Sin Volume 16 Issue 11 by Student Independent News

FREE STUDENT NEWSPAPER | VOL 16, ISSUE 11 | 18 MAR 2015

NEWS

INSIDE Results of NUI Galway Students’ Union Elections announced FEATURES

Over 2,500 students turn up to elect SU Executive and vote in cannabis referendum

A referendum also took place that the Students’ Union will actively support the legalisation and regulation of the cultivation, sale and possession of cannabis for adults aged 18 years and over. The referendum was passed by 1,796 votes in favour of the proposal to 838 no votes. There were 31 spoiled votes. The result now mandates NUI Galway Students’ Union to support the legalisation of cannabis, making it the first Students’ Union in Europe to adopt such a stance. Commenting on the result, Ciarán Maher of the NUI Galway Students for Sensible Drug Policy Society said: “We are delighted that students at NUI Galway were given the opportunity to express their views on this issue. “The students at NUI Galway have made a strong statement, against the current system of handling cannabis in Ireland, which allows this very profitable industry to be controlled by criminal gangs, while needlessly criminalising normal people, and in support of a more sensible and evidence based approach towards handing cannabis. “With almost seventy percent of voting students choosing to back the legalisation of cannabis, we hope that this will encourage politicians to seriously rethink just how sensible the laws surrounding cannabis are. Furthermore, we hope that the success of this referendum will encourage students in other universities across the country to push for similar referendum campaigns.”

SPORT

heavily on empowering our students to advise and encourage those in need to seek support. I believe this is the key to unthinkable progress in improving the quality of life in NUI Galway and the wider population. “I am determined to expand and develop this role far beyond its current potential.” None of the five candidates for the position of Students’ Union President reached the quota of 1,338 on the first count. The initial results were as follows: Ross Doyle held 283 votes, Phelim Kelly 1,110 votes, Cian McLoughlin 60 votes, Cillian Moran 193 votes and Karl Picard 996 votes. The incumbent Vice-President for Education Phelim Kelly was elected President of the NUI Galway Students’ Union on the second count. “Winning the election was one of the most amazing experiences of my life”, he said. “One feels so humble once they're deemed elected as you suddenly get this crazy rush of thoughts that people trust me as their leader and voted for me against everyone else.” All three officers will take up their positions on 1 July for a 12-month period. Their responsibilities include liaising with the University and relevant authorities on behalf of students, and dealing with student issues regarding accommodation and academic and personal matters.

ENTERTAINMENT

Rebecca Melvin, Phelim Kelly and Jimmy McGovern celebrate their election. Photo: Kieran Durcan.

FINAL WORD

A turnout of 2,727 NUI Galway students took to the ballot boxes to vote in the Students’ Union full-time elections on 5 March. The roles of Students’ Union President, Vice-President for Education and VicePresident for Welfare were filled following the count in The View, Áras na Mac Léinn, the following morning. The turnout was a decrease from last year’s turnout of 3,296 students. On average 3,140 registered students vote in the elections. Fianna Fáil member Ken Curtin was the Returning Officer for the duration of the elections and presided over the count. In addition to the candidates running for each position, the electorate had the option of voting to Re-Open Nominations (RON). In total there were 159 spoiled ballot papers in the election of the Executive. The votes for Education Officer were the first to be counted and Rebecca Melvin was elected after exceeding the quota on the first count. She received 1,417 firstpreference votes in a two-horse race with Joanne Duffy, who received 1,086 votes. The contest for Welfare Officer was between Shane Broderick, Jimmy McGovern and Megan Reilly. Following the first count Broderick received 585 votes, McGovern 1,254 votes and Reilly got 739 of the votes cast. No candidate reached the quota of 1,303 on the first count. Following the redistribution of Broderick’s votes and those to Re-Open Nominations (26), McGovern was elected after reaching the quota on the second count. “Being deemed elected Vice-President/ Welfare Officer was the proudest moment of my life”, he said. “The students of NUI Galway elected me because of my determination and passion to fulfil the role. For that I cannot express my level of gratitude and respect. “Throughout my student experience, I have persevered to help and support those students who needed it most. Yet this now puts me in a vital position to provide guidance and support on both micro and macro level. “Ensuring that no individual will feel neglected of adequate support is an absolute priority to me. I will focus

LIFESTYLE

By Ciara Treacy

NUI Galway launches free cancer screening for staff

President Higgins announced as Patron of Year of Light

NUI Galway-based entrepreneur’s new book looks at policing and social media

9 out of 10 Irish medical students consider leaving Ireland when they qualify

THIS WEEK’S DEBATE: Is mass surveillance necessary?

Being autistic is a feminist issue

Suggestions for a new national holiday

A world without smart phones: can you imagine it?

FASHION MATHS: How to clear out your wardrobe

Kelly Osborne leaves Fashion Police

Retro Rewind

Style Spotter

THE ‘CRACKEDI’: Interview with iRadio’s Ed Roche and Eleanor Fitzgerald

World Wide Webcomics

Scarlet Johansson starts new band, gets sued

Can literature be too graphic or violent?

NUIG MOUNTAINEERING CLUB: A great way to spend a Sunday in spring

Intervarsity success for NUI Galway TaeKwon-Do club

AP MCCOY: A living legend

COLLEGE INSIDER: SU Council votes to give Emperor Higgins new powers

2 NEWS

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 11

NUI Galway launches free cancer screening for staff By Orla Furey On 25 February NUI Galway launched a free mammogram service for members of staff. The mammogram service for women is called ‘Pink Power’ and the service for men is ‘Blue Power’. The service is operating in conjunction with Bon Secours Hospital Galway and Cornmarket. NUI Galway is the first Irish University to offer a service like this one.

The service is similar to the initiative BreastCheck Ireland but it has the added benefit of being open to men also. The ‘Pink’ and ‘Blue’ Campaign is targeted at those aged between 40 to 50 years. In the coming weeks, male employees aged 45 and over are encouraged to attend clinics set up in Áras Moyola run by the nursing staff of Bon Secours Hospital. Female Employees between the ages of 40 and 50 can receive a free mammogram at the

Bon Secours Hospital. According to Professor Michael Kerin, Head of Surgery at NUI Galway and Research Director of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute (NBCRI), early diagnosis is vital: “Approximately 2800 women per year get breast cancer in the Republic of Ireland and it is the leading cause of cancer death amongst middle aged women in Ireland. “This campaign will increase awareness and provide a screening mammogram for women

in the 40-50 year age group in NUI Galway.” Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Roddy Murphy, Managing Director of Cornmarket said: “We are very proud to sponsor this first of its kind employee initiative. Sadly Cornmarket’s claims team take phone calls regularly from members in their schemes, both young and old, who have been diagnosed with cancer. “This initiative is an important step in the battle against cancer. If one life can be saved, it will have been worthwhile.”

USI Hustings at NUI Galway Robot Research for Dementia at NUI Galway By Tomás M. Creamer

By Laura Roddy NUI Galway has welcomed a new European Research project whose aim is to tackle the burdens imposed by dementia through the use of caring robots. This four million euro project is led by the school of nursing and midwifery at NUI Galway and brings together different partners across academic institutions and industry in Europe and will last for three years. Professor Kathy Murphy of NUI Galway, the project’s communication strategist, has explained: “MARIO is an exciting and innovative project that will make a huge difference to the lives of people with dementia. We will be working directly with people with dementia to ensure that the issues they see as important are addressed. “Multi-faceted interventions will be developed, which will be delivered by humanoid robots.” Project coordinator, Dr Dympna Casey of NUI Galway, also noted that “all interactions with caregivers, persons with dementia, older persons and

stakeholders will fully comply with standards-based medical assessment methodologies, and aspire to provide a truly user-led design ethos.” Three pilot projects will take place. The first in the west of Ireland, organised by NUI Galway’s School of Nursing and Midwifery; the second in Stockport UK, run by the city’s health coordinators and the last in Italy, overseen by the leading-research hospital, Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza. At the heart of the MARIO project is the robot, Kompai, designed by French company Robosoft. This robot was unveiled in 2010 by the company. It talks, understands speech and navigates autonomously. It also reminds people of meetings, keeps track of shopping lists, plays music, and works as a videoconference system for users to talk with their doctors. Other partners involved with the project will provide technological expertise in the areas of robotic applications and semantic computing and the outcomes of this research will be made public.

NUI Galway Alumni Awards By Kieran Kilkelly NUI Galway's annual Alumni Awards recently took place on March 7 in the Bailey Allen Wing located at Áras na Mac Léinn on campus. The annual awards – which are now in their fifteenth year – recognise outstanding achievement by individuals in their respected disciplines. There are six categories including; Arts, Literature and Celtic Studies; Business and Commerce; Law, Public Policy and Government; Engineering, Science and Technology; Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences; and Sport. Past winners of the awards include President Michael D. Higgins, Attorney General Máire Whelan and Tony Award-winning actress, Marie Mullen. This year's awards proved to be no different in terms of excellence with Olympic athlete and World Champion race walker, Olive Loughnane and High Court Judge, Ms Justice Carmel Stewart being given the Alumini Awards for Contribution to Sport, and Law, Public Policy and Government respectfully.

Former Provost of Trinity College Dublin, Dr Tom Mitchell picked up the award in the category of Arts, Literature and Celtic Studies while Pearse Mee, founder of AMT-SYBEX and pioneer of the Irish computer software industry over the last 40 years was the recipient of the Engineering, Science and Technology Alumini Award. The final two awards went to retired physician Dr Morgan O'Connell who received is award for his contribution in the field of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences for his work with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with the Royal Navy and Catriona O'Farrell in the area of Business and Commerce. President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Brown highlighted the prestige of the awards when speaking on the announcement of the recipients saying; “Our Alumni Awards programme recognises the many Galway alumni who are leaders in their chosen fields. These awards celebrate the life-long value of an NUI Galway education and recognise individual achievements among the University’s more than 90,000 graduates worldwide.”

On 2 March, members of the NUI Galway Students’ Union (SU) Class Reps Council selected their preferred candidates for several positions due to be filled on the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) Executive during the USI’s annual congress from 23-26 March. The following results shows how NUI Galway’s SU Council members voted – they only affect how the NUI Galway delegates to the USI congress will vote. R.O.N refers to Re-Open Nominations. USI Presidential Candidates Kevin Donoghue – 36 votes Glenn Fitzpatrick – 43 votes R.O.N. – 1 vote Candidates for USI Vice-President (V/P) for Academic Affairs & Quality Assurance Jack Leahy – 59 votes Martin Lunch – 20 votes R.O.N. – 1 vote

Candidate(s) for USI Vice-President (V/P) for the Irish Language Aidrean Ó Dubhghaill – 77 votes R.O.N. - 3 Candidates for USI Vice-President (V/P) for the Border, Midlands & West Region John Madden – 13 votes Feidhlim Seoighe – 66 votes R.O.N. – 1 vote

Candidates for USI Vice-President (V/P) for Welfare Aoife Ní Shúilleabháin – 68 votes Ciara O’Connor – 11 votes R.O.N. – 1 vote Candidate(s) for USI Vice-President (V/P) for Campaigns Daniel Waugh – 77 votes R.O.N. – 3 votes Candidate(s) for USI Vice-President (V/P) for Equality & Citizenship Annie Hoey – 74 votes R.O.N. – 6 votes

Student Union Council Chairperson Election By Tomás M. Creamer Cathal Sherlock was elected by NUI Galway’s Class Representatives to the position of Student Union Council Chairperson on 2 March. Mr Sherlock contested the election against Ronan Gallagher, in a bid to replace former Chairperson, Karl Picard. In the election, Class Representatives cast 86 ballots in total. As a result, there was a quota of 43 votes required to secure the position. Cathal Sherlock received 49 votes to Ronan Gallagher’s 34 votes, which was

enough to deem him elected to the post. The role of the Student Union Council Chairperson is to preside over meetings of the Students’ Union Council, to ensure that the agenda is adhered to, to enforce orderly conduct and to foster a balance of views throughout. When asked about what he hopes to accomplish as the Students’ Union Council Chairperson, Cathal Sherlock stated: “I hope to make sure that all Class Representatives that turn up to the Council are listened to, looked after, and make sure that their voices are heard by the executive”.

A group of students joined the NUI Galway Mountaineering Club on the SU Charity Croagh Patrick climb on Saturday 28 February in some challenging weather conditions. Over ¤1,700 was raised for Console and BeLonG To Yourh Services.

NEWS 3

March 18 2015

Have you visited sin.ie yet?

Isn’t this a grand parade? By Jessica Thompson I was never a fan of St. Patrick’s Day. I come from a small village near a small town in Co. Longford. So there was never much to do on Paddy’s Day, except head in to the local parade in the hope that it’ll be better than last year. That’s the thing about parades in the most rural parts of Ireland. We didn’t have the spectacular floats you would have seen at Galway’s parade this week, or Dublin’s parade, or any other big city parade for that matter. We’d go into Ballymahon, where everyone knew everyone else and you’d make idle chit chat and boring small talk with people whose names you know but who you don’t necessarily care about, because that was the polite thing to do. And then the parade would start, and you’d see the marching army band and they’re all very talented, but two minutes later and they’re gone, and you’re left with the boring floats. But in your idle chit chat to Bridie from down the street, you can’t really be saying “isn’t this a dull affair?” Sure chances are Bridie’s son is part of the next float, because that’s how it works in small communities. The same people get involved with everything. And then Mary from the other side of town might come over and say “isn’t this a grand parade?” and you’d watch another big flag-covered truck go past, with a trailer on the back and Páid would be there doing a jig and throwing sweets to the kids and making all the old ladies blush with his rugged charm, legs and arms flailing everywhere. And while Mary and Bridie are making small talk about the rig-out of the kids on the local National School’s float, you seize the opportunity to slip away, but just when you think you’re free, you bump into Tomeen who greets you with “Jaysus, that’s a fine looking tractor!” Next thing you know, you’re standing beside him, discussing tractors and farming and the difficulty the cow had calving the other day and you feel like you could burst into actual tears of boredom.

32 pages once a fortnight simply isn’t enough when it comes to covering all the great stories on campus and entertaining our readers every day. This year, we’ll be ensuring our website is constantly updated with great news stories, opinion pieces, fashion, sport and much more. Visit our website at www.sin.ie or simply scan the QR code.

And then it’s all over and Tomeen is eager to get himself a pint, so at last you start to make your way back to the car, dodging emerald-clad teenagers and promising people you deliberately haven’t seen since you finished school that you’ll pop into the local with them after you get something out of your car. At last, you’re home and you might catch the highlights of the Dublin parade

on the telly, knowing you won’t spot any tractors or lorries because up in the Big Shmoke they do things right. That was back in my teenage years, when I had nowhere to go if I wanted a change of scenery. These days, I have to fight for a good spot if I want to see the parade and the beauty of it is; that good spot is always worth fighting for when the parade goes past.

Editor in Chief: Jessica Thompson editor@sin.ie Layout: Shannon Reeves | contact via Ed. NEWS Ciara Treacy | localnews.sined@gmail.com Chelsea Tabert | nationalnews.sined@gmail.com FEATURES Eoin Molloy | opinion.sined@gmail.com Áine O’Donnell | features.sined@gmail.com

Paddy’s Day may be over, but we’ve kept a bit of patriotism in this issue with some of our features. One of my personal favourites is one that discusses new national holidays that should be in place… Like National Tea Day. The author is a Lyon’s drinker though, which is always a bad sign. Barry’s tea for life! Until next time,

Jess @Jess__Thompson

WEB EDITOR John Brennan | web.sined@gmail.com

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NUI Galway welcomed witches, wizards and muggles of all ages to PotterFest from 13 to 15 March. Guests got to enjoy the Yule Ball and Quidditch, as well as other Potter-themed events. This year, the festival included a number of fundraising events for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Photos: Vincent Hughes.

4 NEWS

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 11

President Higgins announced as Patron of Year of Light The UN has designated 2015 the UNESCO International Year of Light and President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, has been announced as the LIGHT2015 Ireland Patron. NUI Galway is coordinating Ireland’s involvement and a series of events will take place across the country, and schools will be invited to learn more about the science of light and the contribution of light to our communities. Leading this initiative in Ireland is Professor Martin Leahy from NUI Galway and he is the recipient for two funding awards from the European Union for these efforts. “Light particles, or photons, are harnessed for use in the world around us. Photonics is the science and technology of generating, controlling, and detecting photons.

Photonics underpins technologies of daily life from smartphones to laptops to the Internet to medical instruments to lighting technology. We have truly entered the Photonics Era.” “We are delighted to have such high profile patron and distinguished orator supporting our efforts to promote the Year of Light in Ireland. Ireland has a rich history of light science and engineering from Newgrange 3200 BC to the modern scientific discoveries of Stokes, Hamilton, Joly, Jellet and Tyndall among others. The President’s reputation in social justice and the arts will assist us in bringing the power of light to a much wider audience.” LIGHT2015 represents a unique opportunity to marry science, engineer-

Leading the LIGHT2015 Ireland initiative in Ireland is Professor Martin Leahy from NUI Galway. Photo: Aengus McMahon.

ing, medicine and the arts – particularly cinema and the fine arts. As part of the International Year of Light, children will have the chance to have their art projected onto walls in city centre locations and app enthusiasts will get access to new apps. “We are no longer in the electronic age, the 21st century is all about harnessing light through photonics. Water treatment, the internet, cinema, the fine arts, scientific discovery as well as medical diagnosis and therapy – all use photonics. This is what we want to celebrate during 2015,” added Professor Leahy. Recent recognition by Science Foundation Ireland through the award of €30 million to establish the Irish Photonics Integration Centre, and a previous award from the Higher Education Authority of €30.5 million for the National Biophotonics and Imaging Platform, demonstrate its continuing President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, has been importance to Ireland and announced as the LIGHT2015 Ireland Patron the Irish economy. Photonics is also recognised by the Irish Government as one the EU’s continued economic recovery. of the six platform technologies and is LIGHT2015 is a global initiative directly underpinning many of the identi- adopted by the United Nations to raise fied research priorities and, more recently, awareness of how optical technologies the €7 billion partnership between Photon- promote sustainable development and ics21 and the European Commission will provide solutions to worldwide challenges have a substantial impact on future growth in energy, education, agriculture, comand job creation, and significantly assist munications and health.

NUI Galway team wins 2015 CFA Society NUI Galway Cancer Society holds inaugural event impressive amount of support from students Research Challenge for second successive year By Ciara Treacy For the second successive year, a team of finance students from NUI Galway has won the CFA Society Ireland Research Challenge. NUI Galway emerged as victors after preparing a detailed research report on this year’s subject company, Kingspan Group, and then defending their report to a judging panel made up of CFA charter holders and senior figures from the investment industry. NUI Galway beat off strong competition from four other teams, University College Cork, University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin and Queens University Belfast. The NUIG team will now go on to represent Ireland at the CFA Institute European final in Amsterdam in early April. The winners were presented with their trophy by the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Simon Harris TD. The CFA Institute Research Challenge is an annual educational initiative which promotes best practices in equity research among the next generation of analysts

through hands-on mentoring and intensive training in company analysis and presentation skills. CFA Society President Caitriona Macguinness congratulated the NUI Galway team on their victory in the 2015 challenge, stating that the standard of the reports prepared by all five teams was very high. “The judging panel had a very difficult job in deciding on a winner but eventually decided that NUI Galway’s report on Kingspan was exceptional and was a deserving winner,” he said. Kingspan Chief Financial Officer Geoff Doherty was also full of praise for the teams; “We met all five teams and were thoroughly impressed with their analysis of Kingspan’s business and our prospects for growth within the global high performance insulation industry. “The standard of presentation augurs well for the equity research industry and speaks volumes about the research talent emerging from third level institutions in Ireland.”

NUI Galway’s Cancer Society held its inaugural event on Galway’s Cancer Research on 4 March in the Siobhán McKenna Theatre. The Society, which was set up by Medicine students at the University, invited locallybased clinicians and researchers to talk about their work to students, staff and members of the public. Speaking at the event were Dr Paul Donnellan, consultant medical oncologist, Dr Róisín Dwyer, lecturer in translational science and Dr Eva Szegezdi, who discussed predicting the outcome of chemotherapy in blood cancers. Refreshments were provided by Mr Waffle and donations were collected at the door for the Irish Cancer Society and Cancer Care West. “We’ve all been involved with cancer societies across Ireland as well as Canada and back home”, members of the society said before the event. “We think it’s a really important society to encourage on campus and we’ve had an

and staff. “Everyone has been affected by cancer in one way or another so it’s really worthwhile and there are so many events which we could help the Irish Cancer Society and Cancer Care West with.” The next event to be hosted by the Society is a Relay for Life, which is being held in NUI Galway for the first time. It will take place on 15 April from 6pm to 6am and students are encouraged to make a team of 7-20 people to participate in the non-competitive event. “During the event one member of the team is always going around the track symbolising how cancer never sleeps and how we won’t give up until cancer does.” Entertainment, dinner and breakfast will be provided. Sign-up costs €10 per person and those interested in the event can sign up at the Socs Box. For more information visit the ‘NUIG Cancer Society’ Facebook page.

NEWS 5

March 18 2015

First NUI Galway Undergraduate Research Conference The public are invited to attend NUI Galway’s first-ever Undergraduate Research Conference on 19 March. Throughout the day, students will present on research topics ranging from biology, to philosophy to sociology. The objective is to provide undergraduates with opportunities to discuss their research for their educational, professional and career development. Organisers expect that such early exposure to research, especially through a conference environment, will spark a growing interest in future research opportunities. The conference is being organised in response to a groundswell of research among undergraduate students. Professor Lokesh

Joshi, Vice-President for Research at NUI Galway explains how: “We are very much a research-led university. There is a vibrant and exciting research ethos among students at undergraduate level, postgraduate and PhD level. This event provides a platform for students to share their work, and for other students and members of the public to learn and explore a number of concepts around research.” A special roundtable discussion format will allow attendees and presenters to share thoughts and ideas during the sessions. With hundreds of delegates expected, a group of transition year students from the Galway city Secondary School

transition years will volunteer and attend as conference organisers on the day. “We not only aim to bring the students and staff of NUI Galway closer together but to bring the community of Galway together, by inviting members of the public and community to engage with undergraduate research. The involvement of secondary schools will hopefully sow the seeds of research in the next generation of researchers,” said Lorraine Tansey, Volunteer Coordinator with NUI Galway’s ALIVE Programme. A brainchild of second year Commerce students Ben Coady, Brian Dooley, Jason Carey, Evan Wynne and their NUI Galway staff member,

Lorraine Tansey, the conference is funded by EXPLORE, a collaboration between NUI Galway and NUI Galway Students’ Union. The purpose of EXPLORE is to encourage innovation, enterprise and creativity among staff and students. Dr Maria Gallo, St Angela’s College Sligo, partners of the conference said, “Undergraduate students across the University are involved in some interesting and valuable research projects. This conference is a unique opportunity to share their research with their peers as many of them may be considering postgraduate study or a research related career.” To find out more or register to attend visit http://www.nuigalway.ie/undergrad-research/.

