YOU could not miss Irish-born sculptor Eilis O’Connell at Royal Ascot this week, or rather you could not miss her five pieces of work that were showcased throughout the racecourse. Born in Derry in 1953, she lived in Donegal for much of her young life. She studied at the Crawford School of Art in Cork from 1970 to 1977, except for a period spent at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. At Cork she received an award for Distinction in Sculpture.

Other awards followed, the G.P.A. Award for Emerging artists 1981, a fellowship at The British School at Rome 1983-1984 and a P.S.I. Fellowship for New York from the Irish Arts Council. While in New York she won a two-year residency at Delfina Studios in London and was based there until 2001.