Dr Ronan Foley

Geography, ALL Institute

Associate Professor

Rhetoric House
12
(01) 708 6024

Biography

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at Maynooth University and started work here in 2003. I currently teach courses on GIS and Health Geographies at undergraduate level. I was the course leader of the MSc. in GIS and Remote Sensing from (2013-2021) and have also taught on the MA Geography course. My research is primarily in the area of health geography, with significant publications on therapeutic landscapes, healthy blue space, swimming and health care services while I also research on historical and cultural geographies. I have been a PI or Co-PI on a wide range of funded research including current projects funded by the  Environmental Protection Agency and the UK's Economic and Social Research Council. Prior to my arrival in Maynooth I worked at the University of Brighton from 1988 to 2003 and I have also taught at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2015 and as an occasional lecturer at Queen's University Belfast and Trinity College Dublin.

Research Interests

My research interests fall into two main camps. One interest is in the area of GIS and Health Care Planning, with particular attention on accessibility and utilisation, health care service planning, mental health and inequalities in general. The other core research interest I have is in the area of therapeutic landscapes, with a focus on water and place and the developing research area of healthy blue space.

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2023 McNerney, E.; Faull, J.; Brown, S.; McNerney, L.; Foley, R.; Lonergan, J.; Rickard, A.; Doganca Kucuk, Z.; Behan, A.; Essel, B.; Mensah, I.O.; Castillo Campo, Y.; Cullen, H.; Ffrench, J.; Abernethy, R.; Cleary, P.; Byrne, A.; Cahalane, C. (2023) 'SatelliteSkill5—An Augmented Reality Educational Experience Teaching Remote Sensing through the UN Sustainable Development Goals'. Remote Sensing, 15 . [Link] [DOI] [Full-Text]
2023 Arodudu, O.; Foley, R.; Taghikhah, F.; Brennan, M.; Mills, G.; Ningal, T. (2023) 'A health data led approach for assessing potential health benefits of green and blue spaces: Lessons from an Irish case study'. Journal of Environmental Management, 345 . [Link] [DOI]
2023 O'Reilly, A.; Meredith, D.; Foley, R.; McCarthy, J. (2023) 'Continuity, change and new ways of being: An exploratory assessment of farmer's experiences and responses to public health restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic in a rural Irish community'. Sociologia Ruralis, 63 . [Link] [DOI]
2023 Guzman, V., Doyle, F., Foley, R., Craven, P., Crowe, N., Hegarty, G., Smith, A., Wilson, P. and Pertl, M. (2023) 'Socio-ecological determinants of older people’s mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative analysis within the Irish context'. Frontiers In Public Health, (11). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1148758
2023 Garrido-Cumbrera, M.; González-Marín, A.; Correa-Fernández, J.; Braçe, O.; Foley, R. (2023) 'Can Views and Contact with Nature at Home Help Combat Anxiety and Depression during the Pandemic? Results of the GreenCOVID study'. Brain and Behavior, . [Link] [DOI]
2023 Guzman, V.; Foley, R.; Doyle, F.; Pertl, M. (2023) '‘Somewhere old, somewhere new, somewhere green’: An exploration of health enabling places from the perspective of people ageing-in-place in Ireland during COVID-19'. Area, . [Link] [DOI]
2023 Brown, S.; Küçük, Z.D.; Rickard, A.; Lonergan, J.; Abernethy, R.; McNerney, L.; McNerney, E.; Foley, R.; Behan, A.; Byrne, A.; Essel, B.; Ffrench, J.; Faull, J.; Cahalane, C. (2023) 'The role of teacher agency in using GIS to teach sustainability: an evaluation of a lower secondary school story mapping GIS initiative in Ireland'. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, . [Link] [DOI]
2022 Smith N.; Foley R.; Georgiou M.; Tieges Z.; Chastin S. (2022) 'Urban Blue Spaces as Therapeutic Landscapes: “A Slice of Nature in the City”'. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (22). [DOI]
2022 Foley R.; Garrido-Cumbrera M.; Guzman V.; Braçe O.; Hewlett D. (2022) 'Home and nearby nature: Uncovering relational flows between domestic and natural spaces in three countries during COVID-19'. Wellbeing, Space And Society, 3 . [DOI]
2022 McDougall C.W.; Foley R.; Hanley N.; Quilliam R.S.; Oliver D.M. (2022) 'Freshwater Wild Swimming, Health and Well-Being: Understanding the Importance of Place and Risk'. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14 (10). [DOI]
2022 Garrido-Cumbrera M.; Foley R.; Correa-Fernández J.; González-Marín A.; Braçe O.; Hewlett D. (2022) 'The importance for wellbeing of having views of nature from and in the home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from the GreenCOVID study'. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 83 . [DOI]
2022 Foley, R; Hughes, Z (2022) 'The value of data visualisation: tracking geographies of informal care in Ireland, 2002-16'. International Journal Of Care And Caring, 6 :441-454. [DOI]
2021 Guzman, V; Garrido-Cumbrera, M; Brace, O; Hewlett, D; Foley, R (2021) 'Associations of the natural and built environment with mental health and wellbeing during COVID-19: Irish perspectives from the GreenCOVID study'. The Lancet Global Health, 9 :20-20. [Full-Text]
2021 Bell S.L.; Foley R. (2021) 'A(nother) time for nature? Situating non-human nature experiences within the emotional transitions of sight loss'. Social Science and Medicine, 276 . [DOI] [Full-Text]
2021 Guzman, V., Foley, R., Doyle, F. and Pertl, M. (2021) 'Well-being, Interventions and Support during Epidemics (WISE): Protocol for a qualitative longitudinal study of older adults’ experiences during COVID-19'. Hrb Open Research, 4 (22). https://doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.13231.1 [Full-Text]
2021 Guzman, V; Pertl, M; Doyle, F; Foley, R (2021) 'Older people's aspirations for the aftermath of COVID-19: Findings from the WISE study'. European Journal of Public Health, 31 :375-375.
2021 Garrido-Cumbrera M.; Foley R.; Braçe O.; Correa-Fernández J.; López-Lara E.; Guzman V.; González Marín A.; Hewlett D. (2021) 'Perceptions of Change in the Natural Environment produced by the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic across Three European countries. Results from the GreenCOVID study'. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, 64 . [DOI] [Full-Text]
2020 Foley, R. (2020) 'Geography and the Covid-19 Crisis in Ireland'. Irish Geography, 53 (1):1-4. https://doi.org/10.2014/igj.v53i1.1412
2020 Guzman V.; Garrido-Cumbrera M.; Braçe O.; Hewlett D.; Foley R. (2020) 'Health and wellbeing under COVID-19: The greencovid survey'. Irish Geography, 53 (2):157-162. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2020 Brace, O; Garrido-Cumbrera, M; Foley, R; Correa-Fernandez, J; Suarez-Caceres, G; Lafortezza, R (2020) 'Is a View of Green Spaces from Home Associated with a Lower Risk of Anxiety and Depression?'. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 . [DOI] [Full-Text]
