Spotlight on Research

Map of Ireland beside the UK with a tricolour stuck in Dublin

From Germany to the US, the countries who've plotted to invade Ireland

History records that Ireland has long occupied a place in the strategic military planning of other nations, writes Dr David Murphy of the Department of History

Thursday, 26 September 2024

Row of shelves in a library filled with books

Why are librarians up in arms over ebooks?

Lack of available stock, high prices and onerous terms and conditions mean ebooks currently offer poor value for readers and libraries, write MU Librarian Cathal McCauley, Martin Bradley and Stuart Hamilton of the Local Government Management Agency

Wednesday, 18 September 2024

Bearded man holding a microphone in front of a blue background

Why 'pronatalist' politicians want women to have more babies

It's not just JD Vance, and it's not just the US. Almost 30 percent of countries globally now have pronatalist policies — up from 10 percent in the 1970s, writes Prof Mary Corcoran of the Department of Sociology

Thursday, 12 September 2024

Three Dublin buses lined up on the street with cars passing by

Here's the real cost of your morning rush hour commute in Dublin

The travel costs of getting from your home to work includes much more than just the price of petrol or the bus fare, write Dr Conor O'Driscoll of University of Groningen and Kevin Credit of Maynooth University

Thursday, 05 September 2024

Wall with grafitti on the bottom topped by a high fence

Kneecap, 'ceasefire babies' and the resurgence of Gaeilge

What makes the Kneecap film so compelling is that it's not about those who lived through the Troubles but the generation that inherited them, writes Prof Fionntán de Brún of the Department of Modern Irish

Monday, 26 August 2024

Older African woman wearing a head dress stadning in front of a hut made of sticks

Why an ageing population in Africa deserves more attention

It's estimated that in excess of a quarter of a billion people over the age of 60 will be living in sub-Saharan Africa by 2050, writes Dr A. Jamie Saris of the Department of Anthropology

Wednesday, 21 August 2024

Image of cross, crescent, star of david and three other symbols of world religions

Why we should be aware of religious discrimination in the workplace

Just as religion has changed over time, so too has religious discrimination, and how it is experienced in the workplace differs from other contexts, writes Prof John Cullen of the School of Business

Wednesday, 14 August 2024

Corkboard with the letters M, E, M, E pinned to it

5 things you didn't know about memes – and why they're more serious than you think

Next time you share a meme, remember that you are participating in something greater than a simple viral joke, writes Dr Constance de Saint Laurent of the Department of Psychology

Thursday, 08 August 2024

Two-wheel carriage pulled by two white horses, with a woman sitting inside, driven by a coachman between a ruined castle and a round tower

'Very savage': letters from a visitor to Ireland in 1827

These richly descriptive letters show us what a 19th century English visitor had to say about the cost of living, religion and Irish society, writes Róisín Berry, Special Collections and Archives, Maynooth University Library

Wednesday, 31 July 2024

Picture of a white sliotar sitting on top of a weathered hurl on grass

Where are the hurling and football strongholds in Ireland?

Examining the number of county final wins for every club can show the strengths of hurling and football throughout the country, write Dr Gerard McCarthy and research assistants Hannah Shen and Amelia Carroll of the Geography Department

Thursday, 25 July 2024

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