December 2006 University Gala Banquet to celebrate Student Volunteering

11 December, 2006: Details have been announced of NUI Galway's eighth annual Gala Banquet, which will take place at the Radisson SAS Hotel on Saturday 3rd March 2007, and will focus on volunteerism.

The 2007 Gala Banquet will celebrate the ALIVE (A Learning Initiative & Volunteering Experience) programme that enables students to register for volunteering opportunities. ALIVE was established in 2003 to harness, acknowledge and support the contribution that NUI Galway students make by volunteering.

Professor Ger Hurley, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs, NUI Galway, said, "NUI Galway is leading the way in integrating civic engagement with practical skills learned in the classroom (service learning). The ALIVE programme was established to support the contribution that our students and staff make by volunteering. The programme has to date offered over 700 NUI Galway students and staff volunteers the opportunity to help develop partnerships between the University and the community while advocating active citizenship".

Income from the Gala Banquet itself will also contribute to this initiative.

One of the highlights of the evening, which has established itself as a premier national event and one of the key social occasions in the West of Ireland, is the presentation of seven annual Alumni Awards. These awards celebrate the life-long value of an NUI Galway education and recognise individual excellence and achievements among the University's more than 60,000 graduates worldwide.

The Alumni Awards are; Medtronic Vascular Award for Health Care and Medical Science; Seavite Award for Natural Science; Bank of Ireland Award for Business and Commerce; AIB Award for Literature, Communications and the Arts; TBD Award for Engineering, IT and Mathematics; Duais Hewlett-Packard don Ghaeilge and the NUI Galway Award for Law, Public Service and Government.

Tickets for the banquet cost €150 each and €1,500 for a table of 10. For further information, please telephone 091 495266 or email: gala@nuigalway.ie

Notes to Editors:

Contact: Michelle Ní Chróinín, Press & Information Officer, NUI Galway 091-493361 or michelle.nichroinin@nuigalway.ie

Biographies Seán O'Rourke, Winner of the AIB Award in the area of Literature, Communication and the Arts, graduated with a BA in 1977. He is one of Ireland's leading broadcasters and a stalwart of current affairs programming. After University, he joined the Irish Press Group, as a sports reporter, feature writer and political correspondent. Since 1989, he has been a programme presenter-editor with RTÉ, working on This Week, Morning Ireland, Today Tonight, Prime Time and Family Matters. He has been presenter of the News at One on Radio Once since 1994. Mr O'Rourke also presents The Week in Politics on RTÉ.

Irial Finan, Winner of the Bank of Ireland Award for Business & Commerce, Irial Finan is EVP, The Coca-Cola Company and President of Bottling Investments and Supply Chain. The Bottling Investments Group is creating a totally new model for managing our consolidated bottling investments by creating what is essentially an internal bottler that will interact with our concentrate business in the same way as our independent bottlers. Irial has spent 25 years in the Coca-Cola bottling system, most recently as chief executive officer of Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company SA, our third largest anchor bottler, with operations in 26 countries.

Irial has been part of the Coca-Cola system since 1981. From 2001 to 2003, he served as chief executive officer of Coca-Cola HBC, during which time he managed the merger integration of Coca-Cola Beverages plc and Hellenic Bottling SA, and led the combined company s operations in 26 countries.

From 1995 to 1999, he was managing director of Molino Beverages, with responsibility for expanding markets, including the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Romania, Moldova, Russia and Nigeria. Prior to that role, Irial worked in several markets across Europe. From 1991 to 1993 he served as managing director of Coca-Cola Bottlers Ulster, Ltd., based in Belfast. He was finance director, Coca-Cola Bottlers Ireland, Ltd., based in Dublin from 1984 to 1990.

Irial serves on the boards of directors of Coca-Cola Amatil, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Coca-Cola FEMSA, Coca-Cola HBC, and the Supervisory Board of CCE AG. He will also coordinate the Company's board representation with other boards. The general managers of the Company-owned bottlers report to Irial. He is also a non-executive director of Alltracel Pharmaceuticals and chairman of their Audit Committee. He also serves as a non-executive director for Co-operation Ireland.

Irial holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from National University of Ireland in Galway and an Associate (later Fellow) of the Institute of Chartered Management Accountants.

