Aileen Kavanagh
@aileenkavanagh.bsky.social
Chair of Constitutional Governance, School of Law @tcddublin.bsky.social; Director of TriCON, Trinity Centre for Constitutional Governance @tricondublin.bsky.social; Dubliner; No Hot Takes.
Thanks to @jdamh.bsky.social & @aoifemod.bsky.social for a fascinating discussion of secrets and revelation in international law, chaired by our own Christiane Ahlborn, and comments from @mikebecker.bsky.social, @pearceclancy.bsky.social @suryaroy.bsky.social & ors
We're thrilled to announce the relaunch of I•CONnect, the official blog of the International Society of Public Law! Discover a fresh new design & an expanded global team of scholars bringing you cutting-edge constitutional & public law insights. 🔗 www.iconnectblog.com
Today, St Brigid’s Day, marks three years since Ireland’s first public holiday named after a woman. It’s a chance to celebrate the vital role women play in Irish culture and history. Discover St Brigid's story on the @dib.ie https://www.dib.ie/biography/brigit-brighid-brid-bride-bridget-a0961.
Huge thanks to @lsolum.bsky.social for ‘highly recommending’ my paper on living constitutionalism now available on SSRN. That’s made my day! The paper is part of a new Research Handbook on Constitutional Interpretation out now with Edward Elgar.
Lawrence Solum@lsolum.bsky.social · 6mo agoKavanagh on Living Collaborative Constitutionalism Aileen Kavanagh (Trinity College (Dublin)) has posted The Living Constitution in Collaborative Context on SSRN. Here is the abstract: In this paper, I argue that living constitutionalism (i.e. a dynamic form of constitutional interpretation where…
Check out my sister’s brilliant book on beekeeping in Irish folklore. It’s a gem! The Keeper of the Bees @beefolklore.bsky.social
Celtic Books@celticbooks.bsky.social · 7mo ago"The Keeper of the Bees" is a beautifully illustrated book on folktales about bees and beekeeping 🐝 💻️: https://tinyurl.com/2n9z96eu #bees #beekeeping #folktales
"The Keeper of the Bees" is a beautifully illustrated book on folktales about bees and beekeeping 🐝 💻️: https://tinyurl.com/2n9z96eu #bees #beekeeping #folktales
Legal Theory Lexicon: Adjudicative Facts versus Legislative Facts Introduction Facts are important to the outcome of legal disputes. One of the things that law students may notice is that there are different kinds of factual disputes that arise in legal proceedings. Some factual disputes are…
Legal Theory Lexicon: Adjudicative Facts versus Legislative Facts
Introduction Facts are important to the outcome of legal disputes. One of the things that law students may notice is that there are different kinds of factual disputes that arise in legal proceedings. Some factual disputes are about events, occurrences, and transactions that are mostly relevant to the particular dispute--the civil action or the criminal prosecution. Other facts are more general and bear on questions about what the law is or should be--and not what happened in a particular case.
legaltheoryblog.com
Knight, "Declaratory remedies in judicial review and the prudential exercise of power". papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Congratulations to @tricondublin.bsky.social Director Prof @aileenkavanagh.bsky.social on winning the Inner Temple (Main Author) Book Prize 2025, awarded triennially as a ‘major prize for outstanding authorship’.
Aileen Kavanagh@aileenkavanagh.bsky.social · 8mo agoOverjoyed that my book The Collaborative Constitution @cambup-law.cambridge.org has won The Inner Temple Main Author Book Prize 2025! Great to celebrate with my fellow finalists Sean Coyle, Liron Schmilovitz & @vmantouvalou.bsky.social & the New Author winner Brooke Marshall.
Overjoyed that my book The Collaborative Constitution @cambup-law.cambridge.org has won The Inner Temple Main Author Book Prize 2025! Great to celebrate with my fellow finalists Sean Coyle, Liron Schmilovitz & @vmantouvalou.bsky.social & the New Author winner Brooke Marshall.
Congrats to @tricondublin.bsky.social Director Prof @aileenkavanagh.bsky.social whose paper ‘Keeping it Real in Constitutional Theory’ is ‘Download of the Week’ on the Legal Theory blog, and described by Prof @lsolum.bsky.social as a ‘deep and important paper’.
Lawrence Solum@lsolum.bsky.social · 9mo agoDownload of the Week: “Keeping it Real in Constitutional Theory” by Kavanagh The Download of the Week is Keeping it Real in Constitutional Theory by Aileen Kavanagh. Here is the abstract: In constitutional theory, we are familiar with the claim that a good theory must fit and justify…
Download of the Week: “Keeping it Real in Constitutional Theory” by Kavanagh The Download of the Week is Keeping it Real in Constitutional Theory by Aileen Kavanagh. Here is the abstract: In constitutional theory, we are familiar with the claim that a good theory must fit and justify…
Download of the Week: “Keeping it Real in Constitutional Theory” by Kavanagh
The Download of the Week is Keeping it Real in Constitutional Theory by Aileen Kavanagh. Here is the abstract: In constitutional theory, we are familiar with the claim that a good theory must fit and justify constitutional practice. However, the criterion of 'fit' sometimes gets lost in the quest to provide a bold normative theory about what constitutional should be. Using the debate about the legitimacy of constitutional judicial review as an example, this article warns against a problematic disjuncture between theory and practice in the domain of constitutional law.
legaltheoryblog.com
Many thanks to Prof Zoltán Pozsár-Szentmiklósy for an eye-opening paper on democratic backsliding in Hungary last night at @tricondublin.bsky.social, and to @benedettalobina.bsky.social & Beatrice Monciunskaite for incisive comments.
