Motley Magazine - Issue 3 Volume VIII

Volume VIII ISSUE 3 UCCMotley.ie

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Contents

Team Editor: Ellen Desmond editor@motley.ie Graphic Designer: Cathal O’Gara Deputy Editor: Eoin McSweeney Current Affairs Editors: Eoin McSweeney deputyeditor@motley.ie Laura Cashman currentaffairs@motley.ie Features and Opinion Editors: Claire Crowley features@motley.ie Hannah Kingston deputyfeatures@motley.ie Entertainment Editors: Laura Hussey entertainment@motley.ie Kelly Doherty deputyentertainment@motley.ie Fashion Editor: Emily Horgan fashioneditor@motley.ie Creative Director: Laurence Keating creativedirector@motley.ie Webmaster: Andrew Shortall Public Relations Officer: Méadhbh Crowley Staff Writers: Adam O’Reilly Sorcha Lanigan Rachel O’Shea Contributors Jonny O’ Mahony, Kathrin Gaul, Rachel Muckley, Rachel Reynolds, Glenn Dunlea, Stewart Dollery, Vincent O’ Brien, Louise Clancy, Kieran Cunnane, Jane Farrell, Jane Groarke, Martha Garry, Kevin Power and Killian Down Special Thanks Kieran Murphy, John Murphy, Audrey Ellard Walsh, The UCC Students’ Union, The UCC Media Executive, Laura Harte and all the team at Webprint, Miss Daisy Blue, Lockdown Models and Barry and Fidelma for fixing our website.

Very Special Thanks All at Oh Me Oh My DIY, John Wilson, UCC Law Soc, Grainne Bidle at Sony Music, Ella Henderson, The Original Rudeboys, UCC PsychSoc, UCC Photography Soc, Ruth Denham, Max Jury, Ruth McDonnell, Professor Ivan Perry, Professor Ella Arensman, Ross Noble’s team at KPPR, the creators of Liz Lemon memes and Emma Watson for her ongoing encouragement.

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Current Affairs - PAGE 3

Entertainment - PAGE 26

Features & Opinion - PAGE14

Fashion and Beauty - Page 38

Laura Cashman considers the results left behind should prostitution laws in Ireland be altered, while Louise Clancy looks at the current fight against the deadly Ebola virus. Eoin McSweeney meets with Garda whistleblower John Wilson and Ellen Desmond investigates the “Clean Slate” passed by UCC Student Council on the 29th of October.

Rachel Reynolds discusses her recent experiences in Palestine. UCC Photography Society Auditor Brendan O’Leary interview Tarquin Blake of abandoned Ireland and Alanna Harrington of UCC Psychological Society tries to get some secrets out of mentalist Scotty Walsh.

Laura Hussey chats to cover star Ella Henderson about her number one album and her XFactor experiences. Ellen Desmond catches up with all things Tangleman ahead of Ross Noble’s latest tour, while Méadhbh Crowley speaks to ORB: The Original Rudeboys.

Emily Horgan considers the meaning behind the recent Chanel protest and Laurence Keating presents a stunning Tropico photoshoot.

“It is clearly documented within these pages that of the 15 members on our team, many were not okay with leaving the problem of sexism unaddressed at this time.” his issue of Motley Magazine, somewhat of the university’s magazine and I chair a nationally unintentionally, has become the feminist issue. award winning society – surely I’ve been given equal At our most recent Team Motley meeting, it opportunities here, right? So why was that fear still was obvious that the majority present wished there? to write something to address the situation of sexism in That fear was there because whether we like it or UCC. We came out of that meeting with no agreement not, there’s an attitude in UCC right now that puts it that this issue would be an official discussion of feminism, there. No one person, or one student group is the cause and it isn’t an officially themed edition of Motley, but of that; we all are. The Philosophical Society, among it is clearly documented within these pages that of the others, recently took a stand against sexism and so it is 15 members on our team, many were not okay with obvious the demand for more conversation has already leaving the problem of sexism unaddressed at this time. arrived in UCC. There are pages of this magazine that are totally The #HeForShe campaign is one all staff and unrelated to feminism and there are pages in which it is students could do with taking on board. In Emma very obvious that a discussion of equality and women’s Watson’s speech launching the #HeForShe campaign, rights is at hand; such as the report on female genital she highlighted that “we don’t often talk about men mutilation (FGM) and the discussion of Chanel’s recent being imprisoned by gender stereotypes” but the fact “feminist protest.” There are other pages, which for is that they are. She explained the problem so clearly it me, are all about equal rights, though it will not be so seemed incredible that it has never been put so simply explicit to others. before; “both men and women should feel free to be I wrote an article in this publication which reports on sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be UCC student politics and while the topic it is concerned strong.” with is completely removed from my discussion of The sad thing about feminism really is that it has feminism, for me that article is all about become something only women feel “The having my own voice heard. It’s my invited to take part in and that the word feminist article about nothing feminist. #HeForShe itself truly has become synonymous with Reporting on student politics is something man-hating. Like Emma Watson, I’ve campaign is always felt sad hearing female friends I’m very interested in but something I have usually avoided in my three years one all staff deny being feminists because they think it as a student journalist. I have always means something negative, which it does thought this was because I was being and students not, and I have heard many friends deny considerate of other people’s feelings. could do with it. When, in reality, by saying you don’t However, in this issue I left that worry identify as a feminist you are doing nothing taking on behind because I realised my true fear but agreeing that a woman should have was that no one would respect what I, as fewer rights, like getting paid less or not board” a female student, have to say. having control over her body.

I’ve sat in many meetings in UCC this I was initially afraid to tackle the month. An example is one in which article I mentioned above, despite women were outnumbered 5 to 2 by knowing well that there was literally men and while the other female said no other student in a better position nothing at all, I was often spoken over to cover the story. I eventually thought or had to try to butt in to have my back to Emma Watson’s #HeForShe voice heard. I felt like no one had any launch again, in which she finished by interest in what I had to say and I came saying how nervous she was about out of that meeting feeling absolutely making the speech, until she realised worthless. I’ve always known sexism was “If not me, who? If not now, when? an issue that concerned me, but I’ve If you have similar doubts when an never thought sexism was an issue that opportunity is presented to you, I hope affected me so directly. I’m the editor those words will be helpful.”

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Turning off the Red Light PAGE 10

The Cost of a Clean Slate PAGE 12

[An Interview With]

J HN WILSON

Illustration: Ben Sanders

Following his recent appearance in UCC, Motley’s Deputy Editor Eoin McSweeney spoke to Garda whistleblower John Wilson about the scandal that cost the Irish Government millions hat is the meaning of the word corruption?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary it is defined as “dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power.”

It can be interpreted as a deviation from an ideal, or even a spiritual or moral impurity. However since when has corrupt become a word used to describe the practices of our national protectors, An Garda Síochána?

The exact date is hard to pinpoint, but suspicions were initially raised at the turn of the decade. It was Maurice McCabe who first noticed the irregularities in the fixed charge penalty notices that were being giving out daily.

He was soon supported by John Wilson, a now former Guard, who began using

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the Pulse system to collect data. Soon, it became obvious that there was a serious problem. Too many notices had been unlawfully terminated as favours for it to remain uncovered. Something had to be done and speaking to me, John Wilson outlined what he did next.

“In March 2012 I made a complaint to the confidential recipient, a man called Oliver Connolly, who has since lost his job. That initial complaint related to four speeding tickets that had been, as far as I could see, corruptly terminated. It would have taken a couple of hours to investigate my complaint. That was handed to Martin Callinan (the then Garda Commissioner) in April 2012.

And I waited and I waited and nothing happened. I got no response.”

While looking at the situation from the outside, it may seem like an innocent

deed - A few penalty points quashed here or the odd fine terminated there.

However the figures that John had unearthed were astonishing. A number in the region of 90,000 tickets were terminated by senior Garda officers between 2004 and 2012. Between 2009 and 2012, An Garda Síochána issued 1,668,349 summonses, 646,509 of which were not served. If we were to apply just a minimum figure to the fines not served, we are looking at a possible loss of 65 million euro to the Government.

The startling revelations were soon brought to the Oireachtas and the scandal broke. Terminations of penalty points, intimidation of whistle blowers and the media and cold cases were all part of the accusations in what could only be described as a disaster

for the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. The resignations of the Minister of Justice Alan Shatter and Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan followed. The situation only became worse when more news was leaked of the office of the Garda Ombudsman being bugged.

Yet how did all of this affect John Wilson? He was certainly brave in denouncing the organisation he worked for, but at what cost? Was a mere fine a fair reason for denouncing friend? Intimidation tactics, cold shoulders and a clear misuse of power to discontinue his ability to perform his job properly were used by superiors and colleagues alike. It was impossible for him to continue and he had to leave his post after thirty years of service. As one headline put it, was he a rat, or

Ireland’s answer to Edward Snowden?

“I can’t say that it was easy. I have known no other job. I was a Guard for over thirty years when I went last year. I recall walking into a canteen, and I was very loud individual, you’d hear me coming before you’d see me; there were three people there, two of them walked out and one said ‘those in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.’

And then he walked out too. It does take a toll on family life. To me, this was always about right and wrong. I saw a system that was rotten, a system that was broken, and a system that had to be repaired. These corrupt practices had to stop.”

On New Year’s Day, 2012, he was searched on a public motorway while wearing his full uniform. A few weeks after that he found a rat tied to his door when he went to let his dog out in the middle of the night. His credibility was questioned, his sanity was questioned and “a few other little things happened.” He was undermined at every turn, but still managed to prevail. When he initially went to a Sergeant to voice his concerns he was shot down. Speaking at a recent discussion in UCC, he mentioned the incident: “What he was saying in effect there was, ‘I make the laws. I am more powerful than the Oireachtas. S.62 of the Garda Síochána Act doesn’t count (this lets Guards confide in members of the Oireachtas). You have no right to go to members of the Oireachtas,’ even though it is written in law and we acted lawfully at all times. I could have been caught twenty times since 2004, and I would have got away with it. Any member of my family could have been caught speeding and I could have had them ‘taken care of.’

Any people who came to me, people who I knew or whatever.”

A more exact definition of corruption is given by An Garda Síochána, as given by John Wilson: “Falsehood and prevarication, corrupt or improper practice, abuse of

authority, misuse of money or other property belonging to a member of the public, theft, fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, bribery or corruption, deliberate falsification of records, serious breaches of health and safety rules, assault on another person in the workplace, incapability through alcohol or being under the influence of illegal drugs or misuse of prescribed medication, serious

Garda whistleblower John Wilson shakes hands with Acting Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan outside Leinster House in Dublin last May

negligence which causes loss, damage or injury: engaging in prohibited activities, improper influence to make personal/family gain or acceptance or improper gifts/hospitality: or any criminal conduct.” Can the actions of our peacekeepers be justified after reading this?

Gemma O’Doherty, famed Irish journalist, who also received condemnation for her role in the exposing of the Garda corruption scandal, also spoke at the discussion in UCC. She bemoaned the size of the Irish population and the cosy relationship many have with those in power. She described it as a leading cause of corruption in a society where it is too easy to ‘know someone.’

“4.5 million is the problem, we have such a small population and everyone really does know everyone. That is why it is so hard to prevent this wink and nod culture that does exist. That

“When something is as ingrained in the culture of An Garda Síochána as these corrupt practices are, it will takea long time to correct.”

is a problem, we can’t do much about our population.

As a journalist, it is frightening to see the relationships that some journalists have with senior Gardaí and with politicians. They’re friends, they drink together, they share stories, they tell stories, they get favoured and they get their points quashed. They become compromised and they become a shame to their professions as a result. It is an epidemic, it is hard as a journalist when you stand up and you become blacklisted.”

What can be done to solve the crisis at hand? Both offered their views on the matter, stating that serious changes needed to be made to the organisation before any sort of improvement may be seen. An outside Garda Commissioner is needed, someone with no previous connection to the organisation.

A serious clean-up was noted as being required and a shakeup of the organisation as a whole can’t wait.

“As we now know, these practices continue. I’m not shocked. When something is as ingrained in the culture of An Garda Síochána as these corrupt practices are, it will take a long time to correct. The next Garda Commissioner

has got to be from the outside. It cannot be from inside the ranks, it must be an individual, with absolutely no loyalty to An Garda Síochána, an individual that can reform the organisation, from the very, very top to the very, very bottom and then in a few years, we can choose a commissioner from within the ranks.

We were told as a people that all of these corrupt practices had ceased.

We were told that by the Garda authorities and by the government that transparency and accountability were to the fore. I always maintain that nothing will change. It is the nature of the beast. These corrupt practices are ingrained in the culture of An Garda Síochána. You’re not going to just change it overnight, you’re not going to change it with some window dressing.

It is as bad now as it ever was. Nothing has changed.”

So, from an objective point of view, is An Garda Síochána a corrupt and decrepit organisation or should the odd offence be looked over for the greater good? Is it enough to say that because everyone is doing it, that makes it okay? Looking at the above definitions, does terminating fines sound like “engaging in prohibited activities or improper influence to make personal/family gain or acceptance or improper gifts/hospitality?” I would assume so.

Edward Snowden or a rat-faced troublemaker? It is hard to imagine how someone’s life could change so dramatically, and I don’t believe you would sacrifice so much for something that you didn’t believe was inherently true and morally correct. Looking into the eyes of John, I saw a steely glare of defiance and a belief that anything corrupt, no matter how little, should be opposed. I may have mistaken that for stubbornness, but after looking at the information above, I feel that justice is yet to be done. Is reform needed?

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70-70-60 Plan:

Tackling the

Ebola Crisis Louise Clancy considers the world’s fight against the deadly Ebola virus ne of the biggest epidemics of the decade has recently been causing widespread concern with health professionals, government organisations and the general public alike. The Ebola virus has become a major problem in Western Africa, particularly in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Researchers have discovered that the index case of the virus was from a 2 year old boy in Guinea who died in December 2013, after his family hunted bats for bush meat, which was the source of the virus. By March 25th 2014, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released its first report concerning the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. On August 8th, the World Health Organisation declared the Ebola epidemic as an international public health emergency.

In early October, 44 year old Spanish nurse Teresa Romero contracted Ebola after treating a priest who was repatriated from West Africa. This was the first transmission of the virus outside Africa.

On September 30th, 42 year old Liberian national Thomas Eric Duncan was diagnosed with Ebola in Dallas, Texas after travelling to the United States to visit his family. He died on October 8th. On October 12th, a nurse in Texas, who treated Duncan was found positive for the Ebola virus. This was the first transmission of Ebola in the United States. On October 15th, another Texas healthcare worker was confirmed to have the virus. By October 15th there had been seventeen cases of the Ebola virus outside Africa, resulting in four deaths.

As of October 22nd, the Ebola virus has been contracted in seven countries; five in Africa, one in Europe and one in North America. There has been over 9,991 reported cases of Ebola globally. Out of these cases there has been over 4,868 deaths as a result.

Ebola is a virus found in humans, primates and bats. Ebola can be divided into five subtypes that are named after the location they were identified.

These include: Zaire, Sudan, Reston, Bundibugyo, and Tai Forest (formerly Ivory Coast). The Zaire strain has the highest mortality rate and is the current strain in the 2014 epidemic. The symptoms of Ebola are fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness,

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“It is predicted by WHO that

by December 2014 there will be between 5,000 to 10,000 new cases of Ebola per week” diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain, and unexplained bleeding and bruising. Symptoms can appear in the infected between two days to three weeks after exposure to the virus. Diagnosis of an Ebola patient in the early stages can be difficult because the early symptoms are not exclusive to Ebola and are seen in more common diseases such as malaria and typhoid.

Ebola is not air-borne or water-borne, so it cannot be spread as easily as influenza. However, it can be transferred through blood and other body fluids, syringes containing the virus and coming into contact with infected fruit bats and primates. Healthcare workers are at the highest risk of being infected as they are most likely to come into contact with the blood and body fluids of the patients.

There is no vaccination for the Ebola virus.

However there are efforts being made in developing a safe and effective Ebola vaccine. There are simple measures in preventing the Ebola virus from spreading. These measures include practising careful hygiene and not handling items that may have come into contact with an infected person’s blood and body fluids.

There is also no definitive cure for the Ebola virus.

Treatment only consists of minimizing dehydration, and balancing fluids and while treating secondary infections. It is true that early treatment increases chances of survival rates, however, the disease carries a mortality rate of 90%. With proper diagnosis and treatment, along with medical advances in the past few decades, WHO estimates the rate of survival is between 60%-65%. In the current Ebola outbreak, the survival rates differ in geographical location. In the United States the survival rate is over 80%, while the survival rate in West Africa is approximately 30%. This contrast is due to a lack of proper infrastructure and affordable healthcare in West Africa.

The first outbreak of Ebola was in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (then known as Zaire). The epicentre of the epidemic came from the village Yambuku, 96 kilometres south of the Ebola River. The index case of the first Ebola epidemic was the local school headmaster Mabalo Lokela on August 26th 1976. Shortly before, Lokela toured with the Yambuku mission along the Ebola River, which is where he most likely contracted the disease. On September 8th 1976, Mabalo Lokela was the first confirmed person to die of the Ebola virus in history. Within a week of Lokela falling ill, similar cases were presented at the hospital. As was the local custom, several of Lokela’s female relatives helped prepare Lokela's body for burial.

Within days most of them were seriously ill and many died. The reuse of unsterilized needles in the local hospital also spread the infection. From the first outbreak there were 318 identified cases and 280 people died out of those cases.

The current 2014 Ebola epidemic is the most severe outbreak regarding the number of cases, the number of deaths and the number of countries affected. The future is uncertain of how many more people will be infected, how fast it will spread and when this current outbreak will end. It is predicted by WHO that by December 2014 there will be between 5,000 to 10,000 new cases of Ebola per week. The UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response launched a strategy to contain the disease known as the “70-70-60 Plan.” This plan ensures that 70 percent of burials are done safely and 70 percent of suspected cases isolated, within 60 days. There are also screenings for Ebola symptoms in 5 American airports and in Gatwick and Heathrow airports in the UK, from affected countries. Although the current strain of Ebola is the most serious recorded outbreak since 1976, the likeliness of the Ebola virus spreading into a wide population, particularly in developed countries is considered small. Once there are preventative measures put into effect and containment of the disease becomes manageable, the Ebola outbreak will most likely wind down.

Motley takes a quick look at the latest perk being offered to employees of the world’s biggest multinational corporations ith new age technologies comes new age businesses, renowned worldwide for their quirky interiors, young and eccentric work forces and of course, the ‘perks.’

But in recent weeks, these perks have reached the level where they are beginning to be questioned by the general public. This doubt has spurred from global tech leaders Apple and Facebook’s recent announcement that they are willing to pay for the female members of their workforce to freeze their eggs, allowing them to pursue their career and postpone family life until their careers are at their peak.

When first hearing this, I was conflicted in opinion. Yes, this option may be one that females would be willing to take, however is this necessary? Say a woman working in one of these companies does decide to freeze her eggs and postpone motherhood for a few years, what if those eggs do not come to fertility? Will her career progression have been worth sacrificing a family for, and moreover, who would be to blame in this scenario? And the biggest question of all: are the tech firms pushing the ‘perk boundaries’ too far?

