Alumni Interview with Martha Brennan
Name: Martha Brennan
Career Position: Reporter
Years spent at KCS: 2009 to 2014
What were your favourite classes/subjects at KCS? English and history
Best memories of KCS: Meeting the people who are still my best friends today; art class; lunchtimes spent walking around or sitting outside in the summer; Mr Murphy's sixth year English class.
Tell us about your academic and career path to date: I studied English, History and Journalism in NUI Galway and graduated in 2019. I completed my MA in journalism in DCU in 2020. I wrote for The Echo, The Connacht Tribune and The Irish Times as a student and did placement with The Connacht Tribune in college. I also did a college internships with The Irish Times, NBC in the US and The 1 Guardian in London. I was the deputy editor of the NUIG paper during my final year in college. I went on to do The Irish Times’ entry-level journalist program for two years where I worked with The Irish Examiner and The Echo in news, features, health, lifestyle and business. I moved to San Francisco in 2022 and spent three months with The Mercury News, the Bay Area paper. I now work with Reach PLC as a reporter with IrishStar.com, a brand new Irish American news site that we’re building from the ground up!
If you weren't in the job you have, what would you be doing? Lecturing
What advice would you give your teenage self? Chill out about the CAO. You don't need to know what you want to do. Adults have no clue either! And make sure to study or live abroad in college.
Favourite quote or motto: It is what it is.
Who/what has been your biggest influence in education? Mr Murphy. He made English so fun and relatable in school and encouraged me to go into writing.
