Eilís Ní Chaoimh they/them
@eilymay.bsky.social
PhD student researching neurodiversity and criminal justice. Yapping into the void. Sharing passing thoughts on books (mostly fantasy, mostly queer) and, from time to time, law.
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First book of 2026 - Now She Is Witch by Kirsty Logan. A vivid imagined portrayal of what it might have been like to be a woman in medieval Europe, particularly during the witch trials.
A gift from @frankiegolucky.bsky.social for our annual January book exchange.
#BookSky
A gift from @frankiegolucky.bsky.social for our annual January book exchange.
#BookSky
January 6, 2026 at 9:53 PM
First book of 2026 - Now She Is Witch by Kirsty Logan. A vivid imagined portrayal of what it might have been like to be a woman in medieval Europe, particularly during the witch trials.
A gift from @frankiegolucky.bsky.social for our annual January book exchange.
#BookSky
A gift from @frankiegolucky.bsky.social for our annual January book exchange.
#BookSky
Reposted by Eilís Ní Chaoimh they/them
A plain and direct violation of the law of neutrality and Irish sovereignty by an aggressor state during an international armed conflict.
US naval aircraft crossed Ireland during pursuit of sanctioned oil tanker
US naval aircraft crossed Ireland during pursuit of sanctioned oil tanker
Irish policy forbids foreign military aircraft use of Irish airspace while on active military operations
www.irishtimes.com
January 6, 2026 at 12:55 PM
A plain and direct violation of the law of neutrality and Irish sovereignty by an aggressor state during an international armed conflict.
Reposted by Eilís Ní Chaoimh they/them
I think this feels particularly shocking because no matter how much you stretch the law this has absolutely no basis of legality whatsoever. No terrorists, no "threat" requiring anticipatory self defence. Nothing.
January 3, 2026 at 9:45 AM
I think this feels particularly shocking because no matter how much you stretch the law this has absolutely no basis of legality whatsoever. No terrorists, no "threat" requiring anticipatory self defence. Nothing.
I was really pleasantly surprised by my reading wrap-up for 2025. I read 16 books, 6 books over my goal of 10.
Finally feel like I'm getting over my post-2020 reading slump so that's exciting.
#BookSky
Finally feel like I'm getting over my post-2020 reading slump so that's exciting.
#BookSky
January 1, 2026 at 1:36 PM
I was really pleasantly surprised by my reading wrap-up for 2025. I read 16 books, 6 books over my goal of 10.
Finally feel like I'm getting over my post-2020 reading slump so that's exciting.
#BookSky
Finally feel like I'm getting over my post-2020 reading slump so that's exciting.
#BookSky
Reposted by Eilís Ní Chaoimh they/them
For all the fretting about ‘the public purse’ by legal advisers to Government, they waste a lot of public money protecting their state-centric understanding of the public interest when it might be better for everyone if the state just spent public money on the rights it resists:
State’s €10.5m legal bill as parents fight to have their children assessed www.independent.ie/irish-news/s...
State’s €10.5m legal bill as parents fight to have their children assessed
The State has spent nearly €10.5m on legal defences to challenges by parents regarding Assessment of Needs (AON) – even though it lost almost every case.
www.independent.ie
December 31, 2025 at 3:26 PM
For all the fretting about ‘the public purse’ by legal advisers to Government, they waste a lot of public money protecting their state-centric understanding of the public interest when it might be better for everyone if the state just spent public money on the rights it resists:
Reposted by Eilís Ní Chaoimh they/them
I wish OpenAi a very absolute obliteration in the new year
December 31, 2025 at 11:44 AM
I wish OpenAi a very absolute obliteration in the new year
My reading updates have been few and far between of late, as I try to finish my PhD.
One book I have been dipping into each month is Lia Leendertz's 2025 Almanac, which has been such a joy.
5 ⭐ from me, and I'm looking forward to the 2026 edition.
#BookSky
One book I have been dipping into each month is Lia Leendertz's 2025 Almanac, which has been such a joy.
5 ⭐ from me, and I'm looking forward to the 2026 edition.
#BookSky
December 25, 2025 at 2:43 PM
My reading updates have been few and far between of late, as I try to finish my PhD.
One book I have been dipping into each month is Lia Leendertz's 2025 Almanac, which has been such a joy.
5 ⭐ from me, and I'm looking forward to the 2026 edition.
