The Magazine for NUI Galway Alumni & Friends

Class notes University news researCH alUMni news events

Mandela Tribute

AUTUMN 2013

Diabetes

Big Data

ÉamonDe Buitléar

Shawlie at the Galway Races, by Jack B Yeats (from the NUI Galway Art Collection)

Abbey Archive

‘A man more than a hundred years old’

A holistic research approach

Investment in world-class research

COISCOIRIBE

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16 Disclaimer: Cois Coiribe is an annual magazine published by the Alumni Office for alumni and friends of NUI Galway. While every care is taken in compiling the magazine, NUI Galway accepts no responsibility for the effects arising thereof. The views expressed are not neccesarily those of NUI Galway. All material is copyright.

ON THE COVER: NUI Galway houses a significant collection of Irish and international art both traditional and contemporary. The University has benefitted from generous donations, gifts and bequests throughout its history and continues to welcome archives, collections and loans. The cover illustration features an image from the sketchbooks of Jack B Yeats (1871 – 1957), entitled, Shawlie at the Galway Races (watercolour and pencil), which was acquired recently by NUI Galway. This important acquisition of the Yeats notebooks was made possible through the support of Galway University Foundation.To view the University art collection, see www.nuigalway.ie/arts_office/art_database/

Focal ón Uachtarán 2 A View from Midway - an interview with President Browne

News 4 The Year in Pictures 6 University News 8 Research Round-up 27 Sports Highlights

Features 10 A virtual Abbey Theatre14 Digital Remains 18 Diabetes Research 20 Cartlann Éamon de Buitléar 31 Mandela Tribute 34 University Enterprise 16 A Mature Student’s Journey

Graduates 28 Seavite Sisters 29 A Q&A with our Government Press Secretary 30 The Boston Marathon bombs

Galway University Foundation32 The Difference Philanthropy Makes 37 The Alumni Fund

Alumni 36 Alumni Awards 42 Alumni Events 45 Reunions 46 Class Notes 48 Obituaries

Editor:Michelle ní Chróinín michelle.nichroinin@nuigalway.ie Editorial Board:Caroline loughnane, liz McConnell, Professor Patrick lonergan, Colm o’Dwyer

Contributors: louise Holden, Gráinne McMahon, John Holden, Dan Griffin, Móna wise, sharon ní Chonchúir, Dónall Ó Braonáin, Professor Donncha o’Connell Gary McMahon, Diana Hogan-Murphy, Marketing & Communications office

Design: allen Design Consultantswww.allendesign.ie Print:Castleprint www.castleprint.iePhotography: aengus McMahon, nUi Galway, abbey Theatre archive

CONTENTS

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Cois Coiribe 1

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Cois Coiribe 2

Five years into Dr Jim Browne’s presidency, how far has his vision for the University advanced ?

when Dr Jim Browne took up the presidency of nUi Galway five years ago, he outlined an ambitious strategy that included the re-imagining of the University’s mission, transforming the physical and virtual campus and putting it on the global higher education map.

Halfway through his term of office, the strategy is in full swing, with much of Browne’s initial vision already a reality. so much about nUi Galway has changed: the campus, the learning experience, the research fraternity, the academic focus.

Much remains the same, however: the small, close-knit learning community, the tradition of arts and science embedded in the strengths of the region and, most importantly, the University’s unbreakable bond with the city of Galway.

Five years – five areas of strength“it is important for all stakeholders to see us competing internationally – students, graduates, industry and the taxpayer,” says Dr Browne, explaining the radical reprioritisation of academic energy in Galway over the last five years. “we cannot be global competitors in every field. That is why we have identified five areas of strength and channelled significant resources into them. we have chosen a set of themes that are important to Galway and to ireland, and set about making ourselves world-class players in these fields.”

The areas were not difficult to identify, he says. Galway is home to the fifth biggest cluster of biomedical device manufacturers in the world. eighty per cent of all stents used outside north america are made in ireland. nUi Galway has responded by laying on programmes and producing graduates that have helped to create a biomedical ecosystem that is the envy of the world, says Dr Browne.

“we have introduced programmes, such as Bioinnovate – based on stanford University’s BioDesign initiative - that ensure the next generation of biomedical devices will be designed right here. we are hopeful that a world-class clinical research facility, currently under development on campus, will be cleared for human genome research by the autumn. There is currently no facility in the country where material for clinical human trials can be produced, so this facility would revolutionise medical device development in ireland. we have brought the best researchers in the field to Galway, 60 academics across medicine, engineering and science, and we have secured significant funding, relative to our size, from sFi (science Foundation ireland) and Prtli (Programme for research in Third-level institutions). in short, we are doing all that is necessary to create the ideal ecosystem for biomedical research and manufacturing right here in Galway.”

The next obvious target for specialisation is marine science, and the establishment of the ryan institute for environmental, Marine and energy research has lifted Galway into the top league of global marine investigation.

it’s not all about science: Galway is often described as the arts capital of ireland. The University has placed strategic emphasis on theatre and drama: a new degree programme in theatre, coupled with the digitisation of the abbey Theatre archives, is expected to draw national and global attention at both undergraduate and research levels. Combined with the Druid Theatre lyric, taibhdhearc, Kilroy, shields and Huston archive material already held at nUi Galway, the University will be the lodestar for enthusiasts of irish theatre. once the abbey digitisation project is complete, Galway will be home to the biggest digital theatre archive in the world.

A view fromMidway

Focal ón Uachtarán

Cois Coiribe 3

Cutting across science and the humanities is Deri, the Digital enterprise research institute, and the fourth area of strategic priority at the University. “it is anticipated that by 2025, 80 per cent of all exports from ireland will be in the services sector,” says Dr Browne. “we want to be part of the next generation of web development.”

The big story is ‘Big Data’: the quest to reign in the dizzying quantity of information now being captured by the web and turn it to good use. Dr Browne describes the work at Deri as the “perfect example of multidisciplinary enquiry”, with partners as diverse at rtÉ, Google, The irish times and the biomedical sector.

The fifth focus is on applied social sciences and Public Policy, with particular focus on human rights. The establishment on campus of the irish Centre for Human rights, the life Course institute (covering childhood, disability and social gerontology) and the whitaker institute for innovation and societal Change are testament to this commitment.

“The proof of the strategy, across all five disciplines, is in our global profile and the calibre of researchers we are attracting. if we didn’t perform at the top level, people wouldn’t work with us. if you look at the rankings and assessments of research capacity in these key areas, we are climbing.”

A changing higher education landscapeThe changing profile of nUi Galway comes amid a period of reconstitution in higher education. state policymakers have vowed to target duplication and to create hubs of expertise and regional higher education clusters. The geography of study in ireland is surprising: undergraduates favour proximity to home when choosing a college, with the result that every university and institute of technology has developed complete suites of programmes – a poor use of resources in a small country. as nUi Galway moves to make itself the University of choice for undergraduate study in drama, marine science, applied social science, biomedical science and informatics, there is a corresponding national imperative to redirect resources, and students, to where the expertise lies.

“we are set to form part of a cluster with GMit, letterkenny it, sligo it, st angela’s College and shannon College,” says Dr Browne. “The challenge will be to create a governing structure that works for all the partners. we have an opportunity to make a big difference in the region if we identify the role of each partner and create a system that allows students of different levels to move smoothly between us. There is enough space for everyone to flourish.”

Dr Browne envisions a scenario where the various partners would work together in new markets to present the whole west of ireland as an offering with programmes across all levels.

The student experience, physical and virtualon the ground in nUi Galway, students are noticing the change, both on the physical and virtual campuses. virtual learning environments are embedded across the University.

“we have committed considerable resources to this, with the result that the whole learning experience for students is much more personalised,” says Dr Browne, who has been impressed by the response of staff to the introduction of virtual learning networks. “it’s been transformational and has helped to mitigate the effects of changing staff student ratios, to a certain extent,” says Dr Browne. “ninety five per cent of our staff are now using the software, with no industrial relations issues. it’s the great untold story of higher education.”

online learning environments are being used to bring the experience of a Galway education to a global audience: there are three nUi Galway MooCs (massive open online courses)set to go live, covering irish studies, human rights studies and engineering management. Both Deri and The ryan institute are also developing MooCs.

The physical campus is also changing rapidly. with three new buildings finished and five more underway, Dr Browne’s ambitious vision for the campus is within sight of being fully realised.

“The engineering building is the largest of its type in the country and was designed as a ‘learning building’, including a climate wall to capture energy, a mechanism for water harvesting and visible foundations. it’s a great attraction, designed by engineers for engineers,” he says.

The transformation of the campus continues with the recent completion of the new arts, Humanities and social sciences Building. This stunning new facility provides unrivalled research facilities for students and researchers, as well as providing the most modern of homes for the rich archival collection. an extension to the arts Millennium Building was also completed this spring and will serve as a new home for the University’s school of Psychology.

Construction is also nearing completion on a new building for biomedical research while work is underway on three further projects, a Human Biology building, a lifecourse institute, and a Clinical and translational research Facility, on the grounds of University Hospital Galway.

Finding new ways to fund progressThis extensive, and expensive, programme of capital and research development has taken place against a backdrop of falling capitation levels, rising staff ratios and increasing numbers of students.

“The state can’t afford what it’s trying to do at third level,” says Dr Browne. “Developing new funding streams has been integral to the process of developing nUi Galway.”

The University has outperformed its size in securing Prtli funding, and its philanthropy unit – Galway University Foundation – has generated €150m since 1999. The University has a unique relationship with the donor community in the Us, where a gala dinner is held each year, in new york.

“alumni have been very helpful,” says Dr Browne. “we have very successful boards in ireland and the Us, and we also have active alumni associations in asia. There is very positive feeling towards nUi Galway in the Us, perhaps because graduates had such a positive experience of the college and of the city.”

The culture of graduate endowment is very strong in the Us, which also accounts for the willingness of stateside graduates to contribute to the development of their alma mater. now, the University is drawing on the support of loyal graduates: recent moves to diversify into irish alumni philanthropy have been very successful for nUi Galway.

That culture of giving is fostered right from undergraduate level, says Dr Browne. “our student volunteering programme is one of the best developed in the country. The taxpayer shoulders the bulk of the cost of educating students: it’s imperative that these students are encouraged and supported to give something valuable back to the community. More than half of all programmes at nUi Galway have a community module included, with students earning credits towards their final grade through volunteer work linked to their subject.”

activities like this safeguard the mutually beneficial ties between the University and the region, which have garnered success for both, says Dr Browne. “we enjoy tremendous loyalty from our graduates, and a goodwill comes from being part of the community here in Galway. even though we are growing so rapidly, those links between the University, the city and the region remain tight. There’s a great sense of optimism in the city and a strong tradition of mutual support.

“Our ambition has always been entwined with the region’s ambition. We are a university on the march.”

President Browne was in conversation with Louise Holden

Cois Coiribe 4

The Year in picturesMaamturks challengeA participant in the NUI Galway Mountaineering Club’s 38th Annual Maamturks Challenge 2013, which took place in April 2013. The challenge commences at 5am and concludes when all participants have descended from the mountains.

Primary school students graduate

‘a’ Students

NUI Galway’s Youth Academy works with primary school children in the local community to support their learning and academic development.The Youth Academy runs for a six-week period and works with high ability fourth and fifth class primary school children to support their learning and academic development, in partnership with their primary schools. The most recent graduation ceremony took place in June 2013, bringing to over 400 the number of young people who have participated since its inception in 2012.

Sarah Comiskey and Riona Kivlehan, from St. Clare’s Comprehensive School, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim, who were awarded Certificates of Achievement for receiving an ‘A’ in Junior Certificate Honours Business Studies.

nEWS

Pictured with his certificate of participation at the Youth Academy graduation ceremony is Éanna Wood from Spiddal, Co. Galway.

Students from Educate Together National School at the official launch of the 15th Galway Science and Technology Festival at NUI Galway.

Cois Coiribe 5

G for Gaeilge

US Gala

comets in Galway

In April 2013, NUI Galway officially launched the New Language Scheme (2012-2015). Its main feature is to ensure there is an active offer of Irish in a range of services on campus. A new G symbol was created to make it clear to Irish speakers where they can avail of services through the language.

RTÉ’s Evanne Ní Chuilinn (HDipA Dioplóma sna Dána 2004) at the launch of the New Language Scheme

In November 2012, the Foundation’s US Board hosted its 6th Annual Gala Banquet to raise funds for the University’s programmes and activities. The Gala, which honoured alumnus, Michael D Higgins and Anjelica Huston, was a great success and raised over $200,000 for the Huston School of Film & Digital Media.

Professor Rod Stoneman, Director of the Huston School of Film and Digital Media; actress, Anjelica Huston; President Browne; and Tom Joyce, Galway University Foundation

Studying Comet PanSTARRS, which was visible in Irish skies in February, were PhD students from the Centre for Astronomy,Lisa-Marie Browne and Diarmaid de Búrca, on the promenade in Salthill, Galway

Students from Educate Together National School at the official launch of the 15th Galway Science and Technology Festival at NUI Galway.

RTÉ’s Marty Morrissey, NUI Galway HDip in Education graduate, 2006, pictured with Professor of Economics Eamon O’Shea in the Quad before the National League Final in May 2013. Professor O’Shea was appointed Tipperary hurling manager in 2012

Cois Coiribe 6

Risein World

Rankings

UniversityNewsnEWS

Plans for Mary robinson centreIn September 2012, plans were unveiled to establish a Mary Robinson Centre in the former President of Ireland’s home town of Ballina, Co. Mayo. The development will feature a visitor centre at Mary Robinson’s birthplace in Victoria House, on the banks of the River Moy, as well as a research and educational study centre.

The research and educational study centre will be supported by NUI Galway and focus on the fields of Human Rights and Women’s Leadership. Mary Robinson’s extensive archive will be the centrepiece of the educational facility, and as academic partner to the project, NUI Galway will bring researchers and students from all over the world to engage with its contents.

The University will advise on the cataloguing and making available of the archive, which is valued at over €2.5 million. The collection will provide a wealth of new insights into the many national and international achievements of the former President and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region of Africa.

Dr tK Whitaker at nUI Galway The eminent economist and former Secretary of the Department of Finance, Dr TK Whitaker, was warmly received at NUI Galway in October 2012 for the announcement of the establishment of the Whitaker Institute for Innovation and Societal Change.

Dr Whitaker played an instrumental role in devising the economic plan which set Ireland on the road to regeneration in the early 1960s. Drawing inspiration from his

unparalleled service to Ireland, the newly formed Whitaker Institute will act as the country’s largest research body focused on contemporary and relevant business, social and policy issues.

With over 200 members and subsuming the University’s Centre for Innovation and Structural Change (CISC), the Whitaker Institute builds on a decade of research excellence and policy-focused contributions supported by over €11 million in competitive national and international research funding.

A significant milestone in volunteering in Ireland was reached in 2013. NUI Galway’s student volunteering programme celebrated ten years of promoting civic engagement at third-level. ALIVE – A Learning Initiative and the Volunteering Experience – was established in 2003 by the Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI) at NUI Galway to harness, acknowledge and support the contribution the University students make to Galway by volunteering.

The ALIVE programme was the first of its kind in Ireland and its success has been emulated by other third-level institutions across the country.

An estimated 6,000 NUI Galway students have given 240,000 hours of voluntary activity over the course of the decade, contributing the equivalent of €2 million to the local economy. In addition, students have raised an estimated €2 million for a range of charitable causes and community organisations.

ten Years of Student Volunteering celebrated

Mary Robinson in a public interview with journalist Fintan O’Toole at NUI Galway in January 2013

Lorraine Tansey, ALIVE Volunteer Programme Coordinator, with Rachel Kelly, a second year Speech and Language Therapy student and volunteer.

Further Rise in World Rankings

The new 2013 QS World University Rankings by Subject, released in May 2013, revealed that NUI Galway is one of the eight Irish institutions to have appeared on the list of the world’s top 200 universities in 30 individual disciplines, including mathematics, economics, history and environmental sciences. The subject area ranking is based on last year’s (2012) rankings data.

A series of international university rankings released over the last 12 months has confirmed NUI Galway as an internationally recognised university with a distinguished reputation for teaching excellence and research.

In September 2012, NUI Galway secured the biggest boost among Irish universities, rising 11 places in the QS World University Rankings, an annual league table of the top 700 universities in the world.

In the separate Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, announced in October 2012, NUI Galway improved 31 places, ranking third in Ireland. Meanwhile, NUI Galway remains one of only two Irish universities to hold the prestigious accolade of five stars in the QS Stars rating system.

This success in teaching excellence and research is reflected by the fact that the University continues to be one of the top universities in Ireland for student retention and graduate employment.

Cois Coiribe 7

TEDMED live comes to GalwayThird-year medical student Tariq Esmail was instrumental in bringing to campus a major international conference addressing healthcare issues of global significance.

Students and staff at NUI Galway’s School of Medicine collaborated with Tariq in making NUI Galway one of the first institutions outside the United States to receive permission from TEDMED to stage a local conference.

