Birthday girl Celia Holman Lee celebrates 65

Limerick’s own fashion paradigm and birthday girl Celia Holman Lee graced 65 years of age on November 22^nd and celebrated with an intimate affair, surrounding herself with loved ones at her home in Ballysheedy. Being a fashion queen who never forgets where she hails from it is no surprise that Celia chose to spend her birthday in her beloved home county.

It cannot be denied that throughout her fashion fuelled 65 years that Celia has accomplished things she could have only dreamed of while working as a shop assistant at 15. She has been described by the Daily Mirror as having been “Ireland’s most successful model” and by the Daily Mail as having been Ireland’s “most sought after face in the seventies and eighties”. She founded her own modelling agency, Celia Holman-Lee Model Agency, at the age of 22 and has run it for over 30 years, making it the longest running modelling agency in Ireland.

There are no airs and graces, she’s a true Limerick lady, a wonderful ambassador for the city and she never forgot where she came from. Celia who is a proud mother and grandmother and started out as a model over 45 years ago once said, “I think JFK got it right on his visit here in 1963, when he referred to the beauty of Limerick women. I have one of the most successful modelling agencies in the country. The secret of that is down to the talent of the Limerick models who come on board. Limerick women have the best style in the country. I am honoured to be a Limerick lady.”

Celia Holman Lee made her first television appearance on The Late Late Show. She makes regular appearances on TV3, as well as regularly doing the fashion slot on Ireland AM. In 2010 she won the Celebrity Salon reality programme on TV3 at the age of 59 to be described as “Best in Beauty”.

In 2007 she topped a list for Social and Personal as the most invited person to parties, taking over from the then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. In 2002 she won a VIP Most Stylish Woman Award and was nominated for the award again in 2010, while in 2008 she was made RSVP Magazine’s Business Woman of the Year. In April of 2014 Celia was awarded the much deserved lifetime achievement award and you can read more about that here

Proud Limerick woman, fashion stylist and TV presenter Celia Holman Lee was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.
Pic Sean Curtin Photo

There is no doubt that Celia enjoyed the intimate celebration of her 65th birthday at home with loved ones and she excitedly awaits another year of her life celebrating Limerick style.

Below is a video showcasing the more extravagant soirée Celia had to mark her 60th birthday in Aubars on Thomas Street, Limerick.