After a nationwide search that took to the busy streets of Dublin to the wild Atlantic coast,Isibéal Ní Cheallaigh has been chosen the official Irish voice for Ring Video Doorbell.
Last summer, Ring launched a search for a voice that represents the warmth, charm and unique character of Ireland. The response was incredible, with hundreds attending auditions in Dublin, Cork and Galway while many more entered via social media.
Meet Isibéal Ní Cheallaigh: The Voice at Your Door
Isibeál – who is from Dublin and currently lives in Galway – is a former primary school teacher, teaching through Irish, who left full-time teaching to complete a cleachtas gairmiúl sna meáin master’s degree in media. During her studies, she’s worked as a musician and in the media, most recently on TG4’s Ros na Rún. Her entry into Ring was almost accidental.
“I’d heard about the Ring ‘Voice of the Nation’ auditions from a friend the week before they came to town, but I forgot they were taking place,” Isibéal shared. “By chance, I was walking through the shopping centre on audition day, and I thought I’d get involved for the craic.”
That spontaneous decision paid off. Her reaction to the news was genuine: “I really didn’t expect it or think it was going to happen!”
Her family’s reaction was equally memorable. “But when I found out I’d been chosen, I rang my mum and told her I’d got it. My brother was with her at the time, and his reaction was so funny. He was like ‘so you’re going to be a doorbell?’ – it was gas.”
A Celebration of Irish Identity and Language
This campaign celebrated what makes Ireland unique. Research revealed that 55% of Irish people are “head over heels in love” with their accent. In a historic first for Ring, the new Quick Replies feature includes an option for greetings in the Irish language.
“Dia dhuit! Ní féidir linn an doras a oscailt faoi láthair, ach más mian leat teachtaireacht ghearr a fhágáil is féidir leat é sin a dhéanamh anois”
For Isibéal, a fluent speaker, this is a meaningful addition.
“There’s a huge rise in the Irish language at the moment, even in ads and on posters. Lots of things are shown in two languages, so it’s very important to have that option as well,” she explained.
Dave Ward, Managing Director EU & International at Ring, noted: “Our ‘Voice of the Nation’ celebrates the authentic voices that make every neighbourhood across Ireland unique. Isibeál brings something truly special to Ring, not just a beautiful accent but our very first Irish language voice. I’m so excited for our customers to bring that warmth and charm to their front door.”
How Quick Replies Work
Quick Replies act as an answering machine for your front door. When a visitor presses your Video Doorbell, they can hear a pre-recorded greeting if you are unable to answer. It is a simple way to let delivery drivers know where to leave a package or tell friends you will be right there.
Starting today, Isibéal’s voice is available to all Ring customers in Ireland and the UK. Whether you want a friendly greeting in English or a traditional fáilte in Irish, you can customises your Video Doorbell to sound like home.
While 15% of people listed Cillian Murphy as their dream celebrity voice during our research, Isibéal’s tones were the perfect match for our panel. Head judge and radio broadcaster, Carl Mullan, added: “Isibéal’s dulcet tones really struck the judging panel as the perfect voice of our nation. Well done to Isibéal and to everyone who took part – you did our beautiful Irish accent proud!”.
How to Set Up the Irish Voice on Your Device
Ready to welcome visitors with the Voice of the Nation? Setting up the feature is easy and takes just a few moments:
1. Open the Ring app: Ensure you have the latest version installed.
2. Select your device: Tap the Video Doorbell you wish to update.
3. Go to settings: Tap the ‘Smart Responses’ tile.
4. Enable Quick Replies: Toggle the switch to enable Quick Replies if it isn’t already on.
5. Choose your message: Select “Irish Voice of the Nation” and choose your preferred greeting.
Viltrox, the leading innovator in high-performance photographic equipment, has launched the Vintage Z2 TTL, an ultra-compact on-camera flash designed to bridge the gap between minimalist portable aesthetics and professional lighting performance. With the slogan, ‘Barely There. Boldly Lit’, the Viltrox Vintage Z2 TTL is engineered for photographers who demand high-quality illumination without the inconvenient bulk and weight of traditional flash units.
Radical portability: Unbelievably compact
The Vintage Z2 TTL challenges the conventions of external camera lighting by being significantly smaller than traditional flashes. Weighing merely 52g, it is pocket-sized, minimizing load on the camera body and hot shoe.
This lightweight flash can remain in position without user fatigue, making it an ideal companion for minimal mirrorless setups and fast-paced creativity. The flash folds down, while still attached, for streamlined mobility and storage. Whether folded or extended, the Z2 maintains smooth visual continuity with the camera, appearing as a natural extension of the camera body.
