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U NIVERSITY of LIMERICK<br />
O L L S C O I L L U I M N I G H<br />
A L U M N<br />
IMARCH<br />
2006<br />
A TWICE-YEARLY PUBLICATION FOR UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK<br />
GRADUATES & FRIENDS OF ULAA<br />
UniversaL Launch<br />
UniversaL ... Online Services for UL <strong>Alumni</strong> Worldwide was<br />
launched in mid-January. These exciting new we b- b a s e d<br />
services provide a range of tools which allow UL graduates -<br />
wherever they are - to communicate with each other via<br />
ULAA’s new website. It is anticipated that UniversaL will<br />
become an extremely valuable tool for those wishing to renew<br />
friendships, make business connections, link with graduates in<br />
their local area or simply to share the experience and insights<br />
gained since graduation. Speaking at the launch, UL’s Prof Cyril<br />
B u r k l ey “we l comed Un i v e r saL as a very significant ste p<br />
forward in creating real links among the growing family of UL<br />
graduates around the world. I congratulate ULAA in launching<br />
this valuable service and encourage graduates to optimise its<br />
potential”.<br />
Some of the facilities available through UniversaL include personal profile pages, email forwarding, discussion forums, chapter/group/class<br />
homepages, member searching and emailing, member directories and much more. Initial feedback has been very positive from those who<br />
have registered already. Welcoming the new services, one graduate sees UniversaL as “a great opportunity to catch up and wander down<br />
memory lane. Over the years I have lost touch with so many …. I hope others also recognise this opportunity to make and keep contact,<br />
especially with those of us in far away places who miss all of the usual communication, gatherings and gossip!”. UniversaL was conceived<br />
and developed by ULAA’s Board and Staff and has been jointly funded by graduates themselves through the UL Foundation's Annual Fund<br />
together with generous sponsorship from Ulster Bank. You can access UniversaL today by visiting http://ulaa.ul.ie and registering online.<br />
The service is free and exclusive to UL graduates.<br />
Class of 2005...<br />
Fo ll owing re cent gra d u ation ce re m o n i es, the<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> Community has grown to almost 38,000<br />
with all gra d u ates enj oying auto m at i c, fre e<br />
membership of ULAA.<br />
At the launch of UniversaL - Online Services for UL <strong>Alumni</strong> Worldwide are (L-R) Olivia<br />
Loughnane BCS ‘77 & ULAA Chairperson, Prof Cyril Burkley, Dean College of<br />
Informatics and Electronics at UL and Pat O’Hanlon, Ulster Bank<br />
Inaugural UL<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> Awards<br />
Thirty years on from when the first students<br />
co m p l eted their st u d i es in 1976, ULAA is<br />
delighted to announce the first ever UL <strong>Alumni</strong><br />
Awards. The awards will be presented initially<br />
to graduates who have made an outstanding<br />
contribution in any of the following spheres:<br />
No.13<br />
A Family Affair... UL’s President, Prof Roger Downer<br />
takes great pride in conferring honours degrees on<br />
his wife, Jean (left) and his daughter, Tara who both<br />
graduated with Bachelor of Laws in September<br />
At the Winter Conferrings in December (L-R) Stephen<br />
Sikwila, Emma O'Brien and Michael Chapwanya were<br />
each conferred with a PhD Doctor of Philosophy from the<br />
College of Informatics and Electronics, UL.<br />
Science & Technology<br />
Cultural/Arts<br />
Business<br />
Academic<br />
Societal/Humanitarian<br />
Sport<br />
UL gra d u ates continue to make enormous<br />
contributions via their chosen life paths and<br />
their achievements reflect enormously well on<br />
their alma mater. ULAA wishes to honour such<br />
graduates and recipients of these prestigious<br />
awards will be honoured at a special event on<br />
campus on 20 October, 2006. You are now<br />
invited to propose candidates for these awards<br />
for consideration by the selection committee. A<br />
copy of the Nomination Form is available from<br />
ULAA (see address on back page). Those<br />
nominated for the awards must be graduates of<br />
UL (while nominations themselves can be<br />
made by any member of the campus or alumni<br />
communities or the public). All nominations<br />
must be received by 10 April, 2006.<br />
In October 1975, Dr Tiede Herrema, a Dutch industrialist and then<br />
Managing Director of Limerick’s Ferenka factory was kidnapped by<br />
