Meet the Designers in Residence

Diarmuid O’Connor is an independent graphic designer. Completing his studies between Galway and Limerick, he received first-class honours and following graduation, gained experience working with some top design studios including Atelier, Detail and Unthink. He is currently pursuing a freelance career with a strong focus on motion.
Diarmuid has been teamed with Anthony Shaughnessy from Portershed.

At the PorterShed, we are all about creating high-value sustainable jobs that have a positive impact on Galway and the surrounding areas. Helping to create tech jobs, especially indigenous tech, are a key part of our goal – and we are also big supporters of welcoming multinational companies to use the PorterShed office spaces as landing bases. We want companies to come here to start their ideas, to grow, and to scale before succeeding.

Whether we are providing space for start-ups to develop in, pointing founders in the right direction, or amplifying their wins, we want to see them succeed; their success is our success, and we love being part of their journeys.

You can find more information on our website: portershed.com

Rory is a product designer who studied at NCAD focusing on human-centred and circular design. During this time, he developed a passion for research, sustainability, technology and communication. He has professional experience in digital marketing, content creation and product design with organisations such as FunkedUp; a bicycle company with an international market, coupled with my academic background, has given me a solid toolkit for tackling creative challenges. His collaborative spirit is evident in his volunteering work and community involvement especially those that value sustainable development.
Rory has been teamed with Damian Carr of Eyedea.

Eyedea Medtech Education is a pioneering company dedicated to advancing global healthcare through specialised technical workshops for the medical device industry. Established with the vision to bridge knowledge gaps and foster innovation, our company is at the forefront of empowering medical device professionals around the globe.
At Eyedea, we recognize the critical role of research and development in shaping the future of healthcare. Our workshops are meticulously designed to address the ever-evolving challenges and opportunities in the medical device sector. We focus on cutting-edge technologies, advanced materials, regulatory compliance, and sustainable practices, ensuring our clients stay ahead in a competitive and rapidly changing industry.
Our team comprises experts with extensive experience in medical device R&D, engineering, and manufacturing. This diversity allows us to offer a comprehensive learning experience, blending theoretical insights with practical, real-world applications. Our training modules are tailored to encourage innovation, enhance technical skills, and foster a culture of continuous improvement in healthcare technology.
Eyedea MedTech Education serves a global clientele, ranging from startups to multinational corporations. We are committed to advancing healthcare by equipping medical device professionals with the knowledge and tools necessary to develop groundbreaking solutions, ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes and a healthier world.
For more information visit: eyedea.ie

Sam Ardiff is a Graphic Designer from County Mayo. He graduated in 2023 from Visual Communication Design in IADT, Dublin. He works across a range of design disciplines in both print and screen to deliver outcomes that are simple and idea-driven. He is passionate about using design to enhance businesses, arts and culture. His work spans across visual identity design, motion graphics, typography, image-making and art direction. His work has been featured in the 100 Archive and The Irish Times.
Sam has been teamed with Hicham Altit from Galway Chamber.

The Galway Chamber has been serving the Galway business community for 232 years. We currently represent over 500 companies, and in turn represent over 28,000 employees in Galway City and County. We are a privately constituted organisation, that works for the interests of businesses, and for the economic development of the City and Region.
“Make Galway the leading location for business, investment and people”.
Galway will strive to be the best at whatever it undertakes, to achieve excellence in everything, to be to the fore in new developments and to be the leading location in every endeavour it undertakes. Most of all this vision statement is an attitude and way of thinking. This vision is intended to be a motivator, a target to be achieved and a commitment to excellence. This vision can be applied to all aspects of life and business in Galway.
Our activities include influencing decisions and lobbying on behalf of businesses, providing opportunities for business networking, export documentation, trade information, business promotion & support and encouraging mutual business support between members.
Whether your business is Retail, Manufacturing, IT, Services, Financial, R&D or other, the continued well-being of your business is inextricably linked to the continued wellbeing of Galway. The full-time staff and the many ‘voluntary’ people who comprise Galway Chamber work tirelessly to ensure that Galway will continue to be a vibrant ‘leading edge’ location for business, investment, and people. We support our Galway.
Galway Chamber is affiliated to Chambers Ireland and EUROCHAMBRES.
For more information visit: Galwaychamber.com

Niamh McArdle is a multi-disciplinary freelance designer and occasional artist from Kinvara, Co. Galway. A graduate of Visual Communication Design at IADT, Niamh’s work is grounded in research and strong creative concepts and aims to solve complex problems in simple and engaging ways. Influenced by film, literature, and popular and visual culture, Niamh aims to create meaningful, functional work that is also emotionally compelling.
Since graduating in 2020, Niamh has worked as the in-house designer for Cloud Picker Coffee and as a midweight designer at Slater Design, exhibited at Hen’s Teeth in Dublin and completed a course in Embroidered Textile Design at NCAD. Her experience so far has involved a variety of projects and outputs, designing visual identities and creative solutions for both small and large businesses. Niamh is particularly interested in visual storytelling, print design, art direction, copywriting, illustration, packaging and textile design.
Niamh has been teamed with Lisa Hynes from Croí

Croí extends its impact to healthcare professionals by providing accredited education and training, covering CPR, defibrillation training for the public, and Cardiac Life Support training for professionals. Advocacy plays a crucial
role, with Croí actively championing the rights and needs of individuals affected by heart conditions and stroke through the formation of Heart & Stroke Voice Ireland (HSVI) in 2022. The organisation’s commitment is further manifested in the Croí Heart and
Stroke Centre, housing the Courtyard Apartments—a haven offering home-like support for patients and caregivers during heart and stroke emergencies at Galway University Hospital.

For more information, visit www.croi.ie

Claudine Curran is a brand identity and interactive course designer. After she graduated from Shillington in Manchester, she started her own business, Curran Design. She has experience as a marketer and brand manager and has worked on projects for large organisations such as DHL, Nissan, Admiral, Deloitte, and numerous building societies and non-profits. She also loves working with small SMEs to help them create their entire brand identities, from logo to web design and any possible marketing collateral, both digital and print. Her love of nature and travel inspires her designs, and is an avid Japanese stationery enthusiast.
Claudine has been teamed with Ciaran Walshe from MM Eco Homes.

MMC Eco Homes is committed to building affordable, environmentally friendly homes within the UK and Ireland to help alleviate the problems with both the housing crisis, and the climate change crisis. All our properties will be designed by renowned Architects with one main requirement – would they be proud to live in these properties themselves.
Our goal is to achieve this whilst helping to reduce fuel poverty and our impact on the climate through continuously looking at new modern methods of construction, and the latest renewable energy products in a cost effective manner.
MMC will always engage with all parties post-completion – From the housing bodies/ Local Authorities, to the tenants – through open forums and email correspondence to continuously improve our offerings. When the build stops – we don’t.
For more information visit: mmcecohomes.com