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UNIVERSITY SPORTING RECORDS from the period are sparse but suggest that organised sport flourished as early as the 1900s in Newman’s Catholic University of Ireland, particularly in the Medical School. Key to this was EP McLoughlin. A former medical student, he returned to the College to teach in 1904 and was appointed Professor of Anatomy in 1905. A noted schoolboy sportsman and try-scoring member of the Blackrock Senior Cup team that won the first Leinster Schools final in 1887, he was also a 9ft pole jumper placing second at the 1887 IAAA National Senior Championship and again in High Jump in 1892.

In 1906, Professor EP McLoughlin and Dr Maurice Hayes played a significant role in the running of the Golden Jubilee Sports in Croydon Park sports grounds, Fairview to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Cecilia Street Medical School. The grounds were acquired in 1905 for football and athletics enthusiasts.

Following the establishment in 1908 of the National University of Ireland, with UCD a constituent, College athletes successfully competed in intervarsity championships, winning team titles in 1912 and 1913. However, at the beginning of the Great War, all athletics activity in the College stopped and did not recommence until 1919.

While athletics was the first sport awarded Colours when College’s Athletic Union Council was formed in 1910, it was the last of the sports to take the leap and form its own separate club. At a meeting at 86 St Stephen’s Green on April 22 1921, the UCD Athletics Club (UCD AC) was formally established. Professor McLoughlin, as founding father of the Club, chaired the inaugural meeting and was subsequently elected the Club’s first President (a position he held until 1942 when he retired from UCD as Emeritus Professor). The meeting elected Patrick Lynch KC as Vice-President, Harry Conway as Treasurer and FJ O’Dea as Secretary. All four were to remain involved for many years with Dr Conway presiding for the Club’s Golden Jubilee in 1971. Twenty-two people attended the meeting including three women: Isabel O’Doherty, Máire O’Mara and Máire Nic Fhionnlaic. At the 1922 AGM, Miss N Fay became the first elected female member of the committee.

At the time, the Catholic Church was very much against the idea of women competing. In 1928, Monsignor John Charles McQuaid, following a papal encyclical from Pope Pius XI, stated that women competing in the same sporting arenas as men was “un-Irish and un-Catholic” and that mixed athletics was both a “social abuse” and “moral abuse”.

Although some women’s events took place in 1920s Ireland, no organised intervarsity competition for women existed. The 1920 College Sports included handicap races for ladies and continued to do so over the years. It would take until 1965 before a UCD ladies athletics club was formed.

Success eluded the fledgling Club in its inaugural years with archrivals Trinity College picking up all the honours. Small shoots of success did appear in 1923 when the Club won the Dublin Senior League, but it was the varsity win in the 1924 season that was a game-changer, signalling a further decade of unprecedented success. During an unbeaten run, the Club would go on to win eleven consecutive intervarsity team titles, acquire 45 national titles, claim 29 international caps, a World University bronze medal and qualify four athletes across three Olympic Games.

While we may never know the precise reasons for the dramatic turnaround, the influence of committee members Dr John Ryan and Professor EP McLoughlin who, according to committee member Eamon O’Sullivan, “ruled and directed the Athletic Club with an iron but sympathetic hand”, and the arrival in 1923 of arguably UCD AC’s greatest ever all-round team member, Sean Lavan, were contributing factors.

It is important to emphasise that the Club has remained successful for 100 years because of the manner in which it has managed to embrace elite athletics while at the same time maintaining a strong committed Club membership ensuring that everyone, at every level, has the opportunity to represent and contribute to the fabric of the Club.

In this Olympic year, it would be remiss not to make mention of the unbelievable record UCD AC holds when it comes to participation at Olympic Games. Sean Lavan (1924, 1928) was the first to represent the Club in Paris. Sixty years later, in Los Angeles, Róisín Smyth became our first female Olympian. In 1964, former Club member Wieslaw Maniak won 4x100m silver for Poland in Tokyo after placing fourth in the 100m. Since 1924, 28 Club members and alumni have graced the Olympic stage.

It is impossible to name everyone. However, some of our most prolific Olympians have been Derval O’Rourke (2004, 2008, 2012); David Matthews (1996, 2000); James Nolan (2000, 2004); Joanne Cuddihy (2008, 2012). Current Club member Sarah Healy and alumnus Sarah Lavin competed in Tokyo 2020 with fellow UCD alumni Ciara Mageean and Mark English both becoming two-time Olympians.

BACK ON TRACK

Philanthropy has played a vital role in the development of the new Athletics Track at Belfield

THE FIRST TARTAN track in the Republic of Ireland, opened at UCD in June 1977, became an integral part of the history of Irish athletics. For many years it hosted schools, intervarsity and national championship events. The Summer School of Athletics, organised by UCD athletics coach Jack Sweeney, was a regular summer event as were the graded meets for Dublin athletes, and of course the annual ‘Goal Mile’ every Christmas.

The official opening by Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave was marked by an ‘international quadrangular meet’ featuring a BLE President’s Selection and university teams from Birmingham, Ireland and Scotland. Eamon Coughlan’s Irish 3000m record (7:50.10) provided the highlight on the night.

Belfield became a focal point for athletics in Dublin, particularly for local schools and clubs who trained there at weekends. Its location at the front gate of UCD, easy parking and accessible public transport attracted visiting athletes anxious for a quick session on the track or to avail of the top class field event facilities.

Having experienced heavy use over more than three decades, the running track had to close in 2011 due to health and safety concerns. In 2018, thanks to a generous philanthropic donation, UCD was able to look at delivering a new World Athletics approved eight-lane track, near the Clonskeagh entrance. Despite work on the track experiencing severe delays due to the pandemic, it will open this autumn. The generous donation will also help to maintain the track over the next 20 years.

This year Israel Olatunde, celebrated the Athletics Club’s 100th anniversary when winning the national 100m title, and continued our tradition of producing top-class national and international sprinters.

In 1922 JA O’Flaherty and FJ O’Dea became the Club’s first 100yd and 220yd champions.

Overall the Club has taken 65 national sprint titles over 100m and 200m. All the great sprinters contributed: Dalton and O’Muircheartaigh took seven each during the 1950s and 1960s. Sean Lavan annexed six in the 1920s and between 1938 and 1945, Club Captain (1939/1940) Ned Fitzmaurice contributed five of the Club’s 13 titles at 100yds and 220yds.

The first for our women was Olivia Hurley’s 1996, U23 100m title and Olympian Joanne Cuddihy adding two senior 200m titles in the 2000s.

“The Athletics Club eagerly awaits this new world-class facility which will be integral to its future development, serving all students including our Olympians, scholarship athletes, alumni and members of the community,” says Ruth Comerford, (Captain 2020/2021).

■ www.ucdfoundation.ie/newucd-athletics-track

I MÍ NA Nollag 2020, fuair na curaidh reatha Baile Átha Cliath an bua ar Mhaigh Eo i gCluiche Ceannais na hÉireann 2020. Ba é sin a séú bua sa Chluiche Ceannais i ndiaidh a chéile, rud nár tharla riamh roimhe. Tá sé dochreidte go raibh aonar déag iarscoláirí COBÁC ar an bhfoireann bhuach. I mí Bealtaine 2021, aithníodh naonúr ón bhfoireann mar All-Stars PwC, an líon céanna leis an tsár-churiarracht ag na gradaim. Bhuaigh Brian Fenton (BSc 2015, MSc Management 2021) Imreoir na Bliana chomh maith lena chúigiú All-Star, a cheathrú All-Star i ndiaidh a chéile. Tá níos mó gradaim aonair faighte aige anois ná aon duine eile ar an bhfoireann.