TEDMED Live was held in April 2013, as a satellite event of the annual conference taking place at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC. The NUI Galway TEDMED Live event attracted over 250 delegates, comprising medical students and academic staff, who contributed to the pre-conference discussions using social media.

The transformation of the campus continued in the last year with the completion of the new Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Building in April. This stunning new facility provides unrivalled research facilities for students and researchers, as well as providing the most modern of homes for our rich archival collection. An impressive atrium also houses a unique gallery space for public exhibitions.

An extension to the Arts Millennium Building was also completed this spring and serves as a new home for the University’s School of Psychology. These two developments open onto an attractive courtyard and together create a new quadrangle at the very heart of the campus. Construction is also nearing completion on a new building for biomedical research, opening in September, while work is underway on three further projects, a Human Biology building, a Lifecourse Institute, and a Clinical and Translational Research Facility, on the grounds of University Hospital Galway

Four NUI Galway graduates received gold medals from the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, having won various categories in the 2012 Undergraduate Awards. The NUI Galway winners were Isaac Burke, Neasa O’Callaghan, Marek Bohacek, and Cathal Kelly.

The awards programme identifies top students across the island of Ireland for their innovative undergraduate research. A further nine NUI Galway students were highly commended at a ceremony in November 2012.

New Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Building

Isaac Burke, Neasa O’Callaghan, Marek Bohacek, and Cathal Kelly with the Undergraduate Award medals received from President Higgins

The new Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Building

Recognition from the President of Ireland

Lecturer Dr Gerard Flaherty with medical student Tariq Esmail at TEDMED.

ResearchRound-up

nEWS

Cois Coiribe 8

The whitaker institute for innovation and societal Change is leading a new project which will help creative businesses in europe’s northern periphery to export to new markets and nurture emerging creative talent.

small and medium enterprises with creative offerings are encouraged to participate in the project, which was launched in november 2012 by Druid Theatre Company’s award-winning director Garry Hynes.

The project received €1.1 million in funding through the european Union’s interreg initiative under the northern Periphery Programme and brings together universities, development agencies and industry bodies from ireland, northern ireland, Finland and sweden.

The cultural and creative sector is one of the fastest growing ones, with its value estimated at 7% of the world’s GDP. it is forecast to grow by 10% per year.

in november 2012, nUi Galway was awarded a €6 million european project designed to address complications associated with diabetes. The ‘reDDstar’ research project will examine the ability of adult stem cells to safely control glucose levels and alleviate the damage caused by diabetic complications.

Diabetes is now the most common metabolic illness in the world. in europe, 60 million patients with diabetes use prescription drugs to control their blood glucose levels.

Professor timothy o’Brien, Director of the regenerative Medicine institute (reMeDi) at nUi Galway, who is also a consultant in endocrinology at Galway University Hospitals, will co-ordinate the project.

Clinical trials will take place in ireland and Denmark using stem cells discovered by orbsen Therapeutics limited, an nUi Galway spin-out company and the lead sMe on the reDDstar project.

Tackling Diabetes with Stem Cells

nUi Galway has secured funding from the european space agency (esa) for a new ash cloud research project. seán sherlock, Minister of state for research and innovation, made the announcement in December 2012.

a total of €2.1 million was invested by the esa in an ash cloud detection and forecasting system led by the norwegian institute for air research (nilU) and involving nUi Galway and the irish aviation authority’s volcanic ash Detection and Forecasting initiative. The funding was secured with the aid of enterprise ireland, which is the co-ordinating body for esa in ireland.

The project, which uses satellites and forecast models to detect ash clouds and forecast their movements, came about following the 2010 icelandic volcano eruption. The eruption of eyjafjallajökull resulted in more than 100,000 flights being cancelled, affecting over 10 million passenger journeys.

Predicting Ash Clouds

Professor Colin O’Dowd, Director of the Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies, which is based in the Ryan Institute, and Minister of State for Research and Innovation Seán Sherlock (BA 1998)

Dr Patrick Collins, lead researcher on the Northern Periphery Programme, with Druid’s Garry Hynes.

Cultivating theCreative Economy

Cois Coiribe 9

results are emerging from a research expedition in april 2013 to the sub-tropical north atlantic. The objective of the expedition was to study the salt concentration (salinity) of the upper ocean. scientists aboard a spanish research vessel, including nUi Galway’s Dr Brian ward, explored the essential role of the ocean in the global water cycle.

This oceanographic research campaign is aimed at understanding the salinity of the upper ocean, which is a much more reliable indicator of the water cycle than any land-based measurement. How the water cycle evolves in response to global warming is one of the most important climate change issues.

studying the processes at the ocean surface requires specialised instrumentation, as most measurements ‘miss’ the upper few metres. nUi Galway’s airsea Group are measuring the salinity, temperature, and turbulence of the upper 10 metres of the ocean in very fine detail, using their air-sea interaction Profiler (asiP). The torpedo-shaped device, which is deployed into the water to gather data autonomously, is the only one of its kind.

Technologies developed at NUI Galway will transform European healthcare records

a new €4.4 million eU project is using the latest web technologies to make the most of the wealth of medical information contained in electronic medical records. The project aims to aid decision-making for medical practitioners and improve safety in clinical research.

The linked2safety project will build a medical and clinical data management infrastructure, using privacy-aware, semantic technology.

Harnessing the technologies being used in the project, are researchers from the Digital enterprise research institute (Deri) at nUi Galway. Their task is to imbue meaning into the data contained within the european healthcare information space, which is fragmented and disparate, and connect that data. to do so, the project will use ‘linked-data’ and other sematic technologies developed by Deri.

Accessing a Wealth of Medical Information

Salty Seas

Financial, housing and childcare supports are being provided by grandparents

OlderGenerations

Keeping Families

Afloat

Family networks and a strong bond between young and old are keeping many irish people afloat during the recession, according to new research on the relationship between the generations, launched in april 2013.

The Changing Generations study was carried out by the irish Centre for social Gerontology in nUi Galway in conjunction with tCD.

The research sheds light on how people of all ages are coping at a time of great challenges for the irish economy and society. in many instances, older generations are providing extensive financial, housing and childcare supports to younger generations.

Camouflage for Cardiovascular Stentsa new type of cardiovascular stent, coated in antibodies to improve biocompatibility and effectiveness, is now under development in ireland and Poland. scientists at nUi Galway are leading a €1.2 million eU project, which aims to reduce re-narrowing of arteries and the need for further interventions, through the development of novel cardiovascular stent materials.

nUi Galway microbiologist Dr Gerard wall is heading up the project, in conjunction with the University’s network of excellence for Functional Biomaterials (nFB).

The aim is to develop a new type of coating on the stents using human antibody fragments that will attract a layer of the patient’s own epithelial cells.

This should effectively camouflage the stent as far as the body is concerned, and it will no longer be such a foreign object. The theory is that this will reduce the potential for rejection, the level of clot build-up, and significantly improve the long-term outcome of surgical interventions.

The unique ASIP device measures salinity levels in the upper ocean.

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FEatUrE

ABBEY THEATRE’‘A virtual

he abbey Theatre’s archive is vast and the process of digitising it—making it available in electronic form—is ambitious. But since late last year, a team in nUi Galway has been doing just that, scanning document after document as part of a large-scale, three-year project.

“It’s really very demanding,” says University Librarian John Cox. “They work to clear targets and schedules to

keep up with it.”

“it’s really very demanding,” says University librarian John Cox. “They work to clear targets and schedules to keep up with it.” at some 1.8 million items, the abbey archive is an expansive seam, running through modern ireland’s cultural and political history. More than a century ago, the theatre articulated the country’s national identity and has since held a mirror up to irish society. as President Michael D Higgins said last year, the theatre has been “witness to the narrative of a nation”. The archive is its evidence.

By this september, when the new arts, Humanities and social sciences research Building opens, Cox estimates the team will have digitised over half a million pages of documents.

The effort—the largest such theatre digitisation project in the world—sees the University take a long stride into the “digital humanities”, an area of study that harnesses technology to achieve outcomes otherwise impossible through traditional research. it involves scanning and electronically storing large quantities of documents, making them readable on computer screens.

The abbey archive won’t be nUi Galway’s first foray into this world. “we’re also building projects like the Thomas Moore digital archive,” Professor sean ryder, from the Discipline of english and Moore institute, points out.

That started as a project to edit the work of the 19th century irish writer, “but because he wrote so many songs as well as poems and prose, it seemed a pity not to be able to make an edition that could capture the way Moore’s work was sung as well as read”, ryder says.

“With the electronic edition you can have the text there, but you can also have

images of the manuscripts and musical scores, and you can have the music files so that people can hear the songs as well

as read them.”“with the electronic edition you can have the text there, but you can also have images of the manuscripts and musical scores, and you can have the music files so that people can hear the songs as well as read them.” according to ryder, large databases allow researchers to discover how literature was published, circulated and consumed on a wide scale, say over the course of a century. “you can track large-scale patterns,” he explains. “you can use technology to instantly discover echoes, similarities and influences across a huge body of writing in a way that would be impossible for a single human reader.”

a more practical advantage of digitisation is preservation. some of the abbey items were damaged in the 1951 fire that ripped through the theatre’s original building. singed material doesn’t lend itself to frequent handling so having the items available electronically protects the originals. it also allows researchers and students to use documents and photographs in quite creative ways.

“one thing which i think could be really interesting would be using the archive as a basis for creating a virtual abbey Theatre,” ryder says. “in other words, using the information to reconstruct digitally what the stage might have looked like at certain points in history, based on the archive’s record of set design, stage blocking, casting and so on.”

Dan Griffin (BA ’08, MA ’10) learns about the project to digitise more than 244,000 pages of scripts, 2,500 hours of audio recordings, 16,000 photographs, and all other manner of documentary material, including

programmes, prompt scripts and financial records.

t

Digital humanities, he continues, can also lead to new interpretations of writers and question contemporary notions about historical periods. The valley of the shadow project led by the University of virginia in the United states digitised a corpus of american Civil war primary sources like diaries and letters. Because it was so comprehensive, it revealed a complicated public attitude towards the conflict, often quite different to modern interpretations. “you can start to see how people were thinking or behaving in a way which can sometimes challenge perceived ideas about a period. you have the ability to show the complexity of things,” ryder says.

For Patrick lonergan, Professor of Drama and Theatre at nUi Galway, the abbey digital archive will provide researchers with the tools to re-write the history of irish theatre which, he argues, has heretofore focused disproportionately on scripts and personalities.

as such, this has distorted our understanding of irish theatre, giving rise to the idea that it has been a male-dominated art form. since the 1930s, for example, the abbey has put on its main stage just five plays by irish women, three of them by Marina Carr, and all within the past 25 years.

“But,” says lonergan, “when you actually look behind the scenes what we find is that a lot of the abbey’s plays were directed by women—Garry Hynes, ria Moone. Many of the plays were performed by women. The set, lighting and costume designs were often by women and a lot of the administration and production work behind the scenes was done by women.”

so engagement with the archive, he predicts, will bring about “a shift in our understanding of irish theatre history, from being a male-dominated literary history to being a collaborative, performance-based history that is actually dominated by women.”

The contents of the archive also highlight cultural and social trends in twentieth century ireland. Here the ephemera can be the most revealing. take the advertisements which appeared in show programmes over the past 100 years.

“at the start they used to advertise things like novels,” lonergan says. “But these wouldn’t be the kind of literary novels that you would have associated with yeats or synge. They would be essentially popular fiction.

“in the 1920s and 1930s then, you see ads for things like the Happy ring House on o’Connell street... what that suggests is that people used to go to the abbey on dates: that they would see the ad and might

contemplate getting engaged. in the 1980s, the ads were for things like cigarettes and alcohol.

“whereas now it’s mostly things like restaurants and banking. so objects like the show programmes reveal something about ireland, and also reveal the status of theatre within the country, where it moves from being a form that everybody enjoyed to something that’s associated with a high-end market.”

The birthplace of the abbey Theatre is Galway. it was here that w.B. yeats, lady augusta Gregory and edward Martyn wrote the manifesto for the irish literary Theatre. since then the west of ireland has remained an imaginative touchstone for the abbey and the theatre’s relationship with nUi Galway has grown almost inevitably over time.

nUi Galway already possessed a number of theatre archives: the Druid Theatre, the lyric Theatre and the Thomas Kilroy and siobhán McKenna collections, among others. Creating a digital version of the abbey archive represented the next step.

“But,” says Lonergan, “when you actually look behind the scenes, what we find is that a lot of

the Abbey’s plays were directed by women”

1979: Niall O’Brien, Stephen Rea & Kate Flynn in ‘Aristocrats’ by Brian Friel

so how will it complement the existing portfolio? “i think in relation to irish theatre, it puts us at number one in the world,” lonergan says. “That’s not hyperbole or institutional bias; i just think that if you’re interested in irish theatre you can’t not come to Galway—you just can’t, because we now have significant material about every playwright who has put on a play in ireland, not just in the abbey but also in all the other archives as well.”

He goes on: “right now, nUi Galway is the best place in the world to study irish drama, but what we would expect is that over the next three to five years, this project will ensure that everybody would know that that’s the case.”

which is all very well, but the University will hope the archive has appeal beyond literary and drama scholars. and it might well have.

Data analytics—the practice of converting large amounts of raw data into valuable information through statistical analysis and advanced software—is a sector growing at 40 per cent a year worldwide.

it forms a prominent part of the Government’s 2013 action Plan for Jobs. as large technology and internet companies set up shop in ireland, students are being urged to consider science and technology courses at third level.

earlier this year, Minister for Jobs, enterprise and innovation richard Bruton said, “a key part of this Government’s plan for growth and jobs is identifying areas where we believe ireland has distinct advantages

compared to other countries, and taking steps necessary to ensure that we realise our potential for employment in those areas.”

according to John Cox, the abbey digital archive, being first and foremost a very large database, will provide specialists and students with a testing ground for new analytical tools.

in dealing with the archive, he explains, there are numerous technical issues to contend with. one of the most challenging is providing a usable search function. By september, students and researchers will be able to pore over hundreds of thousands of digitised pages but, as Cox says, “people need to be able to search them and find what they want.”

That involves devising algorithms and other functions to allow researchers and students to navigate the material in a focused way. it’s difficult but it’s also drawing new expertise to the project, attracting people more interested in its technical—rather than cultural—dimension.

The University’s Digital enterprise research institute (Deri), has also taken an interest. “They work with rtÉ, The Irish Times and others on linked data projects data,” Cox says. “They’re seeing the potential of this resource as sizable in itself with other potential connections too. it fits into the big data agenda.”

at the same time, Deri is working on other research and data projects, developing new tools all the while. “The abbey archive is a set of resources that can be used to test out those tools and see what their educational and research applications might be,” sean ryder says.

“right now nUi Galway is the best place in the world to study irish drama but what we would expect is that over the next three to five years,

everybody would know that that’s the case”

1. 1962: Eithne Lydon, Geraldine Plunkett & Eileen Crowe in ‘They Got What They Wanted’ by Louis Lynch D’ Alton 2. 1908: centre page of ‘Seymours Redemption’ programme by Casimir Dunin-Markievicz 3. 1980: ‘The Blue Macushla’ Poster 4. 1965: Peggy Hayes, Donal McCann & Stephen Rea in ‘Church Street’5. Actress Geraldine Plunkett with a photograph of herself playing a bride in her professional debut performance as an actress in 1962, in the Abbey’s production of ‘They Got What They Wanted’ by Louis D’Alton.

1 2 3

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“it’s so vast and it’s so diverse that you can use the archive to test out developments in the area of digital

media too.”By its nature the project is multi-disciplinary, drawing together students and experts from fields which would traditionally share a minimal overlap.

“you need to get people who have different kinds of experience and expertise to look at the stuff,” ryder says. “They might see things that a literary scholar wouldn’t necessarily see—a technologist or an historian or a theatre director might see certain possibilities that we wouldn’t even imagine. it’s got great scope.”

lonergan agrees. “we’re getting interest from people who don’t know anything about the abbey, or irish theatre, or, indeed, ireland, but they’re interested because the project is so ambitious,” he says.

“we’re designing a lot of tools, and inventing a lot of methodologies that are going to be of real interest to people, regardless of what they’re studying and trying to do,” he adds. “we don’t know exactly what’s going to happen with every aspect of this project. But we do know that it’s going to be interesting.”

Actress Geraldine Plunkett peruses pictures from the Abbey Theatre’s archive with Fiach Mac Conghail, Director of the Abbey Theatre, and Professor Patrick Lonergan, NUI Galway.

Photo: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

4 5

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Our digital presence is fast becoming as expansive as our physical one. In some cases, our existence is more evident online than on the street. That is, of course, with restrictions. So much online activity is guarded by passwords and security measures – designed to protect the privacy of users - which leads to questions over rights and the entitlements of families and friends, the police and the legal system to access online information about a person after they have died.

“We are all basically immersed in our digital lives - in various online or digital applications, documents, videos, messages, surveillance - some voluntary, some not,” explains Damien McCallig, PhD candidate from the School of Law at NUI Galway. A postgraduate research scholar, he is being funded by the Irish Research Council. “The key question is: what happens to this stuff after you die?

