Sport Ireland Research Grant Scheme 2026

PhD Scholarship Opportunity at South East Technological University Waterford

This post advertises a fully funded 4-year PhD scholarship titled “Play, Belong, Stay: Identifying best practices for recreational football provision across the female lifespan in Ireland.” The project is hosted by South East Technological University (SETU) Waterford and linked to the Football Association of Ireland / SETU, with support from the Sport Ireland Research Grant Scheme 2026.

The research focuses on recreational football, women and girls’ sport, sport participation, physical activity, health and wellbeing, inclusion, programme evaluation, and mixed-methods research. The project aims to identify, implement, and evaluate best practice in recreational football for women and girls across the lifespan in Ireland, and to produce practical guidance and resources to support inclusive and sustainable participation.

Funding details: €22,500 annual stipend, fees covered at €5,750 per annum, and research costs of €3,000 per annum. The scholarship is full-time for 4 years.

Supervisory team: Dr Laura Finnegan, Dr Aisling Mc Grath, and Dr Niamh Murphy, all based at SETU Waterford.

Eligibility highlights: Applications are particularly welcome from candidates with interests in women and girls’ sport, recreational football, sport participation, physical activity, health and wellbeing, inclusion, programme evaluation, and mixed-methods research.

Deadline: 8 June 2026 at 4pm Irish time. Start date: 1 September 2026.

How to apply: Apply through the SETU funded research opportunities page using advert reference WD_2025_07_CO. Informal enquiries may be directed to [email protected].