Image
Megan Curran
Megan Curran is an Irish Research Council Award Holder for a full scholarship for her PhD “Lifestyle Management in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases” supervised by Professor Audrey Tierney, Professor Norelee Kennedy and Dr Kate McCann. Megan graduated with a 1st Class BSc (Hons) in Public Health Nutrition in 2023 from Atlantic Technological University and received recognition for first in order of merit in her programme. Her research interests include clinical nutrition, immunology and lifestyle medicine.
Ailish Folan
Ailish graduated in August 2025 with a 1st class BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy. She has completed an 8- week HRB funded Research Internship and 8-week PESS Research Internship during her undergraduate degree, giving her experience in Qualitative, Health Literacy and Implementation studies. Awarded the EHS 2025/26 Scholarship Call she will be starting the first year of her Structured PhD under the supervision of Prof Kieran O Sullivan, Dr Jennifer McMahon and Dr Sean McAuliffe. Her research will look at gaining a better understanding about the experience of chronic pain of neurodivergent adolescents. By way of a participatory, co-design approach she hopes to understand how the needs of neurodivergent adolescents are being met and what enhancements can be made to the current services to improve the quality of care provided for this community, which is currently underrepresented in the literature by way of exclusion or failure to identify the diagnosis.
Peter Hempenstall
Peter is an award Holder for full scholarship for his PhD “Transitioning to community-based physical activity (PA): Optimising the maintenance of PA behaviours in people with hip and knee osteoarthritis following participation in the GLA:D® Ireland programme” supervised by Assoc. Professor Clodagh Toomey, Assoc. Professor Graine Hayes and Professor Catherine Woods. Peter completed his Bachelor of Science in Sports Rehabilitation and Athletic Therapy at SETU and has worked with several sporting teams inclusive of the Irish National development basketball at various European championships.
Peters current research focuses on maintaining PA behaviour for the hip and knee osteoarthritis population, and he has represented this at various conference proceedings inclusive of the recent European Network HEPA conference in Lithuania, 2025. Peter has taught on different modules across faculties ɫƵ including MSc. Occupational Therapy and BSc. Sports Science. His key areas of interest are physical activity and understanding behaviour for chronic conditions.
Jayne Leonard
Jayne is a private practice psychotherapist (MIACP) and nutritional therapist (MFNTP) with a special interest in nutritional psychiatry – the study of the relationship between nutrition and mental health. Her PhD research, supervised by Dr Anne Griffin and Professor Patrick Ryan, explores how mental health professionals integrate nutritional psychiatry research into their clinical practice. As part of this work, she is conducting an international focus group study with colleagues across three continents.
Jayne holds a first-class Master’s degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy, where her research exploring how psychotherapists approach nutrition in therapy was published in Counselling and Psychotherapy Research.
Before focussing on nutrition in mental health care, Jayne spent over a decade supporting survivors of sexual violence – an experience that continues to shape her trauma-informed practice. She is currently Vice Chair of the Irish Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, and from December 2025, will serve as Editor-in-Chief.
Róisín Cahill
Róisín Cahill is a 2nd year PhD student in the School of Allied Health with a full IRC scholarship. She is a graduate of UL in 2020 with a bachelor of Science Education, and again in 2023 with a Masters of Physiotherapy. In September 2024, under the supervision of Prof. Karen McCreesh, Prof. Rose Galvin and Prof. Jeremy Lewis, she began her doctoral studies in UL. Róisín's PhD explores the impact of physio-led education and home-based exercise for people with Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain in secondary care. The aim of this research is to determine the prognostic factors associated with outcome of non-operatively managed Rotator Cuff Related shoulder pain and consequently inform decision making and treatment pathways.
An appropriate education and exercise programme will be designed and implemented for those deemed suitable for non-operative care.
Sinead Purcell
Sinead Purcell is an experienced occupational therapist who graduated from University College Cork in 2010. She has worked across Ireland and the UK, specialising in stroke and neurological rehabilitation, with a particular interest in functional cognition—its assessment and intervention. Sinead completed a Master’s in Advanced Healthcare Practice at the ɫƵ in 2020 and has held a clinical specialist role in stroke neurology within the UL Hospitals Group. She is a committee member of the AOTI Neurology Advisory Group and actively contributes to advancing neurorehabilitation practice.
