THE NATIONAL Gallery of Ireland has appointed Fionnuala Croke as its new keeper and head curator. She succeeds Sergio Benedetti, who retired last October.
Ms Croke, who takes up her post this month, will have overall responsibility for managing the permanent collection and exhibitions at the gallery.
She told The Irish Times her main priority would be to enhance the permanent collection through acquisitions, research and the publication of gallery catalogues. The National Gallery gets €3 million a year from the Government to acquire new works.
The gallery is also planning a €45 million refurbishment of its older buildings and the construction of a new wing, which will be used to provide further gallery space.
From Churchtown in Dublin, Ms Croke joined the gallery in 1987 as a research fellow, and subsequently became curator of French paintings.
In the 1990s, she was also responsible for administering exhibitions and in 2000 was appointed head of exhibitions in anticipation of the opening of the Millennium wing of the gallery.
From 2002, the gallery began imposing a charge for entry to some visiting exhibitions.
She has personally curated a number of major exhibitions, including the recent collection of paintings from Poland and an exhibition looking at the influence of art on the work and life of Samuel Beckett.
Her master's thesis was a study of the 18th century decoration of San Clemente Basilica in Rome. She also holds a master's in business administration from the UCD Smurfit School of Business.
She has lectured in French painting at UCD, and is a member of the steering committee of the International Exhibitions Group.
Raymond Keaveney, director of the National Gallery, said the gallery was entering a new period of redevelopment with improved infrastructure and greater public access to its collection.
He stressed the importance of further collaboration with other art institutions nationally and internationally.
