Since leaving formal education at the age of thirteen I have worked primarily in wood throughout my life. My skills as a self-employed furniture-maker is the foundation of my values system and how I view the world today. My world view was further enhanced when I established Just Forests in Tullamore in 1989-please note the website is no longer updated and is used only as an archive of my development education work.
Over the years I have been approached by numerous parents asking if I would give “woodwork classes” to their children. My immediate reply was, “I’ll get back to you”.
CHAPTER 1. The early years...
For those of you who don’t know me my name is Tom Roche. I was born in 2 Chapel Street (and grew up in 70 Clontarf Road), Tullamore, Co Offaly, Ireland. As a young boy I served an apprenticeship as a carpenter in a small family-run workshop in Market Square, Tullamore. It was a fascinating time for me. The workshop provided me with opportunities to engage with a very wide-ranging set of interrelated aspects of craftwork but in particular woodwork from cart and wheel making to joinery and furniture repairs. Also, during that era it was common practice to replace handles in shovels, forks and so on, rather that discard them.
The harvest time was a particularly busy time in the O'Connor workshop as farmers needed ‘grass boards’ for their mowing machines and ‘connecting rods’ for their combine harvesters.
"My love and appreciation for my trade became my 'passport' to travel the world."
While working for Barney O’Connor was a great learning time for me, I was unknowingly preparing for an adventure that has shaped my life ever since. I was always attracted to ‘far away places’. So after failing the Royal Air Force (RAF) entrance exam in Belfast I applied for a visa to travel to Australia (see my passport below). During the sixties the Australian government were looking for tradesmen-carpenters, plasterers, plumbers and so on. In 1967, just one month after my eighteenth birthday I landed in Melbourne, Australia – a recipient of the Australian government’s ‘Assisted Passage Scheme’ for the sum of 10 pounds.
MY FIRST PASSPORT
During the sixties the Australian government were looking for tradesmen-carpenters, plasterers, plumbers and so on.
In 1967, just one month after my eighteenth birthday I landed in Melbourne, Australia – a recipient of the Australian government’s ‘Assisted Passage Scheme’ for the sum of 10 pounds.
CHAPTER 2. Self employment
Became a self-employed furniture-maker in 1975
When I returned home to Tullamore after my adventures in Australia I worked for a number of local employers including: Dunnes Workshop - Cappincur Joinery - James Spollen Builder - Liam Wyer Builder. However it was my time spent with well-known Tullamore furniture maker and restorer Billy Dann that gave me the confidence to establish my own business in 1974-1990 in 'The Tanyard', Tullamore making hand-crafted bespoke furniture.
During my time in The Tanyard I was also commissioned by the then National Training Authority (ANCO/FAS) to host a number of very talented furniture makers under the 'Talented Young Entrants Scheme'. The purpose of the scheme was to afford young and talented students a 'real life workshop experience'. My students included Niall O'Flynn of Fermoy, Co Cork and Knut Klimmek of Wexford.
CHAPTER 3. Established Just Forests in 1989
CRAFTSMAN EDUCATOR ACTIVIST
During the 1980's I became acutely aware of the negative impact illegal logging was having on the world's forests. As a furniture-maker I felt I had a responsibility to ensure the wood I was using in my work should come from responsible sources. Realizing the significance of the problem I was dealing with I set out to create public awareness and impress upon people the importance of making sure their timber needs comes from responsibly-managed forests. This ment that I had to develop personal skills that would empower people to act and solve the problem.
Education on its own would not be enough there was also a need to develop corporate and civic policy. Campaigning and advocacy would also be critical to motivating public support.
I looked around to see what other groups were doing to tackle the illegal logging trade and I identified a number of European/international organisations that I approached and became their partner in Ireland.
IMAGE 1. Just Forests founder Tom Roche, confronts Taoiseach Mr Bertie Ahern during the official opening of the Irish Aid Education Centre, O'Connell Street, Dublin. Roche claimed (with wood sample report from Bonn University) that illegally-logged 'bintangor' plywood was used in the hoarding during construction works.
IMAGE 2 Just Forests founder Tom Roche, chats to former Minister for Foreign Affairs (and current Taoiseach) Micheal Martin, during the official opening of the Wood of Life hands-on exhibition by Mr Martin, in Bishopstown Public Library, Cork.
For the past 35 years, since establishing Just Forests in 1989, I have worked to help keep indigenous and tribal people in their homes – their forests. Ireland’s role in the illegal and oft times bloody international timber trade threatened that right. Between 1989 – 2017, through Just Forests Tom Roche facilitated approximately 600 Wood of Life workshops in 220 schools/public libraries and other venues nationwide including 4 weeks in Dublin ZOO.
A non-academic member of the Regional Center of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development RCE Dublin based at Dublin City University (DCU) and the UBUNTU Network based at the University of Limerick (UL).
Was part of the Irish Delegation at the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2004 in Malasia.
Blast from the past
Please find some examples of what I have been up to over the years below
TULLAMORE'S 'KING OAK' A EU WINNER
Tom Roche accepts his certificate at a ceremony in the EU Commission Offices in Brussels. Tom achieved third place in the European Tree of the Year Competition with the 'KING OAK' in Charleville Estate, Tullamore
INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION
Pupils from St. Ronan's Primary School in Bray, Co. Wicklew, receive their Thinking TREES Certificates from Tom Roche. This was in recognition of the school's engagement with Tom's 'development education' (DE) programme that links 'livelihoods' to nature.
KILLARNEY AWARD FOR TOM
Killarney Chamber of Commerce and Tourism present the 'volunteer of the year award' to Tom Roche for his work with Killarney 'Mountain Meitheal' in removing rhododendron from Killarney National Park. Tom also organised the largest 'tree hug' in Ireland as 1,970 people hugged trees in Killarney House and Gardens
RDS AWARD WINNER
Tom Roche receives the RDS Silver Medal, perpetual trophy and a cheque for 1,000 Pounds. The award was presented to Tom by Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry and Captain William Ringrose Chairman of the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) in the 'Education in Wood' catagory of the Irish Forestry Awards.
CONDRON WORKERS COMMISSION GIFT
Workers from Condron Concrete Ltd, Tullamore, commissioned Tom Roche to create a mahogany-replica of a concrete pipe and concrete roof tile to present to (the late) Johnny Condron on the occasion of the firm's 21th Anniversary in 1990.
TOM IS 'MADE IN OFFALY' WINNER
The Tullamore Junior Chamber "Made in Offaly" Competition is a historic local enterprise initiative organized by the Junior Chamber in Tullamore, designed to promote local craftsmanship, innovation, and industry within the region.
The Chieftains and Tullamore Pipe Band in Concert
Jackie Hayden of HOTPRESS talks to (the late) Paddy Moloney and the concert’s main motivator Tom Roche.
640 people attended The Chieftains "Sound of Wood" concert on Wednesday, November 24, 2010, held at the Tullamore Court Hotel in County Offaly.
GIANTS OF MEN
