Stacey Williams,MPRII Public Relations

02/09/2026

A LIFETIME OF LISTOWEL FOOD FAIR…

The 2026 Listowel Food Fair will take place from Thursday, November 5th to Monday, November 9th, 2026 celebrating 31 years of Irish Artisan Food !

Festival Highlights include Fashion & Food, Food Trail, Celebrity Cookery Demonstration, Educational, Nutritional and Health focused Workshops & Seminars. Artisan Food Hall, Craft Market, Gourmet Foods and Culinary Events….and there’s more !!

Watch this space…www.listowelfoodfair.ie

Listowel Food Fair Stacey Williams,MPRII Public Relations Failte Ireland Teagasc Bord Iascaigh Mhara Garvey's SuperValu Listowel John B. Keane's Pub, Listowel, Co. Kerry Irish Examiner Irish Food Writers' Guild Tracie Daly Irish Independent The Irish Times Radio Kerry The Listowel Arms Hotel St John's Theatre & Arts Centre

28/08/2026

‘KILKENNY ARTIST CAPTURES MOUNT GARRETT FERRY BRIDGE AS LOCAL COMMUTERS WELCOME RE-OPENING’

Thomastown landscape artist William Watson has released his painting of the ‘Mount Garrett Ferry Bridge’ which re-opened last Thursday 27th August at 6pm, which has been welcomed by local commuters travelling between Wexford and Kilkenny.

The Ferrymountgarrett Bridge (locally known as the Ferry Bridge or Mount Garrett Bridge) is a historic six-span road bridge carrying the R700 across the River Barrow, directly connecting counties Kilkenny and Wexford just north of New Ross.

The original "Mount Garrett Wooden Bridge," was designed by famous American bridge builder Lemuel Cox in 1794, replacing the ferry.In 1921 this wooden structure was destroyed during the Irish War of Independence.

Between 1925 and 1930 the new Mount Garrett Ferry Bridge was designed by Dublin-based architect Alfred Dover Delap, the current concrete-and-steel structure was built and officially opened in 1930.

William Watson is an Irish landscape painter and art teacher based in Thomastown, Co.Kilkenny. He is best known for his large-scale topographical studies and vibrant architectural paintings of Kilkenny and its surrounding villages.

His landscape work achieved national recognition when it was selected for the prestigious 192nd Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) Annual Exhibition in Dublin.

In August 2026, his massive 48" x 36" topographical study of the iconic Tynan’s Bridge House Bar in Kilkenny City was prominently featured by The Kilkenny Art Gallery during the Kilkenny Arts Week Festival.

‘Mount Garrett Ferry Bridge, New Ross’

By William Watson

acrylic on canvas,
signed,
dated July 2022,
framed.

h:100 cms
w:70 cms
d: 5 cms

*****

Issued by Stacey Williams, MPRII
Public Relations
www.staceywilliamspr.com

Stacey Williams,MPRII Public Relations William Watson Art Kilkenny County Council,Community Development& Culture Thomastown Community Network Graiguenamanagh Community Radio Kilkenny City AKA Fringe Kilkenny Arts Festival Kilkenny Art Gallery Thomastown Creative Arts Festival South East Radio Wexford People Kilkenny County Council New Ross Standard

12/08/2026

‘Thomastown Island Weir’

By Kate Beagan

oil on canvas,
(60 x 60 cm) - 71 x 71cm frame size,
d.July 2026

This new painting features in the Kilkenny Art Gallery 2 collection which is now on view at their ‘Kilkenny Arts Week Exhibition’ located at
45/46 High Street, Kilkenny in the Dore’s Optometrist building.

The Kilkenny Art Gallery ‘Arts Week Festival Exhibition’ runs from the 6th - 16th August 2026 and is open daily from 10am - 6pm.

The main Kilkenny Art Gallery located on 25 Patrick Street is also open for the duration of Kilkenny Arts Week Festival.

