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.
Robert Harris
Date appointed: 11/01/2017
Robert is Deputy Health and Safety Officer
Robert is a retired Architect having founded the award winning practice, Harris McMillan Architects in Devon, UK. Currently he is the co-creator and writer of the Roaringwater Journal, the online journal exploring history, folklore, nature and the arts in West Cork.
He has been an ardent activist in industrial archaeology protection and restoration projects in the UK and was Secretary of Parochial Church Councils in the UK and architectural advisor to church restoration projects. Robert now volunteers his expertise on many local community projects in Ballydehob where he resides. He is the originator of the West Meets West 2017 exhibition of working artists in West Cork and Cornwall. He is also co-designer of the exhibition: Prehistoric Irish Rock Art, held at the Cork Public Museum autumn 2015 to spring 2016 and travelling to other venues.
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.
Sarah Canty, Secretary to the Board
