Ireland Research Articles

“What happened at all?” coming to terms with the past in Foster and An Cailín Ciúin

ABSTRACT This article considers An Cailín Ciúin’s adaptation of Claire Keegan’s Foster, arguing that analysis of the gaps that emerge during the adaptation process encourage new ways of thinking through assumptions underpinning a viciously patriarchal Irish State. This process, it will be suggested, opens a further dialogic space for viewers to reflect upon their reactions to the film and, by extension the degree to which they choose to confront the enduring legacies of 1980s Ireland. Drawing upon adaptation studies and intersectional feminist approaches, the article will track how the film’s critique extends centrifugally to address the constitutional linkage of Irish women to the home, the role played by a captured education system, and the naturalisation of patriarchal hegemony in popular Irish culture, before concluding with a consideration of how the film invites us to reflect upon the shadows that linger in our midst, by summoning the spectre of the Magdalene Laundries.

Citizen scientists mapping the United Kingdom's and Republic of Ireland's flat flies (louse flies) (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) reveal a vector's range shift.

Changes in climate may cause changes in the ranges, phenology and interactions of insects with other species and lead parasites to switch host species. A study of louse (flat) flies in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and Isle of Man, in which licensed bird ringers acting as citizen scientists collected ectoparasites that left birds during ringing, showed recent range shifts of several species. The Common or Bird Louse Fly Ornithomya avicularia (Linnaeus, 1758), a vector of Haemoproteus sp. and trypanosomes, has undergone a major northwards range expansion of over 300 km in the United Kingdom (UK) since the 1960s. The Finch Louse Fly Ornithomya fringillina (Curtis, 1836) has also expanded its range over 300 km northwards and 400 km westwards into the Island of Ireland, and the Swallow Louse Fly Ornithomya biloba (Dufour, 1827) is now established in Wales and Southern England. The Grouse Louse Fly Ornithomya chloropus (Bergroth, 1901) has undergone a range contraction at lower altitudes and on the southern edge of its range. Other species of louse fly were detected: Crataerina pallida (Latreille, 1812), Stenepteryx hirundinis (Linnaeus, 1758), Pseudolynchia garzettae (Rondani, 1879) and Icosta minor (Bigot, 1858). Some generalist species have shifted their phenology, whereas the more specialist nest parasites of migrant birds have not, as the arrival and breeding dates of their hosts have not changed. The range changes of the generalist species of these ectoparasites may have implications for bird health, especially if they switch to new host species as their ranges shift.

“A call for women to be up and doing:” nationalism and suffrage in the work of Mary E.L. Butler

ABSTRACT Gaelic League member, journalist, and fiction writer Mary E.L. Butler has been reclaimed from obscurity by recent scholarship situating her as an important Irish woman activist at the turn of the twentieth century. Best known for her Gaelic League pamphlet Irishwomen and the Home Language, she advocated women’s power to encourage the speaking of Irish and cultivate nationalistic sentiment within the home. While Butler’s writings for the advanced nationalist press have been well documented, her writing for the mass-market women’s press remains underrepresented in contemporary scholarship. Placing Butler’s work for the Irish women’s magazine the Lady of the House in its periodical context, this article will explore the methods Butler uses to advocate her cultural nationalist values to a largely Anglo-Irish female readership. Because Butler’s work for the Lady of the House endorses women’s suffrage, it will also enhance critical understanding of Butler’s views on women’s public-sphere activism.

A genetic perspective on the recent demographic history of Ireland and Britain.

While subtle yet discrete clusters of genetic identity across Ireland and Britain have been identified, their recent demographic history is unclear. Using genotype data from 6574 individuals with associated regional Irish or British ancestry, we identified genetic communities by applying Leiden community detection. Using haplotype segments segregated by length as proxy for time, we inferred regional Irish and British demographic histories. Using a subset of Irish participants, we provide genealogical context by estimating the enrichment/depletion of surnames within the Irish genetic communities. Through patterns of haplotype sharing, we find evidence of recent population bottlenecks in Orcadian, Manx and Welsh genetic communities. We observed temporal changes in genetic affinities within and between genetic communities in Ireland and Britain. Structure in Ireland is subtler compared to neighbouring British communities, with the Irish groups sharing relatively more short haplotype segments. In addition, we detected varying degrees of genetic isolation in peripheral Irish and British genetic communities across different time periods. Further, we observe a stable migration corridor between north-east Ireland and south-west Scotland while there is a recent migration barrier between south-east and west Ireland. Genealogical analysis of surnames in Ireland reflects history-Anglo-Norman surnames are enriched in the Wexford community while Scottish and Gallowglass surnames were enriched in the Ulster community. Using these new insights into the regional demographic history of Ireland and Britain across different time periods, we hope to understand the driving forces of rare allele frequencies and disease risk association within these populations.

