This Week in Trinity: Oktoberfest, Feminism and Micheal Martin

Week 4 is packed with a wide array of important speakers and musical events, as well as a chance to sign up to societies in the Atrium

Congratulations, you’re halfway to reading week! As those essay deadlines get ever closer and you start to wonder why you ever missed college over the summer, don’t fret. Week 4 in Trinity has a plethora of intriguing events to distract you from the impending doom of that 3,000-word paper.

MONDAY

We know you just love reading our articles, but did you ever consider writing one? Trinity Publications will be holding a publications fair this evening at 6.30pm in the Atrium, where you’ll get a chance to meet the editors of some of Trinity’s biggest newspapers and magazines including the editors of Icarus, TN2 magazine and Trinity News. At 7pm, PWC will be giving a talk on career prospects and graduate programmes with them in the Phil Conversation room along with free pizza for all who attend. Also at 7pm, SOFIA are hosting the German ambassador to Ireland, Deike Potzel, in the Synge Theatre to speak on the future of the EU and Ireland’s relations with Germany. Later, at 8pm, the Phil will be hosting their Soapbox, where you can stand up in the GMB and rant about any topic your heart desires until you’re breathless. For anyone who missed Fresher’s week, or just wants a second chance at it, many of Trinity’s societies will be in the Atrium this week giving you chance to ask any questions and sign up to their societies.

TUESDAY

On Tuesday, DU Amnesty will be having a talk with Ailbhe Smyth on the Future of Repeal, at 6pm in room 4047 of the Arts Block. Smyth, an academic, activist, former Chair of the National LGBT Federation and Convener of the Repeal the Eighth Amendment Coalition, will outline her thoughts on how the proposed legislation will affect abortion in Ireland. Clodagh O’Reilly, a member of ReCreate, an organisation that collects waste from businesses and transforms it into arts and crafts supplies for young children, will also be delivering a talk that evening to Envirosoc at 6pm in the Swift Theatre. Tuesday is certainly a popular evening for speakers as Politics Society are receiving a talk too, at 7pm in the Swift Theatre. Micheal Martin, leader of Fianna Fail, will be discussing the Homelessness Crisis and what he believes can be done to solve it.

If speeches aren’t really your thing then there’s plenty of other events to distract you on Tuesday. DU Germanic Society will be celebrating Oktoberfest at 7pm in the GMB. They’ll be serving traditional German food, beer in the famous gigantic steins and playing German music all night long. At 8pm, DU Alternative Music Society, Jazz Soc and DU Music are hosting a gig in Workman’s. It’ll be free entry all evening and there’ll be a vast array of musical styles presented by some of Trinity’s most talented musicians. What more could you want?

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday kicks off with a speech from David Cross, famous for his roles in Men in Black, Alvin and the Chipmunks and of course for his performance as Tobias in Arrested Development. The Phil will be awarding him their Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage at 1pm in the GMB and if his talk is anything like his performances, it’s sure to e amusing. In the evening, TCD Jazz Society and TCD Afro-Caribbean Society will be honouring Fela Kuti, one of the most prominent Afrobeat singers of all time, at 8pm in Workman’s. Jazz music will be played and talks will be given on the singer and his legacy, particularly his involvement with political protests in his home country of Nigeria.

At 7.30pm, the Hist, in association with DU Gender Equality Society, will be hosting a women-only debate on the motion ‘This House Would Pay Reparations to Women’. Women have been oppressed for most of human history, many other oppressed groups have later been given reparations by their oppressors, in an attempt to make amends. Is it time that women receive the same payment for the abuses they’ve suffered? With the recent controversies on campus about the treatment of women in debating, this motion is perhaps more topical than ever. To end the evening, TradSoc will be hosting ‘Tasty Tune Crawl’, where from 7pm onwards, they’ll be traveling to various locations around the city playing traditional Irish music.

THURSDAY

Homelessness and skyrocketing house prices are two of the biggest problems facing modern Ireland and so it is important to be aware of your tenancy rights and what you can do to defend yourself from unscrupulous landlords. FLAC will be hosting a Tenants Rights Workshop at 3pm in room 4018 of the Arts Block, where they’ll outline your rights as a tenant and answer any questions you might have about your own tenancy situation. Cumann Gaelach will also be hosting ‘La na Gaeilge’ all day, with free food, 5-a-side football and Irish debating happening throughout, in Seomra na Gaeilge. At 6pm, DU Cancer Society and DU Quiz Society will be jointly hosting a table quiz in aid of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, in Doyles Pub. Entry for a team of four is only €10.

QSOC will be hosting a Drag Workshop at the same time at 6pm in Street 66, where Nikkie Stones, Leo Burdock, Rita Lyn, and Annie Cans will be revealing how they prepare for their performances. At 7pm, DU Maths Society and DU Physics Society are hosting Estimathon in the SNIAM Conference Room. Teams of four will compete using just estimates and a calculator to answer various questions, with prizes for the winners. If Math’s just not your cup of tea then DU Comedy Society are performing ‘Mock the 4th Week’ at 7.30pm in the Joly Lecture Theatre. It’s free entry for everyone in college, they’ll be making fun of student life all evening and there’ll be free refreshments. The perfect student night.

FRIDAY

On Friday, DU Archaeological Society will be hosting ‘Irish Invasion at 4.30pm in room 3047 of the Arts Block, where Ireland’s leading historical re-enactment company Claiomh will be delivering a talk. If that’s not exciting enough you’ll also get the chance to test and try swords, weapons and armour from the period 800-1600 CE. Finally, to end the week, Trinity SMF are hosting a Women’s Leadership Conference from 6pm in Regent House. The event will stress the importance of a gender-balanced workplace and allow a range of female business leaders to share their journeys and how they rose to the top in male-dominated workplaces. Julie Sinnamon, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Lauren Simmons, the only female trader on the New York Stock Exchange, and Caroline Dowling President of Flextronics, will all be sharing their stories and as some of the most successful women in modern times, they’re sure to provide some valuable insight.

So don’t sit around and complain to your friends that there’s nothing exciting to do this week. Whatever your interests, there’s got to be something on during the week to fascinate you!

Seamus Small

Seamus Small is the current Assistant Societies Editor of Trinity News. He is a Senior Fresh Law and Politics student.