Here are my top ten reasons for joining
societies. You never know who you might meet, where you might go and what you might
learn.
1.
New Kids on the Block: Societies'
Day reached new heights this year. Described as one of the societies' finest moments,
it achieved Mardi Gras proportions with record
attendances. There were stands in Aras na Mac Leinn and the Bank of
Ireland Theatre, and outdoor gazebos including crazy golf courtesy ofVSA and outdoor music from Flirt FM and Radio Soc, and
indoor sounds from DJ Soc. Along with all the old faces this year saw the
establishment of ten new and
almost new societies: Animal Rights, Bahai, Botany, Biochemistry, Celtic Supporters, Connolly
Youth, DanceSoc, Human Rights, Palestine Support
Group, Parenting Group and WAR (Wargaming and
Re-enactment).
2.
Feed the World: Societies
raised a whopping €95,000 for charity this year. The top three fundraisers
include VSA, who raised over €75,000 for third world
medical centres. They used an unbelievable array of techniques including a
rather racy calendar, and a mammoth bungee jump on the banks of the Corrib. The
Turf Appreciation Society raised over €8,500 from their
annual Cheltenham Night. Vincent de Paul worked tirelessly during the year and
brought us such classic moments as the mock wedding in conjunction with DramSoc and raised in excess of €3,000. MusicSoc
and Celtic Supporters also raised significant funds. Congratulations to all who
worked so hard and gave so generously of their time.
3.
Saving the Planet: Societies
of course are a breeding ground for idealism, and if saving the world or
mankind is your aim you could not be in better company. The big issue this year
was of course the war in
this year on a variety of social issues. Marine
Soc brought school children to Spiddal beach for Low
Tide Day to encourage the next generation of environmentalists. Eco Soc are putting the finishing touches to their Green Guide for
4.
Múscailt: The societies really made the arts festival their own. The established
events went ahead bigger and better with Witless, the Musical, Art Soc
exhibition and PhotoSoc's Focus 2003. PhotoSoc were also celebrating the opening of their new
dark room on
Choir and the
international students imaginative Dincert which
combined food and music.
This year saw the introduction of a film festival where eight films were
screened on the theme of "new takes on love" chosen by the philosophy
society. Archaeology, Geology, Photographic and Art Society helped compile the
art and heritage map of the campus. The festival wound up with a big party
where the Art group "Multi Media Art Makers" surprised everyone with
their performance art.
5.
National Society Awards: After
our own Society Awards, brilliantly organised by Societies' Chair Susan Treacy, which took place in the Aula Maxima, we were all
set to sweep the boards at BICS, the Board of Irish College Societies Awards,
which was hosted by Trinity and took place in the Hilton Hotel in Dublin. There
was much nail biting by our contenders in Trinity, Choral Soc even burst into
song at the interview. But all the nerves and preparation proved worth it when
we won Best New Society for our Human Rights Society, Best Improved for Choral
Society and Best Event for the Musical Anything Goes. While it was nice on the
night to win, it goes without saying that all our societies are winners, good
on you.
6.
Flash Dance: Nothing more
so than the variety of balls shows more clearly that societies really know how
to throw a party in style. The Med Ball moved to the Radisson Hotel and a great
night was had by all. The History Soc's Arts Ball in
the Corrib Great Southern proved as popular as ever. The Law Ball also
relocated to the Ardilaun Hotel and proved to be both
a social and financial success. The Commerce Ball under its new committee took
place in the Corrib Great Southern and included a novel raffle with some great
prizes. The Engineering Ball proved a great success in the Galway Bay Hotel.
Fan Sci and Music Soc held another of their
alternative nights at the Halloween Ball in Rabbitt's,
where the costumes may not have been as glitzy as the other balls but
definitely as eye catching.
7.
Fly me to the Moon: Join a
society and you can be guaranteed to travel. If space travel is your thing the
Astronomy Society with their new telescope got the opportunity to get a little
nearer to the stars. Archaeology Society organised a mammoth trip to England including
a visit to Stonehenge, an Cumman Dramaiochta
travelled the length and breath of the country in search of Feile
Dramaiochta, piling sets cast and crew on to numerous
busses and winning awards left, right and centre. DramSoc
piled more sets in vans and people on trains and brought three productions to
ISDA, where they won the judges' discretionary award for Irene McNamara and Aideen McDonnell's imaginative adaptation of Brian Friel's Winners-Lovers which included a film they shot in
Film Soc. Labour Youth sent a representative
to
north. The International Students brought our
visiting students form Kerry to
8.
All Talk: With PDS, Lit and
Deb, Cumman de Barra, Young
Fine Gael, Labour Youth, Sinn Fein and Law soc there was very little shortage
of talk and on occasion heated debate. PDS brought us the erudite Garret
Fitzgerald and who will forget the crammed sports hall for the visit of Gerry
Adams courtesy of Sinn Fein. The societies also hosted an array of speakers on
incredibly diverse topics from the Classics Society shedding light on "sex
and violence in the Attic orders" to Chemistry Society revealing
"Adventures in Organometallic chemistry" to ZooSoc's
talk on Badgers and bovine T.B. there was definitely something for everyone. Of
course if you are sick of talk and are looking for action societies can offer
you anything from break-dancing with DanSoc to
playing chess with the
Chess Society or joining
the Muslim Youth Society for one of their great bar-b-ques. And who says they don't have everything
covered.
9.
If Music be the food of love... There was music a plenty from the ethereal orchestra who also travelled
to Clifden. Music Soc brought us Unseen Sounds, Open Mic and rock nights and organised the biggest Witless
festival which started heats in November and brought us 22 new student bands
culminating in a jam packed final on the Thursday of Muscailt.
Choral Soc reached new heights under the baton of their new conductor Peter Mannion and they even organised two Intervarsities.
Trad Soc brought us the first ever traditional
Intervarsity and my foot is still tapping after the great session in Rabbitt's Pub. We are all still humming I get a kick out of
you thanks to Anything Goes! - great costumes guys!!!
10.
The Last Laugh: For genuine
entertainment on campus and off you will find it hard to beat the societies.
You may remember them form such productions as Staged and Confused every
Tuesday at the back of the bar where impromptu was the order of the evening. Writers
Group and Dram Soc teamed up to bring the Homeric Project to the Hub where new
writers got to air their latest offerings. DramSoc's
production of Dogg's Hamlet had them rolling in the
aisles as had the German Societies hilarious farce Teifsinn.
I laughed non stop and I don't even speak German.
Unending table quizzes, daft fundraisers and
dancing till dawn were just some of the elements that kept us all on our toes.
If your life lacks that extra sparkle be sure to get in on the act next year
and join in the fun. Remember membership is open to students and staff check our www.socs.nuigalway
for details.
Ríona Hughes
NUI,