Ainmníodh Con O’Callaghan (BComm 2019, MAcc 2020), tosaí de chuid Bhaile Átha Cliath agus iar-Pheileadóir Óg na Bliana, mar laoch na himeartha i gCluiche Ceannais na hÉireann 2020. Tá sé chraobh na hÉireann bainte amach aige, agus tá All-Star faighte aige chomh maith.

Fuair cosantóir de chuid Bhaile Átha Cliath, Eoin Murchan (BSc 2018) a chéad All-Star agus fuair an cosantóir Michael Fitzsimons (BSc 2011, MB BCh BAO 2019), a bhfuil naoi gcraobh na hÉireann buaite anois aige, All-Star freisin.

I measc na n-iarscoláirí COBÁC eile a bhí ar an bhfoireann bhuach bhí an lántosaí ar dheis, Paul Mannion (BComm 2016, MSc 2017), David Byrne (BComm 2016, MSc 2017), Robbie McDaid (BA 2015, MGO 2017), Rory O’Carroll (BA 2012, HDip 2013, MSocSc 2015) agus Cian O’Sullivan (BBLS 2010, MAcc 2011). Fuair Paddy Small (MSc Gnó Idirnáisiúnta) agus Evan Comerford (Máistreacht Phroifisiúnta san Fhisiteiripe) Scoláireacht Spóirt Iarchéime 2020/2021 agus bronnfar céimeanna orthu gan mhoill.

San Iománaíocht, bhuaigh Luimneach craobh na hÉireann tar éis bua 0-30 in aghaidh 0-19 a fháil ar Phort Láirge i bPáirc an Chrócaigh. Ba é a naoú gcraobh ar an iomlán, agus a gcéad chraobh ó bhí 2018 ann. Bhí céimí COBÁC Seamus Flannagan (Radagrafaíocht 2021) mar bhall den fhoireann bhuach, agus scóráil sé trí phointe sa chluiche ceannais.

Chomh maith leis sin, bhí bua den scoth i gcraobh na hÉireann ag foireann peil na mban Bhaile Átha Cliath i mí na Nollag 2020. Tá na 15 Chorn Bhreandáin Uí Mháirtín dheireanacha buaite ag Baile Átha Cliath nó ag Corcaigh. Níor éirigh le Corcaigh a ndara bua dhéag i ndiaidh a chéile a bhaint amach in 2010 toisc gur bhuaigh Baile Átha Cliath craobh na hÉireann an bhliain sin, ach i mbliana d’éirigh le Baile Átha Cliath a gceathrú craobh na hÉireann i ndiaidh a chéile a bhaint amach.

Bhí iarscoláirí COBÁC ar an bhfoireann, Marta Byrne (BSc 2016, MSc 2020), Niamh Collins (BE 2016, MSc 2019), Sinead Goldrick (BSocSc 2011), An Dr Noelle Healy (MB BCh BAO 2015), Emma McDonagh (MSc 2020) agus Siobhan Killeen (BSc Radagrafaíocht 2016) san áireamh, chomh maith le scoláirí reatha Jodi Egan (BBL) agus Cassie Sultan (BSc Eolaíocht Sláinte & Feidhmithe).

Ainmníodh Martha Byrne, Sinead Goldrick agus Noelle Healy d’fhoireann All-Star Peile 2020, agus bhuaigh Sinead Goldrick Laoch na hImeartha sa chluiche ceannais.

Bhí Grace Walsh (BSc Altranas 2016) agus Lydia Fitzpatrick (MGO 2020) mar bhaill d’fhoireann camógaíochta Chill Chainnigh a fuair bua 1-14 in aghaidh 1-11 ar Ghaillimh i gCluiche Ceannais Camógaíochta na hÉireann. Ainmníodh Walsh ar fhoireann All-Star Camógaíochta 2020 freisin.

■ www.ucd.ie/gaa

I HAVE BEEN running the communication and marketing function for UCD since 2004 and in all my years I have never witnessed a response to the scale of our posting of the sad passing of Michael Byrne, or ‘Old Man Belfield’ as he was affectionately known, on January 10 2021. On that day we posted the news at around 8pm, and by 9am the following morning, the post had been shared with tens of thousands of students, graduates with messages of genuine sadness and personal tribute pouring in.

Steve McCarthy and his family had been looking after Michael since his mother first came into contact with him in the 1980s. Steve was Michael’s designated next-of-kin and gave his eulogy at the funeral service arranged in Belfield Church. As COVID-19 restrictions limited the number of people who could attend the funeral, we thought it best that those who took most care of Michael could say their farewell in person. So, along with Gary Smith from UCD Estates, the funeral was attended by Jimmy Fitzsimons from the restaurant, Denise Byrne and Attracta Bell from the shop and Dolores O’Riordan, Vice-President for Global Engagement. Fr Eamonn Bourke officiated, student Alan Fegan played the organ, graduate Declan Wildes was the soloist and student Helen Vysotska did the readings. The service was watched online by more than 11,000 people.

For over 30 years Michael lived in quiet corners of the UCD campus. His footsteps are ingrained in the paths of Woodbine, Nutley and Greenfield, across the N11 flyover into the campus, through the front gates, up the main avenue, by the side of the lake, and along the Oak Walk – settling behind Conway when the weather was poor and over by Rosemount when it was warm. He slipped into buildings, strolled through the science atrium – to the surprise of visiting academics attending conferences. He was a regular in the restaurant, the SU shop, and at other eateries and cafés where he was given his meals or cups of tea and sat amongst the students. His quiet calmness seemed to spread to the students – osmosis-like. Everyone knew Old Man Belfield – or felt that they did.

In January, we had arranged with RTÉ for a Sunday Miscellany on Belfield 50 and, as Michael was so obviously an integral part of the campus, added a piece about him to the programme. We were inundated with enquiries about a memorial in his honour and decided that we could remember him in two appropriate ways: a bench in the memorial Rose Garden by Belfield House, and the Michael Byrne Community Fund to foster and recognise community-building activities at UCD. This fund will support Cothrom Na Féinne Scholarships, as well as UCD in the Community initiatives and an annual student award.

Michael Byrne didn’t have a roof over his head or a home of his own, but he made his home in the Belfield campus. Thank you to those who quietly looked out for Michael and thank you Michael for being part of our lives. We will miss you around campus.

THE ROSE GARDEN

In a fitting tribute to Michael Byrne, a new bench has been installed in the Rose Garden at Belfield House. The Rose Garden was dedicated as a memorial garden in 2015 after three students, Eimear Walsh, Lorcán Miller and Niccolai Schuster died when the balcony they were on collapsed, in Berkeley, California. The first bench in the memorial garden is dedicated to those students who lost their lives in that accident. The second bench is in memory of all students who have died while attending the University. The third recounts a line from James Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake: “They lived and laughed and loved and left”. Michael’s bench is now the fourth in the rose circle.

The Rose Garden is a beautiful wheelchair-accessible oasis. Visitors are welcome and those who knew Michael may come and think of this gentle, quiet man who was part of the UCD community for so many years.

We’re delighted to have established The Michael Byrne Community Fund as a fitting tribute to Michael. This new fund will foster and recognise community-building activities at UCD, support students from under-represented groups and fund a new student award to recognise achievements in community-building.

