Crafty Killeigh teenager has a festive hit with wooden reindeer

Killeigh teenager Anthony Gorman has won the heart of the nation after his wooden Christmas Reindeer featured on RTÉ this week.

The 15-year-old has been "inundated" with orders for his €20 handmade reindeer decorations.

What began as a TY project has exploded into “thousands” of orders.

“People want them all over Ireland, Donegal, Cork, a huge amount in Dublin and Meath. These are my own reindeers and they’re made from 100% Ash, from a local supplier in Killeigh,” Anthony told RTÉ this week.

Anthony began selling his reindeer last Christmas, as he was saving up to buy a new phone.

“I made a reindeer and brought one into show my teacher in school, Ms Griffin, and she thought it was brilliant and she brought it into the staff room, and I think I came home with like 20 orders that day from teachers.

“So every day I was bringing in about eight reindeers a day into school, and every day I kept doubling the orders.”

This year, Anthony’s mother Martina put up an ad on Facebook and within an hour he had received over 200 orders.

The Transition Year’s reindeer decorations are now the most popular post on the ‘Shop in Ireland’ Facebook page, and his product has been viewed over 100,000 times. He now hopes to distribute at least 1,000 reindeers before Christmas, meaning it will be all hands on deck to meet the orders, which he makes in his father Philip’s workshop at their home in Killeigh.

Teresa Venables from the 'Shop in Ireland' Facebook group said: "Anthony with the reindeers is our top post, with over 8,000 likes, and nearly 800 comments or enquiries.

"The group has a lot of active members and is growing very quickly. I started the page, then two of my sisters came on board to help, followed by two other friends. It's all voluntary and it is hard work, but we love it."