TCD SU Elections '08 (Week One and Two)

Now normally I am not one to really bother with such things as elections or College events as I wouldn’t have the time for such things or any interest. Well that all changed in third year. First year elections I stayed away as those over-enthusiastic campaigners and their bright t-shirts scared the crap out of me, second year I wasn’t even aware it was occurring, but this year it’s different. Why you ask? That is because now I actually know people that are running for it. Be it that ex that still antagonises you, the friend who shares the same political beliefs as you, the girl who helps you out in Dance on a Friday night, the psycho who your dearest friend has the unfortunate problem of living with, and the girl who seems to hate you for no apparent reason. Yes they might just be ones who will be running things for me next year. Am I frightened? Hell I am! But pushing aside that fear for a second, this is actually proving to be incredibly entertaining, for as anyone who knows students will be aware of, an election run by students will always be filled with gossip and mental stunts.

So the excitement began actually a few weeks ago when a friend asked me to wear a t-shirt for him for his campaign, but back then it was all hush, hush over who is running, despite the fact that everyone knew already. As last week happened to be nominations where the would-be candidates could finally come out of the closet (not sure if anyone also came out in that way, but it being Trinity I wouldn’t put it past people) and declare their intention to run. Friday night happened to be his campaign launch party, which I attended with a six pack of Corona and a couple of limes I hung out and talked to the would-be Deputy President, hung out with friends and got seriously freaked out by a Hawaiian guy who has piercings in places I don’t want to know about! Sunday night at midnight was when campaigning officially began and Monday morning was abuzz with excitement and colourful t-shirt clad students shoving manifestos into your hands. Ah but this year I would be one of them! So I waited for news and a t-shirt, and I waited, and I waited. By Wednesday I gave up waiting for someone to tell me what to do and when another friend asked me to help out, I switched sides. Yes, now I can be called a defector, but at least now I have a t-shirt, got given hours when I need to campaign and I am wanted and needed. So I am wearing a lovely bright yellow t-shirt that says, “Vote Eoin Moore for President”. Ah I am one of those scary brightly coloured t-shirt people that are far too over-enthusiastic and shove manifestos into your hands!

Already, even though it is only the first week a few entertaining events occurred. Ents is always the big one to watch out for, for as would-be Entertainment officers they need to think big and do something to catch the masses’ attention. Cillian Gray’s people had be far the funniest t-shirts for it seemed they got hit by multi-coloured graffiti on the back of their t-shirts stormed through the arts block on Wednesday waving bright blue banners and flags with some bongo drums and whistles, much like the Red March in Moscow years ago, though maybe not as big. They moved their way out into Front Square and a few bicycles joined them as they drummed and whistled their way across College scaring off tourists and giving quite a show to the bemused students. They were also the same people that made a paper-maché lego head about four times the size of a normal head and had the poor blighter who got drafted for the job to walk around College and try not to bump into buildings and people.

Of course there were other, more minor stunts pulled. Jessie Gurr running for Deputy President had someone in a tiger costume, though it was a bit lame to be perfectly honest and Chloe Kassis-Crowe, running for Welfare who has by and large mostly absent for the start of the week, finally got herself a large stand in the arts block complete with heart-shaped balloons that said her name on it and finally some of her people were seen out and about.

Friday's Hustings in the JCR at lunchtime went was spoken to a packed and stuffy small back room in the JCR, mostly filled with campaign teams and witty talks. If only the weather had been a little better though.

Friday evening's assembly of students in our famed student bar, The Pav, provided other entertaining acts from a drunken game of Twister outside between two people running for Deputy President and two Ents guys. The photo makes it all the funnier.

TCD SU Elections '08 (Week Two)

This is the week when things really kicked off!

Firstly, for some rather unknown reason the SU decided to place RAG Week on the same week as voting started for the SU Elections, but you couldn't do much about it other than multi-task, stretch yourself thin with all the taks you need to do and basically survive on coffee, because sleep wasn't likely this week!

