Heart of glass: Rory Leadbetter continues the family business

Eve Kelliher discovers how Rory Leadbetter knew what he wanted to do in life from 16 — and why he'd love to know the fate of a rainbow-coloured pig

Rory Leadbetter of Jerpoint Glass Kilkenny with his piece Bláthanna ón Tine, pictured at the opening of Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s (DCCI) new exhibition at National Design & Craft Gallery, Kilkenny. The exhibition, entitled ‘Of Sand & Ash’, runs until October 24. Picture: Finbarr O'Rourke

Rory Leadbetter was 16 when he had “a proper go” at glass-blowing, he says. It was during a transition-year work placement at Jerpoint Glass Studio, which his parents Keith and Kathleen had established in 1979.

As master glassblower at the studio in the Co Kilkenny village of Stoneyford, Rory now inspires the next generation. “My family business was on my doorstep and to be honest, as a teenager, I was happy to take the easy option of falling out of bed and into work,” he tells Home.

“I certainly didn’t think I would still be here 28 years later, but now I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.”

Rory’s dad Keith trained as a glassblower in Sweden in the late 1960s, returning to Ireland after honing his skills in Europe.

His mother Kathleen, a self-taught artist, created the unique coloured-glass palette now synonymous with Jerpoint, and they set up their studio in a converted Dutch barn at their home almost 40 years ago. “I didn’t realise at the time, but I owe my parents a huge debt for building our family business,” says Rory.

His route to his career started “almost out of convenience”, he admits. “A 16-year-old falling out of bed into a hot shop!” he says. “But over the 28 years that have followed, I have watched and been mentored by those who worked hand in hand with my dad. A memory from my dad’s funeral that I will always be grateful for is the moment the glassblowers, myself included, picked up the shovels to fill in the grave. It was a mark of respect to the man who gave us our craft.”

A piece made by Cork ceramicist Joanne Robey of three owls on a log was commissioned to represent Rory and Cheryl Leadbeater's three children.

Rory created Bláthanna ón Tine with his friend and collaborator Jamie Smyth of Triscele Forge. “It’s aáá first foray into sculpture, and it features at Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s new exhibition at the National Design & Craft Gallery, Kilkenny,” he says.

The exhibition, entitled ‘Of Sand & Ash’, is in partnership with the Glass Society of Ireland and presents work by 66 of their members across 21 counties. The exhibition opened in recent weeks and continues until Saturday, October 24, showcasing the relevance of glassmaking in Ireland.

Rory treasures this gift from his parents.

Both Rory and his wife Cheryl are passionate about Irish art and crafts and display them throughout their living space as well as in the gallery and shop at Jerpoint. “At the moment we have the pleasure of hosting an exhibition by Limerick-born artist George Vaughn,” says Rory.

Rory and Cheryl share their residence in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, with their three children, Ruan, 13, Seán, 10, and Aodha, 6, and their ridgeback/rottweiler Buddy, 5. “Buddy is also our head greeter at Jerpoint Glass and always steals the show when people come to watch us,” says Rory. “We also have three chickens who sometimes wander in if we leave the doors open. Their names are Bobby, Elizabeth and Ice King.”

Rory's exhibition piece for the 'Of Sand & Ash’ display currently running in Kilkenny.

Does being a glassmaker inspire his décor? “As we have three young children, our house is mostly functional at the moment, but I do love adding elements of Irish craft and art throughout our home when I have the opportunity and the funds,” says Rory. “I love being able to say that I have items in my home that are made by people I know, respect, and look up to. The person behind the piece is often as important as the piece itself.

“A piece made by Cork ceramicist Joanne Robey is one of my favourite pieces at home: three owls on a log that I commissioned to be made for my wife for her birthday to represent our three children. We have a bit of an owl theme in our family which probably began with us reading the book Owl Babies to our kids when they were younger.”

Rory’s interior design elements are all about the stories behind them, including a cherished ceramic close to the front door. He says: “The Made in Kilkenny group that we are a part of is a group of about 30 really talented full-time makers. One of them, a ceramicist named Sonja Gunther, makes really nice clay gothic houses. My wife had a roundy birthday coming up, so I asked Sonja to make a replica of our own house. She did a fantastic job, and it has pride of place now in our front hall.”

The couple also treasure a glass sail Rory’s parents gave them as a wedding present and a painting by his sister Roisin as well as a piece of art commissioned by pals from Dublin. “It’s by our friends, the Kellys. It represents our lives together from when we met until our wedding day. I believe the hot air balloon represents the future,” says Rory.

