NUI Galway

The University was founded in 1845 as Queen's College, Galway. It was one of three  Queen's Colleges founded under the Queen's College (Ireland) Act, 1845 the others being located in Belfast and Cork.  The College opened for students in October 1849.

By the Irish Universities Act (1908), Queen's College, Galway become a constituent College of the new National University of Ireland, and under a new charter, the name of the College was changed to University College, Galway.

Under the Universities Act, 1997, University College, Galway was reconstituted as a University, under the  name of Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh/National University of Ireland, Galway, and became a Constituent University of the National University of Ireland (together with NUI Cork, NUI Dublin and NUI Maynooth).

Since the 1960's, the University has experienced significant and continuous growth, both in its stock of buildings, facilities and physical resources and also in the number of its students and staff.  Its student body now numbers in excess of 11,000, with academically strong programmes of teaching and research throughout its five Colleges of

• Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies
• Business, Public Policy and Law
• Engineering and Informatics
• Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
• Science

The campus itself is situated on the banks of the River Corrib, close to the centre of Galway, on a most attractive site.  The original mid-nineteenth century University buildings are in a Tudor architectural style.  The old stone quadrangle, at the heart of the University, is flanked by new buildings, reflecting the steady growth, in quality and in numbers, of the University.

Back to main information page

• Disclaimer
• Privacy
• Copyright
• Accessibility