Áine O’Connell
By 9.15am this morning, the Arts Block is in chaos. Electioneering students clad in various colours shove manifestos my way; #LeadTCD has begun in earnest. This is the most widely contested race in recent history, with a total of sixteen candidates running for six sabbatical positions. The first full day of campaigning was described by various members of the student body as “phenomenal” “daunting” “refreshing” and “wonderful” but overall all candidates seemed tired, but happy today.
President
I met Conor O’Meara at 5pm, when the madness begins to wind down. “I just wanted to meet people [today] and engage” he says, gesturing his yellow couch on which students are invited to sit and chat. “This isn’t just a campaign to get me elected as president, it’s to start a campaign for change within the SU”. Focussed on presenting his manifesto to students, O’Meara also wants to “hit the ground running if I’m elected” and hopes that students will see his drive to change the Union for the better. O’Meara is also handing out business cards with bubble wrap on them as “something different…to get students engaged”.
When asked about his gaffe of neglecting to mention his name on his campaign-focused website, he smoothly answers “this is a campaign for you (the students) and I was so focussed on that that I forgot to mention my name”.
Gabriel Adewusi has encountered a minor stumbling block on Day One, in that his manifestos haven’t arrived yet. Showing an entrepreneurial streak, Adewusi used this as an opportunity to “interact with the student body”. He visited the Arts Block, the Hamilton building and Goldsmith Hall today and hopes to spread out as the week progresses. “We haven’t been able to do much [as a team]”, he admits, but notes that “the Student Union President should be able to talk” and didn’t seem worried at his lack of paper to “throw in people’s faces”. Adewusi proved a hard man to find in the Arts Block today, mostly due to his focus on the Hamilton end of college and seemingly-shy campaign team. But he seems unperturbed: “I’m having tonnes of fun, if the two weeks are like this it’ll be a wonderful experience”.
Lynn Ruane, the only female presidential candidate, makes quite an entrance to the Arts Block today. Due to sanctions, Ruane’s social media presence was only launched this afternoon, but she is intent on making up for this on the ground. Her white-clad campaign team are soundtracked by a tuba, which is also wearing a “Lynn to Win” t-shirt. “I don’t know what to expect” she tells me, as this is a new experience for her. Ruane’s relatively small campaign team have been trying to “split themselves between places” including D’Olier Street and Tallaght. Ruane notes the importance of class addresses to her campaign, as she enjoys “putting new angles” on her manifesto for the class she’s speaking to.
Nessan Harpur makes a point of coming to speak to The University Times and is keen to chat about his campaign strategies. The Engineering student praised the atmosphere in college and the student body’s willingness to pay attention to his volunteers. “everyone is asking questions [about my manifesto]” he enthuses. Perhaps remembering the apathy that past elections have had, he tells me that he is “surprised by how good the atmosphere is today”.
Education
Trish O’Beirne, campaign manager for Molly Kenny, seems utterly relaxed about the leadership race. “Being uncontested takes the stress off”, according to O’Beirne, who is focussing on lecture addresses in the Arts Block. Kenny’s uncontested bid for Education Officer sees her utilise the “trust” students have had for her as EMS Convenor this year. O’Beirne is confident about Kenny’s success in the elections – at least in the Science departments, saying “everyone knows Molly in the Hamilton”. Running under the simple slogan “Molly for Education”, it seems as though little can rock the boat for the role of education officer.
UT Editor
Edmund Heaphy, uncontested candidate for the role of Editor of The University Times, is similarly relaxed. The current deputy editor of the newspaper tells me that he is campaigning “in short bursts…about forty minutes at a time, so we have impact without annoying people”. There is many a red “Edmund for Editor” t-shirt to be seen on campus, however, surprising for an uncontested candidate. Heaphy and campaign manager Carla King-Molina both said that it was “great to see so many people get involved” in the elections in general.
Communications and Marketing
Communications and Marketing Officer is a new role this year, with two candidates running for the position. Jemma O’Leary runs from the Hamilton to the Arts Block to chat with me; her slogan, #HaveYourSay, has been making waves amongst students disenchanted with the Union, which has given her “a lot of ideas”. O’Leary spent her morning in Tallaght, and said that the students there “responded well to that”. Students have also responded well to O’Leary’s five-word manifesto, which sums up her policies very simply. O’Leary tells me that she’s “ready for a fight” for this campaign and, judging by the sea of blue t-shirts in the Arts Block, there are many who will stand with her.
Orange-clad film student Aifric Ní Chríodain wonders why “not a lot of people have asked me about giving up UT”. This is the first year in which the roles of Communications and Editor have been split; Ní Chríodain is delighted. “I know I am experienced [in this area], but I’m not so sure about being an editor!” Ní Chriodain’s volunteers are also some of the most visible today, especially in the Hamilton. “The response has been great there”, concedes Ní Chríodain, noting how happy students are to speak with her over their lunch. When I ask her about the two weeks ahead, she says “I’m really excited…it’s better than sitting at home, isn’t it?” With her brightly coloured shirts and catchy slogan (“Who the Fric else?”), it Is clear that Comms and Marketing is set to be a close race.
Entertainments
Katie Cogan’s campaign manager Aisling Mullins is deeply enthsuaistic about the campaign. “It’s a self-perpetuating machine…it’s phenomenal”, she says, noting how many people have asked Cogan’s team about their neon-pink hats. “We are overwhelmed by the incredible response from the student body”, Mullins told The University Times – “ The Pink Hat Movement is thriving and we’re hyped to hit Tuesday even harder!”. Cogan’s trademark pink hat is instantly familiar and her slogan — #FunIsGood – makes her a candidate that it is hard to forget.
David Gray’s team speak to me about the ENTS campaign in a very different way. “David recognises the complexity of the job”, his manager tells me, and believes that there will be “less wasted time” if he is elected. It’s certainly an energetic campaign, with volunteer dedication matched by the intensity of his campaign video – a parody of Fifty Shade sof Grey. “An awful lot goes into this”, his team tell me, “and it’s a misconception that it’s just fun”. The difference and scope of the Ents candidates is perhaps unmatched by the other candidates in The Leadership Race.
Conor Parle’s red t-shirt features a mugshot and it can be seen on many a student across campus. “It’s so refreshing to see a response like this!” he tells me, referencing his manifesto which promises less clubnights on campus. “Everyone has been so positive about it…it’s been lots of fun on the ground”. Parle’s campaign team have been hard at work today; campus is covered in “Parlez-Vous Ents?” flyers. Unlike many candidates I chat to, Parle is not worried about the race “I’m expressing a positive attitude…at the end of the day [the elections] are a lot of fun, I’m having a lot of fun”.
Welfare & Equality
Welfare candidate Louise O’Toole is delighted with the day’s proceedings. “It’s all going so well” she says of lecture addresses and visiting students off-campus. “I’m making it my business to talk to everybody” on campus, as well as students in D’Olier Street, St; James’ and Tallaght. O’Toole is also visiting Trinity Halls tonight to address first years, and praises her dedicated team, many of whom are on “leaflet patrol” to ensure nothing is wasted. O’Toole is quick to praise fellow candiates, notably Katie Cogan: “I’m working well with Katie’s hat…people ask am I on her team, and I say no, but here are my policies!” she laughs.
Liam Mulligan is less cheery; “we have a good presence but it’s daunting…we’re not going to go full blown on the first day.” Mulligan is already thinking like a Welfare Officer, noting that the student volunteers ought to be wary of how the crowd in the Arts Block may affect students with anxiety. Mulligan’s plan for the week is to spread out to places thay may not be visited during the coming weeks, such as the geology and museum buildings on-campus. Mulligan’s campaign team flock around us as we chat, with one student telling me that she sees him as “her own personal welfare officer”.
Connor Clancy’s electric yellow t-shirts seem to do the job for his team; “feedback has been great”, he tells me. “I’m glad I have done this kind of thing before”, he admits, as he is currently engaged as the TCDSU Sports Engagement officer. Surprisingly, he notes that he doesn’t want to “pester people”, though he does want to engage them as much as he can. Clancy seems to have a reasonably light-hearted focus with his campaign – I spotted him wearing bear-claw slippers at one point over the day. He seems serious, however, judging by his reach: he visited the Hamilton, D’Olier Street, and Tallaght today, as well as having students stationed in Front Square and at the Sports Centre.
Aoife O’Brien’s campaign manager Katie Clover seems worried; when I chat to her, the team have run out of manifestos, though she does note that this is probably a good thing. Today, team O’Brien are “covering the two main bases” on campus before moving on tomorrow – true to her manifesto, O’Brien “doesn’t want to neglect anyone”. Later in the day, I’m informed that the group ran out of leaflets and have spent much of the day talking to post-graduate students and Erasmus students; “those who don’t even realise that they have a vote!”. O’Brien’s team is one of the smallest in this year’s elections, but according to Clever, “when you have good people, less is more”.
Muireann Montague sums up her first day as “Hun-fricking-real. That’s HUNreal!”. Montague herself has spent most of the day in the Hamilton, Lloyd, Chemistry and SNIAM buildings as well as visiting Goldsmith hall and the JCR, in keeping with her policy of “remembering those who may be forgotten”. “I’m built for this…I’m absolutely pumped”, Montague tells me, a day where her phone was broken and her bike was stolen. Such misfortunes are easily brushed away by Montague, though, who praises her campaign team for helping her stay in touch without a mobile. Like most candidates, Montague addressed mant classes today; she enjoys them “for the human connection”. Montague sums up the positive atmospehere and excitement of the first day of the campaigns in one sentence: “I just can’t stop smiling!”.
