No plans to limit tourist access to campus amid rising Covid-19 cases, Trinity confirms

Tourists can currently go “anywhere that’s publicly accessible” on campus

Tourist access on campus will continue as normal, amid a fourth wave of Covid-19 in Europe, College have told Trinity News. 

When asked if Trinity was planning to limit tourist access amid rising Covid-19 cases, a spokesperson for College said: “There are no plans to adjust or modify access to campus at present.”

Trinity’s main campus fully reopened to the public on Friday 22 October, preceding College’s second phase of reopening that began after reading week, on Monday 1 November.

Prior to October 22, tourists with tickets to the Book of Kells and Old Library exhibition could access campus via the Nassau Street entrance.  

The exhibition has been open since May 10, when national restrictions were lifted to allow cultural attractions to reopen.

The Old Library has had 133,470 visitors between May 10 and November 22, Visitor Centre Administration Officer Noel Phelan told Trinity News.

Now, Trinity’s front gate and campus is fully open to the public. 

Students have reported seeing groups of tourists in the Graduate Memorial Building (GMB) and Arts Building on campus. 

When asked where members of the public were permitted, the spokesperson said: “Tourists can access all areas on campus that are open to the public.”

Asked to clarify, the spokesperson said that there was not a list of buildings open to the public, but tourists were allowed “anywhere that’s publicly accessible”. 

On November 12, Trinity Hall enforced “temporary restrictions” on residents for a two week period, due to rising cases nationally and amongst residents of the complex. 

Non-resident guests and parties were banned until November 29. 

Prohibitions on guests and parties in Trinity Hall and campus accommodation were only removed on November 1 of this year, after over a year. Residents were not permitted to host daytime or overnight guests or hold parties during the entirety of the 2021-21 academic year.

Sarah Emerson

Sarah Emerson is currently a Deputy News Editor of Trinity News. She is a Senior Sophister English Literature and Jewish and Islamic Civilizations Student.