The finest person to attend Trinity (Modern Times)

ApeXaviour

notjim wrote:

for the people who mention walton as someone to admire: what do they admire about him, do they also admire cockroft?

He split the atom. He's the only irish person in history to win a nobel prize in any of the sciences. He was offered a job in the manhatten project which, being a passifist, he declined. As an irish person reading physics I find him inspiring.

Cockroft was a hack walton had already made a basis for the accelerator before dear old johnny joined him.


What was it einstein said about schrodinger? When he was trying to come up with his namesake's equation and kept getting bogged down in the maths. Something like "Sometimes physics is too difficult for physicists."

notjim

ApeXaviour wrote:

He split the atom. He's the only irish person in history to win a nobel prize in any of the sciences.

well, him and schroedinger!

Bartron Prime

Troglodyte wrote:

Yep, the most famous Unionist of all time came from the Hist. You really couldn't make that one up.....

Oh it gets even funnier. He was the Librarian (a position reserved for the sexy people) and was offered the position of President of The Hist by one of the most hardline republican Auditors The Hist had in the 20th century, Eoin 'The Pope' O' Mahony. He was the guy who proposed a toast to the Irish Free State and the members promptly tried to impeach him. Good times. :rolleyes:

As for fine people to attend Trinity, I think Isaac Butt was a very admirable person as was Douglas Hyde. Mainly because they didn't believe in violence. Which is a good thing. Don't know enough about Trinity's famous science graduates.

Troglodyte

The Hist - general craziness since 1770....

Entirely forgot about Isaac Butt, quite an important guy but he had his failings. I reckon he was the political "Tim nice-but-dim" of 19th century Ireland.

Bartron Prime

Oh yeah. Like that time The Hist condemned Wolfe Tone's rebellion, six years after he was Auditor. Or the legend over the admission of women "Man shall set foot on the moon before women shall be admitted here". Or any debating competition party The Hist has held. I went to a kick-ass one this year in March (granted I organised it but it was still cool. Reverse conga line anyone?)

True, he had his failings. But it was what he stood for, non-violent political struggle, that was important. It was a radical move in Irish nationalism at the time. Surely he remains an inspiration today.

Crash

I got it, it just made me hang my head

and have flashbacks to when i was ta'ing a TP CTYI class, oh god

Troglodyte

Bartron Prime wrote:

True, he had his failings. But it was what he stood for, non-violent political struggle, that was important. It was a radical move in Irish nationalism at the time. Surely he remains an inspiration today.

I entirely agree that his non-violent stance was inspirational. However, he completely failed to make any impact or headway for the Home Rule cause in Westminster, and the party at the time lacked any sense of disipline, force or direction. Parnell was to completely change all that, in turning the IPP into a discliplined electoral and parliamentary machine. He also managed to make Home Rule for Ireland one of the most important political issues in British politics at the time, if not the most important issue. He was almost universally respected, even amongst his opponents, and was considered the "uncrowned king of Ireland".

Anyway I'll finish my Parnell rant now. Butt was a admirable fellow, but ultimately ineffectual. And btw, his stance of non-violent political struggle was arguably not a radical move for Irish nationalism. Daniel O'Connell campaigned for Catholic Emancipation and Repeal of the Union in a non-violent way. He was the pioneer in that regard.

Right_Side

Aero787 wrote:

I can't believe you would even consider Michael O'Leary! Without a doubt, he is a shrewd businessman, but he is damaging the aviation industry and is destroying the airline pilot career! Maybe you didn't realise that. :eek:

How is he "damaging" the aviation industry?

From a consumer prospective he has made flying accessible to all. From an employee prospective he has created thousands of jobs. He has increased efficiency in the industry... just how is this damaging?

Destroying the airline pilot career?

Now this is laughable. Just because he stands up to those who like the hold the company ransom means he is destroying their career. They are free to go and get a better job if they wish. I've never heard anything about Ryanair struggling to fill their vacancies!

Andrew_83 wrote:

Can't say I feel pride at having attended the same college as Michael O'Leary

Why not?

xeduCat wrote:

Come off it, I'd say about ten people even know that O'Leary went to Trinity.

I'd disagree. At least ten people have posted on this thread alone :cool:

Aero787 wrote:

Ryanair management tactics will come back to haunt them in the long-term when their experienced pilots leave for better jobs.

Well then they'll just hire someone else. And to be honest it seems like you haven't a clue. The airline industry is cyclical. And at the moment its in a very good cycle and they are having no problems filling their jobs. When the cycle shifts it is therefore extremely unlikely people will leave as jobs will be lost everywhere due to the downturn.

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

Michael O'Leary would have to be the currently most influential TCD graduate.

Hard to see anyone else who is making a current impact across europe to the same extent that he is.

A further debate is on whether he is good or bad influential.

