Winners of AIB Portrait Prize and AIB Young Portrait Prize announced at National Gallery of Ireland

Daniel Nelis has been announced as the winner of the National Gallery of Ireland’s AIB Portrait Prize. His work, an oil on panel titled Late Spring, was revealed as the winning portrait this evening during a prize-giving ceremony at the Gallery. Along with a €15,000 prize, Nelis will also receive a €5,000 commission to create a new work for the National Portrait Collection. John Foley and Conor O’Leary received highly commended prizes of €1,500 for their works Biddy Boy and The Final Portrait.
Guorui Sui, aged 11, was selected as the overall winner of the AIB Young Portrait Prize for his work My Own World of Fantasy. The prize includes a wooden box of high-quality art materials and a €500 cash prize.

Daniel Nelis, on his work Late Spring, said, “This work is of my wife, Andrea, painted in the months before our marriage. Andrea has been a recurring presence in my work. The painting does not seek to sentimentalise our relationship, but to bear witness through an intimate and intrusive lens, with elements such as the fabrics and heather rendered with the same scrutiny as the figure. Such moments of quiet reflection, experienced in the vivid reality of the present, are of greatest interest in my work.”

Daniel Nelis is a visual artist, curator and art educator from County Donegal. Rooted in the desolate boglands of his home, his paintings capture moments of stillness and contemplation, and through the intimacy of the mark-making, register Nelis’s heightened awareness of the incursions of time. Nelis studied Fine Art Painting at Ulster University, later completing an MA in Art History, Collections and Curating at University College Dublin. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, at the National Portrait Gallery, London, the Royal Ulster Academy of Arts, the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts.

The judges for the AIB Portrait Prize were: Gareth Reid, artist; Professor Emily Mark-FitzGerald, Professor in the School of Art History & Cultural Policy in UCD; and Dr Barbara Dawson, Director of the Hugh Lane Gallery.

Commenting on their selection, the judging panel said, “It has been a privilege to serve as the judges for the 2025 AIB Portrait Prize. The standard of submissions was exceptional, reflecting the remarkable creativity and skill of artists working across Ireland today. Choosing the final winners was both inspiring and challenging, as the shortlisted works demonstrated such diversity of approach and strength of vision. Congratulations to Daniel Nelis, John Foley and Conor O’Leary, to the artists whose work features in this outstanding exhibition, and thanks to all those who submitted work to the competition.”

Earlier today, the winners of the AIB Young Portrait Prize were also announced. Guorui Sui, aged 11, was selected as the overall winner of the AIB Young Portrait Prize for his work My Own World of Fantasy. The prize includes a wooden box of high-quality art materials and a €500 cash prize. Rohan Agrawal, aged 6, won the youngest category of 6 years and under with Me and My Curls, a work in oil pastel and acrylic on canvas. In the second category, ages 7-11, Michael Ryan, aged 10, won with In Deep Thought, paint on paper. Guess How Much I Love You, gouache and polychromos colour pencils on canvas, by Jiayi Sun, aged 15, was the winner of the category for ages 12-15. Jill Tritschler, aged 18, won the final category of 16-18 with Minerva, oil on canvas. Each category winner is awarded a personalised box of art materials alongside a prize of €250.

In his artist statement, Guorui Sui said, “This self-portrait captures me in my happy place — surrounded by my favourite toys, away from the real world where not everything goes your way. I’m 11, nearing those “teenage years” everyone talks about. I know the “grown-up” world is coming, with its complexities and worries. So I’m soaking up every last bit of being a kid. Maybe I’m a “late bloomer” or just refusing to leave the era of pure innocence. I’m happy to be its king for a little longer."

The judges for this year’s prize were: Cian O’Brien of COBA: Cian O’Brien Arts; Neil-Jack Alphonsus Hamilton, artist; and Alice Rekab, artist.

Commenting on their selection, the judging panel said, “It was a joy to judge the 2025 AIB Young Portrait Prize. The young artists showed such imagination and confidence, and each piece had its own story to tell. It was wonderful to see so much curiosity and creativity on display, and we would like to thank everyone who entered, and congratulate all the shortlisted artists and winners. They should be very proud of what they’ve created."

Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, said, “It has been a pleasure to see our visitors engage with this wonderful selection of portraits by artists of all ages at the National Gallery of Ireland. I’d like to thank and commend every artist who applied to the competitions, and offer my congratulations to our winners, who have impressed the judges and our visitors with their talent. I would also like to thank our sponsors AIB, with whom we are delighted to be working again on this important showcase of Irish portraiture.”

Colin Hunt, Chief Executive Officer of AIB, added, “AIB is immensely proud to support the talent on display in the AIB Portrait Prize and AIB Young Portrait Prize. I would urge everyone to take the time to visit the National Gallery of Ireland to see for themselves the quality and variety of works in the exhibition. We congratulate this year’s winners Daniel Nelis and Guorui Sui, and all artists whose work will be shown for months to come.’’

The AIB Portrait Prize exhibition, featuring 26 shortlisted works in total, is now open at the National Gallery of Ireland. It will run until 15 March 2026 alongside the AIB Young Portrait Prize exhibition of 20 shortlisted portraits. Both exhibitions will also be showcased in the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny from 04 April – 20 July, and the Waterford Gallery of Art from 18 July – 11 October 2026.

Find out more at www.nationalgallery.ie.

ENDS

Media contact:

• Please contact [email protected] for more information.

Notes to Editor:

• Winning artists and Gallery representatives are available for interview.

Exhibition Listing:

AIB Portrait Prize & AIB Young Portrait Prize 2025
Portrait Gallery (Room 23), National Gallery of Ireland 
08 November 2025 – 15 March 2026
Free admission

Gallery opening hours:

Monday: 11am – 5.30pm 
Tuesday – Wednesday: 9.15am – 5.30pm 
Thursday: 9.15am – 8.30pm 
Friday – Saturday: 9.15am –5.30pm 
Sunday: 11am – 5.30pm

About the National Gallery of Ireland:

The National Gallery of Ireland is one of the country’s most popular visitor attractions housing the nation’s collection of European and Irish art from about 1300 to the present day, and an extensive Library & Archive. Entry to the collection is free for all to enjoy, learn and be inspired. Visit nationalgallery.ie or follow us on social media:

• Facebook & Instagram: @nationalgalleryofireland
• X: @NGIreland
• LinkedIn: @National Gallery of Ireland

AIB Portrait Prize:

The AIB Portrait Prize, open to artists aged 19 and over, is taking place for the twelfth time in 2025, in the competition’s second year under AIB’s sponsorship. The aim of the AIB Portrait Prize is to showcase and encourage interest in contemporary portraiture, support Irish talent and to raise the profile of the long-standing and constantly evolving National Portrait Collection at the National Gallery of Ireland.

AIB Young Portrait Prize:

The AIB Young Portrait Prize is an inclusive art competition open to children and young people of all abilities, up to the age of 18, from across the island of Ireland.

About AIB:

AIB is a financial services group operating predominantly in Ireland and the United Kingdom. We provide a range of services to retail, business and corporate customers, with market-leading positions in key segments. AIB is the principal brand across all geographies. In Ireland, EBS is our challenger brand and Haven is our mortgage broker channel. With c.3.35 million customers, we are committed to backing sustainable communities. Our purpose is to empower people to build a sustainable future and we pledge to continue to do more to support the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Buaiteoirí Dhuais Phortráide AIB agus Dhuais Phortráide AIB don Aos Óg fógartha ag Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann

• Duais Phortráide AIB bronnta ar Daniel Nelis agus Duais Phortráide AIB don Aos Óg 2025 bronnta ar Guorui Sui

Tá sé fógartha ag Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann gurb é Daniel Nelis buaiteoir Dhuais Phortráide AIB. Ag searmanas na nduaiseanna sa Ghailearaí anocht, fógraíodh ina bhuaiteoir é as ucht Late Spring, olaphictiúr ar phainéal. Bronnadh duais €15,000 ar Nelis agus, anuas air sin, bronnfar coimisiún €5,000 air chun saothar nua a chruthú i gcomhair an Bhailiúcháin Náisiúnta Portráidí. Tugadh ardmholadh do John Foley agus Conor O’Leary as a gcuid saothar, Biddy Boy agus The Final Portrait, agus bronnadh €1,500 an duine orthu. Ba é Guorui Sui, atá 11 bhliain d’aois, a bhuaigh Duais Phortráide AIB don Aos Óg as ucht a shaothair My Own World of Fantasy. Is éard atá sa duais sin bosca adhmaid ina bhfuil ábhair ealaíne ardchaighdeáin agus €500.

