The Edition, Friday, 24 March, 2017

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Media Students Shortlisted- Pg 3

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Humans Of DIT - Pg 8

Friday 24 March 2017

Supported by DIT News Society

Strike4Repeal - Pg 12

Full results of the USI membership referendum and DITSU elections - pg 5

Access Programme applicants to be Garda vetted In a move that has drawn criticism from DITSU, the USI, and Dáil deputies, DIT will introduce a measure which will require all Access Foundation Programme applicants to be garda vetted.

Nikki Murphy and Dan Grennan DIT’s Access Foundation Programme (AFP) has introduced Garda vetting as a mandatory requirement for all applicants of its year long programme in a recent measure.

DIT’s AFP is aimed at people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds or early school leavers.

The purpose of the programme is to bring prospective students up to the required level for admission on to third level programmes.

President of the DIT, Professor Brian Norton said: “a programme committee recently carried out a review of admissions procedures for the programme and this decision was taken at their meeting about four weeks ago as a result of that review.”

According to the DIT admissions office, 120 students come through the AFP programme each year with 90 percent of those entering into undergraduate programmes at DIT. Professor Norton said: “unlike any similar programme, a participant who successfully completes the programme is automatically entitled to apply for any DIT undergraduate programme.”

Our reporters have found that there are 118 full-time programmes accepting first year students. Of the 118 programmes nine of those require Garda vetting, this amounts to 5.76 percent of all first year students.

With this new measure, 100 percent of prospective AFP students will be Garda vetted for only 9 of the 118 undergraduate programmes available to them after graduation from the AFP.

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NEWS Bolton Trust

Core Devices Ltd take the title of the 2017 Bolton Trust/ DIT Student Enterprise Award

Awards Success

DIT students picked up prestigious awards for engineering, and digital media projects recently

Ewa Ostapczuk and Jill Leavy became the first DIT students to partake in the annual Jailbreak event organised by three Trinity College Dublin societies, with the duo finishing joint second. (Photo credit: Donal Healy)

FEATURES

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Drama Festival

DIT Drama Society will be in The Teachers’ Club with two plays next week

100minds

DIT students participating in 100minds raised €30,000 for Temple Street

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Erasmus Diary

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Beat Exam Stress

German Erasmus student Lisa Martin outlines her experience of St Patrick’s Day

Eimear Dodd gives you some tips on how to beat stress this exam season

CULTURE SPORT

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Choice Music Prize

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Simply The Beast

It was a big win for Limerick-based hip-hop group Rusangano Family

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Niamh Haskins reviews the reboot of the animated Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast

Tae Kwon-Do IVs

DIT Tae Kwon-Do club hosted intervarsities winning 14 medals

Cycling Victory

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Cycling Scholar Conn McDunphy won his first A1 race earlier this month

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The Edition Friday 24 March 2017

NEWS THE EDITION Editorial Staff Editor Matthew Colfer editor@edition.ie Deputy Editor Sinead Farrelly deputyed@edition.ie News Editor Conor Shields news@edition.ie Culture Editor Olivia Powell culture@edition.ie Sports Editor Vacant sports@edition.ie Features Desk Aoife Loughnane & Sarah Harford featuresdesk@edition.ie Online/ Design Niamh Haskins online@edition.ie Photo Editor Hajar Akl & Hugo Fitzpatrick photo@edition.ie Contributors Dan Grennan Lisa Martin Maisoon Al-Marouqhi Nikki Murphy

Access Programme applicants to be Garda vetted President of DIT Students’ Union, Boni Odoemene said: “DITSU are seriously concerned that the implications of such a measure would not only discourage potential applicants, but sends a discordant message to what should be an inclusive process.”

He went on to say: “While it is an understandable common practice that students entering into certain courses where they would work with children or within the community as part of their placement, etc. would be subject to Garda vetting, subjecting all of those looking to enter the DIT through Access is, quite frankly, an egregious measure.”

USI Deputy President, Jack Leahy said: “Access programmes are often the way back into education or a normal life for someone who has a criminal past for example. We don’t believe that people should be discriminated against in that sort of a way. Where there is the need to vet someone I can see the relevance but I don’t see the need to vet in a blanket situation.

“An application for an access programme is nearly always the statement that somebody wants to be a productive member of

society. It is very strange, it’s quite a discriminatory measure and acts as a needless barrier for somebody trying to access education.

“I think that this is just a poorly considered measure that I hope they renege on. I am sure once they realise what the consequences of this action will be that they will roll back on it,” concluded Leahy.

In response to the new entry requirement, People Before Profit TD, Richard Boyd Barrett, said: “I think it is absolutely disgraceful that DIT would even consider making Garda vetting compulsory for students entering into access programmes for courses in the university based on the community they are from.

“Access programmes are very important for people in disadvantaged communities in accessing third level education. For DIT to discriminate against people from disadvantaged communities is total snobbery.

“I will be pursuing this issue further in my capacity as a Dáil deputy and will be raising this matter directly with the Minister for Education. I think it is an absolute disgrace and is absolutely outrageous.”

Senator Lynn Ruane has also raised the issue with DIT’s President, Professor Brian Norton, saying: “I am of the strong belief that University and Institute of Technology Access programmes are a fundamental part of how we tackle socio-economic inequality in Ireland and are a key asset in ensuring access to higher education for minority and disadvantaged groups.

“As an access programme graduate myself, I am acutely aware that the inclusion of Garda vetting in the application process will not only discourage prospective applicants but sends a discordant message in what should be an inclusive process.”

In a response to our reporters, DIT’s President, Professor Brian Norton said: “Garda vetting is currently a requirement for students and staff on some 30 percent of programmes offered in DIT. There is no change in entry requirements for any applicant coming through our general Access route onto particular programmes where in some cases there is a requirement for Garda vetting. In the case of the Mature Access Foundation programme it has been decided

to introduce Garda vetting at the initial application stage.

“The Programme Committee, in its recent review of admissions procedures, feels it is better to bring that requirement into the application stage rather than wait till the Foundation programme is completed. Each application will continue to be reviewed on a case by case basis and it should be noted that Garda vetting would only affect an application if it revealed a matter of concern in relation to children and vulnerable adults.”

DIT’s head of Admissions and Enrolment Planning, Frank Costello, said: “We will be communicating that there will be no restriction and that anyone can apply. We have had many students come through our programme with criminal convictions and we manage that in a very positive way.”

AFP Coordinator, Bobby Maher, declined to comment when asked for a statement.

The overseer of the AFP and the Head of the School of Hospitality Management and Tourism in DIT, Dominic Dillane, was contacted on numerous occasions in relation to the above and at the time of going to print had no comment.

The Edition Friday 24 March 2017

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NEWS

DIT students shortlisted for media awards Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

The shortlists for the 2017 National Student Media Awards, or Smedia Awards, was released earlier this week with DIT students, recent graduates and publications shortlisted for awards across 20 categories.

The Smedia Awards aim to recognise the best student films, photography, journalism and design, allowing students to gain recognition while showcasing their work.

The Smedia Awards has six major categories, journalism, photography, TV and film, Irish, web, and radio, each with their own award categories within them.

There are two shortlistings for Editor of the Year, Conor Shields and Gavin Hyland for The Liberty, and The Edition’s Matthew Colfer. Both publications are also shortlisted in the Newspaper of the Year category. The Edition is also a contender for the People’s Choice Award.

The Liberty is a local area newspaper for The Liberties area in Dublin 8. DIT Journalism students produce the newspaper during the second semester of second

year and the first semester of third year.

Rachel D’Arcy and Caitriona Murphy, have been shortlisted for the Arts and Pop Culture Features Writer of the Year, while Kevin Huges and Erin Lindsay have been nominated in the Irish writer category, Iriseoriacht Scríofa.

In the Sports Writer of the Year category, DIT’s Alastair Magee and Liam McInerney have been shortlisted.

The Edition’s design duo of Designer, Niamh Haskins, and Deputy-Editor, Sinead Farrelly, are shortlisted for Newspaper Layout and Design of the Year.

Haskins was also part of the design team for Moxie magazine with Michelle Dardis and Niamh Geoghegan who have been shortlisted for Magazine Layout and Design of the Year.

Moxie magazine is the final year project undertaken by Journalism students during the 2015/16 academic year as part of their course work and was published in early March 2016.

Similarly, the design team

for this year’s final year Journalism students’ final year project, FILTR magazine, has also been shortlisted in the Magazine Layout and Design of the Year category.

That team consists of DIT students Emma Mulholland, Rachel Darcy, Mary Kate Hickey, Conor Mcnally, Liam McInerney, Jack Popeley, Emily Hull, Lily Joyce and Dermot Ó’Shea.

Final year student, Jack Popeley, also received an individual shortlisting in the European Commission Award category which is awarded to the best article which covers

The team from Moxie Magazine at last years awards ceremony. Image via SMEDIA Facebook.

EU affairs and was published in a student publication.

Emma Callaghan, Florence Bradish and Niamh Bryson are all shortlisted for the Film Script of the Year award.

