One of the most original and enduring and educational proposals for marking the centenary of the Famine, comes from the Tree Council of Ireland. They aim to plant an arboretum with 150 different species of trees to represent the 150 years since the potato failure and the following emigrations. About ten specimens of each tree species is envisaged, giving a total of from, 1500 to maybe 2000 trees. And there is one intriguing aspect of all this.
For the Council has the idea of planting the different trees in the form of a ray of sunshine emanating from an oak planting representing Ireland. Ambitious, indeed, but aiming to symbolise or stand for the fact that, out of misery for the many, there came some good for the emigrants themselves and for their new host countries.
All this is to take place in Corkagh Park, which lies on the north side of the Naas Road, not far beyond Newlands Cross and the Green Isle Hotel. The first tree in this Famine Commemorative Arboretum was planted on February 23rd, 1996, by the Cathaoirleach of the South Dublin County Council, Councillor Breda Cass.
One of the liveliest features of all this, is that trees which the emigrants would meet, and often use, in America, will be planted. The Sugar Maple, for example, acersaccharum: a source of sugar for early Irish emigrants, notes the Tree Council's pamphlet. And then, important timber trees, which not only offered basic raw materials for immigrants say, building a house - but also, in the timber industry offered jobs: such as the Red Pine and the Eastern White Pine, pin us resinosa and pin us strobus.
And trees from Australia, Africa, Asia, Ireland and other parts of Europe to demonstrate the link between Ireland and the adopted lands of the emigrants. There is a nice association of ideas in the fact that the emigrants were leaving a landscape that, in the words of the Tree Council, had lacked significant forest cover since the 17th century.
You can sponsor a tree in this scheme for £35 (thirty five pounds) and, of course, more than one if you want. Firms can indulge themselves, no doubt, to any great extent they want.
But you, with your £35 will get a certificate and will be included in a roll of honour in the County Library, Tallaght. The Tree Council is at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin 8.