Seán de Búrca
THE UNIVERSITY of Galway Students’ Union (UGSU) has a new president, 23-year-old Loughrea native Seán de Búrca. He must contend with growing frustration over the university’s ties to Israel and the ongoing housing crisis acutely affecting students – the same issues that his predecessor and UGSU colleague, Maisie Hall, faced (see The Phoenix 18/9/25). And like many young leftists, he has already been involved in internal divisions in his party, the Social Democrats.
A graduate with a BA in government, de Búrca has spent the past year on sabbatical working as UGSU’s vice-president for education. De Búrca – who ‘Gaelicised’ his name in recent years, as is common among student activists today – was elected as president in March.
He entered the race as a somewhat familiar face, thanks to his time in the union, and won some praise when he led a successful effort to abolish library late fees on campus. He garnered 1,823 first-preference votes and reached the quota on the second count, beating runner-up and fellow union hack Peter O’Neill. De Búrca’s win was not a foregone conclusion, having previously lost to O’Neill in a poll run by the UGSU-funded campus paper, the Student Independent News.
The election was contested by two other candidates: Student Pantry founder Adam Mullins and law student Danny Saunders – the latter dressed in a penguin costume for much of the campaign. Much like a penguin, Saunders’ campaign didn’t take flight and he only received 598 first-preference votes.
Despite turnout dropping by nearly 1,000 votes, it is still the second-highest total poll in the union’s history.
Elected to succeed de Búrca as education VP was his younger sister, Eimear Burke, who kept her surname anglicised to differentiate herself from Seán. The Loughrea Burkes aren’t quite Camelot but a dynasty may yet be forming.
On the same day as the election, a referendum authored by de Búrca was held that formally demanded that the university sever all ties with Technion (the Israeli university collaborating with UG). It passed with 95% in favour, with 2,718 overall votes, confirming what was already fairly clear – the student population is not in favour of collaboration with Israeli institutions.
It does little, however, to change the position of UG, which is adamant in its refusal to renege on its contract with Technion, citing “legal and EU constraints”. This excuse becomes less convincing in light of the precedent set by Ghent University. In 2024, Ghent began withdrawing from its research partnership with three Israeli universities, despite the possibility of EU sanctions. In March the European Commission announced it no longer opposed the actions taken by Ghent.
It is not only students who are voicing their concern over the UG’s collaboration with Technion; the Nelson Mandela Foundation is reviewing its relationship with the university. In 2025 the foundation lent its name to the Nelson Mandela Leadership award, which the university would give for achievements in racial equality. In March, inaugural recipients Dylan and Shane O’Halloran returned their awards in protest over the ongoing links to Technion.
Last week in a speech to UG graduates President Catherine Connolly added further pressure, criticising her alma mater’s refusal to cut ties. These comments came as Israel’s defence forces confirmed it was intercepting an aid flotilla bound for Gaza, of which the President’s sister, Margaret, is a part.
De Búrca has also expressed concerns about French company Sodexo, which manages the Bialann café on campus. A subsidiary of the company, Sodexo Justice Services, operates several prisons in the UK, including HMP Bronzefield, where imprisoned Palestine Action members went on hunger strike last December. It is alleged that prison staff initially refused to call an ambulance before eventually relenting. De Búrca wants to end UG’s contract with Sodexo but what he can actually do to achieve this is another question.
Relations with the Sodexo-run café aren’t all bad, however. This year it stopped charging for butter (a core, revolutionary demand of outgoing pres Hall’s campaign).
De Búrca is also involved in UG’s Literary and Debating Society (Lit & Deb) and plans to continue serving as clerk of the house, which entails chairing society debates.
De Búrca and Hall appeared at a Lit & Deb forum last week to discuss the Technion contract and the accommodation crisis. Also speaking was former UG vice-dean Dr Deirdre Curran, who resigned in protest last year over the ongoing links with Technion.
Last October the society bestowed an honorary presidency upon then president of Ireland Michael D Higgins, a former Lit & Deb auditors. Higgins also once held de Búrca’s job as UGSU president.
After his visit to the Áras, de Búrca headed back to Galway to moderate a discussion with Catherine Connolly – also held by the Lit & Deb. The event gained some attention due to an interruption by one-time UGSU presidential candidate Elijah Burke (of the Castlebar Burkes), whose repeated haranguing led to him and his sister, Ammi, being removed from the event.
De Búrca has made no secret of his political colours as a long-time member of the Soc Dems and is not the first from that party to occupy an SU presidency in recent times. In 2021 the 18-year-old de Búrca got his hands dirty by signing a letter calling for a leadership election in the party. Other signatories included Isabelle Flanagan (daughter of long-time MEP Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan) and councillors Chris Pender and Cat O’Driscoll. The heavers, who were faced down by then party leaders Róisín Shortall and Catherine Murphy, wanted Gary Gannon to take over, with Gannon’s campaign manager, Mike Gaskin, being among the signatories. Despite being involved in this coup attempt, de Búrca managed to get elected to the national executive in 2022.
Regardless of party loyalty, de Búrca has remained on the sidelines for the upcoming by-election, maintaining a strange neutrality by not publicly campaigning for the party’s candidate in Galway West, Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich. A former UCDSU hack, she faces a threat from the left in Sheila Garrity. The Independent candidate is a long-time Connolly supporter and lecturer in early childhood at UG. The two recently faced off at a hustings held by the Lit & Deb, which clerk of the house de Búrca did not moderate.
De Búrca’s predecessor, Hall, was notable for her apolitical nature and seeming lack of personal electoral ambition.
For de Búrca, with the Soc Dems down to one member on Galway City Council after the unexplained resignation of councillor Eibhlín Seoighthe from the party last year, the prospect of a local run in 2029 will surely be tempting.
De Búrca has matched Michael D’s career so far but his biggest challenge will likely come if or when he goes for a Dáil seat in this unpredictable constituency.
