They have recently celebrated finishing a two-year course organised by the Association of Irish Floral Artists (AOIFA), meaning they are qualified to demonstrate at any venue in the country.

And to celebrate, the group were in the Greenhills Hotel last week where they saw the demonstration that Margaret impressed the AOIFA judges with.

Club chairperson Patsy Quinn said: "The affiliation to AOIFA allowed club members to avail of a choice of recognised educational programmes that will allow them to become judges, demonstrators, teachers or speakers on floral art.

"To earn the right to be demonstrators, both had to take regular tests throughout the two-year course, and a final exam, where they demonstrated three types of flower arrangement to judges from Britain's equivalent of AOIFA, the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies.

"The focus of the club is to foster an appreciation of all things floral in an atmosphere of friendship and learning, a legacy provided by the clubs founding members to whom the club owes so much."

The club, the oldest of its kind in Ireland, meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 8pm, apart from in January, July and August. It runs regular day trips to gardens in Ireland and abroad, the most recent of which was to the Keukenhos Gardens in Holland.

New members to the club are always welcome. Membership is €30; visitors who do not want to become members can pay an entry fee of €10 on the night of eny event they wish to attend.

For more information, phone: 061-355208.