The Linenhall currently has a core staff of five. We also have wonderful coffee-shop and cleaning staff, and currently four part-time Arts Facilitators who are employed on a FÁS-funded Community Employment Scheme. No member of Linenhall staff earns in excess of €48,000 per annum.
Meet the Staff
Orla Henihan is our Artistic Director (Acting) and Arts Access Officer. Orla’s background is in music and she is instrumental (geddit!) in developing our arts access programme, encouraging everyone to give it a lash. She’s also responsible for programming RoolaBoola, our amazing children’s Arts Festival. Contact Orla here.
Maura Connolly joined the team in 1990. She has now reached the lofty heights of Administrator, and foolishly insists that she still enjoys working here. Contact Maura here.
Oisín Herraghty is our dynamic Technical Manager. His experience in theatre/stagecraft makes him the ideal addition to our diverse, dedicated and doughty crew. Contact Oisin here.
Ian Wieczorek is our PR Officer. A man of many parts (some of which he claims still work quite well) and a successful visual artist in his own right, he's the one responsible for getting the word out there. Contact Ian here.
Our friendly coffee-shop staff are waiting to meet and greet you. The coffee shop is open Monday to Friday from 10.00am – 5.30pm and on Saturday from 11.00am -- 5.30pm.
Nuriyah Nuriyah - or Ria to us - is our cleaner. She ensures that the place is sparkling for our visitors. If you’re here when she’s at work, watch out for her sunny smile.
Our Community Arts Team provides a range of visual arts workshops for children in the area, working mainly with Primary schools.
Marie Farrell is the retired founding Director of the Linenhall.
Linenhall Board
The Linenhall Arts Centre is a Company Limited by Guarantee, governed by a Board of Directors, who volunteer their time and expertise. Membership of the company is currently restricted to current and past board members. A committee is reviewing our membership structure with a view to broadening its base:
Eamon Smith: Eamon
is a clinical psychologist, former HSE employee, now in private practice. Eamon
teaches on the doctoral programme in clinical psychology in NUIG and is
currently completing his doctoral thesis. He is interested in the visual arts
and is active in community theatre. Eamon joined the Board in 1994
Peter Duggan: Peter
is currently Head of Finance with Mayo County Council. He is the County Manager’s
nominee to the Linenhall Board and joined the Board in 2006.
Eanya Egan: Eanya
is a practicing solicitor working in Castlebar. She was the first woman to be
elected Mayor of Castlebar and held office as an independent Councillor. She is
involved in many aspects of community and sings with the Church Choir. Eanya
joined the Board in 1996.
Marie Farrell: Marie was the former Director of the Linenhall Arts Centre. She is currently a member of Mayo County Council's Cultural, Education, Heritage, Corporate Affairs and Emergency Services Strategic Police Committee. She is a former member of the Board of Music Network. Marie joined the Board in 2018
Lorraine Gannon: Lorraine Gannon practised as a solicitor in Castlebar for many years. In 2017 she completed the Corporate Governance module of the B.A. In HR Management at GMIT Castlebar. She is a member of the writing group Writing on Tuesday's and the choir Cór Mhaigh Eo. Lorraine joined the Board in 2018
Michael Kilcoyne: Michael
was first elected to Castlebar Town Council in 1999 and served on the
Town Council until it’s abolition in 2014.
He is an elected member of Mayo County Council since 2009. He was an official of the ITGWU since
1979 and Sectoral Organiser with SIPTU.
He is a member of the Advisory Council to the Commission for Taxi Regulation. He is Deputy Chairman of the
Consumers’ Association of Ireland and is a member of the HSE West Forum. He is involved with many voluntary groups in
the greater Castlebar area. Michael is the Mayo County Council elected
representative nominated to the Board of the Linenhall and joined the Board in
2014.
Alice Maher: Alice is an internationally renowned visual artist who works in a wide range of media. She represented Ireland at the 23rd Sao Paolo Biennale. A mid-career retrospective of her work ‘Becoming’ was held in IMMA in 2012. Her book Reservoir (Dublin: Roads Publishing, 2014) has brought the collection of sketchbooks that she has created over many years to the public's attention for the first time. She is a member of Aosdana and recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Art from the National University of Ireland. Alice joined the Board in 2010
John Mulloy: John Mulloy is a lecturer in Art History and Critical theory at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. Recent work includes a chapter in Gary Granville (ed), Art Education and Contemporary Culture, (Intellect, London, 2012); Salvation through Art?, a research project examining art education in Portlaoise Prison (2009-12); and City (Re)Searches, exploring cultural rights in Cork, Derry, Kaunas and Rotterdam (2012-14). He is currently developing Stick, Brush & Eye, a workshop for signwriting, hand-lettering and letterpress projects. John joined the board in 2013Brendan O'Hara: Brendan is a retired Chartered Accountant. He works with a number of voluntary and not-for-profit groups in the area. Brendan joined the Board in 2015.
Ann O’Mahony: Ann has a background in research and teaching in the social-policy field for the Public and NGO sectors. She has a B.Soc.Sc Degree from University College Dublin, a post graduate Diploma from London University and a M.Sc from the University of Surrey. She is also a practicing artist, weaver and printmaker and has a National Diploma in Art and Design (Distinction). In 2011 she was awarded a PHD in the History of Art and Critical Theory by Galway Mayo Institute of Technology for her research-based thesis entitled 'In Search of A Language: Textile and Text in Contemporary Women's Art'. Ann Joined the Board in 1996
Linenhall Members
Beverly Flynn
Eoin Garavan
Paul Lennon
Eugene McCormack
Paul Soye
