Local Partnerships

In 2014 the President of University of Galway, and the then Chairman of COPE Galway, John Concannon, signed a partnership agreement facilitated by the CKI that aims to benefit some of the most vulnerable and isolated people in Galway. A memorandum of understanding commits both organisations to deepening their engagement with the people of Galway through a range of partnerships and collaborations. It outlined a need to deepen students’ understanding and disciplinary knowledge on issues that relate to the most marginalised people in society including those who are homeless, suffering from domestic violence and the elderly.   The partnership allows for the provision of opportunities for University of Galway students to contribute to COPE Galway’s programme, to co-host conferences, and to explore research opportunities through final year projects, PhD research and individual academic research.  In addition, many staff of University of Galway volunteer annually to do a sleepout on the street of Galway to highlight and fundraise for the homeless population including Lorraine McIlrath, Professor Pat Dolan and Dr. Martina Kelly who have raised in excess of €20,000.   

Domestic Violence Response (DVR) is a community-based outreach organisation which addresses the needs of women and children impacted by domestic abuse. It provides for emergency supports, assisting clients in developing safety plans, advocacy accompaniment, counselling and specific programmes for the empowerment of women in the longer term. As well as providing these direct supports to women, DVR is also involved in initiatives to create greater knowledge and awareness of domestic abuse and to developing interventions to prevent and ultimately eradicate this form of abuse towards women and children. Through its membership of DVR’s Board of Directors CKI supports the work of DVR in responding to and addressing the issue of domestic abuse in the Galway region.  

Galway Chamber is the premier business organisation in Galway. It currently represent nearly 500 companies, and in turn represent over 27,000 employees in Galway City and County. The Chamber works for the interests of businesses, and for the economic development of the City and Region.  University of Galway is represented on the Council of the Chamber by Dr Paul Dodd, Vice President for Engagement.

Leaders across Galway are beginning to reimagine the Irish city as a National Park City, with a focus on how it could enhance the landscape and improve people’s health. Over eighty individuals and their respective organisations have started to come together to help facilitate this process. Across NUI Galway staff and students are giving their time and expertise to the Galway National Park City initiative.  

Students volunteering are recognised for their time volunteering and Lorraine Tansey, coordinator of ALIVE, is advising the group on development of the new volunteer programme through volunteer management practices.  

Brendan Smith, organiser, said, "President Michael D. Higgins gave a powerful thought-provoking speech to an online meeting of people of all ages drawn from a wide strata of local society on why the movement towards transforming Galway into a National Park City is so crucial at this particular time in human history due to unprecedented climate change, biodiversity loss and pandemics, and why it can be a template for other cities in Ireland to follow."

His talk was followed by presentations from Dan Raven Ellison, a visionary campaigner who led the successful drive to establish London as world’s first National Park City; and from Kathryn Tierney, policy coordinator at the Directorate General Environment of the European Commission involved in the EU’s radical new growth strategy known as the ‘Green Deal’ with its key principles of circular economy, wildlife protection, zero pollution, clean energy, net greenhouse emissions by 2050 with funding being made available towards research, business innovation and community transition. 

So impressed are all three by what is happening in Galway that President Higgins agreed to become this new movement’s official patron; Dan to be its mentor; Kathryn to be its champion at EU level; whilst Duncan Stewart, Ireland’s most well-known environmentalist, is its national champion. 

The work of the practitioners in Theatre for Change Galway is based on models of applied theatre, including that of Theatre of the Oppressed, pioneered by Brazilian theatre director, Augusto Boal. This approach to theatre has the objective of bringing about social and personal change by means of the interaction, dialogue and improvisation made possible by applied theatre, through a variety of workshops and performances and in a variety of settings, including community-based settings and classrooms. For example, Theatre for Change Galway has utilised this approach in their provision and facilitation of modules on the BA Youth & Family Studies at NUI Galway. Recent work undertaken by the group includes a performance demonstrating the results of research at the University of Limerick regarding the use of classifications of ethnicity (ethnic identifier) in the context of general medical practice in Ireland. This form of theatre allows examination and action on matters of social concern in a variety of settings, which CKI is pleased to support through membership of its Board of Directors and through facilitation of access to space in the university for meetings and related activities.  Follow Theatre for Change on facebook.

TULCA is Galway’s annual contemporary visual arts festival, and takes place in November each year. Each festival is curated by a different curator from, or based in Ireland, who devises a festival theme that responds to Galway and its environs. The festival offers opportunities to engage with contemporary visual arts through a range of forms and events including exhibitions, tours, screenings, talks and performances, and in a range of locations and venues around Galway. The TULCA festival also includes an arts education programme which is made available to students in first, second and third levels of education. Connecting the festival and the university is an important aspect of the partnership between TULCA and CKI. Through its membership of the TULCA Board of Directors CKI fosters valuable community-university connections. It can facilitate access by TULCA to resources in the university, both practical and personal, and through connecting TULCA with students and staff of the university creates mutually rewarding forms of collaborative relationships.