GARETH MALONE OBE Choirmaster & Broadcaster As a populariser of choral music London-based Gareth Malone was born into a family of Irish descent. His father James grew up in Scotland in an Irish family, his mother is also of Irish descent. Until 2009 he worked for the London Symphony Orchestra and is best known for his reality television series The Choir, broadcast on BBC Two. MAURICE MALONE CEO Birmingham Irish Association Both of Maurice Malone’s parents are from Dublin. He was born in Birmingham, and has been with Birmingham Irish Association, formerly Irish in Birmingham, since 2004. He began working in Adult Social Care & Health for Birmingham City Council at the age of 18. VANESSA MARKEY Head of Great Britain Tourism Ireland Having joined Tourism Ireland in 2012 as the group’s new head of Great Britain Vanessa Markey has been instrumental in the promotion of the island of Ireland in the British market. A native of Trim in Co. Meath, Vanessa has extensive senior marketing experience, having worked previously worked with Bentley Motors and Jaguar Land Rover. MAURICE MARTIN Director Microsoft UK’s Server and Cloud Business Maurice Martin is responsible for overall go-to-market strategy and business performance having joined Microsoft nine years ago as the Director Of Platform Marketing. Prior to Microsoft, Maurice was part of the Carlyle European Software Venture fund based in London. Maurice, a Trinity College Dublin graduate, lives in West Berkshire with his family. TIMOTHY RANDALL MARTIN Founder JD Wetherspoons Plc Founder of one of Britain’s biggest chain of pubs, Tim Martin was born in the North of Ireland. He initially studied law at Nottingham University and qualified as a barrister. However, a life in the legal profession didn’t appeal, so Martin swapped bars. He opened the first Wetherspoons in Muswell Hill in 1979 when he was just 24 with over 900 bars now in his portfolio. 2015 has been a significant year for the firm’s expansion into Ireland. The latest venues are found across Dublin and Cork, with more to come. SEAN MASTERSON Director Masterson Holdings Ltd As one of its directors, Masterson Holdings – founded in 2001 – Sean helps lead a staff of over 500 wokring in three subsidiary companies providing a variety of services to the construction industry across London and the Home Counties. The first two of those three subsidiaries – Getjar Limited and Atlantic Contracts – both established by the group’s managing director and owner, Achill Island-born Michael Masterson, specialise in reinforced concrete frames, groundworks, carpentry and joinery. The third subsidiary – Glencoe Plant Services – specialises in the hiring of plant and equipment. MAXINE MAWHINNEY BBC News Anchor & Broadcast Journalist Born in Bangor, Co. Down, Maxine Mawhinney was BBC duty presenter in 1997 when news broke of the car crash of Diana, Princess of Wales. She can be seen in this role in the feature film The Queen. PROFESSOR MARY McALEESE Distinguished Professor in Irish Studies St Mary’s University, Twickenham Belfast-born Professor Mary McAleese served as the 8th President of Ireland from 1997-2011. She graduated in Law from Queen’s University Belfast in 1975 and in January takes up a position at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. CAROLYN McCALL CEO EasyJet Born in India to a Scottish father and an Irish mother, Carolyn McCall has been CEO of easyJet since 2010, and is currently one of five female CEOs of a FTSE 100 Index company in Britain. KATE McCARTHY Chair Coventry Irish Society Kate McCarthy has been chair of Coventry Irish Society, which was set up in 1993, for the last seven years. She lives in Coventry. SIMON McCARTHY Manager Coventry Irish Society Simon McCarthy, with roots in Kerry and Limerick, has been manager of Coventry Irish Society since February.
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He lives in Coventry. TONY MCDAID Practice Director No5 Chambers Tony McDaid is the longest serving member of No5 Chambers’ administration team having joined in 1980. He qualified as a member of the Institute of Barristers Clerks in 1988 and was appointed Senior Clerk in 1992 before being promoted to the post of Practice Director in 1994. Sitting on the Professional Practice Committee of the Bar Council, he is also a council member of the Birmingham Law Society, serving as chair of its International Committee. SEAN McDONAGH Group Managing Director Tony McDonagh & Co Ltd/North London Insurance Group Tony McDonagh & Co. Limited was incorporated in 1971 and has subsequently established itself as one of Britain’s largest independently owned and progressive insurance brokers. The company structure also incorporates North London Insurance Group (NLIG Ltd). Under the guidance of Sean McDonagh the company provides access to the insurance market, including Lloyd’s and London markets for complex or specialist covers. ALEX McDONNELL Co-ordinator The Aisling Project From Kerry, Alex McDonnell has been in England for more than 25 years. He helped set up the Aisling Project in London 21 years ago, which aims to reach out and help Irish people who are vulnerable, isolated and alone. It also provides supported holidays in Ireland for long-term emigrants, fulfilling what is for many a dream of seeing their homeland again. BERNARD McEVOY Partner Brown Rudnick Bernard McEvoy represents clients in financings, stock exchange admissions, mergers and acquisitions and both in-and-out-of-court restructurings. SEAMUS McGARRY Director & Community leader Seamus McGarry is a native of Kilkenny and has been a prominent member of the Irish community in Britain for over 45 years. Having served over 10 yearse as chairman of the Federation of Irish Societies, he was a founder member of the Ireland Fund of Great Britain. A GAA man he is currently on the Irish