Behind the Scenes with Gaza’s Nurses
The healthcare system in Gaza has long served as the lifeline and final hope for its people. Even before the war, years of blockade and closed border crossings made access to treatment abroad nearly impossible. The people of Gaza depended almost entirely on local hospitals and the dedication of healthcare professionals working under extreme pressure. However, with the onset of war, this system was not just overwhelmed — it became a target. The Israeli military systematically destroyed major hospitals, including Al-Shifa, and killed over 1,300 healthcare workers. Among them were leading specialists like orthopedic surgeon Dr. Adnan Al-Borsh.
In this article, I want to shed light on the reality inside hospitals during the war. This war is unlike any before it longer, more brutal, and more destructive. Over 50,000 people have been killed, the majority of them women and children. Most of Gaza’s population has been forcibly displaced from their homes.
My personal experience
On a personal level, I worked as an emergency nurse at Al-Shifa Hospital from the first days of the war. The situation was far worse than anything I could have imagined. Dozens of injured people arrived all at once, many of them needing intensive care due to the scale of the explosions. What broke my heart most was the number of children an overwhelming, endless stream of small bodies. I was constantly fighting with myself: Where do I begin? Who can I save first? These weren’t simple injuries. Sometimes we couldn’t even tell where the bleeding was coming from or how to start treating it. Children came in
with missing limbs but still breathing, and others barely hanging on offered a faint chance of revival. But we lacked nearly everything: diagnostic tools, equipment, and even the most basic supplies. We did everything we could, but too often, we failed. The ER looked like a pool of blood, hour after hour. We ran without rest. Injuries poured in like a waterfall. The smell of death filled the air and I can still remember it. It won’t leave my mind.
Children of Gaza are not like other children in the world
I can’t describe everything, but what haunted me most was the children’s suffering. I would sit alone and wonder: How will they go on? How can they play again with no arms or legs? Who will support them? Who will remind them to dream? I used to hear that “dreams have no limits,” but how can they dream when their futures were shattered by flames? I wrapped children’s bodies with my own hands. I failed to save many. I hated telling parents their child had died. I hated myself when I saw mothers collapsing in grief. But we kept going, we had to.
I remember the desperate eyes of parents searching for their children in the chaos. Are they alive, or in the morgue? Some children arrived completely alone the sole survivors of their families. We didn’t know their names. We gave them numbers. Some had lost their memory from the trauma. Some never woke up again.
We are in a constant struggle Day by day, the situation worsened. Supplies ran out. The wounded kept coming. We fell into a real famine. Hospitals were bombed. We feared for our own lives and our families outside were at risk too. I never imagined I’d search for my own family among the wounded, but many of
my colleagues had.
One night, homes near my family were bombed. Communication was cut. The injured flooded in. I was frantic, searching among the wounded, among the bodies in the morgue. I couldn’t find them. I broke down and begged medics to let me search with them. They refused. Hours later, I found out my family had survived and fled to a displacement camp. This is the reality for every health worker in Gaza today. No safety. No resources. Only exhaustion and the grief that they have endured over seventeen months of relentless war, killing, and bloodshed.
Even after leaving Gaza, my heart remains there. I speak with my colleagues daily. I once asked my colleague Najah, a student nurse, what the hardest moment was for her. I don’t know why I asked but her answer broke me.
She said after Al-Shifa was destroyed, patients were sent to small, illequipped hospitals. These patients arrived with multiple complex injuries but had no beds. They were treated on the floor, in unsafe environments. They were often beyond saving. Sometimes, they had to amputate limbs without anesthesia or sterile tools, just to give a patient a chance to live.
Najah told me she felt crushed. As a nursing student, she was still learning but she had no choice. She had to continue. She had to try. But she also carried the painful contradiction: she had been taught that healthcare is a human right yet all she saw was death, destruction, and forgotten humanity.
Faress is studying a Master’s in Global Health at Trinity via a scholarship agreed at the May 2024 encampment.
Aoife Bennett discusses the loss of value in of standing ovations
72 Students Elected Scholars
Brídín
This year’s Trinity Monday saw 72 students elected scholars.
As of January 2025, 909 students were registered to sit the optional exams, with 179 of these students coming from Joint Honours courses and 88 Biological and Biomedical Sciences students.
Last year 73 scholars were elected; 62 scholars were awarded in 2023. In 2016 the number of scholars dipped to 50 students.
To qualify for the scholarship, an average result of 70 or above is required across four exams, with no single exam result being permitted
to go underneath a total result of 65.
To achieve the scholarship –also termed ‘Schols’– a student must receive a First Class Honours average across all four exam papers, over 70 in two out of the four exams, and no less than 65 in the other two.
The number of elected scholars fluctuates year on year with no cap on the number of students that can be awarded the honour. In 2022 51 scholars were elected and in 2005 80 scholars were announced. The earliest available online record of a scholars’ list is from 1925, which lists 22 scholars in total - presumably due
to fewer students enrolled in higher education. Scholars of Trinity College receive rooms on campus and Trinity Halls for up to nine months of the year - free of charge, their tuition fees are waived, and they are entitled to attend Commons - a free three course meal throughout term-time weekdays, and receive a small salary of 254 euro. Scholars may also put ‘Sch.’ after their name if they so wish. The full list of scholars’ names is available on The University Times website: www.universitytimes.ie.
Three New Societies Recognised and Six Derecognised by CSC
Eliora Abramson
The Central Societies Committee (CSC) has recognised three new societies for the upcoming 2025-2026 year; the Linguistics Society, Trinity Think Tank, and Nordic Society. The Young Fine Gael Society has also regained recognition after being derecognised earlier in the year due to a failure to submit their Secretary report to the CSC for two years consecutively.
The DUNeS (DU Neurodiversity Society), Eastern European, Filipino, South Asian and Dance societies and Trinity’s Women’s Network gained full recognition after being previously provisionally approved.
The Amnesty, AMSI (Association of Medical Students Ireland), Caledonian, Chinese, Karting, and Labour societies have been derecognised due to their failure to submit a secretary report two years in a row.
Also derecognised is Trinity’s Ógra Shinn Féin, due to a failure to submit a grant application two years in a row. NetSoc is also being derecognised following a review of their activity during a previous suspension.
In March, the CSC awarded the Filipino society as Best Small Society. Qsoc won Best Medium Society, and Trinity Orchestra won the award for the best large society. Along with Best Large Society, Trinity Orchestra also won Best Trip for their visit to University of Milan’s to perform Aula Magna as well as Best Fresher to their member Sinead Fleming.
Earlier this year, the CSC introduced a new policy that states that any society that fails to have a membership of over 50 members for two years in a row would face derecognition.
this policy
a letter stating, “We all stand united in the belief that no party on campus should be shut down; we all play a vital role in student politics, and the de-recognition of any one of us would be an affront to the principles of free political association within a democratic society. The CSC should not have the ability to decide which parties can and cannot have representation on campus.” Conchúr Ó Cathasaigh has been elected the next chairperson of the CSC and will be the first to have the role under its new paid, full-time designation.
Ní Fhearraigh-Joyce
Faress Arafat
Following
Trinity Social Democrats, Trinity Young Greens, Fianna Fáil (Cumann Wolfe Tone), Ógra Shinn Féin TCD, Workers’ Party TCD, TCD People Before Profit and Trinity Young Fine Gael signed
“We’ve Got to go Beyond Marching”: A Five Day Fast for Peace in Gaza
Eve McGann
My weather app tells me it’s seven degrees outside. There’s a chill in the air that makes it feel colder. Phil Kearney is on day five of his fast for peace in Gaza. The Palestinian people have one day of flour left before supplies run out. Kearney is standing outside Leinster House holding a sign that reads “I’m hungry for peace in Gaza”. I’ve walked by him a few times over the past four days. Kearney’s friends, Patrick and Kathy Davey, are out with him today for support. Kathy is fasting with him for the final day. Kearney is in his seventies. He hasn’t had anything to eat in five days. He drinks only water and black tea. He sits outside Leinster House from 10am until 5pm every day. The recent escalation of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza is what prompted the fast. “I had been planning and threatening to do it for the last year, but I kept chickening out. I found reasons all the time, like I couldn’t find anyone to do it with me, or now the ceasefire is coming ... Anyway, last week made all the difference. The fact that they were bombarding while refusing to let any humanitarian aid in….” He pauses. “It’s just completely beyond the beyond”.
“I don’t know if you’ve seen this”, he gestures to another poster propped against the wall beside him, “they’re down to one day of flour in Gaza, and they’re still not letting in any food”. No aid has been allowed into the Gaza Strip since March 2nd. Food, safe water, medical care and supplies; with these essentials being blocked, the number of preventable deaths of children in Gaza is expected to increase.
This is the longest period of aid blockage since the beginning of the conflict, which now may be better termed a genocide: “the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group”. Unicef reports
that over 15,000 children in Gaza have lost their lives from Israeli attacks since that time. Over 39,000 children have lost one or both parents in Gaza, according to the Palestinian statistics agency. There are currently one million children living in Gaza, and who are subject
Netflix’s “Wednesday” Filmed at Trinity
Brídin Ní Fhearraigh-Joyce
Netflix’s “Wednesday” season two will feature Trinity’s Business School and the GMB’s (Graduates Memorial Building’s) Phil Convo Room as set locations. The official teaser trailer sees Trinity’s Business School designed as a New Jersey airport. Filming at Trinity took place on May 21st 2024. Season two was also filmed in the Kilternan Ski School and County Wicklow. Wednesday’s first season was shot in Romania and racked up 252.10 million views. The second season was shot in Ireland and wrapped up on November 27th 2024. The third season is also said to feature Ireland as a set location. Wednesday is produced by MGM Television for Netflix. Anna Mallett, who oversaw the production said: “We’re so proud to now bring the cultural juggernaut that is Wednesday to Ireland, as the country’s biggest production it
will create jobs and add millions of Euros to the Irish economy.” Mallet continues: “Ireland has a thriving production sector, and Netflix has a keen interest in its long-term potential. In recent years we have invested substantially in productions made in Ireland such as The Siege of Jadotville, The Wonder, Bodkin, and Vikings: Valhalla. Netflix is planning to produce Marian Keyes Grown Ups and Lisa McGee’s How to Get to Heaven from Belfast series in Ireland too.” Former Taoiseach Simon Harris visited the set’s production last year with former Minister for Culture Catherine Martin. The series starring Jenna Ortega as the title character is due to hit Irish streaming on August 6th 2025. Tim Burton - director of Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Edward Scissorhands - directed four episodes of “Wednesday”. Lady Gaga - whose song “Bloody Mary” soundtracked a viral dance-sequence in season one - has been announced to guest-star in
Wednesday’s second season. Season two of Wednesday will introduce Steve Buscemi, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Billie Piper as new actors to the audience. Wednesday is a spin-off show starring the daughter of the Addams family. The Addams family was created by cartoonist Charles Addams in 1937.
Jenna Ortega plays the title character Wednesday. Ortega’s performance won her a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Series or Comedy in 2023. The series also received the Golden Globe accolade for Best Television Series for a Musical or Comedy at the same awards ceremony. According to Netflix’s data in 2022, “Wednesday” was the new record holder for the most hours viewed in a week for an English-language TV series on Netflix, beating the show “Stranger Things”. Netflix reported that 50 million households watched Wednesday within the first week of the TV show launching.
to Israel’s escalation of violence and blockade of essentials. Kearney’s final day of fasting has just happened to coincide with the final day of flour left in Gaza.
Kearney is not new to fasting for a political or social cause. He fasted for climate action nine years ago in a
similar format and also fasted for a week in the eighties when Ronald Reagan visited Dublin. “There were four of us fasting on Dame Street because there was a march passing by there, and we stayed for the full week, night and day. I was younger, I could cope with it then. I wasn’t sure at this stage, I’m in my seventies, that I could cope with five days but actually it’s not a problem”.
“I don’t think people should be afraid of it,” says Kearney. “It’s relatively easy, good to know that you can give up things, and that’s part of the thinking, is that we need to show that we can make a little sacrifice, or give up things, or do without. It’s a bit of a mini identification with what people are going through in Gaza”.
“I think fasting is quite a long established practice”. Kearney uses Gandhi as an example who: “used fasting as a political tool or lever, and I think we’ve got to go beyond marching and waving flags. There are wonderful marches, and I support them, I take part in them, but they’re not making any difference.
So this is just trying to ratchet it up a little and I would like to see more people fasting. That was part of my hope, that it might result in others doing similar actions. And if that happened at any sort of scale, it might have a bigger impact on the politicians and the decision makers.”
Kearney has been approached “loads” over the past five days by “people from all over the world and quite a few politicians, mainly Sinn Féin, to be fair to them, they’ve been very attentive.…Nobody from Fine Fáil or Fine Gael, at all. Now maybe they just didn’t see it, but some
of them just walked by, and journalists walked by and showed no interest. They’re completely focused on [what’s going on] in here”, he gestures to Leinster House behind him. “But the level of response has been very heartwarming. People are very empathetic and grateful that it’s happening, and very concerned of course as well”.
“I’ve lost five kilos, which is not a problem,” he says. “It’s normal, when you start to fast, you lose a lot of fluids very quickly”. He found it difficult in the beginning.
“The first couple of days are the toughest and then you get into a kind of a rhythm, or an altered state, and it just drifts, you drift along, and you become more thoughtful, I think, and more focused,” Kearney tells me.
No one who approached Kearney has shown interest in joining the fast.
“That’s a bit of a disappointment, I’d hoped that somebody actually might take over when I’m finished. But I just decided at the last minute, so I could imagine, with better planning, that you could organise a rota of some kind. And hopefully some people will come back to me afterwards and ask about it and I might persuade them to do it.”
Kearney phrased his cause as “Hungry for Peace in Gaza” to try not to just take one side. “It’s not that I’m in any way positive about what Israel is doing, but they need peace as much as the Gazans do in the longer term. I’m trying to look at the bigger picture. It’s a disaster for Israel as well, but they’re the oppressors, and they’re the bombers, and what they’re doing is atrocious”.
Ten Students Arrive Safely in Dublin from Gaza
Molly Wetsch
Ten students –two undergraduates and eight postgraduates–from Gaza have safely arrived in Dublin after receiving full-fee scholarships from Trinity, as of April 18th. A press release from the College said that the students will begin studying “as soon as possible.” In August 2024, the College announced that thirteen scholarships were awarded to Palestinian students. The three scholarship recipients who have not arrived in Dublin have not been able to leave Gaza, according to a College spokesperson. In addition to the scholarship recipients, two researchers from Gaza have
also made it to the country to begin their work in Trinity. One of those researchers is Ezzeldeen Alswerky, whom The University Times first reported had been trapped in Gaza due to the ongoing genocide in September 2024. In November, the Historical Society raised 700 euro for Alswerky, which will be used to support him as he settles into the country. Alswerky travelled from Gaza to Dublin without any belongings, including cash, and arrived on April 18th with the other students and researcher. The scholarships for Palestinian students were created following an agreement made at the student encampment which occurred in May 2024 to protest the
PHOTO BY SOPHIE QUINN
PHOTO BY FIONN BOWES-FITZPATRICK
Censured: TCDSU President Jenny Maguire and Welfare Officer Hamza Bana Condemned by Union
The following article discusses sexual violence.
Following a heated extraordinary council meeting, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) President Jenny Maguire and Welfare and Equality Officer Hamza Bana have been censured by the Union.
The extraordinary meeting of council was triggered by Bana’s and Maguire’s involvement in and promotion of actions held the week of April 4th, which saw effigies hung and beaten as stand-ins for rapists, as well as the the collection of students’ thoughts on rapists that were put on the Junior Dean’s Officer door without students’ explicit knowledge.
According to schedule 6.3 (d) of the TCDSU constitution: “Motions of Censure are the strongest reprimand that Council may give an officer without calling for the impeachment of that officer or removal of the member from the relevant Union Body”.
After the censure vote, a new motion was created in favour of discarding the prepared motion to form a task force to tackle gender-based and sexual violence. The scrapping of the motion was due to the original motion’s lack of explicit provisions for oversight.
Engagement Officer Chaya Nicole Smyth pointed out due to the proposed wording there could be “no minutes”, “no oversight” provided, and that the exact membership for the group would be uncertain, other than the President and the Gender Equality Officer. The potential exclusion of the former Gender Equality Officer Amy Kennedy from the task force – who was not consulted about the effigy action – was also mentioned as a concern. Maguire proposed a new motion to bring a plan for a strategy taskforce on sexual violence to be brought by the President-elect for the next academic term’s council. This motion passed.
Bailey Armstrong – the newly elected Chair of Council – kicked
meeting, however attacks of a personal nature were not made during council.
The newly elected Commuting Students’ Officer Pól Ó hÍomhair introduced the motion to censure Hamza, saying: “I hope that these censures show that these actions were not taken in the name of the student body”, continuing “it is our duty now to show that these actions were not carried out with the Union’s consent”.
Former Chair of Council Daniel Walsh – who is running for Union of Students of Ireland’s Vice President of the Dublin Region – spoke in opposition of the motions to censure Bana and Maguire, claiming that an investigation should be “objective” and carried out by the Oversight Commission (OC) of TCDSU, rather than occurring in the press.
