Siobhán Doyle

Brainstorm

Dr Siobhán Doyle is a historian, author and researcher who works in the National Museum of Ireland. Her first book A History of the GAA in 100 Objects is published by Merrion Press.

A group shot of competitors in the debut Irish series of The Superstars. The 1979 contest featured 10 Irish sportsmen, five sportswomen, five politicians and five personalities.

How Superstars became the most popular show on Irish TV

At its peak, the show pulled in a million viewers a week to watch athletes, sportspeople and celebrities compete against each other

Sport • 12 Mar

Wolfe Tones, Armagh, goalkeeper Rosie Lynch during a match against Attical, Down, at the 2022 Gaelic 4 Mothers & Others National Blitz at the Naomh Mearnóg & St Sylvester's GAA clubs in Dublin. Photo: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

What's behind the massive success of Gaelic 4 Mothers & Others?

The initiative has introduced (or re-introduced) thousands of women to Gaelic football in a fun, non-competitive and social environment

Mothers & Others • 17 Jan

They know all the words.... Irish supporters at the FIFA Women's World Cup match against Australia in Sydney. Photo: Stephen McCarthy, Sportsfile via Getty Images

Why do Irish sports fans sing 'The Fields of Athenry'?

From soccer to rugby, Pete St John's classic is the Irish fans' song of choice on terraces everywhere

Sport • 16 Dec 24

Detail from A Meeting (1918) by Harry Clarke. © National Museum of Ireland

How Harry Clarke became one of Ireland's best loved artists

The sheer volume of Clarke's work due to his impressive productivity has ensured he continues to be widely celebrated and admired

Harry Clarke • 05 Dec 24

Ireland's Bertie Messitt leads the way during the marathon at the Rome Olympic Games in 1960 from Abebe Bikila, Allal Saoudi, Aurele Vandendriessche, Rhadi Ben Abdesselam and Arthur Keily. Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Meet Bertie Messett, the bus conductor behind the Dublin marathon

The champion runner and Olympian used his day job on the number 10 Dublin bus route to plot the course for the city's first marathon

Dublin Marathon • 22 Oct 24

Joan Horan arrives back in Dublin after becoming the first Irish woman to compete in the Paralympic Games, winning gold in both archery and swimming in Rome in 1960. Photo: Paralympics Ireland

Meet Joan Horan, Ireland's forgotten Paralympic gold medalist

The first Irish woman to compete in Paralympics won gold in 1960 in archery and swimming, but remains largely unknown and uncelebrated

Paralympics • 28 Aug 24

Brazil's Gabriel Medina reacts after getting a large wave in men's surfing competition during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Tahiti. Photo: Jerome Brouilet/AFP

6 tips for faking it as an expert Olympics fan

With Paris 2024 in full flow, how do you talk about a sport you're unfamiliar with? We've got some help for you

Olympic Games • 03 Aug 24

10 Irish sports scandals which rocked the nation

From kidnapping and riots to fights and arrests, here are 10 scandalous moments from Irish sport which kept us all agog

Sport • 29 Jul 24

Irish Olympic gold medal winner Katie Taylor in 2012

5 moments which changed Irish Olympic history

From long jumper Peter O'Connor to boxer Katie Taylor, Irish Olympic athletes have made waves that go beyond sport

Olympics • 22 Jul 24

The football is a reminder of how objects can be collected, survive in extraordinary circumstances and allow us to retell our own stories Photo: Supplied

The story of the 1943 All-Ireland football rescued from a fire

This football is a treasured piece of GAA history, even more so because it has survived extraordinary circumstances

A History of the GAA in 100 Objects • 22 Jul 24