Community Outreach

Community Knowledge Initiative

Law students now have the opportunity to volunteer in their community - see University volunteering programme at NUI Galway Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI).

Promotion of the Irish Language

The School of Law is committed to the promotion of the Irish language and to the incorporation of Irish into its programmes where feasible and appropriate. The Law School is concerned to make teaching and administration more accessible to Irish speakers, as befits a Law School situated in close proximity to the Gaeltacht. It is also concerned to increase the availability of quality legal services for the Irish speaking community, and to forge greater links with the legal professions in the promotion and use of Irish.

While no law subjects are currently taught through Irish, the Law School is currently investigating the possibility of providing a limited amount of teaching through Irish, on a pilot basis. The Law School also encourages students to participate in Irish language legal debates and moot courts, and to participate in the Irish language classes offered by the University, which are available to students at all levels, including beginners.

Of particular benefit to law students is the Diploma in Irish for Lawyers (Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge do Lucht an Dlí), which was established by the joint efforts of the Law School and Oifig na Gaeilge Labhartha in 2001. This specially designed two-year programme aims to provide lawyers and law students with the specialist vocabulary to deal with legal issues in Irish, as well as improving the participants' overall fluency in written and spoken Irish. While the Diploma is attractive anyone with an interest in the Irish language, it is hoped that it will also ultimately enhance the availability of legal services to members of the Irish-speaking community. The Diploma is also likely to be of assistance to persons intending to take the Law Society or Bar Council professional Irish exams.

The Diploma in Irish for Lawyers is available to all law students at a very moderate cost, at flexible times. Students have two hours' tuition per week during term, with equal emphasis on written and spoken Irish. Class participation is keenly encouraged, and the topics covered are specifically chosen for their interest and relevance to law students. The Diploma is partly examined by continuous assessment, and partly by an end-of-year written and oral examination. Interested persons are invited to contact Áras na Gaeilge for further information.

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