SIN Vol. 18 Issue 05 by SIN Newspaper University of Galway

Savage Grace

ISIS Selfies

Macnas' 30th anniversary Halloween Parade photos

What should we make of Snapchat's new role in news reporting?

Page 2, 5

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Ready for the Switch? SIN investigates Nintendo's latest invention Page 26

STInder: make a date with the STI clinic By Sorcha O’Connor

FREE STUDENT NEWSPAPER | VOL 18, ISSUE 05 | 08 NOV 2016

#100DaysOfCalories NUI Galway student fighting cancer with calories By Jessica Thompson A former NUI Galway student and section editor of SIN has launched a campaign to raise money for charity after undergoing aggressive chemotherapy to treat his own cancer. 25-year-old Conor Lane was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer most commonly presenting in children and teenagers, in May 2016. Since then, he has gone through four months of aggressive chemo in an attempt to shrink a massive tumour in his chest. The next phase is a course of radiotherapy and consolidation chemo, followed by surgery to remove the tumour and three of his ribs. “The most bizarre thing about being told that I had a six-inch tumour growing rapidly in my chest, which was quite literally pushing my right lung out of the way to make room, was that I was never out of breath. I played for CNN’s football team on a full pitch and felt generally good,” said Conor. “It’s the horribly insidious nature of the disease that angers me. The worst news people get will be that they’ve likely had cancer for far longer than they realised and in that time it has a way of affecting your body further. It was almost funny when my doctor looked at me and said he’d seen bigger tumours, adding that he was confident that my case was straightforward and very treatable, and that the majority of people recover from this.” Since he was diagnosed, the tumour in Conor’s chest shrunk from the size of a melon to the size of a “fat strawberry”, making him even more positive about beating cancer. But with chemo comes a series of other problems,

Conor and his girlfriend Elisa after the diagnosis. such as a debilitating nausea and extreme weight loss. At six foot five inches, Mr Lane currently weighs 74kg, which is on the lower side of healthy for someone of his size and, in an attempt to put some weight back on, he and his girlfriend, Elisa Brugger have launched #100DaysOfCalories, which will see Mr Lane eating approximately 3,500 calories per day. The challenge was launched on JustGiving. com two weeks ago and has already reached 20% of its £10,000 goal. All funds will go to the Macmillan Cancer Centre, where Conor has been receiving his treatment. “The Macmillan Cancer Centre has been taking phenomenal care of me. The idea behind our fundraiser was that there is no way we’ll ever be able to thank them enough for the help they’ve given me but we wanted to do something that would show how much we appreciate all that they’ve done. I had thought about wanting to do a fundraiser for a long time after I was diagnosed, but hadn’t been in good enough shape to do so. “I would like to be able to say that I’m aiming to run multiple marathons for Macmillan to raise money, a type of challenge that many people do, but being on chemo meant that

was never going to happen at this time, so we had to think about what would be good for me,” he said. Continued on page 2

This SHAG week 7 – 11 November, the Students’ Union in NUI Galway has launched a sexual health awareness campaign with a difference. The SU have created Tinder-style dating profiles for common Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), the profiles using humour and some shock tactics to educate students on symptoms and causes associated with STIs. Students’ Union President Jimmy McGovern hopes the ‘STInder’ profiles will promote a less stigmatised view on STIs amongst students and encourage students to use the free STI clinic on campus, which will have extended opening hours for the week. “We hope that our STInder exhibit will encourage our students to take a responsible attitude to sexual health and to be as comfortable talking about it as they are swiping left or right on Tinder!” he said. “It is vital that such issues are not viewed as embarrassing and that all sexually active students are able to get tested regularly. Last year we secured funding for the free STI Clinic on campus and we encourage all NUI Galway students to use this great facility.” The STInder campaign and the many other initiatives run throughout SHAG week aim to educate students on safe sex and the prevention of STIs. With STIs most common in the under-25 age bracket in Ireland, it is important that students are aware of how vital regular testing is. There are 25 different types of STIs including chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhoea and pubic lice. Other SHAG week events include Sexual Health workshops and a workshop with Kate Dawson, who featured in the recent Asking For It RTE2 documentary, to explore different questions related to the use of pornography. The Students’ Union will also distribute free condoms throughout the week.

Macnas Abooo! See inside for more images of Macnas' Halloween parade "Savage Grace", marking 30 years of spectacle and performance. Photos: Timothée Cognard

2 NEWS

Sin Vol. 18 Issue 5

NUI Galway student fighting cancer with calories Continued from front page Maintaining weight is a big challenge for a lot of people on chemo, and many have no choice but to receive nutrients and fluids intravenously to give them strength for the battle they’re fighting. Specialists were worried about Conor in the beginning because of his weight loss, and he was told it was something he had to work on to ensure effective treatment, and so the challenge was born. The idea for #100DaysOfCalories was originally thought up by Conor’s girlfriend of almost one year, Elisa Brugger. “When Conor got diagnosed I felt powerless, because I wanted to help and I didn’t know how. And after a couple of months feel-

ing like I wasn’t helping enough, I realised that there was a pretty important job that I had actually been doing all along: making him laugh and keeping him happy,” she said. But now Elisa is helping even more by ensuring Conor gets enough calories into him over the next 100 days: “We’re both very excited about it and it’s going really well, so I’m feeling pretty positive about reaching our financial goal for Macmillan. But the fact is that I finally got Conor to eat as much as he should, so the challenge is already a success from where I stand.” To learn more about Conor’s story and to donate to his cause, visit www.justgiving. com/100daysofcalories. You can follow his progress on Instagram at @100DaysOfCalories.

SAVAGE GRACE: 30 years of spectacle and performance with Macnas. Photos: Timothée Cognard

Phew. This was a rather hectic issue to say the least – I decided I’d run 26.2 miles for myself last weekend in the Dublin Marathon so the team at SIN had to really pull out all the stops to get this issue in ship shape. It feels like I haven’t stopped running since last Sunday because of it, but I think we’ve pulled it off and have another fantastic 32 pages for you to enjoy this fortnight. So what’s in store? This week it’s SHAG week on campus so we have everything on that, from all upcoming events, to the lowdown on the role porn has in Irish society today. We also covered last week’s Equality Week, when the Students’ Union held a Privilege Walk to help students appreciate their privilege and recognise what discrimination can mean for different people. We have all the usual strong-headedness in the Opinion Section, we have healthy eat-

ing tips in Lifestyle and the SIN book club continues with a special SHAG week preview of Louise O’Neill’s Asking For It in the Arts and Entertainment section. We have an interview with Bob Skeleton, The Galway Gamer has got the latest from the tech world, and we also have a guest feature from That Epileptic Next Door, who shares their experience of nights out as an epileptic student. It’s a turbulent time in the political sphere too and the final stages of the Trump v Clinton showdown is certainly not ignored this issue, featuring in our Head to Head. With the U-turn done on Brexit across the pond last week, who knows what will be the result of whatever happens Stateside on this very day? As usual it’s a proper mixed-bag and hopefully an issue you will all enjoy. And as always, if you fancy seeing your own by-line in the paper do get in touch! Simply e-mail me editor@sin.ie or come to one of our meetings in AC213 at 6pm on Mondays. Enjoy your fortnight,

Sorcha.

NEWS 3

November 08 2016

NEWS EDITORIAL: CATHAL KELLY & CATHY LEE Our main story this fortnight is that of Conor Lane, a former NUI Galway student taking on a #100DaysofCalories challenge to raise funds for charity after undergoing chemotherapy for Ewings Sarcoma. We have plenty more student news from around the nation and on campus, including the lowdown on SHAG week’s STInder Profiles!

FEATURES EDITORIAL: DEIRDRE LEONARD It’s SHAG week this week and we’ve got you covered in the Features section! We’re looking at the porn industry, being comfortable with consent and all the facilities available to you on campus to get any help you might need. With winter setting in, we’re have some advice on dealing with darker days, free ways to get fresh air around Galway and money saving tips for the colder weather. Enjoy!

OPINION EDITORIAL: EOIN MOLLOY The world watches with trepidation as Americans go to the polls today to choose between Clinton and Trump, between day and night, between Democrat and Republican (er… former Democrat). The dust may have settled on Halloween but the world is now faced with an even scarier prospect: that of a potential Trump presidency! Our writers have tackled the issue in our latest head-to-head debate and discovered that the latest polls have the much-maligned property-and-fake-tan magnate/raging demagogue leading Hillary Clinton by a slim margin. If the worst case scenario happens, that being Clinton failing to get elected and the world rapidly descending into a Mad Max-esque wasteland of sand and fire thanks to a nuclear holocaust, then we can at least hold our heads up high here at SIN for continually slating Trump for the past few issues. Oh and do disregard my last editorial condemning bias in the press in this respect because a Trump presidency could literally mean the end of democracy itself. But hey, there’s always impeachment!

LIFESTYLE EDITORIAL: KAYLEIGH MCCOY In Lifestyle this fortnight we have plenty for you to get reading. Have a bit of a sweet tooth but want to try and stick to healthy eating? Well, we have the answer to your prayers with some alter-

native DIY treats to crisps and a bar of Cadbury’s finest. We also discuss the detrimental effect fizzy drinks can have on the body – plus much more! Happy reading and enjoy your fortnight.

FASHION EDITORIAL: GEORGIA FEENEY Hey everyone! This issue we advise you on the It jacket of the season – the Dad Jacket – and we take a look at the latest from the fashion world, including Kenzo’s new collaboration with H&M! We also explore the designs of Irish designer Emma Manley and loads more besides. Enjoy!

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORIAL: AISLING BONNER & SAOIRSE RAFFERTY Hey guys, how is it November already? We’re not even going to mention the C word… yet. So, this issue we have an interview with guitarist Eoin Hynes from Bob Skeleton, who are having their first EP launch this Saturday in the Roisin Dubh! You can also enjoy a read on how bad but good the X-Factor is… And if the television doesn’t entertain you, have a look at SIN book club for our weekly reviews and previews of good books by good writers. Happy reading!

SPORTS EDITORIAL: TREVOR MURRAY We’re nearing the end of semester one already - the time is flying faster than Smokey’s Pigeon. With exams and deadlines looming, you’ll all have plenty of time to procrastinate, so make sure you leaf through the sports section where we have an exclusive with NUI Galway Ladies’ captain Doireann Hughes, an imaginative look at Leicester City as potential European champions and lots more great content from the team. Plus, I celebrate Conor McGregor ahead of his big New York bout.

Editor: Sorcha O’Connor

editor@sin.ie Layout: Shannon Reeves

Have something to say? Send your Letter to the Editor to editor@sin.ie.

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INSIDE

NUI Galway celebrates one of its most remarkable graduates 4 6-month waiting list as students seeking counselling increases by 41% 5 THROWBACK TIME: 1990 7 Epileptic? Join the club 8 Cheap and cheerful ways to cope with the cold 9 Is it too early for Christmas? 10 Let’s talk about porn 11 Eoin Drones: Mass Hysteria 12 HEAD TO HEAD: The Hillary Clinton Debate 13 ISIS Selfies 14 Why Athenry should keep counting their apples 15 SATIRE: Symptoms of a Boojum addict 18 Exploring Irish fashion design: Emma Manley 19 U.S women hit back at Trump’s empire 20 The best ways to keep your mood up as the temperature goes down 22 Guilt-free snacks 23 Q&A with Bob Skeleton 24 BOOK REVIEW: The Girl on the Train 25 What’s going on in Galway? 26 The Lonesome West Review 27 X-Factor following falls 28 Dundalk have elevated Irish football to a new level 30 Connacht secure Dillane and Aki with new contracts 31

4 NEWS

Sin Vol. 18 Issue 5

NUI Galway celebrates one of its most remarkable graduates By Jessica Hannon Thursday 3 November was a night to remember as NUI Galway’s oldest living alumna Anne Byrne was honoured by her alma mater. Anne who is celebrating 80 years since her graduation from NUI Galway in 1936 was honoured by a public interview conducted by Dr Méabh Ní Fhuartháin, Acting CoDirector of NUI Galway’s Centre for Irish Studies. Anne Byre (née Gannon) was also recognised for her work as the first private individual to make tape recordings of Irish traditional music in Ireland. Anne’s honorary interview took place in Áras na Mac Léinn, NUI Galway at 6pm, followed by celebratory music in The Cube. The event was co-hosted by the University’s Alumni Relations and the Centre for Irish Studies. Aisling Nolan, Alumni Relations Officer at NUI Galway had this to say in anticipation of the event; “Anne’s many vivid memories of her time at NUI Galway in the 1930s will be fascinating for the wider alumni community. It has been a pleasure getting to know Anne over the past few years and we are delighted she is able to join us back in her alma mater for such a special occasion.” Anne’s collection of tape recordings first begun in 1954 and are now a unique archival treasure. She has donated one to the Irish State where it is being digitised and

preserved by the Irish Traditional Music Archive in Dublin. “Anne’s importance to Irish traditional music collection in the mid-twentieth century is only now being given due credit and it

is a real honour to be part of the celebration of that cultural contribution. We will get to hear Anne tell her story, and also get to listen to some of the archive recordings of the music she collected,” said Dr

Méabh Ní Fhuartháin in the run up to the highly anticipated musical celebration of Anne’s work. During the celebrations, pieces from the archive were played in a fully restored format to the delight

of everyone in attendance. In addition, one of Ireland’s most respected and loved musicians, Máirtín O’Connor, performed some of Anne’s favourite tracks on the night.

Anne Byrne who graduated from NUI Galway in 1936, pictured here in the Quadrangle with her daughter Úna Byrne, who graduated here in 1976.

NUI Galway Academic recognised as Teaching Hero at National Award Ceremony

Hudson Taylor to hit NUI Galway

NUI Galway’s Dr Jerome Sheahan has been recognised as a 2016 Teaching Hero by his students in the recent National Teaching Hero Awards in Dublin Castle. Dr Shea-

The singing duo Hudson Taylor are set to perform at the Bailey Allen Hall on 16 November as the first massive student gig to take place on the campus in decades. Brothers, Alfie and Harry Hudson-Taylor began their career on the streets of Dublin as buskers. In 2012, they became ‘Hudson Taylor’ having previously presented themselves as Alfie and Harry. The Irish folk duo rose to Irish fame when they released their EP, Battles, in 2012 which reached number one on the Irish iTunes. The duo later released their first album, Singing to Strangers, in January 2015, which is said to be inspired by their time busking. For the last couple of years the two brothers have toured Ireland, selling out gigs in the likes of the 3 Arena and even performing on other college campuses across the country.

han is a lecturer with the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics at the University. Jointly run by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching

NUI Galway’s Dr Jerome Sheahan (right) accepts the National Teaching Hero Award from Cathal Sherlock (left), Education Officer with NUI Galway’s Students’ Union.

and Learning in Higher Education and the Union of Students in Ireland, this is the second round of these national awards designed to engage and empower students in defining, identifying and celebrating impactful teaching. The Teaching Hero campaign 2016 focuses on innovative, creative and inspiring teaching and its impact on student learning. Congratulating Dr Sheahan on his award, NUI Galway President, Dr Jim Browne, said: “Dr Jerome Sheahan is an outstanding teacher and I am delighted that he will be honoured nationally as a Teaching Hero. “Jerome is an exceptionally committed teacher, whose dedication to his students over many decades is renowned. At NUI Galway he has been honoured twice with a President’s Award for Teaching Excellence. On behalf of NUI Galway I extend warmest congratulations to Jerome on his well-deserved national recognition as a Teaching Hero.”

By Georgia Feeney

Recently they performed at UCC where students were treated to an intimate concert right in the heart of their campus. The same thing is headed for NUI Galway as Hudson Taylor have been booked to perform in the Bailey Allen Hall. It is clear that this is a highly anticipated event, judging from the 824 likes the event page has received with over 200 shares. The show, which starts at 7pm is followed by a Silent Disco at the Roísin Dubh, partners of the event, and the night will conclude with all attendees heading to Electric Garden and Theatre. Tickets went on sell on 24 October at 1:15pm and a queue of fans was lined up in Aras na Mac Léinn an hour in advance, all determined to get their hands on an early bird ticket. Tickets are still available from the Socs Box. For more details visit the Facebook event page: ‘Hudson Taylor: NUIG Exclusive’.

NEWS 5

November 08 2016

NUI Galway Students’ Union hold 6-month waiting list as students Privilege Walk for Equality Week seeking counselling increases by 41% By Sorcha O’Connor The Students’ Union held a privilege walk as part of Equality week on Thursday 3 November. A privilege walk is a social experiment designed to explain what privilege is and how it affects members of society. Students’ Union Equality Officer Megan Reilly explained to SIN how the students who took part stood in a line holding hands. Reilly, who organised the event, then read out a series of statements and the participants took a step back or forward depending on their answer. “It’s a deeply personal experience but also a very emotive and educational one,” said Reilly. “The walk was a visual representation of privilege, not to make people feel bad, but to educate and help understanding of where we can help others.” Reilly explained how the aim of the walk was to encourage students to recognise the privilege they had and allow them to reflect on how they or others may be discriminated against. “People define privilege as not thinking something is a problem because it doesn’t affect you, or that your identities mean you benefit from a system that’s been in place for a long time. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person if you have privilege, but

it’s good to recognise what you have,” said Reilly. “People can be discriminated against based on gender, sexuality, race, age, family background; sometimes all these things at once,” she continued. “We asked the students things like ‘Take a step forward if you see your identities positively represented in the media’, ‘Take a step back if you have ever been discriminated against because of your skin colour’, and ‘Take a step forward if you can show affection for your romantic partner in public without fear of ridicule or violence’. “They’re clever questions - subtle but they display the point well. Everyone started off together and we ended up with a very wide spread of people at the end,” she added. The Privilege Walk was also streamed live on Facebook for students who could not attend the walk to view the event online. Cameron Keighron, one student in attendance at the event had this to say; “Sometimes you don’t realise the lack of privilege you experience until it’s put in this sort of context. I didn’t realise how one sub-section of my identity could severely diminish the privilege I had. I did not expect to be as far back as I was, it so difficult to respect society and the “progress” we have made when the threat of violence is so real for me because of how I may identify.”

By Sorcha O’Connor There has been a 41% increase in students seeking the help of counsellors in Ireland and a further 6-month waiting list to do so due to staffing cutbacks. This is according to research by AHEAD, the Association for Higher Education Access and Disability, and the National Learning Network, a division of the Rehab group. The Union of Students in Ireland has urged Irish colleges to train their staff on mental health awareness in light of this hike in waiting time. The USI indicated in a statement that it was the staff cutbacks during the years of austerity that have had this negative impact on students. USI President Annie Hoey expressed dissatisfaction with the situation. “A student in a state of distress being told to wait 183 days until you can get help is insufficient, irresponsible and extremely dangerous,” she said.

“There are financial strains specifically on students that impacts on their mental health, for example, USI research conducted in October 2015 shows us that 73.1% of students said the high cost of college causes them anxiety or stress, 72% of students are struggling financially to stay in college, and if fees go up, 63% of students said they won’t be able to attend college.” Hoey explained the constant worry over money combined with exam stress and personal problems can be detrimental to the mental health of young people; “This constant worry about financial struggles as well as exam pressures, personal strains and circumstances, can be huge burdens on young people.” Training staff in mental health awareness could temporarily ease the situation, according to Hoey. She said; “Full and part-time college staff being trained in mental health awareness will help as an interim measure to help students experiencing mental illness.”

NUI Galway researcher identified as ‘rising star’ An award-winning NUI Galway researcher, Dr Emily Porter, was selected to attend the recent 2016 Rising Stars Workshop for her work on understanding human soft tissue. The workshop was hosted by Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. The annual academic career event brings together over 60 of the brightest female Ph.D. students, postdocs, and engineers/scientists in the fields of electrical and computer engineering and computer science. Over the two-day workshop the select group presented their work, and focused on scientific interactions and career-oriented discussions. Dr Porter’s research focuses on the dielectric properties of human tissues and their use in the design and development of cutting-edge medical devices. Explaining her research in simple terms, Dr Porter said: “The human body is amazingly complex, and there is still so much to be understood. My interest is in the electrical properties of our tissues, including how our

body interacts with electromagnetic energy such as with mobile phones or magnetic resonance imaging. This work promises to provide insight for building new electromagnetic medical devices for the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancers and other diseases.” Based in NUI Galway’s Lambe Institute for Translational Research, Dr Porter works under the supervision of Dr Martin O’Halloran in the Translational Medical Device Lab. Dr O’Halloran said: “Working alongside NUI Galway’s Dr Róisín Dwyer and Professor Michael Kerin in the Lambe Institute for Translational Research, Dr Porter is developing improved methods for measuring the dielectric properties of biological tissue. This will allow us to have alternatives in future to development of novel therapeutic and diagnostic technologies.” Dr Porter’s research is funded by the European Research Council, Science Foundation Ireland and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Macnas' "Savage Grace" Halloween parade. Photos: Timothée Cognard

The Centenary Conversations, Galway 10-12 Nov Wednesday, November 9th

Friday, November 11th

11.30am-12.30pm Seanscoil Sailearna Indreabhán Co. Galway Éirí Amach Amú/Wrecking the Rising Episode 1 This special screening of the three-part, humorous drama series Wrecking the Rising, (Éirí Amach Amú) previously shown on TG4, will be shown on 9th, 10th and 11th November. These special screenings are primarily aimed at secondary school pupils and their teachers. Admission is free but advance booking is required. Schools should contact Seanscoil Sailearna for further details; tel: 091 593 017 or email: cst@eircom.net. An Irish language event with English subtitles.

