Horse chestnut has become one of the most familiar trees in Ireland, even though it isn’t a native species. It settled into the landscape so naturally that most people grew up assuming it had always been here. You find it lining old estate avenues, standing in schoolyards, marking the edges of village greens and church grounds, and dropping conkers every autumn. Because of that, its connection to Ireland is less about ancient woodland and more about lived experience, the everyday places people remember.

The timber itself is pale, light, and softly grained, with a gentle character that suits bowls, boards, centrepieces, and decorative pieces. It doesn’t try to dominate the form; instead it brings a calm, clean look that reflects the slow, steady growth of Irish trees. Older horse chestnut often carries subtle shifts in tone that give each piece a quiet individuality.

Working with horse chestnut keeps a link to the familiar parts of Irish life, the trees people walked past on their way to school, the ones that marked the entrance to big houses, the ones that signalled the change of seasons. Turning it into something lasting gives new purpose to a tree that has been part of Ireland’s everyday landscape for generations.