Meet the Committee 2025

With some recent committee changes, we thought we would take the opportunity to introduce everyone to ARA Ireland’s current committee. Whether you’re a long-time member or new to our community, we hope this glimpse into the committee inspires you to engage, collaborate, and celebrate the vital work of archives, records management and conservation across the island of Ireland.

Chair: Niamh Ní Charra

Niamh Ní Charra is based at University of Galway where she is project archivist for their two largest collections: Mary Robinson and Conradh na Gaeilge archives. She first joined the ARA Ireland committee in 2016 as Communications Officer, subsequently taking on the role of Campaigns Officer before being elected Chair earlier this year. She is co-host of the podcast series Archive Nation. She instigated and co-led a project to have over 200 archival terms designated in the Irish language and is the Irish language administrator for the International Council on Archives’ Multilingual Archival Terminology Database. Niamh came to archives from the world of music, is a multi-award-winning musician and composer, she continues to perform and recently released her 5th album. Her work in both the music and archive professions was recently recognised when she was elected to the Irish Traditional Music Archive’s board.

Honorary Secretary: Brett Irwin

Brett joined the committee as Honorary Secretary earlier this year. He is currently Reprographics Manager at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI). At PRONI, he has worked in the Preservations and Collections Management, Records Management, Cataloguing/Access and Public Services teams in exciting and diverse roles. He has also completed a post-graduate diploma in archival management at the University of Dundee.

Recording Secretary: Ashley Williams

Ashley has been Recording Secretary since May 2022. After completing her MA in Archives and Records Management at UCD (2020), she joined the National Gallery of Ireland as Records Manager. Prior to working in the recordkeeping sector, Ashley worked in various art museums in New York City in administrative, fundraising, programme and events manager roles. She loves meeting and catching up with fellow Records Managers working in Ireland, so please feel free to get in touch (awilliams@ngi.ie)!

Honorary Treasurer: Liam Ó Discín

Liam is an Archivist at the National Archives, Ireland, working in the Current Records Unit as part of Archives and Government Services. Liam previously worked in the Central Bank of Ireland, the European Investment Bank, the European Parliament, and the Historical Archives of the European Union, Florence. In addition to an MA in Archives and Records Management, Liam holds a PhD in History from Ulster University, and recently obtained an Advanced Diploma in Data Protection Law at the Kings Inns.

Communications Officer: Rebecca O’Neill

Rebecca is an archivist within the Public Services team at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI). She is responsible for overseeing the Written Enquiries Service, as well as helping to curate exhibitions. Rebecca qualified with an MA in Historical Archives and Records Management from Maynooth University in 2020. She has worked at PRONI since 2021 in the Digital Preservation and Reprographic teams respectively. She has previously volunteered with National Museums Northern Ireland through their ‘Unlocking Our Sound Heritage’ project.

Campaigns Officer: Erin McRae

Erin is a Project Cataloguing Archivist currently working for the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. She previously worked as Archivist of the Central Bank of Ireland and worked for a period as a Project Archivist on the Collins Barracks, Cork papers. Prior to this she volunteered for the Centre for Research Collections at the University of Edinburgh assisting with transcription, data migration, authority record creation and outreach with the Sir Charles Lyell project. She holds an MA in Archives and Records Management from UCD and an MSc in History from the University of Edinburgh. Erin has been the ARA Ireland New Professionals representative since 2022 and has recently taken on the role of Campaigns Officer. Erin is also a member of the Library and Information Association (CILIP) and the International Council on Archives.

Training Officer: Jessica Baldwin

Jessica has over 30 years’ experience of caring for collections in Ireland. She trained as a paper conservator in London before moving to Ireland to work at Trinity College Library. In 2003 she moved to the Chester Beatty to establish the museum’s conservation department before taking on the role of Head of Collections and Conservation. She joined the National Archives as Senior Conservator in 2022. She is passionate about her work on the collections salvaged from the Public Record Office following its destruction in 1922.

Training Officer: Steven Skeldon

Steven holds an MLitt. in Archives and Records Management from the University of Dundee and is the manager of the National Library of Ireland’s family history service. Steven previously worked at Cork City & County Archives, the University of Edinburgh Centre for Research Collections, and the Land Registry in Scotland. His academic background is in history and linguistics.

Newsletter Editor: Nora Thornton

Nora is an archivist in the National Library of Ireland based in the National Photographic Archive. She qualified as an archivist in 2018 but has been with the NLI since 2009. Previously she worked as an archaeologist and as well as being very enthusiastic about the NLI’s photographic collections, her interests include archaeology, food history and crafts.

Section for New Professionals Representative: Kyle Ginsberg

Kyle has recently graduated with an MA in Archives and Records Management from UCD and currently works as an Archivist for the Sisters of Bon Secours based in the Bon Secours Cork Hospital. Prior to his MA, he worked in the Trinity College Old Library Redevelopment Project and the National Irish Visual Arts Library. His academic interests surround children's education and outreach.

Diversity and Inclusion Ally (Ireland): Lorraine Bourke

Lorraine is one of two ARA Diversity and Inclusion Allies on the ARA Ireland Committee. She has worked as Head of Private Records at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) for over ten years. Together with her team, she is responsible for accessioning and cataloguing records from a range of private sources including businesses, community groups, charities, faith groups, clubs and societies, families and individuals. Each year, she and her team facilitate and support student interns from third level institutions for whom obtaining experience in an archival institution is a course requirement. She also provides archival advice to individuals, community archives and organisations.

Diversity and Inclusion Ally (Ireland): Alicia Conley

Alicia recently joined the Department of Health working as a Records Manager, following time as a Senior Archivist at the Adoption Authority of Ireland, Records Manager at the Central Bank and Archivist at Belvedere College and at the National Gallery of Ireland. Alicia has been a Diversity and Inclusion Ally on ARA Ireland’s committee since 2020.