Search Results (46)

Peatland research has expanded rapidly in the last two decades encompassing a diverse, multi-disciplinary evidence base, as countries seek to manage this resource sustainably along with meeting climate and biodiversity targets. There is growing global interest in the role of peatlands in carbon and water cycles, leading to more interdisciplinary research that applies ecosystem services and other integrative frameworks to generate knowledge and provide guidance for action. These trends have been replicated in Ireland with increasing research in peatland science, applied work on these degraded ecosystems, and a growing interest from civil society, landowners, and communities in the stewardship of this resource. This paper presents evidence-based insights from over two decades of Irish peatland research, with practical lessons for peatland policy and management in other national contexts. Analyses of the evidence from the literature, specialist expertise, and stakeholder knowledge were carried out under ten themes: biodiversity, soil, climate change, water, archaeology and palaeoenvironment, technology and mapping, society and culture, management, growing media and policy and law. The research identified four foundational pillars (accountability, longevity, equity and holistic knowledge) as critical to achieving sustainable peatland management in Ireland, with broader application to other regions. Peatland restoration is widely recognised across research disciplines as a key tool to meet regulatory targets related to climate, biodiversity, and water quality, while also delivering societal benefits. The findings of this research provide accessible, reliable and up-to-date evidence for sustainable peatland management. This study addresses a critical global knowledge gap by developing a novel, interdisciplinary evidence synthesis framework—applied here to Ireland but replicable worldwide—that systematically integrates 20 years of multi-disciplinary peatland research, expert insights, and stakeholder perspectives across ten thematic pillars. Full article

Amidst increased global migration and the close geographic proximity of Poland and Ireland, there exists a significant number of Polish speaking families in Ireland today. This study examines family language policy (FLP) within Polish transnational families in Ireland and addresses a gap in the literature by exploring the influence of forces outside of the family domain on children’s language socialisation and FLP negotiation. These forces include children’s peer groups, school, and societal dominance of English in Irish society. Data were gathered through a combination of a focus group with parents, semi-structured interviews with parents and children, and children’s reflective language diary entries. The findings reveal that, over time, Polish speaking children’s engagement with education, society, and their peers contributes to their English language socialisation. We argue that family members demonstrate an acute awareness of children being socialised into English language use and, as a result, engage in FLP negotiation and language use adaptation within the home. This study demonstrates the significance of the wider sociolinguistic context within which the families are situated, and highlights the influence of multiple forces, outside of the home, on FLP formation and negotiation within the home. Full article

Long-term exposure to radon, thoron, and gamma radiation from building materials poses a significant health risk to occupants. Current methods for estimating radiation doses often fail to consider the combined impact of these sources. Based on commonly used building materials available on the Irish market, this paper advocates for the development of a comprehensive dose estimation model that accounts for radon, thoron, and gamma radiation. To achieve this, several models and various scenarios (e.g., ventilation conditions and building characteristics) are integrated to convert radon and thoron gas doses into a common unit recognized in the existing literature. This approach enables the comparison of combined dose values with accepted radiation thresholds for building materials, typically set at 1 mSv, alongside data on material compositions. Previous studies suggested gamma radiation doses in Irish materials are unlikely to exceed 1 mSv annually. Our findings confirm this, showing gamma doses <0.4 mSv for all materials. However, combined radon–thoron doses exceeded thresholds in altered granites (e.g., Galway granite: 3.90 mSv), with thoron contributing ≤93% of total exposure due to uranium/thorium-rich minerals (e.g., monazite, zircon). Ventilation proved critical—high airflow (10 m³/h) reduced thoron doses by 90–95%, while current gamma-focused safety indices (I-index ≤ 1) inadequately addressed combined risks. These results highlight the previously underestimated importance of thoron and the necessity of multi-parameter models for regulatory compliance. The study establishes a novel framework to evaluate holistic radiation risks, urging revised standards that prioritize ventilation strategies and material mineralogy to protect public health in residential and commercial built environments. Full article

