Marie Louise O Donnell is an educator, broadcaster, writer and former senator. In her early career she was head of Drama at Carysfort Teacher Training College.
She trained in Radio production, presentation and direction with the BBC in London and made and presented programmes for BBC Radio 4 for years.
She became a member of staff in DCU for 24 years as a senior lecturer in
The School of Communications. She initiated a professional Arts Programme at DCU culminating in the launch of The Helix in 2002.
She was appointed to the Board of the National Concert Hall for 2 terms
She has lectured extensively in Ireland, Europe and the USA in Education, Irish Drama, Irish Culture and Language. She is a noted after dinner speaker.
Marie Louise has presented programmes on television and radio and has been a regular reviewer and media contributor. She worked weekly as a colour radio writer and reporter on RTE’s Today with Pat Kenny and Today with Sean O’Rourke shows and on the Late Show with Vincent Browne.
In May 2011 she was appointed to the Senate by the then Taoiseach Enda Kenny. She was re-appointed to the Senate by the Taoiseach in 2016.
In 2019 she published her first book Irish Working Lives.
In 2022 she was appointed as The Honorary Consul of the Republic of Latvia.
In 2003 she became a PhD Fellow at TUD Dublin studying the work of John McGahern.
2024 Event Speakers
