UCC Obscure Info/Fact/Myths...

Byron85

Just though i'd start a thread for people to post random information about the place. I found these two nuggets on wikipedia...

The first two women to graduate in medicine in Ireland did so in 1898 (this was notable as it was more than 20 years before women were permitted to sit for medicine at the University of Oxford).

and this interesting bit about Alfred O Rahilly after whom the O Rahilly building is named (obviously)

O'Rahilly wrote a major survey of electromagnetic theory, Electromagnetics. He opposed Maxwell's dominant (British) theory of the electromagnetic field and followed the French Catholic physicist, historian of science, and philosopher of science Pierre Duhem in rejecting Maxwell's field account. As a logical consequence of his rejection of Maxwell, O'Rahilly also rejected Einstein's theory. O'Rahilly embraced Ritz's ballistic theory of light. O'Rahilly also wrote against the theory of evolution.

ReacherCreature

Myths eh?

There's a story about the O' Rahilly building that a ghost wanders its halls. Apparently he was an English student but died in there. (Probably a made up one to illustrate how confusing the ORB is)

The one about the Quad. Stand on one of the four sections and you're said to fail your degree or get struck with bad luck, something like that

Same with the Archway/St. Finbarr's logo, walk over it among others a sniper will gun you down.

That the library is sinking a little each year under the weight of all its books.

I'm open to correction but some of the stuff is fascinating.

RubyLamb

Apparently the reason behind the skull and crossbones logo is because it was originally built on a hospital or graveyard. Or something.

Thats what I was told anyway!

Byron85

RubyLamb wrote: »

Apparently the reason behind the skull and crossbones logo is because it was originally built on a hospital or graveyard. Or something.

Thats what I was told anyway!

Oh cool! I was wondering what the skull and cross bones was all about.

Nova_era

Both my mother and uncle were baptised by Alfred O' Rahilly, that's a bit of UCC trivia for you.

Aodan83

ReacherCreature wrote: »

Myths eh?

The one about the Quad. Stand on one of the four sections and you're said to fail your degree or get struck with bad luck, something like that

If you walk across the grass on the quad, or just across the quad, then you will apparently fail all your exams.

Same with the Archway/St. Finbarr's logo, walk over it among others a sniper will gun you down.

Not too sure about failing the exams bit but any girl who steps on the crest is doomed to get pregnant rather soon. Don't think the sniper bit is true.
Also, apparently the Civil engineering building was really badly built and the stairs are all uneven heights, and their crooked. Kind of ironic. Although it was the physics abd chemistry building or something when it was built.

dudara

ReacherCreature wrote: »

Myths eh?

There's a story about the O' Rahilly building that a ghost wanders its halls. Apparently he was an English student but died in there. (Probably a made up one to illustrate how confusing the ORB is)

Considering it's only about 10 years old, it's already a feat that the ORB has already got its own myth

The one about the Quad. Stand on one of the four sections and you're said to fail your degree or get struck with bad luck, something like that

Take the pathways across the quad and you won't graduate (as I was told on my induction day in 1996)

Same with the Archway/St. Finbarr's logo, walk over it among others a sniper will gun you down.

Walk across the crest and you'll fail your exams (again as I was told on my induction day in 1996)

That the library is sinking a little each year under the weight of all its books.

Interesting - it sounds somewhat plausible

partyguinness

T.W.H Byron wrote: »

Oh cool! I was wondering what the skull and cross bones was all about.

I believe that it has to do with the fact that UCC was first built as a medical school...in fairness they could have picked something more benign...:)


I have heard the one about the library about every library going...FFS

ReacherCreature

If you walk across the grass on the quad, or just across the quad, then you will apparently fail all your exams.

On my induction/orientation this is what I was told. Myths will have different stories depending on what the person is saying. Like this one that dudara was saying

Take the pathways across the quad and you won't graduate (as I was told on my induction day in 1996)

Not too sure about failing the exams bit but any girl who steps on the crest is doomed to get pregnant rather soon. Don't think the sniper bit is true.

Again I was told this and some stem from others just crapping I suppose.

thorpe

In relation to exams, the saying was you must have "everything" covered when the grounds staff cut the first grass of the year in the quad or else you will fail several exams.

I stood on that crest many a time and never failed an exam same can be said in walking though the quad, I did it several times and never once failed an exam.

deisedude

thorpe wrote: »

In relation to exams, the saying was you must have "everything" covered when the grounds staff cut the first grass of the year in the quad or else you will fail several exams.

I stood on that crest many a time and never failed an exam same can be said in walking though the quad, I did it several times and never once failed an exam.

Yep all hore****.The crest one is so they dont have to clean it regularly i believe. While the quad superstitions are to keep it perfectly manicured.

