campus
Wednesday
September 13
TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN STUDENTS’
Union (TCDSU) has called on students to take part in direct action tomorrow, Wednesday, in protest against a rise in accommodation fees.
e union has condemned College’s decision to increase accommodation by 2%, the maximum permitted under Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) legislation, ignoring the union’s demand for a rent freeze on College-owned accommodation.
In March, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) published an open letter calling on College to freeze College accommodation prices, pledging that it would take escalated action were this demand not met.
In a statement to Trinity News, TCDSU said: “According to their 2022 nancial report, Trinity has made 10.5 million euro from on-campus accommodation, yet student services continue to remain underfunded, there are no period products readily available, and the high student-sta ratio means the quality of our education is negatively impacted.”
It added: “Students should not be bearing the brunt of the costs of education, why does Trinity remain complicit in the government’s views to treat education as a luxury, not a right?”
TCDSU President László Molnár said: “[College] is contributing to the worsening of the housing crisis as they are following a for pro t model, this a ects all of college, the 2%
increase will place additional strain on students already facing nancial challenges.”
“We extend our solidarity to sta who are in precarious employment, we will not stand for this blatant disregard for our community values.”
Welfare O cer Aoife Bennett criticised College for compounding the stress of students who are struggling to secure housing.
“As a casework o cer, I have seen the distress that the housing crisis has caused students. Instead of alleviating student’s distress, College is directly contributing to it by raising the rent.”
She added that the housing crisis is creating a “two-tiered college experience”: “We have students dropping out of college
THE CURRENT FINANCIAL STATEMENT for Trinity College Dublin Students’
Union (TCDSU) shows an overall loss for the nancial year ending June 2022.
e union made €1.4m in income from various sources, such as €100,000 for student services and a €300,000 grant from College. It generated a loss of €9,781.
e statement, which was signed by former TCDSU President Gabi Fullam, and covering the scal year from June 2021 to June 2022, showed de cits in the accounts for the Hamilton and House 6 shops
e union has invited students to protest on College
Trinity professor named on new TIME100 AI List
Guide to student accommodation in Ireland
Schols: Ireland’s Most Prestigious (and most feared) Academic Honour
couch sur ng, sleeping in cars and commuting for hours to get to campus.”
e DART+: A revolutionary expansion or a restrictive hindrance?
Analysis by Students4Change (S4C) shows that with utility costs remaining the same, campus residents will pay between 1.84% and 1.87% more in total than last year, with the largest increase for Printing House Square double and kingsize rooms, already the most expensive option on campus.
e Rise of the Air Fryer High Hopes for this year’s DUFC Women
Editor
Deputy Editor
Assistant Editor
Managing Editor
Online Editor
Deputy Online Editor
Life Editor
Deputy Life Editor
News Manager
News Editors
News Analysis Editor
Features Editor
Comment Editor
Scitech Editor
Sport Co-Editors
Kate Henshaw
Ellen Kenny
Ella Sloane
David Wolfe
Eve Conway
Kay Williams
Abby Cleaver
Lara Monahan
Aidan Cusack
Evan Skidmore O-Reilly
Charlotte Kent
Alan Nolan Wilson
Ruby Topalian
Nina Cro s
Sebastien Laymond
Séaghan Ó
Domhnalláin
Jane Prendergast
e group also highlighted that all campus accommodation units are above the average rent of €802 for a single bedroom in the city centre, according to the Da rental report for 2023 Q1 compiled by Professor Ronan Lyons of Trinity’s School of Economics.
S4C member Adam Ó Ceallaigh, who analysed the increase on behalf of the campaign group, said: “Many students are facing into the year ahead without a roof over their heads, commuting unsustainable distances or living in precarious arrangements, all impacting their mental health and academic performance.”
“Access to accommodation is a barrier to education and the trend of [College] raising rents year on year only further exacerbates the issue.”
College defended the decision, saying that recent levels of in ation have necessitated “modest” rent increases.
A spokesperson for College said: “In light of persistently high in ation, modest increases in licences have been required to cover rising costs.”
ey highlighted that in the 12 months to June 2023, the category of housing, water, electricity, gas & other fuels rose 15.7%.
Head Photographer
Art Editor
Head Videographer
Head Copyeditors
Niko Evans
Alice Gogarty
Ruby Tyson
Meave Hopkins
Lindsey Brown
Get in touch at editor@trinitynews.ie
and €1,187,813 in current liabilities.
In 2022, the Hamilton shop made €162,420 in sales, making an overall loss of €21,169 a er expenses. e House 6 shop made €385,904 in sales, making an overall loss of €18,050. e Hamilton shop made a small pro t of €749 in 2021 and the House 6 shop made €16,030 in the same year.
e union made €1.4m in income from various sources, such as €100,000 for student services and €300,000 capitation grant from College.
Sabbatical o cers were altogether paid €108,924, claiming
“We are acutely aware of the housing crisis in Dublin that is making the search for accommodation extremely di cult. ere is, unfortunately, a limit to what universities can do in the short-term to accelerate the provision of student accommodation.”
Students renting rooms on campus who spoke to Trinity News expressed their frustration with the decision, which they say shows a failure to support struggling students.
Lara Monahan, a resident of Printing House Square, said: “I think the decision really shows that students aren’t being prioritised.
“Raising the licence fee as high as they are allowed to when students are still su ering the e ects of a cost of living crisis is enough of a sign of this.”
“In a city with this much of a housing crisis, and rent that already empties student pockets, it is cruel to raise the licence fee.”
Another resident of Printing House Square called the increase “ridiculous, especially when College is aware that students are struggling to get a ordable accommodation in Dublin already”.
“ e options provided by the college themselves should be subsidised ones that work for someone on a student budget; they already weren’t last year so it’s unbelievable that they’re raising them even more.”
ey added that while Printing House Square was not their rst choice of location due to costing over €10k for 8 months, they felt that they had few other options: “I got a second round o er for
Printing House Square, the most expensive room on campus and if I didn’t take it I knew I would be struggling for somewhere to live this year.”
“ e fact that the more a ordable rooms on campus aren’t given to the students who need them the most doesn’t seem right either,” they added.
Before term began, TCDSU collaborated with University College Dublin Students’ Union (UCDSU) on a joint digs campaign to address the “severity of the housing crisis”.
e Union of Students in Ireland (USI) also released a review saying that student accommodation issues are “critically and negatively a ecting the student experience”.
In the submission, USI layed out a number of issues and recommendations regarding student accommodation.
ey highlighted the lack of rights for students in digs or ‘rent-a-room’ schemes as a major issue. e union called for the introduction of set standards for digs, including minimum room size and notice periods, kitchen and bathroom access, the right to privacy, and the ability to lock bedroom doors.
USI also recommended that the government attach a “strict de nition” of a ordability as a condition when providing funding for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to build accommodation.
Other recommendations in the USI submission include the implementation of a rent freeze until in ation stabilises and the holding of a referendum considering the implementation of a constitutional right to housing.
€76,790 in expenses in 2022. €76,790 was spent on Council and executive expenses, €13,581 on election expenses, and €23,051 on publication expenses.
Ents generated a gross income of €77,808 and a pro t of €25,721. e union also spent €37,446 on Freshers Week and €21,428 on Refreshers Week.
Income related to student services stood at €102,657, a fall of nearly half from the €203,236 recorded in 2021. Similarly, expenditure on student services fell to €52,088, down from €95,440 the year before.
Total liabilities for the Union have increased by almost €800,000
since the 2020 scal year, with accounts showing liabilities of €1,187,813 on 30 June 2022. is includes €1,019,504 to be repaid as part of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), one of a number of measures introduced to support employers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Current TCDSU President, László Mólnar , said to Trinity News: “Our assets are around 1.6m, and our liabilities are 1.2m. is leaves us with a positive net current assets of 0.4m. e SU’s nances continue to be in a healthy state and were approved by the Capitations Committee at the May 2023 meeting.”
STUDENTS IN SECOND third and fourth year along with postgraduates began lectures this week amid the fourth consecutive delay for rst year students. Students returned to lecture halls this week as the campus reopened for the 2023/24 academic year. Freshers Week
is due to begin next Monday September 18.
Freshers Week has been delayed for the fourth consecutive year. First year start was initially delayed in 2020 to accommodate for a delay in Leaving Cert results. e delay has remained in place since then with rst starting classes several weeks a er other years.
e Leaving Cert results were issued to students on August 25 this year and the Central Applications O ce (CAO) o ers came out on August 30. is consisted of multiple rounds of o ers for places in both further and higher education.
ere has been a drop in students applying to Trinity as their rst choice on the CAO. 26.5% of this year’s 84,226 CAO students applied to Trinity, with 10,862 selecting a Trinity course as their rst preference. is is a 2% decrease in rst choice applications compared to 2022 (11,091).
According to College, 3,784
students received an o er to study here today, with 63% of those students receiving their rst choice of course. ree College courses require 625 points in this year’s rst round of CAO o ers.
Dental Science, Economics and History and Management Science and Information System Studies (MSISS) all require the maximum points a student can achieve in the Leaving Certi cate exam. Random selection was applied to MSISS, meaning not all applicants who earned 625 points received an o er in the rst round. Point requirements for single honour courses dropped by an average of 12 points this year, while joint honour course requirements dropped by an average of 26 points. Middle Eastern and European Languages and Cultures saw the biggest drop in points requirement, dropping by 79 points to 473. Applications for Music Education rose by 131%, leading to a surge of 103 points to 555.
Fewer courses were o ered by random selection this year, according to College, with four single honours programmes not accepting all students who got the necessary points compared to nine in 2022.
e Leaving Cert results were impacted once again this year by grade in ation. Grades have been steadily in ated since the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the Leaving Cert being cancelled in 2020 and predicted grades were used to determine college o ers. In 2021 the exams were conducted both in person and using predicted grades. 2022 saw the rst full return on the traditional exams. Results in ated this year this year at an average rate of 7%.
Freshers Week begins next Monday with Freshers Fair happening on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday next week. Trinity Ents are also bringing back the Pav Marquee which was introduced during the 2021/22 academic
year when only outdoor events were permitted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trinity Ents and societies alike have organised a week of events for Freshers. Ents have announced ve club nights for Freshers week with more events incoming.
First years will begin classes on September 25 this year. Last year classes were impacted by overcrowding which le students sitting on the oors of lecture halls. At the time, a spokesperson for College said that the delayed start for rst years had led to administrative challenges in assigning appropriately sized rooms.
“Because of the delayed start of Junior Fresh students owing to the late release of CAO results, it must be noted that the number of students in modules is still changing, especially at Junior Fresh levels, and there have been some challenges with assigning the correct room for the class size.”
THE UNION OF STUDENTS IN IRELAND (USI) IS calling for further funding to be provided to increase the number of student counsellors to the “safe and ethical” level ahead of Budget 2023.
e recommendation of the International Accreditation of Counseling Services is that there be one counsellor to every 1,0001,500 students. Currently, there
is one counsellor for every 2,240 students in Ireland.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, government funding for student mental health services increased from €3 million to €5 million. Funding is allocated on an annual basis, which has been criticised for limiting the ability of services to plan for the future.
USI is calling for government to commit to multi-annual funding of €6 million per year, allowing for the maintenance of
core counselling services, and aiding in the implementation of the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework. USI also stated that government needs to increase this funding by €11.5 million to reach the safe counsellor to student ratio.
USI Vice President for Welfare Colette Murphy stated: “On this World Suicide Prevention Day, as we get ready for the new academic year, we encourage every student to look into their on-campus student counselling services to make sure they are aware of this support if they need it during he year.”
“However we cannot talk about student counselling services on a day like today without highlighting how under-resourced these services are. e counsellor to student ratio in Ireland is nowhere near the levels that are considered safe internationally.” e current crisis in student mental health is outlined in the Jigsaw My World 2 survey. 8,290 participants surveyed were students, with 10% of this gure saying that they had attempted suicide. Of this gure, 54% sought help a er, with 48% of those stating they found it “di cult/very di cult” to access help.
“We tell students not to struggle alone and to reach out for help when they need it, but we have to
make sure that they can access that help if they do reach out and that they’re not le struggling at the bottom of a waiting list,” Murphy continued.
World
Students returned to lectures this week as Freshers Week is delayed for the fourth consecutive year
USI is seeking increased investment in student mental health services during World Suicide Prevention Day
Birhane is known for her research examining potential bias and stereotyping in AI datasets
ASSISTANT COMPUTER SCIENCE AND STATISTICS
PROFESSOR ABEBA
Birhane has been selected in the inaugural TIME100 AI List for her work researching harmful biases and stereotypes in arti cial intelligence (AI).
e new TIME list features leaders, policymakers, artists and entrepreneurs focusing on AI from countries around the world.
Others on the list include OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Black Mirror Creator Charlie Brooker and X CEO Elon Musk.
Currently a Senior Advisor in AI Accountability at Mozilla Foundation, Birhane research explores the challenges and pitfalls of automating human behaviour through examination of current models.
Speaking to College about being named to this list, Birhane
said she is “extremely thrilled to be included on the list among some of the most inspiring scholars whose work I greatly admire”.
“
e current AI landscape, especially developments around generative AI, is simply unpredictable. ere is currently so much noise which makes deciphering hype from reality di cult,” she said.
“One current interesting development is the emergence of numerous lawsuits around data harvesting practices. Such developments, if persistent, could be key to responsible and accountable data creation, curation and management practices.”
A cognitive scientist by training, Birhane began to direct
her research towards the pitfalls of AI through examination of the biases in AI learning models.
Born in Ethiopia, Birhane studied at University College Dublin before taking up her current role in College. She rose to prominence in her eld in 2020 when she helped uncover racist
and misogynistic terms in an MIT image library that was used to train AI.
Notable research by Birhane includes the Unseen Black Faces of AI Algorithms, the Limits Of Fairness, the Forgotten Margins Of AI Ethics, Handling and Presenting Harmful Text.
One of her most recent paper, On Hate Scaling Laws For DataSwamps, which is currently under peer review, Birhane and her co-
authors concluded that AI models trained on larger datasets are more likely to display harmful biases and stereotypes.
Birhane was also featured in Silicon Republic’s 8 Amazing Women in AI You Need to Follow.
In an interview with TIME, she said she gained interest in this area while doing her PhD.
“I was working in a lab full of machine-learning researchers, and I was intrigued by how they sourced their data, how much attention—or lack thereof—they paid to the data,” she said.
“I saw that datasets are really critical to model performance, but also, glaringly, that not many people were paying enough attention to them.”
Birhane has said the scale of datasets is crucial to how and what AI models learn. In ignoring the number of individual data pieces within the set, it becomes more di cult to review them for harmful material.
In another article, TIME details its process for being named to the list. Each nominee must be recommended to TIME, nominated, and almost all nominees undergo an interview prior to nal selection.
A er hundreds of recommendations and nominations, the TIME100 AI list was nalised, and formally published on ursday, 7 September 2023.
OVER THE PAST YEARS WE HAVE all become familiar with the increasing costs of attending college in Ireland, particularly in Dublin. e estimated price of attending college for those in student accommodation is now €16,538 per year.
With rent being the greatest expense for most students, it is important to know what your rights are as a tenant.
In Ireland there are three primary forms of rented accommodation used by those in third level education. ese are Student Speci c Accommodation (SSA), private residential tenancies and digs.
e type of accommodation that you live in has an impact on your rights as a tenant so it is important to be aware of where
you stand prior to signing an agreement.
What is Student Speci c Accommodation and what are my rights?
Student Speci c Accommodation refers to accommodation which has been built and designed for the sole purpose of providing students with a place to stay during the academic year.
is form of accommodation, which includes the likes of Trinity Hall, generally comes at a greater price than digs or private residential tenancies.
In return for higher rents many (but not all) of these complexes o er facilities such as gyms and common areas for socialising. While these facilities are a bonus, it is important for students to consider what they really need, and the price which they are paying for these extras.
SSA legally di ers from other rentals in that each room in a unit must be registered. is means that each bedroom in an SSA complex is treated as an individual
dwelling.
e advantage of this is that if one of your housemates decides to leave, or fails to pay their rent, this will have no negative impact on you. is is not always the case in other forms of accommodation.
As of e Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019, all SSA is now under the remit of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). is means that those living in SSA are protected by the RTB’s regulations.
ose living in SSA now enjoy improved notice periods in relation to tenancy termination. Similarly to those living in private rental tenancies, those who have been living in SSA for less than 6 months must be given at least 28 days’ notice if their landlord wishes to end the tenancy. ose who have been living in SSA for over 6 months but less than one year must be given 35 days’ notice.
RTB regulations also bene t those living in SSA in that landlords can now only request one month’s rent as a deposit as well as one month’s rent in advance. is means that if you are living in SSA you may now only be asked for a maximum of two months’ rent in advance.
Private residential tenancies, a more a ordable option?
Private residential tenancies are the most common option for renting in Ireland. One can think of this choice as the standard rental in which you may or may not be living with other students. is option, if shared with other tenants, is o en a more a ordable choice. In 2023 Zurich Life Assurance estimated that the cost for a student living in this form of accommodation comes to an average of €5,179 per annum. is is compared with the €10,077
which the rm estimates to be the cost of SSA.
Similarly to SSA, private residential tenancies fall under the remit of the RTB. is means that tenants have increased rights in relation to accommodation standards, the termination of tenancies and the payment of deposits.
One must be aware, however, that this form of tenancy may be shared between multiple people. is can result in increased rents if a person with which you share a tenancy decides to leave. While not all private rental tenancies charge for the property, as opposed to charging each individual, it is important to be aware of this prior to signing your lease.
Digs
Digs refers to when you rent a room from the house in which your landlord lives. is can be a great option for many students and o ers competitive rates depending on whether you are permitted to stay during the weekends, and whether your host is providing meals for you.
While digs can be a good choice for those on a budget, one should be aware of the negative aspects of this kind of agreement.
Digs are not under the remit of the RTB and thus those who live in this form of accommodation have far fewer rights. is also means that the RTB may not become involved in disputes between you and your landlord. While the previous forms of accommodation must meet minimum physical standards, this is not the case with digs.
It is also notable that restrictions on rent increases and the Equal Status Acts 2000-2015 do not apply here. is means that your rent can be increased regularly and you are not protected against discrimination based on the likes of race and sexual orientation. ose living in this form of accommodation are also at a disadvantage if their landlord decides to evict them, as this can happen at any time with minimal notice.
While these risks certainly deserve your attention, digs can be a good choice if you can nd a landlord who you trust.
AGROUP OF RESEARCHERS FROM Trinity are to head a Horizon Europe project to improve the sustainability of the European Union’s hydropower eet.
e project, titled iAMP-Hydro (intelligent Asset Management Platform for Hydropower) and funded by the EU’s scienti c
research body to the tune of €4.1 million, will seek to develop digital solutions to aid in improving the e ciency and exibility of the eet.
Researchers estimate that the project will help to digitally futureproof the sector, reduce CO² emissions by 1,260 tonnes, and to create 10,000 future-proofed jobs in the process. It is also
estimated that the e ects of the project will lead to annual savings of €1 million, and a signi cant reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions.
e project will see the improvement of the digital operation of existing hydroelectric plants through the development of new systems and digital solutions that will form iAMP,
including condition monitoring and predictive maintenance for turbines and ecological status monitoring for water resources management.
Involved in the project are Prof. Aonghus McNabola of the School of Engineering, who will coordinate the initiative. Also serving on the project from the School of Engineering is Prof.
Biswajit Basu, as well as Prof. Paul Coughlan of the Trinity Business School.
“
e EU electricity sector is undergoing a fundamental change with the increase of digitalisation,” Prof. McNabola said.
“As a result, power systems are more deeply monitored, and arti cial intelligence and bigdata are implemented in daily operations. We will be putting hydro front and centre with this project, to ensure the same advances are utilised in this sector, which represents one-sixth of global electricity generation and provides a signi cant contribution to grid exibility and energy security.”
Prof McNabola continued: “Much of the EU eet needs attention, but this means that modernisation actions related to digitalisation in the short to medium term have the potential to make a huge impact.”
Other institutes involved in the project alongside Trinity include the University Politechnia of Bucharest; the Norwegian Research Centre (Norce); and CARTIF.
Europe
THE LEAGUE OF EUROPEAN RESEARCH Universities (LERU) has celebrated an agreement concerning the UK’s association with Horizon Europe.
Horizon Europe is a seven-year EU scienti c research initiative which promotes collaboration between researchers. e initiative hopes to spark innovation which will allow for better policy making while tackling global challenges.
e programme has a budget of €95.5 billion which is used to
fund research in its associated universities. is funding, which is provided by the EU, hopes to tackle ve main areas: adaptation to climate change, cancer research, ocean restoration, smart cities, and soil health.
e European Commission says that its agreement with the UK will be of bene t to both parties. is agreement comes a er in-depth discussions which will allow for improved partnership and a greater research relationship. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the achievement saying “ e EU and UK are key strategic partners and allies, and today’s agreement proves that point. We will continue to be at the forefront of global science and research.”
e parties’ agreement remains in line with the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. e UK, however, will be obligated to contribute nancially to the EU’s budget. is contribution is expected to be approximately €2.6 billion per year. is gure will allow for UK involvement in Horizon Europe as well as the Copernicus component of the EU’s space programme.
LERU applauded the agreement and highlighted the importance of the UK’s involvement in the programme saying, “By nally securing the UK’s participation in Horizon Europe, LERU believes that signi cant strides will be made in tackling global challenges, advancing knowledge, and driving innovation.”
Provost of Trinity College Dublin and Chairperson of LERU, Dr Linda Doyle celebrated the news stating: “We are delighted to nally see the UK’s association to Horizon Europe, as it will foster collaboration, knowledge exchange, and groundbreaking discoveries for the bene t of society as a whole.”
LERU is a network of 23 leading European research universities, ve of which are in the UK. e organisation says that it will “continue to advocate for an open, inclusive, and robust European research landscape that encourages the free ow of ideas, talent, and resources.”
e €4.1 million backed project aims to provide digital solutions to improve and futureproof the EU’s hydropower eetPHOTO VIA TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN
e deal comes a er years of campaigning for the involvement of UK researchers in HorizonPHOTO
Daniela Williams and Naomi Panovka represented the Hist in Burgas last month
ATEAM FROM THE COLLEGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY (THE HIST) reached the Grand Final of the European Universities Debating Championship (EUDC) in Burgas.
Daniela Williams and Naomi Panovka became the third Trinity team in as many years to reach the Grand Final of the competition, where they debated the motion “ is House believes that God should be killed”.
Speaking to Trinity News, Williams, who is originally from the US, said she was “delighted”
to have reached the nal of EUDC 2023.
“Speaking in the nal has been a dream of mine for so long, and I am so happy to have achieved it alongside such a lovely friend and talented speaker.”
“Competitive debating has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my time in Trinity: it has taught me to think critically about the world and the problems we face, and introduced me to some fascinating people. I am grateful to the Irish debating community for cheering us on through every round, as well as to Trinity for their overwhelming support.”
A 2023 recent graduate of BESS, Williams added that she will be leaving debating behind as she pursues an MSc International Relations at the London School of Economics.
“ at said, I was lucky enough to get to teach some wonderful novices this year.
“I can’t wait to watch them continue the Irish debating community’s long tradition of success.”
Alongside Panovka, herself an exchange student from McGill
University in Canada, Williams last year ran the Hist’s novice debate training in her capacity as debates convenor, having previously served as censor (PRO) and pro-debates convenor of the society.
In a post on social media, the Hist said it was “so proud” of the pair for reaching the Grand Final of the competition. e team’s achievement continues a run of success for Trinity teams at EUDC in recent years.
Last year, Dylan McCarthy and Jack Palmer from the University Philosophical Society (the Phil) became the rst ever team from Trinity to win the Grand Final. e previous year, the Hist’s Caoimhin Hamill and Jack Synnott broke the record for the most points ever scored at Euros, a record previously broken by Sally Rooney and Michael Barton representing the society in 2013. e World University Debating Championship (WUDC) 2023 will take place in Vietnam between December and January, while EUDC 2024 will be held in Glasgow next summer.
THE UNION OF STUDENTS OF IRELAND (USI) HAS criticised the government for increasing the amount of third-level places without adding the necessary infrastructure and support services to match, calling the move “populist and futile”.
At the end of last month, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Innovation, Research and Science Simon Harris
celebrated the increase in students being o ered their rst choice from the CAO, attributing this success to the government’s increase in third-level places.
In a statement in response, USI said: “Increasing places without the required accommodation and support services that will keep students in education, such as mental health facilities, will
only result in students struggling through college, deferring places or dropping out.”
e union noted that widening access to higher education was an important aim that they share with the government.
USI Deputy President and Vice President for Academic A airs, Bryan O’Mahony said that move would “give the Government the
chance to have positive headlines on CAO day”, but claimed that without adequate investment in colleges and universities, it would not “achieve the aim of opening-up access to third-level quali cations”.
O’Mahony said: “ ese extra places did not come with one extra student bed. Nor did they come with extra university or college sta or extra mental health
counsellors.”
“USI is in favour of increasing places, as long as they come with increased resources and supports and properly funded third-level institutions that can actually cater to their needs.”
“Otherwise, students are being given false expectations that will not be matched in reality, which in our opinion, is doing them a complete disservice” he continued. “When a student can’t a ord their next meal or needs to work long hours to meet their college and accommodation costs, we have failed those students.”
ere were 31,251 (59%) Level 8 rst preference o ers made this year compared to 27,947 (54%) last year. More than 460 additional places in healthcare courses were added for this coming academic year.
e Leaving Cert results were issued to students on August 25 this year and the Central Applications O ce (CAO) o ers came out on August 30. is consisted of multiple rounds of o ers for places in both further and higher education.
