Do You Remember......

Fun & Friendship with Our Student Housemates?(Click on Photographs to view larger size)
Dancing with Gatecrashers at Grads Ball?
The Infamous "Comm & Econ Soc's" Historical Tour of Famous 'Watering Holes' of Connemara!!?

Commerce Dress Dance?

Graduation Day?
The Time When Males & Females actually Shared House Cleaning!? Dressing Up for Tramps Ball?

Summers Working in New York?
(Click on Photographs to view larger size)
__________________
Dedicated Followers of Fashion...

Long Coats?
Mink Coats?
Duffle Coats?
Wooly Jumpers?
Americans in Aran Sweaters?
'Guna Deas'?

The Field Trips?
Visits & Lectures from National Politicians?
Professor Rynne versus the 'Save Woodquay' Campaign?
Pogo Dancing in College Week?(Click on Photographs to view larger size)

Tug-of-War in College Week?
Assembling the Crazy Boats for College Week Racing?
The Crazy Boat Race Finishing Line!?
Our Sporting Heroes?
ArtsSoc Concerts?


Ladies Football Teams?
(with male minders!?- Strange!)
(Click on Photographs to view larger size)
Graduation Night (residents of party house- No.80 Hazel Park!)?
Scientists on Graduation?
____________________

The Unity (Mega) Variety Shows of 1978 & 1979?

When Dr. Hubert McDermott
Preached Revolution...or so the media claimed!!!

Plus...Nightrider




'College Days
' as performed by ‘The Unity Community’
( à la 'Summer Nights' from 'Grease')
Winter nights hit me a blast,
UCG happened so fast
In the lib’ry most of the day
But at night I go my own way

Chorus
College days drifting away but Oh! those College nights
Wella wella wella huh!
What a bore what a bore if you’re not getting jarred!
What a bore what a bore if your features are scarred!

Met an ‘enge’ crazy’s can be
Could hardly see him, hair to his knees
Soon found out he wasn’t alone
Two thousand fleas had made him his home

Chorus

Met a ca-det he had a car
We went driving, didn’t get far
In the boot most of his friends
When I saw them it was the end.

Chorus

(slow verse)
It’s getting warmer, that means the end
Time for study, parties be damned
Getting closer, two weeks to go
Bad results, prospects are low

College days drifting away …but Oh! Those bloody exams! (What a bore, what a booooore!)
_____________________________

The Greasy Pole during Rag Week?(Click on Photographs to view larger size)

__________________

Pushy Photographers on Graduation Day!?
Grads Night?__________________

UCG Fianna Fáil's "Teddy Boys"!
______________________

Newsflash!!!
Photo of 1976 First Year Science Students Uncovered!
A wonderful photograph of nearly 100 First Year Science Students taken in 1978 sitting on the steps near to the UCG Library was emailed from Brian Walsh now living in Australia. Above is a small section of this fantastic image (a smiling red-haired Brian is in the middle of photo). The full photo will be shown in all its glory on Nov 22nd!
Below is the text of Brian's email:

Speedie, Enjoy!
Who's the ugly bastard up at the back :-) it's you!
I wonder where they all are now?
I can only remember a small fraction of the names. Maybe people will recognize themselves/others and provide updates on how things have worked out.

I *think* this was taken by "Farrells" of Woodquay....you should remember, you organized it!
And there were several class fotos taken -
comm, arts, etc.
So would Farrells' (or what's left of them, if anything) still have negatives? I'll leave that to you.

Regards,
Brian Walsh

___________________________________
The SU Characters?
HistriSoc's Irish Student History Conference in the Great Southern?(Click on Photographs to view larger size)
HistriSoc's Christmas Party with 'Big G' (Gerry Sexton) & the Fuse?
HistriSoc's Lecture on Hitler by
Frank Noonan- UCG student, resident of 80 Hazel Park & WW2 military buff !?
HistriSoc's Lecture on DeValera & the Bishop by popular UCG historian T.P. O'Neill?
HistriSoc's great Arts Dress Dances?
Graduation Day?(Click on Photographs to view larger size)______________________

When Fashion was
Long Hair, Big Spectacles &
Beards!?
Females in Uniform on Graduation Day?Males in Uniform on Graduation Day?
Slow Dancing in the Aula?(Click on Photographs to view larger size)

Discos with the 'K-Tel Kids'?
Discos with 'Big G' (Gerry Sexton)?

