Issue 18 October 2013 www.tcd.ie/alumni
Trinity
Today A publication for alumni and friends
Lights, Camera, Action! with Tom Vaughan-Lawlor The changing face of education LaunchBox projects Tales of the 80s
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Trinity Today welcome
The team Editor Patrick Gleeson Editorial Team Roisin Cody Brenda Cullen John Dillon Caoimhe Ní Lochlainn Sandra Rafter Nick Sparrow Photography Sean Breithaupt Yvette Monahan Conor McCabe Paul Sharp John Kelly James Higgins Julien Behal Publisher Ashville Media Group www.ashville.com All information contained in this magazine is for informational purposes only and is to the best of our knowledge correct at the time of print. The opinions expressed in these pages are not necessarily shared by the Alumni Office or Trinity College Dublin.
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Provost’s Welcome Dear Fellow Alumni,
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ast year was another very exciting one at Trinity with a great deal of progress made in our mission to ensure Trinity continues to compete in the top tier of world universities. One of the reasons we perform at the highest level internationally is our willingness to constantly re-evaluate our approach to education, rooted in a tradition stretching back to 1592. We continue to refine what works, improving our service to students. In his article on page 12 our Senior Lecturer, Patrick Geoghegan, tells us about the changing nature of Trinity’s 21st century education. Since our establishment Trinity has benefitted from philanthropy. On page 26 you can read how these gifts made in the past continue to support our education and research mission, thanks to Trinity’s Endowment which plays a key role in funding excellence today and tomorrow. As always, Trinity’s story is best told through the experiences of our alumni throughout the world and in this issue we are delighted to feature a diverse range of people such as Paddy Cosgrave of the Dublin Web Summit, Rosheen McGuckian of NTR, and Caroline Duggan, a music teacher who has brought Irish dancing to disadvantaged children in the Bronx. We chat to entrepreneur Terry Clune who first got his appetite for business while studying at Trinity and we also take a look at some of the current crop of student entrepreneurs that participated in our innovative LaunchBox project. Trinity’s close relationship with the arts is something of which we are very proud and the Lights, Camera, Action! feature explores the contribution our graduates have made in film and television as actors, writers and directors. Also, on page 17, Sir William Sargent talks about his journey from Trinity to founding a company that has provided special effects for Steven Spielberg and Harry Potter. Alumni participation is of huge importance to us and I look forward to meeting many of you, at branch events across the globe or when you come back to College for an alumni event, throughout the coming year.
contact Alumni & Development East Chapel Trinity College Dublin 2 Ireland t. +353 (0)1 896 2088 e. alumni@tcd.ie w. www.tcd.ie/alumni
Patrick Prendergast B.A.I., Ph.D., Sc.D. (1987) Provost
Trinity today is now available online at www.Tcd.ie/alumni /trinitytoday
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Trinity Today contents
Contents 04.
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26.
Campus News Find out what’s been happening on campus
Securing Our Future Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast, explains how Trinity’s Endowment ensures academic excellence and stability
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The Changing Face of Education How Trinity is preparing students for the 21st century
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Trinity Googles Computer Science Partnering with Google to turn Ireland into Europe’s Silicon Valley
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Spinning a Web Summit Tech guru Paddy Cosgrave sits down for a chat
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Life on the Cutting Edge Sir William Sargent talks about creating special effects for Hollywood
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Lights, Camera, Action! We catch up with alumni and students who are causing a stir in film and TV
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Trinity’s Benefactors through the Centuries A tribute to those who have made substantial gifts to Trinity
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A Bronx Tale Caroline Duggan talks about teaching Irish dancing to New York school kids
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The Right Connection Entrepreneur Terry Clune shares his vision for getting Ireland back on track
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Schrödinger and Me Professor David McConnell on Erwin Schrödinger
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Blazing a Trail Rosheen McGuckian, CEO of NTR, on the benefits of having a varied skill set
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Trinity and the Seanad The role Trinity’s senators have played over the years
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Trinity Today contents
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38 42
36 38.
Ready to Launch A look at our start-up incubator programme
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The Power of Alumni Learn about the many ways you can support TCD and make a difference
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Tales of the 80s Memories of College life in the eighties
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Exploring the Final Frontier Dr Peter Gallagher on investigating the inner workings of the sun
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Breaking New Ground The role played by the School of Natural Sciences in tackling the problems facing the earth
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In Memoriam A tribute to Trevor West A University for Life Roz Zuger on leaving a legacy to Trinity
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Féilscríbhinn do Chathal Ó Háinle A new book by Cathal Ó Háinle
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honorary degrees Outstanding individuals recognised
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Photo Galley Photos from our alumni events during the last year
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74. 76.
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Trinity’s Year in Sport Highlights and achievements from the last year Shooting for the Stars Ph.D. student Aisling Miller on representing Ireland in the air rifle
Alumni Branches Find your local branch Class Notes News from graduates around the world One-on-One Pro-Chancellor Edward McParland shares some of his favourite things
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Trinity Today Campus News
Campus
NEWS
It’s been a busy year in Trinity, with so much going on we’re only able to provide you with snapshots here. For more news visit www.tcd.ie
TCD Scoops National Teaching Award
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r Martin Fellenz, Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour and Director of Postgraduate Teaching and Learning in the School of Business, was awarded a 2012 National Awards Programme for Excellence in Teaching. At the awards ceremony Seán Ó Foghlú, Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills, congratulated the winners saying: “You have mastered both the art and the science of teaching to benefit students and for this we are here to thank you and to celebrate you.”
The European Space Expo took up residency in Trinity’s Front Square in June 2013
In SHORT
Dr Martin Fellenz with Seán Ó Foghlú, Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills
Zoological Museum Award Trinity’s Zoological Museum was recently awarded a place on the list of the top museums in the country by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The Zoological Museum contains a collection of over 25,000 specimens, including many examples of extinct and endangered species and dates back over 200 years.
Trinity Today Campus News
Outer space comes to Trinity! Almost 30,000 people visited the European Space Expo when it visited Trinity. Hosted by the School of Physics, visitors of all ages were given the opportunity to experience the wonders of space through interactive exhibits and talks from some of Ireland’s most talented scientists.
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Students stage a jail break O
ver c14,000 was raised for the Society of St Vincent de Paul and Amnesty International by Jailbreak, an event which saw 68 students attempt to travel as far away from College as possible, within 36 hours, without spending their own money. Medical students Claire Cullen and Matthew Hainbach won the competition when they reached the sunny Atlantic coastal city of Mirimar, south of Buenos Aires. They managed to fly to Buenos Aires and take a taxi down the Argentine coast without spending any of their own money and without speaking Spanish. Musician and alumnus Chris de Burgh kindly paid for their ticket home.
one way ticket to anywhere
European space expo Jailbreak students in their Twitter hub at Trinity
Groundbreaking book on Irish Sign language
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r Lorraine Leeson, Director of Trinity Centre for Deaf Studies, and Professor John Saeed, Head of the School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences at TCD, have published Irish Sign Language: A Cognitive Approach, the first comprehensive body of work on Ireland’s indigenous sign language. The book describes the social and historical background of Irish Sign Language (ISL), and places ISL in a global context. It examines the linguistic structure of ISL and contributes to the developing investigation of the relationship between spoken and signed languages.
Recent University Rankings
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Worldwide university rankings
rinity continues to do well in global university rankings. In the most recent – Times Higher Education – Trinity’s position dropped from 110 last year to 129 this year. Compared to this, the QS World University Rankings recently reported that Trinity’s position climbed to 61 in the world and, in the CWTS Leiden Rankings, Trinity has been ranked in 48th place in the world. These rankings are important, measuring the performance of a university across a range of areas, including research impact, reputation, citations and teaching. Among the most important measure is reputation. This is where Trinity’s graduates can help – championing our academic excellence across the world. Where Trinity has strengths, whether research impact, innovation or our cosmopolitan campus, we should work together to highlight them on the global stage.
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Trinity Today campus news
Dr Seamus Lawless and Dr Micheál Ó Siochrú view maps from the Down Survey of Ireland in the Glucksman Maps Library
Cancer breakthrough T rinity’s commitment to cancer research led to some very exciting developments in the last year including a major breakthrough in understanding neuroblastoma, the most common form of cancer in very young children. A team of Trinity scientists identified that the CHD5 gene is deleted in children with the worst form of neuroblastoma. It is hoped that the discovery will play a role in the development of new treatments for children with this form of cancer. Meanwhile, a new ‘virtual’ cancer research centre aimed at connecting the
various strands of research in Ireland has been established by a group of leading oncologists including Professor John O’Leary from Trinity College Dublin. The National Cancer Research Centre of Ireland (NCRCI) is intended to facilitate high quality, internationally recognised research. Currently, cancer research is spread across several medical schools and other agencies. The new centre will operate on a ‘virtual’ basis to allow academics and clinicians collaborate without having to physically work together.
Trinity Today campus news
Online map collection deepens our understanding of 17th-century Ireland A magnificent map collection, the originals of which were destroyed in two fires in 1711 and at the Four Courts in 1922, has been brought together for the first time in 300 years on a new Trinity website. The Down Survey website (www.downsurvey.tcd.ie) maps out in great detail the dramatic transfer in land ownership from Catholics to Protestants and deepens our understanding of 17th-century Ireland. history mapped out
Sam Shepard performs public reading with Patti Smith in support
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In SHORT TCD debaters defeat Yale
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Trinity debating team were victorious against Yale University during the Trinity Student Economic Review (SER) debate, chaired by the Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast. Debating for the motion, that “This House Believes that Taxation is Theft”, the Trinity team narrowly defeated their Yale rivals which also saw Trinity’s Ruth Keating win the Best Speaker Gold Medal.
Trinity Scientist Named SFI Researcher of the Year 2012
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rinity’s Professor Michael Coey, one of Ireland’s leading scientists and SFI-funded researcher, was announced as Science Foundation Ireland Researcher of the Year 2012. Based in the School of Physics and CRANN, Trinity College Dublin’s nanoscience institute, Professor Coey’s career in science has been marked by remarkable scientific discoveries.
First Class of Graduates from the Innovation Academy
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he first cohort of graduates from the interuniversity Innovation Academy were presented with their Graduate Certificates in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at a ceremony in the Department of Education and Skills in April. There are currently 240 Ph.D. students taking modules through the Innovation Academy, which was set up in 2010 under the TCD UCD Innovation Alliance partnership.
Honorary degrees See page 62
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he acclaimed actor, playwright and director Sam Shepard delivered an eclectic reading of his work at Trinity College Dublin the evening before he was conferred with an honorary degree. At the end of his reading Shepard invited the legendary singer-songwriter, poet and artist Patti Smith on stage, who read from one of their collaborative dramatic works before joining Shepard in a duet. Speaking after the reading, Associate Professor Eve Patten, Head of the School of English, commented: “It was a rare pleasure to listen to a writer of such extraordinary range and talent. Sam Shepard gave us everything from prose poetry to dramatic monologue to comic memoir – his performance captivated the entire audience.”
Sam Shepard reads at an event hosted by TCD’s School of English
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Trinity Today campus news
Project on Trinity Olympians wins European Award
Trinity at the olympics
A project on Trinity Olympians by TCD’s Sports Department has won the European Network of Academic Sports Services (ENAS) Award. The project, delivered as part of the College’s programme of Olympic-related events during 2012, profiled and recognised the achievements of students and graduates who had participated at the ultimate sporting stage, from George Mayberry in athletics in 1908 to Natalya Coyle in the pentathlon in 2012.
Experiment started in 1944 finally completed A
fter decades of waiting, Trinity College physicists made history earlier this year when they captured a rare scientific event on camera for the first time. Some 69 years after an experiment was set up to prove pitch, a tar-like substance, is a viscous or flowing material, scientists videoed it dripping from a funnel. The Pitch Drop experiment, set up in 1944 at TCD’s School of Physics, was one of the world’s oldest continuously running experiments. Tracking the evolution of the drop, Professor Denis Weaire, Professor Stefan Hutzler and David Whyte calculated the viscosity of the pitch to be approximately two million times the viscosity of honey. Commenting on the event, Professor Shane Bergin said: “People love this experiment because it gets to the heart of what good science is all about – curiosity. This was the first time this phenomenon was ever witnessed!” To watch a video of the historic experiment go to www.tcd.ie/physics/tar-experiment
The pitch drop experiment
In SHORT
Michelle Tanner, Head of Sport; Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast and Prof Cyril Smyth, Lead Researcher on the Trinity Olympian Project and Chairman, DUCAC
Singaporean students Graduate
Singaporean students on their graduation day
The first class of Singaporean students in physiotherapy, part of Trinity’s partnership with the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), graduated in June. The new programme is designed, taught and awarded by Trinity College Dublin and delivered in Singapore in partnership with the SIT. Part of the programme First Class involves an overseas immersion programme (OIP) honours where students study for six weeks in Dublin and abroad complete the B.Sc. in Physiotherapy.
Trinity Today campus news
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Seamus Heaney tribute
College Scoops Awards at Student Media Awards
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rinity College was the big winner at the 13th Student Media Awards in April. The overall award for Newspaper of the Year went to Trinity News and Journalist of the Year went to Tommy Gavin writing for the University Times. Trinity News was also successful in a number of the other categories, with Dargan Crowley-Long winning Layout and Design of the Year, Andrew Murphy winning Web Designer, George Voronov named Photographer of the Year and Tn2 magazine took Magazine of the Year. The prizes for Features Writer (News and Politics) and Colour Writer went to Trinity’s James Bennett and Dylan Joyce Ahearne respectively; and the People’s Choice award went to Trinity TV.
Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast led Trinity’s tribute to Seamus Heaney, who passed away in September: “Seamus Heaney had a long standing relationship with Trinity, having been an Honorary Fellow since 1998. Many of us who had the privilege to know him formed a deep respect and admiration for this great poet, who was also a gentleman in every way,” he said. Trinity’s Seamus Heaney Professorship in Irish Writing, named in honour of one of Ireland’s greatest poets and Nobel Laureate, was unveiled in 2012. The new position was generated by several of Trinity’s major donors, including Dr Mark Pigott, KBE, and Dr Martin Naughton, Chair of Glen Dimplex.
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Trinity Today campus news
In SHORT
The Obamas at Trinity College
Trinity to offer open free online courses
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rinity College Dublin has joined international top ranking universities offering open online courses worldwide in a new global partnership, FutureLearn. FutureLearn’s first courses, known as MOOCs – Massive Open Online Learning Courses – will come online later this year. Commenting on its significance for Trinity, Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast, said: “Trinity welcomes this exciting collaboration that will provide access to Trinity’s quality education to students worldwide. Both innovative and transformational in its potential, FutureLearn, will increase the global reach of our courses renowned for their excellence and research-led teaching. It will widen participation and provide educational opportunities to prospective students and new audiences. As the first Irish university to join the collaboration we feel especially privileged and look forward to further delivering excellence in education across the globe.”
Washington Ireland programme
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our Trinity students were selected from more than 525 applicants to participate in the 2013 Washington Ireland Programme (WIP). The internship programme is a cross-community charity which offers young leaders from Ireland and Northern Ireland the opportunity to live and work in Washington DC while completing leadership training and public service projects. The successful Trinity students were Rosha Canavan, Law and Political Science; Jack Cantillion and Helena Kelly, Law; and Owen Murphy, Psychology.
First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia with Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast, during their visit to the Long Room
US First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters visit Trinity I
n June Trinity College Dublin welcomed US First Lady Michelle Obama and her two daughters, Sasha and Malia, as they paid a visit to the Old Library. During their visit the Obama family were escorted by Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast as they were shown the Book of Kells. They were also given a presentation on their own family genealogy and connections to Ireland, compiled by one of Trinity’s own spin out heritage and archives companies, Eneclann. It researched President Obama’s Irish ancestry from Falmouth Kearney, President Obama’s second great-grandfather to his seventh great-grandfather, Joseph Kearney. The Kearneys belonged to the Church of Ireland and John Kearney, who was a distant cousin of the President, went on to become the Provost of Trinity College Dublin. Welcoming the Obamas, the Provost said: “We are honoured by your visit which goes to strengthen our relations with America. As a country, America has welcomed many of our graduates over the years where a large number of our alumni are living. Our graduates who play a critical role in shaping the knowledge economy are our diaspora.”
Nano-art Exhibition Ireland’s first outdoor nano-art exhibition, celebrating Nanoweek 2013 and CRANN’s 10 year anniversary, took place in Dublin and Cork in June, with Trinity’s campus featuring as one of the display areas in Dublin. The chosen images highlighted the beauty of nanolandscapes and nano-structures and the scale at which nanoscience research is undertaken – up to 2,000 times smaller than a grain of salt – and to bring nanoscience to a wider public audience.
Trinity Today campus news
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Trinity Week 2013 I
Trinity’s branding project Trinity is undertaking a review of our brand. The project will help Trinity to more clearly define our identity in a global higher education environment where other institutions have already successfully used their brands for strategic development. The process, which will be open and consultative, will be completed in time for the launch of Trinity’s new strategic plan next September. The new brand identity will be consistent and distinctive, drawing on the best of Trinity, old and new. If you have queries on the brand project – a strategic priority for Trinity – please contact Bernard Mallee, Director of Communications and Marketing, at malleeb@tcd.ie. To keep up to date with the project please sign up for our alumni ezine at www.tcd.ie/alumni
Taoiseach opens new clinical research facility that will improve patient care
rish migration past and present was explored as part of Trinity Week 2013. Organised by the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the theme for the week was The Irish Diaspora: Social, Cultural and Economic Perspectives. Launching the week, Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast said: “Trinity Week is a special week in Trinity College Dublin when time is put aside from normal academic work to celebrate the academic achievements of students and staff. It is also a time when we want to especially encourage the citizens of Dublin to come into Trinity and participate in events showcasing college life.”
Keep up to date with what’s happening around the College on WWW.tcd.ie/Alumni
new clinical Research facility
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new c7 million Clinical Research Facility (CRF), a joint initiative between Trinity College Dublin and St James’s Hospital was opened in May by Taoiseach, Enda Kenny. This exciting new initiative is funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Health Research Board (HRB) on the St James’s Hospital campus, and is part of the ongoing development of the knowledge economy in Ireland. The Wellcome Trust-HRB Clinical Research Facility, located at the heart of the hospital will conduct high quality clinical research, bringing clinicians and researchers together with the common goal of addressing major challenges in health and disease in Ireland. The facility is jointly governed by Trinity College Dublin and St James’s Hospital and will enable patient and volunteer research in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy and psychology at the institutions and their collaborating partners.l
Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD and Mary Cunneen, Biobank Technologist
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Trinity Today A trinity-shaped Education
A Trinity-shaped
Education Dr Patrick Geoghegan explains how Trinity is preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
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he problem with historians is they always look to the past. So when the Provost asked me to review our undergraduate curriculum in Trinity, and ensure that it was addressing the challenges of the 21st century, there was only one place for me to begin. Going through the archives, what surprised me was how much consistency there has been in our educational vision over the past 400 years.
