Volume 14 Issue 5 by Student Independent News

FREE STUDENT NEWSPAPER

VOL 14, ISSUE 5

12 NOV 2012

NUI Galway students prepare to march to TD Derek Nolan’s office

es Poster.pdf

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WE WANT YOU To march with the Students’ Union STUDENT

FEES GRANT

UP CUT Wednesday

November 14TH

By Sean Dunne Galway West Labour TD Derek Nolan hopes the planned student demonstration planned by NUI Galway will be “Peaceful and Respectful”. NUI Galway students with full support of their Students Union sabbatical officers will march to the offices of Labour TD Derek N o l a n o n We d n e s d a y November 14. Students at the University will gather to demonstrate solidarity at the campus bar at 1pm. “I hope the demonstration is peaceful and respectful,” said Derek Nolan. The Galway protest follows a series of similar protests by other colleges around Ireland. On Monday 1,000 Cork Students from UCC and CIT took to the streets of Cork in the first of a series of regional protests to highlight their opposition to proposed cuts in the upcoming December budget. Adding to this the Galway-West TD said; “I am very aware of the wor-

ries and concerns that so many students have about their education and their futures. I have always felt that public demonstration was an important way for students to make their voices heard”. Education Officer Conor Stitt in NUI Galway conveyed a strong message from the Union; “Students from NUIG, GMIT and Athlone IT will march in their thousands to tell our government that they whole-heartedly oppose any regressive measure that will stop students from being able to afford college next year.” He further added; “Any cut to the grant or any rise in fees would be completely regressive and catastrophic for students.” The march has been planned in conjunction with The Union of Students in Ireland and other local Students’ Unions´ to protest in opposition to further college fee increases and cuts to the Student Maintenance Grant

Des Bishop visits student tent

Thousands of students left in difficulty without grants

World News

EXPLORE

Stand up and fight the fees

Student Speak

Do others walk among us?

Profile: NUI Galway Mountaineering Club

Continued on page 2…

NUI Galway student engulfed in flames in Halo nightclub By Sean Dunne NUI Galway student Matthew Sheridan remains in a critical condition in St James’ Hospital in Dublin. The second year Medical student is receiving treatment following a horrific incident at Halo nightclub in Galway city on Wednesday October 31. The NUI Galway student is said to have extensive burns to 80% his body A fellow NUI Galway student has been questioned at length in the Galway Garda Station in

relation to the Halo fire tragedy. A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions in the wake. The student, who is aged 21, is from Tipperary. A statement released from NUI Galway on the afternoon of Thursday 1 November said; “Matthew Sheridan is a medical student in the second year of his programme in NUI Galway’s Medical School. “His classmates, the School faculty and the wider University community were shocked to learn of the tragic circum-

stances in which Matthew was seriously injured last evening. “Matthew is a highly motivated, respected student who shows evidence of real leadership potential and commitment to his community. He is a very popular student who is well-loved by his classmates and peers. We understand that the circumstances of his injuries are still being investigated.” A University staff member was contacted by the emergency services in the

immediate aftermath of the incident and was able to provide assistance in quickly contacting Matthew’s family in Dublin. The staff member said; “Our thoughts are with Matthew and his family in this very difficult situation and the Medical School is available to assist in any way possible. On-going support services are also being made available to support Matthew’s classmates through this very upsetting event”. Continued on page 2…

An ambulance prepares to take a student to hospital after his Halloween costume went up in flames.

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Des Bishop visits student tent By Sean Dunne and Jessica Thompson Comedian Des Bishop paid Frank Cronin a visit at the top secret location of his tent on the NUI Galway Campus last week, following a series of Tweets. The comedian took the visit in good spirits and made light of the fact that he was dressed in a suit in preparation for his show at the O’Flaherty Theatre. “It’s very intimate,” said Mr Bishop responding to Frank Cronin’s humble abode. He added; “You’re lucky I am a comedian that is so comfortable with his

sexuality.” After settling down into the candlelit tent, Des Bishop proceeded to fire questions at Frank Cronin. “The real reason I’m doing it is because I see life as this very short game that you need to enjoy and have fun with … I could live on a friend’s couch, but what would I learn from that?” said Mr Cronin when Des Bishop asked why he was living in the Tent. Interviewing (and being interviewed by) such a high profile comedian was a great experience for Frank Cronin who has been living in a tent on campus since September.

When asked what it was like to interview Des Bishop, Frank said; “Easy, because he is a professional. Comics make the best interviewees because they never drop the ball and understand timing, rhythm and how to entertain an audience. Des, being at the top of his game and an international star, was therefore a dream candidate for a visit to the tent.” When asked by Des Bishop how long he would be living in a tent, Frank admitted that he would be a permanent fixture on the NUI Galway campus; “Well this’ll be the first time I admit it but I’m going for

"It's very intimate!": Des Bishop and Frank Cronin discuss life in Frank's tent.

the full year.” Des Bishop was on campus to perform to NUI Galway students with his new show. The show was a sell-out success for the Students’ Union. Speaking before the show, Des Bishop told of his plans to move to China after Christmas to learn the Chinese language for one year. In a move similar to Mr Bishop learning the Irish language a few years back, the comedian will move to Beijing and live with a host family. His aim at the end of the year is to be able to do stand-up comedy in Chinese. When asked what advice he would give to the students of NUI Galway, Des recalled some advice that Johnny Vegas passed on to him; “Persistance without expectation… Expectation is just pre-meditated resentment… I would just suggest that people take action on whatever it is they need to do and then just let that drive you.” Des was presented with a Glowpunk hoody by Frank at the end of the interview and accompanied to his show in the O’Flaherty theatre. The full interview can be seen on the Glowpunk YouTube channel.

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Protests at NUI Galway By Sean Dunne

More than 50 protestors gathered outside the Arts Millennium building in NUI Galway on Thursday November 1 to highlight the alleged hiring of non-compliant construction firms to carry out public works. Members of the Construction Workers Campaign Group, who gathered at the protest, said they are highlighting the failure of the State to ensure that “capital projects being funded by the public purse are not being awarded to contractors that are opposed to compliance with the relevant agreements that ensure the welfare of workers is protected.” Responding to the protest, NUI Galway said that the chosen contractor for the works was fully compliant with all relevant measures. "NUI Galway engaged JJ Rhatigan as main contractor under the Public Works Contract, which specifically states that compliance with the Registered Employment Agreements ("REA") is the

responsibility of the main contractor. JJ Rhatigan has confirmed and certified to the University that it is in full compliance with all relevant REAs." The Protest follows complaints of leaks from the construction work taking place in the University. Students in NUI Galway were left in danger on November 17 as leaks to the roof of a computer suite in the Arts Millennium building, resulted in water dripping onto electrical equipment. Construction work in the University has been on-going this year, and the computer suite involved is directly below where construction is taking place. However, the NUI Galway Health and Safety office had no record of any complaints being lodged against any leaks in the computer suite. “We take complaints very seriously,” says Dr Kieran Loftus Director of Safety in the University. “We would not tolerate a safety issue like this; we would scramble very quickly to fix it.”

NUI Galway student engulfed NUI Galway students prepare to in flames in Halo nightclub march to TD Derek Nolan’s office Continued from page 1… That official stance was echoed by the President of NUI Galway Students’ Union Paul Curley, who said; “With such a large number of young people on campus, unfortunately events of this nature may happen. Accidents are not predictable. It is important that we support each other at this time.” Adding to this Mr Curley said; “Anybody affected has a number of options: talk to their friends, make contact with the Students’ Union, talk to the Chaplains or make an appointment with the Counsellors. Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.” A statement from the nightclub said on Thursday

1 November; “A young man was taken from Halo Nightclub to University Hospital Galway last night after his Halloween costume caught fire. It is understood that he is in a critical condition. The cause of the incident is currently being investigated by Gardaí.” The Garda headquarters in Dublin said; “An investigation into the incident has been launched but no arrests have been made at this stage.” The incident occurred at approximately 12.20 in the nightclub and ambulance services arrived on the scene immediately. Halo nightclub was hosting its annual Halloween Ball when the incident occurred.

The nightclub was full of Halloween revellers from the colleges in the city. Large queues were to be found at all night club venues in the city on Halloween night. The night club remained open following the incident. Galway city was extremely busy with students filling the streets in fancy dress costumes but the night saw Emergency services attending a number of incidents in the city. Matthew is not the only NUI Galway student who is in critical condition. 20-year-old Brendan McCarthy obtained serious head injuries after falling and striking his head on the ground at Rosemary Avenue. He remains in critical condition in Beaumont hospital.

Continued from page 1…

Dami Adebari, Vice President and Welfare Office at NUI Galway said; "Fee rises and grant cuts are examples of how the government is making life harsh and uncomfortable for students.” He further added; “It's time to take action. We as the student community are giving back, we have had enough.” Derek Nolan has been described as ‘Labour's New Voice for Galway West’. His core mechanism and belief is “Investing in the economy to create jobs, train people and kick start economic growth”. And that official stance

was echoed by the labour TD saying; “I will certainly continue to raise student issues with the Government, as I have done since becoming a TD.” Figures for Galway were revealed by Education Minister Ruairí Quinn in the Dáil this week, with confirmation that fewer than 18 per cent of the 4,177 student grant applicants from Galway have received a reply from to their applications. The planned protest comes as it has been confirmed that over 3,000 Galway students have yet to receive their student grants. Fianna Fáil TD Éamon Ó Cuív has spoken of his anger at this matter

and has demanded action from the government. Speaking of the fifteen days of protests which have been organised across Ireland for the month leading up to Budget 2013, President John Logue of the USI said; “This series of protests will be the largest mobilisation of students in USI’s history. We expect thousands of students and parents to stand up to their TDs in towns across Ireland.” NUI Galway, GMIT and Athlone IT students will march to TD Derek Nolan’s office tomorrow, Wednesday 14 November. NUI Galway students will convene outside the college bar at 1pm.

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Editorial

By Jessica Thompson

It’s November already. The semester is flying by faster than the rain flew by me on my cycle home last week. Here we are on issue five of Sin, with only one more issue until Christmas. With USI’s ‘Fed Up? Stand Up’ marches happening all over Ireland, it seems only fitting to include as much about this as possible. Students have been battling against the fees increase for as long as I have been in college, and it seems they will continue to do so. Our cover story tells of the march that will be happening in Galway tomorrow, Wednesday 14 November. The Students’ Union is urging everyone to meet at 1pm at the college bar, so that we can march with GMIT and Athlone IT. In our features section – page 10 to be precise – we have an opinion piece on the fees march. Our Student Speak page also deals with the issue of fees. This week Sean and Órla went around campus and asked you, the students, your opinion on

the fees situation. Turn to page 18 to see the result. The SU have gathered a number of posters advertising and promoting tomorrow’s march, so I suggest you check out pages 16 and 17 to get a better idea of what’s going on. Sticking with student problems, the grant delays have infuriated thousands of students around the country, NUI Galway students included. See page 5 for more on this story. Though the increase of fees and decrease of grants is all bad news, it’s nothing compared to some other stories that came about over the past two weeks. Halloween brought the tragic news of 21-year-old Matthew Sheridan who suffered serious burns to 80% of his body while out celebrating Halloween in Halo nightclub. Our thoughts are with Matthew and his friends and family. Of course, 20-yearold NUI Galway student Brendan McCarthy, who obtained serious head injuries after a fall a few weeks ago. At the time of print he was still in critical condition.

It seems there has been a lot of bad news to report in this issue of Sin, yet there have been a few good stories too. For example, Des Bishop visited our friend, Frank Cronin, in his tent last week before his show in the O’Flaherty theatre. Frank interviewed – and was interviewed by – Des for his most recent Glowpunk video which can be watched on his YouTube channel (Glowpunk). I’ve seen the video myself, and it’s 20 minutes of quality laugh-out-loud hilarity. It’s certainly a big deal to interview such a big star, especially in a tent in the middle of the woods somewhere (I assume he’s in the woods, though I could be wrong – it’s just what I think of when I think of living in a tent). Someday, Frank, you’ll make the front page of Sin with your crazy antics. It’s time now to stop reading the ramblings of an editor who is making up her editorial as she goes along, and start flicking through the pages of quality writing (not made up as we go along) we have in store for you this week. From talk of protests and fees, to advice on dealing with stress, to reviews of albums and movies, to John Mulry’s tips on health and fitness, this issue has it all. As always, be sure to say hello if you pass my office or see me in the corridors of NUI Galway’s campus. I’m not hard to spot; I’m usually wearing crazy-coloured jeans. Until next issue, Jess

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Students’ Union executives resign Joyce Fahy

Three Students’ Union Officers have resigned from their positions. Post Graduate Officer Brian Grant, Societies Chairperson Robin Allen, and Convenor of the College of Engineering & Informatics Alan Callery have all resigned as the workloads have proven too much to manage alongside academic coursework and/ or a paid job. “There isn’t any story, just didn’t have time as I also have to work to eat. A dead SU officer is no good to anyone!” said Robin Allen. “I am doing the Higher Diploma through Irish and couldn’t devote the time that I wanted to. I was unable to reply to

the many emails about post graduate grants and I wanted to devote my time to my coursework as it is my first priority,” said Brian Grant. Similarly, Alan Callery, the Convenor of the College of Engineering and Informatics, has attributed his resignation decision to “academic work” and not being able to do the two together. “The post graduate officer position is a full time position in many other universities in Ireland. Post graduates students pay more so they want better services,” stated Paul Curley, president of the Students’ Union. Curley also specified that NUI Galway only has three full time SU officers,

whereas Trinity and UCC have five, even though the student numbers are much the same. “With the current economic climate, there is more need for these officers, as 1900 students applied for the student assistance fund in the first week of college this year. I wouldn’t use the term ‘overworked’… but we’re very busy,” declared Mr Paul Curley. “These resignations should reflect the amount of work that is to be done, officers feel that they just can’t cope,” stated welfare Officer, Dami Adebari, before stressing that these positions will be filled again soon. Nominations for these vacant positions will be opening on Wednesday.

Celebrating Barack Obama’s victory last week (in matching outfits): Welfare Officer Dami Adabari, Students’ Union President Paul Curley and Education Officer Conor Stitt.

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Want €10,000 for your business idea? By Ruth Ann Browne The NUI Galway Students’ Union Enterprise Awards are on the hunt to discover Ireland’s next great entrepreneur and help them put their project or business into action, by providing financial support. Now in its third year, the Awards’ first prize is €10,000 investment capital, to aid the winner in getting their business going. The two runner up prizes are €5,000

each. This is an incredible platform for all NUI Galway students to display their innovative skills. President of NUI Galway Students’ Union, Paul Curley, says he is a firm believer in entrepreneurship amongst young people and encourages every student to get involved. “The Enterprise Awards are a showcase for the best and brightest student minds on campus and reflect the dynamic, innovative and creative graduates we all

wish to see emerging from NUI Galway now and in the years ahead,” he told Sin. The 2011/2012 winner, Niall O’Connor – founder of Sligo-based company SonorPlex, which uses technology advances to enhance conferences – was delighted to be able to take his project to a higher level, having received the €10,000 investment capital. “Participating in the NUI Galway Students’ Union Enterprise Awards really

helped me to develop a concept into a real-world proposition,” he declared. “The profile [I] generated – even by taking part, not

to mention winning – was extremely valuable. The prize money is now helping me to take my project to the next level.”

Closing date for all submissions is Friday November 30 at 5pm sharp. For further information, visit www. su.nuigalway.ie.

HSE cutbacks force cancellation of NUI Galway suicide intervention programme By Órla Ryan The cash-strapped Health Service Executive (HSE) has abandoned a suicide intervention programme aimed at students in NUI Galway, after the Government opted to use €35 million allocated for mental health services to offset the massive health budget deficit. The Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training course was due to take place in the college earlier this month, but the initiative was scrapped as a direct result of HSE cuts brought on by the current economic situation. The Students’ Union (SU) has been running the two-day ASIST course on campus once a semester since 2009, with sixty people attending annually. The course was provided free of charge by the HSE, while the SU facilitated the enrolling of students. Over the past decade, 25,000 people have been trained in the ASIST programme nationally, with 3,000 people taking part in the initiative so far this year. Joanna Brophy, the course's co-ordinator at the university, has criticised its cancellation, saying it means dozens of students will now not be trained in suicide prevention skills. The HSE plans to deliver another ASIST workshop in NUI Galway in February 2013. “In the meantime, we have worked with AWARE to bring the six-week free Liv-

ing Life to the Full course to campus this semester," Ms Brophy stated. A spokesperson for the HSE acknowledged "the great support" the organisation has received from the college's Students' Union in the past and blamed the ASIST cancellation on financial constraints imposed by the Government and the Troika. The body is seeking to save €26 million in 2012 by making cutbacks in the areas of education, training and travel. NUI Galway's Head of Counselling, Bea Gavin, has described the abandonment of the ASIST programme this semester as "very regrettable", asserting that one of the benefits of the training is that “it encourages those who are concerned about vulnerable young people to talk to them openly about their feelings and to encourage them to seek help.” In light of this development, the college’s Student Welfare Officer has called for increased mental health services at both local and national level. Dami Adebari, who is also Vice President of the Students' Union, praised the counseling facilities available at the university and the success of their recent Mental Health Week, but stated that more needs to be done to help those in trouble. “When things get hard, we all have to take a hit,” Mr Adebari declared. However, he feels the same rule should not apply in relation to psy-

chiatric services – initiatives that have a proven track record of success. “These are people's lives at stake here,” he said. Ironically, the SU has just announced that it has chosen a suicide prevention charity as one of the beneficiaries of its fundraising efforts during this academic year. Pieta House is a nonprofit organisation that provides specialised treatment programmes for people who are dealing with suicidal or self-harming thoughts. The charity plans to open its first western facility in Tuam next year. Some eighty per cent of their funding comes from public donations and the new centre is the result of an eighteen-month fundraising campaign led by local businessman John Concannon. The amenity will be located on Bishop Street and will serve Galway, Mayo and Roscommon. “Suicide can happen to anyone and I want to ask everyone in NUI Galway to look out for their friends and classmates and get in contact with us if they think anyone may be in distress,” Joan Freeman, Pieta House founder, urged. For further details on NUI Galway's free and confidential counselling services, contact 0876644299 or counselling@ nuigalway.ie. Information about Pieta House is available at www.pieta.ie.

