2020s
Class Notes
Re-Connections 2026
Catch up with some of your former classmates as they tell us what’s happening in their lives and share their memories of UCD
We would love to hear from you! Complete the form, and you could see your Class Note in the Reconnections section of the 2027 UCD Connections.
SZE KEI TO
MSc Sustainable Development 2025
SZE KEI TO
Sze Kei To is from Hong Kong SAR and was the Public Relations Officer for the UCD Sustainable Energy Community. She was...
RIDA TARYA
MEngSc in Water, Waste and Environmental Engineering 2024
RIDA TARYA
Rida Tarya lives in Ireland and is a Process Design Engineer at Murphy. Memories of UCD: Graduation day marked the end o...
DERMOT CARBERRY
MSc in Management 2023
DERMOT CARBERRY
Dermot Carberry lives in Ireland and is the Commercial Director at Optima Health. Memories of UCD: My experience as a st...
SAFA KHARITA
BSc Pharmacology 2025
SAFA KHARITA
Safa Kharita lives in Ireland and is currently studying for a Masters degree in Neuropharmacology. Notable achievements:...
2010s
SIEW CHONG KEIT
MSc Management 2012
SIEW CHONG KEIT
Siew Chong Keit lives in Singapore and has over three decades of experience in technology leadership at organisations su...
RACHEL FEHILY
HDip 2007, MA 2014, PhD candidate 2026
Rachel Fehily is from Ireland and has just been a Visiting Doctoral Student from UCD to Wolfson College, University of Oxford for Trinity Term 2026. Influential lecturer: The inspiring Professor of Drama Eamonn Jordan. Professional highlight: The scholars at the Oxford Centre for Life Writing are deeply engaged with Irish political and social history, and sharing my research on mixed-race adoptive identity, postcolonial Ireland, and the legal and legacy aspects of the Irish adoption system with such an informed and generous community was an invaluable experience.
2000s
ORLA BREE
BComm 2004, MAcc 2005
ORLA BREE
Orla Bree is the owner of global baby brand ClevaMama and lives in Sydney, Australia. UCD connections: We were delighted...
PROFESSOR THOM BROOKS
MA Philosophy 2000
Thom Brooks lives in the United Kingdom. Professional highlight: He has become Principal of Collingwood College at Durham University, where he is Chair in Law, Ethics and Government in Durham Law School. Collingwood is the largest of Durham's 17 colleges, with around 2,000 students.
DANIEL MAHER
BA Hons Economics 2009
Professional highlight: I have recently published my first book, Bright Angles: Witty Solutions and How to Spark Them. It explores practical, real-world examples of creative problem-solving and innovation, drawing on my career across strategy, operations and improvement roles. UCD connections: It builds on the curiosity and analytical thinking I developed during my time studying economics and my various electives in sociology at UCD.
1990s
DR KIERAN DONOHOE
BA 1992, DGov 2023
DR KIERAN DONOHOE
Kieran Donohoe lives in Ireland. Campus memories: All those 9am economics lectures in Theatre L are now benefiting socia...
SYLVIA LEATHAM
BA 1994
SYLVIA LEATHAM
Sylvia Leatham lives in Ireland. Campus memories: I feel like I have come full circle as I studied Philosophy and Englis...
EMMET O'REILLY
BComm 1993, MAcc 1994
EMMET O'REILLY
Emmet O'Reilly lives in Ireland. Campus memories: A personal highlight was performing Monty Python's Lumberjack sketch i...
KAREN LYONS
BA 1993, MA 1996
Karen Lyons lives in the United States, where she is a Professor and Elizabeth Power Keohane Faculty Fellow at Boston College. Professional highlight: I went on to earn a PhD in Human Development & Family Studies from the Pennsylvania State University in 1999. Last year, I was the lead author of the first book written on dyadic health science, the multidisciplinary study of how two people navigate illness/health within their close personal relationship.
1980s
Alison Blake
MB BCh BAO 1983
Alison Blake lives in Ireland. Professional highlight: She has been elected President of the Section of Ophthalmology, Union of European Medical Specialists, with her term beginning on 1 January 2027.
JOHN DOYLE
BSc 1984, HDipEd 1986
JOHN DOYLE
Personal achievement: The only major item on my retirement bucket list was to cycle the Wild Atlantic Way. And here I am...
