Winter 2010
Maynooth Alumni Magazine
Wİnter ’10
Welcome to the Brİdge 01 Welcome Greetings and Hello
02 The Road Less Travelled
President of NUI Maynooth, Tom Collins shares some of his memories as a student and his vision for the University
04 Events in the Spotlight
Highlights from 2010 at NUI Maynooth
06 Alumni Ball 2010
The Annual Alumni Ball held in Pugin Hall
08 History in the Making
NUI Maynooth’s newest Professor tells The Bridge what she has found on her return to her alma mater Editor Karen Kelly Design www.unthink.ie Printer Craftprint Paper MultiPrint
09 Maths Matter
An innovative project between NUI Maynooth and the University of Cambridge – a formula for success
10 A Lifelong Journey Alumnus Fiona Larkan explains how a chance encounter changed her life
12 Building for the Future
How NUI Maynooth is cementing future growth
14 Ireland’s Greatest He’s one of our own!
16 Alumni Abroad From Boston to Beijing
18 Making our Mark on the World
NUI Maynooth expands its global footprint
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Sincere thanks are due to many (alumni, academics and staff) for their assistance, support and commitment in producing this publication.
A special thanks to Ciara and Lisa in the Communications Office for helping the ‘new kid on the block’. Finally, next year’s Alumni Reunion Ball will be held on June 11th. We’d love to see you on the night! This magazine will be available on the Alumni website, http://alumni.nuim.ie. If you need any copies for fellow Maynooth Alumni, please contact me on 01 708 6492 or by email at alumni@nuim.ie With every best wish, Karen Kelly Alumni Officer
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Stay Connected Maynooth Alumni Association Your alumni association can help make your investment in education go even further. For further information, please visit http://www.alumni.nuim.ie. Karen Kelly, Alumni Office, Riverstown Lodge, Maynooth, Co Kildare. Tel: (01) 708 6492 or log on to →http://alumni.nuim.ie/connected Some of the Alumni benefits from Maynooth - Annual Alumni Magazine – The Bridge - Graduate discounts on the University’s sports facilities – Gym and Swimming Pool - Graduate membership of the University’s library - Assistance in organizing reunions and events - Bank of Ireland affinity credit card - Discounts on accommodation for hotels locally - Opportunity to establish Chapters regionally and abroad - Reunion Ball and other seasonal alumni events
Where are they now?
→ http://alumni.nuim.ie/services
22 A Summer Hub
Maynooth Chapters The best way to keep in touch!
What really happens on campus when students leave for the summer holidays?
24 Graduations
This years Conferrings at NUI Maynooth
27 A Place of Rest in Maynooth
Somewhere to reflect and regroup
What I can say without any fear of contradiction is that it was here in Maynooth that I was given the key to unparalleled opportunities… Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason
Hello and welcome to the fourth edition of The Bridge, the magazine produced annually for Maynooth alumni. Inside you will find a diverse and interesting selection of articles including a round-up of some of the key college events from 2010. In this edition, Prof Tom Collins, alumnus and new President of NUI Maynooth, shares his memories of college life and his vision for the future of the University. John Hume, alumnus, was recently voted Ireland's Greatest by the Irish public, we shed some light on the reasons behind the vote.
01—The Bridge—WinTer ’09
A note from the Presİdent As a former student of the college it is a particular pleasure to welcome you to this year’s edition of the Alumni Magazine. We alumni remember our student days in Maynooth with great warmth and affection, and I’m sure that this year’s edition will trigger some happy memories for you. You’ll be glad to hear that our alma mater continues to thrive. Yes, we are facing into turbulent times, but we do so, keenly aware of the positive role that the University will play in returning Ireland to growth, and with the determination to equip our students with the knowledge, skills and attitude they need to succeed.
The campus is undergoing significant enhancement at the moment, with the opening of Iontas beside the John Hume Building, a new student restaurant to open in February and work commencing this month on the library extension. I invite you to drop in and see it for yourself whenever you are nearby. It’s always a pleasure to hear from fellow alumni. Warmest Regards
As time goes by it may not be as easy as it once was to meet up with classmates from your university days at Maynooth. Setting up a Chapter is a great way for graduates to keep in touch with each other and the University. A Chapter joins people together and is open to all graduates on an equal basis. The Alumni Office will assist you whenever possible in recruiting members and organising events. The most common aims of University Chapters include: - Maintaining contact with Maynooth - Advocates for your Alma mater - Facilitate social gatherings - Networking opportunities - Assist in fundraising initiatives - Build Alumni commitment
Prof Tom Collins President, NUI Maynooth
The Bridge is a magazine published by NUI Maynooth. Contributions in the form of articles, graduate profiles and photographs are welcome. We would be delighted to receive your comments and ideas for future editions – please email alumni@nuim.ie The opinions and views in this publication are those of the contributors and are not necessarily shared by NUI Maynooth. While every care has been taken to ensure accuracy in the compilation of the magazine, NUI Maynooth cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions or effects arising thereof. However any errors or omissions should be brought to the attention of the alumni office.
MAynoo A Aynoo TH ALuMnI ASSoCIATIon STAY CONNeCTeD, KeeP CONNeCTeD
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THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED Professor Tom Collins, the new President of NUI Maynooth first arrived at the University in 1972 as an undergraduate student and has a 38 year association with the institution. Speaking with Karen Kelly, Alumni Officer, he shared some thoughts on his early experiences and memories as a young student and his vision for the future of the institution.
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Tom Collins came to Maynooth to study Philosophy, English, Geography and Sociology. Mentioning some extraordinary teachers like Prof Peter Connolly, Head of the English Department, Prof Liam Ryan in the Philosophy Department, Paddy Duffy and Fran Walsh, both in the Geography Department, he was effusive in his praise of them as both teachers and mentors. They opened his mind to ideas, he said, ‘to a new way of thinking.’ It is an unbelievable experience when your ‘mind is blown with an encounter with a great mind’ he added. He firmly believes that it is incumbent on those in university to interrogate and challenge the status quo. ‘We are, after all, custodians of the democratic way’ he explains. Undoubtedly there have been many changes since he was a student – larger class sizes for one and given this, perhaps a loss of intimacy, but he is still optimistic for the future. While no one knows what the university experience will be like in one hundred years time – perhaps it will be a virtual university experience – for Tom, the Maynooth experience is all about opening minds and winning hearts. Speaking of his times in Maynooth he commented on the happy memories they evoked in him, and of the friends he made in college. In terms of Maynooth’s alumni, he would love to see these memories being as meaningful and special to them as they are to him, encouraging them to stay connected and keep connected with Maynooth. ‘The quality of the University’s relationship with alumni’ he explains, ‘ should be based on values of personal growth, of inclusion and equality’. He would love to bring the Maynooth experience to our alumni in the US. ‘Music has a certain cultural cachet’ he commented – ‘imagine a concert in Carnegie Hall with our own Maynooth singers and orchestra!’ He knows that people smile when they bring to mind images of Maynooth. ‘The ivy clad buildings turning red at conferring time stirs up the fondest memories in many’ he added. The pastoral environment in Maynooth College means a lot to the new President. Acknowledging that the college landscape embraces both the eighteenth and twenty first centuries, on a personal level, he aims to see the formation of a ‘learning landscape’.