Intuitive TTL performance or manual precision
Despite its diminutive size and weight, the Vintage Z2 is a functional powerhouse. Instant response TTL Mode uses real-time metering to automatically adjust flash output for naturally balanced exposures. For creators needing more deliberate control, Manual mode provides five levels of precise power adjustment from 1/1 to 1/16, enabling consistent results in controlled environments.
A dedicated one-touch switch switches between these modes, allowing photographers to transition from the speed of automation to the precision of manual control instantly. A clear button layout and intuitive mode indicator lights ensure confident operation, even in low-light conditions.
Professional capability in a compact frame
The Vintage Z2 TTL keeps pace with fast-moving assignments, delivering up to 700 full-power flashes on a single charge of its 420mAh battery. Two second recycle time ensures the flash is ready for rapid consecutive shots. Elevated light placement creates natural, dimensional lighting – avoiding the flat imaging of low-mounted flashes.
Technical specifications are impressive, with a color temperature of 6500±200K and a guide number of GN: 6. Flash duration ranges from 1/16500s to 1/50000s, fast enough to freeze motion effectively.
Seamless compatibility and power management
Dedicated hot shoe versions of the Vintage Z2 for Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, and Canon systems, ensure optimized TTL flash performance across all major platforms. For other cameras with a standard hot shoe, the Z2 remains fully functional in Manual mode. The integrated rechargeable battery is charged via USB Type-C, reaching full charge in about 70 minutes. To preserve power, the Z2’s intelligent Sleep Mode activates after 15 minutes of inactivity, requiring only a simple restart to resume operation.
Availability and design
The Viltrox Vintage Z2 TTL On-Camera Flash is available for two mounting systems. The Sony version measures 66.7×38.5×33.4 mm, while the Canon, Nikon, and Fujifilm versions measure 64.6×38.5×33.4 mm.
The quick-mount hot shoe allows instant attachment and firm locking, making it the most efficient lighting tool for the modern, mobile photographer who will not compromise performance for portability.
Expanding Viltrox’s flash lineup
By combining radical lightweight engineering with clean, contemporary design, the Vintage Z2 TTL strengthens Viltrox’s growing flash portfolio. Following Viltrox’s Vintage Z1 – celebrated for its retro-inspired aesthetics and compact everyday usability – and the Spark Z3, with its old cyberpunk-inspired design and integrated TTL functionality, the Z2 represents the next step in this evolution. It pushes portability and minimalist aesthetics even further, while retaining intelligent TTL performance.
More details and how to buy
For more information, please visit:
As AI drives unprecedented demand for data centre capacity, the industry faces a growing challenge in aligning rapidly expanding compute infrastructure with available power. To address this, Siemens Smart Infrastructure is expanding its data centre ecosystem through a strategic investment in, and partnership with, Emerald AI, alongside the integration of Fluence battery energy storage solutions, and the addition of collaborative physics-based AI modeling with PhysicsX. Together, these capabilities create flexibility across compute, energy, and infrastructure systems, helping data centre operators connect to the grid faster, scale efficiently, and operate reliably in a power-constrained world.
“Scaling AI infrastructure isn’t just a computing challenge, it is equally an energy and infrastructure challenge,” said Ruth Gratzke, President of Siemens Smart Infrastructure U.S. “As demand for AI processing accelerates, data centre growth is increasingly constrained by grid capacity and interconnection timelines. Addressing this requires complex coordination across both the digital and energy domains. Siemens is actively investing in key technologies
and partnerships to expand the ecosystem required to scale AI responsibly and support the next generation of data centre infrastructure.”
Emerald AI enables AI workloads to shift in time and location to align with grid conditions, allowing data centre demand to respond dynamically to available power. By coordinating when and where AI workloads run alongside dispatching onsite energy resources, this approach helps smooth peak demand, achieves faster and larger grid connections for data centres, and reduces pressure on constrained power infrastructure. The strategic investment in Emerald AI strengthens Siemens’ ability to introduce flexibility at the compute layer. When combined with Siemens’ expertise in power infrastructure and operational technology, this creates true IT/OT convergence between AI workloads and power systems.
