What is Life?
2013 May 7 by norahw
The Charles Jencks sculpture was unveiled at the Botanic Gardens on April 28th by James Watson. The occasion honoured the sixtieth anniversary of the discovery of the double helix, the structure of DNA, by Watson and Francis Crick. The Jencks sculpture incorporates for the first time the role of DNA.
Minister of State, Brian Hayes, performed the opening ceremony. James Watson and Charles Jencks spoke wittily and informatively. Matthew Jebb was master of ceremonies, assisted by a trumpeter, and we left to the sound of Orpheus singing “Che faro senza Euridice”.
David McConnell, John Atkins and Matthew Jebb have given us yet another reason to visit the wonderful Botanic Gardens.
Explanatory Slide Deck – Financial Stability and Reform Bill
2013 May 2 by norahw
Dr Charles Larkin, Sean’s research assistant who worked very hard with Sean to put this bill together has made this explanatory slide-deck public. Click on the picture below to view.
Again, if you have any comments or questions about the bill then please do not hesitate to contact Sean’s office by emailing sdcbarrett@gmail.com
Private Members Business – Financial Stability and Reform Bill 2013
2013 April 25 by norahw
Yesterday evening Senator Barrett introduced his Private Members Bill to the Seanad. The aim of this Bill is to create a situation of stability within the Irish banking sector by creating a series of regulatory limitations on the activities of banks via a series of ring-fencing rules and capital requirements. The Bill also looks to expand the capabilities of the Central Bank of Ireland by requesting that it undertake a study to see how a so-called Volker Rule could be applied to the Irish banking environment.
The bill has been kept on the Order Paper for now. If you have any questions about the bill be sure to get in touch.
Financial Stability and Reform Bill (including explanatory memorandum)
Trinity Monday 2013: Photos from a Board Member’s POV
2013 April 16 by norahw
Senator Barrett managed to get some photos on a disposable camera on the day that was in it last Monday. He captured the festivities from a point of view that not many have the pleasure of experiencing, a point of view which is given the opportunity to witness a sea of beaming faces as people rejoice in their achievements.
Trinity Monday 2013 (Photos)
2013 April 11 by norahw
Provost announces the election of new Scholars and Fellows
Dr Carol Newman, the new Economics Fellow, with Senator Barrett
Professor Michael Coey, with Senator Barrett
Senator Barrett with the Mace Bearer
The Provost thanks Professor Zuleika Rodgers for her discourse on Professor Jacob Weingreen (1908 – 95)
Trinity Monday reception hosted by the Economics Department for new Scholars and Scholars of the decades, held at Kildare Street and University Club
Trinity Monday reception hosted by the Economics Department for new Scholars and Scholars of the decades, held at Kildare Street and University Club
Trinity Monday reception hosted by the Economics Department for new Scholars and Scholars of the decades, held at Kildare Street and University Club
!["Then came the photo which we all had to go to" [L.J. Richardson, 1934] The Provost meets the new Scholars and Fellows](http://www.seanbarrett.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/DSCF3030small.jpg)
“Then came the photo which we all had to go to” [L.J. Richardson, 1934]
The Provost meets the new Scholars and Fellows
Trinity Monday 2013
“Twas just the same, the Provost came
Flanked by the Board and the vast crowd roared.
The list was read and away I sped
To buy in town my scholar’s gown”
L.J. Richardson’s great poem on Trinity Monday written in 1934 was re-enacted yet again in 2013. On a chilly morning in bright sunshine Provost Patrick Prendergast announced the new scholars and fellows.
Chapel Choir, now in its 251st year, honoured Henry Francis Lyte, elected scholar on Trinity Monday 1813, by including Praise My Soul the King of Heaven in their contribution to the Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving. We prayed that “those set to labour here, to learn and to teach, may neglect no portion of their manifold inheritance” in the splendid words of the College prayer.
Among the returning scholars were Bob Willis and Robert Boyd (1943), Max Abrahamson (1953), Elizabeth Oldham, Nigel Buttimore, John Kelly, and Patrick Kelly (1963), Revd. Ken Kearon, Luke Drury, Paula Gannon and Kevin Flanagan (1973), Clodagh Lane, Fergus Ryan and Matthew Davey (1993), David Rickard, Tara McIndoe, Karen Mayor and Francis Kieran (2013).