Students’ Union Enterprise Awards winner 2012 Niall O’Connor.

Galway Trans* Community Forum: raising awareness of transgender experiences By Leigh Michael Keeney NUI Galway played host to the Trans* Education and Advocacy (TEA) collective on 2 November 2012. TEA is a voluntar y grassroots community, committed to working collaboratively on specific issues, actions and events to support, engage and empower the trans* community in Ireland. The night was presented as an open floor discussion in a safe and understanding atmosphere, where all interested could express their experiences, ask questions and highlight concerns regarding issues that the trans* community faces, both in Ireland and on a wider scale. No individual can deny the desire for social acceptance, it was argued, but how difficult can it be when societal prejudices impel you to fear those around you? Such prejudices include the misconception that transgender people are a danger to children, that they are sexual deviants and that what they think and say is inconsequential. This can,

and does, prompt physical hostility towards the trans* community and this discrimination is a direct compromise of their right to be secure in society as human beings. Individuals in the trans* community have testified that rural settings are more narrow-minded and less accepting than urban areas. Furthermore, application for employment is stifled for the trans* community. Their situation, classified as Gender Identity Disorder, likely to be renamed Gender Dysphoria, implies psychiatric issues, deeming them less desirable applicants. Transgender people feel perturbed by the isolation and ignorance that society imparts to them. One issue raised was the high instance of urinary tract infections that several trans* people have had to suffer with, simply because they could not use male or female toilets due to either derision from those outside the trans* community or just for fear of such confrontation, and that perhaps gender neutral toilets should be the approach in the near future.

Of late, the awareness of the trans* community has rapidly increased in Ireland, and areas other than Loughlinstown in Dublin have commenced the accommodation of hormone therapy. This was pronounced a huge relief for trans* people at Galway Trans* Community Forum, as the travel expenses to London and Dublin for hormone prescriptions are rather severe. In addition to the way of progress, the introduction of draft gender recognition legislation is being awaited, following from the Gender Recognition Advisory Group (GRAG) proposals published last year, and this is very topical for the trans* community at present, impacting on marital aspects and medical requirements. The Trans* Community Forum in NUI Galway succinctly summed up the pleas of the trans* community: 1) to have access to accommodating medical facilities in Ireland. 2) To be respected. 3) To improve employment issues. 4) To feel safe. 5) To see that a trans* community exists outside the confines of Dublin.

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Thousands of students left in difficulty without grants Luke Henderson THREE out of every four students at third level institutions have been left without grants. The new grant awarding body known as SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) has failed to process close to 50,000 grant applications nationwide. The new system which has taken over from the old County Council system has been described as “riddled with faults”. Concerns have been raised by institutions nationwide that students will drop out due to the financial strains that late grants have placed on them. Conor Stitt of the Students Union of NUI Galway has described SUSI’s actions as “completely institution, and they have let us down.” NUI Galway has been seen as a more grant

dependent institution with many students availing of assistance in the past. Conor Stitt has appealed to students of NUI Galway to apply for the student assistance fund which is available on the Students Union website. Sarah Moroney of the Department of Education said that “SUSI is an independent body of the department”. The system which was set up by Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn was set up to tackle back logs and help ease the weight placed on County Councils in supplying grants to students. So far only 2,000 of the total number of those who have applied have received their grant. A further 17,500 applications are being sent back to those who applied because of lack of documentation.

In a bid to tackle the backlog that has arisen, SUSI have taken on ten additional temporary staff to help sort through the grant applications. Conor Stitt has further criticized this move saying; “I don’t think it is enough.” But he did say; “hopefully by the next few weeks the majority of Students will receive their grants.” In Offaly TD Barr y Cowen has called for the Minister to address the problem in the Dáil. Speaking to the Offaly Press, Deputy Cowen said; “I am calling for a statement from Minister Quinn outlining the problems with the processing system.” Deputy Cowen has also said that students “need to know how long they are expected to wait before they hear back from the department.”

It’s all about the MO By Bebhinn Lernihan Movember is upon us once again and this year the Galway Independent and NUIG are combining support and raising awareness like never before. The collaboration has resulted in a ‘King of the M o ’

competition, in which ten of Galway’s finest men will be followed day-by-day this month in their efforts to grow a mo better than Tom Selleck. Participants will upload pictures of their growing mo onto Movember Ireland’s Facebook page and it will also be followed in the Galway Independent. The most voted for mo grower will be announced during a live shave off party at the end of the month and will w i n return flights to a destination

of their own choice, courtesy of Knock Airport. The Movember campaign aims to raise awareness on men’s health issues, specifically cancers that affect men, and also to highlight the importance of early detection, diagnosis and treatment. One in three men will develop cancer in their lifetime and prostate cancer rates in particular in Ireland are the highest in Europe and amongst the highest in the world. “Lets face it, men are known to be more indifferent towards their health, especially when compared to the efforts of women... As a result, today the levels of awareness, understanding and funding for support of male health issues, like prostate cancer, lag significantly behind causes such as breast cancer,” according to the official Movember and Sons website.

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Multimedia competition encourages students to watch alcohol consumption By Paul Cassidy A new film and multimedia competition, open to all full-time or part-time thirdlevel students over the age of eighteen in the Republic of Ireland, is aiming to encourage the responsible consumption of alcohol. Established in 2007, drinkaware.ie’s nationwide search for multimedia talent – in association with The Digital Hub Development Agency – on dare2bdrinkaware.ie has featured many industry professionals on the judg-

ing panel, such as blogger and Community Manager at WorldIrish.com, Darragh Doyle, and the Head of Digital with Mindshare, Ciarán Norris, in 2011. The 2013 entries will be on the subject of ‘Pacing Our Drinking’ and the deadline for proposals is Friday, November 23, with final projects to be submitted by March 2013. Given that Irish people drink almost three times as much alcohol as their European counterparts, and 2.5 million people per year die from harmful use of

alcohol, Fionnuala Sheehan, Chief Executive of drinkaware.ie, wants to challenge the trend of alcohol abuse, particularly that of bingedrinking. She stated, “We [as a country] are drinking less alcohol than a decade ago, and we are drinking less often than our European counterparts, including those in the UK and Northern Ireland. However, when we drink, we drink more. This pattern of heavy, episodic drinking is particularly prevalent amongst young adults, including stu-

dents attending third level institutions in Ireland.” “Peer pressure remains a significant driver in the drinking patterns of young people. We want to empower [them] to resist the pressure to drink, or to drink more. If you are drinking, the best pace to drink at is your own. [That way], we enable ourselves to get more out of our nights and our weekends,” added Sheehan. Further information on the dare2bdrinkaware.ie competition can be found on the website.

TCD and The Irish Times host media conference By Marése O’Sullivan Trinity College Dublin (TCD) played host to the National Media Conference on Saturday November 10, in conjunction with The Irish Times. The idea was devised by TCD students and was aimed at showcasing the ability of young Irish journalists and to highlight the challenges facing the media today. From 11am to 6pm, 280 conference delegates gathered to hear from thirty-five representatives of Ireland’s leading media outlets. The main talks included ‘The Future of Media’, ‘Instant Reaction: Social Media and the Modern Mob’ and ‘Beginnings’, with the focus of engaging students about to commence their career in journalism. The subsequent talks were

subdivided into print, radio and screen. Editor of The Irish Times, Kevin O’Sullivan, was the keynote speaker, and many familiar faces from the Irish media landscape were honoured guests, such as RTÉ News: Six One presenter Bryan Dobson, journalist and Storyful founder Mark Little, internet law expert Simon McGarr, radio presenter Orla Barry, and Features Editor of The Irish Daily Mail Gillian Fitzpatrick. Not only were insight, advice and tips provided by the esteemed panel members, delegates were also given the chance to mingle with them at a wine and canapé reception afterwards. The Irish Times Feature Writing Workshop was particularly popular, with Conor Goodman – Features Editor of The Irish Times

– and Ciara Kenny, freelance feature writer and Curator of The Irish Times multimedia project, ‘Generation Emigration’, discussing how feature writing has changed and is continuing to do so. They also gave tips on how to pitch succinctly, using ideas that conference delegates had submitted. The Directors of the Conference were: Chairperson of Trinity Publications, Damien Carr; Media and Communications Officer for the Union of Students in Ireland, Ronan Costello; Video Editor of The University Times and student filmmaker and videographer, David Cullinan; Station Manager of TrinityFM and Opinions Editor of The University Times, Matthew Taylor; and News Editor of The University Times, Jack Leahy. Mr Leahy exclusively told

NUI Galway debaters perform extremely well at UCD Intervarsity By Mark Kelly NUI Galway’s Literary and Debating Society have much to be proud of after the weekend of 25, 26 and 27 November, after one of Galway’s debating teams took victory in the Vice-Presidents Cup (VPC). The weekend started with the Novice competition on the Thursday. NUI Galway sent 3 novice teams to compete, each team consisted of 2 people. UCD presented the first chance for the novices to show what they were made of, and the 3 debates gave some fantastic speeches from all sides.

The 3 motions were “That This House (TTH) Believes The Right To Bear Arms Is The Right To Be Free”, “TTH Believes That The World Would Be A Better Place Without God” and “TTH Would Abolish Private Healthcare And Set Up A State Funded Health System”. NUI Galway’s teams did well, but NUI Galway B, with Mark Kelly and Dean Buckley, made the break in 3rd and advanced to the semi-final. In the semi-final, the motion was “TTH Believes That A Competent Dictatorship Is Preferable To An Inept Democracy”. Whilst NUIG B

spoke extremely well, they couldn’t quite make the final. On Friday, the VPC started, and the more experienced debaters came to Dublin, and some of the novices teamed up with them. Once again, NUI Galway had registered 3 teams, and they had 2 debates on the Friday. Ronan McCoy also must get a mention, as he broke as a judge for the semifinal and the final. An early start on Saturday had the teams mentally and physically exhausted, but they still applied themselves extremely well, and managed to get through the day relatively unscathed.

Sin before the Conference: “The five of us sat down in May to plan this Conference when we saw at the Smedias [National Student Media Awards] what enthusiasm and quality exists in the student media in Ireland. That's been reflected in the number of professionals who [were] absolutely delighted to be asked to take part; they really respect student media and are eager to enter with students into discussion as to the future of the media industry. “I'm looking forward to the Conference's general principle of putting student representatives on an equal platform with professionals. One particular panel discussion includes representation from student, community, and professional radio as well as a radio executive. That's what this is all about.” NUIG Lit & Deb B (Andrew Hannon and Ruth Cormacan) made it through in 8th place, going through on speaker points to the semi-final. The debate in the semi-final was “TTH Would, Where Possible, Teach Children In Their Vernacular Language”. In an extremely interesting and thoughtprovoking debate, Sheffield A and NUIG Lit & Deb B made it through to the final. In the final, the debate was “TTH Believes UCI Should Set Up A Truth and Reconciliation Tribunal For Doping In The Wake Of The Armstrong Affair”. In an extremely close, bitterly fought debate, Andrew and Ruth emerged victorious, becoming the first team from NUI Galway since 2005 to win an IV.

Diarmaid Kiernan from Rathfarnham as Rambo, Robyn Lakes from Dundrum as Marilyn Monroe , Liam Robinson from Finglas as Top Gun,Fionnuala Sheehan CEO of drinkaware.ie and Colm Reid from Skerries as Charlie Chaplin pictured at the launch of the 2013 DARE2BDRINKAWARE.ie film and multimedia competition at the Lighthouse Cinema, see www.dare2bdrinkaware.ie for more information Pic:Marc O'Sullivan www.marcosullivan.ie

Mismanagement claims cause more headaches for NUI Galway Procurement Office By Conor Lane NUI Galway’s Procurement and Contracts Office is under heavy fire, due to claims that it has grossly mismanaged huge taxpayer funds. A recent report by the Achilles Strategic Procurement Plan has affirmed that the Office has used an incorrect procurement model, has failed to get the best value for money and has been inefficient with the resources available to it. Stating that their objective is to “obtain goods and services at best value for money, through the optimum combination of whole life cost and quality that meets the university’s requirements, while complying with national and European Union legislation,” the Procurement Office’s lack of accountability is being viewed as the major problem, as senior managers have allowed wide scale contract leakage to occur. The Achilles Strategic Procurement Plan confirmed that the university “ranks in the middle third of the Irish universities as a group, in terms of good practice” and that NUI

Galway’s procurement policies and procedures are “inconsistent, difficult to understand and [to] implement”, whilst not defining roles and responsibilities clearly. The report continues by saying that there is an “annual non-pay spend of approximately €80 million” and that up to 15% in potential savings could be made, should better implementation policies be introduced. This would include an overhaul of the current ineffectual information technology systems and data methods. Students may be reminded of NUI Galway’s Digital Enterprise Research Institute’s (DERI) €100,000 splash on the hiring of private jets for researchers and academics in 2010, of which one trip included President Dr James Browne and his predecessor Dr Iognaid Ó Muircheartaigh as passengers. Similarly, the university was forced by the Science Foundation Institute to repay €170,000 for flights and conference trips dating back to 2004, while €154,000 of state money has sent DERI staff to conferences in a luxury resort on the Greek island of Crete.

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Take the Pathway to College By Mohan Fitzgerald Galway Rurual Development launched their Pathway to College programme in Portumna last month. Initiated to combat disproportionate rural unemployment in a struggling modern economy, the programme seeks to promote reeducation among unemployed and low-income workers in the Galway Rural Development operational area, including East and South County Galway and Claregalway, but excluding Galway City. Administered by Galway Rural Development under the Local Community Development Programme, Pathway to College will operate free of charge for suitable applicants. Candidates will be selected among unemployed and underemployed workers earnestly desiring college education. Members of minority groups, individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, students with disabilities, or those previously unable to complete study, will also be among those considered for the limited number of positions.

Minister Ciarán Cannon TD, Minister of State for Training and Skills at the Department of Education and Skills launched the program, saying that the “initiative has been developed to enhance access to education for those who are unemployed or those who are most removed from the education system. The aim is to enable participants to progress into third level education and be in a position to access the local labour market.” Pathway to College promises to be an effective and encouraging resource for transitional work-

ers, offering instruction in basic computer operation, career planning, and financial planning and budgeting. The course also seeks to assist members with future endeavors with classes in college application, interview training and CAO forms. Emphasizing motivation and self-confidence, participants will also partake self-development exercises. “As an advocate of life long learning, I am delighted to be facilitating this new and exciting initiative on behalf of Galway Rural Development

providing individuals with an opportunity to improve their qualifications and job prospects,” said Evelyn Cormican of Blueprint Coaching and Training. The programme runs once a week for twenty weeks, with the intention that participants leave equipped with invaluable skills for modern employment and the tools to pursue post-secondary education. It hopes to provide opportunities for marginalized demographic groups in greater rural Galway and to galvanize local economies.

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Flirt fm airs new show in Italian By Alessandro Lucheti Ciao a tutti! Siamo Alex & Anna, i due conduttori italiani di “Lamette Flirt”, programma radio trasmesso ogni venerdì alle 12 su Radio Flirt Fm 101.3, la radio della nostra università. Io, Alex, ho 28 anni e sono sbarcato qui a Galway un paio di mesi fa per fare un dottorato in letteratura italiana; vivo all’estero già da qualche anno ma, appena posso, torno con piacere nella mia regione di origine, le Marche. Io, Anna, vengo da Torino e sono qui a Galway per fare un tirocinio come insegnante di lingua italiana all’estero; presto tornerò in Italia e so già che mi mancherà molto trasmettere in radio. In un’epoca come la nostra, in cui la musica si ascolta soprattutto su internet, ci è sembrato “innovativo” e controcorrente tornare al primo mezzo di comunicazione che ha diffuso la musica nel mondo, la radio. Abbiamo voluto farlo in italiano perché, prima di

tutto, siamo italiani, perché qui alla NUIG si studia la nostra bellissima lingua e anche perché ci divertiamo un mondo! Siamo felici del fatto che la maggior parte del nostro pubblico sia composta da studenti di italiano, irlandesi e non. Se pensate che l’italiano sia una lingua melodiosa, chissà quanto potrà piacervi la musica italiana contemporanea! Ma il contenuto del nostro programma non è puramente musicale: ascolterete ogni settimana una divertente intervista a ragazzi e ragazze che gravitano intorno al nostro dipartimento, una simpatica poesia e una ricetta da tentare a casa. Il nostro intento è, tra una risata e un’altra, quello di far conoscere a quanta più gente possibile la nostra meravigliosa lingua, la nostra cultura e il nostro Paese. Non perdete tempo, dunque: sintonizzatevi su Radio Flirt Fm e non dimenticatevi di cliccare “Mi piace” sulla nostra pagina facebook, “Lamette Flirt”! Chissà che non vi venga voglia di studiare l’italiano!

