The NUI Galway School of Arts and Humanities, in co-operation with the Mellon Foundation and the Moore Institute, will host two public lectures on Globalisation, Empire and Culture on Monday, 29 November and Tuesday 30 November. The lectures are to be hosted in conjunction with the Text Contexts and Culture Research Programme in the University. The first Lecture entitled: "Marie Guyart of the Incarnation :A Mystic Educating the Women of the New World" will be delivered by Professor Dominique Deslandres (University of Montreal, Canada), and will take place in the Moore Institute Seminar Room, NUI Galway, at 4.30 pm on Monday 29 November. Dominique Deslandres is Professeur Titulaire of History at the University of Montreal. She has published two monographs on French Catholic mission and settlement in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Canada, and has a particular interest in the socio-religious history of the Jesuits and the Oratorians. She is now working on the cultures of memory in settler societies, and has a particular interest in issues relating to conversion, race and blood in eighteenth-century Canada and France. The second lecture to take place on Tuesday 30 November is entitled 'Renovation and Renewal in the Holy Land: The Franciscan Mission, 1550-1700 . This lecture will be presented by Professor Megan Armstrong (McMaster University, Ontario),and will take place in the Parlour Room, Franciscan Abbey, 8 Francis Street, Galway at 7.30pm Megan Armstrong is Associate Professor of History at McMaster University, and the author of The Politics of Piety: Franciscan Preachers during the Wars of Religion, 1560-1600. Her current research interests lie in transregional history, and she is preparing a study of French Franciscan missions in France, the Holy Land and New Spain during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Dr Alison Forrestal of History in NUI Galway says: "We are delighted in the University to welcome these distinguished scholars to share their research with the local community. Their lectures offer remarkable insights into the private and public worlds of early European missionaries and settlers, as they grappled with the spiritual and political challenges of empire building in the Americas and near East." Texts, Contexts, and Cultures is an interdisciplinary PhD Research Programme in the Arts and Humanities at NUI Galway. It is delivered in cooperation between research hubs at three of Ireland s leading Universities: The Moore Institute for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences, NUI Galway; The Long Room Hub, Trinity College Dublin; The Graduate School, the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, University College Cork. The four-year programme is designed to integrate knowledge and use of new technologies and related professional placements into the traditional PhD. It encourages candidates to develop their research interests, ideas and skills in challenging and supportive interdisciplinary contexts. Participants benefit from thorough preparation in research skills, transferable to a wide variety of settings. They also have access to placements and mentoring systems in a broad range of some of the most exciting contemporary organisations in media, the cultural and creative industries, public administration and academe. -Ends-

As part of the Galway Science and Technology Festival 2010, Transition Year students from Colaiste na Coiribe visited five research centres at NUI Galway for contemporary science talks and laboratory tours as Gaelige in order to entice them into a scientific field at NUI Galway in the future. Presentations and tours were given by Cathal O'Flatharta and Mary Ni Fhlahartaigh of the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) and the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science (NCBES), Niamh Bhreathnach and Peter Connolly of the Ryan Institute, James Cooley and Gearoid Hynes of the Digital Enterprise Research Institute (DERI) and Daniel DeBurca of Applied Optics in the University. The day was organised by Galway Region Outreach Network personnel at the five institutes to attract students to science subjects and to promote the study of science at NUI Galway. Students from Colaiste Iognaid attended a similar event on the previous day. Danielle Nicholson, Outreach Officer at the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) said, "Outreach personnel get involved in GRO plan Transition Year talks and tours to engage students in dialogue and discussion on contemporary science issues and also to allow young people to see firsthand the types of innovative, creative projects that ensue at NUI Galway." While on campus the students also attended Chairman of the Irish Technology Leadership Group, Dr. Craig Barrett's inspirational talk entitled Education for Innovation. Colaiste na Coiribe science teacher Kathy Ni Fhatharta remarked, "The day gives students an opportunity to see science at work and its application in the real world. The students return to the class with a real interest in science." Davina Clancy Transition Year student at Colaiste na Coiribe says "After hearing the talks, I think it is right that we should allow embryonic stem cell research. It may lead to improvements in the health of people in the future." -Ends-

