Warming Up for an Oak Tour to Ireland

As we all read in the latest issue of Oak News & Notes, Shaun Haddock is looking for interest to organize a low-budget trip to Ireland. We (the IOS) have been invited to view the collections of two of our members in Ireland: that of Sir Brendan Parsons, the Earl of Rosse, at Birr Castle; and that of Johnny Couchman, near Carlow. This tour could take place in May or June 2017 before the tourist season is fully in swing. There are many splendid gardens and collections to visit. Last year I visited some of them. So here is a short photo impression of some of the oaks I saw on the trip.

If you would be interested in participating please contact tours@internationaloaksociety.org, as Shaun would like to ascertain if we could run this as a low-cost car-sharing tour or whether we would need to make other arrangements. 

Quercus petraea with a remarkably straight trunk in Birr Castle	A century-old Q. wislizeni in Birr Castle
A 450-year-old Q. robur at Birr Castle
Q. rubra Aurea Group, National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh	Q. robur 'Variegata' (Variegata Group)  NBG, Kilmacurragh
Q. robur Tardissima Group, NBG, Glasnevin	Q. robur 'Castle Howard', NBG, Kilmacurragh
Information about native Irish oak species, NBG, Glasnevin	Q. baronii foliage, Birr Castle
Q. petraea, Malahide Castle and Gardens
Brendan Parsons, Earl of Rosse, who has kindly invited fellow IOS members to visit the oak collection at Birr Castle in 2017, stands next to an impressive Q. cerris