Our Council Board

Meet our board

Heritage Council board members are appointed by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and, Heritage. Coming from diverse backgrounds and with wide ranging skills, each member provides an invaluable conduit of ideas and energy, enabling the organisation to lead, respond and deliver effectively.

All expenses to board members are paid in accordance with the guidelines and rules set down by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Details of expenses are published in our annual reports.

Martina Moloney

Dr Martina Moloney, Chairperson

  • Former Chief Executive , Louth County Council; Galway County Council
  • Former Member, The Arts Council
  • Former Member, National Oversight & Audit Commission for Local Government

The following members were appointed to the board in November 2020

Fionnuala May

Fionnuala May: appointed July 2016, reappointed November 2020

• County Architect, Fingal County Council 2011-the present.
• Served as a member of the Heritage Council's Standing Committee on Architecture (2000-2010)
• Member of Council RIAI 2016-2021
• Board Member Irish Architectural Archive

Michael Farrell

Michael Farrell

  • Former Corporate Secretary and Director of Human Resources, UCC
  • Chief Executive, Clinical Research Ireland, 2020 - date
  • Interim Chief Executive, Royal College of Physicians, 2018 – 2019
John Patrick Greene

John Patrick Greene

  • CEO and Museum Director, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, Sep 2019 – date
  • Consultant/Owner, Greene Associates, 2017 – 2019
  • CEO, Museums Victoria in Melbourne, 2002 – 2017
Sammy Leslie

Sammy Leslie

  • Custodian, Castle Leslie Estate (brand), 1991 – date
  • Director, C L Projects, 2005 – date
  • Trustee of Birr Castle OST 1990’s to present
  • Irish Heritage Trust – Trustee 2006 to 2016.
Deirdre Mc Dermott

Deirdre McDermott

  • Principal, Deirdre McDermott & Associates, 2000 – date
  • Associate Director, Urban Initiatives, 2000 – 2002
  • Associate, Brady Shipman Martin, 1994
Patricia Ohare

Dr Patricia O’Hare

  • Assessor, Heritage Council Museum Standards Programme for Ireland, 2016 – date
  • Research and Education Officer for Trustees, Muckross House, Killarney, CLG, 1995 – date
  • Director, Castleisland District Archaeological Survey, Castleisland District Development Association, 1985 -1993
John Pierce

John G Pierce

  • Trustee, Charitable Infirmary Charitable Trust, 2018 – date
  • Chair, An Taisce, 2017 – 2019
  • Director Portfolio & References Global Marketing, Fujitsu, 2016 - 2017
Sheila Pratschke

Sheila Pratschke

  • Chair, An Chomhairle Ealaíon/The Arts Council, 2014 – 2019
  • Director, Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris, 2007 – 2013
  • Director, Tyrone Guthrie Centre at Annaghmakerrig, 2001 - 2006
Mark Scott 2023

Mark Scott

  • Professor of Planning and Dean of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Planning & Environmental Policy in University College Dublin. 
  • 25 years+ experience as a researcher, focusing on the environmental and sustainability dimensions of spatial planning, land-use governance, climate action and the built environment, and green infrastructure and biodiversity.
  • Previously acted as an Advisor on spatial planning to the OECD, the Oireachtas, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the UK’s House of Lords, and various regional and local planning authorities.
Mary Tubridy

Dr Mary Tubridy

  • Principal, Mary Tubridy and Associates, 1995 - date
  • Director, Head of Research, Irish Uplands Forum