Arts in Action hosts reading by Amiri Baraka

Galway Continental Christmas Market returns for 2012

By Jane Kearns

By Sinead L. Healy

The Moore Institute in conjunction with Arts in Action hosted a guest talk by Amiri Baraka on the 25 of October. He gave a reading of some of his best and most controversial poetry to a packed O’Flaherty Theatre in NUI Galway. Mary McPartlan, director of Arts in Action said that; “It was pure joy and excitement for me to get close to such a legend, sit with him and talk about Nina Simone, the American Civil Rights movement.” She added: “To watch him as he read his poems, tapping out the rhythms on the desk in front of him and singing his jazz tunes between verses. At seventy six years of age he is still

a smouldering passionate writer and an astute political observer.” The event saw Baraka answering some questions from the audience including his thoughts on the US Presidential Election, social changes throughout his life and his overall aim as a poet which is to simply to “raise people’s conscious”. Mr Baraka discussed his life and work, including his involvement in the Newark riots and subsequent arrest. He also talked about his writing and inspiration behind his poems which range from slavery to modern politics to the Japanese haiku. He then went on to read a selection of his poetry which is clever, witty and above all puts forward

a message to the reader. Many of his chosen works were incredibly funny and fun to listen to as he sang out jazz beats to accompany them. He concluded his reading with his most controversial poem to date, Somebody Blew up America, a poem that discusses 9/11 and who he believes to be the real threat to America. The writer of poetry, drama, fiction, essays, and jazz criticism, was born Everett LeRoi Jones in 1934 in Newark, New Jersey. He moved to the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1957 and founded Totem Press, which first published works by Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, among many other notable American writers.

The Galway Continental Christmas Market is to make an anticipated return to Eyre Square from November 23 to December 22, 2012. Proudly presented by the Galway City Business Association, the event – now in its third year – will take place for five days more than it has in previous years. Traders from across Ireland and Europe are currently preparing to transform Galway city centre into a winter wonderland. The Market has a jampacked festive experience lined up for locals and tourists alike, including the display of artisan prod-

ucts and Christmas gift ideas, as well as top-class entertainment. Galway’s top live bands, DJs and performers, puppet shows, and story telling, together with charity and community events, will all feature. Santa’s Grotto, organised by local charities, will also be a huge attraction. Traditional German beer will be available in the popular ‘Bier Keller’ (Beer Cellar). There will be a ‘Sing for Simon’ caroling session, in aid of the Galway Simon Community, on Saturday, December 15, from 2pm6pm. This year’s Christmas Market certainly has something to offer every age. Anthony Ryan, Chairper-

son for the Galway City Business Association, declared; “We are delighted to be presenting the Galway Continental Christmas Market for the third consecutive year. “With last year’s event attracting over 400,000 visitors to the city and generating an excess of €11 million for the local economy, creating attractions for our city’s businesses is crucial. We look forward to an even better Market this Christmas.” The market opening hours are Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10am to 8pm, Thursday and Friday from 10am to 10pm, and Sunday from 12pm to 8pm. For further information, see www. GalwayChristmasMarket.ie.

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Barack for four more By Ciara Molloy Barack Obama was reelected President of the United States after overcoming his Republican rival, Mitt Romney, by 332 Electoral College votes to 206. However, despite that large margin, Mr. Obama

only slightly won the popular vote, winning 50.3%, compared to Mr. Romney’s 48.1%. This election outing was very different to 2008, when Obama won a landslide not only in the Electoral College but in the popular vote as well. Exit polls showed that

the biggest issue for voters in the US was the economy. This showed particularly in Michigan and Ohio, which control the US auto industry. Both states gave their votes to Obama. A large surprise also happened with the hotly contested swing states of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida. Obama won all four states, something which neither camp had anticipated. Voting queues were so long in Virginia and Florida that voting was going on until well after 10pm US Eastern Time, despite both states closing poll booths at 7pm. Mitt Romney drew some criticism for refusing to concede the election after it became mathematically impossible for him to win. He conceded just before midnight eastern time, despite it being obvious from 10pm that he would not win.

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Korean elephant can mimic speech By Austin Maloney Fans of the film Dumbo will be delighted to discover that an elephant in South Korea has learned to imitate human speech. Koshik, a 22-year-old elephant who belongs to a zoo in Seoul, has a five word Korean vocabulary, including ‘annyeong’ (good), ‘aniya’ (no) and ‘choah’ (good). To produce the words, the 5.5-ton animal places the tip of his trunk in his

mouth and can convincingly mimic a human voice. Dr Angela Stoeger of the University of Vienna, who has closely studied Koshik and his vocal abilities, was amazed by the accuracy of his mimicry. “If you consider the huge size of the elephant and the long vocal tract and other anatomic difference, […] this really is remarkable,” she commented. However, she does not

believe that Koshik has any understanding of his words. Instead, she thinks that he learned to ‘talk’ as a way of connecting with his chief trainer, Kim Jong-gab; “Humans were [Koshik’s] only social contact: we believe he is using the vocalisation as a function to strengthen the social bonds with his companions, which are humans in this case.” Kim now wants to teach Koshik how to say ‘Saranghae’ (I love you).

Snow White and the Seven Droids? By Jenna Hodgins Lucasfilm, home of the Star Wars franchise, has been sold to the Walt Disney Company for $4.05 billion in cash and stock shares. Bob Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive of Disney, announced that both he and film producer George Lucas signed the deal at the Disney headquarters in Burbank, California, on October 30, 2012. The purchase will give Disney ownership of the game publisher LucasArts, as well as special effects company Industrial Light & Magic and post-production company Skywalker Sound. A sequel trilogy is already on the cards with

the seventh Star Wars installment, ‘Episode VII’, due to hit cinema screens in 2015. Lucas stated in a video interview that he has already written outlines for three more films and will remain in the role of creative consultant in the production of the forthcoming trilogy. This is not the first big purchase of Disney under Iger. The endeavour began back in 2006 when they added Pixar to the Disney legacy, and again in 2009, when Marvel was sold for $4 billion. The success of these acquisitions can be seen in Cars ($560 million), Toy Story 3 ($1 billion) and the box office prodigy of 2012,

The Avengers ($1.5 billion). Lucasfilm and the Star Wars universe is just another addition to the expanding portfolio of the Mickey Mouse powerhouse. Though criticism surrounding the handover is already rampant among die-hard fans, Lucas has been trying to sell the company for the past five to six years so that he can concentrate on smaller-scale, personal, film projects. “It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers,” he said. “I've always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime.”

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth By Aishling O’Herlihy A seven-year old girl has become the first child in Scotland to have stem cells extracted and banked using her baby teeth. For the purpose of taking full advantage of future medical advances in stem cell research, Rebecca Graham had her two front teeth removed by none other than her dentist father. Stem cells from bone marrow and umbilical cord blood have been used to treat many blood-related

diseases, such as leukaemia. The dental pulp from Rebecca’s milk teeth will be collected, frozen and stored for thirty years or more until she may need it. “Doctors have already used dental cells to regenerate dental bone and treat periodontal disease,” said her father, Callum Graham. "We explained the relevance of it [to Rebecca], why we were going to take her tooth, and she was a brilliant patient.” The dentist and his wife had originally considered banking stem cells when

their daughter was born, but they did not act in time to take the cells from the umbilical cord. Despite the extraction being “a little bit sore,” Rebecca was delighted with the £5 she received from the tooth fairy as a result. “I wrote her a wee letter to explain,” she smiled. This year’s winners of the Nobel Prize for Medicine were in fact two stem cell researchers, John Gurdon of the Gurdon Institute at the University of Cambridge, and Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University, Japan.

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EXPLORE projects make an impact The EXPLORE Innovation Initiative was launched by the Students’ Union and NUI Galway in January 2012 to support students and staff to bring innovative, new ideas to life on campus. 14 of the initial teams awarded funding have now finished or are nearly finished their projects. These groups have created learning and teaching tools, developed new campus maps and transport strategies, set up collaborative forums, linked students with potential employers, conducted new research on student health, run an art exhibition, delivered a new outreach programme, trained students and staff in video production and much more. Another round of EXPLORE has just kicked off and 20 plus projects have already been funded. Limited funding is still available for projects that can demonstrate student and staff partnership, innovation, sustainability and impact. Find out more and apply at www.su.nuigalway.ie/explore. EXPLORE is supported by the Bright Ideas Initiative and the Student Projects Fund.

Video Lab – A New Tool to Improve 1st Year Science Experience Lead student partner: Alison Hughes Lead staff partner: Dr Peter Crowley

Evaluating Health and Wellbeing of Postgraduate Students in NUI Galway Lead student partner: Richéal Burns Lead staff partner: Prof Ciaran O'Neill

Campus Map App Lead student partner: Liam Krewer Lead staff partner: Dr John Breslin

Words and their Meanings Exhibition Lead student partner: James Simmons Lead staff partner: Dr Irina Ruppo

Video Promoting the LLM to Students and Potential Employers Lead student partner: Katie Cadden Lead staff partner: Dr Ciara Hackett

Galway University Sustainable Transport Options (GUSTO) Lead student partner: Richard Manton Lead staff partner: Dr Eoghan Clifford

The Career and Industry Fair at NUI Galway Energy Night 2012 Lead student partner: Sinéad Burke Lead staff partner: Dr Rory Monaghan

Baile na Coiribe Corrib Village

South Campus Tree Map

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Video Podcasts in Mammal Ecology Lead student partner: Jessica Larson Lead staff partner: Dr Colin Lawton

Video Production for the Web Training Course Lead student partner: Micheál O Tháiltigh Lead staff partner: Padraic DeBurca

Campus Tree Map Lead student partner: Paul O'Donnell Lead staff partner: Dr Mike Gormally

The New Businessman / The New Businesswoman Lead student partner: Brian H Fitzsimons Lead staff partner: Dr John Breslin

Cell Explorers Outreach Activity Lead student partner: Veasna Sum Coffey Lead staff partner: Dr Muriel Grenon

EuroScience Open Forum Lead student partner: Lilian Fennell Lead staff partner: Dr Muriel Grenon

GASF: The Galway American Studies Forum Lead student partner: Rosemary Gallagher Lead staff partner: Prof Sean Ryder

For further information about all these projects, see:

www.nuigalway.ie/explore/projects

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OPINION: Stand up and fight the fees

Immigration: an Irish and Mexican viewpoint

By Frank Doherty

By Aisling O’Rafferty

At the first class rep council of the year in NUI Galway on Monday 15 October, USI President John Logue presented his pre-budget strategy to oppose government plans to increase the student contribution charge, which, at €2,250, remains a barrier to third level for so many. The government proposes to raise this charge to €3000 by 2015 and the next austerity budget, on December 5th, is an opportune moment to initiate this increase.

“

Protests, historically, are the first and most benign weapons of the student movement in its struggles across the world. The point is to demonstrate mass opposition but also as a show of strength; this is a crucial point. Who needs to experience the power of students in a tangible manner? The answer is twofold, firstly, the government because their agenda is in direct conflict with that of the students and they need to be convinced of our position or forced to accept it; secondly the stu-

Protest is the first step and when

”

it doesn’t work, escalation is

the only effective progression

So a couple of questions come to mind, namely; what does the USI executive think has been ineffectual or wrong with the strategy of previous USI executives? What have they prescribed as an alternative for the run up to the budget? Will this work? Finally, how does this relate to the free education agenda, which USI congress reaffirmed the last time it convened and with which John Logue and the incumbent USI executive are mandated? Central to Logue’s analysis of previous USI Executive Board strategies for fighting the continual rise in fees was criticism of annual national marches in Dublin which apparently hasn’t had discernibly positive effects on the situation from the perspective of the student movement. The yearly protest was ineffective; however, this was because of its tokenistic nature and this seems missing from the analysis which was presented. The march in dublin every year was simply a day out for some and lip service to their mandate for those that made up the upper echelons of Irish student unionism. This could only be due to a misunderstanding of the utility of protest in student or labour movements or a different conception of the student movement to the original.

dents themselves because it is vital that they realise their collective power in order to win their demands and this occurs through collective action. The point here is that protest is the first step and when it doesn’t work, escalation is the only effective progression; this means economic barriers of our own including mass traffic disruptions, occupations both on campus and in government buildings and eventually student strikes, not to mention all of the wonderfully creative things politically assertive students can imagine. The current President outlined his strategy for the coming budget, in terms of targeting people and not buildings. From this principle comes the substance of the campaign which will target government representatives, who are seen to be in an electorally weak position and thus may be more likely to be influenced when pressure is applied with an emphasis on localised, regional or institutional action. Interpretations of what forms these actions will vary from the naïveté of lobbying as clients, to belligerent disruption and dissent of the politically and socially conscious. The reorientation to regional and institution based action should be

welcomed as it potentially allows many more to participate who may not have travelled to Dublin for a march. However it is down to local SU’s to plan and build for local actions and how students are engaged with this process will directly influence both the campaign’s efficacy as well as the confidence and empowerment gained through it by the student body. The more students involved, the more convincing the argument and this means coordinated localised actions across the country. This does not mean photo ops outside TDs’ offices by handfuls of SU officers. It means sustaining a campaign which encourages students to perpetuate it because the campaign is a necessity by its very nature and because defending our current position is only the first step in winning universal access to higher education. All of this remains to be seen, but noises from NUIGSU and the 14 November planned march on Labour TD Derek Nolan’s office has fantastic potential with GMITSU and Athlone ITSU to participate. If these initial protests don’t work, however, escalation is the only answer; backing down or not following through like on previous years, as the historical record shows, is not.

A topic recently covered by my Political Science and Sociology class shone light on a different culture and way of life. An article published in the ‘American Anthropologist’ journal in 2010 examined the situation of Mexican immigrants to the United States. The article was comprised of interviews with the immigrant workers and their employers, along with the author’s research and insights. The immigrants’ testimonies challenged my expectations of low-paid immigrants’ opinions. The interviewees are all illegal immigrants who work as busboys, or general workers, in restaurants in Chicago. After reading how their employers ‘take it for granted’ that they will perform ‘a myriad of other tasks’ apart from their regular duties, I expected that they would be resentful towards their employers. However, the workers are all eager to impress their supervisors. One of them, Manuel, explains how their bosses notice which employees complete their work quickly, and that this enables them to ‘win their respect’. Rene says that the extra pay and employment security this provides is hugely important to workers classed as ‘illegal aliens’

due to their lack of documentation. This document provided my class with information about the experiences of immigrants and their effect on the countries they migrate to. It is connected to the wider issue of immigration and emigration. This topic is relevant to many Irish people who now work abroad. I attempted to compare the experiences of Irish emigrants with those from Mexico by researching the Irish Newspaper Archive through the library website. Relevant articles appeared in editions of the Irish Independent and the Irish Times from 2009 to the present. One article revealed how a woman who graduated in archaeology found temporary employment at a university in Spain. Immigrants in those positions seem to have the same entitlements as those from Spain. Another described the experiences of a woman who became a teacher in a second-level school in the United Arab Emirates. She was paid less than native employees. Also, women in this country are less likely to receive senior positions in employment. The interviewees in the journal article mentioned the importance of unions. An advert for positions in construction

and engineering encouraged emigrants to choose an employer which provided union membership. This provides increased security and protects wage levels. Most of the people featured in these articles had a higher level of education and qualifications than the Mexican immigrants. Most of them also had visas, allowing them to work abroad legally, and in a wider variety of positions. The Mexican immigrants generally came to America from places which are less economically developed than Ireland. This means they are both less educated, and more willing to work in low-paid and difficult positions. Combined with their difficulty in getting visas, these factors make them more likely to be exploited. The archive articles showed Australia provided the majority of lower-paid positions to Irish emigrants. These workers often have shortterm visas which may be intended for holidays, and there were reports of some who overstayed their visas and were deported. Overall, these articles convey the message that immigrants in low-paid tasks are more likely to be exploited, especially if they immigrate illegally. The articles also suggest that union membership reduces exploitation.

A group of students enjoys Des Bishop’s show in the O’Flaherty Theatre on Monday 5 November.

