Margaret ('Ma') Heavey / Mairéad Ní Éimhigh
Item
Format
JPEG
Title
Margaret ('Ma') Heavey / Mairéad Ní Éimhigh
Identifier
VHS0001
Depiction
A woman holding a bicycle, on which there is a lamp in front and a carrier with a bag at the back
Description
This is Margaret Heavey (Mairéad Ní Éimhigh; earlier Mairghréad Ní Éimhthigh), Lecturer in Ancient Classics (1931-58) and then Professor of Ancient Classics (1958-77), perhaps the most fondly remembered of the academic staff of the College of that era. She was also Dean of the Faculty of Arts (1970-76). She was regarded by many as the living embodiment of the caring University - the alma mater - a regard reflected in her being commonly known as 'Ma' Heavey. She was also the first woman to have a building on campus named (posthumously) in her honour - Áras Ní Éimhigh, the former Coffee Shop, then converted to the Press Office.
The bicycle shown was, at the time of the photograph (probably the 1930s or the early 1940s), her daily mode of transport from Athenry, where she lived, when, as Christy Townley recalled, the train was not operating, as frequently happened during the Second World War Years; when it was, she used the bicycle between the rail station and the College. She often came to the Library (in the Quadrangle), where he worked, around 7pm to get assistance from him in the delicate task of preparing the carbide lamp, shown in the photograph, for the bicycle for the long, lonely journey on the rough road back to Athenry in winter time.
In 1931, in pursuit of the College's new role, agreed with the Government, in relation to Irish-language University education, Margaret Heavey and Seoirse Mac Tomáis (George Thomson) were each appointed to a Lectureship in Ancient Classics. In practice, she focused on Latin and he on Greek, but, when he resigned in 1934, she had to handle both aspects.
The bicycle shown was, at the time of the photograph (probably the 1930s or the early 1940s), her daily mode of transport from Athenry, where she lived, when, as Christy Townley recalled, the train was not operating, as frequently happened during the Second World War Years; when it was, she used the bicycle between the rail station and the College. She often came to the Library (in the Quadrangle), where he worked, around 7pm to get assistance from him in the delicate task of preparing the carbide lamp, shown in the photograph, for the bicycle for the long, lonely journey on the rough road back to Athenry in winter time.
In 1931, in pursuit of the College's new role, agreed with the Government, in relation to Irish-language University education, Margaret Heavey and Seoirse Mac Tomáis (George Thomson) were each appointed to a Lectureship in Ancient Classics. In practice, she focused on Latin and he on Greek, but, when he resigned in 1934, she had to handle both aspects.
People
Margaret Heavey / Mairéad Ní Éimhigh
References
- Pádraic Moran, 'Classics through Irish at University College, Galway, 1931–78'
https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198864486.003.0006
- Diarmuid Breathnach, Máire Ní Mhurchú, https://www.ainm.ie/Bio.aspx?ID=2156&xml=true
- Etienne Rynne, 'Professor Margaret Heavey (An tOllamh Mairéad Ní Éimhigh)', Athenry Contact Magazine 1980, athenryparishheritage.com/ professor-margaret-heavey/
- Gerry Ahern, 'An tOllamh Mairéad Ní Éimhigh -Professor Margaret Heavey', https://www.ouririshheritage.org/content/archive/place/athenry_parish_heritage/athenry-an-tollamh-mairead-ni-eimhigh-professor-margaret-heavey
- Séamus Mac Mathúna, 'Mairéad Ní Éimhigh: some reminiscences'
- John Madden
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Heavey#/media/File:Margaret_Heavey.jpg
https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198864486.003.0006
- Diarmuid Breathnach, Máire Ní Mhurchú, https://www.ainm.ie/Bio.aspx?ID=2156&xml=true
- Etienne Rynne, 'Professor Margaret Heavey (An tOllamh Mairéad Ní Éimhigh)', Athenry Contact Magazine 1980, athenryparishheritage.com/ professor-margaret-heavey/
- Gerry Ahern, 'An tOllamh Mairéad Ní Éimhigh -Professor Margaret Heavey', https://www.ouririshheritage.org/content/archive/place/athenry_parish_heritage/athenry-an-tollamh-mairead-ni-eimhigh-professor-margaret-heavey
- Séamus Mac Mathúna, 'Mairéad Ní Éimhigh: some reminiscences'
- John Madden
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Heavey#/media/File:Margaret_Heavey.jpg
- Pádraic Moran, 'Classics through Irish at University College, Galway, 1931–78'
https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198864486.003.0006
Contributor
Period
UCG Quadrangle
Category
1930s or early 1940s
Subject
Language
b&w
portrait
on-campus
outdoors
portrait
on-campus
outdoors
Publisher
Ancient Classics
Classics
Classics