Shona McGarry | Societies editor
I hope you’ve had fun reading about my various society-related exploits during the year. It’s certainly been interesting. It’s also shown me how societies really do keep Trinity alive and breathing. But after spending the past year as the Societies Editor of UT, what have I got to say about them? Burgeoning and established societies vie for the attention of the student body and, this year, neither were disappointed. We saw stand-outs like DU Dance’s Trinity Come Dancing and watched TFM sweep-up at the CSC Awards. House Six said GAME OVER to Sci Fi (sorry), and Film made some of the prettiest posters on campus. I went to events, checked out rooms, chatted to PROs, and even learnt what a LARP was (thanks, Gamers!) in my quest to find the best parts of every society I profiled. I found out who was difficult to get a hold of, who wanted to be in the broadsheet, who was eager, and who publicised their events well (clue: not very many). Sure, it would have been helpful if you guys had sent me information about your upcoming events, but Sunday nights before publication just wouldn’t have been the same without the old trawl through Facebook to seek you all out for myself.
Pleasantries out of the way, then, let’s use the overwrought metaphor of If This Place Were An Office to celebrate the class of 2013!
Good Day At The Office
I think it’s fair to say that if they’re not being kicked out of their room or holding an intersociety event, most societies have a good day at the office. This year The Phil kept up their hard work as usual, attracting the likes of Hugh Laurie and Conan O’Brien to their hallowed halls. Players had their usual high-octane year, marred by the disappearance of their publication The Player after just two issues and the departure of not one but two Tech Managers, but they were finalists at the BICS and swept up at the ISDAs, so they had a year to remember for the right reasons. Trinity Orchestra had a similarly steady year, as did Fish Soc, both having come off a blazing one in 2012. None of them took campus by storm, but they did their job (whatever it is Fish Soc do. That’s for next year) and kept their clientele happy. Smiley faces all around!
Employee of the Month
There could only be one winner of star employee this year, and that was Trinity FM. With CSC Best Individual nominee Claire McCabe at the helm, it was an explosive year in the studio. Not only were they hailed as Best Overall Society, they also nabbed the gong for Best Improved, which says a lot about this year’s committee and their, well, commitment to GREAT RADIO. There were music shows and current affairs, and even some radio plays sweetening our airwaves this year. And there were wildlife-themed posters. Quite liked that. Gold star.
Promoted
If you didn’t hear about DU Dance’s megawatt event Trinity Come Dancing, then obviously you a) didn’t read my article about it (rude), b) live under a rock or c) don’t even go here. Taking place in the exclusive rooms of The Button Factory, Dance Soc did what everyone else wanted to: took the Egos of campus, put them in shiny clothes, subjected them to weeks of (I’m told) rigorous training, and finally put them on the stage for us to guffaw at them. Because this sounded like such a good idea, it’s no wonder other societies were clamouring to get involved. Fashion Soc provided the looks, Trinity TV the presenter, Kate Finegan, and DUPA the pics. Still, it was Dance who put the energy and brains into it, and that’s why they’ve been promoted by me, the boss in this fictional office. Next!
Introverts of the Year
I went to the events of many teeny societies this year, and they deserve a bit of recognition for their steady work catering for more specific markets than the wide-reaching tentacles of the bigger societies who tend to nab people of all persuasions with very little effort. Maybe give these guys a go next year. They’d like that.
Indian Society – Another year, another slew of popular movie nights, a sparkling Holi Festival, and just general all-round niceness from the Indian Society.
Gamers – Not just for nerds. Good for a round of Werewolves in the Science Gallery, if that’s what you’re into. And they’re friendly as fire.
Lit Soc – Steadily catering to bookish types and not-so-bookish types since 1985. This year they continued their trend of weekly events, buzzing coffee hours, and introduced not one, but two issues of their popular journal, The Attic.
Office Party
As usual, societies showed us that even if their finances are struggling, their PRO is crap, and their membership is waning, they can still throw a damn good party. The first ball of the year was the first-ever overnight extravaganza that was Players’ Ball. With tickets just €25, the party didn’t stop until everyone crawled out at 11am, still dressed in their fancy get-ups. Good job. Random spring snow didn’t stop the History Society’s Apollo Ball from going ahead, and go ahead it did, on a boat, with a bang. The Classical and the Archaeological Societies held their annual cosy bash at Clontarf Castle, and it was a traditional but charming affair. Law Ball employed the Trinitones way before Trinity Ball snapped them up, and the CSC Ball rounded it all off with a bar that definitely was not in any way free. At all.
On Leave
These collectives were a bit damp this year, but let’s hope that’s just because they’re planning a ginormous comeback.
DU Comedy – Cat got their tongue? With plans to resuscitate their old magazine and generally get on the publicity horse again, my money’s on a a comeback in 2014, because with a slightly damp Fringe Festival this year, they need it.
Knit Soc – with a big win at the 2011 CSC Awards, Knit Soc haven’t done anything extraordinary since then. Time to come back from their two-year sabbatical.
Fired
It was a bad year for Sci Fi, a society known for its varying degrees of in-fighting, its spacious room, and its giant flatscreens populated by creatures from Mario Kart. This year saw them lose their room, and subsequently move to Goldsmith, which didn’t make them very happy, and there was the impeachment of a committee member to boot. Still, they picked themselves up and have been holding regular events throughout like the troupers they are. Whether their membership declines from next year remains to be seen.
If your society wasn’t featured here then GET ON YOUR HIGH HORSE AND GET SEEN! The Societies Section is there for you to use. Don’t hesitate to contact next year’s editor with every little event or rave or EGM you’re having and you never know, you might see some new faces. Shona out.
