The leader of the Labour Party on life at Trinity.

Is there a memory that stands out to you when you think of your time at Trinity? 

There are many memories that stand out for me, but perhaps the strongest is from my first time walking into Front Square as a Junior Fresh student on the first day of Freshers’ Week. It was a wonderful feeling to have got through the Leaving Cert and to have won a place studying Law in such an historic university. From that day on, I loved my time in Trinity and am very proud of my long association with the College, across many years and in a range of different roles; as a student, as President of the Students’ Union, as a lecturer in the Law School and as a University Senator.

Where was your favourite social space (be it a cafe, pub, park, club or other) to spend time in as a student?

It may seem odd now, but we Law students in the late 80’s did all our socialising either drinking coffee while perched on the ‘chocolate boxes’ (strange brown seating cubes) in the Arts Block, or else drinking something stronger in the Buttery Bar – now a very bland canteen, but then a dark and mysterious licensed crypt setting in which the Union Ents Officer regularly hosted fantastic live gigs.

Did you have a favourite class or professor who influenced you? 

As a student in the Law School, I was incredibly lucky to count among the lecturing staff many leading experts in their specific legal areas, like Professors Gerard Hogan, Yvonne Scannell, Gerry Whyte and William Duncan; and also two future Presidents of Ireland (Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese). But I have particularly fond memories of Professor Kader Asmal, champion of the Irish anti-apartheid movement, who went on to become the ANC Minister for Higher Education in post-apartheid South Africa. I took Kader’s highly memorable and entertaining lectures in both International Law and Labour Law. I loved his quirky teaching style and the way he wove political and legal philosophies together. Influenced by him, I went on to take postgraduate studies at the London School of Economics, just as he had done. Kader died in 2011, having played a pivotal role in the making of the new South Africa.

Do you have any advice for current Trinity students?

My advice is: Throw yourself into campus life! You have an amazing opportunity to spend time studying your chosen subject on an iconic campus. Enjoy it – and embrace all the rich diversity of activities that the College has to offer.