Sin Volume 13 Issue 04

FREE STUDENT NEWSPAPER

VOL 13, ISSUE 4

24 OCT 2011

SU Council Votes to Replace RAG Week

By Colette Sexton The NUI Galway Students’ Union Council has voted in favour of replacing RAG Week in exchange for five concessions agreed to by the university. An overwhelming majority of 107 class representatives voted in favour of accepting the proposal while only 7 voted against.

On Monday, 17 October a special meeting of the Students’ Union Council was called to vote on the proposal.

A heated debate ensued when a motion to gain a seat for the Students’ Union President on the University Management Team as part of the RAG Week Proposal

was put to the council.

Paul O’Donnell, class representative for second year philosophy, brought forward this motion after doing some research following the last Student’s Union Council meeting on Monday, 3 October. “UMT is the most important body for day to day running of the university... Until two years ago it didn’t even share minutes with any of the students... It is an important decision making body which students have very little transparency let alone influence over.”

For the past two years, the Students’ Union has attempted to get a student seat on the UMT and has been rejected

both times. At the meeting, some argued that a student seat on the UMT should be tied in with the whole RAG Week Proposal.

Students’ Union President, Emmet Connolly said that getting a seat on the UMT as part of the RAG Week deal would simply not be possible. The RAG Week proposal was agreed between the UMT and the Students’ Union.

Membership of the UMT is controlled by Údarás na hOllscoile. Údarás had no part in the RAG Week Proposal. According to Connolly: “The deal is not between the people who can give us the seat and ourselves, it is between the UMT and ourselves... It is muddy-

ing the waters because they [the university] have already said no to this clearly.”

Despite some claims that a seat on the UMT would make the €60,000 donated to the SAF a “drop in the water”, class representatives voted against tying the deal onto the RAG Week Proposal by 92 votes to 17 votes. 5 votes were spoiled. It has been agreed to pursue the UMT seat at a different time. One class representative seemed to sum up the feelings of the majority of the council by saying, “chose your battles. This is about €60,000 that will keep people in college.”

Film Soc win at OFFline Film Festival

4

Presidential Election Special

10

The Quarter Life Crisis

21

Do we need to worry about a Zombie Apocalypse?

19

Halloween movies reviewed

23

The power of motivational speeches

30

Continued on Page 2

PhD Student Takes top Prize for Innovation

By Jane Kearns NUI Galway is an internationally recognised university in the fields of biomedical science and engineering and energy and environmental science, so it was no surprise when one of its students won not one but two awards at this year’s 30th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering (OMAE 2011).

Ciaran Kennedy is a PhD student in mechanical and Biomedical Engineering who has a vast knowledge and interest in renewable energy and engineering design.

Whilst studying for his undergraduate degree in

Mechanical Engineering at California Polytechnic University, Ciaran designed, manufactured and tested a 300W wind turbine and subsequently worked as a research test engineer in the US wind turbine industry. Since then, Ciaran has worked in the medical devices industry with Creganna, Galway. Ciaran, a native of Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim is now a student of NUI Galway and is working on a PhD on “Fatigue of Composite Materials for Ocean Energy,” supervised by Dr Conchúr Ó Brádaigh and Professor Sean Leen, lecturers in Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering.

Continued on Page 2

Playwright Brian Friel reading extracts from one of his plays in the Kirwan Theatre after he was presented with the Literary & Debating Society’s President’s Award.

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G alway N ews

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SU Council Votes to Replace RAG Week Continued from Page 1 After the council, Paul O’Donnell confirmed that nobody wished to lose the €60,000 for the SAF but instead hoped that they might get the five concessions and the UMT seat: “There was a little bit of a debate about risking the €60,000, nobody would want to risk the €60,000 not being added to the SAF this year. That

wasn’t what this motion was about... It was just a hope that we might get this [UMT seat] on top of everything else.”

Speaking after the RAG Week proposal was passed the SU President said that he was happy with the outcome and that although it was difficult for everyone to end RAG Week it shows students can act responsibly: “I am happy with the

result... This was definitely a tough decision. It pulls at the heart strings. But the vote here shows that students are more mature than people give them credit for. It shows that students are concerned about the reputation of themselves, of their college and it shows that they have concern for their community here in Galway.”

Many students are

claiming that RAG Week will be held anyway with or without the support of the Students’ Union.

However, the University’s Discipline Code is currently being updated to include punishments for students caught trying to recreate a de facto RAG Week via social media or other means.

Speaking to Sin, the Rúnaí has stated that “the deal brokered by the Students’ Union with the University Management on the alternative to ‘college week/RAG week’ is good for students and it is good for the University. It is a win-win which is flexible and pragmatic and it will inspire confidence in the local community and beyond. Account has been taken of the agreement reached, in an amend-

ment to section 3 of the Code of Discipline for Students whereby it is stated that use of social media to organise, support or contribute to social events associated with the concept of ‘College/RAG Week’ will be considered as a breach of the Code.”

There was some confusion at the meeting about who originally outlined the five concessions that will now be granted in exchange for the abolition of RAG Week. These were proposed by the Students’ Union and not the university. The proposal included the university adding an extra €60,000 to the Student Assistance Fund from the 2011-2012 academic year onwards.

This money will be index linked to protect it against inflation. It also provided

for an abolition of the €2 charge for club members using the Kingfisher gym.

This concession should be in place by January 2012. Other measures included ring fencing the free Health Unit in the university, described by Connolly as “the most used and most loved service here in the college,” support for a one day festival to be held next semester and the provision of several SU notice board in main locations across the campus. Connolly said that it was a good outcome: “There was a lot of tension in the air but that’s a sign of a good meeting so I’m happy with the outcome...

We have a decision now and although it was a bit messy, like childbirth we have a miracle at the end.”

Student Reaction to Replacement of RAG Week

By Ian Colgan Paul O’Connor and Conor Healy reveal the results of the RAG week vote to Emmet Connolly

PhD Student Takes top Prize for Innovation Continued from Page 1 At this year’s conference held in Rotterdam, Ciaran was presented with first prize for innovation, and second prize overall, in a floating wind turbine challenge, as part of a team of four international PhD students. The challenge was organised by the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN) and the International Network on Offshore Renewable Energy (INORE). At the event, seven teams developed floating structures for a 1/100 scale wind turbine in just twenty-four hours. The winner was the concept

with the lowest construction weight and lowest acceleration at the nacelle.

The concepts were tested in extreme waves up to 10m full scale, for more than two hours. All concepts passed the first check point as all survived this first test.

The first prize overall was won by ‘Wind Hammer’, which had a weight of only 3.5 kg. Ciaran’s group produced ‘Cradle’, which won the innovation prize and second prize overall had the lowest acceleration at the nacelle and a slighter higher weight.

Congratulating Ciaran on his award, NUI Galway’s Professor Sean Leen,

said: “Ciaran’s achievement is an example of high quality, innovative work starting to come to fruition at NUI Galway, in the area of materials for renewable energy devices.

His research involves direct collaboration with EireComposites, an indigenous, university spin-out company, based in Furbo, who manufacture high performance engineering components from fibrer e i n f o rc e d c o m p o s i t e materials for the energy, aerospace, marine, automotive and other sectors.

Ciaran is driven by a real commitment to renewable energy and sustainability.”

RAG Week is gone now, the contingent against the proposal to replace it defeated by 107 votes to 7. “[It’s] an action which in my opinion has been a long time overdue, and is simply necessary for the well-being of the university as a credible institution,” says class rep Esther Burke.

Class reps poured out of the O'hEocha Theatre after casting their votes between 7:40pm and 8:00pm – not sticking around for the result after a meeting that had already run over time. As they fled, the near-unanimous acceptance of the proposal was matched by a general aggravation with the disorder of the proceedings: “I think the Students’ Union need to be more fluid and work together. They’re supposed to be a committee, yet they’re fighting amongst each other,” said

final-year Health Sciences class rep Nicola.

“There were a few people that were over-voicing their opinions,” said firstyear class rep Aisling.

“They weren’t giving other people a chance to speak.”

The proposal of the added sixth concession – defeated by 92 votes to 17, with 5 spoiled votes – to get the President of the SU on the University Management Team (UMT), became the main root of the debate and the reason behind the overtime. A passionate vocal minority were firmly in favour of pursuing it as a late addition to the already-established deal.

“It was rather badly pulled off,” says Burke.

“Issues regarding student representation on university governing bodies were raised… and while the forum in which they were raised may have seemed completely inappropriate to some, I do feel that they ought to

have been given more serious reflection.”

The majority felt it best to accept the current deal as it stood and attempt to infiltrate the UMT another time, fearing that the process would extend beyond the 27 October closing date of the Student Assistance Fund.

The landslide defeat of the sixth proposal may have dramatically reduced the chances of it ever becoming a reality, as it is quite audacious as a stand-alone request.

“I was disappointed because I think that getting someone on the UMT board is of the utmost importance,” says Senan McAoidh, Irish Language Officer in the SU. “The amount we could achieve if we had the SU President on there is enormous… I’ll push for it as hard as I can - I think everyone should.

We need to be getting our voice into every chamber that decisions are made in and we missed a valuable opportunity to do that.”

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G alway N ews

Editorial Since taking up the editorship of Sin I have been a lot more involved on campus.

At first I resented this a little. Us post-graduate students occasionally feel a little distant from the rest of the college, a little removed. Our day-to-day habits are starkly different to the rest of the student body. We have different routines. We float around in our own little worlds. Most notably we don’t leave during holidays. We’re always (absolutely bloody always) here in body, just not necessarily in spirit.