Education Officer Eoghan Gilroy countered that the OC could have launched an investigation independently. 2023/2024 Chair of Council Conchúr Ó Cathasaigh argued that censure is about showing no confidence in the union.
Walsh further said: “Why are rapists afforded due process but the pitchforks come out for Jenny”.
Speaking against the motion, a student said the “Oversight Commission is there for a reason”. They continued: “This campaign was made by survivors of sexual assault. This was made for survivors by survivors.”
They also said that the former Gender Equality Officer did not attend the Union Forum where the action was discussed.
In response to the former student’s point, a student who said they were invited to come to council by their class rep challenged: “I’m a survivor, I don’t want to see a goddamn body”. They further stated that the action should not have been made without consultation from the Gender Equality Officer.
The point of the proposers of the motions for censure not being present at the town hall was brought up by the newly elected BDS Chair Harry Johnston, despite the short notice given for the town hall and it being the last teaching week of the academic term for
many undergraduate students. TCDSU President-elect Seán Thim O’Leary then introduced the motion of censure for Maguire. They said that the actions of last week “endeavoured to exclude the dissenting student body” and that the repurposing of anonymous confessions about rapists “retraumatised survivors”. They further said: “our President has caused untold harm to our members”.
Multiple students opposing Maguire’s censure reaffirmed that Maguire was sick during the proceedings of last week’s campaign group. A student sought to clarify whether the President, as leader of campaigns, should be aware of what campaigns are taking place. Maguire’s answer referenced the fast-paced nature of campaigns, and alluded that this is sometimes not the case. Maguire also said that a campaign addressing sexual violence had been in the works for four months.
Those opposing the censure also urged students to accept the apology that had already been issued by TCDSU.
Newly elected LGBT Rights Officer and former Gender Equality Officer Amy Kennedy spoke in favour of censure. She said: “in a private meeting it was admitted that it [the action] should have been brought to me”. To this, Maguire nodded. Few questions or speeches were addressed towards the Welfare Officer Bana, despite their active participation in the effigy action. Bana did not speak at the council meeting and declined to comment on his censure to The University Times. Smyth said, despite challenging circumstances bringing ordinary students who aren’t officers to council, they said they wanted to “reiterate to everyone that you can do this at any Comhairle throughout the year […] when stakes are much smaller and implications not as traumatic”. The Electoral Commission declined to give the numbers for the votes for or against the motions, stating: “Generally the breakdown of secret ballots aren’t shared.”
If you have been effected by this article you may contact: Dublin Rape Crisis Helpline: 1800 77 8888, 24 hour free-phone or visit www.drcc.ie to access supports.
Three from Trinity Elected to Aontas Mac Léinn in Éirinn Executive Team
Trinity College’s Eoghan Gilroy, Pádraig Mac Brádaigh, and Daniel Walsh were elected to USI’s executive team April 15th.
A motion passed at USI’s national congress mandates that the organisation, formerly the Union of Students in Ireland, will now be referred to as Aontas Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ). Gilroy was elected as Vice-President for Academic Affairs and is the current Education Officer of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU). Mac Brádaigh – Oifigeach na Gaeilge d’Aontas Mac Léinn Coláiste na Tríonóide – has been elected as Leas-Uachtarán don Gaeilge. Law student Walsh – who served as the 2024/2025 chair of TCDSU Council –has been elected as Vice-President for the Dublin Region. Bryan O’Mahony, the Vice President for AMLÉ, has been newly elected as the President of AMLÉ. O’Mahony will take over from Chris Clifford who held the AMLÉ President position for two years, and worked fulltime for at Student Union positions at Munster Technological University (MTU) prior to his AMLÉ Presidency. Speaking last night at USI Congress hustings in Wexford, Gilroy spoke about how he has attended many congresses with USI and often isn’t sure of what is going on – which is something he’d like to change about
the union. Gilroy commented on his win to The University Times that: “It’s not a job that I wanted initially, but sure, we’ll go for it now. Give it the best […] I think it’s great to be elected alongside two others like my fellow Trinity Student’s Union Pádraig and Daniel. I think we do things uniquely in Trinity and that’s the kind of energy I’d like to bring to USI and I think it definitely needs it.” At the hustings, Mac Brádaigh highlighted his extensive experience securing funding for Irish in Trinity and said that he would support the creation of other full-time Irish language officers roles in colleges across the country. After his election, he said: “Táim ar bís amach ‘s amach.” “Táim ag tnúth go mór, mór leis an mbliain amach romham agus
During Walsh’s hustings speech he talked about the importance of collaboration and pledged that he would visit colleges “as much as you’ll have me”. Walsh said that he is “delighted” to be elected and he “can’t wait to get started”. USI’s website outlines that a role on the Executive team means being the “public face of USI” during the
off the evening by asking students to treat one another with respect and grace. Voices were raised during the
Brídín Ní Fhearraigh-Joyce, Freja Goldman, Lorcan Brierton and Charlie Swan.
Brídin Ní Fhearraigh-Joyce
PHOTO BY CÉILÍ NÍ RAITHILIDH
TCDSU Council: Students’ Union to Host Two Referendums in September
election process. A working link was eventually sent to Union members to allow them to vote.
The final planned Trinity College Dublin Students Union (TCDSU) Council of the academic year, which took place April 1st, had an ambitious agenda, with eighteen motions and over 25 elections. Council commenced in celebratory spirit with Education Officer Eoghan Gilroy presenting the Class Rep of the Year award to the integrated computer science representative Keelin O’Byrne.
László Molnárfi was presented an Honourary Membership of the students’ union by Jenny Maguire “to give thanks to his contributions to the Union”. Further Honourary Memberships were presented by Eoghan Gilroy, Hamza Bana and Pádraig Mac Brádaigh to Siobhán Dunne, Toto Daly and Áine Ní Shúilleabháin respectively. Goodbyes were given by each of the Sabbatical Officers as part of their reports as they reflected on their year’s work. For President Jenny Maguire, progress on period poverty, the rent freeze and the doubling of Irish language funding stood out as highlights. “I told myself the only thing I needed to worry about was being Jenny Maguire, and I think I did that,” Maguire commented.
“Jenny Maguire, you are, without a doubt, my hero,” Education Officer Eoghan Gilroy said while expressing his appreciation and admiration for his fellow Sabbatical Officers. Welfare Officer Hamza Bana also praised his fellow Sabbatical Officers, and declared that this year is “the best year that Trinity Ents has done.” Ents Officer Peadar Walsh in turn praised the role of student journalism in his final words to Council. “The way that Trinity News and University Times have held people accountable in this Union … is something I really admire.” Beth Strahan reflecting on her year as Communications Officer said that “I have absolutely adored this job, I’m so proud of what we’ve done”.
Pádraig Mac Brádaigh, Oifigeach na Gaeilge, expressed pride for his term spent “fighting for Irish as a civil right” and encouraged students to use their “cúpla focal” where they can, asserting that “Irish is a normal and an everyday part of life.” He gave credit to Beth Strahan for ensuring that all communication and media content from the Union was provided in Irish.
The elections held included elections for Electoral Commission, Oversight Commission, Faculty Convenors, Joint Honours Convenor, Part-time Officers, Undergraduate Studies Committees Representative and TCD Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Chairperson. Elections took place by online vote, following a 45 second pitch by each candidate.
Council encountered technical difficulties with the online voting system, causing unexpected delays to the
Bailey Armstrong was the sole candidate for Chair of Council and was deemed elected. In the bid for Secretary to Council, Aaron Groome, a three year veteran of the Oversight Committee, emerged victorious.
Elections of the Faculty Convenors saw the incumbent Giulia Villa win the position for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Eve Martin won the position for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths and Grace McNally for Health Sciences.
The Part-time Officer (PTO) elections saw many candidates run for a total of 17 positions.
Of these elections, Council saw the first election for the newly established Commuting Students’ Officer. The position was created as part of President-Elect Seán Thim O’Leary’s campaign promises. Of the two nominees, Pól Ó hÍomhair was deemed elected.
With 15 minutes remaining, a procedural motion was taken by Eoghan Gilroy to diverge from the running order and prioritise the election of the BDS chair and the motion to appoint a BDS secretary, stating that it was “significantly more important than the election of a Union Archivist”. Harry Johnston was the only candidate nominated, and was elected BDS Chairperson.
Education Officer Eoghan Gilroy, speaking in favour of a Motion to Formalise Postgraduate Representation within the Union, commented that the motion was to “ensure postgrands actually have a voice in our union”.
This motion ultimately passed, meaning that next semester will see a referendum held on the introduction of a Postgraduate Faculty Convenors and a Graduate Sabbatical Officer. This development is part of wider ambition to integrate postgraduate students into the Union. The next motion also involved a constitutional change—to clarify the responsibilities of the Editor of the University Times. The proposed amendment would require the Editor to present a report to council. It would also allow for the Editor to be impeached.
These changes would be subject to referendum and aim to increase oversight into the work of the Editor. Eoghan Gilroy, speaking for the motion, argued that there is “very little accountability of what the Editor does on a day to day basis” considering that the publication receives thousands of euros of Union funding per year.
James Carey, elected Citizenship Officer, spoke against the motion, arguing that “impeachment is not the answer” and that the University Times “should be able to criticise the Union without fearing what may happen in Council.” Carey highlighted the threat to journalistic integrity that this amendment may pose.
President Jenny Maguire replied that “we are having this discussion after consistent years of interesting leadership.” Maguire also argued that
The Climate Pope
Pope Francis passed away aged 88 on Easter Monday, after a twelve year long pontificate marked by a transformative approach towards the environment. The head of the Holy See expressed his views about human relationships with the natural world in 2015’s “Encyclical Laudato Si”, where he appealed for a new way of thinking about human beings, life, society and our relationship with nature. It is strongly believed that Pope Francis’ Encyclical for the environment supported the success of the international climate agreement in 2015, known as the Paris Climate Accord.
his ability to show the connection between humanity and the natural world had a transformative role for the Catholic Church. “Encyclical Laudato Si”, which marks its tenth anniversary this year, highlighted both the voice of the youth and of the impoverished in coping with climate change and environmental degradation.
“Young people demand change. They wonder how anyone can claim to be building a better future without thinking of the environmental crisis and the sufferings of the excluded”, Pope Francis reminded us in “Encyclical Laudato Si”.
There has not been a Pontiff so devoted to climate and the envi-
and white — for example, during the COP29 Conference, the Holy See delegation blocked efforts to give women a greater opportunity to access climate finance. Despite this, the Pontificate of Pope Francis was overall an invaluable effort to inspire action on climate change and prevent environmental degradation around the world.
Even the first seconds of his role as the Bishop of Rome were marked by a devotion to the natural world. His Holiness selected his papal name after none other than St. Francis of Assisi, who was associated with the patronage of animals and the environment. Pope Francis will be remembered as a global advocate
The University Times had previously failed in its engagement with its readership.
The motion ultimately carried. A referendum relating to the responsibilities of the Editor, as well as one for postgraduate representation, will be held within the first four weeks of the upcoming Michaelmas term.
The final motion of Council approved the creation of a dedicated Movember subcommittee within the Trinity Ents committee.
Among the motions not covered was a motion for €12,000 of the Higher Education Authority fund to be dedicated to creating a Health Science Placement fund. SUSI currently does not provide subsidies for many of the additional costs students encounter during their Health Sciences Placement including travel costs and personal protective equipment, which this proposed Health Science Fund wishes to assist students with.
Also not covered was a motion proposing that pressure be placed on College and the Health Centre “to ensure that students on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) have the same access to blood tests for checking hormone levels that students not on HRT have.” These motions will be added to the agenda of the first Council of the 2025/26 academic year.
Council wrapped up at 9:30 pm, following three and a half hours of reports, motions and elections.
The Pope was a dedicated supporter of the global Earth Day, which marks its 55th anniversary today on April 22nd. “He was without a doubt the world’s most earnest and influential voice in protecting our planet. For more than ten years, Pope Francis has taken countless actions to bring to life the “cultural, spiritual, and educational” dimensions of the climate challenge”, said Earth Day’s President Kathleen Rogers in an official statement. Pope Francis’ call to protect our common home and
ronment, through the means of international cooperation, as Pope Francis. In 2023, His Holiness tried to attend the COP28 Conference in Dubai, however, his health condition prohibited him from going.
On his behalf, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin stated at the UN climate summit in Dubai that “the destruction of the environment is an offence against God, a sin that is not only personal but also structural”. Of course, the role of the Vatican State in the UN climate negotiations was not always black
for climate action and the protection of biodiversity. His teachings are timeless and can be an inspiration to many people around the world, no matter their religious beliefs and background. The Pontiff had a great talent to unify people behind climate action, as he highlighted in “Laudato Si”: “the climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all”. As the world marks the 55th Anniversary of Earth Day, let’s remember and be inspired by the environmental legacy of His Holiness Pope Francis.
Yasmin Rasheed, Alannah Wrynn and Lorcan Brierton
Johnny Dabrowski
PHOTO BY CÉILÍ NÍ RAITHILIDH
Jia Tolentino Visits the Phil, Talks Exploring the “Reality of Perpetual Crisis”
Harper Alderson
The University Philosophical Society (the Phil) and its subcommittee, The Elizabethan Society (the Eliz), presented American writer and editor Jia Tolentino with its Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage on Tuesday April 15th.
Outgoing Phil President Annika Ramani and Eliz President Marin Henley opened the ceremony in the GMB chamber to a modest but excited crowd. Ramani introduced Tolentino as a worthy recipient of the honour, given her outstanding contributions to discourse through her work at The New Yorker, Jezebel, and The Hairpin, coupled with her poignant essay collection “Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion”. Tolentino has emerged as one of the foremost journalists of our time. She is known for her sharp writing and incisive criticism, exploring the tangled intersections of identity, media, and morality in the 21st Century. Tolentino opened, jokingly asking Ramani and Henley if they were sure she was the right person to be given the award. She continued, grateful to the Phil and Eliz, particularly because this was her first time in Ireland, pointing out her in-laws and children in the crowd. She pivoted, discussing the importance of universities, specifically their role in language, society, and holding on to a sense of history. “The idea that human effort matters is getting harder to hold on to. [It’s] hard to find dimension and continuity, with the past eighteen months we’ve seen what’s happening in Gaza, and now in the states with three months of an overtly fascist administration” (Referring to Donald Trump). She discussed “Horrors appearing before us, that are then replaced with new horrors, in the unimaginable reality of life.” Underscoring that “speech and discourse are more important than ever” in the “reality of perpetual crisis”. Tolentino was raised in Houston, Texas, among “Conservative, Evangelical, Southern Baptists”. When asked about the influence of her childhood on her writing, Tolentino eagerly shared, “I’m grateful for my
background, I grew up reading the Bible”, which she called “fundamentally a very left-wing, communist text”. She attributes her political instinct to her upbringing, citing “devotion as a practice, no matter what it is, is a moral project in itself.”
Further, the situated perspective of the political landscape of the American South allowed Tolentino to be “very familiar with and embedded with those who legitimately hold the belief that life begins at conception” when writing about abortion. Ramani asked Tolentino about the evolution of feminism throughout her life, to which Tolentino responded, “Bush was president when I was in college.” Describing her generation’s rise with feminism, she cited blanket statements like “All women are beautiful!” to which she laughed, “as if that’s important for
feminism”. She called the feminism of her college years “robust and democratising, especially online and in America”, but “in tandem with big banks like Goldman Sachs having a feminist day, like, you’re missing the point”. Adding “the feminism of my 20s was ‘pop-feminism’ with ‘She-E-Os’”. She stated “Feminism is bottom-up. It’s about the minimum wage, healthcare, and the carceral system. Women bear the brunt of economic exploitation. It’s not as splashy or sexy.” She proceeded “I feel grim confirming I was right to doubt the pop-feminism of my time, it’s clear now that it A. didn’t work, and B. caused all this backlash.” Indeed, we ought to “not prioritise women in pantsuits”. Henley pressed on the point about the internet, asking if it is possible to exist authentically online, to which
Tolentino emphatically responded, “Yes! Many do!” Continuing, “But, can you exist morally under hyper-advanced capitalism? Not really. But it is a worthwhile project.” “The approach is asymptotic (...) basically, whether we have authenticity is beside the point.” She encouraged the crowd to “evaluate what freedom you have, and what you can possibly make of it.” She also noted that she took a personal break from digital life in 2020: “memes stopped being funny”.
Ramani pointed to Tolentino’s criticism of “optimisation culture”, which refers to the societal push to maximise performance, productivity, and personal improvement, asking how we may seek to resist it. Tolentino outlined that “there’s a difference between a publicly traded company seeking constant hockey stick growth (...) which is impossible and profoundly unethical” and “steady, slow growth” which is “possible to do ethically”. “It requires constant improvement”. Adding “as a girl, I feel an ethical mandate to constantly make myself more appealing to others. Men have the same thing in other ways, and it is equally punishing.”
