Tomnafinnoge Wood is the last surviving section of an oak woodland that once covered thousands of acres. For centuries, Tomnafinnoge’s timber was in demand because of its high quality. It was used in buildings, ships, and to create charcoal for use in metal production. Since the 1400s, Tomnafinnoge oak has been used in many famous buildings, including King’s College Cambridge and Westminster Abbey in England, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Trinity College in Dublin.
When the Fitzwilliam family inherited more than 80,000 acres throughout Wicklow in 1782, Tomnafinnoge became part of their Coolattin Estate. The Fitzwilliam family kept Tomnafinnoge Wood intact, but when they sold the estate in the 1970s, the private company that bought it had something else in mind. The company first cleared other oak woodlands on the estate, and then applied to cut down 382 trees in Tomnafinnoge. Outraged, locals began a conservation campaign, ‘Save Tomnafinnoge Woods,’ that lasted for twenty years. The campaign was led by community members and gained national attention, gathering support from famous artists and musicians including U2’s The Edge.
As a result, the Irish Government finally agreed to buy Tomnafinnoge Wood for the state in the late 1990s. It is now a beautiful place that is much loved by all who visit. The wooden sculptures were created here in 2019 as part of the Aos Daire, or the ‘People of the Wood’ Symposium. They bring magic to the scene and continue the community’s artistic connections with Tomnafinnoge.