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Minister Patrick O’Donovan welcomes appointment of Shona McCarthy as the new Director of the Arts Council
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The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, has welcomed the appointment of Shona McCarthy as the new Director of the Arts Council/An Comhairle Ealaíon. Ms McCarthy’s appointment follows a competitive recruitment process to take up the leadership role which has been held by Dr Moling Ryan as Interim Director of the Arts Council.
A native of Ballycran in County Down, Ms McCarthy comes to the Arts Council post from her position as Chair of the International Fund for Ireland and as a member of the Expert Panel on the UK City of Culture. Having served as Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society (the charity that underpins the Edinburgh Fringe Festival), from 2015 to 2025, Ms McCarthy brings a wealth of senior leadership experience, as well as a deep knowledge of the arts sector both in Ireland and internationally.
Ms McCarthy has also served as Chair of Walk the Plank, Manchester and Chair of the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast. She holds honorary doctorates from a number of UK universities including Queen Margaret’s University Edinburgh and Edinburgh Napier University.
Speaking ahead of the announcement, Minister O’Donovan said:
I am delighted that someone of the calibre and experience of Shona McCarthy will be taking up the position of Director of the Arts Council. With Government funding for the Arts Council at a record high of €140 million in 2026, this appointment comes at a critical time in the development of the Arts Council as an organisation and sends a clear signal about the value we attach to supporting a vibrant arts sector in Ireland.
I also want to sincerely thank the outgoing Interim Director, Dr Moling Ryan, for his outstanding performance and stewardship of the Arts Council over the last year. Dr Ryan brought extraordinary leadership to the role, and I am very grateful for the enormous contribution he has made during his time with the Arts Council.
ENDS