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University of Galway has announced the appointment of Des Ryan as the new Director of Sport and Physical Wellbeing.  As Director of Sport and Physical Wellbeing Mr Ryan will play the lead role in the strategic management of sport and physical wellbeing in the University, including the development of infrastructure, facilities and participation for all sport activity.   President of University of Galway, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh said: “We are delighted to have someone with such a breadth of experience as Des Ryan to lead the development of sports and physical wellbeing at the University. From premier league soccer, to inter-provincial and world rugby, to gaelic games, and expertise in sports science, Des Ryan will bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and insight to the University. We are conscious of the relationship between academic performance, health and wellbeing, and we often look to our values of excellence, respect and openness when we think about the importance of sport and physical activity. I look forward to working with Des Ryan and colleagues in Spórt to ensure the broadening of opportunities and achievements of our students.”  Congratulating Des Ryan on his appointment, University of Galway’s Dean of Students, Professor Ciara Meehan, said: "We are very pleased to have someone with Des Ryan’s experience and background to lead and develop our reputation as a leading third level institution for sport. As an established sports manager Des Ryan combines a passion for sport and a commitment to inclusion and diversity with a promise to support our elite athletes and promote the health and wellbeing of all our students and staff. We look forward to ensuring that our strengths and successes in sport will continue to grow and prosper."  Speaking of his appointment, Des Ryan said: “I am delighted to be joining the University of Galway. I look forward to working with the whole student and staff community to develop a dual-aspirational plan to help increase the physical wellbeing of everyone in our University community and, secondly, to help people in the sporting community to be their best. I will work with all the students, staff and volunteers to help University of Galway be a healthy environment where everyone feels they belong and an environment where they can improve their physical wellbeing and sporting potential.  “I would love to speak to any graduates or people from the wider community who would be interested in volunteering or supporting the University Sporting and Physical Activity projects.”     Originally from Aughrim in Co. Galway, Mr Ryan is a leading youth coach and performance manager in sport and a world-renowned practitioner and speaker in the field of youth athletic development.   Prior to joining the University, he worked for Setanta College as Director of Coaching and Athletic Development; Arsenal Football Club Academy as Head of Sport Medicine and Athletic Development; Head of Strength and Conditioning at Connacht Rugby; and Strength and Conditioning Coach and Fitness Education Manager within the IRFU.  Over the years Des Ryan has presented at the UKSCA – the UK's Professional Body for Strength and Conditioning, the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) conferences, as well as many other conferences around the world. He also has worked as a consultant to World Rugby, Brentford FC and the National Cricket academy in India. Des works closely with the Gaelic Games community as a member of the Sports Science Working Group and also the Coaching Advisory Working Group.    Des Ryan has a Masters in Strength and Conditioning and is also an Accredited Strength and Conditioning coach with the UKSCA. He also has achieved the High Performance Sports Accreditation from the British Association of Sports and Exercise Science and is a chartered scientist.    University of Galway is home to 40 active sports clubs, which are student-led and organised, with more than 6,000 students participating in sport and physical activity at the University.  Ends

Tá sé fógartha ag Ollscoil na Gaillimhe go bhfuil Des Ryan ceaptha ina Stiúrthóir nua Spóirt agus Folláine Coirp. Ina ról mar Stiúrthóir Spóirt agus Folláine Coirp, beidh Des Ryan i gceannas ar bhainistíocht straitéiseach cúrsaí spóirt agus folláine coirp san Ollscoil, lena n-áirítear forbairt bonneagair, áiseanna agus rannpháirtíochta in imeachtaí spóirt den uile chineál. Seo mar a labhair Uachtarán Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, an tOllamh Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh: “Cuireann sé lúcháir orainn duine mar Des Ryan, leis an taithí fhairsing atá aige, a bheith againn chun ceannaireacht a thabhairt ar fhorbairt cúrsaí spóirt agus folláine coirp san Ollscoil. Béarfaidh Des Ryan raidhse eolais, taithí agus léargas leis chuig an Ollscoil, gnóthaithe ó shacar an Premier League, ó rugbaí idir-chúige agus idirnáisiúnta, ó na cluichí Gaelacha agus ón saineolas atá aige ar an eolaíocht spóirt. Aithnímid an caidreamh atá idir feidhmíocht acadúil, sláinte agus folláine, agus cuimhnímid go minic ar ár mbunluachanna – barr feabhais, ómós agus oscailteacht – nuair a labhraímid ar thábhacht an spóirt agus na gníomhaíochta coirp.  Táim ag súil le bheith ag obair leis agus lena chomhghleacaithe spóirt chun cur leis na deiseanna a bhíonn ag ár mic léinn agus leis na héachtaí a bhaineann siad amach.” Agus í ag tréaslú le Des Ryan ar a cheapachán, dúirt Déan na Mac Léinn in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, an tOllamh Ciara Meehan: “Táimid an-sásta duine mar Des Ryan, leis an taithí agus an cúlra atá aige, a bheith againn chun ár gcáil mar cheann de na hinstitiúidí tríú leibhéil is fearr ó thaobh an spóirt de a threisiú agus a fhorbairt. Bainisteoir aitheanta spóirt é Des Ryan a chuirfidh a phaisean don spórt agus a thiomantas don chuimsiú agus don éagsúlacht lena ghealltanas tacaíocht a thabhairt do na lúthchleasaithe is fearr agus sláinte agus folláine na mac léinn agus na gcomhaltaí foirne go léir a chur chun cinn. Táimid ag súil go mór lenár láidreachtaí agus éachtaí spóirt a threisiú i gcónaí." Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Des Ryan faoina cheapachán: “Tá áthas an domhain orm a bheith ag teacht go hOllscoil na Gaillimhe. Táim ag súil le bheith ag obair le pobal na hollscoile ar fad, idir mhic léinn agus chomhaltaí foirne, chun plean ardaidhmeannach le dhá sprioc ar leith a chur i dtoll a chéile: folláine coirp gach duine dár bpobal ollscoile a fheabhsú, agus cuidiú le pobal spóirt na hollscoile barr a gcumais a bhaint amach. Oibreoidh mé leis na mic léinn, na comhaltaí foirne agus na hoibrithe deonacha go léir chun timpeallacht fholláin a chothú in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, timpeallacht ina mbeidh gach duine ar a suaimhneas agus a ligeann dóibh a bhfolláine coirp agus a n-acmhainneacht spóirt a threisiú. “Ba bhreá liom labhairt le céimithe nó daoine eile sa phobal i gcoitinne a mbeadh spéis acu obair i bpáirt linn mar oibrithe deonacha nó tacú le tionscadail spóirt agus gníomhaíochta coirp na hOllscoile.”  As Eachroim i gCo. na Gaillimhe ó dhúchas dó, is cóitseálaí óige agus bainisteoir feidhmíochta den chéad scoth é Des Ryan, agus tá cáil dhomhanda air mar chainteoir agus mar chleachtóir i bhforbairt lúthchleasach na hóige. Sular tháinig sé ar fhoireann na hOllscoile, bhí sé ina Stiúrthóir Cóitseála agus Forbartha Lúthchleasaí le Setanta College; bhí sé ina Cheann Míochaine Spóirt agus Forbartha Lúthchleasaí le hAcadamh Chlub Peile Arsenal; bhí sé ina Cheann Nirt agus Aclaithe le foireann rugbaí Chonnacht; agus ina Chóitseálaí Nirt agus Aclaithe agus Bainisteoir ar Oiliúint Chorpacmhainne leis an IRFU. Thar na blianta, tá cuireadh faighte ag Des Ryan labhairt ag comhdháil UKSCA – Comhlacht Gairmiúil na Ríochta Aontaithe maidir le Neart agus Aclú – comhdháil Chumann Nirt agus Aclaithe na hAstráile (ASCA), comhdháil an Chumainn Náisiúnta Nirt agus Aclaithe (NSCA) agus go leor eile ar fud an domhain. Lena chois sin, bhí sé ina shainchomhairleoir do Rugbaí an Domhain, do Brentford FC agus don Acadamh Náisiúnta Cruicéid in India. Tá dlúthchaidreamh ag Des le pobal na gcluichí Gaelacha chomh maith, agus é ina bhall de Ghrúpa Oibre na hEolaíochta Spóirt agus den Ghrúpa Oibre Comhairleach don Chóitseáil.  Tá Máistreacht ag Des Ryan sa Neart agus Aclú, agus is Cóitseálaí Creidiúnaithe Nirt agus Aclaithe é le UKSCA. Ina theannta sin, tá Creidiúnú sa Spórt Ardfheidhmíochta aige ó Chumann Eolaíochta Spóirt agus Aclaíochta na Breataine, agus is eolaí cairte é freisin.  Tá breis is 40 club spóirt – iad uile faoi stiúir na mac léinn – gníomhach in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus glacann breis is 6,000 mac léinn páirt in imeachtaí spóirt agus gníomhaíochta coirp san Ollscoil. Críoch

University of Galway students and the local business community have joined forces for the IdeasLab Hack powered by Liberty IT, with the aim of creating solutions to support and promote the city’s sustainable infrastructure growth.   A hackathon is an event which challenges participants to create an idea to solve or provide solutions to a problem. The real-time event gave the students the opportunity to collaborate, experiment, learn and problem solve under the guidance of employees from Liberty IT.   Participants heard from representatives from the local business community on the importance for Galway’s infrastructure to continue to develop sustainably to meet the demands of industry and our people. The students then worked in five multi-disciplinary teams to design and develop solutions to support and promote sustainable infrastructure growth.   Liberty IT employees supported the students to give them a sense of solving a ‘real world’ company problem to help develop their learning and to better understand their approach to planning, problem solving and technology.   The participants were given a Participant Resource Pack in advance of the event and were judged on a range of criteria including problem understanding, innovation, technology choices and presentation.   Students Ethan O’Brien, Ankit Akash, Amandeep Manchanda and Shambhavy Avasthi were announced winners for their solution of a smart meter designed to monitor and analyse the energy consumption patterns within households to provide insightful data on a home's overall energy efficiency.   Darren Muldoon, Liberty IT’s Galway Site Lead said: “We were delighted to hold the first IdeasLab Hack powered by Liberty IT in our PorterShed hub to bring together the local business community and students with the aim of developing skills and showing how you can use tech for good to help with. It was great to have students from different backgrounds take part - not everyone had experience in coding or engineering but were interested in design thinking, solutioning, conversation and having fun!   “Hackathons are an excellent vehicle for our students to gain further valuable insight into industry needs as well as expanding their practical skills and it was a great chance for our teams to work directly with the students to create an event where they could connect with industry in a fun way to solve a real business.”   Dr Natalie Walsh, Director of Entrepreneurial Development at University of Galway, said: “At the core of sustainable growth is an understanding of how to create innovative, data-informed responses to our community’s most pressing challenges. In response to that, University of Galway’s IdeasLab hope today’s event, in partnership with Liberty IT, will mark the beginning of an enduring legacy of cooperation between industry, academia and community to bring about progressive, empathetic and actionable change for Galway.”   Ends