A new book entitled Transition Economics: Two Decades On has been co-authored by NUI Galway lecturer, Dr Gerard Turley. Dr Turley, along with his co-author Dr. Peter Luke designed the book to be the core textbook for undergraduate courses in transition economics and comparative economic systems. Given the passage of time, Transition Economics: Two Decades On reviews and accounts for the outcomes in the so-called transition economies and, from an academic perspective, takes the reader through developments and issues in the twenty years of transition from plan to market. The textbook covers a wide range of both contemporary microeconomic and macroeconomic issues, in over thirty ex-socialist European and Asian countries, including Russia and China. The authors of Transition Economics: Two Decades On believe that the study of the economics of transition gives the reader an insight into theories, policies, reforms, legacies, institutions, processes and lessons that have application and relevance, beyond the specific transition from plan to market, to other parts of the world and to other times in history. Dr Gerard Turley, Lecturer with the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, NUI Galway, said: "It is over 20 years since the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the demise of the socialist system. The motivation for writing this book was to commemorate the anniversary of transition from socialism to capitalism and from plan to market by providing an account of developments in the sub-branch of economics called transition economics and of outcomes in Easter Europe, Russia, China and other transition countries." Peter J. Luke was a senior lecturer in economics at London South Bank University before joining the UK Civil Service. He is currently teaching economics in Beijing, China. Transition Economics: Two Decades On is available to buy from Routledge at http://www.routledge.com -Ends-

The 16 Days Campaign of Activism against Violence against Women is an international campaign with participants in over 164 countries and involving more than 3400 organisations. The campaign links 25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, International Human Rights Day in order to symbolically connect violence against women and human rights and to emphasise that such violence is a human rights violation. The Global Women's Studies Programme in the School of Political Science and Sociology at NUI Galway are hosting a series of events in recognition of the 16 Days Campaign. The schedule of events commences with a cultural evening celebrating women in the arts organised by the Global Women's Studies Postgraduate Students. An Evening Celebrating Women in Action will take place in the Crane Bar on Friday, 26 November from 6pm to 9pm. This event is part of the Women in Action – Active Genders postgraduate feminist and gender studies conference taking place in NUI Galway on Saturday 27 November. This event will showcase the work of professional and up-and-coming female artists and performers. Tickets for this event cost €10 with all proceeds donated to Galway Rape Crisis Centre. On 1 December, a roundtable event will be held in conjunction with the Rape Crisis Network Ireland, from 2pm to 4pm followed by a reception. More than a hangover: youth, alcohol and rape in Ireland, will examine the nexus of drinking, sexual violence and young people in Ireland. Speakers include Dr. Padraig MacNeela of the School of Psychology at NUI Galway and expert in female student alcohol use; Caroline Counihan, Legal Policy Director of the Rape Crisis Network Ireland and Dr. Stacey Scriver, of the Global Women's Studies Programme and co-author of Rape and Justice in Ireland (Liffey Press, 2009). This free event will be held in CA107 of the Cairns Building at NUI Galway. Throughout the 16 Days, undergraduate and postgraduate students of the Global Women's Studies and the BA CONNECT in Global Women's Studies programmes will be running White Ribbon Stands with all proceeds going to COPE to support women survivors of domestic abuse. The final event of the campaign, designed to mark International Human Rights Day, is an evening roundtable featuring the distinguished speakers: Gemma Hussey, Chair of the Ireland Romania Cultural Foundation, founding member of the Women's Political Association, and former member of the Seanad and Dail; Professor David Farrell, Professor of Politics at UCD, EU Advisor and expert in the study of parties, elections and members of Parliament and Dr. Mary Murphy, Lecturer in Politics and Society at NUI Maynooth, Director of Fingal ICTU Centre for the Unemployed, advisor to TASC and Combat Poverty Agency and member of Is Feidir Linn and Claiming our Future. 