Sheen among first students to register atNUI Galway

The Hollywood actor Martin Sheen was among the first of 15,000 students to officially register as an arts student at the National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway yesterday.

The actor, whose mother was from Ireland, has signed up for classes in English literature, philosophy and oceanography.

Star of the TV series The West Wing, Mr Sheen will take a break from his acting career to immerse himself in campus life. As he strolled around the campus at NUI Galway yesterday, he said he was looking forward to his studies and to being treated just like any other student.

He said: "My mother is from Tipperary and I have been coming to Ireland since 1973. I have many cousins in Tipperary and I have been in love with Ireland since I first came here. I always had a fantasy about going to college because I left school after high school, and for the courses I want to do, NUI Galway is the best."

Mr Sheen is involved in making documentary films on environmental issues in the US and he pointed out that as the oceans have such a critical impact on the environment, he is interested in getting a scientific background in oceanography at the Martin Ryan Marine Institute.

"The reason I didn't want to go to a college in the US was because I would be such a distraction to the undergraduates. That would be uncomfortable and would make other people self- conscious. I don't want this to be just a lark; I want to see if I can seriously commit to it."

Mr Sheen's wife, Janet Templeton, is due to join him in Galway in the coming weeks when the actor has found an apartment to rent. He is signed up for the semester up until Christmas and hopes to be able to return in the new year.