Catch up with Faculty staff in the media this week. Through their writing, speaking, research and expert comment on the issues of the day, they improve our knowledge and understanding of the world.

Listings are in staff alphabetical order. Any School groupings appear at the end of the listings. Please click on the relevant link(s) in each section to access the media item.

 

Michael Becker, School of Law, provides expert comment to the BBC on the recent strike by US forces on a boat in the Caribbean Sea the US actions saying that the ‘fact that US officials describe the individuals killed by the US strike as narco-terrorists does not transform them into lawful military targets.’ BBC News website 03 September 2025: US strike on 'Venezuela drug boat': What do we know, and was it legal?

 

Professor Massimo Faggioli, School of Religion, Theology and Peace Studies, provides expert comment on Pope Leo's recent statements about the war in Gaza. Reuters 08 September 2025: With Gaza appeals, Pope Leo shows quiet but robust diplomatic style.

 

Professor Massimo Faggioli, School of Religion, Theology and Peace Studies, is interviewed about the recent canonisation of Carlos Acutis. Deutsche Welle News 07 September 2025 - Interview from 6.40 minutes: Who was Carlos Acutis, the Catholic Church's first millennial saint?

Professor Faggioli is also quoted in an article on this topic in The Atlantic 06 September 2025: The First Millennial Saint. Carlo Acutis can be seen as relatable - or deeply strange.

 

Dr Millie Horton-Insch, Visiting Research Fellow in the School of Histories and Humanities, has written an article on the Norman conquest in Britain. The Conversation 04 September 2025: Why the Norman conquest still has a powerful hold over British culture and politics.

 

Dr Clare Kelly (School of Psychology), Dr Katja Bruisch (School of Histories and Humanities) and Dr Caitríona Leahy (School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies), write an opinion piece in the Irish Times about AI in higher education stating that ‘even if all the known issues were magically resolved, we would still not want our students to use GenAI.’ Irish Times 04 September 2025: We are lecturers in Trinity College Dublin. We see it as our responsibility to resist AI. (Subscriber content)

 

Professor Lorrain Leeson, School of Linguistic, Speech, and Communication Sciences, features in an article in which a group of academics claim that while decades of reform and cultural change have made our colleges European leaders in gender equality and diversity, the work of protecting rights continues. Irish Times 08 September 2025: Irish universities should have no tariffs on talent. (Subscriber content)

 

Professor Redmond O’Connell, School of Psychology, is featured in a number of media items on a new wearable OPM-MEG brain scanner system which has been acquired by Trinity College. The scanner is now in use at a new brain imaging facility, directed by Professor O’Connell, in the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience.

 

Dr Barra Roantree, Dr Tara Mitchell, School of Social Sciences and Philosophy, and Míde Griffin (ESRI), co-authored a new ESRI report on Child Poverty. This report is the focus of an article and a finding of the report that the official poverty measures do not account for accommodation. Irish Times 09 September 2025: One in five children lives in poverty when housing costs factored in, ESRI finds. (Subscriber content).

Please also see the news item on the FAHSS website 11 September 2025: ESRI Child Poverty Report - Child poverty at similar levels to financial crisis when housing costs accounted for.

Dr Barra Roantree, School of Social Sciences and Philosophy, discusses the above ESRI report finding, on which he was co-author, that one in five children are living below the poverty line. RTÉ Radio 1 Morning Ireland: Fifth of children in poverty after housing costs - ESRI.

 

Dr Davide Romelli, School of Social Sciences and Philosophy. Dr Romelli’s research on central bank independence globally features in another article following the U.S. President’s recent bid to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Forbes 03 September 2025: Trump’s Effort To Oust Fed Governor Is Unlikely To Impact Interest Rates.

 

Lucas Paulo da Silva, PhD student in the School of Social Sciences and Philosophy, discusses the impact of the still ongoing boycott of the Sun newspaper, after it wrongly blamed the supporters for a football stadium crush in which 97 people lost their lives, on voting intentions and attitudes in the city of Liverpool. Newstalk Radio Seán Moncrieff show 02 September 2025: Did the Liverpool boycott of The Sun change voting attitudes?

 

School of Histories and Humanities. A screening of a 90 minute documentary film called ‘From that Small Island’ based on the recent four part TV series of the same name, on which a number of staff from the School of Histories and Humanities were involved, and panel discussion were held at Kennedy Summer School in Wexford. The film has been accepted as an official selection for the Newport Beach Film festival in California, USA. Irish Independent - Wexford People 02 September 2025: Kennedy Summer School continues to enthral with eclectic mix of Irish-American politics and culture.