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contents Editor Aisling O’Sullivan

Editorial Team News - Max Quigley, James Hogan Features - Louise Tierney Fashion - Laura Garvey Culture - Kate Burkett Sport - Paul Rowley Production Editor Orna Cunningham Production Team Michelle Hennessy Diana Bunici Kate Burkett Laura Garvey Michael Donohoe Photo Editor Michelle Hennessy Photographers Johnny McMillan CiĂşin Tracey Cover Illustration Michael Whelan

Sub Editors Julie Kavanagh Elizabeth McHugh Cathal Foley Andrew Gillick

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Editors Note: Chrome is a creation of DIT fourth year journalists. We were conscious of looking to the future and remaining positive in these dark times of the recession. Here we explore everything from space hotels to sustainable fashion to solar powered cars. We also feature some up and coming events and fun things to watch out for. Thank you to everyone who made this magazine possible. A special thanks to The Irish Times Editor, Geraldine Kennedy, and Michael Ruane. Also, thank you to Angela for your support.

HOT

AKIMO’S SANDWICHES Pre-order the “best sandwich in Dublin” and collect it when you choose.

CHAT ROULETTE Be paired up with random strangers who will chat to you and if you dont like them, simply click ‘next’.

JERSEY SHORE MTV’s newest creation, US hit show Jersey Shore is the new Hills. Trash-talking, fighting, melodrama and arrests - fantastic!

Re-dress will present Fashion Evolution from May 4 – 8. Ireland’s third ethical fashion week aims to invigorate the spirit of the Irish fashion industry with seven days packed full of talks, workshops and social events. These happenings cater for consumers, producers, retailers and supporters of fashion alike. The week kicks off with the Ethical Fashion calendar launch, followed by a free public film night, an Irish fashion industry conference, designer mentoring sessions taught by professionals, sewing and fashion illustration. Throughout the week the ‘Fashion Re-Use’ exhibition will take place highlighting the functional methods of sustaining older garments and incorporating them into a modern wardrobe. ‘French knickers and cocktails’ – an evening of creativity for just €20 – is a must. Material will be provided as well as delicious booze being served in an effort teach the skills required to create French frillies from scratch.

Dun Laoghaire will play host to a number of outdoor activities this summer including the much loved Outdoor Movies in the Park from June 5 - 7. The event, which exhibits free screenings of old time classics and blockbuster movies, will transform The People’s Park into an outdoor cinema for the June bank holiday weekend.

Filmgoers can avail of tasty treats which will be available for purchase during the screenings – with the well renowned CoCo Market providing an appetising mix of sweet and savoury cuisine on Sunday. If these delights don’t tickle your taste buds you can bring your own, in the form of pretty picnics on chequered cloths for that true taste of summer. All films are cert 15 and under which ensures fun for all the family. Films are aired at 3pm, 5pm and 8pm daily. See www.dlrevents.ie for updates on films being shown.

(Photo: Richard Boyle)

The Bealtaine festival which takes place during the month of May, is a celebration of age, art and creativity. Taking place nationwide, it attracted an impressive 55,000 people in 2008, making it one of the country’s largest festivals. Now in its fifteenth year, Bealtaine incorporates all talents including theatre, art and dance. It has had a profound and highly visible impact on arts practice in Ireland at local, regional and national level over this period. Stemming from the festival, the Macushla Dance group now holds fortnightly classes for older people and ‘Blow the Dust Off Your Trumpet’, a project at the National Concert Hall has developed into a permanent orchestra of older musicians. Bealtaine organisers welcome the opportunity to respond to a theme, this year being ‘have dreams and speak them without fear’. Anyone interested in taking part should log onto www.bealtaine.com for details.

Pictured above is the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange at Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise, Bealtaine Festival 2008 (Photo: Alf Harvey)

Theatrical entertainment will be supplied by Dublin’s Gay Theatre Festival from May 3 - 16, with emphasis on new international and Irish works gracing the stage. Founded in 2004, to commemorate the birth of Oscar Wilde, the annual event has grown to be the largest event of its type in the world. Venues dotted throughout Dublin city centre pay homage to Wilde in his native city, and open the doors to alternative Irish theatre-goers interested in works submitted covering a broad range of the theatre arts. Dance shows, cabaret, drama, comedy sketches and shortstops complete the lineup, with the festival’s “A Dog Called Redemption” winning the prestigious Best New Play Award at the M.E.N Theatre Awards 2008. Celebrating the extensive contribution gay people have made to theatre in all forms, applications are accepted and broadly interpreted to include works by gay writers, performances focused on gay relevance or theme, as well as entertainers or artistic contribution by people of the gay community. For further information on this year’s festival visit www.gaytheatre.ie.

HOT OR NOT FESTIVAL TICKET PRICES Oxegen announced that ticket prices will remain at the 2009 price. Why haven’t prices gone down with the recession?

BING Formerly Live Search, Windows Live Search, and MSN Search, Bing is the current web search engine from Microsoft. An overwhelming inability to find the correct results makes this a terrible choice.

NOT

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Astrium Plans for a hotel in space are to go ahead in 2012 according to a report by MSNBC. The cost of a three-night stay at ‘Galactic’ resort is estimated at $4.4 million, making it a destination for the super rich.

The idea of a space getaway started as a hobby for space enthusiast and chief operating engineer for Galactic Suite, Xavier Claramunt.

There have been doubts however, concerning the feasibility of Claramunt’s brainchild. The Spanish Technical Centre for the Aeronautical and Space Industry says that the project has been vastly underestimated in terms of cost. Mystery surrounds the financier of the project, who has supplied €3 billion in funds. Claramunt is optimistic about space tourism as an emerging industry, insisting that “in 15 years, your children could spend a week in space.”

Launched officially in January 2010, the iPad was supposed to eliminate the need for owning a laptop, an iPod and an X-box by combining all three. It is essentially a big iPhone, albeit with a price tag that's a lot cheaper than most were expecting (prices in the States have started at $499). The quality of the picture is pretty outstanding though. The 9.7 inch screen is brightly illuminated by LED backlighting with a multi-touch display and a pixel resolution of 1024x768 and 16 to 64 gigabytes of flash memory. Stephen Fry has praised its “speed, responsiveness, smooth glide” and several other tech reporters have admired the new iPad as a welcome addition to the world of technology. Official sale of the Apple iPad will begin in March 2010. Presale iPads are available on the Apple website.

The digitalisation of books is nothing new. Amazon is currently the market leader with its Kindle 2 and Kindle DX readers. The Sony PRS-700 Reader fights a distant second, while Barnes & Noble’s recently launched Nook reader is set to take a considerable stake in the American market. The iPad is the Kindle’s newest competitor and with Apple’s reputation for captivating the consumer, the Kindle faces stiff competition. Openness to this new technology would be a wise approach for those in the publishing world. For publishers, time invested in deciding as to how the two media may coexist, as opposed to endless litigation, could prove far more productive and profitable than trying to fight a losing battle with the digital world.

Two scientists have suggested that the reason the Large Hadron Collider (LCH) has experienced so many setbacks is that it is being sabotaged- from the future. The LHC is a large particle accelerator situated in Geneva, built with the intention of proving the existence of the Higgs-Boson, a tiny particle, often called the “God” particle because scientists hope to recreate the conditions at the “Big Bang”, or creation of the universe. Recently a bird dropped a piece of bread onto one of the LHC’s superconductors, raising the temperature by 3°C. In order to be operational they need to be in an environment one degree above zero. This was somewhat unusual however - the the most interesting thing they normally have to contend with is lightning.

Hitting a Moving Target NEWS

With hash leaves adorning the facade and Bob Marley peering from behind the window, head shops boldly stand out from the crowd. A kaleidoscope of colour, the psychedelic window displays advertising bongs, posters and New Age herbal drug paraphernalia attract even the most innocent eyes.

Scattered around Ireland, recent reports show that no less than 100 'head shops' operate on a daily basis, supplying the public with all sorts of 'legal highs'.

When the first Irish head shop opened in 2000, the bulk of its income derived from the sale of items associated with the growing and use of cannabis. Two years later that all changed, however, when a legal loophole gave rise to the selling of psychoactive drugs like magic mushrooms which were later banned in 2006.

What began as a worrying trend among homeless people with the injecting and snorting of powders like “Snow,” has grown into a trend amongst young professionals almost overnight.

These substances which are available in tablet or powder form range in price from as low as €15 per half a gramme of Snow. Two of the most popular substances are Charge and Hurricane Charlie, costing €40 and €35 per gramme respectively.

John* 22, a salesman, explains that it gives him something ‘extra’ on a night out. “It’s not a hallucinogenic, it just gives euphoric feelings. It isn’t because alcohol isn’t enough.”

Mark* uses these substances nearly every weekend and claims that it gives him extra confidence - “It increases energy and talkativeness.” John explains how if you get caught “you’re in serious shit - that goes on your record - whereas if you get caught with the bath salts you can just say it’s not illegal.”

A relatively new phenomenon; little is known about the long-term physical and psychological health effects powders like Charge have on their users. It appears, however, that the main side effects are sleeplessness, lack of appetite and heart hyperactivity.

“In Holland they have instructions on how to take [drugs] properly, telling you how many [pills] to take, how much water to drink, they actually have machines where you can put the pills into it and test to see if they’re bad pills or not. ” In Ireland, Government TD's and officials are still struggling with the activities of head shops and controlling these substances.

Recent developments in the first quarter of 2010 have led to a swift modification of the legislation controlling the selling of 'legal highs.' Arson attacks on a number of head shops around the country have highlighted the urgency for a change to take place.

As of June 2010, a number of 'legal highs' sold in controversial head shops across the country will be banned under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Last March, the Cabinet approved proposals from Minister John Curran and Minister for Health Mary Harney to ban some of the most popular substances available in head shops.

These include BZP derivatives, mephedrone- more commonly known as 'Snow', and GBL- better known as liquid ecstasy.

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Diana Bunici

While head shops themselves cannot be banned, promises have been made to focus on ways to tighten consumer protection and rework planning laws to halt the spreading of these shops.

The reworked act is most welcome by the various drugs monitoring organizations and self-appointed 'community policing' groups, which have long been concerned about the grey area surrounding the activities of head shops.

The Community Awareness of Drugs (CAD), a charity providing drugs education, called on the government to ensure that the rise of ‘legal highs’ be taken into consideration when framing the 2009-2016 National Drugs Strategy. The strategy acknowledges “concerns about the sale of psychoactive substances [...] the dangers of such psychoactive substances as well as them being a gateway to illicit drug use.”

Working with parents and carers, Trevor Bissett of CAD highlights the shock felt by parents on the revelations concerning head shops. He cannot understand how these substances can be legally sold.

He outlines that the law on drugs is black and white. A recent report by the European Monitoring Committee on Drugs and Drug Addiction describes dealing with the head shop phenomenon ‘as trying to hit a moving target’.

Minister of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, John Curran is head of the National Drugs Strategy; he issued a statement saying that actions 14 and 15 of the 2009-2016 strategy deal directly with the issues of legal highs and the outlets that retail them. Curran also appeared at a conference on head shops and legal highs, organised by the National Regional Drugs Task Forces, in Mullingar in January.

Benzylpiperazine (BZP) was banned earlier this year by the Department of Health and Children, following a decision at European level that it should be taken off the market due to its harmful effects.

Similarly, the sale and possession of ‘magic mushrooms’ was banned by Health Minister, Mary Harney in 2006 following the death of a 33-year-old-man.

During the summer of last year, three people were hospitalised after taking “party pills”, which are legally sold in head shops. Unfortunately these are among the substances which have not yet been banned.

Stephen Burke

Aisling O’Sullivan

Pedalling Towards a Cleaner Future

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and fuel shortages. We can move towards a better system of lanes but it is something that requires a relocation of road space. For us, such requirements are not a question of money. People underestimate how much cities want people to cycle”.

Despite such positive sentiments, the immediate future of the Dublinbikes scheme is something that will depend on funding. Statistics show that the duration of 95 per cent of all bicycle rentals averages out at just 16 minutes. Considering that rentals under thirty minutes are free, this figure poses a significant problem for DCC and the financing of the scheme.

Currently Dublinbikes is largely subsidised by advertisement revenue, with council now investigating alternative sources of finance.

Fallon sees Dublin’s transport system of the future as one that is mixed, pointing to the Dutch system where 40 per cent of all train journeys either start or end with a bicycle ride. Indeed, with Fallon’s vision in mind, one may hope that the Dublin of tomorrow will not be one punctuated by coughs from car fumes, but rather the pleasant jingle of bicycle bells.

Laura Garvey

Since its inception in September 2009, the Dublinbikes rental scheme has been a resounding success. Some 26,000 people have now registered with the scheme, completing upwards of 333,000 trips in five short months.

Figures from Dublin City Council (DCC) predict that if current trends continue, the scheme will clear one million rentals by the year’s end – quite a number when one considers that the LUAS system serves just one and a half million people each year.

With such an exceptional take-up of the scheme by the people of Dublin, can one assume that the Dublin population is destined to travel on two wheels? According to Ciarán Fallon, DCC’s Traffic Management and Cycling Officer, it’s not that simple, “We must think of Dublin as a city of transition. Strong cycling cultures, like those of Denmark and Holland, are built up over time, over periods of twenty years”.

Dublin is still very much in its infancy as far as a cycling culture goes.

Fallon points out that even 15 years ago cycling lanes around the city were non-existent and that even now, only a very basic system of lanes is in place.

“Dublin as a car city is not sustainable, given issues of space, pollution

NEWS

Michael Donohoe

The number of people who are signed up for the Dublin Bikes scheme

3%

The amount of commuters in Dublin that are cyclists

€10

The price of long term membership CHROME 9

Olympic Standard Kate Burkett In October 2009, the city of Rio de Janeiro exploded in celebrations after their win to host the 2016 Olympics.

Crowds of people rushed to the Copacabana through showers of confetti and Brazilian president, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva was captured on camera shedding tears of joy.

However, these celebrations were short lived. A mere two weeks later, Rio was rattled under a barrage of gun fire when a police helicopter was shot down during a turf war between traffickers. Three police officers were killed and the subsequent disputes between police and drug gangs took the body count to nearly 50.

The ongoing power struggle between police and traffickers for control of the favelas – Rio’s slums – is a cause for concern for the safety of tourists, fans and athletes who will flock to the city for the Games in 2016.

Propaganda littered throughout government websites, fails to acknowledge these safety concerns. Promotional videos show the vast number of locations in which the Games will take place, the regeneration of infrastructure and the tropical shores of the Copacabana.

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A documentary, aired just days after the Olympic announcement was made, gives a more fitting account of what life is like for the majority of Rio’s inhabitants.

Dancing with the Devil documents the running battle between the drug lords who control the favelas and the police. The drug traffickers see themselves as the providers and protectors of the impoverished neighbourhoods in which they live and see the police as a corrupt force who prey on the residents of their favelas.

Director Jon Blair, along with the help of British journalist, Tom Phillips and American photographer, Douglas Engle, gains remarkable access into the daily lives of the men involved in this small scale war. “The access to the traffickers came via Pastor Dione [the work of whom Phillips and Engle had been following]”.

Pastor Dione “Jonny” dos Santos was a former drug trafficker who became a minister determined to save souls on both sides of the war. He encourages gangsters to put down their guns, turn away from violence and embrace God. Contrary to popular belief, there was no problem

persuading the main characters to take part. The Pastor is someone who the traffickers trust – there are scenes in which the drug traffickers and Dione pray for freedom from their war torn lives – and through him Blair obtained access into their world.

It was the first time Rio’s drug lords allowed themselves to be filmed without disguises. “No one was forced to participate and no one was forced to show their face”.

The documentary, as a whole, questions the audiences’ perception of right and wrong. The favelas are controlled by drug dealing gangs but the police force, whose job would normally be to stem the flow of drug trafficking, acts like a rival gang, rather than protectors.

They storm the slums once a week with their somewhat unethical “shoot to kill” methods. More than 1,000 people die each year at the hands of the police.

Jon Blair believes that although the violence between traffickers and police is disruptive, it will not have any effect on the 2016 Olympics. Perhaps the Games are just what the city needs to revive Rio’s repugnant reputation.

Brad Gibson

NEWS

A Roadmap for a Harmonised Europe Michael Donohoe

The threatened deportation of five-year-old Nigerian girl Ayodola Adekunle in January put renewed focus on Ireland’s asylum system and the manner in which this state protects persons in need. Adekunle suffers from a genetic blood disorder (sickle-cell anaemia) and a return to her native Nigeria would seriously impair her chances for survival. According to her doctor, some 50 per cent of all children in Africa with sickle-

NEWS cell anaemia do not live to see their fifth birthday.

This case follows in the wake of other high-profile and dubious asylum cases in this country, highlighting an ad hoc and irregular approach to our asylum determination procedures. Indeed, such an irregular approach is not unique to the Irish system, but rather a trend that is endemic in asylum systems throughout the European Union.

The recent adoption of The Stockholm Programme under the Swedish EU Presidency marked the commencement of the third and final phase of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). The CEAS was first conceived under the Tampere European Council in 1999 and was seen as a way of developing and harmonising the European migration and asylum system.

Under The Tampere Programme and the subsequent Hague Programme, The European Council adopted a number of legal instruments on asylum to be transposed into national legislation. However, there has much opposition to these developments from many quarters, with the European Council for Refuges and Exiles (ECRE) commenting that, “certain standards enshrined in EU asylum legislation are at odds with international refugee and human rights law and standards”.

Among the most contentious legislation under the CEAS is the Dublin Regulation, which prevents persons from submitting asylum applications in multiple EU Member States (often referred to as ‘asylum-shopping’). The regulation also stipulates that persons must be returned to the Member State where their original asylum claim was made. This regulation has put much

burden on many Member States, particularly Mediterranean states, who are on the frontline as far as the reception of asylum seekers goes. During the summer of 2008 Medicins Sans Frontiers (MSF) declared a “humanitarian crisis” in Greece due to severe overcrowding in administrative detention centres for asylum seekers. French organisation CIMADE has since asked that the regulation no longer be applied to minors and for “effective mechanisms for burden sharing to be established”, this due to the many hardships created by the regulation.

Defective legislation is not the only issue presenting problems under the CEAS. The complete adherence to and transposition of certain EU Directives has not been respected by certain Member States, the most recent example being that of Italy. In May 2009 Italy carried out wholesale returns of would-be asylum seekers to Libya, in total contradiction of the Asylum Procedures Directives (adopted in 2005). The total disregard shown towards the rights of these would-be asylum seekers was compounded by the fact that Libya is not a signatory of the 1951 United Nations Geneva Convention, the only African country not party to this convention. The Tampere European Council of 1999 earmarked 2012 for the completion of the Common European Asylum System.

Eleven years on, it seems that if such a system is to exist, it will not uphold the core values of the European Union, that of an area of freedom and justice.

Equally, if our own national procedures reflect the European norm, it would appear that we some way off any sort of positive “harmonisation” of European asylum policy.

Human trafficking and the illegal sex trade seem to have a bright future in Ireland. Despite clear figures showing Ireland as a central spot for human trafficking in Europe, the Dáil rejected Fine Gael proposals to tighten laws regarding the trade last year.

The proposal called to make human trafficking a matter for the Garda Organised Crime Unit, rather than the Garda National Immigration Bureau.

Fine Gael wanted to make provisions for victims of human trafficking by extending the “reflection and recovery” times. The reflection period currently lasts 60 days. The proposal also tried to ensure independent accommodation for victims, rather than placing them in asylum centres.

The rejection of the motion came only months after the EU Director General for Justice, Freedom and Security, Jonathan Faull, urged the Irish government to support EU directives to help stem human trafficking in Europe.

Fine Gael’s Immigration Spokesman, Denis Naughten, put the motion in the Dáil. He said, "The illegal sex industry here is worth €180 million a year, with more than 1,000 men paying for sex every day.”

