Service Announcements
The Board has approved the holding of the Trinity Ball on Friday the 11th of April 2025. Preparations for the Ball will begin on Thursday the 3rd of April 2025.
Trinity Ball 2025 will take place in Parliament Square, Front Square, Library Square, Fellow Square, New Square and Botany Bay this year. The main stage will be constructed at the end of Parliament Square, at Front Square, with a Stage in the Botany Bay courts and another in Fellow Square. The preparations associated with the safety and security arrangements for the Ball are substantial and your co-operation is requested please.
Parking Restrictions and Traffic Arrangements:
- Botany Bay
All vehicles must be removed from Botany Bay from 18:00 on Wednesday the 2nd of April 2025. For safety reasons there will be no parking in these areas until the evening of Tuesday the 15th of April 2025.
- New Square
All vehicles must be removed from New Square from 18:00 on Wednesday the 2nd of April 2025. For safety reasons there will be no parking in these areas until the evening of Tuesday the 15th of April 2025.
- 200 Pearse Street / Rugby Pitch Car Par
All vehicles must be removed by 17.30 on Friday the 11th of April 2025. There will be no parking in this area until Saturday the 12th of April 2025 at 17:00.
Front Gate Closure (4th of April 2025 to the 15th of April 2025)
Front Gate will close on midnight on Thursday the 3rd of April 2025 until Tuesday the 15th of April 2025 to allow for the erection and decanting of the stage safely. The University Community will still have access to the houses (including Regent House) off Parliament Square, but access will be from the Front Square side only. Access for pedestrians will be through the Printing House Square Gate beside Pearse Street Gate and the Nassau Street Gate at the Arts Building. Access for residents after midnight will still be through Front Gate.
Entrance - East End of Campus
A condition of the license from the Statutory Authorities is that a third entrance is required at the Westland Row Gate beside the Sports Complex. The entrance will be from the Westland Row Gate along the Business School and across the rear of the rugby pitch to the Broadwalk and into the Rose Garden. A corridor will be formed with ‘ready’ fencing along this route to shepherd the attendees to the Ball area as quickly, safely, and securely as possible. This will cause disruption to the East End of Campus on Friday the 11th of April 2025 in order to set up for the Ball.
University Closure – Island Campus Only (Change in time 17:30)
The University main campus only, (other University sites will operate as normal) will be closed from 17.30 on Friday the 11th of April 2025 for the annual Trinity Ball and remain closed until normal opening hours on Saturday the 12th of April 2025. All staff and students who are not working at the Ball are requested to leave the University main campus only before 17.30 on Friday the 11th of April, whether based in the Ball area or otherwise, as all gates (including perimeter key gates, the Narrows Gate and the House 40 Garden Gate will close at 17:30.
Other University Sites
Building and campuses in the vicinity of the main campus will operate as per normal and are not required to close and be vacated at 17:30.
Accessible Spaces
From Wednesday the 2nd of April 2025 three (3) temporary accessible car parking spaces (reserved for people with disabilities) will be provided in 200 Pearse Street / Rugby Pitch Car Park to replace those lost due to the restrictions.
Off Campus Parking Facilities – Fleet Street
To compensate for the loss of parking spaces on Campus, fifty (50) spaces have been reserved for Trinity College permit holders in the Parkrite Public Car Park on Fleet Street. College permit holders may avail of these spaces ‘free of charge’ between Thursday the 3rd of April 2025 and Tuesday the 15th of April 2025 – inclusive. Please note there will be no ‘free parking’ on Saturdays or Sundays. Further details on these arrangements will be circulated by the Estates & Facilities Department in due course.
This is a 24-hour facility and is being funded by the Ball Committee.
Access
Access to and from Front Square will be maintained through New Square North.
Bicycle Parking Relocation
In preparation for the Trinity Ball the phased removal of Bicycle Racks from Parliament Square, Front Square, Library Square, Fellow Square, New Square and Botany Bay will start from 4th April 2025, with a phased returned from 14th April 2025.
