Athletics Ireland Board Members

John Cronin

President

Deputy President & Chair of Coaching &

Development

Resides in Tullamore, IT Professional in Pharmaceutical industry. Member of Tullamore Harriers AC since 1983, Glenree (Cranford) AC  1973-1983. Represented Falcarragh Community School 1973 to 1978 and University College Galway 1978 to 1982. National Underage Champion 800, Regional Senior Champion 800m and relays and National Senior Bronze medal relay. Member of Athletics Ireland Board since 2012, Leinster Representative 2012 to 2016, Chair of Competition & Deputy President 2016 to 2021, President 2021 - Present.

First Chair of Athletics Ireland Technical Committee 2010 – 2014, First Chair of Athletics Leinster 1999-2003. Elected to World Athletics Technical Committee 2015. Member of International Technical Officials panel European Athletics 2005-2013 and World Athletics 2013 - Present. Officiated at multiple International events including European Senior Indoor and Outdoor, World Senior Indoor and Outdoor and the Olympic Games.

Brid Golden is the Deputy President of Athletics Ireland. She has been Chairperson of the Coaching and Development Committee since 2018 and was Chairperson of the High Performance Committee for four years prior to this. Brid is a former Irish Senior Heptathlon record holder and has represented Ireland at juvenile, junior and senior level. She is the sprints and jumps coach with Ferrybank AC and has coached several international athletes over the last 25 years. Brid is currently the Chairperson of the Athletics Ireland Governance Committee.

Andrew Lynam

Andrew is the current Chair of Competition Committee. He has been a member of Trim A.C. since he was a Juvenile having competed in the Throws at County, Regional & National level. Since he was a teenager, he has officiated at County & Regional events. In 2015 he took over the Indoor Secretary role for Leinster bringing in new technology a long the way to the region. Aspirations for the upcoming years are to get more people involve, along with getting more technology in play at all levels of competition.

Professionally Andrew is a Process Engineer in the Food & Beverage Industry having graduated in 2016.

Fintan Reilly

I am a member of Dunleer A.C and was a member of Redeemer A.C and Mountpleasant AC as a juvenile. I am a Board Member since 2016 initially as a co-optee and as Chair of High Performance Committee since 2021. Athletics was a major part of my life as a juvenile and like so many others I drifted from the sport at University and got the love again when my kids became active in the sport. After a short lived comeback, I started coaching at club level and became active at Louth and Leinster Athletics and held the position of Leinster Development Officer for a number of years.

I fell into stadium commentary a number of years ago and haven’t fallen out of it and was honoured to be the on-course commentator at the European cross country championships in Fingal-Dublin in 2021.

Outside of athletics, I work for HSBC Bank, based in Dublin.

Physiotherapist by professional, beekeeper by choice, Evelyn (Cox) enjoyed underage athletics up to her college years in UCD. Having moved to Cavan, Evelyn and husband Sean rekindled their interest in athletics, prompted by their children’s involvement in the sport and were instrumental in the setting up of Annalee Athletic Club in 2003, serving as coaches and administrators.

Since then Evelyn has served on the Ulster Athletics Council and has been a member of the Juvenile Committee of AAI for over 10 years. She was honoured to be elected to the Chair of the Juvenile Committee at Congress in 2021.

Brian Bruton

Greg Duggan

Connacht Rep

Company director,/advisor , Member of Galway City Harriers, competed at all major National events in cross country and road, Connacht Chairperson, Galway City Harriers  coach and cross country team manager, as well as management committee member, Race Director of the Streets of Galway 8k and organiser of other major events in Galway, Serves on the AI Finance and Risk committee

A Chartered Civil Engineer by profession, after an athletics career spanning 15 years from underage to adult in Dublin, Greg Duggan moved to Mullingar in 1992 and joined Mullingar Harriers in 1995 as a coach and a master athlete. Getting involved with Club administration from early on, he was a regular Westmeath Delegate at Athletics Leinster meetings, before being elected on to the Leinster Executive. He was honoured to be elected the Athletics Leinster Representative on the Board of Athletics Ireland in 2020, taking up the position after the AAI Congress in 2021.

PJ O'Rourke

Brendan McDaid

Munster Rep

I am a member of Letterkenny Athletic Club and have been since I competed as a juvenile from 1972 to 1976 with some success underage. National underage medals, silver 800m and Bronze 1500m. National bronze Community Games 800m.