Maynooth Alumni Association Stay Connected, Keep Connected
‘The hinterland is one of the University’s greatest assets – from the college itself to Carton Estate and Castletown’ he believes. His vision for this ‘learning landscape’ is to bring three centuries together to create a heritage and science park. Linked by the Royal Canal, this landscape would support all the communities in the locality. With the canal also in mind, Tom spoke about ‘education in imagination’. He would aim to use the local landscape as a ‘learning laboratory’. ‘If science can be made fun and interesting at this stage in the education cycle for secondary school students, perhaps they will be more likely to embrace it at third level’. One of the key values Tom was at length to espouse were those concerning inclusion, equality and contribution. ‘What defines a university is the pursuit of knowledge – both for its own sake and for what it can contribute to society’ he explains. ‘This usually suggests research-led teaching, but scholarly pursuit encapsulates both research and teaching’. On the subject of making a contribution to society, he would dearly love to see Maynooth ask the question ‘how do we position ourselves to deal with this planetary environmental crisis?’ Acknowledging that ‘the biggest challenge to this generation is an environmental one’, he firmly believes that Maynooth can be at the forefront in the area of the environment in terms of green energy, science, engineering and that ‘out social sciences could look at areas of changes in peoples behaviour’. Continuing on the subject of contribution, he also acknowledged the need to respond to the economic crisis in two ways – to begin ‘to focus on new enterprise developments in ‘the green zone’, in research, in prototype development and through our departments who have a strong background in the education discipline.’ Undoubtedly Tom Collins has great pride in and personal commitment to NUI Maynooth. His long association with the university as an undergraduate, as Professor of Education and now as President has contributed greatly to his vision for his alma mater and the views he has on education in general. Without question, the Maynooth experience certainly seems to have left an indelible mark on him. And that, one could argue, should be the measure of any university.
www.alumni.nuim.ie
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1. Ms Anastasia Crickley 2. Beemune, 3. Mr Christian Bazantay, Servier Laboratories Ltd, Dr Bernard Mahon 4. President Tom Collins, Marie McLoughlin – President of Froebel College of Education and Professor John Hughes, 5. Research in NUI Maynooth,
New spin out company targeting bee population Through pollination, bees are responsible for 40% of the global food supply. However over the past decade, bees have been dying prematurely and, in 2007, almost two-thirds of the entire commercial bee population was wiped out in a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder.
EVENTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Academic elected to UN Committee Ms Anastasia Crickley, Head of the Dept of Applied Social Studies at NUI Maynooth has been elected to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) for a four-year term. Nominated by the Irish Government, Ms Crickley is the first Irish woman to serve on any UN Committee. CERD is a body of independent experts mandated by the United Nations to monitor the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Ms Crickley has a distinguished international record in working against racism and discrimination. She served until very recently as the Inaugural Chair of the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency and previously as Chair of the EU Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia.
Dr Kevin Kavanagh, senior lecturer in the Department of Biology at NUI Maynooth and a world renowned expert in insect biology and immunology, has developed a food additive that has been shown to rapidly improve the health and vitality of bee colonies. In 2010 a new company, Beemune, was created, to produce natural, safe, foodstuff ingredients to improve the nutrition of bees. In doing so, Beemune aims to improve their overall health, immune system and ability to survive stresses caused by the environment and modern farming methods. The company is focused on the $3.5 billion commercial honeybee market with its main focus on US, Australia and New Zealand.
Dr Bernard Mahon awarded Servier Scholarship Dr Bernard Mahon, Cellular Immunologist and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering has been awarded the Dr Jacques Servier Scholarship by the Institute Servier in conjunction with the Ireland Fund of France and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. This merit was awarded in recognition of Dr Mahon’s work on whooping cough vaccines for infants in association with Professor Camille Locht from the Institut Pasteur de Lille.
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Primary Teacher Education at NUI Maynooth
NUI Maynooth wins Top Grad Prog Award 2010 The MSc programme in Immunology and Global Health took first prize in Postgraduate Course of the Year, Science and Engineering, at the 2010 Grad Ireland Awards. Run through the Institute of Immunology, this unique programme represents an innovative development in higher degree options in the biological sciences and is targeted at biological and health science graduates interested in major health and development challenges and wishing to broaden their understanding of immunology.
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9. Dr John O’Keeffe; Barry Douglas, Professor Fiona Palmer and Professor Krzysztof Penderecki 10. Dr Attracta Halpin; Professor Margaret Kelleher; Dr Hans Walter Gabler; Minister Mary Hanafin TD; Professor John Hughes; Dr Nick Donofrio; Professor Stewart Fotheringham, and Dr David Redmond.
Kennedy Centre for Conflict Intervention
Froebel College of Education and NUI Maynooth have announced plans to establish the ‘Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education’ at the University. This will be the first occasion in Ireland where Primary Teacher Education will be entirely carried out on a university campus and within a secular environment. With the arrival of Froebel College into the University, NUI Maynooth will be unique in offering the full spectrum of lifelong education including professional courses in early childhood education, primary education, secondary education, adult and community education. CAO applicants to Froebel College of Education for September 2010 will be the first students who, on completion of their degree, will be NUI Maynooth graduates.
6. Ghost Estates, 7. Senator Edward M.Kennedy 8. Hugh Cooney, Chairman, Board of Enterprise Ireland, Conor Lenihan TD, Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation and Dr Ross O’Neill, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow based in the Hamilton Institute and Winner of the Enterprise Ireland. ‘One to Watch’ Award 2010.
NIRSA call for independent inquiry into the planning system NIRSA’s review of the housing and ghost estates in Ireland, launched in conjunction with Prime Time, examined in detail the rise and crash of property market and called for the creation of an independent inquiry to restore faith in the planning system and the housing market. The NIRSA report demonstrated that critical factors in the property crash were a laissez faire planning system and tax incentive schemes that allowed a large oversupply of housing units and zoned land to develop. The result is 620 ghost estates where over 50% of properties are vacant or under construction, and oversupply of at least 120,000 houses (and one in six houses uninhabited for the majority of the year), and enough zoned land to last over 13 years if households continue to grow at the same rate as 1996-2006.
A new Centre for Conflict Intervention is being formed in honour of the late Senator Edward M Kennedy, whose invaluable legacy revolved around healing wounds and achieving consensus. The Kennedy Centre for Conflict Intervention, the first of its kind in Ireland, will specialise in conflict resolution, mediation, leadership and civic engagement – areas that were important to Senator Kennedy throughout his political life. NUI Maynooth has pioneered a leadership position in this area in recent years, with 40 students currently completing masters and diploma courses in Mediation and Conflict Intervention through the School of Business and Law in addition to the courses for the Defence Forces.
Enterprise Ireland ‘One to Watch’ Award 2010 at NUIM Dr Ross O’Neill, researcher at the Hamilton Institute, has been awarded the Enterprise Ireland ‘One to Watch’ Award 2010 for the development of a revolutionary treatment for Tinnitus (commonly known as ‘ringing in the ears’). Minister Conor Lenihan presented the award to Dr O’Neill at the Enterprise Ireland Applied Research Forum in front of 250 academic researchers gathered to look at ways to increase the amount of commercially valuable research that is transferred from third level institutions into Irish industry.
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Dr O’Neill is collaborating with Brendan Conlon, a surgical ear, nose and throat consultant at St James’ Hospital and other clinicians and industry experts to commercialise the technology called ‘Mute Button’ in order to help the millions of tinnitus sufferers.
Honorary Conferrings On Sunday, 12th September, NUI Maynooth bestowed an Honorary DMus on the international acclaimed Polish composer, conductor and educator, Professor Krzysztof Penderecki. As part of the conferring celebrations, Prof Penderecki conducted the NUI Maynooth Chamber Choir, who this year celebrate their twenty-fifth anniversary, in a performance of his Benedictus (1993). The groundbreaking 1960 work Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima was also performed. September 16th saw the NUI confer honorary doctorates on Nick Donofrio, former Executive Vice President of Innovation and Technology at IBM and leading international Joyce scholar and editor Professor Hans Walter Gabler.
