{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox students' union | name = Trinity College Dublin Students' Union |logo=Trinity College Dublin Students' Union official logo.png|logo_alt=Logo of Trinity College Dublin Students' Union. Three dimensional house with the abbreviation TCDSU on the front and AMLCT on the side.| institution = Trinity College Dublin | location = Teach 6, Trinity College Dublin |president = Grace McNally<ref name="2025_byelection">{{Cite news |title=Grace McNally elected TCDSU president |url=https://www.trinitynews.ie/2025/11/grace-mcnally-elected-tcdsu-president/ |work=Trinity News |date=28 November 2025 |access-date=6 May 2026}}</ref> | members = over 20,000<ref name="TCDSU Explained">{{cite web |title=Our Structure |url=https://www.tcdsu.org/your-union/our-structure |access-date=6 May 2026 |publisher=Trinity College Dublin Students' Union}}</ref> | affiliated = AMLÉ | homepage = [http://www.tcdsu.org www.tcdsu.org] }} '''Trinity College Dublin Students' Union''' (Irish: ''Aontas Mac Léinn Choláiste na Tríonóide''), often referred to by its abbreviation '''TCDSU''' (Irish: ''AMLCT''), is a students' union and the recognised representative body for the students of Trinity College Dublin. Its role is to provide a channel between the students and the authorities of the college, as well as to provide services to those students.<ref name="TCDSU Explained" /> TCDSU states that every Trinity undergraduate and postgraduate student is a member, covering more than 20,000 students.<ref name="TCDSU Explained" /> TCDSU is a constituent organisation of Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn.<ref name="USI's Constituent Organisations">{{cite web |title=About USI |date=22 August 2012 |url=https://usi.ie/about-usi/ |url-status= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |accessdate=2024-05-23 |publisher=Union of Students in Ireland}}</ref> The day-to-day business of the Union is run out of Teach 6, also known as Teach Mandela.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Power |first=Róisín |date=2017-10-10 |title=House Six, the Heartbeat of Student Life |url=https://universitytimes.ie/2017/10/house-six-the-heartbeat-of-student-life/ |access-date=2024-05-23 |work=The University Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gallagher |first=Maebh |date=2021-11-30 |title=TCDSU Votes to Refer to House Six as 'Teach a Sé' in Communications |url=https://universitytimes.ie/2021/11/tcdsu-votes-to-refer-to-house-six-as-teach-a-se-in-communications/ |access-date=2024-05-23 |work=The University Times}}</ref> The union is led by a team of sabbatical officers with the help of part-time officers, faculty convenors, school convenors and class representatives,<ref name="TCDSU Explained" /> alongside a number of permanent staff members.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TCDSU Constitution (Schedule 5) |url=https://www.tcdsu.org/images/pdf/Schedule_5.pdf |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=Trinity College Dublin Students' Union}}</ref> The student body elects a president every spring, who oversees the finances and management of the Union.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Trinity College Dublin Students' Union - Aontas na Mac Léinn, Coláiste na Trionóide - Our Structure |url=https://www.tcdsu.org/your-union/our-structure |access-date=2024-11-09 |website=www.tcdsu.org}}</ref> The president for the 2025/26 academic year was Seán Thim O'Leary,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Alderson |first=Harper |date=2025-07-08 |title=New Sabbatical Officers Take Office amid a €1,000 Surprise Student Fee Hike |url=https://universitytimes.ie/2025/07/new-sabbatical-officers-take-office-amid-a-1000-surprise-student-fee-hike/ |access-date=2025-07-08 |work=The University Times}}</ref> until their resignation at the end of October 2025.<ref name="2025_resignation">{{Cite news |last=Hastings |first=Charlie |last2=Alderson |first2=Harper |last3=Goldman |first3=Freja |date=31 October 2025 |title=Seán Thim Resigns as President of Trinity Students’ Union |url=https://universitytimes.ie/2025/10/sean-thim-resigns-as-president-tcdsu/ |url-status=live |work=University Times |publication-place=Dublin}}</ref> Grace McNally was elected president in the resulting bye-election on 28 November 2025.<ref name="2025_byelection" /> == Structure == TCDSU's representative structure includes sabbatical officers, part-time officers, class representatives, school and faculty convenors, Union Forum, SU Council and oversight/electoral commissions.<ref name="TCDSU Explained" /> There are also representatives from the college's various schools and courses who assist with policy development, campaigns and student casework.<ref name="TCDSU Explained" /> There are also two commissions designed to hold officers accountable: the Electoral Commission (responsible for elections) and the Oversight Commission (responsible for mandate compliance).