A 600-year-old yew tree located on the grounds of Blarney Castle in Co Cork has been named Irish Tree of the Year.
It beat off competition from trees in the Phoenix Park and Arbour Hill in Dublin, the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre in Co Meath and Castletown House in Co Kildare.
The yew tree is located in the Rock Close gardens at Blarney Castle, above a folly known as 'The Witch's Kitchen' and has long been a tourist attraction.
The folly was built by the Jeffreyes family in the 1750s under the existing yew tree.
Legend has it, the area is the home of the Blarney Witch, who first told mortals of the Blarney Stone's magic power of giving those who kiss it the gift of eloquence.
The legend is that the Witch, imprisoned by day in the Witch Stone, is released after nightfall, only to be banished again at dawn.
Head Gardener at Blarney Castle, Adam Whitbourn, described the tree as "an amazing veteran ... with a fantastic story and that's what the competition is all about.
"Personally, I'm happy to see specimen trees like this getting some recognition, especially in the current climate where such devastation is happening to woodlands around the world.
"Trees such as this represent both our past and our future, and it is our duty to look after them," he added.
The Blarney yew tree secured 42% of votes cast in the competition, which is organised by the Tree Council of Ireland.
The Blarney yew tree will now be sent forward for consideration in the European Tree of the Year awards.