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Dealing with exam & study stress By Rab Fulton There’s no doubt about it, exams and preparing for exams can be very stressful. Yet, it may be helpful to consider stress and difficulty from a more left field perspective. Fans of the original Alien film will recall the stressful times experienced by Kane (played by John Hurt) who was the Executive Officer for the Nostromo spaceship. Things looked pretty bleak for Kane. He slipped into a nest of alien eggs, had a parasitical lobster stuck to his face and then slipped into a catatonic

coma. But hey, after all that trauma didn’t he finally wake up and have a lovely meal with his mates and everything was grand? Well, except for the fact that half way through the meal he suffered agonizing spasms as a creature resembling a dildo with attitude burst squealing out of his stomach… The point being that whilst Kane experienced a lot of stress, he finally got through it and helped introduce humans to a brand new species – which is a pretty cool thing to do. Now of course there are easier ways to get weird

creatures sucking on to your face – like popping into Bentley’s on a Wednesday night – but having your stomach explode in front of your friends afterwards is perhaps not the best coping mechanism for stress particularly at exam time when you really don’t want to be freaking your mates out. So what are the less messy, freaky and just way too outré ways of coping with stress in the run up to exams? Well the NUI Galway health promotion unit’s blog riskybizzness has plenty of advice, including ‘Ten Top Tips For Exam Revision’ and info about

the on campus ‘Exam DeStress’ programme (which includes Massage, Acupuncture, Hypnotherapy and much more). There are other practical things that students can do including: • Sleep Well: Get 6 to 8 hours, at least on most nights, and you will be able to concentrate better, recall information, and keep up your energy levels • Eat Well: Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast. Eat 5 or 6 smaller meals instead of 3 bigger ones. Pack a piece of fruit, a handful of nuts,

or some cheese and crackers as a healthy snack. • Drink Water: Staying hydrated helps to keep you alert. Avoid too many energy drinks or other caffeine-laced beverages, as caffeine impairs your study ability. • Take Rest Breaks: Taking rest breaks during times of high mental stress enhances your energy levels and your ability to concentrate and retain vital information. Get up, stretch your body, walk around, go outside to re-oxygenate yourself

and grab a drink. • Move Your Body: Exercise is vital at any time, but especially during exams. Just 15 minutes of physical activity will help to keep you alert, calm and focused. • Learn relaxation techniques: Find a technique you like and practice it before the exams so you will be able to use it if needed during an exam. • Think Positively: You can do this! For more on keep ing healthy and focused during exams check out riskybizzness.blogspot.ie

An Irish democrat voting by absentee ballot By Conor Lane Theodore Roosevelt once said, “A vote is like a rifle: its usefulness depends upon the character of the user." Old Teddy was no stranger to guns. Before he became 26th president of the United States, he led the “Rough Riders” up San Juan Hill in the SpanishAmerican War of 1898. What I think he meant was that an election result is only as wise as the people who cast their ballots. In today’s terms, whoever is elected to the White House will have their finger on some very powerful triggers, so voting is a big responsibility. This was the first time that I have ever voted in an American presidential election. I was enthralled t o g e t i t u n d e r w a y, though it turned out to be an annoyingly intricate, designed-to-catch-you-out process. Ultimately, I had to get advice from my Boston-born mother, who has been voting from abroad for 25 years. Even though I was born in Ireland, I have US citizenship too, meaning I’m a dual citizen and eligible to vote under the absentee ballot system. The gist of how I voted was this: first I had to register with www.votefromabroad.org. They emailed me several forms that I printed out and filled in. The exact titles

of these were: Federal Post Card Application (FPCA); Voter registration and absentee ballet request form; Voter’s Declaration/ Affirmation and a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB). Phew! To make a long story short, I had to place the write-in ballot in an envelope on its own, marked “security envelope”, and place that inside another envelope containing the application and declaration. I posted the whole thing off to the Board of Elections in New York City, because that was my mother’s place of last residence in the US, so I get to vote from there, too. It was a tough election to vote in because neither candidate was too appealing to me. The pre-elected Obama, this brilliantly smart, low-key guy from Chicago who was ushering in a new era of American politics, will always be my best memory of him. Fastforward to his fatigued (I can’t believe the mess I’ve been left with) appearance that is telling of just how demanding that job can be. And then there’s Mitt, the charming rich man with unflinching hair and air of extravagance who can turn a phrase and always look dapper. The two men, representing very different parties, can make all the pledges they

want. But as we have seen from Obama, he has been limited by Congress from making the huge changes he actually promised, so there haven’t been as many as he would have liked, aside from healthcare. As for Romney, if you felt that bankers were allowed to have too much influence in the world before, then you can believe that this man will be sharing his deepest concerns and decisionmaking conundrums with those who have a financial interest at stake. So

for many independents, it’s been quite a difficult decision because neither man impresses them much more than the other. And the important thing to remember is that independent voters in swing states will decide the presidential election. So what to do? As a young man, raised in a liberal Democratic household, the decision was easy for me. I voted for Barack Obama. I think the Democrats should be allowed to have at least four more years in which

to clean up the unbelievable mess that George W. Bush left behind. Many commentators have openly wondered how anyone, at this stage, could be undecided. As one lifelong Democrat said to me: “Democrats and Republicans are more polarized than they’ve ever been and both parties stand for very different values. Republicans support big business and feel that people should be able to look after themselves, whereas Democrats think that the government

Conor voting in the US Election.

should help you out when you run into difficulties in life, difficulties which most people encounter at some stage.” The fact that so many voters can’t decide who to vote for at this late date brings us back to Theodore Roosevelt’s point about the vote being only as useful as the character of the voter. What’s wrong with the US voter who can’t decide between candidates as different as Obama and Romney? And is that the candidates’ fault or the voters’?

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Why are we still single? Catherine Gaffney It’s a question that revolves around our heads daily. Fellow singletons, there are reasons we are still single and things we can do to change that. Whether you want to do anything about it or not is entirely up to you. There are countless books out on “how to bag a man” or other similar titles. Look no further than here

for everything you need to know as to why you are still without a beau and what you can do to get one. Despite what we want to believe, most of us are too self-absorbed with our day-to-day lives and have no time for a relationship. Yes, it is true; we are too occupied with college, work or general routine to have someone else invading on our lives. Every woman has

the exact love life she wants regardless of what they say. We all whine on about how we would love a boyfriend but the reality is that we could have one if we really wanted one. This coincides with the fact that we are all far too picky. None of us are exactly Angelina Jolie lookalikes, so why are waiting around for Brad Pitt clones? Romantic comedies or what are better known as

“chick-flicks” have ruined every woman’s possible chance of future happiness. The love-stories of “boy meets girl” and all the different concoctions thrown in have warped the mind entirely so much so that most of us are just sitting around waiting for things to happen with little to no effort involved. This plan is never going to work. We need to come back down

Why are we still single? Photo by Denis Wettmann.

to earth and give someone normal who comes along a chance. Not to just settle for anyone, but to open our minds and leave Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant to fantasy. Facebook and other social networking sites are also a huge, and arguably the biggest culprit in the reason why are still single. Putting all of our information and pictures up for all to see leaves little to the imagination. As well as that, most social networkers tend to give a false interpretation of themselves on sites such as Facebook by posting different comments or statuses, the result of all this being that either people don’t like what they see or indeed they do but it’s not a true perception of you. A few simple altercations can prevent such catastrophes from happening. Delete controversial pictures or at least monitor what is going up of you and keep your personal information to an absolute minimum. Facebook takes away the privacy, secrecy and above all mystery of anyone, leaving very little to the imagination. If someone liked what they see on a first impression all they have to do is “look you up on Facebook” to form a definite conclusion. Do we want our persona based on a few measly lines written by us in our biography about four years ago? It’s

time to take hold of the control these sites have on our lives. It could be time to revert back to the age-old methods and rules of Jane Austen as opposed to the Fifty Shades of Grey epidemic. Austen always advocated confidence and etiquette and above all the height of ladylike attributes. Lack of self-confidence and assurance is a one-way ticket to spinsterhood. In today’s society most of us get our false sense of confidence from a few glasses of Smirnoff or God forbid the dreaded pint. Firstly swap to a glass of wine and take casual sips. We obviously still have to be good craic, but not too much craic. Our inhibitions tend to run away with us when alcohol is in the equation. We have to take the reins on our composure on a night out, leave that sense of mystery intact. The only way to do that is to cut down and cut out alcohol, it is possible to still have a great night without it. If we adhere to all of the above it is a given that we will all be in a relationship before the year is out. However, it is important to think: do you we really want a relationship? Perhaps our lives are too hectic at the moment, or deep down we’re just not that bothered at the present time. The decision is up to us.

Halloween in Prague By Darren McDonagh with Louisa Brophy Browne and Bridget Cheasty It’s been another exciting fortnight over here in sunny Prague. It has included an eventful visit from my family. My parents, my brother and even my grandmother ventured to the far side of the Iron Curtain to pay me a memorable visit. They enjoyed their time in my adopted homeland. With their highlights coming in the form of my grandmother’s many comical one-liners. These included “I wonder do many take a dive off that

tower?” or when she asked my father and I; “Are ye out here spotting’ talent?” And who could forget; “Slow down, don’t leave me behind on these back streets or else I’ll be kidnapped and sold as a sex slave.” As I said: a memorable visit. Our Halloween celebrations begin with the two-day event ‘Bloody Sexy Halloweekend’. The girls at this event felt the need to show every bit of skin possible in outfits that Irish girls wouldn’t even wear to bed. But I wasn’t complaining! Although I felt a little out of place at times dressed as a zombie (cue Cady Heron), I did get many compliments

for my efforts. After stumbling home at 5am probably in a zombielike fashion, we crawled into the dark holes that are our bedrooms and slept through daylight. But on Saturday evening we were ready for action again! Well, Louisa and I were. Poor Bridget is notorious for not being able for a second night and she remained in her dark hole. The second night was much the same; perhaps a smaller crowd and less skin but we met some interesting characters as usual. All round it was a successfully bloody sexy weekend. The last few days saw the arrival of our classmate

Darren McDonagh, Bridget Cheasty and Louisa Brophy Browne enjoying Halloween in Prague. Siobhán over from Paris, and Louisa’s sister Cara. Being the ‘Czechsperts’ that we are, we showed them the beautiful city of Prague and went out for actual

Halloween where we met some interesting characters. These included two couples – the middle aged Germans Christian and Kirsten and the Australians Nick and

Nicky (you really can’t make this stuff up). Nick and Nicky are even planning on coming to Galway for St. Patrick’s Day! A promise they’re sure to keep…

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Holocaust survivor gives eye-opening talk in NUIG By Paul Cassidy Tomi Riechentahl, a Slovak-Jewish Holocaust survivor, recently shared his courageous, heartbreaking story at a Lawsoc-organised event in NUI Galway. Tomi informed the audience of how his family was forced to flee from their rural hometown of Mera-

sice when Nazi authorities arrived there in 1944. Apart from his father, who stayed behind to take care of their farm, the clan went to Bratislava to begin a new life under assumed identities – thanks to documents forged by a kind local priest. Tomi later discovered his father had been betrayed by someone in Merasice and

put on a train bound for Auschwitz. He was among three men who jumped out of the side of the vehicle while in transit. In so doing, he escaped certain death. In the meantime, Tomi's family was preparing to leave Bratislava for a safer place when they were exposed to Hitler's Gestapo. His 76-yearold grandmother, Rozalia,

Tomi Reichental gave a lecture in NUI Galway a few weeks ago.

was grocery shopping when the secret police began to question her. She refused to co-operate and they beat her to a pulp. She was forced to give the whereabouts and identities of her family. The Gestapo later accosted Tomi, his mother and his brother Miki. They asked his brother "Are you Jewish?" repeatedly and, when he refused to answer, they attacked him. Shortly after this incident, the family was deported to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. They were initially supposed to go to Auschwitz but their train was diverted from there as the camp had become over-crowded. A number of Tomi's relatives, including aunts and uncles, were sent to Auschwitz and Buchenwald; all 35 perished. Tomi described the scenes at Bergen-Belsen. "You saw these skeletons walking. You couldn't even call them people; they were just skin and bone. We actually saw

people die in front of our eyes. There was nothing you could do," he said. Tomi's block was routinely called out for morning inspection, where they were forced to stand for two hours in temperatures which regularly went below -10* Celsius. During his speech, Tomi showed photographs documenting the camp to the crowd. In January 1945, when Auschwitz was evacuated by the Nazis ahead of the advance of the Russian army, those incarcerated there were death-marched to Bergen-Belsen. Its population multiplied from about 15,000 to more than 65,000 people. As a result, typhoid fever became rampant. "People began to die in such quantity that the bodies were not taken away," Tomi stated. His mother tried to help her sons through the ordeal: "She was encourag-

ing us, 'don’t worry. Keep strong. We will get through it'. But it was survival from day to day." When British soldiers liberated the camp on April 15 1945, he said there was "no jubilation". "We actually saw people die in front of our eyes. There was nothing you could do." In conjunction with the Holocaust Education Trust Ireland, Tomi has spoken to several schools and universities throughout the country to help inform people of the horrors of concentration camps in World War II. Holocaust Education Trust Ireland had this to say; “HETI would like to thank Tomi for his invaluable commitment to sharing his personal experiences with school and university student throughout Ireland. Hearing Tomi speak prompts us to reflect on the relevance of the Holocaust in our lives today.”

OPINION: Confessions of an NUIG Student By Evelyn Fennelly Confessions of an NUIG Student is one of several “lad culture” pages on Facebook which condone a range of degrading and, in some cases, criminal behaviours – from casual racism, to sexual assault, to defecating on property – that ought to be castigated, not celebrated. Women not being willing to have sex all the time is met with disbelief from some of the page’s contributors. The posts present a false dichotomy of female sexuality; women portrayed either as “horny bitches” or don’t want sex ever and need to be “convinced”. Some of the women are forced to submit to sex, others are punished or begrudged for not having sex with the confessor: “All i got was a HJ! Nothin else, and I was mad for it!.. So the next morning I took a massive shite and had a wank in her bathroom and scarpered!” [sic]

Portraying predatory behaviour as normal or amusing is deeply disrespectful to men who do not engage in such practices. Acting as if it is normal for men to coerce women legitimises this behaviour. These descriptions present men as animals incapable of self-restraint. This is extremely insulting to respectful men, as well as affirming the behaviour of predatory men. “Confessions” involving sexual assault and rape were posted shortly after the page was first created. At least four descriptions of rape were mailed to the page’s administrator, who made posts out of these “confessions”. Promoting descriptions of rape and sexual assault as humorous banter dehumanises sexual assault survivors; it ignores their suffering and feelings by presenting their experiences as entertainment. Upon contacting the administrator, he confirmed that none of these instances were

referred to the Gardaí. The administrator seemed unable to comprehend why making light of sexual assault is unacceptable, finding my concerns “ludicrous”. He said that he considers rape “very serious” while at the same time administrating a page that glorifies sexual assault, rape, coercion, predatory behaviour and objectification of women. If he does not hold the beliefs reflected by the page, why does he propagate them? His objective may not be to trivialise these issues, but that does not change his culpability. Making light of rape or sexual assault is never alright – and no amount of shouting “it’s just banter” will ever make it acceptable. Trivialising the experiences of survivors of sexual violence goes completely against the collegiate spirit; if we wish to truly be in solidarity with survivors, we can have no tolerance for sexual violence of any kind.

Des Bishop during his sell-out show in the O’Flaherty Theatre on Monday 5 November. In between the posts trivialising sexual assault are many which describe damage to property, defecating, and stealing. The examples of this behaviour are senseless and lacking wit: “me and the same guy got caught robbing topaz at different times of the same night.” [sic] A great many of the posts detail students def-

ecating in the homes or on the property of others: “in a bid to impress us he proceeded to pull down his pants in the toilets of karma and take 1 of d biggest shits iv seen in my life in a urinal” [sic]. The administrator’s standards are no better in these instances: “Confessions of an NUIG Student does not promote criminal behav-

ior, but sure we'll laugh at it anyways.” Together, the posts on this page promote a code that holds: ‘You are not worthy of respect. You’re worthless.’ Forcing you to have sex, slut-shaming you, or defecating in your fridge can all be justified on grounds of ‘banter’. Which is no justification at all.

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Interview with an SU Officer: Top five CV tips Claire McCallion, Equality Officer By Marése O'Sullivan

By Marése O’Sullivan We spoke to 20-year-old Equality Officer Claire McCallion, a final year student of English and Psychology, on why her role in the Students’ Union is much more diverse than people think and what changes she will implement on campus. What does your job as Equality Officer involve? I have Executive meetings every week. Dami [Adebari, the Welfare Officer] and I would work a lot together; I get a great deal of e-mails relating to Welfare issues. We then update each other with what’s happening with particular cases. We all keep in contact. My position involves sticking up for people on the Executive [Council] that maybe don’t get represented – the Arts students have a Rep., the Engineering students have a Rep., etc. – so I’m the Rep. for students concerned with Equality. Being Equality Officer involves, mostly, casework. I’ve had a lot of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community (LGBT) work this semester, which has kept me busy. I know LGBT plays a huge part in being Equality Officer but, because it gets so much awareness, I don’t want people to think that’s all I do. At the moment, I’m compiling a list of how accessible all the nightclubs and pubs in town are for people with disabilities – for example, when you go in, is there a lift? Is there a disability toilet? Are there places that disabled people can’t go? The list will then go up on the Students’ Union website. Sin reported on the Trans* Forum that took place recently in Galway. Could you tell us how you feel that went? It was a total success. The Trans* Education and Advocacy group got funding from the Equality Authority to do twelve forums around Ireland, to identify the needs of the Trans* community and their families and friends. Galway had the best turnout. There were people there […] who didn’t know why they felt the way they did or who they were or why; they came to the meeting and declared; “This is who I am.” A lot of them had felt very lonely because they didn’t know any Trans* people in Galway, but by the end everybody was swapping numbers and making friends. We all went out for a drink afterwards and it was lovely to find out what we can do on campus for them, because

Trans* students are an extreme minority and we need to consider what they need. Why did you want to be Equality Officer? I was Students’ Union Council Chairperson last year. I loved that job, but I really wanted to do Equality because I’ve been really involved with GIG Soc. There are far too many accessibility issues on campus. I’ve asked the Parking and Information Office for a list of disabled parking spaces for the last three weeks and I’m still waiting on it. The main worry was that a lot of disabled parking spaces would be taken up due to the building work. The spaces might be put somewhere else, but maybe not. Right now, we can’t inform students of exactly where to go, which is quite annoying. The Blue Line has been brought in, though, on the maps around campus. If you have a disability, that indicates the easiest way for you to [get around]. What’s the worst part of your job? Dealing with all these boys [S.U. President, Welfare Officer and Education Officer]! (Laughs.) No, I think it’s just when I worry that I’m not ticking all the Equality boxes. What’s your favourite aspect of your job? I love when I can fix a problem that someone has come to me with. You can see the stress and the worry just fade away. A first-year student came to talk to me before. She had just started college and hadn’t come out to anybody. But, because of the support that GIG Soc., the Students’ Union and I were giving her, she started slowly coming out to her family and friends. She’s so confident now and she’s got a girlfriend. When things like that happen, it makes all the hard w o r k worth it. What do you see yourself doing after you graduate? I’d love to work with a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), but I don’t know. I’d rather not make plans – just see what happens.

Want to get that job, but your Curriculum Vitae is letting you down? Have a read of Sin's Top Five CV Tips to put you on the path to employment.

