Ár Foireann

Our Team

Mags McLoughlin

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
mags@irishwriterscentre.ie

Teerth Chungh

Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
management@irishwriterscentre.ie

Orla Martin

Administrator
info@irishwriterscentre.ie

Emily O’Brien

Development Projects Coordinator
emily@irishwriterscentre.ie

Damien Donnelly

Head of Programming
damien@irishwriterscentre.ie

Jack Delaney

Administration & Young Writer Initiatives
jack@irishwriterscentre.ie

Paul Fitzgerald

Maintenance

Our Patron & Ambassadors

President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins has been patron of the Irish Writers Centre since 2016. Our Ambassadors are all key figures in Irish literature selected across a range of disciplines to help us in furthering the aims and ambitions of the Irish Writers Centre both at home and abroad.

Michael D. Higgins

Patron of the Irish Writers Centre

Since 2016, President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, has been a Patron of the Irish Writers Centre. The President visited the Centre on 13 January 2016, marking what was a memorable inaugural event in our 25th anniversary celebration year. Higgins is an Irish politician, poet, broadcaster and sociologist who has been serving as the ninth president of Ireland since 2011.

John Banville

William John Banville was born in Wexford, Ireland. After college John worked as a clerk for Ireland’s national airline, Aer Lingus, before joining The Irish Press as a sub-editor in 1969. Continuing with journalism for over thirty years, John was Literary Editor at The Irish Times from 1988 to 1999. He is the author of twenty novels, including The Book of Evidence, The Sea, winner of the 2005 Man Booker Prize. In 2011 he was awarded the Franz Kafka Prize. In 2013, John was awarded the Irish Pen Award for Outstanding Achievement in Irish Literature. Most recently, John has written the bestselling crime novels, Snow and April in Spain – both of which were shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger – and The Lock-Up.

 

Anne Enright

Anne Enright has published novels, short stories, essays, and one non-fiction book. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, her novel The Gathering won the 2007 Man Booker Prize. She has also won the 1991 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, the 2001 Encore Award and the 2008 Irish Novel of the Year. Anne Enright is the first Laureate for Irish Fiction, a post she currently holds. Anne’s writing explores themes such as family relationships, love and sex, Ireland’s difficult past and its modern zeitgeist. Her latest novel, The Wren, The Wren was published in 2023.

Mike McCormack

Mike McCormack is an award-winning novelist and short story writer from Mayo. He is the author of two collections of short stories Getting it in the Head and Forensic Songs, and four novels Crowe’s Requiem, Notes from a Coma, Solar Bones and This Plague of Souls. In 1996 he was awarded the Rooney Prize for Literature and Getting it in the Head was chosen as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. In 2006 Notes from a Coma was shortlisted for the Irish Book of the Year Award. In 2016 Solar Bones was awarded the Goldsmiths Prize and the Bord Gais Energy Irish Novel of the Year and Book of the Year; it was also long-listed for the 2017 Man Booker Prize. In 2018 it was awarded the International Dublin Literary Award. He is a member of Aosdána.

Marian Keyes

Marian Keyes was born in Limerick in 1963, and brought up in Cavan, Cork, Galway and Dublin; she spent her twenties in London, but is now living in Dún Laoghaire. She is the multi-million copy, internationally bestselling author of some of the most widely loved, genre-defying novels of the past thirty years – such as Rachel’s Holiday, Anybody Out There and Grown Ups. In addition to her fifteen previous novels, Marian has also written three collections of journalism, and co-hosts the popular show Now You’re Asking with actress Tara Flynn for BBC Radio 4.

Éilís Ní Dhuibhne

Éilís Ní Dhuibhne Almqvist is a novelist, critic and folklore scholar. Her publications include  Midwife to the Fairies, The Inland Ice, and The Pale Gold of Alaska and The Shelterof Neighbours.  Among her novels are Cailíni Beaga Ghleann na mBlath, Hurlamaboc, Dunamharu sa Daingean, The Dancers Dancing, and Fox, Swallow Scarecrow, and several scholarly articles on folkloristic topics. Numerous  literary awards include The Bisto Book of the Year Award, the Readers’ Association of Ireland Award, the Stewart Parker Award for Drama, the Butler award for Prose from the Irish American Cultural Institute and several Oireachtas awards for novels in Irish. The Dancers Dancing was shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction and she was awarded the Irish Pen Award for an Outstanding Contribution to Irish Literature in 2015. Her stories are widely anthologized and translated. Eilis’s most recent books are Selected Stories (Blackstaff, 2023) and Fáinne Geal an Lae (Cló Iar Chonnacht 2023) Éilís is a member of Aosdana and the President of The Folklore of Ireland Society.

