The Edition, Wednesday, 8 February, 2017

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Humans Of DIT - Pg 10

Generation Y - Pg 7

Wednesday 8 February 2017

Supported by DIT News Society

Rugby Drawn Against DCU - Pg 18

Strike4Repeal planned - Page 5

DITSU to Attend USI Congress as Part of TUDSU The students’ unions of DIT, ITB and ITT are to amalgamate for the USI Congress in March, forming the Technological University Dublin Student Union Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

At the monthly DIT Students’ Union (DITSU) Student Council meeting last month, it was announced that DITSU will be attending USI Congress as part of the Technological University of Dublin Student Union (TUDSU).

The announcement was made by DITSU President, Boni Odoemene, and the venture will see DITSU form TUDSU with ITB Student Union (ITBSU) and ITT Student Union (ITTSU).

Speaking about the collaboration, Odoemene said: “The three Unions will be attending the USI Congress this year as the TUDSU to make a visual statement. We will be wearing similar branding and will

be training our delegations together before Congress.”

Odoemene also explained that by working together as TUDSU the three student unions are laying the foundations for future elected representatives to do the same.

“We decided to this because we felt that for so long, the whole concept of a TUD was realistic, but unimaginable for your everyday student,” said Odoemene.

“We want to get the ball rolling in regards to working together as a TUDSU, and performing together as a TUDSU. So, when the day comes for us three to merge, the transition would be an easier one.”

Present of ITBSU, Jason Aughney, shared his reasoning for the three unions working together, echoing many of Odoemene’s sentiments.

Continued 3

NEWS Affordable Medical Centres

DIT has some of the most affordable health centre facilities among Dublin colleges

Student Levy

Referendum on the proposed student levy is needed to ensure Grangegorman is completed on time

A hello to DIT Operation Smile Club from China. (Credit: Sarah Douglas)

FEATURES

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The Great Debate DIT Law & Debating Soc will host The Irish Times Debate Grand Final next Friday

No Fashion Show

DIT Fashion Society have made the decision to postpone their annual charity Fashion Show

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Charity Climb

Alumnus Austin Delaney preparing to climb Africa’s highest mountain for charity

Smear Aware

A number of issues have brought the age for smear testing into the spotlight

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CULTURE Panti Bliss Niamh Haskins reviews Ireland’s premier drag queen’s new show

Split Review

Joseph Ryan evaluates M. Night Shyamalan’s new feature

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SPORT Men’s GAA

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DIT’s Mens Senior Hurlers and Footballers start cup campaigns with victories

Horse Racing

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David O’Farrell looks ahead to the Irish Gold Cup and Student Race Days

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The Edition Wednesday 8 February 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 Aisling Carr Catherine Devane Dan Wilson David O’Farrell Joseph Ryan Nikki Murphy Sarah Douglas

Medical Centres in DIT among the cheapest in Dublin’s third level institutes There are no charges for a consultation fee with a doctor in DIT’s two health centres, with more than 5,000 students availing of the service in the first semester of the 2016/17 academic year, writes Deputy Editor Sinead Farrelly.

DIT and Trinity College Dublin a safety blanket.

A recent investigation into the are the cheapest of the four main “I would argue the service is number of students attending the Dublin colleges for students to see not ‘free’ as our fees play a part health centres of the major Dublin a doctor with no consultation fees, in its existence. That said it is colleges has shown that a quarter of while UCD is the most expensive fantastic value for money and the DIT students and over half of DCU at €25.

Trinity college is the most affordable for STI screening at €20 with €5 refunded to students upon arrival at the appointment, while again UCD prove to be the most expensive, with fees of up to €70 for a doctor led screening.

Other services, such as blood tests, contraception and vaccinations, are available at the health centres with subsidised fees for students, examples of the differing fees can be seen in the table.

Ben Hogan, a second year student in Aungier street has said that he believes it is a great service for Exmples of some of the different fees at the four different colleges. students to have available.

“While I have fortunately not fact there’s no worry about finance students avail of their on campus had reason to make use of the DIT when having to actually visit makes health centre facilities.

Health Centre it is fantastic to know it a service I’m certainly inclined to According to figures obtained in the back of my mind it’s there as avail of.” under the Freedom of Information

Act, 2014, in the first semester of the 2016/17 college year there were 15,691 doctor visits in DIT by 5,165 individual attendees.

In DCU there were 4,827 visits to a doctor as well as 5,045 nurse visits.

DIT, the country’s second largest third level institution, has two health centre facilities, one on each side of the city centre, in their Linen hall and Aungier Street campuses.

DCU also have two health centres with one on their main Glasnevin campus as well as one at St Patrick’s College in Drumcondra, which merged with DCU last year.

Trinity College said that due to the way they keep their statistics they were unable to provide the exact information requested to the FOI request; while UCD said that they do not track the number of individual students attending their health centre.

The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

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NEWS

DITSU to Attend USI Congress as Part of TUDSU

Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

“The reason why I feel TUDSU is the right way forward is because the way each of the student unions operate are completely different and for the good of our students it’s important that we find best practices within each of our own unions and combine them together to have one unified approach on how we can best serve the students we represent.”

Odoemene also stated that the group will be meeting in March before USI Congress to discuss their aims for Congress.

Recently, two TDs from the Dublin West constituency, Joan Burton (Labour Party) and Jack Chambers (Fianna Fáil) asked the Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton (Fine Gael), for a status update on the Technological Universities Bill.

Minister Bruton’s answers to

“ The three Unions

both deputies’ questions are available on the Oireachtas website and both answers are almost identical.

In his answers, Minister Bruton stated: “As the Deputy will be aware, the new Programme for Government outlines that this new

Government will continue to support the creation of Technological Universities.

“This is in line with the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 which provides a framework for the development of the higher education sector to

will be attending the USI Congress this year as the TUDSU to make a visual statement.

Student levy referendum needed before September

2030. With regard to the institute of technology sector, the Strategy recommended significant reforms to position the sector to meet national strategic objectives.

“In particular, the Strategy recommended consolidation within the sector and a pathway of evolution for those consolidated institutes of technology, to allow them to demonstrate significant progress against robust performance criteria and to apply to become technological universities.”

In his response to Deputy Burton’s questions, Minister Bruton states that the Technological Universities Bill is listed on the Dáil Order Paper and awaiting committee stage as part of the third Government Legislative Programme which was published on 17 January, 2017.

Minister Bruton’s answer continues: “It is my intention to consult with all of the relevant stakeholders in relation to both the matters raised during the legislative process and the commitments contained in the Programme for Government.

“Following the finalisation of this consultation process I will then advance the legislation having determined a position in relation to any matters raised as part of this consultation process.”

However, a post from 17 January, on the third level education website, 9thlevel.ie, entitled, “Legislation Programme for Spring/Summer Session 2017 – 3rd level”, referring to the TU Bill states: “Given the broad degree of consensus that would be needed to pass this, and the opposition from various quarters, it seems unlikely to proceed further at any time soon.”

Conor Shields

News Editor @SHIELDSYYYYY

DIT students will be expected to begin paying an annual student levy by next September according to a recent development plan released by the Institute’s Campus Life department.

The Campus Life Development Plan 2016 - 2020 has indicated that the expected levy will be used to fund a proposed student centre which will be constructed in DIT’s Grangegorman campus.

The proposed centre will include student media facilities, a multipurpose performance space, student accommodation and fitness facilities.

Before the student levy can be introduced, it must be passed by DIT students in a referendum. However, there is yet to be a date set for a referendum on this issue for the current semester.

Head of DIT Campus Life, Brian Gormley, has explained that the initial date of Septem-

ber 2017 was included in the Plan due to the fact that if a referendum is not held by then, it will not be possible to have the promised facilities installed by the time the first wave students are moved to the Grangegorman campus.

“We hope that the student body would see the benefit of introducing a levy which would fund excellent student facilities for future generations of DIT students, but that decision will be a democratic decision of the students,” said Gormley.

It is understood that the introduction of a levy could raise up to €20m which could be used to assist the construction of the proposed student centre and other facilities.

According to Gormley, the total cost of the levy has not yet been agreed upon but assures that its introduction will be carefully phased, meaning tthat final year students who

“

We would be very conscious of the financial pressures on students, and setting the levy will be a balancing act.

The DIT Grangegorman Campus. (Credit: Matthew Colfer)

would not benefit from the new facilities will be exempt from paying it.

“We would be very conscious of the financial pressures on students, and setting the levy will be a balancing act between providing the facilities which students have requested, and ensuring that this doesn’t add too much of a financial burden to students,” explained Gormley.

If a referendum is held, it will be up to the DIT Student Union to host it and collaborate with the Institute on its wording. However according

to DITSU President Boni Odoemene, they have yet to take a stance on the issue.

“It is the position of the DIT Students’ Union that the President will ensure that certain terms and conditions are upheld by the DIT and other bodies during negotiations on the development, management and running of these student facilities,” said Odoemene.

Odoemene went on to explain that a referendum will only be considered if there is mutual agreement between DITSU and the Institute that

the levy will be used solely to support the development and maintenance of facilities for DITSU, DIT Sports and DIT Societies.

He also said that if a referendum is held and the levy is passed, all students who will be subject to the levy must make equal contributions, except for part-time students who should pay on a pro-rata basis.

This story was first published on The Irish Times Student Hub on Wednesday, 1 February, 2017.

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The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

NEWS

Building of radio studio begins in Aungier Street

Conor Shields

News Editor @SHIELDSYYYYY

DIT Aungier Street is set to see its brand new radio station installed soon according to Tara Kelleher, Media & Arts chairperson of DIT Societies Executive team.

The radio station, which has been sought after by students for a number of years now, is currently being constructed in the SU area of DIT Aungier Street where the SU shop was once located.

According to Kelleher, the new radio studio will be capable of producing a live radio stream for those who wish to produce live broadcasts and will also come with a fully equipped recording studio for those wishing to make recordings of music or podcasts.

Speaking to The Edition, Kelleher expressed her joy at the sight of the speedy construction of the station.

