Andrew St. Ledger

That van had a life of its own. It was full to the brim with all sorts of wood pieces, tools, placards, bits of papers, notes and books. It was an art installation in itself. There would be so many accounts and stories of Andrew. My husband wrote some pages related to Andrew’s 'Angel sculpture as related to his near-drowning in 2011.
When we celebrated Andrew’s life in Pepper’s, Feakle the week after he passed, so many more stories about his extraordinary life was relayed. It was soul-healing.
I stayed in touch with Andrew, inviting him to Clomel too for the walks and talks that only he could provide. He was supposed to lead a forest walk for our students, for our eco-psychology module of the programme myself and my husband teach (and MA in Art, Psyche and the Creative Imagination, LSAD) the day before he passed. We missed him that glorious October day. In the morning he texted to instruct me about the gate and wishing me the best in leading the group. We wished him love and health in return. We were visiting what I consider was his favourite remnant, ancient oak woodland. On the previous visit, he suggested we create a large heart-shape from the fallen branches into which we could each leave our own natural tribute - of love and gratitude - for the forest and what all they mean and do for us. For me, this as one of the last things I did with Andrew, will remain as a memento mori of what he shared with all his heart. May we have the strength to see through his vision.

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This was a quality I easily recognised and respected as well as his passionate, endless dedication to educate all walks of society that he encountered or that encountered him. His attempt was to create a strong network (a league) in some ways as invisible as the mycorrhizal network of the ‘woodwide web’ – but powerfully and egolessly working to restore the life and health of the land. From this was born the Vision of the Great Forest of Aughty – that once was the majestic forest of the land around where he chose to live.
I joined the Woodland League and became secretary to the organisations for 8 years, giving it up reluctantly in 2016 but committing to return at some point. During these years there were thousands of emails and calls from Andrew. It was difficult to keep up with him and all the new people, connections and energy, the campaigns, the policy documents, the research. His network was national and global. Wherever I went, people had already met him. I learnt so much during these years on all fronts, but mostly it was an inspiration in the true meaning of the word Eicse. We had great fun too with walks and talks, experiencing so much and planning and campaigning together. There are books in that all. It was always exiting to set off with Andrew, especially in his old white van with Woodland League logo emblazoned on it. to be continued....

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The essence of those that called themselves part of the Woodland League conveyed these more than human, timeless values. This group and Andrew brought me into truly rooting into the land and being of Eire for which I will always b thankful. I did not need to be Irish to be accepted and to belong to the land I found myself and my family part of (anyway my husband is a returning Irish - one generation left, but still remained Irish in heart and soul). The Woodland League knew the forest, the water, the land was here long before people and if you accepted that and did not try to change or profit and lived in tune and reciprocally, then you are in your place and part of forest and woodland kin.
Andrew’s depth of knowledge and memory was astounding and he had a diversity of perspectives that embodied all qualities of knowledge – scientific, Brehon-historic, Ogham, socio-political (he knew all those that contributed and also detracted from the forested land Ireland was known for since ancient times), but his knowledge also included the sacred and spiritual dimensions, mythical and experienced components that is not easily found amongst environmentalists
He was very protective and a fierce campaigner of the forests he wished to restore, how it is done and the attitude that goes along with it. This set him apart from many others with a different agenda. to be continued...

Im posting this in parts as did not realise there was a wordcount.

Andrew went to the Irish Green Gathering in 2007 where I first met him.
He was with some native trees as company and dressed in cream-white shirt and pants.
I’ve had many recurring dreams of meeting with a peaceful people walking amongst trees all dressed in cream-white simple clothing. So, this outfit carried some personal intrigue and seemed timeless. Andrew had a file with him full of info and notes which he hauled out as reference – it was a ‘ledger’ that he kept like his own bible – making him look quite the prophet of sorts at the time – an enthusiastic one. It also contained the essential info on the Woodland League with the logo he designed that captured the visionary essence of three oak leaves pointing to eicse- firinne and dulra – wisdom / inspiration, truth, nature – as the three combined values of the League as a collective of mutual cooperation. Having founded this League, Andrew dedicated the rest of his life to embody it. I have been looking for quite a number of years for an environmental organisation in Ireland that would provide me with the kinship that I had with my Earthlife Africa fellows before we became the scatterlings of Africa. I tried to join many organisations in Ireland, but could not find the right combination – deep truth and rooted wisdom that truly served nature (for the sake of nature - and not humans). - to be continued...

