Kildare photographer receives arts honour
Tony G Murray with Dr Abigail O'Brien
Naas-based photographer Tony G Murray has been awarded the Friends of the RHA Annual Award 2025 at the prestigious 195th RHA Annual Exhibition.
The award was presented during a weekend of celebrations hosted by the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) in Dublin.
Two works — and — were selected for inclusion in the exhibition. Last week Tony was informed ‘Silent Forest 1’ was chosen as the recipient of the Friends of the RHA Annual Award.
“Having two of my photographs selected for the RHA Annual — from over 4,500 entries — was a thrill in itself. To then learn that one was a recipient of the Friends of the RHA Annual Award is an incredible honour,” said Tony.
“It’s especially meaningful to see photography acknowledged in this way, alongside such a broad range of contemporary art. I’d like to thank Dr Abigail O’Brien (President, RHA), Patrick T Murphy (Director, RHA), the Friends of the RHA selection committee, and the entire RHA team for a weekend I will never forget.”
Tony attended the RHA President’s Dinner on Friday evening in the gallery’s main space. A previous winner of this award was Kildare artist, Martin Gale RHA in 2014.
The exhibition is open to the public free of charge until Sunday 3 August.
The photographs were conservation-framed by local framer Niamh Harney, Inniscara Bespoke Framing using smoked limewood and Art Glass, who handles all of Tony’s professional framing work.
Tony is a photographic artist and fine art printer based in Naas. His work has previously been exhibited at the RHA.
He is currently digitising the Permanent Collection of the Butler Gallery in Kilkenny for gallery director Anna O’Sullivan and collaborates with many of Ireland’s leading artists and private collectors.