Callaghan and Bradish have also been shortlisted for the Short Film of the Year and Short Animation of the Year respectively, with Aoife O’Kelly also shortlisted for the latter award.

Paul Byrne has been shortlisted for TV Production of the Year.

Two DIT students have been shortlisted for separate Web category awards.

Hajar Akl for her Humans of DIT blog, which also features in this publication, and Hannah Lemass for Website of the Year.

Across the six radio categories, DIT students have been shortlisted 12 times.

Gemma Kavanagh, Niamh Magee, Sorcha McManigan, John McAuffile and Ciara Pollock have all been shortlisted for Radio Documentary of the Year with McManigan also shortlisted for News and Current Affairs Radio Production of the Year.

Ellen Fitzpatrick, Erin Lindsay, Niamh Magee, and a

group of third year students, consisting of Conor Shields, Hajar Akl, Mary-Kate Findon, Cara Croke, Sean Meehan and Rebekah Tunstead, are shortlisted for Arts and Features Radio Production of the Year.

Finally, Sinead Farrelly and Alibhe Ni Riain have been shortlisted for Radio Journalist of the Year and Radio Tri Gaeilge categories respectively.

The category nominations are expected to be announced next week, with the ceremony taking place in the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday, 5 April.

Core Devices Ltd wins 2017 Bolton Trust/DIT Student Enterprise Award Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

Core Devices Ltd won the 2017 Bolton Trust/DIT Student Enterprise Award at the competition final in the FOCAS Institute, DIT Kevin Street, on Wednesday last, 22 March.

Core Devices Ltd is the brainchild of four third year Product Design students, Ciaran Sullivan, Evan Stuart, Olivia Holbrook and Rachael Ryan.

Together the four students developed Ripple Sense, an IOT based, wireless, water level and consumption monitor, intended for use in agricultural applications.

Ripple Sense eradicates the need for farmers to manually check the water levels in livestock feeding tanks as the device does this for them, freeing up time which can be better spent, and in turn can cut costs.

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Team captain Ciaran O’Sullivan said: “It’s absolutely brilliant to come out with the win having put so much time into developing the project over the last few months.”

As well as winning the prestigious title, the four students were also awarded the grand final prize of €2,500.

Another group of third

year Product Design students finished as runners-up with their company, EKKO Ltd. EKKO Ltd uses waste scallop shells from seafood manufacturing companies to create new eco-friendly and useful products.

EKKO Ltd offers shellfish companies the opportunity to dispose of

The four students were also awarded the grand final prize of €2,500.

large amounts of waste by recycling the shells and creating new products out of them.

The team was comprised of captain Ciara McDonald, Saoirse McLoughlin, Donnachadh Mullen and Karen Tracey.

The other two teams in the final, Waffle Ltd and Charge Up Ltd finished in joint-third.

Waffle Ltd developed the idea for a programmable foot pedal which can help to relieve injuries associated with repetitive computer overuse known as Occupational Overuse Injury or Repetitive Strain Injury.

Occupational Overuse Injury is said to account for 10 percent of all sick notes in the work place and costs employers an estimated $20 billion annually.

Waffle Ltd consisted of Cormac Altman (team captain), Eoin Cullen, Ronan

Costeloe and Jamie Ryan, all of whom are also third year Product Design students.

Charge Up Ltd is made up of Cillian Tyrrell (team captain), Kevin Chase, Mark Ennis and Gary Harper all of whom are fourth year Retail and Services Management students.

Charge Up Ltd developed a business plan for Wireless QI charging enabled docking stations.

The company’s aim is to have these docking stations installed in cafes, bars, restaurants and social gathering areas.

This year the competition was judged by representatives from Bolton Trust, DIT Hothouse, AIB, Cambrist and Enterprise Ireland.

The competition was sponsored by AIB, Bolton Trust, DIT Hothouse and Enterprise Ireland, with support from local organisers, lecturers and judges.

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The Edition Friday 24 March 2017

NEWS

Success for DIT students at home and abroad Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

Two DIT students recently won prestigious awards recognising their work in their respective industries, while a group of DIT students collaborated with University of Oklahoma students to finish second at an international Design/Build competition last month.

Final year Electrical Engineering student, Ronan Marah won the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Present Around the World award for his paper ‘Enhancing energy savings by using technologies to implement good lighting when upgrading systems’.

MSc in Digital Marketing student, Shane Downey won the Accenture Digital Student of the Year Award at the 2017 Digital Media Awards for his entry, ‘The Mobile Movement’.

Marah was adjudged to be the best of the three finalists in the IET competition which allows final year undergraduates and engineers aged 18 to 30 the opportunity to give a presentation on engineering or a technology related topic of their choice.

The competition in turn allows entrants to develop their presentation skills at a national and international level.

Eirgrid engineer, David Linehan, and UCD Masters student, Shaun Sweeney were the other two finalists in the competition.

For his paper, Downey created a strategy which aimed to give Hugo Boss a competitive edge in mobile shopping after analysis of the brand and its surrounding market showed that mobile was a missing element.

Downey was one of five entrants shortlisted in the Digital Student category.

Downey is quoted on the DIT website as saying: “It just goes to show that you get what

you work for. Having said that, the work is made a whole lot easier when you have a passion for it.”

A team of three DIT students who collaborated with three UO students finished second in the Student Design/Build competition which took place in Dallas, Texas in February.

DIT students, Paul McGoldrick, Panna Darazi and Jason McHugh, teamed up with UO students, Ryan Reagan, Hannah Lang and Anika Saynyarack to compete in the competition.

The majority of the work carried out by the team was coordinated through Skype with the three students from each institute meeting each other in person for the first time just days before the competition.

At the competition, teams were required to create a proposal to design and build a student apartment block for the University of Texas, Austin.

Competing teams were then given 16 hours to complete this task without any outside help, before presenting their proposal to a judging panel made up of the team who are undertaking the task.

The DIT students were mentored and accompanied at the competition by Academic Advisor and Partnership Coordinator for the School of Surveying and Construction Management, Professor Lloyd Scott.

Scott is quoted on the DIT website as hav-

ing said: “real credit goes to the students’ hard work and dedication – this was probably the best team performance I have coached in the number of years that I have been associated with the event. As a multi-disciplinary team

who had only worked with their US partners online prior to the week of the competition itself, their performance was outstanding.”

At last year’s competition, the collaborative team from DIT and UO finished in third place.

Drama Soc Festival runs next week

Maisoon Al-Mahrouqi & Matthew Colfer DIT Drama Society has been keeping busy lately as it gears up to produce two plays next week as part of its Drama Festival.

DIT Drama Society will run Beyond Therapy and Two for two nights each next week with Steven Masterson directing both plays.

Beyond Therapy is a comedy by Christopher Durang that follows the lives of Prudence and Bruce, two young loners looking for love, guided by their equally-troubled therapists.

After they cross paths again after a disastrous first date and discover the possibility that they might like each other, complications arise in the form of Bruce’s jealous lover, Bob. Beyond Therapy runs on Tuesday, 28 March at 7:30pm, and Wednesday, 29 March, at 3:30pm and 7:30pm in The Teachers’ Club on Parnell Square West close to DIT’s Bolton Street and Cathal Brugha Street campuses.

Two is a character-driven take on Jim Cartwright’s famous tragicomedy, with its entirety set in a pub - along with all the familiarity of your local pub. Like Beyond Therapy, it is about finding love, but also holding onto it, told through witty, hilarious, and sometimes achingly sad, monologues.

Two will run on Friday, 31 March, at 7:30pm, and Saturday, 1 April, at 3:30pm and 7:30pm also in the Teacher’s Club on Parnell Square West.

Tickets for both productions are priced at €7 for students and €10 for standard tickets. Tickets are available through

DIT Drama Society’s Eventbrite page: https:// www.eventbrite.ie/o/dit-drama-society-5511485211.

The director, Steven Masterson trained as an actor with Bull Alley Theatre Company, Dublin and Trinity Guildhall, London.

Directing credits include BOUND (The New Theatre and Dublin tour), A Nice Bed To Die In (Civic Theatre), Oliver!, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Little Match Girl (Garage Theatre, Monaghan).

Masterson is the resident director with Talisman Theatre Company and productions of A Christmas Carol, Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood have all toured nationally.

Image Credit: Donal Healy

Acting credits include Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet and Edgar in King Lear (Mill Productions), Leon in The Astonished Heart (Players Theatre) and Leyton in My Second Self, a role that earned him a Best Actor nomination at the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival.

DIT Drama Society recently teamed up with UCD DramSoc to host the Irish Student Drama Association’s (ISDA) Festival, an annual theatre festival and awards ceremony.

The festival ran from Monday, 13 March to Wednesday, 22 March and featured 17 shows with the awards ceremony closing the event.

ISDA is the umbrella organisation for Ireland’s most prolific third-level drama societies.

DIT produced one show, A Doll’s House, as part of the festival.

The ISDA Festival is regarded as the highlight of the ISDA calendar.

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NEWS

DITSU to remain affiliated to USI as Odoemene re-elected as President Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

Students in DIT have voted overwhelmingly in favour of DIT Students’ Union (DITSU) to remain affiliated to the Union of Students in Ireland (USI).

