IRD Duhallow

Michael was elected Chairperson of IRD Duhallow in 2009. Michael is a founder member of IRD Duhallow and served as Finance Director until he stepped down in 1996. He was reappointed to the Board in 2007 representing Kanturk Chamber of Commerce. Along with his wife Noreen he manages the family owned SuperValu Stores in Kanturk, Abbeyfeale and Askeaton. A keen angler, he has developed a number of angling projects in Duhallow. Michael is an active member of the Enterprise Working Group and was elected chair of the Finance Sub Committee last year.

Cormac was elected Vice Chairperson in 2009. Cormac is from Gneeveguilla Co. Kerry and was appointed representative of Western Duhallow Communities. He is Chairman of Gneeveguilla Community Council, whose comprehensive local development plan has won support from Kerry County Council, CLÁR and LEADER. The community has erected a monument to the several local poets, writers and musicians of natioal renown and won an Arts and Culture award from Kerry Community Awards. He serves on the Community Development Working Group. Cormac is Tralee Area Manager of ESB Networks.

Jack is from Rockchapel and represented Sliabh Luachra's cultural interests on the Board until he stepped down in 2008. He was re-appointed in 2009 on foot of his election by the SAOI Network, the network of actively retired groups. He sits on the Social Economy and Community Development Working Groups. He is chairperson of IRD Duhallow's Agriculture Working Group and represents IRD Duhallow on Kerry Community Transport and Comhar LEADER na hÉireann. Jack represents CLE on ELARD, the European Association for Rural Development of which he is a past president. He sits on the Rural Development Forum.

John is from Banteer and has over 30 years experience working in the voluntary sector. He was elected to the Board this year to represent Communities in South Eastern Duhallow and is present on the Community Development Working Group. He is a chairperson of Banteer Community Childcare Services and an active member of Banteer, Lyre and Districts Community Council. He is a founder member of Banteer Youth Club. John is employed by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and is based in Cork.

Sheila was elected to the Board in June 2009 to represent the South Eastern Duhallow Region. She is in her third year as secretary of Laharn Community Action Group and has worked diligently with the Group to transform the Old School House at Laharn into a newly refurbished Culture and Heritage Centre. She is a chef by profession and is proprietor of Ard Na Coill Bed & Breakfast in Laharn, situated on the Duhallow Way walking route. She sits on our Community Development Working Group.

Judy O'Leary is a former Vice Chairperson of the Board. She chairs the Women and Childcare Working Group and is a member of the Human Resources Working Group. Judy is a founder member of the Duhallow Women's Forum. She is actively involved with the Irish Country Women's Association and is An Grianán Teachta of the Cork Federation (ICA Adult Education College). She is also Secretary of the National Consumer Committee of ICA and an Information Officer.

Conor was appointed to the Board in 2007 as a second representative of the farming sector. He is a member of the ICMSA (Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association) and paticipates on its Administrative Committee and is Chairman of its Farm Services & Environment Committee. Conor is a dairy farmer who along with his wife Elisha manages the family farm in Rathmore, Co. Kerry. He is an active member of IRD Duhallow's Agriculture Working Group and is the Board's Representative on Kerry County Development Board.

John represents the Trade Union Movement on the Board of IRD Duhallow. He has served as an official with SIPTU, the Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union. John is based at the Mallow Office where he is a Branch Organiser. He has been an active member of IRD Duhallow's Employment and training Working Group for the past number of years.

John, a full time Dairy Farmer from Dromtarriffe was elected on to the Board in July 2009 as a representative of the farming sector. John, who is married to Angela, has a diploma in Rural Development. He is a Chairman of Dromtarriffe IFA and is an active member of Duhallow IFA and the IRD Duhallow Focal Farmer Programme. He is also secretary of Dromtarriffe Community Centre and sits on our Agriculture Working Group.

John was re-elected to Kerry County Council this year and was re-appointed to the Board of IRD Duhallow. He is an active member of his local community in Killarney. John is a member of the Regional Health Forum South, The Community Culture and Tourism Strategic Policy Committee and Rural Water Committee of Kerry County Council, Joint Policing Committee and Kerry Education Service.

Suzanne Campion represents the Southern Regional Fisheries Board where she is a member of the Southern and Eastern Regional Assembly's Agriculture and Rural Development Sub-Committee, the County Waterford Heritage Forum and the Regional Working Group of Midland Regional Authority's Water Tour Project. Suzanne has worked as a manager and accountant in the public and private sectors. She is involved in the management, protection, development and conservation of the rivers and their habitats in the region.

