Noreen O’Sullivan

I must have been about eleven years old. Every chance we got in Summer my friend and I would be taken to Muckross to see the big house, the lake and the wonderful gardens.

This particular Sunday as we walked past the rockery my friend and I had the greatest fun ever trying to climb up to the large branch of this enormous tree and what joy we felt to achieve this.

I sat there looking around from on high and really felt this was MY place, MY tree!

My tree had stood for hundreds of years in this beautiful garden, my tree is of Muckross and stands proud in its place. I had felt a sense of place that first day I climbed that tree . I have never lost it and I never will.

I am of Muckross as is my tree.

These days my own children -Cian and Roisin pictured above- climb and play on MY tree, one day soon I will give my tree to them to help them appreciate this place we call home.