Volume 13 Issue 5 February 2020
Election 2020 Breakdown Interview: Farmer Michael In Depth with the House of Kerry
GHOSTKING IS DEAD
From The Mixing Desk to "Fever Dreaming", and his love for Cork City
MASTHEAD Editorial Staff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Dan Webb
DESIGNER
DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Tim Caruso
CURRENT AFFAIRS EDITOR
Maeve McTaggart
DEPUTY CURRENT AFFAIRS EDITOR
Molly Kavanagh
Laurie Shelly
FEATURES & OPINION EDITOR
Méabh Lonergan FASHION EDITOR
Paul McLauchlan
ONLINE EDITOR
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Andrew Burke
DEPUTY ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Cathal Donovan O’Neill PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
Grace Byers
Matthew Moynihan
Staff Writers Alana Daly Mulligan
Kane Geary O’Keeffe
Sadhbh Sullivan
Niamh Browne
Contributors KAYLA MAHER | HOLLY BUCKLEY | JACK WRIXON | ASHLIN O'SULLIVAN | EILÍS COONEY IMASHA COSTA | CAILEAN COFFEY | JULIE LANDERS | GRACE CLARO | SINEAD GALLIVAN
Cover Photo BARTEK GRUBA
This publication is made from 100% recycled paper. Motley welcomes letters from readers, emailed to editor@motley.ie. Motley is published by Motley Magazine, The Hub, UCC, Western Road, Cork. Printed by City Print Limited, Victoria Cross, Cork. Copyright 2019 Motley Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. All efforts have been made to ensure that details and pricing are correct at time of print. Motley magazine does not take responsibility for any errors incurred. This magazine can be recycled either in your green bin kerbside collection or at a local recycling point. Images Provided by Unsplash.com Vectors provided by Vecteezy.com and Freepik.com
2 | FEBRUARY 2020
FROM THE
Editor’s Desk... "The Times They are a Changing" Something that has always amazed me is that, to this day, the fantastic work young people do is often discounted. The ability of younger generations today to inspire real social change on a mass scale is often overlooked. For many in Ireland, the youth voice was thought to be a far-off cry, a whimper in the dark, which certainly was never the case, as recent events have shown. As I write this, my penultimate editorial during my time as Editor, we are on the cusp of a complete re-invention of the political landscape of our nation. Throughout the recent election, one thing that was consistently clear was the fact that people were fed up with the status quo, that they wanted to see real change and a move away from the past. I found it immensely inspiring seeing people out on the streets fighting for a more equal society that places social justice at the heart of everything. Amongst those fighting for a “New Ireland” were many people from the younger generation, including a large number of students from our very own student community here in UCC. To have the conviction to fight for a cause and for your beliefs is something that should be celebrated. Whatever your political persuasion, it’s important to use your voice, and that is exactly what people have done. As Bob Dylan said, “Don’t speak too soon for the wheel’s still in spin… for the times they are a-changin,’” which I think perfectly encapsulates this exciting period for Ireland as a nation as we look towards the future. It’s also an exciting time to witness the absolute talent of our students here in UCC. Every month as I’m
DAN WEBB,
Editor-In-Chief Photo: Ronan O’Shea
writing my editorial, I like to take a moment to praise those involved in student media, whether that be as a writer, editor, designer or even a reader, as they all play an important part in helping us to deliver the best quality publication we can. Without fail, each month when I sign off on the magazine, I find myself thinking, “there’s no way we can top this,” and I’m always proven wrong. The student body here in UCC is made up of so many talented people from all different persuasions and backgrounds, who all have had different experiences in life, and that really comes across in their work. One of the best parts of my job is getting to read each and every one of those articles, and helping writers to take their first steps into the world of media, to have their voices and ideas heard. What I can say about this issue is that the content has only grown stronger, and it has been proven to me that even after I am long gone, with my degree in one hand and my copy of Motley in the other, the student media community here in UCC will continue to grow from strength to strength, and I cannot wait to see that happen. Thank you to everyone who reads or contributes to Motley - you really do make this not just my publication or the team’s publication but a publication for everybody. As always if you would like to reach out or ask me a question about getting involved in student media, my email is editor@motley.ie and our office on the ground floor of The Hub is always open to you. Until then, stay tuned as we go out with a bang with our final issue next month.
ISSUE No5 - FEBRUARY 2020 MOTLEY.IE
CURRENT AFFAIRS
FEATURES
ENTERTAINMENT
FASHION
GE2020 provides a reminder of the stillpresent gender inequality in the Dáil Éireann
Motley's Month of Love has got you covered from casual flings to first dates!
Ghostking Is Dead shares his complicated relationship with Cork City, and chats about his upcoming EP
An in depth look at the House of Kerry, and fashion photography by Grace Claro
P. 10
P. 13
P. 24
P. 36
PLUS 8.
P FARMER MICHAEL!
Politicians and drug policies. Mave McTaggart 20. A chat with Stevo Timothy, 14. The Ultimate UCC Toilet the genius comedian Review. Eilís Cooney behind the viral 15. The Not So Lonely Planet. Farmer Michael. Alana Daly Mulligan Cailean Coffey 19. Sufjan Stevens re-review 24. Nintendo Restrospective. Julie Landers Andrew Burke
41. A Week in My Wardrobe changes it up with a guest appearance from Sinead Gallivan
SpringClean BY SADHBH SULLIVAN
W
Career
Study & exams
If you’re in your final year, then you’ve probably made some attempts to figure out what your career path might look like. If you’re still not sure, maybe it’s time to book an appointment with one of UCC’s career advisors for a little bit of guidance. The careers team are always there to help with mock interviews, CVs and job applications, and general advice. To book an appointment, visit www. careersconnect.ucc.ie.
Although it might feel like an age since the exam results came out, it’s likely that they’re still on most of our minds, especially with summer exams looming. If you’re not happy with your results, make sure you get in touch with your lecturers to discuss where things might have gone wrong, and what you can do to improve in the future. With that in mind, it’s time to start preparing for the next set of exams at the end of the semester. Take time to set reasonable study goals, and make a study plan that fits into your life.
Declutter
Self-care
Fitness
We all have things that we keep with the hopes that we might use or wear them someday. In the true nature of a good Spring Clean, it’s time to ditch everything that you don’t need, so that they might find a better home. Declutter your wardrobe and your space and bring anything you don’t want or need that’s still in good condition to your local charity shop. A tidy space is a tidy mind.
Self-care is such a buzzword at the moment, but it’s always important to look after yourself. Self-care comes in different forms for different people. For most of us, a good starting point might be to make sure we’re eating the right foods, drinking enough water and getting enough sleep every day. Try your best to take care of your body and your mind. If you need a little bit of guidance, book an appointment with UCC’s counselling services, or try one of their online courses on www. ucc.ie/en/studentcounselling/online/.
With each New Year comes the “New Year, New Me,” brigade, eager to get “summer body” ready. While New Year’s Resolutions might already be a thing in the past, it’s important to try to keep up with exercise when you can. Set realistic fitness goals, and make use of the facilities we have as UCC students. Download the Mardyke Arena app on your smartphone to book classes or courses and to keep up to date with the latest events.
ith the end of each cold, dark winter comes the promise of newness and growth in the form of Spring. The days are getting longer, the weather is getting (somewhat) better, and everything around us acts as a reminder that life is always changing. With that, we’re reminded that our lives are always changing too, whether we like it or not, and so it seems like the best time to re-evaluate where we are now, where we’d like to be, and how we’re going to get there. Change doesn’t happen all at once. Instead, it’s an accumulation of all the little things we can do to make a change.
6 | FEBRUARY 2020
CURRENT AFFAIRS Edit
FEBRUARY
MAEVE MCTAGGART AND MOLLY KAVANAGH MAKE SURE YOU DIDN’T MISS ANYTHING IN THE ELECTION WHICH HAS SHAKEN THE COUNTRY.
#GE2020 #GE2020 #GE2020 #GE2020 The Most Ironic The Shinners Of Waiting Lists Take It All Leo Varadkar had seen the opinion polls, the first tallies, the scrambling aides, and he decided not to attend his count centre in Phibblestown Community Centre until well after the first count. It was a master plan to avoid the poll-topping Sinn Féin celebrations and to preserve what pride he could as the first Taoiseach not to be elected on the first count. Except he wasn’t elected on the second count either… or the third. And at each count result he stands there blinking, awkwardly, only to finally be elected after a mandatedestroying five counts. The waiting seemed to be infectious across the nation for the party accredited with trolley crises and too-long health service waiting lists. It took 12 counts for Minister for Health Simon Harris to be elected, 8 for Tánaiste Simon Coveney… a robbing of Fine Gael’s authority if ever there has been one.
After an election campaign where Sinn Féin rose to first in the opinion polls, it seemed to be a cross-party consensus that surely this couldn’t last. Pundits had predicted the Green Wave which never came, instead the ballot boxes showed a Sinn Féin Surge where the party promising housing and a border poll won the popular vote at 24.5% of first preferences. The only solace Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael took from this, both of whom refused to go into government with SF, was that Sinn Féin scarcely believed their own popularity and didn’t field enough candidates. Achieving a 14 seat increase while Fianna Fáil lost 1 and Fine Gael lost 15, Mary Lou McDonald’s party has sent the Republic into an identity crisis.
Swipe Right, Transfer Left It was a love-in for the left this election, with Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil barely getting a look in on transfers from parties like Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats or People Before Profit. TDs were made and broken by Sinn Féin transfers throughout the weekend, hinting at alliances which could go all the way to the Dáil. While the Love Islanders in South Africa near their final recoupling, there is more drama to be seen in count centres and on the floor of Leinster House - who will emerge the victorious coupling where there were no clear winners? Sure, we got attached to Paige and Finn as the season went on but Mary Lou and Micháel? I’m just not convinced of their chemistry.