A key element of this expanded ecosystem is the addition of Fluence’s grid-scale energy storage solutions, designed to support the next generation of high-performance AI data centres. As compute clusters grow in size and density, Fluence energy storage solutions enable data centres to accelerate grid connection by shaping load and coordinating ramp rates, making large AI-scale demand more predictable and easier for utilities to approve. This can turn power-constrained locations into viable data centre sites and accelerate time to power, which can enable deployment of energy storage in months rather than years of grid upgrades. Fluence’s energy storage solutions can also provide dispatchable, on-site power that aims to enable data centres to operate during grid build-outs, capacity shortfalls, or outages. By supporting consistent power quality and flexible scaling, Fluence can help data centre operators bring capacity online faster while maintaining the reliability required for mission-critical AI workloads.
Strengthening this ecosystem further, Siemens is collaborating with PhysicsX to apply physics AI to the design and operation of data centre power distribution systems. Using AI models trained on Siemens’ multi-physics simulation data, engineers can predict thermal behavior in complex busway systems in real time. With PhysicsX, simulations that once took days can run in under a second, enabling faster design iteration, optimized infrastructure for dynamic AI workloads, and the foundation for predictive monitoring across entire facilities.
The rapid growth of AI will continue to place new and often highly dynamic demands on power systems, with large training and inference clusters creating rapidly shifting loads that challenge traditional grid planning and data centre design. As a result, operators must find new ways to manage these demands while maintaining the performance and reliability required for AI infrastructure. Siemens’ expanded ecosystem is designed to help address this challenge by bringing together AI workload orchestration, grid-integrated energy systems, and AI-optimized physical infrastructure to support the next generation of AI infrastructure.
Anyone who has ever tried to collect data from websites at scale runs into the same problem sooner or later: blocks. At first everything works. Then requests start failing, pages stop loading properly, and eventually access disappears completely.
In most cases the reason is simple. Websites monitor traffic very closely. If dozens or hundreds of requests come from the same IP address, the system quickly assumes automation and shuts the door.
That is exactly the situation where residential proxies become useful.
A residential proxy works through an IP address assigned by an Internet Service Provider to a real household connection. To the website, the visit looks like a normal person opening a page from home rather than a script running somewhere on a server.
Over the past few years demand for these tools has increased a lot. Data has become a core part of business decisions. Companies monitor search rankings, track prices, analyze competitors, and verify advertising campaigns.
But the moment automated traffic becomes noticeable, websites begin limiting access. That is why many teams end up searching for the bestresidential proxyprovider instead of relying on basic proxy solutions.
The difference becomes obvious very quickly: some proxy networks work smoothly for weeks, while others start failing after a few hundred requests.
What Are Residential Proxies and Why Businesses Use Them
To understand why residential proxies are so widely used, it helps to look at how websites evaluate incoming traffic.
Servers rarely see the user directly. Instead, they see the IP address and some behavioral patterns. If the IP belongs to a hosting provider, it immediately raises suspicion. Many automated tools operate from datacenter infrastructure.
Residential IPs look different. They belong to real internet subscribers. From the server’s point of view, the request appears to come from someone sitting at home with a laptop or phone.
This difference alone changes how the request is treated.
Feature
Residential Proxy
Datacenter Proxy
IP source
Real ISP connection
Hosting server
Detection risk
Lower
Higher
Location precision
Often city-level
Usually generic
Blocking rate
Relatively low
Much higher
Typical price
Higher
Lower
Because residential traffic appears more natural, companies use it for tasks that require stable access to websites.
Where residential proxies are commonly used
large-scale web data collection
checking search results in different regions
monitoring advertising placements
tracking competitor pricing in e-commerce
managing multiple social media or marketplace accounts
Take price monitoring as a simple example. A retailer may want to track how competitors price products in several countries. If all requests come from a single address, the store’s security system may block them within minutes.
Using residential proxies spreads those requests across many real connections. From the website’s perspective it looks like normal visitors browsing the catalog.
That is why businesses working with large volumes of data rarely rely on random proxy lists. Instead they compare services and try to find the best residential proxy provider that offers stable infrastructure and enough IP addresses.
Key Features of the Best Residential Proxy Provider
Once someone starts comparing proxy services, the number of options can be surprising. Many platforms promise fast speeds, unlimited access, and massive IP pools.
In practice, the differences become clear only after using the service for real tasks.
Experienced users usually pay attention to several practical details when evaluating the best residential proxy provider.
Important things people look at
how large the IP pool actually is
whether the network covers many countries
connection stability during long sessions
options for rotating IP addresses
availability of APIs for automation
transparency about where the IPs come from
responsiveness of support teams
The size of the network matters more than beginners expect. When the IP pool is small, the same addresses get reused frequently. That increases the chances of websites recognizing the pattern.
Location coverage is another factor. Some tasks require traffic from very specific regions. Search results, for instance, can look completely different depending on the city or country of the visitor.
