Council responds to tree concerns
The 200 years old oak tree is on the boundary between the Cattle Mart field and the property of Tony and Geraldine Gahan, and is registered as a specimen tree with the Tree Council of Ireland.
But there were concerns that plans to sink pipes to a depth of 4.5 metres under the overhang of the tree could damage the root system, thus endangering the life and and any further development of the oak.
The tree is specifically mentioned in the Biodiversity Survey of the Liffey and Environs commissioned by Kilcullen Community Action and due to be officially launched this evening in Kilcullen Heritage Centre.
"I understand that the route of the pipework could easily be altered at this stage," Tony Gahan told the Diary earlier today. "But the contractor will need a direction from the Council before that can be done. Unfortunately, the plans for the work don't mention anything specific about the tree."
Currently a temporary road is being constructed along the line of the works, which are intended to link up with the existing system pumped to Osberstown. The road, and the proposed line of the pipes, are directly under the overhang of the tree, and root systems typically spread beyond the overhangs in order to support such trees.
Local people point out that Kildare County Council has negative form in this respect in Kilcullen. In the late 70s they cut down the 150 years old 'Big Tree' in preparation for building Conroy Park housing estate. There was no prior notice, and the action resulted in a high degree of local anger afterwards, especially when it seemed that the work could have been done without moving the tree at all.
(ED: This story was updated in the mid-afternoon to take account of a Council response to a query from the Diary.)