Lifelong Learning Within Trinity there has always been a belief that you are not just preparing people for their first job, you are educating citizens for the challenges of an ever-changing world. This is now called ‘lifelong learning’ but the philosophy was explicitly embedded in our earliest undergraduate curricula. So many educational institutions fall into the trap of proclaiming the virtue of the new, and abandoning the experience of the past. Trinity was never likely to reject the very things that may have made this University great, in particular the quality education it has provided to its students over the centuries. The challenge now is to ensure that we adapt and evolve to meet the changing demands of a new technological age, and an uncertain working environment, while building on the excellent educational experience we have consistently provided. This work on trying to redefine and re-articulate what we mean
by the Trinity Education has been one of the most exciting things I have been involved with at Trinity, because it involves talking to students, staff, and alumni in an attempt to find a shared vision. What is clear is that for many people the Trinity Education is the promise of an exceptional educational experience centred on a research-inspired curriculum, where all undergraduate students are encouraged to reach their full potential and develop the essential skills necessary for lifelong learning. Our objective is to imbue students with the desire to know, as well as with knowledge itself.
T-Shaped Approach Therefore, we see the Trinity Education as self-consciously T-shaped (or Trinity-shaped), providing both specialist expertise in the chosen programme of study (the vertical line of the T) and the opportunity to develop a range of more general skills (the horizontal line of the T). Most Trinity undergraduate programmes are four years in duration, and this enables the delivery of a genuinely research-inspired curriculum, where every single undergraduate in their final year can conduct their own independent research project or dissertation, thus equipping them with the deeper level skills required for active learning. Students also have many opportunities to learn outside the classroom, and our many clubs and societies allow for a different
kind of learning to take place, one that also develops key leadership, communication, teamwork, and other skills.
Holistic Admissions We believe that this kind of educational experience should be open to all, and that is why we are working to reform the current admissions procedures at a national level so that students with the academic ability and potential to benefit the most from a Trinity Education are able to avail of it. In 2013/14 our feasibility study in admissions will operate on three of our most popular courses (including Law), and we will be testing a new holistic admissions system which we have designed with the help of some leading international
Trinity Today A trinity-shaped education
Our objective is to imbue students with the desire to know, as well as with knowledge itself universities, including Harvard, to see if there is a better mechanism to admit students than the dreaded ‘points system’. The system will be completely anonymous to prevent any external interference. It will not involve interviews or anything that would diminish public confidence, but it will attempt to gauge students’ potential and suitability for courses, and not just the ability to accumulate high points. One thing we have discovered during the year is that sometimes students can be put off applying to Trinity, not just because of the high points, but because of an incorrect perception that it can be an exclusive, intimidating place. However, we soon realised that the best way to counteract that is through our students
themselves, and so we invited our undergraduates to become student ambassadors. Their honest and unscripted videos can be found at www.tcd.ie/explore. We want all Irish students to aspire to come here, students who are excited by the opportunities for learning both inside and outside the classroom that are at the heart of the Trinity Education.
Trinity Community The enthusiasm of our students reminds us of what makes Trinity great, and why we are all so passionate about its success. We want a community of scholars, made up of staff and students, where everyone is encouraged to reach their full potential, and
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where we build on the very things that have made Trinity great over the centuries, as Ireland’s leading university on the world stage. We want to attract the best students – where best is defined by academic ability and potential and not just a crude points score – and we want to make sure that we provide a world-class education that develops specialist skills but also the teamwork, communication, and other skills that are so important in the modern world. This is the promise of the Trinity Education.l
Dr Patrick Geoghegan is Trinity’s Senior Lecturer/ Dean of Undergraduate Studies and is an historian in the Department of History. To learn more about the feasibility study in admissions please see www. tcd.ie/undergraduate-studies. If you would like to take part in the discussions about the Trinity Education please email: senior.lecturer@tcd.ie
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Trinity Today Trinity Googles Computer Science
Trinity Googles
Computer Science!
Trinity’s approach to 21st century education has resulted in a partnership with Google that aims to produce the computer scientists who will turn Ireland into the Silicon Valley of Europe.
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ne of the things that has made Trinity great through the centuries is the passion for exploring new and exciting ways of preparing students for the challenges of an ever-changing world. A recent partnership with Google, which will transform the way computer science is taught in Irish schools, is another example of this progressive attitude towards innovation and development. Under the project, 1,000 teachers throughout Ireland will have the opportunity to undertake a certified course in 21st century computer science teaching skills, developed by the Trinity Access 21 network. Providing teachers with access to this professional development course will assist second level schools in Ireland to increase the number of students involved in and excited about computer science. The project will also involve an in-depth project supporting educational leadership in a number of schools that are part of the DEIS scheme (delivering equality of opportunity in schools) and linked to the Trinity Access Programmes (TAP).
Raspberry Pi In addition, to enhance engagement with computer science and coding, over 1,000 Raspberry Pis will be provided to participating students and teachers so they can start to
learn programming in a practical and fun way. The Raspberry Pi is a credit card-sized computer that plugs into a TV or a keyboard and is used to help children and teachers learn programming skills. A national coding competition for students and their teachers will also form part of the project. John Herlihy, Head of Google in Ireland, believes that the partnership will help Dublin maintain its position as the By the end of the digital capital of Europe. “This decade everyone on project will the planet could be encourage the on the internet
next generation of computer scientists and technology leaders and will help drive a new wave of innovation,” he says. “Every year, there is a 15 per cent growth in the number of people and machines, and by the end of the decade everyone on the planet could be on the internet. Dublin is rightly known as the digital capital of Europe. If we are to maintain that position, computer science skills will become even more critical as companies create new business models through the cloud and the web.” Google is a long-term supporter of educational innovation in Ireland through its support of Science Gallery and the Trinity Access 21 network which comprises TAP and Bridge21. TAP celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2013 and has a long track record of developing innovative educational projects, courses and entry routes for students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Bridge21 also has a strong presence in this area, challenging conventional models of teaching and seeking to change the second level classroom so that students are empowered to teach and learn through technology and teamwork.l For more information on Trinity Access 21 please see www.tcd.ie/Trinity_Access
Pictured holding ‘Raspberry Pi’ coding devices are Eva Balfe, a fifth year student from Coláiste Bríde, Clondalkin with Warren Farrell, a sixth year student from Drimnagh Castle Secondary School, Walkinstown and John Herlihy, Head of Google Ireland
Trinity Today spinning a web summit
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When I realised how hard it was to even pass my exams, I settled on something a little easier – becoming an entrepreneur
Web
Spinning a
Summit
Even as a student Paddy Cosgrave did things his own way. Now the world is starting to take notice, writes Aoife Crowley B.A. (2012).
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hen he came to Trinity, Paddy Cosgrave B.A., M.A. (2006) didn’t have any idea what he might end up doing afterwards. He certainly wouldn’t have predicted that within a few short years he would be the driving force behind the Web Summit, an event that brings together the world’s leading thinkers and innovators in technology.
“I arrived in Trinity and thought, wow, how much fun would it be to become an academic, perhaps even an economist. But when I realised how hard it was to even pass my exams, I settled on something a little easier – becoming an entrepreneur.” Paddy put this entrepreneurial spirit to good use at Trinity where he got heavily involved in extracurricular activities such
as becoming President of the Phil and running the satirical magazine Piranha, which was controversially banned during his tenure. Paddy also set up Phil Speaks, a free secondary schools public speaking and debating programme that dramatically extended participation in secondlevel debating. As his time in Trinity was ending, he was keen to apply some of the entrepreneurial lessons he had learned. “Just as I left Trinity I met an incredibly colourful and wonderful entrepreneur called Hugh O’Regan. I was half-heartedly working on an idea for an ad-tech start-up with a friend, Paul Campbell. Hugh persuaded me to think about doing something different that had nothing to do with business. He gave me some office space on Stephen’s Green, and from there I
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Trinity Today Spinning a web summit
started Rock the Vote and MiCandidate. Rock the Vote’s aim was to increase youth voter turnout in Ireland, and MiCandidate provided detailed information on every candidate running in the 2007 general election. “In 2009, I started working with Oisin Hanrahan who I also met in Trinity. We set up the Undergraduate Awards, which started as an awards programme for the very brightest undergraduates across Ireland’s universities, but has now been rolled out across all of the world’s leading universities, like Harvard, MIT and Oxford. Think of it as a junior Nobel prize – for the first time in history you compare the smartest undergraduates across all the world’s leading universities across 20 academic fields and find the very best.”
F.ounders The Web Summit itself grew out of F.ounders, an idea that began with three people in a sitting room, three years ago. Paddy had struck up a friendship with Skype’s founder, Niklas Zennstrom, who suggested some manner of get-together for founders of tech companies. With one big name on board, Paddy convinced some other titans of the tech world to come along. Eventually, some 22 founders, including Craig Newmark of Craigslist and Matt Mullenweg of Wordpress, came to Dublin in February 2010. F.ounders was born. Never one to miss an opportunity, Paddy decided that since these influential people were already coming to Dublin, perhaps they could be persuaded to give speeches and fireside talks. And the first Web Summit, with just 200 attendees, was built around that. In October 2010, the founders of 150 of the most exciting and fastest-growing technology companies, including YouTube, Twitter, Skype and Wikipedia came to Dublin for a weekend of speaking events, debates, dinners, drinks and dancing. The associated Web Summit had grown too, to
600 people, with three stages showcasing 60 speakers. By 2012, the Web Summit was the largest tech event in Europe. It attracted over 4,200 attendees, 270 international start-ups and 250 world-renowned speakers as well as respected international journalists and investors.
Web Summit 2012
4,200
270
250
International Mixture The key to success for both Attendees speakers International F.ounders and the Web Summit Start-ups is the international mixture of emerging companies and tech giants. This format results in direction and growth of F.ounders everybody – companies, tech and the Web Summit. “Ireland giants, investors, start-ups, is the greatest small country in developers, journalists and the world. I love Dublin and can’t entrepreneurs – networking and imagine a better city in the world enjoying everything Dublin has to build a company.” to offer. F.ounders, meanwhile, This year’s Web Summit is offers successful entrepreneurs branching out, becoming a festival the opportunity to meet one of ideas in multiple locations across another outside of a business the city on 30 and 31 October. environment. In the RDS there will be eight This unique take on stages, multiple workshops, conferencing has been well presentations and a start-up village received internationally. with over 500 start-ups from Bloomberg called F.ounders around the world. There “Davos for Geeks”, will also be parties dotted TechCrunch “an overnight around the city so keep must attend”, while the The key to success for both your eyes peeled because The Next Web dubbed you never know who it “The Rolls Royce of F.ounders and the Web you might run into! tech events”. Summit is the international For more details see Paddy’s ambition for mixture of emerging www.websummit.net l Ireland has shaped the
companies and tech giants
Trinity Today LIFE ON THE CUTTING EDGE
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Life on the
Cutting Edge William Sargent, CEO of visual effects company Framestore, has blazed an innovative trail from Trinity to global recognition, writes Robin Knight B.A. (1966).
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illiam Sargent B.B.S. (1978) is disarmingly normal for someone who spends his days surrounded by dragons, zombies, elfs, bloodbaths and god-like lions. Affable, talkative and engaging, he comes across as a 56-year old with the magpie mind, high octane enthusiasm and creative energy of someone half his age. Which may be just as well given that he heads an 800-strong business in which 90 per cent of his VEPs (visual effect people) are aged under 30.
Awards are about the past. Most of my time is spent thinking about the future
Framestore, the Londonheadquartered company Sargent leads, creates cutting-edge visual effects for Hollywood studios, major advertising agencies and some of the world’s biggest brands. “We make high-end images for high-end clients in the film, music, advertising and design fields,” he explains. In this geekdriven sector, Framestore ranks with the very best in the world – and has the awards to prove it including an Oscar (in 2008 for its work on the film The Golden Compass) and numerous Emmys.
Hollywood clients Listing Framestore’s successes, however, tends to leave Sargent cold. “Awards are about the past,” he says. “Most of my time is spent thinking about the future.” Still, some perspective is necessary. Since Framestore was founded by five friends in 1986, it has been involved in some stellar films – Spielberg’s War Horse, the James Bond hit Quantum of Solace, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Avatar, Clash of the Titans and Children of Men to name a few. Often teams of 40 VEPs work for six to eight months to make 10 minutes of film. It is a competitive, high-risk, high-cost business. But it is worth it. Having sold Framestore to advertising giants Saatchi & Saatchi in 1995,
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Trinity Today LIFE ON THE CUTTING EDGE
and bought it back at the end of 2000, Sargent and his partners have since gone from strength to strength. Born in Brazil, the son of an expat Irish businessman, Sargent was 11 before he moved to Ireland. While in fifth year at Clongowes he chanced to enter Front Square – and was instantly hooked. “The Jesuits were profoundly unimpressed,” he remembers. He persisted and eventually enrolled in 1974 on a Business and Law degree course. “Some of the courses I did, especially Politics and Sociology, resonate with me to this day. Essentially I was taught by part-timers who all worked outside Trinity, some in prominent positions. It was a phenomenal education rooted in the real world.” While at Trinity, Sargent got involved in the music business to pay his way through College, renting out sound equipment to pubs. “I found that I liked business,” he recalls, “and looked around for a way to combine it with entertainment.” This led him into pirate radio before graduating in 1978 in the midst of a recession. He travelled for a time before settling in the UK in 1981 where he joined an electronics company in Cambridge. Framestore followed five years later – an idea dreamt up over dinner with a few like-minded friends, funded on borrowed money. “It was a gamble but we were young and we had the right mix of skills. We began by applying computer programmes to music videos and commercials and moved into film in the mid-1990s when the technology had evolved sufficiently to do what we wanted.”
Taking risks Today, Sargent runs Framestore according to clearly defined precepts. “I delegate 100 per cent – in this business it would be a disaster to micro-manage. That means no phone calls on holidays. Our values as a company start
struggled so much to keep with ethics – we want 20-year up for years.” clients. This resonates with our Outside work Sargent is a teams – the under 30s today only keen sports fan. An avid, widelyrespond to a value-driven agenda. travelled supporter of the Leinster We don’t fire people for making and Ireland rugby teams, he was a mistake; if a mistake is made it in Australia this summer to watch is a company, not an individual, two of the Lions tests. He is a error. We prize transparency and Tottenham Hotspur season ticket I’m very opposed to covering holder (in the cheap seats) and up. My own role comes down is also an associate member of to reducing issues to their core the Marylebone Cricket Club. He components, making judgement collects wine and is a regular calls mostly involving risk-taking participant at Guardian media and negotiating. I’m a good summits. negotiator – that’s the Irish Being Irish, he believes, in me!” has given him a leg up in the Always prepared to take part business world. “We’re very in industry forums, in 2005 the good at interacting with Blair government appointed organisations. We can facilitate Sargent to chair the Better tricky decisions and give tough Regulation Executive. “I accepted messages inoffensively. We’re mainly because I felt we owed good team players. It seems Blair a debt for the Good Friday to be a natural part of our Agreement – he stuck his neck make-up. My roots are on the line for Ireland.” Later important to me – and Sargent became a Nonthey have certainly Executive Director at the It blew my mind. helped in my career.”l British Treasury. In six I haven’t struggled years in these roles he so much to keep piloted two constitutional up for years reform bills through the Westminster parliament. The combination of public and private sector activity sometimes became surreal. “I do remember one day when I spent the morning sitting in on a discussion about Icelandic debt and the afternoon working on a problem involving Dobby, Harry Potter’s house elf!” Proud of his Irish heritage, he had some qualms about accepting a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth in 2008 for his work in government until his mother assured him that his grandfather would have been proud of him. Now, his daughter teases him that he is part of the British Establishment. In an attempt to be somewhat anti-establishment, he recently attended a three-day computer event in Minneapolis to learn what he could about creative coders, data designers and other “artists” (aka hackers). “It blew my mind,” he says. “Half of them were Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight stars in their own areas. I haven’t
Trinity Today LIFE ON THE CUTTING EDGE
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Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
I delegate 100 per cent – in this business it would be a disaster to micromanage. That means no phone calls on holidays
Dobby the house elf from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
War Horse
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Trinity Today lights, camera, action!
Lights, Camera,
Action!
Whether it’s in front of or behind the cameras, Trinity has played a role in some of the major TV and movie success stories of recent times, writes Anna Carey B.A. (1997).
I
t can be hard to avoid Trinity alumni, even in your own home. Turn on your television or settle down with a DVD, and you’re likely to encounter the work of a fellow graduate. Dominic West has starred in everything from acclaimed BBC dramas like The Hour and Burton and Taylor to brilliant American crime drama The Wire. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and Ruth Negga shone in the hit RTE drama Love/Hate. Actress Pauline McLynn appeared in the comedies Father Ted, Threesome and Shameless while period drama Downton Abbey starred two Trinity alumni, Maria Doyle Kennedy and Allen Leech. Perhaps it’s not surprising that Trinity graduates are so well represented in the world of
television and film. Founded in 1984, Trinity’s drama department is the oldest in the country. The opening of the Samuel Beckett Centre in 1992 cemented College’s status as a hotbed of acting, writing and directing talent, and 2011 saw the opening of The Lir, Ireland’s National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity.
Love/Hate Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, whose superb performance as the charismatic Nidge is one of the highlights of Love/Hate, studied Drama and Classical Civilisation. “I loved reading plays and I was initially interested in doing drama because of playwriting,” he says. But, due to his involvement with Trinity Players, he gradually felt himself becoming more drawn to the performance side Jack Gleeson as Prince Joffrey in Game of Thrones of things. “I didn’t do as much in Players as some people, but they were amazing experiences and there’s such energy. You get people taking risks and taking on great big plays and not being afraid to try things. You see people taking on big parts without much learned technique but with incredible The notion of celebrity is appetite.” broken when you see me So how did his stressing out in the library. studies at Trinity influence his Jack Gleeson (Prince Joffrey, approach to his Game of Thrones) work? “I was lucky because I wasn’t
intelligent enough to be too academic,” he laughs. “But I was intelligent enough to subsume the good stuff. I had a good balance by the time I became a professional actor.” Vaughan-Lawlor’s recent star turn in the critically lauded play Howie the Rookie shows that he’s comfortable moving between stage and screen. “When you’re in theatre a long time you want to do more screen roles and the other way around,” he says. “They’re such different disciplines – theatre requires a stamina that’s exhausting in a marathon way, whereas TV acting is like sprinting – it requires a different kind of stamina. It’s a great way to stretch your acting muscles.”
King Joffrey Game of Thrones star Jack Gleeson has been acting professionally since childhood, but when it came to choosing a degree he was drawn to Philosophy, choosing a TSM degree in Philosophy and Theology. Acting is still part of his College life, however. With three former Trinity students, he co-founded Collapsing Horse Theatre Company and has recently worked on their Dublin Fringe shows. Is College a helpful environment for anyone interested in acting or production? “One hundred per cent,” he says. “I’ve only done one or two plays in Players but some people put on a dozen. It gives you an encouraging place to make your space and be adventurous and try every single aspect of production. You may be a writer at heart but you could try being a lighting or set designer.”
Theatre requires a stamina that’s exhausting in a marathon way, whereas TV acting is like sprinting. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor (Nidge, Love/Hate)
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Trinity Today lights, camera, action!
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as Nidge with Love/Hate series four cast members Killian Scott (Tommy), Peter Coonan (Fran) and BrĂan F. O’Byrne (Moynihan)
Ruth Negga as Rosie from Love/Hate
Pauline McLynn as Lorraine in Threesome
Trinity Today lights, camera, action!
