The University of Galway’s Professor Cathal O’Donoghue has been appointed as the new Chairperson to the Board of the National Museum of Ireland.
Prof. O’Donoghue was initially appointed to the Board in 2021 and is a highly experienced economist and statistician.
With this appointment by Minister Catherine Martin, he will now Chair the Board up to July 2026.
Minister Martin said, “I congratulate Cathal on his appointment and I wish him well as he steps up to this exciting role.”
“He is already serving on the Board and comes to the position of Chair with significant past experience in leadership, economics, and social policy.”
Since 2016 Prof. O’Donoghue has been the Established Chair of Social and Public Policy, at the University of Galway. From 2016-2020, he held the role of Dean of Arts and Social Sciences.
He was previously Head of the Rural Economy and Development Programme at Teagasc, the national body providing integrated research, advisory and training services to the agriculture and food industry and rural communities.
He was a member of the Fund Council of CGIAR, a $1 billion-a-year International Agri-Food Research organisation, from 2014-2016.
Since 2021 he has been Chair of the Foundation Board of the RDS. He is Chair of Burren Lowlands CLG, and a member of the Board of Music for Galway, Burren Beo and the International Microsimulation Association.
Minister Martin added, “I have confidence that he will lead the Board effectively in providing oversight to the National Museum of Ireland and its executive team, headed by Lynn Scarff.”
“I look forward to seeing the NMI continue and grow as a prominent and historic national cultural institution.”
The Minister has also recently appointed two new ordinary members to the Board, Rowena Neville and Suzanne Costello.
Rowena Neville leads Blue Line Consulting, working with clients across business, public sector, arts and culture, academia, and non-profit sectors.
Ms. Neville has worked with organisations locally and internationally to devise and implement solutions to address a range of business challenges including broadening diversity, social inclusion, institutional and organisational sustainability, and measuring impact.
Suzanne Costello is CEO of the Institute of Public Health in Ireland since 2018. Throughout her career, Suzanne has been involved in strategy, communications and policy development work in Ireland and the UK in the not-for-profit and public sectors.
Suzanne has a primary degree in Social Science from University College Dublin, a Master’s in Business Studies, and a Diploma in Strategy, Innovation and Change, from the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business, UCD.
