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Change Makers
04 June 2026
20  MINS

It All Started in Galway: The Foundations of the Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI)

Prof Tony Hall, Professor of Education in the School of Education, University of Galway | ESAI

Reflecting on Ireland’s first half-century of educational scholarship and teaching-inspired research   In this Cois Coiribe article, Prof Tony Hall traces the historic roots of the Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI), from its inaugural ‘First Meeting of Scholars’, held in Galway in April 1976, through to key events and milestones leading to the 50-year commemorative event hosted by University of Galway, bringing the association back to its place of origin. Starting in 1970s Galway, the ESAI would become one of Ireland’s most important organisations for educational research and scholarship, north and south.    

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New Horizons
08 December 2025
18  MINS

Michael D. Higgins: A legacy reflected through University of Galway

Prof Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh, Professor Emeritus in History and former Dean of Arts and Vice-President of University of Galway

As Michael D. Higgins concludes his term as Uachtarán na hÉireann, the moment invites a warm and thoughtful look back at the extraordinary public life of one of University of Galway’s most distinguished alumni. Few are better placed to offer such reflection than Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh, Higgins’s lifelong friend and colleague, who provides a rare and personal glimpse into the man behind the office and the depth of his enduring connection to the University. Through public achievement and private loyalty, Higgins’s long association with University of Galway emerges as a defining thread in a remarkable life of service, intellect, and moral commitment.  

articles
29 April 2022
18  MINS

Truth and Testimony: Ireland’s Carceral Institutions

Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley

Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley, a foremost expert in the history of childhood in Ireland, argues that our national story remains incomplete until we recognise our institutional history. Calling for a survivor/person-centred approach, she reflects on the importance of testimony in piecing together an understanding of Ireland’s Carceral Institutions.

articles
16 March 2022
17  MINS

Russia in Ukraine: How will it end?

Dr. Brendan Flynn

In a recent piece for The Irish Times, Fintan O’Toole urged the West to think carefully about an endgame for the Ukraine war. The response in the West has failed, according to O’Toole, in its prioritisation of “speed and immediate impact over long-term utility.” Can political science and Cold War history help us chart a concrete path towards an endgame?

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