Current Entertainments and Events Officer, Neo O’Herlihy is running for a second term for the same position in this year’s UCDSU Executive Elections
Current Ents Officer, Neo O’Herlihy is running for a second term.
O’Herlihy spoke positively about engagement with the Student’s Union but maintained that there was still significant room for progress: “I feel like it has been a good year of engagement for the students’ union as there have been improvements on areas where there hasn’t been before. However, I still feel like [engagement] can go further”. He expands: “I think lecture addressing needs to come back in a big way.” He notes that a lot of lecture addressing is done to recruit students for class rep positions or potential candidates for sabbatical officer roles: “There needs to be a community bond with the SU”.
While he admits to having little knowledge of the inner workings of the union prior to his appointment, this year has seen him mature and embrace the role consistently and effectively. His continued presence at events and participation during council meetings and protests alike have seen him embody the role with ease. As such, he was able to answer questions about the union, the intricacies of his campaign and UCD with confidence and speed which greatly contrasted with his previous run. Although his manifesto is light content-wise, when asked he is able to expand on his various points by offering concrete examples.
While he admits to having little knowledge of the inner workings of the union prior to his appointment, this year has seen him mature and embrace the role consistently and effectively.
He credits his past experience as Ents Officer and his roles as DramSoc PRO, MusicalSoc and OCM of the Harry Potter Society as the reason why he is the candidate most-suited for the role: “Students should vote for me because I am willing to commit my time once again to the position and I’ve learned to take into account students’ input when I organise events”. He notably cited the case of a class rep coming forward with recommendations for a painting event led in UCD Village and the success of UCDSU and society collaborations such as the UCD Sustainable Fashion Show.
“Students should vote for me because I am willing to commit my time once again to the position and I’ve learned to take into account students’ input when I organise events”.
He acknowledges that he wishes he could have set up more permanent entertainment fixtures during his term and vows to make this one of his key missions if elected to the position for another year. O’Herlihy’s manifesto points out the absence of collective entertainment fixtures such as “a foosball table, or something like that that ensures that people socialise in a communal way”.
Neo O’Herlihy’s increased understanding of the union and of the role he is campaigning for has sharpened the focus of his manifesto. Indeed, rather than encouraging a constant influx of novelty he encourages the bettering of pre-existing events infrastructures available on campus. His manifesto, less welfare-oriented this time around, places great emphasis on events and entertainments on campus being accessible to all.
Rather than encouraging a constant influx of novelty he encourages the bettering of pre-existing events infrastructures available on campus.
O’Herlihy’s campaign thus far has been led with great care but he has continuously added elements of humor into it. Asked about whether this was intentional he said: “I think that [being more approachable] has helped me in my time as Ents Officer. I don’t know if any of the improvements on already fixed things would have happened if I wasn’t approachable, always taking in feedback and willing to change.” He continues: “Walking on the concourse in a costume is a great way to gather attention”.
“Walking on the concourse in a costume is a great way to gather attention”.
Neo O’Herlihy addressed the contentious debate on whether there should be an Events page separate from the rest of the UCDSU Instagram: “I brought it up for discussion because students were coming up to me [...] saying they would be more likely to engage with an Events page than the SU page”. He continued: “One thing that was said is that this potential Ents page won’t fix engagement issues with the union and I slightly agree with that. However, one thing that annoys me is that the SU can’t promote society events unless they are collaborative with the SU which significantly limits engagement. A separate Ents page would not need that kind of check-in”.
The current Ents officer has been consistently present during UCDSU Palestinian solidarity demonstrations on Belfield campus which led to questioning of whether he would continue to show explicit support during his next term. He answered positively and cited the Unions’ ending their partnership with Domino’s Pizza last February: “I’m actually unsure [why we were so quiet about it] but I know we made that decision shortly after Trinity College announced Domino’s was on the Boycott Divestment and Sanction list”.
O’Herlihy has shown he is able to collaborate with his fellow sabbatical officers, which is what the Smurfit Social and the introduction of reusable drink covers attest to. The latter are a collaboration between him and the outgoing Welfare Officer, Jill Nelis: “Reusable drink covers are an option we can hand out during Freshers week. They are sustainable and can be used on campus but also for events in town”.
A significant element he carried on from his previous manifesto is the Entertainment and Events Officer’s role in facilitating independently student-led entertainments and events: “These templates are here so that students can come and let us know what events they want to put up. We’re here to empower students in any way at all. That’s what I want to see.”
He hopes to be able to maintain student engagement across remote campuses through collaboration with his fellow sabbatical officers and hopes for a return of UCD Ball in UCD.