The sermon at the Service of Comemmoration and Thanksgiving was delivered by Professor Geraldine Smyth OP. She spoke warmly of the fortieth anniversary of College Chapel as a shared ecumenical space.
Professor Zuleika Rodgers spoke with obvious affection and enthusiasm on Jacob Weingreen (1908 – 95) in her memorial discourse in the G.M.B. The unique working relationship between Jacob and R.M Gwynn was warmly received by a full debating chamber when Professor Rodgers described the interchange of roles between the Professor and his most able student. Professor Andrew Mayes also illustrated the importance of Jacob Weingreen when he replied on behalf of the scholars of the decade at the dining table that evening.
The Provost’s garden party provided a splendid venue for a reunion of many well loved college figures and legends, notably Brendan Kennelly and Ken Adams. The Scholars versus Fellows marbles match on Chapel steps even made the national press in glowing colour photography.
Renovations on the Museum Building completed
2013 April 4 by norahw
Maintenence work on the Museum Building in College has been completed and the results, as you can see, are stunning. The details and colours of the facade can be seen more clearly than ever and are brightly complemented by the bright weather of late. The work comes just in time for the Trinity Ball and Trinity Monday festivities. The length of time taken to complete this work has been very well warranted given the results.
The TCD Website gives the following description of the Museum Building:
The Museum Building, which houses the Geology Department, was designed by Thomas Deane and Benjamin Woodward. It is inspired by the Byzantine architecture of Venice and was built in 1853-57. The many interior and exterior carvings were executed by the Cork-born brothers John and James O’Shea, who gathered fresh flowers to use as their models. The exterior walls feature Wicklow granite and Portland Stone.
The interior walls are faced with Caen Limestone. The pillars, balustrades and bannisters contain examples of Irish marbles and Cornish serpentine, while the domed roof is made of blue, red and yellow enamelled bricks.
Call for Regulatory Impact Analysis on Finance Bill
2013 March 27 by norahw
Senator Barrett once again made his concerns known with regards to the Finance Bill and its construction yesterday at Order of Business in Seanad Éireann:
Senator Sean D. Barrett: As we saw on Thursday last, the Ministers, Deputies Noonan and Brian Hayes, have an immense task and are two of the hardest working members of the Government. They stated that they have had to do so much fire fighting that some of the basic functions have been overlooked. Some of the statements they were asked to read to the House by their officials on the day-to-day functions of the Department of Finance made sorry reading. The Department, claiming a monopoly on wisdom, refused to do regulatory impact analysis of anything that was in the Finance Bill last week. They refused to refer it to the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council. Even where documents were sent to Teagasc, the food development authority, they refused to ask Teagasc what it thought of the documents. The regulatory impact analysis which the Department refused to do is, according to the Government’s website, a tool used for the structured exploration of different options to address particular policy issues. The role of the fiscal council, which they also refused to consult on Thursday, is to independently assess and comment publicly on whether the Government is meeting its stated budgetary targets and objectives.
Teagasc has a major role to play in developing Food Harvest 2020. As a result we got a whole series of tax breaks for aircraft hangars, commercial premises, land dealers, developers, hoteliers, large farmers, research and development, self-catering, a particular form of stamp duty on health care and inadequate measures to deal with the growing tax avoidance industry with no costings and no measures of benefit.
Ireland needs a reformed Department of Finance and we really saw the need for that last week. There must never be a Finance Bill put through the House as the one was last Thursday. I support the reform of the Department by the Minister, Deputy Noonan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes. I know they have been pre-occupied with their work in Cyprus and elsewhere, but the presentation of a finance Bill by the Department as was done here last Thursday does Ireland’s financial reputation no good at all. It should stop its monopoly of wisdom pose and carry out regulatory impact analyses and consult the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, which was set up precisely for the purpose of providing advice. There is no monopoly in the Department of Finance and it that showed last week.
Gift of Sport
2013 March 27 by norahw
The annual service of thanksgiving for the gift of sport on March 20 celebrated some magnificent sporting achievements by TCD students and graduates in the last year. It was also a sad occasion as we remembered two of the greatest servants of TCD sport who passed away recently- Kevin Heffernan and Trevor West.