The temporary location of Bicycle Racks can be viewed on the map below.
Any of the remaining bicycles on campus after 17.30 on Friday 11th April 2025 may be removed if they cause an obstruction or safety concern. It is recommended that all bicycles are removed from the railing, posts, walkway chains around the squares, etc.
Restrictions and alternative pedestrian access to Printing House Square is required from March 10th to March 15th for resurfacing works to the front of the Printing House.
This work is required to enable the completion of the Book of Kells Experience Project.
We thank you for your understanding as we continue to improve the College’s built environment.
As part of ongoing hard landscape works on campus, we will be carrying out essential maintenance on the pathway located opposite the Pavilion Bar (close to the Chemistry Building.
To facilitate these works it will be necessary to close the pathway in question for a period of four days from Monday 3rd March to Thursday 6th March.
An alternative pedestrian route will be available via the entrance to the Chemistry Building.
Signage will be in use to assist those using the area.
Estates and Facilities will be carrying out essential tree works at Civil Engineering and at Rugby Car Park on February 22nd
Vehicle access will not be permitted through from Civil Engineering or the Narrows/ House 38.
Rugby Car Park will remain closed to all vehicle access bar emergency and essential services.
No cars to be left here overnight on Friday the 21st February.
Pearse Street Gate will remain open to facilitate access on the 22nd.
Pedestrian access will be restricted along the rear of House 40. Pedestrian diversion routes will be operational for the duration of the works.
A restriction to the width of pedestrian access to Printing House Square is required from February 17th to March 31st for the construction and fit-out of a new entrance structure at the side of the Printing House.
This work is required to enable the completion of the Book of Kells Experience Project.
Recent changes in and around New Square have focussed high volumes of pedestrian traffic to its South and West sides in particular. Traffic studies of the area have been undertaken which recommend necessary adjustments to ensure our best use of the area going forward. The adjustments are driven from a health and safety perspective in the context of College providing appropriate arrangements for reasonable prevention of vehicle transport associated accidents, and in doing so, ensuring that we are providing suitable layouts appropriate for both vehicle and pedestrian activities.
Alterations to the roadway at New Square will take place in December which will introduce pedestrianisation to its South and West sides, consequently altering existing traffic routes and reducing a small amount of parking spaces. Each element of this is set out in greater detail as follows:
Pedestrianisation:
- Flexible bollards will be installed at necessary junctures to prevent cars from using both the South and West sides of New Square. Consequently, only pedestrians will be able to access these sides of New Square. However, as the bollards will be flexible, they would allow access by emergency services vehicles should the need ever arise.
Alteration to Traffic Routes:
- Whereas currently traffic can drive around all four sides of New Square, the installation of the bollards will impact traffic routes in two ways:
- The East side of New Square will now be a cul-de-sac and
- Vehicular access to both Library Square and Front Square, West of the Rubrics, will only be possible via the road to the North of New Square, past Printing House
Car Parking Reduction:
- Consequent to the alterations outlined, parking spaces formerly between the Museum Building and New Square will be removed. In doing so, we will provide a safer environment for all staff, students and visitors who use this route
- In parallel, it should not be forgotten that in creating this pedestrianisation and reducing car parking spaces, it brings a positive incremental step towards achieving a strategic objective within our Sustainability Action Plan (https://www.tcd.ie/sustainability/initiatives/sustainable-transport/)
Whilst acknowledging the impact any change has upon us all, we trust that the benefits of the alterations is self-evident, and that the College community will support them.
Notification –Closure of access to the Campanile and pathway to the Rubrics from June 17th.
We are commencing essential repair and maintenance conservation works to the Campanile tower, including masonry repairs, repair to ironwork elements, repair of the historic entrance door, and minor maintenance alterations.
During these works there is a requirement to mount scaffolding around the tower and secure the surroundings areas. We will require additional space during the erection of the scaffolding at Parliament (Front) Square.
The Library Square pathway will be closed to pedestrian access from Parliament Square for the duration of the project.
We thank you for your understanding as we continue to improve the College’s built environment.