Gleeson’s work on Game broken when you see me of Thrones hasn’t interfered stressing out in the library with his studies as the or chilling in the arts block.” The critical difference shooting schedule In fact, Gleeson plans to between good and bad films is means he doesn’t miss stick with academia after the ideas that are generated. too many lectures. And Game of Thrones. He’s despite playing a got one more year of Kevin Rockett, Associate despicable character in his degree to go and is Professor at the Department a very high profile looking forward to of Film Studies programme, he says he postgraduate work. “I’d doesn’t stand out in like to do a Masters and College. “I never really get take it from there – I wouldn’t people coming up to me at all,” really like to go straight into a he says. “In the outside world it Ph.D. after graduating.” sometimes happens in bars and pubs. But in Trinity, I think perhaps Behind The Camera the romantic notion of celebrity is However, Trinity’s alumni aren’t just in action in front of the camera. The chief producers and writers of Trinity on Screen: Game of Thrones, D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, met when they were A small selection of Trinity’s alumni doing an M.Phil. in Irish Literature and students working in film and TV in Trinity. Irish Film Board CEO James Hickey is a Trinity law Actors graduate, and Lenny Abrahamson, Dominic West – The Wire, Burton and Taylor the man behind some of the best Brían F. O’Byrne – Mildred Pierce, Intermission Irish films of the last decade such Hugh O’Conor – Chocolat, My Left Foot as What Richard Did, Adam & Jack Gleeson – Game of Thrones Paul and Garage studied Physics Ruth Negga – Breakfast on Pluto, Love/Hate and Philosophy and was also a Foundation Scholar. Abrahamson Jason Barry – Titanic, Love/Hate is currently Trinity’s Filmmaker in Jason O’Mara – Life on Mars, Vegas Residence and believes that his Pádraic Delaney – The Wind That Shakes The student days were a profound Barley, The Tudors influence on his later work. Risteárd Cooper – Apres Match “The amount of lecture-less hours was a big bonus and allowed Melanie Clark Pullen – Eastenders me time to think and make my Hilda Fay – Fair City first creative experiments,” says Tom Vaughan-Lawlor – Love/Hate Abrahamson, who says he’d love Alvaro Lucchesi – Angela’s Ashes to shoot in College some day. David Pearse – Six Shooter “Those years in which I had the Tom Murphy – Adam and Paul freedom to think, read and talk about ideas, art and politics were formative. The way I approach TV/Film directors/producers my work now probably owes a lot Mark Bates – Producer/Director, Richard E. to that time. Trinity also directly Grant’s Hotel Secrets funded my first short film, 3 Joes, Leslie McKimm – Producer and Co-Managing through the Provost’s Fund for the Visual and Performing Arts. The Director at Newgrange Pictures success of that short played a big Emer Reynolds – Editor, Shameless part in convincing me that I could Alan Gilsenan – Director, The Yellow Bittern: make a career in film.” The Life and Times of Liam Clancy While at College, Abrahamson Rhys Thomas – Director, Saturday Night Live founded the Trinity Video Society Donald Taylor Black – Director of many – now the D.U. Film Makers – with Ed Guiney, the producer he still documentaries including Skin in the Game works with today. “I learned a lot, Lenny Abrahamson - Director, What Richard Did, particularly what it feels like to not Adam & Paul have a clue what you are doing!”
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Critical difference Kevin Rockett, Associate Professor at the Department of Film Studies, believes that Trinity’s focus on academic study as well as practical work is very important. The B.A. in Film Studies began in 2003, and while it’s increasing the proportion of time devoted to practical work, in both film and drama “there’s a very strong critical academic training,” says Rockett. And this can make all the difference. “In the end the critical difference between good and bad films is the ideas that are generated,” says Rockett. “It’s not just the skill level, it’s the ability to have something to say...You might get a higher standard of training in cinematography or lighting or costume if you go to a specialist programme, but you will not necessarily get the most important skills: the background and the deep understanding of the subject and the critical ability to understand and engage with a drama text or a film text. That’s where Trinity excels.” The campus itself has also starred in more than 150 films, from 1930s tourist films to features such as Educating Rita, Michael Collins (in which the 1937 Reading Room played the Mansion House) and Circle of Friends. Some of the films are set in Ireland, but some are not. Most recently, it played host to Bollywood drama Ek Tha Tiger (“An amazing use of Front Square,” says Rockett) and BBC Victorian crime drama Ripper Street. “College is trying to make the campus more available for films,” says Rockett. “It’s extremely difficult to film here because it’s so busy. There are so many people all year round using the campus that it’s very difficult to collar off parts of it for an extended period. But it’s still happening, and there’s a determination to allow it to be used more.” This attitude reflects College’s wider commitment and enthusiasm in ensuring that Trinity will continue to encourage and inspire actors, writers and filmmakers for generations to come.l
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Trinity Today Trinity and the Seanad
Trinityand the Seanad
Following the recent vote to keep Seanad Éireann, Ed Mulhall B.A. (1977) takes a look at Trinity’s relationship with the upper house of the Oireachtas.
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hen Edward Carson decided to run for a Belfast constituency in 1918 he was ending a 26-year career as the Member of Parliament for Trinity College (Dublin University/ University of Dublin). University constituencies were a feature of the Westminster model until 1948 and, in Trinity’s case, the representation went back to 1613 with the seats moving from an Irish House of Commons to Westminster following the Act of Union. The election of 1921 saw representatives again elected to an Irish House of Commons, this time one North and one South. However, when the Southern chamber came to meet, only those elected in the Trinity
deputies themselves, the proposal was made that the university seats should stay in the main chamber not in the Senate, “to assist in legislation instead of being put into a cooling chamber”, as Trinity deputy, and future Supreme Court Judge, Gerald Fitzgibbon put it. Minister Kevin O’Higgins agreed and so the representatives of Trinity and the NUI sat in the Dáil until both the Senate and the university seats were abolished by the de Valera government in 1936.
constituency turned up. The remainder of those elected met separately as the second Dáil. Following an important meeting with representatives of Southern unionism in November of 1922, Arthur Griffith reported back to de Valera that a key assurance for the minority would be two chambers in the new parliament and the second chamber, the Bunreacht na hÉireann Senate, would include university In 1937 the new constitution, representation with Trinity Bunreacht na hÉireann, a separate entity. This introduced the university became part of the formal seats into a new Of those who were agreement with the Seanad Éireann. members of the Dáil British and was to be In the initial years the both William Thrift incorporated into the representatives were very Free State constitution. much of the College. Of and Ernest Alton In the debate on the those who were members became Provosts constitution, at the of the Dáil both William instigation of the university Thrift and Ernest Alton
Trinity Today trinity and the seanad
became Provosts. Thrift, while not impressing Nobel Prize winner Ernest Walton as Head of the Physics department, proved to be influential in politics. He supported the Dáil option and later was a member of the Kennedy Second House commission that designed the Senate. Alton used contacts gained from politics to get proper recognition and funding for Trinity. Alton made the transition to the new Senate together with the medical academic Robert Rowlette and the economist Joseph Johnston, father of 1960s republican strategist Roy Johnston. Rowlette had become the first deputy to sit in the Dáil without having to take the oath of allegiance, having been elected in a by-election. Rowlette was defeated in the election of 1944 by T.C. Kingsmill Moore who became an insightful and thoughtful contributor to Senate debates before leaving to become a Judge with an “outstanding reputation” according to current High Court Judge Gerard Hogan. The fifties saw two significant figures represent the Trinity constituency. The first was William Stanford, a classical scholar who saw himself as a defender of the Anglo-Irish Protestant tradition in the spirit of W.B. Yeats. In his long career from 1948 to 1969 Stanford was an active parliamentarian, succeeding uniquely at that time in getting a private member’s bill which had been tabled in the Senate adopted by the Dáil (the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals Act). Owen Sheehy Skeffington, elected on his third attempt in 1954, created the model of the modern independent senator. He used the platform of the Senate to be a significant liberal voice across a range of issues: from issues in education like compulsory Irish and corporal punishment, to fighting against censorship and for civil rights, to being an acerbic critic of political opponents. It was the combination of these approaches that marked Senator
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“encouraged independence of Mary Robinson out as an thought and the willingness important and effective of its representatives to figure. She was a strong See www.tcd.ie/ speak out on sensitive liberal voice on matters about/senators issues, to champion of public controversy for biographies of minority causes, to have while trying to use the TCD senators the courage to stand out limited parliamentary against sometimes a rather tools within the chamber panicky move”. to stimulate legislative The model of university action. She introduced bills representation has been living on contraception, illegitimacy, on borrowed time since the adoption and divorce. She outcome of that referendum. pursued court action on human The failure to legislate on it and rights issues such as the case the continued failure to enact against the criminalisation of the various reports on Senate homosexuality taken by Senator reform may have made the more David Norris. fundamental issue at stake in the In a parliament with a very 2013 referendum inevitable.l poor quota of women the Trinity constituency has consistently maintained a high calibre of Ed Mulhall is former Managing female representation including Director of RTÉ News and Carmencita Hederman, Lord Current Affairs. Mayor of Dublin in 1987, medic Mary Henry, Supreme Court Judge Catherine McGuinness Representatives of the and Law Professor Ivana Bacik. The election of lawyer John University of Dublin N. Ross to the Senate in 1965 in Seanad Éireann: demonstrated that a senator 1938-Present did not have to have an internal College function and his son Dates Representative Shane Ross was to become a 1938-43 Ernest Henry Alton strong public personality in his 1938-43, 1944-48 Joseph Johnston 30 years in the Upper House. 1938-44 Robert James Rowlette The seventies saw the election 1943-59 William Robert Fearon of two prominent political figures to the Senate following their Dail 1943-47 Theodore Conyngham Kingsmill Moore defeats: Noel Browne and Conor 1947-51 Joseph Warwick Bigger Cruise O’Brien. 1948-69 William Bedell Stanford In the debate on the 1979 1951 Frederic Gardner Orford Budd referendum Trevor West linked 1952-54, 1960-73 William John Edward Jessop the role of the university senators back to their historic roots but 1954-61, 1965-70 Owen Lancelot argued for their effectiveness, Sheehy Skeffington saying that in his eight years as a 1961-65 John Nathaniel Ross senator 30 of the 34 adjournment 1969-89 Mary Terese Winifred Robinson debate motions had come from 1970-81, 1982-83 Timothy Trevor West the university members. Senator 1973-77 Noel Christopher Browne John A. Murphy from the NUI stated that Trinity, despite this 1977-79 Donal Conor Cruise-O’Brien history, no longer needed its 1979-87 Catherine Isabel Brigid McGuinness special status: “Trinity is no 1981-2011 Shane Peter Nathaniel Ross longer a Protestant institution or 1989-92 Carmencita Maria Hederman an exclusively liberal institution.” 1993-2007 Mary Elizabeth Francis Henry Mary Robinson pointed to the significant number of her 1987 – present David Patrick Bernard Norris electorate that lived in Northern 2007 – present Ivana Catherine Bacik Ireland as a valuable dimension. 2011 – present Seán Declan Conrad Barrett The constituency, she said,
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Trinity Today Securing our future
Securing our
Future
As State funding continues to fall, Trinity’s Endowment helps to ensure the academic excellence and stability of the University, writes Provost Dr Patrick Prendergast.
T
oday’s donors to Trinity College continue a noble tradition of giving to the University. The College has been the beneficiary of philanthropy since the time of its establishment in 1592 and funded by the citizens of Dublin and further afield – Sir Turlough O’Neill of Tyrone was an initial benefactor. The grant of a site by Dublin Corporation allowed the College to open in what is now the centre of the capital city. Elizabeth I and Dublin Corporation initiated a cycle of giving: of bequests, grants of lands, trust funds and endowments, a cycle that has continued unabated to the present day. Trinity College has been fortunate to have enjoyed the support of a number of benefactors and, while some have given to specific causes at specific times, others have chosen to make their gift live on in perpetuity by donating to the College’s Endowment. The Endowment is made up of many separate endowed funds, many with their own stipulations about how and for what purpose the income may be used, as specified by the donor; some of these funds are historic and some are new. Trinity’s Endowment continues to grow through prudent investment management and gifts, which helps to ensure the academic excellence, strength and stability of the University. The Endowment provides financial support to College activities in perpetuity and in many
cases the activity relies on the Endowment as the only source of perpetual financial support. As State funding continues to fall, growing this Endowment is a priority for us so that we can maintain the quality and integrity of academic programmes, provide financial support for endowed professorships and fellowships. The Endowment enables us to benefit our students by rewarding excellence through prizes, giving the gift of education through scholarships and providing funding for critical research field trips.
Endowment in Action Examples of key awards supported by Trinity’s Endowment include the St Luke’s Prize, which is awarded annually to the highest overall performance in the cancer radiation therapy degree examination. The Trinity Access Programmes (TAP) and the Hannah McDowall Nursing Scholarship are also invaluable as they enable students who come from socio-economic groups under-represented in higher education, to go to university by giving them much-needed financial support. The CEO of the Adelaide Society, Roisin Whiting, says: “I receive regular calls from students who say they wouldn’t be in College without the support of the Adelaide Society Bursary. The bursaries and scholarships we provide such as the Hannah McDowall Nursing Scholarship are a hugely important support for Adelaide nursing students from all backgrounds and denominations.”
This Endowment is a priority for us so that we can maintain the quality and integrity of academic programmes
Deep gratitude We would like to express our deep gratitude and appreciation to those whose generosity of spirit contributes significantly to some of the College’s key projects and achievements.l Please see pages 28-29 to read about Trinity’s Benefactors through the Centuries, our lasting tribute to those who have made substantial gifts to College.
Trinity Today securing out future
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Trinity Endowment Ian Mathews, Trinity’s Chief Financial Officer, explains what the Endowment is. What is the Trinity Endowment? The Trinity Endowment is a collection of individual endowments, each of which represents a benefaction to the College. The permanent nature of the Endowment creates the financial challenge of preserving the purchasing power of the Endowment’s assets against inflation, thus ensuring that the assets continue to support the same set of activities for generations. At 30 June 2013, there were 393 individual endowments providing financial support for endowed professorships, scholarships, fellowships, research and a variety of other academic purposes. Who are the Trustees of the Endowment? The Trustees of the Endowment are the Provost, Fellows and Scholars of Trinity College Dublin.
Endowment 2012/13
393
individual funds
e3.5m 11.7%
contribution to the college
return on investment
How does the Endowment work? The individual endowments are invested across a spread of investments. The Endowment Deed sets out the basic parameters under which the common investment scheme is operated. The investment strategy is to enhance the likelihood of achieving the overall income objective while minimising risk and maintaining capital preservation in the long-term. The Board of the College, through its Investment Committee, established and implements investment policy and manages the Endowment’s assets. The Investment Committee comprises seven members of which the Chairman and three other members are external to
the College. The annual audit of the Endowment to 30 June 2013 was carried out by KPMG.
Why is the Endowment important? The contribution to the College for 2012/13 was c3.5m, which is a significant contribution to the quality and integrity of academic programmes. As we reduce our dependence on State funding, the Trinity Endowment is fundamental to the financial stability of the College as it provides a steady predictable source of income over time, on which the University can make commitments and build its programmes. To ensure the continued growth of the Endowment, prudent fiscal management is required and the Investment Committee will remain vigilant to ongoing developments in world markets to ensure the Endowment’s long-term objective for income and capital growth. How is the Endowment performing? Since 2008 the market value of the Endowment has increased from c120m to c144m in 2013. The Endowment achieved a total return of 11.7 per cent for the year ended 30 June 2013 against a benchmark aggregate total return of approximately 8.9 per cent across the range of investment mandates. Although our endowments differ in asset class composition to our peers in the UK and the US, we are experiencing similar performance in terms of delivering positive returns in a challenging market.
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Trinity Today benefactors through the centuries
Trinity's Benefactors through the
Centuries SEMPER HONOS NOMENQVE TVVM LAVDESQVE MANEBVNT – Your name, honour and praise shall always remain
E
arlier this year Trinity proudly unveiled its ‘Benefactors through the Centuries’ Roll of Honour as a lasting tribute to those who have made substantial gifts to Trinity. The names of these benefactors are embossed permanently beneath the ceiling of the grand entrance to the College Dining Hall. They are adorned with the words of Virgil, the first-century BC poet: “SEMPER HONOS NOMENQVE TVVM LAVDESQVE MANEBVNT” – “Your name, honour and praise shall always remain.” The Roll of Honour includes the first benefactor to Trinity, Queen Elizabeth I and the names that follow hers range from Sir Turlough O’Neill to Lord Iveagh and more recently Martin Naughton and the Cathal Ryan Trust. The Government of Ireland and its agencies, the People of Ireland as well as Alumni Donors of Trinity College Dublin are also included in the list. “I know that our generous private donors are, like the government
itself, inspired by their wish This is our testament to benefit the public good,” to the generosity of says the Provost of Trinity College Dublin, Dr Patrick individuals, foundations, Prendergast. trusts and corporations “They have seen in Trinity through the ages a place where their support will be maximised. We are honoured that they placed their trust in Trinity and fully understand the responsibility that comes with this trust and support.” This view is echoed by Chancellor of Trinity College Dublin, Dr Mary Robinson: “For the first time, we bring together all benefactors to commemorate their generosity on this Roll of Honour. By this action we hope to both thank them, and to honour the principle of public philanthropy which they embody. This is our permanent and public testament to the generosity of individuals, foundations, trusts and corporations through the ages. This Roll of Honour is our tribute to those who, since the foundation of the College, have helped make Trinity great.”l
Trinity Today benefactors through the centuries
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Benefactors through the Centuries
Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast, with one of Trinity’s generous benefactors, Dr Beate Schuler
The names of Trinity’s benefactors are proudly displayed beneath the ceiling of the grand entrance to the Dining Hall
Elizabeth I
Brendan McDonald
Dublin Corporation
Wellcome Trust
James I
The Atlantic Philanthropies
Sir Turlough O’Neill
Martin & Carmel Naughton
Sir Hugh Magennis
Lewis L. Glucksman &
James Ussher
Loretta Brennan Glucksman
Henry Jones
Allied Irish Banks
Erasmus Smith Trust
Bernard McNamara
Charles II
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Claudius Gilbert
Bank of Ireland
Richard Baldwin
Peter Sutherland SC
Sir Patrick Dun
Durkan Family & Friends
Lord John George Beresford
Dermot Desmond
Edward Cecil Guinness
Dr Beate Schuler
Frederick Purser
David and Mary Went
John Purser Griffith
Royal City of Dublin Hospital Trust
Grania, Marchioness of Normanby
Kay & Fred Krehbiel
Brian, Lord Moyne
Mark Pigott KBE
Jack Morrison
PACCAR Inc
Rupert Edward Guinness
Irish Life
Ford Foundation
The Irish Times
Chester Beatty Trust
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Dr Stanley Quek
Sami Nasr
Capt. Cathal Ryan Trust
Smurfit Kappa
Ellen Mayston Bates
Mercer’s Hospital Foundation
National Children’s Research
Sir Anthony O’Reilly
Centre
Coca-Cola Corporation
The People of Ireland
The A.G. Leventis Foundation
Government of Ireland
Donald Panoz
& its agencies
Sir Michael Smurfit KBE
Alumni Donors
John Moores
Anonymous
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Trinity Today A Bronx tale
Members of the Keltic Dreams
A Bronx Tale From performing for Barack Obama to being front page news in the New York Times, Caroline Duggan tells Frieda Klotz B.A. (2000) how it all started for her and the Keltic Dreams dance troupe.
