Meet The Team

FESTIVAL TEAM // 

FESTIVAL DIRECTOR // BRYAN PEPPER // bryan@westival.ie


Bryan (BK) Pepper (He/Him), a composer and creative producer, who’s delighted to be part of the Westival team this year as Festival Director.

Bryan composes music for film and screen, and works as a creative producer on theatre, film, and festival projects.

He’s passionate about creating spaces where art and community meet — and he can’t wait for the festival to kick off because there’s an amazing lineup ahead!

 

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS //

 

FESTIVAL CHAIR // PATRICK HUGHES // chair@westival.ie


Born & raised in Dublin, Patrick spent most of his summers in Clifden prior to emigrating in 1990 to pursue a career in the casino gaming industry. After working in numerous international gaming jurisdictions he established a base in Las Vegas which became his home away from home for 20 years until he and his wife Nikki returned to Ireland and eventually moved to Westport in 2022.

Patrick’s career culminated when he ran Las Vegas’ busiest tourist destination as the CEO of the Fremont Street Experience (FSE), a six-city block entertainment district in the heart of the Downtown. The mandate at FSE was to drive visitation by producing festivals and large-scale events that attracted 20+ million visitors annually.

After returning to Ireland and establishing their new home in Westport, Nikki and Patrick opened a Thai Noodle Bar in the heart of Bridge Street which is Patrick’s pseudo-office where fresh Thai food is served and the Wonders of Westival are created.


FESTIVAL TREASURER // Sheila Kelly
Sheila Kelly is a Westport native who spent 17 years in Chicago building a career across business development, event management, and corporate fundraising before returning home. Now Operations Manager with AIA Loss Assessors, she brings strong organisational skills, a collaborative approach, and a proven ability to manage complex projects with clarity and precision. A certified APA and member of the Insurance Institute of Ireland, Sheila is delighted to support Westival's continued success as Company Secretary.


FESTIVAL BOARD // PADRAIC MCMAHON

Padraic McMahon lives in Lecanvey with his wife and two children. He is hugely passionate about the arts and technology, having a professional background in the Entertainment industry as an artist, and in the Tech industry, where he has worked for companies such as Google, LinkedIn, and HubSpot. He is currently Head of Growth for the Irish retail group of Carraig Donn and Aran Woollen Mills. 

 

FESTIVAL BOARD // PAUL FITZGERALD

Manager of the Buckfield Inn in Kilmeena. Paul spent many previous years in the DJ/Event space. He's been involved with organizing and performing in House Music events in Ireland, USA and Canada and is very excited to be a part of Westival this year.