After a quick look around the 50-acre campus, you might ask: What does DCU do for sport? Well, they've got what looks like a pretty good sports hall - which many on campus argue is DCU's best investment to date.

"As an individual facility it's the best in the third-level sector," according to John Kerrane, DCU's sport and recreation officer. "The only thing it lacks is a swimming pool."

The sports centre, which is also open to outsiders (this contributes to running costs) boasts three basketball courts - which can also be used for volleyball, tennis and indoor soccer - squash courts, a climbing wall and a state-of-the-art gymnasium. Three years ago, the college acquired a 35 acre adjacent site which will provide tennis courts and soccer, Gaelic, rugby and cricket pitches plus an all weather hockey pitch. A sports pavilion is about to be developed on the site. The college, says Kerrane, caters for both elite athletes and regular punters. The student body boasts a number of former rugby internationals, footballers including Keith Doyle - the only Irish based member of Ireland's under-18 soccer team - and table tennis champion Brioni Lane. Olympic swimmer Nick O'Hare is a registered DCU postgraduate. In an effort to beef up Gaelic games, DCU will shortly appoint a Gaelic games development officer.