She attended Sacred Heart Secondary School in Westport, County Mayo and in 1987 went on to National University of Ireland, Galway for a degree in English.
Temping in journalism led her to the foreign news desk at The Observer in London, where she was promoted to assistant editor.
However, the desk job did not suit her, and she moved into television, making documentaries in Latin America for Channel 4.
[2] She reported on Israeli violence against Palestinians, and interviewed local people and protesters from the International Solidarity Movement within two days of the death of American activist Rachel Corrie.
[3] As well as repeat visits to Gaza, the West Bank, Sri Lanka and Nepal between 2001 and 2007, she reported from Indian Kashmir, Thailand, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela, Peru, El Salvador, Mexico, Haiti and the Paris riots of 2005.