In the News..

University of Galway has held its third annual Siobhán McKenna scholarship and lecture series.  This event honours the legacy of Siobhán McKenna, the Belfast-born actress who became a world-renowned actress of stage and screen, starring in Dr Zhivago, King of Kings and Of Human Bondage.  This year's lecture series took the form of an interdisciplinary lecture-performance showcasing the wide-ranging artistry of writer, director and vocalist Esosa Ighodaro, whose work champions Black Irish creativity and explores identity, ritual and intergenerational storytelling.  Esosa Ighodaro began her artistic life as a touring singer, later moving into acting - a path that sparked her evolution into writing and directing for both stage and screen.   Her award‑winning films Round Boxes,  A Little Chilli and Dance Like Someone’s Watching have screened at festivals across Ireland, the US and Africa.  Presented as part of University of Galway’s Arts in Action programme, Esosa Ighodaro’s lecture-performance blended song, film excerpts and key moments from her artistic practice to date.  Reflecting on her journey from vocalist to actor, writer and director, Esosa Ighodaro explored how identity, intergenerational legacy, and expanding the landscape of Black Irish creativity drive and unify her body of work to date.  Esosa Ighodaro, said: “I work across art forms because different stories ask for different ways of being told. It was a pleasure to be invited to share that practice as part of the Siobhán McKenna Lecture, and an honour to place my work in conversation with such a significant legacy.”  Donnacha O’Dea, Siobhán McKenna’s son who initiated the lecture series and scholarship award, said: “As we enter the third year of this lecture series and scholarship, the power of this initiative to carry forward my mother’s legacy is clearer than ever to me - in ways I know she would have found both exciting and deeply inspiring.”  Siobhán McKenna’s archive is held by University of Galway, which has long been committed to the preservation and extension of her legacy.  As part of the event, the Siobhán McKenna Scholarship winner from the MA in Drama and Theatre Studies at University of Galway was announced as Dutch theatremaker, Drieske Steijl. The scholarship is awarded based on previous practical experience and academic achievement that demonstrates; potential for a rewarding career in the arts or politically-engaged arts; and use of native languages.  Dr Charlotte McIvor, head of Postgraduate Programmes in Drama and Theatre Studies, College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies, University of Galway, said: “Esosa Ighodaro’s virtuosic individual artistry and drive to energise and reform the Irish creative sector recalls Siobhán McKenna’s own visionary drive across so many areas of theatre, film and activism. We feel that her body of work and ability to move between so many different roles embodies McKenna’s legacy in the 21st century.”  Professor Rebecca Braun, Executive Dean of the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies, University of Galway, said: “Siobhán McKenna and Esosa Ighodaro both exemplify ambitious visions for the key role creativity must take in public life to not only advance art forms but social and cultural life more generally. We take inspiration from their work today to drive forward the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies’ own vision for creativity in public life through the work of staff and students.”  The annual Siobhán McKenna Scholarship Award is open to prospective students of the MA in Drama and Theatre Studies at University of Galway.  It includes: A bursary of €2,500 to support one student to undertake the MA in Drama and Theatre Studies administered by Galway University Foundation. A package of support to include access to exclusive activities related to Siobhán McKenna and the professional Irish theatre, and drawing on the University’s partnerships with the Abbey Theatre, Druid Theatre, the Lyric Theatre and other groups. Fee support of €1,500 for successful applicants. To apply for the MA in Drama and Theatre Studies at University of Galway visit here.  This event was co-presented by the Galway University Foundation, the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies, Drama and Theatre Studies, and Arts in Action at University of Galway.  Ends  

