ASHLEIGH MURRAY joined Cork City Council in 2022 as an Executive Architectural Conservation Officer. Before this, for 8 years, she worked as a Heritage Advisor for Donald Insall Associates, a leading conservation architectural practice in the UK. She previously also worked for 1.5 years in the London Planning Department of Historic England. In a voluntary capacity, she is involved with the Irish Georgian Society (IGS) and was previously Chair of their London Chapter and is now an active member of their Irish planning committee (Architectural Conservation Planning Committee). Ashleigh has a specialism in conservation and 18th-century century houses, which she gained through two masters.

GWEN JORDAN is a Senior Executive Planner with 25 years of experience in local authorities. Gwen has worked for Cork City Council since 2005 and in that time, she has worked in a variety of planning roles. She currently oversees development proposals and planning applications for Cork City Centre and South-central area. Key areas of Gwen’s work have involved urban regeneration projects, conservation of built heritage, residential strategy, grant schemes and tax incentive initiatives for refurbishing buildings.

Dr Seán O’Leary is Senior Planner with the Irish Planning Institute, the all-island professional membership body for spatial planners. He holds a BSc Government and Public Policy, Masters in Planning and Sustainable Development and PhD from University College Cork, and now teaches part-time on the Masters programme. He is a member of the Irish Planning Institute, author of ‘Sense of Place: A History of Irish Planning’ and host of the Planners’ Podcast.

Lawrence Owens is currently a Director of the Cork Business Association and a former past President of the organisation. He is well known in Cork as the long serving General Manager of Roches Stores and Debenhams.  He has spearheaded many campaigns on behalf of local businesses and his retail experience brings a depth of understanding of the challenges faced by retail businesses.

Mary McCarthy is the Director of Crawford Art Gallery one of Ireland’s National Cultural Institutions. She was appointed Director of the Crawford Art Gallery in 2018 and since then has worked with the Gallery team and the Board to advance a major capital redevelopment programme. As well as significantly developing the Gallery’s collection through acquisitions and donations. Mary is currently spearheading the ambitious redevelopment of Crawford Art Gallery . The project, which is being funded by the Minister’s Department, has been designed by an interdisciplinary design team, led by award-winning Grafton Architects, and is being delivered by the Office of Public Works and Crawford Art Gallery.

Kevin Cullen is a Senior Executive Architect with Cork City Council and has worked with the City Architects Department for 25 years. He has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from University College Dublin and is a Member of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland.