May 2015 Royal Visit to begin at NUI Galway with showcase of heritage and research

• President Dr Jim Browne will welcome the royal couple
• A commemorative oak tree will be planted

The historic Quadrangle at NUI Galway will be the setting today for an elaborate showcase of heritage, culture, research and education. NUI Galway’s President, Dr Jim Browne, will welcome Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to the campus for the start of their visit to Galway, Clare and Sligo.

The visitors will be greeted by Irish music and dance in the ‘Quad’, followed by an ‘NUI Galway Expo’ and reception. The Expo will provide the visitors with first-hand insights into the University’s heritage, the Irish language and Celtic studies, and the latest cutting-edge research. There will also be an opportunity to meet with students from Ireland and across the Commonwealth.

Ahead of the visit, President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne, stated: “It is with great pleasure we welcome Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to NUI Galway. There is huge resonance to this visit for the NUI Galway community because of the decision made in the 1840s to establish three Queen’s Colleges in Galway, Cork and Belfast. That decision – at the height of the Irish Famine – a time of real austerity – was transformative for our country – and especially our region. This is evident from the impact on society which our alumni, our academics, our students and our researchers have to this day.”

Heritage
Their Royal Highnesses will be shown memorabilia from the founding times of the University. NUI Galway’s prestigious history spans back 170 years to its foundation in 1845. Known then as Queen’s College Galway, the University was one of three Queen’s Colleges, the others located in Cork and Belfast. Items on show will include original architectural plans, pencil, ink and watercolour on canvas, of the Quadrangle, built in local limestone and modelled on Christ Church at the University of Oxford.

They will also be shown the first roll-book, also known as ‘The Declaration Book’, dating from 1849, original leather binding with gilded inlay and insignia, contains the signed oath and declaration of the first Presidents, all academic staff and register all students who matriculated and enrolled as Queen’s College Galway from its first academic year of 1849-50. Initially, there were only 63 students enrolled at the College, which is now home to over 17,000 students.

Irish Language and Celtic Studies
A unique aspect of NUI Galway’s role as a University is its strategic commitment to the provision of University education through the medium of Irish and the University’s aim to serve the Gaeltacht and the Irish language community, and to create an exemplary bilingual campus. The guests will be given a presentation on the standard reference English-Irish dictionary.

From the sixteenth to the nineteenth century, Irish writers claimed the ‘Crown of Ireland’ was theirs to bestow on their preferred candidate as the rightful king of the three kingdoms. For Irish language writers of the late medieval period, cultural allegiance was more significant than religious or political affiliation as a marker of Irish identity.

The Royal Couple will be presented with an image from Breandán Ó Buachalla’s book The Crown of Ireland.

Research Impact
Situated on the edge of Europe, NUI Galway is a dynamic location for research and innovation. The University’s approach is to be collaborative, creative, interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial. NUI Galway partners with almost 3,000 research institutes worldwide to create global networks of expertise.

The ‘Expo’ will showcase research across five broad areas, including: Applied Social Sciences and Public Policy; Biomedical Science and Engineering; Environment, Marine and Energy; Humanities in Context, including Digital Humanities; and Informatics, Data Analytics, Physical and Computational Sciences.

Of particular interest to Their Royal Highnesses may be NUI Galway’s research in:

Medical devices and regenerative medicine: Researchers at CÚRAM Centre for Medical Devices, will discuss novel devices for treating bone degeneration disease such as osteoporosis. CÚRAM researchers are creating nanoscale fibres from polymers and incorporating these into a mesh-like scaffold that mimics the natural bone matrix. Importantly, these scaffold materials can be utilised for the regeneration of large bone defects, which do not undergo spontaneous regeneration normally.

Violence against Women and Girls: Their Royal Highnesses will also hear about a new research project in the University’s Global Women’s Studies Centre funded by the UK Department for International Development called What Works to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls. NUI Galway is leading the component of the programme which aims to understand the economic and social costs of such violence in three developing states: South Sudan and the commonwealth countries of Pakistan and Ghana.

It is known that Violence against Women Girls (VAWG) has consequences for individuals and families; this project aims to deepen and extend our understanding of the impacts of VAWG by examining the economic costs that limit growth and development and the social costs that may contribute to social fragility and conflict.

Abbey Theatre Archive: NUI Galway is working with the Abbey Theatre to digitise their entire archive in the largest such project in the world. In addition to the digitisation, the Insight Centre at NUI Galway is using advanced technologies to make this priceless resource accessible to as broad an audience as possible. This allows us to uncover previously unknown knowledge such as connections between specific actors and directors during the theatre’s history.

Supporting youth: In work aligned to the Prince’s Trust programmes, the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway is developing a cadre of (nation based) community of youth as peer mentors/supporters. Commissioned by UN/UNESCO, the Centre will co-lead on a research project on the prevention of youth extremism through civic engagement.  One strand, (Marie Curie funded) will focus on understanding youth Multi-cultural and Disadvantaged (London and Dublin); Post-Conflict ( Belfast) and Rurally isolated (Galway).

Their Royal Highnesses will have the opportunity to meet some Youth Researchers (trained by the UNESCO Centre) whom form a key aspect of the research programme.

Marine and Energy Research: The Ryan Institute for Environmental, Marine and Energy Research contributes to some of the most important national and international, long-term, environmental, marine and energy research issues. The Ryan Institute's affiliated researchers are committed to knowledge sharing and collaboration across the sciences, engineering, social sciences and medicine.

Specifically to be discussed will be marine renewable energy, earth observation for environmental change, marine zoology, deep-sea habitats and anaerobic digestion in agriculture.

Tree planting ceremony
NUI Galway is Ireland’s most biodiverse university, and over 100 specimen trees surround the historic Quadrangle, some as old as the building itself. Today, in a special ceremony, Their Royal Highnesses will plant a sessile oak beside the Quadrangle.

The sessile oak has particularly special meaning as it connects Ireland, Wales and Cornwall. It is the official National Tree of Ireland, where it is known as the Irish oak or Dair ghaelach (‘Gaelic oak’). Also, it is the national tree of Wales and is considered the national tree of Cornwall, as reflected by its other common names, the Welsh oak and the Cornish Oak.

Event commentary via Twitter will be available by following @nuigalway and other social media channels such as Facebook and Linkedin will update as the preparations for the royal visit continue. #royalvisitireland

While it will be business as usual for the majority of staff and students, strict restrictions will apply to the Quadrangle and nearby buildings on 19 May. The University is working with An Garda Síochána to ensure that the event runs as smoothly as possible.

ENDS

Cuirfear tús leis an gCuairt Ríoga ar OÉ Gaillimh le taispeántas oidhreachta agus taighde

• Cuirfidh an tUachtarán, an Dr Jim Browne, fáilte roimh an lánúin ríoga
  • Cuirfear crann darach comórtha

Is i gCearnóg stairiúil OÉ Gaillimh a dhéanfar taispeántas iontach d’oidhreacht, cultúr, taighde agus oideachas inniu. Cuirfidh Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh, an Dr Jim Browne, fáilte roimh na Mórgachtaí Ríoga Prionsa na Breataine Bige agus Bandiúc Chorn na Breataine chuig an gcampas chun tús a chur lena gcuairt ar Ghaillimh, ar an gClár agus ar Shligeach.

Seinnfear ceol agus déanfar damhsa traidisiúnta na hÉireann do na cuairteoirí sa Chearnóg, agus ina dhiaidh sin beidh ‘Taispeántas OÉ Gaillimh’ mar aon le fáiltiú. Tabharfaidh an Taispeántas léargas pearsanta do na cuairteoirí ar oidhreacht na hOllscoile, ar an nGaeilge agus ar an Léann Ceilteach, agus ar an taighde ceannródaíoch is déanaí. Beidh deis ag an lánúin chomh maith casadh le mic léinn as Éirinn agus as an gComhlathas.

Ag labhairt dó roimh an gcuairt, dúirt an Dr Jim Browne, Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh: “Is mór an t-údar ríméid dúinn fáilte a chur roimh na Mórgachtaí Ríoga Prionsa na Breataine Bige agus Bandiúc Chorn na Breataine chuig OÉ Gaillimh. Tá spéis ollmhór ag pobal OÉ Gaillimh sa chuairt seo mar gheall ar an gcinneadh a rinneadh sna 1840í trí Choláiste de chuid na Banríona a bhunú i nGaillimh, i gCorcaigh agus i mBéal Feirste. Bhí an cinneadh sin – i lár an Ghorta Mhóir, tráth a raibh déine i mbarr réime – athraitheach dár dtír – agus go háirithe dár réigiún. Tá sé seo soiléir ón tionchar atá ag ár alumni, acadóirí, mic léinn agus taighdeoirí ar an tsochaí fós sa lá atá inniu ann.”

Oidhreacht
Taispeánfar earraí cuimhneacháin do na Mórgachtaí Ríoga ón uair a bunaíodh an Ollscoil. Áiríonn oidhreacht shaibhir OÉ Gaillimh 170 bliain ag dul siar go dtí bliain a bunaithe i 1845. Tugadh Coláiste na Banríona, Gaillimh air agus bhí an Ollscoil ar cheann de thrí Choláiste na Banríona, bhí an péire eile i gCorcaigh agus i mBéal Feirste. I measc na n-earraí a bheidh ar taispeáint beidh bunphleananna ailtireachta i bpeann luaidhe, dúch agus uiscedhath ar chanbhás, den Chearnóg a tógadh le haolchloch áitiúil agus a múnlaíodh ar Ardeaglais Chríost in Ollscoil Oxford.

