Students have the potential to be a powerful force for change. Recently, Trinity has witnessed this firsthand, with the success of the BDS Encampment being realised through the College’s commitment to completely divesting from Israel, becoming the first university in Ireland to do so. This marked a key moment in contemporary student activism in Ireland, but it is not the climax. The struggle continues to try to make our world a better, more peaceful place for all. In the wake of their achievement, a new student movement, endorsed by both the Trinity BDS and Students 4 Change, has emerged in college: the Student Neutrality Front. Although they are not an official CSC Society, nor exclusively associated with Trinity, they are a notable development in the landscape of student activism in college. Already, they are taking the example of the BDS and looking beyond it, towards ensuring the Irish Government maintains Neutrality in the face of accelerating global militarism.
The Republic of Ireland is officially neutral, with the precedent set in 1922 when the Government, still holding onto the memory of the devastation of the First World War, vowed never again to allow the country to be overtaken by the force of empire to be pawns for imperialist warfare. Since 1960, and later amended in 2006, the “Triple Lock” has secured Irish Neutrality, ensuring troops of over 12 people could not be deployed without approval from the Cabinet, the Dáil, and the UN. With militarisation across Europe on the rise, the SNF, as well as people across Ireland, are concerned that recent amendments to the Defence Bill will allow for the removal of the Triple Lock and the dismantling of the neutrality principle.
Launched in June of 2025, the primary aims of the SNF include: maintaining the Triple Lock; divestment in military spending; maintaining Ireland’s non-membership of NATO; ending the “imperialised, militarised use of Ireland’s skies, including and especially US Military use of Shannon Airport and passage of Israeli munitions through Irish airspace”; and ending all trade with Israel.
Their collaboration with Mothers Against Genocide in July has been reported on previously, where they staged an interruption of Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s address at the O’Connell 250 Symposium. On September 18th, the SNF organised a panel in collaboration with The Neutrality Roadshow, a group travelling across the country, aiming to educate and open discussion surrounding Irish Neutrality, with the view of preventing the dismantling of the Triple Lock and ending the association which allows American military aircraft to use Shannon Airport. This event was supported by the Trinity BDS Campaign, TCD Politics Society, TCD Environmental Society, and Students4Change, indicating a spirit of collaboration among key areas of Trinity student activism, as well as organisations fostering political interest and awareness.
Within Trinity and broader Irish society, there is some scepticism regarding student activism. Some may feel students are naïve owing to their youth, or that any radicalism will eventually be tamed as they move towards middle age. Others still, while appreciative of the work students can do towards effecting change within campus, may question their contribution to society. Historic examples such as the student protests in France in May 1968, as well as the recent BDS encampment in Trinity, indicate a genuine potential for societal change. The membership of SNF understands that there are limits to what goals they can reach alone, but they are not disheartened.
One of the primary aims of the SNF is stated as “Books and beds, not bombs”, calling for a divestment in military spending. They present that maintaining neutrality is a student issue as much as any other. Students and staff are already under strain; further budget allocation towards Irish militarisation undoubtedly means cuts in other areas, including education. Following this aim, the SNF is moving to connect with other student organisations across the country, in an essential display of solidarity. By uniting movements across individual colleges and other institutions, there is an increased ability to affect change, educating students, staff, and others about the consequences of increased engagement with military action.
Nathan Hutchinson-Edgar, a founding member of the SNF, stated, “We’re not solely interested in being a student movement just for students on campuses.” Following this, their manifesto states that “students, activists, and workers must unite”, indicating a desire to take the organisation beyond the college walls and to wider Irish society. With the Central Statistics Office reporting a decline in labour union membership in Ireland, with the high percentage of membership being among 55- 64 year olds, Patrick Flynn, another founding member of the SNF, feels it is essential to work towards ‘rejuvenating’ the Labour Movement as a force for political change in Ireland. He accepts that ‘there really aren’t any shortcuts’ in the process of fostering a sense of shared solidarity, and it must be built up through “small, meaningful acts” of support and finding opportunities to work together. However, he holds the belief that there is a shared sympathy and desire to act upon issues such as Neutrality and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, which connects both movements.
They view their role as one of supporting the broader movement, offering “insight” and helping to “steer it” towards a unifying neutrality movement. Our times are turbulent ones, but with a passion for change and a vested interest as students, SNF hopes to gain the strength and solidarity to make a genuine difference.
