Share
Beyond the Blue Door - Voices of Carlow College
Professional Social Care Graduate - Kate McGuinness
Season 2025, Ep. 1
•
Kicking off the Beyond the Blue Door podcast for 2025, we chat to Social Care alumna, Kate McGuinness about her decision to pursue a career in social care and how that lead her to her current careers in forensic social work. Kate graduated from the BA and BA (Hons) in Applied Social Studies (Professional Social Care) with Carlow College and is now working as a Senior Forensic Social Worker in a High Secure Unit for the National Forensic Mental Health Service.
Read more about Kate's career path on our website here
To find out more about the BA in Applied Social Studies (Professional Social Care) programme to kickstart your career in social care, visit our website
More episodes
View all episodes
9. English & History Graduate - Judy Bolger
15:17||Season 2025, Ep. 9Our very own Writing Development Tutor, Dr Judy Bolger, chats to us about her love of history and how she found her niche interest within the social history field. Fresh off the back of finishing her PhD at Trinity College Dublin, Judy talks about how her studies on the BA (Hons) in English & History helped her to develop her passion for history, gave her the skills she needed to progress to postgraduate study and how best to pursue a career as a Historian.Find out more about PC411 BA (Hons) in English & History on our website here
8. Arts & Humanities Graduate - Aoife Kaye
15:10||Season 2025, Ep. 8Considering a career in Librarianship? Hear from Arts & Humanities graduate, Aoife Kaye, about her journey to becoming a Librarian - what it's been like starting out her new career and what she hopes to achieve next. Graduates of the BA (Hons) in Arts & Humanities and the BA (Hons) in English & History can progress to further postgraduate study in Library & Information Systems and Archives & Records Management.
7. Professional Social Care Graduate - Patrick Connaughton
17:56||Season 2025, Ep. 7In this episode, we chat to 2004 alumna, Patrick Connaughton, who studied B.A. Applied Social Studies in Social Care. Patrick has worked in Social Care for over 20 years, and has extensive experience working in homeless services and drug and addiction services. He talks about his work in homesless services, how lifelong learning is a central to a successful career in social care and what skills are needed to excel as a Social Care Worker.More information on B.A. Applied Social Studies (Professional Social Care) is available here.
6. Arts & Humanities Graduate - Martina Harding
13:05||Season 2025, Ep. 6BA Humanities alumna, Martina Harding, has built a career in secondary education over the past 20 years. Now working as an Assistant Principal 1, she chats to us about what attracted her to teaching, whether a career in teaching was what she expected and what it takes to be an inspirational teacher.
5. Arts & Humanities Graduate- Sinead McCaul
12:29||Season 2025, Ep. 5Our BA Humanities alumna, Sinead McCaul, shares about her experience in Carlow College and how the smaller setting grew her confidence. Sinead is now working as a Fraud Analyst team leader in Bank of Ireland and says many of the skills she learned in her course got her to where she is today. We get to hear some of Sinead's fondest memories of Carlow College and the ups and downs she had along the way.
4. Applied Social Studies in Social Care Graduate- Edel Browne Curran
36:27||Season 2025, Ep. 4We catch up with our 2004 alumna, Edel Browne Curran, who studied B.A. Applied Social Studies in Social Care. Edel is currently the training and quality manager for Epilepsy Ireland but had achieved incredible things while working with Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland in her previous role. She reminiscences of her student life days, as she walked through that blue door for the first time in 20 years again. More information on B.A. Applied Social Studies here.
3. Arts & Humanities Graduate- Philip Keegan
14:50||Season 2025, Ep. 3In this episode, we discuss career paths in journalism with Arts and Humanities alumna, Philip Keegan. He graduated from Carlow College St. Patrick's in BA (Hons) in Arts and Humanities in 2024 and is now studying Masters in Journalism in the University of Galway. Philip shares about his experience in Carlow College and how the skills and knowledge he gained from Carlow College are helping him shape his career in journalism.Learn more about BA Hons course in Arts and Humanities here.
2. English & History Graduate - Regina Dunne
13:55||Season 2025, Ep. 2In this episode, we take a look at how to make a career in history with BA (Hons) in English & History graduate, Regina Dunne. After completing her undergraduate studies in Carlow College, Laois native Regina Dunne wanted to take the next step in her career as a Public Historian and Tourism Activator. Regina also progressed on to complete the MA in Irish Regional History in Carlow College, which she has found helped her develop skills essential for her role as EU Just Transition Tourism Activator for County Laois.Read more about Regina's career in history hereFind out more about PC411 BA (Hons) in English & History on our website here