Colm O'Doherty

Dr Colm O’Doherty is a Lecturer in Applied Social Studies at the Institute of Technology Tralee. He began his professional career as a social worker in Coventry where he developed a family support service in the inner city. After leaving Coventry Social Services he worked as a social worker in Wales. He then worked as a social worker in Cork City and County where he continued his involvement in family support and community development practice. He also managed the North Cork Social Work Department. 

After eighteen years front line practice in social work, family support and community development he took on a pivotal role in community and social work education at University College Cork before taking up his current position.

He is the author of three books - A New Agenda for Family Support: Providing Services that Create Social Capital (2007); Community Development in Ireland: Theory, Policy & Practice (with Ashling Jackson, 2012); and Learning on the Job: Parenting in Modern Ireland (with Ashling Jackson, 2015). He is co-editor of The Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies (IJASS).