Deirdre Kelly wins the National Gallery of Ireland's Sarah Cecilia Harrison Essay Prize

A figure stands at a window, holding a framed certificate.
Winner Deirdre Kelly. Photo : Naoise Culhane.

The National Gallery of Ireland is pleased to announce the winner of the annual Sarah Cecilia Harrison Essay Prize 2025. Deirdre Kelly was recognised at a reception held in the Gallery on 13 November 2025 for her essay Kathleen Fox: Chronicler of Irish History. The two runners up for 2025 were Biddy Scott with her essay, Finding La Monte – Elish Lamont (1816-70) and Méabh Scahill, with “Non-Resident”: Phoebe Anna Traquair and the Irish Arts and Crafts Movement.

Sarah Cecilia Harrison was an accomplished and talented artist and curator, as well as an advocate of social reform and women’s rights in Ireland in the early-twentieth century. The Sarah Cecilia Harrison Essay Prize celebrates her legacy in the arts and as a social campaigner. It recognises the best new research and writing that highlight the stories of women and Ireland's visual culture, encompassing fine art, design, and craft. Entrants submitted 5,000-word essays following a call for submissions in the spring of 2025. The prize was open to all members of the public aged 18 and above.

The central role played by women artists in the development and dissemination of modernist art in Ireland is well documented, however the broader story of women artists and their achievements has often gone forgotten or been viewed as ancillary to the standard canon. Archives and primary research are essential to understanding and revealing these stories. Through the development of the Gallery’s collections, engagement and learning programmes, the Gallery’s Library and Archives, in particular the Centre for the Study of Irish Art (CSIA), work to promote Irish women artists as well as female led collectives and industries.

This year’s winner, Deirdre Kelly, is an independent art historian and Library Assistant with Limerick City and County Public Library Service. In 2016 she completed a PhD at the University of Limerick on the ‘dream’ imagery of the Irish Revivalist writer and artist, George AE Russell, and has since published several articles on the topic, most recently this September, when she completed a general interest piece for Ireland’s Own magazine to commemorate the ninetieth anniversary of AE’s death.
After initially encountering Kathleen Fox’s work while completing her Master’s dissertation in 2009, Kelly contacted Fox’s granddaughter to learn more about the artist, and continued to feel drawn to her work as the years progressed. Through her essay, Kelly has given an overview of Fox’s life before, during and after the 1916 Rising and the pivotal moment of creating The Arrest of Countess Markievicz. Through this essay, Kelly hopes to flesh out Fox’s character and demonstrate the remarkable prowess and esteem in which she was held by fellow artists and critics, and give wider recognition to her ouvre and fascinating personal life.

Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, commented: “This essay prize presents an important platform for new writing that elevates the stories of women whose work continues to influence and inspire creatives in Ireland today. I would like to congratulate the winner, Deirdre Kelly, and the runners up, Biddy Scott and Méabh Scahill, as well as acknowledge and thank all who entered the competition this year. I would also like to offer my gratitude to the descendants of Sarah Cecilia Harrison’s sister, Beatrice Chisholm, who help to make this competition possible.”

Leah Benson, Archivist at the National Gallery of Ireland, added: “In its fourth year, the Sarah Cecilia Harrison Essay Prize continues to exceed expectations — we received more essays than ever before, and we’re delighted to see its growing popularity. The depth and diversity of topics explored this year continue to surprise and inspire us.”

This prize is generously supported by the descendants of the sister of Sarah Cecilia Harrison, Beatrice Chisholm.

ENDS

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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:

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About the Gallery’s Library and Archives:

The Gallery’s Library and Archives hold important and valuable collections of research material, held at the Centre for the Study of Irish Art (CSIA); the Yeats Archives; the Gallery’s Institutional Archives and the Sir Denis Mahon library & archive collections. These collections support the study and scholarly interpretation of visual art in Ireland and abroad.