My research focuses on Irish language phraseology, particularly the form and function of phraseological units, the codification of phrasemes in lexicographic sources, and the promulgation of stereotypes and slurs in proverbial material. I have published extensively in leading journals, including Proverbium: Yearbook of International Proverb Scholarship, International Journal of Lexicography, and Folklore. My current research examines the intersections of language and social memory, specifically the impact of linguistic memory on identity formation.

I served as a Visiting Fellow at The Institute of Modern Languages Research, University of London (2017–18), and as a Senior Fulbright Irish Language Scholar at the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies, University of Notre Dame (2010–11). Prior to my lectureship at QUB, I held research positions in the Department of Modern Irish at University College Cork (2006–7) and in Ulster University (2003–6).

I am an Associate Fellow of the Senator George J Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice at QUB and a member of Coiste Léann na Gaeilge agus an Léinn Cheiltigh at The Royal Irish Academy. Additionally, I serve on the international steering committee of Cló Léann na Gaeilge and the Irish Conference of Folklore & Ethnology.

PhD Supervision: I have supervised a range of theses across my research specialisms, both as 1st and 2nd supervisor. These include:

• 'Youth engagement in the Irish-language revival movement in Belfast since 1998' Róisín Nic Liam (2023-, 2nd)
• 'Contemporary Irish-language literature regarding the Troubles' Amber Mc Daid (2021-, 2nd)
• 'The Irish Dialect of South Leinster: The Onomastic Evidence' Annie Jowett (2020-, 2nd)
• 'Translating from Arabic Rhetoric into English: A Case Study of Nahjul Balagha' Ruqaya Al-Taie (2015-19, 2nd)
• 'Éamon de Valera, the Irish Language and Linguistic Nationalism' Pádraig Mac Congáil (2015-18, 1st)
• 'Legal Translation and Terminology in the Irish Free State, 1922-1937' Órla Mc Grory (2013-18, 2nd)
• 'A Linguistic Analysis of Spoken Irish in Belfast and the Donegal Gaeltacht' Colm Mc Guigan (2011-15, 1st)
• 'Serving Two Masters: Irish Translations of Formal Registers of English' John Dorins (2009-18, 2nd)

I convene and teach a range of undergraduate modules in Irish Language and Literature across all levels. These include:

• Gaeilge 1
• Béaloideas na hÉireann
• Scannánaíocht na Gaeilge
• Dúchas na Gaeilge
• An Gearrscéal sa Ghaeilge
• An Béal Beo
• An Miontráchtas

At postgraduate level, I teach on the MA module Language Revival, Reconcilitaion and Politics in Ireland and supervise students on the MRes in Languages.