THE recent lowering of the boundary walls at Mary Immaculate College is a clear statement, according to its newly elected president, that the third level institute is “open for business.”
Speaking at his inaugural lecture, Prof Michael Hayes said it is time to: “Re-imagine what it means for Mary Immaculate College to be a Catholic College.”
Michael A Hayes was born in Limerick city in 1957 and lived on the Ennis Road as a child. He attended St. Philomena’s, Crescent College and St Munchin’s College before studying at St. Patrick’s College in Maynooth.
He moved to the UK in 1980 where he lived until last year.
A priest of the Archdiocese of Southward in South East England and an internationally respected academic in the field of Pastoral Theology, in .October 2011, he took up the position of President of Mary Immaculate College (MIC).
Addressing guests at the new Lime Tree Theatre on the campus, Prof. Hayes referred to the lowering of the boundary walls as an attempt to convey a number of important messages.
“It says: ‘This place is part of our shared heritage’. It says: ‘We belong to your community and you are part of ours. It says: ‘Come in, you are welcome here. This is your space’.”
He explained that the message was an expression of the vision of Catherine McAuley and the mission of the Sisters of Mercy who co-founded the college in 1898 and stressed, in particular, the importance of celebrating and asserting the identity of the College in accordance with its founding ethos and the Mercy tradition.
The Very Rev. Fr. Tony Mullins, Diocesan Administrator and Chair of the Board of Trustees and An Bord Rialaithe at MIC told the crowd: “Despite the challenges that lie ahead, this gathering of the college community this afternoon marks the beginning of a new chapter in the life of MIC.
“Under the leadership of our New President, Prof. Michael A Hayes, a renowned academic in the field of theology and religious studies, and with a talented strong team of educators and student leaders, we can have confidence in a future of great promise”.
Also in attendance was Ruairí Quinn, Minister for Education and Skills who said that MIC will play a central role in ensuring that initial teacher education courses develop teachers for the future who are “equipped with the knowledge and ability to apply educational theory and research effectively in practice, to adapt to the challenges they will face throughout their careers and to best support all students to achieve their full potential”.
The University of Limerick President Don Barry referenced the special relationship between the two colleges.
“UL has a long and productive relationship with Mary Immaculate College and we are proud of this creative and ongoing partnership, which has facilitated genuine innovation while drawing on the unique MIC ethos and enriching the academic life of UL”.
Prof Hayes concluded his inauguration by affirming his confidence that the college would “do great work yet”.