Upon further research, I discovered that Facebook and Apple both offer equal time for paternal and maternal leave, a step in the right direction for feminism everywhere. However, is asking a female to postpone motherhood really the right thing to do? And, probing further into this perk business, are any of these benefits genuine or do they all carry an ulterior motive? Many multinational companies pride themselves in the free breakfast, free dinners, free gym memberships located on site… All seen to be in the best interests of the workers. But, when probed, it seems that these perks aren’t as honest as they may seem.

Take the free breakfasts, for example. One would never snub a free meal, especially the most important meal of the day, but when your working day begins at ten with free breakfast served at seven thirty am, this lures people into work earlier than necessary. When searching for free dinner, one must stay till seven pm, although work finishes at six. This is already adding up to three extra hours at work that would not necessarily be spent beforehand. And with a gym on site, why would you ever feel the need to come home?

But oh, multinationals work on the concept that ‘open hours’ are the best way to work, come in when you want. This, however, can loosely be translated to ‘you can be on call whenever we like.’ Of course, over thinking anything to this extent will always shine it in a negative light, but there is a certain point where we have to consider where the line between work and ‘real life’ is, and these perks tend to blur it enormously. While some may see it as creating a relaxed work environment that eludes to productivity and creativity, others may see it as creating a reality where work is always on the brain, with no escape.

All this said, anything that gives families extra choices on building a happy and healthy life together cannot be frowned upon. In the end, working in a positive environment that allows growth, both in a career sense of the word and in a creative and personal sense of the word, is something that new multinationals pride themselves in. Just keep in mind that with every positive comes a negative and when something sounds too good to be true, the majority of the, time it is. There’s no such thing as a free breakfast.

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Following the recent clashes between Serbia and Albania in a European Championships Qualifier, Motley’s Killian Down examines the relationship between politics and sport here are few sights more innocent in a world so lacking in the benign than that of a child at play. There is a simple beauty in their hyena-like shrieks of laughter and toothy smiles, signs of an untainted joy ignorant to the evils of the world that loom large around them. Some choose hopscotch as their chalky gateway to fun, whilst others channel their inner orangutan and scale the garden oak. As the world's most popular sport however, it goes without saying that more often than not, a football will join children on their unending quest for fun. Across the world at this very moment, in estate, slum and favela alike, children run amok in chase of that illusive leather sphere.

Although some may be separated by continent, colour or class, they remain united by the inimitable glee which is found in the simple kicking of a ball.

I am not naive enough to suggest that football, or indeed sport in general, remains such a beacon of blissful innocence as youth gives way to age. It is a regrettable truth that the core purpose of all sport, to have fun, is often too easily forgotten in the heat of battle- the mere fact that a phrase like 'heat of battle' is widely used to describe sporting competition

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is a telling indicator of the lens through which sport is viewed. However, regardless of whether you agree with the, perhaps, overly-competitive nature of organised sporting competition and the near-Machiavellian approach to winning those involved in competitive sport adopt, there is no denying the power that sport yields in binding people, households, communities; even nations. It brings an anticipation and joy that cannot be matched by film, art or any other medium that can be dreamed up. When else other than watching your country compete would, or could, a grown man turn, teary-eyed, and embrace a complete stranger and think nothing of it? To paraphrase Karl Marx, it seems sport indeed is the opiate of the masses.

As such, it is always a tragic thing when the poisoned tip of politics pierces the skin of sport. Two weeks ago during a UEFA European Championships qualification match between Serbia and Albania in Belgrade, this is precisely what happened. Politics launched an aerial attack. Shortly before half time, an unmanned drone brandishing a Pro-Albania flag entered the stadium before quickly being brought to earth by Serbian players. A heated melee between Serbian and

“It is always a tragic thing when the poisoned tip of politics pierces the skin of sport” Albanian players ensued, forcing match referee Martin Atkinson to lead the players off the field of play. After half an hour, UEFA confirmed the match had been abandoned.

As a passionate sports fan, I followed events in Belgrade with disgust. That is not to say I blame the players for their hasty, churlish reactions; I am quite sure the players thought their response to be quite appropriate in the moment and did not consider for a moment that their actions would bring the sport into disrepute. No, it is the so-called "fans," who were in control of the drone, that should hang their empty heads in shame. I am not here to discuss political relations between Albania and Serbia and the long-winded, oftheated debate with regards to the sovereignty (or lack thereof) of Kosovo.

I will merely say that although there is of course a place for peaceful political protest, that place is not on the sporting paddock. Furthermore, peaceful protest

should not, by its very nature, incite the fractured scenes of violence that were witnessed in Belgrade a few short weeks ago.

Needless to say, the stunt pulled by those anonymous buffoons has done nothing but damage for both the Albanian and Serbian football associations respectively.

UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) deemed the match to be forfeited by Albania due to their outright refusal to continue play even if the stadium was emptied, and consequently a scoreline of 3-0 in Serbia's favour was decided upon. The Albanian football association was also fined €100,000.

Serbia too faced a stern UEFA rebuke: despite officially winning the tie 3-0, they have been deducted three points and fined €100,000 for crowd trouble.

One can only hope that both the drone's pilots and the Serbian fans who created unrest in the stands sit at home with flushed cheeks like scolded children, embarrassed at the idiocy of their actions. Unfortunately, it seems somewhat more likely that they are still patting themselves on the shoulder feeling rather chuffed with their fauxpatriotic acts, proud of "defending their nation's pride" or sentiment to that silly effect.

I am not suggesting for a moment that there should be no rivalry between neighbouring nations that may be in part based on current or historical political differences. It would be a difficult task to find an Irishman who doesn't revel in the joy of seeing England lose, no matter the discipline or code. After all, there has probably been many an Irish party held simply to celebrate England losing a game of tiddlywinks. However for the vast majority of Irish sport fans, the joy gleaned from an English loss is not a begrudging or malicious one. It is all in good jest and therein lies the difference.

A good-hearted sporting rivalry adds a bit of spice to any contest, which is always a good thing so long as the aggression is limited to sliding tackles and stray elbows, not on-pitch scenes reminiscent of a WWE Royal Rumble, as witnessed in Belgrade.

Competitive sport is not and will never be the idealistic bed of roses that one remembers nostalgically from childhood days spent in the neighbour's garden, and this is only right. After all, past a certain age, without some competition nobody really gives a damn. It is of the utmost importance however that the integrity and decorum of sport is maintained.

Let it be remembered, politics is for the parliament, not the playing field.

FEMALE GENITAL

MUTILATION It is used to control women's sexuality and fertility by mutilating their sex organs to make sex too painful. The practices are motivated by cultural morals of sexuality, relating procedures to status of premarital virginity and marital fidelity. Many communities believe the practice will make women refrain from “illicit” behaviour.

A 1985 Sierra Leone study found that nearly 97 percent of the 269 women interviewed experienced intense pain during and after FGM, and more than 13 percent went into shock.

The procedure has Procedures can cause is also associated with cultural concepts of femininity and modesty, which may involve the ideas of removing the part of a girl which makes her “unclean.”

for girls and women.

FGM is mostly carried out on young girls sometime between infancy and age

and problems urinating, and later cysts, infections, infertility as well as complications in childbirth and increased risk of newborn deaths.

FGM is a

VIOLATION of the human rights of girls and women

The practice is usually carried out by a “cutter” midwife in villages using a razor blade, but in some countries such as Egypt and Indonesia it is carried out in clinics and hospitals. requires or even supports cutting female genitals.

In fact, Islamic Shari’a protects children and protects their rights. From a Christian perspective, FGC has no religious grounds either. In fact, research shows that the relationship between religion and FGC is inconsistent at best. However, even though religious texts don’t support FGC, some people still think the two are linked and claim religious teachings support FGC. No European country explicitly accepts the threat of genital mutilation as a reason for asylum.

FGM has become a pressing issue in Australia, Canada, England, France, and the U.S., because of immigrants continuing to practice the procedures that were common in their native countries.

Medicalisation of FGM has been denounced by the World Health Organization (WHO), but many procedures are done by traditional practitioners with knives, broken glass, or other sharp objects.

Women who undergo FGM have an increased risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

Over

million women

living in the world today have been mutilated.

Up to

500,000 girls & women living in the European Union are affected or threatened by FGM.

Up to

24,000 girls

are at risk of cutting in the UK by migrants who continue the tradition.

The practice has been outlawed in the UK since 1985 but in 28 years

no one has been

prosecuted

Irish prostitution policy has drawn many criticisms in recent years but those involved in the debate, at large, remain divided on how this change should manifest itself. At this present time, laws around prostitution in the Republic of Ireland are ambiguous - with the sale or purchase of sex yet to be criminalized but rather, activities associated with the act, such as soliciting or running a brothel currently against the law. The debate that these laws have encouraged has shone a light on the human effect of prostitution, human trafficking and the seedy underground in which it thrives. It has brought personal stories to the fore and encouraged sex workers to take an interest in the future of their trade.

This has had many effects, both nationally and internationally, and has led to the development of campaigns such as Voice of Survivors of Prostitution or the trailblazing Irish Turn Off the Red Light Campaign.

These campaigns, by and large, aim to support survivors of prostitution and to lobby their respective governments to change what are considered archaic laws. But while the majority of campaigners agree the law needs to be changed, few agree on what form this change should take.

TOTRLC (Turn Off The Read Light Campaign)

What will happen if the red light is turned off?

Current Affairs Editor Laura Cashman investigates the current state of Irish Prostitution Law and the campaigns that question those laws

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has had so many successes as of late, it has received the majority of the media attention focused on this area.

But what is the TOTRLC and what are they planning to do for these women?

TOTRLC “is a campaign to end prostitution and sex trafficking in Ireland now.� It plans to do this by lobbying the government to criminalize the purchase of sex but decriminalizing the selling of sex as a service.

This will sound familiar to most as the Swedish Model of prostitution law. The campaign is a collaboration of over seventy organisations including the Immigrant Council of Ireland, Corkbased Cork Feminista and Stop Sex Trafficking Cork.

Interestingly, it has seemed to garner quite a bit of support from ex-sex workersled organisations such as SPACE International and student organisations such as USI and Labour Youth.

The organisation has also experienced international support in the form of a public approval letter from President Jimmy Carter. President Carter wrote an open letter to the Irish Government appealing that Justice Minister F r a n c e s Fitzgerald support the campaign. The campaign has reacted to the sizable shift to

legislation around the world with Albania, New as morally superior to the woman,” notes author and schemes, forcing someone into prostitution (aka sex Zealand, the UK and Norway joining Sweden in former sex worker Maggie McNeill in an essay for trafficking) and being involved in the sale or purchase introducing laws such as these. TOTRLC provides the Cato Institute. “He is criminally culpable for his of sex from a minor would obviously remain a crime. campaign resources on its website for those who decisions, but she is not.” Adult women are legally These debates around the world have added to wish to take part in a letter writing initiative to their unable to give consent, “just as an adolescent girl is those being argued in Ireland but it is important that local political representative and has a fact sheet in the crime of statutory rape.” our very different judicial system and culture is looked on the myths of prostitution. The website boasts a These sentiments from well-known academics and at in its own right. In this sense, we have to ask what campaign which is made up of a coalition of over 1.6 women’s rights advocates around the world have would the Swedish Model bring to Ireland? Would million people all over the country. begun a questioning of TOTRLC and their aims in it positively or negatively affect sex trafficking?

Denise Charlton, chief executive of the Ireland. But what are the alternatives? Those that The Swedish Model or Nordic Model is a largely Immigrant Council, and TOTRLC campaigner said: are continuously suggested as other options for contested form of prostitution law making. It has “This contribution by a global figure who enjoys the criminalisation of the buyers is decriminalization received mixed reviews since its implementation and international respect again shows the importance of or legalisation of prostitution as a whole. But both has encouraged much public and academic interest the debate which has taken place here in Ireland of these concepts represent completely different and research. One recent study of data from Rhode and the need for urgent political leadership to bring things and have to be considered in their own Island, which legalised indoor prostitution from this issue to a conclusion.” The campaign was also right. “Decriminalizing” may sound like a less radical 2003 to 2009, found the state’s rape rate declined involved in a cross border initiative that showed step than “legalization,” but it’s actually quite the significantly over this period. As well as this, the their support for Democratic Unionist Party MLA opposite. Decriminalization means the removal of all gonorrhoea rate also went down. “Decriminalization Lord Morrow’s, “Human could have potentially Trafficking and large social benefits Exploitation Bill,” including for the population clause 6 which would at large–not just sex criminalise the purchase market participants,” of sex in Stormont. This wrote economists exposure has ensured the Scott Cunningham and campaign has remained Manisha Shah in a at the forefront of public working paper about their discourse on the issue on research based in Rhode both sides of the border.

Island. Due to reports However, the campaign such as this, a recent Time has also received a article stated: “The bottom number of setbacks to line on decriminalization offset their success. A is that it is a means of recent Department of harm reduction.” This, Justice commissioned contrary to what TOTRLC survey in Northern and Swedish Model Ireland found that only advocates have been 2% of women and men claiming for the past working in the local sex decade, coupled with industry are in favour of evidence such as that the “Swedish Model.” from Belfast, it has led to In fact, in the Queen’s much questioning on the University Belfast report, island. researchers found that The Turn Off the 61% of local sex workers Red Light Campaign may thought a Swedish Model be advocating for what would make them less is seen as a controversial safe and 85% of those solution to a difficult Pictured are members of the Turn Off the Red Light Campaign as they handed in their working in the trade said problem. Consensus is yet such legislation would not submission to Leinster House in 2012 calling for the law to be changed to end exploitation to be achieved in this area. and sex trafficking by making it an offence to pay for sex. reduce sex trafficking. In However, the campaign an emotive article in The Belfast Telegraph labelled website does offer the public a valuable, accredited “Human Trafficking Bill: Stormont vote has done “More than half of UK women in source of information which allows us all to agree sex workers a real disservice,” Fionola Meredith something needs to be done. 75% of women prostitution have been raped and/ that outlines the response to what is seen as a victory for in prostitution became involved when they were or seriously sexually assaulted” children. More than half of UK women in prostitution campaigns such as Turn Off the Red Light. Meredith claims that “in defiance of expert academic opinion statutory penalties for prostitution and things related have been raped and/or seriously sexually assaulted and research, in defiance of the clearly expressed to its facilitation, such as advertising. at the hands of pimps and punters; up to 95% of will of the very people on whose behalf they It does not mean that there are no municipal women in street prostitution are problematic drug were supposedly acting – sex workers themselves codes about how a sex-work business can be run users; and 68% of women in prostitution meet the – Stormont voted to make paying for sex a crime.” or that general codes about public behaviour do criteria for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the same According to startling figures, it is clear that many sex not “apply,” explains Mistress Matisse, a dominatrix, range as victims of torture undergoing treatment. workers do not want the purchase of sex to be made writer and prominent sex-worker rights advocate. These figures speak for themselves. This dialogue illegal and believe it will put them in harm.

Legalization, on the other hand, is stricter through and the ongoing debate amongst academics, These sentiments are also echoed across the which the state doesn’t prosecute prostitution but journalists, lawmakers and sex workers themselves border with many women’s rights advocates and does take a firm approach to its regulation. “This has meant that we have to carefully consider all sides organisations maintaining the Swedish Model places is how it works in Nevada, for example, where before we act in any capacity but the scary reality is women in more danger and strips them of their basic legal brothels exist, but one may not just be an that we have to act quickly. rights. Under the Swedish Model, men “are defined independent sex worker,” says Matisse. Under both

11

Motley Editor Ellen Desmond investigates the motives and implications of a controversial motion passed at this semester’s second UCC Student Council meeting n Wednesday the 29th of October last, the UCC Student Council passed a motion to “wipe the slate clean” of all mandates. In sum, this has resulted in everything passed by Student Council over the past five years to now be redundant. The motion was put forward

by UCC Students’ Union Education Officer, Joe Kennedy, but proposed on the night by Council Chair, Aidan Coffey. Coffey temporarily resigned as Council Chair in order to propose the “Clean Slate” (due to the absence of the Education Officer on the night). The motion was put forward seemingly under the assumption that it would make Student Council more efficient, as it would ensure that all mandates passed by Council would henceforth be recorded in the minutes and in the policy booklet, as previous records were considered to be “inadequate.”

Proposer, Aidan Coffey, explained to Motley that “in essence, many motions that had been passed were lost between the cracks. Sabbatical teams can only work off clear, unambiguous mandates. As a result of this motion, future sabbatical teams will be able effectively carry out the democratically expressed wishes of the students.” In an official statement from the UCCSU they began with saying that they “had a wish to act on the progressive policies that were set

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by councils of the past. This is how the issue of poor recording came to light - we couldn’t find a policy book.” Interestingly, it was pointed out that though it was agreed upon at the first Student Council meeting this year, no policy booklet was presented by the current members at the meeting in question, either.

Considerable backlash ensued from the student body once the mandate was put in place, despite it being passed by a lofty majority of 65 to 23 votes on the night. UCC Labour and LGBT* Societies were confident and public in their opposition to the Clean Slate and both issued public statements and press releases expressing their concern about the implications of this motion and the motives behind it.

Labour called it a “quick-fix, corner-cutting solution.”

Among those to speak out against the motion on the night was UCC Societies Guild president, Aaron O’Sullivan, who highlighted that there would now be “nothing to stop next year’s Council from wiping the slate again, using this year as a precedent. This action undermines the credibility of Council.” On top of this, it was brought to light by Jerome Wholihane and James Upton, at the Council meeting, that there is an online Google Drive Folder in existence which is accessible to the current SU, and it details much of what has been passed by both last year’s SU and

the years before.

The folder in question appears to have been shared by previous UCCSU Deputy President, Annie Hoey. “The minute taking of last year’s Council Secretary was excellent,” according to Hoey, “he was very thorough, accurate and always delivered the minutes to the Council Chair in a timely manner, which then were circulated among the Exec via e-mail. In relation to crossover, I ensured that the Deputy President, Education Officer and Council Chair all had access to a shared google folder entitled 'council minutes.' All these documents in the shared folder came from official SU email accounts, or from contacting previous council secretaries directly.” In the folder shared by Hoey, there is also allegedly “pretty much everything that I could pull together from the past five years including minutes, agendas, mandates, as well as a policy book compiled by the Education Officer for 2010/11.”

