People's Millennium Forest

Ash Trees

Courtesy of Coillte Teoranta

Ash Trees
Courtesy of Coillte Teoranta

Ash Trees

Courtesy of Coillte Teoranta

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People’s Millennium Forest Derrygorry & Favour Royal

Derrygorry Forest lies just north of Monaghan Town and was one of the areas selected for the People’s Millenium Forests project, which aims to restore Ireland’s native woodlands. It runs alongside another People’s Millennium Forest at Favour Royal in Co. Tyrone. A millennium bridge has been constructed across the border to connect the two woodlands together, symbolising the co-operation between Coillte and Northern Ireland’s Forest Service to conserve and enhance the local biodiversity. The two adjoining woodlands are essentially part of the same forest area.

As part of the project, over 40,000 native Irish trees were planted in the woodland, including oak, ash, alder, birch and Scots Pine. Favour Royal is well known for its wildflower meadow and deer lawn. Those with an interest in Irish heritage are attracted to the huge druid stone, an ancient well reputed to have healing powers, and to St. Patrick’s chair at Altadown where it is thought that St. Patrick assembled his first followers.

Restoring this woodland area through the People’s Millennium Forest project supports local biodiversity by providing habitats for bird and animal communities. For more details about this project, please see the People’s Millennium Forest project website.