About me

Hi there!

My name is Maria Groot, and I’m an independent journalist based in Dublin.

At age 15, I spent a month asking elderly people at my bus stop what it’s like to be old and what advise they’d give their younger selves. I don’t remember anything they said, but I’ve kept asking questions.

Ever since, my curiosity has driven me professionally as a journalist, leading me to cover a wide range of topics—from lab meat to diamond mining.

My work has appeared in publications all around the world. To name a few: Slate (US), Courrier International (FR), De Groene Amsterdammer (NL), De Standaard (BE), Roads & Kingdoms (US), MO (BE), Reader’s Digest (US), Apache (BE), and Internazionale (IT).

I’ve also been a guest on Dutch and Belgian national radio programs Reporter Radio and Interne Keuken. And the Dutch composer Rob Zimmerman, wrote an original soundtrack for my short story ‘Het Gat’ (‘The Hole’) which was broadcast on NPO Radio 4.

I was born below sea level in 1983. I studied arts in The Netherlands before moving on to journalism in Belgium. After ten years of living and working there, I traded the heart of Europe for its Southmost Island of Sicily. My restless legs then brought me to Ireland, where I’ve built my life and home for the past seven years.