Our Board
Myles McHugh
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Myles held senior management positions in Iarnród Éireann before embarking on a new career as Lecturer in the School of Business at Atlantic Technological University (ATU). He has experience of leading boards in the education, parish and sports areas.
He hopes to bring his experience to assist HopeSpace CLG to grow and prosper and to deliver a service of the highest quality that will help support children and their parents during difficult times. He has a strong commitment to ensuring compliance with best practice in governance and safeguarding.
Myles was born in Galway City and now lives in Oranmore..
Breda Fallon
Breda qualified from Mary Immaculate College of Education in 1982 and spent forty years teaching in a Deis Band 1 school on the outskirts of Galway City. She taught all class groups and has experience working with children with special educational needs.
Breda became interested in the area of children’s grief after her husband, Pat, died in March 2018. As a mother of three children, she realised that she knew little about how to support her children on their grief journey. She subsequently attended courses with the Irish Children’s Bereavement Network to broaden her knowledge and understanding of childhood bereavement.
In 2023, she graduated from the RCSI with a Professional Certificate in Children and Loss. She is currently doing a MSc in Loss and Bereavement. It is her hope that because of HopeSpace, grieving children will receive the support and attention they deserve and that they will no longer be the forgotten mourners..
Declan Farrell
Throughout his career, initially in banking, but primarily in the hospitality industry, Declan has been involved with a number of charities and youth organisations. He has served on various committees which have raised substantial funds for charitable endeavours.
He is committed to providing children and teens with a warm, welcoming, non-judgmental place where they can share their thoughts and concerns around grief and help them to understand that they are not alone.
Cathleen Hartnett
Convenor of the Communications Committee
Cathleen is a quality consultant and has many years of experience in the community voluntary sector at a governance level and as a volunteer.
She has personal experience of grief as a young person. Her commitment to HopeSpace is motivated by knowing that she would have benefited from such a service. Cathleen lives in Salthill and is the mother of two young adult children.
Kathleen Hurley
Kathleen is a primary school teacher with 40 years experience, including children with special educational needs, in Ireland, England and Canada.
She served as a member of her local school Board of Management and Parents’ Association. She has been a committee member of her local Residents Association and Active Retirement Association and has volunteered with SVP.
Kathleen’s personal life experience in loss and grief has instilled in her a commitment to help children in their grief journey, through the services of HopeSpace CLG
Kathleen, now retired from teaching, lives in Galway City and has two adult children.
Pauline Joyce
Convenor of the Governance and Quality Committee
Pauline has served on the Philanthropy Core Team of a major corporation and has been an active volunteer in her local parish, supporting youth initiatives and helping create a dedicated space for young people. With a background in Business Process Management, she brings expertise in improving systems and processes to enhance governance and strengthen organisational effectiveness.
As Convenor of the Governance and Quality Committee, her focus is on supporting clear governance, practical processes and strong standards that help HopeSpace deliver its mission with transparency and care.
Mary Emer Larkin
Member of the Governance and Quality Committee
Mary Emer Larkin is a retired District Court Judge and former solicitor.
She has always had a particular interest in families as a result of her work in the Courts and private practice. Recently retired, Mary is happy to contribute her time and energy to working with HopeSpace CLG to support children and young people who are bereaved and suffering loss.
Tony Lundon
Tony qualified as a medical doctor in University College Galway in 1975. He has practiced as a family doctor in Galway City from 1978 to the present time.
Through his work and personal life, Tony is acutely aware of the lack of structured support in our health service for children and teenagers whose lives have been shattered by the loss of a loved one, and the overwhelming grief enforced upon them by such a tragic event in their young lives.
Toni O’Doherty
Convenor of the Volunteer and Training Committee
Toni is originally from Galway and recently retired from working in various roles within the Quality sector of the Medical Device industry,
Toni initially started her journey with HopeSpace as a Support volunteer. Since joining the Board of Trustees Toni has helped to convene the Volunteer and Training committee.
Toni’s personal life experience in loss and grief both in childhood and as an adult has instilled in her a commitment to help support children who are grieving, through the services of HopeSpace CLG. As well as supporting HopeSpace Toni volunteers with other charities locally.
Kay O’Dwyer
Treasurer
Kay is a chartered accountant with many years of experience in compliance, governance and practice. She is also a volunteer with other charities and has served as a member of her local school Board of Management for several years.
Her commitment to HopeSpace CLG is motivated by knowing that supporting children during their loss will have a lifelong impact on their lives.
Kay lives in Galway City and has two adult children.
Cathriona O’Flaherty
Company Secretary
As the managing director of O’Flaherty Funeral Directors in Galway City and County, Cathriona works within the business as part of a team to provide the best service possible to the bereaved. Her role within the business is to meet with people who find themselves in an unfamiliar and sometimes unexpected situation and provide all the necessary relevant information which they need at that time allowing them to make informed decisions. She is also involved in all funeral preparations.
As a past President of the Irish Association of Funeral Directors she is proud to have been part of the development of the association's program to encourage ‘Best Practice Standards’ within the organization.
With her many years of experience assisting bereaved families, Cathriona looks forward to giving her full support to HopeSpace.