John became a member of the Turf Club in 2008 and of the INHSC in 2013. He has served on the Curragh Committee and in 2014 became a Steward of the Turf Club. During this time he served on the board of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing and he was Chairman of the project board for the Curragh Re-Development. He was also a Turf Club/IHRB representative on the board of Curragh Racecourse Ltd and is an owner/breeder.
Jill was appointed as a Director in 2024. She is a practicing Optometrist in Cork and owns her own business. She is a National Hunt breeder and owner and is the current chairperson of the Point to Point Committee. She became a member of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee in 2007 and the Turf Club in 2017. She has been chairperson of raceday stewards in Cork, Galway and vice-chairperson at Killarney.
Philip became a member of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee in 2012 and of the Turf Club in 2013. He has acted as Chairman of the Point-to-Point Committee and has also served as a member of the Referrals Committee and the Stewarding Committee. He recently completed his term as Chairman of Stewards at Limerick and Cork. Philip is also a steward of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee. Philip was appointed a director of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Company Limited by Guarantee on 1st January 2020.
Mary was appointed as an Independent Director on 1st January 2023. She is a Chartered Accountant and held a number of senior management roles with PwC. She acted as an non executive member of the boards of a number of hospitals including, Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Beaumont Hospital and Temple Street Children's Hospital. She also served a term as a member of the Foundation Board of the RDS and was a Trustee of the RDS Pension Scheme. She is currently a member of the board of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and a member of the Audit Committee of the Office of The Attorney General and The Chief State Solicitor's Office.
Alison was appointed a Director of the IHRB in January 2023 as a nominee of the INHSC. She is a member of the Licensing Committee and previously served on the Compliance and Regulations Committee of the IHRB. Now retired, Alison practised law for over 40 years as a Solicitor and also as part-time Judge. She also served on the Law Society of Northern Ireland Disciplinary Tribunal and has been Lord-Lieutenant for County Londonderry since 2018. Alison lives on a farm in rural County Derry and is a member of the Route Hunt of which she was a past Master and Honorary Secretary. Alison is a longstanding member of the INHSC and of The Turf Club, and her family bred and raced point to point horses for some 30 years until recently.
Angela is the first independent director to be appointed to the IHRB. Previously, she has worked as a special adviser to both Leo Varadkar and Enda Kenny when they served as Taoiseach.
Gerard became a member of the Turf Club in 1996 and the INHSC in 2014. During this time Gerard has served as Chairman of the Finance Committee in 2009, Chairman of the Curragh Committee in 2011, a Steward of the Turf Club and he has also served as a board member of the Curragh Racecourse Ltd from 2023 to 2024 having previously been a member of the Curragh Committee from 1997 to 2001.
Gerard was appointed a Director of the IHRB in January 2025.
Darragh O’Loughlin was appointed CEO of the IHRB in June 2022. Darragh was Secretary General of the Irish Pharmacy Union from 2013 until April 2022. He has also served as a Council member of the PSI – The Pharmacy Regulator for a six-year period and two years as a board member of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). He is a pharmacist by profession and has held a number of senior executive and non-executive roles at a domestic and European level.
Christine Traynor was appointed as Head of Racing Regulation and Integrity in May 2024. As a qualified solicitor and member of the Law Society of Ireland, she brings extensive legal expertise to her role. Christine is also a qualified barrister from the Honourable Society of King's Inns. She has held senior positions across various disciplines, with a strong focus on regulatory and legal compliance. Before her current role, she served as Head of the Legal Department and Senior Legal Counsel for the Irish subsidiary of a global aerospace and defense company, where she provided strategic legal guidance on corporate governance, commercial transactions, and compliance matters. Her leadership and expertise are instrumental in ensuring the integrity and regulatory standards of Irish horse racing.
Dr Lynn Hillyer (Chief Veterinary Officer and Head of Anti-Doping)
Lynn took on the new roles of Chief Veterinary Officer/Head of Anti-Doping for the IHRB in September 2016 and is responsible for developing and managing the Board’s activity in these areas alongside her team of Veterinary Officers, Assistants and Administrators. Lynn was in large animal practice before specialising in equine medicine and then joining the British Horseracing Authority where she had held the position of Veterinary Adviser whilst continuing to work on the racecourse as Veterinary Officer since 2005. Lynn has now been an internationally recognised equine regulatory veterinarian for over a decade and is Chairman of the International Group of Specialist Racing Veterinarians. She sits on the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA)’s Advisory Council on Prohibited Substances and Practices, the IFHA International Movement of Horses Committee, the IFHA Welfare Committee and held the position of Chairman of the European Horserace Scientific Liaison Committee Chief Veterinary Officer Working Party for the maximum of three terms.
Cliodhna is the Head of Governance and Legal and was appointed in February 2017. She is a qualified lawyer who has focused her career path in the sports industry. She qualified as a solicitor in Byrne Wallace, one of Ireland's top commercial firms and went on to gain significant experience, both nationally and internationally, as Legal Manager in the Football Association of Ireland and subsequently as Legal Director for the International Boxing Association. Cliodhna has a Masters in Sports Law from De Montfort University in Leicester. She has strong international connections in the sports law industry and an in-depth knowledge of integrity, disciplinary and governance matters.
