Brendan Speedie Smith

My colleague Alex Acquier & myself at @insightcentre.bsky.social in @uniofgalway.bsky.social mentored senior class kids at Scoil Chroí Íosa #Galway in using #BBC micro:bit pocket-size computer to code its LED light display, sound features etc & to make an air quality sensor as part of #TAWS project!

A working #Minitel terminal is now on display in Computer & Communications Museum of Ireland at Data Science Institute, @uniofgalway.bsky.social. Minitel was world's first successful public online service.Launched in 1982, almost a decade before the arrival of the Web by French telephony company PTT

FIFA 2000 on original Playstation is always a big hit at our computer museum. We've had a busy summer with multiple tour groups booked in. Next public opening, organised with #Galway Civic Trust, will be at 2pm this Sat Aug 16 for #HeritageWeek. Register at www.heritageweek.ie/event-listin...

In spite of schools being on hols, visits to DSI continued with multiple summer & language schools booked in for Research Talks by #Insight researchers & guided museum tours. Thanks to Jefkine, Kashif & Nakul for their talks on Farming with Generative AI, Women Empowerment in ICT, & Neurosymbolic AI

2 visitors to our museum play a game of chess against a computer.Fidelity Electonic's Chess Challenger 7(1980) offered 7 different levels of chess.Its founder Sidney Samole was inspired to make this early AI device after watching #StarTrek episode where Spock played chess against starship's computer

Before TerrylandForestPark opened in 2000,I visited 3 schools to ask kids to paint their vision of this new type of urban park.In May 2025, our park artist went to same 3 schools to ask kids to paint their vision of how it will be in 2050.These kids' paintings from 2000 & 2025 are on display in park

The Retro 3D Life-Like Action experience with a 1953 #Superman comic & an 1962 Photo View Master at the Computer & Communications Museum of Ireland @uniofgalway.bsky.social

We had great group of German students of Galway Business School visit DSI at @uniofgalway.bsky.social. They asked so many excellent questions after presentations from our Insight researchers-Umair (Decarbonization of Atlantic ports), Talha (Stress Monitoring Device) & Yifan (Peatlands Policy Portal)

I so enjoy exploiting the educational & digital makers value of the BBC micro:bit! In June, my colleague Alex Acquier & myself mentored the 3rd-6th classes Castlegar School in using this amazing pocket-size computer to code its LED light display, buttons & sound features @insightcentre.bsky.social

Providing Science projects to small rural schools is key priority of our Insight EPE program.With closure of village post offices, shops etc as well as economic difficulties of family farming, it is the local parish school that acts as heartbeat of rural Ireland & keeps it alive until the tide turns

We had full May/June schools EPE program at
@insightcentre.bsky.social @uniofgalway.bsky.social incl series of Research Talks & hosting workshops on coding, VR, & air sensors. But once again I also had to provide multiple #InternetSafety sessions incl at #BISH & Coláiste Cholmcille Inverin Gaillimh

Had a great time celebrating the 25th anniversary of Terryland Forest Park with President Michael D. Higgins! (Even though it started raining as soon as we got there and ended as soon as we left 😂) Great job @speediecelt.bsky.social and everyone who has helped grow the park over the years.

Thank you Jennifer for being there and for your kind words. Appreciated! (p.s. Sorry about the rain! 😀)

‘This is the Galway we want’ – President Higgins lights up grey Western skies at 25-year celebration of forest park President Michael D. Higgins lit up grey Galway skies on Thursday evening as he joined the city in celebrating 25 years of Terryland Forest Park.

www.independent.ie/regionals/ga...

What looks like a piece of equipment from a 1930s-1940s science fiction film is now installed & operational in our #computermuseum. Designed & made by Pat Murphy in 1987 for his B.Tech in Education at Thomond College #Limerick #UL, its actually a computer desk for #Commodore64 computer & accessories

Yet in spite of the weather we had lots of volunteers participating. That is dedication for you! 😀

A fox attempting to cross four lanes of fast traffic near Quincentenary Bridge, Galway, part of the city's ring road. Sections of Terryland Forest Park are located on either side of the ring road.

