/march2007

CIT Students’ Union Magazine Volume Eight - Issue Seven

RAG Week 2007 Photos Inside

CITSU Election Season Begins

Stop The Road Carnage

Latest Sports & Societies News

expliCIT editorial CIT Students’ Union Rossa Ave, Bishopstown Cork, Ireland.

Telephone: 021 493 3120 Fax: 021 454 5343 Email: info@expliCIT.ie

expliCIT Staff Editor - Gearóid Buckley Design & Advertising - Philip O’Reilly Contributions Brian O’Sullivan CIT Floppy Soc Marie-Claire Jennequin News Digital Pics Mick O’Mahony

CIT Societies Caitriona Foley Barry O’Sullivan Aoife Kelleher Diarmuid Barry

CIT Students’ Union President - Brian O’Sullivan (supres@cit.ie) Vice President Education - Simon Bolger (sueducation@cit.ie) Vice President Welfare - Marie Claire Jennequin (suwelfare@cit.ie) Entertainments Officer - Caitriona Foley (suents@cit.ie) Projects Officer - Wesley Kiely (suprojects@cit.ie) Communications Officer - Gearóid Buckley (sucomms@cit.ie) Print Barnaville Print & Graphics LTD Freshford, Kilkenny.

Advertising Opportunities CIT has almost 17,000 full and part-time students with over 1,500 supporting staff. Why not use expliCIT to promote your business to this large audience?

Copy deadlines, advertising rates and technical specifications are available from our website www.expliCIT.ie or upon request from the Publications Office. expliCIT magazine is published monthly by CIT Students’ Union. The views expressed in the magazine are those of their authors and are not necessarily those of CIT Students’ Union. All articles and pictures are the property of their respective owners and should not be reproduced without their permission.

We Need You! If you would like to contribute to expliCIT please contact Philip in the Publications Office, 1st Floor, Student Centre or email: info@expliCIT.ie

I hope life is treating you well, like mine your wallet probably still hasn’t recovered from Rag week. A week owed to the brilliance of a fellow Bandon man, Mick O’ Mahony. Students of CIT if you see him on campus bow at his feet because at the 14th of March he has organised Celebration Day (aka Christmas day 2). So with March knocking at our door, I think its time to hit the library, the gym, and the fruit and veg section in supermarkets…will this happen? Ha Ha Ha Ha no. I, like many of you need to start knuckling down and catch up on notes, especially after rag week. After gunging Maurice Murphy I wonder if all the study in the world will do me any good. However, LOST and 24 are back on our screens, societies should be back in full swing once again, and most importantly CITSU's Candy at Earth will continue every Thursday night.

2007 looks like the year for come backs first the CITSU Forums, Rocky Balboa then the Rag Mag, who’s next Ken Curtin?. Thanks to everyone that bought the Rag Mag and contributed money to worthy charities. I would also like to thank Eoin McInerney (for his hard work in persuading* people to advertise) and Philip O’ Reilly (for working with my very very unrealistic deadlines), without you the Rag Mag would not have made it’s come back.

The photos are up on www.CITSU.ie from rag week, check them out and don't forget to rate them as there will be a prize at the end of the year for the most rated picture.

In the last issue I wrote an article regarding the safety of Irish soccer under Steve Staunton, I'm not going to eat my words just yet, I still believe he can save it, he better or he could be coming to CIT next year to get gunged.

Those of you running for positions in the SU for the academic year 07/08 get your campaigns ready now as closing date is looming, see posters for more information.

Gearóid Buckley P.S was it just me or did the freak show lads also remind you of UCC Freshers.

*In Eoin's bid to gain sponsorship for the rag mag, sexual favours were kept to a minimum and were only used as a last resort.

CITSU to Host Safety Week 5th - 9th March 2007 “...With over 8000 full time and 4000 part time students and staff in CIT, the Union believes that it is apt to highlight issues of grave concern...”

Cork Institute of Technology Students’ Union will host a “Safety Week” from 5th to 9th March at the Bishopstown campus. With over 8000 full time and 4000 part time students and staff in CIT, the Union believes that it is apt to highlight issues of grave concern such as Road, Fire and Personal safety.

CITSU President, Brian O’Sullivan, said ”to date we have had a great response and support for this Safety Week and have confirmed: •

• • • • • •

The exhibition of five crashed cars and one bike, in which young fatalities occurred and these are to be placed at strategic locations around the campus.

Pat Mc Nelly has also confirmed to deliver his “Drive for Life” lecture The “Garda Road Show” including lectures, display of equipment and breathalysing in the hallways A line of students wearing 368 t-shirts, representing one for every road death last year.

Road safety authority Institute of advanced motorists Headways Ireland

• • • • • • • •

•

Southern Mobility Health and safety in the workplace Cork Fire Brigade to do fire demonstrations Self defence training Water safety demonstrations Water Safety Council ISA (TBC) Over ten other stands who will be situated in the main hallway within the Institute and which will give small group demonstrations on just how easy an individual can become a statistic.

A number of plasma screens and large projectors which will depict facts and figures and show short but graphic documentaries on a continual loop.

With a large number of fatalities annually, amongst the 17 – 25 year old age bracket, this demographic fits perfectly into a third level Institution. This is a concern which has been flagged by the Cork Branch of the Rotary association and they hope to co-run this week in Cork IT as a pilot for a national project on Road safety in third level colleges”.

New Gala Mini Market Opens in Student Centre A new Gala mini-market opened on Thursday 15th February at the CIT Student Centre. The mini market has in stock a large variety of products including groceries, a brand new deli, frozen foods, dairy products and toiletries along with a range of other beverages, confectionery and foods.

Complementary beverages, confectionery, newspapers and tea/coffee were provided throughout the morning of the opening day. All students and staff have been warmly welcomed and the shop’s new

staff and management are anxious to provide a high quality service to student and staff on campus.

The anticipated normal opening hours at the moment will be 8.00am - 7.00pm, but these may be subject to change while the shop adjusts to on campus demand. An official opening will take place in the next couple of weeks. Students and staff are advised to check in store for regular special offers or see your latest edition of expliCIT.

The Management & Staff of the Rochestown Park Hotel would like to wish all new and returning students to CIT the best of luck with the year ahead.

Thank you for once again making us your Number 1 Ball Venue for 2007!

NMCI Conferrings 2007 Many Graduates to be Denied Vote

by Paddy Healy, TUI Candidate for Seanad Eireann Citizens are rightly concerned that the electoral register for Dail elections be accurate and fully inclusive. But government is also responsible for ensuring that elections to Seanad Eireann be fully democratic.

Tens of thousands of graduates will be denied a vote in the Seanad Election unless the law is changed immediately. People who graduated through study in Institutes of Technology, University of Limerick, Dublin City University, the Institute of Public Administration and teacher training colleges will continue to be disenfranchised. This category includes many teachers of engineering, of wood technology and of physical education. It also includes journalists, public servants, engineers, scientists, business graduates, architects, creative artists and childcare professionals. In deed any graduate who was not conferred by either the National University of Ireland or Dublin University (Trinity College) will be unable to vote.

I call on the government to introduce legislation immediately so that this matter may be remedied before the next general.

The continued denial of the right to vote to these graduates is deliberate. The Oireachtas Committee on Seanad Reform reported a full two and a half years ago. It recommended that a single six seat constituency be established in which all graduates would be entitled to vote.

This would replace the NUI and Dublin University panels. Everybody purports to be in favour of the change but nothing is done to implement the change.

I call on all existing university senators to ensure that this discrimination ends by forcefully and continuously intervening in the Seanad until the government introduces the necessary legislation or by introducing a private members bill if necessary Paddy Healy Independent candidate on NUI panel — nominated by Teachers Union of Ireland

Cork Institute of Technology Students Union President, Brian O’Sullivan, was amongst the 29 students conferred with Degrees at the National Maritime College of Ireland, in Ringaskiddy on the 15th February 2007. Brian, from Droum, Leap, Co. Cork, was conferred with a B.Eng in Marine and Plan Engineering.

Speaking at the Conferring Ceremony, CIT Director, Dr Brendan Murphy outlined the changes which have occurred during the lifetime of the NMCI. “Even though the College is only two years old we are already changing.” said Dr Murphy. “Captain John Clarence was appointed as the New Head of NMCI following the retirement of Mr Donal Burke.

Commander Gerard O’Flynn has taken up duty as the Associate Head and Senior Naval Officer at the College replacing Commander Tuohy who has taken up duty as the Commander of the L.E. Eithne, the Navy’s flagship.

There is much ongoing activity in the area of course review and development preparing for the full introduction of Modularisation & Semesterisation starting in September this year. There has been significant growth in the demand for short bespoke courses for industry and also the NMCI is involved in a number of EU funded projects with a number of meetings and events hosted at the college” At the ceremony Oisin Kemp was awarded the GPS Ireland Prize for the NMCI student who has done best in terms of electronic navigation. Mr Kemp from Rossmore, Clonakilty, Co. Cork was conferred with a BSc. in Nautical Science, as well as the GPS Ireland trophy, he receives a cash sum and a year membership of the Institute of Navigation.

