Portumna

The Irish people are a forest people who have lost their forests and with it much of their ancient culture.&nbsp;
The Great Forest of Aughty, also known as the forest of Suidane (a reference to sacred and beautiful, in ancient gaelic) once stretched from Derrybrien near Gort, Co. Galway, across to Tulla and down to Tuamgraney in Co Clare.&nbsp;
This was the forest of Brian Boru and his people; in fact Derrybrien was known as Brian's Oakwood and as a stronghold where the young, old and sick found refuge in times of war.
This great forest was gradually destroyed from about the 1500s onwards for shipbuilding, iron smelting using huge amounts of charcoal made from the trees, the removal of shelter for rebels, and land confiscations to pay officers after the Cromwellian and Williamite wars.&nbsp;

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This too was the fate of the rest of Ireland's oak woods that once covered almost 75% of the land. One of the ancient bardic names for Ireland was “Inis na bhfiodhadh”, meaning “Island of the sacred trees”. 
The tree cover today stands at approx. 10% and of this, less than one fifth of 1% is native woodland.&nbsp;
Ireland is unique in Europe in that we held onto our ancient wildwoods longer than most of our near European neighbours who lost their ancient forests to the Romans long before.&nbsp;

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Restoring the oak forests could have a very positive impact affecting other aspects of this Gaelic culture that remain, like the music, poetry, sport, dancing and storytelling, all of which are intrinsically linked to our ancient forest tradition.&nbsp;
Ireland has a unique woodland culture that includes the Ogham alphabet used as an ancient divination system.

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Identified oakwoods locally (East Galway) include the oakwoods in the Owendalullegh River (Abhainn Dá Loillioch, the river of the two milch cows), Cahermurphy on the old road to Derrybrien, the Oakwoods that skirt Lough Graney, however the jewel in the crown is the magnificent Raheen Oakwood, forty acres of 100 foot canopy with every inch of the trees providing habitat for a broad range of species.&nbsp;
The oaks are between 400 and 600 years old and provide us with a portal through time, so that we can get some idea of how Ireland would have looked when she was still clothed by her forests.&nbsp;

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This is one of the richest areas for biodiversity in Ireland due to the fact the forest's ecosystems have remained intact for thousands of years, where the oak canopy has been maintained.
It is also rich in field and ground plants which are ancient woodland indicators as well as a wide range of under storey shrubs.
One other reason for this abundance of plant and tree species is due to the fact that the forest is situated on limestone that meets sandstone, this provides both acid-loving and base-loving plants and trees. This makes the area an extremely suitable place to study biodiversity.&nbsp;

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It has an extensive collection of rare epiphytes and bryophytes too (ferns and mosses) associated with intact ancient Oak forests.&nbsp;
This pocket of ancient woodland is a rare example of Ireland's natural environment, which is in fact Western Atlantic Temperate Rainforest! Yes you heard it first here - a rainforest within rambling distance of your home.
The famous 1000 year old Brian Boru Oak tree is on the Raheen estate. The owner of the Raheen estate has 100 acres of his estate that was clear-felled of Sitka spruce and is now the largest native woodland natural regeneration project in Ireland.&nbsp;
This hopefully will be allowed to revert back to oakwood when the pioneer species have completed their work of preparing for oak canopy. The Brian Boru Oak Tree is over 1,000 years old and still growing.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Standing majestically on its own, this famous tree has long been associated with the last High King of Ireland who was born nearby. The tree is reputedly over 1,000 years old, was possibly planted by Brian Boru himself, it still bears fruit and thousands of its acorns have been planted throughout the country.

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The Raheen Oaks are magnificent specimens and their high branches transform the walkway into the nave of a green cathedral. Hundreds of invertebrate species along with many species of birds and animals make this wood an ecological paradise.
The oaks being the highest ecological achievement in the plant kingdom in a European setting, the pioneer species fix the soil in readiness for oak.

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Oakwoods are also to be found in the valley of the Owendalulleegh river (Abhainn Dá Loilioch) in and around Lough Cutra, Gortacarnaun Wood, Drummin Wood and Lahardaun Wood.&nbsp;
There are also remnants of the Great Forest of Aughty which has been recognised for the enormous botanical value of these neglected woods and there is an clear opportunity for the state for a visionary project to re-establish the natural forest over a wide area of the valley.
The area is ideally suited for such a project as a large nucleus of semi-natural woodland exists, much of the land is under conifer plantation and owned by the State, while much of the remainder of the land is no longer farmed and is becoming derelict.&nbsp;
The Great Forest of Aughty project would link Clare and Galway in a partnership to create a long term sustainable plan to ensure the cultural and ecological richness of this region is harnessed under the umbrella of the oakwoods.&nbsp;

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The Sliabh Aughty area map from Ger Madden’s excellent book on the Sliabh Aughty region could mark the boundary of this partnership.
Hundreds of invertebrate species along with many species of birds and animals make these oak woods an absolute ecological paradise.
Why not take some time to explore this paradise yourself, imagining a day when your forebearers lived as tree people on the Island of Sacred Trees.

Our Island of Sacred Trees

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