Notable Alumni - Sociology | Trinity College Dublin

Sociology at Trinity College Dublin has a rich history, with the discipline first taught in 1968 and the Department established in 1978. Since then, approximately 1,500 graduates have completed undergraduate programmes in Sociology, each contributing to a wide array of fields and making their mark across diverse industries.

The alumni featured below highlight the breadth of career paths taken by our graduates and the impact they have had. Their journeys reflect the variety of opportunities available to those who study Sociology at Trinity.

Some notable Sociology Alumni from Trinity College Dublin

Oisin Coghlan (BESS, Sociology and Political Science, 1994): Director of Friends of the Earth Ireland

Jonathan Clynch (BESS, Sociology and Political Science, 1993): Reporter, RTE

Mary Corcoran (BESS, Sociology and Political Science, 1983): Professor of Sociology, NUI Maynooth

Patricia Deevy (BA in Sociology, 1987): Senior Editor, Penguin Ireland

Alan Gilsenan (BA in Sociology and English, 1984): Film maker and Chair of Irish Film Institute

Brian Goff (BESS, Sociology and Political Science, 1981): Founder Insomnia Coffee Company

Gerard Hanlon (PhD in Sociology, 1992): Professor of Organisational Sociology, Queen Mary College London

Emer Hoare (BESS, Sociology, 1998): Film producer. Productions include ‘Seeking Filipino Brides’, transmitted on BBC Northern Ireland

Fiach MacConghail (BESS, Sociology and Political Science, 1988): Director Abbey Theatre, Member of Seanad Éireann since 2011.

Kathryn O’Donoghue (BESS, Sociology and Economics, 1987): Director, Monetized Products Policy Operations Google EMEA.

David O’Sullivan (BA in Sociology and Economics, 1975): EU Ambassador to Washington

Séan O’Riain (BESS, Sociology and Political Science, 1990): Professor of Sociology, NUI Maynooth

Maria Slowey (MLitt in Sociology, 1981): Vice President for Learning Innovation, Dublin City University

Diarmaid Ward (MPhil in Ethnic and Racial Studies, 2010): Labour Councillor in Islington, London

Note: The information on this page is based on the most recent information available to us. The Department would be pleased to hear of any updates, amendments, or notable omissions, as well as any news about alumni. Please send these to the Department's Executive Officer, at sociology@tcd.ie, phone: +353 1 896 2701.