Looking forward to chairing this @tricondublin.bsky.social seminar tomorrow on direct democracy in Hungary with visiting speaker Prof Zoltán Pozsár-Szentmiklósy with commentators @benedettalobina.bsky.social & Prof Beatrice Monciunskaite.
TriCON@tricondublin.bsky.social · 9mo agoJoin us for a @tricondublin.bsky.social seminar on direct democracy in Hungary on Nov 5th at 5.30pm in TCD law School.
📢The 2026 ICON•S Annual Conference Call for Submissions is out! Join us in #Dublin from June 29 – July 1, 2026! Read the 🧵for details ⬇️
New article called ‘Underuse of the Override’ forthcoming in the Canadian Journal of Law & Jurisprudence, now up on @ssrn.bsky.social: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.... It’s based on my 2023 Coxford Lecture: m.youtube.com/watch?v=UWRs...
Underuse of the Override
<p>The power of the legislature to override court rulings on rights – and to legislate ‘notwithstanding’ some rights guarantees - is one of the most notable and
papers.ssrn.com
TODAY! All welcome
Ahmed Ellaboudy@aellaboudy.bsky.social · 11mo agoThe programme is here! TriCON New Voices in Constitutional Law Workshop features 6 brilliant ECRs tackling diverse research inquiries, with expert feedback from leading constitutional law academics - plus a keynote session by Prof. Leah Trueblood. @tricondublin.bsky.social
Join us for an ICON meets TriCON webinar on October 17th on the rationale and risks of referendums! Brilliant speakers, important topic. ICON GBIE @tricondublin.bsky.social
Aoife O'Donoghue @aoifemod.bsky.social · 10mo agoThis is going to be an excellent event with speakers including @maireadenright.bsky.social @conorkelly.bsky.social @dkennytcd.bsky.social @aileenkavanagh.bsky.social @aileenmcharg.bsky.social @danielwincott.bsky.social @profnicolamcewen.bsky.social 📢
Interesting thread by @drdeanknight.bsky.social reflecting on how parliamentarians should respond to a declaration of incompatibility/inconsistency in UK or NZ law - a question which @robertcraig3.bsky.social tackles in this review of The Collaborative Constitution in @nilegalq.bsky.social
Dr Dean Knight@drdeanknight.bsky.social · 10mo agoRobert’s article and Aileen’s book address a dimension that this week I invited the Justice committee to reflect on re the Electoral Amendment Bill and the reinstatement of the blanket ban on prisoner voting. nilq.qub.ac.uk/index.php/ni...
Thanks to @robertcraig3.bsky.social for this in-depth review of The Collaborative Constitution @cambup-law.cambridge.org in the @nilegalq.bsky.social. Great discussion about inter-institutional interaction and constitutional conventions.
@robertcraig3.bsky.social · 10mo agoDelighted that my full length Book Review Article of @AileenFKavanagh "The Collaborative Constitution" is now available Open Access on NILQ: nilq.qub.ac.uk/index.php/ni... - no need to have read the book to follow the core argument. Dedicated to the memory of Professor Conor Gearty.
Deeply honoured - and a bit taken aback - to discover that The Collaborative Constitution @cambup-law.cambridge.org has been shortlisted for the Inner Temple Book Prize 2025, alongside Sean Coyle, @vmantouvalou.bsky.social & Liron Schmilovitz.
Tomorrow Sept 16th 5.30pm @tcddublin.bsky.social: @tricondublin.bsky.social seminar with @hbirk.bsky.social on the rule of law in Germany.
TriCON@tricondublin.bsky.social · 11mo agoNew season of TriCON seminars begins with Prof Hannah Birkenkötter @hbirk.bsky.social speaking about her new co-authored book The Rule of Law in Germany, with Prof Niels Kirst commenting, chaired by Prof Christiane Ahlborn @tcddublin.bsky.social
Shocked and saddened to hear about the sudden death of Conor Gearty. Matrix chambers has set up a condolences wall for anyone who wants to share memories or offer condolences to the family. www.online-tribute.com/ProfessorCon...
Professor Conor Gearty KC (Hon) | 1957 - 2025 | Online-Tribute.com
It is with deep sadness that Matrix announces the death of Professor Conor Gearty KC (Hon). Conor was a founding member of Matrix and highly respected member of the legal community. A formidable…
online-tribute.com
New season of TriCON seminars begins with Prof Hannah Birkenkötter @hbirk.bsky.social speaking about her new co-authored book The Rule of Law in Germany, with Prof Niels Kirst commenting, chaired by Prof Christiane Ahlborn @tcddublin.bsky.social
Full marks to the Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly to curating this great Special Issue on academic writing, with personal ‘Reflections on Writing’ from Nikki Lacey, Emily Jackson, Conor Gearty @tamarahervey.bsky.social & many more. Well done NILQ! All open access: nilq.qub.ac.uk/index.php/ni...
The next Public Law Conference will be held at University of Cape Town, 1-4 July 2026. The theme is Public Law and the Future of Constitutional Democracy. 2026 marks the 30 year anniversary since the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. More details coming soon.
@tricondublin.bsky.social New Voices in Constitutional Law Workshop 3rd Oct. Great opportunity for ECRs across the island of Ireland to present and get focused feedback on their work in public/constitutional law. Abstracts due July 31st!
Ahmed Ellaboudy@aellaboudy.bsky.social · last yr.Submissions are open for the 'TriCON New Voices in Constitutional Law Workshop'. An excellent opportunity for PhD candidates & ECRs in Ireland working on public/constitutional law to get expert feedback on their research. @tricondublin.bsky.social