The Irish Food Vision 2030 (IFV 2030) seeks to restructure Ireland’s agricultural food system to deliver long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability in keeping with its commitment to the European Green Deal and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. This study investigates the effectiveness of the IFV 2030 in delivering on this commitment across the fresh produce supply chain in Ireland using a combination of data collected from stakeholders through a survey and systems thinking principles. A review of the literature and Foucault’s genealogical methods guided the development of the survey. Systems thinking principles were used to review the IFV 2030 and assess its capacity to deliver large-scale change for a sustainable Irish food system. Barriers to change were identified, including historical patterns of behaviour between EU and Irish policymakers that have repeatedly hindered progress towards large-scale change events. The results demonstrate that successful, long-term change will depend on the involvement and incentives of stakeholders within the supply chain. Continuous stakeholder engagement is required through a bottom-up organisational and supply chain approach to deliver long-term sustainability within the fresh produce sector. Using a systems thinking lens brings benefits through transdisciplinary collaboration and fosters the multiple stakeholder perspectives needed to deliver new ideas and solutions. Full article

The literature states the importance of adopting a whole-school approach to inclusion and for meeting the needs of all students. This study investigated the challenges faced by Irish-medium (IM) primary and post-primary schools in relation to providing a whole-school approach to inclusion. This was achieved through a mixed methods study where a stratified sample of teachers from IM schools (N = 56) undertook an anonymous online survey in the first stage. In the second stage, primary and post-primary teachers (N = 31) undertook semi-structured individual interviews to provide in-depth information regarding the data collected in the survey. The findings suggest that like immersion schools internationally, IM schools need more resources through the medium of Irish in relation to assessment, evidence-based interventions, and teaching/learning resources. Full article

This Autistic-led phenomenological qualitative study explores the experiences of Autistic Teachers in the Irish Education system. While autism has received attention in Irish educational research, it is notable that Autistic teachers are under-researched. This study was conducted by an Autistic teacher-researcher and used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to design and conduct semi-structured interviews with four Autistic teachers to address this significant gap in the literature. In the findings, participants described strengths including using monotropism advantageously in their teaching and the ability to form strong and empathetic relationships with their pupils. Experiences with colleagues were often influenced by a lack of autism-related understanding and sometimes stigma and negative biases. The physical, sensory, and organisational environments of schools had an overall negative impact on participants’ experiences. Recommendations resulting from the study include a need to increase whole school knowledge of autism and to encourage neurodivergent-friendly environments. The findings suggest that increased awareness is needed across the Irish education system including initial teacher education (ITE), professional development (PD), and support services. What support to provide, how to provide it, and to whom provide support to are areas for future study emerging from the research. Findings have implications for future practice, policy, and research. Full article

Discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation remains a pressing challenge throughout Europe, including within Ireland. Despite this, anti-discrimination education is lacking and uneven within school settings. Responding to this gap and seeking to capitalise on the perceived social potential of sport, one Irish NGO has begun delivering sport-based anti-discrimination workshops to students in primary and secondary schools nationwide. This paper presents an evaluation of these workshops, putting a specific focus on the learning outcomes generated. Data were obtained from standardised, open-ended student feedback forms and qualitatively analysed using a Framework Analysis. The results illustrate fairly consistent learning outcomes, but these outcomes generally focus on individual behaviours and attitudes. This contrasts strongly with literature on anti-discrimination education, which recognises a need to reflect on privilege and social structures while also developing clear strategies to address discrimination. To conclude, we propose recommendations and ways forward to help address both individual and structural realities within such sport-based workshops. Full article

This article explores the intersections among music composition, religious history and spiritual texts, with their attendant concepts. It focuses on two works with medieval sources—the concert piece Ave generosa (1996) and the chamber opera The Song of Margery Kempe (2008)—which were featured in the online Gallery of the conferences in 2021 and 2022, respectively, of the British and Irish Association for Practical Theology (BIAPT). Through the lenses of semiotics and intertextuality, it explores the ways by which theological concepts and spiritual contexts can be evoked and ‘translated’ into musical sound, both instrumental and vocal. A sampling of the literature on medieval monasticism and St Hildegard of Bingen, whose corpus forms the source of Ave generosa, supports a musical exegesis of its ‘spiritual programme’. In the case of The Song of Margery Kempe, recent scholarship on the text frames examples of the multiplication of meanings provided by dramatisation and musical setting. Art in general and music composition in particular are presented as a commentary, or gloss, on both religious history and enduring spiritual themes, and a different way of thinking about religion and spirituality. Full article

