For more than a thousand years, one tree has stood at the centre of Irish life and sport.
Ash.
It is the timber that gave hurling its most enduring nickname — the Clash of the Ash. The sound of two ash hurleys meeting in the air is one of the purest notes in Irish sport. That same timber now forms the legs and seat of every Cut Stool.
But why ash? And why does it still matter today?
Ash in Irish Culture
Ash has always been more than a useful wood in Ireland. It appears in early law texts, folklore, and the practical life of the countryside. Strong yet springy, it was the natural choice for tool handles, cart shafts, and, above all, the hurley.
The best hurleys are traditionally cut from the lower section of the tree, close to the root, where the grain naturally curves. That curve becomes the bas — the broad blade that strikes the sliotar. The same curve, refined and reimagined, now appears in the legs of The Cut Stool.
When you look at one of our stools, you are looking at a direct descendant of that tradition. The timber that once lived on the pitch now lives in the home.
What Makes Ash Special
Ash occupies a rare middle ground among hardwoods. It is tough enough to withstand repeated impact, yet flexible enough to absorb shock without snapping. It has a relatively open grain that takes oil finishes beautifully, revealing pale, clean lines and occasional darker streaks that give each piece character.
For furniture, these qualities translate into strength without heaviness, durability without stiffness, and a surface that feels warm and honest under the hand. A well-made ash stool will stand solidly for decades while still looking light in a room.
That balance is exactly why we chose it.
The Challenge of Ash Dieback
In recent years the future of Irish ash has been threatened by ash dieback disease. The fungus has already killed large numbers of trees across Europe and Ireland, and experts warn that the majority of ash may eventually be lost.
This reality makes every carefully selected board more significant. It also places a responsibility on makers who continue to work with the timber. We source our ash thoughtfully, prioritising quality and responsible supply so that the wood used in each Cut Stool respects both the tradition and the current state of the forests.
Using ash today is not an act of nostalgia. It is a conscious decision to keep working with a material that still carries meaning, while acknowledging the pressures it faces.
Why We Choose Ash for The Cut Stool
There were other woods we could have used. Many would have been easier to obtain or more uniform in appearance. None of them carried the same story.
Ash connects the stool directly to the game that inspired it. It gives the legs their spring and the seat its quiet strength. It allows the natural grain to remain visible under a simple teak-oil finish, so that each stool keeps the marks of the individual tree it came from.
When you run your hand along the curve of a Cut Stool leg, you are touching the same species of timber that has been shaped into hurleys for generations. The form has changed. The material has not.
That continuity matters to us.
The Cut Stool is not an attempt to freeze the past. It is an attempt to carry something essential from the pitch into everyday life — the resilience, the grain, and the quiet pride of ash.
Every Cut Stool begins with this timber.
Every curve still answers to it.
Explore the collection and bring a piece of that living tradition into your home.
Shop The Cut Stool → https://thecutstool.com