"Human trafficking is the fuel that keeps prostitution on the road, as evidenced by the fact that 97 per cent of the 1,000 women involved in indoor prostitution are migrants. 90 per cent of potential human trafficking victims are being investigated on the basis of sexual exploitation, some involving minors.”

The figures for the sex trafficking industry are not decreasing. Ruhama, an Irish based organisation who work with victims of the illegal sex trade, reported a dramatic increase in the number of trafficked sex workers between 2000 and 2006 in Ireland.

In 2007, Ireland was criticised by Amnesty International, who reported Ireland for lacking child trafficking legislation.

Noeleen Hartigan of Amnesty International also claimed that Ireland criminalise victims of trafficking.

According to the UN Refugee Agency, “There was evidence during the year that potential trafficking victims were penalised for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of their being trafficked. One suspected victim spent several months in jail for failing to provide proof of identification, though she claimed she had been forced into prostitution in Ireland.”

Barry Andrews, current Minister of State, defended the government’s stance on human trafficking and claimed the government deserved some credit for action already taken.

Despite this staunch defence, December 2009 saw Dublin authorities decide to drop prosecution charges against two Chinese brothels within Dublin city as the brothels did not offer their services openly.

The move is anticipated to have a ripple effect across the country, which could see a huge increase in the establishment of undercover brothels.

In fact, the number of Chinese massage parlours around Dublin is approximately 90, many of which offer “romantic massages”.

The number of Chinese women involved in the parlours is estimated to have doubled in the last year, showing the recession has increased prostitution in Ireland.

According to Ruhama, on-street prostitution has “increased noticeably” in the past few months.

Call for Reform on Human Trafficking Law

Max Quigley

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Ban on Begging NEWS

The Criminal Justice (Public Order) Bill 2010, placing restrictions on street begging was released at the beginning of the New Year. This is an attempt to curb the levels of “unacceptable conduct such as harassment, intimidation and obstruction” according to The Department of Justice, Quality and Law Reform.

The Bill states that it will now an offence for vagrants to beg within ten metres of an ATM, or the entrance to a business premises where “their behaviour or number is likely to deter members of the public to entering that premises”. Repeated offences will result in an arrest which “carries a penalty of a maximum term of imprisonment of one month and/or a fine of up to €400”.

The Bill was drafted by Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D. and justified in a statement issued by the Department press office, “This Bill gives us a modern and reasonable solution to a problem we cannot ignore. I am confident this new power will be an effective addition to An Garda Siochana’s enforcement options”.

The new legislation is segmented into five sections au propos of the judgement made in the aftermath of Niall Dillon vs. The DPP that the act of begging itself shall not in the eyes of the law be considered a criminal act but according to

New National ID Card The government is to unveil a new identity card scheme later this year in an attempt to cut down on social welfare fraud and waiting time within the social services.

The scheme, which will cost €25 million, shall enforce all citizens over the age of 16 years (estimated by the CSO as roughly three million within the republic) to be in possession of a card.

The card is said to bear the holder’s photo, name, signature and PPS number, as well as a swipe bar in which other information relating to the owner will be electronically encrypted.

The proposal of the identity card scheme was inspired by the successful introduction of the card as opposed to the passport that operates in European countries such as England, Germany, France, Belgium and Argentina.

Within the republic, a talk was given by Lecturer and Legal Researcher at King’s College London Cian Murphy at an IALT Conference in 2006 on the nature of what he refers to as ‘cradle-to-grave’ PPS tracking, which might come as a malignant by-product of the scheme.

The lecture made specific reference to the analysis and treatment of information about members of the public. It will be shared amongst public sector information ‘hubs’ such as the Interagency Messaging Service, which facilitates exchanges of private information between the Department of Social and Family Affairs and the General Registrar’s Office.

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In an interview with Cian Murphy, he stated, “The Irish card is largely a welfare based card which in that respect does not sit alongside the proposals for Britain which was a card driven out of security considerations …the question that I think we need to ask from the point of view of privacy is how far we are allowing the process to go”.

Section 2 of the Bill, shall be criminalized “where begging activity is accompanied by threats, intimidation, violence or obstruction”.

The spawning of the Bill came as a result of a precedent case which the reform commission body concluded that uncontrolled begging led to an “antagonism towards social or ethnic groups that are associated in the public mind with the activity which would harm attempts to promote integration and social harmony”.

According to the Garda Recorded Crime Statistics, 1,125 court proceedings were recorded from 2005 to 2007 amongst vagrants, these cases creating the need for the government to enforce these precautionary measures.

The issue of minors being the perpetrators of begging is addressed under Article 247 of the Children’s Act that puts adults in control or in charge of a child liable where children are begging. The bill does not distinguish between the age of children in question but where children are to be tried and convicted; their sentence is dealt with under the minor-orientated provisions of the Children’s Act 2001.

There has been no further comment from Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D. regarding the Bill at this time.

James Hogan

The general idea of the card scheme is to carry out the duties of the social welfare system but in a more efficient way. This data tracking high-lights the government’s knowledge of a citizen’s exact location, though according to Murphy, the identity card schemes that operate in other European countries go beyond this.

In the issue concerning the cards estimated cost figure, Murphy expressed his scepticism in stating:- “The only estimate that I can put on that figure is that often the government claims that IT projects are going to cost a certain amount of money and they often end up costing a lot more”.

The ID Card scheme was introduced in the UK on July 3 of last year, courtesy of the UK Identity Card and Passport Office. Negotiations for the scheme had taken place as early as 2003. This card scheme requires the applicant to receive a facial scan, an iris reading and ten fingerprints to be created as a file within the National Identity Registrar database.

The proposal for the implementation of compulsory ownership of the UK identity card received flak within Northern Ireland, namely from Human Rights watchdog organisations. The complaints that were made against the scheme were grounded on the prospects of the possible exclusion of some minority groups as well as the issue of information privacy and intrusion.

James Hogan

Educate Together Suffer Together

NEWS

Paul Rowley

Branded the harshest budget in years, unfair or necessary by various camps, the Budget affected nearly everyone in our society.

Education cuts became a focus of much attention after the figures were released, with the anger surrounding public service and social welfare cuts causing the biggest furore. But what is less known is the affect this buget will have on some of our DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) schools, with Educate Together schools come under this heading.

Since their creation in 1984, Educate Together schools have become a familiar sight. Ireland is now home to 56 Educate Together Schools, with 26 in the Greater Dublin Area.

The schools are multi-denominational and run democratically with active parental involvement. Balbriggan, due to its school shortage, has had two Educate Together schools open in the last five years. Principal of Bracken Educate Together in Balbriggan, Marian Griffin, says many people come to Balbriggan because it has cheaper rent and there is more availability for council housing than other Dublin towns, but the parents forget about school places.

Fintan McCutcheon, Principal of Balbriggan Educate Together, was scathing about the government and the public service wage cuts. In his words, “Our public representatives are not representing our public service, and the current government are grossly swayed by the banking sector”. He also accused the Dáil and the media of “castigating” the public service, while warning the combination of the public service wage cuts and pension levy would have a severe effect on teacher morale.

Mr McCutcheon says the Moratorium on Recruitment and Promotions in the Public Service would hit the school hardest. The Moratorium stops the school from employing middle management, which could restrict its growth.

Balbriggan Educate Together is expanding rapidly.

When the school had 20 teachers, they were entitled to five middle-management staff. Now that the school has 30 teachers this should have expanded to eight, but the Moratorium has frozen the number at five. Next year the school will have 35 teachers, but will be stuck with the structure of a much smaller school.

Mr McCutcheon said the Moratorium restricted the school in the areas of literacy, numeracy, core facilities and Special needs care. He added that the middle management are crucial in helping these programmes to run to the full of their potential, and as the school grows, it will require more help.

Activities run by the school include various sports, a clubs programme, an environmental Green School Team

and an Outdoor Education Programme. Mr McCutcheon fears the “sustainability [of the current level of activities] in the current atmosphere is questionable”.

Cathy Murray, the mother of an Educate Together pupil, bemoaned the potential loss of middle management positions, saying it would be a big blow to the school if extra-curricular activities were affected.

Mrs Murray said the extra-curricular activities are a “massive” part of the school. Her son is a member of the sewing, computer and religion clubs, all of which he thoroughly enjoys. She said that although teachers run most of the clubs, parents help out. Mrs Murray herself is chairperson of the Catholic Parents Association, and said both the parents and students enjoy the extra-curricular activities.

The Balbriggan native said a school car, which can bring up to five students to locations like the Ark Theatre in Temple Bar, would be an especially big loss.

Principal Griffin said extra-curricular activities are also important for her school, who use DEIS money to fund swimming, music equipment, literacy and reading schemes. She says problems for the school include a review of the school’s DEIS status and a Dáil Committee in March, which could see the school lose some language teachers.

Mrs Griffin says language teachers are a prime concern for the school. Ninety of their students come from ethnic backgrounds, and Mrs Griffin says the school’s six language teachers are not enough for such a large nonEnglish speaking student base. Students are only guaranteed assistance for two years, with a third year available upon application. Mrs Griffin says, “The children do not get full immersion with three years of support. It takes five or six years to achieve an academic level”.

The wage cuts could affect the school directly. Mr McCutcheon said a large proportion of the school’s staff are in the first four years of employment and do not have a large deal saved up, while some have accrued debts in becoming teachers as mature students. As teachers have to pay for their own development, the cuts could affect the diploma and masters courses the staff can afford.

Two teachers applied for a Masters in Special Education, which would have cost €5,000 each, but had to withdraw once the budget was announced. Mr McCutcheon said “the skills learned on the course would have been vital to the school”.

The skills could have benefitted Mrs Murray’s son, who has Asperger Syndrome and benefits from the help of a Special Needs Assistant (SNA). Luckily, both schools have kept all SNAs despite the budget cuts.

Mr Lenihan has said the worst is over, but for schools like Educate Together, the struggle will continue.

CHROME 13

NEWS

Murdoch’s Messianic Mission Rupert Murdoch has been relatively subdued in recent years. Like most Australians he isn’t one to shy away form an alercation, but lately he hasn’t had anyone formidable enough to challenge. However, after an extended break he is back in the ring for a bout with his latest opponent, Google.

By the end of the year, the 78-year-old media mogul plans to put all his online publications behind a subscription paywall and beyond public reach. This is in reaction to the ever endemic culture of people going online for their fix of free news instead of paying for a newspaper, which he believes is killing the industry and undermining the role of journalists.

This latest step of media evolution “spells the beginning of the end of free online newspapers”, reckons Financial Times John Gapper; and it may be a sign of things to come.

Online journalism poses an equal threat and opportunity to the future of the newspaper industry. On the one hand it is detracting from both paper sales and advertising revenue which has the industry in a chokehold; on the other hand, it may be its only ally in its struggle to survive the hyper-competitive digital era.

Most people called Murdoch’s bluff last year when he threatened to sue the BBC for lifting material from his papers and rewriting it on their website, but it’s indicative of the adversarial approach he is taking on the issue.

Leading the counteroffensive, Murdoch also confronted the internet giant, Google, over use of his publications content in its search engine. With characteristic obstinacy he has threatened to pull all his material from Google and sell it to its Microsoft counterpart, Bing, in a one-off payment deal.

“I do admire that he is addressing the issue, however, he gives the impression that he doesn’t fully understand the problem”, says Michael Foley, former

CHROME 14

media correspondent with the Irish Times. “The approach he’s taking to the internet is quite strange; it’s if he never knew it was there before now”.

Echoing Murdoch’s own sentiments that the old advertising-centric business model for newspapers is long dead, Foley said “niche publications, not just financial but also social and cultural, will survive the digital era, but only by warranting a subscription fee online that can support its newspaper funding”.

Newspaper proprietors have long searched for the elixir to compensate for the loss of advertisement revenue, which has traditionally fuelled the print industry.

In Britain, revenues have been falling by 1.4 per cent annually and this once bountiful stream of finance is now diminished to a mere trickle.

The loss in revenue is largely attributable to the advent of new mediums, with advertisers choosing internet companies such as Ebay, Craigslist, Facebook or even Twitter for a more efficient advertising platform reaching a larger audience. Compounding the problem is the general deflation in newspaper advertising prices globally.

The Guardian is one example of a newspaper having exponential readership growth online while losing millions of euro simultaneously, but there are hundreds more out there like it.

Inevitably, Murdoch’s proposals have elicited some commotion and there appears to be two schools of thought on his proposals. Some reckon this is the reactionary response of someone who doesn’t fully understand the internet as a medium and others who think this is just the natural first step in the evolutionary process of world media.

Davin O’Dwyer of the Irish Times is largely in agreement with Foley’s assessment. “I think Murdoch feels quite threatened by the internet, he doesn’t quite grasp what it’s about. The combined effort of News

Corp to try and get a foothold online has really been a mixed bag – Myspace would be the highest profile case where they got it completely wrong.”

Davin reckons the future of real news organisations is online but that the transition will be gradual, particularly in the Irish case. “Murdoch’s plan is really just an effort to stave off the current tide of threats from the internet until he retires. He is just trying to bend the way of the internet to suit himself rather than trying to adapt to it”.

Whatever your opinion on Murdoch’s plan there is unanimous agreement that we are going through a transformative period. The moot point is how exactly we will make the transition.

“I personally think charging is a good way to start, it makes newspapers focus on producing something that people actually value and are willing to pay for”, says John Gapper, chief business commentator with the Financial Times.

“I don’t think Murdoch’s response is anachronistic, charging for a product is not old fashioned. But it is yet to be seen whether he offers something unique that people want. With the amount of competition in the market people are going to be driven into writing in smaller niches in order to survive”.

Like every evolutionary process journalism will just have to adapt to online conditions. However, John reckons the future is more ominous for the newspaper industry, “there is a big question as to whether general newspapers can continue. They have essentially aggregated lots of different forms of information and it is very hard to see that format survive”.

So, while they say the future is never written in stone, it’s safe to surmise that it won’t be written on paper either.

Andrew Gillick

A New Threat

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Max Quigley The face of opposition to the western world has manifested itself in many shapes, from the ushanka-wearing, weather worn faces of hard Russian soldiers to the uniformed, self professed Nebuchadnezzar of modern times in Iraq. The face of the most recent threat to global stability is hardly as striking, but is it every bit as dangerous?

Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, Iran's maverick Prime Minister has made a name for himself as the new 'bad boy' of the Middle East. Ahmedinejad attained his position as Prime Minister under some dubious circumstances in which he was accused, by the opposition’s leader Mir Hussein Moussavi, of corruption, bribery and torture. His stern handling of the post-election demonstrations along with the construction of clandestine nuclear reactors already has some serious UN Security Council and Human Rights violations under his belt.

However, most recent developments in Iran show that Ahmedinejad means to be taken seriously. Having dismissed the US “end-of-09” ultimatum to adhere to the international communities' terms, Iran has now gone ahead and produced 20 per cent enriched uranium. Ahmedinejad justified their actions by saying they intended to use the uranium in nuclear reactors for fuel and medical use.

Professor Peter Mitchell of the Department of Experimental Physics in UCD explained. “There is absolutely no need to enrich to 20 per cent for fuel or medical needs. Nuclear reactors work on uranium that

has been enriched to less than 10 per cent for those purposes”. In order to build a nuclear weapon Iran will have to enrich to up to 90 per cent. Prof. Mitchell went on to say “it is, however, a long road to get from 20 per cent enrichment to producing a nuclear bomb”.

Nuclear enrichment is an isotope separation process whereby the proportion of the trace amounts of the uranium-235 isotope is increased within the Uranium. Although 20 per cent enriched Uranium is not enough to create a bomb, it is still categorised as Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) and can be used in the initial stages of bomb production.

The danger posed by Iran is not only Ahmedinejad.

The country is effectively ruled by religious zealots. The current Supreme Leader of Iran is Ali Hoseyni Khamenei who is a firm supporter of Ahmedinejad. In an article published in the Washington Times, James Hackett wrote, “The answer is that nuclear weapons in the hands of the mullahs would be the most dangerous combination since the dawn of the nuclear age”.

The major concern with Iran producing nuclear arms is their policy on Israel. The Islamic republic does not recognise Israel and has on numerous occasions called for its destruction. Israel has been described by Khamenei as a “cancerous tumour”. The combination of nuclear weapons in the hands of the mullahs is what Israel’s Prime minister described, an “existential threat”.

Iran has flat-out denied their intentions are military but a senior American official has stated that their actions would suggest that their “intentions are not as they stated”. So while the world watches and waits for Ahmedinejad to take his bow and admit defeat, Iran casually toddles down the nuclear proliferation path happily ignoring the world's reprimands.

Iran's decision to enrich up to 20 per cent shows Iran is doing some serious nose-thumbing at the UN Security Council and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

This was underscored by a rather candid message

by Ahmedinejad in which he said “We have the capability to enrich uranium more than 20 per cent or 80 per cent, but we don’t enrich because we don’t need it”.

He continued by warning the West by saying, “Please pay attention and understand that the people of Iran are brave enough that if it wants to build a bomb it will clearly announce it and build it and not be afraid of you. When we say we won’t build it that means we won’t”.

CHROME 15

South America James Hogan

It was a sight to warm the hearts of the 1970s leftover revolutionaries – nearly 1,000 of their number gathering in a South American capital to talk about changing the world, again.

Caracas was the venue for the meeting of the Movimiento Continental Bolivariano (MCB), named after the great liberation hero, Simon Bolivar. The new MCB wants to support and unite the resurgent leftist and rebel groups across the continent, the FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) included and plans to implement a common ‘virtual currency’, the sucre.

The meeting saw 950 leftist activists from the 26 Latin countries partaking in the negotiations on their agreement to form the Bolivarian Continental Movement. Revolutionaries and activists from Australia to Turkey also joined the ‘Chavistas’, followers of Venezuela’s president Hugo Chavez, in a bid to realise their new social vision.

The Chavistas group was formed with the intention of being an alternative to US-backed free-trade consortiums and economic arbitration bodies. The member nations of the proposed movement consist of Bolivia, Ecuador, Honduras, Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Antigua and Barbuda, San Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica. But this is a growing list.

What is the precedent of this new currency? The left-wing bloc, as early as January, started putting plans together for an alternative currency dubbed ‘sucre’ to rival the dollar. This would allow internal fiscal circulation and stronger internal trading which they deem would strengthen their economy.

16 CHROME

Journalist and writer Michael McCaughan maintains that the proposed currency is a statement of diversity in the face of hegemonic financial powers as well as a means to generate an alternative economy.

During his time spent living in the Latin Americas, his exposure to the social power shifts within the countries

percolated into his condensed, well researched work “The Battle of Venezuela”. According to McCaughan the new currency is not just a monetary form, “It is seen as a means to get away from the straitjacket of the dollar and the gold standard. It is, in its purest form, symbolic; probably more of a statement than a reality”.

This currency shall not exist in printed or coin format, but rather as a virtual electronic monetary transfer system to aid the management of debts between Latin America’s governments and reduce the reliance on the US dollar and the Washington seat of administration.

The “agreements of co-operation” between Cuba and Venezuela on 285 bilateral projects is set for 2010, with estimated costs of £2 billion. The plans are well

underway highlighting the scope of trust that MCB are cultivating. Trade links between the Americas shall stress test the sucre currency in face of their exports says McCaughan.

“Venezuala is an oil-exporting nation; they cannot deal in sucre because they deal with US corporations and other governments such as China, and who are in a de facto world of the Euro and the dollar”.

The BMC are readjusting their grasp, but not without opposition. Conservative billionaire Sebastian Piñera in Chile led the presidential vote and won a run off that will see the major political shift in Latin America’s most recent stable state of economy. Piñera, ranking No. 701 on Forbe’s global rich list, took 44 per cent of the vote, eight votes shy of the outright victory vote which is bestowed upon the candidate who wins over 50 per cent. Referring to Cuba as ‘a dictatorship’ and Venezuela as ‘not a democracy’ in the mixed political leanings of the Chilean electorate it is feared that Piñera’s criticism of the BCM could lead to his downfall.