“To be honest I didn’t believe it until I saw it. God above could have appeared to me and told me the station was being built tomorrow and I wouldn’t have believed him until I saw it.

“The construction all happened so quickly- in a matter of weeks.

The day I handed in my dissertation I went down to the SU for some reason or another and saw the building work had started- best day ever,” explained Kelleher.

Following the initial construction of the radio station, Kelleher quickly established DIT Radio Society. She explained how the society’s involvement in the station will impact its maintenance.

“Just like in NUIG or DCU, the station will be run by the Radio Society. In the upcoming months, the radio society will hold training sessions on how to use the studio, host a show, record a podcast, etc. We will also be having guest speakers come in and chat to us about getting into the industry,“ said Kelleher.

Although there is no date set for construction of the radio station to be completed, it is understood that it is expected to be finished within a number of weeks.

Law & Debating Soc to Host Irish Times Debate Grand Final Next Friday Matthew Colfer Editor

@mcolfer1

DIT Law & Debating Society were recently announced as host of The Irish Times Debate Grand Final 2016/17.

The event will be held on DIT’s Bolton Street campus on Friday, 17 February, commencing at 6:30pm, and will be chaired by Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone.

DIT Law Societies abortion debate held last year. (Credit: DIT Law & Debating Society) Minister Zappone conveyed her feelings about chairing the prestigious ly want to watch,” said Varley. this event,” concluded Varley. event: “I was delighted to be approached to chair “Repealing the Eighth Amendment is a President of DIT Law & Debating Society, the Grand Final and look forward to a thought crucial and polarising issue that has gained huge Pierre Yimbog, is encouraging students and provoking evening at DIT. momentum recently. We are coming closer to the non-students to attend the event.

“Debate is the life-blood of democracy. It Citizens Convention releasing their findings but “The event is free for everyone to attend and opens our minds to new ideas, explores new many activists feel that the wait has already been not restricted to just DIT students. People should approaches and leads to peaceful change. too long, and action must happen now. attend this event because it’s one of the most “Through its distinguished history The Irish Varley also outlined some of the criteria prestigious events an institution could ever host.

Times Debate has provided an early platform for required to host the event.

The motion is still a topical issue within our some of our great orators. Politics, media and “The most important factors are enthusiasm country at the moment and will be debated by business have many leaders who honed their and interest. The Irish Times looks for a host soIreland’s best debaters. skills at this event.” ciety who share our aim to organise a great final, The society hosted one of the heats of Round The motion for the Grand Final is This House with an active and engaged committee who can One last semester, and competed in the competiBelieves the Women of Ireland should Strike to help out on the night. tion until the semi-finals when Mark McMorrow Repeal the Eighth Amendment.

“From a practical side, we also require a was unsuccessful in his pursuit to reach next Speaking about the motion, competition venue that can accommodate large crowds, with week’s Grand Final. convenor, Céile Varley, outlined how the motion suitable areas for pre and post-debate receptions You can keep up-to-date with all the latest for the Grand Final must be engaging to both the and ability to host a dinner afterwards. DIT Law information about the event on the Facebook debaters and audience, and be socially relevant. & Debating Society made a great application and event page at this link: https://www.facebook.

“For a final, you need to set a motion that is we are extremely excited to work with them on com/events/247529295687729/. topical, interesting, and that people would actual-

Fashion Soc’s annual charity Fashion Show postponed Nikki Murphy DIT Fashion Society have confirmed that their annual Fashion Show will break from tradition and take place in November this year instead of its usual semester two date.

Now in its 14 year, the Fashion Show which usually takes place in April has been postponed until November for a number of reasons according to Fashion Society Chairperson, Rían Mooney.

Mooney outlined some of the reasons for the change of dates: “We have decided to move our main event of the year to November as the committee and myself feel we need to care for our society members more and nurture them and get them more involved.

“We are also reviewing how our Student Design Competition is working, it’s such a huge part of the Irish Fashion Calendar and a lot of thought and time is needed to make things perfect.”

However, the postponement of the show means that final year students can get involved and can now work on designs over the summer.

The Fashion Society have a smaller charity event planned for DIT’s Gleeson Hall on 23

March with all proceeds of the event being donated to the Jack and Jill Foundation.

An after party in collaboration with LGBT Society will be held after the show with the venue yet to be confirmed.

Tickets for the event will be €15 for students and €20 for non-students and will be available in the next two weeks according to the society.

Fashion Society will also be collaborating with other societies such as LGBT Society, Dance Society, DJ Society, Photo Society, Video Society, and Art and Design Society making it a “Fashion Arts Performance”.

“This year, it was all about stripping the society down and creating a safe space for artistic expression amongst DIT students,” stated Mooney.

“In the past years DIT Fashion Show ran ahead of everyone else and with that the society thought it would be great to revise how we could bring the Fashion Show to life.

“The well-known show in its original format is a thing of the past, but it’s far from dead, along with rejuvenating the society came the task of rejuvenating the Fashion Show and it’s coming back with one hell of an entrance. Be prepared to be shocked and stunned but all in a good way.”

Besides the Fashion Show, the society have

other exciting events planned for this semester including a trip to a beauty show, they are a part of a “Feel Good, Look Good” campaign, and much more they are remaining tight-lipped about for now.

Mooney concluded, “gone are the days of the society being looked upon as an elitist group, we are for everyone and what we have planned for this semester will show this.”

Credit: The Toad via Flickr CC

The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

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NEWS

The Repeal the 8th Amendment street art murial on East Essex Street.

Catherine Devane Women across Ireland are planning to strike from work, college and domestic chores on International Women’s Day, calling for the Government to hold a referendum on the Eighth Amendment.

The Strike4Repeal campaign announced just over a fortnight ago that if a referendum is not held by 8 March then women across the country should refuse to participate in society on that day.

Jess Morris, DITSU College Officer in DIT Cathal Brugha Street is setting up a workshop to create placards in preparation for the event.

She is also planning to strike on 8 March.

“I decided to run this workshop as last year a motion was passed in Student Council for DITSU to support the Repeal the 8th movement, and also because it is a movement I

Strike4Repeal planned for 8 March believe to be very close to my heart and important in the campaign of women’s rights.

“Back in September, I attended the March for Repeal in Dublin and I made my own placards for the event. I thoroughly enjoyed making them and the supportive and positive reactions I got from everyone.

“The workshop will be arts and crafts creating our own placards and having an open conversation about Repeal the 8th.

“It will be during SHAG week, on the 13 February during the evening time and I’m hoping to hold it in the Cathal Brugha Street Student Union,” explained Morris.

Strike4Repeal will be a symbolic statement of solidarity for all

the women who have had to take a day off work to travel abroad for treatment. It also symbolises the importance women play in everyday life.

“

We have been blown away by the support so far.

The movement will be similar to the strikes that took place in Poland last year and in Iceland in 1975, which saw over 90 percent of women in the country refuse to work,

cook or look after children.

The movement has been gaining momentum in the last fortnight with the online campaign video receiving over half a million views, and has received coverage in national and international press including Time magazine.

Speaking to The Edition, Aoife Frances, spokesperson for the Strike4Repeal campaign explained who they were.

“We are an ad-hoc group of activists, trade unionists, workers, artists and academics who have been involved to varying degrees with pro-choice activism over the years.

“We see the power in removing your labour, whether it’s for an hour or a day, whether it’s paid or

unpaid work, to make a direct action point about the power we have in our movement, our actions and our health and lives.

“We have been blown away by the support so far; we have had contact from social justice movements all over the world – from New York to Argentina who want to organise solidarity actions in their countries, which is incredible”, says Frances.

When contacted, DIT stated that the 8 March would be a normal working and teaching day in the semester so members of staff would always be expected to be present unless on annual leave.

The Pro-Life Campaign had not responded to a request for comment by the time of going to print.

Societies’ Xmas Appeal surpasses target amount again Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

The annual DIT Societies’ Christmas Appeal raised more than €9,000 during the fundraising campaign held in November and December of last year.

Before the campaign began, a target amount of €7,000 was set but the Appeal exceeded this, raising €9,404.16 for this year’s chosen charities.

The three charities which will each receive one third of the money raised are St Vincent de Paul (SVP), Focus Ireland and the Simon Community, all of whom help homeless people or people in danger of becoming homeless.

Volunteering Chairperson, Ciarán Freeman, expressed his delight with the societies’ efforts which led to exceeding the target amount.

“I’m absolutely delighted with the amount that we raised this year.

We had set a goal of raising €7,000 for the Appeal and we absolutely smashed it,” said Freeman.

“It really shows that the students of DIT really, really felt that these charities are fighting for issues that are very important to them and they gave it their absolute best in running their fundraising events. Thanks to them, this appeal was such a big success.”

The three charities will each be presented with cheques for their share of the money raised at the Volunteering Awards in June.

Speaking to The Edition in November, Freeman outlined how the three charities are chosen for the Societies’ Christmas Appeal each year.

“The process for choosing the charities for the Appeal is inclusive of societies from the very beginning.

Around mid-October there is a link sent out to societies asking them to nominate charities that they feel

would be deserving of benefitting from our Christmas Appeal.

“From there, I choose the charities that have been nominated the most and create a shortlist of around seven or eight charities. Then that list is presented to the Societies Forum, where each society is allowed one vote where they mark each charity in order of preference.”

Other charities which were shortlisted and included in the voting process were Claire’s Wish, Make a Wish Foundation, the Order of Malta Ireland - Ambulance Corps - Share to Care Project, the Samaritans, and the International Rescue Committee.

Change is afoot for the 2017 Societies’ Christmas Appeal however, at last week’s monthly Societies’ Forum it was announced the charities for this year’s Appeal will be chosen at the end of this semester due to logistical reasons.

The 2016 Societies’ Christmas

Appeal was originally planned to take place from the 16 November to the 2 December, but was postponed by one week to allow societies more time to plan events and to avoid any clash with DIT Students Union’s (DITSU) 30 Days of RAG which ran throughout November.