The students voted in a referendum on DITSU’s membership of the USI on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, 14 and 15 March, with the result announced shortly before 12 noon on Thursday, 16 March.

A quota of 10 percent (1,872) of the number of registered DIT students was required for the referendum to pass or be rejected.

In total, 3,328 students voted in the referendum with 63 spoiled votes leaving 3,265 valid votes; 2,989 students voted in favour of remaining affiliated to the USI, while 276 voted against affiliation.

Speaking shortly after the result was announced, USI President, Annie Hoey, expressed her delight that DITSU will remain affiliated to the USI. “Obviously, we are delighted. We worked very closely with DITSU this year and ironed out some of the kinks. We’ve had a really positive working relationship with them and I really look forward to having a great working relationship over the next couple of years with them, working closely on issues that affect DIT students and students nationally,” said Hoey.

At the monthly DITSU Student Council meeting in February, DITSU were mandated to adopt a neutral stance on the referendum.

The DITSU Electoral Commission provided unbiased information to its members following this decision.

Current DITSU President, Boni Odoemene, thinks DITSU’s neutral stance on the referendum greatly influenced the result as there was no dedicated campaign for a leave vote.

“When the Student Council took the neutrality stance along with half of the Executive Council running for election it was inevitable that a Yes vote would win. You had overwhelming USI campaigners, different officers from different colleges coming over, and if you look at the different websites you saw the big banners saying ‘Vote Yes’ so with no clear opposition it was inevitable that a Yes vote would be the result, I’m not surprised by it,” stated Odoemene.

Speaking about the referendum result, Odoemene expressed his desire for DITSU to introduce reform to the USI now that it will remain as a member of the union until 2020 when another referendum on the issue is due to take place.

“Overall I’m in favour of a national students’ union. I believe

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The USI still needs a certain amount of reform and I believe DITSU can be the leaders of that reform. Now, we are members for the next three years and the DIT Students’ Union are committed to pushing the right reform to make it a far stronger national union for all students’ unions across the country.”

The annual DITSU elections also took place last week, with Odoemene running for re-election as President against current Vice President for Welfare, Tara O’Brien.

With the valid votes in the Presidential election totalling 3,301, a quota of 1,651 votes was required for one of the two candidates to be deemed elected.

On the first round of voting, Odoemene received 1,930 votes, passing the quota and securing a second year as President of DITSU while O’Brien received 1,279, and re-open nominations (RON) received 92 votes.

Odoemene’s campaign was suspended from canvassing students for votes from 1pm to 3pm on Tuesday, 14 March, “in relation to printing allocation” according to the DITSU website.

The result of the Presidential election was the most closely contested of the four Sabbatical Officer positions, as VP for Events was contested solely by Diarmuid Cleary, while Roisin O’Donovan and Pierre Yimbog both received more than twice the number of votes as their opposition candidates in the VP Welfare and VP Education elections respectively.

The position of Grangegorman College Officer was the mostly tightly contested of all the positions and was the only position which required more than one round of counting as no candidate reached the quota of 127 votes in the first two rounds.

Five candidates ran for election to the position, with Jacinta Odoemene receiving 113 first preference votes, Rachel Melvin received 61, Kevin O’Rafferty received 30, Sean Moore received 26, Ellen McNulty received 22, and RON receiving 0 votes.

RON and McNulty were eliminated with their second preference votes being distributed to the four remaining candidates as the proportional representation via single transferable vote method of voting was used in the elections.

In the second round of counting, Odoemene received seven votes, Melvin received eight, Moore received two, O’Rafferty received 0 while five were non-transferable,

resulting in Moore being eliminated and his second preference votes being redistributed to the remaining three candidates.

In the third and final round, Odoemene received 13 votes, O’Rafferty received five, Melvin received four, and six were non-transferable.

This left Odoemene with a total of 133 votes, surpassing the quota of 127 votes and deeming her elected as Grangegorman College Officer for the 2017/18 academic year.

The results of the other five College Officer positions being contested are as follows: Oluwasegun Seriki was elected as Post Graduate Officer, James Kanu was elected as College Officer for Kevin Street, Ben Hogan was elected as College Officer for Aungier Street, Rosie white was elected as College Officer for Rathmines/BIMM, and Jess Morris was re-elected as College Officer for Cathal Brugha Street.

No nominations were received for the Bolton Street College Officer position, although a by-election for the role is expected to take place early in the 2017/18 academic year.

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NEWS

Circus & Juggling Society to host Dublin Circus Festival next weekend

Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

DIT Circus and Juggling Society will host its annual Dublin Circus Festival across the city from Friday, 31 March, to Sunday, 2 April.

The festival kicks off on the Friday night with a Fire Show in the Courtyard of Trinity College. This event is free for all to attend.

On the second night of the three-day festival, a Gala Show will take place in The Complex located on Little Green Street, just off Capel Street in the city centre, with tickets for this event costing €10 for those who do not purchase a weekend ticket.

Throughout the duration of the festival there will also be workshops and masterclasses taking place in Larkin College on Champions Avenue, located just off Cathal Brugha Street.

The festival culminates with the Intervarsity Games on the final day of the festival, as UCD look to win their fourth successive title.

Chairperson of DIT Circus and Juggling Society, James Gandolfi, outlined some of the highlights of the three-day festival.

“We have several highlights of the Irish juggling scene performing, and are getting Emma Hornell, a well-known hula-hoopist, in from Sweden. She will take part in the Gala Show and teach a master class,” said Gandolfi.

“People can take advantage of the practice hall, where there will be workshops in various circus arts on all weekend. There will be a Fire Show and a Gala Show, the Gala should be brilliant, and the Fire Show is a great free event in the city centre,” he added.

Despite UCD’s dominance in the Intervarsity Games for the past three years, Gandolfi is somewhat optimistic about DIT Circus and Juggling Society members’ chances this year as he said, “this might be our year”.

Gandolfi is one of just five members on the organising committee for the festival with fellow DIT students, Ela Gough and Tadhg Benson, Chairperson for Trinity Circus and Juggling Society, Simon Benson, and Ben Carpenter of the Dublin Circus Project also helping to organise the event.

Tickets prices vary depending on the type of ticket, “Weekend tickets are €20 for a student, all inclusive, or €25 for waged, €10 for a day ticket to the hall, and €10 for just the Gala Show,” said Gandolfi.

The Edition Friday 24 March 2017

DIT students raise €30,000 for Temple Street Matthew Colfer Editor

@mcolfer1

Ten DIT students raised almost €30,000 for Temple Street as part of the 2017 100minds student fundraising initiative, with DIT Business Studies student, Shona Wright, named as the top overall fundraiser.

Wright hosted a ladies’ lunch in Seafood Bar on Dawson Street, raising €7,662 at the event.

Speaking about her experience of 100minds, Wright said: “I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the 100minds campaign. The experiences and skills I have gained through this programme have allowed me to flourish as a business student, with special thanks to my mentor, Gillian McCarthy.”

100minds is a unique student fundraising initiative, founded in 2013 by former UCD student, Declan Egan, and is now run by Temple Street Foundation to raise vital funds for Temple Street Children’s Hospital.

Participating students from across the country took on the challenge and created a huge variety of fundraising events and activities - from sponsored bag-packs and art exhibitions to live gigs, swimming and cycle challenges, and much more.

Each student was paired with a recent graduate in their sector who guided and mentored them as they turned their fundraising ideas into reality.

Over the course of 100 days, 100 third-level students from across Ireland managed to raise €140,522 for Temple Street Children’s University Hospital, far surpassing their target of €100,000. DIT students raised €29,886 in total.

Students presenting the large sum of money to Temple Street Children’s Hospital.

The funds raised will go to help create a new satellite classroom for St Gabriel’s Neurosurgery Ward.

Denise Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of Temple Street Foundation, said: “We are incredibly proud of our 100minds participants - who took on their fundraising challenges with enthusiasm, energy and creativity. This year’s participants raised over €140,000, surpassing their target by a phenomenal €40,000.

“The funds they have raised will go a long way to making our planned satellite classroom for St Gabriel’s Ward a reality – so we can ensure children who are bedbound don’t fall behind, and can keep up with their friends in school.

“This new classroom will allow some of the sickest children in Temple Street, many of whom are recovering from serious neurosurgery, to continue their schooling in a specialised classroom right beside the ward. This classroom will be tailored to the patients’ needs and will allow them to learn, recover and grow their confidence.”

Principal of Temple Street Hospital School, Mary Chambers, expressed her gratitude to this year’s participants, stating: “You have put an enormous amount of hard work, energy, creativity and most precious of all, given a huge amount of your time. Having raised this money, you are making a huge difference.

“The new satellite classroom will allow a much more focused learning environment. This will help hugely in our patients’ healing process where our focus is working towards their re-integration and a readiness to return home to routine and normality.”

The Temple Street Foundation was established in 2000 and exists to raise funds to make Temple Street Children’s University Hospital a better place.

Every year Temple Street relies on the generosity of donors to help raise funds to redevelop hospital wards, fund vital equipment and services, and invest in research.