1970s
Shelia Coyle
BA 1973
Shelia Coyle lives in Ireland. Campus memories: Being a member of the Student Representative Council and topping the poll in second and third Arts, as well as taking part in protests against fees and internment. Working on Saturday night at the discos with my wonderful, supportive friend and SRC colleague Paul Grisewood (BAg), who sadly passed away this year. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
DAVIDA DE LA HARPE
MB BCh BAO 1976
DAVIDA DE LA HARPE
Davida De La Harpe lives in Ireland. Professional highlight: Retirement has allowed me to indulge my passion for writing...
1960s
VIVIEN VEALE IGOE
BA 1964, PhD 2011
VIVIEN VEALE IGOE
Vivien Veale Igoe lives in Ireland. Campus memories: "Wear strong shoes, and bring sandwiches" was on the posters advert...
DR DENIS JAMES CARRAGHER
MB BCh BAO 1966
Denis James Carragher lives in Australia. Career memories: I spent a year in the Meath Hospital before I went to Aldershot to be a soldier. I joined the parachute regiment but decided jumping out of perfectly serviceable aeroplanes was not my forte, so I applied to join the Trucial Oman Scouts, arriving in Sharjah in 1969. Later, I took an obstetric training post in BMH Colchester and worked in Yorkshire, before moving to Australia in search of better weather. Recently, I opened a new virtual clinic, and I look after four nursing homes.
SZE KEI TO
MSc Sustainable Development 2025
Sze Kei To is from Hong Kong SAR and was the Public Relations Officer for the UCD Sustainable Energy Community. She was the sixth finalist in Ireland's first Hult Prize Nationals 2025, and also participated in the UCD Alumni Career Mentoring Programme. Research thesis: Strategies to promote gender equality and operational effectiveness in conflict-affected contexts. Notable achievements: Received the UCD Advantage Award in recognition of outstanding contributions and engagement.
RIDA TARYA
MEngSc in Water, Waste and Environmental Engineering 2024
Rida Tarya lives in Ireland and is a Process Design Engineer at Murphy. Memories of UCD: Graduation day marked the end of an unforgettable journey for our close-knit class of nine Masters students. We came from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds, each bringing something unique. What began as a group of classmates quickly became a family built on friendship, support, and plenty of good craic.
DERMOT CARBERRY
MSc in Management 2023
Dermot Carberry lives in Ireland and is the Commercial Director at Optima Health. Memories of UCD: My experience as a student was shaped not only by academic rigour, but also by the unique and inspiring environment. In particular, the UCD Blackrock Library, housed within a beautifully restored 19th-century chapel originally built in 1895, offered a distinctive and peaceful space for study. This environment fostered enthusiasm for learning and made studying feel purposeful, professional and genuinely enjoyable.
SAFA KHARITA
BSc Pharmacology 2025
Safa Kharita lives in Ireland and is currently studying for a Masters degree in Neuropharmacology. Notable achievements: Receiving the UCD Advantage Award was a proud moment that reflected my involvement beyond academics. Memories of UCD: UCD quickly became more than just a university to me. It became a place where I grew, discovered my direction, and felt a real sense of belonging. What I cherish most are the friendships and memories I built along the way.
SIEW CHONG KEIT
MSc Management 2012
Siew Chong Keit lives in Singapore and has over three decades of experience in technology leadership at organisations such as NCS, Singapore Post, Hartford Institute, and Kering Group. Professional interests: I am an entrepreneur, researcher and educator, contributing to the fields of IoT and applied innovation. I am also the advisor to the founders of a conceptual college, EG Square Institute of Additional Learning, which develops future-ready professionals equipped to navigate uncertainty and change.
RACHEL FEHILY
HDip 2007, MA 2014, PhD candidate 2026
Rachel Fehily is from Ireland and has just been a Visiting Doctoral Student from UCD to Wolfson College, University of Oxford for Trinity Term 2026. Influential lecturer: The inspiring Professor of Drama Eamonn Jordan. Professional highlight: The scholars at the Oxford Centre for Life Writing are deeply engaged with Irish political and social history, and sharing my research on mixed-race adoptive identity, postcolonial Ireland, and the legal and legacy aspects of the Irish adoption system with such an informed and generous community was an invaluable experience.
ORLA BREE
BComm 2004, MAcc 2005
Orla Bree is the owner of global baby brand ClevaMama and lives in Sydney, Australia. UCD connections: We were delighted to reconnect with Jarlath Regan on his Australian tour. Jarlath was the auditor of the L&H society while Jean Shannon (BComm 2004, MAcc 2005) and I were the treasurers for the Comedy Society in the early 2000s.
PROFESSOR THOM BROOKS
MA Philosophy 2000
Thom Brooks lives in the United Kingdom. Professional highlight: He has become Principal of Collingwood College at Durham University, where he is Chair in Law, Ethics and Government in Durham Law School. Collingwood is the largest of Durham's 17 colleges, with around 2,000 students.
