Board

President - Ciaran Cannon

Elected President in May 2025, Cannon is a native of Athenry, Co. Galway. He began his career in local government, working with Dublin Co. Council and Galway Co. Council. He was appointed CEO of The Irish Pilgrimage Trust in 2000.

In 2007 he was appointed to Seanad Éireann, and in 2011 he was elected to Dáil Éireann. He was re-elected in 2016, and again in 2020. He has served as Minister for Training and Skills and Minister for Diaspora and International Development. As Minister for Training and Skills he spearheaded the development of Ireland's first ever Further Education and Training Strategy and the subsequent creation of SOLAS. As Minister for the Diaspora and International Development he led the development of Ireland’s Diaspora Strategy and International Development Strategy.

In recognition of his commitment to educational development worldwide, he was appointed a UNICEF Global Champion for Education in 2019. Ciaran now serves as Vice-President of Global Affairs with Alison, a leading free online education platform.

Cycling has been an intrinsic part of Cannon's life and he is a longstanding member of Seven Springs CC. In 1986 he was one of the first participants on the Irish Pilgrimage Trust's Galway - Lourdes Cycle, and has completed that event 14 times. In 2019 he ascended Mont Ventoux three times in 24 hours. In 2021, as part of an eight man team, he cycled Mizen to Malin in 23 hours. In 2023, having recovered from a serious road traffic incident, he completed a solo ride of the 32 counties of Ireland, covering 935 km in 56 hours.

The safety of cyclists on Irish roads remains a priority issue for Ciaran and he has worked consistently with others for over a decade in bringing about positive change at national level. His work has focused on influencing local and national policies to create a safer cycling environment, including securing stricter penalties for the dangerous overtaking of cyclists, lobbying for planning policies that prioritise cycling, and engaging with various stakeholders to implement best practices in road safety. Ciaran Cannon’s passion for the development of cycling, senior government experience, strategic vision and strong communication skills make him the ideal candidate for the presidency of Cycling Ireland.

Vice President - Conor Campbell

Conor was appointed to the board in November 2021. Hailing from Co. Meath, Conor is a former member of the national team and continues to be heavily involved in cycling in Ireland. Conor holds a BCL degree from Dublin City University and is a qualified solicitor in Ireland, England, Wales and New York and currently works for a US law firm. 

Director - Gary McIlroy

Gary McIlroy is an Aviation Safety Inspector at the Irish Aviation Authority. He is a holder of a Msc Project Management at UCD Michael Smurfit Business School, MSC Management (Aviation Leadership) at DCU and a Professional Certificate in Governance from the Institute of Public Administration.

Gary has a wealth of experience as a cycling Commissaire spanning 20 years which includes being a UCI International Commissaire for Road and Cyclo-cross. Gary has previously been Secretary for the College of Commissaires, Secretary of the Road Commission and a National Grading Officer. 

He is a highly regarded figure within the Irish cycling community, as shown by being named Cycling Ireland Volunteer of the Year in 2010. He is a member of the Usher Irish Road Club.

Director - William Byrne

William Byrne, from Dublin, has over thirty years' experience working in senior finance roles both within leading an Irish PLC and leading audit firms, such as BDO and Grant Thornton.  He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Association of Certified Accountants and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors.

Currently working for a global leading Not-For-Profit organisation, Will holds the role of Regional Senior Vice President for Finance, Grants and HR across Europe/Eurasia.  Will has worked for this organisation since 2010, managing over €25mi of EU grants along with managing in excess of €20mi annual donor funds. He is responsible for the regional financial and grant budgets, internal control and reporting on all aspects of finance related matters, as well as HR, GDPR, Global Data Protection Officer and strategy development. 

During his membership of Cycling Ireland, William has raced internationally for Cycling Ireland, has won National Elites titles, has managed National teams, won volunteer of the year, applied and received for sports capital grants on behalf of CI, was chair of the coaching committee, a member of Leinster Cycling and Track Commission for many years.

William is also the chair of an athletic club’s coaching committee with over 650 members, a board of management member of a local school, and is a director/trustee of an Irish Registered Charity, which he co-founded.

Will enjoys running and participating in triathlons, having also represented Ireland under Triathlon Ireland and Athletics Ireland.

Director - Louise Reilly

Louise Reilly is a barrister who specialises in sports law and international arbitration. An expert in good governance, Louise is Chair of the Board of the Biathlon Integrity Unit, which by delegation of the International Biathlon Union, regulates all aspects of integrity in the sport of biathlon, including anti-doping, ethical breaches, and betting-related issues. She is a member of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body Appeals Chamber; FA Judicial Panel; International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Independent Member Federation Sanctioning Panel; and the Panel of Arbitrators and Mediators of Sport Resolutions, UK.  

Prior to returning to private practice, Louise was Managing Counsel and Head of Mediation at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland. She obtained her law degree from Trinity College Dublin, and master’s degree from Stanford Law School, California.

Director - Catherine Mahoney

Catherine holds a PhD in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology and an MSc in Statistics from University College Dublin. 

A member of UCD Cycling Club since 2017, Catherine served as the Vice President of the UCD Athletic Union Council from 2019 to 2021.  She also served as the Vice President of Student Sport Ireland from 2020 to 2023.  As SSI Vice President, she contributed to the formation of the SSI Student Commission and served as the Irish student delegate to the 2022 International University Sports Federation World Forum in Cartago, Costa Rica.

Catherine is an active road, track, and gravel racing cyclist.

Director - Jonny Beers

Jonny was elected to the Board in May 2024. Jonny has been a Cycling Ireland member for over 20 years and in that time has been a Track and Mountain Bike National Champion and represented Cycling Ireland on National teams. Whilst no longer racing, Jonny continues to be heavily involved in cycling and is currently National Road Commissaire. 

Professionally, Jonny is a UK Tax Adviser currently with EY, predominantly working on Corporation Tax Compliance and Governance for large multi-national enterprises and private equity funds. 

Director - Greta Hickey

Greta was elected to the board in 2025 and brings a wealth of experience from her time working with major multi-national corporations, in which she spent her time in export sales and marketing roles across Europe, APAC and Latin America.

She is an accomplished athlete, having run for Ireland internationally, and won the Ladies Mini-Marathon. 

She has previous board experience with both Athletics Ireland and Triathlon Ireland.

Director - Valerie Considine 

Valerie Considine has been a central figure in Irish cycling for many years and is widely regarded for her work in event development, governance and, in particular, the advancement of women’s racing. She is best known as the founder and long-time Race Director of Rás na mBan. 

Over the years, Valerie has taken on a range of senior volunteer roles within Cycling Ireland, including serving on a number of our commissions up to Chairperson level. She is recognised for her steady judgement, collaborative manner and her commitment to ensuring that riders are always at the heart of decision-making. 

Director - Carol-Ann Heavey

Carol-Ann Heavey has been involved in Irish sport for many years and is well known for her work in commercial development, marketing and athlete support. A former Olympian, she represented Ireland as a swimmer at the highest level and has remained closely connected to sport through coaching, mentoring and various leadership roles. 

With a strong background in commercial strategy and brand development, Carol-Ann has worked across multiple sectors, helping organisations strengthen their sponsorship programmes, build audience engagement and develop long-term partnerships. Her professional experience includes senior roles in marketing, communications and business development, where she has become known for her practical approach and ability to deliver clear, measurable results.