My role as Operations Manager for Comhaltas in Britain involves the creation and delivery of a cultural programme of music education, cultural understanding and maintaining links to outside bodies involved in the promotion of the arts and culture in Britain and abroad

Comhaltas in Britain are the Britain based arm of the largest group involved in the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music. The organisation are a non-profit cultural movement with hundreds of local branches around the world, from Ireland, Britain, America, Japan, Russia, Argentina e.t.c. Comhaltas were formed in 1951 with a view to promoting and preserving the distinct Irish traditions of Music, Song, Dance, and Language. As the organisation has grown over the years it has had to evolve with the ever changing world, and it now finds itself in the fortunate position of having development workers tasked with bringing the organisation in to the mainstream 21st Century world.As Project officer, I am responsible for developing relationships and networking the organisation with other voluntary arts organisations and cultural groups with aims beneficial to Comhaltas - delivering a range of events from local small scale to national in size, and developing a range of policies for both the volunteer core of the organisation and maintaining the organisations reputation of the highest standards in music and cultural education.I am responsible for providing support services to the existing infrastructure, assisting branches in capacity building, and seeking to create new branches wherever it is deemed they may be sustainable.I am required to source funding opportunities from private and public sectors, such as Government, local councils, The Big Lottery, the arts council(s) and other trusts and foundations.I am also expected to network the organisation in an effort to develop the Comhaltas brand outside its membership in an effort to promote its aims and objectives

I am a member of the teaching staff within the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland School of Music, working on the traditional music courses with undergraduate and post graduate students. Roles include principal study tuition, grading examinations and recitals as well as leading group work throughout the academic year

I am a professional accordion player from Glasgow who regularly tours across Europe and the Americas playing traditional music. I also experiment with Trad-Disco's (Traditional Music played with electronic dance backing and used in Disco setting)

I present a 2hr weekly radio show on Celtic Music Radio called ‘Trad with Pad’ Thursdays at 6pm GMT on www.Celtic music radio.net

I worked as a general assistant in my local Tesco store whilst studying at school and University. During my time in this role, I learned many valuable skills and techniques that have since stood me well in other positions.