Meriel is secretary of Adare Community Trust (ACT), an umbrella group for all the various clubs and organisations in Adare. 
She was brought up in Co Kildare in a home “where community involvement was the norm” and she has carried this with her throughout her life.  
“I have always believed that so much more can be achieved when people work together. 

At a basic level volunteering with a group is a great way to get to know people. There are opportunities for putting your talents of any kind to use within organisations and have good fun at the same time”. 

Meriel was very involved in both Adare’s All Ireland runner up success in the Pride of Place awards in 2011 with the Community Council and was very involved when Adare was overall winner in the Community Enterprise Award with ACT, sponsored by Bank of Ireland in 2019, for towns with a population under 2000.  
“Both were achieved by all the groups pulling together.  

I’ve enjoyed my involvement over the years in many fetes, as well as flower festivals and the WW1 Commemoration for those from Adare who lost their lives in that war, and more recently a Christmas Tree Festival” 
Meriel is a graduate of Shannon College of Hotel Management, and she has worked in hotels and restaurants in Switzerland, the UK and Ireland.  
Following a career break she worked with Prometric until her retirement.