Druid welcomes Adrian O’Neill as new Chair of the Board of Directors

7 October 2024

Druid Theatre today announced the appointment of a new Chair of its Board of Directors, Adrian O’Neill, former Ambassador of Ireland to the United Kingdom. Adrian joined Druid’s Board of Directors in July 2024; his appointment to Chair was ratified by the Board last Thursday, at which time he acceded to the position.

Adrian retired from the Department of Foreign Affairs in late 2022. Prior to his role as Irish Ambassador in London (2017-2022), he occupied a number of other high-level positions including Second Secretary General at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Secretary General to the President of Ireland, serving both President Higgins and former President McAleese.

Adrian’s appointment happens at a time of great success for Druid which yesterday concluded a critically acclaimed run of Tom Murphy’s The House in Galway and Dublin, as well as a Galway run of Samuel Beckett’s Endgame earlier this year. The company is now preparing for an ambitious programme of work in 2025, in which it celebrates the 50^th anniversary of its establishment.

Adrian O’Neill, the new Chair of Druid’s Board of Directors: “I am honoured to accept the role of Chair of Druid’s Board of Directors. I have long admired Druid and the excellent work they do both at home and abroad. Their contribution as cultural ambassadors for Ireland over many years has been of major significance. As the company enters its 50^th year, I look forward to working with my fellow Board members.”

Garry Hynes, Druid’s Artistic Director: “I’m delighted to welcome Adrian O’Neill as the new Chair of our Board. Adrian brings with him decades of experience of public service on national and international stages. I look forward to working with him and the rest of the Board as we enter our 50^th year. I also wish to pay tribute to Tom Joyce, our former Chair who held the position for the past five years, as well as Board member Caroline Loughnane who served as interim Chair in recent months.”

Adrian O’Neill

Born and raised in Dublin, Adrian is a former civil servant and diplomat. After graduating from Trinity College Dublin (History), he joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1979. While most of his career at Headquarters focused on British-Irish relations and the peace process in Northern Ireland, Adrian also served in missions abroad in Madrid (1986-89), Boston (1992-93) and Washington DC (1996-2000).

In 2010, Adrian was appointed Secretary General to the President of Ireland. In this role, he served both former President McAleese and President Michael D. Higgins and was centrally involved in the planning of the State Visit of Queen Elizabeth to Ireland in 2011 and President Higgins’ return State Visit to the UK in 2014.

In June 2014, he returned to the Department of Foreign Affairs as Second Secretary General. After three years leading the Department’s Ireland, UK and Americas Division, Adrian was appointed as Ambassador of Ireland to the UK in 2017. While the UK’s exit from the EU represented a significant challenge during his 5-year tenure, Adrian nonetheless availed of every opportunity in London – including in the cultural domain – to promote positive British-Irish relations.

Since his retirement from the Department of Foreign Affairs in December 2022, Adrian has commenced a post-graduate degree in TCD in modern Irish history and is also a Trustee of the British-Irish Association. He is married to Aisling and has two adult children.

Image: Druid Lane by Colm Hogan