Shane Dunphy

Shane Dunphy
Born	(1973-01-18) January 18, 1973 Brighton, England
Citizenship	Irish
Alma mater	National University of Ireland (Masters in Sociology) South Eastern University (Bachelors in Sociology)
Occupation(s)	Author, journalist, musician, child protection expert
Website	shanedunphyauthor.org

Shane Dunphy (born January 18, 1973) is a British author, journalist, musician, and child protection expert. He is the head of the Social Care Department at Waterford College of Further Education and is known for a series of books detailing cases he worked on as a social care worker and journalist.

Early life and education

Dunphy was born on January 18, 1973, in Brighton, England. His family moved to Wexford, Ireland, when Dunphy was 18 months old. He attended primary school with the Christian Brothers and completed his Junior and Leaving Certificate at St Peter’s College, Wexford. Writing was a significant part of his life from an early age, with his first story published as part of a children's collection when he was eleven. During his teenage years, he focused on songwriting and performing with the folk-rock band Local Contract before pursuing a solo music career.

Dunphy earned a National Diploma in Applied Social Studies in Social Care and a Bachelor's in Social Care from South Eastern University, Ireland. He later completed an M.Litt in Sociology from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

Career

Child protection

Dunphy began his career as a volunteer in a daycare unit for adults with intellectual disabilities before completing secondary school. While studying at college, he worked in a residential care unit for teenagers and a psychiatric outpatient unit. After qualifying, Dunphy worked in residential care and various sectors, including early childhood education, community childcare, arts, and youth work.

Journalism

Dunphy's journalism covers many topics, though he is best known for analyzing child protection issues. He has contributed to several newspapers, including the Irish Independent, where he has written on government policies and the childcare industry. His investigative work has also appeared in The Sunday World under the banner "Stories From the Peripheries," covering issues like people trafficking, child prostitution, and elder abuse.

Dunphy has written about the Travelling community in Ireland, which has led to public discussions and controversies, particularly after his 2009 article suggesting that the community should address its internal issues. Despite receiving criticism, Dunphy has maintained his stance on these issues.

Literary work

Dunphy is the author of several memoirs and crime novels. His first book, Wednesday's Child, a memoir of his time as a child protection worker, became a number-one Irish bestseller and was adapted into a short film. The adaptation won the Tiernan McBride Award at the Galway Film Fleadh in 2022 and was long-listed for the Oscars. Dunphy's other works include crime novels.

Music

Dunphy is a multi-instrumentalist and regularly performs live, primarily in Wexford. He plays various stringed instruments, including the mandocello, tenor banjo, guitar, mandolin, and harmonica. His musical influences include Woody Guthrie, Bryan Bowers, Bert Jansch, and Andy Irvine. Music plays a prominent role in his writing and media work, and in 2014, he composed and performed the incidental music for the Virgin Media four-part television documentary series Our Island.  In 2019, he began recording a series of True Crime Audiobooks in which he performs original songs and music.  

Media work

Dunphy regularly contributes to television and radio programs in Ireland, often discussing child protection issues. He has appeared on shows such as The Late Late Show, Ireland AM, and Vincent Browne Tonight. His radio documentary work includes Tusk: Hunting for Ireland's Wild Boar, nominated for a New York Radio Award, and Fantastic Beasts and The People Who Love Them.

Personal life and advocacy

In 2020, Dunphy publicly disclosed his experiences as a survivor of clerical sexual abuse during an interview on the Ryan Tubridy Show. He shared his journey of coming to terms with the trauma through therapy, emphasizing the importance of addressing such experiences. He married Deirdre Wickham in 1994, resulting in two children.  The two are now separated.

In 2015, Dunphy was invited to join the Irish political party Renua Ireland. He ultimately left the party due to ideological differences.

Books

• The Wednesday’s Child Series (non-fiction) Wednesday’s Child (2006)
• Crying in the Dark (also published as Last Ditch House) (2007)
• Hush Little Baby (2008)
• The Boy in the Cupboard (2008)
• Will Mummy Be Coming Back for Me (2009)
• Little Boy Lost (2010)
• The Girl Who Couldn’t Smile (2012)
• The Girl From Yesterday (2014)
• The Boy They Tried to Hide (2016)
• Stories From the Margins (non-fiction) Bleak Alley (2019)
• The Bad Place (September 2020)
• Ceremony For the Dead (14 January 2021)
• Running From the Shadows (Stephanie Hickey with Shane Dunphy) (2019)
• My Name Is Jhon (John Brennan with Shane Dunphy) (2021)
• The Dunnigan Series (Crime Fiction) After She Vanished (2017)
• When She Was Gone (2018)
• If She Returned (2019)
• Why She Ran (2020) 
• The Boyle and Keneally Series (Crime Fiction) Bring Her Home (2021)
• Lost Graves (2022)
• Her Child’s Cry (2022)
• Stand Alone Novels (Crime Fiction) The Helpdesk (2023)
• The Tessa Burns Series (Crime Fiction) Little Witness (2024)
• Only the Children (2024)
• Her Lonely Soul (2024)

Awards and recognition

• Tiernan McBride Award at the Galway Film Fleadh (2022) for the short film adaptation of Wednesday's Child
• Judges Special Mention Award at the Richard Harris International Film Festival (2022) for Wednesday’s Child
• Long-listed for the Oscars for Wednesday's Child short film
• Irish Film and Television Award nomination for Wednesday's Child
• New York Radio Award nomination for Tusk: Hunting for Ireland's Wild Boar