Mary Evers

Founder

Mary Evers was born in Dublin in 1959 and, at just a year old, emigrated with her family to the Mashriq region.  Her father had begun his career as a UN field service officer during the early years of Palestinian refugee camp establishment and support. Mary spent much of her childhood immersed in the region, attending Notre Dame de Sion school in Jerusalem’s Old City, where she was educated in Arabic and French. Throughout her youth, the family moved frequently, allowing Mary to experience a rich variety of educational settings — from Arab-French and international schools to English and Scottish Presbyterian institutions. After returning to Ireland to complete her education at a Catholic school, Mary excelled academically and developed into a gifted sportswoman. She competed in athletics at a national level and represented her university in basketball and water polo.

In 1980, driven by the tough economic climate in Ireland, Mary moved to London as part of a generation of young Irish migrants in search of opportunity. A graduate of University College Galway (UCG) with a BSc in Biochemistry, she worked various temporary jobs before training as a computer software engineer and working as a developer. A serious cycling accident — and the subsequent transformative experience of osteopathic treatment — led her to change her career and life direction. She returned to study, completing a four-year course in Osteopathy and Naturopathy at BCNO, qualifying in 1988.

Mary went on to build a fulfilling career in osteopathy, combining her skills with training in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Five Elements Acupuncture. She ran a busy private practice for 33 years, where her approach integrated multiple disciplines and focused on patient-centered care. Alongside her clinical work, she was a lecturer for nine years at BCNO, teaching anatomy and practical Osteopathic technique, before stepping back to focus on raising her son, Louis.

Since retiring from clinical practice in 2015, Mary has continued to dedicate herself to causes close to her heart. She volunteered with BEANSTALK, supporting children with reading difficulties, and became a fellow with In Place of War (IPOW), a charity championing the arts in areas affected by conflict. Mary is a committed anti-war activist and humanitarian, with a lifelong focus on the empowerment of women and the rights of the Palestinian people — a cause deeply rooted in her upbringing.

A pivotal moment came during a trip to Uganda, where she witnessed a local theatre group perform using Theatre of the Oppressed methods, pioneered by Augusto Boal. The use of theatre as a tool for community dialogue, problem-solving, and social change deeply resonated with her. The experience solidified Mary’s belief in the power of the arts to foster collaboration, heal communities, and address injustice — principles that have informed her advocacy ever since.

Travel, culture, and the international community have always been central to Mary’s life. The Mashriq region, with its familiar scents and sounds, still feels like home. The influence of the arts runs deep; her mother, an Irish language stage actress, nurtured this passion. Mary vividly remembers adventurous childhood road trips across Europe with her mother and siblings — museum-hopping from Piraeus to Le Havre — experiences that instilled a spirit of curiosity, resilience, and creativity that has shaped every turn in her life.

Mary’s ability to shift paths — from science to technology, to healthcare, to activism — reflects her boldness, adaptability, and refusal to accept limitations. She is a risk-taker, a lifelong learner, and a woman who sees possibility where others see obstacles.