National University of Ireland, Maynooth
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Understanding and Accelerating Climate Action
Full text linkThis report analyses the current crisis of the climate movement globally and proposes strategies that can help our movements respond to today’s ecological, political, and social crises. It brings together the shared understanding of 24 scholars, activists, and practitioners from different backgrounds who met for a week in June/July 2025 to pool our experiences and expertise. We hope it is useful for your own struggles and discussions! Please share it with anyone you think might find it helpful
Proposing a consortium-led financial services apprenticeship education framework.
Full text linkThis paper proposes a process for enacting a financial services consortium-led apprenticeship education framework, underpinned by higher education and industry collaboration (HE-IC). While there is significant research in the areas of, HE-IC and apprenticeship education programmes, there is a lack of research combining these areas as a mechanism for facilitating a consortium-led financial services apprenticeship education framework. Underpinned by boundary organisation theory, the research questions ask: what is the process for developing, implementing and enacting a higher education financial services apprenticeship education framework? and, how can this framework serve as a mechanism for higher education institute and industry collaboration? Insights from apprenticeship education, higher education and industry collaboration literature informs the empirical research. A single interpretive case study explores the creation of an International Financial Services suite of apprenticeship education programmes in Ireland and captures subjective and contextual experience of apprenticeship consortium members and policy stakeholders. Findings suggest that HE-IC is key to achieving employer-led apprenticeship education programme success. A research-informed framework provides greater insight into creating a process for enacting an apprenticeship education framework as a mechanism for facilitating broader HE-IC, thereby extending boundary organisation theory
An Talamh Bhláfar
No full textAn Talamh Bhláfar (The Fertile Land) is a song that bridges heritage, culture, and sustainability. Created by Maynooth University (MU) and University College Dublin (UCD) through the Horizon Europe BioBeo project and the BiOrbic BioCultúr project, it shares the significance of the bioeconomy with communities through the arts. The video launch coincides with the appearance of one of our guitarists on the RTE Late Late Toy show @rtelatelateshow #latelatetoyshow. The bioeconomy, focused on sustainable resource use and innovation, offers a path to resilient communities. By weaving these principles into a song inspired by Ireland’s cultural and ecological heritage, An Talamh Bhláfar shows how land, language, and tradition are deeply connected with a bioeconomy. In Ireland, the landscape and cultural identity are inseparable, reflected in place names, traditions, and livelihoods. The song highlights how communities can honour these ties while adopting sustainable practices. Through music, An Talamh Bhláfar invites listeners to embrace a shared vision of sustainability, celebrating the potential of the bioeconomy to protect both nature and culture for future generations
Metropolitanization, civic capacity and metropolitan governance: Ireland in the metropolitan century
Full text linkThe dynamics and politics of metropolitanization in Ireland have received limited attention, attributed in part to Ireland’s historic culturally embedded urban–rural divide. The publication of the National Planning Framework (2018) demonstrates an effort by the Irish government to centre spatial thinking on Ireland’s five major cities. However, despite evidence of enhanced civic engagement, the Irish case demonstrates the challenges of creating a metropolitan state-space in a country with a traditionally strong rural identity. Drawing on Nelles’ concept of civic capital and the importance of mobilizing a metropolitan identity, in this paper we draw attention to four factors that constrain the formation of the metropolitan civic identity necessary for spatial planning efforts to succeed: the lack of an urban identity, discordant temporalities, the absence of key enablers and misaligned governance structures. Our study adopts an exploratory research design using critical discourse analysis of key documents, participant observation, semi-structured interviews and survey methodology to further the understanding of metropolitanization processes, provide insights into alternative forms of metropolitan governance and discuss the limits of civic capital. We conclude that it is critical to understand the nature of the state in order to understand the accumulation (or not) of metropolitan civic capital
Computationally-efficient nonlinear model predictive control of wave energy converters with imperfect wave excitation previews
Full text linkEnergy maximising (EM) control of wave energy converters (WECs) is a noncausal problem, where wave
prediction information can be used to increase the energy conversion rate significantly. However, current
approaches do not consider the prediction error evolution in the control formulation process, leading to
potential unpredictable performance degradation. Moreover, most existing real-time WEC control approaches
assume linear dynamics, motivated by their simplicity and mild computational cost and, thus, are not effective
for real-time control for WECs with nonlinear dynamics. Targeting imperfect wave prediction and nonlinear
WEC dynamics, this paper proposes a computationally-efficient nonlinear MPC (NMPC) scheme for WECs with
(typically) imperfect wave excitation preview. This is achieved by introducing an input move blocking scheme
when formulating and solving the online optimisation problem, i.e., defining finer discretisation grids for the
control input and wave prediction at the early stages of the prediction horizon, where the wave prediction is
more accurate, and coarser grids at the latter stages of the horizon, to reflect less inaccurate wave prediction
information. Numerical simulation results are presented, based on a conceptual nonlinear point-absorber WEC,
to verify the efficacy of the proposed NMPC method, in terms of produced energy, computational complexity,
and robustness against wave prediction inaccuracy
A Sensitivity Analysis of Wave Energy Converter Model Predictive Control Systems With Wave Excitation Force Estimation and Prediction
Full text linkUnderstanding the sensitivity of energy-maximizing
control for wave energy converters (WECs), to various model
errors, is crucial for application. Many advanced WEC
controllers, especially model predictive control (MPC)-like controllers, require estimation and prediction of wave excitation
force (WEF). However, previous studies only focus on the
controller in isolation, without considering the error coupling
effects when a complete estimation–prediction loop is involved.
