University College Cork
Richard Murphy
UCC SU Deputy President and
Campaigns Officer
2014/2015
Manifesto February 2014
Hi there! My name is Richard Murphy, but please, call me Dick. I am pleased to inform
you that I am running for the position of Deputy President and Campaigns officer for
UCC Students Union for the academic year 2014/15, a role which gets me very excited.
Honesty, I believe is always the best policy so I think it is wise I tell you by no means am
I student of the year, I haven’t built a school in Africa (…yet) and even though I’m a
diehard Munster Rugby fan, I’m rubbish at sports. But what I am delighted to tell you is
that I have an inherent understanding of UCC and its people. I have been here now for
four years and let me tell you, a lot of friendships have formed behind those main gates
of UCC.
As Deputy President and Campaigns officer my role would be split in two. As Deputy
President I would be there for the president around the clock, helping them along their
way and stepping in when needs be. But what gets me most pumped is the role of
Campaigns officer. I have seen first-hand the great work the Students Union have done
in shaping and cultivating a University which makes our friend in Dublin so jealous, and
I have the ideal personality, experience and character to continue, and build on this
strong representation around the country, and indeed the world! Let me tell you why. I
was born and raised in Dunmore East, Co. Waterford. It’s about an Irish experience you
can have. A small, beautiful fishing village beside the sea, stocked with characters and
musicians and tall tales of the past. Dunmore is a prime tourist destination, attracting
visitors from around the world. From the age of thirteen I worked in the hospitality
sector. With so much of my Villages fortunes directly related to tourism, we learn from a
young age how to interact and welcome our visitors. By the age of fifteen I knew the
different approaches to dealing with an American as compared to someone from Japan.
My tips depended on it! Being from somewhere so small, I was constantly looking out at
the world at large. Since my first year here in UCC I have seen the summer holidays as
an opportunity to travel the world and meet new people. For the most part of my travels
I left by myself and with very, very little money. After first year I joined a Norwegian
Tall ship Crew and sailed from Ireland to Greenock, Lerwick, Stavanger, and then
finished in Halmstad. The crew was made up of people from all parts of Europe, who
didn’t speak English. I had to learn very quickly how to communicate with these people
in other ways so we could work together and get the job done. This was an amazing
experience and training which will stand to me in this job. Having wrapped up another
great year in UCC in 2012 I headed state side to New York. Before I even got there I
pushed and pushed ringing and emailing people looking for jobs and accommodation.
People weren’t always willing to hear me out and listen to what I had to say. Simply, I
was not taking ‘No’ for an answer. I kept going until I got only the best! I landed myself
an incredible job in the Hamptons in a summer camp there. I got to work with amazing
children and there was nothing more rewarding then helping them foster life long
friends and create memories that will last them forever. It was that summer when I
truly lost all my inhibitions. Living and working in a foreign country you really do have
to fight for your rights.
For the summer just gone, I packed a rucksack and got a one way flight to Athens. From
there I hopped on a boat and traveled the many beautiful Greek Islands. Along my
travels I became friends with New Zealanders, Aussies, Swiss…and of course met plenty
of fellow Irishmen along the way. I don’t know what I was ever thinking booking a one
way flight. By the end of August I ran out of cash and had to make my way home. I
plagued and plagued people, from bus drivers, to ferries, to hostels and eventually made
my way to another Island which had an airport. To cut a very long story short I made my
way back home with no money.
This is the type of person a Deputy President and Campaigns officer needs to be.
Someone who won’t take no for an answer. Someone who is not afraid to ask people for
stuff when they literally are stranded on an Island. Someone who has life experience.
Someone who loves UCC and understands its people. I will fight tirelessly for you all. I
want the very best for you. I will manage and deliver organizations campaigning activity
and develop the impact of all campaigns. I want UCC campaigns to be part of a wider
network of campaign’s to create greater links with local and national campaigns and
create a more user led approach. I will ensure the on-going development of key
campaign resources, including campaign websites and individual support bases.
As you can tell, over the years I have met so many people and developed a skill that
cannot be taught. A skill of dealing with people and knowing how to get on their level.
Just like you, I’m a normal student, doing my exams the night before and my essays the
morning before. I don’t want to be king of UCC. I want to be someone you can come to. I
want to ensure all the hard work of our student body is not lost. I literally want to
march, to scream and to shout for you. UCC is an area of excellence. As cheesy as it may
sound, it’s a place where anything can happen. If you vote Dick 4 Deputy I will give you a
voice so you can exploit everything this amazing place, UCC, has to offer.
Thank You.
Warm Regards,
Richard ‘Dick’ Murphy.