We invite the UCD community and friends to pay tribute to Michael via this fund by visiting www.ucd.ie/alumni/michaelbyrne

A UCD DEGREE CAN OPEN the door to a whole world of opportunity. However, for some students, the pathway to graduation is not easy or straightforward. It is littered with obstacles created by social, educational and financial disadvantages. UCD is firmly committed to breaking down these barriers so that brilliant students from all backgrounds have equal access to an excellent education. We know that the right support at the right time can change the trajectory of a young person’s life. In the wake of the pandemic, the need for support – both financial and emotional – is more pressing than ever before. The past year has been extremely challenging for our students. For some, job losses in the family and the inability to work in the summer months or part-time during the term is resulting in financial hardship and distress. Most have struggled to varying degrees with feelings of anxiety and isolation and it has been a particularly challenging time for those who were already struggling to manage ongoing mental health conditions.

STUDENT SUPPORT FUNDS

UCD alumni are great supporters of the students following in their footsteps. Thanks to generous philanthropic gifts to UCD Foundation from alumni and friends, we are able to provide more critical mental health services and financial aid than ever before to students in need. Your support is truly a lifeline for our students. To facilitate donors who wish to support student-focused activities and services at UCD, a number of College and School Support Funds have been established to provide funding that supports equality of access to opportunities for students and enhances their educational experience. This initiative is intended to simplify and enhance the experience of giving to UCD, and – critically – it means that students can access support directly when they need it.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Liam Madden (BE 1979) is a founding donor to the College of Engineering and Architecture Support Fund. He explains how his motivation for giving is rooted in his own experience while studying at UCD: “I am delighted to be a founding donor of the Support Fund for Engineering and Architecture. As a student of modest means in the 1970s, I recall my mother, Bridget Madden, taking a part-time job to help pay for my education at UCD. I hope that my donation (in her name) will help students who have financial challenges achieve their educational goals.”

COLLECTIVE IMPACT

By giving to a College Support Fund, you will join a pool of supporters who are making a huge collective impact. Through your generosity, more students will have access to the resources they need to thrive in all aspects of university life and beyond.

■ To learn more about how you can support UCD students today, visit www.ucdfoundation.ie/supporting-students

LAST YEAR, THE 50th anniversary of the main move by UCD to Belfield was a time to reflect on the past. Those five decades saw a remarkable transformation in the fabric of the University, and the evolution of our facilities and physical infrastructure continues today. Now, as we emerge from the extraordinary circumstances of the past 18 months, it is time to look to the future. UCD has a vital role to play in shaping this future of challenge and opportunity. Our impact depends on our ability to attract brilliant students, faculty, researchers and staff to a modern campus that actively encourages creativity, curiosity, and physical and mental wellbeing.

Philanthropy is central to UCD’s vision for campus development, which in turn underpins the objectives set out in the UCD Strategy 2020-2024: Rising to the Future. The visionary philanthropist Chuck Feeney, who celebrated his 90th birthday this year, invested abundantly in UCD over three decades. The impact of his support, and that of many other generous supporters and friends, is visible and tangible right across the University. The work of UCD Foundation in securing philanthropic gifts remains critical to UCD’s success as we advance our ambitious plans for a campus fit for 21st-century education and research.

UCD FUTURE CAMPUS

In April, full planning permission was granted for Future Campus. This transformative project reimagines the physical, social and cultural landscape of UCD as a unique environment that fosters creativity, interdisciplinary collaboration and public engagement. Our plans for Future Campus include the UCD Centre for Future Learning and UCD Centre for Creativity, two iconic buildings that incorporate the principles of sustainable and universal design. Landscaping and enabling works for these landmark buildings are underway, with work on the buildings themselves scheduled to begin next summer.

With 33 technology-enabled classrooms of varying sizes and a large lecture theatre that can be reconfigured quickly and easily to facilitate different pedagogical approaches and styles, the Centre for Future Learning will be a vibrant hub for active learning at the heart of the campus. It will bring together students and academics from across the University in a warm and welcoming space that promotes serendipitous interactions, collaboration, and the sharing of knowledge and ideas.

The Centre for Future Learning and the neighbouring Centre for Creativity will be the focal point for UCD’s Engineering and Architecture Precinct. Characterised by an open, transparent design and an abundance of natural light, the Centre for Creativity will be a dynamic ‘living lab’, where ideas are brought to life in studios and maker spaces. “It will be a highly distinctive building defined by dynamism and interaction,” says Professor Hugh Campbell of UCD School of Architecture. “Students will learn by doing and they will learn from each other by virtue of being in this creative space together.”

Future Campus has become an even greater priority for UCD in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will provide the space and flexibility to safely accommodate a growing student population on campus, while the technology infrastructure will also support distance and blended learning. Both the Centre for Creativity and the Centre for Future Learning are expected to be open and occupied in the academic year 2024-2025.

UCD Foundation has secured the largest single philanthropic gift in its history for the Future Campus initiative and is actively seeking additional philanthropic support to advance this important project.

UCD SCIENCE DISTRICT

The Science landscape of UCD has undergone profound change over the past decade. The opening of UCD O’Brien Centre for Science in 2013 was the culmination of Phases I and II of a major investment in UCD College of Science. Now, Phase III – the final phase and the capstone project of this significant development – is well underway. The end result will be the full consolidation of the seven Schools of the College of Science into a cohesive, world-leading Science District. This will place UCD firmly on the map as a global leader in pioneering, multidisciplinary research, a centre of excellence in science education and public engagement, and a hub for innovation in emerging technologies.

The conceptual design stage of Science Phase III is now nearing completion. The final design will be informed by the in-depth consultation that has taken place with faculty and staff, and the desire to soften the boundaries between the scientific disciplines to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing. The planning application has now been submitted.

“It is both exciting and fascinating to see the Science Phase III project grow towards completion,” says Professor Pádraig Dunne, Academic Lead for the development. “I expect that the project will complete the O’Brien Centre for Science in a way that matches the achievements of earlier phases.”

ON TRACK FOR A HEALTHY UCD

Sport and athletics have always been an important part of UCD life. The absence of an athletics track on campus for the past decade has been keenly felt, not only by our elite athletes and the UCD community but by the wider community too. Now, thanks to an exceptional donation to the University in 2018, Belfield boasts an outstanding new athletics track at the heart of the UCD Sports Precinct.

The eight-lane 400m track has been three years in the making, its progress delayed at various times by COVID-19 and the soft Irish weather. This served only to heighten the anticipation and excitement surrounding the official opening of the track in September – fittingly, in the year that also marks the 100th anniversary of UCD Athletics Club.

“The new state-of-the-art running track is a superb amenity at the heart of a healthy UCD campus,” says UCD President, Professor Andrew J Deeks. “It supports our aim to provide a holistic educational experience that values physical and mental wellbeing as well as academic achievement.”

DOWN ON THE FARM

A world away from UCD’s Dublin campuses, in the rich pasturelands of Co. Kildare, lies a unique and vitally important part of the University: UCD Lyons Farm. Occupying 250 hectares of the original Lyons Estate acquired by UCD in 1964, the teaching and research farm is a critical resource for the School of Agriculture and Food Science and the School of Veterinary Medicine. It is also a key factor in the consistently high rankings achieved by UCD’s Veterinary Medicine programme (23rd this year in QS rankings) and Agricultural Science programmes (24th this year in US News & World Report rankings).