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www.alumni.nuim.ie
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ALUMNI 2010 REUNION BALL Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason receives President’s Alumni award. Mary O’Rourke TD inducted into ‘Made in Maynooth’ Alumni Hall of Fame NUI Maynooth honoured two of its most luminous former students at this year’s annual Alumni Ball. Ireland’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the European Union, Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason received the President’s Alumni Award for 2010 from Professor John Hughes, while Mary O’Rourke TD was named as the inaugural member of the ‘Made in Maynooth’ alumni hall of fame.
1. Pugin Hall 2. Reconnecting with friends – Anastasia Crickley, Head of Applied Social Studies, NUI Maynooth 3. Paul Mullally, BSc Chemistry – 2005, Former SU President 2005–2006 4. Mary O’Rourke, TD, Prof John Hughes, Former President of NUI Maynooth, and Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ireland to the E U
Commenting on the awards, Professor John Hughes said both alumni had excelled in their chosen careers and had represented Ireland with distinction. ‘Geraldine has been a tremendous Ambassador to the EU over what have been an eventful last number of years. She has achieved much for Ireland’s Agriculture and Forestry industries, and has driven the climate change agenda forward. It is for this service we honour her with the President’s Alumni Award. And Mary, as one of Ireland’s great political leaders for decades has been a trailblazer for graduates of this University.
The University has, throughout its history, had a proud tradition of enabling graduates to achieve their maximum potential’, he added. Geraldine Byrne Nason graduated from Maynooth with a BA in English and Irish in 1980 and completed an MA in English in 1981. She is currently Ireland’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU, having previously been Director of the National Forum on Europe. More recently in Brussels, Ambassador Byrne Nason represents Ireland on the Committee of Permanent Representatives, where she negotiates and promotes Ireland’s interests across a wide range of policy areas including Climate Change, Competition policy, Research and Innovation, Digital agenda, Education Culture Youth and Sports, Environment, Transport, Agriculture and Fisheries, Health, Labour market and Social policy.
Mary O’Rourke
Geraldine Byrne Nason
At the end of the sixties when the college opened to lay students, my father suggested I return to study for the HDip. So I put an ad in the local paper seeking other students travelling to Maynooth, with the result that by September there were four Athlone HDip students on their way to college. At that time, the campus was very Oxford-like. In many ways it was like any other college but yet unique in its atmosphere. My HDip class was small, there were about sixty in the class, which meant we got to know each other quite well, and received a lot of individual attention.
I am told that people who look back on their college years as their peak experience have had the dreariest of adulthoods. Surrounded by husband, friends and family tonight – I am not going to fall into that trap! However, what I can say without any fear of contradiction is that it was here in Maynooth that I was given the key to unparalleled opportunities – in the simple act of opening my mind. While students of Marx (Groucho, that is…) will recall having a open mind is not necessarily the best thing – since you can sometimes feel the draft from an open mind – when I pause to re-capture my Maynooth bounty it is not the degree, the memories of Beowulf or tracts of Old Irish that come rushing through…although some I can still repeat! Frankly, one of my abiding memories as I left Maynooth in 1981 was a quiet word with the then Professor of English, Peter Connolly, who gave me simple advice ‘when you leave here, don’t forget why you came’. I never have.
One of the very first lecturers I had was Brother Seamus Ó Súilleabháin, Professor of Education. He treated us as equals and we were equals, not in academic qualifications, but in the experience of life sense. Brother Seamus opened up new pastures of knowledge and discovery for me. One really good piece of advice he gave me was ‘don’t be afraid to stretch young people’s minds. Don’t be afraid to give them more knowledge than they can cope with – their minds are elastic.’ It was these words that inspired me. He opened up that vista, which then led me along the path to public life.
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In all my peregrinations – and my career choice as a diplomat has meant pretty much constant pilgrimage – I carry with me an abiding sense of my Maynooth experience.
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2010
Head of History
1991
MA History
1997
NUI Maynooth and University of Cambridge embark on innovative project to support mathematics in secondary schools.
PhD
1989
History & Sociology
MATHS MATTER
History in the making NUI Maynooth’s newest Professor, a graduate of the University, tells The Bridge what she has found on her return to her alma mater Marian Lyons graduated from Maynooth with a first class honours degree in History and Sociology in 1989, going on to complete an MA in History in 1991, and a PhD, on Franco-Irish relations in 1997. There followed a number of years in the Institut Catholique in Paris, the University of Rouen, the University of Limerick and St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra. In October 2010, Marion was appointed to the prestigious role of Professor and Head of History at NUI Maynooth. The Bridge caught up with her to find out how the University has changed in the intervening years. ‘In many respects the campus has changed dramatically since I began my studies here in the late 1980s,’ the new Professor commented. ‘Back then, there were five fulltime members of the History Department with fourteen students in the final year honours history class. The North campus consisted of the Arts building, a students’ union premises, and the residences. The library was styled the ‘new’ library and a card catalogue operated. There was no semesterisation, no modularisation and no exams in second year. Clearly the University has expanded dramatically both physically and in terms of student numbers, and is now competing at national and international levels to attract students and research funding.’
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MSc in Mathematics for Education – Students at the one week summer block in the University of Cambridge
The History Department has also expanded significantly, with fifteen full-time members of staff and a large team of occasional staff and tutors. In addition to catering for over eight hundred undergraduates and one hundred and thirty postgraduates, the department hosts eight postdoctoral fellows, offers five Masters programmes, together with research MLitt and PhD, and a higher diploma in Irish history. The good news, however, is that the atmosphere remains. Marion comments that ‘a defining aspect of the Maynooth experience that has endured since my time as an undergraduate is the strong spirit of collegiality, manifest in the friendly and supportive relationship between staff and students and the academic staff’s unwavering commitment to serving the interests of all students.’ Professor Lyons has published extensively on FrancoIrish relations and on Irish migration to continental Europe in the early modern period, as well as on various aspects of Irish history. Along with Dr Thomas O’Connor, also of NUI Maynooth, she curated the ‘Strangers to Citizens: the Irish in Europe, 1600–1800’ exhibition at the National Library of Ireland.
Mathematics has been receiving a lot of attention in the media recently. The collapse of the Irish economy has shown that traditional areas such as manufacturing and construction will not be able to provide enough employment for our population in the years to come. The government plans to develop a ‘smart economy’ by increasing the number of graduates in Science and Technology. However, Mathematics is often seen as a barrier in the recruitment into Science and Technology degree programmes, so increasing the numbers of mathematically literate school-leavers is vitally important. The new Project Maths curriculum aims to shift the perceived focus of second level mathematics from rote learning and well-rehearsed procedures to conceptual understanding and problem solving. The hope is that the new curriculum plus the awarding of bonus points for Mathematics will encourage more students to study Mathematics at Higher Level in the Leaving Certificate and in turn produce more students who want to pursue careers in the fields of Science and Technology. The new curriculum will of course place stresses on mathematics teachers who may have to master new material as well as new teaching methods. If the initiative is successful it will also mean that more Higher Level teachers will be required. At the moment there is a shortage of teachers who are qualified to teach mathematics.
