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 €50,000 per annum.
Meet the Staff
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: info@thelinenhall.com.
Orla Henihan is our 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: access@thelinenhall.com.
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 current Community Arts Team, Elsa and Isaac, provide a range of visual arts workshops for children in the area, working mainly with primary schools. Contact our Arts Access Officer, Orla Henihan, on access@thelinenhall.com for more information.
Marie Farrell is the retired founding Director of the Linenhall.
Linenhall Board of Trustees
The Linenhall Arts Centre is a Company Limited by Guarantee, governed by a Board of Trustees, 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.
Lorraine Gannon (Chair): 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.
Clodagh Geraghty (Secretary) is a native of Castlebar and is a lecturer in Law and Human Resource Management in GMIT. She has broad experience at senior board level and has particular expertise in the area of governance. She is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel and Development and is a published academic as part of a European research group on Human Rights. Clodagh joined the Board in 2020.
Bryan Gerard Duffy is a Castlebar native and multi-disciplinary artist and filmmaker, having exhibited his work both nationally and internationally. He has worked extensively with international human rights and arts organisations, specifically Artifariti in Western Sahara. He co produced the award-winning short documentary “Sumud, Everyday Resistance” (2016), where it was shortlisted for the best film at the ICCL Human Rights Awards in 2016. His most recent film “Delivery”, won the Best Irish Short Documentary at the Wexford Documentary Film Festival in 2020. He was the recipient of the inaugural Bolay Art Residency at the Linenhall Arts Centre in 2020. Bryan joined the Board in 2021.
Edith Geraghty is independent chair for the Mayo County Childcare Committee and coordinator of the Mayo Traveller Support Group. In August 2020 she was appointed to the Press Council of Ireland. She has over 30 years experience working in the voluntary and community sector. She has served on the Joint Policing Committee, the Public Participation Committee and the Foster Care Committee for Mayo and has been a trustee and chair of Erris No Name Club. Edith joined the Board in 2020.
Thomas Gilligan is Head of Finance/Director of Services with Mayo County Council. Tom is a qualified accountant, a holder of an MBA in Local Government from DCU, and has a vast level of experience in the local authority sector. He is a music lover and author. He is the County Manager's nominee to the Linenhall Board of Directors in 2020.
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 Deputy Chairman of the
Consumers’ Association of Ireland and is a member of the HSE West Forum. Michael is the Mayo County Council elected
representative nominated to the Board of the Linenhall and joined the Board in
2014.
Jennifer Loftus is a qualified actuary and accountant. She is Chief Financial & Risk Officer at Acorn Life and a Board Member of Branar Téatar do Pháisti. She is a native of Castlebar. Jennifer joined the Board in 2021.
Brendan Minish is Director at WestNet, Mayo's top VOIP provider. His area of expertise is Telecommunications and he specialises in wireless link planning, EMC, Systems administration, IP Networking, IPv6, Electronics, Linux, RHCE, HF VHF and Microwave Radio. Brendan joined the Board in 2020.
Diarmaid Moynihan is recognised as one of Ireland's foremost uilleann pipers and composers. He has recorded and toured internationally with many of folk music's finest artists including Flook, Donal Lunny, Lunasa and many others. He is based in Castlebar and presents The Wandering Minstrel, a bi-lingual world music radio show on CRC FM each Saturday. Diarmaid joined the Board in 2021.
John Scahill is a chartered engineer and currently lectures on construction and sustainability related programmes in GMIT. Previously, he worked in private practice as a consulting engineer and project manager. John has a keen interest in music and has been involved in the live music scene in Mayo for many years.John joined the Board in 2021.
Siobhán Sexton is a graduate of The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, was awarded the Master of Urban and Building Conservation from University College Dublin, and holds RIAI Grade 1 Conservation Architect accreditation. As Architectural Conservation Officer at Mayo County Council, her architectural work includes the conservation and adaptive re-use of historic structures, heritage-led urban regeneration and the promotion of traditional building skills. Siobhan joined the Board in 2021.
Declan Swift has worked in hospitality & events spaces for 25 years. Currently part of the operations team at Bridge St Bar , his previous roles include stage production, booking, promotion as well as Operations Manager for some of Dublin's well known restaurants & venues. Declan joined the Board in 2020.
Linenhall Members
Marie Farrell
Paul Soye
Eanya Egan
Ann O’Mahony
Eamon Smith
Gerard Reidy
