Issue 20 October 2015 www.tcd.ie/alumni
TRINITY
TODAY A publication for alumni and friends
Trinity’s fight against dementia Construction begins on landmark Business School Watching campus from outer space
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Alumni can bring three friends to the Book of Kells for free & avail of a 10% discount in the Library shop
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TRINITY TODAY WELCOME
THE TEAM Editor Patrick Gleeson Editorial Team Róisín Cody John Dillon Caoimhe Ní Lochlainn Eileen Punch Sandra Rafter Nick Sparrow Cover Image Photograph of Professor Ian Robertson by John Jordan Publisher Ashville Media Group www.ashville.com All information contained in this magazine is for informational purposes only and is to the best of our knowledge correct at the time of print. The opinions expressed in these pages are not necessarily shared by the Trinity Development & Alumni Office or Trinity College Dublin.
CONTACT Trinity Development & Alumni East Chapel Trinity College Dublin 2 Ireland t. +353 (0)1 896 2088 e. alumni@tcd.ie w. www.tcd.ie/alumni
TRINITY TODAY IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW.TCD.IE/ALUMNI /TRINITYTODAY
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PROVOST’S WELCOME Dear fellow alumni,
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s one of the world’s leading universities, Trinity provides an education aimed at developing a student’s independence of mind and honing their critical thinking abilities through a deep immersion in their discipline of study. A Trinity student should push the boundaries of learning, and be aware of the challenges facing society and his or her own role in addressing them. We have recently begun the “Trinity Education Project”, which will aim to renew our curriculum. One of the aspects of the project will be to further promote innovation and entrepreneurship in many guises – technological, commercial, cultural and creative. Trinity’s objective is to take the lead in developing a truly integrated approach to innovation and entrepreneurship, extending from the sciences to the humanities. Trinity has always been a multi-disciplinary University, with an emphasis on researchinspired education, with a global orientation. In this issue of Trinity Today, this outlook is perfectly illustrated in the cover story on Trinity’s plans to tackle the impending dementia epidemic across the world. Elsewhere, Professor Andrew Burke, explains how the new Trinity Business School is turning the University into one of the world’s top destinations for business students. Universities have always been instrumental to a country’s prosperity. If you look through history, you find that at every stage, successful countries have successful universities. At Trinity, we believe that the success of our alumni is a crucial barometer of the University’s continued success. As always, I am delighted that Trinity Today features interviews with some of these alumni, such as Ollie Guinan who took the skills he learned at Trinity and used them to help change the way we see our planet from outer space. Elsewhere, Iseult Ward tells us about her plans to eliminate food poverty and Jennifer Taylor looks back on her journey from studying law in Trinity to becoming chief operating officer with one of the biggest banks in the world. We chat to Bernard Broderick about running one of the standout Irish entrepreneurial success stories of the last decade and Ailis Egan, prop on the Irish Women’s rugby team, tells us about her hopes for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2017. There are also several full page advertisements outlining the wide range of services and benefits that Trinity offers to alumni. Trinity has over 100,000 alumni living in 122 countries and we aim to create lifelong personal, academic, and professional relationships with each one of you. This relationship should be mutually beneficial sustaining the University in its mission to achieve excellence in teaching and research and helping individual alumni in building successful careers. I try and meet with our graduates frequently at dinners and receptions organised by the excellent alumni branches. It is an experience that I greatly enjoy and I am looking forward to meeting many more of you throughout the year ahead.
Patrick Prendergast B.A.I., Ph.D., Sc.D. (1987) Provost
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TRINITY TODAY CONTENTS
CONTENTS 04.
CAMPUS NEWS Catch up on all the news from another busy year on campus
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TO INFINITY & BEYOND Oliver Guinan on changing the way we see our planet from outer space
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HITTING THE RIGHT NOTE Introducing Trinity’s first female Professor of Music, Jane Alden
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BUILDING BETTER BRAINS Trinity researchers on fighting back against the rapidly growing dementia epidemic
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WASTE NOT, WANT NOT Iseult Ward on tackling food wastage and helping those in need
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TRINITY DIPLOMATIC CORPS Graduates with strong links to the Irish diaspora
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LEADING FROM THE FRONT Terry Neill on the continued development of Trinity Arts & Humanities
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SWEET TASTE OF SUCCESS The cake crusaders, Barry and Bernard Broderick on their continued success story
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GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS Introducing Andrew Burke, the new Dean of Trinity’s Business School
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TRINITY TODAY CONTENTS
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GRADAIM NA GAELIC New Irish language awards for the Trinity community
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ALUMNI AWARDS A tribute to four outstanding alumni
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ROUTE TO THE TOP Jennifer Taylor on the importance of diversity, not gender in business
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A PRESIDENTIAL MISSION Students’ Union presidents talk about their time in office and the future of SU
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READING THROUGH RESEARCH LINES John Boland talks about the transformative role of research in Trinity
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TAKING ON THE WORLD Ailis Egan on winning the Six Nations and ambitions for the 2017 World Cup
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A SPORTING YEAR Celebrating Trinity’s many sporting achievements
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HONORARY DEGREES Outstanding individuals recognised
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COMMENCEMENTS Congratulating our new 5,485 alumni
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REUNION WEEKEND Photos from our annual Alumni Weekend
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ALUMNI BRANCHES Find your local branch
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CLASS NOTES News from graduates around the world
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ONE-ON-ONE Incoming Chair, TCD Association & Trust, Gilliane Quinn de Schonen shares a bit about herself
PHOTO GALLERY Photos from our alumni events
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TRINITY TODAY CAMPUS NEWS
SOLAR ECLIPSE IN FRONT SQUARE
CAMPUS
NEWS
It’s been a busy year in Trinity with so much going on that we’re only able to provide you with snapshots here. For more news visit www.tcd.ie
In March, Trinity astrophysicists welcomed hundreds of people to ECLIPSE 2015 - a special event to mark the thrilling solar eclipse. Telescopes and specially designed eclipse shades helped to provide an illuminating view.
Tadhg Giles, Pierce Healy, Fiona Saluk, Stephen Quinn, Susannah Keller Finn, Liath Gleeson, Kyrsten Baker, Jack Fitzsimons
UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS Seven Trinity College Dublin students were awarded George Berkeley Gold Medals at the Undergraduate Awards (UA) in December. The UA programme, founded in 2008 by two Trinity graduates, Oisin Hanrahan and Paddy Cosgrave, is an initiative that inspires, supports and celebrates high-potential undergraduate students and their innovative research. This year saw the UAs receive 4,792 submissions from 209 universities across 27 countries.
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Professor Louise Richardson
ALUMNA NAMED VICE-CHANCELLOR OF OXFORD
Congratulations to Trinity graduate Professor Louise Richardson who has been nominated as the next Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford. Professor Richardson was presented with an Alumni Award by Trinity in 2009.
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IN SHORT REWRITING EVOLUTION Trinity geologists have rewritten the evolutionary history books by finding that oxygen-producing life forms were present on Earth some three billion years ago – a full 60 million years earlier than previously thought. These life forms were responsible for adding oxygen to our atmosphere, which laid the foundations for more complex life to evolve.
LIR’S ACTING STUDENTS GRADUATE
Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast catches a glimpse of the solar eclipse
After three years of training, students from The Lir, Ireland’s National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College Dublin, graduated in December 2014 with a Bachelor in Acting degree. The students have already secured roles in various theatres and productions including the Druid Theatre Company, the Lyric in Belfast, the Abbey, Gaiety and Globe in London.
PARTNERING WITH THAPAR A MEDIEVAL DISCOVERY A very significant medieval manuscript written at St Mary’s Abbey in Dublin in the 14th century was acquired by Trinity in November thanks to the generous support of Trinity College’s alumni, friends and Library supporters. The manuscript, which has been lost to the world of academia since the 18th century, contains important historical and constitutional texts. A page from the manuscript
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In July, Trinity College Dublin and Thapar University, Patiala, India announced an institutional partnership to promote academic collaboration in the key areas of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, research, and student and staff mobility. This will significantly contribute to Trinity’s global engagement in attracting high-calibre students.
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TRINITY TODAY CAMPUS NEWS
TALL TALES IN LONG ROOM In March, an exhibition of 86 books designed and illustrated by primary school children was held in the Long Room of the Old Library. The exhibition was part of Bookmarks, a project organised by the Trinity Access Programmes (TAP) to inspire children to become the next generation of authors, illustrators and publishers.
Two of the children whose books were on display
FOUR FULBRIGHT AWARDS
Dr Gareth Bennett and Dr Ann Devitt celebrate together at the official announcement ceremony
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One Trinity College Dublin student and three academics were recently honoured with Fulbright Awards. Two of the recipients, Dr Gareth Bennett and Dr Ann Devitt, are married, making it the first time a husband and wife within the same institution received a Fulbright Award. Dr John Ahern and Dr Francesco Pilla were the other two Trinity winners. The Fulbright Awards are awarded annually by the Irish and US governments and provide an opportunity to study, lecture, and research at top universities and institutions throughout Ireland and the US.
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TRINITY REMEMBERS TERRY PRATCHETT
It was with great sadness that Trinity learned that Sir Terry Pratchett, author of the famous Discworld series, had passed away in March. Sir Terry’s close association with Trinity began in December 2008 when he was conferred with an honorary degree and in 2010 he joined the staff at the College as an adjunct professor in the School of English. Sir Terry was also well known for speaking out publicly about his long battle with Alzheimer’s and will be remembered very fondly by Trinity.
Sir Terry Pratchett
IN SHORT 21ST CENTURY EDUCATION
In October, Trinity launched a postgraduate certificate course in 21st Century Teaching and Learning. Some 400 teachers nationwide are expected to take the postgraduate certificate over the next three years, while a further 600 will have the option to take individual workshops or courses. The course is being delivered as part of a three-year partnership between Trinity and Google.
TEACHING HEROES
Dr Nicola Marples, Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences and Professor Stephen Connon, School of Chemistry were recognised as Teaching Heroes by their students in the first National Teaching Hero Awards. Dr Marples and Professor Connon received their awards from students Emmet Sheerin and Gina McLoughlin.
MAPPING INVISIBLE SUNSHINE
Engineers from Trinity have developed a first-of-its-kind 3D infrared (IR) heat detector called The Herschel after Sir William Herschel, the 19th century discoverer of the infrared spectrum. It will function by mapping the presence and distribution of IR energy – which has been dubbed ‘invisible sunshine’ – with unprecedented detail.
Technology in the classroom
ZOOLOGIST’S PRIZE-WINNING PHOTO Thomas Guillerme, Researcher in the Department of Zoology in Trinity’s School of Natural Sciences, won his division of the 2014 British Ecological Society’s Photo Competition in December. His prize-winning image featured six ladybirds huddling close together on a barbed wire fencepost on a crisp, cold January day in the Wicklow Mountains.
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Thomas’s winning photo
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IN SHORT RECORD-BREAKING IRISH CONVERSATION
Trinity College’s Irish Language Office and An Cumann Gaelach student society were part of Comhrá ’14, which broke the world record for the longest ever Irish language conversation. The event, which was run by Seachtain na Gaeilge, ran over 169 hours from 12pm on Sunday, 5 October to 1pm on Sunday,12 October.
LINKS WITH CHINA
In October, Trinity announced a new Master’s in Chinese Studies and the opening of the Trinity Centre for Asian Studies. These innovative developments aim to advance Chinese scholarship and to promote Ireland as a leading knowledge centre for pan-Asian language studies and research.
UNIVERSITY RANKINGS
Trinity remains Ireland’s leading university at the forefront of higher education nationally and globally. In the latest QS World University Rankings 2015, it has been ranked in 78th place (a slight decrease on last year’s position of 71st), retaining its position in the top tier of 100 universities worldwide in successive years. These rankings are important, measuring the performance of a university across a range of areas, including research impact, reputation, citations and teaching. Among the most important measures is reputation. This is where Trinity alumni can help - championing our academic excellence across the world. Where Trinity has strengths, whether research impact, innovation or our cosmopolitan campus, we should work together to highlight them on the global stage.
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(L-R) Professor Paul Browne, Head of Trinity’s School of Medicine; Minister for Health, Dr Leo Varadkar TD; and Dr Graham Love, Chief Executive of the Health Research Board taking the Ice Bucket Challenge in Trinity
TRINITY’S NEXT FIVE YEARS
(L-R) Provost Dr Patrick Prendergast; 2014 Students’ Union president, Domhnall McGlacken-Byrne; and Trinity’s Vice Provost, Professor Linda Hogan
In October, Trinity launched its Strategic Plan 2014-19 for the next five years. The plan includes three new major capital projects – Trinity Business School; E3 – Engineering, Energy and Environment Institute; and the Cancer Institute at St James’s Hospital, that will drive excellence in research for the benefit of society. The strategy also outlines details to maximise research impact, building on Ireland’s global reputation as a location for knowledge creation.
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MAKING A SPLASH FOR MND Over €1.4m was raised for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association in Ireland from Ice Bucket Challenges throughout the country in 2014, with €600,000 going to MND research in Trinity. In October, scientists from Trinity were involved in a groundbreaking international study to help with the development of new treatments for the disease.
(L-R): Professor Malcom MacLachlan; Dr Lorna Carson and Dr Roger West
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT AWARDS
CCL STUDENTS GRADUATE Students of Trinity’s Certificate in Contemporary Living (CCL) – a course for people with intellectual disability – graduated at a ceremony in the Public Theatre in November. The CCL gives people with an intellectual disability an opportunity to experience tertiary education and the richness of life as a college student. The certificate course has been recognised nationally and is beginning to gain international recognition for its innovative commitment to inclusion.
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Clare Knox, CCL graduate
The winners of the inaugural Global Engagement Awards in May were Dr Roger West from the School of Engineering, Dr Lorna Carson from the Trinity Centre for Asian Studies, and Professor Malcom MacLachlan from the Trinity Centre for Global Health. Announced by Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast, the awards recognise contributions to global education, cultural understanding and global experiences that directly benefit the Trinity community.
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IN SHORT NANOMEDICINE PROJECT WINS MAJOR AWARD
TAKING DANCE CLASSES
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project led by two Trinity College Dublin researchers won the FutureFlash! Best Project competition at EuroNanoForum, Europe’s largest nanotechnology convention, in July. The winning project, NAMDIATREAM, involves the development of nanotechnologybased tools to enable early detection and imaging of molecular biomarkers of the most common cancer types and of cancer which has spread.
HELPING GOOGLE ‘THRIVE’
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n July, Trinity announced that Google had acquired virtual reality technology developed by engineers at the University. As part of the agreement, Google Ireland has recruited a team of four postgraduate engineers that developed ‘Thrive’ technology, a personal 3-D audio technology for virtual reality applications. The virtual reality technology will enable innovation in gaming, creative industries, online learning, health sciences, product and environmental design.
HERITAGE AWARD FOR ZOOLOGICAL MUSEUM
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rinity’s Zoological Museum has been awarded full accreditation by the Museum Standards Programme for Ireland. The museum is the first of its type to receive this prestigious Heritage Council award. The award represents five years of commitment to improving the care and governance of the museum’s iconic 200-year-old collection, which includes approximately 25,000 specimens from Ireland and further afield.
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Clodagh Reid from Dublin learning the famous Riverdance steps in Trinity
FUSION SHOWCASE IN BOSTON
In May, Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast was joined by the Irish Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan, at a showcase in Boston which highlighted Trinity’s world-class research projects. The ‘Fusion’ event drew on leading research in Irish history, immunology, ageing, creative technologies, nanoscience and social sciences presented by some of Trinity’s top academics, who presented their research in an engaging TEDx style.
(L-R) Luke O’Neill, Professor of Biochemistry; Valeria Nicolosi, European Research Council Professor; Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast; Minister Jan O’Sullivan, Richard Layte, Professor of Sociology; Carol O’Sullivan, Professor of Visual Computing and Ciarán Brady, Professor of Early Modern History and Historiography
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RIVERDANCE AT TRINITY Students from all over the world came to Dublin in July to take part in Trinity’s Riverdance Summer School. Taught by Riverdance professionals in The Lir, Ireland’s National Academy of Dramatic Art, students were immersed in the show’s original choreography as well as a range of classes and dance activities.
BENEFIT CONCERT FOR ORGAN
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PHOTO: BRIAN LAWLESS
n May the Goethe-Institut Choir presented a selection of Elizabethan and European choral music at a concert to raise funds for the refurbishment of Trinity’s organ in the Exam Hall. The organ, which is in an advanced state of decay, has been deemed structurally unsafe and almost unplayable. The refurbishment is estimated to cost €400,000, of which a substantial amount has already been committed through generous private donations and a loan from the University.
The organ in Trinity
INNOVATION IN RUGBY SAFETY
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BOSTON BOUND
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wo innovative research projects by academics in Trinity, in collaboration with Leinster Rugby, are opening up unique avenues to improve the diagnosis and analysis of concussion in rugby. One of the projects, led by Fiona Wilson, Assistant Professor in Physiotherapy, and Aine Kelly, Associate Professor and Head of Physiology in Trinity, involves examining specific blood biomarkers that may be present as a measure of brain injury in rugby players. A second project, led by Associate Professor Ciaran Simms from the Trinity Centre for Bioengineering, with Ph.D. student Gregory Tierney, marries pedestrian crash research on the application of forces to the human body.
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ERC REWARDS EXCEPTIONAL RESEARCH In July, Poul Holm, Professor of Environmental History at Trinity College Dublin, was awarded an EU European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant valued at €2.5 million. These highly prestigious awards allow exceptional researchers to pursue groundbreaking research. This is the only ERC 2014 Advanced Grant that was awarded in Ireland and represents the maximum Poul Holm amount of funding available for an individual. The ERC forms part of the EU Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020. A total of eight researchers at Trinity College Dublin have been awarded prestigious ERC grants in 2014 worth more than €14.5 million to Ireland for excellence in research − the highest number of ERC grants awarded to any higher education institution in Ireland.
