The NUI Galway Society Awards took place in the Clayton Hotel on March 22nd. The night was a celebration of the enormous contribution the over 1000 committee members of 120 societies make to campus life. The night was a testament to the impact the societies also have in the wider community and their contribution to our multicultural city. Among the winners on the night were the Slainte Society who last year won the award for Best Event at the BICS National Society Awards 2017 for their very popular Teddy Bear Hospital which teams up local national school children and their sick teddies with health care students to allay the children's fears of hospital visits. This year they walked away with the award Civic and Charity Society as well as Best Individual for their Auditor Sally Cahill from Wicklow a third year medical student.

 

The winner of  Academic, Cultural and Social Society is the Musical Society (GUMS) who run a very successful outreach programme with second level schools and host an award ceremony for them in May each year. This year for the first time in NUI Galway society history, the musical made a profit! The Producers was staged by a dedicated cast and crew of over sixty students and through careful fiscal management and a sell out show, GUMS history was made. Anime Manga Society won Best Event for the 8th annual Akumakon as well as Best Fresher with Aoife O Shaughnessy. Over 900 attended the convention and almost €3000 was raised for their chosen charities - Pieta House and Japanese Animator Supporters. 

The Best Buddies Society who work with Ability West won Best Photo and The Drama Society won Best Poster for their Deirdre + Naoise production which took place during Theatre Week when they threw open the gates of the campus and Invited Galway to enjoy a week of theatre with them. 

 

The international flavour of societies was clear in the Most Improved Society award going to the International Student Society and Best New Society went to The Fáilte Refugees Society. The Energy Summit 2018 hosted by the Energy Society was a huge event on campus with industry and academics looking at the future of energy in Ireland won Best Publicity Campaign. Other winners on the evening were the African Caribbean Society, The India Society, Pakistani Society and Islamic Society. 

 

But NUI Galway is not content to just reaching out to the Galway community and wider world, they also reach for the stars and Astronomy society won Best Departmental Society. According to Societies Officer Riona Hughes 'NUI Galway Societies raised almost a quarter of a million euro for charity last year, they work towards creating a supportive, engaging experience for our students and with 15,560 student members their reach is powerful and their positive message is clear.'