Françoise Henry

Françoise Henry (1902–1982) was the founder and first Head of the Department of Art History at University College Dublin (UCD). She is renowned as a scholar of early Irish art, and the Françoise Henry Reading Room in the UCD School of Art History and Cultural Policy is named in her honor. The Reading Room’s collection, which forms the core of the school’s library, was established with her personal books and later expanded through donations from notable alumni and colleagues.

Her research focused on early Irish art, a legacy reflected in the specialized collections at the Reading Room, including contributions from Dr. Donal Byrne (medieval art historian), Michael J. McCarthy (expert on British and Irish architectural history), and Rosemarie Mulcahy (scholar of Spanish art). The library’s holdings are being catalogued online via LibraryThing.

Her academic impact continues through the Françoise Henry Reading Room, which serves as a vital resource for students and researchers in art history and cultural policy. The School is located in the Newman Building, Belfield, Dublin 4, with contact details available at arthistory.culturalpolicy@ucd.ie.