The Leftist side’s first victory was winning the electorate in the impoverished and economically stunted El Salvador. The Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) represented by journalist, social democrat and minor celebrity television presenter Mauricio Funes assumes position of power with intentions to set up the first communist party cabinet in 80 years.

With such a financial and political climate evolving within the Latin Americas, it is up to speculation as to what the outcome will be for the people of the respective nations.

Pictured: Hugo Chavez

Pictured: Sebastian Piñera

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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Drawing with an emerald pen Comics are often seen as the far away obsession of 1980s American teenagers. Vast collections piled high in dusty corners don’t quite resonate with many Irish people and yet most of us have read comics like The Beano or The Dandy being familiar staples after mass on Sundays.

These days comic art has progressed on the Emerald Isle, with artists like Nick Roche, Stephen Mooney and Declan Shalvey working on big name comics such as Transformers, 28 Days Later and Star Trek.

On a slightly smaller scale, a plethora of self-published zines and comics created by artists such as Cliodhna Lyons, Ronan Kennedy, Patrick Lynch and Katie Blackwood have bubbled up and gained considerable popularity in Dublin.

Cliodhna, like many young girls, was introduced to the world of comics with The Bunty: “I got it every week. Then when I was in college I started producing my own comics because I really enjoy comics as a means of storytelling.” As a cartoonist, printmaker and animator she has organised her fourth 24-Hour Comic event since 2006. Having worked hard to make it a successful event, Cliodhna secured Children’s Books Ireland as sponsors, “Every year has been easier than the last to organise due to all the sponsorship we’ve been getting.

The 24-Hour Day was even advertised in the Inde-

18 CHROME

Gillian Prenderville and Laura Garvey

FEATURES

Laura Garvey

pendent and on RTÉ; it seems to be an area that people are really willing to get involved in.”

The 24-Hour Day has expanded over the years to include workshops for all ages. A special focus on starting your own comics and drawing for young children drew a large number of people, many of whom previously had no experience with comic art. Once a year the day plays host to a free-for-all comics jam, a pop-up book workshop, a mini-comics workshop and lessons on how to create the most terrifying of illustrated beasts.

Paddy and Katie of Edition Book Arts and Cardboard Press are Irish artists who hope to create awareness for their beloved comic scene by getting as many people involved as possible. Now more than ever it is easier for people to see what Irish comic artists are doing. “Even if their involvement goes no further than buying a comic or two, we’re happy and we feel like we’ve made an impact,” says Katie.

Together with Phil Barrett the pair organised Summer Edition in July of last year. The fair took place in Filmbase, Templebar and catered for artists, comics and zines. Over 30 exhibitors from Ireland and the UK displayed their work throughout a day structured to take in everything from burgeoning cartoonists to established book art practitioners, zines, poets and print-makers.

Working behind the scenes, Paddy wanted to make sure that the emphasis stayed on the importance of DIY publishing. “It can be so easy to make a comic or a zine or almost anything you’re interested in that you want to publish. We wanted to underline the fact that you don’t necessarily have to be part of a company or spend thousands on producing your work. The Dublin and Irish comic scene is small, but everyone is enthusiastic. People can put their work online for free and these kinds of events introduce people to one another. Those kinds of connections are invaluable.”

Ronan Kennedy, an artist originally from Dublin but currently residing in Adelaide, Australia, began drawing and creating comics in his early twenties. Fifteen years later he is still absorbed in the world of comics, “I had been given a copy of Dirty Plotte by Julie Doucet and, after reading it, I was sufficiently influenced to start writing and drawing my own stuff.’

Ronan set up his website, Mindpuss.com at the beginning of 2009. He continued the year by attending 24hour comic events in Ireland and England. Not even his move to Australia in the autumn could stop him from joining in with his peers at the 24-Hour Day last October. Connected via webcam and with a plentiful supply of snacks and Adelaide’s own Cooper’s finest ale,

Gillian Prenderville and Laura Garvey

FEATURES

he completed his 24-page comic. “Ireland has become a hive of activity for comics, certainly amongst the small press. There are several shops that will take your work, as most of them have an Irish section and at comic conventions it’s easy to book a table at to sell your work.”

Two such conventions are the 2D Festival, which is in Derry and Paddy and Katie’s Edition Book Arts in Dublin. Another way for young artists to reach an audience is through the Comic Cast, a weekly podcast on all things Irish in the comic scene. Artists can submit their comics for review with the presenters giving a few minutes of airtime to each.

Cliodhna is a little more skeptical about the possibilities for young comic designers in Ireland. When asked whether she thinks there are enough opportunities in the comic business, she said, “The short answer is no, but the long answer is yes with a lot of ‘if’s’ attached.” An artist who really loves working in a creative medium and wants to make a career of something can be successful, “but as for the Irish scene helping people who want to become more involved with comics as a profession, at this time there isn't enough in Ireland to help them.”

Having lived in New York, Cliodhna found her focus changing quickly from wanting to be published by big name comic companies such as Marvel and DC, to falling in love with the alternative graphic novel scene in the city. “My advice to anyone starting off with comics is to learn about the legal side of things, like contracts and some very basic book keeping. You need to treat it

like a business from day one.” Though the economic side of the artistic world might not be something that a beginner would consider, there is a business for comics.

It can start as a hobby, by printing a few self-published pieces or running a web comic, but to make a living totally from artwork is a tough industry.

Many of the emerging and more successful self-published Irish comics are inspired by Franco/Belgian comics, Japanese style Manga drawings and less and less by the better known American mainstream comics. The doors have opened for those who want to create something new or distinctly Irish in style.

Now that the blogosphere has exploded in popularity, artists have a relevant and wide-reaching platform from which they can make contact with other illustrators, showcase their work and perhaps even gain a following.

Blogs like Eclectic Micks join together the talents of some of the biggest names in Irish comic design. The motivation to succeed within the Irish comic scene as a comic artist or a zine maker is reinforced by the solid organisational skills of those staging events like Summer Edition and the 24-Hour Comic Day. Avenues, now more than ever, exist for young creators to explore, learn and develop their talents. Combined with the fierce determinatino of people like Cliodhna, Paddy and Katie to support the industry in Ireland, the craft is sure to continue on its steady rise to popularity.

CHROME 19

Gaeilge in the Future Úll Aibreog Annan

The image of the Irish Gaelgoir took centuries to develop. We were content with the potato munching, aranclad individual sitting in the corner of an island pub smoking a pipe. Then along came the likes of Hector Ó hEochagáin, Gráinne Ni Seoige and Aoibheann Ni Shuilleabháin to eradicate our age old stereotype.

The noughties witnessed a renaissance of sorts for Gaeilge. This Celtic resurgence was greatly aided by the 2003 Official Languages Act along with the inclusion of Irish as an official EU language in 2007.

Despite such positive achievements, the future of the Irish language is still hanging in the balance. In his book, The Death of the Irish Language, Reg Hindley is far from optimistic about the future. Hindley criticises those who conceal how little Irish is spoken by using misleading statistics to inflate the numbers of Irish-speakers.

The Government is keen to ensure a bright future for the language. Brian Cowen described Irish as a valuable jewel “seod luachmhar”and said the State had an obligation to support the language and Gaeltacht areas.

Despite this declaration the 2010 Budget saw a decrease in funding of 27 per cent for Gaeltacht and Islands Development and 30 per cent in funding for the promotion and maintenance of the Irish language.

Guth na Galtachta was formed in 2009 in response to Colm McCarthy’s ‘Bord Snip Report’, which proposed cutbacks in funding for Gaeltacht areas. The organisation is a non-political community and believes the cuts affect language funding disproportionately.

Eamonn Mac Niallais, spokesperson for the organisation, believes that despite the budget cuts being not as drastic as initially feared, the decrease in funding will “undoubtedly have a detrimental impact on current programmes.”

Brenda Ní Ghairbhí, development executive of Conradh na Gaeilge, says the government is dedicated to preserving the language. She highlights the lengths to which Fianna Fáil has gone to ensure the strategy is passed before both houses.

Both organisations welcome the recently proposed 20 year Strategy for Irish. Conradh na Gaeilge was one of the Irish organisations to put forward their own proposals for the strategy. Brenda Ní Ghairbhí welcomed the acceptance of many of Conradh na Gaeilge’s submissions but added weakness in the draft need to be addressed and clarified.

Mac Niallais acknowledged the strategy is a step in the right direction but would need to be “funded properly and implemented fully to have the correct impact.”

The Government’s 20 year strategy aims to increase the knowledge of Irish, creating opportunities for the use of Irish and fostering positive attitudes towards its use.

Education is one of the main focuses for the government. The strategy would provide children with a taste of the Gaelscoil experience and recommends booster courses in the language for teachers to increase their confidence and understanding of the language.

Eamon Ó Cuív commented, “You cannot transmit a subject you don’t know and you cannot create a love for a subject you are not yourself comfortable with.”

The strategy has been criticised by many opposition T.Ds. Michael Ring, Fine Gael’s Gaeltacht spokesman, said parents who decide not to send their children to gaelscoileanna should not see them being forced to learn through Irish.

In a time of much political uncertainty and upheaval, much is at stake for the future of the Irish language.

Louise Tierney

James Hogan

No Revolt

FEATURES

James Hogan College years can be a catalyst for a person and their politics. Student Unions demonstrate a certain power in which they can influence government and the policies they decide. Political parties take advantage of university’s Societies Week, with youth branches embracing new members into the political fold.

Students are in a privileged position of having time to make themselves heard, while avoiding the same restrictions placed on journalists and state dignitaries. So, what does it mean to be a politically active student?

Attending youth party meetings and manifestations is one way. Yet politically indifferent students make organising protests a tough challenge. With this reality, the notion of protest becomes diluted and a crowd of students, who should be voicing concerns over important issues, are questioning why they are there in the first place.

Protest has a clear definition, but in spirit doesn’t hold the same enthusiasm as earlier generations. The May Fourth Protest carried out by 3,000 Peking University students calling for democracy in 1919 was brutally suppressed under the command of state officials.

The Tiananmen Square manifestation in 1989, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 214 students, reflected the hard-line military action the government imposed on the lively protestors.

In May 1968, the notion of student activism was synonymous with student riots in France. The protests affected most of the employment sector and all education faculties in Paris, Sorbonne and Nanterre. So have students lost their passion?

Anthropologist and Sociologist Susan Gill believes there is a distinct difference in Irish and French stu-

dent’s belief in political activism; “You have to remember that even though the French protests of May ‘68 had an enormous socio-cultural impact, but politically they were regarded as a failure. They didn’t overthrow the Government, de Gaulle was re-elected and the students themselves were seen as a bit of a nuisance to many members of French society. What emerged from those protests, a more liberal secular society, was a by-product of these protests rather than their ultimate goal. I’m not sure that Irish students believe that protesting is the way to get what you want and are finding other ways to do so.”

Gill agrees that the act of protesting is a changing trend. “Engaging politically” has seen a change in the type of demonstrations taking place.

“If you have a problem with the government’s animal welfare policies on, let’s say, the production of beef there are a number of ways you can show your dissatisfaction. One of them is protesting, so you can try to conjure up people who feel similar to you, maybe picket outside the Dáil, hand out leaflets etc but it is risky. And what about all the people whose support you will lose by disrupting their working day?

One thing you can do is “engage politically” in a different kind of way. You can become vegetarian, eat in and support local vegetarian cafes, buy products that are cruelty free, perhaps open a vegetarian stand in the local food co-op. I don’t think that a decrease of aggressive student protests necessarily equates to political apathy among first-world twenty-somethings, there is just a shift I think, to gentle protestation.”

Gill even suggests that this new political activism offers higher protection to farmers and businesses that

depend on government policies to make an income.

Journalist Kevin Myers argues that the generation change has massively impacted on student activism in Ireland.

“There is a difference; the students that were marching were doing so in their own self interests, in this case on the pressure of fees. As a youngster, we were doing it for the welfare of others. It was quite easy to generate some enthusiasm in Ireland because everyone was aware that students around the world were in uproar about period issues and you must remember that the times were different from the times now.”

As a student with keen political awareness, Myers understood that a youth revolution was just around the corner. Myers fondly looks back on his activist days as providing “empowering satisfaction”.

According to Myers, there isn’t a war that we are actively involved in like the Vietnam War during the sixties. Irish student demonstrations were a series of “strong reactions against the conformities of the oppressive Church State and the taboo issues of sex.”

It has become clear that revolution can take its form as something of either a passive or active act.

Consumption can be a form of revolution as much as a sit in. Like the conduct of behaviour, it is the way something is done, not the action itself that predicts the direction of people. History’s precedents detail quite clearly, things were not near as comfortable or as liberalised as they are now. Protest, go ahead and protest, sure… but is this the political expression for our times?

CHROME 21

FEATURES

Last One Out, Turn off the Light

Paul Watson

Until the recent past, Ireland was a country of emigration.

From the Famine to the fifties Ireland had a higher scale of outward migration than any other EU country. The arrival of the Celtic Tiger brought with it a surge of 7 percent in-migration.

With half a million non-Irish living in a state of four and a half million people, together we experienced the rise and fall of the Celtic Tiger.

One result of the bursting of the economic boom bubble is that the number of immigrants coming to Ireland declined from 83,800 to 57,300 between April 2008 and April 2009.

Looking back, the Celtic Tiger may seem like a flash in the pan, during which Ireland was altered overnight.

Though this period of mass migration into the country began in 1995, it was 2007 before we saw the introduction of the Government Office for Integration headed by Conor Lenihan. Ireland’s progress in getting to grips with its new inhabitants has been slow but worthwhile.

2007 saw Romiti Adebari, a Nigerian-born Irish politician, elected as the first black mayor of Ireland. Adebari had previously served on Portlaoise Town Council since 2004, and completed a master’s degree in intercultural studies in DCU. The GAA also opened its doors to non Irish members, with plans to integrate the multi cultural society into our national sport.

Although these are notable achievements in developing integration, whether life has been made easier for immigrants moving into Irish communities is questionable.

Mirek Swiadex emigrated from his native Poland in 2006. After working in England for ten months, Mirek secured a job in a restaurant in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal. Despite not being aware of any services to help him when he first arrived, he found the Irish “much friendlier and nicer” than our English counterparts.

Henrieta Kristofova feels there has been a significant change in Irish attitudes towards immigrants since the economy faltered. Having emigrated from Slovakia five years ago, she feels the initial Irish welcome has wavered since the recession. “A few years ago there was plenty for everyone, now the Irish think that we are here to take their

22 CHROME

jobs,” quickly adding that the jobs we are suddenly so protective of would have been of no interest to Irish people a few years ago.

Mirek has also noticed this change in attitude; however he does not feel it is a uniquely Irish sentiment. “With such a lack of jobs it is just going to happen everywhere”.

Regarding the future of immigrants in Ireland, Mirek feels the Polish are going to continue heading home in even greater numbers. “To get work here you have to have fluent English, and even with that you could still only be getting a few hours a week. Jobs are going to Irish first”.

Henrieta reiterates this opinion. “No Slovakians are coming to Ireland anymore. Four of my friends have left this year.

I don’t know anyone that has come here in the past two years”.

For both, the recession has resulted in greater difficulty in getting a job and harder manual work than was expected before.

Henrietta’s sole purpose in Ireland is her job; she despises the Irish weather and social life. Despite jobs awaiting him in Krakow should he want them, Mirek has made his home in Ireland.

It appears however, the Emerald Isle has lost its gleam, as outward migration is reintroducing itself while we try to climb out of the recession.

Irish emigrant figures soared from an already high 45,300 to 65,100 people from April 2008 to 2009. 44 per cent of those who emigrated last year were between 15 and 24 years of age.

The opinion amongst people in this age bracket is that countries such as Australia have more to offer them than Ireland at present. Darragh Smith from Co. Cavan said, “I was safe in my job, but the money I was earning hadn’t been as good as the few months before. So I didn’t feel I had to, more I wanted to leave”.

Since moving to Perth in June of this year, Darragh said his experience in Australia was an entirely positive one which he did not regret for a second. Darragh feels “being Irish makes it easy to settle in, as there is a large Irish community in Perth”.

Michelle Smith from Tallaght agrees. Michelle returned to Ireland after her year-long visa expired, despite being offered sponsorship by an Australian company to stay. While she loved the weather and the laid back pace of life, missing friends and family drew her home. Darragh on the other hand is planning on staying as long as possible.

Michelle believes the current economic climate is the main factor in the surge in emigration. “Both America and Australia have announced that they are out of the recession. People will continue to emigrate looking for employment and a better standard of life”.

The affluence of the Celtic Tiger to our dwindling economy was like a rare heat wave in an otherwise typically rainy Irish summer.

Even while living in Perth, Darragh Smith is much more positive about our future as a nation. “The Irish economy will pick up as world markets recover. It’s all swings and roundabouts recessions have happened before, the economy recovered, the trend stopped, and it will happen again”.

Louise Tierney

Fuelling the Future

FEATURES

Aisling

O’Sullivan

This year, student Anne Forschner created the BMW LOVOS concept car. A philosophical idea so intricate yet so simple, this car questions the way we live by being one of the first cars that can run solely on the power of the sun.

However, the intricacy of its philosophy is not the cars most outstanding feature. A creation that resembles what can only be described as fish scales, it is a design that is so remarkable it is unlike anything we have ever seen.

Forschner, aged 24, from Ostfildern, Germany, recently graduated from Pforzheim University having designed a 1:4 scale solar powered car for her final year project. Forschner explains that her inspiration for the LOVOS (Lifestyle of Voluntary Simplicity) came from the society we live in.

“The world we live in is increasingly complex and we move within multifaceted social structures, hardly noticing that we perhaps lack an overview over how products and services influence and overwhelm us”.

In order to make these cars work they need to capture the sun’s energy. This is done by putting thousands of solar cells inside a solar panel. When the sun hits even a single solar cell it creates an electrical charge, which can then power a small motor inside the car.

Reaction to the BMW sponsored de sign has been mixed. Some car enthusiasts argue that it is simply not practical, that there is no sign of where the door could be and of course, a solar powered car of this scale would simply be too expensive.

However, Alessio Minchelle, professor at Istituto Europeo di Design thinks the LOVOS is an impressive achievement for Forschner.

“The LOVOS is a great project, considering that it was made by a student”.

He continues to explain how it catches perfectly some of the BMW features “like not considering steel as just shiny smooth steel, but something alive, something in-

spiring and something that makes sense”.

Whatever the verdict, the concept of solar energy to power cars is not a new thing. In 1958, vice-president of Chrysler, James C. Zeder anticipated the emergence of such vehicles.

“Tomorrow the sunmobile may replace the automobile. The power of bottled sunshine will propel it. Your solar sedan will take energy from sunrays and store it in accumulators that work like a battery. This power will drive your car just like gasoline does today”.

Unfortunately, 50 years on and fully functioning solar powered cars remain mere creative designs on the drawing board.

Not all is lost though, something we are seeing more and more of is the hybrid vehicle. This is an answer to energy efficiency that is more practical than the solar power car and kinder to the environment than normal cars. Put simply, a hybrid vehicle uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle, usually petrol and an electric motor.

Hybrid cars achieve excellent fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions levels.

As well as this, engines switch off when the car is stopped in traffic or at lights.

This makes hybrid cars very economical and perfect for city traffic where there are frequent stops, coasting and idling periods.

The most well known and the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle is the Toyota Prius. It was introduced worldwide in 2001 and is sold in more than 40 countries and regions, with its largest markets being those of Japan and North America.

It is also popular in Europe, having been awarded the title of European Car of the Year 2005.