“In the past, books, photos, treasured items and access to household accounts, would have all come in paper and physical form. Now so much of it is digital and people are trying to piece together aspects of deceased people’s lives using online platforms that are frequently encrypted and locked behind passwords.”

Up until very recently, companies like Facebook and Google gave very little consideration to this issue.

Whether a family just wants to look through a deceased family member’s pictures on Instagram for sentimental reasons or the police need access to social media to help solve a crime, either way there is very little consensus on the transfer of digital information. “It needs to be regulated in some way,” stresses McCallig.

“Who owns an individual’s online material after they die? Do dead people have privacy rights? Service providers are hiding behind privacy rights, many of whom are based in the US where there are very strict rules about handing out stored communications of any kind, particularly under the Electronic Privacy Act.”

McCallig agrees there are reasons why sites must proceed with caution “You could have people impersonating dead people,” he says. “There is now a growing shadow industry of digital estate planners. You can give these people all your log-in details, passwords etc, and they can pass them on to your heirs after your death.”

The obvious answer for older people is to leave passwords for their email accounts, bank accounts etc in their last will and testament. However, sharing secret passwords breaks the privacy policies of most, if not all, sites online. “Technically, accessing someone’s account without authorization is a criminal offence,” says McCallig. Some companies are finally giving some real thought to this conundrum. “Most online service providers have some form of inactive account management policy, usually from about three to 12 months [although Facebook does not],” says McCallig.

“But Google now allows you to set a period on your Google accounts - either three or six or nine or 12 months. If your accounts have been inactive for the set time, you can nominate one of your contacts to try and make contact with you. If it becomes apparent you are deceased, you will have already nominated a person entitled to gain access to your Google data. No one gets access to the account, just the data. The exact details aren’t 100 percent certain yet but they are the only major player to do this.”

This is certainly a step in the right direction but access to Google accounts is one question among very many. When one thinks about just how much information – from health records to gambling accounts to family photos – are protected behind security and passwords, one begins to realize the extent of the problem which may be faced if legal clarification is not realised in the short term. “This is a complex area of which has had very little thought has been put into it at this point,” says McCallig. “We need to clarify just how digital succession should happen.”

DIGITAL REMAINSThe digital legacy of a deceased individual has become an increasingly complex issue, raising

concerns about family and legal rights as well as access to online financial accounts. These are proving to be a minefield, with policies varying between sites and search engines. NUI Galway PhD candidate, Damian McCallig, is trying to make some sense of it all, writes John Holden.

rESEarch

Cois Coiribe 15

€300 Million Investment in World-Class Research Centres

Seán Sherlock (BA 1998), Minister for Research and Innovation, Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General Science Foundation Ireland, and Richard Bruton, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, during the announcement of a €300 million investment in seven new Science Foundation Ireland research centres

nUi Galway featured prominently in Government plans announced in February 2013, for science and technology research. a total of €300 million investment is to be invested in seven new science Foundation ireland research centres, with nUi Galway participating in three of them.

The announcement was made by the Minister for Jobs, enterprise and innovation, richard Bruton and seán sherlock, Minister for research and innovation (Ba ’98).

The new centres will link scientists and engineers in partnerships across academia and industry to address crucial research questions, and foster the development of new and existing irish-based technology companies. The aim is also to attract industry that could make an important contribution to ireland’s economy and expand educational and career opportunities in science and engineering.

Big Data and Analytics - INSIGHTnUi Galway’s web science research centre, the Digital enterprise research institute (Deri), along with colleagues from the discipline of it, will play a leading role in a new ‘big data’ and analytics centre, insiGHt. For the last decade, Deri has been at the vanguard of web science research and now has 140 researchers based in nUi Galway.

with the explosion of internet-based information, ‘Big Data’ represents a sector that is growing at up to 40% per annum. with 32 industry partners, including CisCo, avaya and HP in Galway, insiGHt will lead the development of breakthrough data analytics technologies to make ireland a global leader in this rapidly expanding area.

The goal of insiGHt is explained by Professor stefan Decker, Director of Deri: “in our digital age, the amount of data is growing exponentially. we want to harness that information and make it work for individuals, for business and for society. with significant support from sFi, we are taking our research to the next phase, which is world-class and will have world-wide influence. This will have a huge impact on the iCt sector in ireland, in terms of supporting existing industry, attracting foreign direct investment and propelling ireland onto the world stage in this area.”

Marine Renewable Energy - MaREIin another new initiative, the Centre for Marine renewable energy ireland (Marei), world-leading research will be carried out on the marine renewable energy sector. at the same time, the next generation of engineers and scientists will be educated for the marine renewable energy industry.

ireland is one of the best locations in the world in terms of marine renewable energy resources. This centre will look to generate energy technologies for industry from wave, tidal and floating wind devices.

nUi Galway’s Professor Michael Hartnett, who will be Deputy Director of Marei, along with Dr Cónchúr o Brádaigh will lead teams of researchers investigating tidal energy and the development of novel materials for use in the marine renewable energy industry.

Pharma research alliance with ULnUi Galway is part of the synthesis and solid state Pharmaceutical technologies Cluster with its alliance Partner, the University of limerick.

speaking on this significant investment in nUi Galway, President Browne said: “nUi Galway is a leading international, research-intensive university, ranked amongst the top 250 universities in the world. This level of investment announced by sFi in nUi Galway is very significant. it is an endorsement not only of our research excellence, but also of our collaboration with academic partners and industry.

“we have an ambitious research agenda, which is having a direct effect on job creation, through industry partnerships, spin-outs and innovation. today’s investment is a welcome validation of our research agenda, past and future.”

Professor lokesh Joshi, vice President for research at nUi Galway, added: “we are pushing the frontiers of science and discovery at nUi Galway. whether it’s securing ireland’s energy independence through marine renewables or revolutionising the world wide web, our research shapes and influences all of our futures. our research, carried out in conjunction with collaborators and our industry partners, also has huge potential in terms of job creation and growth.”

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Móna WiseCois Coiribe 16

StUDEnt

Saying the words ‘graduate’ still feels as foreign to me as a new wedding ring does to a groom a few weeks after his big day. A weighted word that has a very simple meaning: Educated.

Some argue that four years is too long of a career break to take for study. One might never be able to break back in to ‘work mode’ again.

They would all be wrong, in my book. I can’t wait to get back to work and unlike many of my fellow graduates, I already have a job as a columnist with The Sunday Times.

How, might you ask, does a mother of four, happen to land herself a column with The Sunday Times half-way through her third year of college? This is part of my story.

I was only 17 when I completed my Leaving Certificate exams. I was too young to be let out into the world, but I wanted to break away from the nest so accepted my third offer which was to study economics in Letterkenny. By Christmas I knew college wasn’t for me so I moved home and a few years later to the US where I (almost) immediately met my husband Ron Wise, aka the Chef.

We worked hard. We opened our own restaurant and lived a fabulous life. We were fortunate enough to adopt two gorgeous healthy children (siblings) and the minute that happened, after 15 years of domestic bliss in the US, I uttered words my husband thought he would never hear. ‘Honey, I want to go home’. I had started a blog (www.WiseWords.ie) in 2007 and decided it was the best way to keep in touch with all our friends and family. What started out as words, eventually evolved into words, photos and recipes.

A few months home, and a copy of the University prospectus was left lying about at home, and a new course (BA Connect - Creative Writing) caught my eye. Small classes were being offered and during the third year (of four), NUI Galway would pay for an editor to work with the student-writer on a book project allowing the student to ‘live the life of a writer’. This sounds like such a romantic notion, doesn’t it? I gave it my everything. I developed a portfolio of writing, I wrote a personal statement asking to be considered as a viable candidate, stating that I would rather be ‘fabulous at 40’ instead of a flunky. After a couple of interviews with

A mature student’s journey

Dr John Kenny and a terrifying aptitude test to prove I was still able to learn, I was accepted into the course. Life as I knew would most certainly never be the same again. First year was hard. Being a mature student and a mum of two kids was quite a challenge but I had the support of both my husband and my mum. At the end of first semester, we also became foster parents to two gorgeous little Galway girls, so our family grew in the most unexpected way. As I whiled away the summer months before second year kicked off, I began to think about my third year project and knew there was a book in me. I was just not sure how to go about getting it out of me.

After submitting my proposal in October 2010 and asking if I could suggest my own editor (Eoin Purcell with New Island Press) as he had experience with producing cook books, my project was approved. I entered and won a writing/blogging competition run by Bord Bia in March 2011 and was sent on a four-day writing/food photography workshop in Germany. That weekend was a crucial moment in my writing career, because it was confidence-building. After that, I became even more determined to get my book (The Chef & I: A Nourishing Narrative), which was swirling around in my head already, onto paper and on a bookshelves

By Christmas 2011, the narrative of 40,000 words was complete. After the break, I cracked on with recipes and photos, trying to get my final manuscript to the editor by St Patrick’s Day. I was determined to submit a ‘real book’ to Dr Kenny.

Throughout the whole book writing process, I had kept a ‘Captain’s Log’ update on Facebook and Twitter. Shortly after, I received (and shared online) the first image of the book layout. I thought ‘holy crap, my book is going to be gorgeous’. Once this went live on Facebook, I got a private message from a guy named Ernie Whalley (restaurant critic with The Sunday Times) and he asked if he could review my book. I immediately sent him an electronic copy and thanked him five thousand times. The next day, he phoned me to ask if I would like to have my own column with The Sunday Times. Clearly, this news sat very well with me but I had a bit of negotiating to do because my husband is the creator of recipes and the cook. ‘I write, He cooks’.

On 13 May 2012, The Sunday Times launched us (and our book!) as their new food columnists. We self-published and printed 1,000 copies and have almost sold out. I have received a distinction for my efforts.

Summer of 2012 whipped by like a bag full of bold cats filled with vim and vigour. I took German classes in the evening to get back into the swing of grammar and I started reading all the dense and (sometimes) derelict texts on the English curriculum. As if working and having four kids was not hard enough, I now had to go back to college and finish out my two degree subjects.

In November 2012 I had to take a few weeks off college due to acute back pain. I returned to college in January excited and delighted to be in the final home stretch. I could see the finish line.

By Valentine’s day (2013), I was temporarily paralyzed in my right leg - a side effect from having a ruptured disc. Emergency back surgery took place immediately and was followed by 12 weeks of paralysis - no walking or driving. I barely made it back to college for my exams. Several of my teachers had advised me to defer, but I wanted, and needed, to be finished with college. Thankfully, my grades from second year were pretty decent and I will graduate with honours in October 2013.

College is hard. Really. College as a mature student is harder. College as a mature student with kids is almost impossible. College with all that and a job with The Sunday Times - reminds you why college is so important. Because I got the job.

Although I am glad that I have come to the end of my degree course, I cried when declining the MA in Journalism. For now I need to work. When the kids are a bit older, I might come back to do more, to be more.

Móna Wise lives in Claregalway. She works side-by-side with her husband (Ron Wise) from her home office and kitchen studio, where they develop three weekly recipes for The Sunday Times. She is in negotiations with an Irish publisher for her second book (The Chef & I with kids), which she is fairly confident will be released for sale in April 2014. She is also available for part-time work as a freelance blogger/writer/journalist/food photographer.

Móna Wise

Cois Coiribe 17

A mature student’s journey

The extent of diabetes research at NUI Galway has made the expertise on site sought after across the world, says John Holden.

There are currently 330 million people living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes globally. This number is expected to grow to half a billion by 2030.

In Ireland, around seven per cent of the population live with diabetes. However only half of that seven per cent are even aware of it. One could have Type 2 diabetes for years before it manifests itself.

90 per cent of the disease’s footprint in the world is of the Type 2 variety but Type 1 is also increasing. While the rise in Type 2 is significantly related to lifestyle habits and increased obesity, Type 1 diabetes - usually associated with genetic susceptibility and/or a diabetogenic trigger - is also on the rise. Experts are unsure as to why this is the case.

Whatever the reason, more holistic research has become necessary for the welfare of all individuals living with diabetes. As prevalence rates continue to rise, research into diabetes at NUI Galway has gone far beyond simply pursuing a cure. Now a variety of approaches - such as ways to contain it, techniques to assist individuals in their daily lives, and assessments of the social, economic and psychological impact of diabetes - are all being looked at.

In fact, of NUI Galway’s 16 schools, 12 are engaged in diabetes-related research. Given the expanse of the research, it was a logical conclusion, to establish the Galway Diabetes Research Centre. Within this centre, experts from neurology, nursing, anatomy, biochemistry, psychology, economics, geography and podiatry – to name just a few areas –collaborate and share their ideas and research findings in a structured way.

“The new centre is also aligned with strategic partners, such as the HSE and the Galway-Roscommon University Hospital Group,” explains Professor Dunne of the School of Medicine at NUI Galway. “So far, the initiative has been very positive, and will lead to improved working collaborations, better research outcomes and more publications.”

Professor Dunne has focussed much of her research attention on issues surrounding diabetes and pregnancy. Some women may find they have diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2) upon being tested during pregnancy, while others may develop it during pregnancy. The latter is termed Gestational Diabetes (GDM).

TacklingDiabetes

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rESEarch

Cois Coiribe 19

TacklingDiabetes “Type 1 and 2 diabetes affects1 in 250 pregnancies, while around 12 in every 100 women develop gestational diabetes.” “Our research into this area has been ongoing since 2007, and is supported by the Health Research Board”says Dunne. Dunne and her colleagues have looked at this issue from a variety of perspectives, including studies into pregnancy outcomes and the factors affecting outcomes for both baby and mother. Miscarriages, stillbirths and congenital malformations are all more common in pregnancies complicated by diabetes.

“What is clear from our research is that there is a 50 percent reduction in adverse outcomes of pregnancy if at-risk women are involved in a pre-pregnancy clinical care programme,” she says. “This clinical setting is geared towards controlling and improving sugars in these women, giving them folic acid at high doses, discussing weight and its links to diabetes and reviewing the use of teratogenic medications.

“In order to succeed in reducing prevalence levels, however, we must educate both women and professionals,” she stresses. “Medical staff need to be aware of the risks and get at-risk women involved in a clinical programme three to six months before pregnancy. It’s too late if they only begin considering the risks after they become pregnant.”

“There is a clear deficit of knowledge in terms of educating professionals. As such, we received another grant from the HRB last year for a knowledge exchange and dissemination (KEDs) programme.” Because weight and lifestyle are major contributors to the growing levels of GDM and Type 2 diabetes across the world, Professor Dunne has devoted much of her research efforts into preventative measures for overweight women. “Women are more likely to develop GDM if they are overweight, obese, 35 years or older and/or have a family history,” she says.

It is in this area where significant cross collaboration is taking place at NUI Galway. Through Dunne’s examination of various preventative methods, she has worked alongside Dr Paddy Gillespie in the School of Business & Economics looking at the costs of wide-reaching screening initiatives. Work is also being carried out by economist Dr John Cullinan (from the same school), who is looking at the geographical and socio-economic factors which might affect people’s wishes to be screened for gestational diabetes.

“Likewise we are working with the School of Psychology in assessing the impact of this condition on women both during and after pregnancy” she adds.

Dunne has received a European FP7 grant for a programme initiative called DALI. “This study is being carried out in 10 centres across Europe and we are the only Irish one involved,” she says. “We are looking at the provision of lifestyle changes (diet and exercise) and vitamin D in a randomised control trial for overweight pregnant women to prevent GDM.”

Elsewhere, Director of the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) Professor Timothy O’Brien is also engaged in international collaboration into diabetes research in terms of the role stem cell research may play in reducing the condition’s effects.

“REMEDI is an adult stem cell research centre with a focus on using one specific type of adult stem cell, derived from bone marrow known as mesenchymal stem cells or MSCs,” he says. “Our research programme endeavours to understand the biology of MSCs and apply them to a variety of illnesses, one of which is diabetes. We recently obtained a grant from the EU, Reducing Diabetic Damage Through Stromal Cell Administration (REDDSTAR). This multi-centre EU programme’s goal is to study the use of a specific stem cell type which is the property of an NUI Galway spin-out company, Orbsen Therapeutics, of which I’m a founder and director.”

Working with four other groups across Europe – in Berlin, Munich, Porto, and Belfast - six different diabetic complications are being studied under the coordination of O’Brien and Steve Elliman, Research and Development Director of Orbsen Therapeutics. Half way through the process, they plan to choose the complication for which the treatment looks most promising and conduct a clinical trial with partners in Leiden and Copenhagen.

“At REMEDI and in the Galway Diabetes Research Centre, we also work with other cell types,” he adds. “For example, we are exploring the use of a variety of stem cell types in the treatment of diabetic ischemia (reduced blood flow). Then in the hospital, our colleagues, Dr Sean Dinneen and Dr Francis Finucane, are studying human obesity and self-management programmes for patients with diabetes mellitus. Dr Dinneen is studying diabetic foot ulceration with Professor Caroline McIntosh, Head of the Discipline of Podiatry. This research also involves members of the College of Engineering and Informatics Dr Martin Glavin and Dr Edward Jones. In a nutshell, the University is taking a comprehensive research approach to diabetes and the Galway Diabetes Research Centre is ensuring the coordination of research efforts into this major public health problem.

