Leitrim’s Organic Centre ‘honoured’ to meet President Catherine Connolly during Sligo visit

Aaron McGowan, Head Gardener at the Organic Centre and Communications Officer Dervilla Keegan with President Catherin Connolly.

placeholder image — Aaron McGowan, Head Gardener at the Organic Centre and Communications Officer Dervilla Keegan with President Catherin Connolly.

Representatives from the Organic Centre presented President Catherine Connolly with a hamper of locally produced goods during her visit to the Showgrounds, home of Sligo Rovers FC, on January 16.

Representatives from the Organic Centre in Rossinver have said they were honoured to meet the President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly, during a recent visit to Sligo.

President Connolly visited the Showgrounds, home of Sligo Rovers FC, on Friday, January 16, following an invitation in acknowledgement of partnership work taking place in 2025.

The Leitrim-based charity has been operating a pilot vegetable box scheme in collaboration with the ‘Rovers in the Community’ group.

Rovers in the Community carries out outreach work with a wide range of groups, including people with disabilities, individuals from different ethnic minorities, and people of all ages, promoting inclusion through football.

During the visit, staff from the Organic Centre had the opportunity to speak about their work and to present the President with a hamper highlighting some of the finest local products from Leitrim and Sligo.

The hamper included the Organic Centre’s apple juice, which the President had already enjoyed while on the campaign trail, Edwina Guckian’s Sparks from the Flagstones, Glenaniff honey produced by bees kept on the grounds of the centre, Rainbow Candles, Carrig Fhada Atlantic seaweed bath, and Potmarigold handmade soap.

President Connolly also expressed her interest in visiting the Organic Centre in the future.

Meanwhile, the Organic Centre has been busy preparing to launch its new programme of courses for 2026.

Upcoming weekend courses include Plan a Year’s Harvest with Ingrid Foley on Saturday, January 31, designed to help participants create a detailed sowing, planting, harvesting, and storage plan; The Grapevine Year on February 7 with Andrew Watson, offering hands-on knowledge on starting and caring for grapevines; Willow Basket Making on February 21 and 22, where participants will make and take home their own basket under the guidance of master weaver Tom O’Brien; and Start a Garden From Scratch on February 21 with Ingrid Foley, which the centre describes as the perfect course for beginners.

The centre is also currently accepting applications for its MSLETB two-year, part-time, subsidised course in organic horticulture.

For more information on the courses available at the Organic Centre, visit here.