Minister Hanafin Commences Institutes of Technology Act 2006 The Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin, T.D., has signed an Order to commence the Institutes of Technology Act 2006 with effect from 1February 2007. The new legislation brings the country's fourteen Institutes of Technology, including the State's largest third level institute, the Dublin Institute of Technology, under the remit of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for the first time. Until now, the HEA has only had funding responsibility for the seven universities and certain smaller designated institutions.

"The commencement of this legislation marks a historic milestone for the higher education system in Ireland. It is another major step in the development of the institutes of technology as hugely significant providers of higher learning opportunities from sub-degree right through to doctoral level. The legislation affords new managerial freedoms to the institutes to allow them to further develop their roles in meeting the needs of learners, developing industry partnerships and promoting economic and social development in their regions.

The legislation will bring a greater cohesion to the development of a unified strategic approach to higher education in accordance with the recommendations of the OECD in its Review of Higher Education in Ireland.The Government is investing heavily in developing the capacity of Ireland’s higher education system to meet the social and economic challenges of the knowledge age. It is important in developing system wide strength that we build on strong institutional collaboration across the entire higher education sector. The new legislation will facilitate that approach and I know that the new opportunities it creates will be grasped by all of our universities and institutes." Minister Hanafin said.

The Minister said that the Government has agreed to reconstitute the membership of the Higher Education Authority in order to reflect its new remit.The new membership of the Authority will be confirmed in the coming days.

CIT Engineers Best in Ireland Kilkenny Man Bill Quinn, representing Cork Institute of Technology and Bausch & Lomb Ireland Waterford, is declared Outright Winnerof the Enterprise Ireland I.Mech.E. Speak Out for Engineering

depthinspection and Design of Experiments mathematical analysis of critical manufacturing processes for the newest highly successful generation Bausch & Lomb contact lenses.

The Enterprise Ireland Institution of Mechanical Engineers Speak Out for Engineering National Finals took place at Engineers Ireland H.Q. in Dublin throughout Friday 16th February .

Bill’s ability to clearly delineate, describe, illustrate and animate a complex manufacturing investigation and analysis in a manner accessible to a non-expert was also referred to in highly laudatory terms by the Adjudication Chairman.

Ten students, representing Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, National University of Ireland, Galway, Dublin City University, Dublin Institute of Technology and Cork Institute of Technology, presented before a distinguished panel of expert judges.

Also Amongst the 10 pre-selected finalist was CIT Mechanical Engineering Student, Kenneth Bourke with his project, Measurement of Suture Tension, supervisor Mr. Declan Sullivan Following the adjudicators’ deliberations was announced late on Friday night 16th February, 2007, Bill Quinn was declared to have one first place and to be the outright winner for his project, Optimisation of Capping Chamber Parameters in Contact Lens Manufacture, supervised by Dr. Ger Kelly The Chairman of the distinguished adjudication panel, Mr. Kenneth Daly of Intel Ireland, in his presentation address referred to the extremely high standard of all ten finalists, remarking that the achievement of this standard was a a major achievement for all ten short-listed finalists, their colleges and industrial partners.

The judges were especially impressed by Bill Quinn’s project, which involved the in-

The Mooncoin man’s marvellous success has been greeted with acclaim both in Cork and Waterford.

Mr. Gerry Colgan, Pure Vision Manufacturing Engineering Manager of Bausch & Lomb Ireland, Waterford, “ Everybody here in Waterford is delighted with Bill’s achievement. Bill has indeed demonstrated exceptional ability during his work placement at Bausch & Lomb and the excellent standard of his final year project is a true reflection of his ability and dedication. We look forward to congratulating Bill on his well deserved national success on his return to Waterford.”

Mr. Matthew Cotterell, Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering at Cork Institute of Technology, is equally delighted with Bill’s National Award “ This success represents a great achievement for Bill, the CIT Honours Degree programme in Mechanical Engineering, Supervisor Dr. Ger Kelly and , of course, our industrial partners, Bausch & Lomb.

The national success also represents a clear imprimatur for the highly acclaimed CIT work placement policy. Congratulations also go to Kenneth Bourke, who was selected as a finalist and represented CIT with great honour.”

Séan F O’Leary

Notice of Elections Cork Institute of Technology Students’ Union The Elections for the Following Students’ Union Positions will take place on

Thursday 15th March 2007 Sabbatical President Vice-President Education Vice-President Welfare

Non-Sabbatical Communications Officer Entertainments Officer Projects Officer Nominations will open on 26th February 2007 (forms available from the Students’ Union Office) For offsite campuses please email Vicky O’Sullivan at vicky.osullivan@cit.ie,

Nominations will close at 5.00 pm Friday 9th March 2007

All You Need To Know About CITSU Elections...

Who can vote?

Election Rules for Candidates

All members of the Students’ Union as set down in article 3.1 of the constitution of the Students’ Union are eligible to vote in the referenda:

ALL CANDIDATES MUST ADHERE TO THE ELECTION RULES IN ACCORDANCE WITH SCHEDULE B OF THE CONSTITUTION OF CITSU (COPIES POSTED ON SU NOTICE BOARDS AND ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE STUDENTS’ UNION OFFICE).

Extract from the Constitution 3.1 Full Membership: All registered students of the college, whether full, part-time, and day or block release or any combination of these shall be full and equal members of the Union on payment of the fee as specified by the Union annually.”

What do I need to vote?

You need a valid college ID card or acceptable form of Identification to vote.

How do I cast my vote?

You need to call to the polling station closest to you. (A schedule of polling station locations and time will be available in the what’s On and from the Students’ Union Office). Present your ID to the election officials who will give you the ballot forms. You can indicate your preferences in numerical order i.e.

No. 1 is your first preference, No 2 your second preference and so on.

How do I make up my mind?

In order to find out more information, to help you to decide which way you wish to vote, talk to the Candidates, read their electioneering material and attend the official husting the day before the votes are cast.

For any further information on the election process, rules and electorate eligibility, please call into the Students’ Union Office or go to the Students’ Union Notice Boards.

Canvassing: • Canvassing will commence after close of nomination, 5.00 pm, Friday 9th March 2007 – all canvassing prior to this date is strictly prohibited.

• All candidates are expected to treat all other candidates with dignity and respect and abide by basic rules of fair play.

• Where an election is in progress under this constitution the Returning Officer may at his/her discretion make such regulations as may be appropriate to govern the canvassing or other activities of candidates, or their agents, in seeking election.

• All canvassing must be confined to the college grounds.

• Poster Display - One Large poster per candidate - 300 A4/A3 posters per candidate (including bunting) (Candidates are advised to college policies regarding fly posting).

• Candidates must keep a record of the number and location of their posters.

• Defacement of nomination forms will lead to disqualification.

Allocations Each Candidate shall be entitled to the following: • One ream of White A4 Paper • 250 Photocopies (candidates must supply their own paper) • 4 sheets of Poster Paper Séan McIntyre, Returning Officer Vicky O’Sullivan, Assistant Returning Officer

Extract of CIT Students’ Union Constitution (SCHEDULE B – Elections) General:

Hustings:

Counting:

1. A Returning Officer, who shall not be a member of the student body, shall be appointed by the Union Executive. The returning officer shall be responsible for the good conduct of elections for one year.

2. The election of the Executive shall take place in the second term of the academic year.

3. The dates of all elections and a copy of the election regulations shall be posted on the Union Notice Board at least three working weeks before the election.

4. All full members of the Union shall be entitled to vote and/or con test all executive positions.

5. It will be the responsibility of all the outgoing Full Time Officers if requested, to make themselves available to all candidates for information purposes.

14. All official hustings or public debates with or between candidates or interested parties in an election shall be convened by independent chairpersons.

15. Candidates shall hust in alphabetical order and shall sum up in reverse alphabetical order.

16. Candidates shall have equal time for their main speeches and not less than a third of that time for summing up.

17. Points of information shall not be allowed. Points of order may only be made by the Candidates and shall only be related to the running of hustings.

18. Questions from the floor shall be subject to inspection by the Returning Officer and/or the Chairperson.

19. Parliamentary language must be observed at all times during hustings.

31. The counting of votes shall take place after the closing of the polling stations at a time and in an area designated by the Returning Officer.

32. The order of the count after ascertaining total poll shall be President, Vice President Education, Vice President Welfare, Communications Officer, Entertainment Officer, Projects Officer with the official results being declared by the Returning Officer after each count.

33. Campaign managers/candidates have the right to call a recount after the result of the count has been announced. If a campaign manager/candidate for any reason is absent from the count result announcement he/she may still request a recount within one hour of the announcement being made. The Returning Officer alone will make the decision as to when the recount will take place.

