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e’s a quiet man, that Charlie Byrne, even when he’s talking…
And he’s certainly not interested in talking on camera, never mind posing for a picture.
So, it was a bit tricky this afternoon, trying to put together our latest Flower Power entry.
Having transformed the town centre boulevard that is Theatre Lane – think: Temple Bar without the twats – into something closer to Dublin’s Botanical Gardens than a busy walkway of studios, shops, boutiques, artists and, of course, art, Charlie plainly takes pride in his work.
Complementing subtly the magnificent murals by Theatre Lane’s artist in residence, Irina Kuksova, Charlie’s decades as a gardener – and, of course, a main street greengrocer – means the man knows what goes where, when, how and for how long.
With September coming to a close, the hanging baskets have to change inventory, and the greenery will now take over from the flowering of summer.
We had planned on finding out just how, but, as I said, Charlie isn’t too crazy about stepping in front of a camera. Not even when it’s his brother behind the camera.
So, after taking a few shots of this little slice of heaven right in the heart of the town, we sat Maximilian ‘Danger’ Byrne down instead, to see what he might be able to speak on Charlie’s behalf…
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