Another title for Kilnamona’s model boy

A 13-year-old boy from North Clare has proved to be a model student taking national first place in the Community Games for the past three years.
Barry Clancy from Kilnamona began clay model making when he was nine years of age and now finds himself with county and national titles in the event.

“I started it in school and my nana Joan is into art. I learned to use clay and you can use plasticine but I prefer clay. I think I am just used to it now,” explains Barry.
While many of the Community Games competitions involve year-round training, clay modelling comes fairly naturally to the Kilnamona National School student.
“I normally start to practice before the Community Games but I don’t do it all the time,” he says.
Barry loves art and craft but he also plays the fiddle and the piano. He plays hurling, soccer and swims.
This year was the third year Barry took the top prize in the clay modelling competition.
“It is nice to be recognised but it was hard this year because I lost a family friend, Johnny who used to encourage me. I got a lot of support from my family though and that helped me along,” Barry recalls.
“Johnny was close to Barry and he always encouraged him. He hung on until Barry got the gold medal but then he passed away. That made all the difference to him. He was able to tell Johnny all about it,” explains Barry’s mother, Teresa.
Taking part in the modelling section of the Community Games involves making a model based on one of the other events in the competition over a period of three hours on the day of the competition.
“My favourite element of it is finishing it. You get three hours to make them and that includes the moulding and the painting. I don’t use sketches, I just do it from my head. You can think up things before the day of what you might like to do and I do a few practice ones at home,” Barry reveals.
“The competition was close this year. There were some very good ones. Some of the models involved models of rugby and soccer players,” he recalls.
While Barry is heavily influenced by his nana Joan’s creativity, he is also inspired by his dad, Michael’s.
“Dad helps me out. He is thinking up ideas the whole time for me,” Barry says.
While Barry is proud of his achievement, he doesn’t have all three of his winning models on display.
“I have last year’s one and this year’s one up but the one from the previous year is broken. I got medals for them though and they are up too,” he states.
Barry is hoping to go on to a career in design but in the meantime, he plans to continue entering the Community Games competition.
“I’d recommend it to anyone who has any interest in art. It is a great feeling finishing the piece,” he concludes.