It came as a bit of a shock to discover that I was spending much of my time meeting staff and students, scouring the Societies’ What’s Happening Guide and the weekly Students’ Union mailings and then, alarmingly, actually going to the events, meeting even more staff and students, taking pictures, and generally submerging myself entirely in college culture.

Here’s the part that surprised me most: I’m having a lot of fun. Last week I attended the Comic Society’s quiz, which I had mistaken to be a Comedy Quiz, informing my supervisor that it was research (my PhD is on comedy). What’s more, I won!

Not alone, I was helped by members of the Chess Society, whose table quiz I will be attending on Monday. I still maintain that if it had not been for my vital input on the Christian Louboutin question the boys would never have made it to the

tie-breaker. I also provided a worrying amount of information on last year’s World Cup Finalists, which must have been stored in some deep forgotten brain-cell, awaiting its opportunity to pop up and shout “Listen to me! I’m useful!”

I’ve attended SU Council meetings (more dramatic than X Factor), protests, and Open Days. I’ve stalked a presidential candidate, and on more than one occasion have run wildly out of my office gripping a camera and a notebook following a tip that something fascinating was happening somewhere.

Of course my favourite events are Sin’s own Editorial Meetings. My writers are fascinating, hysterical, and incredibly involved in their campus. They’re inspiring.

They’re also a fantastically argumentative bunch, and do not hesitate to tell me when I’m doing something crap that I need to change. I just love that. So if you feel we’re doing something crap, or merely feel like arguing with the Editor on a Tuesday evening, come along to AC203 on the Concourse at 7pm.

A few weeks ago we ran a story called “Five Fun things to do for Free in Galway.”

There are fun free things happening in your college literally every single day. I have yet to meet a Society or Club that was not welcoming, inclusive, and hosting a dynamic calendar of events for all ages and abilities. Perhaps this is just because they want me to publicise their event? If you feel like it, you can write for Sin. Show up, introduce yourself as press, and watch them all bend over backwards to accommodate you. I swear, it’s a hoot!

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OPINION: It’s Your Choice The Editorial Board This edition of Sin profiles each of the candidates in the presidential race, which is the first competitive election for Áras an Uachtaráin in fourteen years. This board urges all students to review Sin’s election material carefully and to seek out information from other sources as well.

And then be bold: go vote.

Students are beneficiaries of state funding and indeed are the future of the state itself. It is thus our incumbent civic duty to participate in the electoral process.

With all kinds of everything in the race, including leftists, “terrorists”, and Euro-sceptics, we can all find a favorite to root for.

Student apathy at NUI Galway is well documented.

In a recent Sin poll, only 54% of students indicated an intention to vote in the

presidential election. Similarly, the recent vote for the SU Mature Students’ Officer also had disappointingly low turnout. But this apathy belies our activist campus culture, including strong support for SlutWalk and Occupy Galway. There is no point in complaining for hours about what is wrong with the government and the country if we are not willing to take part in the democratic process.

Political change has to be a group effort; people who go that little bit further with their political beliefs, who realise the importance of their contribution, help to make Ireland a better, more dynamic country.

While this board exhorts students to go to the ballot box, we also understand that apathy is driven by several underlying factors.

For example, we realise that many first- and secondyear students are yet too

young to vote.

We also express our strong disappointment in Government’s decision to hold the election on a Thursday. Many students who can’t get home for the day simply can’t vote.

Though this is a topic for another day, we strongly urge Government to adopt the universal vote-by-mail system used in some US states.

M o r e d i s t u r b i n g l y, though, we believe that student apathy is driven by a lack of pride in our nation.

Students lack pride in Ireland because this nation has been a source of contempt on the world stage due to our economic situation, and many students simply can’t wait to emigrate and “get out of this place.”

Further, our apathy is fueled by a distinct lack of effort among the presidential candidates to engage students, particularly here

in the West. For example, only one candidate showed up for a debate organised by Lit & Deb in late September.

The candidates, instead, have been content to focus on attacking each other rather than on debating their visions for this country’s future. Thus, while we know of Sean Gallagher’s purported Fianna Fail background and Martin McGuinness’s IRA dealings, we do not know their visions for education in Ireland. We consider this a serious failing of the candidates; education is at an all-time low in Ireland (by OECD and PISA ratings), and to have a representative who cared seriously about these issues would be very important.

Despite the shortcomings in the campaign, and the difficulties that some students will have in voting, we urge all of those who can to go vote.

Arts in Action: Members of Trad Soc with Michael O Shuilleabhan, Niall Keegan, Sandra Joyce, and the Irish World Academy 2nd Year students in the Bailey Allen Hall on 17 October.

Editor: Rosemary Gallagher | editor@sin.ie Layout: Shannon Reeves | Contact via Ed. News Editor: Colette Sexton | LocalNews.SinEd@gmail.com Features Editors: Orla Reilly and Arthur Walsh Foreman | Features.SinEd@gmail.com Fashion, Arts & Entertainment Editor: Ashling O Loughlin | ArtsEntertainment.SinEd@gmail.com Sports Editor: Marian Clohosey | Sport.SinEd@gmail.com Photography: Ciara Holmes (unless otherwise specified) | Photography.SinEd@gmail.com Contributors: Dami Adebari | Mohit Agrawal | Barnacle | Colleen Ní Bhaistir | Cayla Bloomer | Aoife Brennan | Eistear de Búrca | Dave Burdon | Eileen Cameron | Megan Carey | Ian Colgan | Aisling Crowe | Darcy | Micaela Donovan | Sinead Farrell | Erika Fox | Louise France | Fiona Gillespie | Brian Grant | Philip Halton | Ferghal Hand | Sinead Healy | Ciara Holmes | Conor Hooper | Sile Johnson | Evin Keane | Jane Kearns | Mark Kelly | Ryan Kelly | Gerard Madden | Niall Madden | Dara McCreary | Myles McKittrick | Tony Monks | Gemma Morrow | Aine O’Donnell | Ashling O Loughlin | Marése O’Sullivan | Roisin Peddle | Lyndia Peters | Barbara Preston | Jessica Thompson | Colette Sexton | Lia Stokes | Caitlin White

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Film Soc Pulls into First NUI Galway Students Place at OFFline Festival are Targets for Theft

By Evin Keane On Sunday 16 October an all-NUI Galway entry into OFFline film festival in Birr, Co. Offaly won second prize overall, putting the university on the map in the Irish film circuit.

“

my ability to film... things.

A very strange, very life affirming weekend.”

Conor summed up the shock of their success: “Imagine if a group of students entered a carpentry competition, with only a limited experience with

Pull overcame some heavy hitters

in the competition, including Zero Tolerance, an entry from a team

”

who had recently won first prize at a film festival in London

Pull, co-directed by Film Studies students Conor Hooper and Emily Murray and written by Creative Writing student Shaun Leonard, is a short film telling the story of the ebb and flow of a relationship between a beer connoisseur and a girl he meets at a bar. Conor Hooper stars alongside actor Lisa Daly from Galway. The jury was impressed by the film’s visual narrative, its overall rhythm and pacing and the clever editing of Emily Murray.

According to Shaun, Pull was a short film, but it was a big deal. “Especially for me, because I hadn’t ever been behind the camera before, and now I feel confident in

hacksaws, competed against professional carpenters and came second? Crazy. For our team, winning would have been just getting two films done in time for the deadline so getting the runner-up prize came completely out of the blue. We didn’t even get out of our seats when our name was called out of sheer disbelief. I have to thank a fantastic team who made it possible, especially our lead actress, Lisa Daly, who was so accommodating.”

OFFline film festival is in its second year, and will be an annual event. Screenings of independent films produced in Ireland, Europe and farther afield are shown for five days, along with var-

ious workshops and events for aspiring filmmakers. The centrepiece of the festival is the competition held on the final day. Entrants make their films in a 48-hour time frame, and all are filmed in and around Birr.

Festival director Gary Hoctor had this to say about their success: “OFFline 2010 saw some teams from Galway enter the competition; the fact that two teams from NUIG Film Soc came back in 2011 and took second place just shows that perseverance pays off. There’s now a trend - albeit a short one - of Galway filmmakers coming to OFFline in Birr and we hope that trend will continue long into the future.”

Pull overcame some heavy hitters in the competition, including Zero Tolerance, an entry from a team who had recently won first prize at a film festival in London and whose film was well received at OFFline.

Another short named The Boys, directed by Film Studies student Claire O’Malley, was also entered in the competition. A film about a young man trying to face up to the challenge of breaking it off with a girl he no longer cares for, it was entertaining in a way that was perhaps less subtle than Pull. It was a hit with the crowd nonetheless.

Conor Hooper, Shaun Leonard and Emily Murray, with Birr’s OFFline Film Festival organisers and judges.

By Louise France and Jessica Thompson In recent weeks a spate or pick-pocketers have taken fifteen wallets and purses in the NUI Galway area. The incidents occurred off campus, on University Road, but those targeted were students of the college. The thefts took place during daylight hours and victims were predominantly female.

Gerry Nolan, head of Security at NUI Galway, says that the only other incidents of thefts on this scale have been bicycle thefts, “We have experienced bicycle theft to a similar degree but no other repeatable offences in such a short time frame so close to University premises.”

Despite the large number of thefts, only two were officially reported to Gardaí. As the incidents took place off campus all aspects of the investigation were handed over to Gardaí. Security services have provided them with

all pertinent information and will continue to aid the investigation.

At the time of going to press there had been no further incidents reported.

