St. Patrick’s Festival is committed to best practice governance and is compliant with the Charities Regulator’s Charities Governance Code.
St. Patrick’s Festival complies with all regulatory requirements and operates in accordance with its governing document.
St. Patrick’s Festival keeps detailed books, records of accounts, and maintains strict financial controls. The organisation is transparent in its audited financial statements.
Directors Financial Reports
- Director's Report and Financial Statements 2022
- Director's Report and Financial Statements 2021
- Director’s Report and Financial Statements 2020
- Director’s Report and Financial Statements 2019
- Director’s Report and Financial Statements 2018
- Director’s Report and Financial Statements 2017
- Director’s Report and Financial Statements 2016
St. Patrick’s Festival is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors. In accordance with good governance, St. Patrick’s Festival has a Finance, Audit and Governance Subcommittee. St. Patrick's Festival also has a Fundraising and Sponsorship Subcommittee.
A short biography of each Director and whether they are on the Finance, Audit and Governance and/or the Fundraising and Sponsorship Subcommittee is outlined below.
St. Patrick’s Festival Board of Directors
Maree Gallagher is a qualified solicitor specialising in EU and Irish regulatory law and is currently of Counsel at Covington & Burling LLP.
Maree has been a Board member since June 2013 and is currently Acting Chair. Maree is a member of the Finance, Audit and Governance Subcommittee and the Fundraising and Sponsorship Subcommittee.
Stephen is the founding CEO for SERLS Hospitality Ltd. He was the Deputy Chief Executive for Dalata Hotel Group from 2007 – 2022. He has served as a Director of the Board of St. Patrick's Festival since October 2016.
Stephen is currently Acting Vice Chair. Stephen is a member of the Finance, Audit and Governance Subcommittee.
Orla Carroll is Director of Product Development at Fáilte Ireland. She joined Fáilte Ireland in 2008 after working for over 10 years in the telecommunications industry.
Orla has served on the Board of St. Patrick’s Festival since February 2022. Orla is a member of the Fundraising and Sponsorship Subcommittee.
Shane Clarke is the Director of Corporate Services, Policy & Northern Ireland, with Tourism Ireland. Previous roles Shane has held include Managing Director and Finance Director for M&P Sales and a General Manager for Diageo.
Shane has served as a Director on the Board of St. Patrick's Festival since January 2018. Shane is a member of the Finance, Audit and Governance Subcommittee.
Lord Mayor James Geoghegan has served as Lord Mayor of Dublin and ex-officio member of the Board of St. Patrick’s Festival since June 2024.
He was born and raised in Ranelagh, Dublin. A member of Fine Gael, he was elected to Dublin City Council in 2019 at the age of 33 and was subsequently re-elected in June of this year, representing the Pembroke local electoral area. He has served as a member of Dublin City Council’s Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) on Housing, subcommittee on homelessness, and South Inner-City Drugs and Alcohol Taskforce.
As a practising barrister he has specialised in public and constitutional law. As a Councillor he has been actively involved in developing autism and neurodiversity friendly initiatives in his community, defended artist spaces and supported campaigns including the Irish Thalidomide Survivors.
The Lord Mayor serves on the board of St. Patrick’s Festival in an ex-officio capacity as an Observing Director.
Dermot is the Director of Acquisitions and Co-Productions at RTÉ, and Vice President EBU TV Committee.
Dermot is a member of the Finance, Audit and Governance Subcommittee.
Natalie is CMO for Mason Hayes & Curran LLP in Europe and the USA.
She also represents Dublin Chamber on the Dublin City Council Enterprise & Economic Development Strategic Policy Commission and on trade delegations to both London and Brussels. She is a three-time graduate of UCD with a BA, MBA, and a Diploma in Corporate Governance.
Natalie has served on the Board of St. Patrick’s Festival since September 2022. Natalie is Chair of the Fundraising and Sponsorship Subcommittee.
Eoghan is the CEO of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC), the representative body for Irish tourism and hospitality interests.
Eoghan previously owned and managed O’Mara Travel Ltd, a leading tour operator; Heritage Island Ltd, a marketing company for visitor attractions; and O’Mara Consultancy Ltd, a tourism consultancy business. In his earlier career he was Procurement Executive with Diageo in London and Dublin. Eoghan has been CEO of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC) since September 2015.
Eoghan has served on the Board of St. Patrick’s Festival since September 2022.
Teresa is a Director at Ernst & Young and joined the Festival Board in January 2016.
She is an Associate Chartered Accountant and has served in an audit and advisory capacity on a diverse range of topics, including regulation implementation, technical accounting and internal control reviews.
Teresa is Chair of the Finance, Audit and Governance Subcommittee.