Ann Russell
Ann Russell has worked as an actor,
director and facilitator since early 1990s. She set up Whirligig in 2008. Since then Whirligig has produced work by Irish and non-Irish writers. In 2015 European premiere of Risk Everything by the Canadian playwright George F. Walker was staged at The New Theatre and The Viking.
This was followed by Tara Maria Lovett's play The Tide, performed at The New Theatre, The Whale and The Dolmen theatres. Covid scuppered the planned tour of The Tide but it is hoped that this will return in the near future.
During the pandemic, Ann wrote a play Susan. Arts Council funding supported the development of this work and with the ongoing support from the Irish Theatre Institute and Dublin City Council, working towards a production in 2024.
Ann is a member of ReActors Actors Co-operative Agency - www.reactors.ie
Síne Lynch
Síne previously worked with Whirligig Theatre on The Tide (2019) & Risk Everything (2015). Other recent credits include the last ten years (2012) by Sean Millar, Source (2014) by Cathy Coughlan both for the DFF; A Hundred Years Ago (2013) and 1916 Kids (2016) for RADE. Her film production experience saw her producing Pom Boyd’s short film Day Trilogy (Today, Hard Day and Birthday) shortlisted at the Belfast, Charlie Chaplin and Clones Film Festivals and also screened at the Cork Film Festival. Síne holds a BBS Degree and Licentiate Diploma in Speech and Drama. She facilitates drama, communication and effective leadership workshops with the Russell Academy.
Jack Gilligan
We are delighted to have Jack Gilligan on board as Artistic Adviser.
Jack is a former Dublin City Arts Officer. He established the successful Dublin Writers Festival, (now the International Literature Festival Dublin) which has featured many national and international literary figures including novelists, poets and playwrights such as Harold Pinter, Tom Murphy and Tom Stoppard. A key supporter of the first-ever Dublin Fringe Festival in 1995, his office provided the first public financial support for that festival. He also established the long-running Opera in The Open lunchtime series which takes place at Wood Quay, Dublin in August each year. He initiated several Artist-in-Residence projects in Dublin City and managed many prominent Temporary Public Art projects in the city. The purpose-built LAB arts centre which opened, under his management, in 2005 has provided rehearsal and workspace for many of the city’s established and emerging theatre companies. Jack served on the judging panel for The Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards 2010 and 2011, seeing 300 shows over those two years! He is a former chairman of both the Irish Writers Centre and the Five Lamps Arts Festival and a former member of the board of Dublin Youth Theatre. He currently serves on the board of the Dublin community radio station, 103.2 Dublin City FM. and presents Centre Stage, a weekly theatre programme on the station,
