April University of Galway Societies win at national awards

University of Galway Societies celebrated four major wins at the Board of Irish College Societies (BICS) National Awards. 

 With these latest wins, University of Galway Societies continue to hold the record for the most BICS awards of any third level institution in the country - 85 since the competition began. 

 The University took home awards in the following categories: 

 Best Society Civic or Charity: Palestinian Solidarity Society 

The Palestinian Solidarity Society were recognised for their powerful activism and raising awareness to the ongoing crisis in Gaza, organising events, demonstrations fundraisers, and high-profile speaker sessions to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. University of Galway was the first Irish university to publicly call for a ceasefire, and the Palestinian Solidarity Society worked closely with other Palestinian Supporting organisations on campus and Galway City to ensure the cause of Palestinian liberation was at the forefront of university life in Galway  

 Best Intervarsity: - Compsoc (Computer Society) for ‘Capture the Flag’   

This year, Compsoc hosted it’s largest-ever Capture the Flag (CTF) Intervarsity, a fast-paced competition where teams solve cybersecurity challenges to uncover hidden “flags” and earn points. These events encourage competitors to think outside the box and find common vulnerabilities or loopholes in the challenges. This year marked a significant milestone, with every challenge designed in-house by the Compsoc committee. 

 Best Fresher: Kornelia Zach, Dramsoc 

Kornelia Zach was recognised for her leadership and contribution to theatre on campus. She coordinated the Jerome Hynes One Act Play Series, which saw five one acts performed consecutively and the winning play awarded a prestigious Druid Theatre award celebrating 50 years of Druid. She concluded the year by travelling to Belfast with Dramsoc to showcase their two productions at the Irish Student Drama Awards (ISDA).  

 Best Poster - University of Galway Horror Society 

Newly established this year, Horror Soc has made an impressive debut by winning the Best Poster Award, quickly building a community of 300 members and hosting 16 events. 

 University of Galway’s Societies Officer Ríona Hughes said: “The awards are a culmination of a year’s work by our Societies and celebrate the diversity, creativity and contribution our students make to campus life. Congratulations to all of the students who represented us at the BICS National Awards. We are very proud of you all." 

 With more than 13,000 students involved across 135 societies, University of Galway has hosted almost 3,500 events this academic year alone, providing students with educational, social, and developmental opportunities to enhance their university journey.   

 The Board of Irish College Societies (BICS), established in 1995, serves as a national platform supporting student societies across Ireland’s universities, colleges, and institutes of education. The annual awards celebrate and recognise the huge effort of the students who lead and contribute to these societies.   

 
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