Three common questions to du food and drink
Sineád O'Sullivan - Chairman 2006-2007

There are three questions that we always get asked in the Food and Drink society. “Am I going to get free food and drink?” being is the first. The second most frequently asked question is “Can you teach me how to cook?” The answer to the first question is yes, to an extent. But much like the three-minute egg, or fat-free chocolate, “free” food and drink is a popular myth propounded by many societies in order to convince you to part with your much coveted three euro. But like many urban legends it has some basis in truth, and as the Food and Drink Society we do strive to provide the “free” food that you starving, malnourished freshers so desperately need. The answer to the second question is also yes. We can give basic culinary skills to even those of you who think that the oven is good a place to warm your pyjamas in.

The third question is “So what do you actually do?” This deceptively simple question is in fact the one with the most elusive answer and it got me thinking, not only about what we “do”, but also what we’re about. Contrary to all logic, when this committee was first voted in, the majority started off not having much idea what the actual function of the Society was. We came to the table with that same familiar look we saw slapped across the faces of every fresher that approached our table last week, a look somewhere between bewildered and bemused. We quickly realised that “What do you do?” was only appropriately answered with “What don’t we do!” seeing as how food and drink is a passion that connects us all, however tenuously. The first event that really highlighted that for me, was the open-mic jazz dinner that we held in Romanza at the end of last term. Having myself been unsuccessful in trying to find an outlet for repressed jazz singers, we decided that a few bottles of nice Italian Chianti might “grease the wheels”.

The evening turned out to be one of my most memorable nights in College. The night started off with members mainly just interested in the delicious and inexpensive three course meal, however a few hours and several drinks later we were shocked and delighted to see that the most seemingly inconspicuous individuals were able to unleash the sultry jazz singer within. That for me was what the Society is all about: good times, cheap food, drink, friends and the ability to live down even the most woeful rendition of “Fever”. So to answer the question that everyone asks, what does the Food and Drink Society do? Well what can’t we do? We like to eat. We like to drink. We have events every week which involve food and drink. Enough said. If you too share our passions and have a GSOH and WLTM similar minded people, come play with us.

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