Making Most Of His Skills:

by Lucy Brown

Mercury Reporter

The gift of craftsmanship is a precious one and Admaston township resident Leo Donohue is making the best of his skills.

Donohue recently completed an intricate wood carving of the Carlsberg wagon for Glen Beckwith of Carleton Place, who ownes a ceramic shop in town.

The carved wagon will be part of a display which features ceramic reproductions of the eight Carlsberg horses.

The precisely carved wagon is made of black cherry wood and the under-carriage is made of elm.

There are 148 total inches of trim on the wagon and the back of the wagon bears an image of the northern wind carried by four horses.

There are even carved crowns on the hubcaps of each wheel and two tiney men seated at the front of the wagon. It took Donohue about three months to complete the project.

Donohue recalls carving when he was young and in 1948 he entered a carved miniarure truck in the Ottawa Exhibition and placed first. The winning prize was just over two dollars.

But it has only been since Christmas of 1982 that Donohue has rediscovered his love of carving.

He currently has a couple of other projects under way , including one for a window display at a farming shop in Pakenham.

Last week Donohue presented a butternut carving of a team of horses and sleigh to the McDougal Mill Museum to mark the official opening of it's 1985 season.