Maureen Gaffney (born 1947) is an Irish clinical psychologist, broadcaster, writer and columnist.

Maureen Gaffney
Born1947 (age 76–77)
Midleton, County Cork, Ireland
NationalityIrish

Biography

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Gaffney was born in 1947 in Midleton, County Cork. Educated there in St Mary's High School the Presentation Convent, she was the first in her family to go to university and she graduated with a BA in psychology from the University College Cork. Gaffney got a scholarship in 1974 which allowed her to get her masters in Behavioural Sciences from the University of Chicago. She returned to Ireland to gain her PhD from Trinity College Dublin. Gaffney spent twenty years working for the Eastern Health Board before taking on writing columns and beginning a radio career.[1][2][3] She was a regular guest on The Gay Byrne Show and in recent years has appeared on both The Marian Finucane Show and the Brendan O'Connor Show.[4][5][6]

She has held a number of academic positions. Gaffney has been the Director of the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology in Trinity College Dublin and as adjunct professor of psychology and society in University College Dublin. Gaffney has also held a number of government roles including being a member of the Board of the Health Service Executive and executive chairman of the National Economic and Social Forum. She has also been an advocate of socially progressive causes and has campaigned for a yes vote in the Irish divorce referendum and the marriage equality referendum.[7][8]

Gaffney is a member of the Women’s Leadership Board of Harvard Kennedy School. She is married to John Harris, lives in Dublin and has two children.[1][2][3]

In 2021, her book, Your One Wild and Precious Life, won the RTÉ Audience Choice Award at the Irish Book Awards.[9]

She was a candidate in the 2022 Dublin University by-election coming a close second to Dr Tom Clonan.[10]

Bibliography

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  • Glass Slippers and Tough Bargains (1991)
  • The Way We Live Now (1996)
  • Flourishing (2011)
  • The Complete Life (2018)
  • Your One Wild and Precious Life (2019)

References and sources

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  1. ^ a b "Dr Maureen Gaffney". MacGill Summer School. 1 June 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Maureen Gaffney - Keynote Speaker". London Speaker Bureau. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  3. ^ a b "The passionate psychologist". The Irish Times. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  4. ^ "THE MEANING OF LIFE WITH GAY BYRNE | RTÉ Presspack". presspack.rte.ie. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Sibling Rivalry". RTE Radio. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  6. ^ Maureen Gaffney, retrieved 15 March 2022
  7. ^ Divorce Discussion - 1986 Referendum (Part 2), retrieved 14 March 2022
  8. ^ Maureen Gaffney on recent framing of debate around a 'Gold Standard' Family, retrieved 14 March 2022
  9. ^ "The best of the best! Irish Book Awards 2021 winners revealed". IrishCentral.com. 29 November 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  10. ^ "Nominations for the University of Dublin Seanad Bye-Election 2022". Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved 12 February 2022.