The College Tribune, Issue 3, Vol 24

October 12th 2010

| The difference is we’re independent

Vol. 24. No 3

The College Tribune Politics ››

The Siren ››

Where did our Celtic Tiger go?

The Siren analyses Hipsters

page 8

page 2

Where’s Wally?

Law Soc suffer disappointing start to semester.

Students question the integrity of the Society’s promises.

Ciara Murphy UCD’s biggest society, Law Soc, have had a disappointing start to the year with the cancellation and postponment of two high profile events. Law Soc were forced to postpone their “Government Debate”, that was set to feature Brian Cowen and Enda Kenny held last week as the speakers that were booked were unable to attend.

This follows on from Law Soc’s cancellation of an event that was set to honour Oscar winning actor Tim Robbins during Fresher’s Week– who subsequently claimed to know nothing of his advertised visit to UCD. Robbins’ appearance was heavily advertised by the society and was used to attract members during Fresher’s Week.

Law Soc claimed Robbins was due to receive an honorary life membership from the society and would talk to the society’s members at the event. However

Robbins’ management subsequently revealed that the actor had no knowledge of the event.

Kieran McCarthy, Law Soc Auditor, told The College Tribune that he was partially to blame for the Robbins mishap however contrary to some opinions on campus McCarthy also stated that there was some confusion on Robbins’ end and that it was not all one sided.

McCarthy said that “with an event that big it is very difficult to get the correct information to everyone at the same time.”

On a general note, McCarthy also pointed out that VIP speakers are not bound by contract and can cancel at anytime and moreover as a society “you are the first group speakers can cancel on.”

Many students are convinced however that Law Soc are entirely to blame for the

Robbins fiasco, Michael McClintock a 2nd year student told The College Tribune that, “until I read about how Law Soc were never in contact with Tim Robbins, I thought he just wasn’t bothered, it is bad form [of Law Soc] to try and move the blame from themselves to [Tim Robbins].

In relation to the lack of information distributed to make students aware of the cancelation of the event McCarthy pointed out that he was still until a very late stage attempting to salvage the event. McCarthy pointed out that there was a Facebook notification released to inform

members of the cancellation but did admit that more information should have been released to the appropriate press sources and accepts fault for the lack of information.

The title of biggest society on campus is a prestigious Continued on page 2 »

Where’s Cowen?

Where’s Robbins?

Where’s Kenny?

Lynam Defends Cost of Class Rep Training at Inaugural SU Council Weekend training costs Students’ Union €10,500.

Some Reps voted in with as little as three votes.

Donie O’Sullivan The cost of class-rep training which was held this weekend in Carlow was questioned by a non-voting member at the inaugural meeting of the UCD Student’s Union Council last Thursday. The meeting which was held in Theatre Q in the Newman Building saw only

approximately two-thirds of newly elected class reps attend.

Paul Lynam, the SU president (pictured right) was challenged on the cost of the class-rep training weekend by a nonvoting member who was in attendance. Class-rep training traditionally takes place

the weekend after class-rep elections and is usually held in a location outside of Dublin, the SU paying for transport, accommodation and all other expenses for the weekend – a total cost this year of €10,500.

The non-voting member Continued on page 2 »

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Continued from front page Ciara Murphy one and is a title that attracts many lucrative sponsorship deals. L&H, who are only 90 members short of Law Soc’s this year, held the the title for many years. Niall Fahy, the Auditor of the L&H said “had Law Soc not had such a high profile event advertised for the Friday, we would have beaten them in the membership numbers”and went onto say that in his experience “many people would have signed up during the week purely because there was an event on the Friday”.

Fahy however did acknowledge that his own society could have done more work to attract a larger membership such as“having more members on the stand trying to get people to sign up.”

The society suffered another PR blow last week when The Government Debate had to be postponed as its mains speakers were involved in a late night session in the Dáil. McCarthy who is trying to preserve as much of the original line up as possible felt the debate would be more interesting and informative if it was postponed.

A number of students who contacted The College Tribune took issue with the posters

for the original debate, which depicted protestors outside government buildings holding placards that included the time and location of the event and stated the names Brian Cowen and Enda Kenny (right). Some students are not entirely convinced that the two leaders were due to attend and many thought the poster was deliberately misleading.

Many students are now questioning the integrity of the society’s promises who in their Law Soc calendar that they handed out during Fresher’s Week advertised high profile guests such as Zach Efron, Martin Sheen and Daniel Craig.

McCarthy has ensured The College Tribune that future Law Soc events would still go ahead and that the recent incidents were just unfortunate mistakes.

Despite recent events Law Soc have had many successes this year already. As well as achieving the highest enrollment during Fresher’s Week the society has also held some very successful events such as “Culchee versus Dubs” debated that was chaired

by Ryan Tubridy, the Catholic Church Debate and a visit from internet sensations the Hardy Bucks. McCarthy said all these

Continued from front cover »

class-rep training was one of the main reasons I ran for class-rep, I heard it was a free weekend away that was full of drinking and said I might as well”.

The elections which were held across campus last week saw a record number of candidates running for ClassRep positions. However despite this, turn out remained low with many candidates elected uncontested and a high number of vacant seats.

Some candidates were voted in with an alarmingly low number of votes, as was the case in Nursing Stage 4 with the ClassRep being elected with only three votes.

However competition was much more intense in other constituencies such as first year science which saw 26 candidates fighting it out for the six available places on council. Raymond Carley, stage 2 Engineering received the highest amount of votes of any candidate running this year, 58

questioned Lynam about the necessity of holding the training course off campus when it could be held within the grounds of UCD over the course of a weekend, thus eliminating transport and other costs with any savings made going towards more worthy causes such as the welfare fund.

Lynam, who admitted that if training took place on campus it would almost reduce the costs by half, defended the weekend citing it as an opportunity for class-reps to form good working relationships with each other and the five sabbatical officers. He was also quick to point out that the weekend would not descend into to “one big piss-up” as had been the case in previous years.

However despite Lynam’s pledge one newly elected classrep was looking forward to the weekend and told The College Tribune after the council, “the

“

Many students are now questioning the integrity of the society’s promises who... advertised high profile guests such as Zach Efron, Martin Sheen & Daniel Craig.

McCarthy has ensured the College Tribune that all future LawSoc events would still go ahead

events were great successes for the society and assures students that many more are to follow. votes securing his place as classrep.

The traditional trend of a greater interest amongst first and second year students in running and voting for ClasRep than older years was also prevalent this year.

De Brún was also delighted with how the training weekend went saying it was “extremely productive” and that the new class-reps were “really into it and got a lot done.”

However in the aftermath of training, one member of the Students’ Union told the College Tribune that anyone present at training were warned not to post pictures of the weekend event on the internet.

tolerate any of his vicepresidents arriving into work late, and said there would be no in-fighting within the team, an issue that has plagued many of their predecessors.

Right: a promotional poster used by the Student Union to recruit Class Reps

Last Thursday Paul Lynam also stressed in his inaugural address to Council that, unlike previous sabbatical teams, he would not

www.thecollegetribune.net

October 12th 2010

The College Tribune

| 3

UCD Lecturer Refutes NUI Maynooth’s Findings On “Nature’s Big Bang” Findings are ‘biased’ says UCD Lecturer UCD to publish paper next month that will contradict NUI Maynooth’s findings Emma Smyth A lecturer at the School of developed the basic building Biology and Environmental block to all multi cell organisms Science in UCD has refuted that we know today. findings published last week by “This was a remarkable NUI Maynooth that claimed event, which appears to have to have solved how the basic happened only once. These building blocks of life were two primitive single cell life formed. forms came together in an Dr. Emmanuel Reynaud event that essentially allowed denies that the research of nature to grow big. It is in the NUI Maynooth’s team will, nucleus that we find the DNA as has been reported in both of all species, and for years it had the national and international been a puzzle as to how the first media, solve many of life’s nucleus was created. Now we mysteries. know,” said Dr James McInerney The Maynooth team claim to of the Bioinformatics and have identified the “single most Molecular Evolution Unit at phenomenal event in the history NUI Maynooth’s Department of life on the planet”, a moment of Biology. McInerney, who which amounted to nature’s big collaborated with Dr James bang when, two billion years Cotton, made his findings after ago, two single cell biological working at the world famous organisms fused together and FinalSanger Institute 19:43:28 in Cambridge.

Salsa Wrap 259mm x 170mm CO.pdf 16/09/2010

Their work has just been published in the eminent Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in America, after 10 years of research funded

by Science Foundation Ireland and the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology. McInerney based his experiment on the genetics and information from the mapping of a yeast genome.

Dr. Emmanuel Reynaud, UCD, applauded the efforts McInerney’s team, but said they are “biased by the way they present the project” and said that it was not a study but rather a hypothesis. Reynaud says the experiment was based on the “fusion” hypothesis, which is merely one of several, and also pointed out that the team from

NUI Maynooth only used the yeast genome, when there are several others that could have been used. Reynaud also claims McInerney’s work was published in the esteemed journal only because his views were supported by one of the editors. “If an editor likes your work, he will promote it.”

Reynaud went on to tell The College Tribune that researchers at UCD may have come up with an alternative conclusion in a science paper that is due to be published next month. Reynaud claims that “McInerney is not going to be happy when he reads it” as it will contradict last week’s findings and will explain the process through “normal” Darwinist evolution.

Dr. Emmanuel Reynaud, UCD Dr James McInerney, NUI Maynooth

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Proposal to Tax Text Messages

Social Justice Ireland maintains that

divide between age groups, with

mobile phone. There is bound to

within the diverse consumer group

they desire a budget that extracts

20% of 65-79 year-olds owning a

be varying reactions to this proposal

affected.

money

from

strategically

parts and

of

society

fairly. “Funds

should be raised by sections of society that can pay, and this tax is

Timothy Potenz

affordable. It is only one third of one

Vox Pop As a student on a budget, do you think this proposal are reasonable and fair?

Jake Murray, 3rd Year:

Texts taxes may force students to

“We cannot forget that there is a

cent per text.”

unravel their tongues in the light of

21.5%VAT charged on texts already,”

SJI

this latest twister.

commented Tommy McCabe of the

the money raised to be spent

A proposal to tax text messages that

Irish Cellular Industry Association,

strategically, with

has been made by Social Justice

the body that represents Meteor, 3,

healthcare, welfare and education.

cost effective ways of communicating. As far as the government needs to make

Ireland has been met with anger by

Vodafone and O2. “This would be a

When asked whether or not there

money, I think they should set up a state-owned network rather than taxing a

students.

double taxation.”

are any legal provisions in place

Father Sean Healy, director of

In a press statement, the ICIA have

free market that has benefited everyone.”

to ensure that money raised from

Social Justice Ireland, has said that

said the proposal is “ill thought out

a specific tax must be spent as the

a levy on texts would contribute to

and would be unfair to consumers,

John Kelly, 2nd Year:

proposer of the tax advises, the Irish

a wider budget scheme that could

especially

Taxation Institute was unable to

“Texting isn't the most expensive medium. There are a lot of other

raise over two billion Euro for a

especially teenagers, young adults

offer any information.

free means of communication we can avail of.We can use the Stand

boost in the economy.

and the less well off, use texting

The question of how to spend the

Up and Surf and it never costs us a penney.

“We want to see a budget that is fair

as it has a lower cost than phone

money raised by such a scheme is

However, I would be interested to see where this proposal

to the less-well off in society, one

calls. Many avail of the free texting

not on the cards yet, as the proposal

that taxes only those with the means

bundles provided by operators. If a

is coming from and what its aims are.”

has only recently been made. For

to meet its demands.”

tax were placed on such offers, it

the time being, it remains to be seen

Fr. Healy is of the opinion that text

would distort competition.”

Eoghan Reagan, 1st Year:

whether or not these measures will

messages are sent by choice, rather

As a means of communication

translate into actual legislation.

“As a student my budget is quite tight. But as I see it, there is a huge

than out of necessity. According

texting crosses the board as one

“This scheme will not be a success,”

to him, texting is an appropriate

of the most frequently used social

speculated Gary Redmond. “It

students to be complaining. People are losing their jobs, the public sector

service to target under tax, as it is

networks.A survey conducted by the

is ill-conceived and without any

is being annihilated, huge cuts are coming in. I think a tax on text

used by the better off citizens of the

Commission for Communications

foundation.”

state.

Regulations (ComReg) found that

messages wouldn't be the worst thing in the entire world.”

Tommy McCabe of the ICIA has

“Texting is more frequent among

on average 1,450,000 texts are sent

said “consumers would be up in

the higher levels of society, and I

by people aged 15-24 every day.

Brian O'Rourke, 3rd Year:

arms if this measure went through.

don’t think this will effect people in

However some are of the view that

We consider it a grossly unfair

“I can understand where they're coming from. However, there is no

an overly damaging way.”

with a public debt of over 55% of

proposal.”

point doing this for people who are on pay as you go, as they only

Gary Redmond, President of the

the GDP, proposals are arriving

“Consumers” in this case applies

have a limited amount of money to spend on texts. Its fine doing

Union of Students Ireland said“This

left, right and centre to raise funds

to broad range of people. ComReg

this for people on bill pay, because they can obviously afford to pay

[text messaging issue] is a step

in whatever way possible and that

surveys reveal that high income

too far. Student budgets are tight

texting may simply a stone that

the extra bit, otherwise they wouldn't be on line rental.”

groups as well as low are frequent

enough as it is.”

must be overturned like all others.

texters. Texting even bridges the

the

young.

People,

are

also

campaigning emphasis

for on

“I don't agree that it’s the more affluent members of society that use text messages. Almost everyone uses mobiles in UCD and texting is one of the most

amount of tax that has to come into this country. Its a bit whiny for

Narrowing Gender Gap in Third Level Education Welcomed Olivia Reidy 45% of those in Third Level institutions are male High points courses remain female dominated It has emerged for the first time in decades that the number of male students at third level has increased, according to a study by the Higher Education Authority.

For the past number of years female students have outnumbered male students by 51% to 49% in universities and in other higher education institutions by more.

New figures provided by the HEA (Higher Education Authority) clearly shows that third level universities now have a 45% share of male students.

According to Tom Boland, Chief Executive of the HEA (pictured right), “The commitment of young women to education continues to be a strong and positive feature of our higher education system, but the increased participation of young men is a very positive development. The figures indicate that the economic downturn has acted as a disincentive for young

males to leave education early.

During the boom years many went into the workplace, particularly construction, with few of the skills needed to equip them for a lifetime of work. While in the short term even graduates will have difficulty in finding work, those with a qualification are more likely to do so, and in the medium to longer term it is good for the young people concerned and for the country that they now avail of education opportunities.”

The alteration in the gender gap over the decades has been due to the explosive rise in student numbers, which has increased from 41,000 in publicly funded institutions in 1980 to the present figure of 188,000.

However male students are still under-performing compared to their female

counterparts, as evidenced by the following: Females outnumber males in Irish universities by 57% to 43%.

Males outnumber females in the Institutes of Technology by 55% to 45%, but on honours degree (Level 8) programmes, there are more females (52%).

In most disciplines at undergraduate level, women outnumber men. The exceptions are business, which is 53% male; agriculture, which is 59% male; and engineering, which is 78% male.

Science is 55% male, but this includes computer science, which comprises 84%

male students. When computing is excluded, science has a majority of female students, at 51%.

