James Hilary Gildea (October 21, 1890 – June 5, 1988) was an American politician, newspaperman and a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

James H. Gildea was born in Coaldale Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania on October 21, 1890.

Gildea was engaged in the newspaper publishing business from 1910, when he founded the Coaldale Observer.

He worked as chairman of the Coaldale Relief Society from 1930 to 1933, and of the Panther Valley Miners' Equalization Committee.

Gildea was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-fourth and to the Seventy-fifth Congresses.