In Plain Sight: The 2022 Inaugural Commission Awarded

Part of the Celebrating a Century series, The Bar of Ireland and King’s Inns launched the joint ‘In Plain Sight’ Portraiture initiative in November 2021. In Plain Sight seeks to celebrate the achievements and enhance the visibility of women in the field of law that demonstrated significant leadership, influence and contribution to legal practice and education.

In March 2022, Artist Emma Stroude was announced as the 2022 In Plain Sight recipient; and is now embarking on the commission of Frances (Fay) Kyle BL and Averil Deverell BL, who were the first women to be called to the Irish Bar in 1921 following the enactment of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act, 1919.

Emma was chosen following a selection process and in consultation with the Director of the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA). Amongst her various exhibitions both here and abroad, Emma was the 2021 Winner of the Irish Arts Review Ireland–U.S. Council Portraiture Award (pictured above). Her work can be viewed at emmastroude.com.

Donations are welcome through the below link from students, members and alumni of King’s Inns as well as members of The Bar of Ireland and the wider public. 

Learn more about this initiative here.

About the ‘Celebrating a Century’ series 

Over 100 years ago, in December 1919, the first piece of equal opportunities legislation entered the statute book. Known as the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act, 1919, it enabled women to join the legal, accountancy and veterinary professions and take up senior roles within the civil service for the first time.

Women and men have availed of opportunities created by this and subsequent legislation. As the centenary of the enactment approached King’s Inns were conscious of wanting to mark not only key milestones such as the call to the Bar of the first two women but also the broader societal impact of the legislation.

King’s Inns established the ‘Celebrating a Century’ commemoration programme in 2019 with support from other organisations, principally The Bar of Ireland, the Law Society of Ireland and the Irish Women Lawyers Association. An event series was proposed to recognise the Act’s impact on society over the past 100 years and speculate on what the future might hold for the next 100 years.

Learn more about the Series here.