Main current focus - Irish-German studies, Exiles studies, specifically German-speaking exiles in Ireland 1933-1945, German literature in the 19th, 20th and 21st century; Contemporary literature and culture in German-speaking countries; Business German; Enhancing the study abroad experience for students.

• Professor in German
• Course Director: MA in Irish German Studies
• Director, Centre for Irish-German Studies

• MA (Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA) 1992
• PhD (Universität Köln, Köln, Germany) 1995
• Assistant teacher at four schools, Belfast, Northern Ireland 1988/89
• Teaching a wide variety of short and medium-term language courses at institutions in Cologne (Deutsche Welle, Fortbildungsakademie der Wirtschaft, Carl-Duisberg-Colleg) 1992-96
• Part time Lecturer Universität Köln, Germany, Spring 1994 and 1995
• Lektor, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand 1995
• Since 1996 at the University of Limerick. Starting as Assistant Lecturer in German, Department of Languages and Cultural Studies, University of Limerick, 1999 promoted to Lecturer in German, 2003 promoted to Senior Lecturer in German

• German-Irish relations
• German literature
• Exile Studies

• German literature 19th-21st century
• Comparative and; English Literature
• Business German
• German area studies
• Intercultural relations, specifically German-Irish
• Masterclasses for postgraduate students