Representatives from both Ógra Shinn Féin and Labour Youth Trinity were asked to leave on the first day of the Freshers’ Fair by the Central Societies Committee (CSC). The Chairmen of both societies — which are not officially recognised by Trinity — have criticised their removal from the fair, calling it “undemocratic”.
According to Cathaoirleach of Ógra Shinn Féin, Patrick Keegan, he and his colleagues were asked to leave the Freshers’ Fair at approximately 11:30am by the CSC. The reasoning given was that proposed societies, like Ógra Shinn Féin, were not allowed at the Freshers’ Fair, which is reserved exclusively for societies recognised by the college.
A similar situation unfolded a few hours later when Chairman of Labour Youth Trinity Matthew Butt and Labour Dublin City Councillor Fiona Connelly were asked by CSC Chairman Conchúr Ó Cathasaigh to leave the fair on the same grounds. The Labour representatives did not have a stand at the fair but walked around sharing leaflets and merchandise with students.
In a statement to the University Times, Chairman Matthew Butt said, “While we respect the rules of the CSC, the exclusion of the Labour Youth from the Freshers’ Fair was undemocratic. We believe students should be given a fair choice as to which political party to support, a choice that was not given to them this Freshers’ Fair”. Butt clarified that Provost Linda Doyle had been made aware of the issue and they are hoping that it can be resolved.
As it stands, there are six political parties with officially recognised Trinity societies, Sinn Féin and Labour being the most notable exclusions from this list. Ógra Shinn Féin was de-recognised by the CSC for not having submitted a grant application to the committee for two years in a row. Cathaoirleach Keegan, when reached out for comment, blamed this on a “clear lack of communication from the CSC concerning society recognition”, claiming that the rule was not publicly available anywhere prior to their de-recognition. Keegan called their exclusion from the annual event “unjust and unfair”.
The CSC were reached out to but did not respond for comment.