For more information, go to: www.nuigalway.ie/galway-diabetes-research-centre

“Our research into this area has been ongoing since 2007, and is supported by the Health Research Board”

Cois Coiribe 20

CartlannÉamon de Buitléar

2013 marked the sad passing of polymath and broadcasting pioneer – Éamon de Buitléar. Universally known for his film-making and traditional music, his passing was mourned by a nation. The work of Éamon de Buitléar touched the lives of many. The diversity of his interests ranged from public advocacy on issues of environmental concern – wild salmon, integrated wetlands and the Burren – to traditional music, the irish language and film-making.

n an age when reality television has redefined viewing, it is all the more remarkable that Éamon’s programmes were renowned for their uncompromising visual standards while remaining firm favourites with audiences in ireland and abroad. This work of

extremely high cultural worth treated of wildlife, music, natural heritage and irish culture in a manner which was innovative, accessible and appealing. The latin poet Horace once spoke of erecting ‘a monument more lasting than bronze’ through his poetry. Commemorating, let alone assessing, the legacy of any artist or public figure can be challenging. such a task multiplies when examining the sheer scale of Éamon de Buitléar’s contribution to irish life over several decades. nevertheless, we are greatly assisted in that Éamon assiduously collated and collected the various strands of his work in a coherent archive which was a living, working tool for his film-making and other creative activities.

it is quite complex to judge how Éamon’s work captured our collective imagination and opened our minds to the richness of our natural environment over an expanse of 50 years. while the films themselves record landscapes and wildlife which have seen tremendous change, the ongoing legacy of such work must be calculated in terms of awareness and cultivating a national desire to conserve our cultural patrimony.

le Dónall Ó Braonáin

i

Cois Coiribe 21

in a most generous gesture to the nation and the region, Éamon de Buitléar donated his lifetime’s work – an unique and unparalleled audiovisual archive – to nUi Galway in november 2012. Members of both Ceoltóirí Chualann and Ceoltóirí laighean helped to celebrate that occasion in the aula Maxima and gathered again on 30th January 2013 to bid a moving musical farewell to Éamon at a dignified and beautiful funeral service in Kilquade, Co. wicklow.

Digital conservation will ensure that Éamon de Buitléar’s legacy will last for generations to come. it is intended to conserve this important corpus of material for future study in the University. Continuing the link between his work and young people was important to Éamon as he himself recounted on many occasions how professional zoologists, biologists and other scientists approached him to confess that his programming had stimulated an interest in their subject and set them on the road to scholarship.

This vision to inspire and encourage, the hallmarks of a true educationalist and public intellectual, will continue with the preservation of Cartlann de Buitléar by the University. a rather unique aspect to this particular collection will be the public and community access mediated through the University’s Gaeltacht centres in Gaoth Dobhair, Carna and an Cheathrú rua.

The connection with Connemara runs deep as Éamon married laillí lamb from an Cheathrú rua, daughter of Charles lamb rHa and Katherine Madox Ford, the first female veterinarian in ireland. Éamon and laillí‘s five children – aoife, Éanna, róisín, Cian and Doireann – are all highly accomplished artists and professionals in their respective fields. ní maith linn a mbris ach cinnteoidh an chartlann shaibhir éagsúil seo a fágadh le hoidhreacht againn ar fad go mairfidh craobh an ealaíontóra uasail seo – Éamon de Buitléar – ar an bhfál.

‘Éamon’s work captured our collective imagination and opened our minds to

the richness of our natural environment over an

expanse of 50 years’

Cois Coiribe 22

ailiúchán téagartha atá i gceist le Cartlann Éamoin de Buitléar a chuimsíonn réimse leathan a chuid spéiseanna. Gné shuntasach den chartlann é an comhthéacsú atá déanta ar ábhar na cartlainne féin. Beartaíodh go ndéanfaí

comhthéacsú ar an gcartlann i bpáirt le hÉamon le go mbeadh meabhair ní b’fhearr ag scoláirí amach anseo ar thábhacht an bhailiúcháin agus le go mbeadh treoir ann dóibh siúd ar spéis leo ransú a dhéanamh ar théamaí ar leith, scannánaíocht, beochan nó an ceol dúchais, mar shampla.

rinne taighdeoir an tionscadail, Micheál Holmes, taifeadadh ar shraith agallaimh fuaime le hÉamon i gcaitheamh na bliana 2012. tógadh beagnach 18 uair a chloig cainte agus comhrá sna hagallaimh luachmhara seo ina ndéanann Éamon cur síos mion ar a chuid modhanna oibre mar fhear scannáin, mar a chuaigh sé le craoltóireacht an chéad uair agus léargais go leor eile i leith a chuid oibre a shaibhríonn ár dtuiscint ar a shaothar go mór.

Ábhar taighde thar a bheith fiúntach don scoláire agus don mhac léinn iad na taifid seo – a bhfuil fáil orthu anois – agus acmhainn eisceachtúil iad a chaitheann solas ar chaidreamh Éamoin le rtÉ mar shampla, mar ar cuireadh tús leis an obair cheannródaíoch a rinne sé i gcomhar le Gerrit van Gelderen ar Amuigh faoin Spéir, an cuireadh a thug Fachtna Ó hannracháin dó Ridirí an Cheoil a

chraoladh ar raidió Éireann agus eolas go leor eile.ní amháin go dtugtar faisnéis luachmhar maidir le cúlra na luathscannánaíochta teilifíse in Éirinn ach insítear scéal athbheochan an cheoil dúchais chomh maith agus mar a d’éirigh le seán Ó riada dul i bhfeidhm ar ghlúin nua ceoltóirí, gan trácht ar phobal a raibh cíocras orthu i ndiaidh an cheoil. Ba ghluaiseacht chinniúnach i stair an fhichiú haois in Éirinn an athghabháil a rinne Ceoltóirí Chualann, agus Ceoltóirí laighean ina dhiaidh sin, ar an gceol traidisiúnta agus déanann Éamon scéal bunaithe na ngrúpaí seo a ríomh.

Cuirtear eolas neamhghnách eile inár láthair sna taifid seo freisin faoi athair Éamoin – an Coirnéal Éamon de Buitléar – a bhí ina cheannasaí tráth ar an gCéad Chath i nDún uí Mhaolaíosa i nGaillimh agus a thug téarma ag plé le faisnéis mhíleata a bhailiú a bhuíochas dá scileanna anailíse códscaoilte. Thiomsaigh an Coirneál de Buitléar liosta focal a bhain le héanlaith agus chuir foclóir téarmaíochta i dtoll a chéile ar an ábhar a raibh leaganacha ar ainmneacha éan i laidin, Gaeilge agus Béarla. Beidh fáil ar an lámhscríbhinn luachmhar seo mar chuid den bhailiúchán.

sméar mhullaigh na cartlainne na taifid seo a mbeidh teacht ag scoláirí, mic léinn agus an pobal orthu i leabharlann sheámais Uí ardagáin agus in ionaid Ghaeltachta na hollscoile.

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Connecting Mayo

Communties worldwide

Visit www.mayo.ie

Cois Coiribe 23

Connecting Mayo

Communties worldwide

Visit www.mayo.ie

Mayo County Council through its newly established Enterprise and Investment Unit is seeking to actively promote a culture of Enterprise and Investment across the entire County. The purpose of the Unit is to work with new and existing businesses and investors to deliver sustainable jobs to the County; to promote the Mayo message globally; and to co-ordinate initiatives in key strategic areas such as Enterprise, Marine and Renewable Energy, Tourism, and Diaspora.

A number of initiatives in partnership with NUI Galway are already underway. The first key strategic project, a project of national importance and global significance, is the establishment of The Mary Robinson Centre in her home town of Ballina. The Centre is to be located at Mary Robinson’s birthplace in Victoria House, on the banks of the River Moy, and will be home to Ireland’s first Presidential Library and will focus on the critical area of Women’s Leadership.

The Centre is being developed by Mayo County Council and Ballina Town Council and will be run in academic partnership with NUI Galway. It will aim to foster the development and practical deployment of the energy for change which can be unleashed through the empowerment of women in

leadership at all levels and on a global scale. Our planet’s fundamental and intractable problems cannot be effectively tackled by a system which does not harness all available talent and energy. The Mary Robinson Centre will acknowledge the many national and international achievements of the former President and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and will foster the research and develop the knowledge and skills required to tackle key global challenges facing humanity in the twenty first century.

The proposed Visitor Centre, which is set to open to the public in 2015, will provide a unique cultural tourism resource for Mayo as visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about Mary Robinson’s life and work. It will also include a scholarly research and educational study centre, supported by NUI Galway and focused on the fields of Human Rights and Women’s Leadership. Mary Robinson’s archive will be the centrepiece of the educational facility, and as academic partner to the project, NUI Galway will bring researchers and students from all over the world to Ballina to engage with the archive. NUI Galway is internationally recognised as a leader in the field of Human Rights and Gender research, and offers undergraduate degrees and Masters programmes in the area.

Other projects currently underway between Mayo County Council and NUI Galway include the planning and hosting of the 3rd Annual Brehon Law Society, U.S/Ireland Legal Symposium taking place in Westport in September 2013. This symposium provides a forum for reputed Irish and U.S. lawyers, industry experts, academics and commercial operators looking to invest in key sectors in Ireland, the U.S. and Europe to come together to address the relevant legal issues that arise in both jurisdictions.

A trade visit from Cuyohoga County to Mayo County taking place in October 2013 will see representatives from up to 30 U.S. companies visit the West of Ireland, for a series of meetings and events which will showcase the opportunities for doing business in Mayo and the West of Ireland. This trade visit will be coordinated by the Enterprise and Investment Unit at Mayo County Council in association with NUI Galway, Western Development Commission and Enterprise Ireland.

Information on connecting with the Global Mayo Diaspora and initiatives underway can be accessed at www.mayo.ie

MAYO COUNTY COUNCIL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NUI GALWAY ON A NUMBER OF FLAGSHIP PROJECTS

Cois Coiribe 24

GRADUATES 2013GraDUatIonS

Honorary Masters Degrees 1. tom Mcsweeney was conferred with an Honorary Master of science degree in 2012. rtÉ’s first Marine Correspondent now runs seascapes Maritime Media and is special Correspondent with The Marine Times.

2. Jim Murren was conferred with an Honorary Master of Commerce degree in 2012. He is former regional Manager for iDa ireland - western region and Committee member of Galway science and technology Forum.

3. seán Beattie, who was conferred with an Honorary Master of arts degree, is a member of Donegal Historical society and the Ulster local History trust. He has published several books on Donegal local history and contributed articles to journals and newspapers. Helen Meehan (right) , also from

Donegal was conferred with Honorary Master of arts degree. she is a retired primary school teacher and recognised as an expert in folklore, genealogy and local history in County Donegal.

4. George Cunningham, from roscrea, Co. tipperary , who was conferred with an Honorary Master of arts degree, founded ireland’s first heritage centre together with the roscrea Heritage society.

5. Josie sheáin Jeaic Mac Donncha was conferred with an Honorary Master of arts degree in 2012. He is a sean-nós singer from aird Thiar in Carna, and has won Corn Uí riada three times. He was the University singer-in-residence in 2002.

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Cois Coiribe 25

GRADUATES 2013GraDUatIonS

1. Dr Jennifer scott (daughter of Dr Fidelma Dunne, school of Medicine) was awarded eight of the 15 Final Medical medals for her academic performance at nUi Galway, where she was conferred in June 2013 with the degree of MB BCh Bao

2. at the winter Conferring Ceremony november 2012 was Catherine Doyle from lanesborough, Co. longford, was conferred with a Master of arts (english).

3. receiving an Honours Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of surgery, and Bachelor of obstetrics (MB, BCh, Bao) in June 2013 was Galway footballer, Dr Joss Moore, from Mountbellew, Co. Galway, and tipperary footballer, Dr Ciaran McDonald, from aherlow, Co. tipperary.

4. at the 2012 winter Conferring was laura ní Chuilleanáin, from Ballyvourney, Co. Cork, who was conferred with Master of arts (nua-Ghaeilge).

5. at the nUi Galway summer Conferring was Dr James Forde, from Kells, Co. Meath, who was conferred with Doctor of Philosopy (PhD).

6. Donna rackard and siobhan Hanley, graduated from the discipline of Podiatry in the school of Health sciences. nUi Galway’s programme is the first and only in the country leading to a Bsc (Hons) in Podiatry.

7. at the 2012 autumn Conferring was ailish Brennan, from Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, who was conferred with an Honours Bachelor of engineering (sports and exercise) degree.

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In today’s challenging economic climate, it is critical to choose the right MBA. The NUI Galway Executive MBA integrates an academically rigorous and challenging real-world business education. The NUI Galway MBA is AMBA accredited. AMBA accreditation is the global quality benchmark for the MBA programmes. The NUI Galway MBA is the first non-Dublin MBA to attain AMBA accreditation in Ireland.

The NUI Galway MBA programme is industry-led and globally-focused, providing students with the knowledge, transferable skills and confidence required for innovative and effective management practice. Dedicated top-class teaching, learning and research resources are provided for MBA students at the JE Cairnes School of Business & Economics. Small class sizes and lecturers who are leading experts in their respective fields result in greater one to one attention and an excellent learning experience.

The Executive MBA programme is a 21-month programme delivered in block-release format, allow students to continue working full-time. Students attend classes over a three-day period (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) about five times each semester.

The programme offers an international study visit which gives students the opportunity to visit businesses, attend lectures, and interact with business leaders in an international context. Career and professional development is an integral part of the NUI Galway MBA programme.Throughout the programme, career coaches

will be available to work one-on-one with students, assisting them with their personal and professional development.

The NUI Galway MBA is an award winning programme, having won two recent MBA Association of Ireland National Strategy Competitions. Graduates from the NUI Galway MBA were award winners at the 2013 MBA World Trophy Competition. The competition brought together teams of highly motivated entrepreneurs from some of the world’s top universities, including INSEAD, NYU Stern and Columbia, to compete against each other with theirstart-up businesses.

Investing in an MBA in a very important decision. The NUI Galway Executive MBA provides an excellent return on investment resulting in increased confidence, competence and capability to accelerate careers. Applications are now being received for the 2014-2016 programme. Further information is available by email mba@nuigalway.ie or calling +353 91 495066, and on the website www.cairnes.nuigalway.ie/mba

Expand Your World with an Executive MBA

• Proven track record for graduate career advancement• Real-world learning including company-based consultancy projects• Career and professional development with one-to-one mentoring• Contemporary curriculum focused on innovation, leadership and strategic change• International study visit• Exceptional return on investment

For more information: mba@nuigalway.ie www.cairnes.nuigalway.ie/mba

Applications for 2014-16 programme now open – early application advised

Global Status for MBA at NUI Galway

RowingThis season has proved the most successful in the NUI Galway Boat Club’s history. Along with its sister alumni club, Gráinne Mhaol, the club had a record number of seven championship victories including the two blue riband events in men’s rowing in Ireland – Senior and Intermediate Eights. It was also the most successful season of any previous women’s squad with three championship wins including the senior pair, who registered the first senior women’s pot since 1997.

Four current scholarship students, Aifric Keogh, Richard Bennett, Sean O’ Connor and Rob O’Callaghan were also selected for the Irish Squad for the World U23 World Rowing Championships in Linz, Austria in July. One of the team coaches was current NUI Galway Boat Club coach, Dave Mannion. A fifth NUI Galway boat club member, Fionnán McQuillan Tolan was also selected for the event.

Cycling Charlie Prendergast from Mayo, a current Sports Scholarship Student, was recently signed for a new professional Cycling team “Polygon Sweet Nice” an Indonesian backed team based in Ireland. Charlie sat his final exams in Biomedical Science in May and will be the youngest member of the team.

Athletics 110m Hurdler Emmanuel Sobadayo, was selected to represent the Irish Universities team at the recent Annual Celtic Nations Intervarsity Meet, while NUI Galway Elite Sports Development officer Gary Ryan was appointed Team Manager to the Irish team for the World Youth Championships in Ukraine in July and was coach to the Irish Senior team for the European team Championships.

The team was captained by Olympian Joanne Cuddihy who previously based herself in Galway to train in the NUI Galway facilities before the London Olympic Games in 2012.

MedalsDarren Wallace broke a few National Records in Archery and Jennifer Byrne was selected on the Irish Women’s Soccer team for the World Student Games. Des Leonard (pictured right) won the World Junior Kickboxing Championships for the Second time and was third in the World Seniors while the NUI Galway Hockey team won the Connacht Senior Cup. Katie Kenny won a bronze medal at the World Junior Racquetball Championships in April 2013.

Cois Coiribe 27

SPort hIGhlIGhtS

Swim Ireland, in conjunction with Kingfisher Club and NUI Galway, launched its Connacht Swimming Performance Centre in November 2012. The Centre is designed specifically to provide additional training hours, develop skills, provide opportunities for the best swimmers to train together on a weekly basis and provide support to clubs, coaches and athletes. A total of 25 swimmers across a variety of training programmes currently avail of the centre.