Currently on a career break from the Midwest Community Neurological Rehabilitation Team, Sinead is in her first year of the structured PhD programme. Her research aims to develop a core outcome set(COS) for post-stroke cognitive impairment to standardise outcome measurement in intervention research, improve comparability across studies, and support clinical application. Sinead is supervised by Associate Prof. Sara Hayes, Prof Katie Robinson and Prof. Jon Salsberg.
Emma Craven
Emma is a PhD student in the School of Allied Health, focusing on the use of social support in osteoarthritis management programmes, with the potential to contribute to the non-pharmacological treatment approaches. The main focus of her research is on OA and older adults, with the goal of decreasing feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Before starting her PhD, Emma received a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a bachelor's degree in English, and then got her Master of Arts in Psychology ɫƵ and her Master of Philosophy in Psychoanalysis at Trinity. When she's not working on her school work, Emma works for the disability office, tutoring undergraduate students who have disabilities. Emma also serves as an ambassador for UL Global. In addition, Emma works for the Globe and is helping to establish the PhD Pals Programme and serves as its administrator.
Ciara Byrnes
Ciara completed her BSc Hons Speech and Language Therapy in the University of Galway in 2009. She has practised as a speech and language therapist, specialising in paediatric disability. Ciara is CORU registered and a member of the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists. Ciara returned to education in 2023, while working in a Children’s Disability Network Team, completing a Professional Certificate in Breastfeeding and Lactation Studies with University College Dublin, obtaining a Distinction Award with a 4.0 GPA.
Ciara is a first year PhD student ɫƵ School of Allied Health under the supervision of Dr Aoife Gallagher and Professor Rose Galvin. Her research explores the implementation of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) in mainstream primary education, examining the experiences of the child and family, education and healthcare professionals. Ciara has also tutored across relevant modules in the MSc Speech and Language Therapy programme ɫƵ.
Jessie Tierney
Jessie is a recipient of the prestigious Taighde Éireann Research Ireland Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship. Her PhD, “Navigating the Working World: A Multi-Stakeholder Informed Study of ADHD Youth Employment Experiences” explores the transition to employment for ADHD youth in Ireland. Through this research, she investigates both the employment experiences of ADHD youth, and the perceptions of key stakeholders involved, including employers and healthcare providers. Jessie is supervised by Professor Katie Robinson and Associate Professor Ann-Marie Morrisey.
With a BSc in Occupational Therapy, Jessie combines her clinical expertise with research endeavours, bringing a unique skill set to both domains. Currently, she practices part-time, delivering efficient, effective, and individualised digital healthcare solutions, contributing to improved health outcomes both in Ireland and beyond.
In recognition of her commitment to the clinical field, Jessie was awarded a Gold President's Volunteer Award in 2025 for her work with the Association of Occupational Therapists Ireland."
Siobhan O’ Reilly
Siobhan is a CORU-registered physiotherapist and PhD researcher in the School of Allied Health. Her research is examining the feasibility and acceptability of an intergenerational movement to music programme for the health and wellbeing of older adults and teenagers. This project has received funding from Research Ireland (GOIPG) and the PPI Ignite network (Health Research Board).
She graduated in 2023 from the BSc. (Hons) in Physiotherapy in the ɫƵ and has completed a certificate in Intergenerational Practice through Generations Working Together, in conjunction with the University of Granada, in 2024.
She has a keen interest in the role of arts for health, intergenerational practice, and the co-design of research through public and patient involvement (PPI). Siobhan previously worked as a research assistant and as a physiotherapist on arts for health programmes. This included a music and dance programme for Men’s Sheds, where shew worked alongside dancers, musicians, and music therapists.
