North Atlantic Skyline - - Photographs from the west of Ireland (Galway, Mayo, Clare, Limerick, Roscommon and even Leitrim)

By any means necessary

Unfortunately, like this wall, the kingdom of Kerry has held firm against western teams in the last few years. Maybe this year...

Unscrupulous characters are stealing ash trees in Clare and Limerick, according to the Sunday Times.

One Co Limerick farmer had 60 trees stolen one night. Another, Con Moloney, said he was shocked to discover that raiders had cut out the bottom of his 50-year-old ashes.
“It’s the last thing I expected to be stolen. You’d be watching out for mixers and hand tools, but not for a growing tree,” the Limerick farmer said.
“When I reported it to the gardai, they told me of two other cases, one in west Limerick and one in Co Clare.
“The trees were cut very specifically. Just about a metre and a half was taken and the rest left on the ground, so I knew instantly that hurleys were the only answer.”

Given that there aren't many hurley-makers in the country, it shouldn't take Hercule Poiret to solve this one. Ruthless criminals or pre-emptive strike? If there are any witness reports of a Cork-registered van driving around ash woods in Limerick or Clare, maybe it's a case of removing the opposition at source (getting your retaliation in early, like). Mind you, if that's the case, we better send a few Galway lads down to Kerry to do a bit of cattle-rustling to deprive the Kingdom of leather footballs. Might be our best hope of an all-Ireland…

Posted by Monasette at February 17, 2005 10:59 PM