A recent study carried out by researchers in the University of Limerick found that 48% of mathematics teachers were not qualified to teach the subject. In 2009 NUI Maynooth in conjunction with the University of Cambridge introduced a part-time two year MSc in Mathematics for Education. Aimed at teachers who are currently teaching Mathematics but who do not have a degree in the subject, the course is made up of both mathematics and mathematics education modules. The mathematics modules are delivered by staff from the University’s Mathematics Department and cover areas that are particularly important for the new Project Maths syllabus. A novel aspect of the course is the Problem Solving and Proof module. Designed specially for this programme, this module develops strategies to aid problem solving and explores the influence of factors such as attitudes and emotions on problem solving ability. The mathematics education modules, delivered in Maynooth by staff from the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge, cover topics such as techniques for introducing proof to secondary students, using technology in the classroom, and a comparison of international education systems. Students also travel to Cambridge for one midweek summer block – a trip which has proved extremely popular.
Watch this space Recruitment for the next intake of students will begin in early 2011. All details of the MSc in Mathematics for Education can be found at → www.maths.nuim.ie/mscmathedmain www.alumni.nuim.ie
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Alumnus Fiona Larkan tells The Bridge how her new job owes a special ‘thank you’ to a chance encounter with a stranger she met on an airplane nineteen years ago.
Fiona Larkan
A LIFELONG JOURNEY As a 12 year-old living briefly in Zambia I remember being fascinated not only by the Nyanja language that local adults taught me, but by what they felt was important for me to know, compared to the phrases taught to me by children my own age, which were far more exciting and risqué. Having never heard of Anthropology myself I tried to articulate my interests to a career guidance teacher at school once but somehow ended up being advised to study public relations. It was only some 20 years later, during a chance meeting on a flight to South Africa with a lady who described herself as an Anthropologist, that I was finally able to make the connection between all the things I loved (architecture, history, geography, language, people, literature, customs) and a discipline that I could explore. So you could say I was a late starter when I began studying, or maybe I was quite an early starter looking for a home. As the only Anthropology Department in the south of Ireland is in Maynooth, the campus became ‘home’ for the following eleven years. I enrolled for a BA in 1999 with Anthropology, Greek and Roman Civilisation and Geography, and so the journey began. From the start I loved everything about college – the subjects, the people, the environment, the learning. The services that were in place for parents and for mature students were, I felt, a life-saver. My youngest son attended the college crèche and the mature students support office provided solid advice, guidance and a friendly ear when things got really tough. And sometimes it was tough! Although I treated college as a nine-to-six job, spending hours in the library between lectures, I rarely worked in the evenings, and so needed to dedicate at least one day of each weekend to writing essays or keeping on top of coursework. My poor husband would be dispatched with the kids for the day or given instructions not to disturb me unless to bring me a cup of tea. My mother and siblings mucked in to ensure that my family weren’t too neglected as I concentrated on meeting deadlines for assignments. Gradually I learned some time-saving techniques, like getting texts on audio tape or CD so that I could listen to them as I drove to and from college along the back roads of north County Dublin, collecting children from school and childminders en route.
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Table Mountain, South Africa
But while I had come to Maynooth primarily to study Anthropology, I found the subject extremely challenging, the department bewildering and the academic language impenetrable at times. To offset this I decided to approach the Department of Anthropology as a field site, where there was an alternative worldview, a different system of organisation, and where people operated with a wholly different set of principles, values and language. I applied a process of inductive learning. And it worked!
By the end of year two I was starting to make progress and had developed a real interest in Medical Anthropology, which I thought I might . like to explore further After graduating I started the MA in Anthropology and in September 2003, with the help of an IRCHSS grant, I transferred to the PhD stream with a study that looked at Sexuality, Risk and Choice amongst student teachers in Ireland and South Africa. This required that I conduct fieldwork in South Africa for a few months every year which, while logistically complicated from a personal point of view (organising family, children, etc.) was greatly facilitated by Dirk Meerkotter, [then] Dean of the Education Faculty of the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The Education Department of NUI Maynooth and St. Patrick’s Teacher Training College in Drumcondra facilitated the Irish component of my research. As a NIRSA affiliate I was also fortunate enough to have support in John Hume Building while working in Ireland. In addition, the Department of Adult and Community Education (in Maynooth and Kilkenny) were so important in providing the opportunity for me to hone my teaching skills and develop a love for teaching that will stay with me forever. Above all, the Department of Anthropology in Maynooth (especially my supervisor Jamie Saris, the postgrad writing group, and the support staff) were instrumental in making the PhD road a less lonely one to travel.
In June 2008, just as I submitted my PhD, I got news that the competitive Global Health Research Award (GHRA), which I had applied for under the auspices of the Combat Diseases of Poverty Consortium (CDPC), was successful. This prestigious award supports a 30-month ethnographic research project which seeks to understand the barriers to access and adherence to antiretroviral (ARV) drug treatment for HIV in South Africa’s Western Cape Province. Despite the fact that free ARVs are available through the government roll-out programme commenced in 2004, it is estimated that some two-thirds of those in need cannot or do not present for treatment (WHO, 2007). Once again I have joined up with UWC (School of Public Health) where David Sanders, Uta Lehmann and Brian van Wyk have been generous facilitators and committed collaborators. The project also funds two local PhD candidates – Thato Ramela and Paschaline Stevens. The South African project finishes at the end of November, just as a new challenge presents itself. In October this year I joined the Centre for Global Health at Trinity College Dublin as Course Director for the MSc in Global Health. Leaving Maynooth is a huge wrench, as it has been so much a part of my life for the past eleven years. The friends I have made here, some of whom are with me since our first day as undergraduates, will remain lifelong friends although we are scattered throughout the country and the world. The Department, which seemed initially so impenetrable, has become familiar and relaxed. However, I will continue to be a part of the CDPC and hope to be in a position to foster strong links between CDPC, the Anthropology Department at NUIM, the Centre for Global Health at TCD and the Irish Forum for Global Health (IFGH).
And to the stranger on the airplane in 1991, ‘thank you’ for introducing me to Anthropology.
Thinking of studying Anthropology? NUI Maynooth is the only university in the South of Ireland with a Department of Anthropology. For further information on studying Anthropology, please visit the Anthropology website at → http://anthropology.nuim.ie www.alumni.nuim.ie
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The Campus Development Plan will transform NUI Maynooth into an internationally recognised centre of excellence, delivering state-of-the-art facilities alongside social and cultural amenities bringing ‘town and gown’ together in Ireland’s only university town.
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
In 2007, NUI Maynooth launched its 10-year €220 million Campus Development Plan to cater to the University’s needs for the coming decade.
Significant milestones have been achieved this year. In September alumnus and Minister for Tourism, Mary Hanafin TD opened Iontas, the latest building to complete. Located on the North campus beside the John Hume Building, Iontas, which cost €15m and was built in 15 months, is now home to 200 academic staff and researchers, including the School of English, Media & Theatre Studies and three of the University’s world renowned research institutes NCG, NIRSA and An Foras Feasa. The new building also provides teaching space in a new 350 seat lecture theatre, as well as student social space. In October Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Mary Coughlan TD, arrived on campus to mark the commencement of the University’s new €20 million library extension. Once completed, the new library will be 250% larger than the existing library, with over 250% increase in PCs and seating capacity.
The state-of-the-art facility will fully integrate the latest IT innovations and will offer students up to eight different ways to study, ranging from social and collaborative to silent and individual, and will have significantly extended opening hours. The new facility will also include a Library Plaza, which will offer a venue for cultural events, performances and exhibitions, and also a landscaped atrium with casual seating. Located on the South Campus, the new library will act as the ‘cultural and intellectual spine’ between the University’s two campuses. A new university restaurant will open in February 2011 on the North campus with seating for 600, replacing the previous facility which was lost in a fire at the end of 2008. In response to increasing demand from domestic and international applicants, additional on-campus accommodation is being developed. The apartments, due to be completed in 2011, will add 400 beds to the current stock of 900, and will include leisure facilities for students.