The car features an internal combustion (petrol) engine with an electric engine. It has a very low impact on the environment with the fuel economy of a 1.0 litre engine but with the performance of a 2.0 litre. This technology cuts fuel consumption by almost 40 per cent com-

pared to a conventional petrol engine.

Minchella agrees that huge strides are being taken to address the issue of fuel efficiency.

“If you take some time to look at all the car shows done in the last years, you will find that engines in general are going to be much more efficient and small (a bit like what happened with the computer chips) and obviously more reliable... all translated to less CO2 being released in the atmosphere”.

If the Prius tickles your ecological fancy you can buy one for €27,430 at Toyota Ireland. This price includes a 50

per cent reduction in Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) which was an incentive introduced in the Republic of Ireland to encourage people to buy hybrid vehicles.

However, Toyota recently issued a recall on approximately 223,000 vehicles of Prius after problems with the antilock braking system.

On a better note, the company, along with others has recently begun designing cars that will run on battery power alone.

The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) would essentially be plugged into your house at night to charge.

The Chevrolet Volt which is due in 2010 is an excellent example of this new engine type that may sound bizarre but could be the answer to fuelling the future.

The American company, General Motors (GM), is hoping that this will be the car of the future and is designed to lead them into the second century.

Battery power will be able to take the Volt 40 miles. Since most Americans drive less than 40 miles a day, GM states that the Volt will use zero gasoline and produce zero emissions.

Last year GreenTech Media reported that the company Electrovaya will roll out its Maya 300 all-electric vehicle in 2011.

The Maya electric will run entirely on domestically generated electricity, with zero emissions and the ability to drive for up to 120 miles without recharging. Looking at the market out there, green fingered consumers will be spoilt for choice.

CHROME 23

Live or let die

Kate Burkett

Bob Dent was an active, outgoing person who lived with his wife of 20 years, Judy, in Darwin, Australia, until diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1991.

After five years of fighting a losing battle against the aggressive disease, Dent became the first person to die under the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act – the first law in the world that legalised voluntary euthanasia.

Dr. Philip Nitschke – dubbed Dr. Death – successfully administered the lethal injection to Dent on September 22, 1996, a date which Dent himself had chosen.

Nitschke used the Deliverance Machine – his own invention – to end Dent’s life. “The machine was developed so that I did not administer the injection.”

The patient responds to three questions by pressing a button on a laptop computer, the final of which makes it clear that death will follow if the button is pressed.

The machine then dispenses intravenous sodium pentabarbitone and the patient falls asleep and dies within a few minutes.

“The machine also allows loved ones in [to the patient’s room]. Family are able to hold the person as they die.”

Dr. Nitschke remembers feeling a great sense of relief that all had gone well. “I was by myself and the responsibility for a peaceful death was a great burden.”

Bob did die peacefully, however the serenity was short-lived for Nitschke.

In March 1995, the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act was overturned, making euthanasia illegal in Australia.

Nitschke, left feeling as though the country had experienced a failure of the democratic process, continues to

24 CHROME

give advice and information to those wishing to end their lives.

Through Exit International – a leading End of Life Choice information and advocacy non-profit organisation – Nitschke conducts ‘suicide seminars’ all over the world providing “very practical and detailed information on reliable and peaceful methods to end life.”

Nitschke also offers people advice in his book, The Peaceful Pill Handbook – which is banned in Australia and New Zealand.

The online eHandbook provides a number of videos one of which, called “Do it yourself with Betty”, shows an elderly lady explaining how to suffocate yourself using a plastic bag. Whilst fiddling with the cord she jokes, “If you want to look nice you better go get your hair done because this stuff messes your hair up.”

Undoubtedly these seminars have been met with heavy criticism from those opposed to euthanasia.

One such body, Nightingale Alliance, based in Wauwatosa – a city in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was formed in 2000 in response to the growing threat of legalisation of assisted suicide and euthanasia around the world.

Their primary purpose is to provide information on why assisted suicide and euthanasia are dangerous for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, the terminally ill and those with disabilities.

Barbara Lyons, President and Director of Nightingale Alliance, is adamant that Philip Nitschke should not retain the title of “doctor” as his primary mission is to do harm.

Bas Hiemstra

FEATURES

FEATURES “When they know that they have a drug that will work peacefully in the cupboard they often relax, are less anxious, stop worrying, have a better quality of life, and often live longer.”

Nightingale Alliance does not believe in euthanasia in any circumstance. Lyons explains how it can do more harm than good.

“In countries like the Netherlands, euthanasia has expanded greatly over the years and now allows parents to ‘choose’ death for their newborns with disabilities.”

“Some countries are even discussing ‘tired of living’ as justification for euthanasia or assisted suicide request.”

She questions whether this is taking things too far. If choice is prioritised over all else, then all requests for suicide must be honoured whether from an 18-year old lovesick teenager or an 80-year-old with terminal cancer.

As though forecasting the forthcoming debate, Dent penned in his final letter to Australian Federal Members of Parliament in 1996 his thoughts regarding the controversial topic.

“What right has anyone, because of their own religious faith to demand that I behave according to their rules until some omniscient doctor decides that I must have had enough and goes ahead and increases my morphine until I die?”

“If you disagree with voluntary euthanasia, then don’t use it, but don’t deny me the right to use it if and when I want to.”

Under the 1993 Irish Criminal Justice Act it is considered an offence to aid, abet or procure a suicide.

However, on March 19, Nitschke brought his ‘Safe Suicide’ DIY workshops to Dublin’s Seomra Spraoi centre in Belvedere Court. The venue was only confirmed a few hours before the talk was scheduled to take place as the Outhouse, Buswells Hotel and the Macro Centre withdrew their offer to host the controversial event after protests from the public.

At the meeting, Nitschke discussed why accurate information is essential in the current legal climate, how to source Nembutal – which is commonly used as an anaesthetic by vets – from overseas and legal considerations, and the role of other prescription and non-prescription substances.

Three new teaching videos were also released entitled How to open a bottle of Nembutal, The use of the Exit Spot Test for Nembutal and Nitrogen as a gas for a hypoxic death.

Currently there are five people from Dublin registered with Exit International.

Five Irish people died by assisted suicide at an infamous Swiss euthanasia clinic over the course of two years. Three of them ended their lives at the Dignitas centre near Zurich in 2005, while two others died there between 2003 and 2004.

Stephen Welstead

“He is intimately involved in promoting or carrying out the act of killing. His suicide seminars prey on the vulnerable and are the antithesis of valuing human life until it ends naturally.”

Rather than prey on the vulnerable, Nitschke argues that he offers people the choice as to whether they use the information he provides or not.

“I have a strong belief that information empowers. The provision of information empowers the person so they can make the best choice. The provision of accurate information is not advising a person to suicide any more than it is advising them not to suicide.”

Lyons believes that choice is a word with appeal but one must look at what is being chosen and the impact it will have on individuals, their families and society as a whole.

“Causing death as a legitimate act should not be a choice. Doctors should be healers, not persons who kill or help to kill patients. Allowing the ‘choice’ of assisted suicide or euthanasia impacts everyone, as medical professionals believe they have to offer that ‘choice’ even though it might not have been considered.”

“Most importantly, ‘choice’ is not necessarily free choice as people are pressured to make decisions or decisions are made for them. Choice should embrace outcomes that are either good or not harmful.

Assisted suicide and euthanasia are neither of these.”

Many proponents of euthanasia argue compassion, particularly in the case of terminally ill patients. They claim that many drugs – such as morphine – although alleviating pain, ultimately kill the patient slowly. Euthanasia, they claim, offers quick relief.

Lyons is certain that advocates of euthanasia use extreme pain as the “hook” to justify its means.

She suggests that Nitschke preys on vulnerable communities such as the elderly, who have a natural fear of approaching death and anxiety about how it will occur.

“Many feel they do not want to be a burden to others. These individuals are enticed by an erroneous message that attempts to convince them that there is an easy way out.”

Far from enticing “victims”, Nitschke says his seminars are open to anyone interested. “We receive a variety of people from a vast range of backgrounds. Over 4,000 attended this year including judges, medical specialists, the unemployed and trades people.”

Nitschke has even suggested that voluntary euthanasia can prolong life. “We are constantly being approached by people extremely worried about what might happen should ‘they lose control’. People with deteriorating health problems often become desperate and do desperate, precipitous things to end their lives.”

CHROME 25

FEATURES

Virtual Reality Status updates, photo albums, instant chat- Facebook's popularity has grown to over 300 million users worldwide. Originally aimed at college students, the site has become the world’s most popular social network.

The internet has acted as a connection to other singles, a place to meet people who share the same interests, a forum to talk about personal problems with complete anonymity, as well as developing existing relationships and bridging gaps of time zone and residing country. Facebook has developed as a tool of social inclusion. The fastest growing demographic is users over 30, as well as a surging number of parents signing up to discover the secret behind their children's obsession of 'signing on'.

Facebook's success has blossomed under the site's ability to adopt most aspects of online options, with photographs, online messaging and forum boards available, the site is accessed over 40 billion times a month. Where there are people you'll find the path lined in gold, and for Facebook, to the value of $15 billion to be exact.

Online Etiquette Two women in their mid-twenties, were complaining about a man in the office who had blanked them in the corridor in work that afternoon. One grumbled "I wouldn't mind, but why would he add me on Facebook, and comment my photos and wall posts and then blank me in public? What's that about?" It was clear they were both confused by their colleague’s behaviour.

This is what is being referred to as "online/ Facebook etiquette" and is one of the more obvious effects of having an online account. The online etiquette is to always greet an online acquaintance in person, even if they are not a close friend. The general belief that is that if they are close enough to add as a friend, they are close enough to greet when you casually meet them.

Warnings of setting your profile to private have flooded the media’s attention, with disgruntled workers fired for their online personas. Ashley Payne, a high school teacher from Atlanta, is taking Barrow County to court after being fired for pictures on her Facebook account. Despite having only ten photos in an album

Elizabeth McHugh

where she was holding a beer, and having her profile set to top privacy settings, the school administration felt Ms. Payne had encouraged anti-social attitudes amongst her students by posting the photographs online.

Emma Olahan, an independent recruitment agent, admits that Facebook profiles have had negative effects on potential clients. “I have had employers tell me they decided against candidates based on some of their extracurricular activities they discovered when they went snooping on the internet".

Online Status Social networking sites act as a community online. An online persona provides the opportunity to develop yourself as a person of status, to maintain friendships, to begin romantic relationships.

Amy Jo Kim, author of Community Building on the

Web: Secret Strategies for Successful Online Communities, believes that there is a cycle of online membership life on the internet. Kim believes a user will start as an outsider, as any stranger would in modern society, looking into the group and making efforts to start initial connections.

As time progresses, so will the members activity in the group, as their commitment is established by routine, i.e. checking their accounts, looking at friend's photos etc. Kim suggests that a hierarchy will form, where leaders or moderators begin to control social interaction, creating boundaries and limits.

As with established society, these boundaries will not always be adhered to, and the clichéd phrase that "rules were made to be broken" can lead to cyber bullying, children being exposed to adult material, or the even more disturbing possibility of paedophiles gaining access to young teenagers.

Your immortality can also be cherished in the Facebook realm, with members offered the chance to have their site turned into a memorial page after their death.

This has caused some offence to the familys of the deceased, especially in investigating cases where names have not been released to media. It leaves you wondering whether your profile is everlasting, even if you aren’t…

Keeping in Touch Parents may be understandably cautious of younger children using the internet, but as they grow up and move on, social networking sites may be the easiest way for a physically distant parent to keep in touch with their student, Erasmus, backpacking son/daughter.

Facebook has indisputably led the way in the online social realm, but knowing when you've reached your limit is something still being debated, as is knowing when it is appropriate to access your profile. As Facebook users spend hours browsing online, employers and universities are starting to block access to the website.

Facebook is no different to any other craze and what goes up must come down. "There's always space for a new site, fancy a tweet anyone?"

CHROME 27

FEATURES

Courtesy of Israel Ministry of Tourism

to midday, a lot of the time outside in the sun. Much of my summer was spent picking mangoes and bananas, driving tractors and occasionally working in the kibbutz shop. The rest of the day is your own, and was spent playing football, lounging by the pool or travelling.”

“In exchange for your labour, you receive free basic accommodation and food, as well as some pocket money. It effectively allows you to have a holiday in an exotic part of the world” A fully fledged kibbutznik by the end of his stay, Stephen puts this down to the charm of the Irish, believing that it helped him make friends easier than some of the more “straight-laced nationalities.”

“I felt like an outsider at first, but we won over the Israelis more than any other nationality on the kibbutz.

This was due to our healthy disrespect for authority, our cynical sense of humour and love of football, all traits appreciated by Israelis.”

Despite icy first impressions and a few “cultural misunderstandings,” Stephen describes the Israelis' as “warm and loyal with a highly cynical sense of humour.” He reminisces of the social life on the kibbutz, his “sparkling performances on the football team, the various random nights out in banging nightclubs in the holy city of Jerusalem, drinking away my 21st birthday under the stars.” All fond memories etched in his mind.

Completely escaping the political conflicts Israel is plagued with is an unlikely feat for visitors to the country. In particular, the summer of 2001 was exceptionally violent in Israel and the Palestinian territories. A budding journalist, with a nose for news and a burning curiosity, Stephen's face to face encounters with acts of violence were at times life threatening. “There were bombings every week of the three months of my stay.

Once, my friend and I missed a terrorist attack by 30 minutes at a bus station, another time a security guard pulled her gun on me in Tel Aviv because she thought I said I had a gun- I had said “gum”. I was tear-gassed in Ramallah, and saw people get shot, but that was because I had sought out a story, and attended a Palestinian demonstration.”

Bunici “You could minimize your exposure to danger by not travelling too much, and staying out of the West communally and all income generated is shared. PeoBank” Stephen notes, “things we did not do.” ple work together in all areas of production, consump“Unlike countries like Iraq or Afghanistan, Westerntion and education and each member of the ers are not deliberately targeted in Israel or the Palestincommunity holds an equal stance. ian Territories. Neither side wants the bad press that Surprisingly, these collectives are quite hospitable comes with harming Europeans or Americans.” to new inhabitants so it is not unusual for people from A country as diverse as Israel begs to be explored all over the world to throw themselves into a new way and with plenty of down time, Stephen and his comof life for a few weeks or even months at a time. For panions seized the opportunity to discover the country’s Stephen and his friends, their temporary home was a hidden gems that day to day media fails to spotlight. kibbutz in Kinneret, near Tiberius on the Sea of An excellent bus service allowed for trips to Tel Aviv, Galilee.

Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Ramallah left lasting impres“Life on the kibbutz was great fun,” Stephen resions. “It's a naturally beautiful country with a baffling counts. “Foreign volunteers generally work from dawn mix of old and new, religious and secular,” he says.

Life on the Kibbutz Diana

Boozy nights in a bustling west coast city in the USA, scorching lazy days on a sandy Australian beach and trails of exploration on an exotic Thai island; Stephen Murphy forfeited all of this for a summer with a difference in Israel.

Drawn by “the cultures, politics and conflicts” of the Middle East, Stephen packed a hefty suitcase and departed for Israel accompanied by three of his college friends.

Highly recommended by previous explorers, the foursome opted to live on a kibbutz for three months.

Life in this unique rural community is dedicated to mutual aid and social justice. All property is owned

28 CHROME

FEATURES

Teach in Guadalupe

Aisling O’Sullivan

Volunteer in Haiti Laura Garvey

Guadeloupe, off the French West Indies remains one of the Caribbean’s hidden treasures, virtually unknown to tourists, save perhaps the French. This small, butterflyshaped island boasts the impeccable infrastructure of a western country while being surrounded on all sides by deep, sparkling Caribbean waters.

Guadeloupe is divided into two islands, Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre, with the former offering quintessentially Caribbean white-sand beaches and the volcanic latter posing a more exotic alternative for whom scaling rock faces and probing dense foliage is their ‘thing’.

When Oxford student Rory O’Sullivan chose Guadeloupe to spend a year teaching English, he quickly learnt

The earthquake that hit Port au Prince this year may deter you from visiting the island of Haiti, but now more than ever the help of volunteers is needed.

Last year David McNeill decided to volunteer rather than see the sights. “I was born in Zambia while my parents were volunteering, so it had always been something I had thought of doing. I knew people who had volunteered before and I knew it would be good to do something worthwhile with my time.”

David went to Haiti with UCD VO (Volunteers Overseas), an organisation within the university that offers students the opportunity to work as volunteers in the developing world. The process involves a letter of appli-

that it would not be at all what he anticipated.

“If you travel there expecting a charmingly ramshackle West Indies outpost, you’ll be disappointed... basic infrastructure such as roads, electricity and sanitation are of a similar standard to that of mainland France. As a result, the standard of living is significantly higher than that of the neighbouring Caribbean islands”.

An aspect he found challenging were the road rules.

“Adapting to the right-hand side was taxing enough, but worrying about other road users, who are apathetic towards drink-driving rules took some getting used to”.

Above all, it is the rich, traditional food that stands out in Rory’s memory of the isle. Surrounded by water, the cuisine provides many options to any lover of fruits de mer. To spice this further, Guadeloupean cooking has an Indian element tucked away within it - a relic of a period in the early twentieth century when Indians were brought over to work the land in the wake of the abolition of slavery.

Guadeloupe was colonised by France over two centuries ago and therefore citizens today enjoy the same social security benefits as France and receive a great deal of help from the motherland. Rory went as far as to maintain that at times you might almost think yourself in the middle of Paris.

“Guadeloupe is a bustling, densely populated and modern stronghold. Imagine yourself rarely more than ten minutes from the white sand and turquoise water, but always within the context of a Parisian arrondisement. In parts it is easy to forget you are on a Caribbean island”.

Guadeloupe is a multi-faceted country, which beckons tourists with idyllic beaches, a high standard of living and prides itself on being a sunnier, calmer version of Paris.

cation and an interview. Succesful students can then choose a preferred destination, but don’t always get the final say on where they are sent.

David chose Haiti, “Some of the projects seemed a little wishy washy. I didn’t want to go somewhere just to lift bricks. In Haiti they had an educational programme in and I wanted to do something that was useful, something that they couldn’t do there on there on their own.”

Before departure each volunteer has to raise €2,250.

David bag-packed at super markets, spoke at mass in his local church and ran the women’s mini marathon dressed in a bridesmaid dress.

Once there, the group of 26 volunteers stayed at a compound north of the island’s capital, an area now populated by over 5,000 refugees from the earthquaque. Life was not the exciting ride one might imagine, “The food was awful. Just rice with this sort of watery tomato soup on top, sometimes there were bits of chicken. The toilets were pretty rough too and the showers were just cold water but that was fine. They were little concrete cubicles, it was so warm that you didn’t mind.”

At the compound, David was teaching chidren between the ages of 5 and 16. Maths and English were the main subjects, but devising a teaching plan before he left proved fruitless, as each year the age groups vary or numbers dwindle due to illhealth or work. “I spoke to teachers here in Ireland before I left, but it was difficult to organise teaching plans because you don’t know what group you’ll be teaching. Every year it’s different because some of the kids have to work or have moved away.”

David describes the whole trip as, “an unreal experience” and something he would love to take part in again.

CHROME 29

FASHION

Astral

gaze Photography by Johnny McMillan Styling by Laura Garvey & Kate Burkett

30 CHROME

Previous page:Gold net dress, Rodebejr, lace bandeau brassiere Urban Outiffters, Sonia Rykiel for H&M black silk underwear This page: (Left) Urban Outfitters blazer, American Apparel socks (Right) Urban Outfitters lace gilet and unisex trousers Opposite page: Rodebejr dress, Buffalo boots

Previous page: dress All Saints, ring stylists own This page: trousers Wild Child, brassiere Urban Outfitters, shoes Buffalo, necklace and cocktail ring All Saints

Hair stylist: John Cheese for Toni & Guy at Dame St., Dublin 2 Make-up Artist: Sarah-Jane Wai O’Flynn

Laura Garvey

Fashion is elitist. Big brands and fashion houses market their designs towards the wealthy and as a result large department stores, such as Brown Thomas, are often the only outlets that can afford to sell them. Yet nestled in the side streets of cities the world over, there exists a more personal approach in selecting quality over quantity.

