Tá roinnt áiteanna fós á dtairiscint ar an gcúrsa Dioplóma sna Dána atá á reáchtáil ag Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, Áras Mháirtín Uí Chadhain, An Cheathrú Rua, Co. na Gaillimhe. Reáchtálfar sraith agallamh ar an 31 Lúnasa dóibh siúd ar spéis leo áit a fháil ar an gcúrsa seo a thosóidh an 7 Meán Fómhair. Tá an cúrsa seo feiliúnach d'iriseoirí, do chraoltóirí agus do dhaoine eile atá ag obair le stáisiún raidió faoi láthair nó a bhfuil baint acu le craoltóireacht trí Ghaeilge nó, go deimhin, daoine atá ag iarraidh a gcuid scileanna trí Ghaeilge a fheabhsú. Tá an cúrsa lánaimseartha bliana seo, An Dioplóma i Scileanna Raidió, ar siúl le ceithre bliana anuas agus áirítear na hábhair seo a leanas i measc ábhair an chúrsa: scileanna iriseoireachta agus craoltóireachta; léiriú agus iarléiriú fuaime agus raidió; eitic agus dlí; agus scileanna cumarsáide pearsanta. Is iad príomhtheagascóirí an chúrsa seo na hiriseoirí Norita Ní Chartúir agus Uinsionn Mac Dubhghaill. Tá taithí na mblianta ag Norita Ní Chartúir mar chraoltóir le RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta agus tá taithí ag Uinsionn Mac Dubhghaill mar eagarthóir Gaeilge an Irish Times agus mar iriseoir le TG4. Le linn an chúrsa, leagtar an-bhéim ar scileanna praiticiúla, chun na mic léinn a ullmhú i gcomhair fostaíochta in earnáil an raidió, os comhair an mhaidhc mar láithreoirí nó taobh thiar den deasc mar theicneoirí nó léiritheoirí. Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Norita Ní Chartúir, comhordaitheoir an chúrsa: "Is iontach go deo an fhorbairt atá tagtha ar dheiseanna fostaíochta san earnáil cumarsáide Gaeilge le blianta beaga anuas. Tá an-éileamh ag eagraíochtaí ar nós RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, TG4, Telegael, Abú Media agus go leor cuideachtaí léiriúcháin agus stáisiúin raidió eile ar dhaoine a bhfuil na scileanna cuí craoltóireachta agus fuaime acu, chomh maith le scileanna teicniúla. Tá thart ar 40 stáisiún raidió ag craoladh in Éirinn, rud a chiallaíonn go bhfuil deiseanna éagsúla oibre ann do dhaoine a dhéanann an cúrsa seo". I measc na ndaoine a rinne an cúrsa seo tá Gemma Ní Chionnaith ó Anocht FM ar RTÉ RnaG agus beidh Gemma le feiceáil ar chlár teilifíse tallainne nua ar TG4 "Glas Vegas" sna míonna amach romhainn. Chríochnaigh Nóra Ní Ghríofa arbh as Gaillimh ó dhúchas di, an cúrsa anuraidh agus thosaigh sí ag obair sa seomra nuachta in RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta le déanaí. I measc na ndaoine eile a rinne an cúrsa tá Gearóid Breathnach agus Máirín Uí Chnáimhsí, atá anois ag obair mar theicneoirí craolacháin in RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. Tá Ciara Dolphin ag obair go páirtaimseartha mar oifigeach caidrimh phoiblí RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta agus tá Mairéad Uí Dhomhnaill ag obair mar shaoririseoir do RTÉ i mBaile Átha Cliath. Tá Údarás na Gaeltachta ag soláthar tacaíochta don chúrsa seo, dá bhrí sin, ní ghearrtar aon táille ar na mic léinn a dhéanann an cúrsa agus íocann an tÚdarás liúntas seachtainiúil leo chomh maith. Is é Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge Ionad Foghlama agus Buanaithe na Gaeilge agus is cuid d'Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh é. CRÍOCH

Some places are still being offered on the Diploma in Arts course being run by Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, Áras Mháirtín Uí Chadhain, An Cheathrú Rua, Co.Galway. A series of interviews will take place on the 31st of August, for those applying for the course, which is due to start on the 7th of September. The course is suitable for journalists, broadcasters and others who are working with a radio station at present or are dealing with broadcasting through Irish or wish to improve their skills through Irish. This is the fourth year the Dioplóma i Scileanna Raidió (Diploma in Radio Skills) is being offered, a one-year, full-time course which covers a wide range of subjects including: journalism and broadcasting skills; sound and radio production and postproduction; ethics and law; and personal communication skills. The main tutors of the course are journalists Norita Ní Chartúir and Uinsionn Mac Dubhghaill, Norita Ní Chartúir has many years of experience as a broadcaster with RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and Uinsionn Mac Dubhghaill has experience as Irish Language Editor of The Irish Times and as a journalist with TG4. During the course, great emphasis is placed on practical skills, with the aim of preparing the students for employment in the radio sector, be it in front of the microphone as presenters or behind the desk as technicians or producers. Nora Ní Chartúir, course co-ordinator siad: "The employment opportunities in the Irish language communications sector have undergone great development in recent years. There is a great demand for people who have the appropriate skills in broadcasting and sound, as well as technical skills, from organisations like RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, TG4, Telegael, Abú Media and many other radio stations and production companies. In total, there are about 40 radio stations broadcasting in Ireland and, accordingly, those who do the course have various types of work opportunities". Graduates of the course include Gemma Ní Chionnaith, of RTÉ RnaG's Anocht FM fame who will be visible on our screens as a presenter on a TG4 talent show "Glas Vegas" in the coming months and Nóra Ní Ghríofa, a native from Galway and a graduate from last year's diploma course has recently commenced worked in the newsrooms in RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. Other graduates include Gearóid Breathnach and Máirín Uí Chnáimhsí, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta's most recent recruits as the station's broadcast technicians. Other former graduates include Ciara Dolphin, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta's part-time public relations officer and Máiréad Uí Dhomhnaill who is working as a freelance journalist for RTÉ in Dublin. Due to the support of Údarás na Gaeltachta, there is no fee for the course and a weekly allowance is paid to the course participants. Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge is the Centre for the Learning and Perpetuation of the Irish language, and it is part of the National University of Ireland, Galway. ENDS

