About

Originally from Bray, Co. Wicklow; I attended the National College of Art and Design, Dublin. There I specialised in fine art painting and went on to graduate with a B.A. in Art and Design Education.

I taught art in an international school in Libya and in secondary schools in Ireland for a number of years before making a career change into youth work. As a youth worker, I utilised my training in the visual arts and I have maintained my artistic practice.

However as a youth worker, I developed a specialism in drug education and prevention. I completed a Masters in Social Science (Sociology) and later a PhD in Sociology (both at University College Dublin). I have published a number of peer-reviewed articles in international journals, in addition to writing numerous reports, education manuals, position papers and book reviews. You can find out more about my academic work under the sociology tab above.

I currently work as a Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences, Law, and Education at Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin). I lecture on: Family Studies; Sociology of Education; Promoting Wellbeing; Community Arts; Identity, Wellbeing and Belonging; and I also supervise undergraduate research. I am a practicing visual artist and I enjoy working on figurative pieces and landscapes, which tend to lean toward the surreal. You can find out more about my visual art under the painting tab above.