Gallery
Floral Art Classes
Floral Art Classes run by AOIFA were held in 3 locations around the country in 2022/23 - Galway, Dunboyne and Conna
Image Galway
Galway February 2023
The last of these classes were held in February 2023. Due to the interest and their success they will be held again in the future.
Conna February
Conna February
Dunboyne February
Dunboyne February
National Competitions Galway 2022
Our National Floral Art Competitions "Inspirational Greatness" were held in the Galway Bay Hotel from the 7-8 October.
Prizes were presented by current President Mary O'Brien and past Presidents Theresa Collins, Una Fleming, Brid Coonan and Candy Holten
Demonstrator's Accredited Day 2022
Tutor: Melanie Harris
Title: "Make it Dynamic
Venue: Anner Hotel, Thurles
AOIFA National Flower Festival 2022
Thank you to all our members who came together to make the 2022 AOIFA National Flower Festival such a brilliant success. Below are just a few of the hundreds of photos from the weekend - updates to come on our Facebook page in the coming weeks. Well done to everyone who exhibited, or contributed in any way. It was truly a sight to behold.
Welcome
Bernadette Cullen - Maynooth Flower & Garden Club
Land of Saints and Scholars
Bríd Coonan - Ennis Flower & Garden Club
Una Fleming - Clonakilty Flower Club
The Magic of Music
Nicola Desmond & Nora Lawton - Kinsale Flower & Garden Club
Malcolm Kitt - Cobh Flower & Horticulture Club
Left to Right:
Christine Hughes - AOIFA Chairperson
Cathryn O' Leary - Alzheimer Society of Ireland Representative
Fr. Liam Morgan
"So that's how it's done!"
Nicola Desmond & Candy Holten
Members of the AOIFA, Committee with artists Brian Brady, Richard Lynch & Patrick Hyland
Marie Dodrill - Sutton Floral Art Group
Times Past
Bríd Kelleher - Sutton Floral Art Group
Summer Solstice
Candy Holten - Ardee Flower Club
Mary Buckley & Pat O' Brien - Limerick Flower & Garden Club
Taking Admissions
Elizabeth Murray & Florence Higgins
Left to Right:
Florence Higgins, Elizabeth Murray, Margaret Murphy, Patrick Hyland, Mary O' Brien, Christine Hughes
Friendship Through Flowers
Eileen O' Brien - Kinsale Garden & Flower Club
God's Gift
Dunboyne Flower & Garden Club
The Crypt - Woodland Wonders
Frances Greene - Naas Flower & Garden Club
Mary Hayde - Naas Flower & Garden Club
Sylvia Smith - Trim Floral Art Club
July Day School 2022
Photos from the Day-School held July 9th in Solas Bhríde, Kildare.
Many thanks to talented tutors Alan Beatty and James Burnside.
The event was much enjoyed by all attendees - the beautiful work accomplished on the day can be seen below!
Cork Summer Show 2022
Class 701 (Novice) "Summertime"
Gold
Deirdre Ryan
Ballincollig Garden & Flower Club
Silver Gilt
Amy Dempsey
Silver
Alys Morrissey
Cobh Flower & Horticulture Club
Class 702 "Passionate About..."
Gold
Katie O' Shea
Ballincollig Garden & Flower Club
Silver Gilt
Ann Clifford
Doddervale Flower Club
Silver
Eileen O' Brien
Kinsale Garden & Flower Club
Bronze
Betty Daunt
Conna & District Flower & Garden Club
Bronze
Kathleen Barrett
Limerick Flower & Garden Club
Class 703 "Fascinating Foliage"
Gold
Carmel O' Driscoll
Clonakilty Flower Club
Silver Gilt
Elizabeth Murray
Navan Floral Art Group
Silver
Ann Hester
Cork Flower Club
Bronze
Siobhan Bowden
Kinsale Garden & Flower Club
Bronze
Beverly Buttimer
Clonakilty Flower Club
Class 704 "Recycle"
Gold
Ann Hester
Cork Flower Club
Silver Gilt
Beverly Buttimer
Clonakilty Flower Club
Silver Gilt
Helen Mullany
Cork Flower Club
Silver
Esther Ross
Owenabue Flower & Garden Club
Bronze
Anne Keniry
Conna & District Flower & Garden Club
Bronze
Nora Lawton
Kinsale Flower & Garden Club
Class 705 (Petite) "Strange But Beautiful"
Gold - Best in Show
Ann Clifford
Doddervale Flower Club
Silver Gilt
Nora Lawton
Kinsale Flower & Garden Club
Silver
Eileen O' Brien
Kinsale Flower & Garden Club
Silver
Elizabeth Murray
Navan Floral Art Group
Class 611 (U16s) - A Miniature Garden (In a Biscuit Tin Lid or Similar Sized Base)
Gold - Cian O' Brien
Silver - Sophie McCarthy
Class 612 (U16s) - Collection of Wildflowers Arranged in a Jar or Vase
Gold - Sophie McCarthy
Silver - Cian O' Brien
Silver Spoon Awards - Presented to Gold Winners in Floral Art - a revival of a tradition from the 70's, 80's and 90's
Deirdre Ryan, gold in the Novice class, receiving her spoon from Mary O’Brien president AOIFA
Katie O’Shea - Gold, Passionate about Handmade Chocolate
Ann Hester - Gold in Recycle class
Carmel O’Driscoll - Gold in Fascinating Foliage
Ann Clifford - Gold in Petite Class
Ann Clifford receiving her Best in Show award from Mary O’Brien, President AOIFA and Nicola Desmond Chairperson Floral Art & Horticulture Committee Munster Agricultural Society
Bloom 2022
Maureen Fagan with her gold and best in show exhibit in Class 2 'Phenomenal Forms'.