Check it out Further information on the University’s Campus Development Plan can be located at →http://foundation.nuim.ie/
Maynooth Alumni Association Stay Connected, Keep Connected
www.alumni.nuim.ie
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Despite stiff competition from Michael Collins, James Connolly, Mary Robinson and Bono, the Maynooth graduate was the overall winner from a list of 40 Irish figures who topped an IPSOS/MRBI national survey. It is not difficult to see why the public would have voted for John. A true visionary and lifelong champion of civil rights, he was instrumental in ending over 800 years of conflict in the island of Ireland and for putting Ireland at the forefront of political agendas on both sides of the Atlantic. It was Hume’s multi-stranded approach to the Irish problem which involved dialogue, consent, non-violence and respect for all traditions that lead to the formation of the 1993 Downing Street Declaration. Arguably the pinnacle of his political career, this resulted in referendums which delivered a significant ‘yes’ vote by the Northern Irish and Southern Irish electorate on the subject of self-determination. ‘Its agreement not conquest we’re looking for’ he espoused.
Ireland’s Greatest – John Hume Nobel Peace Prize winner and Maynooth Alumnus, John Hume, was voted Ireland’s Greatest by a massive public vote conducted by RTÉ.
His multi-stranded approach and ideas for a peaceful, democratic solution to the Northern Ireland problem had their origins in his family life and in his path to education. Born in 1937, John came from a non-political family. As his father often reminded him, ‘son you can’t eat a flag’. He was just the right age to be one of the first wave of Catholics to receive a free secondary education. Passing his eleven plus in its first year, he got a university scholarship to Maynooth and in 1954, he enrolled as a BA student reading French and History. While his original intention was to take a further four years of theological study, he decided after some time that the priesthood was not for him. One of his lecturers, Cardinal Tomás O’Fiach remembered him as a brilliant scholar.
During his time in Maynooth, John learned a number of key, lifelong lessons – especially an absolute dedication to logic. It was this dedication and appreciation of logic which gave him the tools to understand and tackle the problems of Northern Ireland. His gratitude in receiving his Maynooth education was to instill in John a duty to help those who weren’t as lucky as him to get such an education. His efforts to help his fellow countrymen took on many guises. In 1960, he was the driving force behind one of the first credit unions in Ireland. His aim was simple – to give ordinary people access to cash, get them out of the poverty trap and away from the notorious money lenders. Hume also championed a campaign for a new university to be established in Derry in 1965. Despite the decision going in favour of unionist Coleraine, his efforts did not go unnoticed. He was also responsible for setting up Ireland’s first non profit housing association having seen first hand the overcrowding and poor living conditions that prevailed in Derry during the 1960s. It was during this period that John had his first dealings with local councils and the political infrastructure of the day. He also saw first hand the rampant inequality and social injustices that were all too prevalent. The challenge that John faced was how to confront these issues and provide the greatest help to the people of Derry. Politics would prove to be the tool to do this.
Maynooth Alumni Association Stay Connected, Keep Connected
Hume watched closely the burgeoning civil rights movement in America. Martin Luther King’s non-violence, no-retaliation mantra began to have great appeal and resonance for the Derry man. A combination of the power of the media and the growing appeal of television ensured that local politics could be made global and John took full advantage of this. Soon the eyes of the political elite in America began to take notice of the civil rights efforts of Hume and his followers. It was not surprising then that in 1972 a fortuitous and timely meeting with Edward Kennedy and Thomas ‘Tip’ O’Neill laid the foundation for a significant relationship between Ireland and America. Northern Ireland politics was now firmly on the American political radar. Later in 1985 when the Anglo Irish Agreement was signed by Margaret Thatcher and Garret Fitzgerald, Mrs Thatcher when asked why she had consented to the agreement replied ‘the Americans made me do it.’ The Anglo Irish Agreement meant one crucial thing to Northern Ireland – money. Hume firmly believed that economics lay at the heart of the Northern Ireland problem. Money could revitalize communities and make the border less relevant. The International Fund for Ireland (IFI) contributed hugely to Northern Ireland business communities. Seagate was one of the internationally recognized companies to locate in the North West of the province. Not only did this mean jobs for the people there but Seagate’s arrival was also instrumental in strengthening both inter community relations and family bonds as younger generations of Northern Irish people began to return home to work. The political efforts of John Hume which began in 1969 when he became an independent MP for the Foyle constituency in the Stormont election and later as an MEP had come full circle. It was to come as no surprise that in 1998 John was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. Accepting his award John marveled about how age old enemies had resolved their differences with respect. ‘All conflict is about difference whether the difference is race, religion or nationality’, he said. ‘Difference is of the essence of humanity. The answer to difference is to respect it.’ The people of Ireland owe a considerable amount to John Hume. His many efforts from the 1960s right through to the 1990s undoubtedly did much to help the people John had made it his stated mission to assist. He was instrumental in helping Ireland rethink its seven hundred year relationship with Britain and with maintaining continuous dialogue between the religious communities in the North. By pursuing key relationships with the main political leaders in the USA, John ensured Northern Ireland politics was firmly top of American minds and in American hearts. Given these many achievements, it is difficult to see how anyone else could be named Ireland’s Greatest. From humble beginnings, the Maynooth man has done well.
In brief 1937 → Born, Northern Ireland 1954 → Scholarship to Maynooth College 1969 → Independent MP for the Foyle constituency 1998 → Nobel Prize for Peace www.alumni.nuim.ie
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Note to Alumni 2010 saw the gathering of a further two ‘Maynooth Alumni Abroad’ in Beijing and Boston. Hosted by the President of the University, these events, which are proving to be extremely popular, provide an opportunity for alumni to connect with each other and hear updates about their alma mater. Speaking at both events, the President commented that ‘Alumni are the corner stone of the University’s reputation’.
Setting up a Chapter is a great way for graduates to keep in touch with each other and the University. If anyone would like to find out more about doing this, please contact Karen Kelly in the Alumni Office at → 01-7086492 / alumni@nuim.ie
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Boston
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February 2010
Held in the Boston College Club on February the 4th, the Boston reunion was attended by graduates of Geography, Science and Music, to name a few now living in the city and surrounding area.
3 1. Rosin Doran, Mark Mathers, John Devane and his wife 2. Ronan Cleary and Frank Fitzmaurice 3. Tim Treacy and guest, John Devane
Maynooth Alumni Association Stay Connected, Keep Connected
March 2010
Beijing
3 1. St Patrick’s Day parade in Chaoyang Park 2. Cao Weiqun 3. Fan Dong speaking with Ambassador Declan Kelleher
Held on a snowy March 14th, the Beijing reunion happily coincided with St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the city. The reunion was attended by Declan Kelleher, Irish Ambassador to China, who in addressing the alumni, spoke of the important role they play in driving connections between Ireland and China.
www.alumni.nuim.ie
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MAKing OUr MArK On The WOrLd
Where Are TheY nOW? Some of our Alumni get in touch…
NUI Maynooth expands its global footprint
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3 1. Iuri Faria Codas from University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, Vera Ushurova from Voronezh State University in Russia and Caroline Moreira eufrausino from University of Sao Paulo in Brazil 2. The Nigerian First Minister (economics) to Ireland, Mr B.O. Amobi, Undergraduate Student Alasia Belema Hannington from Nigeria, and Professor Larry Taylor, NUI Maynooth, at the International Student Scholarship Awards which took place in November 2010. Alasia is studying Biological and Biomedical Science at NUI Maynooth. 3. The Chariman of the University Council of Beihan University, Professor Du Yubo and President of NUI Maynooth, Tom Collins sign a partnership agreement between the two universities.