NUI Galway-based entrepreneur’s new book looks at policing and social media A new book, which takes an in-depth look at the emerging field of policing social media has been published by the Managing Director of Digital Training Institute, based in NUI Galway’s Business Innovation Centre. Authored by Joanne Sweeney-Burke, Social Media Under Investigation, Law Enforcement and the Social Web takes and indepth view of An Garda Síochána’s adoption of social media and benchmarks this against international best-practice. Joanne’s knowledge on this emerging niche area has earned her an invitation to speak at the SMILE conference (social media, the Internet and law enforcement) in Phoenix, Arizona in April. The entrepreneur has also launched an online training school for police

forces called LEO (law enforcement observer) which will offer officers worldwide the chance to learn from the best. According to Joanne; “The book has taken me 18 months to research and write and I actually really enjoyed the process. The motivation to combine policing and social media came from my background as a broadcast journalist and my skills as a social media and digital marketing practitioner. “I am so excited to be able to bring my knowledge to the United States in April and get first-hand knowledge of the experience there. In fact it may even provide research for a second edition of the book.” Joanne has found the support received by NUI Galway and the University’s Ignite Technol-

RIA Charlemont Grant Awards Bestowed on Six NUI Galway Scholars Six NUI Galway academics were among the recipients of the inaugural Royal Irish Academy Charlemont Grant Awards, which were presented at a special ceremony in Academy House in Dublin recently. Funded by the Academy, the Charlemont Grants are designed to act as a career springboard to assist scholars in strengthening their international mobility and developing international collaborative networks. These are small

grants, with high impact, and are complimentary to larger programmes offered by other funders including the Irish Research Council and SFI. The NUI Galway recipients were: Dr Margaret Brehony, Centre for Irish Studies; Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley, History; Dr Eoin Daly, School of Law; Dr Jessica Hayes, REMEDI; Dr Martin O'Halloran, NCBES; and Dr Anuradha Pallipurath, School of Chemistry. Grants are available for short visits to any country to support primary research in any subject area. The duration of visits is generally between one week and six weeks in length, the key objectives being to initiate oneto-one collaborations, explore opportunities to build lasting networks and gain access to ideas, research facilities, and complementary equipment. Funds are available to facilitate initial project planning and development; to support the direct costs of Pictured are (l-r) NUI Galway Charlemont Grant research; or for visits by or Awardees (l-r) Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley, Dr Eoin Daly, to partner scholars. Dr Jessica Hayes, Dr Margaret Brehony, Dr Anuradha The 2016 call for appliPallipurath and Dr Martin O’Halloran, with (centre) cations will open in early RIA President Mary Daly and Professor Peter autumn, for further details Kennedy, International Relations Secretary, RIA. please visit www.ria.ie.

ogy Transfer Office invaluable in progressing her ambitions. Media Box was her first business, Digital Training Institute her second. Last year she began work on a dedicated eLearning course for young people called Young Minds Online, which was co-authored by her daughter Sophie, now a first year accountancy and comIn her new book, Joanne Sweeney-Burke takes an merce student at NUI Galway. in-depth view at An Garda Síochána’s adoption of Young Minds Online is social media and benchmarks this against international part of new edtech startup best-practice. Photo: Conor Ó’Mearáin. Webiket, which was formed with fellow entrepreneur Lisa Wright. This company provides a suite ager Fiona Neary said: “The Ignite Technology of eLearning courses to young people, par- Transfer Office would like to congratulate ents and professionals on how to protect their Joanne Sweeney-Burke on the launch of her cyber wellbeing online. new book. Joanne is a pleasure to work with Joanne featured as a finalist on TV3’s The in the Business Innovation Centre and as a Apprentice in 2011 and holds a total of 10 aca- successful entrepreneur she had a great ability demic and professional qualifications, including to nurture creative thinking, put action-plans a Masters in Journalism from NUI Galway. in place and get the job done. We look forward NUI Galway Business Development Man- to seeing what’s next from Joanne.”

NUI Galway Student Awarded Gaisce Gold Medal from President of Ireland

NUI Galway PhD student, Ruth Scales from Banagher, Co. Offaly, was recently awarded the coveted Gold Gaisce Medal from the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, in Dublin Castle. Ruth (centre) is pictured with NUI Galway graduate, Christina Quinn, Gold Medal recipient in 2014. The Gaisce Gold Medal is awarded for outstanding personal development and community engagement. Gaisce – the President’s Award is a programme that aims to foster and develop young people's potential. It is a guided and supported framework that is provided for young people to explore their natural skills and gain confidence in their abilities, while contributing to their community.

6 NEWS

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 11

9 out of 10 Irish Medical Students Consider Leaving Ireland when they Qualify Report on Ireland’s Medical Brain Drain A study published today shows that 88% of Irish medical students are intending or are contemplating migration, when they qualify. Led by NUI Galway, this is the largest study of its kind in Ireland, and was published in the open access journal Human Resources for Health. This study included over 2,000 medical students in Ireland, of whom 1,519 were Irish, studying across the country’s six medical schools. The main reasons cited for possible migration included perceptions regarding career opportunities (85%), working conditions in Ireland (83%) and lifestyle (80%). Pishoy Gouda, a final year medical student at NUI Galway, was the principal investigator of the study: “We have known for some time, from previous research, that a significant percentage of qualified doctors are leaving the country. This research confirms this, with 34% definitely planning to migrate, but also shows a widespread culture of ‘intention to emigrate’ with a further 53% contemplating it. These migration intentions are a major concern to the sustainability the Irish healthcare workforce.

“This outflow of qualified personnel may represent a financial loss to the Irish healthcare system, when one considers the costs involved in training medical students, the cost of recruiting replacements and the service delivery constraints if replacements cannot be found.” Nearly two-thirds of students identified that they did not have a great understanding of the training following graduation and a third of the students surveyed also indicated that they had a poor understanding of how the Irish healthcare system worked. According to Dr Diarmuid O’Donovan, Senior Lecturer in Social and Preventive Medicine at NUI Galway, who supervised the study: “Interventions are needed including providing a better understanding of career structures and opportunities, and of the changing organisation of the health service. Changes are needed in order to retain medical graduates and attract those who have already emigrated to return.” As the shortage of doctors is so great in Ireland, Pishoy Gouda, the lead author suggests that postgraduate opportunities should also

be made more accessible to non-EU students who are trained in Ireland. Current European working laws make it difficult for non-EU graduates of Irish medical schools to obtain Irish intern or preregistration/foundation year positions; they are therefore lost to the system immediately upon graduation. “These statistics come at a time when Ireland is facing a significant shortfall in physicians. Because of this outflow of human capital, we are having to go to huge efforts to attract doctors from other countries, including developing nations. Not only is this a problem for Irish recruitment, but we need to be mindful of WHO guidelines on

international recruitment and taking skilled personnel away from countries that have medical staff shortages”, said Dr Diarmuid O’Donovan. This research helps to define appropriate interventions at the medical undergraduate level, with the aims of enhancing student understanding of the Irish health service, career and training opportunities, and in the longer term, enhancing retention. Alongside NUI Galway, the report was coauthored by staff at the Department of Public Health, HSE West, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, University of Limerick, University College Cork, University College Dublin, and Trinity College Dublin.

Antenna-like structures found on immune cells for first time A team of NUI Galway scientists have found that cells of the immune system have a previously undescribed ability. In a paper just published Journal of Cell Biology, the scientists describe the presence of primary cilia on immune cells. These antenna-like structures are found on almost all cell types in the body, but since the 1960s, it has been thought that they do not arise in blood cells. Professor Ciaran Morrison of NUI Galway’s Centre for Chromosome Biology, who coauthored the paper with Dr Suzanna Prosser, explains the significance: “The paper is of scientific interest because it provides new information about how ciliation is controlled. Also, we have shown that immune cells do at least have all the material they would need to make primary cilia. The next question is whether the cells make cilia in the body.” Cilia are structures that stick out of cells to sense their local environment. They are very important in monitoring fluid flows, so problems with cilia cause diseases that affect body orientation, development, the eye, the kidney and various other organs. These diseases, which include Joubert syndrome and polycystic kidney disease, are called ciliopathies. The paper describes how a small calciumbinding protein called centrin controls primary cilium formation by removing an inhibitor of ciliation called CP110 from the base of the cilium, allowing it to extend. Professor Morrison and his team discovered this by using gene disruption techniques in cul-

tured retinal cells and in cultured blood cells, where they also found that cell starvation can induce cilia. Active immune system cells, including Band T-lymphocytes, divide rapidly, so they would not normally have a chance to make cilia. “Cilia have not been described in lymphocytes before, to our knowledge”, explains Professor Morrison. “We starved the cells of nutrients to delay their division cycle, but ciliation still occurred at a very low frequency, in about 5% of cells. It is possible that, even if cilia do exist in the body on certain slow or non-dividing blood cell populations, they may be short-lived, difficult to visualise or rare. What ciliated immune cells might do is an entirely new question. These results, which came from work funded by Science Foundation Ireland, illustrate how surprising findings can emerge from work on unrelated topics.” The 60 scientists led by 11 Principal Investigators at the Centre for Chromosome Biology in NUI Galway are dedicated to understanding many different areas of chromosome biology, such as how cell proliferation is controlled, the structure and maintenance of the genome, precise control of genome duplication and how genes are expressed. Their work is critical to the ongoing scientific battle against cancer and other areas including human reproduction and fertility and genetic diseases such as Huntington’s Disease.

Pishoy Gouda, a final year medical student at NUI Galway, was the principal investigator of this study. Photo: Aengus McMahon.

Over €1 million needed to resolve bed crisis in Irish hospitals By Sorcha O’Connor As much as €130 million could be needed to resolve overcrowding in Irish hospital’s emergency departments, according to the Irish Times. It is understood that the HSE have identified the resources needed to improve the situation, with the shortage of beds becoming a worsening problem. According to the Irish times, Department of Health records show short term solutions such as putting hospitals ‘off-call’ and diverting ambulances to less busy hospitals being considered. Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, said in a statement that a taskforce will report shortly to “provide a clearer picture of any adjustments or refocusing of resources to deal with the problems concerned.” Late 2014, €25 million was awarded by the government to go towards extra nursing home beds under the Fair Deal scheme. However, according to the Irish Times, 1,200 people have waited 11 weeks for the funding

of the beds. Many of these patients are ready to be discharged if it weren’t for the lack of nursing home beds. Mr Varadkar told the Dáil last week that additional resources will be needed for the Fair Deal scheme. Meanwhile, the Galway Independent reported recently that University Hospital Galway is “the worst hospital in Ireland” in relation to waiting list figures for day or inpatients, a statement which has been heard by the HSE Regional Health Forum West. Speaking at the Regional Health Forum West meeting, Independent Cllr Catherine Connolly said that there has been an ongoing shortage of staff and intensive care beds since she joined the forum. “As long as I’m on this forum, waiting lists have got worse and worse, primarily because of lack of staff, lack of consultants, lack of nurses, lack of intensive care beds, so let’s just be clear, for the record, about what’s going on with our public system,” she is reported to have said by the Galway Independent.

NEWS 7

March 18 2015

Anniversary of flight MH370 leads to enhanced plane-tracking technology By Orla Furey A new method of tracking aircraft over remote oceans is currently being trialed. The implementation of new technology comes after the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of flight MH370. The main aim of the tracking device is to monitor planes on a more frequent basis, with a higher form of technology, to prevent planes such as Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 from veering off course undetected. The announcement was made one week before the anniversary of the disappearance of Flight 370, which vanished last year during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing. The equipment being used is a new technology called Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast, ADSB. This is a GPS based system that is widely regarded

as the successor to radar. The technology is being worked on by air traffic controllers at Nav Canada. Nav Canada is a privately run corporation that owns and operates Canada's civil air navigation system. Airservices Australia will also be working with its Malaysian and Indonesian counterparts to test this new technology, which would enable planes to be tracked every 15 minutes rather than every 30-40 minutes. The tracking will also increase to 5 minutes or less if there is a deviation in the plane’s movements. Engineers at the Canadian-based First Air have installed an Automated Flight Information Reporting System in their planes, which can stream black box data to the ground. The hope for this comes from the newer technology of ‘the cloud’, produced by Apple Inc. The technology would mean that the physical ‘black box’ from the crash site may not need to be

retrieved, rather, the documents will be transferable via transmission. Airservices Australia Chairman Angus Houston, who helped lead the search for Flight 370 advised that the system would not have helped MH370 whose transponder and other tracking equipment was turned off during the flight. He noted the fact that the system can be turned off, so if in the case of the tracker being turned off on a plane in difficulty, it would be in the same position as flight MH370. Malaysia airlines flight MH370 disappeared on 8 March 2014.The flight made its last contact with air traffic control less than an hour after takeoff when it was flying over the South China Sea. Shortly after this, the airplane disappeared from air traffic controller radar screens. The aircraft was carrying 12 Malaysian crew members and 227 passengers from 15 different countries.

New laws passed by EU Council surrounding GMOs By Orla Furey New legislation passed by the EU Council provides EU member countries with the liberty of making the decision whether they will allow Genetically Modified (GM) crops to be grown on their land or not. Genetically modified crops are crops which have undergone genetic engineering to increase their resistance to pests and weather conditions. However, debate occurs around whether genetically modified crops are good for longterm human health. Previous laws meant that EU member states could only temporarily ban the growth of GM crops if they had evidence

that the crops posed a risk to human health or the environment. This decision on GMOs (genetically modified organisms) was passed in the European Parliament in January; 480 votes to 159. When a GMO is being authorised by the EU, member countries can now decide freely if they want this GMO allowed into their country or not. The new law also states that those countries in which the GMOs are cultivated must take extra care to avoid crossborder contamination into neighbouring EU countries where these crops are not being cultivated. Under the new law, if a company applies to grow crops in an EU country, the country

can now ask the applicant to state that the GMO cannot be grown in all or part of the country. This will mean the country can prohibit the growth without providing a reason. If the company refuses to acknowledge the country’s request the member state will have to provide a reason why the GMO cannot be grown on the grounds of an environmental or agricultural policy. Ireland has no commercial cultivation of GM crops, however, Teagasc has been testing the growing of genetically modified potatoes at its research facility in Carlow since 2012. The aim of Teagasc’s research is to establish the potential positive and or negative impact of GM crops.

UK girls headed to ISIS spotted By Ashley Healy CCTV footage reveals the missing London schoolgirls waiting hours at a bus station in Istanbul, Turkey. It is believed that the three teens ran away from their homes in London last month to Syria to join ISIS militants. The CCTV footage is from a town called Bayrampasa, at a bus station where they spent 18 hours before travelling on a bus to travel to Sanlifurfa. The three teens from Bethnal Green Academy left their homes in east London and were able to fly unchecked to Istanbul. Since then, a diplomatic row has broken out between British and Turkish authorities on the details of how the schoolgirls travelled to the country without more thorough security checks having taken placed. The girls were first spotted from CCTV footage showing them make their way through security at London’s Gatwick airport just before getting on their flight to Turkey. 400 other British females – some as young as 15-years-old, have actively pursued their wish to join the Islamic militants, as either frontline fighters or as brides for the Jihadis. This has sparked public interests and made public question as to why young women are leaving their families to join this organisation. A large number of young women from Britain and Europe have made similar journeys to “fulfil their sense of adventure”, “for marriage” and to “foster their sense of identity,” according to posts made online. The feeling of empowerment inspires many of these women to join ISIS where they are given an important, yet restrictive, role. They are viewed as the “director, the most important person in a media production”, yet their purpose is to breed and educate their children according to ISIS’s interpretation of Islam. Since the train station, no new sightings have been made, and it has been assumed by the government that the three girls - aged 15 and 16, are now in Syria among hundreds of other young women.

Gay and bisexual men encouraged to take HSE survey on sexual health By Mark Laherty The HSE is carrying out a survey regarding men of sexual minorities. It is hoped that the results will help combat the high levels of HIV among men who have homosexual relations with men. The survey is now available online and will run until 31 May 2015. The demographic of men who have sex with men, accounted for approximately 46%

of new HIV diagnoses in Ireland in 2013. This trend continued last year, according to Dr Derval Igoe of the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre. With the results of this survey, action could be decided upon and taken to improve the group’s sexual health and reduce the transmission of all STDs and STIs. It has been five years since a survey of this type was carried out. In 2000, the European MSM (men who have sex with men)

found that nearly 38% of participants had never been tested for HIV, and almost 40% said they had never been tested for any STI other than HIV. This trend occurs in the historical context of the 1980s AIDS epidemic, a major event both in the history of LGBT culture and social history overall. The international AIDS charity AVERT describes it as ‘one of the most politicised, feared and controversial diseases in the

history of modern medicine’. The disease tied in with cultural stigma surrounding sexual minorities, means that many advances in social acceptance cannot be made as in the preceding decades. The survey asks about relationships, sex life, behaviours, drug use, risks, precautions, and use of health services. It is anonymous and takes roughly 15 minutes to complete. You can find the survery online at misi.ie.

North Korea fires missiles in response to contentious joint Military exercises By Tomás M. Creamer Monday 2 March, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan, according to sources from the South Korean Defence Ministry. The missiles were fired from a remote area near Nampo City, about 60 kilometres southwest of Pyongyang, and reportedly flew over 490

kilometres across the Peninsula, before landing in the ocean, past the country’s eastern coast. The missiles were fired as annual joint American-South Korean military exercises were underway, which North Korea condemned as a sign of “undisguised encroachment” on its national sovereignty, and labeled a “smokescreen” for an invasion. However, the “United States Forces Korea”,

the American army contingent in South Korea, describes the annual exercise as "non-provocative training" that are "important components of readiness" for defending South Korea. According to Kim Min-seok, the South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman, North Korea was informed, on 24 February, when the joint military drills would be held, and that North Korea has committed similar actions in the past, in order

to demonstrate it’s displeasure at these exercises. In 2013, the joint exercises led to increased tensions, with North Korea cutting a military hotline with the South, and also threatened pre-emptive nuclear strikes. In January, the US rejected a North Korean offer to implement a moratorium on nuclear testing, in return for a cancellation of the exercises, as an "implicit threat".

8 FEATURES

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 11

THIS WEEK’S DEBATE: Citizenfour is arguably the most important political documentary of our time. It raised questions about the Orwellian power of the NSA’s surveillance systems to monitor the calls, texts and internet searches of anyone around the world. According to the movie, 1.2 million people are on USA ‘terror’ watch-lists. The real question is: is this kind of surveillance necessary?

YES: Like it or lump NO: A society can’t it, surveillance is a flourish without privacy necessary evil nowadays By Mark Laherty

By Tomás M. Creamer Mass surveillance of the sorts that the American NSA and the British GCHQ engage in does, without a doubt, seem unreasonable to us in Ireland. It is especially frightening that foreign government agencies can spy on the citizens of this country without asking for our government’s permission. However, when we talk about opposing the concept of government surveillance, we need to be careful. It goes without saying that Ireland, despite the troubles, never really felt the impact of the rise of terrorism within the last decade and a half. We in Ireland never had anything like the 2006 London Bombings, or, God forbid, 9/11. Despite our questionable policy of allowing American military planes to land in Shannon Airport, Ireland has never seemed to have been a serious target for extremist groups. Therefore, it is hard to understand the motivation behind widespread government surveillance, such as that revealed by Edward Snowden. Among other statistics, it has been revealed that 1.2 million Americans are on “terror” watch lists. But after experiencing the full devastation that terrorist attacks could bring to bear, surveillance of this kind may be a reasonable proposition. As technology has increased, so has the ability of government agencies to gather valuable, actionable intelligence. In the US, the move toward "home-grown" terror will necessarily require, by accident or purposefully, collections of U.S. citizens' conversations with potential overseas persons of interest. While he was in Berlin, Obama had said that “We know of at least 50 threats that have been averted because of this information, not just in the United States but, in some cases, threats here in Germany. So lives have been saved.” President Obama has also given assurances that he has put strict protocols in place that require judicial review and a warrant for all targets of the PRISM surveillance program. He and other officials also said the

government is not listening to your conversations or reading your email, but simply identifying phone numbers that could be connected to terrorists. Government surveillance of communications is nothing new. Letters have been screened by governments during war time or domestic turmoil almost since they had been invented. Similarly, in America, organised crime gangs were targeted with phone wiretaps, which are also arguably a threat to our privacy. In fact, had it not been for wiretaps, the war against organized crime in America could have been lost decades ago. It’s not as if many ordinary people have not already voluntarily compromised their privacy anyways. If I looked on my Facebook feed, I could work out a lot about the people that crop up on it, such as their interests, their politics (if they have any), and what they get up to on a Thursday night. As a result, people can fail to secure a job, due to some drunken, idiotic thing that they did in the past – but which was documented on Facebook. So really, it’s not as if privacy has not been largely undermined already. From my experience of running a blog, it can be hard to define boundaries – I want the work on my blog to be credited to me, but at the same time, I am always wary of what I am giving away of myself on it, and I try to keep my private life out of it, if I can. So I do wonder sometimes at what other bloggers are thinking about revealing their private lives in a publically-accessible blog, and the implications it has on their privacy. In other words, why are people worried about the government invading their privacy, when they’ve been volunteering private information online for years? Regardless, there are concerns as to the huge scope of government surveillance nonetheless – after all, autocratic regimes like China and (if they allowed the bulk of the population internet access) North Korea would not hesitate to use such vast volumes of data against political dissidents. We must ensure that governments in the west, even if they do resort to collecting large volumes of data, do not use it for political purposes.

