Research team

Dr Joe Whelan, School of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin: Principal Investigator.   

Ruby Stein, School of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin: Research Assistant. 

Community Artefact citation details

You will find a digital copy of the community artefact by clicking here. 

Any citation of the artefact should use the following reference:

Whelan, J. and Stein R. (2026) The flats are coming down. Yup the flats! An artefact documenting a sociological exploration of life in the Dolphin House flat complex using arts based creative methods. Dublin: School of Social Work & Social Policy, TCD: DOI: https://doi.org/10.25546/112214

Funding and steering group

Funding details

The research documented on this website was funded by Research Ireland under Strand 1A of the New Foundations Grant Scheme: Engaging Civic Society. Strand 1A allows researchers to partner with civic society groups to conduct impactful research of social importance. 

Steering group principles and membership

Core features of this research were meaningful coproduction and deep community engagement. In this respect, a Steering Group was formed and informed by the principles of Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR). CBPR effectively involves partnering, or co-producing, research with a community organisation or group to develop, deliver and manage a research project. Guided by the principles of CBPR, the steering group had input across the following key areas: 

• Project management

• Rights and responsibilities

• Ethical issues

• Partner’s expectations

• Roles and relationships

• Community training and participation

• Decision making processes 

• Project Details

• Practical matters

• Reward and recognition

• Feedback and review at the end of the project. 

o (Adapted from Health Service Executive Research and Development, 2021).

Steering group membership over the lifetime of the project was made up of the following individuals:

1. Bobby McLoughlin: Project Manager, Dolphin House Community Development Association. 

2. Dawn Slattery: Outreach Worker and Resident.

3. Debbie Mulhall: Community Development Worker and Resident.

4. Dr Paula Mayock: Associate Professor and Researcher, Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin. 

5. Manus Bree: Regeneration Coordinator.

6. Pat Caffrey: Resident and Community Activist.

7. Phyllis McGlynn: Resident and Community Activist.