- Forbairtí nua chun campas dátheangach OÉ, Gaillimh a láidriú - D'fhógair OÉ, Gaillimh inniu (Dé hAoine an 29 Aibreán 2005) go bhfuil institiúid nua teanga ar chostas €35 milliún, Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, le forbairt ar champas na hOllscoile agus i roinnt ionad sa Ghaeltacht. Ba é Éamon Ó Cuív TD, an tAire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta a sheol an institiúid náisiúnta. Glacfaidh an institiúid nua ceannródaíocht maidir le soláthar an oideachais tríú leibhéal trí Ghaeilge agus cuirfidh sí raon cúrsaí ar fáil trí Ghaeilge lena n-áirítear go leor de na disciplíní a chuimsítear i nDámha na nDán agus na hEolaíochta. Tá seoladh Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge i gcroílár straitéis OÉ, Gaillimh maidir le campas eiseamláireach dátheangach a chruthú san Ollscoil agus tagann sé leis na tosaíochtaí a leagtar amach i bPlean Straitéiseach na hOllscoile (2003-2008). Dearbhaíonn cruthú na hinstitiúide arís eile díocas OÉ, Gaillimh i dtaobh chothú na Gaeilge. Déanfar maoiniú chun tacú leis an tionscnamh seo a fháil ó fhoinsí éagsúla. Cuirfidh an institiúid náisiúnta, an chéad institiúid dá sórt in Éirinn, cláir ollscoile ar fáil, rachaidh sí i mbun taighde, cuirfidh sí comhairleoireacht ar fáil agus beidh sí ina hionad ardchaighdeáin don taighde agus don phleanáil Ghaeilge, i gcomhar le hinstitiúidí eile. I dteannta an ionaid ar champas OÉ, Gaillimh, déanfaidh an Ollscoil tuilleadh forbartha ar na trí ionad sheachtracha atá aici sa Ghaeltacht; tá dhá ionad acu sin suite i nGaeltacht na Gaillimhe (Carna agus an Cheathrú Rua) agus ionad eile suite i nDún na nGall (Gaoth Dobhair). Ag labhairt faoin tionscnamh seo dó, is é a dúirt an tAire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta, Éamon Ó Cúiv TD., "Ní mór ardaitheantas a thabhairt do OÉ, Gaillimh as an gcur chuige straitéiseach agus nuálaíoch atá glactha aici i leith sholáthar an oideachais tríú leibhéal trí Ghaeilge. Tá bunú na hinstitiúide seo ríthábhachtach do chothú leanúnach na Gaeilge in Éirinn. Bhí ról lárnach ag OÉ, Gaillimh freisin maidir leis an nGaeilge a thabhairt i measc na réigiún trí na hionaid sheachtracha atá aici sna ceantair Ghaeltachta; tá an ollscolaíocht á tabhairt i measc na ndaoine aici agus tá na pobail sin á gcumasú ar bhealach inmharthana a mbaineann idir bhrí agus tábhacht leis." Dúirt an Dr Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh, Uachtarán OÉ, Gaillimh, an méid seo: "Tá sé de thraidisiún ag an Ollscoil le fada an lá tacaíocht a thabhairt do phobal na Gaeltachta agus na Gaeilge agus déanfaidh an tAcadamh an díocas atá againn maidir le forbairt inmharthana na Gaeilge a threisiú agus a bheochan. Ach campas eiseamláireach dátheangach a chruthú, léireofar cúram na hOllscoile seo i leith na Gaeilge san fhadtréimhse. Cuirfidh Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge le saol sóisialta, eacnamaíoch, cultúir agus teanga na bpobal ina bhfuil sé lonnaithe ag leibhéal áitiúil agus ag an am céanna déanfaidh sé soláthar an oideachais ag leibhéil Náisiúnta agus Idirnáisiúnta a shaibhriú agus a leathnú. De réir mar atá sé ag fás, táthar ag forbairt raon na gcúrsaí i réimsí cosúil le teicneolaíocht faisnéise, cumarsáid, oideachas agus staidéar an aistriúcháin." Faoi láthair, cuireann an tAcadamh cláir Mháistreachta agus Ard-Dioplóma ar fáil i Staidéar an Aistriúcháin agus i gCumarsáid Fheidhmeach, mar aon le cúrsaí páirtaimseartha agus lánaimseartha i scileanna ríomhaireachta, raidió agus teilifíse. Cuireann an tAcadamh Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge ar fáil in 22 ionad ar fud na tíre, agus d'fhreastail os cionn 850 mac léinn ar an gcúrsa sin i mbliana. D'fhógair Peadar Mac an Iomaire, Príomhfheidhmeannach an Acadaimh, go ndéanfar raon clár nua a fhorbairt i rith na mblianta amach romhainn agus go bhfuiltear ag súil leis go mbeidh os cionn 1,500 mac léinn rannpháirteach i gcúrsaí na hInstitiúide. Ghlac sé buíochas leis an Aire Ó Cuív as an tacaíocht atá tugtha ag a roinn don ollscolaíocht trí Ghaeilge go dtí seo. Ghlac sé buíochas chomh maith le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta agus le FÁS as a dtacaíocht ag páirt mhaoiniú cuid de chúrsaí an Acadaimh sna hIonaid Ghaeltachta. - Críoch -

