[Leica] IMGs: Yew tree at Muckross

[Douglas Barry]

In the courtyard surrounded by the cloisters of Muckross Abbey, this 
ancient yew tree still holds its head up to the light. While the current 
ruined Franciscan abbey is dated to only 44 years before Columbus 
"discovered" the Americas, and assumptions are that the tree was planted 
by the Franciscans at the time, making it over 571 years of age, it's 
highly likely that it's the wrong story. Fake news, I'm afraid! Far more 
likely is that the abbey itself was built around the tree that was 
already mature and well-established, making this tree much more ancient.

This was a common Christian practice in that the site of an abbey or 
religious building would be built on a particular site just because an 
old yew tree grew there. In Brexitannia, there are very old churches 
from anglo-saxon times where archaeological evidence has shown that the 
yew tree was there long before the church was built. Some churches are 
up to 1,200 years old and the yews are still healthy. From folklore, and 
the mythology of old pagan times, yews were venerated being often 
associated with pagan gatherings and rituals. Yew clearings are ideal 
for ceremonies as the shade the tree casts, together with its poisonous 
roots, kill off competing vegetation. The yew was also used in Christian 
ceremonies, and may still be. In fact, growing up, I was always given a 
sprig of yew on Palm Sunday: palms were somewhat limited in their 
availability at 53 degrees north in temperate Ireland.

Anyway, here are two images of the tree as I couldn't get it all in the 
frame in one go.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/DouglasBray/Yew+Tree+Muckross+Abbey.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/DouglasBray/Yew+Tree+Muckross+Abbey2.jpg.html

Sony A7ii with Samyang 35/2.8. Can be seen LARGE

Douglas