DCU students win at the BICS National Awards
Monday 23 April 2007

Robert O’Mhurchú won the award for Best Individual in a large college

DCU students’ scooped 2 awards at the BICS National Awards hosted by NUI Galway on 18 April 2007. On the night the achievements of the top societies from fourteen colleges throughout the Ireland were celebrated. Robert O’Mhurchú won the award for Best Individual in a large college: DCU, he is actively involved in thirteen societies this year. The DCU Book Society won Best New Society in a large college.

DCU Book Society won Best New Society in a large college

The Mayor of Galway Niall O’Brollocháin in his keynote speech welcomed the colleges to Galway and praised the contribution which societies make to their communities and how significantly they contribute to the educational experience of all who participate in their diverse activities. They are an integral part of campus life and the Mayor stated how much he enjoys attending society events because of the wonderful energy involved.

According to Ríona Hughes, BICS Chairperson and awards coordinator, the night was the culmination of the extraordinary hard work and commitment of all the students involved in societies who had made the journey to Galway to celebrate their achievement with their peers. As host college the NUI Galway Societies entertained their guests with dance, fire juggling, a string quartet and a céilí.

The Board of Irish College Societies is a national organisation, constituted in 1995, which is dedicated to providing a national forum for the societies in Ireland's Universities, Colleges and Institutes of Education and is responsible for the promotion of interest in the activities of Irish college societies and of contact and co-operation between them. With fourteen colleges involved this year, and many new institutions on board, the night was a fitting end to a successful year for BICS. For more information on the work of BICS and how to become involved go to www.bics.ie

Attending the awards and competing in the large college categories were representatives from DCU, DIT, Trinity College Dublin, UCC, University of Limerick, Queens University Belfast and NUI Galway. The competitors in the small college categories were NUI Maynooth, Cork IT, Mary Immaculate College Limerick, IT Tallaght Dublin, IT Tralee, Dundalk IT and NCI.

42 students and 5 adjudicators (comprised of DCU staff and students) travelled to Galway in support of their society and fellow students. The societies represented and nominated for awards were as follows: St. Vincent de Paul, Drama, Music, Games, Book, Debate and Redbrick. DCU were ecstatic to win 2 awards on the night.

The winners on the evening were:
Best Society in a large college: NUI Galway Film Society
Best Society in a small college: Mary Immaculate College Taekwon-do Society
Best Event in a large college: Trinity College Dublin Biosoc for their ‘Med Day’
Best Event in a small college: IT Tallaght Radio Society for ‘ITTFM’
Best Individual in a large college: DCU Robert O’Mhurchú; actively involved in thirteen societies this year.
Best Individual in a small college: Dundalk IT, Jiwan Jodhani from the Innovators’ and Overcome Societies.
Most Improved society in a large college: DIT St. Vincent de Paul Society
Most Improved society in a small college: IT Tallaght Radio Society
Best Fresher: NUI Galway, Thomas Cryan, conductor of the Choral Society.
Best New Society in a large college: DCU Book Society
Best New Society in a small college: Dundalk IT Innovators’ Club.
Best Website: NUI Galway Voluntary Services Abroad Society for www.vsa.nuigalway.ie
Best Poster in a large college: UCC Film Society for their ‘Huge Film Night’ poster
Best Poster in a small college: IT Tallaght Dublin Drama Society for their ‘Faust’ poster