Student Societies and Clubs: Current Structures and Historical Context

Student Societies and Clubs: Current Structures and Historical Context

With Special Emphasis on Arts/Cultural Societies, Trinity College Dublin

Johanna Archbold and John O’Hagan

Trinity Long Room Hub 2011 Published by the Trinity Long Room Hub Funded by the J-P Foundation Additional funding support by the Trinity College Dublin Association and Trust

ISBN 978-0-9565516-2-7

Design: R. Conlon & J. Archbold

Print Management: Custodian Consultancy Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction 7

I Defining Extracurricular Activity II Impact on Students II Outline of Rest of Report

Chapter 1 Overview of Current Extracurricular Activity 10

1.1 Introduction 1.2 Broad Sketch 1.3 Clubs and Societies 1.4 Recognition

Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs – An Historical Sketch 22

2.1 Introduction 2.2 Early Years: Pre-1800 2.3 Nineteenth Century 2.4 Twentieth Century to 1960 2.5 Recent Decades

Chapter 3 Arts and Cultural Societies - Profiles & Context 50

3.1 Introduction 3.2 Key Committee Roles 3.3 Performance Societies 3.4 Visual Arts and Literary Societies 3.5 Photographic, Film and Broadcast Societies

Chapter 4 Arts and Cultural Societies – Wider Perspectives 66

4.1 Introduction 4.2 Society Collaboration 4.3 Interaction with Academic Departments 4.4 Student Societies and the City 4.5 National and International Dimensions 4.6 Concluding Comment

Endnotes 77

Acknowledgements

This is the second in a series of published reports on Student Societies and Clubs. While the present study is the main published work we wish to acknowledge our debt to previous work by Lisa Keenan and Aidan O’Hare.i Their work focussed mainly on the possible links between extracurricular student activity and career progression and used as case studies four of the major societies and clubs in Trinity.

We wish also to thank the many people who met with us and provided material for this Report. They are too numerous to mention but some should perhaps be singled out, namely Lucy O’Connell and Joseph O’Gorman of the Central Societies Committee (CSC) Office, and members of the CSC Executive and the members of the Society committees who cooperated with the research. We would also like to thank DUCAC and particularly Prof. Cyril Smyth, Chairman of the DUCAC Executive.

We would like to thank the Long Room Hub for providing the facilities that enabled the work to be undertaken. Generous funding was provided by Trinity Association and Trust towards the financing of the Report which we acknowledge with gratitude. We also wish to thank most sincerely Simon Williams and the Trinity Foundation for introducing us to the person to whom we owe the greatest debt of gratitude and thereafter facilitating the development of the projects.

This debt of gratitude is to John Pearson, J-P Foundation, London. He provided funding for all of the work on both Reports but more importantly he generated an excitement about student societies and clubs, dating back to his Trinity days in the 1950s, that was infectious. John’s generosity has not stopped there; arising out of this work he has invested very substantial further funding in a bigger three-year project under the umbrella title of the ‘Anatomy of Creative Career Success’, to be overseen by staff in the Departments of Economics and Psychology. This is remarkable research funding provided by a wonderful alumnus of the College. His contribution was in no little way influenced by very fond memories of his own extracurricular activity in College, particularly through his involvement in the Dublin University Boat Club (which was one of the case studies looked at in the first Report). His interests have very much widened since to cultural activities, the main focus of the present Report. ii

Johanna Archbold, Trinity Long Room Hub John O’Hagan, Professor of Economics

i See Lisa Keenan & Aidan O’Hare, 2010. Universities, Societies & Clubs: Culture, Extracurricular Activities & Career Progression – Trinity College Dublin, Four Case Studies. Dublin: Trinity Long Room Hub. ii Many notable figures have been associated with sports in Trinity, one of the most distinguished being the playwright Samuel Beckett who excelled at cricket as a left-handed batsman and a left-arm medium-pace bowler who has the distinction of being the only Nobel laureate to have an entry in Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, the ‘Bible’ of cricket. 6 Student Societies and Clubs Introduction 7

Introduction

John Dewey believed that “a university teaches in three ways – by what it teaches, by how it teaches and the kind of place it is”.1 This sentiment is one that resonates with the educational missions of many universities and third- level colleges who view their role as one of developing the “whole student”. The provision and support of a wide and diverse variety of extracurricular activities (ECAs) on university campuses is perhaps one of the most important avenues through which this holistic approach to the education mission is delivered.

Participation in extracurricular activities while completing Service Learning an academic course is viewed as a key tool in the personal This type of extracurricular activity takes place within an development of students. For students, extracurricular academic structure in communities, usually organised by an involvement is also viewed as an important aspect of academic in his/her area of interest and is open to students, the college experience in terms of social, sporting and usually within that field. This type of extracurricular activity entertainment activities and increasingly to gain and can sometimes be required for course work. improve skills. Students of course are often extensively involved in extracurricular activity outside the university Participatory Action Activities but the focus of this report is on college-based activity. This type of activity is organised in partnership between academics and a community where problems are I Defining Extracurricular Activity identified, usually related to social change, where a mutual The term ‘extracurricular activities’ can be interpreted in strategy for progress is worked out and to which students a number of ways which encompass a wide variety of can contribute. Again this might sometimes be part of activities which are present in many third-level institutions. course work. The primary goals of extracurricular activities focus on the individual student level, the institutional level, and These activities are approached and categorised differently the broader community level. These activities exist to in various institutions but the broad understanding of the complement the university’s academic curriculum and to term “volunteering” is universal throughout the third-level augment the student’s educational experience. sector, and is the most relevant category for the purposes of this study. In some institutions it is covered under the Volunteering activities of the Students’ Union, others through the Careers This is perhaps the most misunderstood term in relation Advisory Service, or through various independent bodies to extracurricular activities, as it does not just relate to responsible for different aspects of extracurricular activity. altruistic activities, such as charity work, but any activities The focus of this Report is on the societies and which involve giving time unpaid by students outside sports clubs aspects of extracurricular activity. And within any course requirements. For example, participating on this, the emphasis in the last two chapters will be on the committee of a sports club or a society, or assisting student societies covering arts/cultural activities. a Students’ Union campaign, or writing for a university newspaper. Students often do not consider non-charitable or non-altruistic activity to be “volunteering”, though many third-level institutions and other organisations consider all extracurricular work on committees and work for non- payment as volunteering. 8 Student Societies and Clubs

II Impact on Students Student Development The notion of “Student Development” has also given rise Student Involvement to considerable debate as to what it entails, and whether it In 1984, Alexander Astin proposed his theory of “Student includes both personal and academic development. Some Involvement” suggesting that students learn more if they agree that it does, defining Student Development as: are involved in both the academic and social aspects of the college experience.2 A growing body of literature has including those attitudes, skills, and values that enable one: to un- developed around Astin’s idea of Student Involvement derstand and reflect on one’s thoughts and feelings; to recognize which he defined as the quantity and quality of physical and appreciate the differences between oneself and others; to and psychological energy that the student devotes to manage one’s personal affairs successfully; to care for those less the academic experience. He described a highly involved fortunate; to relate meaningfully to others through friendships, student as one who devotes energy to their academic marriage, and civic and political entities; to determine personally studies, spends a considerable proportion of their time on and socially acceptable responses in various situations; and to be campus, participates actively in student organisations and economically self-sufficient. These qualities are usually associated activities, and regularly interacts with faculty members and with satisfaction, physical, and psychological well-being, and a other students. balanced, productive life of work and leisure.5 Many studies emphasise the importance of student involvement and the holistic college experience.3 Extracurricular activities provide a setting to The prevalent focus in the literature around Student become involved and to interact with other students, thus Involvement highlights two benefits in particular – student leading to increased learning and enhanced development. development and student retention. Both of these issues Involvement in student organisations has been found to have been addressed from a variety of angles, from the have a positive effect on the cognitive/academic aspect of development of personal and social skills to the prospects development, leading to autonomy of thinking, that has for future career development. Student Involvement, they been directly related to student’s peer groups; the greater argue, provides structured leisure environments and there the interaction with peers, the more positive cognitive is widespread evidence that participation in this type developments are. of activity makes students happier with their academic Personal or psychosocial development has also institution (whether high school or university), more likely been clearly linked to participation in extracurricular to complete their course, and more academically motivated activities, with Chickering and Reisser’s theory of the within their course. A study of the link between student “Seven Vectors of Development” being a fundamental engagement and student learning concluded that the point of departure. They cited the development of lowest-ability students benefit more from engagement. competence, management of emotions, progression from This study also found that first-year students and seniors autonomy toward independence, maintenance of mature convert different forms of engagement into academic interpersonal relationships, identity-formation, clarification achievement, and certain institutions more effectively of purpose and integrity as the key markers of personal convert student engagement into higher performance on development. Foubert and Grainger, focusing on students critical thinking tests.4 involved in clubs and organisations at the start and end of their undergraduate careers, identified higher levels of development across Chickering and Reisser’s Vectors Model by comparison to uninvolved peers.6 Introduction 9

Although students rarely begin participation in III Outline of Report clubs, societies and other extracurricular activities with the aim of developing their personal/social skills, studies Chapter 1 provides an overview of extracurricular student suggest that these developments are a very common activity in Trinity. This covers not just societies and clubs outcome of such participation. This is the reasoning but also student unions, publications and other voluntary behind the promotion of extracurricular activities among work. Chapter 2 sketches out an historical overview of the student body as these activities can positively impact a key component of extracurricular activity in Trinity, students emotional, intellectual, social, and inter-personal namely sports clubs and student societies from the late development. By working together with other individuals, seventeenth century to the present day. The roles and students learn to negotiate, communicate, manage conflict, activities of a further subset of these, the arts/cultural and lead others. Taking part in these out-of-the-classroom societies, is examined in detail in Chapter 3, to assess their activities helps students to understand the importance of contribution to the cultural life of the campus in both critical thinking skills, time management, and academic a historical and contemporary context. Chapter 4 then and intellectual competence. The experience of diversity examines cultural societies in a different context, namely associated with extracurricular activities also can allow in terms of links to academic units, the wider city and for students to gain more self-confidence, autonomy, and experience elsewhere. appreciation for others’ differences and similarities. We decided on the emphasis on cultural societies Specifically, a student’s peer group can be the to link in with the major initiative in 2010 of Provost Hegarty, most important source of influence on their academic namely the creation of the umbrella group, Creative Arts, and personal development. By identifying with a peer Technology and Culture (CATC). This emphasis also links group, that group may influence a student’s affective and back to the previous work of Johanna Archbold and the cognitive development as well as his or her behaviour. work following from this currently being undertaken by Catherine Morris.8 The former concentrated on academic Career Progression units in the College and their links to cultural institutions The impact of extracurricular activity on career progression in the city; the work of the latter develops on this in was dealt with in earlier work and there is no need terms of consolidating these links but will also cover the to rehearse this here.7 This study demonstrated how relationship between students and student societies to participation in extracurricular activities can again these institutions. All of this work has a strong cultural, have the added-value of developing skills specific to practical and city focus, one of the key objectives of CATC. career development/career paths. Where extracurricular Arts/cultural societies of course include some of the most involvement specifically relates to a student’s area of important societies in the College in both a historical and academic study, participation allows them to link academic current context, the Choral Society and Players standing knowledge with practical experience, thereby leading to out in this regard. a better understanding of their own abilities, talents, and While no recommendations are made in the career goals. Future employers seek individuals with these Report many options for further action are implicitly increased skill levels, making these involved students commended. As stated in the Preface to the first Report, more viable in the job market. Specifically, participation Societies & Clubs: Culture, Extracurricular Activities & in extracurricular activities and leadership roles in these Career Progression – Trinity College Dublin, Four Case activities can be positively linked to attainment of first jobs Studies (2010) extracurricular activity, whatever its impact and to managerial potential. on examination performance and later career progression, All of the links above are more suggestive than is in itself hugely valued by many students. It can be the proven. As always there is the problem of direction of key factor in choosing one university over another. Like causation. Are the successful students the ones more likely university rankings in terms of academic performance, to get involved in extracurricular activity anyway? If this ranking in terms of the “Student Experience’”can be equally is the case it is possible that extracurricular activity does influential, especially for undergraduate students, the bulk not in fact add value in terms of examination performance of the student body in Trinity. As such, the College should and career progression, except of course to provide an be and is very much concerned with this aspect of student enjoyable social outlet during their time at College. life at Trinity, something that is well reflected already in its Strategic Plan. 10 Student Societies and Clubs

Chapter 1 Overview of Extracurricular Activity Chapter 1 Overview of Current Extracurricular Activity 11

1.1 Introduction While the academic programmes mark out our graduates as having attended one of the world’s great universities, the clubs In Trinity College Dublin, we are extremely proud of the and societies, as communities of participation, mark out our extracurricular activity undertaken by students which ensures a graduates as having experienced a great Alma Mater.9 vibrant campus and offers students diverse and multidimensional opportunities for learning, social development and personal These sentiments are echoed by the former growth. Dean of Students, Prof Gerard Whyte when he noted Gerry Whyte, former Dean of Students how societies enhance “the overall student experience in College, making Trinity very attractive to prospective Trinity hosts a wide variety of extracurricular activities students, supporting existing students while they are for the College community including undergraduate, in College and fostering loyalty to College among our postgraduate, part-time and full-time students (numbering graduates.” c. 16,500) and staff. These activities are intended to form Section 4 of Trinity’s 2009-2014 Strategic Plan an integral part of the “Trinity Experience’” which is viewed emphasises the importance of the “Student Experience” as a holistic experience that encompasses more than stating the College’s belief in promoting “both the lectures and study, as identified by Trinity’s Strategic Plan, formal learning that takes place in lecture theatres and 2009-2014. The College is home to major libraries, research laboratories and the informal and less structured learning centres, laboratories, IT facilities and a sports centre as well that takes place in activities outside the classroom.” The as architecturally significant historic buildings. Academic potential influence of participation in student clubs and activities across a wide variety of disciplines serve students societies is also highlighted, describing student societies as and researchers and additional structures aim to create a mainstay in the experiences of numerous generations of a Student Experience which is enhanced by a wide array Trinity students. of extracurricular activities in which all students are encouraged to participate by fellow students and by the For many students the work that they do within clubs and representative bodies of extracurricular activities. societies is the single most important feature of their college lives, This chapter will examine Trinity’s approach to the providing opportunities for friendship, social development and provision and support of extracurricular activities, provide personal growth...The clubs and societies within the College paint an overview of the range of activities available and explain a picture of what its students consider important to themselves, the variety of roles that students can take in these activities. to their place in College, and to their place in the world.10 It will also provide an overview of the active student clubs and societies currently on campus and highlight Extracurricular activities in Trinity, including clubs, how student participation in extracurricular activities is societies and the activities of the Students’ Union, the recognised by College authorities. Graduate Students’ Union and the Publications Committee, come under the remit of the Capitation Committee which 1.2 Broad Sketch is a sub-committee of the Student Services Committee. The Student Services Committee is chaired by the Dean of The overall experience of students at Trinity is based on Students who is responsible for developing an integrated a mixture of academic programmes, student services, and balanced policy in the non-academic areas of Trinity. extracurricular activities and the many social activities, The Student Services Committee’s main objective is including events organised by societies and clubs. to consider how student services (careers, chaplaincy, Trinity has, by various means, particularly over recent counselling, day nursery, disability, health, sport and tutorial decades, provided administrative and financial support services) should develop in the future. Though structurally for extracurricular activities through the establishment of a sub-committee of the Student Services Committee, the representative bodies and the appointment of full time Capitation Committee receives its funding directly from staff. The College views these activities as an important part the Finance Committee of the College. of its own image as student activities, whether on campus and in the wider city and on the international stage, reflect the University’s image: 12 Student Societies and Clubs

The Capitation Committee was created to disperse The Capitation Committee is made up of the the funds raised from the introduction of a “capitation fee” Senior Dean (Chair); College Dean’s Executive Officer paid by all students to fund a system of centralised support (Secretary); representatives from the Student Services for clubs and societies introduced for the first time in the Committee and the Treasurer’s Office; and representatives academic year 1957/58. The Committee, chaired by the from the five Capitated Bodies – 4 DUCAC representatives; Senior Dean, establishes the remit of the bodies under 4 CSC representatives; 3 Students’ Union representatives; its control, audits their accounts and filters funding to 2 Graduate Students’ Union representatives; and a them. Each of the bodies funded through the Committee representative from the Trinity Publications Committee are represented and have voting rights. The Senior Dean (see opposite page). presents a Capitated Bodies Annual Report to Board via All of the activities encompassed by the five the Student Services Committee - this committee does not Capitated Bodies, including the administrative functioning control or direct the funding or financing of the Capitated of each of the bodies, provide an extensive variety of Bodies. The Annual Financial Reports of the Capitated opportunities for students to engage in extracurricular Bodies go to the Finance Committee/Treasurer’s Office. activities during their time in Trinity. The Capitated Bodies The Committee’s funding has remained relatively also embody Trinity’s commitment to the broadest learning static for the last number of years, despite the increased and experiential activities for students during their time at number of students. university. They also complement Trinity’s commitment to The five “Capitated Bodies” funded through the Civic Engagement which has a broader remit than student Capitation Committee are the Dublin University Central extracurricular activity, while still encompassing it. Societies Committee, known as the CSC (which oversees the activities of College societies), the Dublin University Central Athletic Club, known as DUCAC (which oversees the activities of College clubs), the Students’ Union (SU), the Graduate Students’ Union and the Publications Committee. The Capitation Committee enforces rules for the accountability and control of monies which must be observed by officials of each of the institutions mentioned Union (GSU), and the Publications Committee known as PUBS (which oversees College student-run publications). above, and in particular by their Treasurers.

The role of the Capitation Committee is:

* to have responsibility for the formulation of the recommendation which is presented to Board by the Student Services Committee in respect of the possible introduction and implementation of levies relating to capital projects and their subsequent recurrent costs; and of levies funding the internal operation of the capitated bodies and their dependent organisations;

* to ensure the observance of all regulations pertaining to the capitated bodies and their dependent organisations, as published in the University Calendar;

* to enforce the rules for accountability and control of monies which must be observed by officials of societies and clubs and, in particular by treasurers;

* to carry out such other functions as may from time to time be delegated to it by the Student Services Committee. Chapter 1 Overview of Current Extracurricular Activity 13

College Structures

Student Services Committee

Sub-committee: Capitation Committee

Chair: The Senior Dean Secretary: College Deans’ Executive O cer Student Services Committee representative; Treasurer’s O ce representativ e 14 Representatives from five “capitated bodies” (Pubs; DUCAC; SU; CSC; GSU)

Pubs – Publications DUCAC – Clubs & SU – Students’ Union CSC – Central GSU – Graduate

Committee Athletics Committee Societies Committee Students’ Union

1 Rep on Capitation 4 Reps on Capitation 3 Reps on Capitation 4 Reps on Capitation 2 Reps on Capitation Committee Committee Committee Committee Committee

College administrative structures for Capitated bodies. Funding for the Capitated bodies comes directly from the Finance Committee. 14 Student Societies and Clubs

Students’ Union in conjunction with other College bodies, a postgraduate The Students’ Union (SU) is the only representative body study facility open to all postgraduates; to provide and for all students in the College and provides a variety of manage a Postgraduate Common Room; to foster friendly opportunities for students to become involved at all levels relations and understanding between postgraduates from of its operations. Before it was established in the late 1960s all disciplines through social and educational functions it was said that the Elizabethan Society, the female society held throughout the year. Graduate students have the established after the admission of female students in 1904, opportunity to work on the academic journal published by was essentially functioning as a union for students from its the GSU annually, the Journal of Postgraduate Research. rooms in House 6. The amalgamation of the Elizabethan The GSU previously published the literary magazine Society with the University Philosophical Society in 1968, College Green. and the increasing number of students on campus, necessitated the establishment of a formal students’ union. Trinity Publications Committee Before the SU was established students were represented Trinity Publications operates as the overall coordinating by the Students’ Representative Council. In its early years body for College student publications and is responsible the SU was involved in high profile political campaigns for the distribution and monitoring of funds allocated to it outside campus and was occasionally in conflict with by the Capitation Committee. It also provides facilities and College authorities. information to College student publications and interested Students participate in the governance of the parties. The Committee consists of five executive officers Union through the Student Council, Faculty Assemblies and elected from the student body and the editors of all Standing Committees which are elected positions among recognised publications. The officers are elected annually the student body. Involvement is entirely voluntary except at the annual general meeting. for the five Sabbatical Officers (President, Deputy President, The main publications under the committee today Education Officer, Welfare Officer and Entertainments include Trinity News (1953), Piranah! (1978), Icarus (1950), Officer) which are salaried positions elected annually Miscellany (1894), and the Trinity Film Review (2009). during a College wide campaign (first introduced in 1969). Other publications have existed on campus, particularly in The SU has the dual and complementary the nineteenth-century, but have not survived to present functions of representing students’ interests both inside times. They were not operating under the Publications and outside College and of providing student services. Committee at the time as it was only established in the late Student volunteers and a small number of full-time staff 1960s as an overarching body for publications on campus provide a wide range of services on campus including two as a means of regulation and funding. shops, a bookshop, employment and accommodation bureau, office services and the Junior Common Room Café. Students also have the opportunity to work on the Union’s newspaper the University Times (previously the University Record and Aontas), published during term-time.

Graduate Students Union The Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) is the representative body for all postgraduate students in Trinity College. The GSU is run by an executive committee consisting of two full- time sabbatical officers (President and Vice-President), two other officers (Treasurer and Events Officer), plus a number of faculty representatives filled by graduate students by election. The objectives of the GSU are to protect the interests of all graduate students registered for higher degrees and to represent their interests on College, faculty and school committees; to negotiate on matters concerning both the conditions and remuneration for employment of graduate students within College; to provide and manage, Chapter 1 Overview of Current Extracurricular Activity 15

Central Societies Committee Dublin University Central Athletic Club The Central Societies Committee (CSC) acts as the The Dublin University Central Athletic Club (DUCAC) is the coordinating body to promote the interests of student administrative body for sports clubs in College and acts as societies and to act as their representative within the their representative on College committees. Its nineteenth- College. It was established in the late 1960s and its century precursor was the Athletics Union though today’s principal functions are to consider applications for, body was officially established in the early twentieth and to grant, recognition to societies; to regulate the century as an ad hoc committee to assist the rebirth of continuing recognition of such societies; to distribute sport in College after the end of World War I. grants to societies out of the money allocated through the DUCAC has been responsible for the development Capitation Committee; to oversee the usage of funding; of all of Trinity’s sporting facilities since its establishment and to oversee the auditing of the accounts of societies. and has successfully lobbied Board on behalf of the sports The CSC provides official recognition to societies, clubs on many occasions. and may also remove recognition. The committee consists Its principal functions are to consider applications of the treasurers of all recognised College societies. An for, and to grant, recognition to University sports clubs; executive committee of five officers and eight ordinary to regulate the continuing recognition of such clubs; to members is elected at the annual general meeting held in distribute grants to clubs from funds allocated through Hilary term. The CSC Office acts as an information centre the Capitation Committee; to oversee usage of funding; to for those interested in societies. oversee the auditing of the accounts of sports clubs; and In recent years the CSC has initiated new projects to administer the scheduling of time on College sports to increase awareness of the work and activities of societies facilities. DUCAC provides official recognition to sports in College life and the wider community. The 4th Week clubs, and may also remove recognition. The executive Initiative is the first major element of this campaign. The consists of twenty-two members elected annually at the Dorian Gray Project also contributed to this campaign. annual general meeting. A new category of ‘Associate Society’ has been created DUCAC liaises and cooperates closely with the to allow cultural and charitable societies, with limited Department of Sport regarding provision of club training mandates to operate and receive support services from the times, upgrading and renovation of facilities, organisation CSC. of university championships, timetabling of league and cup There are currently c. 100 societies with official matches, sports scholarship awards, fitness programmes recognition by the CSC. The CSC is a founding member of for athletes, and development of strategic planning. the Board of Irish College Societies which runs the annual National Student Society Awards. The CSC also runs its own Below: Banner headline for Trinity News ‘The Week in Sport’, 9 June annual awards programme which recognises achievements 1955. Every edition of the student newspaper includes news from the in a number of categories such as Best Fresher, Best Small, sports clubs. This banner for the Sports Section from the 1950s is one Medium and Large Societies, Best Poster, Best Event etc. of the most decorative seen, including figures from various sporting pursuits which are played by Trinity students.

