VOL. XXIV, Issue 4, UO

THE UNIVERSITY OBSERVER ELECTION COVERAGE PRESIDENT CANDIDATE INTERVIEWS AND ANALYSIS PAGES 10, 11

HEAD TO HEAD WERE WE RIGHT TO IMPEACH ASCOUGH? D. FLEMING, D. SWIFT PAGE 5

21ST NOVEMBER 2017 VOLUME XXIV ISSUE4 UNIVERSITYOBSERVER.IE

DÁN FORÉIGEAN TAR ÉIS AN PHARÁID BRÓD CIAN GRIFFIN LTH 14

WAITING LIST FOR UCD COUNSELLING SERVICE AT ITS HIGHEST IN RECENT of the 194 students currently on the waiting list, Mac Domhnaill says over 20 are priority cases.

For students on the waiting list, priority cases will be seen first, and Mac Domhnaill says it is likely that “some people will be waiting until next semester. It’s difficult to see how the counselling service will be able to accommodate 194 people in 2 weeks.”

Mac Domhnaill emphasises that emergency cases will still be seen. “If there is someone in dire straits…

AOIFE HARDESTY they can be seen on the day.” Emergency counselling EDITOR can be accessed by going to “the welfare officer, the The University Observer has been told that there are student advisor, the chaplaincy, the access center, and currently 194 students on a waiting list to see a UCD the health service.”

Students who are on the waiting list for more than counsellor and that “the waiting list is the highest it’s ever been for a number of years.” Welfare Officer two weeks can be referred to external counselling Eoghan Mac Domhnaill has said “the counselling services, but similar waiting list scenarios can also service are doing they’re very best to get to as many be encountered here as “they are still moving through people as they can…[but] if I was to refer anyone everyone at the same rate.” [now], they’re not going to be seen before Christmas.”

In plans UCDSU are making to alleviate the waiting The counselling service is available free of charge to list for counselling, Mac Domhnaill says they are hopUCD students. When seeking counselling, students are ing to collaborate with Pieta House. “Pieta House are categorised as standard,’ ‘priority,’ or ‘emergency.’ Out offering, should UCD students call up Pieta House they

would be given a priority referral, so that they could avail of Pieta House service…[which are located] in Dublin City centre.”

Mac Domhnaill is skeptical that possible budget increases would “alleviate the problems that we are seeing at the moment…It would take a considerable increase in the budget.” Nevertheless, “It’s an increase that we will need to see over the next few years and the SU will always be calling on and that we have advocated for already with this year in various meetings.”

For students looking for help, they can see Mac Domhnaill “in the office and the SU has a list of external counsellors as well. We do our best to liase with the [UCD] counselling service.” Mac Domhnaill also advises students to look at “external sources, at the like of Pieta House at Samaritans, who are phenomenal.” The second semester will see UCDSU re-joining nightline, a telephone hotline for students needing to talk “so that there is over the phone, during the night service, for UCD students who just want someone to chat to at night.”

DAVA NEWMAN & GUI TROTTI DESIGNING FOR THE FUTURE OF SPACE EXPLORATION AOIFE HARDESTY PAGE 14

COMEDY MUSIC THE ARTISTS WHO BRING YOU LAUGHTER THROUGH THEIR SONGS DYLAN O’NEILL PAGE 19

PRESIDENTIAL BY-ELECTION TAKES PLACE THIS WEEK

BRÍAN DONNELLY NEWS EDITOR A presidential by-election is to be held on Wednesday and Thursday, 22nd and 23rd November, almost one month following the impeachment of former Students’ Union President Katie Ascough on 27th October.

The current Acting President and Campaigns & Communications Officer Barry Murphy, and final year Nursing student Rebecca Hart are contesting the race. The results are expected to be announced on 24th November.

Environmental Biology student Barry Murphy announced in early November that he was entering the presidential race for the “betterment of our union.”

Murphy’s manifesto features a commitment to

showcase the work of the SU by livestreaming Student Philip Weldon, and garnering 20% of the vote.

Council meetings to Facebook, and to lobby univerIn her presidential manifesto for the elections last sity management to invest in mental health services March, Hart stated that she wanted to alter the process on campus. Additionally, the manifesto states that the for extenuating circumstances, lobby UCD to review “SU needs a full governance review” and to make the their accommodation costs, and establish a ‘Reveal for 8’ campaign. implementation of an online voting system a priority.

Murphy volunteered in Tanzania with UCDVO Originally an arts student before transferring to before he ran for Campaigns & Communications nursing, Hart ran for Arts Convenor in her first year Officer. He originally ran on a campaign to reduce and has held the position of Health Science Officer UCD’s carbon footprint, expand UCD RAG Week, and twice. During her second year as officer, Hart went improve transport and mental health services. He has on erasmus in her second semester and delegated her taken annual leave to campaign for the presidential duties to a deputy. by-election.

Both candidates addressed the recent controversy Hart stated, in a Facebook post announcing her surrounding the SU, with Barry Murphy stating that candidacy, “I believe I am the best person for this job. “the only people that [the SU] answer to are our student A president you can trust, a president you can rely on.” membership. UCDSU has to be a bottom up organisaIn her manifesto, Hart states that she wants to “make tion and this, now more than ever, has to be reaffirmed.”

UCD approachable, affordable and accessible to all Rebecca Hart has commented that “there is no hiding students” by encouraging open door policies among from the past few weeks where UCDSU has faced huge UCD staff, supporting the Education Officer’s work to challenges, but also saw record levels of engagement.

We need to capitalise on this and I feel I am the best cut re-sit fees, and fixing broken electric doors.

Rebecca Hart previously ran in last year’s presiden- person to unite students and to maintain those engagetial election, placing third behind Katie Ascough and ment levels.”

CINEMA A RUN DOWN OF THE FINEST MOVIE JOINTS IN DUBLIN’S FAIR CITY JACK KNOWLES PAGE 11

COFFEE WHERE IS BEST ON CAMPUS FOR YOUR CAFFEINE HIT AURORA ANDRUS PAGE 21 21ST NOVEMBER 2017 1

NEWS CAMPUS NEWS DR RAWAN ABDELHAQ GIVES TALK AT UCD IN BRIEF

On 6th November a motion for the replacement of the athletic track at UCD was put to the Dundrum Area Committee of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County council and passed unanimously. UCD’s running track was closed suddenly in November 2011 and converted into parking spaces.

The motion was submitted by Cllr John Kennedy (Fine Gael, Stillorgan Ward), arguing the need for an effective replacement of the original track which was built at a cost of IR£175,000 and opened in 1977. Cllr. Kennedy stressed the importance for the relevant stakeholders “to engage seriously and proactively on a collective goal to replace the track” as it would be of benefit to all clubs in the area.

Local athletics clubs have no suitable track to practice their activities since the shutting down of the Belfield Track, which was initially set to only be closed temporarily. Cllr. Kennedy expressed the view that in particular, “the athletes from the student body of Ireland’s largest university, UCD, deserve better” and supports the inclusion of a new 400 metre track within the council’s latest Sports Facilities Strategy.

The track could be located within the Stillorgan, Dundrum, or Glencullen-Sandyford wards and would be a welcome facility to local sports clubs.

Lecturers May be Paid up to €250,000 The Government recently agreed to ease the pay caps in the top tier of the public sector in order for Irish third-level institutions to attract world-leading academics. This is targeted particularly at scientists and engineers.

Under the strict employment control framework, nobody within the public sector can earn more than the Taoiseach, who earns €190,000 per year. The salaries in Irish universities can still be generous as linked historically to civil and public service grades. Professors can earn between €101,000 and €136,000.

In light of Brexit and the consequent uncertainties, it may be believed that this lifting of the pay restriction to €250,000 for scientists and engineers could help the hiring and conversion of the top academics from UK and elsewhere to the Irish third-level sector.

The move only applies to those working in third-level education but it may put pressure on the government to raise salaries in other areas.

NUI Awards The National University of Ireland Awards hosts a range of awards competed for annually by students and graduates of NUI constituent universities including UCD. This year, the NUI Awards were given at a ceremony on Tuesday 14th November in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham and many UCD representatives received awards. The diversity of the awards recognises the talent and hard work of students, graduates, staff, and institutions. The scholarships given to the recipients adds up to over €1 million.

Over 45 awards were given to UCD students, graduates, and staff, recognizing their excellence in their respective fields, ranging from scholarships for proficiency in foreign languages or Irish, to scholarships for top-achievers in a wide range of medical specialties.

Aidan Ryan, current Masters student in Social Sciences, recipient of The Pierce Malone Scholarship in Philosophy for his BA performance in Philosophy, commented on his success: “I was stunned and honoured to receive this award, and I am extremely grateful to NUI and UCD School of Philosophy. The ceremony at Royal Hospital Kilmainham was an enjoyable occasion in a lovely setting.”

2 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 4

Author: Rose Doherty Dr. Rawan Abdelhaq visited UCD last Thursday to give a talk on her experience last year working in Lebanon with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), an NGO who provide emergency healthcare worldwide.

Raised in Tipperary, the UCC graduate said that the mission was a ‘‘once in a lifetime experience.’’ She had been dreaming of such an opportunity since seeing MSF workers on the news when she was 13. Talking to UCD Friends of MSF, Abdelhaq revealed how joining UCC Friends of MSF kept her dream alive.

During the six-month mission Abdelhaq worked in the Bekaa Valley as head of the non-clinical diseases programme, working with Syrians who had fled violence in their home country. As refugees are not allowed to form legitimate refugee camps, they rent land off farmers for their informal settlements. Every day Adbelhaq worked in one of three MSF clinics. The fourth clinic was in an ISI-conrtolled city was therefore inaccessible. The three accessible clinics included two mother and child clinics and one paediatric inpatient unit. Dealing with chronic health issues, Abdelhaq worked with six other expats on her mission with the 150 national staff.

Lebanon currently has 300-400,000 documented refugees and an estimated 1.5 million altogether. Of the four million people living in Lebanon, at least one quarter are refugees. As the Lebanese government has stopped documenting refugees to limit the numbers arriving, MSF stepped in to help the growing population access healthcare. MSF work to improve health conditions, especially with pregnant women, who previously had a high mortality rate.

MSF also started mental health outreach clinics and counselling services. They established focus groups

to deal with gender-based violence which were not received well by the local community. Abdelhaq spoke about family planning groups that were available for the Lebanese girls who get married at 14 and begin having children after their wedding. They often have up to 12 children.

Abdelhaq recounted the “palpable sadness” that encompassed the Syrian people who long for the

better life they had in Syria, but also said that they are resilient people. There is a constant police presence and despite hearing gunshots at times, Abdelhaq says she always felt safe. Abdelhaq encourages anyone who is interested in the work to join MSF, the organisation seek help from everyone, including non-medical workers.

PHOTO CREDIT: MEDICALINDEPENDENT.IE

Motion for New Athletics Track in Belfield Area Passed Unanimously

AMENDMENT FACILITATES GREATER INVESTIGATION OF UNIVERSITIES Author: Priscilla Obilana An amendment has been made to the Technological Universities Bill 2015 which makes universities liable to the same investigative procedures as Technical Universities. The 2015 bill made institutes of technology subject to investigations by a government appointed inspector. The new amendment now makes universities liable to the same law.

Minister for Education Richard Bruton made a proposal for this amendment after an assortment of allegations arose about misconduct in University of Limerick.

In the past, as a last resort, universities could expect a ‘visitor’ to be sent in by the Minister for Education, who would take over the running of the college. This route has never been taken.

The amendment will allow universities to be inspected by an independent body, chosen by the Minister for Education, who would have the power to enter the university and inspect private documents. They could be brought in for a variety of issues. The changes aim to provide checks for all forms of higher education in the case of suspected misconduct. Mr Bruton has said that “this strengthened power will facilitate greater oversight and improved corporate governance.”

Universities have expressed concerns about the amendment, saying that it would encroach on their autonomy, reducing academic freedom, and restricting criticism of the government. In response, Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, has gone on record to say that such scenarios have not been the case in institutes of technology and so there is no evidence that it would happen in relation to universities.

Minister O’Connor stressed that it is important to ensure universities are held accountable. Speaking to the Irish Times, Minister Mitchell O’Connor said that “these institutions receive public money. I am answerable, as is the Government, to the taxpayer. We expect proper oversight and governance. What has happened in the past, in some cases, is not acceptable.”

University of Limerick (UL) has seen an independent inquiry take place as various staff members at UL have come forward over the years alleging misuse of

expenses. Leona O’Callaghan, a former employee at the university at the finance department, was the first to call public attention to potential wrongdoing. In an interview with the Irish Times, O’Callaghan stated that she felt pushed out of her job after she began expressing her concerns about the university’s spending.

Other staff members in the finance department came forward with similar issues, two of the whom have been suspended with pay for the last two years. This treatment of whistle-blowers led to calls for an inquiry.

In the past, UL has rejected recommendations to have an independent inquiry to investigate the allegations. However, on May 1st of this year, UL saw the arrival of a new president, Dr. Des Fitzgerald, who pushed for the establishment of an independent inquiry by contacting the Secretary General of the Department of Education. The report of the inquiry was published this month.

The report criticises the university’s human resources

department, particularly with regards to their treatment of whistleblowers. Pointing out financial discrepancies, the report notes that there were “issues over severance payments for up to eight former staff or contractors totalling €1.7 million, or an average of €212,000 per case.”

“In some cases, members of staff who received these payments were subsequently re-employed on lucrative contracts,” and that “the number of severance agreements entered into by UL over the period was “several orders of magnitude greater” than any other third-level institution.” In addition, the Department of Education were not told about the severance packages.

Fitzgerald has promised to deal with the issues outlined and follow the recommendations given, with reforms already in place. However, the amendment has been predicted to expand to allow investigation of governance and not just concerns that have already been vocalised.

PHOTO CREDIT: GEOGRAPH.ORG.UK

KAROLINA ROZHNOVA

ON WORKING WITH MSF IN LEBANON

NEWS NATIONAL NEWS IN BRIEF

UNIVERSITY FUNDING TO BE LINKED TO GENDER EQUALITY Universities in Ireland will now risk losing funding if they fail to promote a sufficient number of women into higher roles, Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor has announced.

Speaking to the Sunday Independent, Minister Mitchell O’Connor stated that “the first Irish university was set up 424 years ago and since then, no university [in Ireland] has had a female president.”

“That was excusable 400, perhaps even 300, 200 or 100 years ago, but in the 21st century, it’s not only not excusable, it’s not acceptable in institutions which should be providing a beacon of equality to the rest of society.”

Minister Mitchell O’Connor also stated that a GenderEquality Task Force, which will investigate the gender inequality in senior university roles, will be established and will receive €500,000 in funding. The force will monitor a national systems review of recruitment and promotion policies in higher education institutions. A system ensuring that regular feedback is received will also be established. The work of the taskforce will be based on a report by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), which analysed the state of gender equality in Irish universities and made recommendations on what improvements can be made.

The HEA agreed that state funding of higher institutions should now depend on universities’ performance in tackling gender inequality. The institutions’ eligibility for research funding will be limited to those colleges that have a history of tackling the issue of gender inequality in the past. In addition to that, colleges will be required to have gender equality accreditation by the end of 2019 by three of Ireland’s research finding agencies; Science Foundation Ireland, the Irish Research Council, and the Health Research Board.

This move is made with the aim of improving gender equality in research, which is an important requirement for winning the profitable European research funding opportunities under Horizon 2020, the EU’s €80 billion research and innovation plan. Universities will now also have to adhere to mandatory gender quotas when considering academic promotions. The promotions will be based on the “cascade model,” meaning that the proportion of men and women promoted will have to

match the proportion of each gender in the position below. The minister also addressed the fact that the report suggested a lack of transparency in the process of recruitment, which she hopes will be tackled by the task force.

Currently, 50% of lecturers in Irish universities are female, however the proportion drops to 19% among professors. In this year’s report, the HEA noted improvements of 1% to 2% in tackling gender inequality between 2015 and 2016 at top levels in higher education institutions. According to the HEA report, no executive managerial team in any university in the country had a representation of at least 40% women.

NUI Galway was reported to have the lowest proportion of women in professor positions, at 12%, and University of Limerick had the highest, at 31%.

Among the highest paid (making above €106,000) nonacademic staff, only 29% were female, and just 17% in

BRÍAN DONNELLY

institutes of technology.

An article published last month by the University Observer revealed that while there are more female lecturers/assistant professors in UCD, there are twice as many male associate professors, professors and full processors than there are female. Female lecturers in UCD on average earn less, have shorter contracts, and are less likely to be promoted. UCD won the Athena SWAN in March, which recognises gender equality in higher education staff.

Marie O’Connor, the chairperson for the task force, said that “gender equality starts at home; none of us today have lesser ambitions for our daughters than our sons. It is important as all students enter education that there are female role models and mentors and this is even more vital in the higher education institutions, which are so influential in the development of skills for future careers of young people.”

Taoiseach Announces Commission on the Status of Women in Ireland A Commission on the Status of Women in Ireland is to be announced, according to Fine Gael’s ‘rolling manifesto,’ entitled ‘Building a Republic of Opportunity.’ The commission will deliver a report on gender inequality in Ireland within six months of its establishment and include a ‘roadmap’ which will detail how they should be tackled.

The manifesto promises to remove gender barriers “from all aspects of life.” The implementation of the roadmap will be overseen by the Department of an Taoiseach. This initiative is included alongside a commitment to “properly tailored… effective action” to tackle the gender pay gap. EU figures indicate that women earn 13.9% less than men.

Last month, the Central Statistics Office published data detailing key differences between men and women in Ireland in 2016. It showed that women were more likely to have a third-level education, while men were more likely to be employed and work longer hours.

The move to establish the commission comes in anticipation of a referendum to alter article 41.2.1 of Bunreacht na hÉireann, which details the rights and the role of women, stating that the State shall ensure that “mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home.”

PICTURE CREDIT: PIXABAY, JIMKIMBALL10

Author: Ekatherina Gillen

UNIVERSITY BORROWING THREATENED BY EU-DESIGNATED STATUS

The ability of Irish universities to determine their own level of borrowing may be sharply curbed if the government is required to include the finances of thirdlevel institutions on the exchequer balance sheet.

Eurostat, the EU statistics agency, has asked the Central Statistics Office to recommend whether Irish universities should be included in government borrowing figures. The final decision as to universities’ designation is left to the discretion of Eurostat.

As the Irish government must comply with EU fiscal regulations, exchequer spending and university borrowing will be severely restricted if universities’ finances must be included on the balance sheet. If this were to occur Irish universities would become more reliant on direct government expenditure. The potential risk of further decreasing state financing was flagged previously in UCD’s 2016 financial statements. In 2016, the heads of UCD and TCD warned that the continual decrease in state funding for third-level institutions was resulting in annual falls in international rankings.

In 2016, the Cassells report into the financing of higher education institutions stated that €5.5 billion will be required over the next 15 years for the thirdlevel sector in order to provide for the predicted 25% increase in student numbers over the next decade.

