Ally Nolan

Ally Nolan was awarded the 2025 RCSI Art Award for her work 'The Men/Na Fir' at the 195th RHA Annual Exhibition, a mixed media work based on a historical photograph of four Aran men by Thomas H. Mason in the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life.

She will be invited to complete a commission for RCSI in 2026.

About the artist

Ally Nolan graduated with a BA in Fashion Design and Art History from the National College of Art and Design, before completing a masters degree in Irish Art History at Trinity College.

She works at the intersection of traditional craft and contemporary textile technologies, exploring how textiles are shaped by place, community, and cultural identity.

Rooted in research, storytelling, and heritage, her practice sheds light on the histories of textile labour – particularly the contributions of women – that have often been overlooked and undervalued despite their cultural and economic significance.