Although DITSU’s 30 Days of RAG Campaign was still running during the new dates, Freeman and DITSU Vice President for Events, Diarmuid Cleary, were in contact with each other to ensure events did not clash.

Some of the events which societies hosted for the 2016 Societies’ Christmas Appeal were a trip to the Laughter Lounge organised by Mental Health Society, Photo Society’s photo exhibition highlighting homelessness in Dublin, Nutrition Society’s annual Cycle-athon, and the Sign Language Society’s Day of Sponsored Silence with the Mental Health Society.

Credit: DIT Societies Office

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The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

NEWS

All DIT Alumni Welcomed Members of the DIT Graduate Network came together on various occasions in 2016 for class reunions, receptions, and tours of the new Grangegorman campus

Aisling Carr DIT’s Alumni Relations organised a number of events in 2016 including a reception in Chicago in May with the support of the IDA which saw DIT President, Professor Brian Norton, welcome over 70 guests.

Ireland Consul General Orla McBreen was guest speaker, and alumni from all schools across DIT attended, from the Class of 1973 to current students completing internships in Chicago.

The Royal Institute of British Architects was the venue for a London Alumni Reception with 80 guests from classes between 1956 and 2016.

Hosted by Professor Norton, guest speaker on the day was Angela Brady OBE, Bachelor of Architecture, 1981.

Guests also included Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland President Carole Pollard, Architecture, 1988, and Jim Gahan, Surveying 1970, who sits on the Board of Directors of the DIT Foundation.

At home, DIT Grangegorman welcomed a mixed group of alumni for a tour of the new campus in September.

Four simultaneous groups were guided by DIT’s Campus Planning Team who walked them through the Greenway Hub, St. Lawrence’s, and Rathdown House.

Students are welcome on these tours and can receive information about them by emailing Alumni Relations Manager, Aisling Carr, at aisling.carr@dit.ie.

A group of DIT alumni joined host and former DIT lecturer Joan Burton TD and Professor Norton for a tour of the Houses of the Oireachtas in October; starting off with a reception in Buswell’s Hotel alumni were shown the Dáil and Seanad Chambers.

Cathal Brugha Street celebrated its Diamond Anniversary in 2016 and the School organised a series of events on June 16 including a Bloomsday breakfast, guided tours and live music.

The DIT Chamber Choir and

DIT Choral Society also performed a glorious programme of music including Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’ and works by Palastrina, Monteverdi and Swider at St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral honouring the 75th Anniversary.

There were many class reunions in 2016 including the BSc in Hospitality Management Class of 1996 20 year reunion at Cathal Brugha Street; Mechanical and Structural Engineering Class of 1976 40 year reunion; and Architecture Class of 1996 20 year reunion.

When DIT students finish their studies, they become one of the 100,000 DIT alumni in Ireland and around the world, and can become a part of the DIT Graduate Network.

As part of the network, alumni receive updates about DIT and fel-

Network ‘Dublin’s best coffee’ - some legend on Yelp. low alumni via the Graduate Network e-zine and Facebook page as well as information about events and class reunions for alumni, and discounted gym and library membership.

To join the DIT Graduate Network, please see dit.ie/graduatenetwork/jointhenetwork/.

The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

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Generation Y, Losing at Life

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OPINION

The trials and tribulations of being a 20-something in today’s Ireland, where crisis looms and emigration is the most attracitve escape route.

Niamh Haskins Online Editor @niamhhaskins

One day you’re 17 and planning for someday and then quietly, without you ever really noticing, someday drifts into the horizon having become a dream instead of reality.

What happens when you can’t plan beyond months or years? How does it help you view your place in society? It makes you question do I really belong here?

As this country, our country, recovers from economic implosion, those within the 20-35 year old age group are really struggling. People aren’t living anymore - they’re surviving. It’s crisis to crisis to crisis.

In a recent article published by The Sunday Independent it called for the “moaning millennials” to “pipe down”, arguing that those from Generation X were dealt an unfair hand. Although millennials aren’t the first generation who have faced hardship like this - they are the first who will be much poorer than their parents. It’s getting depressing, being journalistically bound to consider the misfortune that my generation’s parents brought us into this world in the wrong decade.

A study based on young people in seven major Western economies, including countries like the UK, Spain, Germany and France, conducted by The Guardian, showed that their income fell far behind the national averages. In the piece, they wrote, “It is likely to be the first time in industrialised history, save for periods of war or natural disaster, that the incomes of young adults have fallen so far when compared with the rest of society.”

Millennials, also known as Generation Y (the name is based on Generation X, the generation that preceded them) are those who were born between the 1980’s and the early 2000’s. In Ireland, in many respects they inherited a very broken country.

They grew up in a country powered by an economic boom that was extraordinary, where expectations of what life could offer reached an all time high. Then by the time adulthood came around they had to deal with the fallout from the worst financial crisis this country has ever experienced and will continue

They grew up in a country powered by an economic boom that was extraordinary.

Not at fault for their economic woes but instead the casualty of mistakes made before them.

to do so for the foreseeable future.

As I sat down to write this piece, I received yet another email from a potential employer stating that I wasn’t experienced enough to be considered for the job I had applied for. Being part of “generation f****d” strikes again where students, teachers and retail workers’ lives are all marked by an absence of opportunity, stability and security. Where owning a house is nothing more than a dream, homelessness rates have soared and where emigration has been used as a scapegoat for the problems that have built up within this society.

We’ve graduated into a different working world. The harsh reality is that there are no jobs off the bat. It can be demoralising knowing that you’ve put in all this mental fatigue, having studied, graduated and interned, is it too much to ask for stability or even something so small such as a chance?

People in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s allegedly don’t understand the millennials of today. This statement is as old as time itself as genteration gaps are nothing new. But if there is one claim about the Millennial generation that is truly absurd, it is the notion that they are entitled, spoiled and pampered. Some often insist that Millennials don’t want to pay their dues and expect everything handed to them on a silver platter, but Millennials as a whole are the polar opposite of entitled or spoiled.

We are the generation who has lost trust, one with also no prospects. For the reason that our Government’s policies for low taxes, privatisation, neo-liberalism, for fueling a property boom have led to this generation of f****d young people paying for it. What this country has said to this generation is ‘you’re on your own’.

Until this society recognises that this generation of entitled, spoiled, ignorant and also pampered individuals are not at fault for their economic woes but instead the casualty of mistakes made before them, many many more so called “pampered” individuals will continue to fall through the cracks in this country.

If you have something you would like to share your opinion on please email: editor@edition.ie

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The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

OPINION

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Room AT

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Hugo Fitzpartick

Recent news stories have all highlighted a concern that the student accommodation market could be overheating. That 6,000 approved units in the Northside alone over the past three years is too heavy a concentration for marginalised neighbourhoods. With a fully occupied Grangegorman likely to welcome over 20,000 students by the mid 2020’s, these students have to live somewhere don’t they?

Students often make up a cohort of undesirables to the middle classes, and a sign of change to the working class.

No one, apparently, would want to live beside raucous and uncleanly youngsters, coming and going at all hours, causing damage, and having little respect for those around them. But how much of this is true anymore? With the recession and the housing crisis many students still live at home.

DIT is a scattered institution, but it’s our future campus at Grangegorman that is causing a lot of the new hand wringing about the personified “student”. Stoneybatter has already undergone recent waves of gentrification due to the cost of rent and housing. Now with the Grangegorman Squat gone, student accommodation is arriving on the same site. DIT needs it’s unified campus, but it also needs student accommodation.

Currently it is providing for a paltry 3,000 or so units in its master plan.

The old patterns of pre-drinks, mass club nights, shared-taxis, and crashing on couches has changed. Nights out are a luxury not all students can afford. Slowly Irish generation Y, and their younger siblings are joining the American “Millennial”

and driving less. As the great commutes to college in Dublin become unsustainable, and limited part-time work available to students, organised private student accommodation may be the only way out of limited choices.

Many also fear that the converging pressures on student lifestyle are creating a perfect opportunity for developers to capitalise on their housing needs.

The dream of diggs with your mates, after a few years suffering a Bán An Tí, or an overbearing do-nothing absent landlord are slowly slipping away. Incidental and small time landlords no longer see the worth of students. Not when a housing crises, no bedsits, packed hotels, and AirBnB all change what rent they can aim to charge. Like it or not, supervised mass student housing is the only way to bring students closer to their campus, in a market so unfriendly to their old patterns.

If the future of higher education in Ireland means tens of thousands of more students by the 2030s, then to address and benefit from the wave of innovation and development that must face into a Post-Trump, Post-Brexit twenty-first century, we must meet student needs. Student accommodation will be built and will compete against affordable housing and private development for precious space in the future of Dublin.

Dublin may be the engine of our economy, but it must find room for it’s future professionals, or face the same lifestyle and brain drain emigration of recent years. Why stick around and invest in a society that will not invest in you in your formative years?

The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

A

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

www.edition.ie |

Contact me on naggynora@ edition.ie

Boozy and The Brain

gony unt Dear Naggy Nora,

I don’t really know what to do. Well clearly I don’t that’s why I’m writing to you. So I was with this girl and we broke up because she went travelling and I just couldn’t. For many reasons which I’m not going to go into now. Maybe another day. Are you ready? Because here comes the problem. Since she’s been gone she has been giving me the cold shoulder. Reads my WhatsApp messages but doesn ’t respond, which I think is terribly rude. So, I decid ed to just go and do what I want. I’ve beem seein g three differents girls now. But only shagging one.

I like to think I have morals. I don’t know where to go from here. I do like them all but it can’t contin ue to go on. Please help me.

Brian

Dear Naggy, I think my friend has a problem with the drink. Now I know every college student needs a little tipple but this one in particular takes it too the next level.

I’ve said it to her before but she doesn’t see the problem of drinking four bottles of wine at a time a couple of days a week.

I’m worried for her, what should I do?

Lorna Well isn’t she a little boozy. This is most definitely a problem that might exceed my knowledge.

Is there a trigger or has she always been like this? If so you called for help at the right stage. The poor girl obviously needs help.