9.30-10am Bailey Allen Hall, NUI Galway CONFERENCE EVENT: Address by Ms Heather Humphreys T.D. Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Chaired by Mr John Concannon, Director, Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme 10-11.45am Bailey Allen Hall, NUI Galway CONFERENCE EVENT: Culture and Identity in a Globalised World Chair: Mr Fintan O’Toole, The Irish Times. Plenary Speaker: Prof Clair Wills, Princeton University. Respondents: Prof Claire Connolly, University College Cork; Dr Annie Doona, Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology. Louise Lowe, Anu Productions; John McAuliffe, University of Manchester 10.30-11.15am Schools’ performance Seanscoil Sailearna, Indreabhán, Co. na Gaillimhe Eoghainín na nÉan Connemara Gaeltacht pupils present an adaptation of P.H. Pearse’s short story. Irish language event. Admission: €2 for the schools’ performance. Payable at the door Saturday, November 12th 11.30am-12.30pm 9.30-11.30am Seanscoil Sailearna Indreabhán, Co. Galway Bailey Allen Hall, NUI Galway Éirí Amach Amú / Wrecking the Rising. Episode 3 CONFERENCE EVENT: The Challenges, Promise and Special screening of the three-part, humorous drama. See Responsibility of Education in the 21st Century above. Chair: Dr Mary Canning, Board Member, Higher Education Authority. Plenary Speaker: Prof Louise 12-1.30pm Richardson, University of Oxford. Respondents: Prof Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance, NUI Galway Dympna Devine, University College Dublin; Prof Willie The Experts Bite Back Donnelly, Waterford Institute of Technology; Dr Niamh Special event fact-checking claims by politicians and the Hourigan, University College Cork; Prof Fionnuala media. Admission is free and on a first come, first seated Waldron, Dublin City University -St Patrick’s Campus basis. 11am 1-2.30pm Seanscoil Sailearna, Indreabhán, Co. na Gaillimhe Téatar Uí Chearbhalláin, Áras na Gaeilge NUI Galway Parlaimint na nDán Seach mBua an Éirí Amach Artists share some of the work they have made, in response Diarmuid de Faoite and violinist and singer Nuala Ní to the 1916 commemorations, followed by an audience Channain present a bilingual performance of Pádraic Ó discussion. An Irish language event.Admission is free and Conaire’s The Seven Gifts of the Rising. Admission is on a first come, first seated basis free and on a first come, first seated basis. 2-3.30pm 2pm Bailey Allen Hall, NUI Galway The Black Box, Dyke Road, Galway City CONFERENCE EVENT: Political Futures Tóraíocht and New Paradigms Dramatic re-enactment of Tóraíocht Chair: Dr Maurice Manning, Dhiarmada agus Ghráinne. See chancellor of the National above University of Ireland and €15/€13 unwaged. Booking: www.tht.ie chair of the Expert Advisory Group on Commemorations. 2-3.30pm Plenary Speaker: Prof Brendan Centre for Drama,For Theatre andthis Performance, O’Leary, of Political 3 days November, Ar feadh 3 láLauder i mí naProf Samhna, NUI Galway Science at the University of leading speakers from Ireland tiocfaidh cainteoirí iomráiteacha History Ireland Hedge School: ‘All Changed, Pennsylvania. Respondents: Dr and across the1916 world will as ÓÉirinn agus arNUI fud Galway; an Changed Uttterly... From to Brexit’ Niall Dochartaigh, descend on the city for special Profdomhain go dtíUniversity an chathair The popular series, hosted by aHistory Jennifer Todd, College Ireland editor, ofTommy Graham, Dublin programme talks, debates, le haghaidh clár speisialta de comes to Galway. is free. chainteanna, díospóireachtaí, exhibitions andAdmission conversations. Booking: www.tht.ie 3-4pm taispeántais agus comhráití. A free landmark conference titled Téatar Uí Chearbhalláin Áras na Gaeilge NUI 2-3.45pm Galway 1916–2016: The Promise and Challenge Beidh mórchomhdháil shaor in aisce dar Bailey Allen Hall, NUI Galway will be hosted by Macteideal Piarais i bPictiúir 1916-2016: Dóchas agus Dúshlán of National Sovereignty, CONFERENCE EVENT: Economy, Society and naPiarais Ceannasachta Náisiúnta hóstáil ag OÉ Mac i bPictiúir is a áremarkable retelling of the NUI Galway, with guest speakers including Gaillimh, le haoichainteoirí lenamusic n-áirítear the Well- Being of Citizens and performance. Professor Roy Foster; University of Oxford,Easter Rising through through an tOllamh Roy Foster, Ollscoilcorrespondent Oxford; Chair: Prof John McHale,Manning; NUI Galway. Plenary Dr Maurice Chancellor of NUI, Written by Irish Times political Harry Mc Dr Irish Maurice Manning, Seansailéir Speaker: Prof Kevin O’Rourke, of Oxford. Professor ClairUniversity Wills; Princeton University, Gee.anAn language event. Admission is free and on a Ollscoil na hÉireann; Fintan O’Toole, Irish Times, Respondents: Prof Alan Barrett, Economic and Social first come, first seated basis an tOllamh Clair Wills, Ollscoil Princeton; Jim Mary Browne,Corcoran, NUI Galway, Research Institute; Dr Prof Maynooth Fintan O’Toole, Irish Times; and many more. University; 4pman Dr Jim Browne, OÉ Gaillimh Anthony Foley, Dublin City University. Prof Bailey Allen Hall, agus go leor leorNUI eile.Galway Eoin O’Leary, University College Cork. Dr Conor Skehan, CONFERENCE EVENT: Conference closing session. Dublin Institute of Technology Details to be confirmed. 3.30-5pm 5-6pm Register for your Cláraigh le haghaidh d’áit Téatar Uí Chearbhalláin Áras na Gaeilge, NUI Galway Téatar Uí Chearbhalláin Áras na Gaeilge NUI Galway. Éire shaor in aisce anois ag Galway and the Risingfree place now at Aontaithe www.ireland.ie www.ireland.ie Prof Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh leads a discussion on Galway’s Debate around the concept of a united Ireland, chaired by involvement in the 1916 Rising. Admission is free and on a Raidió na Gaeltachta’s Gormfhlaith Ní Thuairisg. An Irish first come, first seated basis. language event. Admission is free and on a first come, first seated basis 7.30-9pm Róisín Dubh, Lower Dominick Street, Galway 8pm Leviathan: Political Cabaret, hosted by Hector Ó The Black Box, Dyke Road, Galway City hEochagáin. Tóraíocht €15/ €13 unwaged. Booking: www.roisindubh.net See above. €15/€13 unwaged. Booking: www.tht.ie

8.30-10pm Town Hall Theatre Studio, Galway City 16 and Rising See above. €12/ €10 unwaged. Booking: www.tht.ie 8.30-12.30am Áras na nGael Dominick Street Galway City Club Féile na Comhdhála With Rónán Ó Snodaigh, Donnchadha Mac Con Iomaire and DJ Marcus Deaslámhach. €8/€6 unwaged. Payable at the door Register for these events at www.ireland.ie

EXHIBITIONS

Thursday November 10th

8pm The Black Box, Dyke Road, Galway City Tóraíocht Bilingual drama. See above. €15/€13 unwaged. Booking: www.tht.ie 8-9pm (10.30-11.15am -schools’ performance) Seanscoil Sailearna, Indreabhán, Co. na Gaillimhe Eoghainín na nÉan Schools adaptation of P.H. Pearse’s story. See above. Admission: €2 for the schools’ performance. €6/€3 unwaged, for the evening performance. Payable at the door 8.30-10pm Town Hall Theatre Studio, Galway City 16 and Rising See above. €12/ €10 unwaged. Booking: www. tht.ie 8.30-1.30am Áras na nGael Dominick Street Galway City Club Féile na Comhdhála A three-piece band from Inis Mór, Lasrach. €8/€5 unwaged. Payable at the door

A FREE major national conference and fringe programme as part of Ireland 2016

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7.30-9.45pm Bailey Allen Hall, NUI Galway CONFERENCE EVENT: The Promise of 1916 Chair: Prof Mary Daly, President, Royal Irish Academy. Plenary Speaker: Prof Roy Foster, University of Oxford. Respondents: Prof Anne Dolan, Trinity College Dublin; Prof Anthony McElligott, University of Limerick; Dr Rióna Ní Fhrighil, NUI Galway; Prof Emmet O’Connor, Ulster University; Prof Graham Walker, Queen’s University Belfast 8pm The Black Box, Dyke Road, Galway City Tóraíocht Bilingual dramatic re-enactment of the mythological tale Tóraíocht Dhiarmada agus Ghráinne. An Irish language event with English subtitles. €15/€13 unwaged. Booking: www.tht.ie 8.30-9.45pm Town Hall Theatre Studio , Galway City Paddy Cullivan’s Ten Dark Secrets of 1916 ¤ Satirical audiovisual spectacular on the Rising Centenary. €12/ €10 for full-time students, seniors (over-65s) and the unemployed. Booking: www.tht.ie 9.30-10.45pm Bailey Allen Hall, NUI Galway Admission free and on a first come, first seated basis. 2116 Parliament Ceann Comhairle, Hector Ó hEochagáin, will convene a special sitting of the 2116 Parliament. 8.30-12.30am Áras na nGael Dominick Street Galway City Club Féile na Comhdhála Join Aindrias de Staic and his legendary band The Latchikos for a night of ‘Gyp-Hop Trad’, with special guest DJ Billí Bog. €8/€5 unwaged. Payable at the door

www.ireland.ie

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7-7.30pm Bailey Allen Hall NUI Galway CONFERENCE EVENT: Address by An Taoiseach, Mr Enda Kenny TD. Chair: Dr Jim Browne, President, NUI Galway

Until November 27th

Centre for Drama Theatre and Performance, NUI Galway Mná 1916/Women of 1916 This special exhibition, curated by historian and author Sinéad McCoole and commissioned by the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme is open daily and free to the public. Admission free

November 10th-27th

9 Henry Street, Galway The Souvenir Shop contemporary artwork. Admission free

November 10th-12th

10am-6pm The Zoology and Marine Biology Museum, NUI Galway Science Genius Ireland The brilliant young inventors and engineers, Harry and Jack Ennis, from Kilmore Quay, County Wexford, draw on their spectacular work on Anachronica at Electric Picnic this year, to create a Rube Goldberg machine. Admission free

The Centenary Conversations, Galway Comhráite an Chomórtha Céad Bliain, Gaillimh HO

3-4.20pm Téatar Uí Chearbhalláin Áras na Gaeilge, NUI Galway Admission Free Todhchaí na Físe / The Vision of the Future The signatories of the 1916 Proclamation set out an ambitious vision for Ireland. Three special guest speakers will reflect on the future of that vision, followed by an open discussion chaired by Cuan Ó Seireadáin, Conradh na Gaeilge. An Irish language event.

2.30-3.45pm Bailey Allen Hall NUI Galway CONFERENCE EVENT:European Republicanism: The Past and the Potential Chair: Prof Nicholas Canny, NUI Galway. Plenary Speaker: Prof Philip Pettit, Princeton University. Respondent: Prof Iseult Honohan, University College Dublin

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2-2.30pm Bailey Allen Hall, NUI Galway CONFERENCE EVENT: Opening Address. Chair: Dr Jim Browne, President, NUI Galway. Plenary Speaker: Mr Seán Ó Foghlú, Secretary General, Department of Education and Skills

10.30-11.30am Seanscoil Sailearna Indreabhán Co. Galway Éirí Amach Amú, Wrecking the Rising Episode 2 See above

10—12.11.16

@ireland2016

#ireland2016 #centenarytalks

November 10th-12th

10am-6pm Hardiman Library Foyer, NUI Galway Athbheochan na Gaeilge agus an Éirí Amach/The Resurgence of Gaeilge and the Rising Bilingual exhibition in partnership with Conradh na Gaeilge. Admission free

April to November

Hardiman Research Building, NUI Galway A University in War and Revolution 1913 - 1919: The University College Galway Experience A special exhibition, which focuses on the role played by University College Galway in the events of 1913 to 1919.

November 10th-12th

10am-6pm Áras na Gaeilge Foyer, NUI Galway Súil Charad/A Friend’s Eye Bilingual exhibition showcasing 200 years of Irish language newspapers and magazines. Admission free

November 10th

6-8pm

November 11th-12th

10am-6pm Kenny’s Gallery Lios Bán Retail Park Tuam Road, Galway Comóradh Artworks by Gaeltacht based-artists on the theme of the 1916 Rising. Admission free.

FEATURES 7

November 08 2016

DIARY OF A FINAL YEAR:

Did I tell you I went to America? By Caoimhe Tully That’s right, I jetted off for the summer. (I don’t just ‘take a flight’ like the common folk, I ‘jet’… because I’m fancy). Well, it wasn’t as simple as just hopping on my jet. There was an application process for the visa, of course, which I would describe as ‘tedious’, at best. Emails, forms and fees to beat the band! I went through the company SAYIT, who I honestly don’t really have anything nice to say about except for the fact that they got me there in the end. Then there was the American Embassy interview, which consisted of me waiting in a queue for six hours, to be asked what my intentions in the United States of America were. (Just a warning: honesty is not always the best policy. The scary man behind the glass partition does not want to hear that your intentions are to ‘have a blast’). I suppose I panicked a little. It was all very high security and there were men with guns who took my food off me on the way in, so I was a bit delirious. They also took all my electronic devices, so I ended up trying to pass the time by making a mental list of everyone I have kissed, ever. Anyway, the trauma was all forgotten once I set foot on the land of opportunity, peanut butter, cheese, blueberry muffins and sugary everything. “Welcome to the United States, Ma’am!”

everyone seemed to be saying, and I felt like a modern day version of your one from the movie Brooklyn. In order to be welcomed in like this for the summer, you must have secured a job first. That was a little stressful, but some friends and I managed to emphasise our Irish accents enough to bag jobs at a Four Star resort on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Some of us worked in activities, some as receptionists, and some in food and beverage. My title was “cocktail waitress”. Which basically meant I got paid to swan around a sunny rooftop terrace overlooking the sea, with lots of other J1 students from around the world. I had to wear a mini skirt and shirt, hold a tray of drinks on the palm of my hand, and smile at lots of Americans who thought I was “adorable” with my four million freckles. It was great. Like most waitressing jobs in the States, I was getting paid just over three dollars an hour, and living off my tips. I happen to be an absolutely lovely person and brilliant at everything, so my tips were fairly high. But living costs on the beautiful Cape were fairly high too – so I got second job in a little café, where my manager was also high. (In Massachusetts, voters passed a ballot that decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana in 2008.) Most days I worked in the café from 8am to 2pm, and then on the Terrace from 3pm to midnight. I cycled to and from both jobs, on

a bike provided to me by a man called “Papa Deny” who claimed to be doing the work of Jesus. In fairness, the bike was an actual God send – while the Cape is very beautiful, it’s extremely rural and public transport is almost non-existent, so I cycled everywhere. It sounds like a lot of going, but something nobody tells you about the J1 experience is that it gives you the superhuman ability to never feel tired. It’s kind of comparable to a three month RAG week, (with sun, sea and sand instead of hangovers, and iced coffees instead of chicken fillet rolls). Working two jobs also allowed me save up enough money to travel for just over two weeks at the end of the summer, which was one of the best experiences of my life. Now, I know that there are few things as irritating as listening to someone drone on about their “amazing time travelling”, but it really was amazing! I visited Boston, Washington DC, New York, Las Vegas, drove through the Grand Canyon for two days, and finished off on the west coast in trendy San Diego. Along the way, my friends and I found ourselves speaking more Irish than we have in our entire lives, and eating more Reeses cups than a person should in their entire life. When we finally had our fill, we jetted home, and even though we had an air of superior, well-travelled beings, we were never so happy to see a cup of tea or Mammy’s cooking.

Confessions of a Provisional Driver By Aisling Bonner On my 10th hour of lessons my instructor said to me, “Someone said you’re writin’ articles about me.” Oh, ahem about that. Special thanks to my pal who let it slip on her last lesson with the man himself, making it sound like I was writing a series of critical reviews for a newspaper about his lessons. Granted my assortment of driving disasters don’t exactly reflect well on him, it’s not that bad, is it? So there it was, the cat was out of the bag and it was time for the real confessions of a provisional driver to kick in. In a roundabout kind of way (pardon the pun), I managed to sell the idea of this little endeavour without causing carnage. “I mean, like, it’s more like a blog where I like slag myself off, slag you off and try to like, make it funny?” I say, articulately. My instructor ponders for a while before asking; “Do ye think I could post them on me Facebook page?” So I review the posts and review them again and I think, why not? I’m not exactly a model student, but it can’t do too much damage. Naturally, I forget to send him the links. I’m reminded one day when I get a Facebook notification telling me my instructor has tagged me in a post. How he found it, I’ve no idea and what he thought of it, I’ve no idea either. Throwing it back to the col-

umn dedicated to my traumatic coughing lesson, he shared the article with the caption “Sound woman Aisling *thumbs-up emoji* *car emoji*”. A few hours later I’m tagged in a comment which he posts under the article reading: “Aisling Bonner Yer only man. A Fisherman’s Friend. *big smiley emoji*” along with a photo of the dreaded mints I’d mentioned in the article which almost obliterated my taste buds yet succeeded in clearing my nasal passage for all eternity. To celebrate this momentous occasion, I had an itch to drive. As my parents were at The Commitments (coincidentally, the same night as my famed instructor – something he’d almost forgotten about until I mentioned it) the new blue Skoda sat teasingly in the driveway. After a 10-hour shift in work and doing nothing but hanging out with my (fully-licensed) friend at home, I bit the bullet, grabbed the keys and we took the new car for a spin to visit one of the girls (gasp). While the driving aspect went seamlessly (it was late so I hadn’t exactly got anything to contend with) I initiated a panic within five minutes of leaving the house. With the view to explain the disappearance of my Mam’s new baby once we’d arrived at the safe distance of a couple of miles away and were sitting in my friend’s living room watching the 00’s classic

High School Musical 2, I had not anticipated the event that they might arrive home to an empty driveway before we could do so. I also did not anticipate passing by them on our road before I could send said explanation. Thinking I was still in work and watching the new car sail past them by an unidentifiable driver prompted a full-scale panic on my parent’s behalves. Pulling up to my friend’s house, feeling triumphant and a tad bit Facebook famous, I checked my phone to see quite the sum of missed calls and urgent texts. Timed to perfection, in the midst of my explanation, Vanessa Hudgens began belting the absolute banger, ‘I Gotta Go My Own Way’. Holding the phone to the telly, I let Van do the talking and kissed future spontaneous trips with Car goodbye.

THROWBACK TIME Remember this? November 8 1990 Mary Robinson elected as the first woman president of Ireland St Nicholas’ Church Galway

First Saturday in November 1990 compared to 100 years earlier in 1890 Happy 50th birthday Gordon Ramsay “I don’t like looking back. I’m always constantly looking forward. I’m not the one to sort of sit and cry over spilt milk. I’m too busy looking for the next cow.” Home Alone- #1 Blockbuster movie Home Alone topped the box office when released, making $17,081,997 in 1202 theatres. It won a Guinness World Record as ‘the highest-grossing live-action comedy ever domestically.’ #1 song of the week: Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice First hip hop song to top the billboard 100. Based on under pressure by David Bowie. 1990 All Ireland senior hurling championship Galway vs Cork. 2 September 1990; Martin Naughton, Galway, in action at Croke ParkKnown as ‘The best championship decider of the decade’

Toy The Nintendo GAMEBOY hit Europe in 1990. Required cable hook – up for two GAMEBOY’S to go head to head. REFERENCES http://www.songfacts.com http://mentalfloss.com http://www.sportsfile.com/id/1046284/ https://irishelectionliterature.com https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland http://www.thepeoplehistory.com http://www.brainyquote.com

8 FEATURES

Sin Vol. 18 Issue 5

Epileptic? Join the club By Anonymous Hello, I’m Epileptic, a first year here in NUI Galway and a tad irresponsible. I have petite mal with a side of photosensitivity and my triggers are strobe lighting, lack of sleep and probably more stuff me and my doctor still haven’t found out yet. Now, I hate seizures just as much as the next epileptic but what I also hate is getting FOMO when my friends are going out. So, the first week I got here I immediately emailed the Students' Union to give me a heads up about which clubs have strobes and which do not. I got an email back saying that someone else was going to email me about it… that someone didn’t. This led me to ringing some of the clubs, messaging previous students and just speaking to other first years about whether or not there are strobes in clubs. What I found out was not a lot. I mainly just discovered that non-epileptic people don’t notice this at all (I mean at all), that club owners can be pretty sassy even when you’re being perfectly polite and that there are in fact strobes in places but annoyingly they say things like “not every night”, that they “don’t know what nights” and that “it depends on the DJ”. Great. I decided that this wasn’t going to deter me however (maybe not the wisest idea but I’m still here seizure free! However I would advise to know your own limits and don’t put yourself at risk unnecessarily). Now I haven’t gone to every night club in Galway but for now the ones I’m certain that do so far are Four Four, Electric and Karma, the other two I’ve been to are Róisín Dubh and Coyotes.

