2013-March 2018

2013-March 2018

Information about RSA activities and events  from 2013 to March 2018.
These were in addition to the regular Agallamh na Seanórach coffee mornings.

13 March 2018

Following the regular Agallamh na Seanórach gathering in the Alexander Anderson Boardroom on Tuesday 13th March, attendees visited the new Human Biology Building. A guided tour of the five-storey Building was kindly given by Patrick Faherty, Planning & Projects Officer, Building Office, NUI Galway. The Human Biology Building comprising an area of over 8,000 m2 houses the disciplines of Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics. Patrick Faherty gave a tour of some of the discipline specific training laboratories, including one in Anatomy, where cadavers will be a focus of research, as described by the Professor of Anatomy, Peter Dockery. Prof. Dockery gave an eloquent summary of the new anatomy facility and he expressed the hope that the original anatomy lecture room with its unique capability of cadaver exposition to anatomy students will be preserved. All in all, the tour of the Human Biology Building was most informative and educational.

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26-28 February 2018

A group of over 40 members went north in the ice and snow to visit Belfast. Their very successful visit was unaffected by the conditions, and took in many key places of interest. These included Stormont, where the photo below was taken. Many thanks to Rosaleen Carroll for providing it. And many thanks to Riana O'Dwyer for the account below of what the group did and saw, and impressions of Belfast.

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BRIEF ACCOUNT of RSA Belfast Trip 2018, by Riana O'Dwyer

We gathered early on a bright sunny morning in February, outside the Archway in NUI Galway, and loaded our bags onto a brand-new bus from Kavanagh Travel. It felt like a student trip from our college days! The plan was for a 3-day visit to Belfast, with the journey itself forming part of the holiday. There was no pressure to cover the miles, instead, ample time was allowed for breaks in the journey, and for coffee and conversation when we stopped.

We arrived in Belfast mid-afternoon, and exchanged the bright sunshine for the dark stony environs of Crumlin Road Gaol. Across the road from the Gaol stands the ruined facade of Crumlin Road Courthouse, where prisoners from the Gaol were taken to trial by means of an underground passage, which we were invited to experience during the tour. The gaol was built 1843-45, in the familiar Victorian pattern of a central hub from which wings radiate, with cells opening onto galleries up to three levels. The designer, Sir Charles Lanyon, also designed the original buildings for Queen's University. The tour includes access to the execution chamber (optional) and overall evoked the sense of terror and confinement that such institutions were designed to convey. It is amazing that it was only decommissioned in 1996.

We stayed two nights in the Wellington Park Hotel, conveniently located close to Queen's University. This is a long-established institution, which remained functioning throughout The Troubles, but was undergoing renovation during our visit, so our group did not experience the hotel at its best.

Our only full day in Belfast was very well planned, and delivered a wide-ranging introduction to the city, its history and attractions. Again, we were lucky with the sunshine, very pleasant as long as you wrapped up well. Our first stop was Stormont, so often seen on television screens, but a very impressive sight in reality. Its hilltop setting makes it visible from quite a distance, embodying the power that it was meant to exercise. Of course, since there is no Executive in place at present, there was no legislative activity during our visit. We did, however, catch a glimpse of the chamber where the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme Enquiry is taking place. We were invited to seat ourselves in the Legislative Chamber, where our guide gave us an introduction to the history of the building and answered questions from the audience. Apart from our Galway group, there were visitors from England, Wales and Asia. Clearly Stormont still evokes curiosity far beyond the borders of Ireland.

The sun remained shining as the bus took us down the Newtownards Road towards the city centre, with tantalising glimpses of murals that denoted the allegiances of those from the area who lived through The Troubles, pointed out as we passed by our local guide. The journey continued with a drive on the Falls Road, where the republican murals were as inventive and artistic as the loyalist ones we had just seen. We passed into the Shankill, and drove slowly the length of the Peace Wall, which separates the two neighbourhoods, and is still a necessary part of the city architecture. While the Falls was lively and full of shops, the Shankill seemed subdued and brooding, not yet in recovery.

Our afternoon was devoted to the Titanic Centre. It is a striking building, as tall as the iconic ship itself, and passing through the various exhibits, the visitor experiences the social life of Belfast circa 1900, told through the biographies of people who worked in the shipyard, or sailed on the ship. Then we moved slowly through the levels of the building, engaging with the various operations that go into the making of an ocean ship. At last the floating hotel is launched, only for the terror of its sinking to be recreated a short distance further on. The final sequence deals with the afterlife of Titanic: the efforts to understand how the tragedy happened, and the search for its hulk on the ocean floor.

