Deirdre McQuillan is a long-established freelance journalist and feature writer best known as the fashion editor of The Irish Times. She is the author of seven books including The Aran Sweater, The Irish Country House Table, and Mary Robinson: A President in Progress. In a long career, she has worked as a magazine and lifestyle editor, covered assignments all over Africa and South America and contributed to many publications both at home and abroad. She has won awards for travel writing and in 2010 received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute of Irish Designers.

Deirdre McQuillan was also moderator of Making In /17.