Minister Catherine Martin TD appoints new members to the Board of the Arts Council, including playwright and Traveller activist Rosaleen McDonagh

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin T.D, has announced the appointment of two new members, and reappointment of one, to the Board of the Arts Council: Rosaleen McDonagh, Noyona Chundur, Jillian Van Turnhout (Reappointment).

Speaking on the appointments, which will be for 5 years, Minister Martin: "I am delighted to appoint two new candidates of such high calibre to the Board of the Arts Council and I congratulate them on their appointments. I am also very pleased to reappoint Jillian Van Turnhout for a second term.

“The Board is central to the governance, oversight and strategic direction of the Arts Council, and I wish to express my gratitude to the existing and new Board Members for giving so generously of their time and playing a part in supporting the arts. I wish all appointees the very best during their terms and thank them for taking on these very important roles.”

Originally from Sligo, Rosaleen McDonagh has worked in Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre, managing the Violence Against Women programme. She is also a regular writer for the Irish Times, writing primarily from a Traveller feminist perspective.

Her work includes: Mainstream, The Baby Doll Project, Stuck, She’s Not Mine, Walls and Windows, Rings and Contentious Spaces.

The playwright is currently under Commission from the Abbey Theatre, as she is writing an adaptation of Ibsen’s A Doll's House.

Noyona Chundur is Chief Executive of the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland, having previously served as a Board Member and Audit and Risk Assurance Committee Chair.

Jillian Van Turnhout has fulfilled a variety of leadership roles in Ireland and the EU across business, public affairs and voluntary sectors. She is a consultant, providing governance advice to companies and not-for-profit organisations. She is also a co-founder of the European Youth Forum.