Jennifer is the Chief Medical Officer and was appointed in January 2019. She qualified as a medical doctor in 2003 from Queen’s University Belfast. Following an internship in Belfast, she completed her post graduate training in St James’s Hospital Dublin and the Midlands hospitals and has been working as a GP since 2010. Originally from Co Down, she has been based in Kildare for the last 15 years. Her equine interests span back to life on the family farm, ponies quickly replaced by racehorses and summer jobs on stud farms and racing yards. She held her Qualified Riders License from 1999 to 2012 riding a few winners along the way and becoming Lady Champion Point to Point Rider in 08/09 season. She has been working as Medical Officer at Point to Points since she graduated and progressed to Racecourse Doctor for the IHRB in 2012. She took over as Senior Medical Officer of the IHRB in January 2019 following the retirement of Dr Adrian McGoldrick, a role which allows her to continue her work as a doctor alongside her passion for horseracing.
Niall Cronin (Head of Communications and Strategy)
Niall joined the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board in April 2019 after 13 years as a journalist specialising in horseracing and also acting as a Jockeys' Agent. Niall oversees IHRB communications and publications and is responsible for developing the IHRB's strategy.
Paul Murtagh (Registrar, INHS CLG & Head of Raceday Operations)
Paul is the Registrar of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee and the Head of Raceday Operations. Paul was appointed Registrar in May 2019, having previously been appointed Head of Raceday Operations in April 2017 Paul joined the Turf Club in 2005 as a racing official. He worked in various roles on the racecourse and at Point to Points including those of Stipendiary Steward, Judge, Veterinary Assistant and Clerk of the Scales. He also presented many of the Appeals and Referrals hearings on behalf of the Turf Club, thus giving him a unique insight into almost all regulatory matters. Paul’s role as Head of Raceday Operations includes managing the team of Judges, Starters, Clerks of Scales, Clerks of Courses and Handicappers on the racecourse. As Registrar he is now also responsible for all integrity matters relating to National Hunt racing and the administration of Point to Points. Prior to joining the Turf Club, Paul was an Animal Nutritionist, and he holds a Masters in Agricultural Science (UCD). He also has a Diploma in Sports Law (Law Society of Ireland).
Darragh O’Loughlin was appointed CEO of the IHRB in June 2022. Darragh was Secretary General of the Irish Pharmacy Union from 2013 until April 2022. He has also served as a Council member of the PSI – The Pharmacy Regulator for a six-year period and two years as a board member of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). He is a pharmacist by profession and has held a number of senior executive and non-executive roles at a domestic and European level.
Lynn took on the new roles of Chief Veterinary Officer/Head of Anti-Doping for the IHRB in September 2016 and is responsible for developing and managing the Board’s activity in these areas alongside her team of Veterinary Officers, Assistants and Administrators. Lynn was in large animal practice before specialising in equine medicine and then joining the British Horseracing Authority where she had held the position of Veterinary Adviser whilst continuing to work on the racecourse as Veterinary Officer since 2005. Lynn has now been an internationally recognised equine regulatory veterinarian for over a decade and is Chairman of the International Group of Specialist Racing Veterinarians. She sits on the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA)’s Advisory Council on Prohibited Substances and Practices, the IFHA International Movement of Horses Committee, the IFHA Welfare Committee and held the position of Chairman of the European Horserace Scientific Liaison Committee Chief Veterinary Officer Working Party for the maximum of three terms.
Christine Traynor was appointed as Head of Racing Regulation and Integrity in May 2024. As a qualified solicitor and member of the Law Society of Ireland, she brings extensive legal expertise to her role. Christine is also a qualified barrister from the Honourable Society of King's Inns. She has held senior positions across various disciplines, with a strong focus on regulatory and legal compliance. Before her current role, she served as Head of the Legal Department and Senior Legal Counsel for the Irish subsidiary of a global aerospace and defense company, where she provided strategic legal guidance on corporate governance, commercial transactions, and compliance matters. Her leadership and expertise are instrumental in ensuring the integrity and regulatory standards of Irish horse racing.
Paul is the Registrar of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee and the Head of Raceday Operations. Paul was appointed Registrar in May 2019, having previously been appointed Head of Raceday Operations in April 2017 Paul joined the Turf Club in 2005 as a racing official. He worked in various roles on the racecourse and at Point to Points including those of Stipendiary Steward, Judge, Veterinary Assistant and Clerk of the Scales. He also presented many of the Appeals and Referrals hearings on behalf of the Turf Club, thus giving him a unique insight into almost all regulatory matters. Paul’s role as Head of Raceday Operations includes managing the team of Judges, Starters, Clerks of Scales, Clerks of Courses and Handicappers on the racecourse. As Registrar he is now also responsible for all integrity matters relating to National Hunt racing and the administration of Point to Points. Prior to joining the Turf Club, Paul was an Animal Nutritionist, and he holds a Masters in Agricultural Science (UCD). He also has a Diploma in Sports Law (Law Society of Ireland).
Niall joined the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board in April 2019 after 13 years as a journalist specialising in horseracing and also acting as a Jockeys' Agent. Niall oversees IHRB communications and publications and is responsible for developing the IHRB's strategy.
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