Image of couples who entered the #LoveDCU Competition

Love is in the air with DCU Alumni's #LoveDCU Valentine's Competition

DCU students past and present share the love this Valentine’s Day

14/02/2022

Current DCU students and alumni share their love stories as part of DCU Alumni’s annual #LoveDCU St Valentine’s Competition.

The annual DCU Alumni St Valentine’s Day competition – a light-hearted competition aimed at couples who first met in the university - saw some heartwarming DCU love stories and couple photos shared for Valentine’s Day.

The winners of the #LoveDCU competition are treated to a romantic meal for two.

Leanne Hanafin, Alumni Relations Officer said

“#LoveDCU is one of our most popular campaigns in the year, and also, one of our favourite projects to work on in the Alumni Office each Valentines. We are grateful to our graduates who tell us their tales of meeting their significant other at DCU, and allow us to share their special stories with our Alumni community. It is warming to know that DCU holds such a special place in their lives, not just for the education, experiences, or friends that they have made there, but also for the love they have found there."

Among the couples who entered were Adrian and Liz, who met while studying Languages and International Marketing together in NIHE (now DCU) in 1985. Adrian was interested in Liz when they met, however, he was hesitant about making his feelings known. When plans for a German Cultural Weekend hosted by NUI Galway appeared, some lecturers decided to enter NIHE. In true terms of serendipity, Adrian was cast as the groom and Liz the bride.

“We travelled to Galway with the rest of the cast and, quite unexpectedly, we won the competition!! Of course, there had to be a celebration, and I sourced some 'dutch courage' to make my feelings known to Liz. We began going out that weekend and seven years later, we got married on 1 April 1989 - no fools there!! We were blessed with three wonderful children and will celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary this year."

Derek and Gianfranco met through their MSc Translation Technology course at DCU. Over the course of their studies, Derek and Gianfranco spoke frequently about course work, complaining about assignments, and got to know each other better.

Derek was starting to take interest in Gianfranco, but was completely oblivious to the fact that the feelings had been mutual between them. Derek finally worked up the courage in June, just as their dissertations were getting underway, to ask Gianfranco if they would like to start darting. The couple finally made it official in November 2021, but this could have been a very different story as Derek told us “And to add to it, I had applied to the Msc. in 2019 and had been accepted, but had to defer. If I hadn't we might never have met.”

Stephanie and Paul met in the first week of college in 2009 while studying the BSc Environmental Science at DCU. In the first Chemistry Lab, they were made partners and became best friends for the next three years. Their friends had always joked that they fancied each other, and they were completely right as Stephanie and Paul took a leap of faith from friendship to a relationship in their final year.

“We got married in 2018 and this year will mark 10 years since we started going out. If it wasn't for DCU we would never have met as we are from Dublin and Donegal, so DCU will always have a special place in our hearts!”

International Business student Eimear and arts student Conor met in NUBAR on a cold Tuesday night in 2018. “After some Jack Slatts and cheesy tunes, I noticed one of the girls talking the ear off two lads who looked like they needed rescuing. I went over to save them and the rest is history. The next day, the Beast from the East had hit the country and the whole place was locked down and we couldn't see each other for a few weeks. Four years later, we've made it through countless different types of lockdown and a year of long distance” said Eimear.
Mary and John met during Clubs and Socs day in 1994. Mary was captain of DCU Canoe Club and he was a fresher. “DCU Canoe Club was a very active club and John had a car, with a roofrack, a wicked sense of humour and a great laugh. There were many shared journeys and we soon got to know each other. He joined the DCUCC committee in first year and yet, it took him a while to impress me!” said Mary. The couple married in 2002 and now have three children.
BSc Computer Applications graduates, Laura and Cathal were roommates and best friends for 3 years, giving it a shot in the last year of college, however, it didn’t work out.“Despite it not working out, we decided to live together as roommates again once we left college. We started our jobs at the same time (in the same company, not the same team though) and continued living together and being best friends for two more years until I finally told him that I wanted to be with him for real this time and we gave it a shot again. 3 years on, couldn't be happier!” said Laura.
Current DCU students Leon and Dita initially met during a PLC course. When they made it into DCU, they both recognised one another and that's when they started talking and became friends."Now, in our second year, we became really close over summer 2021 and began dating shortly after! We’re in the same course and I’m lucky to be dating my best friend."
EPL students Clare and Maddie met in Nubar. "We would go on ‘friend’ dates all the time. We didn’t think either of us would be interested. A few weeks later we had a spontaneous kiss and confessed our love for each other."
Niamh and Eoin were in the same class studying the BA Social Sciences and Cultural Innovation. "We met in 2015 in the Henry Grattan building - but we didn’t speak for a few weeks as most first years remember it can take a while to settle. In April 2016, we got together and it will be our 6 year anniversary in April 2022. Thanks DCU !!"
Business studies student Ciara and Cillian, a Marketing, Innovation, and Technology student, met at the B&E ball in first year. "He held the door for me as he was setting up the place and I was on the committee. We became friends and it wasn't until he went on Intra 2 years later that I realized I really missed him around. So at the Socs awards night, I persuaded him to go and I managed to have him sit beside me at dinner, I complimented his shirt etc and even asked him to be my partner in the limbo competition, after a few drinks, we kissed and the rest is history!” They were married during Covid, but are now planning a big event for April. Ciara said lots of DCU graduates, including a bridesmaid and a groomsman, will be in attendance.
Shauna and Conor both studied the BSc Computer Applications at DCU. "From day 1 of college we got chatting, we spent a couple of months getting closer as friends and by November we were a couple. We got each other through the four years and made a great group of friends along the way. Now, we’ve been together 6 years and are living together (currently trying to buy a house). We are so happy we both chose the same course and in DCU."
Robert (Global Business France, 2021) and Ellen (Childrens and General Nursing, 2021) met in the canteen in first year through a mutual friend and hit it off immediately.“We became official in second year and although it was hard being over in France, we visited each other regularly and are now soon to be living in London together!”
Katie (Gaeilge agus Iriseoireacht, 2021) and Nathan (MINT, 2021) met back in 2019 in DCU when they were both in the DCU Drama production of Chicago. "Nathan was Billy Flynn the main character and I was dancing in the chorus. Our cast night out was in NuBar and I dropped my phone down the toilet. Nathan was the first person I told so he bought me a drink and we’re still together now and will be celebrating 3 years together officially in May." said Katie.