Native tree trail to be launched in Kilkenny village this weekend

A beautiful new walking route in the village of Kells is set to showcase all of Ireland's native trees.

Minister Malcolm Noonan will launch the trail this weekend.

The idea of Kells Tidy Towns, they hope the trail will add an extra dimension to visits to the historic area.

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Kells Tidy Towns have planted or highlighted an example of all Ireland's native trees on publicly accessible sites in the village. A leaflet produced to accompany the trail sets out each variety, how to identify it and, interestingly, the importance of the trees to Irish society in the past. The leaflet has notes based on the 8th Century law text Bretha Comaithchesa that reflect the values of the trees at the time - for example the penalty for damaging an oak was two milch cows, and if you damaged a blackthorn you were fined a yearling heifer!

You can read more about the new trail in next week's Kilkenny People.