New directors appointed to board of Ireland West Airport Knock

IRELAND West Airport has announced the appointment of three new directors to the board of the airport.

They are leading West of Ireland businessman and Roscommon native, Sean Mulryan, Leitrim County Council chief executive Frank Curran and Galway County Council chief executive Kevin Kelly.

A native of County Roscommon, Sean Mulryan is one of the country’s leading property developers, and the founder and chairman and CEO of the Ballymore Group, a Dublin-based international property development company.

Ballymore has become one of the biggest providers of residential space in London and the second largest property development company in the UK employing over 5,000 staff.

 The addition of the County CE’s from Galway and Leitrim further strengthens the regional partnership with airport who join at an exciting stage of its development following the recent investment by seven local authorities for an equity shareholding into the airport which has seen the formation of a unique and positive collaboration with local government in the areas of tourism, economic development and Diaspora engagement.

The airport is on track for its busiest ever year in 2017 with passenger numbers set to reach almost 750,000 for the first time in the airport's history.

Welcoming today’s announcement, the chairman of Ireland West Airport, Joe Kennedy, said: 'I am delighted to welcome our three new members to the board who bring a wealth of business expertise and knowledge to the airport.

'We look forward to working with the new members and the board to achieve the objectives of the airport so it remains a key vehicle for regional development’.

Furthermore, the airport board also wishes to express its sincere gratitude to board members Brian McEniff, Fergal Broder and Martin Gillen, who are stepping down from their roles on the board.

Mr. Kennedy added: 'We are deeply indebted for their years of service, their combined knowledge and experience, coupled with passion and commitment to developing and expanding the airport.'

 Current airport board members

•Joe Kennedy, KCSG (Chairman)

•Brian O’Dwyer, (International Chairman) Senior Partner at O’Dwyer & Bernstein LLP in New York, USA

•Arthur French (Vice-Chairman) French Estates, Leixlip

•John Molloy, Managing Director of Aircraft Consultancy & Equipment Sales Limited (ACES)

•Dr. Michael Neary (Archbishop of Tuam)

•Fr Richard Gibbons (Parish Priest, Knock Shrine)

•Joe Gilmore (Managing Director, Ireland West Airport)

•Sean Mulryan, (Founder and chairman and CEO of the Ballymore Group)

•Peter Hynes (Mayo Chief Executive)

•Kevin Kelly (Galway Chief Executive)

•Pat Gallagher (Baxter Healthcare Ltd)

•Frank Curran (Leitrim Chief Executive)

•Tim McDermott (Manchester Airport Group, UK)