Management Team
Michael Whelan
Chair
Appointed Chairperson to the IRFU Charitable Trust in November 2022. Joined the Trust in 2010 as Head of Fundraising. Previouly Head of Sponsorship Diageo Ireland and currently Marketing Consultant Sponsorship and Communications. Keen follower of sports in general – a lifelong supporter of Irish Rugby.
Cliff Beirne
Trustee and Head of Care
Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon Sports Surgery Clinic Santry. Dean Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine RCSI 2017-2019. Member IRFU Charitable Trust Committee since 2001. Chair Care Subcommittee of The Trust since 2011. Committed advocate for player welfare in sport and active supporter of research in this area.
Billy Dawson
Trustee and Head of Finance
Billy, a retired executive director of the Aon group, is a life member of Old Wesley RFC and a long term supporter of Leinster and Ireland rugby. Apart from rugby his other interests include hillwalking, movies, music (all types) and gardening.
Pat O’Conor
Trustee and Head of Legal
Pat has been an active member of the Trust Committee since his appointment in 2010. A solicitor and Notary Public he was president of the Law Society in 1998/1999. He was actively involved with the IRFU and Connacht Governance reviews and chaired the Child Welfare (now “Spirit of Rugby”) committee for 9 years. As a founder member of the PGB in Connacht, where he served for 7 years, he chaired the GNC of CR during the formative years of the province’s establishment as a major force in Irish Rugby. He played in Munster as a schoolboy, Leinster as a third level student and in Connacht, with Ballina RFC, on moving back to Mayo following qualification. Pat has been involved in several fundraising walks and other event for the Trust through the years.
Linda Black
Head of Operations
Linda has worked at the IRFU since 1988 when she became the first receptionist, and then worked in Accounts & Payroll until 2007. Linda has been solely with the Trust since 2009 and has enjoyed getting to know each of our injured players and organising our events. In her spare time you will find her in the garden.
Marc Sheridan
Head of Communications & Partnerships
Passionate about all things rugby, Marc joined the team in 2016 to lead the repositioning and rebranding of the Trust. His focus has always been to place our seriously injured rugby players – many of whom he has come to know personally – at the heart of everything we do. Marc’s goal is to ensure every rugby fan across the four provinces knows who we support, the work we do, and why it matters.
Support
Bríd Berkeley
Fundraising & Relationship Lead
Since joining the Charitable Trust Team in 2018 Bríd has found the task of fundraising for our injured players an extremely rewarding role.
The responsibility of ensuring the injured players regularly receive the care packages and benefits of the Trusts hard work is a role Bríd is honoured to fulfil.
Dearbhla Cooney
Finance & Administration Officer
.
