Singer songwriter Paul Brady will perform at the 2017 Alumni Awards to be held in the university this weekend at an event hosted by award winning TG4 news anchor Eimear Ní Chonaola will host this year’s Gala Banquet featuring the 2017 Alumni Awards ceremony.
Paul Brady, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is one of Ireland’s most enduringly popular artists. In 2009 Brady received an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from the University of Ulster in recognition of his services to traditional Irish music and songwriting.
Eimear Ní Chonaola is the main news anchor with Nuacht TG4/RTÉ. A native Irish speaker, she graduated from NUI Galway, with a BA International Degree in Irish and German in 1997. The following year she undertook the diploma course - Ard-Dioplóma i gCumarsáid Fheidhmeach. She chaired the first ever election debate in Irish in February 2011 and her performance was widely credited in the national press. As well as her extensive experience in reporting at home, she has also reported from Niger, Malawi, Cuba, Rome and from the US.
The 2017 Alumni Awards will be presented at the 17th annual Alumni Awards Gala Banquet on Saturday, 4 March, 2017 in the Bailey Allen Hall located in Áras na Mac Léinn on campus.
The Alumni Awards recognise individual excellence and achievements among the University’s more than 80,000 graduates worldwide. The Awards programme boasts an impressive roll call of over 100 outstanding graduates who have gone on to honour their alma mater, including, for example, President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins; Olympian Olive Loughnane; Rugby great Ciarán FitzGerald; RTÉ broadcaster Sean O’Rourke; Attorney General, Máire Whelan; former Creganna CEO, Helen Ryan, Tony Award-winning actress, Marie Mullen and broadcaster Gráinne Seoige.
The winners of the six alumni awards to be presented at Gala 2017:
Award for Arts, Literature and Celtic Studies - sponsored by Galway University Foundation - Mike McCormack, Irish novelist and short story writer.
Alumni Award for Business and Commerce – sponsored by Bank of Ireland - Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia.
Alumni Award for Law, Public Policy and Government – sponsored by Ronan Daly Jermyn - Dr Tom Courtney, Corporate Partner in Arthur Cox.
Alumni Award for Engineering, Science and Technology – sponsored by AIB - Anne Marie Farrell, Head of Behavioural Economics Research Global SMB Marketing, Google.
Alumni Award for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences – sponsored by Medtronic
- Dr Eileen Naughten, Retired Consultant Paediatrician.
Joint Alumni Award for Contribution to Sport – sponsored by Bank of Ireland
- Dr Eoghan Clifford, Paralympic gold medal winner and NUI Galway Lecturer
- Deirdre Mongan, Paralympic Athlete
Speaking on the announcement of the Award recipients, President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne said: “Our Alumni Awards programme recognises the many Galway alumni who are leaders in their professions and excel in their pursuits at national and international levels.
“These awards celebrate the life-long value of an NUI Galway education and recognise individual achievements among the University’s more than 80,000 graduates worldwide. I congratulate each of the Award winners and look forward to welcoming them back to their alma mater for the Gala Banquet in March.”
