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The ingenious Irish latch-hook needle

The latch-hook needle, used by rug-makers the world over to knot yarn in carpets, was patented on this day, 1904.  The needle was invented by an ingenious Irish landlord, Robert Flower (1836-1919), the eighth Viscount Ashbrook of Durrow. His patented latch-hook needle had a hinged latchet that kept the yarn hooked so that, with one […]

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The Ingenious Irish: JL Synge

Dublin-born John Leighton Synge (1897-1995) was an internationally renowned mathematician and physicist.  He taught the Nobel prize-winning economist John Nash, and his books prompted Stephen Hawking to study relativity. Synge is best remembered for his work on the geometry of relativity, and he had an international career, including ballistics research for the US Army.  He […]

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The ingenious Irish: Denis Burkitt

One of the great Irish medical scientists of the 20th century, Denis Burkitt (1911-93) was the first person to identify a cancer caused by the environment (named Burkitt’s lymphoma). He later proved that diet played a role in bowel cancer. Denis Burkitt was born 100 years ago today on February 28th 1911, and a centenary […]

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How the ingenious Irish changed the world

Irish people have changed the world — we helped to put a man on the moon, changed the face of modern warfare, and revolutionised farming.  We are better known for our writers, yet we also have a rich tradition of invention, from medical devices to military matters, from big ideas, to small things.  Here are […]

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The man who ‘invented’ the electron

You could say that the electron, one of nature’s fundamental particles, was invented by the Irish physicist George Johnstone Stoney (1826-1911). Stoney, born at Oakley Park, Clareen, was the first science professor at the then new university of Queen’s College Galway (now NUI Galway). A great champion of the metric system, Stoney believed science would […]

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Ingenious talks at Ignite Dublin 6

From everyone’s favourite invention, to DIY synthetic biology… from weighing the earth, to hacking at the kitchen table… just some of the talks at the Science Gallery this Thursday, February 10 for the next Ignite Dublin event. We’re really looking forward to hearing ‘Sugru Woman‘, Jane ní Dhulchaointigh talking about her ingenious invention, the silicon […]

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Rambling round (ingenious) Ireland

When the book of Ingenious Ireland was published, everyone asked if I had travelled the length and breadth of the country for the research.  And while I did clock up a lot of miles, most of the ‘travelling’ was actually done in the National Library, in Kildare Street, reading and leafing through old books, maps […]

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New guided tour of Tara launched

New technology brings Ireland’s ancient capital to life From horse sacrifices to kingship rituals, from burials to battles . . . visitors to Tara can now explore over 4,000 years of history and archaeology, and all the monuments on the hill, with a new audio guided tour. The commentary is accompanied by music, sound effects […]

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The Ryder Cup . . . and us!

The Irish Times business and technology editor, John Collins, puts together a really useful list of apps and other online resources every week in his weblog column. This week’s column includes Nokia’s new Ryder Cup app . . . and our new tours! Nice to be in such good company. And as John says, even […]

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The geeks guide to Dublin likes our tour!

The Euroscientist.com sent a reporter on a geeks guide to Dublin.  He was scouting for things to do in Dublin for the hordes of scientists who will descend in 2012, when the City of Science and the Euroscience Open Forum will both take place in Dublin.  And happily he really liked our geology walking tour!

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