RURAL LIFE 1.0: Artists and communities come together in Kilkenny

In May, artist Sharon Phelan worked with the Mid-Kilkenny Beekeepers and BirdWatch Ireland (Kilkenny branch). Her work focuses on sound, voice, and the poetics of place. From dawn chorus walks to recording the hum of bees, Phelan created transformative listening experiences that attune audiences to the everyday yet extraordinary soundscapes of rural Kilkenny.

June saw artist John Byrne engage with the Ballyfoyle Agricultural Show, Kilkenny Mart, and the Kilkenny Gospel Choir. His witty film BootBoy (2025) documents his entry of a decorated Wellington boot into a competition at the local show. Installed in Brown Mountain Diamond’s converted pig house turned cinema, and accompanied by the boot itself, Byrne’s work reflects on competition, failure, and community participation.

In July, Maria McKinney collaborated with the Kilkenny Shooting and Conservation Clubs and the Hillgrove Clay Shooting Club. Hosting a barbecue and shooting competition, she explored the heritage and complexity of shooting culture in Ireland.
McKinney’s resulting works transform spent shotgun shells into intricate “road signs” depicting pheasants and mallards, symbols that reflect both tradition and modern debates around conservation and rural life.

August brought Paddy Bloomer, who worked with the Conahy Vintage Club and the Mothel Church Tractor Run. A day trip to the Moynalty Steam Threshing Festival inspired a large collaborative scarecrow sculpture, while Paddy’s participation in the Mothel Tractor Run, complete with a chaise longue hitched to his tractor and a live tin whistle player, turned local roads into a rolling artwork.

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