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Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘Lots of colour, great atmosphere': Sunshine returns to Bord Bia Bloom as thousands turn out for second day
While the opening day had been hit by rain, 'real Bloom weather' as some called it, returned yesterday and brought with it a smell of sunscreen in the air. It was the first day of Bloom for Aisling Newe, from Co Galway, who praised the 'vibes' and the exhibits on display. 'I'm loving the show gardens – judging them as if I know, like an expert here. But they're really good, to see what they could do with such small spaces. It's really inspiring.' She found the Bee Happy wildlife garden – which won a silver medal and was the winning garden on RTÉ One's Super Garden – the most inspiring. Ms Newe said she came to the festival for a 'bit of inspiration for the future'. 'I don't have green fingers, but I like to think I have. I love a lot of indoor plants, so I am interested in plants… I'd love a really nice garden like this.' Fionnuala and Emmet Savage from Dublin, who were wandering through the gardens with two big bags of plants, most definitely do have green fingers. 'I can't believe the amount of vendors since I was here first, which was probably about six or seven years ago,' Mr Savage said. 'Feels like it's about 10 times larger than the first time we were here, between food and natural producers, and then, of course, plants. 'I enjoyed walking through the model gardens, but I just enjoy walking through the place and absorbing the summer atmosphere.' His wife, Fionnuala, who was looking for gardening inspiration, said: 'It's elevated again this year. More space, bigger, and everything is just fabulous. Very impressive.' ADVERTISEMENT The best show garden for Anita Deane and Margaret Deane Carolan was Nature's Symphony: Celebrating Organic Growth, which pays homage to the Bloom patron, President Michael D Higgins. 'The Michael D Higgins garden is fabulous, you can smell seaweed,' Ms Deane Carolan said. 'Lots of colour, great atmosphere.' Always the biggest attraction of the festival, the 21 show gardens were all designed with sustainability in mind and incorporating environmental measures. Many visitors admiring them were chatting with their designers and asking for gardening advice. The Repak Most Sorted Garden won the overall large garden category award and was very popular with the public, and designer James Purdy said winning the gold feels like a 'recognition for your hard work'. 'It's not normal to put wine bottles, crushed cans and old brick in a garden and make it look beautiful. So I'm glad I've got it over the line well,' he said. In his garden, he wanted to 'look for the beauty in recycled, refined and reused materials'. Another winner was The European Commission's Renewed Blooms Garden, designed by David Negus from Suffolk, England, who won the overall medium garden category award. It is his first time at Bloom, and he said it felt 'surreal' to win the award for his garden, which features a discarded railway track. 'When you're self-employed, like I am, it's actually really nice, because I haven't got anyone telling me if I'm doing well. It's just me, my own brain,' he said. 'So it's really nice to do an event like this and say: 'Oh, I kind of know what I'm doing'. It kind of reaffirms that.' Designer Alan Rudden, who created The Pot Gallery Garden, won the overall small garden category award – his ninth gold medal in 10 years of attending the festival. The Rainbow Brick Balcony Garden, designed by Gary Kirwan as a tribute to Lego, and the How To Train Your Dragon Garden, designed by Tunde Perry and Barry Kavanagh, were especially popular among the visitors. Benny Magennis, from Co Monaghan, designed The Early Bird Catches the Worm garden, sponsored by the Marie Keating Foundation, and won a silver-gilt award. 'Bloom is a great day out. It's very inspiring for people. They're asking for advice all the time. That's all part of it,' Mr Magennis said.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Branding those opposed to Netanyahu policies as anti-Semitic is ‘slander', says Michael D Higgins
Michael D Higgins said accusations that those who criticise the policies of Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu are 'anti-Semitic' is a 'slander'. He said the 'slander' had been used against Ireland and individuals including himself. Speaking at the Bord Bia Bloom in Phoenix Park, Dublin, the President said there was an active campaign against Ireland in the United States . He said that it 'breaks my heart' that there were countries that were holding back on a ceasefire. READ MORE Mr Higgins said that more than 81 per cent of the people in Gaza had been displaced. 'They have been put into temporary accommodation that has been bombed. Their soil is being destroyed,' he said. 'Their hospitals have been bombed.' Mr Higgins, who last visited Gaza in 2006, was critical of the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, saying it was an 'entirely unaccountable body' whose executive director resigned. Jake Wood, the American heading the foundation, unexpectedly resigned, saying it had become clear that the foundation would not be allowed to operate independently. Mr Higgins said: 'One of the things you should look at is what is in the boxes they are distributing. Far from me to speak about any delay in anyone getting any relief, but they are branded products for the future private sector of retail. 'Look at the wrappings. Imagine giving a starving person something wrapped in your own brand so that you will have opportunities in the future.' He also said those who were seen to criticise Mr Netanyahu's policies were being described as anti-Semitic. 'That is a disgrace and a slander and has been a slander against Ireland, against individuals, including myself,' he said. 'People who have worked all their lives in relation to human rights activity. 'I think it has been given too much space. 'The idea that propaganda can pay against Ireland is now active in the United States, so that when we are seeking to have meetings with people who are investing in Ireland, they are being contacted in advance with a suggestion by saying, 'You must open why is Ireland so against the US position in Israel'.' He also repeated comments in which he urged the UN General Assembly to use its special powers to override the Security Council if it fails to act in Gaza. 'Now is the time, today is the day for food and medical aid and water to be made available,' he said.