High points courses continue to be female dominated. Veterinary medicine and pharmacy are 70% female, while 57% of law students are women. In medical courses, females are three times as likely to take up a third level place.

Teaching will continue to be female dominated as over 78% of education students are women.

61% of those who score 450 points or higher in the Leaving Certificate are female, while 65% of those who score 550 points or higher are female.

The increase in male participation has been welcomed by the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT). However, the Federation has warned that it highlights the growing pressure put on both staff and resources in universities, due to pay cuts. Many universities will now be forced to cope with an influx of new students, including the international,

mature and recently enrolled students. The influx is straining the university system to their maximum capacity, as they are constantly having to cope with pay cuts and pressure on staff and resources.

Mike Jennings, the General Secretary for the IFUT, said: “This situation threatens the ability of our education system to respond effectively to students’ teaching needs. The government is jeopardising the very system that produced the graduates that helped Ireland emerge from the last recession of the 1980s. It is an

approach that threatens not just third level education but the ability of our economy to recover and prosper in future.”

Higher Education Student Population...

Year 2010 2000 1990 1980

Male 47.9% 46.3% 52.6% 56.0%

Female 52.1% 53.7% 47.9% 44.0% www.thecollegetribune.net

October 12th 2010

The College Tribune

| 5

UCD Students Encouraged to Join National Protest Donie O’Sullivan 15,000 students expected to take to the streets Fears that registration fees could double and the grant could be cut by 5% The Union of Students in Ireland

€1,500 registration fee is certainly

graduate

(USI) has revealed to The College

a barrier to many in accessing third

seriousness of the situation is now

Tribune that they are planning a

level education, and if that were to

apparent, after the publication of

National Student Protest March in

go up to €2,500 or €3,000, you will

figures recently shows that there are

Dublin for Wednesday, November

see many students not being able to

100,000 unemployed graduates in

3rd.

return to college next September”.

Ireland, and 60,000 are emigrating

Gary Redmond, President of USI,

Redmond said the USI “have spent

every year.

told The College Tribune that

most of the summer calling on the

Redmond expects there to be well

the march is part of a wider USI

Tánaiste and Minister for Education,

in excess of 15,000 students taking

campaign

Mary Coughlan to outline her

part in the march, which will depart

not Emigration” - the three main

position” on the registration fee

from Parnell Square at 12.30pm on

objectives of which are to “cap

situation but “she has refused to do

Wednesday, November 3rd and will

registration

so.”

follow a route through the city

grant” and “end the brain drain.”

There is also a “huge concern that

centre to the gates of Leinster

USI want the government to place

the grant may take another 5%

House where the protest will focus

a cap on the current registration fee

cut in the budget, 5% is a very

on. Redmond hopes that between

of €1,500. “There has been an awful

significant amount and we will be

3,000 and 5,000 UCD students will

lot of talk and speculation that we

marching to protect the grant,” said

attend.

could see the registration fee go up

Redmond.

Pat de Brún, UCDSU Campaigns

to €2,500 or €3,000 in this year's

USI

budget,”

government

entitled

“Education

fees”, “protect

Redmond

said.

the

He

pointed out that “the current

are

also

calling

Communications

The

on

the

develop

a

said that the Students Union “will

“comprehensive policy to deal with

be putting a massive push to get

to

and

unemployment”.

as many students on the streets.”

have needed to march on all these

affected. De Brún expressed his

He said the Union will be selling

matters simultaneously”.

disappointment with the Greens,

t-shirts for the protest and those

Both Redmond and De Brún

saying that they “seem to be putting

who purchase t-shirts will get a free

pointed out that they will be

up no resistance.”

bus into town.

putting pressure on the Green Party

Although the main national protest

De Brún stressed the importance

to withdraw from government if

will take place on November 3rd

of the march. “We need to get the

registration fees are increased as it

in Dublin, USI are also planning

message out there that everyone’s

was one of the deal breakers in the

two regional marches in Cork and

education is on the line, there

party's programme for government

Galway at the end of November in

has scarcely been a time that we

that tuition fees would not be

the run up to the budget.

Officer,

Student Assistance Fund 2010-2011 Applications for the Student Assistance Fund 2010-2011 will be available on Monday 11 October 2010. This scheme is funded by the Department of Education and Science with assistance from the European Social Fund. It is means tested and funding will be targeted at those students who are in most financial need.

Students who are currently registered at UCD to a course of at least one year are eligible to apply. Please note that students who have completed a degree, and are registered for a second degree at the same level, (e.g. students undertaking a 2nd Bachelor, Masters or PhD degree) are not eligible to apply.

Application to the Student Assistance Fund is a three part process as outlined below:

Part 1 Read the guidelines for applying to the Student Assistance Fund. The guidelines can be found here: http://www.ucd.ie/studentadvisers/financial.html Part 2 If after reading the guidelines you believe you may be eligible the application may be accessed through your SIS account under the Student Services tab beginning on Monday 11 October 2010. Please complete Part 2 of your application on-line and print it out.

Part 3 of the application process requires applicants to submit the printed application along with hard copy financial documents (original or copy) and receipts to a Student Adviser. Only fully completed applications will be accepted by the Student Advisers.

Closing Date Friday 12th November 2010 at 12.00 noon

For further information contact your Student Adviser or Students’ Union Welfare Officer

You must submit your fully completed application including relevant supporting documentation by 12th November at 12 noon. No late or incomplete applications will be accepted.

If you are considering making an application, you are strongly encouraged to request the appropriate financial documentation (e.g. P21, P60, etc) from the relevant source immediately as there are usually delays in obtaining this information.

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USI to Combat Graduate Unemployment with New Proposal Olivia Reidy 100,000 Graduates unemployed Emigration returns to 1980s levels The Union of Students in Ireland

of the internship, the employers

(USI) launched a new proposal to

will be given a PRSI (Pay Related

combat the increasingly shocking

Social

and growing number of unemployed

keep the graduate as a full-time

graduates in Ireland.

employee. The proposed internship

The proposal was launched outside

programme would be headed by

the Passport Office in Dublin on

the Department of Enterprise,Trade

1 October. The policy document

and Innovation.

titled

The

“Reigniting

the

Smart

Insurance)

USI

also

rebate

propose

to

the

Economy” aims to reduce the

implementation of measures to

number of unemployed graduates

gradually,

effectively and quickly.

an

With emigration up by an alarming

amongst third level students.

81% since 2006, its highest level

seeks the development of a policy

since the late 1980s, now is the

programme on how to mainstream

time for Ireland to take swift action,

entrepreneurship

according to the USI.

education

The proposal contains three main

form an entrepreneurial mindset

initiatives

graduate

within the entire education system.

unemployment. Firstly, it outlines

The union also wants universities

the formation of a €52m national

and other education institutions

internship

The

to encourage students, graduates

programme seeks to take 20,000

and researchers with commercially

students off the live register, by

viable business ideas to develop

providing places in both the public

them into companies, by providing

and private sectors.

a range of support services such as

Participants taking part in the

mentorship.

internship programme would still

The report also looks for the

be entitled to the full jobseekers’

implementation of measures to

allowance of €196 per week. The

improve

internship would last a maximum

graduates. They are proposing the

of one year, and the participants

introduction of a National Skills

would gain desirable experience in

Initiative

the workplace. Upon completion

in each college. It would cover

to

tackle

programme.

but

ethos

firmly,

of

to

that they have mastered a certain

these proposals now before it is too

employment. Graduates who are

graduates, whatever their degree

skill, the university in question can

late.”

not in paid employment are more

subject, including teamwork and

confirm that the student has a good

“Previous internship programmes

than twice as likely to be depressed.

interpersonal

and

understanding of the skill. Once a

have been on too small a scale

Findings on positive mental health

written communication, numerical

student has completed their degree,

to make any real difference to

indicate that having access to a job,

reasoning and personal planning

they will receive a certificate that

the unemployment crisis. With

income and good education are all

and organisation.

will list all the skills that the student

dangerously high levels of graduate

critical to positive mental health.

The USI hopes that these skills

has mastered.

unemployment and soaring levels

The

would be integrated into students’

Gary Redmond, President of the

of emigration, USI feels that we are

government to put into motion

degree programmes, by having

USI, said: “USI is launching this

fast reaching a point of no return for

the proposal as a subject of great

them broken down into simpler

policy with the welfare of thousands

Irish graduates.”

urgency.According to the USI, these

criteria and embedded into a

of Irish graduates in the balance, and

“The state has invested millions in

initiatives are critical to secure the

module. When the student shows

has asked the government to act on

education to create graduates that

future of Ireland’s smart economy.

are renowned across the globe for

The USI claims that during the

their expertise and academic calibre.

next 5 years the greater number

Therefore, it can only be seen as

of unemployed graduates will be

ludicrous to deny our graduates

forced to emigrate to countries

any opportunity to repay that

such as the US and Australia,

investment, by forcing them to

despite the state’s multi-million

emigrate or suffer the social effects

euro investment in education. This

on long term unemployment.”

means that Ireland will be losing its

Figures from the Central Statistics

graduates at a rate of 150,000 over

Office show that 90,800 people

the next 5 years

under the age of 25 signed on the

According to a survey carried

live register in August, compared to

out by the USI, it is clear that

51,300 for the same period in 2008.

unemployment is higher amongst

In March 2010 there were just

graduates

over 59,000 unemployed graduates

the

in Ireland. Supplementary to this

engineering and law.

are another 57,000 undergraduate

graduates throughout all disciplines

and postgraduate students who

are experiencing hardship when

completed higher education courses

it comes to finding a job.

this year, not taking into account

example, the majority of schools,

those in further education and other

both primary and secondary, receive

training.

hundreds of applications for one

skills, verbal

establish

entrepreneurship

into

employability

be

It

higher

particularly, but

the

skills recognised as essential for

also

of

Findings Education

implemented

Up to 40 extra CAO points could be offered After extensive negotiation, Ireland’s seven universities have agreed to award bonus points for higher level Maths in the Leaving Certificate.

Last week, NUI Galway became the final university to accept the scheme, in the face of pressure from other universities and Minister for Education, Mary Coughlan.

The scheme will be introduced in time for the 2012 Leaving Cert, meaning that students who are currently in fifth year in secondary school will be the first to avail of it.

The decisive moment in the debate came three weeks ago, as UCD decided to accept the proposal on a four year trial period.

It is hoped that the plan will encourage more students to study higher level Maths for the Leaving Cert. At present, only 16% of students take the higher level option. Consequently, this has led to Irish graduates having mathematical skills that compare badly with their European and international counterparts, leaving

them disadvantaged in many areas of the “smart economy”.

The University of Limerick has operated a bonus points for higher level Maths scheme for several years, although it has not yet been decided whether the other universities will follow that model or devise one of their own. Details are expected to be finalised and announced in the coming weeks. It is assumed that there will be at least 40 extra CAO points on offer for the study of Maths at higher level, a figure which should attract a significantly larger number of students.

Although NUIG has accepted the scheme, it seems that some doubts remain within the university as to how effective it will be. Professor Jim Ward, Deputy President of NUIG, holds some doubts about the plan, but commented that NUIG “did not want to stand in the way of the development of a national scheme.”

Prof Ward argued that a bigger issue was the standard of teaching

is

calling

from

construction

on

disciplines sector,

the

in civil

However

For

HEA

(Higher

post. The USI survey also pointed

Authority)

survey

out that male graduates are more likely to be unemployed.

who graduated last year are in

of higher level Maths in secondary schools. He said, “It would be a mistake to view bonus points as the complete solution to the maths problem in Ireland. The teaching of maths at second level by teachers who are not fully qualified to teach the subject is a more fundamental problem.”

Prof Ward continued in this vein, as he asked Minister Coughlan to work with the Teaching Council, as well as the universities, to co-ordinate the development of teachers and “enable them to gain the skills they need to teach mathematics to the required level.”

This plan has been seen by some as a way of boosting Ireland’s economy, with employment being created in new sectors for which a high level of mathematical ability is required. Critics say that this plan could be a premature and overly optimistic viewpoint, as Ireland has been lagging behind many other countries for years in this area, so it is unlikely to be solved with the introduction of this scheme alone.

Given that only 8,500 students actually took Maths at higher level in the 2010 Leaving Cert, it is likely to take a number of years for this trend to be reversed.

News in Brief

NUI Galway become final University to accept the initiative

a

indicate that only 45% of those

All Irish Universities to Grant Extra Points for Higher Level Maths Ciaran Leinster

of

USI

FADS off to a flier Stunned and intrigued looks were shared around campus last Wednesday, October 6th as twenty-five of UCD’s finest models, boasting a “fifties pin-up” theme, stepped out on the concourse to promote the Fashion and Design Society’s (FADS) “Freshers’ Fashion Show”, which was held later that evening in the student bar.

Nine clothes shops showcased their finest garments on the runway, modelled by FADS members.

Proving “le cheap, c’est chic,” clothing from one of the country’s largest clothing chain store deemed a great response in the opening half of the show, as did online store Ruby Cotton and ‘ubercool’ vintage store Lucy’s Lounge. Hair was done by a team from David Marshall and make-up by FADS make-up team Debs fashion was also

a prominent feature of the event, with 17 FADS members modelling dresses from Pamela Scott, Kodili, and Marian Gale, interjected with trendy new clothes from fashion boutique Urban Couture.

The Fashion and Design Soc is one of UCD’s newest societies and promises some more great events throughout the year.

Survey finds that students are responsible in consumption of alcohol A survey commissioned by the charity Drinkaware in the UK has found that students are more responsible drinkers than young adult workers. A poll of around 1,700 young people has found that students are likely to drink less, and less likely to find it acceptable to end up in hospital due to alcohol.

The survey found that just 9% of students drink more than 16 units of alcohol on a regular

night out compared to 12% of young working adults. However three in ten students still admit to losing their memory after drinking.

UCD Lecturer Calls for Water Charges Colm McCarthy, a senior UCD economist and author of the Bord Snip report, is calling for water charges to be introduced across the country. Charging all households for water would bring in €1 billion. Speaking on the issue, McCarthy said: “This notion that water has to be free simply because it falls from the sky, we have to get over that.” He went on to point out that free water is a luxury Ireland can no longer afford. Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government John Gormley has indicated that he supports McCarthy’s views and wants water charges to be rolled out on a payper-use basis next year.

www.thecollegetribune.net

October 12th 2010

The College Tribune

| 7

Election Dejection with Meagre Turnout for Class Rep Voting Ciarán Breslin

ran uncontested for the three stages.

that was sorely lacking in the vast

to an extensive training weekend

about it as well, and encouraged our

seats were “always a concern”, but

Business and Law positions were

majority of constituencies, with six

they enjoy, held last weekend at the

programme officers to encourage

remained confident that through

Ciarán Breslin examines the state of the Union after it elects its new Class Reps for the year ahead.

either all uncontested or vacant,

candidates in total, where Miriam

expense of the university and by

people to get out and vote. So I

by-elections and continuous work

resulting in the students’ opportunity

Smyth was ultimately elected, after

extension, the students.

don’t feel there was much more

throughout the year, “we can fill

to vote being undermined.

a dead heat with Cathal O’Leary

we could have done in terms of

as many seats as possible”. When

Densely populated classes like the

on nineteen votes each. The battle

that. I think the main thing that it

asked about the lack of public

School of Geography, Planning and

for the places of the six first year

The importance of the Union

comes down to, when it comes to

communication between candidates

Environmental Policy have been left

Science Class Reps was fought

Council is perhaps best illustrated

turnout in class rep elections, is the

and voters, De Brún again placed

without a first year Class Rep. The

out between an extremely healthy

in the absence of the story from the

level of competition between the

the responsibility primarily on the

frequency of such unrepresented

number of 26 students.