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hen Caroline Duggan B.Ed., M.A. (2001) left secondary school, just three girls from her class in Loreto College Crumlin went to Trinity – one hoping to become a lawyer, another a scientist, and a third whose dream was to be a music teacher. “That was me,” she says, over coffee at a Starbucks in New York’s Upper East Side where she now lives. From the age of 12, Duggan knew that she wanted to teach music. Her career choice has taken her to unexpected places – Áras an Uachtaráin, The
Late Late Show, the White House, New York’s City Hall and the Bronx, where she works. Duggan graduated from Trinity in 2001 and plays an array of instruments – violin, flute, piano – receiving a special commendation for teaching practice in her B.Mus. Ed. degree. But she is best known as the founder of the Keltic Dreams, an adorable troupe of youngsters between the ages of seven and 12 who have featured on US television and been front page news in The New York Times. They have danced for New
York’s Mayor Bloomberg, former President Bill Clinton, and Barack and Michelle Obama. Twelve years ago, fresh from her degree, Duggan got a teaching position in the US following a job fair in Dublin organised by the New York City Board of Education. The Bronx wasn’t her first choice when she joined the programme. She cried when she found out she had been placed there as she had hoped to work in Queens, which has a large Irish community. When she arrived at Public School 59, however, she immediately felt at home. “It had a very warm feel, very friendly, and I noticed some of the kids walking around saying hello to the principal,” she says. Over time she settled in, and put up a poster of Riverdance in the classroom. The children – who were from Hispanic and African-American backgrounds – questioned her about it. They wanted to know if she danced so Duggan decided to offer afterschool classes and the Keltic Dreams were born.
Trinity Today A bronx tale
I bring the costumes home and wash them in my own apartment in my bathtub. I make everything by hand
donations. In 2007 she raised about $75,000 and took the kids to Dublin, giving them a chance to visit Trinity and to dance for then-President Mary McAleese. In 2008, she brought them to Northern Ireland, having raised $85,000. On that occasion the Keltic Dreams danced at Stormont and met children from Protestant and Catholic families.
The White House The Keltic Dreams met Barack and Michelle Obama in 2010 when the group performed at the White House on St. Patrick’s Day. “Michelle told the kids that she loved their costumes,” Duggan recalls. “Little did she know that I bring the costumes home, and Dancing for Bill and Hillary Clinton
Caroline with some of her students
As a teenager in Crumlin she had been forced to give up Irish dancing because her family were unable to pay for the lavish costumes. In New York, aware of her students’ backgrounds, she crafted their outfits herself, buying t-shirts and sewing on adornments. She watched videos of Riverdance and Michael Flatley to get inspiration for a broader vision of what Irish dance could look like. “I figured, these people are from African-American and Hispanic backgrounds, so why don’t I bring in their culture too?”
Good Will The Keltic Dreams are a wonder to see – gorgeous little kids of diverse ethnicities, smiling broadly as they perform Duggan’s carefully choreographed routines. Coming from the Bronx, where many people live below the poverty line, it’s no surprise that they have attracted large amounts of publicity and good will. Duggan has brought them to Ireland twice, each time receiving substantial
Keltic Dreams at the White House
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wash them in my own apartment in my bathtub. I make everything by hand, all on my own. We had been through a lot to get there so it was a dream come true.” In addition to their own talent, the Keltic Dreams’ success is largely due to their teacher, who has persevered tirelessly to bring them to high profile venues. This is a core part of what she sees as her role – not only to tell children that they can do whatever they want, but to actually show them. “These kids think that they can be Obama because they’ve met him, they’ve talked to him,” Duggan says. Her own childhood growing up near Dolphin’s Barn in Dublin helps her to identify with the Bronx youngsters. “If you want something, anything at all, you have to work hard to get it. That was always the idea in my family.” Being accepted to study at Trinity meant a great deal to Caroline and it was the first in a long list of achievements. Her time in New York has given her plenty of opportunities and a large dose of confidence. “It prepares you for anything,” she says. “If I go back to Ireland, I’ve so much more to offer. I realise there are so many more things I could do in Ireland now.”l
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Trinity Today The right connection
The Right
Connection Following the success of Taxback.com, Terry Clune wants to get the Irish diaspora involved in the future success of Ireland, writes Una Reddington B.A. (2001).
T
erry Clune B.A., M.A. (1996) is on a mission to bring much-needed foreign investment and jobs to Ireland and his company, ConnectIreland, aims to achieve this by tapping into one of the world’s largest social networks – the Irish diaspora. The premise is simple but effective: Clune wants Irish people, at home and abroad, to become ‘connectors’ and tip ConnectIreland off if they hear about any company that is thinking about expanding into Europe. Clune’s team will then engage with the company to convince them to choose Ireland as their new location and, if this results in any jobs being created here, the connector will receive a government reward of up to b150,000. “We simply need our global Irish family, diaspora and people who have an interest in or love of Ireland to keep their ears open. The hardest part is finding the leads,” Clune tells Trinity Today.
Power of a Pitch Recently a man let ConnectIreland know about some US executives who were visiting Portlaoise en route to the Czech Republic to investigate a potential site for a factory. “They played 18 holes of golf and in the bar later that night they had a few pints and started talking to a guy who was sitting beside them,” says Clune. The guy then called ConnectIreland and tipped them
off. “We met them in Dublin airport and gave them an extensive pitch on Ireland resulting in 50 jobs in Portarlington instead of Prague.” Anyone can be a ‘connector’ and there are currently 8,000 registered with ConnectIreland. “Once the connection is made, the sales pitch often writes itself,” Clune says. “Of 25 of the top biotechnology companies in the world 17 of them have operations in Ireland. So that’s our sales pitch – just look at who’s here already and that is proof that Ireland is a great place for business. Of the five busiest websites in the world four of the top five have their European operations in Ireland.” At a conference in Kilkenny in 2011 Clune asked the audience if anybody had any connections in America. One lady replied that she had a connection to the founding members of Coca Cola. Kilkenny also has direct connections to the architect of the White House while the county is also the birthplace of the grandfather of Walt Disney. “These are connections that any of the top businessmen in the room would have given their right arm for,” says Clune.
Taxback.com Clune’s confidence in making partnerships comes from the success of another company he founded, Taxback.com. That company has its origins from his time at Trinity during which he
We simply need our global Irish family, diaspora and people who have an interest in or love of Ireland to keep their ears open
went to Germany for a summer. The manager of a factory he worked in liked his work ethic as well as that of his fellow Irish workers so Clune offered to recruit more Irish workers for the following summer. He advertised in TCD and UCD and recruited 110 students. For a fee of £200 he set them up with accommodation and a job. One hundred of them started on the Monday following their arrival as planned. However, for the first week there were no jobs for 10 of the students so Clune set them up with an alternative job marching with a giant cross in the
Berlin Gay Pride parade. “The lads were delighted with their week’s wage for only three hours’ work,” he smiles. Taxback.com emerged from the needs his clients had, on their return to Dublin, to get their tax back. Now, the company employs 950 staff between its headquarters in Kilkenny and 27 offices around the world. Trinity helped facilitate Clune’s early entrepreneurial projects as he studied by day and used the computer rooms by night to run his business. He also used his environment to its full advantage by seeking advice and support from some of his lecturers. His experience at Trinity is the reason he likes to stay involved and support the College as an active
member of the alumni community. One of the projects he is currently supporting is the website Coursehub.ie, created by Trinity student Georgina Smithwick. Coursehub enables prospective students to make an informed choice about which university to choose by collating reviews from current students about everything from course content to the social life in different colleges. As he looks back now, Clune can’t stress enough how glad he is that he completed his degree as he very nearly didn’t finish his studies in BESS due to the fact that he was working on Taxback.com as well as other sideline projects such as running student discos. “I have met so
Taxback.com
950
members of staff
27
international offices
322,000 tax returns every year
many people over the years who regret not having completed their university degree. I’ve travelled a lot for business and there is no doubt that having a qualification from Trinity stands to you.”l
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Trinity Today Schrödinger and me
Erwin Schrödinger in 1940
The chromosome fibre is a complex structure... with an elaborate, meaningful design, like a Raphael tapestry
Schrödinger and me
Professor David McConnell B.A., M.A. (1966) looks at the influence of Erwin Schrödinger’s ‘What is Life?’ lecture series.
E
ntering Trinity in 1962 to study physics, it was inevitable that I would be introduced to Erwin Schrödinger’s wave equation. His Nobel prize-winning work made no sense to me and was one of several signs that I should abandon any pretence to serious work in physics. In the end genetics provided a fascinating
place in science where I felt I might contribute and it was in genetics I came across Schrödinger again. I discovered that he had given three lectures in Trinity in 1943, in what is now the Schrödinger Lecture Theatre in the Department of Physics, and that these had been published in 1944 under the title What is Life?
What is Life? had a great influence on genetics, partly because it emphasised that genetics is the fundamental science of biology. The structure of an organism and the way it behaves is specific to that organism and must be controlled by some kind of instructions, and these must be passed on to future generations. The instructions are called genes and they are on, or in, the chromosomes. But in 1943 no one knew their chemical nature. Schrödinger suggested, famously, that the most essential part of a living cell – the chromosome fibre – may suitably be called an aperiodic crystal, a complex structure with an elaborate, coherent, meaningful design, like a Raphael tapestry. By meaningful he meant it contained information, using a new word: code-script. He wrote that the axial fibre of the chromosome, which we now know is DNA, must contain some kind of code-script. He wrote that copies of the code duplicate and should be in oneto-one correspondence with a highly complicated and specified plan of development and should somehow contain the means of putting it into operation. He felt
Trinity Today Schrödinger and me
directs its own replication, which is quite accurate. Schrödinger noted that genes must be durable. DNA is chemically and physically remarkably stable – it has been purified from skeletons of Neanderthal Man. However, Schrödinger also realised that DNA must mutate or evolution could not have occurred and he discussed a physical basis which he likened to quantum jumps. Electrons in atoms do not occupy a continuous range of energies, they sit in a small number of quantum mechanical states. Genes are similar. They can exist in a limited number of states. Watson and Crick’s structure allows for rare mutations; mutations change the code about once in one billion chemical replication events.
Schrödinger Lecture Theatre
future advances would come from biochemical genetics, but did not think physics would make much of a contribution to genetics.
Essence of life These ideas encouraged some biologists, notably James Watson, to specialise in genetics. Watson recalled in that little gem, Schrödinger said the essence of life was the gene. Genes were shown to be made of DNA by Oswald Avery and colleagues in 1944, but what was the structure of DNA? Watson, Crick and Wilkins shared the Nobel prize in 1962 for the discovery in 1953 of the double helix structure of DNA, and, despite Schrödinger’s doubts, a physical technique – X-ray diffraction – made a substantial contribution to finding the structure. By 1965-66, when I was completing my degree, Schrödinger’s main proposals had been incorporated within genetics, and vindicated in spectacular fashion. The WatsonCrick structure epitomised, indeed explained, his curious concept of the aperiodic crystal. The sequence of chemical units in the thin, long DNA molecule had enormous capacity for code – human DNA has three billion pieces of code. Moreover, DNA
Max Delbruck In 1966 I arrived at the California Institute of Technology to study for my Ph.D. on how genes are controlled, and Schrödinger turned up again, this time in the person of Max Delbruck, the physicist, who had a large influence on Schrödinger, and had become a high priest of molecular genetics. I heard him lecture brilliantly a few times a year. (He wondered had I read My Left Foot by Christy Brown). When he received his Nobel prize in 1969, we, the graduate students, wrote a musical in which I played Max and sang these verses: Come workers in physics where e’er you may be Please put down your slide rules and listen to me. The action will be here in biology And physics is rapidly aging. Forget about neutrons and just try to see That research it is a-changing. Schrödinger asks “What is Life?” and he finds Of all genic models the best one is mine. The quantum mechanical
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levels define The possible states of mutation. New laws of physics will leap to the mind, For research it is a-changing. Schrödinger lived and worked at the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies from 1940 to 1955. He believed passionately in the relationship between science and the humanities and in the values of education. He wrote that scientific education is fabulously neglected. The majority of educated persons are not interested in science and are not aware that scientific knowledge forms part of the idealistic background of human life.l David McConnell is Professor of Genetics in the Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College.
The ?What Is Life? sculpture
?WHAT IS LIFE? – THE SCULPTURE In April 2013 James Watson unveiled a sculpture, ?What is Life?, by Charles Jencks, in the National Botanic Gardens, commemorating the discovery of the double helix 60 years ago. There were several Irish connections with the discovery; J.D. Bernal from Tipperary developed a crucial theory of X-ray crystallography, Maurice Wilkins’ parents were Irish, and Watson’s grandmother was a Gleason from Tipperary. For those involved – John Atkins B.A. (1965), myself, Matthew Jebb, of the Gardens, David Went, Feargal Quinn and James Watson – a major reason for the sculpture was to encourage an interest in science and help people develop an idealistic background of human life.
It’s good to give a little bit back to ensure the future of this international brand and the education of the next generation
Blazing a
Trail Learning to socialise, generating a network and developing a varied skill set is what college is really all about, Rosheen McGuckian tells Elaine McCahill B.A. (2013).
Trinity Today blazing a trail
R
osheen McGuickian B.Sc. (Rem.Ling.)(1987) is at the top of her game. Since graduating she has gone on to become the CEO of not one, but three companies and is currently the CEO of NTR plc. NTR, which stands for ‘National Toll Roads’, was established in 1978 to develop and operate Ireland’s first toll road. However, the company has adapted itself from managing Ireland’s toll roads to currently being one of the leading companies in the wind energy sector. They have experienced fantastic successes both here and in the US and are looking to Europe for further expansion. McGuckian attributes much of her success to the skills and varied experience she gained as an undergraduate at Trinity, spending her free time involved in the now obsolete DUMADS society (Dublin University Music and Dramatics Society), the Choral Society and sports clubs such as wind surfing. “I had an absolutely amazing time at Trinity, particularly with DUMADS. The society was incredibly successful throughout the 80s but I think it fell over after that. We put together mad musicals such as Viva Mexico and The Boyfriend and presented them in the Royal Irish Academy of Music. The society really seemed to catch the zeitgeist and everybody got involved in it, from rugby heads to Player heads.”
Change of Direction After Trinity, McGuckian decided to go in a different direction and spent time at the College of Marketing (now DIT), and later completed both her Masters degree and her Ph.D. at DCU while she was working. This change of pace after studying to be a speech therapist has brought her to the belief that young people should not commit themselves to very specific degrees. As illustrated by her varied career, she emphasises
that her “job did not exist” when she was attending university and as such, it was not a position that she could even aspire to hold one day. Instead, she gained experience in other areas, such as public relations, change management as well as general management. She adapted her skill set to move through different industries including energy with ESB, financial services with GE Money, waste management with Greenstar and now back to the energy sector with NTR. However, she does concede that the skills she gained through her linguistics degree have been essential to her continued success in a corporate environment. Skills such as setting objectives, assessing a situation, and executing an educated plan are essential to success in any workplace. McGuckian also emphasises that there is more to university than being trained for a specific job or career, such as generating a network and learning to socialise.
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has been actively involved in the Trinity community. She believes that Trinity has come a long way in keeping in touch with recent graduates, tapping their knowledge and connections. “It is great that in the last number of years Trinity has woken up to that... now it tries to stay connected with graduates from day one, which is really important as it’s only by chance that we became involved again after a space of 15 years. They could have lost us quite easily.”
Getting involved McGuckian also strongly believes that the alumni community need to give back more and that this does not necessarily have to be in the form of large cheques: “You don’t need to be a big bucks person to get involved. The way we have been contributing is by giving our time, rather than by writing big cheques and I think that is as important as anything else. Trinity has a lot of talent, plus great networks and I Innovative Leadership have been able to place people What with working in the into jobs as a result. Trinity’s renewable energy sector and alumni are a fantastic resource.” being a TCD alumna, McGuckian McGuckian feels very strongly was naturally impressed when about recent graduates and older Trinity became the second alumni both appreciating and university campus in Ireland giving back to the University. to gain Green Flag status. She “When I saw the statistics of believes that “it is a great sign Irish alumni giving back to their of innovation which is what universities in comparison to university is supposed to be other countries I was kind of about.” This kind of innovative surprised. The numbers were leadership is something she terrible and I was especially believes large corporations surprised because we are or organisations, such as incredibly fortunate that we can universities, should be get third level education at the embracing. It is one of the fraction of the cost of other most effective ways of countries and I often wonder enacting change and if we undervalue it as a developing a proactive result of that. Trinity is attitude towards recycling, a massive international waste management Trinity has a lot of talent, brand and alumni use and natural resource plus great networks that association around conservation. and I have been able to the world, so it’s good For the last four years, place people into jobs to give a little bit back to since she was invited as a result ensure the future of the back to join the Trinity brand and the education School of Engineering of the next generation.”l Advisory Board, McGuckian
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Trinity Today Ready to Launch
Launch
Participants in LaunchBox, Trinity’s start-up programme for budding entrepreneurs
Ready
to
A new Trinity start-up incubator programme gives students the opportunity to turn a great idea into a viable business enterprise, writes Dave Molloy B.A. (2009).
W
ith a view of College Green on one side and the vista of Front Square on the other, Regent House is as traditional a part of the Trinity campus as you’ll find. It is likely to be the last place you’d expect to find young innovators at work, drinking coffee next to an indoor gazebo and holding meetings on a couch. But this is home to LaunchBox, Trinity’s student start-up incubator programme and brainchild of Professor
Vinny Cahill, Dean of Research. “A Trinity education prepares students for a lifelong career. For more and more students that includes starting their own businesses. LaunchBox is a great way for College to support this aspiration while also helping to develop a broad range Enter the Trinity of skills that are attractive Angels...who have to employers,” says Cahill.
moved the project through every step and paid the bills
Entrepreneurs One of the projects being developed is WifiGuard, created by Guoxian Yang
and Oisín O'Sullivan. WifiGuard takes a household Wifi signal and analyses its shape. Wifi bends when it hits an object, and WifiGuard uses this to detect home intruders. Another project, BiteLock, aims to prevent a bike from being stolen. The idea is simple. The shackle – the part of a lock usually attacked – slots into the holes in the bicycle chain so that it can only be broken by damaging the chain. For other students with a natural entrepreneurial streak, LaunchBox is an opportunity to nurture and refine their existing passions and skills. It gave Iseult Ward the opportunity to take a few steps in reverse from a social enterprise that had run into problems. Her project, Foodcloud, is an app that connects food retailers and grocery stores with charities that could use nutritious food that would otherwise end up in landfill – approximately 250,000 tonnes from the commercial sector every year. Until a workshop on market research run by LaunchBox, Foodcloud had been targeting a handful of restaurants. Now, it has started a partnership with Tesco.
Trinity Today ready to launch
The WifiGuard Team
partner at Delta Partners; John Ryan, co-founder of Macrovision; Beate Schuler, former owner of Iropharm and member of Business Angels Frankfurt; Fiona Thomas, Director of the Gowan Group Limited; the University of Dublin Fund (USA), Shane Naughton, technology entrepreneur based in New York; and the UK Trust. Each student is paid a stipend for the three months they spend in Regent House, and allocated additional expenses they might need for their projects. All this comes direct from the Angels through a philanthropic model: no shares are owned, no intellectual property rights handed over. The
WIFIGuard and bitelock “All of a sudden, we’re in this completely different position where companies are speaking to us on a completely professional basis – none of this ‘student startup’ – this is literally business-tobusiness,” she says. Projects like LaunchBox cost money, and with university funding already stretched to the limit, thirdlevel institutions are allocating their funds wisely. But this isn’t a business arrangement or an investment – it’s philanthropy.
