New members appointed to Sport Ireland Board
- Published on: 9 March 2026
- Last updated on: 9 March 2026
Minister Patrick O’Donovan and Minister Charlie McConalogue appoint four new members to Sport Ireland
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, and Minister of State with responsibility for Sport and Postal Policy, Charlie McConalogue TD, have today announced the appointment of four new members to the Board of Sport Ireland.
The new appointees are:
- Michael Hand, who is appointed under Facilities Development and Management criteria;
- Caroline Kelly, who is appointed under Marketing and Communications criteria;
- Brendan Foster, who is appointed under Financial criteria;
- Fiona Chambers, who is appointed under Digital Transformation/Technology criteria.
Commenting on the appointments, Minister O’Donovan said:
“The strength of Irish sport depends on strong leadership, sound governance, and ambitious thinking. I am personally delighted to appoint Michael, Caroline, Brendan, and Fiona to the Board of Sport Ireland at such a pivotal moment for our sporting future. With the Ryder Cup 2027, UEFA Euro 2028 and the Los Angeles Olympic Games on the horizon, Ireland is entering a defining period on the international sporting stage. At the same time, we must continue to strengthen grassroots participation so that every child and every community can benefit from sport. These appointments bring critical expertise in facilities development, finance, communications, and digital innovation — the very capabilities required to deliver world-class events while building a sustainable, inclusive sporting system for the long term. I look forward to working closely with the Board to ensure Sport Ireland is equipped to seize the scale of opportunity ahead.”
Minister McConalogue said:
“I am delighted to welcome four candidates of such high calibre to the Board of Sport Ireland, and I congratulate them on their appointments. I believe that their wide experience and skills, will be hugely beneficial to Sport Ireland and its ongoing work in sustainably growing participation, so that more people can reap the benefits of sport, and fulfil their potential, from grassroots right up to high performance level. The government will continue to facilitate and enable Sport Ireland to deliver a programme of interventions to boost participation levels among people with disabilities and to provide leadership and guidance for the sector across priority areas including, safeguarding, gender equality, diversity and inclusion.”
The appointments follow an open call for expressions of interest on the State Boards website and an assessment process operated by the Public Appointments Service.
The appointments will be for 5 years with an option to extend the term of engagement for a second term, subject to a maximum of 8 years.
Notes to Editor
Michael Hand has extensive experience over 40 years as a senior leader in the Consulting Engineering and Construction sectors in Ireland. He holds a Degree in Civil Engineering from University of Galway, a Masters in Business Administration from UCD and an Honorary Doctorate from TU Dublin. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Chartered Director. He has acted as Director and Managing Director of private, public and state companies, including 6 years as CEO and Director of Grangegorman Development Agency. He has a track record in the design and delivery of major strategic infrastructure projects throughout Ireland and has acted as a Non-Executive Director of EirGrid, Dublin Port Company, JB Barry Consulting Engineers and Irish Archaeological Consultancy. He has been involved as a volunteer with Dublin GAA County Board, serving on its Strategy Committee and latterly serving as Infrastructure Strategy Implementation Committee member. He has also been a volunteer with Ballinteer St Johns GAA Club since 1992, and Edmondstown Golf Club since 2005, where he has worked on various committees and served 3-year terms as Chairperson for each.
Caroline Kelly has over 15 years’ experience in marketing, branding and communications. She is currently Head of Marketing & Growth, Europe at Eudia, a US-headquartered AI company focused on enterprise legal and business transformation. Eudia acquired Irish-founded ALSP Johnson Hana in 2025, where Caroline previously served as Vice President of Marketing & Growth. In her role, she leads regional strategy, integrated communications and commercial marketing across Europe. Caroline also serves as a Non-Executive Director with Hand in Hand, a national children’s cancer charity, providing governance oversight and strategic input into communications and fundraising. A former national and international athletics competitor, Caroline has remained actively involved in sport and currently coaches underage camogie, reflecting her ongoing commitment to grassroots participation and athlete development.
Brendan Foster served as a partner, and Head of Advisory, in Grant Thornton until 2024 and has over 40 years of accounting experience. A former President of Dublin Chamber of Commerce, he is currently a member of the Residential Tenancies Board and member of its Audit & Risk Committee. He was previously Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee of Dublin City Council. Brendan has good knowledge of a wide range of sports with a particularly keen interest in cycling and is a regular participant in charity cycles. He also previously acted as accountant and advisor in the early establishment of The Irish Sports Council in 1999 and witnessed the development of structures and policies that would evolve into Sport Ireland.
Fiona Chambers is Professor of Education, Sport and Innovation at UCC, bringing over 30 years of transformative experience to the role. Throughout her career, she has many positions of note, including current positions as President and Chair of the Board of Directors of the International Association for Research in Physical Education in Higher Education (AIESEP), Vice President of the European Council for Research in Physical Education and School Sports (CEREPS), Senior Advisor to the UNESCO Global Observatory in Gender Equality and Sport, UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport (CIGEPS) Observer, and member of the Sport Ireland Coaching Committee. She was also the recipient of the 2023 inaugural Women in Business in Sport award at the Irish Sport Industry Awards.