Gold medals for Cavan at Bloom!
Two Cavan men have been awarded gold medals for their garden designs in Bord Bia's 12th Annual Bloom Festival.
Garden designer Barry Kavanagh, from Bailieborough, took gold for his entry ‘Resistance, a garden for Trócaire’; while Cormac O’Reilly of O’Reilly Nurseries, from Mountnugent, County Cavan, also took a gold medal.
They were included among the 113 awards presented to garden designers, plant nurseries and floral artists from all around the country. After two days of judging, organisers announced the overall Show Garden winner as Andrew Christopher Dunne for his ‘Sustainable Seafood Garden’ in association with Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) garden.
Local winning entries
Resistance, a garden for Trócaire, designed by Barry Kavanagh (from Bailieborough) and sponsored by Trócaire represents the plight of Human Rights and Environmental Defenders in the countries of Guatemala, Honduras, Zimbabwe and Palestine. Designed by previous Bloom Gold Medal winner, Barry Kavanagh from Bailieborough, it will provide a platform for Trocaire to engage in conversation with visitors about its work with Human Rights Defenders.
The garden is broken up into four primary areas of geographical representation; clockwise: from left Palestine: back left – Guatemala: back right - Zimbabwe and front right - Ireland. It also features pieces of art by Ciaran ‘Yohan’ Brennan, including a mural that represents Trócaire’s work in Israel and Palestine and a sculpture of a young boy with scorched tree trunks as legs. A digital screen depicts those who have lost their lives while defending both human and environmental rights – including some 188 people in 2017 alone.
Barry Kavanagh from Bailieborough in Cavan teaches horticulture and design with the Cavan-Monaghan Education Training Board. Barry also founded a social enterprise called Nature's PATCH Network Ltd in 2015 which provides services to community groups for the formation of landscape and biodiversity plans for towns and villages. He designed two postcard gardens at Bloom in 2013 and 2014, and was commissioned to create a show garden in 2016.
Nursery Awards
More than 30 plant nurseries from around the country are exhibiting in the Floral and Nursery pavilion at Bloom 2018 and their displays are all judged. A gold medal was also awarded to Cormac O’Reilly from O’Reilly Nurseries, Mountnugent, Co. Cavan.
The judging panels for Bloom 2018 comprised of 14 Irish and international horticultural experts, who today announced a raft of 113 awards for show garden designers, nurseries, floral artists and amateur garden designers including 35 Gold, 22 Silver Gilt, 19 Silver, 24 Bronze and 13 certificates of commendation.
Bord Bia's Bloom opened at the Phoenix Park Dublin today and continues until Monday, June 4. Tickets are on sale now on Ticketmaster and can also be purchased on the gate. Onsite tickets with concessions for during the week start from €21. Returning sponsors for this year’s event include FBD Insurance, Irish Independent and the Office of Public Works.
For more information visit www.bloominthepark.com or follow Bloom on Facebook and Twitter @bloominthepark