Minister O’Donovan announces appointments to the Board of the National Concert Hall
- Published on: 24 March 2026
- Last updated on: 24 March 2026
The Minister of Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, is today announcing the appointment of a new Chairperson and three new ordinary members to the Board of the National Concert Hall (NCH).
Mr. Peter McKenna has been appointed as Chairperson of the Board of the National Concert Hall.
Minister O’Donovan said:
Peter McKenna has served as a member of the Board of the National Concert Hall since 2022 and has a strong track record in the leadership of a major events venue. He has a unique insight into the challenges that the NCH faces ahead of a major redevelopment programme. I would like to wish him well in the role of Chairperson of the National Concert Hall.
Mr. McKenna was first appointed to the Board in September 2022 for a five-year term and will serve as Chairperson for the remainder of this period.
The Minister has also appointed three new ordinary members of the Board:
- Ms. Edel Creely
- Mr. Paul Horan
- Mr. Harry Martin
Commenting on the appointments and reappointments, Minister Patrick O’Donovan said:
I am glad to appoint a Chairperson and three new high calibre candidates to the Board of the National Concert Hall. Boards play a crucial role in the governance, oversight and strategic direction of all our National Cultural Institutions. I wish to express my gratitude for giving so generously of their time and bringing a strength and depth of experience to bear in guiding these organisations. I wish our newest appointees all the very best during their terms and thank them for taking on these important roles.
The appointment of the new Chairperson and three ordinary members to the Board follows an open call for expressions of interest and an assessment process operated by Publicjobs.
The Minister paid tribute to the outgoing Chairperson Mr. Joe Hamill:
Joe brought his great depth of experience in leadership roles in the public sector to bear over the last number of months in supporting the board and management of the National Concert Hall in his role as Chair.
ENDS
Note for Editors
The Board of the National Concert Hall is established under the National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Act 2015. The Chairperson and Board members do not receive a salary or fee. The current composition of the Board can be accessed using the following link: National Concert Hall
Peter McKenna is Stadium Director of Croke Park and Commercial Director of the GAA. His business expertise covers strategic planning, sales and marketing, innovative new business development, and financial planning. He has extensive experience in developing sponsorship relationships and fundraising. He is a recognised leader in sustainability practice in venue management. His experience also extends to the delivery of major projects.
Edel Creely is a founder and business leader in the ICT sector with expertise in strategy, governance and sustainable organisational growth. She holds significant governance roles across commercial, government-funded and charitable organisations, and provides strategic advisory services to scaling Irish businesses. Edel holds an engineering degree from Trinity College Dublin and as a classically trained violinist has been an active contributor to Ireland’s music community for decades.
Paul Horan has over twenty years’ experience in the specification and delivery of academic buildings on the Grangegorman campus for Technological University Dublin, notably the East Quad, which includes a large music performance space, and specialised spaces for the TU Dublin Conservatoire. This has involved working closely with the Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA), the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA), and others. Paul has served on the Board of the GDA, which is the statutory authority charged with developing the Grangegorman campus on behalf of TU Dublin, the HSE and other stakeholders.
Harry Martin has worked at the forefront of the global independent music industry for over thirty years in a key leadership role at Domino Recording Co. and Domino Publishing Co. Harry was elected by the membership to serve on the Board of Association of Independent Music UK (AIM), on two occasions. He is currently on the Board of New Music Dublin and is the Chairperson of the Board at the Oh Yeah Music Centre Belfast.