University of Limerick research helps to unravel Game of Thrones secrets

Caroline 'locked down in level-5' Delaney (first of her name) takes a closer look as a team of researchers across the University of Limerick and four other universities to unravel some of the secrets behind Game of Thrones

Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones. Picture: Helen Sloane

There are 2,000 named characters with more than 41,000 interactions between them; the timeline jumps across generations; there are half-sisters and hidden siblings; people change or totally abandon names and opt for disguises regularly; oh, and there are dragons — no wonder it took a team of researchers across the University of Limerick and four other universities to unravel some of the secrets behind Game of Thrones.

Researchers from five universities across Britain and Ireland — including UL’s Dr Pádraig MacCarron — came together to unravel the books behind one of the most successful fantasy series of all time. George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series of books, upon which the blockbusting Game of Thrones series is based, are weighty, convoluted tomes.