“News” section of the homepage

candidates.”

candidates themselves rather than

classes raises the question of how

The trend in voting shows that

that greets every student before

Despite the low voting turnout, De

Union support. “As I said, that was

pressing the need for representation

first and second year showed much

signing into their UCD Connect

Brún was bullish in his assessment

up to the individual candidates. We

really is. Similarly, when candidates

more interest, both in terms of

account.

of the elections, pointing to the

took the decision not to give people

are being voted in with three votes,

voting and running, than the older

something of a lack of University

record number of runners.

He

materials to use, partly because there

as was the case in Stage 4 Nursing,

years. In Radiography for example,

interest in the Class Rep elections,

was also quick to disagree with any

are new rules in place that state that

it begs the question of how

there was a tightly contested battle

with the responsibility being instead

challenge of the need for Class Reps

flyering is not allowed in theatres,

representative of the student body

in first year, with 32 votes counted

on the candidates to generate

with such low voting numbers,

so we had to respect that.” Instead,

the Union Council is.

Students

to see Paul Kavanagh getting

interest. This was Campaigns and

insisting “You can’t really judge

De Brún argued, candidates were

have, in effect, voted en masse in

elected, while in second year Kevin

Communications Officer Pat de

someone on low turnout”. Despite

“actively encouraged” to address

favour of not needing individual

Cronin was elected uncontested,

Brún’s view when interviewed by

the overall disinterest of the student

their classes and engage with the

class representation.

and in subsequent third and fourth

The College Tribune about the

body in the elections, De Brún still

voters which, he stated, is a “much

Engineering, Science and Medicine

years there were no runners and

success of the elections.

maintains that the importance of

more effective way of canvassing

Class Reps proved to be the rare

seats remain vacant. This suggests

“It comes from both ends. It comes

Class Reps is indisputable. “Class

than flyers are anyway.”

success stories of the campaigns,

perhaps that Class Reps are more of

from the candidates and we can

Reps are an essential part of college

Whatever view one takes, the

with a university-wide high of

a concern for younger students and

do a bit for it as well. I mean we

life, they do an extremely important

question still remains.

58 votes seeing Raymond Carley

that after a few years at the university,

encouraged people as much as we

job, academically and socially for

UCDSU availing of the largest

elected in Stage 2 Engineering.

students deem them unnecessary.

could between our media, facebook,

their class, and I don’t think their

student body in the country, does

First

exhibited

The necessity for Class Reps

twitter, website, emails and we

importance can be underestimated.”

the class rep system actually fulfil

the interest and competitiveness

requires clarification, not least due

postered around all the buildings

De Brún did admit that vacant

the goals it is meant to achieve?

Students could be forgiven for being unaware of the serious elections being held in UCD last week. The familiar buzz of election fever was conspicuously absent as the new Union Council was democratically chosen by a largely uninterested student body. Despite a record number of runners, voting remained low, with many candidates elected uncontested and a high number of vacant seats.

Historically, Class Rep elections have never generated the same hype as SU elections, and this year proved no exception. The two first year English Class Reps, for example, both ran uncontested, despite the huge number of students in the class. Likewise, despite the course attracting

over

two

hundred

students, Commerce Class Reps

year

Medicine

Candidates Responsibility

Indeed

there

was

Despite

© Dan Days 2010

www.thecollegetribune.net

8

|

Features

A Government Consistently Wrong on our Banking Crisis The Government’s response to our banking crisis has been characterized by a refusal to face up to the reality, writes David McManus Fundamentally, the failed bank

all of the liabilities of the banking

would not be taken into account in

health, the Swedish government re-privatised them and

highest in the EU. While other EU economies have

rescue policy of the government

system was a mistake, and the most

purchasing these loans.

actually made a profit.

moved towards recovery and reform of their banks, it

falls into three areas: the extensive

costly mistake ever made by the

It does not take a PhD in economics

The Irish government has instead opted for the Japanese

seems the Irish are still in rescue phase, exactly two years

bank guarantee given in September

State.

at this university to see the insanity

example of providing government support in a drip-

after the crisis started.

2008; the establishment of the

One of the main criticisms outlined

of overpaying for an asset.

drop fashion creating zombie banks that are, though

Large amounts of the final cost of €50 billion announced

National Asset Management Agency

by the new Central Bank governor,

It has been widely known for

alive, unable to lend, due to a shortage of capital.

on ‘Black Thursday’, to rescue the banks, will bail out

(NAMA); and the treatment of

Professor Patrick Honohan, in his

the past year that if NAMA was

Speaking to the College Tribune, Professor Karl Whelan

the banks’ senior bondholders.

the

These bondholders

banks’ bondholders. These

report, is the unnecessary move to

to pay the current market value

of the UCD Economics Department said there are

took a gamble by lending to Irish banks who, in turn,

three failures will mean a large

guarantee existing bonds already

for these loans, it would result in

“some examples of good practice with many countries

passed loans on that inflated the property bubble. It is the

but unnecessary cost to the Irish

made by banks, as these were, in

greater losses for the banks, wiping

recapitalising their banks quickly and restoring them

government’s refusal to play by the rules of capitalism,

taxpayer, while Irish banks remain

effect, locked in and wouldn’t

out shareholders’ equity and thus

to something approximating good health.... The Irish

in sharing the losses with these bondholders, that will

undercapitalised and unable to lend

require a guarantee. A shorter

requiring full nationalisation. The

government, however, has veered more towards the

make greater cuts and higher taxes necessary in order to

to borrowers.

guarantee, lasting 3 to 6 months,

government

‘slow boat to China’ approach to fixing the banks.”

save this nation from bankruptcy.

Professor

would have been more appropriate,

to calls for nationalisation with

It has been a recurring feature of the government’s

Students graduating from this university and others over

Morgan Kelly of this university

as this would have secured the

fallacious arguments that it would

banking strategy to underestimate the scale of financial

the next few years will not only be facing uncertain

wrote in the Irish Times about how

necessary short-term funding for

result in the Irish government

difficulty that has brought us to where we are now. Even

employment opportunities, and even emigration, but

the threat of large losses on loans

the banks, while also protecting

having difficulty in raising funds

the financial markets do not believe in the credibility of

for those who stay, large debts will have to be repaid

made to property developers could

the taxpayer from the banks’ past

on international markets, or that

the government’s plans, illustrated by the interest rates

in what is now the most expensive bank bailout in the

lead to some Irish banks becoming

reckless lending.

difficulties may arise in the future

which we must pay in order to borrow, now one of the

world.

insolvent and requiring government

A

rescue.

government’s enactment of a blanket

privatise the institutions.

This warning came only two

guarantee is their decision to ignore

A recurring defence by government

months after An Taoiseach Bertie

the advice offered by investment

officials is that NAMA has been

Ahern infamously commented on

bank Merrill Lynch. In documents

fully endorsed and supported by the

how he couldn’t understand how

available from the Committee on

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

those engaged in talking down the

Public Accounts, Merrill Lynch

and the European Central Bank.

economy didn’t commit suicide.

explained,

with

The IMF, in its 2009 economic

As economic growth continued

Minister Lenihan and Department

assessment report on Ireland, stated

to slow by the end of 2007, the

of Finance senior officials, that

that where large losses on loans

response by the government to

under stress tests, Anglo Irish Bank

render a bank undercapitalised or

any questioning of Ireland’s future

was insolvent, and the potential

insolvent, temporary nationalisation

economic prospects was that the

dangers that a blanket guarantee

should occur, and in Ireland’s case,

economy’s

could have for the taxpayer.

nationalisation can complement the

sound and that the housing market

Ireland’s NAMA was announced in

operations of NAMA, as it removes

was heading for a “soft landing”.

April 2009 on recommendations

the issue over how much is paid

This denial of Ireland’s pending

from

Dr.

for the loans. The ECB expressed

economic

continued

Peter Bacon. The agency, set up to

“careful consideration” in paying

until the summer of 2008, when the

cleanse the Irish banks of impaired

long-term economic value for

international credit crisis intensified.

loans made during the property

assets, rather than current market

This culminated in the decision,

bubble, has been roundly criticised

values, as it may involve making

on 30 September 2008, by the

by a large number of economists

undue premium payments to the

Irish government to guarantee the

in Ireland and abroad. A leading

banks. This is anything but an

liabilities of the Irish banking system

number of Irish economic and

endorsement.

for two years, in order to protect

finance academics signed an article

It has since been made public,

the liquidity of the banks. During

in The Irish Times, arguing that

under the Freedom of Information

the Dáil debate on the guarantee

nationalisation of the main banks

Act, that in the IMF’s opinion,

legislation,

Party

was necessary to protect the interests

NAMA would not achieve its main

opposed the guarantee in its entirety,

of the taxpayer from the risk of

objective of a significant increase

because of the potential exposure of

pricing loans transferred to NAMA.

in the lending of Irish banks to

the banks’ liabilities to the taxpayer.

If these bad assets sell in the future

the economy. This opinion was

Fine Gael supported the guarantee

for less than what the taxpayer paid

expressed to Brian Lenihan in April

but argued that the guarantee was

for them today, this will result in

2009, at the same time that NAMA

too broad regarding bank liabilities.

huge losses for the taxpayer.

was created. So before NAMA

Defending the introduction of the

The

guarantee, Minister for Finance

nationalisation

Brian Lenihan commented on how

NAMA grew stronger, as the

banks were undercapitalised.

it was “the cheapest bailout in the

government

its

Since the start of our banking crisis

world so far”.

pricing

involved

in September 2008, the government

At this time, Morgan Kelly appeared

paying a premium over the true

has refused to accept internationally

on RTE’s Prime Time and argued

current market value of the loans

accepted methods of fixing insolvent

that the Irish banks were facing a

it was acquiring, known as Long

banks, such as the Swedish example

problem of capitalisation, rather

Term Economic Value (LTEV).

of 1992. In contrast to the current

than simply a problem of liquidity.

Responding to questions in the

Irish solution, the Swedes forced

He also warned about the potential

Dail, Minister Lenihan stated that

their banks to accept the losses from

losses that could be facing the

NAMA would set a date to underlie

their bad loans, before moving in

taxpayer as a result of the guarantee.

the valuation method, this date

to take majority shareholdings in

In hindsight, it has since become

being 30 November 2009.

Any

the banks and recapitalising them.

clear that the decision to guarantee

decreases in property prices since

Once the banks had returned to

In

September

2007,

fundamentals

difficulties

the

Labour

were

further

indictment

in

of

meetings

economic

consultant

seeming

necessity to

responded

when the government wishes to re-

of

even got started, Brian Lenihan was

complement

aware it was doomed to fail, as the

admitted valuations

the

initially

that

www.thecollegetribune.net

October 12th 2010

The College Tribune

| 9

Palestine and its Supporters: The Facts Claudia Saba is a Palestinian committee member of the Irish Anti War Movement and a post graduate student in UCD. Response to a previous article by Cliona Campbell.

On 23 September I gave a talk in

antisemitism in the Middle East

West Bank Palestinians and Gaza

borders in order to continue the

Israeli law. For further information,

4 November 2008, according to

UCD on the Israeli-Palestinian

than there is in Europe; let us

Palestinians. The two regions have

colonization of the West Bank

I

all sources, it was Israel that broke

conflict and the premises needed

remember that the Holocaust was

been kept physically separate by

through illegal settlements. If Israel

book Israeli Apartheid.

the ceasefire, and at that point, to

to resolve it. I described the current

not perpetrated by the Arabs.

the now infamous siege of Gaza

were truly interested in peace it

Therefore to speak of Palestinian

quote the official Israeli publication,

situation in Gaza and the West Bank,

Alongside the article is a picture of

(which is why a broad section

would not be demolishing homes

or Arab violence is absurd when

Hamas retaliated for the killing

and commented on how a solution

me and immediately below a picture

of Irish NGOs and individuals

and expelling Palestinians while

the occupying force, with its vastly

of 6 Palestinian militants. Israel

to the occupation of Palestine

of who (I take it) are Hezbollah

are currently preparing to send

moving in its own citizens to take

superior might, continues to kill,

responded with a military assault on

was intrinsically linked to the

or Hamas in sinister mode. I am

another aid ship to alleviate that

their place.

imprison, expel and discriminate

Gaza with killed 1400 Palestinians,

democratization of the surrounding

associated with this rather strange

desperate situation). This further

In the same way, Israel’s continued

against

including 300 children, and left

countries of the region, in particular,

photo with the implication that I

division of the Palestinian people

military attacks on the Palestinians is

Unless the international community

thousands injured and homeless.

Egypt - the most populous Arab

am part of some sort of demagogic

has made them an even easier target

irreconcilable with the talk of peace.

recognizes that Palestinian demands

Achieving

country in the Middle East. Overall,

caricature. Incidentally, the photo

for military and ideological attack.

Consider that since the beginning of

are a matter of binding international

uncovering the facts about the

I found the audience receptive,

has no caption or explanation,

The attacks range from accusations

2008 alone, 2000 Palestinians have

law and human rights, rather than

Israeli occupation, the systematic

well informed and willing to

making it a stereotypical portrayal

of the Palestinians not being able

been killed, compared to 60 Israelis.

political bargaining chips, there can

killing and ongoing expulsion of

engage. Therefore I was dismayed

of Muslim people.

to reach electoral consensus, to

Ten thousand Palestinians are held

be no peace. And as long as there is

Palestinians. The native people of

when I read the unfair article

I would like to say something about

the more outlandish vilification of

in Israeli jails, many of them minors,

no peace, violence will fill the void. the country must be accorded the

by Israeli army volunteer Cliona

my country of origin. For the last

Hamas as a terrorist organization.

compared to one Israeli soldier held

Regarding my own opinion of

same universal human rights as

Campbell, entitled “The Anti West

six decades the people of Palestine

The role played by Israel to prop

by Hamas.

