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RTÉ Brainstorm

@rtebrainstorm.bsky.social
1.7K followers 226 following 1.5K posts

New ideas, insights & thinking on Ireland & the world. From @RTE.ie with @ucc.ie @dublincityuni.bsky.social @unioflimerick.bsky.social @maynoothuniversity.ie @tudublin.bsky.social @researchireland.ie & @teagasc.bsky.social

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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Are difficult friends (and family members) making you age faster? www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Are difficult friends (and family members) making you age faster?
Friends and family can provide support during difficult times, but some relationships are a persistent source of stress
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Why are Irish taxi fares so high – and what could change this? New #RTEBrainstorm podcast based on a piece by Catarina Marvão @ucddublin.bsky.social & voiced by Jan Ní Fhlanagáin - now available wherever you get your podcasts www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Why are Irish taxi fares so high – and what could change this?
The Irish taxi market doesn't need a free-for-all, but it does need competition, flexibility and a serious conversation about value for money
001
RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
What young Irish women have to say about safety on nights out. Telling women how to manage risk on nights out does not address the conduct of perpetrators or the environments where sexual violence occurs, writes Shannon Spence SETU www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
What young Irish women have to say about safety on nights out
Telling women how to manage risk on nights out does not address the conduct of perpetrators or the environments where sexual violence occurs
001
RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
A short history of the Irish rural tradition of the 'station mass'. These major open house celebrations of the spiritual, sacred and social for neighbours and friends required significant preparation and expense, writes @culinaryireland.bsky.social @ucc.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
A short history of the rural tradition of the 'station mass'
These major open house celebrations of the spiritual, sacred and social for neighbours and friends required significant preparation and expense
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Good to see @seanmoncrieff.bsky.social & team at @newstalkfm.bsky.social are Brainstorm readers!
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Why are the EU and Canada getting so friendly all of a sudden? The unfolding diplomatic choreography between the pair includes associate membership, trade talks, summits and even the Eurovision, explains @iancooper.bsky.social @dublincityuni.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Why are the EU and Canada getting so friendly all of a sudden?
The unfolding diplomatic choreography between Canada and Europe includes associate membership, trade talks, summits and the Eurovision
031
RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Surprising or justified? Analysis of rentals and sales in UCC's student catchment area found properties achieved higher returns than elsewhere in Cork and Dublin. By Tommy Atlantic O'Sullivan @tcddublin.bsky.social & Eimear McGeown @ucc.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
How rental yields near UCC are higher than elsewhere in Ireland
Analysis of rentals and sales in UCC's student catchment area found properties achieved higher returns than elsewhere in Cork and Dublin
011
RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
What can Ireland learn from Europe about State investment accounts? As Ireland prepares to launch a new State investment account, the question is not which country to copy but which ideas to borrow, explains Eoin Rooney @wearetudublin.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
What can Ireland learn from Europe about investment accounts?
As Ireland prepares to launch a new State investment account, the question is not which country to copy but which ideas to borrow
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Will nitrite-free sausages and rashers change the Irish breakfast? More nitrite-free products are entering supermarkets thanks to manufacturers using fruit and vegetable extracts to preserve meats, explains Simona Grasso @ucddublin.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Will nitrite-free sausages & rashers change the Irish breakfast?
More nitrite-free products are entering supermarkets thanks to manufacturers using fruit and vegetable extracts to preserve meats
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Could cheap flights be about to get more expensive? The era of cheap flights isn't going to go overnight, but expect change if oil prices stay high and airlines keep trimming capacity to match, writes Fahad ibne Masood @wearetudublin.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Could cheap flights be about to get more expensive?
The era of cheap flights isn't going to go overnight, but expect change if oil prices stay high and airlines keep trimming capacity to match
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Will new EU budget provide better funding for climate and nature? Ireland's EU presidency will see the Government managing negotiations for the next seven year budget, including allocating and monitoring funding, explains @aideenod.bsky.social @dublincityuni.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Will new EU budget provide better funding for climate and nature?