With over a third of academic staff from outside Ireland, and international students from twenty five countries, including China, Peru, Japan and the United States, accounting for almost 15% of the student population, NUI Maynooth is a stimulating mix of cultural diversity. Today, the University’s global footprint is expanding through an increasing number of international research projects, university collaborations and study abroad agreements. Dr Priscilla Mooney, a postdoctoral researcher in the Geography Department at NUI Maynooth and a former graduate of the Physics Department at NUI Maynooth, is currently working at the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, a leading international centre for climate research, to further develop the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for applications in regional climate modelling and weather forecasting. Dr Mooney’s placement has been facilitated through an IRCSeT-Marie Curie International Mobility Fellowship in Science, engineering, and Technology; a highly competitive fellowship which enables recipients spend a year and a half at an institution outside Ireland, followed by a return phase of one year in Ireland. Dr Mooney will return to NUI Maynooth in 2012, having established strong links between NUI Maynooth, Oxford University (to which she will be seconded on her return from Colorado) and the NCAR in Boulder. The calibre of international students choosing NUI Maynooth is impressive. In this academic year, the University hosts both Fulbright and Mitchell scholars, alongside 22 International entrance Scholars, receiving their awards based on the quality of academic work completed prior to applying to NUI Maynooth.
MAynoo A Aynoo TH ALuMnI ASSoCIATIon STAY CONNeCTeD, KeeP CONNeCTeD
Represented among this year’s International entrance Scholars are two students from Changzhou University in China. Wei Zhang and Ming Ming Liu began their studies in Applied Computer Science and electronic engineering in China. After three years of study in China, they have arrived at NUI Maynooth to complete their fourth and final year of study, enabling them receive an honours Bachelors degree. This type of agreement between NUI Maynooth and Changzhou University, one of many that the University holds with educational institutions in China, allows students experience studying in Ireland, while enhancing their career prospects when they return to China. The University is actively encouraging current students to spend a year abroad at one of its partner universities in europe, Asia, South America, Canada or the USA. This year scholars from NUI Maynooth are studying in Shanghai, Miami, Boston, Toronto, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Barcelona, Ljubljana, and Prague to name but a few destinations. Partnership agreements to facilitate joint degree programs, collaborative research and study abroad opportunities for international students have also been signed between NUI Maynooth and universities in China, Korea, Brazil, USA, Canada, Russia and throughout europe under the erasmus programme. These agreements afford our students to travel to other parts of the world for study or research, helping NUI Maynooth make its mark on the world.
Get in touch Michelle Brien, International Marketing Officer, at michelle.brien@nuim.ie or visit →www.international.nuim.ie.
Bai Mo (centre) MA 2008
Liu Xiaochen Phd 2010
John Cullen BA 1990
I was awarded my Masters degree in economics and Finance in 2008 in NUI Maynooth. All of the things I experienced in Maynooth impressed me. The factors which influenced my decision to study in Maynooth included the multicultural environment, the worldwide recognition of many of its degrees and the fact that Ireland is an english-speaking country. The most important point for me was that a degree awarded in Ireland would be recognised all over the world.
In 2006, I enrolled in a PhD degree programme at Department of Geography, NUI Maynooth. Under the supervision of Prof Sweeney , I successfully completed my PhD study on climate change and sustainable urban development and obtained the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in March 2010. Before I came to Ireland, I did my Master’s degree at Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences at Beijing and took my undergraduate study at Nanjing Institute of Meteorology.
I attended St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth from 1987 to 1990, graduating with a BA in Social Sciences. emigrating shortly afterwards to Poughkeepsie, a small upstate town in the United States, I continue to live there with my wife and two wonderful children. I work in New York City for a specialty insurance carrier.
I feel that I received the best education in NUI Maynooth. It was very well organised, helpful and diverse. I also found it pretty demanding but having said that, the college lecturers were very friendly and patient. They always took the time to listen to our issues and discussed with us how we could solve the problem. To be an international student and move to a foreign country can be a bit scary but the International Office gave excellent support to each of us.
I still quite remember the first day when I arrived at Maynooth. A friend, who was studying at NUI Maynooth, showed me around the college campus. I was significantly impressed by the historic buildings, the beautiful campus scenery and the peaceful life. It was a pleasure to study at such a wonderful college for years. Meanwhile, I was a little bit worried and scared by the strange place which was so different and far away from my home.
After I got my degree, I went back to Shanghai at the end of 2008. I got a great job within three months – despite the economic recession! Now I am working in the government purchasing center in Shanghai. It was not only a strong academic record which helped me to win the position; my employer was impressed with my overseas experience and fluent english.
Soon, I realised that these worries were totally unnecessary. It only took few days to get to know the colleagues, from the Department of Geography, who became my friends after that. Their patience and support inspired me in completing my research over the next three years. I especially enjoyed working with Prof John Sweeney who was my PhD advisor and appreciated John’s encouragement, advice and support.
To any prospective students, I would say you really need the ability to self-manage. You will gain more from working experiences in your field and by having a clear aim as to why you want to study in Ireland, you can reap the benefits from a postgraduate education in NUI Maynooth. Last but by no means least, just remember to keep yourself open to everything.
The time at Maynooth is a great experience that I wish to cherish for the rest of my life. Not only did I improve my language skills and research abilities, but also I experienced university life in another country and I made some close friends from all over the world. I believe that such experiences will benefit me culturally and personally and I am glad that I studied in NUI Maynooth.
Maynooth was a fantastic place to live and study. The relatively small number of students really appealed to me as you couldn’t get ‘lost’ as happens to many young people in settings with student numbers in the tens of thousands. By the end of my 3rd year I felt like I knew everybody and everybody knew me (maybe my wild hair had something to do with that?). Over the years I have maintained relationships with many of my Maynooth friends, both those that remained in Ireland as well as those that came to the US like me. The geography field trip to France in my last year has to rank as the highlight academically. It was totally unforgettable and I know that those who were on that trip feel the same way. The most significant event in my life, however, also happened at Maynooth, on the footbridge to be totally specific. It was there that I first encountered the American exchange student, Cheri, who would eventually do me the honor of accepting my proposal of marriage! We have returned to Ireland almost every year since 1990 and last year I brought my sixteen year old son and we crossed the footbridge together. Being sixteen he was somewhat unimpressed by the story of our romance but glad he got to walk the same steps anyway. I continue to hope that one or both of my kids will spend a semester in Maynooth and experience the same great sense of adventure and community that I did twenty years ago.
www.alumni.nuim.ie
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Louise O’dwyer BA 1999, MA 2000
Sarah Cunningham BA 1995
Tommy Flynn BA 2009, MA 2010
Mary harris Med 2008
Mary McQuinn BSc 1968, Med 2003
Moss garde BA 2000
My time at NUI Maynooth commenced in 1996 and I spent four very happy years there. During this time, I obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Geography and Sociology) in 1999 and went on to study for a Master of Arts Degree (Geographical Analysis) from 1999-2000. I started my career with the newly established Commission for Aviation Regulation in September 2000 and will soon complete my 10th year with the Commission. I now manage one of the licensing divisions dealing with the licensing of Irish air carriers and groundhandling companies.
I really enjoyed my undergraduate years in Maynooth where I met some great people and made some wonderful friends. In 1996 I was fortunate to be accepted into doing a postgraduate Higher Diploma in Information Technology. It was really then that I matured and realised the determination that I had to succeed. Shortly after completing the course I got a job in Intel where I enjoyed 9 years working in various different positions including business analyst, IT technician and later on, management.
