Martin J. Newell

Who was Martin J. Newell?

Martin J. Newell was an Irish mathematician and educationalist, who served as President of University College Galway from 1960 to 1975.

Martin Newell was born in 1910, and received his secondary education at St. Joseph's College, Galway, before entering University College Galway. He was auditor of the College's Literary and Debating Society for the 1928-1929 session, and graduated with a B.Sc. in 1929 and an M.Sc. in 1930, both with first class honours. He then proceeded to St. John's College, Cambridge, where he spent three years engaged in research on quantum theory. Newell returned to UCG as a lecturer in mathematics in 1935, and was appointed Professor of Mathematics in 1955. In 1960, he was appointed to succeed Monsignor Pádraig de Brún as President of the College. He held the office of president until his retirement in 1975.

Newell was the recipient of a D.Sc. from the National University of Ireland, and an LL.D. from the University of Dublin. He died in 1985.

His son, also called Martin, played at left-half-back on the winning Galway teams in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship finals of 1964, 1965 and 1966.