List of Trinity College Dublin student organisations
This is a list of Trinity College Dublin student organisations. As of 2020, Trinity College Dublin had over 120 student societies which were operating under the Dublin University Central Societies Committee.
Types of organisations
Clubs
Trinity College has 49 sports clubs affiliated to the Dublin University Central Athletic Club. The Central Athletic Club is made up of five elected committees who oversee the development of sport in the college: the Executive Committee is responsible for all activities; the Captains' Committee represents the 49 club captains and awards University Colours, the Pavilion Bar Committee runs the private members' bar, the Pavilion Members' Committee and the Sports Facilities Committee.The oldest clubs include the Dublin University Cricket Club and Dublin University Boat Club. Dublin University Rifle Club was first founded in 1840 however the club under its current format was reconstituted in 1962. Dublin University Football Club which plays rugby football was founded in 1854 and is one of the world's oldest documented "football club". The Dublin University Hockey Club was founded in 1893. The Dublin University Harriers and Athletic Club was founded in 1885.
There are several graduate sport clubs that exist separate to the Central Athletic Club including the Dublin University Museum Players, the Lady Elizabeth Boat Club and the Mary Lyons Memorial Mallets.
Publications
Trinity College's student publications are administered by the Dublin University Publications Committee who maintain and administer the Publications room.Trinity News is Ireland's oldest student newspaper having been first printed in 1947 and being in regular circulation since 1953. It is published on a fortnightly basis producing 12 issues in total during the academic year. The paper has won a number of Irish Student Media Awards in the past, including the "Newspaper of the Year", "Editor of the Year" and "Journalist of the Year".
The University Times is Trinity's newer student newspaper. Founded in 2009, it was named Irish Student Newspaper of the Year in its first year, an award won by Trinity News in the three previous years. It is funded by Trinity College Dublin Students' Union but its Editorial Committee makes editorial decisions independently of the Union. It replaced the University Record.
Student magazines in publication include The Piranha, Tuathal the generalist TCD Miscellany, the arts-orientated Icarus and the film magazine Trinity Film Review. Other publications supported by the Dublin University Publications Committee include the Student Economic Review, which is a journal produced and organised by students of Economics, the Law Review and the Trinity Student Medical Journal as well as The Attic which is a collection of student writing produced by the Dublin University Literary Society, and The Rant and Rave, a literary criticism magazine.
Societies
Trinity College has over 120 societies, each of which operates under the aegis of the Dublin University Central Societies Committee. This committee is composed of the treasurers of each of the societies within the College. Society sizes vary, with several claiming to be the largest in the college with thousands of members, while smaller groups may have only 40-50 members.Situated within the Graduates Memorial Building is the oldest of Ireland's such societies, the College Historical Society. Founded in 1770, the society has a history in the promotion of oratory and composition. It is the oldest debating society in Ireland, and "perhaps" the oldest student society in the world. Over the past three centuries, it has been addressed by the world’s pre-eminent thinkers and orators. The society meets each Wednesday evening to debate motions of interest in the chamber of the Graduate Memorial Building.
Another such society is the University Philosophical Society which shares the GMB and promotes discourse among students. The Society can traces it origins to 1853 when it was set up as a paper reading society, inspired by the Dublin Philosophical Society. While the Phil still hosts paper readings, its primary functions is as a debating society. Throughout the twentieth century, there was ongoing discussion about the possibility of a merger between the Student Representative Council, the Hist, the Phil, and the Eliz. In 1981, the Eliz merged with the Phil and today it remains a subcommittee of the Phil promoting the involvement of women in debating. The Phil meets each Thursday evening of Term to debate motions in the chamber of the GMB.
Other societies include DU Players, a student-drama society which hosts more than 50 shows and events a year in the Samuel Beckett Theatre; The DU Film Society which organises filmmakers and film-lovers on campus through workshops, screenings, and production funding; The DU Radio Society, known as Trinity FM, broadcasts student made productions on a special events licence on FM frequency 97.3FM for six weeks a year; The Trinity LGBT society, which is the oldest LGBT society in Ireland and celebrated its 25th anniversary in the 2007/2008 year; The Dublin University Comedy Society, known as DU Comedy, hosts comedy events for its members and hosts comedy gigs on campus; The Dance Society, known as "dudance", which provides classes in Latin and ballroom dancing, as well as running events around other dance styles such as swing dancing. In 2011 the Laurentian Society was revived. This society played a role as a society for the few Catholic students who studied at Trinity while "the Ban" was still in force
Representative bodies
Undergraduates are represented by the Trinity College Dublin Students' Union. Its primary role is to provide a representative channel between undergraduates and the University and College authorities. It represents both undergraduates and postgraduates in matters external to the university. The Executive, the Finance and Services Committee and Sabbatical Officers manage the business and affairs of the Union. The Students' Union Communications Officer is responsible for the publication of the University Times, an editorially independent student newspaper.Postgraduates are represented by the Graduate Students' Union. Its primary role is to provide a recognised representative channel between postgraduates and the University and College authorities. It primarily consists of two full-time officers, the President, and Vice-President. The GSU President is an ex officio member of the College Board. The Vice-President also acts as the GSU's Education and Welfare Officer.
List of societies
An Cumann Gaelach
, founded in 1907 by former President of Ireland Dubhghlas de hÍde.Biological Association
The Biosoc is one of the largest societies in Trinity College Dublin. The main role of the Biosoc was originally to provide a forum of discussion in the field of Natural Science, however, over the years it began to change this role eventually becoming a social society for medical students. It runs the "Med Day" charity event every November, raising money for various university associated hospitals, including neonatal care in the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital and Rotunda Hospital, acute stroke care in St. James's Hospital and breast cancer screening programme in Tallaght University Hospital.Charities
A number of charitable societies also operate at Trinity. These include Trinity VDP, Trinity Cancer Society, STAND, Trinity Free Legal Aid Centre and DU Amnesty.Choral Society
The University of Dublin Choral Society is the largest choir in Trinity College Dublin. It is also the oldest university choral society in Great Britain and Ireland and the third oldest society in Trinity, having been founded in 1837. Traditionally, the society performed one concert for each of the three terms, with the third concert known as the Ladies' Concert, as women had been permitted to attend before their admission to Trinity. With the introduction of semesters, two concerts are now performed each year, one at the end of each semester. The tradition that members wear the formal academic gown for performances is upheld and concerts take place in the College Exam Hall and College Chapel. The Library of Trinity College Dublin holds a collection of music performed by the society during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries as well as programmes dating back to the society's founding.College Historical Society
The College Historical Society is Ireland's oldest debating society, having been established within the college in 1770.College Theological Society
The College Theological Society, commonly known as "The Theo", was founded in 1830. The society's original purpose was to train ordinands "in ecclesiastical history and polemical divinity". According to its constitution, the objective of the society is to afford members the opportunity to study theology and to "encourage the practice of written composition, and extempore speaking". It also "promotes inter-religious dialogue" and discusses the role of religion within society. It has covered topics including human rights, current affairs, faith and the climate crisis.In addition to discussion and debate, members also meet to listen to guest speakers during weekly Monday events in the Chamber of the Graduates Memorial Building. The Theo is based in the Bram Stoker Room in the same building.