About the Author: Valerie O'Connor

Val was born and lived in Limerick until her late teens when she studied art and graphic design in college. She began her career in media at the Limerick Post newspaper and had her fisrt solo photography exhibition. She has enjoyed a varied career in media from a long stint in press photography in Dublin, to food blogging which led to press columns and a spot as a guest critic on RTE’s Masterchef. She responded to the economic downturn by returning to college and uses her new skills teaching classes in self-sufficiency. She has made short films on environmental issues and food which can be seen on the urbanfarmer channel on youtube.