Organisation Structure
Board of Directors
Martin P. O'Donnell (Chairman)
Martin O’Donnell (Chairman)
Martin became a member of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee in 2005 and of the Turf Club in 2009. He has served on various in-house Committees including the Compliance and Regulations and Stewarding Committees and the Appeals Body. He has also acted as Chairman of the Finance Committee and the Point to Point Committee. He is an owner / breeder and is a former holder of a restricted trainer’s licence and also rode in Point to Points.
Martin is a Chartered Valuation Surveyor by profession. He is also Senior Steward of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee and was originally appointed a director of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Company Limited by Guarantee when the company was set up in 2018.
Philip McLernon
David McCorkell
John P. Byrne (Vice Chairman)
Mr John P. Byrne (Vice Chairman)
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 is currently a Turf Club/IHRB representative on the board of Curragh Racecourse Ltd and is an owner/breeder.
Justice Frank Clarke
Myles O’Malley
IHRB Senior Management Team
Darragh O'Loughlin (Chief Executive Officer)
Darragh O'LoughlinChief Executive Officerinfo@ihrb.ie
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.
Dr. Lynn Hillyer (Chief Veterinary Officer/Head of Anti-Doping)
Dr. Jennifer Pugh (Senior Medical Officer)
Cliodhna Guy (Head of Licensing and Legal and Compliance)
Paul Murtagh (Registrar, INHS Committee & Head of Raceday Operations)
Paul MurtaghRegistrar INHSC Committee & Head of Raceday Operationshuntercerts@ihrb.ie
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).
Donal O'Shea (Financial Controller)
Niall Cronin (Communications Manager)
Chief Executive Officer
Darragh O'Loughlin (Chief Executive Officer)
Darragh O'LoughlinChief Executive Officer
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.
Phone: +35345445600
Michelle Byrne (Secretarial Assistant to CEO)
Angela Crowe (Administrative Assistant)
Angela CroweAdministrative Assistantinfo@ihrb.ie
Phone: +35345445600
Liz Morrissey (Receptionist)
Raceday Operations & Point to Point Department
Paul Murtagh (INHSC Registrar & Head of Raceday Operations)
Paul MurtaghINHSC Registrar & Head of Raceday Operationsinfo@ihrb.ie
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).
Ray Bergin (Raceday & Point to Point Operations Manager)
Susie Doyle (Point to Point Administrator)
Denise O'Neill (PA to Registrar of INHSC Committee)
Denise O'NeillPA to Registrar of INHSC Committeehuntercerts@ihrb.ie
Phone: +35345445617
Trish Cullen (Raceday Operations Administrator)
Veterinary Department
Dr. Lynn Hillyer (Chief Veterinary Officer & Head of Equine Anti-Doping)
Dr. Lynn HillyerChief Veterinary Officer & Head of Equine Anti-Doping)equine@ihrb.ie
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.
Sarah Ross (Veterinary Officer)
JP McNamara (Equine & Veterinary Services Assistant)
JP McNamaraEquine & Veterinary Services Assistantequine@ihrb.ie
Phone: +35345445605
Legal & Disciplinary Department
Cliodhna Guy (Head of Licensing, Legal & Compliance)
Cliodhna GuyHead of Licensing, Legal & Compliance disciplinary@ihrb.ie
Cliodhna is the Head of Licensing and Legal and Compliance 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.
Serena Costello (Legal Assistant)
Chris Gordon (Head of Security & Investigations)
Cliodhna GuyHead of Security & Investigationsdisciplinary@ihrb.ie
Chris was appointed Head of Security and Investigations in December 2010 and has responsibility for a team of 20 people based across the country. His raceday role includes security at stable yards, weigh rooms and jockeys’ rooms at the 26 racecourses. He also has responsibility for investigations into potential breaches of the Rules of Racing, liaison with betting operators and regulatory bodies such as the British Horseracing Authority, the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine and the Garda Siochana.
Prior to joining the IHRB, Chris was with the Garda Siochana for 30 years where he reached the rank of Superintendent. He served in a variety of roles including head of student training at the Garda College, policy advisor to a Deputy Commissioner on Human Resources, Finance and ICT issues and policing of international soccer and rugby fixtures at Lansdowne Road. He also led operational units in south Dublin stations dealing with crime and public order matters for several years.
In 2002 Chris was seconded to the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Cyprus where he held a senior role in managing humanitarian affairs on both sides of the divided island. Chris holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree (University College Dublin), an MSc in Public Sector Analysis (Trinity College Dublin) and a Diploma in Executive Leadership (UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School).
Michael Daly (Regulatory Legal Advisor)
Michael DalyRegulatory Legal Advisordisciplinary@ihrb.ie
Phone: +35345445600
Pippa Weld (Solicitor)
Licensing Department
Emma McDonald (Licensing, Education & Training Manager)
Emma McDonaldLicensing, Education & Training Managerlicensing@ihrb.ie
+35345445605
Gary Shaw (Licensing Department)
Evelyn Domeyer (SEPP Admin Assistant & Licensing Department)
Evelyn DomeyerSEPP Admin Assistant & Licensing Departmentlicensing@ihrb.ie
+35345445605
Marianne Waters (Licensing Department)
Marianne WatersLicensing Departmentlicensing@ihrb.ie
Phone: +35345445605
Fran Lawler (Licensing Department)
Accounts Department
Donal O'Shea (Head of Finance)
Donal O'SheaHead of Financelicensing@ihrb.ie
+35345445605
Brenda Fox (Accounts Assistant)
Laura Felle (Accounts Assistant)
Laura FelleAccounts Assistantaccounts@ihrb.ie
+35345445600
Anne Bergin (Financial Accountant)
Anne BerginAccounts Departmentaccounts@ihrb.ie
Phone: +35345445600
Edyta Hryciuk (Accounts Assistant)
IT Department
Keith Brennan (Senior Technical Support Engineer)
Keith BrennanSenior Technical Support Engineerit@ihrb.ie
+35345445600
Derek Gallagher (Project Manager)
Tim Brady (Senior IT Administrator)
Tim BradySenior IT Administratorit@ihrb.ie
Phone: +35345445600
Senior Medical Officer
Dr. Jennifer Pugh (Senior Medical Officer)
Dr. Jennifer PughSenior Medical Officerinfo@ihrb.ie
Jennifer is the Senior 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.
Human Resources
Sinéad Ryan
Sinéad RyanHuman Resourceshr@ihrb.ie
Sinéad Ryan joined the IHRB in late April 2022 as our HR Business Partner. Sinéad has come from an Fast Moving Consumer Goods and Logistics background, most recently working with Britvic PLC for the last 7 years.
Sinéad has a Bsc. in Business Studies specialising in HR and an Msc. In Strategic Management.
She will use her 12 years experience in HR in the IHRB.
Communications Manager
Niall Cronin
Niall CroninCommunications Managerniall.cronin@ihrb.ie
Niall has been the Communications Manager of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board since April 2019 and is also licensed as a Clerk of the Scales.
Niall’s current role as Communications Manager within the IHRB includes daily updates from the racecourses, dealing with media queries, internal communications and building the IHRB’s social media platforms.
Previously to joining the IHRB, Niall was a racing journalist for 13 years and was racing correspondent for The Herald newspaper and he also previously held a Jockeys Agent licence.