Monday morning and Rob Donoghue finally began his campaign in earnest, acquiring a large Connect Fours game in the Arts Block, from God knows where and most of the day was spent playing Connect Fou against other campaign teams and members. I'll give you a hint though; don't play against Rob he's brilliant at it! I also quite appreciated his large orange cape with the words "Rob 4 Prez" on the back. Some people on his campaign team had them as well. Very colourful for a rather dreary week, weather wise.

Cathal Reilly's cardboard cut-outs of himself were still as entertaining and the photo is even funnier. The caption for it was "The army of little Cathals...which one is the real him?"

The big scandal of this election had to be the animosity between two two contenders for the Education post, Hugh and Hilary. To say they disliked each other would be a gross understatement and as expected there was bitching involved, but the height of the hatred was a little shocking. As the week progressed tensions worsened and it became quite worrying, but luckily nothing happened.

How Seamus managed to get Des Bishop to appear in College and end up wearing his t-shirt is beyond my understanding, that one was quite a shocker to see on facebook, but then again one really shouldn't underestimate Seamus' capabilities.

The Ents didn't manage to pull off anything dramatic this week, which proved to be quite disappointing. Nick played Twister in the Arts Block, Dave had a giant chess board outside the Arts Block and I don't even remember Cillian pulling off any dramatic stunts. All in all as the week progressed it was becoming apparent that the lack of sleep was getting to everyone, we were all tired, but still all in the same boat.

Tuesday the Trinity News came out including the opinion polls, which placed my candidate about 1% ahead of his nearest rival. The rest proved to be exactly what people had expected. A link to it can be found here; http://www.trinitynews.ie/articles.php?tn=1&issue=16&id=810 Polls also opened at 5pm on Tuesday and it officially started the voting process.

Wednesday was a tough day as it consisted of all day campaigning and the mood had changed, we were no longer trying to win over votes, but to push as many people as possible to vite. To say it was becoming tiring and people were starting to grow annoyed with us is putting it lightly. But all the campaign teams were in it together and we each pulled the other along. It quite interesting to see that even rival campaign teams were joining together. No longer was the Arts Block awash with bright coloured t-shirts as those weren't allowed near the polling booths, but instead we were all crowded at the base of the steps, hastily covering our t-shirts.

Wednesday night was also the day of the hotly anticipated event of the week for RAG Week and that was the SVdeP Slave Auction for charity. As was expected and has been running for a number of years, all candidates competed with one person going as high as €300! All in all the Buttery was jam packed, no-one could move, it was incredibly stuffy from all the people, a mini bar was provided and the men all stripped! For a girl what more could you ask for, standing in the crowd, a cheap bear in your hand and cheering as the boys got their kits off to Britney Spears, Daft Punk and most strangely of all The Venga Boys' "Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom". What was even stranger, and slightly scary might I add, was that the whole crowd could still remember the lyrics and sing them back when the speakers broke. The girls I had to admit were rather disappointing and didn't put up much of a show, though credit should be given to Orlaith for getting the crowd going and for Jessie for her raunchy performance to Madonna's "Like A Virgin". For rather obvious reasons I can't show some of the more explicit photos, but I will put up the best ones. It was definately a lot of fun, the entire event.

Thursday dawned cloudy with a lot of hung-over campaign teams and even though there was a general air of cheer and good spirits, no-one really bothered campaigning much anymore as it had already effectively been decided. The IRB Six Nations cup came to College and with it came a few free goodies including weird crayons that were used to draw all over the other campaign members and my four o clock it was decided when the polls closed and the counting would begin.

It was an antsy and stressful two weeks the entire thing, but at the same time the madness, the fun and the feeling of all being together was electrifying. It was beyond just another election, we put our heart and soul into it, lived in our t-shirts and every waking thought, and dream for that matter, was taken up by thoughts of campaigning and how to get more voters. Even though it completely took over your life for the two or three weeks, some even more, you wouldn't change it for the world, no matter what the outcome is.

Win or lose, it was a great ride and we were all in it together.