College’s Inspiring Generations philanthropic campaign raised approximately €110 million in two years, as part of an overall target of €400 million in donations, which was achieved over a 12-year period.
The campaign was publicly launched in May 2019, but fundraising started in 2009 as part of a “quiet phase” of campaigning efforts.
In an email statement to The University Times, Trinity’s Director of Alumni and Supporter Relations Jennifer Taaffe, said that from October 2009, the campaign began a “quiet phase” in which €290 million was raised before the public launch in 2019.
In an interview with this newspaper last month, former Provost Patrick Prendergast, said that a €30 million donation from Eric and Barbara Kinsella earlier this year brought the total amount of money brought in to more than €400 million.
“We’ve reached the target”, he said. “We’re actually at more than €400 million.”
“It’s Eric Kinsella’s €30 million donation that took us over. I’m delighted to say we’ve made it.”
The donation from Eric Kinsella – a Trinity graduate and founder of Jones Engineering – and his wife Barbara represented the largest philanthropic gift in the history of the state.
The donation will go towards the E3 Research Institute in Trinity East, helping to launch the development of a new campus in the Docklands.
It also helped to finance the Trinity Business School and the current redevelopment of the Old Library. The Trinity Long Room Hub and Trinity Cancer Institute also draw funds from the philanthropic campaign.
At the campaign’s launch, Prendergast emphasised the role of “graduates and friends” in the Inspiring Generations campaign: “We’re building this campaign on the remarkable legacy of graduates like Samuel Beckett, Bill Campbell and Mary Robinson.”
Prendergast said that College “has helped to shape a better-informed and more equal society – in Ireland and around the world”.
In May of this year, Inspiring Generations reached its target of 150,000 volunteer hours.
A video launched by Trinity Development and Alumni to celebrate the milestone said that “through online and in person events, our volunteers are sharing their in depth knowledge and expertise by participating in webinars and talks, and contributing articles to our alumni publications”.
