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Dámhachtainí Oinigh le bronnadh ar dheichniúr daoine clúiteacha Beidh breis agus 3,300 mac léinn ag filleadh ar an gcampas chun go mbronnfar a gcáilíocht acadúil orthu ag searmanais bhronnta an gheimhridh in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. Cuirfear tús leis an gceiliúradh ar an gcampas inniu agus leanfar leis go dtí Dé Céadaoin, an 27 Samhain. I rith na seachtaine freisin bronnfaidh an Ollscoil céimeanna oinigh ar an deichniúr seo a leanas mar aitheantas as a bhfuil bainte amach acu agus as an obair atá déanta acu: Martin Griffiths, Fo-Ard-Rúnaí na Náisiún Aontaithe le haghaidh Gnóthaí Daonnúla agus Comhordaitheoir na Fóirithinte Éigeandála – Dochtúir le Dlíthe Tony Connelly, iriseoir agus údar, agus Eagarthóir Eorpach Nuacht RTÉ – Dochtúir le Litríocht Keith Finnegan, craoltóir agus iarláithreoir an chláir Galway Talks ar Galway Bay FM – Dochtúir le Litríocht Dolores Keane, amhránaí tíre Éireannach den stíl thraidisiúnta a bhfuil cáil idirnáisiúnta uirthi – Dochtúir le Ceol An tOllamh Paul Yock agus an Dr Joshua Makower, bunaitheoirí Stanford Biodesign a thug tacaíocht do bhunú BioInnovate Ireland – Dochtúir le hEolaíocht Owen Reidy, Ard-Rúnaí Chomhdháil na gCeardchumann (ICTU) – Dochtúir le Dlíthe An Dr Éanna Ní Lamhna, luibheolaí agus feithideolaí, láithreoir agus craoltóir – Dochtúir le hEolaíocht Marina Fiddler agus Tara Nic Dhiarmada, bunaitheoirí MADRA – Mutts Anonymous Dog Rescue and Adoption – Dochtúir le Dlíthe                 Dúirt Uachtarán Eatramhach Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, an tOllamh Peter McHugh: “Tá lúcháir orm a bheith in ann aitheantas a thabhairt don ghrúpa daoine eisceachtúla seo, agus an gradam seo a bhronnadh orthu agus muid ag déanamh ceiliúradh chomh maith ar a bhfuil bainte amach ag 3,350 mac léinn dár gcuid i gceithre Choláiste na hOllscoile. Tréaslaím leis na daoine clúiteacha seo ar fad, agus beimid ag teacht le chéile mar phobal ollscoile le hómós a léiriú dóibh sin, agus do na daoine a bhfuil a gcéim le bronnadh orthu, ag searmanais bhronnta an gheimhridh. Is ócáidí iad seo a bhfuil tábhacht leo. Meabhraíonn siad dúinn go léir an chúis a bhfuilimid ann agus an méid a dhéanaimid ar son mhic léinn na hOllscoile seo.”             Bhí an méid seo le rá ag an Ollamh Becky Whay, an tUachtarán Ionaid agus Meabhránaí Eatramhach: “Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh le gach céimí as a gcéim a bhaint amach. Is léiriú é ar a gcumas, a saothar agus a ndúthracht le blianta fada. Ba mhaith liom freisin comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis na daoine eisceachtúla a mbronnfar céimeanna oinigh orthu. Tá a chion féin déanta ag gach céimí oinigh díobh sna réimsí éagsúla seo a leanas: forbairt pobail, an saol poiblí, cultúr agus taibhiú, cearta an duine, agus taighde. Thar ceann Ollscoil na Gaillimhe tá áthas orm ómós a léiriú dóibh as a bhfuil bainte amach acu.” Tá sceideal iomlán shearmanais bhronnta an gheimhridh 2024 le fáil ag  https://www.universityofgalway.ie/conferring/   Críoch

Ten distinguished individuals receive Honorary awards More than 3,300 students are returning to campus to receive their academic awards at University of Galway’s winter conferring ceremonies. The celebrations begin today and continue until Wednesday November 27th on campus. Throughout the week the University will also award honorary degrees to 10 individuals in recognition of their achievements and work including: Martin Griffiths, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator - Doctor of Laws Tony Connelly, journalist and author and Europe Editor for RTÉ News - Doctor of Literature Keith Finnegan, broadcaster and former presenter of Galway Talks on Galway Bay FM - Doctor of Literature Dolores Keane – internationally-renowned, traditional Irish folk singer - Doctor of Music Professor Paul Yock and Dr Joshua Makower, founders of Stanford Biodesign and supporters of establishment of BioInnovate Ireland - Doctor of Science Owen Reidy, General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) - Doctor of Laws Dr Éanna Ní Lamhna, botanist and entomologist, presenter and broadcaster - Doctor of Science Marina Fiddler and Tara Nic Dhiarmada, founders of MADRA – Mutts Anonymous Dog Rescue and Adoption - Doctor of Laws                       Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway, said: “I am delighted to be in a position to recognise this group of extraordinary individuals, and to recognise them at the same time as we celebrate the achievements of 3,350 of our students across our four Colleges. I congratulate each of these distinguished individuals and look forward to coming together as a university community to honour them, with our graduands, at our winter ceremonies. These are important occasions for us all, reminding us why we are here and what we do for our students.”              Professor Becky Whay, Interim Deputy President and Registrar, said: “I would like to congratulate each graduate on their achievement in earning their degrees, marking the culmination of their talent, effort and commitment over many years. I would also like to extend my congratulations to the exceptional individuals being bestowed with honorary degrees. Each one has made an outstanding and distinctive contribution in the diverse fields of community development, public life, culture and performance, human rights, and research. On behalf of University of Galway I am delighted to honour them and their achievements in this way.” The full schedule for the 2024 winter conferring ceremonies is available at  https://www.universityofgalway.ie/conferring/ Ends

   ReelLIFE SCIENCE video prizes awarded to schools and youth groups in Louth, Limerick, Galway, Mayo, Meath, Kerry, Cork, Sligo and Roscommon   From soundwaves to skeletons and nettles to nanotechnology, short science videos made by young Irish filmmakers have been celebrated at the 12th Annual ReelLIFE SCIENCE Awards in University of Galway. The event took place on as part of Science Week 2024 and the 27th Galway Science and Technology Festival. More than 300 short science films, created by 2,300 young science enthusiasts in 99 schools and youth groups across the island of Ireland entered the competition. Winning videos were selected by a panel of guest judges, including astronaut Rosemary Coogan, European Space Agency; engineerDr David McKeown, University College Dublin; scientist Dr Muriel Grenon, University of Galway; and the 2024 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition winner, Seán O’Sullivan from Coláiste Chiaráin, Limerick. ReelLIFE SCIENCE Winners 1st Prize Primary School – Thirty talented 3rd and 4th class students from Gaelscoil Riabhach in Loughrea, Co Galway, along with their teacher Brian Ó Meacháin, won the €1,000 first prize for their video ‘Faoi Bhrú’ explaining air pressure. Runners-up Primary School – 6th class students from Abbey Primary School in Boyle, Co Roscommon studied the skeleton in their ‘Spine-Tingling Science’ video, while 1st class students from Ardfert National School, Tralee, Co Kerry, finished third with ‘Cranefly Investigation Special’ describing the humble daddy longlegs. 1st Prize Post-Primary – Mandisa Jili, a 5th year student from Desmond College, Newcastle West in Limerick, wowed audiences with her animated explanation of the Weak Force, one of the four fundamental forces of nature, winning the €1,000 first prize under the guidance of teacher Liam Eddery. Runners-up Post-Primary - Shaun Irimpan, Oliver Biju, Jeremy Twinkle and Chris Ben from Coláiste Na Mí, Navan, Co Meath, highlighted the addictive nature of TikTok and other social media apps in ‘Tick. Tock’ while ‘FOMO’, from Aisling Lehane, Amy White and Chloe Lehane, transition year students in St Mary's Macroom, Co Cork was awarded third place, for its portrayal of the fear of missing out, exacerbated by social media posts. 1st Prize Youth Organisation - Young filmmaker and musician Arden Oakes, from Grow Music, Dundalk, Co Louth, won the €1,000 youth group prize for his video ‘What are Sound Waves?’. Runners-up Youth Organisation – Katie Ruane from Louisburgh Foróige youth club in Mayo came second with ‘Why do Nettles Sting?’, while third place went to ‘Nanotechnology’ by Ruslan Hlukhmaniuk, Hordii Kolisnyk, Daria Krasnoshchok and Kiril Lychov from the Ukranian Integration Support Project in the Foróige South Sligo youth group. Special Category Awards Alexandra College, Milltown, Dublin Teamwork Award Colaiste Muire, Ennis, Co. Clare Science and Me Award Gaelscoil Shlí Dála, An Bealach Mór, Contae Laoise Físeán Gaeilge is Fearr Kilrickle National School, Co. Galway Junior Scientists Award Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ, Courtbrack, Limerick How Things Work Award Nagle Community College, Mahon, Cork Best Animation Award Scoil an Linbh Íosa, Carrigans, Co. Donegal Maths Award Sooey National School, Co. Sligo Best Acting Award St Aidan's National School, Shannon, Co. Clare Science in Sport Award St. Mary’s Primary School, Granemore, Co. Armagh Best Science Song Ukranian Integration Support Project, Foróige South Sligo Science in Space Award All of the winning videos can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/ReelLifeScience.             Addressing the finalists via video message from the European Space Agency, Belfast-born competition judge Rosemary Coogan, said: “As an astronaut and an astrophysicist, I know the rewards of a journey in science and exploration, and STEM has the possibility to open so many doors, whether that’s discovering new things about our universe or developing the next big innovation here on Earth. I wish you the very best of luck in all of your future scientific adventures.” The ReelLIFE SCIENCE programme challenges young people in schools and youth groups across the island of Ireland to engage with science and technology while developing their communication and digital skills, by producing short educational videos for the public. Since being launched in 2013 by a team of scientists from the University of Galway’s College of Science and Engineering, this challenge has been met by over 29,000 young people, supported by teachers and staff in 790 schools and youth groups. ReelLIFE SCIENCE is supported by the Research Ireland Discover Programme, University of Galway’s College of Science and Engineering, the CÚRAM SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices, the Cell EXPLORERS programme and Foróige.   Ends