Rocks, Rails and Ríomhaire: A Geo-Multimedia Tour of the Connemara Landscape on the Galway-Clifden Railway A Public lecture on Rocks, Rails and Ríomhaire: A Geo-Multimedia Tour of the Connemara Landscape on the Galway-Clifden Railway will be given by Ronán Hennessy, a PhD Student in the Department of Earth & Ocean Sciences & Environmental Change Institute at NUI Galway on Tuesday, 2 October at 8 pm. The seemingly untamed natural landscape of Connemara, and its potential as a tourism attraction, was a major factor in the routing of a railroad through the region in the closing years of nineteenth century. To celebrate the geological and railway heritage of Connemara, Mr. Hennessy has worked closely with the Galway Heritage Forum and with Galway County Council Heritage Officer Marie Mannion, to design a virtual field trip of the Connemara landscape. Using Google Earth as the virtual tour 'landscape', users can embark on a field trip following the now disused 49 mile long railway line, discovering the region's rich geological and geomorphologic heritage. 'Disembarking' at any of the eight stations along the route, users can investigate the local geology, visit the nearby mines and quarries, explore the famous glaciated Inagh and Maam valleys, and even take off from Alcock and Brown's landing site near Clifden – bound for Newfoundland, which coincidently shares a similar geological history with Connemara. Dr. Martin Feely, Senior Lecturer, Geofluids Research Group, Dept. of Earth and Ocean Sciences and Environmental Change Institute said, "Ronán s presentation will give a flavour of the revolution that is taking place in science with the transfer of real landscapes to the virtual space of pan, zoom, tilt and play. The lecture will appeal to people of all ages and interests as it combines archaeology, heritage, geology, local history and environmental technology." The lecture will take place in the Orbsen Building Seminar Room, Environmental Change Institute, NUI Galway. Tea, Coffee & Beverages will be available from 7:30p.m. Attendance is free and all are welcome. ENDS

NUI Galway is pleased to welcome Aer Arann as sponsor of its newly launched Alumni Award for Sports Achievement and Leadership. The award will acknowledge alumni who have made an outstanding contribution in the area of local and national sports achievement, sports coaching, sports health, sports promotion and/or development. Since 2000 NUI Galway has been annually awarding graduates who as a result of their outstanding contribution to Irish and international life have, in a very special way, honoured their former alma mater. The Aer Arann Sports Award will join the University's seven other Alumni Awards which award excellence in commerce, healthcare, science, engineering, IT, the arts, law and public service. Announcing the new Award, Professor Gerard Hurley, Vice-President for Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs, NUI Galway, said: "This Sports Award reflects a very strong legacy of past and ongoing NUI Galway sporting accomplishment. We will have a very strong pool of candidates from which to choose our winners. The Award brings to a perfect complement our Awards programme - each reflects a discipline, faculty or walk of life in which NUI Galway students have gone on to excel at national and international level". Aer Arann Chairman, Mr Pádraig Ó Ceidigh was awarded the Alumni Award for Business and Commerce in 2002. Commenting on the sponsorship of the new Sports Award, he said, "Aer Arann is committed to strengthening the communities in which we do business, and we re proud to be part of this programme. The candidates for the NUI Galway Sports Alumni Award represent a passion for achievement, which is an inspiration to my colleagues in Aer Arann and to me personally." The Awards will be presented to the distinguished alumni at the University's annual Gala Banquet, which will take place in Galway's Radisson SAS Hotel on Saturday, 1 March, 2008. Previous NUI Galway Alumni Awards recipients include: Seán O'Rourke, RTÉ journalist; Irial Finan, President, Coca-Cola; and Michael D. Higgins T.D. -ends-

Tá áthas ar OÉ Gaillimh fáiltiú roimh Aer Arann mar urraitheoir ar an nGradam nua Alumni don Spórt. Tabharfaidh an gradam nua aitheantas do chéimithe a bhfuil sárobair déanta acu i spórt áitiúil agus náisiúnta, oiliúint spóirt, sláinte spóirt, cur chun cinn agus/nó forbairt spóirt. Ón mbliain 2000, tá gradaim bhliantúla bronnta ag OÉ Gaillimh ar chéimithe a bhfuil sárobair déanta acu i saol na hÉireann agus go hidirnáisiúnta, agus a bhfuil onóir tugtha acu dá bharr don Ollscoil. Gradam amháin é Gradam Spóirt Aer Arann as seacht ngradam eile Alumni san Ollscoil nach mbronntar ach ar fheabhas i dtráchtáil, cúram sláinte, eolaíocht, innealtóireacht, TF, ealaín, dlí agus seirbhís phoiblí. Agus an Gradam nua á fhógairt aige dúirt an tOllamh Gerard Hurley, An Leas-Uachtarán um Thionscnaimh Straitéiseacha agus Gnóthaí Seachtracha, OÉ Gaillimh: "Léiríonn an Gradam Spóirt seo an traidisiún láidir atá in OÉ Gaillimh ó thaobh éachtaí i gcúrsaí spóirt. Is iomaí iomaitheoir a mbeadh an gradam seo tuillte acu. Mar gheall go bhfuil Gradam Spóirt anois againn tá gradam againn do gach disciplín, dámh nó dálaí saoil ina bhfuil éacht déanta ag mac léinn as OÉ Gaillimh sa tír seo agus thar lear". Bronnadh Gradam Alumni ar Chathaoirleach Aer Arann, an tUasal Pádraig Ó Céidigh don Ghnó agus an Tráchtáil in 2002. Ag labhairt dó faoi urraíocht an Ghradaim Spóirt, dúirt sé, "Tá Aer Arann tugtha do phobail a láidriú, pobail ina ndéanaimid gnó, agus tá áthas orainn a bheith páirteach sa chlár seo. Léiríonn iarrthóirí Ghradam Spóirt Alumni OÉ Gaillimh go bhfuil fonn orthu éachtaí a dhéanamh; rud ionspioráideach é sin do mo chomhghleacaithe in Aer Arann agus dom féin go háirithe." Bronnfar na Gradaim ar an alumni ag Mórfhéasta Bliantúil na hOllscoile, a bheas ar siúl in Óstlann Radisson SAS na Gaillimhe Dé Sathairn, an 1 Márta 2008. Bhuaigh Seán O'Rourke, iriseoir RTÉ; Irial Finan, Uachtarán, Coca-Cola; agus Michael D. Higgins T.D. Gradaim Alumni OÉ Gaillimh roimhe seo. - críoch -

