A Seaweed Workshop: pressing, poetry and projects

A seaweed workshop at WorkShop in William Street, Bantry: preserve a beautiful seaweed specimen by pressing, learn about seaweed biology, co-create a coastal-inspired poem, and gain an insight into the FindWhereFound citizen science project. Led by aquatic biologist, Frances Gallagher, and Baiba Pruse, MaREI UCC.

Follow in the footsteps of Ellen Hutchins, Ireland’s first female botanist with Frances Gallagher (aquatic biologist) showing and talking about a selection of freshly gathered seaweeds. Frances will then lead you through the process used by Ellen and her contemporaries to produce botanical specimens for identification purposes. The specimens are also beautiful and can be framed and hung.

The pressing technique has changed very little and most of the equipment is very similar, apart from one modern ingredient. Frances will provide a wonderful choice of seaweeds and all that is needed for you to undertake the process yourself and go home with a number of seaweed specimens to be dried.

The second half of the workshop is with Baiba Pruse (MaREI UCC). She will explain the current project FindWhereFound and invite you to explore a spectacular pre-made Seaweed Herbarium of specimens and co-create poems of eleven words dedicated to the ocean.

Advance booking required, price €35. Booking via Eventbrite (see booking link).