Ireland's EU presidency will see the Government managing negotiations for the next seven year budget, including allocating and monitoring funding
032
RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
All you need to know about plug-in solar panels. Plug-in solar gives apartment dwellers & those who can't afford conventional panels an option to take some of the sting out of electricity bill, writes Paul Deane @ucc.ie @researchireland.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
All you need to know about plug-in solar panels for your home
These panels can be plugged into a standard wall socket to generate solar power from a balcony, shed roof or any other outdoor space
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
How world politics overshadowed 1973 ploughing championships. The clash over Rhodesian competitors at the World Ploughing Championships in Wexford showed how mixing politics and sport could turn sour, writes @melissabaird.bsky.social @ria.ie @difp-ria.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
How world politics overshadowed 1973 ploughing championships
The clash over Rhodesian competitors at the World Ploughing Championships in Wexford showed how mixing politics and sport could turn sour
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Everyone wants safe AI, but who will be first to take action on this? AI has become a race where all involved can see the risks, but nobody wants to be the first to apply the brakes and pay a price for doing so, writes @stephentreacy.bsky.social @ucc.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Everyone wants safe AI but who will be first to take action?
AI has become a race where all involved can see the risks, but nobody wants to be the first to apply the brakes and pay a price for doing so
021
RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Is Donald Trump continuing the long history of bribery in US politics with his $5,000 pledge? Offering policy changes for votes is the very essence of democratic elections, but bribery has often featured in American politics www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Is Donald Trump continuing the history of bribery in US politics?
Offering policy changes for votes is the very essence of democratic elections, but bribery has often featured in American politics
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
How your travel plans have changed because of wars and warzones. Airlines have adapted routes and plans to avoid conflict zones, but the real concern for passengers will be higher fuel prices and longer flights, explains Quinton O'Reilly www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
How your travel plans have changed because of wars and warzones
Airlines have adapted routes and plans to avoid conflict zones, but the real concern for passengers will be higher fuel prices and longer flights
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
5 other times Irish sport has overlooked women. Ireland is fortunate enough to have extraordinary women in sport yet their abilities are often unrecognised and entitlements ignored, writes Siobhán Doyle www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
5 other times Irish sport has overlooked women
Ireland is fortunate enough to have extraordinary women in sport yet their abilities are often unrecognised and entitlements ignored
043
RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Can your robot do the laundry? We know humanoid robots can run like Usain Bolt, but the real test turns out to be washing, drying, folding and ironing clothes www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Can your robot do the laundry?
We know humanoid robots can run like Usain Bolt, but the real test turns out to be washing, drying, folding and ironing clothes
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Why getting AI to write your emails could actually create more work www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Why getting AI to write your emails could create more work
AI allows people to offload many of the routines associated with our inbox, but it can also change email in unexpected ways
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Why is a Christian metal band suing Netflix over their name? The confusion between Christian metal band @demonhunterband.bsky.social and @netflix.com Kpop Demon Hunters has now reached the Californian courts, explains Liam Sunner @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Why is a Christian metal band suing Netflix over their name?
The confusion between Christian metal band Demon Hunter and Netflix's Kpop Demon Hunters Global Concert Tour has now reached the courts
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Why increasing bus, train and tram fares does not add up. 'It's ironic that the one sector in which the Govt are willing to increase prices is the sector where they should be doing the opposite'. By @howardemma.bsky.social @wearetudublin.bsky.social @researchireland.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Why increasing bus, train and tram fares does not add up
In the middle of concerns over the cost of living, energy supply and climate change, hiking the price of using public transport does not make sense
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
What would a language test for new Irish citizens look like? Many other countries have introduced language proficiency tests for new citizens so there is ample evidence about their effects, writes @andrewshorten.bsky.social @unioflimerick.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
What would a language test for new Irish citizens look like?
Many other countries have introduced language proficiency tests for new citizens so there is ample evidence about their effects
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
How fast is your home internet? Ireland has never had faster broadband, but the journey from the router to the room where the internet is actually used can be problematic, explains John O'Donoghue @ucc.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
How fast is your home internet?
Ireland has never had faster broadband, but the journey from the router to the room where the internet is actually used can be problematic
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Selling stolen art is tricky, so why even bother heisting it? Turning stolen artwork, like the paintings from Musée Renoir in France, into cash is fraught with risk so criminals sometimes use the pieces as bargaining chips for a variety of reasons www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Selling stolen art is tricky, so why even bother heisting it?
