Student Options:
- Check out the MU Life Portal for a whole range of activities happening each week.
- Join a FREE Yoga Session. Learn to relax, reduce stress and anxiety, improve focus and feel happier with yoga. 10 wk series open to all levels. When: Tuesdays @ 12-1pm from Oct 1st - Dec 10th (*no class Oct 29th), in An Tobar; Student Services Building. Drop in anytime for a taster class, a one-off session, or complete 4 sessions during the semester and receive a free gift! Find out more about this class online: https://bit.ly/3QEWt8h
Síol Strolls
- Easy-going Nature Walks through Irish, to get to know the area and others. In the case of bad rain, there will be a nature-themed conversation and craft circle. All are welcome - fluent Irish is not necessary to take part!
- Details: Meeting point is outside the library at 1.05pm every Tuesday during term-time. The nature walks will restart 01/10/2024. Whatsapp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaLYHLWCRs1esER8qX1C
- Join us for a stroll! Bí ag spaisteoireacht linn!
Staff Options:
There are 2 national Step Challenges by Smarter Travel that run in Maynooth University every year:
- Walktober in October
- Marchaton in March
All you need to do is create or join a Team with colleagues/friends and compete against the other teams in Maynooth University and across the country to place on the Leaderboard. There are weekly competitions, updated leaderboards, plenty of prizes and fun!
Sign up now: TFI Smarter Travel (activetravellogger.ie)
The next MU Couch to 5K Programme will start in April. This 8 week training programme, designed in collaboration with Kildare County Council Sports Partnership, will get you ready to walk, jog or run 5km by the end of week 8. It is a really fun and accessible programme that will motivate and support you to get outside with friends/family/colleagues or on your own and be active most days. It will help you to build a healthy habit of regular movement which we know is great – not only for our physical body – but for our mind too! For more info or to sign up simply email [email protected]
- Outdoor Gym - There is an outdoor calisthenics gym newly opened on South Campus by Student Residences. The outdoor gym area at Courtyard Apartments includes a short sprint track, and a 1-on-1 basketball court, as well as the outdoor gym equipment.
- Pitches and Changing (South Campus) - There are 5 playing fields on the south campus, including Rhetoric (floodlit, suitable for training), Highfield (one GAA, one Soccer), The Pond (one Camogie, one GAA). There are two sets of changing-rooms: one is beside the Museum and the other is the Casey Changing Rooms, located between Rhetoric House and Logic House.
- Pitches and Changing (North Campus) - There are 3 high quality sand based turf playing fields on the North Campus. There is also a soccer, rugby and floodlit GAA pitch. To facilitate club training sessions and internal competitions, there is a “third generation” floodlit synthetic pitch. Six new team changing rooms serve the North Campus playing fields complex as part of the Sports Centre.
- Tennis Courts - Two flood-lit tarmacadam tennis courts form part of the residences on the North Campus.
Located on the north campus, 'Phoenix' Sports Centre boasts:
- a large sports hall (600 sq.m.; one basketball court)
- a small sports hall (300 sq.m.)
- PE teaching hall (300 sq.m.) with break-out room for theory instruction.
The sports halls are the home to basketball, volleyball and badminton clubs and provide a venue for the multiple martial arts and dance sessions. Phoenix also has a fully equipped fitness centre (180 sq.m.) and free-weights room (35 sq.m.).
Integral to the Sports Centre's offerings are three sand-carpet natural turf floodlit playing fields, and a full-sized FIFA-approved 3G synthetic pitch catering for Gaelic games, soccer and rugby. The Synthetic Pitch will not be accesible unless booked. Live Sports Hall bookings can be viewed and booked on SportsKey.
South Campus
- Restricted Showers: New House – Access restricted (SPCM area).
- Museum – Restricted to SPCM staff.
- Science Buildings – Showers available but for emergency use only.
North Campus
- Public Showers: Ground floor of TSI – Open to all students and staff.
- Public Showers: Sports Centre – Open to all students and staff.
- Restricted Showers: MAP Lodge – Reserved for disability users.
- School of Education – For Froebel staff only.
- Callan & Science Buildings – Five showers available but restricted to students and staff in these departments for emergency use.
Maynooth University have three Walking Trails on campus that showcase the beautiful nature on our doorstep and its potential to enable and promote health and well-being for all. We invite staff, students and visitors to explore these trails on their own or through the links provided below. Each trail has a number of different stopping-points with numbered waymarkers and QR codes on each waymarker. The QR codes will link you to fascinating information including facts, folklore, mythology, surveys and prompts to help you connect more with the nature that surrounds you.
- Biodiversity Trail – A Changing Campus - Over the past decade, Maynooth’s campus has transformed from managed lawns into a biodiversity-rich landscape, supporting a wide range of native plants, insects, and birds. The Biodiversity Trail showcases this shift, highlighting areas that have been replanted, rewilded, and carefully managed to encourage biodiversity. The production of this beautiful trail was made possible through the MU SPUR Programme hosted by the Officer for Experiential Learning. It’s contributors include Laoise Maloney, Nazar Khokhla, Dr. Jim Carolan, Dr. Joe Timoney, Sophia Couchman, Dr. Gail Maher, Stephen Seaman and Dr. Ronan Foley. It is part of a broader mapping initiative under Maynooth Green Campus and Healthy Campus, designed to encourage staff, students, and visitors to explore and engage with the natural environment. QR codes along the route link to the MU Biodiversity Map, which provides details on key sites, planting schemes, and species surveys. Map: https://demomap.azurewebsites.net/
- Tairseach Tree Trail – Trees, Folklore, and the Living Landscape - This trail is part of the MU Project Live teaching and learning project Tairseach, a collaboration between the Froebel Department, Geography Department, Maynooth Green Campus and MU Grounds Team. Grounded in a pedagogy of community-engaged learning, the project weaves the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the curriculum to encourage environmental awareness and stewardship. Designed as an accessible introduction to Ireland’s most common native trees and the folklore surrounding them, the trail supports visitors in building ecoliteracy and fostering a deeper connection to native flora and fauna. Along the route, QR codes offer insights into the cultural and ecological significance of these species, inviting reflection on their role in Ireland’s natural heritage. A lesson booklet has also been created to enhance school visits, providing structured activities for younger learners. Map: https://horankev.shinyapps.io/tairseach_tree/
- Nature Connection Trail – Encouraging Mindfulness and Wellbeing - Spending time in nature can have a positive impact on well-being, helping to improve focus, reduce stress, and boost overall mental health. The Nature Connection Trail is designed to bring attention to the many green and blue spaces on campus, encouraging walkers to notice the variety of plants, sounds, smells, and wildlife around them. Developed by Dr Ronan Foley from the Geography Department in collaboration with Healthy Campus, the route includes QR codes linking to short surveys and reflective exercises designed to connect you to the beautiful natural spaces on campus. An easy way to take a mindful break and reset during a busy day. Map: https://horankev.shinyapps.io/nature_connect/
