Dr Paul Byrne

Research Interests

Dr. Paul Byrne is a lecturer, programme director and work placement co-ordinator for the BSc (Hons) in strength and conditioning in SETU Carlow. Paul is also a certified strength and conditioning coach through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Paul completed an MSc by research which compared different methods of identifying optimal drop height for drop-jump training to improve jumping performance and reactive strength at SETU Carlow. This was followed with a PhD through Cardiff Metropolitan University where he developed a novel training protocol, ‘composite’ training, which combines drop-jumps with an explosive activity such as a sprint over 20 m and has been shown to enhance strength, jumping and sprinting performance.

Paul’s research interests include:

• ‘Composite’ training
• Strength and conditioning monitoring for a variety of sports
• Power and strength assessment and development of athletes
• Performance analysis of individual and team sports

Engagement and Collaboration

Paul has developed a collaborative network of researchers in the fields of strength and conditioning and sport physiology that include Dr Jeremy Moody, Dr Joseph Esformes and Prof Steve Cooper from the Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Wales. Moreover, I have also developed a network with John Duggan, a lecturer in strength and conditioning and a researcher in camogie at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. 

Current Research Students

Dean Roche - Assessment of neuromuscular fatigue and their relationship between salivary hormonal markers of training load tolerance in intercounty hurlers. MSc. Co-supervisor.

Luke Atkins - Acute effects of ‘composite’ training inter-repetition and inter-session rest duration on neuromuscular and stretch-shortening cycle performance. MSc. Principle supervisor.

Shane Ryan - Short-term effects of flywheel resistance training compared to weight training on strength, jumping, speed and change of direction in soccer players. MSc. Principle supervisor.

Ian Foster - The importance of emotional intelligence for effective coaching practice in strength and conditioning coaches. MSc. Co-supervisor.

John Duggan - External and internal measures in inter-county camogie. PhD. Co-supervisor.

Past Research Students

Damien Byrne. The acute effects of self-myofascial release on joint range of motion and stretch-shortening cycle function in trained athletes. MSc. Co-supervisor.

Frank Devereux (MSc). The effects of myofascial trigger point release on the force and power production in the lower limb kinetic chain. Co-supervisor.

Allison Duggan. The effect of carbohydrate mouth rinsing on duathlon performance. MSc. Co-supervisor.

Louise Barry. The effects of dry needling on running performance. MSc. Co-supervisor.

Areas of Interest as a Supervisor

• Strength and conditioning
• Sport science
• Strength and power development
• Warm-up strategies for athletes
• Athlete monitoring
• Coaching and performance

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles

Gowtage, W.J, Moody, J.A & Byrne, P.J. (2020). Complex training with minimal recovery intervals and their effect on CMJ performance in professional male rugby union players? ARC Journal of Research in Sports Medicine, 5, 1-8.

Derbridge, C, Moody, J.A & Byrne, P.J. (2020). Can the use of an external: internal ratio during standardised small-sided games be a detector of fatigue in professional adolescent soccer players? ARC Journal of Research in Sports Medicine, 4, 40-47.

Coffey, C, Carey, M, Kinsella, S, Byrne, P. J, Sheehan, D & Lloyd, R. S. (2020). Exercise programming for children with autism spectrum disorder: Recommendations for strength and conditioning specialists. Strength and Conditioning Journal. [Epub ahead of print].

Byrne, P.J, Moody, J.A, Cooper, S-M, Farrell, E. and Kinsella, S. (2020). Short-term effects of ‘composite training’ on strength, jump and sprint performance in hurling players. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. [Epub ahead of print].

Duggan, J.D., Moody, J., Byrne, P.J & Ryan, L. (2020). Strength and Conditioning Recommendations for Female Athletes: The Camogie Player. Strength & Conditioning Journal. [EPub ahead of print].

Byrne, PJ, Moody, JA, Cooper, S-M, Callanan, D & Kinsella, S. (2020). Potentiating Response to Drop-Jump Protocols on Sprint Acceleration: Drop-Jump Volume and Intrarepetition Recovery Duration. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 34, 717-727. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002720.

Byrne, PJ, Moody, JA, Cooper, S-M & Kinsella, S. (2019). Acute effects of "Composite" training on neuromuscular and fast stretch-shortening cycle drop jump performance in hurling players. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. Jul 29. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003327. [Epub ahead of print].

Devereux, F, O'Rourke, B, Byrne, PJ, Byrne, D & Kinsella, S. (2019). Effects of myofascial trigger point release on power and force production in the lower limb kinetic chain. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 33, 2453-2463.

Byrne, PJ, Moody, J, Cooper, S-M. & Kinsella, S. (2018). Neuromuscular and bounce drop-jump responses to different inter-repetition rest intervals during a composite training session in hurling players. International Journal of Physical Education, Fitness & Sports, 7, 1-12.