Our third day was supposed to be spent in the Queen's University area, but the worsening weather forecast altered these plans. The heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures of Storm Emma were already making headlines. We did avail of a brief tour of the nineteenth-century Lanyon Quadrangle Building, including the Aula Maxima, where a selection of portraits from the university's art collection are displayed. Although Belfast itself was still bright and sunny, with not a wisp of snow, we bowed to the inevitable and left the city at 11am, heading for home.

We stopped for lunch at Kealy’s, close to Dublin Airport, where we found the carpark ankle-deep in slush. From then on, we marvelled at the depth of snow covering the countryside, until we crossed the Shannon and gradually left the blizzard behind. We arrived into a cold but snow-free Galway at 5pm, relieved to be within reach of home. The two days of the Red Alert were still to come, but we were snug at the fireside by then, chatting about our varied experiences, and recalling the convivial conversations that enlivened every meal and coffee break

With thanks to the hard-working organisers, and all our genial travelling companions,

Riana O'Dwyer.

13 February 2018: RSA Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Retired Staff Association was held on 13 February 2018, coinciding with the regular Agallamh na Seanórach coffee morning gathering. 

January 2018: RSA Annual Lunch

The Annual Lunch was held in the Ardilaun Hotel on Tuesday 23 January 2018. This popular event was particularly well attended this year. Below are some photographs of the occasion. Michael O'Connell has kindly offered to make these and others available to participants who email him at michael.oconnell@nuigalway.ie.

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December 2017: Presentation by the RSA to the Retirement Planning Day for staff intending to retire in 2018.

November 2017: Occasional Lecture Series - 'Revisiting China 12 Years on', presentation by Professor Michael Cuddy.

October 2017: Occasional Lecture Series - 'Martin Luther: Man and Movement', presentation by Dr Alison Forrestal.

June 2017: Meeting of NUIG RSA with UCD RSA

A delegation from the RSA committee travelled to UCD on 1 June 2017 for discussions with the UCD RSA and Maurice Kennedy Research Centre. This was arranged as part of our initiative to form a network of Retired University Staff Associations.

April-May 2017: Sicily

A group of 32 members and friends travelled to Sicily in late April-early May. Our itinerary was based on advice from members - particular thanks are due to Catherine O'Brien for steering us in the right directions and for her invaluable guidance along the way. The travel details were arranged with Fahy Travel, Galway, in conjunction with Topflight, by our Travel sub-committee: Rosaleen Carroll, Jane Conroy and Mary Cooke.

We were  based in  Catania and Palermo, which allowed us to take in many of Sicily's most memorable sites, including Catania, Ragusa, Modica, Noto, the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento, the Villa Romana del Casale at Piazza Armerina, Syracuse, Cefalù, Palermo, Monreale, Segesta, Erice,  Selinunte (below) and Marsala.

Some of our group visiting Selinunte on our second-last day. Others members were spending an extra day exploring Palermo. Behind us is the temple of Hera. Many thanks to Caroline Doolan for this photo.

March 2017: Occasional Lecture Series - '101 reasons to visit Sicily', presentation by Professor Catherine O'Brien.

Professor Catherine O'Brien gave a fascinating talk on '101 reasons to visit Sicily', on 14 March. This presentation was intended for those participating in the Sicily trip (15 April-3 May), but it drew a much larger and enthusiastic audience.  Thanks to Professor O'Brien's deep knowledge of the area, we were given valuable insights into Sicily's past and present, its geography, artistic and architectural heritage, literature, food and drink. It was an ideal introduction to the rich diversity of  the island.

January 2017: RSA Annual Lunch

On 24 January 2017, the Annual Lunch was held in the Ardilaun Hotel, as in previous years. It was attended by some seventy members and their partners and friends. Among those present were two former Presidents, Professor Pat Fottrell and Professor Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh, who gave a memorable after-lunch speech.

A sample of audience reaction

To see these and other photos of the event, please click on either of the links below:

• view on phone or tablet    or    view on computer

Many thanks to Michael O'Connell for staying on duty with his camera during lunch.

December 2016: Meeting of NUIG RSA committee  with  Restart, UL's RSA

A delegation from the RSA committee travelled to the University of Limerick campus on 2 December 2016, to have discussions with counterparts from UL. 

