Minister Catherine Martin has announced five new appointments to Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority: Catherine Corbett, Donagh Davern, Anna M. Kelly, Daniel McLoughlin, and Una Ryder.
Minister Martin said the appointments the enhance the strategic direction and vision for Fáilte Ireland’s work in the tourism sector: “I wish to congratulate all five appointees, each of whom has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to excellence in their respective fields and wish them the very best during their terms. The appointments of such high calibre candidates to the National Tourism Development Authority further enhances the strategic direction and vision for the work of Fáilte Ireland.”
Ruth Andrews, Chairperson of Fáilte Ireland shared: “On behalf of the Authority and the executive team at Fáilte Ireland, I warmly welcome and congratulate the new members of the Authority. Each of them is highly qualified, experienced, and respected in their fields. I am looking forward to working with them as we continue to support our tourism industry in developing sustainably and prospering. The wealth of experience these five new members bring will add enormous value to Fáilte Ireland, to the tourism sector, and to the country as a whole.”
The appointees are:
- Catherine Corbett : With over 30 years of senior financial leadership experience, Catherine Corbett has held executive roles such as CFO for Deloitte Ireland and Head of Finance at EY. She is a Non-Executive Director on the boards of the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and Zero Waste Scotland, where she chairs the Audit & Risk Committee. Her international perspective is shaped by her experiences in Brussels, Paris, and London with various multinationals.
- Donagh Davern : A hospitality lecturer and former hotel General Manager, Donagh Davern graduated from Shannon College of Hotel Management and has extensive experience in the hotel sector in Ireland, Switzerland, and the USA. He holds a PhD in Hospitality Management from the University of Surrey and is currently a lecturer at Munster Technological University. Donagh is actively involved in industry assessments and is a judge for numerous hospitality awards.
- Anna M. Kelly : A leading expert in inclusion and accessibility, Anna Kelly has over four decades of experience in education, primarily in Further and Higher Education. She served as Director of Access & Lifelong Learning at University College Dublin, creating Ireland’s first inclusive educational transformation program. Anna is also involved in independent evaluations of educational institutions and serves on various boards, promoting diversity and accessibility in education.
- Daniel McLoughlin : With over 30 years of experience in local government leadership, Daniel has held Chief Executive roles in multiple county councils and has been instrumental in developing tourism strategies and infrastructures. His projects enhance experiential tourism and sustainability across various sectors. Currently, he provides management consultancy services while being actively involved in public policy and national strategy development.
- Una Ryder : A senior director with over 30 years of experience in the aviation and tourism sectors, Una specializes in marketing, brand strategy, and business innovation. She holds an MBA from UCD and has served as a non-Executive Director for a national healthcare charity. Her expertise encompasses consumer insights, product innovation, and marketing communications.
