News Article
The Irish Academy of Engineering (IAE) welcomed nine new Fellows to membership of the Academy at a conferring ceremony held on 13th June 2025. A short citation was read out by Academy Honorary Secretary Joe Harford and parchments were presented by Academy President Sean Finlay.
Present at the ceremony were the full Executive team of the Academy including:
President – Sean Finlay
Immediate Past President – Seamus McKeague
Special Advisor & Past President – Tom Leahy
Hon. Secretary – Joe Harford
Hon. Treasurer – Tim Corcoran
In attendance
Administrator – Fiona McCarron
To celebrate this joyous event the invited guests included new Fellows family members, proposers of the new Fellows and:
- Tim Murnane ACEI President
- Sean Mahon RIAI President
- John Jordan EI President
- Kathryn Meghen RIAI CEO
The aim of the Irish Academy of Engineering is to advance the wellbeing of the country by marshalling the expertise and insights of eminent engineers to provide independent advice to policy makers on matters involving engineering and technology.
The IAE is an all-island body concerned with issues where the members, based on their wide and diverse experience, can make a unique contribution to economic, social and technological development.
The list of nine new fellows awarded the title Fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineering(FIAE) is:
- David Dumigan
- Michael Shaw
- John Flanagan
- Karen Rafferty
- Kevin Lunney
- Padraig Fogarty
- Ria Lyden
- Simon Cotton
- Richard Meaney
President Sean Finlay said “It is a pleasure to welcome the new Fellows to our Academy and we are in awe of their contribution to the Engineering profession”.
Biographical details of the nine new Fellows
David Dumigan FIAE 2025
Citation for David Dumigan
David Dumigan, BSc, CEng, FICE, FHKIE, MIEI, RPE, is a highly accomplished civil engineer with over 30 years of experience in the design and construction of significant developments, particularly in Hong Kong and Mainland China.
He began his career after earning a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University, Belfast, in 1979.
Throughout his career, he has held key roles, including serving as the General Manager of the Project Management Department at Henderson Land Group. In this position, he oversaw landmark projects such as the International Finance Centre (IFC) in Hong Kong and the World Financial Centre (WFC) in Beijing.
In 2015, he joined Hines Real Estate Ireland as the Director of Development, where he applies his expertise in large-scale project management, sustainable design, and urban development.
He has been leading and advising the Hines teams on planning, design, and construction matters for several large-scale developments in Dublin, including Cherrywood, Central Plaza, and Two Grand Parade. He is currently organising the delivery of a modular hospital in Ukraine.
Michael Shaw FIAE 2025
Citation for Dr Michael Shaw
Dr Michael Shaw graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Civil Engineering in 1981 and following a 3-year period of research into “Wave- Current Interaction” was awarded a PhD in 1985
He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a Member of Engineers Ireland, a Member of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, and a Member of the Institute of Directors.
In 1996, he became a Partner in a local consultancy firm, Kirk, McClure, Morton, which became part of the 5,500-strong Global RPS multidisciplinary consultancy group in 2004. RPS was then acquired by Tetratech in 2023.
He is now the Managing Director of over 320 staff in Northern Ireland. He is responsible for strategic oversight of all business operations and projects.
He has spent most of his 40 years in consultancy, leading the Ports and Harbours team, and continues to use his experience in current projects for Ireland’s Tier 1 Ports.
He is one of Ireland’s few Chartered Engineers with a Commercial Dive qualification. He has carried out many underwater structural inspections and has been active in combating Microbial-Accelerated Low-Water Corrosion.
The industry acknowledges him as a leader in promoting innovative excellence, particularly in the fields of virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence, which are applied to design and collaborative solutions.
John Flanagan FIAE 2025
Citation for Dr John Flanagan
After graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University, Belfast, in 1987, he pursued and obtained a Doctorate in Engineering from Trinity College, Dublin, and a Master’s degree in Business from the National University of Ireland.
Dr John W. Flanagan is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of Engineers Ireland, and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
His postgraduate engineering experience began in London, where he worked on structural and geotechnical engineering projects. He also worked on the construction of the Liffey Valley (West Link) Bridge as part of Dublin’s Western Parkway (M50) Motorway.
