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COLLEGE NEWS “I didn’t want to be known as the guy who killed the Trinity Ball” Ents Officer Nick Longworth explaining why he decided not to pursue legal action against organisers MCD.
“Unrealistic and pointless”. A Supreme Court ruling on the appeal by Dartry Road resident Mr James Kenny against Halls planning permission granted to Trinity. “Have a go hero”. The response of some people who witnessed History Society Auditor Eoin Devlin’s dramatic citizen’s arrest in the Arts Building.
TRINITY NEWS April 21, 2009
THIS FORTNIGHT THEY SAID...
“Couldn’t get the points?” Security guard - badge 107 - on finding a DCU student at a late night party in rooms.
Compiled by Lisa Byrne
» the percentage voting turnout at the student referendums.
10.8 » the percentage of students for whom College can provide accommodation.
€50,000 » Nick Longworth’s estimate of the amount The Script are being paid to headline this year’s Ball.
78 » the number of goals scored so far by the Trinity soccer team as they continue to dominate their division in the Leinster Senior League.
16th » of April, the date set for the Trinity Ball next year.
1 » the number of points by which the Rugby team beat Division Two rivals Lansdowne in their 13-12 victory last week.
CLARIFICATION An article published in Trinity News on 14th October 2008 incorrectly stated that Dr Gerald Morgan was accused of sexual harassment. Dr Morgan wishes to make it clear that he was never accused of sexual harassment.
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“I had an accident and I couldn’t walk properly for some time” French musician Vitalic explains why he cancelled his gig at Trinity Ball 2008.
Martin McKenna Anna Stein Stuart Martin Lia Prendergast Tom Lowe Jennifer Finn Kara Furr Kiera Healy Ruth Mahony Sarah-Kate Geraghty Rachel Kennedy Deirdre Robertson Una Geary Kasia Mychajlowycz Deirdre Lennon Emily Monk Aoife Crowley Aaron Mulvihill Derek Larney Grace Walsh Luke Maishman Conor James McKinney Hugh McCafferty Michael Armstrong Catriona Gray Patrice Murphy Jean Morley Kathy Clarke Caroline O’Leary Melanie O’Reilly
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“Sir, if prose is a river, poetry is a fountain” Acclaimed poet Michael Longley describing his art. “A boy was writing to his mother, just writing by hand, and when they found the letter, it stopped with just a scrawl across the page, where the plane had gone into the mountain. Irish Film director John T Davis on the inspiration for his new documentary “Tailwind”.
Longworth expresses dismay continued from page 1
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“It’s no secret that the SU has difficulties keeping the website, Ents website and Record websites working” SU Education Officer Hugh Sullivan explaining the reasons behind the creation of the paid position of Technical Officer.
Compiled by Lisa Byrne
NUMEROLOGY
“A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell...unless it will make a really good book.” Author and self-confessed master of seduction Neil Strauss at the Phil on March 31st.
“That’s embarrassing!” Overheard after a hockey match as a Suttonian player attempted to apologise to the Trinity player he had hit - only to be told that the Trinity player had been hospitalised.
“yes, they were an option”. However, shortly after, Longworth received word that there was to be a change in the line up. Longworth was informed that The Script would headline, a change he wasn’t “particularly happy” about. Longworth was unaware of the reason for the change, but he believes the original headliner “pulled out”. Longworth felt he had only two options. The first was legal action against the firm for failing to provide an adequate headliner but Longworth decided against this. The contract between the firm and the College states that it is the “artist’s discretion” to play the Ball and so if a band chooses to pull out before a written agreement is reached, they are entitled to do so. Longworth is also quick to point out that The Script are a multi-platinum selling band who appear
third in the line up for Oxegen, thereby proving that MCD provided a band of high calibre. He does admit that while they have experienced great success abroad, they aren’t as successful here in their home country. Longworth commented that the Ents Office was approached only months ago by Sony to hold the Scripts’ official album launch outside the old Library. However as it was August, the College was absent of students and Mr. Longworth decided to devote his time to the preparations for the then forthcoming Fresher’s Week. This free concert is in contrast with the €50,000 that he estimates the Script are being paid to perform at the Ball. Longworth’s other option was to go to the Capitations Committee and ask them to put pressure on the events company to produce another headliner. However he believed that the SU did not have enough votes on the committee and would not have received enough
support for such a measure. Longworth admits that one reason he decided not to take action against the events company is that it could have resulted in the cancellation of the Ball and he would become known as “the guy who killed the Trinity Ball”. The Ball was most recently nearly cancelled in 2005, the same year that MCD first became involved. Spiralling insurance costs and falling profits threatened its continued existence and the College decided its only option would be to bring in an events company which could reduce their costs. The Ents Officer at the time, Niall Morris, together with the Capitations Committee, interviewed two production companies; MCD proved victorious and gained a contract that does not expire until 2012. The renewal of the company’s contract with College came under heavy fire in 2007, after Trinity News revealed that the contract was signed with little
consultation with members of the Capitations Committee. Students have directed some of their anger at the company on Facebook, with one student claiming he’ll be the “first on a list to ensure MCD don’t get rights after 2011”. Students will be further disappointed to hear that there will be no Silent Disco at the Ball this year. MCD have claimed that the absence of sponsorship is to blame, however many have queried the cost of paying The Japanese Popstars to play in its place. Although Longworth has defended the events company’s production as “flawless”, MCD apologised last year after safety concerns were raised over the set up and take down of the Ball. The firm apologised for their “lack of satisfactory management” and failing to complete the removal (of debris) in time”. College authorities have confirmed that the date of the Trinity Ball will be brought forward to April 16th next year due to semesterisation.