“At this stage I can offer nothing more than my word. I am a senior government employee in the intelligence community. I hope you understand that contacting you is extremely high risk and you are willing to agree to the following precautions before I share more. This will not be a waste of your time.” So began Edward Snowden’s first email to director Laura Poitras under the pseudonym Citizen Four. He went on to leak a cache of top-secret documents including operational details about the US National Security Agency (NSA). Just over two years later, Snowden is a household name and, to many, a true US patriot. Poitras won an Academy Award for her documentary on Snowden and the scandal. Snowden’s actions are important because it shows that the NSA have been making certain kinds of intrusions which we have a special interest in being free from. A common argument is that you have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide, but this is a misunderstanding of the nature of privacy. To counter this, take an example. If the NSA decide, as they can, to read my private email, they may find details about my sexual behaviour. Even if they didn’t do anything with that information, I would still object to it because my sex life isn’t their business. My privacy is being violated. Whether or not I’m a terrorist doesn’t change that. Now we know exactly what privacy is, I’m going to argue that a society can’t be sustained without it. There are ‘core values’ that every society needs in order to last any length, including happiness, freedom and the most relevant to our purposes, security. That’s not to say that every culture is moral. Indeed, that’s clearly not the case. What I’m claiming is that every viable culture will show a preference for these values. Imagine a completely immoral culture. Even that needs food and water if it’s to survive. These basic activities require at least an implicit acknowledgement of the core values. To abandon them is to abandon existence.

That’s not to say privacy is itself a core value. That’d make my job a lot easier. But no; although the US cares little for privacy, it’s reasonable to assume that it’ll last the week. Some South African societies operate by a philosophy called ‘ubuntu’ (not the operating system) whereby there is no interest in privacy. They prefer a life without secrets. How, so, should we ground privacy? Well, all societies have the same core values, but they might express them in different ways. It’s like how we all need food but we don’t all need the same kind of food. Let’s call this the ‘expression of a core value’. No, keep reading. Basically, in other words, we all need security. Security is a core value. But the way we express security might vary from culture to culture depending on what works. In the South African societies that follow Ubuntu, they might express security through trust, for example. But this is a society which has grown larger and larger at the cost of intimacy. It’s a computerised society where a lot of our personal information is bouncing around the planet at tremendous speeds. To be fair, even if you don’t put your address on Facebook, it’s difficult to avoid filling any private details into a computer at some point in this day and age. Trust isn’t a natural expression of security; privacy is. Without it, or at the very least without any sort of replacement, the National Security Agency are doing the exact opposite of their job, which is impressive in its own way. So a society that lacks a core value like security can’t endure. A computerised society can’t have security without privacy. Therefore, a computerised society without privacy can’t endure. In a Reddit Q&A session on 23 February, Snowden observed how US officials are “scrambling to grab for new surveillance powers now not because they think they're necessary -- even government reports say mass surveillance doesn't work -- but because they think it's their last chance. “Maybe I'm an idealist, but I think they're right. In twenty years' time, the paradigm of digital communications will have changed entirely, and so too with the norms of mass surveillance.”

OPINION 9

March 18 2015

New evidence shows Saudi Arabia were ‘chief financiers’ of 9/11 By Eoin Molloy Satam al-Auqami, a Saudi Arabian law student, was one of the hijackers that crashed American Airlines flight 11 into the north tower of the world trade centre. In the aftermath of the towers’ collapse, his passport was found relatively unscathed amongst the rubble at street level. Now, according to the official story, it was the explosive heat of the jet fuel that melted the steel frame of the twin towers. This damaged the structural integrity of the towers, causing them to collapse on top of themselves. As the jet fuel was hot enough to melt through countless tonnes of reinforced steel, how on earth did a paper-based passport survive the explosion? This, and many more unsolved questions have once again been thrust to the forefront of the public domain. Jerry Goldman, the lawyer representing the families of the victims, is now stepping up his efforts to sue certain members of the Saudi Arabian aristocracy for their alleged role in financing the attacks. News that Goldman has attained first-hand evidence implicating Saudi aristocrats in the attack was published on February 27 in The Jewish Daily Forward. It now seems as though this long-languishing case could reach trial.

This will undoubtedly help provide answers to many of the unanswered questions related to the infamous attacks. Until now, anyone who questioned the authenticity of any facet of the official story in America was labelled ‘unpatriotic’ or a ‘conspiracy theorist’. Post-9/11 America has been a severe case of: ‘the nail that sticks up gets hammered’. To this day there are 28 secret pages of the Joint Intelligence Committee Inquiry into 9/11. Senator Bob Graham, the lead author of the report, recently came out said that the 28 redacted pages ‘point a very strong finger at Saudi Arabia as the principal financiers’ of the attacks. According to an earlier report by the International Business Times, the inquiry’s classified pages portray the Saudi royal family as having at the very least an indirect role in backing the hijackers. This was widely suspected at the time. The Bin Ladin group is a Saudi multi-national group of companies owned by the semiroyal Bin Laden family (of whom Osama was a member). The Bin Ladin group has always had close business ties to the Bush family. Therefore, it is clear why the Saudi link was classified by the Bush administration. Those 28 pages will likely implicate George W. Bush by association, at the very least.

The link between the two families was best showcased in the Palme D’or winning film Farenheit 9/11. Michael Moore alleges that Bush shielded the members of the Bin Laden family who were living in the US at the time. Two dozen members of Osama Bin Laden’s family were evacuated from around 10 US cities. How does this make sense? If I committed a murder and went into hiding, the first people questioned would be my family and friends. So why did the Bush administration allow Osama’s family members to leave the country? Again, these are questions we would have answers to had patriotic fervour not whipped through the nation as a result of 9/11. Who else benefitted financially from the 9/11 attacks? Take the Carlyle Group for example. This private equity firm gained financially from the attacks as the ensuing war on terror guaranteed lucrative military contracts for one of their companies: United Defence. The key connection here is that George H.W Bush was serving as an advisor to the Carlyle group. Also, at the time of the 9/11 attacks, Shafiq bin Laden (the alleged terrorist mastermind’s cousin) was at an investor conference in Washington D.C. This conference was hosted by, you guessed it: the Carlyle Group. Therefore, with each escalation in the global, unending conflict known as the war

on terror, both the Bush and Bin Laden families stood to gain financially. According to an article in The Economist published on June 26 2003, this cronyism took Eisenhower’s military industrial complex to another level entirely. This is precisely what the wartime president was talking about when he said that increased dependence on military spending would ‘endanger our liberties and democratic processes’. With the advent of the NSA and global surveillance, it’s clear that Eisenhower’s words were prophetic. We live in an age where questioning the established order will have you labelled a conspiracy theorist, even if you are just questioning the ability of exploded jet fuel to burn through thousands of tonnes of steel yet leave a paper passport unscathed. This is all an effect of 9/11. Our generation has an intrinsic mistrust and cynicism when it comes to authority. Arguably, this could potentially be borne from all of the classified documents and deflected questions about 9/11. We are not allowed to question the official story, so as a generation, we feel lied to. On that day, thousands of lives were extinguished and we don’t even know the full story as to why. The families will soon have their day in court, and the full story will be revealed.

Iceland drops EU Entry bid for Cod and Country By Eoghan Holland Surtsey, part volcano and part Island erupted out of the sea in 1963. The Beatles have been around longer. Iceland itself, the country north of Surtsey had a similar birth and in Global terms is a young country, which last week formally ceased its negotiations to formally join the EU. Past the surface this is not a large gesture, Iceland already enjoys the same passport law and free trade agreements as the rest of Europe, and an American military gentleman’s agreement ensures some form of neutrality. The only war which Iceland has been thought to have fired shots in was the Cod war, at the point where the UK was trying to reduce their fishing territory. Be it the phonetics or the location, it’s easy to draw parallels between Iceland and Ireland. Isolated, rugged and 'a bit different', both having handled the boom years absolutely terribly and both providing excellent locations to film Game of Thrones. In fact, I've read enough times already that Ireland should have defaulted and jailed the architects of the financial crisis as Iceland did, and if we were on the same monopoly board, maybe that would have been a good Idea. Frankly though, we are not. Iceland has a population just above half that of Connaught and a land mass similar to England. They have gay Taoiseachs; we have Gay Byrne. They have their own currency; we do not. When the crisis hit, they kinda had to just burn the bankers, as even in Connaught (which has a higher GDP) I'm pretty certain a whip-around would not generate the €22bn required to clear the books. Our linkage with euro currency set out the terms of negotiation for our bust, they woke up hungover and the bank card wouldn’t work. This

has generated what could be considered, in terms of tension and standoffishness, a successor to the Cod war. This time though instead of driving boats around the place slightly aggressively, the UK would love Iceland to formally join the EU, and formally pay back all that money they owe them. Internally, the subject of even talking about joining the EU has become of a bit of a political football in Iceland, and over the past few years has become a manifesto Issue for the political parties involved. Even the Pirate Party has a stance on it. This week’s manoeuvring leaves it so that should they proceed at a later date to talk with the EU, it has to be voted on internally by the people of Iceland first. The two key issues standing between Iceland and season ticket to Brussels are first and foremost, that massive, hulking default that most of Europe seem happy to quietly brush under the carpet and the other, which does draw a comparison with Ireland; fishing. Fishing is Iceland's main industry. As the last 40ft boats in Ireland rust in the Spanish arch docks, Iceland is still actually making money from the seas, and to some extent, are still whaling. A diet of whale, and a bit more whale, and some shark that has been buried; that’s how you get by when you live on a frozen volcano. For a country that has recently completely and utterly run out of money, the concept of passing the controls of its main industry to Brussels in exchange for a slightly more palatable currency is not a decision to be taken too lightly, and standing out in the smoking area of Europe (why reference Björk when you can reference Eyjafjallajökull?) catching a few whales while still holding onto your backstage pass for the rest of the world might just be as good a place as any for Iceland to stay in for now.

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10 OPINION

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 11

IRELAND: A Country with a religious hangover? By Cathal Kelly Ireland has always had an intricate and elaborate relationship with the Catholic Church, which can be dated back through the annals of history dating back to the days of St. Patrick. It was St. Patrick after all, that banished the demons of paganism, and enlightened the Irish with the dawn of Catholicism. It grew even stronger through centuries of oppression and persecution at the hands of Colonial Britain. Many Irish desired something to hold on to, to differentiate themselves from Britain. The Catholic faith was something that was distinctly Irish, through times of persecution and hardship. In modern times, Ireland broke free from the shackles of colonialism. There wasn’t just a desire to make Ireland an independent state, but a Catholic one as well.

The “special relationship” that the Catholic Church had here in Ireland was established in Eamonn De Valera’s “Bunreacht na nEireann” in 1937. The Eucharistic Congress that took place in Ireland not long beforehand, essentially opening Ireland up to “Rome rule”. What followed was decades of a clergybased theocracy. The rule of the Catholic Church was the law of the country, with many things that we take for granted nowadays made taboo. Contraception was considered illegal, divorce wasn’t available and homosexuality was considered a criminal offence. Worst of all, suicide victims were restricted from being buried on holy ground. Many controversies in Irish history have centred on the church’s teaching on those matters, namely divorce and abortion.

With the recent storm of controversies over abuses within the church and staterun institutions, many people have begun to revaluate their relationship with the Catholic Church. The church’s outdated and archaic teachings on many issues do not represent a modern, twenty first century Ireland. Ireland has come a long way in the last couple of decades. Taoiseach John A. Costelloe said in the 1950s: "I am an Irishman second, I am a Catholic first, and I accept without qualification the teaching of the hierarchy and the church to which I belong." Fast forward nearly seventy years and our attitude to the power of religion has changed dramatically. As An Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: "I am proud to stand here as a public representative, as a Taoiseach who happens to be a Catholic, but not as a Catholic

Taoiseach." These words show a dramatic alteration in our attitude towards religion has changed. These words sent a very clear message. We are no longer a country that is under the authority of the bishops or Catholic hierarchy. In the past, the approval of the church was necessary for nearly any significant event to take place. The significance of these quotes show that our country is now being run in the Dail, not from Rome. It showed that our leaders no longer bow to the demands of religion. The debates over simple issues of divorce, contraception are no more. The restrictive teachings of the church have no place in a modern and liberal society. It’s time for us to usher in the era of “Ireland after religion”.

Russian opposition leader shot dead mere steps from the Kremlin By Valeri Tarassov Boris Nemtsov, a controversial Russian politician, was shot to death just before midnight on Friday 27 February. He was walking home from a restaurant with a Ukrainian photo model Anna Duritskaya. The killer fired six rounds, four of them hit the target and Nemtsov died instantly. Boris Nemtsov’s career started with President Yeltsin. There were some talks that he was meant to take over the office after Yeltsin. He was the one who convinced president Yeltsin to appoint governors to manage federal subjects (oblasts). He then became the first governor of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. He served as a First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and a Deputy Prime Minister of Russia. He was known for swift economic reforms which resulted in the eco-

nomic collapse of Russia in years 1997 to 1998, at which point he resigned. Since then he was always in opposition and until his death was known to be a fierce critic of current Kremlin administration and President Vladimir Putin. Shortly after the murder, western media immediately connected the crime with Nemtsov’s activities in opposition and some were very quick to blame president Putin personally. According to a Russian journalist Ksenya Sobchak he was about to reveal evidence of presence of Russian Military Forces in Eastern Ukraine that the Kremlin categorically denies. This is a viable version that can explain the motive for his murder but it makes one wonder why Kremlin would do something like that with so much attention around current crisis in Ukraine. Would you steal a pack of gum in a store if a security guard is standing behind you

and watching your every move? It is important to note that Mrs. Sobchak herself is a big critic of current Kremlin administration. The striking thing is the way in which this murder was carried out. There are a few thousand security cameras in the area around the Kremlin, not to mention the witness who was walking with Nemtsov and was unharmed. It seems that whoever did this was aiming for a dramatic effect that is why it was done so close to Kremlin and why a witness was left unharmed. There is one version that really seems underplayed to me. We are talking about a 55-year-old man, walking with a very young model. One motive for this crime could potentially be that someone could definitely object, perhaps a younger boyfriend who didn’t approve her affection to an older but more powerful gentleman?

Jealousy and love is the oldest motive in the history of crime. Or could she have been involved? It was raining that night and the temperature was cold. Let’s be fair, she is a photo model who agreed to walk around in cold rain. Knowing personally how fame affects models from the Post-Soviet Block I find it very hard to believe that she would go on such a walk, unless it was absolutely necessary. But these are just speculations, some of them maybe sound silly but with people like Nemtsov, everything is possible. I wouldn’t be so quick to blame Kremlin for this murder, there are a lot easier ways to get rid of someone without making a public scene. It seems to me that a public scene of this murder works a lot more for anyone other than Vladimir Putin.

“Political Policing” claims are questionable – but “Socio-Economic inequality” in justice is not By Tomás M. Creamer Last month, there was controversy over the arrest and detention of several prominent protesters in relation to various offences resulting to certain aspects of the anti-water charge protests. These included the arrest of four men – among them, Anti-Austerity Alliance/Socialist TD, Paul Murphy – for “imprisoning” Tainiste Joan Burton’s car for two hours, and the arrest of five protesters in relation to their refusal to obey a court order to adhere to a 20 meter exclusion zone around water installations. Especially in relation to the latter case, it is hard to convincingly prove that there was premeditated political policing, and indeed, it is unlikely that there was a deliberate political motivation behind the arrests and detention. There was provisions in the law to allow for those arrests. Nonetheless, there are many questions that these incidents do raise –the most relevant in this particular case been the difference in how “white-collar crime” and “blue-collar crime” is treated in Ireland.

Indeed, this would be what many of the anti-water charge protesters would point to, to demonstrate the unfairness of their treatment by the arms of law and order in the state. And, in all fairness, it is hard to disagree with them, seeing how laxly the issue of white-collar crime seems to be treated in this country. This particularly struck me when I was listening to the Anglo-Irish Trial last April, when two former executives were spared jail time for giving out illegal loans to property developers to buy shares in the bank. Now, I know that everyone is entitled to a free trial, but what really astonished me was the reasoning given for the decision. Apparently, they were to be spared jail time because the financial regulator was more or less incompetent – or, in other words, it would be “unjust to imprison the two men when a State agency had led them into error and illegality”, and that the two men could not honestly have realised that they were breaking any laws as a result.

The judge in the matter did say that this did not give them a right to break the law, but could you honestly imagine a bluecollar criminal case where the judge ruled out sentencing for the offender because of the incompetence of a state agency, or because they didn’t know the technicalities of the law? When you create the perception that white-collar criminals are treated with “kid’s gloves”, while blue-collar criminals, whose criminality usually results from the disadvantaged circumstances they found themselves in, have the book thrown at them, could you really then be shocked when people are annoyed about protesters been imprisoned over refusing to stay over 20 metres away from water installations? In a Claire Byrne Live-initiated poll, when asked if it was excusable to break the law, in order to stop the introduction of water charges, 25% of respondents agreed. Now, supporters of the anti-water charge movement would say that the exact ques-

tion asked was loaded. Even assuming that it wasn’t though, there are clearly a lot of people who feel that the state apparatus is actively working against them. What could be causing such antipathy towards the state’s law enforcement arm and its justice system? Well, the problem of serially under-resourcing agencies dedicated to fighting white-collar crime does not help matters – but it is also indicative of a larger stratification of Irish society. This is evident in statistics about increasing inequality, and in how the Government, when they introduced their first non-austerity budget last year, actually used the extra money for tax cut for the wealthy, and left those with lower incomes even worse off. Regrettably, Irish politics will only start to get uglier from now on, as the social cohesion that used to exist has been completely undermined by recent actions of the state – hence, the widespread antipathy towards it by the “outsiders” of Ireland’s economy and society.

OPINION 11

March 18 2015

Please stop caring about the dress By Sylvia Power

“I

SEE BLUE AND BLACK, the rest of you must be colour-blind oh my gawd, so funny and random lol” cackles that offensively rowdy girl with questionable tan sitting behind you in McDonalds, her plastic spoon hovering over a McFlurry tub that is most definitely blue and white and the colour of which has provoked public debate absolutely zero times. Not long ago, I began wondering how long it would be before the next wildly unentertaining Facebook fad crawls out from the woodwork and slaps us all in the face through the form of repetitive posts and your “gas” relatives on social media hopping on a bandwagon that they are really too old and too weighed down by adult responsibilities to clamber onto. The last Facebook trend was nominations of var ious and pointless denominations; wear no makeup, post an endearing childhood picture of yourself, staple a balloon to a priest, you get the idea. “That Friday feeling” of nausea (coupled with self-inflicted shame) at having woken up at 2pm and rolled over to make awkward eye contact with a Supermac's snackbox that you have no memory of bringing home the night before was bolstered by the new kid on the block of meaningless tripe on Facebook that is: the dress. Oh yes.

OU'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT IT from someone who you actively dislike, and this prattle bridged the gap of silence for five minutes quite nicely that weekend didn't it? Maybe Gavin from Archaeology who keeps using it as an awkward chat up line on girls thinks it's a great way to engage people in a potentially interesting conversation about the scientific nuances of pigment differentiation in the visual cortex. Or else, you know, Gavin is a socially incompetent idiot, and so is everyone who gives this “story” more than two seconds of recognition.

But that's not the point in this scenario. The news that people are guilty of ignoring on a daily basis is genuinely horrific and shows how preoccupied society is with everything that is only of direct consequence to them. The vast majority of people find it so easy to just bury their heads in the sand and barrel through each day by staying exclusively on Facebook/Twitter/Spotify. I know I'm superbly guilty of this and on occasion find my life blurred between what is real life and what I've read on Waterford Whispers. Instead, when dull people were looking for something to talk about so they'd seem like mad craic, really important world news was passing under the public radar.

HE AWFUL FACT IS that every time someone shoved an iPhone 6 into the faces of any nearby humans and shrieked “Haha I totes see blue and gold, c'mere what do you see? It's different every time lol” a Pakistani person was praying that the sky would not be pale blue that day, because pale blue sky is an ideal weather condition for drones to quickly zoom past their faces and into their houses. People questioned vigorously the precise shades of “the dress”; but did you hear anyone query the government's decision to cut funding for vital support organisations (for example; the Galway Rape Crisis Centre and women's refuges) by more than 25% for the fifth consecutive year? Do people simply not care about substantial information anymore? Where is the decent human spirit of actually giving a damn about anyone but ourselves and our social media accounts? I understand that chit-chat with your hairdresser about the Syrian conflict is a little heavy and a definite buzzkill, but what about on the main news forums? I feel such overwhelming shame that everywhere in the world, people have essential stories that need to be told and yet half the adult population of Europe and the USA was giggling and pointing at a dress, blissfully ignorant of everything but themselves and quite literally the most useless thing I've ever seen.

People questioned vigorously the precise shades of “the dress”; but did you hear anyone query the government's decision to cut funding for vital support organisations (for example; the Galway Rape Crisis Centre and women's refuges) by more than 25% for the fifth consecutive year? GMIT_SIN_halfpage_portrait_5382_V3_CC_ARTWORK_OL.indd 1

05/02/2015 10:34

12 FEATURES

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 11

Is there anything as strange as a normal person? Being autistic is a feminist issue By Emer McHugh When someone asks you to think of a fictional character who’s autistic, who springs to mind? For a lot of people, usually it’s Sherlock, Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory, or Dustin Hoffman’s character from Rain Man. These characters are all gifted individuals, yet they struggle with social interactions (in fact, some of them are outright assholes to other people) – and they are all men. Can you think of any other fictional autistic character of any other gender – any women, for example? Thought not. Why is this important? It’s important because what people generally tend to know about autism is really a mish-mash of stereotypes, which these male characters, sown into the fabric of our public consciousness, feed into. Autism is hard to encapsulate into a buzzword or into a snappy sentence, I guess: for me, it means problems with social interactions, often experiencing feelings and sensations to extremes, struggling with very poor executive function… basically, the world

in general is a great big mystery to an aspie (aspie: shorthand term for autistic/people who were officially diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, like I was). Over the years, I’ve mentally collated the reactions I get when I come out to them, and they all stem from the dickish-yet-brilliantcishet-white-male template that we’re all so used to: ‘But you look normal!’ ‘You’re pretty outgoing for someone who’s autistic!’ ‘I thought you were just quirky.’ ‘Oh… you must be a brainbox so.’ ‘Oh no, you don’t have it, you really don’t…’ (Regarding that last one, are you really going to try and disagree with the two psychologist’s reports that say I do have it?). It’s led me to conclude that autism is terribly gendered, and that it is a feminist issue. An autistic woman, it seems, doesn’t compute: to some, I am nothing more than a Quirky Girl stereotype only a few steps away from constantly playing

Belle & Sebastian on the ukulele and making homemade vegan cupcakes (not that there’s anything wrong with either of those, but there’s more to me than that). Think about it: the reactions I’ve received indicate that I seem to confound the expectations of what autism is for these people. Trying to reassure me that I don’t have it or that I’m outgoing, or assuming that I am some Zooey Deschanel knock-off (no disrespect to her) shows how these stereotypes have pervaded our perception of it. I’m not saying that Sherlock, Sheldon, and their ilk aren’t autistic (that’s a discussion for another day), nor am I asking everyone to automatically detect my autism upon first meeting me, but the autistic spectrum is a spectrum for a very good reason – whereas autistic people have many shared experiences and attributes, one size doesn’t fit all. There are male aspies, female aspies, trans (inc. non-binary) aspies, queer aspies, straight aspies, aspies of colour, non-verbal aspies, aspies in academia, aspie actors, aspie artists, aspie activists, aspie feminists… and a lot of these

Your Questions Answered After my last article was published someone contacted me with a few questions regarding the execution of a multi-step campaign geared around landing their dream job. Putting together the answers to those questions got me thinking. There are actually quite a few frequently asked questions that crop up again and again so this issue I’m going to answer them all for you… WHY SHOULD I USE MULTI-STEP?

