February 2002

Release date: 12 February, 2001 John McGahern at the Centre for Irish Studies, NUI Galway The Centre for Irish Studies at NUI, Galway has announced the appointment of novelist and short-story writer, John McGahern, to the position of Adjunct Professor of Irish Studies for a period of three years. Louis de Paor, Director of the Centre for Irish Studies, welcomed the appointment which, he said, was appropriate recognition for a lifetime of creative achievement at the highest level. 'Its a considerable honour for the University and the Centre for Irish Studies in particular, that a writer of John McGahern's achievement and international distinction should be affiliated with us in this way,' said de Paor. 'It is crucial to our work here that we should acknowledge and celebrate the achievement of our pre-eminent artists and writers in this way and forge a more dynamic relationship between the creative and performing arts and the academic community at NUI, Galway.' John McGahern has had a long and productive relationship with NUI, Galway as a regular contributor to the Summer School, and recipient of an honorary Doctorate in Literature in 1994. In his position as Adjunct Professor of Irish Studies, he will give a number of readings each year and conduct seminars on aspects of Irish life and culture under the auspices of the Centre for Irish Studies. Critics have hailed his latest novel, That They May Face the Rising Sun, as a masterpiece by Ireland's finest living novelist with one commentator being moved to declare himself envious of anyone who had yet to read it for the first time. John McGahern will launch a new series of Public Lectures in Irish Studies at NUI, Galway with a reading from the novel on Tuesday 19 February. The reading will take place in the Ó hEocha Theatre in the Millennium Arts Building and will begin at 8.00pm. Admission is free and everyone is welcome to attend. Ends Information from: Máire Mhic Uidhir, Press Officer, NUI, Galway. Tel. 091 750418

Release date: 11 February, 2002 Awards for Outstanding Graduates to be presented The NUI, Galway Alumni Awards will be presented at a Gala Banquet in the Radisson Hotel, on Saturday, 2 March. Awards will be presented in four categories to graduates who have made a distinctive contribution in their chosen careers. Through the awards programme, the University recognises individual excellence among its 43,000 graduates. The ntl Award for Engineering, IT and Mathematics will be presented to Áine Brazil, from Salthill, a Managing Principal at Thornton-Tomasetti Engineers, New York. Throughout her 24 years experience she has been responsible for the design and construction of high-rise offices, hotels, air-rights projects with long span transfer systems, hospitals and sports arenas. In recent years Áine has been responsible for the structural design of several high profile high-rise projects in the New York City area, which include three commercial buildings on Times Square ranging from 550 ft to 850 ft tall. Also high on the list of her accomplishments is the role she played in leading the structural engineering team for the design of the 850,000 square feet expansion of New York Hospital spanning over the FDR highway. In 1999 Ms. Brazil was named one of "New York's 100 Most Influential Women in Business" by Crain's New York Business. Last month she was featured in a New York Times article entitled "More Engineers in Hard Hats and Heels," which explored the hurdles she overcame as a woman in the construction industry. In May 2001, Ms. Brazil was honoured by Professional Women in Construction (PWC) in their Salute to Women of Achievement. The Medtronic AVE Award for Health Care and Medical Science will be presented to Dr Luke Clancy, a consultant respiratory physician at St James's Hospital in Dublin. Originally from Salthill, Dr Clancy first graduated from NUI, Galway in 1963 with a BSc and again in 1966 as a medical doctor. He is Senior Lecturer in Respiratory Medicine at Trinity College Dublin and has conducted remarkable research into respiratorial conditions such as asthma, and why it is on the increase in Ireland. He is a member of the Euro TB advisory committee, an organisation that carries out surveillance of tuberculosis in Europe, as well as being involved with the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. This work also includes a study of air pollution trends and its associations with adverse health effects, comparing Northern Ireland and the Republic. Dr Clancy is a long-time anti-smoking campaigner and in his former capacity as Chairman of ASH Ireland, has worked tirelessly, and continues to do so, to combat the dangers involved with smoking in this country. Dr Clancy is also a former Director of the William Stokes Post Graduate Centre at St James's Hospital. The Bank of Ireland Award for Business and Commerce, will be presented to Hugh Friel, who graduated from NUI, Galway with a B.Comm degree in 1966. Hugh is currently the Managing Director of the Kerry Group plc. A native of Donegal, he previously worked with Aer Lingus in New York, Mobil Oil Corp. in London and Erin Foods in Ireland. In 1972 he was appointed Financial Controller of North Kerry Milk