Gabriel Hayes

Gabriel Hayes was an Irish artist born in 1909 in Monasterevin, County Kildare. She was a sculptor and studied in France and Italy as well as Dublin. Hayes designed several artworks in public and religious buildings around Ireland. Perhaps her most noted works were for the halfpenny, penny, and two pence designed for the decimal day in Ireland; she was not invited to design these coins but rather on her initiative submitted the designs as no competition was held, she is also responsible for the other aspects of the decimal currency such as lettering and decoration.

She died in 1978. In February 2005 An Post issued a set of stamps celebrating female Irish artists, Hayes was commemorated on the 65c stamp with a picture of "The Three Graces" (1941).

Works on display

* Bas-reliefs (1942) on the facade of Department of Industry and Commerce, Kildare Street, Dublin
** [http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Salon/6941/carved.htm Pictures of the bas-reliefs on the Deco Ireland site]
* "The Three Graces" (1941), Dublin Institute of Technology, Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin.
** [http://www.irish-architecture.com/buildings_ireland/dublin/northcity/cathal_brugha_street/dit_relief_lge.html "The Three Graces" pictured on the irish-architecture.com site]
* "Stations of the Cross" (1957-69), Galway Cathedral.
* Statue of Luke Wadding (1958), Waterford.
* The Irish halfpenny, penny and two penny decimal coins.