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Executive Committee Members

Frances Kavanagh; President

Frances Kavanagh was elected President of theFederation of Irish Sports at the 2009 AGM. She is Director of Sport for Special Olympics Ireland and also served as Director of Sport and Competition for the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games.

She has served on many committees and boards representing Special Olympics at national, European and international level and currently chairs the international Sports Rules Advisory Committee. Frances is a member of the Board of the Irish Sports Council.

Jag Gunawardana; Treasurer

Fiachra O' Mathuna; Secretary

Fiachra was elected to the Executive Committee of the Federation of Irish Sport in April 2009. He has been the CEO of National HSE Community Games since July 2008, working professionally in sport since 2001 both in Ireland and England. He has always been involved in sport as both a participant and volunteer, including time as an administrator, coach, fund-raiser and team manager. Fiachra enjoys being active by cycling to work, walking his dog and, training for and taking part in triathlons and marathons. He also enjoys spending time with his family and friends and, his other interests include reading and travel.

Sarah O’ Shea; Category 1 Representative

Sarah O’ Shea is the head of legal and disciplinary affairs at the Football Association of Ireland (“FAI”). She works across a broad range of areas including contractual matters, sponsorship, disciplinary and disputes, rules and regulations, litigation, media and is heavily involved in the new Aviva Stadium and Europa League Final 2011.

Sarah worked as a solicitor in general practice until 2006 specialising in litigation, probate and conveyancing.

Sarah was accepted onto the FIFA International Master programme in 2006 and spent one year in Italy, Switzerland and the UK undertaking the full-time Masters in business, law and humanities of Sport.

Harry Hermon; Category 2 Representative

Harry was educated in St Columba’s College, Dublin. After spending fifteen years in the UK working in the outdoor leisure industry, he returned to Ireland in 1999 to take up a position with the Irish Sailing Association; initially as Club Development Officer. In 2007 he was appointed Chief Executive of the ISA and now runs an organisation of 25,000 members with 15 professional staff.

Harry has written, and been largely responsible for the implementation of the last two strategic plans for the ISA, the first one focussing on strengthening the foundations of the organisation, and now the ISA’s current plan looks to grow the activities, membership and professional capacity within the organisation. Harry lives in Arklow with his wife and two teenage daughters – all of whom are keen sailors.

Sarah Keane; Category 3 Representative

Sarah Keane is CEO Swim Ireland and was appointed to this position in May 2004. Sarah previously held positions in one of Ireland’s leading Irish corporate law firms. Sarah is a graduate of UCD and her qualifications include an Honours Degree in Law, a Masters in Commercial Law and Diplomas in both Corporate Management and Financial Management. Sarah is a former swimmer and international Waterpolo player and also enjoys participating in Open Sea swimming.

Brendan O’Connell; Category 4 Representative

Ciaran Gallagher; Category 5 Representative

Ciaran Gallagher was appointed as the first CEO of Irish Gymnastics Ltd in 2009. Ciaran joined Irish Gymnastics in December 2005 as National Development Officer, but has served as National Development Director since 2007. In his time with Irish Gymnastics Ciaran has led the recent modernisation drive within the organisation that has seen the profile of Irish Gymnastics grow in Irish Sport, as well as developing their Strategic Plan 2009-2012.

Ciaran took up his first post in the sports sector in 2004 as Development Officer for the multi-million Euro Northern Ireland National Gymnastics Centre which opened in 2006. Ciaran is an ex international Men’s Artistic gymnast representative of Northern Ireland. A graduate of English and Politics from Queens University Belfast Ciaran originally aspired to be a journalist, but his career pathway swayed towards sports development.

Nicky Hamill; Disability Sport Representative

Nicky Hamill, Director of Sport with Irish Wheelchair Association – Sport since late 2008. He spent the previous 5 years as the Sports Facility Manager with IWA. Nicky has overseen great change in the IWA facilities since 2003 which now showcases a superb sporting facility capable of hosting a large variety of sports events and activities. In addition the flagship IWA gym is a fantastic example to leisure providers in how to offer accessible facilities and inclusive leisure programmes to all members of society.

Nicky’s main sporting interests vary between the numerous IWA Sports on offer to participating in Gaelic football, Soccer, cycling and running. An avid GAA fan Nicky has 2 Meath Senior County Final medals and has also completed one Dublin City Marathon.

His primary goal in both career and sporting terms is to promote the further inclusion of disability sport into what are regarded as mainstream NGB’s whilst at the same time valuing the independence of Irish Wheelchair Association – Sport and the opportunities which it offers through the variety of sports currently available to its members.

Philip Browne

Philip Browne has held the position as the first Chief Executive of the Irish Rugby Football Union (“IRFU”) since 1998. He joined the IRFU in 1992, having previously worked as management consultant with Arthur Andersen and the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, and succeeded Paddy O'Donoghue as Secretary in 1995. This was a time of great change as it was during Philip's tenure that the game of rugby became professional.

Philip has been instrumental in leading the effort to develop and grow the sport of rugby across the 32 Counties. Under his stewardship, there have been major developments in securing the future of the Rugby Union in Ireland, including the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road in conjunction with the FAI and the government, and the launch of the IRFU Strategic Plan. Philip represented Ireland in two World Rowing Championships. Philip is married with two children and counts his pastimes as hill walking, swimming and sailing.

Fergus Murphy

BSc (Mgmt), MA, DABS, AMCT, FIBI Chief Executive. Appointed Group Chief Executive in January 2008. Fergus is a career banker having spent considerable time in wholesale and international banking. In 2007 he spent a short amount of time with Shelbourne Developments. Before this he was Chief Executive of ACCBank plc, a company within the Rabobank Group.

Fergus joined the Rabobank Group in 1993 and fulfilled a number of positions, including Head of Asia Region of Rabobank International and Managing Director of Rabobank's wholesale bank in Ireland. Fergus commenced his career in Irish Intercontinental Bank and spent five years with Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP) as a Derivatives trader. He is past Chairman of the Federation of International Banks in Ireland (FIBI).

Mr Murphy is still a keen tennis player having represented Ireland in tennis at under 18, under 21 and senior level. He is a keen weekend golfer playing off a handicap of 6.

Brendan Waters

Brendan is a Partner in Mazars Chartered Accountants where he is in charge of the Sports Advisory Services unit. He has extensive experience in this sector having worked with the GAA, other National Governing Bodies and The Irish Sports Council.

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