Actress/playwright, Gemma attended the University of Ulster where she received a B.A Hons in Drama & Theatre Studies. She is probably best known for playing ‘Sarah O’Leary’ in RTE soap Fair City for ten years.
In 2007, Gemma was nominated for an IFTA for Best Actress in a film, for the film ‘A Song For Rebecca’, directed by Norah McGettigan. Other acting credits include short films ‘I’ (Great Western Films), ‘The Water Fight’ Selected for competition at Cannes 2002 (Keep It Country Films) and Sanctuary (Venom Films) .
As a playwright, her play ‘The Robb’d That Smiles’, Focus Theatre Dublin 2004 & Old Museum Arts Centre, Belfast 2006, was nominated for The Jayne Snow award 2004 Best New Play at the Dublin Fringe 2004 & The Stewart Parker Award the same year.
Her most recent play ‘The Fireman & The Nurse’ had its first performed reading as part of Dalkey Writers Festival in 2011. Gemma also teaches drama to Transition year students at Loreto College, St. Stephen’s Green.