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SPECIAL OFFER: UNDER 35'S JOIN FOR €12

During the summer of 2012, Slow Food Youth Ireland were able to negotiate a special rate of €12 for young people in Ireland to join Slow Food. This special rate will only be available until the end of this year; if we get 100 members (from the time when they introduced it) they will extend it.

At €12, you'll receive the same benefits as a regular (€50!) member, including updates about events and activities taking place nationally and internationally, discount to events, the monthly newsletter, and the option to participate in the organisation of a newly founded youth lead division of Slow Food. As young people, we are the future leaders of Slow Food; Italy has given us autonomy to develop structures which suit young people, and together we are developing a global youth lead Slow Food movement. Join us, get involved, meet like-minded young people, help to organise national and international Slow Food Youth events, come, eat, drink and have fun!

Check out this short video of Slow Food Youth at Salone del Gusto / Terra Madre 2012 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOs2DuaIBh0

If there are no groups in your area..

We have had a lot of queries lately from people and businesses about Slow Food membership, and it is worth spelling out exactly what it entails.

I should explain that Slow Food is an international organisation based in Italy. Slow Food Ireland is a support organisation for Irish Convivia. A Convivium is what Slow Food calls a local group. Each Convivium has a leader and a committee and these people make up the membership of Slow Food Ireland.

The most obvious advantage to being a member is you get to enjoy good food in good company. But it is more than that. Slow Food brings together pleasure and responsibility, and makes them inseparable. Since its beginnings in Italy, Slow Food has grown into a vast network spread across 150 countries, with more than 100,000 members. Slow Food organises activities, projects and events all around the world on four key themes: food education, protecting food biodiversity, developing networks and short food chains.

The easiest way to get involved in Slow Food is to join a Convivium. This is relatively easy if you live near one. They are listed on our website. What do you do if you don’t live near one? You start one, of course.

Sounds daunting? There are a few technical matters to attend to and we can assist you with that. It’s a commitment, certainly, but it usually results in enhanced awareness of local food and sustainable food production, enjoyment of food and conviviality. A strong Convivium will have a good mix of food producers, retailers, farmers, chefs and consumers. In Slow Food, consumers are often referred to as co-producers, because with them there would be no need for food production.

Another aspect of Slow Food that needs to be explained is that Slow Food is an individual membership organisation; there are no company, group or business memberships. This does not preclude businesses from taking part and many members in Ireland are in the trade. Generally it is the owner of a business, or a chef or someone who is interested in food who joins.

Ultimately, Slow Food is not a "with benefits" organisation, certainly not in a business sense. Neither is it a badge you can wear and there are no plaques. You only get out what you put in.  Being associated with Slow Food can work to your advantage, in terms of reputation, but it rarely translates into a business advantage unless a great deal of effort is put into it.

For example, the Four Rivers Convivium based in the south east, brought hotels together with local small artisan food businesses and they have created a working relationship whereby hotels buy the local produce and the producers run food tours for the hotel guests.

Another example is Wild and Slow. This is a major Slow Food event celebrating wild foods. It takes place in November this year with a whole programme of educational events leading up to it. It is being driven by Evan Doyle of Brooklodge in Macreddin Village, Co. Wicklow.  Brooklodge is not a Slow Food Member but Evan is, and a very active one, and some of the local convivium events are hosted by Brooklodge.

The East Cork Convivium is another good example. Darina Allen is the president of Slow Food Ireland and many of the East Cork Convivium activities are centred around Ballymaloe. However, Darina is tireless in her efforts to promote Slow Food and Slow Food principles in Ireland.

There is one benefit to membership that is worth mentioning. Every two years Terra Madre happens in Italy. This is worldwide gathering of thousands of people who are cooks, chefs, producers, writers, farmers, fishermen and just about anyone related to food. The next one is in 2012. Ireland usually sends between 50 and 70 representatives.

If you would like more information, or if you think your area needs Slow Food, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or any of the Convivium Leaders listed in the website.