The Ireland Funds Conference 2011

published on Jun 22nd, 2011

Over 120 Ireland Funds delegates from all over the world visited the University of Limerick at the end of June as part of their Annual Conference 2011.

During their time at UL, the visitors had an opportunity to learn about some of the projects and activities on campus.  They were introduced to the work of the UL Access Office and had an opportunity to meet some of the students involved in the Access programme.  A special presentation was also included on the Class of 2014 project. This pilot project is working with a class of students from St Enda’s school in Limerick throughout their secondary education with a series of sustained, intensive interventions, such as in-school support, after school activities and summer programmes. The project aims to increase the retention and attainment levels of the pupils thereby increasing transfer to Higher and Further Education.

The delegates also learned about the work of The Irish Ancestry Research Centre (I-ARC). I-ARC is an independent, not-for-profit organisation, established by American Ireland Fund delegate, Pauline Ryan, which aims to be Ireland's leading centre of excellence for genealogical research information and services. The Centre will be housed in the new Tierney Building on campus and is due to open before the end of the year and delegates got a taste of what the Centre can offer.
 
As part of their visit, they were also given a tour of the extensive Art Collections in Plassey House as well as some of the Special Collections housed in the Glucksman Library, including the National Dance Archive of Ireland and the extensive World War One in Photographs collection.

Speaking at the official welcome held in Plassey House the President of UL, Don Barry, said: "The University of Limerick is happy to work in partnership with the Ireland Funds to help build the new Ireland that we all want to see emerge as we recover from recent challenges.  We have a range of exciting projects which the members of the Irish diaspora have supported and we look forward to seeing these bearing fruit in the future".

David Cronin, Chief Executive of the UL Foundation added: “It is wonderful to have the opportunity to host our friends from The Ireland Funds here on campus, not only so that they can see some of our exiting projects, but also so that we can return the compliment, having been welcomed by them so many times to America and around the world.”

At the end of the evening the delegates were treated to an outstanding dance performance at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at UL before departing for Dromoland Castle where they were based for the duration of the conference.