Ann Clifford with her Gold prize exhibit for the Petite class 'Unbridled Joy'.
Diane Gallagher and Madeline Dolan opening the 'doors' to the AOIFA Marquee on Day 1 of Bloom.
Diane wrestling with the cork to the champagne.
Happy AOIFA members
AOIFA Exhibit - "Reconnecting" created by Sutton Floral Art Group
Artists: Adrienne O'Connell Flood, Sharon O'Sullivan, Helen Kelly, Suzanne Cray, Karen O'Farrell and Maura Worthington
Close Up
Creatively Labelled
Class 1 (Novice) - "This Radiant Season"
Frances Coyne (Bronze)
Judith Clarke - South Dublin Flower Club (Bronze)
Sylvia Smith -Trim Floral Art Club (Silver)
Megumi Doody - Sutton Floral Art Group (Silver Gilt)
Marion Bentley - Naul Gardening & Flower Club (Gold)
Caroline Stewart - Co. Wexford Flower & Garden Club (Silver)
Class 2 - "Phenomenal Forms"
Maureen Fagan - Maynooth Flower Club (Gold and Best in Show)
Harumi Langford - Sth Dublin Flower Club (Silver gilt)
Monica Ionescu (Bronze)
Elizabeth Kenny - Co. Wexford Flower & Garden Club (Silver Gilt)
Brenda Joyce - Doddervale Flower Club (Bronze)
Dolores Hand - Naul Gardening & Flower Club (Silver)
Maeve Duke - Doddervale Flower Club
Avril Maher - Naas Flower & Garden Club
Marion Magee - Monaghan Flower & Garden Club
Christopher White- Naul Gardening & Flower Club (Bronze)
Maura Quirke - Naul Gardening & Flower Club
Kathleen Barrett - Limerick Flower & Garden Club (Silver)
Class 3 - "Another World"
Monica Ionescu
Angella Heffron - Cobh Flower and Horticulture Club (Bronze)
Candy Holten - Ardee Flower Club (Silver Gilt)
Christopher White - Naul Gardening and Flower Club
Paula Hore Co Wexford Flower & Garden Club (Silver)
Ann Hestor - Cork Flower Club (Bronze)
Kathleen Lynch - Co. Sligo Flower and Garden Club
Therese Kilcullen Sth Dublin Flower Club
Marie Dodrill Sutton Floral Art Group ( Silver)
Lorraine O'Brien - Sth Dublin Flower Club
Eileen Fair - Galway Flower Club
Karen Robinson Co Wexford Flower & Garden Club (Gold)
Margaret Quinn North Dublin Flower Club (Bronze)
Class 4 (Petite) - "Unbridled Joy"
Bridget Morley - Galway Flower & Garden Club
Christine Foley - Navan Floral Art Group (Silver Gilt)
Ann Hester - Cork Flower Club
Brenda Joyce - Doddervale Flower Club (Bronze)
Marie O'Leary - Castledermot Flower Club (Silver Gilt)
Margaret Quinn - North Dublin Flower Club (Silver)
Marion McGee - Monaghan Flower & Garden Club
Ann Clifford - Doddervale Flower Club (Gold)
Demonstration by Christine Hughes
Cobh Flower Club 45th Anniversary Celebration
Founder members Mary O Brien and Sheila O Shea and invited guests.
Certificates of Recognition to Mary Coleman, Sheila O' Shea and Anne Kieran.
AOIFA meets NAFAS
Back Row: AOIFA Vice Chairperson Ann Clifford, AOIFA Treasurer Elizabeth Murray, June Blake (proprietor of Garden,) Bob Holman (Bere Regis Club)
Front row: NAFAS President Michael Bowyer MBE, Diane Holman( Bere Regis Club - Dorset and Guernsey,) Yolanda Campbell (Herford Flower Guild - 3 Counties and South Wales), Area Chairperson Audrey Balderstone(Home Counties)
June Blake's Garden, Sunday 22nd May 2022
Chairpersons' Meeting 2022
The 2022 AOIFA Chairpersons' Meeting took place on Thursday May 5th in the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise.
After a very productive morning discussion, a plethora of club anniversary announcements and a lovely meal, we tried out some fun new activities including a flower-relay (which some Chairs may choose to take home to their clubs!) and finished up with a fascinating talk on Irish butterflies by Jesmond Harding, butterfly expert and author of The Irish Butterfly Book.