Taispeánfar dóibh chomh maith an chéad leabhar rolla, ar a dtugtar ‘An Leabhar Clárúcháin’, a théann siar go dtí 1849, ar a bhfuil an bunchlúdach leathair le hinleagadh agus le hionchomhartha ór, ina bhfuil mionn agus dearbhú sínithe na Chéad Uachtaráin, gach comhalta foirne acadúil agus gach mac léinn a ghnóthaigh máithreánach agus a chláraigh i gColáiste na Banríona ón gcéad bhliain acadúil 1849-50. I dtús aimsire, ní raibh ach 63 mac léinn cláraithe sa Choláiste, áit a bhfuil os cionn 17,000 mac léinn anois.

An Ghaeilge agus an Léann Ceilteach
Gné uathúil de ról OÉ Gaillimh mar Ollscoil is ea a tiomantas straitéiseach d’oideachas Ollscoile trí mheán na Gaeilge a chur ar fáil agus aidhm na hOllscoile freastal ar an nGaeltacht agus ar phobal na Gaeilge, agus campas dátheangach eiseamláireach a chruthú. Déanfar cur i láthair do na haíonna ar an bhfoclóir caighdeánach tagartha Béarla-Gaeilge.

Ón séú go dtí an naoú hAois déag, d’áitigh scríbhneoirí na hÉireann gur leo ‘Coróin na hÉireann’ le bronnadh ar an iarrthóir ab ansa leo mar rí dlisteanach na dtrí ríocht. Bhraith scríbhneoirí Gaeilge na tréimhse meánaoisí deiridh go raibh dílseacht chultúrtha níos suntasaí ná dílseacht reiligiúnach nó pholaitiúil mar léiriú ar an bhféiniúlacht Éireannach.

Bronnfar íomhá ó leabhar Bhreandáin Uí Bhuachalla The Crown of Ireland ar an Lánúin Ríoga.

Tionchar Taighde
Lonnaithe ar imeall na hEorpa, is suíomh dinimiciúil é OÉ Gaillimh don taighde agus don nuálaíocht. Tá cur chuige na hOllscoile comhoibríoch, cruthaitheach, idirdhisciplíneach agus fiontraíoch. Tá OÉ Gaillimh i gcomhpháirtíocht le beagnach 3,000 institiúid taighde ar fud an domhain chun líonraí domhanda saineolais a chruthú.

Beidh taighde as cúig réimse ghinearálta le feiceáil sa ‘Taispeántas’, lena n-áirítear: Eolaíochtaí Sóisialta Feidhmeacha agus Beartas Poiblí; Eolaíocht agus Innealtóireacht Bhithleighis; Comhshaol, Muir agus Fuinneamh; na Daonnachtaí i gComhthéacs, na Daonnachtaí Digiteacha san áireamh; agus Ionformaitic, Anailísíocht Sonraí, Eolaíochtaí Fisiciúla agus Ríomhaireachta.

D’fhéadfadh suim faoi leith a bheith ag na Mórgachtaí Ríoga i dtaighde OÉ Gaillimh sna réimsí seo a leanas:

Feistí leighis agus leigheas athghiniúnach: Pléifidh taighdeoirí ag CÚRAM, an tIonad Taighde d’Fheistí Leighis, feistí nua chun dul i ngleic le galar meathlúcháin cnámh cosúil le hoistéapóróis. Tá taighdeoirí CÚRAM ag cruthú snáithíní nanascála ó pholaiméirí agus á n-áireamh go scafall cosúil le mogall a dhéanann aithris ar mhaitrís na cnáimhe nádúrtha. Tá sé tábhachtach gur féidir na hábhair scafaill seo a úsáid chun máchailí móra cnámh a athghiniúint, nach dtarlaíonn uath-athghiniúint dóibh go nádúrtha.

Foréigean in aghaidh Cailíní agus Ban Cloisfidh na Mórgachtaí Ríoga faoi thionscadal nua taighde Léann na mBan Domhanda atá maoinithe ag Department for International Development na Ríochta Aontaithe dar teideal What Works to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls. Tá OÉ Gaillimh i gceannas ar an gcuid sin den chlár atá ag iarraidh tuiscint a fháil ar chostais eacnamaíocha agus shóisialta an fhoréigin sna trí stát atá i mbéal forbartha: An tSúdáin Theas agus na tíortha comhlathais an Phacastáin agus Gána.

