Tomnafinnoge Woods
Encyclopedia
Tomnafmnoge Woods is the last surviving fragment of the great Oak Woods of Shillelagh, County Wicklow
, which once clothed the hills and valleys of south Wicklow
. As early as 1444 these woods supplied timber for the construction of King's College, Cambridge
, and later for Westminster Abbey
, St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin and Trinity College, Dublin
. In 1634, the woods were estimated to cover 'more than many thousand acres', but from then on they were heavily exploited especially for shipbuilding.
Some sources say that it was oak from these woods that was originally used to make the old Irish walking sticks, commonly called "Shillelagh's", however this is not true. There is no actual connection between the walking sticks with the village or forest of Shillelagh (Irish: Síol Éalaigh, meaning "descendants of Éalach") in County Wicklow, other than the fact that both the original Irish names have ended up with the same Anglicized pronunciation.
Today the woods are owned and protected by the Irish State. They are included in the Slaney River Valley
candidate Special Area of Conservation
. A tributary of the Slaney, the River Derry
flows through the woods. This is one of the best places in Ireland to see the Great Spotted Woodpecker
, which has recently recolonised the country.
.
Shillelagh, County Wicklow
Shillelagh is a village located in County Wicklow, Ireland.The town was planned as part of the FitzWilliam estate in the 17th century. Nearby Coolattin House was the seat of the Fitzwilliam Estate. Tomnafinnoge Woods is the largest remaining oak forest in Ireland...
, which once clothed the hills and valleys of south Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
. As early as 1444 these woods supplied timber for the construction of King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
, and later for Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
, St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin and Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. In 1634, the woods were estimated to cover 'more than many thousand acres', but from then on they were heavily exploited especially for shipbuilding.
Some sources say that it was oak from these woods that was originally used to make the old Irish walking sticks, commonly called "Shillelagh's", however this is not true. There is no actual connection between the walking sticks with the village or forest of Shillelagh (Irish: Síol Éalaigh, meaning "descendants of Éalach") in County Wicklow, other than the fact that both the original Irish names have ended up with the same Anglicized pronunciation.
Today the woods are owned and protected by the Irish State. They are included in the Slaney River Valley
River Slaney
The Slaney is a river in the southeast of Ireland. It rises on Lugnaquilla Mountain in the western Wicklow Mountains and flows west and then south through counties Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford, before entering St George's Channel in the Irish Sea at Wexford town...
candidate Special Area of Conservation
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
. A tributary of the Slaney, the River Derry
River Derry
The Derry River rises just south of Hacketstown, County Carlow. It flows southeast to Tinahely, being accompanied by the R747 regional road for the distance....
flows through the woods. This is one of the best places in Ireland to see the Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
The Great Spotted Woodpecker , Dendrocopos major, is a bird species of the woodpecker family . It is distributed throughout Europe and northern Asia, and usually resident year-round except in the colder parts of its range...
, which has recently recolonised the country.
Things to do
Tomnafinnoge has several very popular woodland walks, one of the newest walks which opened in 2003 travels along the line of the former railway. It leads from Tomnafinnoge Woods to the nearby town of TinahelyTinahely
Tinahely is a village in the barony of Ballinacor South, County Wicklow in Ireland. It is also a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns.- Location and access :...
.