(Pictured - flower relay winning exhibit)
Representatives from nine clubs receiving congratulations on significant club anniversaries (details soon to come on Anniversaries page)
Breakout sessions - Malcolm Kitt (Cobh Flower & Garden Club) presents ideas from one group discussion.
Memorial candle - flowers by AOIFA Chairperson Christine Hughes
Margaret & Tim at work
Flower Relay - Some of these shots look remarkably serene, but the heat was on as groups competed against one another and the clock
Finished exhibits from the Flower Relay
Exhibits were judged by AOIFA President Mary O' Brien and the winning team were generously rewarded!
All flower relay exhibits were sent home in the raffle along with decorative floral arrangements by Christine Hughes.
Talk on Butterflies - The Chairpersons' Meeting concluded with an engaging and informative talk by Jesmond Harding about Irish butterfly species
"Celebrate" - Garden Club of Toronto
Congratulations to all AOIFA members who participated in the 75th Anniversary of the Garden Club of Toronto's Virtual Design Show, titled "Celebrate."
AOIFA AGM 2022
The 2022 AOIFA AGM was held in The Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise on Thursday March 31st 2022, finishing with a marvelous and very entertaining demonstration by David Ryland (NAFAS) titled "Garden Gleanings."
Pictured: AOIFA Chairperson Christine Hughes & Secretary Margaret Murphy
(Flowers by Karen Robinson)
Representatives from Naas Flower & Garden Club
Mary Malone & Geraldine Bowdren
NIGFAS Representatives
Vice-Chair Phyllis Boyd & Chairperson Marretta Coleman
Christopher Lynch & Christopher White
Maureen Vallely, Paula Dowling & Margaret Murphy
Beatrice Hartog & Ann Clifford
Current AOIFA President Mary O' Brien is presented
with her medal by Former President Candy Holten
President Mary O' Brien and Beatrice Hartog, Chairperson of Demonstrators' & Speakers' Committee present newly qualified Demonstrator Nora Gallagher with her medal
Representatives from Maynooth, Tralee & Fermoy Flower Clubs receive Congratulations on Club Anniversaries from President Mary O' Brien
AOIFA Webmaster Emma Champ presented with a prize for her entry in the 2021 AOIFA Virtual Poetry Competition
Nicola Desmond presented with prizes for the 2021 AOIFA Virtual Poetry Competition accepting on her own behalf and on behalf of Mary Cowhig
Cathryn O' Leary
Altzheimer Society of Ireland
Charity Partner 2021-2022
Fionnuala McManus & Margaret Quinn
Cork Summer Show Coordinator Nicola Desmond & Eileen O' Brien, Chairperson of Judges' Committee, after giving their respective reports
Demonstration: "Garden Gleanings" by David Ryland (NAFAS)
AOIFA @ Cork Christmas Show 2021 - "Ode to Christmas"
Well done to all AOIFA members who competed in the Cork Christmas Show this year. Full results below.
Class 01 - Christmas Glow
1st Place
Bertie Hennessy, Cork
2nd Place
Naomi Mulligan, Dublin
3rd Place
Anna Coakley, Cork
Very Highly Commended
Fiona Maguire, Cork
Highly Commended
Caroline Stewart, Wexford
Commended
Mary Dwyer, Kildare
Commended
Rani Doris, Dublin
Gwen Mulcahy, Kildare
Geraldine Corscadden, Kildare
Siobhán Phelan, Galway
Class 02 - An Alternative Christmas Tree
1st Place
Terri Kennedy, Dublin
2nd Place
Bridget Morley, Galway
3rd Place
Phil Daly, Kerry
Very Highly Commended
Helen O' Brien, Cork
Highly Commended
Beverly Buttimer, Cork
Commended
Esther Ross, Cork
Commended
Mary Halligan, Cork
Christine Brown, Cork
Marian Colohan, Galway
Anna Coakley, Cork
Sharon O' Sullivan, Dublin
Susan O' Neill, Cork
Marion Mcgee, Armagh
Ann Hester, Cork
Susan O' Neill, Cork
Nora Lawton, Cork
Class 03 - Seasonal Simplicity
1st Place
Paula Hore, Wexford
2nd Place
Nora Gallagher, Cork
3rd Place
Phil Daly, Kerry
Highly Commended
Esther Ross, Cork
Very Highly Commended
Betty Daunt, Waterford
Commended
Anna Coakley, Cork
Commended
Eileen O' Brien, Cork
Christine Brown, Cork
Marion Mcgee, Armagh
Helen Mullany, Cork
Breda Crowley, Cork
Rani Doris, Dublin
Helen O' Brien, Cork
Nora Lawton, Cork
Class 04 - A Season of Enchantment
1st Place
Ann Clifford, Dublin
2nd Place
Maureen Fagan, Kildare
3rd Place
Helen Mullany, Cork
Very Highly Commended
Christine Brown, Cork
Commended
Esther Ross, Cork
Class 05 - Embellished With Flair
1st Place
Marion Mcgee, Armagh
2nd Place
Eileen O' Brien, Cork
3rd Place
Bridget Morley, Galway