Soz Fixrbabe, I'm not familiar with him. Of course, there were many excellent sculptors in the centuries prior to concrete & plastics. Quite unusual to have a stone carver who was celebrated for woodcarving too: the skill set (and tools) don't have massive amounts of overlap.
I don't think he was celebrated for woodcarving, I think that might have been something he did for fun or for a friend. He was primarily a stonecarver, perhaps nearly exclusively.
When he was flush with money he was apparently some party, eccentric and fun. When money was tight he could be a nasty drunk. He knocked my great grandmum around a bit I am afraid, until one of the kids threatened him with bodily harm if it happened again.
I'll get some more history from my cousin who lives in Ireland tomorrow if I can get him on Skype. Perhaps he can tell me where he mostly worked and other information. I'd love to know more about the family over there and I hope to come over within a year.
I'd defo be up for a sarfern meat in the next few months. Would be fun to catch up with all my old biyartches, and I could introduce you all to Charlotte the Harlot.
Those other two haven't even :@ read the message :@ making you're the current furthest travelling meater - wanna pick a weekend in June and get a poll up?