By News Editor Amanda Uwase.
I met Katherine McBride in Nubar, where we hovered between two choices: braving the lashing rain for a comforting coffee in Albert Park or staying in the U building in search of an unoccupied room. The weather decided for us. When the topic of coffee resurfaced, Katherine waved it off without hesitation. This wasn’t a get-to-know-me; it was a presidential interview.
Before we got into the interview, McBride said it had been a while since she had last done an interview; the last time was during Ireland’s abortion referendum in 2018. McBride appeared in The New York Times at just 13 years old, making her one of the youngest activists publicly advocating for abortion.
Speaking to the paper at the time, she said, “Women should be allowed to choose. It’s their body. It doesn’t belong to the Church,” adding that her generation was “not so indoctrinated as earlier ones” and unafraid to debate these issues openly.
She attended pro-choice meetings alongside her mother, Bernie Linnane, who also featured in the article and spoke about the declining influence of the Catholic Church in Irish politics.
The moment marked a turning point for McBride, cementing her commitment to social advocacy. Her upbringing in a left-wing household and becoming politically active at a young age seemed to be her calling in the years to come.
That activism has continued beyond the referendum. She’s now in her 2nd year of Economics, Politics and Law. Outside of academia, she took it upon herself to hold a quiz to raise funds for Palestinians in Gaza and continues to donate regularly, describing herself as the type of protester who has her “boots on the ground” rather than being idle.
Speaking to The DCU Bulletin last week, she outlined her manifesto, and it came as no surprise when accommodation emerged as the top priority. Shaped by lived student experience, McBride points to her background as a student from Co. Leitrim who has experienced both commuting and on-campus living.
She argues that DCU continues to increase student numbers without providing adequate, affordable, or humane conditions. Reflecting on her first year in Larkfield, she describes the conditions as “disheartening and dehumanising”, highlighting poor maintenance despite steadily rising service fees.
A practical solution, McBride came up with was the Utrecht modular housing model. Delivered in Germany, Denmark and the UK, where companies specialise in putting together complete residential blocks with minimal disruption and at lower cost due to standardised manufacturing and reduced on-site labour.
She argues that modular accommodation can be built far quicker than traditional student housing, significantly reducing construction timelines. The prefabricated nature of the units also lowers overall costs, making it a more affordable option for both the university and students.
For McBride, adopting this model would allow DCU to respond more rapidly to the housing crisis while improving the quality of life on campus, rather than relying on slow, expensive developments that fail to meet student needs.
She is also campaigning to reduce gym fees, an issue she feels has been overlooked by other candidates. While the facility is privately operated, McBride points out that DCU holds a majority share, giving the university real influence over pricing.
She argues that this puts DCU in a strong position to negotiate lower costs for students, particularly through levy reform. For McBride, cheaper gym access is not a luxury but a core part of building a healthier campus, both physically and socially.
She believes that affordability would encourage greater student engagement, especially among commuters who often have limited reasons to remain on campus between lectures.
Alongside this, she has signalled a willingness to explore whether parking provision can be expanded, acknowledging the pressures faced by students who rely on cars to get to and from university. Framing these issues as matters of accessibility rather than convenience, McBride says she is “fighting in students’ corner” to make campus the best it can be.
If you are looking for Katherine, she is most likely somewhere in the U, as she is on campus from 9am to 6pm most days. She sits on the committee of the Debate Society, Karting Society, and Accounting and Finance (A&F).
Karting Society took home multiple awards at last year’s Clubs and Societies ceremony, including being voted DCU’s best society.
She currently serves as Vice Chair of Debate, a society she says has gone “from rubble to respect” and which will host an Irish Times event this year. Alongside this, she undertakes a significant amount of administrative and office work, something she says she genuinely enjoys, and is an active class representative who regularly attends class rep council meetings.
She argues that leadership is not just about visibility, but about consistent, behind-the-scenes work and following issues through. If elected, she says she will use every tool available to improve the student experience, summing up her message to voters by saying, “I am fighting in your corner and want campus to be the best campus it can be”.
McBride sees her candidacy as a symbol of meaningful change, drawing an ironic comparison to the current President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly.
Voting takes place in Week 6, on the 16th, 17th, and 18th of February. Look out for other campaigns, and be sure to make your voice heard in this year’s elections.
Image Credit: Katherine McBride