Cian Walsh, Government and Political Science BSc student and Quercus Active Citizenship Scholar, assessed the key themes explored and President von der Leyen’s outlook and priorities for 2026. The panel discussion included Frances Fitzgerald MEP, Former Tánaiste and Tom Hanney, Former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Ireland to the EU.

UCC researcher Dr Gillian Murphy awarded €1.5m European Research Council Starting Grant to explore false memories. Researchers at UCC School of Applied Psychology will examine the possibility that false memories are reliable, adaptive and highly functional. The five-year research project will investigate the potential upsides of memory distortion – something typically viewed in a negative light - and explore the ethics of intentional alteration of memories.

A new beer mat series created by researchers at UCC and UCD brings Ireland’s peatland archaeology and biodiversity into pubs across the country. The campaign aims to highlight Ireland’s rich peatland heritage, including archaeological finds like the Brockagh axe and Ralaghan figurine, and alien-like plants including the sundew and sphagnum moss. Researchers aim to spark conversations about the archaeological and cultural heritage value of Ireland’s bogs in parallel with natural environmental values.