I played Intermediate soccer for Letterkenny Rovers from 1976 to 1991 and returned to competitive athletics again. I competed as a senior and then as a master.

Within the club of Letterkenny AC, I held roles of club captain and Chairperson in the club for several years and remain actively involved in all aspects of the club.

I got involved at county and provincial level as an administrator and competition official with roles such as Competition Secretary Donegal Athletics, Treasure, Ulster athletics and race director for road events.

I then moved on to national level officiating and I hold NTO level 5. In 2008, I was elected as chair of Competition committee and completed two terms, I represented Ulster on the board for the following term and again in 2021

I am currently Chair of Ulster Athletic Council and an elected regional rep on the Athletics Ireland Board and appointed Athletics Ireland Rep to the Athletics Northern Ireland Board.

I have served on the LOC as Event Presentation manager at European Athletics events hosted by AAI in 2009, 2013 and 2021.

I am married and live in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. I founded North West Chip Timing business in 2015 and was formerly employed as an After Sales Manager in a Main Ford Dealership.

Rory Friel

Schools Rep

Rory competed for Crusaders AC from 1972 to 1976, having previously represented Oatlands College from  1968 to 1973, competing in the 100 and the 4 x 100 meter relay.

Rory studied Physical Education at Queens University in Belfast and spent the last 40 years teaching PE in Northern Ireland.

Currently teaching at St Colmans College in Newry, a school that has won seven All Ireland schools cross country titles in the last 15 years (the only school to have won all four age group titles ie Minor, Junior, Inter, and Senior Team)

Rory is currently the Ulster schools chairman and cross country secretary, while also being vice-chair of the Schools International Athletic Board. 

President of Dublin University Harriers and Athletics Club (DUHAC), and the vice-president of the Irish University Athletics Association (IUAA).

Currently working on a data analytics team in a health technology firm in Dublin, while also pursuing a part-time master’s in public health with UCC.

When not working, studying or doing athletics admin, Laura also loves to compete for her club Raheny Shamrocks, with her favourite event being cross country- “the hiller/muddier the better!”.

David Abrahams

Nuala Hunt

Athletics Northern Ireland Rep

Co-optee

David is the Charity & Commercial Manager for Marsh Ltd Belfast - providing Insurance and Risk Management Advice to many commercial organisations in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. He is currently a Chair of Athletics NI board.

A member of Glens Runners. Previously he competed for Gloucester AC, Essex Beagles AC and finally Ballymena and Antrim AC.

Back in the early 80's David competed for Great Britain and Northern Ireland in a number of international meetings. The highlights of his career were a 4th place at the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games representing England and breaking the British Indoor High Jump record in 1983. One of the most satisfying and unlikely medals won along the way was a silver medal in the Midland Counties AAA Decathlon.

David brings to the board wide management experience, an athlete’s perspective, and diverse background that he believes will help him guide the organisation forward through the many challenges that present themselves.

Nuala Hunt was co-opted to the Board in 2021. She is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ireland, a Chartered Tax Advisor, a former Chartered Secretary with a first class business degree from UCC. She has extensive business experience across a range of industries as her executive career spanned from Audit Manager with Arthur Andersen to Financial Controller of Paddy Power plc.  Nuala’s boardroom experience includes Company Secretary of Paddy Power plc, Director of the HSE and Governor of Holles Street Hospital.  Nuala has had a love for Athletics from a young age and is currently an active member and coach with Blackrock A.C.

Greta Hickey

Claire Shannon   

Co-optee

Co-optee

As a former international distance athlete, Greta captained Irish teams in World Cross Country and other European and World Road Racing Championships. Greta was also a member of the Dublin City Harriers team, winning back-to-back European Clubs Cross Country Championships in the 1980’s.

Greta has worked for Irish and Multinational companies, primarily in export markets, covering account management, supply chain logistics, while managing compliance in both import / export procedures and financial governance.

Greta is passionate about sport, and what it brings to participants in terms of both enjoyment and personal achievement.

Currently Sports Marketing & Sponsorship Account Director with Wilson Hartnell

Previously Athletics Ireland Marketing and Sponsorship Manager Aug 2015 - Jun 2018

Marketing lead for hugely successful Fingal-Dublin 2021 SPAR European Cross Country Championships.

Experienced marketing and sponsorship specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the sports, public relations and communications industry. Skilled in marketing, sponsorship, event management, strategic planning, sales management, and market research.