Mairéad Ní Nuadháin, Duais Hewlett Packard Gaeilge. Is í Mairéad eagarthóir coimisiúnaithe ar chláir Ghaeilge, oideachasúla agus ilchultúir in RTÉ. Is í a bhunaigh "Léargas" agus bhí sí ina léiritheoir sraithe ar an tsraith fáisnéise Ghaeilge sin, a cheiliúir deich mbliana ar an aer i mbliana. Tá cláir shiamsaíochta agus cláir eile fáisnéise léirithe aici chomh maith i mBéarla agus i nGaeilge. Mar chuid dá cúram cláir a sholáthar gach bliain do TG4, tá sraitheanna ar nós "An Tuath Nua," "Bean an Ti," "Bia 's Bóthar," "Ardán" agus go leor clár eile curtha ar fáil, lena n-áirítear cúrsaí reatha, cláir spóirt, cláir irise agus cláir do leanaí. Ba í freisin a choimisúnaigh cláir ilchultúir faoi Éireannaigh nua agus cláir oideachais do RTÉ, mar shampla "Turas Teanga," "Families in Trouble," "Mono," "Who's Afraid of Islam?" agus "No Place Like Home."

Is as Bealach an Doirín, Co. Ros Comáin í ó thús agus bhí cónaí uirthi tar éis na hollsoile i nGaillimh, áit a raibh sí ina comhalta de lucht bunaithe an Druid Theatre agus ina haisteoir leis an Taibhdhearc. Nuair a bhí sí in OÉ Gaillimh (Coláiste na hOllscoile, Gaillimh ag an am), bhí sí ar dhuine de na chéad reachtairí mná ar an gCumann Liteartha agus Díospóireachta (Lit and Deb).

I mBaile Átha Cliath atá sí anois ach choinnigh sí an tsnaidhm leis na healaíona i nGaillimh, trína ballraíocht i mBord Macnas, agus tá sí ina ball freisin de Bhord Feidhmiúcháin an Celtic Film and Television Company.

Professor Patrick Gullane, Medtronic Award for Healthcare and Medical Science. Upon graduating from NUI Galway in 1970, Dr. Patrick J. Gullane embarked on a career in otolaryngology - head and neck surgery - and in 1989 he was appointed as Otolaryngologist-in-Chief at the University Health Network in Toronto. In 1997 he was appointed as Wharton Chair in Head and Neck Surgery, Princess Margaret Hospital, and in 2002 as Professor and Chair to the Department of Otolaryngology, University of Toronto.

Dr Gullane is recognised globally as a leader in the field of head and neck surgery and his professional achievements has been celebrated by, amongst others: The Harris P. Mosher Award, Triological Society, 1990; Millennium Society Award, American Academy of Otolaryngology, 2004; Distinguished Service Award, American Academy of Otolaryngology 2005; George Davey Howells Memorial Prize in Otolaryngology", University of London, 2005; Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Honorary Fellowship, 2006. Most recently Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, recognized Dr Patrick Gullane's leadership and contribution to his field with a "Tribute Event and Gala Evening" and an endowed Fellowship Chair.

Dr Gullane is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Diplomat of the American Board of Otolaryngology. He has served as the President of the American Head and Neck Society and the President of the North American Skull Base Society, and is the current Vice-President of the Triological Society. He has published 210 papers in peer-reviewed journals and 56 chapters in textbooks and published 8 books on Head and Neck Surgery. He serves on the editorial boards of 10 professional journals. Dr Gullane has lectured as a visiting professor in 42 countries. He has facilitated the establishment of four University Chairs in Head and Neck Oncology and Reconstruction, from private funding donations in excess of $12.5 million.

Brian O'Donnell, NUI Galway Award for Law, Public Service & Government

Brian O'Donnell graduated from NUI Galway with a BA (Leg.Sci) (Hons) and LLB (Hons), 1974 and 1976. He was admitted to the Role of Solicitors in 1976. Having interned in general practice in Galway for two years Brian O'Donnell was appointed in-house counsel to IDA Ireland.

In 1980 Brian O'Donnell was head hunted by William Fry, one of Ireland's largest law firms as a corporate law specialist. He was one of the youngest equity partners ever appointed at the age of 28.

