First established in 1979 by Greta Hickey, then a member of the Dublin University Harriers & Athletics Club, the revived Trinity Hereans, who take their name from the Greek goddess Hera, had their first formal meeting during Hilary Term 2024 on February 5th.
This follows a request by the Provost at the Annual General Meeting of the Knights of the Campanile (KoC), the male-only collection of sports club obsessives, where she is reported to have remarked that she was the only female presence in the room and so called for the re-establishment of the Trinity Hereans.
Both the KoC and the Hereans are made up of those that are supposed to excel in their chosen sport, as well as be sociable. This is because, since its establishment in 1926, the KoC are most well-known for their hosting and entertainment of visiting sports teams.
In a 2001 statement, then-Master of the KoC Peter Ledbetter said: “As ever, the criteria for election to the Knights remain: active high-level involvement in sport in College, participation in administration in the College Club promoting a specific sport, social skills to welcome sporting visitors to College.”
In the AGM at which the Provost was speaking, Trinity News, when the Provost suggested that the Hereans be revived, reported that “this statement apparently caused some rumblings in the room following its delivery”.
The 2023/24 President of the KoC is understood, however, to have reached out to Ciara Mulligan, 2023/24 Captain of the Dublin University Hockey Club, just a day after her election to said position in an effort to encourage the revival of the Trinity Hereans.
The Hereans have struggled to maintain sufficient numbers to stay in consistent function since their initial establishment in 1979. They are reported to have had a number of revivals in the 2000s and 2010s.
This latest revival is hoped to be their last, and they are reported to be considering, along with the KoC, to become more unified with their male counterparts, and vice-versa.
If they were to become one, unified organisation this would follow in the footsteps of the elite sporting club at Oxford University, Vincent’s Club. If they were to work closely together, but remain separate, this would follow in the footsteps of the Hawks and Ospreys sporting clubs at Cambridge University, for men and women respectively.
The KoC and the Trinity Hereans recently held their AGM together in the Dining Hall on February 23rd, 2024, joined in attendance by the Provost.
