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| September Cover Stories | September Features | Current Issue | Back Issues |
Welcome back to one and all after the Summer break! Academic Year 2000 is now well under way. For some it means a change of location and a move to new and better premises. The Modern Languages Departments and Arts Postgraduate Studies have moved into the Arts Millennium Building over the Summer months, while the new Library extension, officially opened in July, has provided much needed extra space. The scaffolding has been removed from the IT building, which means that fitting-out and occupation will take place sooner rather than later! Meanwhile the new Bank of Ireland Theatre at Áras na Mac Léinn provides students with the most modern theatre facilities to showcase the dramatic talent of societies like Dramsoc, An Cumann Drámaíochta and MusicSoc. Many graduates returning for the Graduate Reunion Weekend, will undoubtedly be surprised to find that so much development has taken place on campus in such a short time. The Reunion, which takes place on Halloween Bank Holiday weekend, beginning on 26th October, will attract up to 1,000 alumni to the University, to renew old acquaintances and participate in a comprehensive programme of activities. Full details may be obtained from the Alumni Office, Ext. 2721. Máire Mhic Uidhir, | TOP | Library acquires Killanin Papers
Staying on the acquisition trail, the Library recently purchased at auction a set of Cuala Press Broadsheets dating from 1909-1915. The series was instigated by Jack Yeats and his sister Elizabeth, and many of the drawings are by him. There were only 300 copies of each broadsheet printed and full sets are quite rare now. Pictured at a reception to mark the presentation of the Killanin Library to NUI, Galway are from left, Lady Killanin, her son, John Morris with his wife, RTÉ presenter, Thelma Mansfield and Librarian, Marie Reddan. | TOP | Conference addresses mental health promotion
Pictured are Professor Cecily Kelleher (left) and Dr. Margaret Barry, Department of Health Promotion, NUI, Galway with keynote speaker, Professor Richard Wilkinson, University of London. | TOP | NUI, Galway has won 1st Prize in the 'Civic Centres' section of the Galway Tidy Towns and Gardens Competition 2000. This is the fourth time in the 1990s that the University has won the competition. Congratulations to Brian Finan (Grounds Maintenance Department) and his team! | TOP | NUI, Galway awarded £8.98 million for two new Research Centres For the second year in succession NUI, Galway is among the top recipients of research funding under the Higher Education Authority's competitive programme for research in Ireland. The HEA has awarded a total of almost £9 million for the establishment of two new research centres in NUI, Galway. The new Environmental Change Institute received £6.6 million, while the new Centre for Human Settlement and Historical Change was awarded £2.2 million. The latter represents the largest award for the Humanities under the two-year HEA programme. The Environmental Change Institute will develop a fundamental understanding of the processes involved in and the key indicators of environmental change. It will provide an institutional framework which will support collaborative research across disciplines and faculties of the University as well as promoting multi-disciplinary, collaborative research with other universities and research institutes in Ireland and overseas. In addition, it will foster interaction with policymaking bodies, regulatory authorities and other agencies involved in the promotion of sustainable development. The research programme of the Institute will focus on areas such as Biodiversity, Climate Change, Marine Environment, Waste Research, Social and Economic Impact, Human Impact and Modelling Systems. The Centre for the Study of Human Settlement and Historical Change was awarded a total of £2.28 million and will be located within the Faculty of Arts. The work of this Centre will focus on the study of human settlement and historical change at local, regional, national and trans-national levels. The Centre will build on expertise in different areas of the Faculty of Arts in NUI, Galway including: History, Archaeology, Irish Studies and a range of literature and language departments. Research in the new Centre will focus on seven broad areas: World Networks of Settlement, Commerce and Knowledge; Landscapes and Society in Early Ireland; The Literary and Cultural Landscape of Connacht in the Pre-Modern and Early Modern Periods; The Ascendancy and the Gaelic World; Culture and Colonialism; Cross-Cultural Travel; and Culture, Habitats and European Integration. | TOP | Putin's Adviser addresses Galway Workshop An International Workshop on "Institutions and their change in Transition Economies", organised and hosted by the Economics Department NUI, Galway in July, attracted some of the leading experts in the field from Russia, the US and the UK. The highlight of the workshop was the lecture of Dr. Vladimir Mau, Institute of Transition Economics, Moscow and economic adviser to the Russian President Vladimir Putin, who presented a paper on "Putin's new economic programme".