I often see that poeple who hit the bottle too hard demolish those who they are surrounded by. To me you’ve stuck by her which is a really responsible thing to do.

But, yes there is a but. You really need to look out for yourself in a situation like this. It can be more damaging to, lets say the helper, than the highly intoxicated one.

First make sure that you are okay.

And let her know that it is alright not to be okay and encourage her to ask for help.

Admitting it is the first and most important step.

I really hope this helps you, Lorna.

Definitely not the ideal situation to be in.

Naggy Nora xoxo

What Nora says...

Well Brian, it seems as though you have a problem but in hindsight you really don’t.

To me you are just like the rest of them .

Fellas, that is. I’d say your wallet is juiced, maybe you should’ve written to cash for gold instead of me. All those date nigh ts could not have come cheap.

Right Brian or should I say Mr Lova Lova. You definitely have a choice to make.

I mean everyone wants to have three girlos hanging off their arm. But you do need to nip this in the bud soon.

Now if this wasn’t so serious I’d reco mmend that you dump the ugliest one first.

Is there any particular reason that you are sleeping with only one?

Taking an educated guess that she is by far the easiest.

So maybe go for the one in the middle who’s not easy or ugly and has been worth the graft.

I’ve heard and seen this time and time again. Getting under somebody is a really great way to get over somebody. You just need to make up your mind as to who you want to get under. You also need to stop strining the others along.

Hope this helps Mr Lova Lova.

Naggy Nora xoxo

Dear Naggy Nora,

I went to college wi th this guy. Total lo oker and gentleman towards him. We ha but I’ve never had ve since graduated any feelings and over the past fe out of it. Like a rig w weeks he has be ht creep asking me en hounding me on dates and saying and if I say no that he’ll most definite he’ll gobsmack me. ly get a smooch I know this is in jes beside the point. I t and he’d never do don’t think I’ve led that. But that’s him on. Please help me get rid of this pr oblem.

Franny xo

What Nora says...

Franny, what on earth have you gotten yourself into? “I don’t think I’ve led him on.” That to me doesn’t sound very convincing. I presume you both have been chatting constantly, probably late at night and presumably exchanging sentences you wouldn’t repeat to your granny.

What I would say is run, run a mile. And also threaten to have him arrested. Boys like that

shouldn’t be free to roam the internet, nevervmind the streets.

You think what he says is in jest, but you never know what a randy young man might do if he goes long enough without the shift.

My advice? Send him to Coppers. He’ll find himself a nice young lass there, so he’ll be out of your hair, and if not, well good riddence. If he can’t find a suitor in Coppers, then there’s no

hope for the boy at all. Be done with him Franny. He’s weighing you down. Go forth and be free.

Mingle among the nice young men who might take you out and have a bit of fun; not those who promise to plant one on you when you least expect, or want it. A girl ain’t got time for that.

If he’s not worth smugding your €20 MAC lipstick for, then he’s not the one.

Naggy Nora xoxo

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10 | www.edition.ie

The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

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

Stories

Awatif Ali, 21 Killian Dowling, 20 Mary-Kate Findon, 21

‘‘

“Something I struggled with growing up was definitely identity. I went to a Muslim primary school and that was fine but going into secondary school was where I struggled. I went to a school where I was the only Muslim up until maybe my third or fourth year. When you’re entering your teen years and trying to figure yourself out in all aspects, it’s confusing. I was one of the only women of colour and surrounded by tall, blonde blue eyed beautiful girls. I wanted to fit in and questioned myself and who I was until fourth year.

“Suddenly, I overcame this by trying to be something I wasn’t being: myself. Having people appreciate you and love you for you is really refreshing. By doing this, I made more friends in fourth year and got even closer to my other friends in the school.

I was proud of being a Muslim, a Hijabi and most of all, I was comfortable in how I wasn’t blonde, or had blue eyes or freckles. I was simply myself and my class loved me for it.”

‘‘

“I was 12. Down on my luck. Gap-toothed and resembling the milky bar kid. Having gone through the ‘rap’ phase and tragically been knocked for being the whitest white kid ever I needed a new niche.

“The lowest point was when I was made to hoover the living room just to make a quick buck. vacuuming up the dirt, the nozzle struck the wall. Reaching down to examine I picked up a e CD case that had been collecting dirt.

“Wiping off the dust with my tears I could barely make out the inscribed words of ‘Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits’. ‘Who is this Bob Dylan?’, I thought to myself? I mean, he certainly didn’t look like Eazy E. But I was desperate and needed to find myself. I put on track one, a little ditty called ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’. I was hooked. The opening guitar strums and Bob’s perfectly awful voice was all I needed to go out and buy a guitar of my own. I knew what I wanted to do.

“Hours and days of practice, frustration, sore fingers. To this day, the inspiration has never stopped.

You question what you’re doing and wonder if it’ll ever live up to your hero’s work; but I will never stop trying.”

‘‘

“It’s concerning as a journalism student in the current situation, in terms of distrust of the media, and the declining sales in newspapers. Everyone wants their news for free, and so there’s less and less people actually buying a paper or subscribing, and more people getting their news from Facebook.

“This causes problems for budding journalists, because what we’re learning now could all change by the time we’re finished. The entire industry is in such a place of turmoil. Even in class, some of our lecturers have said something along the lines of ‘yeah most of you won’t get a job, maybe in Public Relations, but only five or six of you will work in news’.

“My friend who’s doing Computer Science in Kevin Street has already signed a contract with Amazon with a 60K+ salary. It makes you envious.

We’re told if we’re lucky we can work for free to try and even get a chance. This I think really makes Journalism a poison chalice, because once you get a taste of the possibilities and the adrenaline, you don’t want to stop, but it’s hard to actually make it.”

The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

www.edition.ie |

11

FEATURES

All images via Flickr Creative Commmons

Alumnus Heading for A New Peak Matthew Colfer @mcolfer1

Despite being relatively new to the world of hiking, DIT alumnus, Austin Delaney, has his sights firmly set on conquering Africa’s largest mountain in October of this year while raising money for a good cause.

Delaney began hiking just over a year ago when he commenced studying outdoor education having graduated with a BSc in International Hospitality Management from DIT in 2015. “I began hiking over a year ago when I studied outdoor education. I’ve been a keen hiker since and try to find time when I can,” said Delaney.

He continued by explaining how he loves rising to a challenge and thought that by challenging himself to climb one of the world’s most renowned mountains, he could raise money for charity. “I am quiet ambitious by nature and wanted an opportunity to raise funds for a charity I care about so I decided to test myself to the challenge of Africa’s highest mountain.”

Delaney’s chosen charity is Jigsaw, The National Centre for Youth Mental Health which aides people suffering with mental health illnesses. According to the Jigsaw website, the charity is “there to ensure that no young person feels alone, isolated and disconnected from others around them. We provide vital supports to young people with their mental health by working closely with communities across Ireland.”

Delaney outlined the reasons behind choosing Jigsaw as the beneficiary of his challenge. “I chose to raise funds for Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Suicide Prevention. I chose this charity as they deal with an issue which is close to my heart and an issue which affects nearly every family in Ireland.”

Having hosted fundraising events over the past few months, Delaney is already almost halfway to hitting his target amount: “I have set a target of €2,500, yet I hope to raise more with the help of the right supporters. Thus far I have raised a little over €1,100.” Delaney’s fundraising efforts have all been done so far without a sponsor but he says he is “open to offers”.

As part of his fundraising efforts, Delaney hosted two gig nights in his home county of Wexford which saw performances

“

We provide vital supports to young people with their mental health by working closely with communities across Ireland.

from former Fair City actor, and The Voice of Ireland and Britain’s Got Talent star, Ryan O’Shaughnessy, and DIT BIMM student and fellow Wexford native, Niall Cash, among others with all proceeds going directly to his fundraising efforts; he also hosted a bake sale in the foyer of DIT’s Aungier Street campus.

“So far I have hosted two gigs with some talented acts such as Ryan O’Shaughnessy, Phily Dunne, Andrew Berry, Niall Cash, and Sean McComish, most of whom have been affected in some way by suicide. I have also held a bake sale in Aungier Street campus with pastries being donated from cafes and bakeries around the college.”

These two events are not the end of Delaney’s charity events, as he said he’s “currently planning to

host a table quiz later this month and further down the line my biggest gig yet.”

Located in the eastern coastal country of Tanzania, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, rising 4,900 metres from its base to its peak. The mountain has three volcanic cones, Kibo, the highest of the three which is dormant, or inactive, meaning it has the potential to erupt again, and Mawenzi and Shira which are both extinct.

Mount Kilimanjaro is part of Kilimanjaro National Park and climbers’ entry is regulated by the Tanzanian government, as Delaney explains: “The Tanzanian government have regulated the entry to the national park that climbers must be lead by native guides which helps to promote local employment in the region. So for the climb I will be part of a team lead by local guides and porters.”

Mount Kilimanjaro has seven official trekking routes for ascents and descent: Lemosho, Machame, Marangu, Mweka, Rongai, Shira, and Umbwe. Of these seven routes, Machame is widely considered to be the most scenic route and takes approximately one week to complete, while Rongai is the easiest route but also provides the least scenic views. Marangu is also considered to be relatively easy but tends to be the busiest route.

Mount Kilimanjaro is considered to be less technically challenging than the higher peaks of the Himalayas and the Andes, but Africa’s highest mountain still presents climbers with challenges such as high elevation, low temperatures, and high winds, with differing degrees of altitude sickness a relatively common problem among hikers.

If you would like to keep up-to-date with Delaney’s fundraising efforts and future events, or you wish to donate or offer assistance to him, you can do so through his dedicated Facebook page, Austin’s Climb for Suicide Prevention, available at this link: https://www.facebook.com/AustinClimbs/?fref=ts.

If you have been affected by any of the topics raised in this story, call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org.

12 | www.edition.ie

The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

FEATURES

Dancing with the Stars contestant Hughie Maughan with his dance partner. All images via RTE Facebook.