2020 Foley, R; Bell, SL; Gittins, H; Grove, H; Kaley, A; McLauchlan, A; Osborne, T; Power, A; Roberts, E; Thomas, M (2020) '"Disciplined research in undisciplined settings": Critical explorations of in situ and mobile methodologies in geographies of health and wellbeing'. Area, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
2020 Britton, E; Foley, R (2020) 'Sensing Water: Uncovering Health and Well-Being in the Sea and Surf'. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
2020 McNamara, M., Murphy, A., Dowler, F. and Foley, R (2020) 'Valuing Blue Space for Health & Wellbeing: Survey Comparisons of Indoor and Outdoor Settings from Ireland'. Revista De Estudios Andaluces, 39 :8-22. https://dx.doi.org/10.12795/rea.2020.i39.01 [Full-Text]
2019 Kilgarriff P.; Charlton M.; Foley R.; O'Donoghue C. (2019) 'The impact of housing consumption value on the spatial distribution of welfare'. Journal of Housing Economics, 43 :118-130. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2018 Bell S.; Leyshon C.; Foley R.; Kearns R. (2018) 'The “healthy dose” of nature: A cautionary tale'. Geography Compass, . [DOI]
2018 Foley, R (2018) 'Modelling Mortality from Self-Reported Health and Disability Data: A Multi-Scale Report from Ireland, 2011-2016'. Revista De Estudios Andaluces, 35 :179-192. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2017 Foley R. (2017) 'Swimming as an accretive practice in healthy blue space'. Emotion, Space and Society, 22 :43-51. [DOI]
2017 Bell SL; Foley R; Houghton F; Maddrell A; Williams AM; (2017) 'From therapeutic landscapes to healthy spaces, places and practices: A scoping review'. Social Science and Medicine, 196 . [DOI] [Full-Text]
2017 Foley R. (2017) '‘One blue’'. DIALOGUES IN HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, 7 (1):32-36. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2016 Kilgarriff P.; O'Donoghue C.; Charlton M.; Foley R. (2016) 'Intertemporal income in Ireland 1996-2011 - A spatial analysis'. International Journal of Microsimulation, 9 (2):1-21. [Full-Text]
2016 Kilgarriff, P., O’Donoghue, C., Charlton, M., Foley, R. (2016) 'Inter-temporal Disposable Income in Ireland 1996-2011'. 9 (2):123-143. [Full-Text]
2015 Foley R. (2015) 'Indigenous Narratives of Health: (Re)Placing Folk-Medicine within Irish Health Histories'. Medical Humanities, 36 (1):5-18. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2015 Foley, R. and Murphy, R. (2015) 'Visualizing a Spatial Archive: GIS, Digital Humanities and Relational Space'. BREAC: A Digital Journal of Irish Studies, 6 . [Full-Text]
2015 Kearns, R; O'Brien, G; Foley, R; Regan, N (2015) 'Four windows into geography and imagination(s)'. New Zealand Geographer, 71 :159-176. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2015 Foley, R (2015) 'Swimming in Ireland: Immersions in therapeutic blue space'. Health and Place, 35 :218-225. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2015 Foley, R; Kistemann, T (2015) 'Blue space geographies: Enabling health in place'. Health and Place, 35 :157-165. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2015 Foley, R. (2015) 'Editorial: Mobility and Stillness: Duties of Care in Irish Geography'. Irish Geography, 48 (1):3-5. [Full-Text]
2014 Foley, R (2014) 'The Roman-Irish Bath: Medical/health history as therapeutic assemblage'. Social Science and Medicine, 106 :10-19. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2014 Atkinson S.; Foley R.; Parr H. (2014) 'Introduction: Spatial Perspectives and Medical Humanities'. Medical Humanities, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
2013 Foley, R. (2013) 'Cross Border Health Data: Geographical Considerations?'. BORDERLANDS - THE JOURNAL OF SPATIAL PLANNING IN IRELAND, 3 :27-41. [Full-Text]
2013 Meredith, D., Walsh, J., Foley, R. (2013) 'Perspectives on Ireland’s economic geography: An evaluation of spatial structures. Special Issue on the National Spatial Strategy'. Administration, 60 :61-89.
2013 Meredith, D., Walsh, J.A. and Foley, R. (2013) 'Perspectives on Irelands economic geography: an evaluation of spatial structures'. Administration, 60 :61-90.
2013 Foley R. (2013) 'Small health pilgrimages: Place and practice at the holy well'. Culture and Religion, 14 (1):44-62. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2011 Foley R. (2011) 'Performing health in place: The holy well as a therapeutic assemblage'. Health and Place, 17 (2):470-479. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2011 Foley R.; Wheeler A.; Kearns R. (2011) 'Selling the colonial spa town: The contested therapeutic landscapes of Lisdoonvarna and Te Aroha'. Irish Geography, 44 (2-3):151-172. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2011 Gonzalez, A; Gilmer, A; Foley, R; Sweeney, J; Fry, J (2011) 'Applying geographic information systems to support strategic environmental assessment: Opportunities and limitations in the context of Irish land-use plans'. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 31 :368-381. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2010 Foley, R. and Sweeney, J. (2010) 'Introduction to Dublin 2026: The Future Urban Environment'. 7-9 :1-3. [Full-Text]
2008 Foley R. (2008) 'Geographies of informal care in Ireland, 2002-2006'. Irish Geography, 41 (3):261-278. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2008 Gonzalez, A; Gilmer, A; Foley, R; Sweeney, J; Fry, J (2008) 'Technology-aided participative methods in environmental assessment: An international perspective'. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, 32 :303-316. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2008 Foley, R., M. Charlton and P. Clarke (2008) 'Surveying the Sickbeds: Initial Steps towards Modelling All-Ireland Hospital Accessibility'. JOURNAL OF CROSS BORDER STUDIES IN IRELAND, 3 :303-316. [Full-Text]
2007 Foley, R; Platzer, H (2007) 'Place and provision: Mapping mental health advocacy services in London'. Social Science and Medicine, 64 :617-632. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2006 Walsh, J., Foley, R., Kavanagh, A. and McElwain, A. (2006) 'Origins, Destinations & Catchments: Mapping Travel to Work in Ireland in 2002'. Journal of the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland, XXXV :1-58. [Full-Text]
2006 Kalogirou S.; Foley R. (2006) 'Health, Place and Hanly: Modelling accessibility to hospitals in Ireland'. Irish Geography, 39 (1):52-68. [Full-Text]
2002 Foley, R. (2002) 'Assessing the applicability of GIS in a health and social care setting: planning services for informal carers in East Sussex, England'. Social Science and Medicine, 55 :79-96. [Full-Text]

