St Eunan’s GAA club plan to keep the remains of the trunk of the big tree at O’Donnell Park and develop it into a special memento for future generations.
Many locals have taken branches of the big tree at O’Donnell Park as a keep-sake following its demise during Storm Isha.
The iconic Great Oak which overlooked the practice pitch at the GAA grounds, was uprooted as heavy winds battered the county on Sunday night.
The tree was a popular landmark at O’Donnell Park and as club chairman John Haran told the Donegal News, people enjoyed sitting at the base of the tree to watch the action on the pitch below.
“It’s amazing how much of a reaction there has been since the weekend,” John said.
“Maybe it just goes to show how much people associated the tree with our grounds.
“I think at the Sunday morning academy, the younger children loved to play around the tree and then you had the parents who would gather there too at matches or training.”
The tree was very nearly cut down back in the 1990s when St. Eunan’s took ownership of the land that eventually became the side pitch at O’Donnell Park.
John Haran said it was former club chairman Mickey Gibbons who ensured that it was kept and the plans for the practice pitch were realigned to accommodate the tree.
The grounds are also used to host athletic events and this week Letterkenny AC posted their own tribute on social media, noting that the tree was not just a landmark in the town, but a handy marker during races or training.
St. Eunan’s GAA club say any dead wood and branches will be removed and the trunk will be kept safely until they decide on a suitable use.
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