UCD Agriculture Science Class of 1983 40th Reunion at the Curragh Racecourse, Kildare.
23-Sept-2023. Photo: Michael Donnelly
On Saturday, 23 September 2023, the BAgrSc class of 1983 gathered for a day of celebrations and merriment at the Curragh Racecourse in Kildare.
In the build-up to the event, classmates started sharing old photos from their time at UCD in a WhatsApp group, which built some excitement and talking points for the day ahead.
Original BAgrSc Class of 1983 Photo
The reunion consisted of a day at the races with a luncheon in a private suite. 47 attendees reconnected and reminisced on the day, with attendees travelling from Germany, the UK and all over Ireland. The venue was ideal as it encouraged people to naturally mix and mingle in a relaxed environment, as for many, it was the first time they would have met since they graduated forty years ago. The racing itself also inspired people to move about to watch it, and encouraged banter amongst the group. As part of the formalities, the class also took a moment to remember colleagues and lecturers who are sadly no longer with us.
Guest speaker Andy Doyle with reunion organiser Dermot Forristal. UCD Agriculture Science Class of 1983 40th Reunion at the Curragh Racecourse, Kildare. 23-Sept-2023. Photo: Michael Donnelly
A special thanks to Andy Doyle, who was the guest speaker for the event. Andy spoke about the present BAgrSc programme comparing it to the course that would have been in place in 1983.
When Gerry Walsh, one of the organisers, was asked if he had any advice for fellow alumni who might be interested in organising a reunion, he said; “I’d recommend forming a broadly based committee from the class, and a WhatsApp group to help get the word out there. The name badges that were provided by the UCD Alumni Office also worked as a great icebreaker when it was hard to place someone. All in all, it was a very rewarding experience to have been involved in organising the event.”
To see more photos of the event, click (opens in a new window)here.
Reunion Organisers - Paudie Everard, Tommy Conway, Gerry Walsh, Alphie Roche, Dermot Forristal and John Canny.
UCD Agriculture Science Class of 1983 40th Reunion at the Curragh Racecourse, Kildare. 23-Sept-2023.
Photo: Michael Donnelly
There was a genuine interest by everyone present to reconnect with each other, and the organising committee look forward to staying in touch with everyone with the aid of their active WhatsApp group. A huge thanks to John Canny, Tommy Conway, Paudie Everard, Dermot Forristal, Alphie Roche and Gerry Walsh who spent the last number of months organising the event.