Opposite Page: Front page of the first issue of Trinity News, 28 October 1953 alongside bound volumes of the newspaper to 1970 now digitized and available online at www.trinitynewsarchive.ie. The project was funded the TCD Association and Trust and the Publications Committee. More recent issues of the paper can be viewed online at www.trinitynews.ie/wordpress/archive. 16 Student Societies and Clubs

Additional Structures These five Capitated Bodies represent the main avenues for extracurricular activities in Trinity. Another recently developed forum supporting student voluntary activity is the Trinity Volunteers Opportunities Forum (TVOF), launched in 2009. The TVOF aims to represent the four main voluntary groups in College, taking the term ‘voluntary’ in the sense of altruistic activities such as charity work rather Below: Selection of covers from some Trinity student publications - than the broader understanding of voluntary participation Journal of Postgraduate Research, Volume 10, 2011; The Piranha!, in any type of extracurricular activity. 1999; T.C.D. Miscellany, Michaelmas Term 2005; Icarus: 60th The recently established position of Civic Anniversary Collection, 2010; The University Times, 21 September Engagement Officer, operating through the Careers Office, 2010; Student Economic Review, 1989. provides an additional layer of support and encouragement for students and staff to participate in voluntary activity, in its broadest definition. The role was established to further strategic actions in relation to volunteerism, community partnerships and service learning. The stated aims of this office are to establish a baseline for levels of student involvement in volunteering, which includes extracurricular activities as participation on a sports committee or debating society committee is also defined as volunteering (see earlier), as time is being given for no payment, and participation is outside the requirements for the completion of academic course work. Trinity hosts many student-run print publications only some of which come under the remit of the Publications Committee. Disciplinary titles of note with student involvement include the Dublin University Law Review and the Student Economic Review which are overseen by departmental staff and function as very professional student-run activities. Chapter 1 Overview of Current Extracurricular Activity 17

1.3 Societies and Clubs events and encourage their participation, often through special events for first years such as the College Historical Participation and Accreditation Society’s Maiden Speakers competition. During this week Trinity societies and clubs today provide a considerable students from second to fourth year who are members level of extracurricular activities to Trinity staff and students of club and society committees play an important role and regularly interact with the city, other organisations in organizing their stalls and recruiting new members. and often with international groups and events. While no Before arriving on campus first years are all sent “Freshers’ exact figures or records are kept of student participation, Packs” from the Senior Tutor’s office providing them with particularly at committee level in these extracurricular material by way of orientation. All extracurricular activities activities, some relevant surveys provide a context to their are represented in this material though some more than place in Trinity life today. others. A report conducted for the Central Societies Every course elects class representatives who Committee in 2008 addressing the awareness of the CSC participate in the Faculty Assemblies within the Students’ and knowledge about its activities found that one-quarter Union. Students students can also choose to run for election of staff and students who responded attend society events for additional positions within the Students’ Union or the or activities once a week or more often, while one-third has, Graduate Students’ Union. The Publications Committee at some time, organised an event or been on a committee. and the committees of the CSC are elected annually from Undergraduates are the most involved, followed by the student body. Most student societies have some facility postgraduates, while staff are the least involved of the for involving at least one first year on their committee, three categories. Students and staff in the faculty of Health often co-opted after the academic term has started proper. Sciences are significantly less involved than members of Students can also run for election to DUCAC committees. other faculties. Males are slightly more involved in general The Captain’s Committee is comprised of the captains of than females. When those involved were asked to rate the the sports clubs. importance of society involvement in their college life, on Students can establish clubs or societies by a scale of 1-5 with 5 being most important, 70 per cent said applying for “recognition” from the relevant association, 4 or 5. The average rating was 3.9.11 DUCAC for sports clubs or the CSC for societies. Each Speaking about the importance of participation have application procedures usually including a year or in clubs and societies a former Dean of Students, Prof two of activity with an active membership, appropriate Gerard Whyte, echoes this general sense: committee structure and administrative documentation to demonstrate capabilities as well as a written constitution Through their participation in societies, students improve and witnessed democratic elections. Therefore the their personal skills in relation to leadership, communication, “established” date given to societies and clubs in the official organisation, team-building… the role of societies, of whom we records means that each society or club would have been have so many in College, is vital in promoting the intellectual and operating on campus for at least a year or two before it personal development of our students. became officially recognized by College and be in receipt of regular funding or accommodations. All Trinity students are automatically members of the Students’ Union or Graduate Students’ Union. They must usually pay a small fee annually to be members of the clubs and societies, and this recruitment generally takes place during Freshers’ Week before the start of Michaelmas Term. Fresher’s Week has long been an established tradition in Irish universities where first year students spend a week on campus before the rest of the student body return for the beginning of their academic courses (some institutions now run Freshers’ Week during term after lectures have started). All of the Capitated Bodies in Trinity represent their activities and their member clubs, societies and extracurricular activities to Freshers during the week’s 18 Student Societies and Clubs

Once a society or club has been ‘“recognised” it can apply for annual funding grants to host events on campus and member activities throughout the academic terms and put officers forward to sit on the CSC or DUCAC committees. Societies or clubs can be “derecognised” for a variety of reasons, the most common being the failure to submit accounts for two consecutive years which means an automatic derecognition motion is brought and no element of the society or club can access funds for the following year. Other societies cease to exist at times out of sheer inertia or a change of circumstances; for example An Comhaontas Celtic, the Celtic Alliance, was established as a splinter society from An Cumann Gaelach c. 1999 with some success in becoming a social society through their well-attended annual Celtic Cocktail Party but in 2004 it was reconfigured with the Irish-language society, An Cumann Gaelach as their aims seemed to converge once again.

Sports Clubs The College hosts around fifty sports clubs which cater to a wide variety of sporting interests. Some clubs have a long history in College including the Boat Club, Rugby Club, Fencing Club and the Cricket Club. Newer clubs cover interests in Judo, Snow Sports, Windsurfing, American Football and Ultimate Frisbee. Many sports clubs established in the last seventy years had a long history of being played on campus, just not through a formal sports club structure recognized by College. Membership to all clubs is open to the student body and staff, and some clubs include alumni both as active sporting members and as part of committees. All sports clubs are run by student committees through a Captain, Secretary, Treasurer, Public Relations Officer and other positions as appropriate to the club’s activities. Each club advertises its activities to the College community and must submit accounts and an activities report annually to DUCAC as the supervising body. Many of the sports clubs have very up-to-date websites with club information, particularly including results, histories and previous club successes.12

Selection of images from Trinity’s sports clubs - Dublin University Camogie Club; Dublin University Boat Club and Dublin University Harriers & Athletics Club during the Chariots of Fire in Front Square, 2003. Chapter 1 Overview of Current Extracurricular Activity 19

Societies Departmental Societies These societies generally have some association with The College hosts over 100 societies which offer students an academic department in College. They are largely and staff the opportunity to engage in a diverse array populated by students studying the discipline as part of of activities and events. Membership of all societies is their academic course, and provide an important social open to the student body and staff, and some societies function for class integration and the development of peers include alumni both as active members and as part of in different years of a course. There are some exceptions, committee, though this is considerably less common with particularly Players, the Drama Society in College, which societies than with clubs. All societies are run by student consists of membership usually outside the Drama committees through a Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Public Department, though calling it a departmental society is Relations Officer and other positions as appropriate to the debatable. The majority of events hosted and activities societies’ activities. Each society advertises its activities to organized by these societies relate to their discipline, the College community and must submit accounts and though all are open to the College community and often an activities report annually to the CSC as the supervising have a wider appeal. Examples of this type of society body.13 include the Law Society; An Cumann Gaelach; Geography The societies can be broadly broken down into Society; Maths Society; History Society; Modern Languages a number of descriptive categories. Though these are Society; Dublin University Business and Economics Society generally not used as descriptive categories in the CSC, (DUBES). they are useful for illustrative summary purposes (see Chapter 2 for further details). Debating and Paper-Reading Societies The Hist and the Phil, the two most prominent of these Arts/Cultural Societies societies, are among the oldest in College and contribute These societies provide an opportunity for members of a lively programme of events to campus life from the GMB. the College community to participate in music, theatre, They run both College and national debating competitions visual arts, film-making, and other arts/cultural activities for students and second level pupils. Their membership on campus and in the city. They have a diverse student is drawn from across the College community and they membership from a wide variety of degree backgrounds, regularly host high-profile guests in their weekly debates and include the widest staff participation in any type of and paper readings. They have an active alumni network student societies, apart from some departmental societies, who are involved in the judging of debating competitions, though usually their involvement comes just in the form the annual alumni debates and provide funding to the of general support for activities and the chairing of events societies outside of their allocations from College through or hosting lectures. Some societies in this category have the Central Societies Committee. associations with academic departments, and many have Established in 1830, the Theo, the Theological associations with cultural and performance bodies in the Society of Trinity College Dublin, is another long established wider city. The majority of the performances and events paper-reading society. It hosts speakers and discussion on of these societies are open to members of the public, and a wide variety of topics and is also accommodated in the they provide a very tangible link between the College and GMB. the city. Examples of this type of society include the Music Society; the Choral Society; the Orchestral Society; the Jazz Political Societies Society; the Visual Arts Society; the Trinity Arts Workshop; The majority of Irish political parties are represented by the Filmmakers’ Society; the Dance Society; the Trinity ‘Youth’ parties in College. In some instances these societies Arts Festival Society; Trinity FM; Trinity TV and Players. are branches of the larger political parties, and in some they These societies will be discussed in much greater detail in are distinct parties who develop policies independently Chapters 3 and 4. of the national party. Examples of this type of society include Ógra Fianna Fáil; Young Fine Gael; Trinity Green Party; Socialist Party; Trinity Labour Party; Anarchist Society; Animal Rights Society. 20 Student Societies and Clubs

Cultural/Language Societies Hobby/Lifestyle Societies These societies represent international cultures on This group is the most varied and usually comprises the campus, and might be considered appreciation societies. most recently established societies, reflecting the increasing Their events regularly feature food, drink, music and diversity of the student population and the international dance from the country they represent. Their membership perspectives of many students. Some are serious societies usually consists of nationals from these cultures currently offering unique career and skills experience in particular studying in Trinity as well as other members of College fields such as AIESEC Trinity, a society for any student with an appreciation of the culture. Some cultural societies who wants to gain employable skills and stand out from have ties to relevant language departments and include the crowd, the Investors Society, and the Entrepreneurial students from these courses. Examples of these societies Society. Other societies are associational in different include the Japanese Society; the French Society; the Italian ways, and reflect different student groups such as the Society; the Afro-Caribbean Society; the Russian Society; Mature Students Society, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and the Chinese Students and Scholar Association; Europa Transgender Society, and the International Students Society; Hispanic Culture Society; the German Society; Society. Lifestyle or hobby societies include the Fashion the Indian Society; the Korean Society; the Scandinavian Society, the Food & Drink Society, the Knitting Society, Society. Other cultural societies include the Jewish Society, the Juggling Society, the Science Fiction Society, the Yoga and the Muslim Student Association. Society, University Challenge Society, the Internet Society, the Cards and Bridge Society; the Comedy Society, the Gamers Society, the Meditation Society and the Christian Union.

Activity Societies Although these societies might be considered under the remit of DUCAC, they have been deemed societies by the CSC. Funds are not provided to participate in the sport directly, though logistical activities are funded. For example, the CSC will not fund bets for members of the Horse Racing Society but they will fund field trips to race meetings and training events. Examples of these societies

Students celebrating Chinese New Year, hosted by the Trinity Chinese include the Capoeira Society; the Paintball and Speedball Society, 2011. Society; the Pool Society; Cards & Bridge; Chess Club; Falun Dafa Society.

Civic Engagement/Volunteering Societies These societies have a mission to raise funds and recruit volunteers for altruistic activities on campus, in the community or through international projects. They often have an association with a national or international charitable body. Examples of these societies include the St. Vincent de Paul Society; Cancer Society; Free Legal Aid Society; Amnesty Society; SUAS.

Logo of Trinity Gamers Society, formerly known as the Trinity Boardgame Society. Chapter 1 Overview of Current Extracurricular Activity 21

1.4 Recognition The Oxbridge systems are more complicated than the Trinity one, with Full Blues, Discretionary Full Sporting achievement by students participating in Blues, Extraordinary Full Blues, Half Blues, and Second Team extracurricular activities through Trinity’s sport clubs are Colours being awarded, depending on the sport and the recognized by a number of awards and distinctions. For level of achievement attained. The awards are granted students, whether at undergraduate or postgraduate level, by the “Blues Committee” made up of students from the a limited number of Sporting Scholarships are offered to clubs with awarding rights. In Trinity the University Pink is full-time students who are accepted into an academic awarded by a committee of all of the sports clubs captains course in College – they are awarded for one academic year currently affiliated with the Dublin University Central and so the scheme can also be applied for in any year of a Athletic Club which meets biannually to elect new Pinks. course. These scholarships are awarded to applicants who No Half Colours are awarded in Trinity. demonstrate outstanding ability in a particular sport, and Sports clubs can nominate a member who has desire to represent the University in their sport. Awardees met specific criteria set out in each club’s constitution to are expected to become active members of the University receive a University Pink. For example the constitution of sporting club for which the award has been granted. the Dublin University Ultimate Frisbee Club (DUUFC) states Scholarship students have access to physiology testing, that candidates for a University Pink must have been part performance analysis and training, sports psychology, of a team that wins the Outdoor Inter-Varsities and Colours health and nutrition advice and lifestyle management Competitions in the same year, that the player must have support. Students combine their studies with university, represented Ireland at European or World level prior to the national and international competitions and this support is nomination and that they must have been shortlisted for aimed to help scholarship students achieve their academic the Irish Flying Disc Association (IFDA) Player of the Year and sporting potential while at the University. Commenting Award also. The Pinks scarf is plain light-pink, and the tie on the significance of the achievements of students who is navy-blue with a pattern of pink crowned harps. The are awarded the sports scholarships Trinity’s Head of Sport, design of the Pinks Blazer was thought to be lost, but has Michelle Tanner said: recently been rediscovered. Student work on the committees of societies is The Trinity College Sports Scholarship recipients are quite recognized by the annual Central Societies Committee remarkable as they continually demonstrate the ability to Awards which, as mentioned earlier, awards in a variety maintain high academic achievements alongside a high standard of categories including Best Large, Medium and Small of sporting excellence and commitment. These students really Societies, Best Event, Best Poster, Best Fresher, Best Overall are inspirational.14 Society etc. Winners from some of these categories are nominated to represent Trinity at the Board of Irish College Awards can cover any recognized sport in Trinity Societies Awards, also awarded annually. including rowing, rugby, athletics, camogie, Gaelic football, In 2010, in recognition of the upcoming hurling, hockey, kayak, orienteering, modern pentathlon, European Year of Volunteering, the Dean of Students soccer, squash and volleyball. Some corporate groups established a recognition system to highlight student skills also sponsor students’ sporting participation, for example gained working voluntarily in the College community and Cadbury’s have for several years supported two GAA the wider city. This award recognizes activity on student scholarships for students who excel in the sport at club and society committees as well as sports club committees, county level. the Students’ Union, Graduate Students’ Union, the Competing for a University club and at Inter- Publications Committee and other voluntary activities Collegiate competitions also presents the opportunity to identified above. The Dean of Students is also considering be nominated for a “University Pink”, the highest sporting some sort of certificate system to highlight the value of award Trinity awards. The award stems from a similar skills gained by high-level hands-on experience of this sort, tradition begun in Cambridge known as a “Cambridge particularly at committee level, an idea that is also being Blue” after the rowing club’s colours, and taken up by considered by other university bodies in Ireland. Oxford and several other British universities in recognition of outstanding sporting achievement. 22 Student Societies and Clubs

Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs – An Historical Sketch Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs - A Historical Sketch 23

2.1 Introduction or membership lists, i.e. archiving them in the Library. That said many clubs and societies and particularly the The start of Trinity’s societies and clubs can be traced older ones have a good broad sense of their histories. to some of the earliest societies in Ireland, perhaps Some have written these up with varying degrees of unsurprising given the College’s long history. The comprehensiveness. The competitive record of sports emergence of university societies and clubs also coincided clubs is usually well-maintained or accessible though with the flourishing of clubs and societies in the Irish social one nineteenth-century commentator was not always so and political landscape from the end of the seventeenth confident: century. Some clubs and societies - the Royal Dublin Society, the Free Masons, The Friendly Brothers of St Patrick If the Hon. Secretary of the leading club in Ireland does not think and even the Hellfire Club - have left a rich legacy, but the records of his club worth preserving in permanent form, we there is a far greater number of philanthropic and charitable can only say he stands alone in the athletic world.18 bodies, intellectual societies, political bodies such as the Aldermen of Skinners Alley, dining and drinking clubs, The history of sports clubs in Trinity in general sports and hunting clubs, and many more that have been is also very well served by Trevor West’s The Bold all but forgotten.15 Collegians (1991) and other sports clubs have individual Before formal student clubs and societies were histories referenced later. A great deal is known about established in Trinity itself, members of the College some of the societies, particularly the debating societies community contributed to the founding of a number of which have book-length studies of their own.19 Student important and influential academic societies from the 1690s newspapers, magazines, national press, political, social, in Dublin. Trinity staff and students also began to establish cultural, intellectual, and sports histories provide important clubs and societies in College from the late eighteenth evidence and analysis of the contemporary perspectives of century. Trinity’s wide variety of clubs and societies has clubs and societies in Trinity. For the most recent decades contributed to varying degrees to the College’s history and the records of the societies and clubs themselves provide the vitality of campus life for staff and students throughout detailed information on committee make-up, events and the last several hundred years. activities, and finances from the Treasurer’s Report and The sources for studying the history of club and Secretary’s Report which are required to be submitted society life are in some cases plentiful and in others almost annually to retain official College status and to access non-existent. Central College records often record little funding. more than the official date of establishment and central funding figures, though there are important exceptions and the records of the governing bodies are also very relevant. Other College records can provide evidence on student numbers and social background.16 Occasionally if a club or society came to the attention of College authorities for the wrong reason, they will have left a record in the Trinity archives. Living memory histories are particularly useful for anecdotes which hint at some club or society activity indirectly. These sources are important for clubs or societies which no longer survive, as long defunct or banned clubs and societies get lost among those currently operating ones. These records from alumni also provide anecdotal evidence of the perceptions of the impact that extracurricular activity had on the development, career, and the social circle of past students.17 The practice of recording minutes varied widely among clubs and societies and from year to year. There has been no College enforced policy of retaining records 24 Student Societies and Clubs

2.2 Early Years to 1800

Initial Development of Trinity and Student Numbers Trinity as is well known was established by Royal Charter in 1592 and opened its doors on the site of an Augustinian Priory ‘near Dubline’ that year. It remained a small community of Fellows and Students for its first hundred years. Numbers increased quite rapidly between the 1660s and 1680s, though average matriculations per year only stood at 65 by 1683. These figures suggest that Provost Marsh’s estimate of “340 young men and boys” of

whom he complained he was quickly wearied, seems an ‘College Library Dublin’, James Malton. An 18th century print of the 20 exaggeration of the more likely 290 students. However Long Room Library before the second floor was added in the 1850s. as students lived in the College, it is very likely that the College was expanding beyond its space capacity. Student Activity These circumstances changed drastically within a From its earliest decades Trinity students were involved in few years as Trinity’s financial supports collapsed with the what could be termed extracurricular activities outside of ascension of a Catholic king, James II, to the English throne. the College, before active societies and sports clubs were Rents from the College’s landholdings were withheld and founded, though often as extensions of their activities in the administration would not allow the College to move their academic work or studies. Trinity staff (Fellows) and any plate out of the country to be sold in the more lucrative alumni were also involved in these activities, often at the London market. With the advancement of the King’s army fore, with other scholars and public figures in the city. The in 1689, and the occupation of the College by the Jacobite earliest associational club or society activity that comes army as a barracks and prison, the vast majority of fellows under the definition of extracurricular activities highlights and scholars went to England. Though the buildings were the religious and cultural make-up of Trinity’s community badly damaged during this period the determination and of Fellows and Scholars. As Catholics were banned from presence of mind of two priests, Teigue MacCarthy and the College, the Ascendancy class dominated student Michael Moore, saved the library and its contents from any numbers and as early as 1633 Ascendancy racquet sports substantial damage. The College reopened in late 1690 were being played on campus, though no sports clubs with the Provost and Fellows returning from London. were formalised in college until the 1830s. There was little variation in student numbers Duelling was a common activity among the elite in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, in Irish society in the sixteenth century and was part of though in the short space of eleven years between 1763 campus life since the College’s foundation. Swords were and 1774 numbers doubled and maintained this level worn as everyday dress from 1592 and reports of duelling until the early 1790s when enrolment declined. The within College walls occur from the early seventeenth rising political tensions and volatile public sphere did not century to the early eighteenth century. The sport of improve student numbers and this continued with the fencing in Trinity developed from this period, promoted 1798 Rebellion and the legislative union of parliaments into by Provost John Hely-Hutchinson (1774-94) through the the early nineteenth century. The social and intellectual “Gentleman’s Club of the Sword”. circles of life in the College and the city continued, though College archives record that part of a church had at a slower pace. By 1760 the College hosted professors been converted for use as a ‘tennis court’. It is possible of divinity, law, medicine, Hebrew, physics and history that Trinity students were among the users of this ‘court’, but none in mathematics, Greek, Latin, astronomy or but College statutes dating from the same period actually philosophy, the latter being the subjects which composed prohibited such games. Despite this statute College did virtually the whole of the undergraduate curriculum. These develop sports facilities from the 1650s; among these subjects were taught to students and some were provided was a real tennis court (somewhere near todays Áras an for by private tutoring. Phiarsaigh). A poem of Edward Lysaght’s, published in 1811, refers to the playing of ball games on College Park in the 1780s.21 Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs - A Historical Sketch 25

Dublin Philosophical Society in Trinity in 1686, were involved in the construction of The first fully-fledged societies established by students the observatory in Trinity in this period. When Ashe was did not appear until the 1770s but Trinity members were appointed as Provost of Trinity some years later, the College involved in the establishment of the earliest academic benefitted from his wide experiences from the Dublin and intellectual societies in Dublin from the late 1600s. Philosophical Society, through his reforming attitudes and Trinity students and the future Provost St George Ashe academic standing. More than two dozen of the members’ were responsible for the establishment of the Dublin papers from this period, including ten by Molyneux, were Philosophical Society in the late 1680s. As the only subsequently published in the Philosophical Transactions of university and the principal source of scholarly and the Royal Society.22 intellectual activity in the country, it is unsurprising that Trinity’s members, academics, students and alumni were associated with most early intellectual and elite social movements. The College was also closely associated with the Irish Parliament across College Green and the majority of MPs were former students of the university. The Dublin Philosophical Society, modelled on the Royal Society in London, with which it maintained cultural ties, included mostly Trinity graduates and staff (Fellows), rather than students among its members, and it had close ties with the Royal College of Physicians. It existed for three periods: 1683-1687, 1692–1698 and 1707- 1708. Although it in itself played a small role in intellectual Dublin life, and indeed in the intellectual life of the university, it did highlight the important role that staff of

College would play in the establishment of many university William Molyneux (1656–1698), an Irish natural philosopher and writer (student) societies into the late nineteenth century. Indeed on politics. Attrib. Sir Godfrey Kneller, c. 1696. it is a common feature of all club and society activity right into the twentieth century, that staff and Fellows played The Society was revived between 1693 and 1697 a prominent role in these activities, though this trend has with some original members, though in less prominent significantly reversed in the latter half of the twentieth roles. These sessions of the Society focused on technology century, with students taking the prominent role. and Irish antiquities rather than the more overtly scientific In its first incarnation the Dublin Philosophical interests of the 1680s. These last years of the 1600s also saw was established as the Dublin Society for the Improving the emergence of religious societies and societies for the of Natural Knowledge, taking on its shorter title (DPS) reformation of manners in Dublin, and several members sometime later. With fourteen original members of the Dublin Philosophical Society were also involved in comprising clergymen, physicians, and landowners, the these movements. A third and final revival of the society Dublin Society embarked on four years of fruitful activity occurred in the first decade of the eighteenth-century, and expansion till the disruption of the Tyrconnell regime 1707-8, with minimal success and it would take several forced their suspension in 1687. Although directly linked decades before another society could accommodate the to the university through members, many of the society’s broad interests identified by various incarnations of the activities were open to the public, though the term ‘public’ Dublin Philosophical Society to be drawn together again, would be much more limited than we consider today. whether within the university or in the city more generally. Member’s concerns with scientific and The University Philosophical Society (the Phil) of mathematical knowledge would have had a limited today, a paper-reading society, dates its foundation from audience in the city, largely confined to elite groups. the Dublin Philosophical Society, though given its clear However paper readings and a range of public experiments disintegration in the early 1700s, this direct association is were conducted in this period. Members of the society, dubious and continuity is unproven and has not always particularly St. George Ashe, scholar and Church of Ireland been claimed by the Society. bishop who was appointed Professor of Mathematics 26 Student Societies and Clubs

