Madam, - The famous Catalpa tree of Coole Park, Gort, Co Galway has recently been chopped down in what can only be described as a wanton act of vandalism. This tree, which had fallen on its side in a storm but remained thoroughly rooted, formed a natural sculpture of great interest and was a well-loved fixture in the childhood play of generations of visitors to the park.
The Catalpa's presence at the entrance to the walled garden symbolised the unspoilt nature of a great demesne, where "poets and dreamers" have long found inspiration. Its absence is stark, unnecessary and irreversible. The unconventional beauty of Coole has been violated, as has the notion that ordinary people might be stakeholders in our natural heritage.
There is a lesson in this sorry saga for every community in Ireland. Be ever on your guard against the sanitising agenda of officialdom. Truly, nothing is sacred. - Yours, etc,
MARK COEN, Tubber Road, Gort, Co Galway.