Gabriel Hayes

The penny coin designed by Gabriel Hayes

Gabriel Hayes (1909–1978) was an Irish artist born in Dublin (according to her birth certificate). She was a sculptor who studied in Dublin, France, and Italy. Hayes was also an accomplished artist with one of her works "The Cork Bowler" selling at Christies in London in May 2000 for 23,500 stg. Most of her works are in private hands.

Hayes designed several artworks in public and religious buildings in Ireland. Her best known works were the halfpenny, penny, and two pence coins she designed for the Irish decimal currency introduced in 1971. She submitted ideas at her own initiative when no design competition was held. She is also responsible for the other aspects of the decimal currency such as lettering and decoration.

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

Works on display

• Stations of the Cross (1933) in plaster relief, Willington Parish, Templeogue, Dublin.
• The Three Graces (1941), Dublin Institute of Technology, Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin. (Picture.)
• Bas-reliefs (1942) on the facade of Department of Industry and Commerce, Kildare Street, Dublin. Note that this building now holds the Dept. of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Dept. of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

Panel over the door of the Department of Industry and Commerce Building, Kildare Street, carved by Gabriel Hayes

• Two bronze statutes on sides altars of Glanworth church, County Cork (1944)
• Stone Madonna on the face of parish church in Leixlip, County Kildare (1954).
• Statue of Luke Wadding (1958), Waterford.
• Stations of the Cross in Portland stone (1958–74), Galway Cathedral.
• The Irish halfpenny, penny and two penny decimal coins (1971) (withdrawn from circulation in 2002 upon introduction of the euro currency).
• Stone Holy Family on the face of the school of the Holy Family in Newbridge, County Kildare.
• Bronze Madonna on the face of the church in the Black Valley, County Kerry.
• Carving of the Ascension and two mosaics on the face of the parish church in Gurnabraher, Cork. There is also a mosaic behind the altar of the day chapel inside the church.
• Statue of Our Lady above the Franciscan Friary, Merchants Quay, Dublin.
• Bronze Madonna on front facade of church in Westport, County Mayo.
• Stone statue of Madonna and child in the grounds of the Servite Priory, Benburb, County Armagh.