University celebrates St Patrick's Day with $1.85million gift

University celebrates St Patrick's Day with $1.85million gift

St Patrick's Day will mark a significant occasion in the University of Aberdeen's history when it celebrates the donation of one of the largest individual endowments gifted to the Institution.

The American Ireland Fund has committed $1.85 million to the University's Research Institute of Irish and Scottish Studies (RIISS), made possible by a gift from Lewis L and Loretta Brennan Glucksman. This is believed to be the largest sum of money committed by an American fund to the study of humanities within a Scottish institution.

The generous gift will fund the Chair of Irish and Scottish Studies - which will be known as the Glucksman Chair of Irish and Scottish Studies. RIISS is the first of its kind for graduate study and research on the history, language, literature and culture of Ireland and Scotland in the world and one of the largest concentrations of Scottish and Irish expertise in any university in Europe.

Professor C Duncan Rice, Principal of the University of Aberdeen, said that the gift marked a significant investment in supporting and developing the work of RIISS.

"I am overwhelmed by the generosity of the Glucksmans in funding this Chair," said Principal Rice. "I know that they have a deep interest in the history and culture of Ireland. They have already been hugely generous in supporting scholarships at several of the greatest universities in the world, and I am delighted that this unique research centre at the University of Aberdeen has now received their support.

"The funding will give great encouragement and endorsement to RIISS and its scholars, and I am confident that the centre will continue to go from strength to strength, in no small part thanks to the support of the Glucksmans."

Professor George Watson, Director of RIISS, said that the generosity of the Glucksmans was of the greatest significance in establishing the long-term future of both RIISS and of Irish-Scottish studies in the University.

Loretta Brennan Glucksman is the National Chairman of the American Ireland Fund and, together with her husband Lewis L Glucksman, is a noted philanthropist. Among the many projects they have supported are the Glucksman Ireland House, a centre for Irish and Irish-American studies at New York University, and a number of university library projects in Ireland.

"The Research Institute of Irish and Scottish Studies has been a tremendous success since its inauguration by Irish President Mary McAleese in 1999, and we have been delighted to witness it achieving such a significant level of international distinction, such as the invitation to take part in the Smithsonian's 'Great Schools' series, in its first five years" said Loretta Glucksman. "The Institute plays a huge role in developing and enhancing the profile of Scottish and Irish studies in Europe, and indeed in the wider international arena, and we are proud to be a part of its continuing success."

The first holder of the Chair will be Professor Tom Devine, University Research Professor in Scottish History and Director of The AHRB Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies at the University of Aberdeen.

The gift forms part of the University of Aberdeen's ambitious Sixth Century fundraising campaign. Launched in 1999, the initial target was to raise £40million by the end of 2002; that barrier was passed with £47million raised by December 2002. The second phase of the campaign will be launched later this year.