EARLSFORT TERRACE
UCD BIDS FAREWELL TO
THE TERRACE
N May 2007, UCD marked its departure from The following evening, more than 400 retired
I
Earlsfort Terrace with a series of celebrations staff who worked at Earlsfort Terrace over the
that saw some 5,000 graduates and friends of years attended a celebration with special guests
UCD passing through the doors for a final time. Brian Farrell and Ann Lavan. Later that same
The events, which took place 17-20 May, were evening, the L&H hosted a debate where current
the fruits of a concerted effort that involved the student members pitted themselves against
talents of colleagues from the whole university former members Finbarr McAuley, Ruairi Quinn
and the generous support of many UCD alumni TD and Charles Lysaght on the motion that
and friends. Valuable guidance came from ‘Youth is wasted on the young’. Despite the
academic experts who had intimate knowledge obvious talent of the former members, the
of UCD’s 124-year history at the Terrace. motion was defeated.
Messages of support came from all around On Saturday, almost 3,000 alumni who studied
Ireland, and graduates sent letters of at the Terrace, their families and friends, attended
reminiscences and good wishes from as far away an afternoon of music, exhibitions, tours and talks
as Buenos Aires and Borneo. The Terrace at Earlsfort Terrace and Iveagh Gardens. Maurice
Graduates’ fund, which was launched following Manning, Ann Lavan, Donal McCartney, Paula
the events to fund the restoration of the Kevin Murphy, Vincent McCabe and Anne Fogarty gave
Barry window (pictured), has also met with talks that spanned student life, art and
great success and endorsement. architecture, history and engineering.
A focus on the literary legacy of UCD led to a To complete the series of events, a
unique concert in the National Concert Hall on 17 commemorative liturgy was held at University
May. The sell-out event included performances by Church, Stephen’s Green on Sunday 20 May.
many of UCD’s finest writers: Gerard Stembridge UCD’s buildings at Earlsfort Terrace have now
read from Joyce’s Portrait of the Artist as a Young been transferred to the Office of Public Works
Man, Marie Heaney read from poet Dorothy and will undergo a major redevelopment as a
Molloy, Thomas Kilroy read from Mary Lavin’s In multipurpose concert venue for the National
the Middle of the Fields, Frank McGuinness read Concert Hall.
from Colm Tóibín, an extract from The Land of The ‘Living History’ exhibition, which documents
Spices was read by Éilis Ní Dhuibhne and the Irish and UCD history, can be viewed at
literary finale was an extract from At Swim Two www.ucd.ie/alumni/earlsfort_terrace.html.
Birds by Flann O’Brien, read by Joseph O’Connor. A commemorative book, Farewell to the
The centrepiece of the evening was the Terrace, includes reminiscences of student life at
presentation of the Foundation Day Medal to Maeve Binchy the Terrace by Conor Brady, Maeve Binchy, Gerry Horkan and
(pictured) – who held the audience enraptured with her Sean Dixon. Donal McCartney and Christine Casey look at the
memories. Actress Maria McDermottroe read an extract from history and architectural heritage of a building that was the site
Circle of Friends in tribute to Binchy. of many pivotal events in 19th and 20th century Ireland. Copies
The concert opened with the UCD Choral Scholars’ commission are available from UCD Communications, Tierney Building, UCD,
Road of Passage by Michael McGlynn and finished with a rousing Belfield, Dublin 4, for €48 (incl p&p).
rendition of Gaudeamus Igitur, arranged by Choral Scholars More information about the events, exhibition,
artistic director, Desmond Earley. The audience also enjoyed John commemorative book and The Irish Times supplement that was
O’Conor’s performance of a special arrangement of Seoirse published to mark the event are accessible at
Bodley’s The Tightrope Walker Presents a Rose. www.ucd.ie/farewelltotheterrace.
UCD CONNECTIONS PAGE THIRTY THREE
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