I’m a writer of prose, drama and journalism from Armagh. I live with my family on the northside of Dublin.

Previously we lived in Belfast for many years, where I ran the M.A. in Creative Writing at Queen’s University’s Seamus Heaney Centre.

In 2018 I came to DCU as Assistant Professor in Creative Writing at DCU, and am founding Chair of the MA in Creative Writing. My novel, After The Lockout, was published internationally by 4th Estate (London) in 2012 and was shortlisted for the Goldsboro Book Award. My play, Confession, was produced at that Brian Friel Theatre, Belfast. Short fiction has appeared in The Stinging Fly, The Tangerine, Prole, and O’Brien Press's Surge collection.

Prior to my writing career I was a reporter with The Irish News, covering the declining years of Northern Ireland's decades-long conflict, its stop-start peace process. In 2010 I was awarded my Ph.D by Queen’s University, Belfast, the first time a PhD in Creative Writing had ever been awarded by an Irish university.

I’m a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin , and hold Master’s degrees from Queen’s University Belfast and Dublin City University. My proudest achievement – three crazy kids that keep me on my toes.