Students “are being given false expectations that will not be matched in reality”, says the unionPHOTO VIA TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN
TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN STUDENT’S UNION (TCDSU) AND University College Dublin Students’ Union (UCDSU) have launched a joint digs campaign to address the “severity of the housing crisis”.
Members of both unions campaigned in Dublin City on 30 August, encouraging people walking by to consider renting a room in their homes to a student this academic year.
Properties in areas close to the universities or with public transport links to the universities will also receive lea ets from the unions encouraging them to rent out a room.
TCDSU President László Mólnar told Trinity News the union decided to partner with UCDSU “due to the severity of the housing crisis”.
“Each year, once September comes around, students are le dropping out of education, couch-
sur ng or sleeping in cars,” he said.
“We are asking homeowners to rent out a spare room for students and save a student’s education.”
“We are doing this not because we want to, but because we have to – we don’t think digs are the ideal accommodation, but it is sometimes the only option le for students.”
Speaking at the launch of the campaign, UCDSU President Martha Ní Riada said homeowners with a spare room “can make a real di erence to a student’s ability to pursue their education”.
e Rent-a-Room Relief
Scheme allows homeowners to rent out a room in their house to a tenant for up to €14,000 a year tax-free.
Both Molnár and Ní Riada urged homeowners availing of the Rent-a-Room scheme to treat their tenants fairly.
Ní Riada said those renting out a room should rent it out for the full week, as o ering it for only ve days a week is “unsuitable for many, in particular, international students”.
“Students need somewhere safe to stay and we’d urge anyone availing of the Rent-a-Room Relief
ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL, SO THE SAYING GOES. NO truer is that a statement than in this country, where the smallest change in the geographic composition of an electorate can make or break a politician’s chance of reelection.
Hence, the constituency review published by the recentlyestablished Electoral Commission last month was awaited with great anticipation by parties and pundits alike.
Ahead of its release, it had been well-established that there would be signi cant changes, as the increase in population indicated by the most recent Census required the addition of at least eleven additional seats to the current 160-seat Dáil – the largest increase since the early 1980’s.
e company aims to build “the Airbnb” of Student travel
Scheme to ensure that the lodger has access to appropriate facilities and isn’t subject to onerous conditions,” she said.
Molnár said digs “have a lack of protections”.
“You have as many rights as a hotel resident, in fact even less, and are not protected from arbitrary rules, rent increases and evictions,” he said.
e TCDSU president said the Government “has no solutions” to housing shortages in Ireland.
“ ey are the government of the rich, of vulture funds, of multinational corporations, and they pursue a neoliberal economic policy, putting the provision of housing in the hands of the private market,” he said.
“Housing should be a human right, not a commodity.”
HEBE ADVENTURES has won Trinity’s annual student entrepreneurship competition LaunchBox.
e start-up won over nine other shortlisted teams who were seeking capital investment to accelerate their startups. e teams each pitched their ideas to venture capitalists and angel investors today as part of launchbox’s nal, known as Demo Day.
Hebe Adventures is led by Rohan Perera and Trinity student Robert Davitt. e company which aims to be the “Airbnb” of student travel, connects students under 18 with host families abroad.
Members of both unions campaigned in Dublin City, encouraging people to consider renting a room in their homes to a studentIMAGE VIA UCDSU
is would ful l the constitutional requirement that every TD represent no more than 30,000 inhabitants each, and no less than 20,000.
e same Census data showed a particular increase in population in and around the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), to which a large number of the new seats were expected to be apportioned. e question then, therefore, would be where, and how they’d be allocated.
Furthermore, on a national level, who would seem to bene t most from the constituency evolution? By statute, the Commission is required to assess the redrawing of constituencies independently, without bias nor favour, and must largely uphold traditional geographic boundaries where possible, keeping discrepancies to a minimum.
e answer to these questions were nally answered on Wednesday, August 30, when the Commission published its review, unveiling its proposal for a 174seat Dáil – an increase of fourteen (8.75%).
To ll these seats at the next general election, forty-three constituencies would be used – an uptick of four from the thirty-nine used at the previous election in 2020.
e capital has been allocated four additional seats, all being attributed to primarily suburban areas of the county. e additional seat for the Fingal area has resulted in the former single ve-seat constituency being sliced into two three-seaters.
Indeed, this review sees a signi cant increase in the number of three-seat constituencies, many
of which being created from the carving up of formerly-larger constituencies as with Dublin Fingal: Laois-O aly is once more being split into separate constituencies as was the case in 2016; Tipperary has been carved into northern and southern constituencies; whilst Wicklow and Wexford, formerly distinct ve-seaters, will have three constituencies split between them, including a new trans-county ‘Wicklow-Wexford’ constituency.
On the other hand, Cork’s central constituencies, within both city limits fall, are each given an additional seat to become veseaters. e Galway area is also rewarded with an extra seat, with it being attributed to the Galway East constituency.
e increase in population within the so-called ‘commuter belt’ is evident in the redraw, with Kildare North, LongfordWestmeath and Meath East also seeing additional seats.
Who are the winners and losers, then? It’s important to remember an obvious caveat here, that one cannot simply predict the outcome of an election based o a single constituency review. A week is a long time in politics, and
if the change in electoral fortunes between the last electoral review in 2018 and the eventual election are anything to go by, then it is best to be cautious when matching data around new borders to old results and national opinion polls.
However, the increased presence of the smaller three-seat constituencies will undoubtedly be an assistance to the three largest parties – Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael – who command an average of seventy percent of the vote between them, according to recent polling gures. at said, the availability of additional seats in key constituencies in the GDA will be welcomed by smaller parties, whose fortunes lie keenly in areas of increased party political fragmentation.
According to analysis from Ireland Votes, which assesses the 2020 election constituency-level result using the new boundaries, Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil would be the largest party in een constituencies each. Fine Gael would be the largest in eight, whilst the combined independent vote would garner the largest share of rst preferences in the remaining ve.
Indeed, there are mixed fortunes for the various independent TDs and prospective candidates across the country. e Healy-Rae brothers, who have dominated the Kerry constituency in backto-back elections, will not be disturbed the absence of changes in their neck of the woods. Séamus Healy, the le -wing independent who lost his seat in Tipperary in 2020, has already announced he will contest the reestablished Tipperary South constituency, where much of his support has been historically based. e review is not as positive for TDs such as Michael Fitzmaurice and Cathal Berry, who have seen vital pockets of support shi ed away from their RoscommonGalway and Kildare South constituencies, respectively. Overall, the full e ect of these new constituencies and boundaries will not fully manifest itself until the rush of campaigning and counting at the next election, which is due to be held within the next eighteen months. One thing is certain, however – between extra seats and many familiar faces retiring, the 34th Dáil will see plenty of new characters, regardless of the result.
Cardiac health service Neurosonic and Verify-a-Vendor, a digital compliance framework for street food vendors were named runners-up.
e winning team will receive a cash prize of €3,000 and sixmonths of coworking space at Dogpatch labs. Other prizes are €1,500 for the runners up, €500 for third place, and €300 for the public vote winner.
In a press release, Tangent CEO, Ken Finnegan said: “We emphasise the importance of agility and innovation in all our courses and programmes, and it has never been more necessary and important than in the current climate.”
He added that both LaunchBox and the LaunchBox startups have displayed “unparalleled exibility and innovation” in moving to a fully online programme, crediting this to the “culture of creativity and adaptability” at Trinity.
Michelle Olmstead, Chief Executive of Trinity Innovation, Research & Enterprise, said: “Trinity is known as a community of innovators, and this reputation is undoubtedly sustained thanks in no small part to LaunchBox. Trinity is delighted to champion
Ireland’s ‘next gen’ entrepreneurs, and I look forward to seeing what’s next for the winning team.”
LaunchBox is a student accelerator programme run by Tangent,Trinity’s ideas workspace. Commencing in 2012, the contest aims to provide students with mentorship, funding, and access to alumni and investors.
LaunchBox alumni include social enterprise Foodcloud, which helps businesses redistribute surplus food to those who need it, and Touchtech Payments, a payment processing venture that was acquired by Stripe in 2019.
3,784 students received an o er to study in Trinity this year
THERE HAS BEEN A DROP IN STUDENTS applying to Trinity as their rst choice on the CAO, according to gures released by College today.
26.5% of this year’s 84,226 CAO students applied to Trinity, with 10,862 selecting a Trinity course as their rst preference. is is a 2% decrease in rst choice applications compared to 2022 (11,091).
According to College, 3,784 students received an o er to study here today, with 63% of those students receiving their rst choice of course.
ree College courses require 625 points in this year’s rst round of CAO o ers.
Dental Science, Economics and History and Management Science and Information System Studies (MSISS) all require the maximum points a student can achieve in the Leaving Certi cate exam.
Random selection was applied to MSISS, meaning not all applicants who earned 625 points received an o er in the rst round.
Point requirements for single
honour courses dropped by an average of 12 points this year, while joint honour course requirements dropped by an average of 26 points.
Middle Eastern and European Languages and Cultures saw the biggest drop in points requirement, dropping by 79 points to 473.
Applications for Music Education rose by 131%, leading to a surge of 103 points to 555.
Fewer courses were o ered
Share stories and information con dentially with Trinity News.
If
Go to http://trinitynews.ie/tip-us-o / or scan the QR code.
by random selection this year, according to College, with four single honours programmes not accepting all students who got the necessary points compared to nine in 2022.
Vice-Provost Orla Shiels said College looks forward to the “arti cial upgrade on exam results for Leaving Cert students and to restoring the pre-pandemic equilibrium”.
“[I] hope that we will see more of the same next year as the Covide ect on the Leaving Cert begins to normalise,” she said.
“I congratulate all students on this important day, and we look forward to welcoming many of you to Trinity in a few weeks’ time.”
First years are due to start the 2023/24 academic year on September 18.
As part of a new initiative, University College Cork (UCC) now o ers access to colour-blind friendly glasses for sta and students to help with any work and learning material involving colour. e initiative stems from UCC’s partnership with EnChroma, a Californian creator of glasses speci c to colour blindness. e glasses became available to borrow from the College’s Boole Library on September 6, International Colour Blind Awareness Day.
Queen’s University Belfast has rebranded its Business School, announcing the name change from Queen’s Management School to Queen’s Business School on September 1. Speaking of the name change, Professor M.N. Ravishankar, Dean and Head of Queen’s Business School said that this “is re ective of the School’s identity as one of the top business schools in the UK”. It has recently ranked top in the UK for graduate prospects in Accounting & Finance. Queen’s Business School expects to open the doors of its new £26m innovative Student Hub building for more than 3,000 students and sta in time for the new academic year.
you have something sensitive or con dential to share with us, you can email us anonymously through our contact form online.IMAGE VIA RAWPIXELS.COM
THE UNION OF STUDENTS IN IRELAND (USI) IS A student-led organisation which provides representation to over 370,000 third level students on the island of Ireland.
e organisation is funded by the students’ unions of its over 40 member institutions, including Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU). USI uses its collective strength to campaign for students across a wide variety of issues.
USI policy is created by representatives sent by their respective students’ unions. Each institution’s union is assigned a number of representatives apportioned to the size of its student body. TCDSU is currently represented by 20 delegates in USI. ese delegates form the USI Congress which the group
describes as the “supreme policy making body of the Union.” is congress is also responsible for establishing USI principles, amending the organisation’s constitution, and electing all members of the USI Executive Team excluding the NUS-USI president. Members of this team are paid a salary which is matched to a predetermined grade in the Irish Civil Service. is group, in addition to a representative from each member institution, forms USI’s National
Council. According to USI this council is required to meet at least 8 times per year and is responsible for implementing “e ective campaigns to protect and advance the interests of students in terms of the education system and society.”
USI’s past campaigns
USI’s previous campaigns have sought to combat issues ranging from underfunded mental health supports to discrimination against LGBTQ+ peoples. e group’s main focus, however, is on the cost of attending college, and the
cost of and di culty in securing accommodation.
e union’s most notable actions in recent times have come in the form of the Cost of College campaign. is broader campaign can be divided into the No Keys, No Degrees campaign, and the F*ck the Fees campaign.
ese campaigns make a variety of demands such as the abolition of the €3000 student contribution charge, the reform of the SUSI grant system, and the funding and planning of more a ordable purpose-built student accommodation.
Budget 2023 saw the Student Contribution Charge temporarily reduced by €1000, this move was criticised by USI who argued that the change should have been a step toward permanently abolishing the charge.
Many students will also remember USI’s National Walkout. During this walkout, thousands of students gathered in third level institutions across the country in order to share their experiences. is included thousands gathering in Trinity’s front square to demand improved conditions for students, and an immediate eviction ban.
USI’s future is year USI will be led by former Munster Technological University (MTU) Students’ Union President Chris Cli ord.
Students’ unions around the country struggle with engagement and USI is no di erent. Cli ord says that his top priority for the year will be increasing engagement
with students in order to allow for more e ective policy making.
Cli ord’s e orts to attract the attention of students have been apparent since the start of his campaign. e new president’s manifesto was titled Da Manifesto and attempted to attract students through comedic promises such as fees proportionate to people’s heights in solidarity with “short kings” and a return of €13 Tesco vodka.
e lack of a serious manifesto may leave some wondering if Cli ord lacks the skills required to implement meaningful change.
is concern was highlighted in an open letter by TCDSU President László Molnár which asked Cli ord if he has plans to publish a “real manifesto”. While Cli ord’s methods are unorthodox, it is important to recognise that he is an experienced student politician. It is also notable that the MTU’s Students’ Union has the highest level of engagement in the country. e new president believes that union politics have a tendency to be overly political and hopes to show students that the focus is on them and their issues.
Cli ord is joined by a team of vice presidents including TCDSU’s Zaid Albarghouthi who will serve as Vice President for Campaigns. It is also notable that the positions of Vice President for the Border, Midlands and Western Region, and Vice President for the Irish Language have not yet been lled. ese positions will likely be lled in future by-elections.
Harris said
Minister
the report will inform further antibullying policies
18.4% OF STUDENTS experienced online and o ine bullying over the last academic year, according to the ndings of the National Survey of Sta Experiences of Bullying in Higher Education Institutions. e report, which was commissioned by the Department of Higher Education, presents the ndings of a survey conducted by
the Dublin City University AntiBullying Centre.
Of the 2,573 students surveyed, 31.6% of respondents reported that they had witnessed bullying at their college in the past year.
59.1% of those students that witnessed bullying also reported that they had taken action to help the target.
e survey also found that ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ students and disabled students were more likely to experience bullying while at college.
e report recommended the development of anti-bullying policies, greater education, training and support for faculty, and the implementation of evidence-based support programmes.
Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris said: “I’ve placed a real focus on ensuring our third level institutions are a safe place for everyone, no matter who
you are or where you are from.
“ is survey, together with the sta bullying surveys and student and sta surveys of experiences of sexual violence and harassment in higher education, have provided a rich source of evidence which will inform further actions to address these issues and make higher education a safe place for sta and students.”
Harris also noted that bullying is increasingly taking place online and emphasised the importance of ensuring the third level sector is equipped to “make every institution a safe place to work and study in”.
e ndings of the report will next be submitted to the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) committee of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for its consideration and suggestions.
Senior Manager of the HEA’s Centre of Excellence for EDI, Dr
Jennie Rothwell said the report is a “valuable addition” to e orts to end bullying and harassment in higher education “Re ecting on the ndings of
the report will support institutions in developing a campus culture that is inclusive and respectful for all,” she said.
Je rey Seathrún Sardina has been elected president of the Trinity Postgraduate Workers’ Organisation (PWO).
Sardina, who ran unopposed for the position, was returned with 94.4% of the vote at the organisation’s rst Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Friday, September 1.
In addition to serving on the Steering Committee of the national PWO and with the Irish-language component of the organisation, Sardinia is a former Irish Language editor and Chair of the Editorial
Board of the University Times. He is also a climate correspondent for RTÉ Raidío na Gaeltachta.
ere were eighteen votes cast in the ballot. A single vote (5.6%) was cast to re-open nominations.
Speaking to Trinity News, Sardinia said he is “very happy” to be elected president of the PWO.
“My job now is to empower our members to win our rights,” he said. “My vision for PWO TCD is the same as that of the PWO in general: to empower a mass grassroots movement.
“ is will be a year for action.
e 3-months-late government review on PhD supports made no meaningful suggestions regarding non-EU rights, disabled PhD rights, worker’s rights, working conditions, or the right to maternity/paternity leave.
“Yet that same document is now being used to slow progress on PhD rights and pay – colleges and agencies are delaying action until there is governmental action on the report, rather than taking responsibility themselves. It has become a form of legitimised apathy, rather than a guide to implementing PhD rights.”
A separate vote to approve the institution’s rst constitution, put forward by Sardina, was accepted unanimously.
e new constitution aims to uphold the ve main principles
underlined in the PWO’s mission statement, including: basic rights and dignity, quick action, diversity, accountability, and institutional knowledge.
e PWO was formed earlier this year as a result of a merger of the PhD Collective Action Union (PCAU) and the Postgraduate Workers Alliance (PGWA).
Sardina has suggested that the use of direct action by the organisation is on the table for the forthcoming year, as it
aims to see the delivery of an improvement in conditions for postgraduate students from both the government and from College.
In June, the PWO threatened strike action over the publication of a long-awaited review into supports for postgraduate researchers, which it said fell short on major key demands made during the consultative process, such as over the working status of researchers, entitlement to sick pay, and the provision of visas and immigration status to non-EU researchers.
“ e review dashes the hopes of many who had hoped that their situation would improve soon. In the best case, some may be li ed just above the poverty line,” the PWO stated at the time.
“Ultimately, the review emphasises that postgraduate researchers cannot rely on the Government and Universities to ght for their best interests.
ey will have to organise and champion the struggle to improve their conditions themselves.”
e organisation was also responsible for a protest at an event attended by Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan in March, which led to the minister having to be escorted out of the J. M. Synge lecture theatre in the Arts Building via an emergency exit.
“Our thoughts are with those who lost loved ones, the injured, and with brave rst responders.”
TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN STUDENT’S UNION (TCDSU) HAS pushed to support the #ebooksos campaign for fairer ebook and journal licensing laws in the USI pre-budget submission. e Libraries Association of Ireland also supports the campaign.
Demands include signi cant reductions in annual database, journal subscription and open access costs, an end to time-based licenses that force books to be deleted from collections a er a period of time, and a deep discount on ebooks and e-textbooks where their print equivalents have been purchased in recent years.
It also called for copyright law reform to remove the requirement for libraries to pay for versions of ebooks licensed speci cally for library use, allow libraries to scan whole books they own in print where ebooks are unavailable or una ordable, and more government support for
the creation of Open Education Resources (OER).
Stating that multinational companies have “monopolized the market” while hiking license fees, the submission said that libraries are being “held hostage” by publishers, “draining the taxpayer, our libraries, and our institutions out of money, while leaving authors out of pocket”.
Libraries cannot purchase copies of ebooks, audiobooks, and journals; instead, they must license them, putting libraries at the mercy of restrictive licensing terms and harsh price increases. ese restrictions can include limits on the number of loans per
title. Last year, higher educational institutions and libraries spent in excess of €3m on ebook titles.
Research done by Maynooth University Library has shown that some ebooks are 10 to 20 times as expensive as their print equivalent, and many are 3 to 10 times more expensive.
In public libraries, an ebook costs three times that of a print book, with far greater restrictions on how it can be used. Many publishers do not make titles available to libraries but allow individuals to purchase the ebook.
e #ebooksos campaign was started in England in 2020 by academic librarians Yohanna Anderson, Caroline Ball and Rachel Bickley due to the “frustrating unavailability, high prices and restrictive licences of ebooks during the Covid-19 lockdowns”.
In 2021, TCDSU Council mandated that the education o cer and welfare and equality o cer promote and campaign for open access to academic materials. Current TCDSU President László Molnár proposed the motion as a rst-year PPES class representative.
“ e stage is set, now it’s down to the teams to perform. I think it’s fair to say that the action will be compelling, spectacular and unpredictable.”
“To be honest, when I found out the patriarchy wasn’t about horses, I lost interest anyways.”
“ ose who thought they were putting water on my re, they were putting gas on it and I’m burning so bright now.”
“With our anti-drone system now in place, daa can con rm it is looking into buying a cream pie stopper to help protect its airline partners.”
“We succeed most when we work together, North and South.”
e impact Timothy had on the lives of his family, friends and classmates is clear and I can’t think of a better way to honour his memory.”
Libraries currently cannot purchase copies of ebooks; instead, they must license them and accept whatever restrictions are placed on them by publishersPHOTO BY JACK KENNEDY FOR TRINITY NEWS
Sardina was elected to the post with all but one vote cast in his favour, with his proposed constitution being unanimously adopted
FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, IRELAND IS NOT A COUNTRY TO make consistent global headlines. Although a prominent and considerable nation, Ireland generally strays away from international notoriety. To most of the world, Ireland has primarily been known as a charming country with picturesque landscapes, an endless number of pubs, and a rich history. Recently, however, the tables have turned. Over the last few months, Ireland, speci cally Dublin, has repeatedly made front-page news across major global news outlets due to an increase in unprovoked street attacks on tourists and locals alike. e rise in street violence has even prompted the United States Department of State to issue a travel advisory to all American citizens planning a visit to Dublin.
Over the course of this past summer, a string of attacks began to tarnish Dublin’s reputation as a safe capital city. Although violence and antisocial behaviour were not previously rare, Dublin was generally well-regarded to be safe.
On July 19th, American
tourist Stephen Termini was le in a coma with severe head and eye injuries a er being assaulted near Talbot Street by a group of Irish teenagers. ree locals were similarly attacked in the wake of Termini’s story gaining global traction. On July 26th, the United States issued the travel advisory, with Spain, Canada, and New Zealand following suit. Assaults continue to be reported around Dublin during this time, but none receive the same level of publicity as Termini’s. On August 11th, three UK tourists were attacked in Temple Bar, with international news once again heavily reporting on this occurrence.
Following this string of events, assaults and antisocial behaviour in and around Dublin have become exponentially more publicised in Irish media. Across multiple platforms, there seems to be a consensus amongst Dublin residents that the city has become increasingly unsafe over the last few years.
In July, RTÉ released a report comprised of personal accounts from various Dublin residents who have experienced or witnessed dangerous behaviour in the city and their feelings regarding Dublin’s safety. Each interviewee detailed stories of drugs, violence, sexual harassment, and other
antisocial behaviours in the streets of Dublin. Most stated that they refrain from walking in the city a er dark for fear of being attacked.
Although personal accounts and global headlines are useful in understanding people’s perceptions of Dublin, statistics o er a more comprehensive view of what is occurring in the city. Data collected by An Garda Síochána on assaults in Dublin from the period of 2019 to July 2023 will assist with this analysis. It should be noted that the data from 2020/2021 are not fully representative of assault rates in Dublin due to the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns. erefore, data from 2020/2021 will be shared but will not be included in the comparison.
In 2019, there were a total of 2,535 assaults reported in Dublin.
In 2020, 1,909 assaults.
In 2021, 1,868 assaults.
In 2022, 2,429 assaults, In 2023 (January to July only),
2,353 assaults.
At rst glance, the number of assaults in 2019 (pre-pandemic) closely mirrors that of 2023 (postpandemic). However, as previously stated, the data from 2023 is only inclusive of the rst seven months of the year. is is a crucial detail as the number of assaults in only the rst semester of 2023 is almost that of the full year in 2019. In this same way, the number of assaults in 2023 has similarly almost surpassed that of 2022 (postpandemic).
Without knowledge of these statistics, it is not a far leap to
place blame on the pandemic for an increase in violence around Dublin. However, the comparison of 2022 and 2023, with both serving as post-COVID years, is vital to the understanding that perhaps the pandemic is not fully at fault. Perhaps the antisocial behaviour running rampant on the streets of Dublin simply requires better management from those in charge.
In reaching out to College for comment on these attacks in light of the academic year soon commencing with a wave of new and returning students to Dublin along with Trinity’s popularity as a tourist attraction, a College spokesperson simply shared that she believes Dublin’s “stats are no worse than anywhere [else]”. While that may be true in some capacity, there is arguably a distinction between stabilised data on assaults and sharp increases; Dublin’s trend should be categorised under the latter. e data from only the rst half of 2023 coincides with the normal trend of annual reports in Dublin. Students and any other Dublin residents should feel safe where they reside and not be met with unmanaged violence.
Although College is not responsible for the safety of Dublin as a whole, students should be aware of the current reality and take extra precautions when walking around the city.
THE GOVERNMENT’S FREE CONTRACEPTION scheme has expanded to include all women aged between 17 and 30.
e initiative was rst launched in September 2022 and included women up to 25 and was expanded to include women aged 26 in January 2023.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has con rmed the expanded age group will cover GP consultation and prescription costs for all women, girls and people
identifying as transgender or nonbinary. e scheme also covers all forms of contraception including the coil, IUD and the pill.
e scheme covers the cost of the entire process. is can include consultations with any medical professionals to discuss contraception options as well as the tting and removal of longterm contraception. All costs are covered for a range of contraception options including, implants, IUDs and coils, contraceptive injections, contraceptive patches and rings, and various forms of the contraceptive pill.
e National Women’s Council of Ireland has welcomed the news saying: “It’s really welcome that the Government are really continuing with their commitment in terms of rolling out the availability of free contraception, so now it will be available for all 17-30 year olds.”
e Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) also praised the expansion but noted the need for further expansion. e government previously pledged that 16-year-olds would also be included in the expansion.
e IFPA highlighted this saying: “ e scheme now supports the contraceptive choices of a wider cross-section of people of reproductive age. But younger teenagers and over 30s remain le
out.”
“We are particularly concerned that the extension of the scheme from today does not include 16-year-olds. A clear commitment was given by government in the Budget 2023 announcement, and funding was allocated to cover this age-group within the scheme.”
ey called on the government to “allocate the promised budget to expand the scheme to 16 years olds as a matter of priority” and “resolve the potential legal barriers to their access to free contraception and end the exclusion of under 17s from the scheme, before the end of this year”.