Hamas, if they have anti women

anyone else. No one should feel

Movement”, which attempted to

have been scattered into forcibly

up Hamas in the 1980’s to counter

In the West Bank, a myriad of

or anti gay policies, I certainly do

intimidated for speaking out against

discredit my lecture. Campbell tells

disjointed

the nationalist movement of Fatah,

roads criss cross the West Bank

not agree with that. However, I

war and aggression, especially when

us that she has volunteered in the

and their descendants who live

which

more

for the exclusive use of Israelis.

do respect their right to defend

it is perpetrated by powerful state

Israeli armed forces; one cannot

stateless

challenging to its occupation at the

Palestinians are not allowed to travel

themselves against occupation and I

actors. It was that sentiment that led

but wonder if before signing up to

the Palestinians who hold Israeli

time, is conveniently omitted.

on these roads for the sole reason

recognize that they have been freely

me to give the talk in UCD in the

assist this army, she had considered

second class citizenship and live

Campbell’s

no

that they are not Jewish. The right

elected by the people of Palestine.

first place. We cannot allow fear of

that this is the same army which

within Israel’s 1948 borders, and the

mention of (1) the occupation

to build homes and institutions

As someone who is committed

vilification to silence us.

routinely

homes,

Palestinians who live in the sections

(2) the shockingly high number

is

for

to the principle of democracy, I

I believe that Campbell has not only

conducts arbitrary arrests and targets

of Palestine occupied in 1967,

of

and

Israelis while Palestinians must go

respect their democratic mandate.

misrepresented my opinions but has

civilians with live ammunition. It

formally referred to as the Occupied

imprisonments and (3) the apartheid

through a hoop-jumping process

The often repeated mantra about

also succumbed to the same kind

is an army which has injured and

Palestinian Territories (OPT). Since

nature of the Israeli state. Instead,

to obtain rarely-granted building

Israel’s attack on Gaza as having

of prejudice against Palestinians

sometimes

international

2006, following the democratic

our attention is shifted to supposed

permits. Israeli settlers are allocated

the aim of stopping Hamas rockets

that was the root cause of this

peace activists, such as the American,

election of Hamas and the US’s

terrorism and antisemitism.

three times more water than the

is incongruous with the facts. In

occupation. I therefore appeal to

Rachel Corrie. As for the country

attempt to isolate the movement to

This deliberate diversion aims to

Palestinians in an arid region

June of 2008, to quote the official

the reader to form a judgement

that this army serves, it is the same

Gaza whilst propping up the Fatah

draw off attention from matters

where water is scarce. These are

Israeli publication, Hamas entered

about this conflict based not on

country which illegally cloned

leadership, Palestinians in the OPT

such as the fact that Israel, to this

only some of the discriminatory

into a ceasefire with Israel and

defamatory articles, but on the facts

Irish passports, prompting minister

have been further fragmented into

day, refuses to declare its official

policies practiced and enshrined in

carefully kept that ceasefire. On

themselves.

demolishes

killed

Michael Martin to expel an official

groups: the outside

refugees

Israel/Palestine,

Israel

viewed

article

Palestinian

as

makes

deaths

an

automatic

privilege

recommend

the

Ben

native

White’s

population.

peace

begins

with

Turn to page 15 for more.

from the Israeli Embassy in June of this year.

She makes much of Palestinian violence. I should remind readers that more than 7,400 people have been killed by Israeli-Palestinian violence over the last decade. The vast majority of the 7,454 killed were Palestinians, who accounted for 6,371 of the total, according to Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem. Of the Palestinian dead, 1,317 were minors.

I should also like to remind readers that the Israeli Defense Forces that she is involved in has repeatedly

broken

international

law as, for example, was described by the United Nations fact-finding mission which concluded that a series of violations of international law were committed by the Israeli forces during the interception of an international aid flotilla to Gaza in June of this year.

Campbell accuses me of tolerating antisemitism. Firstly, I would like to say that I abhor everything that happened to the Jewish people during the Holocaust and indeed my defense of the Palestinians is precisely based on my opposition to all forms of discrimination.

Furthermore, there is no more

www.thecollegetribune.net

10

|

Features

Overheard in UCD Donie O’Sullivan

their reputation tarnished.

Donie O'Sullivan selects some of his favourite quotes from the popular Facebook page “Overheard in UCD” and shows just how bright a bunch the current population of UCD really are.

appeared on the screen, a boy was

“Oh! My! God! They have, like,

premier business school, The Quinn

so many books in here” – just the

School of Business – or can it?

reaction of one female student when

Quinn students know all about

walking into the UCD Library.

the value of money, like these two

Since

seemingly affluent males.

its

In a

lecture one day, when a badger

establishment

earlier

this year, the increasingly popular

heard inquisitively asking

“Do badgers actually exist?”, to which his friend confidently responded: “No, they're like unicorns”.

But surely this ignorance couldn't possibly exist in the country's

Guy 1: Man, when we were out last night and I was falling asleep in the taxi, were you like throwing s**t at me?

Guy 2: [In an offhand sort of way] Yeah!

I think I f***ed a twenty at you!

Guy 1: You’re a c**t when you’re drunk!

current. Only days after the Haitian

hopeful, called to her door and was

Facebook group with an ever-

Also in Quinn, students learn time

earthquake in January, cubicle walls

greeted in an unfriendly manner,

expanding membership. Students

management skills, leading one first

were littered with related jokes:

year girl to ask her lecturer:

“Just broke up with my Haitian girlfriend the other day... she's

particularly high concentration of

“Sorry, so how often do these Annual General Meetings take place?”

amusing statements coming from

But possibly the most valuable

the Newmann Building. Take for

thing Quinn students learn is

example one girl who, trying to get

the important trends in “foreign”

to know her foreign classmate a bit

markets: “Had to go to Tallaght for

better, asked:

my laptop ... everyone was, like,

“So, like, where is it that you used to live again?” to which the other girl replied “In Belgium”. The first girl then responded: “Oh my God, you're so lucky. I would love to have lived in South America!”

pregnant!”

Facebook group, “Overheard in UCD”, has become an online Mecca for documenting and enjoying many of the thousands of stupid statements made by UCD students on a daily basis. Created last January, the group has already attracted well over 7,000 members, surpassing its Trinity and University of Limerick “Overheard”

counterparts.

No

area of Belfield is omitted, and all members are invited to post any bizarre, strange, peculiar, odd or funny comments that they have overheard on campus.

Although the page is full of utterances from all across UCD, Arts students have managed to live up to their stereotype, with a

Geography clearly is not a natural strong

point

for

these

young

scholars. A different girl (we hope) was overheard one day telling her friend: “I didn't know what Uganda was. I thought it was a concert or something”. But it’s not only the female Arts students that have had

The insightful writings on the walls and doors of the campus's toilet cubicles have also been a source of some very memorable lines. A passionate Republican, obviously believing the cause for a 32 county Republic, will be greatly encouraged by writing on the back of a cubicle door in the library, wrote “Free IRA POWs”.

crushed!”, and “I feel really bad for the people of Haiti, last time I had thirty aftershocks I couldn't find my house either” - which was accompanied with “It’s ok to laugh, they can’t hear you in here”.

Keeping up to date with the

and Pink training,” to which his friend replied, “We don't have a TV “That's pure gay!” licence! Go away!”

One

still produces the best and brightest

could only imagine their disgust if

students who are not afraid to probe

they knew it had now been edited

the unknown.

to “Free IRA POWs in every box

The elections of our current UCD

of Coco Pops”. Or what about the

Students’ Union sabbatical officers

written instruction “Arts degree;

last March was clearly a priority

Please take one”, which appear

on every student's mind. However

above many toilet roll dispensers in

election hysteria did manage to

the Arts Block.

escape the attention of one on-

What is impressive about the

campus resident, when John Logue,

writings is their ability to remain

Vice-President

for

Education

aware that their proclamations may

Although anonymity is an important

debate, they realised that in politics,

become a topic of discussion on the

aspect of Overheard in UCD, and

image is everything. Take the two

page, and no doubt many of them

those who are being quoted are

girls walking along the concourse

are living with the fear that previous

rarely named and shamed, many of

observing posters of the all-male

comments may come back to haunt

the statements clearly come from

menu of candidates. One remarked

them. The site is probably one of

students who would stereotypically

to the other:

the most accurate insights into the

be perceived to be “D4”. However

microcosm that is UCD.

country folk do not completely

To further add to this unique

escape the always open ears of the

insight, I will conclude with my

Overheard in UCD contributors.

favourite brief discussion that was

Take the two young country men

overheard in this concrete jungle.

who had left the safe confines of

Girl 1: Did you sleep with him?

Girl 2: Oh no!! [With horror] Girl 1: Then what did you do?

Girl 2: I just had sex with him, then left [she happily replied reassuringly].

“Look at these, not them is something UCD students one of them is good do well.

Being inquisitive is looking!”, to which an important characteristic in Pat De Brún (then academia, and questions like “I wonder how many a candidate) walking pigeons it would take behind them interjected: “Sorry about that.” to lift a car?” corridor) is a reassertion that UCD

stupid comment are now becoming

But for those who did engage in the

happenings of the world around

(overheard in the Student Union

who are prone to the occasional

But the real issues were discussed, perhaps in the most unlikely of places – the Arts Block. Two guys walking to a lecture were overheard conversing about what was most relevant to them.

“Apparently one of the campaigns and communications candidates wants to get rid of Rainbow Week

the Ag Science building and were waiting at the number 10 bus stop to take a trip into the heart of the “Big Smoke”. Looking at a tractor on the Merville GAA pitch one turns to the other and asks, “Is she a 1360 or a 1380?” His friend replies “Hold on and I'll take a gander”, before proceeding to walk across the road. On his return he proudly stated, “Ah he's a 1360, some pulling in her I say.”

Both continued

to watch the movements of the

The future is bright.

tractor in amazement until their bus arrived.

Overheard in UCD is sure to continue as a successful, popular

www.thecollegetribune.net

BMW – SAAB engine deal.

BMW deal.

– SAAB engine deal.

BMW – SAAB engine

Saab Automobile has signed an agreement with BMW AG to purchase engines for Saab hasitssigned an agreement with AG tofor purchase Saab Automobile hasAutomobile signed an agreement with BMW AGnew to purchase engines use in range cars.

The 1.6 BMW turbo charged petrol engines enginesfor will be used in The Tribune its range cars.

The new turbo charged engines used in spawns from use in itsCollege rangeuse cars.in The newthe 1.6 turbo charged petrol engines will be used in Audiwill new Saab 9-11.6 super mini, set topetrol rival the A1.be The deal the new Saab 9-1 set rival the Audi A1.

The deal spawns thesuper new mini, Saabplans 9-1tosuper mini, set to rival the Audi A1.from The spawns fromin order to raise

by BMW’s CEO, Norbert Reithofer, to deal sell components plans by BMW’splans CEO, by Norbert Reithofer, tothe sellGerman components order towere raise looking BMW’s CEO, Norbert Reithofer, toinsell components in order to raise revenue for firm.

Things bleak for Saab until Dutch revenue for therevenue German for firm.

Things were looking bleak for Saab untilbleak Dutch the German firm.

Things were looking for to Saab until Dutch supercar manufacturer, Spyker, signed a deal purchase the company from the supercar manufacturer, signed a Spyker, deal to purchase company from the the company from the supercarSpyker, manufacturer, signed athe deal to purchase debt ridden General Motors corporation. debt ridden General Motors corporation. debt ridden General Motors corporation.

Motor News in Brief Jeremy O’Hanlon

BMW – SAAB engine deal.

Saab Automobile has signed an agreement with BMW AG to purchase engines for use in its range cars. The new 1.6 turbo

October 12th 2010

| 11

Banger of the Week

charged petrol engines will be used in the new Saab 9-1 super mini, set to rival the Audi A1. The deal spawns from plans by BMW’s CEO, Norbert Volkswagen Jetta

Volkswagen Jetta Reithofer, to sell components in order to raise revenue for the German firm.

Volkswagen Jetta VW’s popular compact saloon, the Jetta, will be replaced with the new model Things were looking bleak for Saab until Dutch supercar manufacturer, next year. The car is following VW’spopular latest design trend, seen the new Golf, compact saloon, the Jetta, will bethe replaced with the new model VW’s popularVW’s compact saloon, the Jetta, willon be replaced with new model Spyker, a deal tonew purchase company from the debtdesign ridden General Polo andsigned Touareg.

The models is acar much-needed improvement on next year.

The is following VW’strend, latestseen design trend, next year.

The carthe isdesign following VW’s latest on the newseen Golf,on the new Golf, the previous Jetta, essentially resembled a Golf with boot.

Powering theaimprovement Polo and Touareg.

Thedesign newamodels design is much-neededon improvement on Motors corporation.

Polowhich and Touareg.

The new models is a much-needed new Jetta is a range of advanced petrol and diesel forced induction engines.

New the previous Jetta, which essentially resembled a Golf with a boot. the previous Jetta, which essentially resembled a Golf with a boot.

Powering the Powering the to the Jetta is the 1.2-litre TSI engine producing 105 PS, while the twincharged Jetta is a rangepetrol of advanced petrol andinduction diesel forced induction new Jetta is anew range of advanced and diesel forced engines.

New engines. New 1.4-litre TSI 160 PS engine, mixing performance and economy, is added to the to theTSI Jetta the 1.2-litre 105producing PS, while the to the Jetta isTSI the 1.2-litre TSI engine 105twincharged PS, while the twincharged range. The 1.4-litre 122isPS and 2.0-litre TSIengine 200 PSproducing continue unchanged.

1.4-litre 160 PSTDI engine, mixing and economy, added to the is added to the 1.4-litre TSI PS engine, mixing performance and economy, Diesel options consist ofTSI a 1.6-litre 105160 PS and a performance 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS engine. is VW’s popularrange. compact theTSI Jetta, will and be TSI replaced with the new Thesaloon, 1.4-litre 122 2.0-litre TSI 200 PS continue unchanged. range.

The 1.4-litre 122 PS and 2.0-litre TSI 200 PS continue unchanged.

Start-stop technology will also be featured in PS the range.

Ford Focus ST - Official Photos

that registration plate!) before you find yourself occasionally sitting behind

Volkswagen Jetta of Ford’s brand new 247 bhp have been released. The brand new Official pictures although with that beautiful rear tofind lookyourself at, it might not be sositting bad! behind that registration plate!) before you occasionally

version of the Hot Hatch is aimed for an early 2012 global release. Based on the although with that beautiful rear to look at, it might not be so bad! all-new focus, the ST will feature Ford’s 2.0 litre EcoBoost engine in a high state of tune. This new engine replaces the Volvo-sourced 2.5 litre, five cylinder turbo engine, previously used in Ford’s Hot Hatches. The new ST, finished in ‘tangerine scream’ in the photos, will take on the usual suspects – the VW Golf GTI, Opel Astra OPC and the Renault Mégane 250. Unlike previous generations, the ST will not be offered as a three-door.

We want to share some of UCD’s finest bangers.

Diesel consist of a 1.6-litre TDI PSseen andTDI a 2.0-litre PS engine. model next year.

Theoptions car is following VW’s latest design trend, on the PS TDI Diesel options consist of a105 1.6-litre 105 and 140 a 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS engine.

Start-stop technology will also be featured in be thefeatured range. in the range.

Start-stop willisalso new Golf, Polo and Touareg.

The newtechnology models design a much-needed

improvement on the previous Jetta, which essentially resembled a Golf with a boot. Powering the new Jetta is a range of advanced petrol and diesel forced induction engines. New to the Jetta is the 1.2-litre TSI engine producing 105 PS, while the twincharged 1.4-litre TSI 160 PS engine, mixing performance and economy, is added to the range. The 1.4-litre Ford122 Focus ST 2.0-litre - Official Photos TSI PS and TSI 200 PS continue unchanged. Diesel options

If you see any wrecks parked on campus, send a photo to collegetribune@gmail.com

What’s New? The Volvo S60

A sporty Volvo you say? consist of a 1.6-litre TDI 105 PS and a 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS engine.

