Professor Regina Uí Chollatáin from Letterkenny has been appointed as the new College Principal and Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at University College Dublin.
Professor Uí Chollatáin, an Irish language expert, has worked at UCD since 2002. She has held the title of Chair of Modern Irish and Literature, Head of the UCD School of Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore in 2015-2021. In 2021, and was appointed Chair of Foras na Gaeilge.
Commenting on her appointment, Professor Uí Chollatáin said: “Ireland is on the threshold of the centenary of the commemoration of the foundation of the Irish State, in a country which has carved its place in the history and culture of Europe and the world for well over one hundred years. The UCD College of Arts and Humanities mirrors the evolution of Irish society and global arts and culture, and its graduates embody the leadership which has allowed Ireland to take its place on the national and international stage.
“The critical analysis which lies at the heart of the College disciplines and programmes, has enabled, and will continue to shape our graduates to lead, enrich and change many lives through literary, historical, linguistic and cultural understandings. I look forward to working at the cutting edge of these as we lead a new era in Arts and Humanities.”
Professor Uí Chollatáin is President of the Global Irish Diaspora Congress and a member of the MoLI Academic Advisory Board and the Irish Folklore Council.
Her international awards include the Nicholas O’Donnell Fellowship (Melbourne University 2019) and the Ireland-Canada University Foundation Senior Visiting Professor (2011-12). Her research focus is Language Revival and Irish language media with a current focus on Women and Irish language scholarship, and a monograph entitled ‘Athbheochan pobail agus teanga: Na Meáin Ghaeilge’.
Previously she was also a member of the original Board of TG4 and Chair of the Irish Newspaper and Periodical History Forum. Regina holds a BEd from Carysfort College of Education and a PhD from Maynooth University.
