Get ready to celebrate all things fungi on Saturday 28th September with the first-ever Monaghan Town Mushroom Festival! We're here to spark curiosity and spread knowledge showing locals and visitors alike just how incredible, versatile, and sustainable these little powerhouses are. Monaghan is a mushroom giant, and we're proud to highlight the huge role mushrooms play in everything from biodiversity to future-forward industries like health, agriculture, building, fashion, and beyond!
We've got a mushroom-packed program lined up, including talks, workshops and screenings that will blow your mind. The day will start off with a Mushroom Identification Nature Walk in Rossmore Park (booking essential) with the very knowledgable Róisín Connolly. Following that, the rest of the days activities will be happening on the new plaza in front of the Courthouse in Church Square with Patricia McCreesh, Biodiversity Officer for Monaghan County Council, who will delve into the fascinating world of fungi with her talk, ‘Fungi And Their Essential Role In Our Ecosystem’. Then there's Dr. Tony Callaghan, Co-Founder/CEO of SomaTech, sharing the scoop on ‘The Who, Where, and Why of Mushrooms and Fungi.’ And if that’s not enough, mushroom guru Bill O’Dea will be beaming in remotely to guide us through ‘The Wonderful World of Mushrooms,’ where you'll learn how to identify wild woodland mushrooms and unlock their hidden secrets.
Not all the days events will have a scientific focus, we also have Dervla McElvaney who will be guiding us through a fabric mushroom making workshop and Francis McCarron delving into the connection between mushrooms and Irish folklore amongst other interesting workshops.
There will also be family friendly fun(gi) and games happening over the course of the day and not forgetting our ‘Cute As A Button’ Baby Celebration. There is an ongoing open photo competition happening also and we will be showcasing some of that beautiful photography on the day.
There will be a film screening of ‘Fantastic Fungi’ by Louie Schwartzberg , a film that takes viewers on an immersive journey through time and scale into the magical earth beneath our feet, an underground network that can heal and save our planet. The film highlights the beauty, intelligence and solutions the fungi kingdom can offer in response to some of the most pressing medical, therapeutic, and environmental challenges facing the public today.
Carefully curated mushroom dish specials will be available in local restaurants, showcasing the ingredient's versatility as a healthy ingredient choice thanks to its wide variety of textures and flavours.
