Check your postboxes over the coming weeks for a certificate showing the location of your very own oak tree. The People's Millennium Forests project has had the task of planting 1.2 million native Irish trees - primarily oak - this autumn. Due to a more limited acorn availability from the sessile oak last year, some planting will be carried over to next autumn. However, the majority of households will still receive location maps to guide them to their oak trees this month. There are 14 designated forests scattered throughout the country. The People's Millennium Forests project, which is managed by Coillte, is the biggest planting of native Irish trees to date.
THE Sustainable Land Use company in Glenties, Co Donegal is issuing a welcome to visitors throughout Feile Shamhna na gCrann/The Autumn Festival of Trees, which continues until November 22nd. The Becht family, who started out as biodynamic farmers in Doorian, Glenties, set up a "sponsor a tree" scheme on their farm last year. Individuals can pay £20 to plant a native Irish tree and, in return, they will be given lifelong access to a 50-acre area dedicated to the Millennium Forest. The Bechts are planning to plant 15,000 trees in total. Guided tours of their farm begin on Tuesday from 10 a.m. Contact them by phone on 075-51286 to visit at other times.
Other events in Feile Shamhna na gCrann this week include guided forest walks tomorrow in the Donadea Forest Park, Donadea, Naas, Co Kildare (meet in the car park at 2.15 p.m.) and Massey's Wood, Killakee, South Co Dublin (meet in the car park at 12.30 p.m.). Join seed collectors in the parkland of Castletown House, Celbridge, Co Kildare today from 11 a.m. Bring your wellies and paper/cloth bags for the acorns. Tel. 0509-51718.
ARCHITECTURE for Music is an exhibition featuring photographs, plans and mock-ups of Spanish theatres and opera houses opening at the Architecture Centre, Royal Irish Association of Architects, 8 Merrion Square, Dublin on Monday. The Gran Teatro del Liceo of Barcelona and the Teatro Real of Madrid feature, as do many other significant restoration, reconstruction and remodelling projects throughout Spain. The exhibition continues until November 30th, open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Admission free.
INTERESTED in finding out about coach factories, ironworks or even the whereabouts of a particular parish pump in Kilkenny? Then the just launched Irish Historic Towns Atlas of Kilkenny City by archaeologist John Bradley is the place to look. Kilkenny City is the tenth urban centre featured in the series. The Irish Historic Towns Atlas is part of a wider European project which will permit historical cross-referencing between towns and cities throughout Europe. Towns already completed include Kildare, Bandon, Mullingar, Athlone, Maynooth and Bray.
UNIVERSITY College Dublin graduates can take a guided walking tour of their old alma mater on Saturday next. The Irish Georgian Society's morning walking tour will take in many of the new buildings on campus as well as the 18th-century Belfield House and Merville. Architect Robert Parkinson will lead the walk. Meet at 10 a.m. in the car park adjoining the sports building at the Clonskeagh entrance. Fee: £5.