Irish universities have relied heavily on borrowing to expand their facilities in recent years. UCD’s 2016

Factors such as the state’s control over salaries and staffing numbers, potential evidence of a large degree of state governance, will likely affect whether Irish universities pass the ‘market test’ and ‘control test.’

In 2015, Eurostat announced that Irish Water had failed the ‘Market Corporation Test,’ stating that the Irish state had a considerable amount of control over the entity, to the point where its financing must be included in the balance sheet. This decision came despite a report submitted to Eurostat by the CSO which recommended that Irish Water be excluded from government borrowing figures.

A DCU student was arrested by an Garda Síochána in a raid conducted at an apartment on campus on Wednesday November 15th. A report in the Irish Sun stated that eight Gardaí entered the Hampstead Student Residences, discovering almost €4,000 worth of narcotics.

The 20-year-old male student has since been released from Ballymun Garda Station on bail with a Garda spokesperson stating that the investigation is ongoing. It has been reported that the person was known to Gardaí as a prominent drug dealer and had been under surveillance for some time.

DCU’s website states that “students of DCU should be aware that possession of drugs (intent for personal use or intent to supply) is illegal in Ireland” and that the university has a clear ‘no drugs’ policy which includes opiates, narcotics, cannabis, and amphetamines.

A spokesperson for DCU stated that the university “doesn’t have a comment to make on the specifics.”

While some Students’ Union’s such as NUI Galway have a mandate to campaign for the decriminalisation of drugs for personal use, DCU does not. The DCU chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy has campaigned for such a mandate.

In 2014, the Irish Mirror reported that a DCU student claimed to be selling cannabis and earning €5,000 a year to put himself through college.

CIT Former President Signed off on own €13,000 Retirement Party

PHOTO CREDIT: MAXPIXEL

BRÍAN DONNELLY NEWS EDITOR

financial statements show that the university has borrowings which total almost €74 million, down from €81.2 million in 2015. UCD has previously obtained loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB) which are secured against the Merville and Belgrove Student Residences, and the Sports and Leisure Centre. In 2015, TCD owed an estimated €321 million to its creditors.

NUI Galway announced last month that the EIB had provided €60 million in funding to construct new student residences and facilities for its college of medicine, nursing, and health sciences. Similarly, loans of €110 million are expected from the EIB to finance the continued development of DIT’s Grangegorman campus.

DCU Student Arrested in Campus Drugs Raid

Dr. Brendan Murphy, former President of Cork Institute of Technology, signed off on a €13,000 budget for his own retirement party. The expenditure, which included an ice sculpture of a dolphin, a classical string quartet worth €700, and almost €5,000 spent on food, covered two separate events, a main party and one for senior staff. Dr. Murphy served as President of CIT for 13 years.

The secretary general of the Department of Education, Seán Ó Foglú, told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the department was not aware of the cost of the event and that spending in relation to events such as retirement parties is “not something we have a guideline on.”

CIT has previously spent €20,000 on portraits of Dr. Murphy and the former chair of the governing board, Dr. Paddy Caffrey. The IT has an annual deficit of €1 million and in 2015 had owed over €30 million to creditors, up from €10 million at the start of Dr. Murphy’s tenure in 2004.

21ST NOVEMBER 2017 3

NEWS INTERNATIONAL NEWS IN BRIEF TRANS WOMAN DEFEATS ANTI-LGBT

On Wednesday November 15th, the results of an Australian postal vote on marriage equality were announced.

When asked, “Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?” 61.6% voted in favour of changing the law, with 38.4% voting for the law to remain the same. According to the Guardian, 75.1% of men and 81.1% of women in the 18 to 19 year old category were among the highest percentage to take part in the vote. The Blaxland electorate had the highest percentage of ‘No’ votes with only 26% of people in that electorate voting ‘Yes.’ Of the approximately 16 million people eligible to vote, 79.5% of responses, which amounts to over 12.7 million people, were considered legitimate.

After the results of the vote were announced, support from all over the world was broadcast on social media using the hashtag #MarriageEquality.

Australian singers, Kylie Minogue and Troye Sivan, were among the many people who took to Twitter to express their support for the result.

Despite the overwhelmingly positive response, the result of the vote is not legally binding and a bill must be passed through the Australian Parliament to become law.

Iran and Iraq hit by 7.3 Magnitude Earthquake An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 has hit the Kermanshah Province, the border region between Iran and Iraq on Sunday November 12th. The epicentre was located approximately 30km south of the city of Halabjah, Iraqi Kurdistan, with tremors felt as far away as Kuwait, Turkey, Qatar, Lebanon, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates.

The earthquake triggered major landslides that made rescue operations difficult in mountainous regions. As many as 580 deaths have been reported, with more than 8000 people injured. Data reports that more than 70,000 people will require some form of shelter.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani promised victims emergency financial assistance. He also raised concerns about poorly built structures as some buildings coped much better than others.

About 150 aftershocks followed the initial earthquake as recorded by the USA Geological Survey.

It is the deadliest earthquake in the world so far this year. Foreign aid is being provided to affected regions by the United Nations, Turkey, Russia, and the USA, among others.

China bans Tourism to North Korea China has banned tourism to North Korea a day before the USA President Donald Trump was due to visit on his Asian tour. The Dandong Tourism Bureau have since told all tourism companies in the Chinese city of Dandong, which borders North Korea, to halt trips to Pyongyang ahead of Trump’s visit to China. The government has yet to give any official explanation for the changes, allowing only day trips to Sinuiju and banning all trips longer than 3 days.

The USA had banned citizens from travelling to North Korea earlier this year after the death of Otto Warmbier, a 22-year-old student who had entered North Korea through the China-based Young Pioneer Tours Company. He was held captive in North Korea for more than a year and died shortly after arriving back to US. According to the South Korea based think-tank the Korea Maritime Institute, about $44 million revenue per year is generated by tourism in North Korea, and 80% of all visitors are Chinese tourists.

The United Nations are ramping up sanctions on North Korea, curbing major export industries of coal, textiles and seafood in the past year, leaving North Korea relying more heavily on the tourism industry.

4 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 4

Elizabeth Wells takes a look at how a trans woman won against a self-described homophobe in Virginia elections.

The first openly transgender woman has been elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, and once seated, she will be the first openly trans person to serve as a state legislature in the United States.

Democrat Danica Roem, a 33-year-old former journalist, shattered the glass ceiling on November 7th, in an ironic defeat of Republican incumbent Bob Marshall, who earlier in his term proposed the ‘bathroom bill’ that would have barred transgender people in Virginia from using public restrooms of their associated gender.

Roem won with 54% of the vote over Marshall’s 46%.

Marshall has held the office for the last 26 years.

While Roem’s victory stands as a groundbreaking achievement for the LGBT+ community, she emphasised that her campaign was about policy as much as it was identity. The main pillar of her campaign was to revamp the infrastructure in her district to alleviate traffic issues. Increasing the pay of teachers and expanding Medicaid in the area were also among her top priorities.

“Transgender people have really good public policy ideas that span the gamut of transportation policy to health care policy to education policy, and yes, to civil rights as well,” Roem said in an interview with Mother Jones. “We shouldn’t just be pigeonholed into the idea that we’re just going to be fighting about bathrooms.”

Over the course of the campaign, Marshall, who has labelled himself as “chief homophobe,” refused to publicly debate Roem, and repeatedly referred to Roem using male pronouns. He also accused Roem of using her identity to further her political agenda, despite Roem continuously stressing the importance of her policy initiatives. Marshall authorised a campaign flyer sent out in the weeks leading to the election which included the section “Danica Roem in his Own Words” and the heading “Danica Roem, born male, has made a campaign issue out of transitioning to female.”

“My credentials for this office are not based on my gender,” Roem told the Washington Blade, an LGBT+ news publication.

In a response to Marshall misgendering her, she released a campaign ad showing the normality of her

morning routine, putting on make-up and taking hormone pills, stating “This shouldn’t be newsworthy or political, this is just who I am.”

The LGBT+ community has reacted with enthusiasm across the country in the wake of Roem’s victory.

Sarah McBride, a transgender LGBT+ rights activist and the national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, said this was more than just a historic moment.

“For trans youth across the country, Danica Roem’s election isn’t just a headline or even history,” she told the New York Times. “It’s hope. Hope for a better tomorrow.”

Although some anti-discrimination laws protecting transgender people have come into effect in various states across the country, trans people face high

levels of discrimination and violence. According to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, a report carried out in 2016 by the National Center for Transgender Equality, 26% of trans people lost a job due to bias, 50% were harassed while working, 20% were evicted or denied housing, and 78% of trans students were harassed or assaulted.

Roem was one of several transgender democratic victories that took place in early November, including Gerry Cannon, who became the first transgender person to be elected to New Hampshire public office; Andrea Jenkins to the Minneapolis’ city council, who is also the first black transgender woman to be elected to public office in the USA; and Lisa Middleton, who was the first transgender person to win a non-judicial election in California.

PICTURE CREDIT: FLICKR

Australia in Favour of Marriage Equality, According to Postal Vote

MEDIA CONTROVERSY CONTINUES AS SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS AMASS

FIACHRA JOHNSTON DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR In the wake of sexual harassment allegations made against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein by numerous former employees and co-workers, more and more celebrities have been accused of crimes of a sexual nature. A list published by ABC News reveals nearly 40 men in various industries have been accused of, or have been reported to police authorities, for sexual harassment or assault. So great are the number of cases that the Irish Examiner reports Los Angeles’ Chief Prosecutor has set up a taskforce of “veteran sex crimes prosecutors” to analyse cases brought forward by the L.A and Beverly Hills Police Departments.

Among these cases was Kevin Spacey, star of Netflix’s House of Cards, who was accused by actor Anthony Rapp of making drunken sexual advances when he was 14. Since then 23 other men have come out publicly accusing Spacey of sexual misconduct and/ or assault. Spacey’s response to the situation by coming out as gay also drew ire, with outbursts on social media saying that Spacey was trying to divert attention from the allegations.

George Takei, of Star Trek fame, was later accused by former actor and model Scott R. Brunton of sexual assault in 1981, which he has since denied. Takei had appeared on the Howard Stern Show two weeks after the Weinstein allegations surfaced, and when asked by Stern and his co-host Robin Quivers if he had every made sexual advances against someone’s will, was

quoted as saying “Some people are kind of skittish, or maybe…afraid, and you’re trying to persuade.”

Comedian Louis C.K was accused by five women of asking them to watch or listen to him masturbate. C.K responded by confirming their stories were true, and releasing a formal statement. The statement however, did not contain an apology. Both distribution company The Orchard, and American cable company FX, who have both worked with C.K in the past, have cancelled all upcoming projects and severed ties with him. Also among the accused were Dustin Hoffman, who has since apologised for harassing a woman in a hotel room when she was 17, and Steven Seagal, who has denied two accusations of sexual assault.

Many have felt encouraged to speak out. Terry Crews, who claimed to have been groped by WME executive Adam Venit, posted a series of messages on twitter supporting those who had recently called out harassers, hoping that going public would “deter a predator and encourage someone who feels hopeless.”

Crews later filed a police report against Venit.

Gal Gadot, star of Wonder Woman, reportedly refused to return for a sequel should producer Brett

Ratner continue working on the series after seven women, including actresses Olivia Munn, Natasha Henstridge and Ellen Page, accused him of assault or harassment. Page also claimed Ratner outed her as gay to another co-worker onset before she had publicly come out in 2014.

The controversy has also spread to those not involved in the cases. Comedian Lena Dunham sparked controversy after defending Girls writer Murray Miller, who was accused of sexual assault. She later apologised and retracted her defence, stating “Every woman who comes forward deserves to be heard, fully and completely.” These allegations have also returned interest to several cases of harassment in the political spectrum, such as former United States President George H.W Bush, who has been accused by eight women of harassment since 1990, as well as current President Donald Trump, who has been accused of at least fifteen cases of sexual misconduct since the 1980s. Many of which surfaced after a leaked recording from 2005 surfaced where he described how due to his fame, he “can do anything” to women.

PHOTO CREDIT: ARMY.MIL

DYLAN O’NEILL, PRIYA GARG

LAWMAKER FOR SEAT IN STATE LEGISLATURE

HEAD-TO-HEAD

COMMENT

SHOULD WE HAVE IMPEACHED KATIE ASCOUGH?

IN FAVOUR

AGAINST

DEAN SWIFT

DARAGH FLEMING

One would be ignorant to claim that Ascough’s beliefs played no part in the process. UCD students have voted to be in support of the pro-choice movement, and whatever impression may have been given by the initial election of Ascough, it does not nullify the votes that made the UCDSU act in favour of the Repeal campaign. Ascough promised not to interfere in the matter and not allow her personal views to affect her position as president, which was ultimately a lie to the students. She claimed she would delegate, but all other SU Officers have claimed that she never did, nor did she intend to, dismissing their opinions on the matter several times. The releasing of the Union Executive’s minutes could perhaps help clear up this matter, but the fact that this was delayed shows a lack of transparency.

The matter of voter turnout is another massive indicator that there was wrong-doing. Voting numbers in UCD elections have been steadily declining, with Ascough herself not meeting the quota of 1619 votes in the original election, receiving 1431. Less than 10% of UCD voted. The impeachment vote on the other hand received 6611 votes in total, 4540 in favour of impeachment. The impeachment referendum gained massive traction in student engagement, with more than two thirds voting in favour of impeachment. This was the student body clearly stating that we do not want Ascough, and we believe she has proven herself unfit to act as president. There remained still a large number of students who did not vote and we must wonder why. Were students unsure, or did they simply not care? One cannot consider these people non-voters either way, as what it does express is that they were not motivated to vote in favour of keeping Ascough.

The ideal “president for all” could well be close, what with the election fast approaching. However, Ascough was not a president for the majority, let alone for all, and this is best reflected in the issue that started it all: the Winging It in UCD publication. Ascough removed information that had been published by the union before, which may have caused legal issues in the past once, but not in the last 20 years. Ascough’s claimed fear of legal action was a clear façade; while technically illegal, it would have never resulted in legal action, particularly in the current social climate, and as she was advised initially by the SU’s lawyer. Her actions directly contradict the student vote and support the minority in UCD, directly opposing the majority.

The cost of reprinting the publication, in a cash-strapped Union, was also a colossal waste of money. Yes, the impeachment has also cost money, as will the election, but all of these costs should be put down to Ascough’s initial actions, not the impeachment movement. To use money as an argument against impeachment would be advising us to simply accept wrong-doing as stopping it would cost too much.

One should not view the question of impeachment as whether one supports or opposes the Repeal the 8th movement, it should be viewed as a question of whether Ascough acted in a manner that was detrimental to the union and against the will of the student body. The answer to both is a clear yes. All the evidence clearly suggests impeachment was the right decision. The impeachment vote is a clear statement by UCD students that they did not wish for Ascough to continue as president, which is in truth the most significant factor in all of this.

The Union represents the students, it is subject to student control, and we as a majority felt that she should not continue as president. As such, Ascough was rightly and fairly impeached.

Just a few weeks ago we impeached Katie Ascough, effectively removing her from the position of SU President.

We did this on the basis that she was acting out of personal interest, rather than on behalf of the student body.

It was noted over and over again that Ascough was pro-life, and this was used as the catalyst that fuelled her impeachment.

The argument that was shrugged off, however, is that printing certain information about abortion was, and still is, illegal. Printing information regarding how and where to get an abortion is a punishable offence in Ireland as it stands. What is ironic about the situation is that we live in a society that will be outraged by authority figures such as the Gardaí or politicians breaking the law, but for some reason will also ridicule a student representative for overtly not breaking the law.

Because Ascough is openly pro-life, we have ignorantly assumed that this was her motivation in not printing the abortion information. Had there been no potential punishment, it is likely that she may not have even noticed the information regarding abortion. Ascough did not want to risk the tarnishing of her own record, or those of her team, because of information regarding a currently illegal activity, and that is understandable. Had Ascough been pro-choice and acted in the same manner, I am sure the whole incident would have gone unquestioned. We would not expect any political leader to break the law to justify national interest. Why then, all of a sudden, are we expecting our SU President to break the law because the majority of the student body is pro-choice? There is no problem with being pro-choice, but asking your SU President to face a potential conviction in the name of the pro-choice movement is problematic.

We live in an overwhelmingly liberal society, where tolerance for all perspectives and beliefs is supposed to be a priority. When someone is impeached for holding a belief that is converse to the majority, this idea of a ‘liberal society’ is called into question. Ascough’s actions were assumed to be motivated by her pro-life beliefs, without any evidence of that being true. Moreover, Ascough explicitly stated that she would not interfere with any issues to do with abortion, and that she would pass such responsibilities on to her peers. As SU President, Ascough had a responsibility to ensure that the Students’ Union represents the student body appropriately. Acting within the bounds of the law is within this responsibility and so it makes sense that an SU President would stop the circulation of information that is deemed illegal by the state.

Impeaching someone based on the fact that they have a differing belief to us is wrong. Assuming that they acted out of contempt without proof is wrong. Although it is a tradition at this stage, it is not the SU’s job to follow the zeitgeist and riskily promote certain stances. It comes down to one question: if you were in Ascough’s situation, potentially facing a €4000 fine because of the circulation of what is deemed illegal information, would you do it? It is easy to say that you would in a hypothetical situation, but it remains hard to believe that anyone would take that risk, when all of the information can be accessed freely and legally online.

Katie Ascough had a tough call to make. It was never going to be easy, considering the tension surrounding the abortion debate. However, expecting her to risk conviction and a personal fine is not acceptable, no matter the circumstance, and it was not fair to impeach her.

REBUTTAL

REBUTTAL

DARAGH FELMING

DEAN SWIFT

There are two points made here which are complete speculation, rather biasing the reader. Regarding Ascough’s perceived lack of intention to delegate, you cannot assume any person’s intention without evidence unless you have the ability to read minds. On the assumption that students did not vote because they did not want Ascough as president, there is yet again no evidence to support this fabricated argument. As George Earle Buckle said, “in practical life the wisest and soundest people avoid speculation”.

Finally, I agree that this conflict should not be resolved based on “whether one supports or opposes the Repeal the 8th movement,” as this has very little to do with the responsibilities of an SU president. This writer believes that the SU president is elected to ensure that the Union acts within the bounds of the law. As such, Ascough fulfilled her duty in this regard. Whether or not it is believed that her own personal views affected this decision is irrelevant. The SU is obligated to represent the views of the student. However, it is not obligated, nor is it recommended, that it breaks the law in doing so.

It is true to say that Katie Ascough’s pro-life stance acted as a catalyst for the impeachment. However, a catalyst by definition is not a cause but merely something that accelerates a reaction. As stated, the students impeached her for numerous reasons, the most prominent being the removal of the information from the Winging It in UCD publication. To say that Ascough would not have noticed the material if not for the illegality is absurd as the information is a well-known fixture in the publication. Ascough stated that she would not interfere with issues relating to abortion, yet she did. These are the actions of someone with a personal agenda.