The Independent
4 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Branding those opposed to Netanyahu policies antisemitic is ‘slander'
Irish President Michael D Higgins said accusations that those who criticise the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are 'antisemitic' is a 'slander'. He said the slander has been used against Ireland and individuals, including the president himself. Speaking at the Bord Bia Bloom in Phoenix Park in Dublin, Mr Higgins said there is an active campaign against Ireland in the United States. He said that it 'breaks my heart' that there are countries who are holding back on a ceasefire. Mr Higgins said that more than 81% of the people in Gaza have been displaced. 'They have been put into temporary accommodation that has been bombed. Their soil is being destroyed,' he added. 'Their hospitals have been bombed.' Mr Higgins, who lasted visited Gaza in 2006, also spoke about the importance of the bakeries in the region. And he was critical of the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, saying it was an 'entirely unaccountable body', whose executive director resigned last week. Jake Wood, the American heading the foundation, unexpectedly resigned earlier this week, saying it had become clear that the foundation would not be allowed to operate independently. Mr Higgins added: 'One of the things you should look at is what is in the boxes they are distributing. Far from me to speak about any delay in anyone getting any relief but they are branded products for the future private sector of retail. 'Look at the wrappings. Imagine giving a starving person something wrapped in your own brand so that you will have opportunities in the future.' He also said that those who are seen to criticise Mr Netanyahu's policies are being described as antisemitic. 'That is a disgrace and a slander and has been a slander against Ireland, against individuals, including myself,' he said. ' People who have worked all their lives in relation to human rights activity. I think it has been given too much space. 'The idea that propaganda can pay against Ireland is now active in the United States, so that when we are seeking to have meetings with people who are investing in Ireland, they are being contacted in advance with a suggestion by saying, 'you must open why is Ireland so against the US position in Israel'.' He also repeated comments in which he urged the UN General Assembly to use its special powers to override the Security Council if it fails to act in Gaza. 'Now is the time, today is the day for food and medical aid and water to be made available,' he added.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Branding those opposed to Netanyahu policies antisemitic is 'slander', says President Higgins
President Michael D Higgins said accusations that those who criticise the policies of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu are 'antisemitic' is a 'slander'. He said the slander has been used against Ireland and individuals, including the president himself. Speaking at the Bord Bia Bloom in Phoenix Park in Dublin, President Higgins said there is an active campaign against Ireland in the United States. He said that it 'breaks my heart' that there are countries who are holding back on a ceasefire. President Higgins said that more than 81% of the people in Gaza have been displaced. 'They have been put into temporary accommodation that has been bombed. Their soil is being destroyed,' he added. 'Their hospitals have been bombed.' President Higgins, who last visited Gaza in 2006, also spoke about the importance of the bakeries in the region. And he was critical of the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, saying it was an 'entirely unaccountable body', whose executive director resigned last week. Jake Wood, the American heading the foundation, unexpectedly resigned earlier this week, saying it had become clear that the foundation would not be allowed to operate independently. President Higgins added: 'One of the things you should look at is what is in the boxes they are distributing. Far from me to speak about any delay in anyone getting any relief but they are branded products for the future private sector of retail. 'Look at the wrappings. Imagine giving a starving person something wrapped in your own brand so that you will have opportunities in the future.' President Higgins, who last visited Gaza in 2006, also spoke about the importance of the bakeries in the region. He also said that those who are seen to criticise Mr Netanyahu's policies are being described as antisemitic. 'That is a disgrace and a slander and has been a slander against Ireland, against individuals, including myself,' he said. 'People who have worked all their lives in relation to human rights activity. I think it has been given too much space. 'The idea that propaganda can pay against Ireland is now active in the United States, so that when we are seeking to have meetings with people who are investing in Ireland, they are being contacted in advance with a suggestion by saying, 'you must open why is Ireland so against the US position in Israel'.' He also repeated comments in which he urged the UN General Assembly to use its special powers to override the Security Council if it fails to act in Gaza. 'Now is the time, today is the day for food and medical aid and water to be made available,' he added.
BreakingNews.ie
4 days ago
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Branding those opposed to Netanyahu policies antisemitic is ‘slander'
President Michael D Higgins said accusations that those who criticise the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are 'antisemitic' is a 'slander'. He said the slander has been used against Ireland and individuals, including the president himself. Advertisement Speaking at the Bord Bia Bloom in Phoenix Park in Dublin, Mr Higgins said there is an active campaign against Ireland in the United States. He said that it 'breaks my heart' that there are countries who are holding back on a ceasefire. Mr Higgins said that more than 81 per cent of the people in Gaza have been displaced. 'They have been put into temporary accommodation that has been bombed. Their soil is being destroyed,' he added. Advertisement 'Their hospitals have been bombed.' Mr Higgins, who lasted visited Gaza in 2006, also spoke about the importance of the bakeries in the region. And he was critical of the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, saying it was an 'entirely unaccountable body', whose executive director resigned last week. Jake Wood, the American heading the foundation, unexpectedly resigned earlier this week, saying it had become clear that the foundation would not be allowed to operate independently. Advertisement Mr Higgins added: 'One of the things you should look at is what is in the boxes they are distributing. Far from me to speak about any delay in anyone getting any relief but they are branded products for the future private sector of retail. 'Look at the wrappings. Imagine giving a starving person something wrapped in your own brand so that you will have opportunities in the future.' He also said that those who are seen to criticise Mr Netanyahu's policies are being described as antisemitic. 'That is a disgrace and a slander and has been a slander against Ireland, against individuals, including myself,' he said. Advertisement 'People who have worked all their lives in relation to human rights activity. I think it has been given too much space. 'The idea that propaganda can pay against Ireland is now active in the United States, so that when we are seeking to have meetings with people who are investing in Ireland, they are being contacted in advance with a suggestion by saying, 'you must open why is Ireland so against the US position in Israel'.' He also repeated comments in which he urged the UN General Assembly to use its special powers to override the Security Council if it fails to act in Gaza. 'Now is the time, today is the day for food and medical aid and water to be made available,' he added. Advertisement
