26.09.2025, 10:00 A.M.
'KINGDOM OF SKILLS': Traditional Building Skills Demonstrations, Conservation Talks & Children's Craft Workshops, part of Kerry Architecture Festival 2024.
Muckross Traditional Farms (Old Schoolhouse), Muckross House, Killarney, Co. Kerry V93 CK73.
Friday 26th & Saturday 27th September (10am to 5pm daily)
Admission Free & No Booking to attend exhibition demonstrations, talks or children's craft workshops required.
Download the talks programme here.
Presented by the Irish Georgian Society, Kerry County Council and the Trustees of Muckross House, this action packed exhibition comprises over two dozen craftspeople actively demonstrate key traditional building skills needed for the care and conservation of Kerry’s old buildings to include:
- sash window repairs
- stained glass & fanlight conservation
- stone carving
- dry stonewall construction
- use of lime-based mortars and hemp
- brick pointing
- decorative plasterwork
- ironwork
- slate roofing
- thatching
- signwriting
- green wood & pole lathe turning
- saille basket making, to name a few.
All the demonstrations will be delivered by leading traditional building skills practitioners.
The exhibition will be a one-stop destination for owners and guardians of Kerry’s traditionally built buildings in need of accurate, impartial, and free advice on the restoration, renovation and retrofitting.
Take the opportunity to meet with representatives of:
- Kerry County Council (conservation and heritage office)
- Irish Georgian Society
- Building Limes Forum Ireland
- CIF’s Register of Heritage Contractors
- Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (Ireland)
- The King’s Foundation:The All-Ireland Heritage Skills Programme;
- The Heritage Council
- Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
- Dry Stone Wall Association of Ireland
- Office of Public Works
- Kerry College of Further Education (traditional skills training)
- Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
- National Parks & Wildlife Services
- Cottagology
and find answers regarding the management and care of your old building; and gather information on protected structure and architectural conservation area planning law, insurance, finance and related topics; as well as learn of training and careers opportunity in the conservation & traditional building skills sector.
In tandem with the demonstrations there will be two full days of free hourly talks delivered by conservation experts which will celebrate Kerry’s built heritage and provide advice on best practice repair, restoration or retrofitting.
Attendance at the talks is recognised as formal structured CPD by the CIF Register of Heritage Contractors; Engineers Ireland; and the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland.
There will also be an opportunity to visit the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Irish Georgian Society exhibition, Energy Efficiency in Historic Houses exhibition which will be on display in the Old School House for the duration of the exhibition.
Attendees to the exhibition will also have the opportunity to visit free of charge both Muckross Traditional Farms (2pm - 5pm both days) & Muckross House.
The exhibition and talks are made possible through generous support The Heritage Council, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage's National Built Heritage Service, Creative Ireland, Kerry County Council and the Muckross Trustees.
KINGDOM OF SKILLS: TRADITIONAL BUILDING SKILLS EXHIBTION & CONSERVATION TALKS
Friday 26th September
10am Energy Efficiency in Traditional Buildings: Planning Implications and Grant Aid by Carl Raftery, Architectural Conservation Advisor, National Built Heritage Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
11am Maintaining Traditional Skills & Traditional Buildings by Tríona Byrne, Architecture Officer, The Heritage Council.
12 noon The Importance of Using Lime in Historic Buildings by Tom McGimpsey, committee member of the Building Limes Forum Ireland & Grade I RIAI Conservation Architect.
1pm Launch of Kingdom of Skills by Virginia Teehan, CEO, The Heritage Council.
2pm Killarney National Park: culture, heritage & biodiversity skillsets by Eammon Meskell, Divisional Manger, National Parks and Wildlife Service.
3pm The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) and the Buildings of Kerry by Damian Murphy, Architectural Heritage Officer, NIAH, National Built Heritage Service, Dept. Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
4pm Nature Within Walls: Reconnecting the Built Environment with the Living World by Eleanor Turner, Biodiversity Officer, Kerry County Council.
Saturday 27th September
10am Muckross and the Heritage Council’s Museums Standards Programme Ireland by Dr Patricia O’Hare, Research and Education Officer, Trustees of Muckross House (Killarney) CLG.