Final year Journalism students launch FILTR magazine Matthew Colfer Editor

@mcolfer1

FILTR magazine, the group project undertaken by final year Journalism students, was officially launched on Tuesday, 14 March.

Harry McGee, journalist with The Irish Times, launched the magazine and spoke at the event which was held in DIT Aungier Street.

McGee gave an inspirational speech to those in attendance, offering his congratulations on a “fantastic achievement” and spoke of the high production quality of the magazine.

FILTR was created as a magazine that would represent alternative perspectives on everyday issues. Story ideas were ‘filtered’ to find different, thought-provoking angles.

The magazine covers a wide spectrum of content from four key areas – Social, Culture, Lifestyle and Sport.

Topics covered in the magazine range from looking at the issue of consent from a male

point-of-view, the hip-hop culture in Ireland, and alternative sports such as Muay Thai.

Emma Mulholland, FILTR Editor, oversaw the creation of the magazine.

“From creating illustrations, to posing for photos; many of us went above and beyond just writing articles, to ensure a personal touch in our

creation,” said Mulholland.

The design team for FILTR, lead by Head of Design Rachel D’Arcy, has been shortlisted for the 2017 National Student Media Awards Magazine Layout and Design of the Year Awards.

Nineteen DIT Journalism students produced the magazine as their final year project, while other final year students opted to produce a short radio documentary instead of working on the magazine.

The students’ work will be graded as part of their final year result, and is worth up to 25 percent of their overall final grade.

The students were overseen by Ian Kilroy, a Journalism lecturer in DIT. FILTR will be available online at www.filtrmagazine.com from next Wednesday, 29 March.

You can also follow FILTR on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FILTRmagazine, or @ FILTRmagazine on Twitter, and @filtrmagazine on Instagram.

Copies of the magazine are available for free by contacting the students involved through any of the above social media links.

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The Edition Friday 24 March 2017

HUMANS HUMANS OF OF DIT DIT Hajar Akl caught up with a whole host of DIT students to share their unique experiences

Stories

Barry Eghan Clodagh McGlynn

‘‘

I did a whole hour up on the stage in Aungier Street for Boni where I was helping them do the ‘Boni for Pres Show’ and I was the host. I wouldn’t have been able to do that this time last year but he looked like he needed help and I was kinda there because he saw my Snapchat, and myself personally, I would make big stories on Snapchat. So yeah I got up on stage and I did something that I thought I wouldn’t normally do and I thought it went relatively well. Obviously not everyone was paying attention but I was pretty happy with the whole course of events that happened. It’s a boost of confidence as well because now that I’ve done that, who knows what I can do next?

“The one thing is to get out there. In my opinion, if you go to college and you just go to classes and come home and not get involved in any way with the Students’ Union I think you’re honestly wasting your time in college. I know, obviously, we’re in college to learn but we’re also here to experience the livelihood and the life in college.

If it weren’t for me getting involved in anything here in college, I don’t think I’d be doing half the stuff that I’m doing now. I’m the PRO of the Drama Society and that was a really, really big step for me. Because coming from school, I was in Football and Hurling. That was all I played and all I knew. I kind of got sick and tired of it when I came to the end of school so I said to myself, ‘I want to do something different’ and I thought well surely, acting will be something good to do. It’s getting out there and putting yourself on stage, which is never easy to do for anybody. Build your confidence. Get out there, get your name out there.”

Ronan Kelly

‘‘

I box. I’ve been boxing for about a year. I got into it through doing a charity event for boxing that a friend of mine was doing. I was looking to get fit again so I joined it through that and ended up loving it and staying in the club and I’ve been boxing ever since on and off because the semester’s been hectic but I’d love to get back into it after summer because I’m going away for the whole summer.

“A piece of advice that’s really stood out to me is that every day is a new day. So if you have a crappy day, the next day is a new one so just start over. A hard time won’t last forever. Like with college, it can be so hard.

And if you didn’t do something today, get up and start fresh tomorrow. And if you’re looking to get fit and eat better, which is something I’ve been doing over the past while, and when I have a crappy day eating I know that tomorrow’s a new day so it doesn’t ruin everything.

“I got to a stage where I was unfit and I wasn’t happy with myself because I’d be somebody that would start something and it wouldn’t work and I’d be like ‘you know what, f**k this’ and I just give up. But since before Christmas I’ve started on track and I’m constantly seeing results and that piece of advice has helped me so much to keep going.”

‘‘

Something that was very hard for me but pretty much shaped who I am, was the death of my mother when I was seven. She died of cancer. I very much take from her. In school I didn’t have a lot of friends, because I generally made friends with people younger than me.

And she was one of the top nurses in Tallaght Hospital in a children’s ward. She’s from Kilkenny, my dad’s from Cork and we all ended up in Dublin. She taught me so much and she taught me how to be. She influenced me so much like being so kind and open yet being powerful.

So when she died, it was very hard on my family but especially hard for me because I was so young and I didn’t fully understand. For the rest of my life, I didn’t really know what was happening. I didn’t have this mother figure. My dad helped us a lot.

“I fully accepted it and it made sense around the age of 15 when I was beginning to become me and this is when I started thinking all these deep things. So many tiny little things, like what I choose to get for lunch today could affect what could happen at the end of the day or maybe even tomorrow. That was the hardest thing I’ve been through, but I wouldn’t have it any other way because it’s made me who I am today.”

The Edition Friday 24 March 2017

A

PROBLEMS? Tell Naggy Nora about them and she’ll give you a very honest answer...

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Contact me on naggynora@ edition.ie

gony unt

Well I’m stuck in the middle

Dear Naggy Nora,

This is long shot but here goes nothing. I’ve these two best friends. I myself get on way better with the other. That’s not to say I don’t like the other it’s just with one everything goes naturally. We just jel the way best friends should yano? And with the other everything is a lie. She never tells me the truth and she gets ridiculously jealous when I’m out with my other mate.

I always ask her to come too but she bails constantly I’ve spotted it early enough that I’m like ‘whatever’ but its gone on for too long and it’s really startin g to annoy me. Should I just ignore it every time she mentions me going out to the other friend or tell her to back off? What am I supposed to do?

Sarah xoxo

Dear Naggy, I’ve these two mates that are on again off again constantly. Then when they do break up I’m their go to person. They’ve broken up a handful of times now and I’m tired of listening to it. I’ve told them both how I feel on numerous occasions and what I said has been totally ignored. What should I do? Please help. Emma x Ouch, sounds like they’ve unwillingly stuck you in the middle. Are you sure they’re really your friends?

Because a friend shouldn’t do that to another.

It’s a really sticky situation. I’m not going to lie. What you need to do is tell them they need to learn to get over it without you. You’ve expressed your concerns but for what? To be ignored. No way would that be me young lady. They’ll do what they want regardless of how you feel or how they make you feel.

Obviously they’re both your friends but they’ve put you in such an unfair position. I suggest you leave them to it and when it happens again say I told you so or that you don’t want to hear it. Don’t let such a petty relationship between them ruin your friendship with the individually.

Put yourself first because it seems as though they don’t really care what you think. Don’t let them take advantage of you. I hope this helps.

Naggy Nora xoxo

What Nora says...

Dear Naggy Nora,

Hey Sarah, not the ideal situation to be in sure its not? I certainly don’t envy you.

Let me tell you this a true friends is supposed to be encouraging and supp ortive, not bitter and jealous. The way your pal is.

That’s not right.

Maybe it’s time you admit that your friendship has run its course – that she’ s too negative and prone to bringing you dow n.

The face that she doesn’t want you with anyone apart from her is a bit too poss essive for my liking. What I would do if I was you would be to pull away slowly.

Obviously you’d want to remain frien d but the way that relationship is now is far to toxic.

I’m surprised you even bothered aski ng her time and time again after the cons tant bailing. There are only so many time s you can ask without being taken for a mug . Why continue to indulge her when your life is moving on and she’s become a dead weight?

I suggest you do you and if that mea ns leaving her then so be it. Here’s a new motto don’t let anything or anyone bring you down.

Naggy Nora xoxo

I’m desperate. Plea se help me. My sis ter drives me up th born. She’s always e walls. She has ev wanted everything er since she was I have - toys, frien that her outrageou ds you name it. I ha s behaviour was be ve always known cause she was jealo but she has always us of me. She had wanted whatever wa no reason for it, s mine.

This time she took it too far. I’m with the man of my drea both live at home ms and she’s after and when he comes him too. We round she is all ov he’ll give in and go er him and I’m just off with her. I need so worried that some help quickly.

Ciara xo

What Nora says...

You are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Problem solved!

Remove your boyfriend from the equation. If she doesn’t see him then she can’t try to get him away from you.

Suggest doing things outside the house trust me it’s way more fun. I’m sure between the two of you that you can come up with some excuses to keep away, even

just for a little while.

I’m sure your gruesome sister will catch on quick when her “prey” stops coming round, but it’s nothing to do with her.

She has a serious problem with you and you’ve done well to keep a lid on your feelings for so long.

But now enough is enough. He’s your man.

