A research and development residency with artist Niamh Seana Meehan and practitioner Cecelia Graham at the Tea Houses, 28 January to 2 February 2026.
“Our short residency in Kilkenny unfolded through warmth, generosity, and a deep attentiveness to place. From the moment we arrived, we felt guided by a strength of community and the way local life is closely intertwined with the surrounding ecosystems.
We were greeted at The Powerhouse by Seamus Kelly, a local stone mason who is transforming an old bacon factory into a multipurpose space. Seamus’ warm welcome set the tone for our stay. He gave us a tour of the space, giving us an insight into its history, and pointing out all the meaningful details, including the neighbouring wall that backs onto Keogh’s Bakery, which he insisted was well worth a visit. After dropping our bags, we wandered out in search of food, guided by Rachel’s recommendation of Fennelly’s. Settling into the back of the café, Etaoin brought us warm drinks, and we eased into a slower rhythm, allowing space for our watery thinking.
Our first day unfolded around a visit to the Tea Houses. On the drive into Kilkenny, we talked about holding empty thoughts and blank notebooks, and about the feeling of needing time to slowly warm ourselves into the residency. Crossing Lady Desart Bridge, we could hear and feel the force of the River Nore, swollen after days of heavy rainfall. The sound and movement of the water followed us across the week, and we frequently checked the water levels, using an old ladder that had been plunged into the water by a neighbour in Callan as a measure. Rachel welcomed us into the Tea Houses. That afternoon, we drove towards Urlingford, stopping in Freshford to have lunch at a community café called The Loop. In Urlingford, Maura Brennan gave us a generous tour of The Acorn Project and Nore Vision, offering insight into the long-term work being done to support the river and its surrounding habitats.
Over the weekend, our days were shaped by walking. Leaving the Powerhouse, we searched for a stone carving bearing the word pause, which we had been told was carved by Seamus. Heavy rainfall had flooded the Callan Friary, meaning we couldn’t complete the loop, so we followed the same path back. Along the way, we stopped to chat with the local baker, who spoke about the rhythms of the place and warmly welcomed us to Callan.There was a growing sense of being guided by local people rather than by any preconceived ideas we might have brought with us. Later, we drove into town and wandered along the River Nore, thinking about its ecosystem and our own relationship to water. We continued on to Newpark Marsh Eco Park, completing the small loop before heading back towards the Butler Gallery to mark Brigid’s Day. Gathering outside, we joined others in making Brigid’s crosses, a quiet, collective act that felt grounding, shared, and deeply tied to the place
Back at The Powerhouse, a sing and stitch event was hosted for Brigid’s Day. Here we met Rosie, who kindly offered to take us on an evening tour. Along the way, we stopped to look at the Moat before Rosie kindly led us into the Workhouse Union. Our first stop was the library, a beautiful space filled with books arranged into newly formed categories. It was the kind of room where you could easily spend an entire day. Further on, we entered the print room, where Rosie spoke with care and enthusiasm about recent projects and upcoming events later in the year, her knowledge and attention reflecting a deep commitment to the local community.
The following day, we visited Carl at Brown Mountain Diamond, where we warmed ourselves by the fire, admiring the local furry residents, and shared cups of tea before being shown around. Much of our conversation centred on a large lake envisioned by the collective Bog Cottage. Once empty, it has since been filled by rainwater from the recent glut, transforming both the landscape and the discussions around it.
Our final day before the drive home was spent with Seamus. He led a morning workshop in stonemasonry, guiding us through the process of carving small spirals and swirls. Attempting this work first-hand gave us a real appreciation for the patience, skill, and embodied knowledge involved in this craft. As a final gesture, Seamus gifted us handmade candle holders, a warm token of our time in Kilkenny.”
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Cecelia Graham is a practitioner working between Belfast and Derry. Within her practice, she incorporates curation, writing and participatory event-based forms to interrogate institutional bureaucracy, speculatively dreaming up forms of governance based on collective knowledge-sharing, peer-led economies and use of non-monetary resources. Cecelia’s work often considers modes of working that emerge from collaborative processes within ecology, craft, agriculture and acts of love and friendship; striving for a future in common instead of reproducing institutional logics that hoard resources and power.
Niamh Seana Meehan is an artist working across sound, sculpture, installation, and text. Her practice explores floating as a methodological approach to nurturing our relationship with bodies of water and the wider environment. Through acts of sense-making, wayfinding, and deep listening, she invites immersive experiences that explore our entanglements with more-than-human worlds.
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Supported by the Agility Award, Arts Council, Ireland, Kilkenny County Council and Kilkenny Arts Office.