For those now included in the scheme, GPs, primary care centres and pharmacies have signed, meaning if they are already prescribed contraception they can provide their doctor with their PPS number to avail of free contraception and do not need to attend a consultation.
TRINITY IS ONE OF THREE UNIVERSITIES being considered for millions in state aid for the construction of new student accommodation, Minister Simon Harris has said.
Speaking in the Dáil earlier this summer, the Minister for Further and Higher Education revealed that €59 million in public funding has gone towards the construction
of student accommodation since December.
e policy, announced last November, has helped in the construction of over 1,070 new accommodation units which had received planning permission but progress had “stalled” for various reasons.
It has delivered new beds in Dublin City University (DCU), Maynooth University, University of Galway and University of Limerick (UL).
According to Harris, government intends to implement the same policy to a planned addition of 358 beds in Trinity Hall (Halls), as well as 243 beds in University College Cork (UCC), and up to 1,254 beds in University College Dublin (UCD), all of which have received planning permission but where further progress has not been made.
College rst received planning permission for the expansion of Halls almost three years ago, but this was subsequently rescinded a er being challenged by a local resident in the High Court.
Planning permission for the development was regranted last
summer, including the demolition of a number of existing buildings on the site, but no construction has begun since.
e proposal has met consistent opposition from local residents due to supposed anti-social behaviour from Halls residents and the potential for increased noise levels in the area.
Harris said in the Dáil that he is working “intensively” on making progress with the three student accommodation projects, adding that he aims to do so before the Oireachtas’ summer recess.
e policy is the rst time in which the state has provided nancial support in the construction of student
accommodation. It is indicative of a growing state role in the university sector, which has increased with both last year’s Higher Education Authority Act and the forthcoming Research and Innovation Bill 2023 regarding state funding for research. College did not comment following Harris’ remarks.
e scheme was rst introduced in September 2022 and expanded to include 26-yearolds in January 2023
e scheme was rst introduced in September 2022 and expanded to include 26-yearolds in January 2023PHOTO BY NIKO EVANS FOR TRINITY NEWS
Following last month’s decision to send home three Garda trainees due to their tattoos, the conversation about the place of tattoos in the workplace has exploded once more across Irish headlines. e Garda handbook states that “Body art [tattoos] on the face, or visible above the collar, are not permitted. All other tattoos will be covered at all times while on duty, whether in uniform or plain clothes.” In the midst of a shortage of Garda recruits, the decision to dismiss these trainees based on the strict dress code has come under serious scrutiny, with many calling for it to be updated. With the government currently not expected to reach its goal of 1,000 new Garda recruits this year, a sizeable proportion of the public has criticised the dress code as outdated, and are calling for a revision of the policies.
Tattoos have existed throughout history, and have been of great cultural and religious signi cance across the world. is includes right here in Ireland, where the Celts would use tattoos in various di erent ways, such as symbols of protection, rites of passage, and to intimidate enemies on the battle eld. Fast-forward to the present day, their popularity is actively increasing, particularly
among Irish youth. Tattoos are trending on Irish college campuses, and have become a well-accepted form of self-expression and individuality amongst students.
According to a 2020 LinkedIn article, the popularity of tattoos is higher amongst college-educated individuals globally, with 32% of students and graduates having at least one tattoo.
Unless a tattoo is o ensive, a large number would agree that it has no impact on how e ectively one can do their job. Still, others maintain that tattoos are unprofessional, regardless of how well a job is done. Common workplace dress codes ask for tattoos to be covered up and for certain piercings to be removed on the grounds of maintaining a uniform and professional appearance within the workplace. Opinions on whether or not visible tattoos are unprofessional seem to vary in di erent industries, and depend heavily on the age of the individual being asked. As stated in a TeamStage article, only 22% of people aged 18-25 agree that tattoos should not be visible in the workplace, while approximately 63% of people over 60 thought the same.
e placement of a tattoo is also a vital factor in limiting job opportunities. e tattoo placements that reduce the
chances of getting hired the most are on the face, neck, and hands, according to a survey conducted by YouGov in 2018. 60% of employers surveyed said that they were “substantially” less likely to hire an individual with face tattoos. Perhaps surprisingly, however, 70% of the same pool stated that an upper arm tattoo would make “no di erence” when deciding whether to hire an individual. is statistic stands in stark contrast to the result of an earlier 2015 survey from employment agency Peninsula Ireland in which a whopping 76% of employers surveyed by Peninsula Ireland, an employment agency, claimed that they would not employ someone with a visible tattoo. Overall, while it would seem that certain tattoos may negatively impact one’s job prospects, this trend is quickly shi ing. Given these statistics, and a general trend of increasingly relaxed working environments across industries as an older generation ages out of the workforce, it would make sense for the rules around tattoos and piercings in the workplace to gradually become more relaxed. Yet, while it may seem odd for an open-minded employer in other
areas to be strict on tattoo and piercing guidelines, their concern seems to lie more with the attitudes of their clients, as opposed to their own biases.
If a large portion of a company’s clientele continues to be of an older generation, or a more conservative audience, the professionalism of visible tattoos will continue to be called into question. e Irish Sun compiled a list of jobs that prohibit tattoos, or require them to be covered up. ese professions include law enforcement o cers, healthcare workers, and front o ce administrators–-all publicfacing roles that require the trust and comfort of their clients to work e ectively. A er all, a surgeon with a neck or hand tattoo would be a surprising sight in an Irish hospital, and it is easy to envision an increase in distrust amongst elderly patients in particular should this become the norm.
Speaking to Trinity News, Adanya Hott, a 2022 Business and German graduate, discussed her experience in the workplace as a professional with tattoos. Having rst worked in a recruitment rm with six tattoos in total, majoritively found on the arms and one on the ribs, Hott explained that the attitude towards tattoos
and piercings in the o ce was “surprisingly relaxed”. Tattoos were permitted to remain visible around the o ce and were only covered up as a professional courtesy when meeting with important clients. However, in her recently accepted position as a sales engineer, covering up her tattoos will be mandatory due to the nature of the job. When asked if the post-college job hunt ever in uenced where she placed her tattoos, Hott said that it certainly played a role: “When I got my tattoos I was aware that people would have certain views and opinions about them. I knew I may have to cover them up in certain professional roles, so I chose to get them in places that I could easily hide if need be, such as my arms and side.” She added that she believes the attitude towards tattoos in the workplace is becoming gradually more relaxed, especially as the popularity of tattoos increases among younger generations.
Hott, like many others, is optimistic about a future where visible tattoos will not in uence employment prospects. As she and so many see it, this form of self–expression should not be an obstacle to a successful career.
With the recent dismissal of three Garda trainees on the basis of their tattoos, body art in a professional environment has once again come into the spotlight as body art grows seemingly more popular than ever
Trinity News speaks with students and faculty about this one-of-akind examination imbued with prestige and intimidation
Established in Trinity’s 1592 Foundational Charter, becoming a ‘Scholar’ is considered Ireland’s highest academic honour. Taking on this daunting challenge is no easy feat. e Schols examinations are notoriously di cult and require students to become quasiexperts in their subjects. For reference, some notable Scholars include Nobel laureate Samuel Beckett, the rst female President of Ireland Mary Robinson, and Oscar-nominated director Lenny Abrahamson. To succeed, students must average a rst-class honours on all their exams, meaning they cannot receive anything below a 65%.
Every year, on the rst Monday in April, the lives of around sixty Trinity students change in an instant. During a tension- lled half hour, hundreds of people gather in Front Square to discover whether they were one of the few to earn free accommodation, an exemption from undergraduate college tuition, three years of postgraduate education, a yearly salary, and free dining hall meals in return for excelling in four essay-based exams. is distinctive award is o cially called Trinity’s “Foundation Scholarship”, more commonly known as “Schols”.
Trinity News interviewed people across multiple academic disciplines, with diverse Schols experiences, to better understand why these voluntary exams are so steeped in both fear and awe.
Even before she applied to College, Petro was aware of the bene ts of Schols. Her decision to go to Trinity was largely based on the encouragement of her secondary school guidance counsellor who believed, as Petro laughingly recalled, she would “absolutely” become a Scholar, given her impressive academic record.
From her rst year at Trinity,
Petro took her notes with Schols in mind. Despite this, she was unprepared for the discouraging attitude held by her professors and peers towards the exams: “the entire information session just scared people because it was just about how hard it is ... there’s this narrative out there that only one business person can get it.”
Nevertheless, with the encouragement of her professor, Dr. Kenneth Silver, Petro chose to take on the challenge anyway. For her, the nancial rewards were an opportunity which couldn’t be passed up, especially a er turning away scholarships from other universities to attend Trinity.
Along with studying in the library for up to y hours a week over winter break, Petro focused on building daily study habits throughout the semester which improved her understanding of current events, information she later brought into the exams: “a big part was building habits of listening to the news, listening to podcasts, building a business dictionary on top of what we actually did [in lectures]”.
To ensure that she entered her exams knowing she had given studying her all, Petro chose not to y home to her family in Dubai over Christmas and instead spent the break alone in Dublin revising. While this was hard mentally, Schols was her top priority, which even a ected the way she viewed her ordinary end-of-term exams: “I remember standing in front of the RDS and we were going in for an exam ... and I was physically not even stressed because in my eyes this was a practice run for Schols.”
Despite such meticulous preparation, when the Scholarship examinations started, the mental strain began to take its toll. It took the encouragement of her friend to
convince Petro to nish what she had worked so hard for and return for the other papers a er a rocky maths exam.
When Trinity Monday came following months of anticipation, Petro was not optimistic. en Linda Doyle read her name. “I just started crying … I think the biggest word to explain the feeling is imposter syndrome, you think you shouldn’t be there.” She added: “it was the most ...humbling experience ever ... because I couldn’t have done that without the support of my peers, the faculty members that helped me.”
Ultimately, Petro sacri ced a lot for Schols but for her, the process was worth it, because of how it changed her as a person: “I fell in love with learning ... the person I was a er Schols, versus before …
the way it a ected my habits, my discipline ... that was the greatest asset, even on top of all the bene ts that you get.”
ere is no doubt that while certain courses — like Petro’s — have reputations for producing very few Schols yearly, others are known for being disproportionately successful; namely, medicine and law.
For context, last year, eight law and six medicine students earned Schols. Two years before, in 2021, twelve law students (six of whom were in Joint Honours programmes) and ten medicine students succeeded.
Many have speculated that these courses administer comparatively easier exams to other subjects due to their emphasis on memorisation. However, speaking with Trinity News, 2022 Medicine Scholar Frank Crossen stressed that this is not the case: “If you just tell him [the marker] everything there is to know about the topic, he will basically fail you. He wants you to write an interesting essay with fun facts ... quirky kind of things, even quotes from music or literature.”
If this is so, what makes these courses so able to produce a long list of Scholars every year? Trinity News asked Senior Lecturer and Dean of Undergraduate Studies Dr. David Shepherd for his opinion: “ e awarding of Schols is based on academic excellence irrespective of discipline. Some might argue that courses which require higher points should be expected to produce more Schols, but it may also be that some courses promote Schols more heavily.”
With regards to the Law School, 2021 Scholar Cormac Donnelly explained that “ e School … promotes involvement early in SF year, and does a good job putting previous scholars in front of the current students to discuss motivation, study tips and the potential bene ts of Schols.” 2023 Law Scholar Annie Egan concurred, adding that this promotion does indeed encourage students: “Most people sign up to go for it ... about 50 or 60 … were going to do it … about 30 did it, which is a vast number for 200 people on a course.”
Given Petro’s experience in the Business School, increased promotion across courses may just be the solution to fostering a more diverse list of Schols recipients.
“When all the results are announced, all the Scholars are whisked away for a full day of running around places, they have to go buy robes, they’re taken into a big dinner, they go visit the provost in her house. And you’re just like ‘right, well, I guess I’ll go get co ee or something.’ It does leave a big kind of mental baggage in your head for a while.”
Yet today, a er nearly two years since the disappointing news, Evan has no regrets about going for Schols: “... if you’re interested in doing it, do it. And that’s coming from someone who didn’t get it. Because if I had the choice to do it again, knowing I wouldn’t get it ... I’d probably tell myself to still do it regardless of the reward at the end, because it changed my outlook on my subject … I just enjoyed doing sociology so much that I wanted to become a sociologist, which is a fairly signi cant impact.”
Given the mental toll Schols can take before, during, and a er the exams, Trinity News leaves readers with advice from two alumni who earned Schols and have the bene t of substantial hindsight, now that they have graduated and built successful careers.
Accomplished comedian and journalist Abie Philbin Bowman detailed what he discovered about the psychology of worklife balance when he went for it in 2002, encouraging this year’s candidates not to punish
themselves for enjoying free-time: “if there was a party on Friday night, and I decided ... to stay in and study, I would feel so virtuous about sacri cing the party, that I would actually kind of give myself permission to end up watching
telly until like 10/10:30 and then going, ‘Oh, I don’t really feel like studying at all’... Whereas if I said, ‘I’m going to the party, I’m going to enjoy it’ ... and then the next morning I go ‘Jesus, I haven’t done any revision for Schols’, I would actually get more done”.
For those who did not get Schols last April or those nervous about trying this year for fear of disappointment, Irish diplomat and 2015 Scholar Cormac Shine
has some parting words: “I think the time Schols matters most, particularly for people who didn’t get it and who are disappointed, is on that Trinity Monday. But that’s a Monday in April, in second year. You’ve got a lot of college le , nevermind going on to be a graduate. So it’s a great bene t if you get it but at least career-wise, at least in the eld I was in, it’s not ... what I was being graded on in job interviews.”
As bleak as it may sound, the reality is that for the majority of people, Trinity Monday is a day of disappointment. Evan CarronKee, a PPES student studying Economics and Sociology, was one of many students on that April Monday who had poured six months of his life into studying for Schols only to nd that his name was not on the Provost’s list.
Evan’s situation was particularly di cult to process, as he later learned that he averaged a 71% across all of his Schols papers with the exception of his submission for “Mathematical and Statistical Methods”, which came below 65%. is speci c exam did not conform with past papers and was a barrier to success for most of Evan’s classmates.
A er the disappointing news in April, applying for di erent opportunities and eventually being chosen to conduct fullyfunded, self-directed research over two summers as a Trinity Laidlaw Scholar really helped Evan move forward. Evan has since spent his summers researching and health services improvements in Northern Ghana with international charitable organisation, Ghana Medical Help.
However, the stark di erence in treatment between those who get Schols and those who do not— despite the fact that all candidates likely work extremely hard to prepare—really stuck with him.
“Yeah we’ve got a grand old group. You make good friends while you’re there.” ese are the words of Trinity student Alex, under pseudonym, who works through the summer as a Trinity Trails tour guide. Alex isn’t the only student employed by Trinity who praises the sense of community these jobs create. In an interview with Trinity News, Ella, a nal year English Studies student and Trinity Library book-shelver said that “it de nitely makes me feel a bit more part of the college community”. Charlie, whose name has been changed, worked for the Summer Accommodation O ce, and agrees: “my co-workers are the best part of the job.” A er the socially di cult pandemic years experienced by much of the current college community, such positive social experiences have become rare. is social aspect stands out as a major bene t of these on-campus jobs, but it has become clear that there are many more advantages that come with combining the roles of student and employee.
Sam, also under pseudonym, carried out telephone fundraising for the Trinity Development &
Alumni appeal in Hilary Term 2023, and explained that they were paid “€12.90-ish an hour. Break was paid … shi s were just three hours, so manageable as a student. And Sunday was time and a half … they paid y cent extra per student per year you came back to campaign.” e hourly pay of this particular job is above Ireland’s minimum wage of €11.30, making this role even more attractive to students grappling with Dublin’s ever-present cost of living crisis. Sam added that the work is “essentially just talking to people and sales … it’s over the phone so you can wear what you want”. is last detail on top of all the other bene ts suggests why these jobs are so sought a er by Trinity students looking for work. ey seem to not only be well-paid and sociable, but also relaxed in areas which are o en strictly regulated in the professional working world, and reasonable in what students are expected to do on top of their own college workload.
However, while the wage being o ered is competitive, the payroll administration has been a downside. Robin, whose name has been changed, worked for the Trinity Careers Service Graduate Survey team and says that student employees rarely received their earnings in a timely manner: “I wouldn’t say it was a positive [experience] ... wages would be processed for a month and then would be paid by the end of the next month”. e reliability of the payroll system seems to vary across the di erent job opportunities available in Trinity. Students looking for employment in College may want to investigate how the payroll is handled by speaking to previous employees of the role they intend to apply for.
Robin also said that there were issues with management and training, and that the support for employees was lacking: “there was no brie ng … we didn’t know if we were meant to come in on certain
days or how long the role was going to be”, they said. is lack of clarity indicates that while the jobs available to students in college are diverse, so too are the working conditions.
e variety of jobs available on campus means that all kinds of students with di erent skills can nd a role. From tour guides to book-shelvers, students can nd a work opportunity that suits their temperament and schedule. However, as a result of this exibility, and the additional bene ts outlined above, these positions are o en over-subscribed and highly competitive.
Alex described the job of a tour guide as “quite handy” for students as a result of its on-campus location and exible hours. ese ideal working conditions mean that the job is “hard to get because a lot of people want it”. Such demand means that candidates for Trinity Trails must undergo a rigorous hiring process and be highly determined in order to secure the role. As far as how people nd out about available openings,
Alex said that it was largely down to their own initiative: “I just walked through college, saw the people doing the tours … so I emailed someone working at college, then got redirected to a couple of di erent emails, ended up emailing the former manager at Trinity Trails and was asked to come in for an interview a few days later. en they o ered me a job at the end of that interview.”
In contrast to the aforementioned role with the Trinity Careers Service Graduate Survey team, the training with Trinity Trails is very extensive. Alex explained that past the interview stage, “you shadow plenty of tours, you go on walks with more experienced guides, and they give you more social tips for just how to give a tour. en a er all that stu and working on the other parts of the job—working at the kiosk and scanning tickets—you do a private tour for the managers. If they think you are ready, you start doing tours properly.”
Another role available to students outside of term is with the Summer Accommodation O ce. is opportunity appears in every student’s inbox when it is advertised in a college-wide email every year, ahead of tourists arriving to stay in the on-campus rooms occupied by students in term time. Charlie, who worked in the O ce this year explained to Trinity News that one of the greatest bene ts of this position is that it is ‘live-in’, meaning that the employees are given accommodation: “I was extremely lucky. It’s a decent job, no rent to pay, and it’s in a safe environment.” e job consists mostly of “making bookings, dealing with guests’ issues, some manual tasks like making keys and welcome envelopes”.
However, some controversy
has arisen over the wages paid to students in the O ce. Charlie explained that there are two roles available to students: attendant and receptionist. “Receptionists get paid more, but the job is more or less the same” as that of the attendants. While attendants “do more of the manual labour, like helping with suitcases’’ and receptionists “do more customer service and computer stu attendants are very o en sitting at the computer … and receptionists sometimes have to make trips to the luggage room.” Charlie feels that the pay disparity for the same work is unfair and “honestly think[s] that attendants and receptionists should get the same wage.” Furthermore, with shi s ve days a week from “7am to midnight” at the start of the summer, later “extended to 1:30am”, it is hard work. However, these concerns haven’t stopped the experience from being a positive one. Charlie stressed the positive social impact of accessing housing through the job: “I do love living in the middle of Dublin. Everything is close, seeing people is way easier, I haven’t had to take public transport almost at all.”
For those looking to get a job within college, plenty of roles exist to suit many skill sets. However, through interviewing the lucky students who were able to secure work, it becomes clear that Trinity is no di erent than any other workplace in the potential problems that can confront its employees, from management to payroll. us, what makes Trinity’s work opportunities stand out from other jobs is that they are more likely to be, as Ella put it, “understanding of the strains of being a student”—an attitude that can be di cult to nd in other workplaces and that cannot be under-estimated.
Trinity News sits down with students who work at Trinity to get to the bottom of why these positions are so competitive.PHOTO BY NIKO EVANS FOR TRINITY NEWS PHOTO BY NICHOLAS EVANS
Trinity News speaks to Russian students about their experience of studying in Europe in the context of the war in Ukraine.
One Spring day in 2022, Mark was sitting in a classroom in Trinity watching a pair of classmates from his degree in management science and information studies make a presentation which touched on a number of major current a airs. “When they mentioned the war people looked at me,” he remembers, laughing. Mark, like some 48,000 others across the globe, was a Russian student studying abroad when on 24 February 2022, Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In the weeks and months that followed, the flow of capital, trade, and people between the EU and Russia dried up as sanctions were imposed and peace-time partnerships halted across all areas of society, not least the higher education sector. The day following the Russian invasion, the European Commission announced that in view of the war “the participation of Russian public entities or bodies in all ongoing and future actions of the EU’s Erasmus+ Programme” had been terminated. Yet “at the same time”, the Commission maintains it will still readily issue “Schengen visas to Russian travellers belonging to essential categories” - a group which includes students and academics. For its part, the Russian government has attempted to counter this narrative by claiming that Russian students are being expelled from European universities and is offering those facing “infringements of their rights” automatic entry to the country’s top universities if they agree to come home. Now, caught in the middle of these conflicting narratives, Europe’s Russian students find themselves navigating the new challenges created by a war which shows no signs of ending.
Despite the claims made by the Russian government, it would appear that little has changed regarding the status of Russian students within the European university system. However, the absence of any formal hindrances has not made the experience of being a national of the aggressor state in a brutal war any easier. Many students who le their families to study abroad before the war are now cut o from them as returning to Russia has become at best di cult and at worst a direct threat to their livelihoods.
e risk of being dra ed into the military upon re-entering the country is present in the minds of many of the male students Trinity News spoke to. Mark himself has not been home in two years and will not go back until he manages to have himself exempted from the dra on the basis that he is living and working abroad. Even those students who have managed to return home have faced enormous complications. With Russian airspace closed to ights from inside the EU, students wishing to see their families have had to face the exorbitant price of ying via Turkey or Serbia, or brave an overland journey which can take several days. For others, matters of principle make these options unthinkable: “I am not going to return to Russia while Putin is the President,” one student told Trinity News.
recalls, telling Trinity News that events such as the vandalism of the Russian embassy on Orwell Road weighed heavily on his mind. Others say that they have preferred to tune out of a news cycle which has become increasingly frightening, particularly as social media sites such as Telegram have become breeding grounds for military video content which is extremely e ective at stirring up hate against Russian people in the comments section.
Beneath these experiences is a strong sense that anger and hatred is too o en being levelled at Russians themselves as opposed to Putin’s regime. “I understand the di culties my country brought to the world,” says Polina, a nal year BESS student and former chairperson of Trinity’s Russian Society, “but I think we have to divide politics and ordinary students who come to get a better degree.” Mark agrees: “I would appreciate it if there were a few more reminders of the di erences between the Russian students and the Russian government” he says. is hostile atmosphere has inevitably trickled down into these students’ everyday interactions. Mark recounts the beats missed by security guards outside bars upon examining his passport, and describes an encounter with a drunken stranger yelling “death to Russians! Death to Putin!”. While Mark and others with similar anecdotes have not allowed these incidents to phase them, it is evident that they stick in their minds long a er they have occurred.
Closer to home, there is also a sense shared by many students that the dynamics of their peer groups have altered. “Discussions about politics increased,” Sophia, a
masters student who moved from Moscow to study in Germany, told me, grimacing. “I try to stay away from these conversations”. From talking to these students, one gets the sense that people’s curiosity about Russian attitudes towards the war will hang over any conversation until it is satis ed. To a certain extent, this curiosity is a positive thing: “I am going to ask new Russian students the same question [about their stance on the war]”, one student originally from Moscow remarks, “it is always important to know the position of people we interact with”. Yet in other circumstances the experience is an extremely alienating one.
“In general I expect to be less welcome than I was before,” says Sophia. She and Mark both grieve a loss of solidarity within a previously tight-knit Russian speaking community in their universities, particularly between Russian and Ukrainian students.
Mark describes how the invasion “drove a wedge” between members of Trinity’s Russian society which
he nds both understandable and highly regrettable. Now, if the chance arises for him to speak Russian “you have to be more careful”. Sophia, meanwhile, tells Trinity News that many people with whom she would previously have spoken Russian have dropped the habit altogether, preferring to interact with her in English. “You don’t know how to behave yourself anymore,” Mark concludes.
Overall, the overwhelming feeling amongst Russian students appears to be one of intense exasperation and exhaustion. Tired of awkward interactions, microaggressions and the stress of always having to hold an opinion about a war for which they have no real responsibility, the trials of being a Russian student in Europe have taken their toll. Piled on top of these day-to-day challenges, more long-term practical questions also weigh heavily on their minds. “Because of the war, a lot of us who pay non-EU fees are now struggling to pay tuition,” Polina says. “It is hard for our parents to send us money for living expenses, so we have to nd other ways’’. Instability and uncertainty - hallmarks of war - a ect everything. Sophia, recounting her recent visit to Moscow, puts this feeling in stark terms: “it is already normal that no one really plans anything. You cannot really plan anything if you live in Moscow or Russia’’. Her parting words to fellow Russian students in Europe are that they must “be prepared for the fact that you will have to be persistent …it will be a bit harder to reach what you want.” Most importantly, she stresses the need to “be human and treat everyone like a human” - advice which, in times of war, everyone would do well to take on board.
In their immediate context meanwhile, these students are feeling a sense of stigmatisation which comes partially as a result of a harshening media climate.
