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Focal ón Eagarthóir
Welcome to the June edition of Ollscéala! As
the academic year draws to a close, many students have already winged
their way to foreign shores for the Summer vacation and the campus
is quiet in the aftermath of exam frenzy. However, this is just
a very short lull as we prepare to welcome the influx of American
and other international students who attend our annual Summer School.
Seminars and conferences will also add to the number of visitors
to NUI, Galway over the next few months.
It’s been a busy term and you will find ample
evidence of that in this issue of Ollscéala, from the international
dimension of university life, exemplified in the appointment of
Professor William Schabas to the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation
Commission (page 3), to the strategic importance of NUI, Galway
in promoting the cultural and artistic life of the region, illustrated
by the launch of the first ensemble-in-residence for the west of
Ireland (page 5). Many thanks as always to all of those who submitted
material for this issue.
Máire Mhic Uidhir,
Editor
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Saving Time on the Internet
Using the Internet as a research resource can be either
very productive or frustratingly time consuming. A new book by Dr
Niall Ó Dochartaigh, of NUI, Galway’s Department of
Political Science and Sociology, will help both the serious researcher
and the casual user to manage this useful resource to maximum effect.
The Internet Research Handbook: A Practical Guide
for Students and Researchers in the Social Sciences outlines, in
clear and simple terms, the way in which the Internet may be an
integral part of a social science research project, from the initial
framing of a research question to publication, the final goal.
The book will be invaluable to postgraduate students
who are about to start research for a dissertation, as well as to
experienced academic researchers who are trying to incorporate the
Internet into their research practice.
In addition, it will be useful for researchers in
a wide range of areas, from media to government, to the voluntary
sector, who are concerned with issues of current debate and controversy.
Niall Ó Dochartaigh spent three years as a
webmaster, establishing the international Conflict Data Service
of INCORE, a joint initiative of the United Nations University and
the University of Ulster.
Pictured are Dr Niall Ó Dochartaigh (left),
with Professor Ger Hurley, Dean of Research who launched ‘The
Internet Research Handbook’.
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Galway Student Wins Chemistry
Award
BSc student Damien Kelly was recently awarded the
BOC prize in Chemistry. Pictured with Professor William Spillane
(left) and Mr Gerry Donovan, BOC (right), Damien will use the award
to pursue further research in non-nutritive sweeteners within the
Department of Chemistry.
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NUI, Galway Professor appointed
to Sierra Leone’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Professor William A. Schabas, director of the Irish
Centre for Human Rights at NUI, Galway, has been appointed by the
President of Sierra Leone, Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, as a member
of the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
The Commission, which began its fifteen-month mandate
on 1 June 2002, is to create an impartial historical record of Sierra
Leone's brutal civil war which occurred in the 1990s. It is also
required to address the needs of victims and to promote reconciliation
in the country. The Commission is modelled on similar efforts in
South Africa and Guatemala.
"Sierra Leone's Truth Commission is somewhat
unique, in that it will operate in parallel with criminal prosecutions
of the most serious offenders by the newly created Special Court",
Professor Schabas explained. The Special Court was established in
January by an agreement between Sierra Leone and the United Nations.
"Truth commissions are increasingly recognised
as useful and effective mechanisms to promote peace and reconciliation
in societies emerging from conflict and to combat impunity",
said Professor Schabas. "They can ensure accountability where
the more traditional approach of criminal prosecution is not possible.
They are particularly effective in providing a voice for victims
and in establishing what really took place."
The Sierra Leone Truth Commission is made up of seven
commissioners: four nationals of Sierra Leone and three non-nationals
who were nominated by Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights. In addition to Professor Schabas, the other non-nationals
are Yasmin Louise Sooka, a former member of the South African Truth
Commission, and Satang Ajaaraton Jow, a former Gambian Minister
of Education.
During 2002 and 2003, Professor Schabas will travel
regularly to Sierra Leone in order to carry out his functions as
a commissioner.
William Schabas is an internationally recognised specialist
in international human rights law, with a particular expertise in
the area of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. A
prolific author, he has published twelve books on human rights subjects
of which the most recent, An Introduction to the International Criminal
Court, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2001. His
work as a human rights monitor and investigator has taken him to
such countries as Rwanda, Cambodia, Kosovo, Chechnya, the Sudan
and El Salvador.