Old Library, Marsh’s Library and the Dublin Society The Society’s first rooms were located on Grafton The 1700s witnessed an age of learning in the College, Street, until their growing collection necessitated a move bolstered by academic strengths among staff and students. in 1797 to Hawkins Street overlooking the north side Parliament, meeting on the other side of College Green, of Trinity. In 1814 the Society moved to its home for the made generous grants for building in College and the first next hundred years, Leinster House on Kildare Street. The building of the period, the Old Library, was begun in 1712 first meeting of the Dublin Society was held in Trinity in (completed 1732). This construction of the College Library 1731, marking the beginning of an important relationship was one of two major library building projects in early between the Society, the College and members of the eighteenth-century Dublin. The other significant library College community. Among the founders of the Society project was Marsh’s Library, built in 1701 by Archbishop were a group of activists including several chemists and Narcissus Marsh, former Provost of Trinity, as the first the physician and writer Thomas Molyneux, who had been public library in Ireland. However the eighteenth-century active in the first Dublin Philosophical Society of some years understanding of “public” would have been considerably earlier. The development of the Society and its collections more limited than twenty-first century understandings mirrored cultural and intellectual developments in London – in fact Marsh’s was in practice open to ‘Graduates and where the Royal Society has been established seventy Gentlemen’.23 years earlier. Outside the College associational life in Ireland continued to develop in various areas of society, perhaps Edmund Burke’s Club and College Historical Society bolstered by increased print culture, the development The rising print and coffee house culture, enhanced of coffee houses, literary coteries, newspaper reading by the lifting of legislation banning the publication of rooms, and various types of library including subscription, parliamentary debates, invigorated the Irish and British parish, and circulating libraries. Public debate and public spheres throughout the eighteenth century. Clubs activities became more commonplace and concerns and societies concerned with political debate and social with improvement, of the self, society, morals, agriculture, issues began to develop alongside the more established and science, fostered the circulation and sharing of ideas intellectual societies. These developments were directly and public discourse. The emergence of a “Republic of manifested in Trinity with the establishment of two new Letters” in Europe and America in the seventeenth and clubs in the mid-eighteenth century. Edmund Burke, eighteenth centuries, connecting intellectual communities Anglo-Irish politician, writer and philosopher, established through networks of correspondence also influenced the a debating club, Edmund Burke’s Club, which met outside development of numerous societies, particularly those the College in 1747 and his near contemporary Barry associated with academic interests of science, natural Yelverton (later Lord Avonmore) established the Historical philosophy, linguistics and mathematics. Club, also meeting outside College in 1753.25 The most tangible evidence of this phenomenon While Burke was only a moderately successful in Ireland was the development of the Royal Dublin Society student academically during his time in Trinity, he excelled in 1731.24 This society was not directly connected to Trinity in the society and club areas of extracurricular activity. though a large proportion of its founders, members and Burke’s club, founded with a few like-minded students contributors were College Fellows and alumni. The Society, was the earliest debating society composed of students originally named as the Dublin Society for Improving of the University of which any definite record remains. The Husbandry, Manufactures and other Useful Arts (the minute book of this club, in the possession of the College addition of “and the Sciences” came several weeks later), Historical Society, records that the first meeting took place emerged from the popular taste for learning and scientific on a Tuesday, the 21st April in a house in George’s Lane, now inquiry in the early eighteenth century. Founding members South Great George’s Street. Among the first members were largely concerned with improving the poor economic present were Edmund Burke, Matthew Mohun, William condition of the country by promoting agriculture, arts, Dennis, Andrew Buck, Richard Shackelton and Richard industry and science in Ireland. By acting as a conduit for Ardesoif. the dissemination of knowledge and supporting better The club sought to provide “fair opportunities practices in these areas, the Society fostered enlightenment of correcting our taste, regulating and enriching our ideas and intellectual life in Ireland. judgment, brightening our wit, and enlarging our knowledge, and of being serviceable to others in the same Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs - A Historical Sketch 27

things”, by hosting speeches, reading, writing and debating. The surviving minute book indicates that Burke, who sat six times as President and twice as Censor, was never absent from the meetings and was the driving energy behind the club. It is not clear how long the club lasted, though the last record held is dated July 1747. Whether it survived or not, Burke’s efforts were mirrored in the establishment of The Historical Club six years later. Yelverton’s club was instituted on the 24th October, 1753 and also met outside College. Its stated aim was to cultivate historical knowledge, through a format including monthly debates developed from an early stage. Little else is known about the club’s activities and programme as no minute books survive. The last quarter of the eighteenth century was the golden age of Irish eloquence, and evident among the greatest orators of this period was important experience in Trinity student-led societies. Burke, Grattan, Flood, Yelverton and Hussey-Burgh all spent their formative years establishing and/or serving as committee members and were significant contributors to their clubs. The College Historical Society of 1770 emerged from the merging of Portrait of Edmund Burke by Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1767-9; Painting of both of these societies. It was the first truly independent Burke (foreground with wine coat) attending a meeting of ‘The Club’, College society and received no financial support from c. 1781, a literary group established by the artist Joshua Reynolds College though some Fellows and various Provosts were and Samuel Johnson in London in 1764. The painting by Reynolds supportive and sympathetic to the Society’s aims. In its includes both himself and Johnson and the biographer James Boswell, early form it resembled many other clubs that began to actor David Garrick, music historian Charles Burney, and the Irish writer spring up in other parts of the country in the last quarter Oliver Goldsmith among others. of the eighteenth century, with the main distinguishing factor that it was mainly comprised of students. of the United Irishmen, was elected Auditor in 1785 In the early 1770s, as Patriot politics bubbled and Thomas Addis Emmet was a member of the committee. beyond the walls, the Society developed in the College The Hist was briefly expelled from the College in community. Rooms were secured for meetings, debates 1794, but readmitted on the condition that “No question of and social activities, prizes were established to encourage modern politics shall be debated”. In 1797, the poet Thomas competitive contributions and the committee undertook Moore and the nationalist Robert Emmet were elected as charitable fundraising. Students, and particularly those in members. Eight members of the Society were expelled in the Hist, discussed and debated Irish politics and came out 1798 in the run-up to the Rebellion, and a motion was later strongly in favour of the Irish Patriot Movement, as did the carried condemning the rebellion, against their former controversial Provost of the period John Hely Hutchinson Auditor. Tension between the Society and the College (1774-1794). At its first Irish debate in January 1779, the continued in the early nineteenth century with the Auditor Society rejected the proposal of a Union between Great being called before the Provost in 1810. In 1812 the Provost, Britain and Ireland, which was eventually realised in the Thomas Elrington, objected vehemently to the motion aftermath of the 1798 Rebellion. “Was Brutus justifiable in putting Julius Caesar to death?” These patriotic and reforming tendencies After a number of members were removed at the request continued in the Society until the end of the of the College Board, the Society left the College in 1815. century. The Society supported the Volunteers and unanimously approved of the secession of America. Members of the 1780s and 1790s were involved in the establishment of the United Irishmen and the planned rebellion. Theobald Wolfe Tone, later leader, 28 Student Societies and Clubs

Review The difficult relations between the Hist and the College Board during these tumultuous political circumstances highlight the new element of student life that had been established within the College community. Although largely student-led and student-run, the close connections between the College and alumni through the Dublin Parliament, its near neighbour, resulted in a large number of alumni and politicians attended the debating society. This more diverse and powerful membership base and audience led to the Society exerting an influence in politics and an independence of spirit, unwelcomed by College. The shifting status quo and rising student voices and power during the period of strong patriot movements must have been disconcerting and alarming for the Board. The front entrance of Trinity College as viewed from Dame Street in The negative aspects, from Board’s perspective, of student the late 19th century. (NLI, LIMP 3498). extracurricular activities was now at their door and led to tighter control being exerted by Board over student societies which pushed them again to meeting outside 2.3 Nineteenth Century of College. Therefore the reaction of the Board to student society activity in the last quarter of the eighteenth century The nineteenth century saw some of the most significant led to the creation of an environment hostile to student political and cultural developments with lasting effects on societies. It was several decades into the nineteenth modern Ireland. The century began with the formation century until another student society was established, and of the legislative Union with Great Britain and ended associated with less controversial or volatile extracurricular with several attempts at passing a Home Rule bill and activities, but also reflected life in the city outside. the development of a Gaelic revival. The early years of

Theobald Wolfe Tone (1763- the century saw a progressive enlightenment on the 1798) by his daughter-in-law, part of the government: roads were built, census data Mrs. Sampson Tone. Tone accumulated, the country was surveyed and mapped, studied law in Trinity and was transport infrastructure was improved, and a Poor Law and elected Auditor of the College national system of education instituted. Historical Society in 1785. He The College and learned societies played their was one of the founders of the part in or were effected by these events and activities United Irishmen and one of the to varying degrees. In the early decades of the century leaders of the 1798 Rebellion. Trinity’s progress was slow and steady. The place of Catholics both within College and Irish life remained a tense and volatile issue in this period. The College Board was distinctly conservative, Tory and loyal to English rule Whiteley Stokes’ (1763-1845) in Ireland. Expansion and reform from the 1830s increased reply to Thomas Paine’s Age of the College’s size and the variety of disciplines taught Reason pamphlet of 1795 (OLS which in turn resulted in the increased development of HIST A.7.8 copy B, TCD Library). societies and clubs. Student sports clubs and societies Stokes, also a member of the established in the century were mostly directly related to United Irishmen and friend of academic disciplines or performance and leisure activities, Tone was a lecturer in Trinity in representing the more traditional types of university the years before the Rebellion. societies and the Victorian evolution of leisure pursuits. His political activities led him to be banned from tutoring students for three years. Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs - A Historical Sketch 29

Sports Clubs The course of the Victorian period saw a drive towards a more civilised and controlled society. In sport this manifested itself by a desire for rules and regulations, changing the emphasis from manly physical pursuits to moral and spiritual exercises with disciplinary value and a spirit of fair play. This evolution was largely driven by the Industrial Revolution, which saw the ordering of working life and leisure time. While Ireland did not experience the Cricket, Rowing, Rugby and Hurley sweeping urbanisation as seen in other parts of the British Cricket was one of the first sports to have written rules Isles, sporting life kept apace, and the impact of Victorian and regulations as early as 1744 in England. It was rule-making was felt. The sports played at school, and played in Trinity since at least the 1820s, though perhaps the rules that developed for their control in the school much earlier. “The Collegians’” as Trinity’s early cricketers environment, were carried on into university. In some sports were known, are recorded in a poem from that period, rules and regulations were established in the university as playing against a team from Ballinasloe. No other setting. Sport in the Victorian era also saw the development official reference is made to College cricket until a club of some of the great sports competitions, as well as lively is constituted c.1835 making it one of the oldest sports intervarsity competitions between university sports clubs. clubs in Trinity to be formally recognised on campus and By the start of the century it is likely from previous supported by the College. Throughout the century Trinity evidence that a variety of sports were played among was the centre of Dublin cricket and College Park hosted students on campus, though no official sports club had competitive matches with English county and university been established. While the sports being played were not teams from at least the last quarter of the century.27 officially recognised as clubs by College they received some In the same decade, students established a rowing support to facilitate the creation of playing areas (some sort club known as the Pembroke Rowing Club for the purposes of tennis court, playing fields, cricket, hurley). On the 19th of fundraising to erect a club house.28 The club was successful February 1842, the Board gave formal permission for the in its efforts to establish a club building at Ringsend and by preparation of part of College Park to be used as a cricket the end of the decade had an active membership of 87 ground. From this period the grounds functioned as an rowers including undergraduates, fellows and alumni. A important sporting centre in Dublin. Hurley was another rival rowing club was established in the early 1840s, though early sport played in Trinity though the Irish Hurley Union both amalgamated by 1847 and continued until the 1860s went out of existence following the formation of the GAA. when another club emerged in 1869 and the Dublin The Dublin University Hockey Club took its colours of green University Boat Club was founded. Both clubs amalgamated and black from the defunct Hurley Club. again for the final time in 1898 and secured premises The Pavilion (known as The Pav to this day) on and facilities on the Liffey near Islandbridge in Dublin. College Park opened in 1885, though a bar in the facilities In the second half of the century more student did not open until 1961. Despite these developments sports clubs were established and greatly extended some students were not wholly impressed with Trinity’s the range of activities available to the growing student sporting offerings. Writing about the period Charles Burton population. Rugby, tennis, hockey, associational football, Barrington complained that there were limited facilities athletics and golf established important extracurricular and activities among the student population: “no cycles, outlets for students on campus to socialise, meet students no golf, no hockey, no anything”, only card-playing, billiards outside their disciplines and to meet alumni. and “whiskey-drinking”. During his time in Trinity as Captain Sports clubs have generally included more alumni of the Rugby Club, Barrington, and fellow team member among their active membership than student societies. In Robert Martan Wall, drew up formal rules for how the game this period, where some records survive of club meetings was to be played and is often credited with introducing and activities, it is clear that the activities of sports clubs “the Rugger game into Ireland”,26 though his principal raised issues that related to wider debates of political and success was formalising a set of established rules. social significance in Irish life, religious tensions and the role of women in society.

30 Student Societies and Clubs

The playing of football in Trinity pre-dates any distinctions between Rugby, Association Football and later Gaelic Association codes. A poem by Edward Lysaght referring to the 1780s provides evidence of football being played in College Park, more than sixty years before the establishment of the Dublin University Football Club (Rugby) in 1854, though the club still holds the honour of being the oldest extant rugby club in the world. DUFC pioneered the handling game in Ireland. The Irish Times of 28 October 1867 records that in three matches against the military, the University team held its own but lost in the first two which were played by Etonian rules. However in Right: Members of the Dublin University Lawn Tennis Club, 1886. West, the third match in which the ‘Rugby’ game was played they The Bold Collegians. won an easy victory. By the 1870s the club was regularly playing away Tennis, Hockey, College Races and Golf matches against Irish and British teams with the first return In the 1860s racqet sports players in College managed to match between Trinity’s First Fifteen and the Dingle Club secure the approval of the Board for the construction of of Liverpool attracting a crowd of over three thousand to a “racquet court” in the north-east angle of College Park. College Park. Rugby flourished over the following decades The Board even granted £100 towards the costs of erecting and became one of the largest and most active student the building. However, at the end of the decade when the sports clubs in the College. Moves towards international court was complete, debts outstanding in relation to the competition followed quickly with Trinity men playing a project seem to have threatened to upset plans for the prominent role in the newly formed Irish Rugby Football construction of a gymnasium. The Lawn Tennis Club was Union in 1879. Since the first international against England founded in 1877 though there was no official racket club in 1875 Trinity’s club has provided over 150 players for the until the 1930s.30 Irish international team. The Dublin University Hockey Club was founded in Two years after the rules for the rugby club were the same year as the Irish Hockey Union (1893). The Dublin written the Dublin University Hurley Club also drew up its University Hockey Club earned a place in the record books rules. The game they regulated for seems to have been early as one of the first eight clubs to enter the inaugural more closely associated with the northern version of the Irish Senior Challenge Cup, establishing the oldest cup game camánacht, rather than the southern iomáin. As competition in the world. Involvement of alumni was a Michael Cusack (GAA founder) was establishing the short- strong element to the club from its early decades and led lived Dublin Hurling Club and the Metropolitian Hurling to the establishment of the annual Coulson Trophy match Club (1883), the latter of which he considered the direct between the Graduates and the Undergraduates. precursor of the GAA, the Dublin University Hurley Club Golf developed in Ireland following the presence was loosing members and lapsed, ending Trinity’s short of Scottish regiments in various areas. Their stationing in association with the sport for several years.29 the Phoenix Park led to the establishment of the Dublin Golf Club (later Royal Dublin) in 1885. The Dublin University Golf Club was founded within a decade and virtually all members of the DUGC were also members of the Royal Dublin where they would have played most often.31

The Dublin University Football Club, 1869-70, captained by Charles Barrington. West, The Bold Collegians. Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs - A Historical Sketch 31

Athletics in Trinity were originally served by the love cup, an inkstand, a picnic basket and a walking stick. rugby club (DUFC) when they organised the first athletic By the 1870s the festivities had, to College eyes, become sports meeting of the modern type in Ireland on 28th unregulated and overrun by members of College over- February 1857. A subsequent event a month later on 28th influenced by “some cheap claret, beer and stout”. There was March 1857 was given the tile of the “Dublin University Foot- a ‘riot’ after the College Races of 1878 leading to damage to Races” with a committee to organise future meetings. These College property and the assault of College porters which races became an important part of the annual Trinity sports led to the Races of the following year being cancelled. calendar from this point onwards under the chairmanship Further disruption in the same year - the bombardment of of some well-known Trinity figures who served on the the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland as he passed College with committee during their student days, including Issac flour bombs and fireworks - led to the cancellation of the Butt, James Digges La Touche, Charles Barrington, John Races in 1880 too. From 1881 the event was reduced to a Pentland Mahaffy and Abraham “Bram” Stoker. The success one-day programme and after this date the Races were no of the Races was indicated by the recollection of some of longer public property as a social event and became more the early problems encountered by the committee. The of an internal College event. great numbers of spectators who turned out for the events In February 1882 an Athletic Union was formally led to very considerable inconvenience for the spectators constituted to organise the Races, and to disburse surplus and athletes, as witnessed by the following: funds in grants to the sports clubs. This Union was the forerunner of the Dublin University Athletic Club (DUCAC), The impetuous desire to see every move induced numbers and it was managed by a committee that included staff (very considerable) to run with the runners, occasioning almost and students. It was elected a member of the IAAA (Irish interminable confusion, and rendering it perfectly impossible Amateur Athletics Association) on 12th May 1885. The IAAA for other spectators (especially those of the fair sex) to see the was established as a rival body to the GAA (Gaelic Athletic running…32 Association) which had been established the previous year. Athletics became official on the 14th December 1886 when the Dublin University Harriers was founded. In 1921, an amalgamation of the Dublin University Harriers and the Dublin University Athletic Club led to the formation of the Dublin University Harriers and Athletic Club. The establishment of the two national bodies (GAA and IAAA) saw the beginnings of a split in athletics along political lines. The first meeting of the GAA was attended by Trinity rugby international St George McCarthy but within a year the Association had resolved that any athlete who competed at meetings held under other laws would be ineligible to compete at GAA meetings, and was soon followed by a general “ban” on “foreign” games. Trinity’s previous activities in keeping a form of hurling Illustration of College Races, 20 June 1874, Illustrated London alive in the second half of the nineteenth century was Magazine. Note the Museum Building and the Long Room Library no longer recognised and the College’s support for other buildings visible in the background. games came to be viewed as another instance of disloyalty to the national cause. Right: Programme of the annual foot races and athletic sports: to be held on Thursday and Friday June 15 and 16th 1876 (Dublin: Dublin University Athletic Club, University Press, 1876).

Early race programmes were somewhat unorthodox in their approach to ‘athletics’ including the long-jump with trapeze, a Siamese race, a three mile walk and a cricket ball throw. The average attendance was 25,000 with seating for around 3,000. Among the prizes given were a gold pin, a 32 Student Societies and Clubs

Societies forum for guest speakers and discussion on the practice of medicine as it developed in Ireland. The Engineering and Theological Society and Widening Scope Law Schools were also established in the mid-nineteenth Alongside sports clubs in the nineteenth century student century but again there was a delay of several decades after societies were established, sometimes mirroring the the introduction of the disciplines for student societies interests of the growing student numbers while others to develop in these areas. The Engineering Society was reflect the establishment of new disciplines of study, established by students in 1893, though the Law Society particularly Divinity, Medicine and Engineering. These did not emerge for several decades after the academic student societies were often initiated by staff and usually department was established. included some committee-level staff input. The musical societies established in this period could also be viewed Historical and Philosophical Societies as departmental, though for the purposes of this narrative While the early departmental societies developed the they are considered performance societies. While reflecting Hist continued outside College. As more Catholics began the academic expansion of Trinity, it is worth noting that to attend Trinity in the early nineteenth-century, student in some cases the departments were well established societies began reflecting the broadening religious and (some for over one hundred years) before a student society social make-up of the College. During its exile period is recorded as being established. For example, the first (1815-43) many later prominent figures were students of recorded student Theological Society was established in the College and contributed to the Society’s lively and 1830 though Trinity had Professors of Divinity or Professors contemporary programme of debates, lectures and events. of Theological Controversies as they were known, since the Influential literary and nationalist figures such as Isaac Butt, early seventeenth century. A Professorship of Music was Joseph Sheridan LeFanu, Thomas Davis and John Blake established in at least the eighteenth-century though the Dillon were all members of the College Historical Society first student society for music did not appear until 1837 and held positions on its organising Council. with the foundation of the University of Dublin Choral The readmission of the Historical Society to Society. Though medical teaching had been given in the College in 1843 marked a high point for the Society with College since 1711, it is perhaps surprising that a student many of its members moving to high political positions. society in this area was not established until the end of the It was common for the Members of Parliament for the century as the Dublin University Biological Association in University to have served on the Committee of the Hist. 1874. Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, became Auditor in 1872. When the Theological Society was established In 1864 the Society collected money from its members in 1830 it was the only official College student society as to erect statues outside the College of Edmund Burke the Historical Society, established in 1770, was banned and Oliver Goldsmith. In 1883, Douglas Hyde, the father of from College from 1815 to 1843. Its original purpose was the Gaelic movement and future President of Ireland, was to provide a forum for the discussion of Christian Theology gold medallist of the Society in 1885, and silver medallist for students of the Trinity College School of Divinity. Since in Oratory and Gold medallist in Composition in 1886. The then, it has expanded to discuss various religious topics Society debated most of the burning issues of the second and appeals to the general student body, not only religion half of the nineteenth century, and also began to press for students. The Theo still has strong ties to what is now the fuller recognition of its own unique status in College. School of Religions and Theology and has a meeting-room A decade after the return of the Hist to and library in the Graduate’s Memorial Building (GMB) College the Dublin University Philosophical Society was called the Bram Stoker Room. established providing a second major public speaking The nineteenth century saw other long- society for Trinity students in 1853. It evolved from a established disciplines more formalised by College reimaging of the Dublin Philosophical Society in the 1840s legislation. The School of Medicine was established on a as a club for students too young to join other societies in firm basis in 1800 and from this date played an integral Dublin. Initially named the Undergraduate Philosophical part in the great age of Dublin medicine in the nineteenth Society, with the Provost of the College as its Senior Patron, century. The BioSoc (short for Biological Association) the name Dublin University Philosophical Society was provided a social and charitable outlet for medical adopted in 1860. Known as the Phil, the Society operated students and those in other medical sciences, as well as a as a paper-reading society and like the Hist, it became an Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs - A Historical Sketch 33

important centre for discussion and debate in College and in Ireland. Developments in science and technology were also topics of discussion; in the 1860s students witnessed a demonstration of a telephone by Stephen Yeates. Again as has been seen with the Hist, several students who held prominent positions on the Society’s committee went on to become important figures, for example John Pentland Mahaffy, a noted classicist and later Provost of the College; the poet Edward Dowden and the author Bram Stoker. For the remainder of the century both societies contributed to Irish political, social and cultural debate.

Choral Society and Chess Club Performance and hobby societies were also established in the nineteenth century with the most successful being the University of Dublin Choral Society (1837) which is the oldest large choir in Britain and Ireland. Choral music was popular in the city throughout the previous decades, perhaps most notably marked by the first performance of Handel’s Messiah in Dublin to great acclaim in 1741. Further detail on the development of the Choral Society will be provided in Chapter 3. The Trinity Chess Club was established in 1874 as an official student society but like many other activities chess was likely a common feature of student life on campus before this date. Competitive competitions were certainly happening in Dublin since the 1830s (McDonnell- Labourdonnis Matches; Dublin Masters) and Chess Clubs were established in Belfast and Dublin in the 1840s and 1860s, respectively. The club established by Trinity students mirrored the rising popularity of the game and predated the establishment of the Irish Chess Association which was formed in 1885. These societies might also be classed as leisure societies which flourished throughout the British Victorian Empire during this period.

Selection of Programmes of the University of Dublin Choral Society (Dublin : The University, 1885-1894). 34 Student Societies and Clubs

Review Contemporary religious issues are also evident in The Victorian concerns with control and order, and the some club and society records. These concerns boiled over, development of recognised leisure time and pursuits also and led to a spilt at a meeting of the Boat Club in 1867 associated with this period in British history significantly when a proposed member was rejected on the grounds affected the type of associational activity that emerged that he was a Roman Catholic. The letters of resignation in the nineteenth century, and Trinity’s student activities tendered at the time cited the lack of religious tolerance reflected these societal changes. As was noted in the and the dominance of alumni for their reasons.34 review of the eighteenth-century clubs and societies, it is Though musical and theatre events in the city again perhaps surprising that more clubs and societies did were open to men and women, the Choral Society’s records not emerge. highlight the considerable bars to women in College. At The formation of numerous official national this time women were only allowed to attend one concert sporting bodies in the latter half of the century was a a year in Trinity Term, the “Ladies Concert”, though they symptom of the Victorian desire for order prevalent at the could attend “in bonnet, not in evening dress”. This marks time. Positives were noted as a result of these bodies; the the beginning of a long battle with College to allow female Hockey Club recorded at the start of the 1905-6 season students to graduate and to gain recognition for women’s that the first practices were “not marred by nearly as many sports clubs which lasted well into the latter half of the casualties as usual”, an indication of the advantages of twentieth century.35 rules and regulations. The vogue for establishing national bodies for sports was also reflected in Trinity’s clubs. The 2.4 Twentieth Century to 1960 Dublin University Athletic Club transformed itself into the Athletic Union which allowed other sports clubs to Wider Context: Females Admitted, World War I and Free become members of ‘Athletic Club’. The establishment State Established of the Gaelic Athletics Association also falls within these By the beginning of the new century Trinity was well- associational activities in the late 1800s. No Trinity GAA established in a number of academic fields with an active club was established until the twentieth century. scientific and intellectual community of Fellows and Trinity’s student clubs and societies also reflected students who were involved in wider city life through sport, wider social, political and cultural issues in Irish society. music, theatre, associational and charity life. Changes and The elite backgrounds of students, the predominantly events both within and outside the walls had a profound Protestant student population and the lack of a female effect on campus life, student’s experience and Trinity’s student body were played out in their day-to-day meetings place within Dublin. Women were formally admitted to and activities. A quotation from the contemporary Field the College in 1904, and this move is evinced by a number Magazine testifies to the exclusive nature of student club of student extracurricular activities for female students. To and society life in the period. Commenting on the annual accommodate the new female population Trinity Hall was College Races, which were at the height of their social opened as a student residence in Dartry in 1908.36 importance: The outbreak of World War I had a devastating effect on student and staff numbers in Trinity as many Looked at from the social point of view, the Dublin University went to fight on the continent (869 students terminated or Sports have always been par excellence the outdoor gathering of interrupted their studies) to enlist and many did not survive. the season, in Ireland. For them, the highest toilettes have been Sheep grazed on the sports pitches and part of the College reserved; to them has come the aristocracy not only of Dublin, Park was dug up and planted with potatoes. British troops but the whole of the Emerald Isle. The multitude of spectators were quartered on the College grounds during the Easter has been a thing to be seen to be believed.33 Rising of 1916, and snipers were placed on College rooftops during the week. Student numbers were dramatically affected by these events; in 1914 student numbers stood at 1,250, by 1918 only 700. The decline in student numbers was reflected in Trinity’s dire financial straits from 1918- 1923, which before 1914 had never received state aid on any substantial scale. In fact no new student societies or sports clubs were established until after Independence.37 Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs - A Historical Sketch 35

In 1922 the Dublin University Women Graduates’ Association was established reflecting the increasing numbers of female students (peaked during 1914-18 while many male students fought in WWI) and the awarding of Dublin degrees to women from the Oxbridge Colleges.38 Under the Free State government Trinity’s earlier expressed fears about Home Rule under a hostile Dublin government proved largely unfounded, though scant funding was forthcoming and the College adopted a policy of keeping a very low-profile in newly independent Ireland. Writing in a student magazine of the time, Trinity student, auditor of The Hist and later Supreme Court Judge, Theodore Conyngham Kingsmill-Moore perhaps captured the hopeful sentiment about Trinity’s potential Opening screen for film-reel of hurling match between Dublin place in the Irish Free-State writing “Whatever the party University Hurling Club and UCD played in 1923. in power, we believe that they will regard our College as one of Ireland’s greatest possessions.”35 While not treated Sports Clubs with hostility by the Free State, Trinity was largely allowed In the same year that women were admitted to College, to go about its business, with little or no evidence of direct another new type of education practice was embraced communications between Trinity and the Irish government which contributed to sporting activity among students. between 1923 and 1946. From 1947 the relationship An ‘Army School’ was established in 1904 in response to improved and College began to receive limited state grants communications made by the War Office in 1901 about and financial support which fostered stable and continual the suitability of a course designed to fit students to be growth in numbers, faculty and facilities. commissioned in the Army. The Provost, in his response Funding and support from central College for to the proposal, highlighted Trinity’s sports activities as extracurricular activities greatly increased by the end of part of the “necessary” requirements for the education this period, and student sports clubs and societies became and entertainment of student officers, “cricket and more numerous and visible on campus with many societies football and all that sort of thing ... we could train them occupying rooms in Front Square at the heart of the not only in military riding but to follow the hounds.” 40 The campus. The funding models established encouraged the Officers Training Corps, established some years later, also growth of new societies stretching beyond the academic contributed many players to College sports. and traditional sporting interests of previous periods. Ladies Hockey Club The first official sports club of the new century was the Dublin University Ladies Hockey Club founded within a year of women being admitted to Trinity in 1905. The Club’s first meeting records their earliest development:

