Terence Brannigan

Terence Brannigan was for most of his career, a senior manager and then Director at Compass Group plc., becoming Divisional Managing Director in 1985. Between 1987 and 2006 he held CEO positions in a number of key businesses in the U.K. and Ireland. In the years 2006-2009 Terence led a Support Services business in Northern Ireland, employing 15,000 people and with a platform across the U.K. and Ireland, servicing ‘blue chip’ clients throughout the public and private sectors. Heading the Belfast Telegraph’s ‘Top 100 Companies’ list, it is now the largest private sector employer in Northern Ireland.

Gordon D'Arcy

Gordon D'Arcy holds an MSc in Environmental Science and works primarily in the field of environmental education. He teaches both at primary and tertiary levels. He runs courses for interested groups, including teachers and organises frequent field outings, particularly to the Burren in County Clare. As an artist, he has had ten solo exhibitions throughout Ireland. Themes are drawn mainly from nature. He has illustrated numerous books and periodicals. Gordon is author of seven books, and has been involved in a number of wildlife documentaries on RTE television.

Shiela Mc Caul MBE

Shiela Mc Caul MBE was a Senior Education Officer in the Western Education and Library Board prior to her retirement in 2006. She had a key strategic role in all significant elements of the development and provision of Teaching, Learning, Curriculum, Special Education and Youth Services throughout the Western Board area. A former teacher, she is keenly interested in the development of “well-rounded” young people and believes that education should allow them to develop creatively and emotionally, as well as intellectually. Since her retirement Mrs Mc Caul continues her involvement in Education having been appointed as a Department of Education representative on the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools and the Derry Diocesan Education Committee. She is a Trustee of the Omagh Fund and was the first chairperson of the Omagh Marie Curie Cancer Care group. She was awarded the MBE for services to Education in 1998.

John McConnell CBE
John McConnell CBE is a retired senior civil servant. He was appointed to co-ordinate government activity in the wake of the Omagh bomb. He now holds several directorships and is actively involved with a number of charities. John was awarded the CBE for services to the community in 2003.

Sean O’Dwyer CBE

Sean O’Dwyer CBE is a retired businessman, actively involved with various industry and government bodies as well as a number of charities. He was Chairman and Pro Chancellor of the University of Ulster. Sean was awarded the CBE for services to Higher Education, Business and the Omagh Fund.

Betty Orr MBE

Betty Orr MBE has spent most of her teaching career in the North Belfast area. She has been a principal since 1988 and is currently Principal of Edenbrooke Primary School since 1993. Betty has served on the Greater Shankill Government Task Force as well as the local Greater Shankill Task Force and has been involved in many local initiatives. She is presently on the Board of the Greater Shankill Partnership. She is currently the Chairperson of the Greater Shankill Principals’ Group. In 2008 Betty was the winner of the Belfast Telegraph ‘Educational Woman of the Year’ and was also voted Northern Ireland ‘Inspirational Woman of the Year’ in 2009. Betty was awarded the MBE for services to education in 2002.

John Quinn

John Quinn, a former teacher, was a broadcaster with RTE Radio for twenty-five years. His programmes have won major awards at home, as well as in New York and Tokyo. He is the author of six children's novels, one adult novel, two memoirs and various works of non-fiction. He has been regularly involved in the Poetry Ireland schools scheme, which brings writers into schools, and with creative writing programmes for teachers. He holds an Honorary Doctorate (D.Litt) from the University of Limerick.

Professor Paul Seawright

Professor Paul Seawright is currently Chair of Photography at the University of Ulster. He is known internationally for his photographs of conflict and his work is held in many national collections. Paul is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and the Royal Society of Arts. He is also a board member on the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation.

Nino Toradze

Nino Toradze was born in Tbilisi, Georgia and lived there until 1991 when her family moved to England where they began to build their lives from ‘scratch’ in this new and peaceful land. Her family’s background is firmly rooted in the Arts, her father, David Toradze, being a well known and respected composer, her mother Liana Asatiani, an actress of considerable stature and her brother, Alexander Toradze, a concert pianist of international acclaim. Nino herself works for the Italian company Ermenegildo Zegna, as its Music Projects Manager. It was music which brought her and her close friend, The Duchess of Abercorn, together in 1994 and since then, as a Pushkin Trustee, Nino has been closely involved in the work of the Trust, particularly in Russia. She believes passionately, that unlocking the creative ‘voice’ of the individual, is one of the most powerful catalysts for bringing peace to the world and supporting the voices of inspiring teachers and children alike. She was a key figure in establishing The Pushkin Prize in St.Petersburg where it was welcomed with much enthusiasm. Nino is delighted that the Pushkin Trust hopes to create links with schools in Tibilisi in the future, as this will realise her dream to inspire children from her homeland in many creative ways.

WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU

If you were involved in Pushkin activities as a child, student or teacher, please tell us how you feel Pushkin has influenced your personal or professional life.