The Galway U21 football panel that won the All-Ireland Final in May 2013 included six NUI Galway students – Mark Loughnane, Sean Moran, Adrian Varley, Gearóid Armstrong, Éinnne Ó hEochaidh and Eoghan Commins, while Niall Burke (pictured) and Joseph Cooney played in the 2012 All-Ireland Hurling Final against Kilkenny.

Rugby NUI Galway student and Connacht full back, Robbie Henshaw (above) made his senior debut for Ireland on the recent North American tour.

Gerard Arthurs and Paul Powers played on the Irish team at the Student Rugby League World Cup in July 2013. Women’s Rugby progressed enormously this year to become one of the two strongest sides in the country, narrowly losing the league final to national champs UL.

Sports scholarship student Angela O’Connor

Des Leonard won the World Junior Kickboxing Championships for the second time

The Gráinne Mhaol/NUI Galway Boat Club crew that picked up their second consecutive senior eights title in the national rowing championships in July 2013. The crew of Robert O’Callaghan, Richard Bennett, Dave Mannion, Niall Kenny, Emmett Donnelly, Alan Martin, Cormac Folan and James Wall were coxed by Ruadhán Cooke.

Swim Ireland Launch Connacht Swimming Performance Centre

Some Sporting Successes GAA

Cois Coiribe 28

GraDUatE

SeaviteSistersSharon Ní Chonchúir (BA ’99) finds out how a common childhood ailment played a surprisingly important role in making Doctors Jane and Katherine Mulrooney – sisters and NUI Galway graduates – the women they are today –

A natural treatment for eczema led to the Mulrooney family setting up the organic seaweed-based skincare range Seavite and to the sisters being at the forefront of cosmetic dermatology in Ireland today.

“Jane, our brother James and I had severe eczema as children,” explains Katherine. “The only time it would improve was when we would bathe in the sea by our nana’s house in Sligo.”

Their father Patrick was a scientist with the Department of the Marine. He noticed the difference seawater made to his children’s skin and set about trying to do something with it.

“Essentially, he tried to bottle the goodness of the sea. He experimented throughout the 1980s and by 1993 was ready to launch a bath and shower gel made from Atlantic seaweed. The Seavite brand was born,” explains Jane.

“Seavite is 30 years old this year and we’ve been using it all this time,” says Katherine. “It’s by no means a cure for eczema but it has helped. Seaweed is a superb moisturiser and using it has helped reduce the number of flare-ups.”

Neither she nor Jane suffers from much eczema today. “We’ve got older but more than that, we’ve learned how to control it,” says Jane. “It’s a genetic condition and you’re predisposed to it forever. There isn’t a cure. There’s only control.”

Their skincare problems had a huge influence on the girls’ lives. Katherine remembers being acutely conscious of her skin as a teenager. “It affected my quality of life back then,” she says. “It’s definitely why I studied medicine and dermatology. People say you study medicine to cure yourself and that’s certainly true of me and Jane.”

The sisters followed a remarkably similar career path. They both studied medicine in NUI Galway (Jane 2001 and Katherine 2002). They were both accepted for the same Master’s programme in dermatology in London. Since last summer, they have run the Dr Mulrooney Clinic in Dublin together. And they are both involved in the family business of developing the Seavite brand.

“Mum kept the business going after dad died and now we’re all involved,” says Katherine “Our brother James on the business side and Jane and I in developing new products.”

“We’re always thinking of ways of improving our product line,” adds Jane. “These days, skincare is all about anti-ageing and our challenge is how Seavite can offer that in an organic and natural way.”

The sisters spend a lot of time together but only see advantages in this working relationship. “I don’t know if I’d have the practice were it not for Katherine,” says Jane. “It’s a lot to take on by yourself. Also, it’s good for our patients as we can run things by each other. They get two opinions for the price of one!” This doesn’t mean they don’t have the occasional row. “We still steal each other’s clothes and argue,” laughs Jane. “We just keep it professional in the workplace.”

They are as passionate about skincare as ever and believe in sharing what they have learned with everyone. Number one is avoiding the sun. “Exposure to the sun causes the most damage to the skin, followed by smoking,” says Katherine. “You can reverse the damage to some extent but if you don’t follow the rules, any treatment you have will only be a stop gap.” She and Jane wear sun factor year round. “I wear factor 30 in winter and 50 in summer,” says Jane. “We need it. Indian skin has an inbuilt SPF of 15. Irish skin has none at all so we have to apply it.” They are fans of fake tan too. “It’s the only safe tan,” says Jane. “I can’t stress enough how much I’m against sun beds and real tans aren’t good for Irish skins either. Fake it all the way.”

Diet is another factor in skincare. “Your diet is reflected in your face,” says Jane. “No cream will make up for a bad diet. Eat lots of fruit, vegetables and low GI foods. Avoid sugar, which is very ageing. And drink lots of water.” Many Irish people forget they have Irish skin, according to the sisters. “Our skin is prone to redness and sun damage,” says Jane. “This is why many scrubs and peels don’t suit us.” It’s also why Seavite is so popular with Irish people, believes Katherine. “We shouldn’t look to the French or to whatever product Jennifer Lopez is advertising,” she says. “We need Irish skincare for Irish skin.”

This is what Jane and Katherine do in their clinic and it’s a message their family continues to spread with Seavite. “Our father looked to nature for the solution to our skincare problems as children,” says Katherine. “We continue to use nature to help rebalance the skin. Some cases may need drugs too but we know nature and science can complement each other.”

An understanding of nature, an education in medicine and a successful family business; who would have thought all that would result from a bout of childhood eczema?

“We shouldn’t look to the French or to whatever product Jennifer Lopez is

advertising,” she says. “We need Irish skincare

for Irish skin.”

GraDUatE

Feargal Purcell BA 1996 is Government Press Secretary at the Department of An Taoiseach. Originally from Kilkenny, he now lives with his family in Dublin. He studied English and History while at NUI Galway and spent 18 years in the army before he joined the Fine Gael press team in 2008.

What was your favourite haunt?

On campus, I spent quite a lot of time in the canteen and in its sister lounging-around area, ‘Smokie Joes’,where, long hours of conversation and coffee drinking were carried out with friends.

Did you make friends for life?

I did for sure. I was a member of the Defence Forces when I attended NUIG (then UCG) from 1993-1996 and we were known by all as ‘cadets’. When we trained together in the Curragh before going to University, we were probably as focused on surviving the 18-month training period as we were on really getting to know each other. So while previously we had bonded as soldiers , it took attending University together for us to become friends for life. And we remain so. I also made lots of friends through Lit and Deb, Dramsoc, the hurling club and as a result of the chats had in the locations mentioned above.

What was the highlight of college life?

Getting nominated as ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for playing Des in the Dramsoc production of Tom Murphy’s play Whistle in the Dark at the Irish Student Drama Festival, which was held in Galway that year (1994.)

What was biggest life lesson learned on campus?

I learned many but two stick out. I was beaten by a very narrow margin (12 votes I think) in an election for the position of Auditor of Lit and Deb in my second year. It was a heated enough campaign where claims and counter claims were made, mostly in good spirits. The lesson I learned was how to take a beating. It keeps a fella grounded and has stood me in great stead since. I also witnessed an act of love and kindness that has stayed with me since. A person, who I didn’t know very well but who I’d met through Dramsoc was diagnosed with terminal cancer and was nursed through his final days by his partner, who gave up his job to do so. He did it, as many do, privately and in an unheralded way. I don’t know what exactly the lesson that I learned is - but it’s something to do with the value of selflessness.

How did you first get involved with media relations?

Media and communications have always fascinated me. I completed a Masters inCommunications in DCU in 2006 after whichI was appointed Spokesman for the Defence Forces. I got a phone call one day in 2008 from

Fine Gael, which led to becoming Deputy Director of Communications, then Head of the Press Office and now Government Press Secretary. It all happened quite quickly.

What has surprised you most about working as the Taoiseach’s Press Secretary?

I knew I would be busy, but not like this. Seriously, it’s not a job, it’s an exercise in political and media immersion. Its interesting, exciting and very rewarding. It is also frustrating, exhausting and maddening, but sure isn’t every job at some stage. You have to love it. And I do.

Has serving overseas shaped who you are?

Definitely. I learned a lot about what it takes to be a leader, mostly through advice from soldiers whom I may have out-ranked but who were more experienced. I also learned that it is possible to be calm and scared at the same time.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about following a career in the political arena?

Ignore the prevailing cynicism regarding politics, politicians and the concept of public service. There are many ways to make a contribution to society and politics is one of them. People train teams, work with local charities, care for loved ones, visit older neighbours... these people are unsung and invaluable. Politics is related to these activities and tries to bridge the gap between public policy, the reality of people’s lives and the quiet heroics they carry out. That might seem mawkish but cynics don’t get anything done; optimists tend to succeed.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An adult, I was very impatient.

What trait do you most admire in others?

Decency.

What trait do you least admire in others?

Whatever the opposite of decency is.

What keeps you awake at night?

Nothing, thank God.

What inspires you?

My two-year-old son’s face when listening to a bed-time story.

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Cois Coiribe 30

A great marathon institution, the Boston run is loved by runners and residents alike. NUI Galway graduate Diana Hogan-Murphy recalls her experience on 15 April, 2013

The Bombsat Boston Marathon 2013

The Boston Marathon, with its 117-year history, is the oldest and one of the best marathons in the world. It is included in the world’s top six marathon majors, along with London, Berlin, Chicago, New York and Tokyo.

Even though I have run in over 50 marathons and ultra marathons and completed 250km self sufficient ultra marathons on seven continents, the support throughout this marathon route appears to be even better than any of these experiences.

Bostonians are well known for their love of sport and come out in their hundreds of thousands to celebrate the Boston Marathon as a family event on this public holiday. Footpaths on both sides of the 42.2km route were packed with supporters of all ages offering refreshments on this gloriously sunny day.

Athletes are grouped in three waves depending on their qualifying times, starting at 10am with a 20-minute gap between each wave. Luckily I started in Wave One, based on my Dublin Marathon time of 3.17 and had happily finished one hour before the explosions occurred.

As I was leaving the medical tent at the finish line area after receiving medical attention for existing blisters, which I

developed during the Connemara Ultra Marathon the week before, I heard a loud bang that sounded similar to fireworks and saw a cloud of smoke across the road. Nobody really knew what was happening and the finish line area became very congested with people starting to panic, and then the second blast occurred five seconds later.

Screaming and CryingThe real panic then set in and everybody started sprinting past me away from the finish line, which was full of smoke. People were screaming and crying, still not really sure of what was happening.

I ran towards the official exit area past the finish line with the mass crowds and as soon as I got to the other side, the first response appeared within a very short period, with armed security personnel, FBI agents, paramedics, police and military everywhere assisting people and blocking the streets leading to the finish line area.

As I was staying in the block next to the crime scene in the Prudential Building, I was allowed enter the building by FBI agents after showing ID and proof of address. I then realised the extent of the tragedy from the TV coverage and felt so lucky to have escaped unharmed. I was unable to contact my family and

friends for a few hours as the internet and phones were shut down in that area. That evening I attempted to get something to eat and left the building to be greeted by armed FBI agents, who screamed that I had to put my hands on my head. After a body search and identification, I was escorted back to my apartment and was warned not to attempt to leave the block until further notice.

For the following few days, downtown was like a fortress, with military and police heavily armed with machine guns on every corner. This event was an absolute tragedy, especially for the families of those four innocent victims who lost their lives and the 180 people who were injured. It also brought disappointment to many athletes who were unable to cross the finish line after months of diligent training.

Hopefully this cowardly incident will not deter people from participating and supporting public events or crowds from supporting these events and giving strength to each other in the future.

Diana Hogan-Murphy graduated from NUI Galway in 2002 with a Masters in Information Technology and currently works as a clinical pharmacist in Cavan General Hospital.

GraDUatE

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Cois Coiribe 31

Mandelaat NUI Galway

Human rights are philosophically indeterminate. There is a complex web of academic, political and legal contestation around this indeterminacy. Cynics call it an industry built on arid abstractions. They are, of course, wrong. All of this can seem trivial when juxtaposed with the ‘witness’ of a life lived like that of Nelson Mandela. It is not often that ethical heroes drop from the sky to honour an academic institution like NUI Galway by accepting its highest honour.

Ten years have passed since Nelson Mandela landed by helicopter in NUI Galway to receive an LLD (honoris causa) from the then Chancellor of the National University of Ireland, the late Dr Garret FitzGerald. In an eloquent citation, delivered with characteristic brio by the then President of NUI Galway, Dr Iggy Ó Muircheartaigh, Mandela was described perfectly as ‘the human rights icon of the twentieth century’. Iggy spoke for everyone when he said:

“As the early years of the new century unfold, the need for such inspiration as you have given is, if anything, greater than ever before. Your visit to Galway today gives us a renewed inspiration to tackle the iniquities that are still, unfortunately, all too pervasive in our world. It serves to highlight how individual resolve and adherence to principle, combined with tenacity and courage, can change the course of history. For tending and propagating the flame of liberty, humanity everywhere is in your debt.”

The occasion was blessed with sunny weather and drenched in glorious music provided by ConTempo, Cois Cladaigh with the Galway Baroque Singers and Dordán. It was an unusual conferring ceremony. The honoree delivered an electrifying speech, not all of which was scripted, but every word of which captivated an adoring audience that rose more than once to its feet in thunderous applause.

He acknowledged, with what seemed like ironic humility, that acceptance of an academic honour from an Irish university made him part of ‘a proud lineage of scholarship, learning and wisdom’. He spoke with timely indignation of the challenges to multilateralism posed by states such as the US, whose engagement with

institutions like the UN was less than constructive. He spoke insightfully and with humour about himself – ‘a man more than a hundred years old’ – and of some guests present, like Cyril Ramaphosa, whom he described as ‘one of the main architects’ of the South African miracle.

He paid a generous tribute to his friend and political ally, the late Kader Asmal, who, the following week, would also receive an honorary degree at NUI Galway. In mentioning Kader Asmal, he acknowledged the significance of the work done by the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement, expressing gratitude on behalf of the people of South Africa for the Irish contribution to international solidarity.

More importantly, he spoke with that reedy but resonant voice from his heart to our hearts. We laughed, we cheered, we sang, we cried. It was, indeed, an unusual conferring ceremony.

After the formal ceremony, Dr Mandela was driven to the Radisson hotel for a banquet, at which he danced with The Corrs (and Iggy) and where another Nobel Laureate and great friend of NUI Galway, John Hume, sang. In another part of town, some of us celebrated with a friend and colleague, Dr Pádraic Kenna, who was conferred with a PhD on the same day and proclaimed with pride that he would always be able to tell his children that he was in the same class as Nelson Mandela!

So much has changed in the ten years since Mandela visited NUI Galway. Our phase of illusory prosperity has been replaced by austerity that we wish was illusory. Our campus is bigger, our pockets are lighter but our hearts still warm at the memory of a special day in the life of this community – the day when we were visited by greatness personified, Madiba. It was a day when heart overtook head, a subversive occurrence in any academic institution; a day when palpable meaning and expressive life were given by the presence of one great man to abstractions like heroism, reconciliation, justice and human rights.Mandela, go maire tú do chéad.

Professor Donncha O’Connell (BA ’88, LL.B ’90) is Head of the School of Law at NUI Galway.

Philanthropy makes a crucial difference to the progress of any educational institution in Ireland. Thankfully, many visionary individuals and groups, in a position to donate money, are aware of the importance of high quality educational and research facilities and opportunities, both to individuals in need as well as society more generally.

The Galway University Foundation at NUI Galway is extremely grateful to many generous supporters down through the years. Against the backdrop of Atlantic Philanthropies winding down its operations for good, and following significant philanthropic support of over €1 million from the Dr Tony Ryan Trust this year, it is a privilege to celebrate the importance, value and impact of their longstanding philanthropy at NUI Galway in the last two decades. This impact is visible to students, staff and, by extension, to the Irish economy through first-class facilities, graduates and research.

Many fantastic capital developments on campus have been made possible through support from Atlantic Philanthropies, the Ryan family and a range of other generous donors (including individual donors, and medical and

engineering alumni networks) through Galway University Foundation. All the right pieces are now in place to embrace the natural and important progression towards promoting and funding scholarship, research and innovation in strategically important areas in order to drive Ireland’s people and economy forward and to deliver educational opportunity and real-world impact.

The Atlantic Philanthropies

The Atlantic Philanthropies identified Irish universities, which of their nature are devoted to the transmission of knowledge and the generation of new knowledge, as institutions central to enabling Ireland becoming a full participant in the knowledge society and competing in the knowledge economy. After decades of social and educational investment in Ireland, the Atlantic Philanthropies, a limited-life foundation, is winding down its operations for good.

However, Atlantic Philanthropies’ impact lives on at NUI Galway and can be seen across disciplines as diverse as sports,

history, engineering, the environment, business and social sciences. In particular, Atlantic Philanthropies has been a major supporter in various areas of the social sciences at NUI Galway, supporting child and family studies, disability law and human rights.

