The line up for the 10th annual NUI Galway Arts Festival programme, Múscailt, which runs from 8-12 February, was launched yesterday (Monday, 25 January). The Festival contains a superb programme of music, art, performance and film, with many free events to which the public are welcome. Múscailt, which is organised by the NUI Galway Arts and Theatre Office, will feature emerging artists and entertainers performing through the medium of Irish and English. Among the venues for the Festival will be the University's newly opened arts and cultural centre, the Bailey Allen Wing. The launch featured rap artist Bubba Shakespeare performing 'as Gaeilge', along with performances from The WIZ by the Galway University Musical Society (GUMS). Festival highlights include: Musical GUMS will perform their version of The WIZ, a musical based on the 1978 movie starring Michael Jackson which is full of jazz, soul and funk numbers. Gaeilge Night A night of rap and comedy 'as Gaeilge', will take place in Tigh an Táilliúra, An Cheathrú Rua. Bubba Shakespeare and GMC will join comedienne Kathleen O'Rourke, writer and voice of the animation, Granny O'Grimm, which has been long-listed for an Oscar. This will be followed by DJ Ben O'Faoláin. Visual Arts During Múscailt the visual arts will feature strongly. Alice Maher will unveil two of her iconic pieces, Coma Berenices and The Seduction, which were recently acquired by NUI Galway. As well as giving a short talk on her work, Alice will also open the visual art exhibitions in Múscailt, including Slippage, a temporary solo exhibition of drawings and animations by acclaimed visual artist Aideen Barry. A group exhibition, Acquisitions, featuring recently acquired works by Robin Jones, Aideen Barry, Ben Geoghegan, Dagmar Drabent, Brian Maguire and Brigit Beemster will also be on display. Many of these artists, including stone carver Pat Bracken, will participate in a series of informal morning conversations. MUSE, the 30th annual Art Society exhibition, will feature a collection of drawings, paintings, textiles and sculptures. A new ceramic sculpture by Simon Murphy, specially created for the 10th Múscailt Festival, will also be unveiled. Performance Arts Múscailt will have a selection of new shows on offer in the Performing Arts, including Plastic Age by Francomime and Colours the Opera by Colours Street Theatre. A new initiative, SOLO SHOW – Monologue for Múscailt, will feature short solo performances. Comedian John Colleary will perform with student comedian Steve Bennett in support. In association with Arts in Action, artist Benji de Burca, will create a giant cut-out painting using stencils of images of students created on the day. Juggling Society will perform with special guest juggler extraordinaire Marco Paoletti, while Cumann Drámaíochta will provide a performance 'as Gaeilge'. For film fans, new releases will be shown throughout the Festival and the Fantasy and Science Fiction Society will run a marathon of retro Sci-Fi films. Music Múscailt, together with Music for Galway, will host pianist James Lisney, currently in mini-residency at the University, and will celebrate 200 years of Schumann and Chopin, with a series of recitals. Irish rappers Bubba Shakespeare and GMC will perform 'as Gaeilge' on the opening day of the festival. Students from the Dioplóma sna Dána (Coiriú agus Stáitsiú an Cheoil Thraidisiúnta) class will present a traditional music performance and NUI Galway Chamber Orchestra, Traditional Irish Music Society, Rockapella (Barbershop), and grunge band 21 Outs will also feature in the musical programme. Fionnuala Gallagher, NUI Galway Arts Officer, said: "In these financially tight times, it is important and fulfilling to encourage emerging performers and artists, working in both Irish and English, who are edgy and original. The artists featuring in this year's 10th Múscailt Festival are definitely making waves, and we are proud to have them in our programme". All events are open to the public and almost all are free, with the exception of the James Lisney piano recitals in the Aula Maxima (tel: 091 705962 / info@musicforgalway.ie) and The WIZ at the Black Box (tel: 091 569777 / www.tht.ie). For further details about the festival please visit www.muscailt.nuigalway.ie, or telephone the NUI Galway Arts and Theatre Office at 091 493766 for a brochure. For information on the Comedy and Rap night in An Cheathrú Rua please email funkygaeilgeloba@yahoo.com. -Ends-

The Centre for Disability Law and Policy at NUI Galway will this week launch the European Yearbook of Disability Law (Volume 1), a collaborative project between NUI Galway and the University of Maastricht. This is the first journal of its type in Europe. The launch will take place on Friday, 29 January, at 4pm in Room MY 129, Áras Moyola, NUI Galway. President of NUI Galway, Dr James J. Browne, will welcome attendees, while Mr Hywel Ceri Jones will formally launch the Yearbook. Mr Ceri Jones is co-chair of the Consortium of European Foundations (Philanthropies) on Human Rights Disability. He is also former Deputy Director General of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities in the European Commission. The European Yearbook of Disability Law reviews significant developments in disability law and policy at a European level and also contains a series of commissioned articles on current challenges and developments in the field from senior analysts and academics. The Yearbook is jointly edited by Professor Lisa Waddington of Maastricht University and Professor Gerard Quinn, Director of the NUI Galway Centre for Disability Law and Policy. According to Professor Quinn, "The Yearbook is a great example of the work carried out here at the Centre. It provides an important overview and update on the state of affairs on the European stage. This is more crucial than ever as the EU ratifies the new UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. It is important that we spread knowledge about EU level initiatives in the field of disability and bring more people into the debates". The Centre for Disability Law and Policy was established in 2008 and is one of the first of its type in Europe. For further information on the launch contact Mary McQuinn at 091 495888 or email mary.mcquinn@nuigalway.ie -ends-