 University of Galway will host the 2026 AtlanTec Conference, exploring how artificial intelligence can be developed and deployed with a renewed focus on human values. This year’s theme is Intelligence Augmented – the Frontier of Human Judgement and features influential thinkers on technology and society, including entrepreneur Mark Little, the founder of Storyful and co-founder of Kinzen. The AtlanTec Conference takes place on Thursday May 14th at University of Galway as part of the 12th AtlanTec Festival. The conference is set to attract more than 400 delegates, including international speakers and representatives from leading technology companies in the region and beyond, and aligns closely with the University’s research strengths in data, AI, and responsible innovation. President of University of Galway, Professor David Burn, said: “The AtlanTec Conference reflects the University’s commitment to advancing responsible, human-centred AI. We look forward to welcoming our partners and the technology community to campus for this annual event. This year’s conference aligns strongly with our Transformative Data and AI research pillar, where responsible innovation is central to ensuring technology delivers meaningful benefits to society.” The AtlanTec Festival, which celebrates innovation and technology in the west of Ireland, is organised by itag (Innovation Technology AtlanTec Gateway). The conference is brought to campus through the support of the University’s Innovation Office, in partnership with the School of Computer Science and an extensive number of industry partners. Headlining the conference are: Mark Little, founder of Storyful and co-founder of Kinzen, will share insights drawn from his career at the intersection of media, technology, and democracy. A former RTÉ foreign correspondent and presenter, he has been at the forefront of efforts to address misinformation and build trusted digital information systems. Dr Lollie Mancey, Programme Director at the UCD Innovation Academy. Known for her engaging and thought-provoking contributions across media and public discourse, Dr Mancey’s work focuses on the ethical and emotional dimensions of emerging technologies, including the evolving relationship between humans and AI systems. Professor Paul Buitelaar, Deputy Director of the Data Science Institute at the University of Galway, will deliver a keynote address titled, Neuro-Symbolic AI: A New Direction for AI Development and Deployment. The 2026 AtlanTec Conference brings together leading voices from industry, academia, and the public sector, with participation from organisations including Medtronic, Fidelity, Genesys, Datavant and University of Galway spin-out Senus, alongside a broad range of innovators and practitioners across Ireland’s technology ecosystem. Sharon Walsh, Senior Vice-President, Fidelity Investments and Chair of itag, said: “The conference comes at a pivotal moment for the industry. We are at a tipping point. As we move further into an AI-accelerated world, the perspectives of thinkers like Mark and Lollie are essential. This year’s conference at University of Galway is about ensuring technology is developed in a way that serves humanity, not the other way around.” The event will include the official announcement of the winners of the festival’s AtlanTec AI Challenge. The University of Galway Innovation Office is supported under the KT Boost Programme co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the Northern and Western Regional Programme 2021-2027. Tickets for the AtlanTec Conference are available on Eventbrite. Ends

A leading researcher has joined University of Galway on a prestigious Wellcome Trust award specialising on the science of cell division and DNA copies, to further understand cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Dr Mihailo Mirkovic will lead a research programme that looks at how cells divide and split their DNA correctly, and how faulty attachment between the DNA copies causes errors and the consequences these errors have on development. The majority of Wellcome Trust Awards for scientific research in Ireland are held by academics based at University of Galway. Dr Mirkovic will establish a research group within the University’s Centre for Chromosome Biology, which is led by Professor Noel Lowndes and is embedded within the University’s Institute for Health Discovery and Innovation, led by Institute Director Professor Ted Vaughan. President of University of Galway, Professor David Burn, said: “We are proud to welcome Dr Mirkovic to the University of Galway. Attracting leading researchers of his calibre strengthens our mission to be a university for the world, defined by excellence, ambition and impact. The Wellcome Trust Career Development Award is among the most prestigious research awards internationally, and it is a testament both to Dr Mirkovic’s achievements and to the vibrant research ecosystem we have built here at Galway.” Professor Walter Gear, Dean of the College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, said: “It is fantastic to see another major Wellcome Trust award coming to Galway. There are relatively few such awards in Ireland, and the fact that the majority are based here at University of Galway speaks volumes about the strength of our scientific community and our growing reputation as a hub for world-class research. Dr Mirkovic’s arrival further elevates that momentum.” Dr Mirkovic’s research will explore how cellular stress and disruptions to RNA processing -the body’s worker molecule that carries out the instructions stored in DNA - drive chromosome instability and adaptive evolution in fungi, work that has broad implications for understanding evolutionary dynamics, the emergence of antifungal resistance and genome maintenance to prevent chromosome abnormalities that can lead to cancer and neurodegenerative disease. Dr Mihailo Mirkovic, Centre for Chromosome Biology, University of Galway, said: “I am honoured to receive the Wellcome Trust Career Development Award and excited to establish my group at the University of Galway. This award would not be possible without the support of my future colleagues from The Centre for Chromosome Biology, my collaborators and my two mentors, Raquel Oliveira and Yves Barral. The Centre for Chromosome Biology provides an outstanding environment for fundamental research, and I look forward to contributing to its scientific community and Irish science in general.” Professor Noel Lowndes, Director of the Centre for Chromosome Biology, University of Galway, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Dr Mirkovic to the Centre for Chromosome Biology. His innovative research vision and track record of excellence make him an exceptional addition to our community of worldclass chromosome and genome researchers. We are immensely grateful to the Wellcome Trust for their ongoing support for our work.” Professor Ted Vaughan, Director of the Institute for Health Discovery and Innovation, University of Galway, said: “Dr Mirkovic’s work aligns strongly with our mission to transform biological understanding into impact. We look forward to supporting the growth and success of his research programme at Galway.” Dr Mirkovic’s research programme is supported by a Wellcome Trust Career Development Award, which focuses on mid-career researchers from any discipline who have the potential to be international research leaders. The funding enables them to develop their research capabilities, drive innovative programmes of work and deliver significant shifts in understanding related to human life, health and wellbeing. Originally from Montenegro, Dr Mirkovic has an international research career spanning Serbia, Portugal and Switzerland. He completed his undergraduate and master’s studies in molecular biology and physiology at the University of Belgrade, before undertaking a PhD at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência in Portugal under the supervision of Dr Raquel Oliveira. Ends