Since the early 1990s, he has been involved in key engineering works for the Dublin Local Authorities. These include such projects as the design of the Northern (M1) Motorway, the formation of Dublin’s transport plans under the Dublin Transportation Initiative (DTI), and the delivery of the Dublin Port Tunnel, the Samuel Beckett Bridge, and the Rosie Hackett Bridge.
Since 2019, he has held the combined role of City Engineer and Assistant Chief Executive for Dublin City Council, which involves delivering a wide range of public services and infrastructure for Dublin City. He is a senior member of the Council’s leadership team.
His remit included delivering Dublin City’s active travel (cycle) network, commissioning Dublin’s Waste to Energy facility, implementing several key flood defence projects, and delivering several important public realm schemes across the city.
Karen Rafferty FIAE 2025
Citation for Prof Karen Rafferty
Karen Rafferty qualified as an Electrical and Electronics engineer at Queen’s University Belfast. After completing her Master’s degree, she undertook her doctoral degree in image processing, followed by a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education.
She is also a Chartered Engineer.
For the past six years, she has served as the Head of School at Electronics, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science in Queens, managing one of the largest and most complex schools within Queen’s University Belfast and on the Island of Ireland. She is responsible for approximately 2000 students and 240 staff and has an overall budget of £20 million.
Under her leadership, the School has achieved a 23% growth in total income, a 29% increase in total research income, a 15% increase in total student population over the past 5 years, and strong growth in establishment with a 46% increase in academic staff.
She is a strong advocate for Women in Engineering, driving Silver renewals in the Athena Swan and Investors in People Awards in 2024.
Her prize-winning research includes computer graphics and Virtual and Augmented Reality, especially how the visual aspects of VR and AR can be enhanced through the interface to other senses, virtual reality haptic surgery, and advanced manufacturing in association with Rolls-Royce and Airbus.
She is an acknowledged leader in her field and has published over 110 research papers and two books.
Kevin Lunney FIAE 2025
Citation for Kevin Lunney
Kevin Lunney qualified as an Electrical and Electronics Engineer at Queen’s University Belfast.
He began his career at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) before joining the Quinn Group in 1995. Over the years, he has played a key role in the group’s success, notably serving as General Manager of Quinn Direct Insurance, where he oversaw significant expansion until 2005.
He was appointed Group Development Director, overseeing waste management, renewable energy projects, and the group’s extensive property portfolio. In 2014, Kevin was appointed Operations Director of Mannok Holdings (formerly Quinn Industrial Holdings), following the acquisition of key parts of the Quinn business holdings. Kevin is now responsible for overseeing Mannok Holdings’ operational growth and strategy, continuing to be a driving force within the company.
Alongside his role at Mannok, Kevin has been Managing Director of Limetree Management & Consulting Ltd since June 2011 and remains active in this capacity. His leadership and vision extend across various sectors. He serves as a director for numerous companies, including Aghindaiagh Wind Limited, Molly Wind Limited, Doon Wind Limited, Molly Energy Limited, and Kinawley Community Hall Association.
In addition, he has been a dedicated trustee of the Fermanagh Trust since 2012, demonstrating his commitment to community development and various charitable endeavours.
Padraic Fogarty FIAE 2025
Citation for Padraic Fogarty
Padraic Fogarty holds a BE Civil 1978, LLB 1988, and MBA 1990 from the University of Galway.
He is a chartered engineer.
He has vast experience in the design, delivery, and operation of water services infrastructure, taking an asset management approach to the lifecycle of the assets.
He played a pivotal role in the development and implementation of Uisce Eireann’s Invest to Outcome (I2O) processes, encompassing the complete lifecycle of water and wastewater projects.
Experience evaluating completed water services projects regarding their outcomes, benefits, and lessons learned.
He is a subject matter expert on the Public Spending Code/Infrastructure Guidelines (which apply to all capital projects delivered by the public sector)
Throughout his career, he has been actively involved with Engineers Ireland.
He served as secretary, treasurer, and chairman of the Engineers Ireland West Region Committee and on many National Task Forces on a diversity of important issues.