Dúirt Daniel Nelis faoina shaothar Late Spring, “Is í Andrea, mo bhean chéile, atá le feiceáil sa phictiúr seo, a péinteáladh sa tréimhse sular pósadh muid. Phéinteáil mé Andrea arís agus arís. Ní fhéachtar sa phictiúr le rud maoithneach a dhéanamh den chaidreamh eadrainn, ach le fianaise fhiafraitheach a thabhairt faoi rud dlúthphearsanta, agus an aird chéanna á tabhairt ar eilimintí ar nós na bhfabraicí agus an fhraoigh agus a thugtar ar an bhfíor féin. Is iad na tráthanna sin ina mbímid socair agus muid i mbun machnaimh, sáite i nglinne an ama i láthair, is mó a gcuirim spéis iontu agus mé ag péinteáil.”

Is as Dún na nGall do Daniel Nelis, agus is amharcealaíontoir, coimeádaí agus oideoir ealaíne é. Eascraíonn a chuid pictiúr as portaigh sceirdiúla a cheantair dúchais agus tá socracht agus machnamh le brath iontu. Tríd an marc-chruthú, spreagtar braistint dlúthchaidrimh lena léirítear an spéis mhór atá ag Nelis in imeacht na haimsire. Rinne Nelis staidéar ar an bPéintéireacht Mhínealaíne in Ollscoil Uladh, agus ansin bhain sé amach Céim Máistir i Stair na hEalaíne, Bailiúcháin agus Coimeádaíocht sa Choláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath. Bhí saothair dá chuid ar taispeáint sa tír seo agus thar lear, ag an nGailearaí Náisiúnta Portráidí, Londain, in Acadamh Ríoga Ealaíon Uladh, in Acadamh Ríoga na hAlban agus in Acadamh Ibeirneach Ríoga na nEalaíon.
Ba iad seo a leanas na moltóirí i gcomhair Dhuais Phortráide AIB: Gareth Reid, ealaíontóir; an tOllamh Emily Mark-FitzGerald, Ollamh i Scoil Stair na nEalaíon agus an Bheartais Cultúir in UCD; agus an Dr Barbara Dawson, atá ina Stiúrthóir ar Dhánlann Hugh Lane.

Agus iad ag trácht ar an obair a rinne siad, dúirt an painéal moltóireachta, “Ba phribhléid dúinn é a bheith inar moltóirí i gcomhair Dhuais Phortráide AIB 2025. Bhí caighdeán na saothar a cuireadh isteach iontach ard, rud a léiríonn cruthaitheacht agus cumas ollmhór na n-ealaíontóirí atá ag obair ar fud na hÉireann anois. Ba spreagúil agus ba dhúshlánach an cúram é na buaiteoirí deiridh a roghnú, toisc gur léiríodh éagsúlacht chomh mór i dtaobh cur chuige sna saothair ar an ngearrliosta agus go raibh fís chomh tréan le brath iontu. Tréaslaímid le Daniel Nelis, John Foley agus Conor O’Leary, leis na healaíontóirí go léir a bhfuil saothar dá gcuid ar crochadh sa taispeántas iontach seo, agus gabhaimid ár mbuíochas le gach duine a chuir isteach ar an gcomórtas.”
Fógraíodh buaiteoir Dhuais Phortráide AIB don Aos Óg níos luaithe inniu freisin. Ba é Guorui Sui, atá 11 bhliain d’aois, a bhuaigh Duais Phortráide AIB don Aos Óg as ucht a shaothair My Own World of Fantasy. Is éard atá sa duais sin bosca adhmaid ina bhfuil ábhair ealaíne ardchaighdeáin agus €500. Bhuaigh Rohan Agrawal, atá 6 bliana d’aois, an chatagóir do pháistí 6 bliana nó níos óige le Me and My Curls, olaphastal agus péint aicrileach ar chanbhás. Sa dara catagóir, do pháistí idir 7–11 bhliain d’aois, ba é Michael Ryan, atá 10 mbliana d’aois, an buaiteoir le In Deep Thought, péint ar pháipéar. Ba é Guess How Much I Love You, pictiúr a rinneadh le pionsailí dathadóireachta polychromos ar chanbhás, le Jiayi Sun, atá 15 bliana d'aois, buaiteoir na catagóire do dhaoine óga 12-15 bliana d'aois. Bhuaigh Jill Tritschler, atá 18 mbliana d’aois, an chatagóir dheireanach do dhaoine óga in aois 16-18 le Minerva, olaphictiúr ar chanbhás. Bronntar bosca pearsantaithe ina bhfuil ábhair ealaíne ar bhuaiteoir gach catagóire, chomh maith le duais airgid €250.

