I've been spotting some new utility box art in Castleknock village recently (Caisleán Cnucha is the Irish for Castleknock). The first one I noticed was someone painting the young fawn, and I meant to be sure to look on the way to work to see what she had done - but it's very discreetly tucked into a corner and I didn't think about it for a few days till I noticed the one with the lamplighter and the badgers, and then I made sure to pay attention to the first one. There's one she's still working on, so far there is a floral background and white spaces for birds to be filled in, so I will keep an eye on that one. It has to be said that incorporating the lock into the deer's nose looks better from a distance, I should maybe try taking another photo from the other side of the road - but it's quite a busy road and it might be hard to get one with no traffic.
I particularly liked the middle one, with the lamplighter. Until a few years ago I still used to see the two old men who maintained the lights. The actual lighting and turning off had been automated, but as they are old gas lights they still require regular maintenance. At the time I saw them, the two brothers were in their late seventies and late eighties. A couple of years ago I stopped to talk to the younger man who was now doing the job and he said that the Flanagans still helped out in the workshop. There is a lovely book about them and the history of the park - The Lamplighters of The Phoenix Park I haven't been lucky enough to see badgers, but I know there are some in the park.