Michael was re-appointed to the Board in 2008 representing Coillte. He is Chair of the Equality, Disability and Migrants Working Group and is a member of the Project Assessment Working Group. He represents IRD Duhallow on the Cork County Development Board and the Cork Sports Partnership Board. He also represents the Board of IRD Duhallow on several National Fora dealing with Equality and Integration. Michael liaises with the Sports Council of Ireland and the National Trails Committee on the development and maintenance of long distance and looped walks.

John joined the Board of IRD Duhallow in September 2008, as a nominee of the Kerry County Manager, Mr. Tom Curran. John holds the position of Director of Services, Housing and Social Support and Community and Enterprise. He is also Killarney Town Manager. John has previously worked in Dublin and Limerick City Council and Tralee Town Council.

Tom Stritch is an engineer and joined the Board of IRD Duhallow in July 2008 as the nominee of the Cork County Manager, Martin Riordan. Tom holds the position of Director of Services for the Northern Division of Cork County Council with responsibility for the management of services including; housing, roads, water, waste, litter, recreation, and amenities, delivered through divisional offices in Mallow and Area offices in Charleville, Kanturk, Millstreet and Newmarket.

John Paul was elected to the board of IRD Duhallow as a representative form Cork County Council in September 2009. At just 26 years of age, he is one of the youngest councillors in the country. John Paul who lives in Laharn, Lombardstown was central to the revival of dancing at the crossroads at Laharn Cross and the renovation of the Old Schoolhouse in Laharn into a new Community, Cultural and Heritage Centre. John Paul also took a leading role in the battle for the retention and automation of Lombardstown Post Office.

Dan Joe was re-elected to Cork County Council in 2009 and subsequently nominated to the Board of IRD Duhallow. He was also re-elected to Mallow Town Council in 2009. He was mayor of Mallow Town Council for 2001-2002. He is a director of Cork North Enterprise Board and serves as a member of Mallow Chamber of Commerce and Mallow Development Partnership. He is the Chair of North Cork Housing Sanitary Social Cultural Recreational Urban Co-ordination Policy and is a member of Corporate Poilcy Group of Cork County Council.

Collette O'Connor

Colette has a degree in Business Studies and is studying for her Masters.  She spent a 12 years with Merrill Lynch in New York and was very involved in the Irish Community while living in the States.  She served a term as secretary with theC ork Association and played with the Saffron Kilts Ancient order of Hibernians pipe Band.  A long time member of Cullen Pipe Band Collette has always had a devout interest developing Irish music and culture.  Collette is a native of Cullen now living in Dripsey with her husband Eamon and family.

Eugene O'Connor

Euguene was recently elected to the Board of IRD Duhallow to represent the Western Duhallow Community Forum.  He is a Dairy Farmer from Boherbue and a member of the Board of Boherbue Co-op with the past 10 years. He is also a member of the St. Vincent de Paul, the Grotto Committee and the tidy towns committee in Boherbue. Eugene is married to Sheila and has 3 children.

John Cott

John was elected to the Board of IRD Duhallow in 2010 to represent the North Eastern Community Forum.  He sits on our Community Development Working Group and is a member of our SAOI Network.  John is a beef farmer from Cecilstown in the parish of Castlemagner. He is a long time member of Castlemagner GAA club, is also involved with the Ladies Football Club, the Hall Committee and Lohort, Cecilstown Development Association.  He has also served as Chairman of Kanturk Mart. John is married to Una and they have three children.

Deirdre Green

Deirdre is from Freemount and was elected to the board in June 2010 to represent North East Duhallow.   She holds a Bachelor of Business from Cork Institute of Technology and a Higher Diploma in Education which she completed in University of Limerick.  She works as an accountant in Mallow.  Deirdre is very passionate about the development of rural areas and is deeply involved in the development of her local community.  She is a founding member of Freemount Badminton Club and currently Joint Treasurer of Freemount Community Development Association.  Deidre sits on our Community Development Working Group and the Women’s Forum.

Breeda Moynihan Cronin

Breeda was a member of Dail Eireann from 1992-2007, she served in Kerry County Council from 1999-2003. She has been co-opted onto Kerry County Council following the election of Marie Moloney to Seanad Eireann. She is also on the Board of South Kerry Development Partnership, Kerry Education Services, the HSE, and the Rural Water Committee. She is also Chair of the Housing S.P.C on Kerry County Council. Breeda lives in Killarney and has been involved in politics in South Kerry for over 20 years and is very familiar with the area.

Barry O'Donoghue

Barry is a Ranger with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the government agency responsible for the protection of wildlife and natural habitats.  He holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Agriculture & Environmental Science from University College Dublin and was recently awarded his Doctorate from University College Cork for his important work on Hen Harriers.  From a background of farming and conservation, Barry feels passionately about enlightening, encouraging and empowering the community to appreciate and protect the habitats and wildlife of Duhallow, for which the region is one of the most important in Ireland and Europe.