Photo shows Minister of Community, Rural Affairs & the Gaeltacht, Eamon Ó Cuiv T.D. standing beside samples of the craft work produced by the Eglinton residents as he addresses the large audience present at the launchNearly 100 guests and friends turned up last Monday in the Eglinton to launch the 2007/2008 Cultural & Social Activities 2007/2008 Programme for the residents of the centre.
The event was officiated by government minister, Eamon Ó Cuiv and the Mayor of Galway City, Councillor Tom Costello.
Special guests also included Councillors Mary Leahy, Terry Flaherty & Colette Connolly; staff of the Health Services Executive, the Vocational Educational Committee (VEC), Galway 
Refugee Support Group, Integrate Ireland, Galwy Multi-Cultural Forum; the Garda Siochana, Westside Resource Centre, various departments of Galway University(CKI, Health, DERI & ECI), student volunteers & representatives of the Great Western male asylum-seekers hostel.
Photo: Chidi, Kathi Dillon (Westside Resource Centre & Mary McMahon (VEC)
Refugee Support Group, Integrate Ireland, Galwy Multi-Cultural Forum; the Garda Siochana, Westside Resource Centre, various departments of Galway University(CKI, Health, DERI & ECI), student volunteers & representatives of the Great Western male asylum-seekers hostel.Photo: Chidi, Kathi Dillon (Westside Resource Centre & Mary McMahon (VEC)
Photo shows Sarah Knight (ECI, Galway University), Councillor Terry Flaherty & Maria Alesandro (CKI, NUI Galway) enjoying the learning environment of the Eglinton playschool)
Brendan Smith of the university's Digital Enterprise Research Institute (DERI), on behalf of the Eglinton Residents' Support Committee, welcomed everyone particularly the Mayor and the Minister . His detailed presentation included a brief summary of the impact of the 'global village' on Ireland, the country's historical emigration patterns & recent immigration; a review of the Eglinton support committee and its various new programmes for the year ahead including sewing classes, quilt-design & computer FETAC courses. He outlined the funding sources available that included the RIA, HSE, VEC , Galway Refugee Support Group and Galway University as well as private benefactors. Brendan also paid tribute to dedicated committee members such as Maeve Geraghty, Suzanne McKane, Mary McMahon & Mary Leahy; to the hotel management particulalry Carole & Patrick; to the college volunteers such as Ted & Caoimhin; to Dr. Hans Piper for his work on immigrant health issues; to the different support agencies who had provided the nececssary funding such as the RIA, the VEC and DERI & to Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv for his long standing record in promoting a 'community' ethos.
Chidi & Dmitry then gave two excellent verbal insights into life as asylum seekers in Ireland and in the Eglinton in particular.
Councillor Tom Costello, Mayor of Galway City, praised the efforts of the residents' support committee for improving the quality of lives of asylum-seekers.
Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv in his well-received speech pointed out that the committee are an inspiration for all those in the country that are promoting integration and social inclusion. He promised to increase his efforts to respond to the efforts of the members requests for extra services and support mechanisms.
Photo: rep of the Western Hostel; Dmitry Vershinin, Oisin Kenny (Galway City Multi-Cultural Forum) & Natalie Vershinin
Photo: Councillor Mary Leahy, Dmitry Vershinin, Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv & Councillor Terry Flaherty
So successful were Chidi, Adrienne, Brendan & Dmitry in their endeavours, and so impressed was the radio station management, that they applied to the Irish Department of Justice with an offer of using the Eglinton to host their famous end-of-the-year show! Unfortunately the government did not give the 'green light' in time for what have been an historical occasion. Still maybe next year!
Photo: Chidi, Dmitry & Adrienne in the studio of Galway Bay FM just prior to their live broadcast on the popular Keith Finnegan Show
Brendan Smith of the university's Digital Enterprise Research Institute (DERI), on behalf of the Eglinton Residents' Support Committee, welcomed everyone particularly the Mayor and the Minister . His detailed presentation included a brief summary of the impact of the 'global village' on Ireland, the country's historical emigration patterns & recent immigration; a review of the Eglinton support committee and its various new programmes for the year ahead including sewing classes, quilt-design & computer FETAC courses. He outlined the funding sources available that included the RIA, HSE, VEC , Galway Refugee Support Group and Galway University as well as private benefactors. Brendan also paid tribute to dedicated committee members such as Maeve Geraghty, Suzanne McKane, Mary McMahon & Mary Leahy; to the hotel management particulalry Carole & Patrick; to the college volunteers such as Ted & Caoimhin; to Dr. Hans Piper for his work on immigrant health issues; to the different support agencies who had provided the nececssary funding such as the RIA, the VEC and DERI & to Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv for his long standing record in promoting a 'community' ethos.
Chidi & Dmitry then gave two excellent verbal insights into life as asylum seekers in Ireland and in the Eglinton in particular.
Councillor Tom Costello, Mayor of Galway City, praised the efforts of the residents' support committee for improving the quality of lives of asylum-seekers.
Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv in his well-received speech pointed out that the committee are an inspiration for all those in the country that are promoting integration and social inclusion. He promised to increase his efforts to respond to the efforts of the members requests for extra services and support mechanisms.
Computer Presentations to Volunteers
Finally, Brendan Smith issued 6 reconditioned computers at the event to individual Eglinton residents who had completed in-house computer courses as part of the DERI Computer Recycling Scheme. Special computers were also awarded to Dmitry Vershinin & Ted Brennan in recognition of their extraordinary efforts as computer room volunteers.
Photo: rep of the Western Hostel; Dmitry Vershinin, Oisin Kenny (Galway City Multi-Cultural Forum) & Natalie Vershinin
Photo: Councillor Mary Leahy, Dmitry Vershinin, Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv & Councillor Terry Flaherty
Eglinton Residents Committee- Live on Galway Bay FM!
Soon after the launch, four members of the Eglinton Support Committee were interviewed at length by Keith Finnegan on his popular morning show on Galway Bay FM.So successful were Chidi, Adrienne, Brendan & Dmitry in their endeavours, and so impressed was the radio station management, that they applied to the Irish Department of Justice with an offer of using the Eglinton to host their famous end-of-the-year show! Unfortunately the government did not give the 'green light' in time for what have been an historical occasion. Still maybe next year!
Photo: Chidi, Dmitry & Adrienne in the studio of Galway Bay FM just prior to their live broadcast on the popular Keith Finnegan Show
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