Visual History Retired Staff Collection IMAGES

Item Set

Items

• John McGahern and President Colm Ó hEocha
  The author John McGahern chatting with Dr Colm Ó hEocha, President, in the President's quarters in the Quadrangle of UCG.
• Mrs Anne Creaven ('Ma Creaven') and unidentified male
  The woman on the left of the photo is Mrs. Anne Creaven, known to all as 'Ma Creaven', who operated the coffee shop on campus. The male seated beside her on the right is unidentified. The venue is a university function, unidentified.
• Mrs Creaven ('Ma Creaven') outside the university coffee shop
  Mrs. Creaven (known as 'Ma Creaven') pictured in the doorway of pavilion building, which served as the university coffee shop. Mrs. Creaven managed the coffee shop for many years. Note the notices displayed in the window of the coffee shop, which usually related to forthcoming college-related social and sporting events.
• Mrs. Creaven ('Ma Creaven') outside the University coffee shop
  Mrs. Anne Creaven (known as 'Ma Creaven') pictured outside the pavilion, which served as the university coffee shop, which she managed for many years.
• Cilian Ó Brolcháin and Tom O'Connor, PhD conferring, 1961
  On the left is Cilian Ó Brolcháin (1905–1976), who gained his BSc in UCD in 1925 and his MSc in 1926, after which he studied under Nobel prizewinner V.F. Hess in Graz. Following a period as lecturer in UCG, he was appointed to the chair of Experimental Physics there in 1934. He served as Dean of Science and took a keen interest in the teaching of science and other disciplines through Irish. He married Mairéad Coughlan, 'a former schools inspector in domestic science and native Irish-speaker from Macroom, Co. Cork' (DIB). Among their children was Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin (1955–2015), the distinguished specialist of medieval Irish language and literature, and political activist. In 1973, ill health obliged Cilian Ó Brolcháin to retire (Ainm.ie). On the right, Tom O'Connor (1931-2012), who had been appointed a lecturer in Physics in 1956, is seen here on the day of his PhD conferring. Featured in several photographs in this Collection (q.v.), he was a leading figure in his field and is particularly noted for the creation of the Mace Head Atmospheric Research Station.
• Frank Gaffney and Tom O'Connor outside the south wing of the Quadrangle, 1959
  Seen here on the left is Frank Gaffney, who was a technician in the Physics department, and on the right is Tom O'Connor, lecturer in and later Professor of Physics. Frank Gaffney was closely associated with Tom O'Connor in the early days of the Atmospheric Research Station at Half Mace. He made a significant contribution to the recording of Galway's climate from the 1960s to the 1990s. He was also a member of the UCG Mountaineering Club from the beginning of its formal existence. He continued to collect weather data well after his retirement. Originally from Tubercurry, Co. Sligo, he died on 25 November 2012.
• Putting the shot, summer 1959
  This photograph was taken at the 1959 Co. Galway Sports Meet, in which students and staff of UCG participated.
• Judging the pole-vault, summer 1959
  This photograph was taken at the 1959 Co. Galway sports meet, in which students and staff of UCG participated. Note that a heap of sawdust was the landing-place for those completing their vault.
• Triple jump, summer 1959
  This photograph was taken on Fahy's Field at the 1959 Co. Galway sports meet, in which students and staff of UCG participated.
• Science graduation, 1961
  Among those present in this photograph are members of staff Martin Newell, Tom O'Connor and Breandán Ó Cochlain. Some of the graduates are still to be identified but the others are named in the accompanying key.
• 1977 Atmospheric Physics Conference in UCG
  In 1977 UCG was host to the Ninth International Conference on Atmospheric Aerosols Condensation & Ice Nuclei. The conference was held from 18-24 September and its principal local organizers were Tom O'Connor and Aodhgán Ó Rodaigh (Roddy). 'Some 142 scientists from 22 countries presented 101 papers. The proceedings were published as a book entitled "Atmospheric Aerosols and Nuclei” by Galway University Press' (CNAA, 2023). Among those seen here are Stephen G. Jennings (3rd row from back, centre, between a man with a beard and another with glasses), Aodhgán Ó Rodaigh (3rd from right, holding a sheet of paper), T.P.G. McGreevy (2nd row, last on right) and Tom O'Connor (left of the sign). The photograph was taken outside the Arts-Science Building, which was opened in 1974.
• Boxing team, 1956-57, Morrow Cup winners
  Back row (l.-r.): Unidentified; Brendan Mee; ? Dunleavy; Cody Gill; Unidentified; Frank Imbusch; Christy Townley. Front row (l.-r.): Unidentified; Frank Brickhill; Unidentified; Benny Ruane ; Unidentified; Roy Cazabon ; Peter Ruane. Frank Imbusch records that in the year this photograph was taken Christy Townley handled the club's finances and Frank organized the events. A full record of the Morrow Cup competition has not been located. However, we know that a decade later, when the event was hosted in Galway, the UCG Boxing Club again won the team trophy, not without their rivals in TCD alleging favouritism on the part of the local referee, as reported by the undergraduate weekly Trinity News (p. 8). Several members of the Trinity team are mentioned in the article, but from UCG only 'Corcoran', the winner of the lightweight contest, is named. Christy Townley was the University's seventh Librarian. To date (April 2024) their have been 12: James Hardiman (1845-1855); John Richardson (1855-1877); D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson (1877-1902); Valentine Steinberger (1902-1916); John Howley (1917-1935); Michael J. Fahy (1936-1960); Christopher Townley (1960-1982); Alf MacLochlainn (1982-1987); Patricia O’Connell (1987-1991); Marie Reddan (1991-2008); John Cox (2008-2023); and Monica Crump (2023-). From the outset the standards set for Librarians were extremely high. The examination following which the second Librarian, John Richardson, was appointed makes impressive reading. It was held in the Office of the Queen's University in Dublin Castle in January 1856. Four very lengthy papers were set: Modern Languages and Literature (French and German); General Literature; 'Competitive examination' ( book history and librarianship); and History and English Literature.