Equality matters By Megan Reilly Hi everyone, Megan here with another Equality Matters column, tackling the lesser talked about issues, debunking some long held stereotypes and exploring the diversity that exists in every corner of our University. This week I sat down and had a fascinating interview with Eliona, who is a visually impaired student originally from Albania. She’s in her final year of a Spanish and Sociology and Political studies degree and last year was the first student with a disability to travel abroad on Erasmus to Spain. This was the reason I originally sat down to interview her, but as these things go we actually ended up talking about a whole host of things; from stigma of students with different abilities, to her experience here and in Granada in Spain. I first asked about what kind of stereotyping Eliona faces here in NUI Galway and in wider Irish society. “There’s a stereotype that blind means you can’t see anything at all. It means a

The main reason I’m writing this though is so that I can give you some tips on how to avoid strobes and how I’ve gotten away with it so far. So here we go. FRIENDS: Make sure you have friends that

know you’re epileptic and are friends that you know will stay nearby at the least and help you out if you ask them to. PACK DYNAMIC: It’s better to go with a

group so you don’t have to rely on that one person and so there’s more people to calm each other down if you have a seizure and start to freak out. (Let’s face it, you know they will even if it lasts only a few minutes). SMOKING ROOM, SMOKING ROOM, SMOKING ROOM: Yes, for you fellow non-smokers

this is annoying as hell! But smoking rooms don’t tend to have strobe lights. Plus, it’s a great place to have the chats with people.

to walk by a strobe zone so how do you avoid those strobes without covering your eyes with your hands while your friend drags you around all the sweaty drunk people? The trick I’ve discovered is that you should hold up your hands like you do when you’re trying to pass someone, avoid something or get through a small space and place you clutch near your face while doing this towards the area where the strobes are coming from and look down at the ground. It would be handy to have a friend nearby the first time you do this but it’s not impossible to do alone. A guy’s version? What I would recommend is turn your face away looking down towards the ground and pretend to be scratching your head in a place near your eyes and where the strobe source is coming from. Your hand will block the light coming straight at you and looking down at the ground will stop you seeing all the surroundings around you appearing and disappearing with the strobes.

BARS: Although the strobes may be nearby

they don’t tend to have strobes exactly where the bar is, probably because after a while it would annoy the bartenders. (In fairness they already have to deal with drunk people shouting orders at them and have sticky Sambuca all over the place.) So keep your back towards the source of the strobes and you should be fine. AVOID LIGHTS WITH CLUTCHES/HANDBAGS: Okay I know the handbags or

clutches would tend to only really work for the gals but if a guy has a clutch or handbag then this should work for you too. So if you are walking to the bar you’re very likely

AVOID THE DANCE FLOOR: I know there

may be those amazing tunes where you want to get up and dance like a crazy person but try and resist. However, one time I couldn’t stop myself and the next moment I knew I looked like a crazy person while my hair was covering my face, my eyes closed with my head tilted all the way down as if I was staring at the ground while still having my clutch near my face. Luckily enough I escaped seizure free but I really wouldn’t recommend this.

floors which is pretty awesome especially if you’re like me where in your little home town there was only one small club with one overpopulated dance floor. What’s so handy about these different floors though is that in most places there tends to be one particularly bad floor for having strobes so the beauty of the different floors is that you can just hang out at the less strobe-y floors if you don’t want to cough and splutter in the smoking area. ADVANTAGES OF NOT HAVING EYES AT THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD: Another thing

you can do especially if you want to sit somewhere is just keep your back where the strobes are or sit in a place where you can avoid them entirely. It may sound ridiculously obvious thing to do and maybe it is but just try and keep your back to the strobes as much as possible. HAVE THAT MEDICINE NEARBY: Most epi-

leptics tend to have something that stops them having seizure. I personally have a syringe that is put in my mouth so that’s handy enough. You must bring this and you must show your friends how to do this in worst case scenario. Unfortunately, to my fellow epileptics, I know we are all very different and have different triggers so these are only directed towards people who have manageable epilepsy, who aren’t affected by other flashing lights or lasers. Please remember to never put yourself unnecessarily at risk.

ALL THE DIFFERENT FLOOR LEVELS: Now

Love,

in decent clubs there tends to be different

That Epileptic Next Door.

“NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE”: An interview with a visually impaired student about her experience here and on Erasmus cane. But it’s not true. I have vision, just not a full vision. Everyone is different, some people can see colours, and some can see shapes. People always ask me ‘Can you see or can you not see?’ which is a little forward to start with, and my answer is always I can and I can’t.” We then talked a little bit about the college and socialising in a broader sense: “There is this stereotype that I have no social life; that I don’t go out, that I don’t drink. That’s why it’s nice to be asked what it’s like for me to go out, rather than to assume that I don’t go out at all, it’s the same as it is for you. I mean I might need a bit of help getting up the stairs if it is crowded in the nightclub, but it’s nothing impossible.” We moved on to talk about her experience in Spain: “It’s the same as it is for everyone. Being in a new country with new people is a challenge for anyone. The Spanish Department over there were very good. And the Spanish department in NUI Galway have always been a great support

to me even when I was abroad, they never forgot about me or treated me like I wasn’t a student of NUIG anymore. With Erasmus it can sometimes feel like you don’t belong in your home college anymore and you don’t belong abroad, but the Spanish Department in NUIG were always there for me.” We talked a little more about Erasmus and her advice on it for students with impairments who may want to travel, and she had this piece of inspirational advice to offer to the whole student population; “I suggest everyone try it, it’s good to get outside of your comfort zone, it’s how you learn more.” We had an interesting discussion about how everyone has different abilities, but the important thing is not to pigeonhole someone into a box with what they are or aren’t capable of, and let them decide and define. In Eliona’s words: “I don’t like the word disability. Although Dix [Dis] in French is 10, so I always say to people, it’s like 10 abilities, think of it that way.” Eliona is involved in a whole range of

societies, was a Class Rep, took part in extra-curricular activities, and she has long been an activist here on campus for students with differing abilities, from the digitising of textbooks to making sure students with impairments are encouraged to join new societies and clubs. She sums it up by telling me; “I will always fight for more rights as a student, but it’s not fair to think less of me than anyone else.” To finish up, we talked a little bit more about what it’s like to be a student here with a visual impairment. Eliona means business, and is very strong in her assertion: “I’ve been here for four years, am a 1:1 student; that should tell students that I’m ready for this and I am able for this.” We also have a fresh new group of Equality Volunteers, known as the EqualiTEAM, who will plan and run campaigns highlighting issues around equality. If you have any interest in joining the team or being a part of Equality week get in contact with me, Megan, at su.equality@nuigalway.ie!

FEATURES 9

November 08 2016

Cheap and cheerful ways to cope with the cold By Aoife O’Donoghue

all through your lectures while the cold seeps into your bones. November is now upon us and with it comes an You won’t need to be told this twice, but inevitable drop in temperature. Whether you when it comes to all things comfy and cosy, yet live for the beach and the heat of the sun, or easy on the cash, Penneys is your best friend. love nothing more than a woolly jumper and Guaranteed, you can go in and get yourself a the crunch of snow under your feet, you must hat, scarf, gloves for under 20 quid and still look admit that Galway city can be absolutely bitterly stylish. I’ve even seen fluffy earmuffs and beancold in winter. Don’t despair however, we at SIN ies with built-in earphones; sure, how could you won’t let our readers freeze to death, so here go wrong? are some cheap and cheerful tips for keeping It could also be a good idea to invest in a hot warm this winter. water bottle and some blankets. Student houses As is well known from the wise words of our don’t have a reputation for being the most well Mammies, breakfast is the most important meal insulated dwelling places, so these could be the of the day. While this is true all year round, it is crucial difference between a night spent shiverparticularly important in winter. Food generates ing or sleeping soundly. energy for our bodies and much of this energy A really important point is to be sensible with is converted into heat. the heating in your houses. Whether it’s oil or storage heating, heating can be one of the Penneys is your best friend. You most expensive aspects of student living. Have a conversation with your housecan get yourself a hat, scarf, mates and decide when is the best time to have the heating on; usually first thing gloves for under 20 quid and in the morning and later in the evening when people are likely to be at home. If still look stylish. I’ve even seen everyone is going home for the weekend, just set the timer to come on for Sunday fluffy earmuffs and beanies night - no point letting heat go to waste all day Saturday with no one to enjoy it. with built-in earphones; sure, Finally, I personally love the winter, so I would advise you to embrace the change how could you go wrong? in seasons. Hot chocolate, fluffy scarves, the arrival of the Christmas market – it’s So as tempting as it might be to stay in bed all ahead of us. So try not to be a negative Nancy for those few extra minutes in the morning, it and complain about the cold. Instead, take a leaf would be much more beneficial to get up and out of Elsa’s book and build yourself a snowman. make yourself a warm bowl of porridge. “Porridge?!” I hear you exclaim in horror; don’t be fooled by images of Oliver Twist’s gruel. Spicing up your porridge with some cinnamon, fruit or honey can actually be a really delicious and warming start to a frosty winter day and is fairly By Georgia Ryan easy on the wallet. Sticking with the subject of food, it has to be Nestled in the corner of the West of Ireland, said that there’s nothing nicer in the winter than Galway City’s natural charms can often be something bulky and comforting. Soups and overlooked by many in favour of the multistews are the perfect candidates for this descrip- ple pubs and restaurants that the city has to tion, being warm, filling and nutritious while offer. While many of Galway’s attractions can tend to revolve around a drink or two, there’s also being cheap and easy to make. If you don’t want to add meat, or feel it plenty to be done in the city without the need stretches the budget a little, you can fill them for a Sauvignon Blanc. Although the Latin up with inexpensive vegetables, beans, lentils Quarter and many of the city’s famous pubs and chickpeas which will provide the bulk and offer an excellent night out, let’s have a look the nutrients. Cooking such dishes in bulk and at some of the spectacular and free sights freezing individual portions to take out when- around Galway to lift your mood these fresh ever you want them is also a convenient and winter evenings. cost effective way of managing your meals over THE SALTHILL PROM: Galway’s 2km promthe winter. One of the not-so-pleasant experiences that enade has attracted many tourists over the many NUI Galway students have faced is the years, and rightfully so. Starting at the end of walk across the Quincentenary Bridge on a cold, the Claddagh and taking you all the way out wet, windy morning. Wind seems to come from to Galway Golf Club, the prom offers dazall directions at once and just when you think zling views of Galway Bay as well as a fine you’ve made it to the end, you look up and real- view of Co. Clare. From dusk till dawn, you ise you’re only halfway across. can see people stomping the pavements in For just such an occasion, a useful tip is to an effort to breath in some of that fresh sea layer up your clothes. Instead of relying on a air as well as traditionally kicking the wall bulky coat for heat and then having the rain soak at the end of the venture. Although it can be through it, wear a few more under-layers for heat daunting to stick on your runners and get and then keep dry with a raincoat. That way, out there, the feeling at the end is definitely you won’t have to sit slightly damp and sticky worth the trek.

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The best things in Galway come free BLACKROCK DIVING BOARDS: If you’re not

feeling so fresh at the end of your walk on the prom, why not cool off by taking a dive off our very own (free) diving boards at the end? There are some people in Galway (young and old) who take the plunge off the top diving board every day of the year, including Christmas Day! There’s no denying that the view from the top is breathtaking, and the water temperature is equally so. If swimming in November doesn’t appeal to you, there’s nothing stopping you from wrapping up well and just heading out for a look – nothing like the sea breeze to wake you up. ROADTRIP: Just on the outskirts of Gal-

way, you’ll find some of the most beautiful landscapes the world has to offer. From Connemara National Park to the Cliffs of Moher, the countryside is not something to be taken for granted. Although it might be a little tricky to get the right weather for such a trip, as soon as the skies clear, grab a few mates and hop in the car for no more than a 30 minute spin out to Connemara. If you don’t drive or Connemara is a bit too far away for you, don’t worry! Hare Island is a little known gem located just five minutes outside of the city off Ballyloughane beach. It’s a little known fact that every time the tide

goes out, a walkway appears straight out to a small island that’s got plenty of wildlife and scenery to view. Perfect for a sunny afternoon, Hare Island is definitely one of the city’s hidden gems away from the bustle of busy streets. SPANISH ARCH: Galway’s Spanish Arch is

definitely the place to be on a good day. As soon as the sun comes out, throngs of people seem to appear sitting on the water’s edge. The views from the Arch over to Long Walk and out towards Galway Bay can compete with views anywhere in the world, and it’s right on our doorstep. Even in the height of winter, taking a trip down to the Arch for a walk or a sit is definitely worth the time. PEOPLE WATCHING: If you’re wrecked after

all this running around, why not enjoy your evening by taking part in one of Galway’s favourite local activities, people watching! Galway is famous for its friendly people and lively streets, so what better way to spend the day than sitting outside one of the many cafés that line the city’s main streets. There’s always a busker or two to be heard and odds are if you sit outside McCambridge’s for more than ten minutes, you’ll soon have plenty of friends.

10 FEATURES

Sin Vol. 18 Issue 5

Is it too early for Christmas? By Amy McMahon Halloween has officially come and gone and already the city is covered in Christmas decorations. Is it too early for festive cheer? Hon-

estly it seems like every year we’re starting earlier and earlier, turning Galway into tinsel town by the middle of October. Let me be the first to admit that I adore Christmas. I love

every single thing about it, from the shopping to the endless stream of food. However, I think the Christmas hype should only start on the first of November – no sooner, no later. The shops have been stocking Christmas gifts and decorations for weeks now, even though we were all still waiting for Halloween first. In what world is it justifiable to sell Halloween costumes and festive baubles at the same time? As someone working in retail, I was both shocked and horrified to hear people “just finishing up their Christmas shopping” in September. September! Yes, these people are clearly extremely organised, but surely they could wait until November at least to start the shopping spree. Despite the fact it is weeks to Christmas and we have all the time in the world to start our shopping, we can often feel pressured to start buying into Christmas much earlier than is necessary. Facebook and other social media sites feed into this too with Christmas countdowns. Like I said, I love Christmas but a fact like “It’s 100 days to Christ-

mas!” is not something I need to know in my daily life. Aside from the commercial Christmas hype, there is an unwritten rule surrounding Christmas songs and decorations at home. You are not allowed play a Christmas song until well past 1 November, simple as. Also, the first few festive songs you listen to should include the classics, Fairytale of New York, All I Want for Christmas is You and Baby It’s Cold Outside. As for Christmas trees, they shall not be put up until 1 December - at the very earliest. Shops, like Brown Thomas, have found a loophole in this well-known and crucial law and decorate their shops at the end of October; Christmas trees, fairy lights, the works. I think starting the Christmas hype on 1 November annually gives us all a fair chance to fit the best Christmas activities into the seven week build up so that we are fully ready for the most wonderful time of year. Ice-skating is an obvious priority this time of year that everyone should do. It’s the ultimate group activity for bonding and getting in

the Christmas spirit. Next on my list is visiting the Christmas market. The Galway Christmas Market will be here on 20 November to 22 December 2016 and I am so excited. I can’t wait to see Eyre Square transform into a Winter Wonderland before my eyes. NUI Galway is also bringing the Christmas cheer to students even earlier on the 17 November with the Student Union Christmas Day in the college bar and an after-party in FourFour and Electric, with free entry wristbands. Tickets are on sale now from the SU Office. Get your Christmas jumper at the ready! Even though we are celebrating Christmas over a month earlier, there’s something nice about celebrating it with our friends, the family we choose, in our second home in Galway. I truly believe Christmas is a magical time of year. I think we should preserve how special it is rather than prolong the lead up. A two-month wait is long enough. They say, “what’s seldom is wonderful”. Christmas only comes around once a year, let’s keep it that way or else before you know it you’ll be buying stocking fillers in August!

THE POSITIVE ECONOMIST: why you could benefit from sharing notes with fellow students Are you afraid that college is so competitive, you won’t share your notes with others? I understand your concern – but there is a very strong case to be made for sharing information... I recently had a chat with a friend, about her time in secondary school. She was a good student and once it became known that she actually did her homework, it regularly happened that a few students would ask for her notes in order to copy out her homework before the class, in case the teacher asked them for the solution to the exercise he had assigned.

her street cred. Well – it didn’t. The students who kept asking for her homework hardly remembered her name. Still, she reflected that she would still share her notes with true friends and people who would ask for explanations on top of simply the key to the exercises. In fact, helping somebody else with homework and assignments is a huge bonus for you because, when you have to explain something, you discover the holes in your knowledge (which you can then fix), and you anchor a better understanding of the subject.

Are you helping others – or helping them cheat?

Sharing your notes the right way will improve your own grades – and even your CV

She wished she had had the strength to say no but, being seen as a “swot”, she was afraid of making her situation worse, by being seen as “the swot who doesn’t want to help”. She hoped that, by helping these students to cheat (because that’s in fact what it was), it would improve

I could absolutely empathise with her story as I was that swot in secondary school and college, and knew all about it. However, there actually is a constructive way to share your notes with other classmates, one that creates a win-win situation, helps

everybody improve their marks and saves you time and effort. It can be a study group with other like-minded students with serious work being done during dedicated periods. It can be a homework bank with the members of your study group: the person who is good at a technical subject can helps those who struggle with it by walking them through the solution. The person who is good at exam technique can critique answers. The person who is good at languages can quiz others on vocabulary and help correct their sentences or pronunciation, etc. The advantages of these study groups and homework banks include building organisational and collaborative skills and you get better at empathy. If you’re the “explainer”, you get better at taking the perspective of the person who doesn’t understand. If you’re the one who doesn’t understand something, you get better at framing your question in such a way that others can actually help you.

You can then refer to these skills on your CV and LinkedIn profile as employers are looking out for these attributes when they recruit new staff. “I co-ordinated a 6-person study group and homework bank. We met once every two weeks for a study period of 4 hours with regular breaks. We all improved our grades by at least X%.” How does that sound? That would pack a real punch!

How to organise an effective study group Here are some guidelines: • Always struggle with a difficult problem first, before going to the solution. But instead of sweating blood over something for a whole afternoon, try for one hour only, then ask someone to help you. Struggling to understand or remember has actually been proven to improve understanding and memory! • If you’re the helper, never only give the solution to an exercise: ask the other person what they struggled with and give them hints one by one, until they

come at the solution themselves. • If you are struggling with a specific subject or topic, make sure to ask the lecturer for help. Go to the lecturer with very specific questions (“Here in this exercise I don’t understand this specific step when solving for x: why does this happen / why do we introduce that symbol, etc.”) Be strategic with your notes and who you share them with, but take this opportunity to build teamworking and collaboration skills. Your college grades will improve, and you will turbo-boost your employment perspectives. Susan HayesCulleton is a Chartered Financial Analyst and Managing Director of HayesCulleton Ltd. She was, and still is, very much a swot, and proud of it! In fact, she loves helping people learn new things so much, her company has delivered training on three continents. Sign up for her newsletter at thepositiveeconomist. com/subscribe.

FEATURES 11

November 08 2016

Let’s talk about porn By Kate Dawson We really love porn in Ireland. In fact, we’re ranked 4th in the world in per capita page views, after the USA, UK and Canada. There are loads of benefits to using porn: learning about new sexual positions, using it as an aid to masturbation, exploring your sexuality, etc. Unfortunately, there are some pretty awful things in it too: abusive language, sexual coercion and violence. One of the major concerns that people have about porn exposure is that young people are going to stumble upon violent porn and become sexually aggressive. Thankfully, this does not seem to be the case. We know from the research that’s out there, that the majority of people don’t seek out porn which features rape and sexual assault – that kind of porn is actually a lot harder to find than you would think. We also know that people who don’t have a predisposition to violence and who do stumble across violent pornography are generally disgusted by it and turn it off. Most people who watch porn, watch it alone, in the privacy of their bedrooms. Approximately 40% of Irish children start SU Life Skills.pdf

25/08/2016

19:49

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Do you want to participate in these discussions? If so, please do drop in and join us, in the NUIG SU Boardroom from 2-3pm on the 9 November. Kate Dawson is a Doctoral Researcher in the School of Psychology, NUI Galway.

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discussed in a non-judgemental way. The workshops provide students with up to date, factual information about porn and de-bunking myths about the porn industry. In the workshop, students work in small groups to discuss different questions related to porn; like what are the good things about pornography and what can we learn from it, we explore the downsides and potentially negative effects and everything in between. The workshops help people to understand the facts and make their own minds up about porn, by asking these types of questions: Does porn make people feel bad about their bodies? Does porn affect sexual performance? Does porn influence sexual violence? Is porn sexist? Is porn addiction a real thing? Porn is here to stay, so we need to get on top of it.

