Diarmuid Gavin
Encyclopedia
Diarmuid Gavin is an Irish
garden
designer and television personality. He is married to Justine Keane, daughter of The Hon.
Ronan Keane
, the former Chief Justice of Ireland
, and Terry Keane
, and they have a daughter named Eppie born December 2004.
, which he recalls as being "horrifying," with the exception of art classes, and studied horticulture at the College of Amenity Horticulture in Glasnevin
, Ireland.
in 1995, a silver-gilt medal in 2004, and a silver-gilt medal in 2007. He finally won a gold at Chelsea for "The Irish Sky Garden" in 2011, in partnership with Fáilte Ireland, and the City of Cork. He is also a patron at Southport Flower Show
.
In 2007, Diarmuid received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Art from Nottingham Trent University
in recognition of his international reputation for contemporary garden designs.
television programmes including Gardeners' World
; Home Front
with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen
and, in 2004, a Twofour
and RHS
production Gardens Through Time. RTÉ
is currently screening the TV show "I want a Garden".
In autumn 2004 he participated in the BBC One
pro-celebrity ballroom dancing game show Strictly Come Dancing
. In summer 2006 in the BBC's charity showjumping event Only Fools on Horses
.
On 12 December 2010 Diarmuid appeared on Channel 4
in a Christmas
special edition of Come Dine With Me
alongside David Gest
, Hannah Waterman
and Sherrie Hewson
.
In May 2011 Gavin's "Irish Sky Garden" won the gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show
. However it courted controversy when Cork City Council
in Ireland agreed to put the garden on permanent display at Fitzgerald's Park in the Mardyke area of the city at a cost of at least €300,000 to the cash-strapped council. Already more than €1.7 million had been given to the project by Fáilte Ireland, the Irish tourism body. The decision attracted widespread critcism including that of a number of Cork city councillors. Councillor Ted Tynan
pointed out that there were over 500 boarded up local authority houses in the city and demanded clarification from the council as the exact cost of the garden would be.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
designer and television personality. He is married to Justine Keane, daughter of The Hon.
The Honourable
The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...
Ronan Keane
Ronan Keane
The Hon. Ronan Keane , S.C., was Chief Justice of Ireland from 2000 to 2004. Keane was educated at Blackrock College, Dublin, and graduated from University College Dublin in 1953 with a BA in Modern History. He was called to the Bar in 1954 and became a Senior Counsel in 1970. He was appointed...
, the former Chief Justice of Ireland
Chief Justice of Ireland
The Chief Justice of Ireland is the president of the Supreme Court of Ireland.Under Constitution of Ireland, the Chief Justice of Ireland also occupies several positions ex officio, these include;* A possible judge of the High Court....
, and Terry Keane
Terry Keane
Terry Keane was an Irish columnist and fashion journalist.Born as Ann Teresa O'Donnell in Guildford, Surrey, UK in 1939, Keane studied medicine at Trinity College, Dublin but dropped out without obtaining a degree. She spent the majority of her career working for the Irish newspaper, the Sunday...
, and they have a daughter named Eppie born December 2004.
Early life
When he was six, his younger brother Conor (5) was killed by a car while they were walking to school. He received secondary education at Templeogue CollegeTempleogue College
Templeogue College is a secondary school, located in the Templeogue area of Dublin, Ireland. It is on the R112 and is within walking distance of Terenure, Templeogue and is accessible by numerous Dublin Bus services including: 54A, 15A, 15B, 49, 150, 74/A, and 65/BTempleogue College was founded in...
, which he recalls as being "horrifying," with the exception of art classes, and studied horticulture at the College of Amenity Horticulture in Glasnevin
Glasnevin
Glasnevin is a largely residential neighbourhood of Dublin, Ireland.-Geography:A mainly residential neighbourhood, it is located on the Northside of the city of Dublin . It was originally established on the northern bank of the River Tolka...
, Ireland.
