www.ucd.ie/ucdtoday visits UCD President Bill Clinton WINTER 2010 5. PROTECTING OLDER PEOPLE 7. FREAK WAVES 9. SHARK TALES 13. MONOPOLES Tackling elder abuse in Ireland Harnessing mathematics to Protecting Ireland’s unique species Visualising magnetic events predict ocean currents what’s inside ... New publications in law, theology, The UCD Images of Research UCD spin-out HeyStaks (shown Leinster Senior League Cup Spanish literature and archaeology competition reveals the breadth here) secures €1million equity victory for UCD. 8 (shown here) from UCD authors. 11 and depth of work at the 21 funding to grow their search 23 university. engine business. Characters in conversation The first time I sat in on a “characters in success was such that he was soon invited to asked the manager. “Don’t send her to the bank – conversation” I worried that it would feel like south county parties where they “ate pavlova”. I’ll give you an overdraft to send her to university.” eavesdropping on either a conversation I couldn’t And, while he enjoyed this new sensation, it didn’t And so it was that the young Rosaleen walked in relate to, or a private chat open only to those ‘in convert him and he still spent his summers in to the main hall, straight up to the DramSoc the know’. But, the “characters in conversation” Limerick canvassing for Jim Kemmy. notice board and acted in her first play opposite events run by the team in UCD Alumni Relations While Dungan and Stembridge never managed “the glamorous 3rd year, Des Keogh”. & Fundraising are more like an open facebook wall to bring their conversation into the present, the The next “characters” evening on 9 February for a different generation. I’ve gone to several of evening spent listening to Denis O’Brien and Pat 2011 coincides with the hosting of the Sigerson these evenings and although I didn’t share any Kenny felt like a Chatham House Rule was in force Cup next February, when Micheál Ó classes with any of the characters, I, like the rest as they discussed topical issues. Muircheartaigh (BA ’52, HDipEd ’53, DPA ’56, of the audience, was charmed by the humour, the Rosaleen Linehan and Olivia O’Leary shared BComm ’60) and Colm O’Rourke (BA ’78, HDipEd honesty, and the memories – sometimes flawed their earliest university memories of Earlsfort ’79) invite graduates, sports fans and friends to and disputed, but never dull. Terrace in the 1950s. Olivia was a scholarship another great evening. If you haven’t been to one Myles Dungan, historian, scholar, author and student who was destined to change her world. yet, come along. most well known as a broadcaster, who makes his Women wearing trousers was a taboo and when living from talking had his work cut out for him the young O’Leary among other women decided Eilis O’Brien getting a word in edgeways with Gerard to don the slacks, Ms Green, the dean of discipline, Director of Communications Stembridge. Stembridge once heavily criticised a came running through the hall crying “girls, girls, theatre production of Dungan’s, but the mark of you’ll upset me – I’ll have a heart attack.” Hear some of the previous conversations and watch the man is such that shortly after this, Dungan Needless to say, she didn’t, and the students won Dave Fanning (BA ’75) and Conor McPherson invited Stembridge onto his programme. their battle. (BA’91, MA ’94) in action at http://www.ucd.ie/ Fadó, fadó, when they were both undergraduates Rosaleen’s fate was set when her mother went alumni/events/charactersinconversationseries0910/ in the 1970s, Stembridge became involved in to the local manager of the Hibernian Bank to ask debating (or performance as he saw it). His early for a position for her. “Isn’t she the bright one?” Cover Image: 42nd President of the United States of America in Belfield House on his visit to UCD in autumn 2010 UCD thanks ... Contributors: Print: Fine Print Suzanne Bailey, John Baker, Marie Boran, Hans-Benjamin Braun, Susan Butler, Marc Caball, Diane Thanks to: Cashman, Adrienne Coleton, Rose Cotter, Orla Donoghue, Angela Ennis, Bairbre Fox, Eileen Furlong, Pádraic Conway, JP Donnelly, Catherine Godson, Ann Lavan, Maurice Manning, Cliona de Bhaldraithe Rebecca Gageby, Geraldine Hanley, Niamh Hardiman, Eric Haywood, Vincent Hoban, Remo Hugli, Brian Marsh, Damien McLoughlin, Patrick Wall Jackson, Jacqueline Jago, Philip Johnston, Sinead Kelly, Stephen Kelly, Olive Keogh, Dervila Layden, Lilian Maher, Stefano Mariani, Collette McAuley, Juno McEnroe, Ann Mooney, Anne Murphy, Sean Murray, Corina In the compilation of this publication, every care has been taken to ensure accuracy. Any errors or Naughton, Siún Ní Dhuinn, Valerie Norton, Claire O’Connell, Caroline O’Connor, Orla O’Dea, Georgina omissions should be brought to the attention of UCD University Relations ([email protected]). O’Dwyer, Sharon Praedo, Elaine Quinn, Christopher Rooney, Paula Russell, Mark Simpson, Mary Staunton, We also welcome your suggestions for articles in future editions. Cathy Timlin, Irene Timmins, Graeme Warren, Micéal Whelan, Orla Wrynn This publication is also available online