Ulster President unveils 125 Tree
Tom Daly President Ulster GAA, Catherine O’Hara Chairperson of Ulster Camogie and Gerry Doherty President Ulster Ladies Gaelic Council jointly planted a tree at the Stormont Estate to mark the 125th Anniversary of the GAA yesterday (Thursday 12th November). The location for the event was close to the peace statue near the Massey Avenue entrance.
A cross section of politicians were present including the President of Sinn Fein Gerry Adams MP MLA, SDLP Leader Mark Durkan MP MLA and Alliance Party Culture, Arts and Leisure Spokesman Kieran McCarthy MLA. Also attending was Minister for Social Development Margaret Ritchie MLA, Gerry Kelly MLA Junior Minister OFMDFM, Conor Murphy MP MLA, Michelle Gildernew MP MLA and Trevor Lunn MLA.
Earlier this year the Ulster Camogie Council and Ulster Ladies Gaelic Football Council with the support of Ulster GAA launched a conservation initiative which, with the help of a local Company (Back to Eden Ireland) aims to create a Peoples Forest by planting 10,000 ash saplings in various Ulster sites.
The significance of this project is that the Irish Ash tree has traditionally been used in the manufacture of hurling/camogie sticks. The planting of 10,000 saplings equates to one year’s supply of the ash needed to sustain our games and meet the demand for 250,000 hurls per year. As part of this initiative, Ulster GAA has invited the 580 GAA clubs in the Province to participate in this programme. There will also be the opportunity to plant a further 1,000 ash saplings in a woodland area of the Stormont estate and these will also be clearly signed to acknowledge the contribution of the GAA and the celebration of its 125 years. Each tree produces enough ash to manufacture 25 hurls meaning that when your trees reach maturity in 25 years they will represent 125 hurling/camogie sticks.
Tom Daly President Ulster GAA said “We are delighted to support both Ulster Camogie and the Ulster Ladies Gaelic Council in this initiative and I would encourage all GAA clubs in Ulster to get involved in the scheme. I also welcome this opportunity to mark the 125th Anniversary of the GAA by the planting of a 125 tree in the seat of the Assembly and I am thankful to the both the Estate authorities and public leaders who facilitated this event”
For more information please contact:
Ryan Feeney
Community Development and Public Affairs Manager
ryan.feeney.ulster@gaa.ie