 

Joseph O’Connor

Joseph O’Connor was born in Dublin. He is the author of ten novels, including Cowboys and Indians (short-listed for the Whitbread Prize), The Thrill of it All, Shadow Play, Star of the Sea, and My Father’s House, as well as two collections of short stories, True Believers and Where Have You Been? In 2009 he was the Harman Visiting Professor of Creative Writing at Baruch College, City University of New York. In December 2011, he received an honorary Doctorate in Literature from University College Dublin. He received the Irish PEN Award for Outstanding Contribution to Irish Literature in 2012.  In 2014 he was appointed Frank McCourt Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Limerick. His latest novel is My Father’s House, published in 2023.

Ciara Ní É

Ciara Ní É is the founder of REIC, a monthly bilingual spoken word and open mic night that features poetry, music, storytelling and rap. As a writer and broadcaster, she has performed her work in Ireland and internationally. She was chosen as one of the Irish Examiner’s ‘100 Women Changing Ireland in 2022’. She was Artist in Residence UCD School of Irish, Celtic Studies & Folklore 2023, the Dublin Fringe Festival in 2022, and DCU in 2020. Her work has been published in the recent anthologies Bone and Marrow/Cnámh agus Smior, Queering the Green and Washing Windows Too, in various journals, and video poems can be found on her YouTube. She is a co-founder of the LGBTQ+ arts collective AerachAiteachGaelach and she has just finished directing her first short film.

Ár mBord

Our Board

The Irish Writers Centre is governed by a voluntary board of Directors. Our board members serve a maximum of two three-year terms.

Breda Brown

Appointed May 2021, elected Chairperson August 2021

Breda Brown is Co founder and Communications Director of Unique Media, a consultancy which provides strategic cross platform communications solutions to clients across a range of sectors. Services include PR, Public Affairs, Media Training, Podcast & Video Production, Digital & Social Media and Event Management. Breda’s work extends to clients such as the An Post Irish Book Awards, where, over the past 15 years, her strategic planning, PR, digital and event management expertise has helped turn the initiative into one of the most significant events in the Irish literary calendar. An absolute book lover, Breda reviews crime novels for the Sunday Independent and also presents the Inside Books podcast. In each episode, she chats to people associated with the world of books – including well-known authors, publishers, editors, agents, critics, booksellers and more. Breda holds an MA in Journalism and BA in Communication Studies, both from Dublin City University.

Anne Fleck-Byrne

Appointed April 2025, elected Vice Chairperson July 2025

Anne Fleck-Byrne is an experienced Non-Executive Chartered Director, with over 30 years leadership experience across a number of industries including healthcare, aviation and the voluntary sector. With a background in strategic leadership, corporate and regulatory governance she brings valuable financial oversight, risk management insight, and boardroom experience.

Anne was co-founder, Managing Director and Director of Nursing of Drakelands Nursing Home Ltd a healthcare company organically expanded over twenty years and sold to the Trinity Care Group in 2021. She served on the interim Board of Nursing Homes Ireland in 2008 as the then four representative groups were being disbanded and the national representative organisation established in conjunction with regulation of the sector. Anne continued to serve as a NED on the newly formed NHI Board until 2012. She completed her Chartered Director program with the Institute of Directors in 2022.

Anne is passionate about supporting creativity and the arts. She is active in literary festivals, film festivals and fundraising initiative’s for emerging artists.

Maria Dickenson

Appointed April 2025, elected Secretary July 2025

Maria Dickenson has worked for thirty years in the Irish book trade, and is passionate about the business. She began her working life as a librarian in Trinity College, but the majority of her career has been dedicated to bookselling, with key career highlights including managing the Dubray business and prior to that heading up the book buying department of Eason.

She is a Board member of the Irish Book Awards and has held a number of voluntary positions with the Booksellers Association of UK and Ireland, including Vice President, Council Member and Chair of Bookselling Ireland.

Brian McEnery

Appointed June 2025, elected Treasurer June 2025

A Limerick native, Brian McEnery joined BDO in Ireland in 1995 and qualified as an ACCA while working in Corporate Finance. In 2018, he became BDO’s Head of Advisory Services and International Liaison Partner. He has been the Managing Partner since March 2023. He has been instrumental in developing healthcare consulting, corporate restructuring, NPL management and turnaround practices. Brian continues to retain close connectivity within the healthcare sector as well as driving growth across all areas of the Firm.

Brian has been heavily involved in the accounting profession and the wider business and has held many leadership positions throughout his career. These include the roles of Worldwide President of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Chair of HIQA, Board

Member & Chair of the Audit Committee of NAMA. Brian represents ACCA on the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), and on Accountancy Europe. Brian holds a certificate in Business Sustainability Management from Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

Patrick Barrett

Appointed April 2025

Patrick Barrett is a practising barrister with a strong academic foundation and a commitment to public service and governance. He holds a Barrister-at-Law degree from the Honorable Society of King’s Inns (2021), following an LL.M in Business Law with a specialisation in Intellectual Property and a BCL Law Degree, both from University College Cork. His legal practice spans civil, family, and criminal law on the South-West and Cork Circuits. He regularly appears before the Courts and statutory bodies. Patrick also volunteers with FLAC, offering legal advice on a pro bono basis.

