Name: Ailtireachtúil 2026
Start: 2026-04-22T19:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-04-22T21:00:00+01:00
Location: United Arts Club

$Ailtireacht\u00fail 2026$

AAI and Orla O'Kane present Ailtireachtúil, an evening of architecture as Gaeilge.
About this Event

The AAI, in partnership with Orla O'Kane and the Ailtireachtúil Collective, is delighted to present the Ailtireachtúil Lecture, an evening of architecture as Gaeilge with Alice Bowler, Brian Ó Curnáin, Rachel Carmody and Seán Antóin Ó Muirí.

Ailtireachtúil is an ongoing curatorial project exploring the decoloniality of Irish architectural practice by confronting the absence of Irish language within Irish architecture and engagement with oral and material cultures. Ailtireachtúil was the grateful recipient of a 2025 Arts Council Architecture Project Award.

ALICE BOWLER

Is as Inis Córthaidh, Co. Loch Garman, í Alice Bowler agus is céimí í den Scoil Ailtireachta, UCD.

D'oibrigh sí i gcleachtas le Ailtirí Chandler Pierce, i Nua-Eabhrac, agus Ailtirí Tom Hegarty, i gacthar Chorcaí. I ndiaidh staidéir ar Eacnamaíocht Ciorclach in Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta na Mumhan, bhí sí ag obair le Workhouse Union. Spreag spéis in ailtireacht coiteannta, ábhair nádúrtha, agus na buntáistí imshaoil a bhaineann leo, taithí oibre a lorg leis an tuíodóir Sara Leach, agus iarratas ar an gcúrsa tuíodóireachta lánaimseartha i gCill Chainnigh, a chríochnaigh sí anuraidh. Tar éis socrúchán rathúil, tá sí ag obair faoi láthair le Sara Leach ar thionscadail éagsúla tuíodóireachta ar fud Loch Garman.

Alice Bowler is from Enniscorthy Co. Wexford and a graduate of the school of architecture, UCD. She worked in practice with Chandler Pierce Architects, New York, and Tom Hegarty Architects, Cork. Further studies in Circular Economy at MTU was followed by a position with Workhouse Union, before an interest in vernacular architecture and the environmental benefits of natural materials led to work experience with thatcher Sara Leach, and an application to the full-time thatching course in Kilkenny, which she completed last year. Following a successful placement she is now working with Sara Leach on various thatching projects across Wexford.

BRIAN Ó CURNÁIN

Is mac léinn M.Arch é Brian Ó Curnáin i UCD. Rinne sé staidéar i TU Delft agus d’oibrigh sé i roinnt cleachtas ailtireachta i mBaile Átha Cliath. Is comhchoimeádaí é ar Bayanihan, tionscadal ceardlainne atá dírithe ar an bpobal, a bronnadh an Thornton Trust Prize air in 2025. Cuirtear an tionscadal i láthair ag Féile Architecture at the Edge le dhá bhliain anuas. Is buaitheoir deontas John Meagher é, ainmníodh é do Dhuais Bruce Short, agus thaispeáin sé sa taispeántas As an gCeo. D’oibrigh sé mar mhaoirseoir ag Biennale na Veinéise in 2023 agus ghlac sé páirt in EASA Rhizome san Fhionlainn anuraidh.

Brian Ó Curnáin is an M.Arch student at UCD. He studied at TU Delft and has worked in a number of architectural practices in Dublin. He is co-curator of Bayanihan, a community-focused workshop project that was awarded the Thornton Trust Prize in 2025. The project has been presented at the Architecture at the Edge Festival over the last two years. He is a recipient of the John Meagher Bursary, was nominated for the Bruce Short Prize, and has exhibited work in the As an gCeo exhibition. He invigilated at the Venice Biennale in 2023 and participated in EASA Rhizome in Finland last year.

RACHEL CARMODY

"Is stiúideo beag dearadh-dírithe é Rachel Carmody Design, a bunaíodh in 2018 agus atá lonnaithe i mBaile Átha Cliath, ag obair go príomha ar thionscadail chónaithe, chomh maith le líon roghnaithe de choimisiúin san earnáil fáilteachais. Cé go bhfuil formhór a gcuid oibre áitiúil, tá roinnt tionscadal ar siúl acu faoi láthair i gContae Chiarraí agus i gContae An Chláir, agus tá siad ag druidim le críoch a chur le dhá theach samhraidh i Ros Láir agus sa Phortaingéil.

