As a broadcaster, Marie Louise has had the privilege of spending ‘work time’ and ‘thought time’ with a broad array of individuals across Ireland, gaining a unique insight into the practicalities of their particular occupation and learning about what inspires or motivates them in their chosen field. Irish Working Lives is the story of the encounters - by turns candid and lyrical -that illuminate the ways in which these individuals perceive their chosen occupation, its day-to-day demands and the inextricable relationship between work life and spiritual life.

In these impassioned, remarkably diverse vignettes, Marie Louise relates her travels across the length and breadth of the country, engaging with a selection of committed Irish men and women whose work forms the lifeblood of our island nation. 

Alongside each testimony, award-winning photographer Eric Luke’s stunning images explore each contributor’s relationship with their trade or calling and are a wonderful complement to Marie Louise’s evocative prose.