Dr. Edward Mathews Director
Dr. Matthews holds a 1st Class LL.B in Irish Law from Nottingham Trent University, a 1st Class Master of Laws degree from Trinity College Dublin and a Barrister at Law Degree with Merit from the Honorable Society of the Kings Inns. He has also just completed his Doctoral research in Trinity College Dublin focusing on the criminalisation of contagion. As well as lecturing in the professional law school Edward also lectures on a number of undergraduate law courses, and has previously tutored in Trinity College Dublin. Edward originally trained as a Registered Nurse, and his current areas of practice involve public law, professional regulation and employment law. Edward has worked with the Irish Innocence Project since it started its work, first as a case worker, then as a supervisor.
Jane McGowan Co-Director
Jane McGowan BL is a practising Barrister. She was called to the Bar of Ireland in 2012 and called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 2019. She practises in criminal law (defence, prosecution and complainant representation), administrative law, human rights law and mental health law. Jane is a former Chairperson of the Irish Criminal Bar Association (2018-2020).
Jane is also a lecturer in law, teaching classes on the ‘law of evidence’ and ‘miscarriages of justice’, at Griffith College, Dublin. Jane has previously taught in UCD and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns.
She holds an LL.B. and M.A. from Trinity College, Dublin. Jane also holds a Barrister-at-Law degree from the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. She has postgraduate diplomas from University of Illinois and Boston University, too.
She is the senior supervising lawyer with the Irish Innocence Project. Jane has worked with the Irish Innocence Project since its inception – first as a caseworker, then as a supervising lawyer.
Marcus Gatto Intern Coordinator
Originally from Denver, Marcus has lived in Ireland for a decade and worked with the Innocence Project in Ireland for over five years. He currently works in higher education in Dublin and teaches various law subjects as well as ethics. His current research interests and publications involve the operation of criminal law in the context of public health concerns in Ireland in comparison with other jurisdictions.
Deborah Kenny Administrator
Deborah Kenny is a qualified Legal Executive, having earned her diploma in Legal Studies and Practice from Griffith College Dublin. Prior to coming on board with the Irish Innocence Project, she spent five years working at a busy criminal law office, first as office manager, then as a Legal Executive in charge of Superior Courts.
Deborah also has a background in Education, having taught Advanced Placement English, and served as English Department Chair in two different school districts in her native Ohio before emigrating to Ireland.
Ronan Fenelon Board Member
Ronan joined Griffith College in 1994, initially as a lecturer and then moved into academic administration. He joined the College’s Management Board in 1999 and was appointed as a Director of Griffith College (Bellerophon Limited) in 2001. Ronan has three decades’ experience at managerial level in third-level education. His experience covers both academic management as well as managing commercial elements in the College such as marketing and finance. He qualified as an Accountant in 1992 with Griffith College, formerly known as Business and Accounting Training (BAT). He then worked in practice for two years and subsequently began lecturing full-time in Griffith. Since 1994 he has worked in many departments and strategic initiatives in Griffith College. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration from UCD Smurfit. Ronan is Chairperson of the Colleges Management Board. Ronan also sits on the Board of the Griffith College Innocence Project as well as on the Board of the Data Protection Sub-committee and many other organs of the College.