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to want it and love it, all of the time, so you should too, right? There must be something wrong with you if you don’t, right? So wrong! Porn is a performance; the actors are paid to do these things and to look like they love it, and some of them do. These people are naked for their jobs, of course they’re going to spend a lot of time in the gym and be in good shape! I heard a good analogy recently: We don’t watch a high-speed car chase in a film and think that that is what all driving is like, because we see people driving every day. But we don’t get that point of reference for sex. We don’t know what sex can be like, until we have it (or see it in porn). People need to be supported in their learning when it comes to sex. They need to be educated about consent, about sex and about porn, from a young age. It is time that we begin these discussions, both privately and publicly. To help start these conversations, we have developed a porn workshop that will be running in NUI Galway during SHAG week. The aim is to enable people to feel comfortable discussing pornography and to create a space where opinions can be shared and

doing this for the first time, around age 10 – and that’s really young: porn is designed for adult use! What’s troubling is, is that this particular age group are very vulnerable to sexualised media, because they are sexually inexperienced, but very sexually curious. Many children of this age are provided with little or no sex education in schools, so porn is providing them with a very valuable educative resource – teaching people ‘where things go’, what genitals can look like and how they function, etc. Most porn, however does not teach us about sexual consent. Porn is scripted. The actors, (most of the time) consent to the sexual behaviours that they are going to do, before they go on to be filmed, so viewers never get to see the giving and receiving of consent to each sexual act. This is hugely problematic. If you are a young person, who didn’t get the best sex education in the world (like many Irish people), and all of sudden you’re in a situation where you might have sex, you might not be aware that sexual communication and consent is an extremely important part of that. Or, you might feel pressured to have sex, get a blowjob, get fingered etc., because everyone in porn seems

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12 OPINION

Sin Vol. 18 Issue 5

EOIN DRONES: Mass Hysteria By Eoin Molloy On Wednesday 26 October, Irish Facebook servers went into overdrive. The cause? A seemingly-innocuous event page for a Sunday mass hosted by a page entitled Sunday Morning Mass on RTE was essentially transformed into a giant millennial forum into which the ‘dankest’ of memes were poured for all to gaze at in wonderment and awe. At first glance, it looked like a legitimate event was hacked, however, it seems as though the entire thing was a hoax. Posts on the event creator’s page date back to May 2012, all of its statuses intent on taking the mickey out of church-goers. If you are between 18 and 25, I am absolutely positive you will know what I’m talking about. For those who may not have seen the page, I will attempt to explain. The hilarity of this situation lay in the posts that young, predominantly Irish Facebook users were leaving on the event page. They ranged from the mandatory Father Ted memes to more edgy posts by fake accounts. Most of the posts sought to conflate mass-going with attending a festival or ‘club night’, as it were, with one genius commenter advertising the ‘kneeling

tickets’ he had for sale! What was interesting is that the posts all conveyed a sense of shared experience. Since everyone on the page was of a similar demographic (which is strangely uncommon on the internet) there was a striking uniformity about the experience. For example, most of us remember studying Junior Certificate history, of which Martin Luther’s reformation played a starring role. Therefore, everyone was ‘in’ on the joke when a fake page carrying Luther’s name and likeness posted the genius line: ‘Hey guys, nice event, mind if I suggest a few changes?’ He re wa s a ra re o c c u rrence: everything that tickles the humour of Irish millennials presented together in one easyto-reach space. The jokes poked fun at Eamonn Dunphy’s theatrically-overt admiration for Wes Hoolihan, our sense of grief at losing Harambe and of course our fondness for festivals and ‘the sesh’. At the time of writing, the event page has 110 thousand confirmed attendees, a little more than you would expect to squeeze into your average church – no matter how many ‘kneeling tickets’ are going cheap! That being said, not everyone appreciated the well-intended humour. There were a number of objections made, lamenting the absence of reverence amongst the jokers – with one person even inferring that those who made jokes at the Lord’s expense were going to hell. Yikes.

And here it was at long last: the irreverence and hedonism of millennials that we have been told existed for so long, served up in front of our very eyes. One genius example of this would be the recurring likeness that was drawn between the body of Christ and what we shall diplomatically call ‘party-enhancing pills’.

youth of today exist in a world that is entirely predicated upon the pursuit of fleeting pleasures, sometimes to our own detriment – whether this is desirable in the long run or not is another matter entirely. The point that matters, though, is that we live according to our own rules nowadays, and this

If you are between 18 and 25, I am absolutely positive you will know what I’m talking about. For those who may not have seen the page, I will attempt to explain. The hilarity of this situation lay in the posts that young, predominantly Irish Facebook users were leaving on the event page. This Facebook-led mass hysteria is symptomatic of the youth of modern Ireland – we are more than willing to cast away the shackles that bound previous generations in the pursuit of individual enjoyment. Moreover, the mass page phenomenon seems to suggest we are patently incapable of taking anything serious as a generation, save perhaps the all-important sesh. Furthermore, the occurrence illustrated the generational divide that exists between us and the generation that preceded us. We are no longer bound to institutions by guilt. It seems the

peculiar Facebook congregation highlighted that very fact. It also has to be noted that every single joke was carried out in good (if somewhat questionable on occasion) humour. When left to our own devices, we do not descend into anarchy. We are far too busy captioning photos of Pope Francis skulling a glass of wine to even think about such heinous notions. Deeper still, the page illustrated our propensity to be extremely self-deprecating. In mocking mass attendance, something that has been a cultural hallmark of our society for generations, we are poking fun at ourselves.

The aforementioned person who did not find the page so amusing intimated that the page would not be half as funny if it were mocking Judaism or Islam. I mean, the Charlie Hebdo affair kind of put paid to anyone making fun of the latter group. All said and done, that person was probably right in her inference. However, she missed the point completely. There is something beautiful about this strange internet gathering – we are mocking ourselves, not swarming around and attacking some hapless minority as usually happens in the darker recesses of the net. Anyone who has spent time reading message-boards or Facebook comment sections on the internet knows how hard it is to reach an absolute consensus about anything, there are simply too many differing opinions out there. It was nice to sit back and see us all agree on something in near unanimity on the internet for once – together the contributors made a collective effort to tear down the last remaining shackles of a oncepowerful Irish institution the only way this generation know how: by making offensive jokes on Facebook. You can find the page here: https ://www.facebook.com/ events/1803684463203226/ Cautionary note: This is not intended as an express endorsement of every joke that appeared on the page, I hadn’t time to read all 20 thousand. Also: Ts and Cs apply. Batteries sold separately.

Is free third-level education possible in Ireland? By Connell McHugh While typing the headline for this article, I stopped for a moment. Why am I questioning something which everybody I’ve talked to agrees with? We, as students, desire a third level education which provides us with career opportunities and without the burden of high fees each year. Past students faced the hike in student fees after the most recent economic crash, but now that the situation is improving, we want that lowered or indeed abolished. I am a student so therefore I must keep my student hat on and not go against this notion. In an ideal world the above would be the case. We would all receive a free education from when we enter junior infants until we decide to complete our studies,

be that at second-level or further on. But as we all know, we do not live in an ideal world. Free education is something that is universally lauded as a good thing. However, Ireland’s job market is undeniably saturated and it could be said that we are churning out more graduates than the country can employ. In a set of statistics compiled by the Higher Education Authority, it was stated that there were 23,243 newly entered full-time undergraduate students in the country in the academic year 2014/2015. That number was up 1,337 from the year 2009/2010 and continues to grow yearly. The job market is growing at a much slower pace than our universities seem to be able to handle, which then causes many graduates to seek further education. These postgraduate courses often put stu-

dents in employment where they are deemed to be overqualified. Education is a right that each of us should have the opportunity to undertake and financial situations of individuals and their families should not disrupt this. However, would any of us be able to find employment if we attained qualifications to the highest possible standard for free? Employers do not want to hire overqualified candidates, so we are possibly hurting our own chances if the government choose free education as the way of the future. These candidates often feel that their salaries do not reflect their educational background and can feel underwhelmed in their positions. Their employers can sense that they don’t truly understand the role of the job and that they’ll leave when something better comes along.

There is also the question of whether, and if so, why, college students should receive the enormous funds required to pay for third level courses instead of primary and secondary schools nationwide. Many believe that by providing free college education those who cannot afford it themselves will be able to go to university. However this is a questionable way of thinking according to some in positions of status in educational fields. Professor Louise Richardson of Waterford and vice-chancellor of Oxford University has stated that more funding is needed in earlyyears education if poorer children are to compete with other students for third-level places. In England, where a loan scheme is used, poorer students’ participation rates in higher education are

higher than in Scotland where fees are paid for by the government. With my student hat on, I am whole-heartedly against the loan scheme which has been suggested by the government, but when I take it off, I dwell on that EnglandScotland situation. The Netherlands has a fee-system with greater funding from the government and 13 of their universities made it into the Times Higher Education’s latest top 250 list. What is best for the country as a whole and individuals is not the same thing, which is where the crux of the situation lies. Students want and some need free education, while the country needs to maintain the tiered system that is occurring. I do not envy the government and the decisions that will have to be made in the coming months and years.

OPINION 13

November 08 2016

HEAD to head

US Election 2016: The Hillary Clinton Debate

Hillary Clinton: the lesser of two evils or a dangerous complacency

The CV of dreams: A case for Clinton

By Cathal Kelly

The US Presidential race has been one of never-ending tabloid controversies with a scarily hefty helping of what you would imagine would be campaign-ending scandals. But hey, what’s a bit of locker-room talk between a potential president and former president’s nephew. It seems blatantly obvious to the rational-minded person who the more stable, experienced, capable, intelligent, safe, predictable, mature, skilful, sophisticated, sane candidate is – at least. Without even mentioning the absolute car-crash candidate that is the corrupt, misogynistic and bigoted Donald Trump (I couldn’t help myself ), the case can be made for Hillary Clinton that would see her trounce almost anyone in a normal campaign situation. The facts speak for themselves. As the only female graduate in her class, Clinton secured her Doctor of Law degree from Yale Law School in 1973. She went on to work for the Children’s Defence Fund before teaching at the School of Law at the University of Arkansas and founding the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. In her career as a lawyer, she became the first female associate and later, first female partner at Rose Law Firm in Arkansas, the third oldest firm in the US.

The 2016 US presidential race is the greatest example of a Hobson’s choice, a Catch 22 scenario. If they vote for Donald Trump, they will probably live to regret the decision for all of 2 weeks before all hell breaks loose. However, they won’t be covering themselves in glory with Hillary Clinton either. The fact that the first woman with a real chance of being the most powerful person in the world is loathed by half her own country, and is still only marginally ahead in the polls of a sexist and racist man who believes China invented the “myth” of global warming, is a hugely worrying sign for democracy as we know it. Clinton has been called everything in the media from evil, to crooked, to Lady Macbeth since she became First Lady in 1992. She has always been an Establishment candidate, especially with her supporters ranging from political elites to Wall Street’s finest. She has also been extremely contradictory; in this campaign, she champions herself as a hero for LGBT members and women. She has not shied away from her support for gay marriage and open access to abortion for women. However, in the past, she has been completely against these things. She also said in an interview earlier this year that she supported building security fences to prevent illegal immigration, yet lambasts Donal Trump in the media for trying to garner support to “build a wall” between the states and its southern neighbour to prevent illegal immigration. She also chopped and changed between supporting and rejecting a free trade deal with Columbia. This raises the question as to whether or not she will say anything to get elected, and with her previous record on contradicting herself, when it best politically suits her, it seems the best answer to that question is unfortunately yes. She has huge connections to Wall Street, and has been in the centre of Establishment politics since 1992, going from the First lady, to senator, to Secretary of State, and now to the potential first female president of the United States of America. Throughout this time, she has earned herself a lot of opponents both inside and outside the political sphere. People have attacked her most recently for her handling of embassies in Bengasi, Libya and other countries, that were bombed and where American lives were lost. This has raised the question, among her opponents, as to whether or not she is suitable to be put in charge of the security and safety of arguably the most important country in the Free World. The scandal surrounding her emails has added fuel to the fire. The huge issue of whether or not the Secretary of State should

have had a private email server puts question marks over her suitability. Donald Trump is a huge threat to the USA and the rest of the world. He has described the election as being rigged, detailed how he would kill the families of terrorists, and openly described how he would deal with ethnic minorities, women and other groups of societies. The list of reasons as to why he shouldn’t be president paint him as the threat to the very existence of freedom and democracy he is. Hillary Clinton is the lesser of two evils, but is that democracy? The fact is that two party political systems are dangerous; vote one party in to get out the other. This election is an example of what happens when both parties field candidates who are as unpopular and precarious as the other. The fact is that for the safety of the planet, Clinton should be leader of the free world. The historic nature of being the first female president is overshadowed by her unpopularity; she is struggling to beat a man who is overtly dangerous. The fact is that the wrong First Lady is running for the presidency. Michelle Obama is hugely popular, especially among the youth. If she was the candidate, this race would be well wound up. Maybe in another four years, eh?

By Aisling Bonner

Already establishing a career of firsts, in 1993, Clinton became the only First Lady to own a postgraduate degree and have established a professional career of her own ahead of entering the White House. Her role as First Lady was more central than most before her and she fought primarily for children’s health and education. She would later be elected the first ever female senator for New York in 2000, and re-elected in 2006. Between 2009 and 2013, Clinton served as US Secretary of State for President Obama, one of the four most important Cabinet positions in the US political system. With a Curriculum Vitae enviable by most presidential candidates before her, there is no question that Clinton has experience in abundance. Technically speaking, she holds an edge over all candidates who have come before her in that she has literally lived the life of a president through her husband, Bill. Careful not to use her husband’s career to advance her own, Clinton has not monopolized on this claim as much as she could. Remove this from the equation and your left with an 8-year stint as New York Senator and 4 years atop the US Cabinet. But instead of actually hearing the words Secretary of State, the word on everybody’s lips is ‘emails’. Those emails, though. Not to condone her actions in any way, the media has inflated Hillary’s email saga to an unprecedented scale, having a far greater impact than any FBI-recommended charges might have had (charges which, I might add, the FBI deemed were “not appropriate”). The fact that Clinton’s emailing error might actually trump a slew of sexual assault and inappropriateness claims is a scary reality in itself. However, despite having the potential to destroy her campaign, the media’s over-exposure of her greatest controversy may go in her favour – she ain’t making that mistake again. The case for Clinton could not be made without pointing out the underlying sexism which lies at the heart of this Presidential race. There is a sour taste in the mouths of many of her discreditors because of her gender. It is the reason why her marital issues are thrown in her face, why her experience is questioned, why she is referred to as ‘shrill’ and lacking ‘stamina’, and why her every move is being scrutinised under a hyper-magnifying glass, willing her to falter. You can make a case for Clinton without even mentioning her opponent. In an exceptional case such as this, the case for Clinton including mention of her opponent seems so easy it wouldn’t be a fair debate.

14 OPINION

Sin Vol. 18 Issue 5

ISIS selfies By Grace Kieran On Wednesday October 19, Kurdish and Iraqi troops were fighting to take back Mosul, a city in Northern Iraq that has been under Islamic State government for over two years. Snapchat, the popular nudeand-food-sharing app planted their puke-rainbow there, producing a ‘story’ which lasted almost five minutes, depicting the conflict. Snap Inc included reports on “The most significant anti-ISIS operation in Iraq’s history”. The footage gathered clips from all over the world – from Obama’s speech

necessary. It is unlikely that adolescents are going to sit down and watch the news at six or read the newspaper hence the feature allowed bored teenagers to serendipitously become informed citizens. Switching from nudes to nukes and Snapstreaks to airstrikes implies a dramatic shift but this update also makes a lot of sense financially and competitively. Snapchat is a platform only behind the giants Facebook and Instagram with regards to popular social media and the prior has been providing news for adolescents

Changing your view on your mental health By Jennifer O’Connor

believe it is their duty get the right ten second clip for the whole world to see. Granted, the material collected in this instance was mostly professional and moderated by Snap Inc however it does encourage consumers to risk their lives for a

Snapchats from the “Attack on Isis” Snapstory. Source: Mashable. on the topic, to smoke rising from the ISIS territory – and titled it “Attack on ISIS”. It may seem strange but it is a logical step for the app, whose unique selling point is capturing the immediacy of life and documenting it instantaneously. Something like a war is so fastpaced and difficult to comprehend that on-the-scene footage is often

This plays with the idea that everyone wants their fifteen minutes of fame, which could end up being their final fifteen minutes altogether.

for years now. This appears to be a definite strategy for the corporation who have since posted a story on the evacuation of migrants from “The Jungle” in Calais, France. There have also been cases in the past when Snapchat has acted as a news source though not always purposefully. The app provided its first ever weather warning feature on its filters during hurricane Matthew for users in the US. Also, during the mass-shooting in Orlando, victim Amanda Alvear caught her final moments on camera through the app, producing disturbing footage which went viral and was inserted into news programmes all over the earth. The ‘beauty’ of Snapchat accommodating breaking news in its app is that any users can contribute to the story. In my opinion, this is a disadvantage as it drives a trend that began at the turn of the century which says that anyone with a camera is a reporter. It not only threatens my future career as a journalist, it endangers users who

potential shot of an air strike or an earthquake. This plays with the idea that everyone wants their fifteen minutes of fame, which could end up being their final fifteen minutes altogether. Another issue is this glaring juxtaposition within the app. On one hand, consumers can pose like puppies and flaunt flower crowns to their heart’s content, it’s all a little silly and allows us to connect with friends. We can pretend we know anything about Kylie Jenner’s life by watching her day and read “Ten Reasons Why He’s Not Texting Back” on Cosmopolitan and totally relate. On the other, the introduction of serious news coverage seems inappropriate – tasteless even alongside all these other elements. It is as though Snap Inc are attempting to become a ‘jack of all apps’ and at this rate they will be doing my banking by next year. I would personally prefer them to stick to what they’re good at: designing filters and destroying sexts.

When I was a child I had a computer game that involved climbing ladders up a mountain in a particular order. It was with petrified action at the thought of the poorly pixelated enemy, that I hit the arrow keys vigorously. Today, we live like that. Our mental health is the climber and our triggers are the arrow keys. A poor grade, down. A compliment from the right person, up. I won’t do my generation the disservice of saying this is a poor way to live one’s life, but instead I will say that it is the least effective way of helping you to be inherently you. Whoever you are, you have a right to be consistently happy. The validity of this right is not influenced by your dedication to your college course or what mistakes you made whilst drunk that one time. Nor is it correlated with all of the actions you take to satisfy your need to be a good person. Your right to be happy and to think always in terms of how to achieve this for you, is not given by your actions but birth-earned. From my experience, we tend to justify our mental illnesses as being not that bad. Because we could never be that bad, right? The counselling services, advice websites and doctors aren’t there for the likes of us. I have wasted hours of my life being unhappy, which adds up to days and weeks that I will never get back. Unhappiness was the beginning and apathy was the end. Thick thighs, stretch marks, and poor grades were gentle strokes of the downward arrow key. Once, twice, but you’re still hanging on. The final press of the button for each of us, is often the value which we give others. Humans are fantastic, multifaceted - yet innately selfish. We leave ourselves defenseless the minute that we opt to hand our happiness to someone else. We do this by condemning ourselves at the will of our parent’s opinions, boyfriend or girlfriend’s moods or our friend’s inconsistencies. Once, a counsellor asked me what I wanted in life. I knew that happiness was the answer but it was not simply just happiness. I couldn’t articulate it then. But now, I can.

What I want, as should we all want, is a happiness that is not based on a person, place or thing. I want to be a new and revolutionary type of happy. Imagine having a contentment that radiates within you, regardless of whether your career is fulfilling or your health is perfect. To humans, it sounds illogical. But it shouldn’t seem impossible. Each morning of our lives has begun the same as every other, and will continue to do so. What defines a day as either good or bad is the value that we award the day’s actions. A glass can only hold water if we fill it, and a day can only be bad if we allow it to be. A part of defining many days as bad is also believing that we are deserving of such negativity. This may be in the form of depression or anxiety. If at our core, we believe we are worthy of only sub-par and temporary happiness, then it is no wonder that this is what manifests itself into our lives. A feeling of worthlessness creates a foundation within us of single-pane glass. Thus, earthquakes of mental health shake until we crack. So, allow me to be someone who can tell you a truth that the insidious part of your mind doesn’t want you to know. The earth was formed from the coming together of matter, molecules and energy. They pushed and pulled, attracted and repulsed, until the earth was born. Should these reactions have been off by a mere infinitesimal millimetre, then our oceans or the fold mountains of our country would not have formed. You are no less miraculous. Born from cells, merged from matter - you are conscious. Consider this; we humans can spend years caring for the wounded ozone layer. We celebrate the earth - such a kaleidoscope of matter - each year on Earth Day. These practices seem normal, typical and reasonable. You are no different and no less magnificent than the earth we cherish. Thus, tread carefully with yourself. Remember that as a child, it felt wrong to stamp on buttercups in summer. Seeing them fall underfoot felt wrong. Award yourself the same care.

OPINION 15

November 08 2016

Why Athenry should keep counting their apples By Cathy Lee We have lived through the recession and stagnation; I think it’s safe to say it was a horrible time. To me seeing construction means success, a crane or a group of workers going about their day – developing our landscape into something more. That is why I was surprised to see residents of Athenry making noise about the permission granted by the Irish Planning Board to let Apple build a huge development centre in Derrydonnell. They were arguing against a large development by tech giant, Apple. Now I would say from an Irish and international perspective, Apple is a trusted company, we are all fine with using the Apple Macs or looking into our own beloved iPhones half the day. But of course there was the tax avoidance earlier this year that made news headline, briefly. Maybe this form of protest is justified in showing democracy in action. Taking this into consideration, maybe indeed it was right for the residents to object and let these big multi-nationals know we can’t just be walked over here in Ireland. Really though, on a national scale of things, Athenry doesn’t stand out as the Artist’s impression of Apple’s proposed site in Athenry. Source: Apple capital of a thriving place for business and technology development. As the famous song seems to tell us, the fields of Athenry access to the natural spacious landscape are a lonely place to be. Is this lonely and the resources that these sites provide. unprosperous identity what these protes- They are seen to be hard to come by as Apple tors are trying to achieve in their pro-rural chose this site for its uniqueness. Really, the need is for set standards for campaign? This plan has been put into place since multi-nationals in terms of green codes early 2015 and has met approval standards and protection, not to ban the idea of ecofrom Galway City Council among others. The nomic expansion altogether. There has been pro-rural campaign aims to keep as much a mixed response from the larger public on of the authenticity of Athenry as possible. social media outlets such as Twitter and We’ve of course seen across the world how Facebook. One tweet exclaimed in anger sites like this that have some uniqueness asking why is it in places where jobs are so can lose their originality when they become widely needed that this is the exact place hugely commercialised. Apple wants to where protest against developments take build the Athenry facility on a 500-acre site, place. A Galway city councillor Peter Feeney which it was expected would be operational explained that this investment in the West of by 2017 with the creation of about 150 jobs or Ireland is something serious in the effort to more. I think the pros outweigh the cons and counteract trends and really be in the runI just don’t see how this could be a bad thing. ning to make the whole island of Ireland a Concerns had been raised over the last success story in terms of business and not The Hatch hot buffalo wings with a long neck Bulmers months regarding the impact on the local just Dublin taking the vast majority. environment including noise pollution and wildlife as well Really, the need is for set as fears over the data centre’s energy use in terms of access to standards for multi-nationals local water and of course protected species such as badgers in terms of green codes and and bats. I understand the need for this protection and to put protection, not to ban the idea of value on your own space and ONLY land in a sort of patriotic way. economic expansion altogether. Sacrifices must be made for the sake of progress as well. Protecting bats is all well and good This is the single biggest investment in but when your children have to travel to far-away places to get work when the same the West of Ireland ever and in my opinopportunity could be on their doorstep, this ion it cannot be ignored. I understand that Choose any long neck bottle of your choice for just €1 extra! once something like this in done, there is no is where the difference lies. The Apple plans are of course large and going back but this time around I don’t think are being repeated in other European coun- protestors have a leg to stand on long term. tries such as Denmark (half way through its This work will go ahead and delay tactics are Sult NUI Galway current building). These structures need just difficult and unnecessary.