StartAs many Official pictures of Ford’s brand new 247 bhp have been released. The brand new marketing execs have learned over the years, sex sells, and while version of the Hot aimed for an range. early 2012 global release. Basedyou on the stop technology willHatch also beisfeatured in the can’t exactly make a car sexy, you can make it sporty, which essentially all-new focus, the ST will feature Ford’s 2.0 litre EcoBoost engine in a high state translates as the same thing in the auto world. As a result, the people at Volvo of tune. This new engine replaces the Volvo-sourced 2.5 litre, five cylinder turbo have launched a brand new car playing on that exact principle. The all-new engine, previously used in Ford’s Hot Hatches. The new ST, finished in ‘tangerine scream’ in the photos, will take on the usual suspects – the VW Golf GTI, Opel Volvo S60, currently on the Irish roads, has been set the task of taking on the Official pictures of Ford’s brand new 247 bhpUnlike have been released.

The brand the ST will Astra OPC and the Renault Mégane 250. previous generations, big boys, a.k.a. the Germans. The S60 has been downsized from the previous not be offered three-door. new version of as thea Hot Hatch is aimed for an early 2012 global release. generation in order to squeeze into the highly competitive compact exec Based on the all-new focus, the ST will feature Ford’s 2.0 litre EcoBoost market, which is dominated by the Audi A4, BMW 3-series and

Ford Focus ST - Official Photos

Mercedes C-class.

There’s no denying the Volvo is a head turner, especially compared with the previous generation of taxman-style Volvos, but the competition are certainly no ugly pack. Even still, with its muscular stance and swooping lines it is, at

BMW 5-Series M-Sport engine in a high state of tune. This new engine replaces the Volvo-sourced

the very least, enough of a looker to park up next to its rivals and not leave the owner regretting the purchase decision. And even though Volvo managed to pick possibly the worst colour in the range, titled ‘Vibrant Copper’ (the design

The long awaited M-sport version of the studios brand new BMW F10 5-Series is set to must have been abundant with copper piping in order for such a The new ST, finished in ‘tangerine scream’ in the photos, will take on terrible colour choicesucceeded to enter their heads)with for their S60 marketing campaign, hitusual the roads.

The past generation 5-series M-sport high sales, the suspects – the VW Golf GTI, Opel Astra OPC and the Renault BMW 5-Series M-Sport I have seen it in black a set ofbuyers.

18’s, The giving execthesaloon favoured bywith younger Mégane 250.the Unlikepopular previous generations, ST will not a be sporty offered as a appeal, The long awaited M-sport version of the brand new BMW F10 5-Series is set to three-door. it isinterior a stunner.with sports seats, and also package adds a more aggressive body kit& and hit the roads. The past generation 5-series M-sport succeeded with high sales, giving the popular exec saloon a sporty appeal, favoured by younger buyers.

The Volvo has been smart with the engines on offer also. The main version you comes alteredbody suspension handling and driving dynamics. The M-sport package addswith a more aggressive kit and interior with sports seats, and will also be seeing on Irish roads is the all new 2.0l five-cylinder turbo diesel comes with5-Series altered suspension handling and driving dynamics. The M-sport BMW M-Sport package will bewithantheoption with the5 series 520d,engine the titled most common inofIreland, ‘D3’. This new engine 5 has series a power rating 163 bhp and can package be an option version the most common The long will awaited M-sport of520d, the brand new BMW F10 5-Seriesin Ireland, due to its mix of performance, economy and the ability to avail of a €156 annual return 5.3l/100 km.

Furthermore, due to the Irish fixation on road tax, it due mixTheofpastperformance, economy is set tax. toto hit its the roads. generation 5-series M-sport succeeded and the ability to avail of a €156 annual road should be the top seller, as it avails of the low Band B road tax which is just €156 annually. with high tax. sales, giving the popular exec saloon a sporty appeal, favoured road The real star in the range though is the twin-turbo 2.4l 5-cylinder diesel, which throws out 205 horses and a nice 420nm of torque. This engine, titled ‘D5’, 2.5 litre, five cylinder turbo engine, previously used in Ford’s Hot Hatches.

by younger buyers. The package adds a more aggressive body kit and interior with sports seats, and also comes with altered suspension handling

and driving dynamics. The M-sport package will be an option with the 520d, the most common 5 series in Ireland, due to its mix of performance, economy and the ability to avail of a €156 annual road tax.

will get you to 100km/ph in less than 8 seconds. Also in the range is a 300bhp 3.0l turbo petrol model. Don’t expect to see any of those around though.

A 1.6 diesel engine will also be on offer next year and a range of smaller turbo petrol engines named GTDI. A big selling point for this car is its pedestrian detection system. Basically the system detects pedestrians if they walk out in front of you and applies the brakes at low speeds. While this system is certainly innovative, I’m not sold on it, as during marketing tests, it’s proven to be less than fully reliable and has fallen under a bit of criticism, not to mention the fact that it costs over €1500 as an option. For that kind of money, you’re not far off upgrading to a leather interior, which you will have to pay for, as it only comes standard on the top spec SE LUX trim.

Volvo undercuts the competition with price, as you can get into a brand new S60 for €32,250 at S spec. But if you want the leather and other additions, you’ll be paying almost €40k for a D3 SE LUX model. With the new 5-Series starting at €41,750, coming with a bunch of gizmos, leather as standard, and a more powerful engine, you’d want to really appreciate the difference to fork out for the Swedish Volvo.

I genuinely like a lot about this car, and hats off to Volvo for bringing out something the college student might aspire to owning in place of one of the German offerings, but I don’t know how many people will be buying one come crunch time. It will be very interesting to see how the Irish public reacts to this car, and if it will make some people break their buying habits. Odds are that it will be January (Ireland’s new car season – got to get the most out of that registration plate!) before you find yourself occasionally sitting behind one in traffic - although with that beautiful rear to look at, it might not be so bad!

www.thecollegetribune.net

12

|

Features

Trust the Poster Michael Phoenix

Robbins-gate has rocked UCD’s society world, but the Lawsoc scandal brings to the fore an issue that has affected the college for years.

Michael Phoenix asks if false advertising by societies has become something we should expect.

Lawsoc,

UCD’s

largest

and

events advertised have so little to

year Arts student explained to me,

do with student participation? Why

“Some societies don’t take a fee and

are they at the fore of society life?

if they do, it’s because they need

Should it not be student based

money for equipment – it’s not an

events, organised by the societies’

attempt to make a profit but an

leadership

attempt to improve the society for

contribution of its members, that

all its members. The larger societies

are promoted and delivered by

say they are going to do all this fun

UCD’s societies?

stuff but really it’s only to make

It is possible that this could not work

money.” Perhaps these societies

in practice, at least at the moment,

have lost touch with their original

but if so, maybe it is because

purpose.

students are so used to promises of

One of the purposes of college

this kind failing to come to fruition.

societies is to provide a service to

Has an acceptance by the students

students – some would even say

of the failure of UCD’s societies

that is the society’s main purpose.

to adhere to their wishes created a

On the basis of these comments,

condition under which there exists

that is not the case with many

no real trust between societies and

of UCD’s societies. In reality it

the student body? If that is the

seems these societies are there to

case, then the problem at hand is

serve the leaders within them, false

much graver than just one of false

advertising presumably one means

advertising.

by which this is done. I put this

What then would be the remedy

point to L&H Auditor Niall Fahy,

for such an ailment? Societies will

who suggested that in most cases,

only invest in the enthusiasm of

things were outside of the society’s

the student body if they feel it will

hands.

allow the society to thrive – and

“I really don’t think societies are in

I mean that in a sense of spirit, as

the business of deliberately falsely

opposed to a healthy spreadsheet.

but

reliant

on

the

advertising, or that they don’t

This can only become the case if

Why do societies appear to care so

take due care when organising an

students feel like they are part of

claim to have had a run in with.

when we become a member with

little for their members after they

event, it is usually that the event

something real and tangible when

One first year student explained her

the larger societies, what we really

join? What is presented as personal

just doesn’t work out. There are

they enter into a society. Instead of

experience to me.

become is a number – interest in the

and approachable may, for many,

deadlines. A call has to be made as

becoming a number on a screen,

“In the Freshers’ Tent they had

individual ceases. At least that was

become aloof and impersonal – a

to whether the event is going to be

they must become a crucial part of

huge posters advertising celebrities.

the case for Collette, a second year

ghostly hierarchy, comprised of

promoted.”

the whole machine. That is the first

There was one tiny piece of paper

Arts student. “A society said I could

personal connections and one-

“Often it is the case that guests pull

step that should be taken, if change

saying one of them couldn’t come.

get involved in the committee and

upmanship, only traceable through

out at the last minute, and there is

is indeed needed.

They had huge posters and one tiny

I didn’t get one email from them.

the posters it leaves in its wake. The

really nothing you can do about

As the testimony of the students I

piece of paper – SORRY FOR

This year I was more selective, only

promises appear to reveal themselves

that, when they have told us that

spoke to proves, false advertising - in

YOUR INCONVENIENCE.”

joining the societies I knew were

as hollow. One third year student

they are going to be coming to

all its forms - is a feature of many

voiced their opinion on the matter.

the debate – for example. I don’t

societies in UCD, and they know

“There is no personal society, it’s

think any society advertises without

it. However, it does not need to be.

about who gets the most numbers

absolute confirmation.”

The trust between societies and the

– the most money.You get drawn in

What Fahy says undoubtedly has

student body may have been eroded,

and it’s a vicious circle because you

validity and, in many instances, it will

but the process can be reversed –

join anyway for fear of being left

be the case that societies are honest.

this is not global warming! It will

out in the cold.”

were forced into a national apology

Freshers’ Tent.

following the non-appearance of

according to one third year student,

Tim Robbins at our very own Astra

“the vicious cycle begins.” Here,

Hall last month. While personal

the societies compete against each

criticism

That’s

where,

the

other for numbers through several

society’s auditor, this is simply the

methods - freebies, damn attractive

most publicised instance of regular

stand

upon

larger of UCD’s societies. A second

So what happens next? It seems that

potentially most influential society,

fallen

from their members. Why do the

by societies which many students

It nearly always begins at the

has

to be directed almost entirely at the

“The vicious cycle begins at the Freshers tent”

Perhaps then the phenomenon of

only take a reinvestment from the

promises.

active. The bigger societies already

When pressed upon why the

false advertising has more to it than

societies in the ability of the students

behaviour carried out by many of

Events,

appearances,

have their cliques and despite what

societies chose to follow this hollow

no-showing celebrities – it cannot

to become their own attraction – to

UCD’s societies. Lawsoc and other

society nights out, a ready-made

they say, it’s very hard for new

road, the students I spoke to revealed

be explained away by the nature

be the key speaker at the debate; to

well populated societies have the

pool of friends, the chance to get

members to get involved.”

one key theme – money.

of external variables. Yes, guest

be the teacher at the workshop; to

resources and manpower to become

involved, to be on the committee, to

The problem is not limited to the

“Any event is just a normal night

appearances are unreliable, but why

be the band at the gig.

a hugely positive influence within

become an insider. As one first year

larger societies, however, as another

out – they have it in a venue to

are societies relying on guests to

Societies will always be a part

campus life, and yet this, it seems,

student put it, “They literally grab

student tells us. “I was told about all

make money, the societies use

propel their society forward?

of college life, as they should be.

is the route they feel they need to

you – join our society! We’ll give

these tutorials with one society that

people. They say it’s easy to get

Perhaps the real issue lies in the

However, they must remember, they

take - why?

you a loaf of bread! They want as

were going to happen – I can count

involved, but it’s all a clique – you

ethos behind the societies. Perhaps

are nothing without their members.

False advertising is the basis of a great

many names as possible.” And so we

on one hand how many of them

have to know someone.”

false advertising is merely a product

deal of off-putting wrongdoing

sign up - hand over our two euro.

went ahead.”

However, the students’ anger seemed

of the detachment societies have

attendees, celebrity

and

www.thecollegetribune.net

October 12th 2010

The College Tribune

| 13

Gaeilge Iarthar is Oirthear: Oireann Aontas don Iar-Ghearmáin Ciarán Ó Braonáin Ag tús na míosa seo comóradh fiche bliain d’athaontú na Gearmáine.

Chualamar na sluaite polaiteoirí, sean-naimhde ón dá thaobh den Chuirtín Iarainn ina measc, ag iarraidh an ceann is fearr a fháil ar a chéile lena mbriathra deisbhéalacha ag moladh an éachta. Cor cinniúna i stair an chéid seo caite ab ea an tríú lá de mhí Dheireadh Fómhair 1990.

Ar an lá cinniúnach sin tháinig deireadh le ré an chumannachais i gcroílár na hEorpa, fógraíodh deireadh an Chogaidh Fhuair agus saolaíodh Eoraip an lae inniu.Ach, in ainneoin na n-íomhánna ceiliúrtha a chonaiceamar go flúirseach ar an teilifís, is cosúil nach raibh gach éinne faoin spéir dealraithe ag tinte ealaíne ar bís faoin ócáid. De réir na meán Gearmánacha níl cúrsaí sa tír chomh haontaithe sin ar chor ar bith.

Próiseas an-chasta agus an-mhall a bhí i gceist le comhaontú shochaí Phoblacht Dhaonlathach na Gearmáine (DDR) agus Phoblacht Chónaidhme na Gearmáine (FDR), próiseas nach bhfuil críochnaithe go fóill. Ceann de na fadhbanna ba dhualaí a bhí ann ag an tús ná conas dul i ngleic le leagáid fhórsa póilíní rúnda an stáit chumannaigh.

Leagáid an chlaonpháirteachais, na cealgaireachta agus an chúlchoimhéadta a bhí fágtha taobh thiar ag na Stasi, rud a d’fhág smál ar mhuintearas an phobail.

Bhunaigh an Ghearmáin roinn stáit úrnua, Roinn Doiciméad Seirbhíse Slándála Stáit an IarDDR, chun ord agus eagar a chur ar an bpróiseas pianmhar seo. Is é sin an rud a bhí ag teastáil uathu, dar leo, chun deireadh Gearmánach a chur le deachtóireacht a tógadh i múnla Gearmánach. Bhí díospóireachtaí agus tuairimí casta doimhne faoi chaibidil i measc mhuintir an oirthir le fada an lá, rud nach raibh na hiartharaigh in ann a thuiscint, toisc nach raibh taithí acu ar shaol faoi dheachtóireacht chumannach. Cé go raibh na hoirthearaigh ag iarraidh an dlí a chur ar lucht na Stasi agus ar na boic mhóra chumannacha agus iad a bhaint ón gcóras rialtais, bhí ar an ngnáthphobal iad féin a iniúchadh ag an am céanna.

Bhí streachailt inmheánach ar siúl chomh maith leis an gceann poiblí agus muintir an oirthir sa

tóir ar cheartas agus díoltas, is lena bhféinionannas a choimeád slán.

Gan amhras ar bith, an chonstaic ba mhó a bhí le sárú ná an chodarsnacht idir an dá gheilleagar. Bhí difríocht ollmhór idir luach na n-airgeadraí, leibhéil na bpraghsanna agus céimeanna iomaíochta an dá thaobh. Dream amháin suite i saormhargadh caipitleach agus dream eile i margadh dúnta, stiúrtha go neamhleithscéalach ag stát cumannach. Go dtí seo tá os cionn 1.5 trilliún euro caite ag an iarthar ar aththógáil an oirthir.

Ar an drochuair, in ainneoin an ollchaiteachais seo tharla dí-tionsclú millteanach ar an oirthear i rith na mblianta agus cailleadh na milliúin post. Dá bharr, chuaigh timpeall 2 mhilliún oirthearach ar imirce sna blianta i ndiaidh thitim an Bhalla-ba é an t-aos óg an dream ba mhó imirce.