Senator Sean Barrett cited Professor John Luce’s oration on the occasion of Kevin Heffernan’s honorary degree (LL.D) in 1988.
“Cum Comegenus in campum certaminis ingressus erat magnum agmen exardescebat. Tunc fautorum clamor in Colle Sexto Decimo ingeminabat, tunc Kerrienses corde tremebant, tunc tria illa puncta in tabulis lusoris saepissime agregata coronas Pan-Hibernicas voctoribus afferebant.”“When Kevin took the field of battle, capturing a great force ( to quote Virgil) and a great force in himself, a battle of heroes blazed forth. Then the shouts of the fans on Hill 16redoubled, then Kerry hearts trembled, and then those three points repeatedly added to the score-board brought All Ireland medals to the victors!”
John Luce was a distinguished international sportsman as well as a renowned classical scholar. He scored the first televised international goal in hockey for Ireland against England in Blackpool in 1953. He fully appreciated the huge place of Kevin Heffernan in the ranks of our sporting heroes. Classicists booking tickets for Hill 16 could now apply in Latin for places on Colle Sexto Decimo!
When Kevin Heffernan enrolled in TCD sixty years ago in 1953 his fees were £18 a year plus £1 examination fee per subject. His lecturers included George Duncan, a pioneer of national income accounting; Louden Ryan, a co-architect with Ken Whitaker of Ireland’s economic recovery in the 1950s; Basil Chubb author of a definitive volume on Irish politics and expert in industrial relations, a field in which Kevin later excelled; and Leland Lyons, distinguished historian, squash international and later, Provost.
Micheal O’Muircheartaigh recalls Kevin’s enthusiasm for the field of play and that he almost knocked down the Archbishop of Cashel who then had the honour of throwing in the ball to start the All Ireland final. GAA President Sean Kelly recalls a Club Forum in Killarney in 2007 “addressed by the father of modern football, the great Kevin Heffernan.” In 2005 honoured him with the Freedom of the City.
Keving had expressed the wish that all his grandchildren should go to TCD. In conclusion Senator Barrett stated that “We honour him tonight as one of our greatest TCD sportsmen. Almost sixty years ago we awarded him his pink for services to sport in this College. We honoured him on graduation in 1956 and with an honorary degree in 1988. He honoured us by coming here. Let us salute a great graduate of TCD, a renowned sportsman, and a great servant of our country. The applause this evening should be no less than that called for by John Luce in 1988.”
This year the first female athlete was honoured with the DUCAC Alumni Award 2013. Ailis Eagan joined Dublin University Ladies’ Football Club in 2002. In her time on the team, the Club was promoted to the first division and won colours in 2002, 2003 and 2005. She was also selected for the Leinster Ladies Senior Squad.
Ailis now plays for Old Belvedere, Leinster and Ireland and is now a Front Row Prop on the Irish team that recently won the Six Nations Championship. Geraldine McAuley presented Ailis Eagan with a token from DUCAC in recognition of her achievement in this winning side.
Teacher Representation on Education and Training Boards Too Low
2013 March 12 by norahw
Teacher representation on Education and Training boards is “too low” says Senator Barrett.
Only 2 of the 21 members of the new Education and Training boards will represent teachers. Speaking in the Seanad, Senator Barrett said this was too low and would further alienate teachers in the classroom. The lack of representation for teachers is demoralizing the profession and the alienation of teachers had become a feature of their Easter conferences.
While the Minister accepted amendments to ensure representation of smaller counties in the new regional boards he did not accept the need to increase teacher representation.
The new boards will comprise 12 representatives of local authorities, 2 representing staff including teachers, 2 representing parents and 5 representing nominating bodies such as business and employers, learners, and school management.
Gift of Sport Annual Service
2013 March 12 by norahw
The annual service for the Gift of Sport will be held in College Chapel on March 19th at 5pm. The service will honour the recent passing of two of TCD’s most treasured sports alumni – Trevor West and Kevin Heffernan. The speakers wil be Senator Barrett and Terry McAuley. The service will include “Abide With Me”, which is sung every year at the Cup Final at Wembley. It was composed by Henry Francis Lyte, a scholar of TCD, elected 200 years ago on Trinity Monday 1813.