Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) Sabbatical Officer nominations have closed as of 5:30 pm on January 31st. Twenty candidates have put their names forward for elections, and only one race is uncontested.
President
There are three candidates running to succeed Jenny Maguire for the role of TCDSU President.
Patrick Keegan
Patrick Keegan is a third year Business and Politics student. Keegan currently serves as the Chair of Trinity’s Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Group (BDS), the International Students Officer for TCDSU, Secretary of Ógra Sinn Féin TCD and Head of Ents for the Robinson Subcommittee of the Hist. He also serves as the Business School Convenor in the Union.
Giovanni Li
Giovanni Li is a first year Middle Eastern and European Languages and Cultures (MEELC) student. He is the Ethnic Minorities Officer for TCDSU, the Class Representative for first year MEELC and the chair of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Advisory Group. Li also holds positions in Trinity’s KnitSoc and Ksoc (the Korean Society).
Seán Thim O’Leary
Seán Thim O’Leary is a third year PPES student. They are the Union Archivist and a Class Representative for TCDSU, as well as the Chairperson of the Trinity Social Democrats (SocDems). They have also interned for Senator Malcom Byrne and served as a Student 2 Student mentor. O’Leary also works as a community activist in their locality in Wexford.
Education
There are two candidates contesting the Education Officer role.
Conchúr Ó Cathasaigh
Conchúr Ó Cathasaigh is a fourth year Mathematics and Statistics student. He is currently the School of Maths Convenor, an Undergraduate Studies Committee Student Representative, and was the Chair of Council and Chair of the Electoral Commission for the 2023/24 academic year.
Buster Whaley
Buster Whaley is a fourth year English student. Whaley is the current Co-Editor-in-Chief of TN2 Magazine. He has also written for Misc. Magazine and is the host of TrinityFM radio show “Weather and Traffic”.
Welfare
Three candidates are running for the role of Welfare Officer to succeed Hamza Bana.
Nina Crofts
Nina Crofts is a third year Politics and Sociology student. Crofts is the Co-Sex and Relationships Editor for Trinity News and the Citizenship Officer for TCDSU. She previously served as LGBT+ Rights Officer for the Union.
John Garvey
John Garvey is a final year English and History student. He is Film and TV editor for TN2 magazine. Garvey also served on the Welfare and Equality Committee for two years and has been a class representative for his course.
Deirdre Leahy
Deirdre Leahy is in her final year of studying Occupational Therapy. She has previously worked as a JCR peer supporter and has served as a Class Rep for two years running. Leahy also works with Neurodiversity Ireland.
Lusin Alasor has also thrown their name into the hat for the race. They have declined to give information for this article due to uncertainty surrounding their candidacy.
Bhargavi Magadi is a joint honours Political Science and Economics student. They volunteer at SpunOut and Plan International YAP.
Communications and Marketing Officer
The race for Communications Officer (Comms) will only see one candidate on the ballot to succeed Beth Strahan. The role was the most contested of all races last year, with four candidates.
Channing Kehoe
Channing Kehoe is a fourth year Law and Politics Student. Kehoe currently serves as the Public Relations Officer (PRO) for Trinity Musical Theatre and was formerly a Class Representative for TCDSU, as well as Design Editor for the DU Journal of Criminology.
ENTS (Entertainment Officer)
Ents will be the most contested race in the sabbatical elections this year, with six candidates vying for the position. Current Ents Officer Peadar Walsh ran uncontested last year.
Yuv Garg
Yuv Garg is a fourth year Global Business student. Garg has previously served as President and Treasurer of Trinity Indian Society, Sports Officer for the Trinity Hall Junior Common Room (JCR), and is currently the Welfare and Inclusion Officer for the Ents committee, formerly serving as Third Year Representative.
Finn Hallwood
Finn Hallwood is a third year Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering student. He is the Captain of the Men’s Swimming and Water Polo club. He is also the current Head Tracker for Jailbreak, a multiday charity event held by Trinity VDP, Amnesty and Cumann Gaelach.
Kate Mason
Kate Mason is a third year History student. She is the festival coordinator for Trinity Orchestra and is also involved as part of the popular DJ collective Midnight Disco.
Orla Norton
Orla Norton is a Trinity student. Norton has declined to share details for this article due to uncertainty surrounding their candidacy.
John O’Hara
John O’Hara is a third year Film student. O’Hara is Captain of the DU Men’s Hockey Club. He also serves as Public Relations Officer (PRO) for ENTS and the Trinity Hall Junior Common Room (JCR).
Helen Tyrell
Helen Tyrell is a fourth year business student. She is the Vice President of Fundraising for Trinity VDP, the Trinity Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
Oifigeach Gaeilge
Three candidates put their name forward to campaign to become TCDSU’s second Oifigeach na Gaeilge. This role was created by the Irish language campaign in Trinity in 2024, which was pushed for by the current Oifigeach na Gaeilge Pádraig Mac Bradaigh.
Aoife Ní Bhriain
Aoife Ní Bhriain is a final year student studying Mathematics. She has experience as a Student 2 Student mentor, Oifigeach Gaeilge on the committee of Comhaltas Bhré, and a committee member for the TCD Traditional Irish Music Society. Ní Bhriain is currently living on the Scéim Cónaithe. She currently serves on Coiste na Gaeilge for TCDSU.
Niamh Leddy
Niamh Leddy is a final year European Studies student. Leddy has experience as a Trinity Social Media Ambassador and previously worked as Cumann Gaelach’s Public Relations Officer and has written Irish language articles for both The University Times and Trinity News. Leddy is currently living on the Scéim Cónaithe.
Abigail Ní Mhuircheartaigh
Abigail Ní Mhuircheartaigh is a final year European Studies student. Ní Mhuircheartaigh is the current Eagarthóir Gaeilge for the University Times and has also written Irish Languages articles for Trinity News. She also works as an Irish translator for TCDSU and was a member of the Scéim Cónaithe in her first year.
Editor of The University Times
Two candidates are running for Editor of The University Times, the role currently held by Brídín Ní Fhearraigh-Joyce.
Charlie Hastings
Charlie Hastings is a final year English and Italian student. In 2023/2024 he served as the Chair of the Editorial Board for The University Times. This will be Hastings’ second year running: he ran for Editor in 2024 but was unsuccessful. In the mean time, he has been a contributing writer for Trinity News and also serves as a class representative.
Sajal Singh
Sajal Singh is a third year English and Economics student. Singh is the current Features Editor for The University Times as well as the current Deputy Arts and Culture Editor for Trinity News. Singh has also been published in Misc. Magazine. She currently works as a content strategy intern for startups.
Campaigning will officially begin on February 17th at 10 am, concluding at 4 pm on February 27th. Voting will take place from February 25th to February 27th, and results of elections are due to be announced on the February 27th.
More information about these candidates will be provided by The University Times as the TCDSU Sabbatical campaign begins in earnest.