It’s also important to note that many of this year’s current Students’ Union, including the Education Officer and Welfare Officer, would have sat on last year’s Student Council – and so would have received the circulated emails of which Hoey spoke. This implies that, aside from the shared SU Google Drive Folder, they elsewhere had details of last year’s minutes and mandates. As a result of Hoey’s claims, one of the biggest criticisms of the Clean Slate has been that with such clear information available from last year, and much from previous years, it was surely unnecessary to

wipe the entire last five years of work right under the carpet. UCC LGBT* Society Auditor James Upton was quick to highlight that disregarding past mandates now means that “for the remainder of this year class council representatives will be embroiled in debate on matters that have already been settled.” In other words; time will be wasted trying to pass important motions again, rather than just deciding to leave them there in the first place while, perhaps, wiping away only problematic or unclear ones instead. This popular suggestion was also echoed by Andrew O’ Driscoll, Chairperson of UCC Labour, who stated that “I cannot find any rational why this was done. If there is in fact an issue where records have not been kept, disputed by myself and others, it does still not explain why you would delete absolutely everything and then not vote on any motions to at the very least continue the day to day running of the Union. There has been no positive developments out of this action. It is an insult to the wider student body that we were not consulted on this major issue before it was debated at Council.” O’ Driscoll and UCC Labour are now strongly urging the Council “to reverse its decision at the earliest possible convenience. If there is an issue with standing motions from previous years, then they should be dealt with individually rather than deleting everything in one go.”

One issue that is clearly a predominant concern among students is that of the position of the UCCSU Equality Officer and Equality Working Group – however, both the officer and related group appear to be protected by the UCC Students’ Union Constitution. “Let’s be clear about this,” said the SU in a statement, “The Equality Working Group and the Comms Officer are enshrined and protected by our Constitution - this motion had no effect on their status. Cian (Power, Welfare Officer) isn’t going to stop giving out condoms, Dick (Murphy, Deputy President and Campaigns Officer) isn’t going to stop running campaigns, Joe (Kennedy, Education Officer) isn’t going to stop giving out academic advice - these are core functions of the roles that happen independent of a specific mandate.”

Yet, there are those who remain unconvinced that the job descriptions given to both sabbatical and part time officers are adequately protected from this mandate by constitutions. For example, UCC Labour Society insisted that “as a result of the passing of this motion, the Equality Working Group no longer exists, and the Students’ Union does not even have a mandate to distribute condoms.

Following on from the passing of this motion, the Students’ Council neglected to re-implement core motions and policies that make up the day-to-day running of the Students’ Union.”

Looking at the UCCSU Constitution it can undeniably be confirmed that the Equality Officer’s existence is protected. The “status” (as put in the SU statement) of other officers is also protected but it appears that their roles do now remain loosely defined – perhaps ironic, considering this motion’s apparent intent was to clear things up and improve the “day to day” running of the actions of the SU. Admittedly, it should be taken into account that there is yet time for the Student Council to add new (or re-add old) mandates that further define duties of the officers but if that was ever fully necessary in the first place is still unclear to outsiders. Speaking

to Andrew O’Driscoll, Chairperson of the UCC Labour Society, he explained his belief that “due to the passing of this motion UCCSU is no longer regarded as an institution that supports pro-choice legislation.” He went on to highlight his concern that the sabbatical officers no longer have an official “requirement to present a work report or financial report to council, there is no longer a mandate to run Mental Health Awareness Week and other Union campaigns, in fact the only campaign that can be officially run by the Campaigns Officer is action to support marriage equality, as a motion mandating this was passed after the Wipe the Slate motion.”

Amidst the backlash, an anonymous source, who sat on last year’s Student Council, advised Motley that it was time for people to question “if there was something in there that they did not wish to act upon” and perhaps this is something that should be pressed further. However, from speaking with members of Council in favour of this motion, it does appear that they have not outwardly intended it

“for the remainder of this year class council representatives will be embroiled in debate on matters that have already been settled.”

to come from a malicious place but whether the decision was a good one or not has little do with ulterior motives, and more to do with the impact on UCC and the running of the Students’ Union that will occur regardless of intent. In an official statement issued by the Students’ Union they admitted that “we could have attempted to cobble together a mishmash of policy but we felt this was not our place, as council sets policy, and would have always been open to question.”

Another criticism of the motion was lack of prepublicity. Though The UCC Express did run a news article about the motion, which was printed on the 28th of October, it was clear that this did not open enough discussion or in a timely enough manner to satisfy the majority of students. The lack of open public forum for discussion had many worried, and many more still did not hear of the existence of such a motion until after it had been passed.

“The issue was discussed at the first Student Council,” according to the SU, “where any rep was given the opportunity to put forward a motion to remedy the problem. UCCSU Education Officer, Joe Kennedy, brought one motion which was democratically voted on and passed by Student Council.” The problem, however, was that the general student body outside of Council was largely unware of the proposal. “I think that any issue that can achieve this level of destruction without being publicised to the student body is a disgrace,” said Labour’s O’ Driscoll, “and I think that these kind of decisions should be voted on in referendums in the future.” That something so unusual and substantial was so easily left up to such a small body of representatives to decide upon certainly has given students cause for concern.

Despite the confusion and criticism, Council Chair, Coffey, further defended the proposal by stating that “Student Council has threatened to slide towards insignificance in the past few years, as vague mandates and incompletely recorded motions have drastically reduced the efficacy of some in doing what they're meant to do - and that is to tell the sabbatical officers what the students want them to do. In removing motions or notions of motions from the past, it will allow Student Council to operate and instruct its officers without fear of maybe or maybe not contradicting something that may or may not have been passed at a council four years ago.” The SU further defended it too, making it clear they are proud of the decision and support it wholeheartedly. For them, “this was not the easy option. We could have continued with the old way.

This is part of our attempts to strengthen Council we’ve introduced non-contentious motions so we can focus on the real debates, we’ve brought in items for discussion so it’s easier for class reps to have their say and we’ve introduced stronger systems so we don’t find ourselves in this situation again.”

“This is part of a broader move to improve Student Council,” explained Coffey, “This is a good thing.” Yet, as it stands, it cannot be denied that if records ever really were “inadequate” without any at all we are more or less in the same place as we were before. Whether this is or isn’t a good thing for the future of UCC remains to be seen through the future actions of Council but the fury and concern among the student body is undeniably evident and has put a considerable cost and question of credibility on this “Clean Slate.”

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Rise of the Remembering

Sex

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State OperationIslamic Protective Edge Tales

Shopping and Atmosphere

Features and Opinion Editor Claire Crowley discusses November, a month known to be boring and assignment-filled

This is a fantastic time of year to go shopping, as stores bring in their collections for the Winter, pre-Christmas sales start, and ideas for Christmas presents starting hitting your head like lightning bolts. There’s a great atmosphere in town in November, as the Christmas lights are turned on, weekly markets start appearing, and there’s coffee shops everywhere to warm

ovember, for me, has been pretty much the same for the past few years; lots of deadlines looming, assignments due, presentations to be made, and the only bright light on the horizon is Christmas.

Winter really hits in November, meaning an everyday Winter coat becomes necessary, and fashion choices are limited due to the wind and rain. However, I’ve decided to be more positive about November this year, and to make a positive list about the eleventh month of the year.

Christmas Coffee

Have you ever experienced a toffee nut latte in coffee dock? If you have, you will know just how amazing they are, and how they basically represent Winter in UCC. If you have yet to experience a toffee nut latte, then I urge you to go into coffee dock over the next few weeks to experience one! If toffee and lattes aren’t your cup of tea (pun intended), then try one of the other festive drinks on offer in coffee dock. From memory, there is an eggnog based coffee drink and a praline mocha along with a few others to try from, so be sure that you do! However, if you’re not one for coffee, there are still teas and hot chocolate to choose from, so everyone should be happy and have a warm beverage in front of them in November. It’s procrastinating and caffeine (procaffieinating?) at its finest.

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you up after an hour/day of shopping. On a side note, November is when shops in town start taking on extra staff, so if you’re on the hunt for a part time job, this is the best time of year

to apply; the contract may say temporary, but I know many people who secured long time part time jobs due to a Christmas temporary contract.

The C Word

Winter Wardrobe

This is for guys and girls alike, as there’s no way you will be walking around campus wearing shorts and t-shirts for the upcoming months.

Scarves, jackets and gloves all come into play (this is Ireland after all), and you will need to have a trusty umbrella (a Penneys one will do, it might get blown away). Stock up on jeans, jumpers, tights, boots, runners (thick where necessary) and you’ll be all set for the Winter.

Sorting your life out

I don’t know about you, but November is when I suddenly realise that I’m in college, and actually have assignments due. This year I decided to be a proper student (for the month of November anyway), and set out a timetable of deadlines – both personal and professional. I bought a planner, and a set of highlighters, and so far, I have had the most productive few days of November in about four years. With exams approaching in a little over a month, I’m hoping to have most of my assignments and presentations completed by midNovember, so I can cram everything from the past three months into my brain from then on.

Christmas, there’s no point in pretending it doesn’t exist anymore, as from the October bank holiday weekend onwards, there’s decorations in shops, selection boxes for sale, and the queues start forming in Smyths. I, for one, would be happy if the Christmas talk didn’t start until the 1st of December, but it is nice to see decorations going up, people becoming more generous and most importantly, the Christmas Tree going up in the amphitheatre. It’s an amazing sight every year, and, to be fair to UCC, they put on a good show for the festive system.

Movember

Movie Season

Although December is officially when the Oscar bait movies arrive at cinemas, November is a good, entertaining month for cinema-goers too. This year alone, there’s The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part One, The Penguins of Madagascar, Horrible Bosses Two, and Dumb and Dumber To. The cinema is always a great distraction in November, and there is plenty to look forward to this year.

Gentlemen, let the facial hair begin!

November means it is time to let the moustache loose in order to raise money to fight prostate cancer and bring attention to men’s health issues in general. Movember is such a worthy cause to be a part of, and you can figure out just who out of your friends can actually grow a beard over the upcoming weeks. UCC Cancer Society will be on campus all month to promote Movember, so keep an eye out for them!

So you see, November isn’t all doom and gloom; we’re all still adjusting to the clocks going back, we’re realising that coming to college without a jacket/coat/fleece/umbrella might not be a wise decision and finally appreciating a good cup of tea or (flavoured) coffee. It’s a time for a new wardrobe, organisation and singing Christmas songs under your breath. It can be easy to hate November, but then remember when you’re struggling to get out of bed in the morning, that you’re nearly through another semester in college, meaning that Christmas break is that little bit closer…

BY n the 27th of November 2010, a fighter hailing from Dublin made his way to Cork to face unbeaten Donegal man, Joseph Duffy, on Europe’s premier promotion, Cage Warriors. That night Conor McGregor was destroyed by the talented Duffy who treated McGregor’s grappling with what some commentators claimed as pure disdain as he passed his guard with ease and sunk in a tight arm-triangle to secure the submission victory and move to 7-0 in his professional career.

This was the last time the quick witted Dubliner suffered a loss in the Octagon.

Less than 3 years later, McGregor made his UFC debut in extraordinary fashion, with a stunning first round KO over the highly rated Marcus Brimmage.

What happened to McGregor in the intervening years would define the fighter for the rest of his career.

The McGregor you see now, and the McGregor that came before are like chalk and cheese with regard to style, poise and grace.

The UFC featherweight was always aggressive, athletic and heavy handed but nobody who saw his loss to Duffy proclaimed that they identified a future UFC star. His evolution since then has been both gradual and meteoric. Gradually he improved his wrestling and grappling as was evident in his impressive Cage Warriors title win over the highly ranked Dave Hill where he controlled

STEWART DOLLERY

the “grappler” and submitted Hill with a rear naked choke in the 2nd round. Still, whilst his grappling game had improved rapidly, and with his “notorious:” heavy hands, McGregor was not convincing as a top UFC prospect.

Six months later, McGregor would again fight for a Cage Warriors title, this time at Lightweight against experienced Slovak Ivan Buchinger. It is this six month period before this fight that chiseled and refined McGregors style, and led to the incredible performance that we witnessed against the more experience Buchinger. Up until the Buchinger fight, McGregor was fire, he was aggression, he was abrasive, so much so that it took from his potential and hid his skill set. When

he travelled to Iceland to train with team mate and UFC welterweight Gunnar Nelson before the Buchinger fight, it was the meeting of fire and ice. The calming effect that Nelson and Iceland had on the overly aggressive Dubliner was obvious from the second the title fight started.

A relaxed but focused McGregor showcased dazzling striking skills, mixing his excellent boxing with a wide karate stance and spectacular capoeira kicks. In fact, the knockout when it came showed the patience McGregor had developed with this new ease of mind and clarity in his technique as he allowed Buchinger to bring the fight to him and dispatched the Slovak with just over a minute left in the first round.

The evolution has not stopped, and whilst his skills inside the Octagon continue to develop, it is the mental side of his game that has defeated all 4 of his UFC opponents before the contests even began. His ability to wind up his opponents prior to fight night has proven to be incredibly effective . Just recently in a chat with Chad “mini” Mendes, Conor told “mini” Mendes that he could ; “rest his balls on his head”. The visibly angered Mendes has already lost it, playing into McGregors hands perfectly for when they meet in the future. He has already infuriated his next confirmed opponent Denis Siver, labelling him a ; “midget, German, steroid head”.

These quips being a regular feature

of McGregor’s Twitter account has assured the limelight is constantly on the fighter.

One person his game playing may not work on, however, is reigning champion Jose Aldo, whose supreme confidence and experience should shield the champion from the contenders jibes and insults.

Aldo, as expected, overcame the second challenge of “mini” Mendes earlier in the week, it has set up what could be one of the greatest MMA fights of all time between two supreme strikers. Potentially five, five minute rounds of crisp, unpredictable striking from these two powerful featherweights will have UFC fans salivating at the prospect, and with a nation of passionate fight fans behind him it could be one of Ireland’s greatest ever sporting moments if the “Notorious” one can overcome the imperious Aldo.

One thing is for sure, McGregor has already established himself as one of the UFC’s biggest earners, and with the marketing skills to back up his combat abilities the guy will make a lot of money in the next few years, and collect a couple of UFC titles along the way. Hopefully he will soon be be joined by the last man to defeat him, Joseph Duffy who has just returned to MMA after a successful stint at Professional Boxing. As the “Notorious” one would say; “I am not here to take part, I am here to take over”.

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Operation Protective Edge," Israel's seven week offensive on Gaza this year had a death toll exceeding 2,131, including over 500 children, by the time ceasefire was declared on the 26th of August. This operation systematically targeted civilian homes, mosques, hospitals and schools in Gaza. As a result, hospitals fatally lacked the medicine, energy, and equipment needed for the thousands seriously wounded. It decimated the agricultural sector by direct damage to limited cropland; infrastructure, livestock, irrigation systems, stock, and fishing supplies were also destroyed.

This robbed people of their livelihoods in a region already plagued with poverty, food insecurity and

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unemployment. One third of Gaza's mosques were destroyed. The already inadequate water sector was dealt damage worth $34.4 million. This left 20-30% of Gaza's population without access to clean water, 18,000 homes destroyed and 110,000 people internally displaced- these people still live in overcrowded UN emergency shelters. Hundreds of thousands of people are without access to services such as electricity and healthcare.

This was Israel’s third such military offensive on Gaza in under 6 years and had less to do with the rockets fired by Hamas into Israel, but far more to do with the hysterical response to the disappearance and subsequent murder of three Settler teenagers in June. Looking at this from the comfortable distance of Europe or America, you would think Israel’s hand was forced into operating in hyper-vigilant selfdefence. This was, after all, how the media portrayed it. Western nations have perversely sided with Israel in the developments of the 66 year conflict, so this is nothing new. During the latest Gaza assault, I lived in Beit Sahour in the West Bank, so I want to try to clarify how this situation arose before my eyes, and the harsh reality of what is really happening in Palestine.

Palestinians look at an unexploded Israeli shell that landed on the main road outside the town of Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip August 1, 2014

On the 12th of June 2014, three settler teenagers went missing while waiting for a lift at a hitchhiking post near Gush Etzion, a settlement in the West Bank between Bethlehem and Hebron. While this might seem worlds away from airstrikes in Gaza, when in reality it has everything to do with it. To understand how it escalated that far, we must look at the response to these teens' kidnapping. Within 12 hours of their disappearance, thousands of soldiers were deployed into the West Bank in an alleged search effort, provocatively named "Operation Brother's Keeper." Without any evidence to support these claims, Hamas was immediately blamed for their disappearance.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) was deemed responsible, as Israel claimed they did nothing to prevent criminality within the West Bank, despite the PA often arresting activists on Israel’s behalf.

The kidnapping took place in Area C of the West Bank, which is under full Israeli security, therefore took place beyond PA jurisdiction. Additionally, it transpired right outside one of the oldest settlement blocs of the West Bank, a place most Palestinians would consider a military barracks, owing to high surveillance, security towers and military presence.

While "Operation Brothers Keeper" was purportedly aimed at finding these teens, in reality it initiated a campaign of raids, arrests and attacks.

According to the CPT, it resulted in the arrest of 419 people, including activists, politicians and civilians, at least 9 deaths, and 2,200 raids. On average 18 homes, charities and businesses were raided per day. In the process, the IDF stole property and money worth €3 million. One of the more perverse aspects of Israel’s reaction was the call for revenge from the civilian population, for example the Facebook page entitled "Until the boys are back, every hour we shoot a terrorist" which garnered over 16,000 'likes'.

Palestinians I spoke with when this happened were highly sceptical of Israel's version of events. If

Palestinians I spoke with were highly sceptical of Israel’s version of events. If Hamas was responsible, why did they not announce it or make demands like they always have in the past?

Hamas was responsible, why did they not announce it or make demands like they always have in the past? Why would Israel go on a campaign of arrests if they were trying to find three boys? Why raid the homes of innocent civilians? Why would a Palestinian risk kidnapping Israelis at such a risky junction, in broad daylight? In an area with such heavy surveillance, how did no one see anything?

And why place a gag order stopping details of the teens' abduction going public, enabling it to be conveyed as though the teens were alive for days, when the IDF were operating under the assumption that they were dead? Investigations from international media show the kidnapping was more than likely robbery related, not political, the three boys were going to be ransomed to their families and were killed when it went wrong.

You cannot help be somewhat sceptical of this campaign when looking at it from within Palestine.

It is clear that this was planned before the settlers disappeared. Had it not been for the kidnapping and subsequent murders, it would have happened over something else. It was an excuse. The arrests were methodical. Israel never proved Hamas' involvement. The two main suspects had no ties with Hamas, and it was made public that Israeli security officials were divided over this. If Hamas had nothing to do with the kidnapping, it is obvious that Israel used this crime for political purposes. Operation Brother's Keeper, or #BringBackOurBoys, was collective punishment.

We also saw the international community condemn the deaths of these Israeli teenagers.

While their deaths are unjustifiable, I see the international reaction to this as absolute hypocrisy, when thousands of Palestinian children’s deaths have gone unnoticed, without the same expression of outrage or condemnation. Youths dying as a result of conflict is not unusual. Palestinian children die all the time - over 1,500 Palestinian children have died since the year 2000 as a result of Israeli military actions. What is unusual about these deaths is that they were Israeli youths. Why is that a cause for greater concern? Is their blood somehow worth more than that of over a thousand Palestinian children?