Turning stolen artwork into cash is fraught with risk so criminals sometimes use the pieces as bargaining chips for a variety of reasons
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
'Obsessed with death': from funeral sandwiches to talking to the bees, there are many traditions associated with the Irish reputation for doing death well. By Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire @wearetudublin.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
'Obsessed with death': 5 uniqely Irish wake and funeral customs
From funeral sandwiches to talking to the bees, there are many traditions associated with the Irish reputation for doing death well
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
How a €50 tattoo can become a €1,500 lesson in economics. While preferences in clothes, hairstyles or music are easily changed, a tattoo is not and your change of mind can prove costly, explains Lee-Ann Burke @ucc.ie @researchireland.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
How a €50 tattoo can become a €1,500 lesson in economics
While preferences in clothes, hairstyles or music are easily changed, a tattoo is not and your change of mind can prove costly
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Are you a drunk online shopper? www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Are you a drunk online shopper?
Drunk shopping is a rapidly growing consumption phenomenon where tipsy consumers are responsible for billions of euros in annual revenue
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Why you can forget the 8 hour rule when it comes to sleep. The one-size-fits-all eight-hour sleep rule is clearly too simple as there is more to sleep than the number of hours shut-eye we get www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Why you can forget the 8 hour rule when it comes to sleep
The one-size-fits-all eight-hour sleep rule is clearly too simple as there is more to sleep than the number of hours' shut-eye we get
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
What was life like in an Irish medieval castle? Castle living was neither as romantic or as grotesque as often portrayed, but deeply connected to the local landscape, economy, society and culture, writes @sarahkerr.bsky.social @ucc.ie @researchireland.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
What was life like in an Irish medieval castle?
Castle living was neither as romantic or as grotesque as often portrayed, but deeply connected to the local landscape, society and culture
042
RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
How much are Hollywood stars paid - and how much tax do they pay? Analysis by Brendan McCarthy & Elaine Doyle @unioflimerick.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
How much are Hollywood stars paid - and how much tax do they pay?
While Hollywood actors have long enjoyed large paydays, today's stars rely on financial, legal and tax advisors to protect their fortunes
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
How often do you think about your digital cost of living? Subscriptions to multiple digital services add up quickly and it's easy to forget exactly what you're paying a monthly or annual fee for, writes Quinton O'Reilly www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
How often do you think about your digital cost of living?
Subscriptions to multiple digital services add up quickly and it's easy to forget exactly what you're paying a monthly or annual fee for
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
How do animals prepare for war? www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
How do animals prepare for war?
Research shows war preparations and unavoidable conflict are not a trait unique to humans, with similar principles applying to animals
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Do high price tags really mean a better quality t-shirt or coat? New #RTEBrainstorm podcast 🎧 based on a piece by Katriona Flynn & Dee Duffy @wearetudublin.bsky.social & voiced by Erik Threlfall - now available wherever you get your podcasts & on the website www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Why does the pollen season in Ireland now go on for so long? Rising temperatures and wider climatic changes are altering pollen seasons and human exposure to airborne allergens, writes David O’Connor @dublincityuni.bsky.social @researchireland.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Why does the pollen season in Ireland now go on for so long?
Rising temperatures and wider climatic changes are altering pollen seasons and human exposure to airborne allergens
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Meet Deirdre Gogarty, the Irish boxing champion who inspired Katie Taylor. Gogarty was the first Irish woman to win a boxing world title and was a huge source of inspiration for Taylor when she was starting out, writes Siobhán Doyle www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Meet Deirdre Gogarty, the boxing champ who inspired Katie Taylor
Gogarty was the first Irish woman to win a boxing world title and was a huge source of inspiration for Taylor when she was starting out
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
What happened when the flapper reached Ireland in the 1920s? A new book finds that the flapper was very much a real presence on the streets and boreens of Jazz Age Ireland. By @eileenhoganucc.bsky.social @ucc.ie @researchireland.ie & Louise Ryan @londonmetuni.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
What happened when the flapper reached Ireland in the 1920s?
While she featured in the nightmares of bishops and fantasies of advertisers, the flapper was also very much a real presence in Jazz Age Ireland
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Why you seriously need to stop trying to be funny at work www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Why you seriously need to stop trying to be funny at work
Research shows it's harder to be funny than most people think so it's better to think like a comedian in the workplace than to act like one
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Why were the IRA so opposed to poitín during the War of Independence? The IRA's anti-poitín campaign was an early example of the group presenting themselves as figures of law and order to win popular support, writes Caoimhín de Barra @gonzagauniversity.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Why were the IRA so opposed to poitín during War of Independence?