There are boutiques dotted around Dublin and they are championing young designers from unimaginable places. Stores such as Smock, Dolls, Costume and Indigo & Cloth are helping to even the playing field of fashion and cater for style-hungry consumers looking for something new. They add a touch of New York elegance and Parisian chic to a market otherwise dominated by the high street.

Petria Lenehan, owner of Dolls boutique on Clarendon Street, believes that the experience of browsing through the rails in a boutique is quite unique. “They’re very personal and each one stocks different designers, which means they are all so different.” The word “personal” is fitting when describing a creative and original retail space and at Dolls that is exactly what you get.

36 CHROME

Unfortunately, creative and original don’t quite cut it when quick and easy have become a prerequisite for many customers. Circus, a boutique with a unique and highly stylized take on fashion, closed its doors this February. It stocked designers such as Marjan Pejoski, April 77 Records and Complex Geometries.

Speaking before the closure of the store, one of the owners, Aisling Farinella, explained that high-end designers did not fit with the aesthetic or vision for Circus. “We sell international concept-driven designers who are not part of seasonal trends and the conventional glossy media. Introducing customers to new designers is definitely something that boutiques do, as they go out searching for something new and original that they themselves find interesting. However, customers have to want new designers and styles of clothing.”

Garrett Pitcher, owner of the neatly positioned store Indigo & Cloth on South William Street, believes that right now, boutiques are not important to Irish fashion. “We lack a boutique custom due mainly to the strength of the high street and department stores. I think you will see the trade come back

strongly in the coming years, as customers seek quality and originality, having indulged in the convenience of shopping centres. The obvious and best example is Dundrum. Eventually people tire of ‘sameness’ and take the time to seek something different.”

These boutique owners believe in the higher standard of apparel they are providing, as Garett explains: “Price is not the big issue. Exclusive labels have and will always cost more. It’s the law of economics. It’s more a question of what value the customer has of themselves. Boutiques who offer the best product at the best value – meaning quality with price – will do well. Pretenders who copy labels in other stores and charge exclusive prices without actually being exclusive will fail, and rightly so. Topshop and the rest know their business model – boutiques should know theirs.”

Both the owners of Dolls and the former Circus are in agreement with this point, believing that their customers are far more discerning now than ever before and careful with how they spend their money. They want things that will last and continue to look good.

Smaller boutiques are more interested in providing new and original design for their customers and there-

Ciuin Tracey

Beautiful Boutiques

Ciuin Tracey

FASHION

fore are a potentially good support system for new Irish designers. In its lifetime Circus stocked collections by Irish designers Ali Malik, Made for You by Arms, Mia O'Connell and Poltock & Walsh, which is half Irish. They showcased graduate collections by Clare Geraghty, NCAD 2009 and Claire Ban Coffey NACD 2008. On the topic of these boutiques supporting “their own”, Garett believes that in a perfect world each boutique could stock Irish designs, but he claims the industry is fickle. “You can be flavour of the month and then dropped the next season. I would happily advise or stock an Irish label that I thought had talent and fitted our profile. I’m not sure how much can come out of being supportive. I’m biased as I tend to think of Ireland as incestuous, one nice little bubble with the press, stores and designers in cahoots and I wouldn’t be rushing to change my view of that.”

Labels such as Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Burberry have had a monopoly on the market for years. However, according to the Indigo & Cloth owner, those brands are finished. “Not today, not tomorrow but give it a few years. There is so much talent out there and the big fashion houses are losing

their grip. New designers are making it big every season. You have to wonder at their relevance to the Facebook generation who see new things as daily – newness is their lifeblood. If I aim to be around for more than 20 years as a store, I need to be introducing new designers every year or two. I don’t buy the label, I buy the product and I won’t be changing that policy, because customers will not buy something that’s cheaply made and overpriced just because it says Gucci. Those days are gone.”

In a good store it seems the owners always see the same faces coming back. Petria commented that she knows many of her customers by name. Yet, the younger generation of shoppers have become more knowledgeable; they are saving up and are coming to buy designs by the likes of Rodebjer, Nom de Guerre and Edwin. “There are always new faces, thankfully, because word of mouth is the best form of marketing in this business,” muses Garett. “I always wanted the store to be accessible to everyone and I’m glad we have been successful with that policy.” It’s not always conceivable to save hundreds for one piece and boutique owners like Aisling understand that there are

‘style hunters’ who like to come in and just look at the designs. “They are usually quite young and are often predisposed to actually shopping in high street and vintage stores.”

Media attention has, in recent years, been focused on various programmes such as America’s Next Top Model, Project Runway and even Ireland’s own The Model Agent. The rush in covering these media items is not necessarily a shift towards the fashion industry; it merely reflects the fluctuations of popular culture. “Just because Kate Moss designs a label for Topshop, [it] doesn’t mean fashion benefits,” argues Garrett. “The old traditions are beginning to seep back and the more the better. I opened in the recession so we never saw the madness that was the Celtic Tiger in our shop.

When it purrs again, maybe I can afford to buy a house.”

Aisling remarks that it is, “the print media, TV and pop stars who influence style internationally”. Despite this, boutiques can and have affected the decisions of many to choose a more daring or stylistic form of dress. The individuality of a garment found in a boutique can’t be beaten by the ubiquity of the high street.

CHROME 37

FASHION

Ciúin Tracey

Adapting the Hijab

Orna Cunningham

In Western culture, fashion can be a difficult term to define. Style is personal and timeless - trends are fleeting, but all too often encompassing and overwhelming.

When you expand the definitions of style to include multiple cultures, it can be far too easy to scoff at those seemingly constricted in their style choices by their religious beliefs and adherences.

Globalisation has brought us into an era of information and culture-sharing so diverse that goat herders in Kenya now communicate by mobile phone. Muslim women the world over, while still wishing to embrace the essential principle of modesty and the traditional values of their religion, want to keep up with modern trends..

Many fashion-forward women feel lucky that they can use fashion to express themselves and to a certain extent, express their opinions and social tendencies in their clothes. This is a universal truth, whether it is derived

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from or depends on religion or ethnicity.

In the case of Muslim women this self-expression is not tied up in their sexuality in the same way it can be in other parts of the world - or at least not in the overt, self-sexualising manner so pervasive in western media.

Women of the Muslim faith are expected to dress “modestly”- the term “modesty” crops up constantly when reading about Muslim fashions.

The word hijab can refer to modest Arabic dress in general, though it is often specifically used to describe the head scarf worn by women of the Muslim faith. The word itself is indicative of the hijab's purpose. The Arabic word literally means curtain or cover, based on the root “to cover, to veil, to shelter”.

Exploring the word further, al-hijab refers to the veil that separates man or the world from God. According to fashion website “welovehijab.com”, alternate spellings of the word itself exist - hejab, hegab, higab, used to refer

to the traditional dress of Muslim women.

The origin of the hijab results from interpretations of Koran passages, such as this segment from the sura, 33:59, from the Koran: “Enjoin your wives, your daughters, and the wives of true believers that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad) That is most convenient, that they may be distinguished and not be harassed”.

A minority of contemporary Muslims believe that modesty is the essential opinion to be respected and that modesty is relative depending on the situation that one finds themselves in, and thus that the wearing of the hijab is a personal choice.

A deep respect for women, femininity and womanhood is behind the hijab. Its cultural implications are far reaching and deeply rooted. But despite the great wealth of meaning behind it, it is just another piece of clothing.

FASHION a simple black hijab with an ornate silver trim at one end. Both girls are practised wearers- as we speak Abia fixes her scarf almost unconsciously.

“I think the hijab is an advantage. You stand out, you're more unique. Like, in my lecture hall in UCD, there might be hundreds of students and I'm the only one wearing a hijab.” Neither does the hijab limit her in her style of dress- she lifts her oversized charity t-shirt to show me her accessories. “The hijab just makes me more creative with my accessories. I can still dress modestly and use innovation”. Fatima nods. “As long as you dress and act modestly, you'll be fine. So much of it is personal choice- like you choose what hijab to wear. And there are different colours, and different materials for different seasons.”

I ask the girls about the practicality of the hijab. “Oh, it's great in wind,” they say, “maybe not in rain when you get soaked though!” The hijab changes seasonally as fashion trends do. In the same way that thicker materials come to the fore in winter, the hijab changes and adapts to the environment in which its wearers find themselves. The same is true of their style of dress, even when it comes to things like colour, as Fatima explains

“If you were in Saudi Arabia, you'd need to wear black.

In Nigeria colours like red and yellow are just really normal, no one would look at you if you were wearing them”.

Both girls laugh as they discuss their extensive scarf collections. “Last year I went to a conference in Birmingham, and the girls there put so much effort into their hijabs! They wear a couple of scarves, all of different colours, and they do things like hang earrings off them, glittery diamond headbands, little pins and things- it's amazing”.

Fashion can too often be considered the premise of the West. These young women prove that style and elegance extends beyond culture and successfully reconcile their taste and interests with their commitment to their faith. “Girls tend to want to be creative. It doesn't limit the way you dress”.

Later I see the two girls walking down the street.

Their gait is confident and their scarves catch the wind slightly as they haul the remains of their bake sale home.

Two more elegant women were nowhere to be seen.

Ciúin Tracey

and Muslim women like any others take pride in their appearance and their fashion choices.

Speaking with two students, Fatima and Abia, it is clear that they take their dress seriously and although both are beautiful they are also both modestly dressed.

The first is a student of business and computing in DIT and the other attends UCD. It could be said that the style of Muslim dress is a balancing act for the women. UCD student Fatima thinks that women who wear the “full dress thing (burqa) are brave, I respect that.” Not so out of any societal pressure, but in a sense that their commitment to their faith is so strong that they are comfortable to wear full Muslim dress. They are not necessarily any less fashion conscious than their peers, but their choice to wear the entire dress in western society, where social trends don't dictate it a necessity, is a choice to be admired and respected.

19 year old Fatima wears the head scarf part of the hijab. The arrangement is simple- as she says herself, “I just don't have the time in the morning to do all the design!” Her headscarf is a mixture of olive greens, dusky reds and gold threads interwoven. Her companion wears

CHROME 39

FASHION

Sustainable Fashion Julie Kavanagh

Trend, fad, this season’s key piece, no matter what magazine or newspaper you pick up, there is always that latest fashionable item you just have to have.

Each year billions of euro are spent updating and perfecting people’s wardrobes with the newest trends.

But in a world that is becoming increasingly aware of the environment, even fashion is being deemed wasteful.

Over the past few years, the fashion industry has started growing a carbon footprint conscience. Sustainable fashion is the newest buzzword in fashion and the antithesis of trends. One person who is proving this everyday is Sheena Matheiken in her crusade for more ethical fashion awareness by raising money for the Akanksha Foundation, under the banner of “The Uniform Project”.

Sheena has pledged to wear the same dress for one year as an exercise in sustainable fashion. How do you design a dress that can be worn all year around? The dress is designed by Eliza Starbuck, who, taking inspiration from one of Sheena’s own dresses, improved the shape and fit to add some seasonal versatility. It is de-

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signed to be worn front and back. It’s made from a durable, breathable cotton, good for New York summers and great for layering in cooler seasons.

This is how it works: there are seven identical dresses, one for each day of the week. Every day she will reinvent the dress with layers, accessories and all kinds of accoutrements, the majority of which will be vintage, hand-made or hand-me-down goodies.

As a native of India, the charity Sheena has chosen hits close to home. The Akanksha Foundation is a charity that provides education and expanses for children living in the slums of India.

Not far behind in this latest craze is Ireland’s effort in sustainable fashion. Re-dress is an Irish website dedicated to bringing information on all things fashionable, ethical, sustainable and beautiful. They hold talks and workshops and give advice on how to make your wardrobe more environmentally friendly and still fabulous.

Rosie O'Reilly, one of the founders of Re-dress, is also a student of DCU and is currently working on her masters.

“Re-dress encourages people to buy their garments at swap shops, charity shops, car boot sales, markets and vintage shops, all of which are have become quite popular in Ireland. Due to the economic downturn, shoppers are looking for better bargains”. However, input from the Irish shopper’s collective fashion conscience is the real driving force behind second hand garment culture.

This isn’t just happening as a small scale underground movement. Noted fashion designer, Stella McCartney , has been a patron of sustainable fashion for years. In 2006, McCartney launched a vegan friendly line of accessories that fuse man-made and natural materials with high quality construction.

McCartney was quoted on Style List fashion website saying “[Sustainable fashion] doesn’t sound very sexy, that said, I'm proud of it because that's where fashion is going. Fashion isn't separate from the rest of your life. When we can do something that is environmentally conscious in the collection, we do”.

Ciúin Tracey

CULTURE

Julie Kavanagh

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Science Gallery Bubbles Over

The Science Gallery is a world first, where the beauty of art in science is put on show to create a whole new meaning. It is a new type of venue where today’s white-hot scientific issues are thrashed out and everyone can have a say. This is a place where ideas meet and opinions collide.

Located in the city centre, on the Pearse Street side of Trinity College, Dublin’s Science Gallery opened in February 2008 and is an exciting development for Science and Art in the nation’s capital.

The idea behind Science Gallery according to Director Michael John Gorman, is that people get a more “hands-on approach to science”. Throughout each exhibition, the Gallery has held events, talks, debates and workshops, giving the public the chance to get involved.

In one of the most recent exhibitions,

Bubble, visitors were encouraged to examine the bubble and its changing shapes and colours. People got up-close and personal with fantastic structures and were allowed participate in experiments with soap films.

And in the Love exhibition that ran for a month coinciding with Valentine’s Day, visitors were encouraged to find out whether their love was destiny or chemistry through a series of various “love tests”.

The exhibition currently in place pays homage to the Great Barrier Reef. Australian sisters, Christine and Margaret Wertheim, have crocheted an entire reef to preserve the beauty of the famous reef that is in danger of extinction due to pollutions and global warming. The exhibition runs until June and there will be daily tours for a more in-depth and hands on encounter with science.

Although breathtaking from the outside with large glass panels covering the whole front of the building, the Science Gallery is somewhat lack-lustre on the inside with most of the exhibitions having a slightly cramped feeling. The Bubble exhibition had more than 55,000 people attending over its two months on display and as a result the gallery had to end some of its experiments and projects in the final weeks.

The Gallery has more to offer than just the current exhibitions. There is the friendly Flux Café where you can grab a coffee and relax surrounded by the futuristic art, and they also hold events and talks on topics from driving to design.

Exhibitions and some events are free. If you are a member, you'll get 10 per cent off event tickets. For more information, visit www.sciencegallery.com.

Laugh out Loud

CULTURE

Michelle Hennessy

own style “transgender, like the kind of women I go for”.

Looney sees a change in the sense of humour of the next generation in his students. “The kids I teach have a totally different comedy background to me. They're still hilarious in their own way, but certain types of humour like ‘gross-out comedy’ are more popular with them”.

Reverend Michael Collins of the Blackrock Parish noted the importance of laughter for our well-being. “The battle of life is difficult, from getting up in the morning to a relatively safe arrival back to bed that night. Without a few smiles, what would we do?” He said it was necessary now for priests to inject humour into their masses. “I can't stand priests who sound as if they Comedian James Looney are reading the list of ingredients on a tin of soup. If there is some way Comedy is an industry and success is a steep, uphill of injecting a smile, do it”. struggle for the comics. Up and coming Irish comedian, The way we see comedians has been revolutionized James Looney, described the comedy scene as “really by new technology. Stand-up shows of the more poputough” and explained how “some comedians are so deslar and well known comedians can be downloaded, or perate to make it, performing three shows a night just found on YouTube. Satirical television shows with teams trying to get their name out there and most of the time of comedians like The Panel or Never Mind the Buzit all comes to nothing”. zcocks are increasingly popular, so too are internet podLooney works as an English teacher in a Dublin seccasts by prominent characters such as Ricky Gervais and ondary school, so for him comedy is a hobby. “I couldRussell Brand. n't do it full-time, every so often I decide I'm giving up.

However, Russell Brand lost his job at the BBC last I hate the bitchy competitiveness of the industry. The year, after crude comments he made about actor Andrew first time I ever did stand-up was for a competition at the Sachs' granddaughter on one of his podcasts. Thousands Ha' Penny Bridge Inn and another comedian told the of people complained and even Prime Minister Gordon judges I stole material from someone else”. Despite getBrown condemned the comedian. ting off to a rough start, Looney continued performing More recently, Tommy Tiernan was criticised for his sometimes controversial style of comedy covering jokes he made about Jews and the Holocaust at the Electopics like female menstruation, genital mutilation and tric Picnic music festival. James Looney disagreed with unusual sexual experiences. However he emphasised the the treatment of Tiernan by the media and claimed “it importance of “tailoring for all audiences”, labelling his was completely taken out of context”.

From a game of peek-a-boo with a parent, to an amusing anecdote from a friend, laughter is one of the most natural human reactions. Every generation has its own style of comedy and its own comical characters, whether it be Charlie Chaplin, Woody Allen, Jim Carey or even Kenan and Kel. Though laughter permeates through the decades, comedy and its actors adapt to cater to their everchanging audiences.

Journalist and presenter Sean Moncrieff said “change has come about, not because of comedy, but because society in general has found these subjects more acceptable to talk about. There was a time when some comics would have been seen to be pushing boundaries by discussing taboo subjects, but that's far less the case today”.

Although most topics are considered fair game by comics, James Looney still affirms he would not joke about “rape, abortion or anything that could really upset someone in the audience”.

One of the more popular trends in comedy involves a lot of self ridicule, a style favoured by James Looney.

“Self deprecation is most safe and works best but only if it’s believable. When I complain about the Wii Fit calling me obese, it's funny because the audience knows it probably did happen”. Although this kind of material is popular with most audiences, James admits he sometimes covers topics he knows a lot of people cannot identify with. “Comics like Lee Evans like talking about losing your keys and how you hate losing your keys. I don't get it, but people love it. I tend to talk about politics and stuff in the newspapers like the situation in Iran, but people can't relate to Iran like they can with lost keys”.

Though it is a real challenge for the comics themselves to make it big, there are countless opportunities to catch a show in Dublin most nights of the week. While all of the big names perform in venues like Vicar Street for around €30 or more, there are also cheaper options available. The Woolshed pub offers a comedy showcase with three performances every Monday night for just €5 and the Ha'penny Bridge Inn hosts its open mic Battle of the Axe night on Thursdays with tickets at €9.

Comics such as Dave McSavage, Paddy Casey and Neil Delamere have graced the stage at the Inn so it could be your chance to see this generation’s next big stars.

CHROME 43

Why Make a Record if No One Knows it Exists?

Daragh McDonagh

CULTURE

Louise Tierney

It has been said that hard times create better music. This could certainly be described as the case for Irish musicians Colin Devlin, Colm Mac Con Iomaire and Fergal Toohey if the past year has been anything to go by.

2009 saw the release of Colin Devlin's debut album Democracry of One, earning him a nomination for the Best Irish Male Award at the 2010 Meteors. Devlin had previously achieved international acclaim with Dublin rock band The Devlins, the band behind the Six Feet Under theme tune, who also featured on the Batman Forever soundtrack.

Colm Mac Con Iomaire had earned himself a nomination in 2009 for Best Traditional/Folk Album. Mac Con Iomaire was a founding member of Irish folk group Kila before forming The Frames in 1990. He is currently touring with Frames bandmate Glen Hansard as The Swell Season.

Irish pop/R&B band Amasis recently won the 2010 Meteor Award for Most Promising New Artist. Keyboard player and guitarist, Fergal Toohey, believes better music is being produced as a result of the recession.

