Research & Innovation

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD today opened the new €20.6 million Eolas building at Maynooth University. The state-of-the art facility will serve as a “research powerhouse” that will drive innovative teaching methods, foster collaboration with industry and deepen a culture of ‘spin-out’ companies, according to Maynooth University President, Professor Philip Nolan.

The building is the latest in a series of campus development projects at Maynooth University, and Prof Nolan called Eolas “the kind of smart development that will only continue to elevate the quality and impact of the research and teaching at Maynooth.”

“Whether it’s inspiring students who pass by conversations about the latest start-up on their way to class, or it’s a new company setting up shop near the students it hopes will one day fill their skills gap, Eolas is about facilitating connections and driving ICT innovation. This kind of magic only happens when people come together. From its functionality and design to the quality of the work going on under its roof, Eolas is becoming a natural hub not only for the University’s ICT academics and industry partners, but for the very robust ICT community within this region,” Prof Nolan said.

The iconic Eolas building is located in Maynooth University’s North Campus and supported more than 300 jobs during its two years of construction. It is clad in bespoke perforated metal filigree inspired by the design of ‘punch cards.’ The building can accommodate 575 staff with teaching facilities for 350 students in labs and classrooms at any one time. In addition, it has the capacity to facilitate 325 people in the various sized meeting and seminar rooms that are strategically placed throughout the building, together with informal breakout spaces designed to support collaboration between the institutes and departments based in Eolas.

Eolas features state-of-the-art IT facilities, including a highly-available 10 Gbps internet connection, 3,000 network points and WiFi capacity for more than 1,000 simultaneous users. Its modern lay-out is designed to facilitate interaction and spur new research and commercialisation activities, with 14 ‘hot desks,’ 2 bio wet labs, high-tech conference rooms and classrooms, laboratories and informal conversation spaces.