Organisation Structure
Board of Directors
John P. Byrne (Chairman)
John P. ByrneChairmaninfo@ihrb.ie
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 was also a Turf Club/IHRB representative on the board of Curragh Racecourse Ltd and is an owner/breeder.
Philip McLernon
Alison Millar
Angela Flanagan
Angela FlanaganDirector
Jill Farrell (Vice Chairperson)
Jill Farrell Director
Jill was appointed as a Director in 2024. She is a practicing Optometrist in Cork and owns her own business. She is a National Hunt breeder and owner and is the current chairperson of the Point to Point Committee. She became a member of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee in 2007 and the Turf Club in 2017. She has been chairperson of raceday stewards in Cork, Galway and vice-chairperson at Killarney.
Justice Frank Clarke
Myles O’Malley
Mary Cullen
IHRB Executive
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 (Chief Medical Officer)
Cliodhna Guy (Head of Governance and Legal)
Paul Murtagh (Registrar, INHS CLG & 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).
John Murphy (Chief Financial Officer)
Niall Cronin (Head of Communications and Strategy)
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 (Administrator)
Angela CroweAdministratorinfo@ihrb.ie
Liz Morrissey (Receptionist)
Niall Cronin (Head of Communications and Strategy)
Raceday Operations & Point to Point Department
Paul Murtagh (INHS CLG 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)
Evelyn Domeyer (Point to Pont Administrator)
Evelyn DomeyerLicensing Departmentlicensing@ihrb.ie
+35345445605
Denise O'Neill (PA to Registrar of INHS CLG)
Denise O'NeillPA to Registrar of INHSC Committeehuntercerts@ihrb.ie
Phone: +35345445617
Trish Cullen (Raceday Operations Administrator)
Jennifer Walsh (Raceday Operations Manager)
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.
Emer Birmingham (Veterinary Regulatory Administrator)
Aileen Sloane Lee (Veterinary Department)
Aileen Sloane LeeVeterinary Department
Dr Graham Adams (Deputy Head of Veterinary Operations)
Dr Graham AdamsDeputy Head of Veterinary Operationsequine@ihrb.ie
Phone: +35345445605
JP McNamara (Equine & Veterinary Services Assistant)
Colleen Murphy (Senior Veterinary Assistant)
Colleen Murphy Senior Veterinary Assistantequine@ihrb.ie
Phone: +35345445605
Dr Lesley Ferguson (Deputy Head of Veterinary Policy)
Dr Lesley FergusonDeputy Head of Veterinary Policyequine@ihrb.ie
Phone: +35345445605
Governance & Legal
Cliodhna Guy (Head of Governance & Legal)
Cliodhna GuyHead of Governance & Legaldisciplinary@ihrb.ie
Cliodhna is the Head of Governance and Legal 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.
Licensing Department
Emma McDonald (Licensing, Education & Training Manager)
Emma McDonaldLicensing, Education & Training Managerlicensing@ihrb.ie
+35345445605
Olivia deStanley (Licensing Department)
Marianne Waters (Licensing Department)
Marianne WatersLicensing Departmentlicensing@ihrb.ie
Phone: +35345445605
Fran Lawler (Licensing Department)
Accounts Department
John Murphy (Chief Financial Officer)
John MurphyChief Financial Officeraccounts@ihrb.ie
+35345445605
Brenda Fox (Accounts Assistant)
Laura Felle (Accountant)
Laura FelleAccountantaccounts@ihrb.ie
+35345445600
Anne Bergin (Financial Accountant)
Anne BerginAccounts Departmentaccounts@ihrb.ie
Phone: +35345445600
Edyta Hryciuk (Accounts Assistant)
IT Department
James Somers (IT/IS Manager)
James SomersIT Managerit@ihrb.ie
+35345445600
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.
Regulation & Integrity
Christine Traynor (Head of Racing Regulation & Integrity)
Christine TraynorHead of Racing Regulation & Integritydisciplinary@ihrb.ie
Christine Traynor was appointed as Head of Racing Regulation and Integrity in May 2024. As a qualified solicitor and member of the Law Society of Ireland, she brings extensive legal expertise to her role. Christine is also a qualified barrister from the Honourable Society of King's Inns. She has held senior positions across various disciplines, with a strong focus on regulatory and legal compliance. Before her current role, she served as Head of the Legal Department and Senior Legal Counsel for the Irish subsidiary of a global aerospace and defense company, where she provided strategic legal guidance on corporate governance, commercial transactions, and compliance matters. Her leadership and expertise are instrumental in ensuring the integrity and regulatory standards of Irish horse racing.
C. Gordon (Head of Security & Investigations)
Stable Employee Pension Plan (SEPP)
Gina Keogh
Gina KeoghSEPP Administratorgina.keogh@ihrb.ie
Clerks of the Course
B. Sheridan
B. SheridanClerk of the Courseinfo@ihrb.ie
+35345445600
P.F. Graffin
P. Moloney
P. MoloneyClerk of the Course/Stipendiary Stewardinfo@ihrb.ie
+35345445600
B. Hamilton
L. Wyer
Stipendiary Stewards
L. Walsh (Senior Stipendiary Steward)
L. WalshSenior Stipendiary Stewardinfo@ihrb.ie
+35345445600
P. Deegan
H. Hynes
H. HynesStipendiary Steward/Clerk of the Scalesinfo@ihrb.ie
+35345445600
L. Aspell
L. AspellStipendiary Stewardinfo@ihrb.ie
+35345445600
P Hassett
P. HassettStipendiary Steward / Clerk of the Scalesinfo@ihrb.ie
+35345445600
C.J. Sweeney
A. Ring
A. RingStipendiary Steward/Clerk of the Scalesinfo@ihrb.ie
+35345445600