Staff Profiles

Aidine O'Reilly, Managing Director

Aidine, BA, H.Dip, M.Ed (Masters in Education) is Real Events founder and Managing Director. Aidine is a former secondary school teacher (CSPE, Art & Design) with a previous career in music and event-management. Her commitment to progressive approaches in Education Resulted in the achievement of such National Educational Awards as "The Irish Times Awards for Academic Achievement" in 1998 and "The National Larkin Prize for Excellence in the field of Art & Design Education" in 1999.

Aidine is the creator of the Coca-Cola Form and Fusion Design Awards, as seen on the Late Late Show, Nationwide, TV3, GMTV and BBC1.  She developed this competition from a single classroom project in 1998 to one of the largest school competitions in Ireland and Northern Ireland.  Aidíne's other event creations include the the Power of One Good Idea School's Programme, the Shockwaves Unsigned New Music Competition, The Irish Times’ SchoolMag Competition, Irish Aid’s ‘Our World’ Children’s Media Awards, the Bling Bling Jewellery Competition, and the Fuse Summer School of Performing Arts, in addition to Murphy’s Live. Aidine has acted as a consultant with for a number of clients including the Green Party.  Aidine is an integral part of project development and also provides ongoing supervision and support to all Real Events Project Managers.

Jennifer Pepper, Company Manager

Jennifer Pepper joined Real Events as a key member of the senior management team.  She joined Real Events in 2008 with over seven years experience in programme development, project and event management planning, project implemention, events and conferences at both national and European level.

Sharon Murray: Head of Real Events Youth Division & Education Department

Sharon Murray (MSc BSc) joined Real Events in 2007 as a Senior Project Manager specialising in science education.  Previously she was the CTYI Science Bus coordinator in DCU and had worked directly with over 20,000 students in over 250 schools in Ireland, England and Wales. She also is a member of the Dublin Gospel Choir and has run music workshops and choirs for students over serveral years. With Real Events, Sharon co-ordindinated and managed innovative and exciting learning experiences, national education programmes and events for thousands of primary, secondary and third level schools and colleges.

Ashley Keating – Real Events Music Director

Ashley Keating is a member of Irish band The Frank and Walters. He is also an independent record label owner (FIFA Records) and producer for many well known Irish acts. He joined Real Events since 2001 to develop a suite of music projects such as The Wella Shockwaves Unsigned band competition for under 18 year olds, Fuse Summer School and Murphy’s Live - Ireland biggest band competition.

Ashley became a fulltime staff member in 2009 and now heads up the team that produces the Murphy’s Little Big Nights Out and the Bulmer’s live at Leopardstown summer series, and the consultant team for the Cork X South West and Beamish Folk Festival in Co. Cork and the Indietracks Festival in the U.K. Ashley and Aidine are now spearheading Real Events move into more music sponsorships.... (watch this space)

Ruairí O'Flaherty, Project Director

Ruairi O’Flaherty has worked in the music and event arena for 15 years. As a live sound engineer, stage and production manager Ruairi has worked with artists as diverse as Paddy Casey, Amy Winehouse, The Thrills, Christy Moore and Alabama 3.  He has stage managed TV documentary shoots, festivals and events all over Ireland including The Gathering in Killarney, Cork by Southwest and many others.  For the last six years he has been Head of Music Preproduction and Stage Manager for the R.T.E. television series Other Voices.  As a self employed businessman for 12 years O'Flaherty developed a keen sense of planning and working within budget to bring an event or project to fruition.  Throughout his music and event career he has strived for organisational excellence whether working with an orchestra or with hundreds of children at an awards ceremony.

In his current position as a Project Director at Real Events he manages several projects including Murphy’s Live, Ireland’s biggest bands competition as well as event managing .  A key component of his job description is working closely with the client to deliver cost effective large scale live experiences as well as managing the day to day backbone and promotion of the competition.

Mairéad O’Callaghan, Food Dudes Project Director

Mairéad O’Callaghan AB (hons) is the Project Director of the Food Dudes Healthy Eating Programme. A Harvard graduate, Mairead has an honours degree in Psychology which has provided her with valuable insight into human behaviour. Most recently this has come to good use in her Food Dudes role. Having worked as a Food Dudes Project Manager in the Galway region before taking up her role as Project Director, Mairead has a breadth of both grass roots and administrative knowledge in running a primary school based programme. Mairead is also a dedicated athlete having run track and cross country for four years in college and having captained the Harvard ladies’ cross country team during her final year