You’re an adult now and if you

both live under the same roof so do it all very sly. The cards are in your hand missy so use them to your advantage. You’ve the upper hand.

It’s time to take revenge for all the horrible things she’s done on you over the years. Use him to drive her crazy. And I guarantee you he will have no idea what’s going on. Good Luck.

Naggy Nora xoxo

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The Edition Friday 24 March 2017

FEATURES

All images via William Murphy and Guiseppi Rossi via Flickr Creative Commmons

Drowing in a sea of green Lisa Martin “St Patrick’s Day in Dublin sucks” – that’s what an Irish guy told us several days before St Patrick’s Day. I guess, it is always good if somebody lowers your expectations. Because long before I started my Erasmus semester in Ireland, 17 March has been marked red in my calendar. And back in Germany everyone was jealous that I had the possibility to spend St Patrick’s Day in Dublin.

It wasn’t my first St Patrick’s Day though, two years ago I already had the chance to celebrate it. That was when my friend and I were touring the Southern States of the US and happened to be in New Orleans on 17 March. We didn’t even know what was going on when we went to the French Quarter and there were thousands of people in the streets. Quite confusing when everybody is dressed in green and people are throwing trinkets from the balconies to the masses on the street (In New Orleans traditions of St Patrick’s Day and Mardi Gras are combined).

Although we realised pretty soon which special day the crowd celebrated, our first astonishment certainly proves that St Patrick’s Day isn’t a big thing in Germany. While there are parades in cities like Munich or Berlin, traditionally Germany isn’t one of the countries that was shaped by Irish immigrants.

So, it makes sense, why American cities celebrate 17 March, but there is absolutely no reason for Germany to hold parades and illuminate buildings in green. In contrast, it just commercialises the day. And to be honest I got the same impression last Friday, although I was in Ireland. As I said before, I was very excited for this day to come. But then it turned out to be, what I call the New Year’s Eve affect: your expectations are way too high and in the end, reality can’t keep up with them.

So, just like on New Year’s Eve, we started to plan the day several weeks before to make sure that it would be something special. We decided to have an Irish breakfast at my friend’s apartment see the parade and then go wherever it takes us (not Temple Bar, though). Until the end of the parade we had a wonderful day. But instead of taking most Irish people as an

“

St Patrick’s Day in Dublin sucks.

example and head back to the apartment to celebrate for ourselves, we decided to hit the city.

I now see why Irish people stay at home and enjoy the day in privacy with their family and friends. I myself got annoyed quite soon after we went to a pub. In a second, one could distinguish tourists from locals.

Nearly every person who wasn’t from Ireland wore a ridiculous costume that misused every single stereotype there is about Ireland, or at least had something green on them. I even found myself talking to an Italian man who had a leprechaun the size of a toddler tied around his belly.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against people who are coming to Ireland from differ-

ent countries celebrating St Patrick’s Day. In fact, my friends and I did the same. We also had accessories like an Irish flag or a shamrock-trinket. Therefore, one could easily argue that St Patrick’s Day nowadays is a holiday when people from all around the globe are coming together, celebrating with each other, no matter where they are from. And I guess it is a good thing to strengthen multiculturalism, especially in a time, when right-wing politicians are propagandizing nationalism whenever they get the chance to.

But I also got the impression that the commercialisation of the day reinforces stereotypes about Ireland and prevents people from actually grappling with Irish culture. And one can only guess how it feels when your culture is always shortened to leprechauns and shamrocks. I have the same feeling about Oktoberfest in Munich, which is an attraction to people from all around the world. And it happened more than once to me that people would think, every German is in possession of a ‘Lederhose’ and drinks huge amounts of beer. Which of course isn’t totally wrong, but also is a tradition only in Bavaria.

Saying all this, I had the best time that day, when we decided to leave for a pub apart from all the St Patrick’s Day-Celebrations. Because there we had a very interesting conversation with an Irish boy and his girlfriend. They were telling us about the conflict between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. She grew up in Northern Ireland and only recently moved to Dublin. Normally you only get your information through the media, therefore it was interesting to hear from them how the conflict affects them personally and what they think about the political situation at the moment.

And after all, that is what a National holiday is about as well. Put aside all the drinking and the partying, which has its right to exist, the celebrations shouldn’t disguise that there is more to a country than its stereotypes. Because underneath you find all the worthwhile stories and the people with their personal stories that are often linked to the very special history of every country.

The Edition Friday 24 March 2017

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FEATURES

Ewa & Jill’s Jailbreak 2017 joy Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

Jailbreak has become a renowned annual student event in recent years. Established by Dublin University Amnesty International, Trinity St Vincent de Paul, and Dublin University Law Society in 2013, Jailbreak challenges students to pair up and travel to a mystery location somewhere in the world within 36 hours.

Competitors cannot use their own money for travel expenses but instead must fundraise or find sponsorship to help them get to their destination. Benn Ó’hÓgáin, co-director of Jailbreak 2017 said “students were given a series of clues which led them to a mystery location, when they were informed of the competition’s finishing point”.

In 2014 the event was opened-up to students from other third level institutions across Ireland but 2017 was the first time DIT students participated in Jailbreak. Third year Human Nutrition and Dietetics students, Ewa Ostapczuk and Jill Leavy not only represented DIT, but managed to finish in joint second.

Ostapczuk said the idea to take part in Jailbreak came to them during a lab last December when Leavy asked her if she wanted to take part. Ostapczuk said she “had no idea what it was but said yes anyway and we

Images courtesy of Donal Healy & Ewa Ostapczuk

“

You will be exhausted, excited, stressed, it will be a rollercoaster of happy and sad.

You will probably be so hungry that a rice cake will taste better than a five-star meal.

went to the information evening that night. It seemed fun to do and we are always up for a challenge and doing things out of the norm”.

One can imagine that 36 hours of travelling with a close friend on a shoestring budget can present quite a few challenges, but Ostapczuk and Leavy have a long list of highlights from Jailbreak 2017.

“Making our entry video. When the conductor from Lyon, France told us that we have a right to travel with our charity, so we stayed on the train for free, saving about €50 each.

When someone donated to our travel fund on the GoFundMe page, every time we’d jump for joy. When a drunk guy offered us some coffee and a bite of his pizza in the morning it was too good to resist and we were too hungry to care about taking food from strangers.

Eiffel Tower at night, no explanation necessary. When we got a text to say we were in the lead. When the hotel in Milan airport had soya milk. Trying Italian pasta, pizza, coffee and gelato for the first time. Reaching destination X (second tower in San Marino) and watching the sunset from the top of the tower. A bed in the hostel after barely sleeping for 2 nights.”

But, with those highlights came moments and issues the duo would rather didn’t happen, including a seemingly never ending struggle to get a flight home from Italy. “We hoped that if we asked politely at the Aer Lingus check-in desk at Milan Malpensa Airport to let us on the plane for €100 that they would…we were too optimistic, the flight was €300 each and there was only one seat left, we were stuck.

We bought a ‘cheap’ last minute flight home but received an email 30 minutes later to say that due to technical difficulties, the booking

didn’t go through.”

With all the highs and lows fresh in their minds, Ostapczuk and Leavy are adamant that Jailbreak is an event they would highly recommend to DIT students and have a few small tips for anyone who is considering taking part in 2018. “Make sure you bring lots of spare socks and travel light. It would be great to get DIT’s name out there as it’s such a public event. You will be exhausted, excited, stressed, it will be a rollercoaster of happy and sad. You will probably be so hungry that a rice cake will taste better than a five-star meal,” said Ostapczuk.

The personal challenges which Jailbreak presents to those who partake in the competition is not the only element which can entice potential competitors as all the teams are required to raise money for Amnesty International Ireland and the Society of St Vincent de Paul.

Ostapczuk and Leavy set their own fundraising target which they have surpassed, raising €370 so far. Overall, the 57 teams who participated have raised approximately €54,000, surpassing their goal of €50,000, with the final figure for all the team’s fundraising efforts to exceed €55,000 by the time it’s all collected and counted.

“The Jailbreak Committee is extremely proud of our 2017 participants who have together managed to raise an astonishing amount for our two charity partners. We expect the final tally—once donations from collection buckets are added—to exceed €55,000, which will have a tremendous positive impact on Amnesty International Ireland and on the Society of St Vincent de Paul,” said Ó’hÓgáin.

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The Edition Friday 24 March 2017

FEATURES

Strike 4 Repeal Thousands of people took to the streets of the capital for the Strike 4 Repeal on International Women’s Day demanding a referendum on the Eighth Amendment of the constitution.

Protesters placard at Strike4Repeal. Credit Hugo Fitzpatrick.

VP for Ents Diarmuid Cleary supporting Strike4Repeal. Credit Hugo Fitzpatrick.

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FEATURES Sarah Harford & Conor Shields

Angry protester at the march. Credit Sarah Harford.

More placards at the march. Credit Hugo Fitzpatrick.

Strike4Repeal take over O’Connell Bridge. Credit Sarah Harford.

Earlier this month thousands of people took to the streets of Dublin in support of the Strike 4 Repeal campaign. March 8, which was also International Women’s Day, saw people all across the country taking a stand against Ireland’s abortion legislation.