“I won’t lie it was actually quite tough for the rst month”, Mark
Understanding your 2023/24 TCDSU: how to take an active role in your education this year
Whether you are starting College or deeply embroiled in the rigours of your degree, it can o en feel as though you have no direct input in the administration of your own education. In a large institution such as Trinity, it is not uncommon for students to feel detached from those at the forefront of educational and institutional policy, and – amidst the hectic buzz of college life – to be unclear about their rights and the means by which to defend them.
For Trinity students, these means are provided by Trinity College Dublin’s Students’ Union (TCDSU) According to their website, it strives to represent every Trinity student through a united vision and voice in line with their view that “solidarity is strength”. Lobbying on issues including learning conditions, welfare, and inclusivity on campus, Trinity’s SU O cers are elected by the students, for the students. In their own words: “You’re the boss” when it comes to the character of the Union.
Along with four other fulltime Sabbatical O cers, TCDSU President László Molnár will be leading the Council into its 55th year. Elected on an overwhelming mandate, Molnár ’s core tenet is to “radicalise the student movement”, with his election manifesto pledging to “bring the union back to its grassroots”. Molnár spoke to Trinity News about his goals for the direction of the Union in 202324 and his ideas on how to increase student engagement.
Seeking to “deconstruct unfair power structures and replace them with democratic ones”, Molnár implores students not to be “afraid to be political”. With a chief purpose of the SU being to defend and enforce students’ rights through the strength of its 20,000-strong undergraduate and postgraduate membership, a key part of its e cacy is the active engagement of the student body. Such a sentiment is present in Molnár ’s intentions to hand “power back to the Union’s membership” by “not running the Union in a top-down fashion”. e Union’s structure is designed to re ect this representative function. Class Representatives who are elected
in every course provide a voice for students within both faculty and departmental committees. With Trinity divided into 24 schools, and each school then split into three faculties, every school and faculty has a Convenor. Convenors, Class Reps and Sabbatical O cers all come together during Student Union Council – the Union’s chief policy-making institution. Meeting seven times a year, the Council has passed motions on issues ranging from the quality of food in the Buttery to “Repeal the 8th” (the proposal to legislate for abortion within the Irish Constitution), demonstrating the enduring importance of this body in in uencing the political character of the University on both a College-wide and national level.
sure the incredible work the team is doing is seen and heard”.
From Molnár ’s words, it is clear that he intends to rea rm the Union’s lobbying position on the national stage. Against the backdrop of the cost of living and housing crises, Molnár strongly believes in taking the battle for social change to the top, stating that his Union will be “a radical mass movement of students taking up the ght against an unfair socioeconomic system and a government that doesn’t care about social justice”. is includes combatting policies that adversely a ect students such as “fee or rent hikes” through “direct action rather than bureaucratic manoeuvring”.
One way the Union promotes its works is via the Communications and Marketing O cer, Aiesha Wong. is year, she will be seeking to “increase nancial transparency surrounding the Union”, develop existing relationships with brand partners and “promote engagement throughout Trinity College with regards to the Union’s activities and campaigns for the year”. Telling Trinity News that she herself found it di cult to engage with the Union during her time at College, Wong hopes that “by the end of the year, everyone sees the Union as a place they can come to and get involved with, because at the end of the day, the Union is a service that works for students”.
She sees her chief role as “making
e Welfare and Equality O cer, Aoife Bennett, echoed Wong’s desire for open communication between the Union and students. While continuing the work of her predecessors, particularly in the development of “free period products and better ocampus supports”, Bennett posits that her overarching goal is “to humanise the Union” and “create an environment where students can feel supported”. During such a transitional time in one’s life, especially when starting out at College, the importance of e ective welfare structures cannot be underestimated. Trinity itself has a number of welfare and mental health services, including one-onone or group counselling sessions. Yet even here, the Union strives for improvement, with Molnár telling Trinity News of the SU’s advocacy for the Counselling Services to “meet the 1:1000 ratio to reduce waiting times.” First and foremost, Bennett recognises the importance of knowing that such support exists, informing students directly: “If you are struggling with anything, big or small, and don’t know who to reach out to, email welfare@tcdsu.org and we can work through it together.”
Another prominent issue that the Union has identi ed as continuing to have a serious impact on student well-being is the housing crisis. Bennett blasted the government’s failure to “intervene”, despite the problem posing a “major barrier to people’s education”. She recommends that those struggling to nd accommodation “reach out to myself or the Accommodation Advisory Service’’. Striving to do what it can for struggling students in spite of the disappointing national response, the SU has just completed a “digs drive” with the University College Dublin (UCD) Student Union and will complete a “ yer drop to encourage homeowners to rent their rooms out to students”. Molnár also expressed the Union’s intention to deepen “cooperation with the Community Action Tenants Union, create a Housing Justice O cer’’ and gain greater understanding
of the next steps by conducting a “housing survey among students and taking inspiration from Students4Change’s accommodation report last year”.
In this e ort to improve students’ overall experience at College, the Union also plans to refocus on inclusivity this year, with Molnár expressing his excitement at the prospect of “installing more oodlights on campus to increase accessibility”. Bennett is also currently working with Ents O cer Olivia Orr in order to ensure “Ents events are inclusive, and people feel safe and respected”. Orr’s election manifesto focused heavily on safety, with policies ranging from a QR code reporting system for problems at events, free talks on the dangers of spiking and the circulation of helplines on the Ents website.
Within education, Bennett will continue the SU’s collaboration with Trinity’s “Inclusive Curriculum Project” which seeks to “embed principles of diversity, equality and inclusion across all teaching and learning”. Education O cer Catherine Arnold ran her campaign with a similarly strong emphasis on accessibility accommodations, particularly for students who have caring responsibilities. Striving to reform the Union to better accommodate these needs, Arnold also aims
to push the curriculum past the purely academic. According to her manifesto, Arnold’s “holistic education” plan intends to provide life skills to students in areas such as “budgeting, barista training and even baking”.
With the Sabbatical O cer Board and their policy goals arguably shaping both Collegewide and national lobbying e orts, it is important to also be aware of ways that the student body can hold elected representatives to account. While any student can submit a question directly to the Board in Council meetings, the Electoral Commission and Oversight Commission are the two dominant bodies which seek to ensure the transparency and execution of the Union’s activities.
In addition, as part of the Sabbat Team, this year’s elected University Times (UT) Editor Clara Roche told Trinity News that UT will continue to be a means of “freely scrutinising the Union where appropriate and hold[ing] the Union to account as much as we hold College to account”. Despite being nancially supported by the SU, the UT has guaranteed editorial independence, with the “collective strength of our sta and readership allowing us to hold those in power to account”. With Roche already overseeing over 50 sta members, students can expect to see “everything from coverage of developments within housing and higher education sectors, to explorations of trends within fashion and lm”. She encourages all students to get involved in writing for the paper as another way of engaging in the current a airs of the College.
While e ective political lobbying can o en be challenging, it is evident from the words of the Sabbat Team that participating in activism at College can be as simple as submitting a question to the SU Council, or running for Class Rep. With a President who speaks so fervently about the need for “student radicalism” and whose primary goal is to “unequivocally stand up in defence of students against authorities, College or government”, it is clear that the 2023-24 SU will strive to be at the forefront of student advocacy.
In the past few months, Irish Rail have outlined plans to expand the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) past the small coastal commuter area spanning Malahide and Howth down to Bray and Greystones, to include areas further north to Drogheda and further west to Maynooth. While these areas do need to be included in some form of a reasonably priced commuter service, the current proposal is nothing more than a band-aid on a bullet hole.
While it may seem a clear positive to expand rapid rail services to further areas, doing so at the expense of areas that
have been served by the DART for over 100 years is not the way to go about it. e new DART+ proposal suggests expanding the route through Howth Junction and Malahide further north to Drogheda, cutting o access to Bayside, Sutton, and Howth. In exchange, it has been suggested that these areas will be serviced by a shuttle from Howth Junction, requiring changing trains at that station for anyone travelling to and from Dublin.
e peninsula of Howth and Sutton is already incredibly congested. Only a 30 minute drive by car to the city centre, I o en nd myself struggling to even get out of Howth with only one road out into the city. We are also only served by two bus routes, one of which is only hourly and neither of which are particularly reliable. e DART is a staple of North Dublin
Bay’s connection to the city centre, one which would severely alienate the community if le neglected. For students who rely on the Bayside, Sutton, and Howth strip of the DART to reach Trinity campus, an additional change with a complex schedule could add a signi cant amount of time to their journey. On weekdays, the DART only runs every 20 minutes, and on weekends can be as infrequent as once every hour. If the government truly wishes to encourage people to turn to public transport rather than automobiles, making the journey twice as long is not the way to go about it. Further than just the impact to those who live in these communities, Howth is also Dublin’s second most popular tourist attraction a er the Guinness Storehouse, one that will be signi cantly more inaccessible
if it is only serviced by a shuttle from a train. Many of the shops along the seafront cater largely to tourists, in addition to several seaside cruises and other tourist attractions that would lose a considerable amount of business under the new DART+.
An issue that compounds this is the pressure put on the area of Donaghmede if the Howth Junction station is to become a major role in commuter services for areas north of Dublin. In contrast to areas of Connolly and Heuston stations, Howth Junction is in a fully residential area and lacks a considerable amount of sta e plans from Irish Rail to modernise Howth Junction would harm those in the surrounding community, adding more entrances and lighting. e area already struggles with the levels of noise from being the hub for
platform changes from Howth to Malahide. If that is a changeover that every traveller to the Howth direction would have to make, the congestion would be unbearable. Transport for those not on the DART line, and even at certain times for those of us on the DART line, is abysmal. It’s overly expensive, confusing, and infrequent to get into town on a daily basis. But expanding this before the issues with DART are xed is not the way to go. Cutting o an entire community from a resource that has supported both residents and its tourist industry for centuries would be harmful, and it’s a plan that clearly hasn’t been thought out.
Part of the “new and improved” DART+ proposal includes improved carriages, with adequate wheelchair space, charging stations, and toilets. at’s what they need to get right, on top of increasing the frequency and reliability of services. Tacking on more areas before solving the core problems will just create a ripple e ect of lacklustre services on an even larger scale. Maybe in the long run we can ensure a one way route to Howth will stick around.
“Remember what I told you, if they hated me they will hate you.” is line from the song Black Boys on Mopeds, which appears on Sinéad O’Connor’s second studio album, perhaps best describes the general public’s attitude towards the singer during the height of her career in the 1990s.
O’Connor, who died in late July, has always been de ned by her willingness to speak out against political, religious and social injustices, both through her lyrics and through public protest. ough many of us weren’t alive when it happened, the rst thing we think of when we hear O’Connor’s name is her tearing up a photograph of Pope John Paul II during a performance on Saturday Night Live in 1992.
e singer, who herself had experienced religious abuse in a Magdalene Asylum, was perhaps the rst victim of “cancel culture”
as a result of her actions. O’Connor stated herself that her 18-monthlong experience in High Park, Drumcondra, which she described as a “prison”, was one of the driving forces behind the call for people to “ ght the real enemy” on that infamous night in 1992. Following the incident, the singer’s CDs were publicly steamrolled in New York’s Time Square, Frank Sinatra claimed he would “kick her ass”, and she was booed by a crowd in Madison Square Garden before her performance at a Bob Dylan tribute concert.
A lot has changed since then, and oods of evidence to support O’Connor’s claims about the Catholic Church have come to light since her public outburst. While in recent years many quietly acknowledged that the singer was ahead of her time when it came to her beliefs and ideas, conversations around the dinner table continued to conclude that she was crazy, be that for her decision to speak out against the Catholic Church, her struggles with mental illness, or simply because of her shaved head.
It was because of this that when I opened Instagram on the day of her death, I was surprised by the sudden outpour of tributes to the late Nothing Compares 2 U singer, with many sharing stunning black and white photographs of the singer, showcasing her iconic
striking eyes and captivating stare. I joined the many people sharing such photos, posting a youthful photo of the singer, alongside my favourite song of hers, e Emperor’s New Clothes.
It got me thinking, though. Where was this love for Sinéad O'Connor the week before?
e hatred for O’Connor ran so deep within the media that she published a full page advertisement in the Irish Times in 1993, asking people, “do you think you could stop hurting me? / It is su ocating me. / Please?” Within the page 9 advertisement, she told people that she represents a group of people who lost their childhood at the hands of the Catholic Church, and called on the general public to have more empathy for people like her.
Immediately following her death, media outlets released articles upon articles praising O’Connor for her bravery, her lyrics and her ideas. e front page of e New York Times referred to her as a “pop singer who bared her soul”, while e Irish Independent dedicated six pages inside their newspaper to pay tribute to her. Perhaps if such reverence was present during her lifetime, the singer would not have to resort to publishing an advertisement in a national newspaper calling for people to treat her with respect.
I think that it’s also important to note the choice in photographs used alongside the tributes paid to the singer. e covers of the Irish Times, the Irish Examiner and the Irish Daily Mail amongst others chose youthful photos of the singer for their front cover coverage of her death. Many of us, including myself, chose similar images for our social media tributes. It is di cult to nd a tribute that shows a more recent image of the singer.
e images that we chose to represent O’Connor are indicative of a wider issue that needs to be addressed. It begs the question, is radicalism and protest only socially acceptable when it is packaged as something aesthetically pleasing? is is not a new phenomenon.
Many feminist issues have been diluted to pink notebooks that have words such as “girlboss” engraved on the cover, colourful posters with empowering quotes, and self-help books that encourage women to pursue commercial and professional interests.
It should also be noted, within the lack of recent images of O’Connor used in tributes, is a lack of images of her wearing the hijab.
e singer converted to Islam in 2018 and regularly posted photos of herself wearing the hijab.
It’s no surprise that many of us chose such images to pay tribute to the singer. Many of the issues that O’Connor represented are uncomfortable for us to talk about. It’s easier, and more socially acceptable, to hide behind a photograph of a conventionally beautiful woman, rather than to
actually talk about the issues that she advocated for throughout her career.
In this sense, we are letting O’Connor down. Just as she pointed out how the Catholic Church hides behind stunning iconography and sculptures, we too are hiding behind aesthetics. Like the Church, we too are sweeping serious issues under the rug, in order to protect our own reputation. Speaking of the SNL incident, O’Connor claimed that her goal was to “force a conversation where there was a need for one.” e sudden redemption of the late singer’s career following years and years of abuse by the media and the public is evidence that the types of conversations that O’Connor was encouraging still need to take place.
e problems that have emerged from the tributes paid to O’Connor, and the evident disconnect between the discourse surrounding her career before and a er her death, is proof that while Ireland has come so far since O’Connor’s 1992 controversy, we still have very far to go.
e singer’s words in her 1993 advertisement still ring true today. “When we mock the expression of human feeling. / When we sco at the sound of our children’s keening. / ere is a mirror into which we are not looking.” All of us must look in the mirror and address our personal prejudices towards the way in which we discuss female artists, both during their life and a er they pass.
Have you ever found yourself so immersed in a task or activity that hours pass in what feels like minutes? is occurrence is known in psychology as a “ ow state”. More colloquially referred to as being “in the zone”, ow is a heightened level of focus in which, through the correct conditions, self-awareness and the sense of time slip away. Flow can o er relief from the stress of everyday life, and o ers an interesting perspective; the pursuit of a task solely for escapist enjoyment, rather than productivity.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the architect of ow psychology, described it as an “ecstatic state” in which “existence is temporarily suspended.” It can contribute to a person’s creativity, contentment and eudaimonia – a term generally accepted to mean an individual’s happiness, well-being and ful lment.
Research of what happens inside the brain during ow is ongoing, but it is believed by psychologists that during ow, activity levels in the prefrontal cortex reduce. is part of the brain is responsible for “higher cognitive functions such as self-re ective consciousness, memory, temporal integration, and working memory”, according to Mike Oppland from PositivePsychology.com.
erefore, when the prefrontal cortex is inactive, we become less aware of our surroundings and of ourselves, allowing us to donate all focus over to our chosen activity. So how is it that we can enter a state of ow? e rst step is recognising the process and its eight de nitive characteristics, which are: a total focus on the task or activity, a clear objective and reward with immediate feedback, a change in time experience (speeding up/slowing down), intrinsic ful lment, e ortlessness, balance between challenge and ease, a reduction of self-consciousness, and nally an overall feeling of control. At rst, this may sound complicated, but it is deceptively simple in practice. In fact, many people experience it without even realising. Have you ever become so immersed in an activity that hours
have passed in what has seemed like minutes?
e activity in question can be almost anything that a person enjoys doing, and it varies greatly. Common examples include creative pursuits, such as drawing or pottery-making, physical activity such as rock climbing, musical pursuits such as playing an instrument, and so on. According to one SF Trinity student: “I’ve experienced the ow state with piano a lot, and sometimes with crochet too. Piano is easier I would say as you’re following a set pattern of notes, and crochet can require more thinking, which can make it more di cult to focus.”
Whatever activity is chosen by a person hoping to enter a ow state, it just has to have the right balance of challenge and reward. When done correctly, ow fosters a sense of constant achievement within the person. It is an autotelic process, meaning that its primary purpose lies within itself rather than an end goal or product. It can be said that it is as much about the action of doing something as it is about what will be produced at the
end. In a culture preoccupied with productivity and consumerism, it could o er a refreshing perspective: the pursuit of a task
personality, a term denoted by Csikszentmihalyi in 1997 as “an individual who generally does things for their own sake, rather than in order to achieve some later external goal”, may nd it easier than those with a more neurotic or self-conscious personality. Which is not to say that it is impossible for a more preoccupied character to nd ow, simply that more time and attention may need to be given over to the task.
solely for personal ful lment. It is worthy of note that it can be more di cult for some people than for others. ose with an autotelic
e rst step in nding ow is outlining a task that brings satisfaction, and o ers the right balance of challenge and ease. e task must not be so simple that it is boring, and not so challenging that it invokes frustration. It is important to remove any distractions that may infringe upon the pursuit of the ow state from your surrounding environment. In particular it is recommended that electronics are put away. Finally, focus on the chosen task. Entering ow could happen instantaneously, or it could take a little persistence. It is worth noting that it is not enough to simply be motivated to do the task, or enjoy it as an activity; “the only way to build up to the state of ow is to become absorbed in the task.” (Oppland, UC Berkeley). Nowadays, entering a state of ow has added barriers. In this virtual era of short-form media consumption, endless distraction is provided through technology.
e heavy hits of dopamine resulting from social media usage are di cult to replicate in any other activity. Essentially, with constant stimulation from electronic devices, boredom is a thing of the past and the ability to focus is weakened. As a result, it may be di cult to get started on a task that does not provide immediate entertainment. It may require conscious e ort to allow the brain to enter a state of mind that best fosters the emergence of ow.
e question is, is it really worth all of this e ort? According to psychologists, the bene ts are numerous. rough the intense concentration that typi es ow, a person can achieve a temporary evasion of conscious thought, and subsequently may nd respite from the brain’s anxieties and stresses. It o ers a meaningful way to pass time through pursuit of an enjoyable interest that is inherently satisfying. But is it worth it?
e output of work may be at a higher standard as a result of deep focus on and immersion in the chosen task. It is a wonderful way to hone a skill, associated with increased feelings of ful lment that come hand in hand with the sense of achievement that fosters ow. If you are interested in nding out more, a great place to start is Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s 2004 Ted Talk on the topic. Why not give it a go?
Discourse surrounding the idea of femininity and the enjoyment of manifestations of stereotypical femininity is highly topical in the current cultural climate. e world has been saturated in pink for the promotion and release of the Barbie lm, and highly-coveted events such as Taylor Swi ’s Eras Tour and Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour are taking place across the globe. Antiquated and stereotypical beliefs surrounding femininity dictate that it is not possible to be feminine, or to enjoy typically feminine things, and still show an understanding of serious societal issues. However, this is being disproved time and time again by women who show that these things are not mutually exclusive. Nevertheless, should caution be taken when it comes to these highly popular feminine outlets?
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie stated in an article for e New York Times that it is important to “allow women a multiplicity” in how they choose to live their lives and present themselves. is particular quote concerns the discourse surrounding cosmetics. Under Adichie’s perspective, women are allowed a choice in whether or not to wear makeup, with the belief that makeup is no signi er of the personality or seriousness of the person wearing it, and that it does not take away from that person’s attitudes or beliefs. e need to address these ideas surrounding makeup and the enjoyment of stereotypically feminine things in general stems from antiquated ideas relating to the conditions of feminism that originated in the second wave feminism of the 1960s and 70s. At this time, women symbolically rejected femininity as it was then viewed as a symptom of oppression. e success and impact of this movement was largely positive, but since then the concept of femininity has had to gradually extricate itself from these negative connotations.
Adichie’s perspective can be applied to this year’s highest grossing lm so far: Barbie. e
character of Barbie displays, in a fun whirlwind of pink, that it is possible to show an interest in stereotypically feminine outlets such as fashion and makeup, while simultaneously remaining a feminist with high social and cultural awareness. e lm is being showered with praise for its feminist societal commentary and the highly-feminine style in which this was achieved.
Adichie’s perspective also applies to the discourse surrounding music artists Taylor Swi and Beyoncé as they each dominated music industry headlines with their highly sought-a er tours this
past summer. Documented across all social media platforms, these tours have so far had hundreds of thousands of people in attendance. Both women are wildly successful musical artists and respective performers, with millions of loyal fans across the globe. ey are typically feminine in their choice of appearance, a fact which in no way removes from their seriousness as artists or power as musical performers. ey are emblematic of the belief that choices in relation to appearance should not a ect the perception of a person.
However, cosmetic products are o en marketed in ways that make women want to wear them out of feelings of necessity, as opposed to genuine desire. Brands target insecurities and o er products to x perceived “ aws'' such as wrinkles, under-eye bags and acne in order to sell their products. Furthermore, through
the virtual media we consume, we are constantly subject to images of people who present an unrealistic, airbrushed portrayal of how we should look. In this way, it is di cult to know whether the decision to wear makeup and present a more feminine outward appearance is coming from our true selves, or is a result of subliminal messaging we receive from advertising and social media that tells us presenting as feminine equates to beautiful. Women must be allowed to present themselves however they like and be taken equally seriously whichever way; one of the views of the modern wave of feminism. rough lms like Barbie and the mass appreciation of artists like Beyoncé and Taylor Swi , it is clear that femininity and feminism complement one another. ese women choose to present a very feminine appearance and demand to be taken seriously anyway. But we must not let this choice be dictated to us by brands and the media who incidentally pro t from women’s various insecurities. ese particular recent cultural events are exciting for many as they o er a form of escapism from a typically patriarchal society. While there is nothing wrong with enjoying something that is stereotypically feminine, is there a point to be made about the consumerism attached to these outlets in particular, simply because they are so large? So far, under Greta Gerwig’s direction, Barbie has grossed $1.34 billion in the box o ce, leading to Gerwig being named the highest-grossing female director ever domestically, a highly admirable achievement and a big signi er of growing equality in the lm industry. A highly popular release, it is safe to say that people have been to see this lm in their droves. A lot of the lm’s success can be attributed to its inescapable marketing campaign. rough multiple methods, it was ensured that there was not a corner of the globe untouched by the sea of pink-themed advertisements. #Barbiecore took over our social media feeds – and our clothing choices. e lm has now collaborated with a number of brands including GAP, Primark and Zara to produce thematic clothing lines. ese brands are contributors to the enormous environmental threat that is fastfashion, involving the use of harmful materials, cheap foreign labour, contributions to water
wastage and severe pollution. In this case, all to ll the rails of highstreet shops with Barbie-themed clothing that compels consumers to part with their hard-earned money. Furthermore, the lm itself was made as a promotion for the brand Mattel, creator of Barbie™, and to the keen eye, was lled with product placement.
Tickets for Taylor Swi ’s Eras Tour were eye-wateringly expensive. In the US, resale prices ranged from $500 to $7,000. For Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour,
attendees saw similar price ranges, the most expensive costing upwards of $4,000. erefore the events were tainted with a certain elitism, because of which certain fans were priced out of buying a ticket to see their beloved artist. It seems a shame that fans of these artists would not be able to attend their concerts for nancial reasons. e bottom line: it is perfectly okay to enjoy the music of these artists and appreciate their work, but it would be prudent to have an awareness of the elitism of the current concert ticket system that prevents certain people from partaking through astronomical pricing systems.
e concept of femininity has always been nuanced. is past summer has shown through various outlets that it is something positive, enjoyable and even powerful. However there is caution to be had when it comes to the connection between femininity and consumerism. In this culture, if something can be sold, it will be. It is important that we recognise the importance of femininity outside the realm of marketing and consumerism, and know that it is not something to be bought.
For the fourth consecutive year, the rst edition of this paper has been published before a quarter of the undergraduate population has set foot on campus.
e rst cohort of students to experience a delayed start to their rst year are now entering their fourth and, for most, nal year of their degree. Yet again, delays in the release of Leaving Certi cate results have resulted in delays to the start of the College year for tens of thousands of rst year students.
e disadvantages of this are obvious to most. First years are given little chance to nd their feet as they play catch up and attempt to make the challenging transition to third level education while their older peers have had weeks to settle back in. Teaching for rst years is forced to become even more condensed than usual, with crucial learning material sometimes being omitted or crammed in.
e staggered start also places strain on returning students who volunteer extensively during Freshers’ Week, giving up valuable study time to organise countless events and provide support
to incoming students, whilst themselves navigating a rapid 11-week teaching term. Freshers’ Week, a rite of passage vital to the continuation of a vibrant society scene, could not exist without the hours many students devote to clubs, societies, and publications completely voluntarily. While staggered starts make this much less attainable, College continues to rely on students to deliver to their usual high standard.
