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New research from University of Galway shows that transformative changes in farming and land use could mitigate huge risks facing Ireland’s farmers and taxpayers over the coming decades. The findings underline how current farming practices and land use patterns leave Ireland vulnerable to inevitable global shocks, including climate change impacts and trade disruptions. By making greater use of farm and food by-products, alongside ambitious climate action, circular farming could diversify revenue streams and reduce risk.   The research has been published in two new scientific articles in Nature portfolio journals. The first study published in npj – Sustainable Agriculture applies alternative solutions to evaluate land use strategies developed as part of Ireland’s Land Use Review Phase 2, a government‑led assessment that examines how Ireland’s land can best meet climate, biodiversity, food production and rural livelihood goals out to 2050. The second study published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment explored a range of future farming and land use alternatives that achieved climate neutrality by 2050 and embedded high levels of circularity – recycling biological resources to supply animal feed and bioenergy generation. Both studies illustrate the increasing costs likely to face farmers, taxpayers and consumers if difficult decisions on subsidy reform and land strategy are kicked further down the road. They also provide robust evidence for policy makers and farming stakeholders grappling with difficult decisions on how to balance apparently competing objectives for land. The research was led by Professor David Styles and Dr Daniel Henn from the Ryan Institute at University of Galway. Professor David Styles from the Ryan Institute at University of Galway, said: “Business as usual exposes Irish farmers to pollution pricing in a sustainable future, trade barriers in a regional rivalry future, and climate-change-driven productivity losses in a fossil-fuelled-growth future. More diversified farming could help insulate Irish farmers, consumers and taxpayers to this plethora of risks, whilst improving food and energy security and supporting a vibrant agri-food sector less exposed to reputational risk and trade barriers.” In his research, Professor Styles assessed five possible futures drawn from outlooks used by the global climate and economic research communities. Ambitious climate-neutral bioeconomy and alternative‑protein scenarios include: More use of home‑grown peas and pulses Refined protein extracted from grass biorefineries Low-input multifunctional bioenergy crops such as willow High levels of technology adoption More diversified land use These scenarios were found to dramatically reduce emissions while lowering exposure to future risks. Dr Henn’s alternative research scenarios included dairy specialisation, food production diversification and national food self-sufficiency. Advanced circular animal feed included refined by-products from breweries and other food industries, and insect meal produced from insects fed on food waste. Novel indicators to evaluate sustainability and resilience considered factors such as import dependency, net human-edible protein production, total land requirement for agriculture and bioenergy generation, alongside greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient losses to water. Findings showed that circular farming strategies could reduce Ireland’s exposure to future market, regulatory and climate threats - through the substitution of imported feed, food, fertiliser and fossil energy. Dr Daniel Henn, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Ryan Institute, University of Galway, said: “Increased circular agriculture is more resilient to future volatility. Embedding it within the ambitious land use strategies needed to achieve climate neutrality can create more robust, self-sustaining farming systems that are better able to cope with climate and geopolitical shocks.” Dr Colm Duffy, Research Fellow at the Ryan Institute, University of Galway, said: “Better use of Ireland’s abundant bioresources could substantially lower import demands. While this creates obvious economic benefits for society as a whole, benefits need to be translated to farmer incomes.” Both studies underline the pivotal role of diversification, and the need for long-term strategic policymaking that reconciles climate, biodiversity, food security and rural livelihood objectives for farming and downstream bioeconomy sectors, such as timber for construction and advanced biofuels for aviation and shipping. This research involved partners from Munster Technological University, the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) and Fers Ltd. Funding support was from the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment and the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine. The first study published in npj – Sustainable Agriculture can be read here. The second study published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment can be read here. Ends

