Galway Advertiser 2007/2007_04_19/GA_1904_E1_009.pdf 

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April 19 2007

www.galwayadvertiser.ie

N E W S 9

NUI Galway graduate recalls Virginia Tech mass shooting horror
A graduate student and professor at Virginia Tech who also studied in NUI Galway has spoken of his ordeal following the mass shooting in the US college last Monday. Andy Dolan who completed a master's degree in NUI Galway, was in his office in the theatre department at Virginia Tech on Monday morning when he received an e-mail that circulated around campus. "I got the email at 9.50am and it said, `Please stay put, a gunman is loose on campus,' he said. Dolan, who directs plays and teaches classes at the college, did what the e-mail instructed. "Well, do what it says," is how he reacted. "I am usually in a position of leadership. That's my job. I'm a director. As when other things happened (in other tragic incidents) I just remained calm. I didn't have much reaction. I did what I needed to do." Dolan's office is two buildings away from Norris Hall, where the majority of the shootings took place. He said Norris is about a two or three minute walk from his office. Thirty-three people were killed, including the gunman, and many others injured in the shootings, which took place at two buildings half a mile apart on the 2,600 acre campus.

Students on the campus attending a memorial service for those who died.

Students consoling each other.

Dolan's building was locked down during the incident. He could hear police sirens from his office, but not the gunshots. The student/teacher is studying for his master of fine arts in theatre direction, and is currently directing a play that was scheduled to open today (Thursday). All 10 students in the cast were unharmed but the majority of them knew at

least one person who died in the shootings. The shootings will have wide impact on the campus of 25,000 students, he said. "I think we're all going through a very large shock process. It really wasn't until I went to bed

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(Monday) that it hit me." Dolan has two more years before he completes his MFA at Virginia Tech, and has no intention of leaving the university after the shootings. "I'm very much committed to this

community," he said. "It's been doing what it takes to begin the healing process, and whatever I can do (I want) to do. We're going to try to figure out what we do next, where we go from here."

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