Work experience

  • CL SignSearch Ltd. [also Self Employed / via interpreting agencies]

  • Ireland
  • Business or sector: Information and communication

Irish Sign Language / English Interpreter

–

Facilitated communication between Deaf ISL (Irish Sign Language) users and hearing people, in a variety of settings:

  1. Remote (including on-call health and social care services through SignVideo)
  2. Broadcast (including the Northern Ireland Assembly and Oireachtas TV, the Irish parliamentary channel)
  3. Conference
  4. Legal (courtroom / consultation)
  5. Medical
  6. Performance
  7. Educational
  8. Religious
  9. Workplace (One-on-one meetings, staff meetings, training courses, etc.)
  10. Public meetings


I am an experienced remote interpreter and have most recently been using a Dell Latitude 5511 (Intel Core i7 2.7 GHz), with 30fps external Logitech C920 webcam, to interpret throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.


I also possess skills in video editing and subtitling, using Wondershare Filmora XI - XIV, Debut Professional video capture software, and YouTube's subtitle editor. I have produced many subtitled videos as well as adding ISL and International Sign (or both) to interpreted video presentations.


I am currently a

  1. Registered member of RISLI, the Register of Irish Sign Language Interpreters
  2. Active member of CISLI, (Council of Irish Sign Language Interpreters) the Irish professional interpreter body
  3. Professional Member of ATII (Association of Translators and Interpreters Ireland)


I was accredited at R1 level through the 2006 Irish Sign Link process, enabling me to begin working in legal and medical settings.

  • Trinity College, Dublin

  • Dublin, Ireland
  • Name of unit or department: Centre for Deaf Studies
  • Business or sector: Education

Interpreter Trainer

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Co-created and delivered 12-week modules for undergraduate students as a casual lecturer in the Centre for Deaf Studies, Trinity College Dublin. I have developed original content blended with existing course material, and planned each lecture consistent with given learning outcomes for the module, as well as creating assessment and examination questions and materials in English and ISL. I utilise a wide range of teaching strategies and regularly develop new teaching materials in conjunction with colleagues at the Centre for Deaf Studies as well as professional interpreters, both for interpreting practice materials and to inform students about the interpreting profession. These modules are:


  1. Translation and Interpreting: Philosophy and Practice (TIPP 2) (2020-1, 2021-2, 2022-3, 2023-4)
  2. Translation and Interpreting: Philosophy and Practice (TIPP 1) (2022-3)
  3. Simultaneous Interpreting (2020-1)
  4. Advanced Interpreting (2023-4)
  5. Modality and Second Language Acquisition (2023-4)
  6. Deaf People and the Media (2016)

  • Sign Language Interpreting Service (SLIS)

  • Thomas Mahon Building, Deaf Village Ireland, Ratoath Road, Cabra, Dublin 7, Dublin, Ireland
  • Business or sector: Information and communication

Quality Development Officer

–

As per the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 and National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2020, SLIS has been tasked with the responsibility of establishing a new Register of Irish Sign Language interpreters. In this maternity cover position, I was responsible for researching, consulting, planning, developing and implementing this. This involved extensive research into the registration, certification and accreditation processes of other ‘best practice’ countries around sign language and spoken language interpreting, as well as liaising with other professions and registers in Ireland. Also involved was a parallel Quality Assurance scheme, involving the sourcing, planning and delivery of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) for ISL interpreters nationwide. I also acted as consultant and co-developer on a number of other strategic initiatives within SLIS.

  • Centre for Deaf Studies, Trinity College Dublin

  • 7-9 Leinster St South, Dublin 2, Dublin, Ireland
  • Business or sector: Education

Interpreting Placement Coordinator

–

Planned, delivered lectures for and coordinated the practical work placement component of the Diploma in ISL / English Interpreting. Aspects covered include ethical dilemmas, health and safety, and reflective practice. The role also included liaising with interpreters individually, interpreting agencies and Deaf-related organisations to ensure smooth delivery of placement experience for students, mentors, clients and agencies alike.

  • Centre for Deaf Studies, Trinity College Dublin

  • Dublin, Ireland

Researcher, ‘Signs of Ireland’ Corpus Project

–

Part-time researcher on Irish Sign Language corpus project, aiming to transcribe body of 40 video clips of Irish Sign Language along detailed and agreed parameters, for the purposes of linguistic analysis of ISL. Was technical administrator on the project, converting clips to digital file formats, preparation and implementation of parameters of ELAN transcription software, and preparation of DVD resources.

  • Self-employed, part-time

Genealogist & Family History researcher (freelance)

–

Research and collation of family trees / specific genealogical research for individuals.

Much experience in utilising record sets and repositories such as:

  1. General Registration Office civil registration indexes (including online versions thereof)
  2. 1901 / 1911 Censuses of Ireland online
  3. Catholic and Church of Ireland baptism and marriage records (both in National Library microfilm and online versions)
  4. Irish prison registers / Petty Sessions order books
  5. Tithe Applotment and Griffith Valuation land occupancy records
  6. Valuation Office cancelled book and map searches
  7. Registry of Deeds abstracts and memorials
  8. Land Registry folios
  9. Various other Irish and non-Irish facilities and record sets.

Collation and reporting experience, using software such as MyHeritage Family Tree Builder.

  • Irish Deaf Society

  • Deaf Village Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
  • Business or sector: Information and communication

Information Officer / Administrator / Consultant

–
  • Responsible for the Society’s information base.
  • General running of operations within the Society, liaising between Board of Directors and staff / Society members, preparation of funding proposals.
  • Preparation of funding proposals, composition and proof-reading of official documents.
  • Responsible for several successful funding applications to various Government departments in this period, which have resulted in major new projects being established within the Society.

