An tÚdarás Rialaithe

Bishop Brendan Leahy was born in Dublin in 1960 and ordained Bishop of Limerick in 2013. He studied law in UCD and became involved in Free Legal Aid Centres (FLAC). He worked with UCD chaplaincy. In 1980, he entered Clonliffe College, Dublin and in first year studied theology, spirituality and psychology at the Mater Dei Institute of Education. At this time, he  also studied for the Bar in Kings Inns being called to the Bar in 1983. He became involved with the Focolare Movement.

On completion of philosophical and legal studies, he went to Rome to continue his study of theology (1983-1991). He attended the Jesuit-run Gregorian University, leading to a Doctoral award. During this time too, he spent a period at the Ecumenical Centre, Ottmaring, near Augsburg and continued his contact with the Focolare Community.

In 1991, Bishop Brendan was appointed to Clonskeagh Parish, Dublin and became chaplain to the German school there. He was appointed to the staff of Clonliffe College and of Mater Dei Institute of Education, becoming Registrar in Mater Dei in 2004 and a member of the Standing Committee of the Academic Council of DCU. He was appointed professor of Systematic Theology at St. Patricks College in 2006.

Since the mid 1990s, Bishop Brendan has been involved in ecumenism at both a diocesan and national level. In the 1990s, Bishop Brendan was Confessional Lecturer at the Irish School of Ecumenics. From 2007 to 2012, he was a member of a team from the Vaticans Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity in conversation with the Salvation Army. In recent years, he has engaged in inter-religious dialogue, becoming a member of the Three Faiths Forum of Ireland and, more recently, working towards the establishment of an Inter-Religious Council in Dublin.

Bishop Brendan is a member of the Pontifical Theology Academy since 2004. He has written many articles and books on peace and forgiveness, faith questions, ecumenism, new movements and communities, Mary, Church, priesthood, historical treasures of Ireland and spirituality. He is a member of the Focolare Movements International Study Centre. He has been a Visiting Lecturer at the Sophia University Institute, Loppiano, Florence, since 2009.

Mr Michael J Keane was born in Limerick and educated at Clongowes Wood College. He graduated from UCD in 1989 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and then worked as an articled clerk with Coopers & Lybrand accountants (now PWC). He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1993 with the firm and is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland.

From 1993 to 1995 he worked for the relief and development agency GOAL in Sudan and the Great Lakes region of Central Africa. On returning to Ireland he joined Shannonside Oil Co Ltd. an oil distributor servicing the mid-west region as Financial Controller. In 2000, he became Managing Director of Shannonside Oil. 

Michael studied with the Trinity College / Irish Management Institute during 2009 and 2010 earning a Master's of Science (Management) degree. In 2013, he joined Mary Immaculate College as Director of Finance and served in this role for three years. He also completed the TMP programme with the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education during this time.

In 2016, he was appointed Vice President Administration and Finance at the College. He is part of the College Executive Team, Audit and Risk Committee, Finance and Resource Committee and Equality Committee. He is also a Board member of the Lime Tree Theatre.

Outside of Mary Immaculate College, Michael also sits on the Board and Audit and Finance Committee of Adapt Services in Rosbrien, Limerick. He lives in Ardnacrusha, Co Clare with his family and maintains a strong interest in local sports in particular rugby, swimming and triathlon. 

Prof. Niamh Hourigan is a Sociologist and Vice-President of Academic Affairs at Mary Immaculate College. She has worked for four Irish universities and has published widely on a range of themes including values, social protest, corruption and community violence.

She has led research projects funded by the Irish Research Council, Universities Ireland and Irish Aid. Her monographs including Escaping the Global Village: Media, Language and Protest (Lexington Books, 2003, 2004) and Rule-breakers: Why ‘being there’ trumps ‘being fair’ in Ireland (Gill and Macmillan, 2015). She has also edited a number of collections: Understanding Limerick: Social Exclusion and Change (Cork University Press, 2011), Minority Language Media: Concepts, Critiques and Case Studies (with Mike Cormack, Multilingual Matters, 2007) and Social Movements and Ireland (Manchester University Press, 2006 with Linda Connolly).