During the course of his career Brian O'Donnell acted for Irish Life plc in its privatisation; for Waterford Wedgwood plc in its acquisition of Wedgwood; represented Chevron's mining interests in Ireland; B.T. and BP's in its energy interests in Ireland. He has acted in many healthcare projects and hospital projects particularly the Mater Private Hospital. He advised Doyle Hotels, in its acquisition by Jurys plc and acted for the Irish Press Group for many years and had the task of chairing the liquidation meeting of Irish Press Newspapers Limited. He has also acted in the mergers of a number of regional newspaper groups and radio stations.

Brian O'Donnell has acted as legal adviser in large family corporate mediation cases such as Doyle Hotels Group, Blarney Woolen Mills/Meadows & Byrne, Williams Group etc. Pro bono cases have been many, the best known of which was the Blaise Gallagher case where a quadraplegic boy received the then largest damages ever achieved in Ireland.

Brian O'Donnell was the managing partner of William Fry on a number of occasions culminating in 1999 in its most successful period in its then 150 year history. In 1999 Brian O'Donnell surprised the legal establishment in Ireland by resigning from William Fry having decided to establish Brian O'Donnell & Partners, a specialist corporate law firm to concentrate on banking, finance, private equity, healthcare and acquisitions of both companies and assets.

Shortly after establishing Brian O'Donnell & Partners the practice formed the first ever exclusive association between an Irish and a worldwide international law firm, US based Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP. Jointly both firms have worked on significant cross border transactions in the telecoms, technology and energy areas.

In 2005 Brian O'Donnell and Dr Mary Patricia O'Beirn-O'Donnell (MB, M.MED SCI. NUI Galway 1977, MRC PSYCH) established Vico Capital.

Vico Capital has become one of the most successful Irish based privately owned property investors abroad particularly in the City of London. During the last 18 months Vico Capital has acquired €650 million approximately of grade A offices blocks in Canary Wharf and in the City. Its tenants include Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse and the British Government.

Recently Vico Capital completed the acquisition of Sanctuary Buildings (a 230,000 sq ft grade A office block let to the British Government as the headquarters of the Dept of Education & Skills). Brian O'Donnell has been one of only a handfull of Irish lawyers included in the International Who's Who of mergers and acquisition lawyers and has been named in Global Counsel 3000 as Ireland's leading corporate and commercial lawyer.

Dr. Reg Shaw, Seavite Award for Natural Science,graduated with a BSc in 1971 and subsequently with a PhD in 1974. He is currently Managing Director of the Wyeth BioPharma Campus in Dublin. Wyeth BioPharma Campus is one of the largest integrated biopharmaceutical facilities in the world with. It was officially opened in Dublin in September 2005. The facility produces Wyeth's best known drugs – Enbrel, a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, and Prevenar, a vaccine for preventing pneumococcal disease in infants. The product cycle - from cell culturing in a test tube through to bulk manufacturing, packaging and distribution – is, unusually for the industry, carried out on site. This model employed by the Campus is considered a frontier-type investment. Dr Shaw is heading the project to extend the product manufacturing cycle from basic product development right through to the finished product.

Patrick & Thomas Coffey, TBD Award for Engineering, IT and Mathematics. Paddy Coffey established Coffey Construction in 1974, a building construction and engineering firm with brother Tom Coffey joining a few years later. The company is now one of the leading companies in the building, civil, environmental and specialist engineering industry in Ireland with such recognisable projects as the Dublin Outer Ring Road and the Leixlip-Ballycoolin Water Supply Scheme. It is also active in the Greater London area with projects such as the renovation of the Royal Albert Hall and the Slough S.T.W.

In recent years, the Coffey Group have become involved in the Design, Construction and Operation of Waste Water and Potable Water Treatment Works, Directional Drilling, Trenchless Technology, Wind Farms and Asphalt Production. Great emphasis is placed on continuous professional development for both employer and employees and on quality, health and safety and sound environmental management. The Group considers these matters a primary responsibility and imperative for good business management.

The Coffey Group will realise a turnover of €100m this year.

The brother's company is a stalwart supporter of NUI Galway graduates and is well known as a nurturing ground for the University's engineering professionals and entrepreneurs. It employs students on placement (PEP) more than any other company since the initiation of the Civil Engineering placement programme and sponsors graduate students in Civil Engineering at NUI Galway.