The Heather county?????

voz es

When and why was it decided that we would be the heather county?
Mayo (Irish: Maigh Eó, meaning "Plain of the yew trees")

The 'yew tree' county anybody?

C-J

Yew trees are abundant in Mayo, particularly Westport (from observation) although the origin of Mayos association goes back to a monastery in the Claremorris/Balla area of St Colman built on a 'plain of yews'. The yew connection is still evident today in the Mayo crest which consists of nine yew trees, and there is also a theatre in Ballina called the Yew Tree I believe. My great grandfather was a gardener in a convent, so my grandfather used to tell me all he knew! Also I remember he said that yew trees thrive on boggy wet land which is perfect in Mayo

Oldtree

Heard it for the first time yday. Obviously a jackeen got it wrong

yew tree will do nicely thank you

lots of them planted in church yards in the past to keep the oiks horses out of the church yard as poisionous.

Mickeroo

C-J wrote: »

Yew trees are abundant in Mayo, particularly Westport (from observation) although the origin of Mayos association goes back to a monastery in the Claremorris/Balla area of St Colman built on a 'plain of yews'. The yew connection is still evident today in the Mayo crest which consists of nine yew trees, and there is also a theatre in Ballina called the Yew Tree I believe. My great grandfather was a gardener in a convent, so my grandfather used to tell me all he knew! Also I remember he said that yew trees thrive on boggy wet land which is perfect in Mayo

I could be mistaken but Yew trees don't like wet boggy acidic soil at all, they prefer well drained soil which is why you'll find them around limestone areas such as down near Clonbur and cong. Also the Yews you often see in graveyards are usually Irish Yews, they grow differently to the normal Yew in that they are much more uniform in appearance which makes them easier to clip and look pretty. the irish yew is a freak strain and was first found in Fermanagh and it cant reproduce so apparently all Irish Yews originate from the clippings of two trees in Fermanagh(that could be a myth though).

Oldtree

All of the irish yews come from 1 seedling that had an upright growth habit called fastigiate. The latin name for the plant is Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata'.

Their seed is viable but will revert to the normal yew form, that is why it is grown from cuttings, to reproduce exactly the upright form.

i have seen it growing happily on limestone pavements in cong and also in the abby in cong where it is very damp and prone to flooding. i am sure it would grow in a bog but I do not think it would do well there.

All parts of the plant are poisionous except the red berry around the seed. I do not recomend eating this berry as should your teeth scrape the seed inside this berry you will get poisioned. Having said that I have seen where cattle have grased irish yews and continued to live, maby their 3 stomachs dilute the poision. Humans do not survive ingestion.

Daisy M

Oldtree wrote: »

Having said that I have seen where cattle have grased irish yews and continued to live, maby their 3 stomachs dilute the poision. Humans do not survive ingestion.

Cows have 4 stomach compartments for want of a better word not 3! I am bored hence the nitpicking!!
What is the heather county reference about? Sorry for been thick:o.

voz es

Daisy M wrote: »

What is the heather county reference about? Sorry for been thick:o.

I'm not very sure, but i think it sounds silly