It was indeed a privilege to have met Andrew on this earthly path. He so generously shared his immense wisdom with all who would listen. A gentle soul. May his spirit live on in the many roots and branches he sowed.

My sympathy on the passing of Andrew. He was a gentle soul and a warriors of the natural world. Telling us about the secret life of trees long before their underground communication was accepted and now common knowledge. I hope that Andrew's dream of nature conservation on a landscape scale and the re-establishment of the great native forests of the Slieve Aughtys becomes a reality for all our sake.

Sincere sympathy on Andrews passing. I remember him in particular from biodiversity events with Ted Cooke. Andrew had a very obvious deep and impressive passion for trees and the natural world. Trusting the next world can be as beautiful as this one.

So sorry to learn of Andrew's passing, a great and committed advocate for our natural world.
Sincere condolences to Andrew's family & friends.

So sad to have just heard the passing of Sledge. Fond memories of times together in the Grove. Deepest condolences to his family and friends. R. I.P. Jackie O’Sullivan Fricker

My deepest sympathies to Andrew's family on his passing, I did not know Andrew personally but through his passion and activism for our native forests I was deeply inspired. I am sad that I was not able to meet him in person. Through his wonderful work he left an indelible impression on me and on many others without doubt.

May he rest in peace

Our sincere condolences to Andrew's family. We knew Andrew for many years and worked with him on several projects. Over the years Andrew gifted us some very special trees and we will honour Andrew's memory and mission by planting many more and also will continue to hold the commercial forestry world accountable. We are sad that he is gone but happy to have such a good friend on the other side. Grá agus Solas.

Deepest heartfelt sympathy to Andrew's Mother, Sisters, Brother, and all his Family and Friends on his sad passing.

Andrew was an inspiration for his amazing work, reconnecting us to our natural and cultural heritage, highlighting our inherent interconnection with all in the natural world, and of the urgency and importance of the protection and restoration of our native trees and woodlands. He has left us all a great gift and beautiful legacy to continue.

May he rest in peace, love and light.
Ar dheis De go raibh a h'anam uasal.

Deepest Sympathy to the St. Ledger family on Andrew's passing. I did not know him personally but only through his amazing work. I feel that Ireland and the Planet had lost a True Friend.

So sorry to hear such sad news of Andrews passing. Thinking of you all at this sad time. May Andrew rest in peace.

I first saw the oldest tree in Ireland in his company, and heard of his extraordinary plans to unite the three forests into one. His passion and unrelenting dedication to task were an inspiration.
I hope all his family, friends, and colleagues will take comfort in the words of Emily Dickinson...
Unable are the loved to die
For love is immortality,

Sincere condolences to Andrew’s family and friends. Andrew left us much too soon. He was a passionate environmental activist, a skilled wood sculptor, an entertainer, a great teacher and, above all, an inspiration to all who had the honour to spend time in his company. We worked together often amongst the native trees, we built a dry-stone wall together, we attended conferences together (where Andrew always shared his strong opinions !) and we wrote submissions to government to try and improve environmental policy – for which Andrew would always come up with clear and powerful wording. He had a sense of urgency and unrelenting commitment that was hard to keep pace with, yet, when sharing his tree knowledge he was patient and inspiring. He understood and explained the importance of native trees and woodlands if we are to make a better world and he has left us with an amazing legacy that we must now build upon. Reconnecting the remnants of the Great Forest of Aughty is our starter project whilst we continue the fight for nature restoration and against destructive practices.
Thanks Andrew. Rest in peace.