Retrospective Study of Genetic Testing Results Reveals Pathogenic Variants Beyond BRCA1/2 in Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Cases in New Brunswick: Implications for Future Care.

In Canada, founder variants in breast cancer susceptibility genes have been identified in populations residing in Québec and Newfoundland, thus demonstrating the value in characterizing the genetic profile of local populations for better clinical management. New Brunswick has a diverse, yet genetically unexplored population that includes founder Irish and Acadian ancestry, among others, and we hypothesized that this population could demonstrate potential enrichments for variants in breast cancer genes. Health records were retrospectively analyzed for 445 cases referred to the genetics clinic in Moncton, New Brunswick, their molecular results were summarized and compared to allele frequencies from similar studies in Canada. No ethnic or age-related correlation for specific variants could be identified. However, BRCA1/2 variant frequency was lower than expected in the study group and variants in other susceptibility genes such as ATM and CHEK2 were higher when compared to similar studies. This study demonstrates a distinct profile in hereditary breast cancer genetics in a previously uncharacterized population, thus adding to existing knowledge of population genetics in Atlantic Canada.

Female gothics and the traumatic legacy of Ireland’s revolutionary years: Rosamond Jacob’s The Troubled House and Dorothy Macardle’s The Uninvited

ABSTRACT This article explores Rosamond Jacob’s The Troubled House (1938) and Dorothy Macardle’s The Uninvited (1942), two works of fiction that employ a gothic aesthetic to confront readers with the failings of a republican movement to which they had actively contributed. If providing distinctive perspectives on revolution, war, and nation-building, both novels similarly employ the gothic to draw our attention to the pathology of venerating motherhood while ignoring the complex realities of Irish women’s lives. Read together, The Troubled House and The Uninvited exemplify the fruitful ways that a gothic aesthetic can simultaneously elicit a broad readership while delivering a dissident message that many readers would not otherwise wish to hear.

Fostering teacher agency: insights from the DCU changemaker schools network

Teacher agency is attracting research attention, given the changed direction in curriculum reform towards local agency in curriculum enactment. However, in the context of instrumental priorities such as performance in national standardised testing, which remain dominant in school systems, enabling teacher agency remains challenging. This paper, part of a larger research project, explores teacher agency in the DCU Changemaker Schools Network (DCU CSN) in order to determine whether their experience can offer insights into establishing agentic school communities in light of curriculum reform priorities. Semi-structured interviews were carried out in autumn 2023 with eight staff members from six changemaker primary schools across the island of Ireland. Thematic analysis identified the preexisting school culture as fundamental to enabling teacher agency. However, their capacity for agency was deepened through participation in the DCU CSN. Changemaker status offered a framework for the deeper enactment of professional values which prioritised agency. The four changemaker pillars of creativity, teamwork, leadership and empathy, together with high levels of affirmation offer practical strategies towards enacting agency in the pedagogical practices of teachers. The changemaker framework offers an accessible model for creating agentic school communities, as envisioned in the current models of curriculum reform.

Carving up the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom and blaming the European Union for it: The United Kingdom’s narration of Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trading status

This article analyses the fallout between the United Kingdom and the European Union regarding the Northern Ireland Protocol. The Northern Ireland Protocol was agreed between the United Kingdom and the European Union to ensure frictionless trade on the Island of Ireland and created a customs border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Opposition to this new trading arrangement soon emerged following the end of the transition period of the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union (January 2021). We adopt a mixed-method approach of content analysis (narrativisation and framing) and a critical analysis of the articulation of discourses through texts and speeches from the UK right-wing media and Conservative politicians. The analysis finds that despite the Government of Boris Johnson agreeing to the Northern Ireland Protocol, both the Conservative Party and the right-wing media blamed the European Union for the backlash against it, as they attempted to apply pressure on Brussels for a renegotiation.