He has over 40 years of experience in the water sector, including over 30 years in engineering consultancy and 12 years with Ireland’s national water utility.
He was a director of Ryan Hanley and Tobin consulting engineers, and for the last 12 years, as Post Investment Technical Manager with Uisce Eireann.
Ria Lyden FIAE 2025
Citation for Ria Lyden
Ria Lyden graduated from UCC with a degree in Civil Engineering and holds an MBA from UCC. She has over 35 years of experience in civil engineering, primarily in Ireland, although she has also worked in the United Kingdom and Australia.
Ria led Arup’s environmental engineering team in Ireland. For over twenty years, she has offered guidance on planning, licensing, and liaising with regulatory authorities for promoters of strategic infrastructure developments and foreign direct investment projects. Additionally, she has been involved in preparing environmental impact statements and planning applications for some of the nation’s most significant infrastructure and industrial projects.
She served as a Director of Arup until 2016 and now works as a consultant and strategic advisor to Arup through her consulting firm, Lyden Consulting Ltd. She continues to advise clients involved in energy industrial development, particularly regarding strategic advice on planning, permitting, and liaising with regulatory authorities.
Some of her high-profile projects include:
SSE Renewables Arklow Wind Park Phase 2 onshore grid infrastructure,
And the Ervia Carbon Capture and Storage Feasibility Study.
As a member of an Arup team, she served as an Independent Environmental Consultant for the Department’s Foreshore Section. Her responsibilities included reviewing the environmental aspects of foreshore licence applications and preparing reasoned conclusion reports that assess the adequacy of the submitted EIARs as part of those applications.
Simon Cotton FIAE 2025
Citation for Prof Simon Cotton
Simon Cotton qualified with a B.Eng. degree in electronics and software with first-class honours from the University of Ulster in 2004 and a Ph.D. degree in electrical and electronic engineering from Queen’s University Belfast in 2007. From 2007 to 2011, he served as a Research Fellow, followed by Senior Research Fellow from 2011 to 2012, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) from 2012 to 2015, and Reader (Associate Professor) from 2015 to 2019 at Queen’s University Belfast.
He is currently a Full Professor and the Director of the Centre for Wireless Innovation (CWI) at Queen’s University Belfast. He has led the CWI since 2018, increasing its membership from approximately 40 to over 80, establishing the largest and most robust research base in Ireland and the UK focused on physical layer wireless.
He holds over £4 million in major active research contracts with UKRI, industry, and the EU.
Professor Cotton has authored and co-authored over 180 publications in IEEE/IET journals and refereed international conferences, three book chapters, and two patents.
His research interests include propagation measurements and statistical channel characterization, as well as cellular device-to-device, vehicular, and body-centric communications.
Professor Cotton was awarded the H. A. Wheeler Prize in July 2010 by the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society for the best applications journal paper in the IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation during 2009.
In July 2011, he received the Sir George Macfarlane Award from the U.K. Royal Academy of Engineering in recognition of his technical and scientific achievements since graduating with his first degree in engineering.
Richard Meaney FIAE 2025
Citation for Richard Meaney
Dick Meaney qualified with a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics from the University of Limerick. He began his career with Analog Devices as a graduate IC design engineer, progressing to Global VP for Products and Technology managing over 1200 engineers worldwide and spent his final 5 years as Senior VP for Industrial, Healthcare and Consumer global business units.
During his first 10 years with Analog Devices was involved in designing industry-leading products. His major interest was in determining successful products and directing R&D investments.
After a successful career in the semiconductor industry, he is still passionate about how silicon and software technology can be more quickly applied to solving real-world problems. He passionately believes that Ireland has an opportunity to be a fast prototyping innovation region where we enable quick deployment of advanced technologies and learn quickly from user experience to optimize viable solutions. But he also believes you need more than successful technologies and R&D. You also need an imaginative understanding of user needs.
He has been providing pivotal leadership in trying to kickstart this innovation eco-system model with Limerick’s Engine Digital Collaboration Centre and through his directorship of the Future Mobility Campus Ireland in Shannon
He believes when advanced hardware and software technologies are successfully deployed, the Academy can use them to recommend ways to grow technology innovation clusters in Ireland for the government, academia, and industry.