Book

Year Publication
2010 Foley R. (2010) Healing waters: Therapeutic landscapes in historic and contemporary Ireland.
2007 Bowden, R and Foley, R. (2007) World in Focus: Ireland. : Wayland.
2006 Bowden, R and Foley, R. (2006) Destination Detectives: Ireland. : Raintree.
2003 Foley, R. (2003) River Journeys: The Rhine. : Hodder Wayland.
2002 Foley, R. (2002) 21st Century Debates: World Health. : Hodder Wayland.

Edited Book

Year Publication
2019 Foley, Ronan;Kearns, Robin;Kistemann, Thomas;Wheeler, Ben (Ed.). (2019) Blue Space, Health and Wellbeing: Hydrophilia Unbound. Abingdon: Routledge, Taylor and Francis,

Book Chapter

Year Publication
2022 Foley, R. (2022) 'Chapter 23. Swimming: Immersive Encounters in the Ocean' In: The Routledge Handbook of Ocean Space. London : Routledge, Taylor and Francis.
2021 Foley, R. and Garrido-Cumbrera, M. (2021) 'Why Green/Blue Spaces matter more than ever' In: COVID-19 and Similar Futures: Pandemic Geographies. London : Springer Nature.
2021 Foley, R. and Ryan. A (2021) 'Imagining Coasts' In: The Coastal Atlas of Ireland. Cork : Cork University Press.
2020 Foley, R (2020) 'Cartographies of Health: From Remote to Intimate Sensing' In: Geohumanities and Health. CHAM : Springer International Publishing AG. [DOI]
2018 Foley, R (2018) 'Palettes of Place: Green/blue spaces and health' In: Routledge Handbook of Health Geography. Abingdon : Routledge.
2020 Misstear, B., Gill, L., McKenna, C. and Foley, R. (2020) 'Where does the water come from? A hydrogeological characterisation of Irish holy wells' In: Sacred Waters: A Cross-Cultural Compendium of Hallowed Springs and Holy Wells. London : Routledge, Taylor & Francis.
2016 Foley R. (2016) 'From front to home and back again: Geographical networks of auxiliary medical care in the First World War' In: Medicine, health and Irish experiences of conflict 1914-45.
2019 Foley, R (2019) 'Mapping a blue trace An intermittent swimming life' In: Water, Creativity and Meaning: Multidisciplinary understandings of human-water relationships. ABINGDON : ROUTLEDGE.
2019 Foley, Ronan (2019) 'Spa towns and Sweathouses: hybrid therapeutic environments in 19th century Ireland' In: Nature and Environment in 19th Century Ireland. Liverpool : Liverpool University Press.
2019 Foley, Ronan (2019) 'Cartographies of Health: From Remote to Intimate Sensing' In: Geohumanities and Health. (Global Perspectives on Health Geography). Cham : Springer Nature.
2019 Foley, R., Kearns, R., Kistemann, T. and Wheeler, B. (2019) 'Conclusion: Future Directions' In: Blue Space, Health and Wellbeing: Hydrophilia Unbounded. Abingdon : Routledge.
2019 Foley, R., Kearns, R., Kistemann, T. and Wheeler, B. (2019) 'Introduction' In: Blue Space, Health and Wellbeing: Hydrophilia Unbounded. Abingdon : Routledge.
2016 Foley, R. (2016) 'From Front to Home and Back Again: Relational Geographies of Medical Treatment in the First World War' In: Medicine, Health and Irish Experiences of War, 1914-45. Manchester : Manchester University Press.
2016 Foley, R. (2016) 'Augusta Bellingham and the Mount Stuart Hospital: Temporary Therapeutic Transformations' In: The Country House and the Great War: Irish and British Experiences. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
2015 Foley, R. (2015) 'Health and Wellbeing' In: Gleeson, J(Eds.). The Atlas of the Island of Ireland. Mapping Social and Economic Patterns. Maynooth/Armagh : AIRO-ICLRD.
2014 Foley R. (2014) 'Look beyond appearances: Place, disability, and wellbeing in the music of staff Benda Bilili' In: Soundscapes of Wellbeing in Popular Music.
2014 Foley, R. (2014) 'Therapeutic Landscapes in Cavan' In: Cherry, J. and Scott, B(Eds.). Cavan: History and Society. Dublin : Geography Publications.
2013 Foley, R. (2013) 'Health and Wellness or Conspicuous Consumption: The Spa in Celtic Tiger Ireland' In: Crowley, C. and Linehan, D(Eds.). Spacing Ireland: Place, Society and Culture in the post-boom era. Manchester : Manchester University Press.
2012 Foley, C. and Foley, R. (2012) 'From Rathdowney to Ratanakiri: Honouring Prof' In: Duffy, P.J. and Nolan, W(Eds.). At the Anvil: Essays in Honour of W.J.Smyth. : Geography Publications. [Full-Text]
2010 Foley, R (2010) 'Healing Waters Therapeutic Landscapes in Historic and Contemporary Ireland Preface' In: HEALING WATERS: THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES IN HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY IRELAND. ALDERSHOT : ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD.
2010 Foley, R (2010) 'Healing Waters Therapeutic Landscapes in Historic and Contemporary Ireland Introduction' In: HEALING WATERS: THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES IN HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY IRELAND. ALDERSHOT : ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD.
2010 Foley, R (2010) 'Holy Wells: The Faith Cure' In: HEALING WATERS: THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES IN HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY IRELAND. ALDERSHOT : ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD.
2010 Foley, R (2010) 'Spa Towns: The Rest Cure' In: HEALING WATERS: THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES IN HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY IRELAND. ALDERSHOT : ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD.
2010 Foley, R (2010) 'Turkish Baths and Sweat-houses: The Sweating Cure' In: HEALING WATERS: THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES IN HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY IRELAND. ALDERSHOT : ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD.
2010 Foley, R (2010) 'Sea Bathing: The Thalassic Cure' In: HEALING WATERS: THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES IN HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY IRELAND. ALDERSHOT : ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD.
2010 Foley, R (2010) 'The Modern Spa: The Relaxation Cure' In: HEALING WATERS: THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES IN HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY IRELAND. ALDERSHOT : ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD.
2010 Foley, R (2010) 'Healing Waters Therapeutic Landscapes in Historic and Contemporary Ireland Conclusion' In: HEALING WATERS: THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES IN HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY IRELAND. ALDERSHOT : ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD.
2009 Sweeney, J Gonzalez, A., Gilmer, A., Foley, R. and Fry, J. (2009) 'Developing and Applying a Participative Web- based GIS for Integration of Public Perceptions into Strategic Environmental Assessment' In: Representing, Modeling and Visualizing the Natural Environment: Innovations in GIS 13. Florida : CRC Press.
2009 Foley, R. (2009) 'Integrated Spatial Data Infrastructures' In: Kitchin, R. and Thrift, N(Eds.). The International Encyclopaedia of Human Geography Volume V. London : Elsevier.
2009 Foley, R., Charlton, M. and Fotheringham, A.S. (2009) 'GIS in Health & Social Care Planning' In: Bavaud, F. and Mager, C(Eds.). Handbook of Theoretical and Quantitative Geography. Lausanne : UNIL-FGSE.
2007 Walsh, J., Keaveney, K and Foley, R. (2007) 'Housing and Travel' In: Walsh, J(Eds.). People and Place: A Census Atlas of the Republic of Ireland. Maynooth : NIRSA.
2001 Foley, R. (2001) 'GIS and Caring: A Common and Compatible Approach?' In: Taylor, D(Eds.). Breaking Down Barriers: reviewing partnership practice. : University of Brighton/HSPRC.
2007 Meredith, D., Charlton, M., Foley, R. and Walsh, J. (2007) 'Modelling Commuting Catchments in Ireland: A hierarchical approach using GIS' In: Winstaley, A.C(Eds.). Proceedings of the Geographical Information Science Research UK Conference. Maynooth : NCG. [Full-Text]

