Our Therapists

Eileen Murphy
Eileen qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist in 1975 and graduated in sports medicine from Canada in 1979.
She attended the Moscow, Los Angeles and Seoul Olympics as physiotherapist to the Irish Olympic team. She has travelled and lectured throughout Europe in the area of sports physiotherapy and has specialised in the use of manual therapy for the treatment of spine and muscular skeletal disorders for the last 20 years.
She also specialises in Paediatric Biomechanics and established Dublin Spine & Sports Physiotherapy as the first dedicated exercise clinic in Ireland. She is lecturer in the masters degree course on sports medicine in Trinity College Dublin.

Anne O'Callaghan
Anne graduated from UCD in 1982 with a Diploma in Physiotherapy. Her postgraduate qualifications include Northern Ireland Manipulation Diploma in 1990 and Diploma in Health Safety & Welfare at Work from UCD in 1996. She worked in rheumatology at Beaumont Hospital and has been in private practice since 1987.
Anne's special interests include rehabilitation through exercise, Medical Exercise Therapy, lower limb biomechanics, treatment of sports injuries including dry needling, musculoskeletal conditions and health in the workplace. Anne also runs information and exercise classes for osteoporosis and osteopenia for all ages and levels of ability. As a recreational runner Anne is especially interested in injuries associated with running.

Tara O'Meara
Tara graduated in 1990 from the Royal London Hospital with a B.Sc.Hons. in Physiotherapy.
In 2001 she completed her masters in Sports Physiotherapy from the University of Queensland, Australia. Tara spent more than 14 years working in Rugby Union which included four years full time with the professional team NEC Harlequins, London.
From 2002 – 2006 she was the Irish National Academy Physiotherapist and physiotherapist to the Irish Under 21's rugby team. Her other sports work includes physiotherapist to the "GB" Heptathlon team prior to the 2000 Olympics and the Brisbane Men's Hockey Team. She is currently committee member of the Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine, along with being on the International federation of sports physiotherapy. Tara's specific interests are in functional Rehabilitation of Sports Injuries and Musculoskeletal disorders.

Joy Teo
Joy graduated as a Chartered Physiotherapist from Trinity College Dublin in 1996. She has worked in Ireland, the UK, Singapore and at the Junior Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. She is a qualified Pilates instructor, is trained in Craniosacral Therapy and is a qualified facilitator of the Neuromuscular Approach to Human Movement along with being a Nordic Walking Coach. Joy has a special interest in solving pain and dysfunction by using movement to restore a person's maximum capability.

Sarah Jane McDonnell
Sarah Jane graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a BSc Hons in Physiotherapy in 1998.  She subsequently practised physiotherapy in Ireland, New Zealand and Australia before completing her masters in sports physiotherapy from the University of Queensland, Australia in 2004. Sarah Jane was part of medical staff for Team Ireland at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  Sarah Jane is currently lead physiotherapist with Rowing Ireland, travelling extensively with the team for training camps and international regattas.  Sarah Jane is resident physiotherapist in the Irish Institute of Sport and Swim Ireland's High Performance Centre in Dublin. She is also a trained Pilates instructor in matwork and reformer. She has recently completed a masters in exercise science in strength and conditioning. Sarah Jane is also trained in the use of dry needling.  Sarah Jane’s areas of interest include musculoskeletal disorders, functional rehabilitation of sports injuries with a special interest in rowing and swimming related injuries.

Críona O’Donoghue
Críona graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a BSc Hons in Physiotherapy in 1999.  She then worked in Rheumatology Rehabilitation in a specialised unit until going into private Practice in 2004. In 2005 she completed her masters in Manipulative Physiotherapy from the University of Queensland in Australia.  She received an award for the highest achievement in clinical practice during her masters degree. She currently lectures and tutors with UCD in areas of Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy. Críona has a clinical interest in rehabilitation through exercise, sports injuries and musculoskeletal conditions including rheumatological conditions.

Lisa Branigan
Lisa graduated from UCD in 2003 with First Class Honours in Physiotherapy.  She then worked in St. Vincent’s University Hospital until she completed her masters in Sports Medicine from Trinity College Dublin in 2005, for which she received the award for the best clinician examination results in the class.  She has been working at Dublin Spine and Sports Physiotherapy since August 2005.  She has since completed a certificate in Orthopaedic Manual Therapy from Curtin University in Perth, Australia.  Lisa has worked for 4 years with the Trinity Rugby team, 3 years with the first XV.  She has also looked after the Leinster U18’s and U19’s rugby teams, U18 boy’s hockey team and the ladies soccer team in UCD accompanying the team to New York, Poland, Norway and England.

