Mark Tully, Managing Director

For the past 24 years, Mark Tully has been providing management consulting services to Small & Medium Sized Enterprises (SME’s), social enterprises, charitable organisations, community groups, government departments, local, regional and national statutory and non-statutory bodies. This has included strategic planning, facilitation, management development support, management training, financial planning, business planning and market analysis.

Mark has also developed and presented a wide range of training programmes for businesses, individuals, community enterprises, and, specifically business start-ups.

His academic qualifications include:

• B.Comm, University College, Galway
• L.L.B. (Postgraduate Law Degree), University College, Galway
• LL.M. (Masters in Law), University College, Cork
• Advanced Certificate in Business Counselling, Durham University
• Foundation Diploma in Training and Education, University College, Galway
• Certificate in Trainer Skills, Irish Institute of Training & Development

Mark has also lectured in business and legal studies in the Institute of Technology, Sligo, as well as at master’s level in management and leadership at St. Angela’s (NUIG), Sligo.

Mark can be contacted by email: mark at meehantully dot com.

Michael Kirby, Director

Michael Kirby has significant international management experience in a variety of areas, including recruiting, hospitality, tourism, manufacturing, sports, and the public sector. Michael is responsible for the development of Strategic Planning and Business Management Programmes for clients of Meehan Tully & Associates. Michael’s academic qualifications include:

• BA (History), Villanova University, Pennsylvania
• MA (Government & Politics), St. John’s University, New York
• MBA, Trinity College, Dublin
• Foundation Diploma in Training and Education, University College, Galway
• Certificate in Trainer Skills, Irish Institute of Training & Development

Michael formerly worked in the US and UK with Fountainhead Corporation (1993-1999) and served in the US and Japan as an officer in the United States Marine Corps (1985-1991) before joining Meehan Tully in 2001. He serves on the Council of the Military History Society of Ireland as Membership Secretary and is a US Embassy appointee to the Board of the Ireland-United States (Fulbright) Commission for Educational Exchange where he serves on several sub-committees. Michael is an environmental representative to the Sligo PPN Secretariat and to the Sligo LCDC (Local Community Development Committee).

Michael can be contacted by email: michael at meehantully dot com.

Tara McGowan, Associate

Tara McGowan has over 20 years’ experience working specifically in the field of Cultural and Event Management. From 1996 to 2000, Tara was Project Manager at The English Theatre in Berlin before returning to Sligo where she assumed the position of General Manager of Blue Raincoat Theatre Company (2000-2010). During this time, Tara developed the company’s national and international touring portfolio, as well as being responsible for managing human resources, venues, and finances. From 2010 to 2016, Tara held the position of Music and Event Director at The Model where she had responsibility for curating and managing the music and event programme as well as fundraising, financial management, team management, and public relations and marketing for programmes. Her academic qualifications include:

• BA (Hons Arts) (Maynooth University)
• MSc Cultural Management (Ulster University)

In 2008, Tara founded Cairde Sligo Arts Festival, which has grown from strength to strength as a creative multidisciplinary arts festival with a focus on celebrating inclusion and diversity. Park Fest – a daylong celebration of music, circus, and street theatre suitable for all ages – is a particular highlight within the festival programme. Other highlights have included collaborations with Sligo Global Kitchen, Sligo Cultural Exchange, musician Steve Wickham and theatre practitioner Donal O’Kelly.

Tara has also worked on a freelance basis with a variety of artists and arts organisations in areas of strategic development, fundraising, PR & Marketing including County Sligo Youth Theatre, Branching Out Youth Arts Group, Ireland West Trad, Rackhouse Pilfer, Leonie Prax Productions and Painted Bird Productions.

Maeve McCormack, Associate

Maeve has over 20 years’ experience in strategic planning, facilitation, community development and evaluation. Her combination of business, social inclusion, cultural and community work in the public and private sector, enable her to approach this project from a range of angles. From 2012-2016, as Independent Community Liaison (appointed on behalf of the Minister for DoECLG) she worked independently with a diverse range of stakeholders to ensure inclusion of their needs in the final Cranmore: Sligo East City and Environs Regeneration Masterplan (launched December 2016). As a result of this experience, Maeve possesses an excellent working knowledge of the Cranmore Regeneration Community, as well of other regeneration projects in Ireland having organised research visits to various facilities.

Other recent projects include consultation, research and writing of County Sligo Library Development Plan 2016 – 2020, County Cavan Library Development Plan 2017 – 2021 and Sligo 1916:2016 Plan. Facilitation and strategic planning work covers 15 years reviewing and evaluating community projects in border counties. This regional works included writing over 40 evaluation reports in 12 border counties between 2002 and 2012 for the SEUPB Peace Funds. She is also a business mentor for Sligo and Leitrim Local Enterprise Offices.

Maeve’s academic qualifications include:

• Certificate in Public Relations (DIT)
• Diploma in Community Development and Peace Building (NUIG)
• Certificate in Storytelling and Facilitation (NUIG)
• Community Mediator (Mediation Institute of Ireland)

Maeve is accustomed to working with a diverse range of stakeholders in the public and private sector at all levels. She has worked on community based projects, in areas ranging from tourism, arts, community development, education, information technology, youth, older people, and media training.

Lily Murphy, Associate

Lily Murphy, the BE YOURSELF Leadership Coach, is the founder and director of Blue Heron Coaching – a consultancy, based in Sligo. She has over twenty years experience in public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She is a professional, accredited Coach, Speaker and Supervisor with over 10 year’s experience of coaching senior executives, facilitating change management workshops and inspiring audiences. To fulfill her commitment to providing a professional, skilled service to my clients Lily prioritises continuing professional development. She is currently pursuing my Professional Certified Coach (PCC) accreditation with the International Coach Federation and serves as a member of the editorial board of Supervisors Association of Ireland. She has earned Masters degrees in Change Management and in Supervisory Practice, and currently lectures in St. Angela’s College (NUIG).

Emer Ward, Associate

Emer Ward has been an associate with us since 1996, providing invaluable experience and guidance to our clients in marketing and promotions. Emer has worked with us both as a mentor and a trainer, and is currently a full time lecturer in Marketing in IT Sligo.

Biography:

• Emer Ward – B Comm, MBS (Marketing), Diploma in Public Relations
• Lecturer in Marketing and Senior Lecturer (Teaching)
• Department of Marketing, Tourism and Sport
• Lecturer of Principles of Marketing, Customer Care, Services Marketing and Service Innovation and Leadership at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Supervisor of dissertations at undergraduate and post graduate level.
• Head of Department of Marketing, Tourism and Sport (2003-2005)
• Associate of Meehan, Tully and Associates, Sligo (2000 – present)
• Associate of Envision Marketing Consultants Galway (1994 – 2000)
• Independent consultant/trainer (1994 – 2003)