GSU Events!

This week I attended a few events hosted by Trinity's Graduate Students' Union. Tuesday was the GSU AGM (annual general meeting), wherein various new officers were elected. This was followed by a GSU welcome reception at The Gingerman Pub, which is right down Nassau Street near Trinity, and right across from a hotel I had stayed at during my trip here in 2006, so I was somewhat familiar with where I was going.

I liked the Gingerman - it's a nice, cozy, dimly-lit small pub with several "snugs" (small little corner or booth seating areas). It's known to some as one of the "literary pubs" of Dublin, though not on the Literary Writer's Pub Crawl, which was a lot of fun back in 2007. The GSU hosted appetizers (aka "nibbles") and 1 drink for all who attended. It was a good event to meet a few new people. The food was typical pub fare, not the healthiest option. They serve the usual beers along with literary themed beers such as "Writer's Block Lager" and "Writer's Red". I tried the Red, not bad!

GSU College Tour: Wednesday, 30 September 2009

The next day at 5pm, Juliette and I attended a College Tour led by one of the GSU guys. I'm really happy that we went on this tour, as I learned about several buildings and events on campus that I did not know of yet, including Christmas Commons Dinner, held in the Dining Hall. I will definitely keep my eye out for that. Also, above the Dining Hall is "The 1592 Room", a fancy restaurant with a prix-fixe menu. Our guide also told us of a small bar up there that, allegedly, some professors sometimes take their students to...hhmm, perhaps we could be so honored at some point. We also learned about various coffee shops on campus, the School of Dentistry and the student services it offers, the building where esteemed alumni reside when visiting College, and other interesting facts.

The Dining Hall, with the 1592 Room on top floor above.

To the left in this photo is the Chapel; to the right is the GMB (Graduate's Memorial Building)

If you look to the left of the Dining Hall steps, you'll see a blue sign...through that little path is where I go to do my laundry at, where else, but the Launderette.

On the right side of the Dining Hall steps, you see the silver car.  Straight ahead from there is The Buttery, the campus' main cafeteria.  Haven't tried it yet.

After the College Tour, the GSU hosted a reception in the GSU Common Room, with wine and snacks, including hummus and crackers (yum), chips (aka "crisps"), cheeses, chocolates, cookies, etc. We chatted briefly with a few new people, then it was time for my first Irish Sign Language Class, so I had to jet.

The GSU Common Room, House 6

GSU Walk in Howth: Saturday, 03 October 2009

The GSU hosted a walk in Howth (pronounced with a long O), which is a great little fishing town just northeast of Dublin. We met at Front Gate, then headed to the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit - a commuter train) for the 20 minute train ride to Howth. Once there, our group of 15 or so began our journey through the small town and up to the coastal area for our scenic walk on the cliffs. It was a lovely short walk, with the hills making for great exercise! We didn't walk all the way to the lighthouse, so that is on my to-do list for another time.


Standby for photos of the Howth walk.