Carmel Kelly was brought up in Galway but moved to Dublin with her parents.
She studied at UCG and UCD and taught physics and maths for over twenty years at Alexandra College, Dublin.

Kelly started painting seriously about twenty years ago and gave up full-time teaching to paint.

She has had solo exhibitions at United Arts Club, Dublin, August-September 1993, and The Wyvern Gallery, Dublin, 1995. Carmel also had joint exhibitions with Marie Louise Martin & Jim Manley in the United Arts Club, Dublin in 1995 and 2000. She has had work accepted several times for both RHA and Oireachtais exhibitions.

Her work is permanently on exhibition at Opiel Gallery, Bridge Gallery and Kennedy Gallery,Dublin and Kenny Gallery, Galway.

Kelly's work is in collections in Ireland, England, France, Spain, Germany, U.S.A., and Argentina, with corporate collections including Bank of Ireland assets management, the Office of Public Works, the E.S.B. and in University College Dublin.

She is a full member of the association of artists in Ireland and the International association of professional artists.