The National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway) (Irish Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh or OÉ Gaillimh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland. It is a tertiary-level educational institution located in Galway, Ireland.

The university was founded in 1845 as Queen's College, Galway and was more recently known as University College, Galway (UCG) (Irish: Coláiste na hOllscoile, Gaillimh or COG). The current President, Taoiseach (Prime Minister), Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and Attorney General of Ireland are all past pupils. The actor Martin Sheen has also attended.

History[link]

The Aula Maxima (Quadrangle)

The college opened for teaching in 1849 as Queen's College, Galway with 37 professors and 91 students and a year later became a part of the Queen's University of Ireland. The Irish Universities Act, 1908 made this college a constituent college of the new National University of Ireland, and under a new charter the name of the college was changed to University College, Galway. The university college was given special statutory responsibility under the University College, Galway Act, 1929 in respect of the use of the Irish language as the working language of the college. The university college retained the name University College, Galway until 1997 when the Universities Act, 1997 changed the name to National University of Ireland, Galway. The constituent universities of the National University of Ireland rank among the most prestigious centers of higher learning in the country.

The university is located near the centre of the city and stretches along the River Corrib. The oldest part of the university, the Quadrangle, designed by John Benjamin Keane, is a replica of Christ Church, one of the colleges at the University of Oxford. The stone from which it is built was supplied locally. Newer parts of the university sprang up in the 1970s and were designed by architects Scott Tallon Walker. The 1990s also saw considerable development including the conversion of an old munitions factory into a student centre. Recent developments include a state-of-the-art University Sports Centre (Ionad Spóirt), a new Health Science Building, Cairne's School of business and the Engineering Building.

On the evening of 9 December 2008, the then Fianna Fáil minister Éamon Ó Cuív was on the campus for the official launch of a new €50 million engineering building in place of his fellow minister Batt O'Keeffe, who had pulled out due to his fears that he would encounter violence. As he entered the Quadrangle, in an incident which made national news headlines, Ó Cuív was met by a group of fifty students protesting the introduction of fees, one of whom the Minister later accused of manhandling his secretary. Ó Cuív stepped in and physically assailed at least one protester by the arms as himself and his assistants were blockaded against a wall.^[1] University security intervened and brought the Minister and his assistants to another door which they managed to successfully manoeuvre away from the baying crowd. A spokeswoman claimed that the crowd crushed the Minister's secretary against a wall and kicked her as one of the students set about "waving a big stick at her". A protester insisted that the demonstration had only become violent when Ó Cuív became physically active. Ó Cuív was previously targeted by some of the same students who stormed and occupied his constituency office for over an hour less than a week prior to the incident in the univeristy grounds.^[2] On 2 February 2009, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was blockaded and jostled out of NUI Galway by a group of angry students protesting over the reintroduction of fees as he attempted to lecture the Literary and Debating Society.^[3]

In April 2012, the ruling Labour Party held its centenary conference in the Bailey Allen Hall at NUI Galway. Gardaí used pepper spray to hold back anti-austerity demonstrators protesting against government cuts on the grounds: it was reported that a 13 year-old child was threatened with the spray as the building was locked down amid chants of "Revolution, revolution!" and a coffin draped in the Irish tricolour.^[4][5][6]

List of Presidents[link]

St Anthony's, Centre for Psychology

Galway University Foundation[link]

G.U.F was establishment in 1998, and has been engaged in generating financial support for NUI Galway's programmes and activities from a range of private individuals and institutions. A core part of our work is in nurturing lasting relationships with donors who share NUI Galway's vision for the future. Currently, the science research building is being constructed. Within this building the GUF has many 'Priority Projects' in mind. Of these include Prostate Research and Autism Research are included. ^[7]

Recent developments[link]

Like the other constituent universities of the National University of Ireland, the university follows the common college structure. The five Colleges of the University are:

• College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies
• College of Business, Public Policy and Law
• College of Engineering and Informatics
• College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
• College of Science.

Áras Moyola, Health Science Building

Staff are represented by the SIPTU trade union (for academic, research, administrative and technical workers) and the Irish Federation of University Teachers (for academic workers only).

The New Engineering Building, North Campus

The Sunday Times University Guide named the university as Irish University of the Year 2002-2003, 2009-2010.^[8] NUI Galway was placed at 232 in the 2010 THE–QS World University Rankings.^[9] This increase to 232nd in the world, was the third consecutive jump for NUI Galway, and represented an increase of an incredible 252 places in just three years. This result confirms NUI Galway’s position as one of Ireland’s leading universities, and a growing force in research on the international stage”. The 2011 QS World Rankings put NUIG at 298 worldwide.

Since January 2006 St. Angela's College, Sligo has been a college of the National University of Ireland, Galway; it was previously a recognised college of the National University of Ireland. This change in the relationship will mean that students of St. Angela's College, Sligo will be registered as students of the National University of Ireland, Galway; whilst degrees and diplomas awarded will be those of the National University of Ireland.^[10]

NUI Galway has also announced details of plans^[11] to make the university a 'campus of the future',^[12] at a cost of around €400 million. Details of the future plans of the college also show an extension to the current James Hardiman Library, an extension to the current Arts Millenium Building, a Human Biology building which will incorporate the Anatomy, Physiology and other human sciences departments. There are also plans to create a Commercial Centre and Adult Education, Student Services, Health Promotion and Mathematical Sciences beside the current Security hut. ^[13]

NUI Galway formed a strategic alliance with University of Limerick in 2010, allowing for shared resources.^[14]

University rankings[link]

Student activities[link]

With approximately 17,000 students, the university boasts an active and vibrant student life, with over 60 sports clubs and over 83 active societies. The oldest society on the campus is the Literary & Debating Society, founded in 1846. Another of the campus's oldest societies is appropriately enough that dedicated to the subject area of history, now known as An Cumann Staire^[15] (or the Historical Studies Society). Cumann Staire is a leading member of the Comhaltas na gCumann Staire - Irish History Students' Association and the International Students of History Association.