The innovative research carried out at Lyons Farm addresses issues of global and national importance, from crop production, nutrition and herd health to climate change and biodiversity. However, the extraordinary depth and breadth of the knowledge base and research activity on the farm belie an infrastructure that largely dates back to the 1970s. An ambitious €25m masterplan is now in place to change the face of Lyons Farm for the 21st century and establish world-class facilities befitting a global centre of excellence. Thanks to generous philanthropic support, the transformation has already begun.

A €2.3m partnership between academia and industry saw the launch of the UCD Lyons Dairy Education and Research Facility in 2016. In 2018, work began on the UCD Lyons Farm Long-term Grazing Platform to develop sustainable systems in grass-based agriculture; the first pastures were sown in 2020.

The next major development will be the opening of the Herd Health Hub and AgTech Innovation Hub in 2022, which will position Lyons Farm as a central hub for research and agricultural innovation in Ireland. These two additions are crucial components of UCD’s One Health strategy, which promotes synergistic multidisciplinary collaboration at the interface between human, animal and ecosystem health. Both the Herd Health Hub and the Innovation Centre will ultimately form part of the broader vision for UCD Lyons Farm Knowledge Centre, which will bring together cutting-edge teaching and research facilities and public engagement spaces within a custom-designed building that will serve as a gateway to the farm.

Reflecting on what all this will mean for students, Professor Alex Evans, Dean of Agriculture and Head of the School of Agriculture and Food Science, says, “We’re very conscious of developing students who can think and communicate, who are confident and resilient. We’re designing our buildings, spaces and opportunities around the student experience, and Lyons Farm is an important part of that.”

It will be wonderful to witness the evolution of Lyons Farm over the coming decades, as more supporters come on board. “We’re really committed to an ambitious vision for the farm,” says Professor Michael Doherty, Dean and Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine. “We have the passion, but we need financial support to get these projects over the line.”

A CULTURE OF PHILANTHROPY

The seeds of giving planted by Chuck Feeney and other donors have flourished and grown to create a strong culture of philanthropy. The generosity of our supporters is woven into the bricks and mortar of the University, and it drives us forward in our work to make the world a better place.

■ To learn more about how you can support UCD and our students, please contact Orla Gallagher on 087 0976420 or visit www.ucdfoundation.ie

UCD LIFELONG LEARNING

An opportunity to explore a subject without assessment

UCD’S DIVERSE ADMISSION pathways provide opportunities for everyone to become part of the UCD Community. It is at the heart of the University’s values and mission. Our Lifelong Learning Programme is a wide range of specific interest courses that are participative, engaging, and facilitated by experts in their field. Lifelong Learning courses cover a broad range of topics including Languages, Art Appreciation, Irish Studies, History, Literature, Philosophy and Writing. They are open to all adult learners and provide a unique opportunity to explore a subject without examinations.

UCD alumni can avail of a special ten per cent discount on all UCD Lifelong Learning courses.

This autumn, the Lifelong Learning programme includes language courses in Italian, Spanish and French, Art Appreciation courses in Impressionism, Art Nouveau design and Yeats: An Artistic Family. For History buffs, there’s a History of Dublin Through Virtual Walks and Talks, 1921-1922 Ireland War and Peace and a fascinating Global History of Latin America Through Objects, among others. There are eight-week Irish Studies courses, a four-week course on Introducing Conflict Resolution and a life skills course on Tai Chai and Mindfulness for Health and Happiness. And that’s just for starters!

The Lifelong Learning programme caters to an ever-growing community of around 1,400 Lifelong Learners and we encourage you to join us! All courses are developed in collaboration with experienced tutors, UCD Schools, and the wider community.

ASSESSMENT

No exams, no assessments – the emphasis is on learning and participation.

VIRTUAL COURSES

Courses take place online or, if COVID-19 restrictions permit, on the Belfield campus or at cultural institutions including the DLR Lexicon, Collins Barracks, Hugh Lane Gallery and Pearse Library.

COST

Cost of courses varies from €70 – €185, with most courses comprising six or eight weekly sessions. Check the course you are interested in for details.

BOOKING

Booking for autumn courses is open now, and booking for spring courses will open at 10am on December 1 2021.

FIND OUT MORE

For start dates and more information see www.ucd.ie/all/cometoucd/applying/lifelonglearning or download the UCD Lifelong learning Brochure at www.ucd.ie/all/cometoucd/applying/lifelonglearning/courselist or email all@ucd.ie.

SMURFIT EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT

Transformational learning to drive business success

As part of Ireland’s leading business school, Smurfit Executive Development programmes are designed to provide the business leaders of today and tomorrow with a transformational experience. Ranked first in Ireland, 27th in Europe and 42nd in the world for our Open Enrolment programmes in the Financial Times Executive Education Rankings, Smurfit Executive Development helps executives, and their organisations create new opportunities to drive growth and create value. All our programmes deliver a 360-degree learning experience, providing participants with fresh insights on their professional and personal strengths, strategies for taking their leadership skills to the next level, and a network of peers whose challenges mirror their own. Programmes are structured to ensure that participants interact closely with both UCD faculty and other senior executives. Participants are executives with considerable experience, with each class assembled to reflect a stimulating mix of backgrounds. As a result, participants will gain a broader perspective on everyday challenges, as well as access to a wider network of executives around the world. UCD Business alumni can avail of a five per cent discount*.

TAUGHT AND LED

The dedicated team of UCD Smurfit faculty are widely recognised as skilled educators, ground-breaking researchers, and accomplished authors.

STRUCTURE

The majority of diploma programmes are delivered over a series of six two-day workshops within a twelve-month period. Workshops are typically held on Fridays and Saturdays to minimise interference with busy work schedules; 100 per cent attendance is required.

ASSESSMENTS AND WORKLOAD

Participants are assessed on a module-by-module basis through practical assignments.

ACCREDITATION

Participants will be awarded an accredited Professional Diploma (30 ECTS at NFQ Level 9). For those who want to learn without assessment, there are a selection of non-accredited three-day short courses.

PATHWAY TO MASTERS

Our MSc in Business (Leadership & Management Practice) is based on a framework of diploma programmes. By completing three diplomas from our open enrolment portfolio, you will receive the qualification of MSc Business (Leadership & Management Practice) accredited and awarded by UCD at Level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications. The MSc in Business & Executive Coaching is based around a framework of three coaching diplomas. By completing all three of these coaching diplomas, ideally within a five-year timeframe, you will be conferred with the qualification of MSc Business & Executive Coaching accredited and awarded by UCD.

MODE OF DELIVERY

We intend to revert to in-person teaching on campus in autumn 2021 unless COVID-19 restrictions are still in place.

FIND OUT MORE

Contact us on +353 1 716 8889, or email exec.dev@ucd.ie or visit www.smurfitschool.ie/executivedevelopment

*UCD Business alumni discount

*UCD Business alumni discount

UCD OPEN LEARNING

A flexible way of studying part-time at UCD

UCD’s innovative Open Learning programme makes undergraduate programmes available to all learners. Other than a motivation to learn, there are no entry requirements. As Open Learners, returning alumni can access almost 350 modules from UCD’s six colleges (see below), as well as the Applied Language Centre.

Open Learners enjoy the same status as all other students and access to UCD facilities, including libraries and study areas. The beauty of Open Learning is that it facilitates part-time learning to suit your schedule and your interests. Open Learning is for you if you need a more flexible study schedule. Open Learning is a great option if you don’t yet qualify for entry to an undergraduate degree or you want to get a feel for academic life before starting a full degree.

