Recently, the new Teagasc Horticulture, Forestry, and Education Facility at its campus in Ashtown, Dublin was officially opened. This is a wonderful new facility, involving a €2.1m investment in high tech growing facilities and systems. My Dad, Fred Nutty, spent most of his working life in Teagasc’s Kinsealy research station. Dad worked on many of the pioneering growing trials there particularly in the Nursery Stock section. Major advances in propagation, grafting and budding techniques were achieved on this campus. Kinsealy developed a national reputation for excellence and the knowledge generated here provided the bedrock for the emergence of the nursery stock sector in the 70s and 80s. The nursery stock propagation manual produced in Kinsealy was like a bible for Nursery Stock operators and is still in use today. It is also important to mention that the quality of research output in Kinsealy not only supported the development of horticulture in Ireland but it also attracted much interest internationally. Kinsealy was a world renowned centre of horticulture excellence. It was with much sadness that my Dad and others witnessed the decline of Kinsealy through the 1990s and 2000s.
So I think, my Dad would be very enthused and proud of the centre of excellence that is now up and running in Ashtown. Many at the opening spoke to me of how impressed they were with the quality and structure of the new campus. They were also amazed at the nature and extent of what has been delivered for €2.1m and a major portion of the credit for this is due to Dermot Callaghan, Head of Horticulture Teagasc who managed the delivery of the project.
As Coordinator of the Horticulture Industry Forum (HIF), I was delighted to hear the contributions that were expressed by members of the Forum when we met immediately after the official opening. Without exception representatives of all seven horticulture sectors expressed their delight with this new facility. Ashtown is not now just a new centre of excellence it represents a statement of confidence in the future for horticulture. It has given many who work in the industry a major boost when it was most needed, and if we continue to work together we can at last begin to exploit the huge potential of this industry. I know that my Dad would be very pleased at this prospect. Ní neart go cur le chéile!
