New director for Clare arts centre

ENNIS arts centre glór has announced appointment of a new diretor.

Marie O'Byrne, who is from the Clare county town, will take up her new role in June, and joins the organisation from the Hawks Well Theatre in Sligo, where she has worked as director since 2011.

Marie has more than 20 years of experience in the arts and culture sectors.

Prior to her role in Sligo, Marie was production manager at glór where she also held responsibility for traditional arts programming for a number of years.

She has worked in technical and production roles with festivals such as Open House Festival Belfast, Éigse Carlow and the Doolin Folk Festival.

Marie holds a degree in architectural science, and a Masters in music technology and traditional Irish music performance.

Ann Marie Gill, deputy chair of glór’s board said: "I am delighted to welcome Marie to glór, and it is particularly appropriate that she will be taking on the role of director in her hometown. Marie will be joining glór at a pivotal point in the organisation, as it develops a strategic plan to bring it into 2027, continuing and building on the work of her predecessor Orla Flanagan, in championing local artists and making innovative and exciting work available to Clare audiences. We look forward to many years of her stewardship in glór."

Marie herself added: "I am honoured and delighted to be taking on the role of director at glór. I am excited to return, not just to my hometown of Ennis, but to a venue I spent many happy years in previously, working in the areas of traditional arts and production. I am also thrilled at the prospect of working with the great team at glór in continuing to embed the venue further in the hearts of Clare’s diverse communities and connecting and collaborating with the rich artistic community in the county.”