Party 'Blueshirts' on campus?




Wearing Fancy Dress in Rag Week?
(Click on Photographs to view larger size)


Travelling to Lisdoonvarna to Enjoy the Craic and the music of Jackson Browne, Planxty, Moving Hearts, Dave Edmunds...?

(Click above to hear Christy Moore sing Lisdoonvarna)

_____________________________

Nervous Enge Students Guarding 'Dick' Magazine Stores Against Threatened Arson Attack by Angry Feminists during College Week?
Enge Students Demonstrating 'Scare' Tactics to be used against Angry 'Dick' hating Feminists?
Feminists Burning 'Dick' Rag Mag Outside Enge Block?

Enge Student Casualty outside Enge Block after Successful Arson Attack by Angry 'Dick' Hating Feminists?________________________

Transforming Damp Cold Chalets & Dinghy Garage Flats into Palatial Dining Rooms for Invited Friends (at least for one night!)?

The Fun & Banter of Student Mags?


Taking One Last Photo of Good Friends Together on Graduation Day?



Being Conferred in Latin?
The Conferring List?
Grads Night?
Rowing Boats for Hire from the old College Boat Club?


The Members of the Upper Echelons of UCG Society?

Looking Gorgeous at the annual Faculty Dress Dance?

Dashing Young Musketeers & Swordsmen Roaming the Campus?

When 'Bushing' Meant Something Altogether Different from Today?
The 'Slow Set' at a Salthill Disco?
Expert Relationship & Sexual Advice from 'Contra' (aka Paul Moore)?
The 'Ms. & Mr. College Week' competition?
Friday & Saturday Nights in the Aula?
Being on a J1 Student Summer Visa in New York?
When the Campus was full of 'Officers & Gentlemen'!?
Inaugural Gig of 'FUSE', Galway's First Super Group, in O'Flaherty's Theatre?
When Marriage created the strangest of Bedfellows?


Sporting Lassies?

Sporting Lads?

Enge 'GAA GAA' Boys
Closing Time(11pm) in the Reading Room?
Thursday Nights in the 'Kings Head'?
The Crazy Boat Race during Rag Week?
The Kelly & Taylor Band?
Proud Family Members on Graduation Day?
The Annual pre-Xmas SU Protest March to Eyre Square?
Being Slightly(!) Intoxicated in the Cellar Bar?
Feeling Sick in the Skeff at the end of the Ladies Pub Crawl in Rag Week?
Our Very Own On-Campus Cinema courtesy of SU Ents Officer Padraic Boran?

The Poetry & Short Stories of VOICES?
'Societies Day' for First Years in the Concourse?Singing in the Choral Society?
The 21st Birthday Parties?


The Life & Times of UCG Students
College Life in the latter half of the 1970s was a truly liberating and empowering time for young Irish people.We were part of the generation that finally benefited from third level state grants and free post-primary education. With the arrival of the multi-national corporations; the introduction of new technologies; public discussions on family planning, homosexuality and other once strictly taboo social issues; the 'Troubles' in Northern Ireland and our entrance into the European Economic Community, the country was experiencing unprecedented change that was at times painful but oftentimes enjoyable. So began the journey along the road to today's Global Village.The students of this era were true pioneers being both recipients and initiators of this new Ireland.
On a personal level, many that came to UCG then were the first members of families ever to attend a third-level college. Our Moms & Dads were very proud and expected great things from their sons and daughters. But for us it was a pure Teenager's Dreamland! We found ourselves all of a sudden living away from home with no real constraints surrounded by thousands of young active people of our own age.But then reality would set in as we found it difficult to party more than one day (Thursday) a week due to the miserable council grant monies that we got every term!!
Yet we left a enduring legacy behind us not just nationally but locally as many of our colleagues began to re-shape Galway City into an internationally renowned economic and cultural hub.
Come Join Us!
It would be really nice to meet each and every one of you again after so many years. Let's share a laugh and drink or two on Saturday November 22nd in NUI Galway. Some of our favourite college academic and administrative staff have also promised to join us for the event.
Professor Tom O'Neill with Tony Broderick (our friendly campus bank manager!)