Shortly after finding the bodies, Israel called a cabinet meeting where Prime Minister Netanyahu swore that Hamas would pay. Within hours, air strikes began on Gaza. In an Al Jazeera report regarding the bodies’ discovery, government spokesperson Mark Regev attributed their deaths to result from the pact for Hamas-Fatah unity government, which he said enabled Hamas to regain their foothold in the West Bank. There was undoubtedly a political agenda behind this, using the death of three teenagers to gain Israeli national consensus for military offensives in Palestine. Yet, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Palestine Richard Falk’s report for Al Jazeera 'Tormenting Gaza' states that "Never has it been asserted in high profile diplomatic circles of the West that the horrible crime provided Netanyahu with a pretext for an anti-Hamas campaign, which seems less motivated by a response to the kidnapping/murder than by the political objective of punishing the Palestinian leadership for defying the Netanyahu government for recently achieving a measure of reconciliation between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas."

The violence in Gaza only escalated from there.

Civilians were warned to leave their homes, but

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Artist Haneen Nazzal, who lives in Palestine, has created a profound and humanizing look at the conflict in ‘Eid in Gaza’.

The West seemingly forgot where this began: blaming Hamas without evidence for kidnapping and murdering three teenagers where could they go? They are trapped within a blockade. If they did leave their homes, where would they go after the violence ended, when their homes and possessions were destroyed? Tanks amassed on their border and you could not help but wonder why, when the number of Palestinian militants is negligible and the civilian population was already devastated by bombs. What would tanks be needed for? Why would they need the walls draped in razor wire and patrolled by innumerable soldiers? It is all for fear. People see it and assume there must be something to fight. It is terrorism, not just that these weapons are being used against unarmed civilians but that they are used to terrorise the Israeli population into believing in a nonexistent threat.

As this was taking place, Muhammad Hussein Abu Khdeir, a Palestinian aged 16, was abducted from the Shufat refugee camp in East Jerusalem in a suspected 'revenge attack.. His body was found outside West Jerusalem, in the ruins of a Palestinian village. His autopsy revealed that he was stabbed, doused with petrol and burned alive. Three Jewish extremists were convicted of his murder.

Muhammad's murder was a barbaric tragedy, but it makes me wonder, how is this different from children dying in Gaza? They too are burned alive by the bombs dropped on their homes, by a government policy that began as an incitement of revenge- the same reason for Muhammad’s death.

The Israeli public were 'outraged' by the death of this Palestinian teenager. Well, that is wonderful, but what about the Gazan children, whom they sit in numbers on hillsides to watch bombs fall upon? How can you justify that?

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We cannot be surprised by Israeli civilians committing acts of revenge knowing what was said after the boys' bodies were found- this is what their government demanded. They provocatively called for civilians to take revenge on Palestinians. With settler violence rising 41% this year and continuing to go unpunished, we can only blame that government.

Muhammad's murder sparked "clashes" throughout the West Bank, which continued but were not reported on, due to Israel's offensive on Gaza. I lived in Beit Sahour, in the West Bank, for 6 months, and experienced the ongoing demonstrations in Bethlehem's Al Azza refugee camp for weeks. These clashes took place every night, lasting long into the early hours. Unarmed Palestinian men took to the streets and came under fire from the IDF, with tear gas, flash bombs, and live ammunition. I was there on the 8th of July when three men were shot by a sniper while walking up the street; two in the leg, the other in the shoulder. This is not unusual, in the West Bank - soldiers routinely shoot to cripple - not to kill. The demonstrations progressed to resisting military siege, and the air strikes on the defenceless population of Gaza. The demonstrators were peaceful, there are no Palestinian militants. Palestinians do not fight gunfire with gunfire. You cannot count stones and marbles as weapons, in light of Israel's war machine.

These people are merely practicing their rights in resisting. Hamas firing rockets may be an illegal form of resistance, but overlooking Israel's greater violence does nothing but distort this situation in utterly biased ways.

Egypt attempted a ceasefire agreement early on, but it was well known that this would come to nothing. Egypt is allied to Israel. Israel knew that

Hamas would never agree to the terms, because that was not the aim of their resistance. What they want is to end the blockade of Gaza, and Israel to stop using any excuse to attack their population.

They want the oppression of Palestinians to end. They did not want Israel's ceasefire until a lasting solution is made. Besides this, why should Hamas agree to something they were never consulted on, only heard about through media outlets and considered none of their terms? The agreement hinged on Hamas surrendering to Israel completely, giving up all arms, while the blockade continues, and Israel retain their weapons and the right to attack as they see fit.

While Hamas' rejection of this deal was condemned internationally because it would result in further civilian casualties, the blame should rest firmly on Israel. If Israel wanted peace, they would have consulted Hamas and negotiated terms.

Had Hamas continued to fire rockets after Israel agreed to a ceasefire, Israel would have been justified internationally to continue air strikes, which is exactly what happened. They began air strikes two hours after signing Egypt’s proposed ceasefire.

There was no room for negotiation. In Netanyahu's own words: "...if Hamas will not accept the proposal for a ceasefire, as it appears right now, Israel will have international legitimacy to expand the military operation."

It was never about peace, but rather destabilising Hamas. Ceasefire would enable nothing but a return to the status quo in Israel, allowing things to calm and occupation policy to continue unhindered.

When ceasefire was finally reached in late August, this is exactly what happened. The restrictions on some border crossings were eased to allow people to move construction materials and goods in and out of Gaza, enabling much needed humanitarian assistance to enter. The security buffer zones were expanded minimally, along with off-shore areas for Gazan fishermen. However, nearly all of Hamas’ terms were refused. This was supposedly the beginning of a "Permanent Ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas, but the blockade has not been lifted. There was no agreement reached for the release of Palestinian prisoners, and Palestine was refused the call for their own airport. Israel will not allow Turkey or Qatar to mediate the negotiations on behalf of Hamas. And while Israel and Hamas have agreed to further long-term negotiations, Israel has made clear that it will not accept Hamas' terms. While some minor leniency has been shown, despite all the death and devastation, nothing has changed nor does it seem likely to. As a Palestinian friend of mine said before I left the West Bank: “Aid can come to Gaza, help rebuild it, only for the next war to destroy it again.”

The West seemingly forgot where this began: blaming Hamas without evidence for kidnapping and murdering three teenagers. Netanyahu used the escalating levels of violence that he ordered to justify the Israeli security forces presence in the West Bank, and hence the occupation, stating that the occupation will never end: “I think the Israeli people understand now what I always say: that there cannot be a situation, under any agreement, in which we relinquish security control of the territory west of the River Jordan.” And while Israel lies and the West continue to cover for them, Palestinian people will continue to die as occupation continues.

History will repeat itself and next time it won't just be on Israel; it will be on us too.

Prints from Brad Rohloff’s print-work which aims to raise awareness on the topics of self-harm and depression.

Time to talk about...

MOTLEY BREAKS DOWN THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL REGISTRY OF DELIBERATE SELF-HARM BY THE NATIONAL SUICIDE RESEARCH FOUNDATION One third of all presentations to hospitals occurred on a Sunday or Monday.

Presentation rates to hospital was higher among women

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83% of patients had a history of 5 or more previous self-harm acts.

per 100,000

In 2013 there were 11,061 registered presentations of self-harm cases to hospitals in Ireland.

Persons aged between 15-19 showed the highest incidents of self-harm.

of those discharged in 2013 were provided with a referral.

(61%) of patients were assessed by a member of the hospital’s mental health team.

37%

Alcohol was involved in of all cases. 40% of all male cases involved alcohol and 34% of all female cases involved alcohol.

The Registry puts forward the recommendation that national strategies to increase awareness of the risks involved in the use and misuse of alcohol, starting at pre-adolescent age, should be intensified.

It highlights the need for improved consultation and collaboration between the mental health services and addiction treatment services for those who present with dual diagnosis, such as psychiatric disorder and alcohol/drug abuse.

272

per 100,000

The total number of self-harm presentations in 2013 was 6% higher than in 2007, before the economic recession.

sixty-s

even

67% of methods involved a drug overdose.

The report suggests that there is a need for continued efforts to prioritise national implementation of evidencebased treatments shown to reduce risk of repetition.

It underlines the need for continued implementation of programmes to increase awareness of mental health issues among the general public and professionals involved in supporting people who are unemployed and those experiencing financial difficulty.

According to Professor Ivan

Females between 15-19 had the highest “Self-harm is number of self-harm presentations an important overall. barometer of the mental wellbeing A higher number of self-harm incidents of a community. were presented in the 10-14 age group than the 85+ age group The rates of self-harm vary markedly and consistently in different parts of the country and are highly correlated with Of course, these stats do not take into deprivation and account the many cases of self-harm social exclusion” which go without help every year.

Perry, Director of the National Registry of Deliberate SelfHarm and Head of the UCC Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, “Self-harm is an important barometer of the mental wellbeing of a community. The rates of self-harm vary markedly and consistently in different parts of the country and are highly correlated with deprivation and social exclusion. We need to continue to ask what we can do to tackle the roots of these inequalities, most of which originate in early

childhood.”

Professor Ella Arensman, Director of Research at the National Suicide Research Foundation and Adjunct Professor of the UCC Department of Epidemiology and Public Health say of the states that, “The Registry has made a significant contribution to service planning. For example, information on geographic variation of self-harm and extent of repeated self-harm has been used to inform the national implementation of Dialectical

Behaviour Therapy.

“In recent months, the Registry outcomes have informed priorities for the new National Strategic Framework for Suicide Prevention in Ireland, 2015-2019, which will be completed by the end of the year.”

If you have been affected by any of the issue raised by this topic please contact Samaritans on 116123, Pieta House Cork on 0214341400 or www. aware.ie.

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[INTERVIEW]

Tarquin Blake of Abandoned Ireland will be a guest of the UCC Photography Society on Wednesday November 12th.

Brendan O’Leary, the Auditor of the UCC Photography Society met up with Blake for an interview as he prepares to promote his new book ‘Haunted Ireland’ which was released on October 31st.

Your new book Haunted Ireland was released on October 31st. Does the book focus on personal experiences or the legends that surround these sites through history?

‘Haunted Ireland’ is out now and fingers crossed it looks like it is going to be my most successful book to date. This book delves into the world of Irish ghosts, haunted houses, vampires, witches, werewolves and other spectral tales. I’ve been collecting ghost stories for nearly a decade and was mostly disappointed to find that the majority of ghost stories do not seem to have any factual basis. For my book I drew up a list of ‘true’ ghost stories, stories which could be backed up with historical fact and where there was something actually physical that I could go and photograph. I researched each story thoroughly, then I set out with my camera.

What has been the most unnerving experience you've had whilst documenting these sites?

Well, I’ve explored hundreds of incredibly creepy locations and over the years I’ve definitely got numb to it. I don’t scare easily. There have been a few particularly bad places though, like one time in the North of Ireland I arrived at the location of a poltergeist haunting and found that the batteries in both my phone and my camera had suddenly died; you also could not imagine a more haunted looking house. At another location, I had stones thrown at me, seemingly from one of the upper stories of a house; the upper floors though had collapsed down to the basement long ago so there was nothing above me apart from the sky. Also, at a couple of locations I photographed for the haunted book I found evidence of occult rituals. Pentagons in chalk and that kind of thing! Seeing that kind of thing certainly freaked me out! Photographing for the Abandoned Mansions books I also had a couple of

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I’ve explored hundreds of incredibly creepy locations and over the years I’ve definitely got numb to it. I don’t scare easily

close calls, at one house in Wicklow a wall collapsed on top of me. My feet have also gone straight through rotten floor boards a number of times. These days I use a climbing harness and rope to secure myself if it is looking particularly dodgy.

Are there any stories in the book which you would like to give us a preview of?

The book is packed with a wide variety of locations and most of the stories are pretty substantial so it is hard to get something down here quick and fast. As a quick preview, there’s a vault in an old church yard at Knockraha that was used by the IRA as a holding cell for prisoners awaiting execution. It is estimated between 40 and 100 people were held here, then taken off to a remote forest and shot by firing squad. Well, a number of people ultimately survived being held in the cell and all reported supernatural occurrences during their time in the vault. Some reported angelic female apparitions, others, beautiful females appearing to them and comforting them. Others reported being surrounded by ghosts who were constantly trying to murder them. You can still get down into the vault and experience the place for yourself.

You are on your fourth book now, do you see yourself releasing more books in the future?

Yes I’m trying to wrap up book five at the moment, that one will probably be out in 2015 and there are a couple more books planned but I’m slowing down a bit and they will be a few years off.

How did you feel the day you received the first copy of your first book?

That evening I sat down with a bottle of wine and read it cover to cover.

What was your photography?

first

introduction

to

I have been dabbling with photography since my school days but only took it seriously when I brought my first digital camera, a Canon 300d.

I actually found that camera disappointing and ended up going back to film and spent another few years working with medium and large format cameras. I had a nice little sideline business selling very large landscape photography prints which eventually financed the purchase of a canon 5d.

It was about then that I got into urban exploration and photographing ruins. The abandoned Ireland website followed and then the books.

Is there any piece of equipment that helped you find your unique style?

When I first started on the Abandoned Ireland website I was a bit obsessed with panoramic and virtual reality photography. I loved my fish eye lens and my nodal ninja panoramic tripod head. Then I got into infrared photography which I guess is now my trade mark. I have a camera converted to see in infrared but I still prefer a trusty infrared filter. The infrared filter is certainly my favourite piece of equipment!

Your website AbandonedIreland.com has over 2 million hits since its inception, is there anything you would do differently now compared to when you first started the site?

The website was incredibly popular when I first started on it. It probably looks a bit dated now and I very rarely make any updates these days. It was lashed together in iWeb, the Apple web authoring application. If I was doing it again then I’m sure there are much better and faster ways to author web pages. It would be nice to redo the website but I doubt I’ll ever get the time. My focus is very much on books now, I find them much more rewarding and you end up with a finished product, where as the website just rolled on and on.

During your adventures, is there anything you Well chuffed! I’d seen electronic proofs of the book make sure to never be without? but the real thing was way better, I was delighted. My camera rucksack is always packed and ready for

or have you had any interesting experiences my jeans caught on some barb wire climbing back with owners or occupiers of the land once you over a fence and he almost walloped me! I’d left arrived? a friend in the car and they saw the whole thing – apparently it was all very amusing.

I’ve only been chased once – that was at Moydrum Castle in Westmeath. The castle is on the front of Have you revisited any of the sites you one of the U2 albums and the farmer gets a lot of documented and have you noticed any U2 fans stopping by to look at the place. Well I was significant changes in them? about half way across the field in front of the castle when the farmer appeared and started waving his I’ve been back to a few but I didn’t find it very Have the landowners always been cooperative stick and running at me. I turned and fled, but got rewarding. The first time is always the best as I never know what I’m going to find and the sense of adventure is always a real buzz. an adventure. It is pretty basic stuff - apart from the photography equipment, I just take a small climbing harness and rope, a Leatherman, hand torch, head torch. Oh and there’s a telescopic ladder in the boot of the car - that has been very handy on a number of occasions! I also have kind of an exploring uniform which is just quality outdoor clothing, good heavy walking boots and waterproofs. That way wind, rain or sun I’m always set for an adventure.

What do you feel you have learned most from the time you started up to now?

Well I have an excellent knowledge of Irish history and all the travelling around means I know Ireland extremely well. I’ve also learnt things like some locations need to be kept secret.

Have there been any particular sites that have affected you in any way?

Yes, a few of the abandoned mansions have made me feel very sad, just the sense of loss and neglect.

Also when you see places badly vandalised or littered with beer cans and rubbish; so many people have very little respect.

You have previously documented both St. Kevin's Asylum and the Magdalene Laundry here in Cork City, how do you feel they should be utilized in the future?

Yes, I was inside both these places a few years ago. Back then the doors were hanging open for anybody to stroll around. I believe these days St. Kevin's is well sealed and there isn’t that much left of the Magdalene Laundry. It is hard to see St. Kevin's being reused – there is such a dreadful atmosphere in that place and a good deal of the other big grey asylum building next door to it remains undeveloped.

It will probably end up being knocked down. I am sure the Magdalene site will be developed at some point but I think it is still tied up with the banks and Nama.

And finally, what advice do you have for urban explorers, photographers or potential authors?

Well I would encourage people to be individual and try to find new locations and new styles of photography. There are too many sheep in the urbex world who just follow each other around the same old locations. For potential authors I would encourage you to be different and just have a go at it. If you have an original idea then the first steps are to draft up a chapter or two and send it off to a publisher. Also regarding publishing do not sign anything until you have talked to a couple of other authors as there are plenty of sharks out there! If anybody wants further advice then they are welcome to contact me by email Tarquin@ AbandonedIreland.com.

Tarquin Blake will be making an appearance in UCC on Wednesday, November 12th at 7pm in West Wing 9.

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Martha Garry has a flashback to her first time bopping it here really is a first time for everything.

Unfortunately, this is 100% non-fictional; and it’s about a big first. I am basically Simon from the Inbetweeners but regardless of this fact, I was desperate to tick another box in the game of life and see what the big fuss was all about. Luckily for me, I found a lovely candidate for the task around this time last year, we had been doing the usual Facebook chats and drunken DMCs for about of year before we first kissed. I realized that disgusting feelings had started to bubble when I began to feel irrational jealousy and angry over absolutely everything: while simultaneously wanting to hold hands and whisper sweet nothings to him.

We had been “seeing” each other for about four months when I decided that I was ready to pop le cherry, so I invited him over on a cold Friday night to “watch a movie.” I attempted to spice this up by playing a drinking game that involved downing a shot of vodka (or Dutch courage) every time something freaky happened in Paranormal Activity Four. As I’m a serious wuss, I was definitely losing the game. After much shot downing and snuggling, I started attempting to act raunchy, not an easy task when you have the charisma of Michael Cera and the sexual prowess of, well, a virgin.

When I finally thought, “Okay this is happening.” I remembered that I didn’t have a condom because I

I had killed the mood as soon as I put on the oversized T-shirt and asked him if he wanted to play Bop-it wasn’t thinking past what knickers I was going to wear or the atmospheric lighting. I made said boy leave the nice warm nest of the bed to run down to Centra and buy condoms. While Boy was running frantically to Centra, I began to wind myself up with all the possibilities of what could go wrong on his return. Then I decided I really wanted to do it because I really liked him and I was soooo ready, and it’ll be all fine and every virgin starts somewhere.. right?

Then, the emotional rollercoaster suddenly took the other route. I absolutely bottled it. In thirty seconds I changed into the most hideous pyjamas I own. Again, hideous. I killed all the sultry vibes as fast as possible and looked as though I was minutes away from putting on Sudocream. On Boy’s return, I panicked and asked him if he would like to play “Bop-it.” I also informed him that I had the kettle on and have a vast array of different teas. I stared sheepishly at the condoms Boy has just bought sitting on the bed-side locker.

I nervously lit a cigarette and smoked it out the window while talking utter nonsense, small talk, about

Chastity belts (a locking item of clothing designed to prevent sexual intercourse) appeared around the 1700s and lasted until the 1930s. They were typically fitted on teen girls to keep them virgins until marriage (and to keep them from masturbating, which they believed caused infertility and demonic possession).