Tolentino is perhaps best known for her reporting on the conservatorship of Britney Spears in 2021, which was described as the “journalistic reference text on Britney Spears” by Dirk Peitz. Ramani inquired about Spears and Tolentino’s role in the ensuing “Free Britney” movement. Tolentino remarked on how bombarded Spears was by paparazzi, family, and constant attention, laughing, “so what if she did drugs and wasn’t a perfect parent for a year? I would’ve done the same thing, and six months earlier.” Continuing, “She was so uniquely vulnerable to being exploited.” She also noted, “male celebrities lose all their money gambling all the time, and no one places them under a conservatorship”. She highlighted the emphasis on protection for celebrities like Spears, who are young, beautiful, and talented. Explaining those around Spears wanted to “maximise what she could bring to the world, and make her there for other people.” She called protection a “strange, double-edged sword for women.”
Tolentino, who appeared on the reality TV show “Girls vs. Boys” when she was sixteen, was asked by Henley about the nature of performance and surveillance more broadly. Tolentino commented, “We perform everything we do”, adding, “when you’re a server, you’re performing being a great server”. But reflected, “now, especially as a mother, I have learned that the most human moments are unsurveilled”.
When asked by Henley about sex and gender more broadly, Tolentino shared she’s been working on a piece about Gen-Z and sex. She laughed, “People are so worried about Gen-Z, like ‘what is going on? They’re non-binary and choking each other!’ but that’s above the point”. She reflected, “I believe in policy and structures, but with this [sex], it is so uniquely embedded in our complicated notions of transaction.” She articulated that sex is “impossible to legislate”. Arguing that young people should be “very true to ownership in relationships, specifically the physical and sexual.” Ramani transitioned to Tolentino’s writing process, asking about how Tolentino chooses what to write about. Tolentino said she knows when to write about something when “I’m trying to make all my friends talk to me about it. Only in the real world, not on the internet.” She also explained her research process, admitting “it’s a fool’s errand, inventing ideas other people haven’t thought of”, adding “I go as far back in the past as I can and look at the earliest precursors of any thought I have”. “[I go] as deep in time and far in discipline as possible”.
One of Tolentino’s most notable talents is interviewing, and her ability to get subjects to be honest and descriptive. Henley asked how Tolentino can get people to trust her. Tolentino called it a “tough question” but said, “What makes someone a good journalist is listening carefully.” She continued, “You want to hear what they have to say. I want to know.” “If that’s the leading impulse, people can sense that”. She clarified, interviewing is not about extracting something to fit into a story, but “encouraging people that what they say is important”.
Ramani asked about journalistic
The Leap of Faith and Trinity Ball
How can we call Trinity Ball (T-Ball) great if every year we are disappointed? T-Ball is often called Europe’s largest private party, and Trinity’s biggest event. T-Ball hosts 7,000-7,500 guests yearly on Trinity’s campus, spanning multiple stages of high-profile artists, DJs, and acts. However, tickets for T-Ball cost nearly €100, and for what? Confidence Man played in Dublin for €32, why are students paying nearly triple for the same thing? Tickets are available for students, staff, and alumni, meaning that nowhere close to all students (22,000 undergraduates and postgraduates) can attend. Some never do. Lineups have also declined. T-Ball used to attract big names, like The Clash in 1977, U2 in 1979, and The Smiths in 1983. Even in recent history, Calvin Harris played in 2009, Charli XCX in 2013, and Kneecap in 2019. The lineup this year was a big mess of “Who?” Beyond the lineup, the T-Ball experience can be miserable anyway. Getting separated from friends for a second means spending hours searching through legions of your most intoxicated peers (who also saw you alone at T-Ball). More time still might be spent waiting to pee, only to see four of your colleagues tumble out of one bathroom deliriously high. Otherwise, you may spend T-Ball attending to your friend who decided to execute an injurious
stunt, telling their Mum, “they didn’t even have much to drink!” This year, especially, dodging the increased security has never been harder, with nowhere to hide in the vast sprawls of empty dance floors flanked by impenetrable crowds. By minute 30 of waiting for a glass of water, walking on broken heels, evading vomit, dodging everyone you’ve ever liked on Hinge who is also in the queue, praying you didn’t have a public nip-slip in the techno tent, you may be wondering: why did you pay for this experience? But is T-Ball actually worse, or has our relationship to joy become more cynical? The ‘Golden Era’ of T-Ball in the ‘70s and ‘80s looms in the student consciousness, but we are haunted by a story. Broken heels, the Gardaí, drug use, and dehydration are not unique to the 21st Century. Those who fall victim to this “Nostalgia Trap” seek the story. The immediate pleasure and beauty pursued by such T-Ball critics are futile, and the story cannot be replicated in reality. But we all still go. We buy dresses, we violate the terms of our leases for pre-drinks, we accept security checkpoints, and we dance. In the Bible, Abraham does not seek to sacrifice Isaac at Mount Moriah because he knows it’ll work out, instead, he does so on the strength of the absurd. The absurd belief that his son will be returned, a leap into faith. Indeed, every year like clockwork, we wake up at eight A.M., pay for tickets, and attend T-Ball. We
have no rational reason; T-Ball isn’t “cool”, it isn’t comfortable, and it isn’t celebrated. But we choose it anyway, every time.
The truth is, T-Ball isn’t about the headline act, the drink, or the pictures.
T-Ball is the people. It is the stupidity of seeing the quietest person in your tutorial, blind drunk, eating a roll in a tuxedo on the GMB steps, shouting:
“I love you!”. T-Ball is the magic of the collective. Moving together, dancing together, cowering together. The event may fail you, but the people will not. It is not only special but sacred to come together in this way.
To have faith in T-Ball is to have faith in the idea that fun can still be made, even now, even here. How many times have you said,
“I’d pay anything to see that guy in my tutorial get his due”. At T-Ball, for the price of €100, you can see him get denied entry for being too drunk.
To have faith is not to deny! Abraham was not naive. He knew sacrificing his son was insane. But he had a duty to God, and believed all the way up
responsibility, to which Tolentino replied, “Some news sources are fact-checked, and some are insane and designed to scare you”. She expressed, “There will still be people that care [about that distinction]”. However, she admitted, “Recently, it’s been harder to tease out workable definitions of true and false.” On the field in general, Tolentino joked, “I am literally a DEI hire”. But asserted “this job wouldn’t be interesting without young people, people of colour, and women.” “There are legitimate reasons to diversify […] you can’t have a 65-year-old white guy from the Upper West Side going and interviewing FKA twigs”. “But do I care about the diversity of a hedge fund? Not really.” Though ending with “I believe in DEI”. On the act of writing, Tolentino declared, “anyone who wants to be a writer should read ten to twenty times more than they write”. “It’s a matter of craft.” “Learning how to structure anything is useful”. She grinned, “You can tell when a writer is not a reader. The writing is bad.” A question from the floor asked Tolentino about how she has confidence in what she writes, to which Tolentino responded, “I wrote nothing in college. No school newspaper, no internships. No one read anything I wrote.” Adding, “it’s partly temperamental, I’m not a very reserved person in general.” “In any artistic discipline, there’s so much to think about in the thing itself. You don’t have time to worry about anyone else.” “You need to please yourself first, and if you can make that bar sufficiently challenging, make yourself sick with how bad your writing is, you get so exhausted you have no time to worry about anyone else.” Tolentino called mistakes “important”. She said “many young journalists are afraid of making public mistakes.” “You will regret things you write and learn in public” Tolentino remarked, “In this horrific non-field of being a writer, you have to be so insane that you do it regardless of whether or not anyone reads it.”
Previous recipients of the Medal of Honorary Patronage from the Phil include Gloria Steinem, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Whoopi Goldberg.
the mountain that his son would be returned. Trinity Ball is our masterpiece and our mess. In this bizarre dialectic, we must choose to synthesise. Accepting both, never denying their tension, we live in this duality and love T-Ball with all our hearts. Faith is accepting that something is broken and choosing to love it anyway. Not because it is good, but because it is ours to love. College is often transactional and linear; marks, internships, networking, LinkedIn, Pav Friday. T-Ball reminds us that the romantic, the ridiculous, and the weird matter too. In T-ball, we live in a dichotomy. We are doubly horrified and delighted. We break from sequence and taste eternity.
T-Ball is an act of belief in the magical. It is the idea that life is worth celebrating even when it doesn’t live up to the hype. T-Ball will undoubtedly disappoint again. It will be too loud, too expensive, and your dress will be ruined. But we must approach it, trembling, with the absurd belief–not in perfection, but in our right to joy.
The Knight of Faith walks among us unnoticed, indifferent to outcome. This is not delusional, but because the Knight of Faith loves in silence, inwardly. In our cynical age, where irony is king and fear of cringe terrorises our social institutions, to love something sincerely is radical. To love T-Ball is to insist on happiness, even when it feels inconceivable.
Harper Alderson
PHOTO BY CAITY CASSIDY
Features
The Five Month Old Trinity Urban Forest: “We Wanted to Do Some Little Thing”
Isabel Norman
On an intensely sunny Monday afternoon in April, I went for a forest stroll. But it was perhaps not quite what you’re picturing: the forest in question was the on-campus Trinity urban forest, a pocket forest planted just outside Parson’s Hall. Its footprint is just under 30 meters squared, and at five months old, the baby saplings reach only to my belly button. Yet despite its minute size, this student project is transforming a former scrubby grass patch into a highly efficient carbon sequestration project. Before the forest, “this area was all just sort of weeds and grass”, explained Conor Davis, a recent graduate of the Postgraduate Certification in Climate Entrepreneurship. For 30 years, Davis was an engineering manager at Intel before having a change of heart, studying climate entrepreneurship, and beginning his own sustainable lab solutions company. Somewhere along the way, he found time to plan and execute the Trinity urban forest project, along with classmate André Baumann and the rest of their cohort. Trinity urban forest ‘was about getting people together,’ Davis explained. Certainly, the spirit of the project reflects this, based on multiple collaborations and now crowned with a plaque that designates it as the project of the 2024 class of Trinity Climate Entrepreneurs — a sort of class legacy. Beginning in May 2024, it took seven months of coordination between Davis and Trinity offices to gain approval, establish a site, secure partial funding, and actually plant. “Lobbying to Trinity … that was quite a challenge”, said Davis, but eventually he successfully secured 500 euros from Trinity Sustainability and raised 650 euros in a GoFundMe– most of which was donated by the Climate Entrepreneur class. On December 13th, the group of eleven classmates planted the forest. Since then, with some care, time, and sun, it has thrived. It
expands on the footprint of a small 2022 pocket forest project planted just outside Parson’s Hall. Walking through the patch, you’ll find neatly tagged native Irish shrubs and trees, densely planted. There are a variety: hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose, and spindle shrubs, as well as alder, hazel, silver birch, and rowan tree saplings. The plants were sourced from Sonairte, an ecocentre in county Meath, and were bought as saplings rather than seeds in the interest of time.
Pocket forests are an invention of Akira Miyawaki, a Japanese botanist and plant ecologist, who began planting mini woodlands in the 1970s. He pioneered a method of dense tree-planting to provide speedy forest cover to degraded land, dubbing them “native forests by native trees”. In a Miyawaki forest, native trees, shrubs, and ground-cover plants are planted at 20 times the normal density of a forest plantation, which conventionally are wellspaced monocultures, or singular tree species. Extensive research has found that Miyawaki’s multi-layered dense planting technique spurs growth through competition for sunlight and other resources.
The density also means that plants connect to a rich root network faster, exchanging nutrients and increasing soil health.
Experts have found that Miyawaki forests grow up to ten times faster and are 100 times more biodiverse than traditionally forest plantations. In just five to ten years, a Miyawaki forest establishes the equivalent of a 30-year-old natural woodland, and in fifteen to 30 years, a 100-year-old natural woodland. In our age of frantic ecological restoration and rewilding, the Miyawaki model is useful for its speed and minute footprint. The Miyawaki model has spread across the world, spurred on by a popular 2014 TED Talk by Shubhendu Sharma. Ireland is no exception to this influence. As of the end of 2024, Pocket Forests, an Irish organisation started by journalist Catherine Cleary in 2020, has created
105 pocket forests across Ireland with a total of 4883 trees planted. Trinity urban forest itself was inspired by Cleary’s work: through both her non-profit work and as a prominent journalist for the Irish Times, she is a primary driver for the spread of pocket forests across the country.
Part of the appeal of the Miyawaki method is its highly efficient carbon sequestering. Due to the wide variety and density of shrubs and trees, a pocket forest can sequester up to 30 times more carbon than a monoculture tree plantation.
According to the Trinity urban forest project report’s carbon sequestration model, it is projected to remove 4,910 kilograms of carbon from the atmosphere by the fiveyear mark. That is about one household’s annual carbon emissions, or only about 0.5% of Trinity’s 51% by 2030 goal. But, the sequestration will exponentially increase: by 2035, the forest will have sequestered 24,050 kilograms of carbon, and by 2045, 73,550 kilograms. Though the project is small and makes only a small contribution to Trinity’s goal of reducing carbon emissions 51% by 2030, it is yet another example of a collaborative student-led initiative that cleverly sneaks another sustainable space onto Trinity’s concrete-heavy campus.
Facilities Team spread some 90 kilograms of coffee grounds on the site. The grounds themselves were the result of another collaboration, donated by fellow Climate Entrepreneur Peter Norton from his sustainable cafe, Poppies Cafe, in Enniskerry. The coffee grounds are a potent fertiliser with lots of nitrogen. The team followed that with a layer of cardboard – to trap in soil moisture –and mulch.
indicates approximately 10-20% of the planted trees in a Miyawaki-style pocket forest will die, but so far, that doesn’t seem to be the case. The forest is flourishing. With all the glorious sun Dublin has received in the last few weeks, the saplings and shrubs have pushed out leaves and are beginning to fill in the space. Already, Davis says they have grown some two or three feet since December.
Trinity urban forest will also increase Trinity’s biodiversity by creating rich soil and providing shelter and food for birds and mammals. Soil health is an underrated and crucial marker of biodiversity: soil hosts 25% of all living organisms. Davis knows this and planned accordingly. Approximately a month before planting, Davis, Baumann and John Parnell from Trinity’s Estates and
This soil preparation has a second function – the cardboard prevents most weed growth, which means there is little necessary maintenance. If it does require weeding, watering, or care, the Estates and Facilities team looks after the site, though Davis and his cohort meet at the site bimonthly or so in order to keep an eye on it. It’s an ongoing collaborative effort.
Davis informed me that research
Pocket forests are powerful because they transform small barren patches into carbon-efficient forests rapidly. They require only a small team to do so and virtually no ongoing maintenance, while providing both ecological benefits– other cited benefits of the Miyawaki model include better air quality and, as with all green spaces, improving people’s wellbeing. But Trinity urban forest’s real impact is that it will hopefully
inspire other pocket forests. “If you can multiply [urban forests] around the country”, Davis explained, “that would be really brilliant!” At the end of the day, the urban forest will not deliver Trinity from climate doom. But it is a community-driven, sustainable solution that delivers biodiversity and green space to Trinity’s urban campus. It also doesn’t hurt that “it was good fun, and we got a lot out of it”, says Davis. He still meets with his cohort at the urban forest site every so often to keep an eye on it and catch up. Their mark has been made: in five, ten, fifty years, a minute Irish woodland will shade the outside of Parson’s Hall. At its core, Trinity urban forest reminds one of the cheesy, yet accurate proverb: the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second-best
More Than a Side Hustle: The Student Entrepreneurs Changing Campus Culture
With academic stress, pressure of extracurriculars and building resumes, student entrepreneurs raise the bar by being the literal embodiment of the idiom: “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” From Trinity Entrepreneurial Society’s Dragon’s Den 2025, Jonathan Hoffman from Saor Water, who won 1st place prize, Katherine Lawer and Inshal Shakeel from MoveMate, the 3rd prize winners and Emily McAleese from Habitus, who pitched her business and is actively involved in the Social Entrepreneurship Society (Enactus), all share their practical insights on how to balance it all.
A spark to innovate from a very young age and watching other young entrepreneurs create lured these students to gravitate towards building their own businesses.
Emily, a Computer Science and Economics undergraduate at Trinity, recognised a need for a motivation app to build a habit of working out through observing her own daily habits. She says that working on two businesses and having a part-time job while managing social relationships and academics is all about prioritisation. Instead of aiming for 100% performance in one aspect, she advises aiming for a 20% in all aspects to get the most out of your day. Referring to the classic Parkinson’s law, “work expands to fill the time allotted for its completion,” according to Emily, maximum efficiency can
be achieved through being mindful about little gaps of time between lectures and keeping Friday evenings aside for social activities to avoid burnout. The ever-evolving digital tools have played a three part role in her entrepreneurial journey so far as a source of learning, inspiration and exposure.
Even though one assumes that people won’t take their ideas seriously when they are in college, with genuine authenticity and confidence, it doesn’t take long to realise that it is much easier to find people who want to help, Jonathan says. Although majoring in Ancient and Medieval History, his passion for entrepreneurship motivates him to manage his time wisely. According to him, students are gradually becoming more aware of exponentially increasing opportunities and accessibility for young entrepreneurs, which is progressively contributing to the extensive shift in campus culture. Having secured several expense based fundings for his business, Jonathan specifies that online resources, including social media, played a huge role in establishing his professional credibility and the digital identity of the brand. For any idea, even if it’s not the next Facebook, one needs to work and spread the word to truly know what it is worth, he says.
