Archives for January 2025

Gerry O’Brien’s career now spans 5 decades having made his professional debut at the Gate theatre in 1970. He has worked on most of the stages in Ireland over the years appearing in productions of Shakespeare, Moliere, Yeats, O’Casey as well as Hugh Leonard, Neil Simon and Tom Murphy.

Jessica is an actor and writer. She trained at the Gaiety School of Acting, following two years with the National Youth Theatre. From there, she got her first professional job in Borstal Boy at the Gaiety Theatre. Since then, Jessica has worked on a number of productions across stage and television. She has recorded several audio-books and works extensively on medical role play.

Jessica is a long-standing member of Irish Equity, she has been involved in many campaigns and served on the Irish Equity Executive during the 1990s. 

Jessica is a long-standing member of Equity. She has been involved in many campaigns and served on the Equity Executive during the 1990s. Alongside supporting performers’ rights, she continues to advocate for a widening of the Basic Income for Artists and a more sustainable model of living for freelance artists. Jessica has been involved in housing activism for many years and is currently working with the Raise the Roof coalition – campaigning to address the country’s housing crisis. Limited access to affordable housing and healthcare are just two of the areas which affect many members acutely.


Jessica is very glad to be back on the Irish Equity Executive and to help advance the work of the Union. Now, more than ever, she believes we need to fight for the rights of our members and the dignity of our profession.

Ann Russell has worked in the industry for over 30 years as an actor, director and facilitator. She trained with the late Deirdre O’Connell at the Focus Stanislavski Studio and at the Lee Strasberg Institute in NYC. She has an MA in Modern Drama from UCD and a Licentiate Diploma from London College. 

Ann began her career at Focus Theatre in the 1990s and has performed on stages throughout Ireland and the UK.  Most recently she performed in The Tide by Tara Maria Lovett and Risk Everything by George F Walker. In 2025 she will perform in Michael Hartnett’s latest play Martyrs to Memory.

Ann has also performed on screen in both TV and film, notably in Roddy Doyle’s Family and Fair City and more recently in Harry Wild. She is a member of ReActorsCo-operative Agency: https://reactors.ie/actors/ann-russell/

Ann believes passionately in the value of the arts in society and that access to the arts is a human right, a quality-of-life issue for every citizen and deserves proper funding. The shortage of affordable venues and the cuts that have resulted in the closure of many theatre companies throughout Ireland, causing the reduction in opportunities for members of our community, are of particular concern. She is also a member of the Performing Arts Forum.

A native of Dublin, Owen has worked as a professional actor for over forty years and has performed in numerous stage and screen productions both in Ireland and internationally. He is the recipient of four Irish Times Theatre Awards, including a Special Tribute Award in 2019 for his contribution to Irish Theatre.

Shane joined Irish Equity in 2023 having completed his training at the Drama (Performance) degree programme at TU Dublin. He has always had an awareness of the importance of organised labour and this inspired him join the Union. Since joining, he has come to see membership as a basic part of any performer’s career as “The Union values of solidarity and collective action allow our voices to be heard in our industry”.

As a member of the Executive, Shane’s role is to reach out to his contemporaries and to coordinate visits to all drama and film schools by the Executive.