He brings experience in data protection, regulatory compliance, and discovery across multiple jurisdictions. His work has included protected disclosures, workplace investigations, and legal content development for employment law training. A forthcoming legal publication and recognition for legal writing underscore his strong analytical and communication skills. Patrick offers strategic insight, legal expertise, and a clear understanding of governance.

Helen Connealy

Appointed April 2025

An experienced CEO, Helen Connealy has led a range of not for profit organisations through periods of transition and transformation. She continues to coach senior executives and facilitate leadership programs.

Helen is currently undertaking a Masters in Creative Writing at the Seamus Heaney Centre, Queen’s University, Belfast, whilst working on a short story collection.

She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), an accredited Strengths Profiler and a member of the Irish Writers Centre. An advocate for women and writers, Helen is passionate about philanthropy, literature, healthcare and building social impact.

Gráinne Daly

Appointed June 2025

Dr. Gráinne Daly is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, and holds postgraduate degrees from Liverpool John Moore’s University and University College Dublin. Gráinne was awarded an Irish Research Council scholarship for her PhD in Creative Writing that examined the poetics of sporting space in Irish fiction. Sport in creative literature is a key research interest.

Gráinne’s work has been published widely. Her previous honours include the UCD Maeve Binchy Travel Award for her project creatively exploring the links between Ireland and the Caribbean island of Montserrat. Gráinne has worked as a tutor and occasional lecturer in University College Dublin.

Áine Denn

Appointed April 2021

Áine Denn is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in the technology sector, having worked in both the corporate and startup worlds. In 2005, she co-founded Altify (now Upland Altify), a global B2B SaaS company that delivered innovative sales technology. Áine’s Altify journey ended on a high note with the acquisition of Altify by Upland Software (UPLD) at the end of 2019. Today, as a Non-executive Director, mentor, and advisor to businesses in Ireland and the UK, Áine is committed to helping others succeed. She is a credentialed coach and holds a Dip IoD. Áine is a board member of Technology Ireland and the Irish Writers Centre and an advisor to the IMRO Technology Committee. Áine actively supports entrepreneurship as a lead entrepreneur for Going For Growth, an Enterprise Ireland HPSU Founders Forum facilitator, and an Entrepreneur in Residence for the Dogpatch Labs Founders Talent Accelerator. Áine is an avid reader and an enthusiastic Leinster and Ireland rugby supporter.

 

Rosemary Hennigan

Appointed August 2024

Rosemary Hennigan is a writer living in Dublin. She studied law at Trinity College and the University of Pennsylvania, which she attended as a Fulbright Scholar. A qualified solicitor, Rosemary works in the NGO sector where he has specialised in the area of asylum, homelessness, and housing policy. Her first book The Truth Will Out (Orion Fiction) was longlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger award 2023. Her second book The Favorites (Graydon House) was published in North America in November 2023. It was published as The Favourite (Orion Fiction) in Ireland/UK in January 2024.

Brendan McDonald

Appointed April 2025

Brendan McDonald, IDA VP Engineering & Green Economy, is responsible for working with new and existing IDA Ireland client Companies as well as all relevant stakeholders in France & Southern Europe, based in the IDA Ireland, Paris office with the specific target of securing and retaining Foreign Direct Investment.

Brendan joined IDA in 2012 as a Commercial Property Solicitor, having practiced extensively in a Private Law Firm in the areas of Commercial Property, Litigation, Employment Law and Court Prosecution and Defence. Prior to being appointed VP Engineering & Green Economy (January 2022 to date), Brendan held role as South East Regional Manager (2017 – 2021), and IDA West Regional Executive (2015 – 2017), promoting foreign direct investment and IDA’s regional development agenda in the South East and West Region’s.

Brendan graduated with a Batchelor of Law & European Studies from the University of Limerick in 2003 and also holds Diplomas from The Law Society of Ireland in Legal French (Code Civil et Commerce) and Environment & Planning Law, as well as a Diploma in International Business Development from the Irish Management Institute and a Diploma in Business Sustainability Management from the University of Cambridge.

Brendan currently sits on the Board of the Irish in France diaspora group, and has held various voluntary roles including at his GAA club in Laois ( to include Chairman and Treasurer) as well as the Free Legal Aid Board.

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Governance & Policy

The Irish Writers Centre keeps detailed books and records of accounts and maintains strict financial controls.

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