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STAFF AT THE country’s national parks are keeping a close watch on their holly trees in the run up to Christmas. The National Parks and Wildlife Service is encouraging anyone who spots people attempting to steal clumps of the festive plant to report the theft.
There’s been particular concern about the issue in Killarney National Park in recent years.
Kerry senator Ned O’Sullivan said in the Seanad that the plant was “usually the victim of wholesale vandalism” by people who…
“…enter our forested areas and national parks with slash hooks and destroy entire trees instead of just taking twigs.
Unfortunately, we will see fellas on street corners all around the country selling big chunks of holly and the plant will never grow again.
The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, which oversees the NPWS “would expect the public to continue to respect the fauna and flora of our National Parks and Nature Reserves,” a spokesperson said.
“These properties are designated conservation areas protected and managed by the State for the benefit and enjoyment of all.
“Should any member of the public observe any such vandalism at a National Park or Nature Reserve they should contact the National Parks and Wildlife Service at nature.conservation@ahg.gov.ie or An Garda Síochána.”
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Slash hooks ,
White vans ,
more traveling salesmen no doubt……
I never seen these guys selling dodgy holly on street corners.
In fact I have hardly ever seen holly with red berries on it in Ireland,and nobody wants holly without the berries!
Somebody delivered a bad load of sub standard christmas trees to IKEA though. Check them out yourself.They had their eye wiped.Christmas tree thinnings are a real rip off anyway with the prices being asked.
Deck the car-a-vans with holly la la la la la, la la la laaaaaa .
Hello Garda, listen someone just took a fist of holly from a tree a few doors down from me, could you send over a helicopter and a couple of rapid response units please, and hurry!
Good to see our politicians are addressing the big issues
Saw a very well heeled lady leaving farmleigh with an armful of contraband holly just before hopping into a new jeep…so much for the generalisations.
No doubt the same people that walk out of the forest with lidl bags full of wild mushrooms
What’s wrong with collecting wild mushrooms? Do you have a problem with blackberry poachers too??
€65k per year to say “careful now” “down with that sort of thing”
But the real crooks are the ones “stealing” holly……..
Most homes have a lidl bag in the boot? Please don’t generalise.It’s offensive and very un pc
Im not generalising im talking from experience, as in what i witnessed happening. So unless you were hiding behind one of the trees and seen it too perhaps you should stop making assumptions and/or generalising yourself
Jesus christ, you’d think these people would just grow the stuff. It’s everywhere, practically pest and disease free and takes feck all skill.
Sam / tom , if ye have a theory or something to say about who these people are…please say it . I would imagine at this stage most homes have a lidl bag in the boot .
Im saying its the same people who clear a forest area of wild musrooms to sell them on with no thought or consideration to the natural habitat that they are stripping. Cant speak for the other bloke
Mushrooms have a slightly different biology to a holly bush.You could literaly strip every wild mushroom from a forest and with a few exceptions have a new crop within a few weeks.Its pretty much what a fungus does in damp dark conditions.They dont rely on a root system or other fungi to regenerate.In fact pulling them out would release spores to allow the next generation to take their place.
Reminds me of earlier in the year when I stopped at the side of the road for a daffodil 1 daffodil as I went to pick one someone shouted to leave them alone I dropped it and ran.is it really illegal to pick a daffodil at roadside? got holly here last week loaded with berries fiver a big bunch
Were you wondering lonely as a cloud? That floats on high o’er vale and hill ? When all at once you heard a roar.. Get away from my f*ckin Daffodils ?
My comment was meant for Conor Flood.He clearly knows Sam/Tom are referring to travellers but he is using the political correctness card.Political correctness is getting extreme.The fact that people took my comment seriously clearly illustrates that.
Its them cxxts in Irish Water.
F_in- hell, do these bushes not grow back , another senator talking more nonsense, a country full of political idiots, discuss the real issues that concern the lives of the people
A ?ole senators useless people
have your say