Bunshoon Wood

Our ancient woodland is home to so many amazing trees, plants and wildlife! In the Springtime, delicate Primroses and Violets grow together on the woodland paths, and the shining Wood Anemone makes its rare appearance in splashes of white and green, only to disappear again for the rest of the year.

A little later on in May, the sweet-scented Bluebells appear all around the woods quietly ringing their little bells that cannot be heard by human ears…

Marsh Marigolds and Lesser Celandine bring sunshine even on a rainy day, and the graceful Meadowsweet, Valerian, and Scabious dot the river banks in high summer along with so many other wildflowers.

And here and there, the blue-violet stars of one of Ireland’s rarest plants, Blue-eyed grass, dot the special little meadow bringing so much delight. 

​Our beloved wood is home to some amazing rare animals and birds, baby Foxes, Stoats, and Red Squirrels come out when humans leave. The magical Kingfisher flies above the river thanks to its untouched wilderness that Kingfishers needs in order to thrive, and the Song Thrush, Blackbird and Robin sing their beautiful songs. 

And the colourful butterflies, Speckled Wood, Silver-washed Fritillary, Red Admiral, Peacock Butterfly and Holly Blue, along with the many dragonflies and damselflies, and a variety of Bumblebees are such a delight to see in the summer time. 

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And in the autumn, the woods are full of treasures for all those who live there, leaving a little bit of the woodland bounty for the human children who come with respect. Hazelnuts are kindly gifted by the Hazel trees to the Red Squirrels and to the children who care for the trees.

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And among all this beauty the majestic Grandmother Oak and Grandfather Oak stand tall, together with the other oldest Oaks of Bunshoon wood, themselves most likely children of the ancient Oaks that once grew here…  

Birch, Mountain Ash, Hawthorn, Holly, Hazel, Oak, Willow and Alder all live here in harmony.