Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre welcomes expressions of interest to join its Board of Directors in 2023
Uillinn is inviting applications to join our Board from enthusiastic individuals with a keen interest in contemporary visual art/contemporary dance, cultural citizenship, and access to, and engagement in, the arts for all.
For further information see this PDF
Aisling Roche - Chairperson
Date appointed: 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 co-ordinated the outdoor family event, Picnic In The Park; established the Leaves of Experience programme for older people at Triskel Arts Centre; and more.
Grahame Copplestone
Date appointed: 09/06/2016
Grahame is a Practising Solicitor having received his accreditations from UCC, Fordham Law School (NYC) and the Texas Bar Association. In addition to his work with the WCAC, Grahame is Chairperson of L’Arche Cork in Togher, where he has been a member for eleven years and is Secretary to Baltimore Sailing Club where he has been a member for six years.
Declan Tiernan
Date appointed: 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
Date appointed: 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
Date appointed: 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
Date appointed: 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
Date appointed: 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 Work House.
Barney Whelan
Date appointed: 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
Date appointed: 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 Hennessey
Date appointed: 15/02/24
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 wel 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.
Gráinne Murphy
Date appointed: 01/10/2024
Gráinne Murphy is a conceptual artist based in Dublin and West Cork. She holds a BA in Fine Art and Visual Culture and a Masters in Contemporary Art from NCAD. A member of the Board of NCAD for two terms, she gained valuable experience in the changing face and requirements of art and design education in the 21st century.
Previously a secondary teacher and assistant principal, she has a passion for lifelong learning.
Sarah Canty, Secretary to the Board