Gardaí are continuing to conduct regular patrols of the University Road area.

Gardaí have confirmed that there are currently no suspects for the thefts.

If anyone has any information relating to the incidents contact Mill street Garda Station on 091 538000 or the Garda confidential line 1800 666 111.

This theft blitz brings up issues of personal security and how students can avoid being targeted.

The common habit of leaving purses in the outside pockets of back packs is a huge problem. These are some of the main targets for theft. These pockets can’t be seen by the back pack owner which makes it easy for thieves to take from them.

The majority of thieves are masters of their art.

Gerry Nolan, gave the

following advice for students: “As indicated in the circular we sent out, most incidents involved money secured in the pockets of back packs worn over the shoulder and out of sight. Please remain vigilant, refrain from storing items of value in bags you do not have complete sight of and report any incidents of theft to the Gardaí directly.”

A Garda source also spoke to Sin and advised students to be “more careful about the manner in which they secure their belongings.” He also warned against “making yourself a target by not closing your back pack properly” and stated that, while on campus last week he saw multiple students walking around with their backpacks open.

Keeping your backpack closed is definitely the best way to avoid losing your belongings. This is an obvious tip, but people have made this mistake in the past and quite literally, paid dearly.

NUI Galway Graduates Have Best Chance of Employment

By Marése O'Sullivan On Wednesday 12 October, NUI Galway issued a press release claiming that 96.8% of its 2009/2010 graduates are not seeking employment. This figure is the best result in the Irish higher education sector, meaning that only of 3.2% NUI Galway graduates of the 2009/2010 class are still searching for jobs.

The annual survey was taken this year by almost 4,000 NUI Galway alumni, nine months after finishing their education. The results indicated that 47.5% secured work directly after graduation.

This is a rise of 4% from last year. With national unemployment levels reaching 14.5%, these positive findings are a great relief to the university.

The high level of post-

graduation employment figures does not, however, make the jobs market easier to crack. Students' Union President, Emmet C o n n o l l y, v o i c e d h i s concern to Sin for future graduates seeking employment in Ireland. "On the face of it, these figures look encouraging," he said, "and it is true that NUI Galway has the highest percentage of graduates 'not seeking employment’ of the Irish universities.

However, we have to remember the huge numbers of graduates who have gone back into education, having been unable to find work."

"The other big issue is emigration, with over 100 graduates a day now leaving Ireland to seek work abroad. Graduates are still facing a tough jobs environment and too many of

them are languishing on the dole for months on end, instead of putting their skills to use."

The Head of the Career Development Centre at NUI Galway, John Hannon, commented: "We are delighted to have such [good] news and to see that NUI Galway graduates are valued and sought after by employers. Graduates are our future leaders and their ‘get-up-and-go’ attitude, skills and knowledge can generate the enterprise and innovation required to boost Ireland’s economic recovery."

He continued: "NUI Galway statistics are very positive when compared to the national average. However, we cannot forget how challenging the current economic climate actually is for graduates who are looking for employment."

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NUI Galway Receives €230,000 for ‘Click and Connect’ I.T. Scheme

By Marése O’Sullivan NUI Galway has received a sum of €230,000 from the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabitte, to encourage Information Communications Technology (ICT) training in the city. The university is one of twenty not-for-profit groups – including Age Action, Limerick Community Connect and Dublin City University – that have joined forces with ‘Click and Connect’. This is a €1.8 million ‘BenefIT 3’ government scheme, to assist 4,600 digitally excluded people in communities all over Ireland.

The programme will give a basic six-hour training in Information Technology, which will include practical education about the internet, with a particular focus on digital photography and video, electronic mail, online banking and how to communicate via the inexpensive ‘Skype’ application. It will clarify modern technology for those in the community who had no previous experience with ICT. T.D. Pat Rabitte commented, “This important

scheme means that 40,000 people will gain from I.T. training between now and June 2012. The programme is to support those who have not yet gone online. […] By supporting community and voluntary organisations to deliver this training, we can ensure excellent value for money.”

Students of NUI Galway are encouraged to volunteer with ‘Click and Connect’ to provide the digitally excluded with a whole new opportunity to discover the wonders of Information Technology.

Lecturer in NUI Galway’s College of Engineering and Informatics, Pat Byrne, stated: “This award…is a great achievement for us and recognises the work that NUI Galway has been offering pro bono to the community and those traditionally excluded from ICT. Information [on classes] will be made available through the Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI) at NUI Galway and local press.”

The computer classes will officially begin in January 2012, but priority will be given to senior citizens, people with disabilities and the unemployed for courses in November 2011.

Overheard in NUI Galway Stephen Kelly Random Lad on Concourse: “Sure if you wanked that much you’d be dehydrated as well.”

Lorna Holohan On the train to Galway, two girls talking about guys and one says: I love nerds, I want a nerd.

But not an ACTUAL nerd, like who has actually seen Star Wars.

David Lyons Housemate 1: You know, I’m like Stoke now that they have Peter Crouch.

Housemate 2: How? Housemate 1: I’ve got a big lad up front.

Abbie McGowan Girl and guy walking into Main entrance:

Girl: Wait... That means 50% of your past girlfriends have been gay!? How does that even happen!?

Matty Sheridan Walking up the stairs to the second floor of the library behind two girls: Jaysus, why is it that the steps at the top always seem harder to climb than the ones at the bottom?.

Donal Hanley In Smokey’s: Guy 1: Jesus look at all them women over there...

Guy 2: Well run up there with your willy out.

Oisín McDonagh God I love History students...

Seriously though: Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin: Shag, Marry or Die?

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Research Reveals New Insights into Pain

By Sinead Healy Researchers at NUI Galway have made an important discovery into how the brain functions to suppress pain.

The work was carried out by researchers in Pharmacology and Therapeutics and the Centre for Pain Research and National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, NUI Galway and published in the leading journal Pain.

They showed that the hippocampus, the part of the brain that is generally associated with memory, plays an active role in suppressing pain during times of stress. Endocannabinoids, ‘marijuana-like’ substances that are produced normally in the brain, are involved in

the suppression of pain. The suppression of pain is an important survival response in humans and other animals.

It means pain can be ignored in order to escape a potentially life-threatening or stressful situation and survive.

This is often seen in soldiers on the battle field who don’t feel the pain of their wounds or even athletes on a pitch not being aware of the pain of injuries until the game is over.

A better understanding of the biological mechanisms involved in this may be important in the search of new therapeutic approaches to the treatment of pain for which there is a major need.

This debilitating condition is estimated to affect up to half

a million people in Ireland and costs over €1.2 million per week in disability benefit payments.

Dr. David Finn, CoDirector of the Centre of Pain Research and study leader, conducted a study to investigate the role of endocannabinoids in the hippocampus on fear-related behaviours.

They blocked the breakdown of endocannabinoids in the hippocampus by injection of a specific enzyme inhibitor. This resulted in increased stress-induced suppression of pain, i.e. less pain. Further experimentation showed that a specific receptor known as the cannabinoid CB1 receptor is involved in this process.

Dr. Finn explains that

these findings mean “the brain’s hippocampus is an important site of action of these endocannabinoids during the potent suppression of pain by fear.”

He also suggests that this research may advance “our fundamental understanding of the neurobiology of pain and may facilitate the identification of new therapeutic targets for the treatment of pain and anxiety disorders.”

Senator David Norris, speaking to a group of students in NUI Galway on Tuesday, 18 October, praised the research on chronic pain such as this study being carried out in the university.

The research was funded by a grant from Science Foundation Ireland.

Interview: Mature Student Officer, Mark Pierce

By Barbara Preston Sin spoke to the newly elected Mature Student Officer, Mark Pierce to find out what his plans are for the coming year. Pierce is a twenty-eight year old Offaly student and is in his second year studying History and Geography through Arts.

Sin: Hi, Mark and congratulations once again on your election as Mature Student Officer.

Mark: Thanks Barbara.

And thanks to those who nominated and supported me to give me the impetus to stand for election and those who voted for me.

Sin: There was a very low turnout for the election.

Why do you think that was?

Mark: It wasn’t publicised enough. There was only a small notice in the What’s Happening Guide. Also, the polling booths were tucked

away off the main drag so lots of people didn’t notice them.

Sin: Some people felt that there wasn’t enough canvassing. Do you agree?

Mark: Yes. We were only allowed to canvass for three days and then only in the classrooms. I had posters up but we couldn’t use flyers. It was organised to be too low key.

Sin: Why did you stand for election?

Mark: Firstly, I felt there was a lack of practical information available on campus for mature student issues and wanted to be in a position where I could work on behalf of other students and knock down barriers which I felt made college life more difficult. Secondly, when students were campaigning about fees and grants, nobody was publicising the savage cuts to the maintenance grant for students on BETA. Mature

students need representation because they have problems which seem to get lost in the bigger issues.

Sin: What do you hope to achieve for mature students this year?

Mark: As it’s the first time there’s been a Mature Student Officer, I want to build up a good working relationship with the college Mature Student Office to improve communication and giving out of information. I want to address the major issue of the lack of car parking spaces for students. I’ve also begun to investigate the possibility of starting an after-school homework club for the children of students and staff. It would help students stay on campus in the afternoons rather than miss classes or time in the library.

Sin: In your manifesto, you said you were in favour of keeping RAG Week. Do

you still think it’s a good idea?

Mark: I wanted RAG Week to go back to being mainly about fundraising. Now that the SU is planning to organise more charity events on campus, I’m happy to support the deal which has been worked out with the college to end Rag Week. It’s more important that there is the money to help support students and prevent more of them having to drop out because of financial problems.

