As well as coaching others in how to achieve peak performance, it was important to Niamh that she was able to walk the walk herself and demonstrate capability in the skills that she was teaching others about, such as performing under pressure and working cohesively as a team. So from 1999 through to 2013 alongside running her sport psychology practice, from time to time Niamh applied her psychology skills in a practical way in the business world by taking on the role of Project Manager with the Dublin County Returning Officer’s office during elections or referendums. Here she was responsible for leading a team through the logistics and operation of issuing, counting and returning the votes for an electorate of approximately 450,000 people.

Operating on a huge logistical scale in a highly pressurised environment, under Niamh’s guidance this office grew to become the field leader and go-to source for best practice, effectiveness and innovation in this area. Her ability to put her psychological skills into practice in guiding this team was a key factor in this success. Since leaving this office in 2013 Niamh has been brought in to consult with several other Returning Officers looking to achieve maximum performance from their team.

Outside of sport and business, Niamh has been a contributor to Today FM radio since 1994. She began as the go-to psychologist for the Ray D’Arcy Show when she helped listeners with issues such as anxiety over re-sitting a driving test, fear of flying, and fear of heights. Niamh then took up the weekly role of Agony Aunt with the show in 2011, where she gave advice to listeners on their relationship problems.  She made this role her own and it was hugely successful, with the type of problem that came in indicating a high level of trust in her ability to give sound advice on serious matters. Niamh stayed with the Ray D’Arcy Show until it ended in December 2014.

In February 2015 Niamh became the Agony Aunt on the Anton Savage Show on Today FM, until the show ended in December 2016. In this popular segment, she gave straight-talking, practical advice to listeners on a weekly basis, helping on a range of issues including struggles with mental health, relationships, domestic abuse, workplace problems or difficulties in life in general.

In January 2017 presenter Neil Delamere added Niamh to his team of contributors when he brought her on board as the Agony Aunt for Neil’s Sunday Best, his popular weekend show on Today FM.  Bringing over 25 years working as a psychologist and over 14 years’ experience on radio, each week Niamh addresses a range of common problems from listeners, helping to point them in the direction of a resolution.

Click on this link to go to  Niamh's Agony Aunt page on Today FM..

In 2015 Niamh was asked to be an Expert for MummyPages, Ireland’s largest parenting website. She is now the Performance and Life Coach for the site and her practical articles on ways to navigate around the challenges of life can be found under the Expert section each month.

Go to the Portfolio page for links to Niamh’s articles on MummyPages

Over the years Niamh has been interviewed for and contributed to articles in many newspapers including the Sunday Independent, the Sunday Tribune, the Irish Times and the Sunday Times. She has also contributed online for HerFamily.ie.

Go to the Portfolio page for links to media items.

Niamh has been described as being warm, insightful, creative, enthusiastic and above all pragmatic in the way she works. One of the comments often said to Niamh by clients is “you get me, you understand exactly what I am saying and I feel better already”. Rather than follow the crowd she often takes an unorthodox approach to problem solving, a route which makes the whole experience of psychological intervention or training unexpectedly enjoyable as well as undoubtedly effective.

Her genuine passion for working with people is obvious from the first meeting, as is her absolute intention to get results. In Denis Walsh’s book “Hurling, The Revolution Years” she is described by Liam Griffin (Wexford Senior Hurling Team Manager 1996 and Managing Director, Griffin Hotel Group) as being “one of the people on this earth I would trust more than anyone alive”. Whether you are a business manager looking to gain maximum output from yourself or your team, an athlete seeking to achieve optimum performance, an individual wanting to learn how to deal with the challenges of daily life or to improve your mental health, working with Niamh you will feel better about yourself and about your readiness to achieve your goals.

Niamh participated in sport from an early age, playing hockey at school and volleyball later on in her twenties. She was introduced to equestrian sports at 10 years of age and spent her teenage years competing at eventing and show jumping events. A strong competitor at the initial stages of a competition, Niamh tackled the early rounds with enthusiasm and gusto. However when it came to the final of a competition and her team manager would typically put her in as last rider to compete, telling her that he wanted a “good, strong clear round” from her, “just like you have done in the qualifiers”, Niamh’s strong 14 year old mind unfortunately deserted her and she became a bag of nerves. Her poor unfortunate team manager once muttered that she would make a better cricket captain than a show jumping captain given the high scores that she racked up in finals!

At this age Niamh just assumed that these nerves were simply part of sport and that there was nothing she could do to prevent them from having a negative effect on her performance. Several years later, when studying at UCD she discovered an area of psychology called sport psychology, where research and practice focused on the role of the mind and emotions in sports performance. She soon found out that there are indeed things that can be done to prevent emotions from negatively impacting performance. She was so enthralled with this area of performance psychology that she went on to complete her studies in this field so that she could educate, train and guide others so that they would not make the same mistakes that she had done. This led to a varied, massively enjoyable and rewarding career.

Outside of work, Niamh is a naturally sociable person and she hugely values her husband, family and friends and likes nothing better than a night or day out enjoying their company. A huge literature fan, Niamh especially loves psychological thrillers. An avid fan of the arts, Niamh can often be found at comedy events, concerts or musical theatre productions. She is also a dog lover and enjoys walking her beloved Lhasa Apso.