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UL researchers awarded funding for community-engaged research

24 February 2026 | 2 min read
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An aerial picture of the UL campus

Nine University of Limerick researchers have been awarded funding to support community-engaged research across Ireland. 

The recipients have secured funding totalling €121,362 under the Research Ireland New Foundations programme. 

New Foundations supports researchers from all disciplines to undertake research, networking, dissemination and capacity-building activities in partnership with community, voluntary, cultural and public bodies. 

The programme is designed to support meaningful collaborations between academia and communities, and to generate knowledge that responds to real-world needs and societal challenges. 

Nationally, 63 projects have been funded with a total research investment of €754,352. 

The successful UL projects are: 

  • General Dental Practitioners’ role in oral cancer screening, early referral to cancer services, and post-treatment management in Ireland: A bid to develop referral guidelines

    Principal Investigator Assistant Professor Vikram Niranjan, School of Medicine (partner: Breakthrough Cancer Research) 

  • Rhythms of Relief: Movement as a pathway to pain resilience 

    Principal Investigator Associate Professor Órfhlaith Ní Bhriain, Irish World Academy of Music and Dance (partner: Arthritis Ireland)  

  • Adolescents accessing information about persistent back pain – who, what, when, where, how, and why?  

    Principal Investigator Professor Kieran O'Sullivan, School of Allied Health (partner: Chronic Pain Ireland)  

  • Working inclusively to support education in pain research (WISE-Pain) 

    Principal Investigator Professor Karen McCreesh, School of Allied Health (partner: Chronic Pain Ireland)  

  • Designing an impact measurement framework for green social enterprises in renewable materials, green transition and climate action 

    Principal Investigator Assistant Professor Immanuel Darkwa, School of History and Geography  

  • Childhood Development Initiative: Extended family impact  

    Principal Investigator Associate Professor Daragh Bradshaw, Department of Psychology (partner: Childhood Development Initiative)  

  • Road Safety Reimagined - Empowering the community 

    Principal Investigator Associate Professor Christina O'Connor, Department of Management and Marketing  

  • SEED: Supporting Equity and Educational Design - Growing awareness of accessibility in digital classrooms in Ireland's primary schools 

    Principal Investigator Associate Professor Ann Marcus-Quinn, School of English, Irish and Communication  

  • Access to healthcare, stigma, and help-seeking 

    Principal Investigator Associate Professor Aisling O'Donnell, Department of Psychology (partner: Leanbh Mo Chroí) 

Welcoming the announcement, Dr Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO of Research Ireland, said: “The New Foundations programme enables researchers to work in close partnership with communities and public bodies to address a range of complex societal challenges. 

"These awards support early-stage collaborative research, generating knowledge and evidence to inform national policy and deliver meaningful impact for people and communities across Ireland and beyond. I would like to congratulate all the awardees, and I look forward to seeing where their projects lead.” 

More details about the New Foundations awards

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