Trinity College has been handed the largest philanthropic donation an Irish university has received in the history of the State.

The Executive Chairman of Jones Engineering Eric Kinsella and his wife Barbara have donated €30m to the college.

The money will provide seed funding for the development of a new campus in the Dublin Docklands.

Trinity said the Kinsella’s are long-term benefactors to Trinity and have previously funded a multi-million Euro 24-hour study facility as well as a programme of engineering scholarships for talented students.

Eric and Barbara Kinsella at the Kinsella Hall in Trinity. Image: Trinity

This latest donation will be used to build a research facility on the planned Trinity East campus.

The E3 Research Institute will house large-scale research programmes in Engineering, Environment and Emerging Technologies.

Trinity East

The research will be particularly focused on “developing technologies and approaches for sustainability and meeting societal challenges, such as climate change.”

“Barbara and I are delighted to support a project of such national significance,” said Mr Kinsella.

“The new Trinity East campus will be a highly efficient investment in the social and economic future of our country.

“It will increase the prestige of our education and science sector internationally, will deliver research outputs in areas critical for future of our planet and will enable Trinity to expand its student body, giving new opportunities to young people throughout Ireland.”

Benefits

He said the couple are “confident this project will benefit generations for decades to come.”

Trinity Provost Dr Patrick Prendergast said the college is “deeply grateful for this transformative donation which will make it possible for us to realise our vision for the new Trinity East campus.”

“The development of Trinity East is an historic opportunity for a university which has existed on its main campus since 1592.

“Our ambition is not just for ourselves. We are working hand in hand with the Government to implement a staged strategy of strengthening higher education research, innovation, research and science.”

Trinity aims to transform the Docklands area into a ‘Grand Canal Innovation District,’ modelled on Cambridge Square in Boston and similar districts in cities including Toronto, Rotterdam and Barcelona.