UCD Ball doubles in size
UCD Students’ Union have secured permission from the university to almost double the capacity of the annual end-of-year UCD Ball.
The event, which had a capacity of just under 5,000 last year, has been given the go-ahead to apply for a licence for up to 8,000 people and is earmarked to take place on Friday 23rd April 2010.
This will make the UCD Ball the biggest event of its kind in Ireland, surpassing the capacity of the rival Trinity Ball by 500. In line with the growth of the event, the Ball will also move across campus from its traditional home outside the Student Centre to the football pitches adjacent to the Quinn School of Business.
SU President Gary Redmond has expressed his satisfaction at the development, stating that “the Students’ Union are intent on putting on an event that any student who wants to attend can attend”, and explained that “since the Students’ Union don’t own any land in the university, we had to ask the university for use of [its] land.” The SU accordingly presented a draft event management plan to the university, which was approved last week.
The draft plan proposes that acts perform across two stages, with the main stage facing the Merville GAA pitches and a secondary dance stage mounted on the hill in front of the Roebuck residences. Redmond stressed that both stages will be directed towards the N11 so as to minimise noise pollution and other impacts on the university’s neighbours.
A spokesperson for the university stated that the presentation was “an impressive and comprehensive plan for the UCD Ball, which clearly laid out the logistics for a successful event of this scale.” The spokesperson further explained that “we would see that good planning and event management would keep any possible inconveniences to a minimum.”
Planning permission will now be sought for the event, as is legally required for events with a capacity of 5,000 or greater. Redmond has revealed that the application to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, as UCD’s local authority, is due to be lodged on 16th December.
There are no indications as to what acts might perform at the event. Last year’s UCD Ball sold out in just over four hours, and featured acts included Bookashade, Japanese Popstars, and Iglu & Hartly.
