# Aoife Dooley

Aoife Dooley (born 14 April 1991), is an Irish writer, illustrator, comedian and graphic designer.

## Life

A North Dubliner, Dooley has lived in Ballymun and Coolock for most of her life. Her father left when she was young and her mother remarried. She has a younger sister. Dooley's mother died when she was twenty two and although she did regain a relationship with her father, he died in 2017. Dooley was diagnosed as autistic in 2018 which she has credited with allowing her to feel more like herself and then include the awareness and acceptance into her work.
She studied in Dublin Institute of Technology, she also studied graphic design in Colaiste Dhulaigh. Her books and illustrations are based on everyday observations of life in Dublin. Her illustrations (which are based on her books) have been turned into an animated TV series for RTÉ starring Al Foran, Emmet Kirwan, Jen Hatton and Enya Martin. Dooley also performs live and has appeared at Electric Picnic and Vodafone Comedy Festival. For only her second gig she was performing on PJ Gallagher's tour. She won U Magazine's 30 under 30 award for best comedian in 2017. Her first book for children won The Specsavers Children's Book of the Year. Dooley was also selected for the game changers award at the Irish Tatler women of the year awards.
Dooley speaks publicly covering a number of topics including on creativity. She has been a guest speaker on OFFSET in 2016 and 2018 in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. Dooley also creates prints, jewelry and badges which she sells online.

## Irish exam

In 2019, Dooley's work was used as the basis for a question in the Irish Junior Cert English exam. Afterwards Dooley came under attack online as a result and was subjected to abuse and threats.

## Selected works

* How to Be Massive (2016)
* How to Deal with Poxes on a Daily Basis (2017)
* 123 Ireland! (2019)
* Frankie's World (2022)
* ABC Ireland! (2022)

## References and sources

* 1 2 Cointreau (18 October 2019). "Aoife Dooley: The Irish Comedian Smashing Stigmas". Irish Tatler. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
* 1 2 "Dublin author suffers online abuse after appearing in Junior Cert paper". Dublin Gazette Newspapers - Dublin News, Sport and Lifestyle. 6 June 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
* ↑ Byrne, Katie (22 July 2018). "Illustrator Aoife Dooley reveals how autism has given her a unique take on life that inspires Nikita cartoons". Independent.ie. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
* ↑ Neylon, Laoise (30 November 2016). "How to Be Massive, Reviewed". Dublin Inquirer. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
* ↑ "Writer's Block With Aoife Dooley". The Gloss Magazine. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
* ↑ "An Post Irish Book Awards 2019 winners revealed". The Irish Times. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
* ↑ "Aoife Dooley's book on How to be Massive is comin' yizzer way!". Gill Books. 15 September 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
* ↑ "About". aoife dooley. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
* ↑ "Aoife Dooley". Little Island. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
* ↑ "Aoife Dooley". OFFSET. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
* ↑ White, Sophie (23 October 2017). "Shades of light, dark and hot pink". Independent.ie. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
* ↑ "Your One Nikita – The Lab". About RTÉ. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
* 1 2 Hynes, Liadan (29 December 2019). "'My first reaction was, huh, I'm not autistic'". Independent.ie. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
* ↑ "Going Viral – Advice from Mr Bingo, Seb Lester, Steve Simpson and Aoife Dooley". It's Nice That. 13 April 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
* ↑ "Archive 2018". OFFSET. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
* ↑ Kinsella, Rudi; Hanratty, Dave; Kinsella, Carl; Hanratty, Dave; Hanratty, Dave; Kinsella, Rudi; JOE (6 June 2019). "Author Aoife Dooley subject to vicious abuse following appearance in Junior Cert exam". JOE.ie. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
* ↑ McGuire, Peter (21 March 2013). "Comedian who appeared on Junior Cert paper subject to online rape threats". The Irish Times. Retrieved 15 September 2019.