Where Are the Irish in Research on Ethnic Health Inequalities in Britain? A State-Of-The-Art Literature Review.

Decisions about ethnic groups studied in health research shape recommendations. If a group is not included in research, its ability to call for policy change is limited. Despite health inequalities for the Irish in Britain in the 20th century, recent research on health is likely to combine the White Irish with White British, whereas Irish people of colour are not mentioned at all. This paper aims to understand why the interest in this group has declined. A state-of-the-art literature review of 140 papers on Irish health in Britain from 2001 to 2023 was conducted. Findings show the Irish are still disadvantaged in mortality, mental health and suicide, with important socioeconomic status and gender disparities. The shifting way the Irish are constructed over time is critically examined, paying attention to historical depictions and postcolonial identities. Sociological theories of migration are challenged by the Irish because this migrant group does not conform to theoretical assumptions. The Irish may have dropped from the agenda because of incorrect assumptions about assimilation and the relationship between Ireland and the UK. Given that the health outcomes of the Irish in Britain differ from those of the White British population, they should be recognised in health research as a distinct group.

Experience of the menopause transition in Irish women and how it impacts motivators, facilitators, and barriers to physical activity engagement

BackgroundResearch shows a decline in physical activity (PA) in women during the menopause transition (MT). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore experiences of the MT in Irish women and how it impacts motivators, facilitators, and barriers to PA engagement.MethodsTwelve Irish women (age: 49 ± 4 years) who were in the MT participated in individual, online, semi-structured interviews. During each interview participants were asked about their experience of the MT and its influence on PA engagement to identify motivators, facilitators and barriers. All interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim, resulting in ≈ 72,610 words for descriptive and thematic analysis.ResultsThe MT had a notable influence on PA engagement in Irish women. The main motivators to engage in PA throughout the MT included managing menopause symptoms, optimising future health, the opportunity for social engagement and rewards, as well as relatable role models. Many women discussed that menopause fraternities focused on community and collective experience, adapting and modifying PA, and medical supports were key factors that facilitated engagement in PA throughout this life stage. There were a multitude of barriers that women in midlife faced before they could engage in PA, such as perceived reduced capability, symptoms associated with the MT, the busyness of life and competing demands, as well as a lack of supportive environments.ConclusionThe motivators, facilitators, and barriers to PA engagement throughout the MT are unique. These factors are important considerations for stakeholders when facilitating women to either continue or (re)introduce PA during this life stage.

Between headlines and hunger: Media framing of food poverty on the island of Ireland

Food poverty has emerged as public health issues in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Northern Ireland (NI) in the last decade. Concurrently, food poverty has emerged as a significant news story across broadcast media in both ROI and NI. While research has emerged in relation to how food poverty is framed in the media, there is a dearth of literature on this in the Irish context. This article seeks to address this gap by setting out to understand the ways in which food poverty emerges as a news story in broadcast media on the island of Ireland. Through gathering broadcast material from media archives, between November 2017 and April 2023, this article deployed analysis using Entman’s framing theory as the a priori framework. In doing so, much of the media framing tended to orientate food poverty around discursive frames relating to the working poor, the ‘deservingness’ of help through food banks or through government failure. From these findings, the article makes two central recommendations: (i) the voices of those affected by food poverty need to be centrally included in news stories when it is helpful and (ii) news production cultures need to focus on more constructive journalism approaches.

Understanding observable historical pest dynamics through a data rescue approach

Long-term historical data on the presence of invasive pests can inform current pest management. By examining correlations between shifts in pest occurrences and various potential drivers, we can better inform decision-making and management strategies. However, the availability of such long-term data is often limited. We apply a data rescue protocol to recover difficult-to-access pest information from periodical annual forestry reports on the island of Ireland from 1970 to 2020, resulting in an open-access dataset of pest dynamics and their management for the island. We combined the pest dataset with auxiliary weather data to estimate the effects of surveying effort, control measures and weather upon observed pest outbreak dynamics. A first-order auto-logistic regression model was used to model rates of transition between observed presences and absences of non-native insects, fungi, chromista, and bacteria. The results provide evidence that multi-year systematic surveillance efforts have improved the detection of pest species before they have arrived and help towards preventing false absences of invaded species being recorded. We provide reporting recommendations for invasive species which would improve the usability of reported data to better understand observed pest dynamics going forward. Our methodology for data collection and analysis serves as a blueprint for other regions of the world and other invasive species assemblages where data is physically available but not ready for analysis.