Sin: Is there anything else you’d like to tell Sin? Mark: Just that I’m going to do my best to do a good job representing mature students and anyone can come to me about issues or give me suggestions as to how I can make the position more meaningful to them.

Sin: Thanks Mark and best of luck Mark: Thank you.

Overheard something ridiculous? Let us know on the Facebook page: Overheard in NUIGalway. Each week we will turn the best one into a comic strip!

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G alway N E ws

13–04

Funding for New Disease Research Programme

By Sinead Healy Molecular Medicine Ireland Clinical & Translation Research Scholars Programme (CTRSP) is a collaborative structured PhD programme that aims to develop graduates from a basic scientific background into translational research.

This will give them the knowledge and ability to conduct disease-focused research into clinical and commercial applications.

CTRSP is a unique crossinstitutional programme – the twenty science graduates enrolled in it are based in NUI Galway, UCC, Trinity College or UCD. CTRSP was developed with and involves significant involvement by the Irish Medicines Board and Industry partners including Amgen, Creganna-Tactx Medical, Merrion Phar-

maceuticals, Medtronic, Opsona, and Pfizer.

This input ensures that training is relevant and effective to the needs of Irish industry in the health sector. The PhD graduates will bridge gaps between basic scientists, clinical scientists and industry and will be prepared for careers in industry and academic medical centres and also opportunities as biomedical entrepreneurs.

The first year of the fouryear programme comprises of taught modules on topics such as molecular medicine and advanced imaging and also placements in industry, academic research labs and clinical research facilities.

Professor Larry Egan, in the Discipline of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at NUI Galway and principal investigator of the CTRSP,

highlighted this unique aspect of the programme saying that it familiarises students with different research environments and prepares them for embarking onto their individual PhD projects.

The PhD projects are chosen towards the end of year one. There are projects from over twenty research groups available for the five students based at NUI Galway. According to Professor Egan, the students essentially “chose from a menu of projects” and that the “principal investigators are competing for them”.

This competition will result in higher quality research being carried out.

These groups focus on various research areas in drug discovery, discovery/ validation of biomarkers and patient-oriented research in clinical research

facilities undertaking research in pain, cancer, cardiovascular and neurological diseases.

Speaking at the launch of CTRSP last week, the Minister for Research and Innovation, Seán Sherlock said that the programme will benefit the population’s health and enterprise: “It will deliver more scientists in Ireland… bringing their findings from the bench to the clinic - for the ultimate benefit of our population’s health” and result “in the creation of high quality jobs for this economy.”

The €4.3 million required for CTRSP to run is being funded through Cycle 5 of the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI). Each student receives an annual stipend of €16,000 and their PhD fees paid.

Glór Ghaeltachta: An tOireachtas Le Colleen Ní Bhaistir Mar is eol dóibh tá Oíche Shamhna ag druidim linn agus tá mé ag tnúth le milseáin agus a bheith gléasta mar chailleach! Ach chomh maith leis sin tá an tOireachtas ag teacht freisin! Nílim ag caint faoin Dáil agus an Seanad ach féile Oireachtas na Gaeilge!

Is féile é an tOireachtas do Ghaelgóirí na tíre seo agus go deimhin do dhaoine nach bhfuil Gaeilge ar a dtoil acu. Thosaigh an t-Oireachtas sa mbliain ocht déag níocha ‘s a seacht (1897). Bhí an chéad fhéile riamh, i mBaile Átha Cliath, ina féile leathlae agus d’fhreastail os cionn míle duine uirthi. Anois bíonn an tOireachtas ar súil ar feadh seachtaine chuile bhliain ar an deireadh seachtaine deireanach de mhí Dheireadh Fómhair agus freastalaíonn níos mó ná deich míle duine ar an Oireachtas gach bliain.

I mbliana tá sé ar súil i

gCill Áirne agus tosóidh imeachtaí ón Mháirt 1ú Domhnaigh 6ú Samhain.

Tá siad chun tús a chur leis le hImeachtaí Scléip na hÓige dé Máirt. Beidh céilí agus cluichí craiceáilte, díospóireachtaí, tráth na gceisteanna, dioscó agus tuilleadh ar súil.

Ní raibh i gceist ag an gcéad Oireachtas ach comórtais a cuir ar súil agus ceolchoirm a bheith ag deireadh na hoíche ach anois bíonn roinnt imeachtaí ar súil i rith an Oireachtais, cosúil le Scléip na hÓige, comór-

tais damhsa, comórtais amhránaíochta, An Corn Uí Riada agus níos mó.

Tá an t-Oireachtas ar súil i gCill Áirne, Contae Chiarraí i mbliana, bhí sé i gCill Áirne anuraidh freisin agus roimhe sin bhí sé dhá bhliain ‘s níocha ón am deireanach go raibh sé ann!

Faoi láthair reáchtálann Oireachtas na Gaeilge príomhfhéile bhliantúil na nGael. Déanann RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta craoladh beo ar chuid mhór d’imeachtaí Oireachtas na Samhna agus bíonn fáil ag daoine ar fud an

Foclóir: Gaelgóirí: Irish speakers Féile: festival Imeachtaí: events

Cill Áirne, Contae Chiarraí: Killarey, Co. Kery

Díospóireacht : debate

Comórtais amhránaíochta: singing competitions

Bliantúil: annual

Tuilleadh: more/further

domhain ar an gcraoladh seo tríd an idirlíon. Cinnte is féile chuimsitheach í an tOireachtas agus bíonn an t-uafás imeachtaí do chuile shaghas duine, idir óg agus aosta.

Mar a dúirt mé tá an tOireachtas ar an bhfód leis na blianta, ón bhliain ocht déag níocha ‘s a seacht (1897) agus ní raibh sé chomh mór an t-am sin is atá sé anois. Leis an Oireachtas bíonn roinnt cainte faoi na comórtais amhránaíochta ar an sean-nós agus ar rince, ach bíonn a lán comórtas eile ar súil, cosúil leis na hagallaimh bheirte. Is é Corn Uí Riada an comórtas amhránaíochta ar an sean-nós is mó a bhíonn ar súil ag an Oireachtas, is é scoth na n-amhránaithe agus buaicphointe an Oireachtais é.

Le haghaidh tuilleadh eolais is féidir leat dul ar an suíomh www.antoireachtas.ie agus dar liom is fiú lá nó cúpla lá a caitheamh ann!

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Motion Carried: Student Nurses Should Get Paid

By Barbara Preston The controversially advertised Literary and Debating Society debate on student nurses’ pay was held on Thursday, 13 October. Unfortunately, the ‘sexist’ posters of a kissogram-style nurse resulted in the loss of invited guest speakers, leaving Emmet Connolly, SU President, to propose the motion. Opposing him was Sean Kearns, a third year nursing student and Vice-Auditor of the society.

Emmet began the proceedings with a touch of levity as, tongue in cheek, he suggested the non-payment of student nurses on placement in their fourth year could lead to Civil war. With much laughter from the audience, he gave a comical account of how a potential reduction in the numbers of nurses in the country would have the knock-on effect of fewer Gardaí, who would be bereft of partners and in no state to keep the peace!

Getting back to the serious matter of the debate, the proposer gave a detailed explanation of why the Students’ Union opposes the government’s phasing out of paying student nurses for the “real work” that they do under three headings: fairness, legitimate expectation and the fact that it is not a sensible strategy for the health service. Emmet asked if anything had changed, other than the need to save money, because student nurses were now expected to do for free what was deemed worthy of payment before. The speaker stated that working on placement meant that student nurses had no other means of supplementing income and that non-payment would be a financial barrier to qualification and disenfranchise lower income students. He stressed the short-sightedness of the government in closing off an avenue to education for would-be nurses when current population trends show that the need for nurses in Ireland is growing.

In opposition, Sean Kearns educated the audience in the reality of life as a stu-

dent nurse. He pointed out that in the first three years of training, he would work 4,800 hours unpaid before reaching the disputed fourthyear placement. The speaker drew attention to the fact that phasing out payment for student nurses was bringing Ireland into parity with international practice. He asked if student nurses should ever have been paid when nursing is a profession, not an apprenticeship. Sean argued that the €32 million saved by the HSE and its use to put extra qualified staff on wards was in the interest of patient welfare, explaining that it would also make students supernumerary and result in better training.

When the motion was put to the floor, nurses and midwives supported it vehemently, arguing that the unemployed were being paid extra to go on internships but nursing students were having their pay taken away. In addition, €32 million was a “drop in the ocean” to the HSE and it was worthwhile to invest in student nurses. Opposition from the audience was mainly on the basis that nursing is now a degree course, not vocational. One speaker was opposed to the traditional view of nurses as a special case saying that: “The notion of doing anything against nurses is like beating up grannies!”

Energetic debate on the professional status of nurses and the need to be treated as such was countered by the proposer in his summation when he pointed out that, while other professions potentially earn large salaries after receiving their degrees, nurses pay is low and government controlled.

In summing up, Sean Kearns pointed to the desire for nurses to be taken seriously as professionals and that the numbers of wouldbe nurses was increasing, despite the phasing out of payment during placement.

However, Emmet Connolly’s final contribution that: “we are shooting ourselves in the foot and no-one will be there to bandage that foot”, seemed to sway the audience in his favour and when put to the vote the motion was carried.

