On Bank Holiday Monday, October 25, from 2-4pm, there will be a gathering in the Franciscan Friary orchard to celebrate the apple and launch ‘Athlone Apples - At The Core of Ireland’, a project aiming to create community orchards and an edible food trail in Athlone town.
Apart from the delicious healthy fruit they provide there is also the beautiful blossom and the improvement in air quality that all trees promote. Local apple experts, Stephen Marsh and Padraig Higgins, will be in attendance along with Jeremy Turkington, Orchard Curator at Irish Seedsavers Association in Scariff, and will bring a wide selection of apples and apple trees, old and modern varieties, and will be available to answer questions on their planting, growth and care. Visitors are welcome to bring along their own apples for identification too!
The Apple Day will be green and wholesome and great fun for all the family with competitions and prizes for the tastiest apple pie, apple cake and apple chutney as well as the best home-made Halloween costume, there will be an acoustic music session, story-telling, willow basket weaving and basket repairs, mime artistry, theatre, local foods and Halloween games.
Any local musicians, apple pie or chutney aficionados or anyone passionate about apples and planting, please contact 087 7927471 if you would like to get involved!