Conference Publication

Year Publication
2018 Misstear, B., Gill, L., McKenna, C. and Foley, R. (2018) Proceedings of the Irish National Hydrology Conference 2018 Hydrology and communities: a hydrogeological study of Irish Holy wells [Full-Text]
2017 Ronan Foley (2017) Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Landscape and Human Health: Forests, Parks and Green Care . In: Peter Mayer eds. Exploring Health-enabling place: Swimming as an accretive practice Wien, [Full-Text]
2011 Foley, R.Brunsdon, C. Charlton, M. (2011) Proceedings of the 16th European Colloquium on Theoretical and Quantitative Geography Paying Practices: An Analysis of Primary Care Funding in Ireland
2007 Foley, R. and Charlton, M. (2007) E-Proceedings of 9th International Conference on Geocomputation Modelling Changing Hospital Service Accessibility in Ireland [Full-Text]
2007 Foley, R. and Charlton, M. (2007) Proceedings of 15th European Colloquium on Theoretical and Quantative Geography Crossing Borders and Boundaries: Modelling All-Ireland Changing Hospital Accessibility
2007 Gonzalez, A., Gilmer, A., Foley, R., Sweeney, J. and Fry, J. (2007) Proceedings of the GIS Research UK Conference 2007 Developing and Applying a User-friendly Web-based GIS for Participative Environmental Assessment [Full-Text]
2007 Kalogirou, S, and Foley, R. (2007) Proceedings of the GIS Research UK Conference 2007 Spatial Trends of unpaid caregiving in Ireland [Full-Text]
2007 Meredith, D., Charlton, M., Foley, R. and Walsh, J. (2007) Proceedings of the GIS Research UK Conference 2007 Modelling Commuting Catchments in Ireland: A Hierarchical Approach using GIS [Full-Text]
2007 Meredith, D. and Charlton, M. and Foley, R. and Walsh, J. (2007) Proceedings of the Geographical Information Science Research UK Conference, 11th - 13th April 2007, NUI Maynooth, Ireland Modelling commuting catchments in Ireland: a hierarchical approach using GIS [Full-Text]
2007 Gonzalez, A., Gilmer, A., Foley, R. and Sweeney, J. (2007) Proceedings of the Geographical Information Science Research UK Conference, 11-13 April 2007, NUI Maynooth, Ireland Developing and Applying a User-Friendly Web-Based GIS for Participative Environmental Assessment [Full-Text]
2005 Kalogirou, S, and Foley, R. (2005) Proceedings of the GIS Research UK Conference 2005 Modelling Accessibility to General Hospitals in Ireland
2002 Foley R. and Platzer H. (2002) Proceedings of the 2nd Geohealth Conference 2002 A Good Place to Talk: Mapping Mental Health Advocacy Services in London using a GIS
2002 Foley R. and Darby N. (2002) Proceedings of the 2nd Geohealth Conference 2002 Placing the Practice: GP Service Location Planning using GIS in Brighton and Hove