The unicorn had The Aztecs believed traditionally been a symbol of virginity. In avocados were so sexually mythology, only virgins powerful that virgins were could tame unicorns. banned from eating them.

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Slang for a virgin include ‘cherry,’ ‘cherry pie,’ ‘virgie,’ ‘greenhorn,’ ‘veggiemeat,’ ‘canned goods,’ ‘article of virtue,’ ‘hymenally challenged,’ and ‘fresh fish.’

assignments, Paranormal Activity, even the weather, yes; the weather. I then decided that this was too disgusting of a situation and despite my lack of skill and talent, I going to go through with it, somehow.

I awkwardly went on to initiate sex. I remember thinking, “Yeah, I totally got this.” This was followed swiftly by: “You can’t do this right now, Should it be this awful?”

I had killed the mood as soon as I put on the oversized T-shirt and asked him if he wanted to play Bop-it. Once again, I stamped on the mood by saying that I hurt my back and would spooning be okay. We lay there in awkward silence for the longest 15 minutes of my life. When I couldn’t take it anymore I hysterically half shouted that I still had my flower while hiding myself under the duvet; mature. This embarrassment went on for the next hour while he begged me to stop acting like a nut-job.

It was then that I realized that I had at least chosen the right boy for the job because he was being such a gem of a person while I was acting like an A1 Inbetweener.

You can’t make yourself decide you are ready, and I definitely would not recommend orchestrating your big first down to a T because knowing life, it will go the exact opposite way you planned. See above example.

I eventually moved on from this traumatic first, I can finally laugh about it now; firsts are never going to be perfect and if in doubt, go get some really annoying children’s game and a green tea.

While it is commonly believed that white wedding dresses symbolized virginity, prior to the Victorian age, brides were married in any color except black (the color of mourning) or red (which was connected to prostitutes). If anything, brides used blue to represent purity, faithfulness, and the Virgin Mary.

Slang for losing one’s virginity include ‘pluck a cherry,’ ‘deflower,’ ‘bust a cherry,’ ‘harvest a cherry,’ ‘cut the cake,’ ‘split the cup,’ ‘fly blown,’ and ‘devirginize.’

Dear Dr Reilly Recently we’ve been overwhelmed by the number of questions and queries we’ve been receiving here at Motley HQ. Motley’s resident sex therapist has decided to pen down some of his top tips given to readers’ budding questions Dear Dr Reilly, My husband and I just returned from an over sixtyfives cruise from America we had a lovely time but my husband brought back something with him and quite frankly it’s made my life a living Hell. It’s only available in America and its called Viagra Plus which leaves a man with an erection for over thirty-six hours, I can’t take it anymore please help! – Sheila (Mature Student, UCC) Now what in God’s name is a man going to do with an erection that long Sheila? I mean even if he was some sort of Sex-God and lasted five hours in the sack there’s still thirty one hours to burn I mean Jesus you’ll have to get him to earn his keep. What you’ll do is have him stand out in the back garden with the washing hanging from his mickey and he won’t be long putting the cobra back to sleep.

Dear Dr Reilly, I come from a very old fashioned background and something I always told myself growing up is that there would be no sexual contact of any kind before marriage. I’m due to wed my photographer boyfriend in December but I’m getting cold feet please help. – Gwen (22 Year Old, Arts Student) Ah come here Gwen are you having a laugh or what, girl? What you’re doing now is playing a very dangerous game. You’re marrying the fella and you haven’t even got a proper look at his magic wand or crystal balls, and let me tell you this every Tom, Dick and Harry who got a Nikon for Christmas is calling themselves a photographer these days so it’s fair to say he’s not sitting on millions, Gwen! Are you familiar with the saying “it’s not the size of the boat it’s the destination” do you know who says that Gwen? It’s the women who are married to the guys with the tiny penises but have a massive private yacht in the harbour. No money and no guarantee he has a massive langer; take those cold feet and run like the wind girl.

alone but there’s no reason you still can’t enjoy a healthy sex life. There a numerous solutions to your problem, first of all; send out an emergency group text to all your contacts asking them to ring you immediately, stick the iPhone on vibrate and well…be creative. Secondly, whoever said doing the laundry had to be a chore, throw in your dirty garments add a bit of Persil and plop yourself on top of that washing machine and get ready for the time of your life. Although, I use a communal launderette and let’s just say my neighbours weren’t best pleased to see me panned out naked as the day I was born drooling all over their washing. Finally, my personal favourite; sit in the back of the bus just over the back wheel and fasten yourself in, you’ll be thanking the city council for all the pot holes on the road. I’m telling you now, some days I just sit on the 205 and do a couple of laps and I’d be seeing stars so I would.

Dear Dr Reilly, I’m searching for Mr Right but I’ve had no luck so far, is it me? Am I not girlfriend material? – Mary (23 year old French Student)

‘When I’m entertaining I find the Carlton dance a major turn on’ Dear Dr Reilly, Recently I have become obsessed with the idea making a sex-tape, is it something you’d recommend in your professional opinion? – Rick (24 year old Computer Science student) A5 Have you been living under a rock for the last decade Rick? Not only is making a sex-tape a good idea it’s a promising career move. Just look at the likes of Kim Kardashian who now has over a billion dollar empire under that gigantic booty. I myself am working on the hottest sex-tape of 2014, imagine Paris Hiltons “One Night in Paris” meets Paranormal Activity. You’ll be so disturbed you won’t know whether to touch yourself or bless yourself, girl.

Dear Dr Reilly, I’m desperately trying to spice up love-making with my boyfriend and I read in an article that sometimes having sex with music in the background can help, any suggestions? – Donna (22 year old Med student)

Well, Donna as you know, everything these days is about the booty, you can’t go wrong by twerking There’s no easy answer here Mary, unfortunately, but for your man with Miley Cyrus playing in the what we put out into the world is what we get back. background. Similar to when I’m in the shower I Look for a guy who wants the same things from a don’t sing…I perform. When I’m entertaining I find the relationship as you do, you need to be Jenny From The Carlton dance a major turn on, so wear something Block and not Jenny Who Street Walks Around The sexy like slacks and a thin sweater vest. If your Block. My golden rule about dating is: no sex before fella doesn’t get sexually aroused by you mimicking monogamy. Carry yourself with class and pride and the suave dance moves of a middle-aged black Prince Charming is sure to come along soon, if not man then dump him; you don’t need that kind of please see the previous question on how to have a negativity in your life. have a great sex life while remaining celibate.

No money and no guarantee he has a massive langer; take those cold feet and run like the wind girl.

Dear Dr Reilly, I really do enjoy the single life I just have no interest in finding a partner, am I normal? What can I do to spice up my sex life without putting myself out there?

– Dylan (19 year old Chemistry student) First things first (I’m the realist) and yes you are perfectly normal. Millions of people prefer to be

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’m a fourth year International Field Geosciences student. Essentially, it’s a Geology degree, but it sounds much fancier and is great fun to say at parties. There’s also the minor added perk of a mandatory third year abroad in the University of Montana; Rolling Stone magazine’s “most scenic campus in America.” Nestled at the intersection of five valleys and split right down the middle by the Clark Fork river, I fell instantly and completely for the city. Three thousand feet above sea level, the enclosing mountains denote the edge of the world, beyond which there seems to be nothing but the big blue sky forever and ever. You can taste it. It’s dry and crisp, like autumn leaves.

The town moves in slow-motion, but with a fluid grace. Deer tip-toe across the street like stray cats, pausing only to rest on someone’s front lawn. The people are so friendly it could be alarming at times.

They love to tell you of their Irish heritage, and while most are no more Irish than Gerard Butler in PS I Love You, there is no doubt Irish roots run deep into the soil here, binding it all together. But for the most part, Missoula is from Mars and Cork City is from Venus. Their universities are no less radically different; with UCC and UM adopting opposite methodologies in teaching and grading, that both have their pros and cons.

College in Ireland is pin-point focused when it comes to the purpose of modules available in each course. Everything is pertinent to your degree; you study it because you’re going to need it. As a result, it is pretty much pre-determined what classes you will have. Of course, there is a certain amount of wiggle-room, allowing students the flexibility to drop a module or two if they aren’t their cup of (Barry’s) tea, but for the most part the way forward is mapped out ahead of you fairly rigidly by the university. By contrast, in America there is

24

The town moves in slowmotion, but with a fluid grace. the option to obtain credits from modules outside of your degree programme. Day one of class in Montana, I make some conversation with the chap sitting beside me.

“What’s your major in?” He asks me.

“Ehm…Geology. Isn’t yours?”

“Nah dude. I’m studying Law. I’m taking on this Hydrogeology class for fun.”

Hydrogeology for fun? As you can imagine, we didn’t really talk much after that. American classes are a bit like a pick and mix bag; to reach a certain weight, you have to decide what sweets you want put in. To fill up our credits for the year, we ended up studying a couple of classes that weren’t all that relevant, which could be a little frustrating.

We were third years in first year classes too easy for us, and simultaneously fourth year classes that were very difficult to keep up in. UCC’s system is better here, with designated classes for designated year groups. Although when I tell you there was the opportunity to take a snowboarding class for two credits in Montana, this argument will seem less valid.

Lecturers in UM had a much more hands-on approach to teaching. Maybe it’s the mountain mentality. Classes were ripe with promises that we would go and see the material we were studying in the field. “Awh man, you think that’s cool? Let’s go see it next week.” Whole weekends were lost hiking back in time to see and study text-book examples of geologic features throughout the state. While Ireland has a huge variety of geology crammed into such a tiny space, and UCC provides excellent

field-trips to sink your teeth into them (sometimes literally - Geologists are weird), field work in the US was frantic. I couldn’t set up a tent when I arrived; I returned home really bad at putting up tents.

When it comes to the actual course work itself, university in America is a case of quantity and quality; many classes will have set weekly deadlines, so there’s something to turn in nearly every day of the week, be it in class or online. As a result, college rattles along at a breakneck pace, and there’s this maintained tension that at any moment it will all derail catastrophically - like you will miss an assignment and be hunted down and deported (probably). The bar for “acceptable” grades is also higher; our very first mid-term exam, my mark was 68%. In Ireland, that would bring celebrations, but our professor told us “those below 70% really didn’t understand the material.” I was crestfallen. And I knew I’d have to really buckle down from that point onwards.

It’s not all doom and gloom though. By the time you get to sit your end of year exams, you will probably have somewhere between 6080% of your grade earned through continuous assessment assignments, mid-terms exams, projects and attendance. These final exams are seen as a way to bump up your grade - not to define them.

Compare this with home, where you can have applied yourself all year long and earned only a small portion of the final mark, and now must sit an exam worth the remaining majority, and pray to Spongebob that you don’t bottle it. It’s the Leaving Cert syndrome; the whole year didn’t matter, and a final exam dictates it all. It’s a no brainer whose approach works better here The American system make sense, rewarding students who’ve been killing it all year, and taking off some of the pressure at the crucial final stage.

And the pressure does reach a boiling point.

There’s so much to keep track of. You want to seal yourself into your room and get it all done, but then the cabin-fever guilt sets in. “You travelled four thousand miles from home to come here, just to hole yourself up? You’re in America! When will you be here again? Get outside. See that landmark. Try that tradition. Don’t get hung up on college.”

It’s all about striking the right balance between work and play. And you get really good at it, prioritising and time managing like a boss. I know that’s what they say on the first day of college, and in every walk of life, but it’s amplified times a thousand with all the distractions that the States have to offer. A weekend off here probably means Netflix, or a casual drink or two. A weekend off in America presents the opportunity to go to Seattle for a couple nights.

While at first I was lost and confused, caught in the middle of the familiar and the foreign, you adapt quickly. UCC and UM have their strengths and weaknesses; one offers that which the other cannot provide. As a result, the two serve to complement each other wonderfully, making them ideal sister universities. The International Field Geosciences degree and other programmes that offer the chance to hop the Atlantic utilise the best of both worlds.

I can’t endorse the year away enough; I wish it was mandatory, with all universities adopting an exchange programme and swapping their third-year students for one year, exposing them to two different styles of all aspects of university life. And once you have experienced both, there’s little that can be thrown at you that you aren’t prepared for.

Alanna Harrington sat down with mentalist Scotty Walsh, before his collaborative Halloween event with UCC Psychological Society, to ask him a few questions about his background, his inspirations and his experience of UCC so far How did you first get involved in mentalism and mind reading?

I saw a magician perform when I was eight-yearsold. His name was Mike the Magic Janitor, and in addition to being an excellent magician, he was actually working nights as the custodian at my school. There was no stopping me from then on. I felt guilty for having wasted my first seven years. Mentalism is sometimes called “magic for grown-ups.” Starting with magic, I grew right into mentalism, becoming sort of obsessed with Houdini and his war against spiritualists. Of course, that was before Derren Brown or Keith Barry or even David Blaine was on the scene. I was a very strange kid.

What influenced you to incorporate psychology into your performance?

Well, there’s no avoiding it, really. All mentalism is inherently psychological, but I don’t apply psychology in the way that most people would imagine. In fact, sometimes I use psychology to make it appear that I am using a different type of psychology. This can be a slippery slope because some contemporary mentalists promote pseudoscience quite freely. I feel that this is almost as bad as claiming to have genuine psychic powers.

Mentalism at its best, I think, should be enlightening as well as entertaining.

What do you think the fact that the human mind can be so easily fooled tells us about our psychology?

I’m not sure that I would say that the human mind can be fooled easily. It can be fooled, but it really takes a lot of effort to read and control minds on a thorough and consistent basis. But, I think this says a few things about us: First, what we perceive as reality is more of a mental simulation, based on incomplete and inaccurate information. Second, that we are vulnerable to misdirection in all aspects of our lives; when we focus on one small task, we fail to notice nearly everything else! And finally, that this is normal, because we have evolved to survive – not to unravel the conjurer’s illusions.

What brought you to UCC for you PhD, and what are your thoughts on the college so far?

Having completed Masters degrees in both Paris and Tuscany, and I was starting to feel held back by language barriers. I had grown up with a strong Irish-American identity, so I started exploring PhD programs at Irish universities. The school of Drama and Theatre at UCC was hosting an Irish

Society for Theatre Research conference on the topic of Cognition and Consciousness, so I was hooked. My supervisors, Dr. Marie Kelly and Dr. Bernadette Cronin have a very strong interest in these topics, so things started clicking right away.

The school of Drama and Theatre here is very progressive, allowing for cutting edge practice based research. The truth is that there is nowhere else in Ireland where I would be able to pursue such innovative, and at times controversial, research.

Your show explains some of the tricks behind mentalism, but you have told us there are some secrets you cannot reveal, how do you decide what is ok to share and what isn't?

Surprisingly, there is actually a very real danger in exposing some of these secrets to the general public. I can accomplish most of my demonstrations using at least a half dozen different methodologies.

If I expose one of these methods to an audience, then they will be more susceptible to being taken advantage of, or deceived by, psychics or mediums who may use a different methodology in order to make it appear that they are genuinely psychic, or worse, contacting departed loved ones.

My goal is actually to teach audiences to think critically. This is best accomplished, I feel, by revealing underlying principles I use, and the vulnerabilities of our minds, and not necessarily by revealing every little sordid detail of my work. As Alexander Pope wrote, “A little learning is a dangerous thing. Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring…”

How has your experience of performing for the Psychological Society been?

It’s been grand, like! Seriously, they have been a lovely, charming, and professional bunch; and they’ve made all of this possible. When they first got in touch, I suggested that Springtime might be better

timing for me, and they (ever so politely) responded that they were really hoping to do something spooky for Halloween, so how could I say no? And this really has turned out to be a great way for me to meet people and make friends.

Siobhan Clifford and Trudy McQuaid from Psych Soc arranged for me to read minds and verify my newspaper predictions on The Rock Block with Conor Crowley and Robbie Byrne on 98.3FM. In fact, Trudy and I even worked together to do a bit of improvised mind reading on Robbie. I think we even freaked him out a bit. That was a good feeling.

Have you any advice for anyone interested in studying or performing in this area?

I think mentalism ultimately boils down to the human capacity for decision making and communications.

In terms of studying these areas, there are some super books on non-verbal communications and the psychology of our conscious and unconscious thought processes.

An aspiring performer could start the way I did, with either Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic or Henry Hay’s Amateur Magician’s Handbook. It can be useful to learn the underlying psychological principles of magic and theatre, before delving into mentalism, where the illusions exist only in the mind.

Or, they might study with me. I am considering offering a limited number of workshops which explore an area I refer to as Postmodern Mentalism or Psychological Mentalism, which is the topic of my PhD research.

This is just one of many exciting events lined up this year for Psych Soc. For more information you can visit their Facebook page UCC Psych Soc or email psychological@uccsocieties.ie.

For more information on Scotty's work visit scottywalsh.com.

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Ella Henderson

Ross Noble

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Lyla Foy | Mirrors The Sky | 3.5/5 So far, 2014 has produced some very interesting releases from the indie world, but, for me, nothing has compared to the debut album from the British artist Lyla Foy. Using very minimalist features for her music, Foy has created a totally unique sound that captivates the listener from the word go. It leaves you hanging for a build that never really comes. However, this doesn't diminish the music, instead, it actually lends an unusual flair and appeal to the record. With simple drums and laid back bass, underneath ambient melodies, the album is almost hypnotic. Foy follows a ‘less is more’ concept throughout the album that delivers consistently. In a world where music is becoming more and more complex, this album is a breath of fresh air. However,

the album is not without its flaws.

Similarities between songs become more apparent, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but does makes one think “Is this not the same as the last song?”

To finish, a solid debut album that will be difficult to follow up on, but also leaves a lot of room for improvement.

Jonny O’Mahony

Caribou | Our Love | 5/5 Dan Snaith has returned with his fourth album under the Caribou alias and it’s his best yet. Achieving the midpoint between pulsating yet smooth dance music and a shoegaze aesthetic, Our Love is a record for all emotions. Album highlights such as the sultry and sexy, ‘All I Ever Need’ combines introspection with with an irresistibly catchy beat to create a track which adds to any situation. Caribou has created an album which soundtracks the moments between noise and silence and Snaith’s understanding of how to channel emotion through minimalism and so, tracks such as ‘Can’t Do Without You’, whilst created for alternative dancefloors and remixes around the world, has a lasting value far beyond how long it’ll be on playlists.

If you’re looking for music that guides itself into your headspace without effort or attention, ‘Our Love’ is the perfect choice.

Kelly Doherty.

New Found Glory | Resurrection | 1/5 There’s something about the bands that you grow up with that makes you never want to dislike them.

Whether it be wholeheartedly defending Britney Spears’ early work as ‘pop gems’ or arguing that Blink 182’s lyrics were really quite meaningful at heart, it’s hard to write off the music that reminds you of how you came to be a music fan. New

Found Glory are one of those bands.