BTW Thorpe you only live 5 mins from me judging from you location

dudara

thorpe wrote: »

I stood on that crest many a time and never failed an exam same can be said in walking though the quad, I did it several times and never once failed an exam.

That's why they're myths.

candlegrease

thorpe wrote: »

In relation to exams, the saying was you must have "everything" covered when the grounds staff cut the first grass of the year in the quad or else you will fail several exams.

I stood on that crest many a time and never failed an exam same can be said in walking though the quad, I did it several times and never once failed an exam.

tough man....:P

ReacherCreature

thorpe wrote: »

In relation to exams, the saying was you must have "everything" covered when the grounds staff cut the first grass of the year in the quad or else you will fail several exams.

I stood on that crest many a time and never failed an exam same can be said in walking though the quad, I did it several times and never once failed an exam.

They're only stories, elements of popular culture to add a certain 'mystique' to the college/insituton. Nothing real. :P

maglite

thorpe wrote: »

I stood on that crest many a time and never failed an exam same can be said in walking though the quad, I did it several times and never once failed an exam.

The Phail is strong in this one...

thorpe

Im not saying they are real, They are myths but the amount of people who actually believe them is crazy especially around exam time.
Is it 5 min North, South, East or West;)

turgon

Apparently the walking across the Quad myth developed because the exam results office and the repeats office used to be on the West Wing and the East Wing respectively. If you got your results and failed, you had to walk across the Quad to apply to repeat.


Quad/UCC Trivia: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce, is considered one of the best novels ever written. A part of the novel is set in Cork/UCC and the Quad is specifically mentioned. Considering how famous and well regarded that book is, I thought it was cool.

George Boole, after whom the library is named, was the first professor of Maths at UCC. He is credited with inventing Boolean Algebra. This algebra would, many years later, be the basis upon which computers were designed. Specifically, your computer processor operates using boolean algebra. Also in computer programing any result which returns True of False is called a boolean result.

deRanged

turgon wrote: »

George Boole,

there's a picture of him in a stained glass window in the aula max. you have to get onto the balcony to see it properly. (there's a secret way up past the locked door)

flo8s967qjh0nd

Boole died of pneumonia after walking from Ballintemple to UCC in the rain to deliver a lecture.

turgon

deRanged wrote: »

(there's a secret way up past the locked door)

ohh ooh tell!!!

Amtmann

I think anyone can eat in the staff restaurant - but it costs more than the regular one.

deRanged

Furet wrote: »

I think anyone can eat in the staff restaurant - but it costs more than the regular one.

basically, yeah. nice food though. ginormous portions.

deisedude

thorpe wrote: »

Im not saying they are real, They are myths but the amount of people who actually believe them is crazy especially around exam time.
Is it 5 min North, South, East or West;)

Village just off the road between Fermoy and Mitchelstown which isnt Glanworth:D

Nova_era

Does anyone know what's behind all the curious looking doors in the North Wing? I've seen pictures of the staff common room; is that open to all staff, or just special members?

deRanged

Nova_era wrote: »

Does anyone know what's behind all the curious looking doors in the North Wing?

there's a bunch of meeting rooms, some of which are bookable by any staff through central bookings, some of which are controlled by departments and must be booked through them, there's offices like the office of the vp for research ... it's a bit complicated. then there's the council room (the uber meeting room)

just special members?

yeah, open to staff that join the common room. last time I checked you have to get a couple of people to propose you. I can never decide if I want to join it or not. the arm chairs are comfy, but the coffee leaves a bit (lot) to be desired.

samf

Theres a basement under the west wing where there's an actual mummy.

Theres used to be weekly hangings at gaol cross every friday up to 50 years ago, they'd attract a huge crowd and students would use it as an excuse to come in to lectures late on a friday - they had trouble getting past the crowd. This tradition has made its way to fridays even in modern times, though I think Thursday nights have a lot more to do with it these days...

Boole died of pneumonia after walking from Ballintemple to UCC in the rain to deliver a lecture. Boole died of pneumonia after walking from Ballintemple to UCC in the rain to deliver a lecture.

This is true, and his wife to help him gave him an ice bath, which is thought to have finished him off.

confusticated

Aodan83 wrote: »

Also, apparently the Civil engineering building was really badly built and the stairs are all uneven heights, and their crooked. Kind of ironic. Although it was the physics abd chemistry building or something when it was built.

Yup that's true, the stairs don't match the natural rhythm of walking or something like that, so they're kind of uneven and tricky to run up. So a lecturer told us. I feel a bit off balance if I take two steps at a time. (I'm late for lectures a lot.)

lauraisginger

My friends were up for the open day yesterday and I made the mistake of telling them about the chrest, I was literally picked up and put on it every time we passed it. Lovely people.

Brethitmanhart

Sure it's only a load of bull anyway, why would you care? I've walked over the crest many times.

PhatPiggins

There is a Q+4 in the Boole!