To claim that the student body would not have acted in a similar manner if Ascough were pro-choice is an understandable assumption, but there can be no hint of an alternative agenda whatsoever. If a pro-choice person president had left the information in regardless of the law, they would have supported the students’ ability to obtain information. If the material was removed, however, it would still cause uproar, and accountability would be demanded regardless of the individual’s beliefs. Citizens should expect politicians to break the law if it is of benefit to the public. Anyone running for office should have the strength to face challenges for the people they represent, and Ascough refused to fight to represent her student body.

21ST NOVEMBER 2017 5

COMMENT TROUBLE IN PARADISE Last week the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and their media partners released the Paradise Papers: reams of online records, emails and voicemails detailing offshore investments made by wealthy companies and individuals. The 13.4 million documents give us a glimpse into the lengths to which some of the wealthiest people and companies on earth will go to avoid paying tax on their wealth. The leak’s name is a reference to the Caribbean islands such as Bermuda and the Cayman Islands that frequently serve as tax havens, but it also represents the ‘paradise’ that the superrich live in, one in which they can exploit tax laws to accumulate as much wealth as possible. It is a world that excludes the vast majority of us.

Appleby, the legal firm that was the source of most of the leaked documents, has reiterated since the leak that their clients’ monetary maneuverings are all legal.

Major companies like Apple, Facebook, Twitter, and Yahoo were mentioned in the leaks, alongside quite a few famous faces. Queen Elizabeth II’s private estate, the Duchy of Lancaster, was found to be investing millions of pounds in previously undisclosed tax havens.

The revelations about her private investments come as her income nearly doubles to £82 million. Her sovereign grant, the money she earns from UK taxpayers, rose from 15 to 25% of the crown estate’s annual profits, per her request, so that renovations could be

made to Buckingham Palace.

Apple, Facebook, Yahoo, and Twitter are incredibly popular and profitable international businesses that chose to keep their money outside of their own country to avoid paying taxes. They are also all companies who have their European headquarters in Ireland. The Paradise Papers revealed that in 2015, Apple, which has its European headquarters in Cork, moved control of its two Irish subsidies to the Channel Island of Jersey after Ireland made changes to its tax structure.

These changes would have increased the amount of taxes Apple had to pay, but this move allowed Apple to continue paying a shockingly low tax rate on profits made outside of the United States.

Google, another company with their European headquarters in Ireland, has also committed their fair share of tax avoidance, in part by taking advantage of Ireland’s tax laws. In 2003 Google Alphabet, Google’s parent company, transferred some of their technologies to a subsidy called Google Holdings. While Google Holdings is registered to an address in Dublin, for tax purposes it is a resident of Bermuda. In 2015, this helped the company pay €47.8 million in taxes for €22.6 billion in revenue from European, Middle Eastern, and African markets.

While creative tax avoidance is the realm of the massively wealthy, the games played by the rich have a tangible trickle-down effect. Taxes paid to both the Irish and American governments by companies like Apple and Google could have translated to increased government spending on public services like healthcare, education, and transport. Both the Irish and the American people are getting shortchanged by these massively profitable businesses who choose to exploit gaps in the law to maximise their own profits.

Appleby, the legal firm that was the source of most of the leaked documents, has reiterated since the leak that their clients’ monetary maneuverings are all legal. Tax loopholes are just that: gaping spaces in the law that

PHOTO CREDIT: WIKIMEDIA

In the wake of the release of the Paradise Papers, Audrey Cooney examines the aftermath and the continuing moral dilemma of tax havens.

allow those with the resources to do so to circumvent standard practice while technically retaining legality.

The fact that squirrelling away massive amounts of money to offshore tax havens is, in many cases, legal, points to larger problems in our societal make-up. Tax havens are a luxury reserved for those wealthy enough to afford lawyers and economic advisors who can comb through international laws to find their clients convenient places to store their extra cash. Those who utilise tax loopholes may argue that they are merely managing their money as efficiently as possible, but it’s unfair to the rest of us that these people and companies get to dance around the law while ordinary people have no choice but to fall in line.

In a time of bleak austerity, lingering wage stagnation and staggering economic inequality there is no purpose in loopholes that aid only the wealthiest members of the population. Companies like Apple and rich celebrities are already on the top. There is no need to maintain additional ways for them to increase the gap between them and the rest of society. Why should the rules bend for the benefit of those who can afford to pay? Governments should close tax loopholes and dedicate the increased tax revenue to public services.

The Paradise Papers prove that, while tax havens are abound, those who play by the rules will be forever lagging behind those who do not.

THE FAULT IN OUR LIBERALISM Heather Reynolds examines the weaknesses in the modern liberal ethos through the lens of the Flint water crisis.

Liberalism as a doctrine is about putting the rights of the individual at the core of politics. Referring to government as a “necessary evil,” it espouses that all people should have the freedom to do as they please, so long as it does not hurt anyone else in the process.

However, in recent years, the doctrine has become separated from the practice, with many who profess having liberal views not wholly following this practice. Most recently, liberalism has become conflated with maintaining the status quo with a left-leaning tilt. Rather than pushing for radical change, as has been the course with liberalism in the past, modern liberals concern themselves more with reasoned debate.

Hearing both sides has become par for the course in all arguments, even those as simple as whether people should have clean water. Individual human rights, which liberalism professes should be at the core of all legislation, are being debated based on how they affect others, even when they are proven to have no negative effect. This is a phenomenon that has been allowed to occur because liberal ideas are being viewed as an exercise in thought, rather than as actual legislation that affects the lives of others.

levels aggravated the lead piping, causing lead to seep into the water systems and enter the water supply. This state of emergency was one of the leading stories at the time, and people were aghast that an entire town was poisoned over an avoidable change made purely to create a monetary gain for those in government. It was a major talking point among liberal circles, with many organising clean water drives and holding fundraisers to provide aid to those who need it.

Who in Varadkar’s constituency is tweeting their outrage instead of calling his office to complain about the lack of feasible legislation to aid the homeless in Ireland?

This story held the public consciousness for around a month to varying degrees, before fading away entirely.

Flint was without clean water from April 24th in 2014, a year and a half before the state of emergency was declared, with little to no media coverage. The government has agreed to replace the pipes, but at this point, in 2017, locals are still encouraged to avoid drinking This “thought exercise” culture that has arisen in the water. People who refer to themselves as liberal, liberal politics has led to two main faults; a lack of and profess the tenants of liberalism, were preoccupied acknowledgement of the lives that government policy with this crisis until the next scandal came up, when affects, and a preoccupation with hot topic issues. Due they quickly moved along.

Flint stands as just one example of this aspect of to the focus on reasoned debate and rational thinking, people are encouraged to disconnect, leaving those modern liberalism, a preoccupation with having the who are in need of aid without assistance because it ‘hottest take’ on any given issue while maintaining an would take away benefits from those who do not need intellectual distance from the matter at hand.

Another example of this is the public response to them.

Flint, a town in Michigan declared a state of emer- the homelessness crisis in Ireland. Any new figure gency on the December 15th, 2015 after their water released or headline printed about yet another death of source was changed to save money resulting in slightly a homeless person leads to a few days of indignation higher levels of chlorine. This increase in chlorine on Twitter, maybe a new petition to be emailed to the

Dáil, but where is the consistent pressure being placed on the government? Who in Varadkar’s constituency is tweeting their outrage instead of calling his office to complain about the lack of feasible legislation to aid the homeless in Ireland?

Comments made by Eileen Gleeson, Director of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive sparked the most recent backlash about homelessness in Ireland.

Gleeson said long-term homelessness tends to be caused by years of “bad behaviour,” comments that sparked anger and outrage online, homeless charities spoke out against the comments and possibly received increased donations as a result of the media attention and Twitter storms. Well-intended as such responses may be, they alone are not enough to solve the problem

of the Irish homeless, and are clearly not resulting in enough pressure being placed on our government to do more to alleviate the problem. No matter how much the issue is discussed, no action is going to be taken without individuals taking that action themselves.

Liberalism has regressed to a debate rather than an actively engaged political stance, and this has led to people physically not engaging themselves with horrors, instead using them as thought exercises for as long as they stay relevant and then assuming them to have been dealt with when the opposite is true. This is the key fault in modern liberalism: it leaves the issues explored, dissected, but not engaged with to a point where those in power feel the need to effect direlyneeded change.

6 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 4

PHOTO CREDIT: MYRIAMS-FOTOS

At this point, in 2017, locals are still encouraged to avoid drinking the water.

FEATURES UNREAL ESTATE OF STUDENT HOUSING With rents continuing to rise, Keith Feenan looks at what it takes for a student to live in Dublin.

Since 2010 rent prices have increased by 65%.

The University Observer spoke to two UCD students and the UCD Students’ Union’s Accommodations Officer to get their front-line views. Rokas Stasiškis, a first year Computer Science student, lives in Cherrywood, roughly 45 minutes away from Belfield.

He is paying around €700 a month for a room in an apartment. This is one of the most common scenarios facing students in Dublin. Stasiškis came to UCD from the UK, and says that having lived previously in Cardiff and Essex, the price of accommodation was considerably higher in Dublin. Stasiškis’ main problem while searching was that even when going to the extreme of his budget, the quality was not there; “it’s pretty grim… the standard for the prices.” Some of the nicer places for roughly €600 a month were only digs: five days a week for €600. This is just not practical for most students, and is unrealistic and unfair. In Cherrywood, though he hasn’t encountered horror-story levels of problems, there have been difficulties with heating and hygiene, plus the usual difficulties of sharing a flat.

For students who are unable to find a place to lease by themselves, many often turn to digs-type arrangements.

For some this can be a success, for others, like Melanie O’Neill*, a fourth year Science student, the lack of regulation around renting in digs can prove problematic. Having moved in with a family of three, after one week, O’Neill was asked to vacate the house “with one week’s notice and no reason provided.” When O’Neill spoke to her landlord to find out the reasons why, and to get her deposit returned, she was accused of using the house for sex work and then asked to “leave the house that day.” As to the €1200 deposit she had paid, she was told she “would get her money when she left the house.”

After O’Neill left the house, she returned with her father three days later when she was given roughly three quarters of the deposit back. O’Neill went to UCDSU after the incident, and discovered that a template of a lease is available to download from the SU website that students can bring with them to sign with the agreement of their landlord in a digs setup. A written agreement would provide students with a form of security against having experiences such as O’Neill’s.

Adrian Wennberg, a Computer Science student in second year, lives with his girlfriend in an apartment on Merrion Road. He has had very few problems with the apartment and the landlord has been very helpful.

Wennberg went from living in on-campus accommodation to his current apartment after spending several months looking for a place. He again felt that the price was high and still thinks, like Stasiškis, he had to push his price range to find somewhere. Despite this “I still got it cheaper than the accommodation that’s on campus because the accommodation on campus is pretty expensive.” Wennberg also mentioned that it was a lot more expensive here than at home in Norway. This highlights the main problem with student accommodation in Dublin: there may be places available but they are not affordable. Éilis Ryan, in an article in The Journal noted this year that since their lowest point in 2010, rent prices in Dublin have increased by 65%.

Housing security, affordability, and suitability are the

major factors for students hunting for accommodation.

Ailbhe O’Halloran, the SU’s Accommodation Officer, agrees that there are not enough beds for students on the market at prices that students can afford. “Planning permission has been gotten by so many groups this year alone, to build thousands of student beds and they’re all along the lines of the Montrose that we have just across the flyover, where they are going to cost over €1000 a month which is again huge, and just not what our students need.” There is a lack of realistically priced, quality accommodation for students close to the colleges, especially UCD and Trinity. Expanding oncampus accommodation “will be great for the 1% who

can afford them, but that’s not really going to change the situation for the 99%” O’Halloran says.

This is an area where UCD needs to be pro-active.

O’Halloran believes UCD is not doing enough in helping people find accommodation on and off campus.

Although universities should do all they can, this is not a problem solely affecting students. Student accommodation is only a symptom of much larger problems in Irish society. It is no secret that Ireland is facing a terrible Housing crisis. As Stasiškis put it “you can’t help people search for something that isn’t there.” *not her real name

PHOTO CREDIT: PIXABAY SKITTERPHOTO

The first thing that should be said on the issue of housing is very simple: these problems are nothing new.

Any amount of research will show this, go online and you’ll find many articles written on the subject over the past five to ten years. The numbers change, the stories don’t. Dublin’s students are living in broken down flats, being extorted in digs or catching pneumonia from damp in the walls; the list goes on. Rather than focus on horror stories reported online or in print, it’s better to look at why this is happening and why this problem is not fading away.

CAN IRELAND EVER BE GREEN AGAIN? In the wake of the November Citizens Assembly, Sorcha Kebbe investigates the Irish government’s attitude to climate change.

Ireland’s emissions could rise rather than fall before 2020.

Such news comes just weeks after the Citizens’ Assembly held its meetings ‘How the State Can Make Ireland a Leader in Tackling Climate Change.’ The Citizens’ Assembly is comprised of a Chairperson and 99 randomly selected citizens that represent all corners of Irish society and opinion. They have previously met on issues regarding the ageing population and the 8th Amendment. The meetings were chaired by Ms Justice Mary Laffoy, previously judge to the High Court.

The findings of the Assembly were positive. Out of 75 members present, 89% voted yes to implementing a tax on agriculture, known as the sector with the third biggest contribution to climate change. A further 98% voted for making climate change to be made central in Irish policymaking.

However even if Ireland took rapid action on reducing emissions, by taxing farmers and increasing public transport, critics fear this will still not be enough to reach the 2020 targets set out by the EU. Prof FitzGerald, chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council, has said Ireland’s emissions could rise rather than fall before 2020.

Meaghan Carmody, Head of Mobilisation at Friends of the Earth Ireland (FOE) describes Ireland’s efforts regarding climate change as “embarrassing on an EU scale” in conversation with the University Observer.

“Part of the reason why the government is acting the

way they are,” she says, is “that in times gone by they have tended to favour big business.” What Friends of the Earth want to see the government create a “more democratic system-led, community-run renewable energy roll-out in Ireland with solar.”

Companies recklessly building wind farms on important scenic land has soiled the reputation of renewable energy in Ireland. Carmody explains that the “backlash against wind energy in Ireland” is “because the government essentially decided to give big business a lot of land to use for producing wind energy without consultation with the communities.”

Catherine Martin expresses similar concerns about the government’s commitment: “It’s incredible, when we have a Taoiseach who from the day he became Taoiseach said climate action is a priority…There’s a lot of talk but very little action.”

and Cork. Carmody adds, “they’re going to import gas from North America,” when “we need to keep 4/5 of fossil fuels in the ground.” Martin agrees: “The irony is lost on them, that we voted to ban the onshore [fracking] and a week later they give that consent.”

At a time when it seems our belief in the government to act on climate change issues is in question, the last and perhaps most important question for Martin and Carmody is what ordinary but essential actions can Irish citizens take to fight for a greener future for the country. Martin’s opinion is that “The government must lead, that’s what came out of the Citizens Assembly.”

Carmody advises “not to go it alone…If we stop thinking of ‘me’ and ‘what can I do?’ but ‘what can we do?’”

Finally, what about us college students? Carmody views universities as “real melting pots for thinking about system change, thinking about how things can be different… They’re really wonderful spaces to use to create a different system, one that isn’t resisting, that’s just envisioning something different and creating something new.”

Ireland’s efforts regarding climate change are “embarrassing” on an EU scale.

The Green Party’s initiatives are pushing to put climate change action at the forefront of Irish politics.

Martin says “We produce 200,000 tonnes of plastic each year, only 40% of that is recyclable and recent research is saying 51% ends up in landfill.” The party’s Waste Reduction Bill aims “to gradually phase out noncompostable and non-recyclable plastics.”

FOE’s project, Run On Sun, is an innovative renewable energy scheme, that Carmody says “would mean anybody who produces excess solar electricity… can sell that back to the electricity grid... It’s a common misconception that in Ireland, because we don’t have sunny weather all year around that we shouldn’t be using solar,” when Ireland has “80% of the solar potential of Spain.”

It seems the government has other ideas, as they have recently agreed to go ahead with plans to allow Liquefied Gas Terminals (LGTs) to be built in Kerry

PICTURE CREDIT: WIKIMEDIA

A recent report conducted by Germanwatch and the New Climate Institute (NCI), has confirmed that Ireland is the lowest ranking country in Europe for its actions regarding climate change. In the 2018 Climate Change Performance Index, the Irish State has fallen 28 places to place 49th out of 56 countries.

Speaking to the University Observer, TD Catherine Martin, Deputy Leader of the Green Party has described the report findings as “appalling…Shame on us in Ireland, we’re bottom of the league in Europe.”

21ST NOVEMBER 2017 7

FEATURES THE IRISH WHO SUPPORT TRUMP American President Donald Trump has a loyal following of Irish supporters, Priscillia Obilana investigates why.

America’s current president, Donald Trump, continues to cause a stir worldwide. He fares in Ireland about the same way he fares on the world stage, not too favourably. Nevertheless, he is not without his supporters, even in this country. To get a better understanding of the thoughts and mindset of an Irish Trump supporter, the University Observer spoke to owner of the ‘Irish who love Trump’ website Sarah Louise Mulligan.

Trump regularly receives bad press and copious critical news coverage. There appears to be new controversies surrounding him every day. Mulligan explains that the way she sees the situation, “President Trump gets bad press because he is not part of the establishment.”

A big part of why Trump is not necessarily liked in Ireland, she believes is to do with leftist media bias here. “The Irish media are receiving their news from the liberal left only such as, CNN, NBC, ABC, The New York Times and many more.”

regarding Trump, his views on women, Mulligan says she sees nothing wrong with Trump’s behaviour towards women, saying “President Trump treats women with the utmost respect.” In response to what some term as the degrading compliments that Trump has been known to give women, she replies “Is there any woman out there who genuinely doesn’t like to be complimented? Women love to be told they’re in good shape and beautiful.” To explain and give further context to Trumps words, she says “men are very visual creatures, and President Trumps says out loud what he thinks.”

Mullligan voices numerous reasons as to why Trump has her loyal support. One of them being that Trump is not like other politicians, because he was not previously a politician. “Unlike other boring politicians, the all talk and no action types. He speaks his mind and

says what he is going to do and does it.” His being unqualified for his role is part of why she thinks it is a role for which he is suited. Although Trump has had many failed business ventures, including his real estate endeavour in Atlantic City crashing, Trump Airlines never taking off, and Trump Vodka being a non-achiever, his supporters feel he can bring his business experience to the role of presidency. “I knew he would be an amazing President as he knows how to make good business deals, this is his art form. When he starts something he finishes it.”

Trump has some views that if enacted would affect the Irish. When asked about the potential ways that Trump’s harshness on immigrants may affect Irish people, Mulligan says “President Trump wants educated people with degrees, skills, and speaking the English language is a bonus. I think his immigration

Men are very visual creatures, and President Trumps says out loud what he thinks.

Trump has also threatened the J1 programme that allows Irish students to work in America.