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G alway N ews

Sustainable Campus: Meatless Monday

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Fun & friendly Beauty Salon located in a top Hairdressers on the Dock front

By Tony Monks Across the world, an innovative campaign has been gaining momentum in recent years. This campaign aims to reduce the carbon footprint of a university campus by making one simple choice: to not eat meat for one day each week. Universities across Europe, North America and further afield have recognised the significant impact that this simple step can have in increasing the overall sustainability of their campuses. The implementation of ‘Meatless Monday’, where the campus restaurants offer delicious meat-free meals, creates a personal and collective contribution towards reducing the environmental impact of the campus.

Meatless Monday results in three key benefits: Reducing a universities carbon footprint by 2-3%; Creating a healthier life style; Saving consumers money.

Reducing the Carbon Footprint. The FAO report Livestock long shadow: environmental issues and options (2006) claims that livestock production is a major contributor to the world’s environmental problems, contributing about 18% to global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, although this figure is highly variable across the world.

The FAO studies are based on a food-chain approach, bringing into light also contributions normally ‘hidden’ in other sectors when the internationally agreed methodology of GHG emissions accounting within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is used. In other words, cutting our meat consumption by 1 day a week has a knock on effect in reducing demand; thereby cutting the methane being released into the environment by 2-3%. There is no loss of employment in reducing our meat consumption, as consumption of other foods increases, without a corresponding increase in emissions.

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@ Ritz Hair No. 16, New Dock Rd.

WEDNESDAYS Healthier Lifestyle.

Most of us eat more meat and other protein rich foods than we need to stay healthy. In 2007 the World Cancer Research Fund report recommended limiting the consumption of red meats such as beef, pork and lamb because of a ‘convincing’ link with colorectal cancer.

A Harvard study found that processed meat doubles the chances of having a heart attack compared with unprocessed red meat. It was found that an average daily serving of processed meat – one sausage or a couple of bacon rashers – increased the risk of coronary heart disease by 42% and diabetes by 19%. A study by Imperial College London in 2010 revealed that people who ate a lot of meat were more likely to put on weight than those who ate less, even if their diets contained the same amount of calories. As well as being healthier, the research suggests that cutting down on meat should be the first step for anyone interested in losing weight.

Saves Money. Meat costs several times the price of vegetables, grains or pulses. However, this difference in price is not often reflected in restaurants and canteens. Meat free lunches prepared at home are the most cost effective and the healthiest way of eating away outside the home.

From Jamaica to Norway, Australia to the Philippines, Meatless Monday is now active in twenty-one countries around the world.

Ireland, led by NUI Galway, could become the twentysecond country. NUI Galway could be the first campus in Ireland to have a Meatless

Monday. It takes only one step – that the food vendors do not serve meat on Mondays. We are in a free society, so there is no suggestion of stopping people from bringing meat with them to eat, but the only way of successfully converting the majority of the campus to Meatless Monday is for the canteens and restaurants to serve meat free alternatives. Donal O’Brien, CEO of Aramark Ireland, who manage An Bhialann responded positively to the idea of Meatless Monday and sustainable initiatives, but felt they were obliged to offer meat to students who did not agree with Meatless Monday. Kieran Lyons, Head Chef of SU Commercial Services said they were committed to Meatless Monday and were offering additional tasty nutritional meat free dishes for €5 on Mondays. There has been no commercial objection to Meatless Monday, the main objection is our cultural habit of eating meat daily, even though it has been proven to be unhealthy for us and the environment.

Meat free food can be rich and delicious, if the chefs know what they are doing. Meat free Monday is a step towards cultural innovation, taking personal responsibility for the impact of how we live, making small changes where we can that contribute to bigger changes. It is one of the easiest steps we can take to reduce the environmental impact of our university and improve our physical health. So think globally and act locally and support the case for Meatless Monday in NUI Galway!

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James Hardiman Library Receives Rare Edition of Newspaper

By Ciara Holmes The James Hardiman Library has just acquired the original 1691 edition of the London Gazette which reports the Battle of Aughrim. The donation was made by Councillor Norman Morgan, from his personal collection, and contains a copy of the London Gazette, 16-20 July 1691, issue 2680, which includes an account of the battle entitled “From the Camp.”

Speaking at a special presentation ceremony, Councillor Morgan explained the significance of the paper, emphasising that the report was written as the event was taking place. He also confirmed that his paper is

the original version: “My paper, while the contents are identical to those in the National Library of Ireland (NLI) and Trinity College Library papers, has a different layout, which proves that there were two printings. My paper has “The Battle of Aughrim” on the top of page 2, whereas “Hague, July 24”, is on the top of page 2 of the NLI and TCD copies and on the internet. The other difference between these two copies is the use of the capital letter, punctuation marks and spelling, which, in my opinion are more correct in the NLI, TCD and internet papers.

This proves that my paper is the original, i.e. first printing.”

John Cox, University Librarian at the James Hardiman Library, NUI Galway, said: “It will be a privilege for the Library to hold this edition and I have no doubt that scholars will make good use of it as a very valuable primary document from an important period in Irish history. It is especially gratifying to see this significant document remain in Co. Galway and we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Councillor Morgan.”

The donation will be placed in the James Hardiman Library where it will feature alongside collections such as the literary papers of John McGahern, and the archives of Druid and Lyric Players Theatre amongst others.

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G alway N ews

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Interview with USNI Scholarship Recipients By Áine O Donnell In our last issue Sin revealed that Tim Coyne, New York State and Will Archambault, North Carolina have been awarded the USNI Victory Scholarship at NUI Galway. Awarded on the basis of academic and sporting success, the students are completing a Masters degree in International Business with the NUI Galway School of Business. Tim and Will train and coach at Titans Basketball Club, Galway, and Sin caught up with them last week to ask how they were getting on.

Sin: What was your initial reaction to receiving the scholarship?

Will: Ecstatic! Travelling to Ireland was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Sin: Why did you choose to apply for a scholarship in Ireland and at NUI Galway in particular?

Will: To have the opportunity to continue my education at a Masters level, continue playing basketball as well as to give back to the community by coaching the younger generation of bas-

ketball players.

Tim: I was contacted

by Joe Coughlan, one of the founders of the Galway Titans. He knew some people from New York and he was explaining to them about the Victory Scholarship program and mentioned that they needed a point guard. […]

I was particularly interested in coming to Galway as I’ve heard great things about it and my family actually comes from Galway. We’ve been in New York a long time now but from tracing the family tree, I know I have roots here.

Sin: What are the main benefits of USNI? Tim: The overall experience of working with USNI is a tremendous benefit to not only me but the community as well. Their mission is incredible. It is well known that sport can have such a significant impact on the lives of so many people and USNI ultimately utilizes that in bringing over college athletes to pursue postgraduate level work while promoting the game of basketball and working within the community. Obviously, getting a free Master’s Degree is

a primary benefit but the experience of playing basketball and working in a community in a foreign country is truly an experience that will be second to none. And a final benefit is that USNI may lead to future opportunities. Who knows where the road may lead?

Sin: What have you enjoyed most since arriving in Ireland?

Tim: I’ve met so many people. I’m not going to say it’s been a culture shock because shock is not the right word. I think it has been truly amazing how many people I’ve met, from so many different countries, cultures, and backgrounds.

Every day is an experience in Galway. There are times when I’m having a conversation and it’s me, a Canadian, a Lithuanian, a Polish person, someone from New Zealand, someone from Spain and then maybe somebody from Ireland. I feel that my eyes have really been opened to how big this world is and there is so much out there to see and so many people to meet.

Will: The people! Every-

one here is nice and always willing to help out.

Sin: Are you going to try any Irish sports like Gaelic football or hurling while you are here?

Will: I’d hope so. I’ve already got a few friends who’ve suggested I join some clubs.

Tim: I would love to try hurling. That looks like a lot of fun. Gaelic football is actually a big sport in New York as there is a high Irish population there but I’ve never had the chance to try it. If I had to choose one sport to try it would definitely be hurling.

Sin: Are you looking forward to working with Irish businesses during your stay?

Will: If I get the chance to work with some Irish businesses while I’m here, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it. I sure have the motivation to learn from top executives in some business areas!

Tim: I certainly am looking forward to that. I think it will be interesting to see how business is done here as well as Irish businesses overseas. We will be taking a trip to Hong Kong with our

Masters program in May and will be visiting an Irish company based there which I’m sure will be quite a valuable experience.

Sin: Did you feel welcomed by the Irish and American communities at NUI Galway?

Will: Of course.

Tim: 100%. My first day in Ireland the team and coaches took me to a pub.

Pretty sure that’s about as good as a welcoming as one can get in Ireland. In all seriousness though I feel very welcome. Everyone here is incredibly friendly and so willing to help with whatever you need or to provide some advice or recommendations when asked.

Meeting other Americans is always cool too because we compare stories about why we’re here, what we’ve each experienced and things that we find interesting or funny here compared to America.

Sin: Do you feel that your involvement in sport has helped you with your academic life?

Will: Yes. I’ve gotten athletic scholarships for both my Bachelors and Masters degree. Without sports I

don’t think I’d be where I am today.

Tim: Yes I do because ever since I was a little kid in school the busier I was the better my grades were.

When I had practices and games all the time, it forced me to manage my time better. It was when I wasn’t playing sports that I would get lazy and put things off.

Having a busy schedule with sports is something that contributes to my success in the classroom. Furthermore, it is also my outlet from the coursework, projects, papers, and presentations.

Sin: What has been the highlight for you thus far?

Will: Hanging out with Joe Coughlan and the other Titans members!