In his opinion, people are more careful with spending their money on recording studios and are refining their music much more than they would have previously, ensuring better quality songs being produced.

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Devlin accredits technology as being responsible for “putting the power back in the hands of the artists”. In his view, before the arrival of Pro-Tools and the internet, bands were dependent on record labels in order to both record and distribute their work. “Bands are blogging away everyday on the internet and have the grassroots support to get their music out there.” But as Devlin believes, the vital PR element of the music industry is still the domain of the record labels. Mac Con Iamaire also stresses the importance of PR, asking “why make a record if no one knows it exists?”

Amasis’ recent success at the Meteor awards is not surprising considering the band’s hardworking ethos.

Toohey puts the entire onus on the band to give journalists something to write about. He feels that PR companies in Ireland do not control media representation of their bands to the same extent as their contemporaries in UK or the States. “It’s up to the artists to make the journalists want to write about them. Every music journalist wants a scoop and to be the one who ‘discovered’ the ‘new Beatles’.”

Mac Con Iomaire agrees with Toohey that PR companies no longer have the monopoly on information that they once did and feels that people are “far more media savvy and discerning than ever before. This

said, Mac Con Iomaire credits music journalism in this country, stating that “creative writing has always been a strong point for Ireland”. Yet, he unfortunately feels that the tendency is still to “look east for a sign”.

Mac Con Iomaire believes that in order for acts to have any objectivity about their work, it is necessary to get out of Ireland. He feels that “the only success that actually registers beyond a certain point is that which comes about outside Ireland.” He finds that Irish bands seem to settle for being “a big Irish band”, which is the antithesis to the big-time attitudes of the international bands which Amasis have worked with.

In terms of measuring success, all three musicians are of differing opinions. Mac Con Iomaire views “being able to make a living from your own original material as the first goal and a formidable achievement in itself in Ireland.” Similarly, Colin Devlin views success as having the freedom “to make the music you want to without having to compromise”. For Toohey, the ultimate measure of success in Ireland is “to be headlining Slane, and putting on such a show that lives in people’s memories for years afterwards”; a feat not achieved by many Irish musicians.

Mac Con Iomaire and Toohey attribute a combination of hard work and luck to bands that have man-

Ivana Rebova

CULTURE

aged to survive in the industry. Mac Con Iomaire describes talent and luck as “two sides of the same coin. I like that phrase about the 'the luckiest people I know seem always to work the hardest'. Luck might get you there for a minute but staying there is the challenge.”

Similarly, Toohey considers talent the main factor of longevity in the business. “Awful artists have managed to get No. 1's on pure fluke, but talent will guarantee longterm success”.

Mac Con Iomaire feels that young Irish bands are under-hyped by the media. He highlights the “age old conundrum” faced by publications of needing “to put someone established on the cover in the hope of selling copies” and yet by the time a band is big enough for the front page, they “couldn't care less”. Toohey also feels the main focus is understandably on the main acts, yet Amasis have met with huge media interest since their Meteor Awards success.

Colin Devlin was also nominated for a 2010 meteor award for Best Irish Male, which was ultimately won by Christie Moore. Now living and working in LA, Devlin describes Ireland as unique in our quality of musicians.

“The thing we do best is the simple melancholy. It's what people respond to because they can't express it themselves. We have some amazing singers in Ireland. This translates a song really well and is something we should

not take for granted in Ireland.” He names Mac Con Iomaire's band mate, Glen Hansard as one such singer.

As with many other industries, the music industry is experiencing an era of great change. Toohey feels that due to illegal downloading there is less money coming in to fund spending months and months perfecting an album. He fears that because of this “we'll likely never see another true classic like Dark Side of the Moon, or Thriller.”

He is, however, realistic about the offenders and feels that “there's no point in getting upset about it and suing 14-year-olds”. Toohey believes that people are more inclined to listen to songs on YouTube than to go through the hassle of downloading them, citing recent figures that show a marked decrease in tracks illegally downloaded in the last 12 months. Con Mac Iomaire is also optimistic, trusting that if people like something enough they will want a hard copy or a better quality version of the music, refusing to settle for “a thumbnail of an oil painting.”

The future of the global music industry is as uncertain as many others, yet neither Devlin or Mac Con Iomaire appear in any way worried. Devlin accredits the Irish as being particularly resilient people, with music as a huge part of our culture. As for Frames violinist Man Con Iomaire, he feels that “people need music like they need their groceries...people will still eat!”

CHROME 45

REVIEWS

Gone Tomorrow Lee Child

Akimos Fat Apple Deli 3 Great Strand Street, Dublin1

It’s called a break up because it’s broken Greg Behrendt and Amira Ruotala-Behrendt

Digestible chapters and short, sharp, descriptive sentences- Gone Tomorrow, written by Lee Child, seduces the reader with Jack Reacher (a James Bond-like, resourceful, hulking, homeless, military protagonist)’s latest escapades.

The action begins on a late night subway train in New York City, where a woman disturbs the eerie silence of the night with a fatal gunshot to her own head. Jack Reacher, a man driven by curiosity, finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. A cat and mouse game ensues as Reacher tries to unravel the mysterious actions of the subway woman; consequently creating a trail of intrigue and destruction for the various secret agents, law enforcers and foreign fundamentalists determined to pin him down.

To give any more away would spoil this intricately woven plot which seduces the reader from the first page and dominates attention until the very last. There is always another twist, always another surprise ahead.

Child's meticulous attention to detail in this complex yet well-written tale is perhaps the key ingredient to its success. Fast paced and jumpy, the story is akin to an intelligent action-packed blockbuster, a modern day story modestly steeped in a historical and political background.

Gone Tomorrow is the thirteenth installment in the Jack Reacher collection but is the perfect stand alone novel; a background of Reacher's story is unnecessary for the prospective reader. Snappy, cunning, full of tension and suspense, this action thriller is highly recommended.

Located on Great Strand Street, Akimo’s Food Emporium is one of Dublin’s best kept secrets. The tiny eatery creates delectable sandwiches, soups and pizzas for very reasonable prices. Upon entering the small space the customer is greeted with the sensation of having stumbled into the owner’s living room. Boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables, meats, cheeses and breads cover the counter tops. The cosy atmosphere is emphasised by the small couches and tables filling the shop space.

Akimo’s offer an international variety of produce at their Fat Apple deli and pizzeria. Local and imported delicatessen ingredients, locally produced chutneys, organic juices, pastries, cheeses, salamis and sausages provide for the perfect lunch. If this is not enough, you can buy all the ingredients on offer, as well as the entire line of De Cecco pasta, Pellegrino mineral water, California-style muffins, Cubita coffee and a wide range of Italian, Spanish and Czech products.

Despite all of the delicious foods available at Akimo’s, by far the most appetising are the self-proclaimed ‘best sandwiches in Dublin’. The menu includes a step-by-step guide to building the perfect sandwich, starting with bread and moving on to sauces, fresh fillings, cheeses and meats. Orders can be emailed straight to the deli with a collection time to ensure the tasty packages are ready and waiting upon your arrival. Prices range from €4.00 to €4.75 for sandwiches, with a 50c discount for students.

It’s Called a Breakup Because It’s Broken, is a touching, hilarious and extremely helpful book on how to move on from a break-up. From Greg Behrendt who penned the now famous film, He’s Just Not That Into You - and Amira Ruotala-Behrendt, comes a fun but frank look at the strange and pathetic behaviour that inevitably ensues after a split.

The husband and wife team compile a list of embarrassing stories from women suffering from chronic heartache to produce this refreshing outlook on postbreak up life The book is split into two parts, “the Breakup” and “the Break-over”. The first section is about coaching the injured party on how to survive during the initial painful weeks and months of the break-up. The second part, “the Break-over” is split into commandments instead of chapters. It contains practical advice, such undergoing a “he-tox”; a very effective break-up solution which forbids the martyr from seeing or talking to her ex-man for 60 days.

If you are suffering all the irrational feelings associated with a broken heart, pick up this book. It won’t bring him back, but it will offer great advice, a few laughs and a pick-me-up when feeling low.

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REVIEWS

Bar Pintxo 12 Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

Shutter Island 138 mins

Bar Pintxo is the latest tapas bar to spring up amongst favourites Havana, positioned on George’s Street, and Salamanca, on St Andrew’s Street, in Dublin. Located in Temple Bar, the restaurant entices customers with its early bird menu which offers a choice of any three tapas and a glass of wine followed by churros and chocolate for €15 per head.

The early bird runs from Thursday to Sunday, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, and although portions seem small they are surprisingly filling. Patrons can choose from an array of hot and cold tapas including calamari, tortillas, patatas bravas or Ali oli (potatoes covered in a spicy or garlic sauce), chicken skewers drizzled with lemon, deep fried prawns with Ali oli and chorizo cooked in red wine.

The service is swift but tables are placed uncomfortably close to one another, somewhat limiting the flow of conversation. Rows upon rows of Spanish and Portuguese wines and the large windows fringed with fairy lights gives the bar an intimate and cosy atmosphere.

It is not uncommon to hear the Spanish tongue amongst waiters and clientele, reassuring the Irish customer that the bar is authentic and presents patrons with a true taste of Spain.

Shutter Island was one of 2009’s most highly anticipated films. In the opening weekend the film grossed $40.2 million, a record for both director Martin Scorsese and lead actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

The story, penned by author Dennis Lehane, centres around an isolated psychiatric hospital located off the coast of Massachusetts. US Marshals, Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) are summoned to investigate a missing patient who mysteriously escaped from her locked room. The patient, Rachel Solando is in the hospital for the criminally insane after killing her children and still believes them to be alive. The Marshals enter into a thrilling investigation with some interesting results.

Undoubtedly it is an entertaining film with a good measure of shock, imagination and twist. On top of that we are treated to top notch performances from both protagonists DiCaprio and Ruffalo, along with the convincing Boston twang they adopted for the film. But as the plot unfolds the audience soon start to realise where the twist in the proverbial road is The final verdict for those who counted down the days to the release is, unfortunately, disappointing. If however, you only heard about it after the thrilling trailers, it is definitely worth the price of a cinema ticket.

More than likely however, by the time you are walking out of the cinema, you will be congratulating yourself for sussing the plot halfway through - even those who have not read the book.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Män som hatar kvinnor) 152 mins The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, directed by Niels Arden Oplev and based on Steig Larsson’s novel, centres on Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist. Salander, a stick thin creature covered in piercings and tattoos, has been neglected by society from the age of thirteen. Budding journalist, Mikael Blomkvist works for Millennium magazine exposing Sweden’s most sordid secrets.

When first introduced Blomkvist is undergoing a lawsuit for libel against a Swedish industrialist, Hans-Erik Wennerström, which has serious repercussions for the future of Millennium.

With no work, Blomkvist is hired by Henrik Vanger to investigate the disappearance of his great-niece Harriet, whom he suspects was murdered by a member of his family. It is here Blomkvist meets Salander and the two set out to uncover the mystery surrounding Harriet’s 40 year absence which has caused Henrik so much grief.

A significant piece of work in its own right, there are some discrepancies with this film when compared to Larsson’s prose. There is very little mention of the Wennerström affair which is the backbone to the story and the main reason why Blomkvist took on the investigation. Neither is there any reference made to the cover up job assigned to Blomkvist (which was to write Vanger’s biography) so as not to arouse suspicions amongst the Vanger clan.

The film adaptation of this best-seller is somewhat lacking. Blomkvist uncovers evidence with extreme ease and there are no questions asked as to why this disgraced journalist is meddling in the Vanger’s past. There is never any doubt in the viewers’ mind that he might fail to solve the mystery and redeem himself as an accomplished journalist.

CHROME 47

CULTURE

Creativity is Priceless

Michelle Hennessy

In times of recession, everyone is looking for an affordable distraction. Dublin city has a whole host of options from museums and galleries, to intimate venues and centres for creativity.

Seán Mac Cárthaigh of the Dublin Arts Council emphasised the importance of arts in an economic downturn. “A lot of art forms have the capacity to help people escape thinking about day to day problems”.

Exchange Dublin, a collective art centre funded by the Council, was set up in Temple Bar last year by a small group of creative youths. Jonah King, one of the founders described it as “different from other art centres; it’s a collective space that people can use as they see fit. We have space for gigs, exhibitions, discussions and all types of other creative events”.

The group recognised a need for a space of this sort in Dublin, though it was originally designed just for their friends. “It’s been huge; I couldn’t have predicted how strong the response would be”, said Jonah.

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He has been surprised by the types of events that have been most attractive to the young crowd who make use of the space. “We created a cosy atmosphere and the chilled events like ‘stitch and bitch’ or storytelling nights are most popular”.

While spaces like Exchange, which offer a variety of inexpensive and fun activities, seem to be succeeding in drawing in the masses, other cultural facilities around the city are falling short. The National Museum for Decorative Arts and History in Collins Barracks is a beautiful building with something for everyone. However, the museum is failing to draw in visitors, even though it boasts a diverse collection of artistic and historic exhibitions and no admission fee.

A curator of the museum said “I’ve been working here several years and there are less people visiting it now than when I started”. He added the Dead Zoo exhibition, which has been relocated to the museum from Merrion Square, is attracting visitors but young

people have no interest in many of the exhibitions, “even the number of school groups coming during the week has decreased”.

One of the visitors at the museum, who had brought along his son and grandson, attributed the low numbers to a lack of advertising, “You never hear about it and I think a lot of people don’t know where it is. Once you get here there is a load to see and the kids are actually interested in it”.

While Jonah King affirmed the importance of these facilities, especially in recessionary times, he said “cultural institutions in general need to constantly evolve, look at what they’re doing in the context of the here and now and come up to that pace”.

In Ireland, our future is determined by our culture, propelled in turn by our artists, poets and musicians who often thrive in harsher times. Creativity is priceless and in appreciating the work of our talented nation, perhaps we can gain a more positive outlook.

Electro-pop Robot

Byran Meade

CULTURE

Michelle Hennessy

Robotnik has one true love in life and that is music. His breezy electronic pop tunes and his oddball style set him apart in the Dublin music scene. After the release of his debut album 'Pleasant Square' in 2008, reviews named him as one to watch in 2009. For Chris Morrin, the man behind the Robotnik persona, music is not a hobby or merely a career, but a way of life.

"Music gives me great enjoyment and happiness; everything about it. From a social point of view it's introduced me to so many amazing people in my life, from a personal point of view it's a very meditative thing, from a getting laid point of view..."

For a Pat the Baker competition last year Robotnik reinvented the well known jingle and his quirky dance version was used for some of their radio advertisements.

It is for this tune that he is most recognised as well as his out of the ordinary stage techniques. Robotnik has performed in some unusual outfits including a Scouts uniform and a dressing gown and has a tendency to climb on furniture or crawl on the floor during his gigs.

While this is all part of his charm as a performer, he ad-

mits that "it is out of the ordinary for venues in Dublin".

"If you go anywhere else in the world there'll be a bit of an entertainer on the stage but Dublin crowds are quite sceptical and maybe a bit narrow minded".

He spends a good deal of his time playing gigs in mainland Europe and especially Germany where there is a great demand for his type of originality. "Ireland's a really small pond to be honest, it's easy to make a bit of a noise in this country if you are in any way different and when you go abroad it's more of a challenge. In a way I suppose I've got more success and more of a response from the European audiences". Some of Robotnik's most "up close and personal" gigs have taken place in the living rooms of German houses where they gather together for dinner parties with up to sixty people and have musicians perform in the middle of the room.

However he is a man of extremes and when he is not giving intimate living room performances, he relishes the chance to play in big open venues. "I had a great experience playing in a place called Admiralpalast. It's a huge old theatre in Berlin and I had the real honour to

play there in front of thousands of people. That was one of my favourite venues ever, that doesn't happen every day".

His talents are not confined to the stage and Robotnik keeps himself busy with numerous other exciting projects. He presents a radio show, Robotnik's Random Rampage, every Tuesday evening on RTE's digital station 2XM. He is also currently working on the Podge and Rodge show where he will appear in seven episodes as their 'Pub Spy'. "They wanted a kind of Dennis the Menace character, so it’s me going out into the world of Ireland, into pubs around the country, and seeing what kind of mischief and silly games I can get up to in the pubs with the local people, because the show is based in their own pub called the Stickit Inn" The next step for Robotnik will be the release of his second album in 2010 though he also hopes to release his first record 'Pleasant Square' in the rest of Europe early next year.

To listen to his music or for information on upcoming gigs go to www.myspace.com/robotnikmusic.

CHROME 49

CULTURE

Some Country for Old Men Cathal Foley

Good things, they say, come to those who wait. However, for monoliths of the arts like Mozart and Herman Melville who died in relative squalor, without any of the acclaim they would posthumously receive, the wait was obviously not worth the hassle.

For most of 76-year-old writer Cormac McCarthy’s professional life, it seemed he would meet the same earthly fate as Melville and Mozart. But in this internet age of ours, word of mouth moves considerably quicker. Sometimes the wait is worth it.

Born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1937, McCarthy – who unsurprisingly has Irish roots – published his first novel, The Orchard Keeper in 1965 and proceeded to endure an extreme version of the bohemian lifestyle associated with one’s typical unsuccessful writer.

Along with never showing interest in a steady job, McCarthy’s reclusive nature contributed to a life of utmost poverty. His ex-wife, Anne DeLisle, once revealed that “someone would offer him $2,000 to speak at a university about his books. And he would tell them that everything he had to say was there on the page. So we would eat beans for another week”.

Despite his lack of tangible rewards, however, the 1970s and 1980s saw him garner praise and attention in elitist circles of academics and writers, with many proclaiming him “the greatest living writer you’ve never heard”.

McCarthy – whose unusual prose and style has been compared favourably to the works of Faulkner and Joyce, due to his punctuation or lack thereof – began to turn the corner success-wise in the 1990s when his novel All the Pretty Horses won the National Book Award.

Andrew Estes, M.A, who lectures on McCarthy at

50 CHROME

LMU Munich, puts his more recent mass appeal down to the “less challenging” aspects of his latter-day novels like the aforementioned All the Pretty Horses (1992), along with No Country for Old Men (2005) and The Road (2006) – both now hit-movies – as opposed to his earlier works “on which his reputation in Academia rests”.

He also points out that his more recent efforts “feature sympathetic characters which was lacking in most of his early fiction”. Those who have witnessed Javier Bardem’s harrowing portrayal of cattle-gun wielding psychopath, Anton Chigurh in the Coen Brothers’ adaptation of No Country for Old Men may find it hard to fathom the notion that a work which contains a character as nefarious Chigurh can in any way permeate ideas of sympathy. After all, Bardem’s execution of the character must go down as one of the greatest villains in film history.

It is when his earlier novels - such as Blood Meridian, Child of God and Suttree - are taken into account, however, that it becomes easier to understand where Estes is coming from. This is due to the content, where McCarthy broaches themes and issues such as violence, necrophilia, scalp-hunting, racism, genocide, paedophilia, incest, isolation in no uncertain terms.

Blood Meridian (1985), though arguably his masterpiece, is also his most complex work. In the past, McCarthy has proclaimed his tenet that he is only interested in stories which deal with “life and death”, and this offering certainly contains a lot of the latter.

Charting the traverses of the ostensibly historically

accurate Glanton gang, who scalp-hunted Native Americans in the frontier times, Estes tells how it has “been compared to The Iliad for its levels of violence”.

But unlike Homer’s epic, “Blood Meridian has no heroes” and only conveys the depths which men can sink to. The closest we get to a hero is the character known simply as “the kid”, but one of the first things we are told about him is that from an early age “in him broods a taste for mindless violence”.

It is perhaps the character of gang-accomplice, “the Judge”, who is most disturbing. A man of enormous weight and size, with sheet-white skin and a completely bald head and body, “the Judge” displays an unnatural wealth of knowledge and skills, and, though not an actual judge, certainly likes taking the law into his own hands. Having been compared to Shakespeare’s “Iago” due to his level of malevolence “the Judge” is ostensibly the devil incarnate.