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#MondayMassage reduced rate massage. To book contact 086 8378589. Call down to Áras na Mac Léinn for a dose of Tinder with a difference at our STInder exhibition. FREE STI Clinic by appointment only. Make your appointment in the Student Health Unit or phone 091 492604.

Tuesday 8th November/Dé Máirt, an 8 Samhain 11am-2pm 2pm-3pm 5pm-7pm

Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU) Stand in Smokey’s Café Pornography Workshop with Kate Dawson in the Students’ Union Office Boardroom FREE STI Clinic by appointment only. Make your appointment in the Student Health Unit or phone 091 492604.

Wednesday 9th November/ Dé Céadaoin, an 9 Samhain 11am-4pm 1pm-3pm 5pm-7pm

Call down to Áras na Mac Léinn for a dose of Tinder with a difference at our STInder exhibition. Sexual Health Workshop in room G067 Psychology Annex Arts Millennium Building. Free food & prizes! FREE STI Clinic by appointment only. Make your appointment in the Student Health Unit or phone 091 492604.

Thursday 10th November/Déardaoin, an 10 Samhain 11am-2pm 5pm-7pm 5pm-7pm

SU Stand in Smokey’s with nurse from Bayer Healthcare FREE STI Clinic by appointment only. Make your appointment in the Student Health Unit or phone 091 492604. Sexual Health Workshop in room G067 Psychology Annex Arts Millennium Building. Free food & prizes!

Friday 11th November/Déardaoin, an 11 Samhain 1pm-3pm

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Sexual Health Workshop in room G067 Psychology Annex Arts Millennium Building. Free food & prizes!

Guess correctly how many condoms are in the jar and you could win them all! Entry €1 which goes to the SU Charities The RNLI and Threshold. SHAG Packs will be available all week from the SU Office, the SU Engineering Desk and the Welfare Crew around Campus. Beidh pacáistí SHAG ar fáil ó thús deireadh na seachtaine ó Oifig an Chomhaltais, ó Dheasc Innealtóireachta an Chomhaltais agus ón gCriú Leasa ar fud an champais. www.su.nuigalway.ie facebook.com/NUIGalwayStudentsUnion

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Ron AKA The Clap (Gonorrhoea), 19

Crabs (Pubic Lice), 23

Phil (Syphilis), 21

2 km away, Active 12 hours ago

1 km away, Active 3 hours ago

Lydia (Chlamydia), 19

Genny (Genital Warts (HPV)), 21

About Gonorrhea (The Clap) I’m always up for the bants, spread easily and can lead to infertility in both men and women, if untreated. Antibiotics stop the infection but not the banterbus! For our first date I can give you burning during urination and discharge, but often there are no early symptoms. Later, for our second or third date, I may cause skin rashes or spread to the joints and blood. BANTARAMA!

About Crabs (Pubic Lice) You’ll either find me working hard in the gym or else hardly working in your pubic hair. I’m a tiny parasite, but size isn’t everything! I crawl from one person to another during close contact. Don’t let me muscly exterior fool you - I can be killed with over-the-counter lotions (or by people trampling on my heart).

About Syphilis Most people don’t notice me at first but trust me I can make a big impact on your life if you give me a chance/swipe! Without treatment, I can lead to paralysis, blindness, and death. If you’re not down with that then its cool cos I can be cured with antibiotics.

About Genital Warts (HPV) I’m not into hook-ups. You don’t have to have sex to get me. Skin-to-skin contact is enough to spread me and my HPV crew, the virus family that causes genital warts. Some of our crew cause warts and are usually harmless, but others may lead to cervical or anal cancer. Vaccines can protect against some of the most dangerous types.

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Swipe Right if you’re into: Intense itching, tiny eggs attached to your pubic hair, or crawling lice.

About Chlamydia I’m a fun-loving common STI that can lead to infertility if left untreated. I clear up quickly with antibiotics but I often go unnoticed because my symptoms are vague or absent. If you give me half a chance I can also infect your rectum and throat. Lol. Swipe Right if you’re a guy who likes: Burning and itching at the tip of the penis, discharge, painful urination. Swipe Right if you’re a girl who likes: Vaginal itching, discharge that may have an odour, pain during sex, painful urination. Xoxo Swipe Left: Protect your sexual health - always use a new condom correctly and put it on before you have sex

3 km away, Active 1 hour ago

Swipe Right if you’re a girl who likes: Vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, spotting. Symptoms may be mild and are easily confused with a urinary tract or vaginal infection. #BishopofBanterbury

10 km away, Active 2 hours ago

Swipe Right if you’re into: For our first date I’d probably give you a firm, round, painless sore on your genitals or anus. I’d then really start to grow on you, spreading through direct contact with this sore. Later I may be a rash on the soles, palms, or other parts of your sexy body, as well as swollen glands, fever, hair loss, or fatigue. If we really hit it off then later on I can damage your organs such as the heart, brain, liver, nerves, and eyes.

6 km away, Active 4 hours ago

Swipe Right if you’re into: Pink or flesh-coloured warts that are raised, flat, or shaped like cauliflower. Often there are no symptoms. OMG I LOVE Cauliflower! #fitfam

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twitter.com/NUIGSU 17/10/2016 15:30

18 SATIRE

Sin Vol. 18 Issue 5

NUI Galway announces green parka as official campus dress code By Aisling Bonner

UI Galway has provoked mixed reactions from students as it officially declared the green parka the official campus uniform for the Autumn/Winter 16/17 season. The university is confident that the decision will ensure the warmth of students in the colder months and reduce the university’s heating costs. “The green parka has been a welcome presence on our campus for many years,” a representative

of the university said. “Recently, the denim jacket and the black bomber have been providing little insulation for students. This has put pressure on the university’s resources, meaning we actually have to switch on the university’s radiators which were fitted just for show. By enforcing the green parka on all students, the university can innovatively cut spending at the students’ own expense.” Enforcement of the new dresscode will be carried out by the university’s new faction of Parka

Police who will assess levels of khaki-ness upon entry to lecture halls using a Dulux colour chart. Refusal to abide by the new rule will result in a week of Bialann clean-up. The new dress-code comes as a blow to Galway businesses, as hour-long queues of students returning recently-purchased leathers and denims have disrupted businesses. “I’m just after buying a black bomber,” said Marine Science student Ciara O’Connor. “I’m actually raging.”

Symptoms of a Boojum addict By Saoirse Rafferty Many of you probably know Boojum as that place you got this burrito one time, others see it as a way of life. These other folk aren’t hard to spot with their black bandanas and free t-shirts that read the dreaded words ‘Boojum addict’; proudly worn to let everyone know they eat burritos every week. This, unfortunately, is only one symptom of a Boojum addict. An addiction to Burritos and Mexican rice is easily spotted over summer time when the students must go home and face a world foreign to them; a world without Boojum. This is when the Boojum addict is at their most vulnerable as the cravings begin to kick in. They would consider spending their day off work travelling all the way back to Galway just to get their ‘boojual’. You will also notice a massive influx of Boojum addicts making their way to the

burrito joint on ‘Freshers week’; a week where freshers can easily get lured into the trap of thinking Boojum is what they were always missing from their life. Boojum Addicts can be spotted at every Carbon event where free Boojums can be won. They will use this event as an excuse to go out even if they don’t want to. They will then spend big money into the nightclub for the hope of a free Boojum the next day; they will always convince you that it was ‘totally worth it’. One cannot be called a ‘Boojum Addict’ if they don’t have a ‘Boojual’. A Boojual is slang used by addicts to define the order they get every time they visit the place. They may mix it up once or twice but nothing will ever beat their ‘Boojual’… Boojum Addicts are nearly on a first name basis with the workers. They are there so often they don’t even need to tell the workers that they want extra Guacamole and

cheese because they’ll already know. It’s embarrassing how many times a week they go there and yet have all of the weekly shopping at home going off because once again they convinced themselves ‘this time things would be different’. Boojum addicts are those people you always bump into around The Spanish Arch. You think they must be so hipster and cool, when really they are only there to eat a Boojum. The Boojum addicts might sometimes feel ashamed with how many times they’ve been sighted in their second home, they will begin to pay extra to get Deliveroo to bring a cold burrito to their house. Their heart normally begins to race at the sound of the ‘beep beep’ from the delivery motorbike. It’s probably the biggest excitement of their week. Well, now that you all know what Boojum addicts are like, make sure to stay clear of them so you don’t fall into the burrito bubble that you can never escape.

Multi-coloured bomber-lover and medicine student, Malcolm Hanley, also spoke out regarding the injury threats this rule might provoke; “The traditional green parka is khaki in colour. Khaki equals camouflage and camouflage equals invisible. If the entire student body is invisible they will naturally collide and cause severe injury.” “There’s a reason we wear black bombers. Visibility,” he adds. The University’s announcement also sent shock waves through the local Eyre Square Penneys, resulting in a series of urgent phone calls

from the company to their Asian suppliers to up the ante on parkamaking. This decision comes as another blow to students who have recently suffered the closure of the campus cloakroom every day aside from Fridays, along with the shock disappearance of the campus’ Subway and Starbucks earlier this year. It is rumoured that the decision to close the campus cloakroom was not a result of budget cuts but an advanced measure taken to prevent confusion between coats which would surely follow.

How to wear a hoodie this winter By Briain Kelly The hoodie is a staple of youth culture. A handy piece of clothing that combines the best parts of a woolly jumper and a rain jacket. The word of the day is: layers. Winter is coming and it’s time to batten down the socks and hatches. A hoodie is nice and warm pull up the hood, bury your hands in the pockets and try and snuggle into yourself while still walking. When first buying your hoodie at the shop you will immediately be presented with a choice. One that will inform all your experiences going forward. Do I buy the one that zips up, or the one that you have to pull overhead? A difficult choice. The ones that you pull overhead tend to be thicker, and warmth is after all what everyone is looking for in a jumper. The unbroken front also allows for prominent placement of any slogan or brand message. Abercrombie or Father Jack or the Bat symbol. On the other hand, the zip up allows a greater degree of control.

Sometimes it’s not warm enough to go out without a jumper, but no-one likes getting sweaty in the cold. Plus, by unzipping you can also show off what’s written on your shirt, double brand exposure. Now, it’s a sad fact of life that hoodies intimidate a great number of people. They see a youth, face shrouded in shadows, and assume the worst. At first sight they think you mean some manner of anti-social violence towards them. So, how do we soothe the fears of those who panic when they see a raised hood on a dark night? I’ve thought about this long and hard and I think I have the solution. Simply install a large bulb inside the hood of your jumper, thereby clearly illuminating your face for all to see. The jumper itself should hide whatever cables and batteries are needed for the apparatus. Now I know this might sound a bit awkward and over the top. But really, is there any price too high to assuage irrational fears?

THE LIFE OF A HASHTAG FOODIE: Bulking up for Christmas By Eoin Molloy

The following is an extract from a certifiably, undeniably reliable personal trainer’s Instagram account, honest. Okay so guys, there is a lot of disinformation out there about carbs and macros, proteins and broteins and all kind of oteins, but I’m here to dispel all of the myths that are out there regarding healthy eating. My fool-proof two monthplan will help you gain at least

two stone around exam time. No kidding. This will aid you in the build-up to Christmas so you can be sure of coming back to college with that much sought-after holiday poundage. The first thing you want to do when you wake up is to avoid breakfast. No ifs or buts. Stay away from the Cheerios. This fool-proof life-hack will help you to build up the necessary appetite to over-eat later in the day. Fun tip: drinking coffee and eating chewing gum in the morning will silence your hunger pangs and

will probably not cause the lining of your stomach to erode itself away into oblivion. Next up: Lunch. This is where a lot of our gains are going to be made, so you have to be prepared to take a full hour long break from your study around mid-day. I personally like to go for the pack of cookies and tea combo around this time. It’s cheap and highcarb enough to be efficient. Better yet, they’re empty carbs! You’ll get that much-needed sugar rush to help you hack away at the books for another hour or two but believe it or not, you’ll

be hungry enough to get back into the swing of things by dinner. Dinner is the most important meal of the day. I see a lot of personal trainers out there advocating eating a few small meals a day packed away in small plastic lunchboxes – don’t mind them, that’s all a conspiracy that was cooked up by the Union of Tupperware producers in 1995 to keep revenue streams high. Buy yourself a good blast of pizza and chips in the Bialann. Now comes the big ask. In order to adhere to my fool-proof diet properly, you have to be prepared to pull

out all the stops when you return home from college. I recommend at least three solid hours of ‘grazing’ – ie the act of continuously having either a sup of tea or piece of biscuit in your mouth at any given time. This really should drive the scales up, giving you that much-revered ‘food baby’ glow. Thank you for reading my foodie blog. Make sure you follow me on Snapchat, IG and Twitter @ SeriouslyDoNotListenToThisAdvice. Thanks guys, Eoin. Hashtag Like4Like, Follow4Follow, FoodiesIreland, GirlsWhoLife.

FASHION 19

November 08 2016

Exploring Irish fashion design: Emma Manley By Roisin McManus The fashion brand Manley was founded by Irish fashion designer, Emma Manley, in 2010. She began her career in fashion at VPL in New York and then on to Alexander McQueen in London. Despite all these very interesting and helpful fashion career insights, she always had her own ambition of creating a modern womenswear fashion line. “Fusing her love and skill for tailoring, luxe streetwear and embellishment, the result is a label of contemporary separates and alternative eveningwear with an edgy femininity” is how the brand is described on her website www.manley.ie. Emma is also creative director for the brand.

KENZO x H&M By Amy McMahon It’s happening. It’s really happening. Finally H&M has launched their new line in collaboration with KENZO. It all kicked off on 3 November and we couldn’t be more excited. The line, KENZO x H&M, features the most daring and vibrant prints. Not surprising, as KENZO are best known for their amazing prints and designs. KENZO and H&M really thought of everything in creating this new line. The range includes just about everything you can think of, from hats and scarves to wellies and flip flops, for both men and women worldwide. Seeing as KENZO is a Paris-based luxury brand, the items will be slightly more expensive than your average H&M high-street prices. Their padded jacket is probably the most expensive item costing ¤249 and the least expensive is their beanie retailing at ¤19.99. All clothing and accessories are available in selected stores now while stock lasts and for those of you who are brave enough to rock the KENZO look loud and proud, there is free delivery from H&M when you spend over ¤60. It is stated on the H&M website that the KENZO creative directors, Carol Lim and Humberto Leon “wanted to make collectors’ items - pieces that will last.” With neon zebra designs as the prominent print of the collection I think it’s fair to say that Lim and Leon have succeeded by creating an inspiring and frankly whacky clothing line that will appeal to all die-hard fashion fanatics.

Manley described her love for fashion to Her.ie and claimed that it “began very early on”. She told a story of her mother at a Louise Kennedy fashion show in which Emma, in her mother’s womb, began “kicking frantically” as soon as the lights turned on and the models began to walk the catwalk. She continued to tell them that during her younger years, she never had much of an interest in school as she knew she always wanted to work in fashion. She began her fashion education in Colaiste Ide and the Grafton Academy, studying fashion and textile design in both. The brand incorporated jewellery into their range in 2015 and went on to include bags in 2016. This meant a more versatile range to attract more customers to this new brand. An intriguing thing about the brand is its quality and the fact that it’s products are solely produced in Ireland and Italy. All jewellery is created in Dublin and half of its clothes are produced in Ireland also. Manley has had several collaborations with large brands such as global brand Sally Hansen 02 and now Three. For Sally Hansen, she collaborated with them to create a SS14 limited edition nail polish collection, which received sell -out support. For 02, she created the uniforms for the 02 Angels, the brand’s ambassadors and promotional team. It is the time of year now for AW16 fashion and collections to be among us and Manley’s does not disappoint. Featuring all three elements of her brand, those being clothing, jewellery and bags, her designs include a mix of metallic, colour – block pieces and bulky bags. The collection includes several tops, skirts and dresses. To my eye, the designs are very crisp and there is a strong mix of autumnal colours, including burgundy, navy and cobalt blue. Her range is a very simplistic one, so suitable for the everyday woman. She includes one tote bag in the collection and the rest are all over–the-shoulder bags. Most of her clothes are all one colour pieces. This means they are very versatile and can be styled in many ways. With prices starting from €169, it is not a brand exactly suited for college students, but a brand that cannot be overlooked none the less. I feel you could invest in any of her womenswear, possibly one of her harper coats, which are double-shaded and come in patent red, pewter and gunmetal and which cost €390. I know they would be an item you would have in your closet for a lifetime. Something for us to aspire to possibly? Altogether, I find Emma Manley an inspiration for all Irish people with a creative eye out there, because even though we may come from a small island, she proves we can still be successful on a larger scale if you love what you do and work hard as Manley products ship to Ireland, the UK and Egypt.

Death of Richard Nicoll By Christina O’Reilly Richard Nicoll, who died from a heart attack aged 39 on 21 October, was a talented and modern fashion designer. Originally from London, but residing in Sydney, Australia, he had been in the industry for 10 years. Nicoll spent time working with High End as well as High Street brands such as Topshop, these works over time earning him recognition as an in high-demand free-lance designer. He designed inexpensive wedding dresses for Topshop in 2012 and lingerie-like-garments that paved the way for new trends that emerged in 2012. His most famous pieces include a handbag with a phone charger, a dress lit up in LED (in a collaboration with Disney, called Tinker Bell) and classic shirts for both sexes. His modern style may have come from the fact that he originally wanted to become a sculptor. He took a foundation course in sculpture, ceramics and fashion at the prestigious Central Saint Martian’s art college. The designer later received both his BA and MA in fashion there.

Nicoll became known as a protégé to Louise Wilson, British professor of fashion design at Central Saint. Luxury Italian brand, Dolce and Gabbana later bought his woman’s wear graduation collection. Following this, Nicoll’s successes continued receiving three Association Nationale pour le Developpement prizes and Elle’s Best Young designer. He later worked in Paris for Louis Vuitton in 2004. In 2004 the late designer travelled to Paris to work with the Louis Vuitton team brainstorming for their upcoming collaboration. However, the collection was actually created in London. Nicoll gained experience with costume design while working with designer Linda Sterling for Northern ballet’s 2013 performance dance ‘The Ultimate Form’. Unfortunately the designer’s resume concludes with him being appointed as creative director for Adidas sportswear. Nicoll was due to move to Germany to begin this role in January. It’s a sad time for the fashion industry, as Nicoll joins Alexander McQueen as one of fashion’s great talents.

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20 FASHION

Sin Vol. 18 Issue 5

The Dad Jacket Trend U.S. women hit back at Trump’s empire By Amanda Leeson After years of raiding your mam’s wardrobe to find something that goes with the cute skirt you bought, it’s time your dad knows how it feels. The go-to jacket this season for an on-trend outfit is the Dad Jacket. As with most fashion trends, this has come straight from the catwalk of Balenciaga’s A/W show. This trend is basically just an over-sized jacket preferably in a khaki, camel or black (floral isn’t really what you’re going for). This is a trend that many high street stores are embracing, such as Topshop with plenty of styles to choose from. This trend includes outerwear pieces such as vintage style bomber jackets, the puffer coat which is perfect for the colder weather, and of course the classic pea coat. This trend is really easy to style just add jeans, a plain t-shirt, a pair of converse and you’re pretty much good to go. The key to this look is letting the jacket do all they talking and making it the main focus of the outfit. Thanks to this trend you can give your mam a break from you stealing her clothes, and your dad will never suspect it’s you who took his jacket because you can blame it on the brothers for a change!

The boycott of Ivanka Trump's clothing stores

By Fiach Mac Fhionnlaoich The U.S. presidential election of 2016 has seen its fair share of twists and turns, but one of the odder stories to emerge in recent weeks has been the campaign organised against Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka. A businesswoman in her own right, Ivanka has been supportive of her father’s bid for the U.S. presidency as the Republican candidate, even speaking at the Republican National Convention. Now, the “Ivanka Trump Collection” of clothing, handbags, jewellery, shoes and perfumes has become the target of a boycott as a result of Ivanka’s continued support of her father’s ambitions. Shannon Coulter, a technology and media marketing specialist, launched the #GrabYourWallet hashtag on 10 October in response to the emergence of an audio tape in which Donald Trump made derogatory comments about women, and the recent mounting allegations of sexual assault made against him. Although Ivanka has

denounced her father’s comments as “inappropriate and offensive”, she has continued to campaign for him since. As reported by The Guardian, Coulter is calling on the retailers that stock the collection, including famous brands like Macy’s, Lord &Taylor and internet giant Amazon, to stop selling them, along with organising a boycott through #GrabYourWallet. According to a report by Forbes, Ivanka’s clothing line increased its sales by $29.4 million last year. When asked about by the anchor of Good Morning America George Stephanopoulos about

how the boycott has affected her brand, and what she would say to the women joining it, Miss Trump responded by saying that: “My advocacy of women, trying to empower them in all aspects of their life, started long before this presidential campaign did. I’ve never politicised that message. People who are seeking to politicise it because they disagree with the politics of my father—there’s nothing I can do to change that.” It remains to be seen what effect, if any, the boycott will have on Ivanka’s business interests, or indeed on her father’s bid for the U.S presidency as the presidential race begins to draw to a close.

