Irish study finds that mammy’s are our biggest heroes

Some would regard their mam, mum, mom or ma as being the next best thing to a super human, so it's not surprising to hear that we consider them to be our heroes.

Forget the likes of Batman, Superman and even Aquaman, as the real heroes of the hour are our mothers. A new study from the University of Limerick shows that the characteristics of mother's were those most cited by respondents when asked to describe their heroes.

But what makes your mam better than Superman and his ability to fly? Well, when the participants were asked to define what it meant to be a hero, they focused on the need for evidence of self-sacrifice and moral integrity. These are generally regarded as qualities found in parents, but more commonly in mothers.

The research team surveyed 189 people from 25 different countries who were asked what they believed to be the most important features and functions of heroes.

So the next time you find yourself hanging precariously off a cliff above a pool of man eating sharks with laser guns on their heads, you know who to call.