I’m a writer, broadcaster and lecturer specialising in politics and media. I worked as a political journalist for 14 years before moving into an academic role in 2008. I am now a senior lecturer in political communication and journalism at the School of Communications at Dublin City University where I run the MA in Political and Public Communication.

You’ll find information about my research projects and various publications at this link. Recent books include Democratic Left: The Life and Death of an Irish Political Party (Irish Academic Press, 2011) and The Road to Power: How Fine Gael Made History (New Island, 2011). I am also editor of Irish Journalism Before Independence: More a Disease than a Profession  published by Manchester University Press in November 2011.

My communication and research consultancy work has involved leading public and private sector clients. My work in journalism started with RTÉ, the Irish national broadcaster, where I was a radio presenter – primarily with This Week but I also presented Morning Ireland and the News at One – and as a correspondent with Prime Time. I specialised in covering politics and, while based in Leinster House, I worked with The Irish Times (political reporter), The Sunday Times (political correspondent) and the Sunday Tribune (political editor/assistant editor). I was also for a short period editor of Magill magazine. I continue to write and broadcast – contributing regularly to national newspapers and broadcast stations . Recent broadcast work includes radio documentaries for RTÉ Radio One (2007) and Newstalk (2007 & 2010).

I am currently a member of the Advisory Committee of Amnesty International’s Human Rights Accountability Research Project.