Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) Gallagher Gallery

Dublin


This large, well-lit gallery at the end of a serene Georgian cul-de-sac has a grand name to fit its exalted reputation as one of the most prestigious exhibition spaces for modern and contemporary art in Ireland. Its exhibitions are usually of a very high quality, and well worth a visit.

The big event is the Annual Exhibition, held in May, which shows the work of those artists deemed worthy enough by the selection committee that is made up of members of the academy (easily identified amid the huge throng that attends the opening by their scholars’ gowns). The show is a mix of technically proficient artists, Sunday painters and the odd outstanding talent.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Dublin attractions

1. Huguenot Cemetery

0.11 MILES

This tiny cemetery was established in 1693 by French Protestant refugees. The cemetery is closed but you can see graves through the railings; of the 239…

2. Wolfe Tone Monument

0.11 MILES

In the southeastern corner of St Stephen's Green is a monument to Wolfe Tone, the leader of the abortive 1798 invasion; the vertical slabs serving as a…

3. Famine Victims Memorial

0.12 MILES

At the northeastern entrance to St Stephen's Green is a poignant memorial to the victims of the Famine (1845–51) featuring three figures and a dog…

4. Countess Markievicz Bust

0.12 MILES

This 1954 bronze bust of the Countess Markievicz, in the southeastern corner of St Stephen's Green, is the work of artist Seamus Murphy (1907–75) and…

5. Fitzwilliam Square

0.16 MILES

The smallest of Dublin’s great Georgian squares was completed in 1825. William Dargan (1799–1867), the railway pioneer and founder of the National Gallery…

6. Government Buildings

0.16 MILES

This gleaming Edwardian pile opened as the Royal College of Science in 1911 before being transformed into government offices in 1989. Free 40-minute tours…

7. Iveagh House

0.18 MILES

The headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs occupies two splendid Georgian houses that were joined together by Benjamin Guinness when he bought…

8. St Stephen's Green

0.2 MILES

St Stephen's Green’s 27 acres is the most popular park in Dublin city centre. Come for a leisurely stroll in elegant landscaped gardens, stay for the…