A SYCAMORE tree that has stood for about 200 years and is an iconic landmark in Courtmacsherry village was felled to its trunk last week as a safety precaution due to a disease that seemingly spread from its roots. The tree has great sentiment for many people. Indeed, it’s suggested that many local and holiday romances stemmed from this particular marker, giving it the moniker of ‘the Clery’s clock of Courtmac’.
The tree is located in the scenic village – home to the new Shannon-class lifeboat, the RNLB Val Adnams – in an area known as The Terrace, and in front of properties formerly known as the Coastguard Station (1820-1871) and the Watch House.
According to the book ‘Step back in time’ compiled by the Courtmacsherry Harbour Lifeboat Station History Group, the houses on The Terrace housed Coast Guard personnel and their families. As time moved on and the tree continued to grow, the houses went into private ownership.
Unfortunately, over the last few years, the tree showed signs of decay, and its once huge canopy of green leaves became more barren with time. Following an inspection, it was deemed unsafe and the decision to cut it down was taken with heavy hearts.
‘One person said to me recently, sure, where did most of us get our first kiss? And of course the answer was under the tree!’ said local woman Mary O’Leary. ‘If the sun was shining, you sat on the tennis court wall. If it rained, you went under the tree. It was where all the teenagers met all down through the 50s, 60s and 70s.’
There have been suggestions that the remaining stump could be transformed into some form of sculpture, while some have said a broken heart emblem would be most appropriate for locals.