Trump has also threatened the J1 programme that allows Irish students to work in America. Mulligan was asked her thoughts on the situation, and shares her own J1 experience. “I think it’s very important having gone on the J1 myself, personally I loved the experience of working in the USA.” She outlines the values of the programme “I think it’s important for young intellectuals to continue this tradition of working in the United States for their summer holidays as it broadens a student’s horizons.” Despite threats to the J1 programme, Mulligan confirms that her faith in Trump remains unshaken “I’m sure if he does decide to end the J1 Visa, hopefully he doesn’t though, he will certainly replace it with something better.”

Sarah Louise Mulligan thinks that Trump should have more Irish supporters and that for that to happen “Ireland just needs to give him a chance and needs to stop being brainwashed by mainstream media.” As a suggestion for how to stop being brainwashed she highlights that news sources are important for development of perception and opinions. She says, “I personally prefer to receive my news from Fox News.”

PICTURE CREDIT: PRIYA GARG

Despite this view, a lot of controversies reported about Trump are due to his own words and actions and do not originate from any concoction of the media.

Trump has been a part of incidents that have resulted in international outrage which has been deemed necessary to report and criticize. Though, for Mulligan, there has never been a situation in which she felt Trump was in the wrong “I can honestly say I agree with all his views and statements as well as all of his policies. He has said nothing to offend me as a woman.” She proves that while over the years Trump has made many statements that have in turn made people sour towards him, there are those who simply do not feel his remarks warrant outrage.

When asked about a big point of contention for some

views will have a positive effect on the undocumented Irish living in America as most of them are highly educated and I believe they will be looked after well.”

Mulligan points out that Irish people need not worry about Trump because “After all, it was the Irish who helped to build America. Let us not forget that. We are loved everywhere we go.”

THE DANGERS OF ECHO CHAMBERS, COMPLACENCY, AND FAKE NEWS Fiadh Melina explores where fake news comes from and what individuals and companies such as Google can do to combat it.

Hilary Clinton likes to throttle baby seals.

Defining fake news as “a wide spectrum, from news stories that have some basis in fact that are twisted, to complete fabrication that have entered into the news cycle and political cycle,” Brazys says that as fake news stories are spread, they “reinforce beliefs you already had.” Looking at voting in the USA 2016 elections, Brazys explains that a fake news story could be circulated about Hilary Clinton, but “if you already dislike Hilary Clinton and something comes out that says ‘Hilary Clinton likes to throttle baby seals’ you may already be predisposed to believing that kind of story.”

Exactly how much influence fake news has on changing the minds of the public is unclear, and is a current area of research for political scientists: “What we really want to know is how many minds are changed by fake news.”

8 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 4

Aiding the spread of fake news is the abundance of misinformation in the media and how it becomes more prevalent thanks to the influence of Internet sites such as Google and Facebook. Social and traditional media outlets were at a stalemate of true and false information in the lead up to Trump and Brexit votes. According to a study done by King’s College London, an incredible 4,838 articles published across twenty news outlets during the EU referendum campaign focused on immigration alone, 99 of which splayed the front pages.

The majority were negative, misinformed, and gave classic signs of being ‘clickbait.’ It’s become such a regurgitated term to the point that many don’t notice or understand what clickbait is anymore. It has become normal to have a flashy title that will entice you to click on or pick up a copy.

Where do search engines come into this? After speaking with Beth*, a Google Employee, it became clear that Google, like a dictionary, is simply a search engine where individuals can find information relative to their needs. How does a Google search work and how does Google choose the best ads suited to you? Firstly, the company has access to your Gmail account and will use prompts from this to sift the best quality ads.

Secondly, Google uses an algorithm in search that will use a combination of location, company word auctions, and search history. “Say we’re both two companies and we’re set up the exact same, okay? We both sell sweets, we both, live in Dingle…and we then bid on the word say ‘sweets,’ and if you search sweets, and it comes up, it’s the person that bids the highest that will win.”

Clickbait titles then, will use the mechanism in place to use key words that will appear higher in searches.

Is Google to blame for this or again are we brought back to each individual’s responsibility to inform themselves? Beth believes in order for Google to avoid falling prey to the advantages that were taken by spammers in the time of the Trump election, it should develop more sophisticated monitoring algorithms whilst also

keeping the integrity of basic user privacy.

“All Google search engine is doing, is making available all the content that’s out there. It’s not actually… trying to influence you…it’s a very liberal and diverse company,” says Beth.

Google and Facebook may be to blame for the abundance of misinformation saturating the media.

To avoid falling into the trap of believing fake news, Brazys advises people to “question what you see, try to find the authenticity” and suggests that “if it sounds surprising you should be probably check to see if you can find the same news from more than one place.”

Personal responsibility seems to be the strongest safeguard against being influenced by misinformation and fake news. Based on how much misinformation is out there, and how successful it has been, it would be naïve to assume there will be a drop in fake news in the future. Therefore, learning how to assess information, and cross-checking sources would appear to be the most necessary steps if we are to be well-informed. *Not real name.

PICTURE CREDIT: PRIYA GARG

In recent years, both the American elections and Brexit sent shockwaves through the world. Thanks in part to eight years of Obama, and large steps forward for the LGBT+ community, progressivism, and equality has become the norm for what is the supposed majority of us. Thanks to the spread of fake news however, we have seen the rise of Trump, and Britain voting to leave the EU, as well as a resurgence of the right, and an increasingly polarised politics, both at home and abroad.

Should we find it so surprising? After speaking with Dr. Samuel Brazys, Associate Professor in UCD School of Politics and International Relations, a very valid point came to light: fake news manages to persist and circulate largely thanks to the existence of echo chambers. “On social media you by and large tend to be friends with people who have similar views to you so you see a lot of messages that reinforce your prior beliefs.”

STUDENT VOICES POSTCARDS FROM ABROAD - NINGBO, CHINA China might not be your usual student exchange destination; Rosemarie Gibbons recalls her experiences so far in Ningbo.

When I told people I intended to do my college ex- impossible to find, the really complicated internet situchange in the University of Nottingham, Ningbo in ation, etc. One experience I could not have anticipated China, I received a variety of opinions from people. was experiencing what it means to be a ‘foreigner’ in Most were positive, some were negative, all were China. At home, the label ‘foreigner’ has negative conconfused. Why would I want to pack up and move to notations. As a foreigner in China, especially outside China, of all places? I had to deal with a number of the safety of the college campus, you are an oddity, concerned, but slightly misguided, individuals asking something that doesn’t fit into the landscape. People about the Chinese eating dogs, or the political situation, have discreetly (and sometimes, not so discreetly) someone even asked why wasn’t I worried about my pointed in my direction and alerted their friend to the organs being harvested? “laowai” (foreigner) nearby. You also get used to entire So why China? My answers varied then, and still do, groups of strangers wanting a picture with you, or of but at the core of it I had a need for adventure and doing you. This has led to many uncomfortable situations, something on my own. I had a desire to do something including one unfortunate incident where myself and that hadn’t been satiated by moving to Dublin and start- some friends became trapped in the middle of a sizeing college. I had always wanted to travel around Asia, able crowd of very nice but very insistent Chinese who and when the offer to go to an English-speaking college all wanted a photo. As a lifelong dodger of photos, this in the middle of Asia came up, I knew opportunities is something I’ll never get used to. like this were rare. Despite not knowing any Mandarin outside of “Nǐ hǎo,” I decided to apply for a full-year exchange.

You can do as much preparation as you want, but the first few days in an entirely new country as confusing as China all on your own can reduce you to looking like a lost child. I remember being entirely dumbfounded the first time I stepped off the bus at Nottingham Campus, only to be greeted by lashing rain that didn’t let up for days. In classic Irish-person-on-holidays China is a large country with a million things to see mode, I’d only packed t-shirts and moved my coat and experience. There’s the incredible beauty of the from my suitcase in an act of misguided confidence. country that makes it like no other place I’ve ever seen.

It turns out Ningbo was experiencing the tail end of a Despite not having travelled around as much as I’d typhoon, so my first souvenir from China was a very have liked to yet, I’ve already seen some of the most breathtaking landscapes and sunsets that a pixelated hastily purchased umbrella.

I had tried many things to mentally prepare me phone camera could never do justice. for the move, but everything still came as a shock: All the same, there have been bad days, days when the squat toilet situation, the fact that the majority of even the simplest of tasks like getting dinner presents Chinese people don’t drink cold water making it nearly a whole wave of challenges such as having to order

by pointing, or trying very hard not to look like a fool using chopsticks. There have been days when I’ve started crying and cursing the country when my wifi cuts out for the tenth time in a row when I try to call my family. Minor things like not being able to Google when the post office opens, but not having the Chinese to ask a stranger, can take a toll when they happen so frequently. Those are the times of severe homesickness, when I’m glued to Waterford Whispers and rationing out my last Dairymilk.

Even after a string of bad days, the novelties of everyday life in Ningbo continue to make me smile. The unexplained phenomenon of large groups of elderly ladies who occupy street corners most evenings to perform dance routines. The interactions with Chinese

people outside the college, especially the street food vendors outside the college gates, who I now count as acquaintances. China is a foodie’s dream: you can get a lot of amazing food for a very cheap price. The devotion to a very Asian past-time called KTV (which is essentially karaoke and drinks, but taken a lot more seriously). The multitude of small dogs in clothes.

These are the small, random, uniquely Chinese things that make me want to discover the rest of the country, to learn more of the language and to understand further the traditions that make up such a vast, complicated, exciting country.

Hopefully I’ll come home having mastered some Mandarin, or if all else fails, at least I’ll be a master at using chopsticks.

PHOTO CREDIT: WIKIMEDIA GISLING

You get used to entire groups of strangers wanting a picture with you, or of you.

WHAT SCIENCE NEEDS With scientific research being denied at the drop of a hat, Joanna O’Malley discusses the need for scientific studies to reach the wider public.

So often, groundbreaking research or findings are being published in scientific journals but do not travel to a larger audience.

In simple terms this means that scientific papers that had been published about climate change were unbiased, that the data had not been skewed by personal beliefs or opinions. Importantly, this paper proved that the scientific data telling us that climate change is something we need to be worried about is data we should be listening to.

We were informed that although the research of Mr. Hollander was utterly non-biased towards either side of the argument, a political conservative American lobby group had taken the paper and used it to reinforce their arguments that climate change isn’t a serious issue. The reason he mentioned this was then to bring a discussion to the room to ask what fellow members of the scientific community their opinons. He wanted to know if they thought that he should, or should not, continue to present data on the matter if it was going to be misconstrued as he felt he did not have the pedestal, or

knowledge of media communication to defend himself.

An invisible barrier exists between seasoned scientists, and science undergraduates, as well as between scientists and the general public. Perhaps this was why I was the only undergraduate in the room to put up their hand and ask a question. Unfortunately there can be an expectation in science that if you don’t have a certain level of expertise you are not allowed to question anything, and this can lead to people with less knowledge to be afraid of questioning scientific findings. Perhaps this is why so many people believe pseudo-science, because it’s more accessible.

Science for the sake of pure discovery and learning is beautiful in its own right, however is it sufficient?

Is allowing our scientific community to slowly get slightly better at explaining their research good enough, or should we perhaps go back to the drawing board and figure out a better way to bring science to the masses?

Do we have a burden on ourselves as scientists to act as advocators for things such as climate change awareness and environmental sustainability or as a scientist is it our job to simply do the research and once it is done move on to the next question? In order to truly advocate for climate change, scientistis need to be able to present their findings on a national level, in a way that an average individual can understand the experiment, the result, and why the results are important, and why they matter to the non-science person.

to a larger audience. We should not dumb down science, but we should be able to find effective ways of communicating science to everyone. Possibly we could offer tasters of science to the masses, to allow them to make the decision for themselves to learn more if they wish to. Part of the problem is the scientific community’s inability to lower their rigorous standards to let more individuals engage with the process. This is understandable, scientists are constantly liable to criticism from fellow scientists as well as others, and once discredited or challenged it is very difficult to rebuild the credibility which they worked so hard to achieve.

In that case, why don’t we have more independent advocacy groups, more individuals whose job it is to explain the work of science, why it’s affecting us and what we should be doing in response to information.

The modern world was founded on scientific progress, and that so many politicians blatantly are disregarded scientific data is worrying, but such behaviour is enabled in a world where so many are ignorant of that data. In order to truly affect change at political levels, scientists need the general public to be on their side, and that is something that requires work and effort.

In the presence of a Trump-like character who diminishes hard scientific facts, and indeed the effects of global climate change, we need now, more than ever, a group of well skilled communicators. Science communicators who can fight in science’s corner to reassure any reasonable individuals that science is not something to be feared, not something that should always be accepted blindly, but something that should be engaged with.

PICTURE CREDIT: THEBLUEDIAMONDGALLERY.COM

Most of our everyday devices, most of our everyday world, and most of our environment are due to or are affected by science. The majority of the population however, only has an incredibly basic understanding of what’s going on in the scientific community. I recently found myself, an undergraduate science student, sitting in a college seminar, in a room full of academics, post graduates and classmates listening to a discussion by Dr. Johan Hollander from Lund University, Sweden.

He was speaking about a paper he wrote that discovered that there was no evidence of publication bias in climate change science.

Unfortunately there can be an expectation in science that if you don’t have a certain level of expertise you are not allowed to question anything.

So often, ground-breaking research or findings are being published in scientific journals but do not travel

21ST NOVEMBER 2017 9

ELECTIONS

2017 UCDSU PRESIDENTIAL BARRY MURPHY Barry Murphy believes that his experience in the Union will bring stability and success.

BARRY MURPHY, elected Campaigns and this role, who has had the crossover training, I think at meetings and that the SU can continue to get things Communications (C&C) Officer, is one of the two that outweighs the benefit of having a president who done. The plan for the cap on resit fees is already unhas to learn very quickly, when there is no time for derway, with UCDSU in conversation with university candidates in the presidential by-election, and has been acting president since former president Katie learning, at this point in the SU.” management and while details are currently confidenIn the event that the position of C&C Officer is left tial, Murphy is confident that it is something which will Ascough took annual leave to campaign against her own impeachment. vacant, Murphy plans “to get a committee together... “definitely be achieved by June 2018.”

There have been allegations that Murphy took the of college officers and campaign coordinators who are The SU has suffered reputational damage in the decision to campaign in favour of impeaching Katie really passionate. It might actually work better, because lead up to and during the impeachment campaign. Not Ascough, in order to further his own position in the SU, instead of having one person trying to support a load only was there coverage in national and international an accusation which he vehemently denies. On running of campaign coordinators, you have many campaign media of the scandal, but there were also resignations he said, “I really didn’t want to… but basically the coordinators taking on that role.” among the SU staff, directly linked to the Impeachment more I thought about it, the more I decided it wasn’t Murphy believes that a review of the governance of campaign and how they were treated during it. In terms the easiest thing to do, but it’s what is needed for the the union is needed and he, like many presidents before of attempting to repair the damage Murphy has some him would like to bring in an electronic voting system, hopes; predominantly by publicising the work of the Student’s Union.”

Murphy believes his experience in the union to date which he says UCDSU are “already working on it. We Union. “UCDSU doesn’t tend to celebrate successes would be beneficial to his term as president if elected: have already got a creative director working on that like they possibly could. I really want to make that “Having gone through the quick process of being act- on our website.” Murphy admits it would have a cost happen… Why not tell students about [the successes]?” ing president and having to learn quickly about all the but one that he believes would be a worthwhile spend; By “following mandates, actively campaigning [for boards…I already [have] the initial groundwork done.” “The cost of democracy, I can’t see [that] being a waste.” students]” Murphy believes the union can regain the Despite the fact that the other candidate in the race Murphy also plans to discuss a cap on re-sit fees, and trust of the students of UCD. Rebecca Hart, has spent more time being involved in to add further funding to the Student Welfare Fund, to While the tenure of the new president will be a short the Union (five years), Murphy believes that his time as help cope with the overwhelmed counselling service. one, if elected, Murphy says that he does not have plans a sabbatical officer will bring the requisite experience The money for the Welfare Fund could come from the to run again in March for the next Sabbatical term. He and stability that the Union needs: “You need someone SU shops which Murphy says are “profitable.” would be happy to be able to leave in 2018 being able who already has that experience to get it back on track.”

The increase in funding and decrease of costs, would to say “I have set this place up with a team, that there If elected president, Murphy’s current role would be have to be approved of by university management, is an energetic and passionate team of staff and sabbats, left vacant until such a time as a by-election is called. whom Murphy says, “are disappointed with what has the staff are ready to take in a new bunch of sabbats.

Which it is believed, may not take place until spring. gone on within the union, because the representation Our reputation is revived, that we can go forward.”

Murphy does not appear to see this as being too much has fallen apart.” of an issue, stating that the “the benefit of having a With an experienced stable president at the helm, president with experience and who has been acting in Murphy believes that the Union will be taken seriously

Analysis Murphy’s knowledge of the role of president, having been in the position for the past month, is sound and gives him an edge.

A major focus of his campaign is stability and continuity for the union. The reputation of the union comes into focus more sharply in this election than most others in the past. Whilst many believe the impeachment campaign was not about bullying, there are those (especially in the media outside UCD) who see a presidential candidate who campaigned vocally for impeachment, and who had had a crucial hand in removing her from office.

The underhanded appearance of this has the potential to be damaging to UCDSU on a national platform.

Murphy believes that if elected President the role of C&C Officer would remain unfilled for the remainder of the year. Whilst the plan for a committee to take over this role appears doable, moving a five-person strong sabbatical team to a four-person strong team does decrease the strength of the Union’s voice.

What Murphy is lacking is fresh ideas. He suggests projects that the union are already working on, which are therefore clearly achievable. His suggestion that sufficient money can be used from the income of the SU shops to alleviate the pressures on UCD’s counselling service seems naïve considering the Welfare Officer is quoted in this issue saying that a considerable increase would be needed.

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO FOCC UCD? Aoife Hardesty examines what happened to the group who wanted a referendum to make UCDSU membership optional.

The Freedom of Choice Coalition UCD (FOCC UCD) was founded to change conditions surrounding UCD students’ membership of UCDSU. In a press release on November 6th the group announced the launch of their petition with which they intended to trigger a referendum regarding SU membership. They hoped that such a referendum would take

10 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 4

place alongside the presidential by-election.

UCDSU currently has an opt-out policy, FOCC’s aim in triggering a referendum was to change the SU constitution such that students can choose to be members of UCDSU by providing “written consent.”

Additionally, the group wanted instructions in the constitution detailing how a student can terminate their union membership.

Currently, UCD students automatically become members of UCDSU when they are registered students of UCD. Students can opt out of union membership by writing a formal letter to the UCDSU President, who would then reply with a formal letter informing the student that they are no longer a member of UCDSU, but can still avail of the support systems and services provided by the SU. After launching the petition, Charles Crowley, a spokesperson for FOCC UCD spoke to the University Observer. “The main reason for starting this coalition is essentially choice, individuals being able to choose to be part of something that works for them. It’s an

incentive for the union to work for you.”

