Ballyboughal.net

I’ve got two new people who will contribute to this blog from now on. They would be Peter Donegan and the Man on the bridge who would like to remain nameless.

Everyone knows Peter (@peterD). For those in the village, if you woke early one morning and saw a Big Pink Boat sail past your bedroom window down the main street you were not dreaming. That Pink boat was the Donegan Landscaping entry for Bloom in the Park 2008.

A pink boat in the garden? sounds nuts! Yes, it was different but I witnessed many many people at the Phoenix Park saying “Wow” and breaking a smile.

It was a refreshing sight for many visitors after looking at hoards of shrubs, trees, bushes, manufactured sculptures and garden furnishings. Don’t get me wrong all the entries were impressive but Peters was alien, balmy, bracing, crisp, different, unique and certainly something to remember.

Think of it like spending all day at a boat show. Eventually you’ll get fed up looking at boats, if someone said did you see the Sherman Tank around the corner you’d have to take a peek.

After Bloom Peter was faced with the dilemma of what to do with an 11 meter 3 tier Pink Boat? Could he give it away or would it have to end up in a skip.

The Pink boat did stir up a little curiosity with Rick O’Shea everyone wanted it and were willing to go and get it.

Hi Peter,
I heard you on with Rick yesterday and I couldn’t believe it. I’ve been trying to convince my wife to allow me to place a boat in our garden for months now instead of a play house for the kids and because we only moved into our new home last November we are still at the early stages with the garden which stands at about 1.5 acres. With all this in mind I dragged Tre and my kids aged 4, 7 and 10 by the way, along to Bloom and we did laugh when we saw your boat and the way your garden was created. It was fab. We came away from Bloom with great ideas and we decided to look out for a boat instead of a standard play house. When I heard you on yesterday with Rick I had to text immediately. I am the guy with the lorry and crane and can take it immediately.

The good news is eventually the perfect home was found for it. Where it can stand proud year in year out its going or should I say its gone to Electric Picnic, what a journey!

Now, I know tonight tonight is the wrap up party/thank you for all those involved. I’m sure there will be many stories we dont know yet!

For those of you who don’t know the pink boat story it is a long but a fine journey. It has since however found a new home, I am very proud to say. Its relevance here? The thank you list is so long but most on it are from the area… for a town with no pub - that is something to be very proud of!

The video is great too… enjoy [click here]