20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 – 2030: Opportunities and Challenges NUI Galway will host a Symposium on Language Planning next month, aimed at those who have an interest in cultural and linguistic diversity, and the challenges posed to this diversity in various language communities. The Language Planning Symposium will take place in the Bailey Allen Wing in Áras na Mac Léinn on 1 and 2 February. Following the publication of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 – 2030, the Language Planning Unit of Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge welcomes the opportunity to provide this forum for detailed discussion and analysis of the new strategy. Both national and international scholars of language planning will contribute to the Symposium, with the aim of encouraging discussion and critical analysis of the various language planning challenges at this critical juncture. The Symposium also provides the opportunity to learn from experiences shared by other language minorities in today's social, political and cultural contexts. "This Symposium is being held at a very critical time for the Irish language due to the legislative amendments and the language planning approach currently being considered for the language and the Gaeltacht. This Symposium will give us the opportunity to discuss these important issues between ourselves and also with international experts who have expertise in language planning for minority languages" according to Dr Conchúr Ó Giollagáin, Symposium Director. Invited lecturers include: Dr Rob Dunbar, University of Aberdeen; Dr Hywel Glyn Lewis, Coleg Prifysgol y Drindod Carmarthen, University of Wales; Professor Silvina Montrul, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív, T.D., will officially open the Symposium at 9.30am on Monday 1 February. Participants are asked to attend at 9.00am on the Monday to complete registration. An attendance fee of €100 will apply however students will be permitted to attend free of charge. For further information please contact Laoise Ní Thuairisg in The Language Planning Unit, Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge at laoise.nithuairisg@oegaillimh.ie or 091 595101. -Ends-

The annual NUI Galway Graduate Studies Fair takes place on Wednesday, 3 February, from 12.30 – 4.30pm in the Bailey Allen Hall, Áras na Mac Léinn. Almost 3,500 postgraduate students currently attend NUI Galway, many of them travelling from overseas and this event will showcase over 400 of NUI Galway's full-time and part-time postgraduate programmes, including taught and research masters, and doctoral research options. The Fair will focus on the benefits of doing a postgraduate programme and the practicalities of making an application. An applications clinic and personal statement clinic will run throughout the day, and talks will include information on funding opportunities. At the Graduate Studies Fair, 80 information stands will provide details on postgraduate opportunities at NUI Galway, with academic staff and current students on hand to answer questions about specific courses. Stands from other institutions across the country will also feature. According to John Hannon, Head of NUI Galway's Career Development Centre: "In the current economic climate, there is increased interest among undergraduate students in staying in education by pursuing postgraduate studies. A postgraduate qualification can provide a real career boost. Undoubtedly, it can maximise career prospects and earnings". NUI Galway offers a wide range of fourth level courses, developing programmes based on its traditional academic strengths of Arts, Social Sciences, Celtic Studies, Commerce, Medicine, Nursing, Health Science, Law, Engineering, Informatics and Science. These areas have been augmented with innovative Research Centres in areas as diverse as Biomedical Engineering, International Human Rights, Digital Media & Film Studies, and Regenerative Medicine. Valerie Leahy, Postgraduate Admissions Officer, adds: "Last year postgraduate applications to NUI Galway increased by 40%. People are always interested in upskilling, improving their qualifications and their employability. With so many options available at postgraduate level, people must choose carefully. The Graduate Studies Fair offers the opportunity to talk to lecturers and current postgraduate students. My advice would be to apply early and often as you can make up to three applications online at www.pac.ie/nuigalway". An online prospectus of all that is on offer at NUI Galway at postgraduate level and further information about the Graduate Studies Fair is available at a href="http://www.nuigalway.ie/postgrad/"www.nuigalway.ie/postgrad/. -Ends-

The 5th annual Teddy Bear Hospital, the largest ever in Ireland, is to take place at NUI Galway from 28-29 January. Over 1,000 sick teddy bears will be admitted to the hospital, accompanied by their owners, 1,000 primary school children between the ages of three and eight. Up to 200 medical students from NUI Galway will volunteer to diagnose and treat the teddy bears. In the process, they hope to help the children feel more comfortable around doctors and hospitals. The event is organised by the Sláinte Society, the NUI Galway branch of the International Federation of Medical Students Associations. Cornelia Carey, second year medical student at NUI Galway, is a member of Sláinte Society and is helping to organise the event: "Teddy Bear Hospital will be held over two days in order to cater for the overwhelming number of sick teddies in Galway city and county. This event provides a great opportunity for our Teddy Doctors to explain how doctors work and to show the children that hospitals and medical procedures are not so scary". This year, 28 local primary schools are participating in the event. On arrival at the Teddy Bear Hospital on campus, the children will go to the 'waiting room', a play area filled with toys and games, from Smyths Toys. Then the children and their teddy bears are seen by a team of Teddy Doctors and Teddy Nurses, who will examine them and decide if Teddy needs to visit the specially designed Teddy X-ray or MRI Machine. It is expected that Teddy will soon be on the mend, helped by medical supplies from Boots. A Teddy Pharmacy will also be open, stocked with healthy fruit from Total Produce. After all this excitement the children can enjoy a bouncy castle and visit an Order of Malta ambulance, sponsored by Medisource. Entertainment will be provided throughout the day by NUI Galway's Juggling Society and face painters. Ríona Hughes, NUI Galway's Societies Officer, said: "I love seeing Teddy Bear Hospital in action. Students take the initiative to engage with the community in mutually beneficial and creative ways. This event grows each year and for good reason". - ends -