After the last Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago, Ireland gradually became covered with trees. These spread naturally across a landbridge which connected Ireland with the UK and possibly the continent. Species which colonised Ireland naturally - without the influence of people - since the last Ice Age are referred to as native trees. At first, juniper and birch started to cover the land and this was followed with hazel and Scots pine. Around 8,000 years ago, when conditions were favourable, oak and elm started to expand. Woodlands of oak, ash, Scots pine, alder and elm developed throughout Ireland from 7,000 to 5,500 years ago and the country was cloaked in a rich tapestry of woodland at that time. The arrival of early farmers heralded the beginning of the steady decline of Ireland's natural woodland cover. From about 5,500 years ago people have hindered the natural development of woodland by felling trees for timber and clearing the land for agricultural use.

The first farmers had to create patches of open ground in which to sow crops. They felled and burnt small areas of woodland, grew crops for several years and abandoned each patch when the soil was exhausted, moving to another piece of woodland and repeating the process. The plough is thought to have arrived in Ireland about 2,600 years ago and this was followed by a substantial decline of woodlands. Uses for timber varied from the construction of bog roads, crannógs and dugout canoes, to ship-building and charcoal for smelting. Significant areas were also removed to make way, not only for agriculture, but to reduce the cover woodlands provided for 'rebels'.



A major drive to 'regreen' Ireland began after the formation of the State, as people realised just how important it was to have our own supply of timber. Approximately 9% of Ireland is now covered by forests, mainly non-native coniferous trees. The situation has improved a lot over the last century, nonetheless, Ireland today still stands as one of the least wooded countries in Europe. Trees were very important to the survival and daily lives of people long ago. They provided food, firewood for heat and cooking, wood for spears and fish traps, dye for cloth and poles for fencing and building dwellings. People valued trees and laid down rules to protect them. Under the ancient Brehon Laws trees were divided into four groups in order of importance and usefulness. Even heather, gorse, bracken and brambles were protected. If you damaged or cut a tree or branch without permission, you would be punished severely.

In very early times, trees were associated with religion and the gods. It was believed that Nine Hazels of Wisdom grew at the source of the river Boyne. Five magical trees were believed to protect Ireland; three ash, an oak and a yew. Sacred trees guarded important tribal sites or wells. Christians adapted these old beliefs and trees were sometimes linked with saints. Old beliefs about trees survived in folklore. St. Patrick was said to have banished the snakes with an ash stick. Trees beside holy wells were often decorated with rags or other offerings. Rowan was once thought to frighten off witches and bring good luck. The rules to protect trees survived in some beliefs, for example, that cutting down a hawthorn brought bad luck because the fairies used it. The names of trees are seen in placenames all around the country. Derry and Kildare are called after Dair, the word for oak; Glenbeigh in Kerry is named after Beith, the word for birch; Drumkeeran in Leitrim is named after the Caorthann or rowan tree.

In ancient times in Ireland, before people used the letters and writing we use today, a form of writing called Ogham was used. We can still see some examples of this on carved standing stones in old monastic sites, in particular Clonmacnoise near the Celtic Roots studio and in the National Museum of Ireland and in the Ulster Museum. Ogham came from an earlier form of writing, the tree alphabet, where the letters came from the trees the people were familiar with and used. There were only twenty letters in this alphabet.

Ref: www.millenniumforests.com