Seeds and Seed Saving Workshop - Síolta Chroí, Carrickmacross

What to Expect

Conor O’Kane leads a full day on saving your own seed at Síolta Chroí outside Carrickmacross on Saturday 3 October 2026, from 10am to 4pm. Early October is the right end of the season for it, with the summer crops finished and the seed ready to come off them.

The work is hands-on and specific. Participants harvest and process seed from summer squashes, kales and tomatoes, three crops that each need a different method, and get practice with proper kit including a seed vacuum cleaner and broad bean sorting. Around that sits the wider argument: why genetic diversity matters in a home garden or on a farm, how locally saved seed adapts to local conditions and a changing climate, and how community seed networks and seed sovereignty campaigns work here and internationally. Everyone goes home with roughly 30 varieties of seed in packets, which is a substantial part of the value on its own. It suits home gardeners, growers, allotment holders, environmental volunteers and community educators. Pricing is Síolta Chroí’s usual three tiers: €90 subsidised, €120 standard and €150 contributive, all identical in content, with materials and instruction included.

Good to Know

• Date and time: Saturday 3 October 2026, 10am to 4pm
• Venue: Síolta Chroí, Áth an Chlocháin, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan
• Price: €90 subsidised, €120 standard, €150 contributive
• Facilitator: Conor O’Kane
• Included: instruction, materials, hands-on practice with professional tools, and around 30 seed varieties to take home
• Booking: through Eventbrite, places limited
• Dress for outdoor and indoor work in early October

Getting There

Síolta Chroí is at Áth an Chlocháin in the countryside outside Carrickmacross in south Monaghan. Carrickmacross sits on the N2 about 90 minutes north of Dublin and a little over an hour from Belfast, and is also reachable from the M1 through Ardee. From the town it is a short drive on local roads to the centre. There is no public transport to the site, so drive, or bus to Carrickmacross and take a lift or taxi for the last few miles. Parking is on site. Use the Eircode supplied with your booking confirmation rather than searching the townland name.