ʃiː hɐz wˈɜːkt æz ɐ tˈiːtʃɚɹ ɪn hɜː nˈeɪɾɪv bˈɛlfæst æt sənt. pˈætɹɪks kˈɑːlɪdʒ, nˈɑːk ænd ɐn ˈɛdɪɾɚ ænd wʌzðə fˈɜːst fˈiːmeɪl ɹˈaɪɾɚɹ ɪn ɹˈɛzᵻdəns æt kwˈiːnz jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi bˈɛlfæst nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi fˈaɪv nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi ˈeɪt.
She has worked as a teacher in her native Belfast at St. Patrick's College, Knock and an editor and was the first female Writer in Residence at Queen's University Belfast (1985–1988).