Blenheim Estate branches out to help hurling beat threat of ash dieback

Richard McCarthy, an Irish hurley maker who sources ash for many of the country’s top manufacturers including Star Hurley in Kilkenny, has been working with James Hunter, Rural Property Manager at Blenheim Palace, on a deal which will see around 1,000 ash tree ‘butts’ harvested from the Blenheim Estate, which will in turn be used to make between 5,000-10,000 hurleys.

Hurling is the second most attended sport in Ireland, after Gaelic Football, and is played by around 275,000 people. There is a huge demand for hurleys in Ireland, with approximately 100,000 bought every year.

Although thousands of acres of ash trees were planted in Ireland 30 years ago, ash dieback has decimated the stock, particularly the younger trees.

Mr McCarthy, whose ash is used by many of the sport’s top players including T.J. Reid, commented: “I heard about the ash at Blenheim when James contacted me last year; we previously worked together on another estate where we cut wood for hurleys.

“Ash is used because it is very strong, flexible and lightweight - everything we need for hurleys. When I'm looking for suitable ash I like to use the ash that's between 30-50 years old, has nice smooth bark and is fast growing. The bottom of the tree is very important and we need good root formation - this is key as this is where we get the curve for the shape of the hurley.

“From what I've seen at Blenheim from my visit, I think the ash looks very good, so hopefully we can get good quality hurleys from it.”

James Hunter added: “As part of our active woodland management this year, we have commenced a series of works to thin and clear fell several compartments suffering from the advanced stages of ash dieback. Whilst the majority of the timber will go for firewood, it’s great to see some value being realised and a niche market being supported such as Richie's business with hurling sticks.

“However, I think it should be made clear that we are not clearing all ash from the Estate, as we look to see if we have resistant specimens which may in the future be bred for ‘dieback’ resistant ash trees, to ensure they do not disappear from the British landscape forever. We are working with several partners to provide support where we can for this important research and who knows, those trees may also one day be harvested to make hurleys.”

Hurling is not the only sport which buys wood from the Blenheim Estate; for the last seven years, Banbury-based English Willow has been sustainably sourcing Cricket Bat Willow trees from the estate. In 2018, the firm purchased and felled a significant number of trees from the estate - enough to produce around 2,300 top grade cricket bats for the global cricket industry - and replaced them free of charge. Each year it supplies around 100 cricket bat willow ‘whips’ to replace those harvested for bats.

This high value, distinctly British timber is fast growing (taking just 15-20 years to mature) and suited to low-lying, wet and often underutilised areas of land. Soaking up to 50-100 gallons of water a day, Cricket Bat Willow offers excellent flood mitigation, soil stabilisation and habitat for wildlife.

Over 70% of the timber is not usable for bat making, and contractors often burn waste on-site which is unpopular with landowners and environmentalists. English Willow are pioneers in their industry, repurposing tree waste into cow bedding, biomass, kindling and woodchip.

Jonny Clarke, director at English Willow, said: “We manage the full process, including free maintenance to ensure the trees offer the highest possible returns at maturity and for generations to come.

“We are in complete control to ensure this is a successful venture for the Estate, providing constant support and expert advice to its already busy forestry team.”

Rachel Furness-Smith, Head of Estates at Blenheim Palace, commented: “Working with English Willow means we can manage our willow trees in a sustainable and organic way, which is good for the environment, promotes bio-diversity and makes use of traditionally unproductive areas of the estate.”