When you use multi-step follow-up and repetition you achieve a few things; firstly chances are your competitors are only contacting your prospective employers once so by implementing multi-step you get to stand out from the competition. Secondly, you begin to achieve what’s called TOMA which stands for Top Of Mind Awareness. If there’s one spot available, out of 200 equally-skilled candidates and all other factors being equal, who has the better chance of being selected, one out of the 199 candidates who sent a bland CV and cover letter or the superstar who executed a multi-step campaign? CAN’T I JUST DO WHAT EVERYONE ELSE DOES?

Market Thyself

You could but if you just do what everyone else does, you’re setting yourself up to having to compete in the same space everyone else does. When you differentiate yourself and show up like no-one else, you isolate yourself in a vacuum and as long as you’re a worthy candidate you have an infinitely higher chance of getting noticed and selected. HOW DOES THE MMM TRIANGLE FIT INTO THIS?

It’s the basis for everything. There are a lot of snake oil peddlers and charlatans out there who complicate marketing, whether it’s marketing yourself or your business. Marketing

comes down to the three M’s: putting together the right Message for your most ideal Market and delivering it using the right Media.

people exist at the intersection of two or more of these things. It’s a range of different experiences, opinions, and ways of seeing the world, yet aspies of genders who aren’t cis white men get lost in the shuffle. This, of course, isn’t very good. But how can allistic people (i.e., non-autistic people) help? It’s very easy: Be Awesome Friends To Autistic People. Firstly: talk to us. Ask us about our experiences (but not intrusively): we’re happy to chat. When we talk about representation and negative stereotypes in the media, please listen to us. Be open to being called out. When we are confused, overwhelmed, or just not receiving signals (which can often happen), help us out and be straight-up with us. And remember – as with anyone – never rely on your assumptions of what ‘an autistic person’ is and should be. Autistic people go to house parties. Autistic people go out dancing. Autistic people are capable of loving and holding down relationships with friends, family, and lovers. We are a diverse community, capable of so much. Sometimes, we just need a little help with what this very allistic society, full of sound and fury, throws at us.

By John Mulry of Ryanair because he’s the type of guy I’d love to work with. You can and should do the same. WHAT IF EVERYONE STARTS DOING THIS?

DOES THIS WORK FOR EVERY INDUSTRY?

Absolutely. It doesn’t matter what you’re promoting, or what industry you’re looking to land a job in. A long as you’re using the marketing triangle and making it all about them (your prospective employers) then it absolutely works no matter what industry you’re in. AREN’T MULTI-STEP MAILINGS EXPENSIVE?

Yes they are, but it’s all relative. It costs little to nothing to send an email, right? And it costs anywhere from a euro to a few euro per mailing piece to send out a direct mail package. Don’t just think about the initial cost but think in terms of the return on investment and relevant results specific to the method you choose. If you send out 100 emails, it won’t cost you anything but chances are everyone else is just sending emails. If you send out 100 multi-step mailings it might cost you a few euro per mailing but you have a much higher chance of landing your dream job where you could be earning a 30K, 40K, 50K plus a year. Would you spend a few hundred euro with the potential to earn 30K plus? WHY SHOULD I LOOK FOR MY DREAM JOB; WON’T ANY JOB DO?

As clichéd as it sounds, we don’t get very long on this earth so why not think big, aim higher than normal, and get outside your comfort zone? Take me for example, every month I publish a marketing magazine, and when I send it out, rather than send it out to anybody and everybody, I send it to the likes of Michael O’Leary

They won’t. It takes effort, hard work and discipline to execute a strategy like this. Let’s face it, with the adaption and integration of easy buttons, smart phones and various other technological advances, more and more people look for the easy way to do things rather than the hard way. WHY REACH OUT TO COMPANIES WHEN THEY’RE NOT ACTIVELY HIRING?

Companies generally don’t announce their job openings the second they become available so being pre-emptive and contacting them beforehand shows initiative, ambition, forward-thinking as well as giving yourself the chance to get in there ahead of the crowd. Plus, when you prospect the way I’ve been teaching you, the companies you’re reaching out to may even create a position for you if you impress them enough. WHAT HAPPENS IF I ANNOY SOME PEOPLE?

I’m not going to say you’ll not annoy people with this type of multi-step mailing; sometimes you’ll catch people having a bad day, and other times you might have sent it to the wrong person. The benefits of doing it versus the benefits of not because of the off-chance you’ll annoy someone is far higher. You can’t please everyone but as long as you’re coming from a place of value you should be fine. Have you any other questions that I didn’t cover today? Feel free to reach out to me on John@JohnMulry.com with your questions, and or feedback.

FEATURES 13

March 18 2015

ALIVE with the sound of volunteering Sitting down with Lorraine Tansey, the coordinator of ALIVE By Ciara Treacy Charities have taken a hit in the recent economic climate as people tighten the purse strings, and revelations about the pay of senior staff members have rendered many sceptical of dropping change into a bucket. For those working and volunteering in the sector, it may be hard to keep motivated. Anyone hoping to change their attitude simply needs to look at Lorraine Tansey, the coordinator of NUI Galway’s volunteering programme ALIVE, whose outlook on the sector is full of positivity. When in 2003 the university piloted ALIVE under the Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI), she was eager to be one of the 20 students to take part in its development. “I was in my final year and it was perfect, exactly what I wanted to do. It was a very specific programme they were launching – we had to take a module which incorporated 16 weeks of training and 45 hours of volunteering.” She describes the current programme as a “fluid” venture, through which students and staff alike are encouraged to volunteer from a range of opportunities at a time which suits them. With the help of Lorraine and the ALIVE team, to date over 10,000 students have been recognised for their volunteering commit-

ment to the NUI Galway campus community, the Galway city community, and internationally. In 2013 ALIVE celebrated its tenth birthday at a ceremony which included an address from NUI Galway President Dr James Browne and special guest Tony Griffin of the Soar Foundation. “Our tenth birthday was amazing, we had the best cake ever! It was rainbow coloured like our logo. “It was great to look back over ten years of ALIVE graduates and to say we really acknowledge and appreciate the great work students have done for the campus community, the wider community and for themselves.” It is the impact that giving back has had on students which inspires Lorraine to continue to promote opportunities through volunteering fairs, various campaigns and by holding designated daily office hours to meet with students. “What motivates me most are the conversations I have with students and the stories I receive back from alumni. Some have even got work with the organisations they initially volunteered with because they found a new passion.” For students who are enticed by the prospect of volunteering, what advice would Lorraine give to them?

“Think of what you’re interested in and passionate about, because that will sustain you. You could decide you like working with small people or people in general, or maybe interested in Information Technology, or simply in making videos. Chat to us, we have something for your passion. “I would tell students not to put up barriers in terms of time or distance, because there is so much happening in Galway communities that there will be something that they can slot in.” She stresses the importance of students using the opportunities to add a social dimension to their profession. “We have a mostly free education system so when we go to the workforce are we bringing that piece around civic duty, around responsibility to our community and to a society which has put us through university.” Commerce student and former ALIVE intern Megan Reilly has commended the work the team has had in helping her discover volunteering and the benefits this has had in her academic and working life. “After working in the ALIVE office, I saw the true amount of work that goes into run-

ning a volunteer database and coordinating an award ceremony, amongst so many other things. “The team are truly dedicated and through helping to link students up with organisations in the college, community, and even internationally, they are helping with a new generation of volunteers that are initiating positive change. “Volunteering is something that has shaped my character and it is a truly rewarding and even addictive pastime, no matter how you choose to volunteer.” The closing date for ALIVE certificate applications is 21 March, to apply visit www. yourspace.nuigalway.ie. The ALIVE ceremony will be held on 31 March in the Bailey Allen Hall at 11.30am.

Penneys Sunglasses By Hazel Doyle I bought sunglasses in Penneys last weekend. I was ready to welcome the sunshine into my life with open arms, but instead the snow made an appearance. Now, I’m all about that snow (‘bout that snow, no hail-stones) but like… in spring?!?! It’s March people! The 99s will be back soon! I love the seasons, but I feel that for this loving

relationship to continue, the seasons should be a bit more respectful of the seasonal-based weather that this temperate climate is supposed to have. I had just begun to take note of the springsummer fashion blazoned onto magazine pages, and I was mentally preparing for the prospect of potentially striving for a “bikini body” when all of a sudden the snow started (just a note on that “bikini body”; I’ve just returned from the fridge and am now scoffing my second KitKat. Sure, we all deserve a break!). Anyway, the snow needs to apologise for its late arrival, because it so does not go with my sunglasses. They’re pretty nifty these glasses. They’re a kind of a minty-turquoise and they’ve these little yellow flowers on either side of each lens, as if a little flower is perched on each ear. They make me think of festivals, of beaches, of the Sp’Arch and of wearing short shorts in Ireland, but then realising you missed a patch of hair when you beautified that morning, because it stands on end when the sun goes behind a cloud. These sunglasses are a symbol of hope on those dark days, when you sit staring at a page trying to come up with the next point for your essay, or try to scramble together the coins for a hot chicken roll, because there is no food in the house; you’re poor, but you just can’t stomach beans on toast for one more night.

These sunglasses say “yo, yo, yo! It’s gonna be okay! The summer is on its way, and you’ll surely have good weather for the long weekend in June – sure won’t everyone be studying for their Leaving Cert? The suckers. And isn’t it great that you don’t have to do those exams ever again?” They are a little motivational speech all by themselves. But these little UVA and UVB bad boys are also a symbol of my itchy feet. It’s about the time of year when everyone in college is thinking about whether to do a J1 or go home to Mammy’s house and work for the summer. Or maybe they’d like to go volunteering for the summer, or inter-rail around Europe? The world is a college student’s (poor and discounted) oyster. I’ve spent the last two evenings trolling through skyscanner, looking for cheap flights. Meself and the Pink Ladies have jobs, and we’re all pretty new to them, so finding a time that we all have off will be difficult. We’re also still paying back loans so we’re all still broke, but not in any way reaping the benefits of a student discount. It no longer seems like an option to up and go inter-railing, or volunteer and we’ve missed that J1 bandwagon. Now, we’re supposed to be responsible and we’re limited to the Irish national average of 20 days off a year, plus those 9 bank holidays (thanks Bank!). So those little sunglasses are looking back at me, from my desk, with the tags still on,

saying “Hazel. Please find a bank holiday to run away with me. Why can’t you find a good deal on Ryanair?” They’re dying to sit on my face, on a beach, to make friends with a ridiculous sunhat, and smear some of my sun cream off of my nose. Those sunglasses are a little symbol of the summers I left behind in 2014, having finished up in NUIG, and a little reminder that now I’m supposed to be a grown-up. They long to sit with a good book and soak up the sun and a girly story. So, Dear Reader, if you have made it this far, and you are lucky enough to still be with books and student discounts, I urge you: go forth! Go forth and rally your friends. Make them get off their study bums and book that holiday with you. That’s what student travel loans are for, and you’ll be heading into the working world eventually, so you’ll pay it off! Never again – except for you guys going on to teach – will you have three months off in the summer. Never again will you have a summer holiday that you can waste away in your pyjamas. Go now, and seek destinations far and wide. Seek selfies in far-flung J1 locations, and volunteering vacations (that kind of rhymes)! If you still need some convincing, or your friends do, just go look at the Penneys sunglasses. If nothing else, they’ll make you look fab out in Salthill when you’re meant to be studying.

14 FEATURES

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 11

Reasons to be proud of being Irish By Tomás M. Creamer GAELIC ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION (GAA):

The GAA, arguably the most successful amateur sports movement in modern times, is a uniquely Irish institution that has been so successful in promoting the games of Gaelic Football and Hurling that they are now as fundamental in the cultural identity of Ireland as the Irish language. That, and – let’s be honest - the games themselves are pretty kick-ass. Scoreless draws are virtually non-existent and Hurl-

ing in particular is notable for being the fastest field sport in the world. No wonder many Irish people, after growing up with these sports, would find games like American football or baseball boring to watch. FOOD:

While we have long since developed past the stage where agriculture was the absolute dominant industry in Ireland, it is arguably still our biggest domestic industrial sector, employing hundreds of thousands of

We may complain about the “junkets” that our leaders go off on because of St. Patrick's Day, but just think about it: what other national holiday is so widely celebrated and recognised worldwide?

people, either directly or through various spin-off industries. Thanks to this and because it seems to be one of the few areas that the Irish state doesn’t do a bad job at regulating, we in Ireland actually have relatively good quality food as a result. That is why food is often one of the things that Irish people abroad miss the most. SINGLE TRANSFERABLE VOTING SYSTEM:

Some may say that I am cheating here but it is something that is often overlooked, in my view. While Single Transferable Vote is not unique to Ireland, it is the only country in the world to use it for all national elections besides Malta. Why does this deserve to be on the list, you ask? Single Transferable Vote is on the list because is a unique voting system which allows for proportional political representa-

tion, while strongly promoting individual accountability – allowing you to pick and choice between any of the candidates on the list. It also has resulted in Ireland having more Independent TDs than anywhere else in Western Europe combined. ST. PATRICK’S DAY:

St. Patrick’s Day may not mean much to many Irish people, other than watching parades and enjoying an orange juice in the company of friends. We may complain about the “junkets” that our leaders go off on because of it but just think about it: what other national holiday is so widely celebrated and recognised worldwide? It’s not just the usual suspects in America, the UK or Australia – the huge numbers of world landmarks that are lit green for the day demonstrates how widespread the recognition of our national holiday is.

St. Patrick’s address to the Suggestions for a new national holiday students of NUI Galway By Michael Glynn

Lads and ladies of NUI Galway, I would like to thank you all for your continued support of National St. Paddy’s Day over the past few years. I am happy to see that profits are up on Paddy merchandise and sales are through the roof on green face paint. All proceeds are donated to the ‘Get the Snakes Out of Ireland’ fund. Speaking of shnakes, I saw the feckers are back. The have been creeping into newsagents and supermarkets all over Ireland under the guise of Natural Confectionary Company sweeties. All I can say is don’t be fooled by their seemingly delicious fruity taste- that’s what they want you to think! Soon they’ll be up to funny business and the country will be polluted with them again. I have also noticed that the dancing snake Michael Flatley has stolen my crown as ‘Top Fake Irish Person’. The fact that I haven’t brought up this gripe until now highlights that I am in fact more Irish than the Lord of the Dance: I bottled it up for many years before I shouted from the rooftops after a night out with the lads. I have realised that the true values of my special day have been lost after the recession. I decree that every man, woman, child and farm animal in Ireland should begin

March 17 with a fine bit of mass. Dress code: entirely green including compulsory shamrocks. After mass, a trip to the shop to have a Loop de Loop or other green food stuff. You must head to the parade early so you get a good place for spotting all the people you know and catching the best freebies being thrown off lorries. The parade should be strictly classical. None of this fancy shtuff ye have been putting on to impress the Yanks. I expect tractors, a group of woeful dancers, a few lorries and some daycent cars followed by the marching band and the army reserves. The only items to be thrown into the crowd are: boiled sweets and stuff nobody would actually want on any other day. After that, is there anything that could be said for another mass? You are bound to be getting hungry at this stage so I would advise Irish stew and one of those snazzy Shamrock Shakes from Maccy D’s. The evening should be spent eating bags of Tayto while watching Bosco and singing Sean Nós. The perfect end to a perfect day should be trying to get the shift of a young wan while ‘Maniac 2000’ plays in the background. Until next year, God bless every last one of ye.

With the fabled holiday of St Patrick’s Day upon us, we at SIN have decided to turn our gaze to the important issues that exist today, namely, what isn’t an Irish national holiday but should be? Of course, there are many subjects to choose from but we have decided to suggest the following as ideas for a new national day and an excuse to have another day off college:

TAYTO DAY: It has been my firm opinion for years that the biggest celebrity and household name in Ireland is none other than the glorious Mr Tayto. Some of you now might call me insane, crisps? Why should we have a day commemorating crisps? Well, I’m not talking about the crisps; I’m talking about the great man himself who has been bringing us his delicious product since 1954. On another note, this might be a day to ostracise those heathens who think of only crisps when this icon’s name is mentioned, his holiness Mr Tayto has toiled away bringing us not only crisps but chocolate (I’ll admit, not the best chocolate but still), popcorn and a theme park!

Ordinarily if you were a Barry’s person I would set aside an hour or two out of my day to attempt to convince you that you are wrong but on this day of union and national pride I welcome you as my friend in tea

Why I am the first to bring this up is beyond me. I propose the November 22 for this holiest of days (nice filler between Halloween and Christmas).

DAY OF TEA: Are you a Lyon’s or Barry’s person? Well ordinarily if you were Barry’s I would set aside an hour or two out of my day to attempt to convince you that you are wrong but on this day of union and national pride I welcome you as my friend in tea and I’ll even make the first cup. There is nothing more inherently Irish than tea and we didn’t even invent it! But my lord did we make it ours. When a person is born with the automatic instinct to turn on the kettle when someone enters the house, you know that we are doing something right. That is why I suggest this day of rest: keep the pyjamas on, fetch the slippers and let’s all relax in the sitting room with a nice cuppa to keep us tranquil. Join me in the kitchen on January 20, after a taste of the return to college this day will surely lift your spirits.

DANIEL DAY’S DAY: That’s right, I said it, we should celebrate Daniel Day-Lewis more often: the man is an artist. While undoubtedly considered insane by many due to his method style of acting (I can’t imagine he was much fun to be around when playing Christy Brown), he has won three Oscars, the only person in history to have done so. This day should be one of rest as well: put the feet up, stick on a bit of Gangs of New York or Lincoln and marvel at the master at work. This day should also be a time to debate, what roles would Daniel’s roommate hate him to get? I still say Hitler or Jesus. So come on, this April 29 let’s have a movie night, I’ll bring the popcorn.

FEATURES 15

March 18 2015

Ní fhéidir an seanfhocal a shárú Le Michelle Nic Gabhann Beatha teanga í labhairt… Cuireann na seanfhocail laethanta na scoile i gcuimhne do go leor daoine: laethanta fada caite sa seomra ranga á bhfoghlaim de ghlan mheabhair, nó ag tapú na deise iad a úsáid i ngach aiste, gan smaoineamh ar an mbrí a bhain leo. Ach i sochaí nua-aimseartha an lae atá inniu ann, an bhfuil áit ag na seanfhocail agus nathanna cainte seo i gcaint laethúil an duine? Cé chomh fiúntach is atá an seanfhocal sa lá atá inniu ann?

Ní lia duine ná tuairim Nathanna cainte seanchaite, cailcithe, neamhábhartha iad na seanfhocail a bhaineann le ré agus saol atá thart agus nach bhfuil in oiriúint do shaol an lae inniu? Chuir mé romham an tuairim seo a thástáil i measc fhoireann agus mic léinn Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge ar an gCeathrú Rua, le fáil amach ar cheap siad an raibh fiúntas ar bith ag baint le húsáid na seanfhocal sa lá atá inniu ann. Dar le hÁine Uí Dhomhnaill, cúntóir riaracháin san Acadamh, go bhfuil an seanfhocal níos ábhartha sa saol atá inniu ann ná mar a bhí riamh. Is as Conamara d’Áine, agus deir sí go gcuireann seanfhocal go mór le saibhreas na teanga. “Is sa seanfhocal atá brí, beocht agus saibhreas na teanga ar bhealach atá tráthúil, traidisiúnta agus ciallmhar. Insíonn sé an scéal ar fad i mbeagán focal.” Tóg mar shampla an seanfhocal Ní bíonn in aon rud ach seal atá chomh hábhartha do shaol an lae inniu is a bhí céad bliain ó shin. Tá Sammy Jo Hayes agus Áine Máire Nic Dhiarmada, beirt mhac léinn san Acadamh, arb as Corcaigh agus Longfort faoi sheach iad, den tuairim chéanna le hÁine. Deir na cailíní go bhfuil frásaí ann a chuireann síos ar staid ar bith, ar nós cúrsaí an tsaoil: Is iomaí cor sa saol, cairdeas: Giorraíonn beirt bóthar, agus an bás: Is iomaí lá sa reilig orainne. Cé go gceapann formhór d’fhoireann an Acadaimh, agus leath de na mic léinn a ceistíodh, go bhfuil an seanfhocal ábhartha go fóill, tá daoine ann, mar shampla an feidhmeannach cumarsáide Dan Dwyer, a cheapann go bhfuil seanfhocail seanfhaiseanta, agus sa lá atá inniu ann, nach bhfuil siad chomh riachtanach sin. “Is ar éigin go smaoiním ar aon ‘seanfhocal’ i mo shaol laethúil,” a deir Dan. “Mar ghasúr bhí mé an-tógtha le ‘Níl aon tinteán…’ agus tá sé deacair orm smao-

ineamh ar mórán eile acu… Cuireann siad leis an teanga, go háirithe nuair atá siad úsáidte sa chomhthéacs ceart, ach ag amanna eile tá siad in ann a bheith seanfhaiseanta.” Ceann do na deacrachtaí is mó a bhaineann leis na seanfhocail, ná an chaoi a mhúintear iad. “Is fiú seanfhocail a múineadh mar baineann siad le tobar na Gaeilge, lenár dúchas, n-oireacht agus an saol a bhí,” a deir Máire Ní Chatháin, bainisteoir stiúrtha an gcomhlacht Abair Amach É, a cothaíonn agus múineann an teanga Gaeilg. “Tá bealaí níos fearr áfach le seanfhocail a mhúineadh go pháistí agus déagóirí. Seachas liosta fhada a fhoghlaim de ghlan mheabhair, tá sé suas chuig an mhúinteoir a chuid samhlaíocht a úsáid, mar shampla cluiche a dhéanamh as, áit ina dhéanann siad meaitseáil ar na seanfhocail atá an míniú cheana acu – mar shampla Cur síoda ar gabhar agus is gabhar fós é agus Ní fhéidir rás chapall a dhéanamh d’asal, a chiallaíonn nach féidir nádúr an duine a athrú. Ba cheart go mbeadh na gasúir lán pháirteach ina gcuid fhoghlaim.”