Open Learning is for you if you are interested in one or more of the module topics available and want to learn more from experts in that field. Open Learning allows you to select the modules you wish to study, set the pace of your study, and whether you undertake the module assessment. It also can lead to undergraduate degree entry in UCD if you are taking the Certificate in Open Learning (30 credits) or if you are a Mature Student you can take one module (five credits) in lieu of Mature Students Admissions Pathway (MSAP) exam.

OPTIONS

For those who want to learn without assessment, an Audit option of every module is available. Those who wish to gain credits towards a degree programme can choose a Credit module, which will be counted towards a Certificate, Diploma or used as a pathway to a degree programme.

VIRTUAL CLASSES

The vast majority of classes will take place online. Be sure to check out the module descriptors and how the module will be offered for the courses you are interested in before you sign up.

COST

The fee for Open Learning is €375 per Audit module, €500 per Credit module.

NOTE

Open Learning modules are subject to change and are available on a first-come-first-served basis.

FIND OUT MORE

For more details on each module and what you will learn and the assessment type, see www.ucd.ie/all/cometoucd/applying/openlearning/

UCD PROFESSIONAL ACADEMY

For the ambitious career professional

For alumni seeking the opportunity to stay competitive and stimulated in the changing workplace, UCD Professional Academy offers a suite of choices. The Academy provides expert instructor-led courses via our interactive online study environment but students can choose in-person video classes if they prefer. We ensure you have an engaging and rewarding learning experience, giving you access to everything you need to succeed. As your course progresses, you can contact us about any questions, issues, or challenges to make sure you stay on track.

TEST AND ASSESS

Learning logs and continuous assessment.

TOOLS AND TUTORIALS

All courses are part-time and online, with the exception of one in-person week-long boot camp.

TAKE HOME

A professional diploma/certificate.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact the UCD Professional Academy Team at www.ucd.ie/professionalacademy

ALUMNI BENEFITS

UCD alumni can enjoy 15 per cent off our courses, please see details here: www.ucd.ie/professionalacademy/ucdalumni

THE FIRST STORIES I heard about UCD were romantic and social far more than they were academic. That was where my parents met – in an English tutorial given by Denis Donoghue, apparently – and fell in love. When they married, in 1968, it was in University Church. Their stories of UCD are inextricably linked with the story of their romance – lectures, debates, walks and cycles around Earlsfort terrace, “the old UCD”. So many of their friends had parallel stories: love that blossomed at the L&H or over coffee in the canteen, and endured on over decades, marriages, children.

It makes sense in so many ways. University is a group of like-minded people of similar age with interests in common, forced into geographic proximity (location, location, location can apply to love as much as real estate) and – most importantly – many with an openness to the idea of romance.

There are no rules around dating in college, in the way there so often are in the workplace. Instead, there is the energy of a new beginning and a new phase in life, coupled with a readiness to learn and experience new things. This leads to greater freedom, one hopes, than the secondary school setting, where people can become very trapped in their narrow social groups and pre-determined criteria of who is – and isn’t – a good match.

Does that sound like I am looking through rose-tinted spectacles? Maybe, but there is evidence to suggest my romantic notions are not misplaced. A recent call-out by UCD Connections, following on from a Valentine’s Day survey carried out in 2015, brought in a flood of responses from alumni. Oliver McBryan, (BSc 1966, MSc 1967) recalls meeting his future wife Ann Higgins in the “first week of First Year at Freshers introduction”. An early version of a dating app played a part: “In spring of 1964, for a week of charity events, I wrote a matchmaking programme for the brand new IBM 360 computer. Hundreds (maybe thousands) of students signed up, and kept the IBM punched card reader very busy. I fudged the algorithm to pair me with Ann Higgins and we are still together 58 years later. Good programme; too bad I didn’t patent it!” Fortune, as they say, favours the brave.

Persistence is also rewarded. In 1992, Jordi Vives i Batlle (PhD 1994) was a PhD student at the department of Experimental Physics and Sandra Lynch (BSc 1992, Dip 1993) was a graduate student in the same department. “I was a research demonstrator, which involved teaching nuclear physics experiments to graduate students,” explains Jordi. “Sandra walked into the lab, and I found her very interesting. In order to maximise exposure time I gave her the annihilation quanta practical, the longest experiment. She did the practical in no time, perfectly, whereupon I proceeded to suggest additional experiments, before changing tactics and inviting her to a party. And that was it. When I finished my PhD I went to the USA for a postdoc. Before I left, we became verbally engaged – I was broke, having spent my grant on rent and Guinness and couldn’t afford a ring. Sandra joined me in the USA and we finally got married in 1997.”

What’s lovely about reading the responses is how site-specific they are. These stories couldn’t come from anywhere except UCD over the last half century or so. For anyone who studied there, reading them instantly conjures up a world of idiosyncratic landmarks – the Blob, the Lake, Hilpers café.

Perfectly Matched

Hugh McFadden (BA 1966) met his future wife at UCD in 1962. “Elizabeth Hayes (BA 1966) and I were both studying for an Arts degree. We married and we are still married, 57 years later. The years in Earlsfort Terrace were among the happiest years of our lives.”

Elaine Dempsey (BAgrSc 2010) fell in love on campus when she broke her ankle rushing to an exam. “A knight in shining armour took me to the campus doctor then to St Vincent’s Hospital. After nine hours of waiting for X-rays and a cast, he took me back to a friend’s apartment and then, in a rush to commute home to Ashbourne, he was gone. When the door buzzer went the next morning, there he was again, with a beaming smile.’’

Thomas Reade (BComm 2015, MAcc 2016) remembers how in the first week of lectures in 2013, a girl from the US asked him the way to the Arts Block. “We’ve been married since 2018. It turned out she never needed directions!’’

Love at First Sight

“It was love at first sight when I laid eyes on Jarlath in my first year at UCD in the student bar. Eleven years married, we have a beautiful ten-year-old boy and last year were lucky enough to make it home and show him where his parents met and fell in love. UCD will always hold a special place in both our hearts.” Tina Regan (BA History 2002)

Michael Lowry (BSc 1985), met his wife Stephanie née Shannon (BSc 1981) “on the ground floor of the Science block on our first day. The chemistry worked and we married in UCD in 1988 in the church on campus. We return to UCD each year on our wedding anniversary and visit Fr Shan O’Cuiv who was Science Chaplain and married us. Getting married in UCD was the crowning glory of our years at UCD.”

Gillian Fitzpatrick (BA 2006) met her husband “in lecture Theatre L. Cups of tea between lectures allowed the romance to heat up, and lots of walks around the secret lake.” They were both 18. “We went to Rome on Erasmus; then back to UCD for finals. Professionally and personally, UCD laid almost every foundation in my life. Now we are four years married and have a two-year-old daughter.”

Happy Coincidence

Anabel Chavva (MA Media & International Conflict 2014) who lives in the USA, still marvels that she met her husband at UCD. “Neither I nor my husband (Dhiraj Chavva, MSc Environmental Science 2014) are Irish (he’s from India). Yet both of us chose to study at UCD. We met eight years ago, instantly fell in love and just celebrated four years of marriage.”

Did she go to UCD expecting to find romance, I ask Gillian? “Absolutely not!” When I arrived on campus I just wanted to learn, meet new people, and have fun.” So what does she think led to meeting her life partner? “It’s such a carefree time in many ways. Yes, study and exams are high pressure, but you have a lot of freedom too. Lots of people I know were finally comfortable enough to be their own person when they arrived at UCD – that freedom can lead to strong relationships.”

