Date :  Thursday, 26th February 2026
Time : 18h00
Venue : Examination Hall, Trinity College Dublin
Registration:    

To request a place, please complete submit your booking here.

You can also send an email to lawevent at tcd.ie.*General enquiries or difficulties please check here.

*Spaces are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Book now to secure your place.

Focus on Democratic Challenges :

This year’s lecture will explore how democratic institutions, and the rule of law are facing new tension and challenges, even in countries that were once seen as stable Western democracies.

Emily O'Reilly will explore how a declining support for human rights, combine with pressures and political pushback are revealing the limits of current laws and institutions.

With a focus on the European Union, the discussion will interrogate whether the EU and its partners can summon the political will and develop the necessary institutional tools to counter democratic regression. The lecture aims to address how we might defend liberal principles and revitalise the post-war democratic order.

About the Speaker:

Emily O'Reilly is an author and former journalist and broadcaster. She became Ireland's first female Ombudsman and Freedom of Information Commissioner in 2003.  In 2013, she was elected by the European Parliament as European Ombudsman and was re-elected in 2014 and 2019 to that role, serving as watchdog of the EU administration, including the ECB, the EMA and the EIB.

The Brian Lenihan Memorial Lecture is a highlight of the School of Law’s annual calendar, facilitating discussion on legal and political issues.

Event Details

  • Speaker: Emily O’Reilly, former European Ombudsman

  • Topic: Democratic Regression and the Rule of Law in the EU

  • Hosts: Law Student Colloquium and the School of Law

Reception

Please join us for a drink and canape reception after the lecture in the Exam Hall as well.  

The Trinity College Law Student Colloquium

The 18th Colloquium will be taking place on February 27th 2026 following the Brian Lenihan Memorial Lecture on February 26th 2026. The Colloquium  is Ireland’s leading student conference and provides a platform for leading and emerging legal scholars from Trinity and beyond to present their research on contemporary legal issues from a variety of spheres.