Tim: It’s hard for me to highlight one thing thus far but I’d say it would have to be getting to see a bit of the country in my first few weeks here. I was able to get over to County Clare, go down to Kinvara, see Connemara, go down to the Lakes of Killarney and even got up to see the city of Belfast. Ireland is a beautiful country and I think it’s important that I get to see as much of it as I possibly can.

Exiled Iranian Advocates Abolishing Death Penalty

By Lyndia Peters Large yellow signs in the black-clad Nun’s Island Theatre called out stark human rights statistics: “over 100 people on death row,” “Iran executes 1 person every 8 hours.” Although chilling, it made for a fitting backdrop

for Amnesty International’s guest speaker Mohammad Mostafaei on 8 October.

The Iranian human rights lawyer is a perfect fit with Amnesty’s speaker series on abolishing the death penalty. Mr. Mostafaei was exiled in 2010 for some of his work rep-

resenting minors and the underprivileged sentenced to death.

Mr. Mostafaei’s first case of this kind was recollected for the Galway audience at the talk. In that case, a teenage girl was on death row for having warded off an attack from three men

The first heat of NUI Galway’s Got Talent began on Tuesday 18th October.

who attempted to rape her and two of her friends, One of the men had been killed.

Even though she was victimised she was deemed to be a perpetrator and was sentenced to hanging.

After hearing her story and seeing her face devoid of hope, Mr. Mostafaei knew he had to defend her. After appealing to the supreme courts twice, he persuaded four out of five judges that her crime had not been intentional and she was set free. She was seventeen years-old.

Iran is currently a signatory to United Nations treaties that outlaw the death penalty for minors, yet Mr. Mostafaei has defended over forty such cases in the last ten years; eighteen were saved. In a YouTube video shown about his work entitled Children on Death Row Mr. Mostafaei condemns the death pen-

alty saying that the crime was “a child’s unintentional action” but yet the state’s punishment is to “execute intentionally.”

Now Mostafaei is an activist to end the violent practice but acknowledges that the law in Iran is not democratic and the judiciary is not independent, so it is a difficult job. However, he noted hopefully, many other lawyers are advocating an end to stoning and the death penalty for minors too. Although he and his colleagues have faced arrest, imprisonment and exile, he believes most lawyers in Iran agree these sentences are neither valid nor legal.

Many things changed in light of the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and Mr. Mostafaei explained that some of these most shockingly violent punishments were only instated after that

time. Before 1979, minors were not punished by hanging, criminals did not have limbs cut off and public stoning was not a method of exacting the death penalty.

One of the insights left with the crowd was that the countries that practice the death penalty do not experience lower crime rates and are primarily a show of control. He also suggested that these public displays of violence might even result in “teaching the public to use violence.”

Amnesty International Ireland has many ways for people to get involved in supporting human rights in Iran and writing letters to end the death penalty is one of them. For more information go to www. amnesty.ie/our-work/iran or visit the Galway Human Rights Action Centre on Middle Street.

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N ational N ews

Union of Students in Ireland take State to Court

By Eistear de Búrca A High Court case is currently being pursued by the USI seeking a judicial review of the new grants system.

The reform, which is currently being implemented, has three parts: a 4% cut to all grant rates, a change in the qualifying distance criterion for the non-adjacent grant rate from 24km to 45km and the abolition of mature students’ automatic entitlement to the non-adjacent rate despite location.

The State justifies this reform by arguing that ‘massive improvements’ have occurred in infrastructure and have made travelling both quicker and less expensive. It is also pointed out that these cuts will save the government millions of euro. The reality is that the educational future of more than 25,000 students is threatened by these proposals; particularly those from

financially disadvantaged backgrounds who rely on the grant to stay in education.

NUI Galway’s Students’ Union president Emmet Connolly points out that “the new measures affect Galway students far more than any other university as more than 40% of students are grant recipients.” This compares to 17% in UCD and 15% in Trinity and means that NUIG has a very high dependency rate. He also argues that the roads in parts of the West of Ireland have not changed since the early 1970s, and this makes the severe cut more difficult for Galway students than for those who live for example in Kildare and study in Dublin. These two factors - dependency on the grant and the condition of transport and infrastructure in the area make this case of particular importance for Galway students.

At the moment the State have three weeks to prepare a defence; once this motion is filed, the USI may need to prepare and submit an extra affidavit to deal with the content of the State’s defence. Mr. Connolly says, “The USI is reminding the Court of the urgency of this issue and the case should be heard before Christmas unless the State purposefully frustrates the process of the case.”

As to the success of the case, the USI knows that it could go both ways. Cases have been won and lost in the past; concerning the possibility of a negative result the SU president says, “We have tried lobbying and protesting, the legal route is our last option; if unsuccessful then direct action will be considered seriously.

This indicates a significant change in the mindset of the USI but may be the only viable option left.”

Controversial far-right leader Nick Griffin has been excluded from a debate in Trinity College Dublin.

Mr Griffin, leader of the British National Party, was due to speak on the motion “The House Believes Immigration Has Gone Too Far” on 20 October. However, on Friday 14, the Trinity Philosophical Society withdrew the invitation. The debate itself was also cancelled.

A spokesperson for the Philosophical Society cited security issues as the reason behind the rescinding of Griffin’s invitation.

In an official statement, The Philosophical Society insisted that a sit-in by a small number of anti-fascist activists was not the reason behind the cancellation. “However, the nature and tone of the incident crystallized for council the correctness of the resolution to cancel the debate, due to the seriousness of the potential threat to the safety of students and staff,” the statement read.

As well as the withdrawal of Mr Griffin’s invitation, the Philosophical Society warned Mr Griffin and other members of the BNP that they would not be allowed on campus.

The decision to invite Mr Griffin was extremely controversial. Groups such as the Union of Jewish Students, Students against Fascism and Trinity against Fascism had all spoken out against the visit of Nick Griffin. The Trinity LGBT group were among those opposing; in a statement on their website the society said it wished to “express its disquiet” at the “worrying and dangerous [views of Nick Griffin] due to their inflammatory language surrounding LGBT people as well as other minorities.”

As mentioned above, a sit-in protest was organised at the most recent Philosophical Society meeting.

Protests to be held at the debate itself were also being organised.

It has been rumoured that Nick Griffin was on a reconnaissance trip to Ire-

land and that he wishes to set up an Irish wing of the BNP. Speaking to the University Times, BNP member Simon Darby said that the BNP would love to set up an

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Trinity Celebrates Centenary of Flann O’Brien’s Birth

By Marése O’Sullivan A weekend of celebrations at Trinity College Dublin, from 14-16 October, marked the 100 years since the birth of one of Ireland’s most renowned authors, Brian O’Nolan. All of the centenary events at the university were free and had been booked out since the previous Thursday.

O’Nolan - otherwise known by his nom de plume, Flann O’Brien (or Myles na gCopaleen), was born on October 5, 1911 and died on April 1, 1966.

His connection with the city of Dublin was strong even from a young age, as he had studied at University College Dublin.

Most well-known for his novels, At Swim-Two-Birds and The Third Policeman, he embarked on a richly varied career as a writer, which saw him compose articles, novels and plays, as well as several television

BNP Leader Banned from Trinity

By Roisin Peddle

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organisation in the Republic of Ireland. “There is nothing I would like to see more than an Irish National Party representing the interests of the Irish people,” he said.

dramas for Raidió Telefís Éireann.

TCD paid a fitting tribute to him and his remarkable literary life by inviting academic speakers, writers, actors and directors from all over the world to attend the centenary festivities. Of particular note was Oxford University’s Literature Studies lecturer, and NUI Galway alumn, Keith Hopper, who spoke on Saturday as part of the Academic Programme, about ‘Flann O’Brien in the 21st Century’. Hopper is the author of Flann O’Brien: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Post-Modernist. There were readings from O’Brien’s works on Sunday, as well as performances based on the writings in his regular ‘Cruiskeen Lawn’ columns in the Irish Times.

One of the centenary event organisers, Carole Taaffe, highlighted how O’Brien’s work has touched so many different creative

industries. “We had a great weekend,” she told Sin. “I think attendance averaged about 100. As well as bringing together academics from across Europe, it was great to round off the centenary with a bit of fun, and to celebrate how O’Brien’s writing has inspired creative thinking in so many other areas.

For example, on opening night, we showed an exhibition of works by his artist brother, Micheál Ó Nualláin, as well as illustrations by the artist James Kenny.”

Professor Gerald Dawe, of the Oscar Wilde Centre for Irish Writing at TCD, commented: “Flann O’Brien was a complicated figure and hopefully the recent scholarly attention, as much as the respect for his achievement, will bring with it a greater critical understanding of what it was like to live and work in this country during the last half of the twentieth century.”

It has been a bad week for Nick Griffin. As well as being declared a persona non grata by Trinity, he has also been accused of corruption by a member of his own party. David Hannam, a former treasurer, alleged in an interview with BBC’s

Panorama that Mr Griffin inflated and fabricated costs in order to claim high expenses from the European Parliament. Mr Hannam died earlier this month and the interview was shown in accordance with the wishes of his family.

A table tennis event as part of the Inter-College Games.

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E lection S pecial

{sin} 24–10

Sin’s Quick and Dirty Guide to the Presidential Election

By Mark Kelly and Mohit Agrawal Oh the excitement!

With a Eurovision song contest winner, a gay rights activist, a bald businessman, a diminutive statesmen, an ex-IRA commander, the Lady in Red, and Gay Mitchell, this has been one of the more interesting (well, ignoring Gay Mitchell) presidential campaigns, to say the least.