GETTING CREATIVE AT TRINITY Established and rising stars of the Irish creative arts were announced as the winners of the Trinity Creative Challenge in August. Five proposals were selected from over 140 applicants to share the award fund of €40,000, which seeks to catalyse the creative and cultural arts in Dublin city and support the development of the creative and cultural industries sector. All five winning applicants will present new works in Trinity in April 2016.
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STUDENTS IN YOUR BEDS
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rinity’s alumni made up more than a quarter of those offering rooms on Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union’s (TCDSU) accommodation website, after a campaign targeting alumni was launched in July in an attempt to tackle the shortage of accommodation in Dublin. The service, which has been running for a number of years, serves as a database for renters offering a spare room to students for the college year – known as offering “digs” – and allows renters to earn up to €12,000 in tax-free income.
CREATIVE STREAK
(L-R) Jimmy Eadie (Pan Pan); Kate Strain; Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast; Grace Weir; Enda Bates and Fiona Hallinan
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TRINITY TODAY CAMPUS NEWS
BACK TO SCHOOL
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IN SHORT TRINITY WINS LANDMARK ATHENA SWAN AWARDS
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rinity has won a bronze institutional Athena Swan award for advancing gender equality. Three of its Schools (Physics, Chemistry, Natural Sciences) have also received landmark bronze awards. The Athena SWAN programme run by the Equality Challenge Unit and implemented by Trinity College aims to advance women’s careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) employment in higher education and research.
GREAT FAMINE VOICES
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rinity researchers have launched an innovative crowdsourcing project which allows members of the public to contribute and share family stories and documents about the Famine and emigration in Ireland. The Great Famine Voices project is calling on the public to share letters, documents, objects and family memories on its website, www. greatfaminevoices.ie, to help build a comprehensive picture of what it was like to live in Famine Ireland or emigrate and make a new life elsewhere.
Samuel Beckett
GIRLS GET THE CODE
SAMUEL BECKETT SUMMER SCHOOL
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The Samuel Beckett Summer School recently celebrated its fifth birthday at Trinity College Dublin, where Beckett began his intellectual life. The Summer School again offered a programme of lectures and specialist seminars, complemented by social and cultural events each evening. It also featured a vibrant public programme in partnership with one of Dublin’s cultural institutions, the Irish Museum of Modern Art. Next year’s Summer School will take place from August 7-12, 2016. Find out more at www.beckettsummerschool.com
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n May, 90 secondary school girls showcased the computer coding skills that they have learned to solve real-world problems, create computer games and develop apps. The girls graduated from the CodePlus Programme at a special event in Trinity. The Bridge21 CodePlus Programme is a new pilot initiative supported by ICS Skills, which aims to interest post-primary girls in computer programming and boost the number of women engaging with the field of computer science.
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TRINITY TODAY TO INFINITY AND BEYOND
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INFINITY& Oliver Guinan came to Trinity during the internet’s infancy but the programming skills he learned helped to change the way we see our planet from outer space, writes Dave Molloy B.A. (2009).
beyond
Dublin as seen from the Skysat-1 satellite
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TRINITY TODAY TO INFINITY AND BEYOND
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tanding in Dublin on a clear summer's day, looking at the sky, there's not much to see – but something can see you from 600 kilometres above. It looks a little like a mini-fridge, and on it there's a signature: Oliver Guinan B.A. (1997). Ollie, from Tullamore, is in charge of ground software at Skybox Imaging, a space-age startup bought by Google in 2014. Skybox puts imaging satellites in space. The company’s trick is that instead of a three-tonne, $400-million behemoth, the company launched Skysat-1 in late 2013 for a fraction of the cost. Now it helps to update Google Maps, peering down at our world with cameras powerful enough to see an object a metre wide. And as software lead, it’s Ollie’s job to make sure it does what it’s told.
STUDENT DAYS Ollie came to Trinity to study computer science when the subject was truly cutting-edge. “You could literally look at every webpage on the internet,” Ollie recalls. “It was a pretty formative time.” The computers and society module, for example, tried to teach students that they were going to automate jobs, affecting people’s livelihood. “I distinctly remember Brendan Tangney [Associate Professor and former Junior Dean] talking about the home video industry… I remember him giving us advice that if anyone had shares in Xtravision to sell them.” That advice was a good decade ahead of most investors. Ollie has fond memories of lounging in the JCR, and wishes he’d stayed on the rowing team past freshman year. He opted for watching classic movies with the Sci-Fi Society instead – time he insists was well spent. After
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college, Ollie found himself as the second employee with an Irish technology company called MapFlow – a company which, ahead of the game, used aerial photography to improve maps. At a time when Google Maps was a far-off dream and the Ordnance Survey was usually outdated, Ollie cut his teeth taking all those images and making sense of them with technology – “a pretty bold idea for Ireland in 1998” – before selling the information to companies in infrastructure or development projects.
SILICON VALLEY “Now, you can get a job working in a tech company in Ireland without a lot of hassle – there are definitely many good jobs out there,” Ollie says. But in 2000, that wasn’t necessarily the case. It was a book he read in
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Trinity for a course assignment that would send Ollie overseas and change his career path forever. ‘Accidental Empires: How the Boys of Silicon Valley Make Their Millions’ spoke to the young programmer about the potential of “a small number of people making a big impact”. “At that stage, I was pretty excited to take a risk. Running out of money at 20 or 21? It just doesn't matter. You’ve never More pictures, had money,” he says. more places, more “You’ve got nothing to often is Ollie’s lose at that point, and you’re pretty sure that mantra your ideas are important.” It was in January of 2000 that Ollie moved to California… just before the dotcom bubble burst. His plan to have no money but make things happen anyway was off to a good start. Ollie bounced from company to company in those difficult years, learning and
Ollie Guinan
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expanding his skillset. Once he got his green card, he landed a job at Yahoo!, built a life in America, and found a wonderful wife. “She’s the reason I stay here,” he tells me. And it was his wife who introduced him to Dan Berkenstock, one of the founders of Skybox. Ollie gave plenty of casual advice to Berkenstock based on his experience with mapping in Dublin. That would eventually lead to him being hired as the seventh employee of Skybox Imaging.
he needed. His peers thought it couldn’t be done. In fact, lots of Skybox’s technology is built on the free, open-source Apache Hadoop framework, too – while Skybox’s own tech, MR4C, has been opensourced itself, giving back to the community. Unfortunately, getting the team’s miracle box into orbit is not something Ollie could code for. Instead, the finished Skysat-1 needed a lift – from the Russians.
LIFT OFF Skysat was booked onto an SS-18 Intercontinental Ballistic SKYBOX Missile, built in the 1970s as a Ollie was the first software nuke. Selling cargo space on engineer in the door at Skybox. board is Russia’s rather creative While clever engineers built a way of decommissioning the satellite bound for orbit, it was rocket – after all, once it’s Ollie’s job to make sure it left the planet, it’s not did what the ground team coming back. It wasn’t instructed. that simple, though. “One of the things Russian politics Launching a rocket that absolutely really slowed us from an active nuclear attracted me to it missile base involves was the blank sheet down. The rocket a lot of red tape. of paper,” he says. “I was delayed for a “Russian politics liked the idea that if year is one of the things it was going to be a that really slowed us success, it was going to down. That rocket was be my success. If it was delayed for the better part going to be a failure...” of a year,” Ollie says. “There While engineers battled wasn’t anything else available.” mirror alignment and orbital Skybox had sent their baby to mechanics, and the founders Russia for a year, and weren’t tried to make sure they didn’t sure if they’d ever get it back. run out of funding, Ollie wrote Luckily, the missile launched code. That included scheduling a year late, on November 21, systems to control what photos 2013. Skysat-1 took to its orbit are taken, as Skysat whizzes with gusto, scheduled to come past at 7.5 kilometres a second. around to communications range But the big project was Mission for Mission Control in California Control – the crucial, complex 45 minutes later. The entire system in any space activity. team gathered around a bank of “We couldn’t really afford screens showing a countdown to buy one,” Ollie said, “but timer and empty categories for we’re here in Silicon Valley. telemetry, waiting. We thought we could put that “There was this incredibly together ourselves.” intense moment,” Ollie says. “The Using enterprise software radio switched on, the tracking knowledge in dealing with vast dish switched on… and then and complex systems, Ollie suddenly you saw the screen light built his own Mission Control up. We’d put four years into it, using web technology – servers and everything just worked.” and browsers – to create all the Those few packets of data – monitors and telemetry readouts
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a metaphorical hello – were only the beginning. As Skysat-1 sent down its first few images (of Sydney, Australia) they were of better quality than the team had hoped for.
HUMANITARIAN USE Skybox’s imagery is put to all sorts of uses. It can help monitor crop growth, observe deforestation and drought, or even keep an eye on mining operations’ output. But arguably the most notable use of the technology so far has been humanitarian aid. Immediately after the catastrophic earthquake in Nepal last April, Skysat could see tents pop up in open spaces as people fled from tall buildings. buildings. It was also able to see and map the direction in which people were moving. By providing raw images to aid agencies, those groups can decide how best to help those in need with far more reliable data than a ground search would provide. Despite being a software guy, Ollie knows it’s those images that matter. He’s got several favourites – including some images of Dublin and Trinity from space (on the rare occasion it’s not cloudy). Skybox was bought by Google in 2014, the same year Skysat-2 launched, and Skysat-3 is on the way. Four more are planned for 2016, with a further six to follow. “More pictures, more places, more often” is Ollie’s mantra. Ollie thinks all graduates should travel and see more of the world. And, he says, the Trinity name will help – especially if you’ve got your eye on Silicon Valley. “The Trinity experience has been key to a lot of this stuff,” he says. “People have an intuition about Trinity that it’s an elite university – a place they’ve heard about.” Oh, and the little boxes in space that make all this magic happen? Ollie’s signature is on two now. “It’s pretty awesome … the idea that your name is up there, in space. I don’t think it’s likely that I’ll make it up there, but the idea that my name is there is very pleasing.” ●
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Oregon Maple Library Square Planted early 1800s
Remember. The power of a legacy to Trinity
There’s an old saying meaning There’s an old saying thatthat the the truetrue meaning of life to plant trees under whose shade one of life is tois plant trees under whose shade does not expect to sit. one does not expect to sit. When leave a legacy to Trinity, however When youyou leave a legacy to Trinity, however big big or small, you’re planting a tree which will or small, you’re planting a tree which will grow to grow to provide shelter to many. provide shelter to many. You’re empowering groundbreaking research You’re empowering research which will benefitgroundbreaking people in Ireland and allwhich willover benefi t people in Ireland and all over the world. the world. You’re supporting students from You’re supporting students from all backgrounds all backgrounds to access a Trinity education.to access a Trinity education. helping preserve You’re helping preserveYou’re our unique campus heritage for new generations. ourand unique campus and heritage for new generations. When you rememberTrinity Trinityin in your your will, When you remember will, you join a tradition of giving that stretches back you join a tradition of giving that stretches over 400400 years – and far into future. back over years – reaches and reaches farthe into the future. For more information about leaving a legacy to Trinity, please contact Eileen Punch. For more information about leaving a legacy T: +353 (0) 1 896 2088 to Trinity, please contact Carmen Leon. E: eileen.punch@tcd.ie T: +353 (0) 1 896 1379 E: carmen.leon@tcd.ie www.tcd.ie/development/legacies www.tcd.ie/development/legacies
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25/09/2015 15:35
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TRINITY TODAY HITTING THE RIGHT NOTE
HITTING THE
right
note
Jane Alden, Trinity’s first ever female Professor of Music, intends to champion performance and research to ensure music becomes part of intellectual discourse, writes Roisin Agnew B.A. (2011).
J
ane Alden is perhaps not what one expects in Trinity’s new Professor of Music. Maybe it’s because the role of professor hasn’t been filled in 20 years, or perhaps it’s because the position has never been filled by a woman, but one expects the new Professor of Music to be a towering, greyhaired musical savant who hums continually and is possessed of a commanding glare. Instead, she’s a slight and smiling woman who has been to your friend’s poetry reading or is looking out for interesting acoustic spaces around town. Alden joins Trinity’s Music Department after 20 years spent in the US pursuing her studies and lecturing in medieval and Renaissance music. She moved to North Carolina when she was still in her twenties to pursue a Ph.D. at Chapel Hill. From there she began to teach. She quickly learned that things were different in America with students being very deferential towards staff. She remembers how she would “walk across campus and the students wouldn’t chat to me. The
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hierarchy thing was something that applied to most of the American colleges,” she says.
SPIRITUAL HOME From North Carolina Alden moved to Stanford, where her specialisation in medieval choral song and graphic notation had brought her to cover a sabbatical. In 2000 she found what was to be her spiritual and academic home for the next 14 years in a small liberal arts college in Connecticut – Wesleyan. “One of the things that attracted me to Wesleyan was the fact that people outside the Music Department were very proud of music in the university. It was a very popular major,” she says. “At Stanford around three or four students minored in music every year, and only after majoring in subjects deemed more sensible.” What’s more, she found that the students at Wesleyan had a relationship with the staff that was closer to the one she was used to from her undergraduate days in Manchester University. “I practically had to kick them out
I would like undergraduates to open up their imaginations
of my office they kept hanging out so much,” she laughs.
FRESH ENERGY Alden brings what could be described as fresh energy to Trinity’s Music Department and she is looking forward to working in an environment where the discipline has always been well respected. “Trinity was way ahead of the game in appointing a chair of music in 1764,” she says. “It reflected a desire to give music a place as an academic discipline and that’s still the strength of the Department today.” As Professor of Music she will be a figurehead for the
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TRINITY TODAY HITTING THE RIGHT NOTE
Jane Alden, Trinity’s new Professor of Music
Department, steering it towards new practices, taking on initiatives, acting as an emissary to other Departments and to the world beyond the University’s walls. The dynamism of her own career exemplifies Alden’s aims for music in Trinity. She is a champion of performance as research, and her work with her choral group is a case in point. “I was always a keen performer. I became interested in 20th century composition and it became clear that the best way to pursue my studies was by doing.” She began documenting her practice with a choral group she set up in 2009 called The Vocal Constructivists, a choir
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specialising in the singing of graphic scores and experimental music. As an example of how she is going to champion performance and research at Trinity, Alden says that the Music Department is taking on an extremely popular conducting course, and that she herself will be teaching a practice-led course in medieval music. Her desire to maintain a close connection with the students and societies that fall outside of the Music Department’s remit is another goal that Alden has set herself. When asked about the success of the Trinity Orchestra and individual ensembles, she is effusive and complimentary. “But
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my impression since coming here is that the societies don’t want the Department interfering,” she says. “I want to tell them that it’s not that I want to change what they do, but that I think I could help them.” Since moving to Dublin she has been surprised by the reputation of Trinity outside the University, and the doors that reputation can open. “I was speaking to the Dean of Christchurch about using the catacombs – they’re an extremely interesting acoustic space – and he seemed very interested in working with us. That’s a real privilege that comes with the job.” Of course, overseeing a 21st century Music Department comes with its challenges. Technology has come to loom large over the future of music and Alden is all too aware of it. “It’s part of a different culture that I’m having to adapt to,” she says. “There is huge student demand to study music technology in Trinity as it increases students’ chances of employment.” She points to Trinity’s Master’s in Music Technology as a positive example of people from both industry and academia working side by side.
EXPERIMENTATION Another challenge is that younger generations are less inclined to be experimental. Alden believes it’s because of financial constraints, adding that the only way to infuse a spirit of experimentation, where there is a lack of funds, is to supply people with the tools they need to “be brave enough to keep chasing dreams and be determined enough to make them happen.” “I would like for undergraduates to open up their imaginations and see music as something that can help them figure out who they want to be. I would like to see the rest of the community recognise that music can be part of intellectual discourse.” ●
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TRINITY TODAY BUILDING BETTER BRAINS
BUILDING
better brains Leading Trinity researchers explain why they are putting everything they have into fighting back against the rapidly growing dementia epidemic, writes Anthony King B.A. (1995).
