MyGlasgow News

Meet Professor Roibeard (‘Robby’) Ó Maolalaigh. He is Professor of Gaelic and soon to be a Vice-Principal of the University of Glasgow and Head of the College of Arts.

When Robby starts his new post on 1 January 2015 it will mark exactly to the day ten years working at the University of Glasgow.

He said: “It’s gone by so fast, it’s been fantastic here at Glasgow, definitely one of the best Universities I have ever had the privilege to work in.And that’s down to inspiring, extraordinarily talented, dedicated and collegiate people.

I came here in 2005 as the University had offered me a personal Chair in Celtic. I took the post up but asked for it to be renamed as a Chair in Gaelic. It reflected my main teaching and research interests, and I felt strongly that it was another way of supporting status planning for the language.”

In 2010 the University created an established Chair of Gaelic and Robby was appointed to this position. It was the first ever established Chair in Gaelic in the world.

Robby has been Head of Celtic and Gaelic (2007–11) and Head of the School of Humanities (2012–14) and is greatly looking forward to starting his new role in the College of Arts.

He said: “My predecessor, Professor Murray Pittock, has done a magnificent job in leading the College of Arts successfully to new places and in raising our game and ambition. We have grown exponentially and climbed higher and higher in league tables; the face of the College of Arts is really changing. So it’s quite a challenge to follow in his footsteps but I’m really looking forward to working with colleagues to build on current momentum and to lead the College to even further successes.”

Rowing in the same direction / Air an aon ràmh

Robby has many plans and priorities to bring to his new role; improving staff engagement is at the centre of his plans.

He said: “For me, the pursuit of excellence in all that we do, and individual and team ownership of the University’s strategic plans and ambitions is the key to our success. We have one of the largest and most successful College of Arts operations in the UK. Whether we like it or not, we work in a highly competitive environment, so working together air an aon ràmh (‘on the same oar’), as we say in Gaelic, is really important. I often think of it as rowing a boat; you really need everyone rowing in the same direction and for a shared purpose. Otherwise, we will quickly lose direction and go off course. I would like us to think in terms of adding value to all that we do. I want the College to be an excellent, high-achieving and fulfilling  place to work for both staff and students.”

The aspect of the job Robby is most looking forward to is meeting the staff and students in the College of Arts and getting to know many new people. Also in supporting colleagues and the College to reach their full potential in line with University ambitions.

College of Arts REF Results

“With so many staff, it’s difficult to meet everyone regularly but I’m keen to meet as many people as possible and to learn more about the College and colleagues’ aspirations and ideas for improvement. I am greatly looking forward to facilitating and developing the excellence and potential for excellence that we manifestly have in the College of Arts as the REF assessments reveal,” he said.

On the recent REF 2014 results, he said: “We have seen significant improvements since RAE 2008, with 70% of our research been assessed as world leading or internationally excellent, and more than half of our submitted staff working in UoAs with over 40% (4*) world leading research activities. Working together, I am confident that we can raise our performance even higher.”

Gaelic - a Feast of Culture

"It is a way of life, and it provides access to a unique feast of language, literature, history and culture.”

A prominent expert in Gaelic languages and linguistics, Dublin-born Robby’s interest in the Irish Gaelic language was sparked off by his father’s encouragement and when as a child he spent protracted periods in the Galway Gaeltacht.

He said; “I went to live with an Irish-speaking family in Galway. I remember being struck by the rich fluency and the poetic rhythm of the language spoken there and the opening up for me of an authentic autochthonous language and culture that was quite different to that portrayed at school back in Dublin.

I was hooked and I thought to myself I’m going to learn this language properly and I did. I subsequently learned Scottish Gaelic too. Gaelic for me is more than just an academic pursuit. It is a way of life, and it provides access to a unique feast of language, literature, history and culture.”

Robby is heavily involved in a large number of transformation projects relating to Gaelic and Gaelic policy, and he is currently PI of four externally funded research projects at Glasgow.

Out of his many ventures one he is most proud of is the pioneering ‘Gaelic Language Initiative’. This involved appointing a Gaelic Language Officer, Fiona Dunn, to the University; this was the first post of its kind in Scotland, which other universities have now followed. The purpose of the role was to raise awareness of the Gaelic language, to normalise the language in an urban setting and to create opportunities for Gaelic speakers, whether fluent or learner, to use and learn about the language on Campus. To do this a variety of Gaelic events and projects are hosted, including the creation of Gaelic flats. These are flats where Gaelic-speaking students can apply to live in for a year which gives them the opportunity to speak the language and build awareness in the local community.

Robby feels strongly that it is important to preserve and enhance the Gaelic language and culture.

He said: “As well as being an important national asset to Scotland and the UK, Gaelic is a unique part of world heritage. It is estimated that two languages die every month. When a language dies, it dies forever. To me, that is the bottom line. Keeping the language alive is about preserving and developing a unique part of world heritage, which has the capacity to enhance and enrich lives and the human experience.”

University of Glasgow Highlights

First and foremost Robby views himself as a teacher and a researcher. Although he greatly enjoys the experiences that management roles have brought to him, teaching and contact with students is the part of his job that he misses most since moving into management.

A particular highlight of his career was receiving one of the inaugural SRC Teaching Excellence Awards in 2011.

He said: “I was nominated by the students. What an honour. I really valued that. As far as I was concerned, I was doing my job. I wasn’t expecting it all, but it gave me great encouragement and satisfaction.”

Of course, as well as holding the first ever established Chair of Gaelic, another recent career highlight is Robby’s recent appointment as Head of College of Arts.

He said: “It’s an exciting time ahead; and I am grateful for the trust that colleagues have placed in me.”

 

Quick Questions

What are you doing for Christmas, this year?

For me Christmas is a time for chilling out and spending time with family and friends. It’s about good company, good food and, of course, good drink! We always have a full house with lots of visitors coming and going. We have four sons aged between 14–22 so it’s always a busy and lively household.

If you could have one superpower what would it be? And why?

I would have to pick the ability to time travel. Given my historical interests there are so many people from the past I would like to meet and get to know. Equally, in a management role you need to have a vision for the future so it would be nice to be able to have the odd peek into the future.

What was the last book you read?

It was a book about Professor Sir Dòmhnall MacAlasdair (Donald MacAlister) (1854 – 1934), who was the last native Gaelic-speaking Principal and Chancellor at this University. It was written by his wife, Edith, who was sister to  Dublin-born R. A. S. MacAlister (LLD Glasgow 1922), who was a famous Professor of  Celtic Archaeology at my first alma mater, University College Dublin. He is a very important part of Glasgow heritage and the Gaelic Story of the University. He was a Gael and a polymath. He was responsible for the creation of more than twenty established chairs at this University, including Spanish and Italian; the establishment of the Faculty of Engineering; and the erection of the war memorial chapel.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?

My family might say I’m always ‘at work’! The passion I have for my subject area means that my hobbies often get mixed up with work but when I have the chance, besides singing and enjoying music, I like to go walking and to visit museums and galleries. I really enjoy getting up to the Highlands, getting out in a boat, rowing, doing a bit of fishing or just taking in the majestic scenery.

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First published: 18 December 2014