Take A Trip To Blarney Castle To Visit Ireland’s Tree Of The Year

Trees can be popular too, apparently.

In somewhat bewildering news, the Witch’s Yew tree at Blarney Castle in Cork has been revealed as Ireland’s Tree of the Year 2019. The competition, dedicated entirely to choosing the Tree of the Year, is an annual event and sounds quite in-depth.   Organised by the Tree Council of Ireland, the Witch’s Yew beat off stiff competition to ultimately take home the title. Decided by public vote, the country had to choose between a shortlist of five trees.  

WE WON! Thank you so much to everyone who voted and shared our posts! It is much appreciated! We are delighted! @BlarneyGardens pic.twitter.com/AeZBOvoAS2

— Blarney Castle & Gardens (@Blarney_Castle) August 27, 2019

  The aim of the competition is to find the ‘tree with the best story’, that is to say the tree with ‘a strong connection to the community'. The Witch’s Yew, believed to be over 600 years old, received more than 42% of the vote thereby crowning it the nation’s favourite tree. Next on the agenda? Entering it in the European Tree of the Year contest.     The famous tree grows above the Witch’s Kitchen. Built in the 1700s by the Jeffreys family it forms part of the Rock Close gardens in the Blarney Castle Estate. Legend has it that the Blarney Witch was the first to tell mortals of the Blarney Stone's powers. Imprisoned by day in the Witch Stone, she's thought to be released after nightfall...only to be banished to the Witch Stone again.   Perhaps there was a little magic involved in the outcome?   READ NEXT: Plans To Plant 6,000 Croke Park Pitches Worth Of Trees Each Year