CURRENT AFFAIRS | 7
Taking the
HIGH ROAD MAEVE MCTAGGART ANALYSES CORBYN’S COMMENTS AND LEO’S LONG PAUSE ON DRUG-USE AND THE WELL-OFF, ASKING IF OUR DOUBLE STANDARDS LEAVE US IN AN ENDLESS LOOP OF LOOKING AT ONLY PART OF THE PROBLEM.
"IF THERE WAS A YOUNG WHITE BOY WITH BLONDE HAIR, WHO LATER DABBLED IN CLASS A DRUGS, AND CONSPIRED WITH A FRIEND TO BEAT UP A JOURNALIST, WOULD HE DEPORT THAT BOY? OR IS IT ONE RULE FOR YOUNG BLACK BOYS FROM THE CARIBBEAN, AND ANOTHER FOR WHITE BOYS FROM THE US?"
I PICTURED JEREMY CORBYN, OUTGOING LEADER OF THE LABOUR PARTY WHO'S RECENT CONDEMNATION OF THE JOHNSON ADMINISTRATIONS' ACTIONS HAS SPARKED DISCOURSE SURROUNDING PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVES, AND HISTORICAL DRUG USE
8 | FEBRUARY 2020
t was not hypothetical, not plucked from the imagination of the impassioned Jeremy Corbyn, the statement the Labour leader made on the House of Commons floor. The debate on the deportation of 17 men by the Boris Johnson-led government to Jamaica in early February ignited a cause in Labour-leader Corbyn unseen since the party’s unsuccessful December election. The Home Office expelled the 17 men whom they said had combined jail sentences of over 75 years. Despite citations of heinous crimes, the published list detailing the wrongdoings of the men was limited in both detail and scandal - the flashpoint being the deportation of a man convicted of intent to sell class A drugs. It led to Jeremy Corbyn’s scathing attack on the Prime Minister, of American-born and Oxfordbred stock who has long attempted to backpedal on his
ABOVE LEO VARADKAR, OUTGOING TAOISEACH WHO DURING THE RUN UP TO THE GENERAL ELECTION THIS PAST FEBRUARY WAS FORCED TO COMMENT ON ALLEGATIONS OF RECREATIONAL DRUG USE IN HIS YOUTH
collegiate confessions of cocaine-use. Corbyn’s allegations of conspiracy are tangential to the topic of drug-use but find footing in Johnson’s days of journalism where he threatened to have a News of the World reporter beaten up for “investigating his affairs,” says The BBC. The question posed by Corbyn, irrespective of the credibility of deportation claims, is one which must be answered even in the Irish context; in legal and social rulings on drug use and drug users, is there one rule for the wealthy and another for the wanting? Boris Johnson shared with Marie Claire in 2008 that the claims he had taken cocaine at university were old news, as it had happened “when [he] was 19.” Cannabis for him was “jolly nice,” but the coke? “No pharmacological, psychotropical or any other effect on me whatsoever,” he told Piers Morgan the following year, an answer sandwiched between banter about how much better a choice Valium would be for the future-PM. Such revelations reside as quirks in Johnson’s personality for many, a ticked box on a stereotype of the super-rich students of Oxford. Corbyn implies it is here the double-standard lies. Boris, the bachelor of the Eton boys’ club of Cameron and Gove membership, is politically immortal and socially immune to the consequences of drug-using while those his government has recently deported are ruled as criminal. It is not a conversation foreign to the Irish airwaves. In the first leaders debate of #GE2020, a mortifying silence settled on the Virgin Media newsroom as Leo Varadkar awkwardly answered on experimental druguse - “it was a long time ago.” In the days that followed, party leaders Ryan, Howlin, Murphy and Boyd-Barrett took
a toke of the controversy which ensued, all admitting to ‘illegally using’ cannabis as teens and 20-somethings. While decriminalisation decorated the small print in few policies, the cannabinoid confessions inspired a discussion on drugs the Republic has been avoiding. When drug-fueled gang crime colonises communities and makes the vulnerable collateral damage through addiction, violence and fear, there has come a time for realising things. Put simply, demand negotiates supply, and the ‘regular’ users mean as much to the numbers as the vilified stereotype of the ‘obvious’ users do.
“ALL THE MIDDLE-CLASS BUSINESSMEN AND WORKING PEOPLE ARE GOING OUT AT THE WEEKENDS AND THEY TAKE COKE IN THE SAME WAY AS THEY ORDER A GIN AND TONIC,” Nicola Tallant, an investigative journalist into Ireland’s drug gangs has said, to return to Corbyn’s (Middle-)Class A hypothesis. She used the December seizure of an estimated €2 million worth of cocaine in Drogheda as an example, “that was understood to be just for the festive season… that is an amazing amount of cocaine for a small town like that.” Both Tallant and Corbyn hint at the need for a reexamination of our drug laws which may be systematically classist or racist, leaving the handcuffs for the struggling and the hand-up to the silk-stockinged. A ‘three-strike’ proposal is new to Irish law - people caught with small amounts of illegal drugs intended for personal use will be warned once, twice before conviction on the third - a radical rule change which many hope will balance the books. It leaves much to be desired, but how do we know the desirables - the Johnsons, the Varadkars, the Murphys - even know where to start?
CURRENT AFFAIRS | 9
Where are all the women in the 33rd Dáil? THE 2016 ELECTION WAS THE FIRST TO BE BEHOLDEN TO THE GENDER QUOTA AND FLANKED BY THE REFERENDA OF MARRIAGE QUALITY AND REPEAL, IT ELECTED MORE WOMEN TO LEINSTER HOUSE THAN EVER BEFORE. IN THE AFTERMATH OF GE2020, MAEVE MCTAGGART MUSES UPON WHY IT MATTERS THAT THE CHANGING TIDE OF POLITICAL REPRESENTATION HAS BEEN QUELLED TO A RIPPLE.
"I WAS A GENDER QUOTA CANDIDATE,"
said Josepha Madigan following the 2016 election. It was the first where at least thirty percent of the total number of candidates run by each party were to be women, and funding sanctions forced compliance. Every major party hit the quota, returning a historic (and humble) thirty-five women to the 32nd Dáil. The forty percent increase on female representation in Leinster House since 2011 saw Dublin Rathdown candidate Josepha Madigan become a Fine Gael TD and the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. She was just the 19th woman in the history of the state to be a cabinet minister and yet, on Sunday February 9th - Count Day of the 2020 General Election - she waited eight counts before salvaging a seat which had become so uncertain. And she
was one of the lucky ones. “Female politicians are the major casualties in the general election,” read news headlines following the elimination of a multitude of female ministers and TDs from their respective counts in the days that followed our Saturday election. Zappone, Coppinger, Mitchell O’Connor, Chambers, Byrne, O’Connell - where are all the women, and are we leaving them behind? The representation of women in politics has always been Ireland’s Achilles heel on the international stage, failing to reach the EU average so often that even the United Nations have issued a wrist slap on more than one occasion. The electorate has always been enamoured with the 'local man’ who deals in constituency favours and capitalises on his eternal cycle of incumbency. From local office
ABOVE JOSEPHA MADIGAN, FORMER CABINET MINISTER FOR FINE GAEL AND THE FIRST “GENDER QUOTA MINISTER”, HER 2016 CANDIDACY DEPENDENT ON THE PARTY HITTING THE 30% QUOTA
to national representative, the Irish electoral system has created a pipeline through which men find easiest to fit - twice more likely to already hold office than women, possessing more access to the resources which facilitate a campaign than women - Irish politics had never tried to correct this endemic failing to make space for women in our elections until 2016. Perhaps prematurely, the success of the introduction of the gender quota implied a changing tide in Irish politics. 163 candidates of 551 nationwide were women, thirty-five going on to make up 22% of the 32nd Dáil and six to sit as cabinet ministers on the Fine Gael frontbench. Where one half of the public are disproportionately excluded from decision-making at the highest level, largely invisible to the section of the
BELOW HOLLY CAIRNS, SOCIAL DEMOCRAT TD FOR CORK SOUTH WEST, NOW THE COUNTY’S ONLY FEMALE REPRESENTATIVE IN DÁIL ÉIREANN.
BREXIT: The Dates, Delays and Deadlines ASHLIN O’SULLIVAN PLAYS DIARIST IN THIS TIMELINE OF WHAT YOU CAN NEXT EXPECT FROM THE ETERNAL DIVORCE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION - MARK YOUR CALENDARS, IT’S ONLY THE BEGINNING OF THE END.
electorate looking to have their lived experiences reflected in policy, a state cannot arguably be truly equal. For the composition of the Dáil to be 78% male, there is a stark gender imbalance - overrepresentation versus underrepresentation. The importance of the visibility of Marys like Robinson, McAleese and Lou McDonald in Irish government is not undermined by this argument, but emphasised. The electorate has shown researchers it is indifferent to gender, that it is the gendered legacies of parties which bind them to the tradition of male candidates favourability and projected successes systematically linked to criteria male
“NO AMOUNT OF THOUGHT OR SYMPATHY, NO MATTER HOW CAREFUL OR HONEST, CAN JUMP THE BARRIERS OF EXPERIENCE.” aspirants are more likely to meet implying equal representation would be achieved as soon as there are women to fill the seats (sure look at the Marys!). But when election results say the opposite, what then?
