Ally Nolan is an Irish textile artist whose practice explores how textiles are shaped by place, community, and cultural identity. Her work brings together hand-made and digital textile techniques to examine the histories embedded in materials and the labour that produces them, with a particular focus on women’s work and craft knowledge that has often gone unrecorded or undervalued.
Rooted in archival research, storytelling, and heritage, Nolan frequently works with historical photographs and materials to better understand the people and communities behind textile traditions. Her practice is informed by rural and coastal contexts, where craft skills are closely tied to working life, social history, and local economies.
Nolan is the 2025 recipient of the RCSI Art Award and has completed residencies in Portugal, Norway, France, and Ireland. These experiences have expanded her research and revealed connections between craft traditions across different cultures.
Nolan holds a BA in Fashion Design and Art History from the National College of Art and Design, Dublin, and an M.Phil in Irish Art History from Trinity College Dublin.