But what does the President actually do?

The President protects the constitution.

Specifically, the President - along with their Council of State - must gauge the constitutionality of bills passed by Government. The President signs bills they deem constitutional, and refers potentially unconstitutional bills to the Supreme Court.

Since 1938, fifteen bills have been referred to

the Supreme Court, and seven have been struck down, most recently in 2004.

So basically the President is the manager of the bar, which is the Constitution. Bills are usually sober enough to get in, but in the unlikely event they are hammered she can call in the bouncers (the Supreme Court) to check them out and send them home to the Dáil to get better.

The President is also an ambassador for the country, meaning that they represent the people when visiting dignitaries abroad and greeting heads of State here. This has been on show recently with both Queen Elizabeth and President Barack Obama visiting Ireland over the past year. These visits have boosted Irish tourism (particularly in Moneygall), and is one of the

Escape to Victory

By Ian Colgan They’re not perfect, these contenders, but they’re the best we can muster, and in weal or woe they’re eager to represent us and take upon their heaving backs the pride and hopes of a nation. They entered the arena and competed for our approval and affection, taking flak and sustaining damage, sometimes feeling bitter and hard doneby, but never loosing sight of the final goal.

In their best moments they’ve basked like beaded lizards in the warm applause and adoration of thousands, and in their worst they’ve elicited horror and the shaking of heads from supporters who looked on nervously with clenched fists. They’ve fought under hot lights and sweated like pigs in front of TV cameras for our amusement.

Now, after a long and cruel campaign and a shameless display of shortfalls, we must get behind them for the final push. Many puddles must be stepped in on the road to victory, and they’ve waded through their share, seizing on their opponents with trembling fangs and wide bright eyes to come to the point of knocking at the gates

of greatness. They’re so close now they can taste it on their lolling tongues as they come slavering over the last hurdle to tie their names to history and claim a place in Euro 2012.

Whatever karmic connections can be made between the Armenia game and Paris two years ago, it proves that national guilt is easily overcome. From watching the rigmarole of the Presidential campaign unfold over the last several weeks, this is just as well. Like in politics, there were no reservations about claiming foul play to discredit an opponent and get them removed. And to think Simon Cox was sorry for joining in the chorus of “hand ball” with his team mates and 50,000 spectators is to underestimate his desire to do whatever it takes to get the bulge on his opposition.

Gay Mitchell knows this urge, and perhaps knows more than the other candidates about dealing with accusations of dirty tricks. But the winner this time will not be someone who had to sink to that lower echelon. His attempts to dent McGuinness have been an abysmal failure. They didn’t prevent McGuinness getting a warm reception when he can-

vassed here in Galway earlier this month, and they won’t stop Mitchell himself from being beaten like a wanton stepchild at the polls this Thursday.

Mitchell is the second least popular candidate on the NUI Galway campus, where the stage is set for a NUI Galway vs. TCD clash between Michael D. Higgins and David Norris. Norris was top of the national opinion polls in September, before he actually got on the ballot. Since then his campaign has shot off in the reverse direction like a horse badly spooked, yet he has remained in second place here in NUI Galway as students have been able to see past the controversies and harmful media coverage.

This has been hard to do during a campaign where candidates have cannibalised each other like rival chimps and debates have focused on the reasons why we shouldn’t vote for them.

For his past membership in Fianna Fail, Seán Gallagher has been vilified and treated like someone who secretly runs over dogs at night. But the public don’t seem to care. In the last few weeks Gallagher, whose “listening tour” of the country began in Galway in July, has experienced a freakish

ascent with the latest Red C poll showing him leading Michael D. by over 10%.

All the candidates have had to face their own bugaboos, some having to produce their own roorback just to stay noticed. It has been the running theme in an election mired in the past. Nationally and here in NUI Galway, Higgins, who addressed students here in September, has managed to stay in front for the majority of the campaign almost by default. Like marine snow the NUIG graduate and lecturer has floated through proceedings gracefully without any major blunders, and but for Gallagher’s divine rise would have the Presidency all but sealed up.

The dark tango is almost over. Seven candidates on the field and seven years at stake. One month in the main vortex and one victor. And thanks to negative coverage, probably seven more reasons to vote against any of them than for. As happens in our electoral system, many people will cast their votes by eliminating from the bottom up, more sure of who they don’t want than who they do. Or just going with whoever can best outrun their past.

ways that the President can directly contribute to the economy. The President can also serve as a trade envoy by leading trade missions abroad.

As head of state, the President enjoys a bully pulpit and is able to adopt and advance favored causes on the national and international stage. Mary Robinson was an advocate for Human Rights while Mary McAleese supported the Northern Irish peace process and food security in the developing world.

Indeed, many consider this discretionary power to be the greatest asset of the presidency.

However, the President faces many restrictions. They must ask the permission of Government to leave the country and have to have all political communications approved by Government. Further, though the President is Commander in Chief of the Irish armed forces, all orders of military engagements and protocol come from the Ministry of Defense.

Thus, while the President has important constitutional, ambassadorial, and discretionar y roles, their political and policy-making powers are quite limited.

Michael D. Higgins

By Caitlin White Michael D. Higgins, an alumn of NUI Galway is one of the favourites to win the 2011 Presidential election. Higgins, who was Mayor of Galway from 1982 - 83 and 1991 92, has been involved in politics since the 1970s.

It has been suggested that, at 70 years old, Higgins is too old to be our head of state but he argues that, “It’s not the years in the life; it’s the life in the years.”

He claims to be a candidate who values the youth and education, and if elected, he promises to hold presidential seminars, the first of which will concentrate on the youth, their concerns and ideas. He would promote inclusive citizenship and a creative society. Higgins wishes to create an Ireland which people are actually proud to belong to. He hopes to promote Ireland

abroad, and reconnect with the Irish diaspora.

How Higgins plans to restore pride in the Irish people remains to be seen, but he seems quite up to the job.

When asked about education and fees by the NUI Galway representative at the SpunOut.ie Presidential Youth Forum in Dublin recently, he replied that he did not want to make false promises, and that as President he would not have any power over that, but that he has promised to speak out against rising costs of education.

He also added that he was a member of the cabinet that abolished undergraduate fees in 1996.

For the Gaelgóirs of the University, Michael D. was the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht from 1993 - 97, and he hopes to promote the Irish language as much as possible, if he gets into the Áras.

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E lection S P ecial

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David Norris

by Gerard Madden David Norris’s campaign visit to NUIG on Tuesday, 18 October, was an ideal time to discuss issues such as his political achievements, his stance on fees and his views on the Presidential race so far. When Sin caught up with him on his way to Áras na Mac Léinn, he was all too eager to give us his own inimitable stance, chatting to us comfortably and at length.

David Norris, of course, is best known for his long struggle for gay rights, showing personal courage in advocating the decriminalisation of homosexuality when it was neither popular nor profitable to do so.

He revealed how he received abusive mail for his stance, which he promptly pinned to a “hatewall” of his office: “some of them were serious, some of them were death threats,” he recalled. He also put personal expense into the campaign, mortgaging his house to found social services for gay people.

Hitting out at members of the U.S. Right “like Karl Rove”, who used the term liberal as: “a dirty word”, he made it clear that he was happy to be identified with progressive issues: “Here I am, hands up, I am the liberal agenda!”.

Norris identified his role in forming the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee as one of his most important achievement outside of gay rights, and his mention of his advocacy for the Palestinians languishing under Israeli occupation drew spontaneous applause from passersby. His clear rejection of the IMF/ECB intervention also prompted murmured agreement from onlookers.

Despite his declaration that: “I am a

left-wing person, I am somebody who believes in Socialism,” Norris has been blunt and outspoken in his support for the introduction of Third Level Fees. Speaking to UCD’s Students’ Union last October, Norris made it clear that he was not antagonistic to their introduction, stating that: “I think it’s inevitable and I think it’s fair.” When challenged

by Sin to explain this statement, Norris was unrepentant, stating: “Absolutely!” without hesitation. While affirming his support in theory for free education, stating that “when you have a situation where there’s clear class discrimination in terms of who is allowed to attend university, I’m on the side of the underdog,” he was insistent that free education is untenable in this country at present. “I want free education universally (…) but until you get the Scandinavian tax regime in place you won’t get it here, so why tell lies about it?” he argued. “You get the truth from me uncompromisingly” he continued. “I don’t tell half-truths, comfortable lies”. He contrasted his stance with the alleged stance of unspecified: “student leaders,” whom he feels are two-faced on the issue of fees, claiming that they expressed pro-fee views to him which they could not express to their own electorate out of personal political expediency. “A number of the student leaders actually came to me and said to me privately, ‘What you said is absolutely right and we know that but it won’t be popular’,” he revealed.

Norris was well in the lead in early Presidential polling, and had the support of 25% of nationwide students in a recent poll,

David Norris with Royce Keaeney, male Auditor, and Claire McCallion, secretary of GIG Soc.

as noted in Sin. However, his support had collapsed among the wider public to a mere 7% in a recent Red C opinion poll, chiefly because of controversy surrounding clemency letters Norris wrote on behalf of his former partner and convicted rapist, Ezra Nawi. Norris is angry with how he has been treated by the media on the issue, clearly feeling he has not done anything wrong, unusual or illegal in helping an expartner in difficulty. He was bullish when asked to rate his Presidential chances, responding: “Absolutely. Why not?”

