Yellow Subterranean

A Newtown beauty headed for the chop… 5JUNE22

rom Greystones to Enniskerry, from Delgany to Newtown, there are more than a few housing developments currently in motion.

Some have started digging, some have started building, and plenty of others are just waiting for the nod from Wicklow County Council or An Bord Pleanála.

The Glebe, Delgany

As the efforts by locals to bring some sense and forward planning to the developer gold rush, one mysterious group of tree huggers have decided to send a message to the tree muggers.

Already popping up at Dr Ryan’s old place, the Gorteen site on Bellevue Hill and developments in Newtown, Knocksink and Enniskerry, yellow ribbons are being tied not only around old oak trees but dividing fences and old cast iron gates.

Having originated in the 1970s as the old Dawn hit became a symbol of solidarity and resistance during the 1979 US-Iranian hostage crisis, the yellow ribbon as a protest device has been adapted all across the world over the ensuing decades.

Here’s the note the local campaigners are including with their protests…

Step back, please, our kids need trees.

We are the local community. These trees are too.

Under Brehon Law, they are the nobles of the wood, they have rights to life and limb, and there is a penalty payable if they are damaged.

Trees and other plants clean our air. A large mature tree like this is virtually irreplaceable – it gives more benefit than 10 or 20 saplings. It provides a habitat for up to 500 different species of wildlife. It stores carbon and produces additional oxygen for our planet. It stabilises the soil against erosion and reduces air temperature and humidity, as well as reducing flooding and improving water quality. Without trees, it’s likely that we wouldn’t be able to live on this planet at all.

Hug this tree. Don’t chop it. It welcomes back our red squirrels, our kites and barn owls and woodpeckers, our mosses, lichens and insects.

Bellevue Hill

Delgany and Glen of the Downs are famous for their trees, both wild and planted. Pennicks of Delgany (gardeners of the La Touche estate) was a famous nursery and supplied many of the big trees for many of the big houses and gardens around Ireland.

140 years ago, Parnell and Davitt said “Keep a firm grip on your homestead”, you have a right to your home and your land, and anyone who trys to take away those rights must be shunned (boycotted). This applies now again in the climate and biodiversity emergency.Our local natural environment is our home.

Dear developer or official, you do not have our support to chop these trees and damage our home. You do have our support to fence them off from grazing and allow them to re-seed and grow.

Step back please, our kids need trees.

Bejiggers, you can almost smell the Scanlon from here. Still, strong and worthy sentiments.

Will it be heard outside the local eco chamber though…?