Heritage Week Talk: Is Conservation Really Necessary?

Butler Gallery marks National Heritage Week with a public talk asking a question conservators face on every project, is conservation really necessary. The talk falls inside the gallery’s Thursday evening programme that runs alongside its major Tony and Jane O’Malley exhibition, and it is free to attend as part of the nationwide Heritage Week programme, which requires all participating events to be free of charge. It is a rare chance to hear how a public gallery decides what work goes into keeping and restoring paintings and objects for the long term.

What to expect

Heritage Week runs across Ireland from 15 to 23 August 2026, and Kilkenny galleries and museums each contribute their own strand of talks and open days. Butler Gallery’s contribution looks at conservation from the inside, the practical and ethical questions staff and outside conservators weigh up before touching a work of art, from cleaning and repair to storage and display conditions. The talk sits within the gallery’s wider Thursday evening series that runs through August and September alongside the O’Malley Talk Series, so visitors arriving early can also see the current Tony and Jane O’Malley: The Shared Studio exhibition before the talk begins. Expect a relatively informal gallery-based discussion rather than a formal lecture hall setting, in keeping with the gallery’s other Thursday events.

Getting there

Butler Gallery is in Evans’ Home on John’s Quay, on the bank of the River Nore close to Kilkenny Castle, a short walk from the city centre. The gallery opens late on Thursdays, until 8pm, and the nearest public parking is at the Castle car park and the Market Yard, both within easy walking distance.

While you’re in Kilkenny

John’s Quay sits right along the river walk beside Kilkenny Castle, so the talk combines easily with an evening walk through the castle grounds or along the Nore. There is more to see in Kilkenny and across Co. Kilkenny.

Good to know

• Date: Thursday, 20 August 2026, during National Heritage Week
• Time: evening talk, gallery listing shows no fixed start time beyond its Thursday evening slot, check butlergallery.ie closer to the date
• Venue: Butler Gallery, Evans’ Home, John’s Quay, Kilkenny
• Price: Free, as required for all National Heritage Week events
• Booking: No booking noted; check the gallery’s website for any changes ahead of Heritage Week