For more information on the Truth Commission, see:
www.sierra-leone.org/trc.html.
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The Psychology of Stalking
The phenomenon of stalking, which has been on the
increase in recent years and has been the subject of convictions
in Ireland, was addressed at the recent 24th Annual Congress of
Psychology Students in Ireland, hosted by NUI, Galway in March.
The keynote address, entitled “Stalking: Motivations and Interventions”,
was delivered by Dr. Lorraine Sheridan from Leicester University.
Dr. Sheridan, an expert in this area who has helped British police
to identify and bring stalkers to justice, described to a packed
audience some typical stalker profiles and the various patterns
such harassment can take.
Other topics addressed during the course of the conference
included stress, disability, exercise and self-esteem, and aspects
of memory.
Pictured are Dr. Lorraine Sheridan, keynote speaker
and Professor Des Swan, President of the Psychological Society of
Ireland.
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Does Social Partnership have
a Future?
Much water has flowed under the bridge since April
18 when David Begg, General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade
Unions, delivered the 6th Annual James Connolly Lecture at NUI,
Galway. The General Election, followed by the formation of a new
Government has taken place amid constant reminders (factory closures,
job losses, industrial disputes) that the heady days of the ‘Celtic
Tiger’ are certainly numbered. David Begg, one of the most
highly respected figures in Irish industrial relations, delivered
a thought-provoking lecture entitled “Does Social Partnership
have a Future?” Being strongly of the opinion that the model
has worked well since 1987 and should be continued if possible,
he nevertheless acknowledged that while economic progress is a pre-requisite
to social progress, it is not a guarantor of it.
In his lecture, Begg outlined the prerequisites for
trade union participation in any successor to the Programme for
Prosperity and Fairness (PPF). Future partnership, he said, should
be in the context of a medium-term vision of a more equal and just
society and should be predicated on wealth being created in the
economy to ensure prosperity and social provision. It must focus
on bringing Ireland up to the best European standards of health,
education, childcare, housing and transport. Mutual respect among
the participants, as well as the effective implementation of partnership
objectives, were crucial for its success.
The PPF has delivered prosperity. "All boats
have risen", he concluded. "The task now is to tie them
closer together to achieve a just society. It will not be easy but
it is possible".
Pictured, David Begg (left), with Professor Roy Greene,
Department of Management.
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NUI, Galway graduate wins Sir
Charles Harvey Award
NUI, Galway graduate, Petrina Grady from Tuam, was
one of the recipients of the prestigious Guinness-IMI Sir Charles
Harvey Award at a ceremony at the National Management Centre recently.
The award is presented to Ireland’s top performers
in postgraduate business studies and Petrina completed a major dissertation
in the area of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), under the
supervision of the Department of Marketing. She is currently employed
as CRM Strategy Specialist within the Strategy Development Unit
of AIB, Head Office, Dublin.
Pictured with award winner Petrina Grady, are from
left, Kevin Kelly, Chairman of IMI Council; Pat Barry, Director
of Corporate Affairs, Guinness UDV Ireland; Declan Fleming, Marketing
Department, NUI, Galway; and Barry Kenny, Chief Executive, IMI .
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A Maritime Tale of Success and
Failure
The Galway Line, a maritime steamship company of the
1850s, rose to international prominence in a few short years and
just as quickly, disappeared, leaving no folk memory. Puzzled at
this unusual phenomenon, Tim Collins, a chartered librarian at NUI,
Galway and marine science graduate, resolved to unravel the mystery.
The result is a fascinating book, entitled Transatlantic Triumph
and Heroic Failure: The Galway Line. It features industrious individuals
like Fr. Daly, a local priest and developer who battled for Government
aid to modernise Galway port and its rail links. The book also describes
how during the American Civil War, Galway ships were chartered by
the Admiralty to bring troops to Canada in case the war should spill
northward, while others were used as Confederate blockade runners.
Increasing competition however, and faster and more
efficient ships capable of non-stop transatlantic runs from Liverpool
and other ports, forced the closure of the Galway Line.