Tá sé deacair don saol lasmuigh den Ghearmáin leibhéal an easaontais sa tír a shamhlú. Ní beag an rud é go bhfuil, gan ach fiche bliain caite acu mar aon tír amháin, an Ghearmáin ar ais mar mhórchumhacht dhomhanda, leis an ngeilleagar is treise san Aontas Eorpach. Ach, taobh thiar den íomhá láidir atá acu go hidirnáisiúnta tá siad fós ag streachailt le deacrachtaí an athaontaithe. Tá rátaí dífhostaíochta an oirthir dhá oiread níos mó ná rátaí an iarthair. Tá mean-ioncaim teaghlaigh thoir beagnach leath an mhéid atá ag a gcomharsana, agus cé go raibh cuma an phobail aontaithe orthu, báite i mórtas náisiúnta agus iad ag láimhseáil Corn Domhanda na bliana 2006, léirigh figiúirí phobalbhreitheanna le déanaí malairt scéil. Is iad na torthaí is dochreidte uathu ná nach mothaíonn ach ceathrú den oirthear gurb aon phobal Gearmánach amháin iad agus go mb’fhearr le duine as gach trí oirthearach déag go mbeadh an Balla fós ann!

Níl dabht ar bith go bhfuil an scéal ag feabhsú de réir a chéile agus go bhfuil tromlach na Gearmáine ar son an athaontaithe. Sin ráite, le lucht an iarthair ag éirí níos míshásta lá i ndiaidh lae le leanúnachas na ‘cánach dlúthpháirtíochta’ agus lucht an oirthir ag mothú mar shaoránaigh den dara aicme is léir nach mbeidh na ‘Ossies’ agus na ‘Wessies’ ina ndlúthchairde ar feadh tamaillín eile fós.

Aiste Bia gan a bheith Aisteach Croíbhriste ag an mBancbhriseadh Jack Ó Leocháin

Ben Ó Lógáin Is ionann aiste nó réimse bia ceart

n-itheann tú do bhricfeasta. Sin

Tá an tír seo bancbhriste ag na

ár mbreithiúnais.

agus duine a bheith sláintiúil. Ní

comhairle a mbainfidh tú tairbhe as,

bainc. Níl ionainn ach mic léinn

Ar nós páistí, bhí gach rud uainn

fhéadfainn a shéanadh go bhfuil

gan dabht.

óga ach beidh ár gcuid páistí agus a

láithreach

mórán daoine ann a fheidhmíonn

Tá sé an-tábhachtach freisin go

gcuid páistí siúd ag íoc as na botúin

bóithre, córas sláinte, scoileanna is

maith go leor ar thrí nó ceithre

n-itear béile folláin i rith an lae,

a rinneadh ach cé a rinne iad?

araile. Ag an am céanna, bhíomar ag

chupán caife in aghaidh an lae agus

sé sin an lón. (Na caiteoirí tobac

Is na bainc a thug an ‘saibhreas’

lorg breis luacha ar ár gcuid tithe,

slisín arán anseo agus ansiúd. Ar

in bhur measc, cuimhnigh air

dúinn sa chéad áit agus le tamall

ag ísliú an ráta cánach agus ag cur

ndóigh, is olc an mhaise é sin don

sin.) Is amhail le hinneall é corp

anuas tá dearmad déanta air sin.

Fianna Fáil ar ais i gcumhacht faoi

tsláinte. Táim féin ag staidéar ‘cothú

an duine - caithfimid an breosla

Ach an saibhreas a bhí ann ar chor

dhó.

daonna’ ar an ollscoil anseo is ba

ceart a chur ionainn. Mholfainn

ar bith?

An rud is suimiúla faoin gcliseadh

mhaith liom nod nó dhó a riar ar

bia le próitéin éigin ann. Is doiligh

Ní hé go raibh milliún Euro ag

ná go bhfuil sé soiléir dúinn anois

mhic léinn na hollscoile i gcoitinne.

feoil nó uibheacha agus sailéid a

duine chun teach a cheannach,

go bhfuil rialtas in ann polasaithe

Is daoine eolacha sibh go léir, mar

bhualadh. Dhéanfadh rolla aráin le

bhí banc sásta an t-airgead sin a

a athrú go tapa agus iad a chur i

sin is leor an nod seo thíos daoibh.

sicín agus leitís an beart. Cén fáth

thabhairt. Bhí saibhreas againn ar

gcrích nuair is gá. Mar shampla,

Ba mhaith liom a shoiléiriú i

a bhfuil sé seo chomh sláintiúil sin,

iasacht ó na bainc agus ag am éigin,

cuireadh an dlí a rialaíonn an

dtosach nach bhfuilim chun sibh

a fhiafraíonn tú. Bhuel, cothaíonn

bheadh orainn an iasacht sin a aisíoc.

Ghníomhaireacht

a bhodhrú le liosta de rialacha

próitéiní neart den hormón leptin.

Ar feadh i bhfad, bhí airgead saor,

Bhainistíochta

scanrúla agus staitisticí tura. Tuigim

Bualann ár gcara, leptin, bob orainn,

ró-shaor. Is ait an ráiteas sin ach sin

bhfeidhm go gasta agus chaitheamar

go maith go bhfuil buiséad teoranta

i ndáiríre. Nuair a scaoiltear an

mar a bhí sé timpeall an domhain.

€50,000,000,000 ar tharrtháil na

againn agus gur gá dúinn ár

hormón seo sa chorp, ceapann muid

I Meiriceá, agus in Éirinn, bhí na

mbanc le dhá bhliain anuas.

n-airgead a chaitheamh dá réir. Níl

go bhfuil ár sáith ite againn. Anuas

bainc ag tabhairt airgid do dhaoine

Ag tús na bliana seo, bhí Cowen

aon cheist ach oiread go mbíonn an

air sin, aimsítear neart vitimíní agus

nach mbeadh in ann é a íoc ar ais

agus a fhoireann á mholadh ag

chuid is mó dínn ag caitheamh siar

mianraí i sailéid – tá neart vitamin C

ach ba chuma agus an t-airgead saor.

pobal na cruinne as ucht a bheith

na bpiontaí le linn na seachtaine. Tá

i bpiobair agus tá lypodene i dtrátaí.

Thit rátaí úis na hEorpa agus

ag déileáil leis an bhfadhb go

sé i gceist agam mar sin a rá conas is

Is mianra é seo a chabhraíonn linn

Banc Lárnach na hEorpa (BLE) ag

mear. I gcomparáid le tíortha eile,

fearr a chealaítear deasca an óil.

ailse a sheachaint.

déanamh iarrachta an ollchumhacht

ghearramar níos doimhne agus

I dtosach báire, mholfainn do gach

Don dinnéar, d’íosfainn glasraí nó

eacnamaíochta

Ghearmánach

níos tapúla. Agus i mbealaí, bhí sin

duine bricfeasta ceart a ithe ar

sailéid arís le foinse stáirse éigin

a dhúiseacht. Mar aon le haon

níos éasca in Éirinn, ní oibreodh

maidin.Tá an chomhairle seo chomh

i.e. rís dhonn, prátaí, pasta. Bheadh

mhargadh, nuair atá costais íseal,

spreagadh eacnamaíochta, an cur

sean leis an gceo, ach ní fhéadfaí

feoil nó iasc (m.sh Donegal Catch)

titeann an praghas agus sin a tharla

chuige Céinseach, toisc go raibh

comhairle níos fearr a thabhairt.

agam chomh maith. Más duine

d’airgead. Aisteach go leor, nuair

an iomarca d’ár ndaonra ag obair sa

Níl foinse fuinnimh ar bith eile

gníomhach thú nó má tá níos mó

a d’ardaigh an t-éileamh, thit an

rannóg tógála ar aon nós.

ag an inchinn seachas glúcós a

iarainn ag teastáil uait i d’aiste bia,

praghas arís.

Faoin am seo áfach, tá an fhírinne

fhaightear ó charbaihiodráití. Is

diurnaigh gloine sú torthaí le do

D’oir an polasaí sin don gheilleagar

soiléir, níl an rialtas ná muintir

fearr arbhar slánghráin agus arán

dhinnéar i.e. sú oráiste. An fhoinse

is mó i gclub an Euro ach a mhalairt

na hÉireann ag stiúradh na tíre a

donn a thabharfadh foinse fuinnimh

is fearr don iarann is ea feoil dhearg.

a bhí ag teastáil in Éirinn. Dá

thuilleadh. Tugtar uimhir dúinn

ama

I ndeireadh na dála, is fúinn féin

mbeadh an Punt againn, seans an-

gach aon bhliain ag na margaí

fada duit seachas slisín arán bán a

atá sé bia ceart a ithe. Má leannan

mhaith nach mbeadh an chraic seo

nó ag an gCoimisiún Eorpach.

d’imeodh amach as do shruth fola

tú an cúpla treoir thuasluaite,

leis an tógáil tar éis tarlú. Sea, tá sé

Seasann uimhir na bliana seo ag

chomh tapa is a tháinig sé isteach.

geallaimse duit go mothóidh tú

ceart a rá go raibh an domhan ar fad

€4,000,000,000. Tá an méid seo le

Píosa comhairle chríonna eile - má

níos fearr agus go mbeidh níos mó

tógtha leis an tógáil ag an am ach dá

gearradh ó chaiteachas stáit 2011.

tá meitibileacht (an ráta ag a ndóitear

fuinnimh agat. Anuas air sin, beidh

mbeimis neamhspleách, ní bheadh

An t-aon chuid den rialú atá ar

fuinneamh nó calraí sa chorp) níos

cuma níos sláintiúla agus níos fearr

ár mBanc Lárnach ag déanamh

siúl ag ár rialtas na laethanta seo ná

éifeachtaí uait, ól pionta uisce sula

ort.

neamhairde.

foinsí na huimhreach seo a roghnú.

Ar an lámh eile, bheimis tar éis fás

Mar fhreagra air seo, tá muintir na

i bhfad níos moille. Mar shampla,

hÉireann ag filleadh ar an tsaint arís

tá níos mó airgid ag muintir na tíre

ag rá linn féin nach bhfuil an milleán

seo, murab ionann agus an stát féin,

orainn. Tá agus bhí an milleán

ná mar a bhí sa bhliain 2000.

orainn, táimid in ár gcónaí i dtír

Deirtear arís agus arís eile gur

dhaonlathach le páirtithe ina raibh,

gá do pholasaí eacnamaíochta a

nach mór, na polasaithe céanna le

bheith

ach

roinnt blianta anuas. Muidne a lorg

níor éisteamar anseo, bhí an Tíogar

an caiteachas, agus anois is muidne a

Ceilteach againn, nár chuala an

bheidh ag íoc as..

leanúnach

thar

tréimhse

frith-thimthriallach,

lenár

n-airgead

Náisiúnta Sócmhainní

nua:

um i

Eoraip seo? Bhí an t-airgead ag sruthlú síos na sráideanna, tríd ár bhfuil agus, is léir anois, ag lobhadh

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President

Ents

Education

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UCD SU LOYALTY CARD Small card - big rewards

Monday 11th SEXUAL HEALTH DAY Sexual Health advice and demonstrations all day in the SU Centre

Sign up today

www.ucdsu.ie/loyaltycard

Tuesday 12th HEALTHY EATING Healthy cooking on a budget from 12pm-2pm in SU

YOUR STUDENT CARD IS TRANSFORMING, ITS NOW YOUR SU LOYALTY CARD TOO • BIG REWARDS ALL OVER CAMPUS IN STUDENTS UNION OUTLETS

Wednesday 13th PHYSICAL HEALTH DAY Learn what’s in your food with info stands in the SU Centre and take part in the skipathon at 1pm outside the library Donate to campus-wide collection in aid of Irish Heart Foundation

• SPECIAL OFFERS FOR LOYAL CARD HOLDERS • CHANCE TO WIN SU ENTS GOLD CARD • REWARDING YOU IN MORE WAYS EVERYDAY The special SU card is free to use and entitles you to earn points on purchases in SU outlets. From ENTS events to your Crunchie, the SU card is the key to big rewards

Thursday 14th MENTAL HEALTH DAY Relaxation Duvet Day in the Student Centre Blue Room 10am-4pm.

REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE 3RD OF NOVEMBER!!

National March against the proposed doubling of the Reg Fee, cut to the Grant and Graduate Unemployment takes place this November 3rd. Demand Education, not Emigration this November 3rd by coming out onto the streets and making your voice heard!

UCDEnts proudly sponsored by Vodafone & in association with Spin 1038 present...

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11/10/2010 10:54

11/10/2010 11:06

Editorial

Letter to the Editor

Apology to Ms. Claudia Saba

Dear Editor,

Following the publication of the article titled ‘The Anti West Movement’ on the 28th of September, The College Tribune would like to apologise to Ms. Claudia Saba. The purpose of the article was to examine to a speech given by Ms. Saba in UCD and was not written to criticise or damage Ms. Saba’s name or reputation.

The choices of images were incorrect for the article, and any indication that portrayed Ms. Saba as being antisemitic is also incorrect.

The College Tribune would also like to thank Ms. Saba for writing her own piece on page nine of this issue.

last edition of the College Tribune entitled 'The Anti-West Movement', a

Class Rep Elections

Designer: Emmet Farrell emmet.tribune@gmail.com News Editor: Donie O'Sullivan news.collegetribune@gmail.com Deputy News Editor: Amy Walsh Sports Editor: Mark Hobbs sport.collegetribune@gmail.com

supposed critique of a meeting held by the Socialist Worker Student Society on the topic of Israeli apartheid.The sociey has a staunch stance on the issue of Palestine and while we are very much open to debate, personal attacks on invited speakers and the organisations they represent are unacceptable.

The vicious tirade aimed at our guesst speaker, Claudia Saba, appears to have been overlooked in your haste to publish the newspaper, and I am sure the provacative choice of imagery was unintentional. The Irish AntiWar Movement, the group who managed to mobilise over one hundred

In this week’s edition, the College Tribune has decided to focus on UCD Students’ Union’s class rep elections which occurred last week. There is little doubt that a representative from each year is the best system to represent the student body of the college, but any doubts surrounding the system seem to question the involvement of class reps within the Union itself. Any strategy which can get the many class reps actively working for their constituents would be a huge achievement for this year’s current team. The News in focus on page seven attempts to address this issue and it is something all students should take note of. The objective of the Students’ Union is ‘the promotion and furtherance of any matter of interest to its membership,’ and following an investment of over €10,000 in the weekend training of class reps, the merit of the exercise needs to be seen as being worthwhile.

Editor: Colman Hanley collegetribune@gmail.com

I am writing in response to the article published by Cliona Campbell in the

Music Editor: David Tracey tribmusic@gmail.com Deputy Music Editor: Conor McKenna

thousand people onto the streets of Dublin in oppostion to the Iraq war has a prestigious history. It is a vehicle to promote peace and anti-imperialist struggle, not to orchestrate 'indoctrination into a world of meaningless violence'.

Although one does not want to stoop to the level of slander peddled by Ms. Campbell, one cannot help but mention that during this well attended meeting, Ms. Campbell was seen to edit our literature to fit in with her own zionist ideals. Wherever there was mention of the Palestinian people, it was quickly replaced with the word terrorist. Any level-headed observer would soon realise that it is not the valiant Palestinain resistance who cause widespread terror and destruction, but the racist state of Israel.