There were many big-name casualties of #GE2020, and while those of particular political affiliations were the first, it is easy to see the hope of equal representation as the second. Despite a record-breaking number of female candidates running for election in 2020, the number of seats filled by women rose to just 36 - a one percent increase. It is a stagnation which is disheartening and “missed opportunity” for gender equality according to Women for Election chief executive Ciairín de Buis, where many constituencies are now without a female representative. To get lost in the ‘what-about’-ism of Mary Lou McDonald’s success as party leader and ignore that parties like Fine Gael took the 30% quota as a target rather than a minimum requirement, is tempting but dangerous. The country voted to grant women bodily autonomy in 2018, yet failed to fully realise the necessity of female authority in 2020. There are more questions to ask after our recent election than that of government formation post-Sinn Féin shake-up, and we need to get answering them.
JANUARY 31 At 23:00, after 3 years of talks and delay, UK officially left the European Union. This marked the beginning of a transition period during which Britain remains inside the customs union and single market, and free movement of people and goods will continue. It comes after two extensions to the original Brexit date of 29 March 2019.
JUNE As per Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, an EU-UK summit and declaration is expected in June. It is also the final month to request an extension, but Johnson has refused to consider this option so far.
MARCH 1 The EU aims to have its negotiation mandate completed by this date, and signed off on by all 27 remaining member states. This will allow talks to officially begin in crafting a trade deal whose priorities are sure to include continued ease of trade between the regions.
JULY 1 This is the EU’s target date to complete talks on a number of topics that have been set out as a prerequisite for the continuation of talks. These include deals allowing access for EU fishermen to UK waters and access to each others financial services.
DECEMBER 31 NOVEMBER 26 The EU Parliament’s second to last meeting of the year is the latest possible time that a completed trade deal can be placed before members if it is to have any chance of being ratified before the end of the year.
The final deadline. If there is not a trade deal in place by this date, and effective no-deal Brexit will occur, plunging both parties into economic uncertainty.
Mo
tle y's M
OPINION Situationships: A Hidden Epidemic BY JACK WRIXON
P
icture it: they’re your summer fling. As the days grow longer and the sun stays in the sky, everything seems to be going right. You meet up a few times, talk constantly and slowly you nurture the quiet fire of a crush in your stomach. You would give anything to stay this way, because you are content. Suddenly August is slipping away into September, yet you remain unafraid. This is cuffing season right? Just what you need, something to call your own, someone to show off and keep hidden, someone who just -gets- you. Then September is over, and so are you. It hurts, but why does it hurt? You weren’t quite together, yet to you anyway, it felt like more than a friendship. This my friends, is a situationship. A “Get out of jail” card, of sorts, for those who like to back out of circumstantial moments like these, and use the “lack of definition” as a safety net. Sometimes relationships between people end, and that is okay. Movement and fluidity is often part of the nature of relationships, but situationships allow for an “Eject” button to be pressed before the other person knows, leaving them sitting on a plane spiralling to the ground. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for keeping things casual and just messing around, and this piece isn’t here to demonise people who break up with others. It’s going to happen anyway, but when it goes wrong it can have lasting effects, and in times like this, communication is key - especially if you aren't feeling it anymore. Think of how your partner feels, think about how you maybe felt once upon a time about them, and give them the respect they deserve. There can also be many perks to situationships. Generally nothing between you and the other person is paramount, there are no boundaries as to what you are, and getting your hole regularly can be quite nice (if it goes that far). Even just doing romantic things is nice, because in today's society vulnerability isn’t usually rewarded. But these niceties do
12 | FEBRUARY 2020
not come alone, and because things like this are based on your (wait for it) situation, many things are not black and white. However, ambiguity often suits people better than proper commitment, so many times the grey area will stay unexplored as to not “ruin” whatever is happening. What happens after? You haven't been broken up with technically, but it sure feels that way. The old ironic line of “We can still be friends” is thrown out, but for no reason. You were always just friends, but now it’s actually “just friends”. Having a relationship end can have so many debilitating physical and mental impacts on a person, but when it wasn’t a relationship, what happens? Are you supposed to feel this way? Are your feelings of emotional exhaustion and utter dejection even valid? The answer, in short, is yes - yes they are. Heartbreak can have both a physical and mental impact on the body, and just because they weren't your official partner or whatever doesn't mean that you aren't entitled to your feelings. Treat it like you would a proper breakup. Reach out to your support network, practice self care in any form and when all else fails, Somebody Else by The 1975 is a great song if you dig emotional release. Something important to remember throughout the healing process is that the same lack of boundaries that let someone leave so quickly is the one that prevented you from seeing the reality of the situation. It is in no way your fault that you didn't see this coming, and it could happen to anyone. But because of the liminal nature of situationships, it's easy to be blind to the reality. You may previously have gone without properly seeing each other for long periods of time, so up until the point where you get confirmation that you're through, why should it be any different? In these situations, nobody is really in the wrong because backing out can be easy, but remember: it sure as hell feels good to blame someone else.
e v o L f o onth Matched By Motley WORDS BY NIAMH BROWNE
I
n December 2019, Motley called upon the lonely, the lovelorn and the bored to submit an application for a blind date. After sifting through the submissions we found a match. We sent Hygge Boy and Gaeilgeoir off on a romantic evening to the Friary. This is what happened. Special Thanks to Mike D’arcy of the Friary
Hygge’s Boy First Impression:
Well I got to the Friary around 7.30 and then Gaelgoir turned up about 10 mins later. I was pretty nervous, but he was very easy going. I knew him already (Cork gays always know each other). So we started talking about our respective summers and he said he spent his summer in a field surrounded by sheep in Southwest Kerry, so I thought to myself, hmm... this will be interesting.
Hygge’s Boy’s Night:
The pub was a bit loud but I felt very comfortable. Then Gaeilgeoir arrived and I knew who it was, honestly it was a great ice breaker. We started talking. He asked me what my manifesto was. He taught me a couple of Irish slang words that I can’t remember, that’s one thing we have in common, we both like languages. Our common one was French. Then I told him about how my New Year’s resolution was to play more music and he told me about this one time he was in a pub and met an American violinist and he tried to do Sean Nos and sure we can all guess how that ended up. I remember thinking we could do a duet though.
Did you fancy him when you saw him? He’s fairly good-looking alright.
Highlight of the Date:
Definitely the salsa dancing. There was Latin music being played in the pub and all the people just made an impromptu dancefloor.
Lowlight:
Probably when Gaeilgeoir got into a fight with a Greek man about the geopolitics of Northern Macedonia. It was a very heated debate.
Are Motley journalists good wing women?
Yes absolutely. I’m a fucking top fan (We didn’t bribe him to say this I swear).
Would you like to see him again? Yes if he’d be down for it.
Gaeilgeoir’s first impression:
I don’t normally go to a pub on a first date but it was a nice change. There was a lot going on in the background. It could have gone either way. I was big-time nervous. I went through about a hundred different outfit changes. The pub was lovely, really open and you could strike up a conversation with anyone, although some were more political than others. Everyone around us was having a good time. That can really add to your sense of wellbeing in an environment.
Gaeilgeoir’s night:
It was someone I already knew so it was really nice to get to know him, his personality and his perspective on things. It was lovely to get insight into his passion for music and the things that make him happy. I really enjoyed that aspect of it. Because the pub had that really open atmosphere, we made friends with other people. To get to know him on his own and then see how he interacted with others, that dichotomy was really nice. Also, the publican was brilliant, he was giving away Donald Trump toilet brushes and Donald Trump toilet paper. There was also Latin dancing in the pub which was great, it’s not a big space so it was really spontaneous. It was a charming evening, one that I am glad that I had. I would definitely recommend a blind date after this. It probably depends on who sets you up though, and there is a tendency when you’re gay for someone to say “I have a gay friend you’ll love him”. This was a fantastic evening though.
Did you fancy him when you saw him?
I was surprised that it was someone that I already knew. My earlier impression was not romantic so to see him in a dating context was lovely.
Highlight of the date:
The near diplomatic incident with the Greek man on the status of North Macedonia. One of the biggest events in North MacedonianGreek geopolitical history, and that’s saying something. He found me on Facebook afterwards.
Lowlight:
There was no low point.
Are Motley journalists good wing women? They were absolutely fire.
Would you like to see him again? Yes but in a friendship context.
UCC’s Toilets Ranked YOU ASKED, WE LISTENED. EILÍS COONEY TAKES US ON A TRIP AROUND UCC ’S FAVOURITE FACILITIES. EDITOR'S NOTE: this piece nor its author is in no way affiliated with the Instagram account @anotherdirtytoilet or its admin. In fact, this has been in my inbox since September, only Eilís provided us with too much information to contain in one article, and we’ve been editing ever since.
1. The Western Gateway Buidling
STEM students have everything, including campus’ nicest toilets. I believe that is down to the true beauty and care that was put into creating those bathrooms. They are well-lit, they have huge mirrors and straining the spuds there just makes everything feel okay again.
4. Boole Library
These toilets are always quite packed and you may have to wait to use them but they’re usually quite clean and I appreciate that. They also have very interesting graffiti, there’s something so wholesome and communal about it.
5. ORB
The ORB is one confusing building, but I actually quite like the toilets. They're a portal into a different dimension, there’s no indication of an outside world when you enter them. They are usually VERY hot as well, but why? Maybe it’s the hand driers, maybe it’s the whole portal to a different dimension thing, who knows?
6. Main/Mini Rest
Nice enough, you do have to walk upstairs to get to them though, which I’m not a fan of. The blue walls and green tiles really make the place special. It can often be unclean, but I guess it depends on what they’re serving in Main Rest that day, sometimes that beef curry can just be too much for people.
2. The Student Centre
Our official number 2 (excuse the pun) are on the second floor of the Student Centre. Like the WGB, it’s well-lit, there’s countless toilets, and I’ve never had to wait to take a leak. Many friendships have been formed in those bathrooms and that’s why they deserve second place.
