Mairead McCormack
Dr Mairead McCormack (born c. 1970s) is a Northern Irish social enterprise leader, family law researcher, and community advocate.[1]. She is the long-standing Chief Executive of Glenshane Community Development Limited and a recognized expert on the intersection of parental alienation and coercive control[2][3][4]. Her work significantly influences regional peacebuilding[5] and rural development policy[6] in Northern Ireland.
Early life and education
Dr McCormack was educated at Queen's University Belfast (QUB). She holds a Doctorate in Childhood Studies (DChild), which she completed in 2021[7]. Her doctoral thesis, Parental alienation: an exploratory study of legal professionals' views and experiences in Northern Ireland, examined the perceptions of the judiciary and legal practitioners regarding high-conflict contact disputes[8]. Following her PhD, she continued her research at QUB, focusing on post-Brexit local economic development[9].
Career
Community Development and Social Enterprise
In 1998, McCormack was appointed Chief Executive of Glenshane Community Development Limited (GCDL)[1], a social enterprise based in Dungiven. Under her 25-year leadership, the organisation evolved into a "community anchor," providing integrated services including rural regeneration, enterprise training, and a regional advice centre[10].She is a prominent proponent of the "Community Anchor Model," which posits that multifunctional, community-led organisations are essential for sustaining local economies, particularly in peripheral rural areas[11]. Her research in this field compares Northern Irish social enterprises with international models, such as the Mondragón Corporation in the Basque Country[9].
Peacebuilding and Governance
Dr McCormack has been a consistent figure in the Northern Ireland peace process through her involvement in EU-funded initiatives. Since 1999, she has served as a Social Partner on various PEACE programme boards and is currently a member of the PEACEPLUS Programme Partnership Board[1][5].Her governance roles include:
- Director, Maghera Development Association Ltd[12]
- Director, Roe Valley Enterprises[12]
- Board Member, Development Trusts NI (DTNI)[13][14].
Academic and Legal Consultancy
McCormack is a CPD-accredited trainer and consultant specializing in parental alienation and domestic abuse. Her peer-reviewed research advocates for a shift in how family courts interpret child-parent estrangement, suggesting that "alienation" is frequently a manifestation of post-separation coercive control[15]. Her work has been published in journals such as Child & Family Social Work[16] and the Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law[17].
Media and Advocacy
She is a frequent commentator on BBC Radio Foyle, appearing on programmes such as North West Today to discuss rural issues, Growth Deals, and community wealth building[18][19]. Internationally, she has represented Northern Irish community interests at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York[5].
Selected Publications
- 2026: "The community anchor model in rural development," Social Enterprise Journal[9]
- 2026: "Consideration of growth, regimes and inclusive local development post-Brexit," Local Economy[11]
- 2025: "Children's Agency in Contact Disputes: Navigating Protection and Participation," Child & Family Social Work[16]
- 2025: "Endless litigation in family court as a method of post-separation coercive control," Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law[17]
- 2021: Parental alienation: legal professionals' views and experiences in Northern Ireland (PhD Thesis)[8]
Academic Integration
While she maintains her primary leadership role in economic development, her academic work is integrated into several key departments at QUB:
- School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work (SSESW): She contributes to projects in the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work (SSESW) on a flexible, part-time basis as an affiliated researcher[20].
- School of the Natural and Built Environment (NBE): Dr McCormack also engages with this school on projects related to urbanism, community, and infrastructure. Her work here aligns with her professional focus on local economic development and Growth Deals[21]
Although not a traditional lecturer, she is a CPD Accredited trainer and has delivered guest lectures and conference papers at the university, such as her work on community wealth building and family law. Her peer-reviewed publications (2021–2026) are split between two distinct professional expertises: Family Law/Domestic Abuse and Socio-Economic Development. Her doctoral thesis at QUB laid the foundation for her later articles on coercive control. Dr Mairead McCormack was awarded a Santander Mobility Scholarship from the International Santander Universities Network in 2013.[12]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Derry Now (2023-06-01). "Mairead celebrates 25 years at the helm of Glenshane Community Development Ltd". www.derrynow.com. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ Baillie, Judith (04-03-2026). "Research and Information Service Briefing Paper for the NI Assembly on Domestic Abuse in Private Family Law Proceedings" (PDF). Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ Foster, David (2026-10-05). "Child arrangements: the family court and domestic abuse (England and Wales)".
- ↑ Ireland Live (2023-06-01). "Mairead celebrates 25 years at the helm of Glenshane Community Development Ltd". www.ireland-live.ie. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Mairead McCormack". Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ "Causeway Coast & Glens RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 2014-2020" (PDF).
- ↑ "Irish Studies at Queen's University Belfast - QUB's post". Facebook.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Parental alienation: an exploratory study of legal professionals' views and experiences in Northern Ireland". Queen's University Belfast. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Sage Journals: Discover world-class research". Sage Journals. doi:10.1177/02690942261427229. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ McSorley, C. (2023), “Glenshane community development limited quantifying community and business impact" Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 McCormack, Mairead (2026-03-18). "The community anchor model in rural development: lessons from Northern Ireland". Social Enterprise Journal: 1–24. doi:10.1108/SEJ-06-2025-0142. ISSN 1750-8614.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 "Linkedin".
- ↑ "Female Focus: Powering the Future of Our VCSEs - Development Trusts NI". 2025-06-10. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ "DTNI Conference Marks Milestone for Community Wealth Building in Northern Ireland - Development Trusts NI". 2025-11-30. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ "The National Family Violence Law Center at George Washington University". Facebook.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 McCormack, Mairead (2025-11-30). "Children's Agency in Contact Disputes: Navigating Protection, Participation and Alienation". Child & Family Social Work. doi:10.1111/cfs.70092. ISSN 1356-7500. Unknown parameter
|article-number=ignored (help) - ↑ 17.0 17.1 McCormack, Mairead (2025). "Endless litigation in family court as a method of post-separation coercive control". Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law. 47 (2–3): 183–212. doi:10.1080/09649069.2025.2530882. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ "North West Today - Dr Mairead McCormack, CEO of Glenshane Community Development Limited, contributes to a discussion on the programme regarding the critical impact of rising home heating oil prices in rural Northern Ireland". BBC. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ "Dr Mairead McCormack appears on BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today on 30 April 2026 to provide her perspective on the newly signed £129 million Growth Deal for the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council (CCGBC) following the official signing ceremony held on 29 April 2026 at the North West Regional College in Limavady, attended by the First and Deputy First Ministers and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland". BBC. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ↑ McCormack, Mairead (2025-11-30). "Children's agency in contact disputes: navigating protection, participation and alienation". Child & Family Social Work. doi:10.1111/cfs.70092. ISSN 1356-7500. Unknown parameter
|article-number=ignored (help) - ↑ McCormack, Mairead (2026-02-17). "Consideration of growth, regimes and inclusive local development post-Brexit". Local Economy. 40 (2): 163–183. doi:10.1177/02690942261427229. ISSN 0269-0942.
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