Frances Moran SC

Ms Moran was called to the Bar in 1924 and the Inner Bar in 1941, seven years before Dame Margaret Kidd became the first woman in Britain to take silk.

She was also one of the first female law lecturers in the State and a Reid professor of law at Trinity College Dublin.

The In Plain Sight initiative seeks to highlight the contribution and visibility of female barristers to the profession and the legal system, with the commission to hang in the King’s Inns and go on tour.

The first artwork under the initiative, a portrait of Frances Kyle BL and Averil Deverell BL by Emma Stroud, was unveiled last summer.

Sarah Phelan SC, chair of the Bar Council, said: “A sustained spotlight on these pioneering colleagues is key to ensuring that the discussion of gender participation remains current.

“That’s why I’m particularly grateful to have this annual commission, and very much in plain sight of those who are commencing their career at the Bar.

“Frances Moran bridged an important era in the State’s history, European history and the history of the Bar. Her contributions serve as a reminder to women lawyers of our potential, and the contribution we can make.

“I’m especially delighted that Vera Klute has been commissioned. Her work is bold, impactful and honest, and I’m looking forward to her treatment of Frances Moran.”

Hugh Mohan SC, chair of the Honorable Society of King’s Inns, said: “To add to our collection in King’s Inns with an artist of such high repute as Vera Klute is an honour.

“We continue to invest in our environment here, so that students and visitors to the Society enjoy a fuller picture of who has made and shaped the profession before them.”

Ms Klute added: “The In Plain Sight commission is one that especially aligns with my own values. I’m delighted to have been selected for the 2023 commission.

“The opportunity to work within the unique heritage of the barrister profession, and understand Frances Moran’s own journey, is a privilege.“