Katherine and Inshal’s commitment to solving the problem of moving efficiently for students and making an impact helped them stand out from the crowd and overcome their fears
of facing criticism and accepting constructive feedback. The young co-founders, still in early stages of their business, advocate for cost-effective strategies, including hiring a student web designer to build a website for their venture. They believe that being involved in real-world application of the academic skills built in college greatly assists them in maintaining a balance between college and work. With regard to acknowledging that Gen Z has more resources for entrepreneurship, especially marketing, than any previous generations, the more you have on your plate, the more you learn about your capacity, the entrepreneurs say. While being convenient, digital social platforms are also the biggest source of distraction. To manage daily tasks efficiently, Katherine and Inshal recommend the use of productivity apps, encouraging consistent focus and concentration. Building anything from scratch has its setbacks, and startups are a prime example. These student entrepreneurs, who strive to master resilience, have learnt over time that even though failures hurt psychologically, may it be a failure to secure an investment or a client, the only way to deal with them is to keep moving forward, take risks, recognise one’s own skills and learn to rest in the process. Having a general direction in one’s early 20s, and exploring and moving outside the lines in the process, is the key to gaining experiences unthought of.
Tanvi Sethi
PHOTO BY CÉILÍ NÍ RAITHILIDH
Jennie’s Law: A Call for Change in Ireland’s Domestic Violence Legislation
In April 2021, Jennifer Poole’s life was tragically and violently taken from her by a man she once trusted, someone whose long history of violence remained hidden from her, and from a system that should have protected her. This tragedy compelled her brother, Jason Poole, to stand up, not only for Jennifer, but also for every woman in Ireland who lives in fear behind closed doors. Her death triggered the launch of a national campaign for “Jennie’s Law”, which represents a powerful call for systemic and fundamental change to Ireland’s approach to domestic violence. Jennifer Poole was far more than just a victim. She was a vibrant, kind-hearted woman whose life was cherished by those fortunate enough to have known her. She was, first and foremost, a loving mother to her two children, Nevaeh and Zach, for whom she would have done anything. She was also a beloved sister to Claire, Jason and David. As a healthcare worker at Beneavin Lodge Care Home, Jennifer extended her kindness and compassion to others daily, touching the lives of both patients and colleagues. Beyond her family, Jennifer found a loving community at Erins Isle Sports Club, where her camogie teammates became a second family. Her warmth, kindness and infectious smile left a lasting impression on everyone around her. Her future was full of promise and potential. However, this idyllic image concealed a dark reality. Behind the closed doors of her home,which is supposed to be her safe space, Jennifer faced a hidden horror that ultimately led to the tragedy of her death. Her promise and potential were stolen in a single, horrific act of unimaginable violence. In April 2021, her life was violently and brutally taken by someone she once believed she could trust, her former partner, Gavin Murphy. It was only after her death that the
shocking reality of Gavin’s violent past came to light. Jennifer’s family discovered that he had thirteen prior convictions, including one for domestic violence, for which he had served time in prison. Shockingly, this dark past was deliberately concealed from Jennifer by Gavin and his family– a past that, if known, could have saved her life. The loss of Jennifer left her family, friends and the wider community around her shattered. It exposed the harsh reality of domestic abuse in Ireland and highlighted the wide gaps present within the Irish Legal system, particularly in its ability to protect the most vulnerable individuals in society. It underlines the urgent need for a mechanism that allows individuals to access critical information and protection from potential abusers. The proposed
“Jennie’s Law” is at the heart of Jason
Poole’s campaign. It seeks to bridge the large gaps in the Irish Legal system through the establishment of a domestic violence register in Ireland, similar to the United Kingdom’s “Clare’s Law”. This initiative would introduce both a “right to ask” and a “right to tell” framework, which would enable individuals to seek and discover information about a partner’s history of domestic violence. This initiative aims to prevent victims from unknowingly entering abusive relationships–like Jennifer did.
In a recent podcast interview, Jason shared heartfelt memories of Jennifer and the person she was, emphasizing her loving and caring nature. His recollections also shed light on the harsh realities of domestic violence. He recalls the controlling behavior of Jennie’s ex-partner, mentioning how her house key mysteriously went missing and how
her visits to her family slowly diminished. These signs, now understood as signals of coercive control, went unnoticed by her family at the time. Her autonomy and freedom were slowly stripped way behind closed doors.
From the day of Jennifer’s passing, Jason Poole has become a tireless advocate for all victims of domestic violence. He has launched a national campaign calling for the immediate implementation of a domestic violence register and a series of reforms regarding Ireland’s domestic violence laws. His plea for action is supported by staggering statistics: in 2024 alone , 65000 domestic violence abuse cases were reported to An Garda Síochána, including more than 1600 during Christmas week alone. This emphasizes the need for immediate action and systemic change.
Jennie’s Law aims to address these institutional gaps and ensure that victims have access to vital information that could save their lives. Under Clare’s Law in the UK, individuals can request information from the police about a current or former partner. This is a framework that Ireland urgently needs to adopt. Equally essential is the need to provide enhanced resources and training for An Garda Síochána. Jason has consistently emphasized that Irish Law enforcement is under-resourced and underfunded. While these barriers persist , he stresses that the consequences of under capacity are immeasurable. He emphasises the importance of consistent follow-up and protection services, and stresses that, “women should not have to look over their shoulders for the rest of their lives after making a statement”.
Education is another strong pillar of
Jason’s campaign. He believes it is pertinent to educate young people on the nature of healthy relationships and deconstruct societal narratives around domestic abuse. One core misconception is encapsulated in the common question, “why don’t you just leave?”, a question that fails to recognize the complex emotional, physical and financial complexities of abusive relationships that victims frequently face. Jason seeks to alter this narrative, emphasizing that the burden to leave should never rest solely on the victim.
Jennifer Poole’s story is a heartbreaking but powerful reminder of the urgent need for meaningful change. Women deserve to feel safe in their own homes, in their relationships, and within their communities. Jennie’s Law represents a critical opportunity to confront and address systemic failures in how domestic violence is addressed and prevented in Ireland. By implementing these initiatives, spearheaded by a domestic violence register, this legislation has the potential to empower individuals, save lives, and hold perpetrators accountable. The implementation of Jennie’s Law would provide a stronger, more transparent legal framework which would equip vulnerable individuals with the tools and knowledge necessary to obtain protection services. Jason Poole continues to advocate not only for Jennifer but on behalf of every woman in Ireland who faces abuse behind closed doors. His mission is strong and distinct, that no women should ever have to go through what Jennifer endured and that no family should ever have to bear the immeasurable grief that his family carries. While the perpetrators may be released one day, for victims’ families, the life sentences of loss are unending. Through Jennie’s law, Jason is determined to breach the circle of violence and ensure that no more innocent lives are lost to silence, inaction and institutional failure in Ireland.
Conspóid Faoi Chomharthaíocht Ghaeilge i Mórstáisiún Lárnach Bhéal Feirste
Hannah Nic Eindrí
Tá stoirm faoi racht seoil i measc an phobail i mBéal Feirste faoi láthair, go háirithe idir na hAontachtaí agus na Náisiúntaí. Tháinig rabhartha conspóide síos ar an staisiún nua a thógadh i mBéal Feirste le déanaí, tar éis an chinnidh chomharthaí Gaeilge a crochadh ann. Tá an Mórstáisiún Lárnach Bhéal Feirste, staisiún traenach agus bus, lonnaithe i lár na cathrach agus d’oscail sé ar an 13ú de mhí Dheiridh Fómhair anuraidh. Ó tharla gur thug an tAire Bonneagair Stormont agus MLA as Sinn Féin Liz Ó Comáin (Liz Kimmins) cead don chomharthaíocht an tseachtain seo chaite, tá achrann idir Airí Stormont mar thoradh ar seo. Dúirt an LeasChéad Aire Emma Ó Beagáin-Pengelly (Emma Little-Pengelly) go raibh “dualgas de réir dlí” ar Ó Comáin chun cinneadh mar seo a ghlacadh chuig an Feidhmeannas Thuaiscirt Éireann. Go háirithe, scríobh Airí ‘DUP’ chuig an tAire Bonneagair chun ceist a chur faoin bhealach ina raibh an chinneadh sin déanta. Dúirt Jamie Ó Muirgheasáin (Jamie Bryson), gníomhaí dílise, gur chuir sé an Roinn Bhonneagair ar an eolas Dé Máirt go lorgódh sé urghaire cúirte éigeandála tar éis do ‘Translink’ a rá go raibh tús curtha leis an obair. Dúirt sé go raibh an cinneadh seo déanta “gan cead an Fheidhmeannas”, agus gur tionsnaíodh na himeachtaí dlí seo mar gheall ar an chinneadh chun comharthaí Gaeilge “a fhorchur” ar an staisiún. Dúirt an Roinn Bonneagair gur í Ó Comáin a rinne an chinneadh go díreach chun na comharthaí a chur
isteach, agus ní Translink a dhearna é, an t-oibreoir iompair poiblí ar leis an stáisiún £340m. Dar le rialacha Stormont, ba cheart go meastar cinntí conspóideacha le chéile ag an chomhrialtas iomlán, in ionad aire aonair. Ach, laistigh den Feidhmeannas, deirtear go bhfuil sé suas don Chéad-Aire Michelle Ó Néill agus an LeasChéad-Aire Ó Beagáin-Pengelly. Tá an cinneadh deiridh acu ar cén fadbhanna a bhfuil suntasach, agus a mbeidh oscailte do vóta níos leithne. Ach cén fáth go bhfuil na heachtraí seo chomh conspóideach? Ar 10ú de mhí Aibreán 1998, 27 mbliain ó shin anois, síníodh an Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta. Mar chuid de na spriocanna a bhfuil san áireamh sa téacs, dearbhaíonn na páirtithe a dtiomantas don chomhmheas, cearta sibhialta agus saoirsí reiligiúnacha de gach duine sa phobal. Go háirithe, tá béim curtha ar cheartaí cosúil le smaoineamh saoirse polaitíochta agus an cheart chun aidhmeanna náisiúnta agus polaitiúla a shaothrú go daonlathach. Bhí féiniúlacht pholaitiúil agus reiligiúnach ríthábhachtach le linn na Tríoblóidí i dTuaisceart Éireann, agus bhí baint mhór bheith i do Ghaeilgeoir agus a bheith i do náisiúnaí. Sa lá atá ann inniu, tá sé deacair do dhaoine an coincheap seo a scaradh ón am atá thart. Mar sin, tagann an Ghaeilge amach mar íospartach bocht. Úsáidtear í mar sceilpín gabhair, ag cur an mhilleáin uirthi agus ní ar na fíor cúiseanna. Maidir leis na comharthaí Gaeilge, úsáidtear an argóint gur cur amú airgid atá i gceist, agus tá na mílte fadbhanna eile níos tábhachtaí ann Deirtear go mbeidh an £150,000
níos fearr a chaitheamh in áiteanna eile sa Thuaisceart. Dúirt Ó Beagáin-Pengelly go bhfuil “imní fíorúil” i gceist anseo, agus go bhfuil sé dlisteanach chun ceistiú “cén fath go mbeidh muid ag déanamh seo ag an am seo in aon chor?” Agus aontaím leis sin. Níl amhras ar bith ann ach gur cheart céimeanna a ghlacadh i bpróiseas pleanála an tionscadail seo, agus ní mar athsmaoineamh. Ró-mhinic ar fad, idir dheas agus ó thuaidh araon, caitear leis an Ghaeilge mar ualach, nó mar rud muláideach. Is mar gheall ar an cháineadh ó ghníomhaithe Gaeilge a bhfuil na hathruithe seo ag teacht isteach. Mar a dúirt Ciarán Mac Ghiolla Bhéin, ó An Dream Dearg, tá an lárionad iompair seo le haghaidh na daoine ar fud fad an oileáin, agus mar sin “tá sé ríthábhachtach go léiríonn sé ár bhféiniúlacht.” Is é an ‘cur amú airgid’ a raibh Ó Beagáin-Little ag caint faoi de thoradh athsmaoineamh é sin. Is furasta do na hAontachtaí agus polaiteoirí an milleán a chur ar an Ghaeilge, agus gan ar an chóras é fhéin. Mar a dúirt Ó Comáin, beidh seo ina “fhobairt thar a bheith dearfach”, ag cur Gaeilge ar na comharthaí. Tá sé ráite ag Dr. Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh, gníomhaí Gaeilge leis an Dream Dearg, go mbeidh an soláthar comhionann teanga seo mar léiriú ar ghealltanais Chomhaontú Aoine an Chéasta, agus cuireann sé “an pobal Gaeilge atá ag méadú i gcónaí” chun chinn ar fud fad Béal Feirste. Is í an Ghaeilge an dara teanga is mó ag fás sa Ríocht Aontaithe. Tá fás 155% tagtha ar an teanga taobh istigh de 5 bliana, de réir na sólathraithe oideachais ar líne is mó sa RA ‘City-
Lit’. Anuraidh, d’fhill an Ghaeilge ar ais chuig na cúirte i mBéal Feirste don chéad uair i 300 bliain. Bhí an chúirt ag éisteacht le hachomharc a thug Conradh na Gaeilge i gcoinne chinnidh an Choimisinéara Eolais a sheas le cinneadh Chomhairle Cathrach Bhéal Feirste gan comhairle dlí maidir le sraith comharthaí dátheangacha a nochtadh. Labhair Conradh na Gaeilge os chomhair na cúirte i nGaeilge. Chomh maith leis sin, thug An tAcht Fhéiniúlacht agus Teanga (Tuaisceart Éireann) 2022 aitheantas oifigiúil do stádas na Gaeilge sa Thuaisceart. Ina theannta sin, i mí Feabhra, dheimhnigh an rialtas sa RA go cuirtear tús le hAlt 4 den Acht seo, agus deireadh a chur le cosc ar feadh na céadta bliain, agus cead a thabhairt don Ghaeilge teacht ar ais chuig na cúirte sa Thuaisceart. Ach ní rud aiteach é chun comharthaí dátheangach a bheith i dtír.
Taobh amuigh d’Éirinn, tá siad coitianta san Alban agus sa Bhreatain Bheag. I gCeanada, is féidir leat Béarla, Fraincis nó araon a fheiceáil thart. Sa chúige New Brunswick, tá comharthaí dátheangach le fáil ann. Faoi láthair, tá comharthaí i mBéarla agus i Maorais á mbreithniú sa Nua Shéalainn. Faraor, úsáidtear ár dteanga mar uirlis pholaitiúil. In ainneoin na foghlama agus forbairt, is í an Gaeilge is mó a d’íoc as ionsaithe mar seo. Mar chuid den phróiseas, bheadh orthu an chóras ticéad a athrú chun rogha Gaeilge a chur isteach. Dúirt an cheannaire DUP Gavin Ó Róibín (Gavin Robinson) “go néileodh sé leo fáil réidh leis na roghanna teanga eachtracha atá ar fail cheana féin do thurasóirí atá ag teacht chuig Tuaisceart Éireann nach bhfuil Béarla mar chéad teanga acu” agus go mbeadh seo mar rud “raiméis.” Is dócha go bhfuil gradam níos ísle
tuillte ag an Ghaeilge ná mar atá ag “teanga eachtracha” d’aontachtaithe. Is léir go bhfuil an Tuaisceart céasta ag cuimhní na dTríoblóidí agus go bhfuil na daoine tollta le himní le haon athruithe a thagann isteach. Athraítear í go rud polaitiúil agus rud eaglach. Nuair nach bhfuil duine in ann teanga a thuiscint agus a labhairt, tagann daoine agus polaiteoirí isteach chun airm a dhéanamh as an eagla sin agus cuireann siad faitíos ar dhaoine i leith na teanga. Ach, is dócha go mbeidh Éire Aontaithe mar chuid denár dtodhchaí. Beidh ar gach taobh oiriúnú agus forbairt a dhéanamh le chéile. Tá stádas oifigiúil anois ag an Ghaeilge sa Thuaisceart, agus ba cheart go mbeidh comharthaí dátheangach curtha isteach sa stasiún, agus deireadh a chur ag caitheamh na Ghaeilge mar an crann crústa.
Photo of Jennifer Poole.
Jennie’s brother, Jason Poole.
Erin Des Fontaine
The Man Behind the Mo: Trinity’s Movember Campaign
Jack O’Connell
Sometimes in life things can happen that don’t feel real. Your world can stop and you can feel shocked, like everything else in your life did not matter. In March of 2023 when I was in my first year of college, my Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He told myself and my four brothers around the dinner table and tried to explain what it all meant: surgeries, PSA scores … none of this was really going into my head at the moment. My mum sat in tears but explained to us that it would all be ok. After everyone had gone to bed, I went back down to the kitchen and cried. I was very lucky in the sense that everything had gone right for me in my life - I had a wonderful, happy, healthy family, was a talented sportsman and was fresh out of landing a place in the highly coveted course MSISS through the CAO lottery. So for the first time in my life I had been brought back to reality. I felt lonely and sad, I didn’t talk to my brothers, mum or my dad enough about the situation. Being the family member of someone with a cancer diagnosis can be strange - although you are not ill yourself you carry the emotional burden and stress of that family member. It was a tough few months. I vividly remember the contrast between the elation of finishing my Leaving Cert exams in June 2022 and putting the pen down in the RDS for my final first year college exam. I was on summer holidays, yes, but my Dad was ill. Telling some of my closest friends about my situation in May after exams felt like a weight lifted off my shoulder. They looked after me, kept me occupied, and most importantly kept me laughing. I had felt embarrassed about telling them - why should they be weighed down with this development if it isn’t even me
who has cancer? Opening up to them made me so much happier and I will always be indebted to them.