R
esearchers at Trinity are tackling an emerging epidemic in dementia from all sides. Having set up a European-wide study into a possible treatment for Alzheimer’s, the team are striving to bring the knowledge from clinical research and observational studies in older people to assist doctors caring for patients and improve practice in the area of dementia. This is a crucial topic particularly when the number of dementia cases is projected to double in the next 30 years, a tsunami that could overwhelm the Irish and many other health care systems. And dementia care is expensive. In the UK, dementia already costs more than cancer, stroke and heart disease combined, yet only a fraction of the investment in research goes into dementia compared to these conditions. Rapid advances in understanding and preventing dementia are needed, says Professor Ian Robertson, neuropsychologist in Trinity. “Like global warming, this is a pressing
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problem that we must start addressing now.” He is optimistic, however, that dementia research will get the jolt it needs to stimulate new research directions, and points to the multidisciplinary strengths in Trinity and its important partnerships with scientists and researchers internationally. “From genetics to molecular biology to biochemistry, physiology, psychology and social science, we need a truly multidisciplinary attack on the problem and that is where Trinity is well placed. We have close collaboration between people who work at all these levels,” Robertson says proudly. Central to this is the rich dataset from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), led by Professor Rose Anne Kenny. This collects details from people aged 50 and over on their health, wellbeing, economic and social situation. TILDA and a number of other programmes relating to research in ageing have been supported by the Atlantic Philanthropies. During this decade, the Atlantic Philanthropies, through the Programme for Research in ThirdLevel Institutions and grants, provided
Professor Ian Robertson
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TRINITY TODAY BUILDING BETTER BRAINS
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The good news is that 30 to 50% of dementia cases are potentially preventable
Photo by John Jordan
Professor Ian Robertson
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TRINITY TODAY BUILDING BETTER BRAINS
or decrease the impact of in the region of €25 million the condition by aggressively for specific ageing projects, addressing some of these lifestyle including research in dementia. risk factors, with aerobic exercise One of the programmes being one such example which has is Neuroenhancement for shown a positive effect so far in Independent Lives (NEIL) that is this regard.” led by Professor Robertson. Stroke, problems with blood Speaking in his office, pressure control, smoking, overlooking Pearse Street, diabetes, loneliness and a lack Robertson recounts how he of motivation all stoke up the has always been fascinated risk of dementia later in life. One by how the brain can change surprise in the last few years is and reorganise itself. He has the potential role of the immune published studies showing how system and inflammation in you can transform your own brain dementia, says Robertson, to perform better or how lifestyle something his Trinity colleague can reduce our risk of dementia. Professor Marina Lynch has “Our group has been become a key researcher of interested in cognitive reserve, internationally. which is where educational There is also renewed focus level, complexity of your job, on understanding dementia from mental stimulation and social a neuroscience point of view, engagement may reduce your gathering evidence for what risk of dementia,” he explains. works best in patients and then Some of these positive messages transferring what is learnt into on improving brain health were policy and medical practice. set out on the Hello Brain This is something Trinity will website (www.hellobrain.eu), be putting great emphasis on part of a project led by Dr Sabrina in terms of new collaborative Brennan in Trinity. For example, initiatives within the University simply going for a walk or a run and with its many collaborators opens the tap and sprinkles in North America, Europe and a chemical messenger that around the world. strengthens brain connections. Dementia itself is a set of The air of pessimism around symptoms and can have many dementia can be lifted, says causes. Early symptoms are Robertson, who compares it to usually day-to-day memory the attitude towards cancer a difficulties but sometimes few decades ago. Today some personality or mood changes. cancers are curable, but most are The big push is to find ways of treatable. There are equivalent detecting it very early on, in grounds for optimism with the hope we might intervene dementia, he says. and stop the damage from “There is accumulating occurring. evidence that by Professor Lawlor is Like global warming, addressing modifiable involved in a clinical lifestyle factors such this is a pressing problem trial with over 500 as diet and exercise, that we must start people with mild to and increasing social addressing now moderate Alzheimer’s stimulation may Professor Ian Robertson disease to test if a drug help delay or slow [nilvadipine], originally progression of cognitive used for controlling blood decline,” agrees Brian pressure, could slow its Lawlor, Professor of Old progression. One-hundred of Age Psychiatry in Trinity and those patients are in Ireland. For director of the Memory Clinic at now, there are only a few drugs St James Hospital, Dublin. “There that treat some symptoms in is some evidence emerging that Alzheimer’s disease. even when you have the early “There have been no new symptoms of dementia, you might licensed treatments for be able to slow the deterioration
020 Trinity Today 2015 brain health.indd 22
Alzheimer’s since 2002,” says Professor Lawlor. ”The numbers of medication in development for dementia compared to cancer are one fiftieth.” This summer, reports emerged of an Eli Lilly drug [solanezumab] that seemed to slow memory loss in those with mild Alzheimer’s. This targets sticky tangles of protein in the brain called amyloid plaques, which is toxic to brain cells. Professor Lawlor cautions against being overly optimistic from evidence thus far, saying we should wait for a more rigorous study that is currently in progress. “Unfortunately we have had many failures in Alzheimer’s disease treatment so far,” he notes. Brain scientists now believe that the seeds of this disease emerge up to 20 years before symptoms, when amyloid tangles start to coalesce. “We don’t really know what the cause of Alzheimer’s disease is. We know that amyloid is progressively deposited, but we don’t know exactly why. But evidence points to this being important,” says Lawlor. He hopes that the blood pressure drug nilvadipine may tackle the plaques, other errant structures and also blood flow within the brain, which seems to play a role. We’ve a number of drugs available that offer relief regarding symptoms, but no major breakthroughs in terms of disease modification,” says Robertson, who adds that it’s a myth to say dementia is just a natural part of ageing. “It becomes more frequent the older you are, but it’s a disease and a disease that needs more research,” he adds. Robertson began his career with stroke patients and noted lapses in a specific type of attention – the sort train drivers need for long journeys. He later devised a training regime for stroke but also for attention deficit disorder patients that allowed them to switch on their attention system. “We showed they could become skilled at
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TRINITY TODAY BUILDING BETTER BRAINS
Professor Brian Lawlor
controlling their brain chemistry. In effect they give themselves a mini-drug fix that lasts a few seconds,” he says. That drug is noradrenaline, a hormone critical in our fight and flight response. “We’ve been studying how you can measure that in the human brain. You can’t stick needles into the brain, but we discovered the pupils are a window into noradrenaline activity,” says Robertson. Just the right amount of this chemical, repeatedly infused, seems to help our brain strengthen itself. It just
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Alzheimer’s disease.” Being able to measure noradrenaline this way could help with new drug development and discovery. Education and social connection influence dementia risk, so muddy the water in drug studies. Research like Robertson’s could give them a clearer signal. And pharma There have been companies can do with the help. no new licensed “They’ve lost treatments for an awful lot of Alzheimer’s since 2002 money trying to Professor Brian Lawlor find treatments for dementia. And they failed, which is bad for all of us,” says Robertson. “Effective treatment is going to require every single class of researcher to work together, from molecular up to social,” adds Robertson. Increased collaboration between Trinity scientists and scientists in other countries will be a key element to progress. Robertson was halfway through his career before he realised how the socially connected mind and the individual brain cannot be treated as separate. Some believe that a molecule is more real than a thought and that ultimately molecular processes will explain thinking, but “it absolutely will never happen that way. The mind changes the brain as much as the brain changes the mind,” he says. might have disease-modifying In his spare time, Robertson properties too, though this has stimulates his noradrenaline not been proven. by catching mackerel from a “If someone you like walks into small boat off Dun Laoghaire. a room or someone offers you “One theory of noradrenaline’s a difficult question your pupils positive effect is that it’s a will dilate. That is mediated by critical ingredient in novelty: so attention and arousal, which stimulating environments have is mediated by noradrenaline,” a positive effect on the brain Robertson explains. It turns out because of novelty [via this that mental challenges cause chemical]. And going fishing your brain to turn on the taps of in Killiney Bay, it is never the this chemical, which has multiple same. The sea is wonderful. It’s positive effects. “It is critical for constant novelty.” He contrasts mediating between social effects this with his “bad tennis” like education and the benefits on Monday nights, which is of a more robust brain that is “completely predictable.” ● resistant or more resistant to
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TRINITY TODAY WASTE N0T, WANT NOT
Iseult Ward, co-founder of FoodCloud
F
oodCloud, one of Ireland’s most inspiring social entrepreneurships, blossomed from Regent’s House, directly above Trinity’s famous Front Arch. The not-for-profit company, which has recently branched out to the UK, takes surplus food from supermarkets and smaller businesses and donates it to local charities. Iseult Ward B.A. (2013), who studied business at Trinity, founded the organisation with her friend Aoibheann O’Brien because she wanted to find a solution to food waste and help those in need. By using the FoodCloud app or website, a business can upload details of their surplus food and the time period in which the food can be collected. A text message is sent automatically to charities in the community and the first charity to accept the offer collects it directly from the business. “In Ireland one in ten people is suffering from food poverty and at the same time a million tonnes of food is going to waste. I witnessed a problem that seemed quite
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WASTE NOT,
WANT NOT
A start-up enterprise that began in Trinity to stop food wastage in Ireland is gaining international recognition, writes Elaine McCahill B.A. (2013).
25/09/2015 15:55
TRINITY TODAY WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
three months without worrying bad and wanted to offer a about keeping myself fed. solution,” she says. We were able to bring two of FoodCloud currently the volunteers we had with redistributes 13 tonnes of food us as well so it was just an per week and Ward explains unbelievable opportunity.” that the donations have helped This meant that the charities that have been subject FoodCloud team could do all to severe funding cuts. the research they didn’t have “To date we have redistributed the time to do beforehand, 1.1 million meals to more as well as getting access than 330 charities across to mentors who were Ireland. Some charities We have redistributed able to help them shape are benefiting by 1.1 million meals to the organisation. supplementing some of “It helped us get into the food that they were more than 330 charities another accelerator purchasing with surplus across Ireland Mystic programme straight food so they’re seeing Dream of afterwards so it was really savings in their food bills of 4 by Iggy the starting point for us in 20 to 30%,” she says. McGovern getting this off the ground,” “That’s huge when the she says. average funding cuts to charities [in recent years] have been around 40%. Other ACCOLADES organisations are using food FoodCloud has been awarded where they hadn’t been using a number of accolades recently it before. For example, a as the world begins to take community centre might run CV notice. Ward and O’Brien writing workshops or mother were crowned Ireland’s top and baby classes. Now a lot of young social entrepreneurs those centres have been getting at last year’s Join Our Core food donations as well so along competition, a global contest with offering people classes in to celebrate young people life skills, they’re able to offer who are creating new models them food too.” for sustainable business to help make a difference in communities. STARTING POINT In 2014, FoodCloud won the While still a student, Ward and Social Entrepreneurs Ireland her team spent a summer as Impact Award, which Ward part of Trinity’s LaunchBox says was very special to her. initiative, a three-month “That award meant a lot to accelerator programme for us because our first €1,000 teams of Trinity students who of funding came from them had an early-stage business. It and we’ve been working with offers mentorship, connections, them on an informal basis funding and a collaborative since we started. That one environment in which their had a sentimental aspect to it ventures can flourish. because it had been something “We’d been working on we had our eyes on since then.” FoodCloud for about a year and a half on a part-time basis when we were in Trinity and when I was coming up to graduation I realised that unless I was able to source the resources to work on this full-time, it was going to be a huge challenge to continue it. “The fact that we got into LaunchBox meant I was able to give myself to FoodCloud for
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Shortly afterwards, Ward was featured in Time magazine’s prestigious list of Next Generation Leaders. “I didn’t realise the significance of the Time article until it was published and so many people across the world got in touch with me about what we were doing,” she says. “It made us realise that there was a demand for what we were doing internationally by communities and businesses alike. We also won an innovator award from retail magazine Checkout and to get recognition in the sector that we’re working in was amazing for us.”
POSITIVE IMPACT For Ward, the awards and accolades show that FoodCloud is recognised as an established social enterprise that can really have a positive impact. This impact is made possible by the people who get involved. “It’s the people on the ground that really make it happen from the businesses that sign up, the charities that get involved and the volunteers who go out and collect the food.” Ward believes that Ireland can become a leader in creating solutions for dealing with surplus food, and expansion at home and internationally is at the forefront of their plans. “We want to continue to grow in Ireland and get a lot more of the retailers involved. We’re a registered charity so we’re still working on becoming financially sustainable and we’re looking at fundraising to make sure that the model is sustainable in the long run,” she says. ●
If you would like to know more about FoodCloud or how you can help please visit www.foodcloud.ie
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TRINITY TODAY DIPLOMATIC CORPS
TRINITY
DIPLOMATIC CORPS
Through their work in the diplomatic service several graduates have a unique relationship with the Irish diaspora worldwide, writes Louise Holden B.A. (1995).
T
he tragic events in California this summer highlighted the value of Ireland’s diplomatic service. The Irish Consulate in San Francisco provided critical support to the families of students killed and injured in the Berkeley balcony collapse. The Consulate was active on national and social media and consul general Philip Grant B.A. (1991) and his team worked with US authorities and local Irish networks to ensure the optimal response to the tragedy on the ground. Their work provided everyone in Ireland with a rare glimpse into the
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TRINITY TODAY DIPLOMATIC CORPS
machinations of Irish diplomacy abroad: work that takes place daily in 73 Irish diplomatic and consular offices, or ‘missions’, around the world. Philip Grant is one of many Trinity graduates working within Ireland’s diplomatic corps. Indeed, Trinity graduates can be found serving the Irish state all over the world, making a significant contribution to Irish and international diplomatic relations. Dr Stanley Quek M.B., M.A. (1970) has worked in the Irish diplomatic mission in Singapore for decades. He came to Trinity from Singapore to study medicine and has retained robust connections with the country and the University ever since. “In the 60s and 70s Trinity was a very intimate inner city college. I developed strong relationships with Irish people. When I went back to Singapore I got involved with the Irish Consulate and in 1980 I was appointed vice consulate for Ireland and ultimately consul general.” Dr Quek has remained involved in the mission and has seen the role change significantly over the years. “In the 80s we spent a lot of time dealing with lost passports and backpackers. Now the role has changed. Singapore is a gateway to Asia and Australia. We have a very active Irish Chamber of Commerce and an Irish Graduates Association. We have an interesting diaspora network of over 2,000 Irish people.” In 2009 Dr Quek founded the Singapore chapter of the Ireland Fund, of which he is now chair. The fund has raised more than $3m for charities such as the Irish Chamber Orchestra and the Downs Syndrome Association of Ireland. “With the collapse of the Irish economy came a new model of emigration,” he says. “Over 250,000 left the workforce and where are they? Many have gone
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“Having seen different aspects and flown the flag overseas, in of the Irish diaspora, it has China, India and South East Asia.” always struck me that some of Geoffrey Keating B.A. (1979), our best ambassadors don’t have the current ambassador to the official title,” he says. “They Singapore, studied classics may or may not be in prominent and joined the Department of positions but Irish people Foreign Affairs on graduation. He abroad are very conscious of has worked in the diplomatic their identity and proud of their service for over 34 years in a heritage. Wherever you go in the varied career that has taken him world there are Trinity graduates. to the Vatican, Boston, London, It’s a positive manifestation of Shanghai and Bulgaria. Trinity’s global influence.” He says the nature of Orla O’Hanrahan B.A. (1979), diplomatic activity has changed another Trinity graduate who has considerably, but not its served in a number of missions essential function, especially for around Europe and the US, has a country like Ireland. “Our role seen huge diversity in the Irish is to advance national interests diaspora and it is changing with abroad and to protect citizens. each new wave, she says. This is particularly important “I studied history and political for a small country that is not a science at Trinity and I grew military power – we need a rulesup in a household with a based international system that strong interest in public everyone signs up to, so we service and current have a voice.” affairs. I entered the Advances in Trinity graduates are diplomatic service as technology have part of the fabric of the third secretary when I changed the approach was very young – I had though. “When I joined Irish diaspora to take a day off for the department if we worldwide Mystic graduation.” wanted to write a letter ORLA O’HANRAHAN Dream of we drafted it with a 4 by Iggy pencil, put it in the out tray, McGovern sent it to the typing pool, got it back with carbon copy to mark corrections, and the whole process started all over again. Now communication is less formal. We can use social media to engage public audiences, to broadcast positive messages about Ireland or to argue in defence of values such as human rights.” Trade now looms larger in the job of the diplomat, says Keating. “We opened the consulate in Shanghai for economic reasons. Because of the role of government in economic decision-making in China, it was important that Ireland had access to the decision-makers. We also needed to make the Shanghai authorities aware of Ireland’s existence – people won’t do business with you if they’ve Ambassador Orla O’Hanrahan never heard of you,” he says.
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TRINITY TODAY DIPLOMATIC CORPS
Dr Stanley Quek
Her previous overseas post, as deputy head of mission in Washington DC, finished in 2011. She has also served as consul general in Boston and has had postings in London and Paris. The Irish diplomatic service really came into its own during the recent economic crisis, she says. “At a time when Ireland’s economic fortunes were at a low point, the government engaged with the Irish diaspora through the Global Irish Forum. Many prominent Irish American figures became involved in supporting the Irish government to recovery.” The jobs and growth agenda is now a priority for every Irish diplomat. Sweden, where O’Hanrahan is currently posted, is a priority market for Ireland. “Ireland has a trade surplus with Sweden and, with a population of 10 million, it’s a significant relationship. The Irish consulate here is based in Ireland House with Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia. A big part of my job is to support Irish agencies and companies. The establishment
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fruition now. We act as facilitators to bring people together and they see great value in that connectivity. I’m very keen on helping to develop business frameworks wherever I go.” Michael Forbes B.A. (1979) followed his undergraduate business degree in Trinity with a masters in european studies and went straight into the diplomatic service. He was overjoyed to be posted in India within two years – a destination he had his eye on as a student. “There were not many Irish passing through then, India was closed at that time. My next post, in San Francisco, was quite different, with lots of Irish, many of them undocumented.” Stark cultural contrasts have characterised Mr Forbes’ career. After the US he went on to work in Saudi Arabia, Europe and Israel. A stint in Brussels in 2001 came just as events on 9/11 changed culture and policy in the European capital. “9/11 had a profound of Ireland House here in effect on EU policy – it was a Stockholm this year is a very aggressive period of good indication of our work, a real baptism of growth in the region. fire,” he says. Sweden is a key We got all the Beckett plays From there he partner of ours in translated into Hebrew and went to Israel, which Europe. We share was challenging in a common values in produced in Israel. Beckett different way. the areas of human goes down well in the region “People hold strong rights and overseas MICHAEL FORBES positions on Middle aid. It’s an important East politics in Ireland. relationship.” I think I managed to have O’Hanrahan says good personal relationships that Trinity graduates are with the authorities so we part of the fabric of the Irish could understand each other. Arts diaspora worldwide. “The strong and culture can be a great tool for brand of Irish education in all of softening relationships that are my postings is very striking. We difficult. We got a grant to get all have a lot of Trinity graduates the Beckett plays translated into in Sweden, involved in financial Hebrew and produced in Israel. services and technology in Beckett goes down well in the particular. The Irish Professional region.” Nordic Network (IPNN) includes Now Forbes is permanent several Trinity grads. There were representative to the OECD and strong Trinity networks in France UNESCO in Paris. “I am trying to when I was there too. reinvigorate our engagement with “It’s interesting to see how the OECD, which has gone into those networks have evolved. decline. It’s part of getting us back During the economic challenge, into being a productive economy networks were especially again.” ● important and they are coming to
25/09/2015 16:00
DID YOU KNOW?
