Societies have always played an important role in the lives of students at University College Dublin. Over the last 160 years there have been over 100 student societies, each with its own story. Many of you gave a great deal of time to your society. You might have enjoyed great successes or faced tough challenges, be they financial difficulties, electoral, committee disputes etc. Regardless, these memories and any materials/records you may have saved are crucial to the success of this project. Ultimately we hope to capture a snapshot of history that may otherwise fade from memory.
While some societies have been good at maintaining a collection of records, others have not been as meticulous. Regardless, all societies could greatly benefit from improving their records and better connecting with their past.
With this in mind, the UCD Societies History & Memories Project was established to explore our shared history and to reconstruct the unique stories of each society and its members.
To support the project we are currently seeking information, experiences and, if available, any records/materials relating to societies.
Memories can take the form you are most comfortable with. They can be anecdotal. They can explore what a society meant to you or look at a certain period more generally. We also want to know how your Society operated. How were committee meetings run, what events were organised, what rules were broken or created because of your activities etc.
Additionally, any records or materials (eg. minute books, photos, newspaper articles, videos, tickets, posters, medals, scripts, correspondence etc.) that you or your family may have saved at home over the years would be of great help.
Submissions can be made by clicking this link or by clicking on the red buttons located on this page. Some people will be able to complete the form in 5-10 minutes. Others will need more time. If you feel that you are in a position to contribute more than the form allows, or would like to contribute but need more time, please mention this in the form or email Stephen Whelan (Project Coordinator) at stephen.whelan1@ucd.ie.
This work is part of an ongoing project with an eye to creating a central archive collection for each society, connecting with society alumni and publishing/exhibiting materials.
Your family or friends might also be able to contribute – We would be grateful if you could share this form with anyone you think would be in position to contribute. The support in helping us connect with more alumni is much appreciated.
We can also arrange a call if that’s easier for you (or a family member).
For more information contact:
Stephen Whelan, Project Coordinator
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Student Centre, Societies Office, Belfield, Dublin 4
stephen.whelan1@ucd.ie
