This time last year we were still recovering from storm Éowyn. I live just south of Mace Head, which recorded the strongest winds during the storm, and like so many areas we were without electricity, wifi, etc for days, even weeks.

While the winds brought down numerous electricity poles, most of the damage to the network was caused by falling trees. In some instances the trees fell against wires and in others the wires were entangled in the upper branches.

Trees also blocked roads and even entrances and exits to homes and farmyards. Chainsaws were in demand and neighbours came together to clear the huge amount of timber that lay across roads, yards and houses.

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In the intervening 12 months, many of the fallen trees have been chopped up to season for firewood and branches shredded for mulch. Fear of what could happen in another storm has seen thousands of large trees also cut down. Just this week, there were a number of larger trees felled in a nearby village.

As I drove past I was surprised to see an old cottage in a field. This was, until now, completely hidden by the very large evergreen trees. Many homeowners are now enjoying increased light that was previously blocked particularly by evergreens. But I am hoping that the fear of another storm and increased brightness will not deter people from replanting trees.

Why plant trees? They are a great windbreak which is really important with predictions of more frequent storms. By picking trees based on their final height and then planting them the correct distance from houses, they work as a windbreak without threatening your home.

If you plant flowering trees like crab apples, or elder you will encourage pollinators. You’ll also have free ingredients to make elderflower cordial and crab apple jelly

They will bring birds and other wildlife right into your garden. I have a Rowan tree outside my window and every autumn I get great joy watching it full of thrushes and blackbirds stuffing themselves with the berries.

If you plant flowering trees like crab apples, or elder you will encourage pollinators. You’ll also have free ingredients to make elderflower cordial and crab apple jelly. Apple, pear, plum and hazel trees are all small enough for an urban garden and will give you fruit and nuts.

Planting trees is not just good for you but good for the entire planet – trees are often called the lungs of the earth. They take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen and are a carbon sink adding to the reduction of greenhouse gases.

They also filter pollution and the roots absorb water thus reducing runoff and flooding. Planting trees sounds like a no-brainer, doesn’t it?

Now is a great time to plant bareroot trees. How and where we plant will hopefully ensure we don’t have the issues we have just lived through. There are so many lovely native trees to plant that will not grow so tall or wide as to threaten our homes.

From the pretty spindle at 2-3m, to our beloved hawthorn at 6-7m, the slender birch at 20m and the massive oak which can grow to 40m, there really is one for everyone in the audience or garden.

Plant the trees the same distance from the house as their final height and needless to say, don’t plant them under overhead wires.

You could also plant a mixed hedge and keep it topped to the desired safe height. I can tell you from experience that a hedge of mixed hawthorn and blackthorn is a great deterrent to the neighbour’s wandering ewes.

In a final bid to convince you to plant more trees I’ll remind you of their special place in our heritage. As we celebrate St Brigid’s Day, I’m reminded of her connection with the oak tree.

She chose an oak tree as the location for her abbey in Kildare, hence the name Cill Dara, Church of the Oak. The hawthorn or fairy bush has such a special place in Irish folklore that major roads were diverted rather instead of cutting one down.

Ogham is the earliest form of writing in Ireland and the original eight letters were named after birch, alder, willow, oak, hazel, pine, ash and yew.

I’ll leave you with this quote: “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit.”