April NUI Galway Prove Community Outreach and Internationalisation at Society Awards

First time winners and recognition of continuous contribution

The NUI Galway Society Awards took place in Galway recently. The night was a celebration of the enormous contribution the over 1000 committee members of 120 societies make to campus life. The night exhibited the impact the societies have on the wider community and their contribution to our multicultural city.

NUI Galway Sláinte Society walked away with the award ‘Civic and Charity Society’ as well as ‘Best Individual’ presented to their auditor Sally Cahill from Co. Wicklow, a third year medical student. The society won the award for Best Event at the BICS National Society Awards in 2017 for their Teddy Bear Hospital event where up to 200 medical and science students diagnose and treat the teddy bears and in the process, they hope to help children, ranging in age from 3-8 years, feel more comfortable around doctors and hospitals.

Ríona Hughes, NUI Galway Society Officer, said: “NUI Galway Societies raised almost a quarter of a million euro for charity last year.  The societies work towards creating a supportive, engaging experience for our students and with 15,560 student members their reach is powerful and their positive message is clear.”

The Best Buddies Society work with Ability West won ‘Best Photo’. The Drama Society won ‘Best Poster’ for their Deirdre and Naoise production which took place during Theatre Week when they open the campus and invited Galway to enjoy a week of Theatre. 

Among the winners on the night were the Musical Society (GUMS) who won ‘Best Society: (Academic, Cultural and Social Society)’. The Society run a very successful outreach programme with secondary schools and host an award ceremony for them in May each year.  This year for the first time in NUI Galway society history that the musical made a profit! 

The international flavour of societies was clear in the ‘Most Improved Society’ award going to the International Student Society and best ‘New Society’ went to The Fáilte Refugees Society. The Energy Summit 2018 hosted by the Energy Society was a huge event on campus with industry and academics looking at the future of energy in Ireland won Best Publicity campaign. Other winners on the evening were the African Caribbean Society, The India Society, Pakistani Society and Islamic Society. 

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