Nominations:

Voting:

Grievances:

6. Candidates for executive posts must be nominated by 40 full Union members including at least two Union Council Members. As well as signing the nomination form the nominators must also print their names and ID numbers on the nomination form.

7. The official nomination papers must contain, as well as the required number of nominees, the candidates name as registered with the Institute, his/her Institute I.D. number, course and the name of the candidate’s agent/campaign manager (if any).

8. The election for all positions shall take place four working days after the close of nominations.

9. Nomination forms signed by the candidates shall be returned to the Returning Officer no later than 5.00 p.m. on the day of close of nominations.

10. Candidacy will be invalidated on the basis of tampering or defacement of the official nomination form.

11. The decision on valid candidacy is at the discretion of the Returning Officer, his/her decision is final.

20. The system of voting shall be proportional representation with the single transferable vote, as operated under the various Electoral Acts of Ireland.

21. Votes will be cast in sealed ballot boxes.

22. Voting slips shall bear the name of each candidate alphabetically and the office being contested.

23. The Returning Officer shall publicise the location and arrangements of polling station(s) and shall make arrangements whereby provision is made for all full members of the Union to vote in advance of Polling Day. 24. Polling stations will be situated in areas giving greatest convenience to the voters and their opening hours shall be determined by the returning officer with a view to catering for the highest possible voter turnout.

25. No other polling station can be opened other than those on the Institute campuses authorised by the Returning Officer.

26. No electioneering or pamphleting may take place within the red perimeter line circumferencing the polling booth(s).

27. Voters must be able to identify themselves before being allowed to vote.

28. Any vote on which a clear preference is shown will be considered valid.

29. If a candidate wishes to use on the ballot paper a name other than the one, which appears on their institute registration, they must seek prior approval from the returning officer.

34. Any corrupt practice e.g. attempted double voting, will be disciplined using all the medium at the Union’s disposal.

35. Any candidate/campaign manager/ordinary member of the Union who has reason to believe that there was an irregularity of any kind regarding the conduct of the elections shall have the right to lodge an objection with the Returning Officer within one Institute day of the alleged irregularity taking place.

Canvassing: 11. All candidates are expected to treat all other candidates with dignity and respect and abide by basic rules of fair play.

12. Where an election is in progress under this constitution the Returning Officer may at his/her discretion make such regulations as may be appropriate to govern the canvassing or other activities of candidates, or their agents, in seeking election.

13. All canvassing must be confined to campus grounds. All canvassing must be carried out in keeping with the laws and regulations of both the institute and the state.

By-Elections: 36. The above rules shall also apply for by-elections, however, by elections for non-sabbatical executive positions may be held through the medium of the General Meeting, the decision as to whether to use this medium or not shall be made by the Executive of the day.

Union Council: 37 The position of Union Council Chairperson shall be elected from the floor at their first council meeting of the year; this position shall be filled by show of hands unless a secret ballot is requested.

Full constitution available in both English and Irish languages from the Students’ Union Offices or online at www.citsu.ie

CIT Students’ Union President February proved to be yet another great month for CIT. Rag week as I’m sure you will all agree was a great success. With the move to the Student Centre, originally thought to be a difficult location, we were proved wrong when over 1000 student showed up on the first day to witness the hypnotist. The return of the gunge tank went down a storm and raised almost €800 for charity. Another venue relocation was the move to the Mardyke complex for Tramps ball. It was a venue which saw more people in fancy dress than ever before and coupling this with the great line up of entertainment and freedom to move around, the night proved to be a glowing success and a venue which will be strongly considered for future events. RAG Week 2008 is now being planned and we welcome any feedback or recommendation which you the student may have to offer. After all it is all for you and we may not always get it right.

Safety Week: This begins this week and runs until Friday. It is an event which has been worked on since December and has proved to be a high profile event for the college and the students within.

Highlights will include fire fighting demonstrations, car cutting procedures once a crash has occurred, water safety lessons and so on. One to note will be Pat Mc Neely’s Drive for life lecture which will be a gripping lecture on what impact car crashes have had on victims families and how to avoid this.

Check out the competition running during the to win a years free car insurance.

Check posters for further details.

Regards Brian

CIT Students’ Union Vice President Education Hope you survived Rag Week, I just about did. It was great this year and I would like to thank everyone who gave a hand, you know who you are. My favourite part was the Christy Moore tribute but every performer put on a great show and all were entertained. Also all the pictures from Rag week are up on www.citsu.ie so you can have a laugh at your friends as well as me.

While on the subject of www.citsu.ie the forums are back up and running on the site so get registered and chat with fellow students or societies and away you go. The more you put into them the bigger they get.

So with Rag Week over I know you don’t want to hear it but exams creep up quick so keep ahead of the rush and study. I know it’s not the must fun thing but think how much better you’d feel getting drunk after getting good results instead of bad ones.

On a final note the elections are coming up for the Union Exec for next year, so I encourage all of you to go and vote to make sure that the person you elect is one that represents all of you and not just the few who vote. Every vote counts so make sure its someone you feel will do a good job for you and the student body.

Mind yourself, Simon.

CIT Students’ Union Vice President Welfare So, Rag Week is yet again resigned to the history books. Hopefully everyone enjoyed it especially the lucky lecturers who found themselves of the receiving end of some sticky pink substance. Good fun and all that it was, it is now the time of year where socialising must be reduced and more study done. With any luck you have used the week off from lectures as the perfect opportunity to catch up on those projects and assignments that were put on the long finger during Rag Week, and no I did not mean studying in the pub. It seems to work well at the time until you wake up the next morning and don’t remember where your pants are…eh

I mean what you studied that night. There is also much to look forward to this month. Safety Week kicks off on the 5th. Be sure to watch out for talks and events that are happening this week. If any of you would like to help myself and the welfare committee with the upcoming European – Wide Action Week Against Racism you can drop into my office or e-mail me. suwelfare@cit.ie .

With the elections fast approaching – has it been a year already? – many of you may be considering a vocation with the Students’ Union. If you have any questions or queries about the duties and responsibilities please don’t hesitate to drop in for a chat.

Slán go fóill, Marie-Claire

CIT Students’ Union Entertainments Officer Hi everyone, hope you all enjoyed a well deserved break during “study week” (a very loose term, I believe) and that everyone is bright and ready for action for the remainder of the term. Most of you are probably still recovering from the shenanigans of RAG week, and for all the contributions that both students and staff made, we all want to say a gigantic THANK YOU! The week was a huge success and we raised an incredible amount of money for all of our charities. Mick, our Entertainments Manager did an amazing job for the second year in a row and deserves a medal for all his hard work, as does everyone else who helped us out (there are too

many to name, but you know who you are). Me? I’m still trying to wash that pink gunge out of my hair. It’s fine for all the boys who only had to complain about their clothes being ruined, not so much when you have a mane of blonde hair to worry about! Don’t forget you can check out photos from all the events on www.citsu.ie - Gearoid was getting snap-happy all week!

In the meantime, make sure you pay a visit to some of the great information stands at CIT’s very first Safety Week, because you never know, the information you pick up there could save your life or the life of a friend someday. Well, it’s back to the drawing board for me, looking very much forward to our next great CIT events as always, and if you have any suggestions related to Entertainments, please do not hesitate to contact me at suentertainments@cit.ie Caitriona

O M PRO

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Welfare Guide to:

Dealing with the Cold Virus “...Echinacea is one of the most popular remedies for stopping colds as it boosts your immune system.

It should be taken at the first sign of cold symptoms but should only be used as a short term measure...”

It’s very difficult to prevent or cure a cold…but we can always try. On average, adults suffer from two cold viruses a year, young children as many as six, so it’s not called the common cold for nothing.

Avoiding the virus: The cold virus is spread through droplets from sneezes and coughs of those already infected. But trying to avoid getting infected is a bit like trying to avoid breathing. Staying away from crowded public areas can reduce you chances slightly. The other main route of transmission is via hand-shaking. So washing your hands frequently is one of the best methods of prevention.

Nipping it in the bud: The cold virus attaches itself to the lining of the throat and nasal passages where it begins to replicate and overwhelm the body’s defences’. After about two days, the classic symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, sinus congestion and sore throat emerge. One remedy is any nasal spray which claims to stop the

virus attacking the nasal lining e.g. Vick’s First Defence Boost your defences: Echinacea is one of the most popular remedies for stopping colds as it boosts your immune system. It should be taken at the first sign of cold symptoms but should only be used as a short term measure. Taking Vitamin C will not reduce the duration of your symptoms. Zinc is another nutrient which can help to reduce the severity of symptoms.

If you can’t beat it, treat it: Most cold remedies are based on paracetomal or ibuprofen to help ease aches and pains and stabilise your body temperature. Check whether medication may cause drowsiness, or if it contains caffeine which may interfere with sleep if taken at night. And your granny’s advice about hot lemon and honey drinks, plenty of rest and wrapping up warmly is as good as anything else you’ll hear about how to deal with the common cold.

