ONTARIO ALUMNI DINNER - November 15, 2003
The first "Annual" Dinner for 11 years was held on November 15th, 2003 and attended by over 70 people including the Provost of Trinity - Dr. John Hegarty, his wife Neasa Ní Chinnéide Hegarty and Mary Apied, Director of Trinity Foundation. The venue at The Westin Harbour Castle was excellent from all perspectives. The Regatta Room allowed for the reception and the dinner to be in one place on the main floor. The Provost's party stayed in the Hotel, and for the other attendees parking nearby was plentiful.
The evening commenced with a welcome and toast to Canada by John Payne. This was followed by a Toast to Ireland by Les Colhoun, who for many years was the organizer and convenor of the alumni in Ontario. Peter Hearn ably recited the graces, though he admitted that he was not the customary mental and moral scholar for the role, but really a science one. Bill Jermyn toasted Trinity with a droll diversion using, by his own admission, "20 words where one would do".
The Provost discussed many aspects of his vision and the reality of Trinity of the 21st Century. He touched on increasing its internationalization and its multicultural nature, globalization, the increasing number of women, the idea that a university teaches you to learn how to learn, strengthening research, the influence of science and technology, Trinity as the premier university in Ireland and finally the purchase of the Lincoln Inn. Daisy White thanked the Provost, recounting her days in post war Trinity where they lived it up a little, which was probably the understatement of the evening. She told several fascinating anecdotes of the time and the full text can be read on our website.
Special thanks are due to Bill McConnell who spent much time contacting various possible venues and having to double his efforts when arrangements with the Albany Club could not be finalized. Also special thanks to John Cary for taking care of the detailed arrangements with the hotel and for his excellent choice of menu and Ontario wines. Finally a thank you to my two daughters, Gilly and Katie, who added their special help on the night by checking in the guests and taking the photographs.