Ger Lawlor (Chairman)
Ger Lawlor established his own photography practice in 2006 specialising in high quality corporate,
architectural and advertising commissions for local and national clients.
Prior to this, he enjoyed a successful career in telecommunications, where he specialised in the planning
and implementation of large scale commercial telephony solutions.
Ger has served the Festival in many capacities, both in the artistic area where he has been heavily
involved in Wexford productions, the preparation of scores, coaching local singers and in an
administrative capacity working with the Festival archive. His early mentors included Dr. Tom Walsh,
and Seamus O’Dwyer, founder and co-founder of the Festival.
An accomplished choirmaster, Ger is Director of Music and organist in Wexford’s twin churches, and
has been responsible for many award winning performances from local choirs and music groups since
1977.
Ger became a member of the Festival Council in 1984 and was appointed to the board of Directors of
The Wexford Festival Trust in 1993. His Chairmanship of the Trust commenced in 2013.
Sean Benton
Sean Benton has a distinguished career in Public Service. He has served as Chairman of the Office of
Public Works (OPW), as a Commissioner in the OPW where his responsibilities included managing the
State property portfolio, and as Director of Finance at the Department of Health.
He is currently Chairman of the National Sports Campus Development Authority and a former
Chairman of the operating company at the National Aquatic Centre.
In each case he has led numerous major projects and initiatives concerning National infrastructure.
He is also Chairman of Our Lady’s Hospice and Care Services.
Sean holds a Masters in Strategic Management from Trinity College Dublin and was appointed to the
Board of The Wexford Festival Trust in 2011.
David Byers
David Byers studied at Queen’s University, the Royal Academy of Music, London, as Manson Scholar
in Composition, and with Henri Pousseur at the Liège Conservatoire, thanks to the Macauley
Fellowship (An Chomhairle Ealaíon) and a Belgian Government Scholarship. He was elected an
Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in 2008.
After 25 years with the BBC, including many live relays from Wexford Festival Opera, he took early
retirement as Chief Producer, Music and Arts, and for the next eight years he was Chief Executive of
the Ulster Orchestra Society Limited., retiring in September 2010.
Across those years, David charted a distinctive artistic direction for the Ulster Orchestra, including its
broadcast output in the 1980s and 90s, spearheading the commissioning of many new works from
Irish composers.
David remains active as composer, musicologist, broadcaster and writer. His compositions, from
orchestral to chamber and incidental music, have been broadcast throughout Europe and in the USA
and Australia.
David served on the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Music and Opera Advisory Committee; he is a
former member of An Chomhairle Ealaíon and was Northern Editor of Soundpost and Music Ireland.
For many years he was a Governor of the Royal Irish Academy of Music. A founding committee
member of the Sonorities Festival, he has also served on the board of the National Concert Hall. He
was Chairman of the Irish Baroque Orchestra (2012-2014) and has served on many international
juries of music competitions.
David was appointed to the Board of The Wexford Festival Trust in 2004.
Pat Caulfield
Pat is a former Managing Director of Nutricia Infant Nutrition Limited and Chairman of The Food
Safety Consultative Council and Drover Foods Limited.
Pat holds a Bachelor of Commerce from UCD and is a Fellow member of the Chartered Institute of
Management Accountants.
As a business leader over many years Pat has significant experience in the development and
implementation of business strategies, optimising business performance, and dealing with business and
economic challenges.
He currently runs his own consultancy practice providing advice to clients in the key areas of strategic
planning, financial management, change management and development of growth strategies.
Pat was appointed to the Board of The Wexford Festival Trust in 2008.
Paul Cleary
Paul Cleary is a native of Wexford and graduated from UCD in 1987 with a Degree in Science.
Over the past 25 years Paul has held various national and international positions within the ABS, Cardo
and Sulzer Group and has garnered extensive experience in the area of Sales, Marketing and Business
Development.
In particular Paul has played a significant role in the establishment and development of new markets in
Eastern Europe, Africa, South America and Asia and in the development and implementation of sales
processes and pricing strategy. He is currently the Commercial Support Manager for Sulzer Pump
Solutions Ireland Limited.
Paul is a recognised authority on opera with a particular interest in the lesser known composers of the
Italian and French schools, an area which he studies extensively.
Paul travels extensively to attend live opera, ranging from student performances to the major opera
houses and festivals.
Paul has served on the Board of The Wexford Festival Trust since September 2014.
Mary Gallagher
Mary Gallagher is the owner of the Blue Egg Gallery specialising in the exhibition of Irish and
international crafts. She has also worked as a freelance consultant in the visual arts sector. Her clients
included Dublin Port Company, Aviva Insurance, the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland and Wexford
Arts Centre.
