skip to main content
RTE logo
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Culture
  • Gaeilge
  • Player
  • Tv
  • Radio
Profile icon
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Culture
  • Player
  • TV
  • Radio
  • Gaeilge
  • Weather
  • Archives
  • Brainstorm
  • History
Discover
  • RTÉ Games
  • RTÉ Archives
  • RTÉ Brainstorm
  • History
  • Gaeilge
  • RTÉ Learn
Food
  • RTÉ Food
  • RTÉ Recipes
Watch
  • RTÉ Player
  • TV
  • RTÉ One
  • RTÉ2
  • RTÉ News
  • RTÉjr
Listen
  • Radio
  • Podcasts
  • RTÉ Radio 1
  • RTÉ 2FM
  • RTÉ lyric fm
  • RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
Services
  • Orchestra
  • RTÉ Weather
  • Century Ireland
  • RTÉ Shop
Kids
  • RTÉ Kids
  • RTÉ Learn
Help
  • Contact
  • Feedback
  • Accessibility
  • Policies and Reports
  • Complaints
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Individual Rights Guide
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Freedom of Information
Information
  • About RTÉ
  • TV Licence
  • Vacancies
  • Latest Annual Report
  • Advertise with RTÉ
  • 2rn
  • Saorview
  • Newsletters
  • RTÉ Supporting the Arts

  • Ciarán Kavanagh

    UCC

    Follow@Conkernog

    Dr Ciarán Kavanagh has recently completed his PhD in the School of English at UCC. He is a former Irish Research Council Scholar.

    "Humour frequently gets a pass as being innocent, even above reproach"

    Who's laughing now? The science of humour

    Deconstructing what we makes us laugh leads to some probing questions about jokes, puns and intentions

    Humour • 22 Aug 22
    "The most striking modern use of the body-as-machine metaphor isn't in explaining how the body works, but in how it fails to work"

    Why do we talk about our bodies as if they were machines?

    The idea that the body is a machine in need of constant tending and repair has become part of our daily lives

    Ideas • 16 Jul 20
    "'Boring' in its simplicity is one of the harshest and most definitive words we can use"

    What "boring" books, TV, music and film say about us

    The problem with boring and boredom as descriptions is that they often relate to emotions that are not necessarily negative

    Culture • 11 Feb 20
    "Ethos is our perception of the speaker's character. Are they trustworthy? Are they genuine? Do they know what they're talking about?"

    Why social media doesn't do nuance

    A single tweet can end up forming a stranger's entire opinion of us so we can be particularly susceptible to a negative ethos judgement

    Social Media • 13 Dec 19

    Search RTÉ.ie

    Cant find what you're looking for?

  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Culture
  • Player
  • TV
  • Radio
  • Gaeilge
  • Weather
  • Archives
  • Brainstorm
  • History
Discover
  • RTÉ Games
  • RTÉ Archives
  • RTÉ Brainstorm
  • History
  • Gaeilge
  • RTÉ Learn
Food
  • RTÉ Food
  • RTÉ Recipes
Watch
  • RTÉ Player
  • TV
  • RTÉ One
  • RTÉ2
  • RTÉ News
  • RTÉjr
Listen
  • Radio
  • Podcasts
  • RTÉ Radio 1
  • RTÉ 2FM
  • RTÉ lyric fm
  • RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
Services
  • Orchestra
  • RTÉ Weather
  • Century Ireland
  • RTÉ Shop
Kids
  • RTÉ Kids
  • RTÉ Learn
Help
  • Contact
  • Feedback
  • Accessibility
  • Policies and Reports
  • Complaints
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Individual Rights Guide
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Freedom of Information
Information
  • About RTÉ
  • TV Licence
  • Vacancies
  • Latest Annual Report
  • Advertise with RTÉ
  • 2rn
  • Saorview
  • Newsletters
  • RTÉ Supporting the Arts
Follow RTÉ

© RTÉ 2025. RTÉ.ie is the website of Raidió Teilifís Éireann, Ireland's National Public Service Media. RTÉ is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Images Courtesy of Getty Images.