Tagann ciall le haois Cé gur cumadh iad san am atá thart, is ábhar iontais é go bhfuil an dearcadh atá léirithe sna seanfhocail chomh mór sin i dtiúin le saol an lae inniu. Tóg cúrsaí sláinte agus leighis mar shampla. Seanfhocal coitianta é Maireann croí éadrom i bhfad atá thar a bheith tráthúil i sochaí dian an lae inniu agus é cruthaithe ag dochtúirí agus eolaithe ar fud na cruinne go bhfuil nasc idir strus agus fadhbanna croí. Dar le saineolaithe an Irish Heart Foundation, is de thoradh strus atá 16% d’fhir agus 22% de mná san Eoraip ag fulaingt le galair chroí. Bhí an ceart ag an nglúin a chuaigh romhainn agus iad ag rá gurb é an té nach bhfuil mórán brú air a bhaineann saol fada amach. Ar ndóigh is seanfhocal thar a bheith coitianta é Is fearr an tsláinte ná na táinte agus faraor tá sé chomh tráthúil i saol an lae inniu is a bhí sé na céadta bliain ó shin. Is anois a thuigimid chomh tuisceanach, cliste agus airdeallach is a bhí an dream a tháinig romhainn. Bhí seanfhocal acu chun léargas beacht a thabhairt ar ghné ar bith don saol ar nós na hóige Ní thagann an óige faoi dhó choíche; na ceirdeanna An té nach mbeireann ar an ghnó, beireann an gnó air agus saol laethúil an duine An rud nach mbaineann duit ná bain dó.

Cé go bhfuil gliceas agus gaois ag baint leo, is cinnte go bhfuil dearcadh frithbhan le sonrú i gcuid acu. Caitheamh anuas agus cáineadh na mban atá i gcuid acu ar nós: Ní féasta go rósta, ‘is ní céasta go pósta; Níl ní níos géire ná teanga mná, agus Tá trí shaghas bean ann: bean chomh mí-náireach le muc, bean chomh crosta le cearc agus bean chomh mín leis an uan. Dar ndóigh is scáthánú iad seo ar dhearcadh na sochaí patrarcaí a bhí i réim sa tír go dtí le deireanas agus go deimhin níl iontu ach sampla den iliomad tagairt dímheasúil a dhéantaí do

“Is sa seanfhocal atá brí, beocht agus saibhreas na teanga ar bhealach atá tráthúil, traidisiúnta agus ciallmhar. Insíonn sé an scéal ar fad i mbeagán focal.”

na mná sa litríocht bhéil a bhain leis na daoine. Foinse antraipeolaíoch iad seo a thugann léargas dúinn ar mheon agus dearcadh an pobail a bhí ag feidhmiú de réir luachanna áirithe. Tá an saol athraithe anois ar ndóigh, agus ní bheadh sé ceart go polaitiúil ná ar aon bhealach eile labhairt faoi na mná ar an gcaoi seo mar is eol don TD Michael Lowry!

Níor chaill fear na Gaeilge riamh é Cé go bhfuil daoine ann atá amhrasach faoi ábharthacht na seanfhocal, tá sé soiléir go bhfuil gaois, Gaeilge, gliceas agus gontacht iontu a choinníonn ábhartha do shaol an lae inniu iad. Is cinnte go bhfuil an saol agus an tsochaí athraithe ach tá tréithe agus nádúr an duine chomh buan is a bhí siad riamh! Éist le fuaim na habhann agus gheobhair breac!

16 FEATURES

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 11

A world without smart phones: can you imagine it? By Cathy Lee It’s 7am and there is a strange ringing sound coming from a place close enough to where you’re resting in bed before a new day of college. Is that your smartphone alerting you that it’s time to get up while blasting a text message across the touch-screen and playing a very loud song at the same time? No it’s not. It is in fact this thing we have called an alarm-clock and you even have to click a switch manually to make it stop its racket. Now that you’ve woken up to this world without smartphones, let’s just see is a world without them smarter or will you be dumbfounded. Now you’ve dealt with the alarm-clock concept you might decide to get the bus into college. Wait, you can’t check the app to see when your bus is. I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed but the times are actually printed at the bus stop and God forbid you’d have to wait in wonder as to when the bus will arrive instead of tracking its process on your smartphone. You might even be able to take in the beauty of the world around you, a world we often seem to miss out on due to our smartphone.

Have you ever avoided leaving the house because you checked the weather app and it didn’t exactly encourage you out the door? It makes you wonder if in fact our smartphones hold us back in the process of trying to help us out. Is a smartphone a smart-friend or smartfoe? Like that person you know who is just over-helpful and you feel like telling them to calm down a touch. Would we be saving ourselves some worry if we didn’t have the smartphone? Certainly we would be saving on our electricity bill; our smartphone is an energy-draining little thing. The smartphone is almost like a cute little pet that we cradle, protect and even dress up. Have you ever thought about how much money you spend purely on the upkeep of your smartphone? Now I am not saying everyone should go back to the days of the Nokia and be done with it but in some ways we have gone a bit mad. The smartphone has made its presence normal in our everyday lives and this is certainly visible around campus. In the Hub, the Bialann, Smokey’s, in lectures and even people walking on the concourse (who surprisingly haven’t yet crashed into

Is that your smartphone alerting you that it’s time to get up while blasting a text message across the touch-screen and playing a very loud song at the same time? No it’s not. It is in fact this thing we have called an alarm-clock and you even have to click a switch manually to make it stop its racket. somebody who’s actually looking where they’re going) - the smartphone is everpresent. The days when you didn’t use a phone to take notes, to record or to simply check everything on seem so far out of reach now. We aren’t less inquisitive as human beings; we just don’t seem to use the power of our voice to find out information anymore. “It’s like put the smartphone down and have a real conversation” says my

good friend Rory but let’s face it he has a point. I challenge you today to see if you are too reliant on your smartphone. You should not only imagine a world without smartphones but try it out for yourself just to see if you can. Take it slow, an hour, maybe two, a day or a week – whatever it is, you should experience what this world would be like and if you could possibly bare it.

You Know You’re Getting Old When... By Georgia Ryan When you are ten, your mum and dad are your best friends. They do everything for you and you just can’t wait to get home from school to tell them all about your day. When you are 15, you regard your parents as something similar to prison guards, ruining your life. Suddenly, you’re twenty and you hear yourself say; "Close the door! Were you born in a barn?” You stop. Take a step back and realise, it has happened. Without you even noticing, that corny joke your dad tells has slipped into conversation and you are telling your friends they better put on a coat. You swore blind this would never happen but through some cruel twist of fate it has - you are becoming exactly like your parents. It’s going to be okay, it happens to the best of us and it was only a matter of time really. To help ease the pain here’s a list of 9 common signs you are turning into your parents:

You are sitting in a restaurant and there is a screaming toddler. Before, this probably wouldn’t have bothered you too much. But now you find yourself judgingly staring at the parents thinking: “Oh if that was my child...”

You find yourself in heated debates with the younger generation about why TV shows were so much better when you were a kid.

You check the weather forecast before a night out. Gale force winds on Saturday night? Netflix and tea it is.

You say something and it sounds familiar but you can’t quite put your finger on when you heard it before. Then you remember- it’s exactly something your parents would say. Even worse, you are trying to bestow wisdom on those around you: “You reap what you sow,” is a personal favourite. Damn you, mum.

You spot a group of young teenagers causing ruckus (probably outside McDonalds on a Friday evening) and you cannot believe your eyes: “Why is that boy shouting..? What did she just throw..? Those two are too close for comfort and... MY GOD where on that girl is he putting his hand?! Where are their parents?”

6. 7.

You find yourself asking your friends “have you eaten today?”

Cigarettes and mixer was once your check list on a night out but after one too many bad nights in Carbon that list has become something resembling your mum’s handbag: plasters and flats are the new order of the day.

You don’t even have kids or are anywhere near to having them. Nonetheless, now and again you catch yourself thinking about all the chores you are going to make them do.

You have come to really appreciate the value of a good bargain. When you were a teenager you couldn’t care less if milk cost €1 or €1.10. Now that you have moved out and got yourself that part job time, you are starting to appreciate the value of money. You finally see why your mum would trek halfway across town to Aldi; “half price on bacon? I’ll take it all!”

FEATURES 17

March 18 2015

Will Leahy Year of graduation: 1994 Course at NUI Galway: BA/LLB Current Occupation: Solicitor and broadcaster

What is your fondest memory of NUI Galway? Too many. Met my wife, best friends and more there.

Did you partake in any societies, sports clubs or volunteering at NUI Galway? Lit ‘n’ Deb and also we set up the first college radio station – in fact it was the first licenced student radio station in Ireland.

What was the college newspaper like when you were in NUI Galway? Did you write for it? Sadly, my writing is as good as my dancing.

Has NUI Galway changed since you were here? Well for a start we never had any social media. If you wanted to meet someone you said “11 at the Porter’s Desk” – without Facebook and Twitter it is amazing anyone ever lost their virginity.

How did attending NUI Galway develop you as a person? I was quite the swot I’m sad to say. So I actually tried to make every lecture and tutorial – even Family Law which was scheduled for 9am on a Saturday morning. NUI Galway allowed me to mix academia and my other interest which was media – we had the first College radio station and I also got work with Galway Bay FM.

Do you ever miss NUI Galway? Not really. Only about four times an hour.

Any juicy stories of your time here? Juice wasn’t invented until 2003.

What advice would you give to current NUI Galway students? Stay as long as you can. Ignore your parents – 37 is a perfectly acceptable age to leave college.

If you could go back and do it all again, what would you do differently? See above answer. I left far too quickly even though I was there for five years !

A new kind of fitness? By Megan Reilly A new kind of attention is being paid to mental health issues, and this time, it’s a positive one. Last week I found it in an inspirational picture posted on Boohoo’s Instagram that reads: “This is your weekly Sunday evening reminder that you can handle whatever this week throws at you.” While shopping in town I noticed a pretty sign hanging in the window of Next: “One positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.” All these things point out to me that we are starting to give ourselves a little credit for how hard our lives can be, and that the power of positive thinking can go a long way. It warms me that retailers are starting to use positive messages like this. It’s far from the desired destination, but it’s a step on the journey.

When this is done in the right way, the idea is that you train your brain to be less negative and less stressed, bringing greater peace to your daily life. There are a wide range of things you can do to achieve this fitness, and it’s not that difficult because we already engage in many of these daily. Random acts of kindness, giving and receiving compliments and even reading are all forms of mental exercise that teach the mind to relax and be more positive. There are more conscious things you can do that help develop mental fitness such as meditation and practicing mindfulness, which is taking time to concentrate on something basic like eating, without distractions. It’s something we hear again and again but we live in an age where this kind of awareness is becoming increasingly important to our wellbeing. Just turning on the TV and switching off ourselves doesn’t work as effectively. I’m not saying this is going to solve all your problems, but it might make them more manageable to you. Mental fitness is easy to practice, it just needs the recognition. I’ll end with a quote from Eat, Pray, Love that I’ve been trying to live by recently: “You need to learn how to select your thoughts in the morning just the same way you select your clothes every day.” It’s difficult to achieve, and most of us will need help, but it’s worth it.

The idea of mental fitness is founded on the basis that we pay so much attention to physical fitness, but the mind too is like a muscle that needs to be stretched and exercised. This also ties in with an idea that’s been slowly gaining momentum in the media and I figured it deserved a little attention in our campus news. I’m talking about the idea of mental fitness, which is exactly what it sounds like. It is founded on the basis that we pay so much attention to physical fitness, but the mind too is like a muscle that needs to be stretched and exercised.

18 LIFESTYLE

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 11

The Inked up Beard By John Brennan Beards and ink; a combination surely made in hipster heaven one might think. Tattoos are perceived in different places very differently. That might seem like an overtly simplified way to put it, but having worked in both hemispheres and visited over 25 countries and working on getting to another two this side of Easter, I can honestly say that in Ireland we are still quite conservative on the issue of “inking up”. I have three tattoos; none of them are ever on display. This is down to prospective jobs applications and probably down to the regimented repression of alternative or artistic expression perpetrated by the Catholic Church during my youth. That might sound a tad melodramatic and paranoid. But, just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean that they’re not after you. I didn’t know anyone with a tattoo till I was about 16. When I did meet someone with a tattoo, they had their name emblazed on the inside of their forearm. This hardly led me to believe they were ever a good idea.

Sure, Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, Tupac et al had a veritable smorgasbord of them but alas, these people were on the extreme end of the spectrum, on the periphery of society if you will. I never actively planned on getting mine. There wasn’t a formulated idea or preconceived notion of what I would get. They are, after all, something drenched in permanency. To teenage John this was a bigger commitment than marriage or a mortgage. In effect, I’d be stuck with my decision. This dissuaded me from ever really truly considering “hey, let’s get barbed wire tattooed on my bicep and a cross on my back… that’d look swell.” Not that I’ve any qualms with those specific designs, just not my cup of inky tea, I suppose. I never had an intolerance of them. I just hadn’t cultivated an appreciation of tattoos and the symbolism behind some of them. Tribal symbols, names and Chinese writing seemed to me utterly clichéd and somewhat uninspired. Three chaps in my undergraduate class had the same tattoos on their right biceps. I think that pretty much underlines my late teens, early twenties perception of body art.

This would change, though my opinions of the aforementioned designs remain frightfully constant. I once met a girl who had “unique” tattooed on her neck in Russian. Just to say, 250,000,000 people speak Russian globally, she had neither Russian lineage nor indeed an understanding of the language, so “unique”? Hardly. I had always been cynical about tattoos until I believed I had one that I felt I could justify and defend. It shouldn’t be that way I might add. Someone shouldn’t have to defend their tattoo(s); their body, their choice, but I blame the hyper conservative society I grew up in for this stance. It’s easier than thinking I was narrow-minded in my younger years. My first tattoo came at the age of 23. I’d recently lost my sidekick and canine companion of 17 years; Rory, a personable yappy Jack Russell terrier. I decided that I would get him etched onto the side of my left leg; the side I always walked him on. I got the first picture I ever drew of him drawn onto my body. It gave him a sense of eternity with me, so that he’d always be able to go on my

adventures with me. It was simple, subtle and small. I still love it more than any of my other tattoos to be honest. I’ve two other pieces of inky awesomeness. I’ve the original illustration of Smaug from The Hobbit tattooed above the area where a surgeon heinously stole my appendix and I’ve a snippet from a Seamus Heaney poem on my ribs; no it’s not ‘Mid Term Break.’ Tattoos require a huge level of thought and consideration; that said, that’s only my opinion. Beards and tattoos complement each other; the only thing that would improve Chuck Norris is a tattoo of a beard etched onto his chest. If you’re considering getting a tattoo practice the nine month rule, a pregnancy of pondering if you will. Six months to make you’re certain of the design you want, and three months of placement consideration and to make certain of your desire to become a pseudo illustrated man or woman. Do they hurt? I’ll let you find out your own pain tolerance. @Jbrennan88

BEARDED BACKPACKER: Last Chance Saloon By John Brennan

PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FOR VOLUNTEERING

THE

CERTIFICATE CEREMONY Tuesday 31st March 2015 at 11:30am in the

Bailey Allen Hall, Aras na Mac Leinn, NUI Galway

RSVP alive@nuigalway.ie Visit www.nuigalway.ie/alive to apply by Friday 20th March 2015, 5.00pm

Last chance saloon here ladies and gentlemen, book the flights, buy the backpack and go do something awesome with your summer. You’ll never experience the level of freedom afforded to you during these formative college-going years. You’ll genuinely never have the amount of disposable income and the lack of fiscal responsibilities that allow you board a flight on a whim and spend the guts of a summer seeing the world. I can’t stress this enough. To sound clichéd and a little saccharine travel is the only thing you’ll spend money on that’ll make you richer in some sense, obviously the lotto and scratch cards can feasibly serve the same purpose if you want to be asinine but you don’t, so we’re all good. J1, Inter-rail, South-east Asia and Australia are all viable options for you to spend your summer destroying your converse, growing a travel beard and working on turning your skin a shade of golden maple syrup. You’ve a chance to escape Ireland for a few months, meet new people and experience all that life has to offer away from the confines and restraints imposed at home. I’ve been cultivating ideas for a few small trips throughout the year and they’re close to fruition. I’m heading off to Brussels and Rome in the next few weeks in an attempt to

round off Western Europe notches on my proverbial travel bedpost. I’ll be able to tick Belgium and Italy off the metaphorical bucket list. Flights are dirt cheap at the moment. You have no excuses not to do something fun with your summer. Word of mouth is integral to having the most cost effectively awesome time you can. You’ll all know someone who has recommended some far flung or obscure place, go off and find your own recommendations to supplement these. Travel doesn’t have to be some preconceived idea or a series of boxes to tick. You can travel around Ireland. You can cycle, camp and traverse this wee isle to see what all the fuss is about. You can spend your summer bouncing from music festival to music festival, you do a European version of this if it tickles your fancy, but Ireland has genuinely a lot to offer. Millions of people flock here annually for a reason; find out what you love about your own country if funds don’t allow foreign expeditions or excursions. Experience is as I’ve said continuously at the heart of travel, not the destination. I’ve never been to England, Italy, Greece, Belgium and I hope to have ventured to these places by the year’s end. Ryanair’s increasingly miniscule fees are undoubtedly a major help in these audacious pursuits but utilize apps like skyscanner to find your dirt cheap flights to destinations as near and far as you like. Even if you’re just flying to Kerry. Tweet me for specifics about your plans or queries and ideas for budgets etc. Hope the semester is going well folks. Get the backpacks ready, one issue left.

LIFESTYLE 19

March 18 2015

FASHION MATHS: How to clear out your wardrobe and keep it under control By Ashley Healy IT’S TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE; to do what you’ve been putting off year after year. No don’t worry it’s not the gym, it’s a task you may find much more difficult than that. It’s time to clear out that messy wardrobe! No excuses, when this challenging task is over I promise you’ll forget about the extra neglected clutter you’ve been holding on to for so long you aren’t sure why anymore. Here is a simple list of items you should double-check whether they are still needed in that overflowing wardrobe of yours.

HAND-ME DOWN CLOTHES: If you’re like me and have different clothes passed down from your mum, aunties and other relatives because you were too polite to tell them they were hideous; dump them. It’s not like you ever wear them anyway.

They’re taking up extra space and think of the others who might actually like these items (if your mum did once, someone else is bound too). Future advice: Do not accept clothes items you wouldn’t wear even if someone paid you to.

THE LEFT BEHIND ITEMS: If you didn’t bring these clothes to college, on trips or if you haven’t even left the house with them on before, you aren’t going to start wearing them now. You know what to do.

TWIN ITEMS: If you’ve two items that are basically identical, is it really worth keeping them both? They look the same and have both lasted you a long time; you’ve no excuses. Clear it! One is all you need, why’d you go and buy two?

OLD WINTER GEAR: Winter is over and summer is approaching. Think hard, what didn’t you wear this winter out of your winter gear? If you didn’t wear them this winter there’s a big chance you won’t be wearing them next winter either. Give them away and make room for the summer clothes!

CLOTHES FROM OVER THREE YEARS AGO THAT NO LONGER FIT OR AREN’T IN FASHION: If you can’t pull that pair of boot-cut jeans above your knees and if that luminous dress is up your bum, you aren’t going to shrink back into them. Say bye-bye. Why are you holding on to the past? It’s time to let them go.

SHOES: There’s no point in keeping them heals because they look pretty if you can’t walk in them or if they don’t fit you anymore. Pretty won’t help when you’re falling over. If the shoes are worn down and you’ve had them for years; it’s time to part ways. They’ve had their fun and so have you!

FRIENDS’ CLOTHES: It’s time to gather up all of your friends clothes that have gotten left behind, forgotten about or stolen by you. Although you and your friends may share wardrobes, it can often become annoying when you forget who had your favourite hoodie last. By returning your friends clothes, you never know you might get some of yours back as well. Now you’ve cleared away all of that clutter and hopefully you are feeling relieved with an organised wardrobe. Don’t forget it’s always a great idea to pass your clothes on to charities or people you know who may be in need of some extra clothes. The final step is to keep this beautiful masterpiece under control which is easy if you follow the golden rule: Don’t buy something you don’t need or if it’s similar to something you already have. Only buy a new item if you love it. Trust me you’ll know if you do.

Professional dress, on campus?

