This article uses the method devised by Simon Hix to rank the research performance of political science departments on the basis of publications in high-quality journals. We replicate Hix's methodology to assess the performance of politics departments in Ireland from 2003 to 2007. We are very aware that the Hix method provides only a partial measure of research performance and an even more incomplete measure of academic performance generally. However, by examining publications in Hix's list of journals for the period 2003-2007 and by comparing the findings with his 1998-2002 report, we are able to draw some tentative conclusions about the research trajectory of Irish politics departments.