Young Kildare journalist builds international career in investigative reporting

A YOUNG Kildare journalist has swapped the familiar surroundings of Caragh and Naas for the deserts of Arizona for the last year, where she has been pursuing a master’s degree in investigative journalism and gaining experience reporting stories across the USA and beyond.

Originally from Caragh, Aoife Kane started her formative years at Caragh National School before advancing to Piper’s Hill Secondary School in Naas.

Her interest in journalism developed while she was still at school, when she amalgamated her interests in sport and journalism to conduct her first interview with Kildare footballer Kevin Feely while in fifth year.

“I was really just mad into doing the sports side of things,” she said, recalling her early work covering Kildare sports teams.

She went on to study journalism at DCU where she continued building her experience and worked with RTÉ, including on The Sunday Game.

A major turning point came when DCU selected her for a programme that sent her and one other student to Washington DC each year to work over the summer. Her placement coincided with the 2024 US presidential election, providing an opportunity to experience American journalism first-hand.

The programme was carried out in partnership with Arizona State University (ASU), where she was later offered a fellowship to complete a master’s degree in investigative journalism.

“When I got the email, I actually cried for an hour,” she said.

The fellowship covers her tuition and living expenses, an opportunity she admits came as a huge surprise. She arrived in Arizona in August 2025, having never visited the state before. The biggest initial adjustment for her was the weather.

“It was in the 40s, maybe 45 degrees, when I landed,” she recalled.

Coming from Ireland, she quickly learned that the intense Arizona heat required a different approach to everyday life. Early attempts to cycle and walk around outside soon taught her why so many people stayed indoors during the hottest parts of the day.

Despite the culture shock, she has embraced life in the USA and said she has been grateful for all the opportunities that have come her way.

Her interest in investigative journalism developed gradually. While she initially focused heavily on sport, she found herself increasingly drawn towards stories involving accountability.

“I kind of was more interested in stories that had an accountability element,” she explained. “That’s the journalism that I found myself reading a lot of the time.” 

She said that investigative reporting was appealing because it offered an opportunity to have an impact and produce meaningful work. As part of her studies at ASU, she has worked on major investigative projects, including a story examining Arizona non-profit organisatons involved in funding private school tuition.

The reporting involved several months of examining documents and approaching company executives for comment.

The investigation identified instances in which non-profits had contracted companies owned by their own CEOs.

For the young journalist, it was an important milestone as her first major investigative story. “It was a really good learning experience,” she said.

Her experience in the USA has also extended beyond the university. During the summer, she worked with Fox News on coverage connected to America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. She spent time on the National Mall in Washington DC, speaking to people gathered for the Fourth of July and asking them what America meant to them.

She has also had the opportunity to report internationally. As part of her course, she travelled to Tokyo for seven days with fellow students to produce a story.

The students were required to pitch their stories before travelling and then carry out the reporting while in Japan. Her project examined Japan’s relationship with Iran and the USA, as well as the challenges facing the country in navigating international tensions.

The experience highlighted one of the biggest differences she has noticed between journalism in Ireland and the USA, which is the huge difference in the scale of operations between Irish and American media.

“The scale is the main thing that strikes me,” she said. “Everything here is massive.” 

She pointed to the size of major American news organisations and the resources available to them, as well as the enormous population covered by national reporters.

Despite the differences, she has found that the fundamentals of journalism remain familiar. One of the challenges she identified is being thrown in at the deep end and having to learn as you go. But the willingness to step outside your comfort zone is something she believes is essential for aspiring journalists.

While she has enjoyed her time in America, home remains firmly in her thoughts. She particularly misses the familiar comforts of home, including Irish food, coffee and Guinness. But above all, she misses her family and the community that supported her journey from Kildare to the United States.

She credits the people around her at home for encouraging her to pursue journalism: “I’ve been very lucky in that all the way up, all the people around me have always encouraged me to do this,” she said.

For young journalists looking to take a similar route, she advises: “Just go for it, and you’ll figure it out.” 

Her own career ambitions remain focused on investigative reporting, with a particular interest in video and vertical video journalism. But for now, she is keeping an open mind about where her career will take her after she completes her master’s degree.

“I’m trying to figure it out as I go and see what kind of opportunities I have,” she said. “It’s kind of taken me to a lot of interesting places so far. I’m open to seeing where else it takes me.”