At last, Week 12 is upon us with the reassuring prospect of a few deliciously long weeks of Christmas break a mere seven days away. Days of eggnog filled bliss are tantalisingly close and it is understandable to feel like you just want this week to wrap up quickly – pun most certainly intended. But before you leave all things Trinity behind you in favour of aforementioned eggnog, there are still society events happening this week that you wouldn’t want to miss.
At 6pm on Monday, philosopher and gender theorist Dr Judith Butler will address the Phil, and will be awarded the Honorary Medal of Gold Patronage. Butler is celebrated for their work on feminist and queer theory, especially their 1990 book, Gender Trouble, which challenges ingrained societal attitudes towards gender and has been translated into 27 languages. Also on Monday evening is a Ubotica Technologies Talk hosted by DU Engineering Society. Vice President and co-founder of Ubotica Technologies, Aubrey Dunne, will discuss the company’s recent research in space and AI development. The talk will finish with a Q&A session.
Excitingly, to finish off their workshop series for this term, Trinity Musical Theatre Society will be welcoming Ellena Vincent, cast member of the West End production of Hamilton, at 7.15pm on Monday.
Tuesday brings you not one, but two Christmas parties! Film Soc and Trinity FM are hosting an end of term Christmas soirée at 7pm on discord which will include an ugly Christmas jumper competition, a Polar Express screening and a round of Among Us. Film Soc will also be holding their weekly video café on Tuesday at 2pm, with the theme of Favourite Christmas Films, where you can discuss the cinematic merits of your childhood classics, and the probable outdatedness of Love Actually. To compete for your attendance, Cumann Gaelach TCD are holding their end of term Christmas party on Tuesday at 8pm, combined with the final of Maidens 2020. There will be spot prizes for the audience and Trad Soc are rumoured to make an appearance.
Finally, for their last event of their 2020 Speaker Series, DU Law Society will welcome Francesca McDonagh, CEO of Bank of Ireland on Tuesday at 6.30pm. She will be discussing her role as CEO, and her path to becoming the first woman in its entire 237-year history to be at the helm of Bank of Ireland. Her leadership, and insistence on promoting a 50:50 gender balance in management by 2021 has resulted in a considerable increase of women in senior level positions.
Moving on to Wednesday, the Zoological Society are bringing you a screening of David Attenborough’s Seven Worlds, One Planet: South America as their last event of the term. From the Andes to the Amazon, South America is among the most species rich continents on earth, and on top of that, who doesn’t love David Attenborough? Also on Wednesday is DU Photography Association’s third episode of their Favourite Photographers Instagram livestream series, beginning at 2pm.
As much as we are all yearning to crowd into a pub festooned in Christmas jumpers and Santa hats, alas, it still cannot be. Instead, Trinity Ents are throwing a Christmas Ball on Thursday at 9pm to celebrate the end of this rather unusual term. A list of Trinity artists will be streaming live from Workmans, including the likes of Oscar Blue and recently emerged Blueberry Rouge. The concert is in aid of Peter McVerry Trust, and you can head to the event Facebook page to find their JustGiving link.
Merry Christmas to all and we will see you again in the New Year!
