About us

Since its official opening in May 2023 by Minister Heather Humphreys, the Swift Cultural Centre in Trim has quickly become a vibrant new heart for arts, learning and community life in South Meath. Managed by Solstice Arts Centre on behalf of Meath County Council, the centre takes its name from both the renowned author and former Trim resident Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) and the iconic swift bird, a symbol of the town’s thriving natural ecosystem.

Today, the Swift Cultural Centre is already delivering on its promise: energising local culture, expanding community learning opportunities and strengthening Trim’s position as a destination for creativity. By sharing cultural spaces and meeting rooms with Trim Library, the centre offers a dynamic year‑round programme of performances, workshops, talks and community events. Local artists, drama societies and voluntary groups have embraced the new venue, which was designed with community use as its core value.

The €9 million development - which included the sensitive refurbishment of the former St. Patrick’s Chapel - has brought new life to a much‑loved heritage building while creating state‑of‑the‑art facilities for the public.

With a flexible auditorium seating up to 235 people, the Swift Cultural Centre now provides a long‑awaited professional space for drama, music, youth theatre, film screenings and cultural festivals. Since its opening, the venue has helped nurture emerging talent, supported local creative enterprises, and drawn visitors from across Meath and beyond, creating a positive ripple effect for local businesses and community wellbeing.

The Swift Cultural Centre is more than a building - it is fast becoming a catalyst for cultural growth, civic pride and community connection in Trim and its surrounding areas.

 

The Board

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Fiona Lawless (Chairperson)

Fiona Lawless is Chief Executive of Meath County Council.

Originally from Trim, Ms. Lawless has worked with Meath County Council since 2002, she is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants with a BSc in Management and over 40 years work experience including 20 years senior management experience in local government and senior level experience with Eircom, Loctite and PwC Ireland.

In her role as Head of Finance, Ms. Lawless has been on the board of the Navan Enterprise company and sits on the LEADER IEC Committee. She developed the first corporate governance framework for local authorities in Ireland which was implemented in Meath County Council and used by the IPA as the national template for the corporate governance framework and governance code for the local authority sector. As Chairperson of the National Debt Management Project Group, she led the development of a strategy on debt management for the local government sector which was adopted and implemented by all 31 local authorities.

Ms. Lawless currently represents and leads the local government sector at national level in the following areas:

Member of the Board of The Housing Agency
A member of the Audit Committee of the Housing Agency and LGMA
Local Authority representative on the National Loans Management Group
Member of National Mortgage Arrears Resolution Committee 
In Meath County Council, Ms Lawless has led the delivery of a substantial performance, change management and employee engagement program which resulted in more effective and efficient service delivery and huge savings in both financial and human resources.

As a previous Director of Finance, Water, Procurement, Motor Tax and IT, Ms. Lawless has a unique insight and knowledge of the Council’s various service division work programmes as well as their key challenges and requirements.  The added responsibility of managing the Ashbourne Municipal District and Laytown/Bettystown Municipal District equips her with in depth strategic and operational knowledge and experience. 

In June 2023 Ms Lawless achieved a Post Graduate Diploma in Corporate Governance, Risk Management, and Internal Audit.

Ms. Fiona Lawless, Chief Executive of Meath County Council is committed to continuous change and adaptation for the benefit of Meath County Council and its citizens.

Belinda Quirke (Company Secretary)

Belinda Quirke was appointed as a Member of the Board on 26/09/2007.

 

Inaugural director and artistic curator of Solstice, Belinda Quirke, is a graduate of NCAD, (MFA Art in the Contemporary World), UCC Music and Crawford College of Art, Cork. Belinda is currently a trustee of the Golden Fleece Award; an independent artistic prize fund established as a charitable bequest by the late Helen Lillias Mitchell. She is also guest lecturer at NCAD's MA/MFA Art in the Contemporary World. In June 2021, Quirke returned to music making with the release of “The Black Hill”. Her current research explores the attunement of ancient and electronic drone etymologies.

Cllr. Yemi Adenuga

Cllr. Yemi Adenuga is Ireland’s first ever elected Black Female public representative and Meath County Council’s first migrant councillor. She ran in the local elections of May 2019 and was elected as a Fine Gael councillor, representing Navan Municipal District. Yemi and her family ‘The Adenugas’ are the first migrant family to feature on the TV hit reality show ‘Gogglebox Ireland’ which airs on Virgin Media Ireland. Yemi first lived in Dublin when she came to Ireland in 2000, and relocated to Navan in 2004, where she lives with her husband and children.

Cllr. Adenuga has a background in Radio and TV Broadcasting as a presenter, Newscaster, producer and Talk show host. She is a People Development Strategist, a Confidence Coach and an entrepreneur who builds people through the MIB INSTITUTE of People Development. She holds a Post-graduate certificate in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Enterprise from the University of Dublin (UCD) Innovation Academy, a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree (Project Management stream) from the Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, a Bachelors of Business Studies (BBS Honors, Entrepreneurship Stream) and a Diploma in Business Studies (Human Resource Management Stream) both from University College Dublin (UCD).

Cllr. Adenuga was appointed as a Member of the Board on 26/06/2019.

Cllr. Paul O’Rourke

Biography coming soon.

Cllr. Padraig Fitzsimons

Biography coming soon.

Cllr. Padraig Fitzsimons was appointed as a Member of the Board on 26/06/2019.

Arthur Lappin

Arthur Lappin has for over 30 years been a leading film and theatre producer. He has been a producer on 16 feature films, several TV series and documentaries. He has produced over 20 stage productions in all major Dublin theatres and on tour in Ireland, the UK and Australia. His feature films, which include My Left Foot, The Field, In The Name of The Father and In America, were nominated for 16 Academy Awards and won 4 as well as many other international awards.

He also works as a Consultant in the cultural sector - previous clients include The Arts Council and The Abbey Theatre and most recently he was Strategist and bid book Editor for Galway’s successful bid for European Capital of Culture 2020.

His many voluntary board positions include Founding Chair of the National Training Committee for Film and TV (now Screen Training Ireland) and The Ark, as well as Chair of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival. He is a native of Kells, Co. Meath with several business interests there.

Arthur was appointed as a Member of the Board on 24/10/2016.

Jack Rogers

Biography coming soon.

Helen Stanton

Helen Stanton is Manager of Public Engagement, Outreach and Education at the Devenish Lands at Dowth, County Meath.

Previously, Helen worked as an executive coach and consultant for senior leaders in organisations in the private, public and voluntary sectors such as Intel, eir, Bulmers, The Bar Council of Ireland, The Law Society of Ireland, Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin, Dundalk IT, Acquired Brain Injury Ireland and the South West Inner City Local Employment Centre. She worked in Eir as the Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive and also as Manager of Regulatory Affairs.

Helen started her working life in IBEC’s Brussels office specialising in telecommunications liberalisation and R&D funding.  She has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters in European Economic and Public Affairs. Despite the largely techie career, Helen has had a life-long interest in the arts.

Helen was appointed as a Member of the Board on 01/11/2018.

Oonagh Young

Biography coming soon.