Connection reliability is also easy to underestimate. If proxies constantly disconnect or respond slowly, automated scripts begin to fail. Over time that creates gaps in collected data.
Another point worth checking is how the residential IPs are sourced. Established providers usually work through opt-in programs where users agree to share their connection. This approach keeps the network transparent and avoids legal concerns.
When these factors come together — large IP pools, stable connections, and proper infrastructure — a provider begins to stand out as the best residential proxy provider for many professional tasks.
Top Residential Proxy Providers Compared
The residential proxy market has grown quickly during the last decade. What used to be a niche tool for developers is now widely used by marketing teams, researchers, and data analysts.
Several companies have built particularly large networks. Different providers appeal to different types of users.
Large data companies often prefer services with massive IP pools and advanced APIs because they run complex data pipelines. Smaller teams sometimes choose simpler platforms that are easier to configure.
There is also a separate category of static residential proxy providers. Instead of rotating addresses frequently, these services offer residential IPs that remain stable for longer periods.
Such proxies are often used for account management or monitoring tasks where changing the IP address too often may trigger security checks.
In reality, the best residential proxy provider depends heavily on what the user wants to do. Data scraping, market research, and account automation all have slightly different requirements.
In the next part of this guide we will look closer at static proxies, rotating networks, and whether using residential proxy free services is actually practical.
Static vs Rotating Proxies: Understanding Static Residential Proxy Providers
When people first hear about residential proxies, the difference between rotating and static IPs is often confusing. In reality, the concept is quite straightforward once you start using them in practice.
Rotating residential proxies automatically switch the IP address after a certain number of requests or after a short period of time. The idea behind this approach is simple: every request appears to come from a different user. For large-scale tasks this behavior is extremely useful.
Static proxies work the opposite way.
Instead of constantly changing the address, the same residential IP stays assigned to a user for a longer time. Services built around this concept are often referred to as static residential proxy providers.
Both options solve different problems.
Rotating proxies are typically used when the goal is to access many pages quickly without triggering rate limits. Data collection tools, for example, rely heavily on this type of rotation.
Static proxies are usually chosen when stability matters more than constant IP changes. Some platforms expect a consistent connection and may treat frequent switching as suspicious activity.
That is why static residential IPs are often used for:
managing multiple accounts
accessing dashboards or web services
monitoring websites over long periods
running automation tools that require session stability
In other words, rotating proxies are better for large volumes of requests, while static proxies help maintain a stable identity online.
Are There Any Residential Proxy Free Options?
A lot of beginners start their search by looking for residential proxy free solutions. At first it sounds logical. If a free option exists, why not try it?
The problem is that free proxy networks rarely behave the way people expect.
Most of them rely on very small pools of IP addresses that are shared by many users at the same time. As a result, those addresses quickly become overused. Websites start recognizing them and blocking access more aggressively.
Another issue is performance. Free proxies are often slow and unstable. Connections drop, requests time out, and scripts fail unexpectedly.
Security can also be a concern. When a proxy service is completely free, it is often unclear how the network is maintained or who controls the infrastructure.
For that reason, residential proxy free services are sometimes used for testing small tools or learning how proxies work. But once a project becomes serious, most users move to paid services that provide larger IP pools and stable routing.
In practice, reliability usually matters more than saving a few dollars.
Expert Opinion on Residential Proxy Networks
Residential proxy networks have gradually become an important part of modern data infrastructure. Companies that analyze online markets or monitor competitors often depend on them every day.
Industry researchers also emphasize their role in large-scale data collection.
“Residential proxies are the most reliable way to access large-scale web data without getting blocked.” — Sedat Dogan, CTO at AIMultiple. Source: research.aimultiple.com
This statement reflects a simple reality. When a project requires thousands or even millions of requests, ordinary connections stop working very quickly. Residential proxy networks make that scale possible.
Because of this, organizations usually spend time evaluating several services before choosing the best residential proxy provider for their workflow.
Conclusion: Choosing the Best Residential Proxy Provider
Residential proxies are now used in many different fields, from market research to SEO monitoring. In practice, they help solve a very specific problem — getting access to websites without running into constant blocks.
In the end, the right provider is simply the one that keeps your workflow running without interruptions.
FAQ
What is a residential proxy in simple terms? A residential proxy is basically an internet connection that lets your requests go through an IP address belonging to a regular home user. Because websites see that address as a normal household connection, the traffic usually looks like it comes from an ordinary visitor rather than from automated software.
