Galway Advertiser 1986/1986_01_16/GA_16011986_E1_006.pdf 

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W h o speaks for U.C.G
An extraordinary confrontation took place this week between the Galway Rim Society, who enjoy excellent facilities at U.C.G. to show a very avantgarde French film and people who, one must assume, were sincerely motivated that the film should not be shown. The Film Society committee are democratically elected each year and their names are well known. AN INQUISITION into the The group or groups opposing the showing of the film are less readily property of Robert Blake throughout M a y o and identifiable. They were united by their declared devotions to the Holy was made by the Family and their determination to prevent the screening of Je Vous Salue, Galway Excheator on this King's Marie. Not one of them had seen the film, which, given the general rules day in 1616. It showed how of debate which obtain on these matters in Ireland, is not at all regarded as w i d e s p r e a d w a s the territory which members disabling. What was good enough for the Vatican was good enough for of Galwayinmerchant families them. Their opposition was expressed in ways that were both admissible had acquired an interest. and inadmissible. Pickets at the College entrances, phone calls and letters Robert Blake had died one to those in authority are all legitimate means of protest. More questionable month earlier and the the enquiry was was the bringing of bus loads of protesters from Cork and Kerry some of purijfjse ofhis rights before to assess whom made it clear that it would be over their dead bodies that the film his will was proved. His will would be shown. Totally illegitimate were the numerous threats made to shows more clearly still the of individual members of the Film Society to burn and bomb them out of style of living of one His Galway's merchants. Galway. body was to be interred in Between these two groups, arbitrating between them, stood University the Franciscanr sAbbey with o College Galway. It is an institution nominally dedicated to freedom of his a n c e s tmoneyand he bequeathed towards expression, free enquiry and right to dissent from received orthodoxies. the repair of the Blake Universities are important places in society; they offer a free space chapel in that church. He left money the poor where ideas and modes of action can be explored that would not be also an annuity for aid poor and to possible elsewhere. Freed from the profit motive and of the constraints scholars. Within the city of which govern other institutions their function in society is to pursue Galway he owned a number of buildings and held alternatives and to encourage experiment. mortgages on others and he How did our University, whose motto is Ad Astra, guard this precious decided to leave a stone space? It succumbed to the voices of tradition, authority and bigotry. It house within the walls to of his sons. abandoned its society-given duty to grant a home to certain values that are each s e h o u seven w e r e The ses houseless in our society: tolerance, liberty, the freedom to experiment. described as near St. Much play has been made of the role of the University vis-a-vis its Nicholas' Church, in Great supporting community. Its first obligation, one would have thought, is Gate Street, in Flood Street, Fewe Street, Earl's Lane to remain a University, to maintain that free space where opposing and so on. Each son was viewpoints might meet, to uphold the great European tradition of also to inherit "a silver piece best I tolerance and liberalism. Such an obligation is doubly necessary in a of the biggest andsilver for have and one jug of society such as ours which has, it seems a bias in favour of conformity beer and one cup of silver for wine with a brass crock and servility before authority. We know how Universities have reacted to totalitarianism in other for aqua-vitey." Robert Blake's bequests to his countries (Germany, Russia). We now know how UCG would act in daughters were dowries similar circumstances. There is a price to be paid for having a when they married. His University. It has to do with the courage to uphold unpopular opinions family was to lose little in the the and beleaguered values. Here, in Galway 1986, it is the University wars of for theseventeenth century Blakes of itself that is unwilling to pay the price. Ardfry were descended Quoting the 1908 University Act in defence of the censorship of the from his eldest son Richard. film (for that is what it amounts to) is pusillanimous. The College was Thomas P. O'Neill. not directly involved (it was, after all, the Film Society who showed the film in accordance with the legal requirements governing such John O ' C o n o r matters). Secondly, the 1908 act which forbids disrespect to a and religious opinion refers to such disrespect being shown while teaching. E r n s t Kovacic Its extension to cover other matters is ominous. Recital The University has failed us in its primary obligation. Who will stand Music for Galway open the 1986 Season with a against therisingtide of obscurantism if not the University? It is not only return visit from John individuals who may gain the whole world and lose their souls. O'Conor, pianist and Ernst Finally, two things need to be stitched into the record. Firstly: the film K o v a c i a , violinist, on was shown, albeit privately. It was pretentious, impenetrable and boring Sunday, 19 January. Both with a few startingly beautiful images. Secondly: U.C.G. succumbed to the artists have been favourites kind of influence and pressure which Universities, of their nature, are with Galway audiences in past. required to resist. What confidence can anyone have that the College will the h e A u s t r i a n - b o r n T stand its ground when the forces of reaction, embolden by this 'victory' Kovacic has won prizes in demand further restrictions? We will have to look elsewhere to ensure that international competitions throughout Germany, freedom of expression is maintained in Galway. Spain Who speaks for University College Galway now? As usual our readers Switzerland and visitor and is a frequent to are welcome to reply. England

Robert Blake's Will --

F A H Y T R A V E L Imperial Hotel Friday, 24th Jan. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Saturday, 25th Jan. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
SUNSHINE HOLIDAYS U.S.A. FAR AWAY TOURS ISLE OF MAN FERRIES & OVERLAND TRAVEL Video Displays and ^_ General Holiday Information-^, // you're planning a holiday :Jf]. , v-, .,^] abroad this year you BS|(C*^S^ afford to miss it. "'
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3 Bridge S t . ( o p p . S t . P a t s ) P h o n e : 6 3 0 5 5 / 6 G a l w a y S h o p p i n g Center P h o n e . 6 4 1 9 4 / 5

The Effects of Violence Parkmore on Children Homes
T r i o n a Glynn, Musical Director of the Renmore Pantomime whose splendid direction of a seven-piece orchestra, adult harmony group, juvenile singers and soloists, contributed so much to the overall success and enjoyment of last week's show in Leisureland. Paul Griffin of St. Anne's Children's Centre, Taylor's Hill, will be giving a talk on the effects of violence on c h i l d r e n . H e will be concentrating on a child's response to violence in his immediate environment The talk is one of the series organised by the Irish Childbirth Trust and is at 8.15p.m.intheWaterside Resource Centre (behind the Old Courthouse), on Monday, .January 20th. Liam Kavanagh, Minister (or the Environment, has approved the unit costs for the construction of 34 houses ai Parkmore, Tuam, he informed Senator Michael I ) . Higgins. The Minister said this meat is that Galway County Council can now formally accept Ihe tender and so enable work to commence.

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N o wI nFull Swing

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Molloy Fights for Marine Centre
Informal discussions with the European Commission regarding Ihe possibility of the establishment in Ireland of
T e c h n o l o g y were pre empted by the Danish Minister for Science and Technology statinq his

Research

Ministers

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Minister for Industry,Trade. Commerce and Tourism told Bobby Molloy T.D. recently. However Mr. Molloy "immediately took the

o p p o i t u n i t y on that occasion to put Ireland's interest formally on the record." He WENT on to say that "my officials have been in touch with their Danish op|x>site numbers and both sides have agreed to collaborate and put forward a complenx'ntary case. Tlx alternative to this would I H that the two applications would cancel each other (HIT."

John O'Conor needs no introduction to Galway music lovers. Since 1975 when he won First Prize at the Beethoven competition in Vienna he has made three tours of the U . S . A . , visited Czechoslovakia and completed his sixth tour of Japan. The concert will take place in the Aula Maxima, U . C . G . , at 8.00 p.m. sharp. Tickets at door and usual outlets.

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