What Happened During Freshers’ Week

Freshers’ Week was meant to be a vital opportunity for the TCD Law Student Colloquium to engage with the wider Trinity community, welcome new students, participate in university activities, and represent our organization's work. We are grateful to everyone who engaged with us in a respectful and constructive manner.

Unfortunately, a serious, deeply concerning, and apparently premeditated incident involving our Chairman profoundly degraded the week. This incident occurred during a PGR Law Student Coffee Event on 16 September. We believe that what happened must not be ignored, because it took place at an event organized by the School of Law and subsequently resulted in the involvement of other students, academic staff, Security, and the Junior Dean’s Office.

The Incident

On Wednesday, 16 September, at approximately 11:30 am, a PGR Law Student Coffee Event was taking place in Room 3.03, Floor 3M Mezzanine, at 7–9 South Leinster Street. Our Chairman, had been invited to attend.

He was speaking normally with colleagues in the room. John F. Manderscheid was present within the same group. Lukian greeted those around him and, when he noticed John, attempted to greet him in a standard, peaceful manner.

What followed was an immediate and highly aggressive verbal confrontation. Lukian was publicly assaulted with abusive language. John aggressively shouted profanities, including “f** off” and “get the f** out of here”**, and explicitly referred to Lukian as a “criminal” after.

This was not a private quarrel. It occurred publicly, in a small room. 30 postgraduate students were present. We consider such behavior completely unacceptable. Aggressive, abusive, and degrading language has no place at a university event, let alone within an academic community where basic dignity and respect are expected.

Lukian’s Response: Restraint in the Face of a Calculated Provocation

It is crucial to highlight how Lukian responded to this extreme provocation, which was clearly designed to incite a physical confrontation.

Despite being placed under immense stress and having every reason to be outraged, Lukian did not respond to aggression with aggression. Instead, he opposed the manner in which he had been addressed and asked John to apologize for the public verbal attack.

This was a measured and appropriate response. Rather than escalating the situation, Lukian sought an acknowledgement of the abuse and an apology. No apology followed.

Escalation by Peers: The Conduct of Other Students

A significant number of postgraduate students were present. Some students associated with John interfered on his behalf. Rather than de-escalating the situation, they chased Lukian, restricted his ability to move freely within the area, and unapologetically blamed him for the quarrel.

We are particularly shocked by the conduct of Cormac Donnelly (former Chair of Colloquium). Instead of contributing to de-escalation, Cormac and some other students actively supported the aggressive atmosphere.

The Involvement of Faculty

Professor David Kenny (Director of TriCON) has taken highly significant interference of this incident that requires proper public consideration.

Following the initial confrontation, Lukian went to the ground floor, remaining there in the expectation that the matter might be resolved and an apology provided. During this time, he encountered Professor David Kenny and attempted to speak with him about the incident.

Professor Kenny declined to engage with Lukian. Instead of addressing the situation, Professor Kenny sided with John F. Manderscheid. He hided John in his office alone and, rather than de-escalating, began looking for a key to a back exit and called Slándáil - Security and the Junior Dean's office.

Security and the Junior Dean’s Office

The situation ultimately resulted in security being contacted. The arriving personnel confirmed that Lukian posed absolutely no threat and that the situation was entirely peaceful on his side.

Representatives from the Junior Dean’s Office also arrived quickly. However, they failed to take any action to address the verbal abuse Lukian had suffered.

The School of Law’s Complete Silence and Institutional Failure

The School of Law has provided absolutely no response addressing the circumstances of the incident that occurred at its own event. There has been no apology to Lukian, no acknowledgement of the seriousness of the abuse, and no attempt to investigate what happened. We find this total silence deeply disappointing and highly suspicious.

Our Official Position

The TCD Law Student Colloquium condemns aggression, hostility, intimidation, and abusive behaviour directed towards its members. We reject the idea that students should be expected to remain silent when subjected to such conduct. Speaking out is a legitimate demand for accountability.

We condemn the promotion of hate and the use of degrading language. The actions of John F. Manderscheid, Cormac Donnelly, and Professor David Kenny and the absolute silence of the School of Law and others involved, are entirely unacceptable.

Any actions directed against us or our members will be met with a loud, uncompromising, and strong response. We will not be silenced, we will not be intimidated, and we will not allow this conduct to be normalized or forgotten.

The Colloquium remains committed to student participation, respectful academic engagement, and the right of students to take part in university life without intimidation.

What occurred on 16 September deserves proper consideration, an appropriate institutional response, and a clear recognition that such conduct is incompatible with the academic environment.

19th Emergency Committee TCD Law Student Colloquium