Fingers are pointed every year as to where ultimate blame lies for this recurring hold-up, usually landing jointly on the Department of Education and the State Examinations Commission who
are vaguely ordered to put things back “the way they were before”. Following the announcement that this year’s results would be released on August 25, the rst time they would be released in August since before the pandemic, USI VP for Academic A airs Clodagh McGivern demanded that results return to their “pre-pandemic timeline”. College’s Vice-President Orla Sheils has claimed that “it is di cult to pinpoint an excuse” for the delay, however this is not entirely accurate. Such soundbites tend to obscure the fact that delays have actually come about as a result of measures to increase the fairness and the equitability of the Leaving Cert exams. 2022 saw the introduction of a deferred set of exams for students who experienced a bereavement or who had Covid-19 or another serious illness during the rst exam period.
is was repeated in 2023, updated to include students who su ered an extreme medical emergency during an exam. ough these arrangements bene t just a few hundred students every year, it is hard to argue in good conscience that they are reforms that should be rolled back.
Chief among the ngerpointers tend to be universities and their collective voice the Irish Universities Association (IUA), who fail to concede any responsibility for the delayed start for undergraduate students, instead
calling rhetorically for a return to old norms. is year, Leaving Cert results were released on August 25, less than two weeks behind the pre-pandemic schedule. In 2017, such a delay, while frustrating, would have been manageable for students and universities. A two-week delay to CAO o ers would have seen them released on September 4, three weeks prior to the start of the teaching term for all undergraduate years. With the introduction of semesterisation in 2018 however, the start of term was brought forward by two weeks, severely condensing the timeline between results and course o ers, and the start of university life for school-leavers.
Rather than single-handedly bringing about a delay to the start of college for rst years, the delayed release of Leaving Cert results has simply forced universities to realise that students already faced an alarmingly short turnaround between the o er of a course and the beginning of the academic term, almost entirely due to a change to university calendars just two years before the rst delays to the Leaving Cert (in Trinity’s case at least). Under the pre-pandemic, post-semesterisation timeline, many students had just two weeks to secure accommodation, gather textbooks, prepare to move out of home, and begin life in a new place, if they didn’t wish to miss out on Freshers’ Week. e reality
is that such a timeline was never satisfactory, and even a slight delay to the Leaving Cert – in the unlikely event of a global pandemic for example – would have unavoidable consequences for the start of the academic term.
Part of the problem lies in the fact that the Irish third-level sector
for an exceptionally streamlined process for school-leavers applying to colleges and universities, it means that higher education institutions can stand back and criticise aws in the process without themselves taking any responsibility for its organisation or execution. When Covid-19 led to enormous disruptions to the longstanding process and a need for di cult decisions, universities stepped back and let government and the CAO decide how students would be admitted to their ranks, foregoing the opportunity to nd a long-term solution which suited the needs of all parties.
has long le the responsibility of its admissions process entirely to secondary-level educators and government. ough this allows
It is not unreasonable to suggest that Irish universities, led by the IUA, need to reconsider their applications and admissions process in the long term, towards a process more closely aligned with the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) in the UK, and other international examples which see prospective students receive university o ers far in advance of their nal results. In the case of highly international universities such as Trinity, such a system would additionally bene t students from abroad wishing to study in Ireland. For now, HEIs could reduce the rhetoric they aim at government, and instead explore more pragmatic and solution-oriented approaches to removing staggered term starts, for the bene t of all students.
Trinity News is Ireland’s oldest, and most successful, student newspaper. Whether it’s to-the-minute news reporting, innovative video content, or insightful topical analysis on student and national issues, Trinity News has a long history of high-quality journalism.
Trinity News' writers have gone on to win awards across both Ireland and the UK in current a airs, collaborative journalism, website design, lifestyle and many more.
Because of our history and the standard of our work, Trinity News has many successful alumni currently working in media who spring-boarded their careers with the newspaper. We are always looking to get new people involved in writing for and contributing to the newspaper.
Whether you want to become involved on a long-term basis or just try your hand at contributing, we want to hear from you.
For each issue, our section sta prepare a list of article pitches or photo/art prompts, which any Trinity student is welcome to volunteer to ll. We also accept cold pitches of article ideas.
If you would like to write a piece, pitch an article or have any other questions about getting involved, please contact the relevant section editor or nd our writer groups on Instagram.
e iconic stacks have become an iconic Dublin sight, with an impressive legacy as a landmark feat of engineering
The Poolbeg Chimneys are almost synonymous with the idea of Dublin itself.
Situated east of Ringsend, they are commonly used as a reference point for beach-joggers and tourists alike. Whilst perhaps not as famous as the odd-looking Spire or the infamous Temple Bar, they harbour a tremendously intriguing history – one that may serve rst and foremost to demonstrate Ireland’s scienti c prowess, together with the city’s vibrant popular culture and aesthetic. e relationship between the three is indeed perichoretic: their con ation has proven essential to the landmark’s indelible status.
As any Dubliner would know, Dublin had a bit of a thing for chimneys. A remnant of its past, they are telling of the industrialism that swept through the city
in the 19th century. ough most of them have now been disestablished, three still remain:
(i) the Shanagarry Chimney;
(ii) the tendentious Ballsbridge Swastika Laundry chimney, and;
(iii) you guessed it… our wondrous (and comparatively anachronistic) Poolbeg stacks – the erection of which, arguably, marked the end of this craze.
e chimneys were originally commissioned by the ESB in 1965 to meet the increasing consumption needs of Dublin’s citizens. Initial planning began nearly eight years before commission, and were headed by – inter alia – Maurice O’Sullivan. It was him who equally oversaw their design. To meet such needs the chimneys were calculated to be 207 metres tall, constructed using reinforced concrete, and generating at least 490 MW of energy. e team thus set out to foremostly lay down deep concrete foundations for stability and support; following which the slip-form method was utilised to controllably pour concrete to allow for the formwork to rise. Inside the concrete structure, a core was constructed to house the ues that would carry the hot gases from the power generation process. In e ect, the ues needed to be heat-resistant to withstand the high temperatures generated by the plant. All throughout, wind stability proved a major concern. Engineers were thus presciently le with the need to carefully ensure that the chimneys would withstand strong winds. e notorious red and white stripes were then painted onto the main structures, and in 1971 the longawaited endeavour had nally been completed. e rst two units cost the State £20,000,000.
e third unit, completed seven years therea er, cost the State
£40,000,000.
Whilst not exactly revolutionary in se, the Chimneys do lie adjacent to the Pigeon House generating station: the rst station in the world to generate three-phase power – now the most common method used by electric grids to transfer power. Returning to the Chimneys, it must be noted that the aforementioned slipshod method – whilst praxis in most Western States – was still considered technically advanced at the time; especially when utilised in the context of a scheme as grand as that of the Chimneys. Further, their remarkable height and slender pro le were built to perpetually defy prevailing wind forces. us born from meticulous
ART BY ALICE GOGARTY FOR TRINITY NEWSengineering and technical prowess, they stand as enduring examples of innovation and utility; their towering stature a conversation between physical reality and aspiration. Beyond their structural marvel, the Poolbeg Chimneys encompassed other compelling scienti c facets. eir role as part of the Poolbeg Generating Station was generally dovetailed with impressive thermodynamics and environmental science. Regarding the former, the heat-resistant ues within the colossal columns served as conduits for hot gases generated during electricity production. is ensured e cient energy conversion. With respect to the latter, it is important to note that, as air quality awareness grew, the structures assumed a role in understanding the impact of industrial activities on the atmosphere: indeed, their presence fostered dialogues about urban air pollution and sustainability.
Currently, units 1 and 2 have a design output of 120 MW; whereas unit 3 has a design output of 271 MW. Both use a turbo-alternator (though supplied from di erent countries). Uniquely among power stations run by the Electricity Supply Board, all three units in the thermal plant can currently re on oil or gas, the latter being supplied to the site via the Bord Gáis network.
More than anything, however, the Chimneys are renowned for their domineering presence in popular culture. ese red and white sentinels that pierce Dublin’s sky bear not only the weight of their concrete cores but also the city’s cultural signi cance; they are woven threads in the tapestry of Dublin’s identity.
In the grand theatre of Irish culture, the chimneys share the stage with luminaries like U2 and James Joyce. U2’s music video for
“Pride (In e Name of Love)” captures the band against the backdrop of these iconic structures in an attempt to presumably make the Chimneys resolute and unwavering – veridical symbols of a resurgent Ireland (indeed anthem echoing U2’s very ethos). Just as Bono’s voice reverberates, so too do these structures.
And then there’s Joyce, the wordsmith who cra ed Dublin into a literary canvas. e chimneys, with their distinctive hues, paint strokes of familiarity across the cityscape. In Ulysses, Dedalus is said to have ‘turned northeast and crossed the rmer sands towards the Pigeon House’. ough not exactly representative of the Chimneys, Joyce did e ectively immortalise the general territory upon which the stacks now stand – implicitly giving it connotations of integrity to the city’s identity.
On a parenthetical note, one Patrick O’Reilly had planned to adorn the Chimneys with lights, in order to obtain a daily night time display similar to that evidenced with the Ei el Tower in Paris. ough talks had taken place with the ESB in 2006, not a word of it has been since spilled. One hopes this brilliant idea may soon come to fruition.
ese chimneys are not mere concrete; they’re conduits of collective memory. Protected since July 2014, they stand as witnesses to Dublin’s transformation. Amid the hustle and bustle of busy city life, they have rmly stood still, as a silent chorus in the city’s ongoing symphony. eir towering presence has weathered shi ing winds, political currents, and artistic endeavours. Now, as Dubliners look to the chimneys, one may only hope that they may get a glimpse both of history and industrial resplendence.
An examination of the science behind the autumnal transformation of trees
behind the phenomenon, together with its symbolic meaning, so that he may roam campus never without a thought in his mind, continuously reminded of the wondrous scienti c (and otherwise) processes that underlie the melli uous nature that surrounds us.
e Scienti c Process
As the warmth of summer gradually gives way to the cool embrace of autumn, the trees undergo a remarkable transition.
shorter and temperatures decline, chlorophyll production wanes. is reduction in chlorophyll levels allows other pigments to emerge, showcasing the stunning spectrum of colours that de ne autumn landscapes. Among these pigments are carotenoids, responsible for the warm yellows and oranges that are reminiscent of the setting sun. ese pigments, present in leaves throughout the year, e ectively come to the forefront as chlorophyll recedes.
Symbolic Signi cance
Browning extends an invitation to re ect on the cycles of nature and the eeting nature of moments. e process encapsulates the essence of change, serving as a reminder that nothing in the natural world remains static, impermeable. It encourages us to pause and witness the gentle dance of transformation that occurs year a er year, as trees shed their green attire in favour of a more subdued palette. is change, while seemingly gradual,
holds profound wisdom. e leaves, as they fall to the ground, carpeting the earth in a tapestry of reds, yellows, and oranges, o er a tangible representation of the cyclical nature of life. eir descent serves as a reminder that even as one phase comes to an end, another is poised to begin.
As we prepare to head back onto campus, we are reminded of sights that bring us nothing but the purest joy. For some, the mere thought of meeting friends long unseen may do just the trick; for others, the picture may di er. If one thing is certain, however, it’s that we all seem to marvel at the browning of leaves that precedes the shedding of trees in winter.
e purpose of this short note is to educate the reader on the process
What’s the appeal behind the latest student gadget?
e leaves, once adorned in a vibrant shade of green, begin to reveal an array of colours, hitherto concealed. is shi in coloration is the product of a con uence of factors, including sunlight, temperature uctuations, and the chemistry inherent within the leaves themselves.
Chlorophyll, the pigment responsible for the green in leaves, plays a pivotal role during the warmer months. e pigment is instrumental in photosynthesis, the process through which plants harness sunlight to produce energy. However, as days grow
The air fryer has become a beloved kitchen appliance for preparing revamped home-cooked meals, spiking in popularity in recent years. e domestic gadget has bene ted from substantial marketing hype and endless social media mentions – but what is the appliance, and how does it work?
Although coined a “fryer”, this may perhaps be a slight misnomer, as it may be more accurately described as a small high-intensity convection oven. An air fryer uses hot air, rather than hot oil, to cook food by convection and emulate traditional frying. Convection is the process by which food is heated by a moving heat source, such as the hot air in an oven, or even the motion of boiling water in a pot. It has a fan that circulates hot air more e ciently than in a large oven, allowing the dehydration of the surface of foods rapidly and with limited amounts of oil. Convection baking has been a popular cooking methodology
since the origin of culinary arts, and air fryers (despite their name) use the same physics of hot air transferring heat to food. e key di erence, however, is that food cooking in an air fryer sits in a basket that has special channels and vents in its bottom and sides. ese channels and vents allow the heated air to rapidly circulate underneath, across and over your food, mimicking the e ect of submerging it in hot oil.
Air fryers are a wonderful invention that aid in the process of making avoursome and textured food without any additional oil. e cooking method used with the air fryer is signi cantly healthier than others, as there is notably less oil involved. Oil is a fantastic medium for cooking because it retains and transports heat so well, but it also substantially increases the calorie content of the dish being prepared. Oil is a type of fat which increases lowdensity lipoproteins in the blood. is is a form of bad cholesterol, thus having thepotential to create an artery blockage, and can be harmful to heart health.
Concerns have been raised in the past surrounding air fryers and their indirect contribution to health problems, such as fostering types of cancers. However, this assumption is false, as no scienti c evidence exists to suggest that air fryers cause cancers.
erefore, the equipment is completely safe to use, unless any food is burnt. is can lead to
the release of unsafe chemicals –which is the case with any method of cooking that is adopted and is not exclusive to air fryers. As long as any cooked food is not charred until its exterior is visibly dark all over, air fried food is perfectly safe and healthy.
Furthermore, a majority of Irish households are struggling with the cost of living crisis, with energy bills in particular a cause for concern. Optimising energy e ciency is an area in which costs can be cut, including within the realm of cooking food. Using an air fryer for 15 minutes uses over 40% less energy than one hour of oven use, as the smaller size tends to maximise air ow and heat food much quicker than an oven. Most
air fryers also do not require any preheating time, making them even more e cient. One could pay in the hundreds for an air fryer, but many great quality air fryers are available on the market within a 50-200 euro price range, with the median price being 120 euros. While perhaps being more expensive than the typical microwave, its functions and range surpass those of a standard microwave; and they seem to be certainly cheaper than a majority of electrical and gas ovens on sale.
In recent times, the air fryer has begun trending on social media platforms, such as TikTok, time and time again, with many accounts sharing hacks about how to produce a wide variety of
We are also le to resonate metaphorically: we must embrace change with open arms. For, the most beautiful transformations o en occur in the most unassuming of moments. e act of letting go – again, depicted by the falling of the leaves – thus mirrors the unburdening release of things that are no longer of use to us; allowing for a newer, more positive growth.
Browning is, in ne, a testament to both the beauty of science, as well as the impermanence and endurance of the cycle of renewal. As we witness this annual transformation, may we be struck with inspiration, and, in turn, discover a more profound connection with the ever-changing world that surrounds us.
unique foods quickly and easily with an air fryer. Unique trends of recent times include the reheating of baked potatoes and preparing cinnamon rolls. e Shaba Kitchen, who created a step-bystep video of air fry nachos gained over 11.4 million views on that video alone.
ere is a running list of reasons to invest in an air fryer: speed, convenience, energy conservation, and a healthier cooking method – all while still resulting in crispy and moist foods. e air fryer de nitely seems to surpass any myths and produce great results in the kitchen; and certainly seems like it is going to stay around as one of the most popular kitchen appliances of the decade.
A brief guide to the World Cup ‘23
It seems to be a law of nature that, regardless of how well the Irish national rugby team performs throughout the season, they will not make it through the quarter nals of the World Cup. Since the inception of the World Cup in 1987, Ireland have yet to break through the glass ceiling of the quarter- nals. is has le rugby fans across the country wondering if the World Cup is within our grasp. Ireland’s hopes for a rst time
World Cup do not seem to be unfounded. ey are the number one ranked national team in the world, followed by South Africa in second place, France in third and New Zealand in fourth. is is without mentioning that Ireland is coming o a Grand Slam victory in this year’s Six Nations, following a historical rst series victory against New Zealand in 2022. ose who were not painfully aware of Ireland’s history with the World Cup may be led to think that Ireland is surely the favourite for the upcoming tournament. However, it seems that with each World Cup year comes talk and rumours of this nally being the year that Ireland is going to bring it home, only for those hopes to be dashed either in the quarter nals or group stages. In 2019, Ireland’s shock loss to hosts Japan led them to a quarter nal against New Zealand. 2015 saw Ireland’s
pyrrhic victory against France. However, Ireland, unlike other national teams, do not particularly prime themselves for the World Cup. Whereas teams like France, New Zealand, and South Africa train and compete with the aim of peaking for the World Cup, Ireland has a tendency to spread its focus evenly throughout the four year cycle. Ireland is not content to sacri ce a Six Nations or a World Cup. While not essentially a mistake or defect, it is a strategic decision by the IRFU that can go some way toward explaining Ireland’s failures in previous years.
It’s possible that this focus on every tournament might be the downfall of the Irish rugby team. However, if Ireland’s recent success in the past two years is to be any indication, there shouldn’t be concern regarding Ireland’s ability to top pool B (featuring Ireland, South Africa, Scotland, Tonga and
Romania). Certainly the greatest challenge Ireland will be facing is South Africa. Currently ranked just below Ireland at number two in the world, as well as boasting an unrivalled forward unit, South Africa are a threat. However, Ireland defeated South Africa in their most recent encounter. Scotland, while not on the same level as the Springboks, will not make life easy for Andy Farrell’s men. e Scots will be aiming to get out of pool B, and they will de nitely see beating Ireland as their easiest way out. e rest of the teams in the pool are tier 2 rugby union nations who, barring a 2019 style upset, should not generate signi cant trouble for Ireland in the pool stage. What is likely to be Ireland’s greatest challenge in the World Cup will be the quarter nal, likely against France or New Zealand. South Africa will likely qualify
from the pool B and if Ireland wants to take the title home they may have to confront the number two ranked in the world more than once. Ireland could also come up against an o -form English side, who’s recent loss to Fiji wouldn’t suggest that they are on top form. However, the World Cup is a di erent kettle of sh and England may pose a threat.
It is clear that the answer to the question of “can Ireland win the World Cup?” is a resounding yes. However, if the history of the Irish team has taught us anything, what the Irish team can do and will do are di erent things. is ongoing tournament is possibly Ireland’s most promising opportunity to win the World Cup, but Ireland will need to break the quarter nal “spell” that has been held over us for so long. As any Mayo footballer knows, the mental challenge can be as great as the physical challenge.
A big season beckons for Trinity Women’s Rugby
Rugby and Trinity are synonymous entities. Evidence of the sport being played in College Park dates back to the 1780s, while Dublin University Football Club can trace organised existence back to at least 1854. College has proudly hosted over 150 Irish capped athletes, with 2022/23 Sports Scholars Ryan Baird and Joe McCarthy recently lining out for the World Cup warm-up match against Italy.
DUFC Women’s has been a less consistent presence upon the roll of honour trotted out when discussing the sport and its relationship with Trinity. However, it’s a club rmly on the rise in College, both in terms of its reputation and its on-pitch achievements.
e 2021/22 season saw DUWFC win promotion, for the rst time in its history, up to Division 1 of the Leinster League. In conversation with Grace Jackson, Vice Captain 2023/24, last year (the rst spent in Division 1), was described as “tough”, but a “massive learning experience for the team”.
“Playing in Division 1 was a huge step up, since obviously there’s that di erence in ability and standard of play from Division 2, it was a tough year but it was great to see how all the girls really stepped up to the challenge and made the most of it.”
A tough year it certainly was, with DUWFC having to swallow tough losses to the likes of Blackrock College RFC, Old Belvedere Women’s, and Railway Union RFC. It was a baptism of re for a squad which pulls quite a proportion of its panel from those who pick up the sport for the rst time in Trinity. According to Jackson, however, this blend of athletes new and old to the sport contributes hugely “to the family atmosphere we’re really proud to have in the squad”.
Notwithstanding the aforementioned challenges of the season, the team also enjoyed plenty of highlights along the way. Pointing to examples such as a visit from Oxford University RFC to Ireland, where DUWFC claimed a fantastic victory over the Dark Blues in College Park, and
an outstanding win against DCU in biblical conditions, Jackson lauded such games as examples of the squad’s spirit, which will surely be evident again in the 2023/24 season.
Yet nowhere last season was this spirit more evident than in DUWFC’s playo match against PortDara RFC. A win would have seen Trinity retain their spot in Division 1 for 2023/24, whereas a loss would have seen relegation back to Division 2. Giving a superb performance, DUWFC secured a huge 37-0 victory at unquestionably the most crucial match of their season.
Recognition of DUWFC’s exhibitionary game was made at the annual Trinity College Sports Awards, hosted by Trinity Sport and Dublin University Central Athletic Club (DUCAC). Squad member Ashley Palermo accepted the award for “Performance of the Year” for the playo match, with tribute paid to DUWFC’s tenacity of spirit when it came to the strength of squad morale required to grind out a victory and solidify their position in Division 1 for another season. At a night committed to celebrating the best of sporting life in College, DUWFC’s triumph was a worthy recipient.
In the regular season, numbers typically permit DUWFC to eld only a 1st XV, however in the summers of 2022 and 2023, members of the team have travelled to France to take part in
the Paris 7’s tournament. As a fastpaced alternative to traditional 15’s rugby, Trinity claimed a win in the tournament in 2022 and had a “fantastic time” again in 2023.
Other standout season events include the annual Colours clash against traditional rivals University College Dublin in the manner of other historic sports of College. Held at the Bel eld Bowl in 2023 with hosting rights to return to Trinity in 2024, last season’s clash didn’t fall in DUWFC’s favour, but saw superb execution with
“some of the team’s best rugby of the season” played in challenging conditions on the day.
In terms of the season to come, moods are already high in the encampment. Preseason commenced with vigour some weeks ago, and regular training will be held, generally in College Park, on Tuesdays and ursdays for the duration of the year. In seasons gone by, DUWFC have enthusiastically welcomed both those with and without rugby experience to the squad,
and this year is no di erent. A culture of “all are welcome” permeates the Club and is a bedrock trait of the reputation which they have garnered for themselves, both around College and on the Leinster rugby circuit. With the stated aim of improving upon last year’s League position, DUWFC have big goals for the season ahead and will undoubtedly be a mainstay of sporting success in Trinity for years to come.
With sunsets creeping in earlier and temperatures beginning to dip, the harbingers of the rugby season are well and truly upon us. A fresh bout of rugby fever is on the horizon as we enter the autumn months, and this year, it’s likely to be more infectious than ever before. All eyes are on the Irish squad as they embark on their Rugby World Cup campaign, riding the high of March’s Six Nations Grand Slam victory. Following Ireland’s stellar performance in the under20s World Cup this summer, expectations are high for the world number one side as they seek to become the rst Irish team to progress beyond the quarter- nal stage. On campus, pre-season buzz has hit College Park as DU Rugby’s men’s and women’s squads resume training and gear up for their return to competitive play with a number of warm-up matches. However, the growing anticipation for what will surely be an exciting season of sport for rugby fans comes against a backdrop of rising concern for one of rugby union’s greatest challenges: concussion. Pre-season e orts have coincided with new revelations in the longterm e ects of head injury in the sport, prompting concern from medical researchers and calls for greater intervention by governing bodies.
Concussion is the most common injury obtained by rugby union players, accounting for 13% of injuries acquired by men and 10% of injuries acquired by women observed in the 2021/22 Irish Rugby Injury Surveillance Project. It is de ned as a traumatic brain injury caused by a force applied to the brain. Diagnosing concussion can prove a unique challenge, particularly during gameplay, due to the broad range of associated
symptoms. Depending on where the force has been applied to the brain, players may showcase one or more symptoms that can vary in severity, such as headache, nausea, impaired balance, amnesia, or loss of consciousness. Symptoms of concussion can also develop over time; some symptoms may not be observed until 12-24 hours a er the initial trauma, further exacerbating the challenge of identifying the condition during play and ensuring e ective treatment.
e importance of protecting against and e ectively treating concussion has been highlighted by new ndings from the Neurovascular Research Laboratory at the University of South Wales (USW) on the impact of recurrent concussion on rugby players beyond active playing years. e peer-reviewed study, published last month by the Physiological Society, marks one of the most extensive examinations of the e ect of brain injury on rugby union players, and assessed the repercussions of repeated concussions obtained over two decades of play for retired athletes. A group of 20 former rugby players were matched with controls with no prior history of concussions of a similar age, education, and tness, and they were assessed for “concussion-related symptoms, blood-borne biomarkers, brain blood ow measurements, and cognitive function tests”.
e study found evidence of permanent consequences in athletes retired beyond their active career, with long-term e ects including accelerated cognitive decline, impaired nemotor coordination and increased susceptibility to dementia. A decrease in nitric oxide availability in the brain resulting in a reduced blood ow was identi ed as a leading cause for the cognitive impairments observed. Nitric
oxide is a key chemical that is integral to regulating cerebral blood ow and ensuring a necessary supply of oxygen and glucose to support brain function.
A study carried out by USW in 2021 had previously linked low nitric oxide levels to rugby union, with a fall in levels detected in players following as little as one season of play. Crucially, this marks the rst time these consequences have been observed beyond active play on a long-term basis. Common side e ects associated with low levels of nitric oxide include memory loss, di culty concentrating, and a decline in cognitive function.
