A lesson in straw-bale house-building will be one of the more unusual attractions in Manorhamilton over the next 10 days as some 30 artists and craftworkers put their work on display in what is being billed "the exhibition of the century".
Chris Killilea, who is building the environmentally-friendly straw house, is confident of having an enthusiastic bunch of volunteer students to help him complete the walls. A carpenter has already built the frame, and the volunteers are all interested in learning the technique for themselves.
The method is very simple, says Chris, and even somebody with no building experience could master it within a few hours. While he is aware of only one other strawbale house in Ireland, he believes they will become a lot more common over the coming years, mainly for economic reasons.
A straw house can be built at a cost of u £20 per square foot, less than half that of a conventional house. In addition, it only uses between a quarter and a third of the energy required to heat other houses.
Contrary to what people might think, Chris says, the straw house is not a fire hazard, and if anything is safer than conventional homes.
The building technique was developed in the United States, and both the inside and outside of the tightly-packed straw wall is plastered with a mixture of mud and lime, making it air-tight.
Chris intends in the long term to move into the house with his wife, Paula, and six children, but for as long as people want to come and look around it, the house will be open to the public. When finished, it will also be used as an exhibition space for local artists. Interesting features inside will include a staircase carved from a tree trunk.
The Visual Leitrim exhibition is being opened tonight in the Market House in Manorhamilton, and will include fine art and prints, sculptures, mosaics, hand-painted silks, glassware and furniture.
Visual Leitrim was established in 1997 with the aim of marketing and promoting the work of a multi-discipline group of artists and craftspeople working in the county. Successful exhibitions were held 12 months ago in the RHA Gallery in Dublin and in Carrick-on-Shannon.
Meanwhile, Manorhamilton is continuing to attract artists, thanks primarily to the town's successful sculpture centre, which offers full-time courses. The exhibition runs until November 7th, and organisers say those interested in buying or commissioning a piece will be particularly welcome. Information at (078) 20450.