“Quite clearly this year [the Students’ Union] has been a farce…In terms of what it’s achieved. Granted the Union has done some good things, but recently it hasn’t achieved any of its real goals.”

The anger and disillusionment of the group towards the SU was clear in the lead up to the presidential by-election. Following the announcement that Barry Murphy would be running for the position of president, the group released a press release expressing their “bewilderment” at such a decision. In their statement, the FOCC described Murphy’s decision to run for president as “a demonstration of the Union’s continuing loose-handed and flagrant attitude towards our money.

Money that is supposed to be employed for the benefit of ALL students and not to compensate for the promotion ambitions of a high ranking Union member.”

Prior to launching their petition, FOCC UCD did not show their petition to the Returning Officer, but they were confident it would be accepted by the Returning Officer once they had collected the number

of signatures necessary. Sources within UCDSU told the University Observer that they did not think the petition would be accepted as it was asking for multiple items of change instead of just one.

Since the release of their last press release against Murphy’s decision to run for president, the group have been quiet, and have not responded to requests for comment. Whether or not the group acquired all signatures necessary is unknown, as is whether or not they handed the petition to the Returning Officer on time.

FOCC UCD had intended to trigger a referendum to take place alongside the presidential by-elections, but they failed in this regard. If the group decide to launch a second petition following the Christmas break to trigger a referendum with the general SU elections in March, possibly the petition would be looking to launch a referendum to tackle only one of their objectives.

For now, voting on making “written consent” a requirement to become a member of UCDSU will not be taking place this week.

ELECTIONS

BY-ELECTIONS COVERAGE REBECCA HART Rebecca Hart wants your Union to be approachable and to make college affordable and accessible.

REBECCA HART has become somewhat of a fixture of the union. She has been class rep twice and Health Science College Officer twice. She also ran for Arts Convenor (before switching to a Nursing degree) and President, last year.

She believes that this experience will stand to her as president. She understands that she does not know everything but says that “obviously anyone that I’d need assistance from would be able to help me.” She says that she is not afraid to ask questions.

Hart describes the role of president as “equal to the other officers” but also says that “I feel like the president is just there to oversee that the students are well represented from campaigns, welfare, education, postgrad.”

As someone has worked with the current sabbatical team this year on the Entertainment (ents) forum, particularly since the Events & Marketing Manager Paul Kilgallon left the union, Hart envisions no difficulty working with the team if she is elected president. Hart admits that the union faces an “uphill battle” for the next few years as recent controversies have “absolutely” weakened the union.

On her manifesto, Hart speaks of making college more affordable for students, and is particularly concerned about parking on campus. Hart respects that greener options are being sought but she says that “you can’t stop a student coming in from Clondalkin driving into campus. They’re not going to be able to cycle.”

When asked about resit fees she seems to forget that they are mentioned in her manifesto but then adds “It is in my manifesto as a small point but it’s not like I will

push to cut down fees.” She believes that the Education this option had been done before and she wanted to Officer Rob Sweeney is doing enough to combat resit know why it did not continue but she has not asked the Welfare Officer about this. fees, and praises his work.

One of her most unusual ideas is to combat the acConsent classes have been a hot topic issue for the commodation crisis by having students move in with union in recent years, and when asked about consent elderly people. In exchange for the student providing classes Hart says that she does not think that they some form of work for the house owner they would should be mandatory but would support the other officpay a reduced rent in exchange. “It would be a com- ers if that was what they wanted. She suggested having panionship as well, they could maybe do the hoovering, more about consent in orientation but that “I haven’t some of the housework, they would provide a service sat down and actively thought about it and absolutely in exchange for living there.” Hart explains this option I’ll have a think about it.” is currently available to healthcare students, but she In terms of recent mandates, she is passionate about would like this to be available to more students. a United Ireland and believes that because of Brexit In terms of making UCD accessible Hart says that there are many opportunities for UCD to be a part of she has not spoken to the SU Disabilities Coordinator the conversation. but has spoken to the Access centre and has worked Hart believes that the Repeal campaign can be very with the current Health Science College Officer look- loud and in your face and she would like to do someing at access doors on campus that do not always thing “that bit more fun.” A suggestion she had when work. Hart would like a greater connection between she ran for president last March was called Reveal for 8 the students’ union and the Access centre and would and it would involve people wearing revealing clothing like the students’ union to attend the orientation access and having an 8 written on their body. She says that she talks so that the students attending them know who would put that idea to this year’s team. their union are.

Hart she was initially quiet about the impeachment Hart aims to combat the long waiting list for counsel- referendum but says that when she saw that the union ling in UCD by bringing external counsellors into UCD. “was being dragged through the mud and the name was As the waiting list is so long many students are given being tarnished.” She says that she felt the need to vouchers for external counsellors. Hart would rather stand up and say something and so she campaigned for have external counsellors come to UCD because “It’s the impeachment of the former president. She says that not overly far but still, going out to cabinteely, don- she did not do this so that she could run for president. nybrook, dundrum, blackrock, it’s difficult enough for Hart insists that she will not be running for president some students to try to get out there.” She says that again for next year.

Analysis Hart has five years of experience within UCDSU, which she believes makes her a better candidate than current acting President Barry Murphy. A concern to many is that her lack of training as a sabbatical officer, let alone president would be a difficult obstacle to overcome.

Hart takes the view that the training required to bring her up to speed of the president’s role and duties would be manageable despite her missing out on sabbatical officer crossover training and three months preparation that sabbatical officers obtain over the summer months.

Hart appears to have little vision for the future of the union if she is elected president. She has ideas for individual projects however, such as students cohabiting with the elderly, an idea that would probably hold little appeal to the student population at large.

Hart’s solution to the counselling waiting list to bring external counsellors in UCD has been tried in the past and failed due to difficulties with the internal system in UCD. Had Hart discussed the feasibility of this plan with the current Welfare Officer, she would have known that it does not appear to be a possible option.

Overall, Hart would be an addition to the sabbatical officer team who would cause little disruption, but require full training for the role.

STUDENTS’ UNIONS FACE DISSENT OVER POLITICAL AGENDAS With many students now unhappy with their union’s agendas, Brían Donnelly looks at groups who wish to make it possible to leave them.

Students’ Unions in UCD, DCU, and TCD have been facing backlash, which may be related to their stances on Ireland’s abortion regime. Particular groups are establishing campaigns in the wake of former-UCD President Katie Ascough’s impeachment. Campaigns such as the Freedom Of Choice Coalition UCD ‘Stand Up!’ (FOCC UCD SU), TCD Students’ Union Opt Out Project (SUOOP), and DCU Students For Fair Representation (SFFR) have been calling for the implementation of various forms of the right to disaffiliate from students’ unions, such as opt-in and opt-out systems.

Similar groups in the past have issued threats to leave the SU over their stance on abortion, but none have conjured either the mass exodus of students from the union, or any willingness to provide an official system of disaffiliation.

When UCD adopted its 2013 stance to campaign for

the repeal of the 8th amendment, a group of over 40 student contribution charge rose by €1000. However, students, led by then-law student Samuel O’Connor, leaving the union will have no affect on student fees. signed a petition demanding that the SU revert to its Ineffective political systems do not become stronger neutral stance, or that the students be allowed to leave or more representative if their electorate chooses to the union. O’Connor eventually left the union after an purposefully disenfranchise themselves. No political appeal to the Independent Appeals and Disciplinary structure will ever guarantee to perfectly represent all Board stated that UCDSU “would not be respecting groups, a flaw as inherent in democracy as in most Mr O’Connor’s legal rights” if he was forbidden from political systems.

Disaffiliators are advocating self-disenfranchisement leaving.

After graduating, O’Connor established the Irish as a means of political expression. Those who are most Students for Freedom of Association (ISFA) to help unsatisfied with the status quo and performance of the students leave their unions. Speaking to the Irish Times, union might be more successful in altering it if they O’Connor stated that Students’ Unions were “more engaged with it. concerned with political posturing and furthering their In 2014, a group of Trinity students warned that TCD own career prospects” and that they had been shown Students’ Union would face a costly legal battle and an to be “entirely ineffective on the issue of free fees.” “exodus of students” if it adopted a long-term pro-choice During the worst years of financial austerity, the policy. These threats are an attempt to undermine an

organisation engaged in such a broad array of activities over a single policy measure.

Last year, a group of UCD students established ‘UCD Students for Fair Representation,’ and campaigned for UCDSU to adopt a neutral stance on abortion. A referendum which followed their petition for a neutral stance was held in which 64% of voters chose to retain the SU’s pro-choice stance. The group did not push for a way to exit the union.

Perhaps if members of FOCC UCD SU, SUOOP, and DCU SFFR all so desperately need the €25 - €35 (and an additional €8 for membership of USI) usually sent to their respective students’ unions, it might be a worthwhile and charitable endeavour to point them in the direction of their SU’s student welfare fund, though it may decrease a little if they leave.

Words and transcription by Ruth Murphy, Aoife Hardesty, Brían Donnelly, Róisín Guyett-Nicholson, Gavin Tracey, Dylan O’Neill, Fiachra Johnston

21ST NOVEMBER 2017 11

SCIENCE MYSTERY DEEPENS AS NEW VOID DISCOVERED IN EGYPTIAN PYRAMID Modern Archaeological techniques have revealed a void hidden for over 4,000 years deep within the Great Pyramid of Egypt.

Aoife Muckian explores.

The Great Pyramid of Giza was built during the prosperous fourth dynasty in ancient Egypt under the command of the Pharaoh Khufu, who reigned between the years 2509 to 2483 BC. Standing at almost 500 feet (approximately the height of a thirty-storey skyscraper), it is thought to have been the tallest man-made structure in the world until the construction of Lincoln’s Cathedral in England in the 14th Century AD. It is known that there are at least three chambers inside the structure; the King’s chamber in which the sarcophagus built to contain the Pharaoh Khufu sits, a chamber at the base of the pyramid, and the Queen’s chamber.

The void appears to be eight metres high, over a metre wide, and thirty metres long.

The pyramid was constructed from granite and limestone, however the way in which it was built is a

BEES CAN BE LEFTIES TOO Mallika Venkatramani discusses a recent study which shows that bees have a bias for flying left or right, allowing for efficient swarm flight.

Do you remember how being left handed had a “cool” factor back in school? Have you ever tried to become ambidextrous? Our fascination with handedness has led some researchers to discover its presence in other species as well. Professor Mandyam Srinivasan and his research team from the University of Queensland, Australia, have recently made an interesting discovery on this front. They found that individual honeybees have a bias for flying left or right.

They discovered that a bee spent more time completing the flight if it had to decide to fly through the smaller hole following its favoured direction.

In their experiment, 102 foraging bees were made to fly through a 120cm tunnel with an obstacle consisting of two holes of adjustable sizes at the centre. Initially, the researchers observed that when the holes were of different sizes, 80% of the bees flew through the larger hole. However, when the holes were made the same size, an interesting pattern was found. By tracking individual bees, the researchers discovered that 45% of the bees were consistently biased towards flying through either the left or the right hole. The remaining 55% showed no preference.

The researchers then focused their study on the direction-biased bees, making them fly through the tunnel when the holes were of unequal size. They discovered that a bee spent more time completing its flight if it had to decide to fly through the smaller hole following its favoured direction. Bees finished the

12 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 4

course a lot quicker if their preferred side was the one with the bigger hole.

The study also discussed the idea that preference for direction allows bee swarms to strategise their flight paths. When passing through a dense thicket with only two openings, for example, it is more efficient for a swarm to channel its flight through both of the openings instead of having all the members crowding to fly through one. According to Srinivasan, by applying honeybees’ blueprint of flight, humans could improve technologies for organising swarms of manmade drones.

One of his previous studies showed that birds tend to fly right to avoid crashing into one-another. He said that such a tactic could be employed to create anticrash mechanisms for aircraft. Looking beyond birds and bees, animals like Rhesus monkeys and marmosets have also displayed handedness. More research in this area could enable us to extend useful strategies used by animals to manmade systems.

PHOTO CREDIT: WIKIMEDIA

that appears to be eight metres high, over one metre wide, and thirty metres long. Researchers are keen to use the word “void” to describe their discovery, as less-neutral terms such as “chamber” or “corridor” imply that its purpose is known. Aidan Dobson, an Egyptologist at Bristol University, has dismissed the idea that this void will turn out to contain hidden treasures. He has said there is “zero chance of hidden burial chambers.” Instead he proposes that the chamber may be what is described as a “relieving” chamber. This is a structure intended to reduce the weight-load of the masonry on the Grand Gallery’s architecture. Other pyramids in Egypt have similar kinds of chambers that were built for this purpose.

Colin Reader, an independent geologist and engineer

in the UK has suggested, however, that the Grand Gallery and the void are too far apart from each other for the void to act as a mechanism to relieve its weight.

Instead, he speculates that the void might be another corridor like the Grand Gallery, which may lead to a higher, undiscovered chamber. Medhi Tayoubi, president of the Heritage Innovation Preservation Institute in Paris, has considered the possibility of the structure being a “second Grand Gallery.”

Currently the team of researchers behind this discovery have said they are “agnostic” about the many theories that are circulating. For now, they aim to continue to use particle physics to find out more about the void, and to see if there are more like it.

PICTURE CREDIT: MEADHBH SHEDIDAN

The technology functions much like x-rays do for the human body.

subject of much debate and uncertainty. Some academics have suggested that a ramp system was used in order to move the blocks for its construction. Others have suggested that it was built from the inside out using spiralling tunnels. The researchers in this study hope that the use of modern particle physics techniques will shed some light on the inner structure of the pyramids, and perhaps on the way in which they were built.

The type of particle physics these researchers used to examine the structure is known as muon radiography. Muons are very fast-moving subatomic particles.

They are created when cosmic rays (high-energy atomic fragments) collide with atoms in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. Each minute, approximately 10,000 muons fall on a square metre of the Earth’s surface.

Muons are much heavier than subatomic particles like electrons. This allows them to move through metres of stone without being absorbed, making them a valuable tool for exploring dense structures.

Muon dectectors can function much like x-rays do for the human body. Structures with higher densities absorb more x-rays than less dense structures. The difference in absorption rates can be used to create an image, with denser areas appearing darker, and sparser areas appearing lighter.

The researchers in this study put muon detectors in various chambers within the Great Pyramid, and recorded the data they collected for over a year. By noting which directions greater amounts of muons came from, they were able to triangulate a “void” in the pyramid above the grand gallery. In the pyramids, more muons reach the detectors if they pass through a void. This creates a lighter patch in the image in this location.

In the 1960s, muon imaging was used to search for hidden chambers in another pyramid, but the search was in vain.

This attempt was more succesful and found a void

MYTH UNIVERSE: JOINT-CRACKING Many of us have been warned against cracking our joints if we wish to avoid getting arthritis. Emmet Feerick investigates.

EMMET FEERICK SCIENCE EDITOR For many it brings satisfaction, and for others it is nails-on-a-chalkboard cringe-inducing. Knucklecracking is a touchy subject, and whether or not you engage in this activity yourself, you have likely heard that it can damage your joints. This seems plausible; surely nothing good can come of bending your joints to the cracking point. One imagines two bones pressing against each other until one slips over the other, snapping off shrapnel from both. If such a thing were what happened, then cracking your joints would indeed cause damage. Fortunately for many, this does not appear to be the case.

The space between our joints is filled with a viscous liquid called synovial fluid. Its function is to reduce the friction between our bones when we move. Dissolved in this fluid are small amounts of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Research has shown that when you stretch your joints by pulling or bending them, you increase the space within the joint, lowering the pressure. This causes the dissolved gases to come out of solution and form a bubble, which then promptly collapses.

Traditionally, research into joint-popping has been carried out by chiropractors and physiotherapists. The consensus in these fields has long been that the cracking noise is a result of the collapse of the bubble and the return of the joint to its normal position. However,

a 2015 study involving video MRI has shown that the noise is created when the bubble is formed, and not when it collapses. The authors of this study reached this conclusion after closely monitoring the audio and video of the joint cracking, and linking the timing of the “cracking” noise to the moment of the bubble’s formation.

The discovery that this sound is caused by bubbles and not bones is good news for knuckle-crackers. It is the likely reason that decades of study into the subject have yielded no evidence that cracking your joints causes arthritis. A large 2011 study of 215 people aged 50 to 89 found no link between knuckle-cracking and osteoarthritis regardless of how many years the participants had been cracking their knuckles for, or how frequently. Countless other studies have found similar results. One study found that chronic knuckle-cracking is associated with poorer grip strength and swollen hands, though this has been less well-corroborated.

The moral: cracking your knuckles will not give you arthritis, but it may cost you the strength of your grip, and the patience of some friends.

PHOTO CREDIT: WIKIMEDIA

Archaeologists have announced their discovery of a large void within the Great Pyramid of Giza, also known as Khufu’s Pyramid. The find was described as an “exciting new discovery, and potentially a major contribution to our knowledge about the Great Pyramid”

by Peter Der Manuelian, Professor of Egyptology and Director of the Harvard Scientific Museum. The existence of this void has sparked renewed curiosity about the Egyptian pyramids.

SCIENCE NOT JUST SORE LOSERS: BRAIN DAMAGE IN CONTACT SPORTS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM Christine Coffey takes a look at the brain disease that can result from years of playing contact sports.

Brain Bank. As a consequence of this, the vast majority of information currently available on CTE is from research on American football players. In a study of 80 former professional NFL players’ brains, 77 had developed CTE. There are over 200 confirmed cases from American football across all levels, over 20 from ice hockey players, 50 from boxing, 5 from rugby and professional wrestling each, and 10 from soccer.

Perhaps the most disturbing thing about CTE is that it may be caused even when a person has never been concussed.

associated with the structural integrity of these nerve bundles. The more a player heads the ball, the poorer the structural integrity of these bundles.

Perhaps the most disturbing thing about CTE is that it may occur even when a person has never been concussed. Autopsies have revealed that in some people suffering from the disease, there were no reported concussions. That said, it is estimated that some 5080% of concussions go unreported and untreated in the USA. Thus, it is not clear if this is because of a lack of reporting, or the absence of concussions. Another problem is that CTE cannot be fully confirmed until autopsy. Nevertheless, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that repeated concussive or sub-concussive hits have a detrimental effect on the cognitive well-being of athletes in the long term.

Sub-concussive hits are the Achilles’ heel of brain

recovery, as the damage is not severe enough to cause symptoms which would force the player into recovery.

This means that minor damage does not get time to be repaired, and worsens as the contact sport is continued.

Counterintuitively, it is not the movement caused by head-on collisions that cause the most damage, but rather the rolling of the head in side-on collisions.

Many more studies will need to be carried out to better determine the incidence and prevalence of the disease. Animal models could be used to understand the exact mechanism of the degeneration, because we can’t keep waiting until we’re looking under the microscope at the brain tissue of former athletes to make the diagnosis. We need to fully understand the effects of repeated blows to the brain and start adjusting contact sports accordingly, or else start playing golf.