When one calls oneself anti-zionist, it is a natural defence for a supporter of Israel to cry anti-semitism and blur the situation. The Socialist Worker Student Society and the Irish Anti War Movement defend such accusations vehemently, it is the argument of those who want to hide their racist ideology behind hundreds of years of injustice and horrendous acts commited against the Jewish people.

Fashion Editor: Aoifa Smyth tribune.health.fashion@gmail.com

The level of Islamaphobia spewed by Ms. Campbell in the article is not unusual for someone brainwashed so absolutely. She encourages and strenghthens the worrying myth that categorises Islam as a religion of fundamentalists who choose to explode themselves for no apparent reason,

Photography Editor: Dáire Brennan Turbine Editor: Ryan Cullen

causing untold misery for countless poor Israeli settlers. Settler's who arm themselves with shotguns to repel those attempting to reclaim what is rightfully theirs Suicide bombings are the last resort of a battered people. It is not a tactic condoned by the IAWM, but one understood and lamented.

It is not a tactic the pervades the muslim psyche, it is one adopted by some who take an ultimate sacrifice, to highlight the plight of their persecuted brothers and sisters.

Eagarthóir Gaeilge: Eoin Ó Murchú

The Socialist Worker Student Sociey see's Israel as a rogue illegal state, one which promotes hate, racism and violence. The theatrics they engage in to entertain and satisfy their Washington bosses in holding 'peace talks' with

Contributors List:

the puppet Palestinian Authority is sickening. As a society we want to see the Israeli state dismantled and replaced with a free, multi-cultural state,

OLIVIA REIDY, Jeremy O’Hanlon, Ciara Murphy, Ciarán Leinster, Ciarán Breslin, Timothy Potenz, Michael Phoenix, Amy Walsh, Ryan Cullen, Catherine Creagh (belated Happy Birthday), Emma Smyth, Dan Daly, Janelle O’Sullivan, Liam Lacey, Greg Acton (Happy Birthday), Patrick Fleming, Conall Devlin, Mohamed Gamal, Graham Luby, Joseph Conroy, Conor McKenna, Róisín Sweeney, Laura McNally, Timothy Potenz, Ciarán Leinster, Kellie Nwaokorie, Alex Fingleton, Ben Ó Lógáin, Jack Ó Leocháin, Ciarán Ó Braonáin, Niamh Hanley, Kate Brady, Margeurite Murphy, Dan Binchy, Daniel Daly, Danny Lambert, David McManus.

free from religious and racial prejudice. We want a secular state where Jew,

Míle Buíochas:

promote the use of boycott and non-violent means to show solidarity with

Datascope Printing (Kevin Mitchell, David Walsh and Trina Kirwan), Claudia Saba, Lorcan Gray, Emmet Farrell, Donie O’Sullivan, Amy Walsh, Niamh Hanley, MCD (Rory Murphy and Colm Hanley), Philip Connolly, James Grannell, Lorraine Foy, Dáire Brennan, Danny Lambert, David Tracey, Aoifa Smith, Mark Hobbs, Ryan Cullen, Ciara Murphy, Gary Fox, Edel Ní Churraoin, Ronan Murphy, Anita Brown, Craig O’Connor, agus Edel Ní Bhraonáin, Danielle Nic an tSionnigh, Dónal Ó hAnnrachtaigh, Madeleine Ní Ghallchobhair (Breithlá Sona daoibh).

against the aggressive and racist oppression of Palestine. We will continue to

Muslim, Christan and all other races and creeds can co-exist, not an 'Islamic State' based on the 'incessand use of qusam rockets' as Ms. Campbell so eloquently and fictisiously alludes to.

The society will continue to highlight the grave injustices perpetrated on our comrades in Palestine.We will fight to promote the rising up of the Arab working classes, a concept so derided by Ms. Campbell. We will continue to

our Palestinian brothers and sisters. We will continue to support resistance

expect Ms. Campbell to be a thorn in our side, peddling zionist ideology and myth. We will engage in debate with the insignificant zionist lobby of UCD, but we will NOT accept vicious attacks on our invited speakers.

Lorcan Gray Auditor of the Socialist Worker Student Society

Inside

It’s Satire Stupid!

Americans Yank babies clean out Referendum on hold after Harney swallows proposal Anne Doyle’s throat declared a national landmark Braille photography lets blind rub one out New Fianna Fail headsets to play the screams of working class people Joe Pasquale a natural source of Helium claim scientists

Alternative Ireland’s Greatest Person With the recent discovery that Bono had reached the final five of RTE’s greatest Irish person, one has to sit back and think, ‘where the fuck did we go so horribly wrong’. The Turbine has taken responsibility on its hardened shoulders to come up with a true top five based on attributes such as achievement, morality and character. During compilation, our team of experts had to reject viable candidates such as the creator of the Ku Klux Klan, Eliza Lynch (mistress of a Paraguayan dictator) and Mickey Joe Harte, to compile what we feel to be the pride of Ireland.

Firstly on our list is C.S Lewis, renowned writer of Narnia which tells the story of a closet homosexual who gets lost. Although carrying the bur-

Every guy’s nightmare and every woman’s dream

on X-factor really moved me; to

house’. A complete embarrassment. A reminder to

occurred this weekend as this year’s group of talentless

get a bucket to throw up in. Her

the male population, set the clocks back an hour

hopefuls battle it out to be the Britain’s greatest karaoke

attempt at rap reminded me of

next Friday. It will save your soul.

singer on the X-Factor. That means two more hours for

Brendan O’Carroll’s ‘Jesus in the

and wives as the male occupants twiddle their thumbs and carve their names into their armchairs with a breadknife.This year’s competition still contains the four uncharismatic judges with Simon ‘****flap’ Cowell, Cheryl Cole who was wearing so much fake tan she looked like she came off an audition for Charlie and the Chocolate factory, Louis ‘so far in the closet he’s nearly touching Narnia’ Walsh and Dannii Minogue, the shit, less famous sister. As I sat in the living room watching

Bramble rapes Bent

a decent explorer. As far as gaelgoirs are concerned this lady is God, Peig Sayers makes our top five. Most of us know Peig due to the horrid boredom and depression that she put us through in Irish class. Just when you thought the leaving cert couldn’t get more depressing and stressful, out pops Peig with her autobiography of sheer misery that drips from every page. Last but not least, how could anyone ever leave him out, It’s our very own Duke of Wellington. Duke was one of the leading military and political figures of the nineteenth century, mainly for kicking the shit out of Napoleon to the tune of Waterloo. Historians claim that the valiant Irishman struck Napoleon right between the eyes with a Potato to claim his victorious win.

X Factor Marathon show a Nightmare

televisions which will be occupied by girlfriends, sisters

Cowen’s victims claim His Face looked like melted ice cream

den of being from Belfast and having a girls name, he became a famous author until the day he died. On the day of his death, the media were in full swing with excitement due to the fact that John F Kennedy had just been shot, so in retrospect, nobody cared. Next on our list is everyone’s favourite reverend, it’s Ian Paisley. Naming his home ‘NEVER, NEVER, NEVERLAND’ and current host of BBC radio 4’s daily prodcast make this man a necessity on anyone’s list.

“Difficulties are just things to overcome, after all.” - Words from Ireland’s greatest Explorer Ernest Shackleton only hours before his final expedition. In unlucky circumstances, he died only hours before that expedition, but still, he was

the horror unfolding, I couldn’t help wondering what the hype was all about and where an iota of talent was present. ‘Teenage sensation’ Cher Lloyd’s performance

October 12th 2010

The College Tribune

| 17

Sport uperleague

College Tribune

The College Tribune October 12th 2010 www.thecollegetribune.net

Down the line Mark Hobbs The opening weekend of European rugby provided

could have done without his citing as well. Should

mixed fortunes for the four Irish provinces, the

he join his fellow centre Mafi on the sidelines through

obvious highlight being Leinster’s return to form

suspension, one would have to fear for the men in red,

against Racing Metro. It is fair to say that the 2009

who are already suffering badly with injuries. A fully fit

Heineken Cup winners finally clicked for the first

and available Munster squad would have to be at their

time this year and delivered their most impressive

best to top the group, so what of a limited one?

performance of the season to date.

The shock of the weekend perhaps was Connacht’s

Where in previous games this term Leinster

away defeat to lowly Italian minnows Cavalieri, and

spluttered and ambled their way through games,

Eric Elwood’s men will be very disappointed with this

here we saw a team that commanded and were

regression given the improvement shown this term.

primed to punish any mistakes their opponents

Should last weekend’s results continue, there is little

threw their way.

doubt that Leinster can build on their two most recent

To put five tries past Racing Metro is no mean feat;

performances and will be Ireland’s best chance of

the suburban Parisians currently top the Super 14

European silverware this term.

league, and boast a cheque book that could make them rugby’s answer to Manchester City. Leinster in full flight is a sight to behold, and each of the five tries scored would have pleased even the most aesthetically critical of rugby connoisseurs. While Brian O’ Driscoll’s injury is an obvious negative, UCD was still well represented by his try scoring replacement Fergus McFadden, who completed the win with a fantastic solo effort at the end of the first pool game.

Elsewhere, Ulster will be pleased to open their account with a bonus point win, but they may be surprised as to how hard they were made to work for it by Aironi. The difficulty that the Italians caused Brian McLaughlin’s men raises doubts whether they will be up to the task of tackling Bath and Biarritz in the coming weeks.

A late rally from Munster saw them earn a precious bonus point against London Irish in what is arguably the competition’s toughest group. Sam Tuitupou’s late try could very well prove vital, but Munster

The Superleague returns with a shuddering bang, as Greg Acton takes a look at the football league that is not for the faint hearted.

The Superleague is back! Two weeks in and it’s already clear that it’s going to be almost exactly the same as last year. The same horrendous jerseys are back, horrendous tackles and horrendous hangovers, but nevertheless, it doesn’t half provide some seriously entertaining matches. Is it just me or have the team names got a bit better though? Exither Quickly is probably my personal favourite, but Murder on Zidane’s Floor is not without its charm.

An Aaron McNulty hat-trick helped Sauce Pan Celtic to a 6-4 win over Haven’t a Kalou. Sauce Pan Celtic looked decent, although it should be noted that Haven’t a Kalou got battered 7-0 in week one. They could do with help from Solomon!

Superleague games tend to be won by the side with the least severe hangovers, but manager Lorcan McArdle claims it was his tactical decisions that led his side to a second consecutive victory. Not much point in arguing with that as his side have got maximum points so far, but it’s clear that they’re going to have to rely on banging heaps of goals in with a dodgy looking defence.

Meanwhile, Bean FC beat The Hilltown Boys 3-0 in a classic Superleague encounter. Referee Seán O’Connor was kept busy and had to send four players off. The game was probably best described as ‘physical’ with some shocking collisions, one resulting in a five minute break in play because a Hilltown Boys player was knocked unconscious.

Bean FC took the lead in the first half but didn’t extend it until late on when Paul Geraghty scored what he seemed to think was a super goal, but in reality was a rubbish tap in. However, near the end, Bean did genuinely score a goal worth bragging about when Neil Smyth guided in a beautiful free-kick.

Bean FC look like they might be contenders for the league after two impressive wins, but their name isn’t very good so perhaps they don’t deserve it. They could also probably do with keeping eleven lads on

the pitch if they’re to keep up this form, but that probably won’t happen for one reason or the other.

Actually starting a game with the full compliment is about 90% of the battle in the Superleague.

The Back Door Bouncers weren’t playing this week, but their upcoming game against Superfriends sounds like it will be one of the campest sporting events of all time and everyone moping around Belfield this Wednesday is urged to head over to the soccer astro to check it out.

Remember to bring a pair of shades though to protect your eyes from the Bouncers outlandish hot pink kits. Anyway, that’s about it for the Superleague so far. It may be rubbish, but it’s still better than watching Shay Given hoof the ball the length of the pitch every 30 seconds.

Exither Quickly – classic.

PHOTO by Dáire Brennan.

Clubhouse Mark Hobbs

Ladies Secure Victory in Hockey League Chloe Watkins continued her scoring run with a late winner for UCD against Ballymoney last Saturday. Watkins held her nerve to sweep home a deflected effort, just a week after hitting five goals. Despite some strong early pressure and dominating in both possession and territory, the Students failed to create many clear cut chances in the opening quarter. The visitors then took charge in the second period, with UCD’s Orlagh O’ Shea receiving a green card (an official warning) for failure to retreat. A short corner led to Ballymoney drawing first blood, with a fine strike from Katie Mullan. UCD began to reassert themselves in the third quarter, and the pressure finally came to fruition with Watkins linking up well with Caroline Hill, who finished tidily from close range to bring the sides level. The final quarter saw Ballymoney receiving two green cards, while UCD’s Rosie Carrigan was punished with yellow.

Despite the drama though, the students held on the better of two sides and Watkin’s strike gave them a fine start to their campaign in the Irish Hockey League.

UCD’s Conquerors Progress St. Brigid’s, who narrowly edged out UCD in the previous round of the Dublin Football Championship, produced a shock by inflicting defeat up previous title favourites St. Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh.

Saturday’s game was a scrappy affair, and following a mistake in defence, St.Brigid’s pounced with a goal from Ken Darcy and led 1-2 to 0-3 at half time. Following the interval, it was all one way traffic at Parnell Park, with Brigid’s extending their advantage with important scores from Darcy, Mark Cahill and Paddy Andrews, before easing out to a 1-9 to 0-5 victory.

The other finalist will be the winner of the game between St. Vincent’s and Kilmacud Crokes.

www.thecollegetribune.net

18

|

Sport

Caught in a Trap, We Can’t Back Out Following the criticism of the defeat to Russia last Friday night, Colman Hanley examines why Irish fans have to stick by both the players and management.

A first competitive defeat in the new

look very poor for an hour of the

have

fine

goal in the ninth minute would

Aviva stadium to a team at are 25th

game. The lack of match sharpness

pedigree to choose from, Given,

have ended in a goal for Keane or

in the FIFA rankings, that was one

of some of the Irish team was all too

Dunne and O’Shea in particular, he

Kevin Doyle. Alas, the chance went

way of looking at the Republic of

apparent as well. Glenn Whelan,

is left with average footballers after

by and Aleksandr Kerzakov scored

Ireland’s defeat to Russia last week.

Kevin Kilbane and Robbie Keane

that. The fighting spirit of the Irish

just moments later.

An embarressing display which saw

had bad days at the office and

is always worth a few points in every

However in Trapattoni, Ireland have

Russia at one point 3-0 lead away

will not want to look at the Sky+

qualifying campaign, but should we

a wily old fox who can still conjure

from home after 51 minutes was

George Hook told them to buy.

ever lose that edge to our play, we

up a little bit of magic out of his

another opinion most chose to take,

However the strategy of the Irish

will find ourselves in the doldrums

players. He appears to be our ace

the Irish love their own

manager to not make any tactical

and shivering as we recount the days

in the pack, so all our faith rests on

‘Suspicious minds.’

changes until the 62nd minute

of Stan being ‘the gaffer.’

that 71 years old’s shoulders. Time

Regardless of the result in Slovakia

was baffling.