at www.ucd.ie/ucdtoday Produced by: Eilis O’Brien, Claire Percy, Dominic Martella, Lisa Hughes Design: Loman Cusack Design Please Recycle Visit of former US president Bill Clinton Guests to UCD are invited to sign the visitors’ book. Here, President Clinton adds his name to the pages that include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, H.E. Mr Zeng Peiyan, Vice- Premier of China and The Honourable Mr Mizengo Peter Pinda, Prime Minister of Tanzania. He is shown with Director of the UCD Clinton Insitute for American Studies, Professor Liam Kennedy 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton is welcomed by UCD President Dr Hugh Brady While at UCD, Clinton planted a loblolly pine, the state tree of his home state Arkansas. The spade used to plant the tree was the President Clinton same one used by meets the greeting Éamon de Valera to party at UCD turn the sod of the Belfield House. UCD Belfield campus He is shown here in 1962 shaking hands with Catherine Carey, manger of the UCD Clinton Institute for American Studies President Clinton addressed students and friends at the UCD Clinton Institute for American Studies and spent time answering their questions on the growing threat to the Northern Ireland peace process from dissident republicans, US intervention in the Balkans in the 1990s, globalisation and its impact on the US as well as on Ireland. Hear highlights of his address via www.ucd.ie/news Bill Clinton was presented with the Ulysses Medal by Dr Hugh Brady, in recognition for his ongoing commitment and contribution to the peace and prosperity of this island and to the elimination of poverty, disease and suffering worldwide. 3 Mary Robinson speaks on Climate Justice at UCD Earth Sciences Institute seminar series Adopting a climate justice approach means building greater awareness amongst political leaders and the broader public about the inter- connectedness of climate change with issues of development and social justice, according to Mary Shown here are (l-r): Dr Kathleen Middleton, postdoctoral scholar at the HII; Dr John Cooper, York University; Dr Clodagh Tait, University of Robinson, former President of Ireland and previous Essex; Dr Marc Caball, Director UCD Humanities Institute & project director; Dr TadhgO hAnnrachain, UCD School of History & Archives; Dr James Murray, National Qualifications Authority of Ireland; Dr Robert Armstrong (TCD); Dr Mark Empey, postdoctoral scholar at the HII United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Speaking at the UCD Earth Sciences Institute ‘Transforming Ireland’ autumn series, Robinson spoke of Climate Justice as a way of bridging the Religion, change and communications divides which have beset global climate change negotiations and ensuring that the rights, needs, in early modern Europe and voices of those most affected by environmental changes are prioritised. The UCD Humanities Institute (HII) hosted a series of workshops recently which examined issues of religious conference, in conjunction with the TrinityHaus, change and debate in early modern Europe in the context of the communicative power of print and the was chaired by Minister Eamon Ryan and complementary media of verbal expression and script. Irish and international scholars participated in three commentators at the seminar were Professor Paul workshops which examined the communication of Protestantism in Ireland, England and colonial America Walsh, UCD School of Politics and International during the period 1560-1720; the translation of the reformation in northern Europe; new directions in Relations, and Dr Padraig Carmody, TCD. research on religion in early modern Britain and Ireland. The Protestant reformation and the Catholic counter- The Transforming Ireland Series highlights the reformation determined religious, cultural and political patterns and traditions which exercise a profound role of innovation in meeting Ireland’s 2020 influence in Europe and in former European colonies to this day. This field of research is especially timely and obligations and creating a green economy. Past relevant given current debates in regard to religion, identity and globalisation in the age of electronic speakers have included Dermot McCarthy, communications. Among the distinguished scholars who contributed to the workshops were John Cooper Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach (University of York), Tuija Laine (University of Helsinki), Peter Marshall (University of Warwick) and John and Chairperson of the Innovation Taskforce; Dr. Coffey (University of Leicester). The workshops, which were attended by both early stage researchers and Eddie Commins, Enterprise Ireland; Cathal Gallagher, senior scholars, were organised in the context of the IRCHSS and Department of Taoiseach-funded project Bord Gáis Energy and Michael Roche IBM. ‘Protestants, print and Gaelic culture in Ireland, 1567-1722’. UCD alumni Accreditation for “adopt” 350 Statistics MSc The masters degree in Statistics at the UCD books in School of Mathematical Sciences has now gained professional accreditation.