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Dr Paula McGrath is a Lecturer/Assistant Professor in the School of English, Drama and Film at University College Dublin. She has been a core faculty member since 2013, initially as an Occasional Lecturer and promoted to Assistant Professor/Lecturer in 2021. She currently serves as Acting Head of Creative Writing and coordinates multiple modules including Craft of Creative Writing, Life Writing, and Literary Editorship. Her academic home is UCD, where she earned her MA and MFA, and she completed her PhD at the University of Limerick as a Government of Ireland Postgraduate Fellow.
- BA (Hons) in Single Honour English Language and Literature – Trinity College Dublin
- MA in Women’s Studies – University College Dublin
- MFA in Creative Writing – University College Dublin
- PhD in Creative Writing – University of Limerick
- Professional Certificate in University Teaching & Learning – University College Dublin
Her research and teaching focus on creative writing, contemporary fiction, environmental writing, and women’s writing. She supervises creative practice and narrative theory, with a particular interest in trauma representation and intergenerational storytelling. Her novels, Generation (2015) and A History of Running Away (2017), have been published internationally and translated into French and German, with critical acclaim from Joseph O’Connor, John Boyne, and others. Her recent publications include journal articles, book reviews, and media commentaries on feminism, literature, and Irish society.
The 15 most recent publications reflect a consistent engagement with narrative innovation, feminist themes, and psychological depth across fiction, translation, and criticism. Her work spans creative output and scholarly review, often intersecting personal history with broader cultural questions, particularly around gender, migration, and belonging. She frequently contributes to public discourse through The Irish Times and literary journals.
- Arts Council literary bursary (2016)
- Government of Ireland Postgraduate Fellowship
- Irish Writers Centre/St. Mark’s English Church Writer in Residence in Florence (2016)
Dr McGrath has supervised doctoral research under Joseph O’Connor at the University of Limerick and has taught creative writing across levels at UCD. She has not publicly listed her students, but she has coordinated the MFA module Pedagogic Strategies for Creative Writing (2019–2022), indicating a strong mentorship role. She has received research funding from the Arts Council and the British Academy. Her teaching philosophy is student-focused and research-led, emphasizing a supportive, creative environment. She is actively involved in curriculum development and creative writing pedagogy.
She is a member of the academic and literary community, with affiliations to the Irish Writers Centre, participation in international literary events, and contributions to public intellectual life through media and translation. Her work bridges creative practice and academic scholarship, positioning her as a leading voice in contemporary Irish literature and creative writing education.
