Was It As Good For You As It Was For Me!?

Friends Reunited!
Rosie O'Connell, Ciana Campbell, Jimmy O'Brien Moran, Maura Henderson, Jonah Sullivan

The responses that flooded in from attendees of the 78/79 Reunion held on November 22nd 2008 was so positive that we have decided to re-enact the whole event again this year with everyone welcomed particularly those that graduated up to 1981.

It seems that we graduates from that halcyon era have still some unfinished business together!! So mark off November 7th in your calendar!Dolly Birds & Army Reunited!
Mary Flanagan, Kevin Byrne & Mary Murphy

The Reunion was very magical for so many people.
Happy memories came flooding back as long-lost college friends were reunited in smiles, hugs, kisses, tears of joy, dancing, singing and much merriment.
A nice final touch to proceedings was the fact that a 2,000Euro profit made from the Reunion's ticket sales was donated to the college's ‘Habitats for Humanity' that will help send student volunteers to Honduras to help build houses in poor indigenous communities.

Barney Callaghan Enjoys a Good Laugh as
He Tells Himself Another One of His Finest Jokes!

________________

What Did I Think of the Night?

Included below is a summary of extracts from people that attended the November 22nd 2008 Reunion starting with a wonderful piece from Joyce McGreevy

Mairead Manifold, Deirdre Cunningham, Eta Burns & Ann Grennan

Dear friends,
It was so lovely to see you and our fellow alums in Galway—November seems both a moment ago and a dream too wonderful to have possibly been real. Thoughts of that all too brief reunion keep returning to me, and not out of mere nostalgia. I couldn’t help feeling that we had all been drawn to UCG again not simply to revisit the past, but also to re-engage with the present, and to do so in some measure together.

For unlike many student reunions I’ve heard about from bemused or disappointed acquaintances here in the States, the gathering in Galway showed little evidence of people out to impress each other and every sign of friends who could not help but inspire each other. Before you dismiss that as sentimentalism, consider what we carried within us during those days at UCG: a concatenation of irreverent purposefulness, boundless energy, heart-hunger for justice and a readiness even then to see it through, communicative versatility (did we ever not know in those pre-mobile technology days where Galway’s pulse was beating and how to spread the Where and the When of it to all our friends?), blithe refusal to allow such petty things as lack of funds or sheer impossibility to get in the way of crafting dreams into reality, and through it all, a keen curiosity that on more than one occasion drove us, to the surprise of our professors, our parents, and indeed ourselves, headlong into learning. Two of the Stars of the Reunion - Prof Hubert McDermott & Linda Gillen Byrne

Some thirty years and many narrative complications later, those essential qualities, and not the nametags that we wore, are what identified us one to another. What are a few gray hairs (or no hair) compared to all that? It is a dynamism that rides change, and changes, too, by deepening, not diminishing, fed by maturity but not sated by it. Who wouldn’t want to gather such human energies together again and discover, through our conversations and shared stories, our ideas and intentions, our plans and actions, what new good might come of it?
While we are now living 200 or more different epilogues to the UCG story--and that is as it should be, I cannot help but feel that we still have work to do together. What it is I cannot say for sure—some group effort to meet a clear and urgent need in the community or the college? A more informal networking and partnering of alumni around common interests such as the arts, technology, medicine, education, and the environment? I don’t know. But I do know that were we to pick up the threads of our November conversations, they would inevitably lead to brainstorms, aspirations, goals, and the resourcefulness to carry them out. I don’t mean to sound grandiloquent here. I’m simply trusting the breadth of our UCG education, the wealth of our varied skills, the depth of our post-UCG experiences, and the strength of our common values.
So let’s find out, shall we?
…Thanks, also, to our beloved Hubert McDermott. Framed by the sly hilarity of his delivery, he offered a lecture that was generous and incisive in its wisdom. And of course, who else but the great Professor McDermott could mine the metaphorical riches of Shakespeare, Yeats, Synge, and “Paddy Hanrahan and the Oklahoma Showband” all in the same lecture?
And so I sign off, but just for now, and in the hope that we will all see each other again soon. In Galway, of course, bringing our past, present, and future with us to some place now known as NUIG, but which we’ll forever remember as UCG.
Slån go foill, mo chairde,
Joyce (McGreevy)

Probably UCG's Favourite 2 Americans!
Eileen Mahoney & Joyce McGreevy

__________________

We had such fun and Yes, it really was lovely to see so many "old" faces after all this time. I haven't laughed so much in years!

Linda Gillen-ByrneEmbarrassed to be seen in public with well-known troublemakers Speedie & Victor, nice girl Linda attempts to hide her face from prying photographers!