Alumni can stay overnight on campus at discounted rates
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25/09/2015 17:45
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TRINITY TODAY LEADING FROM THE FRONT
Terry Neill
Leading From The
Front
Terry Neill B.A., M.A. (1969), member of the Trinity Long Room Hub’s Governance Board, on the continued development of Trinity Arts & Humanities as a vital element in the University’s future.
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T
he world has never been economically wealthier. There has never been faster progress in technology and engineering. But the world has never been more challenged in human terms.There is a vast body of knowledge about human beings. But an infinitely tiny fraction of that knowledge is applied day to day, with any rigour or discipline, in the
world’s organisations including universities (maybe particularly universities!). Some 50 years ago, Arnold Toynbee said that the 20th century would be “chiefly remembered by future generations not as an era of political conflicts or technical inventions, but as an age in which human society dared to think of the welfare of the whole human race as an objective”.
DEALING WITH COMPLEXITY We have not delivered on Toynbee’s aspiration. The world’s issues – and their potential solutions – seldom align neatly with the faculty structures of universities. Complex challenges
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TRINITY TODAY LEADING FROM THE FRONT
need a portfolio of insights, perspectives, scholarship and experience. That’s why Trinity’s Arts & Humanities Research Institute, the Trinity Long Room Hub, is so important. Engineers and technologists have learnt to address complexity. They have had to, as they design and build aeroplanes, power plants and global networks. They mobilise many competences and they use common languages, standards and methodologies. The arts and humanities need to follow a similar path. For topics, we are spoilt for choice: multiculturalism, immigration, arts and artists, globalisation, the limits of technology, privacy, freedom of expression, wealth distribution, the ethics of climate policy and aging populations.
AMBITIOUS STRATEGY Good strategy nurtures the best of the old, but has a real appetite for positive change. The economic context for education is changing rapidly, not for the better. Trinity’s strategic plan 2014-19 contains the guiding principles: strengthen community; activate talents; build valuable partnerships; research for impact; engage wider society; demonstrate institutional leadership; secure Trinity’s future. I love the Brendan Kennelly quote which headlines the plan: “Something that will not acknowledge conclusion insists that we forever begin”. Resting on laurels can never be an option. Otherwise, the world will pass us by. Perhaps we have allowed too many of the world’s issues to be addressed solely in economic terms. There is a war on for the future of the arts and humanities. It can only be won by scholars. We need to ask tough questions. How have we scored on engaging wider society? Where do we need to improve and change? Are we excellent communicators? To whom do we communicate? Do we have
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the confidence to help the world understand complex situations? Do we look outside our comfort zone for opportunities to advise and influence? Are we ensuring that human values are informing economic decisions? Are we experts on where money ought to be spent, but silent on where it should not be spent? By addressing these – and other important questions – the arts and humanities will help shape and define Trinity’s future and its reputation.
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people who are Trinity Arts & Humanities. They meet all the criteria. I have spent time with terrific, engaged – and engaging – people from the Trinity Long Room Hub and the individual Schools. I respect the reputation for scholarship – and the many, many good things already in hand.
GLOBAL REPUTATION There are mixed views on the importance of rankings. Trinity’s There is a war on reputation for the for the future of arts and humanities has been built over PHILANTHROPY the arts and humanities. centuries. It is at Philanthropy will It can only be won the heart of Trinity’s play an increasingly by scholars. reputation and rankings. important role, both Dublin, Ireland and in the continued the world face complex development of arts human challenges. We and humanities, and need the scholars of the arts in third level education and humanities working together generally. Our donation to the to bring insight, perspective Trinity Long Room Hub is the and practicality. Our ambition Neill and Hoey families’ vote of is that our financial support confidence in the people of the will have a multiplier effect Trinity community. when scholarship, teamwork, Donors invest in people and engagement, energy and in relationships. They invest in communications come together. people they respect and, even Trinity’s dedication to better, people that they like. developing arts and humanities, Donors like to be engaged. They as part of the University’s overall invest in matters they think strategic commitment to growth are important. They assume and change, will ensure that we excellence in scholarship. continue to lead from the It has been a terrific front. ● experience to work with the
Terry and Marjorie Neill with Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast
25/09/2015 16:04
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TRINITY TODAY BOI
L-R: Aidan Lynch, President, British Irish Chamber of Commerce, Andrew Burke, Dean of Trinity Business School and Richie Boucher, CEO, Bank of Ireland.
GOING FOR GROWTH
Bank of Ireland, Trinity and the British Irish Chamber of Commerce launch joint initiative to help SMEs drive exports
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bespoke education programme for senior executives in SMEs across the Republic of Ireland, Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been jointly launched by Trinity College Dublin, Bank of Ireland and the British Irish Chamber of Commerce. The Trinity International Growth Programme is being designed by Trinity Business School and is aimed at executives looking to expand their business via the export market. Due to commence in early 2016, the programme will run over three years and will involve 20 companies in its first year. Each participant will receive intensive classes, case study sessions, seminars, guest talks and workshops. A key attribute of the programme is the mentored project where each executive will
032 Trinity Today 2015 BOI _Ad.indd 32
be encouraged to translate the learning from the programme into a value added commercial outcome for their individual business. Once the preserve of large multinationals, international expansion has become the norm for high-performing SMEs which led to the creation of the programme, says Professor Andrew Burke, Dean of Trinity Business School. “Developing a leadership position in a segment of the international market and then using this as a bridgehead for further global expansion is one of the lessons that we will be implementing on this programme. We are delighted to be joining with Bank of Ireland and the British Irish Chamber of Commerce in launching this programme specifically designed
for SMEs seeking new market entry opportunities abroad,” he says. Bank of Ireland outlined how this programme seeks to further strengthen its support of Irish businesses already operating within Ireland and the UK. “Our sponsorship of the programme adds to our range of supports for business and continues a long association with Trinity College Dublin and the British Irish Chamber of Commerce. The economic links between Ireland and the UK are extremely important and it is our hope that this education programme will support and deepen these links,” says Richie Boucher, CEO, Bank of Ireland. Participating businesses will be able to avail of the extensive network which the British Irish Chamber of Commerce has in place and it is hoped that further investment and jobs will be created as a result of the programme. “The value of trade flowing between Britain and Ireland is over €1 billion each week with Britain being Ireland’s largest twoway trading partner, with 42% of indigenous Irish exports going to the UK and over €17 billion of UK goods going to Ireland annually. For first time Irish exporters, Britain is the best market and likewise for enterprises exporting from GB or Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland is an excellent choice,” says Aidan Lynch, President, British Irish Chamber of Commerce. The programme will be launched in the coming months and information for potential applicants is available on www.tcd.ie/business
28/09/2015 09:35
Trinity Affinity Card. You get, we give.
You get a unique credit card and we give back to Trinity every time you make a purchase with your card. These funds are used by the TCD Association and Trust to support a range of Trinity student and staff projects.
Visit our Trinity Campus Branch bankofIreland.com/alumni You must be over 18 to apply for a credit card. Lending criteria, terms and conditions apply. Credit cards are liable to Government Stamp Duty annually. Currently â‚Ź30 per account. Bank of Ireland is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
OMI003209 - Credit Card Trinity Affinity Advert.indd 1
032 Trinity Today 2015 BOI _Ad.indd 33
18/09/2015 11:18
28/09/2015 09:35
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TRINITY TODAY SWEET TASTE OF SUCCESS
Sweet taste
Success
of
After Trinity, Bernard Broderick decided to help revolutionise his family’s cake business and he hasn’t looked back since, writes Paul Mulholland B.A. (2001).
W
hile most other students were pouring into nightclubs, pubs and parties, Bernard Broderick B.B.S. (2001) was busy helping out at his family’s cake business. “I used to work every weekend, I was the weekend manager, so I didn’t have too many Friday nights in the Pav,” he laughs. “I’d be back at the factory making the cakes to get them out for Saturday morning.” At the time Bernard had no inclination to get
034 Trinity Today 2015 Broderick.indd 34
into the business, which was started by his mother, Ina, to supply fresh cakes to local hotels and restaurants. Bernard’s older brother Barry had recently joined the operation, yet it was still relatively small scale and its future appeared uncertain. But things change quickly in business. Broderick’s, as it is now known, is one of the standout Irish entrepreneurial success stories of the last decade. It developed its own distinctive brand of imaginatively-titled handmade bars
and cakes when many other Irish companies were closing in the midst of the recession. The success of Broderick’s goes beyond these shores, with the company having now established a presence in 29 countries throughout the world. All this was difficult to imagine, however, when Bernard was still a BESS student in Trinity. “I fell into BESS by accident; I didn’t know what I was going to do. Probably in hindsight it was a very good course for giving me a
25/09/2015 16:43
TRINITY TODAY SWEET TASTE OF SUCCESS
Bernard Broderick (right) with his brother Barry
Trinity’s student callers ate 975 Broderick’s treats during the last two phone campaigns! broad knowledge base,” he says. After graduating in 2001, he decided to go to London to work in the banking sector. A job offer came in, and Bernard was all set to go when his parents decided to make a suggestion. “My parents sat me down and said, you can go and work all these years for somebody else, or you could give it a couple of years here with Barry to see if you can make a go of it. I went into the business for six months just doing
034 Trinity Today 2015 Broderick.indd 35
general making and finishing, then I went travelling for six months and I went into it full-time in 2002.”
BIG BREAK Bernard says that although his brother, who also has a business degree, and mother had made good commercial decisions – such as moving the company into a new facility – the development of the business was hampered by the fact that the fresh cakes, which had been their specialty, were starting to be replaced by cheaper alternatives coming from the UK. This prompted the decision to diversify into different types of baked goods. The move paid off, with their big break coming in 2006 when they were asked to provide desserts for the Ryder Cup. They also provided desserts for Wimbledon the same year. It wasn’t until 2009, however, that they developed the ‘Broderick’s’ concept. They identified a gap in the market for “grab and go” snacks, which quickly became their new focus. “We took everything that was out there on the shelves, brought it into a room, and tried to decide where the gap was in the market. We wanted it to be something that would reflect us and our personalities.” They began producing their own snacks and bars, seeking to differentiate from their competitors through the use of high quality ingredients and the homemade ethos that had always been the business’s hallmark. The company is also famous for the distinctive names given to its products. These include The Tiff Toff in the Tuffen; Gooey Ooozy Chocolatey Solid Brick; and the Road Rocking Choc Choc Block. When Barack Obama came to Ireland there was even the Obamarama Barocky Road as well as the Yes We Cake, inspired of course by the US President’s Yes We Can campaign slogan. “The packaging is to reflect the fun element; we try to have a laugh where we can with the
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packaging, the brand itself and the website”, Bernard says. Like their comic alter egos on the packaging, Bernard laughs that while both himself and Barry can fight, they are very close and work well together. Since the establishment of the Broderick’s brand, the brothers haven’t looked back. They soon began trading in the UK and now France is their biggest international market. They can even be found as far afield as Saudi Arabia. Their products are also stocked in well-known cafes such as Starbucks and Insomnia, and even on airlines such as Virgin, British Airways and American Airlines. As to future plans, Bernard says his dream is to establish a major manufacturing facility in Dublin. In the shorter term, they are planning to move to a new factory over the next 12 months.
SECRET TO SUCCESS So to what does Bernard attribute their success? “I think the success came because we had a good product, so when you’re sitting down in front of people all you have to do is get them to taste it. For about five years, it was hand-to-mouth because all the effort was put into these bigger opportunities and they take a long time to pull off.” Another important factor in the Broderick’s story was that they never outsourced production so they could always keep control of the product. This gave them a flexibility that wouldn’t otherwise have proved possible. The company has eschewed mass marketing campaigns due to the costs involved, preferring to concentrate promotional activities on community and charitable events. One of these is the Trinity phone campaign, which sees the brothers providing snacks for the students who make calls to alumni. “If you had told me the way it was going to go when I was outside the Lecky, there is no way I would have imagined it, and no way would I have imagined that I’d enjoy it as much as I do. I absolutely love it.” ●
25/09/2015 16:43
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TRINITY TODAY TRINITY BUSINESS SCHOOL
What the new Trinity Business School will look like viewed from the rugby pitch
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS The new Trinity Business School will turn the University into one of the world’s top destinations for business students, writes Louise Holden B.A. (1995).
D
“
ublin has the potential to be a top global destination of choice for the study of business, and the Trinity Business School is going to take the lead.” So says Professor Andrew Burke, the Dean who plans to double his School’s capacity. It’s a very ambitious scheme, but Burke has a clear vision for what the Trinity Business School will look like by 2021. The physical change will be the most obvious: the new dedicated building will be a concrete statement of intent.
036 Trinity Today 2015 Dean Biz.indd 36
Construction will begin in early 2016 and the building will be completed in 2018. Within its walls, the School’s upward trajectory will be evident in everything from teaching and learning to innovation and outreach. Burke and his team will seek to implant a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship across Trinity and foster a culture of job creation among the University’s students and faculties. They also intend to help in positioning Dublin as a global node for innovation and start-up enterprises.
“The origin of this strategy is twofold,” says Professor Burke. “On the one hand we want to deliver a strategy for the city and the country. On the other we want to build on Trinity’s strengths and develop it into an even more entrepreneurial university. In order to achieve that we need to have a world-class business school. Trinity Business School has always had world-class business undergraduate and MBA programmes but we haven’t realised the full international potential of the School.”
25/09/2015 16:49
TRINITY TODAY TRINITY BUSINESS SCHOOL
BUSINESS DESTINATION that business can take. “I ran a programme in the UK called the Professor Burke points to Business Growth Programme. Barcelona as a model for Working with owner-managers Dublin: that city has two top-tier I was struck by the stress and world-class business schools pressure they suffered: it had a which are highly competitive visible impact on physical and and have turned Barcelona into mental health.” one of the most sought-after In general, Professor Burke global destinations for business wants to offer students an students. He feels Dublin could explorative learning experience do even better. that gives them a real sense “I’ve worked at Cranfield and of the business world and a Warwick business schools, chance to experience failure in both consistently in the top a safe environment. “Having 40 business schools in the four years with undergraduates world. Neither has been able is a real advantage. We want to piggyback on a famous city experienced students walking or a well-known international out the door.” university. We have both. Trinity Business School “We want to develop an couldn’t be better export market for Ireland positioned to make this and Trinity in North It will be a real business leap, he says. “Trinity’s America, South East Asia development space for city centre location is at and beyond. We have the entrepreneurs-inthe heart of European opportunity to create a industry with the vibrant, truly international residence International Financial classroom.” Services Centre, the The financial advantage retail sector, professional for Trinity is explicit. services, cultural industries Business schools typically and the digital technology generate surplus funds that are capital of Europe all right next to used to support the rest of the our campus. I’d like to see a time university and save taxpayers’ when all of those industries are money. much more deeply involved in our programmes. TARGETS “Our MBA is unique in Europe Professor Burke has several – I’ve worked with a number clearly defined targets for the of top business schools and new Trinity Business School. the programme here is vastly “We want to transform the superior. Others have taught careers of our students. That elements that merge into core objective can get left dissertation. The Trinity MBA behind in the emphasis on morphs into major projects research. We need both. with multinational corporations, “Secondly, we want to put fast-growing SMEs and social more emphasis on values in innovation. our teaching. Looking at the “We intend to develop financial crisis it’s very clear that our M.Sc. portfolio, to offer the lack of an ethical dimension something to every element of was a factor. People are not the labour market, from school grounded in the indirect effects leavers to early career grads to of the decisions they make. executives. The financial crisis in Ireland “We also want to bring made it clear that a lot of senior entrepreneurship to the executives did not understand University at large, through our the social effects of their M.Sc. in Entrepreneurship Plus decisions.” and M.Sc. in Management Plus The third area of focus in programmes, which we plan to teaching will be preparing offer in conjunction with other students for the personal toll
036 Trinity Today 2015 Dean Biz.indd 37
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key disciplines over the next two years.” Students and graduates will also have access to an Incubation Hub in the heart of the new Trinity Business School building. “This will provide the facilities for new businesses to be developed. It will be a real business development space for enterprises and entrepreneurs-in-residence. It’s where students and graduates will put ideas into action.” The growth will be rapid, says Professor Burke. “We have been really fortunate that many business leaders have not only backed our high-growth international strategy for Trinity Business School but have committed financial support. We now have a community of top business people who are actively helping Trinity realise their vision of developing an internationally recognised Business School.” Professor Burke also says that the Trinity Business School will practise what it preaches. “Business schools are out there telling people to develop selfsustaining businesses. That is exactly what we are setting out to do: generate non-exchequer funding, pay for the new facilities we need and the world-class faculty we hire. This in itself is an entrepreneurial, fast growth, innovative strategy.” ●
Professor Andrew Burke, Dean of Trinity Business School
25/09/2015 16:50
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TRINITY TODAY GRADAIM NA GAEILGE
GRADAIM NA GAEILGE Aitheantas cuí tugtha do dhíograiseoirí Gaeilge i TCD
B
ronnadh Gradaim na Gaeilge, Coláiste na Tríonóide, don chéad uair riamh ar 22 Aibreán 2015, ag imeacht speisialta i Seomra na Gaeilge, seomra caidrimh Gaeilge na hollscoile. Bunaíodh clár na nGradam chun aitheantas a thabhairt ar an obair thábhachtach, shuntasach a dhéanann pobal Choláiste na Tríonóide ar son na Gaeilge.Fuarthas ardchaighdeán ainmniúchán agus roghnaíodh na buaiteoirí seo thíos mar gheall ar a gcuid díograise agus tiomantais don Ghaeilge, agus an tionchar dearfach atá acu ar shaol na hollscoile / an phobail mórthimpeall uirthi.
