The Three Graces By Gabriel Hayes [DIT School of Culinary Arts & Food Technology]

Address: Dublin Institute of Technology, Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin

Because of the available angle it is not easy to photograph this piece of public art.

If you zoom in you will notice that some cracks have developed.

This Sculpture is known as the “THREE GRACES” and it is by Gabriel Hayes so it is likely that it was based on ‘The Three Fates’ who were the weavers of destiny.

It is easy to forget just how much things have changed for women in Ireland . Back in 1941 the Archbishop Of Dublin described the college at Cathal Brugha Street, then known as St Mary’s College of Domestic Science, as follows: “I am glad to bless this house, because its work will reach to the foundations of human society. Here, in fact, will be trained the women who will assist in building happy homes, for here will be imparted right knowledge and practice of the home craft.”

It had been intended by the designers of the building to include sculptures in bays outside, at either end of the entrance facade but a contract was not awarded until late in 1943. Gabriel Hayes got the contract in November 1943 and was allowed three years to complete the work and in return received instalments over that period amounting to £1,470.

I have been unable to find a second sculpture so I can only assume that the artist only completed half of the contract.


In September 2017, programmes currently operating in the Cathal Brugha Street Building, the Kevin Street Campus and part of the Rathmines Campus will transfer to two new structures known as the Central and East Quads in Grangegorman.
This will bring the number of students at the new Grangegorman campus to just over 10,000. At about the same time the new LUAS cross-city tram service serving the college campus will begin commercial operations.