Sam Maguire: Made of Stone

If the people of Donegal have been missing Sam Maguire since he left the hills for Dublin last September, they now have a 10-foot tall stone-built replica to remind them of their 2012 success.

Remarkably, 56-year-old Anthony Barrett, a farmer native to Omagh, Co. Tyrone, has built his own giant version of the trophy on his farmland in Newtowncunningham in Co. Donegal.

The creation, made from stone found on the farm, is 12 feet wide and took Barrett three months to complete.

"It's my wee treat," he told the BBC , "because of my love of football and the fact my daughter plays with the Tyrone minor ladies".

"It took a bit of time. I could only build an inch or so each day. If I had put on more stone at the same time I was afraid of it collapsing," he said.

Although not a trained stone mason, Barrett has used the stone on his land to create other masterpieces, including a large castle and two round towers.

Photo: Antony Barrett's sons Peter and Anthony Jnr. with their father's creation. Pic: Margaret McLaughlin.