Take a trip down memory lane at TU Kevin Street

TU Dublin is preparing for the arrival of 10,000 students to its new flagship campus in Grangegorman.

Many of these students will leave Kevin Street, where TU Dublin has been a part of the local community for over 130 years. To pay tribute to Kevin Street, the university is hosting a special celebration before the beginning of its next chapter later this year in Grangegorman.

The event, organised by Kevin Street staff and the TU Dublin Graduate Network, takes place this month on Saturday, February 29.

The celebration is a chance for Kevin Street alumni to revisit their college days and to commemorate the unique history of their alma mater as the home of technological education in Ireland.

Arnold Felix Graves founded Kevin Street Technical School, with financial support from Dublin Corporation, and 220 students began classes there in October 1887. From the very beginning, Kevin Street offered education and training at the leading edge of technology, a tradition that will continue in its new home in the Central Quad in Grangegorman.

Alumni visiting Kevin Street will be able to meet with their former classmates and lecturers, view memorabilia, see their old labs and lecture rooms, and hear about the university’s exciting new chapter at Grangegorman.

Biological and Health Sciences graduates can reminisce about 70 years of Diagnostics, Dietetics and DNA in Kevin Street, while those that studied Mathematical Sciences can see photos of students from yesteryear – and even try their hand at some old exam papers!

Computer Science will take former students on a trip down memory lane with an exhibition of old pictures and showcase what they will bring to their new home in Grangegorman.

Electrical and Electronic Engineering is hosting a display of photographs, vintage lab equipment and other material from the school’s archive.

At the same time, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences staff will meet with graduates on the third floor and provide tours of their state-of-the-art laboratories and talk about their plans for Grangegorman.  

Physics and Clinical Measurement alumni will be delighted to hear that the physics labs are still on the first floor and staff are excited to show how these facilities have been modernised over the years.

Finally, former National Optometry Centre students can see demonstrations of their cutting-edge diagnostic equipment and visit the largely unchanged clinic labs.

The Kevin Street Celebration takes place between 1-4pm on February 29. The event is free, but places are limited so prospective attendees are advised to register for their place on Eventbrite to avoid disappointment.