1. Tailor your CV: The job description is of key importance as it ensures you understand exactly what competencies the employer is looking for and how you can fulfil those requirements. “The rule of thumb I would use would be to give most space to what's most relevant to the potential employer,” says Head of NUI Galway's Career Development Centre, John Hannon. “Leave out irrelevant information insofar as you can.” Know what sections you must include and what order you will put them in. Consider headlines such as 'Relevant Experience' and 'Other Work Experience'. 2. Give evidence: Emphasise that you have the necessary skills to do the job – and give the employer cold, hard facts that they cannot argue with. “Your CV needs to be more than a description [of your past work experience],” states Mr. Hannon. “[If you write,] 'raised sales by 20%': that's tangible evidence and they can see it. That way, it's obvious you will add value to their organisation. Suss out what they want and [give them] five targeted points.” It is also recommended to have a Skills Profile if you have the evidence to back it up.

3. Plan your layout strategically (maximum of two pages): A CV that's too long will bore the employer: make yours sharp, snappy and clear. There are two powerful places on a CV where the employer's eye will be drawn: the middle of the first page and the top of the second page; use them to your advantage. “If the particular employer really wants experience, and that's your biggest You can contact sales feature, then your expeClaire on rience could be in the middle su.equality@ of your CV's first page and nuigalway.ie or your academic [details] could give her a ring be at the top of the second on 0876235254. page,” advises Mr. Hannon.

4. Ideally, include a onepage Cover Letter: This is your chance to mention anything relevant which you haven't covered in your CV. If you don't necessarily have the experience, but you have other skills you can bring to the role, you can highlight that here. You can also make connections with your previous work experience to stress how capable you are of doing the job. For example, if you've used technology that is similar to what you would be asked to work with, say so. “Join the dots for the employer, so they can actually see that you can hit the ground running and do [the job] fairly quickly, or that you just need basic training,” says Mr. Hannon. “If you don't have exactly what they want, [show them that] you have the next best thing: a transferable skill.”

5. Presentation is important: You can get your CV assessed by the Career Development Centre before you send it off, but ensure that you double- and triple-check your spelling and grammar. Use the same font throughout and ensure the size remains consistent. Avoid personal pronouns, such as I, me, and our. For work experience, use the past tense: organised, co-ordinated, prepared. Even your phrasing can have an impact on your chances of success. If you say 'organised' as opposed to 'organising', the former is much more assertive and makes your point, without being cocky, through a powerful verb. You don't strictly have to use bullet points, but make your CV easy to read and to look at. “It takes somewhere between seven and thirty seconds to make a first impression,” reveals Mr. Hannon. “They might only look at your CV for one minute, so you're going to have to get across those key [aspects] succinctly.” The Career Development Centre offers regular talks by industry professionals on how to make the most out of your CV, as well as personal one-to-one chats with staff. You can book appointments online through Careers Connect, on nuigalway.ie/careers.

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The library: tales of mystery and imagination? By Clare Killeen I hate to sound like every college prospectus going here, but college is great. There genuinely are loads of opportunities for those lucky enough to acquire student status. And I don't just mean eating all the pizza you want, sleeping in, sleeping around, drinking the very best of cheap beer, and student discounts. Now that I face the prospect of finishing my time in university, I've realised there's a whole pile of unexpected things I'm going to miss; like the library. Wait, don't stop reading yet! Many students come to see the library as a place of drudgery, poor air-conditioning and stacks of textbooks; but there’s so much more to it. So obviously, there are textbooks. But even if you're not that keen on your course work or don't consider yourself bookish, you have other interests, right? So does the Library. Name virtually any general topic and the library will have something on it. I went for a proper browse around the library this year (in all my years

at NUIG I had never strayed too far from my home in the humanities section). Far too many of us never venture from our subject areas but remember: nothing is off limits! Okay some things are off limits, but generally... I found myself between aisles of books on Harappan Civilisation, Witchraft and a substantial section on something called the Sutton Hoo Ship Burial. Now maybe this will only appeal to the innately curious or those who are bothered by personal weakness in general knowledge, but there will be a section for you too. Last week I found myself in the film section

“

Pollack and Rembrandt alongside graphic novels like Watchmen. Yes, the library has comics. Comics matter too. Maybe you've always had a secret desire to learn about the mating habits of the Table Mountain Rock Dassie. Maybe you want to know what the Nietzsche’s deal is with God. Where did marriage come from? How does a radio work? What's that little hollow under your nose called? Why do American sitcoms say you can't wear white after Labor Day? What is Labor Day? How did young Karl Marx have such an awesome beard? All of these answers and more can be found in the

I found myself between aisles of books on Harappan Civilisation, Witchraft

”

and a substantial section on something called the Sutton Hoo Ship Burial.

and spent perhaps a little too much, and not altogether spare time reading about mise-en-scene in popular film. In the English Section you'll find anything from Daphne Du Maurier to JK Rowling. Among the visual arts you'll find Picasso,

library. Except for the beard thing – that's just a mystery. So next time you have an afternoon off and you think you'd like to enlighten yourself or find out more about Witchcraft in Northern England, pop into the library. It's free.

Explore the library. Photo by Joe Hyland.

Without music, life would be a mistake "Dear God, this cannot be happening." I was en route to Dublin to run my first marathon when it dawned on me that I had forgotten my headphones. As far as I was concerned, I might as well have come without my legs. I can't get through an ordinary day without music, let alone a day like this. I had spent the previous weekend transforming my iPod into a conveyor of extremely aggressive audio. My playlist was an eclectic mix of protest performers: anti-war campaigners, jilted lovers, people who include 'shouting loudly' among the upper echelons of a list of their pastimes – that sort of thing. It was so full of angst, any self-respecting death metaller would have high-fived me and become momentarily happy upon hearing my songs shuffle. After a slight nervous breakdown, the beard of Zeus came through and my driver discovered a spare pair of emergency ear phones in the car. In actual fact it was my sister's boyfriend but, for argument's sake, let's imagine I have a chauffeur – it makes me feel important, like I'm Dana or something. So, thankfully, the organisers didn't have to cancel the race and tell some 14,000 people to kindly feck off home as "Órla needs music to function". Twenty six miles later and my ears were still scared and feet still moving – due, in no small part, to Korn's back catalogue. There are few things in life that the majority of human beings have in common. One exception to this rule is the age-old and omnipresent art form of music: it breaks down boundaries,

frees the mind and moves body and soul like nothing else. Musical snobbery is commonplace but screw it, listen loudly and proudly to whatever the hell you like. I have no time for this 'guilty pleasure' bullshit. Unless your favourite sound is that of a puppy whimpering while you kick it – or, you know, something equally awful like Coldplay – you shouldn't feel remotely remorseful about your aural choices. Music transports a person like nothing else. When I hear Boston's More Than a Feeling, I instantaneously become a member of the Scrubs air band. For the five minutes that This Must be the Place plays, there is nothing in this world but love and dancing around lampshades. While James Brown hollers through my speakers, I am sex machine, damn it. And when I'm running and Eye of the Tiger kicks in, Sylvester Stallone ain't got nothin' on me. Music can be informative, too: The Bad Touch imparted by the Bloodhound Gang almost single-handedly provided the sexual education of countless pupils at the turn of the millennium. Music invokes emotions and triggers memories. A recent study at London's Imperial College highlighted the potential it has in aiding the rebuilding of neurological functions of stroke patients. When Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head by a lone gunman in Arizona in 2011, she was left without the ability to talk. The politician utilised music-based therapy to regain her speech. Michael De Georgia, an expert in the pioneering field of music-centred medicine, admitted that in the past many people

viewed music as superfluous: "No one understood why it developed from an evolutionary standpoint." "We are just starting to understand how powerful music can be. We don't know what the limits are," he added. Music freedom is one of the many subconscious liberties we are blessed with in the western world. Islamist militants recently banned music in northern Mali, a country famed for its diverse musical heritage. A world without music simply does not bear thinking about. A tuneless society would fail. We're married to music – it sticks in our heads, lodges itself under our skin and becomes a significant presence in our lives, either overtly or subtly. Music does not discriminate. A case in point is the relatively modern phenomenon of the silent disco. There are few sights more beautiful than that of a supposedly silent room full of people of every shape, size and style moving independently, yet in unison. Here we are different; here we are equal. As Nietzsche once put it; “Without music, life would be a mistake.” As for those of us who love it but can't make it, Kurt Cobain once said; "The choice to become a music journalist is usually after one's realisation that they are musically retarded but they've worked at Tower Records and own a lot of CD's and rock biographies." I refute this claim outright: I don't like to brag but I was hailed as 2012's 'Rising Star' at last month's inaugural Irish Musical Spoons Awards; I got fired from HMV after a twohour shift for trying to eat a box set of Man Vs Food and, as is clearly evident from this column, I am largely illiterate. Luckily, my hearing is fine.

S E G A P THE SU É Gaillimh O n in é L c a M a n s a lt a h Com ion NUI Galway Students' Un

www.su.nuigalway.ie

“The mission of the Union shall be to represent its members and promote, defend and vindicate the rights of its members at all levels of society.” — Constitution of the Students’ Union 361 Fees Poster.pdf

06/11/2012

10:08

GET A FREE GOODIE BAG & T-SHIRT ON WEDNESDAY 14TH NOVEMEBER

IF YOU COME TO THE MARCH. YES THAT’S RIGHT, ITS FREE

CMY

COME TO THE COUNTY COLOURS MARCH

WEDNESDAY 14TH NOVEMEBER

REPRESENT YOUR

COUNTY

REPRESENT YOUR

JERSEY

CMY

361 Fees Poster.pdf

06/11/2012

10:08

THINK

10:08

CONTRACEPTION

CMY

Ah here... leave it out C

CMY

MARCH WITH US WEDNESDAY 14TH NOVEMEBER

BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT

WANTS TO SCREW YOU

COME TO THE MARCH

WEDNESDAY 14TH NOVEMEBER

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ray Cathal Mur “We are e attending th st] te o fees [pr g in after hav a talk from the welfare officer.”

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Student Speak By Sean Dunne & Orla Ryan

This week Student Speak asked NUI Galway Students what they think of proposed increases to the student levy and fee protests taking place around the country.

Catriona

Kennedy Medicine “It’s ridic ulous! Making it €3000 is making it so much har der for students already strugglin g.”

John Murray “Enough is enough.”

y Gemma Trac 3rd Year nding nitely be atte “We will defi of November on the 14th m actually to protest, I’ e to sign getting peopl ’s h welfare. It petitions wit n ’s the reaso ridiculous; it ’t coming to people aren use of the college, beca e people fee Increas out.” are dropping

Kelly idea Elisa great ar 1st ye tests are a ease, the ro ard cr “The p how h . fee in e w h o t n t k but no ment don’t ay the €2500 n p r e o v t o g nce ady e r l a ssista a t it is n e ud a but The st a great ide the fund is struggle if .” re ill ven mo they w e p u es fee go

Rob Dineen trageous; ou ’s “It nment are ver Go the st gang ge big the in Ireland.”

Jason Connoll y “Yes we w ill attend, it’s a great ide a; if the fee g oes up anymo re we will h ave to leave college.”

Enya Murphy Arts “Yeah, it’s t ridiculous. A lo t of people don’ get the grant ey and how are th nd supposed to fu . es lv se them It will half the amount of people in college.”

Thomas Keane “I won’t be attending th e fee protest, too many assignments to do.”

Sean Brosnan “Well we’re an easy target but that’s what we’re doing so we have to get on with it.”

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{20} Arts & Entertainment {sin} 14–05

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New EP for NUI Galway band A Scoop for The Notions By Christopher Ryan

What started off last year as Rory Bowens playing acoustic concerts has now become a much bigger thing for Rory and his band. Rory now plays with his drummer and brother Dónal along with bass player Brian Kelly. Collectively they are are known as Bowens and the Wood.

This band started out right here in NUI Galway with students of History and English. The band’s recently released debut EP is selftitled Bowens and the Wood. It is available to download now for free. I would encourage you to download it as soon as possible because this baby is going to hit the market. You’ll be kicking yourself

that you didn’t access it for free when you had the opportunity. Their music can be described as a mixture of influences from the Smiths to Ryan Adams. Rory’s raw and distinct voice adds a personal touch to his sound and if you want to hear his raw sound, have a listen to ‘Truth Is…..’ featuring Rosa Nutty. It can all be downloaded from http:// breakingtunes.com/ bowensandthewood. Download it, not to support music or even to support a local Irish band; just do it for music that you can love, that you can listen to time and time and again. While listening to this EP, you’ll be hanging on every bass note, every guitar strum, but most importantly, every word that is sung. In Conclusion, don’t simply take my word for it; the guys have received some radio play, toured from Galway to London, and supported bands such as The Walls in gigs. For more information on the band look up their Facebook page, where the band will post their gig list – but give them a bit of a break too, they are in their final year.

By Jessica Thompson

With all the Irish talent floating around these days, it’s often hard to find a really good band to listen to. Well you need look no further than blues, roots and rock quartet, The Notions. Haven’t a notion who The Notions are? The band is from Galway and comprises Laura Thomas on guitars, mandolin, piano and vocals; Eoin O’Conghaile on bass, guitar and backing vocals; Damien Quinn on guitars, keyboards and percussion; and Aaron Matthews on drums. The Notions have recently launched their new four-track EP Scoop and Sin was lucky enough to receive a copy for review. The first song on the EP, ‘Scoop’, has a beautifully rich texture using strings and percussion. The opening riff is catchy and one that is guaranteed to be stuck in your head for hours. This riff compliments Laura’s beautiful voice perfectly. The song is very easy to listen to and provides relaxing background music for the working student.

Scullion are back, but they never went away By Clare Killeen

Scullion is a three piece folk rock band from Dublin who has been pleasing crowds since the late 70s. Sonny Condell, Philip King and Greg Boland had all been active in the Dublin music scene when they moved into a flat in Dún Laoghaire in 1979. After a record deal was agreed the same year, Irish producer PJ Curtis suggested adding a Celtic flavour in the form of pipe player Jimmy O’Brien Moran. The now four man band wasted no time in recording a debut self-titled album in 1980.

A busy touring period followed as the groups live performances proved increasingly popular. This all led to the production of three further albums and a Self-Aid performance over the following five years. The group persisted despite some lineup changes – O’Brien Moran parted company in the early eighties and Boland’s role was filled by Robbie Overson, who has been member number three for a solid 25 years now. The poetic heart of the band still rests with Condell, who is a prolific songwriter with 15

albums to his name. Throughout Scullion’s story the group have taken breaks to do their own thing – King has been involved in film and radio work including the acclaimed production Other Voices. Condell and Overson have been working on solo careers, releasing albums in 2004 and 2005. The group got back together earlier this year to record a new album in Killarney with some of the same production team behind Other Voices. This resulted in Long Wave – homage to the music medium

the lads grew up listening to; “Long Wave is a radio term. It was one of those old frequencies. We grew up with the radio; the waves and washes of music from AFN to Radio Luxembourg, and the BBC's Long Wave on Sunday afternoons.” The isolated recording location did not go to

‘Hey, Hey, Hey’, the second song on the EP is a little heavier in texture, with a more rock-like feel than ‘Scoop’. That’s not to say it’s not just as good. The song will have you tapping your foot and nodding your head, and even singing along to the catchy chorus. The third track, ‘Come Back to Me’ is a fast-paced song with a rockabilly feel at times. The bass line sticks out clear, giving the song life, and the backing vocals compliment the main voice perfectly. Finally, ‘Brandy’ starts off with just Laura’s vocals, before

the guitar joins her. This song, much like ‘Come Back to Me’ has a rock ‘n’ roll feel to it. The EP in general is very easy to listen to and serves well as background music. The Notions have plans to tour England, H o l l a n d , G e r m a n y, France and Austria from 2012 to 2013. They will be playing at the University Ball in NUI Galway tonight, Tuesday 13 November. If you’d like to purchase the EP, you can scoop it up on iTunes.

waste. The album has a natural feel to it and the influence of the immediate world outside that Killarney cabin is there. Long Wave was launched in Cork last September and is an eagerly awaited album after a 27-year break. Patient fans can look forward to watching the group perform

old favourites along with new tracks on their current tour. Scullion will be dropping in to Róisín Dubh on November 16. Two tracks off the new album are available from Scullion’s website www.scullion. com. It will surely make interesting listening after such a long break.

{sin} Arts & Entertainment {21} 14–05

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Nightlife in Galway

Do others walk among us?

By Eoin King

By Michael Joyce

By Rosemarie Reyes

opportunists willing to exploit those who are vulnerable and looking for help. The floor was then made open to the attendees and the debate that ensued surprised both speakers. People drew on science and movie references to illustrate points. Some just plain fumed at the thought of spiritualism. One economics student bravely dove down the rabbit hole of existentialism and wondered aloud; “If we can’t say they exist, how can I be sure you exist?" Deep stuff, yet before the audience assumed a mass fetal position brought on by existential crises, the guest speakers were called upon to give their closing accounts. Both took the opportunity to acknowledge their respect for the others’ beliefs and then reaffirmed their own positions. The motion may have been denied, but that’s far from conclusive evidence that others don’t walk among us.

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The AWC, based at NUI Galway’s James Hardiman Library, offers free one-onone tutorials on essay writing for all NUI Galway students. Everyone is welcome, regardless of their level of writing experience or grade average. The Centre has over 20 staff to help plus many volunteers. The Centre hosts a number of activities including Visual Exhibitions, Book of the Month recommendations, general workshops to improve writing and more features and activities. Additional information and competition updates can be found online at the Academic Writing Centre, NUI Galway’s Facebook page.

