The Organic Centre in Rossinver, Co. Leitrim, will host a bigger than ever Apple Day Festival tomorrow (September 27), thanks to the support of Leitrim Tourism and Failte Ireland. 

Known as Úll Abú, the family friendly day takes place from 12:00p.m to 4:00p.m, with free entry.

The festival will celebrate Irish food, seasonal produce, resilience, local culture, and the humble apple tart.

There will be some familiar activities on the day, including: apple pressing demos and tours; a sustainable craft market; a chance to step back in time with weaving and hand spinning; as well as children’s arts and crafts, heritage games and music.

The centre will also be joined once again by furry guests from 'Big Owen Alpacas' while the Grass Roof cafe will be open with Lily, formerly of ‘Caife Bia Slainte’, at the helm.

Food producers and cooking demos

There will also be lots more this year for the crowds to enjoy.

In an add-on to the itinerary of the expanding event, the Organic Centre will have a food producers' marquee to give visitors the opportunity to meet, greet and taste local cheeses, honey, and drink, striving to build resilience and celebrate local food autonomy.

People can join inspirational chef Mike Harris of Edergole Kitchen who will host two cooking demos showcasing the apple on the day.

Nutrition and lifestyle adviser Fran Norgate will give a talk on the facts behind the health benefits of apples.

They will be joined by a line-up of expert national speakers, all with their own important stories to share, including: Charles Carr of 'The Bullaun Ark' from Co. Galway; Elaine Bradley from Irish Seed Savers in Co. Clare; and author Joanna Sweeney from Co. Sligo.

Kenneth Keavey, founder of Green Earth Organics, is also one of the headline speakers.

A passionate advocate of organics, the vegetable producer is this year celebrating the 20th anniversary of his business in Co. Galway.

Keavey is no stranger to raising concerns about food security in Ireland, a topic brought into greater focus in light of the recent extreme European and Irish summer heatwaves.

He said: "Sustainable food production as with clean energy is under pressure at a time when we need both more than ever.

"If the raging wildfires, multiple heatwaves, record-breaking temperatures and the threat that a now guaranteed 2°C of warming due to burning fossil fuels means two billion people will die by 2050 doesn’t convince us of that, I am not sure what will."

The Climate Change Advisory Council September report also relays the stark situation in Ireland.

The Irish vegetable sector has seen huge declines over recent years, with the commercial vegetable growers falling to fewer than 70, down from over 600 in the 1990s.

Keavey said: "There is now an over-reliance on imports where approximately 83% of fruit and vegetables consumed in Ireland are coming from outside the country.

Others have added their voices to the call to action, including President Catherine Connolly at the National Ploughing Championships, where she stressed that Ireland’s reliance on food imports requires “urgent attention” due to threats such as conflict and extreme weather risk on food security.

Keavey believes things are coming to a head.

"The real issue here is the fact that when there is a shortage of food due to drought or floods or whatever other climate related shocks, our food systems will be compromised.

"The simple reality is local sustainable food production is our best chance of feeding ourselves when food becomes scarce in other places," Keavey said.