Inside Ivanka Trump's boutique store in Soho

The Cara Project By Amy McMahon When I first heard that there was a documentary on Cara Delevigne my first thought was “Eyebrows…” – as I’m sure many of you thought also. However this documentary focuses on much more than the supermodel-come-actress’ infamous brows. The documentary entitled The Cara Project will delve into Delevigne’s transition from model to actress. It will be released by Revolver Entertainment, although a release date has not been announced yet. Her career change came about when Delevigne admitted that “modelling just made [her] feel a bit hollow after a while”. In an interview with The Times, Delevigne explained that her feminism

views were the main cause for quitting modelling. The model turned actress admitted that “it’s horrible and it’s disgusting” you start modelling so young. It will be interesting to see if Delevigne will reveal her true feelings in the documentary about the fashion industry despite her success and her famous fashionista friends. One thing is for sure, the documentary will showcase the extent of Delevigne’s achievements. Cara Delevigne has had an incredibly successful career, both in the fashion and film industry. Delevigne first started modelling at the age of sixteen, debuted on the Victoria Secret Fashion Show in 2012 and was awarded Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2015.

Add in an endless list of campaigns with high end brands such as Burberry, Yves Saint Lauren and Chanel and Cara Delevigne has become a household name. Although it seemed as if this all happened over night, Delevigne had been modelling for seven years before hanging up her high heels for the big screen. Starring in some of the biggest movies in recent years, like Paper Towns and Suicide Squad, Cara Delevigne made sure she was just as successful when it came to the film industry and I think we’re all looking forward to seeing what the future holds for Hollywood’s latest actress. Following her glowing résumé is it any wonder they’re making a documentary about Cara Delevigne?

Coiste Gnó

Executive Committee

2016 - 2017

Vice President/Education Officer Leas Uachtarán/Oifigeach Oideachais

Cathal Sherlock

Clíodhna Nic Giolla Chomháill

Vice President/Welfare Officer Leas Uachtarán/Oifigeach Leasa

Jimmy McGovern

Daniel Khan

su.president@nuigalway.ie 086 385 5502

su.education@nuigalway.ie 086 385 3658

Oifigeach na Gaeilge

President Uachtarán

su.welfare@nuigalway.ie 086 385 3659

Equality Officer Oifigeach Comhionnais

Mature Students’ Officer Oifigeach Mic Léinn Lánfhásta

Megan Reilly

Damian Duddy

su.gaeilge@nuigalway.ie 0044 7763 5726 93

su.equality@nuigalway.ie 086 228 3856

su.maturestudents@nuigalway.ie 091 524 810

Societies Chairperson Cathaoirleach na gCumann

Clubs Captain Captaen na gClubanna

SU Council Chairperson | Cathaoirleach na Comhairle do Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn

Patrick O’Flaherty su.socs@nuigalway.ie 086 852 3417

Convenor of the College of Science Tionólaí Choláiste na hEolaíochta

Christopher Mc Brearty su.science@nuigalway.ie 087 656 5387

660 Officer Poster.indd 1

Caitlin Jansen

Aaron Reeves

Postgraduate Officer An tOifigeach Iarchéime

Cillian Moran su.postgrad@nuigalway.ie 087 769 0784

Convenor of the College of Arts, Social Sciences & Celtic Studies | Tionólaí Choláiste na nDán, na nEolaíochtaí Sóisialta & an Léinn Cheiltigh

Ciarán MacChoncarraige

su.clubs@nuigalway.ie 089 975 4741

su.council@nuigalway.ie 087 269 7232

Convenor of the College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences | Tionólaí Choláiste an Leighis, an Altranais & na nEolaíochtaí Sláinte

Convenor of the College of Business, Public Policy & Law | Tionólaí Choláiste an Ghnó, an Bhearais Phoiblí agus an Dlí

Convenor of the College of Engineering & Informatics | Tionólaí Choláiste na hInnealtóireachta agus na Faisnéisíochta

Diarmuid Ó Curraoin

Tim Murphy

su.business@nuigalway.ie 087 065 5357

su.engineering@nuigalway.ie 086 026 0500

Lorcán Ó Maoileannaigh su.medicine@nuigalway.ie 087 768 7892

su.arts@nuigalway.ie 087 054 4499

02/06/2016 11:59

22 LIFESTYLE

Sin Vol. 18 Issue 5

The best ways to keep your mood up as the temperature goes down By Orla Carty Cold means sad. The connotations have been there our whole lives. There’s a reason we call them the Winter Blues. So how do you combat something that’s so steadfast in our minds already? The answer is with a lot of happy endorphins provided from hot chocolate. Well, amongst others. One of the most obvious things that can bring down our mood in winter is the low temperature. Particularly in student houses, where heat is an unimaginable splurge, we’re plunged into air that’s almost an ice-bath. Many a time have I sat in my sitting room with my housemates and seen who could puff out the biggest cloud of condensation from their mouth. So, the solution? Layers, layers and more layers. Literally pile them on, people. Don’t be afraid it’ll be too much. Jumpers can always be stashed away in bags, but warmth can’t be taken out and inserted in your limbs. Go for

vests, long sleeved t-shirts, jumpers, scarves, jackets and coats. Just do the whole hog. You’ll feel better for it. As an extra addition bring a flask of tea or hot chocolate in with you to college in the morning. Another thing that adds to negative mood is the darkness. Waking up in the pitch black is definitely a mood

nice, comforting ritual and you’ll look forward to it in the evening. Light some scented candles and get cosy under the covers with a book or some Netflix. Having a nice routine makes all the difference. Exercise is a key way to battle the Winter Blues. Generally, we can feel less motivated than usual to go for it. What’s the point when we have no summer Autumn and winter come with the best bodies to prepare kinds of foods. Roast dinners, trick-orfor? But it can really, really help. One of the treating sweets, advent calendars, mince biggest dangers this time of year is getting pies, egg-nog, Christmas cake, barmbrake, sluggish. A quick trip to the gym, a jog, or chai lattes, pies… the list is endless. an exercise class will really help keep you dampner. Seeing as we don’t have the active and alert. You’ll sleep better at night and be more refreshed overall. power to magically adjust the sky, my Winter Blues can definitely be fought advice would be to try and get into a with a good feed. Now, this makes my better sleeping pattern. The earlier last point extra important. We tend to you go to sleep, the easier it’ll be to over-eat this time of year for this very wake up. Make going to bed a really

reason, so make sure you keep healthy. But, yeah. We do it for a reason. It damn well helps. Autumn and winter come with the best kinds of foods. Roast dinners, trick-or-treating sweets, advent calendars, mince pies, egg-nog, Christmas cake, barmbrake, chai lattes, pies… the list is endless. As long as we don’t over indulge, food can definitely be a plus. Give yourself a treat of a little gingerbread man if the weather if getting you down. Even better, meet up with a friend to get one. My last tip is to stay social. In winter it can be tempting to lock ourselves up in our beds and hibernate, but it can lead to some serious mood issues. Be sure to go to your lectures and keep your grades up, as well as dragging yourself out to meet people for a coffee or the cinema. The feeling of coming home in the evening after being out in the cold is much better than one of being stuck in a rut all day long. Keep those blues away!

Relax and unwind with music By Saoirse Rafferty After a long day at college or working, the one thing most of us love to do is try and relax in some way. For some this may involve going to the gym, for others it could be chatting with friends. I always find listening to some relaxing music really does help with stopping the constant unnecessary thoughts in our mind and allowing us to separate college life from home time. Here are a few of my favourites. I’m a big fan of all types of music and I know some people stick to specific genres, but why not try give these songs a play when you are uptight and just need to relax a little. If they don’t work, you can take the easy way out and type ‘relaxing playlist’ into YouTube.

THE KOOKS – SEASIDE The Kooks have lots of great songs to chill to, and this particular song is so lovely and perfect for chilling out. If it doesn’t tickle your fancy (yes, I can’t believe I just said that either) then try the Boehm remix. The remix adds a nice upbeat melody that actually does remind me of the seaside and it lasts for longer than one and a half minutes, unlike the original (score!).

HOZIER – FROM EDEN Who would be better to chill out to than Irish Artist Hozier? This man has an amazing voice that could instantly

help anyone relax. He naturally creates an uplifting mood. His music is lovely with powerful lyrics, especially his songs ‘Cherry Wine’ and ‘From Eden’. So put his album on, sit down, and forget about your worries.

JAMES BAY – LET IT GO Hearing this artist play at Electric Picnic was like a breath of fresh air; so peaceful and powerful. His songs are generally upbeat and very chill. My ultimate favourite song by Mr Bay would have to be ‘Let It Go’: listen to the lyrics - they speak for themselves.

KYGO – I SEE FIRE (REMIX) Whether I’m going to sleep, waking up, staying in, or heading out, Kygo is always a good choice. His remixes of songs are really feel-good and will help put a smile on your face. My personal favourites that I love to have on in the background when studying include ‘Younger’ and ‘I See Fire’.

DAMIEN RICE – CANNONBALL Despite the emotional lyrics in Damien Rice’s songs, they are really calming and will definitely help you float better than a cannonball… This song caught a lot of people’s attention when it was released by Little Mix on the X-Factor, but nothing can ever compare to this original.

LIFESTYLE 23

November 08 2016

Guilt-free snacks By Deirdre Leonard We all know the feeling. You swore up and down to yourself and your best friend and your mam that this was the week you’d start eating healthy. The weekend was just a diet break, you’re not going to spend any more money on chicken fillet rolls, Bialann chips or hot chocolate from Smokeys. The days of pasta every night, a cheeky pot of Aldi noodles or dishes with 90% carbohydrates are gone and you’re ready to eat healthy. But then the study time hits, or an assignment is due, or you’re hanging from the night before and you’re reaching for a chocolate bar and something sweet before you know it. You’ve got chocolate on your notepads, half your biscuit fell in your tea and the guilt of breaking your healthy eating promises are already creeping in. Well never fear, we’ve got a list of guilt free snacks that are cheap, easy and will have you talking to anyone who’ll listen about your new ‘lifestyle’ before long!

peanut butter in little bite-sized ice-cream chunks or blend it to make a smooth, one ingredient ice cream. For the grapes, just wash and dry them, put them on a baking tray, and freeze them for a while. When you take them out, they’ll be sweet, refreshing and almost like an ice pop (almost...). Of course if these aren’t good enough for you, just buy some ice pop moulds yourself, you can get them cheap enough in homeware stores or Tiger, and mix some water and fruit concentrate together and freeze to make your own, relatively healthy, ice pops! IF YOU’RE CRAVING SOMETHING SWEET

Fruit is always the answer to this question. If you want something really sweet, try dried fruits like cranberries. These can still be sugary though so real fruit is the best option. Grapes, apples, oranges or pineapples are all great sweet and refreshing alternatives to picking up a handful of sweets from the press.

IF YOU’RE CRAVING CHOCOLATE

IF YOU’RE CRAVING CRISPS

Sounds fairly simple but the basic option is to give dark chocolate a go. Just remember the higher the cocoa percentage is, the better it is for you. It can be bitter but it’s a taste that really grows on you and while it’s still chocolate, it’s definitely the healthier option if you’re giving into cravings. If you fancy hot chocolate, try mixing cocoa powder with almond or coconut milk at home to get a healthier alternative to the yummy drink. There’s plenty of more expensive alternatives to chocolate out there like cacao, so if you’re willing to put the money into it, have a look online and check out the millions of great and healthy recipes that are out there.

There’s a few ways around this one. You can try and make your own root vegetable crisps. Just slice things like sweet potato or butternut squash into thin slices, sprinkle with sea salt and some oil and bung them in the oven until they’re crisp. They’ll be sweeter than your average shop bought crisps but they’ll be yummy and you’ll know you made them yourself. If you fancy something more savoury, try toasting a pitta pocket, cutting it up into small triangles and pair it with some hummus. You can even add some chopped carrot sticks or celery to make it a filling snack. If you don’t have time (or can’t be bothered) to make anything, a lot of shops like Dunnes or Evergreen now sell crisp alternatives made from root veg or kale or lentils. They’re a small bit dearer than your regular big packet of crisps but they’re really tasty and the extra 50c is worth it to save effort and stay healthy.

IF YOU’RE CRAVING ICE CREAM

Try frozen bananas or grapes! For frozen bananas, just chop up the banana, freeze until solid and when you take it out of the freezer, you can eat it with

Dry November By Saoirse Rafferty

fter events like Student Race Day and Halloween (which of course happened to be on the same day this year), it almost feels necessary to take a little break away from drinking. This can be a difficult challenge for the many who have been diagnosed with serious FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and who consider the college bar a second home. Fear no more, I am here to encourage all of you to stay in and dry this November, or out and sober.

Even though it might seem like you are ‘missing out’ or ‘giving up’ something by ‘going on the dry’, I think it’s actually a great way to realise there’s more to your social life than just drinking. Last year, I spent most of the money I had saved from working over the summer on nights out in college, whereas this year I decided to spend it on travelling. Even though I was missing out on some nights that were labelled as the ‘biggest nights of the year’ (when they were really just another excuse to get drunk in Carbon), travelling was definitely worth every penny. Coming up to the end of the year, we all have to save some money for Christmas presents or even maybe a Christmas trip away. There’s no better way to make a start than by taking part in a Dry November. You won’t realise how much money you are spending on something until you stop. With upcoming exams, there’s no better timing to take this challenge. Even if you want to

Fizzy Drinks: Not so sweet when you lose your teeth By Stephen James Growing up, “don’t be drinking that poison” was always the first thing my grandmother would say to me or my brother if she ever saw us coming with a soft drink in hand. Her distain for all things fizzy was apparent, because back in her day, they were seen as an occasional, indulgent treat and not something to be regularly consumed. Well I think those days are well and truly gone. I’ve never asked her, but I’m sure she would be appalled at the amount of the stuff people drink nowadays. And while not traditionally a poison, she may have been onto something in relation to health when she called it that. Soft drink consumption has more than doubled since the nineties. We drink them for a quick pick me up to get us through busy and stressful days, we use them as mixers for drinks on a night out, and pretty much every trip to the cinema is accompanied by an ice cold, fizzy beverage. This is all well and good in moderation, but it is important to be aware of just how much you are actually consuming, as for many people it can be much more than they realise. And if you’re not careful, too much of your favourite drink could cause you some pretty serious problems. It should come as no surprise that these drinks are loaded with sugar. The recommended daily intake of sugar is set at 90g for a women and 120g for a man. Just one 330ml can of Coke contains 9 teaspoons of the sweet stuff, which equates to a staggering 35g of sugar. So having just two cans a day can bring you close to your recommended limit. Not only that, if you consume them regularly you could end up altering your body’s normal metabolism function to such an extent that you pile on the pounds before you even realise it’s happening. And not to mention the effect it has on your teeth. The acids present in soft drinks reduce the hardness of the protective layer of enamel on your teeth. If you drink large quantities over a large period of time, your teeth

go on a night out it isn’t a necessity to associate drinking with it. There are a lot of activities for students to partake in on and off campus that doesn’t involve drinking. This month long of being ‘dry’ is also a great way to get fit. Rather than sitting at home, start exercising. This will make you realise that you don’t need alcohol to have a good time. You can feel so good about yourself naturally from exercising and releasing those happy hormones! For all of the men out there, there’s a further challenge: it’s time to grow out those beards. Take part in Movember and help change the face of men’s health. We can all help our own health by allowing our bodies to detox for one month before the Christmas puddings and turkey. Take a break from the pints and instead get involved in a dry but delightful November where we can take care of our body and ourselves.

are constantly under attack and could result in cavities, or worse, something the people of the Central Appalachia region of America refer to as “Mountain Dew Mouth”, named after the popular American soft drink. It is essentially advanced erosion and frankly doesn’t bare thinking about. Those looking for a cautionary tale should look at actress Kierston Wareing. Wareing has starred as Kirsty Branning in the popular BBC soap Eastenders, as well as numerous other roles across TV and theatre. She recently spoke to the British Daily Mirror about how she ignored doctor advice and continued to drink two and a half litres of Coca-Cola a day. She said: “I would wake up in the middle of the night and I would crave a can of Coke. Then I would get up in the morning and the first thing I’d drink is a can of Coke.” Her addiction to the drink became so severe that she would have sleepless night due to dental pain and eventually lost five teeth. Wareing’s story shows the effects excessive consumption of fizzy drinks can have on your teeth, which is probably the first health implication most people would think of. But in actual fact, drinking vast amounts can lead to much more serious problems in other areas of your body, in particular, your bones and liver. Studies have found that regular consumption of carbonated drinks can effect bone density, and strip the bones of vital calcium via excretion. As well as that, I mentioned earlier that excessive fizzy drink consumption can lead to weight gain. This is because after you consume your drink, your blood sugar level spikes causing an insulin burst. Your liver then responds to this by turning any sugar it encounters into fat. Not only do you gain weight, but repeated abuse of your liver could lead to the development of diabetes, a serious condition relating to an imbalance of insulin levels that brings with it many other complications. So my grandmother may not have been far off when she branded it poison. But it is important to realise as well, that the occasional Coca-Cola or Fanta, or whatever your drink of choice is, won’t harm you. It’s all about finding the right balance. If you feel you need to cut back on the amount you have daily, start small. Don’t go cold turkey, as it almost certainly won’t work and you’ll soon be back to old habits. Instead, gradually reduce your intake until you get it down to a reasonable level, or even nothing at all. Also avoid the trap of diet drinks. Yes, they have no calories and yes they have no sugar, but they contain other stuff that is just as bad, if not worse. Aspartame is a common sweetener used in diet drink production. You might think you are being good because of the zero sugar tag, but some studies have shown that aspartame results in the production of new fat cells, so it will harm you in the long run. Ultimately, don’t be too hard on yourself. We all need a sugar hit now and again, and it won’t kill you. And if you drink too much and want to cut back, remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. You’ll get there eventually.

24 ENTERTAINMENT

Sin Vol. 18 Issue 5

Q&A with Bob Skeleton August 2015 we played at the Roisin Dubh, a place we love, with two of our favourite bands including Field Trip. A lot kicked off when we recorded our first single in February 2016 and after that we started getting loads of gigs in the Roisin Dubh with Rock Soc, Strange Brew, a few in Dublin, and then we played at the Battle of the Bands.”

The Band: Eoin Hynes – Guitar Rory Ryan – Bass/singer Jack Niland – Drums Oisín Mod – Singer and guitar By Saoirse Rafferty I met guitarist Eoin Hynes from Bob Skeleton to have a chat about the band's upcoming EP launch. The launch takes place this Saturday in the Roisin Dubh. Band members started out practicing in their basements as children. They’ve now worked with many acts at different gigs. Their first single was released in February 2016 and they haven’t looked back since…

Background: “Me, Jack and Oisín used to play in Jack’s basement when we were kids because we just didn’t want to go to school… Rory joined us in 2015 and it just worked really well. Our first gig was in July 2015 at Kennedy’s in Eyre Square. We were a little bit nervous but also had a few drinks so we weren’t scared. Then in

Favourite gig? “They are all great but the first one was amazing because we’d been waiting so long to just go and do it. There’s been some in the Roisin where only ten people show up but we sound really good, and then you’d have gigs where forty people show up but it doesn’t go that great. The best one was the first time we headlined at the Bernard Shaw in Dublin, it’s a really small room as well so there might have only been forty people there but we were so close to everyone it was intense and brilliant.” Genre: “We like loud guitars but we are also very conscious of not keeping it metal. We are aware of what’s popular, I listen to pop music at work every day so it’s really hard

FEELING

to not let it seep into you. Oisín is even a big Lana Del Rey fan. We listen to a lot of The Strokes, we have catchy melodies but it’s also very much guitar orientated.”

Working on the EP: “Luckily we did it with Will O’Connor and he is just a dream to work with. He is insanely good fun and he knows what we want as well. He knows how to get the best out of us so working with Will is like working with your friend as well but he also is a savage producer.” EP launch: “We are really excited. 12 November, upstairs in the Roisin Dubh with a band called Drown. A lot of time, money, and

best we could and afterwards five people came up and shook our hands and said they’d give us a like on Facebook. So, it’s five more people that liked our band than if we just stayed at home that night instead. If we can come away from every gig with one more fan, one more notification on Facebook, it all adds up.”

Ever meet big acts? “We played with The Strypes at Moxegen and we are pretty big fans of them. I also got to meet Cascada that day, it was a really fun day out we got to wander around back stage with passes. So, we might never make it but at least I got to meet Cascada.”

We are really excited about

HUNGRY?

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Are you guys all students? “Oisín isn’t, he knew he always wanted to play music from the start. The rest of us are, Rory just finished his course. Jack is supposed to be going on Erasmus next year, so we have a year to convince him why he shouldn’t go to Columbia.”