Conference Contribution

Year Publication
2017 Arodudu, O.T., Foley, R., Brennan, M., Mills, G., Bradley, M., Ningal, T. (2017) 17th Medical Geography International Symposium Green-Blue Infrastructures: A Health-Led Approach Angers, France, .
2017 Arodudu, O.T., Foley, R., Brennan, M., Mills, G., Bradley, M., and Ningal, T. (2017) Conference of Irish Geographers Green-Blue Infrastructures: A Health-Led Approach University College Cork, Cork, Ireland, .
2018 Arodudu, O.T., Foley, R., Brennan, M., Mills, G., Bradley, M., Ningal, T. (2018) US IALE (International Association of Landscape Ecology) Annual Meeting Towards a more holistic framework for a health-led approach at the green and blue infrastructure and human health interface Chicago, Illinois, USA, .
2019 Arodudu, O.T., Foley, R., Brennan, M., Mills, G., Bradley, M., Ningal,T. (2019) IALE (International Association of Landscape Ecology) World Congress Towards a more holistic framework for a health-led approach at the green and blue infrastructure and human health interface-Case study of Ireland Milano, Italy, .
2019 McNamara, M., Murphy, A., Dowler, F. and Foley, R. (2019) XVIII International Symposium in Medical Geography Valuing Blue Space for Health & Wellbeing: Capturing place-based perspectives Queenstown, New Zealand, 05/07/2019-.
2019 O’Rourke, D., Browne, J. and Foley, R. (2019) XVIII International Symposium in Medical Geography From policy to paralysis. An archaeology of hospital planning in Ireland Queenstown, New Zealand, 04/07/2019-.
2019 Foley, R. (2019) XVIII International Symposium in Medical Geography From remote to intimate sensing. Invited paper for discussion session on Post-Humanist Geographies of Health Queenstown, New Zealand, 03/07/2019-.
2019 Foley, R. (2019) Power Talk: Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab) Modelling relationships between health and green-blue infrastructures: a multi-scale ecological Irish study University of Wollongong, 19/06/2019-.
2019 McNamara, M., Murphy, A., Dowler, F. and Foley, R. ( (2019) 7th EUGEO Congress in conjunction with the 51st Conference of Irish Geographers Valuing Blue Space for Health & Wellbeing: Indoor and Outdoor Perspectives NUI Galway, 15/05/2019-.
2019 Foley, R. (2019) Departamento de Geografía Humana Postgraduate Training Workshop Getting Published in Geography: Trends, Methods and Techniques University of Seville, 02/04/2019-.
2018 Foley, R. (2018) 2018 EPA-HSE Annual Environment and Health Conference Green-Blue Infrastructures: Proof of Concept for a Health-Led Approach Dublin, 07/11/2018-.
2018 Foley, R. (2018) University of Exeter European Centre for Environmental and Human Health Seminar Series Healthy Blue Space Research from Ireland: Current Trends and New Directions University of Exeter Truro, 26/07/2018-.
2018 Foley, R. (2018) 50th Conference of Irish Geographers Enabling health at the coast: Lessons from History Maynooth University, 09/05/2018-.
2018 Kilgariff, P., Charlton, M., Foley, R. and O’Donoghue, C. (2018) 50th Conference of Irish Geographers Consumption Value of Housing: A Spatial Perspective Maynooth University, 08/05/2018-.
2018 Foley, R. (2018) Townscape Exhibition Town Talks Therapeutic Landscapes: Enabling Health and Wellbeing in Towns Irish Architectural Archive, 08/06/2018-.
2018 Foley, R. (2018) 35th Public Lecture of the Irish Environmental History Network Therapeutic Environments in 18th and 19th Century Ireland: Hybrid Spaces and Practices TCD, Dublin, 26/01/2018-.
2017 Ronan Foley (2017) Royal Geographical Society- Institute of British Geographers Conference 2017 Being bobby, being blobby: Transforming swimming bodies in blue space London, .
2017 Misstear, B., Gill, L., McKenna, C. and Foley, R. (2017) 44th Annual Congress of the International Association of Hydrogeologists Groundwater heritage: the holy wells of Ireland Dubrovnik, Croatia, .
2017 Ronan Foley (2017) An Tobar: An International Workshop on Holy Wells & Sacred Springs The Holy Wells of North Leinster: A Medical Geography Waterford, .
2017 Oludunsin Arodudu, Ronan Foley, Michael Brennan, Gerald Mills, Tine Ningal, Malachy Bradley (2017) Conference of Irish Geographers Green and Blue Infrastructure: A Health led approach Cork, Ireland, .
2017 Oludunsin Arodudu, Ronan Foley, Michael Brennan, Gerald Mills, Tine Ningal, Malachy Bradley (2017) 17th International Medical Geography Symposium Green and Blue Infrastructure: A Health led approach Angers, France, .
2017 Kilgariff, P, O’Donoghue, C., Charlton, M. and Foley, R (2017) , Irish Economic Association Annual Conference 2017 Small area imputed rent: a spatial analysis Dublin, .