With their early back catalogue paving the way for thousands of young punks to find their sense of rebellion, New Found Glory have had solid fanbase over the last 20 years. With Resurrection however, it’s sad to see them a shadow of their previous selves. The pop punk hooks and sugary lyricism are still abundant

and, undoubtedly, tracks such as “Degenerate” and “Ready And Willing” will soothe the broken hearts of 14 year olds in baggy shorts.

However, for anyone who’s heard the band before it’s just not enough.

Lyrics such as ‘You just haven’t yet felt emptiness/ Like the taste of a

flat soda / Thought it would be so sweet’ are unbearably cringe and it’s apparent that the band have put minimal effort into the album. It seems that New Found Glory have become an afterthought in the scene that they helped create.

Kelly Doherty

Slipknot | .5: The Gray Chapter | 3.5/ 5 In another blast from the past this month, Slipknot have returned with their first album in the last six years and their first since the death of their bassist, Paul Gray. Whilst the idea of Slipknot releasing another album after so long is weird in itself given how much the metal landscape has changed in their absence, it’s important to not write them off. .5: The Gray Chapter was never

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going to rewrite the face of modern metal but Slipknot are still one of the few mainstream metal bands of our generation who have a proper lasting value. This record continues on where the band left off, but with a little more edge. Going back on the poppier, straight forward rock direction of All Hope Is Gone, The Gray Chapter returns to the speed metal influenced rage of their earlier releases.

‘Sarcastrophe’ is a brutal attack, drawing many comparisons with the band’s early work. ‘Skeptic’ is quite a touching tribute to Gray which shows that Slipknot do have the ability to write a relatively emotive and sincere track, unlike many of their mwodern

peers. Yes, the record has a lot of flaws. The release lacks imagination at points and the generic ‘anger for the sake of anger’ shtick does get a bit boring at points. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that .5: The Gray Chapter fulfills everything we could want from a Slipknot album and you can’t put a price on the power of catharsis.

Kelly Doherty.

Words: Kelly Doherty

‘I Forget Where We Were’ by Ben Howard Deviating away from the pop folk stylings of his debut album, Ben Howard has returned with the quiet but powerful stylings of lead single, ‘I Forget Where We Were.’ Taking nods from American indie rock along the lines of Bon Iver’s Blood Bank EP, Howard has crafted a sparse guitar driven track which builds up to an epic and emotional crescendo. Howard’s soulful voice combined with his warm guitarwork makes for the perfect winter song. Rather than allow himself the be left behind in the pop-folk explosion of 2010, Howard has adapted his style and has completely outperformed himself with one of the best tracks of the year so far.

Louise Clancy takes a look at the recent discussion provoked by Meghan Trainor’s hit song.

However, All About That Bass has also received criticism, accusing the song of promoting skinny-shaming and sexism. The song has been interpreted as skinnyshaming due to Trainor’s use of the term ‘skinny bitches.’

In defence of the accusation, Trainor refers to the full The current chart-topping tune of 2014, context of the lyrics, which are: ‘I'm bringing booty back.

Meghan Trainor’s All About That Bass, has Go 'head and tell them skinny bitches that. No, I'm just led to many discussions about what message playing, I know you think you're fat. But I'm here to tell this song delivers. All About That Bass states you, every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to that the ‘ideal’ thin figure is overrated and unrealistic: the top.’ In an interview with Billboard magazine, she ‘You know I won't be no stick-figure, silicone Barbie reiterated the point stating that "I'm not bashing skinny doll.’ Instead, there is a celebration of male and female girls. Some girls have commented, 'I'm a size zero, so bodies of all shapes and sizes, saying that ‘every inch you must hate me.' But that's not it at all! There have of you is perfect from the bottom to the top.’ been battles on my YouTube page, like, 'You don't know Written by Kevin Kadish and Meghan Trainor what she's talking about. She's actually saying, 'I know herself, the 20 year old singer has explained in several even you skinny girls struggle.' And that's exactly how interviews that she had struggles with her weight and I feel.’ appearance in her teenage years.

It has also been accused She even planned on pitching All of being misleadingly sexist About That Bass for Beyoncé or Whether or not All as lyrics such as “Cause I got Adele as a song for them to record, that boom boom that all the due to her doubts of having the About That Bass is a boys chase, All the right junk right look to be a successful singer. positive song about in all the right places” and However, Trainor soon realised “She says, boys they like a that she was the right fit for the different types of body little more booty to hold at song. The Massachusetts native image, it is absolutely night” suggest that a woman’s confessed the inspiration behind body exists for male pleasure certain that it has the metaphors of the bass and the and being desired by a man treble: "It's like thickness and thin: brought up much-needed is crucial to a woman’s selfbass is big and treble is the high, worth. In response to these thin stuff. Bass is like booty, but discussions about body complaints Trainor claims, treble isn't boobs. It's just a joke image perceptions in the according to an interview about thick and thin." with The Guardian, those All About That Bass has received media and in ourselves lyrics were not intentionally mostly positive reviews for its expressed in that context. ‘I’m catchy blend of pop, doo-wop and not saying this is how women country; its well-crafted lyrics and should feel – I just wrote a song its original message. The video, with over 180 million and funny, clever lyrics, and views on YouTube, also celebrates different types of that’s how I look at it.’ body shapes and sizes by including plus-size backing Whether or not All About That dancers and acknowledging male body positivity by Bass is a positive song about featuring the Vine personality Sione Maraschino. different types of body image, The song criticises the way in which the media it is absolutely certain that it often scrutinises and puts pressure on people to has brought up much-needed attain an unrealistic standard on body image discussions about body image in the lines: ‘I see the magazines working perceptions in the media and in that Photoshop, We know that s**t ain't real, ourselves.

Come on now, make it stop.’

‘Archie, Marry Me’ by Alvvays ‘Archie, Marry Me’ is a wonderfully dreamy, jangly, surf-pop track on the oddly retro seeming idea of marriage. Molly Rankin’s mildly discordant but always pleasant vocals power a song which feels a little like a dream.

Sounding like something straight out of the 60s, Alvvays hit the exact midpoint between the flowery girl power of Best Coast whilst marrying it to an aesthetic a little more distant and less instantly accessible. It make take a handful of listens however, after a while, ‘Archie, Marry Me’ will lodge itself in your memory with its subtle melodies and quiet sense of fun.

‘All The Rage Back Home’ by Interpol The lead single from the indie rock gods’ new album El Pintor, ‘All The Rage Back Home’ is an anthemic stomper made for stadiums and blasting at top volume. Without a doubt a major highlight from the record, the searing guitars and repetitive lyricism make for a typical rabble rousing indie rock anthem, whilst the band’s control allows them to stamp their own darker personality on it. Interpol may not be at their best but they’re still pretty damn good.

‘Shake It Off’ By Taylor Swift Taylor Swift is back and as fun as ever. Yes, ‘Shake It Off’ is yet another track about exes and getting over them, but where would broken hearted teenage girls who need empowerment be without her? Yet another departure from the country pop stylings of her early work, ‘Shake It Off’ is an 80s pop tinged power anthem with bags worth of absolute sass. It may be cheesy, it may be puerile, but it’s fun as hell and almost impossible to not dance to.

HENDERSON Former X Factor contestant and chart topping singer Ella Henderson speaks to Motley’s Laura Hussey about her creative process and her number one album

putting yourself out there and you’re a role model.

That’s kind of on your shoulders but, you know, I’m asked Ella who she would record with if she could constantly going to make mistakes. I’m young myself choose any artist and she didn’t have to think for and I live and I learn. All I ever want to be is just long before exclaiming it would definitely be ‘Adele, honest and be myself. If I’m not being me then I’m lla Henderson won our hearts from her first audition on The X Factor UK in 2012, blowing the judges away with the emotional rendition of her original song, ‘Missed’. After reaching the live shows, she continued to impress the public and the judges’ right up until her final performance. It’s been two years since the former X Factor hopeful signed her record deal with Syco Music after coming sixth on the infamous talent show. With her debut single ‘Ghost’ having dominated the charts and her album Chapter One becoming number one in the UK, Motley got to speak with the bubbly Brit about everything from her idols, to her age, to Adele.

The talented teen has enjoyed much success after the release of her hauntingly beautiful single, Ghost. ‘It’s been very overwhelming and very surreal,’ said Henderson of her journey so far, ‘my highlight has definitely been the number one single and number one album in the UK.’ Not only has Henderson got a stunning voice but she is also a very talented songwriter; penning all the original tracks for her first album Chapter One. ‘I’ve gotten to travel with it, meeting a lot of co-writers and producers along the way, everything that I do in my songwriting is from the heart,’ explained Henderson, ‘I’m very open, I mean that’s why the album is called Chapter One. Every song that I’ve written on it kind of depended on my mood at that time, if I was angry I’d write a song about me getting through that or if I was happy I’d write a really uplifting song.’

No doubt after the success of Chapter One we can expect some exciting duets on the cards. We

‘I was 16 when I signed my record deal so it was important for me to feel that the moment I came into everything I was mentally prepared and capable of everything’ I’d love a female power duet with her one day, I’d really like to meet her, she seems like a lot of fun and her voice is phenomenal.’ Having been signed to Syco music at a young age, it’s not a stretch to assume that the teen had little control with Chapter One. However, Ella was quick to set us straight saying despite the fact she’s 18, she’s never felt her age to be a barrier towards being taken seriously adding that ‘I was 16 when I signed my record deal so it was important for me to feel that the moment I came into everything I was mentally prepared and capable of everything.

I really feel like I’ve grown up a lot, I’m still learning new things every day and experiencing new things.

With this job you have to experience everything, it’s the only way you learn. I’ve been very lucky and fortunate to have had respect, guidance, advice and freedom in this whole process.’ Henderson told Motley that if she could speak to her brighteyed 16 year old self, she would tell herself ‘to not worry, I’m here to enjoy myself; if I’m not enjoying it I may as well not be doing it.’

It’s a given that young women like Henderson in the public eye are under constant scrutiny and pressure from the press and at such a young age it must be extremely difficult to adapt to such a lifestyle. But it’s being herself that helps Ella Henderson deal with this pressure; saying that ‘definitely with this job comes the idea of, you’re

not gonna feel comfortable or confident in what I do.’ Henderson went on to talk about her own role models, admitting that her mother has been the biggest influence and best female icon in her life.

‘I admire her for everything that she is,’ admitted Henderson, ‘she’s a great woman.’ Looking back, Henderson believes that if she hadn’t auditioned for X Factor she’d probably ‘still be in college studying music and I’d still be song writing right now; sending my songs off and trying to get my foot in the door. If I lost my voice tomorrow, I’d still have to do something in the creative world. I loved art at school so maybe something to do with makeup or hair. It would have to be something where I can use my mind and let it creatively roam free.’

With so much success in such a short space of time, Motley was eager to find out any future plans that the young star may have and she certainly has plenty more to offer. ‘Right now I’m doing a lot of travelling and promoting the album,’ she divulged, ‘and next year, fingers crossed, I’d love to eventually put on a tour with myself and my live band. I’m two years writing in the studio so to actually get the songs live and out there and performing them really excites me.’

Chapter One by Ella Henderson is available now.

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Méadhbh Crowley chats with Sean ‘Neddy’ Arkins of the band behind hit track ‘Stars In My Eyes’

O.R.B: O.R.B: l Original a n i g i Or s y Rudeboys o b e Rud

he Original Rudeboys have only been around since 2011, but it seems that they have been engraved in Irish music history for much longer.

The band consisting of Sean "Neddy" Arkins, Robert Burch and Sean Walsh have had great success in such a short space of time, selling out the Olympia Theatre, playing Reading and Leeds and having two Top 5 albums, to mention but a few.

Speaking with Neddy Arkins he first reeled back the years telling Motley the origins of the band in inner city Dublin. ‘We had a jam session in my house one night with a few beers expecting nothing from it,’ he explained, ‘a mate who was there suggested filming it so we agreed. He put it up on YouTube and told us it was getting a great reaction; there was no coming back from then on.’

Band names often have an interesting story behind them and with the Original Rude Boys it is no different, as Arkins divulged ‘the name came from a t shirt I was wearing one night at a house party. The three of us were, again, messing around with some guitars in one of the quieter rooms in the house when a small group listening asked us where we a band. At the time we weren't but we went along with it and said yes, telling them we are The Original Rudeboys and my t-shirt was official merch of ours.

They believed it and it kinda stuck.”

Although, last year they did attempt to change their name to ORB, it didn’t go down quiet as well as they had planned.

‘The name change was never supposed to be anything major,’ he admitted, ‘we noticed a lot of people online, particularly Twitter, were shortening everything so we changed our name on Twitter to O.R.B for a while, we were still the Original Rudeboys but the media saw it and blew it out of the water [laughs]. Nobody stopped to ask what O.R.B actually stood for. So it was never really a name change.”

Not only are The Original Rudeboys interesting in name but also interesting in nature, as Arkins tells Motley the vast variety of genres that the band incorporates in their music. ‘Our influences range so far between the three of us; we love everything from The Beatles to Kanye West,’ said Arkins, before going on, ‘what we look for in good music is solid melodies with lyrics that really make you think, like Bob Dylan or John Lennon.’

The band since its inception has been making a big noise in the industry and their success has grown each year. Speaking of the greatest moment in their short career, the examples Arkins gives shows how rapidly successful the band has become in such a short space of time.

‘For us personally, playing and selling out The Olympia Theatre 5 times was a huge highlight as a band and the fact we love to play that venue so

much adds to it all the more. In terms of supports we’ve been very lucky to play alongside some amazing acts that we love like Kanye West and Eminem.’

But one of the most memorable for the band was their time supporting The Script on tour. ‘The lads brought us on the road playing most of the UK and Europe plus Australia!’ he said enthusiastically, ‘it really helped push our music and make us tighter as a band plus us three and the three Script lads got on great making it extra special!’

Despite the hectic few years and all their success, they still remember to give back and in November the boys will be embarking on a charity mission supporting charities Walk In My Shoes and Console. The band will be visiting ten schools to talk about their lives in a successful band, and their experiences (good and bad) in the music business.

They have also invited special guest speakers from the two charity organisations.

Speaking with Arkins, it was clear that mental health was very important to the band O.R.B who sadly lost a good friend in 2009. As he explained, they took their music and used it to help bring attention to suicide and mental health. ‘On our first album we had a song called “Sunny Days” which is about our friend who passed away through suicide.

We wanted to do something which would get the word out there about suicide and hopefully help people so we found Console and donated the proceeds from the track to them. The same with Walk In My Shoes which is all about young people and Mental Health we wanted to help the youth speak up about their emotions.’

The school tour was an idea that the band came up with as a way to try connect with their younger audience in a way that is meaningful for them.

‘It was just a small chat about getting the word out there. We thought the new Single “Never Alone” will be on radio and the internet for people to see but how do we target the audience most important to us about this song. That’s when the idea of going to schools came about. That way we get to come face to face with young people talk to them about Mental Health and maybe play a few songs while where there.”

Arkins’ parting words were inspirational ones, giving advice to anyone suffering from mental health issues.

‘The best advice we can give is to “Speak Up” and we get it that that’s easier said than done but speaking to other young people who were once in a dark place and finally opened up helped them so much and they are so happy they spoke to someone about it.’

We wanted to do something which would get the word out there about suicide

The Original Rudeboy’s play their 5th sell out date in the Olympia Theatre on the 13th of December. Their charity single “Never Alone” will be released on Friday 14th November on iTunes and all good digital platforms, with the profits from sale being equally distributed between Console and Walk in My Shoes.

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‘’the first person recognized as an Irishwoman all over the world.”

“Lost in a crowd of greats, not a single Oscar. That’s showbiz.”

Glenn Dunlea celebrates the selection of Irish actress Maureen O’Hara’s for an honorary Oscar Irish screen legend Maureen O’Hara is to be given an honourary Academy Award ‘’to honour extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, [and] for outstanding service to the Academy’’. O’Hara’s beauty and fiery screen persona made her one of the most celebrated actresses of the 20th century. Born Maureen Fitzsimons on August 17th 1920 in Ranelagh, Dublin, O’Hara is one of the last remaining

actresses from Hollywood’s Golden Age. Her career, spanning over seven decades, included many memorable roles in films such as How Green Was My Valley, Miracle on 34th Street, The Parent Trap, and of course, The Quiet Man. After what could be described as a disastrous initial screen test, the celebrated British actor Charles Laughton, who was captivated by her large and expressive eyes, discovered O’Hara. She was signed

Motley’s Kieran Cunnane talks about DC Comics’ latest TV adaption In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, let’s fill you in: superheroes rule Hollywood right now.

Marvel Studios has made over 7 billion dollars at the box office. DC Comics recently revealed their plan of releasing twelve films in five years. The Rock has been cast as a magic-powered supervillain and Batista as a green sword-wielding alien.

With so many properties lined up for years to come, it only makes sense to bring some of these to our screens at home. The Flash asks for your time amongst other comic book shows like Arrow, The Walking Dead and the new Gotham. It absolutely deserves it.

The Flash stars Grant Gustin as Barry Allen, a young and brilliant crime scene investigator working with his surrogate father Detective Joe West (Jesse L. West), the father of Barry’s best friend and love-interest Iris West (Candice Patton). Barry’s story is such a genretrope that it’s cringe-worthy; he lives a

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happy life with his mother and father before a ball of light in the shape of a man kills his mother. Barry vows to find the truth to this mystery and clear the name of his father who was blamed for her murder. As a young man, the same paranormal activity he saw on the night of her murder revisits him in the lab on the same night that an advanced particle accelerator malfunctions. Nine months later, Barry wakes up from a coma to find that he has super-speed.

While he’s not the only one to find they have superpowers, he is seemingly the only one with good intentions.

This trope where a tragic childhood event turns a humble boy into a superhero has been seen many times before. But that’s the great thing about the show; while The Flash doesn’t necessarily try anything new, it does things extremely well. It mixes drama with something that Arrow took two seasons to find before hitting its stride – fun. Arrow started off as a show that looked little

to an initial seven-year contract with Laughton’s production company, Mayflower Pictures, and secured her first major leading role on screen in an adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn. O’Hara’s trademark flame coloured hair earned her the nickname ‘The Queen of Technicolour.’ She starred alongside a young Natalie Wood in the 1947 film Miracle on 34th Street, which has since become a perennial favourite, and played alongside Hayley Mills in Disney’s 1961 film The Parent Trap. She is perhaps best known for her partnership with John Wayne in five of her pictures, including The Quiet Man. Filmed on location in Cong, Co. Mayo, the film presents John Ford’s depiction of an idealized Irish society, with no social divisions based on class or religion. O’Hara has frequently cited the film as a personal favourite, saying, ‘’It is the one I am most proud of, and I tend to be very protective of it.’’

1991 saw a comeback from the then 71-year-old actress. O’Hara performed in a role written specifically for her in Only The Lonely, a film about a 38-year-old Chicago Policeman

The Flash mixes drama with something that Arrow took two seasons to find before hitting its stride – fun.

trying to break away from his overbearing Irish mother. Her last film to date was released in 2000.

Always proud of her Irish heritage and nationality, O’Hara recently said in an interview for Vanity Fair that her greatest achievement was being ‘’the first person recognized as an Irishwoman all over the world.”

