SNIPPET: For your information, there are two photo-stories featured in the July-August 2004 issue of Dublin's "Ireland of the Welcomes" magazine with references to Co. Wicklow. The first is by Dr. Christopher MORIARTY about Avondale, home of Charles Stewart PARNELL. The second extensive article, by Michael FEWER, explores the history of the Military Road. Both contain many beautiful photographs. FEWER, an architect and lecturer is the author of books to include "Walking Across Ireland." Regarding Avondale -- The 18th century witnessed the resurrection of the woodlands of Ireland, which had been nearly obliterated in the course of the preceding hundred years. One of the pioneers of forest planting was landowner Samuel HAYES, who among other achievements, had written a very distinguished treatise on practical forestry. The great estate of Avondale was his property and it was he, who in 1779, built the country house in which Charles Stewart PARNELL would be born nearly 70 years later. By that time (1846) it had been a forested demesene for four generations. More than that, it had been the cradle of scientific forestry in the 18th century. Samuel HAYES gave the estate its name and planted many thousand of trees. HAYES, an MP for Wicklow, bequeathed the house and demesne to his friend and fellow Member of Parliament, Sir John PARNELL, great-grandfather of Charles Stewart PARNELL. For almost the entire 19th century, Avondale was a busy place, with the trees providing beauty for everyone, firewood for the owner and tenants and a great deal of employment in the timber industry. The ruins of a water-powered sawmill still remain by the riverside near the railway bridge. There are also stone quarries still in operation in the area. Tragically, few of the trees that PARNELL had nurtured survived long after his death in 1891. The estate was sold to a butcher from Dublin who wanted a quick return for his investment and had most of the trees felled and sold. The resurrection of Avondale began in 1904, when the government bought the house and grounds and provided funding for a renewed experiment in forestry. The scheme was planned by A. C. FORBES, Director of Forestry and Augustine HENRY, a "remarkable Irish doctor with a passion for trees.". HENRY gave up medicine, studied forestry and was appointment Professor of Forestry in Dublin's Royal College of Science. The plan in 1904 was that PARNELL's house would be used as a forestry school and the grounds planted with a great variety of trees to discover how they would thrive in Ireland. As HENRY predicted, the best tree candidates were conifers from the Pacific coast of North America. The grounds now include plantings of giant redwoods from CA, which live well over a thousand years, and Sitka spruce from British Columbia, trees from OR and WA - all of which have been proven to thrive in the Irish climate. Dr. MORIARTY's article contains photos including the interior of Avondale House and one old photo of a forestry team in 1904 posing proudly for the camera at Avondale. A marine biologist and writer living in Dublin, he has just published a new book, 'Dubliner's Sundaybook' (Wolfhound Press), and his 'Byways rather that Highways' column is a regular feature in the magazine. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.716 / Virus Database: 472 - Release Date: 7/9/2004