Kilkenny Art Gallery Thomastown Creative Arts Festival Kilkenny Arts Festival AKA Fringe Thomastown Community Network Stacey Williams,MPRII Public Relations

11/08/2026

‘KILKENNY ART GALLERY LAUNCH ARTS WEEK FESTIVAL EXHIBITION’

The Kilkenny Art Gallery launched their 2026 Kilkenny Arts Week Festival Exhibition last Friday with an extensive collection of original works including paintings and sculpture by nationally renowned artists.

Kilkenny Artists & Gallerists ! - William Watson, Dermot MacNevin, Valerie Walshe,Mick Mulcahy, Vera Whelan, Francis Tansey, Bettina Norton, Brock Butler, Stacey Williams, Canice Hogan and Darlene Garr attended the opening of the Kilkenny Art Gallery 2 - Arts Week Festival Exhibition.

The Kilkenny Art Gallery ‘Arts Week Festival Exhibition’ runs from the 6th - 16th August 2026 and is open daily from 10am - 6pm.

The main Kilkenny Art Gallery located on 25 Patrick Street is also open for the duration of Kilkenny Arts Week Festival.

Image Accreditation: Vicky Comerford Photography

AKA Fringe Kilkenny Arts Festival Kilkenny Art Gallery KCLR96FM Community Radio Kilkenny City Thomastown Creative Arts Festival Stacey Williams,MPRII Public Relations William Watson Art Francis Tansey

11/08/2026

‘KILKENNY ARTIST CAPTURES ICONIC CITY BAR FOR ARTS WEEK FESTIVAL EXHIBITION’

A large topographical study of one of Kilkenny city’s most popular public houses ‘Tynan’s Bridge House Bar’ has been captured by Thomastown based landscape painter William Watson.

Tynan's Bridge House Bar is a historic, award-winning public house located at 2 John's Bridge, Gardens, Kilkenny.Originally established in 1703 as a dual grocer-pharmacy, the property was purchased and converted into a bar by Michael Tynan in 1919. Perched along the southerly edge of John's Bridge overlooking the River Nore, it stands as Kilkenny City’s oldest pub and has earned the distinction of being named Ireland's first-ever ‘National Bar of the Year’.

This new painting features in the Kilkenny Art Gallery 2 collection which is now on view at their ‘Kilkenny Arts Week Exhibition’ located at
45/46 High Street, Kilkenny in the Dore’s Optometrist building.

William Watson was born in 1975 and is an Irish landscape painter and professional Art Teacher. William Watson teaches Art & Design at the Duiske College, Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland. William Watson studied Art and Design at the National College of Art & Design (NCAD), Dublin, Ireland and graduated with a Diploma.

William Watson paints mainly in large scale with acrylic on canvas, primed with warm tones, building up the composition with layers of small brushstrokes. This building up of punctuated colour has the overall aim of producing intense and vibrant tones, dramatically increasing the freshness and temperature of the painting.

The artist's first Solo Exhibition was at the 2005 Kilkenny Art’s Festival. William Watson’s recent landscape painting (d.2022) was selected to be exhibited as part of the 192nd Royal Hibernian Academy, (RHA) in Dublin, Ireland.

William Watson recently completed a Masters in Education, (M.Ed) at the University of Limerick. His final year thesis explored ‘Leadership in Education’. Watson has undertaken many commissions which now feature in private national and international collections, both across the island of Ireland and overseas.

The Kilkenny Art Gallery ‘Arts Week Exhibition’ runs from the 6th - 16th August 2026 and is open daily from 10am - 6pm.

The main Kilkenny Art Gallery located on 25 Patrick Street is also open for the duration of Kilkenny Arts Week Festival.

Kilkenny Arts Festival AKA Fringe William Watson Art Kilkenny Art Gallery Thomastown Creative Arts Festival Thomastown Community Network Tynan's Bridge House Bar KCLR96FM Community Radio Kilkenny City Graiguenamanagh

10/08/2026

THE BERKELEY GALLERY AT GRENNAN MILL
Est.1985

The Berkeley Gallery was founded in Grennan Mill, Thomastown in 1985 by proprietor Canice Hogan and celebrates forty one years this year.