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Ensemble-in-Residence for Galway
The first full-time professional music residency in
the West of Ireland will commence in Autumn 2002. In a city renowned
for its theatrical groups, its visual artists, its writers, and
its traditional music, the Ensemble-in-Residence will both increase
Galway’s reputation as an artistic centre of excellence and
greatly enhance the cultural life of the region. NUI, Galway will
provide working space for the ensemble, which will be managed by
Music for Galway. TG4 will provide promotional support, while the
Arts Council joins the partnership, supporting both professional
development for artists and audience development for listeners.
Galway City and County Councils will also support the project, primarily
in its outreach aspects.
This exciting initiative follows the inspirational
work of other regionally-based groups such as the RTÉ Vanbrugh
Quartet based in Cork, the Irish Chamber Orchestra based in Limerick
and the Vogler Quartet in Sligo. The main focus of the ensemble’s
activities will be performance with an emphasis on audience development
and interaction with young musicians.
Pictured at the launch in NUI, Galway of the first
Ensemble-in-Residence in the West of Ireland are, from left: Dermot
McLaughlin, Arts Council; Professor Jim Browne, Registrar, NUI,
Galway; Hilary Vesey, Chairperson, Music for Galway; Cllr. Donal
Lyons, Mayor of Galway; and Pól Ó Gallchóir,
Ceannasaí, TG4.
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Acquiring Crucial Management
Skills
Pictured with the President, Dr Ó Muircheartaigh,
is the group who received first prize for their project and presentation.
From left, Michael Flannery, Diane Crean, Ciara Garry and Ann Marie
Kelly.
The Management Skills programme is an innovative new
teaching initiative on offer from the Department of Management.
Funded by NUI, Galway’s Programme Innovation Fund, Management
Skills is a highly interactive, labour intensive programme.
The overall objective of the course, according to
Professor Roy Green of the Department of Management, is to bridge
the gap between the skills and abilities employers are looking for
in young graduates and the traditional educational methods used
by the university. Competition for places has been intense and students
have proved to be highly motivated.
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Islam and Human Rights: Responding
to New Challenges
Dr. Faustina Pereira, an Advocate of the Supreme Court
of Bangladesh, is spending a year at the Irish Centre for Human
Rights, NUI Galway on the Bank of Ireland Fellowship Scheme. Her
book, The Fractured Scales: The Search for a Uniform Personal Code,
has just been published.
This book is a timely breakthrough in the dialogue
on religion, politics and culture, especially after the events of
September 11th. Although focusing specifically on existing personal
legal systems in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, it nevertheless
examines the wider implications of the maintenance of a universal
system of human rights in the face of Islamic and other religious
fundamentalist ideas. It seeks to achieve this not by discarding
beliefs, but by engaging with and seeking change in the notion of
‘culture’ while ensuring the rights of persons belonging
to ethnic and religious groups, to their own personal law.
Pictured: Professor Ruth Curtis, Vice-President for
Development and External Affairs; Dr Faustina Pereira, author; and
Professor Dinah Shelton, Centre for Human Rights, Notre Dame University,
USA.
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NUI, Galway Joins Burren College
of Art to deliver first Irish Master of Fine Art
The spectacular beauty of the Burren in Co. Clare
has for long been a source of inspiration for artists, writers and
poets. Just outside Ballyvaughan, the Burren College of Art (BCA),
founded in 1994 is based at the 16th century Newtown Castle. In
a significant development, NUI, Galway has now joined BCA to deliver
the first Irish Master of Fine Art (MFA) programme in Ireland. The
two-year, full-time postgraduate programme, which will commence
in September 2003, was launched in April by Ms. Síle de Valera,
T.D., Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.
MFA students will be based in the Burren College of
Art, which provides state-of-the-art facilities including modern
studios, a lecture theatre, a library, a dark room and photographic
facilities and a sculpture workshop.
Tuition will be provided by resident faculty as well
as established, international visiting artists from prestigious
Art Schools, including the Royal College of Art in London and the
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, which has been consistently
ranked the number one graduate school of fine arts in the U.S.
Elective studies of the MFA programme will take place
at NUI, Galway. This will enable the students to broaden their field
of knowledge and also to study intercultural aspects of visual media.
Opportunities for co-operative work in areas such as performance
art, text and image, and writing will be facilitated.