Data sources on COVID-19 infection and vaccination in pregnancy on the island of Ireland: strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations for future pandemic preparedness

Background Monitoring coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection and vaccination during pregnancy is vital because of the increased susceptibility to severe disease. This article outlines the available data sources on COVID-19 infection and vaccination rates during pregnancy in Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and describes the processes, strengths, and weaknesses of available data. Methods Three data sources on COVID-19 vaccination and infection were identified in the ROI: the national computerized infectious disease reporting (CIDR) system used for reporting notifiable infectious diseases, the national dataset of all COVID-19 vaccinations for all residents (COVAX), and a regional Maternal and Newborn Clinical Management System (MN-CMS), which includes data on COVID-19 vaccination and infection. Four data sources were identified in NI: the NI maternity system (NIMATS) records maternity data, including COVID-19 infection and vaccination during pregnancy; datasets of COVID-19 antigen testing performed in hospitals (Pillar 1) and in the community (Pillar 2); and the NI Vaccine Management System dataset of COVID-19 Vaccinations. Results In the ROI, the CIDR database allows for the calculation of COVID-19 infection rates in women of reproductive age; however, pregnancy status remains largely unreported. The COVAX dataset includes pregnancy status, although the accuracy depends on whether the pregnancy is known at the time of vaccination. The MN-CMS tracks COVID-19 infection and vaccination during pregnancy. However, there are uncertainties regarding its reliability. In NI, COVID-19 data are available for all pregnant women using Health and Care numbers to link the NIMATS data to testing and vaccination databases. Conclusions Both countries track COVID-19 infection and vaccination rates, but the strength of the NI system is the use of unique identification numbers that allow linkage of maternal records to infection and vaccination databases. Both countries face delays in data access, underscoring the need for real-time systems to support future pandemic preparedness.

An exploration of the perceived impact of COVID-19 on physical activity of Irish adolescents

BackgroundPhysical activity (PA) behaviours of adolescents were impacted by the stringent measures designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but little is known about the long-term impact of the pandemic on PA.PurposeThis study examines the perceived impact of COVID-19 on PA, the factors associated with these perceptions, and association with current PA behaviour.MethodsNational representative sample from the island of Ireland completed the Children Sport Participation and Physical Activity (CSPPA) study in spring 2022. Questions included the ‘perceived impact of COVID-19 restrictions' dimensions of PA and PA participation. Rasch analyses were used to determine item validity. Logistic regressions were used to determine risk and protective factors in the perceived positive impact and associations between the impact of COVID-19 and PA.ResultsThe scale was deemed reliable (α = 0.86, p < .001) among the final sample of 12–20 year olds (weighted n = 2888). Perceived positive impact was lowest in school sport as PA levels increased and impact on fitness were highest among adolescents who were daily active (OR = 3.8, CI 2.7–5.3).DiscussionThe pandemic had long lasting effects on adolescents’ PA and health. Ways to overcome the lack of school sport during the pandemic is needed at post-primary school level. Making changes to school sport may be protective over low PA levels when considering the return from the pandemic.