Talking about my situation, telling them that I wasn’t doing too well, in a safe environment, was so much more constructive than going on lonely walks by myself feeling down or anxious about my Dad. If there was something I learned it is that a problem shared really is a problem halved. Thankfully, my father fully recovered after a summer of surgeries and hospital visits and is now doing very well with minimal repercussions. However, I am acutely aware that this is not the case for all men faced with this diagnosis. Had he not decided to follow up on blood found in his urine in September his treatment would have been delayed and this would have had a negative impact on his health and overall outlook. Many of you have lost parents or loved ones to cancer or other illnesses and I cannot even comprehend how dif-
ficult this must have been, yet I hope that in your grief you found solace through friends, family and support groups.
I first heard of Movember a few months before my Dad was diagnosed as the MSISS course society took part in a Movember campaign back in 2023. I did sea swims on Portmarnock beach and attempted to grow a mustache - though it was more like a ginger goatee. I was aware that it was for men’s mental health and cancer awareness, but I did not really know much about the cause. Fast forward to November 2024 and I was too bogged down in studying for Schols and my Dad’s experience was too raw in my mind. I grew a mustache and set up a page myself to fundraise. In summer of 2024 I saw a link promoting ‘“Movember Student Ambassadors”, I decided to apply and essentially walked through my story and what the movement meant to me personally. Little did I know what was to
happen next. In September, I carried out a training course with Movember Ireland outlining the cause areas of the Foundation: prostate and testicular cancer awarness, men’s mental health and suicide prevention. We were provided with stats and figures and heard from some guest speakers including Richie Sadlier. Movember had been a thing in Trinity for about around five to ten years, but it was very society-specific and the message behind the movement was not being relayed effectively. I sent some emails to the SU President, Head of Trinity Ents Peadar Walsh and Trinity Sports captains. My plan was to have a headline Pav Friday in November to promote the cause, perhaps with some fundraising. I canvassed at the Freshers Fair (without a stall as Movember TCD had no official status) and tried to spread the message.
Myself, the other TCD Movember Ambassadors (Max Glennon and Finian King), William Mooney from MSISS, Emer Buckley (Psych Soc), Evie Miano (DUBES) and Finn Hallwood began to meet regularly with Peadar and Ents members. We successfully arranged Monday sea swims in Seapoint, spread awareness on Trinity
social media channels (with the help of Emer Munnelly from Welfare), spoke on Trinity FM about Men’s health (shoutout to ‘Les Mos’ and Stephen Black), raised 5,000 euro from our inaugural Movember Ball in Farrier & Draper (thank you to the Trinitones for performing) and successfully helped to manage the Trinity Movember Challenge page where the college community raised over €60,000 in aid of the cause. We had planned to organise guest speakers but unfortunately were unable to do so, but it is something that we would like to do for our 2025 campaign. We also were unsuccessful in our bid to claim CSC society status, however, this is something that we will continue to strive for and I thank the 600 people who signed our petition in November.
That being said, we did manage to claim official status in the form of a subcommittee under the umbrella of Trinity Ents. I am the Movember TCD chairman for the upcoming academ-
ic year, and if you would like to get involved or help out please contact our instagram page Movember TCD. We have big plans for 2025 and I am excited for what is to come. As I look back on the work that we have done, I am immensely proud of the impact that we had and the awareness that we raised. By promoting this cause on campus, we can help men to break down the societal barriers regarding dealing with emotions, support those who are struggling and show those affected by prostate, testicular or any forms of cancer diagnosis that there is a group of people in Trinity who care about you, many of whom having similar experiences to yourselves. As I enter my final year at Trinity, I hope that I can leave behind an organisation that could have helped me during those difficult months during first year and will continue to help the young men of Trinity College.
French Students Protest Budget Cuts to Universities and the Arts
John Crofton
Sciences Po Bordeaux was shut down and blocked off by a student movement for two weeks in February and March to protest against extensive cuts in the French government budget and its existing ties with Israel. The university’s academic chair of defence, who has links with companies supplying arms to the IDF, became a central campaign of the demonstration. During the protest, classes took place through Zoom and attendance was not taken. Even though the
university is not entirely publicly funded, its students felt the need to protest. Protests of this nature are commonplace in universities all over France. One month on, I interviewed twelve French and Erasmus students at Sciences Po Bordeaux to gauge their reactions to recent government cuts and the campus blockage. One student, Bader Daraa, was adamant in describing the political background of this moment. He explained that the French state is in significant debt due to the COVID pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war and the spending that ensued. He
expressed that this played into the mind of voters during the European elections of June last year, when the right-wing party of Marine Le Pen, the Rassemblement National (RN), won most of the French seats in the European parliament. However, this student told me “It’s the politics of Macron” which has caused these large budget cuts. A dissolution of parliament and a general election was called by the French president Emmanuel Macron in which the Left-wing alliance won the majority of seats. Macron’s party, En Marche, came second and the centre right and right-wing parties such as
RN and Les Républicains came in third place. He tells me that a lot of people in the country are angry and disillusioned that President Macron has decided to form a government of right-wing and centre parties (Les Républicains and En Marche) even though the alliance of left-wing parties won most of the seats. This has left France in a relatively fragmented state, having had two Prime Ministers serve since the general election due to the fragmentation of the French parliament, serving under a system where neither of them has a majority of seats. He went on to say that President Macron enabled France’s current Prime Minister, Francois Bayrou of Les Républicains, to use a special constitutional power, article 49.3 (allowing legislation to be passed without a parliamentary majority), to pass the February budget to reduce university and culture spending, without the vote of the parliament.
The French government has decided to cut university research funding by 630 million Euro. Bader tells me that this move will affect social sciences departments the most. As many expect an increase in students seeking third level education next year, he tells me that “This will mean more and more applicants for fewer university places.”
“It will mean fewer classes, fewer PhD places in social sciences and increased selectivity.”
Another student, Lucas Visintini, told me that a government grant which French students receive when they are eighteen to spend on cultural events and amenities has been cut from 300 euro to 100 euro. Money that often goes towards basic necessities such as books.
In comparison to Ireland, France provides all third-level students with
subsidised cafeteria lunches and student accommodation units. One student, Morgane, was concerned that this may not continue. She told me that, “These initiatives were brought in by centre and left-wing governments and parties” and not by centre right governments such as the current French government.
I have been told time and time again by the students of Science Po Bordeaux that it is extremely important to protest so that this situation does not regress further. The majority of the students I interviewed were in favour of the campus blockage despite the sympathies of some students with Macron’s government’s need to increase defence spending.
I asked students about whether the blockade was successful, and many told me that it was indeed successful.
Sciences Po removed the academic chair of defence from the board and students became more aware of the issues facing the university and cultural sectors and on Israel-Palestine.
Most students argued that blocking a building is a good way to protest because it “annoys the tyranny” and it brings people together in solidarity. Although some people told me that while one student protest is not going to change the law, it does encourage more people to vote, which is important as there is a low voting turnout amongst young people in France. Those particularly involved in the blockage told me that there needs to be more people involved in student protests and that each different form of protest has its value.
I interviewed two girls, who did want to publish their names, who took part in the blockade.They believe that it is important to fight against a rising far right in France and to support Palestine. I spoke to one student, Armin, who was a DJ at the
blockage to help garner support. Half of the people I interviewed attended special meetings of the student’s union general assembly so that they could either vote on issues or have their voices heard. For this reason, I received a lot of indications that the protest was quite democratic and supported by many students. However, Morgane and an Italian student, Beatrice, raised the point that, although the decisions of the blockage were taken democratically amongst students, it did prevent students from partaking fully in their education, which angered students who did not agree with the protest. Two Erasmus students, Maja and Ina from Sweden, found the blockade educational although they were not fully aware of its Palestine element, for example, and they found that it was poorly advertised to them. When I asked about whether the blockage was accessible to everyone, I received mixed opinions. Some students told me that it was difficult to fully take part as it involved camping in tents overnight on campus, too much time and some people were scared of being reprimanded by authorities. Others believed that it was too political in nature and that some movements involved were extremist. However, most students agreed that a protest “must be political,” as the student, Maxime Delrieu, told me. When I asked people why cultural and education funding is so important in society, many argued that a free and independent cultural and education sector provides to people the possibility to express an alternative voice, which leads to less polarisation in society and creates more diversity in the world which is absolutely necessary for a functioning democracy.
Opinion
Cas na Leathanaigh: Mar a Mairfidh Siopaí Leabhar na hÉireann Ré Amazon
Sophie Jones
Is iomaí na hathruithe atá tar éis teacht ar an oileán beag seo le blianta beaga anuas. Tá forbairt AI, athruithe sa domhan polaitíochta, agus an timpeallacht go léir chun tosaigh sna rudaí atá á phlé againn lá i ndiaidh lae. Is scéalta suimiúla, tábhachtacha iad ar fad, gan amhras. Áfach ní insítear na scéalta beaga, scéalta na ngnáthdhaoine. Céard faoi siopaí na mórshráide? Cad faoi na hóstáin beaga? Cad faoi na siopaí leabhar? Tá comhlachtaí beaga Éireannacha ag fáil bháis mar gheall ar thionchar na gcomhlachtaí móra ar nós Amazon.
Bhunaigh Amazon a láithreacht in Éirinn trína chéad oifig a oscailt i Meán Fómhair 2004. Ina dhiaidh sin, i mí Aibreáin 2006, d’oscail Amazon Ionad Seirbhíse do Chustaiméirí i gCorcaigh, agus i mí na Samhna 2007, seoladh “Amazon Web Services (AWS)” in Éirinn, a chéad réigiún bonneagair lasmuigh de na Stáit Aontaithe. Ba chéimeanna móra iad seo don chuideachta, ach níor tháinig “Amazon Ireland” i gcrích go dtí i bhfad níos déanaí. Faoi dheireadh, d’oscail an comhlacht a chéad lár-ionad in Éirinn i mí Mheán Fómhair 2022. De réir The Irish Times, tá an áis 630,000 troigh cearnach lonnaithe i bPáirc Gnó Bhaile Átha Cliath agus tá 500 post
nua cruthaithe aige . Coinníonn an t-ionad seo na milliúin earra le piocadh, pacáil agus seoladh chuig custaiméirí ar fud na hÉireann agus na hEorpa, ag soláthar amanna seachadta níos tapúla, lena n-áirítear seachadadh aon lae ar go leor earraí. Fós, bhí orainn earraí a aimsiú ar shuíomhanna Amazon i dtíortha eile, agus bhí orainn costais loingseoireachta arda a íoc freisin. I mbliana, áfach, sheol Amazon a shuíomh gréasáin Éireannach, “Amazon.ie”, ag tairiscint breis agus 100 milliún táirgí le phraghsáil thrédhearcach agus roghanna seachadta níos tapúla. Ach cad iad na himpleachtaí ar ár tsochaí, ach go háirithe ar na siopaí leabhair? Ní scéal maith é in aon chor. Tá siopaí leabhair ag dúnadh ar fud na tíre sna céadta. Níl siad in ann bheith iomaíoch le chorparáid chomh mor, chomh domhanda le hAmazon. Cé gur rud maith é an comórtas de ghnáth, níl sé sa chás seo, mar níl an comórtas seo cothrom in aon chor. Tá Amazon níos áisiúla ar fad. Tá saol formhór na ndaoine sa lá atá inniu ann chomh gnóthach, agus tá sé i bhfad níos éasca rudaí, ar nós leabhair, a aimsiú ar líne. Is é Amazon réiteach ar fhadhb an tsaoil cruógach. Ach ní smaoinítear ar thorthaí ár ngníom-
hartha. Agus tuigim. Tuigim go bhfuil sé níos easca leabhair a lorg ar líne. Tuigim nach mbíonn ort compord do thí féin a fhágáil, b’fhéidir nach mbíonn ort fiú do tholg féin a fhágáil. Tuigim go bhfuil gach aon leabhar agus gach aon eagrán ar fáil ar Amazon sa lá atá inniu ann. Tuigim go mbeidh an pacáiste ar do dhoras an lá dar gcionn, nó fiú níos déanaí sa lá ceánna. Fós, tá dualgais orainn mar dhaonra na tíre seo tacú leis na siopaí níos lú, níos áitiúla. Is minic a bhíonn siopaí beaga leabhair i gcroílár na sráidbhailte beaga tuaithe Gaelacha. De bharr ardú sa tóir ar Amazon, táimid ag fáil réidh leo agus mar sin ag cailleadh cuid de draíocht na mbailte Éireannacha seo. Trí tacú le chorparáidí móra idirnáisiúnta ar nós Amazon, ní postanna amháin atá á gcailleadh ag lucht na tíre, ach tá cultúr á gcailleadh againn freisin. Bíonn ar shiopadóirí anois i bhfad níos mó iarrachta a chur isteach chun an doras a choimeád oscailte. Is dócha go mbeidh oraibh ar fad airde a dhíriú ar rudaí nach bhfuil ar fáil ar shuíomh idirlíne: seirbhís do chustaiméirí. Cé gur áis iontach é Amazon, níl aon teagmháil daonna ann. Caithfidh siopaí leabhair leas a bhaint as an gné seo a bhfuil acu, nach bhfuil ag a n-iomaitheoir.
Exams, Grades, and a Broken System:
Trinity’s
Flawed Marking System
Nicolle Riley
In a world where perfection is the standard, Trinity’s academic environment can be quite humbling. While many Americans are conditioned to aiming for 4.0 GPAs or A+ grades, the equivalent marks –a first-class honors in all subjects– are a rare occurrence in Trinity. Similar to other Irish universities, top marks begin at 70%. This system can be daunting, particularly when lecturers announce they “don’t award firsts” or that first-class honors “cannot be given for essays.” It creates an immediate roadblock. Why include firsts in the grading system if they cannot be achieved?
International students often struggle to comprehend this grading culture, quickly facing a reality check. Many go through their entire Trinity experience only partially understanding what constitutes first- or second-class honors, since standards vary across courses, subjects, and assignments.
It’s essential to recognise that grades should not solely define a student, but it’s easy to equate assignment marks with overall success. Even when students approach first-class marks, feedback is often vague or absent, leaving many wondering how to improve. As lecture sizes grow, welcoming extramural students, the small teacher-student dynamic Trinity once fostered is fading. Lectures can have up to 500 students, making it difficult to form close relationships with professors.
For U.S. students, accustomed to tight-knit professor-student bonds, this is a stark reality shock. It becomes even more stressful when they need to obtain letters of recommendation for jobs or internships, as building these relationships feels out of reach and not normalised within Trinity.
Lecturers often wonder why attendance is low in mandatory tutorials. Yet when students receive little feedback and final grades hinge on a single essay or exam, motivation drops. Waiting months for grades discourages participation, creating an unrealistic learning environment where students are expected to improve without constructive input. Many students express frustration with tutorials, wishing they resembled seminars rather than mini-lectures. Amid large lectures, it’s refreshing to engage in small seminar rooms. Yet even these are diminishing, particularly in histo-
ry-focused courses where mini-lectures increasingly replace discussion. There’s a noticeable disparity: students in smaller departments like Classics report strong professor relationships, while those in larger programs like Business and STEM often struggle to connect.
In conversations with students, an overwhelming majority express their discontent with the structure of tutorials. Many wish for these classes to operate more like seminars instead of just another mini-lecture. Amidst the large lectures of over 200 people, it can be refreshing to enter a small seminar room on the fourth floor of the arts block and engage in discussions with just twelve peers. For some history-focused courses, seminars are increasingly being replaced by mini-lectures as instructors struggle to cover all the required content. Additionally, there is a noticeable disparity in how accessible professors are across different courses. For instance, students in smaller departments such as MELC or Classics report having a more personal, one-on-one relationship with their professors and greater ease in scheduling meetings for discussions. Unfortunately, this level of support is not a universal experience, particularly for students in business and STEM courses.
Now as the end of the academic year approaches, Trinity students are scrambling to study for their exams, submit final essays, and complete coursework, all while trying to secure a seat in the Ussher Library. The struggle intensifies as most students are still waiting for their midterm grades from February. This situation is particularly challenging, as students are expected to prepare for final exams without knowing how they performed in their midterms. This issue has persisted for years, but now it has reached a point where changes are necessary if Trinity wants its students to succeed. The expectation for students to perform well without being aware of their academic standing in the class is unrealistic. Moreover, with exam schedules now being released, some exams lasting two or two-and-a-half hours are scheduled as late as five p.m., with some even taking place on weekends. For instance, many BESS students have a five p.m. exam followed by an early morning exam the next day. Additionally, language courses such as Ancient Greek, Latin,
French, and Spanish have exams scheduled on Friday evenings at 5 PM. One BESS first-year student told The University Times, “It just feels inconsiderate that all my exams are back-to-back, going as late as 7:30 PM and then the very next morning I have to be back on campus for another exam.”
