
Gold Medals
The Royal Irish Academy awards two RIA Gold Medals every year. The medals are awarded to individuals who have made a demonstrable and internationally recognised outstanding scholarly contribution in their fields.
The medals were established in 2005 to acclaim Ireland’s foremost thinkers in the humanities, social sciences, physical and mathematical sciences, life sciences, engineering sciences and the environment and geosciences.
The medals aim to identify and recognise inspirational figures – the stars of the knowledge economy – in order to celebrate the achievements of higher education in Ireland and to inspire future generations. In doing so, the Gold Medals have become recognised as a truly national expression of celebration for scholarly achievement in Ireland.
Read all the latest Gold Medals news here. Further news items about previous years can be found in our Gold Medals news archive.
RIA Gold Medals awarded since 2005
2019
- Professor Richard English - Social Sciences
- Professor Vincent Fusco - Engineering Sciences
2018
- Professor Kathleen James-Chakraborty - Humanities
- Professor Stephen J. Smartt - Physical and Mathematical Sciences
2017
- Professor Malcolm MacLachlan - Social Sciences
- Professor John J. Walsh - Environmental Sciences and Geosciences
2016
- Professor Louis Cullen - Humanities
- Professor Fergus Shanahan - Life Sciences
2015
- Professor Philip R Lane - Social Sciences
- Professor Alan F Smeaton - Engineering Sciences
2014
- Professor Desmond Clarke - Humanities
- Professor Werner Nahm - Physical & Mathematical Sciences
2013
- Professor Rob Kitchin - Social Sciences
- Professor Colin O’Dowd - Environmental Sciences & Geosciences
2012
- Professor Dermot Moran - Humanities
- Professor Luke O’Neill - Life Sciences
2011
- Professor William Schabas - Social Sciences
- Professor John Scanlan - Engineering Sciences
2010
- Professor Cormac Ó Gráda - Humanities
- Professor Samson Shatashvili - Physical & Mathematical Sciences
2008
- Professor David Livingstone - Social Sciences
- Professor Charles Hepworth Holland - Environmental Sciences & Geosciences
2007
- Professor George Eogan- Humanities
- Professor John Fuller Atkins- Life Sciences
2006
- Professor Peter Neary - Social Sciences
- Professor James Dooge - Engineering Sciences
2005
- Professor John Dillon - Humanities
- Professor Michael Coey - Physical & Mathematical Sciences