P34 The incidence and prevalence of psoriasis in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Abstract The Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) is recognized as a founder population of English and Irish descent, with an approximate population of 525 000 people. The incidence and prevalence of psoriasis in the NL population have not been formally studied, although provincial dermatologists acknowledge an increased burden of psoriasis, compared with other regions in Canada. Our objective was to examine the incidence and prevalence of psoriasis in NL and the variation by age, gender, geographic region, and time. Digital Health, Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services provided Provincial Electronic Health Records that were used to identify patients with psoriasis using International Classification of Diseases 9th revision (ICD-9) code 696 from 2001 to 2020. The prevalence of psoriasis was 6830 per 100 000 people (3801 women, 3029 men), and incidence was 365.4 per 100 000 person-years [95% confidence interval (CI), 298.0–432.9]; 395.9 (329.5–462.2) per 100 000 person-years for women and 334.2 (263.5–404.9) per 100 000 person-years for men. The peak age group for incident cases was 55–59 years, suggesting that the late onset of psoriasis is higher than in most Western European and North American populations. There was significant geographic variation in the prevalence of psoriasis, as 20 of the 234 communities with a population over 200 people had a psoriasis prevalence between 0 and 3% and nine communities with psoriasis prevalence over 30%. It is likely that regional founder effects most likely account for the high prevalence of psoriasis in selected communities, although environmental influences cannot be discounted. The NL populations had a high incidence and prevalence of psoriasis, with significant regional variations in prevalence.

Informal is the new normal in North–South relations

Abstract North/South cooperation on the island of Ireland has grown significantly in the last twenty-six years. Still, it can be argued that the delivery of that growth has happened mainly outside the formal Strand Two structures of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement with the North South Ministerial Council and its implementation bodies presently not directly involved in some of the main flagship cross-border projects in the areas of health, infrastructure, higher and further education, research, arts and culture. Instead, the Shared Island Unit, established in September 2020 and based within the Department of the Taoiseach, has been driving the delivery of the majority of projects in these areas, in many cases without direct input from the Northern Ireland Executive. This paper reviews how informal governance has been used to enhance cooperation and solve issues due to the deliberately limiting nature of the formal Strand Two institutions.

HPR243 Insights Into the Oncology and Allied Digital Health Landscape on the Island of Ireland: Implications for Policy and Practice

HPR243 Insights Into the Oncology and Allied Digital Health Landscape on the Island of Ireland: Implications for Policy and Practice

Radiographers’ perspectives on immobilisation and restraint mechanisms in paediatric radiography

The utilisation of immobilisation or restraint during paediatric radiography is a multifactorial issue with associated legal and ethical considerations. Current practice regularly presents challenges for radiographers, with a notable absence of any professional best-practice guidance. This study investigated radiographers' perspectives in Ireland on the use of immobilisation or restraint methods and the factors influencing these choices and aimed to fill the 20-year gap in European radiographers' perspectives gaining an up-to-date understanding and contribute to the global conversation in this regard. An anonymous online survey design was constructed using the Google Forms platform and distributed to hospital radiology departments across the Southern region of Ireland. Additionally, a short survey was send to the head of the nine radiology departments to audit the existing availability of immobilisation and/or restraint devices for paediatric radiography. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were undertaken. Bar charts were utilised where appropriate to display trends. One hundered and three responses were received. The majority of radiographers reported using immobilisation (95 %) or restraint (89 %) techniques during paediatric radiography, although 70 % acknowledged the lack of training regarding restraint techniques. However, 93 % reported trying alternative techniques such as distraction and negotiation to avoid immobilisation or restraint. A desire for further guidance and training was reported, with 80 % of respondents noting training as essential or potentially beneficial. Ambiguity remains surrounding the distinction between the terms "restraint" and "immobilisation" in paediatric radiography. Radiographers' use of restraint and immobilisation during paediatric radiography is influenced by the child's age, distress level, radiation protection and safety, and the ability of the child to understand instructions. Appropriate up-to-date guidelines and training would be recommended to clarify terminology and promote the safe practice of restraint and immobilisation during paediatric radiography.

Across the Sea to Ireland: Return Atlantic Migration before the First World War

Abstract Are return migrants “losers” who fail to adapt to the challenges of the host economy, thereby exacerbating the brain drain linked to emigration? Or are they “winners” whose return enhances the human and physical capital of the home country? This article analyzes databases constructed from the 1911 Irish population and 1910 US censuses to address these issues for returnees to Ireland from North America more than a century ago. The evidence suggests that returnees had the edge over Ireland’s population, but not those who stayed on in the US in terms of human capital, as proxied by occupation and literacy; returning couples also had fewer children than the stay-at-homes, and their children spent longer at school. It also shows that returnees were less likely to return to the poorer regions of Ireland.

Looking Ahead - The Future of Economic History

This paper considers recent developments in economic history and asks what the future holds for the discipline on the island of Ireland.