Graduates' Memorial Building
Encyclopedia
The Graduates Memorial Building (GMB) is located in Trinity College Dublin. It is a neo-Gothic Victorian building designed by Sir Thomas Drew
in 1892. Its construction was largely financed by subscriptions from graduates, and was finished in 1904.
The building is divided into three houses: House 28, House 29 and House 30. Houses 28 and 30 are student residences. House 29, in the centre of the building, is home to three of Trinity College's oldest student societies: the University Philosophical Society
(the Phil), the College Historical Society
(the Hist) and the College Theological Society
(the Theo).
The ground floor houses its Debating Chamber and the conversation room of the Philosophical Society. Halfway between the ground floor and first floor is the Phil's council room, and the large stained glass
window dedicated to Lindley, a major subscriber to the GMB's construction, and depicting Epaminondas
and Demosthenes
, the greatest of all the Greek orators. On the first floor are the Historical Society's conversation and committee rooms. The second floor contains the Bram Stoker room, owned by the Philosophical Society, and two large snooker
rooms. The third floor has a computer room and a library shared by the Phil and the Hist, which contains part of the societies' large collections of books and records.
The Hist Conversation Room was used as a location in the film Educating Rita
. The upper floors of the building were damaged by a fire on Friday 15 December 2000, for a time threatening the societies with bankruptcy.
Sir Thomas Drew
Sir Thomas Drew was an Irish architect.Thomas Drew was born in Victoria Place, Belfast.He was trained under Sir Charles Lanyon before moving to work in Dublin, where he became principal assistant to William George Murray...
in 1892. Its construction was largely financed by subscriptions from graduates, and was finished in 1904.
The building is divided into three houses: House 28, House 29 and House 30. Houses 28 and 30 are student residences. House 29, in the centre of the building, is home to three of Trinity College's oldest student societies: the University Philosophical Society
University Philosophical Society (Trinity College, Dublin)
The University Philosophical Society, commonly known as The Phil, is a student paper-reading and debating society in Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. It is one of the two debating societies in the university...
(the Phil), the College Historical Society
College Historical Society (Trinity College, Dublin)
The College Historical Society is one of two main debating societies at Trinity College, Dublin in Dublin, Ireland. It was established within the college in 1770, but traces its origins to the society founded by the philosopher Edmund Burke in Dublin in 1747...
(the Hist) and the College Theological Society
College Theological Society (Trinity College, Dublin)
The College Theological Society of Trinity College, Dublin was founded in 1830. Its original purpose was to provide a forum for the discussion of Christian Theology for students of the School of Divinity in Trinity College, Dublin...
(the Theo).
The ground floor houses its Debating Chamber and the conversation room of the Philosophical Society. Halfway between the ground floor and first floor is the Phil's council room, and the large stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
window dedicated to Lindley, a major subscriber to the GMB's construction, and depicting Epaminondas
Epaminondas
Epaminondas , or Epameinondas, was a Theban general and statesman of the 4th century BC who transformed the Ancient Greek city-state of Thebes, leading it out of Spartan subjugation into a preeminent position in Greek politics...
and Demosthenes
Demosthenes
Demosthenes was a prominent Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide an insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece during the 4th century BC. Demosthenes learned rhetoric by...
, the greatest of all the Greek orators. On the first floor are the Historical Society's conversation and committee rooms. The second floor contains the Bram Stoker room, owned by the Philosophical Society, and two large snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
rooms. The third floor has a computer room and a library shared by the Phil and the Hist, which contains part of the societies' large collections of books and records.
The Hist Conversation Room was used as a location in the film Educating Rita
Educating Rita (film)
Educating Rita is a 1983 film of Willy Russell's play of the same title directed by Lewis Gilbert and stars Julie Walters, Michael Caine, and Maureen Lipman with a screenplay by Russell.-Premise:...
. The upper floors of the building were damaged by a fire on Friday 15 December 2000, for a time threatening the societies with bankruptcy.