I am so very sorry for your loss and for the loss of an amazing and passionate fighter for our forests and planet. I was in Ireland and got to spend a couple days filming Andrew for a video series a few years ago I was so moved by his words and dedication to Ireland’s trees and old growth forests. After the shoot we talked outside in the rain. I was so upset with the state of the planet. In our talk, he brought me so much comfort to keep the faith. And he gave me so much inspiration to persevere. Andrew is already so missed. His legacy will live on in our hearts and the work he’s done and the seeds he’s planted in our forest and our kids. My heart for you. Many hugs to all of you.

To June,thinking of you at this sad time,May your brother rest for eternity xx

Sincere condolences to Emma, June & family. So sorry to hear such sad news of Andrews passing. Thinking of you all at this sad time. May Andrew rest in peace.

Our sincerest condolences to the St. Ledger family on the very sad loss of Andy.

To all the St.Ledger family so saddened on hearing about Andrew's passing. Thinking of you all at this time .May Andrew Rest in Peace.

Thank you Andrew from all of us in 80 Max for your inspiration.2000 seeds sown, 1000 saplings planted and a nursery for future growth and for all the other projects around the country that have grown from you.Your work goes on and will continue through countless generations .Rest in Peace knowing you have played your part above and beyond the call of duty.

Sincere Condolences to Andrews Family and Friends. A great Talented & Gentle Giant. Thanks for all the happy memories Sledge.
Rest in Peace my friend.

My deepest condolences to Andy's family, he was an inspired good man. May your sense of loss be eased while walking in nature and connecting with his gentle spirit and immense heart.

Our sincere condolences to Andrew's family and friends. He was the go to man for all things trees in Ireland. He will be missed as a genuine man of great integrity and a doer, a formidable activist for trees and nature. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dilís

I offer my deepest condolences to Andrew's family and friends. I am sorry that I won't be able to make it today to offer them in person. I worked with Andrew over the last number of years and though we met infrequently we corresponded regularly. His presence, passion, knowledge and integrity were a source of great reassurance to me. His loss will be felt by many in many different ways

Sincere condolences to June and all of the St. Ledger family. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

Sincere condolences to the St. Ledger Family, colleagues and community of friends. Somewhere on his journey from acorn to mighty oak I crossed paths with Andy. No finer person could you meet. So fortunate and so sad am I.
Mise le meas.

Deepest condolences to you all at this very sad time. Rest In Peace Andrew.

Shocked and saddened to hear of Andy’s passing. A bright light gone out, Andrew was very much larger than life. Thinking of the St. Leger family at this difficult time.
Mick Windrim and brothers.

Rest in peace sledge. Condolences to all your family. Hope you breathing and enjoying the beautiful air from the tree's of the forests in the new world that comes after this one.

Only knew Andrew through some brief encounters many years ago, but enough to know he was one of the good ones. Rest in peace.

Our deepest condolences to the St. Ledger family on the sudden passing of Andrew. May you find comfort in your memories of Andrew at this sad time.

I think all of us who grew up with Andy in our lives are completely shocked that he has gone. Its true I did not see you as much in recent years but all our memories are of the many good times we had with you Sledge. Your endless wit, I've cracked up so many times in your company and your lovely charm. You were thoughtful, bringing little gifts on many a Christmas Night at No 59 when we all laughed till the early hours. So many memories and moments..from our teens, our 20s, 30s and on...you will never be forgotten. Deepest condolences to the St. Ledger family. May he Rest in Peace over the Rainbow. Burkes 59 Beaumont Crescent.

I am very sorry to learn of Andrew’s untimely passing.
Both myself and my son, Dion send our deepest sympathy to all of Andrew’s family and friends.

Sincerest sympathies to the St. Ledger family on the untimely passing of Andrew. May he rest in peace.

rest in peace sledge
condolences to the st ledger family

You will be sadly missed Andrew.
Thank you for all that you shared and cared for.

We are devastated by the sad news about the passing of Andrew, one of the most passionate and inspiring forest conservation activists we ever knew. We worked frequently with him through the Global Forest Coalition. He gifted us with both a courageous fight against monoculture tree plantations, and a lot of wisdom and direct experience with genuine forest restoration. He will be dearly missed by environmental activists all over the world; The planet has lost one of its most wonderful creatures. We wish all his close friends and family a lot of strength to cope with this terrible loss.