2017 Ronan Foley (2017) Sea, Land and Spirit: Coastal Environment Ireland Conference Wellness and Blue Space: Oral Histories of Irish Coastal Swimming Dingle, .
2017 Ronan Foley (2017) Mindscape: Nature based solutions for Campus & Community Well-Being New Geographies of Health: Blue Spaces and Happy Camp(us)ers University of Limerick, .
2017 Ronan Foley (2017) 17th International Symposium in Medical/Health Geography Spaces and places that enable health (Therapeutic Landscapes 3.0: Discussing Future Directions Session) Angers, France, .
2016 Foley, R. (2016) Geographies of Care and Carelessness Conference of Irish Geographers 2015 Dublin, .
2016 Ronan Foley (2016) Agricultural History Society of Ireland Annual Symposium 2016 The Anglo-Irish and the war effort from the pages of Irish Life Magazine, 1912−26 Dublin, .
2016 Jan Rigby and Ronan Foley (2016) TILDA Research Seminar Series Geographical Perspectives on Ageing, Health & Place Trinity College Dublin, .
2015 Ronan Foley (2015) 20 Years of Family Carer Research in Ireland Geographies of Care in Ireland, 2002-2011 Dublin, .
2016 Foley, R. (2016) Spa towns and sweat houses: healthy environments in 19th century Ireland 24th Annual Conference of the Society for the Study of Nineteenth Century Ireland Southampton, .
2015 (2015) Therapeutic Blue Space: An Oral History Approach Nordic Geographers Meeting Tallinn University, .
2015 Foley, R. (2015) Swimming as Healthy Blue Space Practice Royal Geographical Society – Institute of British Geographers Annual Conference 2015 Exeter, UK, .
2015 (2015) Swimming as Display: Evidence from Blue Space Conference of Irish Geographers 2015 Queens University Belfast, .
2015 Ronan Foley (2015) Massey University Geography Seminar Series Borrowed Hospitals: Actors and Networks of Temporary Medical Care in World War I Palmerston North, New Zealand, .
2015 (2015) Liquid Immersions: Swimming as Healthy Blue Space Practice School of Environment Research Seminar Series University of Auckland, .
2015 (2015) An Irish Stew: GeoSpatial Health Research in Ireland Geospatial Research and Innovation Seminar Series University of Canterbury, .
2015 (2015) Geography and Imagination: A conversation between two poets and two geographers Victoria University of Wellington Stout Centre for New Zealand Studies, .
2015 (2015) Rhythm and Outdoor Swimming: Narratives of Health and Wellbeing XVIth International Symposium in Medical/Health Geographies Conference Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, .
2014 (2014) Swimming Lifeworlds 4th Global Blue Mind Symposium Cornwall, .
2014 (2014) Living Water: Swimming Spots as Third Places 1st Ómós Áite: Space/Place Research Network International Conference NUI Galway, .
2013 (2013) Towards a Geography of Health Inequalities in Ireland 2013 Conference of Irish Geographers NUI Galway, .
2013 (2013) Bloody Knees, Bloody Heads: Faction Fighting at Holy Well Patterns 21st Annual Conference of the Society for the Study of Nineteenth Century Ireland Newcastle, .
2013 (2013) Literature, Liminality and Health: Swift, Carleton and the Irish Spa Between Bodies, Bodies Between Conference NUI Maynooth, .
2013 (2013) Ephemeral Spaces of Care: Auxiliary War Hospitals as Contingent Spaces of Recovery 15th International Symposium in Health and Medical Geography Michigan State University, East Lansing, .
2013 (2013) Developing the Kavanagh-Foley Index of Wellbeing: Mapping General Health in Ireland from the 2011 Ce 2013 Conference of Irish Geographers NUI Galway, .
2013 (2013) Snámh: Affective Body-Water Engagements in Blue Space 15th International Symposium in Health and Medical Geography, Michigan State University East Lansing, MI, .
2012 (2012) Curative Minerals, Curative Wells 2012 Sino-European Symposium on Environment and Health NUI Galway, .
2012 (2012) St. Ann’s Hydro as a ‘Deep Mapping’ Template for Medical Humanities Research Association for Medical Humanities Conference 2012 Cork, .
2012 (2012) A Reservoir to Boot... Body-Water engagements, swimming & well-being Association of American Geographers Annual Conference 2012 New York, .
2012 (2012) Source Streams: Research on Healing Waters Health and Welfare in the Archives Belfast, .
2012 (2012) Borrowed Hospitals: Requisitioned Spaces of Recovery and Care 2012 Conference of Irish Geographers Dublin, .
2012 (2012) Place, Health and the Spa: Contested Identities and Practices EUROGEO Conference 2102 Drumcondra, .
2012 (2012) From Front to Home and Back Again: Relational Geographies of Medical Treatment in World War I Wellcome Centre for the History Of Medicine in Ireland Seminar on Medicine, Health and Irish Experie UCD Dublin, .
