Diarmuid Byron O'Connor

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Diarmuid Byron O'Connor (born December 7, 1964) is a British fantasy artist and sculptor.

In 1984, some time after leaving The John Fisher School in Purley, Surrey he started at art college in Bristol. In 1986 he joined "Changing Places", a community and environmental arts project, as a stone carver – leaving in 1988 to become the country's first craft animateur. In 1991 he studied conceptual fine art at Chelsea School of Art, London.

Starting what became a successful decorating firm, Diarmuid worked evenings sculpting with wax at the kitchen table. With the unveiling of his Peter Pan statue outside Great Ormond Street Hospital and an exhibition of small bronzes in 2000 he was able to build a studio for private commissions, in addition to the several public commissions he has in development. The addition of Tinker Bell to Peter Pan is part of an ambitious project to raise money for the children's hospital. This was unveiled by Sophie, the Countess of Wessex in 2005.

Diarmuid's research into World War I led to him building sets for BBC2's The Trench, BBC1's The Somme and the Discovery Channel's Mud, Blood and Tarmac – and establishing himself as an art director and production designer. With Dick Strawbridge, he went on to make The Crafty Tricks of War and Geronimo for BBC2.

Diarmuid designed, built and codirects the Escape Bar and Art Gallery, a project in southwest London to get new art talent together with a new audience.

Diarmuid has three daughters.