Sa ráiteas ealaíontóra a scríobh sé, dúirt Guorui Sui, “Táimse sona sásta sa phortráid seo díom féin – tá na bréagáin is fearr liom i mo chuideachta agus táim i bhfad ar shiúl ón bhfíorshaol, áit nach mbíonn cóir ghaoithe linn i gcónaí. Aon bhliain déag d’aois atáimse, agus mé ag druidim leis na déaga sin a mbíonn gach duine ag caint fúthu. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil saol na ndaoine fásta romham amach, saol a mbaineann castacht agus imní éigin leis. Mar sin is mór agam gach soicind ina mbeidh mé fós i mo pháiste. B’fhéidir gur mé an sórt duine a bheidh beagán déanach ag teacht faoi bhláth, nó seans nach bhfuil fonn orm soineantacht na hóige a scaoileadh uaim. Pébí cé acu, tá áthas orm a bheith i saol breá an pháiste ar feadh seal gairid eile."

Ba iad seo a leanas na moltóirí a roghnaigh buaiteoirí na bliana seo: Cian O’Brien ó COBA: Cian O’Brien Arts; Neil-Jack Alphonsus Hamilton, ealaíontóir; agus Alice Rekab, ealaíontóir.

Agus iad ag trácht ar an rogha a bhí le déanamh acu, dúirt an painéal moltóireachta “Bhí an-ríméad orainn moltóireacht a dhéanamh i gcomhair Dhuais Phortráide AIB don Aos Óg 2025. Léirigh na healaíontóirí óga an-samhlaíocht go deo agus an-mhuinín astu féin, agus bhí a scéal féin le hinsint acu go léir. Ba dhíol suntais a bhfiosracht agus a gcruthaitheacht. Ba mhaith linn buíochas a ghabháil le gach duine a chuir portráid isteach agus comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leo siúd a cuireadh ar an ngearrliosta agus leis na buaiteoirí. Ba chóir go mbeidís iontach bródúil as a gcuid saothar.”

Arsa an Dr Caroline Campbell, Stiúrthóir Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann, “Ba mhór an pléisiúr é na cuairteoirí ar Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann a fheiceáil ina seasamh os comhair na bportráidí iontacha seo a rinne ealaíontóirí idir óg agus sean. Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le gach ealaíontóir a chuir isteach ar na comórtais agus gach duine acu a mholadh, agus ba mhaith liom mo chomhghairdeas a dhéanamh lenár mbuaiteoirí – bhí na moltóirí agus ár gcuairteoirí thar a bheith tógtha lena gcuid saothar. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil freisin le AIB, a dhéanann urraíocht ar an gcomórtas. Tá áthas orainn a bheith ag obair leo arís ar an taispeántas tábhachtach seo de phortráidíocht na hÉireann.”

