Kilkenny illustrator’s work on Irish lighthouses to illuminate design fair

AN award-nominated book on Irish lighthouses and prints of Dublin villages will all be showcased by a leading Kilkenny illustrator and storyboard artist at Gifted – The Contemporary Craft and Design Fair.

With over 500 designers, makers and artisan producers displaying original gifts, the traditional opening to the festive season in Dublin is set to attract over 45,000 people to the RDS Main Hall over five days, from December 5-9.

Roger O’Reilly of Irelandposters.ie says he can’t keep his new book, Lighthouses of Ireland, on the shelves since it was launched last month. The book is already on its third print run.

“I was posting my pictures of lighthouses on social media and realised I needed to write something about each of them to go with the illustrations,” said Roger.

“This gave me the idea of the book, which shows lighthouses from all over Ireland, starting in my native town of Drogheda, Co Louth, circling the coast right back to the ‘folly’ lighthouse in Co Meath.”

The book has been nominated for the An Post Book Awards for the Best Irish Published Book of the Year.

The Kilkenny resident, who has worked on storyboards for clients such as Coca-Cola and Diageo as well as the Irish TV series ‘Vikings’ will also have some other gift ideas on offer at Gifted.

“I have a series of prints of all the villages of Dublin including Sandymount, Sutton and Killiney,” said Roger.

“Well-designed wall art is a great addition to any home, but place prints bring an extra dimension in that it represents a personal connection.

“They may illustrate somewhere you have been, or they simply serve to say this is where I come from.”

Other producers from Co Kilkenny who will display their gift ideas include Conker Tree Studio, Callan.

Gifted also features The Spectacular Christmas Food Emporium with over 100 artisan food producers, where you can meet the experts who can help you plan and source every aspect of your festive meal right up to the bronzed turkey.

There will be 10% off everything at Gifted on the opening day, Wednesday, December 5.

Gifted – The Contemporary Craft and Design Fair takes place at the RDS Main Hall from December 5-9 from 10am each day.  Full details and booking can be found at www.giftedfair.ie