Horizons

Castle conference: The conservation and management of our monuments and heritage sites will be discussed at a one-day conference on Wednesday in Dublin Castle.

Organised by the Irish committee of the International Committee on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), the conference will look at education and awareness issues (heritage in schools, Tidy Towns and the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage) and conservation strategies. Jacqui Donnelly from the Architectural Heritage Advisory Unit will look at the growing need among local authorities for planning guidance on heritage issues. The management of specific sites including The Skelligs, Co Kerry; Ennis Friary, Co Clare; and Brú na Bóinne, Co Meath, will also be examined. The conference is timed to coincide with the visit to Ireland of the European presidents of ICOMOS. See also www.icomos.ie

Festival of trees

Féile Sámnha na gCrann, the annual festival of broadleaf trees begins next weekend with a walk through the woods of Tullynally Castle, home of author and tree expert Thomas Pakenham, on Sunday at 2 p.m. More details from Kate Crane, Irish branch co-ordinator of the Ancient Tree Forum on cranoggin@eircom.net. Crane will give a talk on the contribution ancient trees make to the Irish landscape in ENFO, St Andrew's St, Dublin, on Saturday, October 30th at 2 p.m. Also, Jenny Beale is giving a guided walk of the recently opened St Brigit's Garden, Roscahill, Galway, on Monday, October 25th at 2.30 p.m. See www.crann.ie for more festival events.

The work of Lutyens

Anyone interested in the architectural works of Sir Edwin Lutyens in Ireland should make note of a lecture on his buildings on Wednesday at 7.30 p.m. in No 63 Merrion Square, Dublin. Conservation architect and member of the Lutyens Trust, David Averill, will give the talk. Lutyens's most famous buildings here include Haywood Gardens, Co Laois, The War Memorial Gardens in Islandbridge, Dublin, and Lambay Castle, Co Dublin. Admission €10. Booking from the Irish Georgian Society on Tel: 01-6767053.

Celebrating Irish apples

Knobby Russet, Sheep's Snout and Winter Banana are just some of the strange names of native Irish apples which will be celebrated at the Apple Festival in Crawfordsburn Country Park, Helen's Bay, Co Down, next Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Apart from getting a chance to see, smell and taste over 100 varieties, visitors can participate in apple-themed activities and sample apple produce. Admission free.

Seedsavers' day out

A last-minute reminder of the Irish Seedsavers Association's Open Day at the National Museum of Country Life, Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co Mayo, today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors can learn about research into the conservation of native apples and heritage grains and see demonstrations of planting winter wheat and oats and seedsaving. The Irish Seedsavers Association, based in Scariff, Co Clare, works towards the conservation of Irish fruits, grains and vegetables.