Dublin University Ladies Hockey Club, with the kind consent of the Trinity College Hockey Club their colours have been adopted. A ground has been taken from Lord Pembroke and though the club has not joined the Leinster league this year members hope to take a prominent position in the hockey world next season.41

With the establishment of Ladies Hockey female students Replica cup presented to a member of the Dublin University Officers sought admission of other clubs and societies, though in Training Corps for the part he played in the protection of the College some cases this was not granted for a number of decades. and the surrounding area during the Easter Rising of 1916. (TCD MS Object/DUOTC Cup, TCD Library). 36 Student Societies and Clubs

Formation of DUCAC and Knights of the Campanile While the sports established in the nineteenth Following the conclusion of World War I, sports clubs century continued on campus during the early 1900s, which had been largely disbanded during the war once between 1905 and 1926 it appears that no other official more began to play a part in college life. As regards their sports clubs were established. In 1926 the Knights of reorganisation, an obvious need arose for some degree the Campanile were founded as a fraternal sporting of coordination between the growing number of clubs organisation in Trinity. Mirroring the Hawks’ Club in and sports played in College and to this end an informal Cambridge and the Vincents’ Club in Oxford, the Knights’ committee was called together in December 1918 by Mr. primary objective was the entertaining of visiting teams, Thomas Sidney Dagg and Mr. James Ignatius Kelly. Upon particularly those from Oxford and Cambridge and their proposals, the Board agreed on the 3rd February 1919 supporting the pursuit of sporting excellence in Trinity. to the formation of a central committee to reconstitute the The close relationship between Trinity and the Oxbridge athletic clubs, to take charge of the pavilion, and to report universities at the time was reflected in the Knights’ colours; to the Board. which are dark blue (representing Oxford), light blue This committee, the Dublin University Central (representing Cambridge) and pink (representing Dublin). Athletic Committee (DUCAC), has since then played The criteria for becoming a Knight are somewhat esoteric, an important role in the development of sport in though excellences in sporting pursuits have remained College and established a successful model for the paramount. In 1957 the Knights of the Campanile were support, encouragement and management of student granted a permanent physical base in College in Botany extracurricular activities.42 The committee made an Bay to facilitate their hosting of national and international immediate grant of £100 to reconstitute College Park as teams. Although these accommodations were later taken a sports field again after its alternative uses during the back by College, the Knights continued their activities war and it drafted a constitution providing for its own whilst also encouraging integration between university enlargement. Several senior staff members have been very sportsmen, as their members represent athletes from influential as Chair of DUCAC including John Victor Luce, many different sports and as such have a unique platform the renowned Classicist, Trinity alumnus, Erasmus Smith from which to promote integration across the College.44 Professor of Oratory in Trinity and later vice-Provost who was responsible for many improvements in College sports facilities. As a student he was active in the College hockey, squash and cricket clubs and a Knight of the Campanile.43 ‘The Knights of the Campanile’, Trinity News, 22 May 1958. Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs - A Historical Sketch 37

Formation of New Sports Clubs Other clubs established later in the period represented many sports that were long active on campus among students but not officially formalised through DUCAC; the Dublin University Sailing Association (1931), the Squash Club (1938) and the Fencing Club in the early 1940s. The Gaelic Football Club was affiliated to DUCAC in 1954. It took part in its first competition in 1951 as “The Collegians” defeating the College of Science in the P.J. Duke final at Croke Park. Hurley or hurling had a sporadic existence in

College in the early decades of the twentieth century. The Members of the Dublin University Cricket Club who played in a match Trinity team lost a Colours match to UCD in College Park in against the touring Australian cricket team at College Park in 1905. 1923, a film of which survives. The development of Gaelic games on campus was limited by the GAA ban on foreign games and the ban on Catholics attending Trinity by church authorities until the early 1970s. Science students in College were the main instigators of the club in the 1940s with membership mostly drawn from the Irish society, An Cumann Gaelach, and the Laurentian Society, a Catholic student group on campus. Their efforts were not initially supported by DUCAC, the governing body for student sports clubs, as they disagreed with the GAA practice of holding games on Sundays. DUCAC’s position was similar to that of the Irish Amateur Athletic Union (IAAU), the older Irish sporting body associated with the British amateur Members of the Dublin University Climbing Club during a club trip to athletics organisation. Snowdonia in Wales in 1965. In 1958 the Climbing Club was established with about thirty members of College, most of whom were already members of the Irish Mountaineering Club. The club became known on campus for its roof-climbing and ‘buildering’ antics, producing a guide book for College buildings. Notes were provided on achievable routes with the intrepid building climbers’ initials included!

GMB South Face Traverse, 120 feet, Diff - Exposed but easy. Out Billiard Room window along either way, awkward steps around corners but simplified by drainpipe. In a friend’s window. D.W. P.D.P. 45

The crowning glory of the buildering craze was the ascent of the Campanile during Trinity Week in 1961, using the cross at the top of the tower as a hat stand for the College colours. The top hat remained in situ until the The only all-female crew of Trinity students to participate in the Trinity following Tuesday (15th May) when it was recovered by Regatta, June 1963. Trinity News, 6 June 1963. steeplejacks who ascended inside the tower, cost £12-10- 0, though members of the Society had offered to retrieve the offending headpiece, but were refused permission by Board. 38 Student Societies and Clubs

Societies Gaelic Revival The development of the Gaelic Revival in folklore, sports, Many New Societies music, arts, theatre and culture had not passed Trinity by as The period 1900 to 1960, as in the previous decades, saw some of its key protagonists were students in the previous departmental or discipline-oriented student societies century. Renewed interest in ancient and Irish languages established, usually supported by staff at their inception. led to the development of the Dublin University Classical Their membership was usually dominated by students Society and An Cumann Gaelach, the Irish language from that discipline, with minimal alumni involvement and society. Classics had been on the student curriculum and with an important social element to their activities. Career- taught by distinguished academics of the discipline since focused activities also developed in some of these societies the eighteenth century, and though Irish had figured to enable student to engage with professionals working in in Trinity previously, it was only formally established as a their field for training, competition, experience/internship, subject in 1907 with the establishment of a Moderatorship career opportunities. Some departmental societies had in Celtic Languages. An Cumann Gaelach brought a new their disciplines well-established in College (Mathematics, aspect to Trinity campus life giving voice to the growing Classics, Modern Languages, History, Law, Philosophy) minority of Gaelic language and sport enthusiasts in Trinity, while others developed alongside new departments as well as nationalist sentiments and Irish politics. During (Irish and Business, Economics and Social Sciences). The the labour dispute in Dublin in November 1913, a meeting Elizabethan Society, like Ladies’ Hockey (recorded above) of An Cumann Gaelach greatly concerned Provost Anthony was another marker of Trinity’s new female presence very Traill when students were urged to strike in support of early in the period. the workers by the eccentric Home Ruler Captain Jack Performance and creative arts were more widely White. However the Provost’s expressed ban on students accommodated on campus by and for students with the attending a meeting in the city’s Ancient Concert Rooms establishment of a student drama society, Players, and the led to a large number entering the meeting in procession beginning of the Arts Society at the end of the period. Both in defiance of the ban though more to mock the Provost’s of these societies extended the reach of College activities authority than to support the meeting’s cause.46 into the city as both developed into important focal points The activities of An Cumann Gaelach caused in their fields for performance and arts in the city. Other trouble once again when John Pentland Mahaffy held the societies in this period which catered to student hobbies Provostship and they invited Patrick Pearse to speak at its and interests include the now defunct Gramophone inaugural meeting of 1914. Pearse was not yet the political Society and the still popular Photography Society. and revolutionary force he was later to become, though During this period student clubs and societies he had strongly campaigned against British recruitment for were physically involved in the campus as the majority had World War I and was known as an influential educator and rooms (for meetings, events and socialising) at the heart Gaelic Leaguer.47 of the College in Front Square, the GMB or Botany Bay. When in 1957 the College societies’ levy was introduced, out of which societies were supported on condition that their membership subscription was no greater than five shillings, an era of expansion for the societies began, and membership climbed steadily.

Right: Douglas Hyde and Eoin MacNeill, c. 1928.

Opposite Page: Title Page for An Address Delivered at the Inaugural Meeting of the Trinity College Classical Society on the early history of Classical learning in Ireland, published in 1908. Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs - A Historical Sketch 39

competitions for students, though the society later also developed a wide social profile to its activities programme. In 1932 the first meeting of the History Society took place in the GMB for students interested in the study of history and historical discussion and debate. Though open to all students the membership tended to remain within the discipline and remained a small specialist society, with close departmental links until its more recent history. The Dublin University Business and Economics Society (DUBES) established in the early 1930s came almost a century after the Professorship of Political Economy was founded in 1832. At this time the subject was viewed with much scepticism and even ridicule by some Fellows, a situation greatly improved by the tenure of Isaac Butt in the subject from 1836 before his involvement as the leader Department/Discipline-Based Societies of the Home Rule Party in the 1870s. The establishment of The Mathematical Society, known as MathSoc, was founded the well-respected Dublin Statistical Society in 1847, later in 1923. Among its founding members was maths student (1865) the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland, and later Ireland’s only Nobel Physics Laureate Ernest also strengthened the profile and academic standing of Walton. The society is strongly connected to the School the teaching of economics in Trinity. of Mathematics where it has rooms for members to meet and socialise and also contains the MathSoc library. The Debating Societies and the ‘Elizabethan’ following year the Modern Languages Society (ModLang) From 1900 Trinity’s two debating societies remained was established, over fifty years after modern languages influential on campus life, extending their physical were firmly established in the curriculum around 1870. presence by securing rooms in the new Graduates’ Before this date the study of modern languages has been Memorial Building in Front Square intended to provide described as ‘extracurricular activity’ for students who ‘Union’ facilities for students. In the last decades of the were so inclined out of interest or gentlemanly pursuits. previous century both Societies debated and addressed The society’s activities invite students to participate in some of the most contested issues of the day and fought language-oriented and foreign culture events including for further recognition of their status on campus. The Hist language classes, guest speakers, conversation circles, film successfully lobbied Board for accommodations in the new screenings and social events. The establishment of the GMB with a petition signed by thirty-eight distinguished Metaphysical Society (Metafizz) in 1929 was strongly led by former members, including archbishops, judges and Professor Arthur Aston Luce who began a strong tradition members of parliament. The new rooms increased student of cooperation and support between the Philosophy participation in the activities of both societies and a Department and the society. Metafizz provided a forum relaxing of Board’s control over topics of discussion led to for students to read papers to the society and to discuss more controversial issues being debated and discussed their thoughts with their peers as well as debates, question at weekly meetings of both Societies by some of the key times and prominent guest speakers. figures in Irish intellectual and cultural life of the period. The student societies formed around the In 1905 and 1906 the Hist debated and carried the departments in the 1930s again saw the formalisation motion “That the Gaelic League is deserving of the support of student societies in discipline areas, Law, History and of every Irishman” (carried in 1905 and 1906). Members Economics, over a century after the subjects were offered included Oliver St. John Gogarty and T.S.C. Dagg, who for undergraduate study. Both provided student members wrote the authoritative history of the Society until 1920. In with practical experience relevant to their fields and in his Inaugural address as Auditor, Dagg urged the authorities later years offered important social activities to students. to consult with the students and said that “despite the fact The Law Society (1934) offered activities to members that these (students) may not be in a position to regard with a legal aspect, though not all students were reading College life through the lengthy telescope of half a century, law. Early focus was on professional experience and their opinion on the subject might be of some value.” In 40 Student Societies and Clubs

1909 the Society contributed £5 to the cost of erecting the excellence in oratory and composition. During the late Wolfe Tone Memorial. 1920s to early 1930s, the society briefly branched out with The next decade was overshadowed by the 1914- the foundation of the Elizabethan Literary and Debating 18 War, in which over 700 of the Hist’s members and past Society, and the Elizabethan Drama Society, though members fought, 136 were killed. The conflicts of post- they reverted to the original society within ten years.50 Independence Ireland are reflected in the society’s history; there was great controversy in 1930 when the auditor of the society, Eoin O’Mahony (‘Pope’) was impeached for toasting Ireland rather than the king on the occasion of his inaugural speech. Committee member of this session, Owen Sheehy-Skeffington, son of nationalist Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, supported O’Mahony as he faced impeachments lasting several months for his perceived transgression. Douglas Hyde was elected President of the Society in 1931 and the later thirties saw historians R.B. McDowell, James Auchmuty and Conor Cruise O’Brien pass through the Society, which was at this period, according to Dr Cruise O’Brien, “an institution of almost preternatural decorum - at least during public business... However Members of the female-only University Elizabethan Society, c. 1906. distasteful their opinions, or - much worse - however boring their style, speakers were heard patiently, with at Associational, Cultural and Performance/Arts Societies least apparent respect.”48 Specifically religious societies were established in the In the early decades of the twentieth century the decades following independence before the establishment Phil also continued as much as possible during the war of the CSC – the Laurentian Society for Catholic students years, and the post-war influx of mature ex-servicemen and the Christian Union in 1955. Both societies played added to its decorum and stability. There tended to be as an active role on campus in providing spiritual activities much emphasis on the ‘club’ aspect of the Society as on for students as well as an array of social and informal its debating. An interesting feature of the late forties and gatherings. Members of the Laurentian Society were fifties was the participation of a large number of African closely connected with Gaelic sports, the Irish language students, and the election of an African President. In the society and later the St. Vincent de Paul society. early 1940s, Egbert Udo Udoma, Ugandan independence Performance and other hobby or lifestyle societies hero and later Lord Chief Justice in Uganda, served as the were established in the first half of the twentieth century, Society’s President.49 though in smaller numbers than might perhaps be A new debating society, the Elizabethan Society, expected, particularly given the lively cultural, theatre and was established in 1905 following the admittance of music life of the city in the very early years of the century. women into Trinity College and was intended to “act as a However the two societies established in this area have social and literary centre for women students”. The women been very influential in their fields both in terms of student of the society would come together every Wednesday activity on campus and also student interaction with the during Michaelmas and Hilary term to partake in debates. city. Both also witnessed the prominent role of women Women’s participation in campus life was restricted by among their chairs and committee members. careful monitoring and rules which remained in place for Dublin University Players was established in 1933. several decades, necessitating them to wear full cap and Irish actress and broadcaster Rachel (Dobbin) Burrows was gown in Front Square and to be outside campus by 6pm. one of the founding members of the society and was later Although gradually relaxed, women remained barred from involved with the establishment of the Cork’s Everyman joining many of the most established societies (such as the Theatre. The Dublin University Arts Society, known as the debating societies) until the 1960s. Trinity Arts Society, and functioning today as the Trinity By 1924, the Elizabethan Society had begun Arts Workshop, was founded at the very end of this period the practice of annually awarding medals and prizes for in 1960. With rooms in rather cramped conditions in Botany Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs - A Historical Sketch 41

Bay until the end of the 1960s, its activities for students and campus were more influential in later decades. The two identified hobby societies of the period are the now defunct Gramophone Society (which may not have been a formal society) and the Photographic Association established in 1948. Photography had a strong associational history in Ireland since the establishment of the Dublin Photographic Society in 1854 which grew from a nucleus of photographic enthusiasts since the technology developed. Trinity’s club provided members with equipment, exhibition opportunities, classes and excursions.

Review This period of sixty years from 1900 to 1960 witnessed huge change in European and Irish society including two world wars, the establishment of the Free State, Civil War Trinity College Chapel, 1911. From the late 19th century Chapel began and massive social, political and religious transformations. to be used for performances by students in the Choral Society, though Within Trinity one of the most notable changes were the the first such event caused controversy as the tickets announced admission of women who by 1960 made up at least a a ‘Concert’ rather than a ‘Service’ which was deemed at the time quarter of the student population and the appointment of inappropriate. TCD MUN 167/1, TCD Library. female professors. Student activities were quite unsteady throughout the early decades due to the large numbers of student who fought in both World Wars, and the disruptions of Irish political violence. The sports clubs were most affected by these conditions but recovered quickly in each case and the period saw many more sports played by students being formally recognised by College through the Dublin University Central Athletic Committee (DUCAC) which provided them with a formal funding structure and support from College. These developments would assist the further strengthening of student societies in the following decades. Some older societies with a short lifespan have slipped from living memory and only survive in brief references in the area including the Gramophone Society noted in the 1960s and earlier, and the Dublin University Service Club referenced in the 1930s as an organisation related to the Civil Service Union. The Motor Car Society is also referenced in this period with little evidence of its activities.51 Notice for ‘College Orchestra’ in Trinity News, 28 October 1953. The Dublin University Orchestral Society officially dates its beginnings to 1990, but clearly there was a student orchestra operating at various times in the previous decades. 42 Student Societies and Clubs

2.5 More Recent Decades employ academics from more diverse backgrounds. Until the nineteen-thirties, the great majority of the holders of Rapid Growth of Student Body/Other Key Changes academic posts in Trinity College were doubly indigenous, The most recent period of Trinity’s history has seen being Irishmen and Dublin University graduates. But since significant changes in both to Irish society and Trinity’s 1945 many of those appointed to the staff have come from staff and student body. In the 1960s, Ireland underwent other universities. major economic change and reform, and Ireland joined The role of women increased in the Irish the European Economic Community (EU) in 1973. workplace throughout this period and was reflected in Economic difficulties in the 1980s were followed by a fast- Trinity’s staff and student population also. The first female paced economic boom in the 1990s, with development professor was appointed in 1934 and in 1968 women boosted by significant European investment and the were elected to Fellowship. From 1972 men and women establishment of multi-national corporations in Ireland. students have resided in both the College and at Trinity Free second-level education was introduced by Donogh Hall. Student numbers in general increased sharply during O’Malley as Minister for Education in 1968 which saw the 1980s and 1990s, with total enrolment more than major increases in numbers of students completing the doubling, leading to pressure on resources. In recent years Leaving Certificate. The abolition of third-level fees in 1995 student numbers have risen well above what had come to by Minister for Education Niamh Breannach in a Fine Gael- be considered the norm. In 1998-9 they stood at 13,700 Labour government is also linked with increased numbers compared with 1,500 in 1939. The increase in numbers of students in undergraduate education in Ireland. has brought greater diversity, with students coming from Trinity’s funding throughout this period was as many as 70 countries and often spread over all six increasingly coming from State sources with the College continents. Demand for places from Irish applicants has securing an annual grant from government in 1947. progressively reduced the vacancies available to non-Irish The grant now represents approximately 53 per cent of students. In 1998-9 the undergraduate intake was about 90 total recurrent income (excluding research grants and per cent Irish: the proportion of non-Irish students to be contracts). From the 1960s Trinity’s Faculties and Schools admitted in the future will not, it is hoped, fall below 10 per were restructured several times. Between 1900 and 1999 cent of the total annual admissions. ninety-four new chairs were created. In 1962 the School of With increased student numbers came the Commerce and the School of Social Studies amalgamated development of College structures to include more student to form the School of Business and Social Studies. In input. Joint student-staff advisory committees in many 1969 several schools and departments were grouped areas of student activities were established covering most into Faculties as follows: Arts (Humanities and Letters); aspects of College life. Funding mechanisms were also Business, Economic and Social Studies; Engineering and established to finance and support student activities and Systems Sciences; Health Sciences (since October 1977 all Trinity’s system has led to these services being relatively undergraduate teaching in dental science in the Dublin well funded in comparison with other Irish universities. area has been located in Trinity College). The School of The establishment of Trinity’s Students’ Union gave an Pharmacy was established in 1977 and around the same important voice to students both within College and in time, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine was transferred national debates. The Students’ Union and the Graduate to University College, Dublin. From 1975 to 1998, the Students’ Union also aligned Trinity students with growing Colleges of Technology that now form the Dublin Institute student representative bodies in other Irish universities and of Technology had their degrees conferred by the University third level colleges, though the Trinity body has not always of Dublin.52 been officially linked to the National Union of Students of In 1970 the Roman Catholic Church, through the Ireland. then Archbishop of Dublin John Charles McQuaid, lifted its policy of disapproval or even excommunication for Roman Catholics who enrolled without special dispensation. At the same time, the Trinity authorities allowed a Roman Catholic chaplain to be based in the College. There are now two such Catholic chaplains. Alongside more diverse religious backgrounds on campus, Trinity also began to Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs - A Historical Sketch 43

Sports Clubs There are several graduate sport clubs that exist Student sporting activity in Trinity greatly increased in the separate from DUCAC including the Museum Players most recent period. Traditional and long established sports (cricket), the Lady Elizabeth Boat Club (rowing) and the clubs, including rowing, rugby, association football, cricket, Mary Lyons Memorial Mallets (croquet). athletics and Gaelic sports continued their long history, Other clubs that could be classed as sports clubs while new sports developed reflecting growing student exist though under the aegis of the Central Societies numbers from diverse backgrounds with a wide variety of Committee rather than DUCAC for various reasons. For sporting interests. The Dublin University Central Athletic example, the Horse Riding Society and the Paintball and Committee (DUCAC) remained the central governing Speedball Society are both under the CSC while the and financing body for College sports clubs and granted Ultimate Frisbee Society, the Surf and Boarding Club and ‘recognition’ to the most new sports clubs in its history in the Trampoline Club are under DUCAC. this period. DUCAC was also successful in developing and Other clubs dealing with various martial arts updating with College the sports facilities available for forms such as Aikido, Tae Kwan Do, Karate and Judo have student sporting activities, whether for the sports clubs or emerged under the remit of DUCAC in recent decades. for leisure use by students and staff. Sports with no direct facilities on campus have also As the traditional clubs continued to increase become popular among students who use local facilities, their membership and intervarsity activities, new clubs and bring members on regular training and activity trips. established between the 1960s and 1980s reflected These include the Equestrian Club, Sailing Club and the the diversity of student sporting activity on campus. Windsurfing Club. The newest club in the University is The Orienteering Club was established in 1975 and has the American Football team, who were accepted into remained a very active sports club since this period with the Irish American Football League (IAFL) in 2007. Officially a successful history in competitive events. In this period known as Dublin University American Football Club, the most successful club in terms of intervarsity victories they have previously competed under the name “Trinity was the Fencing Club with over thirty-two titles in recent Thunderbolts”, but now compete as Trinity College. decades. The construction of the Luce Sports Centre, a The most recent sports facility opened on cuboid structure named in honour of Arthur Aston and campus is the Trinity College Sports Centre, a €30 million John Victor Luce, father and son and both senior fellows building completed in 2007 consisting of 6,500 sq.m. and sportsmen, greatly increased the opportunities for of modern purpose-built recreational space housing a new sports clubs in need of facilities to begin on campus 25-metre swimming pool with floating floor for adjustable from the 1980s. The Table Tennis Club is an example of the depth, adjacent sauna and steam room, a modern fitness new types of clubs that were established in this period and theatre, Keiser air resistance training room, large ancillary was involved from its earliest years in competitions and hall, dry and wet changing rooms, fitness classes studio, events with a wide variety of other university clubs and studio cycling balcony area, main sports hall which divides local and community clubs across the city and the country. into two halls, meeting room and Sports Department and Women’s sporting clubs and competitions also DUCAC offices. The building is distinguished by a climbing developed apace in this period. Ladies Boat Club was wall which runs for almost the entire height of the building established in 1976 and the Ladies’ Football Club (rugby) on its Westland Row elevation and can be seen from the was established in 1996. The former was developed after street through a full-height glass façade. Membership is much debate with the men’s Boat Club with concern open to students, staff and graduates of Trinity College and among the men’s club that a female club would drain the public. The completion of this Centre was part of one resources. With the support of DUCAC both clubs were of the largest redevelopments on campus in recent years financially supported independently, though the ladies which included the Naughton Institute, the country’s first were invited to share the facilities of the Trinity Boat Club purpose-built nanoscience research institute, the Science House in Islandbridge. The Camogie Club and the Ladies Gallery and the new Pearse Street pedestrian entrance. Gaelic Football clubs are two of the most recent all-female sports clubs established and reflect the rising popularity of Gaelic Games in Trinity. 44 Student Societies and Clubs

Societies This period saw many arts and cultural societies The trends for student society activity seen in the first half established with several new music societies, particularly of the century largely continued at great pace in the most the Music Society which has tended to be associated with recent decades of Trinity’s history. Almost twenty new the School of Music. The Arts Society which was successful departmental societies were established, some for older in offering practitioner training and hobby activities to disciplines but many reflecting the increasing diversity of students in life drawing, sculpture, pottery and many other teaching on campus with new departments and chairs and crafts became the Trinity Arts Workshop after a number of greater teaching focus on formally marginalised teaching years. The Visual Arts Society also closely connected to the areas. In the most recent decades student societies have Department of History of Art was very active from its early become more involved in campus life even though in years and became an important source for engaging the some cases in the last two decades their campus rooms student body with the College’s art collection which has have been moved towards the periphery of campus to been developed since the earliest decades of the College’s make way for administrative offices in Front Square and foundation (see Chapter 3 for more details on these student living quarters in Botany Bay. societies). The Students’ Union and the Graduate Students’ Several societies which were established in this Union as well as the offices of governing bodies such as period have changed quite considerably in character the Central Societies Committee and the Publications today from their original aims, particularly in the area of Committee have remained in the heart of campus. As the technology and entertainment to keep apace with the number of departments and research centres has grown significant changes in these areas since the 1990s. The significantly, departmental societies have also increased, Central Societies Committee has been open in recognising and many have become important social elements all variety of student societies including some that of the disciplines. In the latter decades of this period might be considered more ‘sports’ societies. Political and departmental societies in this period have also begun charitable societies are the most obvious new category in to draw membership from beyond their disciplinary this period, as well as societies representing new groups backgrounds. The old debating societies have remained on campus such as the Mature Students’ Society or the among the largest and most active societies on campus Muslim Students’ Association. In most recent years the with increasingly high-profile guests and events of national CSC have developed an ‘associate society’ status which importance such as schools debating competitions. has some limited provisions compared to fully recognised societies. Societies in this category might be called cultural appreciation societies. Student societies became increasingly professionally run in this period with committee positions well defined and constitutions a requirement for ‘official’ recognition and access to funding.

