Kathleen made her first hats to pay her way through College in the late 80s. On a trip to 1993 to her family home "Ireland," Kathleen met her husband and business partner Niall. To cut a long story short she never went back to London. They bought a falling-down cottage in 1997 in Castlegregory which they completely renovated and built and workshop.  Today we make more hats than ever along with ranges of Bags, Scarfs, and Jewellery. The Dingle shop and this online store sell our full range of goods we make. It also gives us a chance to sell other brands. We sell a lot of Irish designers but do not limit ourselves. If the design is something we would like to own we are happy to sell it.

We are lucky to live in such a beautiful place on the Dingle Peninsula, The day normal starts with a walk on the beach, maybe with a bit of Surfing or Windsurfing at some point in the day.

 

 

Some   History

Probably the longest established Milliner in Ireland Kathleen has been making all sorts of hats since 1986 Millinery is in Kathleen's blood. Her great Aunt Ms. Maud Legg was a milliner to the Queen Mother and other royalty Working in Winchester England. Kathleen studied Fine Art Painting at Camberwell  School of Art, London. Later going on to do Millinery at the London School of Fashion where she studied under Marie O'Regan who makes the queens hats now To pay her way through college she worked at "Browns" of South Molton street and later the"Hat shop" in Covent Garden with Carol Denford. On Sundays, she sold her first hat designs at Greenwich Market.

Tiring of London she moved to Ireland where her father comes from and to fulfill the dream of living here. She met her husband and fellow millinery Niall Mellon in 1993. Surrounded by the stunning beauty of the Dingle peninsula they set up "Kathleen McAuliffe Millinery"  from a tiny old studio on the egde of the beach latter moving to a purpose-built studio in Castlegregory. They Supplied Stores in Ireland, France, and Germany, Paris department stores, The Hat shop, Covent Garden and Arnotts in  Dublin, and various Irish and English boutiques

Press

Nationwide TV feature

Irish Country Magazine

Hot Press. Best of Ireland

Profile in Image magazine.

Irish Times

Xpose Tv

Maire Clare,  One of only 10 shops recommend in a feature on Ireland

Five pages in the UK Country Living Magazine. A long time ago!

Irish accessories designer of the year. 2009