All That Glitters May Be Aoife Loughnane

GOLD

Feature Editor @AoifeLoughnane3

The Irish just love to hate Irish telly. We jump at any chance to take to Twitter or other social media platforms to moan and whine about the state of our homegrown shows - how unprofessional and cringey they are, with hopeless presenters, dodgy scripts, and sets that look like they belong in the seventies. As a result of this trend, much of the same was expected with RTÉ’s latest venture, Dancing With The Stars.

And unsurprisingly, it’s taken quite a lot of stick.

However, I’m going to go out on a limb here and just say it: I’m bloody loving it. What started off as “right I need a good laugh so let’s give this a go” quickly turned into “hold on, this is actually not total car-crash tv”. Amanda Byram and her toe-curling faux-American “Welcome to Dancing With The Stahhhrs!” aside, the show is actually watchable. And, dare I say, enjoyable.

I’m a huge fan of the UK’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Every year once September rolls around and it gets all cold and Autumn-y I love nothing more than curling up with cheap wine in front of a roaring fire and watching actors from Hollyoaks who I’ve never heard of, or BBC Sports presenters I’ve never heard of, or WAGs that - yep, you guessed it - I’ve never heard of, waltz, jive and cha cha alongside their gorgeous Russian dance partners.

It’s fun and glitzy and glamorous and relaxing.

However, after 13 years the show has become a bit too polished and professional. Celebrities like Danny Mac are fantastic to watch but don’t really give the other dancers a chance - you know, the ones who have no previous dance experience. That is kind of the whole point of a celebrity dance competition: amateurs

“

What started off as ‘right I need a good laugh so let’s give this a go’ quickly morphed into ‘hold on, this is actually not total car-crash TV.

LEARN how to dance and improve week after week. It’s fun but it’s also difficult.

That is what Dancing With The Stars has. The celebrities are clearly novice dancers but they are learning and having fun and not taking it so.damn. seriously. Strictly is great but, my God, do they take it seriously. It’s supposed to be a laugh.

The judges on the Irish version are ballroom dancer and coach Brian Redmond, Lorraine Barry who has over fifty national and international titles to her name, and finally Julian Benson - a trained dancer of modern jazz, tap, ballet and Latin.

Obviously they are not a patch on Darcy, Len, Bruno and Craig, but they have settled into their roles and in time I think they will be great. Benson, with his trademark rasp, is clearly trying to be the Bruno of the show - flam-

boyant, extravagant and sporting ridiculous sequinned jackets every week.

It doesn’t seem like I am the only one who feels this way.

With Byram and the ever-reliable Nicky Byrne at the helm, the opening show pulled in 640,000 viewers, jumping to 1.2million by the third episode just over a week ago. Notoriously cruel Twitter was actually full of praise also, with tweets such as @finnoalan: “One of the biggest compliments I can give #DWTSIrl is that it doesn’t look like an RTÉ production. Set looks great and it’s very watchable” and @willleahy: “Wow. #DWTSIrl is so impressive. Now it isn’t just sports punditry RTÉ does better than the BBC!” The professionals are young, gorgeous and...actually incredibly talented. Their sleek dance numbers can stand up proud next to those of the Strictly professionals. The crop of “celebrities” actually works really well too. You have comedian Des Bishop, the infamous Teresa “don’t make unnecessary journeys” Mannion, Red Rock actor Denise McCormack, and Big Brother runner-up Hughie Maughan.

The Ed Balls of the show is RTÉ broadcaster Des Cahill.

That heel-click in his first dance was essentially him just galumphing into the air but it gave me a good laugh. Maughan’s overindulgence in fake tan had him trending on Twitter, with people wondering if he was sponsored by Ronseal. No one seems to be taking it seriously and that is quite refreshing, so I think that the show will continue to rake in the impressive viewing figures.

The way each show ends - with everyone just dancing (it’s actually much less cringey than it sounds) is much better than “keeeep dancing”. It shows the lightheartedness of it all - and isn’t that what dancing is supposed to be about after all?

Catch all of the glitz and glamour of the dance floor on RTÉ, Sundays at 6:30pm.

The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

www.edition.ie |

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FEATURES

Smear Today, Gone Tomorrow: Preventing The Spread Of Cervical Cancer Sarah Harford Feature Editor @saz_harford

Last week one of my friends posted a message in our group chat: “Just had my smear test this morning, thought I’d remind the rest of you gals to get checked”. At first glance this was a strange message, mixed in awkwardly among our usual stream of gossip and memes, but invariably it was an important one. We all need to be talking more about smear tests.

The latest social media trend is #smearforsmear on Instagram where celebrities post images of themselves smeared in lipstick to raise awareness for smear testing. Social media crazes may be annoying but if they are raising awareness, then surely there’s no harm done.

A cervical screening test, usually known as a smear or pap test, is a procedure where a sample of cells is taken from the cervix to examine for any changes which could be indications of cancer. This is not a diagnostic test, meaning that further examinations are required to establish if a patient actually has cancer. It is, however, a good preventative measure for early detection, and so women in Ireland between the ages of 25 and 60 are encouraged to get tested every three years.

The most common cause of cervical cancer is the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is highly common in sexually active women - it is rarely serious, but sometimes leads to cancer.

However, it can take years for cells in the cervix to become cancerous, which makes cervical cancer a very preventable disease if women are getting regular checks.

According to the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI), there are an average of 300 cases of cervical cancer diagnosed in Ireland per year, with approximately 90 women dying from the disease annually. This makes it the second most common cancer among women in this country.

Cervical checks are offered for free in Ireland. The procedure, which only takes about 10 minutes, involves taking a small sample of cells which are sent for testing. It may be uncomfortable or embarrassing, but it could potentially save your life. So why aren’t we all getting checked? Honestly, I completely forgot about it.

CervicalCheck - the national cervical screening programme posts letters and frequent reminders to women who are eligible for a free test. I turned 25 last year, however, and didn’t receive any notification, so the thought slipped my mind. After getting the recent prompt from my friend, I checked online and found that I wasn’t registered for this service yet.

“

It may be uncomfortable or embarrassing, but it could potentially save your life.

Registration took about 30 seconds, and within a week I was sent a letter regarding the test. There’s a list of registered practitioners online, which includes the DIT health centre, where I can bring the letter and avail of a free smear test. Simple.

According to CervicalCheck, the number of Irish women having regular tests has increased since this system was put in place in 2008.

Furthermore, latest statistics from the NCRI show that cases of cervical cancer have been steadily decreasing since 2009, so it seems that the system might be working.

However, one part of the system has been called into question recently - the age limit. Although the recommended age to begin cervical screening varies worldwide, in Ireland and the UK it is set firmly at 25. But is this too late?

Amber Rose Cliff died from cervical cancer in the UK last month. The 25 year old had been diagnosed with the disease four years ago, but by the time she began receiving treatment, the cancer had spread to her lungs and throat.

Ms Cliff had previous concerns about her health, but had been denied a smear test as she was too young. Now, her family are calling for a change in the laws. An online petition which proposes that cervical screening be made available from the age of 18 has collected almost 200,000 signatures in the last four weeks.

But many health professionals agree that

such a policy would do more harm than good, as the results of smear tests are less reliable in younger women. In Ireland, the HSE’s website notes that “in women under the age of 25, minor changes in the cells of the cervix are common but invasive cancer is extremely rare,” and so warns that “population based screening in women under the age of 25 may lead to many women receiving unnecessary treatment for lesions that would never have developed into invasive cancer”.

As a result, it is unlikely that routine screening will be introduced for those under 25. However, the health service recommends that if you are experiencing symptoms, such as abnormal bleeding, you should always consult with a doctor. This is why all women need to be aware of the facts. Breast checks have become more commonplace in recent years, but we still seem to be reluctant about discussing our cervixes. The more we discuss it, however, the more we normalise the topic, reminding ourselves and the women around us.

I am the queen of procrastination. I’m constantly putting things off, especially if it’s something awkward, embarrassing, or potentially stressful, but smear tests are quick, easy, and could save your life. If you can find time to treat yourself to a haircut or a manicure, you can surely squeeze in a quick smear test every three years too.

14 | www.edition.ie

The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

FEATURES

A Heart Full of

Gratitude All images courtesy of Sarah Douglas Operation Smile Club.

Sarah Douglas She sat there, waiting to be called. Not nervous, just patiently waiting for her turn. I spotted her, and not having met her during screening, curiously went over to interview her. I was interested in what her experience was as a teenager with a cleft, in China. Was it similar to mine? Did people accept her? Did they ask questions?

Did she run into any obstacles having a cleft? There was so much I wanted to know.

Fifteen year old He Xue Fang was there with both her parents. This was her third operation. She was getting a secondary lip repair, nose repair, and fistula repair. She had her first operation at four months old, with a domestic group in a hospital in Dali, where both her parents work. She has never attended any check-ups, and learnt to speak by herself, without a speech therapist.

At first I asked (through an interpreter) the usual questions about her cleft, and any other details I thought important when writing a story about someone. But then we got talking about school, her hobbies, and anything else that might interest a teenager. It was amazing how much we could relate. She was a little nervous at first, but soon warmed up, letting her lovely personality shine through.

What I found interesting when talking to her, were her interests. I discovered that we had a few things in common, as well as learning things about her that make her who she is. Her favourite subject is history. She loves to paint. She loves watching Japanese cartoons, or anime, and listens to music of that same genre. She prefers to stay in during the evening. She dislikes maths and physics, and despite not liking those two subjects, the one science subject she does like is biology. She was very much interested in animals, and wanted to volunteer

“

What I found interesting when talking to her, were her interests. I discovered that we had a few things in common, as well as learning things about her that make her who she is.

to care for animals, and possibly work in a zoo in the future.

During all the talk about school and subjects, she told me she was learning English. She then proceeded to tell me that she was no good. I asked her to say something. At first, she was a little shy about saying anything, but then she said a few things; even understanding some of what I said in English. I told her that she was doing well, and not to give up.

She smiled, and for the rest of the conversation she even attempted to say some things in English.

