HAVE YOU ‘HERD’ OF SKEHEENARINKY REINDEER?

Young entrepreneur, 12 year old Eoghan Vaughan, was watching TV last year when he saw a guy making Christmas decorations from wood. Taking himself off to the shed outside, he returned inside a short time later with a (slightly wonky!) reindeer of his own.

With some tweaking of the initial design, Eoghan, his twin sister Ciara and older brother Cormac, are now busy knocking out novel Skeheenarinky reindeer from their shed, hoping that demand this year will even outstrip last year.

With dad Richard joining helping out and mam Olivia knitting the important scarves for the reindeer, last year they sold 150 of the handcrafted, 100% Irishmade Skeheenarinky reindeer, with €1,000 of the profits going to the Ronald McDonald House in Crumlin Children’s Hospital. This year, they’re at it again, and hoping to raise even more.

Eoghan told The Avondhu that he was inspired after seeing a man making reindeer on the news, and thought, “I could do that!” Taking on the marketing of the product, he has a slick TikTok video showcasing the creative process, demonstrating that the deer are made with minimal synthetic products - just glue for the eyes, and the all-important decorative red nose.

GOOD CAUSE

The family has links to Crumlin, with one of the children receiving cardiac surgery at just three years of age, and another attending the hospital at intervals.

Ciara is over quality control, and maintains the high standard of the reindeer as they leave the workshop. Cormac and Eoghan demonstrate their skills with a drill in the workshop for The Avondhu, where a line of deer in various stages of development lie in wait.

Richard Vaughan credits the children with taking on the project, and learning the pleasure of earning a few bob. The family are sending half their profits to Crumlin, and enjoying the fruits of their labour with the rest.

“From a fundraising perspective as well, people are giving money, but they have something to show for it. They were very popular this year, and it’s great for the kids to be outside busy.”

The reindeer retail at €20 and can be ordered by texting 087-9164046.

(Pic: Marian Roche) Eoghan and Cormac Vaughan (left) with Ciara and dad Richard, showing their display of hand-crafted reindeer, which are available to order.

(Pic: Marian Roche) Cormac, Eoghan and QC Ciara Vaughan with Tuxedo the cat (on the run), hard at work making some Skeheenarinky reindeer.