‘Small things like this can have a ripple effect’: Seed library opens in heart of Cork

Mon, 01 Sep, 2025 - 07:21

If you thought libraries were just about books, think again!

Books nestle beside journals and periodicals, but also inside Cork city’s Central Library is the unique Rory Gallagher Music Library, and inside here is a new library – of seeds.

Last month, the third community seed library in Cork was launched in the heart of the city. It’s part of a new grassroots movement spreading across Ireland to share, swap, and preserve seeds for growing edible plants such as vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers.

In Cork, seed libraries have been established in Kinsale and Hollyhill Community Garden, but it was a pop-up seed swap event hosted by Cork Soil Savers at St Luke’s Community Garden that sparked the idea for another seed library right in the city.

Diana Sipova and Aisling Kitt at launch of the Cork City Seed Bank. Picture: Margaret O'Sullivan

Aisling Kett is one of the founders of Cork Zero Waste, and Cork Savers Soil, the urban composting project based on TEST SITE at Kyrl’s Quay in the city. An avid allotmenteer fascinated with the many ways in which food scraps become healthy soil for growing more food, Aisling wanted to create a permanent seed bank in the city.

But why are seed libraries, or banks, becoming so popular?

“Coming from my work with Cork Zero Waste, I’m of the belief that why go out and buy new things when you can swap it? Most of the resources are already there, and it is a nice feeling if something you no longer use or have too much of goes to a new home instead of in the bin,” says Aisling.

“That’s the idea behind the seed library, and to get people growing; to get people thinking about what type of seeds they use.

Aisling Kitt presenting at the Seed Library launch.

“We welcome all kinds of seeds, but we prefer to see locally harvested, heirloom or organic varieties to get people thinking about the quality of seeds and the quality of plants that leads into.”

This is especially important, explains Aisling, because seeds that have adapted to local conditions, from soil to climate, stand a better chance of surviving, cropping, and reproducing. But also, the idea of seed sovereignty or having control over where seed comes from as well as access to good seed, is a growing concern in relation to growing food.

“Seeds are for people who are growing plants in their gardens, not for the companies or for profit,” says Aisling.

“You read about companies making seeds that don’t reproduce so you have to buy seed every year. It’s wild really; that’s not the way it’s supposed to be because naturally plants want to give you seed so they can grow again next year. That’s the natural cycle of it.”

It’s also about encouraging people to grow the kind of vegetables they actually like.

“If I’m going to the effort to grow something, I want to grow what I will like to use, but too often the conversation focuses just on what is easy to grow, like salad leaves.

Attendees at the seed library launch looked at worms in action in the compost. Picture: Kate Ryan

“It should really be these are easy to grow but also grow what you want to eat and what you want to see in your garden. What you grow will always turn out better because you’re invested!”

The seed library itself is housed in an upcycled document cabinet found in a once dusty storage corner of the library, donated to the project and given a new lease of life with botanical illustrations by artist and library worker, Diana Sipova.

The cabinet that will house the seeds is emblazoned appropriately with the words: “And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed, and every morning revealed new miracles,” from a book called The Secret Garden written by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

An old cabinet has been repurposed to house the seeds at the library. Picture: Kate Ryan

At the launch, people brought spare seeds to fill the drawers of the seed library, explore donated seeds, and to select a few to take home and grow something new to them.

Anyone can call into the library and donate, swap or collect seeds, but what if someone is inspired to start a seed library in their own community?

“If someone wanted to set up a seed library in their own area, I would suggest approaching your local library,” says Aisling.

“There was huge interest in the idea by Cork City Library the moment I emailed about it, and Margaret O’Sullivan [Executive Librarian of the Rory Gallagher Music Library] was immediately on board, even finding more old cabinets for us to fill.”

But even if there isn’t a library that can help, there are plenty of other options, says Aisling.

“Tidy Towns groups are always great to get involved with seeds and seed saving, or a more specific community group in your area such as a community garden.

“There’s definitely interest out there, so it’s more a matter of finding the right person to get the ball rolling.”

Individual seed libraries clearly don’t have to be big undertakings to be a success. Most of the time, it’s a matter of will and tapping into a community of people who enjoy growing food and value seeds for the vitally important role they play in feeding us. Without seed or soil, after all, there wouldn’t be any food.

“What’s really important is community,” says Aisling.

“A seed library will bring people together to have use of it and to inspire them to save seeds, but also to link in with their community.

“A seed library doesn’t have to happen on a big scale, or that you have to wait for some government initiative to come out.

“Small things like this can have a much larger ripple effect; a little solution to too many seeds going to waste and to get people saving seeds again.”