The group also invested heavily in various infrastructural projects, including such iconic buildings as the Moore Institute, the JE Cairnes Graduate School of Business, the Irish Centre for Human Rights, the Sports Centre and the new Life Course Institute.

It cannot be fully expressed just how significant the funding from Atlantic Philanthropies has been on campus in terms of the physical infrastructure, but also in supporting academics, students and research across a whole range of strategically important study areas. In the longer term, the impact of the funding provided by Atlantic Philanthropies can be expected to continue.

A truly fantastic infrastructure has been set up and the University is excited to move forward, committed to delivering real-world impact as Atlantic Philanthropies winds down over the coming years.

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The Difference PhilanThroPyMakes

The late Dr Tony Ryan. Photo: Derrick Spier

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The Difference PhilanThroPyMakes

Dr Jim Browne, President of NUI Galway said:

“Atlantic Philanthropies have been a shaping force in the Irish higher education sector for the last two decades. The transformative impact of this investment here at NUI Galway has been enormous. We owe a debt of gratitude to Atlantic Philanthropies for the visionary contribution which Chuck Feeney and his organisation have made to the sector and indeed to NUI Galway. Our researchers can now compete on a global level, enabled by top-class facilities. Our students benefit from enhanced teaching and learning resources. And ultimately Irish society is enriched by the knowledge and talent which will emerge from our University.”

The Ryan Family When the relationship between the late Dr Tony Ryan and NUI Galway began 25 years ago, what has become one of most well known institutes in Ireland was born. The Ryan Institute was one of the most significant examples of university philanthropy in Ireland, following a significant donation by the late Dr Tony Ryan, founder of Guinness Peat Aviation and Ryanair, in the name of his father, Martin Ryan. Dr Tony Ryan was a commercially astute business leader as well as a visionary philanthropist, and the Ryan Institute for Environmental, Energy and Marine Research (formerly the Martin Ryan Building) could not have been established without his farsightedness in supporting marine research. In today’s competitive economy, the focus on this valuable natural resource is crucial to Ireland’s success. It has also become a huge part of what the modern NUI Galway campus stands for.

The Ryan family carries on this legacy of visionary giving and the Tony Ryan Trust has provided €500,000 to fund five PhDs through the Dr Tony Ryan Research Scholarship Fund while the Annual Ryan Institute Award, will enable a winning student / researcher to commercialise or develop their idea, including through further research at home or abroad.

This support for the Dr Tony Ryan Research Scholars will see innovative research in an area of real competitive advantage to Ireland. Furthermore the Ryan Institute Award should provide a platform at NUI Galway for commercialising valuable research and fostering entrepreneurship, the lifeblood of the economy.

Dr Ryan’s successors are also carrying on his tradition of investing in education, with a particular focus on access and opportunities for those who may be financially or socially excluded from third level education. The Dr Tony Ryan Trust Fund provides for a number of significant grants, creating opportunities for those who might otherwise be denied a university education.

Dr Jim Browne, President of NUI Galway, said: “This scholarship funding amplifies the generous support received in the past from the Ryan family. NUI Galway remains indebted to the late Dr Tony Ryan and the Ryan family for the vision and the enlightened philanthropy which led to the capital development of the Ryan Institute in the 1990s. The Ryan Institute is the leading centre for environment, marine and energy research in Ireland. Increasingly these areas are becoming crucial to the global economy, generating new and sustainable technologies. Support for scholarship and innovation in these areas is a strategic and important decision by the trust and I would like to thank the trustees for their philanthropy. The Dr Tony Ryan Trust’s funding of the NUI Galway Access Programme will also enable talented students facing financial challenges to realise their full educational potential.”

The universities of Ireland jointly conferred an honorary Doctorate of Laws (LLD) on Charles F. “Chuck” Feeney, founder of Atlantic Philanthropies in Dublin Castle in

September 2012. Also pictured is President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim BrownePhoto: Lensman Photography

The Martin Ryan Institute

University Enterprise

Fostering enterprise and producing

entrepreneurs is an important aspect of

life at NUI Galway as Gráinne McMahon

reports.

The comments were made at the 15th annual Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards, where former student Paul Kenny was announced the winner of the ‘Emerging’ category for his online coupon company, Dubai-based Cobone.com

From an early age, Salthill native Paul Kenny knew he wanted to work for himself. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, it was no surprise that he followed his business roots and undertook a Bachelor of Commerce degree at NUI Galway and went on to start a Master’s in E-Commerce at the University. All did not go to plan, however, and a year into the course, Paul decided to drop out. “I really struggled with college in the sense of studying and doing exams. My mind was always elsewhere thinking about opportunities and it really became evident when I had to do the dissertation in the second year of the course.” Paul began applying for jobs abroad. In November 2007, when Ireland was on the brink of an economic recession, Paul packed his bags, booked a flight and jetted to Dubai, having secured an intern position in Jumeirah, where he would earn less than €1000 a month. “Still to this day, I remember waking up the first morning after landing and realising what was ahead of me. I knew nobody, I didn’t know where I was, had no clue how to get to work the next day and had little money to my name and no internet access to find out where I was.”

The first few months in Dubai were tough. With 40-degree Celsius heat to contend with, little money and no friends or family nearby, Paul knew he had to adapt. “I began to realise that if I worked hard in Dubai, results would come. I worked as an intern for three months, mostly doing data entry and nothing else. Then the Dubai government launched a future

leaders of Dubai programme, called Aspiro. I thought ‘what is the worst thing that could happen?’, so I applied. I was one of seven selected to be a future leader and instantly got a promotion in Jumeirah. I moved to the digital team and that was where I started to really learn.” Eighteen months later, Paul resigned and after two more resignations from other positions, he decided to follow his dream. “I knew at that point I couldn’t work for anyone anymore. I just couldn’t have a boss and I was finally ready to make that leap and make my own decisions.”

And so, with an idea for an online deals site, Paul decided to go it alone. Offering customers cheap deals for restaurants, and health and beauty services would be a winner for all parties – the general public would invest in the online coupons and businesses would get customers through the door, while Paul’s company would take a cut for marketing the deals. “I knew the eCommerce market was there but I wanted a business that did not need that physical delivery element. Couponing was it. Everything was delivered through email and that made things significantly easier.”

There were major challenges of course but Paul overcame the hurdles. Cobone is now one of the largest eCommerce companies in the Middle East, and last year the 29-year-old sold the business for an undisclosed amount, believed to be in the region of $40 million. The Galway businessman remains as Chief Executive Officer, where he manages his executive team. “We continue to grow.Last month we grew 20% month on month and are seeing double-digit growth every month. I want to build Cobone to become even bigger then it is today and expect to be a leader in the new entity we will be launching soon.” Paul puts his enterprising skills down in part to his education at NUI Galway. “I learnt so much there during my undergrad course and my Master’s. Maybe I would have learnt more if I hadn’t dropped out of the Master’s but I’m not one for looking back, just forward.”

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Paul Kenny, NUI Galway Bachelor of Commerce graduate, was praised at a glittering business awards event held recently for his “awe-inspiring” vision, innovation, and commercial achievements.

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NUI Galway prides itself on a long history of producing enterprising graduates and fostering a strong spirit of entrepreneurship, including encouraging young entrepreneurs.

The Students’ Union Enterprise Awards,which seek to foster a spirit of entrepreneurship among students, are going from strength to strength since they were established three years ago. Niamh Duffy, a student of the MSc in Clinical Research, scooped the top prize of €10,000 in 2013 for her project StudySmart. The study software application for secondary school students acts as a time management and motivational tool to enhance the efficiency of study. It is accessed through the user’s browser so the app can be used on both smart devices and on laptops and PCs.

With a scientific background in its development, StudySmart incorporates knowledge about neuroscience into its features to maximise learning and memory retention.

The Technology Transfer Office (TTO) on campus nurtures the growth of commercialisation in addition to housing new enterprise in the Business Innovation Centre. The TTO provided entrepreneurs Pat McDonnell and Noel Harrison with significant support. They developed OsteoAnchor, a new type of surface architecture for improving the lifespan for patients of cementless orthopaedic implants, such as hip and knee replacements. When used in practice, the technology will be beneficial to patients with poor bone quality in helping to achieve secure fixation of an implant to the bone of a patient. It is hoped that OsteoAnchor will significantly help those undergoing hip replacement operations.

The idea for the product came about when Noel and Pat were finishing PhDs in the biomechanics of bone at the Department of Biomedical Engineering. The pair were introduced to Bill Curtin, an orthopaedic surgeon at University Hospital Galway, who explained some of the difficulties that orthopaedic surgeons face when performing joint replacement operations such as hip and knee replacements. “One of these difficulties is in achieving secure initial fixation of the implant to the patient’s bone, and subsequently achieving long term fixation of the implant by means of bone in-growth into the porous surface,” says Pat.

After research and development funded by Enterprise Ireland, the design and prototyping is now complete, the technology is investor ready and Pat and Noel are currently in discussions with multinational orthopaedic implant manufacturers to discuss launching OsteoAnchor to a commercial market. It is hoped that the product will be available by 2015. “We had excellent facilities for performing the design, prototyping and testing of OsteoAnchor at NUI Galway, which was vital in the development of the product,” says Pat.

Enterprise skills developed at NUI Galway are helping many of the University’s graduates abroad, including Dermot Duncan, who holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronics and Computers in addition to a Higher Diploma in Systems Analysis from NUI Galway and an MSc in Software Design and Development. Now based in Boston, the Galway native works as a Senior Software Engineer for XTRAC LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that specialises in providing workflow solutions for enterprise task management.

In his spare time, Dermot is currently developing Balortech, a mobile order and payment system, with his friend John Doyle. In simple terms, it aims to transform the way people order food and drinks in restaurants and bars. “It evolved from an idea formed at a start-up weekend where designers, developers, entrepreneurs and business people meet up for a few days and try and come up with a marketable idea.”

When launched, a user will be able to walk into a bar, instantly look at the bar menu and select what he or she wants to order.

By tapping a device, their drinks order will be sent to the bar, which bar staff will be able to view on a tablet. Once the drinks are ready, the user’s device will get an alert and the server drops them over to the hub the order was received from. “The customer can then tap their device on the hub again, which lights up to confirm they placed the order and payment is automatically processed.” Dermot aims to present the final prototype in Cambridge later this year and hopes the product will be available in bars in Boston by 2013.

Enterprise Abroad

Fostering Enterprise

Niamh Duffy, a student of the MSc in Clinical Research, scooped the top prize of €10,000 in 2013 for her project StudySmart

Dermot Duncan

Pat McDonnell and Noel Harrison, OsteoAnchor

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OLLSCÉALA

CoiMBra Group CoMes to toWnWhen the Coimbra Group delegates from Europe’s leading universities assembled in Galway recently, they were treated to talks from some of Ireland’s and the world’s most articulate speakers on research and higher education. None was more energetic than the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, a former student and lecturer at the University.

to an audience of over 200 delegates and invited guests in the Bailey allen Hall, President Higgins asserted the need to embrace europe’s intellectual tradition. never short of passion on the subject, he called for the creation of a new ethical framework that would be the eU’s “defining contribution” to the world, prioritising the global challenges of poverty, food security and inequality. He described the current crisis in europe as being rooted in the Union “not reflecting significantly the best interests of the people of europe”, singling out the ‘virus’ of financial greed for particular criticism.

President Higgins praised fellow veteran of irish politics, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, who spoke with authority on europe’s research agenda in her role as european Commissioner for research, innovation and science. she outlined the need for greater investment across the eU in research that is creative and impactful. informing the audience that by 2020 the eU will need an additional one million researchers, she called on europe’s universities to develop a generation of graduates with “critical and innovative mindsets”.

she was joined in this call by the Director General of science Foundation ireland, Professor Mark Ferguson, who laid out ireland’s achievements in research and innovation. Citing figures from the Global innovation index, he described how ireland is the only country to have obtained a top 10 ranking in all indicators for assimilating and disseminating knowledge. However, he cautioned against complacency, arguing that universities

must collaborate with industry and each other to further their research output.

Professor Carol Becker, of Columbia University, new york, called on universities to “cultivate the totality” of each student in order to promote their creative thinking. Meanwhile, Professor Joep Leerssen, of the University of amsterdam, proclaimed that collegiality between academics and researchers in universities was the best way of promoting the type of creativity and innovation that will serve europe’s research demands.

after four days of meetings, workshops and speeches, the 160 delegates returned to their universities in the UK and on the continent, having been inspired by their visit to the edgeof europe.

see www.nuigalway.ie/coimbravideos

“[The EU must acknowledge that it] is not reflecting significantly the best interests of the people of Europe” – President Higgins

The President writing that ‘Good Company’ inspires him on the University’s ‘inspiration board’.

Cois Coiribe 37

‘Hello. My name is Patrick, and I am calling about a letter that was sent to you last week. Do you have time to talk to me about it and about your time in NUI Galway?

AlUMNI FUND

A student member of the call centre team conducting the University’s first ever Alumni Fund telephone campaign

If you are a graduate of Galway, you may have got a call this year which began something like that. If you did, it came from a current student at the college, because for two weeks at the beginning of June, a team of students gathered every day in our Call Centre in the Arts Millennium Building to conduct the University’s first ever telephone campaign.

Three thousand alumni were phoned. They were spoken to about their memories of NUI Galway and experiences of reunions and alumni events, and they were asked if they would like to contribute to the University’s Alumni Fund.

Telephone campaigns have become increasingly common in the last few years. Conducted by callers who share some history or experiences with those they call, they can benefit both parties. In the case of the NUI Galway Alumni Fund campaign, the student callers got some invaluable insight into the lives of those who have gone before them, while those called got the opportunity to let the University know how they are being served as graduates. Those called were asked to contribute too. The Alumni Fund, which was the beneficiary of the campaign, is hugely important to the college. In existence for the past 10 years, it has contributed to such projects as the Engineering Building, the

new sports centre and the library extension. No contribution is too small – the fund’s mantra is ‘little and often’ – and the college is extremely grateful to those who commit to helping.To a great extent, the building work is done, the infrastructure is complete and now it is a case of making the biggest possible contribution to both the student body and society. To that end, the Alumni Fund has earmarked seven projects that it wishes to support in 2013. They are:

• Access for disadvantaged students• Autism Research• Breast Cancer Research• Cultural Centre for Student Performance• Medical Orchestra• Prostrate Cancer Research• Student Scholarships

Donors can chose which activity or project they wish to support and we find that while many people are happy to give to the overall fund, others like to know exactly where their money is going.

The Alumni Fund will make a huge difference to the success of these projects, so to all those who contributed on foot of the phone campaign, we want to say a huge thank you. And to those who were not in a position to help but who engaged with our students, we want to say thank you too. Listening to the intergenerational chat was wonderful. Our students were enriched. So if at some future date you get a call from a student asking you to chat to them about your time in NUI Galway, please do!

Fostering Enterprise

Cois Coiribe 38

On June 14, three distinguished individuals were conferred with honorary degrees by the University: the eminent scientist and educator, Dr Rita Colwell; the multi-award winning playwright, Enda Walsh; and the biomedical entrepreneur and researcher, Leonard Moran. They join a long list of figures honoured by the University for their outstanding contributions to Science, Business and the ArtsDr Rita ColwellThroughout a career dedicated to science and education, Dr rita Colwell’s research on the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases has helped millions of people around the world. in his citation at the conferring ceremony, Professor lokesh Joshi compared her contribution in the field with those of louis Pasteur and alexander Fleming. according to Professor Joshi, “Dr Colwell became the first researcher to link the incidence of cholera to climate change and established the environmental basis of infectious disease risk.” to illustrate her determination to fight the disease, he described her work in Bangladesh teaching villagers to filter drinking water through their saris. This simple method was shown to reduce the incidence of the disease by approximately 50%.

“Dr Colwell became the first researcher to link the incidence of cholera to climate change.”

Dr Colwell is currently Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland and at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg school of Public Health. Her achievements and accolades are as numerous as the large volume of publications she has made over a life-long career. in the words of Professor Joshi, we are honoured to have Dr Colwell as the recipient of an honorary doctorate in science.

Enda WalshThe degree of Doctor of literature conferred upon enda walsh marks his massive contribution to irish stage and screen. His plays, many of which premiered in Galway, have been translated into over 20 languages and performed internationally, picking up awards along the way. in his introductory address at the conferring ceremony, Professor Patrick lonergan summed up the value and importance of his writing: “His characters exist on the edges of society – and often on the edges of sanity. His plays are intense investigations of the theatrical and its place in everyday life.”

“His plays are intense investigations of the theatrical and its place in everyday life.”

of enda walsh’s wide repertoire of plays and films, perhaps his most celebrated have been the drama Disco Pigs, and the script he co-wrote for steve McQueen’s film Hunger. last year he became only the third ever irish writer to win a tony award for his script for Once – the Musical. speaking on receipt of his honorary degree, he expressed his delight at being recognised by the University and the city of Galway, which he praised as being “a great place for an artist.”