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After a successful introduction this year, The Academic Writing Centre will once again run their writing competition for 2012/2013, making it an annual event for undergraduate students. While last year’s prize was a voucher for €100, this year’s prize is significantly more appealing – students write for chance to win an Apple iPad 2. The competition helps undergrads showcase essay writing skills by encouraging them to think outside their field of study with provocative subjects. This year’s topics include: Demystifying a com-

mon perception, proposing solutions to inadequate writing skills among the general population, and exploring the impact of the Internet on the book publishing. Irina Ruppo Malone, Manager of the Academic Writing Centre said; “We want to get, them to think critically when writing, so we chose nondiscipline topics. Students of all disciplines should try to submit.” The winner’s piece will be published on the website and in the Sin Newspaper. Entries of a maximum of 500 words must be sent to irina.ruppo@ nuigalway.ie and awccompetition@gmail.com by 21 February 2013.

any more than she can fully prove them. A few interesting points were brought up, such as the fact that the HSE provides for spiritualism under certain care plans. Those present also learnt that spiritualism has tax exemption status in the United Kingdom - illustrating that while Irish society may be largely skeptical, the tides may be turning overseas. Next up was Rebecca O’ Neill, who undoubtedly had the easier point to argue and did so very well. Rebecca drew upon scientific facts to illustrate that spirits cannot be proven to exist, but she was very careful not to say that they haven’t been proven to not exist either. Her unwillingness to offend her opposing speaker was admirable and she stressed that an individual is entitled to believe whatever he or she chooses. Her one point of contention was that, as in any practice, there are

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Karma Nightclub The theme of Orientalism lies very much at the heart of Karma; upon entering, the clubber is inundated with the smell of incense assailing their nostrils. The statue

The Bentley Cafe Bar/Club Fans of the bleepy, bassy, get-on-the-dance-floor-now sound of electro-house need look no further than The Bentley (formally known as Cuba). It is clear to see why it is one of the most popular clubs in Galway. Since its reopening, the club has gone from strength to strength. The iconic Terry Benson – affectionately known as Benzo – attacks the aural senses with visceral sounds that decimate the Richter Scale. The conglomerate establishment is made up of three floors; evoking a sense of nostalgia for veteran clubbers who yearned for an alternative scene that didn’t get caught up in the net of Jedward and Gagaism. Similar to its counterpart Electric, the Bentley features comedians, bands and solo musicians. It certainly satiates the appetite of the Galway's indie/alternative crowd.

The NUI Galway Lit and Deb society hosted a special Halloween themed debate on 25 October. The topic brought before the house was 'Do others walk among us?' – asking if there are such things as ghouls and ghosts. To explore this topic two guest speakers were in attendance: Helen Healy, a former journalist turned medium, and Rebecca O’ Neill, chairperson of the Dublin Skeptics Society. Contrary to what many expected, both sides argued very calmly and professionally and successfully held their own. One could feel the audience’s collective intake of breath as Ms Healy took to the stage. They were waiting to hear the ramblings of a madwoman, but instead heard very inoffensive and articulately argued points. She said that science couldn’t completely disprove her beliefs

ard Consu

Electric Garden & Theatre Since its rebirth, Electric Garden & Theatre, as well as its sibling, Factory, has cut the proverbial umbilical cord on conventional night outs and rejuvenated the city's somewhat jaded nightlife scene. The reign of Central Park may be over but its reincarnation not so much raps at the door of conformity; rather it kicks it down with force. Resident DJs Eoin Ryan, Itchy Labels, Mitch MacDonald and David Paul-Niland play an eclectic array of music ranging from deep house, techno, hip-hop and beyond. The avant-garde club showcases live music, comedy, art and performance. John Gillen’s vision of the venue, with its air of homeliness and sterling design, is pushing the parameters of Irish nightlife. The club has already hosted

Carbon Nightclub Carbon, like its name entails, breathes life into Galway's after dark scene. The club is essentially self-serving with the crowd providing an electric milieu, with the aid of the revered DJ Byrno and the raw power of Union. Both have insatiable appetites for music; the palpable bass awakens the primitive beast in the audience and the assault they normally mount is gloriously sensorial. The cavernous depth in their music is second to none and is the cornerstone behind the immense popularity of Carbon as a place for “real clubbing”. The venue itself is like a rabbit warren of rooms, each offering their own voyeuristic servings of music catering to all clubbers. It is also the spot for the young romantic hoping to achieve the elusive “shift” after a hard day’s work pontificating about life in Smokey’s.

of Buddha can often appear four dimensional in the eyes of the inebriated student but this view is quickly replaced by aspiring Michael Flatleys on each of the venue's spacious three floors. The club's ever-popular 'Keeping it County Wednesday' nights are not just reserved for members of the agrarian society so do pop in if you're feeling a bit country.

One of the first questions students ask when starting college is; "Where is the best spot to go for nights out?" Naturally, different people tell you different things depending on their own experiences and tastes. As an NUI Galway student and born-and-bred Galwegian, I have spent many a night out and about in the city so here's the skinny on some of its best-known clubs:

international acts such as A-Trak, Grandmaster Flash and Kissy Sell Out. For something different, Electric is certainly worth a visit for those aged 20 and over.

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{22} Arts & Entertainment {sin} 14–05

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Sean-Nós singing in the Galway prepares for Cube of Emotion Adventure Film Festival By Barbara Maria Patrizi The Arts in Action Lunchtime Series is now halfway through its shows for this semester. The series of concerts are designed to bring students closer to different musical genres and enjoy creative art. Over the past number of weeks, audiences have been introduced to a variety of performers. The latest to showcase their talent were sean-nòs singers Lillis O’Laoire, Áine Ní Dhrioghnáin and Màire Nì Mhaoilchiaràin, who performed November 1 in the Cube. The term sean-nòs can be translated as “old style” or “in the old way” and is used to refer to a cappella style of singing. This traditional genre can be divided into three main styles, which correspond roughly to areas where the Irish language is still studied and spoken such as, Donegal (where this singing has a straightfor-

ward and less ornamented approach), Connacht and Munster (where it can be much more ornate and sinuous). Various subcategories are also present, featuring not only slow ballads, but also songs recalling dance tunes. This type of singing is also characterized by free rhythm and a lack of dynamic form, although the main feature of it is the interpreter’s skill in adding ornamentations and embellishments. Unfortunately, it is sometimes regarded as cold and alien because of the way it is sung with the performer standing still, face tilted upwards and eyes often closed with no crescendo or climax. However, as a result of this stance and lack of movement, the singer can get in touch with the meaning and emotion of the song. A splendid taste of seannòs singing was witnessed in The Cube. The event, featuring Máire Nì Mhaoilchiaràin

and Áine Ní Dhrioghnáin was introduced by Dr. Lillis O’Laoire, Head of the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, who also performed a few songs. Each tune was introduced separately, giving the audience time to digest a short explanation of the story of the song. Most of the songs were sad in tone, nostalgic, with themes such as lost love, voyage and parting. Although the lyrics were mostly lost on the non-Irish part of the audience, the music alone was enough to transport me to a different world. Thanks to the brief foreword and subsequent idea of the song, the listener could simply use the achingly beautiful tunes to fly over green hills and meadows and see the forgotten maiden, be with the unfortunate lovers and suffer with the victims of the famine. Words were not necessary because the emotion attached to the songs transcend lyrics.

Tulca festival to cast an eye on us By Joyce Fahy Tulca is a visual art festival coming to Galway from November 9 - 23. The title of this year’s project is: “What became of the people we used to be?” The theme is an exploration of natural landscapes, both in the psychological sense and physical geography. It seeks to portray, not only the landscape that surrounds us, but how it continuously changes and how people react to geographical transformation. The artists concentrate on progression and regression, and a desire to revert back to the idealist, elementary relationship with nature. While there is a sense of looking back that resonates in various artists’ work, they also seem to be concerned with forming a critical position in the present. Tulca will present a variety of local, national and international contemporary artists in multiple

venues around Galway city and county. The 2012 festival brings together 41 artists over 10 locations with work ranging from photography, performance, installations, painting and video art. While many of the works are on display around the city, many can be viewed on campus: The University Art Gallery in The Quadrangle, Aula Maxima and The View in Áras na Mac Léinn. Works by Paul Hallahan and Jenny Keane can be viewed in the NUI Gallery. Paul Hallahan’s video display Extinct Like Us is an exploration of the global concern about the extinction of species. The Giant Panda has become the species we primarily recognize as an image for the conservation of wildlife, so three giant pandas are used throughout the video. His work is largely based through the medium of video and involves looking at the

relationship between man and his surroundings. Jenny Keane’s Galatea is a double channel video installation. Her work investigates the dichotomy between fear and desire, its relationship to language and connection to the female body. Her practice focuses on concepts of abjection alongside the idea of compulsive repetition. David Hepher is an urban landscape painter and photographer. He’ll be giving a talk on Saturday 10 November at 3:00pm in Aula Maxima. He describes his work as “an interaction between the rough cast concrete […] and the stories that can be told by the 'found' graffiti and scribbles on the walls”. More art is available at Bar 8, Galway Arts Centre, Niland Gallery, Nun’s island Theatre, and Tulca Festival Gallery, Fairgreen House, Fairgreen Road (near the Radisson hotel). For further information visit www.tulca.ie.

By Martin O’Donoghue Galway has seen numerous festivals over the years, but this November sees the city witness its first adventure film festival as the Radisson Blu Hotel will play host to the What If, Why Not? Adventure Film Festival on November 23 and 24. This festival will feature a number of award-winning adventure sports films and environmental films such as the acclaimed seakayaking picture Solo, A Life Ascending, telling the story of life amid the avalancheprone Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, and Dream Result, a jaw dropping kayaking film filled with world record-breaking descents. The Festival will also present Risteard Ó Domhnaill’s The Pipe, telling the story of the Corrib Gas Field controversy at Rossport, Co. Mayo. This screening follows an eagerly anticipated talk by Risteard.

There will be a workshop on how to shoot an adventure film and talks will also be given by some extraordinary Irishmen. Mike Jones will tell of how he kayaked solo around Ireland and his participation in a team of six who rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, while Sean McGowan will talk about going one better and row-

ing cross the Atlantic solo. Irish surfing legend John McCarthy will be dropping by along with Feargus Callagy who will explain the concept of freediving, while caver Stephen ‘Jock’ Read will tell the audience what it’s like to spend Christmas in Papua New Guinea among snakes, spiders and a threat of cannibalism. As part of the event this year, Kelly’s Bar, the Bierhaus and the Cellar Bar will showcase some of Ireland’s best young musical acts. Already confirmed are the exciting electronica of Benny Smiles, singer-songwriter Nicholas Timothy and Red Bull Bedroom Jam finalists In the Willows. Ticketing details can be found on the festival website at www. whatifwhynot.com. Adventure sports club in NUIG can also avail of a 10% discount by entering the promotional code ‘club’ when purchasing tickets online.

{sin} Arts & Entertainment {23} 14–05

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Up the Republic By James Falconer We live in a state called the Republic of Ireland. What does this mean? In a republic, you cannot be treated as a slave or be dominated. Moreover, the citizens are always ready to contest what government does. Fintan O’Toole's latest publication, Up the Republic, questions whether or not we truly live in one. According to O’Toole, “Ireland is not a republic and it never has been.” However, the book is not pessimistic in its analysis. It acknowledges that the momentum for change has to come from somewhere other than our politicians. The reality of Ireland's status as a republic is addressed by seven of Ireland's leading scholars; the contributors range from lecturers, poets, editors and professors. The fundamental issues addressed in this book are as follows: Do Irish people really know what a republic is? Is there a tradition of republican ideas that can be useful to the task of rebuilding Ireland's shattered democracy? How can the political system be re-imagined? As the superrich flee for safe havens and racist parties win votes, can Europe find a path between plutocracy on the one side and populism on the other? Would a new republic require a new kind of public language? The first fifty pages of the book are written by O'Toole. Following this there are contributions from Elaine Byrne, Dearbhail MacDonald, Professor Fred Powell, Theo Dorgan, Dr Iseult Honohan

and Professor Philip Pettit - all of whom suggest provocative answers to these critical questions. The book also examines what the education system should be teaching citizens of a real republic. Mr Dorgan, one of Ireland's leading poets, examines the role of the courts and asks if they are defenders of the people's rights or part of the problem. He maintains that; “The Republic as a sovereign entity is over; the idea that the Republic is a logical proposition about equity and justice between all of us, has long been driven out as naive and unsophisticated by the state class.” He describes how people’s alienation from government severely weakens the contract, as does the often-ineffective connection between justice and law. His discussion of the overly complex language of law highlights this. The reserved language of the law needs interpreters and the division between state and its language on one side and the people on the other can be injurious. Dorgan's request is simply to find a “dialogue between state and people in a living language.” His concluding statement is quite monumental; “Lawyer and politician, poet and citizen, we face a common task. To build a right republic we must find the right words.” Galway native Professor Pettit is an expert on the tradition of Republicanism, which he traces back to Ancient Rome. One of the main reasons the Roman

The Juggler who grabs balls Republic existed for almost 500 years was because the people (plebs) invigilated the government and agitated if they suspected corruption. Its citizens were a turbulent people, ready to contest and oppose government. A mixed constitution safeguarded the reins of power from being gathered into the hands of any one man, body or corporate entity. Professor of Social Policy at UCC Fred Powell believes that a world of surveillance and "little people" both illuminate the current world's dominance by unaccountable systems of power. He analyses the political language of truth and power and considers the benefits of a strong democracy. He also sets out ten principles for citizenship in a new ideal Republic. Throughout the book it is argued that the system itself will not fix the problem that it caused. As Einstein said; "The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting different results." The book's essays demonstrate how simple measures and different economic and social policies could release the right energy and fulfill the promise of an educated, literate and culturally vibrant people. Up the Republic comes at a pivotal time in Ireland’s history; the right answers only come on the tail of the right questions. Fintan O’Toole will be in Galway on December 2 to take part in the Four Angry Men debate along with Nick Webb, David McWilliams and Shane Ross. Tickets to the event can be purchased from the Town Hall Theatre box office.

By James Falconer Playwright, Bernard Field was born in Dublin and started acting in 1980’s. Having spent a period of time in London, he set up Haw Theatre in 2007 after relocating to Galway. Field is best known for his plays Zeitgeist (premiered in the Town Hall Theatre this February) The Early Hours and Last Train from Holyhead, which starred the late Mick Lally. Field’s latest work is entitled The Juggler. It is the debut production of StripBack Theatre – the natural evolutionary heir to Haw Theatre. StripBack is a collaboration of experienced professionals, who present original, raw, uncompromising shows, which cast aside unnecessary frills, trappings and elaborate sets. Their inaugural production will

demonstrate their intentions in unambiguous fashion. The Juggler will grab its audience where it hurts and refuse to let go. This new play from Field explores in greater depth the complexities of the human condition through a tale of suicide, ignorance and betrayal. There’s some bad stuff in there too; the central character, Ann, a woman of extraordinary freedom and power, will open a door that most of us would not enjoy entering. When an elderly man is kidnapped on the street by a woman who is determined to take her own life, the plot certainly thickens. Holding the man hostage in his own flat and enslaving him to her granite will, she enacts her meticulously formulated plan to terminate her life swinging from the end of a rope. Bidding adieu to all

life's expressions she weaves her crazy, chaotic dance of death. Ensconced in this apparently private world she allows a mysterious and sinister voyeur to assist in the filming for posterity of her mortal exit. But all is not as it appears, even in this hyper controlled environment and The Juggler discovers that keeping the balls in motion and in perfect balance, is still not enough. The Juggler is co-directed by Suzanne Harbison and Siobhan O'Gorman and has been described by critics as “A no holds barred, outlandish, shocking, terrifyingly tragic show interlaced with twisted comic relief.” The play will run in the Town Hall Theatre, Galway from November 26 to December 1. Tickets are €10 for students and are available at the Box Office on 091569777 or www.tht.ie.

Clocks: the timeless new album from Julie Feeney By Kathy Dillon A native of Galway, Julie Feeney is set to release her third album entitled Clocks on the 16 November. Her refreshing and authentic melodies give her music a spiritual-like quality. Feeney seeks to capture her audiences with intelligent lyrics and unusual instrumental ensembles. While her albums individually stand alone, they document the natural progression she has made as an artist. She has created her own musical identity and successfully carved her own musical genre. ‘Clocks’, as Feeney claims herself, is a “much more vibey and assured” than her previous albums. The journey to her current critical acclaim did not happen overnight and staying true to her individual originality, Feeney was determined to make it as an artist on her own terms – a trait which seems to be increasingly diminishing in the modern music industry.

Her debut album 13 Songs had an old school beginning; “I finished making the record, and then I put the CD into envelopes and posted them off to people.” The record won her the inaugural Choice Music Prize, in 2006. The lowercase follow up album pages saw Feeney playing sell out performances in America. The record, branded as orchestrated pop, established Feeney’s name within the Irish music scene. The album has been hailed by the New York Times as, “charming, urbane and dreamy […] theatrical on the shell and intricate at the core.” Clocks sees her approach

stereotypical music themes such as love, death, regret, with a natural style. This all culminates in an obvious sincerity to her music and strikes a chord with her listeners. It’s not surprising to learn that the songs on the album were written when Feeney was immersed by the Irish countryside, splitting her time between Ballinahinch Castle and Lough Inagh Cottages in Connemara. Similarly, the album was recorded in the Kylemore Abbey Gothic Church, in keeping with Feeney’s musical characteristics. Feeney’s music has evolved naturally from her first album, but her goal remains the same. Through her music she aims to “comfort people, to give them something”. With heartfelt lyrics, sweet melodies and original instrumental compilations, Feeney’s Clocks does just that. Feeney’s performance at the Druid Theatre on November 19 cannot be missed.

{24} Arts & Entertainment {sin} 14–05

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50 Shades of Bogger This prevalent trend has found us in many the sticky situation along the way but has also created our most exciting adven-

in Teapot which he foolishly recalled to me over breakfast. “You know you had me convinced to do some-

“

I rambled on about how I wanted

a multi-coloured teapot with sparks

”

flying out of it while Teapot himself stayed uncharacteristically quiet.