Another BESS student remarked, “Having my exams take place at 5 PM is possibly the worst time for any student, and I already feel set up to do poorly. As someone under the disability services, it feels impossible to have my needs met, despite my clear communication. I have exams in less than a week, and I am still unclear if they will accommodate my needs.”
A politics and history student said “I have an exam scheduled on a Saturday at two p.m.. It feels as though Trinity does not consider the challenges faced by commuting students who must travel long distances, as well as those of us who have jobs and other weekend obligations. Normally, school and exams are not held on weekends, yet we are expected to rearrange our schedules to accommodate.”
The delayed grading system has been a longstanding concern for students in both humanities and STEM courses, leaving them uncertain about their performance until the exam date, which is often too late to make a difference. By the end of March, students are required to select their course pathways, which becomes an overwhelming task when they are unsure of their academic performance in modules. This uncertainty complicates decisions about declaring a subject as a minor or concentration when you have no gauge of your marks in the class. This lack of clarity directly impacts students as they are left to make blind choices that can affect the rest of their academic careers. Ultimately, Trinity’s marking system suffers from several significant flaws. The absence of a standardised grading scale across departments not only leads to confusion but also perpetuates an unfair academic environment university-wide. These systemic issues, compounded by administrative shortcomings, contribute to a broader sense of demotivation among students. It’s difficult to feel excited to attend class or remain engaged when the system itself feels disorganized and unsupportive. Final exams being
scheduled on weekends, professors struggling to return grades due to growing class sizes, and the recent release of next year’s academic calendar have only added to these concerns. The academic calendars for 2025/2026 and 2026/2027, now published on Trinity’s website, raise further alarm. The 2025 Michaelmas term ends on December 14th, with assessments running from December 15th to December 25th. This schedule poses significant challenges for international students, who may have exams scheduled as late as Christmas Eve, making it nearly impossible to travel home for the holidays. The possibility of assignments or exams falling on December 24th or even on Christmas Day is deeply concerning. If exams are held on Christmas Eve or any bank holiday, Trinity would be required to pay proctors double rates, further highlighting the lack of foresight and communication between the administration and the student body.
The Trinity grading and examination system has evoked a wide range of emotions among students, with some expressing support while others voice their disdain. This system operates differently than traditional grading scales, and variations exist within each course department. But generally speaking, results from Junior Sophister and Senior Sophister years do not factor into final classifications, while third-year grades account for 30% and fourthyear grades for 70%. This significant discrepancy allows the first two years of college to serve as a period for growth and adaptation, focusing on developing strengths and addressing weaknesses. However, it also creates a substantial amount of stress and pressure as students enter their final two years with much at stake. Is a proper balance truly being achieved? The lack of a gradual buildup in workload over the years leads to an overwhelming amount of stress and chaos in the third and
fourth years compared to the relative ease of the first and second years. With Trinity’s glamorous reputation built over the years, it’s easy for those on the outside to overlook the underlying issues amid the well-funded tourist attractions. For the tourists and families waiting in line for the restroom in the arts block or the groups searching for the perfect spot to film their TikTok to a sound from Normal People, one wouldn’t even think about the College’s internal issues. Like all universities, Trinity has its share of challenges; however, one of the more pressing concerns lies within the academic realm, particularly regarding students and the marking system. Yet ignoring this quickly develops into a host of additional problems that have yet to be addressed, ultimately making it easy for the shared frustration among students to build up.
ILLUSTRATION BY SCARLETT FERRY
PHOTO BY ISABELLA WOOD
Students Lead the Way in the Fight for Global Justice
Amidst increasing oppression around the world, students are taking to the streets to make noise advocating for justice. While student-led movements have long been influential, this emerging generation faces unforeseen challenges - and benefits - that come with the modern age. At a time when technology is used to counteract resistance movements, young people put their futures in jeopardy of serious damage by choosing to join. The burden of change weighs heavily on the students who assume these risks, raising the stakes for their futures.
In Türkiye, the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on March 19th sparked protests across the country that are still ongoing. Mere days before İmamoğlu’s intended announcement of his bid for the presidential election, he was virtually disqualified from the race. This arrest occurred the same day İmamoğlu’s university diploma was revoked, a prerequisite for running for President. Many supporters and pro-democracy advocacy groups have described this arrest as unfounded and due to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s own political motivations. İmamoğlu is viewed as the main rival to the current President and the most likely person to end his 22-year run leading the country. The government’s response to these protests has involved the use of fear and intimidation to break up its momentum. Protesters have reported brutal treatment by police, who have used physical force and tear gas to break up peaceful demonstrations. Students and journalists have been arrested and deported simply for participation in these movements, including many at home in the early morning after authorities track them down using face recognition and social media. Currently, 301 students remain under arrest, most of whom have spent weeks in jail. In a last-minute move, the recent holiday of Bayram (Eid al-Fitr) was changed from a three-day to a nine-day holiday as a deliberate move to push people out of cities where demonstrations centered and give time for
the issue to cool off. Still, demonstrations have continued – in the streets and in the form of boycotts. Economic boycotts target specific brands and on specific days to show the strength of the opposition movement against President Erdoğan and his party. Those participating have been threatened with legal consequences, but many have questioned how these practices are illegal and the logistics of how they can be checked. Students have also used academic boycotts to resist the government’s actions, resulting in threats of academic and legal proceedings against students and faculty who participate in or support these academic boycotts. Rather than relying on traditional protests, demonstrators are forced to find more creative means to organise, such as informal gatherings, seminars, and workshops to generate solidarity.
In Serbia, students took to the streets to protest corruption in their government, particularly sparked by the train station collapse in Novi Sad in 2024 that killed 15 people. Students called on the government for full disclosure of these events and accountability around its handling. Like the response in Türkiye, the Serbian government’s reaction to the protests has included large-scale arrests, scapegoating, and the use of fear tactics to repress the movements against it. Reports of illegal sonic weapons used on demonstrators sparked outrage from rights groups, although the government denied these accusations.
Students in America are facing similar fears, with many fearful of protesting President Trump’s latest pro-Israel actions after the recent deportations of student activists and increased government influence in universities to suppress these protests and take action against those who participate. Rumeysa Ozturk, a PhD student, is one of 300 whose visa was revoked for her pro-Palestinian advocacy. Ozturk was taken suddenly by plainclothes ICE officers while out with friends as a result of an article that she co-wrote urging her university to “acknowledge the Palestinian genocide” and “divest in
Israeli companies”. Both the tactics and rationale used in these types of deportations raise fears about what the future may have for both international students and even US nationals who speak against the government.
At Trinity, students are met with a warmer environment regarding their expressions of speech but are still left with the reality of having their names attached to the movements they support. These ties leave students at risk of carrying the consequences of affiliation with them throughout their lives. A change in political climate could lead to these issues resurfacing at any point in their lives. Students assume an unknown risk in their careers and personal lives simply by taking a political stance. Future employers may object to affiliations with a movement, sacrificing potential opportunities that would otherwise be open. These risks are taken on by students willingly but with a blindness towards how they may escalate in future years. Involvement in a political movement now carries the risk of being branded with a scarlet letter. At a time when one’s actions will linger with them the rest of their lives, the risks taken on by today’s youth are insurmountable. While social media is used by many as a tool for organizing and gathering support, it is also a tool that can be used to track down those who will allege involvement in an action. Prohibiting face coverings at demonstrations ensures that everyone involved carries the fear of their involvement being on record for years to come. In contrast, those who still choose to use a covering are deemed as having something to hide.
Students have historically been the first to start a movement fighting for social and political change. Universities are places where more progressive ideas are bred and later adapted to the realities of the world. However, these movements are not just students’ issues. Students do not have the least to lose from participating in these actions. While they may have the ability to stop going to class and
march, they also have entire futures at stake while they do so. Additionally, no change can be successful with just one group involved. Student-led movements may spark the initial action, but the public must take the weight off the shoulders of its youth to achieve real political action.
In Türkiye, you can see the support of the students from the public in many instances. Every night, those opposed to Erdoğan’s actions bang on pots and pans outside their apartment windows, causing a flurry of noise for about five minutes a day.
People support protesters as they go by, joining in on chants, honking, flickering their apartment lights, or just making noise. These actions are applauded, as even small gestures show solidarity that keeps momentum going. The fear tactics used to suppress these movements around the globe target the working class, who have families to support. With economic insecurity at the forefront of people’s minds, few can afford to jeopardise their financial situation to fight for the ‘bigger picture’. At
the same time, students argue that they cannot afford not to resist the actions of their governments with their nation’s well-being at stake. For this reason, the grassroots organization is left to the students, who find themselves going head-to-head with a powerful government. Students remain persistent that their hope is not broken as long as solidarity is alive. The general public’s actions, however, will prove to be a crucial decider in the outcome of this struggle.
How Productive is Leftist Sentiment on Campuses?
“When one breaks the law that conscience tells him is unjust,” Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. declared in 1965, “he must do it openly, he must do it cheerfully, he must do it lovingly, he must do it civilly…and he must do it with a willingness to accept the penalty.”
This principle of civil disobedience, a cornerstone of democratic action, resonates deeply within university walls as historical epicenters of social movements, from calls against US imposition in Vietnam of the 1960s to the funding of South African apartheid in the 1990s. Today, the ongoing violence in Gaza has ignited a firestorm of student activism on college campuses, a cry for their institutions to sever ties with Israel. But these impassioned demands, often escalating into confrontations with administration and security (especially with Trump’s militant crackdowns in the US), force students and administration alike with a critical reckoning: when is dissent productive, when is it appropriate, and when does it simply go too far?
So what distinguishes this moment from past advocacy? A recent study
by Harvard’s Crowd Counting Consortium concluded that while, compared to Trump’s first year in office in 2017, US resistance 2025 is “alive and well,” with twice as many protests from eight years ago, they are decreasing in concentration. Today’s protests may be more frequent, but they are “highly decentralised, moving at a snail’s pace, [and] more a slog than a resistance,” according to Atlantic journalist Gal Beckerman. Localised organisations like BDS, often at the helm, lack the unified leadership needed for truly impactful economic boycotts – actions requiring the weight of nations, not isolated campuses. Even Franz Fanon, a noted advocate of sweeping anti-colonial uprising, warned in his work “Wretched of the Earth” about the dangers of disunity within dissent: “If this coherence is not present there is only a blind will towards freedom, with the terribly reactionary risks which it entails.” Thus, the power of protest lies in plurality. Strength in numbers, what sociologist Émile Durkheim termed “collective effervescence,” reassures the public and renders a cause impossible to ignore. Yet, this very plurality is undermined by the extremist fragmentation that can swiftly inflame already tense
situations. As President Trump, in Beckerman’s words, increasingly “conflates nonviolent gatherings with destructive mobs,” effective protest is complicated by students that dangerously blur the line between civil disobedience and lawlessness. The former, as New York Times columnist David French argues, “involves breaking an unjust law and accepting the consequences.” The latter, however, tramples the fundamental rights of other students – disrupting sleep, preventing learning, indefinitely occupying public spaces, resorting to intimidation, and even endangering their peaceful counterparts protesting the same cause. French underscores the legal reality: “Students do not have the ability, under American law, to violate the rights of others because they think it’s for a good cause. That is not the way this works.”
As the epicenter of university protest, Columbia University, among others, battles this question of what the past year of dissent has really achieved for the cause. Since last spring, the campus has been pulsating with chaos, be it through encampments, stormed halls, intruded classes, or noisy choppers flying overhead. The university heard some of its students’ calls,
severing ties with companies with holdings in Israel and ending relations with Tel Aviv University. While these movements have undeniably amplified awareness of the Gaza conflict, these seem like mere “symbolic victories” as Franklin Foer puts it, acting “as if the school’s trustees and administrators could determine the fate of innocent families in Gaza.” Still this question remains: have they ultimately advanced the cause they champion? The year of protests, the significant disruptions, the palpable damage to campus life – what concrete concessions have been won?
Has this surge of action, in its often fragmented and disruptive form, truly moved the needle towards a resolution, or has it primarily fueled polarization? Schools like Columbia ultimately lost the capacity to assert control where now the pressure to suppress is even greater, leaving a gaping hole for a Trump administration to crack down with even greater force.
The point is not that students cease action but rather reassess it. The right for protest is fragile as it is and thus wielding it with peace and care is crucial, for the sake of effective discourse, the safety of students and administrators alike, and the preservation of the right to civil dissent.
Francesca Cronin
Alexa Berman
PHOTO BY FIONN BOWES-FITZPATRICK
The Fall of American Hegemony: Trump’s Policies and the World in Crisis
Nero famously played his fiddle while Rome burned; likewise, Donald Trump is golfing as America descends into crisis.
Despite only beginning his second term in January, Donald Trump has already taken many dangerous and damaging actions, from introducing blanket tariffs on countries to threatening allies. These tariffs are part of a broader pattern of economic policies that have not only hurt global relationships but also undermined the very stability of the American economy. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States existed as the sole superpower in the world in a time that was dubbed the ‘unipolar moment.’ However, the unipolar American-led world order has been declining for years now, especially given the growth of China, and Trump has greatly accelerated that decline.
Let me be clear: I condemn Donald Trump’s reckless economic policies, his threats to allies, and his spiraling efforts to destabilise global relations.
But let me also be equally clear that the country’s history was problematic even before Trump: I do not support traditional American imperialism. I do not support the previous practices that have long been used to justify coups, invasions, and global domination under the banner of “freedom.” With that being said, Trump has taken a number of unprecedented steps, threatening to destabilise the world, almost unlike any previous U.S. president.
Tariffs Trump recently introduced a drastic increase in tariffs, with a 20% tariff being placed on goods imported from the European Union. Strangely, he left Russia and North Korea off the list of tariffed countries, while placing tariffs on the uninhabited Heard and McDonald islands. These tariffs pose a threat to both the American and world economy, with the U.S. stock market entering a bear market as a result of these announcements.
Trump’s tariffs represent fundamental misunderstandings by the administration regarding their function Tariffs can protect domestic industries in certain circumstances, but blanket tariffs like the ones Trump has introduced are simply inflationary measures, raising the cost of goods for ordinary Americans, especially for goods which have no American made alternative. For example, the tariffs will affect the importation of coffee, a product that the U.S. can only produce in small quantities in Hawaii and Puerto Rico but will
never be able to grow enough to meet domestic demand. Trump sees bringing manufacturing back to America as a positive, but in doing so, he overlooks the fact that these jobs have been replaced by different, higher-skilled jobs. If these manufacturing jobs were to return to the U.S., it wouldn’t mean the return of well-paying, high-quality jobs; instead, it would likely result in low-paying jobs with poor benefits.
There have also been speculations that the administration has used Chat-GPT to calculate these tariffs, due to the fact that Chat-GPT gives an answer similar to what the administration is imposing when asked how to reduce trade deficits.
If true, this represents a degree of recklessness on part of the administration that we haven’t seen before. These so-called ‘reciprocal tariffs’ aren’t actually based on the tariffs other countries impose on U.S. goods; instead, they’re simply calculated based on the trade deficit those countries have with the U.S., which is absurd. Additionally, they have the potential of doing the exact opposite of what Trump claims he wants to do, as these tariffs will also increase the costs of input goods used in manufacturing, reducing the competitiveness of American manufacturing on the global markets. These tariffs have also led to states around the world rallying against the United States, with unlikely partnerships springing up around the world. Recently, China, South Korea, and Japan stated they would jointly respond to Trump’s tariffs, a suggestion which would have been unfathomable mere months ago.
Even more worryingly, Trump recently shared a video on social media which suggested he was intentionally using these tariffs to crash the stock markets, and raises questions as to Trump’s true motivations. One purely speculative possibility is that he could be aiming to do a wealth transfer from the average, working class people to the wealthy. This is because, as goods become more expensive, working class people will have to sell off their market holdings, allowing the wealthy to buy it up at discounted prices. The U.S. middle class has been continuously shrinking since the 1970s, and Trump’s plans would accelerate that decline even faster.
Although Trump’s exact motivations are unknown, one thing is crystal clear, that Trump’s policies are proving to be severely damaging for the
American and world economies.
Trump’s reckless actions pose a threat to economies around the world, and could signal the end of the American-led world order as we know it as countries seek to form partnerships with other, more stable states. These reckless policies could also have other knock-on effects, such as the US dollar no longer being the world’s reserve currency over time.
Threatening Allies
Trump has also consistently threatened American allies. For instance, he has repeatedly threatened Canada, calling it the ‘51st state’ and also has threatened to take Greenland from Denmark multiple times. This is in addition to the myriad of other
threats he’s leveled, ranging from threatening to take over places ranging from the Panama canal to Gaza. He has also tried to coerce Ukraine with outrageous demands, such as by seeking approximately $500 billion of their minerals. Additionally, he has repeatedly falsely claimed that Ukraine started the war, despite the fact that it was Russia that invaded them. These imperialistic threats against countries are rapidly destroying both the soft and hard power the U.S. has, as countries see the U.S. as an unstable partner. Many countries are already starting to shift away from the United States, with many European countries looking to buy locally produced weapons rather than American made weapons.
