This week in Trinity: from election mania to a literary festival

Week six offers debating competitions, poetry and pies to throw at professors

Photo Credit: Joe McCallion/ Trinity News

It’s week six and it is, as always, action-packed. With a range of debating orientated events, Trinity’s Literary Festival, the final leg of TCDSU elections and even a chance to throw pies at Law lecturers, it’s set to be a good week at Trinity.

Monday

Trinity’s Literary Festival is off to a great start on Monday with a Zine workshop at 2 pm in The Attic, House 6. Lit Soc will recount the history of Zine, a small booklet containing a piece of literature, and attendees can make their own. That’s not all from the festival as at 7 pm “Trainspotting” will be shown in 2041B in the Arts Block. The Hist are welcoming Anne Anderson at 5 pm in the GMB. Anderson is being awarded the Gold Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Public Discourse for her work in the European Union and her role as ambassador for Ireland in the United States. If you have absolutely no idea who you’re going to vote for in the upcoming TCDSU election then you can head to Trinity Hall at 8 pm to hear the candidates give their pitch.

Tuesday

The Phil is hosting their Inaugural Public Speaking Competition on Tuesday, starting at 11.30am. This is a chance to practice your public speaking skills with useful feedback. If this isn’t enough debating with you then the Hist are hosting a debating workshop on judging at 2 pm in the GMB. Simultaneously, there will be a satire workshop in the Elizabeth Room in House 6. As part of Trinity’s literary festival, it will illustrate how to construct a piece of satire.

The Phil is busy on Tuesday as they will also be discussing what will happen if the 8th Amendment is repealed. The panel includes: Fiona de Londras, Professor of Legal Global Studies in the University of Birmingham; Dr. Mary Favier, a founding member of Doctors for Choice; Peter Ward, the Chair of Free Legal Advice Centres and Senior Counsel for the Marriage Equality Campaign; Kate O’Connell, a Fine Gael TD and a member of The Oireachtas Committee on the 8th Amendment; Julie O’Donnell, a speaker for Terminations for Medical Reasons; and Róisín Ingle a journalist for The Irish Times. At 7 pm Lit Soc are displaying their member’s poetry in the Long Stone Pub, everyone is welcome!

Wednesday

At 2 pm on Wednesday in the Attic of House 6, Lit Soc are celebrating all aspects of literature starting with the worst. With requests to bring along “your trashy romances” and your “gritty thrillers,” it’s a chance for everyone of all literary interests to get involved. In Room 3081 they will be preparing for International Women’s Week from 6 pm to 9 pm where you can go find out how to volunteer and help make the week a success.

At 7 pm Trinity’s VDP are holding a discussion on homelessness in the 21st century in Ireland. The panel has a host of speakers: Dr. Paula Mayock, an assistant professor in Youth Research and the author of ‘Living in Limbo’; Dr. Clíodhna Ní Cheallaigh, a senior lecturer and consultant for the center for medical gerontology; and Dr. Katríona O’Sullivan, a once homeless lecturer in psychology.

Meanwhile, in Players at 8.30pm, there will be a ‘Stars in Their Eyes’ an event which requires students to dress up as a famous musician or group and perform one of their songs. If you’re looking for help in your literary pursuits, Lit Soc has you covered. At 7 pm in Room 3016 in the Arts Block, they will be giving advice on how to write a graphic novel.

Thursday

As part of Trinity’s literary festival, there will be a trip to the Dublin’s writers museum, meeting at 2 pm at the Front Arch on Thursday. It’s well worth checking out one of Dublin’s hidden gems with those who feel truly inspired by literature. For all you Law students out there or anyone in need of a laugh, Law Soc is giving you the opportunity to throw a pie in a Law lecturer’s face from 2 pm to 3 pm. It’s all for a worthy cause, as the ten euro minimum donation will be going towards Capuchin Day Centre.

Later, Law Soc in aid of Capuchin Day Centre will be hosting ‘The Charity Swing’, in Lillies Bordello- it’s sure to be a roaring night! If you’re still feeling the sting of a single valentine’s day then Law Soc have you covered with a ‘Take Me Out’ in the Robert Emmet from 7.30pm with the three euro entrance fee going to Capuchin Day Centre. At 6 pm Lit Soc are honouring Oscar Wilde outside House 6 where attendees are welcome to bring their own poetry or prose or just one that inspires them.

Friday

To round off Trinity literary festival, on Friday there will be a poetry share at 2pm in The Attic of House 6. At 6.30pm TCD Plastic Solutions, the Enviro Soc and TCDSU are hosting a talk by Doug Allen in the Davis Theatre. Allen is an Emmy and BAFTA winner for his outstanding work in photography and documentary making specifically in the areas of the Arctic and Antarctic, he will be discussing the changing poles. It’s set to be a popular event so make sure you get in line early, the ticket is only three euro!

With a host of societies putting on a variety of events there is something for everyone this week, and why not throw yourself in before reading week?

Georgina Francis

Georgina Francis is a former Managing Editor, Life Editor and Assistant Life Editor of Trinity News.