The Royal Irish Academy/Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann champions research. We identify and recognise Ireland’s world class researchers. We support scholarship and promote awareness of how science and the humanities enrich our lives and benefit society. We believe that good research needs to be promoted, sustained and communicated. The Academy is run by a Council of its members. Membership is by election and considered the highest Academic honour in Ireland.
Read more about the RIAThe Academy’s discourses are the oldest and most renowned series of talks in Ireland. The first discourses were presented in 1786. Historically, Academy discourses were the occasion reserved for the most distinguished academics to first reveal and discuss their work in public. Robert Mallet revealed his pioneering work on earthquakes and William Rowan Hamilton talked about quaternion algebra at Academy Discourses. Recent speakers have included Nobel Laureates, Venki Ramakrishnan, Amaryta Sen, William Campbell and Sir Paul Nurse. Other distinguished speakers were Mary McAleese, Catherine Day and Sir Stephen O’Rahilly.
The purpose of the Academy discourse series is to bring thought leaders to the Academy to discuss important contemporary issues.
The Royal Irish Academy Public Discourse Series is sponsored by Mason Hayes & Curran Solicitors.
Between September 2018 and April 2019, this Series will include expert speakers on a wide range of subjects including cybersecurity, the experience of female politicians at the highest ranks of Irish parliamentary office, food security in the 21st century and ethics, Democracy, Truth and Trust, particularly within the context of Europe after Brexit.
This Academy Discourse by Professor Chris Bean, School of Cosmic Physics, Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies is the seventh in the series sponsored by Mason Hayes & Curran.
This Academy Discourse by Professor Máire O'Neill, Queen's University Belfast, is the eighth in the series sponsored by Mason Hayes & Curran.