Awards
Diarmuid Gavin won an RDS Gold Award in 1991 and 1993, a bronze medal at the Chelsea Flower ShowChelsea Flower Show
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the Great Spring Show, is a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural Society in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea, London...
in 1995, a silver-gilt medal in 2004, and a silver-gilt medal in 2007. He finally won a gold at Chelsea for "The Irish Sky Garden" in 2011, in partnership with Fáilte Ireland, and the City of Cork. He is also a patron at Southport Flower Show
Southport Flower Show
Southport Flower Show held at Victoria Park, Southport, Merseyside is the largest independent flower show in the UK. It was originally started in 1924 by the local council, but since 1986 it has been operated by Southport Flower Show company, which is a registered charity. It is held annually for...
.
In 2007, Diarmuid received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Art from Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
in recognition of his international reputation for contemporary garden designs.
Television appearances
He has presented a number of BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television programmes including Gardeners' World
Gardeners' World
Gardeners' World is a long-running BBC television programme about gardening that continues to this day. Its first episode was filmed in 1968, presented by Ken Burras and came from Oxford Botanical Gardens. The magazine BBC Gardeners' World is a tie-in to the programme. Most of its episodes have...
; Home Front
Homefront (TV series)
Homefront was an interior design "makeover" TV show airing on the BBC, on par with American television's This Old House and Martha Stewart...
with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is a successful homestyle consultant best known for his appearances on the BBC television programme Changing Rooms...
and, in 2004, a Twofour
Twofour
Twofour is a UK independent media group that was founded in 1988 by Charles Wace, a former TV news producer and brother of financier Ian Wace. It has grown to become one of the largest independent media groups in the UK, employing over 350 people internationally....
and RHS
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
production Gardens Through Time. RTÉ
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
is currently screening the TV show "I want a Garden".
In autumn 2004 he participated in the BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
pro-celebrity ballroom dancing game show Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
. In summer 2006 in the BBC's charity showjumping event Only Fools on Horses
Only Fools on Horses
Only Fools on Horses was a BBC reality television programme produced by Endemol UK. The show's name was a play on that of the sitcom Only Fools and Horses, and first aired on 7 July 2006. It featured twelve celebrities who performed equestrian events, with one celebrity being eliminated every day...
.
On 12 December 2010 Diarmuid appeared on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
special edition of Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me is a popular Channel 4 television programme shown in the United Kingdom, produced by Granada Television and first broadcast in January 2005. The show has either four or five amateur chefs competing against each other hosting a dinner party for the other contestants...
alongside David Gest
David Gest
David Alan Gest is an American concert promoter and media personality, perhaps best known for his turbulent marriage to Liza Minnelli, friendship with The Jackson 5 and appearance on the 2006 series of the British reality television show I'm a Celebrity.....
, Hannah Waterman
Hannah Waterman
Hannah Waterman-Groves is an English actress, daughter of Minder star Dennis Waterman and his second wife, actress Patricia Maynard.-Career:...
and Sherrie Hewson
Sherrie Hewson
Sherrie Lynn Hutchinson is an English actor, broadcaster and novelist.-Early life:Born in Nottinghamshire, Hewson was brought up in a showbusiness family; her father was a singer and her mother a model. She began performing at the age of six, touring the UK's theatres in revues with her own...
.
In May 2011 Gavin's "Irish Sky Garden" won the gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show
Chelsea Flower Show
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the Great Spring Show, is a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural Society in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea, London...
. However it courted controversy when Cork City Council
Cork City Council
Cork City Council is the local authority which is responsible for the city of Cork and its immediate hinterland in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment...
in Ireland agreed to put the garden on permanent display at Fitzgerald's Park in the Mardyke area of the city at a cost of at least €300,000 to the cash-strapped council. Already more than €1.7 million had been given to the project by Fáilte Ireland, the Irish tourism body. The decision attracted widespread critcism including that of a number of Cork city councillors. Councillor Ted Tynan
Ted Tynan
Timothy "Ted" Tynan is a member of Cork City Council and leading member of the Workers' Party of Ireland.Councillor Tynan was born in Cork city in 1942...
pointed out that there were over 500 boarded up local authority houses in the city and demanded clarification from the council as the exact cost of the garden would be.