Anja Murray: Discover traditional craft of hedge-laying and give hedges the respect they deserve

There are many reasons to be enthusiastic about hedges.

Hedge-layers at last years hedge-laying championships in County Offaly.

In Ireland we are very proud of our hedgerows. We give out about them, but we love them. They frame the character of our farmed landscapes, host lots of nesting birds, bring colour at every time of year, and give the impression that we have a lot more trees and woodlands than we really do. But we have been negligent in how we manage hedges, and rarely give them the kind of care and management attention that they need.

Have you ever heard of hedge-laying? This traditional craft is what keeps hedges ‘young’, it's called ‘rejuvenative’ management. Hedge-laying can be repeated cyclically, so that many of our oldest hedges are growing for hundreds of years. It’s what keeps hedges thick and stock proof, before the days of barbed wire fences.