… That was the best! There was not one minute of it I would have changed. You know the club structure in the Alumni Association? Why don't we start a branch and call it ‘The Fun and Freedom Club ‘ (graduates of the late seventies)!?...

Sinead O’Neill (Lenehan)

Sinead O'Neill Gets Visibly Upset When Victor Reminisces About the Food Served in the old UCG Canteen

Thanks for a great reunion night! I enjoyed it a lot. I think it would be great to repeat and I suspect it will gather momentum as everybody was moved by all that old camaraderie and nostalgia.
Rosie O Connell

What a Glorious Crowd!

Well done to all on the reunion at the weekend. I've been at 3 over the years and this was by far the very best. Great work and thanks for the presentation - my disco lights needed upgrading after nearly 3 decades! Imagine it's that long ago! We loved meeting everybody again.
Seamus McKenna & Kathryn Shannon

Just want to say how much I enjoyed the re-union and what fun we all had. Hubert's lecture and the debate that followed had me in stitches. Such a great start to the evening…I will always remember the 22nd November 2008 as the best night.
All the best

Emer DyarLast Days of a Bachelor Boy!

A smiling Gerry Jones (at the Reunion) 2 weeks before he married for the first time!

I was delighted that there was this opportunity to renew old friendships. It is amazing how one can just pick up the traces in such circumstances… Nobody but those of us who shared the space along the banks of the Corrib for a time can understand the collegiality that can exist amongst such a diverse group- be they pals, friends or acquaintances.
Maith thú, Tom Cassidy

Really enjoyed the night and the whole gig…What a day! -You took years off us all (I firmly believe hugs are good medicine).
Mags Amond

It was a great success. Billy Moyles, Una Tierney and I were still going until 6:00am in the Westwood; XXXXXX tried to nick my jacket from the bar; and we all ended up with vintage hangovers! So nothing really changes!
And for us Enges, it was a momentous occasion to be present at a Hubert McDermott lecture at long last. I just wish I had heard it in 1979. It was also great, for Paul Riordan and me, to chat with him over a dinner reminiscent of those slapped up in dens of iniquity like Rivelinos and
Twiggs. I loved his telling us that some of his favourite oxymorons are "civil engineers" and the "University of Limerick"! Onward then!
Mike McArdle

Lying In the Arms of Mary!
Eugene Falls Asleep in Mary's Arms

What a Good Night! We had an absolute ball at the ‘do’, we are definitely coming again!
Maybe we will round up even more stragglers.
Jonah Sullivan

Thank you so much for a special night. It was great to meet so many ‘heads’ and to catch up on 30years.
Bartley Fannin

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.
Una Byrne

I thoroughly enjoyed Saturday afternoon. Prof Hubert's lecture reassured us that he can still entertain and broaden and enlighten our minds simultaneously. 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 'Rich Man Poor Man' on a tiny black and white TV! Thanks for the opportunity to meet past friends and enjoy the memories.
Eta O’Brien

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.
Ann Grennan

I'll be at the 09 Reunion! Should be a hoot and a half.
Maura Henderson

The Reunion was a true ‘Lá d’ar Saol!’
Eamon Behan

Teachers in Love!
Aideen Ward & Kevin Jordan. Still together after 25 years of marriage. Congrats!

Firstly thank you for an excellent night in November. We all really enjoyed it. Without someone to grab the throttle as they say in aviation - nothing happens and I want to complement you on this. I look forward to next November already.
Eamon Brennan

Just a short but sincere ‘thank you’ for the huge effort you and your team put into the recent graduate reunion in UCG. It was a wonderfully enjoyable evening from beginning to end, a real “noble effort of the imagination”.
Míle buíochas, bhain muid an-taithneamh as.
Le dea ghuí
Joe agus Cathy Connolly

(…in Reply to a letter of thanks from Eileen Mahoney)
I'm obviously very pleased to know that my talk struck a chord with so many people -- in fact, I was extremely nervous, afraid that I might not be on the 'wavelength' of my audience: this is why your comment is particularly welcome.
Ah, the Latin Hall -- I'll never forget it, either!
Did you know, Eileen, that a reunion such as last Saturday's had never occurred before…So, I,
for instance, never before addressed a gathering of graduates -- in all of 43 years on the staff of the university!!
Thank you, again, Eileen, most sincerely, for getting in touch.
Yours,
Prof. Hubert McDermott

Well Known in UCG, Well Known after UCG- Cathal Guiomard & Ciana Campbell

Thanks so much for a hugely enjoyable and very well organised reunion. Seamus and I had a really great day and evening.
I would be very grateful if you could send on that photo of my mother dancing with the gatecrasher. I know the rest of the family would love to see it. I was really touched by the number of people who spoke warmly of her to me after that photo was shown. I told her all about the event... For MY own part, it was a great reminder of the ways things used to be.