BUAITEOIRÍ n Cumann Mac Léinn – Cumann an Cheoil Thraidisiúnta n Seirbhís de chuid an Choláiste – ABAIR (Scoil na nEolaíochtaí Teangeolaíochta, Urlabhra agus Cumarsáide) n Mac Léinn Aonair – Fionn Ó Deá (4ú bliain, Dlí) n Ball Foirne Aonair – Clíona Ní Shuilleabháin (Leabharlannaí Cúnta)
ARDMHOLADH n Cumann Mac Léinn – Voluntary Tuition Programme n Mac Léinn Aonair – Rebecca Comer (3ú bliain, Fraincis agus Nua-Ghaeilge) Ba mhaith le Coláiste na Tríonóide ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar ghnóthachtáil ár gcuid céimithe i réimse na Gaeilge chomh maith. Beidh deis ag gach aon chéimí de chuid na hollscoile seo cur isteach ar ghradam ar leith do chéimithe in 2016, agus cuirfear fáilte roimh ainmniúchán (lena n-áirítear féinainmniúchán) a bhaineann le cur chun cinn na Gaeilge san obair nó taobh amuigh di. Bhí sé d’onóir ag Coláiste na Tríonóide gur bhronn an tAire Stáit do Ghnóthaí Gaeltachta, Joe McHugh, Gradaim na Gaeilge 2015. Thréaslaigh an tAire McHugh leis na buaiteoirí mar gheall ar an méid atá curtha acu le neart na Gaeilge i gColáiste na Tríonóide, agus d’aithin sé freisin an iliomad mac léinn agus ball foirne tríd na blianta a thóg an pobal Gaeilge breá bríomhair atá ag Coláiste na Tríonóide inniu.
Le haghaidh a thuilleadh eolais faoi bhuaiteoirí 2015, faoi ghradam na gcéimithe agus faoin phróiseas ainmniúcháin, féach www.tcd.ie/gaeloifig/gradaim.php.
Gradam Ard Mholta bainte amach ag Rebecca Comer agus ag an gCumann Mac Léinn – Voluntary Tuition Programme
An Gradam don Chumann Mac Léinn bainte amach ag Cumann an Cheoil Thraidisiúnta
An Gradam don Mhac Léinn Aonair bainte amach ag Fionn Ó Deá
AN CHÉADAOIN @ AN BHUTRACH Cuireann Coláiste na Tríonóide ciorcal comhrá Gaeilge ar siúl gach Céadaoin ó 10.30am, i mbialann an Bhutraigh (Buttery) sa Chearnóg Thosaigh. Teacht-le-chéile neamhfhoirmeálta atá ann, agus cuirtear fáilte mhór roimh dhaoine nua i gcónaí, bíodh siad ina gcéimithe, mic léinn, baill foirne nó baill den phobail i gcoitinne. Deis atá ann do chuid Gaeilge a úsáid i dtimpeallacht chairdiúil, réchúiseach, agus a bheith ar ais i gcroílár campas álainn Choláiste na Tríonóide. Fáilte roimh cheisteanna ag gaeloifig@tcd.ie
038 Trinity Today 2015 Irish Language.indd 38
25/09/2015 16:53
DID YOU KNOW?
Alumni have access to the Library and WiFi on campus for free
FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT WWW.TCD.IE/ ALUMNI/ SERVICES
Trinity Today 2015 Promo_Ads.indd 39
25/09/2015 17:45
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TRINITY TODAY ALUMNI AWARDS
THE
ALUMNI
AWARDS 2015
The alumni awards were presented at a gala dinner in March. The four recipients were presented with awards in recognition of achievements in their respective fields and the contribution they have made both at home and abroad.
JOHN CONNOLLY B.A. (1992)
PHILIP MOYNAGH B.A., B.A.I (1985)
John Connolly is best known to adult readers as the creator of detective Charlie Parker, who has appeared in twelve novels, including the recent bestseller The Wolf in Winter (2014). John has also written two stand-alone novels, The Book of Lost Things and Bad Men; a collection of short stories, Nocturnes; and the Samuel Johnson trilogy for young people. With his partner, Jennifer Ridyard, he writes the Chronicles of the Invaders, a science fiction/fantasy series for teen readers. John studied English at Trinity and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times, to which he continues to contribute. He also hosts a weekly radio show, ABC to XTC, on RTE 2XM. John divides his time between Dublin and Portland, Maine, where many of his novels are set.
Philip has managed multi-billion euro silicon chip fabrication factories for Intel in Ireland and the USA and is now vicepresident of the Internet-of-Things Group and general manager of Intel’s Quark Division. Most recently Philip built and led the Irish team that conceived of and designed the Intel Quark family of products, a product line that enables the revolution that is the Internet-of-Things. Philip has also been voted as one of the fifty most influential Irish and Irish-Americans in technology at the Silicon Valley Global Awards. Philip studied Engineering in Trinity and graduated with first-class honours. He remains committed to the Engineering School and has been involved in undergraduate design education. He is married to Claire, has three children (Niamh, Ciara and Cian, the first of whom is in Trinity), and lives in Dublin.
LEONARD ABRAHAMSON B.A. (1990) Lenny Abrahamson, Scholar, son of a Scholar and grandson of a Scholar, was born in Dublin and graduated from Trinity with first-class honours. Lenny directed commercials for television before taking the helm on his first feature film, Adam & Paul, a stylised, downbeat comedy written by Mark O’Halloran and released in 2004. His second feature film, Garage, was selected for the Directors’ Fortnight at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival and won the prestigious CICAE Art and Essai Cinema prize. Lenny has also directed for television and won the Best Director for TV Award at the 2008 IFTAs. What Richard Did, his third feature film, premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and was also selected for the 2012 BFI London Film Festival and the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival. Lenny’s fourth feature, Frank, starring Michael Fassbender and Maggie Gyllenhaal, tells the story of a young would-be musician caught up in an avant-garde pop band. Lenny’s current project, an adaptation of the acclaimed novel Room, written by author Emma Donoghue, was recently released and claimed the coveted Grolsch People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. He is also developing a film based on Sarah Waters’ novel The Little Stranger and Laird Hunt’s American Civil War novel Neverhome.
040 Trinity Today 2015 Alumni Events.indd 40
Alumni Award recipients: (L-R) Lenny Abrahamson, Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast, Catherine McGuinness, Philip Moynagh and John Connolly
CATHERINE MCGUINNESS B.A., M.A., LL.D. (H.C.) (1957) Catherine McGuinness was born in Belfast, and educated at Dunmurry Public Elementary School, Alexandra College Dublin, Trinity College and the King’s Inns. Her original B.A. (Mod.) was in Modern Languages (French and Irish). In 2003 she was conferred by Trinity with an honorary degree of Doctor in Laws. Catherine was called to the Bar in 1977 and to the Inner Bar in 1989 and in 1994 she was appointed as the first female judge of the Circuit Court and subsequently served as a judge of the High Court and of the Supreme Court. She was President of the Law Reform Commission (2005-2011) and in 2012 was appointed to the Council of State by President Michael D. Higgins. Catherine was elected to Seanad Eireann in 1979 as member for the Dublin University Constituency. She was again elected in 1983 and served until 1987. Catherine has also served on a number of State and voluntary bodies. She is currently Chair of the Governing Body of NUI Galway. Catherine is a long-serving member of the Committee of the TCD Association and Trust and is Patron of the University of Dublin Choral Society. She is also Honorary President of Trinity’s Free Legal Advice Centre.
25/09/2015 16:58
TRINITY TODAY ALUMNI AWARDS
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PROFESSOR IGGY MCGOVERN RECITED HIS POEM WRITTEN ESPECIALLY FOR THE OCCASION
SEERS This year the nation celebrates The birth of William Butler Yeats Who took a simple child’s delight. In his wife’s gift of second sight: Now welcome four, first of their peers Who, each in their way, are our seers.
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2
3
The first, trained in Philosophy, Now opts for cinematography To lift the Irish psychic lid From Garage to What Richard Did And still afford some inner calm With laughter as the healing balm. The second read our English course But early found his tour de force In Charlie Parker’s grim Noir This “Bird” has no plans to retire And twelve books on, can pass this test: The Wolf in Winter is his best. The third took Modern Languages Then studied legal usages And none can ever abrogate The truth that she has ‘done the state Some service’ in that world of lex A first exemplar for her sex.
4
The fourth deploys his B.A.I. Where hi-tech circuits multiply; Production of the latest chip To fix the world’s gaze on Leixlip A handshake here should not be missed His efforts destined for your wrist.
5 1 Peter Ledbetter B.B.S., M.A., F.C.A. (1974) , Paula Ledbetter, James Osborne, B.A. (1971) Patricia Devine B.A. (1992) 2 Shane Allwright B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (1972), Patrick Joy M.B.A. (1988), Mary Murray
040 Trinity Today 2015 Alumni Events.indd 41
6 3 Basil Geoghegan LL.B. (1990), Emer Geoghegan LL.B. (1990) 4 Cameron & Alistair Ridyard 5 Melissa Webb B.A., M.A., LL.D. (h.c.) (1965), Ruth Barton B.A. (1981), Justin MacGregor 6 Conor Brosnan B.A. (1991) & Geraldine Brosnan
And whether from the silver screen Or off the page, we hope to glean The wisdom to adjudicate The know-how to communicate, Their foresight is our education: Give them your loudest acclamation! Iggy McGovern M.A. (j.o.) (1983)
25/09/2015 16:59
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TRINITY TODAY ROUTE TO THE TOP
ROUTEto the TOP Jennifer Taylor’s career has been characterised by a willingness to take risks, writes Robin Knight B.A. (1966).
I
nfectious laughter rings out across a conference table in a sixth floor meeting room in Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s London (BofAML) headquarters close to St Paul’s Cathedral. Jennifer Taylor LL.B. (1990), chief operating officer Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and a lawyer by training, is describing how a girl from Limerick has achieved a senior role in an industry still dogged by claims of sexism at the top. “I never envisaged any of this! I never anticipated not being a lawyer. It’s just that opportunities have come up and I’ve always been willing to take a risk on the basis that there was some benefit involved – especially the chance to learn something different and new and to meet a diverse group of people. Thus far it’s made my life very interesting and colourful.” Since graduating as Jennifer Creamer from Trinity and qualifying as a lawyer with Freshfields in London, she has worked in Sydney, Singapore, Hong Kong and London where she has been based since 2013. Today, as Jennifer Taylor, she
042 Trinity Today 2015 London Grad.indd 42
has two young children, both of whom speak Mandarin. Her husband, a retired research analyst, is known in the family as the “chief holiday officer.” Her links to Ireland remain strong – she chairs the board of BofAML’s Dublin-based Irish subsidiary – and she is much in demand in the UK as a mentor and inspiration for young girls and women.
entities and to our business are of a very high quality.” Each day Taylor is at her office by 7am distilling emails, reading and planning ahead. In her own mind she is a “facilitator” often striving to achieve consensus. A typical day will consist of eight to ten meetings. She travels regularly within Europe and goes to the US a few times a year. For all this and much The best decisions more Jennifer believes WIDE REMIT that the key for her was In London her remit get made when you the chance to study at is wide-ranging and have truly diverse Trinity. Aged 15 and a complex. Responsible thinking around pupil at Salesian School for strategic planning, the table in Limerick, she went to governance and controls, Dublin on a school trip. and “infrastructure “I walked through Front efficiency” for a group Gate and completely fell in of 23 countries and 10,000 love with the place,” she recalls. employees, she reports to the “I had a wonderful four years. I president of the EMEA region. had absolutely amazing teachers “My role essentially involves including Mary Robinson and the strategic execution of both Mary McAleese. I made some plans from a country and a line great friends – lifelong friends of business,” she explains. “I actually.” spend much time dealing with In 2014 when Trinity regulators. I sit on a number of approached the bank through its boards. I also spend a lot of time global Art Conservation Project dealing with our outside directors seeking a grant to conserve to ensure that the governance rare, early-Christian manuscripts standards we apply to our legal
25/09/2015 17:01
TRINITY TODAY ROUTE TO THE TOP
Jennifer Taylor
and to digitise them to enable future scholarship, Taylor was quick to get behind the project. A substantial grant followed and in February 2015 she spent a “fascinating afternoon” at Trinity meeting the team working on the manuscripts. Months before, in October 2014, she had returned to Dublin to host a recruiting event at the National Gallery for university
042 Trinity Today 2015 London Grad.indd 43
students from Dublin, Cork and Galway interested in working in the financial sector. “Seventy-five per cent of the attendees applied for a position on one of BofAML’s programmes. About half of them were accepted and I’m glad to say that a large number were women. The quality of graduates in Ireland is tremendous. We’re going to do it again in 2015 and try to make it an annual event.”
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INVESTING IN WOMEN Mention of women in finance turns the spotlight on to Taylor’s main preoccupation outside her job at BofAML – investing in women. At the bank she is co-chair of the company’s Diversity & Inclusion Council, a mentor to female graduates (including some from Trinity), and an executive-level sponsor of its women’s network. Externally, she is a Trustee of the UK’s Education & Employers Taskforce, where BofAML also acts as key strategic partner and lead corporate supporter. Set up in 2009, this charity was created to motivate girls in school by giving them female role models in business and industry. Last December it held a major event at the Bank of England at which Taylor stressed the variety of roles that a woman can perform in a bank. “I often think that girls believe the only role women can do in a bank is to be a banker. In fact there are many other opportunities whether it’s in marketing, human resources or communications.” As for sexism in the City of London or on Wall Street, she acknowledges that “women are not making progress as quickly as any of us would like” despite the fact that at entry level there is a much better male-female balance than in the past. “The challenge seems to be around retaining women up through the ranks,” she says. BofAML now has a number of initiatives to handle this issue such as a returning talent programme which she assists. However, Taylor is not one to stand on the barricades for gender quotas per se in the banking industry. One reason is that she has always, she notes, worked in a meritocratic environment and been judged on results. Another is her strong belief that it is diversity, not gender, that is the key to improving decision-making and results in any organisation. “The best decisions get made when you have truly diverse thinking around the table – real diversity of thought and background.” ●
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TRINITY TODAY A PRESIDENTIAL MISSION
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PRESIDENTIAL Kathleen Gallagher B.A. (2012) speaks to some former Students’ Union presidents about their time in office and also hears about what the future holds for the SU.
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ince the inception of the role in 1968, the Students’ Union (SU) president has played an increasingly important part in shaping the direction of the University. By dealing with the issues of their day, each president to date has contributed to Trinity’s future. While a lot has changed at Trinity since 1968, and each president has been met with unique challenges, the basic premise of being president of the SU has remained the same. Their essential function is to ensure that the voice of the student is heard and their academic, social and welfare interests remain central to Trinity. The first president of the SU in 1968, then called the Students’ Representative Council (SRC), was Adrian Bourke B.A. (1969).
