When I first came across the comedy society, its entire committee consisted of just three people sitting behind a desk at the Freshers’ Fair, their only sign a lone PowerPoint slide. Three is the bare minimum required by the CSC (Central Societies Committee): one president, one treasurer, and one secretary—just enough to keep the society alive. When I asked Tony how he ended up as president, considering he had only performed stand-up once the previous year, he smiled and said, “There were no other applicants. I have to sign up, or we will be dismissed. ”
Becoming president of a small society is the easy part; keeping it alive is the real challenge. In Tony’s two years with the comedy society before becoming president, the society never really had the spotlight. “We generally have about five to ten regular attendees each year,” he said. Their compact and inexperienced three-person committee looked unlikely to turn things around—yet, against the odds, 2024–2025 became the society’s most successful year in recent memory. When I asked if it was their highest attendance yet, Tony didn’t hesitate: “Definitely.”
Talking about the key to their turnaround, Tony was clear: “The key is to keep doing events weekly.” Their first open mic took place on the Tuesday after Fresher’s Week. The committee hauled a single microphone into a classroom in the art block and nervously waited for people to show up—after all, the mic was the only one with any real hosting experience. To their relief, about 20 people attended, with six signing up to perform.
The first open mic turned out to be a great success. The lineup mixed both seasoned performers and first-timers—some stayed on stage for ten minutes, others for barely two. The night was filled with bursts of laughter, punctuated by the occasional awkward silence. Nevertheless, people were glad to find others who shared their interests. Many who attended that evening went on to become regulars at society events throughout the year, and some of the most enthusiastic, like myself, joined the committee.
From then on, there was an open mic every two weeks, drawing in more people—both to watch and to sign up for spots. Performers got funnier, audiences laughed louder, and the room grew stuffier. The committee expanded to eight members. It struck me as absurdly funny when I discovered the comedy society shares its committee room with the Christian Union. Our meetings took place surrounded by shelves of Bibles. Even our only asset—the mic—was borrowed from our roommates. I called it the “holy mic.”
Things began to fall into place in the second semester. With new committee members on board, the team finally had the capacity to organise more events. They secured a budget from the CSC to fund a six-week comedy class taught by a professional comedian. Eight students signed up, five of whom had never done stand-up before. In April 2025, the class showcased their work in a “graduation gig,” where each comedian performed a seven-minute original set—every one of them with a distinctive style of their own, in front of a full house in Trinity Pav. It was the first stand-up experience for most of the students in that class.
The highlight of last year was undoubtedly the Alumni Charity Night. While searching for a comedy teacher, I was pleasantly surprised to receive numerous messages from past society members. I was impressed to see how many alumni had gone on to become professional comedians. It turned out that the society had a glorious history. According to Trinity News, the Comedy Society has roots dating back to the 1970s and was once one of the biggest societies on campus, with 1,000 registered members in 2008. When the Cancer Society approached us with an invitation to collaborate on a fundraising event, we seized the opportunity to bring alumni back for a special charity gig in support of cancer research.
After two months of outreach, promotion, and planning, the charity gig took place in the International Bar basement on the 11th of March. Six alumni were invited, and the venue was packed with an audience. The society raised €450 that night for the Irish Cancer Society. “I really like to see that, as a small society, we can also create some social impact by doing the things we enjoy,” I said. It was a proud moment not only for the current members but also for alumni—proof that the society has endured and continues to bring laughter to people. Considering it was on the verge of being dismissed at the start of the year, the outcome was both a relief and a pleasant surprise for everyone.
This year, the society has had a much stronger start than last, and the committee is determined to bring more gigs, more performers, and more laughs. Events Officer Oscar has even launched a new comedy club at the Chaplin Bar, The Laughter Hour, giving society members the chance to enjoy free comedy and perform for a Dublin crowd. Next semester will also feature a comedy class for all levels, taught by Patrick Colon, a Trinity alumnus and professional comedian. Each gig will include at least one Dublin comedian as a headliner, with sponsor prizes to give away. And, true to tradition, the society will continue to host both the annual charity gig and the past members’ event.
Just as at Trinity, live comedy is reclaiming its place in entertainment. Take the world’s biggest comedy festival as an example: this year’s Edinburgh Fringe features over 1,400 stand-up shows—a 10% increase on last year and the highest number in a decade.
Lila, the society’s treasurer, explained:
“It’s appealing to everyone because it’s so accessible. Anyone can relate to the content. Our society feels like a friend group—we’re from different countries and study different courses, but we bond over a shared passion.”
