Over 6,000 native trees distributed in Geashill

Offaly County Council and Geashill Tidy Towns celebrated a hugely successful Hares’ Corner Offaly native tree collection day in Geashill last week during which over 6,000 native Irish trees were collected by participating landowners, schools, community groups and householders from across the county and re-distributed to create over 110 'Hares' Corners' across Offaly.

Pat Foley of Geashill Tidy Towns praised the event, describing it as being "really inspiring" to meet people from all over Offaly, returning to their farms, schools, gardens and community spaces to establish places for nature and help biodiversity locally.

The trees - ranging from native hedgerow species to mini-woodland packs and heritage apple varieties - will be used in the establishment of over 110 new Hares’ Corners throughout Offaly. These small but powerful habitat projects will boost local biodiversity, support pollinators, and enrich landscapes in farms, gardens and community spaces.

Offaly County Council’s Biodiversity Officer Ricky Whelan said The Hares’ Corner project has been" a whirlwind" delivering hundreds of new habitats to every corner of Offaly, and added that this was "a result we could only have hoped for when we embarked on the project last year.”

Offaly County Council extended sincere thanks to the BurrenBeo Trust Hares’ Corner team for their expert delivery of the 2025/26 project, as well as to the Irish Seed Savers Association, who travelled from their nursery in east Clare to distribute heritage apple trees to participants.

Gratitude was also expressed to Geashill Tidy Towns for their organisation and warm hosting of the event, and to Raheen (Geashill) GAA for generously providing the use of their facilities.

The Hares Corner project is an initiative of the Burren Beo Trust and was delivered in Offaly with support from Offaly County Council through the Local Biodiversity Action Fund from Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.