NUI Galway International Conference: "Edna O Brien: A Reappraisal" Edna O Brien s writing has always provoked controversy, from her earliest The Country Girls trilogy to her more recent works of faction , In the Forest and Down by the River. Critical responses have been divided between those who see her writing as populist and stereotypical, and those who admire her flouting of taboo and experiments with style and language. Existing criticism has tended, however, to regard O Brien primarily in the light of feminist and Irish nationalist and religious discourses, leaving unexplored a great deal of what makes her a complex figure. A major International Conference, "Edna O Brien: A Reappraisal", will take place on Saturday 23rd April in NUI Galway (9.00am, Centre for the Study of Human Settlement and Historical Change). Co-hosted by the University s Department of English and the Centre for Women s Studies, delegates from Finland, France, Italy, the US, England and Ireland are due to attend. "The conference will seek to broaden the critical framework for O Brien studies, reconsidering, for example, the reception of her work both in Ireland and elsewhere and her place in the canon, the way in which her work interacts with contemporary fiction, literary influences on her work and more," says Dr Rebecca Pelan, director of the Women s Studies Centre, NUI Galway, who has published extensively on the subject of Irish women s writing and Edna O Brien s fiction and who will address the conference. Established scholars as well as newer voices will contribute on the day towards creating fresh critical perspectives on the writing of Edna O Brien. Other speakers include Amanda Greenwood (Andrew Marvell School, UK) who is the author of the most recent monograph on Edna O Brien and Heather Ingman (TCD) who has published several books and articles on women s writing, including work on Irish women s writing and that of Edna O Brien. Conference programme available at: www.nuigalway.ie/english/eob/index.html Ends

History will be made today (Monday), when the first conferral of the degree of Master of Fine Arts in this State will take place in the Burren College of Art (BCA) at Newtown Castle, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare. The degrees will be conferred by National University of Ireland, Galway on seven students from USA, Canada, Africa and Ireland, at a ceremony attended by the Presidents and senior Faculty members of the BCA and NUI Galway. The Master of Fine Arts is a joint NUI Galway-Burren College of Art two-year fulltime postgraduate degree programme, based in the Burren College of Art. The programme is offered in association with two of the world's leading art schools – the Royal College of Art, London and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Dr Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh, President of NUI Galway said: "Over the years the Burren College of Art has established itself as a vibrant, global, artistic educational centre with international affiliations and accreditations and NUI Galway is very pleased to be a partner with the College in this joint initiative, drawing on our long-standing strengths in preserving and developing our cultural heritage and fostering artistic creativity and imagination. We at the University see our involvement with the Burren College of Art through this programme as an integral part of our strategic aims to support educational development and training in the west region." Mary Hawkes-Greene, President of the Burren College of Art said: "Organically integrated into its local community and space, Burren College of Art is already well known across the USA and increasingly across Europe as one of the most distinctive independent art colleges in the world. It is also one of the smallest, catering for only 60 students. With the completion of its magnificent state of the art studios, the opening of which coincided with the first Masters' degree show, the Burren College provides what successful artists thrive on and what emerging artists need – the time represented by a high level of individual tuition from top class resident and visiting artists, the space afforded by 200 sq. ft. studio space for each graduate student with 24 hr. access, 7 days a week and finally, the inspiration which can be drawn in abundance from the spectacular Burren landscape, free from urban distraction." Ends

NUI Galway has appointed Dr Chris Coughlan as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Management. Dr Coughlan is a senior manager at Hewlett-Packard who has contributed personally over many years to both the teaching and research programmes of the University. His appointment to this part-time honorary position was welcomed by the Dean of Commerce and head of the Department of Management, Professor Roy Green. "Dr Coughlan is an outstanding individual who has done much to build strong relationships between NUI Galway and regional business, especially in the high tech sector," said Professor Green. "We are delighted to formalise his role in the University with this appointment." Ends

Pupils from 4th, 5th and 6th classes in a number of selected Galway City schools will tonight (Monday 11th April) celebrate the completion of a 'Sport for Success' programme in NUI Galway, designed to encourage pupils in disadvantaged areas to continue their education right up to and including third level. Packie Bonner, former Republic of Ireland soccer star, will present certificates at 7.00pm (Ó hEocha Theatre, Arts Millennium Building), to pupils from St. Michael's Boys School, Mervue, Holy Trinity Girls School, Mervue and Scoil Bhríde, Shantalla, who have completed the programme. 'Sport for Success,' part of NUI Galway's Access programme since 2002, is a combined sport and homework initiative that promotes third level education and the value of education itself, as well as improving sporting techniques and skills. On one afternoon each week over the spring term, pupils come into the University where Access students and Access university under-graduates provide help and guidance with homework. On completion of that task, the pupils can then enjoy an hour of popular sports such as soccer and basketball. They learn new sports such as uni-hockey, climbing on the climbing well, Tai-Bo, spinning and juggling. According to Imelda Byrne, NUI Galway's Access Officer: "The children really benefit from the 'Sport for Success' programme. It helps students develop personally by building their self esteem, confidence, communication skills and social behaviour through team games and sport activities in addition to their educational attainment, especially improvement in numeracy and literacy skills." Professor Ger Hurley, Vice-President for Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs, NUI Galway said: "The very fact that ten, eleven and twelve year olds are participating in a university-run programme is a powerful positive action which will no doubt focus these young minds on future achievement and educational attainment." Ends