Trinity Angels Enter the Trinity Angels, an emerging group of successful business leaders who not only contribute to the success of the projects through mentoring and guiding the students involved, but have moved the project through every step – and paid the bills. Current Angels are Sean Blanchfield, Technology Entrepreneur and Mentor; Brian Caulfield, partner at VC firm DFJ Esprit; Stuart Coulson, Business Angel and mentor based in Palo Alto; Paul Duffy, Chairman and CEO of The Absolut Company; Terry Gallagher, private investor in the US and Ireland; Joey Mason,
The Bitelock team
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students retain complete control over their ventures. And that is a crucial aspect of LaunchBox, believes participant Gail Condon. Condon is behind Writing For Tiny, a company which creates personalised books to help children understand issues their parents might need help explaining. The idea is rooted in her experience as a nurse, when she drew pictures for children to entertain them. Applying her knowledge from speech and language therapy, she’s brought that idea to new heights, with the help of fellow student Nicola Davis. Four books are already available covering topics like moving house and new siblings. Now, with her own first child on the way, Condon says that without the help and the connections she’s gained from LaunchBox – through which she found her software developer – she wouldn’t be “half as close” to her goal. Every student, in fact, cites the experience and connections the Angels bring as the greatest advantage of the project. LaunchBox finished its 12-week run in August but with College looking to foster the entrepreneurial spirit among students more than ever before, it won’t be packed away for long.l
The Launchbox projects BiteLock
WifiGuard
Foodcloud
Writing for Tiny
Synthetech
AdMe
Brian Higgins and John Hickey BiteLock is a new type of bicycle lock, designed to immobilise the bicycle in an attempted theft. Alex Sloan, Emma Mooney and Iseult Ward Foodcloud is a social enterprise which reduces food waste in the commercial sector by connecting retailers with charities. Eric Risser and Wenyi Sun Synthetech is creating new art tools for the computer graphics industry. Artomatic, their flagship programme, creates many subtly different textures for 3D models from a single input.
Guoxian Yang and Oisín O’Sullivan WifiGuard detects home intruders by analysing the shape of Wifi signals. Gail Condon and Nicola Davis Writing for Tiny publishes books designed to communicate both everyday and difficult issues to children. Sebastien Penot, Orme de Saint Hilaire, James Walsh, Daniel Cooney, Augustin de Pelleport and Thomas Cullen The AdMe app helps college societies with events. It also enables freshers to find out what their university has to offer.
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Trinity Today The power of alumni
Join the thousands of alumni supporting research, teaching, innovation and outreach activities today
The power of
Alumni Join the many alumni of Trinity at home and abroad helping the College learn from the past, build for the future and make a difference.
T
rinity’s exciting and compelling mission is to play a pivotal role in making Ireland the most creative and productive place to invent, work and learn, contributing to a civil society that is both local and global. To achieve all this requires the support of volunteers and donors, many of whom are alumni. Whether you live in Dublin or Dubai, graduated in 1963 or 2013, studied English or Engineering, the College has many ways in which you can give back and make a difference.
Trinity Today the power of alumni
Get Involved Trinity has a long and important tradition of outreach and community engagement. To date, alumni have performed a wide variety of services for the College across all of its areas, from teaching and research to administration and strategic support. These volunteers support students in many ways: running clubs and societies, helping them to find a career when they graduate and maintain their links with College via the many alumni branches and affinity groups around the world and much more. To FIND OUT how YOU To find out about the CAN GET INVOLVED SEE numerous ways you can WWW.TCD.IE/ALUMNI/ get involved with Trinity, VOLUNTEER both at home and abroad, see www.tcd.ie/alumni/volunteer
Make a Gift Join the thousands of alumni supporting research, teaching, innovation and outreach activities today. For more than 400 years, alumni have played a vital role for which we are so grateful, financially supporting the College in many different ways. In challenging times, it’s natural to concentrate our generosity on the people and causes that really matter and this is why we believe that an investment in education is possibly the greatest investment anyone can make. To get a sense of the depth, variety and importance of the projects and developments that TO see how Trinity are helping Trinity College to advance is advancing its its contribution to contribution to society, see society visit WWW.TCD.IE/ www.tcd.ie/ development development
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The Trinity Community
– Making a Difference “I really enjoyed my GradLink Mentoring experience and would highly recommend it to graduates and students alike. I felt my mentor gave me a real insight into the working world, where we got to talk to recruiters about interview skills and other job seeking tips.” Christina McCarthy, Spanish and French student and GradLink participant “Trinity did so much for me so I’m happy to give back and help develop its reputation in the areas of innovation, applied research and technology transfer.” Stuart Coulson, B.A. (1984), LaunchBox donor and Trinity Angel “The Trinity Business Alumni group gives me an opportunity to meet new and interesting people who have similar interests to me. It’s a great way of staying connected with my alma mater.” Sean Gallagher, B.A. (2010), TBA committee member “Because of the GradLink Mentoring programme I have gone from anxiety over the future and where my degree will lead me to a calm confidence that I can shape my life to how I envision it.” Isabella Davey, History of Art and Architecture student and GradLink participant “The valuable entrepreneurship support provided by Trinity alumni has encouraged me and many students to pursue our dreams of starting our own businesses.” Joey Harkins, Business student and Project Manager of LaunchBox “We are very pleased that our recent donation may contribute to the multidisciplinary research effort at Trinity into understanding and finding new treatments for neurological diseases.” Dr Mike Harrington, B.A., Ph.D. (1982) and Vice President of Europe and Asia Pacific Operations at Waters Corporation
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Trinity Today tales of the 80s
Heidi Haenschke B.A. (1986)
80s Ivana Bacik LL.B. (1989)
Tales of the
Katy McGuinness B.A. Mod. (1983), editor of the latest Trinity Tales, talks about people’s memories of College life in the 1980s.
T
rinity Tales: Trinity College Dublin in the Eighties is the third in a series that began with the sixties, all published by the Lilliput Press. The seventies volume, published in 2011, was edited by my sister-in-law, Kathy Gilfillan, who passed the baton to me with the caution that “people’s memories aren’t always accurate”. Sure enough, verifying that the contributors were actually present at the events of which they wrote, or indeed, that certain events took place at all, took some time. (For the record, U2 never did play the Trinity Ball.)
For the record, U2 never did play the Trinity Ball
With over 16,000 graduates during the 1980s, there was a rich embarrassment of potential contributors. In attempting to achieve a balance across the disciplines and to span the decade from beginning to end, while simultaneously flattering those with whom I might wish to curry favour and avoiding the over-population of the book with my close friends, I have no doubt that there are some glaring omissions. For any offence that I have caused, I apologise. And for the help of Sallyanne Godson in relation to the later eighties, I am grateful.
Most of the people I approached to contribute were delighted to have been asked and, once they had got over the obligatory ‘Do you really think anyone would be interested in what I have to say?’ were happy to oblige, although there were a few who had to be hounded to deliver the goods when it came to the deadline. But some whom I had hoped to persuade said no, one on the grounds that her Trinity years had been miserable and that she had no interest in recalling them. Coming from someone whom I had considered a friend during our years in college, it made me sad to realise how little I knew her after all. Another person, a titan of Irish industry, declined on the basis that he had such a good time at Trinity in the eighties that he couldn’t recall anything about it at all! Others remembered, but were concerned about what their children – many now Trinity students themselves – might think.
The Island of Trinity In the eighties, for the first time in its history, a significant proportion of Trinity’s student population was drawn from the ranks of Dublin’s Catholic middle classes. While
Trinity Today tales of the 80s
outside the walls (contributor Austin O’Carroll refers to the bubble of College as ‘The Island’) the eighties were marked by violence and hunger strikes in Northern Ireland, and recession, unemployment and GUBU politics in the south, little of this impinged in any real sense upon the world of parties and balls and endless lounging on the chocolate boxes of the then-brand new Arts Block. Jackie Kilroy’s memories are romantic and exuberant, while Eoin McCullough’s witty and detailed account of the topics debated in the Hist during the early eighties – abortion, then as now, was a constant – is fascinating. I spent the early part of the eighties in the School of Law, taught by a cohort of academic talent that included a red-mini-skirted Mary McAleese (upon whom one of my classmates, now a very eminent senior counsel, had a serious crush), Yvonne Scannell, and Kader Asmal, who went on to serve in Nelson Mandela’s government. It was only later that I would come to realise that his version of international law was quite controversial. One of the contributors to the book is Shane O’Neill, another classmate, who wrote his piece before his death at the shockingly early age of 50 in 2012.
Players It is clear that many of my eighties peers came to Trinity with the primary purpose of getting involved in Players; academic studies were quite incidental. The small, dingy theatre in Front Square was the crucible on which the Rough Magic theatre company was forged by Lynne Parker and Declan Hughes, both of whom are contributors. Other Players’ alumni who have shared their memories include actress and author Pauline McLynn and Anne Enright, winner of the Man Booker prize for her novel The Gathering. An alternative view of drama in Trinity comes from Tony-award-winning actor,
Brian F. O’Byrne, who studied at the Samuel Beckett Centre and recalls spending time in a women’s leotard pretending to be an animal. His essay is one of my favourites, along with playwright Michael West’s and journalist Rosita Boland’s. The contributions from the denizens of Piranha magazine – including Quentin Letts and Michael O’Doherty – are great fun. Luke O’Neill, Nick Sparrow, Patrick Wyse Jackson and Ivana Bacik, all students in the eighties, have returned to Trinity as academics and members of staff. Gerry Dawe, who We were very joined the academic staff during the late eighties lucky to have been
there, at that time and in that place
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is now Professor of English and Fellow; his account of living in College at the time recalls a smoggy Dublin that is long gone. One contributor who was was neither student nor member of staff but was a constant presence is Patrick Healy, whom I tracked down to the Delft School of Design where he is a senior researcher in the faculty of architecture. His is an outstanding piece of writing. There is great diversity of the accounts of life in Trinity during the eighties, but a prevailing sense that, whether we realised it at the time or not, we were very lucky to have been there, at that time and in that place.l Michael West B.A. (1990)
Shane O’Neill B.A., M.A. (1983) and Sheelagh Pyle (now O’Neill) B.A. (1984) David McWilliams B.A. (1988) and Jay Bourke B.A. (1988)
Sallyanne Godson B.A. (1986) and Brian Jackson B.A. (1985)
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Trinity Today Exploring the final frontier
The ESA’s Solar Orbiter will explore the sun’s effects on the earth from the inner solar system. Dr Gallagher is head of the scientific data analysis team for the satellite
Exploring the
Final Frontier
Dr Peter Gallagher tells Anthony King B.A. (1995) about his journey from blowing things up in his bedroom to exploring the inner workings of the sun.
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s a kid I always wanted to know how stuff worked. When a car bonnet opened, I was examining pistons and spark plugs,” Peter Gallagher recalls. His dad worked as a service engineer so they always had bits of machinery lying about their garage in Clontarf. At university he was intrigued by how atoms and molecules work. “But I found chemistry too hard. There was too much to learn. I don’t have a great memory, but then I did physics and thought it was the most brilliant subject. My parents bought me A Brief History of Time
[by Stephen Hawking] and that was it,” he says. He was hooked. For his 21st birthday he got a telescope. After doctorate studies at Queen’s University Belfast, he completed a three-year stint at the Big Bear Solar Observatory in California before moving to NASA’s space flight centre in Washington DC to work on satellites. He returned to Dublin in 2006 after his wife, bat biologist Dr Emma Teeling, landed a permanent position in UCD. While the aim of his bedroom lab experiments when he was at primary school was mainly to “blow things up”, his current day
job as a solar physicist involves dismantling the inner workings of the sun. And he is passionate – even obsessed, he admits – about setting up a radio telescope in Birr, Co Offaly. This would allow Ireland join a c160 million European project called LOFAR.
LOFAR The telescope itself would look like a football pitch studded with wire antennae, part of a Europewide network all feeding into a supercomputer in Holland. It would tell us about after the Big Bang, how the early universe evolved and where stars and galaxies came from. The further apart you put bits of this telescope the better the resolution. “We want to extend it out to Ireland,” he says, “but we need c1.5m to join.” He’s been
Trinity Today exploring the final frontier
meeting prominent Irish business people to gather funds. He is also interested in solar flares, eruptions that give us the dazzling northern lights, but can also fry communication satellites. The more we can understand the basic workings of the sun, the better we can forecast its activity from day to day and year to year. If solar flare can be predicted then it will be possible to take avoidance actions such as rotating spacecraft so their solar panels don’t get zapped. It will also be possible to turn off machinery which relies on GPS for precision control, such as the colossal robotic combine harvesters in the US.
Agency in 1973 and the Irish space sector’s exports are valued at around c50m. There are big potential spin-offs from the Birr project, says Gallagher. “LOFAR is a ‘big data’ problem. It collects data so fast that you can’t write it to hard disk. It has to be processed in real time and you need computer scientists and companies to help with that,” he says. “A project like LOFAR would attract the best people to astronomy and those involved can go on to become the workforce of the smart economy.” From big projects spring unimagined technologies. CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, gave us the world wide web back in 1989 while radio astronomy has a prestige spin-off of its own: Wifi, a technology developed and patented in part by Australian astronomers. Gallagher envisages a visitor centre as part of the Birr facility to explain the science and Irish contributions to astronomy. “I want Irish school kids to see that it’s not just NASA doing this. People in Ireland are doing research too,” he enthuses. “We should encourage kids to be creative in their curiosity and be imaginative. It’s about allowing kids to get pleasure out of discovering how the world works. That is a great driver for discoveries in so many disciplines.” The Birr telescope proposal is backed by
Proud history Ireland and Trinity have a long, proud history in astronomy. Yet astronomers here are without access to large telescopes, an almost unique and unenviable position in western Europe, says Gallagher. “Astronomy has been in Trinity since Provost Francis Andrews built Dunsink [Observatory] in the 1780s. We had amazing people like Rowan Hamilton, who invented quaternions [a number system used today by game developers].” There’s also a BirrTrinity connection: the third Earl of Rosse built the great “leviathan” telescope at Birr Castle in the 1840s and served as Chancellor in Trinity. This remained the world’s largest telescope for 70 years. Astronomy has received little change To learn more about from the government, LOFAR or to donate with the focus now on please see www.tcd. commercially relevant ie/physics/alumni science. “I don’t want to be too negative but we’re out in the dark in terms of public funding,” Gallagher says. Yet astronomy fascinates children and adults alike, as witnessed by around 30,000 visitors to the week-long European Space Expo in Trinity in June. “Many visitors were surprised that there’s an Irish space agency,” he adds. Ireland joined the European Space
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high-flying entrepreneurs such as Joe Hogan, founder of Irish software company Openet.
Solar Orbiter Gallagher is also working on the Solar Orbiter, a spacecraft that will fly past Venus and Mercury and orbit close to the sun. He won’t exactly be taking it apart in his shed, but he will be playing a pivotal role nonetheless. “It’s a c500m project and we are writing the software for it. We’ll make sure the data that comes from the spacecraft is as easy to analyse as possible.” Later this year Gallagher will publish his research in Nature Physics, a prestigious scientific journal. And he looks forward to the day when Trinity physics can again score big time on the world stage, perhaps garnering the ultimate accolade. “There has been one Irish born Nobel prize winner in the sciences, Ernest Walton, a professor in Trinity’s physics department. That was in the 1950s. We are long overdue another Nobel prize. We want to get involved in the most challenging problems out there and LOFAR certainly does that.” When you’ve got NASA on your CV you aim high.l Dr Peter Gallagher is Professor of Physics at Trinity
The LOFAR radio telescope in Sweden. Dr Gallagher leads a consortium of Irish universities who are fundraising to build a LOFAR station in Birr Castle Demesne
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Trinity Today Breaking new ground
Breaking New Ground
Bombus pascuorum foraging
Professor Celia Holland B.A. (1980) explains how the School of Natural Sciences is involved in solving some of the major challenges facing society.
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been a number of recent appointments including The impact of humanity on two established Chairs, the world is so pervasive that the Chair of Geology, we can only really understand Professor Balz Kamber nature as something and the Chair of Zoology, Professor Yvonne indivisible from technology the past, and the patterns Buckley, as well as five and environmental impact Assistant Professorships, of human activity. including Dr Natalie Cooper The School of Natural and Dr Ian Donohue in Zoology, Sciences is currently engaged Dr Emma Tomlinson in Geology with the School of Engineering and Dr Martin Sokol and Dr Mary in the development of a major Bourke in Geography. new institute called the E3: As teachers in the School the Engineering, Energy and of Natural Sciences, we aim to Environment Institute. This inspire and stimulate our students coalition is unprecedented in and foster their love of knowledge Ireland, and among the first within a realm that could be internationally. The impact of broadly labelled the natural humanity on the world is so environment. This realm includes pervasive that we can only plant and animal biology, the solid really understand nature as earth and its surface, now and in something indivisible from Microscope image of fission tracks in apatite technology. The key principle driving the E3 mission is to investigate evolutionary and engineering principles, and guide optimal human and technology interventions which improve the state of our world. The two Schools will jointly occupy a new landmark building in the southeast corner of the College.l
he School of Natural Sciences, formed in 2005, brings together the Departments of Botany, Geography, Geology, Zoology, the Centre for the Environment and the Centre for Biodiversity Research. We conduct research and deliver teaching on all aspects of the natural world, from the formation of the earth, the behaviour of the environment, the evolution and ecology of its organisms and its interactions with human society. The School is engaged with solving some of the major challenges facing human society through our teaching, research, partnership with industry and policy development, both nationally and globally. In addition to the School’s 33 Principal Investigators, there have
Professor Celia Holland is Head of the School of Natural Sciences at Trinity.
Trinity Today breaking new ground
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An abundance of blue green algae in Lake Bogoria, Kenya
A blue monkey
Achievements of the School of Natural Sciences Botany
Geography
Geology
Zoology
discovered multiple evolutionary appearances of the C4 pathway which has implications for understanding plant productivity and the drivers of biodiversity. l Dr Jane Stout has published widely on the impacts of farming and landscape change on pollination activity which underpins Ireland’s agriculture. l An entire new genus of tree, hondurodendron, endemic to Honduras was discovered following fieldwork by Dr Daniel Kelly. l Dr Steve Waldren found that many key species were underrepresented in European seed banks, and that the genetic diversity held in these banks are low. This has global significance for plant re-introductions. l Dr Mike Williams’ work on environmental impacts of legume cropping will form a key part of a major EU-funded research programme on the sustainability of European agriculture.
has led to the discovery of a unique sediment transport process on Mars that continues to shape the landscape of our nearest planetary neighbour. l Dr Pete Coxon and Dr Robin Edwards, together with Prof Fraser Mitchell from Botany, featured on the RTÉ series ‘Secrets Of The Irish Landscape’ discussing how physical features of the ancient Irish landscape influenced the origins of Irish flora. l Geography’s Masters in Development Practice run by Dr Pádraig Carmody and Dr Susanne Murphy continues to train world-class students. l Dr Martin Sokol researches issues of finance and their implications for social and spatial inequality. l Prof Anna Davies’s research into sustainable consumption continues to impact national and international policy.
of planet formation by Dr Ian Sanders has led to a rethinking of our understanding of the early solar system. l Prof Balz Kamber championed a new facility providing analytical advances in geochemical research, such as Dr Quentin Crowley’s solution to the long-standing problem of lead loss when dating the mineral zircon. l Advancements in hydrocarbon exploration have been made by Dr David Chew through the development of dating techniques of the mineral apatite. l Research leading to a novel and intuitive way of handling U-Pb isotope data produced by ICP mass spectrometers has recently been published by Prof Balz Kamber. l Dr Emma Tomlinson has used volcanic ash layers to illuminate the resilience of Neanderthals and early modern humans to natural hazards, such as severe climatic cooling.
