President Michael D. Higgins plants official tree at Áras an Uachtaráin
Date: Tue 3rd Mar, 2015 | 12:05
3 March 2015
This morning President Michael D. Higgins and Sabina Higgins continued a tradition started by Douglas Hyde in 1939 by planting their official trees at Áras an Uachtaráin as part of ESB Tree Week.
The President planted a blue cedar (cedrus atlantica glauca) on the main avenue and Sabina Higgins planted a Lebanese cedar (cedrus libani) on the opposite side of the avenue leading up to the official residence.
President Higgins said today:
“I am following the seventy six year old tradition of my predecessors, the former Presidents, who as occupants of Áras an Uachtaráin planted trees on the grounds. The tradition however dates back even further to Queen Victoria who planted the first official tree here on what is now known as the Queen’s Walk on her visit to the Vice-Regal lodge in 1853.
I am delighted to participate in ESB Tree Week and encourage Irish people everywhere to plant trees and in so doing help to tackle climate change and provide cleaner air for all of us”.
Over the years other well known dignitaries and visitors have planted trees at Áras an Uachtaráin. Pope John Paul II planted an oak on the lawn in front of the southern portico in 1979. Presidents John F Kennedy and Eamon de Valera both planted Wellingtonias on the grounds when the U.S. President visited on 27 June 1963.
More recently Queen Elizabeth II and President Barack Obama both planted English oak trees at the Peace Bell during their visits to Ireland in May 2011 and former President McAleese planted an English oak alongside them before leaving office in November 2011.
Douglas Hyde, as the first President of Ireland, planted a Cornish elm on the north lawn of Áras an Uachtaráin in March 1939. Since then each of Ireland’s nine Presidents has planted an official tree in the grounds of the residence in Phoenix Park.