What do static residential proxy providers offer? Services known as static residential proxy providers give users a residential IP address that stays the same for longer sessions. This can be useful when working with platforms that expect a stable connection. For example, some dashboards or accounts react negatively if the IP address keeps changing.
Do residential proxy free services really work? You can find offers online that promise residential proxy free access. They sometimes work for short tests, but the experience is often inconsistent. Speeds can be slow, and the same IP addresses may be shared by many people, which makes them easier for websites to recognize and block.
Why do people look for the best residential proxy provider? Not every proxy network performs the same way. Some have larger IP pools, better routing, and more reliable connections. When projects depend on steady access to websites — for example, during data collection or market monitoring — users usually try to find the best residential proxy provider available to avoid interruptions.
Can residential proxies help with checking search results in other countries? Yes, this is one of the practical uses. Residential proxies allow someone to access search engines as if they were browsing from another location. That makes it easier to see how results appear in different regions and compare how rankings change from place to place.
Are residential proxies legal to use? In most places they are legal as long as they are used for legitimate purposes. Many companies rely on them for research, analytics, or advertising checks. It is generally recommended to work with providers that clearly explain how their residential IP network is obtained and managed.
There is no doubt that even up to this day, Ireland still holds the title of being one of Europe’s most dynamic technology hubs. This is made even more evident by the fact that global companies like Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon maintain major operations in Dublin. Plus, there are quite a lot of startups and scale-ups that are building products from across the country.
These days, remote work has become more prominent than ever before. Remote work has completely changed the way that teams operate these days. After all, everyone from developers to engineers can collaborate despite not being in the same continent.
And yet, even with the growing popularity of remote work, there are still companies that maintain a physical presence in Dublin. This is completely reasonable, seeing as Dublin is a powerhouse filled with global opportunities. Plus, remote flexibility and physical base perfectly complement one another these days. After all, there will eventually come a time when companies who have remote workers will need a physical presence for important meetings with investors, stockholders, and partners.
The Rise of Remote Tech Teams in Ireland
It was the COVID-19 pandemic that made remote work adoption accelerate quickly. Even after the pandemic ended, a lot of companies still retained flexible working policies.
Because of remote work, companies in Dublin were able to recruit talent beyond Dublin’s city limits. This is very convenient, especially since there is no need for hired talent to relocate to fulfill their roles and responsibilities. As a result, most remote teams in Ireland now consist of professionals who are spread across multiple regions.
Sure, remote setups have plenty of advantages. For instance, there is easy access to a wider talent pool that allows companies to recruit specialists who might be unavailable locally. Plus, remote operations do not require a huge overhead. This can be very important for companies that are just starting out.
And yet, there are also some challenges that come with remote setups. These challenges must be anticipated by businesses to make sure they can still thrive despite possible hiccups.
Why Physical Meeting Spaces Still Matter
There is no denying that nothing beats face-to-face interaction. Sure, platforms like Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams make it very easy to collaborate remotely. But of course, there are times when physical meetings are needed.
Some instances where face-to-face interactions might be necessary include strategy sessions, product design workshops, and investor presentations. When participants are in the same physical environment, there is a higher chance that productivity is better.
This is the reason why a lot of distributed companies plan for periodic in-person meetings in serviced offices Dublin. This way, they can plan for sessions, onboarding, or collaboration days in person. Flexible spaces are a huge help for these instances since they provide temporary but professional environments that support hybrid teams without a huge overhead.
In a way, these serviced offices serve as meeting points instead of daily workplaces. Employees can still work remotely most of the time and then just gather occasionally for key milestones or project reviews.
Collaboration and Culture in Hybrid Teams
It’s important for all members of an organization to be able to feel comfortable with one another. But since remote work means different people from different cultures can work together, there is a need to set aside a time to get to know each other’s cultures to foster better communication and collaboration.
It’s best if casual conversations, spontaneous brainstorming, and informal mentorship can happen naturally in person once in a while. This way, companies will be able to strengthen team relationships and align employees around shared goals.
These interactions can significantly improve communication and productivity despite the geographical restrictions that exist within an organization.
The Future of Work in Ireland’s Tech Sector
Since remote work has become established in today’s world, there is a very small chance that Ireland’s technology sector will go back to fully office-based work. Therefore, organizations must embrace all the advantages and disadvantages that come with the remote work setup and deal with them as efficiently as possible.
Sure, remote work is a very convenient and flexible setup. And yet, there will always be a need for in-person meetings and interactions; regardless of whether the purpose is to boost morale or collaboration or to brainstorm ideas and solve problems more effectively. Luckily, there are spaces like serviced offices Dublin that companies can pay for just for occasional meetings.