Lawsuit against Halls defeated By Thomas Raftery A LONG campaign against the planning permission of Trinity Hall has come to an end following a Supreme Court decision. Mr James Kenny, a resident of Dartry, Dublin has held a long campaign against the planning and redevelopment process of Trinity Hall. Mr Kenny, who resides opposite Trinity Hall on Dartry Road, has been at the centre of litigation regarding his belief that the process by which Trinity College obtained planning permission for the redevelopment of its student accommodation was flawed. A three-judge court has rejected Mr Kenny’s most recent appeal concerning the planning permission for the redevelopment that was sought and granted over a decade ago. Mr Justice Nial Fennelly of the Supreme Court noted that “planning laws are not intended to make life impossible for developers or local authorities”. Trinity Hall lies between Temple Road and Palmerston Park and houses over a thousand students, most of which are first years. The 95 million Euro
redevelopment of what was previously Cunningham House has seen 180 new apartments, and a dining hall with a capacity for 400 students built. Dartry Residences Association, of which Mr Kenny is an active member, appealed Dublin City Council’s planning permission in 2000. An Bord Pleanala upheld the permission subject to 19 conditions. It is these conditions that Mr Kenny later accused Halls of not “Unrealistic and pointless.” A Supreme Court ruling on the claims against Trinity Halls. upholding. Mr Kenny has cited a number of minor details concerning the construction of the redevelopment on which to base his objections. One floor was omitted from the original drawings, 16 beds were included in one building where they were not in the blueprints, and boiler facilities were installed on the roof space of two buildings despite not appearing on the architects plan. Mr Kenny contested the validity
of the planning permission given these deviations from the original specifications for the build. Mr Kenny then brought Judicial review proceedings which were promptly rejected by a High Court. It was his appeal against this decision that was dismissed by the Supreme Court on March 5th 2009. The judge said that he wanted to mention some “simple matters of common sense” when asking questions of a development of this scale. He went on to explain to Mr Kenny that there would inevitably be some variation from some, or even many, of the plans and drawings in every development. He noted that it is improbable that any development would be able to maintain “literal compliance” with its plans. “Planning laws are not intended to make life impossible for developers, or for those executing works such as architects, engineers and contractors, or for the planning authorities in supervising them,” the judge said. Mr Fennelly added that he was happy that where there were material departures they had been dealt with via
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normal council procedures. Regarding Mr Kenny’s objections as to the increased number of beds and omission of a floor, the judge described the claim as “unrealistic and pointless”. Mr Kenny’s last objection, that the proximity of underground works threatened nearby trees, was said to represent a “very minor, not to say trivial” discrepancy. Mr Fennelly concluded by saying that the court would not quash the entire decision based on such an “inconsequential discrepancy”. Despite his tenacity and determination to oppose the development, Mr Kenny failed to promptly apply for judicial review proceedings in 2002 when part of the redevelopment was finished. The Judge agreed with the High Court that Trinity had been prejudiced by Mr Kenny’s delays in bringing his proceedings. The latest dismissal of Mr Kenny’s objections is the last of a ‘multiplicity’ of other proceedings which he has brought over this matter. Mr Justice Fennelly said this was not the first “and may not be the last” case in which Mr Kenny contested the planning permission for Trinity Hall.