the IRA some 200 yards from his home. For several days, he was<br />
feared dead but more than two weeks later, he was traced to a<br />
house in Co. Kildare where a siege took place before he was<br />
finally released 17 days later. On the thirtieth anniversary of his<br />
ordeal, Dr Herrema donated his private archive of documentation<br />
relating to the kidnapping to the UL Library. Dr Herrema is pictured<br />
(left) with Sean Donlon, Chancellor, UL.<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
Inside this issue...<br />
Class Reunions 2005<br />
Appointment of new VP Finance<br />
New Honours Degree Courses at UL<br />
and much more...<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> <strong>Times</strong> available on the web: http://ulaa.ul.ie
ALUMNITIMES<br />
Celebrations at Class Reunions on Campus<br />
In late-September/early-October each year, ULAA invites those who graduated ten, twenty and<br />
twenty-five years before back to the campus for a special Class Reunion. In Autumn 2005 we<br />
welcomed the Graduation Classes of 1985, 1995 and 1980 with some making great efforts to be<br />
h e re, trave lling from U SA, Canada, Hong Ko n g, Ma l aysia, England, Scotland, The<br />
Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. Judging from the feedback received by<br />
ULAA, a good time was had by all!<br />
“UL was the centre of our lives for those four years we were there and it was great to meet up<br />
with everyone … share old memories - good times and bad, renew friendships and see what<br />
progress everyone has made since we left all those years ago. Thanks again for a very enjoyable<br />
day.“ - Mary O'Shea, BSc Computer Systems ‘85<br />
TCE: (L-R) Liz McLafferty, Pat Brosnan and Mary<br />
Holohan-Doyle all attending the Reunion of General &<br />
Rural Science (1988) graduates.<br />
Earlier in the year, ULAA also hosted a special<br />
reunion for graduates of Thomond College’s<br />
(TCE) General & Rural Science Programme.<br />
Dates have already been set for our 2006 Class<br />
Reunions (see page 4) and this year we will<br />
hold our first ever 30-Year Reunion in June. This<br />
new event will create a special opportunity for<br />
all those who were students on campus in the<br />
Summer of 1976 to reunite on campus.<br />
New Board for 2006<br />
ULAA AT YOUR SERVICE<br />
Further information on ULAA’s expanding range of<br />
services for graduates is available on our website<br />
at http://ulaa.ul.ie.<br />
EVENTS<br />
Class Reunions We host 10, 20, 25 & 30 Year class<br />
reunions which give you a chance to catch up with<br />
your classmates and revisit your old haunts on<br />
campus.<br />
Dates for 2006 are:<br />
Students of 1976 - Friday, 9 June<br />
Class of 1986 - Friday, 22 September<br />
Class of 1981 - Friday, 29 September<br />
Class of 1996 - Friday, 6 October<br />
Chapter Network ULAA now has ten Chapters on<br />
three continents. The nearest one to you is ...<br />
London/UK<br />
New York<br />
Boston/New England<br />
Silicon Valley<br />
East Asia<br />
Europe<br />
CONNECTIONS<br />
Cork<br />
Dublin<br />
Galway<br />
Limerick<br />
UniversaL Our new range of online services for<br />
alumni worldwide provides you with the unique<br />
opportunity to connect with other graduates via<br />
the ULAA website. Free and exclusive to UL<br />
graduates. Register today at http://ulaa.ul.ie<br />
Lost <strong>Alumni</strong> We don't have current addresses for<br />
some graduates ... perhaps you might recognise<br />
some names on the web-based list?<br />
Update your Record Help us to help you stay<br />
connected! Through our website, you can update<br />
your record on-line or you can send a note to ULAA<br />
(see contact details on back page)<br />
1980: (L-R) John Preisler, BSc (Manufacturing &<br />
Production Engineering) with BBS graduates Thomas<br />
Daly and Brian Barry.<br />
1985: (L-R) Mary Dooley, BA European Studies with BBS<br />
graduates, Imelda Duffy and Patricia Treacy at the<br />
welcome reception in Plassey House.<br />
1995: Graduates who travelled from abroad to be at<br />
their Reunion were (L-R back row) Liz Kerans BA<br />
European Studies, Therese Collins, BBS, Ger Moroney,<br />
BEng Mechanical Engineering and (L-R front row)<br />
Maura O’Riordan, BA European Studies, Lewina Farrell,<br />
BA European Studies, Maeve Quinn, BBS and John<br />
Cremin, BTech Manufacturing Technology.<br />
Gearing up for a busy year at ULAA are<br />
Board Members (L-R) Company Secretary<br />
Gwen Ryan BA’99/MA’00 and Bobby<br />
O’Connor BBS ‘00<br />
Comprising ten gra d u ates and two<br />
U n i versity re p res e n t at i ves (re p res e n t i n g<br />
UL and the UL Foundation), ULAA’s new<br />
