About Bridge
Our Mission
Established in 1991, Bridge’s mission is to work collaboratively with individual offenders and partner agencies to unlock potential and effect positive change.
We envision a future where all those with an offending history are afforded opportunities to develop their full potential, reintegrate with families and society and to attain employment.
Who we support
- Clients who have been referred to us by their Probation Officer or other agencies.
- Those who self-refer seeking education opportunities and support, who may have a history of addiction or experience of the criminal justice system.
- Clients referred through our JARC Programme.
How we support
Bridge provides wraparound services through our multidisciplinary team designed to support our clients by
Effecting Positive Change
We aim to create safer communities by developing and supporting implementation of innovative, evidence-based responses and practices that reduce re-offending.
Unlocking Potential
Placements that provide the experience and confidence needed to secure and thrive in employment.
Removing Barriers
Through partnership with criminal justice agencies, we actively remove barriers to progression in order to create the right environment for our clients to flourish. Our clients become change-agents in their own futures, often for the first time.
Our Team
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Sharon Keogh
Executive Manager
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Suzanne Moran
Finance & Administration Manager
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Judy Turley
Administrator
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Dermot Ronaldson
Senior Project Worker
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Peter McDonnell
Project Worker
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Karina Cully
Community Employment Supervisor
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Sorcha Hennessy
Education Coordinator
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Siobhan Fermoyle
Recovery Educator
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James Kelly
Senior Probation Officer
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Geraldine O’Dwyer
Probation Officer
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Darren Noonan
Clean Slate Operations Manager
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Samantha Irwin
Clean Slate Supervisor
Our Board
After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant Caroline gained extensive experience working in professional practice in Ireland and abroad and joined a firm of Chartered Accountants (Peelo and Partners) as a Partner. In addition to providing clients with audit and accountancy services she also provided advice and guidance in several management buy-outs.
She left professional practice to focus on her young family and later decided to return to academic study. She developed a particular interest in criminal justice policies and procedures and in 2011 was awarded a PhD by the University of Dublin Trinity College. Her PhD thesis explores the presence of non-Irish nationals in the Irish District Court. Her book, The Irish District Court: A social portrait was published by Cork University Press.
Her post- doctoral research has spanned many areas of social policy including local welfare systems and female participation in the workforce; child protection; restorative justice in cases of sexual violence; and disability. Caroline is currently a Senior Researcher for the National Disability Authority.
John Tracey has over 35 years’ experience of being a member of private and public company Boards. An engineer, he worked for 25 years in venture capital, including 17 years as CEO of Trinity Venture Capital, a leading investor in Irish technology companies expanding internationally. Since 2014, John has worked with a number of companies as Chair or a Non-Executive Director. A graduate Engineer, he also has a Masters in Industrial Engineering as well as being a Chartered Director. He has served on the Bridge Board since April 2019.
Seán Quigley is a management consultant focusing on organisation and is a Director of TruePoint. Previously he held a range of management positions in Diageo Ireland and United Drug plc and was a consultant at McKinsey & Co in London and Dublin for some 10 years. Earlier in his career he worked as an engineer in ESB and Ove Arup. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering from UCC and an MBA from London Business School. He has been involved with Bridge for over 25 years and was Chair for a time.
Frances Daly, a dedicated professional with over 10 years on the board of the Bridge Project, has a rich background in community service and sports. Born in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, she attended Scoil Colmcille Durrow and Sacred Heart Secondary School before completing a secretarial course at Tullamore Vocational School. She holds a National Certificate in Exercise and Fitness from UL Limerick and a Diploma in Drugs Counselling from UCD. Frances joined the Irish Prison Service in January 1991, progressing through various roles and ultimately serving as Governor 1 of Cloverhill Prison from March 2020 until her retirement in January 2022. She values personal development, lifelong learning, and the core principles of integrity, kindness, and respect, which have guided her career and sports endeavors. An active member of Tullamore Golf Club since 2007, Frances has represented her club on numerous teams and served as Captain of both the Department of Justice and Durrow Golf Societies in 2020/21 and 2023. She has a strong background in ladies football, representing clubs in Westmeath and establishing a women’s soccer team for the prison service in the mid-1990s. Frances is passionate about coaching and has contributed to the development of various teams in Offaly ladies football. She also serves as a GAA coach at St. Colmcille’s National School in Durrow. Additionally, Frances is involved with community projects supporting prisoners post-release, including Care After Prison, and serves on the board of Common Purpose Ireland and as a volunteer with the Irish Red Cross. She is also a member of the Leinster LGFA development team.
David Butler, Superintendent, An Garda Síochána, Kevin Street Community Engagement Area
I have twenty seven years’ experience in An Garda Síochána, (Ireland’s National Policing & Security Service), performing a myriad of roles, including community policing, sporting events, Visits of VIPPs, public order/public safety missions, criminal investigations, law enforcement, security and protection of open spaces planning, corporate communications planning with oversight bodies , organisational change/modernisation, training and policy development. In all my roles, I have been involved in both Strategic and Operational collaboration with a focus on achieving our common goals via stakeholder engagement and working together, including the development of a number of strategic initiatives across An Garda Síochána. I have achieved a number of academic qualifications in areas such as Human Rights, Governance, Project Management and Strategic HR Development.
My current role is Superintendent with responsibility for Community Engagement for the Kevin Street Area of Dublin, which encompasses all of the Dublin 8 area. I am responsible for all policing and community engagement for this area, engaging and collaborating with a myriad of stakeholders to ‘Keep our Communities Safe’.
Lisa Anderson is an Assistant Principal Probation Officer in the Probation Service, with responsibility for the day-to-day management and oversight of seven community operational teams in the Dublin South & Wicklow region. Lisa has over twenty-five years’ experience in the Probation Service and the charity sector and brings a wealth of frontline experience and knowledge to her leadership role. Lisa’s current areas of strategic responsibility include; Judicial & Court Engagement and the Probation Service Case Management System Modernisation Project. Lisa is a graduate of University College Dublin and the University of Wales, Cardiff in the disciplines of social work and criminology. In 2019, Lisa participated in a TEDx event in Mountjoy Prison entitled, ‘Beyond Walls – From Custody to Community,’ to raise awareness of the challenges faced by ex-offenders as the seek to re-integrate into their communities. Lisa previously served on the board of the peer-led criminal justice charity, Care After Prison.
Our Values
- We are accountable and transparent
- We believe in people’s ability to change
- We are professional and competent in our work
- We are inclusive, fair and give everyone a voice
- We are welcoming and hospitable to those we work for and with
- We recognise when people do something good