Maeve's Bench?

Pigman II

To explain to those who won't know, there is a particular bench on the grounds of Dublin City University with the words 'Maeve's Bench' carved onto them. The inscription isn't 'officially' done (ie on a metal plaque or whatever) yet nor is it crude enough to be grafitti/vandalism. It's kind of half way between. Check the pic here to see it http://members.aol.com/maevemerry/

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knew what the significance of these words were (because noone from the college I've ever asked seemed to know). I thought it might have been a memorial for a past student/lecturer who died but like I said no one ever seemed to know what it was about.

It was definetly there in 1996 when I started in DCU and was still there when I left (and I presume it's still there today?) which leads me to believe it wasn't just some bored student carving their name into the nearest piece of wood and that it does serve some official purpose.

So does anyone know the true story behind this curious inscription?

exiztone

Well, I havn't got a clue about the history of your bench but that definately looks like it was graffiti just done with more time =/

pickarooney

I did know but I've long since forgotten, sorry. I do know ten thousand of your earth pounds were pissed away on three additional, arty, impossible to sit on benches around DCU which rotted to bits within a few years, so Maeve's bench was probably bought with money destined for a new Arts Block in the early 90s.

Sev

Interesting... I was only sitting on that bench a week or two ago, waiting on a lift home from this english lecture thingy. I asked myself the same question. I felt strangely uneasy I have to say.. sitting on Maeve's bench, like I was violating somebody's property.

Amz

I never noticed that before hehe! Guess that says something about the amount of attention i pay to my surroundings....

It doesnt look like vandalism to me but i shall further scrutinise on monday... or tuesday or.... whenever i go in next.....

silverside

I think it dates from 93/94. I think Maeve was a part-time model who just wanted a nice bench to sit on so paid for it herself. Could be wrong though.

Asok

Yeah i remeber seeing that a good few times no idea what the story is behind it even though i do tend to wander round dcu a fair bit,(in one of their pc labs in the grattan building atm Rar!),no real idea wonder if any of the students know come on ye know who ye are but i bet they dont know who i am muhahahahha *ahem* sorry just the funnyness of using their pcs

sceptre

Didn't DCU spend whatever they got for winning Challenging Times a few years back on benches?

Mr.Applepie

Hmmm i have noticed that too. But alas i too have no idea who this maeve is Could be fun trying to find out though

Amz

Can we have a Tribunal or Inquiry?

I mean it's just week ten or whatever.... (please god let it only be week ten ive two assignments due week eleven!!!)

So this would be the oppertune time for me to waste valuable study hours investigating the origins of afformentioned bench....

GuanYin

Originally posted by sceptre
Didn't DCU spend whatever they got for winning Challenging Times a few years back on benches?

Thats the bench and "modern art" thats beside the NCTCC and opposite the hub (dunno if they are still there)

Maeves Bench was there in 1996 but I think it was donated by some student a few years previous to that.

Someone told me once but the brain cells with that information were killed by alcohol long ago.....

Mr.Applepie

Originally posted by Amz
Can we have a Tribunal or Inquiry?

I mean it's just week ten or whatever.... (please god let it only be week ten ive two assignments due week eleven!!!)

So this would be the oppertune time for me to waste valuable study hours investigating the origins of afformentioned bench....

Its week 9 at the moment so we have loads of time. I have 2 assignment due in week 11 too. What course you doing?

Sposs

A girl called Maeve Died on the Bench.

pickarooney

Originally posted by sykeirl
Thats the bench and "modern art" thats beside the NCTCC and opposite the hub (dunno if they are still there)

Maeves Bench was there in 1996 but I think it was donated by some student a few years previous to that.

Someone told me once but the brain cells with that information were killed by alcohol long ago.....

What's the NCTCC? One of those 500 buildings that mushroomed up since I left, most likely.

GuanYin

Originally posted by pickarooney
What's the NCTCC? One of those 500 buildings that mushroomed up since I left, most likely.

National Cell and Tissue Culture Centre which was founded in 1987, so I'm guessing it was there long, long before you were.

TheTomahawk

It's 2011, and the bench is still there.

For anyone still wondering about the bench, there is a section in this PDF document about it: http://www.dcu.ie/news/2005/nov/p8-16.pdf

In short, Meave McCarthy was a member of staff who dies in 1993. When she died, she was working in the Faculty of Computing and Mathematical Sciences as Faculty Administrative Assistant. The bench was donated by her son Daragh, and is located next to the School of Computing.

More in the PDF file.

God rest the woman, but what a zommmmbie thread!

TheTomahawk

Yeah, I know... 8 years old... But figured that since it comes up as the first link on Google when you search for "Meave's Bench", it would be nice to actually find the answer here...

KeithM89_old

Zombie Thread Locked

Feel free to take it to the DCU Forum