Writer Stephen Fry, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon and singer Sinead O’Connor are among the famous faces set to visit some of Trinity’s societies this year.
Three of Trinity’s largest societies, the College Historical Society (the Hist), Trinity Law Society (LawSoc) and the University Philosophical Society (the Phil), have announced the names of the honorary patrons and guests who will visit their societies this year.
Stephen Fry, who has previously been named “Most Intelligent Man on Television” by Radio Times, will be speaking to LawSoc. Fry has played a variety of roles as an actor in films such as Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Alice In Wonderland and Bright Young Things. He is also known for his writing on politics and religion.
Nicola Sturgeon also features on LawSoc’s guest speaker lineup this year. As First Minister of Scotland in her second term, Sturgeon has faced the fall-out of Brexit, and an international coronavirus outbreak and plans to hold another referendum on Scottish Independence before her term is over. Sturgeon is also leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party.
Sinead O’Connor has been invited to address the Phil this year. O’Connor, whose cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” hit number one in the charts in 1990, has stayed in the news ever since. Aside from her career, the Dublin-born musician is known for her political views and her exploration of religion.
The Phil will also be joined by Chile Eboe-Osuji who is chief of the International Criminal Court. Eboe-Osuji, who was born in Nigeria, has previously held the position of Legal Advisor to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. He presided over the trial of Deputy President William Ruto of Kenya, who was accused of inciting a series of murders for political gain after the country’s controversial 2007 election.
Judith Butler, the highly-influential American philosopher, will address the Phil. Butler has specialised in gender theory and is known for her activism for the rights of women and LGBTQ+ people.
The dates for these guests are so far unconfirmed but will be announced throughout the year.
Some of the Big Names
In a statement to The University Times, President of the Phil, Kate Maher said, “We were delighted to confirm a great group of speakers for this year given the challenges of hosting remote award ceremonies”, adding: “As President, I have aimed to invite guests from all sorts of walks of life with totally different yet equally fascinating achievements”.
Among the Hist’s lineup is BAFTA nominated stage and screenwriter Lisa McGee. She is the creator of the hit Channel 4 series Derry Girls, a comedy which follows the lives of a group of teenagers in the 1990’s to the backdrop of a troubled Derry City.
Dame Jane Goodall DBE will also be joining the Hist this year. Goodall is a primatologist who has spent over six decades studying chimpanzees. She founded the Jane Goodall Institute, a conservation and research project which aims to protect the chimpanzee population in Tanzania, Uganda, Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Meanwhile, LawSoc will be hosting Niall “Bressie” Breslin on October 1st, covering topics such as mental health and isolation. Bressie is a musician and host of the popular podcast “Where Is My Mind?”. The event will be livestreamed online for all those who register.
Fontaines D.C, who released their critically acclaimed sophomore album in July, are also set to visit LawSoc. The Dublin-based band have only been together three years and have already had an impact on the Dublin music scene. Their debut album Dogrel reached number four on the Irish charts.
In an email statement to The University Times, Auditor of TCD Law Society, Jonathan Boylan said, “We are delighted with the speakers we have booked for the coming year. We feel there is something for everyone”.
With Dublin under level three of the government’s coronavirus road map, Trinity’s societies will be severely limited in the coming weeks. At level three, no indoor or outdoor gatherings are permitted to take place meaning that all society events will be taking place online even as College opens up.
Societies will now be able to book a space in the Graduates Memorial Building to host hybrid events for digital audiences. The Central Societies Committee (CSC) also promised to make an increased number of bookable Zoom licenses available with the possibility of societies obtaining free individual licenses based on their assessed need.
The CSC is encouraging societies to host events predominantly online and announced that it is working on a multi-camera live-streaming service to aid the transition away from in-person events.