DANIEL MAHER
BA Hons Economics 2009
Professional highlight: I have recently published my first book, Bright Angles: Witty Solutions and How to Spark Them. It explores practical, real-world examples of creative problem-solving and innovation, drawing on my career across strategy, operations and improvement roles. UCD connections: It builds on the curiosity and analytical thinking I developed during my time studying economics and my various electives in sociology at UCD.
DR KIERAN DONOHOE
BA 1992, DGov 2023
Kieran Donohoe lives in Ireland. Campus memories: All those 9am economics lectures in Theatre L are now benefiting social policy in Wexford County Council and FDYS local voluntary Youth Services, as myself and Liz Hore now fulfil leading economic and social development roles in Co Wexford.
SYLVIA LEATHAM
BA 1994
Sylvia Leatham lives in Ireland. Campus memories: I feel like I have come full circle as I studied Philosophy and English at UCD in the 1990s and now I'm back, working in the Global Office. I love seeing all the changes on campus, like the Library upgrade, and the things that haven't changed – like the brown tiles in the Arts Block that will probably outlive us all!
EMMET O'REILLY
BComm 1993, MAcc 1994
Emmet O'Reilly lives in Ireland. Campus memories: A personal highlight was performing Monty Python's Lumberjack sketch in front of our second-year Commerce class as part of Comm Day promotions. Professional highlight: I've published two books: Miss, Say Goodbye to your Daughter, a memoir of my late mum's life, who is also a graduate of UCD (BA 1987); and This Is Ourselves, Under Pressure, a story that tracks a fictional family from Walkinstown, culminating as the Boys in Green take to the pitch at Italia '90.
KAREN LYONS
BA 1993, MA 1996
Karen Lyons lives in the United States, where she is a Professor and Elizabeth Power Keohane Faculty Fellow at Boston College. Professional highlight: I went on to earn a PhD in Human Development & Family Studies from the Pennsylvania State University in 1999. Last year, I was the lead author of the first book written on dyadic health science, the multidisciplinary study of how two people navigate illness/health within their close personal relationship.
Alison Blake
MB BCh BAO 1983
Alison Blake lives in Ireland. Professional highlight: She has been elected President of the Section of Ophthalmology, Union of European Medical Specialists, with her term beginning on 1 January 2027.
JOHN DOYLE
BSc 1984, HDipEd 1986
Personal achievement: The only major item on my retirement bucket list was to cycle the Wild Atlantic Way. And here I am at Malin Head, having cycled 1,612km in 16 days along the west coast from Mizen. Go me!
Shelia Coyle
BA 1973
Shelia Coyle lives in Ireland. Campus memories: Being a member of the Student Representative Council and topping the poll in second and third Arts, as well as taking part in protests against fees and internment. Working on Saturday night at the discos with my wonderful, supportive friend and SRC colleague Paul Grisewood (BAg), who sadly passed away this year. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
DAVIDA DE LA HARPE
MB BCh BAO 1976
Davida De La Harpe lives in Ireland. Professional highlight: Retirement has allowed me to indulge my passion for writing fiction. As a doctor, I have had the privilege of knowing many people and living through many changes in society. My latest novel, Buried Among Us, is based in Ireland and the USA in the 1970s to 1990s. Memories of UCD: Many of the settings and issues evoke memories of being a student in UCD, of clinical placements, finding independence, and then building a life in another country.
VIVIEN VEALE IGOE
BA 1964, PhD 2011
Vivien Veale Igoe lives in Ireland. Campus memories: "Wear strong shoes, and bring sandwiches" was on the posters advertising UCD Archaeological Society outings. Being a member of the Society involved going on outings each Sunday during term time, despite the weather. We visited dolmens, high crosses, round towers, ring forts, crannogs, and wedge-shaped gallery graves located all over the country. We often returned at nightfall drenched to the skin, but we learned so much and had great fun.
DR DENIS JAMES CARRAGHER
MB BCh BAO 1966
Denis James Carragher lives in Australia. Career memories: I spent a year in the Meath Hospital before I went to Aldershot to be a soldier. I joined the parachute regiment but decided jumping out of perfectly serviceable aeroplanes was not my forte, so I applied to join the Trucial Oman Scouts, arriving in Sharjah in 1969. Later, I took an obstetric training post in BMH Colchester and worked in Yorkshire, before moving to Australia in search of better weather. Recently, I opened a new virtual clinic, and I look after four nursing homes.