Board of Directors was elected at the<br />
co m p a ny’s 18th AGM held in Plass ey<br />
House in mid-January. The new Board – in<br />
partnership with the ULAA Staff at its<br />
of f i ce on campus - is prioritising the<br />
implementation of a four-year Strategic<br />
Plan as well as a variety of other projects<br />
already underway.<br />
ULAA thanks all those who attended this<br />
year's AGM and looks forward to your<br />
support during the year ahead.<br />
NEWS<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> <strong>Times</strong> Our full-colour printed publication<br />
(also available online) posted to all graduates for<br />
whom we have a current mailing address (do we<br />
have yours?)<br />
@lumni @ul Our monthly web-based newsletter,<br />
sent to all graduates for whom we have a current<br />
email address (do we have yours?)<br />
Website Updated regularly and bringing you<br />
information on ULAA's services, events and other<br />
news. See http://ulaa.ul.ie<br />
MEMBER DISCOUNTS<br />
You can avail of discounted membership of:<br />
UL’s Library - Annual Membership for alumni<br />
is €121.00<br />
Tel: 061-202428/213508 E-mail: libinfo@ul.ie<br />
University Arena - Ireland’s largest indoor sports<br />
facility (incorporating 50m pool). Annual<br />
membership for alumni is €412.00<br />
Tel: 061 213555<br />
E-mail: query@universityarena.com<br />
Healthcare - A UL alumni group scheme with VHI<br />
(number 01/9287) offers a 10% discount.<br />
Tel: 1850 444 844<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> <strong>Times</strong> available on the web: http://ulaa.ul.ie
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> Start In association with Shannon<br />
Development, entrepreneurship support is provided<br />
to graduates interested in setting up their own<br />
technology-based business in this region.<br />
Affinity Visa Card From Bank of Ireland, offering<br />
preferential rates to graduates. Over 5,000 cardholders<br />
& rising... do you have yours?<br />
ACADEMIC & CAREER ASSISTANCE<br />
See our website for details of:<br />
Transcript Requests If you need a copy of your UL<br />
academic transcript, we can assist<br />
Undergraduate Courses Information on all<br />
academic programmes on offer at UL<br />
Postgraduate Courses For those of you interested<br />
in pursuing a further qualification at UL<br />
Office of Graduate Studies Putting you in touch<br />
with UL’s dedicated centre for the further<br />
development of graduate activity at University<br />
Continuing Education Courses Providing<br />
a variety of lifelong learning opportunities<br />
English Language Courses Professionally designed<br />
programmes from the UL Language Centre<br />
Mature Students Office It’s never too late to go<br />
back to the books... support is at hand.<br />
Careers A dedicated website intended as a 'virtual<br />
careers service' provides Irish-based resources for<br />
graduates.<br />
see www.careers4graduates.org<br />
Boston Grads<br />
Have A Ball<br />
In late-S e pte m b e r, the first annual<br />
British and Irish Universities Ball was<br />
held in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.<br />
It was a huge success and provided the<br />
200 guests with an evening of great<br />
entertainment as well as many new<br />
networking opportunities.<br />
ULAA was delighted to sponsor this<br />
event which was also supported by the<br />
Consulate General of Ireland and HM<br />
Consul General Boston. Among the UL<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> who attended were (L-R) BA<br />
(European Studies) graduates Maggie<br />
Cotter ‘93 and Lynda Tonery ‘94.<br />
A L U M N I<br />
Major Research<br />
Funding Comes<br />
to UL<br />
Update from Governing Authority<br />
MARCH<br />
2006<br />
Almost €12m of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)<br />
funding has been awarded to the Irish Software<br />
Engineering Research Centre (ISERC) at UL. The<br />
announcement was made by Micheál Martin TD,<br />
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to<br />
a d va n ce the work of ISERC in delivering a<br />
sustained competitive advantage for the entire<br />
Irish software sector.<br />
The Centre at UL will provide the focal point for a<br />
community of software engineering researchers<br />
based in Ireland looking at better ways to build,<br />
maintain and evaluate software.<br />
Announcing the funding, Minister Martin said,<br />
"This SFI awa rd to ISERC will further our<br />
credentials as a major software engineering<br />
player, providing the world class infrastructure<br />
needed to excel in this area, enabling Ireland to<br />