Cerenay Sarier
Cerenay graduated with a BSc and MSc in Nutrition and Dietetics in Turkey before coming to the ɫƵ as an Erasmus student. Following this, she undertook a one-year research internship ɫƵ, which led to her progression into doctoral studies. She is currently a PhD candidate in Nutrition and Dietetics under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Anne Griffin and Prof. Rose Galvin, with her research titled “Towards an Evidence-Based and Stakeholder Informed Model of Nutritional Care for Older Adults Living with Frailty Discharged from Acute Settings.” Her research interests include gerontological nutrition, malnutrition and frailty, post-acute nutritional care, and the integration of evidence-based models into clinical dietetic practice.
Sarah Crowley
Sarah Crowley is a PhD Student based in the ɫƵ (UL). Having completed a BSc in Physiotherapy in UL in 2021, she was delighted to receive funding from Taighde Eireann – Research Ireland to begin her structured PhD program in 2024 in UL also, working with her primary supervisors Prof. Kieran O'Sullivan and Ass. Prof. Sean McAuliffe. Sarah is a paediatric physiotherapist actively working in a Children’s Disability Team in County Cork. Sarah is passionate about improving the lives of teenagers suffering from chronic pain, and firmly believes that earlier intervention, inclusive of a patient and family-based management approach, from knowledgeable clinicians is imperative in improving chronic pain care at community-based levels.
Cian Greaney
Ciara is a PhD candidate in the School of Allied Health at the ɫƵ, funded by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland (formerly Irish Research Council) through the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship. Her research focuses on nutrition in adults living with cystic fibrosis (CF), with a particular emphasis on dietary intakes, diet quality, and their interrelationships with patient-reported outcome measures. Alongside quantitative dietary assessments, She has explored the experiences and views of adults living with CF in relation to diet through qualitative interviews and focus groups. This integrated approach aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of nutritional patterns and lived experiences within the CF community. Public and Patient Involvement is central to the project, ensuring that research design and outcomes reflect the perspectives of those directly affected. The overarching goal is to inform patient-centred nutritional strategies that support long-term health and quality of life in CF.
Marci Kay Livingston,
Marci Kay Livingston, DNP, MPH, RN, CHPN (she/her) is a Health Research Board – Trials Methodology Research Network-funded PhD Scholar at the ɫƵ. Her doctoral research focuses on methodological rigor and the inclusion of lived-experience perspectives in the early stages of Core Outcome Set (COS) development. With a background in nursing, public health, and clinical research, she brings expertise in qualitative methods, evidence synthesis, and public and patient involvement. Prior to her PhD, Marci Kay worked as a Registered Nurse in the United States, specialising in hospice, palliative care, and clinical research, and served as Director of Patient Care Services in both for-profit and non-profit organisations. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from California State University, Fresno; a Master of Public Health from the University of Edinburgh; and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.
Simone Ryan
Simone is a PhD student in the School of Allied Health, supervised by Associate Prof. Sara Hayes, Prof. Katie Robinson and Prof. Rose Galvin. Simone’s PhD research focuses on the priorities for secondary stroke prevention in Ireland and is funded by the SPHeRE PhD Programme. Simone is an occupational therapist by background, with experience in older adult rehabilitation and paediatric orthopaedics. Prior to the PhD, she completed a research masters (M.Phil) in the University of Galway, with her research focusing on cognitive stimulation in activities of daily living for individuals living with dementia. Simone’s research interests include care of the older adult, cognitive rehabilitation, and population health.
Amy O'Mahoney
Amy is a CORU registered, Chartered Physiotherapist and previous graduate of the ɫƵ School of Allied Health. On graduating, Amy returned to UL as an Anatomy teaching assistant, in addition to working as a private practitioner in MSK and Sports Physiotherapy with Limerick GAA, Munster Rugby and within the IRFU Women's National Pathway's. Amy recently completed a PgDip in Sports and Exercise Medicine from UCC before returning to UL for her Doctoral studies.
She is currently completing her PhD in Female Athlete Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries under the supervision of Dr. Seán McAuliffe (UL), Dr. Kieran O'Sullivan (UL), Dr. Fiona Wilson (TCD) and Dr. Paul Read (MDX), having been awarded a Postgraduate scholarship from Research Ireland / Taighde Éireann.