Welfare Guide to: Racism geoning economy to live and work here. But breaking down barriers is something the Government has failed to address.

An official unwillingness to put legislation into force makes laws on the statute book next to useless. To be effective, every piece of legislation must be tested for its’ racial or human rights impact. Whether it advances or derogates human rights is the litmus test.

Take a walk down any street in Ireland today and you will hear the accents of Europe, Africa and the Middle East, voices which are now adding to the rich complexity of our increasingly multi-cultural society.

But there is a compelling need for the state to take a far more active role in promoting social harmony, countering racism and preparing immigrants to not alone work in this country but also to live here. Our new found sense of cultural diversity follows an influx of tens of thousands of people lured here by a bur-

Against this backdrop, it is necessary to take an in-depth look at how Ireland is preparing for the day when society will be truly multi-cultural. There is a need to encourage integration across the spectrum of society before it is too late.

Fundamental human rights principles should inform all policy decisions on education, employment, planning, language, teaching, housing and the work place.

There is a real risk that immigration could become a cause of further conflict in the future, and this societal threat should not go unheeded. Unless these problems are addressed from the top down, a racist time bomb, which could explode one day, will inevitably be primed.

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CIT Culchie of The Year Competition 2007!

As I write this, there’s a serious debate going on around the country about the validity of ‘God Save the Queen’ and its place in Croke Park. A serious fuss has been kicked up, and suddenly everyone is talking again about heritage and patriotism, something that has been lost in recent times unless it involves certain ‘groups’ (you know who I’m talking about). Now, more than ever, we need to bring back our heritage and culture and protect it, and that’s a part of what Celebration Day is all about. To be held on the 14th of March, in the run up to Paddy’s Day, CIT will be hit with a serious case of Irish fever!

The Waxies will entertain us during the day, and Irish rock veterans Aslan that night, but we have something quite possibly even better to look forward to: the first ever CIT Culchie of the Year 2007 competition! You may have heard of the King of Culchies event which takes place every year in a purely culchi-fied area of the country e.g. Meath, Kerry etc. Now their rules include “No Dubs allowed!” and “No Women” but the CIT competition is open to both men and women, and anything in between. I think we might have to stay put on the Dub rule though. For your own knowledge, just in case by some incredible chance that you’ve just landed in Cork from planet Zog, a culchie is defined as: "One who lives in, or comes from, a rural area; a (simple) countryman (or woman), a provincial, a rustic." In Dublin, a culchie is considered to be anyone not from Dublin.

The events of the Culchie of the Year competition will include a Culchie Fashion Show, Culchie Walk Off, Sheep-herding and of course the ever important interview. Your outfit is essential! Some culchies are completely incoherent and incomprehensible, and so you may have to be judged on your costume if the judges fail to understand your interview answers! There will also be an interval show: “Women in Wellies” will be like our very own Lovely Girls competition. Prizes will be fantastic, so start brushing up on your knowledge of tractors, Honda 50’s and the bog right now, as well as culchie slang like ‘craic’, ‘fierce’, ‘banjaxed’ and ‘bejaysus’. You WILL be judged on your accent, vocabulary, dress, and walk. Points may be awarded at the judges’ discretion to contestants that are not from specifically culchie areas, but who possess the qualities of someone from, say, Kerry, or even Clare.

The competition will start off with only 10 contestants so grab an application form straight away from the Students’ Union, as your selection will be based on the answers that you give on the form.

Like I said, the top prize will be mighty, and all contestants on the day will receive consolation prizes too. And remember, considering a ‘four-legged blonde’ (or a sheep, whichever is available at the time) to be your dream date will help you in this competition!

Caitriona Foley, Entertainments Officer

CITSU RAG Week 2007 More CITSU RAG Week Photos online at www.citsu.ie

ASL AN - CIT SU Celebration Day 14th March 2007 - Savoy Nightclub CIT SU Celebration day will take place this year in CIT on Weds 14th March. Festivities star t at 12 Midday in the Student Centre with CIT Culchie of the Year competition followed by live music by those bad boys TH E WA XI E S. That night, T he Shamrocks and Shenanigans Ball takes place in the Savoy with the perennially popular ASL AN headlining.

T he good news here is tickets are only € 1!

Seriously only ON E EU RO and are available to CIT Students only…. limited strictly to one per person.

Valid 18+ IDs Essential for Aslan at the Savoy. Management of Venue Reserve Right of Admission. NO TICKETS AT DOOR - NO EXCUSES!

Stop the Road Carnage 368 people were killed on Irish roads in 2006 and a further 39 have been killed since January 1st 2007.

Numbers only tell a fraction of the story. They mask the grief, pain and anger that have afflicted so many families in Ireland. Below I have reproduced the harrowing statistics from the Provisional Fatal Collision Statistics 2007 (20/02/2007) from the Garda National Traffic Bureau: Total number of collisions 41 Total persons killed 42 Road users killed Pedestrians 17 Passengers 7 Drivers 16 Pedal cyclists 2 Motorcyclists 0 Motorcyclist pillion passengers 0

• Environmental factors contribute to 1.5% of road fatalities • Vehicle factors contribute to 0.5% of road fatalities

The main behavior causing death and injury remain the same and includes • Excessive and inappropriate speed • Driving while intoxicated, whether through drugs or alcohol • Failure to wear seatbelts and failure of parents to restrain their children properly • Failure to recognise vulnerable road users • As pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists we fail to recognise our vulnerability and fail to ensure we can be seen by others when using the roads • Driving while tired could also be a contributory factor

This amounts to 42 people more than should have died. According to the National Roads Authority, the main contributing factor to the large number of road fatalities in this country in 2004 (96%) was the behavior of the road user.

There are many, many young drivers who drive safely, but the statistics do not lie. It is young people who are dying on the roads of Ireland. They are dying every week, primarily at the weekend and almost always at night. Young people must now stand up and take the lead on this issue. We are killing each other.

• The behavior of drivers contributes to 88% of road fatalities • The behavior of pedestrians contributes to 8% of road fatalities • Road factors contribute to 2% of road fatalities

Check out the various stands and speakers throughout Safety Week and find out where you fit in. Event details are available in this edition of expliCIT and from the Students’ Union Office.

Brian O’Sullivan

Cork Institute of Technology Students’ Union “Safety Week” takes place from Monday 5th March to Friday 9th March 2007 The week will be dedicated to Vivion Foley RIP who is a former lecturer at CIT and who wrote a book, “How Safe is your Car” in 2001.

Some of this year’s features include:

• Pat Mc Nelly’s ”Drive for Life” lecture Monday and Tuesday 10am - 3pm • The “Garda Road Show” including lectures, display of equipment and breathalysing in the hallways • A line of students wearing 368 t-shirts, representing one for every road death last year.

• Road safety authority • Institute of advanced motorists • Headways Ireland (specialists in head trauma)

• Southern Mobility (Disabled driving) • Health and safety in the workplace • Cork Fire Brigade to do fire demonstrations • Self defence training in student centre • Water safety demonstrations and swim lesson in Leisure World Tuesday night 8pm • Water Safety Council • Ambulance crew • Competition for free motor insurance

For more information please contact the Students’ Union or visit www.citsu.ie

NOT EVERYONE THAT GETS HIT

BY A DRUNK DRIVER DIES! Children always look. They always turn around to look. Some kids shout. Some ask their mothers what happened. Some follow. Some hide. Once in a supermarket, a boy came near. Monster, he said. It’s even worse when children cry. “I feel like a normal person inside,” Jacqueline Saburido says. Some days, she stays at home, lying in bed, visiting the past. For a while, she rests in the memories of her old life, the life that disappeared in the flames.

JACQUI’S FACE At a distance Jacqui looks old. Up close, ageless. She has a baggy neck and thin crumpled lips. Her cheeks are splotchy and rough in places, smooth in others. Where her right ear should be, she has a slender crescent of cartilage around a pea-sized black hole. On the left side, she has only a hole. Her nostrils are ragged, torn. A flap of skin hides her left eye. For more than two years, the eyeball floated naked in the socket, mostly blind but perpetually staring behind a clear plastic goggle. Her right eye sees behind a veil of scar. Her burned skin can’t sweat or protect her from heat and cold. It feels hot and tight, like having sunburn. Her fingers are amputated between the knuckle and the first joint. On her right hand, they are fused together like a mitten.

THE JOURNEY On Sept. 19, 1999, Jacqui got a ride home from a party in Austin. On a dark road, a drunken driver veered over the yellow line. Two passengers died on impact. Two were rescued from the spreading fire by frantic paramedics.

Jacqui, pinned in the front seat, burned. She woke up in a hospital in Galveston, blind and hallucinating. Her parents, estranged from each other, waited by her bedside, watching parts of their daughter die. But Jacqui lived. She emerged from the hospital unrecognizable and totally dependent.