#BookSky
One book I have been dipping into each month is Lia Leendertz's 2025 Almanac, which has been such a joy.
5 ⭐ from me, and I'm looking forward to the 2026 edition.
#BookSky
Watching The Snowman (1982) and there's something beautiful and joyous in watching something entirely created by humans in this era of AI nonsense.
Winter Hug GIF
Alt: A gif from the 1982 short film, The Snowman. The Snowman is hugging the young boy who made him and with whom he has had such great adventures. The snowman is tall and wearing a floppy black hat with a matching scarf. The snowman has two small eyes made of coal and an orange tangerine nose. The boy has red hair and is wearing a brown nightgown.
media.tenor.com
December 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Watching The Snowman (1982) and there's something beautiful and joyous in watching something entirely created by humans in this era of AI nonsense.
Reposted by Eilís Ní Chaoimh they/them
Not linking to the Guardian article suggesting that there is 'debate' 10 years after Ireland's Gender Recognition Act...looking for a story where there is none.
Not every hateful trend gets followed.
#TransRights
Not every hateful trend gets followed.
#TransRights
December 23, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Not linking to the Guardian article suggesting that there is 'debate' 10 years after Ireland's Gender Recognition Act...looking for a story where there is none.
Not every hateful trend gets followed.
#TransRights
Not every hateful trend gets followed.
#TransRights
Question for the hivemind:
Is there a stronger term than neurodiversity lite?
I'm writing about something at the moment which tosses about the word neurodiversity but is using it as a cover for practices that basically discriminate against neurodivergent people for being neurodivergent.
Is there a stronger term than neurodiversity lite?
I'm writing about something at the moment which tosses about the word neurodiversity but is using it as a cover for practices that basically discriminate against neurodivergent people for being neurodivergent.
December 22, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Question for the hivemind:
Is there a stronger term than neurodiversity lite?
I'm writing about something at the moment which tosses about the word neurodiversity but is using it as a cover for practices that basically discriminate against neurodivergent people for being neurodivergent.
Is there a stronger term than neurodiversity lite?
I'm writing about something at the moment which tosses about the word neurodiversity but is using it as a cover for practices that basically discriminate against neurodivergent people for being neurodivergent.
Reposted by Eilís Ní Chaoimh they/them
What historians (and other scholars do) is create knowledge. We should use that phrase more and talk about what it means. I think we don't, and it's part of why AI enthusiasts are confused when we don't readily agree that our work can be replicated/replaced by their products.
December 21, 2025 at 8:39 PM
What historians (and other scholars do) is create knowledge. We should use that phrase more and talk about what it means. I think we don't, and it's part of why AI enthusiasts are confused when we don't readily agree that our work can be replicated/replaced by their products.
Glad to see continuing coverage of this.
Fascinating comment in the fourth last paragraph as to the lack of explanation for O'Callaghan's decision. Wonder if he's had a telling off for straying from Justice to Foreign Affairs...
Fascinating comment in the fourth last paragraph as to the lack of explanation for O'Callaghan's decision. Wonder if he's had a telling off for straying from Justice to Foreign Affairs...
Brian Feeney highlighting a serious and potentially very damaging misstep by the Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, in relation to the ECHR - this can be corrected ahead of the meeting of Council of Europe foreign ministers in May 2026…
December 20, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Glad to see continuing coverage of this.
Fascinating comment in the fourth last paragraph as to the lack of explanation for O'Callaghan's decision. Wonder if he's had a telling off for straying from Justice to Foreign Affairs...
Fascinating comment in the fourth last paragraph as to the lack of explanation for O'Callaghan's decision. Wonder if he's had a telling off for straying from Justice to Foreign Affairs...
Finally, up to date with #ResearchAdvent with Day 20 - Theory.
I could write about theory for days. I think it's a remnant of my bachelor's degree being in Law and French, where I was exposed to a lot of theory. From Rousseau to Foucault, Olympe de Gouges and, bizarrely, the Marquis de Sade?
I could write about theory for days. I think it's a remnant of my bachelor's degree being in Law and French, where I was exposed to a lot of theory. From Rousseau to Foucault, Olympe de Gouges and, bizarrely, the Marquis de Sade?
December 20, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Finally, up to date with #ResearchAdvent with Day 20 - Theory.
I could write about theory for days. I think it's a remnant of my bachelor's degree being in Law and French, where I was exposed to a lot of theory. From Rousseau to Foucault, Olympe de Gouges and, bizarrely, the Marquis de Sade?