@speediecelt.bsky.social @irishrainforest.bsky.social @whittledaway.bsky.social @nools.bsky.social

Look at Mother Nature on the run
In the 21st Century

~Neil Young, After the Gold Rush (current live version).

#TerrylandForestPark

Giant #FairyRing appears in heart of #TerrylandForest Park. This circle of painted concrete toadstools in an Oak Grove will enhance park's #OutdoorClassroom. A circle of fungi is natural phenomena that forms part of #WoodWideWeb. In mythology they are where the fairies merrily dance under moonlight.

At 10am on Sat next(May 24), there will be training workshop provided by @galwaycitycouncil.bsky.social for volunteers in #TerrylandForestPark #Galway on identifying, controlling & hopefully eliminating non-native Invasive Alien plant species. Details/registration: www.eventbrite.com/e/invasive-s...

Join us for our ‘7 Galway Castles Heritage Cycle’ on Sun May 18. It’s a leisurely cycle over hills, along country lanes, past farms, castles, bogs, lakes, dykes, woods & pasture in a rural landscape only a few km from the heart of #Galway city. Register at www.eventbrite.com/e/sli-na-gca...

Join us for our ‘7 Galway Castles Heritage Cycle’ on Sun May 18. It’s a leisurely cycle over hills, along country lanes, past farms, castles, bogs, lakes, dykes, woods & pasture in a beautiful rural landscape only a few km from the heart of Galway city. Register at www.eventbrite.ie/e/1353200923...

The Computer & Communications Museum of Ireland will be open 2-4pm tomorrow(Sat) to the public. Eircode: H91 AEX4. Visitors can learn how to send a message using #MorseCode, the 19th cent communication system that began long distance electrical communications and gave birth to the Global Village

#ENLIGHT students of 10 European countries visited #DSI #Galway to learn about Insight's research incl with Fergus O'Donoghue on #MultiPeat project & enjoy a hands-on guided tours of Computer & Communications Museum with my colleague Duy & myself. @uniofgalway.bsky.social
@insightcentre.bsky.social

My colleague Prateek Paul gave a talk on his research entitled "Motivate Organizations for Data Sharing through Incentive Mechanisms" to German students from Bridge Mills Language School Galway.Insight is becoming a must-go destination for students from primary to tertiary @insightcentre.bsky.social

North & South #Ireland unite to Restore Native Ecosystems. With a Community #ClimateAction grant from @galwaycitycouncil.bsky.social, #TerrylandForest Park has partnered with a #Fermanagh NGO on an all-island #rewilding 'Nature without Borders' project. Photo shows our volunteers on Sat in Fermanagh

Thanks @galwaycitytribune.bsky.social for publishing my article "Strangers in their own Land" on my experiences working in refugee camps, schools in #MiddleEast & on brutal reality of life for #Palestinians & other displaced peoples.Photo shows one of our coding workshops in #AlZaatari refugee camp

Caitriona & daughter, Kevin & son- two families united by a common cause of #rewilding #Galway city. 80+ volunteers on Sat undertook wonderful conservation work as they continued a 25 year tradition of planting native Irish trees in #TerrylandForest Park supported by @galwaycitycouncil.bsky.social

Community tree planting tomorrow(Sat) represents 25 years since first trees were planted in #TerrylandForest Park by the people of #Galway. Photo shows site for the planting of a hedgerow, a small woods & a heritage orchard. Meet-up: 10am at maps.app.goo.gl/tZvJAJPG6iYr.... Bring spade if you can!

In March 2000, the first trees were planted by the people of #Galway in what was then Ireland's largest urban native forest. Join us next Sat(Mar 29) to celebrate 25 years of #TerrylandForest Park by helping to plant a small woods & hedgerow in this park.Register at www.eventbrite.ie/e/1284820375...

Thanks to the generosity of so many people, my son Dáire and his three friends (Conor Breathnach, Ruadhán Durkin and Seán MacUidhlinn) raised €2500 in their #BARCELONA MARATHON run on Sunday last for very worthy cause of #UNICEF #Ireland’s #GAZA Crisis Appeal. May peace, hope & freedom come to Gaza