She suffered third-degree burns over 60 percent of her body, according to her hospital discharge report. After 2 years, she’s had more than 40 surgical procedures. Her goals are basic but desperate. She wants her left eyelid rebuilt and her vision restored. She wants to regain use of her hands. She also wants hair, a nose and lips.

But no doctor has the magic answer, and no surgeon has much to work with.

Jacqui’s body is a mass of scars.

JULY 2001 Jacqui spends most of her free time indoors, waiting for her next surgery,watching Latin American soap operas and e-mailing friends and relatives back home in Venezula. At night her father Amadeo brings the tiny tubes and squeezes drops into her eyes. It’s a precise gesture — like dripping oil on a hinge — yet tender. She used to sleep on her stomach, but now she can’t. She worries she could scratch her left eye against her pillow. She also worries her father might forget the drops. “I’m scared all night,” she says.

AUSTIN SEPT 18 1999 Jacqui had been in Austin for almost a month, studying English at a private language school near the University of Texas. Her neighbor was Johanna Gil, a 20-year-old Venezuelan student she had met in English class. Jacqui and Johanna did everything together. On Sept 18 Jacqui and Johanna went to a friends party in Austin.

friends started leaving, Reggie drove alone to a college party downtown. When he arrived, a witness later testified at his trial, Reggie’s eyes were bloodshot.

TWO PARTIES At the party, Jacqui and her friends watched the Oscar De La Hoya-Felix Trinidad boxing match on television, then danced salsa and merengue. It felt like a party back home.

As the hours passed, Jacqui grew bored. The birthday boy, who had picked her and Johanna up, was drinking and couldn’t drive them home. They waited around for a ride.

In Austin, Reggie walked to his car. He seemed unsure of his words and footing, a witness later said. Describing that night to a jury, Reggie said he couldn’t remember how many beers he drank at the party.

A RIDE HOME A Russian girl, Natalia, offered Jacqui and her friends a ride home. Jacqui, who rarely drank, said she had been watching Natalia. She seemed sober.

Laura and Johan climbed in the back of Natalia’s 1990 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency. Jacqui and Johanna remember arguing over who would ride shotgun.

Eventually it was Jacqui who sat in the passengers seat.

Jacqui doesn’t remember whether she fastened her seat belt. The autopsy report would say that Laura did not.

SEPT 19 1999 About a mile down the road, paramedic John McIntosh saw a teen-ager in the road, standing in the ambulance’s path, holding a cell phone and waving his arms frantically. Reggie Stephey looked wide-eyed and lost. He had just called 911. The front of Reggie’s Yukon was smashed, but the vehicle had suffered little other damage.

Thanks to the air bag, Reggie walked away with only a red seat-belt mark across his chest.

The front of Natalia’s Oldsmobile was twisted and crumpled like an accordion.

Broken glass covered the road. In the front seat, Jacqui struggled to free herself. She was pinned between the dashboard and the seat. Flames from the engine were starting to creep toward her face.

Next to her, Natalia was dead, crushed against the steering wheel. In back, on the floorboard behind the driver’s seat, Laura lay curled in a ball, also dead. The two other back-seat passengers, Venezuelans Johanna and Johan, were dazed and injured. Fitzpatrick, the paramedic grabbed his fire protection coat and ran. He saw McIntosh dragging Johan across the road. Oh, my God, Fitzpatrick thought, there are people in this car. Fitzpatrick ran for his medical gear.

REGGIE STEPHEY That morning, Reggie Stephey’s mother picked him up from football practice at Lake Travis High School. The 18-year-old was a popular wide receiver with a narrow build and wavy light brown hair. Earlier that summer, Reggie had moved into his own apartment. His father had died when he was a child, leaving him $70,000 from an insurance policy. Reggie supported himself with that money and a paycheck from folding clothes at a mall store.

The flames were climbing. There’s not much time left, he thought. Jacqui looked straight at the approaching fire, screaming, crying, squirming to free herself. McIntosh pressed the door handle. The door wouldn’t budge. The flames edged closer to Jacqui’s face. She pushed back, thrashing with her broken right arm for leverage.

Jacqui rotated her face away from the flames. She couldn’t twist far enough. The flames licked at Jacqui’s head. Sparks caught her hair. The fire rolled into the passenger compartment. “John, let go,” Fitzpatrick shouted. “You need to back up.” Jacqui flailed. Flames wrapped around her. Her nose and her ears were on fire. Clumps of burning hair fell away. She started to wail. The paramedics had never heard anything like it. It was so many sounds at once — suffering and despair, terror and hopelessness. Absolute agony, Fitzpatrick thought. Then he started screaming, too.

Reggie’s mother drove him to pick up his prized blue 1996 GMC Yukon, which was getting a new bumper. He had bought the sport-utility vehicle with his inheritance and had it customized and raised. That night, Reggie met some high school friends at a dock on Lake Travis, where they drank beer from an ice chest. Reggie said later in a court deposition that he had had two or three beers. About midnight, when his

“Oh my God, she’s burning!” Jacqui’s wails seemed to go on forever. The fire engine crested the hill. Fitzpatrick ran over, waving frantically. A firefighter heard Jacqui’s shrieks above the fire. He jumped out and pulled off a hose. Another started the water pumping. Jacqui’s wails stopped. She slumped over in the flames, her head drooping on her right arm. The paramedics listened, not to the fire, but to her silence

Reggie’s Jeep

“Thank God she’s dead,” Fitzpatrick said A firefighter began flooding the car with water. Another firefighter trained a second hose on the car. In a few seconds, the flames died out. Bright red spots still glowed on Jacqui’s body. Gently, a firefighter doused her. Her body steamed. “Fitz,” he said, “she’s dead.” Fitzpatrick needed to know for sure. He went to the car. Across the road, McIntosh heard him yell. “Oh my God, she’s still alive.”

Jacqui moved her head and whimpered. Remnants of her hair, crisp and curled, clung to her skull. Her scalp was seared, her face indistinguishable. One eye looked burned open, the other burned shut. Her shirt was melted, and her skin was crusty, cracked.

GALVESTON – THE BURN UNIT, SEPT. 19, 1999 Once Jacqui entered the eight-bed unit, nurses and doctors began an around-theclock battle to save her. Healthy skin, the body’s largest organ, keeps fluid in and bacteria out. But Jacqui’s skin could do neither. Nurses rushed to pump Jacqui full of intravenous fluids and antibiotics. They cleaned her wounds and changed dressings constantly. It was gritty work. Jacqui’s body fluids kept soaking her bed. Nurses, who kept Jacqui’s room near 100 degrees, walked out drenched in sweat.

HARVESTING SKIN That day, doctors set Jacqui’s fractured bones, drilling in pins, metal rods and plates.

They cut open her hand to wash out dead tissue and dirt with a hard water spray.

Surgeons began the process known as debridement. They went to work with scissors and a long blade, slicing through Jacqui’s dead skin until they reached flesh that bled.

Surgeons covered her burns with autografts — thin strips of healthy skin shaved off unburned parts of her body. They passed the skin through a machine that punched small holes in the grafts, allowing doctors to stretch them and cover a wider area.

The grafts left aching wounds. Doctors waited until the wounds healed to harvest more skin.

AM I UGLY Jacqui turned to her mother: Am I pretty or ugly?

Chiquita, of course you’re not like before, Rosalia told her. But little by little they’ll fix you. “I thought I must not be so bad,” Jacqui said, “because, knowing my mother, she would tell me.”

TRAVIS COUNTY COURTHOUSE – JUNE 2001 Reggie Stephey entered the silent room and looked at each of the faces gathered around the conference table. Mauricio Guerrero and Johan Daal, the father and boyfriend of Laura Guerrero. Jacqui and Amadeo.

“I’m sorry,” he said. Reggie’s trial was in its second week. Jacqui and Amadeo, who had returned from Venezuela five months before, had driven to Austin so Jacqui could testify. Reggie had wept when Jacqui took the witness stand — it was the first time he had seen her. Then, on his 20th birthday, the jury found him guilty of two counts of intoxication manslaughter for Laura’s and Natalia’s deaths. He faced up to 40 years in prison. Reggie had taken the witness stand to ask the jury for probation, he said he wanted to educate teen-agers about drunken driving and “give them something to think about.” Then he apologized to the victims and offered to meet with them in person. Jacqui had long been curious about Reggie — what he looked like, what kind of person he was. When she walked from the witness stand back to her seat, she couldn’t help herself. She paused and peeked. “Oh, he’s handsome,” she thought.

She found herself feeling sorry for Reggie, worrying that he wouldn’t be able to attend college. Still, she felt he should be held responsible for the lives he destroyed.

“I wish there was something between guilt and innocence,” she said afterward. As jurors weighed Reggie’s punishment, Jacqui and the others agreed to meet him in a conference room.