punch above its weight in this significant field."<br />
“Against a backdrop of government funding cuts to 3rd level education, UL faces real difficulties<br />
in sustaining its programmes and maintaining its high quality of education. Despite this, the<br />
campus development plans are progressed. Governing Authority (GA) is committed to the<br />
development of the 2nd phase of the Library; we are planning the construction of a new<br />
pedestrian bridge to link the north and south banks of the campus and have also approved design<br />
concepts for the new Kemmy Business School building. In addition, the Students Union are<br />
partnering with UL to raise funding for a UL Boathouse. Meanwhile, UL is developing a new<br />
Strategic Plan for approval by GA this year.<br />
Flying The Flag For UL ... At sunrise, on the summit of<br />
Quitaraju (6,040m) are graduates (L-R) John Harrison, BDes<br />
'05, Frank Cox, BSc '01/PhD '05 and Liam Gahan, BBS '05<br />
during the recent UL Outdoor Pursuits Club's expedition to<br />
Peru, South America<br />
I serve as Chairperson of the Access and Equality Committee, now renamed the Access<br />
Committee and redirected to focus exclusively on access issues, in part due to the growing<br />
national focus on access for non-traditional entrants and the strategic importance of addressing<br />
issues relating to improving the provision of access for all students in a pro-active manner. There<br />
has been relatively little progress recently regarding Seanad voting rights for graduates of UL and<br />
all 3rd level institutions. However, with an election looming in 2007, there will be increased<br />
pressure to enact the necessary legislation and your active support to build parliamentary backing<br />
and deliver equity for graduates of UL in electing future Seanad representation would be<br />
appreciated.”<br />
Best regards and a Happy New Year to one and all!<br />
Jim Collins, <strong>Alumni</strong> Governor, BSc 1981, email: jim@ahearnecollins.ie<br />
Appointment of new Vice President - Finance<br />
In mid-2005, the UL community welcomed Limerick-woman, Ailish Quinlivan as Vice President - Finance at the<br />
University. Ailish qualified with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland while working for Coopers &<br />
Lybrand. A move to Australia saw her working as an Accountant for the Further Education Department of New<br />
South Wales and with the Finance Business Requirements and Testing Lead with a software house developing a<br />
University Specific IT system.<br />
Joining Price Waterhouse Coopers in 1996 as a Consultant and then Senior Manager of a team of 30 persons,<br />
Ailish also had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects all over Europe, the United States, the Caribbean<br />
and Gabon in Africa. It was with PwC that Ailish worked on two global Further Education Institutes and gained<br />
an in-depth understanding of the challenges of continuous learning and keeping university courses current and<br />
attractive to students. Speaking on the challenges ahead at UL, Ailish (pictured right) said “I am delighted to have<br />
joined the University of Limerick and look forward to being part of the continuing development of the University”.<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> <strong>Times</strong> available on the web: http://ulaa.ul.ie
Annual Fund 2006<br />
Following the very successful launch of its first Annual Fund in the Spring of<br />
2003, the UL Foundation will launch its fourth Annual Fund in March, 2006.<br />
Appealing exclusively to graduates' generosity, last year’s (2005) Fund raised<br />
€22,482 directly from graduates. This money benefited deserving projects<br />
including Student Financial Aid, the UL President's Fund and '<strong>Alumni</strong> Circle'<br />
Scholarships which dire c t l y<br />
resulted in the financing of two<br />
Scholarships for this Academic<br />
Year (one each at Undergraduate<br />
and Po st-G ra d u ate level). A<br />
fourth beneficiary of the 2005<br />
Annual Fund was the ULSU Clubs<br />
& Societ i es and the monies<br />
received will now go a long way<br />
towards financing some of the<br />
activities of UL’s “Clubs & Socs”.<br />
The 2006 Fund will again support<br />
these deserving projects. To find<br />
out more or to make yo u r<br />
contribution, please contact the<br />
UL Foundation, Tel: 061 234241,<br />
email eleanor.mccormack@ul.ie<br />
or visit www.ULF.ie<br />
Due to the increasing popularity of<br />
the UL Affinity Card, it has now<br />
s u r p a ssed its 5,000 card - h o l d e r<br />
target. So, thank you to all cardholders!<br />
