Professor Denis O’Hearn will be giving the 2011 Social Sciences Research Centre (SSRC) Annual Lecture in NUI Galway. During his talk, entitled Reassessing the Celtic Tiger: Its Rise and Fall, Professor O’Hearn will be speaking on his work in light of recent events with his talk. The talk, in association with the Department of Economics, will be on Thursday, 9 of June from 2 to 4pm in Lecture Hall 1 (CA111) in the Cairnes Building in NUI Galway. The SSRC Annual Lecture is a tradition of the Social Sciences Research Centre (SSRC), which is one of the longest running research centres in NUI Galway, established in 1965 in the then University College Galway. Professor O Hearn is Professor of Sociology, Binghamton University, State University of New York and has published extensively on Ireland, social movements, the sociology of economic change and much more. He is the author of Inside the Celtic Tiger, which cast an important critical eye on, and raised fundamental questions of, the former economic boom’s sustainability and its social impact. Professor Terry McDonough, Department of Economics, NUI Galway says “Denis O Hearn was one of the first analysts to argue that the Celtic Tiger had feet of clay. He is returning to Ireland for the first time since the economic crisis to give his informed take on the end of the Tiger. This will be of paramount interest to all those who have been following recent economic events.” The event is free and all are welcome. For further details about the talk, please go to the SSRC website: www.nuigalway.ie/ssrc or email Dr. Oliver Feeney on oliver.p.feeney@nuigalway.ie for more information. -Ends-

TG4 presenter and NUI Galway graduate Eimear Ní Chonaola today launched a new part-time degree in Applied Irish at NUI Galway. This is a new part-time degree which is being jointly offered by Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge and Roinn na Gaeilge. This is the first Arts degree in Irish to be made available on a part-time basis that will be delivered via blended learning. The Part-time Bachelor of Arts is a four-year degree programme in Applied Irish. The programme is delivered via blended learning, which involves a mixture of traditional face-to-face classes and internet-based learning. IT skills are not a prerequisite for entry to the programme. Appropriate IT training will be provided at regular intervals throughout the programme. The degree is aimed at mature students who may currently work full-time. Delivery by blended learning allows students with work and/or family commitments to study at times that suit their lifestyle. The BA syllabus will cover a wide range of subjects with special emphasis on language skills and on the Irish language in the contemporary world in a literary, professional, social and cultural context. Students will also take modules in applied areas such as translation and media studies. NUI Galway President, Dr James Browne, who was also present at the launch, stated: “I am delighted that this innovative new BA will be starting in the next academic year. NUI Galway endeavours to cater for adult learners who want to go back to education. This new part-time degree will offer the flexibility needed for people to continue their busy lives while at the same time gaining a University degree. I warmly welcome this degree.” For further information or to access an application form, please go to www.oegaillimh.ie/acadamh or www.oegaillimh.ie/gaeilge or contact Éamon Ó Cofaigh at 091 493802 or eamon.ocofaigh@oegaillimh.ie. -Ends-

NUI Galway has announced the graduands to be conferred with Honorary Degrees on Friday, 24 June 2011. Margaret Atwood will be conferred with a Degree of Doctor of Literature (honoris causa). The Canadian author has published more than forty books of fiction, poetry, and critical essays. Seán Campbell will be conferred with a Degree of Doctor of Laws (honoris causa). Seán Campbell is CEO of Foróige. Seán O’Rourke will be conferred with a Degree of Doctor of Laws (honoris causa). Seán O Rourke has been the presenter of News at One since January 1995. He is also the presenter of The Week in Politics on RTÉ One television. Seán is an Arts graduate from NUI Galway. Professor Gio Wiederhold will be conferred with a Degree of Doctor of Science (honoris causa). Professor Wiederhold is Emeritus Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University. Commenting on the announcement of this year’s graduands, Dr James J. Browne, President of NUI Galway, said: “NUI Galway is fortunate to be associated with many outstanding honorary graduates throughout its history and those being honoured this year form a particularly distinguished group. Each has made an outstanding and distinctive contribution to the diverse fields of literature, youth affairs, journalism and computer science. NUI Galway is very pleased to be in a position to recognise these exceptional individuals”. -ends-

The Centre for Research on Occupational and Life Stress at NUI Galway are currently recruiting individuals to take part in their Family Research Project. The research study will examine the influence of family factors and social networks on blood pressure, and is funded by the Irish Research Council for the Social Sciences and Humanities. The researchers are looking for parents and children (aged 6 to 10 years) to take part. Director of CROLS, Dr. Brian Hughes explained, “Previous studies have suggested that our social networks and family relationships affect our blood pressure responses to everyday stressful situations. Some people feel that this may help explain why socially supportive relationships can be good for your health.” Ann-Marie Creaven, a lead researcher on the study, said “Social factors are strongly associated with blood pressure responses to stress and are therefore relevant to public health. Little research examines blood pressure in children and parents specifically. This project offers parents and children an opportunity to see how their blood pressure fluctuates in response to everyday events. The findings of this project should help to inform the development of improved health promotion strategies for family groups and highlight the factors particularly relevant for parents’ cardiovascular function.” For this project, parent-child pairs will visit the laboratory together at NUI Galway, for an hour-long session where their blood pressure will be monitored. Parents will also be invited to a public talk outlining the topics of the research to take place at the end of summer. For details on how to participate in the study, contact the principal investigator Ann-Marie Creaven at 091 493264, or 085 1855560, a.creaven1@nuigalway.ie, or visit http://CROLSfamilyproject.wordpress.com/. -Ends-

2011 marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ave by Irish writer George Moore and also marks the Fifth International George Moore Conference at NUI Galway. The conference will take place from 3 to 6 June at a number of locations in Galway and Mayo. The focus of this conference will concern the relationship of George Moore to the Irish Revival, and to those involved in various social/cultural/political movements in Ireland and Europe during the first decade of the twentieth century. Keynote speakers for the conference include Professor James Pethica, Williams College; Professor Lucy McDiarmid, Montclair State University; Professor Mark Llewellyn, University of Strathclyde; and Professor Robert Welch, University of Ulster. The conference will be hosted at the Moore Institute at NUI Galway on Friday and Saturday (3/4 June). On Sunday, 5 June, participants will travel to Moore Hall in Co. Mayo where the conference will continue with another keynote address and a presentation on the history of Moore Hall by researchers on the Irish Landed Estates Project. On Monday, 6 June, the conference will travel to Coole Park, Gort, Co. Galway, where Professor James Pethica will deliver a paper on Moore’s collaborations at Coole. Speaking about the upcoming conference, Conference Coordinator Conor Montague, said: “The Moore Institute at NUI Galway is delighted to be hosting the Fifth International George Moore Conference on this, the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ave. We look forward to a thought-provoking and enjoyable event, where Moore’s life, work and legacy will be discussed, paying particular attention to the cultural contexts in which he produced his best material, and his relevance to modern literature and criticism. We also look forward to presentations on the Moore family, and visits to Moore Hall and Coole Park. We would like to express our gratitude to Fáilte Ireland and the Irish Landed Estates Project for their assistance in bringing this conference to Galway.” Full programme details and registration information is available at www.conference.ie. -Ends-