Connected to culture in Dublin 7

As Covid restrictions fall away, the Africa Society on TU Dublin’s Grangegorman campus can be a new focal point for culture and diversity in the city, as well as an affirmation of community, students said.

“I think Africa Society will show culture within the area – it will show people what we are about and what it means to be black and Irish,” said fourth year student and society president Yele Rahman.

AfroSoc activities can be followed on its Instagram account.

Even under Covid restrictions, hundreds of students have been attending society events, including the most recent ‘movie night’ in the Grangegorman Central Quad.

Risk assessment tests were approved by the university and signup was made available via an online portal. 

Students gathered to watch the 2017 action film Sleepless with Jamie Foxx. After the film ended, students were rapping, dancing and overall having a great time.

“Since Covid, there hasn’t been much community meetings. I feel like having this meeting will make things more exciting,” law and French student Sarah Jane Byrne said. “Communities in my opinion are very important because it grounds you to a culture. I think everyone deserves to belong sometimes. I’m happy that we have societies and groups like this, because it makes me feel like I can regroup.”

“Communities in my opinion are very important because it grounds you to a culture. I think everyone deserves to belong sometimes. I’m happy that we have societies and groups like this, because it makes me feel like I can regroup.” 

The Africa Society has been active in the college since most of TU Dublin’s city facilities moved to the new Grangegorman campus in 2020-21, and it has grown since more academic and social life has taken place in person this year.  

Although Rahman will graduate this year, he hopes to revisit the area to help promote black businesses and keep in touch with society activities.