Hilary O’Kelly

Hilary O’Kelly is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Visual Culture at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD). She specializes in dress history, particularly focusing on Ireland from the 18th century onward. Her teaching includes fashion and dress history and theory within the Critical Cultures programme. She also contributes to the Design History and Material Culture MA.

Her research explores themes such as Celtic Revival dress, National Revival dress in Irish politics, and transatlantic fashion exchanges. Key publications include Cleo: Irish Clothes in a Wider World (2014) and essays on Irish clothing businesses and secondhand fashion. She frequently lectures publicly, including at the Crawford Art Gallery and UCD Art History conferences.

Her work bridges material culture, history, and cultural studies, emphasizing the social and political dimensions of dress in Ireland. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned, though her contributions to academic and public discourse are notable.