FORGIVENESS Jacqui spoke at the end of the meeting. She told Reggie how her life had changed.

“I don’t hate you,” she remembers saying, “but you need to understand that you committed a grave mistake.” The room was silent. “I forgive you,” she said. Reggie, Jacqui remembers, said he wished he could give her back the past. I admire you, Reggie said. I’ll do anything I can to help you — I’m at your service. Jacqui looked at him. “Well,” she answered, “I do need a housekeeper.” As they finished talking, the jury reached a verdict on Reggie’s sentence. The jury had sentenced Reggie to seven years in prison and fined him $10,000 for each death.

“Even if it means sitting here in front of a camera with no ears, no nose, no eyebrows, no hair, I’ll do this a thousand times if it will help someone make a wise decision,” Jacqui told reporters.

LEECHES In January, plastic surgeons rotated a temple muscle over her left eye to cover it. But blood started pooling over the muscle flap — Jacqui’s damaged veins couldn’t drain it. Her doctors resorted to an ancient technique: leeches, which sucked up the blood and, they hoped, would give her veins time to grow. “It was gross,” Roberts said.

Someone had to tend them. Amadeo volunteered. For five days, he sat up, plucking off the leeches with pincers when they swelled with blood.

EPILOGUE Jacqui’s life has changed for the better since the second anniversary of the accident.

In March, as Scheker described it, Jacqui had her “do or die” surgery: yet another operation to rebuild her eyelid. After more than two years of failures, an eye surgeon succeeded in covering her eye with a flap of skin. And the doctor didn’t have to touch Jacqui’s feet.

MIRROR Her first real glimpse in the mirror was blurry. Then, in March 2000, a month after her release from the burn unit, she visited Roberts, who gave her drops that dilated her right pupil. For a few hours, she could make out details.

After six months, doctors plan to cut a slit so she can see through the flap and perhaps blink. In the future, Jacqui hopes to have cornea operations on both eyes to regain vision. She has more surgeries planned on her right finger stubs. And one day, she still hopes to have reconstructive surgery on her face.

THE LONG YEAR The months passed. Little by little, Jacqui began to see more out of her right eye and began to walk more. By July, 10 months after the crash, she finally felt fully conscious again. She still struggled to accept what had happened to her. In the apartment, distractions were few and sadness constant.

“NOT EVERYONE THAT GETS HIT BY A DRUNK DRIVER DIES” was the last thing Jacqui said before leaving the news conference.

Don’t be Lazy THINK

Fire Safety!

Cork City Fire and Rescue Service has reported a steady increase in the number of fire incidents around the city. Between January and September last year, there was an increase of 27% on figures for the same period in 2005. The number of forest, grass and bog fire incidents almost trebled from 47 to 136, house fires were up 19% and chimney fire cases increased by almost 10%.

According to CIT Students’ Union President, Brian O’ Sullivan, “The high number of fire incidents could be reduced by increasing public awareness of fire safety issues. The coming week will highlight the importance of testing your smoke alarms weekly, having your escape route planned and knowing your obligations regarding fire safety in the home”.

Some older student accommodations are shabby and outdated and are perhaps even fire hazards. The continuing increase in such incidents can be curtailed with simple fire prevention measures.

Commenting on CITSU Safety Week, CITSU Welfare officer Marie Claire Jennequin stated, “Statistics for 2004 show that smoke alarms were not present in 61% of fatal fires in Ireland. Fitting a smoke alarm is the simplest step you can take to reduce the risk of fire. Therefore, it is imperative that people are encouraged to not only properly install the devices but also to get into the habit of testing them once a week and immediately replacing faulty batteries.”

Fire Safety Statistics • Approximately 50 people die every year from fires mostly in their own homes • Most at risk – under 12s and over 60s • Most fire tragedies occur in wintertime • Majority of deaths by fire in the home have no fire alarms • Over 50% of total fires in the home occur at night time (8pm – 8am) • Most originate in living room or bedroom Safety in the Kitchen Of all the rooms in the home the greatest potential for the outbreak of fire is associated with the kitchen due to the nature of its use in cooking and the amount of electrical items that may be contained within. Approximately 11% of all fires each year are domestic fires e.g. kitchen fires.

The following precautions will reduce the risk of fire: • Install a fire extinguisher and fire blanket and familiarise yourself with their use.

• Take care with deep fat fryers and hot cooking oil & chip pans. If the cooking oil catches fire, use a fire blanket to put it out. Do not move the pan or use water to extinguish flames.

• Ensure your cooker is always clean from grease and fully switched off after use.

• Develop safe and sensible cooking habits. Saucepan handles should be turned in, but not over other rings.

• Treat kitchen appliances and electrical leads with care, and ensure that leads do not cross over cooker rings.

Safety in Living Rooms Open Fires • Ensure you have an effective spark guard at open fires and ensure it is correctly in place especially before you go to bed and when children are about.

• Clean chimneys at least twice a year. On average 50% of all fires each year are chimney fires.

•

Remember not to leave newspapers, clothes or combustible materials too close to a fire or heater.

Smoking • If you allow smoking in the house, provide large, stable ashtrays. A burning cigarette end can smoulder for hours before igniting.

• Ensure matches and lighters are out of children's reach.

• Do not smoke if you are feeling sleepy or have taken alcohol.

Electrical Leads • Check all electrical leads and plugs for deterioration, burning or fraying.

• Ensure there are no overloaded sockets.

• Switch off and unplug all appliances when not in use (this applies every where in the house).

Portable Heaters • All gas and electric portable heaters require special attention and handling.

Familiarise yourself with any special instructions for their use.

• Keep all flammable materials at a safe distance from portable heaters Safety in Bedrooms Smoking in bed should be prohibited - it is one of the most dangerous fire hazards. Check electric blankets regularly for wear and damage, and ensure they are used according to the manufacturer's instructions. Switch off and unplug all appliances before going to bed. Ensure that all doors that safeguard your means of escape are closed before you retire for the night.

Candles should be put in a proper holder that won't fall over. They need to be put on a heat-resistant surface. Candles should not be left unattended in a room.

By taking note of these few simple measures and incorporating them into your daily routine you are safeguarding both you and your home from the dangers of fire. Remember if you have children teach and encourage them to practice fire safety in the home.

The National Safety Council provides information on Home Fire Safety Information and Advice & Guidelines.

Home Checklist • Know how to dial 999/112.

• Smoke detector at each level of home located on the ceiling, they can give early warning of a fire outbreak.

• House number clearly visible from street.

• Matches, lighters etc. out of children’s reach.

• Petrol stored in approved safety container and locked away.

• Electrical goods undamaged and properly used.

• Fire extinguisher and fire blanket in Kitchen and know how to use it.

• No storage of combustible material near cookers or heaters.

• Fireguard and chimney regularly swept.

• Lint Collector on clothes dryer regularly cleaned.

• House free of potential fire hazards.

• Kitchen vent clean and properly maintained • Avoiding the overloading of electrical sockets • Not smoking in bed • Closing all doors at night • Checking that electrical appliances are switched off

CITSU Urges Students to Take Care While Swimming or at Sea “...from a young adult perspective it is even more important to ensure people are aware of these same dangers when holidaying abroad...”

As the world changes, global warming is only the tip of the iceberg. It has led to many spin off’s, one being soaring temperatures which naturally leads to people hitting the water. Every time a person enters the water they are in danger, no matter how good a swimmer you are difficulties can always be met.

Brian O’ Sullivan President of CIT Students’ Union stated "Drowning tragedies bring enormous grief which is terribly sad and serves as another reminder of the danger, waters represent and the respect that we all should have for it,” With over 170 drownings and 1000’s of registered articles, it is an issue that must be addressed. CITSU’s Safety week will hopefully highlight the responsibilities and dangers involved in water activities.”

Although fatalities at sea are down overall on Irish coasts, there has been an increase in the number of drownings abroad of Irish citizens. Speaking recently, communications officer Gearoid Buckley stated: “the issue can be difficult to deal with as most of the young adults that die at sea are usually abroad on package and sun holidays where safety may not be as recognized”. He continued to say: “It is very important to highlight the the possible dangers of water within our own borders but from a young adult perspective it is even more important to ensure people are aware of these same dangers when holidaying abroad”. The picture-postcard scenes at venues abroad can often mask hidden dangers. People who travel outside of Ireland on their holidays must be aware of the fact that swimming pools in holiday centre’s, whether indoor or outdoor, may be only partially life guarded or not life guarded at all.

The following points are important: •· It is unwise to go for a quick swim after a lengthy car journey.

•· Never swim if less than an hour after eating.

•· Never swim while under the influence of alcohol, as alcohol is a contributory factor in almost 30% of drownings •· Never swim if sick or suffering from a hangover..

•· Check for pool depth markings. There may not be any so you must check the depths yourself if you are a competent swimmer.

•· Ensure that you do not dive into shallow water.