By Martina Gannon 50shadesofbogger. wordpress.com Continued from issue 4… If you have been following this story from the beginning, you may have noticed a strong pattern emerging. That would be the do-now-think-later pattern. 355 SU Enterprise Awards 2012 Poster.pdf

15/10/2012

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tures yet. We awoke the morning after our fight reminiscing on our fresh antics from the night before. We queried whether some of it had actually happened… Did we really have a blazing fight over a bag of chips? Yes we did. The most interesting remnant from the night before however was a conviction that I had ignited

thing else last night.” Oh god how drunk was I? I wondered putting down my spoonful of Muesli fearfully. “Oh yeah?” I swallowed, “what was that?” “You had me convinced to get a tattoo,” he raised his eyes to catch mine casually enough but his something behind his eyes changed when he caught my expression.

BRING YOUR

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I grinned devilishly, biting my lip and decided to test him. “Would you?” I teased. He had always warned me never to dare him. “Martina you know me now,” he spoke with all the seriousness of a man about to permanently mark his body, “I never say I’ll do something if I don’t mean it.” I gazed at him patiently, expectantly. He nodded his assertion “I will.” He didn’t say anything more he just listened patiently while I rambled on about all the possible variations of tattoos that we could get. Did I want mine in colour or with shading? Where would we go to get it? How much? Where on our bodies would we get it? He genuinely thought that I was joking with my idea for a tattoo. It had been on a mind for quite a while now and at this point I was just itching to get it printed upon my

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...Do Chomhaltas, Do Sheirbhísí ...Do Chomhaltas, Do Sheirbhísí

...Do Chomhaltas, Do Sheirbhísí

my tattoo but he knew that there was no way of ever telling me what to do so he resigned himself to it. On the way there I had interrogated him about what tattoo he would get and he stayed suspiciously quiet until we were nearly at the tattoo studio. “Sure I’ll get your name won’t I?” he affirmed as if it was the most obvious tattoo to get. Huh?! I was speechless; torn between being flattered and branding him an idiot. I thought he would have gotten a car or a herd of cattle or something. I recovered enough to joke; “Well only if you get my full name: Martina, Ann, Monica Gannon?” He shrugged and that’s when I realised he was serious. After a bit of frantic dissuading we settled on a compromise. He got a giant M on his leg for me and I got a shady teapot. To be continued in issue 6…

NUI Galway’s DramSoc to celebrate 100 years By Sinead Jordan

skin forever. A teapot is what I was going to get. I have a terrible memory, so much has happened over the last year or two that I think my memory may have wiped itself out to protect me. Anyway I have a few tattoos already reminding me of several very important people and philosophies and, believe it or not, a teapot symbolised a significant philosophy for me. It’s my reminder to be silly and not to get sucked into the uglier, empty side to life and to instead revel in the everyday joys. We strolled into the first tattoo studio we found in Limerick. Bullman’s it was called and explained what tattoos we wanted to a room full of stunned tattoo artists. I rambled on about how I wanted a multi-coloured teapot with sparks flying out of it while Teapot himself stayed uncharacteristically quiet. I could tell he was totally against

This year, NUI Galway's resident drama society is proud to celebrate one hundred years of theatre-making, on and off campus, to audiences comprising both students and the wider community. "It was in 1912 that NUIG students first performed and produced theatre under the Dramsoc banner. One hundred years later, Dramsoc is still going from strength to strength with over one thousand members and eight productions in the first semester alone,” remarked Áine Cahalan, Auditor of the Dramsoc. Dramsoc has contributed significantly to theatre both in NUI Galway and the city itself. It was a key part of this summer's NUI Galway Festivals programme in

partnership with the inaugural Galway Fringe Festival – in which many of its members performed to great reception. Most recently, members took part in the Galway Theatre Festival’s 24-hour theatre and will be performing Brian Friel's Philadelphia, Here I Come in November in the Druid Theatre on Druid Lane. Dramsoc has led to the formation of many theatre companies such as Mephisto and Fregoli and its members have been recognised at both a national and international level – most notably, Druid’s recent worldwide success with their ‘Druid Murphy’ tour. To mark the occasion, this year's committee have organised a centenary ball, to take place on 17 November in the Galway Bay Hotel. All are

welcome on the night and to celebrate the continuing successes of Dramsoc members, it is our hope that both old and new members will join us to honour the past century of the society. ‘NUIG Dramsoc Centenary Ball’ will begin at 7pm with a wine reception and music from NUI Galway Orchestra Socety. Music on the night will be provided by ‘Converse All Stars’. Tickets for ‘NUIG Dramsoc Centenary Ball’ are €45 for students and €50 for alumni. They are available from the Socs Box in Aras na Mac Leinn or should you wish to purchase online tickets, please contact 100thnuigdramsoc@gmail.com. Don't miss your chance to join us in celebrating what has been a truly wonderful century of theatre in Galway.

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Review: Paranormal Activity By Jane Kearns Since 2009 Paranormal Activity has been attracting audiences of millions with its slow-paced, found footage style of horror. Shot on a shoestring budget, the franchise has quickly become one of the most successful of its kind in recent decades and has received massive financial and critical acclaim. The first movie was a massive hit and received an unprecedented amount of publicity and legions of fans; this spawned 3 sequels all of which follow the same formula of a family plagued by a strange presence in their home, all shot on a home camera. The fourth instalment was released just in time for Halloween, and just like the

others it followed the Paranormal blueprint that keeps the viewer guessing, and more often than not leaves them confused and unsatisfied. The plot is almost the exact same as the others but this time we are treated to a considerably bigger cast and plenty of new faces; the focus of this film is teenager Alex and her is he/isn’t he boyfriend Ben who after a few nights of watching Alex sleep via Skype (which is never addressed as unusual) sees some strange movements and her younger neighbour Robbie creeping into her room in the dead of night. From here things get weird; Robbie’s mother, who is actually Katie from the previous three films, goes to hospital leaving him to Alex and her family for a

few days, Robbie befriends her younger brother Wyatt and the pair embark on some strange adventures around the house. Meanwhile Alex and Ben are convinced that Robbie has brought something sinister into their home and are determined to find out what, the typical Paranormal story quickly unfolds, with its usual twists and a few jump scenes thrown in for good measure. Newer new technologies such as webcams and the Xbox brought a slightly more eerie vibe to film via the use of motion sensors which captured the movements of those we could see and more importantly those we couldn’t see, this moves the story along quite well for a while as it gives the viewer

a chance to see what some of the characters see. But as expected the plot quickly gets confused and new twists are constantly being added, leaving the audience with more questions than answers. By the

end Alex and her family’s lives have descended into chaos, leaving it to Katie to take centre stage again and give the film its climactic ending, which of course has been left open for yet another sequel.

Paranormal Activity 4 is exactly what one would expect it to be; if you’re a fan it’s well worth the watch as it adds more layers to Katie’s story, if not don’t bother, it’ll either bore you or annoy you.

Tongue tying terrific title, and the film’s good too! By Gerard Madden Martha Marcy May arlene is a title that’ll M have your tongue falling over itself. However, its slow and hypnotic atmosphere created courtesy of beautiful widescreen photography and long takes place it, alongside the likes of ‘Meek’s Cuttoff’ as one of the best American,

and international, films of recent times. The movie tells the story of a damaged young woman (Elizabeth Olsen, younger sister to Mary-Kate and Ashley) who is reunited with her family after joining an abusive and remote cult, but struggles to readapt to normal society amid her increasing paranoia. Known as Martha to her

family, she’s quickly christened ‘Marcy May’ by the cult’s leader after coming into his domain – hence the film’s tricky title. The film is written and directed by Sean Durkin. It’s hard to believe it’s his first feature film in either role, and it’ll be worth keeping an eye out for what he does next. The editing really makes the film; past and present

intersect wonderfully though excellently conceived jump cuts, which convey to us the increasingly unstable nature of the main protagonist. A suitably disturbing psychological thriller, it succeeds brilliantly in instilling a constant sense of foreboding into its audience. The picture is accompanied by an excellent

soundtrack, which unsettles the viewer while remaining understated. Olsen succeeds in commanding our attention in a challenging performance where she successfully conveys much to us, without having to speak. Looking not too dissimilar to a younger Maggie Gyllenhaal, her relative obscurity is also an asset to her per-

formance; a well-known actor may have been less effective playing the same part. She will certainly be an actress to look out for in the years ahead, especially if this film is anything to go by. Fresh out of a similar role in ‘Winter’s Bone’, John Hawkes is inimitable in exuding extreme unpredictability and menace without having to exert himself in the slightest. Seeking flaws in the film is being a touch fastidious, but the reactions of Marcy’s sister and husband sometimes ring false – their reactions towards someone descending into mental illness comes across as somewhat unrealistic. Still, they have an essential place in the film’s narrative – their wholly materialistic lifestyle is as false and hypocritical as the exploitative nature of the cult, and both environments drive Marcy to insanity. This is undoubtedly among the films of the year, and it’ll be fascinating to see what many of the new faces that star in the film, do next. Martha Marcy May Marlene will be shown by FilmSoc on Tuesday, November 20 in the D’Arcy Thompson Theatre at 8pm. If you are inviting a friend, best to simply ask: “do you want to go and see a good film?”

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5 rules for the ultimate kickass lifestyle Rule #30: Eliminate the crabs (not those ones, cheeky). Rule #6: Do something for someone without expecting anything in return. Rule #15: Buy your mum flowers (go do that now). As you can see even following those alone would make you a badass right? So here’s an exclusive extended version just for you – how cool am I? Way cool – that's how.

5 rules for living a kickass, energy-filled, balanced sociallife-friendly lifestyle:

By John Mulry Expectsuccessfitness.com We’re moving away from diet myths this week to focus on how you can live your life while being the biggest, baddest, coolest version of yourself. This is an extension of my “52 Ways to be A Badass Mofo” article on my website. Some of the highlights from that article are: Rule #21: Listen to your dog. Rule #20: Be like batman.

Rule #1: Work out but don't cheat yourself. It doesn't have to be in a gym, you can do a perfectly great workout at home or amongst the ducks (and coots) down by the water. Exercise makes you feel awesome and makes you look pretty good too. Don't cheat yourself though – when you're working out, bring you’re A-game – focus, intensity and effort all 100% then... Rule #2: Refuel your body properly. You wouldn't put diesel in a petrol car would you? Then why do we put inefficient crap into our bodies when we know we should be fuelling ourselves with the right

types of food. Focus on these foods 80% of the time and you'll be looking and feeling like batman (rule #20). Lean meats, eggs, veggies (every colour imaginable), poultry, complex carbs, nuts, oils, etc. When your diet is (mostly) made up of these whole, single-ingredient foods you'll be doing yourself a major favour. Don't be ‘fuelish’ when it comes to food. Rule #3: DO cheat on your diet. Following on from the 80% rule – do go mad every now and again – strategically cheating on your diet is pretty cool. Restricting your favourite foods doesn't make sense – you'll resent your healthy lifestyle and begin to despise me for telling you that this food or that food is off limits. No foods are off limits when you strategically cheat on your diet. Enjoying some pizza, ice cream, brownies or my personal favourite, waffles from Mr. Waffle, occasionally will not only keep you sane but they actually have a profound physiological effect on our bodies and can actually help keep you looking lean and lovely – the last thing you want is to waste a-weigh right? (Pun most definitely intended). Rule #4: Catch those zzzz. Burning the candle at both ends? How's that going for you? Energy levels shot to

hell? Thought so. Sleep and recovery are as important, if not more important, than the actual exercising part of being cool. All our hard work and efforts in the gym are wasted if you don't follow rule #2 and rule #4. Our bodies grow, recover and get stronger while at rest. Make sure to get those 7-8 hours a night. Having trouble sleeping? Try taking some magnesium about an hour before you hit the hay. Rule #5: Challenge your body – run sprints. Our body craves challenges and loves the thrill and excitement that comes with it. When it comes to challenges for our bodies, there's none better than sprints (especially hill/stairs sprints). Sure you could just hop on the 'road to nowhere' jogging machines that crowd commercial gyms and health clubs but do you want to be like the masses or do you want to be a kickass superhero like Batman? Not that I'm totally against treadmills – I occasionally use them for walking planks... So there you have it, five rules that leave you looking and feeling great with the added bonus of having the ability to stop traffic and give onlookers whiplash as you walk by. If you want to read the full 52 ways to be a badass article just Google it – I'm the badass in no.1 spot.

Old wives’ tales: how true are they? By Kiri Renssen Don’t walk under a ladder. If your nose is itchy, someone’s talking about you. Throw salt over your left shoulder, not your right one. Many of us grew up with phrases such as “feed a cold and starve a fever” and “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Is it all hocus pocus or is there actually something

behind all of these old wives’ tales, particularly those that relate to health? Eyes: the window to the soul. No wonder, then, that several old wives’ tales deal with them specifically. Neither reading in dim light nor sitting close to the T.V. will damage your eyes. It can, however, cause eye strain resulting in headaches and may worsen existing eye conditions.

Dr Susan Blakeney, an optometric advisor to the College of Optometrists in the UK recommends watching TV with the lights on to avoid these symptoms. Masturbation does not, in fact, make you go blind. According to the College of Optometrists, the only link between them is that semen contains a generous amount of zinc and zinc deficiency is associ-

Watching TV with the light on can reduce strain on the eyes.

ated with decreased visual acuity. However it is practically impossible to give yourself a zinc deficiency solely this way. In short boys, buffing the banana won’t make you blind any time soon. Rumour had it in primary school that if you swallowed your gum it would stay lodged in your gut for 7 years. I remember thinking that “Wrigley’s” was an apt brand name for something that would be worming its way through your intestines for that long. It is, of course, completely untrue. Chewing gum is indigestible and so swallowing it isn’t a swell idea but once it’s in your stomach it loses its stickiness and it passes through in the very same manner as food. While it might get you a few dirty looks, cracking your knuckles will not give you arthritis according to the John Hopkins Arthritis Centre. However, they mention several reports that link ligament injury and tendon dislocation of the joint with frequently

cracking your knuckles. Habitual knuckle-crackers should know that one report found that, after many years, they are more likely to have reduced grip strength than non-crackers. “Munching bread while chopping onions will stop you from crying”. This has some merit to it. The reason you well up like you did during Marley and Me is because of a thing called propanthial-S-oxide which is found in onions. This compound irritates your eyes and thereby stimulates your tear ducts. There is a caveat though – you have to keep some bread hanging from your mouth to ‘catch’ the compound as you’re cutting before it gets to your eyes. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy you could always try wearing goggles. Basically, when onions are involved, you’re going to look silly no matter what you do. The phrase “feed a cold and starve a fever” is thought to be a remnant of medieval medical practices involving the restoration

of the four humours (black bile, yellow bile, phlegm and blood) to their balanced state. Fever was interpreted as an imbalance in the blood humour and an excessive increase in metabolism. Thus, patients fasted in order to dampen down their “increased metabolism”. The reverse applied to the phlegm humour linked to colds. Now that ye olde days of the middle ages are gone how do we modern folk best approach treating a cold or fever? When you’re ill, your body needs enough nutrients and calories from a balanced diet to tackle infection. There does not appear to be any advantage to either fasting or stuffing yourself. Instead, eat properly and keep hydrated. Having learned all of this, hopefully we’ll all put more faith in tried and tested science and not revert to believing and practising such whimsical notions, particularly those that deal with something as important as our health. Touch wood…

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NUI Galway Ultimate Frisbee club to host indoor intervarsities By Eoghan Staunton On 17 and 18 November, NUI Galway Ultimate Frisbee Club will host Indoor Intervaristies for the first time in the club's history. Tournament director Liam Grant has been hard at work to ensure these will be the best Indoor Intervarsities the country has ever seen. A record twenty four teams from all over Ireland have entered and the tournament is to be held over two days for the very first time. Sponsorship by GAIA Ultimate, an ultimate Frisbee apparel company has also been secured. Indoor ultimate Frisbee is a very fast-paced version of the sport. 5-a-side teams play intense 30 minute games on basketball sized courts. This year's tournament

will be held in the University Sports Complex. NUI Galway have entered three teams and will be looking to improve on last year's 5th place. The club has gone from strength to strength in recent years, recruiting more and more players and attending more and more tournaments at home andabroad. The club has performed very strongly in tournaments so far this year. The first team finished six places above seeding as the third placed university team in last month's Cork Open. The ladies team lost only to eventual winners UCC at ladies intervarsities two weeks ago. Individual players have also had great success. Niall MacDermott was selected

for the Irish U23 mixed team who will compete at the World Championships in Toronto next summer after a dominant performance at trials. Two other players are awaiting the announcement of the Irish U23 open team after trials in Limerick this weekend. New players are always welcome; just turn up at

one of the sessions and get started. The club trains outdoors on Monday and Wednesday at 4pm on Fisheries field and indoors on Thursday from 5pm to 7pm in the University Sports Complex. Anyone looking for more information should check www.facebook.com/ galwayultimate.

Niall MacDermott (number 20) jumps to catch the Frisbee during an Ultimate Frisbee game.

