DARA CONNOLLY
Executive & Leadership Coach
Dara, a qualified and experienced leadership coach and experiential programme curator, is currently the Chief Executive of Common Purpose Ireland. He has upskilled and inspired over 600 leaders at all levels over the last 5 years utilising the world as a real-life classroom. Before Common Purpose, alongside other enterprises he started up, he enjoyed four successful years taking Recreate, a Creative Reuse social enterprise working with children and individuals with disabilities, from start up to a sustainable business model. ReCreate won several national awards along the way including Social Entrepreneurs Ireland’s Impact Award, Rethink Animate and Dublin City Enterprise Award.
Before ReCreate, he was Head of Business Development and Property of Temple Bar Cultural Trust Ltd, managing a cultural and commercial property portfolio of €120M. Here he project managed several landmark capital infrastructure projects such as the construction of Ireland’s first outdoor retractable roof on Meeting House Square in Temple Bar and the development of the West End of Temple Bar.
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His vast experience includes working for Microsoft as Financial Services Manager and travelling extensively in search of adventure! Dara has a passion for the arts and environment, resulting from his work in Temple Bar and Cultivate (a sustainability NGO), and his very rewarding time as director and chair of Saplings Schools for Children with Autism has given him a real interest in children’s development. He is a qualified Management Accountant and holds diplomas in Leadership Coaching, Business Studies, Project Management and Post Graduate Diploma in Innovation.