Remote work and occasional in-person meetings are a good combination. While there is no denying that the remote work setup is very convenient, nothing beats the advantages that come with meeting people in person. After all, interactions feel more natural. Plus, there is more room for building rapport and improving relationships.
As Ireland’s technology sector continues to grow, this balance between flexibility and physical presence will likely define how remote tech teams Ireland operate in the years ahead.
HAYLOU has introduced Flowbuds N55, a true wireless earbud designed to deliver reliable everyday listening without added complexity. Built for users who move through noisy environments and long days, Flowbuds N55 helps reduce distractions, stay comfortable, and remain powered from morning through evening—making dependable performance easy to experience.
The launch of Flowbuds N55 reflects HAYLOU’s evolving product direction in 2026, shaped by a clear insight across global markets: users want smart audio devices that are reliable, intuitive, and supportive of daily life—rather than overloaded with features or complexity.
Designed for Reliability in Real Life
Rather than optimizing for isolated lab results, Flowbuds N55 is engineered for stable performance in everyday environments. Its real-time adaptive active noise cancellation reduces ambient noise by up to 54dB under optimal conditions, dynamically responding to changing environments such as traffic, transit, and crowded indoor spaces—without requiring manual adjustments.
By adapting automatically, the system helps reduce distractions as they occur, allowing users to stay focused without managing settings.
Sound Tuned for Daily Comfort
At the core is a 12.4mm titanium-coated dynamic driver certified for Hi-Res Audio&LDAC, delivering balanced clarity, controlled bass, and rich detail designed for fatigue-free listening throughout the day.The audio profile prioritizes clarity and control, ensuring vocals stay clear, bass remains measured, and details are preserved without fatigue.
Instead of aiming for short-term impact, the tuning is designed to support repeated listening throughout the day—across music, calls, and spoken content.
Power That Lasts Through the Day
With up to 12 hours of playback on a single charge and 40 hours with the case, Flowbuds N55 minimizes charging interruptions across an entire day of use.This focus on endurance removes a common point of friction in daily routines.
Paired with intuitive touch controls and a compact charging case, the overall experience is straightforward and easy to adopt, particularly for first-time true wireless users.
Design for Everyday Use
The physical design of Flowbuds N55 follows the same practical philosophy. Its dual-tone charging case, finished with vacuum coating and excimer processing, balances durability with a refined appearance. Designed for regular handling and daily carry, it emphasizes function and longevity over visual excess.
A Product Aligned with HAYLOU’s Direction
Flowbuds N55 reflects HAYLOU’s continued focus on core experiences—sound quality, call clarity, battery life, and ease of use—delivering smart audio products users can rely on every day. It also marks a step forward in HAYLOU’s broader goal of making reliable, high-quality performance accessible across global markets.
The first Innovate for Ireland national centre, ‘Decarb-AI: AI-Powered Pathways to Climate Resilience’ has been announced today. Created in partnership with AIB and Research Ireland, the €5.7m Decarb-AI national centre will aim to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate Ireland’s transition to a climate-resilient, low-carbon future.
Decarb-AI will welcome 30 iScholars across three intakes. Eight iScholars – from China, Ghana, India, UK, France, Ireland and Kenya – have already commenced their research. All of these iScholars will undertake fully-funded, four-year PhDs under the supervision of leading academic researchers from Irish higher education institutions, which are: University College Dublin (lead institution), Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University, Technological University Dublin, University of Limerick, University of Galway (via the Irish Centre for High-End Computing – ICHEC), and University College Cork. The iScholars’ research at Decarb-AI research centre will focus on using cutting-edge AI to advance climate mitigation and adaptation across Ireland, with key focus areas including:
AI-optimised renewable energy systems and datacentre sustainability
Machine learning for water quality forecasting and peatland restoration
Earth-observation and biodiversity modelling for land-use policy
AI-supported sustainable finance tools for SMEs
Transparent AI decision-support systems for real-time decarbonisation planning
The launch of Decarb-AI is a major milestone for the Innovate for Ireland programme. It follows on from the programme’s successful launch in early 2025, which saw the recruitment of the first cohort of 11 iScholars working in a variety of research disciplines. iScholars are outstanding researchers with entrepreneurial qualities and a passion for sustainability.