So if you remember any of the following- GIBS in Seapoint; late night Toga Parties in Hazel Park; Terry Smith playing guitar outside the Claddagh Cinema; Afternoon Coffee in 'Peggys'; discos at the 'Aula', 'Rivelinos', 'Beach' & 'International'; the 'Kelly & Taylor' Band in the King's Head; Boomtown Rats in 'Smokie Joes'; Furey Brothers in Terrapin 5; Captain Joe Fiddle (aka Ollie Jennings); the disc jockeys known as Big G & the 'K-Tel Kids'; 'Fir Bolgs'; 'Mná Bolgs'; Cider flagons from 'Peter Michaels'; the after-pub Curried Chips; 'Garbage' & 'Reaction' mags; Lit 'n' Deb motions from Ronan Tynan & co; Lectures in the Latin Hall; Morning Cycling to college; U2 in Leisureland; Rag Ball; Teac Furbo; SU marches to Eyre Square; 'Blue Bottles' in the Library; Padraic Boran's great Ents posters; 'Stickies', 'Trots', 'Revolutionary Struggle' & Fine Gael's 'Young Tigers'; the furore over Rag Week Fund-Raising for the Family Planning Centre; 'Dick'; H-Block Protests; the showing of the banned 'Life of Brian' film in college; 'Opus Dei'; 'Campus Crusade'; 'Crusade for Satan'; Hitchhiking home for the weekends, Dolly Birds in the Skeff... then you should be there!!!