A family’s connection with University of Galway spans more than 90 years and four generations of women.  Hannah Clarke, from Banagher, Co Offaly, graduated today with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Politics. She follows in the footsteps of her great-grandmother, grandmother and mother.  Her great-grandmother, Mary C. Whyte, later Mary Dwyer, from Tuam, Co Galway, graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1934. Her grandmother, Margaret Moloney, also from Tuam, received a Certificate in Social Studies in 1996, while her mother, Anne Clarke, from Banagher, Co Offaly, graduated with a First-Class Honours Executive MBA in 2025.  After the ceremony, the family visited the University Library, where they were shown Mary C. Whyte’s signature in the student register from when she first enrolled at the University.  Hannah said: “Today I became the fourth generation of my family to study here at University of Galway. The women who came before me have been a true inspiration. Walking around the college over the last three years, knowing that my great grandmother, grandmother and mother walked the same paths that I did, every day, was an inspiration.”  Margaret Moloney, Hannah’s grandmother said: “My mother graduated from here in 1934 with a BComm and she went on to work in accountancy for Coca Cola in Tuam, and I graduated from here in 1996 with Social Studies. My mother was a very unassuming and humble person. She never bragged about anything, and she loved education. Today is the first time I ever saw her name here in the register in University of Galway and it brought tears to my eyes to see her name because we always knew about it, but she never bragged. She let us all choose our own paths and what we did. There were six of us and our father died when we were young, so she had to work and provide for us. In fact, she worked two jobs to rear us. She was a wonderful woman.”   Hannah’s mother Anne Clarke said: “I graduated from University of Galway last year, so I am third generation of Dwyer women to graduate here. It was a really emotional day to see my mom crying seeing her own mother’s name in the book. Our grandmother has always been our aspiring hero, because from a very young age we knew she’d been in college. Third-level education was a given. There was no finishing at Leaving Cert. We were all going to college. To follow, and to know that you stand on the shoulders of the legacy of the women who went before you, is truly humbling and amazing.”  Ends

Meallann taispeántas comhoibrithe idir Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus Músaem Cathrach na Gaillimhe – ‘Scéalta ó na Marthanóirí: Stair Institiúideach Thuama agus na hÉireann’ beagnach 64,000 cuairteoir Tá comhpháirtíocht straitéiseach nua curtha ar bun ag Ollscoil na Gaillimhe le Músaem Cathrach na Gaillimhe chun comhoibriú ar thionscnaimh oideachais agus chultúrtha ardtionchair. Ag an ócáid oifigiúil ag ar síníodh an chomhpháirtíocht, bhuail an tOllamh David Burn, Uachtarán Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus Leonard Cleary, Príomhfheidhmeannach Chomhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe le daoine a tháinig slán ó institiúid Máithreacha agus Naíonán Thuama chun tuairimí, machnaimh agus aiseolas na gcuairteoirí a bailíodh ag an taispeántas, Scéalta ó na Marthanóirí: Stair Institiúideach Thuama agus na hÉireann a léamh. Is comhoibriú idir Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus Músaem Cathrach na Gaillimhe atá sa taispeántas cumhachtach seo a bhí ar siúl idir an 1 Iúil agus an 26 Meán Fómhair 2026. Comhchruthaíodh é i gcomhar le Tionscadal Béaloidis Thuama de chuid Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, atá á stiúradh acu siúd a tháinig slán, agus is é an chéad tionscnamh tiomnaithe músaeim é a dhíríonn ar