Yvonne McCarthy , Head of Sustainability Research, AIB, commented:“Tackling climate change requires both ambition and innovation. AIB is proud to partner with Innovate for Ireland on Decarb-AI, an initiative that brings world-leading researchers together to accelerate Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon economy. By supporting the development of AI-driven tools for energy and sustainable finance, we’re helping to unlock some of the solutions that will ensure that businesses and communities can make meaningful progress on decarbonisation that allows them to thrive.”
Dr Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO Research Ireland, commented: “By combining advanced AI research with real-world climate challenges, Decarb-AI has the potential to generate solutions that are both scientifically rigorous and nationally impactful. This initiative will train the next generation of interdisciplinary leaders and strengthen Ireland’s credentials in climate research innovation.”
Andrew Parnell, Lead PI and Professor of Data Science for Weather and Climate at University College Dublin, commented “AI is the catalyst required to solve the multi-objective problems inherent in climate resilience. Through Decarb-AI, we are fostering a research environment where advanced data science meets urgent environmental necessity through our new iScholars. Our focus is on creating scalable, academically rigorous, and industry-ready outputs ranging from peatland restoration to sustainable finance. We must ensure that Ireland remains at the global forefront of excellence in AI and sustainability.”
Dr Simon Boucher, Chief Executive, Global Innovators Ireland, commented: “The opening of the Decarb-AI national centre is an important step towards realising the Innovate for Ireland vision of establishing Ireland as a world-leading hub for sustainability innovation and helping to address the world’s most pressing challenges.”
Applications for a second cohort of researchers to Decarb-AI will be invited from ambitious candidates with backgrounds in AI, data science, engineering, environmental science, ecology, geography, finance, and related fields who want to build high-impact AI solutions for climate resilience.
People wanting to trade in financial markets have various means of doing so. Some traders make their own decisions before placing a trade by studying the market, reading charts, etc. This method is called manual trading. Others prefer to follow skilled traders and automatically copy their trades. This is known as copy trading.
Understanding copy trading vs manual trading is a helpful tool for beginners to decide which approach is suitable for them. Some have more time to learn and analyze markets, while others seem to prefer a simpler way to start. Both methods might work great, but both have advantages and drawbacks depending on a trader’s experience and objectives.
What Is Copy Trading?
Many new traders might wonder what is copy trading when they are just getting into the trading game. Copy trading is a practice wherein you copy the trades of other experienced traders. When the expert trader opens a trade or closes a trade, the same action occurs on your account. This way, people just starting out can follow strategies used by more advanced investors.
Most modern trading platforms now offer copy trading functionality. These platforms enable users to view traders’ profiles, including their past performance, and select who they want to follow. Once connected, trades get copied without having to place them manually.
Because of its simplicity, copy trading for beginners became very popular. The reason is that it allows new traders to participate in markets even if they have only novice technical knowledge. According to a report by Finance Magnates, copy trading platforms now account for a significant share of new retail trading accounts worldwide.
Some brokers offer built-in social trading functionality that allows an investor to automatically copy professional traders. Platforms such as Exness explain how these systems operate and the features traders should look for before selecting a broker.
What Is Manual Trading?
Manual trading is when a trader makes all trading decisions independently. The trader lays out the charts, reads the news, and, after analyzing the market, decides whether to buy or sell. Unlike automated systems, each trade is placed by the person, and not by software or by copying another person.
In the event of manual trading, people use their strategies and research to inform their trading decisions. They may do research on price patterns, technical indicators, or market trends before making a trade. This way, the trading position can be under control at all times.
One of the main advantages of manual trading is the degree of flexibility. Traders will also be able to quickly respond to changes in the market and adapt their trading strategies accordingly if needed. This is one of the reasons why it is very much preferred by many experienced traders when comparing manual vs automated trading, as they can rely on their own skills and judgement.
Copy Trading vs Manual Trading: Differences
Feature
Copy Trading
Manual Trading
Trade Execution
Trades copied automatically
Trades placed manually
Skill Level
Low technical knowledge needed
Requires market analysis skills
Control
Limited control over strategy
Full control over decisions
Time Required
Minimal monitoring
Regular market monitoring
Understanding copy trading vs manual trading helps traders understand how these two methods are applied in the real market. Both methods enable people to trade in financial markets, but there are differences in how trading is conducted and managed. The primary technical differences lie in the levels of skill required, the amount of control the trader possesses, and the time required to monitor the trades.
Skill and Experience Required
Copy trading tends to be less experience-related. Traders choose an experienced investor on a platform, and the system automatically executes the same trades that the person made. Because of the already implemented strategy, beginners will be able to take part without in-depth market analysis.
Manual trading needs a bit more technical knowledge. Traders study charts, monitor market trends, and rely on strategies such as technical analysis and risk management when opening a trade.