Lead investigator Professor Damian Bailey of USW praised the new study as the rst “to determine why contact events caused by the sheer physicality of playing rugby union is bad for the brain in the long-term”. He stressed the importance of such research in protecting the health of players over time: “By understanding the underlying mechanisms and biomarkers of brain health, we can better protect players throughout their careers and develop targeted interventions to improve brain blood ow and cognitive function.” While the results of the study have rami cations for other physically intensive sports where head injuries are prevalent, Professor Bailey stressed the poor consideration of concussion during the active careers of rugby players as a major concern: “One of the most striking observations from our research was the lack
of concussion awareness during the active careers of these retired athletes. Players o en continued playing despite experiencing classic concussion symptoms.” Although further research is required to clarify the impact of recurrent concussion injuries over time in players, it is not the rst time concerns have been raised regarding the treatment of concussion in rugby union. In 2022, former Irish rugby players David Cockery, Declan Fitzpatrick and Ben Marshall (followed later in March 2023 by Munster’s Tony Buckley) lodged High Court proceedings against the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), World Rugby, and their respective provincial clubs over treatment of concussion. is came o the back of a number of similar cases taken in the southern hemisphere and UK, with many high-pro le claimants such as former Welsh captain Ryan Jones and England’s Steve ompson alleging that governing bodies failed to take su cient action to protect players from long-term injury or cognitive e ects. More recently, the IRFU came under re for a “misleading” statement featured in match day programmes distributed during Ireland’s warm-up victory over Italy. Players’ welfare group Progressive Rugby condemned their dismissal in the programme that “amateur players are not at risk of mental health or neurological disorders later in life a er exposure to repeated head trauma”, with Professor Bill Ribbans blasting
the presentation of “information lacking accuracy and credibility’’ as “hugely disappointing” by the IRFU.
As rugby governing bodies continue to grapple with the challenge of concussion, further research will prove imperative to ensuring players, sta , and regulators can make responsible decisions to protect the longterm health of athletes. Moreover, continued research e orts will help bolster demands for reform of treatment of concussion in the sport and inspire e ective change. With an ongoing study by the IRFU currently examining the e ectiveness of rugby headgear in preventing concussion, and World Rugby trialling lower tackle height laws for community rugby to avoid head injury, it is hoped that the coming months and years will see e ective change by regulatory bodies that will improve health outcomes for players. However, it is highly unlikely that considerable change will be implemented before the end of the season, nevermind before the close of its biggest tournament this autumn. Rather, while research is ongoing, it is crucial that rugby governing bodies address the issue of concussion head-on with a greater level of transparency than seen previously. Open discourse and engagement with researchers will ensure that the looming spectre of concussion is tackled e ectively, and prevent it from casting a shadow over the buzz of rugby fever for many seasons to come.
Tackling concussion continues to be a major priority for rugby union as evidence emerges of the lifelong repercussions of the sport’s most common injuryPHOTO VIA CREATIVE COMMONS
Trinity’s women’s soccer team members draw inspiration from Ireland’s rst ever women’s World Cup
As the 2023-2024 academic year “kicks
o ”, the future of the Dublin University Ladies Football Club (DU Ladies FC) looks brighter than ever.
e year is shaping up to be an optimistic one not just for Trinity, but for Irish soccer as a whole.
e 2023 Women’s World Cup marked the rst time that the Irish women’s soccer team participated
in the competition.
During a momentous time for the nation, the world witnessed the “girls in green” play their hearts out. Irish Captain and Arsenal player Katie McCabe was undoubtedly the standout player, with her corner-kick goal against Canada set to live on in the minds of soccer fans for years to come.
Outside of the World Cup, several players in the Irish women’s national team have been transferred to top English Premier League sides. Irish goalkeeper Megan Walsh has been transferred to West Ham United, while forward Heather Payne was signed to Everton. Domestic growth has also been notable, which will undoubtedly further serve the national team in years to come.
Much like their national counterparts, DU Ladies FC has experienced a signi cant amount of success in recent months. Last April saw the Trinity team win the rst edition of the Women European Football Tournament (WEFT) in Paris. e tournament consisted of three days of competition and six European teams. Given that this had been the rst time that the competition
was held, Trinity’s achievement will certainly not be overlooked. On the topic of their win, team member Ingrid Tientcheu commented: “It was an unbelievable experience and we had no doubt we would win. I am so happy to be part of the most amazing team.”
Tientcheu told Trinity News about the inspiration that the Irish national team has provided her with as a player. “It was incredible to see them qualify, it really has encouraged me to continue to play football and I feel like it has impacted my passion, “ she said. “ ey’ve also been great idols to look up to, not only for me, but for young women and girls around the country.”
Indeed, the DU Women’s FC team has served as an important stepping stone into professional soccer for some. e latest example of this is 23 year old Sadhbh Doyle, a h year Trinity dentistry student who plays with the Women’s Premier Division team Peamount United. A massive credit to DU Ladies FC, Doyle was the recipient of a Trinity sports scholarship and even represented Ireland at the under 15 to under
19 level.
Having been nominated for the Football Association of Ireland’s Under 19 International Award in 2020, Doyle previously told Trinity News: “Even though the quali ers and elites tournaments we played in seemed like a lifetime ago, it’s nice to think of all the hard work and e ort you have put in throughout the years.”
Needless to say, Doyle’s hard
work will not be overlooked. In fact, judging by previous squad choices, there is a possibility that Doyle could join the Irish women’s national team. Coach Vera Pauw included Doyle’s Peamount teammates, such as defender Tara O’Hanlon and mid elder Erin McLaughlin, in the Irish World Cup squad, illustrating her focus on the club.
While remaining controversial among pundits, but universally adored by intercounty players, the GAA’s second “split-season” rumbles on. e theatrics of All Ireland football and hurling are but a distant memory, replaced by the more local, parochial club leagues and championships. Here is a brief round up of what has been happening throughout the country.
e split season is still supplying plenty of headlines, with comments ranging from “unmitigated disaster” to the best
thing since sliced pan. While xture congestion and the surrender of the traditional GAA September slot to the Premier League have been well documented, a new issue has raised its head. Many club championships have remained unmoved from their traditional late August start, despite many counties having been out of the All Ireland since early July.
Tyrone’s club championship didn’t start until the Junior championship got underway last weekend, over two months since Kerry beat them in the quarter nal on the 1st of July. Fermanagh’s championships at all grades also begins this week, a long time since their Tailtenn Cup exit.
Kerry have moved their senior club championship from early spring to the end of August, a move deemed tting of the prestige the competition is now held in. While the County C’ship is still the main competition, the dominance of Kerry’s regional teams is making Kerry’s 8 senior clubs reassess their priorities.
Kerry GAA have also extended Jack O’Connor’s tenure as manager of the senior footballers for a further 2 years. Jack, who has led the Kingdom for the last 2 years, was re-elected with unanimous votes from club delegates. Next year will be his 10th year in charge,
with previous stints from 2004-’06 and ’09-’12.
Interim O aly football manager Martin Murphy, who took charge a er the tragic loss of Liam Kearns last March, declined an opportunity to manage O aly in 2024. He has been replaced by Declan Kelly, who led the Faithful County’s U20’s to their second ever U21/20 All Ireland in 2021. According to a statement from the county board “Declan’s coaching personnel will include Vinny Mooney – a former Shannonbridge and O aly footballer who was a coach and selector with the Kilmacud Crokes All-Ireland Club winning side this
year and Ciaran Kilmurray from St Loman’s, Mullingar”.
Cavan and Lacken goalkeeper Raymond Galligan is set to take over from Mickey Graham as Cavan senior football manager.
e 2020 All Star winning goalie is taking the road less travelled, as he is set to go straight from intercounty player to intercounty manager, pending rati cation at the next county board meeting. Galligan, who was Mickey Graham’s captain during his ve year tenure, is yet to announce his retirement as a player, but it is not expected that he will occupy a player manager role.
A short look at what is happening in the GAA throughout the countryPHOTO VIA CREATIVE COMMONS
Recipe for Success
Tried and Tested Tips: Habits to Make From the Beginning
Over the Stigma around Sex Toys
Editor-in-Chief
Life Editor
Life Deputy Editor
Arts & Culture Editor
Deputy Editors
Sex & Relationships
Editor
Deputy Editors
Societies Editor
Deputy Editors
Student Living Editors
Deputy Editors
Food & Drink Editor
Deputy Editors
explores the many di erent and distinct paths
Trinity students take a er leaving college
Trinity College Dublin with its eons-old history and enormous community, continues to be a catalyst for dreams, a canvas for aspirations, and a well of opportunities for a myriad of students.
In this exploration of the lives of ve Trinity alumni and students, I uncover the diverse roads they’ve gone down and the invaluable lessons Trinity has equipped them with for the real world.
Aditya Shrivastava: Navigating the Real-Life OpenWorld Game
Aditya’s journey began at Trinity as part of the international engineering program, but his time at the university was about more than just academics. For Aditya, Trinity was a place to
build memories, friendships, and, of course, skills. “College gave me unforgettable memories,” he shared, “and I’m excited about the adventures ahead.”
Graduating from Trinity, Aditya felt like he had entered a real-life open-world game. He plunged into the world of so ware development at SIG and then embarked on a stimulating adventure in Vietnam: “I dove into so ware development at SIG and then jet-setted to Vietnam, soaking in its rich culture – something I yearned for during those college days,” he recounted.
A true testament to his connection with Trinity, Aditya’s involvement with university societies continues even a er graduation. As an alumnus, he remains an active member of the DJ Society, a thread that ties his present to his cherished college days.
Aditya’s post-college plans glitter with ambitions - from globetrotting to DJ’ing and creating music. ese were once distant dreams during his college years, but now beckon as exciting possibilities. “Something I really wanted to do during college but was broke and had no time,” he chuckled.
Aditya’s advice to TCD students is simple: “Don’t stress out too much, try to maintain a study-
life balance, join societies, and go to the events & trips,” he advised, adding a light-hearted touch, “get drunk at the Pav at least once”. It’s a reminder that the holistic college experience encompasses both academic pursuits and the embrace of life’s vibrant moments.
Shannon McGreevy: Blending Science with Business Acumen
For Shannon McGreevy, a Trinity grad in Biochemistry, the academic journey extended beyond Trinity’s walls. She is pursuing a Master of Science in Management program at the University of Notre Dame, blending her passion for science with a newfound interest in business.
While Shannon’s post-college life brought excitement, it wasn’t devoid of hurdles. “Not having access to resources like counselling, college health, and the library is something that I didn’t realise I would miss so much,” she recounted. She felt like her Trinity-honed analytical and writing skills proved invaluable in her Master’s programme and subsequent job search in the world of Life Sciences Consulting, a path she hadn’t originally considered during her Trinity days.
Shannon’s advice to students echoes the importance of cherishing every moment and embracing one’s journey through
Kate Henshaw
Abby Cleaver
Lara Monahan
Jayna Rohslau
Ciara Chan
Ciana Meyers
Anna Lyons
Alice Matty
Emma Whitney
Honey Morris
So a Rooney
Siobhán Walsh
Emma Rouine
Elisa Eckstein
Akshita Hunka
Eoghan Conway
Lara Bhakdi
Hannah Viljoen
college life. Whether a nalyear student relishing campus camaraderie or a rst-year student experimenting and avoiding academic pressure, Shannon highlights the importance of Trinity life.
Arvind Behl: Exploring the Intersections of Interests
Arvind, a third-year student at Trinity majoring in Economics & Sociology, embarked on a transformative internship journey at Bacardi India, diving deep into the complexities of the alcohol market. “My internship at Bacardi India was an eye-opener,” Arvind remarked, re ecting on the wealth of knowledge he acquired.
In Trinity, Arvind is not just dedicated to academics; he’s also involved in social rugby and has even initiated his own 5-a-side team with friends, named “Laszlo United”, in honour of the TCDSU President.
Looking forward, Arvind plans to gain diverse work experience before pursuing an MBA. He emphasises the value of understanding di erent industries and roles through trial and error to discover one’s true calling.
Trinity, Arvind attests, taught him invaluable life lessons about independence, scheduling, and the rewards of consistent hard work. His advice? “Discover your unique selling point to not only nd enjoyment in your work but also excel at it and turn it into a career.”
Shane O’Donnell: Bridging the Gap Between Academia and Practice
Shane, a third-year Electronic Engineering student, did a summer internship at Electricity Supply Board (ESB), where he worked on a blend of administrative tasks and hands-on, on-site responsibilities like laying high-voltage cables and selecting optimal equipment.
is internship turned out to be a pivotal moment for Shane, as it provided clarity in choosing his engineering discipline. Shane recommends internships to every student, as they can help nd their niche and decide their career path.
As Shane considers life beyond college, he is considering pursuing a master’s degree in electrical engineering (MAI) with a job placement option, as well as other choices.
Shane advises students to remember that college is not high school and so we should take advantage of every opportunity to explore and learn. He believes that students should recognize the uniqueness of college life and carve one’s own path.
Neil Ryan: Bridging Science and Business
In his fourth year of studying Pharmacy, Neil embarked on a work placement at Jazz Pharmaceuticals, aiming to apply his pharmaceutical knowledge in a business context. His journey has been lled with challenges, from adapting to living alone during Covid times to transitioning to online classes.
Neil’s story highlights the adaptability and resilience that Trinity instilled in him. He describes college life as liberating, lled with abundant opportunities and resources. Neil believes Trinity’s vast array of societies, along with its liberating atmosphere, helped him ne-tune his interests and embrace the freedom of adulthood.
He encourages fellow students not to let stress and studies consume them entirely. “You’re an adult now,” he reminds us, emphasising the importance of making friends, discovering passions, and embracing the transition into adulthood.
Trinity alumni are evidence of the vast array of experiences and opportunities that Trinity o ers. From so ware development to life sciences consulting, from MBAs to Pharmaceuticals, Trinity’s alumni and students have blossomed in various elds, armed with the skills and life lessons they acquired during their time at Trinity.
Cra ed by the pursuit of knowledge, inquisitiveness, and determined dedication to one’s interests, Trinity’s motto, “Perpetuis futuris temporibus,” echoes a timeless ode to a promising tomorrow. It is this sentiment that rings true through the individual experiences of Trinity’s students, whose journeys are only the start of an exciting voyage.
to experience a gradual decline in libido as they age.
Unpredictable Spikes
If you’ve experienced a lack of sexual drive in your college years, chances are you’re not alone. Libido is a psychological term that describes the drive or energy for sexual activity, which varies dramatically from one person to the next. It also di ers depending on an individual’s preferences and life circumstances. Libido is complex and is in uenced by biological, psychological and social factors. Biologically, sex hormones and neurotransmitters regulate libido. In short, sexual desire can be a ected by a variety of factors: medical conditions, hormone levels, medications, lifestyle, and relationship problems to name a few.
Libido roughout the Years
Libido typically tends to develop in early teenagehood; some people may express romantic or sexual interest between ages 1012. Libido naturally reaches a peak in males during their adolescence or in their 20s, while women reach their sexual peak during the mid30s, just as men’s sexual interest begins to wane.
Many young people experience an absence of libido early during their adulthood, which can sometimes coincide with rst-time sexual encounters. At times, adults will experience no sexual desire at all. However, there is a distinction to be made between asexuality and low libido: the two independent experiences are indeed characterised by a lack of sexual desire and activity, but they are not synonymous. Asexuality refers to a person’s capacity to experience sexual attraction for others, while libido is a measurement of interest in having sex. Our capacity for sexual attraction does not equate to interest in having sex. Asexuality is an identity label that carries no underlying condition, whereas low libido is a temporary state of being which can at times be re ective of a larger medical issue.
Levels of testosterone usually decrease throughout a man’s lifetime, reaching their peak in teenage years and declining therea er. Mirroring this dip in testosterone, libido also tends to decline as men get older. One’s libido is fostered throughout adulthood, which is also when it tends to reach its climax; it is common for both men and women
Libido naturally varies from person to person and can uctuate throughout your life due to hormonal changes, age and stress. A low libido is a decrease in the frequency or intensity of the sexual desire that you once had, characterised by a decreased interest in any type of sex; a decrease in thoughts of sex; or feeling distressed about having a low desire for sexual activity. is is more common than one might think, occurring in one in ve men, and even more frequently in women. Reduced libido can be temporary or long-term. Many people experience a drop in sex drive more than once during their lives.
A reduced sex drive can be a side e ect of some medications. In particular, some antidepressants have an established side e ect of decreasing libido. Many factors besides medical conditions and their side e ects can contribute to a lowered sex drive, including performance anxiety, fatigue, familiarity, depression and sexual turn-o s, among others. So if you’re experiencing a lack of libido in your college years, this is understandable/isn’t surprising .
Women and men typically experience a lowered sexual desire as a result of varying conditions. For women, menopause, sexual dysfunction (such as vaginismus), infections (vaginal yeast infections/UTIs) or reproductive health conditions (i.e. endometriosis, PMS, PCOS, etc.) can all contribute to a declining sexual urge. Contraceptives like the pill, which contain hormones, can also decrease one’s interest in sex. Alongside this, a dip in oestrogen and an increased level of progesterone towards the end of the menstrual cycle can also cause a slump in desire.
While female libido levels tend to uctuate throughout menstruation cycles, male libido tends to uctuate over a shorter period with testosterone levels rising and falling throughout the day. In other ways, medical conditions that can lead to a decrease in sexual desire in men include low testosterone (male hypogonadism) or sexual dysfunction, such as erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation. Ultimately, random spikes in libido and its overall instability can have consequential e ects on focus, self-image or con dence, as well as intimacy with another partner.
e other end of the spectrum exists where one may have a relatively high sex drive. ere is nothing wrong with having a high sexual drive – it can be a perfectly natural part of a healthy sex life. However, an overly high libido may become a problem if it starts
to interfere with everyday life, such as sex addiction and sexual urges that may hinder the enjoyment of other activities.
Treatment Options
It may be possible to increase libido naturally. Although treatment for a lessened sex drive works on a case by case basis, it can include treatment for any underlying medical conditions, such as depression,
counselling or hormone therapy. Hormone therapy, including oestrogen therapy and oestrogen-progesterone/ progestin hormone therapy (EPT) may boost hormone levels and relieve some of the symptoms of menopause, including low libido. Similarly, hormone therapy for low testosterone deals with testosterone replacement therapy in the form of pills, creams, injections, patches, and others. Alternative medicines are also available, yet with less certain outcomes. One option is a herbal supplement blend called Avlimil, which has oestrogen-like e ects on the body. While oestrogen may boost your sex drive, it may also fuel the growth of certain breast cancers. Another option is a botanical massage oil called Zestra. It is applied to the clitoris, and may increase arousal and pleasure; however, it can result in mild burning in the genital area. Specialised clinics are available on Trinity campus to treat speci c ailments, or to seek further information close to home.
As mentioned above, one’s level of libido may uctuate throughout di erent life stages, and can be in uenced by a wide range of factors. ere’s no one correct libido level: any level is sustainable as long as you are comfortable with it. Inconsistencies in sex drive throughout your university years shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. However, if you want to in uence your level of libido, there are a few possibilities to in uence desire through hormone treatment, medication or lifestyle changes.
Sometimes it can feel like there are almost too many societies to keep track of. Some students might arrive in September with a handful of names in their back pockets. e Hist, e Phil, and DU Players are all some of the more proli c societies on campus and Irish students are likely to be vaguely familiar with at least one when they arrive. For international students though, it can be a di erent story. is is one of the ways cultural societies come into play. Whether it’s o ering a piece of home away from home, or an opportunity to explore other cultures, the work these societies do can o en go overlooked. With this in mind, Trinity News’ Societies team reached out to a few of them for comment and to hear what their committees had to say about them in their own words.
DU Hispanic Society
Q: What would you say is the Hispanic Society’s overall aim?
A: (DU Hispanic Society Committee): “We aim to promote
awareness and appreciation of all things Spanish and LatinAmerican, through events, talks, social media and more. DU Hispanic Society welcomes anyone who’d love to learn more about Hispanic culture, and we hope to provide a place for people of all ages, courses and cultures to get to know each other!”
Q: How much collaboration goes on between di erent cultural societies? I noticed a few overlapping events on di erent societies’ social media - it seems like a lovely way to meet new people, particularly for students from abroad.
A: “DU Hispanic Society can o en be found in collaboration with other Trinity societies, in particular other language and cultural societies. We love collaborations because they are a great opportunity to meet new friends, go to unique events and step out of your comfort zone!”
“Our rst event of the year is actually a collaboration with TCD French Society and e Hist. Come along to our Freshers’ Week Breakfast in the GMB between 10:00 am-noon on September Wednesday 20 to meet some new faces and sample some great food!”
Q: What are some of your most popular events?
A: “From weekly churros and co ee mornings to reggaeton classes, Hispanic Society has events for all. However, our highlights would de nitely be the annual Language Ball and our Reading Week trip abroad, which took us to Madrid last year!”
“We have lots of exciting events in the works for this year including food and drink tastings, cultural events, nights out and more! Keep up to date with every event through our weekly email and our Instagram page - @
tcdhispanicsoc.”
Q: “Finally, what would you say to any students looking to get involved in your society?”
A: “We think everybody should get involved if they have even the slightest interest in Hispanic culture! Whether you’re a fan of the fabulous food, music or culture, or are simply looking to improve your language skills and meet some new friends in college, DU Hispanic Society o ers all of the above. We are so excited to meet all our new members next year!”
TCD Japanese Society (JSOC)
Q: What would you say is the Japanese Society’s overall aim?
A: “Without trying to quote our constitution verbatim, our main aim is to promote Japanese language, arts, culture, and businesses amongst the students of Trinity College, Dublin as well as giving the Japanese students of Trinity a place to embrace their culture. As a college society in
general, our aim is to provide an open and welcoming community for those who share interests within the umbrella of Japanese culture to feel accepted and to meet people [with] similar interests. Both of these main aims are extremely important[…] You could say the rst one represents our purpose as a society while the second represents our identity.”
Q: How much collaboration goes on between di erent cultural societies?
A: “We are a really big fan of collaborating with other societies as much as possible. We o en hold collaborations with TCD Korean Society (KSOC) and TCD South-East Asian Society multiple times per year (in fact there will be a collaborative event as early as Freshers’ Week for us!). Since we are a small society, collaboration gives us an opportunity to run events that need a larger attendance pool. e best example is the annual Asian Ball which is a massive ball between all the Asian societies. I think collabs with other societies are also always great for meeting new people beyond the scope of the societies you are a part of.”
Q: What are some of your most popular events?
A: “ e aforementioned Asian Ball is the biggest event in our calendar, it is a huge e ort that takes months of preparation with an attendance number in the hundreds. We also host big speedfriending events throughout the year (usually in collaboration with one or two other societies) that can end up with pretty large numbers. e largest solo event I think we had last year was our three-second anime opening quiz where we played three seconds from an anime opening and had people guess what it was. We ended up getting 45 attendees which was a bit of a squeeze since we had booked e Eliz room for the event.”
Q: Finally, what would you say to any students looking to get involved in your society?
A: “What we pride ourselves more than anything else in our society is the friendly atmosphere and how welcoming we are. If you don’t happen to make it to one of our events during Freshers’ Week, don’t feel like you’ve missed the window to be a part of the society. All our events are always very open and welcoming to new members. ere is also a relaxed atmosphere to our events with no need for any major commitments. ese events are great for those who are perhaps a little shy with big groups or not partial to drinking while socialising (although we plan to have plenty of exciting events as well!). We like to touch on every aspect of Japanese culture that we can in order to suit everybody’s interest, and we listen to our members for ideas for events! So if you have any interest in joining our society, I would say you should try to make it to at least one event and see where it goes from there!”
We will be speaking in more depth to TCD Afro-Caribbean society (TCDACS) in our next article, but for now I just want to highlight some of their upcoming events in time for Freshers. In their own words: “For those who are thinking about joining the society, but aren’t fully sure, the Freshers’ Fair is a great chance to see in person what we’re all about and meet some of our awesome committee members! We also encourage non-members to attend our Freshers’ events like the Meet & Greet, Speed Friending or Karaoke Night to get a taste of ACS.”
ere are already so many events to consider when just looking at two societies. ere really is something for everyone and even if you didn’t see anything that grabbed your attention, keep your eyes peeled for our follow up article in the next issue!
talks to two of Trinity’s cultural societies to discuss the goals and values they hold within their societies, and how they truly can act as a home for those missing theirsIMAGE VIA PEXELS IMAGE VIA PEXELS
The beginning of college brings with it elements of excitement and worry as students return to campus and navigate the challenges of juggling academics, social life, and personal responsibilities. With increasing commitments, cooking and maintaining a balanced diet can o en become an a erthought. However, keeping a few simple and nutritious meals on hand can help you make sure you enjoy healthy meals throughout the year without having to sacri ce valuable time in the kitchen. is article will provide you with some recipes tailored to a busy college lifestyle to stay well nourished during the year, and some resources with more free recipe ideas to add variety to your diet.
Savoury Egg Mu ns
(makes 12 mu ns)
ese egg mu ns are the perfect on-the-go breakfast or snack. You can prepare in advance of the college week to have throughout.
Ingredients:
- 12 large eggs
- ½ nely chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons oil, for brushing
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Spinach & Tomato:
- 1 handful of fresh spinach, chopped
- 15-20 cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 100g shredded mozzarella cheese
- Handful of fresh basil leaves OR
Broccoli Cheddar:
- 100g cooked broccoli
- 100g cheddar cheese
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Brush the 12 mu n tins with oil.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, then add in the onion. 4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Pour some of the mixture into the 12 tins, ensuring that each is not more than half-full.
6. Choose the topping combination and add each compenent of it equally into every tin.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through (the egg mixture is no longer wet).
8. Allow to cool and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Blueberry Mu ns (makes 12 mu ns)
ese mu ns are a sweet
alternative to the previous ones and can be enjoyed for breakfast or as something sweet in the evening.
Ingredients:
Wet Ingredients:
- 175ml full-fat milk
- 100ml vegetable oil
- 75g honey
- 1 egg
Dry Ingredients:
- 200g plain our
- 50g rolled oats
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of Soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 175g fresh blueberries
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Add all of your wet ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk until combined. In a separate bowl, mix together your dry ingredients.
3. Add your wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until fully combined. Add in the blueberries and coat in the mixture.
