Lá na gCrann 2015

Tree Day took place on 8^th October 2015. Throughout this day we completed lots of activities. In particular we identified trees in our yard, undertook nature walks, created and painted trees, investigated the woodland habitat & we identified insects and animals that live in/near the trees in our school surroundings. We really enjoyed Tree Day and look forward to National Tree Week later in the year.

Some interesting facts:

The Tree for Tetra Pak Tree Day 2015 is Hazel. (Corylus avellana) Coll.

Hazel is a native Irish tree and the Hazel produce catkins in spring known as 'lambs tails'. The Hazel nut appears like a bud tuft ball under the leaves and twigs and grows on the tree in autumn. The hazel nut was eaten by the earliest Human settlements in Ireland (Mesolithic Man) they also used the hazel to build their homes as it was very flexible timber.

Sammy squirrel also loves eating hazel nuts.

Forked branches of the hazel are used by diviners to locate underground water.

It is believed that the early settlements used Hazel branches as rods, which were woven into panels for the creation of wattle and daub walls, similar to those that encase Crannógs. Wet clay, dung, chopped straw and lime combined with the Hazel rods to provide shelter for our ancestors.

Hazel do not like to grow in water logged soils or on poor soils, the Grey squirrel has stopped its spread in recent years as it eats the nuts as soon as they have turned brown and ripe. Hazel trees support around 73 different types of insects.

NAMES OF SOME COMMON TREES

1.    Dair 'oak'

2.    Coll 'hazel'

3.    Cuilenn 'holly'

4.    Ibar 'yew'

5.    Uinnius 'ash'

6.    Ochtach 'Scots pine'

7.    Aball 'wild apple-tree'

 Here's a selection of our tree inspiring lessons.