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Our Team

Here you can find exactly who you're looking for to help with your specific enquiry.

David Gilliland

Operations Director

Matthew Warwick

Education & Outreach Officer

Gordon Lucy

Publications Officer

Adam James Pollock

Digital Marketing Officer

Deirdre Speer Whyte

Development Officer

Charles Neville

Development Officer

David McAuley

Development Officer

Dayna Jost

Development Officer

David Gilliland

Operations Director

David has been involved with the community & voluntary sector for over 30 years and has a background in community development and capacity building. Across those years he has worked in community education, cultural development & within organisations in the arts sector.

His work has also included working for funding bodies including Good Relations work, the arts sector & capital build programmes with a community benefit. David has been involved with Ulster-Scots cultural development for over 20 years and is keen to see the Ulster-Scots community play it’s full part in civic society. Within the Network he is responsible for the day to day management, helping to develop the capacity of groups within the sector and takes responsibility for working with Ulster-Scots groups in the southern border counties, as well as helping to deliver the Network’s AccessNI service to member groups.

Matthew Warwick

Education & Outreach Officer

Education Officer Matthew Warwick has been with the Ulster-Scots Community Network since January 2008. Matthew was formerly a primary school teacher, and studied history at Queen’s University, Belfast.

He is a native Ulster-Scots speaker from mid-Antrim and has a real passion for the Ulster-Scots language. Matthew delivers presentations on a wide range of Ulster-Scots topics such as history, language and music to schools, youth & community groups, libraries and tourists on a weekly basis. He is currently a member of the Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund investment committee.

Gordon Lucy

Publications Officer

Gordon Lucy is author (along with Graham Greenlee and William Roulston) of Thomas Sinclair: ‘Ulster’s Most Prominent Citizen’ and the co-editor (with John Erskine) of Varieties of Scottishness, which examines the relationship between Ulster and Scotland.

He has contributed new introductions to Henry Jones Ford’s The Scotch-Irish in America (originally published in 1915) and William R. Young’s Fighters of Derry (originally published in 1932) and is a regular contributor to the News Letter on historical matters.

Adam James Pollock

Digital Marketing Officer

Adam James Pollock looks after everything digital for the Community Network, from the website and social media channels, to graphics, photography and video. With a wealth of knowledge and experience promoting organisations and events, Adam can help your group promote themselves or their events effectively to a wider audience.

Adam is also a writer and photographer, with prior works in print and online focusing on history, the countryside, architecture, and food, among other topics. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Deirdre Speer Whyte

Development Officer

Deirdre Speer Whyte is development officer for north and west Ulster and has been involved in community and cultural development for over 30 years, in various capacities.

With a background in archaeology and genealogy, her role within the Network includes advising on family history, as well as  delivering talks and courses on a wide variety of Ulster-Scots cultural and identity topics. If you’re interested in genealogy or our accredited courses, reach out to Deirdre. 

Charles Neville

Development Officer

Charles Neville works as the Community Development Officer primarily for southeast Ulster. He has held various roles in rural and community development organisations, with over 25 years’ of experience in the acquisition and management of funding for groups.

Alongside holding a doctorate, Charles has also held various offices at local and district levels in the orange and black loyal orders, as well as being secretary of his local Ulster-Scots group.

David McAuley

Development Officer

David McAuley works as the Community Development Officer for County Antrim and East Londonderry localities, having been involved in Community Development for over 30 years. He been involved in various organisations including on the Board of Directors of regional organisations and grassroots Community Committees as Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary.

His role within the network includes helping groups to develop their capacity, good governance and funding opportunities for community organisations looking to expand their knowledge of Ulster Scots.

Dayna Jost

Development Officer

Dayna has been working with various communities in Northern Ireland for the last five years through her research work in identity and community relations in the education sector.

With a doctorate in Education and ten years’ experience as a language teacher, she is particularly passionate about providing meaningful educational opportunities for people of all ages and all backgrounds to explore the histories of the Ulster-Scots language and culture and their many contributions to rest of the world. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland USA, she has lived in Bangor for 12 years and loves life in Ards and North Down. 

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