Beech is an excellent timber for making furniture. It was brought into Ireland in the 17th Century.
Larch is very resistant to rot. This is why it is used for boat building
Sitka spruce, which is very widely planted in Ireland, has a variety of uses, from roofing timber to paper pulp. Its light colour makes it good for newsprint.
Yew trees are often seen in graveyards. They were originally planted there to stop animals digging up and eating dead bodies.
In recent years, taxol, a chemical compound extracted from yew, has been found to be effective against breast cancer.
Clogs for the feet are made from the wood of the alder tree. Because it is able to withstand the damp, alder timber was originally used in the building of bridges across the canals in Venice. Vessels used for holding milk were also made from alder.