Our Journey So FarWelcome to the Irish Research Radiation Oncology Group (IRROG)
The Irish Research Radiation Oncology Group (IRROG) is a national initiative working to improve cancer care through cutting-edge radiotherapy research. Formed in 2022 with support from the Health Research Board, IRROG brings together all public radiotherapy departments and private hospital partners across Ireland. Our shared goal is simple: to give more patients better access to high-quality clinical trials.
Why IRROG Matters
Clinical trials are essential to advancing cancer treatment. But in the past, Irish patients often had limited access to radiotherapy trials—delays in approvals, lack of resources, and limited technology meant some hospitals couldn’t take part. As a result, many patients missed out on innovative treatments available elsewhere.
IRROG is changing that.
We’re investing in people and infrastructure to streamline how radiotherapy trials are set up and run across the country. By improving collaboration and communication across the national network, we can open trials faster and bring them closer to where patients live—reducing travel burdens and giving more people access to new and promising treatments.
Thanks to recent upgrades in radiotherapy technology nationwide, trials are no longer limited to a few centres in Dublin. Patients around the country can now benefit from advanced techniques like stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) in their local hospitals.
Our Goals at IRROG
-
At IRROG, our mission is to:
- Improve how radiotherapy research is delivered in Ireland
- Support Irish-led clinical trials that put patient needs first
- Expand access to international studies offering new treatment options
- Make sure every trial includes the patient voice from the start
Professor Sinéad Brennan
Professor John Armstrong
Professor Aisling Barry
Professor Brian O’Neill
Over the next five years, IRROG will focus on four key areas:
Involving Patients Every Step of the Way
Patients and the public play a central role in everything we do. We’ve established a dedicated Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) group to help guide our work and ensure that clinical trials reflect what matters most to those affected by cancer.
Want to learn more about how patients are shaping research in IRROG? Visit our [PPI page] to get involved.
Office ipsum you must be muted. Discussions slipstream underlying dive silently angel. Issues metal do barn unit. Search view that’s recap cloud shelf-ware waste down viral. Cross guys search identify opportunity journey. Vendor panel dunder happenings while tiger break unlock. Synchronise race criticality activities submit awareness.
“If you have the right clinic, everything is easy”
“The [boys] are from the one cycle – so they’re brothers, but they were made on the same day. So he was made 3 and a half years before he was born – it’s magic!”
“Thank god clinics like this exist, modern medicine, that it’s a thing now”
“We were told there was no hope for us… so I started doing research, and I came across Waterstone… we couldn’t have been treated any better. I get emotional just thinking about it. I have the two most gorgeous babies in the world that I wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for here.”
“I want to let people know that IVF is successful. It does help people. I think a lot of people think, Oh god, it never works the first time for people, and you’ll have to try a few times. But I’m living proof that it can happen… I’ve had two babies through IVF and success with IVF the first time around on both babies.”