So Who has Already Confirmed?
The following graduates (& UCG staff friends) have confirmed their attendance:
Maria O'Malley, Sinead O'Neill, Barney Callaghan, Speedie Smith, Oliver Foley, Olivia Harris, Mike Jennings, Mike McArdle, Ursula Killeen, Tom Cassidy, Tony Broderick, Mike Turley, Joe Rice, Cha Taylor, Eileen Mahoney, Fergal Hassett, Eileen Keary, Mary Flanagan, Mary Murphy, Richie Moore, Ollie Daniels, James O'Kelly, Linda Gillan Byrne, Emer Dyar Kerrigan, Martin Ridge, Marcella Corcoran, Sean McGovern, Eugene Kelly, Sindy Dowling, Liam Walsh(Breathnach), Bernie Mannion, Billy Moyles, Tadg Kenny, Jackie O'Dowd, John Broderick, Maureen O'Malley, Breda Coady, Roger Lee, Debie Fitzgerald, Kevin Connolly, Linda Gillen, Nuala Clancy, Nodlaig O' Grady, Pat Byrne, Victor Laing, Bertie Hartigan, Hubert McDermott, Mary Hyland, Ciana Campbell, Mary Dundon, Caroline Graham, Mary Farrell, Rosie Nee, Joan O'Brien, Anne Donald, Frank Noonan, Sean Farrell, Ray Flaherty, Padraig Quinn, Charlie Byrne, Kathy deHora, Hubert McDermott, Joyce McGreevy, Michael Fitzpatrick, James Harrold, Margaret Mary Amond, Padraig Harris, Trish Harrington, Bartley Fannin, Martin Ridge, Cathal Guiomard, Paula Walsh, Tony McDonogh, Maura Grealy, Mike Irwin, Katherine Shannon, Seamus McKenna, Maria Silke, Kevin Byrne, Una Tierney, Bernie McAleer, Padraig O'Ceidigh, Aideen Ward, Kevin Jordan, Una Ní Chaoimh, Maeve McDonogh, Seamus Kilroy, Donal Downes, Mary McArdle, Maura Butler, Anne O'Grady, Gerry Jones, Mary McCabe, Mike Hession, Eleanor Cahill, Eamon Brennan, Caitriona McCullough, Teresa Guinan, Deirdre Cunningham, Breda Brennan, Mary Burke, Anne Donald, Ciara Hartigan, Nuala Clancy, Siobhan McKiernan, Una Byrne, Eugene O'Kelly, Eamon Behan, Sarah O'Beirne, Mike Hanley, Damian Kelly, John Kehoe, Mary O'Sullivan, Mary Walsh, Brian Thornton, Bernadette Ogburn, Mary Fidelma Dunne, Breda Brennan, Paul Riordan, Emer Walshe, Sheila Moroney, Michael Keenan, Mary O'Sullivan, Richie Bowler, Eileen Grogan, Rory Hynes, Grainne McMorrow, Martin Ludden, John McGrath, Oliver Reynolds, Gerry Riordan, Aileen Burke, Bernadette Crehin, Olive Coppinger, Joe Connolly, Kathy Griffin, Mary McCann, Christina Conroy, Teresa Folan, Mary Grennan, Dolly Brehony, Bernie Kenny, Annette McCormack, Riona Hughes, Jimmy O'Rourke, Una Nealon, Mairead Manifold, Bríd Manifold, Anne Grennan, Eileen Cleary, Nigel McKenna, Stephen Collins, Brien Kiely, Margaret Murphy, Brenda Murphy, Oonagh Lysaght, Conor Maguire, Joe Boske, Nuala Lardner, Eileen Molloy, Pat Diskin, Shannon Goggin, Michael Conway, Mary Coldrick, Iggy O'Muircheartaigh, Mike Donohue, Brian Thornton, Frances Dooley, Rose Heffernan, Enda O'Reilly, Eugenia Kelly, Padraic Jordan, Dave Niland, Celestine Rowland, Enda O'Reilly, Paul Clarke, Nuala Clancy, Dolores Brennan, Una Byrne, Francesca Counihan, Michael D. Higgins, Padraic Breathnach, Mary McCabe, Sean MacEoin, Mary McCreevy, Liz Cassidy, Carmel McCarthy, Rachel McNicholl, Eta O'Brien, Mike Quinlivan, Alma Hynes (neé Quinn), Padraic Boran, Declan MacCuarta, Johan Sullivan and Maura Henderson.
Many of the above people have contacted former student colleagues to encourage them to spend a memorable November weekend in their Alma Mater. So the call has gone out and being heard by:
Marguerite Larkin, Declan Coogan, Moira Malone, John Reidy, Ross O'Driscoll, Johnny Burns, Mary Fleming, Jim Higgins, Peter Finnegan, Dave Niland, Barry Connaire, Martin Fitzgerald, Tommy Allen, Majella Coleman, Colm Feeney, Norrie Nugent, Ronan Tynan, Brian McCraith, Mary Rose Kelly, Jim McComb, Maeliosa Stafford, William Cahill, Martin Comiskey, Barry Connaire, John Coppinger, Aidan Corcoran, Gabriel Costello, Eamon Doyle, John Egan, Eamonn Fahey, Declan Garvin, Philip Harkin, Timothy Joyce, Paul Maloney, David O'Malley, Padraic O'Donoghue, Margaret Costello, Maureen Joyce, David Jackson, Malachy Eaton, Aenid O'Driscoll, Gabriel Hicks, Teresa Naughton, Kathleen Joyce, Ian Hanna, Jim Byrne, Betty Hynes, Dave Lannon, Fr. Brian Allen, Rachel McNicholl, Liz Fitzpatrick, Michael Gorman, Ann Marie Horan, Gerard Donovan, John Egan, Brian & Tish Mannion, Charlie McBride, Lelia Kennedy, Ger Farrell, Carmel McCarthy, Moira Sweeney, Dermot O'Connor, Jim Cotter, John Joe Conwell, Peter Faherty, Tim Flaherty, Jim Gosling...
So why not consider picking up the 'phone or emailing a few friends over the next few weeks to persuade your old college mates to join you for the Re-union? You may never get such a fantastic opportunity again!


21 comments:

Anonymous said...

here are my memories to add to the pot:
Lit&Deb nights featuring Eoin O'Moylan, Paul Moore, the Stack twins, Ross O'Driscoll addressing the house in Latin, wearing full academic dress;Padraic Boran's on-campus events; James Harrold's journalism; Connor Maguire and Charlie Mc Bride's comedy act MC Squared; nights at thr Tavern, Eyre Sq.;the late Prof.Padraig O'Carra busking on Shop Street;the Unity Variety Show '79, featuring Joyce Mc Greevy singing country & western, the FUZE (PatCoyne & co), SCUM; indoor sport at the Bubble; the handball alley; Sheelagh Luskin's rag week events;Padraig Breathnach's car (a decommissioned hearse!); the inauguration of the College Bar in the Quad;the Political Discussion Society - (remember 'Dolores - a prostitute'?), Dr. David Norris's stunningly entertaining speech on gay rights and privacy; innovative and original clubs like ModernDanceSoc, GaySoc, CNDsoc, ThirdWorldsoc,; Dramsoc - the Borage Pigeon Affair; the UCG choir; the UCG Barbershop Quartet;dancing at Leisureland to Chips, Thin Lizzy, Stockton's Wing, Horslips; the Pope in Ballybrit, '79....
This list is far from over!

amond said...