For rugby players, scrumcaps protect against concussions about as well as they protect against the development of cauliflower ears, and as players are getting bigger, tackles are becoming more dangerous.

In Ireland there is virtually no information on our native games as we are only really beginning to research CTE domestically. However, we do know that increases in the physicality of the sports, particularly in Gaelic football, lead to more and more dangerous collisions.

Furthermore, this physicality has shown to be on the increase in younger age groups. This is worrying given research from the USA which suggests that athletes who begin playing contact sports at a younger age are more likely to accrue brain damage.

A brain imaging technique called “diffusion tensor imaging” has been used to monitor large groups of nerve cell bundles in the brains of soccer players.

Several images over a period of time have shown changes in these bundles. The imaging revealed that the number of times a player heads the ball is directly

PICTURE CREDIT: PRIYA GARG

More than one in four professional American football players suffer from serious cognitive impairment. This does not just result in slightly lower school exam scores than the average American, nor does it simply lead to a shorter attention span or greater susceptibility to the odd migraine. It affects their ability to walk, to use their hands, and in some cases, to recognise their loved ones.

Head trauma which can be caused by collisions in contact sports can result in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The symptoms typically appear in a patient’s late 20s or 30s, and can affect a patient’s mood and behavior. Common problems include poor impulse control, aggression, depression, and paranoia.

Cognitive problems usually appear in a person’s 40s and 50s. Sufferers are more likely to experience neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s in later life. The exact progression of brain damage due to repeated blows to the head is still unknown, but the growing body of evidence from international research suggests that there is a clear association between concussive and sub-concussive blows, and cognitive impairment.

Boxing was the sport that originally received the most attention for its debilitating long term effects on the brain, with “punch drunk syndrome” being one of the first terms used to describe the effects on boxers that had suffered severe blows to the head. However, by the turn of the century it was American football which came under scrutiny. Research by Dr. Bennet Omalu and his colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh on a group of former NFL players found evidence for the progressive degenerative disease CTE. Every person who has been diagnosed with CTE so far has a history of repetitive hits to the head. This stretches across many contact sports, including soccer, rugby, ice hockey, cycling, lacrosse, and MMA. Most of the research on this topic has been conducted in Boston University’s CTE centre and the VA-BU-CLF

OUR VIOLENT SUN What dangers do solar flares pose to our highly technological society? Sean Mooney ignores common wisdom by taking a look at the sun in this article about solar weather.

The sun goes through an 11-year cycle, oscillating between highly active “solar maxima” and very quiet “solar minima.”

The sun is a rotating sphere of electrically charged plasma. Its activity is not constant, however. The sun goes through an 11-year cycle, oscillating between highly active “solar maxima” and very quiet “solar minima.” Given that the Sun has been smashing atoms together for 4.5 billion years now, it adheres remarkably well to this 11-year cycle. There are complex magnetic fields on the Sun which, during active periods, are more likely to become tangled together. Over time, these tangled magnetic fields can snap, resulting in a solar flare. There are several components to a flare, such as X-rays and high-energy particles, but the most concerning element is the release of about a billion tonnes of extremely hot plasma. This release is known as a coronal mass ejection. This material explodes out into space at one million km/h, and it can lead to a geomagnetic storm on Earth as it sweeps by us, giving rise to the aurora, also known as the Northern or Southern Lights.

On September 6th 2017, one of the biggest solar flares in 40 years shot out from a group of huge sunspots, each many times bigger than Earth. Most coronal

mass ejections are not emitted in the direction of Earth, and on this occasion we were fortunate too. When solar flares do hit our planet, though, the consequences can be quite severe. The Carrington Event refers to the biggest flare on record which did impact Earth, in 1859. It was so powerful that the Northern lights became more than just Northern for a time, with reported sightings of them from places as far south as Cuba. A solar flare on par with the Carrington Event is thought to occur every 500 years, but with limited data, it is difficult to say for certain.

There is no doubt that our society is inextricably bound to technology, and all technology needs power.

If a severe solar storm similar to the Carrington Event happened today, it would induce a current in the electrical grid, causing transformers around the globe to shortcircuit. Such transformers can take months to replace, meaning that a major flare could plunge vast swathes of the planet into darkness for quite some time. The list of industries likely to be impacted is wide-ranging, from transportation to healthcare and everything in between.

We have our atmosphere to thank for the fact that when the Sun spits a plasma glob at Earth, we enjoy the aurora instead of a dose of radiation. This protective envelope does not extend to our satellites, however. A major flare could cause irreparable damage to satellites, which facilitate telecommunications, banking transactions, and navigation. If a drop in GPS coverage seems trivial, consider what it might be like to sit on an aeroplane which has just lost its navigation system. So much of the technology we take for granted is not possible without functioning satellites and ground-based electronics, yet very little is being done to safeguard all of this.

Earth has been careening into massive solar storms throughout its history, but before we harnessed electricity this was never a problem. The worst flare we have been hit by since entering the electrical era caused

localised blackouts and short disruption in telecommunications. Given the current state of our technology, however, the estimated cost associated with such a flare exceeds the €1 trillion mark. That a solar flare will strike at some point in the future is a statistical certainty. Sufficient preparation is required, but this is no small task.

The species of great ape to which we belong is proficient at many things, but we need look no further than climate change to see that our ability to assess existential risk is not our strong suit. All hope is not lost, however. Our perilous position is recognised by some, and both the UK and the USA have made efforts in recent years to put “space weather” response plans in place. Relevant mitigation measures are being engineered into infrastructure, and alert systems are in

place which should provide at least 12 hours’ notice of an incoming solar flare. This should be sufficient for us to take action to protect electrical transformers and satellite electronics.

Only time will tell if these preventative measures are enough. Given the highly technological nature of our society, we need to take this threat as seriously as we take that posed by other natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, and volcanoes. As with all disasters, the time to prepare is beforehand. It is easy to sensationalise something as dramatic as a solar flare and its fallout, but a sober analysis of the dangers posed reveals that the threat is very real indeed. Highlighting this simply brings awareness to the dangling sword of Damocles so that we have a plan for when the lights go out.

Picture Credit: Imgur

Water, medication, and batteries: these are typical items that NOAA, the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration advise we have at the ready in case the Earth is struck by an extreme solar flare. Such a natural disaster might not be at the top of most people’s minds, but it is a cause for concern.

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GAEILGE MEÁIN NA GAEILGE Déanann Brían Ó Donnaile scrúdú ar na Meáin Gaeilge go luath sa 20ú haois. cinnirí Éirí Amach na Cásca.

Roimh an Conradh Angla-Éireannach, ba iad The Irish Times, The Daily Telegraph, agus The Daily Mail páipéirí

In alt scíobhtha le Tomas O Flannghaile, BRÍAN DONNELLY ceannrodaí NEWS EDITOR athbheochan na “In alt scíobhtha le Tomas O Flannghaile, ceannrodaí athbheochan na Gaeilge, sa tríú eagrán, thug sé faoi Gaeilge, sa tríú deara gur raibh tréimhseacháin Gaeilge foilsithe i eagrán, thug sé bPáras, sa Róimh, agus i Louvain, sa Bheilg, ach go dtí 1882 ní raibh aon irisleabhar as Gaeilge á foilsiú faoi deara gur raibh in Éirinn.” tréimhseacháin Ní móran athrú a tháinig ar na meáin náisiúnta in Éirinn faoi deireadh Cogadh na Saoirse i 1922. B’fhíor Gaeilge foilsithe i sin é go gcuitear coiscthe ar roinnt méain Poblachtaigh i rith gCogadh na Saoirse, ach, ar a mhéid, chloí na bPáras, sa Róimh, meán le hOifig an Chinsire dá ndeoin féin, agus, den agus i Louvain, sa chuid is mó, d’fhan obair agus dearcadh na meáin mar Bheilg, ach go dtí an gcéanna le linn na 1920idí.

Cuirtear na méain faoi chois go háirithe tar éis an 1882 ní raibh aon tÁcht um Chosaint na Ríochta 1914. B’iomaí nuachtáin Poblachtach gur theip de bharr seo agus, in ainneoin irisleabhar as Gaeilge na foilseacháin a bhí á scaipeadh ag rialtas Poblacht á foilsiú in Éirinn. na hÉireann, ar nós The Irish Bulletin (atá fós á foilsiú inniú, gan an bolscaireacht), d’fhan na preasanna príomhshrutha ar thaobh na n-Aontachtaithe. Go cáiliúil, d’iarr The Irish Times ar réim an ama a chuir chun báis

na bProtasúnaigh den chuid is mó, agus bhí tóir ar nuachtáin ar nós The Irish Independent, Sunday Independent, agus The Evening Herald i measc na Caitliceach.

Áfach, bíonn scéal na Gaeilge ar iarraidh sa comhrá faoi mhéan Éireannach na 20ú haois. In ainneoin athbheochan litríócht, filíócht, agus cúltúir na Gaeilge timpeall ar chás na 20ú aoise, is minic a tugtar neamhaird ar na preasanna Gaelacha agus ar foilseacháin teanga na Gaeilge.

Ní féidir scéal na meán Gaeilge a cruthú gan Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge a lua. Ba é Conradh na Gaeilge, bunaithe i 1883 ag Douglas Hyde, a stiúir Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge go dtí 1909, le David Fleming mar an chéad eagarthóir

DÉ SATHAIRN, 23Ú BEALTAINE, 2015 le Cian Griffin Ag siúl le mála sceallóg i mo lámh.

Deich nóiméad chun a trí.

Ag smaoineamh faoi mo stór sa bhaile, Ach cloisim; “Here buddy, c’mere to me.”

Casaim timpeall agus féachaim thart, Tá fear beag ólta os mo chomhair.

Ag stánadh orm ó bhun go barr, Agus iarraim, “Bhfuil tú ceart go leor?”

“Any spare change, pal?” a deir sé, Ag déanamh staidéir ar m’aghaidh.

“No, sorry,” freagraím go macánta, Agus lean mé, go tapaidh, ar aghaidh.

Brostaím síos an bhóthair, Ach glaonn sé i mo dhiaidh.

Chonaic sé an ealaín ar mo ghrua, Agus mé ag ceiliúradh athraithe na dlíthe.

“What’s the craic with the rainbows, ya bleedin’ queer?”

Tá fadhb aige le mo shaol.

Tá eagla an domhain orm anois, Táim i mbaol de bharr mo ghaoil.

Tá sé ag magadh ‘s ag screadaíl orm, “Come back here, ya fuckin’ fool!”

Tosaím ag rith le heagla anois, Leis an bhfear sin ar mo chúl.

Buaileann gloine ar chúl mo chinn, Agus titim ar an urlár.

Cloisim fuaim chnámh mo láimhe ag briseadh, Agus cloisim é ag gáire.

Deich nóiméad níos déanaí, Táim i m’aonar i mo luí ar an tsráid.

An áit a raibh plódaithe; folamh go léir, Tá siad críochnaithe leis an bparáid.

Fanaim ansin, ar feadh tamaill fhada, Ag crith cé nach bhfuil sé fuar.

Ag caoineadh trí mo shúil dhubh, ‘s ag smaoineamh faoi m’fhear.

Truaillíonn fuil an bhogha báistí ar mo aghaidh, Meascann na dathanna le mo dheora dearga.

Táim fós in ann é a cloisteáil anois, Ag rá an fhocail nimhneach, drochbhéasach, gránna.

“Faggot.”

14 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 4

PICTURE CREDIT: RHEA CASSIDY

ar, agus níos deanaí, Eóin Mac Néill. Bhí filíocht, dráma, stair, agus ceachtanna Gaeilge cuimsithe san irisleabhar ar a ghlaoigh staraí Donnchadh Ó Corráin “an chéad tréimhsiúil tábhachtach dátheangach Éireannach.”

In alt scíobhtha le Tomas O Flannghaile, ceannrodaí athbheochan na gaeilge, sa tríú eagrán, thug sé faoi deara gur raibh tréimhseacháin gaeilge foilsithe i bPáras, sa Róimh, agus i Louvain, sa Bheilg, ach go dtí 1882 ní raibh aon irisleabhar as Gaeilge á foilsiú in Éireann.

Bhí Pádraig Mac Piarais, Dubhghlas de hÍde, agus an tAthair Peadar Ó Laoghaire i measc na scríobhneoirí.

Ceann de na fáthanna a bunaíodh an irisleabhar ná gur bhunaigh Dubhglhas de hÍde agus an Cunta Pluincéad Cumann Buan-Choimeádta na Gaeilge, le forbairt agus caomhnú na gaeilge mar a n-aidhnm amháin. Mar brúghgrúpa, bhí siad in ann gaeilge a fháil ar curaclam scoileanna chéad, dara, agus tríú leibhéal. Tháinig deireadh leis an irisleabhar i 1909.

Bhí Conradh na Gaeilge an-páirteach i gnó foilsitheoireachta timpeall tús na 1900idí le páipéir naisiúnta eile darbh ainm An Claidheamh Soluis, a scaipetear idir 1899 agus 1931, le Eóin Mac Néill mar an chéad eagarthóir ar agus Pádraig Mac Piarais ag teacht ina dhiadh.

Mar páipéir oifigiúil Conradh na Gaeilge, ba é foinse suimiúil de chuid náisiúnachas Éireannach i rith na 1900idí. Faoi Meitheamh 3ú 1916, bhí turascáil déanta faoi Éirí Amach na Casca: “Tá an chathair seo Baile Átha Cliath bonn os cionn agus tá an tír eile mar an gceanna.”

Díreach tar éis an Éirí Amach agus i dtagairt ar an chinsearaigh a bhí coitianta ag an am, scríobhtar nar raibh móran eolas acu faoi na h-imeachtaí le linn seachtain na Cásca, agus “dá mbeadh an t-eolas againn b’féidir nach mbeadh an cead againn gach taobh den scéal a nochtadh.”

Bhí litreacha as Béarla le feiceáil san eagrán céanna ag glaoigh ar bhall chuid Conradh na Gaeilge chun faoiseamh a thabairt chuig íospartaigh an éirí amach, agus ag cosaint Eóin Mac Néill tar éis a bhí cúisithe de chuid páirt a ghlacadh san éirí amach.

Tháinig an nuachtán seachtainiúil Fáinne an Lae faoi smacht An Claidheamh Soluis i 1909 agus lean an foilsiuchán ar aghaidh mar nuachtán amháin faoi ainmneacha eagsula, ar nós Misneach, go dtí 1932 nuair a tháinig deireadh leis.

Cé gur scoir Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge agus An Claidheamh Soluis de bheith á foilsiú roimh lár an 20ú haois, ní raibh sé cinnte go mbeadh na meáin Gaeilge ag dul i dtreo na fhírinne.

Bhunaigh Conradh na Gaeilge Feasta i 1948 chun an Ghaeilge a spreagadh agus í a chuir in oiriúint san aois nua-aimseartha trí filíocht, eolaíocht, agus smaoineamh polaitíochta a foilsiú. Fós á foilsiú inniú, tá an file Pádraig Mac Fhearghusa ina eagarthóir ar an iris ó 1996, ag machnamh ar cúltúir agus cúrsaí reatha. Ó impleachtaí na Breatimeacha agus ‘claonadh na meán’, go dánta na míosa agus léirmheasanna, is é an aidhm atá acu ná “chun an saol a phlé trí mheán na Gaeilge.”

Ar feadh beagnach 70 bliain, foilsítear Feasta gach mí.

Is iomaí file cáiliúile a d’aimsigh áit dóibh féin i Feasta: ainmneacha coitianta ar nós Máirtín Ó Direáin, Máire Mhac an tSaoi, agus Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, ar leith. Is ábhar dóchais Feasta chun misneach a thabhairt do scoláirí dara leibhéal agus mic léinn tríú leibhéal dul i dtreo na scríbhneoireachta Gaeilge, agus le haon dóchas, rachaidh obair Feasta agus eagráin Gaeilge eile ó neart go neart sna blianta amach romhainn.

BUSINESS INVENT YOUR OWN DIGITAL CAREER Priscilla Obilana delves into the mystery of whether or not it is as easy as it seems to be a social media personality.

Social media content grows exponentially. It allows for an unlimited amount of user-generated content which has resulted in the digital world evolving into multiple sectors and has even led to the emergence of social media careers. Not too long ago, what we consider now to be the norms were the unheard-ofs. Hearing about a kid who recorded themselves singing and receiving a record deal because of that recording was a rare and remarkable occurrence, now social media is clogged with young performers anxious for their own big breaks. At one stage, watching YouTubers entertain would have put you in a very niche category of the population, but now 91% of Irish YouTube users to go to the site for entertainment purposes.

Like all forms of entrepreneurship, social stardom requires risk, hard work, and sheer dumb luck.

Another consequence of digital careers to consider is the effects it will undoubtedly have on other forms of media. With more and more content being made available online for free and at the push of a button, it is the very definition of information overload. It is the next natural step that other forms of media like TV should have forgone, were it not for the rise of social publishing. News will be obtained from digital sources rather than traditional media, a shift which we have already witnessed the birth of.

Furthermore, the digital age has spawned a new breed of entrepreneurial spirit, the likes of which have never been seen before from a classroom or the media.

The pioneers of digital job creation had no idea that was

the journey they had undertaken. A measly five to ten years ago, they had no way of knowing the floodgates they were opening. Now, we can see how social media has been inundated with numerous copycats looking to re-create the success that the first few entrepreneurs had achieved.

Everywhere online, there are examples of people utilising social media to finance their lives. These start-ups can be viewed anywhere on social media platforms across the internet. From millionaire YouTubers, Instagram models, to Facebook comedians, many are gaining their own recognition and fan bases. Live streamers earn a living from playing video games, and Twitter philosophers are making instrumental changes with real-world consequences, not to mention the social influencers across all of these mediums who are paid to advertise particular products and brands.

It is a given in this day and age that with great social media platforms comes immense power. As can be expected, the more people who know and hear of the successes that come out of digital platforms, the more people will try their own hand at it. This makes competition tougher and a major breakout less likely for social media hopefuls.

Digital platforms have become over-saturated with creators. A positive of which being that no one will ever hold a monopoly on any platform or any genre online. Over 300 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube alone every day. The web has created a space wherein everyone truly has an equal chance. Conversely, it also means trouble as having a limitless platform open to all means that, although all who partake have an equal chance, the odds are against the individuals. The first YouTuber to ever reach one million subscribers was none other than FЯED. It was an immense achievement and it set him apart as a creator. Now there are content creators with millions upon millions of subscribers, and

the gravity related to reaching one million has been greatly reduced.

Of course, those who started in the social media job sphere before it became mainstream had their own challenges as well. They had to carve out their own paths through sheer will as they couldn’t be sure that success would be on the other side. For new emerging content creators, they are entering a crowded and competitive terrain. They know that if they manage to succeed the rewards will be copious, however, while the path has been created, it is so congested that it is hard to get anywhere. Considering all of this, it becomes glaringly

obvious that social media stardom is not an easy recipe to follow. Like all forms of entrepreneurship, it requires risk, hard work, and sheer dumb luck.