Kelly Osborne Leaves Fashion Police

By Sorcha O’Connor

By Grace McKeever

After last week's elections and a House of Cards Netflix-binge it's clear that looking professional doesn't have to be boring. Two words: Claire Underwood. When it comes to fashion, there’s not much that beats the feeling of being properly suited and booted (and I have the guy friends who adopt a 007 persona within even a 100 metres of a blazer to prove it.) The girls are just the same – who doesn’t fantasise about strutting your stuff in Alicia Florrickesque garments alias The Good Wife or channelling your inner Claire Underwood from House of Cards? However, as students I understand there’s a risk of looking like a) a sexy secretary or b) a tad arrogrant if you go for a more professional look around campus – and mind you, you also run the risk of looking stiff as a plank and giving off the air of being a mind-numbing bore; professional dress can go wrong on many levels. Nevertheless it doesn’t have to be that way and certainly can be more Chuck Bass than Michael Noonan. Adding that professional edge to your dress sense could work wonders for your appearance – dare I say maybe sloppy tracksuit bottoms are what are turning off your potential suitors? Adding that extra bit of class can go a long way and there’s all of human history to back me up on that one. It wasn’t the girl-next-door, bedhead look that George Clooney went for in Amal; she’s got kick-ass lawyer style and is living proof that professional dress is not boring. So, how to achieve the professional without looking like you think you’re better than everyone else? Well first things first, don’t go O.T.T. God loves a trier but no one has time for try-hards. You have to be chill in your pro-

fessionalism. It’s best to simply add a hint of sophistication to your daily ensemble. Lads could go for a simple shirt, skinnies and brogues for kicking back in the Bialann during the day and then add a blazer to bring a professional touch to your Electric get up. Girls could swap the converse with their skinny jeans for a pair of heeled ankle boots and opt for a blouse with an oversized coat rather than a hoody and tee – you know, like a feminine version of the coat that Bender wore in the Breakfast Club. Nothing screams classy, professional girl more than a smart coat. And I know I have just advised an oversized coat for the girls but otherwise a golden rule to looking professional is actually having well-fitting items of clothing on. It’s fine with the coat, trust me, but saggy jeans and illfitting t-shirts need to be a thing of the past if you want the professional-chic look to work. However, many students often soon find themselves going to interviews for jobs or placements, and the casual professional look I’ve suggested doesn’t quite cut it in those situations. You may fear that you really will look like a mind-numbing bore but again, that does not have to be the case. Guys can try out suits in quirky colours – navy blue and maroon are always a nice twist to the run of the mill, murky-grey slacks. Girls probably have more choice than the guys on this front and a blouse and cigarette pants with a pair of stilettos can look way cooler than a bog-standard skirt suit (just remember to leave the six-inch heels for nights out.) For more tips on how to dress for an interview, check out Saoirse Rafferty’s article in our last issue of Sin! So what are you waiting for? Embrace your inner Gok Wan and professionalise your wardrobe today (or at least, being realistic about it, when you’ve got the few spare yoyos.)

Kelly Osbourne has always been a strong woman. She has always been a woman well capable of expressing her beliefs and she has never been phased by the pressure of Hollywood, and its head honchos. Which is why her recent exit from the E! show ‘Fashion Police’ came as no surprise after the racially controversial post-Oscars episode aired. Among the critique and the praise of Kelly and the fashion onslaughts, came a slur riddled with racism from mother of one, Giuliana Rancic, as she sneered at 18 year-old actress Zendaya Coleman and the dreadlocks she dawned at the event. Rancic ridiculed that Zendaya's traditional African-American smelled of “patchouli oil and weed." The ignorance of Rancic came with mega repercussions. The world bit back deeming Rancic cruel and uneducated, Zendaya eloquently responded, "There is a fine line between what is funny and disrespectful", and Kelly Osbourne took on a miniature anti-racism campaign as she explained on Twitter that she did not stand for any of the offensive comments made on the show. Rancic followed up her unjust jibe with a tweet to Zendaya - "Dear @Zendaya, I'm sorry I offended you and others. I was referring to a bohemian chic look. Had NOTHING to do with race and NEVER would!!!". This, however, stirred further internet-wide controversy as the apology was deemed meagre, and as part of an age of the web-evolution, I feel our dependence on social media was highlighted in this breezy, casual "@". Rancic then issued a more appropriate apology live in the E! Studio in which she deemed the outbreak "a learning experience" and emphasised how truly sorry she was.

Kelly Osbourne, while initially contractually bound to keep her mouth shut about the nuances of negotiations, did not allow her opinions go unheard and finally made her decision to leave the show to "pursue other opportunities". In a fit of empathy, not just for a woman being racially discriminated against but for a teen being scrutinised for struggling to find her identity, Osbourne tweeted a photo of herself with her "natural hair aged 13", and she jokes "I was and still am such a dork!".

Kelly Osbourne, while initially contractually bound to keep her mouth shut about the nuances of negotiations, did not allow her opinions go unheard and finally made her decision to leave the show to "pursue other opportunities". This blast from the past echoes that the past cannot be forgotten, and I feel it subtly reminds us that racism is not something to be read about in history books - it is happening all over the world, it is happening right now and it is not OK, Kelly has been no stranger to taunting and teasing as she grew up thrusted toward the limelight! However, she has consistently held her own, making her a relatable, admirable ambassador for acceptance and unity.

20 LIFESTYLE

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 11

RETRO REWIND: 1970s By Áine Leech Retro rewind this week is taking a step from the wacky colours of the swinging sixties, and is instead taking on the more chill muted tones of the 1970s.

This column could not have been timed more perfectly as the catwalk this season was brimming with 70s inspo. So dust off your mom’s old flares and bring back that gorgeous fedora that you’ve been storing away until now. If you’re not brave

1970s Make-up By Gracey O’Connell Face: Keep the skin very dewy and shiny. I mixed my full coverage foundation in with a tinted moisturiser to keep it glowy and applied it with a damp sponge. Cheeks: The cheeks were very bronzed. It's not a contoured structured look. Use a warm, almost orange bronzer around the outer perimeter of the face, across the nose and tops of

enough to put on some true seventies vintage why not incorporate it ever so slightly with this wonderful hippy wish list.

the cheeks. Apply highlighter on top of the cheekbone, above the brow, down the centre of the nose and on the Cupid's bow of the lips. Brows: Aim for a thin brow, or simply go natural. Eyes: For the eyes, use any frosty, shimmery, shade in an earthy or metallic colour (I chose a very warm bronze/gold) and simply apply it all over the eye lid and into the crease, very close to the eyebrow. Apply a pale frosty shade to the inner corners and all over the browbone. Finish with brown liner. Lips: Keep the lips shiny. Add a small bit of the same highlighter used on cheeks to the centre of the lower lip to add an extra metallic dimension. For more info on products used check out Gracey’s blog: http://longhairandlashes.blogspot.ie/

Product List 1. River Island €30 2. Topshop 3. Miss Selfridge 4. Topshop

5. River Island €60 6. Topshop 7. Miss Selfridge 8. Claire’s €6.99

All items from shop websites.

Transgender model Andreja Pejic makes runway debut as a woman at London Fashion Week By Ashley Healy Model Andreja Pejic already has an impressive background in runway accolades to her name, from closing Jean Paul Gaultier’s Haute Couture show in 2011 to taking turns at DKNY and Jeremy Scott. A year after undergoing sex reassignment surgery, the 23 year-old Australian model (formerly known as Andrej) strutted down the catwalk at London Fashion Week for designer Giles Deacon.

NUI Galway Ladies GAA team holds swap shop on campus

Pejic was the fourth model out, with bold dark lips and slicked back do wearing a black satin cape with a bow neck and high, ruffled collar. The Serbian stunner who underwent sex reassignment surgery in early 2014 shared her experience on Instagram describing her return as “amazing”. “It feels amazing to be making my runway debut for one of my favourite British designers #Giles. Thank you to @kegrand and @guineapiggiles #thereturn #LFW,” Pejic said. The 6 ft 1 in model first rose to fame in 2010 as a male model as she was casted in a women’s wear shoot by editor of French Vogue, Carine Roitfeld. In 2011 Gaultier selected Pejic to walk in both his men’s and women’s shows saying she was one of his “seven Aus-

Style Spotter

By Ciara Treacy NUI Galway shopping enthusiasts were invited to take a break from their studies recently and attend a ‘swap shop’ to raise funds for the Ladies GAA team on campus. The event took place on 4 March in The Cube, Áras na Mac Léinn and was organised by members of the team as part of fundraising for the footballers. All players donated clothes from their friends and from their own wardrobes which were for sale on the day, ranging in price from €2 for accessories to €10 for jackets. Lucky visitors were also treated to a champagne reception at the event. Emer Fogarty of the NUI Galway Ladies GAA team discussed how the idea came to her by chance. “I was watching a programme one night and I just came across it and thought it was a good idea for a fundraiser”, she said. “When the opportunity arose where we needed something I felt it was a good time for it because we had a lot of girls on board and what girl doesn’t love fashion? “I work in retail myself so had the background knowledge to able to set it up and get it running which was half the battle really.” The fundraising was required in light of the team’s progression to the semi-final of the O’Connor cup. “We’re doing really well at the moment and Annette Clarke is over us this year”, Emer said. “It started off a bit wobbly but everyone pulled together and it showed how we came out on top and we’re hoping to kick off from here.”

tralian muses”. Pejic made her first public appearance as a woman in October last year in Melbourne, surprising designer Jean Paul Gaultier on the eve of the opening of his glamour exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria. “It feels good, it feels more right. I just feel very lucky to come back here and to be welcome back,” Pejic told the Herald Sun about her transition. While this marks a new comeback for the model we can expect to see her much more in the future, she already has a role lined up in Sofia Coppola’s upcoming The Little Mermaid remake and we can be sure to see her in many more appearances on the runway this fashion season.

NAME: Lorcan McCann. WEARING: All clothes

(including headphones) from TKMaxx FASHION PET HATE (GIRLS):

“I dunno, girls are looking pretty groovy these days.” FASHION PET HATE (BOYS):

Skinny jeans on lads.

By Áine Leech

NAME: Dez Conroy WEARING: jacket River Island,

NAME: Jean Noonan WEARING: necklace

NAME: Dolores Kelly. WEARING: All clothes

t-shirt Bershka, boots Genius.

Topshop, jacket Urban Outfitters, playsuit Urban Outfitters, shoes Topshop.

Penneys, boots from small shop in Ballinasloe.

WHICH IS IRELAND’S MOST STYLISH PLACE? Belfast. FASHION PET HATE: “I don’t

really have one, everyone has their own unique thing, that’s whats important.

FAV SHOP IN GALWAY:

Topshop COMFORT OR STYLE? Style

FAVOURITE SHOP IN GALWAY: Brown Thomas. HIGH STREET OR DESIGNER:

“I prefer designer but as a student I’ll have to say Penneys.”

ENTERTAINMENT 21

March 18 2015

THE ‘CRACKEDi’: Interview with iRadio’s Ed Roche & Eleanor Fitzgerald By Conor Lynch How did the ‘Crackedi’ idea come about? Eleanor: Online media is a huge inspiration for both of us. We like to look up interesting stories on youtube that might relate to us and our listeners in some way. Our discussion on our ‘Crackedi’ is based on these stories on the web I guess. The reaction from our listeners is phenomenal. I would say that’s what makes the show so unique compared to other latenight radio shows.

Leo Varadkar’s recent revelation about his sexuality dominated The Talk across the country recently. What advice would you guys give to people thinking about ‘coming out’ as being gay? Ed: I personally found it quite shocking that Varadkar’s sexual preference made national news headlines. And yet, so many people walk the face of the earth straight and never get questioned about it. It’s a bit disheartening in one sense, but on the flip side of that, I think that it’s important to discuss the issue because talking about it might have helped somebody else in the same position as Leo.

On a more light-hearted note, if you guys could pick one job in the world, what would you choose as your ‘dream job’? Eleanor: Media was always something that interested me and I have to say that I love working in radio. From a young age, I always wanted to work at something that was the right fit for me, a job that I could give my voice and opinion to. I would still choose to work in media, radio in particular, I love it. I suppose if I was to pick one thing that I would love to do, my dream job in that sense, it would have to be Saturday Night Live, but I don’t think that I’m funny enough. Ed: Staying on the topic of the media industry, I think that some people sometimes get into it for the wrong reasons, and they almost lose the heart of what it takes. I do ultimately think that it’s down to hard-work but it’s also about following your passion. I think it’s always important to get into it for the right reasons. And to answer your question, I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else to be quite honest with you. If I wasn’t to work in radio, then I would love to work on a hidden-camera TV show. I’d love it, I love pranking people.

And how about you Eleanor, would you be on the same path as Ed or would you have another distinct interest?

What the ‘Crackedi’ offers, nobody can compete with that, because we can do certain things that nobody else can.

Eleanor: I’m very eclectic with my taste in every- That’s what makes the show unique. thing. I would have had an interest in art I suppose from an early age Ed: This is where Eleanor and because my parents are both artists. I would I will disagree again because, for also be very into music, and my taste in music me, I don’t really believe in havis very broad. Like I would love a bit of Irish ing a role model. I’ll tell you why. music, classic music and literally I would have I’ve been asked this question a lot nearly every genre of music on my playlist. I and have always said that I admire would be into sport too. I would be interested my Mother but she can never really in athletics, rugby and soccer in particular. be my role model. To say that someone is your role model, I think Who would you guys consider to be that you aspire to be that person. your major competition? I am never going to aspire to be Eleanor: To be honest, we would just com- my Mother because I can never be pete against each other; we’re each other’s her. I just think that you should be competition. That’s probably it. yourself and should aspire to be Ed: You could say that anybody who’s on the the greatest person that you can same time slot could be our main competition. be. I don’t think that you should But, in what the ‘Crackedi’ offers, nobody can aspire to be anybody but being compete with that, because we can do certain great at being you. things that nobody else can. That’s what makes the show unique. We get away with essentially, can I say, murder on this show. So to say who is are competition, a technical answer is everybody but the reality is nobody really is because you can’t really compete with what we offer.

If you guys could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Eleanor: We would have very different answers because I’ve travelled a lot more than Ed has. I love America and I’m actually going to New York this year for a trip. I would love to go to places like Virginia or New Orleans but I don’t think that I’d like to live in the States. But if I was to pick somewhere else to live, it would have to be Italy. I love Italy and I’ve been there quite a lot. Ed: For me, it’s a well-known fact at this stage; I haven’t really travelled anywhere. The furthest place away from Ireland that I’ve been to is London and I’ve been there four times. I have some relations over there and I really love the London vibe. I would love to go back again sometime in the future. But if I could live anywhere, it would be in Summer Bay. I would just love to chill out on the beach. If, for some reason or other, I couldn’t make it that far or if I couldn’t handle the flight, then maybe Alton Towers in the UK because I love theme parks.

So by the sounds of it, you guys were interested in the whole area of broadcast journalism from an early age?

Would you guys have any role models? Anybody that inspires you or that you look up to?

Ed: Well, no, when you say broadcast journalism, that kind of scares me because I feel like that’s really intelligent. But, for me, it all started with a love of music. As a kid, I used to have a talk-boy, a little hand-held recorder. I used to put it up against the radio and record the songs. Then I would turn down the DJ and I used to just voice it instead of the DJ. So for me, it was always a love for music that got me interested in media.

Eleanor: My parents would be mine for sure. I know it sounds a little clichéd but genuinely it is my parents. I would be very close to them and would consider them my friends as well as my parents. The way I see it is if it wasn’t for them, then I wouldn’t be here right now. My parents have given me absolutely everything and they’re always there for me. To be honest, I can’t think of anybody else apart from my parents, so yeah; go parents!

22 ENTERTAINMENT

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 11

Does House of Cards Season Three live up to the hype? By Ken Glennon When we last left Frank Underwood he was knocking his knuckles against the Oval desk, the mountain to the presidency climbed. It was as good a place as any to end House of Cards. After an imposing opening salvo in its first season, Netflix first home-produced hit went off the rails in a chaotic and disappointing sophomore run which wasted time in sub-plots involving secondary characters best left in the background (here’s to Washington Post reporter Lucas, whose crusade to uncover the truth about the death of a character whose arc had run its course I could have happily done without), unconvincing romances (Mahershala Ali and Molly Parker as the white house chief of staff and chief whip respectively) and an underwhelming nemesis for Frank in the form of Raymond Tusk. An emphatic finale with Frank at the summit would’ve been a nice sendoff but Netflix and series creator Beau Wilmington had other ideas. Namely asking what do the Underwoods do once at the White House and how do these figures, who have so far won out in the shadows, operate under this level of scrutiny? Where the new season picks up Frank is paying his respects to his late father with a healthy splash of piss on the old man’s headstone. He has been in office for six months, his approval rating is bleak with eighteen months before the next election and he’s labouring to usher in a project entitled ‘America Works’, which seeks to create ten million jobs in the States at a cost of five hundred billion dollars. He’s also seeking to create peace in the Jordan Valley between Israel and Palestine. The latter involves partnering with Russian President Viktor Petrov, a slightly more heavyweight obstacle than Tusk and well played by Lars Mikkelsen who also played the villain Magnussen in the third series of Sherlock .

Introduced in a state visit to the White House, Petrov offers machismo, vodka and an overt interest in Clare and makes more of an impact in his first appearance than Tusk or any number of second string opposition to Frank over two years combined. He comes in and out of the story but when there, his is a potent contribution. It’s a show that benefits greatly from the instant binging option made available by Netflix. While episodes three, five and six deliver early highlights, Frank gets to casually let rip with some of his best requisite acidic dialogue, I don’t think Cards has the compulsive watching appeal to sustain a weekly wait between episodes. When the seventh chapter halts to investigate fissures in Clare and Frank’s marriage, the tension, built up in negotiating with Petrov and Frank’s assault on congress to force AM Works through, dissipates. Entertaining and quotable though he is, Frank is at his most appealing swimming through bloodied waters. How he and Clare fell in love, their marriage struggles and attempts to dig under the surface of their dynamic lack the interest or intensity of the couple’s scheming. There’s a rare and genuinely moving moment between the two at the end of chapter seven but it takes a forty-plus minute breather to get there. The show thinks their relationship is worth caring about and investigates its depths more than ever third time out. Yet beyond their entertaining power plays there isn’t a huge amount to invest in. I’ve never found Frank to be a terrifically complex man. We’ve had bisexual tangents and his devotion to Clare but the main man comes across as more of a theatrical villain than a recognisable person. This has been a recurring issue whenever the show tries to stretch the emotional appeal of its gallery of sharks, henchmen and long-suffering press players. In a series

highlight reel would Clare’s affair with a British artist, Doug’s detours with Rachel Posner or any romantic scene with Jackie and Remy make the cut? And let us not forget the travails of Gavin the hacker and his pet hamster. House of Cards is a fun trek through a political battlefield with an endlessly devious and ruthless man, who has a penchant for killer lines, but it’s never offered much in the way of depth. Over the first eight episodes this season, there’s a visible attempt to soften the lead character up with some missteps (Frank crying in the oval office and getting motivational sexy times with the first lady being one). This develops further with the enlisting of an author (played by Paul Sparks, a regular as Mickey Doyle on Boardwalk Empire) to write a propaganda novel for Frank. Working closely with the president, he ends up turning up some character material for the Underwoods. While the novel is meant as a marketing tool for AM works, it evolves into a narrative about Clare and Frank’s marriage. Machiavellian plotting alone may not be enough to sustain over eleven hours of television but the show has never powerfully excelled developing its leads outside of their movement towards greater power. Dealings with Russia, battling congress on AM Works and appointing Clare to UN Ambassador despite her being voted down by the Senate, there are compelling battles to be fought this season. They’re just not the personal ones. Clare’s feelings about the balance of her marriage and Doyle’s personal investigation, well-acted and delivered though they are and not without pay-off, don’t hold the emotional wallop Willimon and co swing for. For all that’s invested in this pair the moments where the show is at its best don’t happen when it’s trying to get real. Doug making moves in the shadows, Frank break-

ing with cut-throat remarks and rallying his troops for the next grand campaign; these are the scenes that drive proceedings. This is all still a marked improvement on the previous season which wallowed in dead ends with peripheral players. Season three, for the most part, amends this problem. Strong but secondary figures like Remy (Marshali Ali), Jackie (Molly Parker) and Doug (Michael Kelly) are largely left to get on with their jobs. Whenever their respective romantic angles are reopened the show hits dead air. Mercifully such exchanges are brief. Similarly one-time Underwood menage a trois attendee and current secret service head Meacham is left quietly in the background, where he belongs. The reintroduction of Frank’s previous right hand aid Doug Stamper, miraculously still alive after fatal-looking head injuries last year is handled especially well. We watch Doug’s painstaking recuperation as the one time big player slowly begins to realise he’s old news. How this part of the plot develops, whilst economically addressing ties from last year, marks a welcome return for a character who spent too much of season two pining for a woman in one of several ineffectual side plots. There’s still some of that to wade through. Doug’s family travails involving his brother are superfluous while the return of Rachel’s lesbian lover Lisa and Jimmi Simpson’s hacker Gavin Orsay serve a plot point that could’ve been established off-screen. Thankfully these digressions are mostly kept to a minimum. Of the returning supporting players there’s room for Elizabeth Marvel’s Solicitor General Heather Dunbar to challenge Frank directly with her own campaign for the 2016 presidency. Elegant, intelligent and ostensibly decent without cowing to Spacey’s tyrant, Dunbar brings a strong presence to the table. Like Petrov there’s more to be said for a brief but rousing campaign speech delivered by Dunbar than the contribution from the likes of the ace reporter team from season two, Tusk and President Walker combined. As the series builds to presidential campaigns we see Dunbar more than hold her own against Frank, running on fading bravado, during a televised debate where Dunbar stands out as the outstanding candidate. In a show whose leading lady is essentially a second in command it’s encouraging to see a meaningful female presence who can comfortably show up Frank as a master shoveller of shit. It’s one of several decent battles staged during a season that restores Netflix’s original crown jewel some of its lustre. With David Fincher now looking a distant executive producer in between making Gone Girl and launching two new series on HBO the show the Zodiac, Fight Club and Seven director helped launch doesn’t operate near the calibre of those works. Nor should it seriously threaten HBO and AMC’s marquee titles. Still as a vehicle for two major leads it remains an enjoyable journey with a GradeA bastard, brilliantly played by Kevin Spacey.

March 18 2015

Blackhat By Ken Glennon It takes less than thirty minutes of Michael Mann’s new film Blackhat before someone talks about ‘bringing down heat’. This well-worn adage has served this film-maker well over the years, echoing the sentiment of Johnny Depp’s Dillinger in Mann’s thirties set Public Enemies or Robert De Niro’s thief Neil McCauley in his 1995 crime masterpiece Heat. While the venue and period and equipment may change, Mann’s criminals and the professionals hunting them remain constant. Though the director’s latest is ostensibly an international chase thriller set within the world of cyber terrorism his fundamentals remain intact. Blackhat sets off with a striking assault on a nuclear power plant in Hong Kong. Beginning with a tap on a keyboard the sequence follows a virus’ progress through cyberspace. Like cancer attacking and corrupting healthy cells the strike in the virtual world causes a plant meltdown. This brings into play Chinese cyber warfare official Chen Dawai (Leehom Wang) who works with the FBI to catch the hacker responsible. Conveniently enough Chen shared a room in college with a genius hacker named Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth) who is serving a thirteen year sentence. Believing Hathaway the two agencies best bet at apprehending their guy Hemsworth is released on conditional pardon.