DIT Students’ Union (DITSU) attended the strike, and DITSU College Officer for Cathal Brugha Street, Jessica Morris, said she was “more than happy” with the level of engagement from DIT students.

Spokesperson for the Strike 4 Repeal campaign, Stephanie Taft, explained that she felt “overwhelmed by the solidarity and support that could be felt on O’Connell Bridge”.

When asked about the large volume of students who attended the strike, Ms Taft felt that their involvement was justified.

“I think SUs and every university group who took a pro-choice and pro-strike stance were absolutely justified in their response; not only because SUs hold democratic decisions on these stances, but because the student body is so obviously in need of the fundamental changes in our constitution that we demand.

It’s incredibly important to mobilise students to fight for their futures and SUs should enable and facilitate in that mobilisation,” explained Taft.

She also added that “the point was absolutely made. We are here, we will take risks to get what we need and we will fight for what we deserve. Given an estimation of 5,000 people turned out on O’Connell Bridge and many more around the country and internationally in solidarity marches and protests, we

think the government can no longer ignore our demands,” said Taft.

The group behind the strike, who describe themselves as an “ad-hoc, non-affiliated group of activists, academics, artists and trade unionists”, were seeking for a referendum to be called on the matter of the Eighth Amendment.

“We’ve been really surprised and overwhelmed by the support we’ve gotten,” said Claire Brophy of Strike 4 Repeal.

“We’ve managed to create a sense of pressure on the Government, and we’ve met with people in the Dáil and Dublin City Council.

It has escalated the pro-choice movement for 2017, and drawn attention to the urgency of this issue” “It’s really shown that there is a need for change and that people want change,” she added.

The group picketed the Department of Justice, before moving onto the Department of the Taoiseach, and the Department of Health.

The strike gathered momentum and support as protesters marched through the city, chanting refrains such as “Enda, Enda, we want a referenda” and “this is what democracy looks like”.

At 12.30pm the group reached O’Connell Bridge where thousands of people gathered.

Traffic in the city centre was brought to a halt as the strike occupied the bridge for over two hours.

Walkouts were organised from most of the third level institutions in the country, including DIT.

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FEATURES

Less stress, more success

With deadlines and exams fast approaching, Eimear Dodd looks at some coping techniques to help deal with college stress

It doesn’t feel that long since the academic year started. And yet, here we are. Easter is just around the corner. We’re heading towards the end of the academic year. Suddenly, it’s very real. The dreaded exams are fast approaching. There’s assignments and essays due. Someone has already borrowed that book you need from the library.

College can be a bit of a juggling act at the best of times. There’s the academic side to think about with lectures, assignments and study. Many students also have a part-time job to help with college costs. Some are even working full-time.

But, that’s not all. Money worries might be adding to your concerns. If you’re living away from home, there’s rent and other costs to think about. While the search for next year’s accommodation is looming. It might be simpler to commute from home. How long does it take? Some students have a long and challenging journey into college. Add family commitments and a social life into the mix, and it’s probably no surprise that college can be a major source of stress.

What is stress?

Stress is the feeling of being under too much mental or emotional pressure and feeling unable to cope. Stress will have an impact on how you think, feel, and behave.

It can lead to anxiety, worry, and make it difficult to concentrate. Excess stress can also be associated with physical symptoms such as stomach pains and headaches.

According to a 2014 study carried out by the American Psychological Association, almost one third of US college students found it difficult to function in their daily lives in the previous 12 months because of depression and anxiety linked to stress.

However, it’s important to know that everyone reacts differently to stress. Often,a situation that feels stressful to one person may be motivating to another.

What can you do?

This time of the year can be particularly stressful for students. Assignments, job applications, planning your summer.

There’s a lot going on.

Here are a few coping techniques that might help you with college stress during the coming weeks.

1. Get Organised Do a little planning. What do you need to get done before the end of term? When are your assignments/essays due? Remember your aim here is to develop a strategy to help you over the next few weeks so don’t spend too much time designing the perfect study plan.

The exam timetables are published on the DIT exams website about one month before exams start. Keep an eye on your inbox for your notification email. It’s up to you to double-check your timetable.

2. Work out your routine

This time of the year can be particularly stressful for students.

Assignments, job applications, planning your summer.

There’s a lot going on.

All-nighters might feel necessary.

However, they can be counterproductive.

It might be boring but a routine can be helpful. Do you prefer to study early or later in the day? Do you need absolute silence or can you study with others? Music or total silence? Do you need a dedicated study space or can you work any where? Figure out what works best for you and try to stick to it as best as you can.

3. Look after yourself This goes without saying. The way you look after your body has an impact on how the body copes with stress. That might mean cutting back on processed foods, caffeine and alcohol. Drink plenty of water. And do a little exercise.

4. Relax If you have a lot of deadlines, taking a break can feel more like procrastination. Yet, the brain is more effective after it’s rested. Listen to some music, take a trip to the cinema, have a Netflix binge. Spend time with friends. Do whatever works for you.

5. Sleep All-nighters might feel necessary. However, they can be counterproductive, especially if you’re doing them regularly.

Sleep is important.

6. Talk Tell your family and friends that you’re preparing for exams. Explain that you might not be as available over the coming weeks. If you’re feeling particularly stressed, tell someone who you feel will listen. They can be a really good source of support.

7. Feeling overwhelmed?

Sometimes, it’s difficult to speak with our loved ones about our worries. If you feel overwhelmed and unable to cope, there are other sources of support. The first place to go is to your GP. Remember all full-time students can attend appointments at the DIT Health Centre. There’s no charge for general consultations.

The Student Counselling Service also offers individual counselling in a safe, confidential and non-judgmental space.

If you’d like to make an appointment, you’ll need to complete the online form available at dit.ie/counselling. They also offer a drop in service for emergencies.

Useful websites: Pleasetalk.ie contains resources and information about services and supports for college students.

Reachout Ireland is an online mental health resource for young people aged between 15 and 25 years old.

SpunOut.ie’s health pages include an online directory of services and supports.

Yourmentalhealth.ie also has a number of online tools that may be useful.

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CULTURE

Rusangano Family take top prize at the Choice Music Awards

Sarah Harford Feature Editor @saz_harford

Like our very own version of the prestigious Mercury Award, the Choice Music Prize has been recognising the best in Irish talent since it was established in 2005 with the list of previous winners including the likes of Jape, Two Door Cinema Club, and Villagers.

This year’s awards, which were held in Vicar Street on 9 March, had a fantastic, diverse shortlist of artists nominated. However, it was Limerick-based hip-hop group Rusangano Family that scooped the top prize for their self-released debut album ‘Let the Dead Bury the Dead’.

The competition for Irish album of the year was fierce.

There were many familiar names on the shortlist, such as Lisa Hannigan and James Vincent McMorrow, whose albums both went to number

one in the Irish charts last year. But there were also some less well-established and up and coming acts featured.

The competition is generally judged on music alone rather than airplay figures or record sales. This means that there have been many unexpected winners over the years, with chart-topping figures such as Bell X1, The Script, and Hozier losing out to less well known acts.

The Choice Music Prize aims to be more than just an awards ceremony, but a live event which shines a spotlight on the best recent developments in the Irish music scene. The sold-out show was hosted by RTÉ 2FM’s Eoghan McDermott, and saw all of the nominated acts perform, except for James Vincent McMorrow who was on tour in Australia.

“ We wrote

the album through a lot of pain and struggle.

Highlights of the show included mesmerising a capella turns from Wallis Bird and Lisa Hannigan, a lively set from indie-rockers All Tvvins, and a witty, wry performance from previous winners The Divine Comedy.

But it was Rusangano Family who stole the show, making the hip-hop trio’s win that much sweeter. Their three-track set was the only part of the night that brought the entire crowd to their feet.

It was an energetic, engaging performance, that even saw one of the group members

jump down from the stage to dance on the tables of Vicar Street.

During their emotional victory speech at the end of the night, Rusangano Family’s MC Godknows spoke of the obstacles the group had overcome to win this award, which includes €10,000 prize money.

“We wrote the album through a lot of pain and struggle, and we all still have jobs - we actually have work in the morning,” he laughed.

“There’s nothing like the Irish crowd...you guys made us.”

‘Let the Dead Bury the

Dead’ is an outstanding album that explores themes of identity, immigration, and inspiration, and seems like a fitting winner to represent music and life in modern Ireland.

Earlier in the night, the Song of the Year prize was awarded to Picture This for their breakout summer hit ‘Take My Hand’. Based entirely on a public vote, the Athy duo triumphed over tracks from bands such as Walking on Cars, The Coronas, and the mediocre effort from a post-One Direction Niall Horan.

The Illusionists at the Bord Gais Theatre Olivia Powell

Culture Editor @powell_olivia

The Illusionists brought their jaw-dropping magic show to the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre from March 14 – 19.

The Illusionists have been touring the world with their mind blowing show and played Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. The Illusionists are a group of seven performers who each have a different style of magic, however all are influenced by the great Harry Houdini. The performers each go by a different name such as The Escapologist, The Daredevil, The Weapon Master and The Manipulator and are all from different parts of the world. The Illusionists pride themselves on being the next generation of magic, howev-

“The

er the show includes tricks which many of us would have seen before from watching magic on television.

