Trinity College Dublin

15/10/2026

Paul Farrell, Chair of the Trinity Board, was explicit in strongly calling on the Joint Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to revisit, revise and renew The Future Funding of Higher Education Report prepared by predecessor Committee members to seek an updated response from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. He called for substantially increased investment in and a sustainable funding model for the sector.

Watch back here: www.oireachtas.ie/en/oireachtas-tv/video-on-demand/joint-committee-on-further-and-higher-education-research-innovation-and-science/2026-10-15/

Read report here: data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/committee/dail/33/joint_committee_on_education_further_and_higher_education_research_innovation_and_science/reports/2022/2022-07-06_the-future-funding-of-higher-education_en.pdf

Speaking at the Joint Committee on Further and Higher Education, Paul Farrell, Chair of the Board of Trinity College Dublin, outlined how chronic underfunding is impacting Ireland’s university sector and appealed to the Government to back Ireland’s universities by increasing core funding.

Joining IUA Director General, Paul Johnston, at the Committee hearing, he pointed to the “very real cliff-edge we are teetering upon”, and how increased student numbers, inflation and unfunded pay awards have outpaced state funding, putting pressure on teaching, student support and research.

Paul explained how adequate funding will allow universities to “create businesses, attract investment and equip our people to think critically”, and how failure to invest in Ireland’s university sector will be "a failure to invest in Ireland’s future".

While he welcomed some of the Budget 2027 measures for higher education, he described them as “treading water” with the Budget Day speeches offering “no clear commitment to closing the remaining core funding gap”.

In concluding his opening statement, he called on the Committee to revisit, revise and renew The Future Funding of Higher Education report and to seek an updated response from the Department of Further and Higher Education Research Innovation & Science and Department of Public Expenditure Infrastructure Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.

Read Paul Farrell’s statement in full: https://www.iua.ie/press-releases/iua-universities-discuss-higher-education-funding-with-oireachtas-committee-15-october/



James Lawless TD

15/10/2026

15/10/2026

♻️ Swap Shop still open today in the Arts Block! 🛍️

14/10/2026

300 years ago this month, Gulliver's Travels was first published. Author, Jonathan Swift, started at Trinity at the age of 14.

To mark the anniversary, the exhibition "Gulliver at 300" is on in The Library of Trinity College Dublin until the end of December, with editions ranging from some of the earliest to pop-up and comic books.

Find more information on the exhibition at www.tcd.ie/news_events/articles/2026/gullivers-travels

13/10/2026

It’s October! 🍂

Beautiful image shared by Trinity student Ellie Pinterova

12/10/2026

The new report on substance use among young LGBTQI+ people is part of the larger “Being LGBTQ+ in Ireland" study by School of Nursing & Midwifery, TCD researchers funded by the Department of Health.

Almost half have used drugs, with high levels of mental health difficulties also evident

09/10/2026

Ireland's universities need sustained investment to deliver on the country's ambitions. That's the message from Irish Times editorial on third-level funding, which highlights our Provost, Linda Doyle, and her call ahead of Budget 2027.

As the Provost put it: "We have such ambition but ambition without investment is just a daydream."

In 2022, Simon Harris accepted that there was an annual gap of €307m

09/10/2026

Meet Paul, Alan, Peter and Brian our Trinity chaplains.

09/10/2026

President Catherine Connolly visited Trinity yesterday to celebrate 250 years of the study and teaching of modern languages at the university.

Today’s Trinity students are part of a long tradition of language-learning. On 29 September 1776, Trinity was the first university in Ireland and the UK to introduce the study of modern continental languages when it appointed Chairs in French, German, Spanish and Italian.

President Catherine Connolly said: "A Chairde Uaisle, tá mé thar a bheith sásta a bheith i bhur gcomhluadar i gColáiste na Tríonóide tráthnóna agus comóradh á dhéanamh agaibh ar dhá chéad caoga bliain ó bunaíodh Ollúnachtaí anseo sa Fhraincis, Gearmáinis, Spáinnis agus Iodáilis.

"Is ócáid fíor-spéisiúil atá á ceiliúradh agaibh, a chairde, agus stair an ilteangachais á plé agaibh. Tá sé suntasach go raibh an tír seo i bhfad chun cinn ar thíortha eile agus aitheantas tugtha do theangacha eachtracha anseo 133 bliain sula ndearna fiú ollscoil Oxford é.

"One particularly beautiful aspect of language learning is that it invites us into another culture, allowing us to get to know, and crucially, to care about, its people and history. This special bond, that requires commitment and time, develops and endures throughout a lifetime – a profoundly human process of connection that AI can never reproduce.

"In a world where language has been debased, stripped of meaning and reduced to its utilitarian functions, reclaiming the beauty of languages, in all their diversity, is an act of resistance, and a crucial first step in celebrating and championing our wonderfully diverse humanity."

Provost of Trinity Dr Linda Doyle responded: “It is fitting that we are celebrating this milestone. Two hundred and fifty years ago, Trinity recognised the value of studying modern languages to equip students to engage with a wider world.

“That outward-looking spirit remains as vital as ever. The study of languages exposes us to new ideas, broadens horizons, and encourages us to think differently about ourselves and about others. In celebrating this anniversary, we honour a tradition that has shaped Trinity for 250 years and reaffirm our commitment to ensuring it continues to enrich the experience of future generations of students.”

Last night's evening celebration was the highlight of a year of celebrations marking the historic milestone. Earlier in the day the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies hosted the 2026 Hely-Hutchinson Memorial Lectures.

Michael Cronin, Chair of French 1776, commented: “For over 250 years, modern languages have contributed to every area of Irish life and culture. President Connolly's participation in our celebrations is a powerful endorsement of the role modern languages play in bringing fresh perspectives and ideas into society, promoting flourishing economic and trade relationships, and allowing for greater social cohesion through the promotion of understanding between different languages and cultures.

“Modern languages remain a vital part of Ireland's changing identity. They continue to bring the world to Ireland in the same way as they bring Ireland to the world.”

Read more here: tcd.ie/news_events/articles/2026/languages-250-october/

08/10/2026

Cartoon Saloon, the Kilkenny studio behind The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea and Wolfwalkers, is the latest winner of the Trinity European Laureate Award for Culture and Creativity 🏅

The Secret of Kells has a special connection to Trinity: the Oscar-nominated film brings to life the story of the Book of Kells, the most famous manuscript in our Library.

Co-founders Paul Young, Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey received the gold medal from the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O'Donovan TD, at an event hosted by Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute. Previous winners include former Taoiseach Enda Kenny and European Commissioner Michael McGrath.

Read more via the link in our bio.