Former teacher helps prestigious World Flower Show to bloom

A retired teacher from West Cork is one of the architects of the prestigious 11th World Flower Show, expected to attract up to 30,000 visitors when it opens for the first time in Ireland later this month.

For the past three years, Una Fleming from Timoleague, president of the Association of Irish Floral Artists, has been one of a 10-member organising committee working assiduously on the logistics of the World Flower Show.

The event is expected to generate revenues of up to €10m for the economy during its run at the RDS.

Featuring participants from 31 countries including Russia, Barbados, India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, the US, and several European nations, the show runs from Wednesday, June 18, to Sunday, June 22.

“This is the first time it has ever come to Ireland — it goes to a different country every three years so it is unlikely to return here in our lifetime. It’s very exciting,” said Ms Fleming, a 66-year-old mother of four grown-up children who for many years worked as a teacher at Joseph’s Primary School in Clonakilty.

“There has been a lot of work put into it,” said Ms Fleming, a flower arranger since 1982 who became president of the Association of Irish Floral Artists in March. She will act as a judge at the show and also hold demonstrations on flower arranging.

The event won’t solely feature flower exhibits — a massive trade hall will have stands selling everything from books and pottery to clothing, jewellery, and crafts of all kinds.

All 29 flower clubs around Cork will be sending exhibitors to the 2014 event, entitled A Floral Odyssey. In all, there will be more than 100 Irish people among the 670 or so exhibitors at the event.

“There’s something for everyone in this,” Ms Fleming said, pointing to events such as flower arranging competitions for children up to the age of 16.

“This is a huge highlight for me in my year as president,” said Ms Fleming, who has been working with two other Cork women on the arrangements for the event — Mary O’Keeffe from Cork City and Breda Crowley of Enniskeane.

It was a major coup for Ireland to be chosen as the host nation for this prestigious international flower show, which is seen as the Olympics of flower arranging.

Both the World Flower Show and the post-show tours throughout Ireland are expected to have a very positive impact on the local economy.

Delegates will come to Ireland from as far afield as Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Uruguay, Pakistan, as well as from Northern Ireland and the UK.

Many will avail of the post-show tour packages to visit other areas of the country.

* www.wafaireland.com