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).
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.