•· Watch out for children/baby pools that may be next to the main pool with out any barrier between them.

•· Watch out for sudden drops or changes in the gradient of a pool floor.

•· Check for missing, uneven or slippery tiles surrounding or in the pool.

•· Do not swim or do not allow children to swim in a pool with discolored water.

•· Always swim, or surf, in areas patrolled by lifeguards.

•· Swim in the designated swimming area when swimming in the sea.

Sometimes, the red and yellow flags indicate the zoned area for swimming.

•· Swim with family or friends - never alone.

•· Swim within your depth and parallel to the shore.

For craft/adventure activity: •· Always wear a personal flotation device (PFD) or lifejacket and ask how to secure and inflate it.

•· Do not get on board if the craft appears overloaded or unstable.

•· Ask what safety measures are in place in the event of an accident. Do not partake if the answer is unsatisfactory.

•· Always wear protective headgear.

•· If you can't swim - don't partake.

•· If equipment on offer looks worn–don't use it.

•· Never go on the water without informing others of your passage •· Don't drink alcohol before going on the water in any craft.

•· If you feel that the equipment owners are not professional do not use the facilities.

•· f the person in charge of the craft looks inexperienced do not get on board.

•· Remember –any rough or white-water activity can be high risk.

•· Don't take part in any water sport activity at night.

•· Never participate in adventure sport that you have not received training in.

With an average of 170 drownings in Ireland every year, the statistics are high.

And, the sad fact is that, with better prevention and safety, many such fatalities could be prevented.

Water Accidents & Drownings

CIT Sports Update

by Aoife Kelleher

(part 1)

Basketball Men’s

Karting

Men’s basketball club The year started off slowly for the team which saw us narrowly loosing out to our rivals UCC by a single point. We trained hard in the following weeks desperate to make up for the early set back. We travelled to Waterford for our second game of the Irish Colleges Basketball league. The game was very close up to half time with both teams playing some excellent basketball.. The second half saw a much better performance from the CIT side and went on to win the game convincingly by 22 points.

CIT’s Karting & Motorsport Club Returns!

In recent years the Karting club was one of the most popular, but last year some key members departed from the college resulting in no events taking place last year. But now the Karting club is up and running again. The aim of the karting club is to introduce new people to karting and to provide experienced karters with a competitive club championship.

Next up was a home tie against UL. This game was always going to be one of the toughest group games for CIT. The game went pretty much score for the whole game with no team gaining a big lead. CIT ran out winners by 7 points in the end. In the away fixture the game went much the same way as the first.

This time CIT narrowly lost in a great game of basketball by 2 points.

In our last group match we played a home game against UCC. This was a different display from the first game of the season. CIT ran our winners by 28 points which meant we topped the group. The semi final was played in the middle of exams which left us with a much depleted squad. None the less we played Jordnstown and won a very competitive game in over time by a slender margin of just 4 points.

The final was played the following morning in Trinity College Dublin. CIT played very smart basketball and controlled the pace of the game. UL played some good basketball in spells but couldn’t stop CIT from scoring. CIT ran out winners by 17 points and were crowned college league champions for the third consecutive year. A great achievement which will be hard to match in years to come.

ICBA Cup In the cup competition this year we are seeded number One. This meant a first round home tie against Waterford IT. We had played this team twice all ready this year so we knew the task at hand. CIT dominated the game throughout and ran our convincing winners by 25 points.

Next up is a home tie against Trinity College Dublin in the quarter final of the tournament which we hope to progress and push for our 5th all Ireland title in 3 years.

Flag Football Set up in Autumn 2006 the CIT flag football club is the Corks first collegiate American Football team.

The primary goal in our first year was to establish a flag team in the college, to acquire the necessary equipment to help the club grow, to create a base group of players and to help spread the sport of American Football among the CIT students. There has been great interest in the team to date with many students choosing to play with the club. All of the members enjoy the fun and social aspect of the team.

Opponents in the Munster region include the UCC team, the Cork Admirals, the Southeast Strongbows, the Clomel Warriors and the Limerick Vikings. This year our games have featured the Cork based teams, but games and mini-tournaments featuring all the Munster squads would be the future goal of the club.

So far we have reached our first-year goals, and will be looking to build more from this in the future. The team trains each Wednesday at the CIT Astroturf field, and newcomers are always welcome.

Keith O'Callaghan

This year the club is running an internal six round championship for its members. Tracks we have visited this year include, Watergrasshill(Cork) & Kilcornan(Limerick) with 3 events yet to be held. The club is also hoping to compete in the All-Ireland Intervarsity Championship, racing against other colleges from around the country.

Karting has become a major part of college life for those involved in the club.

It has offered the opportunity for members to make new friends outside the classroom and we are hoping that this will continue to be as popular in the years ahead. If you would like to become a club member just contact the sports office or look out for event details on posters or in the “Whats On?”. We are always happy to see new faces in our club, everyone is welcome!!

Robert, Club P.R.O.

Rugby Ladies CIT ladies rugby club kicked off the season with a nail biting game against WIT in Waterford on November 15th 2006. In spite of a small panel we contested every play and were narrowly beaten by last year’s league finalists by three points 1815.

The ladies rugby committee organised a Tag Rugby Tournament for Thursday November 16th. Ten teams entered and we raised €250 for our club.

Sponsorship for the event was obtained from local business such as: Bank of Ireland, McCarthy’s Bar, O Donovan’s Butchers, Little Italy and CIT Student’s Union. We also received our main sponsorship from Atkins Engineering Co. to whom we are very grateful.

In keeping with our past tradition, we defeated UCC on home ground on the 17th of January by an impressive 42-19. We travelled to Templemore on the 25th of January and were beaten by the guards 15-13. On the 6th of February CIT ladies recorded a dramatic win over reigning league champions UL. With ten players, CIT fought a hard battle for sixty minutes against top ranked players in the country. Final score CIT 33 UL 32.

At present we are topping the league table with one game left to play against IT Tralee. We hope to build on our experience and continue our success to the end of the season with help from our coaches: Frank O Mahony, Shane Lehane and Alan O Brien.

Surfing In '06 the surf club grew doubling the amount of members with the start of the new college year including a significant jump in the number of lady surfers. We also purchased some new beginner boards for training purposes. The club focused on trying to ensure in sustained the development of surfing by introducing beginners with a series of lessons and day outings. As the college year continues into '07 we are preparing to send a team to compete in the inter-varsities @ T-Bay, Waterford on the

24th & 25th of Feb. This is a major achievement as its been a long time since CIT Surf Club has competed in any competition. The team will consist of a lady surf, long boarder, body boarder and two open surfers (short boarders). As the weeks role on and the evenings get bright we plan to organize open surf sessions, these will be advertised in the 'Whats On?'. Although at first the prospect of Irish Sea may not appeal to you, give surfing one try and you'll be hooked; were always welcoming new members and if you'd like to be kept up to date, contact us @ the Surf Club PO Box in the Sports Office.

CIT LADIES SOCCER CLUB This year saw the introduction of a new trainer in the form of one, Jennifer Walsh aka Jen. She has brought many new ideas and techniques to our training sessions.

With approximately 30 girls turning out at the first training session we were hopeful of a successful year.

We had several outings in the league and cup, with some excellent results and some poor results (due to very experienced opposition). In the league we met with very strong opposition like UCC and Tralee I.T. They were also the favourites to win it out and inevitably gain promotion to the Premier League next year. However meetings with UCD, CSN and the Garda College proved more successful as we were beginning to gel together as a team and this showed in our play. We have one more game in the league, scheduled to be played in during rag week. (Hopefully without any hung-over players!!!). Our opposition is to be Trinity College; it is a home game so we hope see loads of support.

On the topic of Trinity they were our first and only opposition in the cup. This was one of our first matches but we gave as good as we got losing out on a score line of 3-2. But anyway we got over being knocked out of the cup and turned our focus to the league and indoor competition in UL. The indoor competition took place in UL on the 28th of January 2007 and proved to be an enjoyable day for all the girls that went. (Must give a shout out to the ladies of Tralee I.T.) We had games against Tralee I.T., UCC A-team, Sligo I.T, and N.U.I., Maynooth. Winning two of these games, drawing one and losing one (well we can’t win them all).

The much anticipated intervarsities are due to take place in Galway early in March. However we first need to qualify. On Saturday, 17th February we will be taking on W.I.T, Mary Immaculate College, Garda, Maynooth, with only two qualifying places up for grabs.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those who gave so generously towards supporting our fundraising efforts. P.S. Keep an eye out for our calendar in the coming weeks.

Caroline Hanley & Fiona Considine Chairperson and P.R.O. (2006 – 2007) (Word!!!) – Private Team Joke

CIT Men’s Soccer Colleges Team This season, the colleges and universities have amalgamated into a combined league for the first time. Our first team has qualified for the premier division final versus U.C.D. due to be played on Wednesday the 14th of February in Dublin.