4. Put mu n cases into a mu n tin and spoon the mixture into them equally. Sprinkle the top of each mu n with some more oats.
5. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until golden.
Tofu and Broccoli Stir-Fry (Makes 4 Servings) is recipe is a personal favourite. It contains all the avour you could want from a dinner while not requiring too much e ort to prepare. If you prefer, you can swap out the tofu for chicken and prepare in a similar manner. Season with salt and pepper before adding in the corn our and cooking in the oven.
Ingredients:
- 500g pressed, rm tofu or chicken breast, cubed
- 400g broccoli
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ chilli pepper
- 2-3 pieces of spring onion
- ½ tsp grated ginger
- Spring onion and sesame seeds, to garnish For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- ½ teaspoon chilli akes
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Toss the tofu in the cornstarch and place with the broccoli in the oven. Drizzle some oil over the broccoli if needed.
3. In a pan, add in the oil and once heated, toss in the chilli
pepper, spring onions and ginger. Cook on a low heat until so ened.
4. In a small bowl, mix in the ingredients for the sauce well.
5. Once the tofu and broccoli are cooked, remove from the oven.
6. Add the sauce into the pan and allow to thicken. Once thickened, add up to ¼ cup of water and stir until mixed.
7. Add in the tofu and broccoli and mix until they are thoroughly coated in the sauce.
8. Allow the sauce to thicken for 2 minutes and remove from heat.
9. Serve with rice, and top with spring onion and sesame seeds to garnish.
Chickpea and Spinach Curry
(4 servings):
A healthy and quick dinner, this spinach and chickpea curry is a lling and avourful addition to your dinner recipes for the week. It can be put together in 15 minutes and served with either rice or naan bread. e rest can be either lunch or dinner for the next day. Using a store-bought mix of all the seasonings used in curry helps to save money and time. Choose between mild or hot depending on preference.
Ingredients:
- Tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 onion, nely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 400g can of chopped tomatoes
- 400g can of chickpeas
- 2-3 handfuls of fresh spinach
- 2 tbsp of chopped coriander
- 2 teaspoons of curry seasoning mix
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. In a pan on medium heat, add a tablespoon of oil and add in the onion. Stir until so ened and add in the garlic. Cook for 2 more minutes.
2. Add in the seasoning and stir well.
3. Add in the chopped tomatoes and chickpeas and stir well. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add in the spinach and cook for a minute until wilted.
5. Serve with rice or naan
and garnish with coriander. Although balancing college life can sometimes be challenging, it is important to not neglect nutrition and regular meals. Along with these recipes, you can also nd more on 101 square meals, a free recipe book developed to provide you with easy to prepare, low budget recipes. ese quick and delicious recipes will help you to create satisfying meals while not taking up too much time out of your day. Hopefully, you will nd these recipes helpful and enjoyable throughout the college year.
One of the biggest struggles when starting university and becoming an adult is the ongoing challenge to produce tasty, healthy and cost-e ective meals. is becomes even more daunting when the amount of unrealised e ort and thought that goes into cooking makes itself apparent. However, the alternative of the world of takeout food – o en smothered in butter and oil – can eat up a week’s food budget in one mediocre meal. As a chef, o en my most important ingredients are those which can be found in my cupboard. I call these “Pantry Saviours”, simple ingredients that can be added at varying points in the cooking process to liven up the dish, add avour, and zest. Moreso, they are a cost-e ective way to play around with avours and discover which foods you enjoy the most. e rst group of produce which should always be stocked in your cupboard is what I call the Flavour Base – made up of onions, garlic, chilli and ginger. ese simple ingredients can be used in a variety of ways and are important
as they add a depth of avour to a simple dish. When used correctly, the combination of even two of these ingredients (such as onion and garlic) will enhance the other avours of the meal, rather than be tasted themselves. Both ingredients should be cooked low and slow to draw those avours out gently – if they are added last and fast, the dish will be overwhelmed with a pungent and raw onion or garlic avour. I also recommend
basis for many dishes from Asian cuisines such as noodles, curries or soups. Pro tip: opt for dried chilli akes instead of fresh, and grate or nely chop ginger before adding them to your dish.
As one of Trinity’s oldest societies (the thirdeldest, in fact), the eological society, or known more lovingly as the eo, has had many iterations with this year proving to be no di erent. Heading the academically driven yet still devoted society is Poppy Pender-Cudlip, rising Senior Sophister studying Religion. As Auditor, Pender-Cudlip has many plans for the society, but her main focus is fostering inclusivity within
using shallots, a smaller type of onion with a delicate and lighter taste that lacks the conventional tanginess of normal onions. Chilli and ginger can be used sparingly as they have a more intense e ect, but they are useful to keep in your cupboard because they form the
It’s important to think of each stage of cooking when preparing a meal or shopping for its ingredients. e only issue is that this takes time and e ort, which students don’t o en have at the end of a long day of lectures. Pantry Saviours help in this regard by simplifying the cooking process. e next group of ingredients which should be kept stock of in your cupboard is spices, sauces and pastes – what I refer to as “Flavour Bombs”. ese are ingredients whose avour will predominantly shine in the nished dish and are an excellent opportunity to get to know what avour pro les you enjoy the most. Examples of these ingredients are spices such as coriander, sauces like soy and rice wine vinegar, and Gochujang or Harissa paste. ey can be used at varying stages of cooking – I use Gochujang and soy sauce to marinate chicken and salmon, which results in a so er protein with an infused avour. I suggest trying di erent cuisines when shopping for these pantry staples – for example, a Mediterranean inspired pro le would involve ingredients such as creamy tahini, Za’atar and Duqqa spices, and dried herbs like sage and coriander.
Lastly, the nishing of the dish is just as important as the
beginning. It not only rounds o a good meal, but can save a bland one. Here I suggest three premade types of ingredients: infused oils, pickled vegetables and fresh herbs. Infused oils di er from the oils used during cooking in that they are usually higher quality oils and lled with infusions such as whole chillies, herbs such as rosemary, and garlic. ey can be bought or made yourself – but its purpose is to lightly drizzle the infused oil over your nished dish for a hit of avour and the added so ness of texture. Pickled vegetables are an easy and quick method to add more healthy components to your meal, but the tangy, vinegar taste can cut through very creamy and so foods for more balance. My personal favourite is Jalapeño
Atchar, a pickled chilli in a spice blend. Finally, although not a strictly “pantry” item, roughly chopped herbs add a wonderful freshness to a meal. I love thinly sliced spring onions, as well as coriander for a more robust and rustic avour. Fresh herbs should always be added to food when the cooking is almost nished or o the heat, to avoid the risk of mushy leaves.
Having to produce meals every day can be overwhelming, especially when trying to eat a balanced diet. When starting university and having to balance a demanding academic calendar, socialising with friends and looking a er yourself, the priority of eating fresh and healthy foods can begin to slip. By keeping your pantry stocked with important ingredients such as onions, garlic, gochujang and various spices, your weekly grocery shopping is reduced to simply picking up proteins and fresh produce for the week. Following this, Pantry Saviours can be added in many di erent ways to liven up the dish and make sure that not only are you eating a balanced plate, but enjoying it as well. e purpose of keeping your pantry stocked with these groups of ingredients is therefore, to cook in a timee cient and cost-e ective manner, but also to encourage cooking with creativity and intention - what avour pro les are you drawn to? What speci c ingredients do you enjoy the most?
the society.
e eo is di erent to other religious societies on Trinity’s Campus, in that no religion is practised: it is purely academic. eology at its core is the study of the nature of religion and religion itself. Even for those who do not study religion, it is a space to come together to enjoy and discuss di erent texts, news within the realm of theology, and to host top theological thinkers of our time. One such guest being Tom Holland, renowned author and historian most known for his documentaries made with the BBC, who later this year will be speaking to the eo about Christianity’s profound role in shaping Western Morality.
Other planned events include open discussions on the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community in the Church, women’s participation in religious and politically violent groups, migration, and a feminist theology panel in celebration of International Women’s Day. ey will be held on Mondays at 18:30 in the GMB and will be fuelled by pizza and wine. As well as these,
the society aims to host an event addressing the abuse allegations of the Spiritan Order. eo events aren’t all highly intellectual panels (although those above seem promising). e group also o ers lunch time events during which members can have a chat over tea and biscuits, exchange essay advice, or peruse the society’s extensive library of texts. ese “Library Lunchtimes”
are held in the Bram Stoker room at the top of the GMB every Wednesday from 12:00 - 14:00.
For those looking to deepen their writing and academic skills, the eo plans to relaunch two journals this year. Each comes with the opportunity to have an essay published in an academic journal, as well as winning a eo medal. For those who are more keen on short form writing, the
eo aims to have an exclusively online magazine up and running during the year.
Pender-Cudlip aims to maintain and continue to foster the welcoming and inclusive environment, given that she once joined as an OCM herself. While the eo’s focus is theology and academia, it is all built upon a foundation of community, a caring and thoughtful committee, and a dedicated and well-rounded Auditor.
To join this dynamic and inclusive community, those who are interested can sign up via the CSC website for a fee of only €2 for a yearlong membership. PenderCudlip also invites any and all who think they may be interested in the society to visit their Freshers stand to have a chat. For those who are ready to get involved, the society is opening up applications for OCMs, which will be elected in the rst few weeks of college.
e eo is open and welcome to new members of all interests, with many events lined up for the year, there will be something for everyone to be involved in.
When reading e Bee Sting, I laughed, I cried, and I even winced recalling memories from my rst semester of college. Once, like the clueless fresher that I was, I asked a question in a lecture and the professor laughed at me. Another time, my friend tripped walking into the tutorial room and the same professor quipped, “ is makes sense because we’re covering comedy this week” which I doubt made her feel any less morti ed. We both laughed, her to mitigate embarrassment and me because it was hilarious.
Much like e Bee Sting, college is a tragicomedy - supposed to be the best of times but frequently also the worst. Although we may wish otherwise, the lamentable truth is that we cannot leave our former selves behind when we enter College’s illustrious halls. In our haste to t in with what we perceive as normalcy, we may slam the co n lid on our inner identities and bury those suckers six feet underground, only to realise with a sinking feeling that the demented clown of the past is waving to us from beneath the Campanile’s arch.
We cannot escape who we really are. e Bee Sting, currently longlisted for the Booker prize, covers topics from the 2008 recession to family secrets and Irish generational trauma. Moreover, author and Trinity English alum, Paul Murray sets many of the most important episodes on Trinity grounds. I would argue that this is a relevant choice. From my perspective, among the novel’s most salient points is a critique of performativity at the expense of one’s true feelings. While the antiquated opinions of George Salmon and George Berkeley may blessedly be vanquished to the grave, these vanity fairgrounds - concealing insecurities around sexuality, mental health, class and climate change under a complacent mask - are still alive and coursing through the lifeblood of today’s student body.
She’s a poet and she doesn’t even know it. e rst character we are introduced to is Cass. Cass is in love with her best friend Elaine, which is not a spoiler because it is glaringly obvious to everyone but her. Even when they both make out with boys, Cass describes her experience in terms of factual disgust while she scrutinises what Elaine is doing
besides her. Despite this, she does not admit her love even a er she realises her a ections. Instead, Cass opts for the age-old excuse: “I’ll tell her later.” For a class assignment, Cass writes a lovely poem that to the reader is clearly about Elaine. “Hand in hand, night by night, we are ying out of sight / No one can touch us when we y /Our words, our dreams become the sky.” Despite her inspiration, when her teacher asks, Cass insists that her poem is about one of the most heterosexual of romances, Twilight.
Shockingly, leaving the truth unsaid does not bode well for Cass. At Trinity College, Dublin where she also studies English, she implicitly realises the nature of her a ections but keeps silent even when Elaine announces she is bi. Her social status also precludes her from pursuing love interests unapologetically due to their unconventional interests, even as it becomes clear that her and Elaine are very di erent people when it comes to their personalities. is suppression leads her to fall into a depressive state. e ironic thing is that in suppressing her true feelings, because she is afraid how it would impact her relationship to Elaine, she drives the object of her a ections away. Murray illustrates how nding one’s true self in college can be an alienating process when it confounds your expectations of normalcy.
Her father, Dickie, also denies his true self. When he was in College, he also explored his sexuality and fell in love with a charismatic student from e Hist, described amusingly as “the stomping ground of a certain Trinity ‘type’.” He found solace at college in more ways than one, as Dickie is much too thoughtful and scholarly than his home town
permits, which validates only sportsmanship and extroversion. Yet a er going home a er a death in the family, he feels compelled to take over the family car dealership and marry his eventual wife and the mother of Cass, Imelda. His lover pleads with him to no avail. Murray reveals not only that appearances lie to us, but they do so to our active detriment. It turns out the family’s problemthe failure of the business - is not due to the recession, but result from Dickie’s denial of his true self. He becomes too intellectually concerned with conserving natural resources to be an e ective salesman. As Cass notes: “more than once Cass had seen her father talk someone out of buying a car.” He also has no ruthless business instinct. His sexual repression means that his marriage is rooted in a fundamental incompatibility. Eventually, Dickie faces nancial ruin because someone takes advantage of his sti ed personal identity. Neighbours previously jealous of their wealth note: “A fall as dizzying as the Barnes’s couldn’t come from simple economics. ere had to be a moral element.” ey don’t know how right they are. Only it’s not pride goeth before the fall; it’s self-deception before the bee stings.
e culture of lies pervades the entire family dynamic. Dickie’s wife Imelda also denies her true self, lying rather than admitting to the reality of abuse. She marries
Dickie rather than de ning her identity away from Ireland and the toxic class dynamics. ey never disclose the fraught reasoning behind their marriage to their children. In turn, their unhappy concealment anticipates their daughter’s situation. Cass feels “like she’d been buried under her parent’s lives, their failures, their unhappiness.” Even with changing social norms, Murray illustrates how past repression looms over an Irish family.
Early on, a student asks the teacher who likes Cass’s poetry why she is teaching them about Sylvia Plath since she committed suicide. e teacher replies that the dichotomy between Plath’s surface as a beautiful girl and her inner emotions are what makes her interesting. More than that: “We’re all that kind of person, Miss Grehan said. We all have problems. But instead of accepting the truth about ourselves, we cover it up. We try to make ourselves the way we think we’re expected to be. So many of the bad things that happen in the world come from people pretending to be something they’re not.”
Even in the darkness, the novel’s hilarity - the humour in pretending to be something you’re not, renders it a tragicomedy. Like clowns with painted faces, revealing the truth is grotesquely comic and Cass is horri ed when she reads the poems of the teacher,
who presents as a suave world traveller but writes in a raw, ugly voice. e truth may be di cult to talk about, but silence is never the answer. Rotating between heteroglossic voices, the novel’s nal moments are written like a script. Following the script only leads the family down the dramatic path of tragedy. Ironically, Cass and her father catch a glimpse of their missed potential to be happy through alternative love interests unafraid to embrace their true selves. What they perceive as faults - a willingness to be di erentleads to the success of characters they found unworthy to be loved. As we enter Michaelmas term, we should take the lessons of the novel to heart. College is indisputably a time when we are learning to de ne our personalities. O en we may present as more outgoing, neurotypical or passionate about a given topic to t in with our peers. To some extent, this is natural in a high-pressure environment where perfectionistic, competitive individuals seem to ourish. Still, there are bound to be cracks in our masks, whether it is a di erent sexual preference or personality quirk. Rather than pretending the cracks aren’t there, we should be able to acknowledge them, nding the humour inherent to the pain; going o -script, dri ing from friends, growing up. If not, we are really no better than clowns.
shares advice for freshers starting college
In the past three years, like many other incoming senior sophisters, I struggled with planning ahead and meeting my deadlines. At times, the bigger lessons seemed to lie in the social side of the physical plane, at others in academic excellence. I could never nd the right balance, and as a consequence, I set myself unclear and unrealistic goals. Nevertheless, I intend for my nal academic year to be free from the stress of my own negligence. So here are ve tried and tested tips for making your upcoming academic journey a success.
ere is no need to join the 5am club, but setting a time to wake up every morning will keep you motivated to complete your assignments and attend your classes. I have o en woken up right before the rst class of the day and believe me, that is not the way to go. Even if your rst class is at noon, aim to be on campus at the same time you would have been if you had a class at 9am. Reaching campus at more or less the same time every morning a er a good night’s sleep will result in more contact with your degree. A er all, you’ll need to busy yourself with something before that seminar at noon.
roughout the rst couple of weeks, it’ll seem like you have to wait to start on your assignments, but that’s not the case. Sometimes you’ll only have a lecture on the subject you want to write about for your assignment towards the end of your semester. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t anticipate the content of this class and plan your studies accordingly. In other
words, you can start the essay before the lecture - there is always something you can do ahead of time. A er all, the all-nighters work, but they will burn you out, and they will also prevent you from reaching your full potentialI achieved many good grades that could have easily been better if I had started a little earlier.
It is crucial to have a good notetaking method that works for you. Are you an analogue person who prefers to write everything down by hand? Or are you the type who has forgotten how to write by hand and succumbed to machines?
Whatever your case may be, nd out in the rst week and stick to it. I prefer my seminar and tutorial notes to be handwritten and those for lectures to be typed; a mixed approach is also welcome.
For all the freshers out there: we have plenty of study spaces to choose from around campus. You may go to one of the three main library buildings: the Lecky, Ussher, and former Berkeley complex, the Hamilton library, or the 1937 Reading Room for postgraduates. You’ll have an easier time if you choose to be in these spaces from the very start of the academic year. A good way to motivate yourself into being in the library on a daily basis is by making it a group activity. Why not convince your friends to go to the library with you? If you’re arriving on campus at roughly the same time each morning you can dedicate a couple of hours to an assigned reading and take a welldeserved co ee break with a friend a erwards. is will make you stay more in touch with your subjects
than if you had gone home a er your lecture.
So now that you’re sleeping well, starting early, taking good notes, and turning the library into your second home, you can take a step back and think about how you’re balancing your social life with academic endeavours. Word of advice for freshers: choose the events you’ll attend carefully, especially in the rst weeks. It is relatively easy to feel out of the loop a er a few nights out at the start of the year, but remember to have a glass of water between each drink, mind your spending, and don’t hesitate to miss out on events. e same people persuading you to stay a little longer may be the same ones leaving twenty minutes later. And most times, they don’t have a seminar at 9am like you do. Other than that, and this goes for both freshers and seniors: you can never have too many friends. Join societies within your interests and keep in mind that everyone is just as nervous as you. Everyone is looking to make friends, so chat with someone a er a lecture. In hindsight, it is always an e ort you’ll be glad to have made, and it helps you get through the years more smoothly.
Nevertheless, even if you follow these tips religiously, there is still a chance that you may feel lost. Unforeseen events will unfold and personal matters will a ect your performance. So make sure you’re surrounded by kind people, who can assist you in moving forward with your studies. What’s more, stay in touch with your tutor and adapt these tips to your personal preferences. You are guaranteed to feel more capable and at peace.
triumphs
In the heart of Dublin, an annual celebration of LGBTQ+ rights and diversity takes centre stage in June: Dublin Pride. is year, Q-Soc, the LGBTQ+ society at Trinity College Dublin, undertook an enriching journey that united a diverse array of experiences. In an exclusive interview, a member of Q-Soc delved into their unique perspectives on Dublin Pride and the society’s pre-parade brunch event.
Dublin Pride, a grand parade celebrating LGBTQ+ rights, presents an opportunity for communities to stand united. For Q-Soc, this event holds immense signi cance as it pays homage to their roots and history. eir invitation to march at the forefront
highlights a slept-on travel destination from a cultural, artistic and historical standpoint
With a minute population of around 350,000, Cardi is one of Europe’s smallest capital cities. Nonetheless, the Welsh capital can be regarded as one of the continent’s most sensational underrated gems. It is a user-friendly, well-laid-out city for tourists, with various low-cost activities. Not to mention cultural, artistic and historical spots to discover.
Cardi is a thriving and dynamic creative capital city with a rich cultural heritage. If you are searching for your next cultural city break, you don’t have to leapfrog over the British
of the parade was an honour and a recognition of their contribution to the cause.
Yet, the interviewee shared that: “Navigating the parade’s logistics was no easy feat.” Despite their intention to lead the parade, Q-Soc found themselves marching alongside the trans and intersex pride contingent due to organisational oversights. However, this unexpected alignment underscored the
Isles to locate a proper scene. Visiting Cardi will leave you infatuated with the abundance of cultural attractions, remarkable arts organisations and impressive curated programmes.
On top of innovative performing arts organisations with international status, such as e Welsh National Opera and National eatre Wales, the city has many cultural sites to visit, including the National Museum.
shares insights and experiences from Dublin Pride, shedding light on the challenges andPHOTO BY NIKO EVANS FOR TRINITY NEWS
overarching theme of unity that de nes Pride. e vibrant colours, exuberant music, and collective energy resonated with the shared journey of LGBTQ+ individuals and allies, transcending any initial logistical challenges.
In the lead-up to the vibrant Dublin Pride Parade, Q-Soc’s thoughtful pre-parade brunch creates a space of nourishment, both for the body and the spirit. is cherished tradition ensures that participants are not only physically prepared for the festivities but also enveloped in an atmosphere of camaraderie and community spirit.
Cognisant of the energetic pace of the parade, Q-Soc’s brunch serves as a safeguard against potential medical urgencies, particularly in the backdrop of Dublin’s summertime heat. is proactive approach underscores the society’s commitment to the well-being of its members, allowing them to engage in the parade with a sense of assurance.
Beyond the vibrant events of Dublin Pride and the brunch, Q-Soc is set on an inspiring journey of inclusivity and preservation. As the society commemorates
National Museum Cardi is a museum and art gallery part of the broader network of Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales. Entry is kept free due to a grant from the Welsh Government, allowing you to explore the contemporary art from Monet to dinosaurs and mammoths (oh my).
Cardi ’s Principality Stadium (the Millennium Stadium) was originally built to host the Rugby World Cup in 1999. It has a capacity of 74,500, and at present, sporting events and concerts take centre stage. It is the second-
its 40th anniversary, it aims to expand its LGBTQ+ sta network. is initiative holds the promise of creating a stronger support system within the academic environment. A particularly ambitious venture for Q-Soc is the establishment of collaborative queer archives within the College. is initiative seeks to digitise historical materials, including meeting minutes, event notes, newsletters, and photographs spanning decades. e Q-Soc member expressed the signi cance of connecting with former
largest stadium in the world with a fully retractable roof (the largest is the AT&T Stadium in Texas).
Cardi is one of Britain’s greenest cities in the UK (at #4), with 400 green spaces across the capital. Bute Park is the city’s main park and comprises beautiful landscaped gardens and parkland that were once part of the grounds of Cardi Castle. From natural history to heritage, the gardens are one of the most de ning elements of Cardi ’s landscapes. In addition, Cardi is the place to be if you are looking for a vibrant night out! As the capital city of Wales, Cardi is renowned for its lively nightlife and diverse entertainment options. One particular stand-out is Cardi University’s student club, which allows entry to all students no matter which university you attend, as long as you have a valid student card, giving you access to a ordable drinks in the venue and an opportunity to socialise with young college students from di erent cultural backgrounds. A night out in Cardi promises an array of captivating experiences, from lively pubs to live music.
Cardi ’s nightlife has something for everyone.
When it comes to culture in Cardi , there’s something for everyone: a burgeoning music scene; one of the largest collections of impressionist artwork in the world; e Art Fund Museum of e Year 2019
members, unveiling a wealth of stories that chronicle the evolution of LGBTQ+ advocacy. ese archival endeavours are set to be enriched by planned events, interviews, and a celebration of Q-Soc’s legacy. As
Dublin Pride and the brunch event fade into memories, the society’s commitment to fostering an empowered, united LGBTQ+ community shines brightly. While logistical challenges may arise, they are merely ripples in
the ocean of unity that de ne the LGBTQ+ movement. As Q-Soc looks to the horizon, their journey resonates with the voices of the past and the aspirations of a future de ned by equality, visibility, and celebration.
and Europe’s rst immersive arts venue.
Furthermore, Cardi has an artistic edge over many of its tourist attractions to look into. Cardi is home to the world’s oldest record store, Spiller Records. Queens Arcade housed the record store, founded in 1894 by Henry Spiller. When the shop opened, vinyl was not yet the norm (that took another half a century); sound recordings at the time came via wax cylinders or heavy discs made of hard rubber or shellac and mainly were a cost-ine ective novelty, with Spiller Records selling phonographs and wax records to play on the phonographs. Nowadays (located in the Morgan Arcade), the store sells a variety of forms of media, tickets to concerts, and occasionally hosts some gigs. Moreover, the beloved storyteller and author, Roald Dahl, was born in Llanda , Cardi , in 1916. Today, the Norwegian Church Arts Centre building and the nearby Oval Basin in the heart of Cardi Bay have been reverentially renamed Roald Dahl Plass, opened in 2000 to honour and commemorate the literary giant. e plaza is also a lming location for Doctor Who and the spin-o series Torchwood.
Many people overlook Wales, which receives less attention than its neighbouring countries
despite its vast history and array of unbelievable historical gures. With its dense history, Cardi is the tale of two cities: the city of castles and the city of arcades. Cardi claims the largest concentration of castles of any city in the world. e landmark castle in the city is Cardi Castle, dating as far back as the 10th century. e hilltop forti cation is explored by millions every year, making it Wales’ most visited attraction. St. Fagans Castle and Castell Coch are other prominent historical sites in the city. Steeped in history and soul, the castles are impressive
sights to behold.
Cardi is not only known for its castles but is also known as the City of Arcades.
