Aoife Banks, Curator and Programming Coordinator, Luan Galley, Mayor Liam McDaniel, Lynda Mooney, Assistant Manager, Luan Gallery and Carmel Duffy, Manager, Luan Gallery at Luan Gallery on Culture Night.

Busy Culture Night at Luan Gallery and Abbey Road Artists' Studios

Published: Fri 25 Sep 2026, 11:54 AM

Luan Gallery and Abbey Road Artists’ Studios opened their doors to the public on Culture Night on Friday last.

The local events formed part of the 21st edition of Culture Night, the annual national celebration of culture, creativity and the arts. The programme of events aimed to welcome audiences of all ages to the gallery and artists' studios by creating opportunities for people to visit outside normal opening hours, take part in creative activity and engage with the exhibitions, artwork and artists through making, conversation, and guided interpretation.

Lilah McGuire with her beautiful rainbow drawing at Luan Gallery on Culture Night.

Ellie McGuire with her nana Mary Flynn enjoying the art activities at Luan Gallery on Culture Night.

Tadhg Staunton-Lee at Luan Gallery on Culture Night.

Carmel Duffy, Manager, said: “We were delighted to once again support Culture Night with late openings and an interesting programme of activities designed to welcome audiences of all ages through the gallery and studio doors.

“This year we encouraged visitors to engage with Fiona’s Kelly’s exhibition at Luan Gallery and meet visual artists undergoing residencies at Abbey Road Artists’ Studio and the members of Athlone Photography Club, who hosted an exhibition in the Community space at Abbey Road.”

Donal Jackson, Dr Anne Jeffers and Fiona Jackson at Fiona Jackson’s studio, Abbey Road Artists’ Studios, on Culture Night.

Mayor of Athlone-Moate Municipal District Cllr Liam McDaniel and Bronagh O’Reilly at Helen Duncan’s studio, Abbey Road Artists’ Studios on Culture Night.

Mary Fagg, Morgan Fagg and Brian Fagg at ‘The People of Athlone’ exhibition by Athlone Photography Club on Culture Night at Abbey Road Artists’ Community Space.

Between 4.30–7.45pm, families enjoyed free drop-in self-guided art activities for children at Luan Gallery. All materials were provided. Guided tours of Allow to Fallow, Allow to Fall Low, a solo exhibition of newly commissioned work by Westmeath artist Fiona Kelly took place at Luan Gallery at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm. The tours gave an overview of the artist's practice and the exhibition's themes.

Abbey Road resident artists Fiona Jackson and Helen Duncan opened their studio doors on Culture Night.

Fiona Jackson hosted an open studio and a display of a selection of her work recently created during her residency from 6-9pm.

Fiona also hosted a reading of a selection of her poetry works between 8pm and 8.20pm.

Helen Duncan’s studio was open from 7pm to 8.30pm, and a selection of Helen’s work was on display.

Participants from the ceramic workshop held as part of the recent Bog Bothy Programme at Cornafulla Micro Reserve at Cornafulla Bog were invited to collect the fired seed-storage pots they made during the times Helen’s studio was open.