Kieran Walsh is Professor of Ageing & Public Policy and Director of the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology (ICSG), University of Galway. Kieran has extensive experience in ageing and public policy and interdisciplinary social gerontology research and has published extensively within the field of ageing.

Before taking up the role of Director of the ICSG, he served as Project Director of Project Lifecourse within the Institute for Lifecourse and Society, a 1.5 euro million three-year programme of work dedicated to capturing the subjective realities of children and youth, older people and people with disabilities in their neighbourhoods and communities. With a track record of working closely with senior levels of public policy and professional practice, Kieran is focused on translating research into real-world impact and integrating this experience in the design of impactful research and teaching programmes. He has played a leading role in the development of international multi-site and interdisciplinary research studies.

Kierans research interests and expertise focus on: social exclusion in later life; the relative nature of disadvantage in cross-national contexts; place and life-course transitions; and informal and formal infrastructures of care. Kieran has Chaired the European COST Action CA15122 on Reducing Old-Age Social Exclusion (ROSEnet), which represented over 180 members from 41 different countries. With objectives that address critical gaps in research, policy, and international interdisciplinary research capacity, ROSEnet aimed to overcome fragmentation in conceptual innovation on old-age exclusion across the life course, in order to address the research-policy disconnect and tackle social exclusion amongst older people.

Kieran is currently Scientific Coordinator of the MSCA HOMeAGE doctoral training programme (from 2023) https://homeage-dn.eu/, where he leads on the development of a network wide training programme for 12 doctoral researchers (DRs) based in nine European countries and representing a group of 11 different nationalities, with nine individuals from low- and middle-income contexts.

Social exclusion and social inequalities in later life. Public policy as a mediator of old-age disadvantage. Health care policy, care infrastructures and care relationships. Older adult environmental relationships (institutional, rural, urbanisation). Influence of structural forces and institutional policy life course. Place and life-course transitions and trajectories. Intersecting ageing and migration (internal and external) patterns.

Ageing and Public Policy, Social exclusion and inequality, Environmental gerontology, Research methods, Health system and health policy

HOMeAGE involves a nine-country collaboration between leading research units, major intergovernmental organisations, international civil society actors and governmental and non-governmental organisations.

A growing number of elderly in Europe are homeless. Almost a third experience neighbourhood deprivation. One in five struggle with a lack of cohesion. It is also estimated that 3 million elderly Europeans reside in institutional facilities. Ageing in place − being able to remain in one’s home and community safely, independently and comfortably, is the preferred arrangement. In this context, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions project HOMeAGE project will explore the difficulties faced by elderly. Specifically, the project will carry out an interdisciplinary, intersectoral and international programme of doctoral training and research. It will study the interconnected challenges of needs and systems, home and belonging, and rights and voice.

A life course perspective on the GENdered PATHways of exclusion from social relations in later life, and its consequences for health and wellbeing (GENPATH)

2019-2021

Funded by Gendernet Plus Programme

The GENPATH project aims to analyse gender differences in the construction and consequences of exclusion from social relations across European countries, and its consequences for health and wellbeing. Findings will be used to inform the scientific debate about social exclusion, and to inform policies to reduce exclusion from social relations in older men and women. GENPATH fits the SDG 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages