Jan 31, 2026 | Eco, Featured, Media, News
Brilliant Ballybunion was delighted to welcome Uachtarán na hÉireann, President Catherine Connolly and Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan and 500 guests to Ballybunion on Friday 30th January. Both attended ‘What if We Were Brilliant?’, a celebration event to mark the culmination of this dynamic, community-led, creative climate action initiative. Over the last two years the Brilliant Ballybunion group has been focusing on growing food, being creative and protecting nature.
Jan 3, 2026 | Eco, Media, News
Nature, food, creativity – that’s Brilliant Ballybunion’s recipe for community climate action. The enormity of climate change and biodiversity loss can leave the individual feeling disempowered, but by coming together and acting locally, we can transform how we feel and create change, the group believes. Brilliant Ballybunion began with a call out to the north Kerry community for those passionate about nature, food or creativity to collaborate. Nature-lovers, farmers, bird watchers, photographers, sketchers, writers and ecologists came forward and so began a journey of creative climate action- Joanne Hunt
Dec 20, 2025 | Eco, Featured, Media, News, Writing
Lisa Fingleton: The Square Tomato Siamsa Tíre, Tralee, Co Kerry, February-March Referencing “advances” in bioengineering aimed at making fruit and veg easier to pack, the artist, grower and writer Lisa Fingleton jumped into a series of serious meditations on how much we’re screwing up the natural world in the name of progress. What made this show a standout was the wit with which Fingleton leavened her messaging, and the breadth of her sources. Her filmed interview with the Indian physicist and environmentalist Vandana Shiva also provided a sliver of hope. Other highlight works in this vein included Bernadette Kiely’s No Promised Land painting at the RHA Annual, and John Conneely and Conor Maloney’s Funeral for Ashes at the Festival Print-works Gallery for Galway International Arts Festival (although four times was probably plenty for David Mach, who again made the main Galway festival installation, exuberant and eye catching – Gemma Tipton, Irish Times
Oct 17, 2025 | Eco
Bee Like A TREE Three Transformational Workshops With Artists UPDATE: Delighted to announce that there has been a brilliant response and these workshops are now FULLY BOOKED (Waiting list only) Online, 19.00-20.30 Mondays 3rd, 10th and 17th November 2025 Hosted by...
Sep 5, 2025 | Eco, Featured, Media, News, Writing
The Ballybunion Bean Festival focused on the potential of beans as the most fun and climate friendly food for the future. The Ballybunion Bean Festival was organised by Brilliant Ballybunion, a creative climate action project that focuses of supporting community...
Sep 5, 2025 | Eco, Featured, Media, News
What If We Were Brilliant? is a hopeful and creative project by Brilliant Ballybunion and artist Lisa Fingleton for IMMA Earth Rising that explores how communities can be “brilliant not brutal” in the face of biodiversity loss and climate change.
The project has been selected for the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) Earth Rising festival from 12th-14th September. Earlier this year IMMA invited proposals for collaborations between visual artists, Irish-based environmental groups, and local communities and Brilliant Ballybunion was one of the four* selected projects.
Apr 29, 2025 | Eco, Media, News
The Third Series of the RTE Home Grown programme celebrating the Irish horticulture industry, showcases many inspiring projects around the country including Brilliant Ballybunion and the Barna Way. Brilliant Ballybunion is a Creative Climate Action Project which...
Mar 10, 2025 | Eco, News
What on earth can art do? What is the role of artists in the face of climate change and biodiversity loss? How do we connect with sisters? Do feminists principles inform our practice? How do we sustain our practice? What sustains us? How does our art practice connect...
Feb 4, 2025 | Eco, Featured, Media, News
Thank you so much to everyone who came the opening of The Square Tomato at Siamsa Tire. We were so delighted to have such a huge crowd. So wonderful to see so many people who are passionate about protecting food / ecosystems and the precious interconnectedness of...
Dec 3, 2024 | Eco, Media
Rena Blake and Lisa Fingleton are new Farming for Nature Ambassadors 2024-2025. Farming for Nature at The Barna Way, they ask how do we grow food, protect nature and be creative all at the same time? They are based just outside Ballybunion, North Kerry where they run...
Dec 3, 2024 | Eco, Media, News, Writing
“In one generation they will forget that tomatoes were round”. The Square Tomato Exhibition from 1st February to 22nd March 2025 at Siamsa Tire, Tralee. Inspired by the work of Indian writer and global food activist Dr Vandana Shiva, artist Lisa Fingleton, exposes the challenges of our food systems in terms of biodiversity, climate change and health.
Nov 7, 2024 | Media, News
Gaza Emergency— Lisa Fingleton, ‘Speaking peace while selling arms’ now half price: €95 100% of proceeds of this sale will be donated to Médecins Sans Frontières’ Gaza and their West Bank Emergency Regional Fund. The print is a collaboration between Lisa Fingleton and...
Aug 14, 2024 | Eco, Media, News
Scenic Roots is a group exhibition exploring rural life, queer identity, folklore, biodiversity, sustainability, the Anthropocene, and social and cultural influence, through drawing and sculpture. With artists Kian Benson Bailes, Laura Fitzgerald, Lisa Fingleton, Siobhán McGibbon, and Maria McKinney, curated by Laura O’Connor.
Aug 14, 2024 | Eco, Media, News
Kerry Writers’ Museum showcases the work of leading contemporary artists and farmers Lisa Fingleton and Laura Fitzgerald during Heritage Week. They use video and humour to create work that is grounded in rural Ireland and explores global issues like climate change, food systems, community engagement, colonial legacies, conflict and magic.
May 31, 2024 | Eco, Media, News
SEE YOU ON SATURDAY AT K-Fest IN KILLORGLIN. 3PM FOR OUR FILMING SCREENING OF ‘VOICES FROM THE FIELD’ (CYMS THEATRE) Voices from the Field/Guthanna ón nGort (80 minutes), reflects the experiences of the ten farming families who have taken part in in the...
May 22, 2024 | Eco, Media, News
We are really delighted to be part of the RTE Nationwide special on biodiversity at 7pm this Wednesday 22nd May. The programme with include conversations about our journey at The Barna Way. We will also be focusing on biodiversity and creative projects based here at,...
Apr 9, 2024 | News
Really looking forward to hosting this Brilliant Ballybunion Event here at The Barna Way with artists Jennie Moran @hiluncheonette Katie O’Connor @caitomusic and photogrpapher Rena Blake @blake.rena_photography An evening of radical hospitality, creativity & music...
Mar 5, 2024 | Media, News
If like me you are devastated by the proliferation of wars around the world and specifically the genocide of the people of Gaza, I believe it is essential that we look at our own role as a country. I have been extremely alarmed to learn of our growing military exports and believe we should have the right to know what is being produced in Ireland, by whom and where it is going.
Feb 7, 2024 | Eco, Media, News
Brillliant Ballybunion is hosting an open night for people who are interested in being creative, growing food and protecting nature Brilliant Ballybunion is an exciting new Creative Climate Action project, supporting the local community to creatively explore the...
Dec 21, 2023 | Eco, Media, News, Writing
A short story written and performed by Lisa Fingleton in response to the wars around the world recorded by Culture File on RTE Lyric FM