Departmental Societies The list of new departments from the late 1950s until the 1990s is very extensive. The first departmental societies of the period include the Geographical Society and the Joly Geological Society both established in 1960. Both societies provided learning and social avenues for students of their disciplines and some students outside their department

Information booth for the Central Societies Committee during including talks on traditional and contemporary issues Freshers’ Week. in human and physical geography and the nature of the Earth’s formation including field trips to various sites of interest around Ireland and further afield. The decade’s only other departmental society was the Psychological Society founded in 1964 shortly after the department was established as a teaching field in College. The Society aims Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs - A Historical Sketch 45

to promote the discipline in College and to highlight the membership climbed steadily so that they both became subject’s importance and relevance to everyday life in the ‘large’ societies. The sixties was a decade of success in all College community through events and lectures as well as fields for both the Hist and the Phil. In competitive debates social events for members which are open to all staff and the Hist had a record unequalled in the British Isles; the students. attendance at debates and private business increased, and Four new departmental societies were closed-circuit television was needed to relay Inaugurals established in the 1970s, all in the science of College, again to an audience that overflowed from the venues; more highlighting the development of teaching fields in these services were provided for members; and there was a areas. The Zoological Society founded in 1975 offers, like constant stream of distinguished guests to address the other societies in this field, events, talks and trips promoting Society. interest in zoology on campus and also holds a subject Both societies admitted women in the late 1960s. library available for members. Other important societies in The Phil also incorporated the Elizabethan Society (est. established in the period include the Microbiology Society 1905) in 1982. The admission of women to both societies (1976), the Physical Society (1977) and the Biochemical was the culmination of many years of agitation. The first Society (1978). This trend in scientific developments in woman to address the Hist was Rosaleen Mills who College continued into the 1980s with the establishment proposed the motion ‘That this House revers the memory of the Computer Science Society and the Pharmaceutical of Mrs. Pankhust (English political activist and leader of the Society in 1980 and the Genetical Society in 1983. In the British suffragette movement)’ to an overflowing chamber arts, humanities and social science fields the only student with a strong media presence. The Hist’s bicentenary society established in the early decades of this period was followed in the next year which saw Senator Edward the Politics Society (1985) founded by students in the Kennedy address the Society and an exhibition entitled Art Business, Economics and Social Sciences faculty though and Oratory was held in collaboration with the National drawing a wide membership from the student body Gallery of Ireland. through talks and lectures by prominent political figures as In the 1990s both societies began to attract well as more academic events. over 1,000 members annually reflecting the increasing The 1990s saw a large number of student societies numbers of students in College. There was also an established, though for the first time in most of the College’s expansion into competitive debating among other history there were not many new departmental societies, universities. The Hist holds an unequalled record in the likely explained by the fact that most departments Irish Times debating competition with many team and already had student groups in their area by this time. The individual victories and the Phil has been represented very Management Science Society was established in 1991, well in this completion also. Both societies run internal reflecting a new aspect to teaching and the Archaeological debating competitions and run and compete in external Society was established in 1999 despite the fact that competitions including intervarsity debating competitions archaeology was no longer a specific degree subject and in collaboration both host a secondary schools’ public offered in Trinity, having been offered by UCD by this time. speaking competition. The Hist hosted the Annual World The most recent student societies established include the Debating Championships in 1992 as part of the Society’s Early Irish Society (2005), the Neuroscience Society (2009) contribution to the Quatercentenary of the College. This and the Botanical Society (2010). The latter is perhaps the also left the Society with a large debt that took several most surprising given the age and distinguished reputation years to clear. The Society’s rooms are maintained in the of Trinity’s Botany department, having recently celebrated Graduates’ Memorial Building (GMB) though College its 300th anniversary. tried to reappoint the rooms at one point. A fire in the early 2000s in the roof led to significant refurbishment in Debating Societies the upper floors and the installation of computer rooms The traditional debating societies, the Hist and the Phil, and pool tables in association with the Students’ Union. continued to develop throughout this period. When in 1957 The Society’s committee rooms, conversations rooms the “Capitation Fee” was introduced, out of which societies and the debating chamber have remained the centre of were supported on condition that their membership the Society’s activities and the conversation rooms and subscription was no greater than five shillings, an era of chamber are available for use by other societies and for expansion for the debating societies is evident and their other events on campus. 46 Student Societies and Clubs

Both of the debating societies have continued to Cultural/Language, Lifestyle, Political and Charitable make a large contribution to Irish society and a glance at Societies their Annual Reports reveal an array of topics addressing The cultural/language societies established in previous issues of importance and relevance in Irish society and decades continued throughout recent decades, with global concern. The members discussed diverse themes new societies established such as the Muslim Students’ such as Northern Ireland, the role of Church and State Association established in 1999 to contribute to cultural and the major social issues of divorce, contraception and activity on campus. A newer trend of group association abortion. Members and committee members of both developed in this period again reflecting the diversity of societies in this period have also gone on to become the student body including the Mature Students’ Society prominent figures. Mary Harney was elected the first female established in 1982, the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Society Auditor of the Hist and went on to become leader of the (later the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Society, Progressive Democrats and Tánaiste. Other committee LBGT) founded in 1984 and the Chinese Students and members of note include David O’Sullivan who became Scholars Association (CSSA, 2006). Auditor General of the EU and the late Fianna Fáil politician The LGBT provides support and social activities for and TD Brian Lenihan, who filled the role of Minister for Trinity’s LGBT community and is open to all members of Finance in the very turbulent economic times of 2008 to the College community. 2011. Former Vice-Presidents of the Hist include Ernest A buddy programme has been initiated to offer Walton, Nobel Laureate and Mary Robinson, President one-on-one support to students and the Society is actively of Ireland (1990-97). Conor Cruise O’Brien, former TD, involved in the wider LGBT community on Irish university intellectual and journalist was elected President in 1983. campuses and in the city. The Society runs Rainbow Every Irish Taoiseach since Charles Haughey has Week with the support of the Equality Fund and the addressed the Phil in recent decades, and recently-named Students’ Union on campus, a campaign aimed to bring Honorary Patrons have included Hollywood actors such as issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered David Hasselhoff, Al Pacino and Helen Mirren, politicians like people into focus in the College community with Frederik W. de Klerk and John McCain, writers such as Salman many events and activities on the programme ranging Rushdie and other prominent figures like Desmond Tutu. from lectures to fashion shows. Several other student societies contribute towards the annual programme. The CSSA is a sub-branch of the Irish Chinese Students and Scholars Association which is open to non-Chinese Trinity students which aims to provide a forum for all Chinese students in College to meet and exchange information and experiences about living and studying in Ireland. Cultural festivals and events from the Chinese and Irish calendars are also marked by events and social occasions including Chinese Independence Day (1st October), traditional Chinese New Year (Jan-Feb), the Lantern Festival and St. Patrick’s Day. The Gender Equality Society was established in 2008 and is strongly supported by the Centre for Gender and Women’s Studies established in 1988. The Society was founded in the interests of celebrating and preserving gender equality on and off campus. The Society hosts guest speakers and runs the Annual Rape Awareness Week.

Senator Edward Kennedy giving the bicentenary address at the College Historical Society meeting in the Examination Hall, Trinity College Dublin, March 1970. Irish Times, 4 March, 1970. Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs - A Historical Sketch 47

A youth branch of Sinn Féin was established on campus in 2000 as the Uí Chadhain/Tone Sinn Féin Society. The society holds weekly meetings to give students a forum to discuss social and political issues as well as to campaign actively on them, aiming to raise awareness to further their republican socialist political aims. The Trinity Socialist Party Society also contributes to socialist political activity on campus, specifically focused on encouraging students to organise themselves to campaign on student issues such as funding cutbacks, grant aid and other services. Trinity’s Anarchist Society was established in 2004 with the aim to foster the anarchist slogan “Organise, agitate and educate” by providing a forum for the discussion of the theory and Enda Kenny lands some punches while visiting the Young Fine Gael practice of Anarchism and by organising meetings around stand during Freshers’ Week. Trinity News reported that a member of current political events of importance to Trinity students. the Young Progressive Democrat’s Society present but not pictured was heard to comment, “It’s a pity he couldn’t land any during the General Election.” (Emer Groarke), Trinity News, 2008.

The formation of political societies was another major trend in this period which was not evident in previous periods. The first societies in these areas were aligned to the major national parties including the Trinity College Fianna Fáil Cumann founded in 1967, the Trinity College Labour Party Branch first established in 1970 and the Fine Gael Society begun in 1973. In their early years these societies were more directly associated with the national parties though in recent years many have asserted their independence from the national parties, but retained their connections. The Dublin University Greens were founded in 1989 becoming for several years the largest youth political movement on an Irish university campus with several hundred active members. The Socialist Workers Student Society (SWSS) was established in 1992 and has since been involved in student and national political campaigns often collaborating with other socialist movements in the city.

As well as establishing political societies in this period, Trinity student publications and activities also became more political and concerned with wider issues of national and international interest. Right, a selection of clippings from Trinity publications. 48 Student Societies and Clubs

From the 1960s charitable and NGOs/Non-Profit Organisations have been represented among student societies and have become an important feature of student extracurricular activity. The establishment of a Trinity branch of Amnesty International marks the beginning of these student societies. In the 1970s the Trinity Vincent de Paul Society was established as a student branch of the international Catholic Christian organisation with a A selection of Trinity’s charitable and educational societies. presence in Ireland for over 160 years. Today the Trinity VDP aims to promote charity and confront social injustice through various person to person contact activities and a The Suas Trinity Society is another charitable organization wide programme of activities. which provides students with the opportunity to participate in various charitable activities in Ireland and the developing world. Dublin mentoring projects engage with refugee and migrant communities and the Society’s overseas volunteer programme enables students to volunteer in primary schools in Mombasa, Nairobi and Calcutta. Suas hosts talks and activities for members on development and education issues and social and fundraising events for its annual programmes. The Student to Student Network (S2S) is one of the newest student charitable societies established on campus with the aim of providing personal and continuous peer counseling to Trinity students. S2S organizes training for students to become student peer supports in collaboration with the Student Counselling Service.

Notice for the Trinity branch of Amnesty International in Trinity News, 2 February 1967 indicating that the society was active and functioning before it was officially recognised by College in 1968.

Trinity’s branch of the Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC) is dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of the law on society and campaigning for reform, as well as providing legal services to Trinity students. FLAC is an independent human rights organisation dedicated to the realisation of equal access to justice for all. FLAC run clinics throughout the year at which students can avail of free legal advice from a qualified solicitor. The Society also holds debates, talks and receptions addressing issues relevant to citizens’ access to the law. Meetings are also addressed by speakers from the legal, academic, NGO and political sectors. Fundraising activities and other social events are also part of the Society’s activities. Chapter 2 Student Societies and Clubs 49

Arts and Cultural Societies and Hobby/Activity Societies The majority of arts/cultural societies, addressed in detail in Chapter 3, were established in this most recent period of student society activity, starting with the Trinity Arts Society in the very early years, followed by the Dublin University Visual Arts Society and a second musical student group, the Dublin University Singers Society in the 1960s. Surprisingly few such societies were established in the 1970s though the established societies Choral, Players and these recent additions provided many opportunities for students to participate in creative and cultural practices Dublin University Knitting Society, Trinity Fashion Society and the on campus and broadened Trinity’s interaction with the University of Dublin Juggling Society logos. cultural and artistic communities in the city. As mentioned, these societies will be covered fully in later chapters. Activity/hobby societies could be used to Cultural appreciation societies have also been a describe a wide variety of other societies established in this clear trend in the most recent decades of Trinity student period which reflect the changing leisure activities of Trinity extracurricular activities. Many of these societies have students, their engagement with new technologies and been granted “Associate” status from the Central Societies the diversity of hobbies. In 1978 the Yoga Society and the Committee as in some cases their remit overlaps with Boardgamers Society were established. The Yoga Society existing societies. For example the Italian Society aims to has continued since this period, growing in membership celebrate the rich Italian heritage and traditions as well as as the discipline has gained wider popularity. The to explore and raise awareness around the lesser-known Boardgamers Society has since been renamed the Gamers social and political issues involving the country, though Society, largely representing members who now play some of these activities are covered by the Modern computer games while also providing for members who Languages Society. Other cultural appreciation societies, remain interested in more traditional board-game formats. which reflect the diversity of Trinity’s student population The Science Fiction Society (SciFi) was founded in 1984 to and broad interests include the French Society, the Indian provide students with access to films and books at a more Society, the Korean Society, the Japanese Society, the reduced rate than commercially available and continues to South East Asian Society and the Afro-Caribbean Society. hold an extensive library of many formats available in its society rooms. The Bridge Society was established in 1986 to support the game among the College community and to host matches with other Bridge clubs in the city. The 1990s saw further interest in disciplines gaining popularity in Irish society such as the Meditation Society (1996) and the Juggling Society (1999). The establishment of the Internet Society in 1997 also marked the development of that phenomenon which has revolutionised how students communicate and access knowledge. The most recent societies established have been successful in drawing wide membership from the College community indicating that there are still many areas where student societies can offer important social, Members of the Trinity Japanese Society demonstrating a traditional sporting and activity opportunities including the Paintball Japanese tea ceremony as part of the activities it hosted during its and Speedball Society (2006), the Knitting Society and the Cultural Night in the Atrium, 2010. Fashion Society. 50 Student Societies and Clubs

Chapter 3

Arts and Cultural Societies - Profiles & Context Chapter 3 Arts/Cultural Societies – Profiles and Context 51

3.1 Introduction By 1980 students had established an Archaeology and Folklife Society (1966) which transitioned into the Visual Extracurricular activities in Trinity have developed Arts Society. Another musical group, the Trinity Singers, considerably in recent decades through student interest was founded in 1969 which consists of two choirs, the in an increasingly wide range of activities, sports, hobbies Trinity Singers mixed choir and the Boydell Singers, an and academic courses. Societies whose aims and activities all-female choir. Both of these societies provided active directly relate them to the themes Performance Societies, annual programmes for members in terms of performance, Visual Arts and Literary Societies and Photographic, training and social activities. Both also showcase work to a Film and Broadcasting Societies were predominately public audience. established in the last one hundred years, though there In the last number of decades arts and cultural are some important exceptions. In the case of all of the societies have become more prevalent on campus. At activities identified under these themes, the societies were least four music societies were established in this period; established with some sort of cultural base in the city Music Society (1980), Chapel Choir (1990), Trinity Orchestra already – sometimes very well established reputations – (1990), Trinity Jazz Society (1995), Traditional Irish Music with which some students, staff or the College were already Society (2002). Societies also emerged to encompass involved. Therefore student societies were not reinventing literary activity on campus with the founding of the Trinity the wheel, more accurately adapting the activities to Literary Society in 1985 and creative practices such as students needs, tone and tempo. The student societies also dance and filmmaking and more recently radio, digital arts offered more to the student experience as social outlets and television. One of the most successful developments and opportunities to develop personal skills and to engage in recent years has been the establishment of the Trinity with creative practitioners. Arts Festival (2006) which is the society responsible for Seventeen arts and cultural societies have been bringing together the Trinity Arts Festival in Hilary Term. identified in this section covering creative writing and It is important to note that other societies literary appreciation, music composition and performance contribute activities in their programmes which also could and creative and arts practices. Despite the strong literary, be deemed relevant to this section; for example if An musical and theatrical life of the city in the eighteenth Cumann Gaelach produces or commissions a play or if the century it is perhaps surprising that no official societies Modern Languages Society hosts a poetry competition. were established in these areas before 1830. However it For the purposes of this report though the focus will be on is clear from brief vignettes in the historical and cultural the seventeen arts and cultural societies whose stated aims narratives of the period that Trinity, both through staff, and are to serve members interests in performance, creative particularly through students, were active in these areas of and arts activities and appreciation. city life. With the establishment of the University of Dublin The societies will be examined in three themes Choral Society in 1837 the first official extracurricular – Performance Societies, Literary and Visual Arts Societies, activity for music performance opened up for students. and Photographic, Film and Broadcast Societies. While No other official performance, creative or arts society some society activities could be viewed to fit all three was established until the Dublin University Players was of these themes, some arbitrary divisions have been founded in 1933, again perhaps a surprisingly late date made focusing on the principal aim of the society. For considering the momentum of the Irish theatre revival example, while Players not only stages about forty of the early twentieth century (though note evidence of student performances a year, it also provides training for brief Elizabethian Drama Society, p. 57). By 1960 only two a wide variety of stage and theatre production, design and other societies in these areas were established, the Dublin management opportunities for students. University Photographic Association (1948) and the Trinity Within the themes the wider context for the Arts Workshop (1960). The former might at this point be societies’ activities on campus will be drawn out. For more accurately viewed as a hobby society, though they example not all of the music groups established within did provide specialist equipment to members, practitioner the College community are specifically student societies. training and staged exhibitions. Those societies identified here though are all funded Each of these early arts and cultural societies by the Central Societies Committee and must be run continued to develop in the second half of the century, with by a committee including a Chairperson, Secretary and Players in particular dramatically increasing its activities. Treasurer and adhere to their constitution. Until about thirty 52 Student Societies and Clubs

years ago there was a Central Music Society which acted as a coordinating body for music societies, both inside and outside of the formal Central Societies Committee funding and organisational structure. This group appears to have functioned in a similar manner to the Central Athletic Committee, which coordinated activities of various athletic and sports activities on campus. Outside of the CSC Executive, societies operating in similar or complimentary areas do not appear to have any overarching networks. Student activities in arts and cultural societies make up about a fifth of all student societies. Membership fees to students for these societies are very small, and all staff and students are eligible for membership and like all societies and clubs, membership must be renewed annually. Below is a list of the societies that will be examined in the following chapters, including the date of their official recognition by the Central Societies Committee:

University of Dublin Choral Society (1837) Dublin University Players (1933) Dublin University Photographic Association (1948) Trinity Arts Workshop (1960) Dublin University Visual Arts Society (1966) (formerly Archaeology and Folklife Society) Dublin University Singers (1969) Dublin University Music Society (1980) Dublin University Dance Society (1986) Dublin University Filmmakers’ Society (1986) Chapel Choir (1990) Dublin University Orchestral Society (1990) (now called Trinity Orchestra) Dublin University Jazz Society (1995) Trinity FM (1998) Traditional Irish Music Society (2002) Dublin University Digital Arts Society (2005) Trinity Arts Festival (2006) Trinity TV (2009) Chapter 3 Arts/Cultural Societies – Profiles and Context 53

3.2 Key Committee Roles Each society has a general committee made up of additional officer positions and other committee members. Students involved in these societies at a committee Some societies have officers responsible for special events, level gain a wide variety of experiences, some of which equipment, technical activities, facilities and rooms and are common to all student societies. All societies have each society is free to establish new officer positions to a constitution which designates the specific roles of meet their need by altering their constitutions. committee members alongside those established by the Central Societies Committee. The Chairperson is the guiding force behind the society and the person regarded by College and the Central Societies Committee as the student responsible for the activities of a society. The Chair is also responsible for the society’s relations with College and relationships outside campus. The Chair runs committee meetings and is ultimately responsible, with the Treasurer for the society’s finances.

The University Philosophical Society committee meeting room. As well as the experience and skills required for the society officer positions, committee members can develop many ancillary skills through their committee involvement in event management, hosting guest speakers and practitioners, liaising with College and external groups, fundraising, sponsorship and public speaking. Students who are ordinary members of the arts/cultural societies also in many cases gain skills through their participation The Treasurer of a fully recognised society is a in the activities of these societies as they are in many cases member of the CSC and is responsible for maintaining the practitioner based. society’s accounts with its nominated bank and the CSC online finance system. Both the Treasurer and the Chair along with the committee are responsible for submitting the annual Grant Application for finances to fund the society’s activities for the following year. Accounts must also be prepared to be audited annually by the Central Societies Committee to uphold the society’s recognition by College through the CSC and to be eligible to apply for continued funding. The Secretary of a society is responsible for communication between the society and the Central Societies Committee and communication with members, though in some societies a PR Officer also contributes to this role in promoting events and the activities of the society. The Secretary’s role also involves the documenting of the society’s activities and submitting reports to the CSC following trips funded by the Committee. Grant applications will not be considered until the reports and duties of each of the society’s officers have been successfully filed with the CSC at the end of each academic year. 54 Student Societies and Clubs

3.3 Performance Societies key intellectual figures of the period such as Sir William Petty (both also involved in the Dublin Philosophical Performance student societies on campus currently make Society, see earlier) contributed to the active discussion up almost half of the societies examined in this chapter and performance of music in Trinity and the city, and and provide a diverse and full programme of public events also contributed to the scientific understandings of how during term time. Ordinary members of these societies music is heard and interpreted. Music was therefore clearly can directly participate in the activities of the societies by a vital part of early campus life in Trinity, though only becoming involved in performances whether front or back tantalising hints survive to illustrate this activity. of house, as well as attending performances at a reduced Perhaps the most convincing proof of a growing rate. musical taste in Ireland in the first year of the reign of James The performance societies on campus include II was the introduction of music-printing into Dublin (1685). one of the oldest societies, the University of Dublin Choral In the following decade, during the centenary celebrations Society established in 1837. The other long established of the founding of Trinity College, a specially composed performance society, Dublin University Players, has been piece (music by Henry Purcell, words by Naham Tate) active since the 1930s. In recent decades the establishment was printed for the occasion entitled “Great Parent, Hail!”. of College Singers (1969), Dublin University Music Society Surviving playbills from seventeenth-century productions (1980), Dublin University Orchestral Society (1990), Chapel at Smock Alley detail many and varied interval acts featuring Choir (1990), Dublin University Jazz Society (1995) and the singing, dancing, farce, tumbling, juggling and all manner Traditional Irish Music Society (2002) has greatly extended of entertainment for the large public audience. Indeed the type of music performance available to students, Dublin, with its famous Smock-Alley Theatre established whether as performers, back-of-house specialists or as for almost two hundred years, had earned an international spectators. Players has remained the only student society reputation for music and theatre during the eighteenth dedicated to performing theatre on campus, though other century. A new era was now at hand, when opera, oratorio, societies have collaborated with Players for theatrical and orchestra were to revolutionise the existing style of events and festivals and also some have sponsored or put music in the opening years of the eighteenth century. on one-off theatrical performances themselves. Theatre and music go hand in hand in this period. The main types of events that the music and As entertainment and leisure pursuits developed among performance societies host are performances or shows the professional, middle and skilled workers, cultural for the College community and the public. Their activities performances and activities became more accessible to are concentrated on campus using Trinity’s main venues, the public and previously ‘elite’ activities diluted. One Trinity Players Theatre, Exam Hall, Beckett Theatre, Atrium and student, after several drinks balked at these developments College Chapel. The music societies also regularly perform causing a riot in the Smock-Alley Theatre in the mid 1740s. in venues in the city, particularly in the city’s cathedrals and Fifty ‘gentlemen’ destroyed the inside of the theatre after churches. being banned from their usual privilege of paying a premium price to gain access backstage for performances.54 Music and Theatre in Dublin pre-1900 The international success of Irish musicians, Performances of music and theatre were an integral part of particularly harpists, greatly added to Ireland’s reputation Dublin life by the time the first College music society was for musical performance - Dante’s reference to the effect established in the 1830s. The lack of recreational facilities that the Italians got the harp from Ireland was warranted. on campus meant that extracurricular life and activities Musical clubs and societies developed outside Trinity in centred on the city. Organ music had been played since the 1700s and 1800s at great pace. Ireland’s first ‘glee’ club, at least the 1530s in Dublin and important early Trinity the Hibernian Catch Club is recorded as beginning as figures were very involved in music activities in the city.53 early as 1698, making it the first existing among European Narcissus Marsh, a student and later Provost of Trinity, musical societies, as the Leipzig Gewandhaus Concerts is known to have played the viol and the harp, and held only started in 1733. Despite these success stories it is clear in his rooms “a weekly consort of instrumental and vocal from institutional records that music performances were music,” on each Thursday afternoon while he was in not wholly approved of by figures of authority. When the Oxford before he returned to Trinity so it is likely that he famous Italian Nicolini performed a charity concert for the continued such activities in Dublin. Marsh along with other Blue Coat Hospital during his concert tour in Dublin which Chapter 3 Arts/Cultural Societies – Profiles and Context 55

raised £40, the hospital board still recorded that the use University of Dublin Choral Society of their Hall for “music meetings” had “given great offence”, The above then is the context in which Trinity’s oldest arts/ with the hall now banned from being used for public cultural society was established. It was founded on 18 diversions of any kind.55 November 1837 in the rooms of Charles Graves, a Fellow By the end of the eighteenth century Dublin had of the College, later Prof of Mathematics (1843-1862) and then a rich music and theatre canvas. Alongside the Smock Lord Bishop of Limerick, Ardfert and Aghadoe. Its aim was Alley Theatre and many others dotted around the city, “the cultivation of Choral music in general”. Throughout music enthusiasts fired by the establishment of the Royal the nineteenth century the Society was the most Academy of Music in London had established a similar important musical society in College and had a pivotal role association in Dublin which resulted in the building of in the Dublin social calendar. Its success is highlighted by Crowe Street Music Hall in the city. “City Music” provided by its longevity which saw it outlast a variety of other choral the Dublin Corporation City Band was well-received, as was societies in Dublin. the “State Music” provided by performers from the Castle The Society began with 18 members, all male, court and also the music of the various Cathedral Choirs. drawn from the staff and student body. The Society held Over ten musical societies were established in Ireland several performances a year, at first all outside College between 1710 and 1770 which provided very broad in various venues around the city including the Ancient musical options to singers and instrumentalists, though Concert Rooms on Great Brunswick Street, opposite the some were short-lived. north boundary wall of College, and Leinster Hall. Almost The “bardic sessions” of the same period also immediately from its foundation, questions were raised over established a strong tradition of Gaelic-language music the admission of female singers by the Society, given voice and song performance. Choral music was particularly in the Dublin press but the Society’s committee resisted for popular from the mid-eighteenth century and records many decades. Female members were admitted for one indicate that the first Dublin Choral Society was established performance a year as “Performing Arts Members” but this just before the College’s Choral Society in 1830, indicating performance had to take place off campus and women that activities in the city were mirrored in campus life. The were not allowed in the audience. Society rules clearly official Royal Irish Academy of Music providing “systematic stated that female members had no vote in the Society or instruction in instrumental music” was not founded no ownership of its property. The Annual Ladies Concert until 1848. By 1900 music societies in the city remained became one of the best attended performances of the year continually popular with an additional ten or so societies with audiences regularly over 2,000. Many performances in established before the end of the century. this period were collaborative and for charitable purposes, for example in February 1847 for the “Relief of the Poor of this City” in which they performed with the other main Dublin choirs. This event was attended by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and raised over £270, a considerable sum for the time. By the Society’s Golden Jubilee in 1887 its public place in Dublin society was well established. This significant anniversary coincided with that of Queen Victoria which furthered the Society’s prominence during the celebrations of both. Throughout its history to this point the Society was very successful in attracting patrons Logo and design formerly used by the University of Dublin Choral from the highest echelons of British and Irish society. After Society until the mid-1950s when a formal decision was made by attending a performance from the Society during the royal Board on the correct crest and coat of arms used to represent Trinity. visit of 1885, Edward, Prince of Wales, became its Patron until 1911 and was succeeded by George V between 1911 and 1936 . The Society also contributed to the celebrations of Trinity’s 300th anniversary in 1892. The Society’s fortunes and influence somewhat waned in the early decades of the twentieth century. 56 Student Societies and Clubs