Chappie By Néil Rodgers Set in futuristic South Africa, Chappie tells the tale of a robot with artificial intelligence as he adapts to the dark world around him. Unfortunately for all involved, Chappie is seriously flawed from the very beginning. Voicing social issues while involving exhilarating action has worked for director Neill Blomkamp’s last few films but sadly fails to appease audiences in this case. Chappie creates problems for itself early on. Where the trailer led you to believe one story, the film actually takes a different path, focussing less on Chappie’s adjustment to real life and more on his relationship with a criminal gang that corrupt the friendly robot. With this going on for most of the movie Chappie begins to disconnect its audience from the characters and overall plot. Played by real life rappers of the same name, the criminals Ninja and Yo-Landi are inherently unlikable and yet receive most of the attention throughout the film. As the robot is new to the world, his innocence is highlighted significantly and resembles that of a child opening up to the world around him. As such you never side with these people and despise them for their corrupting of a young mind. One could argue this was intentionally done to stress the message of the film. Where he once addressed South Africa’s racism issue in District 9 and health-care

FILM REVIEWS 23 Also on board are two FBI handlers, played by Viola Davis and Holt McCanley, and Wei Tang as Chen’s sister Lien. Together they track a cyber-criminal across the globe leaving a whirlwind of techno jargon in their wake. In this regard the intricacies of how the plot moves may not always be readily clear but the why is always clear. Working with writer Morgan Davis Foehl, Mann’s script gives out enough information for viewers to navigate this very technical world but without insulting it’s audience or getting bogged down in lines of code. Instead the picture offers an immersive, pacy and frequently startling visual experience. From a walk through a post meltdown reactor, reminiscent of a set from Ridley Scott’s Alien to the recurrent image of eyes following our characters from Orwellian billboards, or the final image of a skyscraper at night seen from a dying gunshot victim, Mann and DP Stuart Dryburg flood the screen with beautiful dream-like imagery. There’s a tremendous sense of location here, where a camera happily roves through a Chinese market as the setting, rather than a heading on-screen announces where we are. As with half the material shot in LA at night for Collateral, Mann’s use of digital photography here lending a realism and immediacy to what could easily resemble an implausible thriller. Rather Mann has returned with an engrossing contemporary thriller. Boasting its maker’s familiar high level of technical polish, timely subject matter and committed performances, Blackhat is pure Michael Mann from beginning to end. and social stratification in Elysium, Chappie takes on the larger issue of humanity as a whole However there was so much potential to convey this message in a different light. As the film progresses Chappie develops a moral structure from those around him as well as TV shows and films that he has seen. Blomkamp misses an opportunity here to relate to his audience as this development from childhood into adult life is a path we have all travelled. In this regard the message would have been interpreted better had they approached it in a more delicate manner. The acting from Ninja and Yo-Landi is lacking. It is a shame to see the likes of Hugh Jackman and Sigourney Weaver carry so much weight in their names and yet be criminally underused. I can’t help but feel that this waste of potential could have been avoided, had another route been taken. Chappie does strive to be better however. It is perhaps in the filthy slums of this dystopian wasteland that we begin to see a glimmer of hope. Having a keen eye for sharp imagery and exciting action sequences, Blomkamp comes out the better in this less than spectacular film bringing Sharlto Copley with him, as he offers an emotional and poignant portrait of Chappie. Despite these high notes, there is simply not enough to save this film. Lacking the proper plot and acting to propel the key message behind it, Chappie unfortunately fails to entice. It’s a shame to see such a talented director be held down by silly mistakes. The potential was here for a truly beautiful film and is, instead, sadly a disappointment.

Focus By Néil Rodgers The modern con movie has become, in recent years, something of pure beauty. With audiences expecting more from movies, challenging them to guess what is about to happen next has proved a winning formula. Following in the footsteps of greats such as The Sting, Oceans 11 and Catch Me If You Can, Focus travels a familiar cinematic route for a con movie classic, but offers just enough to make it extremely enjoyable. When small time grifter Jess (Robbie) meets seasoned con artist Nicky (Smith) the two form both a professional and personal relationship spanning three years, performing a serious of cons, ruses and swindles and making big money in the process. However, when the game as well as their relationship is taken to the next level, the two soon learn that things don’t always go so smoothly. What distinguishes this movie from any other currently in the box office is its confidence; it simply exudes it from the very first scene. This is largely down to brilliant performances by Will Smith and Margot Robbie. Smith’s charismatic turn as the veteran con man mirrors that of George Clooney’s performance in the most recent Oceans 11. Without a doubt Focus has been the comeback that this actor deserved after his abysmal turn in criti-

cally despised After Earth. Making the part his own, Smith’s performance is complemented in a big way by an equally brilliant and extremely funny Margot Robbie. Under rated in a big way for her breakout performance in The Wolf of Wall Street, the Australian actress has really come into her own by creating a deceiving yet likable crook. These performances contrasted with some nice visuals and scenes that build genuine tension make this movie thoroughly enjoyable for the most part. The film does meet some speed bumps in the second act. While always being charming and engaging with the audience, this section of the film loses the fun and tense moments of what came before and swaps them out with scenes focusing more on the two’s connection. While their relationship is important it does start to become less and less interesting as the film progresses. Like a great magic trick the audience should never know what’s coming next and anticipate the end but with the focus (no pun intended) being more on the artists as opposed to the ‘big con’, you begin to not care about how it ends. As such the ending falls flat with no tension building up to an unrealistic finale. In this regard the film definitely bit off more than it could chew and attempts to act clever to its audience, an audience that has somewhat lost interest. Despite this the film is still so enjoyable. One half absolute triumph, Focus never truly reaches the heights of its predecessors but it gets close enough.

24 ENTERTAINMENT

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 11

World Wide Webcomics By Tomas McBride At first, I felt dubious about webcomics. I was convinced that the majority of them were badly-drawn and poorly-written. Luckily, I was proven wrong with a little searching. It’s true that there isn’t really any quality control when it comes to webcomics, since almost anyone can publish their work online if they know how. Still, self-publishing has played an important role in the history of comics, and the only difference with webcomics is that they reach a wider audience. Many self-published comics from the past will probably end up lost or forgotten, though recently some have been found and published in anthologies, such as The Mammoth Book of Cult Comics. Looking at it that way, the existence of mediocre webcomics isn’t so bad. It’s not like the underground comics of the past were all masterpieces, anyway. Recently, Fantagraphics Books published Megahex, a collection of Simon Hanselmann’s Megg, Mogg and Owl strips, which were originally posted on the social networking site Tumblr. Described as a “stoned collage” of the Meg and Mog picture books by Helen Nicoll

and Jan Pienkowski (which Hanselmann adored as a child), it follows a drug-addicted, depressed witch named Megg and her familiar/boyfriend Mogg. They inhabit a Simpsons-like sitcom universe where little changes, which is perfect for them to sit in their house and do nothing all day, except abuse Owl, their roommate and “friend” (When Owl isn’t there, they just abuse each other). Owl is the Charlie Brown of the group, and despite being the only character who ever bothers to improve his life, he is constantly met with disapproval and scorn. While Megg, Mogg and Owl does contain many unpleasant moments, Hanselmann doesn’t rely on shock value. With its nasty and pathetic, yet always sympathetic

characters, awkward pauses and use of anti-climaxes, it has a sense of humour that is in many ways similar to that of The Office, despite its often bizarre and disturbing imagery. Megg and Mogg are both guilty of having done horrible things, but it’s still hard not to feel sorry for them. The character of Megg seems to be semi-autobiographical (she’s definitely the one who resembles Hanselmann the most physically), and the strips that deal with her depression and family issues are particularly dark. Hanselmann never glorifies their lives, and judging from interviews, future instalments of the comic look to be even grimmer. A far less disturbing webcomic is Ryan Armand’s minus (the title is intentionally lowercase), which is drawn The titular 'minus' is a possibly in the style of old-fashioned newspaper comics such as omnipotent young girl who often Little Nemo - the kind that would never get published does strange and sometimes morally in the papers today. Similar to Calvin and Hobambiguous things, such as visiting other bes or Cul de Sac, it is a mostly light-hearted comic about planets, making friends with ghosts, childhood, with some hints of darkness and poignancy. and willing the afterlife into existence. The titular minus is a possi-

bly omnipotent young girl who often does strange and sometimes morally ambiguous things, such as visiting other planets, making friends with ghosts, and willing the afterlife into existence. It is beautifully-painted, with a gentle sense of humour that ranges from the silly to the wistful. While it started out as a collection of episodic adventures, it later developed its own storyline, with a bittersweet ending. Other wonderful webcomics include the tight-lipped A Softer World, which combines captions and photographs, in an often slightly puzzling way, and the historical humour of Hark! A Vagrant. Some manga is also published on the internet, such as It’s Not My Fault I’m Not Popular (one of the few comedies about social awkwardness worth reading), which began its run in Gangan Online. What with the recent decline of newspaper comics and the problems that come with self-publishing by hand, we should be grateful that the medium of webcomics now exists. Not only can it introduce readers to artists they would otherwise never have heard of, but it also gives those artists a greater chance of publishing their work in book form later on.

Kanye West preps new album Scarlet Johansson starts new band, gets sued By Austin Maloney

There’s a particularly dour group of people who don’t like Kanye West. Generally, they’re the kind of tedious person who will post on Facebook whenever West makes the news with some inane comment about his ego, as if their own personal tediousness has rendered them incapable of understanding any approach to music that isn’t made by some charisma - vacuum that answers every question with vague platitudes about their own humbleness. In reality, West is the kind of manic genius that popular culture relies upon for the few sparks of excitement left in it. This year West has already rocked up at the Brit Awards with flamethrowers and the cream of UK grime talent, without which that festival of blandness would have been stranded without a single event of interest. He’s put out tracks with Rihanna and Paul McCartney and broke down in tears during an interview with Zane Lowe. He’s also lectured at Oxford, hitting upon subjects as varied as Nicki Minaj and social and fiscal inequality, and outlining his belief that the sacred value given to modesty in our culture limits human achievement. “My goal, if I was going to do art, fine art, would have been to become Picasso or greater… That always sounds so funny to people, comparing yourself to someone who has done so much, and that’s a mentality that suppresses humanity.” It’s a level of cultural debate you don’t get with

Ed Sheeran, no matter how many times he appears on The Toy Show. But aside from his contributions to the news cycle, it seems that West is also prepping a new album, his first since 2013’s Yeezus. Yeezus will be an immensely difficult album to follow up; critically adored, it was a musically adventurous and lyrically hard-hitting album that attacked racism in American society, a rarelymentioned topic at the highest reaches of modern pop. Details at this stage are cryptic, but it seems that the Kanye references to religion will continue and the album will be titled So Help Me God, and its cover will be a 13th century monastic symbol for the Virgin Mary. So far, so Kanye. There are no tracks confirmed, but it appears certain that recently released tracks ‘Wolves’, ‘Only One’ and ‘All Day’ will be included. ‘All Day’ could have fitted in quite happily on Yeezus, a piece of jerking, frantic space-hip-hop, the immense power and tension of the track briefly alleviated by a sample of Paul McCartney whistling. ‘Only One’ is an auto-tuned ballad, ‘Wolves’ a piece of slick, night-time electronica. Joining West will be an enormous list of collaborators, rumoured to include McCartney, Madonna, Theophilus London and more. West is planning to surprise-release the album, so for all we know it could be out when this goes to print. Whatever happens, it’ll be the musical event of the year. Don’t miss it.

By Austin Maloney Setting up a band used to be relatively simple. You and a few mates would get together, and after some negotiating you would determine who takes what instrument. You would play together for a while, be resolutely awful, and then either get slowly better or fall apart, falling apart being the overwhelmingly more likely option. The starting-a-band format gets significantly more complicated and glossier when an A-lister is involved. Because Scarlett Johansson, star of Lost In Translation, Her, and very many other movies has announced that she’s fronting a new band, The Singles. The Singles has a significant level of star power packed into its membership, certainly in indie circles. The band features Haim’s Este Haim and musicians Holly Miranda, Julia Haltigan and Kendra Morris. Overseeing the whole thing on production duties is Dave Sitek, whose career has seen him produce bands like Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Foals and Liars while also being a member of his own very successful group TV On The Radio. It’s not Johansson’s first venture into music; she’s previously done a lot of vocal guest spots, put out a collaborative album with Peter Yorn and in 2008 released an album of Tom Waits covers, entitled Anywhere I Lay My Head. Johansson describes her goal for The Singles as being “to write super pop dance

music written and performed by girls”. She claimed The Bangles and The Go-Go’s as influences for the new group, saying: “I wanted it to be like those bands: ultra-pop but also a little ironic, a little in on the joke”. The first single (this band really is going to be a gift for pun artists) ‘Candy’, is out now. The track itself is pretty good, while never really threatening to be anything outstanding. ‘Candy’ is a slick piece of pop music with lyrics based around some fairly functional ‘sexual attraction via sugary treats’ metaphors. However, the band have already hit their first controversy. Johansson’s band is being sued by another band using the name The Singles. Vincent Frederick, frontman of a Los Angeles-based band of that name, active since 1999, is upset at the new band’s title: “I woke up one morning and learned from the news that our band name was literally just taken by someone else as their own… “It’s hard to believe that any musician would do something like that to another band. The Singles has been my life for the past 16 years. We have worked so incredibly hard to make it a success”. And now the LA Singles have issued Johansson’s Singles with a cease-and-desist letter, demanding that they stop performing and operating under the name. However this all works out, it’s a significantly more complicated start to life than most bands face in their first week.

LITERATURE 25

March 18 2015

Can literature be too graphic or violent? By Tomás M. Creamer Ever since writing was invented, social conventions in relation to literature has always placed limits its reach and scope – for the better or worse, depending on the context, or one’s personal viewpoint. In a way, the debate on whether literature could be too “graphic” or violent is related to the general debate on where the limits of freedom of expression should be in today’s modern, (arguably) liberal society. Some restrictions on the freedom of expression – including literature – are widely supported, such as, of course, child pornography. However, after you get past this exception – along with a few painfully obvious additions – the waters start to get a bit muddy, like an undrained bog after a rainstorm. This issue was raised recently by someone I know of, whose short story got rejected on the basis of it been “too graphic and too violent”. Now, I haven’t read the story, but I think that, in general, mainstream publishers are sometimes cautious about what they produce, simply because they know that whatever they publish would be widely available to most of the general public. The classic “think of the children...” line is often mocked – or maybe that’s just because of the type of people I hang out with nowadays, I don’t know. However, when you think about it, there are some topics that are pretty much offlimits (or hotly disputed) in for this exact reason – more or less. After all, few mainstream sources would dare not perpetuate the myth of Santa Claus (sorry kids – that’ll teach you for reading SIN). This isn’t anything to do with violence

or whatever – it’s simply because mainstream sources would risk destroying one of Western society’s greatest myths by acknowledging the fairy tale for what it is, at least where it’s widely publically accessible. Similarly, The Sun’s infamous Page 3 is a constant source of controversy, not only from some feminists who object to its depiction of topless models, but also from those who dislike having what is effectively soft pornography been distributed into the mainstream media – where, unfortunately, The Sun very much belongs to. Still, you have to wonder where that leaves the likes of Fifty Shades of Grey (both the novel trilogy and the upcoming movie), which graphically depicts what is arguably a very abusive sexual relationship, and, somehow, is very much “mainstream” in the sense that every Tom, Dick and Harry has heard about it. I haven’t read the book (in fairness, who would ever admit to reading it anyways?), but from what I gather, there does seem to be a fair amount of inconsistency if Fifty Shades somehow ranks up there with successful mainstream literature, but yet less violent or graphic literature is rejected out of hand. Ultimately, however, graphic, vivid descriptions of violent acts will always attract a less mainstream audience – after all, many would be undoubtedly be unnerved by such content, regardless of the question of freedom of creative expression. But for those who don’t mind such content, as long as it’s not glorifying the hell out of violence for the sake of violence, I don’t see why that audience should not be allowed access to such literature. At the end of the day, the moral of the story is – “know your audience”.

Why TV is Literature’s Future By Dean Buckley When I wrote this headline, a friend seated next to me observed that TV is not literature’s future, because it’s already its present. I responded that it could be both, that it could persist in being the present of literature into the future, and thereby become the future, and also that he knew what I meant, and to stop being such a damned smartass.

My friend found the whole meta-introduction rather tiresome, but it was too late, as I had a deadline and needed to pad this column out substantially, and so, to stop his waterfall of astute criticisms, I shot him in the face. He then opined that TV is also literature’s past, because there used to be loads of really good TV shows. I agreed and then wrote the entire substance of the exchange as the opening of this column, because sometimes I’m not sure how to start these things off. My friend found the whole meta-introduction rather tiresome, but it was too late, as I had a deadline and needed to pad this column out substantially, and so,

REVIEW: Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell By Chelsea Tabert The main character of Dear Killer is the most famous London serial killer since Jack the Ripper. The first weird concept of the book is that being a serial killer is something of a family tradition, the second, she decides who to kill based on letters. People write her letters with their murder requests and place them in a special drop box. Kit goes through them and selects who to kill. Could you imagine if this was a real life concept? Yeah, so could I, and I don’t buy it. Now that aside, what’s the point of having someone killed if you’re going to be incriminated, which is exactly what happens in Dear Killer. Who cares that you didn’t kill the person with your bare hands,

you hired an assassin and the person is dead, because of your lousy letter you put in a drop box. It’d be one thing if the reasons behind these requests were things like “this man killed my family” or “this woman pushed my son into traffic on his tricycle,” but nearly half the book is Kit killing people over messages that read “Tony won’t date me because I’m not pretty enough.” Next, I can’t even begin to understand how no one scouted out this drop box and apprehended the person who retrieved the letters. It just doesn’t make sense. It’s not even a good concept. I liked the idea of Kit’s relationship with her mother, and how the ‘family business’ was passed down. On the other hand, I think there could have been more done with the concept of

a serial killer mother and daughter than a ‘trade’ passed down through the family. Dear Killer could have been a very compelling read. I’m a big fan of female protagonists most readers consider unlikeable. But the book was all over the place and the plot’s multiple implausibility’s just made it hard to take what was happening seriously. There were far too many times when I had to remind myself that the book was meant to be serious. I can only suspend my disbelief for so long. No investigator worth his salt is going to consult a seventeen-year-old girl on the most notorious case in London, let alone let her prance onto a crime scene. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, compelling book, save your money, and don’t read Dear Killer.

to stop his waterfall of astute criticisms, I shot him in the face. He then came back as a zombie, which brings me to The Walking Dead, or, at least, it would if I watched The Walking Dead. However, I’ve only seen half of the first season while sleep-deprived in my cousin’s bedroom about four years ago. Some might call that an example of TV being literature’s past, but I can’t say for certain, as I have not watched The Walking Dead to such a degree that I could possibly comment on whether or not it embodies the literary qualities that I have come to find in television of late, and which are the inspiration for this column. What kind of television am I talking about then? Probably Breaking Bad, though the answer I’m supposed to give is probably The Wire, however, much like The Walking Dead, I have not seen The Wire, in fact, I have seen even less of The Wire than The Walking Dead, as I did not watch half of the first season while sleep-deprived in my cousin’s bedroom. In retrospect, I would have preferred to watch half of season one of The Wire, though now I recollect that it was the second half of season one of The Walking Dead that I watched, which seems like an absurd half to choose, and yet here we are. Anyway, Breaking Bad, or something. I mean, it’s very good. It’s a bit like a book, really, but it’s a TV show. And that’s the future, man. Although, as was previously noted, Breaking Bad is part of television’s past, having ended in 2013. I remember it as if it was yesterday, though, obviously, as previously noted, it was, in fact, 2013. I stole that line from the friend seated next to me, but he gave implicit permission when he told me to write this line about stealing. Or, at least, I like to imagine he would have, had I not killed him and resurrected him as a zombie. Personally, I find the ethics of zombie consent to be murky, at the very best and downright problematic, at the worst. I wonder if The Walking Dead has ever done any serious examination of the ethics of zombie consent. I find that doubtful somehow, but if it has, even without watching it, I would probably conclude that it has the literary qualities I have observed in television of late, and which are the inspiration for this column. Oh yeah, Breaking Bad. How about that Walt guy, eh? I didn’t much care for him by the time the show ended. Initially, he held my sympathy, what with the whole cancer thing, but he gradually became a monster, which I think is the point of the show or something. And that’s why it’s the future. Though also the past.

SPORT 27

March 18 2015

NUI GALWAY MOUNTAINEERING CLUB prepares for its 40th Maamturks Challenge NUI Galway’s Mountaineering Club Maamturks Challenge will take place on Saturday, 18 April. Celebrating the 40thanniversary of the challenge, this hillwalking event is consid-

ered one of the toughest in Ireland, covering 24.3km over tough, mountainous terrain with a total ascent over the course of the walk of 2,336 metres.

The NUI Galway Mountaineering Club and NUI Galway Students’ Union take Croagh Patrick.

First organised by Mountaineering Club members in 1975, it comprises of a route covering the full Maamturks hill range in Connemara. Typically participants start the walk at 5am at the base of Corcóg, to finish 8-11 hours later in Leenane. Along the route, NUI Galway Mountaineering Club crew, with the Galway Radio Experimenters Club will be at eleven checkpoints watching over participant’s safety and wellbeing, supported by the Galway Mountain Rescue Team. NUI Galway Mountaineering Club Captain, Cathal Breathnach, said: “This year we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the event. This is definitely a milestone in the history of the Mountaineering Club; it is a great accomplishment that each year, a dedicated team of volunteers have organised this event for the general public.” To celebrate the 40th jubilee and recognise the volume of organisation and

voluntary work required to make this event such a success, the Club aim to make a documentary about the Challenge. This documentary will be shown during a special commemoration ceremony after the walk in Leenane Hotel. Cathal continued: “We have reached capacity for the Maamturks challenge, but we would like to invite all who are, or have previously been, involved in the Maamturks’ Challenge to attend the celebrations in the Leenane Hotel, at 8pm.” Participation from past members of the organising committees, past participants, and members of the public are encouraged to submit photos, stories and anecdotes from the past 40 years for inclusion in the documentary. For more information on the Maamturks Challenge visit http://www.nuigmc.com/ maamturks/. To submit material for the documentary please email maamturks@nuigmc.com

NUIG Mountaineering Club: A great way to spend a Sunday in Spring On Saturday the 28 February, a bus full of brave students drove up to Mayo to attempt to climb the famous mountain and pilgrimage of Croagh Patrick. Brave they were, because it turned out to be a serious challenge with the elements! The day started out fine, but soon after the first walkers left the car park the winds picked up to eventually reach gale force and the drizzle turned more into (horizontal…) rain. This was very unfortunate, because the spirit amongst participants was great, but going on through these extreme winds wasn’t advisable. Well done to those who held on and reached the top! All along the walk, the NUIG Mountaineering Club was keeping an eye on the participants, to make sure everybody was doing well. Even for them the weather conditions were extreme. If you were on the Croagh Patrick hike (or you intended to be…), and would like to give hillwalking another go, you are welcome to join the Mountaineering Club on their weekly hikes!

