Dan finds a needle in a haystack

PARTEEN’S Dan Mooney cut a strange sight on Tuesday, as he spent two and a half hours searching a haystack before he recovered a darning needle, at Bunratty Folk Park.
The 26-year-old has set himself the goal of experiencing one new thing every day for one year and retrieving the needle was another item off his to-do list.
He has been getting coverage on the Ray D’Arcy Show on Today FM and that was where the suggestion of getting the needle from the haystack emanated.
“They asked people for suggestions and that was one that came in a few times. I thought it was brilliant. I’ve done a few of these extended metaphors already, like walking a mile in someone else’s shoes and I washed my mouth out with soap, so I thought I’d give this a shot,” Dan said.
Bunratty Folk Park offered him the use of one of their haystacks and the challenge was on.
Dan was a bit stunned when he saw the size of the haystack.
“I didn’t expect it to be so big. It was about twice my size, although that’s not too amazing a feat. I’m told it was 2.5m by 2m.”
Finding the needle took him two and a half hours but he said it wasn’t the worst way to spend some time. “It was massively frustrating but it was outdoors and it was beautiful there. It was a nice way to spend a morning.”
He had praise for the staff at Bunratty but he said some of the visitors regarded him quizzically.
“The tourists thought it was the most amazing thing ever. Some of them came over to me and I said ‘I don’t work here, I’m just looking for a needle’. They started laughing and then I said ‘No, I’m looking for a needle’. They gave me strange looks then,” he laughed.
Dan is set to climb Carrauntoohil quite soon and he will also be driving from Malin to Mizen in the next few weeks.
Aodhagan Behan, operation manager with Shannon Heritage, said he was pleased to assist.
“We supplied the haystack, needle and even offered Dan the services of Gráinne, one of the Folk Park’s resident wolfhounds to help sniff out the darning needle.
“Unfortunately, Gráinne, being a wolfhound and not a bloodhound, was unable to help but she did lend her moral support while snoozing close by.”