Mullingar Shamrocks host Pint of Science event
Mullingar Shamrocks hosted a Pint of Science event at their clubhouse on Wednesday, May 20, as part of the Pint of Science festival running across Ireland from May 19 to 21.
Pint of Science invites scientists to local pubs, clubhouses and cafes, with the aim of providing a relaxed atmosphere for people to engage with them on a range of topics, from biodiversity to scientific research.
Mullingar’s event had three speakers from different backgrounds: Kieran Meade, Associate Professor of University College Dublin, Rafael Moral, Associate Professor of Statistics, and John Bawle of Mullingar Tidy Towns.
The evening began with a talk on infection control when it comes to animals, and how those in power need to invest in treating animal diseases.
Kieran Meade said: “Back in 2020, during Covid, I was making the same argument that I am making today.
“A lot of diseases that we humans encounter start with animals, so if we are going to make any impact, we need to invest our time and energy into understanding those.
“If we are serious about preventing disease in the future, we need more expertise on animals and animal disease control.
“Around 30,000 animals are put down across Ireland each year because they suffer from diseases like tuberculosis.
“We now have tests specifically for TB, and that is helping us catch it much sooner, with the aim of the future being many more tests like these.”