  • Mind the Gap Films

  • 6 Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Dublin, Ireland
  • Business or sector: Arts, entertainment and recreation

Television Researcher, “Hands On”

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Generation of and developing item ideas for ‘Hands On’, RTE’s programme for the Deaf community as well as organisation of studio discussions, interviews, information-style pieces, etc. Items varied from light entertainment-style pieces of interest to Deaf people, to news items relating to Deaf issues and audience debates discussing Deaf politics and culture.

  • Brady & Co Law Searchers

  • 3 Inns Quay, Dublin 7, Dublin, Ireland

Property Title Researcher

–

Property title research and related land title research duties in various repositories, especially the Registry of Deeds, the Land Registry, the Valuation Office, the National Archives, the General Registration Office, and Planning Departments in both Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council civic offices. Have solid experience of using Registry of Deeds Names Index and Lands Index for standard property title searches and title enquiries. Extensive use of Will Calendars in National Archives and other records.

Education and training

Trinity College Dublin

–

  • PhD, History

  • Dublin, Ireland

This thesis is a historical investigation into aspects of the lives and experiences of deaf people in Ireland during the period 1851 to 1922. It comprehensively explores, using a ‘history from below’ perspective, the beginnings of deaf education in Ireland, the formation of deaf communities, the relationship between deaf schools and the Poor Law boards, and deaf people’s experiences in workhouses, courts of law, and prisons. It adopts a Deaf Studies perspective that recognises the existence of deaf communities and sign languages. Utilising a wide range of sources, it uses the technique of reading ‘against the grain’ when examining sources such as Census of Ireland Reports and manuscript returns, genealogical sources, and institutional records from deaf schools, workhouse indoor relief registers, prison registers, and court files. Particular use is made of electronic databases of newspapers of the period. Full thesis can be found here.


I am now a member of the Irish Association of Professional Historians.

  • Field(s) of study: Humanities
  • Level in EQF: EQF level 8
  • NQF Level: National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) Level 10
  • Thesis: 'Deaf People in Ireland: Education, Poverty, and the Law, 1851-1922'

Centre for Deaf Studies, Trinity College Dublin

–

  • Diploma, Irish Sign Language / English Interpreting

  • Dublin, Ireland

Achieved overall Distinction

Final year results:

  • Interpreting Placement - Distinction
  • Theory of Interpreting Philosophy and Practice - Distinction
  • Simultaneous Interpreting C  - Distinction
  • Simultaneous Interpreting A-B  - Distinction
  • Ethics & Professionalism - Distinction
  • Liaison Interpreting - Distinction
  • ISL 4 - Distinction
  • ISL 5 & 6 - Distinction
  • Education, Law & Social Services - Distinction
  • Bilingualism - Pass
  • Field(s) of study: Social services
  • Level in EQF: EQF level 6

Dublin City University

–

  • Masters, Communications & Cultural Studies

  • Dublin, Ireland

Achieved 2:1 qualification:

  • Dissertation ("Deaf in Both Ears? A study of deafness and deaf organisations") - (Grade A)
  • Communications and International Relations (Grade B)
  • Regionalism and Minority Cultures in Europe (Grade A)
  • Media and Community Development (Grade B)
  • Television and Children (Grade B)
  • Field(s) of study: Journalism and information
  • Level in EQF: EQF level 7

University College Dublin

–

  • Degree, Arts

  • Dublin, Ireland

Achieved a 2:1 qualification:

  • History – 2:1
  • Linguistics – 2:2
  • Field(s) of study: Humanities
  • Level in EQF: EQF level 6

Language skills

Mother tongue(s)

English

Other language(s)

Irish Sign Language

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Listening Reading Spoken interaction Spoken production Writing

International Sign

B1: Independent user
B1: Independent user
A2: Basic User
B1: Independent user
 

Irish

B1: Independent user
B1: Independent user
A2: Basic User
A2: Basic User
A2: Basic User

Skills

  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Powerpoint
  • Zoom
  • Google Drive
  • Google Docs
  • Social Media
  • Facebook
  • Video Editing (Wondershare Filmora)

Job-related skills

Job-related skills

  • Excellent preparation and research skills. I have a high level of ability in locating and referencing material online and in databases and repositories. My career and academic history shows my level of skills as a researcher in many fields.
  • I consider myself to be a good team-worker. I prize the ability of an interpreter to work in a team and I consider good joint preparation a must in delivering the highest quality interpretation I can. I communicate regularly and in different formats with co-workers prior to an assignment, and always seek to debrief and analyse any co-worked assignment with them.

Other skills

Other skills

  • Genealogy and Family History research

 

Organisational skills

Organisational skills

Represented the Irish sign language interpreting profession both nationally and internationally. During my tenure as Chair, membership of the organisation tripled and Sub-Committees on important areas such as Occupational Health & Safety and Deaf Interpreting were established. I also led a sub-Committee to create a three-year CISLI Strategy 2019-2022.


CISLI (represented by myself and others) were heavily involved in negotiation and discussion around the Irish Sign Language Act 2017, which passed into law with significant CISLI input.


I was also involved in an advisory capacity with the Oireachtas Working Group on Irish Sign Language in 2017, whose final Report was launched in February 2019.

Communication and interpersonal skills

Communication and interpersonal skills

  • Excellent presentation skills in Irish Sign Language, honed through regular presentations to the Deaf public in Ireland on my PhD history research in ISL.
  • Excellent PowerPoint creation and delivery skills, including a knowledge of good practice for 'deaf friendly' PowerPoint presentations.