The IRA's anti-poitín campaign was an early example of the group presenting themselves as figures of law and order to win popular support
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
When will new Dublin Airport passenger cap come into effect? While the act to increase the cap has been signed into law, Europe's top court could still, in theory, cause the airport to change course, explains Fahad ibne Masood @wearetudublin.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
When will new Dublin Airport passenger cap come into effect?
While the act to increase the cap has been signed into law, Europe's top court could still, in theory, cause the airport to change course
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Here are some rules for nepo babies in the workplace. Nepotism is surprisingly common in the workplace where the tendency to hire and promote family members can have wide-ranging negative effects in organisations, writes Kevin Murphy @unioflimerick.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Here are some rules for nepo babies in the workplace
Nepotism is surprisingly common in the workplace where the tendency to hire and promote family members can have wide-ranging negative effects
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
When did the young and the old become rivals? Tension between generations is nothing new, but what has changed around intergenerational fairness is the weight of the decisions involved. By Christine O'Kelly @dublincityuni.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
When did the young and the old become rivals?
Tension between generations is nothing new, but what has changed is the weight of the decisions involved
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Where have all the soldiers gone? European countries are ramping up investment in defence, yet we are running out of soldiers right across the Western world. By Mark Maguire @maynoothuniversity.ie @researchireland.ie & @petefussey.bsky.social @unisouthampton.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Where have all the soldiers gone?
European countries are ramping up investment in defence yet we are running out of soldiers right across the Western world
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
How the letter on your home's energy cert is worth real money. Research shows every step up the Building Energy Rating scale can boost a home's sale price by an average of 2.7%, explains Lala Rukh, ATU www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
How the letter on your home's energy cert is worth real money
Research shows every step up the Building Energy Rating scale can boost a home's sale price by an average of 2.7%
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Why schools and universities are major targets for cybercriminals. The rapid digitisation of education systems is creating data-intensive environments which are hugely attractive to cybercriminals, explains @stephentreacy.bsky.social @ucc.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Why schools and universities are major targets for cybercriminals
The rapid digitisation of education systems is creating data-intensive environments which are hugely attractive to cybercriminals
021
RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
From sleep to spending, how autumn affects everything you do. The shift to the autumn months affects us in both obvious and subtle ways, many of which has been observed for hundreds of years, writes Quinton O'Reilly www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
From sleep to spending, how autumn affects everything you do
The shift to the autumn months affects us in both obvious and subtle ways, many of which has been observed for hundreds of years
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Who were the' wounded soldiers of the Irish Land War'? There was a dramatic increase in the levels of eviction during the 1880s' Land War, with nationalists holding up evicted tenants as martyrs, explains Aidan Gilsenan @maynoothuniversity.ie @researchireland.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Who were the' wounded soldiers of the Irish Land War'?
There was a dramatic increase in the levels of eviction during the 1880s' Land War, with nationalists holding up evicted tenants as martyrs
021
RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Most read on #RTEBrainstorm: what are the emerging trends in Irish jobs, work and wages? Insights from @csoireland.bsky.social on how changing work patterns, labour supply and demographics are shaping the Irish workplace www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
What data tells us about emerging trends in jobs, work and wages
Changing work patterns, labour supply and demographics are all shaping the Irish labour market and workplace
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
What's the science behind a runner's high? www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
What's the science behind a runner's high?
A runner's high comes from several brain systems working together, which is why this effect can often persist long after the initial euphoria
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Changing work patterns, labour supply and demographics are all shaping the Irish labour market and workplace - insights from @csoireland.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
What data tells us about emerging trends in jobs, work and wages
Changing work patterns, labour supply and demographics are all shaping the Irish labour market and workplace
000
RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Why choosing what TV show to watch next is so difficult. In a world of seemingly endless possibilities, learning how to stop searching or maximising may itself be an increasingly important choice, writes @emmaefarrell.bsky.social @maynoothuniversity.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Why choosing what TV show to watch next is so difficult
In a world of seemingly endless possibilities, learning how to stop searching or maximising may itself be an increasingly important choice
043