Yew, Part 1, with John Feehan, Wildflowers of Offaly Series

Yew filmed by Tina Claffey. Edited by John Feehan. With kind permission for filming by Birr Castle Estate.
Further details are available in 'Wildflowers of Offaly' by John Feehan published by Offaly County Council. Available on line from the Offaly History book shop on Bury Quay Tullamore, www.offalyhist... and Midland Books, Tullamore.

[@kevinprice7362]

Thank you John for a fantastic video.
Kevin.

[@anto7906]

Thank you John, that was very interesting..

[@christiaan83]

Welcome to Season 3 Anto! pp John Feehan

[@Ellapompom]

Thank you!! 😊

[@woodhoney3957]

Thank yew very much. Extreemly interesting!

[@christiaan83]

Welcome back Wood Honey, hope to hold your interest for the rest of the season pp John Feehan

[@mecoptera102]

This series is so good. John is an amazing educator, loving his Wildflowers of Offaly book

[@christiaan83]

Greatly appreciated Karen, sorry the book doesn't cover the trees! pp John Feehan

[@seanmurray7209]

Brilliant great to have the series back in 2022

[@christiaan83]

Great to have you with us again Sean pp John Feehan

[@teresaryan-feehan7472]

Beautiful yew tree in Tullynisk and the staircase made of yew is stunning. Lovely photography and information on yew trees around Birr is fascinating. I notice a few yew trees growing along the Ridge Road as you head towards Lusmagh - two which I find of great interest - if you stand in the middle of the 2 yew trees facing Banagher - you will see in the middle of a field - a 'fairy mound of whitethorn/blackthorn' and as the crow flies, you can see the Church steeple on the Hill of Banagher - all in an alignment from the middle of the 2 yew trees - this area is very close to the meeting point of the three Archdioceses of Armagh, Tuam and Cashel - the 3 Parishes - Lusmagh, Banagher and Eglish. Loved this talk on the yew trees as the ones along the Ridge Road catch my eye, every time I walk along the Eiscir.

[@offalyheritage]

Thanks Teresa. Must take time to look when next on that route.

[@christiaan83]

Dead right Teresa! The concentration along the Ridge Road is remarkable, a rare surviving example of its former frequency pp John Feehan

[@davidshortall9302]

How I would have loved to have been a student of John at UCD,
Such amazing knowledge he has. I love these videos, thanks so much

[@christiaan83]

Our Wildflower viewers may now consider themselves students David! pp John Feehan

[@HistoricGraves]

Have enjoyed this series as one of the highlights of Covid lockdown. I wonder could John address the difference between the fastigiata sport and the 'ordinary' Irish yew. We are spotting more non-fastigiata Yews in graveyards - presumably they are often planted but could they also represent older local populations. Is there any merit even in identifying local survivors?