Leonard MoranBorn near Ballina, Co. Mayo, leonard Moran’s achievements in business and research have had a global impact. He has played a leading role in

developing an indigenous biotechnology industry in the west of ireland. in 1976 he established the contract research organisation Biological laboratories (Biolabs) on the family farm. This company would serve the needs of the burgeoning pharmaceutical industry in ireland, expanding at such a rate that it was sold to an american multinational in 2002 for €28 million.

today leonard Moran heads a new company, ovagen, a facility that produces germ-free eggs from chickens. This innovative process plays a vital role in the production of vaccinations for some of the world’s deadliest diseases. it is predicted that the Ballina-based company will be the global leader in this technology.

“Ireland would be much better if there were more Leonard Morans, who took the less-travelled road of science, innovation and productive investment.”

in describing his life’s work at the conferring ceremony, Professor Frank Barry commended leonard Moran’s vision, ambition and technical sophistication, saying “ireland would be much better if there were more leonard Morans, who took the less-travelled road of science, innovation and productive investment.” He received the honorary degree from nUi Galway as a mark of recognition of his sustained, valuable and innovative contribution to irish biomedical research.

HONORARY CONFERRING

our HonoureD Guests

Cois Coiribe 39

BA 1972 and Alumni Award Winner for Sports Achievement and Leadership (2011)

Colm Murray was a proud graduate of nUi Galway, and often recalled his student days with affection and no little mirth. He studied in the faculty of arts in the 1960s and 70s but in fact Colm was an everyman, a lifelong student of the ways of the world.

He brought a sense of curiosity and wonder to his assignments which informed and enlivened his broadcast journalism.

in the rtÉ newsroom he was a brilliant nUJ official, defusing many an industrial relations row with a mixture of humour, guile and an uncanny sense of timing.

Though he did not specialise in current affairs Colm was a close follower of political events and would give colleagues the benefit of sound observations on running stories and the players

involved - usually sharp but never cruel. Colm had legions of friends and admirers and easily won the confidence of people. as a sports broadcaster he reported with knowledge, flair and enthusiasm from Ballybrit to Beijing.

There’s a certain timeliness that his passing came during Galway race week where his services as a social ringmaster and tipster were greatly enjoyed if not always followed with success.

some years ago he encouraged people at a pre-races brunch in the old quadrangle to follow his list of sure things. and then he cautioned hilariously: “But my final word in this great aula Maxima where so many distinguished scholars have passed through the hallowed portals is: Caveat Punter”

Sean O’Rourke, Chair of NUI Galway Alumni Association

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRDr sean o’rourke Ba 1977, llM (hc) 2011

Alumni Board Members 2013

Brigadier General Ger Aherne BA 1975, LLM 2003Head of eU training Mission, somalia

Ms Joanna Brophy BComm 2002, HDip Marketing 2003, MBA 2010assistant Manager, nUi Galway students’ Union,

Dr Cepta Brougham BSc 1979, MSc 1983, PhD 1990lecturer, athlone institute of technology

Ms Sandra Butler BA 1985, HDip in Ed 1986Project Manager and educator

Dr Catherine Caulfield BSc 1976, HDip in Ed 1977, PhD 2008Chief operations officer, ovagen ltd

Mr Sean KearnsPresident, nUi Galway students’ Union

Mr Pat Downes BA 1987, DMP 1988Director, Bord na Móna

Mr Tom JoyceCeo, Galway University Foundation

Ms Caroline McDonagh BA 1996, HDip Info. Tech. 1997Ceo, west of ireland networking

Dr Eucharia Meehan BSc 1987, PhD 1993Programme Manager, Higher education authority

Ms Sinéad Ní Fhatharta MBA 2008Business Development executive, Údarás na Gaeltachta

Ms Mairéad Ní Nuadháin BA 1974Head of external relations, rtÉ

Mr Tomás Ó Síocháin BCorpLaw 1996, HDipA 1997, LLB 2004Media and Marketing Professional

Dr Sean O’Rourke, Chair, BA 1977, LLM (hc) 2011Broadcaster, rtÉ

Having grown up literally in the shadow of the University in the 1960s and graduated from the arts faculty in the late ‘70s, i try to walk through the nUi Galway campus every time i go home. invariably, there’s energy and inspiration to be drawn at every turn – from the quiet Corribside walkway to the fabulous new buildings, to the notice boards that confirm how student life is thriving. so it was a big honour to be invited by the President, Dr Jim Browne, to chair the new alumni association Board which took office this year. we have a lot of talented and committed graduates who want to work with the University in strengthening its links with fellow alumni. as ever, we are well supported by the alumni team led by Colm o’Dwyer, the alumni relations Manager. They make it easy for any graduate to arrange an event for fellow alumni. so if you have an idea, give them a call. sean o’rourke,Presenter, news at one & The week in Politics.

Colm Murray Remembered

President Browne presenting Colm Murray with his Alumni Award in 2011

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alUMnI

ALUMNI AWARDSNUI Galway’s Alumni Awards Ceremony

A celebration of the achievements of nui Galway’s alumni took place in the Bailey Allen Hall on saturday, 3 March 2013, with special guest An tánaiste eamon Gilmore. over 450 people gathered for the 13th Annual Gala Banquet, a glamorous occasion hosted by MC on the night Gráinne seoige.

Gearóid and Marcella Ó Conluain Theresa Carlin and RTE’s Pat McGrath Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, Vivienne Crow and Hugh O’Donnell

Dave Barry, Manager, Bank of Ireland, campus branch and his wife Margaret

Gráinne Seoige, RTÉ with Leon Jordaan

Sean O’Rourke, RTÉ and NUI Galway Alumni Chair, and his wife, Caroline Murphy

Dr Richard Berkowitz and Professor Mary E. D’Alton

Máiréad Ní Nuadháin, RTÉ

Adrian and Christina Jones

• Adrian Jones, Managing Director, Principal Investment Area, Merchant Banking Division, Goldman Sachs, who received the Award for Business, Public Policy and Law – sponsored by Bank of Ireland • Mary E D’Alton, M.D., Willard C Rappleye Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Columbia’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, who received the award for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences – sponsored by Medtronic

• Hugh O’Donnell, Saipem SpA Deputy CEO and COO Drilling, who received the award for Engineering and Informatics – sponsored by Bank of Ireland.

• Seamus Kavanagh, Vice President Global Innovation and Technology Development, Hollister Incorporated, who received the award for Science – sponsored by Aramark. • Joyce McGreevy, author and a Supervising Editor for the Academic Division of National Geographic, who received the award for Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies – sponsored by AIB.

Entertainment for the Gala was provided by internationally renowned musicians De Danann. At the event, founding members, Alec Finn and Johnny ‘Ringo’ McDonagh were joined by Eleanor Shanley (vocals), Mick Conneely (fiddle, whistle, bouzuki) and Derek Hickey (accordion) for the vibrant instrumental fireworks, and classic songs that have made De Danann such a household name.

Speaking at the event, then incoming Chair of the NUI Galway Alumni Association, RTÉ broadcaster Sean O’Rourke, remarked: “Is there an institution in the world which surpasses NUI Galway for the affection it holds in the hearts of its alumni? All over the world, you will find our graduates making a contribution in great ways and small. Last week, for example, in a single RTÉ Radio news programme I presented from Rome, we had inputs and insights from three Galway graduates: Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Eamon Gilmore, An tAthair Micheál MacCraith, a long serving former professor of Irish, and Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, who had come from Durban to elect a new Pope. Each of them, as I do myself, warmly values the Galway experience.”

Among the guests were alumni, staff, students and friends of the University. The feature of the night was the presentation of the Annual Alumni Awards to:

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Jim and Maeve Browne with An Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and his wife, Carol.

Harry McGee and Fiona Breslin

Seán and Máire Stafford. Shane Mooney and Alma McCarthy.

Claire and John Fallon Josephine Griffith and John Breslin

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ALUMNI EVENTSalUMnI

Talk by Professor Hubert McDermottOver 120 graduates and guests attended a talk by Professor Hubert McDermott in October 2012 in Custume Barracks, Athlone, on ‘The ABC of Human Communication’. The event was organised by the NUI Galway Midlands Alumni Club.

Professor Hubert McDermott BA 1964, HDip in Ed 1965, MA 1968 and Verona McStay BA 1988, HDip in Ed 1990Dr Cepta Brougham BSc 1979, MSc 1983, PhD 1990, and Dr Noreen Morris BSc 1984, PhD 1989Arthur Geraghty BA 1987, HDip in Ed 1988 and Tony Collins BA 1969

Druid Galway EventOver 100 alumni and friends attended DruidMurphy’s production of A Whistle in the Dark in the Town Hall Theatre, Galway, April 16.

Jim Reidy B Ag Sc 1965, and Helen ReidyBetty Gosling and Professor Jim Gosling BSc 1976, PhD 1970, HDip in Ed 1972

Christmas Gathering in DublinOver 150 graduates and friends attended NUI Galway Dublin Alumni Club’s Christmas Gathering in the former House of Lords in the Bank of Ireland, College Green, on December 18. Veteran TV producer, commentator and adviser, Cilian Fennell (BSc 1988) gave a hugely entertaining talk on the innate gift of communication that is part of being Irish: “Telling Stories – part of what we are”.

Lucia Gannon Shelly BSc 1972, HDip in Ed 1973, Libby Walsh, Barbara Loftus MB BCh BAO 1982, John Coll BSc 1979; Dr Jim Browne BE 1974, MEng Sc 1978, Cilian Fennell BSc 1988, Sean O’Rourke BA 1972, LLM (hc) 2011

Pádraic Ó Máille Talks SmachtPádraic O Máille (BComm 1982) gave an insightful talk to a packed auditorium in January 2013 on how to achieve your goals with smacht, entitled ‘From Powerless to Powerful in Seven Days’ – the event was organised by the NUI Galway Alumni Club.

Reem Draj BE 2011 and Thomas King BE 2000Gerry O’Connor BE 1958 and Micheál Seoighe MBA 1998Padraic Ó Máille BComm 1982 and Sandra Butler BA 1985, HDip in Ed 1986

Alumni Tree PlantingA copper beech tree was planted near the Alumni Office at the Gate Lodge on November 23, 2012. Earlier in the year, one of the oldest trees on the campus had to be felled due to disease. Inspired by the famous autographed copper beech in Coole Park, Adrian Bannon BA 2004, LLB 2005, of Pedagogy Tree, aims to plant a copper beech at all the universities in Ireland.

Brendan Smith BA 1978, HDip in Ed 1980; Adrian Bannon BA 2004, LLB 2005; Frances O’Malley MA 2012; John Loftus BSc 1977, HDip in Ed 1979; Sandra Butler BA 1985, HDip in Ed 1986; Senator Lorraine Higgins BA 2001; Sr de Lourdes Fahy BA 1960, HDip in Ed 1971, MEd 1972; Colm O’Dwyer; Karen O’Neill; Dean Pearce, NUI Galway and Niall Cunningham MBA 2010 at the tree-planting ceremony.

Cois Coiribe 43

ALUMNI EVENTSalUMnI

Thirty Years in Conflict ZonesOn Tuesday June 25th 2013, Brigadier General Ger Aherne BA 1975, LLM 2003, current military commander, EU Training Mission in Somalia, gave a talk to Dublin alumni on his three decades on overseas duties with the UN, NATO, the EU and the OSCE. The event was held in the Hibernian Club, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin.

Anne Bracken BSc 1973, HDip in Ed 1974, and Mairéad Ní Nuadháin BA 1974Sean O’Rourke BA 1977, LLM (hc 2011) , chairman Dublin Alumni Group, HE Anne Webster BSC 1972, Irish Ambassador to Uganda and Brigadier General Ger Aherne BA 1975, LLM 2003.

Alumni Golf OutingNUI Galway Alumni Club held its annual golf outing in Galway Bay Golf Club, Oranmore, on Friday, June 7th 2013. The overall winner of the John Coll designed perpetual trophy was Professor Chris Curtin.

Professor Chris Curtin BA 1971, MA 1973 HDip in Ed 1974 (left) being presented with the NUI Galway Alumni perpetual golf trophy by the former president of NUI Galway, Iggy Ó Muircheartaigh

London Irish Business Society increases members to over 3,000London Irish Business Society (LIBS) was founded three years ago by NUI Galway graduate Darren Glynn and has hosted presentations by world-class Irish business leaders, including An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Peter Sutherland and Willie Walsh. The society is growing rapidly and currently has over 3,000 members. Building on 2012 London events (including co-hosting the launch of DruidMurphy at the Hampstead Theatre in June and supporting the LIBS inaugural gala ball in November), NUI Galway, backed by Galway University Foundation, is delighted to support the Society. This is an opportunity to reach out to, support and connect with NUI Galway graduates based in London. Further information on upcoming events can be found by visiting www.li-bs.co.uk

NUI Galway / GMIT Kayak Club ReunionNUI Galway / GMIT Kayak Club held a reunion in Galway on Saturday June 8th. Water activities were held on the Corrib in the afternoon followed by a function in Galway Rowing Club that night.

Kayak reunion organiser, Neasa Donnellan BE 1992 and family at the NUI Galway / GMIT Kayak Club reuion.

Accountancy and Finance Reception At an Accountancy & Finance Discipline reception in April 2013, recognising the achievements of NUI Galway alumni who have received prizes in their professional accountancy or taxation examinations, were:

(l-r, back row) –Mary Drought, Edel Cullen, Sarah Jane McHugh, Oliver Clune, Nora Cosgrove, Laurence May, and Breda Sweeney, Head of Accountancy & Finance Discipline, NUI Galway.(l-r, front row) Sinead McHugh, Elaine Mitchell, President Browne, and Caoimhe McLoughlin

NUI Galway Celebrates 40 years of its MBAOver 200 NUI Galway MBA graduates recently returned to the Universityto mark the 40th anniversary of the first intake to its Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme. Organised by the University’s JE Cairnes School of Business and Economics, the milestone was marked with a conference and gala dinner. NUI Galway MBA Programme Directors 1972-2013: Professor Jim Doolan, Dr Aidan Daly, Dr Leo Smyth, Dr James Cunningham, Michael Moroney, Dr Ann Torres and Dr Alma McCarthy.

Tomás Ó Síocháin BCorpLaw 1996, HDipA 1997, LLB 2004, Sandra Butler BA 1985, HDip in Ed 1986, and John Killeen MIE 1978, LLB (hc) 2010

From Cold Chon to Galway – Engineering SuccessNUI Galway’s Alumni Club hosted an interview with Dr John Killeen, CEO of Cold Chon and Chairperson of Let’s Do it Galway, the group responsible for bringing the Volvo Ocean Race to the City. The interview was conducted by fellow graduate and broadcaster, Tomás Ó Síocháin, formerly of RTÉ and TG4. The talk was held in the award-winning Engineering building and guests were given a tour of the building before the event.

San Francisco Welcomes PresidentOver 50 alumni and friends of NUI Galway in San Francisco and beyond gathered at the home of Moyra Malone (BE 1979) in Redwood in May 2013 for a reception in honour of President of the University, Dr Jim Browne during his visit to the United States.

Martina Sola Sanmina, Lauri Paulin SAP and Moyra Malone BE 1979Joe O’Donoghue, and Oisin Heneghan BE 2003, LLB 2009Rory Keogh BE 1989 and Karl Glynn

Cois Coiribe 44

I DO

For Stephen Mahon and Geralding Keane, the college chapel played a large role in their romance. Geraldine is a graduate of nUi Galway, holding a Ba in english and Classical Civilisation and an Ma in writing. as the couple’s romance blossomed, they began to attend mass in the University chapel, which they saw as “a space away from the world”. The couple became friendly with Fr Diarmuid Hogan and regularly chatted to him during their visits. in March 2011, when stephen decided to ask Geraldine to marry him, the chapel played a significant role in the proposal. “Diarmuid had said a mass and he had a basket of rosary rings in the foyer of the chapel,” explains Geraldine. “He encouraged people to take them and that’s exactly what happened – stephen took one. we got engaged on a parachute jump in offaly and half way through the sky dive when we were side by side, stephen shouted out ‘will you marry me’. when we got to the ground, he had the rosary ring from the chapel and asked me again.”

and like so many have done before them, the couple had their initials engraved on one of the stools in the chapel, to remember their special day – ‘United in love on our wedding day, stephen and Geraldine, 6 october 2012’.

it was a love story, like so many others, that began at nUi Galway for Robert Rooney and Antje Luebke. Both were in their second year at the University – antje studying for a Bachelor of science and robert undertaking a Bachelor’s degree in Civil law. The couple decided on Galway as a wedding destination following their engagement in october 2009, with the University, its chapel and its chaplain at the centre of their big day. The couple said: “it isn’t just robert and i who think we have a great friendship with Fr Diarmuid, he is part of the University story of so many graduates of nUi Galway for almost 20 years.” robert had gone to mass regularly at the chapel during his time at nUi Galway. “in deciding to marry in the college chapel, we also felt like we were inviting our guests into one of the happiest part of our lives.” when the big day arrived on 19 May 2011, it couldn’t have gone better. “The chapel played such a special part in our big day that it will be memorable for years to come,” says antje.