Our semi final was an eagerly awaited affair against last year’s cup winners, Letterkenny. It was anticipated to be a very tight game with little between the sides. However, CIT flew out of the blocks with an early goal from Colin Kelly (miss-hit). It remained 1 nil until half time. CIT then finished the Donegal side off in style with 5 second half goals from Ray Lally (2), Graham Cummins, Ken Murphy and the outstanding Karl Caulfield, to make a final scoreline of 6-0 in CIT’s favour.

Manager Laurence Neville is in his second year in charge and is a student in fourth year Business Studies and has clearly done an excellent job during his tenure. We have four Irish Colleges representatives in Ray Lally, John Hogan,

Karl Caulfield and Ken Murphy. We have been involved in some thrilling games already this season including a great comeback from 2-0 down to beat UCC 42. Another great game was played in the ? final V Coláiste Ide when we battled back from a losing position twice to eventually cling on to a 3-2 victory.

MSL Team Our MSL team has made huge strides this season under the management of 3rd year Recreation and Leisure student Eric Marah (front row, far left). Marah has brought in lots of quality players from senior clubs including the recent capture of Colin Kelly from Leeds. The squad also boasts ex Cork City under 21’s captain Richie Ahern who is having a great season.

Marah has been the main goal threat for CIT this season, netting 9 goals in as many games, which has propelled us into 2nd place in the league. Due to our progress this season, we are aiming to enter a senior team in the Munster Senior League next season with many of our colleges A Team players already committed to joining.

The MSL side plays every weekend, with our home games taking place in the Sports grounds on campus, so keep an eye out for our fixtures in the Echo on a Monday if you feel like popping down to watch. Anybody interested in joining should contact Eric on 086 3013130

Tae Kwon Do CIT TaeKwon Do Club, trained by second-degree black-belt Diarmuid MacSweeney, meets twice a week every Tuesday and Thursday night in the CIT sports hall. Students range from complete beginners to advanced members who have been training for close to ten years.

TaeKwon Do is a martial art of self defence which originated in Korea. The aim of the CIT club is not only to promote fitness but also to instil students with confidence in their physical abilities. So far this year, students have represented the college successfully at world-level in Spain and the Irish open national championships. A number of students have also progressed to a higher belt by partaking in gradings. CIT students have also had the privilege of being trained by the Argentinean national team coach in a private seminar.

Still to come we have the highly competitive Munster Open at the end of February and also we hope to uphold CIT’s impressive dominance of the college intervarsities at the end of March. In all, the club is going from strength to strength and with the quality of students progressing up through the ranks TaeKwon Do is sure to remain a strong force in the CIT sports scene.

Volleyball Volleyball Club CIT Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Italy, Spain and Ireland – sounds like a get together from the International Students Society but in fact is the Volleyball Club at CIT. This club trains every Wednesday from 8 – 10pm in the sportshall at Bishopstown Campus. Beginners and advanced players make up a training group of about 14 – 18 people every week.

Under the guidance of Coach Jörg Frederick, beginners are professionally introduced to the sport and the skills of advanced players are improved.

Last year a couple of tournaments – beginners as well as advanced level – had been played. Therefore the teams travelled to Galway in October where a successful women team received a medal from the Irish Student Sports Association. Another tournament was held in December at CIT with teams attending of both, beginners and advanced level. Furthermore a mixed team of the club travelled to Dublin to a Blitz tournament in February. A new beginner’s league has also been introduced by the coach in January. Here teams from all over Ireland including Waterford, Clare, Limerick and Cork are coming to the CIT campus on a Saturday once a month to compete and increase the popularity of the sport. With this international mix of people, fun is a big factor during the training sessions as well as competitions, and every new player is more than welcome.

CIT Floppy Soc News & Events “...as defending all Ireland Robocode champions, CIT are looking for a team to take up the defence of this coveted title...”

Masquerade Ball Once again our themed ball was a massive success, over 1300 of you turned out in force and partied the night away. J90 and Blue Moose were both class in their respective rooms. It was great to see so many of you turn up with your own masks and another few hundred wearing the ones we provided. If anyone has pictures they’d like to upload to our website please do so free of charge at http://www.FloppySoc.com. I’d like to thank the Pick n’ Mix and FloppySoc societies for putting in such a huge amount of work to make the night a success.

FloppySoc Website re-launches!!

FloppySoc (CIT Computer Society) was http://www.floppysoc.com on March 1st.

re-launched

their

website

The society’s new website will incorporate some new, dynamic and exciting features like: • Wiki where students and lectures can create/edit notes, answer previous exam questions, give advice and examples for other students.

• Events Calendar, giving information on up coming events and competitions organised by FloppySoc. • Gallery and Forum where students can upload pictures of events and discuss topics with other students.

• RSS feeds keeping you up to date as new content is added.

• All this incorporated into a new fresh look.

postgraduate opportunities further a field. 3rd and 4th years as well as postgraduates and staff members from areas of the Institute interested in IT attended the seminar.

Speakers included: • Catherine Wall - IT@Cork - Introduction to IT@Cork and Benefits for Students • Shemas Eivers - Client Solutions - From College to Business Ownership • Ruth Furney - IDA Ireland - IT Industry Trends in Cork and Ireland • Prof. Udo Bleimann - IT Postgraduate Opportunities in Darmstadt , Germany • Liam Cronin - Microsoft - The Imagine Cup

Robocode 2007 AS defending all Ireland Robocode champions, CIT are looking for a team to take up the defence of this coveted title. Last year’s winning team from CIT, “Redrek”, came through a tough preliminary competition in CIT and went on to win the national title. If you’re a first year CIT student, interested in computing, and want to win great prizes check out http://www.robocode.ie or http://www.floppysoc.com

We hope you take time out to register for free on http://www.floppysoc.com and look out for all the new events and competitions taking place.

The CIT round will take place on the 7th of March in the College Theatre, the battles commence 12.00 pm sharp and everyone is welcome to attend.

“Building your Career in IT” seminar presented by IT@Cork and FloppySoc

To register your team and your robot code email jim.doyle@cit.ie. Closing date is the 6th March.

Following on from last year’s successful careers seminar; FloppySoc in association with it@cork and kindly sponsored by Client Solutions Ltd. presented this years careers seminar on March 1st. The speakers in attendance provided great advice and guidance into industry networking, IT industry careers in Cork and

Watch out for other great events like our annual Easter party, Paintballing and much more. Check out the new website for a full list of upcoming events, http://www.FloppySoc.com

CIT Student Diarmuid Barry Trekked Across the Great Wall for a Great Purpose Diarmuid Barry along with his mother, Mary, took on an enormous feat when they travelled half way across the world to trek across one of its many wonders.

Since March of last year, both Mary and Diarmuid began fundraising in order to take part in a walk across the Great Wall of China, all in aid of the third world developing charity, Bothar. The generosity that followed is something that neither will forget.

Both Mary and Diarmuid had to raise €4,500 each to cover all the costs of the trip. Feeling a little uneasy about this, they decided that they would cover their own costs and all the fundraising donations would go directly to Bothar.

Following a number of very inventive fundraising events, such as a stall at the local car boot sale, over €10,000 was raised for the charity.

Despite, the major hick-up of lost luggage they both thoroughly enjoyed the experience and were deeply gratified by the generosity of other walkers who kept them in supplies. Friendships were formed and a reunion was held over Christmas in Southhampton, England.

Amongst the generous sponsors of their charitable endeavours were, Frank O'Halloran of Grange Fermoy Athletic Club, Scoil Bhride NS, Colaiste an Chraoibhin, CIT Students’ Union, Rathcormac Car Boot Sale, Centra and Supervalu.

march 2007 M V V R S O C I E T I E S O C

I A V E E H P L K T S G G E G

X N R L B T C R I R J S N H A

V I S C B T S C Q R O T G T L

P Z C T H L I A K G R C E Z A

R N S F I L L U E E A C M L P

T N T M P T S K W V H S I W X

K G N X N T U E V N O P N A Z

X P E U I X E T O J P I I L F

C V D C S K Z L E F E G M S B

V S U U N I O N N S N Y A R X

M R T O V G V M A Q E O R C H

B S S I Y U L H L K D P K S P

N W O T S P O H S I B D E Q U

Y T E F A S T W A X P P T X V

ASLAN BISHOPSTOWN CENTRE CITSU CORK EASTER EGGS EXPLICIT GALA INSTITUTE MARCH MINIMARKET OPENED SAFETY SOCIETIES STUDENTS TECHNOLOGY UNION WEEK

This Month’s Prize: € 30

Competition Closes 5pm Thursday 15th March 2007 Last Month’s Winner: Philip Daniels - BS1

Competition Rules: All Entries to be returned by deadline to the CITSU Office, 1st Floor Student Centre on official form. Open to CIT Students only and one entry per student.

ASLAN BISHOPSTOWN CENTRE CITSU CORK