Following swiftly on the heels of her recent success in obtaining her doctoral degree, Deirdre will present her research on Popular Memories of the Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme: Northern Ireland 2016 a case study.  

From 2010 - 2018 Deirdre was Director Cultural Diversity at the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council. She had responsibility for developing the principles for remembering in public space and for developing the multi sector collaborative network that underpinned the approach in Northern Ireland to what was called the Decade of Centenaries.

Between 2003 - 2010 Deirdre undertook consulting roles with NGOs, Councils and government bodies in relation to social inclusion, regeneration and peacebuilding.

Previously, she was the Chief Officer with the Belfast European Partnership Board from 1996 - 2002 delivering the local partnership strand of the EU Northern Ireland Peace Programme.

Deirdre has worked extensively in community development in north Belfast and London.