Saolaíodh i Sasana agus tógadh i mBaile Átha Cliath í. Céimí í de chuid UCD. Tá baint leanúnach aici le foilsitheoireacht na Gaeilge ina saol gairmiúil. Chaith sí tréimhse i mbun eagarthóireachta sa Ghúm; ina heagarthóir ar Comhar 1979-84; ar cholúin Ghaeilge The Irish Times 1984-87; ina heagarthóir taighde foclóireachta in Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann go dtí 1999. Údar agus eagarthóir ar mhórán leabhar.
Bhí sí ina Stiúrthóir ar Fiontar, Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath 1999-2006. Bhí sí ina Léachtóir Sinsearach ann go dtí 2015 mar ar bhunaigh sí sraith tionscadal taighde i réimse na ndaonnachtaí digiteacha don Ghaeilge: focal.ie; logainm.ie; iate.europa.eu (na téarmaí Gaeilge), ainm.ie; gaois.ie agus duchas.ie.
Bhunaigh sí féin agus an Dr. Seán Ó Cearnaigh an comhlacht foilsitheoireachta Cois Life in 1996. Tá breis is céad tríocha teideal foilsithe ó shin acu, a bhformhór sna réimsí liteartha agus léinn - i bhformáidí cló, ríomhleabhar, closleabhar. Féach na sonraí ar www.coislife.ie
Bhí sí ina comhalta den dá Choimisiún Rialtais a phléigh le cúrsaí Gaeilge lenár linn: Coimisiún chun Ról na nEagras Deonach a Scrúdú (1996-7) agus Coimisiún na Gaeltachta (1999-2000). Bhí sí ina Comhalta Boird ar Fhoras na Gaeilge (2007-2011).
Born in England and grew up in Dublin. Graduated from UCD. Has a lifelong engagement with Irish-language publishing. Worked as an editor in An Gúm; edited Comhar 1979-84; edited Irish-language columns for The Irish Times 1984-87; and was research editor in lexicography in the Royal Irish Academy until 1999. Has authored and edited several books.
Director of Fiontar, Dublin City University 1999-2006 and Senior Lecturer there until 2015, where she established several digital humanities projects for Irish: focal.ie; logainm.ie; iate.europa.eu (Irish-language terms); ainm.ie; gaois.ie and duchas.ie.
Co-founded Cois Life publishers with Dr. Seán Ó Cearnaigh in 1996. They have since published over one hundred and thirty titles, mainly literary and academic, in print, e-book and audio formats. Full details on www.coislife.ie
Member of both Government Commissions pertaining to the Irish language in recent years: Commission to examine the role of voluntary bodies (1996-7) and Coimisiún na Gaeltachta (1999-2000). Board member of Foras na Gaeilge (2007-2011).