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MISSION
persuading Trinity to allow a Originally from Ballina and now student representative sit on a solicitor in the area, Bourke the board of the University followed in his family’s footsteps with observer status. This in going to Trinity. Both Bourke meant that his successor, Joe and his sister, former President of Revington, sat on the board Ireland and current Chancellor of as a representative of Trinity’s Trinity, Mary Robinson, studied law students. at the University. Presidents have always There was a lot going on strived to stand up for in student politics then, students, even if it Bourke says. “There had meant sometimes been the visit of the King I will bring originality causing a stir. In and Queen of Belgium and the willingness to 1979 Joe Duffy to Dublin, which led to B.S.S. (1981), now considerable student try things that have not presenter of RTÉ riots and there was been tried before Radio One’s Liveline an internationalist LYNN RUANE programme, became movement of Maoist president in a year students at the University that would prove to be who were extremely active difficult for the University’s and at times a bit violent and administration. confrontational.” In his autobiography, Just Joe, Looking back at his term in Duffy recalls a fight with the office, the achievement that administration over the price of Bourke is most proud of is
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Ivana Bacik, SU president 1989
Adrian Bourke, SU president 1968
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Mark Little, SU president 1988
Lynn Ruane, SU president 2015/16
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food in the University. He and the other members of the SU set up their own bar to provide a cheaper alternative for students. “Every morning, just before dawn, a number of students would commandeer college trolleys and head up to the Dublin Corporation fruit and vegetable market … with food and a flourishing bar, our boycott was totally effective.” The dispute raged on and in February 1980, Duffy and 16 other students were arrested and taken to court. In the end the University introduced new menus and set up a new catering committee that involved students. A few years later, in 1988, another idealistic young man was elected. Mark Little B.A. (1990), journalist and former CEO of Storyful, notes that the most important part of being SU president is “convincing idealistic young people that there are ways they can be counted even when they feel voiceless”. Always a strong believer in social justice, becoming SU president gave Little “a privileged platform to express idealistic solutions to pressing problems around me”. “An SU president must also make political action relevant to the actual lives and dreams of the college community,” he says. This approach was also shared by Little’s successor, Ivana Bacik LL.B. (1989). Looking back on her time as president, the achievement that she is most of proud of is maintaining her dispute against the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (SPUC) despite intimidation and legal challenges. The disagreement came to a head when SPUC threatened Bacik, and three other SU sabbatical officers, with prison. However, they “continued to defy [SPUC] and to provide women in crisis pregnancy with information on where they could obtain abortions in England”. The fight with SPUC was taken
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memory and long-term vision.” to court and Mary Robinson, To assist in the implementation Bacik’s barrister, warned them of this new vision, McGlackenthat they were more than likely Bryne also established a Board of going to go to prison straight Trustees. after the case. Bacik happily Thinking back on his term last recalls celebrating her “last night year, one of McGlacken-Bryne’s of freedom,” when she and the favourite memories is the formal other officers “partied and then launch of the plan, which has packed our toothbrushes for the since been passed into the safe possible sentence.” hands of Lynn Ruane, president Thankfully for the group, for 2015/16. Ruane is a mature Robinson’s arguments saved student and the first female them. Bacik is now a senator in president since 2003. the Irish parliament and is also She agrees with McGlackenReid Professor of Criminal Law, Bryne that consistency is the SU’s Criminology and Penology at biggest problem and the strategic Trinity. plan can help the SU to achieve The aim to bring about change goals and objectives. is an integral part of any SU Ruane is 30 years old and the president’s mandate. However, mother of two daughters. Growing change can take a long time up in a disadvantaged part of to happen. Priya Nair B.A. Dublin, she is very familiar with (1997), who was president in the inequality that exists in society 1995, wishes she could give her and it is something she wants to younger self some useful advice. tackle. “Pick your battles carefully, “I want to tap into the activist in enjoy your small victories and do the student body and I am excited things in bite-sized chunks rather for the plans I have to achieve than taking on the world in one that. I also have a plan underway go,” says Nair, now managing to address access to education director at Royal Bank of Canada and I am excited to see that Capital Markets. unfold.” Last year’s president, Ruane’s enthusiasm has Domhnall McGlacken-Byrne received the backing of another spent a large portion of his term former SU president and working on a strategic plan for current radio and television the SU. The finished three broadcaster, Áine Lawlor year plan sets out the B.A. (1984). “The advice I SU’s mission statement The most important part of would give to presidents and 20 strategic goals, being SU president is of the future, especially which are to be the “convincing idealistic young women, is to go for it. SU’s core priorities in Even when you lose the coming years. people that there are ways you have nothing to The plan was the they can be counted even lose.” “central manifesto when they feel voiceless Ruane, who captured promise” under which the imagination of the McGlacken-Bryne ran for student body throughout president. her election campaign, is “It arose from three years’ certainly up for any challenge and increasing involvement with the she embraces the potential the Union, during which I gradually role offers to bring about positive noticed that, while the activity change for Trinity’s students. levels and ingenuity of SU teams “There’s no point in every year were consistently fantastic from being like the last. I will bring year to year, in many respects originality and the willingness to the SU reinvented the wheel try things that have not been tried each and every year,” he says. before. Twelve months is a short “Progress on the biggest period of time; I plan to use it issues was being hindered by well.” ● a lack of continuity, institutional
25/09/2015 15:31
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25/09/2015 17:46
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TRINITY TODAY READING THROUGH THE RESEARCH LINES
Reading through
RESEARCH LINES
Professor John Boland talks to Louise Holden B.A. (1995) about how the role of research has transformed Trinity’s relevance to students and Ireland.
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esearch is changing. After years of increasing specialisation, closer inquiry into a host of microdisciplines has yielded stunning discoveries across science, social science and the humanities. Now, however, there is growing realisation that the next generation of revolutionary ideas will spring up in the spaces between the specialisms. Enlightened universities are focused on breaking down the walls and finding common
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languages between areas that have grown apart. They are harvesting the uncommon value of the university in society – as a space where a geneticist and a historian can collaborate, where an astrophysicist and a computer scientist can approach a common problem. Trinity is leading the way in this new research paradigm. “Research has fundamentally transformed in Trinity over the past ten to 15 years,” says Professor John Boland, the
newly-appointed Vice President for Research. “We have secured significant funding for the development of large research centres, like CRANN, Amber, Connect and Adapt. We are witnessing an evolution in the growth of these larger activities. This allows researchers to work across disciplines and solve bigger problems for society. “It’s an exciting time at Trinity. With the economy lifting, more potential sources of funding and burgeoning research connections
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TRINITY TODAY READING THROUGH THE RESEARCH LINES
are occurring across campus. Creative synergies are springing up between disparate fields, but the process needs to be nurtured,” says Boland. It’s a challenge, he admits. How do you open up channels of communication, challenge communities to think outside their own expertise? There is a targeted programme in place to make sure that it happens. The university last year initiated an institution-wide consultation process to identify areas where researchers could collaborate to make a meaningful difference to Ireland and the world. There are currently 19 themes under consideration, and this list will be finessed over the coming year. The themes include such areas as genes and society, international integration and smart and sustainable cities. “We asked the whole community to come together and identify challenges that would be relevant to a range of funding agencies or philanthropic donors. The message is: your scholarship is important, but it’s not enough to communicate that to your immediate peers. What’s the bigger story and what can you bring to it?” Boland explains. The process comprises town hall meetings, workshops and experts from within and beyond the university. It’s happening at the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, the Biomedical Sciences Institute, the Long Room Hub – co-locations for a diversity of experts with common goals. “If there are facilities that are important to enable cross– pollination, Trinity can enable that through the Trinity Research Institute programme. We can bring in people who are not academics, to help with grant writing, strategic initiatives and to build relationships with industry. We have recruited research programme officers to help bring in grants and vet proposals, to critique or to organise peer panels. As a result the funding
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rates are going up. These people are hard to find but they are critical to the success of this endeavour. It’s working, Trinity brings in close to 50 per cent of all the European Research Centre funding in Ireland. The university is reaching beyond its own walls with increasing success, says Prof Boland. “There is a changed perception of Trinity. We have hundreds of companies working with our researchers. This has transformed both our relevance to Ireland and also the education we provide to all students. Our basic role is to educate world class talent – our research work Professor John Boland with external entities is giving us a better sense of what society and the economy needs from our in the field. Our first and second graduates.” year students come through This engagement with the the Leaving Cert with a grasp of outside world is helping Trinity facts. We want to build a sense to identify societal needs and of excitement, a notion of a industrial opportunities while also community of research, a site of informing teaching and learning. intense collaboration, controversy, “Projects such as Launchpad competition, discovery. and Launchbox raise awareness “You can build anything you of research at undergrad level. want, if you don’t have the people As a student you can get a job, it doesn’t matter. The talent we or create a job yourself. As we produce here is critical to FDI. create more graduates who see Ten years ago forty dollars the value and possibilities in every cent in the US of innovation, we make was coming to Ireland. ourselves more valuable There is a changed In the future that will be to Ireland. The IDA sees perception of Trinity. We continuously challenged Trinity as an important have hundreds of – we must maintain the string to their bow as companies working with talent advantage in a they try to attract foreign ferociously competitive direct investment.” our researchers world.” With the innovation The most recent comes the money, and approach is to connect people follow. “We have multinational manufacturing world class networks. We attract here with R&D. This is where global leaders in research to our universities can really help, by scientific advisory boards. They linking their talent with industry share the message of Trinity’s to change the landscape for work around the world. Industry companies here and further has a choice of where to invest embed them in Ireland. “You money. If we want our research can see numbers of small Irish validated we need to compete software companies being bought with Stanford, Harvard, MIT. up by multi-nationals as they start When we work with corporate to get a sense of the potential entities in the US, it validates our in Ireland. We are good in this work. country but we are not there yet. “Here at home, our students The work goes on.” ● know they are taught by leaders
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TRINITY TODAY TAKING ON THE WORLD
THE WORLD
Taking on
Ailis Egan B.A. (2006) only began playing rugby when she came to Trinity but she has since won the Six Nations with Ireland and has set her sights on the 2017 World Cup, writes Elaine McCahill B.A. (2013).
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or Ailis Egan, 2017 can’t come soon enough. The rugby star will spend the next two years working towards the Women’s Rugby World Cup which will be held in Ireland for the first time. While she now plays prop for the national side, her rugby career started in Trinity. Incredibly, Ailis had never played rugby before she moved to Dublin from the UK to study history. Since
then she’s been on the team that beat New Zealand in last year’s World Cup and lifted the Six Nations trophy earlier this year. This year also marked the first time the Irish male and female rugby teams were Six Nations champions at the same time. “I played hockey and netball in school and when I was coming to college, my dad said ‘Why don’t you give rugby a go?’ So I signed up in Freshers’ Week and I loved
Ailis Egan, prop on the Irish Women’s rugby team
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it,” she says. “Playing rugby saved me because in first year everyone seemed to go home on the weekends and there was nobody around, so it was great playing matches on Saturdays and Sundays. The best days were when it was sunny and we’d play a match and all descend on the Pav afterwards.”
SPORTING FRIENDS The international player says that rugby was also a social outlet for her during her student days. “Sport was my life at Trinity; all my friends were from different sporting clubs – my whole social circle was based around that. I’m still in contact with people from DUCAC and, for me, that’s what my college experience was all about and I always tell people to try a sport when they go to college,” she says. “It has opened up so much for me – I’ve had so many opportunities. I’ve played all around the world, including Twickenham and the Aviva Stadium. I remember one of the times we were playing in the Aviva and one of the girls was looking around and said; ‘Very few people get to do this, we’re lucky’ and it’s so true,” she says. While at Trinity Ailis also played for Leinster and went on to play for Old Belvedere before making the Irish squad. “Trinity taught me the basics
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Ailis in action at the 2014 World Cup
and I owe a lot to it. We weren’t in the college league, we played other clubs and we were in Division Two at the time so we were playing at quite a high level,” she says. “When I was at Old Belvedere I got the call up to try for Ireland. I moved from playing centre to the forwards where I was a prop; and within two months I was called up to the Irish squad so it was all a bit of a whirlwind.”
GAME PLAN Ailis says that the team were happy with their performance at last year’s World Cup and they have a “two year plan” ahead of the 2017 World Cup. “We’re currently in preparation mode for the Six Nations in 2016 and the idea is to win that, but the end game is 2017 and we’re developing ourselves and other players for that,” she says.
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“Beating England in this year’s Six Nations, after losing to them in the semi-final of the 2014 World Cup, was a big thing for us. For me it was a great tournament because we are a team in transition. So to pull out a win, which was what we wanted, was really, really good.” Ireland is known for its incredible supporters and Ailis hopes they will come out in their droves to support the Irish team when the event is on home soil. “The World Cup being in Ireland definitely adds extra pressure but we’re all delighted because we get such good support when we are away from home and it will be even better here,” she says. “When we played in Paris at the last World Cup huge crowds
Sport was my life at Trinity - all my friends were from different clubs
travelled over to support us and having it at home means we know we’ll get huge crowds. It does add extra pressure and expectations, especially as the tournament in 2017 will be so competitive. There will probably be six teams in with a shot and it’s just about us hopefully taking our opportunities.” With the team’s continued success, Ailis feels that women’s rugby, and women’s sports teams in general, are starting to garner a lot more attention in the national media. “I think it’s happened due to our continued success: we had the 2013 Grand Slam win and the 2014 World Cup and then the Six Nations, so I think we’ve just been able to build on our exposure and spread awareness. It’s been brilliant.” ●
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TRINITY TODAY A SPORTING YEAR
A SPORTING YEAR
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he parade of silverware by student club captains at the second Annual Sports Awards in April highlighted the unrivalled success of Trinity teams at intervarsity and national levels and reflected the sporting buzz that swept through the University during 2014/15.
GRAND OPENINGS The completion of Phase 1A at the Outdoor Playing Fields in Santry saw the return of our Ladies’ and Men’s hockey teams to their home ground. The official opening of the new international-standard waterbased hockey pitch took place in September and provided a brilliant opportunity for students, alumni, parents and guests to enjoy a truly momentous occasion. Not to be outdone by the current crop of student talent, our alumni tested their skills on the new surface before Registrar, Professor Shane Allwright officially declared the pitch open. In October Dublin University Football Club were delighted to be back home after a year away from the hallowed turf of campus. Before kick-off against Malone, a huge crowd witnessed Provost Dr Patrick Prendergast hand the match ball to DUFC Captain Patrick
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1 Men’s hockey champions 2 Trinity completed their first ever clean sweep against cross-town rivals UCD in the Annual Rowing Colours on Saturday March 15th 2015, winning all four races (Men’s and Ladies’ Novice 8s & Men’s and Ladies Senior 8s). 3 Ladies’ basketball won their division and the intervarsity title
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MEMBERSHIP OF THE SPORTS CENTRE IS OPEN TO ALL GRADUATES AT A REDUCED RATE. WWW.TCD.IE/ALUMNI/ SERVICES
Lavelle, and announce the pitch officially re-opened. Trinity won the match and would go on to lose just one match in College Park during 2014/15. Unfortunately the first XV just missed out on promotion to the top tier of domestic rugby but should challenge for honours next season.
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4 Maria O’Sullivan, who completed her BA in Molecular Medicine, was named Athletics Ireland Female University Athlete of the Year 5 Trinity scrum half Angus Lloyd was selected for the Irish Clubs Team during 2014/15 6 RTÉ’s Michael Lyster, boxer Bernard Dunne, Sportsperson of the Year Ruth Morris and cricketer Cecilia Joyce
TROPHY HAUL Trinity ladies’ basketball made history by winning the Division 1 League and intervarsity titles for the first time. The ladies’ gaelic footballers also claimed league and cup honours while the Hurling Club, led by Dublin senior hurler Danny Sutcliffe and sports scholarship recipient Darragh O’Donoghue, won the Ryan Cup. Men’s hockey won their division as well as the Railway Cup and Irish Hockey Challenge. Due to a league restructure, the students will jump up to Leinster Division 1 next term and, under coach Simon Filgas, the ambition is there to push for a place in the national league. As well as hosting a hugely successful intervarsity tournament, the Swimming & Waterpolo Club swept the boards in home waters winning both men’s and women’s titles while the girls went on to win the Leinster Senior Cup for the first time in their history. Rowing at Trinity continues to go from strength to strength and among the many national and regatta titles, the Dublin University Clubs retained the overall intervarsity title. ANNUAL SPORTS AWARDS Hosted by RTÉ’s Michael Lyster, with guests Bernard Dunne and Cecelia Joyce, the second Annual Sports Awards was a fitting
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celebration of students’ successes, on and off the field of play. The following recipients were announced: ● Sportsperson of the Year: Ruth Morris, Ladies’ Boat Club ● Team of the Year: Ladies’ Basketball ● Coach of the Year: Andrew Coleman, Ladies’ Boat Club ● Administrator of the Year: Ryan Hewitt, Basketball Club ● Contribution to Sport Award: Bert O’Brien, Swimming & Waterpolo Club
7 7 Sports scholarship recipient Tom Brennan completed his medicine degree in 2014/15 and was selected to represent Ireland in the inaugural European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan 8 Maura Gallahue, Teaching and Learning Officer, NIID; Hugo MacNeill; Maeve Philips; Fiachra Costello; Carmel O’Sullivan, Head of School of Education; Michelle Tanner, Trinity’s Head of Sport & Recreation
8 NOTABLE SUCCESSES BY TRINITY CLUBS INCLUDE: ● Boxing Club were Junior Intervarsity winners ● Cycling Club were Novice Team winners ● Fencing Club were Intervarsity winners for the eighth consecutive year ● Harriers & Athletics won four individual medals at the Outdoor Track & Field Intervarsities
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● Ladies’ Hockey Club were Intervarsity Plate winners ● Rifle Club were overall Intervarsity winners & Colours winners ● Squash Club were Men’s A Colours & Intervarsity winners ● Tennis Club were Intervarsity Ladies’ winners ● Ultimate Frisbee were Mixed Indoor Intervarsity winners
PINKS On the night when Sporting Commons celebrated 40 years, ten Pinks were awarded, including the first ever in the sport of netball: Victoria Mullin, air pistol shooting; David Fitzgerald, climbing; Maxton Milner, fencing; Omar Nouhi, judo; Susannah Cass, rowing; Sinead Dolan, rowing; Ruth Morris, rowing; Sacha Shipway, rowing; Conor Short, rowing; Cian Quinn, ultimate frisbee. SPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS Two students from Trinity’s National Institute for Intellectual Disability (NIID), swimmer Maeve Philips and footballer Fiachra Costello were among 61 sports scholarships announced. The awards were presented by Hugo MacNeill, NIID advocate and former Irish international rugby player. Some 27 sports scholarships were awarded in 12 different sports including Commonwealth Games athletes Victoria Mullin (air pistol shooting) and Prakash Vijayanath (badminton) as well as international kayaker Tom Brennan and recently announced Sky Sports athlete mentor Aoife McDermott (basketball). Two American students, Christine Ganser and Jennifer Morabito, were also acknowledged as Victory Sports Scholarship recipients, a programme which enables them to study a master’s programme in the Business School, compete for Trinity and also co-ordinate community development initiatives through basketball. The current outstanding performances of Trinity Rugby reflect the talents of the 30 students from the club being awarded a sports scholarship. Captain and 3rd Year BESS student Patrick Lavelle was also presented with the inaugural Trevor West Sports Scholarship, in recognition of his work in College sport on and off the field.
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DID YOU KNOW? Alumni discounts are available for sports centre membership & kids’ camps
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The climbing wall at Trinity’s Sports Centre
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TRINITY TODAY HONORARY DEGREES
HONORARY DEGREES Between winter 2014 and summer 2015, Trinity awarded nine honorary degrees to outstanding individuals at two separate ceremonies. Among them were the EU Ambassador to the United States David O’Sullivan, poet Paul Muldoon, and optical physicist Margaret Murnane.
