Liam Sweeney

Dr Liam Sweeney jointed Maynooth University in October 2023 as an Assistant Professor in Sport Science. Prior to joining Maynooth University, Liam held academic and research roles at Dublin City University (DCU), including as a Lecturer and as a Postdoctoral Researcher. Liam’s research interests include talent development, exercise physiology, sport performance, and physical activity. Liam completed his PhD at the School of Health and Human Performance in DCU between 2020-2023, which was funded by the Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme. Liam’s PhD examined talent development in the Football Association of Ireland’s male player pathway. This PhD research undertook a mixed-methods approach, examining various aspects of player development, including physical, physiological and psychosocial elements of player development. Liam’s PhD thesis was titled, “Maximising potential through the pathway: An interdisciplinary and mixed-methods investigation of player development in Irish male football”, completed under the supervision of Dr Áine MacNamara and Dr Jamie Taylor. Prior to the completion of his PhD, Liam attained a first class master’s degree with honours in Exercise Physiology at the University of Galway, and a first class undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science with honours at the University of Bedfordshire. During his undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science, Liam won all three special student achievement awards; including the award for the highest overall dissertation grade in the School of Sport Science and Physical Activity, the highest overall final course degree grade, and the highest overall grade at the University of Bedfordshire Discipline of Exercise Physiology poster presentation and oral defence. During his master’s degree in Exercise Physiology, Liam was awarded the highest overall grade for his MSc thesis. In addition to his academic role, Liam continues to work in a number of research and consultancy roles with several sporting National Governing Bodies, including the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), the Irish Football Association (IFA), and the Swedish Football Association.