Pictured are from left, Professor Michael Cuddy, Dean of Commerce, NUI, Galway; Dr. Vladimir Mau, Economic Advisor to Russian President V. Putin, Moscow; and Dr. Ruvin Gekker, Department of Economics, NUI, Galway. | TOP | Electronic Engineering Experts convene in Galway
| TOP | Síle De Valera, T.D., Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, officially opened the new student drama theatre in NUI, Galway in July. The Bank of Ireland Theatre at Áras na Mac Léinn, is an exciting 110-seat purpose-built venue for theatre arts on campus. The development has been supported by a philanthropic gift from the Bank of Ireland. The occasion was an opportunity to celebrate the long and distinguished tradition of Theatre at NUI, Galway and guests included graduates who have become successful in the Arts world.
Pictured above from left are actor, Little John Nee, former President Fottrell and Síle De Valera, T.D., Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.
Also present were (left) NUI, Galway graduates: Garry Hynes, Director of Druid Theatre Co.; Ollie Jennings, founder of Galway Arts Festival and Manager of 'The Sawdoctors' and Frankie McCafferty of 'Ballykissangel'. | TOP | First Prisoners' Health Survey published The first study on Irish prisoners' health entitled, "General Health Study of Prisoner Population", was published in July. Conducted by the Department of Health Promotion, NUI, Galway, the survey was commissioned by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and was launched in the University by Mr. John O'Donoghue, T.D. Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The survey showed that prisoners reported overall poorer levels of health compared to the general population. In particular, indicators of mental health were significantly worse among prisoners. Female prisoners showed higher levels of morbidity in all areas, particularly those relating to mental health and substance abuse. As expected, prisoners showed higher levels of drug and alcohol abuse. The survey also confirmed high medical consultation rates together with a high intake of prescribed medicines. Pictured with Mr. John O'Donoghue, T.D., Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, are Dr. Frances Hannon (left), Co-ordinator of the Survey, and Professor Cecily Kelleher, Department of Health Promotion, NUI, Galway. | TOP | Visions and Revisions: Millennium Perspectives, was the title of a major conference on Irish Studies, which took place in June in NUI, Galway. Organised in association with Boston College, the conference featured contributions from some of the most outstanding scholars working in the area including Terry Eagleton, Olwen Hufton and Ondrej Pilny.
Pictured at the opening of the conference, from left are, Ondrej Pilny, Professor Nicholas Canny, Department of History, Professor Ruth Curtis, Vice-President for Development and External Affairs and Dr. Louis De Paor, Conference Co-Ordinator. | TOP | New equipment will aid research Biomedical scientists in the Department of Biochemistry at NUI, Galway have been granted £120,000, from the Wellcome Trust and the Health Research Board, for biomedical research instrumentation. The state-of-the-art equipment will greatly enhance capability in the diagnosis of diseases such as cancer, heart disease and immunosuppression. The equipment will be used by researchers in the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, and in the Centre for Environmental Change, both based in NUI, Galway. The principal researchers involved in securing funding for this new instrumentation in the Department of Biochemistry are Dr. Michael P. Carty, Dr. Afshin Samali, Dr. Maria Tuohy and Dr. John Donlon, as well as Dr. John Kelly, in the Department of Pharmacology at NUI, Galway. | TOP |
In June, NUI, Galway honoured five people who have made remarkable and very distinctive contributions to contemporary Ireland, and whose interests and achievements are reflected in the life and work of the University. Recipients of honorary degrees included John Behan (D. Litt) internationally renowned sculptor; Tom Murphy (D. Litt), Tuam-born playwright; Thomas McDonogh (LL.D), Galway businessman; Gerald Lynch (LL.D), President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York; and William B. Arthur (D.Econ.Sc), Citibank Professor at the Santa Fe Institute, New Mexico and NUI Visiting Professor at NUI, Galway. The recipients are pictured with staff members who proposed them. L-R: Dr. Riana O'Dwyer, John Behan, Dr. Gerald Lynch, Thomas McDonogh, Tom Murphy, William Arthur, Dr. Patrick Fottrell, Professor Ruth Curtis, Professor Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh, Dr. Séamus Smyth, Vice-Chancellor, NUI and Professor Jim Ward. | TOP | An Athlone student won a state-of–the-art telescope in a competition organised by the Department of Physics, to launch the new degree in Physics & Astronomy, which commences this Autumn at NUI, Galway. The lucky winner was Amelia Kelly, a Leaving Certificate student at Our Lady's Bower Secondary School, Athlone. The prize, an 80mm refractor telescope, worth £6,000, was sponsored by Astronomy Ireland.
Pictured are Amelia Kelly, winner and Professor Mike Redfern, Department of Physics. | TOP | The 11th Symposium on Trends in Applications of Mathematics to Mechanics (STAMM), which was sponsored by the International Society for the Interaction of Mathematics and Mechanics, was held at NUI, Galway in July. The symposium attracted many leading researchers from around the world, who are working at the interface of mathematics and mechanics.
Pictured are Symposium organizers, Professor Padraic O'Donoghue, Dept. of Civil Engineering (extreme right), and Professor Jim Flavin, Dept. of Mathematical Physics (2nd left), with Professor Larry Payne, Cornell University (1st left), and Salvatore Rionero, Naples. | TOP | Exciting Visual Arts programme NUI, Galway will host Introduction to Contemporary Irish Art, a series of free public lectures and an exhibition, Juxtaposing Visions: Selected Works from the Irish Museum of Modern Art Collection, as part of its Autumn visual arts programme. The lectures will take place each Tuesday, from 12 September to 21 November, at 8pm in the Arts Millennium Building (AM 150). An exhibition of landmark artworks from the Irish Museum of Modern Art collection has been selected to run in conjunction with the talks.The Exhibition will feature works by artists, Dorothy Cross, Kathy Prendergast, John Kindness, Janet Mullarney, Patrick Graham, and Mick Mulcahy, among others. The University Art Gallery will host this historic exhibition, which will run from 7 September to 12 October. Opening hours: 10am – 5:30pm, Monday – Saturday. Admission free. | TOP | Opening of major extension to University Library The £2.8m extension to the James Hardiman Library, was opened in July by Mr. Robert Molloy, T.D., Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal. The Library was founded in 1849 and was originally located in the Quadrangle. It moved to a new custom-built library in 1973, catering for 3,500 students and was then named after the University's first Librarian and noted Galway historian, James Hardiman. Since then, the Library has undergone three extensions, the latest completing the building to its final plan. Today, the Library caters for 11,000 students and has a staff of almost 100 in term time.
Pictured at the opening of the new Extension are from left: Christy Townley and Pat O'Connell, former Librarians with current Librarian, Marie Reddan. | TOP | One of the undoubted social events of the year is coming up – Gala Banquet 2000! Following on the success of last year's event, it is expected that there will be huge demand for tickets for this year's Banquet, which takes place on Saturday 28th October. President Ó Muircheartaigh and Dr. Jim Walsh, Chairman of the Alumni Association, will host over 500 guests in Áras na Mac Léinn for the black tie event, which features a Reception, VIP Guest Speaker, Dinner, Dancing and Entertainment. This year's Gala Banquet is also the highlight of Alumni Reunion Weekend 2000, which takes place from 26th – 29th October. Three distinguished graduates will receive Alumni Association Awards, which are being presented for the first time. They are: Bank of Ireland Award for Business and Commerce; ntl Award for Engineering, IT and Mathematics; and Medtronic AVE Award for Health Care and Medical Science.
| TOP | Dedication of Lecture Theatres In July two of the Lecture Theatres in the Arts Millennium Building were dedicated to former Presidents of NUI, Galway, Dr. Martin Newell and Dr. Colm Ó hEocha.
Pictured at the unveiling of plaques to mark the dedication are (left) former President Fottrell with Mrs. Daiden Ó hEocha and (above) with Professor Máirtín Newell. | TOP | Mary King is a very special graduate! Because of her hearing impairment, she is the first NUI, Galway student to require sign-language interpreting facilities to pursue her studies. Mary, a mature student, graduated in June with a Diploma in Social Care.
