New Project Manager with Athenry ADC

Source : Athenry A.D.C. Publications Athenry Journal No 9 (1998)

Anne Butler

Anne Butler, was born in Galway city and has lived and worked there all her life. She is currently planning to build a new home in Corrandulla which, with lots of luck, she hopes will be ready to move into, in the Summer of 1999.

Anne is one of a family of eight children whose father died suddenly in 1992. She was educated at the Presentation Convent, Galway and after finishing her studies in Secretarial College she was offered her first job with a small company in the city.

Later she moved on to work with the Western Health Board and in 1985 she decided to make a complete break from administration and train as a weaver. Anne spent the next two years learning the craft, selling the product and accepting commissions from companies and individuals. She then approached Druid Theatre Company regarding a post in their Box Office. During her years there, Anne completed a year long course with the Open University and went on to gain an evening Arts degree from University College, Galway.

Druid Theatre Company

Whilst with Druid her position changed over the years from Box Office Manager to Administrator. The areas of responsibility she most enjoyed were Literary Management, Rural Tour Management and the schools programme, all of which focused her attention and interest more on community activity and development. The Druid archive, which she forged, was in recent years, donated to the Special Collections section of University College Galway library.

Galway Arts Festival

She resigned her post with Druid Theatre Company in January 1997 and has since worked with a small television production company, as assistant to the Production Manager of Galway Arts Festival and Tour Manager with a South African theatre company touring Ireland.

Project Manager

She has two beautiful children, Eoin 6½ and Niamh 4½ and is married to Tom Thornton for the past fifteen years. She has a great interest in the arts, loves sports, gardening and Connemara. She is delighted with her appointment last December as Project Manager with Enterprising Athenry Area Development Company and is enjoying the challenge.