Her PhD, which focused on minority language nationalisms in Europe was highly commended under the European Union Committee of the Region’s Doctoral Thesis Prize Competition. In 2010, she co-authored The TEACH Report (Traveller Education and Adults: Crisis, Challenge and Change) with Dr. Maria Campbell which mapped challenges faced by young Mincéirs (Irish Travellers) in dealing with adult transitions in the Irish education system. In 2011, she was awarded a CACSSS Special Research Commendation Award for her three year ethnographic study of social exclusion and community violence in Limerick city which was published as part of the Understanding Limerick collection.

She is a former editor of the Irish Journal of Sociology and former Chair of the Editorial Committee of Cork University Press. She served as Head of the Department of Sociology at University College Cork for three years and in 2018 was appointed Vice-President of Academic Affairs at MIC in her native Limerick. Having worked as a journalist and presenter while completing her PhD, she is a frequent contributor to the Irish media on themes of sociological interest.

Professor Hourigan is Acting President until 10 November 2024.

Chaith Maedhbh Uí Chiagáin a saol oibre i gColáiste Íosagáin, Baile Átha Cliath, i dtosach mar mhúinteoir ceoil agus ansin mar phríomhoide. Ó d’éirigh sí as tá sí gníomhach ar dhá bhord bainistíochta  meánscoile, chomh maith le roinnt oibre a dhéanamh ó am go chéile don JMB. This includes, in 2012, the editing of Catholic Schools – Faith in our Future, a collection of essays to mark 25 years of the Association of Management of Catholic Secondary Schools. 

As a parish volunteer, she prepares and accompanies a group of young singers for one of the weekend Masses.

Mary Considine is the CEO of Shannon Group, a commercial semi state Group comprising of Shannon Airport, Shannon Commercial Properties & Shannon Heritage.  Mary is the former Shannon Airport Director and during her time as Airport Director she led the successful setting up of Shannon Group plc and the transition of Shannon Airport, the property element of Shannon Development and Shannon Heritage into the Group prior to its incorporation in 2014. She also managed the successful separation of Shannon Airport Authority from the DAA in 2012 leading to Shannon Airport becoming independent on 31 December 2012. 

Mary was appointed President of Shannon Chamber in June 2018 and currently sits on the VHI Members Advisory Council. A qualified accountant by profession, she has extensive financial, commercial and governance services experience from a number of previous senior roles.

A well-known Limerick City businesswoman and voluntary community activist, Helen was Limerick Person of the Year 2012. She is the proprietor/manager of the Hunt Museum Café and bespoke event catering business, and also chairperson of the Board of Management Crescent College Comprehensive SJ.

Helen is Chairperson of Limerick City Tidy Towns committee; a member of the JP McManus Benevolent Fund committee; past Chairperson of Adapt woman's refuge; past President Limerick Federation of Women's Organisations and has served on the board and executive committee Limerick Chamber of Commerce. At national level served as a member of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation and is presently Chairperson of the Safefood Advisory Board, a North South body established under the Good Friday Agreement. A native of Sligo, she was educated at Grange National School, Grange Vocational School, Convent of Mercy Claremorris, and College of Catering RTC Galway.

Married to Tom, a former Government Minister and MEP, they have one son—Thomas.

Aisling Knox was elected as President of MISU for the academic year 2024/2025.  

Aisling is from Clare and is a recent graduate of the BA in English and Drama & Theatre Studies at MIC. 

As SU President, she is the chief spokesperson of the Student Union and the main representative for the students of MIC. Their role is to coordinate all aspects of the union and its dealings with students.

Jimmy Ogwal was elected as Vice President Academic of MISU for the academic year 2024/25. 

Jimmy has experience in teaching, tutoring, educational leadership and administration, and lecturing. He hails from Uganda and has achieved several academic milestones, including a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Administration and Management (PGDPAM), a Postgraduate Certificate in Theological Training, a Bachelor of Teacher Education (BTE), a Diploma in Education (Dip Ed), Uganda Certificate in Education(UCE) and a Certificate in Primary Teaching. Currently, he is pursuing his MEd from MIC and is expected to graduate soon. 

In his capacity as the academic officer of the student's union, he deals with academic-related student issues on a daily basis and coordinates the class rep system at the College.