Cleft Oak Workshop Module – Woodlands of Ireland

This event is organised by Woodlands of Ireland.

Join Woodlands of Ireland for a hands-on Cleft Oak Workshop, celebrating traditional woodland skills and the value of native Oak in Ireland’s cultural and ecological heritage on Tuesday April 21st 2026 from 10am – 4pm at Enniscoe House, Co. Mayo.

Screenshot: Oak Cleaving by Timberline in association with Teagasc – See video below for more information.

This practical workshop will introduce participants (Supporter members and the Woodland Trainees on the Operative Training course) to the age-old craft of cleaving (splitting) Oak using hand tools for a post and rail fence. Guided by an experienced facilitator, you will learn how to work with the natural grain of the timber to produce durable, high-quality pieces, while gaining an appreciation for the unique properties of native oak and its role in sustainable woodland management.

Participants will explore how cleft Oak has historically been used in fencing, furniture, and construction, and how these skills remain relevant today in supporting low-impact, locally sourced materials. The session will also highlight the connection between traditional crafts and the conservation of native woodlands.

The workshop is suitable for beginners and those with an interest in woodland crafts, heritage skills, or sustainable materials, this workshop offers a rewarding and engaging outdoor learning experience. 35-year-old windthrown Oak will be used, so it will be a smaller diameter than those featured in the photos.

Supporter members are welcome to come along to connect with Ireland’s woodland traditions and take part in keeping these valuable skills alive.

Please note, this event is for supporter members only. Become a supporter member of Woodlands of Ireland today and learn more about native woodland management and conservation.

Oak Cleaving – Traditional Wood Crafts

See the short video by Teagasc below showing large diameter Oak Cleaving in action with Dave Brickenden from Timberline. Filmed by Paul Butler, Teagasc.

Pilot Native and Semi-Natural Woodland Operative Training Course:

Woodlands of Ireland is running a pilot operative skills training course on Native and Semi-Natural Woodland. Funding for the course is provided under the Open Call for Proposals for Forestry Skills Training 2025-2026 by the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The pilot course runs on a part-time basis from October 2025 to August 2026. The training, which is a mixture of ‘in forest’ and classroom tutorials plus work experience, mainly at Enniscoe House woodland and at Laughtavary woodland, covers a broad range of woodland topics for 8 trainees to learn more about working in the area of native woodland conservation and management. Supporter members of Woodlands of Ireland have an opportunity to attend certain modules of the course in order to further develop their practical native woodland management skills. Please see a post on the March module on the topic of Tree Planting Techniques, Tools, Plant Handling and Storage, which was held on Tuesday, March 10th, and Wednesday, March 11th, during National Tree Week 2026 (March 8th – 15th) at Enniscoe House, Co. Mayo.

Woodlands of Ireland Supporter Membership

For anyone supportive of our work to promote the conservation, active management and expansion of native woodlands on the island of Ireland, you can now become a Supporter Member of Woodlands of Ireland. This means joining an all-island community of people who care deeply about our woodland’s ecological heritage.
Your support directly contributes to ensuring that Woodlands of Ireland continues to promote the protection, restoration, and active management of Ireland’s native woodlands through our training events, workshops, field trips, conferences and other networking gatherings.

See the four options available from Individual, eNgos/Community groups, to Student/Concession and Corporate/Institutional members

Charity number: 20079079 | Company number: 499781