Eilish O’Mahony was born in Portlaoise. She was a pupil of the artist Bea Orpen and first exhibited her work in 1957. She is a member of the Dundalk Art Group and of the North Louth Painters with whom she exhibits regularly.

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Eilish first studied Art as a student in Portlaoise Convent School where she was taught by the Presentation Sisters.

Having worked in Laois County Council for a number of years, she married and re-located to Drogheda and didn’t pursue her interest in art any further until one day in 1957, her husband gave her a ‘Painting by Numbers’ kit as a present. She found that her early interest in art was reawakened and in tandem with bringing up four children, she made time to paint at home and attend art classes at her local Technical College where her mentor was Bea Orpen.

She moved with her family to Dundalk in the early 1960’s where she joined two weekly art classes and was under the tutelage of a professional artist. She does not regard her practice as that of a full-time professional, but rather as a “creative hobby contributing to a pleasant social life with other like-minded ladies”.

She continued to combine her love of painting with her family life by attending classes in the Dordogne with professional artist John McLaren while on family camping holidays.

Eilish has continued to paint throughout her life and enjoys painting rural village scenes, floral subjects and scenes of local interest. She was awarded the Beaumann Cup (first prize in the I.C.A all-Ireland competition) in 1991. Her work hangs in many private and public collections including those of Chris deBurgh, Neven Maguire, Slane Castle, the Palace in Abu Dhabi, The Irish Embassy, The Australian Embassy, Louth County Council, The Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda, Laois County Offices and the Office of Public Works. She is a founder member of the Dundalk Art Group and of the North Louth Painters with whom she exhibits regularly.