MY 2025 VISIT TO THE BUTLER GALLERY
THE BUTLER GALLERY IN KILKENNY [PROMINENT ART GALLERY]
The Butler Gallery, a prominent contemporary art gallery and museum in Kilkenny, Ireland, is now housed in the historic Evans' Home, a building with a rich and diverse past spanning over 800 years.
History of the Building (Evans' Home):
Before its current incarnation as the Butler Gallery, the site of Evans' Home has witnessed numerous transformations:
13th Century - Priory: The earliest known use of the site dates back to 1212 with the Hospital of St. John. In 1240, William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke, granted a charter for the Canons Regular of St. Augustine to build a new priory here. This Augustinian priory included a church, belfry, cemetery, various chambers, dormitories, a grain store, dining hall, kitchens, and gardens. The priory flourished until 1540, when it fell victim to the dissolution of the monasteries under King Henry VIII during the Protestant Reformation.
17th Century - Military Barracks: Following the Cromwellian invasion of Ireland in the mid-17th century, the Jesuit college that had occupied the site was converted into a military hospital in 1650. By the turn of the century, an infantry barracks was constructed using salvaged stones from the priory and Jesuit college.
19th Century - Evans' Home (Almshouse): In 1818, the building was recommissioned as an almshouse for impoverished former domestic servants, known as the Evans' Home (originally Evans' Asylum). This was made possible by the will of Joseph Evans, a wealthy Kilkenny landowner, who bequeathed his entire fortune (£24,000) to establish the Evans' Trust for charitable purposes, including supporting the poor and homeless. The building was designed by Kilkenny architect William Robertson.
20th Century - Nursing Home and Disuse: The Evans' Home continued to serve as a residence for domestic servants into the early 20th century. As the demand for domestic servants declined, it transitioned into a nursing home, remaining so until the mid-1990s when the last resident left. Subsequently, the building fell into disuse for several decades.
Ownership and Financing:
Current Owner: The building itself, Evans' Home, came into Kilkenny County Council ownership in 1997. The Butler Gallery, which operates as the Kilkenny Art Gallery Society Limited (a company limited by guarantee and a charitable body), has a ten-year contractual arrangement with Kilkenny County Council, with a 99-year lease to be extended after this period.
Financing: The Butler Gallery is financed through a combination of sources:
Public Funding: Significant capital funding for the conservation and transformation of Evans' Home was provided by Kilkenny County Council (approximately €3 million), the Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht (€2 million), and Fáilte Ireland (€1.135 million) as part of the Ireland's Ancient East Initiative.
Grants: The gallery receives ongoing grants from various local, national, and international public funding bodies, including the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and Kilkenny Leader Partnership.
Membership and Donations: Support also comes from "Friends" and "Patrons" programmes, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations.
Earned Income: Revenue is generated through fundraising events, the gift shop, online sales of prints from the collection, and the rental of the café.
Voluntary Board: The Butler Gallery is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors.
Modifications and Extensions:
The transformation of Evans' Home into the contemporary Butler Gallery, undertaken by McCullough Mulvin Architects and completed in 2020, involved significant modifications and extensions while carefully preserving the building's heritage.
Sensitive Restoration: The original H-shaped building has been conserved, with efforts made to minimise the impact of new work and ensure reversibility where possible. This included re-pointing the exterior with lime mortar, restoring existing windows, and replacing those beyond repair with matching designs. Original features like fireplaces and hearths have been retained.
Contemporary Extensions: Two new, two-storey, bronze-anodised contemporary extensions have been added to the north of the old building. These modern additions house ancillary support spaces, including a digital gallery for projections, and allow for the necessary climate control and visitor flow required for a modern museum.
Reimagined Spaces: The original building now houses the Main Gallery for temporary exhibitions, galleries for the permanent Butler Collection, and a dedicated wing for the work of Callan artist Tony O'Malley and his wife Jane.
Outdoor Spaces: Particular attention was paid to the design of the outdoor spaces, which now include a sculpture garden, children's areas, and an archaeological site, revealing layers of the site's long history through various archaeological digs conducted during the refurbishment. The former latrines on the property have also been redeveloped into "The Garden Studio," providing additional space for learning and public engagement programmes.