As she was an older patient, I asked her about bullying, and other people’s reactions to her cleft.

She told me that only her very close friends knew about it, but she has encountered plenty of mean comments, and as a child, other children didn’t want to be friends with her. It was great to get to talk to

her, as I was able to connect with her on a different level to that with the small children and babies. I told her things about my experience as well, so we got to hear each other’s stories, which was nice.

When we were done talking, I asked her if she wanted to join me in colouring in the grown up colouring sheets. She had already been asked by someone prior to our conversation, but this time she agreed, settling down on the matt with me. We sat there in a relaxed silence, colouring in the intricate designs.

Time passed, and soon enough her name was being called. She immediately got up, and confidently went in for surgery.

It was so inspiring talking to Xue Fang, I got to see just how brave and unique she was. Although I was told I was the one who inspired her, encouraging her to never give up and keep going, I think that she inspired me more.

I had been waiting to see her after her operation, but never got the right opportunity while she was in post-op. When they were leaving, they came to say goodbye. Then, as they were going down the stairs, Xue Fang’s mother stopped and turned to face me, tears streaming out of her eyes. “Thank you”, she said, in English. We hugged, my eyes starting to mist over. I was so moved by her gratitude, not to mention the effort she made to say something in English, even if it was only a simple phrase.

To me, I hadn’t really done much, I had just tried to encourage Xue Fang, and keep her busy while she waited for surgery. But to them, I had done much more. And I will never forget those words that her mother said that day, no matter how many times I hear someone say them. In a way, they inspired me even more.

And for that, I will forever be grateful.

I feel truly humble to have the opportunity to work with an organisation like Operation Smile. You get to meet so many amazing people like Xue Fang, and it is always an incredible experience to see the work they do.

The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

www.edition.ie |

15

CULTURE

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto

by Mitch Albom Olivia Powell

Culture Editor @powell_olivia

Everyone joins a band at some point in their life whether it be a part of a family, a friendship, or a relationship.

Frankie Presto joins many bands as we follow his unique and challenging journey through life with Music by his side. Music is the narrator of the novel and tells the story of his favourite disciple, Frankie Presto.

Frankie Presto, the most talented musician in the world, is introduced at his own funeral. However, we go back in time and learn about Presto from the very beginning of his life to the heart-breaking end.

Presto was born in a burning church in a small Spanish town. He was abandoned as a baby and went from guardian to guardian, but finally settled and raised by a blind musician, El Maestro.

At just nine years old, Frankie is sent to America with only his guitar and six magical strings in possession.

As Presto grows older, he works, in the most unusual way, with Elvis Presley and many other successful musicians. Frankie finally becomes a famous musician and is adored by many with his unique playing skills.

At the height of his fame, Frankie vanishes from the face of the Earth, with people searching far and wide for the famous Frankie Presto.

Back to when Frankie was just a young boy, Frankie meets Aurora, a young girl who sits high up in a tree, Frankie sits beside her and plays her a song on his guitar.

They do not spend much time together the day they meet but they hope to see one another again.

“

It will certainly make you laugh and cry.

Frankie never stopped thinking about Aurora and, when he is old enough, he travels to America to find her.

Their story is beautiful, full of ups and downs and well worth the read.

Aforementioned, Frankie is introduced at his funeral, throughout the novel we are taken back to the present where different people tell their story of Frankie Presto and how he changed their lives. Throughout his life, Frankie achieved fame and

fortune as well as touching so many hearts.

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto is a must read with its whirlwind of adventures. The novel takes us on an emotional rollercoaster, it will certainly make you laugh and cry. Even though the book switches from past to present throughout, it is an easy read. Mitch Albom’s love and passion for music shines through throughout the book, with the message that music has the power, just like

love, to affect us all.

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto is Albom’s seventh novel and is available in Chapters bookstore priced €4.99.

Praise for The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto: “Mitch Albom sees the magical in the ordinary” - Cecilia Ahern.

More books by Mitch Albom include, Tuesdays with Morrie, The First Phone Call From Heaven, The Timekeeper, and For One More Day.

“A Bona Fide National F****** Treasure” Niamh Haskins Online Specialist @niamhhaskins

Panti Bliss is not your average club drag act, she is a cabaret phenomenon.

For many reasons this, as she calls herself “A National F***ing Treasure” has been dubbed the Queen of Ireland.

At the start of this extravagant one lady show, the drag artist heavily emphasises his/ her status as “The Queen of Ireland”. By the end of the 70-minute performance, many might not find these titles quite so far-fetched.

Back in 2014, Bliss was a major presence on the scene in Dublin, very outspoken and always very glamorous. On an Irish TV chat show, Rory O’Neill, Panti’s real self, spoke out about an ingrained homophobia within the Irish press. Bliss named the names

“

and alleged that those individuals were homophobic.

Those named threatened to sue the national broadcaster for defamation and suddenly Panti found herself a hero of free speech and an unintentional gay activist, she says, “only drag queens

and puppets can say the unsayable”. Pantigate filled the news for weeks and the drag act rallied up support from many including celebrities like Madonna and Stephen Fry. The rise of Panti “a bona fide national fecking trasure” infuses her

Homphobic is not the worst thing you can call someone.

Solange Knowles is.

act. “Homophobic is not the worst thing you can call someone. Solange Knowles is.”

Years on, the resulting claims and counterclaims and fluency of Bliss’ Noble Call speech at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin still resonate with many. The passionate heartfelt speech which was funny, grounded, captivating with an underlying feeling of both emotion and anger went viral. From there Panti became the epitome of the gay marriage referendum in Ireland.

The show Panti Bliss: High Heels in Low Places detailed these events, exploring the unexpected shift from minor local celebrity to international equality idol.

A story which is funny, smart and fascinating to say the least. One which has been so carefully sharp-

ened to its best advantage.

The makeup of Panti might scream urban drag act, but the show displays some quality stand-up riff and is also full of critical points on health issues, equality and homophobia within the gay community.

As she walked the aisles within The Pavilion Theatre in her element, Panti graceflly interacted with her audience with scintilating responses.

When there is more of a story, Panti’s reverted back to the stage on firmer, funnier and fiery ground.

From a production point of view, this is a slick production with a straightforward mix of hilarity and cabaret.

Rory O’Neill - Bliss offstage - is the perfect showman, comfortable and at ease with his audience as well as sharp-witted. Funny, filthy dirty with sexual innuendos yet incredibly human.

16 | www.edition.ie

The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

CULTURE

A welcome back to classic cinema Sarah Harford Feature Editor @saz_harford

FILM REVIEW Title: La La Land Director: Damien Chazelle Starring: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt Genre: Musical Running Time: 2h Amidst all the Golden Globes and Oscars buzz, it’s been difficult to ignore La La Land recently. Critics have been raving about the romantic dramedy, which harks back to classic cinema and the old MGM musicals, but does it really live up to the hype?

The film focuses on struggling, stubborn jazz musician Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and optimistic, aspiring actor Mia (Emma Stone), and explores how their relationship develops as the seasons change. What makes this film stand out from the crowd, however, is that the pursuit of their dreams is expressed through their mutual love of music.

La La Land begins with an unapologetic bang - the opening scene is a huge song and dance number in the middle of a Los Angeles traffic jam. This impressive set-piece, ‘Another Day Of Sun’, seems to set the tone for what is to come, while introducing us to the protagonists. Filmed in glorious technicolour, with long, sweeping camera shots which provide a melodic fluidity, the four minute sequence is a pure visual and aural treat.

But, first impressions aside, the film is not a traditional musical in the way you might expect. Underneath the dreamlike musical mon-

tages, La La Land tells a simple story that is grounded in reality. Neither Stone nor Gosling are amazing singers or dancers, which makes these scenes seem genuine and real, with less of the glossy artifice of old musicals.

In one scene, Mia complains about having

of that film’s atmosphere and spark, with its passion for Hollywood and music.

But such allusions are more than just nostalgia or pastiche. La La Land feels fresh, energetic, and thoroughly modern, breathing new life into the neglected musical genre. The film

to wear high heels, removing them when she dances with Seb, before the pair are interrupted by that familiar iPhone ringtone. It’s a million miles away from the world of Singin’ in the Rain, yet still manages to capture some

is not as saccharine as the trailers may lead you to believe, and the surreal moments are balanced by harsh realities. This combination of romance and responsibility is reminiscent of Casablanca - one of Mia’s favourite films.

Unleash the Beast Joseph Ryan

FILM REVIEW Title: Split Director: M. Night Shyamalan Starring: James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy Genre: Thriller Running Time: 1h57min

Many people reside within M. Night Shyamalan, sadly misunderstood formalist maverick; childlike champion of the self-reflexively risible; stubbornly faithful loyalist to the hackneyed and to the diminished-of-return; earnest, somewhat fretful family man; poet of the aggrieved; sensitive trauma-surveyor; regrettable trauma-romanticizer; and perhaps even righteously derided charlatan.

One key difference between Shyamalan and the main character of Split, his latest outing as writer-director, is that Shyamalan’s myriad personae are all filmmakers. And, luckily, only the best of them – the gleeful cinematic scofflaws – showed up to work on his newest, a clinking, whirring exercise in gloriously discursive genre camp, Split is Shyamalan’s stylistic and narrative unorthodoxy at its most thrilling.

The premise is a brand of singular preposterousness that ought to be treasured. Kevin (James McAvoy) suffers from an extreme case of dissociative identity disorder with his body occupied by 23 distinct personalities. When a small but aggressive contingent of said personalities stage an internal coup, Kevin’s form kidnaps three teenage girls, imprisoning them in

an anonymous subterranean dwelling.

And thus Shyamalan is unleashed, operating at his most unbridled.

Pitching the film with a kind of whizz-bang grimness, he goes for broke with his cheeky subversions, stifling and withholding with merciless, wilful discretion, and often expertly mounting dread only to purposely undermine it.

He heavily populates the film with red herrings, loose ends, and diffuse tangents, decimating audience expectations by adopting a parallel instability with his main character. A quietly jarring quality pervades the film, as if a different genre has been surreptitiously embedded in every individual scene, its influence subtle but unmistakably disruptive.