By all accounts its the glass triangle on top of the Library.

ReacherCreature

PhatPiggins wrote: »

There is a Q+4 in the Boole!

By all accounts its the glass triangle on top of the Library.

Heard that mentioned in the tips for 1st years thread. Pretty cool.

Jeebus

ReacherCreature wrote: »

Heard that mentioned in the tips for 1st years thread. Pretty cool.

How do you get up there d'you know ?! Sounds cool !

PhatPiggins

Jeebus wrote: »

How do you get up there d'you know ?! Sounds cool !

Only by way of the staff elevators ASFAIK

Tumblebrutus

Been at UCC for five years and never heard about the glass pyramid on the Boole's roof before. Went to Google maps to check it out and there does seem to be a sort of glass prism up there. Hard to make out though, but still kind of cool!

maglite

Are we talking about the skylight you can see from Q.? I dont remember a pyramid up there...

Tumblebrutus

It does actually just look like a skylight, I guess. I'm never in the top Q so I must not have noticed it.

Flamed Diving

I can't believe no one has mentioned the nuclear generator somewhere in the Kane Building. It was installed just before Ireland declared itself to be nuclear-free, so they decided to leave it there... or something.

More interestingly, I heard a theory that the reason people say you fail your exams for walking through the Quad pathway was a myth created by the groundskeepers to stop people from walking there and inadvertently kicking away the small stones which are laid on the path.

Oh, and there is a freemasons symbol at the botton of the Archway, next to the bin. Really.

Tumblebrutus

That's not the only mason symbol on campus. Did a cartography module in second year and were told there were five or so around campus.

Nova_era

Those Freemasons are everywhere now, I wonder how many UCC professors turn up to the Grand Lodge next to Hillbillys

hudsonriver

Flamed Diving wrote: »

I can't believe no one has mentioned the nuclear generator somewhere in the Kane Building. It was installed just before Ireland declared itself to be nuclear-free, so they decided to leave it there... or something.

More interestingly, I heard a theory that the reason people say you fail your exams for walking through the Quad pathway was a myth created by the groundskeepers to stop people from walking there and inadvertently kicking away the small stones which are laid on the path.

Oh, and there is a freemasons symbol at the botton of the Archway, next to the bin. Really.

Are you talking about the crows foot for surveying? just right of the arch while walking into the quad. Hardly new world order stuff, maybe stonemasons . . .

Flamed Diving

Is that not the rough shape of it?

KrustyUCC

the appearance of the quad we have in UCC today is due to a mistake. When it was originally being designed there was seperate sketches for Queens College Cork and Queens College Belfast. Both were designed by same company. Belfast as the "2nd" city in Ireland was to have a grander design. However the draftsman mixed up the plans sending the Belfast plans to Cork builders and vice versa. Hence cork got nicer campus design

hudsonriver

Flamed Diving wrote: »

Is that not the rough shape of it?

no its a crows foot for surverying

Friday73

As already mentioned, if you ambled through the quad you would fail. This relates to the fact that the west wing has a more a less direct route to the presidents door, (the rooms in the west wing were the only teaching rooms before ucc expanded and expanded). So in the very early years of ucc, if you got into trouble you were called to see the president, and to avoid being in trouble that little bit longer, the student/students would walk around on the outside to saviour the last minutes of peace before being rollicked. So the myth may have grown from that. Nevertheless, on the day you graduate you are meant to traverse the quad, as it brings good luck. (Which I didn't do, which might explain a few things...lol)
As for the ghost that roams the north wing, I have heard of that, but in my four years there I never heard anyone say a thing about it. While there were certainly no sightings of a ghost in the north wing by me or amongst my friends, there were certainly numerous sightings of a dragon. She's the one behind the counter in grants office...

spoofilyj

Aodan83 wrote: »

If you walk across the grass on the quad, or just across the quad, then you will apparently fail all your exams.


Not too sure about failing the exams bit but any girl who steps on the crest is doomed to get pregnant rather soon. Don't think the sniper bit is true.
Also, apparently the Civil engineering building was really badly built and the stairs are all uneven heights, and their crooked. Kind of ironic. Although it was the physics abd chemistry building or something when it was built.

Well When I was in college in UCC we made a vidoe of us running though the Quad, giving piggy back races and skipping through and I graduated with flying colours so theres not much to that one!:rolleyes:

Flamed Diving

Well it was hardly going to be true.

TanG411

spoofilyj wrote: »

Well When I was in college in UCC we made a vidoe of us running though the Quad, giving piggy back races and skipping through and I graduated with flying colours so theres not much to that one!:rolleyes:

Put it on youtube?

quietsailor

The Kane building is supposed to be built back to front. The surveyor laid out the lines wrong and they had the ground dug up and the foundations poured before someone noticed the steps should have been leading out to the road side