In 2004, she was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish Film and Television Academy. Plans are in place for the construction of an elaborate legacy centre, museum and film school in Glengarriff in her honour.

In 2011, O’Hara was formally inducted into the Irish America Hall of Fame at an event in New Ross, Co. Wexford.

The decision from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to include O’Hara in their 2014 honours list was one that was met with great positivity. She is to be honoured alongside French screenwriter JeanClaude Carriere and Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki at the Governors Awards on November 8th.

Upon receiving her award, O’Hara will become only the second actress in history to receive an honorary Oscar without having been previously nominated, the other being Myrna Loy. It has always been one of O’Hara’s biggest ambitions to win an Academy Award, and now, at age 94, it will represent the culmination of a life dedicated to cinema.

more than a Dark Knight rehash but when it let the madcap joy found in comic books take an influence, it became a far better show for it. The Flash wastes no time in doing just that.

Within the hour long episode, we are already introduced to the form that the show will take – Barry will square off against super-powered baddies affected by the particle accelerator’s malfunction as we unravel the storyline teased by the episode’s conclusion.

This is a format that will certainly keep viewers interested and returning for its new episodes.

Where the show can improve and even excel is by differentiating itself from its sister-show Arrow. They both involve a superhero, a crew of sidekicks and a love-interest that’s the daughter of a detective. If the show can stay grounded in fantasy with its weird villains (loved that nod to Gorilla Grodd) and sense of humour it might just end up as the best show to hit The CW. Season One of The Flash currently airs at 8pm on Tuesdays on The CW.

The Girl With All The Gifts Vincent O’Brien reviews M.R. Carey’s latest book to hit the shelves One would be forgiven for thinking one had stumbled on a literary masterpiece by reading all the reviewer quotes on the back cover of M.R. Carey’s The Girl With All The Gifts.

It has endorsements from Joss Whedon to Jenny Colgan. High expectations accompany the start of M.R. Carey’s novel and for the first seventy or so pages the book delivers in spades, but then something happens. You find out that this is actually a zombie story and everything goes downhill from there. Well, almost everything. The Girl With All The Gifts is unique among books that I’ve read in that it has a fantastic opening, a thought provoking ending and a middle completely devoid of interesting content. A middle composed of the same rehashed zombie stories you’ve read/watched/ played a dozen times before. You’ve all heard the phrase “it’s all about the journey and not the destination”. If you were to apply that to this novel this review would be a lot harsher.

The basic premise in The Girl With All The Gifts is that there is a young ten year old girl, Melanie, who is immensely intelligent but also has a craving for human flesh. She, along with another 30 or so zombie children are kept in a secret military base and studied in hopes of finding a cure for the zombie outbreak. It sounds like an interesting premise, and it is. It’s just that when the inevitable happens and the main cast have to make an exodus to find safety at another military base, the storyline just seems to falter and stumble over itself. It replays the same story that has been kicking around for decades now. It’s not new or interesting to have a zombie chase scene. It’s infuriating when a main characters does something so monumentally stupid that it puts the whole group at risk and nobody even reprimands her. It’s here that The Girl With All The Gifts falls flat on its face. It wouldn’t be half as bad if most of the characters weren’t an unlikable bunch of idiots. Apart from

Dark Places Libby Day was only 7 years old when her mother and sisters were brutally slaughtered as part of a satanic ritual.

Libby herself managed to escape and survive only slightly injured. Based on her very confusing testimony, Libby’s teenage brother Ben was arrested as the prime suspect. Twenty five years later, Libby lives a rather reclusive and solitary life and her brother is still in prison. Libby mostly makes a living out of the murder of her family.

However, years later

the interest in her family’s tragedy is not as considerable as it once has been and her financial supporters have become scarce. Therefore, when she is approached by a group of people obsessed with crimes, the so-called “Kill Club”, to talk about the details of her traumatizing experience as a child, she only agrees because of the money attached. It transpires that some of the club’s members believe that Libby’s brother is in fact innocent.

For

It wouldn’t be half as bad if most of the characters weren’t an unlikable bunch of idiots Melanie, the zombie child, nobody really has any unique personality features that draws the reader in. It’s not until the last fifty or so pages when we learn some truths about the world that the reader gets any payoff for their sacrifice of reading the dreadful middle section of the book.

The last section is where the meat of the story is. What we learn about the zombies and the children actually

takes the reader by surprise. It packs in a few emotional punches as well, as the characters finally start to act like the adults they are and make some rational decisions for once. It’s a thrill to see some new addition to the zombie mythos that this book provides, if only in small amounts. That’s why it should still be given a chance by anybody with any interest in the postapocalyptic genre. While you may struggle with the lacklustre journey, the ending and the fantastic opening drag this book up to something that is actually quite memorable.

7/10

As Gone Girl’s Gillian Flynn delivers another thrilling tale in Dark Places Kathrin Gaul reviews the best-selling novel

It wouldn’t be half as bad if most of the characters weren’t an unlikable bunch of idiots the first time, Libby starts questioning her own memories. Intrigued and motivated by the prospect of more money, she goes on a quest to find out what really happened that night of “the Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.” On her journey, which takes her amongst others to her brother Ben, she slowly unravels the dreadful mystery behind her family’s murder.

Dark Places is dominated by a morbid and ominous tension, which leaves the reader with a slight feeling of unease yet the author, at the same time, truly manages to create a suspenseful and enthralling story. The rather dark atmosphere of the novel is loosened by the heroine’s cynical and pragmatic nature. Her thoughts and remarks are often completely inappropriate yet still they make you grin quietly to yourself from time to time, despite the uncomfortable plot.

Libby is in general more of an anti-

heroine – she’s cynical, she’s a recluse, and takes a seemingly unconscionably advantage of the terrible slaughter that robbed her of her family.

Aside from the protagonist’s interesting character, another reason to read the book is the way the author chose to arrange the plot. She decided to use a twin storyline, using flashbacks to enable the reader to connect the events from Libby past with her current quest in solving the mystery of her family’s death similar to the structure of Gone Girl. These flashbacks also allow the reader to get an insight into other characters’ minds. While usually not the biggest fan of flashbacks, here they are cleverly used, feeding the reader with different pieces of information at a time. These breadcrumbs left by the author really help to build up suspension and to involve the reader in the mystery-solving process. The novel is recommended for lovers of the psychological thriller genre, as the book is put together cleverly and with such sensitivity and love to detail, that it leaves you wanting more after reading the first few pages.

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Jane Farrell interviews the talented Kilkenny native, artist Ruth Denham uth Denham, a twenty three year old visual artist from Kilkenny, already has a strong foothold in the Irish art scene.

She is a recent graduate from Limerick School of Art and Design, and currently a Professional Masters of Education student at UCC. With a background in Fine Art and painting, Denham’s works are highly sought after and regularly commissioned. A book lover, Denham frequently adapts what she reads into a visual form, drawing out the characters and their surroundings. However, her countryside Kilkenny home is the inspiration for most of her works. Denham is fixated by memories of childhood and they provide the framework for the imagery she explores. Her work is reminiscent of Patrick Kavanagh’s poetry which seeks to exalt the extraordinary in the everyday and it is no surprise to discover that Denham is strongly influenced by his works. “The curiosity of childhood and memory” are themes which she pursues, and she does just this in a prolific and exciting manner.

When planning her work, Denham says she thinks about a concept “for a long time before I begin, considering what I want to portray within the work. I find my subject and after a few quick sketches I begin. I don’t like to over think it because then it overcomplicates and lacks spontaneity.

Recently I have started working on a rotation system, operating two or three pieces at the same time.” What motivates her practice is creating something which has a particular personal meaning to her and she is driven by a need to coordinate the process of thinking and making art.

A seminal experience for Denham was in her third year of college when she encountered that most dreaded blight on creativity, artistic block. She remembers that her “artwork was lifeless; I believed I had lost all of my ability to paint. Every day I would go into the studio and come out completely disheartened. I began to seriously wonder about my capability as an artist.

I had no confidence. That summer my mother intervened and set aside a space at home to work in. She refused to let me out until I had created something I was happy about. From nine till six

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I would work and eventually I produced the first painting I have ever really been proud of.”

This devotion to her work is what cements Denham into the category of ‘serious artist’ as opposed to mere hobbyist. The level of consideration given to her work and her diligence to the slow process of making art is strikingly evident in how she perceives her practice as having changed over time; “I used to rely primarily on the inclusion of a figure as a focal point within the work. I felt that this presence was fundamental to giving a sense of narrative but I think that there are far more interesting, mysterious methods of doing this such as breaking it up into fragments so that the viewer can read between the lines. Right now, I am looking at other ways to channel these thoughts, looking mostly at the actual experience of being a child in all its essence and attempting to impersonate that feeling of curiosity and of engaging with the world for the first time. I don’t think the actual human being is as important anymore but rather allowing the viewer take this position as an onlooker into a portal which hopefully triggers memories from their own past.”

A fear for many artists is how to combat the long, lonely hours and the enforced isolation their work demands. Denham has managed to counteract that, saying, “I always seem to be busy with something or another and I’m surrounded by people constantly so thankfully for me it’s not lonely. Studio time is a good opportunity to get away from all the activity and think about the work I’m making. It is really relaxing to draw or paint and listen to music. I also love putting on a good audiobook so it’s never too quiet.”

Of course, another issue artists face is the constant comparison between one artist’s works to another. Denham again has devised a coping mechanism for this and her thoughts offer a mantra in the face of criticism, “You hear people constantly comparing artists’ work to one another in an almost negative way with the suggestion of imitation. It seems like every concept, subject, angle has been covered before to some extent.

It is almost impossible to produce something

cutting-edge and yet having said that, if it’s made by you, it will be different and unique disregarding some similarities. I don’t think one should correlate or weigh up one work against another.”

An artist doesn’t often need to take criticism into hand, given that they are usually self-critical enough as it is. Denham says, “I get addicted to detail and can spend, what seems like forever on one piece. This gives me plenty of time to overcritique my work and more often than not, I end up disliking it. I was given great advice lately, to pause in the middle of a drawing, leave it for a few days and then decide on whether it’s finished or not. It takes a lot of self-control but it really has helped!”

What also overrides these difficulties is seeing her work collectively. When she can see a sequence of events, unravelling experiences and happy memories from her childhood, it justifies the long hours, and difficult thought processes, all of which she seems to manage remarkably.

Denham’s dream project is to work collaboratively with an author as an illustrator for a children’s book and it is certainly possible to see how well her work would translate to illustrations.

She is frequently to be found browsing the children’s section in bookshops for inspiration. Her current career path is taking her towards becoming an art teacher but she hopes that this will allow her to continue developing as an artist while also taking on projects.

Finally, when asked what is the best piece of advice she has received, she adamantly replies, “stop scrutinising and comparing your ability to other artists. There is so much talent out there today and you would feel useless if you continued to do this.”

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TANGLEMAN ON TOUR Ellen Desmond fills you in on all things Ross Noble ahead of his Cork Opera House appearance in December Following 14 sell-out tours, the king of improvisional comedy is back, with latest tour Tangleman making its way to Cork on the 7th of December.

Noble started out doing comedy at 15 and by now, at 37, should be well versed in the art. He explains, “I suppose I’m a bit like Bob Dylan, I’m just on one never-ending tour.” Tangleman, presumably named after the comedian’s signature frizzy locks, will be more of what we all know him best for; winging it – and working it. According to the tour’s official press release “he has no more of an idea what he’s going to say than the bloke in row Q” and unlike many stagnant, obviously rehearsed popular comedy shows that claim the same, in Noble’s case it is actually believable and successfully ensures his shows stay fresh.

“I think what I try and do is do the show that I would want to see if I went to see somebody live. I like to keep it interesting for the audience, and I like to keep it interesting for myself.

I’m naturally quite playful in the way I approach life, and that’s what I want to bring to the live shows.”

With this attitude, Noble finds himself touring a show that is, more or less, different every single night. Noble explains that this sometimes results in

36

people attending his shows more than one night in a row. It’s also more than clear that he gets as much as he gives from audiences, sourcing much of his material right there and then in the moment, from speaking to audience members while on stage.

“The way that I work, I go on stage and I improvise stuff. Somebody might say something that will spark five or ten minutes or more of improv, and then out of that ten minutes, there might be one nugget of an idea that I like, which I’ll maybe expand and kick around next night. The best way to describe it is some comedians write out lists of words, to remind them what to say, whereas my show is like taking a bucket full of cartoon characters and melting them, then taking that melted cartoon sludge, putting it in a water pistol, and firing it into the air.”

With such an unstructured plan for each gig, it says a lot about Ross Noble’s talent that he has managed to keep up to such an impressive standard for so long. Noble admits that he does often leave out endings to stories he originally began the gig with, only to be pestered on Twitter or after the show ends from fans wanting to hear to rest of the tale – which can only be a good way of keeping audiences

wanting more. His shows are often very long and nearly always run over time. Noble divulges that this is because considering it’s so improvised he can’t always ensure the best material is at the end, like many comedians do.

He often worries he’s not ending on good enough material and thinks “I’d better do another five minutes” until his tour manager reminds him from behind stage that it’s time to wrap up, and he’s had “enough fun.”

Though Noble seems to express a preference to live shows, rather than appearing on screens, one of his greatest success to date has been the first series of Freewheeling, a TV show which took him all over the country on his motorbike this year, following suggestions made from the public on Twitter. Among the many odd and spontaneous situations Noble found himself in, over the course of the season, a personal highlight of the show for him was when he went “to investigate whether Lesley Joseph had been rude to a guy in a café in York.” The situation occurred when Noble asked Twitter “What celebrities have you seen, and where have you seen them?” and somebody tweeted and said Lesley Joseph had been in a café opposite where she worked and had been rude to some-

one in there. And so, Noble “turned up there and heard the story. And obviously, legally, you have to be balanced, so I was sat there wearing the face of Lesley Joseph. That sounds massively sinister. I wasn’t wearing it in a Silence of the Lambs way. I got a tattoo artist to do a pencil drawing of Lesley Joseph’s face, and I was wearing it on my face…

Then she walked past the café, so I chased her down the street! That was just amazing.” Freewheeling certainly is popcorn-worthy watching, with a good bit more audience interaction than is usually possible with television shows.

It’s set to be confirmed, but is likely season two will return next year.

A big fan of his motorbike, as evident in Freewheeling, Noble often takes his bike on tour – including clocking up 26,000 kilometres when touring around Australia. “The travelling is the most boring bit of touring,” admits Noble, so be sure to keep an eye out for a curly haired comedian on a motorbike in Cork this December.

Ross Noble will perform in the Cork Opera House on Sunday the 7th of December. Tickets are €25 and available at www.rossnoble. co.uk. Printed with permission from KPPR TV.

Staff Writer Adam O’Reilly talks the talented singer-songwriter Max Jury, about touring with Lana Del Rey and hitting celebrity status Before I had the opportunity to sit down with Christian Eye’s singer/songwriter Max Jury I lay still, lights off with the early works of Jury on loop. To my surprise, I wasn’t greeted by another heavily auto-tuned Pop-track, but instead I was serenaded by the gravelly voice of a young man with the soul of an old Blue’s performer and a hint of danger.

Jury was rocketed into the public-eye after joining Lana Del Rey on her world tour as her opening act. Every young artist would kill to be able to tour with the Siren of Soul and according to Jury, ‘Lana and her band couldn’t be nicer.

She’s such an iconic figure in today’s world and being able to hop on these shows and see the world has been a true honour.’ Jury is no stranger to the Irish audience either, having opened for Del Rey in both Vicar Street and Live At The Marquee, he praises Lana’s fans who have embraced him so kindly - especially during the Cork show where he said, ‘I’m not brown-nosing but, out of all the gigs I’ve ever played, the crowd in Cork has been my favourite.’ Naturally, people from Cork are superior in almost every aspect of life, so it was delightful to hear the Max Jury was on the same page.

It would be impossible to tour with the starlet, formally known as Lizzy Grant, without becoming slightly submerged in her fantastical world centred around the eternal struggle between the American Dream and the American Nightmare. With Jury’s similar taste in a nostalgic ambiance on his record I was curious whether or not touring with Lana Del Rey had influenced his own music, to which he replied, ‘Of course.

More specifically I’ve been influenced by her production style. The vibe of her most recent record is definitely seeping into the music I’ve been making in the last few months. But most importantly watching her perform and engage with the audience has helped me improve

my own rapport with the crowd.’ Although Jury is still relatively new to the music industry he has proven time and again that his own vocals can match the eerily haunting vibes that Lana herself is renowned for. In early 2014, Jury uploaded a cover of Del Rey’s West Coast which was a massive hit amongst not only his own fans but also those of Lana Del Rey. Just like his velvet-voiced mentor, Jury’s songs are filled to the brim with emotion and feeling, the sort of melancholy tune that brings you back to a specific time and place vividly reanimating some of our most beloved memories and at times our darkest ones. After quizzing Jury on whether or not he likes to convey a certain message in his music, he went on to speak about emotion rather than a meaning, saying that ‘it’s more important for me to convey an emotion or a feeling. I don’t want to push a certain idea of what my song should mean on someone. I think it’s really cool when the same song means something different to different people. It is, however, important for me to convey a piece of myself in the music.’ He went on to tell Motley how his music is very much autobiographical

leaving the listener with a gateway into the mind and memories of a brilliant young artist.

Like so many great artists before him, Jury speaks about taking the different issues going on in his life and channelling that pain into his music and lyrics.

Describing his writing process, Jury exclaimed, “when I first started writing, it was a form of escapism. It’s always been therapeutic for me to turn whatever issues I’m dealing with into a song.”

It is this drive and passion that has Jury on the brink of making his dreams a reality, Jury has already sat down with Grammy award winner Mark Ronson and hopes to someday have the chance to work with some of his own personal heroes including ‘Neil Young, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Prince… The list is endless.’ Jury says he admires

people 2who aren’t afraid to learn, grow and be different.”

Jury is definitely on the verge of being shot into stardom, which will provide him with a whole new audience but also the oftentimes overwhelming pressure placed upon artists in the music industry. In relation to this Jury modestly stated, ‘oh, I’m not so sure about that. I’ve got a long way to go.

If I were so lucky, I suppose I’d be a little nervous. I don’t want to end up on VH1’s Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew in 10 years.’ Now is the time people!

Max Jury is seeping through the cracks into the mainstream and he is as addictive as they come. Download Jury’s two EPs: All I Want: The Sonic Factory Sessions and Something in the Air, catch him on his European tour and thank us later.

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Oh Me Oh My DIY!

Fashion & Feminism

PAGE 41

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HANEL FOR WHAT BY

EMILY HORGAN

Upon hearing that Karl Lagerfeld had hosted a staged walk for feminism as part of the Chanel catwalk show in Paris fashion week last month, it evoked mixed feelings within me to say the least. The timeline of emotions went as follows: confusion, curiosity and finally, contempt. Of course, the alliteration just happened by chance.

