About

Ciaran Dunne

 

I (Ciaran) am from a beef and dairy farm. My interest in model making started, like many other farmers' sons, with the usual assortment of farm models, toy tractors and machinery I had at home. I always made my own models and my own farms as a child. If it wasn't available to buy in the shops then I'd make it. 

 

 When I finished school, I went to Bournemouth in the UK, on the southwest coast of England, to attend the Arts University Bournemouth, to complete a 3-year model making course that covered almost everything there is to know about model making. 

 

University pretty much taught me how to do everything - How to make pretty much anything out of anything, from plastic, metal, resin and fiberglass. On the computing side, there is 3D modelling, special effects for filming and also prototype building 

  

"For my final year project, I decided to build a one off McConnel hedge cutter, as there was nothing like this available anywhere. Little did I know the road this project was to pave for me. On my way home from the UK after graduating with an Honors degree in 2010 I made a 300-mile detour! To the McConnel factory to give them a model as a token of my appreciation for their help making the model. It wasn’t long before McConnel ordered 100 limited edition models, and when they hit the market the orders flooded in. I started working out of a small box room in my grandmother's house, after a few months I converted an old disused hen house on the farm into a conferrable purpose-built workshop which is now home to my full-time job. No more farming apart from the odd day during to summer when I help out a local contractor during his busy times, sometimes it's nice to get a break away from model making so you can come back with a fresh mind. 

 

I hire in help during busy times, so if you have an interest and you are good with your hands please get in contact, we can train you to be able to do a lot of different and interesting processes if you have the patience.

 

I also take on any students for work experience, providing I have plenty of notice so I can have suitable work ready for you.            

 

I feel I have turned an old hobby into a job that I now love and also incorporates my passion for machinery.