Máire's career in accessible tourism started in 2008 when she
worked as a community development officer in Cork. That's
where she first recognised a real gap — older residents wanted
to explore their own communities and Ireland's landscapes, but
nobody was documenting routes in a way that actually worked
for them. She saw the problem and decided to fix it.
After completing her postgraduate certification in Accessible
Tourism from the Institute of Tourism Studies Dublin in 2012,
she shifted her focus entirely to senior-friendly route design
and accessibility auditing. It's been her passion ever since.
Over the past 16 years, she's worked directly with local
councils, heritage organisations, and community groups across
Ireland to map and evaluate walking paths, coastal promenades,
and urban strolls.
Her work has been instrumental in identifying barriers to
access — steep inclines that aren't obvious from a map,
missing benches where people need them, poorly maintained
surfaces that catch mobility aids — and recommending
infrastructure improvements. She's documented routes along the
Liffey, Dublin's historic streets, Cork's waterfront, and
Ireland's most scenic coastal paths. Every recommendation
comes from walking the routes herself, often multiple times in
different weather conditions.
What drives her work is straightforward: age shouldn't be a
barrier to exploring Ireland's landscapes. She approaches each
route documentation with meticulous attention to terrain
difficulty, accessibility features, and rest facilities. Her
intimate knowledge of Irish geography, combined with genuine
passion for empowering seniors to stay active and engaged with
their communities, has made her an authoritative voice in
accessible walking tourism.
Today at prodeskelectric Limited, she's leading the comprehensive
resource library on leisurely walking routes tailored
specifically for seniors. Her work continues to make Ireland's
most beautiful walking destinations accessible to everyone.