7. Boole Basement 3. The Aula Maxima
Nice toilets, never really that busy. Kinda old fashioned but I appreciate that. The green and peach reminds is an odd combination but it’s something your granny would appreciate. It has a handy socket outside the door, which makes absolutely zero sense, but I love it.
These toilets are ALWAYS FULL, even in the middle of a lecture. They get the job done but they don’t provide a calm and peaceful atmosphere to strain the spuds because there’s definitely one billion people outside your stall waiting.
8. SU Common Room
It’s a bathroom that I didn’t even know existed until starting this project. I’m not the world’s biggest fan of it, but maybe some people are? THIS ARTICLE IS BASED OFF OF MY EXTREMELY VIRAL TWEET (THIS IMAGE HAS NOT BEEN TAMPERED WITH AT ALL).
9. The Mud Hut
Let’s be honest here, I would rather go to the toilet here than the Kane Building.
10. The Kane Building
14 | FEBRUARY 2020
They originally forgot to put toilets in this building, so they stuck them in the basement. The fact that it won architecture awards BAFFLES me. I’m 100% the Kane’s biggest hater and that’s perfectly okay with me. I did not include a picture because I did not want to insult your eyes like that.
T H E N OT S O LO N E LY P L A N E T BY ALANA DALY MULLIGAN
GET STUCK IN YOUR YEAR ABROAD BY GETTING THE F*CK OUT!
S
iri tells me loneliness is a sadness due to lack of company, or being isolated, and while my semester abroad was academically engaging, it was a lonely one, something that seems to be a common thread on the UCC Confessions Twitter. UMaine is in the middle of nowhere and the independence of college living that UCC offers does not exist. I missed little things; going to Tescos, having a quiet one in New Bar, I even longed for Q+3. It was through this mindset that I developed a policy of G-T-F-O.
Get Off Campus and Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Fortunately, I made friends with two of my flatmates, and soon found myself motoring down the highway singing Hamilton for a Fall Break road-trip exploring Cape Cod. I saw magical New England seasons in their full amber and gold glory, we chased the biggest turkeys you’ve ever seen, went to art galleries, tried different kinds of American candy, and fell in love with Provincetown. Despite being out, the gay capital of the East Coast was the last place I thought I’d enjoy. But wandering through colourful sunshine-soaked streets, feeling affirmed seeing rainbow flags in shop windows, for the first time in my life, I understood the meaning of ‘out and proud’, even if that meant confronting my own insecurities.
Take a Break
Studying abroad is HARD and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It might be your first time living in another place, or first time out of Ireland. A great way to start the settling process is through on-campus groups. The International Students’ Association took us foreigners to Fort Knox in Maine, where my joke “it’s like Fort Knox” was greeted with groans. After bonding with some of the other International students, we took an impromptu trip to
Boston for Thanksgiving. The streets were beautiful ‘brownbrick’ mazes of revolution, literary wonder, and as we toured around, we celebrated our little found family that we luckily stumbled across. Just taking the time to unwind and see something you otherwise wouldn’t have is always special.
Find Your Tribe
You will feel homesick and want nothing more than to stumble into Boole with a hot chicken roll from Daybreak to suffer through hangovers with friends. Grass is always greener ( legit, Irish grass is so much greener), but you are bound to find a few good eggs who love you as much as those in UCC. On a trip to Bar Harbour, I bonded with classmates over a picnic arranged by our adorable professor. It was great to meet like-minded nerds, who became crucial supports. I also became good friends with a cohort of students from Ireland and all over the UK. Through our shared experiences of missing our cultures, we learned despite the colonisation and Potato Famine jokes, we were far more similar than we could’ve imagined.
Open Your Arms to New Opportunities
When you travel, you learn a cultural language which completely affects how you interact with the world. I’m used to travelling alone and decided to take a 12-hour bus down the Northeast to get to New York and Pennsylvania, visiting some older friends. I had tears of joy getting out of the yellow taxi seeing a familiar face, having a glass of wine, and watching not-so-far lights of Manhattan glimmer off the water as I fell asleep in Brooklyn - it was perfect. I visited another friend studying in Muhlenberg College, getting to hang out with her and her friends, travel around to her classes and compare my experiences learning in UCC to that in UMaine to that in ‘Berg.
FEATURES & OPINIONS | 15
POETRY
Untitled 1 I M A S H A C O S TA
not only did i piece myself up together, but i had also let myself down a couple hundred times. it’s weird that i did not notice how my mind drifted away into another world; all i wanted to think about was the colour of your eyes under the bright amber lights. to break my soul over and over is what i am infamous for. over and over again.
16 | FEBRUARY 2020
POETRY
Untitled 2 not only is life pulling me down, holding me by the threads, tangling my limbs with the heavy ropes that they call strings, the feelings – the emotions that surround me strangle my lungs; constricting the easy access of breathing, of oxygen pulling me under and setting me free. the nicotine of life – of love makes me suffocate. i feel like i am crawling down the same hole that i can’t get out of. the same, deep dark trench where i had spent eternity in. the fear of letting my guard down, of being – feeling alive. to unburden the burdens that i’m struggling to keep a hold of. to unravel the demons that i’ve spent too long keeping hidden.
FEATURES & OPINIONS | 17
FEBRUARY
ENTERTAINMENT Edit
ANDREW BURKE AND CATHAL DONOVAN O’NEILL SHARE THEIR TOP PICKS FOR FEBRUARY Credit: Markus Hillgärtner
DISNEY + Streaming March 24th
THIS MONTH
One of the most anticipated streaming services ever, Disney Plus, finally arrives in Ireland on March 24th. It features all of Disney’s own content that stems back almost a century, plus the content of their owned properties such as Pixar, Star Wars and 20th Century Studios (previously Fox). It also features original content made just for the streaming service like The Manalorian and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Disney plus starts at €7 a month or €70 for a year.
THE 1975 PLAY DUBLIN'S 3 ARENA Live Music - March 3rd The British indie band are playing the Dublin venue amid growing anticipation for the band’s fourth album Notes On A Conditional Form, pushed from February 21 to April 11. Promising to bring the band’s current musical ‘era’ to a conclusion, the singles released so far combine the synths of I love it when you sleep with The 1975’s low-key lyrics and A Brief Inquiry’s anxious production quality. Lead single ‘People’, in particular, looks to be an absolute belter of a live performance. Time will only tell if they love Ireland & if Ireland likes them.
LAURA O'MAHONY
ONWARD
Comedy - March 14th
Film - March 6th
Laura O’Mahony is a shining star in the Cork comedy scene and for all female comedians. She is one of the founding members of the comedic trio sketch group Cccahoots and has been seen on RTÉ’s Bridget and Eamon, The Republic of Telly and The School. She is also one of the core cast members of The Improvised Panto. Her solo show is bound to be hilarious! You can see Laura live in The Everyman. Tickers are €18.
Pixar is back again with their new computer animated film Onward, featuring the voices of Chris Pratt and Tom Holland. The movie is set in a fantasy world like Lord of the Rings, but strangely merged with our societal and technological world. The main characters, Ian and Barley (Holland and Pratt, respectively) embark on a mighty quest when they receive a wand that can bring their father back to life for one day.
you've been waiting for this...
FEVER DREAMING EP
New Music - February 28th
Cork wunderkind Ghostking is Dead returns from a year in the producer’s seat with a mammoth 5-track EP, moving away from lo-fi into a swirling new synth and trap-influenced sound. It’s a dark journey through the artist’s complicated relationship with Cork city and his own mental health. If you’ve ever spent a sleepless night staring at the ceiling, wondering where your life is going, this EP might hit the right notes for you. Read on for our exclusive interview with Matt Corrigan, the brain behind the bops.
EDEN Live Music - March 8th Irish indie-pop soloist EDEN returns to Dublin this March with a performance in the Olympia Theatre. The Dublin act combines raw acoustic sounds with electronic production out of The xx’s playbook. His discography focuses on bleak love and drugs, and you can feel the haze and heartbreak through his Lewis Capaldi-like voice. The Olympia’s a strong venue for it, big enough for the hazy synth swells to hit but intimate enough for your heart to break along with him. Tickets available from the Olympia’s website.
CARRIE AND LOWELL: 5 YEARS LATER JULIE LANDERS WRITES ON HOW SUFJAN STEVENS’S INIMITABLE ALBUM (AND ART) REFLECTS DEATH, GRIEF AND FAMILY.
