When I think back, allotments always seemed to me to be a typically English pursuit. I always pictured a Jack Duckworth type character from Manchester’s Coronation Street using his allotment for the dual purposes of cultivating cabbages, whilst enjoying some quality time away from his wife Vera. However, my thoughts have changed in past years as I have seen an upsurge of interest in allotment growing right here in Ireland.

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As the interest in home-produced food reaches fever pitch, a new organisation called GIY Ireland is aiming to inspire people to get growing and give them the knowledge they need to do so successfully.
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Bring along the family to Ballygroman Farm Allotments in Co. Cork and see the advantages of having your own allotment.
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Todays Irish Times newspaper (Thursday, March 26, 2009) ran an article entitled “Why growing your own food is back on the menu“, which gives a mention to Allotments.ie.

A big thank you to the writer John Gibbons.

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Have you seen this yet…. The Ideas Campaign ?

The co-founder of the Sunday Business Post, Aileen O’Toole is behind this initiative which aims to harness the minds of the country.

The blurb goes: “the Ideas Campaign is an independent initiative by citizens for citizens, designed to capture people’s ideas for stimulating Ireland ’s economy.”

“This grassroots campaign is about the positive aspects of economic activity that often receive little media attention, and the need to focus on solutions instead of the problems,” she says. “It is about setting a challenge to people to be innovative and creative.”

So basically the Ideas Campaign is about asking people for ideas to stimulate economic activity, and one of those sections is “Agriculture and Food”

Some of the ideas submitted so far relating to allotments and fruit/vegetable growing include……..

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1. My policy idea is to introduce small half acre ‘plots’ for the general population to produce their own produce - after all we are in a monetary “wartime” situation.

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2. Every town in the country should start a community garden whereby a piece of land is given by the county council to a community group who will develop the land and grow fruit and veg and subsequently have a low cost weekly market.

There is a lot of land lying idle at the moment which, if worked, could yield good food. We would be a happier nation out working in the garden in tune with one another and with nature. A community cafe could be built on the land - a simple ‘Seomra House’ where everyone could congregate for soup and eat produce from the community.

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These are not my ideas I swear , but those of others that are interested.

Although some of the ideas are a bit “happy-clappy”, I’m sure there is a basis for something substantial there.

Have a look at the site and see what you think yourself.

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Located on farmland at Beech Park, Clonsilla, Dublin 15 (Right next to Clonsilla railway station), these allotments are perfectly located for those wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
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