Saturday, February 15, 2025

Westmeath entrants in National Tree Hugging Competition

By Michelle Crawley

TWO Westmeath en­trants were among fifteen people who took part in the National Tree Hugging Competition in a bid to decide Ireland’s nomination in the 2015 European Tree of the Year contest.
Israel Ilunga, who is well known on the GAA scene as a full-back on the Westmeath minors team, chose a tree planted by his own 2013 Leaving Cert class at Ardscoil Phádraig in Granard. Israel, who lives in Castletown Finea, says he chose the tree as it means more and more to him each time he passes it and reminds him of playing in Croke Park – a day he described as the “biggest” and “most important in his life”.
The 8th Earl of Longford, Thomas Packenham of Tullynally Castle, Castlepollard, also entered the competition with a Squire’s Walking Stick – a common oak planted in the 1740s by his great-great-great-great-grandfather and his namesake, Thomas Packenham.
Thomas Packenham, a writer of numerous prize-winning books on a diverse range of subjects of Victorian and post-Victorian British history and trees, chose a tree that was part of a grove of oaks in the demesne, mixed with other woodland trees like scotch pines, larch and beech.
The competition, organised by Just Forests, aimed to get people to look around and appreciate the trees in their own locality. The annual contest aims to increase awareness of trees, particularly interesting or historical trees dotted across the Irish landscape. For the past 25 years, Just Forests have provided educational resources to schools on the importance of trees and wood. The winning tree is selected through public vote and will represent Ireland at the 2015 European Tree of the Year contest. The public’s support will help tree planting, development education, and awareness raising projects build a better world for everyone.
The 2014 National Tree Hugger of the year winner was named over the weekend as Matt Fogarty and his selected tree will now represent the country in the 2015 European Tree of the Year contest. Despite not winning the competition, both Thomas Packenham and Israel Ilunga have helped raise awareness of the importance of trees and the natural heritage they represent.

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