Products Limited, the forerunner of Kerry Co-op and now Kerry Group plc. Kerry Group today is a leader in global food ingredients markets and a leading consumer foods processing and marketing organisation in selected EU markets. In less than 30 years, from the commissioning of its first manufacturing plant in Listowel, the Kerry organisation has grown to become a highly successful public company, having achieved sustained profitable growth with current annualised sales in excess of €2.6 billion. Listed on the Dublin and London Stock markets, Kerry has established over 80 manufacturing facilities across four continents and provides over 10,000 food and ingredient products through its network of international sales and technical centres to a wide customer base in 80 countries. The Compaq Award for Literature, Communications and the Arts will be presented to Eddie Lenihan, County Clare based seanchaí and author who graduated from NUI, Galway in 1973 with a BA, again in 1975 with a HDip in Education and in 1978 with an MA. A historian, folklorist and until recently a teacher, he has been collecting Irish lore from the elders of Ireland for the past twenty-seven years, and now possesses probably the largest tape-archive held in private hands in Ireland today. Well known in Ireland and beyond as a seanchaí (who has been called 'Ireland's greatest living storyteller'), Eddie has published sixteen books, eleven audio-tapes, a double CD and a video on Irish culture and folklore, and his television programmes Storyteller and Ten Minute Tales ran for three consecutive years on RTÉ. His most recent audio programme, The Good People, a collection of authentic Irish fairy stories for all ages, was published in the USA in 2001. Meeting The Other Crowd: The Fairy Stories of Hidden Ireland, co-edited with Carolyn E. Green, and due for publication in 2003, will be Lenihan's definitive collection of 'real' fairy stories from Ireland, to be followed by Tales from the Táin, Foreign Irish Tales for Children (No. 8 in his 15-book Fionn Mac Cumhail saga). Ends Information from:Máire Mhic Uidhir, Press Officer, NUI, Galway. Tel. 091 750418

Release date: 4 February, 2002 Minister launches Technology Transfer Initiative Mr. Noel Treacy T.D., Minster of State at the Department of Education and Science, launched the Atlantic University Alliance / Technology Transfer Initiative, today (Monday, 4 February at 2.30 p.m.), in National University of Ireland, Galway. The Atlantic University Alliance (AUA) is an inter-regional University collaboration involving UCC (University College Cork), NUI, Galway (National University of Ireland, Galway) and UL (University of Limerick) and was formally launched in May 1999. The Technology Transfer Initiative (TTI) programme is the first project to be carried out under the aegis of the AUA and is intended to provide an innovative support structure for Irish indigenous companies and act as a gateway for Irish companies into the universities. It will also facilitate the effective transfer and commercialisation of technology within the universities and between industry and university. The TTI programme has now been funded for three years by Enterprise Ireland to the value of €1.12 million. The main objectives of the Technology Transfer Initiative are: To develop the capability of indigenous industry in the target regions To make available to Irish companies the combined research resources and expertise of the three universities To encourage and facilitate interaction between industry-industry and academia and industry. To facilitate regional and inter-regional "technology transfer" To encourage companies to engage in R&D projects which will ultimately enhance their competitiveness. Critical to the success of the Technology Transfer Initiative is the need for the project to be industry led and that the companies are involved in every aspect of the programme. Recognising the concerns and constraints of small industries and other Irish firms is the key to the progression of the project together with the provision of an easy-to-access entry point to the resources and expertise within the three universities. As a prime source of knowledge, universities have a significant role in the process of technology transfer to Irish Industry. The Technology Transfer Initiative will target the four industrial sectors that represent the main growth sectors within the Atlantic seaboard region: Information Communications Technology (ICT), Engineering, Biomedical-Healthcare and Food. The aim is to build strong relationships with these sectors and to apply new knowledge and technologies within them for the economic benefit of the region. It is intended to increase the number of indigenous companies in the target regions that are technology literate and to encourage these companies, where possible, to include a research and development dimension in their operation. Companies can receive financial assistance to undertake R&D projects. Currently within Enterprise Ireland a number of support schemes operate - Feasibility Study funding, Innovation Partnerships, Research Innovation fund to support Industry- University Collaboration. Assistance is provided to university