UCD Societies: Semester Highlights
It’s been a wild year, and a wilder first semester for students at UCD, but freak weather and exams stress didn’t stop our societies from pushing themselves to reach new heights. Freshers Week was a blast, with live music and special events galore, but for ten weeks after our societies continued their hard work, with events new and old, to help students find fresh ways to get the most out of their college experience. Here are just a few highlights if you’ve missed out on the story so far:
Our debating societies, not content with simply exceeding in their work in debating competitions around the country, continued the trend of bringing in esteemed guests from the worlds of politics and culture. The L&H hosted a number of these, including activist and advocate for the homeless, Fr. Peter McVerry, Deputy Eamon Ryan of the Green Party, and journalist Vincent Browne. Not to be outdone, our Law Society held evenings with holocaust survivor Tomi Reichental, Irish senator Lynn Ruane, and Northern Irish indie rock group, Two Door Cinema Club. UCD’s Arts society also had the opportunity to welcome late-night television host Ryan Tubridy to the campus.
Our cultural societies had been hard at work making UCD an inclusive and welcoming environment for all walks of life. The Indian society continued the trend of observing Diwali in style with their annual celebration of food, live music, and spectacular outfits, while the Africa Society hosted their own spin on a classic TV staple in Take Me Out. Collaborations were par
for the course for many of these societies, including the French, German, and Arab societies hosting regular coffee mornings and nights out with each other in wonderful displays of camaraderie.
This semester also continued the high standard in productions and performances. MusicalSoc displayed incredible talent in their productions of ‘Company’ and ‘The Addams Family’, while DramSoc presented unique works by their talented roster of writers, actors, set and prostup designers and technical crews, from dramas to comedies, adapted pieces to original works. MusicSoc and JazzSoc held regular performances in a host of styles for their open mics and showcases, while the LGBTQ+ society returned with the fabulous Drag for Life variety show, in aid of HIV Ireland.
As always, some of the standout events of the semester were the most unique. The Horticultural Society celebrated the harvest the best way possible: a day of apple picking at the Rosemount Gardens. FilmSoc, outside of their regular screenings, brought back their overnight movie marathon, spending the night inside the student centre with their members and a host of classic films. SVP continued with its annual sleep out on the concourse to raise money and bring awareness to homelessness in Dublin, while Litsoc chose to take things off campus, holding the reception for their semesterly publication, Caveat Lector in the newly opened Museum of Literature, Ireland.
This is, of course, only a taste of what the semester had to offer. We thank our societies for the incredible work they’ve put in over the last twelve weeks, and hope they, and you, enjoy your holiday break! We return in 2020 for another semester (and hopefully, another decade) of incredible student activity, and we hope you return with us, to #BígíLinn