Dr Ian Donohue indicates that we underestimate the destabilising effect of biodiversity loss and thus the true scale of the global extinction crisis. l In an effort to predict which emergent diseases may pose a threat to humans in the future, Dr Natalie Cooper and her collaborators at Harvard have examined how parasites are shared among primate species. l Dr Andrew Jackson has constructed an artificial neural network model that highlights the importance of co-operative behaviour in the evolution of human intelligence. l Dr Paula Murphy and collaborators in Edinburgh developed the 3D anatomical atlas of the chick embryo, a tool that allows morphological change to be tracked. l Recent work by Dr Nicola Marples shows that tropical fish are less picky eaters than fish from temperate climates.
l Dr Trevor Hodkinson
l Research by Dr Mary Bourke
l A new model of the first steps
l Ground-breaking research by
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Trinity Today Trinity Life
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Trinity Life Photography & Video Competition Winners Thanks to all those who took part in this year’s photography and video competition. The theme was ‘Trinity Life’ and we received some great entries that truly captured what life is like on campus. A big congratulations to the winners!
runner up geraldine campbell
First Prize George Voronov
Photography winners First prize: George Voronov • Trinity students play Twister at a Fresher’s Week event in Trinity Halls Second Prize: Greg O’Connor • Edifying Educational Edifice Runners up: Katherine Doyle • The Beginning of the End Geraldine Campbell • Front Gate Trinity College
runner up Katherine Doyle
Video winners First prize: Alexander Escorio • A Candid Day in the Life of a Trinity Student Second Prize: Samuel Kana Lis • Make This Place My Home To watch the videos check out: www.tcd.ie/alumni/competitions
Second Prize Greg O’Connor
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Trinity Today Trinity’s year in sport
Trinity’s YEAR IN SPORT
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oth the Men’s and Ladies’ Boat Clubs had a successful year. The Ladies’ Novice won the University Boat Race in Queen’s in June while the Men’s Novice VIII won University Champs, Metro Regatta and the University Boat Race in Queen’s while they also won at the Irish Rowing Championships. Six of the senior/inter athletes were selected to row for Ireland at the Home Internationals Regatta in Nottingham, with DUBC Development Officer Colm Dowling selected as coach. The Fencing Club won the Intervarsities for the sixth year in a row. Max Milner won the Men’s Epee at the West of Ireland Open and won the Dublin Epee Competitions. Ian Kenney came first in the Men’s Foil at the Schull Novice Cup and the Club was joint first place winner with Leipzig, Germany in the Women’s Professor Duffy Memorial Epee. In December they won gold, silver and bronze in the Men’s Foil at the Schull Novice Competition. The Men’s DU Football (Rugby) Club had an excellent year, coming third in their division, one point behind UCD. The U21s reached the All Ireland Final for the first time since 2007, but went on to lose to Lansdowne. Meanwhile, the Ladies’ DU Football (Rugby) Club beat Old Belvedere to become Leinster Women’s Champions. They also beat University College Cork 10-0 at home in College Park to become Intervarsity champions. Having qualified for the Lynch Cup weekend the Ladies’ Gaelic Football team faced the formidable challenge of Cork IT in the semi-final, winning 1-10 to 1-08 to set up a final against neighbours DIT. In a close fought battle Trinity won 1-13 to 2-08.
DU Orienteers had a successful weekend in Kerry for the Intervarsities. The women retained their team trophy with strong performances from Rosalind Hussey who won the race overall, and Dee Ryan who came third. Conor Short had a great individual performance in the men’s event where he finished second. DU Hockey Colours were held in UCD where the DU Men’s and Ladies’ third teams took victory over UCD, but UCD won 5-2 overall. Niall Noonan was selected to play on the Irish University Team while Vera Taafe, Anna May Whelan, Nicola Walsh and Avril Dooley O’Carroll were selected to represent Leinster at the Inter Provincials. The DU Squash Club had a great Intervarsity tournament, beating UCD in the first round to advance to the second round. There, they beat UCC and also defeated DCU in the finals for the title. The Men’s B team had a tough final against UCC and showed true determination to prevail and win three matches in a row after being down 2-0 in the series. The DU Ladies Volleyball Club won the CUSAI league in March. The DU Lawn Tennis Club won double Intervarsities for the first time in 37 years. Both the men’s and ladies’ teams beat DCU in the final – with the former winning out 5-1 and the latter 5-2. Mark Carpenter and Julian Bradley represented Ireland at the World Masters University Championships in Nice in December. They were selected at the Intervarsity competition where the best three men and three ladies at Irish universities were represented.l
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Trinity Today Trinity’s year in sport
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Membership of the Sports Centre is open to all graduates at a reduced rate. www.tcd.ie/sport
6 1. Trinity’s boxers prepare to step into the ring. 2 The Ladies’ DU Football (Rugby) Club celebrate becoming Leinster champions. 3. Trinity’s Tomas Corrigan takes on UCD in Gaelic football. 4. Sport at Trinity received a welcome boost with approval from the College to invest almost b2m in outdoor facilities. Pictured is the rugby pitch in College Park, which is currently being upgraded and will be ready for the 2014/15 season. The outdoor pitches at Santry will also be upgraded.
5. Pictured receiving their pinks during 2012-13 are Rosalind Hussey, Orienteering (left) and Rebecca Deasy, Ladies’ Boat (right). Also pictured are (l-r): Prof Cyril J Smyth, Chairman of DUCAC; Prof Amanda Piesse, Dean of Students; and Michelle Tanner, Head of Sport. Pinks were also awarded to Natalya Coyle, Modern Pentathlon. 6. The Men’s Novice VIII are crowned champions at the Irish Rowing Championships.
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Trinity Today Shooting for the stars
Cathy Gallagher and Aisling (right) at the World University Games in Russia
Shooting Stars for the
Ph.D. student Aisling Miller tells Elaine McCahill B.A. (2013) what it was like to represent Trinity in the air rifle event at the World University Games in Russia.
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isling Miller has just returned from competing in the 10 metre air rifle event at the World University Games in Russia, where she was the only student in the Irish delegation to represent Trinity College Dublin. She has also recently started the fourth and final year of her Ph.D. in Applied and Environmental Microbiology. This mix of interests has led her to great academic and sporting successes such as winning the National Championships, equalling the Irish international record and receiving University pinks.
Du Rifle Club Having always set her sights on attending Trinity, Aisling went on to study general science and then specialised in microbiology. She has been involved in the Dublin University Rifle Club (DURC) since the third year of her undergraduate degree and has represented Trinity and Ireland in the Netherlands, Finland, Germany, Wales and Russia. She also had the opportunity to shoot on the Olympic range in London during the London World Cup Olympic test event last year. DURC has gone from strength
Above and right: Aisling in competition
Trinity Today shooting for the stars
It was a great experience. It is second in size only to the Olympics and there were 16,000 athletes staying in the athletes’ village
to strength since its origins in 1840. The club currently has over 500 members, making it one of the largest sports clubs on campus. Having access to the shooting range on campus, behind the civil engineering building, is something that Aisling attributes much of her success to. “The range has three lanes for 10 metre air disciplines, which can also be changed into two 25 yard lanes for small-bore rifle. It is open five days a week from 6-10pm throughout the academic year and is also open a couple of nights a week during the summer. When someone qualifies as a range officer they can open the range and train whenever they want.”
Although she prefers smallbore shooting – using firearms that have small calibre bullets measuring 5.6mm/0.22 inches and a cartridge containing an explosive propellant – she trained in air rifle the first year she was involved with DURC in order to become a trainee range officer and compete at the Intervarsities. She went on to specialise in small-bore shooting for a couple of years but took up the air rifle again when she became captain of DURC during the first year of her Ph.D. She hasn’t stopped since.
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me. I wasn’t quite happy with my competition result but I was satisfied as I equalled my international personal best and the Irish record.” Aisling is keen to highlight the role alumni play in the Rifle Club, whether it’s helping out as range officers and coaches or by offering accommodation for competitions abroad. Alumni also donate equipment to the club which is as important as a financial donation because, with so many members, they go through equipment very quickly.
Hectic Schedule World University Games Aisling confesses that it is hard to manage such a hectic One of the highlights of the and demanding sporting and past year was competing at academic schedule. As a result the World University Games in she has decided to pull back Kazan, Russia. “It was a great on her international shooting experience. It is second in size commitments and training in only to the Olympics and there order to focus on her Ph.D. for were 16,000 athletes staying the next year as well as her in the athletes’ village. Cathy career options for the future. Gallagher, Trinity’s Sports Although she has provisionally Development Manager, was decided against committing to the head of delegation which training to qualify for the was great as I was the Rio Olympics in 2016, only student from Trinity Aisling is committed to selected to compete. I was the only student competing for DURC My coach, Matt Fox, at Intervarsities next also travelled with from Trinity selected to spring. She has decided compete... I equalled my to compete only at club international personal best level in competitions and the Irish record in Ireland and the UK, as travelling abroad representing Ireland takes up much valuable time and is expensive. Her training and trips abroad are funded mainly through her work as a demonstrator in the undergraduate biology laboratories but she is also on a Trinity College sports scholarship and receives some funding and support from the national governing body. The funding and support of DUCAC and Trinity Sports is something that Aisling is incredibly appreciative of. “It is the support of those involved such as Cathy Gallagher, Drinda Jones, Cyril Smyth and Michelle Tanner that have got me to where I am today.”l
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Trinity Today trevor west
Trevor West 1938-2012
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enerations of Trinity College students will remember Trevor West, B.A., Ph.D. (CANTAB), M.R.I.A., S.F.T.C.D, who as well as being a lecturer and later Associate Professor, was a stalwart of several of the University’s sporting clubs, a Junior Dean (Dean of Discipline), a keen supporter of Trinity Week and the Trinity Ball, and a chronicler in his writings of many of the sporting achievements of its students. “He was in many ways the Mr Chips of Trinity,” said Senator Seán Barrett, a Senior Lecturer at the College and also a former Junior Dean. “He lived on campus, he was a regular at cricket matches in his aged duffle coat and he was very much in the tradition of R.B. McDowell who died [in 2012] and who also managed to be a very popular figure despite the disciplinary role of Junior Dean.” West’s interest in politics and his role as one of a tiny group of liberal senators, which included former President Mary Robinson and Press Ombudsman John Horgan, brought him to the attention of the wider public in the 1970s. In her autobiography, Everybody Matters, Robinson paid a warm tribute to Trevor West and John Horgan for their support in her efforts to change the law banning contraceptives. What is less well known is West’s long commitment to reconciliation in the North which led to a close association with UVF leader Gusty Spence, who announced the
loyalist ceasefire in 1994. West was quietly influential in nudging forward the peace process. Ulick O’Connor, a friend who in 1981 got into Long Kesh to see Spence through the good offices of the former senator, has said West had a huge effect in bringing opposing sides together in Northern Ireland. He was the eldest of four sons born in May He is a former President 1938 to Timothy West of the Trinity College and Dorothy (MacNeill) cricket club and soccer and was educated club and was a stalwart He also spearheaded at Midleton College of the rugby club a campaign to save the and at High School, College Park at Trinity Dublin, before winning when it seemed it might be a scholarship to Trinity sacrificed for development. where he earned a first-class For 11 years he was Honorary degree in maths. He became Secretary of the Irish Universities one of a small number of Irish Rugby Union. He is a former students to win an 1851 Exhibition President of the Trinity College Scholarship and he gained a cricket club and soccer club doctorate at Cambridge before and was a stalwart of the rugby beginning his teaching career at club, where he encouraged Glasgow University. Some years many international players and ago he attended a reception at household names including Buckingham Palace for recipients Dick Spring, Donal Spring, Hugo of the scholarship at the invitation MacNeill and Philip Orr. of Prince Philip. In his book The Bold Collegians: He later taught at the University Development of Sport in Trinity of California, Los Angeles, before College, Dublin, West traced the returning to Trinity as a maths history of the University’s sporting lecturer, where he published community. He also wrote an extensively and immersed himself acclaimed biography of the in College life. He was a member founder of the Irish co-operative of the University’s co-ordinating movement, Horace Plunkett, committee for sport, the Dublin Co-operation and Politics, which University Central Athletic Club, was published in 1976.l for 40 years, serving as chairman for 30 years, and was heavily involved in the campaign to build Extracted from obituary in the new sports hall at Trinity. The Irish Times, 3 November 2012
Trinity Today trevor west
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Tributes to Trevor West I W “ had the great fortune to meet Trevor very early in my undergraduate days in Trinity in 1969. For the following four years we worked together on developing the sporting infrastructure in Trinity with much time being spent on preventing the College administrators from banishing Trinity sport to Santry. We worked on projects such as the Pavilion Bar and the restructuring of Trinity Week and the Trinity Ball. With Trevor I had my first business career within the protective walls of the University. “Trevor’s great ability to get on with everyone and to reconcile seemingly impossible differences between people meant that he was able to achieve so many things across a wide range of Trinity and Irish life. He was a great, loyal friend and mentor and probably the greatest influence on my personal development.” Paul Coulson B.B.S. (1973)
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“ am indebted to Trevor for encouraging me to apply for a sports scholarship after I met him in first year. Before then, I did not think a small summer sport like women’s cricket would qualify me to receive one but I went on to get a scholarship for my remaining years of college, after which I was awarded a pink. From a personal perspective, as a woman playing a minority sport, Trevor gave me the encouragement I needed to take myself and my sport seriously – that is something that I needed at the time and which has stayed with me ever since. “The most enduring memory that I have of Trevor was at my first sports scholarship awards dinner in the Dining Hall. He stood up on the centre dining table in the grand old hall, surrounded by portraits of past Trinity greats and proceeded to unceremoniously bellow his (I later found out) annual speech to the gathered student athletes. That is how I will remember Trevor, as he spent much of his life. Standing in front of whoever would listen, talking Trinity sport.” Cecilia Joyce B.A. (2006) and member of Ireland’s international women’s cricket team
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hether watching the rugby team or cheering us on in the Collingwood Cup in soccer or on the boundary of the cricket pitch in summer, Trevor West was usually there, dressed in his tweed jacket or worse – this was well before Maura Lee worked the transformation in his attire! “He was a very special friend and I was privileged to spend great times with him in Trinity, Oxford, various Irish Universities trips and also in the family home in Cork of which he was so proud. He also became a great friend of my family. He is greatly missed. “I have many special memories including witnessing the 400m race between Professor Brendan Kennelly and Professor and Senator Trevor West at 3.30am in the morning to resolve a dispute about who was the better sportsman. The college track was dimly lit from Nassau Street and the Kilkenny Design Centre. Trevor did take an early lead but Kennelly pegged him back and led coming around the bend by the Pavilion bar. Trevor thought his last chance was to bisect the corner across the centre of the track taking advantage of the dark but ended up running headlong into the cricket nets! I frequently asked him why that momentous and quite unique event never made it into the pages of his great celebration of Trinity sport – The Bold Collegians.” Hugo MacNeill B.A. (1981)
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ear Trevor, I really enjoyed your company over the years but the thing I remember the most is the ridiculous and wonderful ability you had to twitch your ears and make them jig and dance with splendid energy. Your ears became the ears of a greyhound, and this prompted me to call you “the greyhound of Ballinacurra”. Almost every time we met I asked you to play the part of that greyhound, and each time we finished up laughing helplessly. I shall always remember what I can always call the greyhound aspect of your comic genius. I thank God for it, and for you, dear Trevor, dear friend forever.” Brendan Kennelly M.A., Ph.D., S.F.T.C.D. (1965)
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Trinity Today A university for life
A University
for life
Rosalind (Roz) Zuger is an alumna and long-standing supporter of Trinity College. An active member of the New York Trinity Alumni Branch for many years and a Trustee of the University of Dublin US Fund, Roz has recently been involved in a campaign encouraging Trinity alumni based in the US and Canada to consider leaving a legacy to Trinity.
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hen the time came for Rosalind Zuger B.A. (1952) to choose a university, the only one on her list was Trinity College. Through the years after graduation in the early 1950s, as her career took her first to the UK and then the USA, she often had occasion to be grateful for her choice. Roz believes that as a Trinity graduate, the world was opened up to her and she found a welcome, sometimes unexpectedly, among many who knew and appreciated the quality of its education.
Exceptional Merit Originally from Rathgar in Dublin, Roz came to Trinity on a Sizarship (a scholarship for students with proven ability but limited means) in the late 1940s and studied Oriental Languages. To maintain a Sizarship she had consistently to achieve high marks so she applied herself diligently to her studies. All the hard work paid off when she achieved First Class Honours in her degree and a Gold Medal, awarded to candidates of the first class who have shown exceptional merit at degree examinations. She did however also manage to find time to enjoy College life and to forge great friendships, many of which she retains to this day. During her final year in College,
Roz undertook a diploma in Social Studies and I know that my developed an interest in personnel management, experience as a student going on to pursue a was made possible by the varied career, starting in generosity of previous the UK working as a generations manager for a major retail chain. Roz then moved to New York and found a new career path in the disability field, assisting people with disabilities to find employment and a place in the community, working first in the Rusk Institute of the NYU Medical Center and Roz at the New York Alumni then at Mt Sinai Medical Center Branch Trinity Ball Dinner where she served as Director of Vocational Services in Rehab Medicine for many years. Herzog Centre’s collections and for the Library’s book preservation programme. New York Alumni branch Roz’s decision to make a It was in New York that Roz’s gift in her will to the College is connection with Trinity was motivated by her strong affection rekindled and she responded for Trinity and sense that her own positively to an invitation to career and achievements, friends reconnect with College as an and life experiences were to no active member of the US alumni small extent made possible by community. She became involved Trinity College. as a volunteer both in the New “I would like to play some role York Alumni Branch and the US in ensuring that the University has Fund, where she continues to play the resources to continue its rich a leading role, helping channel tradition and that students in the the contributions of US alumni future will benefit in the same way into important Trinity projects. I did. I know that my experience She is also herself a generous as a student was in its turn made supporter of Jewish Studies in possible by the generosity of Trinity and has provided invaluable previous generations.”l assistance in the expansion of the
Oregon Maple Library Square Planted early 1800s
Remember. The power of a legacy to Trinity
There’s an old saying that the true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade one does not expect to sit. When you leave a legacy to Trinity, however big or small, you’re planting a tree which will grow to provide shelter to many. You’re empowering groundbreaking research which will benefit people in Ireland and all over the world. You’re supporting students from all backgrounds to access a Trinity education. You’re helping preserve our unique campus and heritage for new generations. When you remember Trinity in your will, you join a tradition of giving that stretches back over 400 years – and reaches far into the future. For more information about leaving a legacy to Trinity, please contact Eileen Punch. T: +353 (0) 1 896 2088 E: eileen.punch@tcd.ie www.tcd.ie/development/legacies
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Trinity Today Alumni Awards
Hugh Mackeown B.A. (1965)
The
Alumni
Awards 2013
The 2013 Alumni Awards were presented at a gala dinner in June. The four recipients were presented with awards in recognition of achievements in their respective fields and the contribution they have made both at home and abroad. John Pearson B.A., LL.B., M.A. (1956) John Crawte Pearson began studying in Trinity in 1952. He received B.A. and LL.B degrees from the University of Dublin and following this qualified as a solicitor in England and started his own practice in 1963. He was heavily involved in local affairs as President of the Mid-Surrey Law Society and Chairman of the Kingston-upon-Thames Group of the Citizen Advice Bureaux. He was very involved with the Boat Club and in 1954 he was part of the Trinity crew that won the Senior VIII Championships of Ireland. He was also Captain of Boats and he is currently a Vice President of the Club. He served as Secretary of DUCAC where he helped to introduce the capitation fee for clubs and societies. John has always had a passion for encouraging young people to realise their full potential. He was instrumental in setting up the London Trust for Trinity College (subsequently the UK Trust) as a charity and has been a Trustee since 1980. John has also contributed considerable funding to a range of important projects in College, including the student societies, the Library and Ph.D. research projects. Recently, his support has been instrumental in establishing the Grattan Scholars.
