email: info@countywicklowppn.ie

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Secretariat

The Co Wicklow PPN Secretariat provides a coordinating and oversight function for the PPN. 

In particular its role is to:

  • Facilitate the implementation of decisions of the PPN
  • Ensure the proper functioning of the PPN between plenary meetings
  • Coordinate the activities of the PPN
  • Communicate extensively and regularly with all PPN members and disseminate information concerning all PPN activities as widely as possible
  • Manage and support PPN staff

The Secretariat is made up of one representative from each of the Co Wicklow Municipal Districts i.e. Arklow, Baltinglass, Bray, and Greystones, and one representative from member groups which have a co-wide remit.  Two representatives from each of the PPN sectors (colleges) i.e. Community & Voluntary College, Social Inclusion College and Environmental College.  As well as one representative of the PPN host organisation (Wicklow Travellers Group).

Municipal Area & College Representatives to the Secretariat

Gerorda Stamps

Baltinglass Municipal District Representative to the Secretariat

Gerorda got involved in local community activity with Foroige and served as Chair in 1979/80.  She started a Junior Chamber organisation and the St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festival in Baltinglass in the mid-1980s. Gerorda moved away from the area in 1991 on returning to Baltinglass in 2005 she joined the Local Forum and the Tidy Towns Group.  Gerorda runs the Facebook and Twitter pages for the Forum

Helen Kinsella

Helen Kinsella

Bray Municipal Area Representative to the Secretariat

Helen has a wealth of experience both a as paid worker and volunteer in the field of Community Development.  Helen is currently employed by Bray Family Resource & Development Project as a senior Community development worker. Helen currently represents the PPN on Bray Local Drugs Task Force.  Helen is also actively involved in a number of community initiatives including Oldcourt Estate Forum and Bray Seniors Annual Christmas Party. 

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Ruth Prenderville

Wicklow Municipal District Representative to the Secretariat

Ruth is embedded in community life through her involvement as secretary of Newtownmountkennedy Community Forum, Newtownmountkennedy Town Team as well as positions on the committees of Newtown Community Centre St. Patrick's parade and the local pony club.   Her position as community CEO supervisor plus her voluntary roles in the community give her a unique connection within communities up and down the district.

 

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James Dunne

James Dunne

Arklow Municipal District Representative to the Secretariat

James Dunne is a former County Secretary and former County Chairman of the Wicklow County GAA is is also a former Trustee of the National Committee of the GAA. He is currently a member of the  Executive  of Arklow and District  Chamber of Commerce  and is currently Chairperson of Arklow Business Enterprise centre. 

Michael Conlon

Co-wide Groups Representative to the Secretariat

Michael has been involved with Wicklow League for over 25 years as Secretary & currently as Chair.   Michael is also Secretary of Leinster Football Assoc. & FAI Assembly member.  He has served on four Commercial Board as a Sales/Commercial Director including currently BoscaSports. He now generally works for himself as a consultant.  Michael is an experienced negotiator & problem solver at both voluntary and commercial level.

Austin Baines

Community & Voluntary College Representative to the Secretariat

Austin is vice chair of the Kilcoole Men Shed.  He is also the Co-ordinator and Facilitator for the Dermot Early youth leadership programme in Greystones for 15- to 18-year-old teenagers.

Previous volunteer roles include:

Secretary and Treasurer roles for Kilquate Hill Residents Associaiton.Coach at Greystones Soccer Club and Eir Óg GAA Club.Treasurer of St. Vincent de Paul Ballybough branch in Dublin.Volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul Sunshine House, Ballbriggan, Dublin providing short holiday breaks for families in need.
Phyllis Farrell

Phyllis Farrell

Community & Voluntary College Representative to the Secretariat

Phyllis Farrell has been an active member of Community Games for many years. Phyllis is currently the area secretary for Ashford/Glenealy Community Games and PRO for the County Community Games organisation. She is also provincial secretary for Leinster and a Board Director of NEAC.  Phyllis is currently a PPN Representative on the Co Wicklow Local Sports and Recreation Partnership.

Eleanor Phillips

Eleanor Phillips

Social Inclusion College Representative to the Secretariat

Eleanor is a founding member and director of Signal Arts Centre which was set up over 30 years ago.  Since its inception Signal has provided an inclusive space where people from all walks of life and abilities can co-create together.  

Eleanor has also worked professionally as a community artist.  Programmes included a two year programme with the Traveller community in Northern Ireland; working with a homeless project in St Louis, USA and facilitating creative thinking for the transgender community.   Additionally, Eleanor has worked for a number of years with Blue Drum as Project Leader.   Blue Drum where the arts support agency for Family Resource Centres.  Eleanor has served one term on the Wicklow PPN Secretariat and would be delighted to continue to do so for a second term.

Marie McCourt

Social Inclusion College Representative to the Secretariat

Marie is a member of the Wicklow Older Peoples Council since 2023.  She has a particular interest in mental health.  Marie is also a member of Square One Theatre Group for over 40 years where she acts and directs.

Emma Smith

Environment College Representative to the Secretariat  

Emma is a committee member of West Wicklow Environmental Network (WWEN). She is active in the work of the WWEN, participating in network events, responding to consultation papers and writing articles about network events. She manages the WWEN facebook page. Over the years, she has been involved with numerous school parents’ associations and was on the Board of Management at Dunlavin Community
College for a number of years. She is a writer and lives in Hollywood, Co Wicklow.

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Vacant

Greystones Municipal District Representative to the Secretariat  

 

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Ashleigh Downey

Environment College Representative to the Secretariat  

Ashleigh Downey is an environmental artist, curator, educator, and socially engaged practitioner.   Over 20 years in the cultural sector Ashleigh works across disciplines as visual artist, researcher, facilitator, project manager and event organiser.  Taking an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to her practice Ashleigh develops environmental and community focused events such as Blooming Bunting (2015 to 2017) and the Wild Acres Week series celebrating biodiversity (2021 and 2022)

Ashleigh is a member of the Wicklow Sustainable Energy Community.  A Climate Reality Leader trained with former U.S. President Al Gore and Climate Ambassador with An Taisce.   She holds a Masters from LIT in ‘Social Practice and the Creative Environment’ and a postgraduate diploma in ‘Design Thinking for Sustainability’ from UCD Innovation Academy.

A member of the education panel at the National Gallery on Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane.  The Environmental Arts Coordinator for Green Sod Ireland Land Trust and Founder of Greenhouse Culture in 2021 Ashleigh set up Ireland's first Biodiversity Ambassador programme.  For more information visit: https://www.ashleighdowney.com/

Aoibhin McCloy

Aoibhinn McCloy

Host Organisation Representative to the Secretariat

 

Minutes of our Secretariat Meetings:

Copies of previous minutes are available on request.

Wicklow PPN 2025 Workplan