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Academic & Research Staff
Deirdre Horgan
Deirdre moved to UCC's School of Education (on April 1st) to take up the post of Professor of Education (Early Years & Childhood Studies).
Learn MoreJoan Cronin
RGN, RM, CQSW, (CORU) Dip. in Systemic Psychotherapy (Distinction), LL.M Children’s Rights and Family Law (First Class Honours).
Joan holds a First Class Honours Masters Degree in Children’s Rights and Family Law from UCC. She is a CORU registered Social Worker, having qualified in 1986. Prior to undertaking social work training, Joan qualified as a registered general nurse and midwife. She qualified in Systemic Psychotherapy in the Clanwilliam Institute and, following accreditation, utilised her Family Therapy training in clinical social work practice.
Joan is co-ordinator of year one of the BSW degree programme and she teaches on three modules, namely:
Introduction to Social Work Theories, Methods and Skills, (SS1202);
Social Justice, Human Rights and Advocacy Approaches to Social Work (SS2228);
Contemporary Issues in Social Work (SS4212).
Joan draws on practice experience in many areas of social work both in Ireland and the UK. She has worked as a Principal Social Worker both in Learning Disability Services and in CAMHS.
In the late 1980s, Joan was one of the first social workers to work in HIV services in Ireland. In this role, she formed strong alliances between the voluntary and statutory services working in HIV. For many years she worked as a Senior Social Worker in St. James’s Hospital in Dublin. There she carried out research on how to improve the identification of and follow up support for women presenting to Accident and Emergency (A&E) following partner violence. This work led to the national roll out in Irish hospitals on training on partner violence for health care professionals working in A&E departments.
Collaborative and inter-disciplinary work are central tenets of Joan’s work. She has led research and implementation of projects on women’s health, with Turkish-speaking women in the east end of London. As Social Work Manager, she was instrumental in developing community-led interdisciplinary mental health intervention services for children in Cork and Kerry.
As well as carrying out research in the areas of partner violence, mental health needs of children in state care and interdisciplinary practice, Joan as a law student, was an active member of the Child Law Clinic in UCC where she examined children’s rights to housing under the European Social Charter.
Joan has been an active board member of Positively Irish Action on Aids (PIAA), Housing and Integrated Living (HAIL) and Cork Aids Alliance. She is currently on the Board of Directors of the Kerry based Social Action Group, of which she was a co-founder as a teenager
Professional Staff - Administration
Fionnuala O'Leary
Fionnuala is Manager in the School of Applied Social Studies and works with the Head of School and senior management to drive the strategic development of the School. She is responsible for the school's administrative functions and day to day operations and has over 20 years experience at management level. She holds a Management Diploma from the Institute of Leadership & Management (UK).
Her role includes:
- Executive responsibilty for the administrative systems that support the School's teaching, learning and research.
- Managing the school's financial and budgetary functions.
- Working with the Head of School on management and operational matters.
- Responsibility for leading and managing the school's administrative staff.
- Working with the Head of School and Vice-Heads to drive the strategic development of the school.
- Managing local level HR functions such as part-time staff contracts and pay, studentships and scholarships.
- Liaising on behalf of the school with its external stakeholders.
- Membership of the School's Executive Management Committee.
- Chairing the School's Finance Committee.
- Chairing the School's Risk Register Committee.
- Member of CACSSS College Executive Management Committee (2022-2025).
Sinead Hanley
Sinead is a part-time Executive Assistant in the School of Applied Social Studies. She is on long-term leave.
For queries relating to the BSocSc(Youth & Community Work) programme please email Executive Assistant Marian Caulfield at marian.caulfield@ucc.ie. Thank you.
Orla McDonald
Orla is a Senior Executive Assistant in the School of Applied Social Studies having joined the school in 2006. She graduated from UCC with a BA(English & Spanish) in 1997, an MA in Hispanic Studies in 2000 and a BCL in 2015.
Orla is on a Career Break until 28th February, 2024.
Margaret O'Leary
Margaret is an Executive Assistant in the School of Applied Social Studies having joined the school's administrative staff in early 2022. She provides administrative support to the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and the Masters of Social Work (MSW)/Postgrad. Dip. in Social Work Studies programmes.
Margaret graduated from UCC with a BA in History and Spanish in 1989 and a Diploma in Computer Science in 1990.
Phil O'Sullivan
Phil joined the School's administrative staff in 2001 having previously worked in UCC's Careers Service and in the private sector. She was promoted to Administrative Assistant (Grade V) in 2023. Phil holds a Diploma in Social Studies from UCC.
Phil is a very experienced administrator who provides admin. support to the School's social science and social policy programmes. She is a member of the BSocSc course team.
Phil's main duties include the following:
Programme Administrator for one undergraduate and two postgraduate programmes in Social Policy. This involves supporting approximately 380 students per year and the related academic staff teams.
Social Work Placements administration working directly with the Placements Co-Ordinator as well as external Practice Teachers and placement supervisors in social work agencies. Approximately 160 placements are organised and administered each year.
Exams Co-Ordinator for the School with responsibility for organising and administering collection, distribution, tracking and return of a high volume of exam scripts and the subsequent uploading of marks in co-operation with academic colleagues.
Administrative Support and Liaison for Fitness to Practice including membership of the University Fitness to Practice Committee.
Professional Staff - Social Work
Part-time Professional Staff - Social Work
Part-time Staff |
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Terry Bradshaw |
Siobhán Bruen |
Mairie Cregan |
Edel Daly |
Maria Daniels |
Lyn Dorney |
Pearl Doyle |
Eilish Forrest |
Sara Kelleher |
Brigette Mintern |
Noirín O'Donoghue |
Suzanne O'Donovan |
Fiona O'Gorman |