Bill O'Herlihy set to chair Irish Film Board

Renn

O'Herlihy's position is to be confirmed by the Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht, and he is one of seven new board members announced by the Minister


The other board members are: Maurice Sweeney (Documentary Filmmaker), Dr Annie Doona (President of Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT)), John Rice (Animator), Kate O'Toole (Actress), Séamus Deasy (Cinematographer) and Katie Holly (Producer).


The Minister said: "I am delighted that these seven very talented individuals have accepted my invitation to become members of the board of Bord Scannán na hÉireann/Irish Film Board. They are joining Bord Scannán na hÉireann/Irish Film Board at a very important time for Ireland's film and audiovisual sector.


"Supporting and creating employment - across all sectors - is a priority for this Government. The film and audiovisual sector is playing its part, and it is vital that we grow the contribution that this sector can make to Ireland's ongoing recovery.


"Under the Chairmanship of Bill O'Herlihy, and together with the experienced staff in Bord Scannán na hÉireann/Irish Film Board, I believe that the new board can be a catalyst to help the agency grow and develop and to nurture the next generation of audiovisual talent in Ireland."

The appointments are for a four-year period.

http://www.rte.ie/ten/2013/0312/irishfilmboard.html

Bit of a strange appointment, no?

Technocentral

Makes perfect sense to appoint a sports bore rather than someone directly involved in the Irish film making community, this is Ireland after all. :rolleyes:

Kinski

Renn wrote: »

Bit of a strange appointment, no?

Wonder no more: O'Herlihy is a life-long Fine Gaeler and former party advisor who was close to Garret Fitzgerald during his premiership.

im invisible

just went on to wiki to see what he started in, and how he ended up in sport

In November 1970 the 7 Days programme came into controversy when O'Herlihy reported a story on illegal money lending. The report was unconventional as it was one of the first television pieces to use hidden cameras, it claimed the government were not responding to illegal moneylending. A tribunal of inquiry would follow and O'Herlihy was forced to move away from current affairs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_O%27Herlihy

the standard of writing... isnt the best, shall we say, on that page, but i love the picture they used for him (its large), it tops Denis Irwin's, by a long shot
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/RT%C3%89_Soccer_Panel.jpg

Straight Outta Ganton

He's on the scrap heap. Strange appointment, what does he know about movies?

duckworth

Straight Outta Ganton wrote: »

He's on the scrap heap. Strange appointment, what does he know about movies?

He's hardly on the scrap heap. He owns Ireland's biggest PR & Media Company, and is a millionaire many times over from it. He's one of the most powerful men in the country.

His media/pr expertise is somewhat related to the film industry - he may be on board as the best man to push Irish films abroad, you never know.

Although its most likely a cushy number for a FG old boy.

AnonoBoy

A lot of ye will only know him from sports but he came from a current affairs background.

Answer me this though: will he actually have any direct input into funding decisions? I doubt it. Probably have more to do with the running of the board itself which I'm sure he's more than capable of. He's a shrewd business man.

The actual people making the funding and development decisions directly aren't the people on the board.

mike65

I don't think that Billo needs to know much about the machinations of making movies per se. The Film Board is a facilitator first and foremost, fund raiser/distributor of funds and drum-banger for Irish films. They have people doing those roles