<ref name="TCDSU Explained" /> As of 2024, there were six sabbatical officer positions: the president, the education officer, the welfare & equality officer, the communications & marketing officer, the entertainments officer<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=TCDSU Constitution |url=https://www.tcdsu.org/images/pdf/TCDSU_Constitution.pdf |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=Trinity College Dublin Students' Union}}</ref> and the oifigeach na Gaeilge, the latter of which was introduced in February 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Downey |first=Leah |date=2024-02-06 |title=Gaeilge Initiative Referendum Passes with Landslide Majority |url=https://universitytimes.ie/2024/02/gaeilge-initiative-referendum-passes-with-landslide-majority/ |access-date=2024-05-23 |work=The University Times}}</ref> TCDSU's sabbatical officers take an intermission of their studies and receive a salary from the union while serving in their roles, but this is not the case for any other roles in the union.<ref name=":0" /> Elections for sabbatical officers are held every spring, with all capitated students (including incumbent sabbatical officers) eligible to run and vote.<ref name=":0" /> The president, the education officer and the welfare & equality officer are elected members of the college board.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=TCDSU Constitution (Schedule 6) |url=https://www.tcdsu.org/images/pdf/Schedule_6.pdf |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=Trinity College Dublin Students' Union}}</ref> The education officer and the three faculty convenors are also elected members of the University Council.<ref name=":1" /> In September 2022, Trinity's board approved suspending university engagement with, and services to, the Graduate Students' Union. The capitation committee also suspended GSU funding and reallocated it to TCDSU for postgraduate support.<ref>{{cite web |title=Special Board Meeting 22 September 2022 |url=https://www.tcd.ie/media/tcd/committee-papers/downloads/board/minutes/2022-23/UniversityBoard_minutes_20220922.pdf |publisher=Trinity College Dublin |date=22 September 2022 |access-date=6 May 2026}}</ref> In November 2024, TCDSU's council approved a motion to integrate postgraduates into the union's structures.<ref>{{cite news |title=TCDSU Council formally approves postgraduate integration into union |url=https://www.trinitynews.ie/2024/11/tcdsu-council-formally-approves-postgraduate-integration-into-union/ |work=Trinity News |date=5 November 2024 |access-date=6 May 2026}}</ref> In October 2025, a referendum on postgraduate representation passed with 87 per cent in favour. The change created a full-time Graduate Officer, codified Postgraduate Taught and Postgraduate Research Officer roles, and introduced undergraduate and postgraduate faculty and school convenors.<ref>{{cite news |title=Both TCDSU Referendums Are Carried |url=https://universitytimes.ie/2025/10/both-tcdsu-referenda-are-carried/ |work=The University Times |date=6 October 2025 |access-date=6 May 2026}}</ref> == Services == ===Campaigns=== The union runs a number of campaigns, both at the college level and at the national level. As part of this, the union's officers organise various campaign weeks throughout the year addressing issues like mental health, gender equality and climate change. TCDSU has also been part of lobbying the Irish Government over issues such as the re-introduction of third-level fees<ref name="University student charge a 'fee'">{{cite news |author=Carbery |first=Genevieve |date=2010-01-01 |title=University student charge a 'fee' |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0128/breaking65.html |newspaper=The Irish Times}}</ref> and has campaigned against decisions made by the college considered unfavourable to students.<ref name="Students at TCD campaign over cut in books budget">{{cite news |author=Flynn |first=Seán |date=2009-11-11 |title=Students at TCD campaign over cut in books budget |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1127/1224259547239.html |newspaper=The Irish Times}}</ref><ref name="TCD students occupy library in protest over cuts">{{cite news |title=TCD students occupy library in protest over cuts |url=http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/eymhgbkfsnkf/rss2/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614043354/http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/eymhgbkfsnkf/rss2/ |archive-date=2011-06-14 |website=BreakingNews.ie}}</ref> Previous campaigns have included providing students with information on abortion services (at the time illegal in Ireland)<ref>{{Cite web |last=D'Arcy |first=Naoise |date=2021-10-13 |title='Mary Robinson Told Us to Pack Our Bags': When TCDSU Was Threatened With Prison |url=https://universitytimes.ie/2021/10/mary-robinson-told-us-to-pack-our-bags-when-tcdsu-was-threatened-with-prison/ |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=The University Times |language=en-US}}</ref> and organising an encampment outside the Book of Kells to pressure the college into divesting from Israeli companies which operate in the Palestinian territories.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Sharkey |first1=Kevin |last2=Fox |first2=Matt |date=2024-05-08 |title=Dublin: Trinity College Dublin protest camp to end |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cv2jlp9yl7zo |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref>
