Michael Quirke is a real Sligo character. He used to be a butcher, but got bored of it and decided to follow his real passion instead—woodcarving. Out went the meat and in came the artisan tools, as his shop was turned into a studio. Now he spends his time carving and selling exquisite statues, ornaments, and objets d’art out of Irish wood, with a particular focus on figures from Irish mythology. His carvings are quite affordable for the quality.