researchers to undertake collaborative research and development projects between networks of companies and universities. During its pilot phase, Technology Transfer Programme promoters have found that by accessing network structures they are better able to propose, develop and implement technology transfer actions between AUA and industry. Establishment of inter-regional market driven technology networks is also being used as a means to identify industry needs and communicate relevant information to key company employees. A catalogue of expertise and resources (across the three universities) that are relevant to industrial needs is also being established as part of the TTI programme. Dedicated TTI Programme staff have been appointed on each of the three university campuses. They will provide the necessary links and facilitate contact between indigenous industry with academic staff in the AUA universities to implement the objectives of the TTI. They also act as catalysts for the development of the sectoral networks and facilitate access to R&D opportunities. The TTI team will achieve their objectives by engaging in the following activities: Focusing on the technological needs of small and medium sized companies by creating a cadre of academic scientists and engineers with strong links to Irish companies who are willing and capable to contribute to their technological development. Bringing together clusters of companies to identify common constraints to their development. Using the networks of companies to allow interchange of knowledge to occur between firms with a strong technical base and those who wish to learn to apply technology. Enterprise Ireland is committed to working with the TTI to identify appropriate companies, capable of benefiting from such interaction. Ends Information from: Máire Mhic Uidhir, Press Officer, NUI, Galway. Tel. 091 750418

Release date: 5 February, 2002 NUI Galway s Múscailt 02 Spring Festival From creative dance to classical music, provocative drama to poetry and story telling - all this and more will be featured in Múscailt 02, NUI, Galway s Spring Festival, which will take place from the 18Th to the 22nd of February, 2002. An apt title for this original and innovative festival, múscailt means to awaken, inspire, celebrate. John McGahern, Finghin Collins, Mick Lally and Joe Steve Ó Neachtain will be participating in the festival, which aims to showcase and celebrate the artistic achievements of the University Community – the students, staff and graduates on and off campus – as well as those of internationally renowned artists. The student societies have a significant role in the festival s programme. Focus 2002 is a photographic exhibition presented by the Photographic Society. While the Music Society is tapping into the diverse musical energy on campus with Witless , a contemporary bands mini-festival, the University's relatively new Chamber Orchestra will also be performing. The musical, Fiddler on the Roof involves the collective talents of six of the largest college societies and is sure to play to packed audiences in the Black Box Theatre. One of Ireland s most popular writers, John McGahern will read from his new novel, That the May face the Rising Sun on the 19 February. Mick Lally will read a selection of poems on festival opening day, while other poetry readings featuring University Writer-in-residence, Trevor Joyce, Patrick Carton and Peter Jankowski will take place throughout the week. The theatrical highlight of the festival is Inis Theatre Company's critically acclaimed presentation of Jane Austen s only novel-of -letters, Lady Susan. This hour long rollercoaster ride through a world of machinations, secrets and illicit liaisons was a sell out show in the 2001 Dublin Fringe Festival and is touring to Galway especially for Múscailt 02. Garry Hynes will perform the relaunch of the Literary and Debating Society s Criterion magazine on 21 February. A journal of new writing of both the students of NUI, Galway and local writers, Criterion was published by the Arts Society on and off between 1953 and 1991. Among those formerly involved in its production were Michael D. Higgins, Gerald Dawe and Ian Kilroy, while writers for it included Rita Ann Higgins, Julian Gough, Caitlin Maude, John McGahern, and Fred Johnston. Galway based theatre company, Catastrophe, returns to their alma mater as a part of Muscailt to perform Falling Pianos. Following the lives of two self-reflexive characters controlled by an unknown author, the play ranges in style from slapstick comedy to thoughtful drama and satirizes themes including religion, friendship, death and the woman sitting in the second row! "Múscailt 02 is a 'don't miss' event," says Emily Cullen, NUI, Galway s Arts Officer and festival Co-ordinator, "not only because the students have invested it with so much energy and enthusiasm but also because the quality programme we have put together is guaranteed to appeal to a wide variety of tastes." Muscáilt 02 is supported by funds raised from NUI, Galway graduates through the Alumni Annual Fund and Kombucha is the festival's product sponsor. Ends Information from: Máire Mhic Uidhir, Press Officer, NUI, Galway. Tel. 091 750418