Control Over Trades
Control is a huge difference between copy trading and manual trading. In the case of copy trading, the process of decision-making to trade depends on the strategy the trader has. Full control is provided in manual trading. Traders choose at what times and to what extent to trade and adjust their positions according to the market conditions.
Time Commitment
Copy trading needs less daily monitoring as the trading is done automatically. Manual trading involves manual market analysis. Around 45% of traders spend 1-2 hours a day trading, and 14% of them spend more than 6 hours every day watching markets and making trades.
Benefits of Copy Trading for Beginners
Many new traders start with copy trading for beginners because it is simple and does not require too much knowledge about the markets. Instead of allowing them to make each and every decision independently, traders who are just starting out may consider following traders who have some experience in the market. This helps them to learn how trading works, but without having the stress of making complex decisions.
More than 70% of beginner traders check out copy trading features in their first year of trading.
Benefits include:
Learning from experienced traders
Requires less technical knowledge
Saves time due to automatic copying of trades
Easy to start with low initial investment amounts
These features make copy trading appealing to persons who wish to enter the market without taking months to gain knowledge of the technical market strategies.
Advantages of Manual Trading
There is a dearth of automated tools, but even then, many traders prefer trading manually. One of the primary benefits of manual trading is the degree of control that is available to traders over their trading strategies and decisions. Instead of basing their actions on what another trader does, individuals can look at the market on their own and base their judgment and actions accordingly.
Manual trading also allows traders to develop better knowledge of the markets and can improve their decision-making skills in the long run.
Advantages include
Full control over trading strategy and trade execution
Better understanding of market trends & price action
Flexible decision-making depending on market changes
Long-term skills development through practicing and analysing
For the trader who wants to study charts and develop strategies, manual trading can be more independent.
What Type of Trading Is Right for You?
Choosing between copy trading and manual trading depends on your level of experience, as well as whether you have available time and interest in analyzing the markets. Both of these methods can work well, but they are appropriate for different types of traders.
Copy trading can be considered a good option for:
Beginners entering the trading Market
People who do not have time to analyze charts
Traders who have not yet learned the workings of markets
Manual trading may suit:
Traders who were experienced and knew the market
Individuals who love technical and fundamental analysis
Traders who want complete control of their decisions
Some traders even use a combination of the two. For instance, they could do copy trading and use manual trading as they are learning the market, and can perform easily.
Conclusion
There is no best way for all the traders. The question of copy trading vs manual trading is all about your experience and how much you want to invest in your trading and your trading objectives. Understanding the risks, practicing on demo accounts, and finding a strategy that works best for your learning style can help contribute to a more confident approach to trading.
Reality fans are in for a treat, with a selection of Hayu’s most talked-about shows now available to watch for Sky TV subscribers. Customers can enjoy select seasons of favourites including Below Deck and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills straight from their homepage, on demand and included within their Sky subscription, giving a taste of what’s to come before the full launch of Hayu on Sky in July.
This update follows February’s announcement that Sky is bringing together Disney+, HBO Max, Netflix and Hayu into a single subscription, all in one place and integrated as part of the Sky TV experience. Giving existing Sky TV subscribers even more brilliant entertainment to watch, and available with Sky Ultimate TV from just €28 a month for new customers.
Binge-worthy telly from Hayu on Sky
Launching today, A Taste of Hayu features over 150 episodes from 10 of Hayu’s biggest franchises, all seamlessly integrated and ready to watch from the Sky TV homepage, so viewers can dive straight into the drama.
The curated selection includes hit shows like Below Deck Mediterranean,TheReal Housewives of Beverly Hills,TheReal Housewives of Salt Lake City and Vanderpump Rules, serving up everything from high-stakes yachting and glamorous lifestyles to unforgettable feuds and fan-favourite moments.
Sky Stream and Sky Glass customers with Sky Ultimate TV, Sky Q and Sky+ customers will have access to this, with select seasons available to watch on demand.
The full launch of Hayu on Sky will come in July, unlocking the entire Hayu catalogue for customers. Reality fans will be able to watch hundreds of additional series and catch new episodes of hit franchises the same day as they air in the US, all included within their Sky TV experience.
Eligible customers will be able to enjoy all this alongside fantastic Sky Originals and Exclusives including The Dyer’s Caravan Park, Under Salt Marsh, upcoming shows like The Miniature Wife (9th April) and the returning Sweetpea S2.As well as Netflix, Disney+, which joined the platform on 17th March, and HBO Max, launching on 26th March.