Maeve McDonagh

Still Smiling After All These Years!
Patricia Crombie. Billy Moyles, Pete McGovern, Una Tierney, Speedie & Mike Turley

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed the Grads Union. It was terrific fun and wonderful to see so many old friends... We are hoping that this great event will be repeated next year…It was a triumph!
Grainne Mc Morrow

What a great night! Thanks very much for all the work and effort put into it..All the best
Charlie Byrne

…I am still over the moon with what we managed to do…
Maria O’Malley

… Sean McGovern phoned on Sunday with a very positive report to make me feel worse about missing the reunion. I'll definitely do my best to make the next reunion…
Caroline Graham


It was a fantastic day highly entertaining and enjoyable with memories of great times and to see so many again was fantastic. Thanks again still keeping an eye on the blog even rooted out my own grads photo
Olivia Harris

A marvellous weekend. It was a fantastic success and I have no doubt that it can act as a platform for further reunions in years to come. ‘Ulster says Yes’ (at last)!!!!
Joe Rice

“…such a fantastic night - really enjoyed the evening…”
Ollie Daniels

Thank you so much for a wonderful night. We all had a really great time.

Eileen KearyDedicated Followers of Fashion! Anthony Ryan & Rachel McNicholl

The whole night just seemed to fly by in a blur and before I knew it, it was over and there were still so many people left to talk to etc. …..oh well, I'd say that night could have been 10 hrs long and it still wouldn't have been long enough!
faces, I think they all did to! Joe Rice was saying that Hubert either said to him, or he heard that he had said, that he had been to other reunions before but he thought this was the most special one of all and that his eyes even welled up a few times because of the heartfelt and palpable joy and happiness there was in the room that night…Anyway, thanks again What a GREAT GREAT GREAT w/e - starting with the Skeff on Friday night, continuing on Saturday with Hubert and Lit & Deb (by the way - was any of that taped?) I thought it was fab… And then followed by Saturday night and on into Sunday when a gang of us met for coffee and then on to an all afternoon brunch. I just LOVE those w/e's and from the looks on everyone'ssooooooooooooooo much..Until the next one…!!!!
Eileen Mahoney

Here we go again! Put it in the diaries! Especially the people who didn't make it the first time around! You know who you are …Plenty of notice so no excuses this year! And spread the word to anyone not on these 2 emails..... And everyone work on finding even more people!
Eileen Mahoney

Well done on the Reunion. Looking forward to the next one already!
Liz Cassidy

…such a wonderful reunion. I really enjoyed spending time with so many 78/79 grads again. Hubert's lecture and the debate were marvellous additions to the day. It was great to find ourselves seated in the back row and reverting to type!
Ciana Campbell

Really enjoyed the night and the whole gig…a fantastic job!
Mairead Manifold

I'm still digesting all that happened. It was great. Thanks again for encouraging me to attend. You and the others deserve great credit for a super event. I'm collaborating with Brian Walshe to identify all the people in the science class photo...If I were religious I'd say 'bless you'!
Mike Donohue

…the reunion…was brilliant…if emotional!...THANKS xx
Mary Murphy

I went to a book launch last night and there I met Fr. Brian Allen. He put Nov. the 7th in his diary and is looking forward to it already. He heard wonderful stories from Linda and Kevin. I also texted Victor Laing and Eamon Behan since both of them had begged for more. So the merry-go-round has started again. It's great! I know Bernie Hartigan will be a great support on the Board and Cepta and Mick Brougham who were away last November are dying to get involved (they live in Athlone and Cepta was a member of the board for a few years.) Jim Byrne (army) will be back from serving abroad by then and he asked me to let him know if there was going to be another. He hated missing the last one. He would be a great asset in mobilising the army. I know it's really early to be advertising it but the more people who put it in their diary the better.
Sinead O'Neill

...To be honest, I was in two minds about whether or not I should attend, since I thought that I wouldn't know anyone. So it was just great to walk into the D'Arcy Thompson Lecture Theatre and meet up with so many old friends! I really enjoyed the Lit 'n' Deb re-enactment not to mention the Slide Show you put on...(where)...I saw a few old flames..by the way!..It was a great afternoon and evening in Galway - I miss the place greatly...I will keep an eye on the website...
Bernie McAleer