A major conference “Ireland: A New Vision and Direction” will be held in the Castlebar Campus of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT ) on Saturday April 4.
The conference marks the formal opening of the Rev Professor Enda McDonagh Library at the GMIT campus on the same day by the former President of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson.
Mary Robinson is now Executive Director of Realising Rights: The Ethical Globalisation Initiative (EGI ).
In the first session, the Irish economy: strategies for recovery, Professor John FitzGerald from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI ) will address the fiscal situation, the banking crisis and various strategies for recovery in his keynote address.
This will be followed by a session on regional development with Professor PJ Drudy of Trinity College, Dublin, and Dr Deirdre Garvey of GMIT Castlebar.
In session three, Rev Professor Enda McDonagh will deliver a topical paper entitled “Reflections on Irish Corporate and Public Ethics”, with particular reference to various practices in recent times.
In the following session, Dr Pauline Logue of GMIT will explore the need for community ethics, and Achill-born poet John F Deane will speak about Irish culture and the arts.
In the final paper, the eminent Maynooth theologian Rev Professor Patrick Hannon will assess the contribution of his colleague Rev Professor Enda McDonagh under the title “A Faithful Hope”.
The conference will be followed by the official opening of the library by Mary Robinson. The library contains a collection of about 20,000 volumes including Professor McDonagh’s personal papers.
This conference is open to the public, commencing 9am, Saturday April 4. A registration form can be accessed and downloaded from www.gmit.ie/conferences/professor-enda-mcdonagh-library-opening html.