Well done Speedie and friends, even seeing the Blog photos brings back good memories, looking forward to being there...Mags Amond (BSc '79)

Anonymous said...

Hey Mags (Amond)! How are you! I got a right giggle when I spied yerself and speedie steppin out in the Aula. And what about those hair styles! Agh for a bit of hair now!
Can't make the gig - but enjoy the event. Brian Breathnach (Walshe) BSc 80.

Anonymous said...

And I had hair when our superband (!!) Scum of the Earth played our gigs! If I can remember rightly the first gig was to raise funds for Unity? Hope to see all (eek) old friends on the 22nd. Mike Hanley

Anonymous said...

Less of the "old", Mike Hanley !!
Pity you can't be there Brian, we will rock on your behalf...

MikeDonohoe said...

Finally cyberspace catches up with the classes of 78, 79 and 80 (me). I mean 1980 and not 80 Hazel Park, where Speedie held court. If I get started at all the nostalgia will be sweepin over me somethin fierce. Even the name Rivelino's... Midland exile (Kilkenny) Mike Donohoe (BSc 80)

Speedie's Blog said...

Greetings Mike,
Really good to here from you. If only the walls of No. 80 Hazel Park could talk! What a tale they would tell!! It was the best party house in Galway!!!
Remember the Yankie travellers I sent to the house while I was working in New York!??
Please send me your email- we have to re-connect!
By the way, why not come along to the Nov 22nd? You would be more than welcomed. In fact bring along a few old college chums!
Cheers
Speedie

Unknown said...

best wishes from SIMON KELLY (Class of 1980 medical)

Speedie's Blog said...

Thanks Simon for the best wishes. Like anybody with a UCG connection from the late 1970s, you are more than welcomed to book for the Nov 22nd reunion

Anonymous said...

Greetings Speedie from a former neighbour in 81 Hazel Park. Trying to reunite all our residents...
See you there.

Speedie's Blog said...

Fraternal Greetings to our former comrades of No'81!
Now pray tell- which of that merry crew would you be!?

Anonymous said...

Hi Speedie
This is comrade Byrne! formerly of 81.

Speedie's Blog said...

Ye were a mad female bunch in No. '81. Keeping us poor studious males living next door awake all night long with your non-stop parties!!!

Byrne said...

You've got it wrong!! It was you lot who kept us lot awake!!!!

Speedie's Blog said...

Well ok so- maybe you are right on that point.
But anyway, ye never missed one of our parties if I remember correctly!!
In our unselfish way, we were trying to do our bit for the greater good of humanity in trying to cater for the dancing and drinking requirements of the neighbourhood!!

Unknown said...

After a fantastic trip down memory lane on saturday I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to everybody who organised a great day.(And especially to Mairead Manifold who got us all together )
It was super to see everybody
and what a buzz there was all night,even at 2.30 am watching more slides ,and after not being back for 29 years I remembered
the friendly fun place Ucg was and thankfully still is .
BRILLIANT FUN.

Byrne said...

Hi Speedie

Thanks a million to all wbo put so much work into organising such a great evening and night on Saturday. It was wonderful to meet up with so many former (not old!!!) friends. The years were really rolled back. Am still on a high. We all really had such fun then and we still can.
Again many thanks.
UB

Anonymous said...

Mags Almond or any of the class of of 1976-80.

You might enjoy:
http://oceanreefwa.com/gallery/main.php

Brian

Anonymous said...

I thoroughly enjoyed saturday afternoon.Prof Hubert's lecture reassured us he can still entertain and broaden and enlighten our minds simultaineously.What better entertainment than a Lit&Deb debate on whether our UCG days were fun or not, the topic was excellently debated and certainly left some of us wondering why we had missed so many back in the 70's choosing instead the Skeff, Cellar or sadly 'Richman Poorman' on a tiny black and white tv. thanks for the opportunity to meet past friends and enjoy the memories.

Unknown said...

Lots of familiar faces, lots of familiar situations! Lots of hair! Lots of memories.

Peadar Noone (Class of 76 Science, graduated Mb 1983).

Anonymous said...

Can anyone remember the name of the girl on the right side of the page, its a oolour photo with a boat in the background. She has cury hair?