Frankie Gavin, Máirtín O'Connor and Mary McPartlan are just some of the performers set to appear at the Aula Maxima, NUI Galway this Thursday, 7 February, as part of special night of traditional music, storytelling and dance. The evening will also feature musicians Ronan Browne, Arty McGlynn, and sean-nós singer Róisín Elsafty. The show will be unique in that each performer will give a short talk on their performance giving an insight in to their respective art forms. Sean-nós dancer Róisín Ní Mhainín and traditional storyteller Fiona Kelly will also perform in their own inimitable traditional styles. Doors will be open from 7pm and tickets are available on the door. Performance begins at 7.30 pm sharp. Admission is €10 and free for students of NUI Galway. The event is part of NUI Galway's Arts in Action programme and is featured in the 2008 Múscailt Arts festival programme. Arts in Action is a specially designed programme for undergraduate students in the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies. The programme offers illustrated performances and lectures in a variety of art forms and acts as an open invitation to come closer to the Creative Arts. Múscailt '08, NUI Galway's Spring Arts Festival, will take place from the 5th to the 9th of February 2008. For the entire week the campus will be alive with concerts, theatre, dance, exhibitions, storytelling, film and live performances. Almost all events are free and everybody is welcome. ENDS

I measc cuid de na haíonna a bheidh ag seinm san Aula Maxima in OÉ Gaillimh Déardaoin, an 7 Feabhra, mar chuid d'oíche speisialta de cheol traidisiúnta, seanchas agus damhsa beidh Frankie Gavin, Máirtín O'Connor agus Mary McPartlan. I measc na gceoltóirí a bheidh ag seinm tá Ronan Browne agus Arty McGlynn. Beidh an t-amhranaí sean-nóis Róisín Elsafty ar an ardán freisin. Seó ar leith a bheidh anseo sa mhéid is go mbeidh deis ag gach duine a bheidh ar an ardán labhairt leis an slua agus léargas a thabhairt ar an bhfoirm ealaíne a chleachtann siad féin. Tabharfaidh an damhsóir ar na sean-nós Róisín Ní Mhainín agus an seanchaí Fiona Kelly léargas ar a stíl thraidisiúnta féin ar an oíche freisin. Beidh fáilte roimh an slua ó 7pm ar aghaidh agus beidh ticéid ar díol ag an doras. Cuirfear tús le himeachtaí na hoíche ag 7.30 pm. Cosnaíonn ticéad €10 agus tá saorchead isteach ag mic léinn OÉ Gaillimh. Is cuid de chlár Arts in Action OÉ Gaillimh an t-imeacht seo agus is cuid den chlár Múscailt 2008 é freisin. Tá an clár Arts in Action dírithe ar mhic léinn fochéime atá i mbun staidéir i gColáiste na nDán, na nEolaíochtaí Sláinte & an Léinn Cheiltigh. Mar chuid den chlár áirítear léiriúcháin agus léachtaí ar fhoirmeacha éagsúla ealaíne. Tugann an clár seo deis don phobal na hEalaíona Cruthaitheacha a bhlaiseadh. Beidh Múscailt '08, Féile Ealaíon an Earraigh OÉ Gaillimh, ar siúl idir 5 – 9 Feabhra 2008. Beidh idir cheolchoirmeacha, sheónna amharclainne, dhamhsa, thaispeántais, sheanchas, scannáin agus léiriúcháin bheo ar siúl ar an gcampas i gcaitheamh na seachtaine. Tá saorchead isteach ag formhór na n-imeachtaí agus tá fáilte roimh chách. CRÍOCH

The Annual NUI Galway Graduate Studies Fair took place on Monday, 4 February. With the focus entirely on 'fourth-level' the event showcased 429 full-time and part-time postgraduate programmes on offer at NUI Galway, including taught and research masters, and doctoral research options. Seminars addressed 'Research & Funding Opportunities' and 'Careers and Making a Postgraduate Application'. Working with the 'fourth-level' theme, NUI Galway's graduate education opportunities are now under the banner go4th™. An online prospectus of all that is on offer at NUI Galway is available at www.go4th.ie. The postgraduate application process is also online, through PAC (Postgraduate Applications Centre www.pac.ie).

Tom Arnold, CEO of Concern Worldwide and Lyndall Stein, Director of Concern UK, will lead a discussion forum at NUI Galway's Huston School of Film & Digital Media on Friday, 8 February at 6.30pm. Entitled 'Influencing Social Change', this free, public event is aimed at local charities, campaigners, activists and others who wish to influence positive social change. The event will also be of interest to current and prospective students of NUI Galway's MA/Postgraduate Diploma in Public Advocacy and Activism. Tom Arnold will discuss how Concern links its work in some 30 of the world's poorest countries to advocacy for policy change at national and international level. Lyndall Stein will discuss the role of emotions and images and their power to affect social change, drawing on her expertise and experience as Director of Concern UK. A questions and answers session will follow. Rod Stoneman, Director of the Huston School of Film & Digital Media which runs the MA/Postgraduate Diploma in Public Advocacy and Activism, said, "If you are currently involved in or wish to become involved in charity work, public advocacy or campaigning, this workshop promises to be a great educational, networking and social event. This is an excellent opportunity to gain feedback and advice and compare experiences with two internationally renowned charity figures. Between them, they bring a wealth of experience in humanitarian and development work, agricultural policy, advocacy and fundraising." Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. For more information and to register email derval.mccormack@nuigalway.ie or call 091 495076 -ends-

NUI Galway students interested in starting community projects will soon be able to bid for seed funding to develop their ideas. Details of the new 'Civic Engagement Fund' will be released at the fifth annual ALIVE Certificate for Volunteering ceremony on Thursday, 10 April. At the ceremony, up to 500 students will receive the ALIVE Certificate for Volunteering, recognising their time spent volunteering this academic year. Through NUI Galway's ALIVE programme, students have volunteered with organisations including Ability West, the Gaf Youth Café, Amnesty International, Childline, Galway Simon Community, Enable Ireland and Down Syndrome Ireland. "The annual presentation of the ALIVE Certificate for Volunteering is an important opportunity to recognise students for their volunteering, and to encourage their sense of civic responsibility," said Lorraine Tansey, Student Volunteer Coordinator for the ALIVE programme at NUI Galway. She continued, "This year we are launching the Civic Engagement Fund, which has huge potential. Our community partners and students have so many innovative ideas that simply require some seed funding to turn them into concrete projects. It might mean money to hire a venue for a fundraiser or to print posters as part of a social awareness campaign. Ultimately, the real value of the fund will be in supporting students' enthusiasm for community involvement." Katie Stack, fourth-year Occupational Therapy student at NUI Galway volunteered to befriend a person with an intellectual disability for Ability West. According to Katie, "Volunteering puts all the college work in perspective, it is important to know there is more to life. There is an impact for the service user but also for the volunteers, we love it." Over the academic year the ALIVE programme has supported over 1300 students interested in volunteering and the year now culminates with students applying for an ALIVE Certificate for Volunteering. Professor Jim Ward, Deputy-President and Registrar of NUI Galway, and Galway City Mayor Tom Costello, are expected to attend the ceremony, as well as community members, students and NUI Galway support personnel. The event takes place in the Aula Maxima, Quadrangle Building, NUI Galway, at 1pm on Thursday, 10 April. -ends-