Arsa Colin Hunt, Príomhoifigeach Feidhmiúcháin AIB, “Tá AIB fíorbhródúil as tacú leis na healaíontóirí cumasacha a chuir isteach ar Dhuais Phortráide AIB agus ar Dhuais Phortráide AIB don Aos Óg. Mholfainn do gach duine an deis a thapú chun cuairt a thabhairt ar Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann ionas go bhfeicfidh siad féin ardcháilíocht agus éagsúlacht na saothar atá ar taispeáint. Déanaimid comhghairdeas le Daniel Nelis agus Guorui Sui, buaiteoirí na bliana seo, agus leis na healaíontóirí go léir a mbeidh a gcuid saothar ar taispeáint ar feadh tamall de mhíonna.’’

Tá taispeántas Dhuais Phortráide AIB, ina bhfuil 26 saothar a cuireadh ar an ngearrliosta, ar oscailt anois i nGailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann. Beidh sé ar siúl go dtí an 15 Márta 2026 in éineacht le taispeántas Dhuais Phortráide AIB don Aos Óg, ina bhfuil 20 portráid a cuireadh ar an ngearrliosta. Beidh an dá thaispeántas ar siúl freisin san Ionad Cultúrtha Réigiúnach i Leitir Ceanainn ón 4 Aibreán go dtí an 20 Iúil, agus i nGailearaí Ealaíne Phort Láirge ón 18 Iúil go dtí an 11 Deireadh Fómhair 2026.

Tuilleadh eolais: www.nationalgallery.ie.

CRÍOCH

Teagmhálaí na Meán:

• [email protected]

Nótaí don Eagarthóir:

• Tá na healaíontóirí a bhuaigh na comórtais agus ionadaithe ón nGailearaí ar fáil le haghaidh agallaimh.

Sonraí an Taispeántais:

Duais Phortráide AIB agus Duais Phortráide AIB don Aos Óg 2025
Gailearaí na bPortráidí (Seomra 23), Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann 
8 Samhain 2025 – 15 Márta 2026
Cead isteach saor in aisce

Uaireanta oscailte an Ghailearaí:

Dé Luain: 11am – 5.30pm 
Dé Máirt – Dé Céadaoin: 9.15am – 5.30pm 
Déardaoin: 9.15am – 8.30pm 
Dé hAoine – Dé Sathairn: 9.15am –5.30pm 
Dé Domhnaigh: 11am – 5.30pm

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Duais Phortráide AIB:

Tá Duais Phortráide AIB, atá oscailte d’ealaíontóirí atá 19 mbliana d’aois agus os a chionn, á bhronnadh don dara huair déag in 2025. Is é seo an dara huair ag AIB é ag déanamh urraíocht ar an gcomórtas. Is é atá i gceist le Duais Phortráide AIB an phortráidíocht chomhaimseartha a chur i láthair agus spéis inti a spreagadh, tacú le healaíontóirí tréitheacha na hÉireann agus cur leis an iomrá atá ar an mBailiúchán Náisiúnta Portráidí, bailiúchán atá i nGailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann le fada an lá agus a mbítear ag cur leis go minic.

Duais Phortráide AIB don Aos Óg:

Is comórtas ealaíne ionchuimsitheach é Dhuais Phortráide AIB don Aos Óg atá oscailte do pháistí agus do dhaoine óga suas le 18 mbliana d’aois, ar gach leibhéal cumais agus as gach cearn d’oileán na hÉireann.

Maidir le AIB

Is grúpa seirbhísí airgeadais é AIB a bhíonn ag feidhmiú den chuid is mó in Éirinn agus sa Ríocht Aontaithe. Cuirimid réimse seirbhísí ar fáil do chustaiméirí miondíola, lucht gnó agus custaiméirí corparáideacha, agus táimid amach chun tosaigh sa mhargadh i roinnt réimsí tábhachtacha. Is é AIB an príomhbhranda ar fud na limistéar go léir. In Éirinn, is é EBS ár mbranda dúshláin agus is trí Haven a dhéanaimid bróicéireacht morgáistí. Thart ar 3.35 milliún custaiméir atá againn agus táimid meáite ar thacú le pobail inbhuanaithe. Tá sé ina chuspóir againn a chur ar a gcumas do dhaoine saol inbhuanaithe a chothú don am atá le teacht agus geallaimid leanúint ar aghaidh ag cur lenár n-iarrachtaí tacú leis an aistriú chuig geilleagar ísealcharbóin.