Mary has worked extensively in the Maritime Industry having held many senior positions with Stena
Line in the UK and Ireland. She has also worked as a freelance maritime transport consultant,
completing projects for port authorities and government offices in Ireland and the UK. Mary served as
a member of the Irish Government’s Task Force on Transport Logistics in Connection with Ports and
on the first Dublin Transport Authority. She is currently a member of the Board of the Commissioners
of Irish Lights.
Mary has been a member of the board of Wexford Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Services Limited for
many years and has been Chairperson since 2011. She has been the programme manager of Music for
Wexford since 2004 and sings with the Wexford Festival Singers.
Mary holds a B.A. (English & Sociology and Politics) from NUI Galway and has a Master of Business
Studies degree (MBS) in Transport and Strategic Planning from University College Dublin.
Mary has served on the Board of The Wexford Festival Trust since September 2014.
Dr. Cate Hartigan
Cate is a native of Wexford and holds a Doctorate in Governance.
Cate is currently the Head of Health Promotion and Improvement working in the Health and Wellbeing
Division in the Health Service Executive
Cate has an extensive background in governance and change management, strategy and policy
development and implementation. She has lengthy experience of serving at board level on a number of
arts organisations and provides corporate governance expertise on a voluntary basis to the NGO sector.
Cate was appointed to the Board of The Wexford Festival Trust in 2010.
Paul Hennessy
Paul is a Chartered Accountant and has been an Audit Partner in PwC for over twenty five years. During
that time he has held a number of management positions at National, European and Global levels.
He has worked in a number of sectors including Energy, Communications, Private Companies,
Healthcare and Public Sector. He continues to be responsible for many of the firm’s key client
relationships and serves a wide portfolio of clients providing assurance services, advice on governance
and controls, growth and exit strategies, acquisitions and business combinations.
A former Chairman of Wexford Festival Trust and Wexford Festival UK Trust, he also served as a
Director of the Irish Management Institute and the Wexford Chamber of Commerce. He is currently a
member of the Advisory Board of the Centre for Family Business at Dublin City University.
Paul became a member of the Festival Council in 1990 and was appointed to the board of Directors of
The Wexford Festival Trust in 1993.
Ted Howlin
Ted Howlin has had a distinguished career in the Local Government including three terms as Mayor of
Wexford.
A former County Councilor and Chairman of the Wexford County Council, Ted has extensive experience
in public sector management and local government. He has led a range of initiatives for local authorities
and has served as a member of a number of community organisations including The South East
Regional Committee, Wexford VEC, South East Community Training and Education Centre Limited
and has served as Chair of the Economic & Social Development Committee.
Ted became a member of the Festival Council in 1978 and was appointed as Director of The Wexford
Festival Trust in 1993. He served as Chairman of The Wexford Festival Trust from 1998 to 2003.
Geraldine Karlsson
Geraldine Karlsson is a successful entrepreneur and co-founded DoneDeal, one of the most successful
online businesses of the past decade. She played a critical role in the development of the company
particularly in the areas of strategy formulation and implementation, marketing and business
development. In addition she led the establishment of DoneDeal’s corporate social responsibility
initiative.
With a background and degree in Computer Science Geraldine has extensive experience both nationally
and internationally as a Business Analyst, IT Developer and Project Manager for companies such as the
Environmental Protection Agency, Microsoft (Ireland & Australia), AMP Bank (Australia), QlikTeck
(Sweden) and Allied Irish Bank.
Geraldine has served on the Board of The Wexford Festival Trust since September 2014.
David Maguire
David Maguire is a business graduate of UCC, who lives and works in Wexford. He is Loans Manager in
Wexford Credit Union and has over 20 years’ experience in volunteer management roles in various
community, arts and sporting organisations.
David is co-founder and Director of Wexford Maritime Festival, with extensive experience in event
management. David is also a member of AOIFE (Association of Irish Festivals and Events), and is
presently Director of the Volunteer Corps in the Wexford Festival.
David was appointed to the Board of The Wexford Festival Trust in 2008.
Eleanor White
Eleanor White is a graduate of LCST and currently works with the HSE as a manager for speech and
language therapy services.
Eleanor has served in a governance capacity in a number of community organisations including
Wexford County Enterprise Board and currently serves on the board of Wexford Community
Development Association Society Limited (Innovation Wexford). She is also member of Junior
Chamber International where she has filled leadership roles at Local, National and European level.
Eleanor joined the Festival Council in 1983 and was appointed to the Board of The Wexford Festival
Trust in 1993.
Lisa Cliffe (Company Secretary)
Lisa Cliffe is a qualified Chartered Secretary and is currently a Manager in PwC’s Entity Governance
and Compliance Department.
With over eleven years’ experience working in the corporate secretarial, governance and company law
sector Lisa has a wealth of experience in dealing with corporate compliance and governance issues for
private and public companies as well as multi-national and not for profit organisations.