Claregalway Castle welcomes all to the wonderful annual Galway Garden Festival on Saturday and Sunday July 6-7 from 11 to 6pm.
This unique and charming event has something for all. A wonderful gathering of Ireland's best rare and special plant traders, expert speakers, artisan food and craft producers, as well as a host of musical entertainment and open-air performance.
This year they welcome many new contributors. The Galway Garden and Flower Club joins the Festival with their Summer Show and will run a series of floral, horticultural and photographic competitions (open to all entrants; contact via [email protected] ). The Corrib Lacemakers (Lásadóirí na Coiribe ) will have a spectacular exhibition in the Long Hall and demonstrations of traditional techniques.
Each handmade piece draws its inspiration from the culture, heritage, landscape, flora and fauna of Galway. The Irish Botanic Artists association will feature many new and established names.
Entertainment includes a delightful new show by ‘Yer Mans Puppets’ twice each day. You can also enjoy the zany performances of Gusto from Fanzini ‘s Circus. Nemo the Magician will be up to his usual tricks throughout the weekend and – for unforgettable surreal street theatre for all ages- don’t miss Marco the Alchemist.
Music
Music programme includes the Silver Moon Quintet, Galway’s much loved St Patrick's Brass Band, the Galway Baytones, the Claregalway Community Choir and the Pocket Jazz Orchestra.
The Botanic Art Exhibition is a well-established attraction at the festival featuring the work of many of Irelands best known Artists; many of the paintings are for sale, along with limited edition prints. This exhibition will be launched at 7pm on Friday, July 5 by Dr Marina Levitina, founder of the Lough Grainey Nature Sanctuary.
Food and Craft of the highest quality are a major part of this eclectic Festival. Freshly cooked foods will be available from Handsome Burger, Bartollini Pizza, Sian Premium Street Food, and more. Handmade crafts and Artisan foods are available and include the best of Galway County Councils ‘Made in Galway’ group.
Guest speakers on Saturday will include —
1230 Seona Tully, Horticulturist and passionate hobbyist – “Indoor plants – an introduction to semi hydroponics – no soil, no pots, no problem”
1300 Jimi Blake, Award-winning Plantsman and creator of Hunting Brook garden, – “My favorite flowers for a Summer border; use of colour and plant selection for spectacular combinations”
1400 Colm O’Driscoll, Head Gardener at Lismore Castle – “Lismore Castle and Nature inspired gardening”
1500 Karen Williams, award winning garden designer and Bloom Gold medalist – “Flower farmers of Ireland and designing for Bloom”
On Sunday -
1300 Fionnuala Fallon, Irish Times journalist, flower farmer and wedding florist – “Gardening for all seasons”
1400 Klaus Laitenberger - well-known Organic gardener, author, teacher, garden restorer and seed supplier.
1500 Christopher White, Chelsea Flower Show and Bloom Gold medalist and creator of 3 Lights Nursery will conduct “The Rose and Dahlia Gardeners Workshop”
Specialist nurseries-
This year sees a very large representation from Irelands best plantspeople and will include Boyne Garden (best in show Bloom ), Rare Plants Ireland, Coldblow Nursery, Leaf and Petal, Kilmurray, Irish Fuchsia, Mulhall Obelisks, Dangan Nurseries, Air Plants, Cottage Garden Plants, Harry White Flowers, Sprout Plants and Flower Farmers of Ireland.
The 2024 Galway Garden Festival takes place between 11am and 6pm on Sat/Sunday, July 6th-7th at Claregalway Castle. Entry €15; €10 seniors and students and children under 16 free; gate profits to CBM Ireland (Christian Blind Mission ). ree parking close-by or use Bus Eireann (www.expressway.ie ) - Routes 52 and 64 run regularly from Galway City. So come to Claregalway for a very special weekend! Thank you, Galway County Council, for supporting this event.
A chance to see this life-filled castle
Eamonn O'Donoghue has funded and overseen the restoration of Claregalway Castle for the past quarter century, bringing in some of Europe's top stonemasons and conservationists to ensure that the castle is returned to its original state. In the process, he had to overcome many obstacles in his mission to ensure that the castle was restored to the style in which it was constructed.
When he acquired the castle in 2000, the building was in danger of collapse. The roof of the castle had been removed in 1653, following the famous Siege of Galway by Cromwellian forces. Mature trees sprang from the upper floors and the stone work was under threat. A major reconstruction programme was drawn up under conservation architect David Johnson, a former inspector of national monuments with The Office of Public Works.
Eamonn never forgot the childhood picnic shared with his brothers and sisters and parents beside the bridge at Claregalway Castle. His father, Tom, a Toomevara man, a great hurler, and a civil engineer with Cork County Council, had a passion for Ireland's romantic ruins. A photograph was taken of all seven O'Donoghues lined up grinning at the bridge. The family still have it at their Cork home. But Tom's passion passed on to several of his children. Eamonn studied medicine in Cork, and archaeology under Michael J O'Kelly, the man who brilliantly interpreted the ancient tombs at Newgrange.
Shortly after his appointment as ophthalmic surgeon to the Western Health Board (HSE ), Eamonn set out to find the castle. He had no idea where it was, except that it was near the city. He drove out every approach road to Galway until one evening there it was — a vast crumbling tower, ivy-clad, with ruined buildings within its courtyard, exactly as he remembered it as a child.
And now, 25 years later, the restoration programme is complete on this important 15th century tower house; one of the largest and most significant tower houses in the west of Ireland. At the Festival, visitors can get a close view of the sympathetic restoration programme carried out by master builder Micheal Herwood from Cloonacauneen and French stonemason Jean Baptise Maduit.
For further info and programme announcements, see www.galwaygardenfestival.com
