Glanmire Medical Staff

Dr. Tadg Grufferty MB BCh, BAO, MICGP, DCH, DObs, FRAMI has been a dedicated member of the Glanmire healthcare professionals community since 1984, practicing in Glanmire. He completed his undergraduate training at Mercy University Hospital, North Infirmary Hospital, Mallow General Hospital, and Bon Secours Hospital in Cork. In 1984, he established his practice in Glanmire, which has since evolved to become the Glanmire Medical Centre, providing comprehensive healthcare services to the local community. Dr. Grufferty's areas of special interest include minor surgery, cardiovascular disease prevention, orthopaedic care, and sports medicine. He has been actively involved in training Glanmire doctors and nurses as a trainer with the Vocational Training Scheme in General Practice since 1994 and also delivers lectures to vocational trainees at University College Cork (UCC). Furthermore, he serves as a senior tutor in the General Practice Department of Medicine at UCC, instructing final medical students in their final medicine module. Additionally, he is a clinical examiner for final medicine at UCC. Beyond his practice in Glanmire, Dr. Grufferty was instrumental as the chairman of the organizing committee that established the South Doc out-of-hours co-operative in Cork City in 2004, a significant milestone in Glanmire healthcare that offered vital out-of-hours support for patients. At its inception, 182 general practitioners in the Cork City area were part of the South Doc project. Following this, Dr. Grufferty became the chairman of the entire South Doc co-operative, overseeing the expansion of services into east and north Cork. Dr. Grufferty was also involved in a pilot scheme for continuing medical education initiated by the medical council in 2002, which has become mandatory for all doctors in Ireland, requiring yearly credit completion to maintain medical practice. He holds numerous certificates in Practice Management, Diabetes Care, Minor Surgery, Cardiovascular and Respiratory Disease Management in General Practice, and clinical teaching methods. Currently, he is pursuing a master’s degree in primary care and completing a course in dermoscopy, focusing on the diagnosis of superficial skin lesions, including skin cancers and melanoma. He has also proudly served as the team doctor for Sarsfields Hurling Club, Glanmire GFC, and Sarsfields GAA since 1984.

  Dr Elizabeth Ryan graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Dublin) in 1990. Following her internship at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, she worked in Cork hospitals as part of the Cork GP Vocational Training Scheme. She obtained Membership of both the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (UK), as well as Diplomas in Children’s Health and Obstetrics.

Dr Ryan joined the practice in 1994 and has contributed to its development ever since. She is committed to preventative healthcare and chronic disease management. She enjoys supporting young families through their health journey and older patients to maintain their health, independence and wellbeing.

Her interest in the relationship between work and health led her to obtain a Licentiate in Occupational Medicine from the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland in 2013.

Dr Ryan has a special interest in women’s health, including contraception, menopause and osteoporosis. She holds a Certificate in Contraception and is a member of the British Menopause Society and the Menopause Society of Ireland. She also tutors doctors in contraception, including contraceptive implants and intrauterine devices(coil) insertion.

She has a particular interest in adolescent and young adult health, including mental health and common skin conditions such as acne. She recently completed the ICGP Certificate in Roaccutane prescribing for GPs.

She enjoys the variety of General Practice and caring for people at all stages of life.

James Grufferty is the Practice Manager at Glanmire Medical Centre. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a Minor in Marketing from East Tennessee State University, a Diploma in Management in Practice from the Irish College of General Practitioners, and an ECDL license from the Irish Computer Society and CEPIS. 

While attending East Tennessee State University on a running scholarship, James earned multiple accolades, including the Indoor 5k Southern Conference title and the Freshman of the Year award in 2001, and graduated in 2006 with a Certificate of Distinction for making the Dean’s List. 

Returning to Ireland in 2007, he has focused on enhancing the capabilities of the medical centre’s staff and integrating technology into its operations. Under his leadership, the clinic has significantly upgraded its computers and software, introducing the Socrates system to manage patient data efficiently. Passionate about finding effective solutions, James works to ensure that Glanmire’s healthcare professionals deliver the highest standard of patient care.

Dr Ronan Smyth MB BCh BAO, FRNZCGP, FRNZCUC is originally from Belfast and graduated in Medicine from the National University of Ireland, Galway in 2014. Following completion of his internship in the West of Ireland, he moved to New Zealand to undertake his postgraduate training.

After gaining extensive experience across a range of hospital specialties, he moved into primary care in 2018 and completed dual fellowship training in both General Practice and Urgent Care.

His areas of particular interest include the assessment and management of urgent conditions and minor injuries, as well as primary prevention and the ongoing management of chronic diseases. He enjoys providing comprehensive, patient-centred care across all stages of life, with a particular focus on preventative health and supporting patients to manage their long-term health.

Outside of medicine, Dr Smyth enjoys spending time outdoors and family life with his wife and four young children.

  Dr Barry Courtney MB, BAO BCh, FRACGP, obtained his primary medical degree in University College Cork, his home town.

After completing his intern year in 2015, he moved to Australia where he gained close to a decade of experience working in emergency, medical, paediatric and intensive care departments before completing his FRACGP (GP training) in 2022, training in rural Western Australia.

He returned to Cork in 2024 where he has since been working in Glanmire Medical Centre.

I completed my Bachelor of Science in General Nursing at Waterford Institute of Technology in 2020. After finishing my internship, I worked as a nurse on the Renal ward at University Hospital Waterford. Seeking to be closer to home, I joined the Mater Private Cork in 2021 as part of their new graduate program, primarily based on the day surgery ward. This role also granted me valuable experience in pre-op assessment, the cardiac inpatient ward, and the infusions clinic. In the same year, I volunteered as a nurse in Arusha, Tanzania, where I was part of a team responsible for administering immunizations to infants, assisting in minor surgeries, and providing wound care. Upon returning to Ireland, I began my career as a GP nurse, now having three years of practice nursing experience. I take great pleasure in getting to know each of the patients at Glanmire Medical Centre, where the dedicated Glanmire doctors and nurses work collaboratively to provide exceptional care. I aim to further develop the relationships I've established with my patients and fellow Glanmire healthcare professionals. In 2024, I completed a Post Graduate Diploma at UCD in Primary Care Nursing Practice. My special interests and skills encompass Chronic Disease Management, childhood immunizations, cervical checks, ear irrigation, phlebotomy, and wound care. Outside of work, I enjoy playing camogie and football with my local club, spending quality time with my family, and traveling with my fiancé, all while appreciating the wonderful support from the Glanmire Medical Centre staff.

 M.I.Ch.Pod., Org. L.C.Ch. | CORU Registered | CORU Reg. No. PO068452
Frances Nolan is a highly experienced and dedicated Chiropodist / Podiatrist, with over 26 years of experience at Glanmire Medical Centre. During this time, she has worked closely with patients and alongside a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals, providing high-quality, personalised foot care to patients of all ages.

Frances specialises in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of foot and lower-limb conditions. Her clinical services include the treatment and management of corns, calluses, ingrown toenails, fungal nail conditions, athlete’s foot, dry and cracked heels, and other common foot problems.

She has a particular focus on diabetic foot care, providing professional assessment, treatment and advice to help patients maintain healthy feet and reduce the risk of complications.

Frances is committed to maintaining the highest standards of professional practice and ongoing development. As a proud member of the Irish Chiropodists Organisation, she regularly attends professional seminars, courses and continuing education programmes to keep her knowledge and clinical skills up to date.

For an appointment, please call 021 4866745 or 086 3693204.