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Leadership & Staff

The Twin Cities Irish Fest is led by a group of dedicated volunteer board members.

Board of Directors

woman with blonde hair and glasses in a raincoat in front of the Irish coast

Macy Ashby, Board Chair

Macy has been involved with the Irish Fest in a variety of capacities and now also serves on the board! She has long been interested in Ireland and Irish history, and has family roots in County Donegal.

Macy is a high school history teacher, currently working in Minneapolis. She travels when she can, and is always excited to see new places!

Adam Coolong, Secretary/Office Manager

Niall MacCafferty, Vice Chair

Niall has been part of Minnesota’s Irish community his whole life. His parents immigrated to St. Paul in 1970 and ran MacCafferty’s Irish Pub (1976-1982) and MacCafferty’s Irish Village, on Grand Avenue till closing the gift shop in the early 1990s. During his childhood, he spent his summers in the small town of Cushendun, Co Antrim, in the North of Ireland where he developed a deep love for Irish culture and community.
He has had an extensive career in restaurant management, working for Irish Born Hospitality for over 20 years and now with Roce Restaurants as regional manager since 2020. Niall leans on his experience in the hospitality business to assist with food and beverage operations as well as logistics during the Irish Fest and has been a proud member of the board since 2023

Sharon Austin

Sharon joined the board in 2025 and has been attending Irish Fest since she moved to the US in 2016. Hailing from Cork, she grew up attending Irish dancing and surrounded by Irish sports, music and food.

Mike Moriarity

Mike joined the Irish Fest Board in 2024 after years of volunteering in the Pub Tent and other locations. His love of Irish music and culture was accelerated when he studied at Trinity College in Dublin for his senior year of college. He met his wife Patty (who is even more Irish then he is) at the old MacCafferty’s on Grand Ave in St Paul. Mike is a retired attorney who spent 33 years working in the Minnesota court system in a number of parajudicial and administrative roles. He is looking forward to working with the wonderful volunteers we have every year.

Danny Stockton

Growing up in an Irish household on the outskirts of London, Irish music and traditions were part of Danny’s upbringing. Whether it was playing the whistle or Irish Dancing, he embraced it all. Having volunteered at Irish Fest for past 10+ years and more recently overseeing the VIP Area as Area Manager, joining the board was the next logical step. You will find him listening to Gaelic Storm or anything Irish even during the Holidays. And perhaps on occasion, even with a pint in his hand.

Mike Wiley

Mike has been involved with Irish Fest for over 20 years. In those 20+ years, he has served as Board Chair, Entertainment Chair, Vice Chair and Dance Tent Manager.

Mike currently manages the main stage, along with booking our headline and featured entertainers. Over the years, Mike has built an extensive worldwide network of musicians, managers, agents and fellow festival entertainment directors which he taps into to bring the best entertainers to Irish Fest year after year.

In addition to serving on our board, Mike is on the Executive Committee of the Association of Irish and Celtic Festivals (AIFC), which is a collaborative of over 50 festivals across North America.

Ryan Mayer

Ryan Mayer is a Minneapolis resident and Twin Cities business owner (Finaltone Painting Company). An avid traveler and lover of Celtic music, culture, and whiskey, he enjoys visiting Ireland whenever possible. Ryan is thrilled to bring his entrepreneurial spirit and past board service experience to Irish Fest, in support of the greater Minnesota Irish community.

RICHARD YOUNG, TREASURER

Richard has attended Irish Fest for many many years. He is now able to give back to the organization that has given him many fond memories of Irish music, culture, and food.

Derwin George

Staff

Sarah Van Sickle

Serving as the Event Manager, Sarah brings extensive experience in event planning, community engagement, and cultural programming. With a deep appreciation for Irish heritage and traditions, Sarah plays a pivotal role in orchestrating the festival.