I could write about theory for days. I think it's a remnant of my bachelor's degree being in Law and French, where I was exposed to a lot of theory. From Rousseau to Foucault, Olympe de Gouges and, bizarrely, the Marquis de Sade?
Day 19 of #ResearchAdvent was Analysis.
Analysing law is my comfort zone, but there's not a lot of law about neurodiversity as a concept separate from disability. So, I had to broaden my methodology and opted for critical discourse analysis, focusing on discourse created by neurodivergent people.
Analysing law is my comfort zone, but there's not a lot of law about neurodiversity as a concept separate from disability. So, I had to broaden my methodology and opted for critical discourse analysis, focusing on discourse created by neurodivergent people.
December 20, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Day 19 of #ResearchAdvent was Analysis.
Analysing law is my comfort zone, but there's not a lot of law about neurodiversity as a concept separate from disability. So, I had to broaden my methodology and opted for critical discourse analysis, focusing on discourse created by neurodivergent people.
Analysing law is my comfort zone, but there's not a lot of law about neurodiversity as a concept separate from disability. So, I had to broaden my methodology and opted for critical discourse analysis, focusing on discourse created by neurodivergent people.
Day 18 of #ResearchAdvent was Inspiration.
It's funny; I had always thought of doing a PhD, but I struggled to find a topic that would keep me hooked for four years.
Amazingly, lying on my parents' couch in January 2021, the idea came to me. Neurodiversity and criminal responsibility.
It's funny; I had always thought of doing a PhD, but I struggled to find a topic that would keep me hooked for four years.
Amazingly, lying on my parents' couch in January 2021, the idea came to me. Neurodiversity and criminal responsibility.
December 20, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Day 18 of #ResearchAdvent was Inspiration.
It's funny; I had always thought of doing a PhD, but I struggled to find a topic that would keep me hooked for four years.
Amazingly, lying on my parents' couch in January 2021, the idea came to me. Neurodiversity and criminal responsibility.
It's funny; I had always thought of doing a PhD, but I struggled to find a topic that would keep me hooked for four years.
Amazingly, lying on my parents' couch in January 2021, the idea came to me. Neurodiversity and criminal responsibility.
So, I'm in what I hope is the final stretch of my PhD, and I've Found it rather challenging to keep up with #ResearchAdvent this week.
(This is my post for Day 17 - Found 😂)
(This is my post for Day 17 - Found 😂)
December 20, 2025 at 10:18 AM
So, I'm in what I hope is the final stretch of my PhD, and I've Found it rather challenging to keep up with #ResearchAdvent this week.
(This is my post for Day 17 - Found 😂)
(This is my post for Day 17 - Found 😂)
Reposted by Eilís Ní Chaoimh they/them
The #WinterSolstice livestream link is now available
Join us on 21 Dec @ 8:40 am to witness the solstice sunrise live from inside the #Newgrange chamber, weather permitting.
Save the link now and be part of this extraordinary moment.
🔗www.gov.ie/solstice
#ShareTheSolstice
Join us on 21 Dec @ 8:40 am to witness the solstice sunrise live from inside the #Newgrange chamber, weather permitting.
Save the link now and be part of this extraordinary moment.
🔗www.gov.ie/solstice
#ShareTheSolstice
December 17, 2025 at 9:06 PM
The #WinterSolstice livestream link is now available
Join us on 21 Dec @ 8:40 am to witness the solstice sunrise live from inside the #Newgrange chamber, weather permitting.
Save the link now and be part of this extraordinary moment.
🔗www.gov.ie/solstice
#ShareTheSolstice
Join us on 21 Dec @ 8:40 am to witness the solstice sunrise live from inside the #Newgrange chamber, weather permitting.
Save the link now and be part of this extraordinary moment.
🔗www.gov.ie/solstice
#ShareTheSolstice
Reposted by Eilís Ní Chaoimh they/them
Deeply disappointed that our government voted against removing the 3 day wait on abortions yesterday.
But very curious to see what yesterday's successful EU parliament vote on abortion access will do, it also calls for no waiting period.
But very curious to see what yesterday's successful EU parliament vote on abortion access will do, it also calls for no waiting period.
December 18, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Deeply disappointed that our government voted against removing the 3 day wait on abortions yesterday.
But very curious to see what yesterday's successful EU parliament vote on abortion access will do, it also calls for no waiting period.
