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Greencastle's Laughing Buddhas
raise a smile
15.06.15
by Linda McGrory
AN Inishowen builder is wondering if an unusual
hobby could become his bread and Buddha when he
retires.
David McIntyre (66) began making huge Laughing
Buddhas several years ago.
The heavyweight concrete sculptures take hundreds of
hours to make but the stunning result makes people
smile.
"I'm not sure exactly where my interest in these
Buddhas started. But I like the relaxed nature of
them. I'm someone who's always running about doing
things and they're the opposite, sitting there,
peaceful and chilled out," he laughed. |
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David with a smaller version of the
Laughing Buddha. |
In Chinese Zen culture,
the Laughing Buddha is a symbol of abundance.
Legend has it that rubbing its rotund belly brings
good luck and prosperity. |
The semi-retired
father-of-four, who lives in Drumaweir, Greencastle,
with wife Helen, fashions the ornaments using metal
mesh in the centre for support.
He then shapes the wet concrete by hand,
layer-upon-layer, until the lucky charms take shape.
The first Buddha he made is also the largest and
heaviest.
It stands over four feet tall and weighs a
half-tonne. It took over two months to make and can
only be lifted using a tractor. It currently holds
court in his back yard awaiting installation in a
suitable spot in the garden. A smaller version sits
serenely under a leafy, nearby tree. |
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David McIntyre with the
first Laughing Buddha he made. It weighs a
half-tonne and took over two months to make. |
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The Donegal Buddhas
have begun getting noticed with one local couple
recently taking delivery of a stunning, gold-painted
version, weighing a whopping 25 stone. |
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A bright gold Buddha which provides a
stunning centrepiece in a local couple's Greencastle
garden. |
The talented, all-round
craftsman is also a wood carver, beekeeper and
part-time beef farmer. Meanwhile, he would be
delighted to get commissions for his Buddhas from
individuals or businesses.
He can also make bespoke, one-off items that people
can’t find in the shops. “I’m building things since
I was 16 years of age and I enjoy a challenge,” he
said. |
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