Almost every page of the Society’s Minute Book Gaelic Revival for the years 1914 to 1918 notes a letter of condolence to Given the wealth of activity in Dublin in theatre and a member’s wife or mother for their loss as many staff and music performance it is again surprising that more Trinity students fought in World War I. In 1914 two committee groups were not established or identified. As has been members died in action and in 1916 the minutes note a stated before about extracurricular activities in general, request for the 1913-14 committee photograph to be sent the small size of the campus and the close interaction to the families of Mr Neville Figgis and Mr Noel Murray of members of College with external organisations is who were killed in action in France in 1915 and 1916. The likely the most logical explanation for this. From the mid- Society hosted a performance to celebrate the end of the nineteenth century, and particularly in the late 1800s, the war in 1919 performing Arthur Sullivan’s “Festival Te Deum”. Gaelic Revival, as discussed in earlier chapters, witnessed The Society celebrated its centenary in 1937 with concerted efforts from many quarters of Irish society to a major choral performance in College of George Dyson’s revive Gaelic culture, sport and language as badges of recently composed “Cantebury Pilgrims”. In June 1943 the identity for Ireland, outside its current position within the Society was involved in the first live broadcast of a choral British Empire and more specifically the United Kingdom. concert by the BBC Home Service to keep up morale on These activities had started with the Young Ireland the Home Front in World War II, though the first broadcast movement of the 1840s, encouraged by similar activities by from Dublin was disappointingly disrupted by a “mystery youth movements on the Continent. They strove to record, humming” reported by the London Times on 9 June 1943. translate and promote ancient Irish stories and myths as a However a second broadcast in November that year was a way of preserving an Irish identity that existed long before great success with no humming. Ireland’s connection to Britain and the use of English as the The success of original compositions from the lingua franca in Ireland. Although little direct evidence of Choral Society in marking major occasions was continued Trinity’s official involvement in this movement was seen, with the composition by Brian Boydell (previously soloist, some Trinity students were important figures in these orchestral member, committee member and reserve efforts and therefore they seem to have concentrated their conductor for the Society; Chair of Music in Trinity, 1962- activities outside of the campus rather than within student 1982) of “Under No Circumstances” for the Society’s 150th life. That said, the motions of the debating societies during anniversary in 1987. Performed in 1988 the piece was a the period did reflect some of these developments in Irish humorous and nostalgic look at the history of the Society cultural history and the establishment of the Irish language since 1837. student society, An Cumann Gaelach, in the early 1900s also The 1990s saw several new developments for marked a specific Trinity manifestation of the Gaelic Revival. the Society including foreign choral tours to the UK and The Gaelic League, Conradh na Gaelige, the continental Europe and a female conductor and Chair for official associational representation for the Gaelic Revival the first time from 1993. was established in 1893 by Douglas Hyde and Eoin Mac Neill. Hyde had attended Trinity, first studying theology and Irish which was taught within the Divinity School, and later transferred to law. Despite a later estrangement from Trinity, mostly due to his nationalist political opinions, during his time in Trinity Hyde came into contact with a wide variety of influential figures in Irish literary and cultural life. Although specifically literary or drama societies did not exist among the student body, Trinity did spawn a number of literary magazines in the nineteenth century which provided an important platform for Irish writers and cultural practitioners which included early work from some of Ireland’s most distinguished figures in these fields (see later).

Extract from score of tercentenary ode by Sir Robert Prescott Stewart, for the University of Dublin Choral Society, 1892. TCD MUN SOC Choral/3/7 page 14, TCD Library. Chapter 3 Arts/Cultural Societies – Profiles and Context 57

some wider audiences. In some instances the experiences of students with the society led to careers in theatre and acting which meant they deviated greatly from their chosen career path from their degree. For example Rachael Burrows (graduating 1933) played a leading role in the establishment of Players in 1930 and after a career in teaching of some forty years, returned to the theatre in the 1970s and took up professional acting and broadcasting in later life. Another early former member, Alan Simpson, graduated with an engineering degree from Trinity in the early 1940s but went on to become a well-known theatre director having gained experience and skills in stage management and stage lighting through his activities with Players. Photograph of a scene from the Dublin University Players’ production The establishment of the Society was announced of Above Board, June 1940. TCD MUN SOC Players/10/67, TCD Library. in the Irish Times for 1932 noting that the Gaiety’s Miss Irene Vanbrugh presided over the launch. On this Dublin University Players - History occasion the Society’s secretary explained the evolution By the time Dublin University Players was founded by of the Society from the Elizabethan Dramatic Society (an Trinity students in 1933, the College had seen some of offshoot of the Elizabethan Society, confined to women the most noted dramatists of world theatre pass through members), whose (by permission of Board) production its doors including William Congreve, Oliver Goldsmith, of “The Lady with the Lamp” was very well received in the Oscar Wilde, John Millington Synge and Samuel Beckett. Gate the previous year. The Society’s foundation was also With no particular outlet for dramatic writing or activity evidently keenly supported by College authorities and on campus until relatively late in its history, students did many Fellows and Professors expressed support as the participate in the debating societies of the time whose society was allowed “mixed” membership, was given rooms subjects of discussion and debate were broad enough in House 6 immediately and a small stage was provided. to accommodate literary, aesthetic and cultural topics Contemporary reports suggest that it was hoped that of interest to students. By the 1930s Irish theatre had the society could attain a position “at least as high as the benefitted greatly from the Abbey Theatre, by then dramatic societies of Oxford and Cambridge” by ensuring cemented in the heart of the city’s intellectual life. It that the social side of activities never eclipse the dramatic. was established at the Irish Literary Theatre in 1899, and The Society’s first performance was due to provided an invaluable platform for Irish writers including take place on the 28th of November 1932 in the Peacock W.B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, J.M. Synge, George Moore and Theatre as no venues were available on campus until many Sean O’Casey. The Abbey also provided new opportunities years later. However due to licencing problems with the for Irish actors, stage managers and other professions League of British Dramatists who would only grant two associated with theatre. With the establishment of the Gate performances of the chosen play, George Bernard Shaw’s Theatre in 1928, the city now had two international class “You Can Never Tell”, the Society were forced to cancel venues for theatre which opened up Irish audiences to a the performance, rescheduling for the following year wider variety of performances than ever before. with a different production. Membership was at least 60 The Dublin University Players Society played in this early period and grew steadily once performances an important role in the city’s theatre scene and more began. Early actors included Marjorie Matthews, John particularly in providing opportunities for students. From Kingsmill Thorpe, Cecil Monson, Helen McPherson, Victor the beginning it included women among its principal Barry Wynburne and Nancy Bohane, many of whom were protagonists, an uncommon feature of student societies already known for their appearances on stage in the Abbey in Trinity in this period. At the time of its foundation there and the Gate Theatres. Other early activities included talks was no drama or theatre school in Trinity, or indeed in and demonstrations of interest to students, for example in any Irish university. It provided a platform for students to the same month Mrs. May Carey of the Gate Theatre gave a write, direct and perform for the College community and demonstration to the society in the art of “make-up”.56 58 Student Societies and Clubs

Dublin University Players - Current Activities Music Societies Players currently hosts about fifty productions a year Though not officially a student ‘society’ until very recently, (roughly two a week), one at lunchtime and one in the Trinity’s Chapel Choir has been active on campus since evening, as well as holding many special events such as the mid-eighteenth century. Along with the Chroal the Freshers’ Co-op, Freshers’ Festival, New Writers’ Week, Society and Players, the Chapel Choir, represented the Trinity Fringe Festival, Stars in their Eyes, the 24-Hour only official types of performance activities for Trinity Musical and the Dublin Shakespeare Festival. The Society students the foundation of ‘The College Singers’ in the is one of the most prolific student-drama societies in late 1940s. Becoming known as Trinity Singers, this was a Europe and has been a regular winner at the Irish Student very popular choir with a reputation for high-quality choral Drama Association annual inter-varsity drama competition. concerts. Today Trinity Singers is made up of two choirs, Previous holders of the Chair of the Society include Pauline Trinity Singers and Boydell Singers, the latter names after McLynn and lifetime patrons of the Society include actors Prof. Brian Boydell, former Chair of Music in Trinity, and a from stage and screen including Fiona Shaw, Stephen Rea, great supporter of student musical activity on campus, Brian Friel, Marina Carr, The Pajama Men, Frank McGuinness, and himself one of the most important Irish composers Alan Rickman, Stephen Berkoff, Enda Walsh, and Bill Nighy. of the twentieth century. He convened the Central Music All performance societies in Trinity, and especially Committee to coordinate events between the various Players, benefitted from the opening of the Samuel Beckett music performance groups and societies on campus which Theatre on campus in 1992, named after one of the most survived for several decades, and he was also involved with innovative playwrights of the twentieth century, and a a number of students in the Dublin Orchestral Players, the Trinity alumnus. In 1984 Trinity had launched Ireland’s longest established voluntary orchestra based in Dublin. first university Drama Department and the opening of Over the next few decades there were three the Theatre with space for two theatres (one operated additional official student societies dedicated to student by Players called the Players Theatre) formed part of the musical performance, notably the Dublin University Music celebrations of Trinity’s quartercentenary of 1992. The Society (1980), and the Dublin University Orchestral Society theatre spaces, rehearsal rooms and modern production (now Trinity Orchestra) and the Chapel Choir Society, both equipment allowed both Players and the Department to established in 1990. The former was formally associated put on regular College and public performances and to with the Department of Music and largely consisted of participate in the Dublin Fringe Festival and the Dublin students studying music in Trinity at undergraduate or Theatre Festival. The Samuel Beckett Theatre has also hosted graduate level. The latter two societies had a much wider some prestigious dance and theatre companies from membership from the College community. The Trinity Ireland, Europe, Japan and the United States, benefitting Orchestra was founded by Fergus Sheil, now himself both the college community and Dublin theatrical life in a successful conductor. It is the only entirely student- general. run orchestra in Ireland and has since its inception Members of Players during the Trinity Shakespeare Festival, 2011. performed regularly on campus and in the city, including in their programmes established pieces and showcasing compositions by Trinity students. Chapel Choir Society, also established in 1990 was the society for the Chapel Choir which was established by Provost Andrews in 1762 before the present Chapel building was completed. Andrews modelled the choir on that of the choir of New College, Oxford, which has existed since the 14th century. Since the late 1960s Trinity has offered both organ and choral scholarships as part of its committment to music in Trinity. Like the Oxbridge choirs, Chapel Choir’s leading function is to lead services in College Chapel; the choir gives concerts and broadcasts regularly on both RTÉ and BBC. Chapter 3 Arts/Cultural Societies – Profiles and Context 59

The most recent musical performance societies established in Trinity are the Jazz Society (Jazz Soc) founded in 1995 and the Traditional Irish Music Society (Trad Soc) established in the early 2000s. Jazz Soc has provided a lively alternative music performance element to campus performing gigs with a wide variety of performers and instruments in Trinity, around the city and at many society social events. The Jazz Society was one of the founding members of the Trinity Fringe Festival and has a history of collaborating with other student societies. Traditional Irish music playing had long been a feature of An Cumann Gaelach. the Irish society, though it was more in the form of appreciation and some performance associated with other events. An Comhaontas Ceilteach (Celtic Society), a short-lived splinter society from the Irish society, for a Review of concert performed in the Exam Hall to celebrate the time also included traditional Irish music performance in bicentenary of the founding of the Chair of Music, Irish Times, 3 its programme of activities. December 1964.

Alongside these student-run societies a number of other musical and performance groups were established on campus: The Campanile Consort (c. 6-20 singers) is mostly made up of music students studying in the Department of Music. Each term they choose a conductor from the choir and present concerts to the public. The Crash Ensemble (1997), co-founded by Donnacha Dennehy, lecturer in the School of Music, is an international ensemble blending music, video and electronics, supported by the Arts Council and the School of Music. The performance group NODE (c. 8-14 instrumentalists) is a Trinity-based ensemble dedicated to performing new works by Trinity students alongside works in the contemporary canon. Gerry Mulligan, probably the greatest living baritone sax player in the In 2009 Trinity established the position of Resident jazz world, gave a thrilled audience a 2 ½ hour long session in House Ensemble through the Creative Arts, Technologies and 6 at the weekly College Jazz Club after the leader of the Club (Wordie Culture Initiative (CATC), which is currently held by Jones) heard he was on holiday in Dublin and dropped a note inviting Ensemble Avalon, a piano trio featuring three of Ireland’s him to play with them at his hotel in the city. Trinity News, 19 May finest internationally accomplished soloists and chamber 1966. musicians. Their residency in Trinity is in association with the Hugh Lane Gallery and the National Concert Hall who were active partners in the pilot scheme exploring the possibility of hosting a resident ensemble in Trinity which began in 2007. The residency is to include didactic and outreach elements alongside performances of established and new piano trio repertoire. 60 Student Societies and Clubs

Historical Context : Visual Arts Society/Arts Workshop The Trinity Arts Workshop was founded as the Dublin University Arts Society in 1960 and is generally known as the Trinity Arts Society. Arts and crafts were an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 and continued in influence for many decades through local groups and wider associations. The arts and crafts movement in Ireland became a visual counterpart to the literary revival at this important time in the nation’s cultural development. These characteristics also led members of arts and crafts groups

‘Life Drawing, 08/05/2008’, E. McNamara, part of an exhibition by the to lean towards anti-industrial views as they advocated for 57 Trinity Arts Workshop, 2008. support of traditional craftsmanship. Supporters of the arts and crafts movement also tended to be social activists. 3.4 Visual Arts and Literary Societies This sentiment was demonstrated when the Trinity Arts Society supported fellow art-students from the This section covers those societies engaging in the visual National College of Art (Kildare Street) in the early 1970s. arts and literary areas. The establishment of the Trinity Arts At the time NCA students were in serious revolt against Society, following various student activities in the 1950s, their College administration over inadequate and out- was the first formal student society in this area. The Visual date modes of art education. Up to that point the NCA’s Arts Society followed a short number of years later in 1966 curriculum has been mainly guided by the Royal Hibernian with the aim of broadening participation among staff and Academy along old academy lines which had represented students in Ireland’s visual arts scene. The establishment of the forefront of Irish art since the early 1800s. the English Speaking Union (ESU) in 1985 was likely linked The Trinity Arts Society, the precursor of the Trinity to the international movement of ESUs which has branches Arts Workshop offered their solidarity to the National across the world, with the aim of promoting debate as an College of Art students when they found themselves educational tool. The Trinity society, in its early incarnation locked out of their Kildare Street buildings, by inviting fulfilled these goals, but by the mid-1990s was largely them to use their premises on Lincoln Lane off Pearse defunct and taken over as the Trinity Literary Society when Street. Students recalled many years later of the value it became an outlet for largely original writing. With the of this accommodation for the students of the National founding of the Trinity Arts Festival in 2006, Trinity’s arts College of Art while their lock-out continued. Students community gained a new platform to engage students printed posters on silkscreen machines and promoted and to showcase the diversity of literary and visual arts the updating of the art education system from the Trinity activities on campus. The Trinity Arts Festival also involves Workshop premises. These premises had been granted to contributions from beyond the traditional arts/cultural the society in 1968, described as “an extensive premises, societies. like a mews or old warehouse with large rooms on two The main types of events that the literary and visual floors, a large space at the back, little side or back rooms, arts societies host are classes, workshops, exhibitions, visits and cellars stretching under Westland Row.” to cultural institutions and professional spaces, lectures A newspaper article from the period shows a and readings, trips and festivals for the College community picture of the move taking place with a caption reading and the public. Their activities are concentrated on campus “Moving into the new Art Society. Could it become Trinity’s using Trinity’s main venues, the Arts Building, the Trinity Arts Art Lab?.”58 It certainly became a hive of activity for Trinity Workshop rooms, the Atrium, the Eliz Rooms, the GMB as students and the arts community in the city. Alumni well as their society rooms. Some events have taken place have recalled how it was a venue for music gigs, students outdoors on campus, particularly one-off exhibits during wedding reception room, and much more. the Trinity Arts Festival. The literary and visual arts societies These high hopes were not fully realised however also host events for members and some public events in as the Society fluctuated in productivity and leadership in venues in the city, particularly in galleries and other civic the following years. It remained an important Dublin centre exhibition spaces. for pottery and life-drawing and retained a reputation Chapter 3 Arts/Cultural Societies – Profiles and Context 61

for friendly informal arts activities and occasional social Visual Arts Society activism. Premises became an issue again in the 1990s when The establishment of the Arts Council of Ireland in 1951, the Society was moved from much of its space to space modelled on the Arts Council of Great Britain (1946), to considered less adequate by some committee members. encourage interest in Irish art and to fund Irish artists and In recent years the society as the Trinity Arts Workshop has arts organisations was a significant boost to the Irish visual regrouped and built a strong activity programme around arts scene and the arts community more generally. In the the society, celebrating its fiftieth anniversary with an same decade Trinity began to support its own modern art exhibition and catalogue marking the societies past. collection, under the initiation and guidance of George As the Arts Workshop was flourishing in the Dawson, Professor of Genetics. Dawson firmly believed 1960s the Visual Arts Society, formerly the Archaeology in the value of modern art collections and the benefit and Folklife Society, was established in 1966. The College of student exposure to such art works. He founded the itself has a strong tradition in visual arts, commissioning “College Gallery” hire scheme, whereby original Irish and portraits and collecting art that is at least 300 years international artworks along with original prints and artist’s old, with the earliest known record of the existence of poster were actively acquired for display in student and paintings dating to 1710. Trinity’s collections predate those staff rooms on campus to encourage an interest in, and of the Royal Dublin Society, established in 1731, the Royal a critical eye for, modern and contemporary art. Today Hibernian Academy, established in 1823 and the National Trinity’s Modern Art Collections consist of approximately Gallery of Ireland, established in 1854 (opened 1864). The 1,200 artworks distributed in public and private locations College’s collections in the main represent painting, print, throughout the main and satellite campuses.61 sculpture, and statuary, with a significant historical focus on The student-run Visual Arts Society, established portraiture.59 Students also contributed to the College’s arts shortly after Dawson’s work began, also encouraged an community long before the establishment of the society. interest in and appreciation of visual arts on campus. The In the 1930s the Irish Times correspondent for Society now organises gallery visits and other visual arts Trinity highlighted the value of student society posters related trips as well as lectures and workshops with artists, and club notices for their contributions to the promotion curators and writers associated with the visual arts and film and appreciation of the visual arts on campus. The article screenings. Until the mid-1990s it organised an exhibition commended the “vivid touch of colour” the posters of staff and student art works, an annual event which provided under the heading “Artists in College”. Notable provided an important platform for the College’s visual mention was given to the “bold tints and imaginative arts community. The event was re-established in 2009 figures” on the announcements of the Boxing Club and becoming the first fully student-organised exhibition in the the “original designs and arresting colour contrasts” of the history of the College. Exhibiting in a commercial gallery in Players promotional material which was credited with the city, this event offers staff and students of the College raising the profile of that Society’s theatrical performances. the opportunity to exhibit their work in a professional Other notables in this area included the Commerce capacity without any related professional fees and the Society and the Light Car and Motor Cycle Club (no opportunity to discuss art in a new environment. The works longer in existence), whose poster creator aroused much considered for this exhibition encompass a wide variety of attention for his studies in speed and perspective. Perhaps media from painting and drawing to photography, digital prophetically the correspondent ends his praise by art and film, all showcasing the diversity and quality of suggesting that “If such a variety of talent continues, there artistic activity by Trinity staff and students. is every likelihood of yet another College society.” 60

View of a piece of collaborative student artwork from a Visual Arts Society workshop, 2009.

Literary Activity 62 Student Societies and Clubs

As noted above the Trinity Literary Society evolved from the Dublin University English Speaking Union, with the Literary Society receiving formal recognition of the name and purpose change in 1998. From the outset the Society’s strength has lain in its grassroots activities in bringing together aspiring writers of all kinds from the College community and catering to staff and students interested in literature. In 1996 the Society began to hold weekly writer’s groups, informal sessions in which Dublin University Magazine (1833-77) and other Former people could discuss their work. These swiftly became Publications so popular that they began to be held twice weekly. Though established by three Trinity students including Regular open readings of original work and other the politician and MP Isaac Butt, the Dublin University activities such as a book club, writers group, and papers and Magazine had no official link with Trinity.62 Although the readings from staff and other guest writers make the Trinity publication began with the view to providing a political Literary Society one of the most active on campus. In 1997, forum for debate, it became increasingly literary and the Society published Fighting for the Sofa, its first ever included many notable writers among its contributors. collection of members’ work. The publication reappeared The magazine was Protestant and Unionist in the next year as The Fridge and in 1999 as The Attic. its outlook but it sought to counter any sentiments that Ireland’s Gaelic literature and history was the preserve of a Catholic narrative of Irish history. In this sense the magazine’s complex and ambitious position on these issues embodied the internal contradictions of the Anglo- Irish Ascendancy in Ireland and by extension was a mirror of Trinity’s increasingly diverse community at the time – British enough to be unthreatening to the establishment but definitively Irish in its attitudes. It became one of the The Attic, Volume XIII, 2010. most important of all Irish literary magazines, in terms of circulation, longevity and impact on the wider culture. For contemporaries, it had additional significance, in that it was seen as the starting point for a new era in Irish literary culture. So a publication which started out as essentially The latter title became the literary journal of an extracurricular activity for three Trinity students with the Society that is now published annually containing some staff encouragement evolved into a title providing the best of the Society’s creative writing, whether prose, encouragement for and a national and international poetry or drama. The journal is edited by the committee of audience for original Irish poetry, prose and literature. the Society. All of the published entries are automatically Other later, though somewhat less influential titles put forward for nomination for the Young Writers’ Award from within Trinity, include Kattabos, A College Miscellany which was established by the Society in 2008 as an annual published triannually during term time from 1869 to 1881 prize for the best poem published in The Attic. The Trinity and revived for a New Series from 1888 to 1895. This Literary Society also maintains a well-stocked library in its publication was quite elitist in tone with no compromises rooms on the top floor of House 6. made either to popular taste or to contemporary literature The Attic is one of the main publications currently including mostly translations from Goethe, Shakespeare, published by a student society but there are several other Tennyson and many others into Latin and Greek, and notable publications on campus which come under the occasionally French and German. Despite this content the the Publications Committee and funded through the magazine included during its brief life some significant Capitation Committee. staff and student contributors including J.ohn Pentland Mahaffy, Standish O’Grady, Edward Dowden, Oscar Wilde and Thomas William Hazen Rolleston. Chapter 3 Arts/Cultural Societies – Profiles and Context 63

Hermathena, Icarus and TCD Miscellany Trinity Arts Festival Current publications of note include Hermathena, a series Trinity’s literary and visual arts community was very well of papers on literature, science and philosophy by members served by the establishment of the Trinity Arts Festival, of Trinity College Dublin established in 1873 and currently founded in 2005 with the first festival taking place in 2006. published as Hermathena-A Trinity College Dublin Ireland has established itself as an important venue for Review under the auspices of the Department of Classics. international arts festivals with the Galway Arts Festival In the first phase of its long history to 1930 it concentrated running since 1978. The Dublin City Council has also almost exclusively on the classics, theology and philosophy developed a number of arts festivals through the Arts with virtually no literary input. In its second phase to 1961 Office which have highlighted the value and cultural about ten per cent of its content was literary and from 1964 importance of such events in bringing various elements it contained considerably more literary pieces from many of the arts community together. The Trinity Arts Festival notable Trinity writers and others. For its centenary issue in (TAF) now in its sixth year is the creation of students 1973 it included a poem from Samuel Beckett. who aim to celebrate the creative arts within the student Other current student-run titles include Icarus, a community. The Festival works to highlight and cultivate student literary magazine founded in 1950 and published the creative dimension of the student community, drawing three times per academic year. It includes poetry, prose on the talent already existent within the arts-based student and drama from students, staff and alumni. The magazine societies. The TAF is a week-long, cross-campus event that has a long list of editors from the literary world including takes place in February every year. Now in its sixth year, Rudi Holzapfel, Brendan Kennelly, Derek Mahon, Michael TAF aims to unite the many arts-based societies in the Longley, Iain Sinclair, David Norris, John Haffenden, university and is one of the most diverse events on the Maurice Scully, Sebastian Barry, Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, College calendar, involving more societies than any other. David Wheatley and Selina Guinness. The magazine has Each year there is a range of practical workshops, tours also been successful in attracting contributions from key on campus, interesting and inspiring talks, concerts and literary figures outside Trinity, whether in their early years exhibitions. Events include a tour of the Provost’s House, or when they were well established, for example Seamus clothes customising workshops and art installations on Heaney (QUB), John Montague (UCD), Paul Durcan (UCD), campus and performances of music, comedy, visual arts Louis MacNeice (Ox), John F. Deane, Thomas Kinsella (UCD), and theatre. Frank O’Connor, Eavan Boland, Seamus Deane (QUB), Gerald Dawe (UU, NUIG), Colm Tóibín (UCD), Brian Keenan (UU), and Eilis Ní Dhuibhne (UCD). The TCD Miscellany is another student-run magazine which takes its name from TCD: A College Miscellany, which was published from 1895–1979, and numbers its volumes based on continuity with that publication. The magazine has been published under various names since 1979, including New Miscellany and Miscellany. Two men who went on to edit the Irish Times, John E. Healy and Alec Newman, edited the magazine in its early years. Other distinguished past editors include William Bedell Stanford, Bruce Arnold, Vivian Mercier, Conor Cruise O’Brien, Paul McGuinness, Shane Ross, Donnell Deeny, Don Knox, Ken Bruen and Damien Kiberd. Contributors over the years include Samuel Beckett, Terence O’Neill, Anthony Clare, and David Norris. 64 Student Societies and Clubs