institiúidí Máithreacha agus Naíonán agus an tionchar a bhí acu ar shochaí na hÉireann. Thug beagnach 64,000 duine cuairt ar an taispeántas. Bhuail an tUachtarán Burn agus an tUasal Cleary le grúpa turasóirí ó Mheiriceá a thaistil go Gaillimh chun éisteacht lena dtuairimí tar éis dóibh an taispeántas a fheiceáil. Thug 29 grúpa turasóireachta as na Stáit Aontaithe cuairt ar an taispeántas Scéalta ó na Marthanóirí, agus tá pleananna ar bun anois an taispeántas a thabhairt ar camchuairt in 2027. Chomh maith leis sin, thaistil daoine a tháinig slán ó institiúidí eile go Gaillimh lena dteaghlaigh chun an taispeántas a fheiceáil agus a úsáid mar dheis chun a stair phearsanta féin a phróiseáil. Léirigh an t-aiseolas a fuarthas ag an taispeántas ón mbosca tuairimí cé chomh cumhachtach is atá an taispeántas, ag spreagadh mothúcháin éagsúla lena n-áirítear brón agus fearg mar gheall ar ghníomhartha an Stáit agus institiúidí reiligiúnacha maidir leis an gcaoi ar caitheadh le mná agus naíonáin le linn na tréimhse sin. Dúirt an tOllamh David Burn, Uachtarán Ollscoil na Gaillimhe: “Tá áthas orainn an chomhpháirtíocht straitéiseach cúig bliana seo a bhunú le Músaem Cathrach na Gaillimhe. Tá naisc láidre chultúrtha, oideachais agus taighde idir Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus Músaem Cathrach na Gaillimhe agus is iontach an rud é an chomhpháirtíocht chomhoibríoch thábhachtach seo a fhorbairt go foirmiúil. “Is samplaí iontacha atá i dtaispeántas na hinstitiúide Máithreacha agus Naíonán agus taispeántas Teicneolaíochta Leighis FORDHAONNA i Músaem Cathrach na Gaillimhe den chaoi ar féidir linn lucht féachana i bhfad níos leithne a mhealladh agus dul i ngleic leo tríd an gcomhpháirtíocht chomhchruthaitheach seo a bhfuil tionchar tábhachtach aici ar shaol na ndaoine, agus a shaibhríonn taithí oideachais ár mac léinn agus ár ngníomhaíochtaí taighde ag an am céanna.” Thar thréimhse cúig bliana 2026-2030, oibreoidh Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus Músaem Cathrach na Gaillimhe le chéile ar thionscnaimh sna réimsí seo a leanas: Forbairt taispeántas; tionscadail sna daonnachtaí digiteacha; cláir phoiblí; bailiúcháin agus tionscadail oidhreachta; taighde agus foghlaim mac léinn; agus rannpháirtíocht phobail. Dúirt Leonard Cleary, Príomhfheidhmeannach Chomhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe: “Tá comhoibriú ar siúl idir an Músaem agus an Ollscoil ar go leor tionscnaimh dhearfacha le roinnt blianta, agus cuireann síniú na cáipéise seo leis an obair seo, agus ag an am céanna is éacht tábhachtach nua atá sa chomhpháirtíocht seo, ina bhfuilimid tiomanta do chomhordú straitéiseach agus comhroinnt acmhainní ar leibhéal níos mó. “Cuireann an síneadh agus an athfhorbairt atá á déanamh ar an músaem, a bhfuil tacaíocht mhór €12.3 milliún faighte ina leith ó Fáilte Ireland, deis iontach ar fáil chun uaillmhianta ár gcomhpháirtíochta leis an Ollscoil a mhéadú, saineolas agus acmhainní a roinnt chun taispeántais, tionscadail agus cláir phoiblí den scoth a chomhchruthú ar mhaithe lenár gcuairteoirí, mic léinn agus an pobal i gcoitinne.” Cuirfidh an chomhpháirtíocht nua creat ar fáil chun naisc idir an dá pháirtí a neartú chun comhoibriú a dhéanamh ar thionscadail a bhfuil tábhacht straitéiseach chomhroinnte leo. I measc na dtionscadal i gceist, áirítear iad seo a leanas: Forbairt an Taispeántais FORDHAONNA – Taispeántas soghluaiste a fhorbairt as an taispeántas reatha Teicneolaíochta Leighis i Músaem Cathrach na Gaillimhe, arna fhorbairt i gcomhar le Rinn Medical Devices in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, a chuireann forbairt na Gaillimhe agus na hÉireann mar mhol Teicneolaíochta Leighis os comhair an phobail. ‘Stair Institiúideach na Gaillimhe a Mhapáil’ – forbairt ar olltaispeántas a bhaineann le stair níos leithne na n-institiúidí i nGaillimh. Clár Comórtha Céad Bliain ar Phádraic Ó Conaire – Pleananna a fhorbairt do chlár rannpháirtíochta poiblí in 2028 chun ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar shaothar an scríbhneora Gaeilge, Pádraic Ó Conaire. Bailiúcháin agus Rochtain Dhigiteach – Deiseanna a aithint maidir le comhoibriú ar chartlanna agus ar dhigitiú a thacaíonn le tionscnaimh sna daonnachtaí digiteacha a úsáideann teicneolaíocht chun oidhreacht chultúrtha a fhiosrú, a léirmhíniú agus a roinnt. Clár Taighde agus Rannpháirtíochta Poiblí – Pléphainéil chomhoibríocha agus imeachtaí rannpháirtíochta pobail, amhail bailiúcháin agus cláir mhúsaeim. Críoch