Burren College of Art

Burren College of Art Our mission is to be a hothouse of artists- reflective and challenging; remote and connected; at the confluence of cultures.

Registered Irish Charity (RCN: 20040697) Burren College of Art is an internationally recognised not-for-profit independent college specialising in undergraduate and graduate fine art education. We offer artists and art students from around the world time, space and inspiration within the unique environment of the Burren. The Master of Fine Art programme is accredited by the National University of

Ireland, Galway and is operated in association with the Royal College of Art, London and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Our undergraduate Study Abroad programmes, Summer School and Artist Residency Scheme also recruit internationally.

Bog iron smelting has been practised in Ireland for centuries, and this week that tradition came to Burren College of Ar...
31/07/2026

Bog iron smelting has been practised in Ireland for centuries, and this week that tradition came to Burren College of Art through Irish Bloomery Iron.

Using clay furnaces, charcoal and locally sourced bog ore, Gwilym Stanley and Alan Doyle demonstrated the ancient bloomery process, extracting a glowing iron bloom before refining it under hammer.

Our thanks to everyone at Irish Bloomery Iron for such a generous demonstration of this remarkable craft.

We were delighted to welcome S.E.A. School to Burren College of Art for the first time this summer.During a workshop led...
22/07/2026

We were delighted to welcome S.E.A. School to Burren College of Art for the first time this summer.

During a workshop led by JD Whitman, students explored marine plastic pollution, the plastic life cycle and underwater sound, using plastic they had collected throughout their programme to co-create sculptures and an immersive underwater soundscape.

Thank you to Tasneem Khan, JD Whitman, the S.E.A. School team, and all of the participants. We hope this is the first of many collaborations.

Please join us tomorrow - Tuesday, July 21 at 4pm in Newtown Castle for:The Lifted Veil: A photographic and poetic perf...
20/07/2026

Please join us tomorrow - Tuesday, July 21 at 4pm in Newtown Castle for:

The Lifted Veil: A photographic and poetic performance
Featuring artists: Phyllis Berger and Gillian Turner

This is the story of a wanderer and her spiritual quest as she travels the landscape of the Burren and the Beara Peninsula.

Phyllis and Gillian met at the Burren College of Art in 2009 and have collaborated on the Lifted Veil for the past 5 years. Phyllis was a Professor of Photography at the Johns Hopkins University and brought her students to the BCA. Gillian, an Australian artist, came to Ireland for the first time as a as an artist in residence. This image and text performance comes out of their love for the Burren and the Beara and their shared interest in the mystical side of life.

One of the pleasures of working at Burren College of Art is hearing from former students.Recently, Spring 2023 student E...
16/07/2026

One of the pleasures of working at Burren College of Art is hearing from former students.

Recently, Spring 2023 student Elliot Shafnacker wrote:

“A bunch of us from that group are still close friends, and have been meeting up annually to make art and go to museums together. We talk about our memories of the Burren every time we meet, and I am so deeply glad to know these people because of that time.”

09/07/2026

At the end of their time at Burren College of Art, students from this year’s James Madison University programme shared a series of short films created during their stay.

We’re delighted to share a few moments from those films here.

09/07/2026

At the end of their time at Burren College of Art, students from this year’s James Madison University programme shared a selection of short films made during their stay.

We’re delighted to share a few moments from those films here.

Thank you to the JMU students for leaving these with us.

Learn, make and experiment in the unique landscape of the Burren.Limited places remain on three of our August workshops:...
02/07/2026

Learn, make and experiment in the unique landscape of the Burren.

Limited places remain on three of our August workshops:

• Mixing Media — 10–14 August
• Burren Botanical Drawing — 17–21 August
• The Art of Making Books — 17–21 August

Follow the link in our bio to explore the workshops and book your place.

Learning often begins with making.As part of this year’s Penn State Summer Study Abroad programme, students spent time w...
29/06/2026

Learning often begins with making.

As part of this year’s Penn State Summer Study Abroad programme, students spent time with Kate and Alan of Westcountry Willows, learning the traditional craft of willow basket weaving through demonstration, conversation and hands-on practice.

Our thanks to Kate and Alan for sharing their knowledge so generously, and to Helen O’Leary for leading another wonderful Penn State programme in the Burren.

Now on view in the Burren College of Art Café: a stunning exhibition of Burren orchid photographs by Helen McQuillan.A V...
25/06/2026

Now on view in the Burren College of Art Café: a stunning exhibition of Burren orchid photographs by Helen McQuillan.

A Visitor Guide with the National Parks and Wildlife Service based in Burren National Park, Helen is a nature photographer with a particular interest in macro photography, documenting the remarkable diversity of Burren flora and invertebrates.

Her photographs encourage us to look more closely at the landscapes around us and the extraordinary species they support.

The exhibition is open to all visitors during café hours, Monday–Friday, 9am–2pm.

We were delighted to welcome Maria Hansen, Executive Director of ELIA (European League of Institutes of the Arts), to Bu...
22/06/2026

We were delighted to welcome Maria Hansen, Executive Director of ELIA (European League of Institutes of the Arts), to Burren College of Art.

As a long-standing member of ELIA, it was a pleasure to share the college alive with creative activity and to exchange perspectives on art, research and leadership in higher education.

Thank you, Maria, for your visit and for the important work ELIA does in fostering dialogue and collaboration across arts education.

Address

Newtown Castle
Ballyvaughan
COUNTYCLARE

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+353657077200

Website

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