The board of Gnó Mhaigh Eo has appointed four new board members in recent months. Earlier this year, Colleen McMahon of Rua, Castlebar, and Caroline Price of Oileán Éadaigh – West Mayo Brewery, joined the board of directors, bringing with them their knowledge and first-hand experience of working in business in Mayo. Rua was the recipient of Gnó Mhaigh Eo’s Gradam Gnó – Business with Irish Award last year, and West Mayo Brewery was one of the other companies on the shortlist for the award.
At the recent AGM of Gnó Mhaigh Eo, two additional board members were appointed; Áine Ní Chiarán and Joan Fahey. Áine Ní Chiaráin is a broadcaster and journalist from Iorras in the Mayo Gaeltacht. She has worked for Roinn na Gaeltachta, RTÉ, Raidió na Gaeltachta, TG4, she was the political editor of the Irish language newspaper, Foinse, and currently works as a freelance journalist. Joan Fahey works for WestBIC Business Innovation Centre and is the project manager of the Mayo Ideas Lab project, a collaboration of the development and enterprise support agencies in Mayo. She works with early stage entrepreneurs to help them develop their business ideas, and she also co-ordinates the annual Mayo Ideas Week event.
Remaining on the Board are the chief executive of Comhairle Contae Mhaigh Eo, Peter Hynes, an tAthair Micheál Mac Gréil, and Cllr Tereasa Maguire. Ms Maguire was appointed as chairperson of the board at the AGM in February, replacing Art Ó Súilleabháin, who was a member of the board since the founding of the organisation in 2007.
Late last year saw Gnó Mhaigh Eo relocate to Main Street, Castlebar, and the appointment of a new development officer, Daithí Ó Gallachóir. Speaking about the recent changes and appointments, CEO of Gnó Mhaigh Eo, Freda Nic Giolla Chatháin said: “It is a most interesting time for Gnó Mhaigh Eo as we move forward with new staff, new office space, and new board members. This time last year was a time of uncertainty as I was working alone and had to move unexpectedly out of the office space in Cedar House, but thankfully it has all worked out for the best, and I am very excited about the prospects of the organisation going forward. There is a lot of goodwill towards the Irish language in Mayo in general, and the business people are no exception. We look forward to further engaging with more businesses in the months and years to come, and that we will see more Gaeilge on shopfront signage, on menus, and on business materials fud fad Mhaigh Eo!”
She continued to say she would “urge any business people in Mayo who are thinking of changing their signage, who are setting up a business, or launching a new product, to contact Gnó Mhaigh Eo and to find out more about how we can assist and support them in a variety of ways”.
Gnó Mhaigh Eo receives funding from the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht and from Mayo County Council, and it has funding available to local businesses which utilise the Irish language in their business. To find out more, contact Gnó Mhaigh Eo on (094 ) 9010140 or email [email protected].