• Tom O'Connor with President Ó Tnúthail, 1961
  This photograph was taken on the day on which a doctorate in Physics was conferred on Tom O'Connor for his thesis entitled 'The measurement of the size and concentration of condensation nuclei'. He had been a lecturer in UCG since 1956 and was to become a significant figure in the development of his discipline there. The trees and branches lying in the background are probably the result of Hurricane Debbie which struck the west of Ireland on 16 September 1961, causing widespread damage.
• Microbiology students on a visit to a dairy
  The dairy seen here may be Michelstown Dairy. The only person who has been identified is John Patching with beard and glasses in the front row.
• Microbiology class at the Guinness brewery, mid 1970s
  John Patching records that this photograph was take during an educational tour for Microbiology students some time around the mid 1970s. Four of the students here have been identified: Fergal O’Gara, later Professor of Microbiology in UCC and father of Ronan of rugby fame, is third from the left in the second row. Next to him are Victoria Garrod (later Buckley) and Chris Buckley. John Patching (with a beard), later professor of Marine Microbiology in NUI Galway, is third from the right in the second row.
• Pádraig Ó Céidigh and his dog on Aran, 1994
  Pádraig Ó Céidigh (Paddy Keady), professor of Zoology in NUIG, and a specialist of marine biology, was frequently accompanied by his dog. They are seen here beachcombing during a break in proceedings at the launch of the 'Book of Aran'. This is one of 33 photographs taken by Frank Imbusch at the launch.
• John de Courcy Ireland and John Waddell, Aran, 1994
  John de Courcy Ireland, noted maritime historian and political activist, and John Waddell, lecturer and later professor of Archaeology in NUIG, are seen here at the launch of the 'Book of Aran' on Inishmore.    This is one of 33 photographs taken by Frank Imbusch on that day. John de Courcy Ireland was a contributor to the book, which was edited by A. Korff, J. Waddell and J.W. O'Connell.
• Labhrás Ó Nualláin, MEcon, UCD
  This photograph of Labhrás Ó Nualláin (1912-2000) was taken at his Master of Economics graduation in 1945. In the same year he was awarded a BA from Trinity College Dublin. Both degrees were undertaken when he had already started a family and was working in the Employment Exchange in Dublin. In 1953 he took up a lectureship in Economics in UCG, where in 1970 he was appointed to the Chair of Economics.
• Evening BA class, early 1980s
  Evening BA class, early 1980s, seated in a lecture theatre with Hubert McDermott
• Evening BA class with Department of English staff, early 1980s
  Evening BA class with three academic staff from the Department of English in front of the Aula Maxima, Quadrangle, UCG.
• Edna O'Brien, DLitt honoris causa, 1991
  Edna O'Brien on July 1, 1991 , following conferral in UCG of the honorary degree DLitt on her by the NUI, on the proposal of UCG, with Professor Hubert McDermott, Department of English, who had delivered the citation contained in the folder in his hand. The photograph was taken in the President's garden behind the southwest corner of the Quadrangle. This was the first honorary degree conferred on Edna O'Brien by any University. It was generally seen as overdue recognition of a writer whose controversial early novels in the 1960s, rooted in the religion-dominated Irish rural society of her girlhood, had been banned in Ireland. A photograph of her chatting on this occasion with the Bishop of Killaloe, Most Rev. Dr Michael Harty, who was Clare Co. Council's representative on the Governing Body at the time, was thus seen by many as reflecting the change in Irish society since that time. That belated sense of acceptance was echoed in Miriam Lord's report, following her interview of Edna after the conferral, under the headline 'Country Girl Goes Home', published in the Irish Independent of July 2, 1991.
• Nordic-Celtic Legend Symposium in UCG, 1991
  A Nordic-Celtic Legend Symposium took place in UCG, Mar. 1991. The event was inspired by a symposium on Irish and Scottish migratory legends held in UCD in 1988, and in turn, the 2nd such Conference held in Galway became the inspiration for an expanded Nordic-Celtic-Baltic conference held in the University of Copenhagen in 1993. Those with UCG affiliations in the group conference picture included Mícheál Mac Craith (3rd from left in front row), Séamas Ó Catháin (6th from left in front row), Pádraig Ó Héalaí (7th from left in front row), Mark Wringe (3rd from the right in the row above the front row), and Lillis Ó Laoire in the 2nd row from the top, and to the right of the person with a blue top - they all were in the Dept. of Nua-Ghaeilge, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. The Conference picture also included Bo Almqvist (2nd from the right in the front row), Dept. of Folklore, UCD and many other folklore scholars from a range of countries. The conference papers dealing with the history, function and form of folk legends in the relevant geographical areas were subsequently published in Béaloideas, Vols. 60-3, 1992-5.
• UCG Sigerson Cup team, mid-1970s
  UCG Sigerson Cup team of the mid-1970s.
• Science Party & Science Society Committee,1970s
  Photos taken at a Science Faculty student party and one photo of the Committee of the Science Society
• Castlebar Extramural Studies Diploma graduates at Conferral, early 1980s
  The Castlebar Extramural Studies Diploma class in the Quadrangle of UCG following conferral of their Diploma, together with academic and other education officers and the Mayor of Galway