Although, changing air travel from a 'once-a-year' expensive option, to an affordable means of regular travel can only be a good contribution.

He comes into the business school every year to give a speech. they should sell tickets to it as a comedy event.

Sample question from geeky business student: "do you believe that nature or nurture led to your current success as a business person"

Answer from MOL: "what type of academic bull***t is that? i am what i am, now could someone without their head up their own ass ask me a proper question?" *

*its more entertaining when you are actually there

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

... also that guy who directed The Sting and All the Presidents Men should be on the list of influential graduates.

Time Magazine

Roundtower2 wrote:

He comes into the business school every year to give a speech. they should sell tickets to it as a comedy event.

Ahem. He doesn't come in to talk to the B-school, thank you very much. He comes as a guest of Dr Seán Declan Conrad Barrett MA (Dubl., N.U.I., McM.), PH.D (N.U.I.) F.T.C.D (1986), Senior Lecturer in Economics.

slumped

So at the risk of sounding arrogant and hopefully with no other follow up questions

ME!

1997-2001

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

Ibid wrote:

Ahem. He doesn't come in to talk to the B-school, thank you very much. He comes as a guest of Dr Seán Declan Conrad Barrett MA (Dubl., N.U.I., McM.), PH.D (N.U.I.) F.T.C.D (1986), Senior Lecturer in Economics.

ahem ... he does ... he is a guest of Dr. Barrett (who also gives the opening speech) in Dr. Barrett's capacity as a contributor to the MBA program.

also, i have been at said speech, it was definitely in the b-school!

europerson

Roundtower2 wrote:

ahem ... he does ... he is a guest of Dr. Barrett (who also gives the opening speech) in Dr. Barrett's capacity as a contributor to the MBA program.

also, i have been at said speech, it was definitely in the b-school!

He gives two talks: one to Economics students (SF Economics of Public Policy and SS Transport Economics together) and one to the MBA's.

ApeXaviour

So you're both right.. lets all hold hands and eat jelly and icecream.

On a completely random note that you bess heads might enjoy, I bumped into a Professor of Business from Ankara Üniversitesi yesterday on my weekly trip to Copenhagen. He asked me directions to Christiania (a massive hippy commune that is one of the city's main tourist attractions). I happened to be on my way there he accompanied me. He was in the country less than an hour and only had the rest of the day to do touristy things before a 3 day seminar session started the next day. So we got a good chat going, had a wander, a couple beers and some food. During our conversation the topic of soft drugs came up (being in a hippy commune it's only natural), after a while he suggested we attempt to acquire some. Anyway long story short, as a result we spent much of the evening in tears giggling at inane things and talking complete bull**** about how the hippies got it right etc.

Oh one thing he told me struck out. He described one of his students who came from denmark and she sounded like a complete BOP / stereotypical bessbird. She had given him her fathers number and was sayin he could join him in badminton tournaments and and he would bring him to his wine club etc. At which point he says to me "ugh... screw her father".

Time Magazine

ApeXaviour wrote:

Oh one thing he told me struck out. He described one of his students who came from denmark and she sounded like a complete BOP / stereotypical bessbird. She had given him her fathers number and was sayin he could join him in badminton tournaments and and he would bring him to his wine club etc. At which point he says to me "ugh... screw her father".

Screw the daughter tbh.

Right_Side

europerson wrote:

He gives two talks: one to Economics students (SF Economics of Public Policy and SS Transport Economics together) and one to the MBA's.

Could you people in the "know" give me a heads up the next time the great-one will be gracing us with his presence.

Crash

I ran into ed tonight. we talked to an ex-bouncer/current RCSI security man. he offered me a dead body it was fun.

spacecoyote

FTW

well either him or Liam O'Muiri!!!

Time Magazine

Right_Side wrote:

Could you people in the "know" give me a heads up the next time the great-one will be gracing us with his presence.

I think I speak for europerson when I say I really couldn't be arsed.

Nice new jacket btw.

prothalamium

Gerry Ryan. He tipped me €20 on Friday night.

Andrew 83

prothalamium wrote:

Gerry Ryan. He tipped me €20 on Friday night.

I always assumed he was UCD, no real reason why I suppose.

Edwardius

&#231 wrote: »

I ran into ed tonight. we talked to an ex-bouncer/current RCSI security man. he offered me a dead body it was fun.

I'd completely forgotten about that. I thought they were lookin for a fight or something. I should have taken him up on the corpse thing. It's always handy to have a corpse lying around.

prothalamium

Andrew 83 wrote:

I always assumed he was UCD, no real reason why I suppose.

Far as I know he was chair of the Law Soc.

europerson

Ibid wrote:

I think I speak for europerson when I say I really couldn't be arsed.

Eh, OK. I'm sure there'll be a lot of publicity around the Economics Department.