David Ukich
David graduated from Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia in 1990 with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy). Prior to this he obtained a degree in Human Movement from the University of Western Australia. He has graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a Masters is Sports Medicine. He has practiced in Australia, Norway, the USA and Ireland, primarily in private practice. He has worked extensively in sports physiotherapy, from the acute setting to the rehabilitation stage. David has travelled the world with his professional involvement in rugby union to various locations in Australia, North and South America and Europe. He is currently involved with the Trinity Rugby Club and the Norwegian Rugby Football Union. Other sports he has worked with from club to international level, include tennis, Australian football, cricket and basketball. David stresses the importance of patient education and places a particular emphasis on hands on treatment. He enjoys working with all ages and nationalities and is interested in all neuro-musculoskeletal injuries.

Barry Smith
Barry completed his undergraduate training with a BSc. (Hons) Physiotherapy from Trinity College, Dublin, 2001. He subsequently went on to complete a Masters in Sports Medicine at Trinity College in 2003, graduating first place in his Masters class. He has worked in private practice and has specialised in sports rehabilitation and musculoskeletal medicine since 2000.  Barry has previously worked with Derry City Football Club and Confey GAA Club. He was heavily involved as Chartered Physiotherapist with the Irish Amateur Boxing team in preparation for the Olympic Games in 2004. Since 2001 he has been Chartered Physiotherapist to Barnhall Rugby Football Club. Currently he is also Physiotherapist to the NUI Maynooth Rugby Scholarship Programme along with establishing and running Grove Physio in Celbridge. His special interest areas include sports medicine, strength and conditioning, osteoporosis, dry needling and exercise in pregnancy.

Siobhan O’ Reilly
Siobhan has been specialising in cancer physiotherapy since 1996. Most recently she returned from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in New York where she worked closely with the rehabilitation team treating adults with all forms of cancer. She treats patients with lymphoedema (swelling), trismus (difficulty opening the mouth), shoulder impairments, neck and low back pain, post-mastectomy syndrome, axillary web syndrome (a complication of treatment for breast cancer), breathlessness (after lung cancer), deconditioning, cancer related fatigue and other problems.
She employs many different techniques in her practice, including manual lymph drainage, myofascial release, joint mobilization, yoga and exercise therapy, visceral manipulation, and craniosacral therapy. Siobhan is very interested in improving the quality of life for people who have undergone cancer treatments. She is a graduate of the MPA program at New York University and MSc sports physiotherapy program University College Dublin; she is a Certified Lymphoedema Therapist and attends many continuing education courses. She is a regular guest lecturer at UCDs School of Physiotherapy on breast cancer rehabilitation and lymphoedema management. Siobhan is committed to raising awareness about the benefits of cancer rehabilitation and is delighted to give talks around the country to oncology units and cancer support groups.

Kathy Kavanagh
Kathy graduated from Sheffield Hallam University in 1999 with a First Degree Honours in Physiotherapy and has since attained a Masters in Sports Physiotherapy and Manipulations from the University College of London in 2004, together with qualifications in the practice of acupuncture and spinal manipulations.
Kathy has extensive experience in the treatment of acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions and post orthopaedic surgery.She also spent four years as Senior Physiotherapist to the Irish Men’s Hockey team; has worked with 1st division rugby teams (in Ireland and UK); looked after athletics and hockey athletes at the Commonwealth Games (Manchester 2002); spent one season with Davis Cup Team Physiotherapist (2004) and was event Physiotherapist  for the World Etchells Championships in Howth in August 2010.

Richard Shortall
A winner of Trinity College’s prestigious Foundation Scholarship, Richard placed first in his graduating class in 1993 and stayed on at Trinity to get his master’s degree in Sports Medicine.  He has extensive clinical experience in a variety of physiotherapy sub-specialties including sports injuries, chronic pain, spinal rehabilitation, hospital inpatient care, post-surgical rehabilitation, chronic pain, orthopaedics and rheumatology. 
Since graduation he has completed numerous post-graduate courses in Ireland, Britain, Australia and the US.  Richard now focuses on neuro-musculoskeletal physiotherapy which means he treats a wide variety of conditions from the usual ‘sprains, strains, aches and pains’, to spinal problems such as back, thoracic and neck pain, ‘degenerative disc disease’, nerve conditions like sciatica and more complicated issues like headache, myofascial trigger points, persistent and undiagnosed pain and complex regional pain syndromes.  His particular interest is in manual therapy, dry needling and myofascial release procedures for muscle pain, and therapeutic exercises aimed at restoring the natural stability and alignment of the body.  Richard relishes the challenge of ‘undiagnosed’ conditions or chronic problems that have not responded to other treatment approaches.
Richard is also a qualified PE and Mathematics teacher and a former basketball and athletics coach.  In school he played representative rugby for Leinster, and while a member of South Dublin/DFRC, won several national athletics titles, was captain of the Irish Schools Athletics Team and a multiple medal-winner in the European FISEC games.  He has recently returned from living in the US where he had a keen interest in skiing. 

Dublin Spine & Sports Physiotherapy
52 Heytesbury Street
(Off South Circular Road)
Dublin 8
Ireland

Tel: 00353 (0)1 4543335
Email: info@physiotherapyclinic.ie