DECEMBER 2014
Trinity graduate and EU Ambassador to the United States David O’Sullivan, was conferred with a Doctor in Laws (LL.D.). Formerly chief operating officer of the European External Action Service (EEAS), he has been an outstanding European public servant who has dedicated his career to the practical promotion of the European ideal. As the top civil servant at the EU’s diplomatic corps, David O’Sullivan has helped bring greater coherence and efficiency to the EU’s international presence. He has maintained his links with Trinity, acting as a consultative board member for the Institute for International Integration Studies (IIIS) and participating as a speaker in the School of Social Sciences and Philosophy Henry Grattan public lecture series.
Poet Paul Muldoon with Chancellor, Dr Mary Robinson
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Photographs: Maxwells
DAVID O’SULLLIVAN (LL.D.)
BACK ROW: Mary Lawlor, Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast, Paul Muldoon FRONT ROW: Professor Nancy Hopkins, Chancellor, Dr Mary Robinson, and Ambassador David O’Sullivan
MARY LAWLOR (LL.D.)
PAUL MULDOON (LITT.D.)
Mary Lawlor, founder and executive director of Front Line Defenders, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, was conferred with a Doctor in Laws (LL.D.). She established Front Line as a respected, trusted and effective nongovernmental organisation (NGO). Under her leadership, Front Line was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation 2006-07 International Development Prize and in 2014 Mary was awarded the Legion d’Honneur by the French government. She has had many speaking engagements in Trinity, and continues to engage Trinity students in Front Line events as volunteer organisers and translators.
The Irish poet, Paul Muldoon, who was conferred with a Doctor in Letters (Litt.D), is the Howard G.B. Clark ’21 University Professor in the Humanities, Princeton University and founding Chair of the Lewis Center for the Arts, and Poetry Editor of The New Yorker. He is one of the most distinguished Irish poets writing today, a distinction acknowledged in his election to the Oxford Professorship of Poetry in 1999. In 2003 he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry and he has built up a major reputation in the US where he has been based since 1987. His poetry continues to be very much concerned with Ireland and he maintains strong links with Trinity’s School of English.
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NANCY HOPKINS (LL.D.) Professor Nancy Hopkins, Amgen, Inc. Professor of Biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, member of the US National Academy of Sciences (2004), the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1998) and the Institute of Medicine (1999), has made groundbreaking contributions in both cancer genetics and in her pioneering work as an advocate for women in science. Professor Hopkins was conferred with a Doctor in Laws (LL.D.). In 1999 she published what came to be known as the ‘MIT Report on the Status of Women Faculty in Science’ and she co-chaired the first Council on Faculty Diversity in MIT. Professor Hopkins played an important and very generous role in providing advice and expertise to Trinity’s centre for Women in Science and Engineering Research (WiSER), and maintains a strong link with the centre’s activities.
JUNE 2015 CAMILLE SOUTER (LITT. D.) Camille Souter, member of the Honorary Council of the Royal Hibernian Academy (HRHA) is an exceptional painter who has worked from her home studio in Mayo since 1956. One of the most revered living artists in Ireland, she was elected Saoi of Aosdána in 2008, the first woman painter, and only the second woman ever, to achieve this rare honour. Any comprehensive collection of Irish modern art would be incomplete without her inclusion. Souter’s work is invariably included in modules on Modernist Irish art at the Department of History of Art and Architecture/Triarc in Trinity at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. She is primarily interested in articulating the reality of her experience of the world around her.
PETER HIGGS (SC.D.) Peter Higgs, former Professor of Physics in the School of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Edinburgh, was conferred with a Doctor in Science (Sc.D.). He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013 for “the theoretical discovery of a mechanism that contributes to our understanding of the origin of mass of subatomic particles, and which recently was confirmed through the discovery of the predicted fundamental particle, by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider”. Professor Higgs’ work overlaps with Trinity’s School of Mathematics and he is a strong supporter of the School’s research excellence.
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BACK ROW: Dr Stanley Quek, Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast, Professor Grigory Kruzhkov FRONT ROW: Professor Margaret Murnane, Chancellor, Dr Mary Robinson and Dr Camille Souter
GRIGORY KRUZHKOV (LITT.D.) Grigory Kruzhkov, who was conferred with a Doctor in Letters (Litt.D.), is a poet, translator, essayist and literary historian. He currently teaches English and American literature at the Moscow State University for the Humanities. He has published several collections of poetry and numerous collections of translations. His awards include the State Prize of the Russian Federation and the Bunin Prize. He was one of six people nominated by Seamus Heaney to join him in the launch of the Centre for Literary Translation in April 2013.
MARGARET MURNANE (SC.D.) Margaret Murnane, a UCC graduate and professor at the University of Colorado, is one of the leading optical physicists of her generation. Her groundbreaking work has transformed the field of ultrafast laser and x-ray science. She has a very strong publication record and has won many prizes for her pioneering work, including the RDS Boyle Medal in 2011. She has been an icon for female physicists all over the world. Professor Murnane has twice served as external reviewer for the School of Physics and has provided valuable encouragement to Trinity’s female physicists.
STANLEY QUEK (LL.D.) Stanley Quek, a Trinity medical graduate and founder and executive chairman of Region Development Pte Ltd, was conferred with a Doctor in Letters (LL.D.). More widely known as a diplomat, developer and designer, he served as Ireland’s Honorary Consul General in Singapore and is Chair of the Singapore Ireland Fund. He is devoted to promoting Trinity across the world. He was key to the success of the 2011 Tercentenary of the School of Medicine, was involved in the Quatercentenary celebrations and helped realise the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute. He is a member of the Trinity Alumni & Development board and is President of the Singapore chapter of the TCD Medical Alumni Association. ●
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TRINITY TODAY COMMENCEMENTS
TRINITY CONGRATULATES OUR NEW ALUMNI
5,485 students received a degree/diploma/certificate in 2014/2015, bringing the total number of alumni around the world to over 100,000! And remember, just because you’ve graduated doesn’t mean your link with Trinity has been broken – your alumni connection is for life. You will always be part of the Trinity community and the Alumni Office is here to help you stay connected with the College and with each other through regular communications, events, regional branches and affinity groups. To find out more about the benefits and services available to you as a graduate please visit www.tcd.ie/alumni
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ALUMNI
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1. Medicine Class of 1970 2. Emer Monaghan B.Dent.Sc. (1995), Mary Carr B.Dent.Sc. (1995), Aoife O’Donoghue B.Dent.Sc. (1995), Laurena Candon B.Dent.Sc. (1995), Stephanie Caulfield B.Dent.Sc. (1995), Anne-Marie Lynch B.Dent.Sc. (1995) 3. Leo Stassen B.Dent.Sc., M.B., M.A., F.D.B.R.C.S., F.R.C.S. (Ed.) (1977), Laura Stassen. 4. John Ramsey M.B., M.A. (1985), Brian Morrow M.B. (1985), Phillip Arthur Courtney M.B., M.R.C.G.P. (1985) 5. Deirdre Dowdall M.B. (1985), Ruth England M.B. (1985), Fergus Mason M.B. (1985) 6. Aisling Conroy & Beth Mason 7. Susan Smith M.B., M.R.C.P.I., M.R.C.G.P. (1987), David Orr M.D., F.R.C.S.I. (1986), Susan FitzSimon M.B., M.A., M.D., F.R.C.S.I., F.R.C.Oph. (1985) 8. Sean McVeigh B.A.I., M.Sc. (1985), Davina Healy M.B. (1985), Brigid Mohan, Damian Mohan M.B. (1985) 9. Colette Scanlon-Riach M.B. (1996), Ken Harte M.B. (1995), Sharon Anne McAuley M.B. (1995), Paula Jerrard Dunne M.B. (1995), Noel Kennedy M.B., M.D. (1992) 10.Michael Thorneloe M.B. (1970), Rabia Thorneloe, Sheelagh Phillips M.B. (1968), Gordon Phillips 11.Dara McEniff M.B. (1995), Eimear McEniff 12.Veterinary Class of 1972
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1. Dรกire MagCuill B.A., M.Sc. (1985), Mรกire Jones B.A., M.Sc. (1985), Eileen Kennedy B.A. (1986), Diane Birnie B.A. (1985), ร na Cregan B.A. (1985), Mรกire Keeling B.A. (1985), Fiona Osborne B.A., M.Sc. (1985) 2. Gerard McHugh M.A. (1990), Eugene Bent M.A. (1980), John Reynolds B.A. (1980), John Connolly M.A. (1980), Jonathan Westrup B.A. (1980) 3. John Wilkinson B.A. (1965), Lynda West B.A. (1965) 4. Robert Willis M.A., LL.D. (h.c.) (1945), Arthur Jolley B. COMM. (1945) 5. Madeline Moran M.A. (1975), Moira Eliet B.A. (1975), Joan Sutton M.A. (1975), Jackie Mills M.A. (1975), Helen McMurray B.A. (1975) 6. Shirley Holmes, Arthur Jolley B. COMM. (1945), Janet Jolley
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12 7. Susan Bracken B.A. (1995), Caroline Egan B.B.S. (1995), Aodan Bourke B.B.S. (1995), Killian O’Boyle B.A. (1995), Karen O’Shea B.B.S. (1995), Deirdre McKnight B.A. (1995), Michael Concannon B.A. (1995), Elena Ranalow B.B.S. (1995), Audrey Breen B.A. (1995) 8. Mark Davies B.A. (1965), Melissa Webb B.A. M.A., LL.D. (h.c) (1965), Gordon Bolton M.A. (1965), Jane Bolton LL.B. (1968) 9. Olive Cluskey-Deasy M.A. (1975), Declan Deasy B.A.I., Ph.D. (1972), Ursula Ni Choill B.A. (2012) 10. Anne McMonagle M.A. (1985), Victoria Spencer M.A. (1992), Nicola Faull B.A. (1985) 11. Lynn Corcoran and Gabriel Corcoran B.A.I. (1975) 12. John Connolly M.A. (1980), Jonathan Westrup B.A. (1980), John Reynolds B.A. (1980), Tom Gillett B.B.S. (1980), Eugene Bent M.A. (1980), Angie Mezzetti B.A. (1981), Brigid Flanagan B.A. (1980), Geraldine Leahy B.A. (1980), Robert Moynihan B.A. (1980)
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TRINITY TODAY ALUMNI BRANCHES
TRINITY
ALUMNI
BRANCHES From Belgium to Beijing, from Northern Ireland to New York, wherever life takes you, there is a Trinity Alumni Branch for you.
B
ranches organise activities and social events on behalf of alumni within their region. They also provide a channel of communication between their members and the University, keeping you up to date with Trinity news. Branch events range from casual pub get-togethers to black tie dinners, from cultural excursions to networking lectures by visiting academics. For graduates new to a region joining a branch is a great way to make friends while maintaining the link with your alma mater. Our branches always welcome new members. Please see the named contact in your region. @
If there is no branch in your area and you would like to set one up, please contact alumni@tcd.ie
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IRELAND & NORTHERN IRELAND ANTRIM & DERRY Stanley & Joy White The Old Rectory Macosquinm Coleraine BT51 4PN Co Derry CORK Gerry Donovan E: donov@eircom.net KILDARE & WICKLOW Michael J McCann E: tcd-kildare@infomarex. com NORTHERN IRELAND Mark Conlon E: conlonmj@yahoo.co.uk
LONDON Peadar O M贸rdha E: secretary@TCDLondon. co.uk
GERMANY Berlin James L枚ll E: loellj@gmail.com
TCD DINING CLUB, LONDON Geraldine Dooley E: secretary@ TCDDiningClubLondon.co.uk
Erlangen - Nuremberg Elisabeth Mayer E: elisabeth.mayer@zuv.unierlangen.de
MIDLANDS (EAST) Sydney Davies E: sydney.davies@ntlworld. com NORTH OF ENGLAND Suzanne Temperley E: david.temperley@talk21. com OXFORD Martin Gaughan E: martinigaughan@yahoo. co.uk SOUTH EAST UK Nick Beard E: beardm@tcd.ie
GREAT BRITAIN
UK WEST COUNTRY Douglas Henderson E: tcdwest@yahoo.co.uk
CAMBRIDGE Brian Bromwich E: brianbromwich@ googlemail.com
SCOTLAND Christopher Haviland E: c.p.haviland@btinternet. com
GLOUCESTERSHIRE Jonathan Moffitt E: jonathan_moffitt@ blueyonder.co.uk
EUROPE AUSTRIA Eudes Brophy E: brophyandhand@ netscape.net
Munich Dominic Epsom E: Dominic.Epsom@bmw.de ITALY Pamela Maguire E: pamela.maguire@tiscali.it
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MALTA Matthew Agius E: agiusm@tcd.ie NORWAY & SCANDINAVIA Roger Strevens E: Roger. Strevens@2wglobal.com PORTUGAL Ben Power E: benpower@sapo.pt
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SPAIN Emma Naismith E: emma.naismith@gmail. com SWEDEN Catarina Marvao E: marvaoc@tcd.ie SWITZERLAND Malcolm Ferguson E: malcolm.ferguson@ieee. org
BELGIUM George Gandon E: georgecandon@gmail. com
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DENMARK Carolyn Rutherford E: rutherfc@tcd.ie
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AFRICA EAST AFRICA Gerard Cunningham E: gerard.cunningham@ unep.org
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TEXAS Alex Canepa E: alexcanepa@gmail.com
VANCOUVER ISLAND Timothy Brownlow E: timbrownlow2@gmail. com
KWAZULU-NATA John Conyngham E: lyric@mweb.co.za
MID-ATLANTIC Jackie Hoysted E: tcdmidatlanticalumni@ gmail.com
LIBYA Dr Mohamed Daw E: mohameddaw@gmail. com
NEW YORK Fiona Stafford E: tcdalumninyc@gmail. com
NEW SOUTH WALES Dylan Carroll E: dylancarroll@gmail.com
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA (CAPE TOWN) Anthony G Marshall Smith E: marsmith@iafrica.com
NEW YORK – UPSTATE Ronald Ferguson E: fergusonrng@gmail.com
QUEENSLAND Kieran O’Brien E: kieranob@mac.com
UGANDA Henry Tumwebaze E: tumwebah@tcd.ie
USA ATLANTA Julie Jones E: julie@ juliejonesconsulting.com BOSTON Tomas John Ryan E: tcdbostonalumni@ gmail.com
PACIFIC NORTHWEST Graduates E: tcdalumnipnw@gmail. com PHILADELPHIA Paul Maguire E: pmaguire@ maguirehegarty.com SAN DIEGO Rob Mullally E: robmullally1@gmail.com
SOUTH FLORIDA Ronald Ferguson E: fergusonrng@gmail.com
SAN FRANCISCO Colette Minnock E: colette.minnock@yahoo. com
SOUTH AUSTRALIA Patrick Bourke E: p.mbourke@bigpond. com WESTERN AUSTRALIA Alex O’Neil E: alexoneil@bigpond.com
CHRISTCHURCH Bernadette Farrell E: tcdalumninz@gmail.com
ALBERTA Graham Wynne E: gw17@telus.net ONTARIO John G Payne E: trinitydublin@rogers.com
BEIJING Xusheng Hou E: houx@tcd.ie
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DELHI Rahul P. Dave E: rpdave@yahoo.com
SINAGPORE Paul Clarke E: pclarke_ireland@ hotmail.com
JAPAN Leo Glynn E: lglynn@hotmail.com
PAKISTAN Tia Noon E: tahianoon@gmail.com
REST OF WORLD ARGENTINA David Madden E: David.Madden@ smurfitkappa.com.ar GULF REGION Jessica Pakenham-Money E: pakenhaj@tcd.ie
MALAYSIA IRISH GRAD ASSOC Malaysian Irish Alumni Association E: miaa.info@gmail.com SOUTH KOREA Gaya Nadarajan E: gaya.nadarajan@gmail. com
ISRAEL David Rivlin E: tcd.alumni.il@gmail.com MEXICO Stephen TL Murray E: s.murray@ carlyleinstitute.ie MOSCOW Daria Voronina E: daria.voronina5@gmail. com
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON BRANCHES VISIT WWW.TCD.IE/ALUMNI/ GROUPS
OTTAWA Deirdre O’Connell E: deirdreocon@gmail.com GREATER VANCOUVER Eoin Bates E: eoinbates1@gmail.com
BANGALORE Sai Prakash E: saierin@hotmail.com
HONG KONG Henry Au E: henrywau@gmail.com
ASIA CHINA Chinese Alumni Association (Dublin Based) Tao Zhang E: info@tcdchinesealumni. org
CANADA
INDIA & PAKISTAN
SHANGHAI Nick McIlroy mcilroyn@tcd.ie
SINGAPORE IRISH GRADUATES ASSOC E: irelandsingapore@gmail. com
VICTORIA Ciaran Horgan E: chorgan@internode. on.net
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Kevin Elliott E: kelliott@tcd.ie CHICAGO Victoria Reccoppa E: vreccoppa@gmail.com
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
*New Branches
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TRINITY TODAY EVENTS
NYC BALL, JUNE 2015
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1. Sean Reynolds B.A.I. (1986), Sarah Reynolds, Mark McEnroe, Diane McEnroe, John Daly B.A.I. (1983), Norah Daly 2. Fiona Stafford B.A. (1994), Anthony Murphy B.A. (1981), Aileen Denne Bolton B.A. (1980), Katherine Sheane B.A. (2007), Orla Power B.A. (2006) 3. Martin O’Neill B.B.S. (1985), Bridget Breen B.A (2009), Eoin Healy B.A., PhD. (2006), David Mooney B.A. (1984) 4. Justine Flately B.A. (2014), Meadhbh McHugh B.A. (2011) Nicole Flattery B.A. (2010) 5. Maura Kinney, Pauline Turley B.A. (1996), Aileen Denne Bolton B.A. (1980) 6. Colleen Uí Dhubhda Ed.D. (2014), Déaglán Uí Dhubhda, Ruth Fagan
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DID YOU KNOW?