Tugann an cleachtas aird chúramach ar ábharthacht, ar uigeacht agus ar sholas. Meallann tionscadal athchóirithe iad go háirithe, áit ar féidir le hidirghabhálacha caolchúiseacha soiléireacht, suaimhneas agus sástacht a bhaint amach. Is fearr leo línte glana, íostachas brothallach, ag iarraidh, le smacht cúthalach, anál bhrea a thabhairt do ghach spás, chun go mbeadh fáilte roimh cách áitriú ann go hiomlán."

"Rachel Carmody Design is a small, design-led studio founded in 2018 and based in Dublin, working predominantly on residential projects, alongside a select number of hospitality commissions. While most of our work is local, we currently have several projects on site in Kerry and Clare, and are nearing completion of two summer houses in Rosslare and Portugal.

Our approach is guided by a careful attention to materiality, texture, and light. We are particularly drawn to refurbishment projects, where subtle interventions can bring clarity and calm. We favour clean lines, warm minimalism, and a quiet restraint that allows spaces to breathe, giving people the freedom to inhabit them fully."

SEÁN ANTÓIN Ó MUIRÍ

Príomhdhearthóir le fuinneamh workshop ó 2009. Stiúrthóir Stiúideo Teicneolaíochta Deartha in Ionad Chorcaí um Oideachas Ailtireachta, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh ó 2016 agus teagascóir Stiúideo Deartha Ailtireachta ó 2018. Teagascóir do Chlár Deartha RIBA Oxford Brookes 2022-2023. Céad Uachtarán Chumann Ailtireachta Chorcaí 2016-2018. Cathaoirleach Institiúid Ríoga Ailtirí na hÉireann, Réigiún an Deiscirt 2017-2019. Comhordaitheoir Sraith Léachtaí do Institiúid Ríoga Ailtirí na hÉireann, Réigiún an Deiscirt 2010-2019. Léirmheastóir do go leor irisí ailtireachta agus údar de IRELAND Architecture, 250+ Buildings since 1990 & DUBLIN Architecture, 150+ Buildings since 1990. D’fhreastail sé ar TU Delft, FAUP Porto, Institiúid Ríoga Teicneolaíochta Melbourne, agus Scoil na hAiltireachta, Ollscoil Luimnigh mar chriticeoir cuairte. Dearthóir Deimhnithe ag Institiúid Passivhaus le Passive House Academy, Darmstadt, An Ghearmáin. Rinne sé staidéar ag Scoil Ailtireachta Bhaile Átha Cliath, TU Dublin agus ag École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture Montpellier, an Fhrainc. Rinne sé staidéar faoi na Próifessóirí cuairte Glenn Murcutt ag DSA agus Hitoshi Abe ag ÉNSAM. Rinne sé obair roimhe seo le O'Donnell + Tuomey Architects agus Cino Zucchi Architetti.

Principal Architect at fuinneamh workshop since 2009. Architect accredited in Conservation: Grade III. Passivhaus Institut Certified Designer with Passive House Academy. Contributing reviewer to numerous architectural journals and editor of the books: IRELAND Architecture, 250+ Buildings since 1990 and DUBLIN Architecture, 150+ Buildings since 1990. Chairperson Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland Southern Region 2017-2019. Lecture Series Coordinator for the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, Southern Region 2010-2019. Inaugural President of the Cork Architectural Association 2016-2018.

Studio Tutor/Coordinator at the Cork Centre for Architectural Education, UCC since 2016. Tutor for Oxford Brookes RIBA Design Programme 2022-2023. Served as visiting guest critic to TU Delft, FAUP Porto, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and the School of Architecture University of Limerick.

Studied at the Dublin School of Architecture, TU Dublin and on Erasmus at L'École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Montpellier, France. Studied under visiting Professors Glenn Murcutt at the DSA and Hitoshi Abe at ÉNSAM. Previously worked with O'Donnell + Tuomey Architects and Cino Zucchi Architetti.