Hugh Mackeown is one of Ireland’s most successful business people. During his 50 year tenure with Musgrave Group, he transformed his family’s business from a small provincial company into a major multinational supporting over 50,000 jobs. Hugh oversaw the introduction and rollout of the iconic SuperValu and Centra brands, growing market share from 4% in 1980 to 25% today, while simultaneously increasing turnover from c7 million to c4.9 billion per year. Hugh was born in India where his father worked in the civil service. He was educated at Radley College, England and at Trinity College Dublin where he graduated in 1965 with a degree in History and Political Science. During his time at Trinity he gained his colours in golf, rugby, tennis and squash. Hugh played golf for Ireland as an amateur at youths, full and senior levels, representing Ireland in 1966, 1973, 2001, 2005 and again in 2008 when the team was victorious in the Home Internationals in Lahinch. In sailing, he won the combined British and Irish Championship of the national 18-foot class in 1983, in Findhorn, Scotland.
Paul Coulson B.B.S. (1973) Paul Coulson is one of Trinity’s most successful Business graduates from the last 50 years. Apart from his studies, Paul concentrated on his two main interests: sport and entrepreneurship. At Trinity he played hockey, squash and tennis, was Secretary of DUCAC and Captain of the Hockey Club (1972-73). He earned a pink for tennis and was elected a Knight of the Campanile. Paul was a key figure in developing the Pavilion Bar, which now provides significant income for DUCAC, and he restructured the Trinity Ball and returned it to profitability by making it more accessible to the wider student body. After qualifying as an accountant with Price Waterhouse Coopers, he founded the firm Bates Coulson & Co and later moved into the international leasing business by setting up Yeoman International Group in 1982. In 1998 Paul acquired a stake in Ardagh plc which then operated a single glass plant in Dublin. Today, much of what you drink, anywhere in the world, comes from an Ardagh product. Paul has been Chairman of Ardagh since 1998, and now lives in Paris.
Siobhán Parkinson B.A., Ph.D. (1976) Siobhán Parkinson studied German and English at Trinity from 1972-76. After college, Siobhán lived briefly in Munich. She came home to do postgraduate study in English Literature at Trinity and to marry her fellow student Roger Bennett. She took her Ph.D. in 1981. She worked for some years as assistant editor at the Royal Irish Academy on Dawson Street, and learned more than she ever needed to know about fish gonads, pollen analysis and medieval map-making, but also quite a lot about semicolons and footnotes, which turned out to be useful in her later career as an editor. Siobhán began writing for children in the early 1990s when her son Matthew was a child. She has written around 25 books, including Something Invisible and the ever-popular Sisters – No Way! She served as Ireland’s first Laureate for Children’s Literature from 2010 to 2012. She is founder and publisher of Little Island Books, an award-winning independent children’s publishing house. She also translates children’s books from German into English.
Trinity Today Alumni Awards
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Professor Iggy McGovern recited his poem written especially for the occasion
Islands
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Who fears to speak of twenty-twelve When one and all were forced to delve In deeper pockets that our isle Might get the books to reconcile? May this year see us better blessed Beginning with four of our best. The first brought what he learned in class To bear upon the world of glass. This sainted island’s ‘high field’ brand Is global packaged, bottled, canned; The chalice of his singing school Is less half-empty, more half-full.
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The second managed to upscale The local shop to best retail. Across our island, far and wide The customer is satisfied In straitened times to know it’s true That someone’s “got it all for you”. The third is never out of vogue, First ever Laureate na nÓg. She is undoubtedly the leading Voice in younger Irish reading And crowns her personal success By founding Little Island press.
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The fourth has made his name in Law; The other island (‘GB’ Shaw) Is where he works that all may see The sterling good of legacy As he provides the sculler’s thrust Aboard the craft of UK Trust. No man or woman is, they say, An island lonely in the bay; Our strength resides in two or more Or archipelago of four Then banish thoughts of isolation And give them now your best ovation!
7 1. John Spearman B.A., M.A. (1965), Jim Quinn M.A. (j.o.), Hugh McKeown B.A. (1965) 2. Maura Lee West, Susan Bradshaw, Melissa Webb B.A., M.A. (1965) 3. Dr Liam Twomey T.D. M.B., B.Ch., B.A.O. (1993), Dr Liz O’Sullivan, Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast,
8 Patrick McCormack B.Sc. (Pharm.) (1987) 4. Maurice Healy, Adelaide Healy, John Healy B.A. (1970) 5. Roger Bennett B.A. (1976), Matthew Parkinson Bennett, Siobhan Parkinson B.A., Ph.D. (1976)
Iggy McGovern M.A. (j.o.) (1983) 6. Breda Merren, Maria Mulcahy B.A., M.A. (1982), Mary Collins 7. Bryan Keating, Linda Keating, Eileen McGovern, Iggy McGovern M.A. (j.o.) (1983) 8. Holly Coulson, Paul Coulson B.B.S. (1973), Gavin Coulson, Moya Coulson
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Trinity Today Cathal ó Háinle
Eoin Mac Cárthaigh, editor, Féilscríbhinn do Chathal Ó Háinle, Cathal Ó Háinle, Máire Ní Annracháin, Prof. Modern Irish, UCD and Jurgen Uhlich, editor, Féilscríbhinn do Chathal Ó Háinle
Ceiliúradh ar shaothar
Chathail Uí Áinle,
Ollamh Emeritus le Gaeilge
Tá Cathal Ó Háinle, Ollamh Emeritus le Gaeilge i gColáiste na Tríonóide aitheanta mar dhuine de scoláirí móra na Gaeilge ón am a d’fhoilsigh sé a chéad alt acadúil leathchéad bliain ó shin. Bhí slua mór i láthair i gColáiste na Tríonóide ar an Déardaoin 22 Samhain 2012 nuair a seoladh ceann de na leabhair Ghaeilge is mó riamh – Féilscríbhinn do Chathal Ó Háinle – in ómós dó.
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á breis is míle leathanach sa leabhar agus breis is daichead alt ardchaighdeáin le saineolaithe ar mhórán chuile ghné de shaíocht na Gaeilge, ó ré na Sean-Ghaeilge anuas go béaloideas ár sinsear agus go litríocht an lae inniu. Eoin Mac Cárthaigh agus Jürgen Uhlich, léachtóirí i Roinn na Gaeilge, Coláiste na Tríonóide, a chuir an leabhar in eagar. Dúirt Damian McManus, Ceann Roinn na Gaeilge, gur léirigh an leabhar “an t-ardmheas atá ag lucht léinn na Gaeilge ar an Ollamh Ó Háinle.” Labhair Trinity Today le Cathal faoina shaol agus a shaothar.
Cathain a thosaigh tú i gColáiste na Tríonóide? I dtús na Féilscríbhinne a chuir Eoin Mac Cárthaigh agus Jürgen Uhlich in eagar mar ómós dom tá aiste ag Pádraig Ó Héalaí ina dtugann sé cuntas beacht ar mo shaol go dtí seo. Sa bhliain 1977, tar éis deich mbliana a chaitheamh ar fhoireann Roinn na Nua-Gaeilge i Maigh Nuad, fuair mé post mar léachtóir i Scoil na Gaeilge anseo i gColáiste na Tríonóide agus sa bhliain 1990 ceapadh mé i m’Ollamh le Gaeilge. Idir an dá linn chaith mé tréimhsí mar Cheann Gníomhach Roinne ar an Scoil, ceapadh i mo
Chomhollamh mé agus bronnadh Comhaltacht orm. Nuair a tháinig mé anseo bhíothas ag fáil réidh leis an gCéim Ghinearálta agus cuireadh struchtúr nua céime onóraí ar bun, mar atá, an Mhodhnóireacht Dhá Ábhar. Le freastal air sin b’éigean struchtúr nua teagaisc agus scrúduithe agus córas nua riaracháin a cheapadh. Níos deireanaí bunaíodh an Irish Scottish Academic Initiative chun comhoibriú idir Coláiste na Tríonóide agus ollscoileanna in Albain a chur chun cinn sa Ghaeilge, sa Stair agus sa Bhéarla. Bhí sé sin an-tairbheach i gcás na
Trinity Today Cathal ó Háinle
Gaeilge mar bhí dlúthchaidreamh againn le Roinn na Gáidhlig in Ollscoil Obair Dheathain ar feadh roinnt blianta dá bharr agus rinneadh obair ar fónamh.
An mó athrú atá tagtha ar áit na Gaeilge i saol an Choláiste le do linn? Rud eile ar bhain tábhacht leis le mo linn anseo ná cur chun cinn na Gaeilge mar theanga labhartha sa Choláiste. Sean-institiúid de chuid an Choláiste is ea an Cumann Gaelach, ar ndóigh; agus ar feadh i bhfad sular tháinig mé anseo bhí ranganna Gaeilge á gcur ar fáil do mhic léinn agus do bhaill foirne a bhí ag iarraidh an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim nó slacht a chur ar a gcuid Gaeilge. Bhí na ranganna sin á riar ag Scoil na Gaeilge (bíodh nár chuid dá cúram acadúil é sin), agus nuair a tosaíodh ar fhógraí agus ar chomharthaí dátheangacha a chur ar fáil sa Choláiste, bhíodh ormsa na leaganacha Gaeilge a
sholáthar (go deonach, ar ndóigh). Ach tuigeadh nár leor é sin, agus ar ball fuarthas airgead ón Údarás um Ardoideachas chun Oifigeach Gaeilge a cheapadh, chun scéimeanna cónaithe a chur ar bun do mhic léinn ar mian leo an Ghaeilge a úsáid mar ghnáthmheán caidrimh, agus chun seomra caidrimh do lucht na Gaeilge a chur ar fáil. Cuireadh Coiste na Gaeilge ar bun chun an obair sin a riar agus tá toradh ar fónamh uirthi.
Bíodh is go bhfuil tú tar éis éirí as go hoifigiúil, tá tú fós ag obair, nach bhfuil? D’éirigh mé as Ollúnacht na Gaeilge i 2004, agus ó shin i leith níl aon chúram acadúil oifigiúil orm. Ach tá mé tar éis leanúint den taighde agus den scríobh agus tá mé tar éis roinnt mhaith aistí a fhoilsiú in irisí agus i leabhair. Tá dhá leabhar foilsithe agam le cúpla bliain
Féilscríbhinn do Chathal Ó Háinle
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anuas (Scáthanna (2008) agus Ceann faoi eite (2013)) ina bhfuil leaganacha d’aistí de mo chuid a foilsíodh in irisí éagsúla agus roinnt aistí nua. Chomh maith leis sin tá roinnt léachtaí tugtha agam in ollscoileanna éagsúla agus tá eagrán á réiteach agam faoi láthair d’fhilíocht Ghaeilge Conleth Ellis (1937-1988). Ón uair go bhfuil an Coláiste sásta ionad oibre a sholáthar dom, bím in ann lánúsáid a bhaint as Leabharlann an Choláiste agus as leabharlanna eile in aice láimhe, bím i dteagmháil go laethúil le mo chomhghleacaithe i Scoil na Gaeilge agus bím in ann bualadh le seanchairde eile i measc na foirne. ‘Aoibhinn beatha an scoláire’ – fiú agus é ar a phinsean!l
Cathal agus slua
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Trinity Today honorary degrees
Honorary Degrees
Between winter 2012 and summer 2013, Trinity awarded eight honorary degrees to outstanding individuals at two separate ceremonies. Among them were President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins, John Sheahan of The Dubliners, campaigner Christine Buckley and playwright Sam Shepard.
December 2012
Education and Letters Doctorates
Sam Shepard
Valerie Coghlan
Playwright, actor and director Sam Shepard was conferred with a Doctor in Letters. He is a significant figure in world drama with an extraordinary body of work which has inspired a generation of writers, filmmakers and theatre practitioners all over the world. A relentless experimenter with form and structure, few American playwrights have exerted as much influence on the contemporary stage. As a playwright, a screenwriter and author of short stories, he is the recipient of many awards including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1979 for his play Buried Child. He also has a deep connection to Irish theatre, expressed recently in an intensive artistic collaboration with the Abbey Theatre.
Valerie Coghlan, who was conferred with a Doctor in Education, has become the recognisable face of Irish expertise and innovation on the international children’s literature circuit. She is a founding member of the Irish Society for the Study of Children’s Literature, Children’s Books Ireland, and Ireland Section of the International Board on Books for Young People (iBbY Ireland). She has published widely in her own area of expertise and has played a key role as facilitator and promoter of children’s authors and illustrators. Recently retired as librarian and lecturer in the Church of Ireland College of Education, she played a key role in building up and archiving their collection and in developing the relationship between this collection and Trinity’s own Pollard collection and similar collections internationally.
Chancellor, Mary Robinson, Valerie Coghlan and Dame Lynne Brindley
Dame Lynne Brindley Dame Lynne Brindley, who was conferred with a Doctor in Letters, has had an illustrious career in British university libraries. She is currently visiting Professor of Knowledge Management in the University of Leeds and previous to that she was Chief Executive of the British Library. She has been instrumental in transforming the concept of a library from a passive archive into a dynamic contributor to research and the wider education environment. She has offered continuing support for the College Library’s role as a Legal deposit library for the UK. It was particularly fitting that this distinguished librarian was awarded an honorary degree in 2012, the year that the Old Library celebrated its Tercentenary.
Christine Buckley
Valerie Coghlan, Sam Shepard, Christine Buckley, Chancellor, Mary Robinson, Dame Lynne Brindley and Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast
Christine Buckley, a former resident of Goldenbridge Institution and tireless campaigner for more than 25 years on behalf of other victims of institutional abuse, was conferred with a Doctor in Laws. She is a co-founder and director of the Aislinn Centre in Dublin which provides educational and support services for abuse survivors. Former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, described her as a woman who has changed the course of history through her voluntary effort. In 2010 she was selected as Irish Volunteer of the Year and went on to be awarded the title European Volunteer of the Year.
Trinity Today honorary degrees
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President michael D. higgins
Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast and President Michael D. Higgins
June 2013
President Michael D. Higgins, elected as Ireland’s ninth President in 2011, was conferred with a Doctor in Laws. A passionate political voice, writer, human rights advocate and champion of the arts within Irish society, he has served at almost every level of public life, including as Ireland’s first Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht. Throughout his life, Michael D. Higgins has campaigned for human rights and for the promotion of peace and democracy in Ireland and many parts of the world. He has demonstrated a strong commitment to education throughout the course of his career. He is focusing his presidency on youth and education while also promoting Ireland abroad and reconnecting with the Irish diaspora. He was elected an honorary fellow of the College in 2012.
Honouring the president
Dr Liisa Kauppinen Dr Liisa Kauppinen, who was CEO of the Finnish Association of the Deaf for 30 years and General Secretary and President of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), was conferred with a Doctor in Laws. She also served as the permanent WFD representative to the United Nations for 20 years and continues to serve as an expert for the General Secretariat of the WFD. She has been a major inspiration to deaf communities internationally and an articulate and intelligent voice on the need to explicitly state the human rights of deaf people at national, European and global level. She has criticised the lack of opportunities for education and training, the under-employment of deaf people and the lack of recognition of signed languages as ‘real’ languages. She has supported the development of deaf selfadvocacy in Ireland and was a key supporter of the move to establish a Centre for Deaf Studies at Trinity College in 2001.
Sister Margaret MacCurtain The Dominican sister Margaret MacCurtain, a distinguished Irish historian, human rights advocate, feminist, social activist and writer was conferred with a Doctor in Letters. She has made a major contribution to social issues since the 1960s, including spearheading the publishing of women’s history in Ireland in the 1960s. Though retired from academia, she remains at age 83 an inspiring figure demonstrating an extraordinary ability to tackle controversial and difficult issues in a caring and compassionate manner. Sister Margaret was a recipient of the Women’s International Center Living Legacy Award in 1997, joining a distinguished group of recipients including Mayo Angelou, Jehan Sadat and Mother Teresa.
Back row: Dr Margaret MacCurtain, Chancellor, Mary Robinson, and John Sheahan. Front row: Dr Liisa Kauppinen, President Michael D. Higgins and Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast
john Sheahan The distinguished musician, composer and poet John Sheahan was conferred with a Doctor in Music. He has been a member of The Dubliners for 48 years and is the only surviving member from the early days. His best known composition is The Marino Waltz. Many of his works have been recorded and performed by both classical and traditional artists. Over the years he has been in demand as a studio musician and has contributed to the recordings of many artists including Kate Bush, Rod Stewart, Dolly Parton, Terence Trent D’Arby and The André Rieu Orchestra. The contribution of John Sheahan and The Dubliners to Irish folk music has been immense. President Michael D Higgins has described The Dubliners as ambassadors for Ireland and, through their recordings and performances across the world, they have generated enormous recognition for Irish musical heritage and affection for Dublin city.l
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Trinity Today Commencements
Trinity congratulates our new graduates
Over 3,600 graduates were conferred during commencements in 2012/13. This brings the total amount of graduates around the world to almost 90,000. Just because you’ve graduated doesn’t mean your link with Trinity has been broken – your alumni connection is for life! The Alumni Office is here to help you stay connected with the College and with one another. To find out more about the benefits and services available to you as a graduate please visit www.tcd.ie/alumni
Trinity Today commencements
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Trinity Today events
Alumni
Christmas homecoming, December 2012
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2 1. Cliodhna Cotter B.Sc. (Pharm.) (2010), Marie Flynn LL.B. (2010) 2. Marian Kelly B.A. (1998), David Jackson B.A. (1998) 3. Barry Keane B.A. (2008), Andrea Wickham B.A. (2007), Andrew Byrne B.A. (2007) 4. John Stewart Blakeney B.A. (2005), Yuki Iwata Blakeney B.A. (2006), Rachel Griffith B.A. (2007), Heather Irvine B.A. (2007)
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Christmas Commons, December 2012
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Make sure to visit www.tcd.ie/alumni for more updates
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1. Hilary Abrahamson, David Abrahamson B.A.I., M.A., Ph.D., C.Eng. (1972) 2. Brian Crawley, Joan Carroll, Suzanne Hayes, Deirdre Crawley B.Sc. (1991) 3. Robin Adams, Mona O’Moore B.A. (1966), Fiona Ross M.A. (1987) 4. Paddy Collins M.B.A. (1982), Fionnuala Tansey M.B.A. (1992), Edwina Hogan B.A. (1989), Noel Collins B.A. (1989), Aoife O’Brien M.B.A. (1992), Paddy Butler B.A.I. (1986)
Trinity Today events
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School Coffee Morning, Alumni Weekend, August 2013 Alumni enjoyed revisiting their old Schools.