So where can the future of the internet famous be predicted to go? Well, there seems to be no visible end for the social media employees. It can be said that our generation have functioned as lab rats for the formination of the world wide web. Nothing in the past can accurately be compared to the internet. Hence, there is no way to know if these social media platforms can uphold the multitudes of users flocking to social media for their incomes.

IRELAND’S ECONOMIC BACKBONE: THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY Abeer Shahid examines the significance of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Ireland.

These days, Ireland is no stranger to multinational corporations. The bustling tech scene in Dublin is a perfect example of this, where names like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are all present in one building or another. However, tech isn’t the only industry thriving in Ireland. The pharmaceutical industry has become one of the biggest industries in Ireland across the whole country, with manufacturing sites present in Cork, Tipperary, Dublin, and elsewhere across the country.

Many of these companies not only produce critical products of their portfolio in Ireland but also conduct business and sales operations here, with many corporations basing these activities in Dublin. Nine out of the top ten largest pharmaceutical companies in the world have an Irish presence.

As of 2014, Ireland is the 7th largest exporter of medicinal and pharmaceutical products in the world.

Ireland is also the largest net exporter of pharmaceuticals in the EU, and medicines count for over 50% of all exports from the country. In 2014 this was valued at €64 billion. Approximately 120 overseas companies have plants in Ireland, and the nation continues to see investment and diversification of the industry.

On top of these imposing figures, we also have the biotech industry, a more niche area that has been seeing rapid development and increase in funding in Ireland and the rest of the world. In 2016, employment totaled over 6,600 people in Ireland and, thanks to recent investments of over €3 billion from global biotech companies, Ireland is now a leading location for the development and manufacturing of biologics. Forecast figures show that the employment figure will reach over 11,000 by 2018.

So where did the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland begin? It’s a relatively new industry to Ireland, with most of the companies present coming after the 1960s.

The sector started by focusing on the production of the active pharmaceutical ingredient and then shipping it to other countries to be processed into the final product.

Since then, plants have also been set up in Ireland to finish the produce and, in more recent years, many companies have also set up research and development facilities and have conducted joint research projects with Irish Universities.

These companies also like to have developed transport routes and links they can use, such as ports and wellsurfaced roads, which is something many areas of Ireland require more investment in.

transport routes and links they can use, such as ports and well-surfaced roads, which is something many areas of Ireland require more investment in.

Having said this, the more investment that these companies make and the more they continue to expand, the more development Ireland can achieve, such as in infrastructure. It also helps encourage more Irish students to pursue STEM careers and subjects, which gives them plenty of job options upon graduating without having to emigrate.

Higher educated immigrants are attracted to a booming pharmaceutical industry. The more Ireland becomes a pharmaceutical hub, the more talent the country can produce and acquire, and so the more it can grow.

Unfortunately, there are downsides too. The pharmaceutical industry is not immune to controversy, and

almost every major company in the industry has had some form of a scandal in the recent past, sometimes even in Ireland. Moreover, regulations have become stricter with time.

Plants undergo frequent audits from authorities such as the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), for Irish exports and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for U.S. exports. Groups also undergo internal audits to ensure that they are always compliant. Bodies like the HPRA have the authority to shut down all operations of the plant if they deem it necessary.

Overall, the future is positive for the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland, and it and the biologics industry will continue to see growth and investment, so long as they avoid any controversies and see a tangible benefit to Ireland as a whole.

In 1973, the sector employed less than 2,000 people, and exports accumulated to less than €100 million per annum. Compare this to the modern day where the industry employs over 24,500 people. Even in the face of uncertainty, caused by recent political events such as the emergence of the Trump Administration and Brexit, pharmaceuticals are seeing investment and expansion. More sites are opening, and employees are continually being hired.

So, in the long run, what does this mean precisely for Ireland and the Irish people? Economically, things seem only to be positive. It should be recognised that the low industry tax that Ireland has become known for is likely a considerable factor for this industry growth.

Additionally, pharmaceutical plants typically require a lot of space, and ideally rural locations are preferred as they can be problematic to the residents of urban areas. These companies also like to have developed

21ST NOVEMBER 2017 15

PUZZLES THE LITERARY ALPACA Across

Down

2. Refined sugar syrup that can be presented in light and dark forms, a key ingredient in the making of gingerbread (7) 6. Egg replacement in baking that can be procured from canned chickpeas (8) 7. Plant native to east Asia with an invasive species classification in several countries in Europe and North America, occasionally responsible for damage to property and public infrastructure (8,8) 9. Experimental rock band, formed in 1994, named after the sister of one of the band members who is blind in one eye (8) 11. Acronym for the body within UCD that authorises the award of University degrees (4) 12. Summer palace of the Kubla Khan, the name of which was popularised in a Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem (6)

1. Museum in which the reconstructed eighth gate to the inner city of Babylon is displayed (8) 3. One of the triumvirate of Patron Goddesses of Ireland (5) 5. A word referring to a word, phrase, or sequence of characters that can be read the same way backwards as forwards (palindrome) 8. Suffix meaning “one with wings� (8) 10. UCD Project which aimed to transform the entrance to UCD from the N11 that included, among many other elements, a conference hotel and spa (7)

For puzzle solutions, go to universityobserver.ie/puzzles/

ILLUSTRATION BY DANIELLE CROWLEY

SUDOKU Easy

16 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 4

Medium

Hard

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL Our lead story this issue reminds us of the prevalence of mental health problems amongst the student population. The high numbers of people waiting for the UCD counselling service can tell us that one of two things is happening: either more people are struggling with mental health, or more people are seeking help for dealing with mental health problems.

To anyone who comes forward with a mental health problem, it can be daunting to say you’re struggling, it can be hard to tell people you need help. As much as we say otherwise, a stigma still exists surrounding mental health problems. The fear of how they may be perceived, of having their concerns dismissed as nonsense, or not wanting to burden others, can all contribute to too many people staying silent.

That 194 people have come forward to ask for help is a good thing. That some of those 194 people will be waiting until after Christmas for help is not. Clearly more needs to be done to get UCD students the help they need, whether it’s finding more external counsellors where students can be referred or hiring more counsellors something needs to be done.

The pressure on students to perform well academically can become overwhelming towards the end of the semester. What is so important to remember is that your

THE UNIVERSITY OBSERVER TEAM own worth cannot be measured by the degree you get at the end of your time in UCD, it cannot be measured by the number of extracurricular activities on your transcript, and it is not dictated by other people. Every single person matters, and we are all loved, even when we don’t think we deserve to be.

As we head into exam season, more and more students will find the pressure increasing and the stress building, during this time, remember to take care of yourself. Take the time to have an evening off and watch your favourite film. Eat proper meals; do not live off pot noodle or Centra pizzas.

For anyone who is struggling, do not struggle in silence. Seek out your student advisor, the Welfare Officer, or your GP. It is normal to struggle at times, and speaking out and seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

The other hot topic in this issue has to be the presidential by-elections. 6611 students voted in the impeachment referendum last month, a huge turnout by any standards in a UCDSU vote. Don’t grow complacent now. Whatever your views, whatever you want, get out and vote. Take control of your union in the way that you can. Have your say.

More students turned out to vote in the impeachment

referendum than in the original presidential elections last March. Too often we are only motivated to act when we believe we have been somehow wronged, we act reactively instead of proactively. By informing ourselves of candidates’ positions, ideas, and experience, we can change how the future plays out.

This applies to the upcoming by-election, but on a larger scale, in every vote that comes our way. Whether it’s a local or national election, or a referendum, we have a duty to make the world the way we want it to be as citizens of a democracy.

Too many people in the world don’t have the rights we do. Too many people have no say in how their countries are run, in the conditions they work in. We are fortunate to live in a democratic country, and we are so lucky to have a union. We have an organisation that is dedicated to fighting for our rights, and it is up to the student body to tell the union what the union to do and what to be.

In the near, and the distant, future, don’t be afraid to speak out. Whether it’s casting a vote, or telling someone you want help. Don’t ever let yourself be silenced, or suffer in silence. Be brave: use your voice.

EDITOR Aoife Hardesty DEPUTY EDITOR Ruth Murphy NEWS EDITOR Brían Donnelly DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR Fiachra Johnston COMMENT EDITOR Adam Lawler FEATURES EDITOR Gavin Tracey SCIENCE EDITOR Emmet Feerick BUSINESS & CAREERS EDITOR Ciarán Busby EAGARTHÓIR GAEILGE Niamh O’Regan SPORT EDITOR Ian Moore CHIEF OF PHOTOGRAPHY Phoebe Ireland CHIEF OF ILLUSTRATIONS Meadhbh Sheridan

TALLEYRAND In the long, long, long memory of Talley, it is difficult to find a year when so much was happening in the students’ union: an impeachment referendum, a by-election, dissident FOCC UCD members running rampant. Never fear, though, true to union form, UCDSU are not actually getting much done. Luckily for the union, they get to hide under the pretence of being super busy at getting ready for yet another vote.

In the lead up to elections each spring, Talley gets immense pleasure at laughing at the candidates, picking apart their weaknesses, and ruining their long-term self-esteem. This year, Talley gets a chance to practise this cruelty in advance of the big elections. Before getting to the candidates, let us first take a quick look at the miserable state of the union.

With current acting president Barry Murphy off acting the eejit so he can become an actual president, only three sabbatical officers are left manning the ghost-like union corridor. Last week also brought the number of staff to leave the union to a grand total of 3 since September. (4 if you’re counting a disgraced former president.) Next week, expect to hear that the remaining union staff have resigned and been replaced by giant tumbleweeds.

Meanwhile, the union is all but managing to keep its mouth shut on possible movements to improve resit and repeat fees, with Education Fool Bobby Swiney dancing and giggling all across campus. Such excitement might actually have rather more to do with Swiney’s recent success at finally getting some female attention, although the woman in question seems to have been a vampire.

Welfare Officer Eoghan McDonald has been getting some nice media coverage with the recent decision made at council for free pregnancy tests to be provided by the Welfare Officer, it’s just such a pity that he didn’t come up with the idea himself.

Graduate Officer Niall Torris continues to be unknown to the majority of the UCD student population, and has decided to branch out to Trinity. Having conquered the illustrious Carlow College, and failed to conquer UCD, Torris now has his heart set on winning hearts in Ireland’s worst university.

The candidates stepping up to win your vote for president are Barry Murphy and Rebecca Hart. Murphy is running with the slogan “I don’t really want to be president, but everyone else thinks I should be president, so vote for me!” Meanwhile, Hart’s slogan is “I

have wanted to be president for forever and if you all had voted me in last March none of this scandal would have ever happened!”

With her five years’ experience in the Union, which apparently includes a financial mess of a Health Sciences ball, Hart has remained involved in Ents, by taking regular naps on the couch. If she gets her way, Hart will force students to become slaves to the elderly, and drain all UCD’s lakes to put in more parking.

Rather a hartless action for the poor swans.

Murphy has spent the past few months mostly focused on hollering through megaphones at students to have abortions and impeach she who believes Ireland should not import England’s problem. He has recently woken up from the wicked witch of the IONA’s spell, and has realised that students will vote for him to be president unless he starts to make it look like he has been doing his job. The tactic is “we need to do something quick! Pretend we care about the environment!”

If you elect Murphy, nothing will change in the union; it will still be crumbling. If you elect Hart, she will enact whatever policies her fellow sabbats like best. Either way, the union will continue to do what they do best: absolutely nothing.

BROADSHEET CONTRIBUTORS Karolina Rozhnova Rose Doherty Priscilla Obilana Ekatherina Gillen Priya Garg Elizabeth Wells Daragh Fleming Dean Swift Heather Reynolds Audrey Cooney Keith Feenan Sorcha Kebbe Fiadh Melina Kryiakopoulos Brosnan Joanna O’Malley Rosemarie Gibbons Christine Coffey Aoife Muckian Mallika Venkatramani Sean Mooney Aheer Shahid Rory Clarke David Kent Martin Healy Niamh O’Regan VISUAL CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS Priya Garg Rhea Cassidy Danielle Crowley COVER PHOTO Joanna O’Malley SPECIAL THANKS Dylan O’Neill Róisín Guyett-Nicholson David Kent Niamh Doc O’Regan Martin Healy Gavin Tracey Brían Donnelly Fiachra Johnston

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor

Reporting on SU Impeachment

In response to ‘Is the NRA Responsible for America’s Attitude to Gun Control?’

To whom it concerns, I wish to express my concern over the reporting of your newspaper on the recent SU Impeachment campaign which, in my opinion, has been extremely biased in favour of pro impeachment and not at all factual in covering the issue. I have read most of the articles published and practically all of them have been strongly in favour of the impeachment of Katie Ascough. The most recent article on November 1st, claims to relate a factual account of what led to the impeachment but it is completely from the point of view of the pro impeachment side. Surely you have read the letters and interviews by Katie Ascough telling her side of the issue, most recently on Newstalk, but you have failed to include her side of the story and report the other side’s account as factual.

I am disappointed at such reporting by the University Observer and would be most grateful for a lot more balance in your articles.

Yours sincerely, Laoise No hAnnLuain

The Left’s War on Comment Sections..

The internet was born open but is becoming closed everywhere. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the rush to shutter readers’ comments sections at major news organisations. Cheered on by intolerant, snobbish cultural elites, news organisation from the Verge to the Daily Beast have, in recent months, informed their readers to take their opinions elsewhere.

There was a time when comments sections were seen as the next step in a golden age of democratised communication, particularly by the political Left (they are all leftists). http://www.breitbart.com/tech/2015/10/27/ the-lefts-war-on-comment-sections/ Yours, Rich

Join up to write for THE UNIVERSITY OBSERVER at www.universityobserver.ie/jointheteam/ Letters, corrections and clarifications pertaining to articles published in this newspaper and online are welcome and encouraged.

Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Unversity Observer, UCD Student Centre, Belfield, Dublin 4 Correspondence may also be sent to editor@universityobserver.ie

21ST NOVEMBER 2017 17

SPORT CAMPUS ROUND-UP — UCD’S CLUBS SHINE As the winter chill sets in, Rory Clarke discovers how UCD’s clubs have been keeping their trophy cabinets warm.

The UCD athletics club hosted a Colours Road Relays against Trinity on Sunday 5th November. It was the first varsity competition of the year and, encouragingly, both the Men’s and Women’s teams won their respective races. The leg lengths for these races were slightly different with the women’s relay consisting of 4 legs of 1 mile, 2 mile, 2 mile, 1 mile while the men’s had 5 legs of 1 mile, 2 mile, 3 mile, 2 mile, 1 mile. In addition to the victorious team there were four other college teams across the two races. UCD’s victorious women’s team was made up of Richael Browne, Orla Walsh, Eimear O’Connor, and Amy Gasperlin.

The winning men’s team included Mike Evans, Joe Hastings, Derek Crammond, Fionn Büttner, and Dermot Kenny. Individually there were some standout performances; Richael Browne had the fastest 1 mile leg of any woman at 5:10, Mike Evans and Dermot Kenny jointly had the fastest mile leg of any male at 4:24 with Fionn Büttner the fastest 2 mile of any male at 9:05.

This event was a promising indicator of good form for UCD athletics ahead of a number of upcoming meets.

UCD were well represented in the Intervarsity Doubles Handball Competition in Wexford for the weekend of November 17th to 19th, with three teams competing in total. These teams ranged from Open (Senior) Grade to Division C and were composed of both men and women. A special mention must go to recent Golden Gloves Mens A Champion Galen Riordan who was one of UCD Handball Club’s members in action over the weekend.

UCD competed, and performed outstandingly well, in the Leinster Winter Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in the early weeks of November. As a team, UCD won six gold, eleven silver, and four

bronze medals. A special mention also should be Reid praised the efforts of everyone who took part and given to Darragh Greene who was selected to represent highlighted the healthy state of the sport in the college.

Ireland at the European Short Course Championships “This year has seen a large number of beginners and new in Copenhagen this December. Greene also completed members who represented the club and the college in the 100m breastroke in under one minute, a truly ex- a great fashion today. After today’s showing, we have ceptional swim. every reason to be optimistic about our chances in the upcoming inter varsities in February.”

UCD Karate had an incredible weekend of competition in early November. On Saturday the 11th, five members of UCD Karate represented the University at the Kanazawa Cup Championship in Tallaght, an open national level competition. The team succeeded in taking home six medals in total with special mention going to Yousef Al-Luhayan, who took home the Bronze Medal for Men’s Senior Kumite. On Sunday the 12th, the entire team lined out to perform spectacularly in UCD’s Fencing Club has had a very interesting The Dublin Inter-Collegiate Cup, which was hosted semester, winning medals at Novice and Intermediate level in numerous competitions all over the country.

Two UCD fencing alumni, Steven Concannon and Owen McNamee also took first place at the Team and Individual Competitions in the Irish Open over the weekend of November 11th and 12th.

The annual squash Colours tournament between UCD and Trinity College took place on Saturday 11th November in the UCD sports centre. Matches were played between teams at all skill levels, with UCD emerging victorious in all five categories. Each section saw teams of five compete in best of five set matches.

UCD completed a 5-0 whitewash in the men’s A section while the women’s A section was a closer-run affair with UCD winning 3-2. The men’s B team won 4-1 as did the men’s C team while the larger mixed D team of seven players won their section 4-3. UCD Captain Ollie

Individually there were some standout performances; Richael Browne had the fastest 1 mile leg of any woman at 5:10.

by UCD. After an impressive day of sportsmanship it was the home team who claimed the cup and the title.

Raking up an impressive 14 Gold Medals, 12 Silver and 5 Bronze, UCD laid firm claim to the silverware.

There were some stand out performances on the day including Werd Al-Najim, 1st in Junior Individual Women’s Kata and Zung Tran, 1st in Junior Individual Men’s Kata. Aaron McLoughlin also impressing, taking home a trio of gold medals, ranking 1st in Senior Individual Men’s Kumite and Kata, as well as taking 1st place alongside his teammates in the Senior Men’s Team Kata. Yousef Al-Luhayan was standing proud on the podium for the second day in a row, taking home 1st place in the Senior Men’s Team Kata, 2nd place in the Senior Men’s Individual Kumite and 3rd Place in the Senior Men’s Individual Kata.

IRELAND FAILED BID TO HOST 2023 RUGBY WORLD CUP After failing to win the race to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Martin Healy looks at what went wrong for the Irish delegates.

Last week will not be remembered as a great one for Irish sport. Tuesday brought us The Assassination of James McClean by the Coward Christian Eriksen, while Wednesday confirmed that Ireland will not be hosting a major sporting event for some time.

After picking up a meagre eight votes, and a swift exit in the first round, Ireland bowed out of the 2023 Rugby World Cup race. There would be one final twist in the tale at least, with France taking home the glory even after South Africa received the backing of rugby’s top brass.

Where to go from here then? It is clear that Ireland’s bid was too naïve. Like the football’s team humbling last Tuesday, you have to play the game if you want to go anywhere.