'Renewing our democracy, reviving our economy: time for more women at the helm? will consider the links between achieving gender equality in decision making and access to resources, at all levels and across all sectors of society, both as a matter of fairness/representation in a democratic society and as a key element of any strategy aimed at managing our way out of the current crises to a fair and sustainable future. Michael D. Higgins, President of the Labour Party, Professor at Large and Adjunct Professor in the Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway, will chair the event which will begin at 7pm in MY 243, Aras Moyola Building, NUI Galway and will be followed by light refreshments. The 16 Days Campaign events hosted by the Global Women's Studies Programme are open to the public and all are welcome to attend! For further information please contact: Stacey Scriver Furlong at stacy.furlong@nuigalway.ie and administrator Gillian Browne Gillian.browne@nuigalway.ie or 091 493450. -Ends-

On Saturday, 20 November, Liam Mac an Iomaire will launch a new website of Joe Heaney's songs at NUI Galway's centre, Áras Shorcha Ní Ghuairim in Carna at 8pm. Joe Heaney's sudden death in May 1984 came as a shock to his supporters and followers in Seattle and to his pupils at the University of Washington, Seattle where he had worked as resident artist-teacher of sean-nós singing. Although he had only lived there for two years, his impact had been tremendous. As a way of dealing with their loss and as a way of commemorating the great singer's achievement, a call was issued to those who had worked with Joe during his years in America to contribute copies of their recordings of him to archive in his memory. The material came pouring in and over the years was catalogued and organized by Laurel Sercombe, the ethnomusicology archivist at the University of Washington and Sean Williams, among others. Both of them had been students of Joe and remained staunch in their support after his death. A request from Micheál Ó Cuaig, who was organising the annual Joe Heaney Festival at Carna, that a copy of the archive be sent to the Carna community was granted in 1992 and Micheál received a complete copy of it through the assistance of Údarás na Gaeltachta. In 2003 the Joe Heaney Festival Organising Committee, headed by Mícheál Ó Cuaig, bestowed this copy of the archive on Áras Shorcha Ní Ghuairim, Carna so that the community would have access to it. In 2009, an application by Dr Lillis Ó Laoire, of the Irish Department at NUI Galway, to the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences was successful. The research plan proposed to finish a book on Joe's life and work already partly written and the creation of a digital online archive that could be accessed free by anyone interested. Dr Virginia Stevens Blankenhorn, herself an authority on traditional singing and culture, was hired as a one year post-doctoral researcher to compile and edit an inventory of items to be uploaded to the digital online archive. Also on the research team were Séamas Ó Concheanainn, Director of Áras Shorcha Ní Ghuairim, Dr Seathrún Ó Tuairisg, Administrator of the Information Technology Unit, NUI Galway and Micheál Mac Lochlainn, metadata architect and designer, ably assisted by Marian Ní Chonghaile, all of whom cooperated to prepare and organise the online archive. Up to 400 items, some with visual content, may be accessed in the archive. The majority are from the archives of the University of Washington, Seattle. Due to the generosity of the Delargy Centre for Irish Folklore, and the National Folklore Collection, UCD, however, some of Heaney's earliest recordings, dating from the 1940s are also included. Additionally, a rare performance of Joe's interpretation of the caoineadh, recorded by the late Liam Clancy, and presented by Máire Nic Fhinn is also a part of the material. A search engine will enable any user to conduct detailed searches songs, story and other spoken word items. Full texts of all songs are provided, enhanced by spectacular photographs of the Carna area taken by Dr. Blankenhorn. 2009 was the 25th anniversary of Joe Heaney's untimely death and this website provides a fitting monument for his life's achievement. It will now be available world wide to anyone who wants to access it, whether simply from interest or for scholarly purposes. It will also serve as an important teaching resource for classes in Irish culture both in Ireland and the U.S. The website is available at www.joeheaney.org. -Ends-