The NUI Galway Alumni Association is hosting its eighth annual series of information evenings for parents and students commencing their third level education in September 2007 at NUI Galway. An information evening or 'Student Send-off', as this event is called, will take place on: Monday, 27th August in the Pier 1, Donegal Town from 7.00 –9.00p.m. Tuesday, 28th August in the Aula Maxima, NUI Galway from 7.00 – 9.00p.m. Wednesday, 29th August in the Prince of Wales, Athlone from 7.00 – 9.00p.m. Thursday, 30th August in the Model Arts & Niland Gallery, The Mall, Sligo from 7.00 – 9.00p.m. Monday, 3rd September in Lough Lannagh, Westport Road, Castlebar, Co Mayo from 7.00 – 9.00p.m. Tuesday, 4th September in the Old Ground Hotel, O'Connell Street, Ennis, Co Clare from 7.00 – 9.00p.m. NUI Galway Alumni Association Board Members and Students' Union representatives will advise students on what to expect when arriving at NUI Galway and will answer any questions relating to university life. The topics covered will include Accommodation, Finance and the Students' Assistance Fund, Safety, Careers, Counselling, Clubs & Societies and the Students' Union. "This is an ideal opportunity for both parents and students to get first-hand advice on finding one's way around campus during those first days of term; find out about the University's student support services; and the benefits of becoming involved in the University's many Clubs and Societies," says JB Terrins, Director of Alumni Relations. Admission is free to the information session and refreshments will be served. Ends

NUI Galway's Digital Enterprise Research Institute, DERI, has developed a Semantically Interlinked Online Communities (SIOC) specification for connecting online communities, which it has recently submitted to the World Wide Web Consortium, the Web standards organisation. The SIOC specification enables the exploitation of knowledge created by communities on the Web in applications such as blogging, message boards and media sharing. It has been initiated at DERI and co-developed with a wide range of companies, research organisations, and volunteers around the world. "DERI Galway is playing a leading role in creating cutting edge Web technology and standard proposals. SIOC is just another example of how technology developed in Ireland is changing the world and the Web for the better, enabling new opportunities for Irish and European industry. The investment Ireland has made is starting to pay off" says Professor Stefan Decker, Director of DERI. SIOC is already widely deployed on the Web, with extensions for popular systems such as /WordPress, a widespread blogging application; Drupal, a popular content management system; and phpBB, an open source forum software. Several Web 2.0 companies are using SIOC for the exchange and aggregation of community information, enabling them to deliver better services. Dr John Breslin, a researcher based at DERI and co-founder of boards.ie, Ireland s largest online discussion community, and his fellow DERI researcher Uldis Bojars are leading the SIOC effort at the Institute and are coordinating a world-wide team. "SIOC is crucial for the development of a next generation World Wide Web, it brings the world together," says Dr Breslin. DERI is currently the largest applied research organisation in the world developing the next generation of Internet technology - the Semantic Web. "Founded in 2003 with CSET (Centre for Science and Engineering Technology) funding from Science Foundation Ireland with Hewlett Packard Galway as its main industrial partner, it has since grown to over 100 people and has acquired significant additional research funding from sources such as the European Union Framework Programmes, Enterprise Ireland, and industrial partnerships. Dr Stephen Flinter of SFI states: "Science Foundation Ireland s investment in DERI represents one of its largest investments in the software area, signalling the importance of the Semantic Web. SFI is greatly encouraged by the world class results such as this being produced by the DERI researchers." ENDS

NUI Galway President, Dr Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh has led tributes to the veteran US broadcaster Merv Griffin who died this week at the age of 82. Mr Griffin, who was awarded an Honorary Degree by the University in 2005, was one of America's most popular television entertainers and an astute media entrepreneur, with a global network of companies and interests. He was a key supporter of the Huston School of Film and Digital Media at NUI Galway and was a true friend of the University. Dr Ó Muircheartaigh, who will attend the invitation-only funeral in Beverly Hills on Friday 17th August, was invited by Mr Griffin's son, Tony to participate in the funeral service and to say a prayer in Irish and English. Among the other participants in this service will be Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The NUI Galway President said: "Over a number of years, Merv developed a warm and close relationship with NUI Galway. He was interested in and supportive of developments here, especially of the Huston School which he visited in June 2005. He was a warm, funny, larger than life individual who retained a deep interest in the West of Ireland. On a personal level and on behalf of NUI Galway I extend my sympathy to his son Tony, his extended family and to his many dear friends." Merv Griffin was the son of Mervyn and Rita Griffin, nee Robinson. Both parents were Irish-born, tracing their origins to counties Clare and Tipperary. While enjoying a life-long relationship with Ireland, Griffin s links with the West of Ireland were further strengthened with his purchase of St Cleran s in Craughwell, former home of Hollywood legend John Huston. His painstaking restoration of St Cleran s saw it transformed into one of the most luxurious hotels in Europe. ENDS