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arts · Saturday 4 July 2026 · Various 
Clonmel's Inaugural Plein Air
At Multiple outdoor locations in Clonmel and surrounding areas · Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
At Multiple outdoor locations in Clonmel and surrounding areas · Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
Painters have been heading outdoors to capture light and landscape since long before the Impressionists made it fashionable, and the Clonmel Junction Arts Festival is bringing that tradition to South Tipperary for the first time in 2026. The inaugural Plein Air is a two-day painting event spread across the streets, riverbanks and historic sites of Clonmel and the surrounding area - open to anyone from seasoned exhibitors to complete beginners who want to try working from observation. If you have ever wanted to spend a summer weekend painting in the open air beside the Suir, with Cahir Castle, Ormonde Castle and the Rock of Cashel all within half an hour’s drive, this is the event.
Registration takes place at Abbey Street Car Park between 9am and 10am each morning, where canvases are stamped and artists receive a welcome pack on day one, along with high-visibility jackets and maps of the available painting locations. From there you are free to choose your spot - the streets of Clonmel itself, the riverbanks of the Suir, or one of the nearby OPW heritage sites. Paintings must be made entirely from observation; no printed photo references are permitted.
On Saturday evening there is a pizza party with complimentary food and live music, giving participants a chance to compare notes. Sunday wraps up with a competition judged across Gold, Silver, Bronze and People’s Choice categories. The Gold Prize winner receives an editioned print run of their painting and a framed original up to the value of €500, sponsored by Artisan Frames. A selection of work goes on to exhibit at linn gallery from 7 July through to 5 September.
Workshops are available on Saturday with Kieran Guckian - Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2025 - and Tipperary artist Jacqueline Gartlan. Jacqueline’s workshop is priced separately at €25 and has limited places; book via junctionfestival.com. The plein air itself runs from 8am to 5pm both days, with the general participation fee at €30. Participants must be 18 or over, and the ethos is leave-no-trace.
Clonmel sits on the N24 between Waterford and Limerick, roughly an hour from each. From Dublin, take the M8 south and pick up the N24 at Cahir - allow about two hours. Bus Eireann operates services from Dublin (via Cahir) and from Waterford, with the bus stop a short walk from the town centre. There is pay parking in the town and the event’s own base, Abbey Street Car Park, serves as the daily meeting point.
Clonmel is the largest inland town in Ireland, with a long stretch of the River Suir running through it and good independent cafes and pubs to land in after a day’s painting. The surrounding countryside - the Comeragh Mountains to the south, the Suir Valley to the east - gives you more material than two days could cover. There is more to see in Clonmel and across Co. Tipperary.
Heading to Multiple outdoor locations in Clonmel and surrounding areas in Clonmel? Tipperary has plenty more to see. Read the Clonmel area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.