Board Biographies

Elaine Coghill (B.A. LL.M) holds a Master’s Degree in Commercial Law and has developed considerable experience across many legal areas of expertise and represents clients in District, Circuit and High Court cases. She is greatly respected for her determination and persistence in court as well as her approachability and friendliness among clients and colleagues. The creation of the partnership of Hickey Coghill Solicitors is a tribute to both her knowledge and experience.

Elaine has a keen interest in the Arts and is a regular audience member at the Hawk’s Well. Dance being her first love of the Arts, having practiced classical ballet for many years in her hometown and even performing in the Dean Crowe Theatre as a Junior Ballerina.

Nichola MacEvilly trained as an actress at Rose Bruford College London, and holds an MA from Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.She has worked extensively in theatre, TV and Film. Nichola also worked in casting with the famous Hubbard family in London, and as a film producer.  Musically, Nichola has recorded with Kieran Quinn, Indian, Bedlam Suitcase and Those Nervous Animals.

Favourite theatre credits include The Odd Couple (The Everyman) The Wake (Abbey Theatre) Constance (Hawks Well Theatre) The Only Jealousy of Emer, The Poor Mouth and Rhinoceros (Blue Raincoat Theatre Company)The Way of Water (English Theatre Berlin) Macbeth, Othello (Mill Theatre) Beseiged, Five Minutes Later, Ethica, and All Hell Lay Beneath (Sugarglass Theatre in Dublin and New York).  Favourite TV/Film include: Ripper St (BBC/Amazon) Seven Women (RTE) Sojourn, Runner (Paddy Slattery) The Lonely Tree (BAFTA Nominiated) Just One Thing (BAFTA nominated), Talk to me(BBC) The Bill (ThamesTelevision). Nichola is delighted to serve on the board of Hawks Well Theatre given it is where her love for drama was sparked and nurtured as a young girl growing up in Sligo.

John has over 15 years’ experience in practice and industry and is Programme Chair and lecturer on the BA in Accounting at ATU Sligo. He served nine years on ACCA Committees and was ACCA Ireland Chair in 2017. He is chair of the resource oversight committee with the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training, having previously served five years on the audit and risk committee.

John volunteers on the boards of Hawks Well Theatre, Sligo Tourist Development Association, Sligo Academy of Music, Summerhill College Alumni and was head judge at the Irish Accountancy Awards in 2023 and 2024. He is a strong advocate for the accounting profession, regularly visiting schools in the Northwest and hosting workshops for schools at ATU Sligo. He encourages accountants to update their skills in a fast-changing environment and collaborates with the professional accounting bodies to host professional training and conferences at ATU Sligo to address these needs.

Oonagh Monahan lives in Ireland and has worked in the food industry and with food producers there for over 20 years. She mentors food producers from start up through growth and has worked with over 300 individuals businesses in the past 10 years alone! Her first book, Money for Jam, the Essential Guide to Starting our Own Small Food Business"

Philip is a native of Co. Sligo who left the area to pursue an international executive career in the technology sector which took him and his family to Clonmel and thence to Switzerland and the United States as Director with Digital Equipment Corporation (now HP). He returned to Dublin as VP with Visio Corporation (now Microsoft), Group COO with Orbiscom (now MasterCard) and subsequently as the founding CEO & Board member of the Digital Hub Development Agency (2002-2013).

He currently divides his time between Dublin and Sligo working on independent projects. He also holds a number of non-executive directorships.

 He served as Chairman of Ilex URC Ltd., which was established by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of N.I, to promote the physical, economic and social regeneration of Derry-Londonderry. 

He is also a recent board member of The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) 2004-2019, Dublin Simon Community (Chair from 2004 – 2008), and LERO the Irish Software Research Centre at University of Limerick 2014-2020. Nowadays, as well as serving on the Hawk’s Well Board, Philip is also a board member of SligoMusicFest CLG (inaugural Chair 2005 – 2009), which produces the critically acclaimed annual Sligo Live Festival.

As a Friend/Patron of The Abbey Theatre, Rough Magic, The Performance Corporation, IMMA, RHA, and the National Gallery, Philip has been a lifelong supporter of the Arts.

In his younger years, before he embarked on his technology career, he co-founded Ireland’s first weekend music festival which successfully introduced the tented village concept to Ireland. A ‘green field’ start-up as he humorously describes it himself – The Boys of Ballisodare ran from 1977 – 1982 and attracted audiences of 20k.

He holds an MSc. (Mgt.) from Trinity College, Dublin and is a graduate of Stanford University´s advanced management programme. He is a member of the Marketing Institute of Ireland (MMII) and of The Institute of Directors (IoD).

Michelle King has worked in the media and art's industry for a number of years, commencing in Television/Film and moving to the Arts sector in 2003. Michelle worked in various roles such as Personal Assistant, Line Producer, Events and Marketing Manager, Company Manager and now Associate Producer at the Gate Theatre.

Nessa has worked as a youth and community worker for over 25 years and was elected to Sligo County Council as a Labour Party Councillor in June 2024.

Nessa currently works with MSLETB as a Local Creative Youth Partnership Coordinator. The vision of the Local Creative Youth Partnership is to empower and nurture young people to achieve their creative potential by building opportunities in local communities where young people can explore, develop and express their creativity.

Nessa has always had a keen interest in the arts and over the years has enjoyed working in The Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast, Fablevision Theatre Arts Company in Glasgow, and with the National Youth Arts Programme in Dublin.

Nessa holds a M.Social Science (UCC) and a H.Dip in Leadership and Management (TUS).

Edel McSharry has worked in the health and education sectors as a critical care nurse, Nurse Manager, lecturer in nursing, health and disability studies, researcher, Head of School and Acting President of a third level college. She is a social advocate and a community activist and has been involved in, and on boards of charity and community organisations.

Edel was elected to Sligo County Council as a Fianna Fail Councillor in 2024 and wants to make a difference in the areas of health, wellbeing, education and quality of life for the people of this region. Her interest in the arts and particularly speech and drama started as a child participating in Feisanna, plays and panto, she then encouraged her four children to participate and has seen firsthand the benefit this experience has brought to them as young adults in terms of confidence, public speaking and appreciation of culture and the enjoyment of all creative art forms.

Edel Holds a Doctorate in Education, MSc in Nursing & Education, BSc in General Nursing and a H Dip in Industrial relations and Management.