October 2016: Visit to the Botanic Garden and Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin

A group of NUIG retired staff and their friends made their way to Dublin from various parts of the country, to visit the Botanic Garden and Glasnevin Cemetery. Thanks are due to Michael O'Connell for organizing the visit to both venues and for using his insider knowledge as a botanist to make it a particularly enjoyable day. Below are some photos of the outing taken by Michael - for these and more contact him at michael.oconnell@nuigalway.ie.

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May 2016: Visit from the Retired Staff Association of NUI Maynooth

Retired staff from NUI, Maynooth visited us on Wednesday 25^th May. They were welcomed by the President Dr. Jim Browne in the University’s Presidential drawing room. A highly informative and stimulating tour of Art Collection items was conducted by the Art’s Officer Fionnuala Gallagher. The group were then brought to the Hardiman Research Building where Dr Conor McNamara, one of the creators of the exhibition on ‘A University in War & Revolution, 1913-1919’, introduced the group to highlights.

After lunch at Moffett’s Restaurant, Brian Nolan (Galwaywalks) gave a stimulating and interesting account of Old Galway history and of some of its people during a walk along by the river Corrib. The visit ended with a visit to Galway Museum, with exhibits presented by Acting Director Brendan McGowan, who highlighted the folklore attached to the Corrib and the strategic position of the Museum.

Pictures courtesy of Michael O'Connell and Ger Jennings.

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April 2016: Cuba

A group of members travelled to Cuba on 20-29 April 2016. Many thanks to Mary Cooke and Rosaleen O' Carroll who organized this with Fahy Travel in Galway. The tailormade itinerary took in Havana, Trinidad, the  Viñales Valley and Cienfuegos, with many visits to museums, concerts, monuments, and other sites of major interest. It ended with a couple of days relaxing by the sea at Varadero.

A selection of Cuban scenes, courtesy of Michael Cuddy:

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April 2016: Visit to the Institute for Lifecourse and Society (ILAS), NUI Galway

The regular Agallamh na Seanórach monthly meeting on 12 April 2016 took place at the new Institute for Lifecourse and Society (ILAS) located on Upper Newcastle Road, Dangan, on the Northern Campus of the University. Tea / coffee and refreshments were kindly provided by ILAS in the main concourse of the ILAS Building on the ground floor. Prof. Pat Dolan, Unesco Chair and Director of ILAS gave an informative summary of activities of ILAS, which is a newly designated Research Institute for the Applied Social Sciences. Prof. Dolan described how ILAS brings together six established centres at NUI Galway to work in partnership, including: UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre (CFRC); Irish Centre for Social Gerontology (ICSG) and Centre for Disability Law and Policy; Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI), Irish Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research (ICAN) and Health Economics and Policy Analysis (HEPA). Dr. Kieran Walsh, Deputy Director of the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology described activities of the Centre. The presentations were followed by a tour of part of the 3-storey building, including offices and lecture theatres, one of which is an acoustically designed large auditorium.

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2014-2015

October 2015: Visit to the Martin Ryan Institute

The Agallamh na Seanórach meeting on October 13^th 2015 was held in the Martin Ryan Institute.

September 2015: Visit to NUI Maynooth and Castletown House

At the invitation of the NUI Maynooth Retired Staff Association, 35 members of our Association visited NUIM on Thursday 10 September 2015. It was a splendid day, with perfect weather and a perfect welcome from our friends in Maynooth.

May 2015: St Petersburg

A group of retired staff, partners and friends travelled to St Petersburg on 11-16 May 2015, following a special itinerary organized by Michael Cuddy with our travel agent (John Galligan Travel). We were very expertly guided around a selection of major sites in St Petersburg and outside it, including the Winter Palace, Hermitage Museum, Peter & Paul Fortress, Church of Our Saviour on Spilled Blood, Yusupov Palace and St Isaac's Cathedral, with an excursion to Peterhof and, on our final day, a cruise on the Neva.

January 2015: RSA Annual Lunch

The RSA held its annual luncheon on 20 January 2015 in the Ardilaun Hotel, Taylor’s Hill, Galway.

October 2014: Visit to the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin

Members of the RSA and friends visited the Chester Beatty Library on 23 October 2014.

2014 : on-campus visits and presentations

• the James Mitchell Geology Museum
• the Martin Ryan Zoology and Marine Biology Museum
• the art collections in the Quadrangle area of the campus
• the Hardiman Research Building: Moore Institute and Library

Latest update: 23 March 2018

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