A
t the end of this month, Sufjan Stevens’ Carrie and Lowell will turn 5 years old. Throughout his career, Stevens has proved himself time and time again to be an intuitive and breathtakingly honest musician who has ceaselessly challenged himself and the soundscapes he works upon. His projects have taken inspiration from a plethora of subjects (the Chinese Zodiac, the Solar System and two of the fifty states of America, to name a few). But the inspiration for Carrie and Lowell is something jarringly personal; the death of his mother, the titular Carrie, and what it means to grieve. Carrie and Lowell was my first introduction to Sufjan Stevens and what struck me was his ability to make tangible and coherent something as cumbersome and complex as grief, and the imperfect ways we try to handle it (or not). Stevens’ mother Carrie passed away in December 2012. She had been a largely absent figure in Stevens’ life prior to this. During his childhood, it was Stevens’ stepfather Lowell Brams, the second half of the album’s title, who was a figure of support for him. The cover of the album is an aged photo of Carrie and Lowell, a snapshot of a moment. It encapsulates much of what the
album is—snapshots and souvenirs, interwoven with thoughtful reflections and expressions of profound emotion. The shaping of the songs and the body of work as a whole present grief for what it is; something that ebbs and flows. It is not a linear process with a clean cut beginning and end. It can creep up when you least expect it and it can reside alongside even the joyous moments in life. The opening song, ‘Death with Dignity’, features a light, plucked guitar motif that sounds positive, elevated. It sounds like a fitting conclusion, but it is placed at the start of the album.The lyrics are confessional: Stevens will not shy away from his emotions and experiences (‘Again I lost my strength completely’). On ‘Eugene’ and ‘Carrie and Lowell’, Stevens roots himself further in his childhood memories. Certainly, grief can make us yearn for the past, for better times. But Stevens does not idealise the past. Indeed, the line ‘Like a dead horse’ from the track ‘Carrie and Lowell’ evokes the idea of someone seeing the futility of beating a dead horse by drawing on memories and relationships that were not happy or easy. On ‘Fourth of July’, the feelings of grief are particularly acute and intense. The line ‘The hospital asked should the body be cast/Before I say goodbye’ is a memory of the day itself, recollected in snatches. The outgoing whispers of ‘we’re all gonna die’ are a confrontation of a profound fear, a confrontation of our fragility and mortality felt in a moment of intense pain. ‘No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross’ is a confession
MORE THAN YOUR AVERAGE ARTIST STEVENS HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR SEVERAL PRETIGOUS AWARDS, INCLUDING BEST ORIGINAL SONG FOR THE 2017 FILM CALL ME BY YOUR NAME
RIGHT STEVENS'S ALBUM ART FEATURES A COUPLE PHOTO OF HIS FATHER LOWELL AND LATE MOTHER CARRIE
to facing grief in an imperfect, human way. Lyrics like ‘Fuck me, I’m falling apart’ are blunt and fraught with a primal pain. The final track, ‘Blue Bucket of Gold’ doesn’t offer closure. It instead offers us a voice of someone who feels abandoned (‘Tell me you want me in your life’). It is far from a sweet conclusion. But that is exactly what makes it so real. Stevens treats with delicacy and compassion what it is to experience loss as humans, inherently flawed creatures. I cannot tell you how to grieve. There is no ‘one-size-fitsall’ way to mourn. But if this piece encourages someone to explore art in the hopes of finding something which resonates with them and their experiences like Carrie and Lowell has for me, then I am happy I wrote this. It is not a cliché that art should make you feel something. Art should add vibrancy and depth to your experiences and, sometimes, make you cry for something you told yourself not to cry for. Carrie and Lowell is a brilliant example of narrative songwriting, beautiful musicality and unnerving vulnerability, where Stevens articulates with grace what can be one of the hardest things we will ever have to confront: who we are when we are faced with loss.
ENTERTAINMENT | 19
THE ART OF CHARACTER CAILEAN COFFEY INTERVIEWS COMEDIAN STEVO TIMOTHY ON HIS RECENT SUCCESS AND PERSONAL STRUGGLES.
I
t’s 2pm on a cold Tuesday afternoon. The phone rings, and with it comes the voice of one of Ireland’s most under-valued comics, Steve Timothy. It’s likely you’ve seen his work online, with his online videos garnering millions since he began releasing videos online. Filmed from his car, his videos have touched on topics such as homophobia, depression, alcoholism, and even his beloved Everton FC. As the views on his videos started to stack up, however, Steve began receiving death threats over his character's comments. What had started out as a joke had become something far more serious, and for Steve, far more sinister. Comedy was always important to Steve. Growing up in Galway, he remembers watching Who’s Line Is It Anyway? with his brother and sister, before realizing that there was comedy specifically for Irish people, in the form of D’Unbelievables. While his passion for comedy remains as strong as ever, he finds that comedians themselves have changed a lot in the past number of years. “A lot of comedians nowadays are well-rehearsed actors rather than getting up there,” Steve remarks, “I wonder how a lot of stand-ups today would react to having to get up and do a show on, for instance, a dog called John, I’d say very few could cope with it”.
Credit: Simon Peter
Credit: Gerard Walsh
Steve’s comedy began to take off with the creation of the Farmer Michael character. “I always used to do rap songs in a boger-y accent and I thought it sounded really funny,” Steve recalls of his early beginnings. In March of 2015, he found his phone full of videos of him doing his farmer accent in his car, and posted one online. “ I just thought I’d throw them up to see what happens and they blew up,” Steve remembers. “The first video we posted got 10,000 views and then everyone started following my page and it grew from there - we started off with very west of Ireland stuff, farming and stuff, but then we moved onto more topical issues because people would comment ‘Ohh I wonder what Michael thinks of x,y and z, and we worked on them, gave Michael his take”. Five years later, his videos have been viewed over 45 million times on YouTube alone. While Farmer Michael has changed Steve’s life, he’s quick to point out the characters flaws. “He’s a horrible character but likeable at the same time, he’s a loveable rogue, what he says is horrible and obviously they are not my views.” Unfortunately, others weren’t as quick to get the joke. “I was doing a show in Athlone,” Steve recollects “and someone came to see us backstage after they show and they said to me “Awh, I hate the N-word too” and I was just shocked there thinking ‘You did not just say that.’ He actually thought I was telling the truth”. Similarly, some viewers began to presume Steve himself held these views, and it created a storm of backlash. He began getting hateful messages online and in the comments
section of his videos. He even received death threats after one of his videos was mistakenly viewed as offensive. “The aim of the character,” according to Steve, is to be “anti-of what he’s saying.” “But some people,” Steve admits, “don’t want to hear it”. In 2005, Steve was involved in a horrific motorcycle accident in which he broke his back, his neck and his collarbones. Since then, he has been paralysed from the chest down. “There were times when I wanted to pack it in and didn’t want to be around,” Steve admits, bravely. “You never recover, I won’t ever be able to forget it because it’s always there”. Doctors predicted he would be wheelchair bound for life, but after months of physio he is able to walk aided by a pair of crutches. “Steps are my mortal enemy,” Steve laughs wholeheartedly, but it’s not only steps that prove an issue. Comedy is a very active profession. Comedians are expected to walk across the stage, acting out their material with the audience, and following his accident, that isn’t possible for Steve, so Farmer Michael live shows have him and his girlfriend Kathleen sitting on a couch instead. “You kinda have to make do with what you have and exaggerate what you can do,” Steve realised. “It’s all about me doing stupid gestures and going off on tangents. You’re limited but you have to overcome that”. Steve has also become an active member in the fight to destigmatise the use of antidepressants and an advocate for talking about mental health. After having a panic attack that lasted two hours on the
way to a show in Waterford, Steve found he didn’t want to leave his house and was diagnosed with PTSD from the incident. Steve had been suffering with depression since the age of 16 and had been using antidepressants for a number of years, but after having to cancel the show in Waterford he decided to come out about the reason why. He made a video about his depression and posted it online. A few months later he released a song in order to raise money for Irish mental health charities. The track, ‘All in His Head’, was released in September of 2018 and reached the number one spot in the iTunes chart in the first week and raised thousands of euro for charities across the country. As the conversation draws to its natural conclusion, conversation turns to the future of Irish comedy. When asked what advice he would give to young comedians, Steve pauses before replying, “Bypass the poisonous world of comedy clubs, you don’t need them. If you think you’re good enough and you’re confident enough, get someone to film it and put it online”. He pauses, before adding “You can build a career online, not in comedy clubs”. Who would we be to disagree? You can catch Farmer Michael and Kathleen live in the Cork Opera House on the 15th March.
ENTERTAINMENT | 21
REVIEW Fleabag Sea son 2 HOLLY BUCKLEY REVIEWS THE SECOND SEASON OF THE BRITISH COMEDIC DRAMA.
P
hoebe Waller-Bridge has really stepped into the spotlight as of late with Killing Eve and voicing the droid L3-37 in Solo. But the second season of her tragicomedy Fleabag is truly her spectacular success. From the witty writing and editing, to the amazing cast, beautiful cinematic-looking shots and original edge, Fleabag has got it all. She even snatched two Golden Globes for Best Comedy TV Series and Best Actress for the show. So yes, it really lives up to its hype. Fleabag is both hilarious and devastating. It is a brutally honest portrayal of a messed-up, reckless woman with no filter, known as Fleabag (we never learn her actual name) as she tries to navigate her life while also trying to cope with anguish and tragedy. Although the show only has twelve episodes, there is A LOT going on. The show tackles so many themes in such a short time, such as depression, addiction, love, grief, self-acceptance and letting go. If you are looking for a smooth, happily ever after… maybe Fleabag is not for you. But in my opinion, I felt that the ending was perfect, optimistic and honest. It was the light at the end of the tunnel that Waller-Bridge finally gives us after dragging us through Fleabag’s tragic mishaps in season one. The first season was great, but I really only started to become hooked on the show on the season’s finale. In season one, we are introduced to Fleabag’s chaotic and reckless life, her unhealthy coping mechanisms and the darkest pits within her mind with occasional cracks. Season two opens with our beloved heroine a year later standing in a Kubrick-esque bathroom wiping blood from her face. She then states, “this is a love story”. Despite the
22 | FEBRUARY 2020
bloody nose, Fleabag appears to be in a healthier place and is beginning to mend her life. What is most unique about Fleabag is how it uses perspective to tell a very tight story. I have never seen a show that follows a main character so closely and devotedly. Specifically, Waller-Bridge’s inventive way of breaking the fourth wall is vital to the show. She consistently does this throughout the series but when she does it in season two, it’s different. A funny gaze into Fleabag’s mind and her cheeky side comments become much more profound and take on a different meaning in season two when the ‘hot priest’ played by the amazing Andrew Scott notices her literally talking to camera. Talking to us is her escape hatch, her coping mechanism. It also means that you develop a close relationship with Fleabag throughout the show. She does not want to dampen her bravado and let her vulnerabilities be ‘seen’, but the Priest recognises this and is the first person that she encounters that truly sees her for who she is. It is a show that depicts the pressures of being a fictional character in such a relatable way. She portrays this whole idea of performativity in life. She is performing, she wants us to see her ‘totally hilarious and fun life’ but underneath her boldness, there is a real honest person who is struggling to cope. When she meets the priest, she allows herself to feel vulnerable and love again. Happiness is still an option for her. Despite its tragic moments, Fleabag is bittersweet. The good finally balances out the bad in season two, and I felt that it ended optimistically and conclusively with Fleabag waving goodbye to the camera, to us. She is on the road to recovery and doesn’t need to escape anymore. There are of course a million ways to interpret this ending and that is the magic and beauty of Fleabag. Within such a short series, there are so many ways you can look at it. We all have a bit of Fleabag in us.