The mighty oak - scattered many acorns of wisdom
throughout mighty seasons of growth,
before untimely return to Earth's embrace.

May these mighty acorns now take root & grow,
for mighty woodlands to become established,
where Andrew's gentle spirit may live on.....
💚

Condolences to all Andrews family and friends. May he rest in peace

Rest well Sledge x

My deepest condolences to the St. ledger family, and all who loved Andrew, as I did. I was blessed to have met him in 2001, when he immediately captivated me with his warmth, sincerity and wisdom. Vision can be a curse, and Andrew clearly saw, more than any of us, the perils unleashed in our world. He stood tall and fought them head on, as strong, proud and graceful as any Celtic warrior. There were no days off, no holidays or working from home, no retirement. Andrew was alway on duty - always at war - always inspiring. I'm sure there will be no rest in the otherworld for him either, but may he rest here in Peace now. Goodbye old friend.

Sad news this morning. A mighty oak has fallen indeed. Andrew was the first to give tree advice here in the farm. We are deeply saddened by his passing.

Very very sad to hear of the loss of Andrew. He was a lovely man and a passionate advocate for native woodlands.

Andrew was a mighty oak. Devastated to hear he has fallen. I had the absolute privilege of an afternoon walk through the Forest of Aughty with Andrew and I have never looked at a tree or a grove or a forest --or run off from the forestry plantations--in the same way since. RIP Andrew.

Andrew was a wonderful advocate for Irish woodlands and particularly passionate about the ancient woodlands of East Clare. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

Andrew was a passionate advocate and committed member of the environmental pillar. However, first and foremost someone of integrity and decency in all his engagements and a true gentleman and I extend my sincerest sympathies to his family and colleagues in the pillar.

Had the privilege of hearing Andrew speak at an event in Tuamgraney several years ago. Such passion. A big loss.

I'm sorry to hear the news of the passing of Andrew St. Ledger; a great champion for nature in Ireland.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this sad time.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dilís.

Andrew St. Ledger was passionate about Irish woodlands. I witnessed this first-hand through his contributions to the Forestry Policy Group and the invaluable advice he shared on the COFORD Council.

His passing is a great loss. May he rest in peace

Heartfelt Condolences to Andrews family on his passing. A true gentleman may he Rest in Peace

Deep condolences to all Andrew's family and friends. What a rich and inspiring legacy he has left us. Rest in peace Andrew

My deepest sympathies to the St. Ledger family on the loss of Andrew. A gentleman. He was taken too soon . May all his passion and advocacy for biodiversity live on

My sincere sympathies to Andrew's Family and friends. He used to borrow books from me when I worked at Tulla Library and I often ordered in books from Libraries around the Country for him which were out of print on trees and the environment. I was always fascinated by his passion for nature and the environment. He will be greatly missed. Rest in Peace Andrew.

My sincere sympathies to Andrews family on his sudden passing. May he Rest in Peace and the Woodlands sing his praise.

So sorry for the loss of such a beautiful man, condolence to St. Ledger family. R I P Andrew.

I was shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Andrew this week.
A brilliant artist, furniture maker and native woodland manager. He had incredible interest in nature and in particular ancient Irish history. He had great knowledge of the ancient woodlands of Ireland and in particular the Slieve Aughty mountains where Brian Boru used to reside when our Viking friends were visiting.
We became friends over the years and I loved his storytelling and views on life. We often differed on forestry matters but the more time I spent with him the more I saw his perspective on life and nature.
My Dad passed away a few months ago and on the evening of his burial our family and friends had a sing song in my Dads local pub. In memory of my Dad, Andrew sang Wandering Aengus a beautiful and enchanting poem by Yeats.
‘And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done,
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.’
May he rest in peace.

Sincere sympathy on the passing of Andy. I remember him fondly from our student nurse days in ‘80’s
What a lovely guy. RIP

Deepest sympathies to the St. Ledger family on the sad and untimely passing of Andrew.
Andrew's contribution to the environment and the woodland league was immense. His knowledge and dedication to preserving our native woodlands will always be remembered. We as a community are saddened by his loss.
Ar dheis dé go raibh a anam dílis.