Married with one child, Mary is currently working as a classroom assistant in the Partial Hearing Unit, at St. Nicholas's School in the Claddagh, Galway. Mary King is pictured with former President Fottrell and Professor Cecily Kelleher, Department of Health Promotion. | TOP | Former Auditor of the Political Discussion Society, Brian Dawson, landed a dream Summer job this year. For eight weeks he worked in the West Wing of the White House, in the office of the First Lady, Hillary Clinton. Brian was one of 34 students from Northern Ireland and the Republic to participate in the Young Leaders' Programme, organized by QUB Students' Union in association with the US Project Children While some of the students worked with TV Networks or on Capitol Hill, Brian was the first student from the Republic to work as a White House Intern. His work mainly involved scheduling the First Lady's programme. He met Hillary Clinton a number of times, and he says the highlight of his stay was watching the 4th July fireworks display from the White House lawn.
Brian Dawson is pictured with President Clinton and QUB student, Ciara Leonard. | TOP | Thirty five members of NUI, Galway staff participated in this year's Dublin City Marathon in June. They raised in excess of £3,000 sponsorship for Galway Charities: Waterside House Refuge, Woodquay and the Leukaemia Trust, UCHG.
Pictured are front row, Marion Martyn (1st left) presenting a cheque for £1,500 to Wendy Heuston, Waterside House Refuge and Kathleen Keane (3rd left) presenting a cheque for £1,500 to Jack Toolan Leukaemia Trust. | TOP |
A collaborative research project between the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and the National Diagnostics Centre at NUI, Galway is focused on the molecular factors regulating human labour and delivery, and specifically premature delivery, which is a significant cause of death and handicap in newborn babies. Professor John Morrison, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Dr. Terry Smith, NDC, have recently obtained funding for a Light Cycler PCR System for Quantitative PCR, which will greatly facilitate their collaborative research programme. This equipment, costing £55,000 and jointly funded by the Health Research Board (HRB) of Ireland and the National Diagnostics Centre, is new to NUI, Galway and represents the latest technology in quantitative methods in molecular biology. The research personnel have also been funded by the HRB as well as the HEA. Professor John Morisson is pictured with the new research equipment. | TOP | Deep-Sea Biologists confer in Galway
Pictured from left are, Former President Fottrell, Mr. Frank Fahey, T.D., Minister for Marine and Natural Resources, who opened the Conference and Dr. John Patching. | TOP | | September Cover Stories | September Features | Current Issue | Back Issues | Ollscéala is published by the Press and Information Office Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh. Tel. 091-750418 Fax: 091-750521 E-mail: m.mhicuidhir@mis.nuigalway.ie |
The James Hardiman Library was delighted to accept from Sheila, Lady Killanin, the gift of the personal Library of the late Lord Killanin. The collection consists of approximately 3,500 volumes, spanning a broad range of subject areas, and is particularly rich in Anglo-Irish literary material, Irish history, local history, travel in Ireland and international politics. It is appropriate and very gratifying that this Library should come to the University, given the late Lord Killanin's links with Galway and the west of Ireland. 
The annual NUI, Galway Health Promotion Conference, which took place in June, focussed on the theme of mental health. Hosted by the Department of Health Promotion, the event provided an important platform for practitioners, researchers and policy makers, to explore and discuss issues fundamental to the development of mental health promotion. Emerging international perspectives in this area were delivered by keynote speakers from New Zealand, Canada, the UK and Ireland.
Over
500 delegates from more than 40 countries attended PESC 2000 (Power
Electronics Specialists Conference) in June. This annual flagship conference,
which is worth in excess of £1 million to the local economy, takes
place in Europe every four years. "Galway was chosen for the Millennium
Conference because of the international reputation for scholarship and
research achieved by the Department of Electronic Engineering at NUI,
Galway", said conference organiser, Professor Gerard Hurley. 
One hundred and sixty deep-sea biologists from throughout the world attended the 7th International Deep-Sea Biology Symposium in June. Organised by Dr. John Patching, Martin Ryan Marine Science Institute, presentations included new techniques for working in one of the most hostile environments on earth. New approaches to understanding the biodiversity and activity of life in the deep sea were discussed, including discoveries of previously unknown species, events in deep waters, sediments and hydrothermal vents.