The Berkeley Gallery was established to recognise and celebrate the tercentenary (1685-1985) of George Berkeley’s birth on 12th March 1685 at Dysart Castle,Thomastown.

The Berkeley Gallery at Grennan Mill has hosted multiple exhibitions over the past four decades and has launched the artistic careers of many of Ireland’s leading artists who are celebrated today.

The Berkeley Gallery is located at Grennan Mill which is an extensive mill complex forming an important element of the mid to late eighteenth-century industrial legacy of Thomastown having historically supported much of the local agricultural economy, probably superseding an earlier range on site the present mill reputedly has origins in a complex established as one of three Pilsworth flour mills built by Dutch engineers in the late seventeenth century.

Positioned overlooking the River Nore the solid form and massing of the composition together with the regular, almost monotonous pattern of the small-scale window openings all serve to produce a striking focal point in the landscape.

Although now accommodating an alternative function the retention of the original composition qualities together with most of the early fabric maintains the character of the site.

The Secret Garden Exhibition is hosted at The Berkeley Gallery at Grennan Mill for the 2026 Thomastown Creative Arts Festival, which runs in tandem with the 2026 Kilkenny Arts Festival and 2026 AKA Fringe.The Secret Garden exhibition features a broad collection of over 200 original paintings and sculptures by local,regional and nationally renowned artists.

The Secret Garden is co-hosted by Cahir Arts and linn gallery and runs from Friday 7th - Sunday 16th August 2026 from 11am - 6pm daily.

The Berkeley Gallery at Grennan Mill AKA Fringe Kilkenny Arts Festival Kilkenny Live Cahir arts Cahir Arts linn gallery Stacey Williams,MPRII Public Relations

07/08/2026

‘Tynan’s Bridge House Bar’

By William Watson

acrylic on canvas,
48 x 36 ins,
dated 2026,
signed.

Now on view at Kilkenny Art Gallery ‘Arts Week Exhibition’ located at 45/46 High Street, Kilkenny !

William Watson Art AKA Fringe Kilkenny Art Gallery Kilkenny Arts Festival Visit Kilkenny Graiguenamanagh Thomastown Creative Arts Festival Community Radio Kilkenny City KCLR96FM Kilkenny Live Thomastown Community Network

26/07/2026

Sad to hear of the passing of Northern Ireland broadcaster and TV Presenter Gerry Kelly.

I had the pleasure of working with Gerry in 2012 at the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa and Royal County Down Golf Club as the Event Director of the ‘National Golf Tourism Conference & Gala Irish Golf Awards.’

Gerry was a legendary broadcaster, kind, supportive and great to work with.His charming demeanour and sense of humour was so infectious.He was larger than life and will remembered for his significant contribution.

Wishing his family deepest sympathies at this sad time.He will be sadly missed by all.

Kelly, whose presenting career spanned four decades, is perhaps best known for his weekly talk show on UTV from 1989 until 2005. https://bbc.in/3TUC05W

26/07/2026

Sad to hear of the passing of Northern Ireland broadcaster and TV Presenter Gerry Kelly.

I had the pleasure of working with Gerry in 2012 at the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa and Royal County Down Golf Club as the Event Director of the ‘2012 National Golf Tourism Conference & Gala Irish Golf Awards.’

Gerry was a legendary broadcaster, kind, supportive and great to work with.Wishing his family deepest sympathies at this sad time.He will be sadly missed by all.

The death has been announced of the Ballymena-born broadcaster Gerry Kelly. He was 77.

26/07/2026

Congratulations to Mayo GAA !!! ❤️💚

The Mall in Castlebar is all set for the live screening of the All-Ireland SFC final on Sunday. Grand bit of painting by the Chamber of Commerce!