The year's winner of the Connacht Tribune Gold Medal for Journalism is Ms Rachael Finucane, from Limerick. Ms Finucane achieved first class honours on the MA in Journalism at NUI Galway. The Medal was presented by Mr David Hickey, MD of Connacht Tribune Newspapers yesterday, 28th November, at NUI Galway. Ms Finucane who is currently working as a Staff Reporter with the Limerick Independent, is a graduate of UL where she also achieved First Class honours in her BA. During her postgraduate studies in journalism at NUI Galway Rachel was a regional winner (Third Level) in this year s Hotpress All Write Now competition. Ends

Amárach in Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh bronnfar Céim Dhochtúireachta sna Dána (honoris causa) ar dhuine de na haisteoirí is mó cáil agus meas in Éirinn (Dé Máirt, 27 Samhain). Is é Gabriel Byrne duine de na haisteoirí is mó cáil ar domhan agus bronnfar céim air mar chuid de shearmanas bronnta an gheimhridh in OÉ Gaillimh, tráth a mbronnfar céimeanna ar thart ar 800 mac léinn as coláistí agus scoileanna éagsúla san Ollscoil freisin. Thosaigh Gabriel Byrne amach mar aisteoir leis an Focus Theatre anseo in Éirinn sular thosaigh sé ag aisteoireacht sa Royal Court Theatre i Londain sa bhliain 1979. Ghlac sé páirt ina chéad scannán dar teideal Excalibur sa bhliain 1981. Ba é John Boorman a stiúir an scannán eipice Artúrach seo. D'oibrigh Gabriel Byrne le cuid de mhórstiúrthóirí na pictiúrlainne – Deartháireacha Coen, Wim Wenders, Jim Jarmusch, Ken Loach, John Boorman, David Cronenberg agus Bryan Singer ina measc. Ghlac Gabriel páirt i scannáin neamhspleácha agus stiúideo, mar aon le trí scannán a stiúradh agus dhá scannán a scríobh. Lena chois seo ar fad, ghlac sé príomhról i 35 príomhscannán lena n-áirítear Miller's Crossing, The Usual Suspects, Into the West, The End of Violence, Dead Man, Vanity Fair agus Spider. Seo a leanas a bhí le rá ag Rod Stoneman, Stiúrthóir Scoil Scannán & Meán Digiteach Huston, "Is aisteoir é Gabriel Byrne a thugann a shamhlaíocht agus na carachtair a chruthaíonn sé smaointe agus íomhánna den scoth dúinn agus cúis áthais dúinn an onóir seo a bhronnadh air. Tugann sé dea-shampla dúinn ar fad trí pháirt a ghlacadh i ngníomhaíochtaí cultúrtha agus carthanachta in Éirinn – gníomhaíochtaí a léiríonn spiorad na flaithiúlachta agus tiomantas dá thír dhúchais." Bronnfar cáilíochtaí ar mhic léinn i gcaitheamh an lae, mic léinn ó Choláiste an Leighis, an Altranais agus na nEolaíochtaí Sláinte; Coláiste na hInnealtóireachta agus na Faisnéisíochta; Coláiste an Dlí; Coláiste na Tráchtála; Coláiste na hEolaíochta agus Coláiste na nDán, na nEolaíochtaí Sóisialta agus an Léinn Cheiltigh Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag an Dr Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh, Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh roimh an searmanas, "Cúis áthais dúinn anseo in OÉ Gaillimh céim oinigh a bhronnadh ar Gabriel Byrne – aisteoir Éireannach den scoth agus aisteoir a bhfuil cáil idirnáisiúnta bainte amach aige mar aisteoir cumasach. Cúis áthais ar leith is ea go bhfuil Gabriel Byrne inár measc inniu mar gurb é seo an chéad bhliain cáilíochtaí a bhronnadh ar mhic léinn a d'fhreastail ar na cúrsaí nua agus nuálacha scannán agus meán digiteach. Céim Dhochtúireachta sna Dána atá á bhronnadh ar Gabriel Byrne mar aitheantas ar an méid atá déanta aige ar mhaithe leis an tionscal scannán in Éirinn agus go hidirnáisiúnta." Ag an searmanas bronnta seo freisin, bronnfar cáilíochtaí ar mhic léinn ó chúrsaí nua den chéad uair – M.A. in Ardscileanna Foghlama, M.A. i bhFealsúnacht: Eitic, Cultúr agus Athrú Domhanda, M.A. sna Meáin Dhigiteacha, M.A. i Léiriú agus Stiúradh, agus M.A. in Abhcóideacht agus Gníomhaíochas Poiblí. CRÍOCH