I don’t want to seem to be ‘ungrateful’ or ‘dissing’ any form of progression for feminism. That would be the last thing any open minded, intelligent and, given the circumstances some women have to face at the moment, privileged young woman would ever do. However, it made me think: has it reached the stage now where we are willing to accept any form of progression just to give the movement airtime?

As a lover of fashion, I could never deny that Chanel as a brand was always supportive of strong, independent women. The tailored, clean cut power suits would be donned only by the finest most powerful and inspirational women. It became iconic - a symbol for females that were liberated from their corsets in the 1920s. It can even be argued that the classic Chanel tweed suit gave the confidence and extra jene-sais-quoi that allowed women like Jackie Kennedy and Marlene Dietrich be successful, allowing them stand tall amongst their male counterparts in an era where women were subordinate and feminism was a myth. However, this was the time of Coco Chanel, where wearing a suit was a massive step for females everywhere. Today, a power suit sometimes isn’t enough to be taken seriously as a female.

So, why do I feel so uncomfortable at the idea of Chanel’s Feminist Protest?

I’ll be honest, it feels as though Karl Lagerfeld and his array of followers are actually making a bit of a mockery of the whole movement. There are a few reasons why I think this, beginning with the fact that Karl himself hasn’t been known to be the biggest supporter of women through the years. Quoted to

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say that “nobody wants to see curvy models on the runway”, Lagerfeld may not be in the running for the ‘Feminist Ally of the Month’ award. In fact, one could argue that his body shaming comments (most famously about Adele) could be seen to be pulling in the opposite direction, forcing the unattainable and objectified image of what a female ‘should be’ onto women who, quite frankly, never can or will fit that bill. However, as they say, that’s show business, and unfortunately the fashion industry is famed for its rigid views on beauty. We can’t blame Karl solely for the industry’s prejudice, so I will (unwillingly) let this slide.

What I cannot let slide is the way the fake protest was conducted. Visually, it was undeniably stunning. An old Parisian boulevard stretched down the Grand Palais, with models marching two by two chatting inaudibly and draped in that iconic tweed. But after the display of beautiful fashion came the almost laughable fake protest. Signs that framed the words “FREE FREEDOM” (nonsensical), “MAKE FASHION NOT WAR” (irrelevant) and finally, “BOYS SHOULD GET PREGNANT TOO” (laughable) were waved around by thin, majority white arms. Alas, there was one male to soothe my feminist soul, holding a feeble sign printed ‘HE FOR SHE’. All is right with the world.

What’s worse than the almost mockery of feminism is that Karl himself didn’t even seem too passionate or pushed about it, being quoted to say that feminism should be seen as something ‘light-hearted, not a truck driver for the feminist movement’. Stunned silence. I’m sure that all the women who feel like they can’t obtain their job promotion, can’t gain further education and who are regularly victimised by society consider it light hearted too, Karl.

If Lagerfeld stood, pushing his idea, saying he was using his opportunity of a world stage to speak for women who couldn’t, that would have made it almost acceptable. However, even Karl himself didn’t believe it to be anything

“What’s worse than the almost mockery of feminism is that Karl himself didn’t even seem too passionate or pushed about it, being quoted to say that feminism should be seen as something light-hearted”

of worth. Which leads me to my final questions: does Chanel see feminism as a ‘trend’ that they can use to leverage the brand and Karl’s own reputation? Is that acceptable in today’s world? Is it not massively inappropriate, given the circumstances, or am I just being over sensitive considering that all advertising uses emotions and reactions to gain audiences and customers? These questions which I originally did not have an answer to when starting out this article festered in my head for quite a while. It’s difficult to know when the line has been crossed these days.

I feel that a major brand like Chanel needed to take baby steps before staging a massive feminist protest on stage for it to seem more plausible. It

had to sort its track record before ever making such a loud noise on feminism.

I also believe that Karl himself could have been more sincere and genuine when backing the staged event.

His lack of belief in the movement itself removed the spine from the demonstration before it even began.

Fashion and feminism will always be in contention, which is a pity because in the right light, fashion can be seen as something that liberates females just as much as any demonstration could.

However, the politics of the industry just don’t bode well for males and females alike, and there is indeed a long way to go before fashion and feminism can be seen to collaborate effectively. I fear that was Lagerfeld’s massive downfall.

His idea was good, but execution was completely flawed and premature.

However, as much as I feel against what he has done, he has projected and displayed the concept to an audience that are sometimes conveyed to think of feminism as nothing more than a ‘few angry women’ which in itself is unfair for people to assume. I just hope that people realise feminism is not just here for the Chanel Spring Summer 2015 collection, but for life.

An iconic man has passed away.

Oscar de la Renta, 82 years of age died on the 22nd of October in the presence of his family after a long battle with cancer.

He was first diagnosed with the disease in 2006. De la Renta’s work is memorable, whimsical and elegant, being best known for his vibrant palette, delicate silks, draping and ruffles. His pieces are fondly described as both modern yet romantic.

De La Renta, born in Santo Domingo, was eighteen years old when he started studying painting at the Academy of San Fernando in Madrid.

During his studies, he sketched clothes for newspapers and fashion houses to make extra money. His dream of becoming a painter quickly changed as he was lured into the world of fashion. His illustration skills landed him an apprenticeship with Cristobal Balenciaga, a renowned couturier in Spain. He received his first proper job at Lanvin-Castillo while on holidays in Paris and two years later, moved to New York to join the American design house of Elizabeth Arden. His journey had well and truly began. In 1965, confident and experienced, he set up his own signature ready-to-wear label.

De La Renta has dressed some of the most famous people in the world for the red carpet. Among them; Nicole

In the last five or so years, the face of makeup has radically changed.

Whereas cheaper makeup used to equate to awful makeup, that is not the case anymore. Inexpensive no longer means low quality where makeup is concerned, thanks to several amazing brands leading the way with quality products that won’t cost you a fortune but still deliver impeccable results.

Enter Me Me Me Cosmetics, a brand that has made huge waves in the last few years, thanks to some truly great pieces. Having initially gained a huge buzz on YouTube and blogs the world over for their uncannily brilliant dupes of certain Benefit products, Me Me Me have upped their game since in

TRIBUTE

Kidman, Audrey Hepburn, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cameron Diaz, Emma Watson, Jessica Alba, Taylor Swift… The list goes on. His designs have also visited the white house, with powerful women like Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Reagan and Jackie Kennedy finding solace in his designs.

One of de la Renta’s most recent masterpieces was made for one of his many famous clients, With his recent passing, Jayne Groarke pens a Amal Alamuddin. De la Renta was featured tribute to the groundbreaking designer. alongside Alamuddin, wearing his outstanding Oscar, with his first wife Françoise de Langlade, handmade creation in a pictured at Truman’s Black and White Ball , 1966.

Vogue behind the scenes photo shoot of her final fitting. For Alamuddin’s wedding to actor George Clooney, The looks were feminine and youthful. announced in October that Peter this idiosyncratic genius with his artistic His looks welcomed us with a common Copping is taking over as the new mind created the most mind-blowing, theme of gingham: showcasing creative director of the fashion romantic, elegant bridal gown anyone oversized pastel pink, followed by house. Copping will show his first could dream of wearing. The dress black and a similar cornflower blue collection for the label in New York was made from ivory tulle appliquéd print. This led into several pieces in in February. De La Renta’s creations with fourteen yards of Chantilly lace white and black broderie anglaise. will be greatly missed by his colossal and a hand embroidered bodice The collection then launched into celebrity fan-base and he will, no with crystals and beads - the perfect vibrant florals, embodying the ideal doubt, be remembered as a fashion princess dress. legend and inspirational character mood for spring.

De la Renta’s last collection was his While Oscar’s time has passed to many designers that follow in his Spring 2015 ready-to-wear collection. his collection lives on. The company footsteps.

REMEMBERING A LEGEND

It’s all about Me Me Me…Cosmetics!

creating some really brilliant bits.

For you Benefit cheek and lip stain fans out there, Me Me Me’s “Coral Blossom”, “Cherub’s Blush” and “Cupid’s Kiss” are dead ringers (at a fraction of the price) for Benefit’s Benetint and pals cheek stains. Me Me Me also have excellent versions of

colour all over the eye when sheered down or layered for greater intensity.

They also make a fantastic base for powder shadows. “Woodland Truffle” and “Hollow Haze” are both fantastic every day colours that will last all day!

The star of the recent launches has been the “Ultimate Eye Palette”, boasting eight shades; each with amazing colour payoff, there is Benefit’s mega hit highlighters like High enough variety and nuance in the Beam and Moon beam in their “Beat shades to create looks for everyday or for a more special occasion.

The Blues” range!

Me Me Me’s eye colours are phenomenal and a kit staple, For a full price list and to see a list particularly their incredible Dew Pots. of stockists, visit the Me Me Me A cream shadow with excellent colour Facebook page at www.facebook. payoff, these can be used as a wash of com/Mememe-Cosmetics-Ireland

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FASHION AND

The Evolution of the Female Inspiration BY

RACHEL MUCKLEY

Not since the bygone days of Campbell, Moss and Crawford have we taken such an interest in who is parading down the Champs Elysees in their underwear. Thanks to social media, we know everything about top models; what they’re wearing, where they’re holidaying to, who they’re dating. It is no surprise then that the ‘It’ models of today are some of the highest grossing and most popular celebrities there are.

But what is shocking is their rejection of feminine style, despite having careers which promote them as the feminine ideal. These women have taken to the streets in ripped jeans, loose vests, boots and shirts and never without an extreme amount of black on an everyday basis, epitomising the Rock’n’Roll edge of the late 80s and 90s. These women inspire female rebellion and their style, loaded with androgynous drama, has in part, caused a female resistance seen in all aspects of life. Their fame has meant that millions aspire to be them, to worship them, at the very least to take note of their status in world culture. Yes, this really is the era of the ‘new’ supermodel.

Exaggerated stereotypical femininity, bubble-gum pink and girlish innocence is now effectively in decline. But is this simply a modern stance on fashion, or a thwarted sense of female beauty? Some might argue that the world of high fashion is slowly sinking into the cavities of masculinity, and we are losing our individuality as women. But the question still remains despite this: why are these women idolised by both men and women, and how are they still promoted as the feminine ideal?

This distressed sense of style is clearly an adaptation of 80s heavy metal bands on tour. The Rolling Stones, Guns and Roses and to some extent Bon Jovi have once more become our fashion icons. It is possible that this edgy style is a direct result of this ‘edgier’ time we live in. The economic recession and counter-innocence movement that arises because of it, has certainly influenced our decisions in other areas of our lives, so why not our fashion choices?

In recent years, there has been an urgent appeal, directly from Hollywood, for women everywhere to rise up in strength and self-worth. This coincides with Emma Watson’s current ‘HeforShe,’ gender equality campaign brought forward at the UN last month, which has had great impact around the globe. The millions of people who have thus far supported the campaign shows that we are a generation of change. Once again, the female voyage of self-empowerment is mainstreaming in Western culture. It therefore makes sense that this new-found push towards liberty in what is perceived as ‘womanly’ results in some form of anarchy in women’s fashion.

A revolution against the pretty is key for 2014.

Many of us are wading our way back to the depths of the 90s; to poker-straight hair, heavy eyeliner, tattoos and piercings, with much of our closets housing only the darker end of the colour spectrum.

Not to mention the infamous neck choker we savagely ransacked the house looking for.

Cara Delevingne, arguably the most in-demand model of the moment, is a perfect personification of this new era for women’s fashion. Her sense of style acts almost as a juxtaposition to the way she views her life. On one hand, she embodies a

reckless sense of casualty and on the other, often rocks up to events wearing glamorously electric, mannish inspired pieces, used to shock yet impress the world of high fashion. Like most models working in 2014, the likes of Miranda Kerr, Jourdan Dunn and Candice Swaneopoel, she goes about her day in beanies, ripped jeans and leather, without a smudge of makeup and her hair pulled back into a two second top knot. In the evening, she transforms. She marches down the red carpet in a dazzling pinstripe suit (either backless or cut to the naval) with her signature squared-off brows groomed to perfection. Her likeability lies, indefinably in her goofy, unapologetic nature. She is neither quiet, politically correct nor afraid to make a fool of herself.

She couldn’t care less if she is described in the media as ‘unfeminine’ and urges her millions of fans to feel the same. She is what we call, real.

However, the influence of the tomboy on clothing lines is not adopted by all.

Landmark 20th century fashion houses who hand-crafted the ladylike looks of Audrey Hepburn, Ava Gardner and others, are desperately clutching at remnants of yesterday’s stylish opinion, trying to awaken a revival of the ‘lady’.

Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, and Dolce & Gabbana tore up the catwalks at Fashion month in September with chic and elegant designs to see us into 2015. ‘Parisian Patrician’ in all ways, including the expense. But the truth of the matter is, until a modern female star steps up and embraces this style as her own, it won’t make headlines and it won’t trend on twitter.

And so we have to ask ourselves, why does this new style appeal to so many? It is clear women are no longer seen as an idle breed of patriarchal days, and this new generation of supermodels are viewed as working women with intelligent interests, without an inkling of superficiality associated with the job. The appeal of icons of the past such as Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth and so on lay in their otherworldliness. Their beauty was out of reach for the everyday woman and they were awe-inspiring because of it. Therefore, maybe in today’s more accessible female stars, women see a true reflection of themselves and no longer feel intimidated by highly glamorous women, or see this as the ultimate objects of male desire.

And as for men…why do they still idolise these modern women on the catwalk?

I believe many modern men see in it a new found sense of identification with the opposite sex through this feminist stance. Even though there is a general concept that all men prefer the typically feminine and curse the day Coco Chanel was born with her trademark black suit, this is not the truth.

But what if we become too casual a generation. Will men eventually crave the womanliness we once publically left define us, so that they can engage with their own masculinity? Will we eventually lose balance of gender and let the scales tip over?

Will we or should we care? I don’t doubt many will side with the likes of Delevingne, because within her, she encapsulates a complete independence from gender. She wears clothes with elements of both sexes, exerting power over both equally. And she embraces each new day without fear of the limitations of the female beauty.

“She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn’t supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.” –Rainbow Rowell.

Author. 2013.

Exaggerated stereotypical femininity, bubble-gum pink and girlish innocence is now effectively in decline. But is this simply a modern stance on fashion, or a thwarted sense of female beauty?

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Oh Me Oh My

DIY

It’s a well known fact that Cork is a hotspot for creativity. Now, thanks to three Cork based bloggers, there is a place to not just nourish your creativity but have a good time while you’re at it. Jayne Groarke meets the three women behind Oh Me Oh My DIY to find out more.

‘Oh Me Oh My DIY’ is a business set up by Jill, Leona and Cathy here in Cork City that organises fun and artistic seasonal workshops with many fascinating speakers and innovative projects to participate in. Jill and Leona first met Cathy when they began organising Vintage Fairs together through their company, Le Chat Noir Vintage Events. Cathy came up with the idea of doing a workshop and so, Oh Me Oh My DIY Workshops was born. Feedback from the first event was very positive and when pictures went up online, the team was inundated with inquiries about when the next workshop would be. Shortly after, they launched a website and sold out autumn workshop tickets in a matter of days. Their success continued to grow, with their winter session sold out in under three hours.

The three crafty comrades shared their story and interest behind DIY with Motley. First, we posed them the simple question; “When did you all first become interested in DIY?” Jill: “I’ve always been a ‘maker, whether it’s tying bits of twig together with a found bit of string or recycling leftover ribbons into garlands… I hoard so much I have to make some pretence of doing something with it!”

Cathy: “I’ve always been into ‘make and do.’ I remember making a rag doll with my mother when I was about 5 years old and she always called me the ‘arty farty’ one in the family.”

Leona: “While Jill and Cathy are the more hands on DIYers of the trio I am more into DIY as a lifestyle and bringing it to other areas like event/party styling, fashion, hair and make-up.”

They came up with the logo very early - three images of a scissors, heart and hammer combined into one. They soon realised that each symbol really represents each of the trio’s personalities, with the scissors representing Cathy, the heart, Leona, and the hammer, Jill. When asked if they were always interested in arts and crafts, the girls were quick to promote the benefits of DIY. “I’ve tried and failed at more things than I can remember... One always gets a great sense of pride from making something yourself even if it doesn’t look exactly like it does on Pinterest.”

The workshops are very much focused on local and small businesses along with people of unique skills and a personality to boot. Each mentor delivers a different style of workshop so products and sources vary, but themes have included recycling and upcycling, home preserving and baking, refashioning and even a lecture on environmentally friendly foraging. All of these skills and the ethos behind it encourages participants to greater self-sufficiency and confidence in their lives.

So far the network’s attendees have been mostly women in their 20s and 30s, friends who want a fun day out, bloggers, stylists, photographers, crafters, mothers and daughters. It suits all with a desire to add their own personal style stamp on themselves and their surroundings. The trio have plenty left to offer from their upcoming winter workshops, as they explained, “we have a lot planned and a lot we’re keeping secret to surprise our attendees with! The DIY sessions include festive floristry, furniture upcycling, crocheting, jewellery making and some home decor ideas. There will be an emphasis on Christmas in our DIYs but no tacky tinsel or bad wrapping paper in sight. However, there will be sparklers and we may have Baubles with a twist!”

Jill, Leona and Cathy have taken part in many projects in their workshops and when asked, the girls struggled to find their favourite project so far. While Jill replied that she “learned a lot from Alice Halliday’s lesson” and thoroughly enjoyed “seeing people’s faces when they’ve made something they’re happy

with - great big smiles and full of pride,” Leona and Cathy had a different take on things. “I don’t think Jill will say this but her sessions are always one of the most popular. She has a fierce ability to share her vast floral knowledge in a funny and informative way. She’s a firm favourite in our eyes.”

The team try to have as many hands on sessions as possible . They also like to include one or two ‘sit back in your chair’ demos so that attendees get a chance to relax and take it all in. Delicious (and pretty!) lunch and a dessert are also included throughout the session. When the DIY classes are all finished, the group celebrate with some fun group photos and a cocktail to toast the day. The secret location twist is always a hit with the attendees too.

Another great addition to the day are the goodie bags given to each attendee. They are aimed to encourage attendees to follow their DIY journey.

They contain an inspirational mix of vouchers and discounts as a way to promote local businesses and encourage them to buy local tools and supplies.

Several fantastic guest speakers have been part of this creation including Natasha Crowley and Alice Halliday to name but a few. Never revealing too much, the girls stated that “we have lots of exciting plans for our 2015 workshop.

What we can tell you is that we are going to stick to 4 seasonal workshops with some of our regular mentors and some new very talented ones. In addition to this we are hoping to hold some smaller themed workshops. Keep an eye on our Facebook page and website for more details.”

All the details including how to book your spot in the next worksop will be available on the website wwww.ohmeohmydiy.com shortly.

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Clothing, accessories and location: Miss Daisy Blue Feathered Head Piece: Potty But Posh Model: Aisling at Lockdown Models Makeup & Styling: Laurence Keating (www.facebook.com/laurencekeatingmakeup) Photography: Amy Frahill Photography

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