A Fond Farewell as Executive Director - Seán Love Moves to New Role at Fighting Words
A Fond Farewell as Executive Director – Seán Love Moves to New Role at Fighting Words
Fighting Words was founded over 15 years ago by Roddy Doyle and Seán Love, who envisioned a place where children and young people could tell their stories, encouraged by volunteer mentors who donated their time to help young people build a positive sense of themselves.
Today we announce that Seán Love has retired as Executive Director. He has been succeeded by Colm Ó Cuanacháin, who has been Education Director since 2020.
Fighting Words started as a small organisation with a “big, bright room“ in Dublin, offering creative writing workshops for schools with a small group of dedicated volunteer mentors.
Since then, Fighting Words has grown into a national organisation and expanded the range of programmes offered to schools, groups and individuals to include fiction, animation, poetry, songwriting and more as well as expanding the number of locations where workshops are offered. Fighting Words works with brilliant partner organisations all over Ireland, as well as with our fantastic colleagues at Fighting Words NI.
And everything is offered free of charge and still delivered by dedicated volunteer mentors.
Seán Love has been at the heart of it all, as Executive Director, providing leadership, developing relationships and partnerships and helping the organisation develop and grow in every direction, to bring the opportunity for creative engagement to every child in Ireland.
Seán Love's "...collegial but dogged leadership - alongside our staff and volunteers - has touched and enhanced the creative and imaginative lives of thousands of children, young people and others across the country" - Alan Gilsenan, Chair of the Board of Directors, Fighting Words
Tireless Commitment to Fighting Words' Vision and Values - and a New Role
Alan Gilsenan, the Chair of the Board of Directors, commented, "Over his fifteen years as Executive Director, Sean has shown a remarkable and tireless commitment to Fighting Words' vision and values. His collegial but dogged leadership - alongside our staff and volunteers - has touched and enhanced the creative and imaginative lives of thousands of children, young people and others across the country.
He has done all of this with his trademark modesty, integrity and, above all, decency.
As a friend and colleague, the Board and I value him hugely and look forward to his ongoing relationship with all of us in his new role at Fighting Words."
Seán will remain with Fighting Words on a part-time basis as Director of Strategic Partnerships.
Welcome to our new Executive Director, Colm Ó Cuanacháin
Fighting Words is delighted to welcome Colm as the new Executive Director, bringing with him a wealth of experience in the area of education and knowledge of Fighting Words.
Regarding Colm's appointment, Alan Gilsenan noted that "The Board is delighted that Colm Ó Cuanacháin has agreed to succeed Sean as Executive Director. In recent years, Colm has served as both Education Director and Deputy Director at Fighting Words. His extensive experience allied to his long-standing passion for, and commitment to, both education and human rights make him an ideal leader as we open a new and exciting chapter here at Fighting Words."
Fighting Words has had the benefit of incredible leadership by our co-founder and first Executive Director Seán Love and he leaves the role with the gratitude and affection of the staff and volunteers of the organisation.