Yvonne Keane, an employee of nUi Galway, married Gerard Ward, Ba graduate, in october 2012. she explains why the Quadrangle was top of their list when planning for their nuptials.“Having worked in the University for the last five years, i have always loved the Quadrangle building. when Gerard and i were considering a location for our wedding photos, there was no question that it had to be ‘the Quad’ – it’s steeped in history, culture, beauty, and you couldn’t find a more romantic setting.

“we got married on 12 october 2012 at st Brendan’s Church in Mullagh and stopped off at ‘The Quad’ on the way to our reception at the salthill Hotel. as we pulled up to the entrance to nUi Galway, despite the fact that i work there everyday and Gerard had gone to college there, it was like our first time walking through the archway. The rustic ivy stretched across the aula Maxima and the giant walls of the Quad created a magnificent backdrop. our photos will always be special to us and the Quad’s iconic stature has certainly added an element of local history and scenery to our wedding album.”

Máire Treasa Ní Cheallaigh, reporter and presenter with rtÉ and tG4, married Ciarán Joyce on 31 December 2012. “i have a real affinity with nUi Galway, having done three degrees there. it really has had a huge role in my life, so it was only right that i went back on one of the biggest days of my life! we got married on new year’s eve and had the reception in the westwood Hotel. ‘The Quad’ is the most beautiful building in Galway and making a pit stop there on our wedding day was a no-brainer!

“nUi Galway will always be special to me. i made life-long friends there, staff and students alike, and i wouldn’t be where i am today without it.”

To contact The Chaplaincy Centre at NUI Galway Tel: 091 495055 email: chaplains@nuigalway.ie

Romance not only begins at NUI Galway but the University plays a significant role in the love stories of its graduates, who not only return to capture the special moment of their wedding day on camera but so many are choosing the University chapel to say ‘I do’. Bride-to-be and university graduate Gráinne McMahon meets four couples who chose to let NUI Galway in on their big day.

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Cois Coiribe 45

Alumni Reunions

1987 and 1992 Reunion

The graduating classes of 1987 and 1992 celebrated the 25th and 20th anniversaries of their graduations in Galway with a reunion dinner in the Meyrick Hotel on Saturday, November 10, 2012. A tour of the campus was held earlier in the day, and a reception was held in the Quadrangle.

1960s and 1970s Reunion

NUI Galway Rugby Club players from the 1960s and 1970s returned to their alma mater for reunions on Friday, April 19th, and Saturday, April 20th 2013. Tom Kenny gave a lecture and slideshow on the history of NUI Galway RFC and the city in the college bar. The festivities concluded with a reunion dinner in the Ardilaun Hotel.

1963, ‘73, ‘83, ‘88, ‘93, and 2003 Reunion

A Class Reunion for all those who graduated in 1963, 1973, 1983, 1988, 1993, 2003 will take place on the weekend of 11- 12 October, 2013. Campus tours, entertainment, a campus fun run, and a gala dinner await all returning alumni. To book your place and for further information, register online at www.nuigalway.ie/alumni or contact Catherine Conroy on +353 91 492972.

1983 Medical Class Reunion

Medical graduates of 1983 gathered for a reunion in Galway on June 20th, 2013. The event, organised by Dr May Cahill, daughter of former registrar, Séamus Cahill, included a tour of the new campus and concluded with dinner in the Radisson Hotel.

1972 and 1982 Reunion

The graduating classes of 1972 and 1982 had a reunion on Saturday, October 20th, 2012 to celebrate the 40th and 30th anniversaries of their graduations. The event started with a reception and tour of the University and concluded with a celebration dinner in the Meyrick Hotel.

Cois Coiribe page 46

1950sPatrick McGinley BA 1957, BComm 1957 has published a novel, Cold Spring (New Island Books, 2013), set in the author’s native Donegal in the 1940s. He is currently living in Kent in the UK.

1960sMartin A. Timoney BA 1969 , edited and compiled Dedicated to Sligo - Thirty Four Essays on Sligo’s Past. The 304-page book has 36 authors, 34 articles, 500 footnotes, and 300 illustrations, and was launched by Dr Patrick F Wallace BA 1969, former head of the National Museum, earlier in the year.

1970s Eddie Lenihan BA 1973, HDip in Ed 1975, MA 1978, storyteller and children’s writer, is one of 207 candidates, representing 67 countries worldwide, nominated for the 2013 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Children’s Literature Award. Eddie is a former Alumni Award Winner.

Oliver Connolly, BA 1971, originally from Kinvara, Co Galway has been living in the US since 1971. He runs a consulting business specialising in sales and sales management development. He would like to connect with some of the “Cellar Gang” from 1970 and 1971.

John Creed BA 1973, HDip in Ed 1974 is living in Ballyweelin, Rosses Point, Co. Sligo. He qualified as a solicitor in 1983 and is currently a law lecturer in IT Sligo.

1980sFelix Ó Murchadha BA 1986, MA 1988 published a book entitled The Time of Revolution: Kairos and Chronos in Heidegger with Bloomsbury Press earlier this year.

Oonagh Monahan BSc 1986 has been accredited as an IMCA Certified Management Consultant based in Sligo. Oonagh’s new book, called Money for Jam, is aimed at anyone thinking about starting up a small food business, and has just been published by Oaktree Press.

Pauline Roche BA 1982 has been living in Birmingham since 1984, where she runs her own project management consultancy firm, RnR Organisation. She is involved with Irish support organisations in Britain, and with her husband, Ted Ryan, from Wales, helped re-start the famous Birmingham St Patrick’s Day Parade.

Clare McCarthy (O’Broin) BA 1989 graduated in 1989 with a BA in English and French and now lives near Manchester with her husband and two daughters and is an administrator in further education.

Maureen McShane (Hanlon) BA 1989, HDip in Ed 1990 is living in Donegal where she runs Bokwa Fitness classes.

Pat Reynolds, BSc 1983 was recently appointed Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY.

Ann Neilan MB BCh BAO 1980 is living in Galway and has four children, but lost her cousin Tomas Kenny in 2010 very suddenly. He was also in their class. She is working in HSE West.

Francis Moriarty BComm 1984, HDip in Ed 1985 is orginally from Foxford, Co Mayo, and is now living in Tralee. After college he went on to do the Chartered Accountancy exams, before finally deciding on tax as a career. He is also a qualified Chartered Tax Advisor. He finished his training at O’Donnell Kinlan & Co (Ranelagh), he worked in KPMG Dublin from 1991-2006. He relocated to Tralee in October 2006 and now works with PSC Taxation Services. He is married to Ann and they have three children, two of whom are now in third-level (sadly, not NUI Galway).

1990s John B Staunton BComm 1997 is living in Berkshire, UK with his wife Louise and two children (4 and 5), and is working with Dulux paints (AkzoNobel). JB ran his first marathon in London in April.

Niall Colgan BCorp Law 1997 LLB 1999 got married in March 2012 to Karen O’Donoghue, a science graduate from UCC. After over 10 years working as a solicitor in Dublin and the midlands he founded Niall Colgan & Co, a two-solicitor legal practice based on the South Mall in Cork.

John Hughes LLB 1993 was appointed Offaly State Solicitor earlier this year. He set up his own practice in 1998 and is married to Maureen Kehoe, who works with him in the Hughes-Kehoe practice in Tullamore.

Mark Willoughby BComm 1990 was recently appointed Chief Investment Officer at US-based Modera Wealth Management, a fee-only wealth management firm that manages over $1 billion and has offices in New Jersey and Massachusetts.

Andrea Ban Yu-Lin MB BCh BAO 1997 is working as a respiratory physician and lecturer at the UKM Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia teaching undergraduate and postgraduate medical students, in addition to doing clinical work and service. She says she has come to appreciate the entertaining anatomy lectures by Professor Fitzgerald and anatomy classes by Dr Phil Comerford, which served as a benchmark of what good teachers should be. She would love to return to Galway to visit and re-live some lovely memories.

John Tobin BE 1996 is Business Manager with QTEK Manufacturing, Jalisco, Mexico. Recently he introduced tag rugby to disadvantaged children in Jalisco, which has proved to be a huge success, with over 700 taking part to date.

Lucy Ruane BComm 1999, MBS 2001 is an IT Project Manager in London and got married last November. The ceremony was held in St Columba’s Chapel, NUI Galway.

John Ryan BSc 1990 was recently appointed Director of Services at Certification Europe, the company that he co-founded in 2001. Certification Europe is an international certification and inspection body, which assesses organisations to ISO assurance schemes with offices in Dublin, London, Milan, Istanbul and Osaka.

2000sJayne Staunton BA 2011 graduated with a degree in Social Care. Prior to this, in 2004 she studied for an NUI Diploma in Community Development Practice. Jayne is working with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) in Northern Uganda as a Volunteer Programme Advisor, working with a number of different organisations.

Lorraine Lally LLM 2008 is a practising barrister in the Four Courts as well as a part-time mediator in family law for Helplink in Galway.

Paul McMahon MA 2008 is originally from Belfast but is currently living in Sligo. His poetry has been published in The Threepenny Review, Southword, Orbis, Ambit, Hennessy New Irish Writing, Crabreek Review, The Moth, Assent, Crannog and the Poetry Salzburg Review among others. He has won prizes nationally and internationally for his poetry and he has just been awarded a literature bursary award from the Arts Council of Ireland

Damien Mc Donagh BE Electronic Engineering 2006 is currently working as a software engineer in Avaya in Galway.

Michael Vithiyananda MAppSC 2010, originally from Malaysia, completed the Master’s in Occupational Safety Engineering and Ergonomics course in 2010. Since then he has worked for two years as a Safety Engineer in Ireland and Malaysia and has now moved into project management in the oil and gas industry, working for SBM Offshore. He says his best times were in Ireland, where he made friends for life, and he would strongly recommend anyone to pursue their studies in NUI Galway!

Anna Snyder MA in Writing 2011 is currently a staff writer for the Arts and Entertainment column of the online magazine WomenSpeak News. She is planning out her PhD in literature, and looking forward to an upcoming trip to South America.

Sharifah Syed Mohamad, MB BCh BAO 2008 has worked in Malaysia since 2008 after graduating, got married in December 2010, became a mother of a beautiful daughter in December 2011. Over the last four years, she has worked in three different hospitals. Currently she is in USIM as a trainee lecturer, and is planning to pursue a Master’s in Family Medicine.

Paul Kenny BComm 2005 is the founder and chief executive officer of cobone.com, a multi award winning company he founded in late 2010 which is now recognised as one of leading eCommerce companies in the Middle East and North Africa. Paul has been selected as the 10th most influential person under the age of 30 in the Middle East, and one of the 25 most important people in technology in the region. In September and October 2012, Paul won the Middle East Entrepreneur of the Year by Gulf Business and the Ernst & Young Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year. (see page34)

Paddy Duffy BA 2006 is working on the latest series of University Challenge in Manchester, as a question writer. He is also writing a book profiling the myriad funny but true stories of recent Irish politics for Hachette Ireland, due for release this year, as well as being a regular columnist on RTÉ Radio 1’s Drivetime and the Huffington Post UK. Ana N. Bäumberg BA Social and Political Studies and Spanish 2010 graduated with an MSc in European Studies from The London School of Economics last December 2012 and moved to Brussels for an internship with the Americas Regional Affairs Division at the European External Action Service.

John Quinn BA 2009 served overseas with the United Nations in 2011 as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for six months. He has since been promoted to the rank of captain in Óglaigh na hÉireann, the Irish Defence Forces.

NOTESCLASS

Cois Coiribe 47

alUMnI

NOTESCLASS

1. Martin Timoney BA 1969 and Dr Patrick Wallace BA 19692. John Ryan BSc 19903. Lucy Ruane BComm 1999, MBS 20014. Clare McCarthy (Ó Broin) BA 19895. Oonagh Monaghan BSc 19866. Jayne Staunton BA 2011

7. Paddy Duffy BA 20068. Mark Willoughby BComm 19909. Niall Colgan BCorp Law 1997, LLB 199910. Oliver Connolly BA 197111. John B. Staunton BComm 199712. Eddie Lenihan BA 1973, HDip in Ed 1975, MA 1978

13. Paul McMahon MA 200814. John Quinn BA 200915. Pauline Roche BA 198216. Paul Kenny BComm 200517: An tOllamh Micheál Mac Craith sa róimh le Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D. Higgins agus a bhean Sabina i mí Feabhra 2013

1

23

5

4

6

7

14

13

8

910

11

12

1615 17

Cois Coiribe 48

oBItUarY

Rest in Peace2012Ray BradburyllD (hc) 2005Mary ByrneBComm 1997, HDip in ed 1998Mary CanningHDip in ed 1937Christopher ClarkenBa 1950, HDip in ed 1952Eugene ConnorBe 1941, Bsc 1942Chick DeacyMa (hc) 2009Michael DiskinBa 1982Mary DonohueBa 1938, HDip in ed 1939Mary DuffyBa 1960

Martin EganBe 1975, Mengsc 1977

Margaret EvansBComm 1963, Ba 1964Laurentia FahertyBa 1945, HDip in ed 1946Mary HarteHDip in ed 1958Josephine KellyBsc 1944, HDip in ed 1945Martin KellyBsc 1959Dermot LinehanDiprD 1997Bernadette LohanBComm 1982, HDip in ed 1983Emer MacHaleMB BCh Bao 1968Kathleen MeagherMB BCh Bao 1947Mary MurrayBa 1970, HDip in ed 1971

Diarmuid Ó CearbhaillBComm 1950, Ba 1951, HDip in ed 1951, Ma 1953Tom O’ConnorPhD 1961John O’KeeffeMB BCh Bao 1951, Mao 1956Aibhistin O’MurchadhallB 1982Jerry O’ReganMBa 1978Joseph O’SullivanBsc 1950, Msc 1951, Be 1955, Me 1961Margaret PepperBsc 1973, HDip in ed 1974Paul ReidBComm 1965, Ba 1966, HDip in ed 1967Diarmaid ScullyBsc 1979

James WalshBa 1976John WalshBa 1969Michael WalshBe 1958

2013Marian ButtimerBComm 1976Matthew LogueBa 2001, Mlitt 2007Bernard McDonaghBCl 2003Eamon NewellBsc 1964Tom ConnorBsc 1993, PhD 1997

Colm MurrayBa 1972

Michael Diskin was a big presence, in person and stature, on the UCG campus as it still was in the very early 1980s, and throughout his life. He came from salthill and attended both primary and secondary school in Galway under the Patrician Brothers. i was in school and college with him and can attest that he was always phenomenally bright and academically and intellectually gifted.

His life in university, as a student in the arts faculty, involved many activities, including journalism, the arts and theatre. He was also a keen critic of student politics. He produced, directed and performed in plays with Dramsoc. He wrote for Unity and then founded the magazine Façade, covering topics in which he was interested.

From Galway, Mike moved to strathclyde University in Glasgow, where he started an

Ma in Politics that quickly turned into a PhD which he finished in less than two years. His doctoral subject was Unionist politics. in the course of his research back and forth to Belfast, he became a familiar figure to many of the Unionist and loyalist politicians of the time while decamping in the evenings to sleep on sofas in the homes of republican friends in west Belfast.

He joined Craig Gardner, now PricewaterhouseCoopers, as a tax consultant and subsequently worked for the Japanese embassy in Dublin as an advisor. However, the most significant move of his career came in 1989 when he surprised everyone, except himself, by returning to Galway to become the first full-time administrator of the arts Festival. This statement of intent by both the arts Festival and by Mike came near the start of the professionalisation of the arts in Galway. in 1991, Mike moved to the Galway arts Centre and in his time there he managed the growth of the Cúirt international literature Festival, pulling off coups like flying nobel laureate Derek walcott in from his st lucian hideaway and convincing van Morrison to play the tiny nuns’ island Theatre. in 1995, he persuaded Bono to introduce allen Ginsberg. later that year, he moved on again: the obvious candidate as first manager of the municipal town Hall Theatre.

The city built the theatre but Mike built its audience and its reputation. For many years, Mike tutored on the arts administration Master’s programme in nUi Galway,

challenging and mentoring emerging producers. He always retained an independent, at times ‘prickly’, view of the arts world in Galway and ireland. This is probably best seen in his co-founding and driving what The irish times described as the ‘contrarian alternative arts festival’, Project 06. Mike made a brief foray back to Belfast in order to take the helm of the lyric Theatre re-development but returned to Galway and his beloved town Hall Theatre in 2010.

Mike had recovered from testicular cancer in his twenties but in his late forties developed cancer again and fought a hard battle with the disease that came to an end in March 2012, when he died at the age of only 49 years. President Michael D. Higgins said that his death was a “huge loss to all those who worked in the arts, culture, theatre and performance on this island.”in an interview with the Galway advertiser less than six weeks before he died, Mike said, “The work here (at the town Hall) keeps me going and has always been very important to me on a personal level. and it’s not just doing the routine stuff, it’s about doing special things.”

Mike Diskin did special things all his life, as a student, as a professional, as a husband to evelyne and as a father to Chloé. He could be infuriating, domineering and mischievous but equally pragmatic, inspired, inspiring, driven and dynamic. He was loved. He is missed.

Gary McMahon, BA 1983, HDE 1984

Michael Diskin 1962-2012 (BA 1982)

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