You can’t go long on Trinity College Dublin campus without hearing at least one campus myth or secret. I have put together a list of the top three I hear about the most! Whether you believe them or not is up to you, but I hope you enjoy reading about them regardless.
The Campanile Curse
How come no one ever really takes the convenient shortcut through the campanile’s arch other than the tourists that don’t know any better? You might not know this because they keep a pretty low profile, but the campanile’s bells actually ring every once in a while, like during graduation ceremonies.
This is when you need to be the most careful – you can’t be underneath the campanile when the bell tolls because it means you’ll fail your exams, and even if you’ve finished all of your exams you never know what kind of bad luck this mistake could bring you…
So you forget about this rule one day and find yourself taking a stroll underneath the campanile when you hear its bells tolling. What now? You need to run to Front Arch, touch the wall, and make it back to the campanile before the bells are done ringing – now the risk of failing your exams is back to the likelihood it was before. Phew!
Tunnels under Front Square
You might have heard of these if you’ve spent any time on campus – the rumour has it that underneath Front Square lies a vast subterranean network of tunnels, storage rooms and (famously) a wine cellar.
I say ‘famously’ because every Trinity student hears about this at some point, and some have even attempted to break into it. Its exact location is unclear, but some say that one of the trees in Front square has had its growth stunted because its roots are blocked by its ceiling.
The next time you come in through Front Arch, try to figure out which one it is! The underground wine cellar is real, but you can’t get in unless you have the key (similarly to wine cellars above ground). Spooky!
Three FAQs:
Q: Isn’t the other tree just smaller because it’s in the shade?
A: No. It’s because of the secret tunnels.
Q: Is the little door in the campanile pillar one of the entrances to the tunnels?
A: No.
Q: Can I go in the tunnels?
A: You can try…
Q: Is it true the provost uses the tunnels to move around campus in secret?
A: I said I’m only answering three questions.
The Ghost of the Rubrics
Have you ever felt a certain spiritual presence around the Rubrics? In case you didn’t know, the Rubrics is actually the oldest building on campus, built in the early 18th century to house professors and students inside its red brick walls.
In 1734, Edward Ford lived (and died, spoiler) at No. 25 while a Fellow of the University. After midnight on 7 March 1734, the Front Gate Porter was attacked by a mob of students, who then moved across the campus to throw stones at Ford’s windows.
It is unknown why they targeted Ford, but he was known at the time for being a harsh disciplinarian and the attack may have been prompted by this unpopularity. Ford engaged with the mob and, owing to his experience of previous attacks, had his shotgun ready, shooting at the crowd and injuring one in an attempt to disperse them.
Unfortunately for him, the mob had also come prepared, and he was fatally shot directly through the broken window. While being attended to as he lay dying, his response to whether he knew who had shot him was “I do not know, but God forgive them. I do.”
Four students were arrested, and the murder trial took place soon afterwards, but the identity of his killer remains unknown. Ford’s ghost is said to roam the campus at night ever since, searching for his murderer.