Bíonn tionchar ag Foréigean in aghaidh Cailíní agus Ban (VAWG) ar dhaoine agus ar theaghlaigh; tá sé mar aidhm leis an tionscadal seo tuiscint níos fearr a fháil ar an tionchar a bhíonn ag an bhforéigean sin trí bhreathnú ar an gcostas eacnamaíoch a choscann fás agus forbairt agus an costas sóisialta a chuireann le leochaileacht shóisialta agus coimhlint.

Cartlann Amharclann na Mainistreach Tá OÉ Gaillimh ag obair le hAmharclann na Mainistreach ar an tionscadal is mó dá leithéid riamh ar domhan chun a gcartlann a dhigitiú. Chomh maith leis an digitiú, tá Ionad Insight OÉ Gaillimh ag úsáid na dteicneolaíochtaí is deireanaí chun an acmhainn luachmhar seo a chur ar fáil don líon is mó lucht féachana agus is féidir. Tugann sé seo deis dúinn teacht ar eolas nach raibh ar fáil roimhe seo cosúil leis an gceangal idir aisteoirí agus léiritheoirí áirithe i rith shaolré na hamharclainne.

Ag tacú leis an óige In obair a bhaineann le hIontaobhas an Phrionsa, tá Ionad Taighde Leanaí agus Teaghlach UNESCO in OÉ Gaillimh ag forbairt pobal caidre den óige mar mheantóirí/tacadóirí. Tá an tIonad coimisiúnaithe ag na NA/UNESCO, agus beidh an tIonad ag comhstiúradh an tionscadail taighde a dhíreoidh ar antoisceachas na hóige a chosc trí chomhpháirteachas poiblí.  Díreoidh sraith amháin, (atá maoinithe ag Marie Curie) ar thuiscint a fháil ar an óige ilchultúrtha agus faoi mhíbhuntáiste (Londain agus Baile Átha Cliath); iar-choinbhleacht (Béal Feirste) agus iargúlta faoin Tuath (Gaillimh).

Beidh an deis ag na Mórgachtaí Ríoga casadh le cuid de na Taighdeoirí Óige seo (atá oilte ag Ionad UNESCO) ar cuid lárnach iad den chlár taighde.

Taighde Mara agus Fuinnimh Cuireann Institiúid Uí Riain do Thaighde Comhshaoil, Muirí agus Fuinnimh na ceisteanna móra tábhachtacha taighde, go náisiúnta agus go hidirnáisiúnta de, go fadtéarmach, ó thaobh an chomhshaoil, na mara agus an fhuinnimh de. Tá taighdeoirí Institiúid Uí Riain ag iarraidh eolas a roinnt agus comhoibriú sna heolaíochtaí, san innealtóireacht, sna heolaíochtaí sóisialta agus sa leigheas.

Déanfar plé ar fhuinneamh in-athnuaite na mara, grinniú an domhain don athrú comhshaoil, zó-eolaíocht na mara, gnáthóga domhainfharraige agus díleá anaeróbach sa talmhaíocht.

Crann á chur
Is í OÉ Gaillimh an ollscoil is bithéagsúla in Éirinn. Tá breis is 100 crann taispeántais timpeall ar an gCearnóg stairiúil agus tá cuid díobh chomh sean leis an bhfoirgneamh féin. Ag searmanas speisialta inniu, cuirfidh a Mórgachtaí Ríoga dair ghaelach in aice leis an gCearnóg.

Tá brí ar leith leis an dair ghaelach mar go gceanglaíonn sí Éire, an Bhreatain Bheag agus Corn na Breataine le chéile. Is é crann oifigiúil Náisiúnta na hÉireann é, áit a dtugtar an Dair Ghaelach air. Is é crann náisiúnta na Breataine Bige é chomh maith agus breathnaítear air mar chrann náisiúnta Chorn na Breataine, agus tugtar an dair Bhreatnach agus an Dair Choirnise air chomh maith.

Beidh tráchtaireacht ar an ócáid ar Twitter ach @nuigalway a leanúint agus beidh na socruithe is deireanaí maidir leis an gcuairt ríoga le fáil ar mheáin shóisialta eile cosúil le Facebook agus Linkedin. #royalvisitireland

Cé go bhfeidhmeoidh formhór na gcomhaltaí foirne agus na mac léinn mar is gnáth, beidh roinnt srianta i bhfeidhm ar an gCearnóg agus ar roinnt foirgneamh eile in aice láimhe an 19 Bealtaine. Tá an Ollscoil ag obair leis an nGarda Síochána chun a chinntiú nach mbeidh aon fhadhbanna ar an lá.

CRÍOCH