The show, which is open to all ages, is filled with card tricks, levitation, disappearing and one brave man holding his breath under water,

frantically trying to escape a locked water tank.

The show began with a simple card trick, designed to manipulate the audience. This was followed by one magician who made hundreds of goldfish appear in what was an empty

Illusionists are a group of seven performers who each have a different style of magic

water tank just minutes before. The Escapologist safely made his way out of a locked water tank after holding his breath for four minutes and The Manipulator performed an incredible card trick, literally making cards appear from thin air.

The Trickster performed a bewildering illusion using an audience member’s jacket and the magician who disappears, appeared in the audience when he was just on stage seconds earlier. Act one closed with a trick which involved the audience and an envelope that was placed on our seats when we arrived at the theatre which strictly read “please do not open”.

Act two was a lot more interactive with a few audience members invited to the stage, one audience

member was even levitated into the air which was quite surreal and The Weapon Master hit balloons with an arrow which were held by his assistant whilst blindfolded.

Act two came to an end but the Irish crowd were eager to see more. The show ended with a card trick from The Manipulator where he made the words “I love Dublin” appear on blank cards. The audience at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre gave The Illusionists a standing ovation who seemed to enjoy the show as much as we did.

Aforementioned, the show is for all ages and I could see children in the audience were truly gob smacked and in awe by what they were witnessing. However, for many, the tricks were the same as what we would see on television and nothing that we have not seen before, but it was great to experience a live magic

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CULTURE

Simply the Beast Niamh Haskins Online Editor @niamhhaskins

FILM REVIEW Title: Beauty and the Beast Director: Bill Condon Starring: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Ewan McGregor, Josh Gad, Kevin Kline Genre: Drama, Musical Running Time: 2hr 9mins Disney’s new adaptation of Beauty and the Beast is a live-action retelling of the studio’s animated classic which refashions the classic characters from the “tale as old as time” for a new contemporary audience.

This live-action remake of Disney’s 1991 animated classic is a fulsome ode to its prede-

cessor, spectacular in its design, joyous and jaw dropping in its execution, solemn in its acting and performances, rejoyceful and soulful in its premise as well as outstanding with its application of CGI. Beauty and the Beast shows the fantastic journey of Belle - a bright, beautiful and independent young woman. An only child living with her widowed father in a town too afraid to move on. The setting of her hometown is a small provincial French city lined with colorful homes, cobblestone streets, and quaint shops.

Within the film, the protagonist, Belle, dreams of a bigger life and refuses to marry shallow villager Gaston (Luke Evans). On the way to market Belle’s forward thinking father Maurice (Kevin Kline) falls prey to magic and ends up prisoner of the Beast (Dan Stevens) for attempting to steal a rose for his “dear

Belle”.

Belle finds her father in a massive, derelict castle home to a grumpy, growling beast and she gracefully manages to trick them both. She sacrifices herself for her father and in return is holed up in the enchanted castle with the Beast and his former staff (Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson) who are all now pieces of talking furniture.

Despite her biggest fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realises the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within. Only love can break the spell before the last petal on the cursed rose falls.

The core of the story is blissfully intact. It’s fitting, for a tale about gradually discovering inner beauty, that the Beast is tricky to know at first: withheld from our sympathy but soon

clenching on our heartstrings.

Watson was the ideal casting for this. She is just the kind of Belle the film is looking for - a natural beauty who is very sensible. Stevens as the Beast/Prince is touching in his melancholy, reluctant in his charms, and surprisingly rare in his tempers. Much has been made of Disney’s first gay moment. It was towards the end when LeFou played by Josh Gad is dancing momentarily with a camp guy. The role masked of humour, nothing more, nothing less.

Beauty and the Beast is most definitely a tale as old as time. This time it has been given a new lease of life on the big screen by director Bill Condon in a movie which both adults and children alike will undoubtedly love.

Beauty and the Beast exceeds expectations and delivers a truly special cinematic experience.

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18| Sport

The Edition Friday 24 March 2017

McDunphy secures first A1 race win in Boyne Grand Prix

Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

DIT Sports Scholar and second-year Mechanical Engineering student, Conn McDunphy, claimed his first A1 Road Race victory in the Boyne Grand Prix on Sunday, 12 March.

While he said he is targeting wins in upcoming competitions, McDunphy said the Boyne GP was not one of his targeted wins but is still delighted to have secured his first A1 win.

“While the Boyne GP was not a target race I was very happy to be able to win against some of the country’s best riders.

“What this race has taught me is to be patient and smarter in races.

Cycling is all about conserving your energy for when you need it. The team rode the race tactically excellent which meant I still had plenty of energy left when I attacked the breakaway with 10km to go.”

Head of Sport in DIT, Sinead McNulty, was full of praise for McDunphy after his victory, and she even went on to commend her colleagues involved in the Sports Scholarship programme.

“Conn is a great athlete, and role model for those not only in his own sport, but for those seeking to achieve in any sport, demonstrating determination, tenacity and commitment. I am delighted that DIT Sport and Recreation are in a position to support Conn in his development and progression, and look forward to watching his continued success.

“I would like to commend the work of my colleague, Niamh O’Callaghan (DIT Sports Officer) in managing the DIT Athlete Support Programme which helps Conn, and over 120 athletes annually to optimise their potential, both academically and in their chosen sport.

“I would also like to acknowledge the commitment of DIT Senior Management to the DIT Elite Athlete Support programme since its

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inception, and the invaluable contribution made [by] colleagues through the implementation of the Academic Mentor programme to support our DIT High

Performance Athletes,” said McNulty.

As well as targeting wins later in the season, McDunphy is aiming to make the Ireland Under-23 team this year, and believes his performance earlier this month is a step towards achieving that goal.

“For this year my primary focus is to break into the National team and then compete at international events, be it this year or next. The U23 standard is high in Ireland at

the moment, this win is a start to getting selected. Hopefully a bigger win is not too far away.

“We have targeted several of the big races, namely Rás Mumhan on the Easter bank holiday weekend, the classic league races, there are

seven in total throughout the year, and the Tour of Ulster.”

McDunphy was set to compete in the Seven Springs Grand Prix, the first of the seven classic league races on Sunday last, 19 March, in Galway, but the race was postponed due to adverse weather conditions which left a lot of surface water on the course.

The race was organised by Seven Springs Cycling Club and a statement on their Facebook page on Saturday, 18 March, stated: “We will be rescheduling next week and

will update once we have a new date.”

McDunphy’s win is just the follow-up he was looking for having finished second in the Cycleways Cup last month.

The victory also sees McDunphy move up to sixth place in the Cycling Ireland A1 Rider Rankings, making him the highest ranked member of Lucan Cycling Road Club at present, with his clubmates, Mark Reilly and Dermot Trulock currently ranked twenty-third and twenty-fifth respectively.

Despite this bump up the rankings, McDunphy is remaining grounded but hopeful that he will still be competing for a high ranking finish to the season.

“While it’s nice to be at the top of the rankings at the moment but it is not until after Easter that the rankings begin to bare any resemblance of what they will look like at the end of the season. Hopefully I will be still up there though.”

McDunphy is hoping to represent DIT before the end of the semester before he focuses on riding for his club, Lucan Cycling Road Club throughout the summer.

“I hope to compete in both the track and road intervarsities with the college and will be aiming to do well. The next few months I will mostly be racing here in Ireland with the support of Staggs Cycles in Lucan. I will also be competing in the An Post RÁS the week after exams, so the study and training will be a bit of a juggling act but with a bit of luck all will go well.”

DIT archers win gold and bronze at Student National Championships Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

It was a weekend to remember for DIT Archery Club at the Student National Championships at the end of February as they won an individual gold medal and a team bronze medal.

Sophie Schafhauser won a gold medal in the Female Recurve category without losing a single set to any of her opponents who included last year’s winner.

Schafhauser then teamed up with Kristian Bongo and Alice Jordan for the team event in which they finished third by beating DCU after losing the semi-final to Maynooth in a tie-breaker.

Speaking about her achievements Schafhauser

expressed her delight with taking home two medals from the competition.

“It felt amazing. At first, after I won my last individual round, I tried not to think about it too much and focused on the team competition. But after that I just felt incredibly happy, both because I won individual gold and because we won team bronze,” stated Schafhauser.

“I was of course hoping that I would be able to win, but I didn’t really expect it.

My main aim before the competition was to win a medal.”

Speaking about the results, DIT Archery Club captain, Kristian Bongo, said “this year was better in terms of results getting female gold and third place in teams”.

Schafhauser took up archery about three years ago but had to take a two year break due to college commitments; this was her first tournament win since she began competing.

“I’ve been doing archery for a total of about three years now, but I had to take a two-year break in-between, because I was very busy with school. I’ve been competing for almost as long.”

Bongo explained how the tournament was run and how archers compete against each other. “[Student National Championships] is the only event that has been hosted this year that can compare to the standard rules and set up of World Archery events, therefore I

would rank it as the biggest student archery event.