REVIEW
LIT TLE W OM E N Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing
KANE GEARY O’KEEFFE TELLS US WHAT HE THOUGHT OF THE NEW GRETA GERWIG FILM.
W
hat a smile I wore upon my face when leaving the cinema after a Screening of the latest cinematic adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic 1868 novel Little Women. My own particular grin standing as a true marker of the wonderfully infectious positive spirit the film radiates.This particular translation comes from writer/director Greta Gerwig, fresh off the heels of her last acclaimed project, 2017’s Lady Bird. Gerwig is especially notable as the only female nominee for the Academy Award for Best Director throughout this entire decade for Lady Bird (an unfortunate fact to have to present, as the oscars struggle to up their inclusivity game with each consecutive year), and here her talent ricochets off of every frame. A story of four young girl’s journey from mid youth to adulthood comes alive with the electric energy of an exceptional cast and some stunning production design. Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, (both Oscar nominees) Emma Watson, and Eliza Scanlen round out our titular women, who play Jo, Amy, Meg, and Beth March respectively, while Timothee Chalamet, Laura Dern, and Meryl Streep provide excellent support turns that flesh out a series of expertly well rounded characters. I cannot stress the chemistry between every one of these actors. Once the women and their kin enter the frame, every scene comes alive with their bickering, tender feats of affection, and vibrant displays of their individual talents. Florence Pugh as Amy stood out in her powerfully contrasted performance as she evolves from a naive and giddy young girl who straddles on just the right side of annoying to stay endearing, to a jaded young adult unsure of her place in a world that values marriage as the ultimate economic goal for a young woman. Chalamet also appears to be custom made for his role as the March’s family friend Laurie, and the chemistry he developed with Saoirse Ronan in Gerwig’s previous film rings true once more here. One scene in particular, in which the two
share an exuberant dance outside of a party that neither feel comfortable being present for, emits a sense of joy and youthful energy which immediately brought me in to everything this film had to give, and give it did. A large part of that energy also stems from the film’s twinkling score courtesy of Alexandre Desplat, which scatters the film’s positive and wholesome tone across it’s over two hour runtime. The score is only one element of a unanimously wonderful attention to technical and visual detail. Many frames of the film’s central scenes appear to be plucked straight from a master’s painting, with many interior shots of homes in particular coming alive by candlelight. I must also commend Jacqueline Durran, also Oscar nominated for the film, whose vivid costume designs become the fifth central character to this coming of age period tale. If I have one reservation about this deliciously charming spectacle, it is its sometimes confusing approach to its non linear storytelling. Jumping back and forth between a 7 year gap throughout the film, it can become difficult at times to pick up on which time frame we’re being charmed by. This is only a small issue which doesn’t compromise on enjoyment, and is easier to adjust to as the film goes on as the viewer picks up on changes in saturation and character appearance, nevertheless, I found myself questioning the time frame once or twice in the film’s first half. Overall, Gerwig’s Little Women has enough charm, star chemistry, and gorgeous attention to detail to last for many more hours than the two we get to spend in the company of these excitable and effortlessly entertaining women. If the movie was two hours longer, I would’ve happily stayed, basking in the wholesome radiance of the stars and their characters’ young lives. I smiled leaving the cinema and am I smiling writing this review, take that as you will.
ENTERTAINMENT | 23 GO GET 'EM GRETA! HER THIRD OSCAR NOD, GRETA WAS PREVIOUSLY NOMINATED FOR BEST DIRECTOR AND BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY FOR HER 2017 FILM LADY BIRD Credit: Martin Kraft
NINTENDO TIMELINE
Take a walk down memory lane and look at every major Nintendo console since the beginning.
Game Boy
Virtual Boy
When the wizards at Nintendo of Japan introduced the Game Boy to the world, players were given the chance to play their favourite Nintendo games on the go. A revolution of handheld gaming had begun!
Long before Oculus and HTC dominated the VR market, Nintendo introduced the world to an experiment of their's: the Virtual Boy...and it flopped horribly. Who bought this thing?
1989 1995 1983 1990 N.E.S.
S.N.E.S.
In 1986 Nintendo revolutionized a stagnant gaming industry by introducing the NES. With games such as Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda, a gaming icon was born.
When the question, “How can Nintendo top the NES?” was asked, the answer was simply to add "Super" to the title! With games such as Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario World, it really lived up to it's title.
NINTENDO
Childishly Innovative ANDREW BURKE DISCUSSES WHY NINTENDO IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THE GAMING INDUSTRY TODAY.
T
he world of gaming is always evolving and adapting. Companies like Sony and Microsoft are constantly banging heads trying to make the more powerful console and provide the best exclusives. But we can all admit that these companies would be nowhere where they are today without Nintendo. After the Video Game Crash of 1983, things were not looking good for the industry. Without the Nintendo Entertainment System, who knows where it would be. Every game
24 | FEBRUARY 2020
developer and console manufacturer has Nintendo to thank for bringing us out of the dark ages. Nintendo has always been at the forefront of their own wacky innovation. It was never about having the most powerful console, but about giving people something new and different. They were never afraid to step outside the box (in fact one of their consoles was a literal cube). Their biggest innovations are arguably the Wii and the GameBoy. They were and still are at the forefront of handheld gaming technology. Their only competition was the PSP and now they rule the market. The Nintendo DS and the Gameboy are the second and third best selling consoles of all time respectively. They are the kings of
gaming on the go. But of course there were the consoles that flopped. The main ones that come to mind are the Virtual Boy and the Wii U. But that is the price that comes with innovation, sometimes it does not work out or sometimes you have to pave the way for future success. The Wii U’s gamepad can be argued as the predecessor to the Nintendo Switch, one of the most creatively innovative consoles of all time, mixing the comfortability of handheld and the power of a home console. Then there are the games that accompanied these consoles. We unfortunately live in a world where games for children are dying. The only children games on Playstation and Xbox that I can think of are
Gamecube
Wii U
Nintendo’s answer to the Playstation 2 was the Gamecube, which looked more like a lunchbox than a console. The Gamecube represents a more experimental time, with titles such as Super Mario Sunshine and The Legend Of Zelda: The Windwaker.
Aspiring to be the successior to the Wii, the Wii U unfortunately failed to impress on the market, due strongly to its lack of third party support. However, the console is still beloved by many, supporting games such as Mario Kart 8, Splatoon and Pikmin 3
2001 2012 1996 2006 Nintendo 64
Wii
For many gamers today, the N64 defined their childhood. The console introduced a new dimension of 3D gaming to millions worldwide. With classics like Super Mario 64, Banjo Kazooie and Goldeneye 64 Nintendo had reached their peak
Whether you were 20-years-old or 20-weeks-old, Nintendo made the Wii as a console for everyone in the family. Introducing motion controls to the gaming space, the Wii was an inexpensive console that was incredibly popular and instantly classic
Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite and they clearly own that market. As someone who grew up in the days of the Playstation and Playstation 2 where there were countless games for kids, this saddens me. This is why Nintendo is so important to me, they are truly carrying the torch for games that anyone can play. My little 5 year old nephew adores Mario and we bond the most over playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe together. While of course I have the auto driving settings on for him, it genuinely melts my heart seeing him twist and turn the controller and screaming “Itsa me, Mario!” and every time he reassures me that he won the race, not me (I totally did, just saying). Nintendo doesn’t just know how to make not just good games, but good mascots too. Some of the biggest gaming mascots of all time are under the Nintendo umbrella. Mario is arguably the first and biggest mascot that pushed Nintendo into greatness, but one cannot forget about Link, Pikachu, Donkey Kong, Samus and Kirby. Yes, the downfall of many of Nintendo’s consoles are that they have little to no third party support, but with franchises like Mario and
Pokémon, do they really need them? I don’t want to play my Switch so I can play Call of Duty, I want to replay Breath of the Wild for the third time. And one cannot forget the Super Smash Brothers Series, which is the culmination or not just Nintendo mascots but all gaming mascots. It is a beautiful way to celebrate gaming history and how far we have come. I think Nintendo is so important to the gaming industry. They remind us that a more powerful console doesn’t necessarily mean a better console and games that try so hard to be realistic doesn’t necessarily mean it is a better game. I sincerely hope Nintendo continues to innovate with their games and their consoles and provide us with more children friendly games. With every flop, they also provide a masterpiece.
2017 Switch This brings us up to today, with Nintendo currently offering the acclaimed Nintendo Switch. In many ways, this console represents Nintendo’s intuitiveness and inventiveness as a company. Finally, after over 30 years in the industry, Nintendo sought to bring together two of its biggest markets: handheld gaming and home consoles. The Switch, for many gamers, represents freedom, to play where they want, with whom they want and whenever they want. Nintendo also learned a very strong lesson from the failures of the Wii U and have stacked the console with third party support. That's not to say that their own offerings have been lacking though with games such as The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild defining a gaming generation. With sales surpassing 52 million in just three years the future indeed looks very bright for Nintendo.