But very curious to see what yesterday's successful EU parliament vote on abortion access will do, it also calls for no waiting period.
Who. Who asked for this? Who thought this was a good idea? Doesn't it defeat the entire purpose of conducting research? Instead of asking people questions, here are some statistically likely responses. How.. just... I can't.
Did you know that from tomorrow, Qualtrics is offering synthetic panels (AI-generated participants)?
Follow me down a rabbit hole I'm calling "doing science is tough and I'm so busy, can't we just make up participants?"
Follow me down a rabbit hole I'm calling "doing science is tough and I'm so busy, can't we just make up participants?"
December 16, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Who. Who asked for this? Who thought this was a good idea? Doesn't it defeat the entire purpose of conducting research? Instead of asking people questions, here are some statistically likely responses. How.. just... I can't.
Ok, Day 16 of #ResearchAdvent - Change.
Deciding to start a PhD marked a career change for me. For my sins, I had been a civil servant (in foreign affairs). However, I'm the nerdiest of introverts, so it wasn't sustainable.
Hoping the career change decision works out!!!
Deciding to start a PhD marked a career change for me. For my sins, I had been a civil servant (in foreign affairs). However, I'm the nerdiest of introverts, so it wasn't sustainable.
Hoping the career change decision works out!!!
December 16, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Ok, Day 16 of #ResearchAdvent - Change.
Deciding to start a PhD marked a career change for me. For my sins, I had been a civil servant (in foreign affairs). However, I'm the nerdiest of introverts, so it wasn't sustainable.
Hoping the career change decision works out!!!
Deciding to start a PhD marked a career change for me. For my sins, I had been a civil servant (in foreign affairs). However, I'm the nerdiest of introverts, so it wasn't sustainable.
Hoping the career change decision works out!!!
Really glad to read this article by Liam Herrick on the apparent dramatic reversal of Ireland's approach to human rights protection last week by Jim O'Callaghan.
Did Cabinet sign off on him signing the Danish statement or was this a solo run by O'Callaghan?
Did Cabinet sign off on him signing the Danish statement or was this a solo run by O'Callaghan?
Liam Herrick: Why has Ireland abruptly decided the European Convention on Human Rights goes too far?
Liam Herrick: Why has Ireland abruptly decided the European Convention on Human Rights goes too far?
Precedent could have far-reaching consequences. Who is to say the rights of gay citizens won’t be the next target by a coalition of hostile states?
www.irishtimes.com
December 16, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Really glad to read this article by Liam Herrick on the apparent dramatic reversal of Ireland's approach to human rights protection last week by Jim O'Callaghan.
Did Cabinet sign off on him signing the Danish statement or was this a solo run by O'Callaghan?
Did Cabinet sign off on him signing the Danish statement or was this a solo run by O'Callaghan?
Reposted by Eilís Ní Chaoimh they/them
December 16, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Reposted by Eilís Ní Chaoimh they/them
Jim O'Callaghan is a threat to social cohesion.
December 16, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Jim O'Callaghan is a threat to social cohesion.
Except if you're in the Central Mental Hospital.
The use of restrictive practices in Irish mental health centres has fallen to a record low following the introduction of new human rights-based rules.
Restrictive practices in Irish mental health centres fall to lowest level on record
The use of restrictive practices in Irish mental health centres has fallen to a record low following the introduction of new human rights-based rules.
www.irishlegal.com
December 15, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Except if you're in the Central Mental Hospital.
Reposted by Eilís Ní Chaoimh they/them
This is the thing that gets me with gen AI stuff. If you want what you're doing to be any good, you have to go back over and check everything it has generated. You still get all the boring, fiddly work but have successfully automated the fun, creative bits? Why would I want to do that?
think this is a true statement.
It's just as much, if not more, work to undo all the little imprecisions that AI introduces to your work. The AI audio editor I use mistakes laughter for filler words and cuts them. The cuts are imprecise and I have to go through and fix them all anyway.
It's just as much, if not more, work to undo all the little imprecisions that AI introduces to your work. The AI audio editor I use mistakes laughter for filler words and cuts them. The cuts are imprecise and I have to go through and fix them all anyway.
December 15, 2025 at 4:35 PM
This is the thing that gets me with gen AI stuff. If you want what you're doing to be any good, you have to go back over and check everything it has generated. You still get all the boring, fiddly work but have successfully automated the fun, creative bits? Why would I want to do that?