2012 (2012) Bute as a Healing Island: ‘Doon the Watter’ for Health and Well-being Royal Geographical Society - Institute Of British Geographers Annual Conference 2012 University of Edinburgh, .
2011 (2011) Sex and the Spa: Liminality at the Watering-Place 2011 Conference of Irish Geographers Mary Immaculate College of Education, Limerick, .
2011 (2011) Spaces of Indigenous Health Care: From Holy Wells to Seaweed Baths Centre for Irish Studies Seminar Series NUI Galway, .
2011 (2011) Holy Wells: Healing Waters In the Group Exhibition, SURFACE TENSION: The Future of Water Science Gallery, Trinity College Dublin, .
2011 (2011) Waterlog: Wild Bathing at the Seaside 2011 Conference of Irish Geographers Mary Immaculate College of Education, Limerick, .
2011 (2011) Carte Jondo: Representations of the Holy Well/Tobar Beannaithe Ómós Áite/The Space & Place Research Collaborative: Mapping Spectral Traces IV NUI Maynooth and Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, .
2011 (2011) Paying Practices’: Mapping Primary Care Funding in Ireland 17th European Colloquium on Theoretical and Quantitative Geography Harokopio University Athens, .
2011 (2011) Deep Mappings of Spirituality: Energy, Reach and Place AHRC-ESRC Religion & Society Workshop: New Spiritualities University of Glasgow, .
2011 (2011) Indigenous Narratives of Health: (Re)Placing Folk-Medicine within Irish Health Histories 14th International Symposium in Medical Geography University of Durham, .
2011 Ronan Foley (2011) Small Health Pilgrimages: Holy Well Practices & Performances AHRC-ESRC Workshop: Spaces of Renewal University of the West of England, Bristol, .
2011 (2011) Paying the Practice: Geographies of GP Funding in Ireland 2011 Conference of Irish Geographers Mary Immaculate College of Education, Limerick. May, .
2010 (2010) A Place Apart: Affect and Therapeutic Encounters with Water Royal Geographical Society - Institute of British Geographers Annual Conference 2010 London, .
2010 (2010) Telling and Selling Health in Place: The Role of the Geo-Narrative 2010 Conference of Irish Geographers Maynooth, .
2010 (2010) Mapping the Geographies of Caring, Disability and Volunteering Becoming Visible: Older People as Active Participants in the Community and in Long-term Care Setting Dublin Castle, .
2010 (2010) Affect, Wellbeing and Embodiment in the Contemporary Watering-Place Irish Social Science Platform Annual Conference 2010 University of Limerick, .
2010 (2010) Geography and Resource Allocation Models: Issues for the development of an Irish Model Towards a Resource Allocation Model for Primary, Continuing and Community Care in the Health Service Dublin, .
2010 (2010) The Irish Beach: For Health and Leisure 2010 Conference of Irish Geographers Maynooth, .
2009 (2009) Embodied Performance in Therapeutic Landscapes 2009 Conference of Irish Geographers Cork, .
2009 (2009) Embodiment, Performance & Narrative at Holy Wells 13th International Symposium in Medical Geography McMaster University Hamilton, .
2009 (2009) Therapeutic landscapes and spiritual health Alternative spiritualities and New Religions NUI Maynooth, .
2009 (2009) Sanitas per Aquam: The Geography of the Irish Spa School of Geography Seminar Series Victoria University of Wellington, .
2009 (2009) Representing the 'Other': Critical Census Data 16th European Colloquium on Quantitative Geography Maynooth, .
2009 (2009) Performances of Health at the Watering Place Department of Geography Seminar Series NUI Galway, .
2009 (2009) Irish Therapeutic Landscapes: A Research Journey School of Geography Seminar Series University of Auckland, .
2009 (2009) The Road to Welltown: Hydropathy in 19th and 20th 2009 Conference of Irish Geographers Cork, .
2008 (2008) Wells and Springs as Therapeutic Landscapes Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (ATLAS) Brighton, .
2008 (2008) To Heal or to Pamper? Reselling & Retelling Spas Association of American Geographers Annual Conference 2008 Boston, .
2007 (2007) Commodifying Healthy Places: The Spa Town 12th International Symposium in Medical Geography University of Bonn, .
2007 (2007) Equitable Access to Carer's Services: Mapping the Geographies of Informal Care in Ireland Association of American Geographers Annual Conference 2007 San Francisco, CA, .
2006 (2006) Mapping Spatial Equity: Geographies of Informal Care in Ireland Royal Geographical Society-Institute of British Geographers Annual Conference 2006 London, .
2005 (2005) Hospital reorganisation and the implications for geographical accessibility in Ireland 11th International Symposium in Medical Geography Fort Worth, TX, .