ENTERTAINMENT | 25
26 | FEBRUARY 2020
is alive and well, and talks to Cathal Donovan O’Neill about doing it for the 021
BEING 21 IN CORK ISN’T EASY. RENTS ARE RISING, SO IS CRIME, AND IF YOU’RE TRYING TO MAKE A CAREER IN THE ARTS IT CAN FEEL LIKE THE CITY IS OUT TO GET YOU. BUT THERE’S JUST SOME INEXORABLE MAGIC TO THE CITY THAT KEEPS YOU HERE.
Photography by Bartek Gruba
M
att Corrigan - better known by his indie pop project Ghostking Is Dead- had a hectic 2019, refining his craft as he toured internationally as part of Alex Gough’s live band. The Cork wunderkind has been releasing music of the lo-fi variety consecutively since his teenage years, but following a positive review by Anthony Fantano, Corrigan went dark. 2019’s sparse release schedule reflected a turn towards reflection and production. The result of that is Fever Dreaming, a five-track EP pulling from trap and synth music to turn Corrigan’s anxious relationship with Cork city inside-out. Shortly before its release, he took some time out of a busy week of college, gigging and gaff-jams to drink coffee and be interrogated by Motley. How do you feel 2019 went for you? You were more behind the production chair - I’m sure you were recording music, but you were releasing less compared to 2018. 2019 was a very interesting year, insofar as there was a lot of very rapid transitions, and a lot of very milestone-esque
moments; for instance, the one that defined my 2019 was the whole ‘Anthony Fantano reviewing “Tokyo’’ moment, where it brought to a head a lot of things I had been thinking about my own music. He really liked the song but he had an issue with the mixing. That was the gist of it, which just cemented ‘Okay, I’m a creative - of course I’m creative, everybody’s creative - but I lack competencies in certain fields and it’s holding back what I’m making’. I spent… eight… months pretty much just working on my competency. So taking ‘I’ve got this concept, I’ve got this idea.’ Instead of just jotting it down and scribbling it down and making something that’s good, but not as good as it could be, I wanted to be detail-oriented and I wanted to create a large body of kinda-throwaway work that’s gonna inform how I dedicate myself to a singular project. And that’s how I ended up making Fever Dreaming. It ended up being like an eight-month process that involved… probably up to fifty bounced tracks, and ultimately five that deserved my greater attention.
ENTERTAINMENT | 27
I THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LOT. I’VE THOUGHT ‘OKAY, DO I REALLY WANNA TRY TO CEMENT THIS SOLITARY, GENRESPECIFIC IDEA FOR WHAT I’M DOING, OR DO I WANNA BE MORE COHESIVE IN THE INFLUENCES I’M DRAWING FROM?’ AND THE ANSWER, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WAS NO. That’s a lot of stuff for the posthumous releases. Mmm! Exactly, there’ll be no shortage of demos for record labels to abuse. Your past releases were more lo-fi, folkinfluenced, but Fever Dreaming is a lot more synth-pop and there are trap influences in there. And I understand the value of [genre], and I’m not underselling that, but
28 | FEBRUARY 2020
when it comes to what I make the unifying factor at the end of the day should just be me, and if I followed anything other than my primary instinct it just wouldn’t be as good as it could be, realistically. So yeah, the trap influences just comes in from - ‘What am I listening to?’ I was listening to a lot of rap music. A lot of it. A lot of very synth-heavy music. Now I’m back in the last couple of months, I’m listening to loads of Blake Mills, a lot of very organic production, recording sounds… Everything I’m working on now is physically recorded, there’s no digital instruments, everything I’ve been working with has been amped and recorded using a microphone since Fever Dreaming. Cork city is almost the second character in the EP. How would you describe your relationship with Cork city, outside of the music? [Pauses] Turbulent? And longstanding. [Laughs] There’s certainly an element with most people where you are intrinsically tied to where you come from, simply by way of nurture. You’re going to
be molded by your environment, almost unavoidably. It can be characterised by me meeting up with Gaptoof [Cork-based hip-hop producer on Kojaque’s label] and a big conversation we had about doing it for the 021 [Cork’s landline area code]. Before Fever Dreaming, before this new Gaptoof project, we were standing out on the Docks at about 3 o’clock in the morning listening to Dean Street with Kean Kavanagh [Gaptoof-produced single] and he was telling me about his ethos of doing it for the 021, and he told me ‘Just remember, with your next project, to say that you’re doing it for the 021’. And I am doing it for the 021, even though it’s freaking me BELOW ARTWORK FOR CORRIGAN'S SINGLE "PALM TREE", RELEASED EARLIER THIS YEAR LEADING UP TO THE "FEVER DREAMING" EP.
out, and it’s awful at times, and as we’ve seen in recent months, capable of being an incredibly violent and terrifying place. How do you feel you’ve been shaped by it? I think there’s a lot of elements to my character which parallel the Cork city ethos; which is one of the reasons why I’ve identified a lot with it in the art I make, without trying to be defined by it. One of which being the independence, this whole Cork idea of ‘We’re Cork City, yeah they do it somewhere else, but they don’t do it like Cork’. I grew up somewhere where there weren’t really a lot of children my age, so I just spent a lot of time on my own. So, I developed a very similar personality with regards to the way I operate and the way I make things. And a lot of these concepts run parallel - a sense of stubbornness, hard-headedness, things that are all parallel to my own character that are just linked intrinsically. Looking forward to 2020, what’s the plan? 2020’s squared up to be both the busiest and most exciting year of my life. I’m involved with a bunch of different projects that are all either super-promising or are already fulfilling on the prophecy of their success and it’s so, so cool to watch happen. With Ghostking Is Dead, yeah, loads of shows. I have so many plans for things to put out. It’s not all gonna be music - most of it will be at least mostly affiliated with music. Yeah, I’m gonna go absolutely wild on it and put out everything I wanna put out, ‘cos why not?
ABOVE ARTWORK FOR CORRIGAN'S UPCOMING EP "FEVER DREAMING", RELEASING ON FEBRUARY 27
ENTERTAINMENT | 29
MOTLEY’S ONES TO WATCH
WHETHER IT BE AN ARTIST DOING SOMETHING NEW WITH THE MEDIUM OR A GROUP DESTINED FOR FAME, CHECK OUT MOTLEY’S TAKE ON WHO TO WATCH FOR 2020.
2020 30 | FEBRUARY 2020
BY NIAMH BROWNE
THE LIST
ALEX GOUGH
GEORGIA
Cork’s own (well, sort of ) and recent Motley cover star, Alex Gough is set to go from strength this year. Ireland’s hip-hop scene is having a moment, from Rejjie Snow to Soulé to Kneecap. Comfortably in the company of these talented artists is Gough. Hailing from Waterford, Gough began drumming at the age of 6, taking lessons until he was 12. He began writing music at 16, eventually going on to study music in Cork’s School of Music. Waterford-born, Corkbred, he is going to other places. His style is a marriage of drums, rap and electronic music and is definitely something new for your ears. Releasing absolute tunage, ‘Breakfast’, ‘Fool’ and ‘Step On Me’ are all tasty morsels for his EP, set to come out later this year.
You want to have fun? You want to dance? Well, look no further than Georgia, an electronic music queen. In the same vein as Alex Gough, Georgia uses drum beats in her music which is high-energy and absolutely bops. From West London, her music has been described as “animated by Chicago House piano lines, vintage drum machines, and Georgia's bespoke street sass”. Retro and fun, she’ll get you dancing and seeking hedonistic thrills. ‘Started Out’ is the perfect party-starter tune. Her sophomore album Seeking Thrills is now available to stream on all platforms. It’s a fantastic good vibes album that we can expect to hear this summer at the trendiest of seshes. Give it a listen there.
PILLOW QUEENS
GERRY CINNAMON OBONGJAYER
Another firm favourite on the Irish festival circuit, Pillow Queens are set to release their debut album this year. Formed in 2016 with their first EP Calm Girls, they have since performed with Pussy Riot, Soak and played Electric Picnic. Their second EP State of the State also has given us a taste for what we can expect and with previous bangers including ‘Rats’, ‘Gay Girls’ and ‘HowDoILook’, our expectations are high. The four women from Dublin play tight drums and even tighter riffs, managing to make indie/rock/punk sound fresh. No mean feat. Steve Lamacq of BBC Radio described them as “deceptively infectious, with sharp hooks and sharp nails”. I don’t know about the nails, Steve, but you’re defo onto something about the music.
Without music videos or any form of press, Gerry Cinnamon has somehow managed to become a star in his own right. His first album Erratic Cinematic was released in 2017 and since then he has been absolutely crushing it at the festival circuit. Cinnamon is the newest edition to Glasgow’s rock tradition, singing anthems in his own accent celebrating working-class people. Raw, loud and proud. He is empirical evidence that word of mouth still holds the most weight. If you like a good anthemic rock tune, look no further: Check out ‘Belter’ and ‘Sometimes’. His second album, Bonny, is set to release on his own label ‘Runaways’ in April 2020. He is going to play Scotland’s largest venue this year, 50,000+ seater Hampden Park, and tickets are already sold out. This year’s ultimate DIY star.
Fusing afrobeat and rap with gospel and soul, Obonjayer’s work still manages to sound coherent and slick. Nigerian-born London artist Obongjayer may not be the most “commercial” artist on this list, but he is definitely one of the most interesting. Steven Umoh, the man behind the artist, fled Nigeria when he was 17 with his mother to escape his father, who was abusive. Devoutly Christian until he began university in Norwich, Umoh’s style evades description. He was an Eminem fanatic who, growing up in Nigeria, sang verses in the schoolyard, enthralling classmates. It was not until he arrived in England that he realised he rapped in an American accent. Feeling a loss of his identity, he formed a band at university where he began singing. Here he discovered his ‘voice’, with his own accent and all. As he effortlessly glides from rap to singing to spoken word, the unifying force is his rich deep voice. There’s nothing quite like Obongjayer out there. Check out his most recent EP "Which Way is Forward".