In 2006 I found myself on my way to NUI Maynooth to study a Bachelor of Social Science Degree which I completed in 2009. I then went on to do a Master of Arts in Local History, which I completed in October 2010. I can honestly say that I found the academic environment in NUI Maynooth to be challenging and stimulating, encouraging and rewarding. Three years studying the various intricacies of History, Social Policy and Sociology gave me an appreciation of the tradition, and indeed privilege of academia in this University, and as I grew more familiar with its environs over the years, it was evident how high this institution was held in the regard of so many of its patrons.
I am studying for my Post Graduate Diploma in School Guidance and Counselling at NUI Maynooth. My studies began in NUI Galway in 1992, where I did a BA in French and German followed by the HDip in education.
I began my BSc degree in September 1968. There were twenty in my class, comprising Clerical students, Christian Brothers, Presentation and Mercy Sisters, a few boys and myself! As the only lay girl in the class I became very friendly with the Sisters.
I attended St Patrick’s College and NUI Maynooth from 1996 – 2000. During which time I obtained a Bachelor of Arts & Theology Degree. After graduating I did postgraduate study in the US and a Masters from UCD. Following the USA stint, I became a student Adviser and student Recruitment Officer in UCD. My career path then took me to other education Institutions such as Independent Colleges, the University of Plymouth in the UK and to my current position as Founding Director for enrolment, Admissions and Registry at the Botswana International University of Science & Technology. It’s a long way from the campus of Maynooth to the edge of the Kalahari Desert!
earlier this year, I took a trip down memory lane when I attended a reunion organised by the Geography Department. I was delighted to be back in Maynooth again and, while I noticed many changes around the campus, in many ways it felt like I had never been away! My memories of Maynooth are all happy ones. I met some great people during my time in Maynooth and am lucky to count some of these among my closest friends today. My fondest memories are of Geography field trips which never failed to entertain, my work as a tutor during my Masters year which was very fulfilling and a very memorable Christmas party which took place in the Geography Department in 1999! Great fun was had by all. I will always hold dear memories of my days in Maynooth which were filled with learning, friendship and fun! To my former Geography lecturers retiring this year, I wish you all the best for a very happy retirement. I also wish NUI Maynooth continued growth and success for the future.
When Intel introduced a voluntary redundancy package in 2007, I took the opportunity and decided to set up my own business in event décor. even though I had no formal training or previous work experience in this area, it was something that I had always been interested in and felt that their was a gap in the market for someone to offer a better service. My business missed the roar of the Celtic Tiger by a couple of years but I see this as a lucky escape. Since the recession, I have been able to streamline the business and continue to offer customers a service that they want or need, at a price they can afford. I have many great memories of my time in Maynooth but the experience that I cherish most of all is meeting my husband, Philip. Our paths had crossed on a few occasions during my degree but we finally found each other in my final year! We now have 3 beautiful boys, Luke, David and Daniel. I feel very grateful for the knowledge that I gained, the people that I met and the experiences that I had, that have all helped me to get to this point in my life.
One of the most important decisions I took during my time in Maynooth was to become involved in the GAA Club of the University. As the only student from my Leaving Cert class to go to Maynooth, this was the natural outlet for me to experience Maynooth as a spectrum, rather than a solitary educational facility. I cannot write this article without making mentioning the Sigerson Cup. It was my greatest pride, privilege and honour to Chair the Club as we played host to the Sigerson Cup of 2010. For two glorious days in February of this year, the academe and the GAA collided with Maynooth as the epicentre, where we were fortunate enough to have qualified for the semi-finals, which made the weekend extra-special. Further honours ensued as we collected the ‘Club of the Year Award’ for the first time ever at the annual Clubs and Societies Awards. As an alumnus, this University has afforded me countless experiences and memories which I will treasure. The friends I have made, the education I have received and the affection with which I have been imbued with for NUI Maynooth will remain with me long after I have crossed ‘the Bridge’ for the final time.
From the moment I started teaching I loved the job with a passion. Many people talk about how difficult teaching is, which is true but it is also one of the most enjoyable and rewarding jobs you can have. There is nothing like watching your students graduate from school, happy and having achieved their potential. Knowing you play a small part is a wonderful feeling. As the years passed, I started thinking about returning to education. Fate intervened in the form of NUI Maynooth who were recruiting teachers for a teaching and learning project called TL21. I spent three years part time working on this, finishing with a Med and an increased appetite for learning. I had always been interested in the Guidance Counselling Service in schools and was active in pastoral care in my school. I did a part-time evening course, again in NUI Maynooth, in basic Counselling Skills which I loved and it affirmed the decision I had made to go back as a full time student in the PGDSGC programme. Being back in college is a privilege and a joy. There is an appreciation that didn’t exist for me first time round and I have embraced college life in every way. My classmates all have a background in teaching but the diversity in our experiences make for an interesting mix and add to our learning experiences. The quality of teaching and the level of support in the education Department are excellent. I was asked what the highlight has been for me so far. I can honestly say that it is everyday when I walk through the beautiful campus in the morning and know that I am going to enjoy my day. I think that’s as good as it gets.
My chemistry professor was Dr Michael Casey OP known affectionately as ‘The Dom’. The Dom never addressed me by my first name I was always called Miss Burke. My physics professor was Dr Gerry Mc Greevy. Again I was always formally addressed. Dr JJ McMahon was my maths professor. I was in Maynooth during a period of great change. Vatican 2 resulted in Maynooth welcoming more non clerical students. Secondary education was provided free for all students and Maynooth trained many teachers for this task. I was one of those. My class graduated in November 1971 – the very first lay graduates to be conferred with our primary degrees by St. Patrick's College Maynooth. I started teaching in St Mary's in edenderry and my colleagues and I traveled to Maynooth by taxi four evenings a week for our Higher Diploma in education. Over the years, I taught in many schools in Carlow. I spent ten fulfilling years rearing my family and returned to teaching when the children were well established in school. I have been teaching in Tullow Community School since the early nineties. In 2003 I was conferred in NUI Maynooth with my Masters in education degree. Prof John Coulihan, Dr Anne Lodge and my supervisor, Dr Padraig Hogan in the education Department were an inspiration. Right now I am in the enviable position of being a student again, this time of the other great love of my life – music. I am now in the second year of the Diploma in Arts (Church Music). My tutors are Dr John O’Keeffe, David Connolly and edward Holden. enough about me. I would love to meet my classmates from the Class of 1971. Perhaps we could meet at the Alumni Ball???
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The 90’s at Maynooth were an exciting time as a student and especially being part of the Students Union. As many people say when we chat about Maynooth it’s people and events that come to mind, the stoic Flan Markem, the bearded Peter Carr who was always on hand for the students, day or night, Tommy Kelly and his love of bringing philosophy to life, the ever present Mary and Brian in the SU and of course Mags Kirwin. The best times for me, aside from class, was out on the sports field. Also, the SU was a hive of activity with the recognition of the GLB society and the battle with the bishops. The new Universities Act and being part of shaping it with NUI Maynooth was a privilege. My time at Maynooth was some of the best time of my life. It’s been a while since I’ve been back but I hear there are lots of positive changes. And it’s not all about size! To this day and having worked in Universities all over the world, I still say Maynooth was the best. There is a saying here in Botswana that a man is only a man by virtue of the people around him. This is especially true of Maynooth…so thanks for the memories and the friendships.
Get in touch If anyone from the Class of 1971 would like to get in touch with Mary, please contact the Alumni Office directly. → alumni@nuim.ie. or 01-7086492 www.alumni.nuim.ie
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Contact For further information on the University’s Campus conference facilities →http://nuim.ie
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1. & 2. EASA delegates enjoy final evening of conference
On any given day there’s likely to be a mix of Irish and overseas visitors, basing themselves on the campus for anything from three days to two weeks, availing of the excellent meeting and dining facilities and the extensive range of accommodation.
