Carrying the mace, conferring ceremony, 1968
Item
Format
JPEG
Title
Carrying the mace, conferring ceremony, 1968
Identifier
VH0077
Depiction
A man holding a mace aloft, followed by a procession of men and women of varying ages, in front of a Gothic revival building.
Description
Pádraig Ó Fátharta, Head Porter, leads a procession of staff and recent graduates. Behind him, in the front row, are John Waddell, Professor Edmund Dougan and Joe McCabe. Towards the back, 3rd from the right, is Tom O'Connor.
Edmund Dougan, who was originally from Clonmel, was the first professor of Sociology after it separated from the Department of Philosophy. He was a member of the Franciscan order and had been Guardian (1957–63) of the Irish College in Louvain prior to his appointment in UCG. Many students and colleagues were influenced by him. One of them, President Michael D. Higgins, recalling his own early days as a lecturer and his enthusiasm for the theories of Michel Foucault, has told the following anecdote: 'I remember hearing from the chair of the Department of Political Science and Sociology, Professor Edmond Dougan, fellow sociologist, Head of Department, and a Franciscan, that our students had told him how, in introducing the concept of society, I had taken it all apart for them. "Yes, Michael", he asked, "But did you put it back together for them at the end?" ' (Higgins 2018).
Following his time in Galway, Edmund Dougan took on a new role as parish priest in the English-speaking parish of St. Anthony's in Kraainem (Brussels), remaining there from 1987 until his death in 1995.
John Waddell, later Professor of Archaeology, and Joe McCabe were each conferred with the degree of Master of Arts in Archaeology on this occasion, while Tom O'Connor was already an established member of the Physics Department.
Following his time in Galway, Edmund Dougan took on a new role as parish priest in the English-speaking parish of St. Anthony's in Kraainem (Brussels), remaining there from 1987 until his death in 1995.
John Waddell, later Professor of Archaeology, and Joe McCabe were each conferred with the degree of Master of Arts in Archaeology on this occasion, while Tom O'Connor was already an established member of the Physics Department.
People
Edmund Dougan
Joe McCabe
Tom O'Connor
Pádraig Ó Fátharta
John Waddell
References
Michael D. Higgins, 'Speech at the Galway International Arts Festival on “The Idea of Home”, NUI Galway, 21 July 2018', President of Ireland Media Library at https://www.president.ie/en/media-library/speeches/speech-at-at-the-launch-of-the-first-thought-talks-strand-of-galway-interna, accessed 8 Feb. 2028.
Contributor
Bibliographic Citation
D. Igoe, J. Conroy, ‘Carrying the Mace, 1968'’, Visual History Retired Staff Collection, University of Galway Digital Collections, Asset Id 14557, Archival Record Id VHRS
Spatial Coverage
Temporal Coverage
Period
1960s
Category
b&w
group
on-campus
outdoors
Language
English
Creator
Physics
Publisher
University of Galway Library
Rights
Photographc credit: Connacht Tribune. For any intended re-use, permission must be obtained from the Connacht Tribune.