Board Members
Aisling Roche
Chairperson 26/10/2017
Aisling is Deputy Designated Child Protection Person.
Aisling is Course Coordinator Professional Arts Practice at West Cork Campus having earned her Masters Degree in Design and Post Grad Diploa in Art Education. She has helped raise funds for many local charities as a member of the Lough Hyne Lappers; has coordinated the outdoor family event, Picnic In The Park; established the Leaves of Experience programme for older people at Triskel Arts Centre; and more.
Declan Tiernan
Board Member – 26/10/2017
Declan is a Baltimore Lifeboat Crewmember, past Commodore at the Baltimore Sailing Club and Chairman of the Board of Management Sherkin Island School. He has also been Chairman and Secretary of Baltimore Lifeboat and Here Today Ltd.
Donagh Carey
Board Member – 26/10/2017
Donagh is a professional artist. He volunteers at the Blue House Gallery in Schull and is the Visual Art Co-ordinator for the Skibbereen Arts Festival.
Finola Byrne
Board Member – 26/10/2017
Finola runs the family business, Designs Gift shop established in the heart of Skibbereen in 1977. Over the years she has served as Chairperson of Cope Foundation, Board member of Skibbereen & District Chamber of Commerce, and has volunteered with SCAR, Darkness into Light and many school fundraisers.
Bernadette Hegarty
Board Member – 26/10/2017
Bernadette has been a Special Needs Assistant since 2004. She has taught Irish Dancing throughout West Cork for many years and is a member of Skibbereen Comhaltas.
Dan Reilly
Board Member – 05/02/2019
Dan Reilly holds a B.Ag.Sc degree in Horticulture. He is former Chairperson of the Sherkin Island Development Society and was heavily involved in setting up the BAVA course on Sherkin Island in partnership with DIT, SIDS and WCAC. Dan acted as Community Liasion for the 2018 Alanna Kelly peformance piece, Anáil na Beatha, performed at Schull Workhouse.
Barney Whelan
Board Member – 08/07/2019
Communications Consultant, Former Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs at An Post. Former Public Relations Manager at ESB, with responsibility for public relations, public affairs and brand communications. Former Director of Sales and Marketing at SafeFood, The Food Safety Promotion Board. Governor of the National Gallery of Ireland, Former board member of the National Concert Hall and numerous other Arts organisations. Previous experience in project management in the aquaculture industry. Doctorate in Fish Pollution Ecology, MBA on the economic impact of “environmentalism” and Diploma in Fish Pathology (Stirling University). Extensive experience in Management, communications, corporate governance, market research and Arts sponsorship. Barney also currently holds the following positions: Chair of the Cork International Film Festival, Deputy Chair of the Governors and Guardians of the National Gallery of Ireland.
Aoibhie McCarthy
Board Member – 23/10/2023
Aoibhie McCarthy is an arts manager, curator & arts educator and, since August 2020, Artistic Director of Sample-Studios. After graduating with a B.A in Art History, Architectural History and English Literature from Trinity College Dublin, she worked in the National Gallery of Ireland, the Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin Contemporary and Whyte’s Auctioneers before securing the Shinnors Curatorial Scholarship, M.A tracking PhD research scholarship in Limerick School of Art and Design and becoming Education Curator of Limerick City Gallery of Art and eva International. She led visual arts programming at Galway Fringe Festival and Make a Move Festival before undertaking project management roles as part of regional and national initiatives such as Limerick City of Culture 2014, The Year of Irish Design 2015 and National Adult Learners’ Festival 2016. From 2016-2018, Aoibhie McCarthy was Visual Arts and Outreach Manager of Garter Lane Arts Centre in Waterford, where she was also on the board of Waterford Youth Arts for 5 years. From 2018-2020, she was Marketing and Development Manager of Cork International Film Festival and the Business to Arts Fundraising Fellow.