This idea of young people becoming comfortable with themselves is one that crops up for Columb Fortune (BSocSc 2010, MCL 2012). He tells me: “I met someone around 2010 while in UCD, and we were together for almost five years. He was from the country and I think when he got to UCD he felt like he could really be himself. I think UCD gives people an opportunity, not just academically, but also socially and personally, to develop. The LGBT experience for me was very much one of total acceptance. Being gay was never an issue at UCD because there was diversity on campus.”

Although marriage may not be the end result for so many, romance still blossoms. Obviously the last year and a half have been far from ideal in this regard, but immediately before that, the power of UCD attraction was going strong. Katie Eager – studying Social Policy & Sociology – recalls arriving late to a lecture in Theatre L. Sitting down, her seat squeaked loudly. “The man sitting beside me made a comment about the squeak, and we ended up chatting.” A few weeks later, they met again, in The Clubhouse, added each other on Facebook and then went for drinks. Three years later, they are still together.

So far, there is no UCD dating app, although a Reddit post from two months ago, apparently put up by a UCD student, calls for this very thing. “Why not just use Tinder? Most people put their college on it anyway so you’ll be able to see other UCD students,” is one of the responses. And this is perfectly true – dating apps will match you based on geographical proximity and interests. Joining college societies is likely to do the very same thing, only with the bonus of a face-to-face encounter. What more efficient way to ensure potential partners share your love for archery, say, than by meeting them at a society dedicated to this very thing? There are around 90 to choose from, not including sports clubs.

It’s not just hobbies; intellectual compatibility features too. Jane Lynch (BSc 1989, PhD 1994) got to know her husband Colin when both were awarded Crawford-Hayes bursaries to work on a project in Killarney as second-year Science students. “We finally got together in the fourth year. We both majored in Zoology and did PhDs. We got engaged in 1993 and married in 1994 just after we both completed our PhD viva voces. Colin was writing up his corrections the morning of our wedding. We have four beautiful kids. We never would have met but for UCD.”

I met my husband while I was at UCD, although he was not at UCD. But the friend who introduced us was, as were so many of the people I still consider my best and closest pals. So yes, I feel I owe UCD, not just my education and degree, but also many lasting friendships, and my marriage.

WHERE TO TIE THE KNOT ON CAMPUS

Maybe you fell in love at UCD, maybe you didn’t, but if you are an alumnus, you might like to consider getting married on campus. While the stunning University Church beside Newman House on St Stephen’s Green is the setting for many alumni weddings, and you can now get married at the adjacent Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI), Belfield also offers a number of new gorgeous spaces and places for wedding ceremonies and receptions. Ardmore House, built-in 1800, has been beautifully restored to its former glory, and civil wedding ceremonies and receptions now take place in its gracious, light-filled rooms.

The modern, stylish UCD University Club accommodates ceremonies and receptions in a number of spaces, depending on the size of your party. Iconic O’Reilly Hall, with its spectacular conservatory overlooking the lake, couldn’t be smarter. You can also host your wedding ceremony on the lawn beside the lake – the spot with a place in the hearts of all alumni. Of course, Belfield’s landscaped grounds, with cherry blossom trees in spring and leafy Woodland Walk, particularly photogenic in autumn, provide the perfect backdrop for your photos. And there’s the pretty blue Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Church on campus too. With a stunning venue chosen, the UCD events team will work with you to create a memorable reception.

For further information, email us at event.sales@ucd.ie or call us on 01 716 2622.

Click to enlarge

UCD O’Reilly Hall

Our Lady of Wisdom Church

Ardmore House

UCD University Club

The new Museum of Literature Ireland. Source: Conor Healy / Picture It Photography

MORE THAN 30 YEARS ago, a group of students met on a bench in the Newman Building to discuss how to make the University accessible to all. Now, decades later, not far from that spot in the heart of the campus is UCD Access & Lifelong Learning (ALL), home to UCD’s comprehensive service for students with disabilities. The service has grown exponentially over the years, from supporting just 100 students in 1994, to supporting more than 2,000 today.

“In the past, students with disabilities had to negotiate access and bespoke solutions were generated for their individual needs,” says Disability Officer Julie Tonge. “UCD has a radically different approach now. UCD’s University for All initiative ensures that access and inclusion issues are addressed in an integrated and coherent way that meets the needs and expectations of all students. Where additional specialist supports are needed, we work with individual students to ensure equity of participation for such students.” Tonge explains that UCD aims to bring together the entire University community to become a fully inclusive, diverse institution. “We recognise, promote and value diversity, we foster the spirit of inclusion. We appreciate the breadth of talent, experience and contribution of all students, and strive to remove the barriers to access, participation and success.”

One student with a disability commented in a recent survey, “The support I received from UCD ALL was far beyond anything I expected. The UCD ALL team members were so welcoming, supportive and non-judgemental that it made the entire process so much easier for me.”

As the move to online learning accelerated over the past 18 months, UCD ALL worked closely with colleagues in UCD IT services to incorporate new technologies to improve the accessibility of the online learning environment for everyone. With the introduction of Ally for Brightspace, students can download course materials in whatever format meets their needs – such as audio format or Braille – thus reducing the need for students with disabilities to have their course materials converted. According to one user: “This is a gamechanger. It is simple to use and works every time.” Students who learn better by listening or who would like to learn while commuting to college, can download audio files and listen to course materials on the go. Ally also provides essential feedback and guidance to staff on the accessibility of their course content and how to improve it, making life easier for staff and students alike.

Registrar and Deputy President of UCD, Professor Mark Rogers, says that “UCD aims to tailor what we do to really meet the full range of requirements for students without labelling them.” To this end, UCD is committed to Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an effective framework to improve the learning experience for all students within the higher education teaching environment. It is a set of principles for curriculum development that gives all students, including those with disabilities, equal opportunities to learn. UCD ALL, in collaboration with UCD Teaching & Learning and UCD Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, recently appointed 17 University for All Faculty partners from across the University. These partners will qualify as UDL facilitators to accelerate the implementation of UDL throughout the University, and will become role models to influence others as to the merits of inclusion for all students. UDL considers the needs of all students and reduces the need for students with disabilities to contact specialist services for extra support. Tonge notes that “this Universal Design approach ensures that access and inclusion is now everyone’s business.”

For students with mobility issues, the physical accessibility of the campus is a priority. UCD’s new buildings are fully wheelchair accessible, with push pads, automatic doors and disabled toilets and UCD Estate Services and UCD ALL have audited all older campus buildings, adapting and retrofitting on a phased basis. The central spine or mall has been smoothed out with gentle slopes and ramps replacing steps. “Accessibility is the norm, not just meeting standards but exceeding them. This work will continue as the campus develops with accessibility key to all new developments from conception,” says Tonge.

The demand for disability supports in the area of mental health has seen a dramatic increase, according to Tonge. “We have observed a huge increase in the need for accommodations for those suffering from mental health difficulties.” Accommodations might include being able to sit exams in a classroom environment rather than in large exam halls, or perhaps being granted additional time for exams. “It is vital we try and ensure that students with mental health difficulties maintain their studies and can take their exams.” Communication of the issues around disability to staff is of huge importance, Tonge continues, “To those in teaching roles, we offer disability workshops and disability awareness training so that we promote a supportive culture in every classroom as well as all around campus.”

