Personal profile
Biography
Marita is a Postdoctoral Researcher within the Pregnancy Loss Research Group, INFANT Centre at University College Cork and an Associate Editor with Health Promotion International. Her background is nutrition, health promotion, and population health and health services research. Marita is passionate about conducting policy and practice-relevant research, with knowledge users. Prior to her pursuing her PhD studies via the Health Research Board-funded SPHeRE Programme, she held a variety of research-related roles, including with safefood, the Children's Research Centre at Trinity College Dublin, the National Cancer Registry and Waterford Institute of Technology. Marita began her career within the food industry, where she worked for several years following the completion of a BSc in Nutritional Sciences at University College Cork. She went on to complete a MA in Health Education and Health Promotion at the University of Limerick and a Diploma in Youth and Community Work at University College Cork.
Research Interests
Research Grants
| Funding Body | Title | Period | Award |
| Health Charities Research Ireland / Health Research Board | INNEACH: Intergenerational Programmes to enhance social connectivity for people living with dementia | 01 June 2025 to 31 May 2027 | €173,821 |
| Research Ireland | Supporting maternity care staff in the aftermath of an adverse event: Development and pilot testing of a scalable psychosocial intervention | 01 December 2023 to 30 November 2025 | €105,604 |
| Irish Hospice Foundation | Parents’ experiences of pregnancy and perinatal loss: A visual narrative | November 2022 to April 2023 | €2,000 |
| Health Research Board | RE:CURRENT-KTA | December 2022 to December 2023 | €36,675.49 |
| Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth |
Qualitative research study to examine the workplace experiences of parents dealing with pregnancy loss | 14 September 2022 to 13 September 2023 | €40,000 |
| Irish Research Council | PLATFORM: Pregnancy Loss knowledge trAnslaTion FOR iMpact | October 2021 to July 2022 | €11,865 |
| safefood | Exploring the world of food – the perspective of families with children |
May 2019 to April 2020 | €98,231 |
| Health Research Board | Maximising the Impact of Visual, Creative and Participatory Methods for Health Research |
15 November 2018 to 14 November 2019 | €3,887.80 |
| Health Research Board | CHErIsH-KEDS |
07 November 2018 to 06 July 2019 | €59,343.38 |
| Health Research Board-Trials Methodology Research Network | Using documents as data within the development and evaluation of complex interventions | July 2018 to December 2018 | €1,956 |
| Irish Research Council | POCKETS: Prevention of Childhood Obesity: Knowledge, Exchange and Translation |
07 December 2016 to 06 December 2017 | €5,000 |
| Focus Ireland / Department of Health | Research study on food access and nutritional health among families experiencing homelessness in the Dublin region |
27 Oct 2016 to 26 April 2017 | €9,717.50 |
| Health Research Board | Obesity prevention during early life: Developing the evidence base to maximise the effectiveness of interventions delivered by health professionals | 2015 to 2019 | €116,800 |
Current PhD Students
| Student Name | Supervision Period |
| Dou Zhang | 2022-2026 |
Recent PhD Students
| Student Name | Supervision Period |
| Dr Laura Linehan | 2021-2024 |
External positions
Associate Editor, Health Promotion International, Oxford University Press
27 Jan 2023 → 31 Dec 2031
PhD Supervision
- Available for PhD supervision
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 5 Gender Equality -
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
Fingerprint
- 1 Similar Profiles
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A national survey on pregnancy loss under 24weeks in the workplace: Experiences and supports at work
Harty, T., Kelly-Harrington, R., Hennessy, M., O'Donoghue, K., Dalton-O'Connor, C., O'Sullivan, M., Donnelly, M., Murray, C., Nuzum, D. & Leitao, S., Aug 2025, In: BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 132, p. 109-109 1 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Meeting abstract › peer-review
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A national survey on pregnancy loss under 24 weeks in the workplace: Experiences and supports at work
Harty, T., Kelly-Harrington, R., Hennessy, M., O'Donoghue, K., Dalton O'Connor, C., O'Sullivan, M., Donnelly, M., Murray, C., Nuzum, D. & Leitao, S., May 2025.Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
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A national survey on pregnancy loss under 24 weeks in the workplace: Experiences and supports at work
Harty, T., Kelly-Harrington, R., Hennessy, M., O'Donoghue, K., Dalton O' Connor, C., O’Sullivan, M., Donnelly, M., Murray, C., Nuzum, D. & Leitao, S., 12 Aug 2025, In: BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 132, 6, p. 3-109Research output: Contribution to journal › Meeting abstract › peer-review
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Co-creating educational resources with young people to enhance pregnancy loss and fertility awareness
Linehan, L., Fitzgerald, B., Cotter, R., Dineen, S., Escanuela Sanchez, T., Hennessy, M., McCarthy, E., Power, Ó., Whelan, S., Peters, H. & O'Donoghue, K., Sep 2025.Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
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Co-creating educational resources with young people to enhance pregnancy loss and fertility awareness [Oral Presentation]
Linehan, L., Fitzgerald, B., Escanuela Sanchez, T., Cotter, R., Dineen, S., McCarthy, E., Power, Ó., Whelan, S., Peters, H., Hennessy, M. & O'Donoghue, K., Jun 2025.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
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Research and Audit Approvals Committee, Cork University Maternity Hospital (External organisation)
Hennessy, M. (Member)
1 Nov 2025 → …Activity: Membership › Membership of committee
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Advisory Group-Development of HSEland Module on Supporting People Experiencing Pregnancy and Infant Loss, National Women and Infants Health Programme (External organisation)
Hennessy, M. (Member)
1 Jan 2025 → …Activity: Membership › Membership of committee
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Globalization and Health (Journal)
Hennessy, M. (Reviewer)
2025 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work › Publication peer-review
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Independent Advisory Group (IAG) for the Rapid Evaluation of Maternity & Neonatal Independent Senior Advocates, NIHR Rapid Service Evaluation Team – Nuffield Trust, University College London, University of Cambridge and Sands (External organisation)
Hennessy, M. (Member)
1 Jul 2024 → 30 Jun 2025Activity: Membership › Membership of committee
Prizes
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Best in Session Award (Poster)
Hennessy, M. (Recipient), Linehan, L. (Recipient) & O'Donoghue, K. (Recipient), 15 Jun 2022
Prize
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Pro-Am Three Minute Thesis Award
Hennessy, M. (Recipient) & Linehan, L. (Recipient), 26 Apr 2023
Prize
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Research Team of the Year 2021 (Pregnancy Loss Research Group)
Hennessy, M. (Recipient) & O'Donoghue, K. (Recipient), 1 Jun 2022
Prize
Press/Media
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10 Oct 2025 UCC launches Irelands first Pregnancy Loss Support Policy for University staff
O'Halloran, J., Hutch, A., O'Donoghue, K. & Hennessy, M.
13/10/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media
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Women who suffer miscarriages speak of ‘inhumane’ conditions in Irish hospitals
27/07/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media
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‘I was sitting in a maternity ward corridor having lost my baby. I was there alone. Nobody to offer any comfort’
27/07/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media
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University College Cork Reports Findings in Education (Enhancing young people's pregnancy loss and fertility awareness and knowledge via schools: a way forward)
Escanuela Sanchez, T., O'Donoghue, K., Hennessy, M. & Power, O.-P.
27/01/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media
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Reports from University College Cork Add New Data to Research in European Labor Law (Statutory leave for early pregnancy loss: A comparative study)
Murray, C., O'Donoghue, K., Hennessy, M., Dalton, C. & Donnelly, M.
4/07/24
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media