During the summer most students are so busy travelling the world or earning cash to bank-roll their next year in college they don’t have time to think about what’s happening back at NUI wzw. If they do perhaps they imagine silent buildings, empty apartments, tumbleweed blowing through deserted quadrangles. The reality, however, is very different. Once the summer exams are over the university campus transforms itself into a vibrant centre for academic conferences, language schools, study abroad programmes, summer schools, retreats and sports events. And the students who return to Maynooth in September might just be chuffed to know that the thousands of people who spend some of the summer on-campus leave here with a brilliant impression of a beautiful location that has everything they need for a memorable experience. The things our own students and staff perhaps take for granted are already cherished memories in Milan, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, New York and wherever else our summer visitors call home. So, after another busy summer, chances are that someone’s already looking back fondly on a coffee break in bright sunshine by the water feature at Iontas, a reception in the Bicentenary Garden, Balkan music at a conference dinner in Pugin Hall or animated conversation in a blooming St Joseph’s Square. And we know for certain that our visitors simply love Maynooth.
Maynooth Alumni Association Stay Connected, Keep Connected
Of course, it’s not just about the place. The people make all the difference. The Maynooth Campus Conference & Accommodation team spares nothing in trying to deliver a service that is friendly, efficient and cost-effective. With almost twenty years’ experience and dedicated staff event organisers and guests are assured of careful attention and a genuine desire to make the visitor experience something to remember. The conference manager, Bill Tinley, a Maynooth alumnus himself, explains:
Maynooth’s reputation for being people-centred guarantees a warm welcome. Academics hosting a conference of their International peers put as much effort into the personal touches as into the intellectual content of their programmes. It’s not a calculated move to put the best side out but stems rather from a genuine sense of identification with the university. You can’t fake that and it’s obvious from the reaction of conference delegates that it means a lot to them.’
NUI Maynooth is now firmly on the map as a conference venue. In 2010 the University hosted the 11th Biennial EASA conference, with almost 1,200 international delegates attending. Organised by Dr Abdullahi El-Tom, Head of the Department of Anthropology, it was the largest conference to be held at Maynooth. Another highlight was the IASIL conference, organised by Professor Margaret Kelleher of An Foras Feasa, with almost 300 delegates in attendance. Dr Jackie Nugent from Biology hosted the 2nd International Symposium on Chloroplast Genomics and Genetic Engineering, with more than 100 delegates, while Ronan Higgins from Experimental Physics organised the Common Software Development Team Meeting which brought 90 delegates to the campus. Coming in 2011 are the International Congress on Celtic Studies and POSMOL, Foróige will host its annual Leadership Programme here for the first time, attracting 250 international youth delegates, while the Department of Social Protection will run its Cross-Border Summer School here for the third time. Regulars such as the Salsa School and the Irish Church Music Association Summer School also return. A lot of hard work is being done to make sure that the one thing you won’t experience at Maynooth in summer is the silence of somewhere without people.
www.alumni.nuim.ie
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Graduations
This year’s graduation ceremonies at NUI Maynooth in early September and at the end of October saw over 2,000 undergraduates and postgraduates being conferred.
1. Mary McCaughey – Palmerstown, Peter Mooney – Maynooth 2. This years graduates of the MA Leadership, Management and Defence Studies with Lt. Gen Sean McCann, Professor John Hughes and Dr David Redmond. 3. From China Di Wei, Lei Yu, Mengxi Gu, Yue Zhu, Siliang Tang
4. Nadia Corrigan graduated with an Honours Degree of Bachelor of Arts (Double Honours pictured with her daughter Mia
5. Dr John Kealy - Dundrum, Dr Paraic Scanlon 6. Cathal and Aodhan Coffey from Naas, celebrated their First Class honours in Computer Science and Software Engineering and Electronic Engineering and Communications.
Seven new awards were added this year; BA (Anthropology), BA (Multimedia), BA (Politics), Bachelor of Business Studies (Business and Management, Bachelor of Business Studies (Equine Business), Bachelor of Business Studies (Venture Management) and Doctor of Education. Among the graduates were twenty six members of the Defence Forces who graduated with an MA (Leadership, Management and Defence Studies) who along with their Chief of Staff, Lt General Sean McCann and Chief of Staff (Operations) Maj General Ralph James took part in the colourful ceremonies on the South Campus.
This year’s graduates included army personnel drawn from the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps of the Defence Forces, in addition to international students from Pakistan, Germany, the United States and Cyprus. Over 170 officers have graduated from this course since it commenced in 2001.
A PLACE OF REST
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Kilkenny Campus
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17th November 2010: Graduates of NUI Maynooth’s Kilkenny Campus were conferred at the 2010 Conferring Ceremony on 17th November at Kilkenny Castle. A total of twenty two degrees and diplomas were awarded to graduates from all walks of life and from all over the South East and beyond. Among the graduates this year was Mr Billy Murphy, well known Kilkenny man and Chair of the Campus Steering Committee. Billy was conferred with the Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge. This brings to just over 1200 the number of awards granted by NUI Maynooth to citizens of Kilkenny and the surrounding counties since the genesis of Kilkenny Campus in 1997.
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Beyond an elegant glade of Yew Trees in the park, lies the College Cemetery, a place of peace, where many a student has found solace between exams, or following a few tough classes.
The Yew is the ancient symbol of eternal life, so yew trees appropriately adorn the entrance to the cemetery and a tour of some of those resting beneath Celtic Crosses reveals individuals who have made lasting contributions in Ireland and internationally. Some of those buried under magnificent Celtic Crosses made lasting contributions in Ireland and internationally. Dr Nicholas Callan from County Louth, (1799 – 1864), invented the Induction Coil, Professors François Anglade (1758 – 1834) and Louis Delahogue (1739 – 1827) taught in the Sorbonne before the French Revolution and had to leave France for refusing to take ‘The Oath’ and Dr Charles Russell (1812 – 1880), of whom Cardinal John Henry Newman wrote that he ‘had, perhaps, more to do with my conversion than anyone else’.
The youthful remains of Eoghan O’Growney from County Meath (1863 – 1899) are also housed in the mausoleum. He was professor of Irish, and was to found the Gaelic League with Douglas Hyde and Eoin MacNeill before he died of TB at the age of 36. While the College was founded in 1795, the first to be buried in the new College Cemetery was Rev Francis Power (1737 – 1817), Professor of French and the first Bursar and Vice President of the college. Many Maynooth alumni talk about the pastoral qualities of the college that embraced them during their studies throughout the years. It is not surprising that this tranquil and serene spot provides many a weary student with an opportunity to reflect and regroup especially during moments of need.
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Maynooth Alumni Association Stay Connected, Keep Connected
www.alumni.nuim.ie
Exclusive to you Exclusive to you Bank of Ireland and NUI Maynooth are delighted to introduce the exclusive Maynooth Affinity Credit Card. This credit card is designed especially for Maynooth Alumni and offers some great benefits, such as: Balance transfer rate of 2.9% APR* for 12 months Flexible payment options 24 hour cash facility Up to 3 free additional cardholders And that’s not all! For every credit card account opened Bank of Ireland will make a donation to the Maynooth Alumni Fund plus a percentage of your annual spend – all at no extra cost to you. Talk to us today at Bank of Ireland campus branch or phone 01 6286811 Lending criteria and terms and conditions apply. Applicants must be aged 18 years or more. * After 12 months the fixed rate of 2.9% APR on balance transfers reverts to the standard variable rate of 14.9% APR. Interest rates quoted are correct as at 1st September 2010 and are subject to change. Bank of Ireland is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.