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)
Among the myriad of disastrous plans and policies Trump has put in place, one of the most disastrous has been the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk. Since the creation of DOGE, there has been a constant stream of dangerous and disastrous cuts. One of the most ludicrous examples of this was when multiple key scientists from the National Nuclear Security Administration were fired. This agency is responsible for the security of the U.S. nuclear stockpile and is vital for ensuring weapons of mass destruction remain secure and not vulnerable to theft. Soon after their termination, the administration attempted to rehire them, realizing their massive mistake. This is just one of many examples showcasing the administration’s incompetence. Additionally, DOGE has been making cuts which are damaging to the welfare of the American people, for example, they have already fired over 2,400 employees from the Department of Veterans Affairs (with potential plans to fire 80,000), which is responsible for providing healthcare to veterans. Democratic Backsliding Under Trump’s reign, we are also seeing the erosion of democratic norms in America as we know it. People have been detained and sent to prisons in El Salvador. The Trump
administration claims these people are dangerous criminals, despite many of them having no criminal backgrounds. Even more worryingly, a man who was living in Maryland was recently sent to prison in El Salvador by the Trump administration without cause. Despite lacking any substantial evidence, they falsely claimed he was a member of MS-13, an infamous gang designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. government. The administration now asserts that he was sent there as the result of an ‘administrative error.’ In response, a Federal judge ordered the government to release the man, and the administration has not released the man, claiming that the courts don’t have jurisdiction in the matter due to him no longer being in U.S. custody. This is, in my opinion, one of the most worrying assertions thus far. The man is there in an El Salvadoran prison at the behest of the U.S. government, and the U.S. government is claiming they don’t need to follow U.S. court orders.
This is something that should be very worrying for everyone, as no one knows who they might detain without cause next. Trump has recently expressed interest in sending American citizens to El Salvadoran prisons as well, and given how the current situation is unfolding, this could signal that there’s still much worse things to come.
This is even more worrying given that Trump might invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 on (or after) April 20th. Speculation that he might invoke the Insurrection Act stems from an executive order Trump signed on January 20th, titled ‘Declaring a National Emergency at the Southern Border of the United States’. In this Executive Order, he wrote that “within 90 days of the date of this proclamation, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a joint report to the President about the conditions at the southern border of the United States and any recommendations regarding additional actions that may be necessary to obtain complete operational control of the southern border, including whether to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807”. This, coupled with sending prisoners to El Salvador, should be alarming to everyone, as Trump would then be able to deploy troops around America, and given his willingness to ignore democratic norms, only time will tell how this will play out.
Trump has also launched an attack on what can be displayed in federally funded museums attempting to rewrite American history to fit his political agenda. For example, he signed an executive order seeking to remove “improper, divisive or anti-American” ideology from museums. He has particularly called out the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, a museum that displays exhibits about American slavery. Alarmingly, he also has seized control of the Kennedy Center by taking over as their chairperson, with him seeking to completely overhaul their programs.
Trump and his administration have also been pursuing the agenda outlined in Project 2025’s 900+ page Mandate for Leadership, a far-right political initiative designed to push
conservative policies across the U.S. and consolidate power within the executive branch. Project 2025 is, at its core, based on the Unitary Executive Theory, which suggests that the president should have complete control over the executive branch (including its agencies), without interference from Congress or the judiciary. This is deeply problematic and fundamentally unconstitutional as it could dismantle the system of checks and balances that is vital to American democracy, effectively allowing the executive branch to operate with little to no oversight, which would put unprecedented power in the hands of the president. Project 2025 proposes a number of very worrying plans, for example, it proposes a major overhaul of the federal government, shifting from nonpartisan civil servants to political appointees, while expanding the executive branch’s power to surveil American citizens. Additionally, the project seeks to end birthright citizenship in the U.S., among other concerning plans. Project 2025 threatens to dismantle fundamental civil liberties, and given the current administration’s disregard for the rule of law, it could mark a troubling shift toward fascism. The Heritage Foundation, which developed Project 2025, has previously described it as the “second American Revolution”. This is deeply concerning, given that the plans outlined in the project aim to reduce, rather than expand, civil liberties.
Signal Leak
In yet another example of recklessness, there was recently a leak from a Signal chat (now dubbed SignalGate) in which senior cabinet level officials (including the Vice President) were discussing air strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, and contained potentially classified information. This leak occurred when National Security Advisor Michael Waltz accidentally added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to the chat. This alone signals recklessness, but even more worrying is the fact that they were using Signal for official government communications, which should never have happened. The use of Signal is no accident, it is straight out of Project 2025, and was recommended to (illegally) avoid information requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), thereby allowing them to avoid accountability. Is America in decline like the Roman Empire once was?
A lot of the problems which the United States is currently facing echoes the problems that led to the collapse of the Roman Empire. To quote Voltaire, “History never repeats itself. Man always does”, and I would argue that Trump is repeating the mistakes of past leaders. Rome fell because of a myriad of reasons, including external pressures, internal instability, and a failing economy, which echoes what the United States is currently facing.
The power of the United States has long been based on an imperialist, U.S.-dominated world order, which is now rapidly falling apart under Trump. While this American-led order has been in decline for a while, Trump has sped up its collapse through incompetence (or maybe even malice). This has been seen in the ongoing democratic backsliding, harmful economic policies, and threats to both adversaries and allies. We’re quickly shifting from a unipolar world led by the U.S. to a more multipolar world, with civil liberties in the U.S. rapidly deteriorating under Trump. They say that history doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes. If that’s true, the United States is beginning to hum a familiar tune–the same one that echoed during the fall of the Roman Empire. As the United States faces unprecedented challenges both at home and abroad, the question remains: Can America recover from these reckless policies, or are we witnessing the beginning of a decline similar to that of the Roman Empire?
Patrick Keegan
Trinity Electives Must Go
Harper Alderson
PHOTO BY ISABELLA
Electives promise to “branch out from your core discipline, broaden your knowledge, and perspective”. Unfortunately, the electives promised by glamorous YouTube videos and ostentatious module names are far from the electives offered by Trinity. The reality constitutes inconsistent workloads, egregious disorganisation, and little real benefit to students.
Elective requirements vary wildly by module, despite the identical credits offered. For example, students enrolled in “Vaccines, Friend or Foe?” are required to attend two-hour long lectures (sometimes twice per week), mandatory tutorials (with required written responses), multiple hourslong workshops (with extensive pre-work and written reflection), take two in-person MCQs, do a burdensome group project, and complete an online quiz. All of the aforementioned components are graded on the Trinity scale. The same elective credit can be earned by taking “Travel and English Literature” which offers one weekly lecture, no tutorials, one pass-fail five-minute group project (that can be on any book, including a children’s book), and one essay. The example above is not the exception but the rule. Students, especially in the Arts, taking rigorous electives, which are often in STEM, can fail electives. Conversely, STEM students already exposed to the material covered in electives have
the opportunity to take them (for the most part) and can artificially inflate their overall degree resultss. The same applies to Arts students in Arts electives and vice-versa. There is no real way to make grading “fair”. The academic burden placed on students unfamiliar with the demanding requirements of some electives, especially faced with the real possibility of failure, is ludicrous and inordinately stressful. The way electives run is completely disjointed. Most electives are taught by a different professor every week, offering zero continuity for students. In fact, one of the fourteen frequently asked questions by staff on the elective web page is “Where do I find the names of Trinity Elective module co-ordinators?” No one knows what’s going on. Electives also often start late due to scheduling errors. Electives also suffer from abysmally low attendance. Because no roll is taken (save for language electives, which experience the lowest rate of enrollment), real numbers do not exist. However, anyone who heroically decides to show up to their nine A.M. elective lecture can attest to the fact that numbers are low, and morale is lower. Electives promise that students across disciplines will “benefit from different perspectives”. However, this is completely lost when no one actually shows up. The promotional materials cannot fool anyone who has slogged through haranguing their peers to participate
in a group project on the bizarre research interest of a mettlesome module coordinator. Nevertheless, the complete lack of a unified approach to assessment or engagement makes it entirely reasonable for students to just give up. The electives offered are also ridiculous. From names like “Defence from the Dark Arts: Science and other Tools for Critical Thinking” to “A World to Discover: Travel Memoirs and Memorabilia at Trinity” electives do not offer any kind of structured overview, just haphazardly cobbled cross-disciplinary niche topics. This is compounded by the fact that students tend to pick electives closer to their primary discipline anyway, defeating the point.
The consensus conclusion of Trinity students given the above is that electives are “fake”. They are the last on the priority list, and are a waste of time. There are exceptions, some electives like “Contemporary Art Angles” and “Ages of Empire” are remembered fondly. However, they are the exception that proves the rule. Electives are expensive, complex, inefficient, and poorly executed. Instead, students should be able to enroll in first or second-year modules from any discipline. This would conserve the ability for students to study languages (arguably the sole benefit of electives), and give real overviews of different disciplines, in addition to actually integrating students across schools.
The Rare-Earth Reckoning: What the US-Ukraine Mineral Deal Means for the World
If you’ve ever used an iphone, driven an electric car, or used anything with a lithium battery, you’ve participated in the world of rare-earth mining. While common in our modern global landscape, rare-earth mining has not only massive geopolitical concerns but also human rights concerns. Rare-earth minerals include cobalt, zinc, iron, manganese, and nickel, and they are used in a variety of ways to produce modern technology. Currently, there are several large deposits of these in the world. According to a study for 2023, China has the largest number with 37% of the world’s deposits, followed by Brazil and Vietnam. Then, other areas of the world including Australia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Finally, Ukraine has around 5% of the world’s deposits. One of the most widely used rare earth minerals is cobalt. The largest holder of Cobalt is the DRC, which holds 50% of the world’s cobalt reserves and produces around 80%
of the world’s cobalt. While at points American companies had access to this mining, in recent years, the reserves have been bought by Chinese companies, leading them to take control of the area. This includes companies such as Zijin Mining, China Minmetals (CNMC), and Sinostee, of which both companies privately and state-owned. Companies such as these hold a lot of power in the area with no real interest in the economy or political state beyond mining, this has led to significant corruption in the government.
The mining process for cobalt uses the exploitation of underpaid labourers and children. Think Global Health reported that “Adult miners are paid between $2.15 and $8.60 per day, but child miners make at most $2.50.” The mining often involves up to twelve hours of day doing physical labor with workers never seeing the conveniences their work provides people in the Western world. The lack of control over mining in Africa has led the US to look for other areas rich in rare earth minerals. Many
Borders and Belonging: Rethinking the Migration Crisis
Carlos David Suárez Cabrera
As I write this article, I’ve just read that under President Trump, the U.S. Supreme Court approved the deportation of Venezuelan migrants using a wartime-era law—as if migration were a crime to be punished. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissenting, wrote: “But make no mistake: We are just as wrong now as we have been in the past, with similarly devastating consequences.”
We live in countries built by migrants. More than 70 million people worldwide claim Irish descent, and over one million Irish-born individuals currently live abroad. As an international student in Ireland, I’ve never once felt like a foreigner. The warmth and empathy of the Irish people—extended not only to me but to countless migrants—offers the world a lesson in humanity. And that lesson often begins with a simple but powerful word: Welcome.
Yet for countless migrants around the world, that simple word remains just a hope—too often met with closed doors, suspicion, or outright hostility.
Ireland today finds itself at a crossroads. On one hand, it has a proud humanitarian tradition and a diaspora scattered across the globe. Consider what the country achieved after the peace agreement of the 1990s, transforming decades of violence into opportunities for unity and progress. However, Ireland’s economic and social context is different today. We are now facing a growing housing crisis, strained public services, and widespread public concern demanding urgent solutions.
Let’s not forget that since the riots of 2023, following the incident of three children and a school care assistant stabbed outside a city center, led to a systematic propaganda of misinformation on social media regarding asylum seekers and the core of immigration policies.
Recent tensions around accommodating asylum seekers have exposed these contradictions. While many Irish citizens continue to support humanitarian aid in principle, there is growing debate about the government’s capacity to deliver it effectively. According to recent data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the average national rent is now €1,955 per month — 43% higher than before the outbreak of COVID-19. This surge coincides with a seventeen year peak in migration. Concerns about housing are increasingly visible: in communities, in government debates — especially following last November’s elections where migration and the housing crisis dominated the agenda — and in everyday conversations.
Media coverage — often reactive and sensational — has only deepened the divide. In some areas, far-right groups have exploited fears over housing shortages, while in others, people have rallied to welcome and support new arrivals.Lets not forget what happened on 2023 when just over the course of of a night public transport was set alight, dozens of shops were looted and dozens were arrested, which resulted in public opinion being uncertain on how prepared exactly the Gardaí were to maintain order in the crisis.The debate is no longer just about numbers, but about identity: How can a small nation uphold its compassionate values without losing control over its resources or sense of self?
According to the European Migration Network, approximately 149,200 immigrants entered the Republic of Ireland in 2024, while 69,900 people left the country — resulting in a net migration figure of 79,300. Though slightly below the peak seen in 2007, the data confirms that most migration is still driven by employment and education, strengthening the country’s human capital.
Make no mistake: for many people — including some of our own ancestors — migration was not a choice but a means of survival. It is because of the welcoming of migrants that cultural diversity has flourished, enriching cities like Dublin, New York, and London. These cities would not be what they are today without the waves of migration that shaped them.
The middle ground lies not in closing borders, but in building systems that are both humane and sustainable. This means long-term planning, cross-border cooperation, and responsible media coverage. It also
means reframing public discourse — shifting it from fear and misinformation to empathy and truth. Now, it’s true — and it must be acknowledged — that not everyone openly supports a liberal migration agenda. It is also important to recognise that every state has the right to control its borders and determine the scale and conditions under which migration is managed. However, these decisions should be grounded in international cooperation, built on multi-party agreements between civil society and governments — not on principles of scepticism or on incongruent arguments, such as invoking wartime protocols to prevent the migration of the most vulnerable. Perhaps Ireland, with its long history of emigration and its enduring culture of kindness, can show the way. The question is no longer whether to welcome migrants, but how to do so in a way that honors both our compassion and our capacity. If national identity is evolving, perhaps what truly defines a nation is not just its borders — but how it treats those who cross them. A year on from the riots that shock Dublin, one may consider that the public perception of migration has changed.
As I finish these words, let us reflect on the cruelty faced by thousands of people who are forced to leave their homes, their loved ones, and their identities, clinging to the hope of a better, safer future. A future that was promised by our democratic systems, and by the founding ideals etched into monuments like the Statue of Liberty in New York, where we are reminded: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
people will remember President Trump’s push for the US to buy Greenland earlier this year, which is potentially linked to the land being rich in rare earth minerals. Ukraine, as well, holds large amounts of cobalt reserves in the Kirovohrad and Dnipropetrovsk regions. It also claims to hold “substantial amounts of the world’s rare earth metals - a group of seventeen elements that are used to produce weapons, wind turbines, electronics and other products vital in the modern world - but these claims are disputed.”
The US mineral deal with Ukraine was first mentioned earlier last year by the Ukrainian president Zelensky. The deal was a way for the US to acquire tangible benefits from continuing to offer aid to Ukraine. According to a Reuters article from April 11th of this year, which looked into the terms of the deal, it would “give the U.S. privileged access to Ukraine’s mineral deposits and require Kyiv to place in a joint investment fund all income from the exploitation of natural resources by
Ukrainian state and private firms”. This essentially means that the US would help to hold Ukraine accountable for their financial state and provide oversight into the country’s operations. However, “found in the document was a U.S. demand that the U.S. government’s International Development Finance Corporation take control of a natural gas pipeline from Russian energy giant Gazprom across Ukraine to Europe”. This stipulation has raised major concerns across Europe, with people viewing it as an overreach of US power. While oversight and investment are vital in post-conflict recovery, allowing a foreign power to exert control over critical infrastructure and resources is a dangerous game. Similiar examples would be Iraq after the post2003 invasion with the dominance of the oil industry, the same thing happening in South Sudan post-independence in 2011. While these are not eactly the same situation they show how the US has leveraged political instabilities of other countries in exchange for natural resources.
There are also significant geopolitical consequences of the US-Ukraine mineral deal. By granting the US privileged access to Ukraine’s resources, even if they are under joint oversight, leads to questions about Ukraine’s sovereignty. The move could also escalate tensions with Russia, with the US reinforcing their presence on the border. A BBC article from March 5th 2025, which gave an overview of the deal said, “Before the deal was supposed to be signed, Vladimir Putin told state TV he was ready to “offer” resources to American partners in joint projects, including mining in Russia’s “new territories” - a reference to parts of eastern Ukraine occupied by Russia since its full-scale invasion three years ago.” The statement from the Russian president appears to be a strategic attempt to undercut the US agreement by presenting Russia as an alternative partner in the rare earth development, highlighting their overall discontent with the deal. This could place tension on US-China relations with the increas-
ing competition over rare-earth minerals, especially as Washington seeks to reduce its reliance on Chinese supply chains and move more production towards allied countries. While it is taking place on the other side of the continent, Ireland would not be immune for the consequences if the deal were to be pushed through. Ireland, as a part of the European Union, could be caught in the crosshairs of either supporting Ukraine’s recovery balanced with America’s overextension of influence. Additionally, this is complicated with Ireland’s special relationship with the US, based on their support in Ireland’s times of need. Finally, disruptions of the global supply chain of rare-earth minerals, due to political fallout, sanctions, or trade disagreements, could stagnate industries reliant on minerals. Ireland is a country with a growing tech and renewable energy sector - resource politics in Ukraine could quickly evolve to economic ramifications back home.