Published Report

Year Publication
2018 Foley, R., Brennan, M., Arodudu, O., Mills, G., Ningal, T., Bradley M (2018) Green-Blue Infrastructures: A Health-Led Approach. Environmental Protection Agency, .
2018 Arodudu, O, Foley, R., Brennan, M., Mills, G., Bradley, M. and Ningal, T. (2018) Final Synthesis Project Report 2718: Green-Blue Infrastructures: A Health-Led Approach. EPA, .
2005 Foley, R., Brady, G. Fahey, D., Haase, T., McCormack, B., Morrin, P., Murphy, K. and O’Shea, C. (2005) Final Report of the Small Areas Project II: Proofs of Concept. The Value and Potential of Small Area Spatial Data in Ireland in the 21st Century. Information Society, .

Book Review

Year Publication
2019 Foley, R (2019) Living with the sea: Knowledge, awareness and action. HOBOKEN: [Book Review]
2018 Foley, R (2018) Health Geographies: A critical introduction. SHEFFIELD: [Book Review]
2019 Foley, R. (2019) Living with the Sea. Knowledge, Awareness, Action (Routledge Studies in Human Geography). [Book Review]
2018 Foley, R. (2018) Health Geographies: A Critical Introduction. (Wiley-Blackwell Critical Introductions to Geography). [Book Review]
2011 Foley, R (2011) Health and Aging in British Columns Vulnerability and resilience. SHEFFIELD: [Book Review]
2011 Foley, R (2011) Towards Enabling Geographies: 'Disabled' Bodies and Minds in Society and Space. ABINGDON: [Book Review]
2008 Foley, R (2008) Landscapes of voluntarism: New spaces of health, welfare and governance. ABINGDON: [Book Review] [DOI]
2005 Foley, R (2005) The geography of health inequalities in the developed world: Views from Britain and North America. SHEFFIELD: [Book Review]

Reviews

Year Publication
2011 Foley, R (2011) Performing health in place: The holy well as a therapeutic assemblage. OXFORD: [Reviews] [DOI]

Technical Publication

Year Publication
2007 Haase, T. and Foley, R. (2007) Feasibility Study for a Local Poverty Index. [Technical Publication]
2005 Foley, R., Brady, G., Fahey, D., Haase, T., McCormack, B., Morrin, P., Murphy, K. and OShea, C. (2005) The Value and Potential of Small Area Spatial Data in Ireland in the 21st Century. [Technical Publication]

Working Paper

Year Publication
2008 Foley, R., Critchley, M. and Convery, S. (2008) Calculating Population Density for MOLAND in the Dublin Urban Area. [Working Paper]
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Professional Associations

Description Function From / To
Editor, Irish Geography Geographical Society of Ireland 09/05/2015 - 12/05/2022

Honors and Awards

Date Title Awarding Body
01/01/2015 Erskine Fellowship University of Canterbury NZ
01/07/2018 Internationalisation Fund Award University of Exeter
01/01/2003 e-Map Scholar Award, University of Edinburgh JISC/EDINA

Education

Start date Institution Qualification Subject
University of Brighton Ph.D.
University College Cork BA (Hons.) History & Geography
University College Cork MA Geography
University College Cork PG Diploma in Computer Science
University of Wales College of Librarianship PG Diploma in Librarianship

Languages

Language Reading Writing Speaking
German Functional Functional Functional
Italian Functional Functional Functional

Teaching Interests

I am a health geographer at heart but also have quite a wide range of additional teaching interests both within and outside of geography. In my core health geography teaching, I have two main strands, one more technical and quantitative, the other more theoretical and qualitative. I teach GIS, both in its links to health geography (through mapping of health care services and environmental & public health modelling), but also in a range of general introductory courses at both  undergraduate and postgraduate level. The more qualitative work focuses on courses on health care systems and services and also the wider area of health and place, within which therapeutic landscapes and health green/blue space are core strands. I also teach occasional courses/sessions on cultural and historical geographies. 

Recent Students

Graduation date Name Degree
2018 Suzanne Pegley PhD in Geography
2017 Paul Kilgariff PhD
2017 Irene Morris Cadogan PhD in Geography
2015 Sandra Walsh PhD in Geography
2015 Eoin O'Mahoney PhD in Geography
2015 Jackie McGloughlin PhD in Geography
2013 Julie King MLitt
2012 David Meredith PhD in Geography
2011 Elizabeth Mathews PhD in Geography
2009 Xiaochen Liu PhD in Geography
2008 Ainhoa Gonzalez del Campo PhD
2005 Andrew Power PhD in Geography