# @trinitycollegedublin on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DIul5wYqSwr
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/32774699-trinitycollegedublin-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/da04e956a2.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-04-22T00:02:07.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Trinity College Dublin (@trinitycollegedublin) — https://gondola.cc/trinitycollegedublin

## Caption

Sam, the beloved Trinity Fox, recently passed away.

We first met Sam, the Trinity Fox, six years ago. He was a bold, curious fox, and the College community instantly took a liking to him. He had a distinct mark on his rear right leg from an encounter with a car, making him easy to recognise on his nightly rounds.

Nicknamed ‘Sam’ by staff and students, he became a familiar sight on campus and Dublin city centre. Sam's territory included Merrion Square, Temple Bar and government buildings, but his home was on campus.

Sam became a celebrity during the pandemic when he was spotted having the run of Dublin city centre. His antics were captured by many Irish media outlets including the Irish Times, RTE News, and Lovin Dublin. Sam even featured as a College April Fools prank when plans for a campus mural of Sam the Fox were greatly welcomed by the College community. 

Staff, students, alumni and the public were further delighted when Sam went on to have five cubs in the spring of 2021. The family of foxes lived in the Provost’s garden. Sam was also immortalised by the poet Derek Mahon, whose posthumously published collection Washing Up includes A Fox in Grafton Street, commemorating one of Sam’s late-night trips to the city’s premier retail bins.

Unfortunately, another accident with traffic before Christmas 2024 seriously injured Sam. Attempts were made by kildarewildliferescue and collieennis  Trinity's Biodiversity Officer, to capture him and he was safely rescued in February. Sam was transferred to kildarewildliferescue where he was fed and cared for while vets attempted to repair his badly dislocated hip. Unfortunately, it wouldn't set back in place and the ethical decision to put him to sleep was made.

Collie Ennis, Trinity's Biodiversity Officer, said: “It is comforting to know he was so well cared for by the wonderful staff kildarewildliferescue instead of suffering, cold and hungry and hidden away somewhere on campus. For me, Sam was a wonderful example of how urban areas like Trinity see great benefits from protecting nature and providing habitats for a range of wildlife. He brought great joy to so many people."

#TrinityFox #TrinityCollegeDublin

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## Tags

trinityfox, trinitycollegedublin

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