If there’s a fear that Shyamalan’s antics could grow tiresome, one always finds anchoring solace in McAvoy’s barnstorming performance, an altogether more palatable but no less

Ryan Gosling does his typical sombre, dour, handsome thing to great effect, but pales in contrast with Emma Stone’s sincere, heartfelt performance. The chemistry between the two is subtle but strong, perhaps due to the fact they have previously starred opposite each other in Crazy, Stupid, Love and Gangster Squad.

The central pair carry the film, with only a few minor characters, including cameos from John Legend and J.K. Simmons.

This is only the third film from writer and director Damien Chazelle, who previously gained critical acclaim for the fantastically sharp drama Whiplash. Although linked by Chazelle’s love of jazz, La La Land is entirely different from its predecessor.

The songs and soundtrack, composed by Justin Hurwitz, are cool and catchy, connected by recurring themes and motifs that twirl throughout the film, and will definitely leave you humming ‘City of Stars’ for days after you’ve seen it.

La La Land has now been nominated for a record-tying 14 Oscars, so it seems that Chazelle’s wonderful gamble has paid off. As Mia sings longingly at the film’s climax, “Here’s to the ones who dream, foolish as they may seem”.

impressive feat of gloriously lurid showmanship.

Deftly threading the line between grin-inducing and outright startling, the diligence with which McAvoy renders Kevin’s various identities is evident in the sheer behavioural comprehensiveness and distinctiveness of each portrayal. More compelling still is his realization of the uneasy intersections between the characters; he and the film paint a poignant image of a mostly impossible irreconcilability of all the “selves”.

Similarly, within all this unabashed B-movie revelry, Shyamalan offers a fairly soulful meditation on one of his pet subject matters, trauma. Though still conflating personal trauma with existential transcendence, he leaves behind his more facile tendencies, in favour of something more bellicose, more anguished.

In the film’s world, Kevin’s manifestations are anything but a random affliction, though the real-life ludicrousness of his bid for pre-eminence remains carefully acknowledged. In doing so, the film finds its most affecting contrast, the disproportion of potential for justice and reward between the genuine diegetic plausibility of Kevin’s active superhuman-aspirations, and the near-hopeless resignation of the decidedly more realistic de facto protagonist, Casey.

Ultimately, Kevin is mercifully outlandish and all-too-fictitious, whereas Casey is sadly all-too-plausible. Here, Shyamalan wields the blunt instrument of genre trash not just for the freewheeling liberty it affords, but also for the power of its capacity for abrupt forthrightness. Shyamalan doesn’t crassly beautify; he harnesses crassness to make sense of ugliness – and is wisely clear-eyed about the artifice of his findings.

The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

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CULTURE

Uniting a Nation Niamh Haskins Online Editor @niamhhaskins

FILM REVIEW Title: Jackie Director: Pablo Larrain Writer: Noah Oppenheim Starring: Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, John Hurt Genre: Family, Drama Running Time: 1h40min Known for her extraordinary dignity and poise, we see a psychological portrait of the First Lady as she struggles to maintain her husband’s legacy and the world of “Camelot” that they both created and equally loved so dearly.

Jackie was the perfect “first lady” poised by the president’s side, flawlessly dressed, petite, compassionate, a cool woman - who ends up with her dying husbands brains and blood scattered on her lap, trying (as she said) to “hold his head together” as his skull was shot open by Lee Harvey Oswald.

This film is like no other as its focus is very narrow. Beginning the week after the assassination of her husband and President of the United States of America JFK Theodore H. White, a journalist for LIFE magazine, turns up to interview Jackie at the Kennedy home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, for the interview that created the Camelot legacy.

Over the course of the interview, she talks very frankly off the record about the death.

Only allowing White to print what she approves. Jackie gives a very detailed account of watching her husband die while sobbing

she asserted, “I hope you don’t for one second think I’ll allow you to publish that”.

Throughout the movie there are many flashbacks to the events that occurred in Dallas on November 22, 1963, to a programme which Jackie presented on American TV in 1961 called Tour of the White House and to the build up to JFK’s funeral.

We hear about the many burning issues and incidents of Kennedy’s presidency - civil rights, the Vietnam war and the Bay of Pigs.

All of which do not take away from the film’s main preoccupation, which is with Jackie herself. “You were mother to all of us and that is a very good story,” White tells her after finally stumbling on the angle which he thinks will make his article work. “The entire country watched the funeral from beginning to end.

Decades from now, people will remember your

dignity and honesty.”

Jackie like any other widow struggles to deal with her husband’s death. Although she battles this private grief, she held her dignity and nerve, when the nation was reeling from the apocalyptic events that occurred in Dallas, thereby helping everyone else to cope too. The version he wants to give his readers.

That isn’t the story Chilean director Pablo Larrain is telling - this film is about the mystery of Jackie and the significant gap between her public and private personality.

Natalie Portman’s performance is jaw dropping. Portman mimics Jackie’s breathy delivery so immaculately that you want to dismiss her performance as a trick. But she is deeply immersed in the skin of her character Jackie that it is without any doubt an Oscar-worthy performance.

I Left My Tent in San Francisco Olivia Powell Culture Editor

@powell_olivia

BOOK REVIEW

Book: I Left My Temt in San Francisco Author: Emma Kennedy Genre: Fictioni Summer, although months away, is an unforgettable time for many students, whether it is an unforgettable holiday or summer working abroad.

With J1 information talks held in many colleges around the city, it seemed a perfect time to read Emma’s American adventure.

Set in the late 1980’s, Emma tells her story

of her time in university, from start to end.

Emma is graduating from university with her best friend Dee and both are unsure of what to do as they start the next stage of their lives. Should they face the world of work straight away or take a well deserved break?

During their final few weeks at university, the friends find themselves at an information talk about travelling and working in America.

They are in awe by the opportunity right on their doorstep and do not hesitate to sign up.

After convincing their parents this is a great idea and a job would be easy to find on arrival, because Americans love an English accent, Emma and Dee are on their way to living the American dream.

But first, they have to graduate, and with

graduation comes a graduation/end of year party, the night before they are set to go to America.

The pair, of course, get drunk and stumble the streets at crazy o’clock. Emma and Dee also get arrested as they try to make it home clutching a road sign in their arms. The drama has started even before they have left England.

With just hours before their flight, Emma and Dee make it to the airport in time to say their farewells to their family.

They finally touchdown in America, after a long, unexpected plane delay. Throughout their time in America, Emma and Dee find themselves searching far and wide for a job and accommodation in California, living off their emergency fund and getting sprayed by a

skunk in the Grand Canyon.

Emma and Dee have a flight from New York to England at the beginning of October, the end of their journey, therefore they need to make it to New York from California on little money in order to catch that precious flight home. Will best friends Emma and Dee stick together through thick and thin and make it home?

I Left My Tent in San Francisco is a heart-warming and hilarious tale full of friendship. After reading this book, it will certainly encourage you to plan for summer 2017.

Author, Emma Kennedy describes the book as “my disastrous attempt to cross the USA in the eighties” with praise from Dawn French saying the book is “frighteningly hilarious”.

18| Sport

The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

Fitzgibbon Cup & Sigerson Cup victories for DIT GAA Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

DIT senior hurlers commenced their 2017 Fitzgibbon Cup campaign last week with a thrashing of GMIT, while the senior footballers got their Sigerson Cup campaign started with victory over Ahtlone IT (AIT).

DIT’s hurlers got off to a confident start and thanks to goals from Liam Blanchfield and Derek McNicholas, they went into the changing room at half-time with a 2-11 to 0-04 lead.

Although GMIT improved after the break, they were not able to find their way back into the match, and victory was secured for DIT when Sean Keating found the back of the GMIT net with just 10 minutes remaining.

Speaking to The Irish Independent after the match with GMIT, DIT senior hurling manager, Derek Brennan, said that although the fixture was tough, especially due to the conditions, his team are somewhat confident after their victory last week.

“It was hard ground out with the conditions – it was a tough old battle. This win has kept us in the competition, and next Tuesday [yesterday] we have Mary I at home.

That will be no easy task, but after

this we will be optimistic.”

The match ended DIT 3-15 GMIT 0-11.

The senior hurlers were in action against reigning Fitzgibbon Cup champions, Mary Immaculate College Limerick yesterday, after this issue went to print.

DIT team: S Brennan, P O’Reilly, T Doyle, S McClelland, J Kelly, J Guiney, C Byrne; B Maher, C Taylor, R Greville, D McNicholas, R Curley, N Walsh, L Blanchfield, M Lee. Subs: S Keating for Blanchfield, M Murphy for Walsh, E O’Hehir for Maher.

The senior footballers had a much tougher outing against AIT in the first round of the Fitzgibbon Cup last week.

DIT were reduced to 14 men when Ian Fahey was shown a black card after 18 minutes, having already been yellow carded earlier.

DIT were starting to look comfortable in the match up to this point, as they had already built a sizeable lead.

AIT began to gather momentum however, fighting back to be 1-07 to 0-06 behind at half time, DIT’s goal courtesy of Martin Farragher.

The second half remained a tight-knit affair until just after the halfway point, when a free from DIT’s top scorer on

Sports Editor needed. If interested apply to editor@edition.ie

the day, Conor Madden, was complemented by points from Ciarán Thompson and Thomas Corcoran.

The match ended DIT 1-13 AIT 0-11.

DIT play University of Limerick (UL) in UL today (Wednesday, 8 February) at 2pm.

DIT team: L Molloy, S Clayton, C McGill, L Hughes, G Guilfoyle, A Waters, B Maher, T Corcoran, I Fahey, E Flanagan, C Thompson, C Kavanagh, L Irwin, M Farragher, C Madden. Subs: C O’Gara for Kavanagh, G O’Reilly for Irwin, T Clarke for Farragher.

Rugby Team Drawn Against DCU in Cup Matthew Colfer Editor @mcolfer1

DIT will face DCU in the first round of the Brendan Johnston Cup next Wednesday, 15 February in Grangegorman.

