There are many emails on Edward’s inbox, one is from a parent wondering how far their child’s accommodation is from the train station!
From the start of July Edward Grant is now looking at his home of town Letterkenny from a different view.
By Brian McDaid
The building where he was a student for the last three years and now on a year out to take up his new position is actually built across the tracks of the two railway stations that served Letterkenny.
The last of those trains steamed out of Letterkenny in 1959, twelve years before the old Regional College was built in 1971, but that bit of local Letterkenny’s history is going to be of little comfort to the concerned parent sending their child off to college way up in Donegal for the first time.
Edward Grant took up the position of president of the student union in the newly named Atlantic Technological University (Donegal), formally called the LYIT.
The new officer team at the Students Union in Letterkenny left to right: éanna McDermott, Drunkeen VP Education and Communication, Edward Grant , Letterkenny President and Barry Breslin Dunkineely VP Equaility and Welfare
This new university status is a big step forward for the cathedral town since it first opened its doors 50 years ago.
Edward proudly wears his yellow university hoodie complete with his initials EG printed on his right arm. He has spent 16 of his 21 years at school in Letterkenny from primary school Scoil Cholmcille, to secondary school at St. Eunan’s College and for the last 3 years at third level at the LYIT.
Both his parents are Letterkenny folk , Gina his mum is from Glencar and Eddie’s father also Eddie is from Oldtown. Young Eddie still lives at home in Rareagh, a few miles from the front door of the college.
As a student Edward is only too aware of the difficulty that his fellow students have arriving up to Donegal or from around the county is like when the try to secure accommodation in Letterkenny, now as president of the students union he represents one of the biggest if not the biggest groups of people in a growing town.
Next to the ongoing problem of finding accommodation in the town that students are faced with is a problem that Edward feels that students are faced with and that’s how much the town has become decentralised.
Students down in Dublin can go to Connolly Station and in Galway to Eyre Square and from there to any corner of Ireland. There is no centre in Letterkenny where students have to find out where the likes of Feda, John McGinley and Patrick Gallagher buses stop if they want to go by bus in the direction of Galway, Dublin or Belfast respectively. Edward also has always thought that the college should buy up the long term vacant properties in the centre of Letterkenny and develop and manage them properly as student accommodation.
Edward Grant President of the Student Union at the ATU in Letterkenny. Photo Brian McDaid.
Edward is keen to include his all his team at the students union are from Donegal – that’s Èanna McDermott from Drumkeen VP Education and Communication Barry Breslin from Dunkineely VP with Equality and Welfare.
The office has the benefit of an extended network across the west and north west of Ireland where there are seven campuses: Galway City, Connemara, Mountbellew, Mayo, Sligo, Letterkenny and Killybegs and more to join before the year is out.
Over 20,000 students will arrive at this new university network at these campus as students to start their third level education. In the promotion of the new university status, Edward and his team are out around Letterkenny making contact with local groups and charities to organise events for the coming term.
As a photographer, over the years I would have regularly been requested to get a photo of the incoming president of the students union but it is different this year when you find that president is actually from the town.
Edward is chatting about the Long Lane, The Oldtown and Glencar – about what it was like growing up in an expanding town.
As these residential areas have become less and less of a community as young ones increasingly end up keeping to themselves, the town has become more disconnected from the people living in it.
In the past the Old Regional College students were like a wee town on their own, Edward hopes to change that as the college gets involved in local fundraising events.
On a lighter note talking about the new one way system that passes by his old school on the Convent Road, Edward is hopeful that they get it all squared up soon, as this young Letterkenny man has just recently completed his 12 driving lessons and is looking forward to the one-way system is up and running before he gets the word to go for his driving test!
And finally.. its alway 4.05 pm somewhere.
A few words of thanks from Isobel Rodgers for the Donegal Hospice for the recent Fundraiser ‘Jive for June’
A massive thank-you form Isobel Rodgers in her office at the Donegal Hospice where her fundraiser Jive for June heads for the 100, 000 euros mark. Photo Brian McDaid.
In 2021 during COVID I realised that we would not be able to hold Church Gate Collections, Sunflower Day or Coffee Mornings all our main fundraisers. I met people and all they talked about was would we ever get back to our dancing again so I took a notion about a Jive For June. I took the notion to a meeting and I knew once I opened my mouth there was no going back. Yes, I did think at the time it could go either way but sure I would give it a go. I contacted Highland Radio and they came on board straight away and David James agreed to play a jive everyday for the month of June at 4.05 P.M. or people could do their own jive at a time suitable and put it up on the Donegal Hospice FB and Highland Radio FB and get family and friends to donate on the link. If people could not Jive then they could do various fundraisers or just Donate.
At the 30th of June last year I had raised €37,400.00 and then it closed at €55,800.00 I was just delighted. Looking back I probably had everyone tortured. This year I started working on the JIVE FOR JUNE in January. on the 30th of June I have €84,200.00 for which I am so grateful to all who Jived, donated and held various events and dances, even the school children took part and jives in Spain . Now we even had jives held in 2 places in London., Tiny Vaughan and Kevin McGinley held them there. These funds will be used for the care of the palliative care patients of County Donegal and I want to thank all for their very valued support. There are still funds coming in for the Jive for June. I will keep everyone informed of the final figure.
Thanks to you all.
Isobel.
Donegal Hospice.
