby by themselves goes for €15.

Mark spends lots of his time at Jack’s house, since he’s a friend of the family, Jack child-minding him and his brother Sean, 12, before they started studying at Bridgetown National School.

Jack said each of the past three years, Mark was offered the chance to keep some of the money for building the animals.

But on each occasion, the youngster turned this down, declaring: “I have everything I need.”

His mum Vera said: “We are so proud of our little builder. He’s great isn't he? We are very lucky, he has learnt all his skills from Jack. He has a little workshop here whenever he wants it.”

Throughout the year, Mark has also made a shoe-rack in Jack’s workshop alongside a bar which wouldn’t look out of place in a pub, and keeping in with the season we are in, he also put together an environmentally friendly Christmas tree!

“​​​​​​He is up and down here all year round, making things. If he is not in the workshop, he's on the river kayaking,” his mum smiled.

Mark said he feels “very proud” of the things he has made.

Jack, a former steelworker, praised young Mark, who himself is a talented Gaelic footballer, for his “intelligence” and the fact “he listens all the time”.

If you’d like to get your hands on a reindeer, and make a donation to a good cause, please telephone Jack himself on 087-9225733.