The importance of school leadership and workplace stress is a recurring theme in education-based research. The literature reports that workplace stress in teaching is a difficult matter to resolve, with mixed outcomes from interventions. The aim of this initial scoping study was to report on the experiences of school leaders with interpersonal conflict (IPC), a known cause of this workplace stress. Accordingly, a sample of twelve school leaders working in Irish post primary schools were recruited to participate in this study using semi-structured interviews. All twelve participants reported experiencing workplace stress and linked other people as a source of this stress. Nine out of twelve had experienced IPC as a school leader. School leaders also noted a fear of reporting workplace stress. Half of the participants reported becoming ill from workplace stress and had taken time off from work. Participants also reported ‘balkanisation’ of like-minded cliques that tried to exert control over other groups. None of the participants expressed confidence in organisational strategies to resolve workplace stress or IPC. This study demonstrates that resolutions for IPC were scant. Further research is needed to conceptualise this phenomenon in the school environment and to support school leaders to effectively manage IPC as a cause of workplace stress. Full article

The abolition of the milk quota system in April 2015 has implied a transition towards a new “system” in which non-policy and non-EU elements have become important drivers of the EU dairy market. In terms of its contribution, after reviewing some of the existing literature, this article presents a theoretical framework to understand “irregular” supply behaviour, while it empirically identifies an “inverse” supply curve for the EU dairy sector. In doing so, milk prices have been decomposed by following the procedure proposed by James P. Houck. This exercise confirms the non-reversibility, and therefore an asymmetric response, in the behaviour of milk supply for most EU Member States. Moreover, this article also presents the results of a “stress” test of the dairy sector in order to analyse the responses of dairy production in a context of the asymmetrical behaviour of dairy farmers and assess the competitiveness of the dairy sector at Member State level. The outcomes emphasise the high competitiveness of the Irish dairy sector and suggest a deterioration of the competitiveness in the case of the United Kingdom and France. From the policy-making perspective, the identification of this type of farmer’s reactions is key for an appropriate design of policy interventions and crisis management strategies. Full article

As commonly used in its moral sense I will, for the purposes of this paper, take the concept of “conscience” to be the inherent ability of every healthy human being to perceive what is right and what is wrong and, on the strength of this perception, to control, monitor, evaluate and execute their actions. Such values as right or wrong, good or evil, just or unjust, and fair or unfair have existed throughout human history and are also shaped by an individual’s cultural, political and economic environment. The medieval penitential literature offers just one such historical snapshot. These manuals or guides for confessors, including prayers, lists of questions to be asked by the confessor, and penances to be assigned for various sins were an integral part of the practice of private penance which began in the Celtic Church and later spread through Europe with the Celtic and Anglo-Saxon missions. Penitential books for use by confessors in private penance appeared in the sixth through ninth centuries. These texts were not as a rule decreed by episcopal synods. Their authority generally rested on the reputation of their compiler or editor. Public penances were assigned for public sins that caused scandal for the church. Private penances were assigned for private sins or matters of conscience. The Penitentials were generally more flexible than the churches’ ancient canonical penitential system which they largely replaced. While later European Penitentials tended to provide more complete guidance for the confessor instead of mere lists of rules and penalties; such instruction is not entirely absent from the earlier Irish texts and ancillary documents. Thus, the goal of penance in the early middle ages was not only sacramental but also didactic. It would have been an occasion to inculcate Christian beliefs, an opportunity to model proper Christian behaviour and by extension a key part of the formation of conscience. As was the case with later expressions of casuistry (Etym. Latin casus, case, or problem to be solved) the purpose of the penitential literature was thus to adapt and apply the unchangeable norms of Christian morality to the changing and variable circumstances of human life albeit in somewhat rudimentary fashion. As such this literary genre and the pastoral practices stemming from it are a valid and worthy object of any historical study and theological analysis concerning the ‘formation of conscience.’ Full article

Hearing young voices is of paramount importance, particularly as some voices are seldom-heard, including those of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) youth. Recent research highlighting mental health disparities for these populations led to the formation of the Irish LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy, which prioritized youth participation through a Youth Advisory Group (YAG). A policy analysis of the initiation of the Strategy outlines the convergence of problems, policies and politics using a Multiple Streams Approach (MSA), with quantitative literature suggesting substantial vulnerabilities. This is enhanced through qualitative exploration of the views of six youth co-authors, with experiential expertise, and as YAG members. A university ethics committee granted approval for online recorded consultations via group, pair and individual interviews. The theme of ‘seen and heard’ highlighted unprompted discussions on discursive assumptions representing young LGBT+ identities almost solely in relation to mental health risk. These rich narratives problematize the (in)visibility and silence in representations of the diversity of LGBT+ youth identities, which may inadvertently reinforce stigma. This underscores the need for comprehensive and inclusive school curricula. While MSA may explain prioritization for policy initiation, participation potentially disrupts unintended negative consequences. This article concludes by emphasizing how ‘learning with’ LGBT+ young people can ensure research, policy and practice speaks directly to youth interests and concerns. Full article