At the launch of the Annual Fund 2006 by<br />
the UL Foundation are (L-R) Eleanor<br />
McCormack, ULF’s Funding Development<br />
Manager - <strong>Alumni</strong> & Friends with Liza<br />
O’Connor, Chief Executive, UL Foundation.<br />
5,000th Customer of Affinity Card<br />
Did you know that whenever you<br />
use this special Visa Card from Bank<br />
of Ireland, you are helping your<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> Association? This is because<br />
as well as offering you preferential<br />
rates and other benef i t s, eve r y<br />
time you use the card the bank<br />
makes a contribution to ULAA ... at no cost to you! So why not add the UL Affinity<br />
Card to your wallet? To apply today, Tel: 1850 365 100.<br />
The 5,000th customer Darragh Dolan, BBS ‘05 (pictured above right) was presented<br />
with an iPod (sponsored by Bank of Ireland) and congratulated by Dr. Matt Cannon,<br />
PhD ‘01 and ULAA Vice-Chairperson.<br />
MARCH<br />
A L U M N I 2006<br />
Honorary Conferrings<br />
Since 1990, UL has bestowed Honorary Doctorates on sixty-nine worthy<br />
recipients in recognition of their outstanding contribution to areas such as<br />
community, business, politics, sport and the arts. The most recent<br />
recipients (pictured below in April, 2005) are (L-R) Gordon Holmes,<br />
Managing Partner and Chairman of Holmes O'Malley Sexton and former<br />
State Solicitor; John Ryan from Tipperary town, Chairman and former Chief<br />
Exe cu t i ve Officer of<br />
Macrovision; Trish Hunt, wife<br />
of the late John Hunt, one of<br />
the founders of the Hunt<br />
Museum, who acce pted an<br />
Honorary Doctorate of Letters<br />
on behalf of her la te husband;<br />
and Pat Cox, former President<br />
of the European Parliament.<br />
ULAA is honoured to welcome<br />
such distinguished conferees<br />
as members of the UL <strong>Alumni</strong><br />
Association.<br />
New Honours Degree Courses<br />
In Septe m b e r, the first students to UL’s new l y-established degre e<br />
programmes were admitted. The courses are in Architecture and in<br />
Multimedia & Computer Games Development.<br />
The UL School of Architecture –<br />
offering a total of 25 places - is<br />
the first to be located outside<br />
the Dublin area and aims to<br />
at t ra c t, enrol and gra d u ate<br />
academically talented students<br />
of diverse backgrounds and life<br />
ex p e r i e n ces. Merrit Bucholz<br />
(right), founding partner of the<br />
architectural firm Bucholz McEvoy has been appointed Professor at the<br />
School and explains that it “seeks to become a leader in thought on<br />
e nv i ronmental iss u es by situating these iss u es within a st ro n g<br />
philosophical, technological, cultural, and historical context. Fundamentally<br />
the school will explore architecture as an element of a broader context,<br />
p roducing arc h i tects with a clear understanding of how the built<br />
environment can evolve in the future".<br />
Students of the new course in Multimedia & Co m p u ter Games<br />
D evelopment will learn the art and science of co m p u ter games<br />
p ro g ramming and aest h et i c s. The ultimate obj e c t i ve is to pro d u ce<br />
g ra d u ate pro g rammers with co m p u ter games creation and des i g n<br />
specialisms. In order to achieve this, students will learn underlying<br />
scientific concepts from Computer Science, such as: Graphics, Artificial<br />
Intelligence, Game Theory, Gaming Mechanics and Modelling.<br />
Dates for your diary<br />
Over to You...<br />
June 2006<br />
Friday 9 30 year Reunion of Students of 1976<br />
September 2006<br />
Friday 22 20 Year Reunion for the Class of 1986<br />
Friday 29 25 Year Reunion for the Class of 1981<br />
October 2006<br />
Friday 6 10 Year Reunion for the Class of 1996<br />
Friday 20 <strong>Alumni</strong> Awards Ceremony<br />
If you have news/information/views/comments to<br />
share with us or would like more details on topics<br />
covered here, please contact the ULAA Team:<br />
Majella O'Connell BA ‘91/Manager (centre),<br />
Norita Kelleher BBS ’96/Administrator (right)<br />
and Elaine Collins, Secretary (left).<br />
We hope you enjoyed this issue of '<strong>Alumni</strong> <strong>Times</strong>'.<br />
Majella O'Connell, BA 1991<br />
Editor, <strong>Alumni</strong> <strong>Times</strong><br />
UL <strong>Alumni</strong> Association (ULAA)<br />
SU-101 Student Centre,<br />
University of Limerick<br />
Tel: +353-61-202475<br />
Fax: +353-61-202228<br />
Email: ulaa@ul.ie<br />
Web: http://ulaa.ul.ie<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> <strong>Times</strong> available on the web: http://ulaa.ul.ie