Electronic Precinct - December 1998

Irish President flies in

(l to r) President McAleese; The Vice-Chancellor, Dr Martin McAleese; and Edward Barrington, Irish Ambassador.

Mrs Mary McAleese, President of Ireland, visited the University twice during her official visit to Liverpool on November 24 and 25. President McAleese attended an Irish Embassy reception for the Irish community at the University's Foresight Centre where she met a cross- section of the Irish community on Merseyside and members of the academic and business communities.

The following morning she visited the University's Institute of Irish Studies where she met members of staff and students. She was welcomed to the Institute by the Vice-Chancellor, and Professor Marianne Elliott, Director of the Institute of Irish Studies. Professor Elliott is one of Ireland's leading historians, and was a driving force behind the establishment of Irish Studies in Britain.

During her visit, President McAleese met undergraduates following a wide range of courses, including the Irish Language, in which she has a particular interest and spoke to a number of the Institute's staff and postgraduates about their research.

Professor Elliott said: 'We are honoured to receive the President of Ireland and we look forward to showing her some of the groundbreaking teaching and research which has been undertaken by the Institute since it was established 10 years ago.'

While in Liverpool, the President also unveiled a sculpture to the Irish Famine at St Luke's Church, in Leece Street. The four-metre high sculpture in Irish granite by Eamonn O'Doherty commemorates thousands of Irish people who fled their homeland during the great famine and came through the port.

Senator George Mitchell, Chairman of the Commission which produced the Good Friday Peace Agreement in Northern Ireland is to be awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws on Thursday, 18 February 1999. On the same day, Senator Mitchell will deliver the Institute of Irish Studies' annual 'Peace' lecture.