Serving Waterford families with compassion, care, and now, creativity.
At Falconers, our purpose has always been to honour life, support families, and bring comfort in the most personal of moments. But what if we could go one step further? What if the walls of a funeral parlour could hold more than loss, they could hold art, meaning, reflection, and even beauty?
Earlier this year, we put out a simple call to our Facebook community:
“Calling all Waterford artists, this is your chance to showcase your work in a space where art brings comfort, memory, and meaning.”
The response was both heartwarming and humbling.
Today, we’re proud to officially launch the Falconers Community Art Exhibition, an ongoing initiative to open our Tramore funeral parlour to local artists whose work explores the themes of life, love, loss, and remembrance.
We begin this journey with a deeply moving installation by Esther Kealy, a Tramore-based land and environmental artist who works under the name Bandia, the Irish word for Goddess. Known for her internationally recognised installations using natural materials, Esther creates work that honours both the land we live on and the emotions we carry within us.
“In so many ways, my work is about death and renewal,” Esther says. “I use stone, wood, and plants gathered from our local area, creating pieces that hold tradition, symbolism, and spirit.”
For Falconers, Esther chose to create an installation inspired by one of the most ancient and powerful symbols of Irish remembrance: the Dolmen.
“A Dolmen is a burial mound in our history,” she explains. “Its grand stone slabs have stood the test of time, strong enough to carry and support so much. They represent protection in this life, and ancient knowledge about what comes next.”
Displayed within our Tramore parlour, Esther’s Dolmen piece is built from locally sourced flint, plum, and grey slate, gathered and handled with care. The stones were broken, blended, and laid using traditional Irish techniques, forming a layered arrangement that speaks to both the darkness of loss and the light that love leaves behind.
“I used Celtic hues, purples, golds, and greys, not just to connect us to death, but to remind us of the brightness and colour in life,” she shares. “Stones, like love, stay forever. They are something familiar, something we all touch and hold. Dependable. Grounding. Supporting.”
Esther’s work can be displayed indoors, framed, or laid flat, and she also creates outdoor pieces, grave toppers, and commissioned works tailored to a person or place. At Falconers, she found something rare: a space where memory, art, and human experience could meet with integrity.
“It’s an honour to make my work around these beautiful stones, to meet the team and the community at Falconers. Like the Dolmen, when we lose someone close to us, we all support each other on the flow of that journey. We all hold that strength.”
This exhibition is not just about art. It’s about offering families and visitors something deeper, a sense of presence, of reflection, of quiet resilience.
Our Art Exhibition will continue to grow. New local artists will be featured throughout the year, each bringing their own voice to the themes that touch us all. We invite families, friends, and members of the public to visit during open hours or by appointment. Whether you’re coming to remember a loved one, or simply to pause and reflect, you are welcome.
If you are a local artist and feel your work speaks to life, love, loss, or memory, we would love to hear from you. You can contact Erich Falconer directly through our website.
At Falconers, remembrance has always been at the heart of what we do. Now, through the hands of artists like Esther, it’s also becoming something you can see, feel, and carry with you.
Together, we remember.
Together, we create.
Together, we support.