Music as a career? “I just couldn’t imagine us not playing music. We are just be fun to have this big party… going to give this our best shot. It really is the dream job and I think a lot of people are scared to say work went into these four tracks so it will that. I’d rather give it 110% and at least if be fun to have this big party… and we nothing happens, we know we tried. We might only sell three CD’S but that isn’t don’t even need a glamorous lifestyle. important for us, it’s more about the fact We know plenty of bands who have that we’ve achieved it.” enough money to feed themselves and their family, and are having really good Tough getting noticed? fun. That’s what it’s all about, the money “I suppose we are aware of the doesn’t matter too much even though importance of social media when trying that’s a very cliché thing to say.” to get noticed. When we first started, we didn’t use it that much at all. Now we kind of noticed there are some really What’s next? average bands out there who are really At the moment we are working on our big because they own social media. A lot second EP. As I speak right now Rory is of it is word of mouth as well and we’ve recording his bass and vocals at home been lucky to have played as a support for it. That should be out in the New band. People come down to watch the Year sometime. There will be a couple of main act and might not know we’re there singles along the way. Hopefully there and all we can do is play the best show will be some festivals next summer too. we can and hope people enjoy it.” We will keep being that hyper active kid who tries to catch everyone’s eyes. Disappointed with small crowds? Bob Skeletons CD is available to pre-order “Well, last week we played and it just now on Band Camp, with two tracks now wasn’t a busy night. There were only fifteen people there but we just played the then the other two on 12 November.

into these four tracks so it will

ENTERTAINMENT 25

November 08 2016

REVIEW: The Girl on the Train By Zoe Ellis OVERALL RATING: 4/5

I loved reading this book. If you haven’t read it and you’re considering giving it a go, I suggest you give yourself a full day because once you get into the first few chapters there is no putting this book down. It starts with a few random paragraphs of drama which both enticed, and admittedly, confused me, but once I got into this book I knew I would be in it for the long haul and there would be no escape. It grabs you and holds you hostage to its words. Many people have taken to the internet to brag about knowing who the killer was since the start of the novel. I agree I had my suspicions but each character has so many flaws, I think at one point or another I had them all pinned down as the killer! Each of the characters were entangled in the web of confusion unravelling it was difficult to decide who the killer would ultimately be. Paula Hawkins does the impossible by making multiple plot lines and timelines easy to understand. I feared I would be constantly confused by the characters’ changing points of views but the use of flash - backs and the clear distinct character roles made it easy to follow. The protagonist Rachel is an unusual and creative choice, her alcoholic,

bedraggled personality made an interesting change to the usual perfect image that lead characters are usually given. Megan has a more vibrant personality whereas Anna is more clean-cut and seductive. The only downside to this book is some of the characters. Even though you grow to empathise with Rachel, she still possesses many unattractive qualities. In order for each character to be a potential suspect they needed to have some air of mystery about them. This made some of the characters undesirable and difficult to relate to. Each character goes through a progression of seeming innocent and pure but then as the novel progresses their darker traits begin to emerge. Scott first appears as a grieving husband but then as the plot goes on his charm becomes tainted and menacing. Anna also seems pure and innocent to begin with but also becomes more and more menacing. Tom appears to be a nice guy but there is the ever looming thought that there is something mysterious under the surface. This novel is constantly compared to the hit Gone Girl with a similar mystery of someone gone missing. I must admit I haven’t yet read Gone Girl, but after enjoying this book so much I feel like I have to compare them. After reading the summaries of both, I would hazard a guess that if you liked Gone Girl, it is worth your while giving The Girl on the Train a read. If you’re just looking for mystery or excitement, this novel has it all. This is the first thriller Paula Hawkins has written, and what a start she has made. I would definitely be intrigued to see what she’ll come out with next, and will definitely be excited to read it.

PREVIEW: Asking For It By Grace Kieran Between the Netflix show Making a Murderer and the podcast Serial, I have recently become increasingly drawn in by media that recounts failures by the justice system, which are often cutting edge and challenge society as a whole. This is the main reason, alongside abundant recommendations, I picked up Asking For It by Louise O’Neill, which tackles the issues of consent and sexual assault. The book, which was published around a year ago, follows the events of a party where all eyes are on the protagonist, Emma. She awakes the next morning to find herself passed out on her own porch and she knows something does not feel right. However, she cannot remember how she ended up there or why she is hurting. There are photos and videos that show exactly what happened but people refuse to believe what’s in front of them as it puts “the town’s heroes” in the firing line. I am excited about reading this book as it is not simply a Young Adult novel about teenagers. I am constantly being told that as a student, I have the most influential political voice and this is a very political book. There are posters and workshops all around campus about the issue of consent and I am almost ashamed to say (as a Journalism student and an ignorant citizen) that I know very little about the subject and such cases in the USA, which blew up in

the media a few months ago. This book has been heralded as something “everyone should read” whether they understand consent or not. It is positive to remind yourself of these kinds of issues and not just the fact that they exist, but also having the evidence to back it up. That said, I am preparing myself for an uncomfortable read. Obviously, it is not going to be the light -hearted Young Adult fiction that I am used to since it tackles such a serious topic. I fear that this book in which O’Neill “writes with a scalpel” will be harrowing, especially for someone who has been known to cry at the final episode of The Great British Bake Off. However, this is essentially the mission statement of the book. Clearly, O’Neill does not tackle such contentious issues for fun. The author wants to evoke emotion, anger and even passion about the subject and cause readers to speak out about the failure of the courts to recognise sexual assault when the person being prosecuted is a “nice guy” and things simply “got out of hand”. What I hope to get out of this book is an insight into the injustices brought upon many victims of sexual assault who are blamed for their experience. In two weeks’ time, I want to be able to speak coherently about rape and victim–blaming… even if that means stifling tears in the James Hardiman Library.

Why Anne Hathaway felt ‘uncomfortable’ winning an Oscar By Deirdre Leonard In 2013 Anne Hathaway won an Oscar for her role in Les Misérables and made a speech that is still ridiculed today. Quoting from the iconic song I Dreamed A Dream, Hathaway quipped ‘it came true’. Many critics and viewers argued that she came across insincere and awkward at the time, something that led to a wave of hate for the actress among the public. The term ‘Hatha-hate’ was coined as Hathaway went from beloved star of movies like The Princess Diaries, to one of the most mocked figures in Hollywood of the last few years. Speaking to The Guardian while on a recent press tour for her movie Colossal, she spoke of feeling ‘very uncomfortable’ accepting her award. “You win an Oscar and you’re supposed to be happy. I didn’t feel that way,” Hathaway recently stated, in an unusually raw admission. Having played Fantine in Les Misérables, the actress spoke of how she ‘lost [her] mind’ immersing herself in the role of the troubled prostitute and ‘it hadn’t come back yet’ at the time of the Oscars. She shaved her hair, spent time researching prostitution and lost weight for the role and ‘portraying pain’ like that took a toll on the actress. Hathaway was widely criticised for her public appearances and acceptance speeches during the movie’s press tour, with the same argument of insincerity being floated around amongst the press. This was on top of the public’s relatively fresh memory of her 2011 Oscar hosting gig alongside James Franco, which was deemed to be one of the worst shows in recent history. Both hosts appeared stiff, awkward and many found the show to be dull. The Oscar win in combination with this led to a snowballing of public hatred that still affects her public image today. Of course, this growing public disdain did not go unnoticed by the actress. Speaking about the tarnishing of her persona, she knows that ‘it sucks’. She tried ‘to pretend’ that she was happy and as a result, ‘got called out on it, big time’. It’s clear that Hathaway has put the past behind her, citing the feelings of embarrassment as a lesson learned: “You only feel like you can die from embarrassment, you don’t actually die.” But why should she have to justify these feelings from almost four year ago? And why were the public so quick to throw her off the pedestal they put her on in the first place? Hathaway’s story is one of an unfortunate multitude in Hollywood’s past, where the public’s love for a celebrity can change based on one unfortunate situation - an unflattering image that’s spread across the web; a media created feud that spirals out of context and control; an anxious and panicked star trying to fake ‘uncomplicated happiness’ accepting an award. The public are quick to declare love and even quicker to shift allegiances when it comes to celebrities. It’s part of a wider cultural problem we have as a society where we treat stars as ‘untouchables’, people who are immune to mistakes or bad days and when they do have them, we’re only too quick to click on an article or retweet a tweet that shows them in this unflattering light. For making this statement, Hathaway will undoubtedly be judged. People will say ‘she’s only an actress, it’s not that hard’ or dismiss her claims as a PR stunt to try and win back public opinion. In reality, this is an admission of anxiety from a star, someone who felt the pain of the character she lived as for months on end and who understood that this ‘pain is part of the collective experience’ of humanity. She’s a person who is uncomfortable with the larger trappings of fame and for the most part, has been incredibly genuine and warm throughout her career. But the Hatha-hate will continue until we find another celebrity to talk about. The cycle of the public’s love-hate relationship with stars may never end, but perhaps it’s time that it should.

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THE GALWAY GAMER: What’s the Switch? By Eoghan Murphy There have been rumours around the campfire for quite some time now about what Nintendo’s new machine could be. Some claimed it would reinvigorate the console scene, breathing new life into seemingly tired old lungs. Others speculated that it was to be an underwhelming device, trailing even further behind the Playstation 4 and Xbox One than even the Wii U, becoming the final nail in Nintendo’s coffin and finally forcing the one hundred year old company out of business. Truth be told, nobody really knew what was going on behind closed door at Nintendo’s headquarters. All we knew for sure was that it was being developed under the working title

of NX. That was until recently, when the operation was finally revealed to the public. The announcement came in the form of a HD video trailer released worldwide via Youtube, displaying one of the most innovative pieces of gaming machinery this side of the VR revolution. The official trailer, viewed more than 18 million times so far, opens up with a man playing what appears to be upcoming Legend of Zelda title, Breath of the Wind, on his home TV. The console’s final name then flashes onto the screen; Nintendo Switch. From here, we see the man leave his seat, slide the sides of the controller off of a dark plastic base and slipping them onto the edges of a docking bay next to the television. He then retrieves a small, tablet-sized,

screen from the bay, now using the slips as a make-shift controller, and continues to play while leaving the room. And just like that, Nintendo may have changed the face of gaming as we know it. With the slips added to the side of the screen, it’s obvious just how much Wii U influence is involved in the Switch. The rectangular screen with thumbsticks and buttons positioned along the sides looks almost identical to the ideas used for the Wii U. So why should a videogame fan become excited about a console resembling an upgrade to a machine that performed poorly in the overall scheme of things? Because that’s not all the Switch has to offer. Nintendo’s new hardware seemingly allows players to take their gaming

experiences on the go, allowing them to travel far from the initial docking system while continuing to play. This is shown numerous times throughout the trailer as people are seen playing in parks, basketball courts and even in the back of taxi cabs. Travelling with the Switch doesn’t appear to limit a player’s options either, as the detachable controllers can be used even without being positioned on the screen. In this form, a player can hold one in each hand and, once again, continue to play. To further this concept, each slip can be held horizontally to create smaller, individual controllers, allowing two

Preview images of the new Nintendo Switch, showing its various configurations

people to play simultaneously using the Switch same set-up. With the screen propped up on its extendable built-in stand, this could open up a whole world of new options from portable multiplayer gaming. At first glance Nintendo Switch looks like a dream console! It’s both portable and TV based, making this the machine that the Wii U should have been. So far it has captured the imagination of gamers worldwide, but there is still so much we don’t know about its capabilities. In January, Nintendo will confirm exactly what this fun little device has to offer, including specs, prices and the line-up of videogames that will be available at launch. Nintendo Switch is due to hit shelves in March 2017. Eoghan Murphy is a Galway City based music and gaming journalist. Born and raised on 1980s thrash metal, this ex-vocalist also enjoys a touch of hard rock and hip hop. When not banging his head to extreme music, he can usually be found knee deep in piles of video games, competing at tournaments and writing for www.Hit-Start-Now. com or spinning chiptunes on Flirt FM at 2pm each Thursday as the Galway Gamer

What’s going on in Galway? By Cathy Lee You may feel yourself coming into a sort of November slump. I mean I get it, it’s not yet Christmas, the weather outside is a bit grim and some people are even talking about exams (already?). But never fear, we here at SIN are listing some great events to get you off the most likely uncomfortable sofa in your student accommodation. So - what’s happening in Galway this fortnight?

BELLE OF THE BALL First off, why not check out the Law Ball? Taking place on 9 November in the Clayton Hotel, this event is sure to cater for all years studying law as well as their friends. Acts on the night include Jax Jones and Brave Giant - not to be missed! If you’re a first year who hasn’t yet attended a college ball, I would highly recommend the experience. Whether it be this ball being run by

the Law society or even the ball of the following week, the Science Ball held by Physics society, these events are sort of a student rite of passage. Trust me, it won’t be like your debs (for one it’s more of an affordable occasion) and it’s a sweet opportunity to get dressed up and beat the midwinter blues! The Science Ball takes place in the Salthill hotel on 16 November. Full tickets and afters tickets are available - nice one!

Irish Independent writer David McWilliams, takes an audience to new places revealing the strangest things that happened during the rising, revolution and counter - revolution using satire, historical insight, imagery and song. Sure to be insightful and hilarious, tickets priced at just over €10 are a steal.

TEN DARK SECRETS OF 1916 (AND HOW THEY SHAPED IRELAND)

Many of you will have heard of this upand-coming band full of some fine Galway musicians. Well if not, the perfect opportunity to check them out is at their EP launch. The event takes place in the Roisin Dubh on 12 November starting at 9pm. The €3 entry gives access to the gig and a copy of the CD to take home with you. The EP is called “Shade” and really gives a good introduction to the band, their style and sound. Special guests on the night include another local band “Drown”. If you simply can’t wait for the event, you can have a listen to the band’s music by visiting

As the centenary year is coming to a close, it’s best to get the events in sooner rather than later right? Well why not try out something all in the name of learning. In the Town Hall theatre at 8:30pm on 10 November, Paddy Cullivan’s spectacular audio-visual production takes you through the Ten Dark Secrets of 1916 (and how they shaped Ireland). Cullivan, described as a “national treasure” by

BOB SKELTON EP LAUNCH

their profile on Bandcamp.com. Check them out on Facebook and YouTube too!

NUI GALWAY’S CHARITY CHRISTMAS DAY This event takes place in Sult starting from 11am on 17 November and the annual event is something a little bit special. You may have heard rumours from previous years of the crowds queuing outside Aras na Mac Leinn in the hope of getting in. Well you’d be right, this day is like no other (except 25 December, obviously). You can pick up Christmas Day wristbands from the Students Union office for €5 and this’ll get you into Electric and 44 on the night then between 10pm - 11pm. You can get into the festive spirit for a good cause with all proceeds for the event going to the RNLI and Threshold. Don’t forget the Christmas jumper and honestly, the goofier the better as it’s all a bit of fun. Don’t miss Santa’s Grotto, cheesy tunes, Santa hats and freebies.

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November 08 2016

She By Cathy Lee Of course it wasn’t about me, Was it ever going to be? Never the chosen one but always the chosen, in the end I mean I don’t feel jealousy anymore I know she means something different to you I will never understand. You take my hand but I know somehow hers is preferred She can take you further than me I don’t have that much to offer She’s there and she can do it, She has the power She welcomes you in more than I do It’s a safer feeling, such certainty While I give you tales of some far away fantasy that is never real for you How selfish of me, To expose this to you Knowing that you are where you are, unchanging. I will never get her nor her I We will laugh and smile to one another but never talk, really. She knows me but doesn’t ask to be kept up to date I’ll ask about her though, Because I just want to relate to you She’s your interest, your something sweet, in a setting I’m far gone from Still you are my home, My welcome back While she’s something present and always exciting, She can bring you away Lift you from the reality that I left you in Filling the gap that I was inevitably to bring.

The Lonesome West Review By Aisling Bonner A single hanging lightbulb glows in the darkness as a perfectly chosen Peaky Blinders-esque soundtrack greets the audience on arrival to the opening night of Dramsoc’s production of The Lonesome West. Written by Martin McDonagh, the play charts the endless hilarious bickering of two brothers, forced to live in harmony after their father’s death, all the while highlighting the dysfunctions of

tapping fingers and moustachestroking, while Kearney sold the unpredictability of his character. In a play so dependent on a dynamic, believable duo, Robbie Walsh struck gold with these two. In support of the two leading men, Cathal Ryan played the pathetic Fr. Welsh convincingly, showing particularly strong emotion in his Act 2 monologue, which really altered the atmosphere on stage. He was joined in support by Gráinne White in the role of Girleen, the only youthful pres-

The experience of director Robbie Walsh shone in this confident production. The development of all characters on stage was achieved fluidly. One of the most impressive aspects of this play was the clever use of effects such as music, lighting and dry ice which all contributed to a very professional looking production. the West of Ireland. It is a complex play, testing the fine balance between comedy and tragedy – a test director Robbie Walsh passed with flying colours. This production was fuelled by the comic excellence of Shane Gaffney as Valene, and the consistent grumpiness of Jack Kearney as Coleman. The chemistry between the pair was completely believable and their character development was fascinating. Gaffney’s gestures and mannerisms captured the vivid sliminess of Valene with his

ence in the play. Despite looking too old to play the role of a schoolgirl, White made up for it with her energetic innocence on stage, interspersed with moments of heart-breaking emotion. At times some lines were lost because of faltering diction and speaking too fast, and some moments of emotion were hidden by faces aimed at the floor rather than out to the audience. These issues were mainly noticeable at the beginning, however, and overall the quality of acting

in this production was extremely high and all accents were convincing and consistent. The experience of director Robbie Walsh shone in this confident production. The development of all characters on stage was achieved fluidly. One of the most impressive aspects of this play was the clever use of effects such as music, lighting and dry ice which all contributed to a very professional looking production. While good use of the space was made there was some repetition in the staging of some of the Stepbrothers-esque fight scenes between the brothers, and it’s difficult to distinguish one from the other. That said, this did not detract from the climax of the play which held the audience captive until its finish. Visually, this was a ver y appealing production although there were some issues. Whether down to the set or direction, the time period in which it was set was not clear and it seemed far more dated than its 1990’s setting. That said, this may have been a decision made to evoke the backwardness of the West at this time. The single hanging bulb in the middle of Valene and Coleman’s kitchen-turned-battleground was a striking feature and worked beautifully. In an effort to create an appearance of crumminess, newspapers were strung about the stage in excess. With no reference in the play to the papers it was somewhat confusing and perhaps a more imaginative way of portraying disarray could have been achieved. That said, many other props greatly enhanced the space; namely, Valene’s precious stove, the round wooden table, and hanging crucifix. Male costumes in this play were very strong, with eye-catching suits that were a welcome change from the regular grey and black. The mismatched combinations of Valene were particularly effective and created the illusion of the ‘man who can’t dress himself’. Unfortunately, the confusion regarding the age of Girleen wasn’t helped by her costumes. For example, this might have been clarified had she worn a real school uniform rather than a tartan pinafore-like dress. Aside from this, the rest of the actors’ characters were enhanced by their clothing which was very plausible. Dramsoc’s production of The Lonesome West had a professionalism which I did not anticipate. A visual treat, with crafty effects and epic storytelling, there was nothing lonesome about it.

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By Fiach Mac Fhionnlaoich With Halloween just passed, Syfy definitely picked a good time to launch this week’s Hidden Gem, their new horror anthology series, Channel Zero. Inspired by the internet phenomenon ‘creepypastas’ (of which Slender Man is probably the most well - known), Channel Zero sets itself as a kooky and unconventional watch from that premise alone. The first and current story is titled ‘Candle Cove’. Having premiered on 11 October, this six-part series is already set to be followed by The No - End House in the autumn of 2017. ‘Candle Cove’ concerns itself with a renowned child psychologist Mike Painter, played by Paul Schneider, who returns to his home town in order to investigate the mysterious disappearance of his twin brother and a slew of other children during the 1980s, and how they are connected to Candle Cove, a children’s television programme that no one seems to remember. Though the show is primarily set in the present day, it is inextricably tied to the deaths of children in 1988, which the audience views as nightmarish flashbacks experienced by the main character, played by Paul Schneider.

With Stranger Things capturing the cultural zeitgeist of 1980s America so well, while dipping its toes in the horror genre, it might be very easy to pass over Channel Zero as a cheap imitation trying to ride on that series’ coattails. Though comparisons between the two shows will likely be inevitable, it might be important to note that where it may appear derivative, this inaugural storyline was created in a pre - Stranger Things world. In fact, ‘Candle Cove’ takes plenty more inspiration from other horror stories, such as Stephen King’s It. Schneider delivers a quiet and understated performance in the series’ opening episode. This subtlety makes more sense upon the revelation that Mike has recently been released from a psych ward after carving the message ‘Come Home Mike’ into his own arm. Mike remains mild - mannered so as to attempt to remain in control, desperate as he is not to be seen as crazy, especially when the rest of the world doesn’t realise that his insane theory regarding a demonic children’s TV show actually warrants being paid some attention. Although the show’s creepy visuals and off - kilter camerawork generally keep the viewer on their toes, the moments where the

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show steps back from them are its weakest moments. The dialogue has a tendency to come across as the anti - thesis of the “show, don’t tell” rule, coming across as clunky and heavy - handed at times. There is room for improvement there, but it by no means ruined the episode, and the show has built a strong enough foundation of its opener that it should be able to afford to spend a little less time on the exposition from here on in. ‘Candle Cove’ makes use of many classic horror tropes, but those tropes are classic for a reason, and the first Channel Zero storyline weaves them together in a way that remains just the right level of frightening to keep you interested. If the remaining episode can continue to ramp the visuals and the monsters in the episodes to come, Channel Zero may well be on the path to success.

