Anne Hailes  MBE

Anne Hailes’ career in media and journalism has seen her working in many roles such as production assistant at Ulster Television, with a leading public relations agency, and writing for business organisations in NI. Having had her own programmes with BBC Radio and the World Service, she later  returned to Ulster Television to produce and present ‘Ask Anne’ and later,  “Casenotes”- a six part medical documentary made in hospitals throughout Northern Ireland.

She also worked as press officer with the Ulster Actors’ Company based at the Arts Theatre and has travelled extensively making TV documentaries and engaging in feature writing in many different locations such as Hong Kong, China, Bangladesh, the Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania, as well as in many European countries.  Anne has written and published on the history of the deaf community in Ireland and the early years of Ulster Television. Her third publication, a novel, is in progress.

Currently working as a columnist for the Irish News, Anne chairs seminars and conferences and until recently was chair of the National Union of Journalists in Belfast and District.

And best of all, her granny grew up in Glenfarne!