The

(a fact unknown at the time

the situation was apparent mid-

did bring back memories of the

of writing), Ireland’s hopes of

way through the second half and

Staunton era, the sight of a team not

qualifying will still be alive going

the lack of movement from the

functioning together and making

into 2011. The one worry to Irish

bench is evidence of the Italian’s

simple basic errors echoed back to

fans though was the manner and

stubbornness to stick to his rigid

Nicosia and the 1-1 home draw

ease that Russia tore Giovanni

4-4-2 formation. Trap’s mantra that

to the same Cypriot side in Croke

Trapattoni’s side apart.

the system works was proven wrong

Park. However the long ball tactic,

From the raiding runs of Russia’s

by the space and ease in which

which Ireland’s Glenn Whelan has

full-backs, Chelsea’s Yuri Zhirkov

Denisov regularly started Russia’s

since come out and criticised, did

and Aleksandr Aniukov, to the space

first half attacks. Switching to 4-5-

clearly cause Dick Advocat’s side

in which Andrei Arshavin regularly

1 to match the Russians seemed the

problems all night, Keane and Shane

found himself in, or the way in

logical thing to do.

Long’s goal coming as a result of the

which deep lying midfielder Igor

Admittedly though, the manager’s

use of the ‘aerial route.’

Denisov always had acres of spaces

options are limited.

It must be

On another occasion, perhaps the

and time , Ireland were made to

remembered that while he does

bombardment of Igor Akinfeev’s

The direness of

Ryde On

some

poor

players

60

with

minute

display

to take out the roseary beads?

started soon after which consisted

and

the

the 2010 Ryder cup for Europe, and

Montgomerie who showed how

of two more foursome matches

European fans as they expected their

so he did showing excellent resolve.

captaining a Ryder Cup team

and four fourball matches, and this

team to kick on and strengthen their

McDowell will go down as the hero

should be done, exhibiting pure

became key in bringing Europe

lead especially with Lee Westwood

but all twelve members of the team

emotion, honesty and passion all

right back into contention as they

who had been playing brilliantly

deserve great praise, not to mention

during proceedings.

one side to the other freely.

came out all guns blazing after a

all weekend kicking off the singles

With the first day of play almost

resounding speech from Captain

matches.

completely being written off by

Montgomerie in between sessions.

was defeated by Stricker and this

the rain, changes were made to the

Play continued into Sunday where

seemed to give the Americans the

schedule meaning four sessions of

Europe had suddenly taken a

boost and impetus they needed to

play instead of the usual three.When

lead of nine and a half to six and

begin their comeback, and they

the first session of fourballs ended

a half by the end of play after a

certainly lacked nothing in courage.

America had taken the early lead 24 players and countless matches

fantastic session where Europe

As the day wore on it seemed

by two and a half to one and a half

over an extended and unprecedented

won five of the six matches of the

inevitable that the last match

with the two controversial wildcard

four days, and it came down to just

session and halved the other, the

involving McDowell and Mahan

picks Harrington and Woods having

two competitors in the form of

highlight being one of the greatest

was going to be the deciding match

contrasting

fortunes, as Woods

Graeme McDowell and Hunter

foursomes performances seen in

in the competition as Europe

partnered by Steve Stricker defeated

Mahan to decide who would win

the Ryder Cup as Luke Donald

struggled to get to the magic number

the supremely confident Ian Poulter

the 2010 renewal of golf ’s most

and Lee Westwood hammered the

of fourteen and a half that would

and Ross Fisher, while Harrington

prestigious team tournament.

partnership of Woods and Stricker.

bring the cup back to Europe. The

and his partner Luke Donald lost

McDowell triumphed in a gritty

The first ever session of play on a

scene was set for McDowell to build

comprehensively to the rookie

performance from the Ulsterman

Monday brought great excitement

on his outstanding year and clinch

combination of Geoff Overton and

as he capped off a quite memorable

Bubba Watson.

2010 for him, winning the Ryder

The beginning of day two of

Cup back for Europe after the

the meeting saw the foursomes

debacle of Valhalla two years ago;

commence, where the Americans

when the egomaniacal Nick Faldo

managed to increase their advantage

saw his team embarrassed by their

over the Europeans to six points to

American counterparts.

four by the end of the six matches.

Celtic Manor’s new course became

Woods and Stricker in particular

the first to be specifically created to

looked impressive as they defeated

hold the Ryder Cup, and the initial

Miguel Angel Jimenez and Peter

downpour seemed to suggest the

Hanson with ease. Luke Donald

fans and players would not see it in

continued his enviable record of

its best light. However both sets of

being unbeaten in Ryder Cup

supporters were very vocal in their

foursome matches by winning

support throughout the four days; as

alongside fellow English man Ian

control of the match swayed from

Poulter. The third session of play

With the Ryder Cup this year proving to be as nail biting and unpredictable as we could have hoped, Liam Lacey recounts how the action unfolded.

anticipation

amongst

Surprisingly, Westwood

www.thecollegetribune.net

October 12th 2010

The College Tribune

UCD Sailors Nail Colours to Their Mast

| 19

Beginners, as well as experienced sailors, are catered for too. “We organise lessons through a local

With the Sailing Club about to embark on a competition in Clifden, Patrick Fleming catches up with the club’s PRO Simon Doran to assess their chances.

the remaining two days. Despite this,

day out on the water. It’s high

to win. All bets are off once on the

sailing school and we offer them

they regained composure to salvage

intensity and requires an immense

water. “Tempers do sometimes boil

at a discounted rate compared to

a third place finish for the event.

amount of skill and guile, as tactics

over, including a famous incident

the normal price.” Beginners are

“We’re gutted,” Simon explains.

and strategy play a big part in

where one competitor jumped

encouraged to develop and move

UCD’s Sailing Club is a dedicated

year, there’s a definite emphasis on

In response to what he thought

determining the outcome of a

out of his boat into another boat,

up into the racing fray by going out

and competitive group of sailors.

improving on last year’s modest

about the next event, the Westerns

race. “Sailing can be like chess at

decked the person on the opposite

to the events and social nights. “If

As Simon Doran puts it, “we have

successes, which included wins

in Clifden, Doran was clear-cut

a tactical level and the best sailors

team, jumped back into his own

you truly want to be a successful

trained harder and more often

at the Irish University Sailing

in his aims for the event. “We’re

are always thinking a move ahead,

boat and sailed on!”

sailor, you must immerse yourself in

than any other college.” The goal

Association Eastern Championships,

going to win.” The UCD team have

never just about the present.” The

Off the water though, this is a very

the sport.”

is to bring about another “golden

as well as the Scottish University

learned from the mistakes of last

team aspect is another key factor for

social and convivial sport. “The

Although the sailors of UCD are

period” for the club. “The last of

Sailing Association Championships.

time and confidence is at its peak.

the sailors to consider and Simon

inter college craic is amazing,”

focused and determined to succeed,

which was about ten years ago

“This year we hope to win the

“Throughout the fleets I feel that

outlines the ethos of the UCD team

Doran

a

the most important aspect of sailing

when they were winning everything

intervarsities and we are going to

UCD will excel, as our strength

with regard to this. “At the highest

member of UCC decided to butter

for Doran is the friendship, “Most

around them, intervarsities etc. The

do it, it is as simple as that.”

in depth exceeds all other colleges,

levels, the teamwork is incredible,

the walls in our house!” The most

of all though, I’d have to go for the

last five years have been relatively

The first event of the year, the

for example, our seconds could be

nobody sails for themselves. It is all

extraordinary event that Doran has

clichéd and very corny fact that the

barren.”

Nationals down in Cork, was a

the strongest test that our firsts will

about the team.”

heard about, however, is that one

friends I’ve made in the sailing club

For the club which won Varsity

disappointing one, as a bad first day

face.”

The racing is intensely competitive

day team members woke up to find

will be probably with me for, at the

Club of the Year in UCD last

left UCD facing an uphill battle for

The sport of sailing is no relaxing

and each and every racer is expecting

a cow in the house!

very least, the rest of my college

explains. “One

day

life.”

UCD Ward off Relegation against Tribesmen Galway United

1

UCD 4 Mohamed Gamal A first senior hat-trick from Keith Ward moved UCD seven points clear of the relegation play-off places and almost ensure their Premier Divison Airtricity League status.

On the back of their win over Shamrock Rovers, UCD set about their task immediately and broke deadlock in the tenth minute. Fullback Ciaran Nangle’s raiding run set up Keith Ward from ten yards, the in-form attacking midfielder squeezing a low-driven shot past Galway keeper Daire Geraghty to give the Students the lead.

Despite UCD looking to increase

their

Karl

in space, the winger sent a cross

O’Donnell sent UCD keeper Billy

Sheppard missed an easy chance to

advantage, Galway’s

back into the path of Corry to

Brennan the wrong way to give

restore parity following a corner by

finish with expertise. Two goals to

Galway hope.

Derek O’Brien. At the other end,

the good at half-time, the Students

However the goal proved to be just

the Belfield nearl doubled their lead

looked comfortable.

a consolation. Just 60 seconds later,

in the 26th minute, Ciaran Kilduff

Credit to Martin Russell’s men,

Mulhall advanced forward quickly,

striking the post after receiving an

the scoring didn’t end there. Six

crossed to Ward at the back-post to

excellent pass from Chris Mulhall.

minutes into the second half, Ward

score his fourth goal in two games

Galway tried to up the ante but

made it three by scoring a sweet

and secure the points.

the equalizer kept evading them,

free-kick, his second consecutive

The win means that should Galway

notably in the 30th minute when

goal a direct free in two games

fail to win their final three games,

Sheppard’s header from another

following his last minute against the

UCD’s Premier Division status

O’Brien cross went just over the

Hoops last week.

will be safe, an achievement which

bar. Ward was given space once

Galway looked a beaten side,

would reflect the great work of

more on the edge of the Galway

but were handed a lifeline in the

Martin Russell and everyone at

area in another UCD attack, but his

62nd minute. UCD skipper Evan

UCD AFC.

shot destined for the top corner was

McMillan was adjudged to have

UCD: Brennan; Shortall, Leahy, E

acrobatically saved by Geraghty.

tripped Sheppard in the penalty

McMillan, Nangle; Mulhall, Corry,

The miss didn’t prove too costly

area by referee Pádraig Sutton

Bolger, Ward (Moore 83); Kilduff,

though as a minute later, Paul Corry

who pointed immediately to the

D McMillan (Creevy 67). Subs not

found Chris Mulhall out wide, and

spot. Galway midfielder Stephen

used: Barron, O’Conor, Wilson.

Keith Ward celebrates his hat-trick, PHOTO: David Maher/SPORTSFILE

www.thecollegetribune.net

Ryder Cup ››

Sailing News ››

Story on page 18

Focus on page 19

UCD’s Sailing Club

Report on the action so far this year

College Tribune

The College Tribune October 12th 2010 www.thecollegetribune.net

UCD Claim the Scalp of Demons

Sport

Students Leave it Late in Thrilling Battle UCD 32 Queen’s 26

Conor Meaney soars high in UCD’s 96-91 win over Demons. PHOTO by Dáire Brennan.

continued to keep their noses on front for much of the second half, with both teams trading scores until the hosts emerged with a six point lead of 26-20 with

Mark Hobbs

only five minutes to go. The Belfield men were far from

Rugby fans in Belfast were treated

at Dub Lane with two late tries from Ritchie Bent and

to a fantastic advertisement for

Brian Cawley.

the game in a closely fought AIL

The Belfast students could be forgiven for feeling a little

Division Two

between

shell shocked; second row Cawley, who was named as

Queen’s University and UCD on

man of the match, touched down in the sixth minute of

Saturday, which saw the visitors

injury time before James Thornton duly converted for

leave Belfast with a bonus point

the additional two points.

victory.

UCD Director of Rugby John McClean was delighted

The Northern team were looking

with the team’s effort, and was quick to stress how

to bounce back from their opening

entertaining the encounter was; “There was lots of

day defeat and rediscover the form

very good play; an excellent match. Lots of good rugby

that saw them run away with

played…it was a very exciting, free flowing game in

Division Three last term, while

good conditions.”

UCD were looking to build on

The bonus point win sees the Students with nine pints

their gritty opening day win over

from the first two rounds of the League, and will set

DLSP last week.

them up for an important two week period which sees

A free flowing encounter saw eight

them face Blackrock in the Leinster Cup Semi-Final

tries scored, five for UCD and three

next Saturday and then make the short journey to Old

for the home team, with the two

Wesley to play under the lights the following Friday.

teams evenly matched for much

UCD Scorers:

ready to surrender however, and blitzed their opponents

contest

UCC Demons

91

Crowder, who combined three-

the second half, was imperative in

UCD Marian

96

point shooting with post moves. A

wearing Demons down.

of the match. Enjoying a narrow

K McSharry, A Boile, K Croke, R Bent, B Cawley (one

‘buzzer beater’ from UCC Captain

This balanced team performance

lead of 13-10 at half time, Queen’s

try each); J Thorton (pen, two cons).

Shane Coughlan was enough to

delighted UCD coach Fran Ryan,

edge Demons in front at the half,

who pointed to the “six and a half

45-46.

weeks of hard work” in the off

The game was won in the third

season as the foundation for the first

quarter though with the Belfield

win of the campaign. Also speaking

men outscoring UCC 28-20. A

after the game, 24-year-old Meany,

great quarter at both ends of the

who led the College with 26 points,

floor from the returning Barry

praised the “cool head” of veteran

Glovers sparked a 7-0 run for the

Barry Glover and the team defence

Students as they increased the

in the second half as instrumental

game’s intensity and put the Rebels

in the Students’ victory. American

in team foul trouble. Neil Baynes

James Crowder added 13 with Niall

and Dan James stepped up for the

Higgins contributing 11 off the

College, leaving the score 73-66 in

bench for UCD. Marcus Van led all

their favour.

scorers with 30 for Demons, with

Free throw shooting from Conor

Shane Coughlan finishing with 16.

Conall Devlin UCD bounced back from their Superleague season opening 72-82 defeat to UL Eagles in emphatic fashion at the Sports Centre on Saturday night, deservedly defeating UCC Demons 96-91, their first victory over the Cork men in five years.

The Students set their stall out from the tip off with a great half-court dish from team captain Niall Meany to new American recruit James Crowder for an alleyoop dunk. However the game was tight in the early exchanges with UCD having to nullify UCC’s most potent offensive target, 6’7” centre Marcus Van. The former Central Michigan star was a constant threat in both positions of low post and on the boards. Scores from UCD’s back-court pairing of Dan James and Conor Meany were cancelled out by Demons’ Niall O’Reilly. However 6’4” wingman Michael Higgins injected energy off the bench for the Belfield men, and this left UCD shading the first quarter 26-24.

The second quarter followed much the same pattern.

UCC had success offensively with points in the paint and in transition, but struggled to slow down UCD’s offensive sets, and, in particular, the versatility of 6’6”

Meany was vital in consolidating the win in the final quarter, as

UCD:

UCC lost their discipline in trying

Conor Meany, Barry Glover, James

to chip away at the Students’ lead.

Crowder, Niall Meany, Neil Baynes.

Double teaming the imperious Van,

Subs: Cathal Finn, Paddy Young,

and slowing down the Cork team’s

Daniel James, Conor James, Matt

captain Coughlan to just 3 points in

Kelly, Michael Higgins.

Photo: Paul Mahon/SPORTSFILE