Sean Moriarty
Sean Moriarty is a specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist in Edinburgh. His path into physiotherapy began through the progression route between Coláiste Íde – now City of Dublin FET College Íde, Finglas – and Portobello Institute.
Physiotherapy first became part of Sean’s life at a young age. Regular appointments for problems with his legs and feet gave him an early insight into the profession and gradually inspired his own career ambitions.
However, an early change of direction followed when Sean fell short of the Leaving Certificate points required to study physiotherapy at higher education level.
Faced with a different set of options, he accepted a place at University College Dublin (UCD) to study Spanish and Economics, but after two years, realised it was not the right course for him and left university to begin working full-time.
Rediscovering His Route to Physiotherapy
Sean’s interest in physiotherapy never wavered. After leaving university and spending a year working full-time, he wasn’t sure how he would achieve his ambition of becoming a physiotherapist.
Discovering the Pre-University Physiotherapy PLC (Post-Leaving Certificate) programme at Coláiste Íde gave him a renewed sense of direction.
While studying there, he learned about Portobello Institute’s BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy and the advanced entry opportunity available to eligible Coláiste Íde graduates.
After achieving the required results and demonstrating his readiness for degree-level study, Sean was offered direct entry into Year 2 of the degree programme.
“With help from the lecturers, I found the transition from the PLC course to the degree a lot more manageable than I expected,” Sean explains.
“The progression from Coláiste Íde to Portobello Institute was a crucial step in me achieving my goal of going on to study physiotherapy.
“It gave me a clear pathway to becoming a physiotherapist at a time when I was feeling a bit lost on my path. Now that Portobello Institute offers the MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration), that route is even clearer for prospective students.”
After graduating, Sean began putting his sports therapy qualification into practice in a Dublin clinic and with a rugby club. Physiotherapy remained his long-term goal, and with guidance from his degree tutors, he secured a place on an MSc pre-registration physiotherapy programme at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.
At that time, Portobello Institute did not yet offer its own physiotherapy master’s. Today, students can continue their progression within the Institute, moving from the BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy to the MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration).
Building the Skills for Physiotherapy
Across Coláiste Íde and Portobello Institute, Sean gained practical expertise in injury assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, and sports therapy. The skills he developed continue to influence his work today.
“I still draw on a lot of the manual therapy and objective assessment techniques that I learned in our sports therapy modules,” he says.
“Because a pre-registration physiotherapy course is so intense over a two-year period, there isn’t always enough time to delve fully into some manual therapy and objective assessment techniques.
“Having already experienced these at Portobello Institute through the BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy, I felt I was ahead of the curve compared with some of my classmates during my physiotherapy modules.”
Progressing into Specialist MSK Physiotherapy
Since qualifying as a physiotherapist, Sean’s career has continued to develop across private practice and NHS Scotland.
He shares: “Since we last spoke, I’ve moved from working in a busy acute hospital in Aberdeen to a permanent MSK outpatients job in Edinburgh.
“Since September 2025, I’ve progressed into a specialist MSK role. I work with a variety of patients, with a strong focus on prehab and post-operative rehabilitation. I deliver a mixture of one-to-one sessions and group gym sessions throughout the week.”
Sean has also been able to combine physiotherapy with his interest in sport. He adds: “I was recently lucky enough to work with the Irish Rugby Gael Force 7s team at the Edinburgh City 7s, which was an amazing experience.”
Sean’s Advice to Coláiste Íde Students
For students considering progressing from Coláiste Íde to the BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy at Portobello Institute, Sean’s advice is enthusiastic and direct.
He says: “Do it. You won’t regret it. Even if going on to study physiotherapy isn’t your goal, you’ll graduate as a qualified sports therapist with the ability to transition seamlessly into a professional role.
“The independence you are given at both Coláiste Íde and Portobello Institute set you up to develop into an autonomous practitioner.
“The small class sizes also mean all the lecturers and tutors know you by name and genuinely care about your development.”
The Lasting Impact of Coláiste Íde and Portobello Institute
Years later, Sean sees his time at Coláiste Íde and Portobello Institute as a defining stage in his professional development – one that helped shape the practitioner he is today.
“The fact that I still draw on things I learned six years ago says a lot about how good and supportive the environment is at Portobello,” he says.
“I look back on my time there fondly and would recommend it to anyone who wants to work in this really rewarding field.”
Explore a Connected Pathway to Physiotherapy
Portobello Institute now offers both the BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy and MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration), creating a clear progression route for students who want to become physiotherapists.
The longstanding partnership between Portobello and Coláiste Íde also continues, with eligible graduates able to apply for advanced entry into Year 2 of the BSc.
Book a call with a Career Pathway Consultant to discuss the right next step for you.