===Trinity Ents===
The Ents Officer runs Trinity Ents, which organises student social events during the year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Officers |url=https://www.tcdsu.org/your-union/officers |website=Trinity College Dublin Students' Union |access-date=6 May 2026}}</ref> Trinity Ents is associated with the annual Trinity Ball. In 2023, TCDSU said the Ents Officer was working with MCD and the Trinity Ball Committee to stage the event.<ref>{{cite news |title=Trinity Ball 2023 to be last on campus for 5 years, says TCDSU |url=https://www.trinitynews.ie/2023/01/trinity-ball-2023-to-be-last-on-campus-for-5-years-says-tcdsu/ |work=Trinity News |date=31 January 2023 |access-date=6 May 2026}}</ref>
===The University Times=== {{Main|The University Times}} A student newspaper, ''The University Times'', is funded by the Students' Union.<ref name=":0" /> The editor of the University Times is elected in the same way as the sabbatical officers of the union, however they themselves are not a union officer and maintain their editorial independence.<ref name=":0" /> Like the sabbatical officers, however the editor of the University Times takes an intermission of their studies and receives a salary from the union while in the position.<ref name=":0" /> The University Times has received a number of awards, including Newspaper of the Year 2022 at the National Student Media Awards.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Trinity College's University Times named Newspaper of the Year |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/trinity-college-s-university-times-named-newspaper-of-the-year-1.4864766 |access-date=2024-05-23 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=}}</ref> == Notable former officers == * Averil Power - CEO of the Irish Cancer Society, former union president and education officer<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2017-10-05 |title=Former TCDSU President Averil Power appointed chief executive of Irish Cancer Society |url=http://trinitynews.ie/2017/10/former-tcdsu-president-averil-power-appointed-chief-executive-of-irish-cancer-society-2/ |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=Trinity News |language=en-US}}</ref> * Ivana Bacik - Leader of the Labour Party, former union president<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cahill |first=Seán |date=2022-03-24 |title=Ivana Bacik Named Labour Leader |url=https://universitytimes.ie/2022/03/ivana-bacik-named-labour-leader/ |work=The University Times}}</ref> * Joe Duffy - Radio and TV presenter for RTÉ, former union president<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mulligan |first=Matthew |date=2015-02-12 |title=TCDSU presidents look back |url=http://trinitynews.ie/2015/02/tcdsu-presidents-look-back/ |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=Trinity News |language=en-US}}</ref> * Alex White - former senator and TD, former vice president of TCDSU{{fact|date=January 2025}} * Lynn Ruane - Senator, former president<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Lynn – Lynn Ruane |url=https://lynnruane.ie/about/ |access-date=2024-05-23 |language=en-US}}</ref> * Mark Little - Journalist and TV presenter for RTÉ, former union president<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moreau |first=Emer |date=2021-09-22 |title=Dear Fresher Me: Mark Little |url=https://universitytimes.ie/2021/09/mark-little/ |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=The University Times |language=en-US}}</ref> * Rory Hearne - TD, former president<ref>{{Cite web |last=McNamee |first=Kathleen |date=2016-02-25 |title=From TCDSU to the Seanad, How Student Politics Reach the National Stage |url=https://universitytimes.ie/2016/02/from-tcdsu-to-the-seanad-student-politics-enter-the-general-election/#:~:text=Former%20TCDSU%20President%20Rory%20Hearne |access-date=2025-07-09 |language=en-IE}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.tcdsu.org Trinity College Dublin Students' Union] website * [http://www.trinityents.com Trinity Ents] website * [http://www.universitytimes.ie ''The University Times''] website {{University of Dublin, Trinity College}} {{Students' Unions in Ireland}} {{authority control}} Category:Students' unions in Ireland Students' Union Category:Organisations based in Dublin (city)