Tapas in the Pav, Alumni Weekend, August 2013
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1. The salsa dancer and band entertain the crowd 2. Rosemary Collins, David Marshall M.V.B. (1971), Ann Irwin, David Irwin M.V.B., M.R.C.V.S. (1972) 3. Robert Phelan B.A., Ph.D. (1993), Judith Cheasty M.B. (1983)
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Trinity Today events
Reunion banquet, Alumni Weekend 2013
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For more photos, visit www.tcd.ie/alumni
4 1. David Gilligan M.B., M.R.C.P.I. (1983), Peter Marshall M.B. (1983) 2. Alan Byrne M.B., M.D. (1983), Sean Kehoe M.B. (1983), Mary Morrison M.B. (1983), Catherine Hetherton M.B. (1983), Mary Boyle, Desmond O’Neill M.A., M.D. (1983) 3. Don Briggs B.A. (1973), Mary Warren Darley, B.A., M.R.T.P.I. (1973), Valerie Crawford M.A. (1973), Richard Nairn M.A. (1973) 4. Joanna Fitzgerald, Bernadette Dowdall, Liam Dowdall BBS, (1973) 5. Felicity Keating, Helen Herdman, Breda O’Carroll
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Trinity Today events
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9 6. Seanna Mulrean LL.B. (2002), Ruairi Mulrean 7. Vinesh Ramiah M.B. (1996), Aisling Loy M.B. (2004) 8. Michael Hudson, Cailin Hudson B.A. (1961), Ros Daughtrey, David Gailey M.B. (1963) 9. Timothy O’Connor M.B., B.Ch., B.A.O. (1973), Avice O’Connell M.B., M.A. (1973) 10. Diana May McCaughey, William McCaughey M.V.B., M.A., Ph.D., M.R.C.V.S. (1959) 11. Maureen Hunter, Denis Murphy B.A.I., M.A. (1968), Marjorie Neill B.A. (1969)
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Trinity Today events
Family Day, Alumni Weekend, August 2013 Alumni and their families enjoyed an action packed fun day in the Pav.
Trinity Today events
NYC Ball, June 2013
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6 5 1. Sarah Plunkett, Joshua Plunkett 2. Orla Power B.A. (2006), Oisin Hanrahan B.A. (2006) 3. Provost Dr Patrick Prendergast, Eileen Hume, Linus Hume 4. Mary Apied, Hanora Kilkenny, Ambassador Noel Kilkenny, Aileen Denne-Bolton B.A. (1982), Eilis Prendergast 5. Rosemary Dooley LL.B. (1996), Alexa Goncalves, Barbara McCormick LL.B. (1994), Ruth Croke 6. Fiona Stafford B.A. (1994), Naomi McMahon B.B.S. (2005), Claire Callan B.A.(2000), Frieda Klotz B.A. (2000) 7. Paul Maguire B.B.S., M.A. (1980), Linda Maguire (Philadelphia Branch)
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Trinity Today Events
Science Gallery: Where Art and Science Collide
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cience Gallery, a groundbreaking initiative pioneered by Trinity College Dublin, is a new kind of space where art and science collide – a porous membrane between the University and the city. The success of Science Gallery in Dublin has led to plans to establish eight Science Galleries linked with high-ranking universities in leading cities around the world by 2020.
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Since 2011, Science Gallery has been touring home-grown exhibitions internationally. In the last three years BIORHYTHM featured at the World Science Festival in New York and went to Singapore and Manila. SURFACE TENSION had its touring debut at the World Science Festival in 2012 and travelled to Kitchener in Canada, while GAME was presented in association with the Polytechnic Museum in Moscow in summer 2013.
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1. BIORHYTHM in New York 2. BIORHYTHM in Manila 3-5. GAME in Moscow
To support the Library and other projects please visit www.tcd.ie/development
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Trinity Today Alumni branches
Alumni
branches From Ireland to Israel, Switzerland to Singapore, wherever life takes you, there is a Trinity Alumni Branch for you.
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ranches organise activities and social events on behalf of alumni within their region. They also provide a channel of communications between their members and the University which means that even if you are living away from home you can keep in touch with College news. Branch events range from casual get-togethers to black tie events, from career networking to lectures by visiting academics. For graduates new to a region, joining a branch is a great way to make new friends, while maintaining the link with your alma mater. All branches welcome new members. Please see the named contact in your region. If there is no branch in your area and you would like to set one up, please contact alumni@tcd.ie @
For further information on recent branch activities and a list of upcoming branch events visit www.tcd.ie/alumni/ groups/branches
*New Branches USA
Canada
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Atlanta Julie Jones julie@juliejones consulting.com Boston Mr Tomas John Ryan tcdbostonalumni@ gmail.com Chicago Ms Tara Finglas tcdalumnichicago@ gmail.com
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South Florida Ronald Ferguson fergusonrng@gmail.com
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Los Angeles Kevin Elliott kelliott@tcd.ie
Mid-Atlantic Mark Walsh tcdmidatlanticalumni@ gmail.com
New York Ms Fiona Stafford tcdalumninyc@gmail.com
Alberta Graham Wynne gw17@telus.net
New York – Upstate Mr Ronald Ferguson (also South Florida contact) fergusonrng@gmail.com
Ontario Mr John G Payne trinitydublin@rogers.com
Pacific North West tcdalumnipnw@gmail.com Philadelphia Mr Paul Maguire pmaguire@ maguirehegarty.com San Diego Mr Rob Mullally robmullally1@gmail.com San Francisco Dr Thomas G Browne thomas.browne@ tcd-ussf.com
Vancouver Island Dr Timothy Brownlow timbrownlow2@gmail.com Greater Vancouver Mr Eoin Bates eoinbates1@gmail.com
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Ottawa Deirdre O’Connell deirdreocon@gmail.com
Trinity Today alumni branches
North of England Ms Suzanne Temperley david.temperley@talk21.com
Switzerland Mr Malcolm Ferguson malcolm.ferguson@ieee.org
Oxford Mr Martin Gaughan martinigaughan@yahoo.co.uk
Africa
South East UK Ms Nick Beard beardm@tcd.ie Yorkshire Mr Peter Fisher phfisher1@virginmedia.com Scotland Mr Christopher Haviland c.p.haviland@btinternet.com
Europe
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Austria Eudes Brophy tcdalumniaustria@gmail.com
Ireland
Great Britain
Antrim & Derry Mr Stanley & Mrs Joy White The Old Rectory Macosquin Coleraine BT51 4PN Co. Derry
Cambridge Brian Bromwich brianbromwich@ googlemail.com
Cork Mr Gerry Donovan donov@eircom.net Fermanagh Ms Janet Goodall janetgoodall@aol.com Kildare & West Wicklow Mr Michael J McCann tcd-kildare@ infomarex.com Northern Ireland Mark Conlon conlonmj@yahoo.co.uk Wicklow Dr Eamonn Darcy emdarcy@eircom.net
Devon & Cornwall Mr Michael Clapham linacre101@yahoo.co.uk Gloucestershire Mr Jonathan Moffitt jonathan_moffitt@ blueyonder.co.uk London Peadar O’Mórdha secretary@ TCDLondon.co.uk London – TCD Dining Club Peadar O’Mórdha secretary@TCDDining ClubLondon.co.uk Midlands (East) Mrs Sydney Davies sydney.davies@ ntlworld.com
Belgium Mr George Candon george.candon@ fticonsulting.com France Ms Pamela Boutin-Bird pamela.boutin@free.fr Germany Berlin Mr James Löll loellj@gmail.com Hemhofen Ms Elisabeth Mayer elisabeth.mayer@ zuv.uni-erlangen.de Munich Mr Dominic Epsom Dominic.Epsom@bmw.de Italy Ms Pamela Maguire pamela.maguire@tiscali.it
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East Africa Mr Gerard Cunningham gerard.cunningham@ unep.org
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West Africa Oluwakemi Bashorun obashor@tcd.ie KwaZulu-Natal Mr John Conyngham johnc@witness.co.za Libya Dr Mohamed Daw mohameddaw@gmail.com Republic of South Africa Mr Anthony G Marshall Smith marsmith@iafrica.com
Asia China Chinese Alumni Association (Dublin-based) Tao Zhang info@tcdchinesealumni.org Beijing Xusheng Hou houx@tcd.ie Shanghai Nick McIlroy mcilroyn@tcd.ie
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Malaysia Malaysian Irish Alumni Association miaa.info@gmail.com Pakistan Tia Noon tahianoon@gmail.com Singapore Irish Graduates’ Assoc. of Singapore irelandsingapore@ gmail.com
Australia & New Zealand New South Wales Mr Dylan Carroll dylancarroll@gmail.com Queensland Mr Kieran O’Brien kieranob@mac.com South Australia Mr Patrick Bourke p.mbourke@bigpond.com Victoria Mr Ciaran Horgan chorgan@internode.on.net Western Australia Mr Alex O’Neil alexoneil@bigpond.com
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Christchurch Bernadette Farrell berfarrell@gmail.com
Rest of World
Hong Kong Laura Kidd kiddl@tcd.ie
Mexico Mr Stephen TL Murray s.murray@carlyleinstitute.ie
India Bangalore Mr Sai Prakash saierin@hotmail.com
Israel David Rivlin tcd.alumni.il@gmail.com
Portugal Ben Power benpower@sapo.pt
Delhi Mr Rahul P. Dave rpdave@yahoo.com
Spain Ms Emma Naismith emma.naismith@gmail.com
Japan Mr Leo Glynn lglynn@hotmail.com
Gulf Region Mr Stephen Fallon fallonsj@tcd.ie
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Moscow Bulat Kubeyev kubeyevb@tcd.ie
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Trinity Today class notes
Jonathan Cloonan B.A. (2007)
CLASS notes
Jonathan Cloonan was recently named in Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 list of young innovators and entrepreneurs. He is currently working with WPP, the world’s largest marketing communications group in their advertising and media agencies. Based in New York he has spent 2013 working as a digital strategist in Ogilvy, WPP’s biggest ad agency, and VICE Media, the fastest growing youth media company in the world. As part of his fellowship programme with WPP Jonathan also spent some time working in Asia where he created a hit ‘medutainment’ TV show in Vietnam.
Anne Brady M.Phil. (2004) Following her postgraduate studies in Trinity, Anne is Creative Director of Vermillion Design Ireland and Publishing Director of Associated Editions. She specialises in typographic and digital design for an international client base. She was recently listed as one of the top 400 female graphic designers in the world from 1890-2012.
News from Trinity alumni around the world.
2000s
Jaki McCarrick M.Phil. (2004)
Kathleen Gallagher B.A. (2012) Since leaving Trinity, Kathleen has moved to London and is doing freelance work for a variety of publishers and start-ups including HarperCollins, Walker Books, Paramax Films and Tripclocker.ie. As a freelancer she has a variety of roles including writing articles, assisting in events with famous authors, and reading manuscripts. The roles are varied and each day brings something new. She is grateful for the experience Trinity offered her to prepare for these roles and looks forward to returning to Trinity for the upcoming swimming and water polo alumni event.
Jaki is an award-winning playwright, poet and short story writer. Her play Leopoldville won the 2010 Papatango Award for New Writing, and her most recent play, Belfast Girls, developed at the National Theatre in 2012, was shortlisted for the 2012 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Jaki’s short story, The Visit, won the 2010 Wasafiri Short Fiction Prize and appears in the 2012 Anthology of Best British Short Stories (published by Salt). Her debut story collection, The Scattering, was published this year by Seren Books. Jaki was this year’s writer-inresidence at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris and is currently writing her first novel.
Trinity Today class notes
77
Gavin Corbett B.A. (1998)
1990s
Since leaving Trinity, Gavin has worked mainly in the media and spent many years as a subeditor with the Sunday Tribune. His debut novel, Innocence, was published by Simon & Schuster in 2003. His second, This is the Way, followed this year, published by Fourth Estate in the UK, Ireland and Commonwealth, and by Faber in the US. It has met with widespread acclaim, and last May won the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year, the largest and most prestigious literary prize open to Irish novelists. To submit or view class notes visit www.tcd.ie/alumni /class-notes
Nathaniel Lande Ph.D. (1992) Nathaniel is a journalist, author and filmmaker with a career spanning several decades. He is author of 10 books including Cricket, and Dispatches from the Front: A History of the American War Correspondent and The 10 Best of Everything, a bestselling National Geographic book for travellers. Over his career he held positions as Creative Director for TIME Incorporated, Director of Time World News Service, a founding Director of TIME-Life Films and Executive Producer for both CBS and NBC Television Networks. The holder of two patents, he is credited with creating the electronic book and Bookbank, a computerised electronic storage and retrieval system. Nathaniel completed his Ph.D. in Trinity in the early 1990s in the School of Drama. He has held appointments as a Professor in the University of North Carolina and Duke University
Sinead English, B.A. (1989) Following graduation, Sinead moved to London and worked in investment banking for Chase Manhattan Bank (now JPMorgan) for 13 years where she was a Vice President in the corporate finance department. She returned to Ireland in 2001 and launched a successful career consultancy business – Sinead English and Associates. She also lectures in finance, career management and professional development in the University of Limerick and is a regular presenter and speaker at national career events including the Trinity Alumni Career Network career management workshops.
1980s
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Trinity Today class notes
Helen Nightingale B.A. (1976)
1970s
Helen studied Natural Sciences at Trinity and afterwards qualified as a Clinical Psychologist in Manchester. She further qualified as an Occupational Psychologist from the University of London and received her Doctorate from Surrey University in 1998. She was Head of Clinical Services at Charing Cross University Hospital at the age of 35. She also worked in Bermuda, Australia and the UK. She has a private clinic in Harley Street, and has worked as a private consultant to the Priory Hospital for many years. She is registered as an expert witness for medico-legal work. She is currently a Director of Age Concern, a mental health commissioner and a partner of the Health Care Professions Council in London. Helen continues to work in private practice on the Isle of Man and is a regular contributor to international psychology conferences. She is also a media representative for the British Psychological Society.
Nick Fitzgerald Browne B.A. (1971) Nick (pictured left) edited TCD Magazine in 1970 and went on to become one of the Financial Times’ fiction critics. He has been a full-time author since the late 1970s under the pen name Nicholas Best and has recently begun to reissue some of his out-of-print titles as ebooks. Serialised on BBC Radio 4 in the 1980s, Tennis and the Masai went straight into the Amazon top 100 and ended up as number three bestseller on the humour list. According to Nick, the best thing about reissuing old titles as ebooks is no longer having to deal with publishers, while the worst is being reviewed online by lunatics. He has seen one of his books praised by one critic as the best book he has ever read in his life, and savaged by another as the worst. He has also had a very condescending review from someone who went on to say that he planned to read the book soon. As Nick says, it’s a mad house out there!
Simon Oliver B.A. (1971) Exiled in France since 1980, Simon Oliver has graduated from running Irish pubs and restaurants to opening a specialist estate agency devoted to the sale of holiday homes and B&Bs. In a country renowned for its early retirement age and dogged ageism Simon is determined to continue working and prove them wrong (and pay off his mortgage). After all, he only started serious work when he was 40! Based in Toulouse, Simon lives quietly with his two children and wife, a philosophy professor. His agency opens its arms to the Irish and all TCD alumni: www.gitesforsalefrance.com
Trinity Today class notes
1960s
79
Hamish McRae M.A. (1966)
Adrian Naughten B.A. (1964)
Hamish is one of the UK’s most respected financial journalists and commentators, writing for both the London Independent newspaper and the Evening Standard. In 2006 Hamish was named Business and Finance Journalist of the Year at the British Press Awards. During his time at Trinity Hamish was editor of Trinity News, an experience that convinced him he wanted to pursue a career where he could put economics and journalism together. As well as his journalism, Hamish has written several books including The World in 2020: Power, Culture and Prosperity, which has been translated into more than a dozen languages. Hamish is now adjunct Professor of Economics at Trinity.
Brigadier Adrian Naughten joined the British Army and was commissioned into the Royal Irish Fusiliers. During his time in the British Army Adrian served in the UK, Northern Ireland, Swaziland, Norway, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Gibraltar and Zimbabwe. He moved to Kenya in 2004 and in 2012 was awarded an MBE for services to the community there. Born and brought up in Tipperary, Adrian is a keen sportsman and was a member of Trinity’s cricket team that won the Leinster Cup in 1961-63. He was also Twelfth man for Ireland’s cricket team twice in 1967.
The Reverend George Brian McAvoy MBE M.A. (1963) As well as being the year of Reverend George Brian McAvoy’s golden wedding anniversary to his ever-supportive wife Lottie (née Watkins), 2013 is also the 50th anniversary of Brian’s ordination and first service as Deacon. This has been a year full of celebration for the family and will culminate in the whole McAvoy clan gathering for a family Christmas. Brian arrived at Trinity in the autumn of 1957, aged just 16, to study Philosophy and Psychology. He completed his Divinity Testimonium in the autumn of 1963 and married Lottie so he could leave the University an honest man. Following a distinguished career in the RAF, Brian has retired into the challenges of his most prized position – grandfather to the new generation of McAvoys! His links with Trinity have been lifelong and he continues to support the University, in particular the ongoing work with the Old Library.
Siddhartha Sen Emeritus Fellow Siddhartha Sen has written a book called The Joy of Understanding and Solving Problems: A Guide to School Mathematics. The book is available on Amazon and presents mathematics as a living creative subject of beauty, which is essential for civilisation. Siddhartha Sen has also recorded a number of videos explaining key ideas of mathematics. These can be viewed at www.youtube. com/joyofunderstanding. The videos were made by Grace Weir with support from the Trinity Physics Department.
To submit or view class notes visit www.tcd.ie/alumni /class-notes
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Trinity Today One-on-one
One-on-One Pro-Chancellor Edward McParland M.A. (AD.EUND.CANTAB), F.T.C.D. (1977), shares some of his favourite things. Where does your interest in architecture come from? I have no idea. It’s a long story, but it’s quite true that – without planning it – as a failed mathematician I ‘fell into’ architectural history. What did you like most about your job? Being retired, I will reminisce. When in the job it was an enormous pleasure to work with my colleagues in the Department of the History of Art (serious work with lots of fun), and to enjoy complete freedom to teach whatever I wanted to teach, in whatever way I wished. What is your favourite time of year in Trinity? April, because of the trees. When and where were you happiest? Now and here. What is your greatest fear? Pain.
What does a typical day consist of? There’s no such thing as a typical day. Amn’t I lucky! What is the trait you dislike most in academics? Any of the normal disagreeable human ones. What is your favourite building in Trinity? The Museum Building, particularly since its recent cleaning.
In order to answer this impressively I borrowed Nietzsche from the library, but P.G.Wodehouse got in the way
How do you relax? By cooking. What guests, from any stage of history, would you invite to your ideal dinner party? I need to know, and like, my guests. So since the ideal ones (and the less than ideal) are still alive, I’d prefer not to be specific.
Which period in history would you most like to have lived in? The present. What has been your greatest achievement? Making the audiences at the L&H in UCD in the early 1960s laugh. Which living person do you most admire? Fr Peter McVerry, S.J. What is the last book you read? In order to answer this impressively I borrowed Nietzsche from the library, but P.G. Wodehouse got in the way. What is the most useful piece of advice you’ve ever received? ‘Carpe diem’ isn’t bad, even if it doesn’t get you all the way.
The Museum Building
Do you have any guilty pleasures you’d like to share? None that I wish to share. Sorry to end evasively.l
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