Q&A with Rory Leadbetter

What is the very first glass piece you created?

I can’t remember exactly, but it was probably a very badly made paperweight!

Do you have a favourite piece by your parents?

My dad’s original simple functional Rummer wine glasses (we still make these) and my mam’s slumped face masks.

Do you have a favourite among the pieces you created yourself?

There are lots of pieces that I enjoy making, but I still think about the one that got away. We do mostly production pieces and functional items, but on a whim one Friday in the early Noughties I made a fist-sized rainbow-coloured pig. I must have been channelling somebody else’s talent on that day because I made a piece that was far beyond my skill at the time. 

I was looking forward to seeing it the next day, but when I checked the kiln, it was gone. I asked if anybody had seen it, and I was told that a customer had spotted it that morning and insisted on buying it. I have often considered trying to recreate it, but for some reason I’m terrified that I’ll fail. Maybe the person who bought it will read this and send me a picture of it!

Is there a designer and/or artist that inspires you?

I sometimes find inspiration in the oddest places, but most of the time my inspiration comes from nature. When you work in a production environment, you spend all your time aiming for symmetry. Nature doesn’t seem to care so much for symmetry, and I try to reflect that in some of my less functional work. I admire the work of Marcel Duchamp and the Dada art movement. I love protest art; I think it’s far more clever than some people give it credit for. This is always in the back of my mind when I’m trying to be creative.

Describe your home

Hard to know how to answer that. We built our home in 2011. I suppose I designed it. Maybe it looks a bit like an old farmhouse.

Favourite space inside and/or outside and why?

I love my garden, and I love gardening. I like building stone walls. I’ve made a few little sculptures out there too and built myself a little pizza oven with a shed attached. It doesn’t get as much use as I would like.

Rory's living room where a painting by his sister Roisin takes pride of place and a piece commissioned by his friends the Kellys from Dublin represents Rory and his wife Cheryl's lives together.

Do you have advice on lighting for glass pieces?

Glass looks well under diffused light. Direct light on glass tends to cause glare.

Top advice for any glass-art buyers?

Buy something Irish. There are plenty of glass artists on our island, and they do fantastic work. I definitely recommend going to see craftspeople/glass artists at work. It is an experience that you’ll never forget, and you’ll always link the piece to the person and experience.

Anything we might not know about glassmaking that would surprise us?

The temperatures. It can be hard to believe that the wine glass you are holding in your hand was once in a puddle of molten liquid glass at 1250C! Our Rummer wine glasses are handcrafted over about 10 minutes. Do remember, though, that if something is made by hand, it should only ever be washed by hand.

Rory Leadbetter, Jerpoint, at work in his workshop.

Your dream dinner guests, famous or non-famous?

Hmm. I’d love to meet Sir Alex Ferguson, Kurt Cobain, Cork singer/songwriter Jimmy McCarthy — the best craic I can imagine, though, would be with my extended family. All the Leadbetters, O’Neills, Brennans Kazzazs, Picchis, Cuddihys Brennans, Cleeres, Bryans and Gambles — we are not what people might call a close family, but when we get together, we are a riot.

Are you a good cook?

I’m OK. I’m really good at meal prep. Maybe not quite so good at the actual cooking. I make pizzas at home for myself and the kids, though I put so many toppings on them that they end up more like a casserole.

Favourite piece of art?

That I own? We were given a really nice piece made for us by ceramicist Michael Jackson for a wedding present; that’s right up there.

That I’ve seen? I stood in front of the Mona Lisa for half an hour a few years back trying to understand it. I was genuinely in awe of it, possibly more because of its reputation than the actual piece itself.

Biggest bargain?

I recently bought a mezzanine staircase on DoneDeal for €150.

Biggest extravagance in the home or in terms of your career?

We bought an electric furnace a few years back with the help of Leader funding. While an essential piece of machinery for us, it definitely represents an enormous expenditure.

Visitors are welcome to visit Jerpoint Glass Studio, where it is free to watch the glass-blowing in action from Monday to Friday. The shop is open seven days a week (six days off-peak). You can meet the makers or browse the gallery, which displays Irish crafts. See Jerpointglass.com and @Jerpointglass on Instagram

Design & Crafts Council Ireland/Glass Society of Ireland exhibition ‘Of Sand & Ash’ runs until October 24 at the National Design & Craft Gallery, Kilkenny