Cathy Noonan MA ’20
Hometown: Cashel, Ireland
Program: Entry-Level Master’s, Class of 2020
What did you do before coming to OT school? What brought you to occupational therapy?
Before becoming an OT, I worked as a computer programmer for 23 years! I became interested in OT when my son had sensory issues. As soon as we met the OT that did the assessment, she gave us the suggestion of having my son sit on a couch cushion at the table. For the first time in years, our son could sit for the duration of a meal; this made a huge impact on us as a family. I saw the impact OT had on my son and our family at large. When it was time to go get retrained, I allowed myself to think outside my original career and decided I wanted to do for others what OT did for my family.
What did you love most about growing up in Ireland?
Being part of a big family, I am the youngest of 7 children. We live just outside the town which gave us the freedom to make the fields by our house our playground.
What are your favorite Irish foods?
Brown bread; roast potatoes; roast lamb.
Do you have a favorite Irish saying?
“Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin” (pronounced phonetically as neel ain thin thawn mar the thin thawn feign). It means there’s no place like home.
If someone visits Ireland, what are three “must-see” places?
- The book of Kells in Trinity College (in fact walk through Trinity, it is beautiful in itself).
- The cliffs of Moher are absolutely amazing, a must see!
- For history buffs, Newgrange is a passage tomb — at the winter solstice the light reaches the inside burial site.
- For Movie/TV buffs, Belfast has a Titanic museum and a Game of Thrones tour.
- Obviously, there are many great castles and ruins. My home town of Cashel has a castle which is worth a visit if you’re passing by. It’s called the Rock of Cashel.
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