Ella Chepak
WOOD
Coastal Tales: How Heritage Stories Can Protect Dublin Bay’s Coastal Ecosystems
Gabriela Janikowska
It’s low tide on Sandymount Beach. A plain of wet rippled sand stretches far into the distance to where the sea has retreated. From afar, the wind carries the murmur of crashing waves and brings with it a smell of salt and seaweed. Standing on the beach, faced with sand upon sand upon sand, it’s difficult to imagine just how much Ireland’s coastline has changed in just the last hundred years. When it comes to coastal erosion – a slow process of waves washing away sediment such as sand or rock – Dublin Bay is at a major disadvantage. As opposed to coasts in the west and north, which are made up of predominantly rock (think Cliffs of Moher), Ireland’s east and southeast shorelines are composed mostly of soft sediments, like sand and silt, which are easier to wash away. The usually low elevation of these coastlines (often at or even below sea level) further increases their susceptibility to erosion, resulting in erosion rates that can reach even 1-2m per year. While coastal erosion is a natural phenomenon, human activity has heavily exacerbated its intensity. Rising sea levels increase erosion rates as waves and tides move further inland, concentrating their energy close to the coast. Moreover, the increasing frequency and intensity of coastal storms stemming from climate change further expose coasts to erosion, as stronger wave surges have stronger backwashes, capable of eroding more sediment.
Born out of concern for the coastal ecosystems of Dublin Bay, Coastal TALES (Telling Adaptations; Living Environmental Stories for Coastal Resilience) is a recently initiated three-year research project undertaken by Professor Poul Holm and Dr Cordula Scherer of Trinity’s Environmental Humanities Research Hub under the Belmont Forum call for Cultural Heritage and Climate. The project, done in collaboration with research teams from Arizona State University and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, seeks to explore “how heritage stories can drive action in education, policy, and nature-based innovation” in coastal communities in Dublin Bay, southwest Wales, and Kodiak Island, Alaska.
While focusing on the overarching goal of preserving natural and
cultural heritage through traditional knowledge and practices, the Dublin Bay case study centres around the problems of coastal erosion and marine habitat change.
“The coastline has changed enormously in the last 100 years”, said Holm, the environmental historian and director of Trinity’s Centre for Environmental Humanities. He went on to list that “we face challenges
of erosion, of concretisation of the coastline, of loss of marine habitats”.
By tapping into cultural and historical knowledge and engaging with coastal communities, Trinity researchers aim to find and implement natural measures for mitigating coastal erosion and increasing local biodiversity in the wider Dublin Bay area.
“The climate crisis goes hand in
hand with biodiversity loss”, stressed Scherer, a marine ecologist and lead investigator on the project. “We can’t just build a wall to protect our bay. We have to do so much more. I’m hoping that with this project we can emphasise that.”
Loss of marine habitats and biodiversity dead zones are particularly detrimental in an area as environmentally unique as Dublin Bay.
Home to a variety of plants, birds, and sea creatures, including the ubiquitous grey seals and slightly more elusive harbor porpoises, it has been designated as a UNESCO Biosphere reserve and is the only region in the world to host a capital city alongside two Ramsar sites (internationally recognized protected wetland areas). These sites are especially vital for wading and migratory birds, who use them as feeding and breeding grounds. Despite this natural richness, biodiversity in the area is in decline due to human activity.
“In the olden days, when you look at historical maps, you have oyster reefs and seagrass meadows and mussel banks, and you don’t have that anymore”, Scherer explained, “but they would’ve been amazing natural defence structures that would have kept the coast in balance”. The restoration of these natural defence systems is one of Coastal TALES’ main goals: “In this project we want to identify where these old, natural structures were, and if we can potentially reintroduce them”. To do so, Coastal TALES adopts a uniquely transgenerational approach. While the project is only in its early stages, the researchers are currently working with ECO-UNESCO (Ireland’s Environmental Education and Youth Organization) to plan a school engagement programme and facilitate intergenerational dialogue between youth activists and older generations. By encouraging young people to work together with the elders in their communities to create maps of Dublin Bay based on their memories and stories of the past, researchers hope to combine personal accounts of Dublin Bay gathered in this way with historical records and scientific data to assess the extent of coastline change and find areas where natural barriers against erosion could be reinstated. Moreover, by asking members of coastal communities to gather their own evidence of coastal change, in the form of photographs or family documents, and draw maps of how they envision Dublin Bay in the future, Scherer and Holm hope to gather physical evidence of how coastal changes are perceived and impact local communities.
“We need to be in a learning position as much as in a teaching position”, said Holm, highlighting the project’s aim of co-creating knowledge with members of coastal communities. Considering how abstract and unapproachable environmental issues like coastal erosion can seem, the workshops devised by the researchers aim to give members of coastal communities a tangible way to engage with them while providing the researchers with vital insight. While community engagement is the key to the project’s success and the central focus of the case study, it also represents the biggest challenge. “It’s not a simple process of just asking people”, explained Holm, “they need to take ownership of a project like this”.
“We are funded to initiate a process”, he added, “but the success of a process like this is ultimately in the hands of communities that engage with it”.
However, Holm and Scherer are optimistic. Their previous project, Food Smart Dublin, which encouraged more sustainable food practices by bringing restaurant chefs and schoolchildren together to cook historical seafood recipes, was met with great enthusiasm, inspiring pupils to learn more about sustainability and climate action. Based on that success, the researchers are confident that Coastal TALES will spark public interest and encourage people to actively get involved with the issues of coastal erosion and marine biodiversity.
“We are listening to the coastal communities to tell their stories”, noted Scherer, “I think it makes a huge difference and a huge impact because everyone can identify with stories”.
PHOTOS BY SOPHIE QUINN
Science
“Forever Chemicals” No Longer: How France Plans to Ban PFAs and Why We Should Follow Suit
Luca Walker
France made a historic move in environmental history by passing a bill to ban PFAs on February 20th - the so-called ‘forever chemicals’ found in a wide range of products from cookware to cosmetics. But why did they do this and how has the world responded?
PFA stands for perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are a group of substances widely used in manufacturing to give products waterproof or non-stick qualities. However, in the past number of years scientists have been researching the effects of these chemicals on human health, with findings that prompted the French Parliament’s unanimous decision to phase out their use. It turns out that the consumption of these chemicals can lead to a wide range of health issues, from high cholesterol to immune system weakening, and even to birth defects if consumed by pregnant mothers. To make matters worse, due to the nature of the products these chemicals coat, PFAs have found their way into the drinking water systems of many towns and cities. Due to their lengthy half lives, ‘longchain’ PFAs will not break down for decades and so, in a similar fashion to microplastics, will only build up in our food chain and therefore our bodies until their use is halted.
Companies in France have been encouraged to begin phasing out the use of PFAs in their products to prepare for the full ban on their use in 2026, with water monitoring due to come into effect in 2030 which would incur a €100 tax per 100 grams of PFAs discharged. This
ban will affect the many cosmetic and fashion industries of France, and even the food market, as many packaging products contain PFAs which contaminate food products. However, the arguably hardest hit industry and the one with the most controversial response is the cookware industry, which depends on PFAs for the selling point of their
product - non-stick pans. After much protest from cookware companies, such as SEB and right wing politicians arguing that the ban will lead to job losses, cookware items were later removed from the list of products banned from using PFAs.
Scientists have been advocating for this change for years and do not plan to give up the fight for further bans,
especially with the European Union considering following France’s lead to ban PFAs across Europe from as early as 2026. Research on the effects of the more than 4,000 PFAs is still ongoing. One such PFA, Perfluorooctanoic acid, which was used up to now by Teflon to make nonstick cooking products, is confirmed to cause cancer and there are still many
more suspected carcinogens, although research is still in early days and has not moved fully from animal to human testing. Although it is nearly impossible to avoid consuming PFAs these days, with scientists having found them everywhere from the human bloodstream to the top of Mount Everest, experts encourage using glass over plastic where possible to store food. It is also recommended to avoid food wrapped in unnecessary plastic wrapping and to drink bottled or filtered water rather than tap. Notably, the switch from plastic to glass appliance would not only benefit human health but also the environment, creating a win-win situation with the primary cost lying in the cleaning up of past pollution and the development of PFA alternatives, which inevitably must be considered the more we learn about the damage done by forever chemicals. It seems clear that PFAs are worth avoiding worldwide, but what has our response been in Ireland to this growing threat? When Denmark introduced a ban on PFAs in certain packaging materials in 2020, there were calls by environmental activists to do the same in Ireland. However, this issue was soon forgotten about by the media until a 2022 HSE paper on PFAs. This paper spoke of their damaging effects to human health, including details of further studies on the link between thyroid, kidney, and liver damage due to PFAs among many other studies, which concluded by addressing the need for more research in this area. The paper explained that due to their strong abilities to bind to substances, the key to their nonstick and waterproof
quality, some PFAs may remain in the body for up to 35 years and have already found their way into our food chain due to pollution of the air and water. One section is dedicated to the European Union’s response, including their plans to monitor waters and apply strict regulations to those areas where the safe threshold is exceeded. The document suggests that the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) also plans to implement monitoring in Ireland, however there hasn’t been any significant action on this to date. Ireland could not as easily ignore France’s plans to ban virtually all PFAs this year, with multiple sectors feeling the threat of tighter restrictions. In January of this year it was reported that both Intel and Pfizer, two companies with great influence in Ireland, sent warnings to the European Chemicals Agency threatening to leave Ireland if the proposed PFA ban is implemented across Europe. The firms appeared to feel the pressure when Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway all demonstrated interest in the ban. The companies threatened to bring their business to countries which are free from plans for the ban, such as the USA or Singapore. Both Intel and Pfizer are American companies and notably the USA had already been planning a more USA-based manufacturing future under the presidential rule of Donald Trump, regardless of environmental concerns. It remains undecided whether Ireland will cave under the pressure of profit or take the health and safety concerns of its citizens seriously.
Why We Procrastinate: The Science Behind Putting Things Off
Procrastination is a familiar foe that haunts virtually everyone at some point in life. Whether it’s waiting until the night before an essay deadline, continually delaying exam preparation, or suddenly finding a compelling need to reorganise one’s room instead of working, procrastination seems an almost universal part of human experience. Though often dismissed casually as laziness or poor planning, procrastination is, in reality, a complex psychological phenomenon deeply intertwined with emotions, cognitive processes, personality traits, and neurological factors. But what exactly does science say about why we procrastinate? From a psychological standpoint, procrastination goes far beyond simple laziness. Instead, psychologists view it largely as a coping mechanism employed to handle unpleasant emotions. Dr Tim Pychyl, a psychology professor at Carleton University and leading researcher in procrastination studies, identifies procrastination primarily as an emotion-focused coping strategy. This means that people tend to delay tasks as a means of temporarily escaping feelings of anxiety, boredom, frustration, or self-doubt associated with confronting challenging or undesirable activities. Ironically, however, the temporary relief provided by procrastination ultimately leads to heightened stress and poorer emotional well-being in the long run, creating a vicious cycle of avoidance and anxiety.
At a neurological level, procrastination is a battle between two primary regions of the brain: the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex. The limbic system, often referred to as the emotional brain, prioritises immediate satisfaction and pleasure, seeking short-term fulfilment. The prefrontal cortex, in contrast, is responsible for more complex cognitive functions, including long-term planning, impulse control, and decision-making. In situations where the immediate task is perceived as unenjoyable or tedious, the limbic system’s desire for immediate comfort can override the
logical, future-oriented reasoning of the prefrontal cortex, resulting in procrastination.
Furthermore, researchers studying procrastination often explore the concept of temporal discounting, a cognitive bias in which individuals disproportionately value immediate rewards over future benefits. People who procrastinate frequently exhibit heightened temporal discounting. This means that procrastinators often find it significantly harder to resist immediate gratification, even when aware of the long-term negative consequences. Therefore, tasks that promise distant rewards struggle to compete against instant satisfaction offered by simpler activities such as scrolling through social media or watching online videos. Genetic research has begun to provide additional insights into why procrastination occurs. In a study published in Psychological Science involving identical and fraternal twins, researchers found significant evidence of hereditary factors that influence procrastination. Approximately 46% of procrastination behaviours observed among the twins could be attributed to genetic influences. While genetics alone don’t dictate our actions, this suggests certain individuals might be predisposed to procrastination through inherited traits affecting their personality or cognitive patterns. Personality traits also significantly contribute to one’s tendency to procrastinate. According to the widely accepted “Big Five” personality model, individuals who score high in impulsivity and low in conscientiousness are particularly prone to procrastination. Additionally, somewhat paradoxically, perfectionism has been identified as a strong correlate with procrastination. Perfectionists often fear failure or negative evaluations so intensely that this fear immobilises them, causing tasks to be indefinitely delayed. The irony is that the same drive for excellence leads perfectionists to avoid confronting tasks altogether, fearing that they might fall short of their own unrealistic standards.
Environmental factors and the nature of tasks themselves further exacerbate procrastination. The contemporary digital environment, characterised by constant notifications, updates, and easily accessible entertainment, presents continuous distractions.
Social media platforms, streaming services, and endless online content offer tempting alternatives to necessary but potentially uncomfortable tasks. Studies have consistently shown that students and professionals with frequent and unrestricted access to digital distractions are more likely to procrastinate than those without such accessibility.
Task characteristics also play a significant role. Researchers have identified several task-related factors that increase the likelihood of procrastination, including perceived boredom, excessive complexity, unclear objectives, and distant or ambiguous deadlines. Tasks that are ill-defined or particularly tedious activate avoidance responses more easily, prompting individuals to engage in procrastination to evade associated discomfort.
Recent research in behavioural economics and cognitive psychology has identified a phenomenon known as decision fatigue as an influential factor. Decision fatigue occurs when individuals face numerous consecutive choices or tasks throughout the day, exhausting their cognitive resources. This exhaustion reduces self-control and willpower, making it substantially more likely for individuals to succumb to procrastination, especially towards the end of a demanding day. Understanding this concept helps explain why students or professionals might find themselves increasingly prone to procrastination after a series of tasks or decisions, despite their genuine intentions to remain productive.
Given the complexity of procrastination, addressing it requires multifaceted approaches targeting emotional, cognitive, and behavioural elements simultaneously.
Psychology provides several scientifically supported strategies to combat procrastination effectively. One recommended method involves breaking larger tasks into smaller, more manageable segments. Reducing task size lowers the emotional burden and intimidation associated with large tasks, thereby decreasing avoidance tendencies. Incorporating concrete deadlines, structured schedules, and accountability mechanisms further reduces procrastination by introducing clear guidelines, urgency, and social accountability.
Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based interventions also demonstrate considerable effectiveness against procrastination. CBT aims to challenge and alter negative or irrational thought patterns underlying procrastination, such as perfectionistic fears of failure. Mindfulness practices enhance emotional awareness and self-reg-
ulation, enabling individuals to better understand and subsequently manage impulses to delay tasks. Interestingly, Stanford philosopher John Perry has proposed leveraging procrastination itself through a concept termed “structured procrastination”. Structured procrastination involves purposefully prioritising less urgent but still productive tasks, effectively channelling the procrastination impulse toward beneficial ends. This clever psychological tactic capitalises on our innate tendency to delay certain tasks, turning an apparent weakness into a productive strength.
Recognising procrastination as a multifaceted phenomenon rooted in psychological, neurological, genetic, personality-based, and environmental contexts helps shift the discourse from labels such as laziness toward more nuanced understandings. This shift fosters empathy towards
procrastinators, promoting more effective interventions tailored to address underlying causes rather than merely addressing surface-level behaviours.
For Trinity students who frequently juggle heavy workloads and multiple responsibilities, understanding procrastination through a scientific lens offers valuable insights. These insights equip students with practical tools grounded in psychological research, enabling more effective management of procrastination. By addressing the underlying emotions, cognitive biases, and behavioural patterns involved, students might significantly reduce procrastination’s negative impact. While completely eradicating procrastination might remain elusive, science equips us with strategies to substantially mitigate its adverse effects, enhancing academic performance and emotional wellbeing alike.
Caitlin Flores
PHOTO BY ISABELLA WOOD
The University Times
2024/25 Masthead
April
2025
Harper Alderson
Alright, alternatively
2 College Green machines
Extinguish with a pour
Pearl Harbor island
Parting words, text style
Mary-Kate and Ashley
Second chances in golf
We are also indebted to our
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administrative
Additional thanks to Barry Mulvey-Healy, who was instrumental in the organisation of the TAP Journalism School, and to the Trinity Communications Office.
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Liberty
Buddy
Taking off, briefly
Norwegian capital State of blunder
Ate voraciously
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Electronic summon
Japanese pond fishes
Trinity Twenty member
Brandenburg Concertos
composer
Caught up, with “deep”
“Ugh, he’s the of my existence” Cheesy French dish with “Cordon”
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Milk and honey poet Rupi
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Common sense guideline
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Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Certainty’s opposite
Linda and Arthur Conan
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National planes across the pond
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Entry of Christ into Brussels in 1889 painter James
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Coin ditched in 2015
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# of bees in wildebeest?
Expresses disapproval, with a sound
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