Pictured at the launch of the MFA programme at the
Burren College of Art are, from left: Michael Green Director, BCA;
Ms. Síle de Valera, T.D., Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht
and the Islands; Dr. Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh, President
of NUI, Galway; and Mary Hawkes-Green, President, BCA.
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New location for Careers Service
NUI, Galway Careers Service has opened its bright,
new offices in the Arts/Science building. The large open-plan area
is a focal point for students and graduates to avail of information
and advice on their career choice, postgraduate study, to search
for work or find information on specific employers or work areas.
Extensive work space is available for students to
research or simply browse materials, while two rooms are multi-purpose,
doubling as an interview suite for potential employers of graduates
and for ongoing projects.
The design of the Information Room is based on research
on best practice in Ireland and the UK, and the Association of Graduate
Careers Services classification system is used. Six student computers
have internet access, computerised guidance packages, software for
psychometric tests, and one is customised for students with disabilities.
Pictured at the opening of the Careers Service’s
new offices are, from left: Peter Keane and John Hannon, Careers
Service with Professor Ruth Curtis, Vice-President for Development
and External Affairs.
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Young Publishers cast a Critical
Eye on their Generation
The tenth edition of ROPES, the annual Arts Postgraduate
Magazine, published by postgraduate students of the English Department
at NUI, Galway was launched in April, by Galway-based author and
poet, Fred Johnston.
This year's edition, "Generation Junk",
touches on relevant modern social issues, particularly those that
affect youth and posterity. RTÉ broadcaster, Mark Little
contributed an excerpt from his forthcoming book Turn Left at Greenland,
which deals with the present decadent state of American society,
while Irish Times columnist, John Waters, addresses the issue of
political apathy in today's young generation. The latest edition
of ROPES also includes poetry from Medbh McGuckian, Fred Johnston
and Brendan Kennelly..
Pictured at the launch of ‘ROPES’ are Galway-based
poets, Fred Johnston and Maureen Gallagher.
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Nobel Laureate visits NUI,
Galway
Professor Jean-Marie Lehn, from Université
Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, a founder figure of modern supramolecular
chemistry (chemistry beyond the molecule), visited NUI, Galway in
May and delivered a public lecture entitled "Supramolecular
Chemistry: From Molecular Recognition to Self Organisation".
Professor Lehn was awarded the Nobel Prize for his
work on "the development and use of molecules with structures-specific
interactions of high selectivity."
Professor R.N. Butler, Department of Chemistry, who
organised the lecture said: "It is a great honour for the Department
and the Faculty of Science to have a scientist of Professor Lehn’s
renown visit and share his expertise with us".
In the NUI, Galway Chemistry Department, there is
extensive on-going research into the synthesis and reactions of
molecules, which range in size from small drug-sized molecules to
polysaccharides and proteins. Molecular structure is studied using
a range of techniques, including magnetic resonance and X-ray crystallography.
Pictured from left are: Dr. John O’Callaghan,
Senior Chemist, Roche Ireland Ltd; Professor Jean-Marie Lehn, Nobel
Laureate; and Professor R.N. Butler, Department of Chemistry.
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German Ambassador promotes
Galway-German links
The recently-appointed German Ambassador to Ireland,
Dr. Gottfried Hass, recently paid a courtesy visit to NUI, Galway,
where he met the President, Dr. Ó Muircheartaigh and academic
staff from the Department of German. Keen to promote stronger educational,
cultural and commercial links between the two countries, Dr. Hass
pledged a return visit to NUI, Galway in the near future.
Pictured: the German Ambassador, Dr. Hass signing
the Visitors Book, with the President, Dr. Ó Muircheartaigh.
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Postgraduate Programme Comes
of Age
A postgraduate programme in Marketing was the first
of its kind in Ireland when it was established in NUI, Galway twenty
one years ago. The Diploma in Marketing Practice (DMP), has produced
more than five hundred graduates and operated a placement programme
with eight hundred companies, mostly in the western region. Such
is the success of the programme that the majority of businesses
accepting the graduates on placement, retain them as full-time employees.
According to Dr. Aidan Daly, Department of Marketing, the programme
is "an excellent example of ‘town and gown’ co-operation
or university working closely with business".
Pictured celebrating twenty one years of the DMP are,
from left: Elaine Wallace, Dr. Aidan Daly, Mary Greaney, Declan
Fleming and Professor Jim Ward.
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