“The individual archers compete against each other in one-on-one head to heads to earn the top place in their respective category. In teams, it is a three versus three with the same goal of being on top.”

In total seven DIT students competed at the Archery Student National Championships held in University College Cork on the 25 and 26 February.

Bongo said there are usually between 10 and 15 people at the Archery Club’s regular Monday training sessions while their Wednesday sessions often has less than 10 students but that these numbers are “about average compared to other years”.

Sport |19

The Edition Friday 24 March 2017

Taekwondo Club wins 14 medals as they host IVs

Ladies soccer club bask in plate glory

Continued P24

Matthew Colfer

Niamh Haskins

Editor

Online Editor @niamhhaskins

@mcolfer1

DIT Taekwondo Club hosted their Intervarsities competition in Larkin Community College, Champions Avenue, on Saturday, 4 March.

At the event, 70 students from 12 different third level institutions competed across various categories.

DIT was represented by 11 students who won 14 medals.

Students competed in various categories such as sparring and patterns, split by the colour belt the student currently holds.

A pattern is a specific series of movements designed to defend oneself from an imaginary attacker.

A new pattern is taught to students for each new colour belt they obtain.

On Thursday, 16 March, the club’s regular class was taught through Irish by instructor, Mr John Murphy, as part of Seachtain na Gaeilge.

“I taught the class on Thursday through Irish for Seachtain na Gaeilge. My Irish is reasonably strong anyway, though I don’t teach Taekwondo classes through Irish usually,” said Mr Murphy.

As well as their remaining training sessions, the club will hold its end of year grading on Friday, 31 March according to Mr Murphy.

A Taekwondo grading is a test of students’ ability to perform kicking and punching routines, patterns, sparring, and timber breaking.

Students are not just physically tested at a grading as they are also tested on theory which often features aspects of Korean history, as Taekwondo originates in Korea, dating back approximately 2,000 years.

After passing a grading, a student will progress to the next colour belt; they will then be taught a new syllabus of punches, kicks and theory before being allowed to attend the next grading for the next belt.

Students’ readiness to attend a grading is judged on their ability, attendance, focus, and the instructor’s decision whether to allow students to be tested for their next belt.

The belt ranking is divided into 19 stages broken into 10 colour belts, known as Kups, and 9 levels of black belt, referred to as Dans, with the ninth Dan earning the student the title of Grandmaster.

Ellen Keane with her Paralympic medal. Image via Facebook.

Victory for Keane in World Series Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

DIT student and Irish Paralympic swimmer, Ellen Keane, managed two podium finishes in the first stage of the 2017 World Para Swimming World Series.

The event was held in Copenhagen, Denmark on Saturday and Sunday, 11 and 12 March, with Keane winning the women’s 200m individual medley SM9 and finishing second in the women’s 100m butterfly.

In the women’s 200m individual medley SM9, Keane was beaten by USA’s triple Paralympic champion Rebecca Meyers, who claimed her third medal of the weekend in the race, while Hungary’s Zsofia Konkoly finished the race in third place.

Keane had more success later in the second day of the World Series event as she won the 200m individual medley with a gap of more than thirty seconds between her and second place Laura Martens Christensen of Denmark and just under a minute ahead of Sweden’s Emma Danielsson in third place.

There are four more stages in the 2017 World Para Swimming World Series with the next round

being held in Sao Paulo, Brazil from 21 to 23 April.

The third event will be held in Sheffield, England on 27 to 30 April, followed by round four in Indianapolis, USA from 9 to 11 June before concluding in Berlin, Germany from 6 to 9 July.

The 2017 World Para Swimming World Series is the first year the series of competitions has been run and provides athletes with the opportunity to compete against some of the world’s best swimmers before the 2017 World Para Swimming Championships in Mexico City from 30 September to 7 October.

According to the official website of World Para Swimming, the athletes’ results from each individual world series event will be calculated to determine who is the best performing overall athlete.

“All athlete’s results at each World Series edition will be calculated using a standardised points system via an online virtual competition platform. This will ensure that the overall World Para Swimming World Series winner will be the best performing athlete

over the duration of the series, meaning that every performance counts,” the website states.

At the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro last August, Keane won a bronze medal in the SB8 100m breaststroke, finishing behind Great Britain’s Claire Cashmore in second, and Katarina Roxon of Canada in first.

Keane competed in the S9 100m butterfly, SB8 100m breaststroke, S9 100m backstroke and the SM9 200m individual medley at the 2016 Paralympic Games, qualifying for the finals in all three 100m events.

Prior to the Paralympics, the third-year Culinary Entrepreneurship student won a bronze medal in the 200m Individual Medley SM9 at the 2015 Para Swimming World Championships.

Keane is one of DIT’s sport scholarship students on the Athlete Support Programme and will be hoping to qualify for her fourth Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020 having already competed in Rio de Janeiro 2016, London 2012, and Beijing 2008 at just 13 years-old.

For all their slick passing and dominance of possession, AIT couldn’t make their attacking moves count.

Donnelly said: “The game had everything, intensity, goals and some dodgy decisions. They were by far our toughest opposition yet, their subs made a huge difference; that allowed them to apply continual pressure. They thoroughly deserved to get the game back to 2-2.

“And even when we went 3-2 up they never stopped and kept pushing us right ‘til the end. They attacked so much in the final ten it allowed us to break and score two goals in injury time. The score line certainly doesn’t reflect how close the game was, but if Amy Murphy is afforded that much time and space on the ball she will punish anyone like she has done all season.”

It was the superb display from star striker Murphy that really ensured and preserved the Plate for this side. Murphy celebrated with two further goals in the closing minutes to round off a memorable day for the side. Murphy was also awarded Player of the Match due to her inspiring form.

Donnelly said: “There are no surprises that Amy was awarded with that trophy at the end of the game, there’s no doubt that it wouldn’t have been her. To score four goals in a such a highly contested final there’s no way she wouldn’t win it. When the final whistle went I remember telling Amy she was my favourite person on any continent at that very moment. When she’s on fire she is terrifying.”

This was certainly a fairytale season for the side and gives the squad plenty to build upon next year. Donnelly said: “What’s next?

We need to sit down over the summer and plan how we can build on this year’s successes and hopefully get the ladies promoted to Division One and get our lads’ ‘C’ team up another division.

“We need and want to make a serious effort to compete for all possible silverware available to us.

DIT Soccer Club operate as one club not a men’s and women’s and that’s something we really want to make sure we maintain for years to come.”

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SPORT

Friday 24 March 2017

SOCCER Niamh Haskins Online Editor @niamhhaskins

Amy Murphy on the ball for the Ladies’ Soccer Team.

Credit: DIT Soccer Club

DIT’s Amy Murphy was the star of the show with a four goal haul to power DIT Ladies Soccer Club to success in the WSCAI Women’s Plate Final over Athlone IT (AIT) in University of Limerick last week.

Murphy, DIT’s star striker, gave the side an early advantage netting her first goal within three minutes. Murphy beat Athlone ‘keeper Cliodhna Dunne with a clinical finish after she ran onto Dervla Higgins’ through ball.

Midway through the half Murphy doubled the lead when she burst through the Athlone defence and applied a similar finish to her first.

Before the halftime whistle went, Athlone’s Aisling Cosgrave had her side back on level terms with two well taken goals.

In what had been a fairly contested second half, on the seventieth minute, Sarah Jane Hecker grabbed a crucial penalty to put DIT back in front once again.

Speaking to The Edition after the game, DIT captain Lisa Donnelly said: “Within the game there were a few stages where I was wondering if it was going to go our way.

When it was 2-2 I wondered how I could motivate our girls to keep pushing on. Halftime was pivotal, it allowed us to regroup and refocus. And then with the talent in our team going forward I’d have been very surprised if we didn’t manage to score again and thankfully we did.”

Continued P23

Ladies Gaelic Football and Camogie Lose Out Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

There was heartbreak for the DIT Ladies’ Gaelic Football team and DIT Camogie team recently, as both were beaten in their respective cup and league finals.

The Ladies’ Gaelic Football team travelled to Westport, Mayo for the Lynch Cup Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, 11 and 12 March.

DIT first faced UCD in the Lynch Cup semi-final on the Saturday. DIT started at a rapid pace to net a goal inside the opening five minutes which helped them lead their Dublin rivals 2-10 to 0-04 at the break.

The second half was a tighter affair as both teams scored 1-05 to leave the final score 3-15 to 1-09, booking a place in the following day’s final for DIT. Credit: INPHO Tommy Greally

DIT faced Waterford Institute of Technology in the final who were far too strong for the DIT side, with the half-time score line reading DIT 0-03, WIT 1-14.

DIT dominated the second half but it wasn’t enough as they could only manage to claw back a further 2-06 while restricting WIT to scoring just three points in the second half.

The Camogie team faced stiff opposition against University of Limerick (UL) in the CCAO Division 1 League final in Heywood, Laois the following Tuesday, 14 March.

It was the Ashbourne Cup winners, UL, who were victorious on the night, demolishing the Purcell Cup winners on a score line of 4-19 to 0-09.