Wednesday, November 26: Hockey Ireland is delighted to announce the appointment of Richard Fahey as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 February 2026. Mr Fahey’s appointment marks a transformational moment for Irish hockey and signals the beginning of an ambitious new era for the sport.
Mr Fahey brings exceptional transformation credentials and strategic vision to Hockey Ireland, having delivered significant achievements throughout his career which included senior management roles at the FAI, Tennis Ireland and Cricket Ireland.
During his time as CEO of Tennis Ireland, the sport secured record levels of investment in facilities, fostered greatly enhanced relations with clubs, delivered significant growth in participation and established tennis as one of Ireland’s fastest-growing recreational activities.
At Cricket Ireland, he has led the development of key strategic cricket infrastructure initiatives, most notably the development of the National Cricket Centre at the Sport Ireland Campus, in partnership with Sport Ireland; a landmark €90 million project featuring a stadium and performance training facilities that will serve as Cricket Ireland’s home and will host matches at the 2030 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Mr Fahey’s mandate is to drive a new era for Irish hockey. Working collaboratively with the entire hockey community, he will establish Hockey Ireland as a centre of excellence. His focus will be on delivering the vision, direction, and support necessary to inspire a love of the sport, activate growth in communities, and develop strong systems that will secure sustained international success and organisational excellence.
Niamh Byrne, Chair of Hockey Ireland, said:
“On behalf of Hockey Ireland, I am delighted to welcome Richard Fahey as our new CEO. Richard is a builder of high-performing organisations, strong cultures, and sustainable success through principled leadership. He understands that true centres of excellence are powered by people. His unique blend of experience, delivering both major infrastructure and grassroots growth, is precisely what we need to realise our ambitious vision. As we look towards the World Cup and Olympics, we are poised to harness this incredible moment for Irish hockey and transform that inspiration into tangible growth that benefits every corner of Ireland.”
Richard Fahey commented:
“I am incredibly excited and proud to join Hockey Ireland at such a pivotal moment, with the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics creating unprecedented opportunities to showcase our exceptional high-performance players and inspire the next generation. In Hockey, teamwork is essential for success – both on and off the field. I look forward to engaging with all our stakeholders including the board, staff, provinces, clubs, government and commercial partners to make hockey a major sport in Ireland and a dominant force on the international stage”.
Hockey Ireland’s Board unanimously ratified Mr Fahey’s appointment following a comprehensive European-wide recruitment process. Mr Fahey’s appointment reinforces Hockey Ireland’s vision that extends beyond traditional sporting boundaries; building an organisation where world-class governance meets grassroots passion and cultural excellence drives participation growth, all designed to provide our players with the platform they need to excel both domestically and on the world’s biggest stages.
Hockey Ireland wishes to express its deep appreciation to Anne McCormack, our current CEO for her strong contribution and dedicated service over the last three years. The foundation she has helped build positions us well for the future, and we wish her every success in her exciting new chapter.
For further information, please contact the Hockey Ireland Communications Team.
Nick McElwee
Email: nick.mcelwee@hockey.ie
Phone: +353 (87) 764 1803
Cian Funge
Email: cian.funge@hockey.ie
Phone: +353 (86) 070 7272