No cutting of Christmas tree tradition in Kilmainhamwood

Long before the Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway opened in Kilmainhamwood, many locals already knew about the stunning views over Whitewood Lake as you walked along the old railway line.

They knew this from their annual trek to pick a Christmas tree from local grower Joe Gogarty. While much of the railway was completely overgrown, a small section between the old Kilmainhamwood train station, and Joe's magical forest of Christmas trees was kept clear and every year families walked along the tracks and spent a happy hour wandering among the conifers debating the merits of various trees. Once the big decision was made, Joe would cut it down and bag it for you.

For many north Meath families it is very much a tradition that is observed every year and Joe told how some families have been coming so long he has seen little children now come back as teenagers, while some families make a day of it, bringing a picnic and hot chocolate.

In the past year, the tracks have been lifted along the railway and in their place, the latest section of the Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway is now open, a wonderful amenity for the local area and one that is also attracting visitors from further afield.

For families coming to pick their tree this year, they can now walk along the greenway to the little forest overlooking Whitewood Lake where Joe's Christmas trees grow.

A printer all his life, Joe now 80, ran a printing business from the former Kilmainhamwood Train Station before retiring in 2009. The station building remains the base for his annual Christmas tree operation.

It was back in the eighties that Joe decided to grow some Christmas trees as a hobby and recalled that he sold his first three trees in 1984. Over the years the business has gradually grown and Joe's grandson Eoin Reynolds from Kildalkey is now in partnership with him but is very much still a small, family business.

Now known as 'G'n'R Trees', as well as using the initials of Gogarty and Reynolds, it is also a play on the initials of the Great Northern Railway.

Eoin (24), said that ever since he was a child, he would help out his grandad with the trees in the run up to Christmas and always had a great interest. He went into partnership with his grandad in 2019 and when he's not cutting and delivering trees, in his day job, he works in AI and scanning of cows for farmers.

This year, the first Christmas trees for foliage were cut the week after Halloween and last week the first tree proper of the season was cut. Joe and Eoin supply Christmas tree sellers from around the region and as far away as Carlingford, Co Louth and Ballymahon in Longford.

Joe's daughter and Eoin's mum, Anita Reynolds, also sells their trees from her pop-up Christmas shop at Shanco, Ballivor every Christmas. An art teacher for 25 years, Anita gave up teaching to become a full-time artist and is secretary of the new Meath Creative Collective 'Meathmade.com'. Her annual pop-up shop features her ceramics and textiles and items from a number of local craftspeople.

For anyone looking to buy their Christmas tree from G'n'R, there are a range of pre-cut trees at the old station in Kilmainhamwood, or you walk down to the field and choose your own and Joe or Eoin will cut it down for you.

Or if you want to make sure to have your pick of trees but don't want to put up one too early, get a label in the office, write your name and mark your tree. Then you can have it cut down at a later stage.

Proud grandfather Joe said he is delighted to have Eoin join him in the business and continue on the tradition. "He is the driving force behind it now. I am stepping back a bit. He's the future now, I'm the past," he laughed.