CV, 2015

1. Shona Murray,
Irl: +353 87 226 3970
US: 212-450-7175
Email: shonamurray3@gmail.com
Twitter - @ShonaMurrayNT
Profile:
 Irish and Foreign Affairs correspondent: Newstalk.com – radio and web
 Freelance EU and Foreign Affairs reporter for TIME, The Irish Independent, The
Sunday Business Post and The Irish Examiner
 Ireland stringer for Radio France International (English speaking desk)
 Nominated Irish news reporter of the year 2014 and 2015
Qualifications
2015 Pulitzer Centre Hostile Environment Training
2015 Al Haq International Law Summer School, Ramallah and Jerusalem
2014 Cambridge University Summer School on International Humanitarian Law
2013 LL.M, International law, Trinity College Dublin
2009 US State Department, Edward R. Murrow Programme for Journalists
2009 M. Phil, International Peace Studies, Trinity College, Dublin
2005 BA in Journalism, Thames Valley University, UK.
Recent international reportage:
 Paris Attacks: reporting from the centre of Paris and suburb of Saint Denis
 Urfa, Gaziantep and Antakya Turkey/Syria border
 Serbia/Hungary border: Europe’s refugee crisis
 Greece: General Election
 Gaza: One Year on from Operation Protective Edge (August)
 Erbil, Iraq: Interviewing Yazidi women and girls kidnapped by and escaped from Isis
 Greece: Political protests against referendum, then bailout conditions (July/August)
 Chicago: The mayoral race between incumbent Rahm Emmanuel and Jesus ‘Chuy’
Garcia (March 2015)
 Washington DC: St. Patrick’s Day at the White House as part of Irish government
delegation
 New York, covering Hillary Clinton speech at Irish America Hall of Fame
 Amman, Jordan: Interview with the family of slain Jordanian pilot, Muath Al-
Kasasbeh (March 2015)
 Beirut, Lebanon: Chronicling Syrian refugees fleeing ISIS in Raqqa/Deir Ez Zour
(March 2015)
 Turkey/Syria border: interviewing former ISIS militant (February 2015)
 China: Irish President’s 10 day state visit (December 2014)
 Ethiopia/Malawi: Irish President’s 3 week state visit (November 2014)
 Travelled with Presidential delegation to Africa with members of the
Department of Affairs and Irish Aid, chronicling Ireland’s role in development
in and investment there
 Gaza and Israel coverage of this years’ 8 week conflict, “Operation Protective Edge”
(July/Aug 2014)

2.  Erbil, Iraq: documenting the political, military and humanitarian fallout from ISIS
advances in North and West Iraq. (June 2014)
 Rwanda/The Democratic Republic of Congo (April 2014).
 Reporting on the 20th anniversary since the genocide and the continuing
legacy in nearby DRC/remnants of "Interahamwe" and Rwandan groups and
the sexual violence perpetrated by them.
 Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, (April 2014)
Reported on: conditions in the prison: force-feeding of hunger-striking
detainees, indefinite detention, mental health of detainees.
The status of detainees as ‘unlawful enemy combatants’ or POW’s.
Whether detainees get visits from the ICRC
The use of torture or enhanced interrogation techniques.
 Washington DC (March)
 South Sudan (Dec 13/Jan 14) Documenting stories from survivors in
displacement camps as violence continued to spread throughout the
country.
 Syrian conflict: Lebanon, November 2013 and Sep 2013.
 Democratic Republic of Congo (August 2013), militants in Goma and
South Kivu

Employment experience:
2005 – Present Newstalk.com (full time)
European Affairs reporter for Newstalk radio
 Report from all European Summits (council meetings, Eco-fin & Parliament plenary
sessions in Brussels and Strasbourg)
 Conduct interviews and report on European issues including European foreign policy
and economic and monetary affairs.
 Presenter, ‘World in Motion’ – International affairs weekly
Newstalk.com/worldinmotion
 Interviewing influential players on the international stage
 Some notable interviewees include
o 5 times Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Dr Denis Mukwege, the gynaecological
surgeon renowned for his support for rape victims in the DRC
o Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson
o Former US Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, current US Ambassador
Samantha Power, former Ukrainian Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko
o Whistle-blowers Daniel Ellsberg and Glen Greenwald.
Additional experience
 Avid user of social media with strong following
 Regular contributor to Irish TV current affairs programmes
 Excellent verbal & written communication skills
 Ability to forge and develop relationships with high ranking and key personnel
globally