Press Releases 2025

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

We hope you are enjoying the sunshine! Today we'd like to acquaint you with the fabulous visual artists showing their works at this year’sMountshannon Arts Festival (29 May – 2 June). Their art is absolutely fantastic, full of creativity and inspiration.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our Media Team at 085-8589583 andmedia.mountshannonarts@gmail.com

MEDIA INFO 07
Mountshannon, 19 May 2025
For immediate release                                      

Mountshannon Arts Festival:
Rich Visual Art Programme

Prepare to be inspired as Mountshannon Arts Festival presents a fascinating line-up of visual artists whose works will infuse new energy into this idyllic East Clare village over the June Bank Holiday weekend (29 May – 2 June). With a compelling mix of groundbreaking glass art, intricate mosaics, bold paintings in various styles, and video and photo documentary, the programme for this year highlights established artists from around Ireland as well as new up-and-coming talent. Visitors are invited to enter a wide variety of fascinating exhibitions in order to experience a journey of creative discovery.

The galleries are open Saturday to Monday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM during the festival. The official opening, led by curator and arts educator Patricia Moriarty, will take place at 2:00 PM at Anita's.

Exhibitions by Venue:

The Market House, Main Street, Mountshannon

John Kennedy
Now based in County Galway, the Offaly-born painter interrogates abandonment and the afterlives of everyday objects. John Kennedy is a self taught painter with a unique, very intense drawing style. He works mainly in oils, acrylics and pastels. John reflects: “I divide my time between studio work and open air sessions, often painting abandoned objects and the changing landscape.” He is an exhibiting member of Kinvara Area Visual Arts, the 126 Artist Run Gallery and the Gort Arts Collective, and he regularly leads plein air paint outs around south Galway and north Clare. More about John’s work can be explored here: instagram.com/johnkennedy303art

Kathryna Cuschieri
Maltese by birth and a long-time Clare resident, Kathryna works in hot glass at her Fire Works Studio in the hills of Glendree. Her vivid fused, slumped, and cast pieces explore the emotional charge of fairytales and inner vision. Kathryna elaborates: “I use the flexible potential and properties of hot glass to explore the emotions that carry our inner world of visions, images and fairy tales.” Discover Kathryna’s glass creations: kathrynacuschieri.squarespace.com

Brenda Kennelly
A self-taught mosaicist from Ballyvaughan, Kennelly assembles slate, stone, glass, and found objects into abstract evocations of the Burren’s karst terrain and hazel woodland. Brenda shares: “What I love about the earth is that it supports us, we walk on it, we use it, we misuse it, and yet, it remains beneath our feet, always nurturing us. The earth comes into all of my pieces; it inspires my work. Every piece I use comes from the earth: stone, slate, glass, wood.” Explore Brenda’s mosaic artistry: brendakennelly.com

Aistear Gallery, Aistear Park, Mountshannon

Terri Smith
The Kinvara-based artist was born in the USA but moved to Ireland in 1994. She is self-taught and so far, she has illustrated over 50 children’s books and written 10. She is currently a full-time mature student at the ATU in Galway studying Forensic Science and Analysis, but she continues to work from her home creating art and illustrations in her preferred medium of ink. Terri shows new ink-centred, mixed-media paintings that probe identity and lived experience, alongside limited-edition prints and book-illustration originals. Terri explains: “My work in this exhibition mainly relates to the evolution of the natural world of plants and animals. However, there are also pieces I have included that touch on the evolution of societies and cultures, literature, technology, environmental development, and personal growth.” Further insights into Terri’s artwork: terrismithart.com

Sabrina Heinrichs
German-born and living in Ireland since 2007, Heinrichs unites monochrome textures with bursts of colour to form lyrical paintings and textiles that invite imagination, compassion, and hope. Sabrina reflects on her aims: “My aim is to conjure up love, confidence, imagination, compassion and yes, definitely colour, into people's hearts and show the viewer the world of joy and hope and magic, in what can sometimes be such a sad and dark time. To offer a contrast and inspire people to show one's true colours.”

Anita’s Storehouse, Main Street, Mountshannon

Bonnie Boyle – Pat Starr Project
This is a combination of film, audio recordings and photographs that capture the life of local man Pat Starr that remains admirably robust, rugged and resistant to many of the changes in Ireland over the last 50 years. East Clare filmmaker and photographer Bonnie Boyle describes her collaborative approach: “My work falls somewhere between documentary, experimental film and photography. I love the collaborative and unknown path of documentary making. I always want the process of making a documentary to be an experience we all come away having gained something beyond the realms the making of a film.”

The Berrytree Café, Mountshannon Court, Mountshannon, V94 V9W6

Micheál Ó Fearghail (Booley Art)
From his Kilkenny studio, Ó Fearghail captures the light and atmosphere of Ireland’s coast in watercolour and, increasingly, large-format acrylic works. Micheál reflects: “My work is inspired by places in Ireland and abroad, scenes that are associated with good memories and happy times.” Experience more of Micheál’s paintings at: booleyart.com

The Snug Restaurant, Main Street, Mountshannon

Ailbhe Wheatley
An emerging East Clare artist-writer whose practice—rooted in yoga philosophy and MA studies in authorial illustration—blends film, performance, and earth embodiment to map personal and collective memory across the Irish landscape. Ailbhe explores her creative process further: “Creation becomes a means of peeling back the layers, an inner experience drawn through the imagination. All is rooted in the wild—in the wild home of the heart, or the mystery of a feather.” Learn more about Ailbhe’s

... and don't forget: Wristbands & Raffle Tickets
Festival wristbands cost just €5 and give you access to dozens of events all weekend, while €5 raffle tickets put you in the running for some fabulous prizes. Festival wristbands and raffle tickets are on sale now HERE on the Festival’s website and locally from this coming weekend at Keane’s Pub on Main Street, Mountshannon - and you are ready to join the fun!