Exploring Political Research and Media Polarisation with UCC’s Dr. Philip Murphy

Kinsale Community School was delighted to welcome Dr. Philip Murphy, lecturer in Government and Politics at University College Cork, for a day of workshops and discussion with our Transition Year, Fifth Year, and Sixth Year Politics and Society students.

Dr. Murphy’s sessions focused on research and analysis in political studies, offering students practical insights into how political ideas are explored, questioned, and understood in both academic and real-world contexts. His engaging approach helped students deepen their understanding of evidence-based research and critical thinking — key skills in developing as informed and active citizens.

Following his workshops, Dr. Murphy joined sixth-year students Shea O’Connor and Farrah Keenaghan to record the second episode in their Politics and Society podcast series, part of their Leaving Certificate project. Their project explores political polarisation and the media, and this latest episode built on last week’s conversation with Dr. Emmanuelle Schön-Quinlivan, also from UCC.

Kinsale Community School’s partnership with UCC through the Hub in Active European Citizenship continues to provide invaluable opportunities for collaboration between second-level and third-level education. These connections allow students to experience university-level thinking while giving a platform to student voice through creative and critical projects such as podcasts and interviews.

We are grateful to Dr. Murphy for sharing his expertise and continuing to strengthen the link between Kinsale Community School and UCC. Together, we look forward to empowering students to think critically, act responsibly, and engage meaningfully in democratic life.

Learn more about the Hub in Active European Citizenship at www.ucc.ie/en/hub-in-active-european-citizenship.