The Harvard Water Program is more than sixty years old. It was directed by an academic Steering Committee consisting of the professors of Government and Political Science, Planning, Economics, and Water Engineering. In 2022 we would add to the notional Steering Committee the professors of Ecology, Sociology and Water Law, calling it the augmented Harvard eutopian approach to the design and operation of Water Resource Systems. We use the Greek word ‘eu-topos’ to mean ‘a good place’, figuratively speaking, and ‘dys-topos’ its antonym, ‘not a good place’. By opposing eutopia and dystopia (latin forms) (Utopian literature begins with Thomas More’s (1478–1535) fictional socio-political satire “Utopia”, written in Latin and published in 1516: “Libellus vere aureus, nec minus salutaris quam festivus, de optimo rei publicae statu deque nova insula Utopia”. “A little, true book, not less beneficial than enjoyable, about how things should be in a state and about the new island Utopia” [Wikipedia translation]. He coined the word ‘utopia’ from the Greek ou-topos meaning ‘no place’ or ‘nowhere’. It was a pun-the almost identical Greek word eu-topos means ‘a good place’), we pass judgement on three Irish case studies, in whole and in part. The first case study deals with the dystopian measurement of the land phase of the hydrological cycle. The system components are distributed among many government departments that see little need to cooperate, leading to proposition 1: A call for a new Water Law. The second case study deals with a project to restore a 200 km² polder landscape to its condition in 1957. The project came to the University with an hypothetical cause of the increased flooding and a tentative solution: dredge the Cashen estuary of its sand, speeding the flow of sluiced water to the sea, and the status quo ante would be restored. The first scientific innovation was the proof that restoration by dredging is impossible. Pumping is the only solution, but it raises disruptive questions that are not covered by Statute. The second important innovation was the discovery in the dynamic water balance, of large leakage into the polders, either around or between sluiced culverts, when the flap valves are nominally closed, impacting both their maintenance and minimization of pumping. Discussions on our findings ended in dystopian silence. Hence proposition 2: Moving towards eutopia may only be possible with a change in the Law. The third case study concerns the protection of Cork City from flooding: riverine, tidal and groundwater. The government’s “emerging solution” consists of major physical intervention in the city centre, driven hard against local opposition, as the only possible solution. Two hydro-electric reservoirs upstream were largely ignored as part of a solution because the relevant Statute did not mandate their use for flood control. The Supreme Court has recently overturned this interpretation of the governing Statute. A new theory of flood control with a cascade of reservoirs, dams and weirs is the scientific innovation here. Once more these findings have been greeted by government with dystopian silence. Hence proposition 3: Re-open the design process to find several much better solutions, approximating a eutopian water world. Full article

The formal, ideological, and narrative elements constituting the aesthetics of hope and disappointment in women’s writing of the Irish revolution offer new insights into the gendered experience of conflict. By arguing that women’s writing in this period complicates and expands existing classifications of conflict literature, this paper proposes to trace a network of alternative connection, built out of subjective gendered experiences of political and social upheaval. Drawing on theories of affect and emotion with reference to Rosamond Jacob’s The Troubled House (1938), Margaret Barrington’s My Cousin Justin (1939) and Dorothy Macardle’s The Uninvited (1942), this article suggests that appraisal of textual interconnection can thicken our understanding of the conceptual tools engaged by women writers to record, relay, and refract the personal and political implications of early-twentieth century Ireland. Full article

Despite important advances in the study of war and religion, the role of the secular remains under-analyzed. This article develops a theory of secularity talk in civil wars, examining two instances where actors have made religion and sect salient. In comparing patterns of secularity talk among non-elites found in oral history sources from the Syrian civil war and the Northern Irish Troubles, this article contributes to the recent peace turn in the religion-and-conflict literature. Greater attention to religion’s borderlands, to how actors distinguish religion from other arenas of human life can tell us more about what happens to the secular when people are under extreme pressure, including during war. This approach also sheds light on non-elite ambivalence towards elite mobilization of religion to fuel conflict, a common but as-yet under-theorized phenomenon. Full article