The Mary Elmes Prize in Holocaust Studies

Mary Elmes Prize is now open for 2025/2026 entries!

Closing Date Frida, 13th March.

The Mary Elmes Prize in Holocaust Studies is named in honour of the only Irish person to receive the Righteous Among the Nations award.

Marie Elisabeth Jean Elmes was born on the 5th of May 1908, in Ballintemple, Cork and attended Trinity College, where she studied Modern Languages.

During the Spanish Civil War, Mary worked at a children's hospital in Almería. Eventually, the situation became untenable for aid workers, prompting Mary to join 500,000 refugees crossing into France. During World War II, while based in the south of France, she rescued over 400 children from deportation to concentration and death camps. Her efforts began on August 11, 1942, when she and her colleagues saved nine children from the first group being sent to Auschwitz. From that point until October 1942, Mary and her team rescued a total of 427 children, transporting them from Rivesaltes Camp in the trunk of Mary’s car to safe houses, or helping them escape France entirely.

She is the first Irish person to be acknowledged (posthumously) as Righteous Among The Nations by Yad Vashem, an award bestowed on non-Jewish people who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.

Senior Cycle students are invited to submit a History essay or artistic response (Art, Literature, Music) about any facet of the Holocaust that they would like to explore and raise awareness about. It is not limited to the story of Mary Elmes, but any aspect of the Holocaust that the student would like to investigate and draw attention to.

All first place prize winners of the Mary Elmes Prize in Holocaust Studies will be invited to be one of the Youth Readers at the National Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration which will take place in January 2027. This national event, which will be attended by the President and other dignitaries, will be attended by over 600 people from all walks of Irish life. The invitation to the  commemoration will be extended to the prize winners’ parents, a teacher and up to ten guests from the school. 

Enter now!

Portrait of Mary Elmes - Aoife Sheridan

Protect Our Children - Aisling Duffy

Browse previous winners

Frequently Asked Questions

  • We welcome submissions from students in Transition Year, 5th Year and 6th Year. Entries can be sent by teachers on behalf of students, or by the students themselves.

  • Yes! Students who are awarded in 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in each category receive personalised certificates of achievement, lapel pin, and book tokens.

    1st place winners in each category also receive an engraved glass trophy and are invited to participate in the annual Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration as youth readers.

  • We are accepting submissions until 31 March 2024. Please email your submissions to info@holocausteducationireland.org.

  • We accept submissions of all formats! You might like to investigate the life of someone else who rescued Jews during the war, or draw inspiration from the stories of those who lived through the Holocaust. Some students find themselves inspired to create musical pieces that capture the emotions of this period.

    You can browse our previous winners here!

  • No, we encourage teachers to submit as many entries from their schools as they would like! Please note, students are limited to one entry each.