Gillian Hennessy
Board Member – 20/05/2024
Gillian is head of marketing, development and box office at Triskel Arts Centre in Cork City. She earned a BA in language & Cultural Studies from UCC and an MA in English from NUI Glaway as well as a post-grad diploma in Cultural Even Management from IADT. Gillian is a member of Network Ireland Cork Branch and was on the Cork branch committee from Jan 2014 – Nov 2021. She was President of the branch in 2019. She joined the National Executive of Network Ireland in 2018 and is currently Branch Liaison. She recently led the redevelopment of the Network Ireland website and membership platform, ensuring that all 18 branches and 1,000+ members nationwide have the best experience possible as members of this dynamic personal and business development organisation. The Cork committee and National Executive are voluntary roles.
Grainne Murphy
Board Member – 14/10/2024
Barbara Nugent
Board Member – 10/11/2025
Barbara Nugent has been a Corporate Accountant for 35 years, Business consultant and Executive Coach/Trainer for 11 years with a MSc Business Practice, FCCA, Dip 1st Executive Coaching, Dip 1st Leadership. She is a volunteer member of Network Ireland and Network Cork, LIFT facilitator for schools and other organisations. Her board experience includes treasurer of Network Cork (6 years) also at National Network Ireland level (3 years) Network Cork President 2020/2021, Vice President and ExOfficio and a Board member of Ring Rowing Club (1 Year). She attended training in Trusteeship and Governance in December 2025.
Brendan McCarthy
Board Member – 10/11/2025
Brendan McCarthy is a Primary School Principal and a Cork County Councillor. He holds a BA (Gaeilge and Sociology & Politics) and Grad Dip in Ed – Primary Teaching. He has been actively involved in his community for many years. He has been Chairperson of the Skibbereen Arts Festival since it started in 2009, was a member of Skibbereen Town Council for 10 years from 2004 – 2014 and was Mayor of Skibbereen on two occasions. Brendan is a Board Member of Skibbereen Arts Festival and Save Our Skibbereen. He was also a Board Member of Skibbereen Credit Union for a number of years. Brendan is married to Sandrine. They have four children in their late teens and in their 20s. He is also a musician.
Paula Marten
Board Member – 10/11/2025
Paula Marten is an artist and Course Co-ordinator of The Level 5 Art Course in The West Cork Campus in Skibbereen. Paula also teaches on the BAVA Sherkin Degree Course as a guest lecturer and delivers print -making courses on Sherkin Island. Paula exhibits her paintings and had the honour of displaying one of her pieces in the RHA 195th Annual Exhibition 2025. Paula studied Textile Design at Herriot Watt University in Scotland and Teacher Training at The Crawford College of Art and Design. Paula was previously on the board of The West Cork Art Centre, in the old building and was active in fundraising for the new Uillinn building. Paula worked as a knitwear designer, designing for Irish knitwear labels and had her own label, Ishka. Her time is now focused on painting and teaching.
Peter Murphy FRIAI
Board Member – 10/11/2025
Peter Murphy was a member of the board of the WCAC from 2007 to 2017. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland and a director of FMP Architects Ltd., and Beland Ltd. He is a specialist in conservation architecture and is a member of SPAB (Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings). He is a director of the Douglas Street Business Association since 2017 one of whose objectives is engagement with Cork City Council and their urban design team in promoting an enhanced public realm scheme for Douglas St and its environs on the south side of
Cork City.
Dr Matthew Whyte
Board Member – 10/11/2025
Dr Matthew Whyte is an experienced art historian, arts professional, and lecturer with a strong track record across the arts and cultural sector. He completed his PhD at University College Cork, where he has lectured in History of Art since 2014, contributing to teaching and scholarship in art history at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Dr Whyte further brings extensive professional experience in arts management and development. He is currently Development & Communications Coordinator with Sample-Studios, one of Ireland’s largest artist studio organisations, where he plays a key role in strategic development, communications, and advocacy for artists. His professional experience bridges arts management, higher education, and academic research, reflecting a sustained commitment to supporting contemporary art, heritage, and the wider cultural ecology.
Sarah Canty
Secretary to the Board