A PORTRAIT OF bestselling author Marian Keyes has been unveiled at the National Gallery of Ireland. 

The portrait was painted by artist Margaret Corcoran, who studied Fine Art at the National College of Art and Design and the Chelsea School of Art in London. 

Marian Keyes is a multi-award winning author who has sold over 30 million books worldwide throughout her career.

Born in Limerick and raised in Cork, Galway, and Dublin, she graduated from UCD with a law degree, and moved to London in 1986.

Her first novel, Watermelon, was published in 1995 and since then she has published 15 novels in a total of 37 languages. 

Over the past 29 years, Keyes has won an array of awards for her work including the 2021 Irish Book Awards and 2022 British Book Awards author of the year.

In addition to her novels, Keyes has also published collections of journalism. She has in recent years moved into broadcasting, releasing a podcast Now You’re Asking with Marian Keyes and Tara Flynn with BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 4.

In 2019, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Limerick.

“Marian’s books mean so much to so many across the island of Ireland and beyond. To have her represented in the National Gallery of Ireland is very exciting,” Dr Caroline Campbell, director of the National Gallery of Ireland, said. 

Keyes said it was a “surprise and a huge honour” to be invited by the National Gallery to sit for a portrait. 

“I was bowled over by the finished portrait: I love it; the colours, the textures, the mood, the many tiny details. I don’t have the language to analyse art but it feels as if she’s captured me,” Keyes said.

“The playfulness that she’s so great at is definitely there. I’m absolutely delighted and incredibly proud of this beautiful honour. May I offer heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made this possible.”