The launch and draw for the third level colleges’ Men’s competitions took place in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Wednesday, 25 January, and was conducted by Student Sport Ireland, with 27 teams taking part in the three competitions.

Brendan Johnston, who has the honour of having the Senior Cup competition named after him was the guest of honour at the event.

Johnston spent 35 years as a lecturer and sports officer at Dundalk Institute of Technolo-

gy and also served as the Irish Colleges’ Rugby Union Honaray Secretary for a number of years.

Domestic Competitions Committee Chairperson of Student Sport Ireland, Ronan Keaskin, and Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) Age Grade Manager, Eoin Hogan, addressed the players, coaches and other representatives from the third level colleges at the event.

Keaskin is quoted in a post on the Irish Rugby website as saying: “On behalf of Student Sport Ireland, I am proud and delighted to attend today’s event to launch our second year of colleges’ rugby cup competitions. In 2016 we ran three very successful competitions, with the knockout format proving very popular with

players and coaches alike.”

Hogan is also quoted in the same post, stating: “It is wonderful to see all the hard work of Student Sport Ireland in co-operation with the IRFU and the colleges to bring this competition to new heights. In particular, I’d like to thank all the volunteers - coaches and staff who aid in the development of third level rugby in Ireland.”

This will not be the first time DIT has faced DCU this academic year, the sides met in Donnybrook back in October where DIT came from seven points down at half-time to defeat their Dublin rivals on a score line of 31-26.

The other fixtures which were determined in the draw for the first round of the Brendan Johnston Cup are:

Garda College vs Limerick IT, Athlone IT vs Waterford IT, and IT Carlow vs Ulster University.

If DIT overcome DCU in next week’s fixture, they will face either IT Carlow or Ulster University in the semi-final stages on Wednesday, 8 March and will again have home advantage.

The finals of all three third level colleges’ Men’s cup competitions will be hosted by Athlone IT in association with Buccaneers RFC, and will take place on Wednesday, 22 March.

Using these facilities presents the organisers with the opportunity to livestream the finals for the first time in the competitions’ history.

The Edition Wednesday 8 February 2017

SnowSports Club trip a great success Dan Wilson

Continued P20 Of course the nightlife is infamous on the DIT ski trips and this year was no exception as the club hit the town each night receiving discounts from many of the local pubs and clubs.

Some of the nights out had themes which were a big hit including Traffic Light, When I Grow Up, and County Colours.

The final three days skiing proved to be worth the wait as the sun shone down on the fresh powder from the clear blue skies.

It was badly needed as cabin fever was beginning to set in at the accommodation. Everyone went really hard on the slopes to make up for lost time but they all still made it to the nights out.

There was a minor hiccup on the return journey to the airport as one of the buses broke down, but taxis were swiftly organized, courtesy of the bus company, ensuring everyone made it to the airport safely.

Justas Mereckas, a fourth year student in Bolton Street praised the organisers of the trip: “Thank you Dan & Committee for organizing such a great trip. It was the best holiday I’ve ever been on.”

“This was my third DIT trip and by far the best,” said third year Kevin Street student, Francis Keane.

While Jamie Skelton, a fourth year student based in Aungier Street was also full of praise for the organising committee, “this trip was worth every cent, no better way to blow off exam stress.

Fair play Dan and co.”

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Murphy Chases Top Spot Niamh Haskins Online Editor @niamhhaskins

Continued P20

DIT will certainly need Murphy at her best as they have the potential to play six games. However, this season has not been so straightforward.

“We are capable of playing in a higher division and at a more competitive level but we tend to struggle in gaining such promotions due to girls not being able to commit due to work placement, Erasmus, etc. We’re at the stage now where we have to be at our best and really drive on as the games are only going to get tougher and more competitive from here on out.”

She continued: “At times the league has been somewhat compet-

itive. Promotion will be a struggle for us but it still is possible. It’s not that we don’t have the potential, there are plenty of decent players and a lot of talent within the squad itself we just have to realise that and play to it and hopefully then we will be in with a chance.”

The positional changes from midfield to striker have been crucial as Murphy has taken over as DIT’s left flanker after spending most of last season in central midfield, and she has relished a

return to the position.

“I’m moved between these two positions depending how the game is going and what players we have on the day really.

Everyone contributes to the game and creates the play and chances.

I’m just one of the girls who contributes to the goals but for those goals to happen it’s other players who make that pass or create the chance for me to get the goal. Most cases playing

striker gives me more opportunities because I’m playing high up the field all the time and I’m constantly in front of goal.”

This side have everything left to play for in the second half of the season, and Murphy is making the most of her time as she’s on track to becoming the league’s top goalscorer.

“At this stage there’s only possibly six games left of the season.

We’ve the League Plate quarter-final and Division Two League quarter-final. We are striving to win both games to progress to the semis and possibly finals.”

As DIT prepare for what lies ahead, the team’s top scorer is ready to lead the charge as she said, “bring it on”.

Get ready to head to the races David O’Farrell brings you all the latest information about student race days, and the Irish Gold Cup which takes place this Sunday.

Welcome to your new dose of horse racing in The Edition. I hope to regularly keep you updated on what’s happening in the equine world as well as giving you student information and those all-important ante-post tips.

Firstly, I would advise all of you, no matter how interested you are in horse racing, to sign up to the Go Racing student society webpage via email.

You will be informed of all events and on-goings within the equine industry regarding students.

You will also receive student discounts from The Racing Post and Irish Field as well as having the experience of racehorse ownership.

The first student race day of 2017 is fast approaching on Thursday, 23 March 2017 in Cork Racecourse located in Mallow. Furthermore, our local student race day takes place in Leopardstown Racecourse on Wednesday, 5 April 2017 so make sure to keep that date free as it is always an exciting day.

Finally on the student front, there is a Horse Racing Ireland internship programme which is run in early June for 10 to 12 weeks. It is open to college students at any stage of their degree and offers participants

a closeup insight into the administration side of horse racing as you work at either a racetrack or TOTE Ireland.

For my ante-post focus this week, I will look at the Irish Gold Cup which is due to be run at Leopardstown this Sunday, 12 February. It looks on paper like an open race and Don Poli currently heads the market at around 2/1. He is a worthy favourite after being beaten by less than three lengths in the Lexus at Christmas over course and distance.

However, the horse is very in and out like we saw at Down Royal at the start of the year when he was pulled up and he may not have the tactical speed for the rest, especially if the ground is quick.

Therefore, the two that interest me at the prices would be Road to Riches and Sizing John. Road to Riches has been slightly out of form this year but still has a rating of 159 and remains no slouch. He will have to improve but I believe he will be able to.

He was only beaten by six and a half lengths by Vautour last year in the Ryanair at Cheltenham and was previously placed in a Gold Cup and won a Galway Plate. He wasn’t beaten too far in the Lexus in eighth

Credit: Paul via Flickr Creative Commons.

and that was on dead ground so if the ground turns up a bit better and he jumps well, I think he is definitely overpriced at around 14/1 and has the ability to run a massive race.

Sizing John seemed a rejuvenated horse at Thurles last time in the Kinloch Brae when staying on well over two and a half miles to beat the consistent Sub Lieutenant. I think Sizing John is still an improving horse with bags of potential and for the first time in a long time, he can attempt to win a Grade 1 without Douvan getting in the way.

He already has a Grade 1 novice hurdle win to his name over the track and he seemed to improve last time with the step up in distance.

He ran to the line that day as if he would appreciate another step up in trip and his jockey, Robbie Power, believed after the race that it would be of no inconvenience to him. He impressed the last day if he jumps and stays, his current price of 6/1 represents decent each-way value. *Please gamble responsibly*

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Amy Murphy on the ball for the Ladies Soccer team.

All images courtesy of DIT Soccer Club.

SPORT

Wednesday 8 February 2017

SOCCER Niamh Haskins Online Specialist @niamhhaskins

As the DIT Ladies Soccer Club sit in two quarter-finals in the WSCAI Division Two and League Plate, it has been quite the season so far for Amy Murphy.

The left winger is the team’s top goal scorer having netted 14 goals in all competitions in four appearances for the side.

Murphy needs three goals to match the division’s top scorer, IT Blanchardstown’s Eleanor Ryan-Doyle, who is currently on 17 goals.

When asked if she could catch up, Murphy said: “With two quarter-finals around the corner I think I can manage to bag a few goals between those games to put me on top. Then with possibly four more games up for grabs after the quarter finals I think I most certainly can manage it, hopefully with a bit of luck.”

In her most prolific season since joining the team, this is Murphy’s third year playing for DIT. Although she is in top form, there are many challenges ahead for the squad.

“The season has been good but I should definitely have more goals in the bag” said Murphy. “I’m disappointed we didn’t qualify for the intervarsities this year, that was one of the main goals of this season but when you’re drawn against one of the top college teams in the country that’s just how it goes.”

As they have reached the halfway point in the season,

Continued P19

Snow Sports Club’s trip a great success Dan Wilson

On Saturday, 14 January, DIT SnowSports Club jetted off to Pas de la Casa, the highest ski resort in Andorra.

This year’s annual trip saw record numbers take part as 147 club members went on the trip, beating 2014’s record by three.

The trip was booked through the Manchester based travel agency NUCO, who the club have built a good reputation with in recent years.

SnowSports Club members received flights, accommodation, a lift pass, ski or snowboard rental, and a return bus ticket from the airport to the resort for €559.

This was the cheapest college trip in the British Isles relative to what was included in the base price.

The 147 members were split across three flights to Barcelona, where they met reps from NUCO and made a four-hour coach journey to the resort.

The trip got off to a rocky start in terms of weather; unfortunately, the entire resort was closed on the first day due to a high grade avalanche risk.

The heavy snowfall was relentless and the volume was untameable, it snowed constantly for the first three days and the resort remained shut with the exception of one or two runs.

Despite this disheartening setback, the committee, in conjunction with NUCO, were able to organise day time activities including a barbeque on the snow and a snowman building competition.

Continued P19