Government Emigrant Services Committee and Director of the Irish Cultural Centre. FATHER EUGENE McGILLYCUDDY Chair Yorkshire County Board GAA Father Eugene McGillycuddy, from Co. Derry, is Parish Priest at St Nicholas, Leeds. He came to England in 1974. He is also president of the Leeds Going Irish committee. CONOR McGINN Member of Parliament Conor McGinn, from Camlough, Co. Armagh, is MP for St Helen’s North. He is currently Chair of All-Party Parliamentary Group on Irish in Britain. JOHN McGRANE Director General British Irish Chamber of Commerce John McGrane, from Drogheda, Co. Louth, was one of the co-founders of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce in 2011. He also worked for the Ulster Bank for 40 years. THE McGRATH FAMILY The McGrath Group McGrath Bros was established in 1972 by its incumbent founders, David, Michael and Patrick McGrath. Based in East London, the company initially provided skip hire services to the local building and construction sectors. The company now operates two MRFS, a seven-acre site in Hackney and a further 10-acre facility in Barking. With over 40 years in the sector, McGrath’s remain excited by the challenge of modern-day waste management, recycling, re-using and the related energy sector. Investment in recycling plant, equipment, technology and training enables the Group to recycle almost all of the waste handled and the ethos and mission is all-waste-is-a-resource and zero-to-landfill. The McGrath Group has now grown into a multi-disciplined organisation which employs 180 staff and has a turnover in excess of £35million. PETER McGRATH Managing Director McGrath Group Peter McGrath established the McGrath Group in Lisburn, Co. Antrim in 1981. Today the supplier of structural and architectural steel metalwork, it has its sister office in Tottenham, London. DONAL McINTYRE Journalist & Visiting Professor of Criminology Birmingham City University Donal McIntyre from Dublin is an investigative journalist,
specialising in investigations, undercover operations and television exposés. GERALDINE McKENNA Advisor Cedar Capital Partners Born and educated in Omagh, Co. Tyrone, Geraldine McKenna is now an advisor with Cedar Capital Partners — a hotel investment firm — having joined in 2009 and worked with the firm full time until last year. She has previously held positions as CEO of Maybourne Hotel Group and as executive vice-president of the Savoy Group. Geraldine started her career with British Airways. She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2002 and has previously held board positions including Visit London, Hartwell PLC and Walpole. MARY McKENNA Technology Entrepreneur & Angel Investor From the North of Ireland, Mary McKenna was Chair of Northern Ireland’s Digital Circle between 2010 and 2015. Last year she was awarded the MBE for services to digital technology, innovation and learning. NORMAN McKINLEY Managing Director of Operations British Red Cross Norman McKinley, a graduate from Queens University Belfast also holds an MBA from the Ulster Business School at the University of Ulster. He now lives in Gloucestershire. BISHOP PATRICK McKINNEY Bishop of Nottingham Bishop Patrick McKinney is the eldest son of Patrick and Bridget McKinney, from Ireland, and was brought up in Birmingham. He was appointed 10th Bishop of Nottingham in May. KEVIN McLOUGHLIN Founder & MD KM McLaughlin Decorating Ltd KM McLaughlin’s decoration contracts run on schemes as diverse as social housing, refurbishments, hotels, interior design, property/facility management, heritage and all commercial areas. The company’s portfolio includes high profile projects such as The Savoy in The Connaught and The Churchill as well as helping to fit out the British Museum, Lords Cricket Ground and Fulham Palace. Last year Kevin was awarded OBE services to skills training in the painting and decorating trade. The Islington native was born in London to Irish parents from Donegal and Kildare. JAMES McMAHON Co-founder & Director FOMAC Construction Ltd James McMahon established FOMAC Construction Ltd in 1996 with business partner John Foley. A Fellow of the Institute of Recruitment Professionals, James has been responsible for developing the company into a strong, competitive and financially secure organisation. He has an in-depth knowledge of both the construction and recruitment industries. Throughout the years FOMAC has provided reliable employment opportunities to many first-generation and second-generation Irish people on construction sites and also at head Office in Park Royal, London NW10. SIR DAVID McMURTRY Co-founder of Renishaw plc Sir David McMurtry, from Dublin, owns Swinhay House in Gloucestershire, featured in Sherlock on BBC TV. McMurtry and John Deer founded Renishaw, a high-tech measuring group in 1973. He was a 2014 Irish Post Award-winner for Technology. PADDY McNALLY Founder Allsport Management Donegal-born Paddy McNally, a former racing driver, has now retired from the Formula 1 hospitality business having founded Formula 1 trackside advertising company Allsport Management. He owns the former Wiltshire home of James Bond author Ian Fleming. PETER McNULTY CEO Irish in Britain Peter McNulty, from Newry, Co. Down, is the new CEO of the Irish in Britain organisation taking up the role in early November. He comes from a commercial background. JENNIE McSHANNON Organisational Consultant, Tavistock Consulting Originally from Belfast, Jennie McShannon was formerly Chief Executive of Irish in Britain. She has been with Tavistock Consulting since September. PROFESSOR JOHN MITCHELL Former Chief Scientist Met Office John Mitchell, from Downpatrick, Co. Down, is a leading world expert on climate change, serving as Chief Scientist at the Met Office, and on its Executive, for seven years. He now advises the current Chief Scientist.