A chara,
It has been a busy few weeks in the AFU office, with our programmes getting underway, international activities and plenty more to look forward to over the coming months.
Audit Modules
Our AFU Audit Modules are now up and running, and I would like to thank everyone for their patience while waiting for student cards and registration details from Registry.
As many of you will know, timetabling and registration are administered centrally by the Registry Department, and at this very busy time of year it can sometimes take longer than we would like for everything to be processed. This year, DCU welcomed approximately 4,300 new students, bringing the overall student population to just over 21,000, so September is an exceptionally busy period across the University.
Thank you for bearing with us while everything settles into place, and I hope you are enjoying your modules.
AFU Team Brings Home the Medals!
A huge congratulations to the fantastic AFU participants who recently represented DCU and Ireland at the 15th U3A Olympics in Slovakia.
Competing alongside participants from 11 countries, our team returned home with an impressive medal haul: Gold and Bronze in Table Tennis, Silver in Shooting and Bronze in Bowling.
But the week was about much more than medals. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet older learners from across Europe, exchange ideas and experience Slovakian culture and hospitality. Alongside the sporting events, we enjoyed cultural visits and a stimulating programme of lectures exploring areas including technology and ecology.
It was a terrific celebration of active ageing, lifelong learning, friendship and international exchange and our AFU team represented DCU wonderfully.
Love of Lifelong Learning
Our Love of Lifelong Learning (LOLL) programme is beginning over the coming days, and once again the response has been tremendous. Places on many of the modules filled almost immediately.
It is always encouraging to see such enthusiasm for learning and the range of subjects that continues to attract our AFU community. I am already working on several new modules for next semester, so there will be some new opportunities to look forward to.
Free Theatre Event at St Patrick’s Campus – The Horse of Jenin
I have been asked by colleagues at St Patrick’s Campus to share details of a special free theatre performance taking place in October.
DCU’s Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship Education, the DICE Project and the School of Arts Education & Movement will host The Horse of Jenin, created and performed by Palestinian actor, writer and comedian Alaa Shehada, following sell-out performances at the Dublin Theatre Festival.
Monday, 19 October 2026
Doors from 6.00pm; performance at 6.30pm
B108 Auditorium, St Patrick’s Campus, DCU, Drumcondra
Running time: approximately 85 minutes, with no interval.
The Horse of Jenin is a solo performance exploring resilience, memory and the power of imagination. Blending storytelling, mask work and stand-up comedy, Shehada tells the story of a boy growing up in Jenin in occupied Palestine, a child who, like any other, simply wants to play.
The production has received considerable critical acclaim, including five-star reviews from The Guardian, British Theatre Guide and The Scotsman.
Admission is free, but places are limited and advance registration is required. You can register for The Horse of Jenin here. You can also watch a short preview of the performance.
Please note that the performance contains strong language and themes of displacement, loss, grief, war, military occupation and the destruction of cultural symbols, as well as a brief period of complete darkness.
The event is kindly supported by DCU’s Centre for Human Rights & Citizenship Education, the DICE Project, funded by Irish Aid at the Department of Foreign Affairs, and DCU’s School of Arts Education and Movement.
Generations at Work Conference – Have You Registered Yet?
We are now counting down to our Generations at Work – A Fairer Future for Learning, Earning and Longevity conference, taking place at DCU on 22–23 October. This promises to be an exciting two days bringing together voices from Ireland and across Europe to explore some of the big questions facing us as we live and work longer:
How do we create opportunities to keep learning throughout life?
What does an age-inclusive workplace look like?
How can different generations learn from and work alongside one another?
How do we ensure that longer lives translate into healthier, fairer and more fulfilling lives?
With keynote speakers, lively panel discussions and opportunities to meet and exchange ideas with people of all ages, there should be something for everyone. AFU participants are very much part of this conversation, and I would love to see a strong representation from our community. If you have not yet registered, I encourage you to do so and join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking and enjoyable 2 day event.
I hope everyone is settling back into the new semester and enjoying being back on campus. There is plenty happening across the AFU over the coming months, and I look forward to seeing many of you at classes and events.
Best wishes
Kind regards
Comhordaitheoir Ghréasán Domhanda na hOllscoile Aoisbháúla
Age-Friendly University Coordinator
Oifig na hOllscoile Aoisbháúl | Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath| AG40| | Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath | Campus Ghlas Naíon | BÁC 9
Age-Friendly University Office|AG40|Glasnevin|Dublin 9