Dr Luke Noonan, LLB (Hons) (2009), LLM (2019), PGCert TLHE (2024), PhD (2024), PGDip TLHE (2025) is a graduate of Griffith College Cork and University College Cork.

His doctoral research was funded by the Irish Research Council and supervised by Dr Catherine O’Sullivan and Dr Darius Whelan.

He joined the School of Law, University College Cork as a Lecturer in Law in September 2023, and was previously Assistant Professor in Criminal Law at Dublin City University. He became the Deputy Director of the Centre for Criminal Justice and Human Rights in 2024, and has been the Co-Director of the Irish Legal Information Initiative since 2020. He was acting Director of the Centre for Criminal Justice and Human Rights during 2025.

Research interests include: Criminal Law; Criminal Defences; Insanity; Diminished Responsibility; Mental Condition Defences; Fitness to stand Trial; Law of Evidence; Legal Capacity; Mental Health Law. 

Luke's doctoral research was titled "Reforming Mental Condition Defences and Procedures in the Criminal Justice System in light of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities". 

Modules taught (2026-2027 Academic Year):

LW1001: Legal Writing
LW1101: Legal Writing and Analysis
LW1153: Criminal Law
LW1156: Legal Research and Writing
LW6003: Social Work and the Law (Rights of Vulnerable Persons)
LW6008: Legal Research and Writing
LW6652: Legal Research Methods and Writing

Project: Reforming Mental Condition Defences and Procedures in the Criminal Justice System in light of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ( GOIPG/2019/1993)
Funding Body: Irish Research Council
Start/End Dates: 01-SEP-19 / 31-AUG-22
Award: €77,833.20