Mature lakeside Birch and Ash trees destroyed at Laois attraction

Emo Court survived Storm Éowyn without suffering structural damage but some notable old trees fell victim to the high winds.  

The Office of Public Works(OPW) says several specimen trees were damaged at Emo Court and Parklands during Storm Éowyn. 

“Thankfully no structural damage was sustained to the house. The strong gusts did, however, cause considerable damage to trees on the Estate and in the parkland.  Trees knocked by the force of the wind and bows broken from the trees and cast onto ground and pathways made many of the paths impassable,” an OPW Spokesperson said. 

“Several specimen trees were damaged by Storm Eowyn with some mature trees lost, including a mature Ash and Birch by the lake,” the Spokesperson said. 

 According to the OPW, “clearance work by OPW staff and contractors, and checking for and removal of “hangers” (branches broken but suspended from a branch and yet to fall), was completed by Monday morning so the park could reopen to the public.”

Emo Court may have opened sooner had the high winds not persisted over the weekend. 

“The works to complete the first stage of the clean-up in order to re-open the site to the public were further delayed due to a milder storm, Storm Hermania, which brought more wind and wetter weather and impeded the pace of works needed for making the site safe to the public.”

Although Emo Court and Parklands is open, Coillte forestry surrounding the parklands remains off limits to the public until it is assessed and made safe.