Each Sunday during term there is a bus hired to bring a group of up to 50 people into one of the gorgeous mountain ranges close to Galway. Being a student in Galway without having experienced the famous landscape of Connemara is a pity. Any student, alumni or staff from NUIG can just show up on the morning at the Quad and come along. On these Sunday hikes there will typically be three different levels of walks; with a basic fitness level you will be well able for the regular walks. The things you’re required to have is hiking boots, and pay some attention to clothing as well: “layers” and “quick-dry” are the key words there (no cotton – jeans, track pants, etc.). There are still a few hikes to come this semester. Don’t miss out on this great way to spend a Sunday in spring, to get some fresh air away from the books, and some good craic with a mix of Irish and international students from all years and disciplines.

A member of the Mountaineering Club doing what members of the Mountaineering Club do best… Climbing. Whereas Croagh Patrick has a trail that can be followed upwards, most hills in Connemara don’t; land is mostly privately owned, walkers strictly follow a ‘’leave no trace’’ policy… including avoiding the creation of eroded paths. Rocky ground, bog, steep slopes and high grass form the mix of

terrain covered on a typical walk in Connemara, make it a great workout and outdoor adventure. If hillwalking still sounds too boring for you, what do you think of rock climbing? Get a few training sessions and then be allowed to climb for free at The Wall in the Kingfisher Sport’s center during club hours Tuesday/Thursday 7-9pm, or for a small fee during other days. Start climbing at the wall now to get ready for outdoor rock climbing sessions during the summer!

MORE INFO? Web: www.nuigm.com Email: committee@nuigmc.com Find us on Facebook NEXT HIKES: 22 March: Maamtrasna 29 March: Mweelrea 12 April: The Burrenn

NUI Galway Mountaineers on a hill climb in November.

Bus leaves at 9.30am from the Quad. ¤10 per person.

28 SPORT

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 11

Shaky start to season for Galway United FC By Michael Farrell Galway United F.C their Airtricity league campaign underway on March 6 with a narrow 2-1 loss to Derry City at Eamonn Deacy Park. The Maroon men will be disappointed to have lost this one as they had opened up an early lead through defender Sam Oji’s headed goal from Ryan Connolly’s corner kick. Centre half Oji was one of three debutants in the Galway eleven, along with fellow defender Andy O’Connell a n d m i d f i e l d e r Dav i d O’Leary. His battling performance and leadership at the heart of Galway’s defence already proving manager Tommy Dunne’s decision to sign him a good one.

United pushed on after Oji’s goal and had a number of other chances, Enda Curran had the pick of the bunch, but City keeper Ger Doherty kept the Galway attackers at bay. A cagey opening to the second half was broken by the magic of Derry’s Paddy McEleney. His cross missed everyone except winger Sean Houston, who tucked the ball away at the back post to level the game up. Spurred on by their goal, City kept the Galway defence under sustained pressure and when it seemed that United would hold out for a draw, Derry struck again. Winger McEleney, who caused the Galway defence problemsfor the duration of the game, supplied the ball

into the box and striker Ryan Curran’s scuffed shot found its way past United keeper Connor Gleeson. Experience was the primary difference between the two sides and Tommy Dunne’s men did not look out of place against a good Derry team, but will need to learn from the result and keep their composure and discipline in the future. Fortunately for Dunne’s men they did not have to wait long for their next competitive fixture, as Finn Harps visited Eamonn Deacy Park on March 9 in the EA Sports Cup. With Harps still plying their trade in the first division of the Airtricity League, the cup tie was a game that United expected to win comfortably.

There were only four changes to the team that played against Derry previous with Cormac Raftery, Jason Molloy, Alex Byrne and Padraic Cunningham coming in. It didn’t take the rejigged line long up to put their mark on the game. After 21 minutes, Molloy capitalised on a mistake by the Harps defence, which allowed him to put Keegan in behind the defence. The American striker duly squared the ball to Cunningham who tucked it away beyond the keeper’s reach. Soon after, United added a second. Molloy this time crossing to the far post where Gary Shanahan hammered his shot to the Harps net, taking a deflection off Keegan in the process.

It should have been routine from then on for the Maroon men, but like against Derry sloppy defending let the opposition back into the game. After 57 minutes, a cross from an uncleared corner found its way into the path of Brian McGroary. It sat up nicely and he instinctively swung his boot and sent the ball into the roof of the net. Galway did recover and regain their two goal lead when Jake Keegan converted a penalty after being fouled in the box, but this two goal lead did not last long as nine minutes later Keith Cowan repeated McGroary’s earlier goal. Another uncleared corner and ricochet allowed Cowan

to volley past keeper Connor Gleeson on the turn. Given renewed confidence, Harps poured forward in search of a third goal. Galway duly repelled their attempt and counterattacked themselves with Shanahan hitting the post when he could have put the game out of reach, however Galway survived and ensured their progression to the next round. The Galway fans may have enjoyed the frantic end to a high scoring game, but manager Tommy Dunne will not have. His team cannot afford to give up two goals at in many more games this season if they are to avoid relegation in the league or make a cup run in any competition.

'Kicking for the Kids' with Intervarsity success for NUI Galway Muay Thai Club NUI Galway TaeKwon-Do club The NUI Galway Muay Thai club will hold a fundraiser on Thursday 19 March to support and raise money for an orphanage in Northern Thailand; the Golden Horse Monastery The fundraiser will take the form of a kickathon (1000 kicks per person) on Thursday 19 March in Kingfisher sports hall between 7-9pm. A short Wai Kru will take place on the day. This is a ritual of respect that fighters do in the ring before each fight. There will also be a raffle on the day with amazing prizes some of which include lovely Easter hampers and a month's free gym membership donated by the wonderful folks at Kingfisher.

The orphanage is on the Thai/Burmese border in the war-torn Golden Triangle area. They are nomadic for 3/4 of the year and during this time they travel around these poverty-stricken areas, helping villagers and educating them and offering them support through love and kindness. They traverse these areas on horseback and there is a documentary made about them called Buddha’s Lost Children which is available in full on YouTube.

Members of the Muay Thai club will be doing bucket collections throughout the college and will be carrying a bucket and a set of pads and will be asking for a donation of 10c per kick and the donaters will be given a chance to kick the pads if they want to see how hard it will be to do 1000 kicks. We will also be in various lecture theaters and will be holding a screening of said docum entary during the next week.

By Steven Fox Saturday 21 February saw NUI Galway Taekwon-Do attend the Irish Intervarsities in Tralee, Co. Kerry. The competitors were very successful in their winning of medals. In the White Belt to Green Tag category, Sarah Prendergast (White Belt) and Javan Neves (Yellow Tag) took gold medals in the female and male Sparring respectively, with Sean Feeney (Yellow

Tag) taking the bronze in the male category. In the Green Belt and above category, John Kinsella (Green Belt) took home the bronze medal. In the Patterns, NUI Galway swept the medals for the male White Belt to Green Tag category, with Sean Feeney (Yellow Tag), Joao Henrique Albuquerque (Yellow Tag) and Steven Fox (Yellow Tag) taking gold, silver and bronze respectively. In the female category, Jade Casey (White Belt) came away with bronze.

In the Team Sparring events, the male team of Javan Neves, Joao Henrique Albuquerque and Sean Feeney, and the female team of Jade Casey and Sarah Prendergast both took silver, losing out to the DIT teams. Total medal count on the day for NUIG was 13 medals including, 3 Gold, 6 Silver and 4 Bronze. Overall, a great day was had by all, and we would like to extend our gratitude to our drivers on the day.

Pictured L-R are: Joao Albuquerque, Steven Fox (Secretary), John Kinsella (OCM), Javan Neves, Sean Feeney (Treasure), Jade Casey, Christopher Walsh (Captain). Missing from the photo are Sarah Prendergast and Sarah Counihan.

SPORT 29

March 18 2015

Are there too many demands on sports people and a lack of outlets for them when they retire? By Sorcha O'Connor The life of an athlete is a tough one. Hours of training, multiple sacrifices and utmost dedication are needed to reach the top of your game. However, once the final lap has been run and the curtain has fallen on a sportsperson’s career, what is there to get them through? They’ve been through euphoria, they’ve dealt with the blows and now suddenly they’re parachuted into a life that they’re unfamiliar with. For the lucky ones, managerial positions and punditry jobs beckon but for others the transition from professional to retired can be difficult to deal with. Perhaps their career didn’t end on the high they had planned? Maybe they feel their potential wasn’t fully reached? The end of anything can be difficult and it's something we all probably have experienced at some stage; the end of a friendship, a relationship or a holiday can all have an impact on our mood. So if we think of athletes who have been so immersed in their sport since they were young - we can only assume the end of their career has to be even harder. At the end of 2014, Clark Carlisle, the former president of the Professional Footballer’s Association made a suicide attempt. He told the Sun that this was after an 18-month battle with depression. Carlisle is not alone in his suffering either. Many professional sports people become depressed when their career draws to a close – some even before this, especially when dealing with recurring injuries or unsatisfactory results. Earlier in 2014, Irish sport stars such as Cavan goalkeeper Alan O’Mara and Irish cricketer John Mooney spoke of their struggles on Marian Finucane’s radio show. These men dealt with depression during their careers, O’Mara describing to Finucane a time when he was driving home after a challenge match and the thought occurred to him to end his misery whilst en-route. Multiple Olympic winning swimmer Ian Thorpe, double Olympic champion runner

Katie Holmes and former Celtic manager and player Neil Lennon have all opened up about depression after retirement in sport also, according to thesportinmind.com. And we have to ask is it really surprising? For people who have so much focus in their lives, it can feel as though sportspeople have lost a bit of who they are or indeed all of who they are when they retire. Many athletes experience tunnel vision syndrome during their time competing, looking only to training, competitions and results. When they retire, there is suddenly a vacuum where these three components of their lives once lay. So is there enough being done to ease the transition? There is an attitude that sportspeople can be happier or more fulfilled than ‘regular’ or ‘normal’ people – why should they be unhappy with titles and great memories to reflect on in retirement? And certainly there are sportspeople who feel this when their career ends; Victoria Pendleton, Olympic cyclist said she; "felt great relief when she retired after London 2012." However, others will never experience a buzz as great as the one they felt competing again and that is why help in handling that situation is vital. The GAA in Ireland have been quite prolific in their attempts to deal with depression in their sport, the GPA having set up a counselling service for players, be they retired or still competing. The GPA provides a nationwide team of psychologists and counsellors who are available to meet with players who require one-toone treatment on a short- or long-term basis with issues such as depression, anxiety, gambling addiction, bereavement and relationship difficulties all being discussed. They also have a telephone helpline service which is available to GPA members 24/7, 365 days a year allows players constant access to a trained counsellor at the other end of the phone. The problem however is going nowhere fast and the way forward is further intervention from sports

associations who have the power to reach out to sportspeople and help them navigate their way once the glory days are over. Sport psychologists are becoming as important as coaches. Additionally, sites such as thesportsinmind.com

highlight methods such as reducing athletes’ exclusive identification with their sporting role and expanding their self-identity to other pursuits. It is important that instead of sacrificing relationships for sport to try develop relationships with family and friends

while still competing who will support you when you have finished. Health issues such as concussion and cardiac problems are often highlighted when it comes to sport; it’s high time the discussion on mental health in sport became as prominent.

GPA hotline: Republic of Ireland 1800 989 285 and from Northern Ireland dial 0800 044 5059 Sa ma r i t a n s 2 4 - h ou r hotline: Republic of Ireland 1850 609090 and from Northern Ireland dial 08457 909090

Are you completing a degree in Business, Engineering or Science ? Consider doing GMIT’s Post-Graduate Diploma in Quality (Level 9) If you have been searching for a job you will no doubt have been struck by the number of vacancies with ‘Quality’ in the title or job description. This add-on L9 Postgraduate Diploma is designed for people with an honours degree in Business, Science or Engineering who are interested in pursuing a career in quality management or performance improvement and optimisation. This course is a great opportunity to gain a cutting edge qualification that will enable you to stand out from the crowd and build a career as a quality professional.

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30 SPORT

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 11

AP: A living legend By Kieran Kilkelly

After being crowned the best amateur jockey in 1994/95 McCoy probably thought His breath was hardly returned to him that it would be difficult to match it let alone after winning the Betfair Chase at Newbury beat it. But that’s exactly what he did. At just aboard Mr Mole early last month when Tony twenty-one and only his second year in BritMcCoy shocked the horse-racing world with ain he rode 175 winners to achieve his first the announcement of his retirement at the Champion Jockey title. end of this year's National Hunt season at His exploits didn’t go under the radar and Sandown on April 25. the following season he was noticed by train“I just want to go out at the top and I want ers Paul Nicholls and the prolific Martin Pipe. to go out as champion jockey”; the Money- These newly formed partnerships helped him glass native said exclusively while trying to win yet another Champion Jump Jockeys' title hold his emotions back after the race. and he announced himself at racing’s biggest And with McCoy being almost 100 win- festival: Cheltenham. ners ahead of his nearest rival Richard The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the pinnacle Johnson, he will most certainly go out of jumps racing and thanks to Mr Mulligan he on top and be crowned champion for a won his first that year in 1997. A Champion 20th consecutive time in a season where Hurdle aboard Make A Stand and an Arkle win he reached 50, 100 and 150 winners in with Or Royal also showed that it was not just record time. But even that will be a slight a once off fluke and that he was here for the disappointment for AP who had set his foreseeable future. sights on hitting the 300 mark for the seaHaving rode 77 winners from 219 runs for son from early on. Martin Pipe that year, a staggering 35% win His fall at Worcester in early October of rate, Pipe appointed him as his number one; last year and the subsequent aggravation of the Champion Trainer and Champion Jockey those injuries sustained ruled him out for teamed up for the 1997/98 season. over three weeks and with that all hopes of In every season he had surpassed the reaching 300 winners which ultimately left expectations of fans, pundits and trainers him “emotionally broken” - a telling admis- alike and his fourth year in Britain was to be sion from a man who does not need to do no different. Another successful Cheltenanymore within the sport to be considered ham festival seen AP equal the record for one of, if not the greatest of all time. most winners at a festival, five, which was But it all began in relatively humble previously set by Fred Winter and matched beginnings for McCoy who opened his by Jamie Osborne in 1992. Ruby Walsh and Barry Geraghty since then Come 2009, he had gotten to three- have also equalled this tally showing that only truly great thousand winners and had won the jockeys can achieve it. His 253 winners on his way jockeys championship a recordto that third consecutive jockey’s title also broke Richard breaking fourteen times in a row. Dunwoody’s record of most winners in a National Hunt However, there was still a monkey Season. 150 of those came for his boss, Martin Pipe and it on his back: the Aintree Grand was starting to become stuff of legend. National. Fourteen unsuccessful He became the quickest man to reach 100 winners in attempts with his best finish being 2001 (a record since broken again by himself this season) third, albeit three times, and it was and further and more prestigious records were yet to be starting to become a talking point. set. This time though it was to be overall winners in a flat or account over jumps with a win on the jumps season, 289. And later on that year, he Gordon Edwards trained, Chickabiddy on set yet another record to be the all-time leadSeptember 7, 1994. Seventy-three more ing National Hunt jockey. Less than ten years followed that season and so too did his vying his trade and he had become the best. Hundreds more winners followed before he first recognition as a competent jockey; the 1994/95 British Conditional Jockey’s left Pipe to be retained by big time owner and Championship having achieved a record- current boss J P McManus. It was much thought breaking number of winners in a season for that when McCoy left Champion Trainer, Maran amateur rider to his credit also. tin Pipe’s stable that he would struggle to keep It was obvious that from the start that his consecutive winning Champion Jockey he was a winner. J P McManus, his current titles (the figure then standing at nine). How boss, remembers Christy Roche bringing wrong they would prove to be. him to his attention when he first arrived The new partnership would prove to be in Britain telling him that “he's getting 7lbs synonymous with horse racing in general. and he should be giving weight away”. This Tony McCoy crossing winning posts on horses acknowledgement of his talent was telling sporting the J P McManus green and gold as what he was about to achieve but no one hoops has become a familiar sight across the could have predicted what did follow. British Isles.

Photo: vegaseddie on Flickr Come 2009, he had gotten to threethousand winners and had won the jockeys championship a record-breaking fourteen times in a row. However, there was still a monkey on his back: the Aintree Grand National. Fourteen unsuccessful attempts with his best finish being third, albeit three times, and it was starting to become a talking point. Will the Champion Jockey ever win a National? It was them recognisable green and gold hoops that provided him with the relief of victory in the race in 2010. ‘Don’t Push It’ was the name of the horse, one he will cherish forever - an ironic name as he is a man who had pushed himself to the limit every year of his career, so much so that he has virtually broken every bone in is body but yet still convinces himself that he is "unbreakable". This win was the driving force behind him being voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year, 2010. Having come third in 2002 it should have been expected that he would eventually go one better and become the first jockey to win this award. His second Cheltenham Gold Cup came in 2012 in McManus colours. Synchronised the winner, a horse that today elicits mixed emotions within McCoy himself. The race itself, should be shown to young jockeys, no, to all jockeys to highlight what a champion is. Pure determination is shown in a gruelling 3m competitive contest where Synchronised never travelled but yet somehow looked to have won easy. McCoy being McCoy never gave in and it looked like he was the one who had all the work to do rather than the horse himself; a real testament to his both physical and mental abilities. Within a month, however, AP was shown not be superhuman or devoid of bad fortune. At that years Aintree Grand National, a race that held so much joy for him two years previous, heartbreak struck. Synchronised was the horse he was on and it didn’t start well. Unseated before the off by him the vet passed him fit to race and

how McCoy wishes that decision had been reversed. A fall at the sixth, Beecher’s Brook, and no apparent injury was sustained to either horse or jockey. As fallers of the National do, Synchronised continued jockey-less with the rest of the pack. The 11th fence was hit and that was the end of him, Synchronised was no more; a fracture meant he had to be put down. In two rides with the same horse McCoy had experienced the elation of victory before being brought down into despair at the death of a horse he held in such high regard. To this day he is reluctant to talk about it. The following year at Cheltenham there was more sorrow for him. A close friend of his, and a frequent rider for J P McManus, John Thomas McNamara suffered a fall that didn’t prove to be fatal but was life-changing. Paralysis was the outcome and it put into perspective how dangerous the life of a jump jockey could be. Within a year, McCoy had tasted the all the sheer bitterness associated with National Hunt racing . At only 21 years in the sport, Tony McCoy has set a record that looks unattainable. He is over 1400 winners ahead of his nearest challenger for all-time winners and his 19 consecutive Champion Jockey titles (soon to be 20) both look impossible to match never mind beat. Not only this, but he is responsible for bringing horse racing into professionalism. The sport was associated heavily with drinking and 1,000 winners in a career was considered an achievement. McCoy, a teetotal, has shone a new light on things with his dominance. Most jockeys have followed in his footsteps because to be a champion, one must act like a champion and with Cheltenham and Aintree on the horizon we are sure to see “the Champ” victor once more before he lets his unbreakable mental attitude and seemingly unfazed body rest. And it is that impeccable approach and his dedication that will be sorely missed.

FINAL WORD 31

March 18 2015

diary of the

A BRIEF THEORY OF THE UNIVERSE

SMOKEY’S PIGEON BEING OFF SWEETS FOR LENT IS DIFFICULT. I’m starting to break – just like half of the students sitting on my couches at Smokey’s. As the students start to drop crumbs of muffins, it’s very difficult for me to resist them – especially when they’re not really dropping much salad anymore. But so far I have resisted the temptation. And I’ve lost a bit of weight. Maybe I’ll even hit the gym before summer rolls around, so I’ll have a beach body, ready for the ladies. But I’m having awful trouble getting into the gym.

Oh well. I guess I’ll just stick to muffin crumbs and chocolate.

Bring on Easter! Follow @Smokeys_Pigeon on Twitter for regular pigeon musings

By Tony Gapper

The Universe cannot be endless as it is increasing in size in all directions otherwise you would have the scenario that the Universe is bigger than endless!

A BRIEF THEORY OF TRUE LOVE By Tony Gapper

I believe that certain people in life hold the properties of true love within them, regardless of whether they are loved back, either at a conscious or a subconscious level in finding their soul mate. However, for this true love to be genuinely reciprocated, they need to meet somebody who also is true love in their own right. Should they meet, the catalyst of true love will not only begin but progressively flourish.

BRAIN TEASER: By Tony Gapper Last week’s Brain Teaser: A sports car travels for two hundred and twenty five miles. It is reported that the distance was 2% understated. If the average speed is 75 mph, how long does it take to complete the journey? Answer: Driving time = 75/60 = 1.25 miles travelled per minute. Actual distance is understated by 2%, therefore journey is increased by 2%. 225 x 1.02 = 229.50 miles. 229.50/1.25 = 183.60 minutes = 183.60/60 = 3 Hours 3.60 Minutes.

THE COLLEGE INSIDER

SU Council votes to give Emperor Higgins new powers, recent elections deemed unconstitutional By Eoin Molloy

4AM – ÁRAS NA MAC LÉINN. President Higgins appeared dishevelled and unkempt as he addressed a surprise rally of supporters in a nightgown outside of the newly renovated Imperial palace at Áras na Mac Léinn. In a surprise move, the SU council voted to deem the recent elections

for full and part-time officers unconstitutional. This was followed by the shocking news of the disappearance of the new president-elect. The SU council then proceeded to pass the NUI Galway ‘ENABLING ACT’ which will bestow unprecedented new powers upon the office of SU president (henceforth shall be referred to as the office of the ‘Emperor’).

Under this new Act, the president will have the power to investigate the SU shop purchases of suspicious Donegal and Mayoist students. The Act also provides for the detention without charge of anyone who disturbs the absolute silence of the library as well as the censoring of all media outlets (not Sin of course). When contacted for comment, Emperor Higgins said that the dis-

appearance of the president elect was a ‘grave tragedy’ and that the new ENABLING ACT will allow him to ensure that ‘those responsible will know justice’. According to the Associated Press, an extremist Mayoist organisation has claimed responsibility for the disappearance of the president elect.

ALL HAIL EMPEROR HIGGINS.