ENTERTAINMENT | 31
Inside
Credit: Ruth O’Connell
HOUSE OF KERRY GRACE CLARO INTERVIEWS CHRISTINE O’DONOGHUE DE VRIES, A FORMER UCC LAW GRADUATE TURNED AWARD WINNING SUSTAINABLE ARTIST DESIGNER AND THE WOMAN BEHIND HOUSE OF KERRY
F
or this month’s issue, I had the pleasure of collaborating with Kerry based artist and awardwinning designer Christine O’Donoghue de Vries. She is the creator of House of Kerry, a nature inspired and sustainability-focused Irish designer brand, located in scenic Muckross, Killarney, County Kerry. Christine is no stranger to UCC, having graduated with an honours degree in Law
32 | FEBRUARY 2020
and French here in the university. Eventually practising as a barrister, she worked in a wide range of fields from asylum seekers to criminal law and general litigation. However, after several years in the legal profession, Christine felt her passion for art and photography guiding her back to her native Kerry. She returned home, took several part time art courses to hone in on her skills, and in 2016 she established House of Kerry, officially launching at the Glucksman Art Gallery’s Craft and Design Fair. It is no surprise that during the preparations for the photoshoot Christine expressed her delight at our invitation to collaborate with Motley and the Glucksman, stating that the space has a special significance for her.
Art
As a sustainably certified farmer, Christine’s practice is inspired by the indigenous landscape of her native Kerry. She also spoke of the importance of art-historical points of reference in her design process, citing Georgia O’Keefe’s and Salvador Dalí’s as key figures. Christine uses all her own artwork in her designs, namely her own fine art photographs. With the help of CAD technology, images of the land are rendered in a dreamily subtle haze, fused with blushes of watercolour paint and cursive inscriptions. She says her work begins as an artistic concept that is then injected with functionality and made into ‘wearable art.’
Sustainability
With an ethos of cherishing the environment, Christine’s process of creating the designs for her collections is slow, mindful and considered. All the fabrics she uses are either naturally derived like silk and cotton or upcycled vintage. Striving to avoid waste, she makes use of her off-cuts and leftover materials and upcycles them into bowties and woollen berets. Furthermore, she re-purposes seemingly unconventional materials such as silage netting by using dyes and assorted embellishments such as Swarovski crystals. Once the design process is complete, Christine sends her finished prototypes to be brought to life by local
tailors. She spoke of her unwillingness to outsource this crucial work to a factory abroad, as she was concerned for both the ethical and environmental issues that would arise.
Achievements
Since its genesis in 2016 House of Kerry has received numerous awards and nominations in Ireland. She was also a finalist in the RDS Craft Awards 2017 for her silk scarf the ‘Magic of the Skellig Ring’, which was also exhibited at the Dublin Horse Show 2017. Christine won the HI Style Fashion Designer of the Year Award in 2018 as well as Fashion Designer of the Year Award 2019 at the Rose of Tralee International Festival. She is registered with the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland. House of Kerry fuses contemporary art and design with the awe-inspiring natural architecture of the land in order to create mesmerizing and wearable fashion. During my time working with Christine it was encouraging to see a person dedicate themselves to sustainability whilst creating an innately Irish visual aesthetic, making ‘fashionable art’ out of it. House of Kerry is putting sustainable conscience and indigenous natural heritage centre stage in contemporary Irish design. Find her at: https://houseofkerry.com/ Instagram: @houseofkerry
FASHION | 33
H O U S E O F K E R RY PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Grace Claro (@grace.claro)
M O D E L Kate Wang CAMERA ASSISTANT Caroline Kavanagh ARTIST Ruth O’Connell (@ruthismessy)
STYLIST Christine O’Donoghue de Vrie SPECIAL THANKS TO The Glucksman Art Gallery House of Kerry 34 | FEBRUARY 2020
SILK KIMONO - HOUSE OF KERRY GOLD SHIRT - NCBI TRALEE BOWTIE - HOUSE OF KERRY
FASHION | 35
SILK KIMONO - HOUSE OF KERRY GOLD SHIRT - NCBI TRALEE BOWTIE - HOUSE OF KERRY
FASHION | 37
SKELLIG ROCK BERET - HOUSE OF KERRY SILEAGE NETTING - HOUSE OF KERRY SKELLIG SANCTURARY SILK TUNIC - HOUSE OF KERRY
FASHION | 39
40 | FEBRUARY 2020
BLUE TWEED KIMONO - HOUSE OF KERRY RED TWEED BERET - HOUSE OF KERRY
A W E E K I N M Y WA R D R O B E BY SINEAD GALLIVAN
GUEST EDITION IN THE WAKE OF A UCC CONFESSIONS POST LAMBASTING TRACKSUIT-WEARERS, GUEST EDITOR SINEAD GALLIVAN WORE THE SAME OUTFIT TO COLLEGE FOR A WEEK TO SEE IF PEOPLE REALLY CARE WHAT YOU WEAR TO COLLEGE.
A
s if from thin air, UCC Confessions emerged on Twitter as a much-followed confessional page, offering UCC students an opportunity to post their unfiltered thoughts — leading to outrage and potential romances. How could we forget the Boole Library romance? Recently, the page posted a ‘confession’ where one student lambasted people on campus for wearing tracksuits. The confessor boasted that they like to put in an effort for college and care about their appearance. It led me to wonder—although the central message of the column—is it true that nobody actually cares what anyone else wears to college? Having been almost €300 in debt for over a month after buying a North Face puffer jacket at the start of the year I half-hoped this wasn’t true.
So, I jumped at the chance to have my own "Week in My Wardrobe" debut, and decided I would wear the same outfit (washed nightly, dried on the rads while my mom yelped about the price of having them on just to dry clothes). Shock horror - Motley fashion editor Paul McLauchlan was on the ball and no one batted an eyelid at my five-times reworn outfit. When I had my first go at writing this article, I went day by day, analysing the reactions of my friends, people in my course, my family and those familiar faces from around campus whose timetables just seem to magically coincide with yours everyday, as we flock to the student centre for hours-long chit-chats. I read it back to myself and nearly died from boredom so, in summary, no one noticed until Friday and when they did, nobody particularly cared. Throughout the week, I learned a lot about my own preconceptions about how we dress ourselves. I felt like people would think I was dirty, hadn’t gone home or couldn’t afford new clothes. In a capitalist society obsessed with fast fashion, we feel like there’s an expectation to wear different clothes everyday and reinvent our wardrobes, as well as our personal style, on a regular basis as well. I realised at the end of the week that these pressures are primarily self-inflicted and having a Zuckerberg-esque personal uniform actually didn’t make my peers see me as a filthy cretin. Moreover, I thought that the concept of rewearing outfits is interesting from a sustainability perspective. Sustainability is a massive buzzword in fashion at the moment but, living in a consumption-driven society, we tend to neglect the fact that wearing clothes you already own is the easiest, cheapest way to make your fashion addiction more sustainable. That being said, it doesn’t need to be taken to the extreme of wearing one outfit per week, but mixing, matching and reworking bits and bobs already hanging around in your room has an overwhelmingly positive effect on your bank balance as well as the planet. All things said, I wholeheartedly agree with Paul’s claims that no one really pays attention to what other people wear - at least not in a judgemental sense. The only comments I ever received about my outfit for the week were people asking where I got the massive green puffer from - looking to buy one themselves, not mock my shopping habits. People care about what you wear, just not in the way you think they do. As for the jacket, that belongs to my friend. Borrowed indefinitely.
FASHION | 41
AD SPACE NOW AVAILIBLE! C O N TAC T E D I T O R @ M O T L E Y. I E F O R D E TA I L S
Societies Spotlight
SOCIETIES GUILD PRESIDENT KAYLA MAHER SHARES WHAT' S COMING UP FOR UCC SOCIETIES STARS
Our annual awards ceremony STARS, is taking place on the 12th March in the Cork International Hotel. Tickets available in the Societies Office!
Thank You!
Thank you to everyone who attended events during Societies Week! Check out our social media to see our overall total that we raised for JIGSAW.
44 | FEBRUARY 2020
Photo Exhibition
We’re giving our Best Photo Category to public vote for our awards this year! To give your vote, go to the Cafe in the Student Centre and cast your vote!
Clubs and Societies Ball Tickets for the best ball of the year go on sale on the 5th March in the SU Common Room from 8am. Fulls Tickets are €40 and Afters Tickets are €25!
Our AGM!
The Societies Executive is taking place in the Dora Allman Room on the 18th of March at 6pm! If you’d like to run for a position, email Kayla Maher, at president@uccsocieties.ie
Earth Week!
Earth Week takes place from the 2nd-6th of March! Email UCC Environmental Society to get involved! environmental@uccsocieties.ie FASHION | 45
THE SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL IN THE SOUTHWEST REGION IS CURRENTLY HELPING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO PROVIDE FOOD, HEAT AND CLOTHING FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. Your help is invaluable in making all the difference to the lives of people in your community. Without your help, we would not be able to provide our services to those that need it. IF YOU WISH TO VOLUNTEER WITH SVP OR DONATE AND NEED MORE INFORMATION; PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.SVP.IE OR YOU CAN CALL OUR REGIONAL OFFICE ON 021 4270444
John 21 years old and homeless Your generous donation will mean a hot dinner, a safe bed and a chance of a new start
Donate
corksimon.ie
WRITE FOR E M A I L Y O U R WO R K TO EDITOR@MOTLEY.IE CURRENTAFFAIRS@MOTLEY.IE FEATURES@MOTLEY.IE ENTERTAINMENT@MOTLEY.IE FASHION@MOTLEY.IE