There is still time to see Of Sand & Ash at the National Design & Craft Gallery in Kilkenny before it closes on Saturday, 24 October 2026. The exhibition began on 6 August, so this is a guide to an ongoing programme, rather than an announcement of a new opening. Admission is listed as free. [1][2]

Design & Crafts Council Ireland presents the exhibition with the Glass Society of Ireland. Its description places finished objects beside tools, materials, sketches and other evidence of studio practice. For visitors interested in design, that gives the visit a focus beyond deciding whether a piece would suit a shelf at home. [1][2]

Follow one object back to its making

Choose a piece that catches your attention and look for the accompanying process information. What part of its appearance comes from shaping, joining, colour or surface treatment? Does a drawing reveal a decision that is harder to recognise in the finished object? These are prompts for looking, not claims about a work The Press has inspected.

The organisers list disciplines including hot glass, kiln-formed and cast glass, engraving, mosaic and stained glass. Comparing the labels can help distinguish objects that look similar but were made through different processes. The published programme also advises visitor discretion for some material; anyone planning a visit with children can ask the gallery what that means for their group. [2]

Check the day before setting out

The gallery is in Castle Yard, across from Kilkenny Castle. Its current visitor page lists Tuesday to Saturday opening from 10am to 5.30pm and says Sundays and Mondays are closed from 1 September. A Sunday trip therefore needs a different plan. The page describes wheelchair access; contact the gallery for any more specific requirements. [3]

Keep the exhibition and visitor-page links together with your travel arrangements. Check for any change before leaving, especially if the visit is the main reason for a journey. The useful opportunity is to spend time understanding how a material becomes an object. This article draws on the organisers’ information, checked on 10 October, and does not claim a gallery visit or review of the artworks.