The Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts, which operates one of the nation's largest public galleries, RHA School and Studios, marked an event of great importance in its history when artist, Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh was elected as the 25th President of the Academy at its Annual General Meeting, October, 2025.
Elected to RHA Membership in 2018 Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh, now the second female president in the Academy’s 202 -year history, was delighted to accept.
Ní Mhaonaigh stated that, “It is a great honour to have been elected President of the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts. On behalf of the Academy, I wish to express our sincere gratitude to our outgoing President, Dr. Abigail O’Brien PPRHA, for her remarkable leadership and her accomplishments during her tenure as the first female President of the RHA.
This is a particularly exciting time for the Academy as we stand on the threshold of change. As we prepare to welcome a new Director in 2026, I would like to take the opportunity to convey our deepest appreciation to our present Director, Patrick T. Murphy, for his outstanding dedication and commitment over the past 28 years.
I look forward to working closely with my fellow Academicians and our committed staff as we continue to support artists through our gallery, school, and studio programmes. I am immensely grateful to our staff and to our ever-supportive visitors for their continued support of the RHA’s mission to champion the visual arts in Ireland. Together, we look forward to an inspiring new chapter in the Academy’s history.”
Other elections on the day included, Andrew Folan RHA retained as Secretary and Michael Quane RHA as Treasurer.
Bio
Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh (b 1977) graduated in 2001 from Fine Art Painting at the Dublin Institute of Technology. Ní Mhaonaigh has exhibited extensively in both Ireland and abroad at venues including Limerick City Gallery of Art, Anthony Slayter-Ralph Fine Art, Los Angeles, Centre Culturel Irlandais Paris, Millenium Court Arts Centre, Armagh, Highlanes Municipal Art Gallery, The Living Room Gallery, New York, Ard Bia Berlin.
Ní Mhaonaigh’s work is in represented in numerous public and private collections including The Arts Council of Ireland/An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Office of Public Works, Ernesto Ventós Barcelona; Butler Gallery, Kilkenny; Crawford Gallery Collection, Cork; Limerick City Gallery of Art; Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection and Drogheda Municipal Art Collection at Highlanes Art Gallery.Ní Mhaonaigh has been shortlisted for the John Moores Painting Prize, 2018, The Marmite Prize for Painting V, 2016, Joint winner of The Hennessy Craig Scholarship, 2010, AIB Prize, 2009. The artist is represented by Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin and 532 Gallery Thomas Jaeckel, New York.
Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh was elected an Associate Member of the Royal Hibernian Academy at the Assembly meeting held 8th May 2018. She was elevated to RHA at the Assembly meeting held in February 2023. Ní Mhaonaigh was made a member of Aosdána on the 26th March 2024.