NUIG SU Logo

The Film Society produces original films and founded the NUI Galway Student Cinema; one of the most popular venues for students with multiple films per week. The Business Society aims to get more students thinking about business and opening their minds to new ideas or to help students who want to get involved in business in any form in the future. The Computer Society hosts all other societies emails and websites, and have one of the largest memberships. The Rotaract Society, part of the international Rotary family, hosts the annual charity fashion show, 'Socs in the City'. The college's Drama Society (Dramsoc)^[16] has also been long regarded as one of the most important student societies for the arts in Galway having played a part in the formation of Macnas, Druid Theatre Company and The Galway Arts Festival. GUMS, the university's vibrant award winning musical society continues to draw large crowds to its annual musicals in the Black Box Theatre. This event is one of the highlights of the college year calender, usually held in February during the Muscailt Arts festival.

The Martin Ryan Marine Science Institute.

In February the university hosts annually an on-campus arts festival entitled Múscailt^[17] (meaning to awake/inspire/celebrate in Irish). The annual festival showcases the emerging artists of the university. Almost every society on campus has input. Various shows, concerts and exhibitions are displayed throughout the college. The week often features various inter-varsity or on-campus competitions and award ceremonies.

The ALIVE Programme^[18] - A Learning Initiative and the Volunteering Experience - was established in 2003 by the National University of Ireland, Galway to harness, acknowledge and support the contribution that its students make by volunteering. The programme draws on a strong tradition of student engagement both on and off campus and assists students who wish to actively volunteer while developing tangible and transferable skills alongside practical volunteering experiences. The University announced it would be withdrawing its support for the Students' Union run RAG week in 2009 after the arrests of over 40 students.^[19] €32,000 was raised for charity by the week.

International students[link]

NUI Galway has a strong community of international students, which make up 13% of the student population.^[20] It welcomes over 500 Visiting Students from colleges and universities around the world each year, from countries including the USA, Canada and Malaysia. Various societies are present in the University to cater for international students, including the International Students Society, Malaysian Societyand many more.

Notable students[link]

• Michael D. Higgins, ninth President of Ireland
• Enda Kenny (Taoiseach of Ireland, T.D., and leader of Fine Gael party)
• Eamon Gilmore (Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade T.D. and leader of Labour Party)
• Pat Rabbitte (Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources,T.D. and former leader of Labour Party)
• Seán Sherlock Minister of State for Research and Innovation, T.D.
• Máire Whelan S.C. (Attorney General of Ireland)
• Martin Sheen, Hollywood actor, who had not previously attended University, enrolled at NUI Galway in 2006 for one semester to study philosophy, English literature and oceanography.^[21]
• General Sir Bindon Blood, British military commander
• Sean Ralston

See also[link]

• Education in the Republic of Ireland
• List of universities in the Republic of Ireland
• List of alumni of the National University of Ireland, Galway
• James Hardiman Library
• Digital Enterprise Research Institute, an NUIG-hosted Centre for Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET) focusing on research in the Semantic Web
• J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics
• NUI Galway Students' Union
• Sin Newspaper
• University College Galway R.F.C.

References[link]

1. ^ "Minister in confrontation with students". RTÉ. 2008-12-10. http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1210/galway.html. Retrieved 2009-01-09. 
2. ^ "Minister 'right to restrain protesting student'". BreakingNews.ie. 2008-12-10. http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhidsnsnkfmh/. Retrieved 2009-01-09. 
3. ^ "Protest forces cancellation of Ahern speech". RTÉ. 2009-02-03. http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0203/fees.html. Retrieved 2009-02-03. 
4. ^ "Protesters picket Labour conference". The Belfast Telegraph (Independent News & Media). 14 April 2012. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/republic-of-ireland/protesters-picket-labour-conference-16145013.html. Retrieved 14 April 2012. 
5. ^ de Breádún, Deaglán (14 April 2012). "Anti-austerity protestors disrupt Labour conference". The Irish Times (Irish Times Trust). http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0414/breaking3.html. Retrieved 14 April 2012. 
6. ^ "Protesters break through Garda lines at Labour conference". Irish Examiner (Thomas Crosbie Holdings). 14 April 2012. http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/protesters-break-through-garda-lines-at-labour-conference-547506.html. Retrieved 14 April 2012. 
7. ^ http://www.guf.ie/index.php/priority-projects/
8. ^ Nuigalway.ie
9. ^ Topuniversities.com
10. ^ Stangelas.com
11. ^ Nuigalway.ie
12. ^ Nuigalway.ie
13. ^ http://www.nuigalway.ie/campusofthefuture/documents/campus_of_the_future_jb.pdf
14. ^ Universities form 'strategic alliance'. RTÉ. Thursday, 18 February 2010 20:06.
15. ^ Cumannstaire.com
16. ^ Dramsoc.nuigalway.ie
17. ^ Muscailt.oegaillimh.ie
18. ^ Nuigalwycki.ie
19. ^ The Irish Times, February 2009
20. ^ Nuigalway.ie
21. ^ The New York Times, April 2006

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: National University of Ireland, Galway

• Official university site
• NUI Galway Students' Union
• SuperStair site of the Cumann Staire
• Aistir International History Student Conference
• Comhaltas na gCumann Staıre - Irish History Students' Association
• Martin Ryan Marine Science Institute
• Sciencespin.com
• Seaweed Site
• Algaebase