College origins: on November 1st, 1854, some 20 students assembled at 86 St Stephen's Green, Dublin, to hear John Henry Newman announce the first term of lectures at the Catholic University of Ireland. Number 85 and 86 Stephen's Green, now known as Newman House, still belong to UCD. The constitution of the college dates to 1908 when it received its charter, and was incorporated, together with the former Queen's colleges at Cork and Galway, as a constituent college of the National University of Ireland.
This coincided with the move of UCD to larger premises in Earlsfort Terrace.
While Earlsfort Terrace still houses the medical faculty and part of the engineering faculty, the main body of the college moved to Belfield. In 1964, the first buildings, the Faculty of Science, were built. Today, UCD is the largest university in Ireland, with close to 20,000 students. And craters and cranes attest to another large building programme currently under way.
Clubs and societies: 111 societies and 54 registered clubs; UCD's best known society, the L and H, recently made John Hume its first honorary fellow.
Sports facilities: among the best in the State. Unique courses: UCD is the only college in the island of Ireland to offer veterinary medicine. A new building on Belfield campus is almost complete.
The agricultural science degree is also unique to UCD.
Website: www.ucd.ie
