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Later life and death
In October 2007 a retrospective exhibition of Neillí Mulcahy’s work opened in the National Museum of Ireland at Collins barracks in Dublin. Her archive was given to the museum as a resource for scholars and students showcasing her work from 1951 to 1969. With this donation came 22 garments, photographs, press cuttings, and artefacts. The exhibition showcased the talent she possessed from hand-beaded chiffons and velvet ball gowns, to city suits and casual country wear. Her use of fabrics, her success in America, and the presentation of her annual collection are also some of the themes explored. The archive was assembled by her biographer Liz Clery.

Even as Neillí aged older she still continued to support Irish fashion and designers by attending ‘Showcase’ in the RDS every year. This reflected the love she had for fashion and even as she got older her love for fashion remained. The demand for haute couture began to decrease in the 70’s. Neillí Mulcahy also had the pressure of raising a large family, which included seven daughters. The combination of the two forced Neillí to close her premises in South Frederick Street in 1970 after many years in business. For the following years she worked part-time as a consultant with the Grafton Academy before completely retiring completely from fashion. Neillí Mulcahy died after a short term illness on May 6th 2012 at the age of 87. Her funeral took place in Sacred Heart Donnybrook and she was laid to rest in Mount Venus Cemetery. She will be remembered fondly for her contribution to Irish fashion and for her clean, modern, and versatile designs.