The project successfully balances the preservation of the historic structure with the demands of a contemporary art space, making the Butler Gallery a unique blend of art, architecture, and history.
The Butler Gallery, a prominent contemporary art gallery and museum in Kilkenny, Ireland, is now housed in the historic Evans' Home, a building with a rich and diverse past spanning over 800 years.
History of the Building (Evans' Home):
Before its current incarnation as the Butler Gallery, the site of Evans' Home has witnessed numerous transformations:
13th Century - Priory: The earliest known use of the site dates back to 1212 with the Hospital of St. John. In 1240, William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke, granted a charter for the Canons Regular of St. Augustine to build a new priory here. This Augustinian priory included a church, belfry, cemetery, various chambers, dormitories, a grain store, dining hall, kitchens, and gardens. The priory flourished until 1540, when it fell victim to the dissolution of the monasteries under King Henry VIII during the Protestant Reformation.
17th Century - Military Barracks: Following the Cromwellian invasion of Ireland in the mid-17th century, the Jesuit college that had occupied the site was converted into a military hospital in 1650. By the turn of the century, an infantry barracks was constructed using salvaged stones from the priory and Jesuit college.
19th Century - Evans' Home (Almshouse): In 1818, the building was recommissioned as an almshouse for impoverished former domestic servants, known as the Evans' Home (originally Evans' Asylum). This was made possible by the will of Joseph Evans, a wealthy Kilkenny landowner, who bequeathed his entire fortune (£24,000) to establish the Evans' Trust for charitable purposes, including supporting the poor and homeless. The building was designed by Kilkenny architect William Robertson.
20th Century - Nursing Home and Disuse: The Evans' Home continued to serve as a residence for domestic servants into the early 20th century. As the demand for domestic servants declined, it transitioned into a nursing home, remaining so until the mid-1990s when the last resident left. Subsequently, the building fell into disuse for several decades.
Ownership and Financing:
Current Owner: The building itself, Evans' Home, came into Kilkenny County Council ownership in 1997. The Butler Gallery, which operates as the Kilkenny Art Gallery Society Limited (a company limited by guarantee and a charitable body), has a ten-year contractual arrangement with Kilkenny County Council, with a 99-year lease to be extended after this period.
Financing: The Butler Gallery is financed through a combination of sources:
Public Funding: Significant capital funding for the conservation and transformation of Evans' Home was provided by Kilkenny County Council (approximately €3 million), the Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht (€2 million), and Fáilte Ireland (€1.135 million) as part of the Ireland's Ancient East Initiative.
Grants: The gallery receives ongoing grants from various local, national, and international public funding bodies, including the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and Kilkenny Leader Partnership.
Membership and Donations: Support also comes from "Friends" and "Patrons" programmes, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations.
Earned Income: Revenue is generated through fundraising events, the gift shop, online sales of prints from the collection, and the rental of the café.
Voluntary Board: The Butler Gallery is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors.
Modifications and Extensions:
The transformation of Evans' Home into the contemporary Butler Gallery, undertaken by McCullough Mulvin Architects and completed in 2020, involved significant modifications and extensions while carefully preserving the building's heritage.
Sensitive Restoration: The original H-shaped building has been conserved, with efforts made to minimise the impact of new work and ensure reversibility where possible. This included re-pointing the exterior with lime mortar, restoring existing windows, and replacing those beyond repair with matching designs. Original features like fireplaces and hearths have been retained.
Contemporary Extensions: Two new, two-storey, bronze-anodised contemporary extensions have been added to the north of the old building. These modern additions house ancillary support spaces, including a digital gallery for projections, and allow for the necessary climate control and visitor flow required for a modern museum.
Reimagined Spaces: The original building now houses the Main Gallery for temporary exhibitions, galleries for the permanent Butler Collection, and a dedicated wing for the work of Callan artist Tony O'Malley and his wife Jane.
Outdoor Spaces: Particular attention was paid to the design of the outdoor spaces, which now include a sculpture garden, children's areas, and an archaeological site, revealing layers of the site's long history through various archaeological digs conducted during the refurbishment. The former latrines on the property have also been redeveloped into "The Garden Studio," providing additional space for learning and public engagement programmes.
The project successfully balances the preservation of the historic structure with the demands of a contemporary art space, making the Butler Gallery a unique blend of art, architecture, and history.