Two young stars from Gorey, George (3) and Hannah (1) Power-Nugent, played a central role at this year’s Bord Bia Bloom 2025, helping to launch the Marie Keating Foundation’s latest show garden focused on cancer prevention and early detection.
The siblings charmed the crowd as they portrayed the bird and the worm in the Foundation’s ‘Early Bird Catches the Worm’ garden – a creative and educational installation that captured the attention of judges and visitors alike, earning a Silver-Gilt medal. Designed by acclaimed Monaghan-based gardener Benny Magennis, this year’s garden carried a strong message: the earlier cancer is detected, the better the chance of survival. This is Magennis’s fourth garden at Bloom, and he says this one carries special meaning. “The Marie Keating Foundation does such vital work supporting people on their cancer journey. I wanted to reflect their message in a way that was educational but also uplifting,” he said. The garden features thoughtful design elements including: A birdhouse, symbolising early detection. Flowers representing Ireland’s five most common cancers – breast, skin, lung, bowel, and prostate. A vegetable patch highlighting healthy nutrition. A sheltered area promoting sun safety. Winding paths to encourage outdoor activity. A welcoming seating area representing the community support provided by the Foundation. The installation was developed in partnership with AstraZeneca and Gilead Sciences, who, alongside the Marie Keating Foundation, aim to drive public awareness of cancer risks and the critical importance of early intervention. The lively presence of George and Hannah brought the garden’s core message to life and drew smiles from the Bloom audience, with visitors praising the family-friendly way the exhibit conveyed serious health information. Through their playful performance and the garden’s powerful symbolism, the Power-Nugents helped reinforce a vital message: awareness, education, and early action can save lives.
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