The success of films The Road (2009) and No Country for Old Men (2007) has led Hollywood to deem McCarthy as a kind of cash cow and a 2011 date for a Todd Field directed version of Blood Meridian has been tentatively set. Estes, though interested “to see someone try”, believes that the “the things that make it a great novel – the long, dense and extremely erudite narrative – are precisely the things that make it impossible to film”.

Time will only tell, but what Estes is certain of is that McCarthy is “one of the top three or four living American writers” with a place secured in the pantheon of American literature. And at the ripe age of 76, he has another novel in the pipeline, which if it lives up to form, actually suggests that it is in fact some country for old men.

Ciara O’Halloran

CULTURE

Republic of Shed

Andrew Gillick

It’s easy to get lost in the grey labryinth of Dublin city. Henrietta Lane may look just like any other in Dublin’s vast network of dead-end avenues, but behind one of its grey windowless facades lies over 2,000 square feet of fertile creative space.

In recent years new studios and better government funding have provided indigenous artists with a platform to establish and develop themselves, yet visiting artists are burdened by the foremost problem of integrating into a foreign society with no connections.

“Moving to and living in Ireland is an aspiration for many people”, explains Elisabeth McBett, the woman responsible for Dublin’s innovative cultural venue “The Shed”. Elisabeth, or Elli as she is colloquially known, initially obtained her degree in set design from the Roman Academy of Fine Art in 1984 and has worked in a plethora of different artistic fields ever since.

“A lot of people have this notion of Ireland being a beautiful place to live, with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Whenever I tell a friend from home where I’m living they always comment on how lucky I am and how wonderful it must be. However,

the reality has been far different.”

Elisabeth has been living in Ireland for over 11 years now but it was only last year that she finally found a settling spot for her work and lifestyle that she feels comfortable in. “I think of this as my own quarter in Dublin – ‘The Republic of the Shed’ if you like”.

Her latest artistic endeavour is quite innovative in Irish terms; a place where artists of any craft and standard can come and stay for as long as they like, conduct their work and exhibit it for free.

Elisabeth, who doesn’t drink or smoke, has noticed a cultural deficit in Irish society over the years and finds it very hard to relate and adapt to the pub environment that Irish social life revolves around.

Francesca, an Italian girl who is on a university work placement with Elisabeth agrees with her summation; “I have only been here a month and already I’m homesick, and it is not because of the weather”.

“This is a shared experience amongst foreign people living here”, says Elli. “Many whom I know had been artists at home but after coming here they were unable to integrate into the scene here. The Shed is a place

where these people can come and have easy access to a workshop for whatever art they want.”

The Shed, a socialising alternative to the confines of the pub, means drinking and smoking is an option but not a prerequisite.

The emphasis is more on personal interaction and development.

“The Shed is a multi-functional installation piece in itself and I want it to have the look of an unfinished creative space”, Elisabeth explains.

“Unfinished” is certainly a fitting description of its current phase: the roughly painted cream walls and skip-plundered furniture, the ladders lying around, the scaffolding, the broken stereos and televisions all imbue the visitor with a sense of transience and upheaval. “This is like the belly of the whale, a place of birth”, explains Elisabeth.

Unfortunately, her plans have been deferred. As this article went to print the Shed was shut for renovations due to health and safety regulations. However, Elisabeth remains optimistic that the venue will reopen

by June. They are currently looking for any volunteers that can help with the work.

CHROME 51

A Future Aid

Alviseni López García

CULTURE

Elizabeth McHugh

September 2009 revived the media’s waning interest of the AIDS disease after scientists announced that a drug trial in Thailand has shown an experimental vaccine could protect against the potentially fatal disease.

The new drug, which has yet to be named, is a combination of existing drugs Alva and AidsVax. The combi-drug appears to delay the progression of the virus into full-blown AIDS in 31 of the trials undergone. If successful, this new development could weaken the impact of an apparent revival in numbers of reported cases. This potential cure vaccine, joining the series of drugs and treatments fighting AIDS, has offered hope to patients diagnosed with the chronic illness.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates there are now more than 33 million people living with AIDS, due to the ongoing development of clinical trials. One of the more frustrating realities of AIDS is that every time medical science throws a punch, the disease seems to fight back. The Thai vaccine, which is in its last stages of clinical trials, will need to be adapted to be effective in Africa, where the strain is different.

Yet, between 2000 and 2008 the rate of newly diagnosed cases of HIV reported per million inhabitants in Europe doubled. This long-term trend is also reflected in the continuing rise in infection rates in Ireland, according to St. James’ Hospital, Dublin.

52 CHROME

“We’re seeing a huge increase in HIV cases in our infectious diseases clinic. The number one reason for contracting the virus is unprotected sex,” identified Dr Fiona Mulcahy, a spokesperson for the unit.

It is estimated that 242 people would be diagnosed with HIV in the hospital by the end of the year, compared to 208 people in 2008. The largest risk group is the MSM (men having sex with men) under-30 group.

Dr James Reilly TD, Fine Gael spokesman for health and a practising GP, is “deeply worried” by the increase in HIV cases in Ireland.

“There has been a 100 per cent increase in the number of new HIV diagnoses in the MSM group and this suggests a need for an awareness campaign for this group and a new general information campaign on the risks of unprotected sex.”

Yet, 70 per cent of members of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) have admitted to concealing their sexual orientation from their GP and forgoing health concerns for fear of prejudice.

The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network yesterday called on the HSE to make testing more widely available and implement new campaigns and research into the prevention and investigation into HIV in Ireland.

Research conducted by GLEN and the HSE found Irish people were living with HIV untreated four years prior to diagnosis.

Director of gay HIV strategies, Tiernan Brady,

blames public stigma and shame for people refusing to be tested for the virus.

“I’d urge anyone who has engaged in risky sexual behaviour to go get tested immediately. I also think it's vital that more testing facilities are made available throughout the country, not just in Dublin and Cork.”

One Dublin-based HIV counsellor told Chrome, “If I have to make one point on HIV in Ireland, I'd have to say people have created an artificial distance between themselves and the disease. They like to think it’s only drug users/ gay men/ promiscuous people who get HIV. It isn’t something you can label on one group; it’s spreading so fast that in all realities we’re all at risk. I have every walk of life in my clinics, from exdrug addicts to high-profile businessmen. They’re all equally suffering, and all equally need to face the consequences of the battle they’re dealing with daily”.

As clinical trials are still ongoing, Mr Brady urges for the Irish public to take extra precautions in practising safe sex. In 2008 the Government published its HIV and AIDS Education and Prevention Plan 2008 2012 and St. James’ are insisting implementation of it must be properly resourced. In light of the new figures, talks took place in January between NASC, GLEN and the government bodies to effectively tackle the prevention of an infection whose cure, despite exciting developments in Thailand, has yet to be found.

The future’s bright and organic

Mellissa Agnew

CULTURE

Max Quigley

Organic fever has hit Ireland stronger than swine flu. Indeed, one of the only parts of Ireland’s economy which is growing steadily is the organic industry.

Last year alone it grew by 11 per cent and it is on the rise. In fact, five years ago the industry was a third of what it is now, and with the new organic state body, Foras Organach, it is being strongly ingrained into Irish society.

Foras Organach, which was set up this year by former Minister for Agriculture Trevor Sargent, seeks to reach unprecedented levels for the organic industry in Ireland by increasing fivefold The state body also wishes to hand out 40 per cent ‘aid grants’ to farmers who wish to get their farms up to organic level standards.

The future of food looks organic. As part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme, small scale farmers are being urged to switch over to organic production completely. Large scale farmers, are also encouraged to set aside a percentage of their cereal production to organic cereals.

Denis Healy, an organic farmer located in Wicklow, has been farming organically for around 30 years. “Organic food was available back then in places like Germany but in very few places here in Ireland”, he said. Things have changed since. Mr. Healy spends five days a week at various markets throughout Ireland often working up to 13-hour days.

So why are more and more people buying organic? One shopper at the weekly Leopardstown market said the reasons for buying organic were manifold. “There are no pesticides, it’s healthier for the environment and of course it supports local industry.”

It’s not just Ireland which is starting to buy organic, but it is a trend that is becoming worldwide. According to an article recently released in Businessweek, sales in the US reached $10 billion in 2003 compared to $175 million in 1980.

However, whether organic food really is that much more nutritious than conventionally grown foods is disputable. According to a recent study

by the Food Standard Agency (FSA) in the UK there seems to be no difference in the levels of nutrition.

“This study does not mean that people should not eat organic food. What it shows is that there is little, if any, nutritional difference between organic and conventionally produced food and that there is no evidence of additional health benefits from eating organic food”, said Gill Fine, FSA Director of Consumer Choice and Dietary Health.

Alan Dangour led the study that reviewed all papers published over the past 50 years that related to the nutrient content and health differences between organic and conventional food.

The FSA pointed out, however, that there are other reasons people would choose to buy organic produce which includes considerations for the environment and fairer farming practices in regard to animals.

CHROME 53

The Hungry Wolfe SPORT

Victor Lucas

Andrew Gillick

Far from the parade of Lycra logos and amphetaminefuelled legs, there’s a side to cycling that has flourished despite the absence of spotlight.

The primitive ritual of slogging a 40lb machine up barren hills and through dark forests for a fleeting moment of elation is not a pursuit for idolatry or acclaim.

In fact, downhill mountain biking is a solitary pilgrimage that goes largely unnoticed in Ireland.

For the uninitiated the sport is best described as a time-trialled survival course on wheels, negotiating the often prodigious obstacles of a mountain, natural and manmade, at hurtling speeds. All its development stems from the grassroots up and its enthusiasts work tirelessly behind the scenes building tracks and cultivating the sport.

As far as minority sports go, downhill biking has retained a relatively large niche in the market without ever breaking into the mainstream. Most of its big events are overlooked in the media and very little coverage prevails in our “pop-sports” culture, apart from the sport’s own homogenous news.

Gerard Wolfe has been racing downhill mountain bikes since he was sixteen. At 23, he now stands at the summit of the sport in Ireland and races internationally at elite level with his brother Daniel, 21, the other half of team Wolfe Racing.

“Last year finished really well”, Gerard says. “I got my first top ten in a professional race, beating some of the world’s top racers at an event in Canada. It was a

54 CHROME

race that put all the other bad ones behind me and I feel that my fitness levels really paid off”.

Being a semi-professional athlete against seasoned pros is a predicament few sportspeople experience.

The world of downhill is unique however, in that athletes can actually graduate to compete at a professional level, without the financial support of a professional manager or sponsor to do so. There is no such thing as talent scouts in this sport, so it’s up to the individual to make themselves known to the industry.

Like everything in the sport, the ascent is always much slower than the descent and it has been a tough push to the top for the self-sufficient athlete. “I put a lot of pressure on myself, striving to achieve my potential in cycling while also trying to do my best in college” says Gerard, who represents his team and country at international events. In 2005 he received a sports scholarship to study civil engineering at DIT, Bolton Street, where he is currently concluding his studies. “I know where I want to be in my sport but because I’m in full-time education my season doesn’t start properly until June, whereas the professional guys will have been training all year round. I don’t really have enough time to reach my potential during such a short season because I’m back into college in September”.

The quintessential engineer, Gerard is meticulous and calculated in his race preparation, leaving nothing to chance. To squeeze between 15 and 18 hours of

training in a week during the college year and up to 40 hours in the summer, he has chosen to forgo the hedonistic college life of late nights and excess boozing for a more Spartan lifestyle. “I haven’t drank any alcohol in the past two years and even at the race after-parties, which can get pretty mental, I tend not to stay out all night, so that I can get up early the next day and back out on my bike”. It’s just as well that he conserves some energy because his gruelling training regime covers a plethora of disciplines, from road cycling, swimming, weights and running for fitness work; to BMX, downhill, dirt jumping and even motocross for his riding skills. To do all this, with the added pressure of assignment deadlines, he integrates training into his daily routine as much as possible, cycling religiously from his home in Killiney to Bolton Street every day for college.

As a privateer (a self-financing athlete) Gerard acts as his own manager, so time management and organisational skills are more facets he has had to add to his game. When preparing for a race, home or abroad, he’s got to make sure that all the logistics are right: transport arranged, flights paid, hotels booked, bikes prepared, gear organised – and that he is well rested.

On top of that, he’s also trying to scrape together the money to finance it all.

At the moment Wolfe Racing is a self-sufficient team, hindered only by the lack of a committed sponsor to being fulltime professional. Daniel and Gerard’s

Victor Lucas

SPORT

“privateer” status puts them not only at a financial disadvantage to the professionals but it also means they have to do all their own mechanical repairs, get less practice on the race track, ride on damaged equipment and have to chase people around for spares.

To bridge the fiscal gap Gerard works weekends with his Dad but, as he admits, he can’t do this forever, “My parents have been very supportive to me and my brother over the years, financially and otherwise. Our lives revolve around cycling, and when we are racing at an international event the whole family packs into the car and heads off. My Dad does the driving when we’re away and, although he often jokes about me having him bankrupt, the family really enjoy the travelling and general atmosphere”.

Racing the world’s steepest and toughest track – with obstacles as formidable as 30 foot long jumps and speeds of up to 60kmh – Irish tracks seem tame

and short in comparison. Compounding the general lack of training facilities in Ireland is also the cycling body’s apparent apathy when it comes to developing downhill biking in the country. Despite this support deficit Gerard maintains a positive work ethic. “You really just have to make do with what you have. Cycling Ireland only help us out with two races a year, the European and World Championship, and the rest of the time we are left to our own devices. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of politics involved with Cycling Ireland when it comes to funding”.

A hierarchy exists among the different cycling disciplines in Ireland, borne out of a mix of arrogance and financial expediency and downhill is stuck at the bottom. In comparison to its cross-country cousin, downhill has yet to achieve the Olympic status that many believe it deserves and because of this lack of official recognition it suffers financial prejudice and undermined credibility. With the recent inclusion of BMX in the Games and downhill skiing in the Winter Olympics, it seems perverse that we should have to endure the fast forward fascist march of “speed walkers” at the expense of a truly entertaining sport that involves serious skill.

While a degree of photosynthesis is at work in all sports - where their very survival is dependent on getting sponsors exposed to the limelight - downhill has

blossomed without the glare, and this is primarily due to the lack of vested interests for many years. Gerard is aware that it is not for want of ability that he has not turned full-time professional so far, but rather the cynical act of sacrificing oneself upon the altar of the marketplace.

However, the brothers good results have caught the attention of big-name sponsors this year, such as Oakley, AXA and Renthal with others in the pipeline.

Wolfe Racing is on the right track, the two brothers having featured recently in the quality downhill movie productions, “Made” and “Break the Cycle”.

They are also due to appear in a future episode of Nationwide scheduled later this Spring.

For the upcoming season Wolfe Racing will be riding on a new fleet courtesy of Specialized Bicylces, and it will be interesting to see where Dan and Ger go on these World Cup proven bikes. “After a few good results my confidence is definitely back now and my plan is to pursue a career in mountain biking after I finish college”.

Gerard also harbours ambitions to compete in the Olympics some day, even if downhill never features in it, “I’m passionate about cycling, whether it’s road cross-country or otherwise”. He’ll do what it takes to make it, and this Wolfe has got an insatiable appetite.

CHROME 55

Living out the Rooney Rule

Christian Franke

SPORT

Rowley Dan Rooney, who became ambassador in July 2009, believes interest in American Football is definitely growing in Ireland.

“I always get asked two questions when I’m talking to people in Ireland: When is the president coming?

And when are the Steelers coming?”

“When I first arrived, I was taken aback by how much of a paper is about sports. Sometimes it’s more than half the paper”.

As a child, Mr Rooney tried to be as involved as possible with team activities. He attended his first Training Camp, an off-season fitness building exercise, at the tender age of five. Match day journeys were also a big draw for the young Pennsylvanian.

Mr Rooney briefly considered becoming an architect, even working as a construction worker for a sum-

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mer, but football was always likely to win out. His first official position with the Steelers came when he worked as a ball boy during High School. From there he progressed until he became team president in 1975, and inherited part ownership of the team from his father.

The Rooney family’s biggest achievement was arguably moulding the great Steelers team of the 1970s.

Mr Rooney said the ethos of the franchise was to take young players out of the NFL Draft and develop them under the coaches’ tutelage. The Draft is an annual event where the 32 NFL teams pick from college football’s most promising talent.

Mr Rooney highlighted the importance of good players and coaches in the team’s success. He named Chuck Noll, the Steelers’ 1970s head coach, as one of

Paul the greatest coaches of all time, alongside George Hallis, Don Shula and Vince Lombardi. He added great leaders, like “Mean” Joe Greene, and a good general manager and backroom staff are also important in creating a football dynasty.

One of the Steelers’ greatest achievements was the 1974 Draft, which saw them select four players who went on to the NFL Hall of Fame - the most any other team has ever selected in a single Draft is two.

Mr Rooney called the Draft a “tremendous achievement”, crediting his brother and good, hard-working scouts.

Each decade has its most successful team, whether it’s the New England Patriots of the 2000s, the Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s, the San Francisco 49ers of the 1980s or the Steelers of the 1970s. But when asked

asked about the greatest ever team, Mr Rooney would not be drawn.

“It’s hard to say. You do what you have to do to win.”

Mr Rooney mentioned the Chicago Bears of the 1940s in the argument, but claimed these sorts of questions never enter the equation.

“Our job was to win the Superbowl. The challenge was there every year.”

The Pennsylvanian said different teams win in different ways. The 49ers went through two quarterbacks and two Head Coaches during their Championship years, while the Steelers landed four Superbowls in six years with the same coach and quarterback.

Mr Rooney said the Steelers 1976 team, which ended the season trophy-less, was actually their greatest ever squad. He added the Steelers defence of the late 1970s was the greatest to ever take the field.

One of Mr Rooney’s major accomplishments is the “Rooney Rule”, which requires American Football teams to interview at least one minority candidate when recruiting for coaching positions. Mr. Rooney said the rule has been successful in giving minority candidates a better chance of getting prime positions in the NFL. “It gives them an opportunity to be heard. In our case we have always interviewed a minority candidate.”

Mr Rooney said some teams try to evade the rule, as the Seattle Seahawks did recently when interviewing candidates for their Head Coach position. Pete Carroll was head-hunted by the Seahawks, and the team only interviewed a minority candidate at the last moment to abide by the rule.

“Unfortunately, some teams try to get around it.

The Commissioner [Roger Goodell] is liberal with them, but I wouldn’t be as liberal. If you have rules, you have to uphold them.”

“The rule works, no question. But it has to be legitimate.”

Mr Rooney said he tried to expand the Rooney Rule for General Manager and other executive jobs, but the move did not go ahead.

The NFL currently has no minority owners, but Mr. Rooney said “ownership will come”. The Steelers themselves have already brought legendary wide receiver John Stallworth onboard.

The attempt to expand the NFL’s market has been ongoing for decades. The ill-fated NFL Europe was set up in 1991 but folded in 2007. The league and its six teams, five of which were German, took Europe’s best players and added some NFL reserves. Mr Rooney was Chairman of the league, and said the league exhibited good football, but “didn’t get people in the stands”.

“Maybe it was too early”, said the Keystone State native.

In recent years, the expansion into Europe has continued in earnest. The last three years have seen NFL regular season games played in London, all of which have been well-received by both punters and the NFL community.

Mr Rooney is a major supporter of the London games, and would support league plans to see two games coming to Europe every year. Much of the talk has been of London getting a second game, but Mr Rooney said Munich could be an equally worthy venue.

For the expansion into Europe to be truly successful, the NFL may ultimately have to award an NFL franchise or the Superbowl to a European city. Mr

Rooney reacted positively to the suggestions, but saw some major problems in implementing either proposal.