In this study, it is revealed through numerical analysis that
the complete MPC system has sensitivity behavior completely
different from the isolated MPC; under certain model errors,
the system can become particularly unpredictable, exhibiting
potential instability and self-locking phenomena, which cannot
be observed from the examination of control sensitivity alone.
Meanwhile, different tuning options for the WEF estimator and
predictor are examined, where the accuracy–robustness tradeoff
is shown to be critical for performance amelioration under errors.
Based on the analysis, this study challenges the widely assumed
“separation principle” of WEF estimation/prediction and WEC
control, highlights the importance of incorporating a complete
estimation–prediction loop in sensitivity examination, and draws
practical guidelines for WEC control application
Civic Engagement in the Neoliberal-Patriarchal University: Lessons from Irish Practitioners Working Within and Against the System.
Full text linkThis study examines civic engagement and highlights the ways community engagement practice can learn from practitioners in Ireland as they navigate present-day university environments. It explores the origins, interpretations, and common operational models of civic engagement, presenting it as a contested field shaped by differing orientations and politics. I delve more deeply into community engagement practices on the continuum from transactional to transformative, making the case for the latter throughout. I also explore how the relevant Irish civic engagement policies are enabling and restricting for practitioners, and how they may contribute to the domestication of community engagement within the neoliberal-patriarchal university.
This research is positioned within the context of the neoliberal-patriarchal framing of the Irish higher education system, and conducted within a critical feminist research paradigm, drawing from the theories of intersectionality, critical feminist pedagogy, as well as my own practice in community engagement. It is a qualitative study that consists of in-depth interviews with seven Irish female civic engagement practitioners.
The findings reveal that the participants’ commitments are to a radical and transformative model of civic engagement focused on social justice and equality, and based on the principles of holistic, engaged and nurturing pedagogy. At the same time, this study shows that the practice tends to be more traditional and tempered. This research portrays community engagement as innovative work in a rigid higher education system, and a practice that is liminal and largely invisible and unrecognised. Despite its marginal status, this research also documents the ways in which civic engagement can disturb the dominant discourse of a neoliberal-patriarchal university. The unique contribution of this research lies in its focus on the lived experiences of civic engagement practitioners, offering a new perspective on community engagement through a critical, intersectional feminist lens. It sheds light on the values, practices, and challenges faced by practitioners who work in a university environment that is often counter-normative to their practice and values, expanding our understanding of civic engagement in Ireland
BioBeo Primary Education Programme
Full text linkThe BioBeo Primary Education Programme consisted of six interactive sessions designed to introduce primary school children to the concept of the circular bioeconomy. Through hands-on activities and real-world examples, students explored the interconnectedness of biological systems and sustainable practices. The programme aimed to foster an understanding of how natural resources can be used efficiently and responsibly, with a focus on sustainability. Emphasizing active learning and collaboration, BioBeo encouraged children to think critically about environmental challenges and solutions. By integrating the principles of the circular bioeconomy, the programme promoted environmental stewardship and community engagement
Developments in the Law Governing Online Activity: The Criminalisation of Catfishing and Civil Relief in Cases of Image-Based Sexual Abuse
Full text linkThis article considers the practice of catfishing and makes the case for it becoming a criminal
offence. It draws on the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person (Amendment) Bill 2024 which proposed the
creation of such an offence. Although the Bill collapsed upon the 2024 general election being called, the article
urges that the Bill or at least the issue that the Bill seeks to address, namely catfishing, be reconsidered in the
new Oireachtas. The article argues that a legislative response to this issue is necessary considering the extensive
harm that catfishing can cause and the multiple individuals that it affects. It is further argued that catfishing
ought to be a standalone offence notwithstanding assertions that the practice is punishable under pre-existing
offences like harassment. The article proceeds to discuss some recent developments in the law governing online
activity that the aforementioned Bill will join provided it becomes law. In particular, the developments
discussed here raise the prospect that there are now civil as well as criminal law remedies in cases of
image-based sexual abuse
