Recorded mainly on location back in and around Trinity, Gerry Foley catches up with several more fellow 1982 graduates.......he also has a sit down interview with his former Economics Professor , John O'Hagan who is marking nearly 50 years as a college lecturer. He also caught up with Hugo MacNeill who talks about his ongoing involvement with Trinity through the People with Intellectual Disabilities initiative as well as his top class international rugby career while studying economics at TCD. As this is the last episode, the overall tone is reflective, but Gerry also speaks to some current students for a sense of what their own Trinity experience is like in 2022.

With the world's economy facing huge challenges, Gerry Foley talks to 3 fellow TCD graduates who've spent their careers observing and investing in long term economic and business trends. Gabriel Fagan is a former chief economist at the Central Bank of Ireland after many years with the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. Here he talks openly about what he sees as the sluggishness of the ECB in dealing with the current crisis. Both Rory Gillen in Dublin and Harry Hartford in LA run investment firms , the latter focussing on bigger institutional investors. Rory explains what advice he gives his clients on how to deal with the current market volatility while Harry reminds us of the importance of taking a 5 to 10 year perspective. From the glamour of his office on Santa Monica Boulevard in LA, Harry talks about the growing issue of homelessness in the city, sparking a conversation about the dysfunctional nature of the housing market in so many countries.
There's also memories of Trinity days, Slane castle concerts and how the Germans are really much more punctual than the Irish !!

Gerry Foley talks to 3 more 1982 graduates from Trinity College Dublin. All 3 trained as accountants, but don't let that put you off !! They jetted off to foreign climes including Bermuda, Hong Kong and Australia building highly successful international financial careers. Mervyn talks about helping Chinese state owned banks open up to the west in the early 2000s, the tremendous opportunities from being based in Hong Kong but concerns too about the more recent security clampdowns. In Sydney, JJ talks about the enjoyment of running Readers Digest, which he describes as like Amazon pre the internet, before aggressive private equity intervened. In Melbourne , Ciaran talks about 'commuting' from there to the Bahamas plus , more recently, living under a night time covid curfew as part of Melbourne's near total lockdown. Plus from Trinity days, some great memories of mates, pints and and a certain "Bachelors' Silver Salver" behind the counter of a Pearce Street Bar !!

Gerry Foley talks to 2 more 1982 graduates from Trinity College Dublin. Both men have dedicated their lives to the service of God. One, Father Gerry Whelan is now a Jesuit Professor in Rome. The other, Dr Charles McMullen looks after a vibrant large Presbyterian congregation in Northern Ireland. He is also a former Moderator of the Church. Together they talk of their respective journeys towards ordination , that 'moment of surrender' to a life with Jesus.

Trinity memories include running the "brill cream ball' as a member of the Rock and Roll Society , the miscommunication that can occasionally occur when a Northerner tries to book a plane ticket from a Dubliner ! And why they both have very special, albeit entirely different ,
memories of life changing moments just by Trinity's Campanile.

Gerry Foley talks to two science graduates from 1982, one a pharmacist, the other a doctor. Both have gone one to have hugely important careers, primarily in public health. Emer Cooke is now the Executive Director for the European Medicines Agency in Amsterdam. Under her watch, the EMA was responsible for the regulation and rollout of the Covid vaccine across 27 EU states. Her agency is currently looking at future preparedness for other possible epidemics.
Dr Mary Black played a key role in the management of the pandemic response across Scotland. She is an expert in the sourcing and management of real time data for the health sector. Throughout a varied career, she oversaw the evacuation of critically injured patients from the besieged city of Sarajevo , in the early 90s. She recalls how her children had to learn not to walk on the grass, in case it was landmined. She's currently writing a family history of 3 female doctors through the generations.
Both graduates start the chat with memories of the Trinity Ball

In this episode of TrinityReConnecteD, Gerry Foley talks to 3 , 1982 law graduates from Trinity College Dublin. They have fond memories of some stellar lecturers, including the 2 Marys, both of whom went on to become President of Ireland. Can you guess which one lectured in thigh high leather boots ! Other memories include being a member of the Rifle Club, singing in college choirs, queuing for Elton John tickets and just abut making the bottom rung of college rugby teams. There's an international flavour to the discussion with one guest now practising law in Bilbao while also being the Irish Honorary Consul in the region. Another guest, now a senior partner at a London law firm , regrets spending SO much time in the law library as a student. The 3rd is a barrister in Dublin , specialising in planning and environmental law .Outside work , he joins his very musical family in playing a wide variety of traditional musical instruments.

Journalist Gerry Foley talks to 3 , 1982 language graduates from Trinity College Dublin. Despite being told, at the time, by the career advice team that having an arts degree was NOT a great route into a difficult jobs market, somehow they thrived to become a Professor of French (back in Trinity), a highly successful poet, writer and teacher plus an award winning radio producer. They remember the sense of freedom of thought on campus , as well as looking back at student union leaders such as Joe Duffy. In the second half of the chat, they try to persuade a highly reluctant Gerry that he really should be more open minded about the power and passion of poetry . Have a listen to see how that particular chat works out !!

Gerry Foley chats to 3 more 1982 Trinity College Dublin graduates. In this episode, it's with 3 students who came down to study in Dublin , before returning home to live and work in N Ireland. In a wide ranging discussion they talk about, the impact of the hunger strikes in and around Trinity, working as a probation officer during 'The Troubles', why finding your favourite mug had survived your office being bombed meant so much, the challenges of a 'mixed marriage' . There's also optimism about the future prospects for the North, despite the current political instability. On a lighter note, there are v happy memories of Trinity's own Hugo MacNeill helping Ireland win the Triple Crown, trying to find enough players for the Trinity GAA teams, how generous UK student grants made them feel better off and, of course, trying to find a payphone in Dublin !!