3.5 Photographic, Film and Photography Association and Video Society Broadcast Societies When the Dublin University Photography Association (DUPA) was established in 1948 its main aim was to cater Other arts and cultural student societies in this instance to students and staff interested in photography and the have been identified as the Photography Association exhibition of their work on campus. Photography as a (1948)), the Filmmakers Society, formerly the Video Society hobby was well established in Ireland by the 1950s, and (1986), Trinity FM (1998), the Trinity Digital Arts Society amateur photographers have played an important role in (2005), and, the most recently established, Trinity TV documenting Irish life since the late nineteenth century (2009). Generally these societies provide some practitioner when improvements in technology, such as the dry element for students involved in the activities of the society, plate process, allowed for more general participation in though all also include members who are interested in photography. the productions or the social aspect of the society. The Trinity’s Photography Association gradually built dates of establishment for these societies only span the up its equipment which could be borrowed by members last half-century or so reflecting the increasing trend of and established a darkroom also accessible to members. newly established student societies in the creative and arts The Association’s two darkrooms are available for use and fields not to be directly related to undergraduate courses the chemicals for processing and printing black and white or activities traditionally associated with Trinity’s academic photographs are provided at no charge. The Association departments. These societies provided important and has maintained its activities in traditional photography and influential practical experience to students from a wide also caters to modern advancements in the field including variety of academic disciplines in these fields, particularly digital photography and various after-effects techniques. with access to expensive equipment, funding and space Classes for members interested in different aspects of on campus. Some members of these societies went on to photography have also been an important part of the make a career out of their student society activities rather Association’s activities and they currently hold classes on than their academic courses. darkrooms, composition, aesthetics, Adobe Photoshop, The main types of events and activities that SLR cameras and portrait photography. Exhibitions are held these creative societies host are classes, workshops with throughout the year, along with lunchtime walks, weekend professional practitioners, screenings, exhibitions, lectures trips and an annual excursion abroad, during which and relevant trips for the College community and the experienced photographers assist members in all aspects public. Their activities are concentrated on campus using of photography. The Association’s library, expanding for Trinity’s main venues, the Arts Building, the Atrium, the over fifty years, also provides members with an important Eliz Rooms, the GMB as well as their society rooms. These resource in the field. societies regularly collaborate with other College societies The Society currently known as the Dublin on campus-wide events such as the Trinity Arts Festival. University Filmmakers Society was first established as the They also host events for members and some public events Trinity Video Society in 1986. It was founded by the now in venues in the city. well-established director Lenny Abrahamson, who was studying physics and then philosophy, and Ed Guiney, who is now an established producer. During Abrahamson and Guiney’s Trinity years, filmmaking in Ireland was a growing industry, encouraged by legislation. The Film Act (1970) provided, among other things, attractive tax advantages for film productions and resident foreign creative individuals in Ireland. The Society today aims to encourage and facilitate the production of student films, screen student films, and promote the art of filmmaking in all aspects. Like the Photographic Association, the Society has, since its early The DU Photography Association has a wide library of works on days, provided important access to expensive equipment photography and printing available to members as well as darkrooms, for students who wished to develop their professional skills classes and other resources. in all aspects of filmmaking. Chapter 3 Arts/Cultural Societies – Profiles and Context 65

The ‘private’ nature of College societies allowed The Trinity Digital Arts Society and Trinity TV are them to ‘by-pass’ censorship legislation as they were not the newest societies established in the arts and culture subject to the same restrictions by the Film Censor’s Office. area, both established in the last six years. The Digital Arts Banned films or “uncut” films could be screened for private Society (2005) had some presence on campus from 2003 audiences and as such Trinity students could view many with the aim of encouraging an interdisciplinary approach films which could not be seen in commercial cinemas. to activities that require the use of digital technology for These screenings were always very popular. the purposes of creative expression and providing an Under the updated title of Dublin University opportunity to present that art in public. The Society also had Filmmakers Society, adopted in the 1990s, the Society now high ambitions to document advances in the application also represents modern digital filmmaking technologies of digital technology for creative purposes, using a digital and provides opportunities for students to develop, arts database, and to make all information and creative film, edit and produce a large number of films. Classes output accessible via the internet using a Trinity Digital Arts and training are offered to students and the Society has website. The Society in recent years has become almost developed a large selection of professional equipment for wholly focused on digital music (also sometimes known as members to borrow at no charge. the DU DJ Society) and has organized workshops on digital software including beginner DJ mixing software and also Radio/Digital Arts/TV provides professional DJ hardware for use by its members. Trinity FM, was first established in 1998 as a joint-venture It has provided DJs for various Trinity events and organizes between some interested students and the Students’ an active social programme for members interested in Union Entertainment Officer, initially intended as a electro club nights. medium to cover Rag Week and other large student events, Trinity TV, founded in 2009, aims to film, edit particularly those associated with the Students’ Union. It and broadcast videos of College events including Rag began broadcasting for short periods from the Ents Officer’s Week and Éigse na Trionóide (Irish Language Week), as rooms on rented equipment that year. The success of these well as other events of interest to students on campus. efforts led to official recognition as a new society, the The Society works closely with other student societies to Dublin University Radio Society, in 2000. The funding that arrange filming of events, especially guest speakers and followed from the CSC allowed for the creation of a brand entertainers, competitions and shows. All of the Society’s new studio at the top of House 6, fitted with high-tech videos are edited and produced on their own equipment broadcast equipment, and the installation of a permanent and archived online via their website. Trinity TV runs aerial on the side on one of Trinity’s old chimneys. Since workshops on presenting and camerawork for members as then, the station has operated on a temporary broadcasting well as regular Trinity TV Career Network events and other licence granted by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, social activities. allowing it to broadcast on 97.3 FM and online for six weeks in the year. Trinity FM plays a wide selection of music and is largely free to play and discuss any material of interest to its presenters, students and listeners. Recent years have seen a significant increase in the number of live guests, with a number of musicians and groups such as David Kitt, Republic of Loose, Director, The Immediate and The Blizzards all featured guests in 2008. Many of the bands perform rare acoustic interpretations of their hits for the station which are archived on the Trinity FM website. The station also hosts current affairs programmes, dedicated Irish language shows, a film magazine, and news and sports bulletins to its College listenership. In 2007 Trinity FM was awarded dual honours at the Central Societies Members of the Trinity TV Society filming during Freshers’ Week in Committee’s annual awards, winning Best Medium Society Front Square. and Best Individual Contribution for its Chairperson. 66 Student Societies and Clubs

Chapter 4 Arts and Cultural Societies – Wider Perspectives

Chapter 4 Arts/Cultural Societies – Wider Perspectives 67

4.1 Introduction More recently as mentioned previously the Trinity Arts Festival was established, becoming Trinity’s The societies highlighted in Chapter 3 play an important most diverse festival completely organised by students. role in providing extracurricular activities for students, The festival itself is organised by the Trinity Arts Festival whether on their committees or as participants in their committee which has “associate” status within the Central events and programming throughout the academic year. Societies Committee and allows it to access some funding, Involvement in extracurricular activities in general is seen though the festival organisers have been successful in as one of the most accessible ways for students to get gaining funding from other Trinity sources such as the to know their peers, particularly those in other academic Trinity Foundation. Since it began the festival programme courses. This multi-disciplinary environment aligns the has always included events hosted by a number of different student experience with John Henry Newman’s oft-cited societies, and in its most recent years has been successful and influential lecture series The Idea of a University in drawing in even more societies to provide a diverse (1852 and 1858) which highlighted the value of the week of activities covering art, architecture, music, drama, broadest possible tertiary education.63 The activities of the comedy, dance, photography and fashion among others. societies also represent important links between students The programme also includes a Lunchtime Conversations and academic departments, though this is more obvious Series with practitioners from the arts world which has in departmental societies than some of the societies hosted a number of notable figures. The most recent examined in detail in Chapter 3. As the activities of some festival for 2011 included collaboration with the Trinity Early of these societies are also open to the public, they act as Irish Society, Digital Arts Society, Visual Arts Society, the an important link between Trinity and the city. In some Hist, Dance Society, Players, Trinity Jazz Society, Juggling of these situations student activities have been several Society, Knitting Society, Dublin University Photography decades ahead of official College outreach efforts, though Association, Trinity Arts Workshop, Trinity & Boydell Singers College has greatly extended their outreach activities in and the Food and Drink Society. recent years. The Trinity Fringe Festival established in 2009 as a The next four sections of this chapter will discuss collaboration between the Comedy Society, Players, Trinity these aspects of the seventeen societies identified above Orchestra, Film-makers Society and Jazz Society in its first under the headings of society collaboration, interaction year with additional funding from the Trinity Foundation. In with academic departments, and interaction with the city 2010 the Fringe Festival continued, hosted by Players and and national/international dimensions the Comedy Society which brings a number of well-known music and comedy performers to Trinity every December. 4.2 Society Collaboration The Trinity Fringe won Best Event at the Central Societies Committee awards and in 2010 was recognised nationally Festivals have become an important way for student at the Board of Irish College Societies Awards. societies to reach as wide a college audience as possible, Trinity’s music, performance, creative and arts to highlight the variety of activities on campus, to societies also collaborate in one-off events or a series collaborate with other societies and the wider city. The of events with other societies, often for charitable or student societies, and particularly those in the arts/cultural fundraising purposes. For example in the academic year fields run a number of festivals which bring together many 2002/3, the Trinity Orchestra hosted three events with the societies to contribute to campus-wide activities, many of Trinity St. Vincent de Paul Society and in the year 2004/5 which include contributions from noted practitioners in jointly hosted performances with St. Patrick’s Cathedral Ireland and internationally with some events open to the and the Galway Choral Association. public. A recent example of this was the highly-reviewed collaboration between the University Philosophical Society and Players in 2003. The programme included readings, performances and recollections from colleagues and friends of Samuel Beckett, and won several awards. 68 Student Societies and Clubs

4.3 Interaction with Academic some generalisations can be made, for example the Departments Music Society generally has more committee members and general members who are studying music for their Student societies are organised by and for students degree or postgraduate qualification. The Trinity Orchestra in College. Though some societies have close links by comparison, at committee level and among its general with an academic department, mostly departmental membership, is usually run by students outside the School societies, they are only directly responsible to the Central of Music. Given the diversity of music styles catered for by Societies Committee to function within the remit of their Trinity’s music societies (e.g. Jazz Society, Traditional Irish constitution, to keep accurate accounts, to file secretary’s Music Society) it is perhaps unsurprising that many others reports and their main goal is to serve their members like the Trinity Orchestra do not have direct associations interests. The independence of Trinity’s student societies with the School of Music. and their dependence on student initiative might explain Similarly the Visual Arts Society’s committee is why some departmental societies were established usually run by students from the History of Art Department long after their academic departments as discussed which is very supportive while the Trinity Arts Workshop in Chapter 2. Some societies have staff representation committee is drawn from a much broader section of the written into their constitutions, and others may have staff College community. It is likely that there was a degree of members involved as Patrons or Honorary Life Members regular staff interaction between the Visual Arts Society of their society, though these roles rarely involve regular from its early years in the 1960s as staff are mentioned in involvement in committee meetings or the organising of a the organisation of the society’s annual exhibition until society’s activity programme. the mid-1990s. When the exhibition was re-launched in As societies have direct control over their 2009 it was advertised as the first completely student- constitutions, stipulations regarding all aspects of the run exhibition of staff and student art work in a private society’s activities can be changed through a vote approved commercial gallery, though again the event was greatly by the CSC. For example, in 2002 Trinity Orchestral Society encouraged by the Department. voted to alter its 1989 constitution to remove a clause that Modern art on Trinity’s campus is publicly stated that at least one ordinary or honorary committee accessible through the Douglas Hyde Gallery, a publicly- member must be a lecturer employed by the School of funded space opened in 1978, for several years Ireland’s only Music. In general, where relevant, the support rather public gallery of contemporary art. The Gallery is mostly than the direct involvement of academic staff is seen as a funded by the Arts Council and consists of two exhibition positive, though one of Trinity’s most notable literary alumni spaces that are used to show current exhibitions. Students Samuel Beckett did not prove this sentiment accurate in Trinity of course are fortunate to have easy access to when he mischievously duped the Modern Languages such a major modern art gallery. Society in the early 1930s. While briefly Professor of Modern As discussed in Chapter 3 the College’s own Languages, Beckett read a learned paper in French to the modern art collection was initiated in 1959-60 by George Mod Lang Society on a Toulouse author name Jean du Dawson (1927-2004), former Professor of Genetics, with the Chas, founder of a movement called Concentrism though help of the students. A ‘College Gallery’ picture hire scheme Chas and Concentrism were purely fictional, invented by was introduced, whereby original Irish and international Beckett for the talk to mock pedantry!64 artworks along with original prints and artists posters were Some of the societies in the music, performance, actively acquired for display in student and staff rooms on creative and arts theme identified here have natural campus to encourage an interest in, and a critical eye for, ‘departmental’ associations relating to their field of modern and contemporary art.65 activity but that does not automatically mean that there In other instances of societies in this field their is a direct association with that department. The most associations with departments was unlikely from the notable determining factor in the level of staff interaction start as the student societies predated the establishment with student societies stems from the academic courses of the departments themselves. For example Players was of the students involved on the society’s committee. As established in 1933 as discussed in Chapter 3 several new committees are elected annually, it can also mean decades before the foundation of a School of Theatre or that staff interaction can fluctuate depending on the Drama in Trinity. However from its inception some staff make-up of a committee from year to year. However appeared very supportive of the society, particularly Dr Chapter 4 Arts/Cultural Societies – Wider Perspectives 69

Walter Starkie, who was at the launch of the society, and of writers and practitioners in the field discussing their reported in the Irish Times as saying that he considered work and their professional experience with members. drama to be of such importance that it should be included Since the establishment of the Oscar Wilde in the undergraduate course.66 Therefore all students Centre in 1998 by Brendan Kennelly and Gerald Dawe, involved in Players were from academic courses not creative writing has been offered as a Masters programme related to drama, theatre, production or writing and this in Trinity. The course focuses on the practical business of trend has largely continued. When the School of Drama writing, rewriting and editing and the programme also was established, the nature of its courses (long hours and includes an introduction to the publishing industry and a its own productions) meant that many of its students did series of lectures by established writers in a wide range of not have the time to participate in additional theatrical genres. Two writer-fellows, one Irish and one international, performances (outside their course performances) and so are appointed annually to assist faculty writers and past Players has remained quite separate from the academic fellows include John McGahern, Sebastian Barry and Anne department. Players and the School of Drama also have Enright. Each year students on the creative writing course individual theatre and performances spaces both based in publish a selection of work which has seen 11 volumes of the Samuel Beckett Theatre. original work published. Since 2000, in association with From 1995-2007 Trinity ran a well-regarded the British Council, an International Writer Fellow post has bachelor course in acting skills but it was controversially also been established at the Centre which brings noted shut down in 2007 as it was not financially sustainable. literary figures to Trinity to engage with students and However as well as expanding the remaining BA degree in staff. The Writer Fellowship, co-sponsored by the School drama and theatre studies to include increased emphasis of English and the Irish Arts Council, has since 1986 also on acting, Trinity has recently re-established acting as a given student writers the opportunity to receive expert Bachelor course. The Lir, the National Academy of Dramatic criticism, encouragement and guidance from experienced Art, has opened to take its inaugural 2011/2012 Bachelor in practitioners in the field. Acting course. The landmark Academy’s aim is to train young The Film-makers Society (formerly Trinity Video actors, designers, directors, playwrights, stage managers Society) was also active and well-established by the time and theatre technicians to the highest international Film Studies began as an academic department in Trinity in standards for careers in theatre, film, TV and radio. The Lir 1998. Students involved in the society also tend to be from was developed by the partnership of Trinity College Dublin fields outside the academic department though staff and and the Cathal Ryan Trust and is formally associated with the society have a good working relationship. Since 2003 the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). It is situated Trinity has offered the first specialist undergraduate course in the Trinity Technology and Enterprise Campus at Grand in Film Studies and hosts the Irish Film & TV Research Index Canal Dock and close to the new cultural quarter of Dublin Online, a website archive which documents all fiction films around the Grand Canal Theatre. Some student societies at made in Ireland and about Ireland and the Irish produced Trinity are bound in time to benefit substantially from this worldwide since the beginnings of cinema. major new facility. The Arts Technology Research Lab (ATRL) is an interdisciplinary, postgraduate research centre of the School of Drama, Film and Music at Trinity, designed to explore the emergent fields of creative art practice and new technologies. ATRL draws on the synergies of the School of Drama, Film and Music’s performance and time-based disciplines to re-imagine film and video, music and sound production, and theatre, dance, live art and installation in a digital environment. In collaboration with the Schools As with drama, student societies also led the of Computer Science and Engineering, ATRL attempts way in terms of creative writing on campus through the to bring the scientist, engineer and artist into dialogue activities of the Literary Society. The Society began, and to offer the widest range of experimental opportunities still runs courses on creative writing, a field of study not and academic rigour in the practice and study of digital covered through the School of English when the Literary culture and the arts. Again this should eventually impact Society began. The Society has also hosted a wide variety significantly on some student societies. 70 Student Societies and Clubs

the co-ordinator’s role will be to explore how greater links between students and student societies and the cultural institutions can be realised. In the early 1970s Trinity students began providing informal and occasional voluntary tuition to students from the Pearse Street area with the Students’ Union providing some support services such as photocopying and stationery. By the mid-1980s this activity was formalised and reinvigorated by the establishment of a Voluntary Tuition programme in Trinity on the approach of the Social Services Centre in Westland Row. This Voluntary Tuition Programme was part of a wider community education initiative for the Pearse Street area. When the Social Services Centre moved to its current location in St. Andrew’s Resource Centre on Pear Street, Trinity’s Student Voluntary Tuition Programme moved with it and continues to tuition Catalogue for Ireland Under the Georgian Cartoonists, the exhibition and activities to children from local schools. Other tuition, catalogue highlighting the visual archives of the University activity and literacy programmes are also offered by Trinity’ Philosophical Society. (Trinity College Dublin Press, 1973) St Vincent de Paul Society and the Trinity Suas Society. All of these programmes aim to support students and learners in a network of local schools and the community. 4.4 Student Societies and the City From the 1960s Trinity’s student societies, and particularly those societies in the music, performance, As was the case in some academic fields highlighted creative and arts fields have been active in developing above, student societies could also be said to have been events and activities with other groups and cultural active in Trinity’s outreach activity in the city. One of practitioners in the city. For example, in 1969 a small the earliest examples of student societies reaching out number of volunteers (Trinity and UCD students), including to the city was the collaboration between the College students from the Trinity Arts Society, began providing food Historical Society and the National Gallery of Ireland on to people experiencing homelessness on the streets of the exhibition ‘Art and Oratory’ held in the Gallery to Dublin, and using the Arts Society’s rooms on Pearse Street mark the bicentenary of the College Historical Society in as their base. These activities marked the beginning of the 1970. Since the 1970s Trinity has been making concerted Simon Community in Ireland, the organisation dedicated efforts to reach out to the immediate community outside to helping homeless people in Dublin and other Irish cities. its walls as well as to the city more generally, and these Trinity’s Choral Society and Players have been the aims are now well documented in the College’s Strategic most active, given their long histories in their involvement Plans as an important element to the University’s future with bodies and organisations outside College walls. The development plans. The establishment of a Community Outreach Officer, the Trinity Access Programme and several other programmes has seen Trinity shake off accusations of isolation from the local community and more recently the establishment of the Creative Arts, Technologies and Culture (CATC) initiative has further extended connections into the city. This followed on a major study undertaken by Trinity in collaboration with nearby Cultural Institutions.67 In 2010 the National Library of Ireland and Trinity established a new cultural co-ordinator post, with a specific brief to foster new collaboration between the institutions but also with a wider remit to include any other interested In 2011 the Choral Society performed Verdi’s Requiem with the cultural institution in the city centre. An important part of Guinness Choir and the Ulster Orchestra at the Grand Canal Theatre. Chapter 4 Arts/Cultural Societies – Wider Perspectives 71

Merrion Square and the River Liffey Boardwalk. This festival, organized and run by Players, places a high importance on outreach into the city, particularly community outreach to bring Shakespeare back into classrooms of primary and secondary schools. In its first year these aims were represented through workshops around Dublin, talks on “De-Mystifying Shakespeare” for school children and performances of a children’s text A Midsummer Night’s Dream by performers and representatives from Trinity and a special matinee performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Trinity’s Rose Garden with audience members invited from Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin and the St Vincent de Paul Society. In the same year Players were also involved An announcement for 18th Annual Festival of the Universities’ along with the Comedy Society, Jazz Society and others Dramatic Association highlighting its move into the city using in launching Trinity’s first Fringe Festival. In 2010 as part of commercial theatre venues for the first time. Trinity News, 18 February the Fringe Festival seven societies and the Trinity Access 1960. Programme collaborated on the ‘Santa’s Grotto’ event which Choral Society has collaborated with numerous opens up campus to children from all backgrounds and other musical groups, including other university choral reinforces a positive message about the higher education societies in Ireland and choral groups and has performed environment. It seeks to promote an inclusive College in a variety of city venues with performances open to community with equality of access to all and strengthens the public. Players, through its network of activity in Irish the connection with the 500 children and participating theatre, has regular contact with other city theatre groups schools. and venues. Some of the most successful Irish theatre companies have been established by previous members of the Society including Rough Magic, Fishamble, Corn Exchange, and Pan Pan. In 2009 Players launched the successful Trinity College Dublin Shakespeare Festival. Although run by a student society the event is aimed at “putting Dublin firmly on the map in terms of performance of Shakespeare and is looking to set up the platform to make this the largest and most successful city-wide open air Shakespeare festival Members of the Trinity Arts Festival Committee participating in an in the coming years”. Actor Stephen Rea is the honorary open exhibition of art pieces in Front Square, 2009. patron of the festival which is funded in part through the Trinity College Visual and Performing Arts Fund and Players also regularly participates in the Irish includes a mixture of performances, guest speakers as well Student Drama Association’s annual festival which has as a community outreach programmes. been running for over 60 years and takes place in Dublin Performances and scenes, featuring over 100 every eight years. Most recently the Society hosted the actors, for the now annual programme are performed Dublin event in 2010 which involved over 35 productions during the festival by both professional actors from from 11 different college around Ireland with over 500 the British Shakespeare Company and amateur actors performers taking part. Productions were run in Trinity and from the Dublin Shakespeare Company, and the Irish in cooperation with venues across the city and the ISDA universities including Trinity, University College Dublin and was the most-attended festival in Trinity to date. the National University of Ireland Maynooth. Events take place on campus and in various locations around the city including St Stephens Green, the Civic Amphitheatre in 72 Student Societies and Clubs

The other major cultural festival on campus as mentioned is the Trinity Arts Festival run by the Trinity Arts Festival society and also promotes and engages in activities outside College walls. The success of the festival in these activities is highlighted by the funding it received through the Trinity Foundation for its plans “to promote arts both on and off campus”. The practitioner workshops host designers and artists well-known in their fields; for example in 2010 a jewellery-making workshop was held in association with a commercial craft jewellery business in the city. Practitioner- led activities are also a prominent feature of the regular programme of the Trinity Arts Workshop, the Visual Arts Society, Film-makers and Trinity TV. by the five Capitated bodies. Students can also apply for additional funding from the Trinity Foundation, the 4.5 National and International charitable arm of College and other Trinity sources. The Dimensions representative bodies on the Capitation Committee protect the autonomy and freedom of association of student-run Domestic groups and also provide representation at Senior College Trinity’s student clubs and societies compare favourably level for their members. to other Irish universities and internationally. All third level The majority of Ireland’s higher education institutions have some sort of structures for financing and institutions are involved in the Board of Irish College supporting student extracurricular activities, particularly Societies (BICS), established in 1995 to recognise and clubs and societies and each have student societies that support the contribution of student societies. The BICS also focus on performance, creative and arts societies. The provides a national forum for student societies in Ireland’s most populous societies on larger university campuses are universities, colleges and institutes of technology. The usually the older debating societies and the departmental Board is responsible for the promotion of interest in the societies of the most established disciplines and also activities of Irish college societies and of contact and co- those with the largest student numbers in that discipline, operation between them. BICS also acts as an information for example the Literary & Historical Society (L&H), the resource and support mechanism for society administrators Engineering Society (Eng Soc) and the Commerce & throughout the country promoting the sharing of ideas Economics Society (C&E) in UCD. and the implementation of best practice and hosts the Through these structures student societies can annual National Society of the Year Awards. Each institution usually access resources to assist their committee work nominates a number of societies, individuals and events in organising events for members such as computers, for annual awards, usually coming from their own internal photocopiers, phones and other office support. Student awards system, which also exists in most institutions. drama societies and student music societies are the most Arts/cultural societies have a varied presence common type of society across all campuses in these areas, on Irish campuses. As stated above drama and music with each Institute of Technology or University having a societies are the most common though film societies (with variety of other societies in this field, some considerably some focus on production and direction), other media more than others. Most student societies mainly recruit societies, literary, photographic and dance societies are their members during a ‘Freshers’ Week’ type event and also established on most larger campuses, particularly if the number of members they sign up annually have some academic courses are offered in these areas. While most connection to the level of funding they can access through institutions only have one drama society (usually one their college structures. of the largest), music societies provide the most diverse At the moment Trinity has the most developed type of cultural and arts societies with several of the larger administrative and financial support for extracurricular campuses supporting traditional and modern genres activites of any Irish university. Administrative support of music performance. Arts and crafts societies are the (in the form of full-time staff and honorary officers and least common among Irish higher education campuses. financial support are available to all those represented However several institutions support some sort of arts Chapter 4 Arts/Cultural Societies – Wider Perspectives 73

festival during the academic year which draws together The history of Irish and UK student activities are relatively a variety of student and staff activities for the campus similar in their development trajectories, though US student community and the wider public, often including national activities have particular characteristics that differ from the and international arts and creative practitioners. Some Irish and British counterparts. With the first US colleges institutions also have arts and cultural venues on campus established in the eighteenth century and dominated by (student centres as well as campus theatres) which student religious studies in early years, students were punished for societies access to bring their creative work to the staff and perceived leisure activities such as card-playing and graffiti student body as well as wider audiences. also appears to have been a common offence!68 The National University of Ireland Galway has developed an “Arts on Campus” programme as a collaboration between the University’s Arts Office, the Societies Office, students and staff, the purpose of which is to highlight and celebrate creativity and talent on campus. This programme includes activities in drama, literature, Irish language, music, film and an annual arts festival “Muscailt”, and provides an important Irish example of combining student extracurricular activities and university activities for the benefit of campus and the wider public.