11am Valentia Slate: understanding the history, characteristics and use of Valentia slate in historic buildings by Dr Aidan Forde, Director, Valentia Slate.
12 noon Recognising apotropaic (protective) symbols on our Irish architecture & artefacts: work in progress by Dr Claudia Kinmonth, MRIA, FSA, MA(RCA) furniture & art historian.
1pm An Exploration of Kerry’s Designed Landscapes by Victoria McCarthy, Heritage Officer and Architectural Conservation Officer, Kerry County Council.
2pm Historic Windows of Kerry: their significance, history & conservation by Dr Nessa Roche, Senior Architectural Advisor, National Built Heritage Service, Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.
3pm Understanding and Minding Kerry’s vernacular buildings by Dr Barry O’Reilly, Architectural Conservation Advisor, NIAH, National Built Heritage Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
4pm Irish Thatched Houses: Kerry’s regional styles & materials with case studies of their conservation by Karol O’Mahony, Grade II RIAI Conservation Architect.
*Lectures are of 45 minutes in duration followed by an opportunity for an interactive Q&A – please arrive on the hour to the Old Schoolhouse, Muckross Traditional Farms, Muckross House, Killarney, County Kerry. Talks are wheelchair accessible.
KINGDOM OF SKILLS CHILDREN’S CRAFT WORKSHOPS
Saturday 27th September 2025 (The Old School House, Muckross Traditional Farms, Muckross House, Killarney, Kerry
(All craft workshops are free, no booking required & places allocated on a first come first served basis)
WORKSHOP 1: 'PAINT A PANE’, 10.30am (1 ½ hour duration)
Join Kerry based stained-glass maker and conservator Glynn Palmer of Palmer Conservation as he sets out the tools and techniques employed in painting stained glass the traditional way. Each child will be provided with a pane of historic glass which they will paint and bring home with them at the end of the workshop. Old clothes essential as using indelible paint.
Age range: 8 to 18 years
WORKSHOP 2: 'CREATE & CARVE’, 12 NOON (1 hour duration)
Make your mark in stone with sculptor and master mason, Philip Quinn of Stonemad. Learn about the different types of stone (such as sandstone, limestone and slate) that are used to build and adorn Kerry’s heritage buildings. In this workshop children will have the opportunity to inscribe their initials in stone using traditional methods and materials and bring their finished piece home with them.
Age range: 8 to 18 years
WORKSHOP 3: ‘BUILD A BRICK’, 1PM (1 hour duration)
Join master craftspersons from Nolans Group Conservation & Restoration to make your own brick. Using traditional techniques each child will make and model their own miniature brick which they can initial and take home with them (unfired). Old clothes advised as children will be working with wet clay.
Age range: 8 to 18 years
WORKSHOP 4: ‘WEAVING WILLOWS’’, 2PM (2 ½ hour duration)
Join Irish basket maker Martin O’Flynn to hand weave willow rods into a boat basket. Sharing his 40 years of experience as a basetmaker, Martin will teach the techniques of these weaves using his own heritage variety willow, grown and hand cut in West Cork. You’ll take home your creation and the knowledge of basic willow weaving techniques. Parental supervision essential as secateurs will be used for this workshop.
Age range: 8 to 18 years
- Please arrive at the Irish Georgian Society’s stand in the Old School House at Muckross Traditional Farms 10 minutes prior to workshop start time.
- Places allocated on a first come first served basis.
- Please wear old clothes.
- Please be advised that children’s parents/guardians must remain with children for the duration of the workshop.
FRIDAY 26th SEPTEMBER 2025
WILLOW BASKET MAKING WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS (& CHILDREN WELCOME TOO)
Two workshops. First workshop from 11am to 12.30 noon. Second workshop from 3pm to 4.30pm
Join Kerry based traditional basket maker, Diane Southey of Saille Baskets to make bird feeders by weaving traditional saille (willow) rods. This workshop is suitable for both adults and children over 8. If children participating, then an adult needs to stay for the duration of the workshop as secateurs are used. All participants get to take their bird feeders home with them.
Image above : Foley's Farmhouse, Muckross Traditional Farms, Muckross House, Killarney, County Kerry.
