Katriona O'Sullivan
Katriona O'Sullivan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | |
| Employer(s) | Maynooth University, Ireland |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Dublin (B.A., PhD). |
| Thesis | An investigation of implicit and explicit 'liking' and 'wanting' processes in nicotine addiction (2012) |
| Michael Gormley | |
Katriona O'Sullivan is a psychologist and writer. Her autobiographical memoirs Poor (2023) and Hungry (2026) document the challenges of her early life, and her story of how she overcame them.[1][2]
Life and career
O'Sullivan was born in Coventry, West Midlands, in the late 1970s. She was the middle child of five, born in poverty to Irish parents. Aged 15, O'Sullivan became pregnant, and homeless.[3] O'Sullivan moved to Ireland in 1998, and later entered Trinity College, Dublin, on an access programme. She subsequently completed an undergraduate degree in psychology, and then went on to do a PhD.[4] O'Sullivan works as a lecturer at Maynooth University, where she leads the National Centre for Inclusive Higher Education.[5]
In 2023, O'Sullivan published an autobiographical memoir, Poor. This documented how she overcome the challenges of poverty and homelessness, and built a new life as a student and then lecturer in psychology. Poor was chosen as the An Post biography of the year at the Irish Book Awards, and remained in the Irish bestsellers lists for over three years.[1][6][7]
A play, based on O'Sullivan's memoir, premiered at the Gate theatre Ireland during Dublin theater festival 2025 and was in Coventry at the Belgrade Theatre in May 2026.[8][9]
In 2026, O'Sullivan published a second memoir, Hungry.[2] On 4 July 2026, O'Sullivan was a guest of Adrian Chiles on the BBC Radio 4 magazine programme Saturday Live, where she talked about her life, her academic work and her writings.[10]
Books
Family life
O'Sullivan has three children. Her eldest, John O'Sullivan played professional football in the UK and Ireland.[10]
References
- 1 2 Saner, Emine. "Raised by addicts, abused, neglected, broke: how Katriona O'Sullivan escaped her fate". guardian.co.uk.
- 1 2 McGurk, Helen (18 May 2026). "Still hungry: Katriona O'Sullivan on poverty, trauma and body image". IrishNews.Com.
- ↑ "Authors: Katriona O'Sullivan". Penguin.co.uk.
- ↑ O'Sullivan, Katriona (18 September 2021). "I sat drinking in the knowledge, and for the first time in my life I felt alive". IrishTimes.com.
- ↑ Casey, Jess (13 November 2025). "Academic Katriona O'Sullivan to head centre aimed at bringing disadvantaged students into higher education". IrishExaminer.com.
- ↑ Rack, Susie (26 May 2023). "I've learned to love the girl I was - author of Poor". bbc.co.uk.
- ↑ Audley, Fiona. "Paul Murray, Liz Nugent and Katriona O'Sullivan all crowned winners in An Post Book Awards 2023". www.irishpost.com.
- ↑ Bailey, Lorna (6 May 2026). "Author's FA cup winning memory as play debuts in home city". bbc.co.uk.
- ↑ "Poor - Belgrade Theatre". belgrade.co.uk.
- 1 2 "Ralf Little, Mark Foster, Katriona O'Sullivan and the Inheritance Tracks of Clare Grogan". bbc.co.uk. 4 July 2026.