NUIG Mountaineering Club visits Dingle By Jenny Cunningham The NUIG Mountaineering Club was established in 1970, making it one of the oldest mountaineering clubs in Ireland. Our club is one of the most popular in NUI Galway and membership is open to everyone working or studying in NUI Galway; undergraduates, postgraduates, staff and alumni. The club simply

inspires both climbers and hikers to enjoy the rocks and mountains, while the more experienced members help newer members to savor new heights, every pun intended. The club is also responsible for organizing the annual Maamturks Challenge in April, the toughest challenge walk in Ireland with an ascent of 2336m, equivalent to

two Carrantuohills. Club members volunteer, manning checkpoints en-route with support from Galway Mountain Rescue, Galway Radio and locals, allowing 200 members of the public to participate. Recently, we headed to the Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry. Cited as 'the most beautiful place on earth' by National Geographic, the peninsula is dominated

NUI Galway’s mountaineering club took a trip to Dingle Peninsula in Co. Kerry.

by the range of mountains that form its spine, running from the Slieve Mish range to Mount Brandon, Ireland's second highest peak. The club successfully climbed to the summit of Mount Brandon (951m) on Saturday, in idyllic weather conditions. Climbers enjoyed a great day of outdoor climbing, savoring the spectacular views and weather. On Sunday, two groups hiked in the Slieve Mish Range. These hikes proved to be a little trickier due to the white-out conditions, but they provided a great navigation learning opportunity. The weather in Ireland is rarely perfect and as my Dad used to say, “If you can see Slieve Mish it’s going to rain, if you can’t see Slieve Mish, it’s raining!” The highlight of the weekend was the Halloween Fancy Dress party. Prizes were awarded as follows: • Best Face Make Up – Nicte-Ha Kantún Cruz - Rolling Stones Lips • Best Entrance – Oisin O’Higgins – The Jägerbomber • Best Costume – Máire Cosgrove and Nigel

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NUI Galway volley ball team expanding rapidly Bu Francis Gallagher Over the past two years the Volleyball club has expanded rapidly, from having no team in the 2009/10 college year to producing both men’s and women’s team competing in numerous competitions. The men’s team have reached the semi-final stages in the past two inter-varsities, and the women’s team reached the semi-finals last year. NUI Galway also hosted the volleyball inter-varsities in November 2011, an achievement that would have not been thought possible in the years prior to this. As well as this, the teams have competed in both single-sex and mixed tournaments abroad over the last two years. The club has competed in many different domestic competitions such as the National Cup Finals, where the men’s team have been successful in both the junior and intermediate cup finals. This year has seen the introduction of the ‘NUIG Alliance’ which is a mixture of NUIG and GMIT students and staff, Loughrea Second-

ary schools and other people from the Galway area. Currently the men’s team are participating in the National Premier League, the highest level of volleyball in Ireland. The women’s team are not far off and are currently competing in Division One of the National League. It has been a very successful start to the season for the women’s team, who are undefeated in their opening four games. The male team had a slow start to the season after losing by narrow margins against strong opposition, Aerlingus and UCD. By the third game they finally found their rhythm and had a strong win against DVC. With the season just begun, hopefully both teams can maintain their current form and position well in their debut season of the Irish National League. For people that are interested in joining the club, training is held Wednesdays from 1pm-2pm for beginners, and Tuesdays 8pm-10pm and Fridays 6pm-10pm for advanced players.

NUI Galway Volleyball team competing in a mixed blitz in UCD. Burke – Jasmine and Aladdin • Best Performance – James O’Connell – Ronald McDonald • Best Headpiece – Sebastian Landwehr (The Forest) and Ezster Kobory (deadmau5) • Best Overall – Peter Tiernan – Sister Peter Like our page on Facebook to see fantastic photos of our trip. Check out www.nuigmc. com for further details. What better way to spend a Sunday than hiking on the hills of Connemara with

great company, topped off with a well-deserved toasted special and beverage in front of an open fire in Joe Keane’s bar in Maam? If climbing is more your cup of tea, you can book a training session online and join us at the Climbing Wall in the Kingfisher on Tuesday or Thursday at 7pm. A final question, how does one know one has done too much climbing? You go to lectures and scout out routes to the ceiling and you begin buying your shoes two sizes too small out of habit.

Clubs Bookings in Kingfisher

Sun Sat

Friday

Thursday

Wednesday

Tuesday

Monday

CLUB

Aikido Karate Badminton Archery Club Futsal Soccer Taekwondo & Judo Swim Club Karate Club Archery Fencing Club Ladies Basketball - Varsities Karate Club Aikido Club Maui Thai Cricket Club Kayak Club Volleyball Volleyball Aikido Archery Mens Varsity Basketball Cricket Club Badminton Taekwondo Karate & Judo sharing General Varsity Training Sub Aqua Swim Club Frizbee Muai Thai Cricket Ladies Basketball - Varsities Ladies Basketball - Recreational Table Tennis & Fencing Taekwondo & Aikido Fencing Advanced Swim & Lifesaving Club Mens Basketball - Varsity Archery Club Fencing Inline Hockey Volleyball Club Blank Judo Club Waterpolo Taekwondo

TIME

1.00pm – 2.00pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 8.00pm – 10.00pm 8.00pm – 10.00pm 8.30pm – 11.00pm 7.30am – 9.00am 7.00pm – 9.00pm 6.00pm – 7.30pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 7.00pm – 9.00pm 7.30pm – 9.30pm 9.00pm – 10.30pm 9.00pm – 11.00pm 8.00pm – 10.30pm 1.00pm – 2.00pm 1.00pm – 2.00pm 4.00pm – 6.00pm 6.00pm – 7.00pm 7.00pm – 9.00pm 9.00pm – 11.00pm 7.00pm – 9.00pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 8.00pm – 9.00pm 9.30pm – 11pm 7.00pm – 8.30am 5.00pm – 7.00pm 7.00pm – 9.00pm 9.00pm – 10.30pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 8.00pm – 10.00pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 8.00pm – 10.00pm 6.00pm – 10.00pm 9.00pm – 11.00pm 11.00am 11.00am – 1.30pm 3.00pm – 4.00pm 7.00pm – 9.00pm 6.00pm – 10.00pm 6.00pm – 7.00pm 7.00pm – 9.00pm 9.30pm – 11.00pm 12.00pm – 2.00pm

VENUE

Hall 3 Raquetball Court Hall 1 & 2 Hall 3 Hall 1 & 2 Hall 3 Full Pool Dance Studio Hall 1 Hall 1 Hall 2 Hall 3 Hall 3 Hall 1 Hall 3 Full Pool Hall 2 Hall 2 to Oct 17th Hall 3 Hall 3 Hall 2 Hall 1 3 halls Hall 2 Hall 3 Hall 3 Full Pool 2 Lanes Hall 1 Hall 1 Hall 1 Hall 2 Hall 2 Hall 3 Hall 3 Raquetball Court Full Pool Hall 2 Hall 3 Hall 3 Hall 1 Hall 2 Hall 3 & 1 Hall 3 Full Pool Raquetball Court

Swim Club

4.00pm – 5.30pm

2 Lanes

Fencing Club

2.00pm – 4.00pm

Raquetball court

5-ASIDE SYNTHETIC PITCHES Cages for hire – Students & Staff

€20 PEr Hour

Located at Corrib Village For further info: contact Kevin Cassidy Email: nuigcages@kingfisherclub.com Text Kevin: 0861772589 Or visit www.otc.nuigalway.ie Kevin Cassidy is the facilitator for all your recreational soccer. Most capped player for Galway United, Manager/Coach with Galway District League.

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Help COPE Galway beat their World Record By Claire O’Grady COPE Galway have just launched their annual Christmas Day Swim which takes place on the 25th December from 10am to 1pm. This year the local charity is aiming to beat the world record they set last year by having the largest number of people ever swimming in Santa hats in open water on Christmas Day. To beat the record they need to have 900 people register and swim on Christmas morning. Everyone who registers for the swim will receive a sponsorship pack and on the day of the event all participants will receive a COPE Galway t-shirt and Santa hat. “Given the great success of last year’s swim we have decided to try to do beat the record we set. It is a fun

and easily achievable record that everyone can participate in, however, in order to make it work, we need to get everyone in Galway on the day down to Blackrock,” said Fintan Maher of COPE Galway. ‘‘Those not taking part in the swim can sponsor a Santa hat for a participating family member or friend or they can make a donation for a hot drink for their loved one which will be supplied by Lohan’s Bar & Restaurant.’’ The Christmas Day Swim is a great fun event for the whole family and over the past twenty two years it has become somewhat of a tradition for Galwegians to head to Blackrock on Christmas morning. On a more serious note it is COPE Galway’s largest fundraising event of the year and brings

in vital funds to enable COPE Galway to support the most isolated in our community. To register for the event log on to www.copegalway. ie, phone Claire on 091 778750 or email fundraising@copegalway.ie. All proceeds raised from the swim are used directly in Galway. COPE Galway provides emergency accommodation and support services for homeless people, women and children who experience domestic violence and older vulnerable people in Galway city and county. Donations and fundraising are of vital importance to COPE Galway, donations can be made directly to COPE Galway, Calbro House, Tuam Rd, Galway or Bank of Ireland, Sort Code: 903816, Account Number: 39096396.

The launch of the COPE Christmas Swim

21-year-old John Greaney who won the inaugural competition this year and went on to become the ITCC touring champion in his very first season.

The race is on to find Ireland’s next top driver By Pádraic Ó Ciardha Race2Race is a competition that gives those who have always wanted to be a professional driver the chance to realise their dream. The prize on offer is a place in the 2013 Irish Touring Car Championship (ITCC). While the Race2Race competition has passed the halfway stage, with five qualifying events having already taken place, November will see a further four regional qualifiers take place across the country, including two in Galway. On Monday, 12 November, Galway City Karting hosted the first qualifier, and the following Wednesday, November 14, Pallas Karting in Loughrea will be putting on another qualifying event from 6.00pm – 10.30pm. The lucky few who advance through the qualifiers will move forward to compete in the final at

Mondello International Race Circuit in Dublin. There they will be given the chance to drive professional race cars and will be tested in various disciplines on and off the track. The final winner will receive a fully-funded season in the ITCC. This prize is valued at €30,000. The Race2Race competition is only in its second year yet it has already produced a racing champion at the professional level. 21-yearold John Greaney won the inaugural competition this year and went on to become the ITCC touring champion in his very first season. The Dublin native did not have any track-racing experience before he took part in the Race2Race finale but his talent prevailed as he took the 2012 title. Having only previously invested a total of €240 into motorsport, Greaney found himself on a professional team, taking home the national title. He is

now pursuing racing options in the UK for 2013 as a result of his success with the Race2Race programme. Aside from the two qualifiers taking place in Galway, two further events will be taking place. Campsie Karting Centre in Derry will host qualifying on Monday, 12 November, while hopefuls in the Dublin area can attend a qualifying event at Kylemore Karting the next evening, Tuesday 13 November. The Race2Race programme is open to both novice and experienced drivers. Entry into each event costs €60 and tickets are available from www.ticketfriend.com. Entrants must be over the age of 17 (by 1 March 2013) though there is a competition for younger drivers being held in March 2013. Further information is available from www.race2race.com and www.facebook. com/TheRace2Race.

We host inter-varsities twice a year, during winter and spring, which prove crucial in providing a new fresh outlook for training, and also serve to renew the wider network of connections between the university and the Aikido community. Our most recent intervarsity, which turned out to be a huge success, was held in Dangan Sports Pavilion on 10 and 11 November.

During these, we had the opportunity to train for two days with Sensei John Rogers (6th Dan) who travelled down from Dublin, along with a host of other universities eager to take advantage of the incredible opportunity. Our club has a very relaxed atmosphere on and off the mat, with social nights every fortnight that not only provide a source

of entertainment but also support an essential social aspect outside of training times. These serve to strengthen the bonds within the club and improve the connectivity of the group as a whole, through catching up with old faces and welcoming new ones. So if you want to see what all the fuss is about, come join in the fun on the mats and see for yourself.

Club Profile: Aikido By Katrina Kelly Despite frequent inquiries from young and old alike, the art of Aikido is not an easy concept to explain. It is a non-competitive Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba (18831969) and is most often translated as (The Way of the Harmonious Spirit). As such, the sport is rooted in the teaching of respect, har-

mony and peace. Aikido is a fluid art and places great emphasis on the dynamics of movement. It aims to accentuate the individual’s natural mobility, and to use an opponent’s own motion and energy to overthrow or offset him, rather than taking a position of resistance. The NUI Galwau Aikido club provides an open, inclusive and welcome

environment by which all members of varying ages, genders and fitness levels can train on a practical oneto-one basis. As a martial art, Aikido requires many years of practice and dedication. As a result, we have many committed, longterm, professional members who are dedicated to the progression and development of the club and its members.

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Great progress for NUI Galway’s ladies soccer team By Rosa Shine It has been a busy year so far for the NUI Galway Ladies Soccer team. The new structure introduced by the WSCAI meant that the girls would play in the new Premier League North against some of the top teams in the country. Everyone involved with the club this year realised what an opportunity this was to get our name out there and the committee have been working around the clock to try and make that happen.

“

DCU arrived to Dangan with

little idea of the

”

blitzing they were about to face.

Training began in early September and as usual saw the arrival of some new exciting players as well as the return of some old faces. NUI Galway has played four games already and the team is due to play last year’s league champions IT Sligo today (13 November). A trip away to IT Carlow started the season off for the ladies soccer team. Captain Rosa Shine led the girls out with the team selected on the day never having played together before. It was a learning experience for the girls who showed great potential against a Carlow team featuring a number of international stars. In the first half Danielle Gordon showed her striking ability with a super goal against the run of play. NUI Galway went in 2-1 down at half time but came out battling in the second half with Shauna Kerr and Naomi Miller working hard to close down players. Inexperience and perhaps the long journey

Fads of fitness Fitness trends are ever changing – coming and going in and out of fashion. Many of you are much too young to remember the many fazes of fitness over the years. But

following much deliberation, the staff at The Kingfisher Fitness has concluded that it all went a little bit like this… In the ‘70s, a time of big hair

made it a tough task for the girls with Carlow eventually coming out 6-2 winners. The next two games for the girls were home games against Dublin colleges. DCU arrived to Dangan with little idea of the blitzing they were about to face. Irish star Jennifer Byrne put 5 past them on a day where NUI Galway scored an astonishing 10 goals. It could have been more as the DCU goalkeeper pulled off a string of excellent saves in the first half. Bretta Kearney eventually broke the deadlock, finishing off a nice move by the NUI Galway midfielders Lauren Aufdembrink and Karen Mc Elwaine. Anne-Marie Flanagan, Maebh Coleman and Sara Gianfagna were also on the score-sheet. UCD were the next college to visit Dangan in what was to be NUI Galway’s best performance of the year to date. Coach Johnny Hynes made sure the girls were

well focused and the team were ready to battle hard in defending their home turf. It was scoreless at half time with Galway having had the best chances of the two teams. The defence were working tirelessly with Leanne O’Dowd and Erin McCrillis playing out of their skins to keep out the UCD attackers. Lauren Aufdembrink once again showed her quality in midfield with a goal near the end of the second half. She received the ball on the edge of the box and hit a super strike into the top corner of the UCD goal. NUI Galway continued to work hard and could have increased the lead through Sara Gianfranga after good work by Rachel Keyes on the wing. Maebh Coleman was outstanding in midfield and never allowed UCD’s Ciara Grant time on the ball. NUI’s defence was breached in the 87th minute with Siobhan Killeen finding the bottom corner. Keeper Erin Digan was

the hero in the remaining minutes making two brave blocks to keep the game level. The girls travelled to Athlone eager to continue their good run. A controversial penalty decision was awarded against Erin Mc Crillis in the opening 10 minutes and Galway were unlucky to be behind so early. They conceded a further goal after AIT’s Shauna Jackson showed her ability to finish. Sara Gianfagna hit one back for Galway just before the break and the second half would prove to be an exciting one. AIT scored a free kick early but NUI Galway never gave up. They showed great spirit to fight back to a 3-3 draw with Jennifer Byrne; and things could have been better with Lauren Aufdembrink heading off the crossbar. Tuesday’s game against IT Sligo will no doubt be an exciting one with the Ladies Soccer team eager to make their mark on the Premier League this year.

and bigger flairs, jogging was seen to be hip and cool, but by the '80s everyone was into aerobics – before the instructors became overachievers and you nearly needed a diploma in modern dance to just keep up with the basic class. This fad was quickly dropped to be replaced by good old cardio

equipment – steppers, bikes, treadmills etc. – until people got bored of it and returned to training at home in front of cheesy fitness DVD’s. By this stage cardio was starting to become a bit stale, so the guys beefed up and got into weights and girls became yoga fanatics.

The ‘00s saw the re-birth of choreographed fitness classes such as Body Pump and Step Tone. Around this time resistance training became a bit too technical and so other avenues were starting to be explored. The focus then shifted forward towards the importance of core muscles and technique and suddenly everyone was an expert. Following many technical leaps and bounds, fitness then shifted back into the home environment for a futuristic way of working out with interactive fitness game consoles. You might ask where I am going with this. Well, all trends come and go. The thing is there is no "one way" to get fit. All sensible and proper ways are good. Try a bit of this, and a bit of that, and don't listen to people who tell you that their way is the only way. Get fit, be active and feel great. The Kingfisher Fitness Club offers a variety of ways for you to reach your fitness goals. From gym and swim addicts and novices alike through to including classes like Kettlebells, Thump Boxing, Yoga, Zumba and Aerobics to name but a few on their ever expanding classes timetable. These fitness classes are guaranteed to keep your interest and help you on your way to fitness excellence. Why not try a new fitness routine today and see and feel the difference. For more information on the Kingfisher Fitness Club gym facilities, swim facilities or fitness classes please log onto their website www.kingfisherclub.com or find them on Facebook.

{sin}

F inal W ord

14–05

Overheard in NUI Galway James Falconer As I was going into the Bailey Allen... "Man, we're Arts students, we're not supposed to do any work."

Book 2

Sudoku Sudoku #5

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Sudoku #5

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{31} 12–11

NUI Galway Memes by Conor Stitt

Picture this

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