Ireland’s bid can be summed up as such: look at Brian O’Driscoll, wasn’t he great? Look at our halfbuilt stadia, ah sure they’ll be done by 2023. Look at the apparently-still-totally-alive-and-kicking-Dick Spring, isn’t he lovely?

While former FIFA president Sepp Blatter should be commended for very little, he did lay down a blueprint on how to win votes and influence people. What Ireland forgot in their efforts to court the major rugby nations was the minnows: they have a vote too.

Hosting a major tournament is a dirty game, this much is obvious. The spectre of Charles Haughey lives on in the tactics of the game. It is not about the big fish, but instead, securing the votes of the small ones. France built their victory by giving the odd promise here, and the odd promise there.

While voting is anonymous, it is believed that France picked up the votes from areas like Asia, South America, and Africa. None of these places are rugby strongholds, but they all have their say.

It isn’t about the big fish, but instead, securing the votes of the small ones.

Even after receiving the golden seal of approval from World Rugby, South Africa still did not get the nod. Too much faith was put in that report, and South Africa have paid the price for it.

The smiling face of the French bid, French rugby

18 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 4

president Bernard Laporte, hung on despite brewing controversy. He was criticised back in September after using his influence to have a ban shortened for a Montpellier player. Despite this dark cloud, he carried on.

France also used their massive resources to win the bid. Even with Ireland’s very straightforward lobbying, France still had money at their disposal. Many reports suggest that France offered an additional €35 million to host the tournament, on top of the required €135 million.

While France’s bid, in many ways, sounds dirty or sleazy, that is how the game is played. Bidding for major sporting events is a murky and sordid exercise. It is built on deal-making, flaunting cash and politicking.

Much of Ireland’s bid came down to the fact that we are a major rugby nation, yet we have never hosted a World Cup. On paper, this is a great selling point. Ireland is a small, but dense, country, with a great tradition of

putting on a show. There is no question that the World Cup would have been a success. While you could easily be in France during the autumn of 2023 and not notice that the World Cup is on, it would be hard to imagine the same in Ireland.

In an ideal world, the World Cup process would not be this bizarre competition. There are only so many countries fit to host a Rugby World Cup, the event could move on a rotation.

Instead every competing nation must put on a song and dance, as well as a brown envelope and a quiet handshake. If the Irish bid team does not like this, then we probably should not try again for 2031 or 2035.

Criticism from Irish politicians has come quickly.

Fianna Fáil Senator Terry Leyden said to the Seanad last week: “There is no point in crying over spilt milk at this stage as far as the Rugby World Cup is concerned because really, quite frankly, they made a bags of it.”

If a Fianna Fáil politician is criticising your ability to negotiate, then you probably know what game you have to play.

It is an opportunity lost for Ireland. The Rugby World Cup is about as good as it gets in terms of a competition Ireland can host, without it being a massive money sink.

While Ireland did host the Women’s World Cup in August, that was mostly confined to the campus of this university. Hopefully as support for the women’s game continues, Ireland will get another shot in the years to come.

In the meantime, Irish delegates will lick their wounds. There is an appetite for rugby in this country, as evidenced by the 50,000 packed into the Aviva to see Ireland play Fiji at the weekend.

Naivety has to be left at the door if Ireland ever wants a shot at the biggest prize in world rugby.

SPORT WHAT NOW FOR MARTIN O’NEILL? The FAI have a big decision to make in the next couple of weeks, following the humiliation against Denmark. David Kent examines the key factors.

Most fans were happy when we were drawn against Denmark in the playoffs. The whole country seemed to have the ‘it could have been worse’ sentiment.

While there was plenty of positivity before the Championships, afterwards doom and gloom reigned.

Trapattoni had not even tried to win any of the three Irish games in Poland & Ukraine, a tactic which would continue to seep into his management until eventually getting sacked after a defeat in Vienna in September 2013.

Flash forward four years and Ireland are top of their group after a magnificent performance in Austria. The four points from their next two games against Georgia

and Serbia will put one foot on the plane to the World an infatuation with playing it safe. Setting up for teams Cup in Russia. Shane Duffy scored early against to try and break us down and then hopefully nick a goal Georgia, but here’s where the problems started. on the counter attack for the three points. At the base of Ireland barely escaped Tbilisi with a draw, O’Neill it all, it is this tactic and the managers refusal to deter had set up to defend the 1-0 lead for 86 minutes. Then, from it, which cost us our place in Russia. If Ireland the following Tuesday, Serbia played Ireland at their hold on to that 1-0 lead in Tblisii, they stay two points own game, with the goal of avoiding losing, and win- clear at the top of Group D. If they convert any chances ning 1-0. It all came down to a winner take all clash in against Serbia, they’re minimum three clear.

Wales. For the victors, a playoff, for the losers, nothing.

If they grab an away goal in Copenhagen, they’re in James McClean struck the most important goal of his control. If they show a bit of fight after going 2-1 down on Tuesday, it could have been very different. career and there was still hope.

However, they didn’t and it wasn’t. O’Neill made Most fans were happy when we were drawn against Denmark in the playoffs. The whole country seemed some baffling decisions (like putting the hopes on a to have the ‘it could have been worse’ sentiment. A player that’s scored a goal every 30 or so games in an freezing Saturday night in Copenhagen saw another Irish shirt, and playing no midfield while 3-1 down) awful performance from the Boys In Green (or white “Now there’s nothing for the ‘best fans in the world’ to in this case), but it was another draw. All we needed do but cheer on whoever England are playing, and then now was a victory at home and we were off to our first go back to supporting the English Premier League next summer, again.

World Cup in 16 years.

This falls at the feet of the manager. Yes, he has a Another early Duffy goal had us in the driving seat.

We were just over an hour away from Russia. O’Neill fantastic home record. Yes, Euro 2016 was fantastic sat back again. We conceded five times in 60 minutes. for everyone involved with Irish sport. Yes, he’s given younger fans some of the greatest ever Irish internaThe Danes tore us to shreds and the wait continues.

So we go back to the question: was this the man- tional moments. There’s no production line for ‘the ager’s fault? next generation.’ Plus, who are we going to get in The detractors will say that O’Neill is stubborn. He instead of him? refuses to change his tactics, his dealings with the media There are good points to defend O’Neill & Keane. are awful, and that he’s a one trick pony. The evidence However, they are easily countered. There is a producis not good for the Derryman. Away from home, he’s tion line for the future of Irish football. It is simply that had some unbelievable results. Let’s not forget that this the FAI would not like you to know about the League Ireland side held the World Champions Germany to a of Ireland. They’d rather that Irish teenagers are farmed draw in Gelsenkirchen, and then beat them in Dublin. over to English ‘academies,’ where 90% of them fail He masterminded a European Championship where we and return home with no education. were close to eliminating the hosts. It seems Ireland In terms of replacements, the next European performs unbelievably well when we’re the underdogs. Championships in 2020 is the easiest to qualify for in It’s when we ‘need a result’ or travel to face one of history. We could appoint the manager of Roy of the the ‘weaker teams’ where things get a bit sticky. There’s Rovers and he’d get us there. It’s an attractive job.

Of course, Martin O’Neill may not want to stay on as Ireland’s manager. His namesake north of the border is heading to Scotland, Chris Coleman has returned to club management after a hugely successful stint at Wales. O’Neill’s relationship with the media is fractured. The attitude of the fans towards him has changed considerably for the worse. The squad he now has is weakened considerably by retirements.

He now has plenty of time to consider his options but unfortunately, he can’t turn back time to Tblisi and change things to save his skin.

PHOTO CREDIT: WIKIMEDIA

Everyone leaving the Aviva Stadium last Tuesday had the same questions on their mind. How did it go so wrong? Why did Christian Eriksen have the freedom of Dublin to tear our defence apart? Most importantly, should this be the end of Martin O’Neill as manager?

Four years have brought many highs and many lows, with the Danish mauling by far being his lowest.

A fortnight before, there were rumblings (which the FAI essentially confirmed) that O’Neill and assistant Roy Keane had been handed new two year contracts ahead of the World Cup playoffs. Any fan that didn’t have a short memory could think back to the build up to the European Championships in 2012, when the FAI gave Giovanni Trapattoni a new contract, despite a lack of success.

THE BADGER

It’s 5am on a cold and wet Sunday morning when the chief of this blasted rag awoke the Badger in his set.

Luckily for him, there’s some sport on the television.

The Badger must be the only one that is awake to watch the First Test of the International Rules series. Some of you might not recognise it without it’s alias: the stupidest sporting series on the planet.

What kind of moron thought ‘let’s combine Gaelic Football and Australian Football, with no clear set rules, throw in a bit of boxing and play only two matches in the series, in front of half empty stadiums.’

It was far too early in the day for the Badger to hear the incessant whine of Marty Morrissey’s voice coupled with a dull, dreary co-commentator explaining the rules of Australian football with all the enthusiasm of a final year student attacking their thesis during midterm week.

There hasn’t been a consistent gap between International Rules series since 2006. It was suspended after that year because the muck savages they managed to find from each code couldn’t stop scrapping with each other for an hour. For some unknown reason, in 2013, the AFL side HAD to consist of ‘Indigenous’ players, so naturally they were annihilated by the supposedly ‘amateur’ GAA lads.

In the match that the Badger saw, Ireland lost by ten points. Somehow, they can still win the series if they win the second ‘test’ by more than ten points, which doesn’t make any sense when you think about it logically.

Logic doesn’t really exist for the series though. You get three points for kicking the ball over the bar, six points for a goal. Fair enough, says the Badger, that makes some bit of sense, but if you hit it wide, you

get a point? So you could throw a Kilkenny footballer, or worse, a Meath player into the fray and they’d still manage to score at least a point.

The games are almost as pointless as the matches that seem to be disturbing the Badgers’ peace taking place in the Aviva Stadium. All of the rugger huggers must be delighted that this Brave™ Ireland side are managing to overcome the giants of… Fiji. Of course, these victories will mean absolutely nothing once the 2019 World Cup rolls around and Ireland are smashed to smithereens by a Southern Hemisphere side. Again.

So let the Donnybrook Dingbats enjoy their moments in the sun now. It’s the closest they’ll ever get to attending a World Cup after the extraordinary ineptitude of the IRFU. The Badger can barely understand the Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus timetables himself. Imagine how annoyed a New Zealand Maori supporter would

be as he stood beside a flashing board on the side of the road in Carlow. Come to think of it, that would be hilarious.

Between the colossal failure of the IRFU bid, the colossal failure of the dinosaurs behind the soccer team, and the colossal failure of anyone to give a dicky bird about the International Rules, it’s just as well Ireland has turned into rowing country after the Olympics last year. What do you mean no one cares until Tokyo?

Finally, the Badger has a bone to pick with Ruby Walsh. If your idea of celebrating mediocrity is a tiny country beating one of the world’s greatest when given no chance, then perhaps you should try and avoid falling off at the last fence once Cheltenham rolls around in March, eh? You might even get sponsored by someone to dye your hair then.

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SPORT BORN TO RUN: HOW EXERCISE KEEPS OUR MINDS IN SHAPE Spicy curry or 5km run? Emmet Feerick examines the strange ways in which exercise resembles spicy foods in this article about the psychological benefits of exercise.

We are the descendants of the people who kept running. psychologists over the last few decades.

Firstly, it might be useful to take a look at what ‘runner’s high’ is. The phenomenon turns out to be at the foundation of many of the mental benefits of exercise, from greater stress-resistance to decreasing severe depressive symptomology. As it happens, running is a stressful activity for the body. This fact is made very clear to anybody who takes it up after a long period of abstinence from exercise. We are physically capable of running very efficiently, however. Evolution has endowed us with large lungs, a strong heart, and efficient two-legged locomotion. As marathon runners will tell you, however, there is more to the body’s arsenal than mere physical attributes when it comes to running long distances.

Running puts a lot of stress on the body. When we run, the circulatory and pulmonary systems kick into full gear, and the integrity of our joints are put to the test, step after step. As well as this, our muscles are put under strain. All of this physical exertion should cause us a great deal of pain. If this level of physical arousal happened in any other context, say, right before we

went to bed at night, it would be cause for great concern.

In the past, we needed to keep running if we wanted to eat, and to avoid being eaten. Pausing because your muscles and joints ached would not have been helpful in the African savannah on which our ancestors lived.

We are the descendants of the people who kept running.

The reason we can do this is that in response to this stress, our bodies produce molecules called endorphins.

These act on the brain, reducing our perception of pain.

In sufficient amounts, they do more than just counteract the pain that is produced by exercise, however.

If enough of these molecules are released, they cause the pleasurable sensation we call ‘runner’s high.’ They also act as sedatives, further reducing our awareness of pain. Incidentally, this is the same molecule that regulates our response to spicy foods. The painful burning sensation we experience when eating these foods is counteracted by a release of endorphins. Eventually, as we eat more spicy foods, this endorphin release

of dopamine, which over time encourages us to engage in it repeatedly. It is this chemical which gives rise to addictive behaviour; studies have implicated its role in addictions from cocaine use to gambling.

While the ‘everything in moderation’ rule could not reasonably be said to apply to addictions, we might be tempted to make an exception for exercise, given its numerous psychological benefits. Moderate to highintensity aerobic exercise has been shown to reduce people’s sensitivity to anxiety. Those who exercise regularly, even for periods as short as 30 minutes, have been found to have a greater overall mood. Regular exercise has also been shown to reduce the rate at which our IQ declines after our early 20s. It also leads to an improved ability to learn and remember, as it increases the production of cells in the hippocampus;

These effects are further enhanced by playing team sports, in which we strengthen our bonds with others with whom we share a common goal.

the area in the brain responsible for these functions.

Notwithstanding these cognitive benefits, the physical fitness brought about by regular exercise is a source of self-esteem for many, and has been linked to greater positive self-image. These effects are further enhanced by playing team sports, in which we strengthen our bonds with others with whom we share a common goal.

We are born to run, or at least, to do moderate exercise a few times a week. The wide-ranging psychological benefits of sport and exercise have been well-documented by research, and have long been attested to by athletes. In a society which increasingly values the cerebral, we would be wise to remember that the mind and body are not so separate, and that the health of one is central to the health of the other.

PHOTO CREDIT: GIUSEPPE MILO, FLICKR

Common sense tells us that the brain is part of the body, and so it makes sense that anything which affects one affects the other. Given this, and assuming that the mind is an extension of the brain (an assumption controversial only to philosophers), we should find it no surprise that the well-known physical benefits of exercise are accompanied by mental benefits too.

Anybody who has taken up running at some point will have experienced that ‘runner’s high,’ and those who have not are likely to have heard of it. This, and many of exercise’s more profound and long-lasting mental benefits, has been well-documented by sports

becomes so fast and well-tuned that it goes beyond merely providing protection from pain, and creates a euphoria similar to that experienced during exercise.

There is more to the link between spicy food and exercise than this, however. The pleasure induced during these two activities is mediated by the neurotransmitter dopamine. This has been dubbed the ‘reward chemical,’ and is released whenever we engage in an activity which gives us pleasure. The endorphin high we get from exercise (and spicy food) is paired with a surge

THE KINGS AND QUEENS OF UCD Rory Clarke chats to the UCD Chess Society for the final Club Focus of 2017.

A nimble mind is required to succeed in this sport; feats of physical endurance, agility, and fantastic acrobatics will gain you little admiration at a Chess Competition.

Confronting the question head on Hearne says that she “definitely” sees chess as a sport. People who don’t play chess don’t see, and don’t understand, the extent of the preparation that goes into the game. “It’s simply not moving the pieces around the board aimlessly. One has to practice and train their mind to analyse positions, to remember countless openings or endgames, all of which could mean a win or a loss. To be able to concentrate for around three and a half hours on

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one game is a skill acquired with practice. You have to train your brain the same way a bodybuilder trains their muscles. Perhaps it’s hard to see a few friendly games as sport, but when you see a chess tournament it’s hard to see it as anything else.”

Unlike many sports it can be played by anyone, against anyone. A nimble mind is required to succeed

It’s simply not moving the pieces around the board aimlessly. in this sport; feats of physical endurance, agility and fantastic acrobatics will gain you little admiration at a Chess Competition. The game, the moves and the analysis transcend generations, physical capabilities, language barriers, and ethnicity. The membership of UCD’s Chess Society certainly represent this.

According to Hearne, the society is not made up of chess grandmasters but has a “range from complete beginner to people who have represented Ireland in chess. It’s a very mixed bunch but I must say I am very proud to be a part of a society where the standard doesn’t necessarily matter.”

The chess society operates a number of regular events throughout the college year. They meet every Monday, usually in Café Brava in the Old Student Centre from 6pm until 9pm. They encourage a relaxed, come-and-go atmosphere. However, as Hearne pointed out to me they don’t just play traditional chess. They play a few variations of the game too, one of which is swap chess. “This involves two players playing as a team to beat the other two players. It certainly doesn’t follow the conventional rules but is good fun and a great ice-breaker. It certainly gets people chatting and always ends in laughter because some of the end positions can be very unusual looking.” They also host beginner lessons for anybody who wants to learn how to play, in the Agricultural building on Monday night.

Like many groups in UCD, the Chess Society also has a very active online presence. They regularly post chess puzzles or interesting matches on Facebook for their members to analyse and debate. Branching out into other social media, this year they “have joined Snapchat so make sure and follow if you ever need some nerdy Snapchat stories to brighten you day.”

There have also been some recent landmarks for the society. In May one of the world’s most famous chess players, Judith Polgar, visited UCD at the invitation of the society. She gave a presentation and also presided over the UCD chess tournament. Hearne remarks that “she seemed to really love how diverse the society with regards to the standard of playing and encouraged everyone to keep going.” Hearne points out that such

praise coming from such a prominent member of the international chess community was hugely encouraging for the society.

In collaboration with the Harry Potter society, the Chess society held a ‘Wizard’s Chess’ night in collaboration with the Harry Potter society. The committee has also organised for a huge outdoor chess set to be built at the apex of the lake and the science mural wall (for more detail as to why, see Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone).

So far, coming to the end of Semester one, it’s been a hugely successful and active year so far for the UCD chess society, and no doubt, Semester two will be just as jam-packed.

PHOTO CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK

Chess is one of the world’s oldest sports. Evolving into one of the world’s foremost games of strategy and analysis, it has enthralled millions. However, despite its illustrious history, it has long been ridiculed and mocked for daring to call itself a sport. I talked with the auditor of the UCD Chess Society, Catherine Hearne, to discuss how the society works, if it is a sport, and how the society has grown in recent years.

In dealing with one of the main sources of confusion on campus: the club vs society debate, Hearne says that “We function as a mixture of a club and society but we are officially titled as a society.” Nevertheless, they enter a myriad of competitions every year. Two teams are entered in the Leinster Chess League. Added to that, the Chess Society recently took part in a national competition in Galway. They had several fantastic results with Hugh O’Connor winning the minor section, beating UCD’s own Ritik Verma in the final round to claim the title.