Ash

 

Ash leaf and 'keys'

Carrie O' Sullivan

The Ash is a native Irish tree which can reach heights of up to 40 metres. It is a common and abundant tree in hedges and woodlands in County Galway. It prefers well drained soils. Ash is one of the last trees to come into leaf and one of the first to lose its leaves in autumn. Ash twigs are thick and grey with obvious black buds in winter time. The seeds are often referred to as keys due to their clumped appearance.

Uses of Ash Wood

The wood of ash trees is used for hurls, snooker cues and furniture. Ash is also a good burning timber and unlike some trees it will burn well even when fresh and green.

Forestry Hut

(Excerpt from Woodlawn Forestry by Alf Seale)

‘They [the forestry lads] had a hut in the back road, made with hazels.  Hazel rods, every six or seven inches up along on a frame.  The hazels were running horizontal but they had a couple of stronger ones then.  They only drove them into the ground like a stake so high and nailed them on each side then and packed in between them then with rushes and thatched it with rushes so as to keep their tools and oilskin coats and other gear that they had.’