About Us
Our mission is to revitalise our Carnegie Oldpark Library into a thriving Centre for Weaving and community space. Recognising the rich textile history of Belfast while supporting our Weavers of today.
Our Team
Brian Cavanagh
Chair
Brian has 30 years of board governance experience; he spent 17 years as a City Councillor in Edinburgh, and 10 years as Chair and Non Executive Director of NHS Lothian. He also chaired the board of Synaptik, a private sector company, and was a member of Foscadh Housing Association
He is the managing director of Calibrate Ltd, a mentoring and coaching consultancy that specialises in board governance and development. Brian is the author of ‘Governing with Purpose-how to build a brilliant board’ and ‘The Art of Chairing- how to survive and thrive as a first-time board chair’.
Ani Kanakaki
Ani Kanakaki is a partnership and programme professional working across community development, peacebuilding, and the arts and cultural sector. She was the Project Coordinator for the Imagine Peace Barriers Project, a cross-community programme operating between the Cliftonville and Lower Oldpark communities in North Belfast, working to improve community relations, support dialogue and explore the future of interface areas.
She holds an MA in Communications & Media and a Master’s in Sustainable Development, with a focus on transitional societies. Her professional practice is informed by a strong interest in civic participation, culture and place-making as drivers of more interconnected and resilient communities.
Katherine DcDonald
Katherine worked for 12 years in lobbying and public relations in Northern Ireland helping organisations connect with government and policy-makers. Since 2012, she has undertaken a range of Executive roles in the voluntary sector in Northern Ireland, including four years as Director of an all-Ireland social enterprise in a large mental health charity. She has been Director of Craft NI since April 2019 and joined the Carnegie Oldpark Library Association board in 2025
Sara Dybris-McQuaid
Trustee
Sara Dybris McQuaid is Associate Professor in British Irish History Society and Culture at Aarhus University, Denmark. Her research explores how collectives remember, forget, and archive their past, during peacebuilding processes, with a particular focus on the post-agreement period in Northern Ireland. She spent 2025 in the library, researching its contribution over the years to bringing peace to the area, on which she has presented to various audiences internationally.
Marc Nevin
Trustee
Marc joined the board of COLA in 2025, drawn to the project’s ambition: bringing a historic building back to life as a useful asset for the community while preserving its history. With a keen interest in history, heritage and sustainability, he was gripped by the chance to see first-hand how a building of this age and significance is preserved and reimagined for the people around it.
Aisling Scullion
Aisling Scullion joined the board of COLA as she was drawn to the opportunity to support the conservation and adaptive reuse of one of Belfast’s important historic civic buildings. She is particularly interested in how heritage spaces can be thoughtfully reimagined to support long-term community use, creativity and public engagement.
Aisling has worked as an interior designer since 2006, with experience across retail, workplace and commercial projects in the UK, Ireland and internationally. Her work has received recognition from both the Irish Design Institute and the Retail Design Awards in London.
Alongside her professional practice, she is currently training in traditional upholstery through the Association of Master Upholsterers & Soft Furnishers (AMUSF), reflecting her wider interest in craftsmanship, material heritage and conservation.
Julie Healy
Trustee
Julie has wide experience of working in the community & voluntary, academic and public sectors. This includes almost 20 years with the children’s charity Barnardo’s NI and five years with Springboard Opportunities. She has a keen interest in policy and research including published work on community relations. Her current work focuses on evidence to help improve public services. Julie is from North Belfast and delighted to be helping restore and develop the library building for local use.