“Americans see the Superbowl as their game, so moving it to Europe could get a bad reaction.”

The problem with adding a franchise would not only be the logistical problem of travelling over 3,000 miles between games, but also increasing the league to 33 teams. The NFL model at present is a fine-tuned eight divisions of four teams, where the 16 gameschedule is carefully laid out. Another team would alter the balance.

Mr Rooney said an extra division could be the solution to both problems. He suggested adding a European division with London, German, Italian and French franchises.

An upcoming problem for the NFL is the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which is negotiated between the NFL and the Players Association.

Mr Rooney was Chief Negotiator for the league in 1976 and on the committees that negotiated the 1982, 1987 and 1993 deals. He said the players were asking for a bigger share of the revenue, but did not take into account money spent on medical operations, travel and other expenses. He said the 1982 deal, which halted a strike which lasted half a season, was “alright”, but the 1993 deal was “terrific”.

The deal brought a salary cap into existence for the first time, limiting how much a rich team could spend on players. Mr Rooney believes the cap has been important for the league, creating a greater deal of parity among the 32 NFL teams. If a new agreement is not in place by the start of next season, the cap could be removed for the first time since its inception. Mr. Rooney said the loss would not be disastrous if only a one season measure.

Mr Rooney also commended Commissioner Goodell on his strong stance on player conduct issues.

“You have to have discipline.

Everything from drugs to showing up on time is important. If you don’t have discipline in the off-season, you won’t have it in the actual games. This is why guys like Hines Ward [Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver] are so good.”

Mr Rooney’s life has seen him run one of the most successful clubs in NFL history, introduce the Rooney Rule, negotiate numerous CBAs, and he is now the American Ambassador to Ireland. For Ambassador Rooney, much like the NFL, the adventure in Europe is only beginning.

CHROME 57

United Steelworkers

SPORT

Adventure on the High Seas SPORT

Diana

Bunici

“I should have died...I was terribly afraid for my life” In the idyllic setting of the tropical Indian Ocean, disaster struck. As 40 foot violent waves crashed unforgivably, a solo rower feared for her life as her boat capsized. Dragged along coral reef, wounded and powerless; her life was flashing before her eyes. After firing distress signals and being rescued, Sarah Outen's victorious four month sea voyage ended with a bang.

Braving a potential water death is not a risk many people are willing to take, particularly when drowning is their biggest fear. Yet Keith Whelan is about to face this fear as he prepares for the Indian Ocean solo in 2011.

Negotiating cantankerous weather, fluctuating temperatures, hurricane force winds, monstrous 50 foot waves, sharks, whales and oil tankers; the gruelling 6,000km row ahead of Keith is a challenge to rival moon walkers Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong. After all, fewer people have rowed an ocean than have climbed Everest or been in Space. Furthermore, out of 174 completed rows across any ocean, only four people have rowed solo across the Indian. More people have walked on the moon than have soloed the Indian Ocean.

Throwing himself in at the deep end, Keith is immersing himself in the unknown world of ocean rowing. For this 29-year-old events manager, life is now a constant training session as he works hard to meet his self-given goals. Along the way he hopes to smash a few world records, and Keith has his eye on being the first Irish male to row solo across the Indian Ocean.

Dreaming of a rowing challenge of this grandeur

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since his adolescence; Keith's interest was sparked during his school days by the adventures of great Irish ocean rowers like Eamon and Peter Kavanagh, and later by Paul Gleeson and Tori Holmes. Following their Atlantic adventures, he became intrigued by the rowing world, reading books and watching documentaries that gave him great insight into the life of an ocean rower.

Pinpointing what has led him to take on this monstrous challenge, Keith says, “I like to think of myself as a pretty determined and mentally strong person, and this is just a very extreme way of seeing how strong I can be when I really push myself. The idea of being alone in an ocean with 50 foot waves scares me. I want to get out there and conquer that fear in order to achieve something really special. I want to be able to look back when I am old and grey and be able to say ‘I did that’”.

“To be the first Irish person to do it would make the memory that little bit more special. The fact that it sounds completely crazy and impossible to most people makes me even more determined to succeed”.

This determination is what keeps him motivated, explaining that rowing the Indian is something he “has to do”. “There is nothing else I want more. I am excited to get going. There is nothing about this that is off-putting to me”, he enthuses.

Initially intending to row as a pair, Keith's outlook drastically changed. “I wanted to do the Atlantic in a pair but couldn't find anyone stupid enough to do it,” he confesses. Sharing his idea with friends sparked re-

actions like “no way, why would you want to do that?”, making him reconsider and succumb to the idea of attempting the feat alone. “The last thing you want to do is be in the middle of an ocean with someone who doesn't really want to be there,” he points out. And so, attached to the idea of rowing solo, came the idea of the Indian Ocean; a greater challenge and the chance of bagging a few world records adding to the appeal.

Perhaps the biggest hurdle for Keith has been going from non-rower to ocean-rower in a short space of time. For anyone undertaking a challenge this grand, motivation plays a vital role. Keith knows more about this than anyone else, having learned it is simply a case of being disciplined and doing what is set in front of you no matter what. There is no room for excuses because as he puts it, “pain is temporary but quitting lasts forever.” In the midst of a rigorous training schedule, this mantra keeps him going.

Following a programme designed by Toby Garbett, a former World champion rower for Great Britain, Keith trains seven days a week for two to three hours at a time. Rowing, pilates, weights, cycling, aerobic exercise and running all playing a major part in his fitness regime. “A lot of people won't start their training until six or seven months before they go”, he admits, “but for me, I couldn't do that. If I'm going to do something I have to throw everything into it. The more prepared I am now; the easier it'll be for me when I'm out there. I don't want to have to worry if I have it physically.”

Living in a 19 foot rowing boat in the middle of the ocean, surviving off 80 per cent dehydrated food and desalinated water, rowing naked for 12 hours a day, all the while suffering from salt sores and 'rowers bottom', sea-sickness and bouts of loneliness, the adventure awaiting Keith is unlike anything most of us will ever experience.

While it may be a case of expecting the unexpected when the time comes for him to take to the waters; in the meantime, Keith is trying to prepare himself as much as possible for his 2011 passage. With the support of professionals and experts in the field of rowing, he is in safe hands.

One person who has been a bundle of support is ocean rower Sarah Outen. Her 2009 row across the Indian Ocean earned her the title of first woman and youngest person to solo the Indian. Accompanied by her boat Serendipity, Sarah's 4,000 mile, 124 day journey was dedicated to the memory of her father, Derek Outen, who passed away in 2006. Rowing for Arthritis Care, this 24-year-old British biology teacher spent four months at sea battling monstrous waves, raging storms and scorching heat.

It was while she was still at sea that Sarah and Keith began exchanging emails via her satellite phone.

Through this sophisticated technology she was able to keep in constant contact with loved ones back home; though these conversations were not the only thing in her life that kept her sane. Her on board stash of 500 chocolate bars surely had a part to play.

Describing life on the ocean as “magical, wild, raw

and untamed,” Sarah admits rowing independently and counting on herself entirely was “exhausting at times”.

“There were some really frightening moments”, she says. “Imagining life on the ocean is always a tricky concept - but it completely surpassed my expectations.

I find I look at things with great equanimity now and am better at prioritising - the ocean is about survival.

Another important lesson was in finding out that you can push yourself harder than you thought possible and that any barrier is surmountable. Apart from a finite supply of chocolate!”

Much like Sarah, for Keith the row ahead possesses an element of danger. There will be no life boats, no support yacht, no going back. It is the ultimate adventure; the ultimate test of strength, courage, power and endurance. “Follow your heart, but listen to your head.

And to the wisdom of others who have gone before.

Be brave and stubborn and strong, and most of all, enjoy every moment”, offers Sarah.

With so many people behind him, Keith will be empowered to push through every stroke. Rowing for Keep A Child Alive, he hopes to raise funds for people who need it most and if all his efforts come to fruition, we could soon be following his adventures on the small screen as he plans to have his adventures documented. The Bear Grylls of the high seas? All in good time.

Track Keith's progress at www.keithrowstheindian.com

CHROME 59

It’s Only Cheating if You Get Caught

SPORT

Foley

It was supposed to be the fight that would “save boxing”. But the now dead in the water Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquaio welterweight clash, which was scheduled to take place on March 13, 2010, only highlighted the known problems of the sport, while in the meantime raising more questions about the integrity of athletes from all disciplines in the fight against steroid abuse in sports.

While boxing fans will scoff at the idea that the sport needs “saving”, the facts are that the sport no longer enjoys the popularity it had. In the halcyon decades leading up to the 1990s fights such as Johnson vs. Jeffries, Louis vs. Schmeling, Robinson vs. La Motta, Clay vs. Liston, Ali vs. Frazier, Leonard vs.

Hearns etc., transcended the sport and had the common man on the street talking.

A myriad of reasons - pay-per-view television, numerous sanctioning bodies who offer their own versions of “alphabet soup” world titles, e.g. IBF, WBO, WBC, WBA…, self-serving promoters, the rise of Mixed Martial Arts etc. – have contributed to the sport’s decline.

The aforementioned Mayweather vs. Pacquaio tussle, though not the quick fix to all of these problems, had the general public interested again and had the true potential to become a sporting mega-event. After all, the fight pitted the unbeaten American Mayweather, who fights under the cringe-inducing alias “Money” in an attempt to demonstrate how “gangster” he truly is, against former Filipino street urchin “Pacman” who, due to his rise to greatness, is so beloved by his home people that when he fights, even crime comes to a halt in the Philippines.

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Cathal

With “Pacman” on one hand, whose all-action aggressive style makes Rocky’s quarrels with Apollo Creed look like something out of a Power Rangers episode. And on the other, the defensive genius “Money” who, despite his loud mouth and bravado which makes most want to see him get, to put it mildly, put in his place, is one of the finest practitioners of the sweet science to be witnessed over the last twenty years. Toss in the fact that both their previous fights combined to gross $122 million in pay-per-view sales and the highest earning fight in history was on the cards.

Alas, it was not to be, when Mayweather, who in the past has been criticised for picking and choosing tailor-made opponents and was under the suspicion that he never wanted to risk his unbeaten record against someone like Pacquaio, introduced the red herring of steroid abuse into the negotiations. Pretty Boy Floyd, as he used to be known, under the unfounded belief that Pacquaio – who has never previously tested positive – was using steroids, demanded the unprecedented agreement from Pacquaio to random blood testing, along with the regular urine testing which is carried out by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

While the public seemed divided on the issue, award-winning boxing writer, Bernard Fernandez, believes that “a case can be made that Floyd is looking out for Floyd first, not the best interests in boxing, and that he wanted to get into Manny’s head and throw him off his game”.

Instead of succumbing to Mayweather’s demands, Pacquaio responded with his trademark straight left hand, in the form of a defamation lawsuit – which is

SPORT Christie had 100 times the normal levels of the metabolites of nandrolone in his urine due to eating avocados, fine, but make sure you don’t forget to place the next tooth that you lose under your pillow.

The same goes for our own Michelle Smith de Bruin, who displayed unnatural improvements that culminated in three gold medals at the 1996 Olympics, before she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar and was ultimately banned for four years for using alcohol to tamper with a urine sample. All this occurring around the time she married Dutch coach Erik de Bruin, who himself was an athlete suspended due to steroid use.

Generally, the tell-tale signs – i.e. unnatural improvement in performance – are in plain view. Moreover, people such as swimming analysist analyst Gary O’Toole, who prior to the 1996 Olympics intimated that Smith de Bruin’s massive improvement couldn’t be achieved naturally, but was basically told to shut up, shouldn’t be condemned for pointing out what is sometimes the obvious.

Funnily enough, at the European Championships in Berlin in 2002, Dame Kelly Holmes, who subsequently won double gold in Athens 2004, had no problem raising questions about the performance of Jolanda Ceplak who won 800 meter gold with a time of 1:57.65 as opposed to her own 1:59.83, proclaiming “without saying too much, take your own guesses. I know I do it fairly with progression”.

One can only assume what crossed Ceplak’s mind at the Olympics two years later, when the then 34year-old Holmes shaved a considerable 0:1.27 seconds off the time Ceplak had set in Berlin two years prior, with a time of 1:56.38.

While it is impossible to gauge the true amount of drug abuse in sport, the one thing which is certain, as Victor Conte states, is that “until those who control the majority of the financial gain… develop a genuine interest in reducing the use of PEDs… it will continue to be rampant”.

As for boxing, the authorities’ interest in reducing cheating was summed up last year in the case of Antonio Margarito. After being caught with potentially lethal plaster of paris in his gloves, Margarito was given a mere 12 month suspension from the sport.

Jeff Selis

still ongoing – against the Mayweather camp’s insinuations. And the net result is that the Pacquaio-Mayweather fight is off. Both fighters have moved on; boxing’s nose has been left bloodied.

But despite Mayweather’s arguably egocentric demands – nobody believes that he is on a one man crusade to rid sports of Performance-Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) – his demand for random blood testing leading up to the fight raises interesting questions in regards to other sports.

It was not long before Victor Conte, the man at the centre of the BALCO scandal in 2003, came out of the woodwork in relation to the drug testing controversy. Conte, who spent time in prison after his involvement in supplying the one time undetectable steroids “the cream” and “the clear” to a laundry list of athletes such as Olympic 100m champions, Tim Montgomery and Marion Jones, and Baseball record holder Barry Bonds.

Speaking to the BBC at the time, Conte described, almost gloatingly, the testing being “utilised in boxing as virtually worthless”. In what he dismissed as “I.Q testing”, he described how “athletes have advisors that clearly understand that all you have to do is taper off the different species of drugs (before testing)… for example, all creams and gels (testosterone) will clear in a day”.

“It’s not cheating if everybody else is doing it”, is Conte’s mantra and this is clearly his tenet because as stated in a previous interview, he believes that the Olympics are a “fraud” and that “60 per cent” of the athletes are abusing PEDs. Joseph Taylor of Anti-Doping Research, a nonprofit organisation in Los Angeles set up by “the father of drug testing in sports”, Don Catlin M.D. acknowledges that while it is “easy to evade detection” without random blood-testing, the figure of 60 per cent put forward by Conte is “too high”.

Taylor, with a slightly more optimistic outlook, said that “people will always try and find a way to beat the testing but it is getting more and more difficult”.

How difficult the testing is becoming is a moot point, however, when one considers that Marion Jones and Barry Bonds etc. never actually tested positive for PEDs. They only got caught up in the scandal because their names were on file in the BALCO premises, which were raided after authorities were tipped off after an anonymous person sent in a syringe of “the clear”.

Had such a chivalrous act not occurred, we might have witnessed Marion Jones perform more “heroics” at the Beijing Olympics, instead of being sent to prison for lying to a grand jury about her use of BALCO products. Barry Bonds might have been considered a modern-day Babe Ruth instead of the reviled figure he has become due to his breaking of the sacred Baseball home run record and Tim Montgomery probably wouldn’t have had to resort to money laundering and heroin dealing which gained him a five year prison sentence.

If Conte is to be believed, the athletes he was involved with were only the ones who got caught. If it took an act of betrayal for somebody to blow the whistle on BALCO, how many other people were involved with athletes who were “juicing” have remained loyal?

It would be naïve to assume that all of our retired sporting heroes were as dedicated and wholesome as we might be inclined to believe. If you want to believe that former British Olympic winning sprinter Linford

CHROME 61

Austin Osuide

SPORT cernible increase in transfer funds followed.

The “Big Four”, however, are not the only clubs guilty of over-stretching their wallets. Recently, investment of over £100m saw Leeds reach the Semi-Finals of the Champions League. Now the former titans languish in the third tier of English foot The reason for the debt is, in part, desperation.

Champions League qualification could be worth up to £50m, while relegation could cost a club £60m. Ambitious spending and unrealistic wages are seen as a necessity as teams try to compete.

Sunderland, famously known as the “Bank of England”, spent beyond their means in the 1950s and won nothing. Newcastle spent £304m during their 16 year tenure in the Premier League, and now find themselves in the Championship. Compare this to Arsenal who have spent £269m since 1992, and won three titles and three FA Cups.

But how are such financial behemoths burdened with so much debt? An assurance associate from one of Ireland’s top four accounting firms says ease of lending is one reason. He says high-gate receipts, merchandise sales, television deals, financial rewards for placing in the Champions League and Premier League, and the fact that clubs have stadiums in highvalue areas means collateral for loans is not an issue.

The associate said as to whether the clubs will actually fail or not could come down to the discretion of the banks. He said for any bank, the key considerations are credit history and, “whether the bank feels it could recoup money from the club if a recovery time is given”. With the massive revenue generated by the clubs, banks are more likely to be patient.

Regardless, UEFA president Michel Platini has vowed to bring an end to the culture of clubs living beyond their means, and could introduce measures that would ban teams from European competitions if the club’s wage payment to income ratio is too high.

The figure being mooted is 55 per cent, substantially England’s “Big Four” of Manchester United, less than the 63 per cent Premier League average, and Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal suffer from a comcould spell the end of the lavish salaries of players like bined debt of almost £2bn, with the total debt of all Emanuel Adebayor and John Terry, who earn a re20 teams topping £3bn. Top of the pile are Chelsea, ported £175,000 and £131,000 a week respectively. who despite having benefitted to the tune of two PreAnother threat to the integrity of the English game mier League titles, two FA Cups and two League cups is the growing number of foreign owners; half of the – thanks to Russian sugar daddy Roman Abramovich league’s 20 members now find themselves in non– recorded losses of £84.5m in 2009.

Manchester United’s predicament is more fascinat- British hands.

Though Chelsea and Manchester City have been ing. A club that developed its wealth through gradual major benefactors, a strong case can be made against stadium enhancement; exploitation of foreign markets foreign ownership. Eggert Magnusson’s brief ownerlike the Far East; and by having a winning outfit on ship of West Ham – which foreshadowed Liverpool’s the pitch now finds itself £716m in arrears. Owner woes – saw their wage bill sky rocket and financial staMalcolm Glazer borrowed speculatively on the future earnings of the team, based on the belief the club was bility diminish.

The growing spectre of La Liga could be the not maximising its profits in the Far East.

Glazer has, at least, had the sense to leave the run- biggest worry to the Premier League. Spain’s culture, ning of the team to Alex Ferguson, who has delivered weather and food have always been a big draw for South America’s and Southern Europe’s best players. three titles since the American’s purchase of the club.

Now the strength of the Euro and Spain’s 20 per cent In contrast, Liverpool’s situation with owners George Gillet and Tom Hicks is a case study of foreign owner- income tax rate could seduce the more money-hungry footballers to warmer shores. ship gone wrong.

The next few years should see the Premier League The two took control of the club in 2007 amid promises of a new stadium and heavy investment. Ten- remain the continent’s powerhouse. Long-term dominance, however, could be in the hands of the bankers sion between the owners and manager Rafa Benitez, and tax men. regular postponements on stadium plans and no dis-

A Matter of Life and Debt

Paul Rowley The last five years has seen the English Premier League rise from the doldrums of the late 1980s to, once again, become the dominant force in European football. England has had a team in the Champions League final each of the last five years, which is a far cry from the single English victory recorded between Liverpool’s titles in 1984 and 2005.

After having been dealt a catastrophic ban from European competition after the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1984, English football’s European dominance entered into decline. When the ban was lifted, the balance of power had already shifted to Italy as the most prestigious location for the world’s best players.

Sky Sports brought a renaissance to English football in 1992, bringing millions to the game. The most recent British Broadcasting Agreement is worth £1.782bn to Premier League clubs over the next three years.

Many Premier League teams expanded their stadiums, which resulted in the Premiership having the second highest match attendance in the world, behind Germany’s Bundesliga.

The Premier League is the world’s richest league, enjoys worldwide appeal and is home to world-class players. So why would pessimism surround its future?

In a word: debt.

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