The Alumni office can help you organise your class reunion
FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT WWW.TCD.IE/ ALUMNI/ SERVICES
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DID YOU KNOW?
There are a wide range of events for alumni at Trinity and abroad
FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT WWW.TCD.IE/ ALUMNI/ EVENTS
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CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING DECEMBER 2014
1 1. Paulyn Marrinan-Quinn B.A., Barrister-at-Law (1972), Leo Quinn, Cherezanne Devries 2. Nicola Duffy B.Sc. (Clin.Lang.) (2009), Cathy Nicholson B.Sc. (Clin.Lang.) (2009), Caoimhe O’Toole B.Sc. (Clin.Lang.) (2009) 3. Marie-Claire Gallagher B.B.S. (Lang.) (2009), Stuart Cinnamond B.B.S. (2009) 4. Claudia Murray, Christopher Murray B.A., M.Sc. (1991) 5. Aifric Downey B.A. (2011), Kevin Chan B.A. (2011) 6. Karen Little B.A. (2000), Máiréad Finucane B.A., Ph.D. (1999), Sandra Mitchell B.A. (1999) 7. David O’Driscoll, Jean O’Driscoll B.A. (1974)
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CHRISTMAS COMMONS, DECEMBER 2014
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Noel Collins B.A. (1989), Paddy Butler B.A.I. (1979) Heather Sheane B.A., M.Phil. (1973), Joan Plunkett M.A. (1950), Sarah Plunkett B.A. (2013) Carole Martin-Smith B.A. (1976), John Martin-Smtih B.A. (1976) Yvonne O’Gara M.A. (1977), Charles Watchorn M.Sc. (Mgmt.), M.A., F.C.A. (1974) Trevor Orr B.A.I., M.Sc. (1971), Diane Orr B.A. (1974) Mia Craig M.A. (1992), Lesley Kavanagh M.A. (1992) Robert Kirkpatrick B.A., Ph.D. (1970), Hilary Kirkpatrick, Bill Grimson B.A.I. (1970)
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DID YOU KNOW?
Trinity is the place for your lifelong education needs
FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT WWW.TCD.IE/ STUDY
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TRINITY TODAY CLASS NOTES
CLASS NOTES News from Trinity alumni around the world.
LOAH (SALLAY-MATU GARNETT) B.SC. (PHARM.) (2006) Loah is Irish-Sierra Leonean singer-songwriter SallayMatu Garnett. During her time at Trinity, through a combination of writing, classical violin and voice training, she collaborated with future members of Little Green Cars, I Have A Tribe, Collapsing Horse Theatre Company, Kíla as well as Trinity Orchestra’s early pop endeavours. She co-wrote the Hozier single ‘Someone New’, having met the fellow songwriter at Trinity. She’s now embarking on an ambitious solo career, describing her sound as Artsoul. Her first year in action has seen the release of two stunning songs, The Bailey and Cortège, along with their videos, to critical acclaim. Loah has performed at many festivals and headlined several sold-out shows with a debut release to come in 2015.
2000s
2010s AOIBHÍN GAYNOR B.A.I. (2011) Since graduation, Aoibhín has been employed as a mechanical engineer with the Jones Engineering Group. She works on one of the largest Building Information Modelling (BIM) projects in Europe, at the Intel Campus in Leixlip, Co Kildare. As team lead, she manages a group of virtual construction designers in preparing 3D models using several Autodesk software packages. This involves investigative design work, site visits and complying with customer specifications. She is a member of Engineers Ireland and has recently graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management from Trinity.
THOMAS MORRIS B.A. (2009)
Since graduating in 2009, Thomas has worked for a number of Irish publishers, becoming editor of The Stinging Fly magazine in 2013. Dubliners 100, an anthology he devised and edited to celebrate the centenary of Joyce’s Dubliners, won Best-Irish published book at the 2014 Irish Book Awards. In August 2015, Faber & Faber published Thomas’s debut story collection, We Don’t Know What We’re Doing, which features ten stories set in his hometown of Caerphilly, South Wales.
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WILLIAM PRIESTLEY B.A. (2002) European Studies’ graduates are known for their international destinations but Pascagoula, Mississippi, is possibly one of the more unlikely. After serving as president of TCDSU and then the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), William (pictured left) spent two years teaching in an Afro-American school in the Deep South. During his time there Hurricane Katrina hit, flooding the town and destroying homes and buildings, including the school. On returning to Ireland, he founded a new and innovative youth employment scheme in one of Limerick’s most marginalised communities. The first participants graduated from University College Cork in 2014 and William recently shared his story from the TEDx stage. Ten other communities have already signed up for the next phase.
FRANK CONDON B.A. (2001) Frank Condon graduated in 2001 with a B.A. in Sociology and Political Science, later returning to Trinity to undertake the Postgraduate Diploma in Statistics in 2005/06. He has worked with the Economic & Social Research Institute (ESRI), the Higher Education Authority (HEA), and the Irish Management Institute (IMI). Frank took up the post of development and research manager with the Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII), in April 2015. He is responsible for developing PRII’s education activities and developing research in the field.
PATRICIA MONAHAN B.A. (2001) Patricia Monahan, programme director at Newstalk 106 108fm graduated with a B.A. in English and History from Trinity in 2001. She joined Newstalk in 2002 having completed a M.A. in Journalism from DCU. Since then she has taken the lead on a variety of major projects at the station including the launch of The Pat Kenny Show in September 2013. Originally from Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan, Patricia lives in Dublin with her husband and two daughters.
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SIOBHÁN SEOIGHE B.A. (2005) After graduating from Trinity in 2005 with a honours degree in Early and Modern Irish, Siobhán went on to study a Masters in Modern Irish in NUI Galway. Since then she has a acquired a wealth of experience in educational organisations in both the private and public sectors including business development manager with Gaelchultúr, events manager of Rith 2010, education executive with An Foras Pátrúnachta and currently works as Oifigeach Gaeilge in Coláiste Phádraig and DCU. She published her first book and CD in 2011, Ráth Chairn na Gréine. She was recently appointed by The Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs, Joe McHugh T.D., to the State Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta.
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PAUL MCDONALD B.A.I., M.SC. (2005) Paul graduated from Mechanical Engineering in 2005 and went on to do an M.Sc. in the area of environmental monitoring technology. At the end of his research project he co-founded a campus company, Sonitus Systems, to commercial the noise monitoring technology he helped develop. In 2013 he took over as full time Managing Director. Since then he has helped develop a distribution network selling instrumentation into every continent. The company was recently named winner of the 2015 Dublin City Enterprise Awards. Since graduating he has moved less than one mile from Trinity College, but has deployed equipment on projects all over the world. Paul has two young children - they are both experts at producing noise.
1990s ÉANNA Ó CAOLLAÍ B.A. (1996) Éanna graduated in 1996 with a TSM degree in Irish and Sociology. After graduation he worked across all media platforms for organisations including TG4, RTÉ, and The Irish Times. He joined The Irish Times on a full-time basis in 1998 and since then has actively participated in the newspaper’s transformation into an innovative, multi-platform, digital organisation. Éanna currently writes, reports, publishes and develops digital content for irishtimes. com. A native Irish speaker, Éanna co-founded Iriseoirí le Gaeilge, a 120-strong group of Irish language journalists. He is interested in matters relating to language, culture and current affairs.
ORNA DUGGAN B.A. (1993) Orna’s chemistry degree from Trinity laid the foundations for a varied career path that brought her to Belfast, Canada and back to Dublin. Experience with Prospectus Strategy Consultants led to senior higher education roles, including director for strategy and analytics at Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada. Now back in Dublin, she is currently immersed in the delivery of a major change programme that will lead to the incorporation of St Patrick’s College Drumcondra, Mater Dei Institute and Church of Ireland College of Education with Dublin City University. In addition, Orna has just completed a Masters in Business Analytics.
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1980s SHANE WHITE B.DENT.SC., M.A. (1985)
MARK MATTHEWS B.A., PH.D. (1999) Having graduated in English Literature and Philosophy, Mark returned to Trinity to study Computer Science once he realised the potential of technology to help treat mental illness. Mark continued his research as a Marie Curie fellow at Cornell University focusing on developing software to help in the treatment of bipolar disorder. He is now a Research Associate at Cornell and his company, HealthRhythms, is aiming to transform the measurement and treatment of mental health across all areas of healthcare. Mark spends his time, along with Ella, his partner and two children, between New York and Dublin.
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Shane returned to academia after a few years in private practice in Dublin following graduation from the Dublin Dental Hospital. Currently, he is a Professor in the School of Dentistry at UCLA. He has greatly enjoyed running successful research and teaching programmes, and the constantly changing variety of a professor’s job. He has just completed two terms serving the University of California (UC) system-wide Retirement System Advisory Board as chair. The board oversees and advises on approaches to the disposition of assets of more than $75 billion. Shane has also held several other leadership positions in the UCLA Senate, serving on its Executive Board, as well as its UC system-wide equivalent, Academic Council. He now chairs the system-wide University Committee on planning and budget. To relax he surfs whenever he can.
FIONA GALWAY M.ED., M.A., PH.D. (1980) Fiona graduated in 1980 with a B.A. in French and History of Art. As an undergraduate, Fiona was auditor of the Modern Languages Society and a committee member of the Choral Society. She has been head of the French Department at Drogheda Grammar School since 1982 and became a member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists in 1994. Fiona returned to Trinity in 1995 to pursue TO SUBMIT OR VIEW an M.Ed. degree in Guidance Counselling CLASS NOTES VISIT and completed a Ph.D. in Education in 2004. WWW.TCD.IE/ALUMNI Her doctoral research investigated the /CLASS-NOTES implications of existential psychotherapy for adolescent counselling in Ireland.
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Calling all women graduates: Your university needs you The Dublin University Women Graduates Association (DUWGA) is recruiting members to support our voluntary and bursary activities.
DUWGA was established in 1922 to enable women graduates keep in touch with Trinity, with each other, and with women graduates all over the world. We organise networking and educational events; support bursaries, scholarships and the Trinity Access Programme; and work with European and global affiliates to empower women through education. Please join us and support our work.
Find out more at www.duwga.ie or email info@duwga.ie
Join the trinity business alumni The Trinity Business Alumni (TBA) is the global association of graduates of Trinity College Dublin from all academic disciplines, who are engaged in business activities. The TBA is a forum for alumni to connect and network, to learn, and to contribute to the development of business, College and wider society.
If you would like to join, please access the TBA website at www.tba.ie for details about membership and upcoming events.
www.tba.ie
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1960s ALEC RAINEY B.A. (1963) Alec is of Anglo-Irish and Russian parentage and was born and brought up in England. He studied modern languages at Trinity between 1959 and 1963. He worked as a cowboy until 1974 in Argentina and Australia, then became a writer in France where he restored an old farmhouse. Following this he moved to Cambridge, England and he is currently a member of the Lithics Studies Society of the British Museum in London. He is also a Flamenco guitarist. In 2010 Alec published his memoir, A Way of Life, and he followed this in 2015 with a historical novel, Sword and Lyre.
ROSE ROWLEY M.LITT., M.A. (1974) Rosemarie Rowley studied English, Irish and Philosophy at Trinity. After working for the EU she returned to Trinity to write an M.Litt. thesis on Patrick Kavanagh. She has published six books of poetry, the latest being Girls of the Globe, extracts from which she read at the Bloomsday celebrations at Áras an Uachtaráin on the invitation of Ireland’s first lady, Sabina Higgins. Her second book, The Sea of Affliction is the first ecofeminist poetry collection (1987).
1970s
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FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT WWW.TCD.IE/ ALUMNI/ SUPPORT
DID YOU KNOW?
You can join thousands of alumni doing their bit for Trinity
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TRINITY TODAY CLASS NOTES
ROY JOHNSTON B.A., B.SC., PH.D. (1951) At the suggestion of Professor Ernest Walton, Roy went to the Paris École Polytechnique to work with Louis Leprince-Ringuet and his team. They looked at highenergy particle physics with cosmic rays as an energy source, using cloud chambers at mountain altitude. He returned in 1951 to the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) with Cormac O’Ceallaigh for more work on meson physics with various instrumentation technologies. This led in 1960 to his switching to industry and his later career evolved via computerbased techno-economic analysis towards knowledgeintensive human-computer interaction problem analysis.
SIMON NEWMAN B.A. (1962) While at Trinity Simon was heavily involved in rowing and was captain for two years. He also ran DUCAC for a year before becoming treasurer. He took over the family chauffeur business before moving to London to head up a coach company, Armchair Passenger Transport Company Ltd., which he built into one of the biggest private London bus and coach companies. He sold his company in 2004 and lives in Maidenhead where he continues to have a keen interest in rowing.
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1950s DAVID SIMMS M.A., F.T.C.D. (1955) Professor David Simms gave his last class in April, 2015 after 50 years lecturing at Trinity’s School of Mathematics. Born in 1933 in India to Donegal parents, D.J. Simms obtained an entrance scholarship (1951), foundation scholarship as junior freshman (1952), and a first class degree with gold medal in mathematics (1955) at Trinity. There followed a Ph.D. at Cambridge and posts as a lecturer at Glasgow and instructor at Princeton, before returning to Trinity as lecturer in mathematics in 1964. He became a Fellow in 1972 and a member of the Royal Irish Academy in 1978. His publications include Lie Groups and Quantum Mechanics (1968), and Lectures on Geometric Quantisation with N. Woodhouse (1974). He has also written an eyewitness account of being torpedoed as a ten year old, An Account of the Sinking (1942). D.J. Simms is a direct descendant of the first Trinity Provost, Adam Loftus, a son of historian J.G. Simms and father of engineer C.K. Simms. His children Brendan, Daniel and Ciaran – are all Trinity graduates. Generations of maths undergraduates will remember the annual supper hosted at his home with his wife, Anngret.
TO SUBMIT OR VIEW CLASS NOTES VISIT WWW.TCD.IE/ALUMNI /CLASS-NOTES
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TRINITY TODAY ONE-ON-ONE
One-on-One
Incoming Chair of the TCD Association & Trust, Gilliane Quinn de Schonen B.B.S., M.A. (1987), shares a bit about herself. WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT YOUR NEW POSITION WITH TCD ASSOCIATION & TRUST? The Association and Trust is a wonderful forum for alumni to engage in the University both in giving back with experience or financially, but also in attending some of the events that are organised for the alumni such as the Christmas Homecoming, the Booksale, the Alumni Weekend in August or the many events organised by the regional associations.There are many different ways of enhancing this relationship, which help retain Trinity’s significant contribution to education and meaningful research. WHAT ROLE DOES THE TCD ASSOCIATION & TRUST PERFORM? Principally it offers grants for numerous projects or needs that wouldn’t otherwise get funding. The range is quite extraordinary from funding the restoration of the books in the Long Room, to purchasing a rare medieval manuscript, or equipment for the ladies boat club, or helping students or teaching staff with travel to speak at a conference abroad. There are hundreds of grants, both small and large, given to students, clubs, associations and teaching staff. WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM? Over the years the money has come from donations from alumni. But today the main source of revenue is the Trinity Affinity Card of which there are over 10,000 holders as the bank donate a part of the annual revenue from the card to us.
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Paul Coulson to finance it all and Miriam Lord to put a bit of spark into the conversation – and I’d love Jeeves to serve (and fix any awkwardness)!
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT? Aside from my family, I am happy to have been able to turn around the Zumo juice bar business in France to save 100 jobs. We also were awarded the prize for the highest sales per square metre of any store in France which was quite a feat. WHICH LIVING PERSON DO YOU MOST ADMIRE? I’d have to be lying if I didn’t say it’s my father! I am so lucky to have been bought up by someone so positive, dynamic and genuinely interested in people and making this world a better place.
Gilliane Quinn de Schonen
HOW DO YOU RELAX? I married a French man so a good glass of burgundy surrounded by friends is a start. WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR? To disappoint people who have placed trust in me.
WHAT IS YOUR MOST CHERISHED MEMORY FROM YOUR STUDENT DAYS AT TRINITY? There are many —– meeting Fiona Smith who was to be one of my closest friends on the student tour in Freshers week, sitting on the chocolate boxes with Karen Lowe, heated The range is quite dinner party discussions extraordinary from funding in rooms in Front the restoration of the books Square, John O’Hagan in the Long Room, to and Frances Ruane’s purchasing a rare medieval economics classes, the manuscript opening act of a Players’ performance — how to choose?
WHICH GUESTS, FROM ANY STAGE OF HISTORY, WOULD YOU INVITE TO YOUR IDEAL DINNER PARTY? Oscar Wilde for his quick wit, Roger Casement for his fascinating and tragic life, Countess Markievicz as inspiration, Pope Francis for his refreshing positive views, Ingrid Bettancourt to learn about surviving six years in the jungle, Mary Robinson to change the climate, Amal Clooney without George for some intelligent glam,
WHAT IS THE MOST USEFUL PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? The founder of the 7/11 group in Japan, Masatoshi Ito San, who I had the pleasure of meeting said: “whether you believe you can do something, or whether you believe you can’t, you are right”. It’s a reminder of the importance of really getting behind and believing in any project or task you undertake. ●
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Thank you to all our supporters throughout the year. For more information on how you can get involved please visit www.tcd.ie/alumni
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KEEP IN TOUCH WITH TRINITY AND EACH OTHER
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