Community and inclusion celebrated at 35th Trinity Student Society Awards

Posted on: 18 March 2026

The annual Trinity Student Society Awards took place last Thursday night to celebrate the wonderful achievements of Trinity’s 120+ student societies. Spanning everything from volunteering to photography, traditional music to musical theatre, societies are central to student life at Trinity.

New awards this year included the Community Spirit Award, won by DU Knitting Society, and the Best Community Building Event which went to DUDJ’s Trinity Sound System Build. The new awards were developed through the Trinity Student Belonging Fund, a strategic partnership with the Central Societies Committee to enhance student belonging in a socially-connected university. The fund, which has been developed in line Thrive, Trinity’s strategic plan 2025-2030, provides targeted financial, administrative and promotional support for inclusive, collaborative campus-based events created by student societies.

The Knitting Society won the inaugural Community Spirit Award

The winners from this year’s awards are:

Best Society: TCD Women’s Health

Best Small Society: TCD Eastern European Society

Best Medium Society: TCD Free Legal Advice Centre

Best Large Society: DU Vincent de Paul Society (VDP)

Societies’ Choice Award: DU Film Society

Best Community Building Event: DUDJ

Community Spirit Award: DU Knitting Society

Best Society Event: Trinity TV, Traitors Ireland Discussion Panel

Inclusion Award: Trinity Vincent De Paul (VDP)

Best Collaborative Event: TCD Women’s Health and DU History

Sustainability Award: Dublin University Photographic Association (DUPA)

Best Society Publication: DU Vegan Society

Best Fresher: Molly Scanlon, TCD Free Legal Advice Centre

Best Online Presence: Dublin University Photographic Association (DUPA)

Best Individual Society Member: Jack Joseph, DUDJ

Best Society Trip: DU Geographical Society

Postgraduate Engagement Award: DU Genetics Society

Gradam na Gaeilge: DU Traditional Irish Music Society

Best Society Poster: Dublin University Photographic Association (DUPA)

Best Multi-Day Event: Trinity Musical Theatre Society 

‘The depth and breadth of our students’ interests and achievements never fail to amaze me,’ said Provost Dr Linda Doyle. ‘At Trinity, we want our students to thrive inside and outside the classroom and student societies play a central role in this. My warmest congratulations to the winners of this year’s Student Society Awards and to everyone who makes student life at Trinity what it is.’

Societies truly are the heart and soul of student life in Trinity,’ said Conchúr Ó Cathasaigh, Sabbatical Chairperson of the Central Societies Committee. ‘This year we received 315 nominations from over 120 societies, the highest ever, reflecting the incredible creativity, dedication and impact they have across the university. Congratulations to all societies for the outstanding work they have done this year, and well done to our winners on such a fantastic achievement.’

Founded in 1970, the Central Societies Committee is a student-led organisation which governs student societies at Trinity.

Photos: Alice Carroll @ DUPA

• Tags:
• Community
• Society
• Students