Cardi maintains Britain’s largest concentration of Victorian, Edwardian and modern-day shopping arcades. ere are seven Victorian and Edwardian arcades that visitors can browse while enclosed by this mediaeval architecture e city also has a rich history with its port, as Cardi Bay was once the world’s biggest coal port. It is now Europe’s most extensive waterfront development, with 2,700 acres of derelict land redesigned into an extensive complex full of staggering attractions, including the Techniquest Science Centre, Roald Dahl Plass, e Wales Millennium Centre and the Welsh Government O ces.
e underrated Welsh capital amalgamates Roman ruins with the Norman invasion, as well as mediaeval and Victorian expansion with a contemporary spin. As a city with 2,000 years of history, de ned by formidable industrial success, all fused to create a trendy, modern, mediumsized capital with plenty of free, classical and unique landmarks, it o ers something for people of all ages and interests. I could not recommend travelling to Cardi as a college student any more!
An writer discusses how defying sex toy stigma can be sexually liberating
Many of us have stepped into the unchartered territory of sex toys. My personal initiation into the world of sex toys was purchasing a shoddy “body massager” from a vape shop. Eventually I got the courage to foray into the realm of actual sex toys. I learned to overcome my own internalised stigma, and ventured down the creaking stairs of my local sex shop, furtively glancing around to make sure no one could see me comparing Satisfyers.
Over the years, I learned to embrace my path to sexual selfdiscovery. Many of my friends have had similar experiences. Even in our increasingly liberal society, a taboo lingers around the use of sex toys and a stigma exists around the people who use them.
It is speculated that the rst sex toy came into being around 30,000 years ago in the form of a dildo made out of siltstone. e ancient Greeks used phallic shaped baked bread as a sexual aid (biodegradable!). e rst vibrator came into being in the late 19th century as a medical treatment for various conditions (including female hysteria). In the mid-20th century, sex shops began opening their doors, driven by the sexual revolution of the 1960s.
Sex toys didn’t fully take o until the 1990s, when Sex and the City’s candid exploration of sexuality and sex toys cemented the Rabbit vibrator as a cultural phenomenon. A er an iconic episode in which Charlotte becomes enamoured with her Rabbit, sales for the Rabbit’s manufacturer increased by 700%. Sex and the City’s positive and frank coverage of sex toys empowered many women to take control of their own sexualities,
just as Charlotte had done. e internet has revolutionised the sex toy industry. Sex toys now include cutting edge features such as being Bluetooth-controllable and having the option to connect to partners across long distances. ey have also become much more accessible, giving people the option to receive a discreet package to their door; an experience far-removed from making the excursion into a seedy shop
Something that is rarely discussed is the ethical
Rogan promoting male-centric sex toys like Fleshlights. Open conversations around male sexuality should be normalised. Men need a safe space to share their experiences free of judgement. Positive portrayals of men using sex toys in the media would also help reduce the stigma, much like how Charlotte’s escapades empowered millions of women. We need to challenge the toxic gender roles that perpetuate this stigma against men.
Some of the sex toy shame stems from people who are insecure about their partner’s sex toy use. is usually arises from feelings of inadequacy around sexual performance. Many people hide their sex toy usage from their partners out of fear that their partners will compare themselves.
It’s important for couples to approach the topic of sex toys with understanding and an open-mind instead of taking it personally. Not only do sex toys enhance pleasure, but they also have proven health bene ts. Decreased levels of anxiety, reduced period cramps, a reduced risk of prostate cancer, and improvements with erectile dysfunction and pelvic oor issues are only some of the numerous bene ts associated with sex toys. So why do we stigmatise sex toys as symbols of deviant behaviour instead of recognising them as tools that promote sexual wellbeing?
Creating an open discourse around sex toys is a major step towards claiming our own sexual autonomies. In a rapidly evolving industry with constant innovation, it’s clear that sex toys are not just the key to our sexual pleasure, but also our own sexual liberation.
consumption of sex toys. Many sex toys are made with plastics containing phthalates and other toxins. Not only are these awful for our bodies, but they’re also highly damaging to the environment. Increased education and decreased stigma around sex toys could help drive the public toward more ecofriendly and sustainable sex toys. Nowadays, the market for sex toys is booming. It was worth $19 bn in 2021, having experienced a major boost during COVID-19 lockdowns. Celebrities and in uencers such as Cara Delevigne, Gwyneth Paltrow and Lily Allen proudly promote sex toys, framing them as “sexual wellness tools”. More and more women are leading sex toy companies and changing the way we perceive and discuss sex toys. Sex toys have become symbols of sexual agency for women.
However, the use of sex toys by men hasn’t been as highly publicised. Men are o en ridiculed and emasculated for using sex toys. Sex toys are seen as a sign of empowerment for women and a sign of ineptitude for men. With the orgasm gap of 95% of heterosexual men achieving orgasm during intimacy compared to 65% of heterosexual women, it seems much more acceptable for women to bridge this gap by using sex toys. Men are simply expected to get laid. Queer men tend to be more liberal regarding sex toy use, suggesting that the problem may lie with heteronormativity rather than men themselves. ere is a lingering stigma around men exploring their sexuality and it manifests in the taboo of sex toys. is is beginning to ease slowly though, with (questionably) in uential gures such as Joe
explores if the most hyped week of the college year lives up to the stereotypes
Dunnes is all out of duvet covers, thousands of Dr Martens are being broken in at once, and you have joined ve societies just because they smiled and gave you a party-size bag of Haribo. at means only one thing – it’s Trinity Freshers Week. Seeing incoming rst years excitedly re-enacting the bit in Normal People where Connell walks through Front Gate for the rst time is, quite frankly, lovely. However, any jaded sophister could tell you that along with the excitement of starting college o en comes a spell of ‘freshers fear’ – the feeling of worry, loneliness and panic resulting from a week that claims to set the foundation for the academic year, if not your entire college career. Fear not – I can con rm that however much this feeling is common and understandable, it is also irrational. Freshers week, in most people’s experience, is completely overhyped.
Events that take place during Freshers week very well could create a good environment for making lasting friends. However, Trying to cover the whole range of lm screenings, nights out and competitions put on by TCDSU’s Trinity Ents team and the more than 120 societies would leave barely enough time to shower and sleep. With societies for everything from singing to socialism, the Freshers week timetable encompasses all areas;
there’s bound to be at least one event that brings you together with likeminded people. at said, just because Freshers week might mean meeting a future best friend who somewhere down the line will be your maid of honour, it also probably won’t. e high expectations of the events are hard to live up to, and regardless of how many times you have the same conversation with strangers - ‘I’m Lara, yeah! What do you study?’ - that rst week will probably look very di erent to the opening scenes of Pitch Perfect.
e number of people you
others - I remember one night buying vodka and drinking it alone for courage…I went down a little tipsy and made friends”. e high expectations of Freshers week as an alcohol-fuelled speed-friending event make this a common college experience. Having a drink to let your hair down during such a massive adjustment period is no bad thing – in my experience, it is about nding the line between drinking for fun, and drinking because you feel insecure, anxious or under pressure. is need to socially perform right o the bat is overstated; most people nd their close college friends, favourite societies, and their way around campus months, or even further into their college life. is might sound lonely initially, but really it is liberating. It actually doesn’t matter how Freshers week goes in the long run - people will get the real measure of you and vice versa over time. I can happily con rm that I was not put into social exile because of the out ts I wore in my rst week, nay, my rst year, even though they were for the most part, extremely questionable.
Many of the undergraduates on campus are part of the Covid-
I’m sure they would tell you that the feeling of FOMO wasn’t necessarily because Freshers week was bound to be a wholly brilliant week, but more because it is a milestone experience, for better or worse. If you are a rst year, keeping this in mind is crucial to approaching the week; the massive adjustment that is starting college is bound to elicit the full range of emotions, both happy and sad, and this will probably be re ected in the rst week or so.
will come across during Freshers week and the limited time you spend with them (perhaps you only exchange a few words while they agree to take a picture of you next to the campanile) means that you likely won’t immediately form a lifelong bond. Building meaningful friendships takes time, and the stereotype that Freshers week acts as social cement for the rest of the year is not only inaccurate but anxiety-inducing. Despite the reputation of Freshers week, it is completely normal to reach Sunday and still share only one thing in common with your classmates – the nerves of a brand new academic experience.
e fact that the week is referred to as ‘orientation’ in the college calendar seems quite misleading in hindsight, given that for many it is remembered as incredibly disorientating.
e idea of that rst week of college being an introduction to life in Trinity is complicated by the Freshers drinking culture. Allow me to assure you that whether or not you drink, endless games of Never Have I Ever and vomiting in the club toilets are not necessarily the foundational bonding experience they seem.
ere can be a certain frailty in friendships made at the bar, so while going out out in your rst week can be really fun, it can also be really overrated. A Senior Sophister student recalled of their rst experience of Freshers week that it “worryingly began a spurt of me using alcohol to socialise with
cohort that didn’t have a Freshers week, and if you ask any of them,
If you are a rst year, the best way to combat your own high expectations of Freshers is to accept it for what it is, and enjoy its novelty. Lean in to the tradition of students clinging to so-called “friends” they met half an hour ago like lifebuoys in the Freshers Fair sea of societies. One day you will treasure the memory. Perhaps the only way that Freshers week will re ect the rest of your college experience is in its unpredictability, and variety of feelings. So this week, and for however many years you have le at Trinity, enjoy the ups, expect some downs, and try to have as much fun as you can along the way.
As I head into my nal year, I’ve been reading a lot more books this last month than usual. I’ve been listening to music nonstop, and instead of writing my dissertation proposal, I’ve been writing ction and articles like the one you’re reading now. A therapist once told me that I use reading as an escape and that my solution to stress was consuming art that made me feel safe and comforted - like childhood favourites or cosy fantasy novels.
Anyone who knows me can tell my mental health is on sabbatical if I’m watching Barbie movies or reading fan ction on AO3.
I will not be the only person on campus next week escaping
us will urgently need to li our spirits. e pressure on students is enormous, and with Dublin being one of the most expensive places to live in Europe, many of us will also have non college-related worries to cope with. Luckily, you can use art to get through it all while your name collects dust on the waiting list for Trinity counselling.
Many studies have shown that creating or consuming art can help reduce stress. Incorporating creativity and time to listen to music or read into your stress management during the semester can help you to de-stress. Most obviously, art can help you distract yourself from what is worrying you in the rst place. But beyond that, art can decrease cortisol levels and promote relaxation. It can be a form of intentional mindfulness. By focusing intently on the contents of a book you’re reading or a song you’re listening to, you are staying engaged in the present moment and preventing your mind from wandering to less savoury places.
When thinking about how to use art to feel better, it seems natural to think of positive art. Happy music makes us happy, stories with happy endings leave us satis ed and feeling good, etc. But art that is tragic can also be intensely therapeutic. It can help you to express your emotions and let go of the ones you might be holding inside. It can be a safer space to experience these uncomfortable emotions as we know we can’t be seriously harmed by the books we read or the music we listen to. Whenever I feel like I need to cry, my rst point of call is searching for sad books that I know will make me sad.
Engaging with art, whether by creating or consuming, can help us to improve our communication skills. is connective process can be another therapeutic aspect. In a time that most describe as pretty alienating, art can help us relate to each other by experiencing others' stories. Art can be a bridge to others, and a bridge back to ourselves. Returning to art from our childhoods, old movies we used to love, or books we would stay up reading, can be extremely comforting in times of stress or uncertainty. e feeling of knowing what will happen next can give us a sense of control when we feel like we lack control in our own lives.
mind. Art therapy o en refers to the use of visual art, whereas other creative arts are named di erently - “dance therapy”, “drama therapy”, “music therapy”, and so forth. e general goal is the same - creating art can help people express themselves and develop greater
self-awareness. For those with trauma, it has been found that art therapy reduces depression and other trauma symptoms.
Creating art can be extremely bene cial for you mentally, regardless of your skill level. If you have ever lost the motivation
to write that novel, consider it found. So go read, watch a movie, or pick up your old guitar - it might help you get through the back-to-college anxiety. And if not, at least you’ll be able to play Wonderwall or tell people you’ve read Dostoevsky.
into art to avoid the anxieties the new semester brings. With tuition fees, the housing crisis, the rising cost of living, exam stress, being away from home, etc., many of
“Art therapy” refers to using artistic methods to improve mental health and treat disorders. ough it has been used for thousands of years, it did not become widely accepted in the psychology eld until the 1940s when it was thought that art could be seen as a representation of a person’s
examines the powerful import of art as a coping mechanism amid the tragedy of a new semester
Since its premiere on 23rd of June 2022 e Bear has received widespread popular and critical acclaim. e Hulu TV series has accrued a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and an 88/100 on Metacritic indicating “universal acclaim” as well as e Guardian naming it number one on its list of 100 best TV shows of 2022. Readers would then probably not be surprised to learn that the show has received a total of 12 Primetime Emmy nominations for the upcoming awards. Amidst all of this success, the show has brought questions regarding media portrayal of the culinary profession: does the show glamourise unhealthy behaviour within the industry?
For those unfamiliar with the recent phenomenon, e Bear follows the story of Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, an award winning Chef in New York City, who returns to his hometown of Chicago Illinois to take charge of the family restaurant “ e Beef” in the wake of his brother’s suicide. At the restaurant, he meets a colourful cast of characters and works to ensure the restaurant can survive and eventually thrive.
e protagonist Carmy and his progression through the show’s rst two seasons deals with themes of grief, trauma, mental illness and healing through the support of others: a positive portrayal of those who have struggled with those very issues.
However, one aspect which the show may be doing more harm than good is its portrayal
of Carmy’s distorted work-life balance. roughout the two seasons, Carmy’s life seems to revolve completely around the restaurant and his work there, with him combating the various
problems posed by the failing establishment. e show does make an e ort to show the detrimental e ect of Carmy’s hyperfocus on the restaurant, but it is di cult to deny the allure of a character who is so passionately and sel essly xated on a family establishment to the point of selfdestruction.
One could nearly draw a parallel between the portrayal of Carmy in e Bear to that of omas Shelby in Peaky Blinders. Both shows feature two men from working-class backgrounds who have su ered past traumatic experiences in their lives and have devoted themselves to leading a family enterprise to new heights. ese characters are modelled on the same archetype of self-destructive masculine ambition which drives them to be exceptional. Both shows
do highlight the deteriorating mental health of the protagonists, which serves as the reason for and the harmful consequence of their obsessive ambition. Carmy is shown attending AlAnon meetings and omas Shelby frequently irts with and eventually attempts suicide. Nonetheless, characters like Carmy are the ideal for those enthralled with the sigma-male online subculture. e scene of Carmy’s 7-minute long monologue to his Al-Anon therapy group where he describes the decline of his relationship with his deceased brother and how it drove him to become obsessed with work has become a popular sound
manosphere and is frequently used as part of Andrew Tate edits and before and a er gym comparisons. is scene in the show is meant to convey how Carmy’s obsession with his work was the result of a traumatic relationship with his brother; ironically, the soundbite is frequently used online to completely contradict the original intention of the scene. is demonstrates that there is something missing in the show’s presentation of detrimental work-life balance. It is di cult to discern exactly why ctional male characters who throw themselves into unhealthy working enterprises have become so popular in recent years.
One reason that these characters are so attractive is that the actors are themselves attractive men who do not bear any physical scars from the mental anguish that they experience from their selfdestructive habits. Unlike people who self-harm, these attractive actors like Jeremy Allen White as Carmy or Cillian Murphy as omas Shelby do not bear any physical scars, which may make us pause and reconsider whether their extreme dedication is truly worth the cost. Although the physical e ects of intense cooking are described to us, they are not shown to us. We don’t see Carmy su er acne outbreaks due to oil and grease while cooking, or severely dehydrated skin due to excruciating heat, or bloody calluses on his hands from knives.
on TikTok. Particularly the part where Carmy tells the group: “And I think that just ipped a switch in me, where I was like, OK. Fuck you. Watch this.” is soundbite has become popular in the online
e lack of representation of these physical e ects obscure the gravity of the problem with overworking, and glorify it. Television is ultimately a visual medium and by conveying in brutal detail the cost that these men pay in pursuit of perfection, it could help to end the dangerous romanticisation of self-harming work behaviour.
explores the pros and cons of the 'hot chef' trend
an ethical and feminist way.
debunks
the concept of ethical porn and questions whether ethical porn is even a possibility given the context of the pornography industry
Iwas listening to a podcast recently, the hosts of which are two women who seem to pride themselves on their transparent, educational and feminist content. Halfway through the episode, they paused for a break, and ensuingly started to advertise for something called ‘Cheex’. ‘Cheex’ is, what they called, a place to access ethical and feminist porn made for women, by women. At rst, it seemed like a great concept to me, but when I got thinking about it, it led me to the question of whether ethical porn could truly be possible, or is the industry too deeply rooted in a lack of morals?
e bar is low when it comes to the criteria for de ning porn as ethical. Ethical porn primarily refers to the conditions of production; actors must receive fair compensation for their work, they must consent, fair labour conditions must be in place, there must be a diverse representation of body types and sexualities, and of course, the content must be authentic. is all seems well and good, and it does mean that more realistic porn would be in circulation. However, those criteria aren’t actually very di cult to ful l. In fact, “ethical” porn seems to be doing just about the bare minimum when it comes to human rights. With the correct boxes ticked, it would still be possible to label porn as “ethical” that, in reality, does not stray too far from mainstream porn in terms of content; porn that o en objecti es and degrades women and portrays sex in an unrealistic manner.
e concept of ethical porn seems like an oxymoron: can the words “ethical” and “pornography” ever be put in the same sentence? e main reason why I think that the concept of ethical or feminist porn is a slightly absurd one is because of the basis on which porn is founded. e porn industry is so deeply rooted in the mistreatment of women, it is an industry which was built on the objecti cation of women, and in fact relies on people to continue to objectify women for its survival. Essentially, porn is the commodi cation of women’s bodies and sexualities, so how can this ever be done ethically, let
alone in a feminist way? e porn industry seems to me intrinsically unethical.
e consumers of “ethical” porn aren’t immune to the detrimental e ects of porn either. People who favour “ethical” porn over mainstream porn are still
using another’s sexuality as a form of pleasure. It is still a one-sided transaction, and the actors in such ‘ethical’ content can still be objecti ed and degraded. People who watch a lot of porn become increasingly morally disengaged with the way they behave, and therefore there is a link between watching porn regularly and treating people poorly. Porn, ethical or not, is still harmful: it warps our perceptions of sex, which in turn a ects the way we behave, the way we view people, and the way we view sex. e consumers of ‘ethical’ porn are not una ected by the addiction, abuse or misuse which is associated with the consumption of all types of porn.
It must be said, however, that many industries are problematic, and it’s not just porn which notoriously mistreats women. Most industries have discriminated against women in some shape or form. Take the lm or art industry, for example. ey are two industries, like the porn industry, which have o en excluded women from production roles, and instead used women as commodities, using their bodies as something to pro t from. Yet, these industries are evolving, and the feminist discourse is encouraging its evolution; so should we be doing the same with the porn industry? e question begs, can we separate porn from its past? Can we look past the history of the problematic industry and praise those trying to make a change, or is it too deeply rooted in corruption and exploitation to ever be seen as truly ethical?
is type of porn exists because o en one has to “wade through hardcore video a er video of people degrading, insulting and violating women before you can nd something arousing and empowering.” But how is feminist or ethical porn empowering? It pitches itself against mainstream porn, which is o en violent and misogynistic, and seems to emerge as a perfect solution to the problem of the exploitation and objecti cation of women in the porn industry, and to the unrealistic portrayals of sex in mainstream porn. However, I simply don’t buy it: I don’t know if I believe that we can ever look past the grounds on which porn has been built in order to create it in
explores the country's renowned and signature dishes
Vietnam, a country which is most famous for its jaw-dropping landscapes consisting of everything from balmy beaches to mythical mountain ranges, its fascinating history that explains how and why Vietnamese culture is so entwined with so many other world civilisations and, of course, its food. Vietnamese cuisine is deeply embedded in the country’s history, both impacting and being impacted on by its past, the stamp of Vietnam’s rich, if troubled, history is clearly embossed in the delightful dishes served in the streets of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to this day.
e majority of Vietnam’s greatly renowned and signature dishes, such as Bún chả, Bánh Mì Pho and its trademark co ee, Cà Phê surprisingly, were only invented in the late 19th and 20th centuries, having their ro ts in Vietnam’s colonial and provincial past with France and China.
ese meals have become staples of culinary Vietnam, joining the more traditional Chinese style dishes that previously dominated, and still do populate the menus; understandable considering the long history these two countries share. Indeed, it is in this fusion of traditional Chinese and colonial era French that Vietnam gets its unique, intriguing, and delicious cuisine.
is is best exempli ed by Pho, a refreshing, yet undeniably hearty noodle soup usually containing beef and spring onions as well as many other ingredients. Arguably, Pho is the reason Vietnamese food broke out onto the world stage, with the post-war rush of migrants to the Western world in 1975 bringing Pho ingredients and recipes along with them. Pho soon became the most well-known and universally loved of all Vietnamese cuisine, and understandably too.
e light rice noodles and thin broth make Pho much less dense and heavy than its distant Japanese cousin ramen. e explosion of spices and avours from the broth’s seasoning, di ering in every individual bowl, makes Pho an irresistible and utterly unique meal. ese rice noodles originated in the Guangdong province of southern China in the 1860s, and would have travelled down the Hong river along with Chinese migrants and workers at this time. Of course, on their own, rice noodles might be considered bland, however, when combined with the huge in ation of beef consumption that came with the French colonial rule a er the Sino-French war of 1884, and the various seasonings and light sh sauce so prominent in Vietnamese cuisine, the return is something immaculate. Utterly hearty and lling with the beef and broth combination but light enough that you can still enjoy in the sweltering and humid climate of Vietnam, your tastebuds are thoroughly refreshed by the cleansing spices and avours of the light broth and rice noodles that counter the heavier beef so well. Pho truly is a testament to how fusions of di erent cuisines can work so well, not just in when avours agree,
but, perhaps even more so, when they oppose.
is fusion of east-Asian and Colonial European avours is similarly seen in a tired traveller’s preferred street food snack, the highly sought a er Bánh Mì. Anthony Bourdain described them as “a symphony in a sandwich” and this is certainly not an understatement. Formed of a short and crunchy French baguette split sideways and lled with meat (o en chicken or pork), pâté, pickled vegetables, salad, and sauce, (and sometimes, if you’re lucky, a fried egg), they are a delight to the senses. e rst bite cracks through the fresh and impossibly crunchy crust of the bread and into the light, airy centre where it then comes into contact with the llings. e warm embrace of the meat contrasts comfortingly with the freshness of the salad and pickled vegetables and the pâté’s unique and unmistakable tang completes the nal puzzle piece of Bánh Mì’s distinctive, complex, and delicious avours. e last thing to hit, the palate cleanser and crescendo of the symphony is, of course, the boot of the chilli in the sauce that always has a quite indescribable taste. Every street vendor’s is di erent, and yet every
single one is perfectly tailored to the Bánh Mì they coat. ey are an utter delight, and I cannot recommend them enough for those who are looking for a esta
(Vietnamese co ee). Once again, a by-product of the French colonisation, co ee beans were brought over by traders and Europeans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and Cà Phê was born. A very small amount of very strong lterbrewed co ee combined with sweetened, condensed milk (also brought over by the French) and o en drunk over ice. is co ee, arguably, cannot be undersold, the combination of the strong lter brew and the condensed milk gives it an unbelievably rich, sweet, chocolatey, and creamy taste, exquisitely avourful and exceptionally quenching, a awless and quintessential choice for a searingly hot day in Vietnam.
So, what is Vietnamese food? Is it similar to Chinese food? French? Japanese? Is it traditional? Modern?
of avours in one bite. Finally, I cannot discuss Vietnamese cuisine for so long without touching on Cà Phê ,
e answer is, of course, all of the above, as exempli ed by the three dishes described. It is through this combination, fusion and evolution of culinary worlds, both geographical and historical, that Vietnamese cuisine gets its unique and totally compelling avours that delight, astound, and, most importantly, leave you wanting more.
1. e largest Irish lake (5)
9. is war memorial is in the lobby of the 1937 Reading Room (4, 2, 6)
10. Palindromic navigation system (5)
11. Piece of verse such as Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty has a great fall, All the king’s horses and all the king’s men, Couldn’t put Humpty together again! (5)
12. On which trains run (5)
14. 1004 (3)
15. Annoyed or angered (5)
16. Nationality of students from Toronto or Vancouver (10)
18. Loose cloaks worn on occasions by university sta and students (5)
21. e study of the ear’s anatomy and diseases (7)
22. Novel by 19th century TCD graduate Bram Stoker (7)
24. Took food or drink into the body, from stigende (8)
26. Lewis, who wrote Alice in Wonderland (7)
28. Descriptive of those parts of the Earth situated between Cancer and Capricorn (8)
30. Ms Lawson, English food writer and television cook (7)
32. Queen Victoria quote: We are not ...... (6)
33. Dear Me, from Sala (4) Down
1. University singing group (6,7)
2. TCD map institute and former professor of chemistry (5)
3. Honours degrees from TCD (14)
4. is medical school was established in TCD in 1977 (8)
5. TCD’s o cial name: e College of the Holy and ........ Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin (9)
6. is school, along with that of midwifery is located in the Gas Building in D’Olier Street (7)
7. A historical period of time in operas (3)
8. Premier shopping street near TCD (7)
13. Help from Ida (3)
17. 200,000 of Trinity’s most ancient books are stored here in the Old Library (4,4)
19. Mr Wilde, Irish poet and dramatist; author of e Importance of Being Earnest (5)
20. Edible bivalve molluscs (8)
23. A university lecturer of the highest grade below that of professor, or just a book of texts (6)
Several pages in this issue feature art by our new art team, who are looking for contributing artists.
We accept sketches, paintings and digital artwork.
If you have a piece you want to submit or want to get involved in the next round of art assignments, email art@trinitynews.ie or nd our art team group chat on Instagram.