Trinity withdraws legal threat over war memorial website

Trinity College Dublin has withdrawn a threatened legal action against campaigners who were planning to honour those associated with the university who died during the second World War.

Last week, the Trinity College Dublin War Memorial Project, which is lobbying for a monument to be erected on the grounds of the college, received a solicitor’s letter on behalf of the college warning it to cease using the college’s name.

The letter stated that use of the term “Trinity College Dublin” was a registered trademark.

Last night, however, the Trinity provost Patrick Prendergast moved to defuse the controversy by giving campaigners the right to use the name for promotional purposes.

'Public interest causes'
A spokesman for the university said the move recognised the distinction between the use of its registered trademark for "public interest causes" as opposed to those that have a more commercial character.

“Trinity takes very seriously the role that many of our former students and staff have played in key events in the past, including in conflicts,” a spokesman said.

“In the front square of Trinity, there is a hall of honour bearing the names of all those Trinity staff and students who lost their lives in the first World War,” he said.

“We fully recognise the sacrifices made by many in later wars and conflicts around the globe. At the instigation of the provost, the university is engaged in ongoing research project which critically examines Trinity’s involvement in the events of the decade 1912 to 1923 and its legacy.”

It is understood that while the legal letter stated the warning was being issued on the instructions of the provost, Prof Prendergast was unaware of the contents of the letter.

Peter Mulvaney, a former Dublin Bus driver who is leading the campaign, said he was delighted to hear that Trinity was supporting the project.

“It’s a marvellous breakthrough. I respect the provost for making this step. It is great to see that Trinity is prepared to take a lead on these issues,” he said.

College grounds
The war memorial project is encouraging visitors to sign a petition calling for a memorial to be established on the grounds of the college. It asserts that "the Trinity Dead have been written out of the story . . . most shamefully by their alma mater ".

In a statement, Trinity said that remembrance of the dead of the first and second World Wars, as well as the revolutionary decade, were priorities for the college.

“How best to remember those who died in wars was a matter of considerable public debate after the second World War. That debate continues today,” the statement said.

“As an academic institution, Trinity believes that public debate on these matters is both worthwhile and important, and we are very open to suggestions on ways in which we should remember the role of those who died in conflicts, including people connected to the university who fought in the second World War.”