■ www.ucd.ie/all

ANOTHER EXCEPTIONAL YEAR challenged us to strengthen our ties with you, our alumni community, all over the globe. Not only did we continue a lively calendar of virtual events, we expanded our programme of engagement, and met tens of thousands of you online with our series of alumni conversations, workshops and career-building seminars, Women in Leadership conference, at Chapter events, and at the UCDFestival@home, among many others. It was uplifting and inspiring to see how our alumni community continued to connect and support students from countries all over the world. The past 18 months have demonstrated the value of virtual engagement, with more alumni abroad and at home attending virtual events, watching back and engaging with our YouTube channel, and volunteering to mentor students online. We will continue to communicate our programme of activities including ways to support incoming UCD students.

We welcome the class of 2021 as new alumni and fully appreciate how your final year was a challenging one. However, your ties to UCD are strong and will strengthen further over time. There are excellent career-building events and mentoring and student engagement opportunities that will enable you to reap the benefits throughout your whole career.

■ Update your details with us at www.ucd.ie/alumni/updateyourdetails or email us at alumni@ucd.ie. We look forward to hearing from you.

NICOLE BLACK

Director of Alumni Development

JENNIE BLAKE

Student Experience,
Corporate Engagement

SINÉAD DOLAN

Communications, Global Engagement

SHEILA MORRIS

Mass Events, College Engagement

LOUISE DELAHUNTY

Student Scholarships / Support

MELISSA BYRNE

Law

RIA FLOM

Alumni Volunteering

GILLIAN DURNIN

Business

CAMILLE ROGERS

Communications

JUDE CANNIFFE

Events & Clubs and Societies

ALEX BOWKLEY

Engineering and Architecture

CATHY BROOKS

Science

MAEVE O’CONNELL

Science

JONATHAN WEIR

Social Sciences

FIONA BOLGER

Health and Agricultural Sciences

MICHELLE POWER

Global Alumni Engagement

MICHAEL MULLOOLY

Arts and Humanities

PAULINA MARTYNIAK

Business

SELENA WALSH

Digital Engagement

NIAMH MCGOWAN

Volunteering and Student Experience

UCD’S ALUMNI NETWORK is as impressive as it is vast. With almost 300,000 former students based in 185 countries around the world, its reach is phenomenal. Our graduates are the standard-bearers of UCD’s reputation. It is in large part due to our alumni that the value of each of the University’s undergraduate and postgraduate courses continue to be enhanced. Their loyal and passionate support is helping to shape the future of Ireland’s leading global university.

The UCD Alumni Awards were introduced in 2014 to acknowledge that invaluable support and to honour the outstanding achievement by our graduates in a wide variety of fields and disciplines.

With the pandemic continuing to change life as we know it, it is more important than ever to celebrate the accomplishments of our leading alumni.

We will celebrate our alumni with a month of special virtual events in November, www.ucd.ie/alumniawards.

Here are the nine worthy recipients of the UCD Alumni Awards 2021 …

HEALTH AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AWARD

MIKE RYAN MPH 1992

DIRECTOR, WORLD EMERGENCIES, WHO

Dr. Michael Ryan is the Executive Director of the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies programme. For 25 years he has been at the forefront of managing acute risk on a global level.

Dr. Mike Ryan has become a household name thanks to his work in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and has been acclaimed for his expert communications skills – an attribute that has been of critical importance in the most significant pandemic to hit the world in 100 years. Dr. Ryan, who has master’s degree in Public Health from UCD, first joined WHO and the newly-established emergencies unit in 1996 and immediately began work on responding to emerging and epidemic disease threats. He has worked in conflict-affected countries and led numerous responses to high-impact epidemics.

He is a founding member of the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), which has aided the response to hundreds of disease outbreaks around the world and has been a vital tool in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Ryan says that COVID-19 presents the biggest challenge of his career. Prior to COVID-19, and his leadership on COVID, he was Operational Coordinator of WHO’s response to the SARS outbreak in 2003 and was a Senior Advisor on Polio Eradication for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative from 2013 to 2017.

“Half of this world thinks the pandemic is over, and half is about to go over another cliff edge,” Dr Ryan said in July 2021. “We have developed highly effective vaccinations, and what is our next move? To distribute them in an inequitable fashion so that we can stop the tragedy of the pandemic in some countries, and we will allow that pandemic to continue in so many others.” Dr Ryan has been tireless in advocating for a fair share of vaccines in every part of the world.

SCIENCE AWARD

TERESA LAMBE BSc 1997, PhD 2002

SCIENTIST

Teresa Lambe is an Associate Professor at the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford. She co-designed the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which has been one of the key tools in helping to bring the global COVID-19 pandemic under control. Lambe was awarded an OBE for services to science and public health in 2021.

What are your memories of UCD? I met some absolutely fantastic scientists there who were very rigorous in their scientific methodology. One of them, Ruth McMahon, went on to become my second child’s godmother. And I met Ruairi O’Donnell – my partner of 20 years – at UCD. What advice do you have for UCD graduates? Believe in yourself. If you set your sights on something, go for it. When you get knocked down, don’t take it as defeat – take it as a stepping-stone to learn to do it better. Can you speak about your work in developing a COVID-19 vaccine? Over the past 18 months my life has been wholly consumed [with the Oxford- AstraZeneca vaccine]. I co-designed it and oversaw the pre-clinical testing as well as the vaccine-response work. What are you most proud of, career-wise? The vaccine that we developed as a team is a career high. There have been moments that I have felt overcome, by what we’ve achieved. I’m so proud of the team around me. Do you see yourself as a role model? I’m just a normal girl from Kildare, there’s nothing extraordinary about me – but if [creating a vaccine] helps to empower anyone to feel like they can embark on a career in science, I would be very happy.

SPORT AWARD

LEO CULLEN BA 1999

LEINSTER RUGBY COACH

Leo Cullen is Head Coach of Leinster Rugby. He has managed the province to great success, including a European Champions Cup title in 2018, becoming the first man to win the Champions Cup as player and coach. As a player, he made 32 appearances for Ireland, and won the Champions Cup three times with Leinster.

What are your memories of UCD? I really enjoyed it but looking back, I didn’t participate that much in the social side of university, because I was serious about sport. I’d love to go back to study again in a situation where I was able to dedicate all of my time to it. What advice would you have for anyone currently studying in UCD? I think “Life is about experiences and the different relationships that you forge.” you have to immerse yourself in college life and sign up for as many societies as you can. Put yourself outside your comfort zone. Life is about experiences and the different relationships that you forge. What aspects of your career do you cherish the most? I’ve been lucky enough to have had great successes on the pitch, but it’s the friendships and relationships built up over the years that mean so much. When you have success as a player, it is because of that group of people that you’ve worked so hard alongside. What impact has the pandemic had on you? We had to close our operation and make sure each of the players was taken care of, that they could create a proper gym environment at home. Everyone was cooped up in their own little bubble. On the plus side for me, I got to spend a lot of time at home with my two young children.

LAW AWARD

FIONA MCENTEE BCL 2005

IMMIGRATION LAWYER

Fiona McEntee is Founder and Managing Attorney of the Chicago-based McEntee Law Group. She counsels clients, individuals and families as well as world-leading musicians and athletes, on everchanging immigration policies. Her debut children’s book, Our American Dream, was published last year.

What does UCD mean to you now? I was one of the first in my family to go to the third level. I’ve such happy memories of UCD – the friends I met there I still have to this day. I learned so much that still informs my work. What aspects of your work do you enjoy most? I’m proud of being able to use my voice to advocate for others. I have huge privilege as an educated white Irish immigrant and an immigration lawyer. What achievements are you most proud of? I feel like we have a responsibility to influence the narrative of immigration to the US. I am proud of that work. I also wrote a children’s book on immigration. How significantly has your work been affected by the pandemic? It had a huge impact. Everything was shut down. There were no Green Card interviews, no visa appointments, there were travel bans. On a personal note, it’s been difficult. My cousin, who was like a brother to me, passed away from cancer last May and I haven’t been able to return to Dublin. What advice have you for new graduates? Find work you are passionate about. Life is too short to do work that does not satisfy you. Social media can be a good tool, but be wary of what you say on it.

ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

AWARD LIAM MADDEN BE 1979

GENERAL MANAGER, XILINX

Liam Madden is Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the Wired and Wireless Group at Xilinx, currently specialising in 5G. Based in Silicon Valley, he has spent 35 years in the US semiconductor industry. Madden has extensive experience in incubating novel technologies and is an Adjunct Professor at UCD.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your work? Surprisingly, from a day-to-day perspective, our business has proceeded as usual. The biggest change is business travel. Prior to the pandemic, I was travelling up to 50 per cent of the time. Now, all customer contact is virtual. What strategies have you deployed to help you cope with COVID-19’s unique demands? Zoom fatigue is real. I try to ensure that no meeting runs longer than 90 minutes without taking a break. On the break, I get up, walk around and go water my tomatoes. What advice would you have for today’s UCD graduates, especially in light of the pandemic disrupting their studies? Be flexible. You have your entire life to learn. Do what you can, then let it go. Recognise that every other student is similarly impacted and just like the two hikers in the woods you don’t have to run faster than the bear, just your companion! What life skills did you pick up at UCD? The ability to break problems down into manageable chunks and then not to procrastinate. I always feel that if I spend even half an hour on a big task, I have made progress. What aspects of your career are you most proud of? Mentoring. I learned the importance of having a mentor when I was at UCD. Professor Jim Lacy supervised my final year project and his guidance and support left a lasting impression.

SOCIAL SCIENCES AWARD

CAITRIONA PALMER BA 1993

JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR

Caitriona Palmer is a journalist, author and advocate who has worked in human rights, specialising in war-related missing persons cases. Her memoir, An Affair With My Mother, was widely acclaimed. She was the co-author, with former President Mary Robinson, of Climate Justice.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your work? With three children in virtual school for the entire pandemic, my work took a back seat. Creativity went out the window. I was forced to be nimble, writing during snatches of free time and at odd hours. What strategies have you deployed to help you cope with COVID-19’s unique demands? As hard as it is to do, I tried to go easy on myself. I focused on my kids whose lives were turned upside down. I deployed gratitude as a daily mantra. What advice would you have for today’s UCD graduates, in light of the pandemic disrupting their studies? Be kind to yourself. This is an unprecedented time and you have been through a lot. Pursue your passions, not your pocket. Follow your heart. What are your key memories of your time at UCD? I loved the excitement and intellectual rigour of Friday nights at the L&H. At the Student’s Union, I found community and connection. Our student campaigns felt like a microcosm of the social changes rocking Ireland at that time. What aspects of your career are you most proud of? As a storyteller, my career has mostly been focused on the pain of others, including the victims of Bosnia’s Srebrenica massacre and the survivors of Ireland’s system of forced adoption, Mother and Baby homes. These people gifted me their stories – it’s the greatest honour of my life.

RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND IMPACT AWARD

ANN O’DEA BA 1990, MA 1992

CO-FOUNDER, SILICON REPUBLIC

Ann O’Dea is CEO and co-founder of Silicon Republic, the science and technology news website. She is founder of Inspirefest (now Future Human) and was the first woman inducted into the Irish Internet Association’s Hall of Fame. O’Dea is on the advisory board of TeenTurn, which provides teenage girls with experience in STEM.

How has the pandemic affected your work? We are very much a digital-first company, so we’ve been affected less than others. We were remote-ready and the day of the Taoiseach’s announcement we all left the office and have not been together since. What strategies have you deployed to help you cope with COVID’s unique demands? I have taught myself that downtime is vital for my own well-being and productivity. I am never more than a minute away from my home office, so I’ve had to be strict about delineating work-time and me-time. What advice would you have for today’s UCD graduates? Aspire to excellence, not perfection. Also, a lot of roles can now be done remotely, so don’t limit yourself when it comes to applying for that dream job. What life skills did you pick up at UCD? Dealing with humans! I was shy and introverted, and UCD was the first time I really had to get past that and get on with it. I also really improved my writing and analytical thinking skills there – something that still stands to me today. What aspects of your career are you most proud of? I’m proud to have co-founded a publication (Silicon Republic) that, as well as documenting progress in science and technology, has always been fearless in tackling societal issues, like equal access to learning and the importance of diversity and inclusion.

ARTS AND HUMANITIES AWARD

NEIL JORDAN BA 1972

DIRECTOR AND WRITER

Neil Jordan is one of Ireland’s most respected film-makers. He wrote and directed the Oscar-winning film, The Crying Game, and award-winning movies include Michael Collins and Interview with the Vampire. His fiction has been equally admired. His latest novel is The Ballad of Lord Edward and Citizen Small.

What are your memories of UCD? I was in Earlsfort Terrace before the entire University was moved to Belfield. In retrospect, a very wise decision. I had a great time there. Myself and Jim Sheridan got involved in drama there and we set up a couple of large productions in the old Newman House. Two of my lecturers, Denis Donoghue and Seamus Deane, were really brilliant men. What aspects of your career are you most proud of? When I published my first book, Night in Tunisia, Seán Ó Faoláin gave it this extraordinarily extravagant praise. Then I started making movies – for reasons I can’t remember! I never thought I’d win an Oscar, but when The Crying Game was nominated for all these Oscars and I won, I was so surprised. Has the pandemic significantly affected your work? The main effect on my line of work is that streaming services have really taken over from cinemas, and cinema-going is not going to come back the way it was. Going to the cinema will not be how you first experience a piece of work by a talent you are excited about. What’s next for you? I’m about to make a movie with Liam Neeson in Barcelona. It’s called Marlowe, set in Los Angeles in 1938, and based on the Benjamin Black book, The Black-Eyed Blonde.

BUSINESS AWARD

OLIVIA MAGUIRE BCOMM 1997, MBS 1998

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

Olivia Maguire, Executive Director at JP Morgan, is a Portfolio Manager in the Global Liquidity team in London. She has chaired the Institutional Money Market Funds Association Investment Committee since 2018 and is a current member of the Bank of England Money Market Committee.

How has the pandemic affected your work? I adapted well to remote work. It’s been relatively straightforward to stay connected with the team and with clients. I’ve been lucky: my husband is a musician and his whole industry and career have been on hold since March 2020. What strategies have you deployed to help cope with the pandemic? I had a weekly Zoom catch-up with family back in Ireland, regular video calls with friends and continued our work choir virtually. Those interactions were especially important when my husband was hospitalised with COVID-19. How would you advise today’s UCD student? Enjoy the learning experience. As scientists and medics around the world – including teams at UCD, such as the laboratory run by my sister, Professor Patricia Maguire, Director, UCD Institute for Discovery – learn more about COVID-19, the world will better adapt to living with the disease and there will be a lot of time ahead to enjoy time together with the new friends you’ve made online or pre-pandemic. What are your UCD memories? When I arrived at UCD to study Commerce aged 17, it was a big step into adulthood, travelling back and forth every day across the city, meeting lots of new people, making lifelong friends, joining diverse societies. What aspects of your career are you most proud of? I’m proud to be able to act as a role model to others who want to join the financial services industry.

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