X-Factor following falls By Zoe Ellis

tinues to decline. The judging process can become mind numbing in its repetition, there The X - Factor has continuously gone down is only so many times you can hear the same in ratings over the past few years, this year’s words over and over before you start changopening episode went down 800,000 from ing the channel. last year. The television classic is going down Viewers are not completely satisfied with in viewers as the series progresses. The Simon’s new more upbeat attitude on the competition has also become notorious for judging panel either. He embodied all of the changing rules in attempt to keep viewers characteristics of a TV villain for years earning excited, but even with so many twists and the nickname “Mr Nasty”, however he has changes the programme still is inevitably the softened over the past few series, taking a bit same repetition of characters every year. of the comedy away from the show. Simon is The contestants fall into the same stereo- still a key part of the programme but with his typical roles every year, with novelty acts a less blunt critiques he has become less of a key component of the X-Factor formula. Can fan favourite. they really call it a talent competition when so The only life force at the moment on the many acts’ only talent is being comically bad? X-Factor is its talent for stirring controversy. It I’m not saying novelty acts can’t be enjoy- has been suggested that Simon Cowell is only able; I too can sit up happily on a Saturday backing the controversial contestant Honey night watching the audition stages of the G as she brings the ratings up. On the red competition when everyone shows up with carpet for the Pride of Britain Awards the Irish the intention of being the next Beyoncé. But Mirror reported Simon Cowell as to saying; when these comical acts stay in the competi- “Don’t blame me. Don’t blame me. Part of tion until the live show stages, it becomes less me thinking I don’t know what’s going on. of a talent show and more of a joke. The other part of me is laughing. It’s Honey The judges are an important part of the G. She’s doing great. I walked down the red X-Factor, almost more so than the contes- carpet tonight and guess who everyone was tants themselves. The judges’ off-screen asking about, Honey G…. the ratings love her. drama is even present from year to year; if She’s rehearsing tonight.” We all find it easy to take the artistic high ground when it It has been suggested that Simon comes to the X-Factor but it’s easy to forget that it’s a business. At the end Cowell is only backing the of the day if the programme is making money it will continue to plague controversial contestant Honey weekend television but the day it stops turning a significant profit it G as she brings the ratings up. will be bye-bye X-Factor. Even with such drastic declines it’s not Simon and Cheryl its Simon …and in viewership, the X-Factor is still one of the well anyone. This year we’ve seen the return most popular programmes on night time of familiar faces Louis, Sharon, Nicole and television; grossing millions of viewers every Simon. Last year the panel was suggested episode. I think we all love to hate the X-Facto be too youthful pushing many viewers to tor, as it consistently stirs conversation and other programmes like Strictly Come Danc- mild controversy yearly. But I really don’t ing. This made Simon adamant to have a think anyone of us can imagine our lives – more diverse age range of judges this year. or a Christmas without the X-Factor single Even with this new diversity, viewership con- on loop on every radio station- without it.

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November 08 2016

NUIG’S ULTIMATE TEAM

Wednesday 16th marks the beginning of NUIG’s Ultimate Team, the University’s first ever Intramural Sports Program. NUIG’s Ultimate Team or N.U.T. is a program designed to promote a more healthy and active lifestyle among our staff and students, as well as promoting a friendly sense of competition between the 5 Colleges within the University. Each of the 5 Colleges can enter as many teams as they wish. Each team will consist of 10 students and/ or staff from their respective college, with at least 3 males and 3 females on each team. People can form their own team (as long as all team members are in the same college) or join a random team in their college. Throughout the college year the teams will take part in 5 events where they will compete against their rival colleges for the title of “NUIG’s Ultimate Team”. The 5 events for the program are: • A 3K Santa Speed Walk • 7-A-Side Gaelic • Ultimate Frisbee • Tag Rugby • Futsal

The program will conclude with one final team-orientated challenge, “The Dangan Mud Warrior Challenge”, which will test the teams both physicallyand mentally, with many obstacles to overcome and puzzles to solve. This will be our very own “Tough Mudder” styled event, exclusive to those who participate in the N.U.T. Program. N.U.T. kicks off on Wednesday 16th with our 3K Santa Speed Walk. This is a Christmas themed walking race around campus that’s sure to put you in the mood for the upcoming holiday season! We’ll have a social gathering straight after the event in the College Bar with food and refreshments for all participants, and spot prizes for “Best Christmas Themed Costume” and “Best Team Name”. The event costs ¤2 to take part in and all money raised goes to Galway Simon Community, a fantastic charity that provides services for the homeless of Galway. The idea for N.U.T. and the entire concept for the Intramural Sports Program is to encourage a sense of community with the University by encouraging schools and colleges to participate together in recreational activity many of our students, approx 6,000 are involved in club activity /recreational activity we are working to encourage all students to participate in fun activities which will also offer opportunities to interact with class mates in a less than formal setting. N.U.T. aims to address the issue of isolation and loneliness facing many of our students. Kathy Hynes, University Club’s Officer and Founder of the concept of N.U.T. program talks about how, “Too many students sit in lecture theatres with dozens, sometimes hundreds of their peers and yet feel totally

alone. This program is all about bringing people together in a more fun and relaxed environment so they can get to know their peers.We want to instil, in both our staff and students, a sense of pride and belonging within their college.” The obvious other benefit to the program is that we’re getting NUIG Active! Reports from the World Health Organisation back in 2015, placed Ireland on track to be the most obese country in Europe by 2030. Since then many fantastic health and fitness initiatives have been set up all around Ireland to ensure that this never becomes a reality.We in the University Sports Office want to ensure that NUIG is part of that solution. One of the primary aims of this program is to get more people in the University to engage in recreational physical activity, and to do so in an enjoyable manner.

The program is led by Kathy Hynes and Ciarán Walsh (Sports & Exercise Engineer), along with Helena Slattery, Rachel Leontis& Shauna O Connor, MA in Health Promotion. The collaboration with the Health Promotion Department and the expertise and knowledge that Rachel, Shauna and Helena bring to the table has opened the door to further collaborations with other departments. Rachel, Shauna and Helena have successfully navigated the N.U.T. brief and worked to bring to life a very strong concept for all our students. So if you and your friends/colleagues/lecturers/ students are interested in representing your college, and more importantly, having a lot fun check out: www. otc.nuigalway.ie for more information and to register a team! Or if you have any questions you can email the team directly at nut@clubs.nuigalway.ie. Or if you want to work on the programme with the team please make contact.

NUIG’S ULTIMATE TEAM

College of Arts College of Science College of Business & Law College of Engineering College of Medicine

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Sin Vol. 18 Issue 5

DOIREANN HUGHES: College, club and county star By Darragh Berry The last thing Doireann Hughes needed on a busy Thursday afternoon was to pencil in an interview. The 20-year-old NUI Galway student was having an intermission between finishing her last class and heading to the library to do some study. “It’s very hard to juggle college classes, assignments and then having to focus on football and training,” she told SIN. A third year Biomedical Science student in which she is majoring in the field of Pharmacology, Doireann is trying her best to manage all aspects of her hectic life and admitted that sometimes it means replacing the Galway nightlife with some well needed rest. “It’s draining on the body but I suppose once you like it, it’s worth it in the end, it’s all part and parcel of being a footballer.” What is not part of being a footballer is natural talent, that is something you either have or you don’t and one thing is for sure, Doireann has it in abundance. With such a mixture of youth and experience in her local club, it is no surprise that Carnacon recently

won their 15th Connacht title in 19 years. The captain? You guessed it, Doireann Hughes. Despite being surrounded by great footballing legends such as Cora Staunton, Michelle McGing and Martha Carter, the role is not one which she finds daunting. “It is brilliant to have these players alongside you when you’re heading into a big game. It is a privilege to be captain of such a huge club, my home club, and it feels good knowing that as captain, you have the trust and backing of all your team-mates behind you whether they are more experienced than you or not.” Now a solid part of the furniture with Mayo and Carnacon, Doireann has been blessed to work in such a professional set-up in the last couple of years alongside experienced footballers, many of whom hold club and county All-Ireland medals. However, playing for NUI Galway is just as enjoyable for her. “It’s a great way of making friends and meeting new people and it keeps you fit,” she says. Not that keeping fit is a problem for the young Mayo star, who explained that very few days go by where she isn’t on a training pitch somewhere.

“Myself and two other NUIG girls, Erina Flannery and Meadhbh Larkin, always head home at least once or twice a week for Carnacon training.”

greatly in recent years and has upped its game massively in terms of management and organisation. “Dave is lovely and he has such a good relationship with all the girls and because Doireann has natural talent in of this you want to play at your abundance. With such a mixture best under him. He’s very good at of youth and experience in advertising our club on Faceher local club, it is no surprise book and getting t h e w o rd o u t that Carnacon recently won about upcoming matches their 15th Connacht title in and training. We’re constantly 19 years. The captain? You improving as a team and as a guessed it, Doireann Hughes. club but it just seems very hard The commitment and dedication for us to find our feet.” from such a young person is incredDespite losing their first two ible. She was 15 minutes early for matches of the league, Doireann the interview and with the way she remains humble in defeat and is talked about her footballing routine, always looking forward; “We lost to you can just imagine that the same UCC and UL but we’ve all kept the time management would apply to heads up, we’re remaining positive her training rituals; first on the field about our last game against Maybefore anyone else. nooth. It’s all a learning curve for Under the guidance of their championship”. Doireann shows wisdom beyond manager Dave Henry, the NUI Galway Ladies set-up has improved her years and mentioned the word

experience quite a bit. NUI Galway Ladies football is currently in the building blocks stage of its re-creation but it is progressively building for the better. “It’s all connected, experience comes from playing football and training hard, you do this with the hope of winning something at the end of it and with winning comes more and more professionalism in the game.” It may take a couple of more years before they hit success and it may be long after Doireann is graduated and gone, but she is determined that her and her teammates will put down a marker for the future. “As a team we need to enforce an ethos in the group and maintain high morale in the camp to bring on football even more here in NUIG.” Trying to digest a quick snack and a drink as her intermission came to an end, the busy academic footballer switched her attention to college work as the interview wound down. There may be aspects of the scientific world that she has yet to uncover but as a footballer, it’s fair to say, Doireann has covered her fair share of ground already.

Dundalk have elevated Irish football to a new level By Graham Gillespie A few weeks ago, I was sat in the press box of Eamon Deacy Park watching Galway United take on Cork City, a game that was over after 30 seconds when Sean Maguire struck Cork’s first goal. As this was happening, far more surprising news was coming out of Oriel Park: Dundalk were being beaten at home by Sligo Rovers. Come full time Dundalk had lost 3-0 and it became evident that their forthcoming Tuesday night clash with Cork had become a potential title decider. With the exhausting schedule caused by Dundalk’s heroic European exploits, many (myself included) felt this title race had now swung in Cork’s favour. Dundalk could have been forgiven for letting league focus slip with all they had achieved and Cork, who had just completed their 5-0 rout of a decent if demotivated Galway side, would certainly have been worthy champions. However, this Dundalk side is unlike any other Irish team. A Daryl Horgan-inspired 2-1 victory over the Leesiders kick-started a run of five games in 12 days for Dundalk which ended with them clinching their

third title in a row against Bohemians on 23 October with two games to spare. In this run the only game Dundalk did not win was a narrow 2-1 loss to Russian giants Zenit St. Petersburg. For context, as Irish Independent correspondent Daniel McDonnell mentioned in a tweet, Dundalk’s squad was put together for €20,000, Zenit’s cost €145 million. Dundalk have to be regarded as the greatest Irish club side ever with their exploits over the past three seasons. This suggestion is made even more remarkable when it is considered where the club was when manager Stephen Kenny first took charge at the end of the 2012 campaign. In that season Dundalk finished second bottom and there were genuine fears that the club would end up like Monaghan United who withdrew from the league that season. However, Kenny’s impact was instantaneous with them finishing second the next year before winning the first in their trio of titles in 2014. Kenny also succeeded by instilling an attractive attacking brand of football despite having an artificial pitch at Oriel Park (it is worth noting that Dundalk’s home record this season was much worse than their away form).

This perhaps has been most notable when Dundalk have competed in European competition. In the past there have been some special moments for Irish teams in Europe such as Shamrock Rovers’ run to the Europa League group stages in 2011 or Athlone Town’s famous 0-0 draw with AC Milan in the mid-seventies, but whilst other Irish teams would usually set out defensively to stop other sides, Dundalk have played the European game on their terms this season. The most striking example of this was their 3-0 humbling of Champions League regulars Bate Borisov in August which was perhaps the greatest-ever Irish club display in Europe. Dundalk completely outclassed a side who have taken points off Bayern Munich and AS Roma in recent years If anything, Bate were lucky it was not more embarrassing. Throughout their European campaign, Dundalk have constantly stepped up and looked like they belong. No other Irish team has done this. When Shamrock Rovers made the group stages, they lost all six games, Dundalk already have four points with three games left to play at the time of writing.

There are only two or three players in the rest of the League of Ireland who would make it into this Dundalk side. Daryl Horgan has taken much of the limelight for his displays, and deservedly so, but there are several other Lilywhites players who deserve wider appreciation. If Martin O’Neil is considering giving Horgan a call-up then perhaps full back Sean Gannon who has been consistently excellent during the past two seasons can start to imagine himself walking out in the green jersey. Gary Rogers, Andy Boyle, Stephen O’Donnell and David McMillian provide an incredibly solid and skilful spine whilst Robbie Benson and Patrick McEleney are two exciting young prospects who have flourished under Stephen Kenny’s guidance. It is difficult to think of another Irish team that had this much exciting talent, coupled with a remarkable strength in depth. The maintenance of their domestic dominance whilst playing in Europe speaks volumes of their squad depth which is not matched by any other Irish team. Fringe players have been pivotal

as Dundalk have had to deal with an outrageous schedule which has seen them play 10 games in 28 days. Chris Shields has offered excellent midfield cover throughout the season, veteran right back Alan Keane has filled in during crucial games in the run-in, while striker Ciaran Kilduff has made a key impact off the bench – most notably when he scored the equaliser against AZ Alkmaar. Dundalk’s options have been so good that a player like Georgie Poynton who has captained Ireland at underage level can’t get a game. Also, considering their fixture congestion, Dundalk have had remarkably few injuries. Fitness coach Graham Byrne must take plenty of credit for enabling Dundalk to be not only technically superior to all other Irish teams but also a step above physically. Set to the backdrop of disappointing attendances for the league and the ongoing dispute between many of the clubs and the FAI, Dundalk will be looking to qualify from their Europa League group and have European football after Christmas. This would take Irish club football somewhere it has not been before.

SPORT 31

November 08 2016

Connacht secure Dillane and Aki with new contracts By Mark Lynch

sending them to one of the other provinces. The best recent example Ultan Dillane and Bundee Aki have of this was Robbie Henshaw, who agreed to renew their contracts with left for Leinster during the summer. Connacht by two and three years Time and time again Connacht have respectively. While this may seem seen their young talent drained, so like some arbitrary news story, it’s for the aforementioned duo to buck significant in the statement it sends the trend is an important event. out to the teams who have been tryAfter such a disappointing start ing to buy Europe’s best talent. Not to this season, the loss of Aki, Dilonly that, but it shows the rest of the lane or both would have left next provinces that they can no longer pick year looking bleaker again. The and choose whoever they want from loss of Henshaw and Ah You to Leinster and Ulster respectively, as the west coast. well as MacGinty to Sale Aki, who becomes available Sharks and Muldowney to Grenoble, has taken for selection for Ireland next the side quite a while to get used to. Autumn under the residency The defensive solidity and the fast-paced rule, has been an essential attacking prowess that we had become used figure in getting their to seeing in abundance last year, was largely campaign back on track non-existent during the month of September. A When rumours emerged that series of domestic defeats left them Munster and Toulon, among oth- languishing at the bottom of the ers, were interested in prising Aki table. away from Connacht, an all-too-faHowever, successive wins over miliar feeling washed over fans of Edinburgh and Ulster in the Pro 12, the reigning Pro12 champions. This added to successive wins over Touwas compounded by the whispers louse and Zebre in the Champions that Dillane was on his way back to Cup, have very much brightened Munster, the province who so easily the mood in the West. So, just when let him go as a teenager. things were looking up this season Those who follow the men in for Pat Lam’s charges, these stories the west have seen their team dec- began to circulate that Aki and Dilimated year after year because of a lane were off. questionable policy of the IRFU to Aki, who becomes available for let Connacht develop players before selection for Ireland next Autumn

under the residency rule, has been an essential figure in getting their campaign back on track, would have been a catastrophic loss, especially seeing as they already lost a centre in Henshaw in the summer. Let’s not forget he was selected as Pro 12 and Connacht Player of the Year last season. The second row Dillane burst onto the scene with Connacht last year and even made several appearances in the 6 Nations in the spring. Given that he’s just 22 years old, he has an incredible potential for achieving great things for a decade to come. His would have been a similarly damaging loss. It’s refreshing to see a team like Connacht do well, given how overdue their success is. With a bustling defence and an exciting attack, combined with the familial atmosphere one gets in the Sportsground, they’re one of the easiest teams to get behind, even if you’re not a native. The only way this success is ever going to be built on is if the squad is built on. One wonderful, ground-breaking season should be seen as the start of something even bigger. Losing four key squad players straight after it was always going to be detrimental, which is one major reason why losing another two after this season would have been a disaster. Fortunately for Connacht, it’s not something they’ll have to deal with. They’ll hope that this becomes the norm in terms of transfers. It’d be about time they got the chance to build on what they have.

An ode to the recalcitrant, yet lovable Conor McGregor By Trevor Murray It isn’t often that Irish sports personalities manage to captivate millions of people’s attentions, or that they can produce feats of physical and mental prowess to see themselves emerge as the kingpins of their respective fields. Yet that is precisely what Conor McGregor has managed to do in the sphere of MMA. In many respects then, though he is already an Irish sporting hero to many, he is greatly undervalued by so many others. With his big lightweight bout against Eddie Alvarez in New York on 12 November, the Dubliner has another self-made chance to make history by becoming the first fighter in UFC history to hold two belts simultaneously – it’s difficult, then, to believe that too many corners of this country would like to see him fail. Everyone knows just how big of a personality McGregor is, and yet because it is such a massive part of what has driven him to success, it can lose much of its mystique and its aura; the constant vibration of frightening motivation he exudes can sometimes lose its thundering thud and get lost as a humdrum, and that is a shame. After all, the self-belief and assertive nature which are synonymous with him are two things which, perhaps, do not always immediately spring to mind when one things of your archetypal, clichéd Irish man. In many ways, the 28-year-old has shaken off the cultural constraints imposed upon him and has taken

LEICESTER CITY: Champions League winners in waiting? By Eoin Molloy Cardiff, 3 june 2017.

Claudio Ranieri beams his way through the post-match press conference, Riyad Mahrez flicks his hair triumphantly and Jamie Vardy dishes out cans of Fosters to his team-mates. Leicester City have gone and done it again – they’ve won the Champions League. The final against Barcelona was little more than a stroll in the park for the Foxes, who played with two banks of four for most of the game. In the end, Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr. and Luis Suarez could not cope with the physicality of Wes Morgan and Robert Huth. Danny Drinkwater ran the show from the midfield, assisting the only goal of the game. The former Manchester United

academy player nutmegged Sergio Busquets before chipping a beautifully weighted ball over the top to Jamie Vardy, who lashed it first time past the out-stretched Ter Stegen. You’ve probably already snagged it, but the above result is, of course, coming to you from the future. All joking aside, the early encounters of the 2016/17 UCL seem to indicate that Leicester are well on their way towards repeating their miraculous Premier League win last season, albeit in a different competition. Leicester are top of their group and playing some good football. They have only been in the competition two minutes and they’re already breaking records: they are the first English team to ever win their first two UCL games on the trot.

So the question is: can Leicester pull a Leicester? When Porto stormed their way to Champions League glory in 2004, their success was primarily attributed to the then-unknown brooding Portuguese manager we have all come to know and tolerate: Jose Mourinho. Ranieiri is infinitely more relaxed, but he is no slouch when it comes to man-management and player motivation. It is telling that when Porto won the UCL in 2004, Mourinho immediately moved on to greener, Russian-funded pastures in Chelsea, taking several key players with him. Ranieri was determined to keep his side together after their famous Premier League win, losing only N’Golo Kante, again to Chelsea. Perhaps it is this greater sense of squad togetherness that has allowed

Leicester to continue their rich vein of form into this continental season. The pundits will say that we shouldn’t look too much into Leicester’s results against so-called ‘minnow sides’ like Porto and Brugges. Those same pundits would be forgetting that Ranieri’s men are minnows themselves. In its current format, the Champions League is somewhat of a lottery. Any team can beat another team on a given day, irrespective of quality. That is why league formats have developed over time: the greater number of games allows good teams to show their superiority on a consistent basis. Because of their togetherness, their great individual players and the unpredictable format of the Champions League, Leicester are undeniably in with an outside shout of lifting the coveted European Cup.

great pleasure in successfully rebranding himself. In truth, the notion of the underdog is something a little more in tune with where one’s mind might subconsciously drift to in a conversation about Ireland on the sporting stage – and yet “The Notorious”, as he is known by his loyal fans, is no longer the embattled minnow; he is no longer the outsider and the feisty pauper – he is the king. Too many people dismiss his skill as bloody barbarism; violent to the extreme of inciting hatred in the minds of those that watch it. Tune in to Niall Boylan on 4FM at your peril and you’ll hear plenty of misguided voices berate him for the way he has earned his wealth, fame and success. To concentrate McGregor down to that would be totally unjust and, frankly, ridiculous, because it glosses over what is at the heart of the immensity of his achievements. He is so much more than those misgivings, something his commitment, determination and entrepreneurial showmanship attest to those who appreciate sport. Though the reigning featherweight champion is no longer an unknown attempting to raze down his opponents to get to the pinnacle, he is nonetheless a man fighting off his competitors and it is arguably tougher attempting to stay at the top than it is to get there in the first place. The story of his meteoric rise is one which has helped build the McGregor hype machine, and it is a well-built contraption, it must be said. It spluttered and wheezed a tad in part one of his brawl with Nate Diaz, but it appears to be running smoothly once again. The rags-to-riches tale he has brought to life through his victories, whether it has been through Cage Warriors or by knocking out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds flat, has played a considerably catalytic role in his emergence as a truly great athlete. However, it could be argued that what will cement his status is not how he fought his way to the top, but how he managed to remain there for a considerable spell – and to do so by fighting regularly would probably mean all the more to him, as well as continuing to fuel his competitive streak. Jose Also stood unbeaten for 10 years, and that is a record which still has people in awe of his abilities – and McGregor might not ever have the chance to equal it, so that is something he will have to overcome by setting other records. Until then, we can bask in his enigma, his fearlessness, his assured witticisms and his controlled aggression.

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