Britain and United States The Barber Institute of Fine Arts at the University of Birmingham, the The activities of Irish student societies are mirrored in the first of the six “Redbrick Universities” (Royal Charter, 1909) established UK and the US, though the size of many international in the major industrial cities of England , all of which received universities and colleges means the scale of student university status before World War I. The Barber Institute of Fine Arts societies is much larger. Historically student activities in is housed in a purpose-built Art Deco building opened in the 1930s older universities began, like Trinity, with debating and consisting of an art gallery and concert hall. discussion societies, social societies (particularly fraternities and sororities in the US) and sporting clubs. In the UK In Yale (which traces its foundations to 1701) and evidence of organised and recognised student activities other early institutions the emphasis on classical languages along these lines are evident from at least the seventeenth gave rise to a number of private student societies, with century and in the US from the late eighteenth century membership by invitation only, which arose primarily as when the first colleges were established. forums for discussions of modern scholarship, literature and politics. In the early American institutions, Harvard, Yale and Princeton, students rejected elite British concepts about “amateurism” in sports and constructed athletic programmes that were uniquely American, such as American football, which goes some way to explaining the strength of sports scholarship programmes in American universities. The Harvard–Yale football rivalry began in 1875. Debating was also viewed as more of a competitive sport in US universities. Between 1892, when Harvard and Yale met in the first intercollegiate debate, and 1909, the year of the first Triangular Debate of Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, the rhetoric, symbolism, and metaphors used in Harvard-Yale Football Programme for the first intervarsity match, 1875. athletics were used to frame these early debates. Debates were covered on front pages of college newspapers and emphasized in yearbooks, and team members received the equivalent of athletic letters for their jackets. Often there were rallies sending off the debating teams to matches.69 74 Student Societies and Clubs

In the late nineteenth century there was significant Columbia University Initiatives change in higher education in many countries. The In recent years some of the largest US universities have Queen’s Colleges were established in Ireland widening the developed significant arts and cultural programmes opportunities for third level education in the country, the outside academic courses and disciplines which aim ‘Red Brick’ universities were established in the UK alongside to engage the whole student body in campus cultural more technical colleges and there was broad expansion activities and cultural activities in the wider community. generally in the number and variety of tertiary education Columbia University in New York has one of the institutions in the US. Student numbers engaged in higher most developed of these programmes with several learning greatly increased with these developments and initiatives to promote student events and participation the extracurricular activities evident on campuses from this on campus and with New York cultural institutions.71 period also dramatically increased. The idea of volunteerism in the broadest sense (not just charitable activity) on university and college campuses has also been strong since the nineteenth century, developing significantly in the twentieth century. Many major UK and US universities have a strong tradition of volunteerism and activism. Richard H. Brodhead, former dean of Yale College and now president of Duke University, stated: “We do give very significant attention to orientation to the community in our admissions, and there is a very strong tradition of volunteerism at Yale.” 70 Yale historian Gaddis Smith notes “an ethos of organized activity” at Yale in the last century. Various sources note the spirit of campus activism that has existed in university campuses since the 1960s which reflected broader movements in American and European society. As noted in the Irish case above, dramatic and musical student societies are the most common across all of these geographic locations, with many of the Ivy The Arts Initiative at Columbia University was League Colleges in the US becoming well-known for their established to make arts and culture a meaningful part of singing groups and choirs. US universities tend to have the student experience. Its diverse programmes encourage more such societies which include alumni as generally the students, faculty, and alumni in all fields to generate, alumni networks in the States are more developed than study, and engage the creative life of the campus, the in Europe. The role of private donors and philanthropy city, and the wider world. The initiative has developed a in the development of student resources from buildings highly publicised website and ‘brand’ on campus and in to scholarships and centres for research and cultural the city and is one with potential interest for major Irish activity including university museums and other cultural universities, though some aspects of its programmes are institutions on campus has had a notable effect on the less relevant than others. For example the ‘Passport to expansion and visibility of cultural activity on US campuses, New York’ Scheme provides free admission for current that has largely only begun in recent decades to develop in undergraduate and graduate students to c. 35 New York Irish and British universities. City museums with student ID from Columbia. While Irish museums and galleries are free to all (with some special exceptions for certain exhibitions), the idea of creating a ‘Culture Pass’ for students, particularly associated with student societies, would be a novel way to educate students and raise awareness about the wealth of culture close to Trinity’s campus and create networks to advertise a diverse range of events on the city’s cultural programme to students from all academic disciplines. Chapter 4 Arts/Cultural Societies – Wider Perspectives 75

In terms of faculty involvement in student 4.6 Concluding Comment activities, particularly in the area of arts and culture, Columbia’s ArtsLink is also a very worthy resource which This study commenced with a discussion of the potential could be mapped into other university scenarios. ArtsLink benefit that participation in extracurricular activities can allows faculty to assign an NYC arts event as easily as have for students. Trinity students have developed a wide assigning a book on a curriculum. This facility makes it range of extracurricular activities over several hundred possible for professors to include cultural events in their years, which form a vital part of what College has described syllabi without buying and re-selling tickets. ArtsLink buys as the ‘Trinity Experience’. This study has attempted to chart the tickets, subsidises their cost, and sells them directly to the development of these student activities and place classes that have been assigned an event. them within the context of College, city and wider events. Other elements of this initiative suggest equally Chapter 1 of the report highlighted the wide relevant opportunities for other universities. For example range of extracurricular activity in Trinity which includes in terms of advertising and publicising student events on much more than student societies and clubs. Nonetheless campus (particularly those open to the public), there is the focus of this study was societies and clubs as they potential to strengthen avenues for the distribution of this impinge on the widest array of students. Chapter 2 outlined information. the rich history of such clubs and societies in Trinity. Their development was of course influenced by what was happening at the Oxbridge colleges, though this link has long since been broken. The oldest of the large societies today have deep roots not only in Trinity but also in Dublin society and to some degree in Irish history. The oldest of the sports clubs dates from the nineteenth century and had a huge influence on Irish sport in those years, particularly in rugby, rowing, athletics and field hockey. Dublin has a rich music tradition and the Choral Society played a key part in this in the 19th century. Indeed, given the elite position of Trinity in these centuries, the College has had an influential role in the cultural life of the city. This background has shaped the structure of College societies and clubs to this day. While many new societies and clubs were founded in the twentieth century, the long-established societies and clubs still have a prominent place in the Trinity of 2011. The Hist and the Phil remain the major student debating and paper-reading societies in the College, if not in Ireland. Rugby, hockey and cricket remain key sporting activities in Trinity, although the once hugely important College Races (both socially and sports wise) have all but disappeared. Major changes in wider society have been reflected in the establishment of new clubs and societies. The admission of women into Trinity in 1904 was a significant development on campus, though it was not until the 1960s that many societies allowed them full membership. Political and cultural movements such as the Gaelic Revival were also reflected in student club and society activities. Increased student numbers, diverse backgrounds and new interests have also led to many new societies, a trend which continues to this day. 76 Student Societies and Clubs

Building on this general historical context for the Such initiatives highlight the potential for further development of Trinity’s clubs and societies, Chapter 3 looks development that student interests in extracurricular in particular at the arts and cultural societies established by activity bring to a university and its community. Central Trinity students. Discussion covers the developments and university authorities are in the position to continue to contexts of these student groups in the areas of music, art, promote creativity and culture on campus and among performance and visual arts. Apart from the University of students which might be achieved by: Dublin Choral Society, DU Players as seen earlier, has played an important role in student drama for almost 80 years in 1 Student scholarships for artists, performers and the College. The same applies, for almost 50 years, to the cultural practitioners in the same model as those for sports Arts Workshop, the Visual Arts Society, the Literary Society, and music. These awards could be supported by the Trinity the Photographic Society and several literary publications. Foundation and/or the establishment of a Trinity Arts More recent societies are also considered including the Alumni Association which would function like a ‘Friends’ Trinity Orchestra and Trinity’s radio, video, digital arts and organisation for Trinity’s arts and cultural activities and/ TV societies. or student arts activities. It could provide discounts for Chapter 4 considers the larger collaborative members, arrange private tours of cultural institutions and activities of these arts and cultural societies. Sections 4.1- have lecture evenings with noted Trinity alumni in the arts 4.3 look at how they collaborate with each other and with and culture field. other societies, clubs, groups, departments and centres 2 Summer opportunities for student involvement on campus. In some cases interaction between student in arts and cultural activities (outside of societies), with the societies and academic departments is quite extensive. possible inclusion of this activity in community outreach, Trinity’s own arts and cultural venues and centres, such as i.e. Culture Summer Camps for primary and secondary the Oscar Wilde Centre are also considered here. Looking school children. This would invigorate campus over the beyond the walls, section 4.4 highlights areas where student summer months, particularly for students who stay in the arts and cultural activity in Trinity has spread out into the city over the break, provide opportunities for liaison with city through collaboration and cooperation with various city cultural institutions and collaborative events and city and national organisations and companies. Section amount to a large outreach activity for College. 4.5 places all of this extracurricular activity in the national 3 Cultural pass scheme for Trinity students context of Irish higher education today and considers the in collaboration with cultural institutions and arts historical development of Irish extracurricular activity in an organisations in the city. This proposal will be considered international context with comparison to Britain and the in detail by a continuation project from this report. The United States. Finally the chapter considers the Columbia work will be based around a study of similar cultural Arts Initiative as a recent development in the coordination pass schemes such as the Columbia University scheme of arts and cultural activities on an urban university campus discussed in section 4.5. During the next year the student in New York City. societies and the wider student body will be invited to contribute their views on further engagement between Trinity and the cultural landscape of the city. Earlier this year (2011) the Trinity Foundation held a very useful Round Table discussion with key stakeholders in New York which provided an important first step in learning from this and other New York experiences. Besides, a symposium was held in Trinity in September 2011 drawing also on the Paris experience with regard to student participation in cultural institutions there. Thus, moves are already afoot on this count.

Endnotes 77

Today, as always, new societies, clubs and student- Endnotes run organisations begin because of a genuine student interest in their aims and activities. Although largely well 1 John Dewey, (1951). Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. New York: received by senior officers, administratively and financially Macmillan Co. supported by central College, and sometimes encouraged 2 A.W. Astin, (1984). Student Involvement: A Developmental by staff, this narrative is one of student activity. Whether Theory for Higher Education. Journal of College Student Personnel, (25): 297-308. this associational environment is branded as the “Trinity 3 E.T. Pascarella & P.T. Terenzini, (1991). How College Affects Experience” or something else, it stems from the students Students: Findings and Insights from Twenty Years of Research. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 50-51; id. (1998). themselves and must be protected as such. Studying College Students in the 21st Century: Meeting New Looking to the future, each society, club, and Challenges. The Review of Higher Education. 21(2): 151-165; representative body will have to adapt to changing K. Hernandez, S. Hogan, C. Hathaway, & C.D. Lovell, (1999). Analysis of the Literature on the Impact of Student Involvement circumstances both of their members and of the College, on Student Development and Learning: More Questions than while retaining the central interests of their members at Answers? Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice. 36(3): 184-197; J. Foubert & L. Grainger, (2006). Effects of their core. College should actively encourage and foster Involvement in Clubs and Organizations on the Psychosocial the innovation and energy that has led to the creation of Development of First-Year and Senior College Students. NASPA Trinity’s wide range of societies and clubs, to maintain what Journal. 43(1): 166-182. 4 C. Huang & B. Carleton, (2003). The Relationships among is good from the past, and to meet new challenges and Leisure Participation, Leisure Satisfaction, and Life satisfaction of student preferences of the future. college students in Taiwan. Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness. 1(2):129-132; National Federation of State High School Active membership and participation in societies Associations, 2008. The Case for High School Activities. http:// and clubs alongside academic coursework aligns the www.osaa.org/osaainfo/08CaseForHSActivities.pdf [Accessed: 18 student experience with John Henry Newman’s oft-cited November 2010]; A. Conway, (2009). An investigation into the benefits of extracurricular activities like Clubs and Societies and influential lecture series The Idea of a University (1852 to students and colleges: Are these benefits evident in the and 1858), which highlighted the value of the broadest opinions and perceptions of staff and students in DIT? B.Sc. Dublin Institute of Technology; R.M. Carini, G.D. Kuh & S.P. Klein, possible tertiary education environment. Universities now (2006). Student Engagement and Student Learning: Testing the need to begin to back-up these sentiments with additional Linkages. Research in Higher Education. 47(1): 1-32. research. No major US, UK or Irish university has yet taken 5 G.D. Kuh, J.H. Schuh, E.J. Whitt & Associates, (1991). Involving Colleges. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. the lead in collating data in the field of extracurricular 6 D.L. Cooper, M.A. Healy & J. Simpson, 1994. Student activity through the systematic recording of student Development through Involvement: Specific Changes Over Time. Journal of College Student Development. 35: 98–102; involvement (particularly at committee-level), to create Astin, op. cit.; A.W. Chickering & L. Reisser, (1993). Education data-sets for the study of levels of involvement and their and Identity (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; S.W. Stanford, potential impact on the student experience. (1992). Extracurricular Involvement and Development Among Undergraduate Student Leaders. College Student Affairs This is where the very generous funding of John Journal. 12: 17–24; L.M. Martin, (2000). The Relationship of Pearson has made such a major contribution in the Trinity College Experiences to Psychosocial Outcomes in Students. Journal of College Student Development. 41: 294-303. context. It has allowed the earlier Keenan and O’Hare 7 Lisa Keenan & Aidan O’Hare, (2010). Universities, Societies & study to be undertaken and more importantly it has Clubs: Culture, Extracurricular Activities & Career Progression made possible the work underlying this study, the first of – Trinity College Dublin, Four Case Studies. Dublin: Trinity Long Room Hub. its kind in relation to any university that we know of. The 8 Johanna Archbold, (2010). Creativity, the City and the challenge now is to build on this and the new initiatives University: A Case Study in Collaboration between Trinity College Dublin and some Nearby Cultural Institutions. already introduced by College as outlined in Chapter 1. Dublin: Trinity Long Room Hub. http://www.tcd.ie/catc/assets/ The “Trinity Experience” must not come to represent empty documents/creativity-the-city-the-university-2010.pdf See also, rhetoric but something which students will later cherish Catherine Morris, (2011). Practice Orientated Postgraduate Degrees and Creative City Partnerships: Case Studies of dearly throughout their lives, as has been the case with King’s College, London, University of York and Trinity College. John Pearson. Dublin: Trinity Long Room Hub. 9 Trinity College Dublin, Strategic Plan, 2009-2014. 10 ibid. 11 J. Geraghty, (2010). Investigation into Awareness of and Involvement in Trinity College societies. Central Societies Committee. Msc. Trinity College Dublin. 12 The website for the Dublin University Central Athletics Committee (DUCAC) where information on all current sports clubs can be found is http://www.ducac.tcdlife.ie/. A full list of all currently recognised sports clubs can also be accessed through 78 Student Societies and Clubs

the College Calendar - Part I. 27 M.H.A. Milne, N.P. Perry & Michael Halliday, (1982). A History 13 The website for the Central Societies Committee (CSC) of the Dublin University Cricket Club. Dublin: Dublin University where information on all current student societies can be Cricket Club; David R. Pigot, (1985). Dublin University Cricket found is http://www.trinitysocieties.ie/. A full list of all currently Club, 1835-1985. Dublin: Dublin University Cricket Club. recognised student societies (and their date of official 28 See Keenan & O’Hare, op. cit, for more on the 19th century recognition) clubs can also be accessed through the College history of the Rowing Club. See also Raymond Blake, (1991). Calendar - Part I. In Black and White: A History of Rowing at Trinity College, 14 Trinity College Dublin Press Release, ‘Trinity Sport Dublin. Dublin: Dublin University Boat Club. Scholarships Awarded to 28 Trinity Students’, 13 December 2010. 29 Poems by the late Edward Lysaght Esq. (Dublin, 1811). On 15 R. B. McDowell, (1993). Land & Learning: Two Irish clubs. the early history of rugby in Trinity see West, op. cit. pp. 22-32 Dublin: Lilliput Press; James Kelly & Martyn J. Powell, eds., (2010). and Trevor West, ed., (2003). Dublin University Football Club, Clubs and Societies in Eighteenth-Century Ireland. Dublin: 1854-2004: 150 Years of Trinity Rugby. Bray, Co. Wicklow: Four Courts Press; Jennifer Kelly & R.V. Comerford, eds., (2010). Wordwell. On the Dublin University Hurley Club and the early Associational Culture in Ireland and Abroad. Dublin and origins of the sport in Ireland see West, op. cit. pp. 32-36; Art Ó Portland, O.R.: Irish Academic Press. Maolfabhail, (1973). Camán: Two THousand Years of Hurling 16 R.B. McDowell & D.A. Webb, (1982, 2004). Trinity College in Ireland. Dundalk; Marcus de Burca, (1989). Michaeal Cusack Dublin, 1592-1952: An Academic History. Cambridge and and the GAA. Dublin. Dublin: Cambridge University Press; reprinted by Trinity College 30 Roland Budd. ‘DU Squash Rackets Club – History’, DU Squash Dublin Press in association with Environmental Publications Rackets Club Website http://www.squash.tcdlife.ie/history.html 2004; J.V. Luce, (1992). Trinity College Dublin. The first 400 [Accessed: 12 December 2010]. Years. Dublin: Trinity College Dublin Press. Other histories of 31 Marcus Webb, (1993). Hockey in Trinity: The Story of Dublin Trinity include J.P. Mahaffy, (1903, 1970). An Epoch in Irish University Hockey Club, 1893-1993. Dublin: Trinity Trust and history: Trinity College, Dublin, its Foundation and Early DUCAC; Michael Halliday & Gavin Caldwell, (2009). From College Fortunes, 1591-1660. London; Reprinted, Port Washington Courses to Lasting Links. A History of Dublin University and London, 1970; J.W. Stubbs, (1889). The History of the Golfing Society, 1909-2009. Dublin: Linden Publishing University of Dublin from its Foundation to the End of Services. the Eighteenth Century. Dublin; Roland Budd, (2001). The 32 Alan Glisenan, ed., (1985). Dublin University Harriers and Platforme of an Universitie: All Hallows’ Priory to Trinity Athletic Club: A Centenary History. Dublin: Dublin University College, Dublin. Dublin: Particular Books. Harriers and Athletic Club. 17 Sebastian Balfour, Laurie Howes, Michael de Larrabeiti & 33 The Field, 1870s referred to by Norman Glass in an article Anthony Weale, eds., (2009). Trinity Tales. Trinity College Dublin ‘A Look Back…’ on Trinity Week in the past in Trinity Week 1966 a in the Sixties. Dublin: Lilliput Press. Trinity News supplement on the year’s social highlights. Trinity 18 John Lawrence, (1876). Handbook of Cricket in Ireland. News, 19 May 1966. Dublin: John Lawrence. 34 See Keenan and O’Hare, op. cit. and Blake, op. cit. 19 Trevor West, (1991). The Bold Collegians: The Development 35 This Society for Gentlemen: A History of the University of of Sport in Trinity College, Dublin. Dublin: Lilliput Press in Dublin Choral Society. [2003]. association with DUCAC; T.S.C. Dagg, (1969). College Historical 36 For a history of Trinity Hall see Trinity Hall. Dublin: Trinity Society: A History (1770-1920). Cork; Declan Budd & Ross Trust, 1974; Rosa Pilcher, (2009). Life within the Microcosm: 100 Hinds, (1997). The Hist and Edmund Burke’s Club: An years of Trinity Hall, M. Phil degree in Gender and Women’s Anthology of the College Historical Society, the Student Studies. Debating Society of Trinity College, Dublin, from its Origins 37 McDowell & Webb, op. cit. in Edmund Burke’s Club 1747-1997. Dublin: Lilliput Press; 38 Women could attend Oxford and Cambridge for studies and J.P. Cinnamond, ed., (1954). Centenary Review: [1853-1953] examinations but could not be awarded a degree. Trinity, for a University Philosophical Society, Trinity College, Dublin. fee, awarded these degrees as part of their reciprocal recognition Dublin: Centenary Year Committee, University Philosophical of achievement with the British universities. Oxford began to Society, TCD; University Philosophical Society, (1988). A Guide to award female students their BA in 1920, Cambridge in 1947. For the University Philosophical Society Dublin. Dublin: University further information see Olive Purser, (1954). Women in Dublin Philosophical Society. University 1904-1954. Dublin: Dublin University Press. 20 McDowell & Webb, op. cit. Appendix 2, pp. 499-508, 518. 39 T.C. Kingsmill-Moore, TCD Miscellany, 1916. 21 H. Griffin, ed., (1811). Poems, by the late Edward Lysaght, 40 Trinity Library holds the of the Dublin University Officer Esq. Barrister-at-Law. Dublin: Gilbert and Hodges. Training Corps from 1910-1922 and account by Professor 22 K.T. Hoppen, (1970). The Common Scientist in the Gilbert Waterhouse, Lieutenant in the Dublin University Officer Seventeenth Century: A Study of the Dublin Philosophical Training Corps (DUOTC), of the defence of Trinity College during Society, 1683-1708. London: Routledge and K. Theodore ; id., Easter Week in 1916 (MS 4875), Trinity College Library. For more (1982). The papers of the Dublin Philosopical Society, 1683-1708. information on the OTC see Roger Willoughby, (1989). A Military Analecta Hibernica. xxx: 153-248. History of the University of Dublin and its Officers Training 23 Muriel McCarthy, (2003). Marsh’s Library: All Graduates Corps, 1910-1922. Limerick: Medal Society of Ireland. and Gentlemen. Dublin: Four Courts Press. 41 Records of the Dublin University Ladies Hockey Club, 1905, 24 The Society was originally called the ‘Dublin Society for Trinity College Library. Improving Husbandry, Manufactures and other Useful Arts’. The 42 See West, The Bold Collegians, op. cit. pp. 1-15. addition of ‘and Sciences’ came several weeks later and the ‘Royal’ 43 Irish Times, 19 February 2011. prefix was received in 1820 from George IV. For more on the RDS 44 See West, The Bold Collegians, op. cit. pp. 47-50. see James Meehan & Desmond Clarke, (1981). The Royal Dublin 45 Dublin University Climbing Club, Records and Minutes, 1961, Society, 1731-1981. Dublin: Royal Dublin Society. Trinity College Library. 25 For a detailed history of the Historical Club and the College 46 Irish Times, 20 November 1913. Historical Society see Budd & Hinds, op. cit. 47 McDowell & Webb, op. cit. p. 419. 26 Letter from C.B. Barrington, 6 October 1920, TCD MUN/Club/ 48 College Historical Society, ‘History of the Society’, College Rugby F/46, Trinity College Library cited in West, op. cit., p. 26. Historical Society Website http://thehist.com/about_the_ society/history. [Accessed: 12 January 2011]. 49 University Philosophical Society, ‘History of the Society’, University Philosophical Society Website http://www.tcdphil. com/about_history.php. [Accessed: 23 November 2010]. 50 Irish Times, 28 October 1932. 51 Trinity Tales, op. cit. p. 94. 52 J.V. Luce, op. cit. 53 W.H. Grattan Flood, (1905). A History of Irish Music. Dublin: Browne and Nolan. 54 Linzi Simpson, (1996). Smock Alley Theatre: The Evolution of a Building. Dublin: Temple Bar Properties. 55 W.H. Grattan Flood. (1922). Eighteenth Century Italians in Dublin. Music & Letters. 3(3): 274-278. 56 Irish Times, 12 November 1932. 57 Nicola Gordon Bowe, (1990-1). The Irish Arts and Crafts Movement (1886-1925). Irish Arts Review Yearbook, 1990-91. 172-185. 58 Trinity News, 31 October 1968. 59 For additional information on the College Art Collections see http://www.tcd.ie/artcollections/. 60 Irish Times, 26 November 1932. 61 Catherine Giltrap, ed., (2010). George Dawson: An Unbiased Eye. Modern and Contemporary Art at Trinity College Dublin since 1959. Dublin: Trinity College Dublin. 62 For more detail on these publications see Tom Clyde, (2001). Irish Literary Magazines. Dublin and Portland, O.R.: Irish Academic Press. 63 John Henry Newman, (1852, 1858). The Idea of a University. 64 Recounted from Beckett’s letters to Thomas MacGreevy in the Thomas MacGreevy Correspondence, Trinity College Library. 65 See Giltrap, op. cit. for further information on George Dawson and the modern art collection in Trinity. 66 Irish Times, 28 October 1932. 67 See Archbold, op. cit. 68 Brooks Mather Kelley, (1974, 1999). Yale: A History. New Haven: Yale University Press. 69 Ronald A. Smith, (1990). Sports and Freedom: The Rise of Big Time College Athletics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 70 Boston Globe, 17 November 2006. 71 Further information on these initiatives can be found at www.cuarts.com.