Byrne, PJ, Moody, JA, Cooper S-M, Lawlor M & Kinsella S. (2018). Effects of attentional focus during short-term drop-jump training on strength, jump and sprint performances in hurling players. Journal of Physical Fitness, Treatment & Sports, 4, 555642. DOI: 10.19080/JPFMTS.2018.04.555642.

Allister, A, Byrne, PJ, Nulty, CD & Jordan, S. (2018). Game-related statistics which discriminate elite senior Gaelic football teams according to game outcome and final score difference. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 18, 622-632.

Foster, I, Byrne, PJ, Moody, JA & Fitzpatrick, PA. (2018). Monitoring Training Load Using the Acute: Chronic Workload Ratio in Non-Elite Intercollegiate Female Athletes. ARC Journal of Research in Sports Medicine, 3, 22-28.

Turner, TD, Moody, JA, Byrne, PJ, Hughes, MG, Smith, PM & Cooper, S-M. (2018). Effect of Upper-Body High Intensity Interval Training on Exercise Performance in Professional Cricket Players. OAJ Exercise and Sports Medicine, 2, 010.

Byrne, PJ, Moody, JA, Cooper, SM & Kinsella, S. (2017). Reliability of sprint acceleration performance and three repetition maximum back squat strength in hurling players. ARC Journal of Research in Sports Medicine, 2, 1-7.

Byrne, PJ, Moody, JA, Cooper, SM & Kinsella, S. (2017). The reliability of countermovement jump performance and the reactive strength index in identifying drop-jump drop height in hurling players. OAJ Exercise and Sports Medicine, 1, 004.

Byrne, DJ, Browne, DT, Byrne, PJ & Richardson, N. (2017). The inter-day reliability of reactive strength index and optimal drop height. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 31, 721-726.

Byrne, PJ, Kenny, J, & O’ Rourke, B. (2014). Acute potentiating effect of depth jumps on sprint performance. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 28, 610 – 615.

Byrne, PJ, Moran, K, Rankin, P & Kinsella, S. (2010). A comparison of methods used to identify “optimal" drop height for early phase adaptations in depth jump training. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24, 2050 – 2055.

Devereux, F., O'Rourke, B., Byrne, P. J., Byrne, D., and Kinsella, S. (2018). The effects of myofascial trigger point release on the power and force production in the lower limb kinetic chain. To be published in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research [Preprint]. Available at: http://journals.lww.com/jscr/Abstract/2018 (Accessed: 4 April 2018).

Byrne, P. J., Moody, J. A., Cooper, S.M., and Kinsella, S., (2018). Reliability of Sprint Acceleration Performance and Three Repetition Maximum Back Squat Strength in Hurling Players. ARC Journal of Research in Sports Medicine, 2, 9-15.

Conference Proceedings and Papers

Kelly, S and Byrne, PJ. The statistical analysis of goalkeeper puck-outs during hurling matches. ISPAS workshop, IT Carlow, 2016.

Byrne, PJ. Depth jumping: How do we ensure safety and efficacy in a training programme? 1st Irish Strength and Conditioning conference, IT Carlow, 2007.

Poster Presentations

Barry, L., O’Rourke, B., Byrne, P.J. and Kinsella, S. (2017). Does dry needling effect my ability to run? Canadian Athletic Therapy Conference, June 1-3rd, Niagara Falls, Canada.

Byrne, P.J., Moody, J.A., Cooper, S.M. and Kinsella, S. (2017). The inter-day reliability of sprint performance and three repetition maximum back squat strength in male hurling players. Unpublished poster presentation at: All-Ireland Postgraduate Conference in Sport Sciences, Physical Activity and Physical Education, April 21, Institute of Technology Carlow, Carlow, Ireland.

Byrne, D.J., Browne, D.T., Byrne, P.J. and Richardson, N. (2016). The effects of an acute bout of lower limb self-myofascial release on reactive strength index in trained hurlers. Unpublished poster presentation at: United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association Annual Conference, September 16-18, Leicestershire, England.

Barry, L., O’Rourke, B., Byrne, P.J. and Kinsella, S. (2016). What is the minimum time frame between dry needling and optimal performance in endurance athletes? Singapore International Physiotherapy Congress, October 29-30, Singapore.

Byrne, D.J., Browne, D.T., Byrne, P.J. and Richardson, N. (2016). The effects of an acute bout of lower limb self-myofascial release on reactive strength index in trained hurlers. Unpublished poster presentation at: All-Ireland Postgraduate Conference in Sport Sciences, Physical Activity and Physical Education, April 29, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland.

Devereux, F., O’Rourke, B., Byrne, P.J. and Kinsella, S. (2016). The effects of myofascial trigger point release on the force and power production in the lower limb kinetic chain. Unpublished poster presentation at: European College of Sport Science Annual Conference, July 5-10, Vienna, Austria.

Devereux, F., O’Rourke, B., Byrne, P.J. and Kinsella, S. (2016). The effects of myofascial trigger point release on the force and power production in the lower limb kinetic chain. Unpublished poster presentation at: All-Ireland Postgraduate Conference in Sport Sciences, Physical Activity and Physical Education, April 29, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland.