Spotlight on Research

an old abandoned terraced house, cream walls, grey roof, and grass on yard

The story of Ireland's first socialist commune in 1830s' Clare

Dr Niall Ó Cuileagáin from the Department of English reviews Ireland's and Co Clare's first socialist commune in the 1830s

Tuesday, 22 April 2025

Why Sitric Silkenbeard is the greatest Dubliner of all time

Sitric Silkenbeard may be remembered as a villain due to the Battle of Clontarf, but he also transformed Dublin into a wealthy, vibrant European city, writes Dr Niamh Wycherley from the Department of Early Irish

Thursday, 17 April 2025

Why access to condoms was such a controversial issue in Irish law

Dr Jennifer Redmond from the Department of History examines the legal controversy surrounding condom access, marking 40 years since Ireland liberalised contraception laws

Monday, 07 April 2025

€100 note sitting on top of €50 note which are both on top of various US notes including $100 and $1

5 new corporate tax challenges facing Ireland

Ireland's tax regime has faced down many challenges over the last 70 years, but there are potential new obstacles ahead, writes Dr Nessa Ní Chasaide of the Department of Sociology

Monday, 07 April 2025

Different colour houses, with ice cliffs in the background - set in Greenland

How JD Vance's visit reflects decades of US interest in Greenland

Dr David Murphy of the Department of History reviews the long and contentious history of US interest in the Arctic island, which seems to have entered a new phase under Donald Trump

Monday, 31 March 2025

Timber panelled court room with a desk with papers and microphones and symbol of justice in the background

How criminal justice can harm victims more than crime itself

Secondary victimisation can be prevented if we understand victims' needs and invest in services and approaches to best meet these, writes Dr Ian Marder of the School of Law and Criminology

Monday, 24 March 2025

Vaulted cellar with rows of wine barrels

How 18th century Irish traders set up business in the Canary Islands

Irish merchants were drawn to Tenerife by the growing economic opportunities offered by the island's sweet wines, writes Dr Richard Fitzpatrick, Research Fellow in the Arts and Humanities Institute

Tuesday, 18 March 2025

Street with Patrick's Day marchers and observers with umbrellas

A short history of extreme weather events around St Patrick's Day

Dr Carla Mateus from the Department of Geography examines the short history of extreme weather events around St Patrick's Day in Ireland

Thursday, 13 March 2025

3 women and 1 man talking to each other wearing covid masks. Black jackets. blue jeans, white jacket and brown jacket

What we should and shouldn't expect from Ireland's Covid-19 review

Five years after the introduction of Covid-19 restrictions, Shamsoddin Shariati from the Sociology Dept explores the debates that still rage over what Ireland did and didn't do during the pandemic

Monday, 10 March 2025

traffic jam in Dublin city

The big impact of workplace commuting on Irish towns and villages

New research by Caroline Creamer at MU, Prof Des McCafferty at MIC and Dr Karen Keaveney at UCD looks at how commuting from rural Ireland impacts people's lives

Monday, 03 March 2025

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