Addressing a group of journalism students who were present in particular, he spoke out against an: “intense and dishonest campaign in parts of the media” and “damnable lies.” “I was the only candidate against whom a campaign was waged to prevent me getting a nomination,” he noted. He attributed this to “people in this

country who want to roll us back” to “when gay people had to hide their heads in shame.”

He concluded on a

defiant note, vowing to continue his Presidential Campaign: “I’m not going to allow this country to be dragged

back there by people who use anonymity and smear to try and destroy somebody like myself”.

Gay Mitchell

By Ferghal Hand F i n e G a e l ’s G a y Mitchell has been performing poorly in the presidential campaign.

Latest poll figures place him at a mere 8%, curiously low for the in-power party’s candidate. He has led his campaign with an appeal for voters to acknowledge substance over celebrity, referring obviously to “Dragon” Sean Gallagher who presently holds a 39% poll rating with no political experience.

Mitchell on the other hand would seem to have the upper hand on the other candidates when it comes to political experience. With positions as a Councillor, Lord Mayor, TD, Minister

of State and MEP over thirty years, Mitchell’s resume shows a wealth of experience.

His achievements in these positions indicate that he is not a man to coast. As Lord Mayor, he spear-headed the foundation of the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. As MEP he worked on behalf of Ireland in the Economic and Monetary Commission leading him to be named “MEP of the Year” for 2010 by the European Parliament Magazine.

Mitchell’s credentials should have him as front runner for the position, and considering the current strength of Fine Gael in the Dail, it is a wonder that he isn’t currently in a much stronger posi-

tion in the polls. It may be that he does not possess a strong enough personality to support his resume.

The controversy of his clemency plea for antiabortion murderer Paul Jennings-Hill is known to be moot – Mitchell has a long history of clemency pleas for a wide range of death row criminals. His poor position is perhaps due to a lack of support from Fine Gael leadership. It is well known Enda Kenny wished to nominate Pat Cox. Recent showings from the party indicate a change in their activism, likely in order to avoid the embarrassment of a poor showing for the party. Mitchell, despite the polls, remains optimistic.

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E lection S pecial

Martin McGuinness

By Mohit Agrawal On the afternoon of Friday, 7 October, presidential candidate and former deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, canvassed for votes in Galway city centre before headlining an evening conference titled “Towards a New Republic” at the Galway Bay Hotel in Salthill.

McGuinness’s reception in Galway City was largely positive. During the time that this reporter shadowed the candidate, individuals were eager to shake the candidate’s hand and have photographs taken with him. McGuinness was also very comfortable on the campaign trail, darting into bars

and shops and engaging individuals in conversation. McGuiness faced no incidents like those that have dogged his campaign elsewhere, in which bereaved relatives confronted him about the IRA killings of their family members.

Before the conference, which included three presentations by NUI Galway faculty, McGuinness granted an exclusive interview to Sin to discuss his presidential campaign.

When asked about why students should give him their firstpreference vote, McGuinness declined the invitation to directly criticise or to contrast his positions with Galway’s favourite son, Michael D. Hig-

gins of Labour. Instead, McGuinness said that he is standing for election because “the people of Ireland, who have found themselves in very dire straights economically, need someone to inspire.”

He also stated that he “hope[s] to be a beacon of hope for the future.”

Further, McGuinness struck a populist strain and linked the economy to patriotism, stating that the bankers were unpatriotic individuals.

McGuinness also reiterated a common refrain of his candidacy, that he would only accept the average industrial wage if elected to Áras an Uachtaráin. He stated categorically that he would not donate his excess salary to Sinn

  



 

Féin, as he does with his salary in Northern Ireland. Instead, McGuinness and his team are evaluating other possible uses for the money. He suggested, for example, that he could hire six young persons off the dole and employ them in community work in Ireland.

McGuinness said that the main job of the president is to protect the nation’s constitution. In addition, he said that he would work closely with Government to improve the island’s economic situation. Indeed, McGuinness is eager to attract foreign investment into Ireland, as he has done with success in Northern Ireland. He would also use the presidency to deepen the peace process. McGuinness said that the peace process, while successful so far, has been left unfinished by the current government in Westminster and requires a further push.

When asked about whether it was hypocritical to criticize the budget cuts in the Republic, given that his government was

{sin} 24–10

Martin McGuinness on the campaign trail in Galway. Photograph by Mohit Agrawal.

enforcing such cuts in the North, McGuinness stated that the cuts in the North were forced

by Westminster and were not his choice.

Lastly, McGuinness was asked to reflect on his actions in the IRA. He stated that while he regrets the general scope of violence that engulfed the island, he has no regrets about his personal actions or about the actions of the IRA because they were in response to British atrocities. “Do I have any regrets about joining the IRA... no I

don’t.”

Later at the conference, party leader Gerry Adams, the footballer Peter Canavan, and Drs. Terrence McDonagh, Lionel Pilkington, and Áine Macken Walsh from NUI Galway, spoke about their vision of a “new Irish republic.”

Specifically, the conference - which was filled to capacity with more than 500 attendees focused on economic issues about how the state could best leverage its natural resources to support domestic economic growth.

Dana Rosemary Scallon

By Roisin Peddle Dana Rosemary Scallon is one of only two women in the race for the Aras 2011. It’s the independent’s second time running, after coming third in 1997. She was elected as an MEP for Connacht-Ulster in 1999 and is a former E u r o v i s i o n w i n n e r, making her somewhat unique among presidential candidates.

Dana was born in Islington, London, in 1951. Shortly afterwards, her family moved back to Derry, and the musical gene her parents possessed was passed onto the young Dana.

In 1970, Ireland won the Eurovision for the first time with Dana’s rendition of “All Kinds of

Everything.” She went onto have a successful pop career, eventually turning to Christian music.

D a n a ’s C h r i s t i a n music became successful in America. In 1991 she relocated to Alabama where she presented several shows on the Catholic TV channel, EWTN. She then moved back to Ireland in 1997 to run for President. She had acquired American citizenship in 1999, a matter of some controversy in this election, as to obtain US citizenship one must swear an oath renouncing allegiance to other nations.

D a n a ’s p o l i c i e s include a focus on the Constitution and protecting it and Ireland’s s o v e r e i g n t y. D a n a

believes that much of our power has been handed away to Europe and as a result we are suffering. According to Dana’s publicist the MEP believes: “There will be no foreign landlords, especially bondholders and banks, I would prefer to burn the bondholders than the families of Ireland.”

Dana also runs on a family values platform.

She is pro-life and is a Catholic conservative.

She pledges to protect the constitution: “We are faced with constitutional crisis and fiscal crisis. Under my Presidency there will be no loss of sovereignty. Ireland’s Constitution and the right of self-determination is safe in my hands.”

{sin} 13–04

E lection S pecial

Sean Gallagher

By Ryan Kelly At forty-nine, Seán Gallagher is the youngest candidate in the presidential race by some distance. The Cavan native is running as an independent candidate. In spite of this, his background has links with “the Fianna Fáil gene pool,” as he had substantial involvement with the Fianna Fáil party in the past. Nevertheless, the entrepreneur has now emerged as the frontrunner in the election, having topped the ‘Red C’ opinion poll in the Sunday Business Post on 16 October with 39% - which contrasts significantly with the National Campus Poll published in the last edition of Sin where Gallagher came third with 17%.

According to his official website, Seán Gallagher is keen to

“put our strengths to work” and is campaigning primarily for the welfare of the communities of Ireland and an improvement of enterprise, standing on his record as a social worker and businessman. Gallagher has stressed his belief in young people and indeed has been actively involved in youth and community work during his career, as demonstrated by his recent endorsement of Young Social Innovators. Many students will know Gallagher from his time on television, as his profile was catapulted into the public sphere when he appeared on RTÉ’s Dragon’s Den, but his entrepreneurial skill precedes his time on television and his work has received widespread recognition.

While he has faced some criticism for

his involvement with Fianna Fáil, Gallagher’s presidential credentials are strongly based on a foundation of social outreach and business expertise. Although he is primarily a businessman, Gallagher has demonstrated his ability to work with politicians; it is interesting to note that, alongside Senator Fergal Quinn, the Cavan man was instrumental in the introduction of the Construction Contracts Bill in 2010, which seeks to address outstanding payment issues between employers, contractors and sub-contractors by introducing a statutory dispute resolution mechanism for construction contract disagreements in Ireland.

While many argue that the Head of State position is now Gallagher’s for the taking, it waits to be seen what way the public will vote on 27 October.

Mary Davis

By Colette Sexton Her election posters caused a storm of controversy when the glamorous images of Mary Davis were sprawled across the country at the end of last month. How did a PE teacher from Mayo end up running for president? Colette Sexton spoke to Mary Davis to find out more.

Davis trained as a physical education teacher in Trinity College in Leeds. She won a scholarship for the University of Alberta where she completed her studies. Upon her return from Canada in the 1980s Davis began to volunteer for Special Olympics Ireland while working as a PE co-ordinator with St Michael’s House in Ballymun.

In 2003 Davis, as CEO of Special Olympics Ireland, had a huge hand in bringing the Special Olympics World Games to Ireland. The event

was an acclaimed success and it propelled Davis into the limelight.

It was after the Special Olympics that Davis entered into mainstream Irish politics when President Mary McAleese appointed her to the Irish Council of State in 2004.

Davis believes that as president she can change Ireland for the better. She said that in the past, presidents have been defined by the period that they were in office for, and now someone is needed to lead. “I believe I can make things better for Irish society and for Irish people... we need somebody that can use their skills to lead, to empower people, to inspire people and to motivate people and to bring a sense of self confidence and self belief.”

Davis claims that because of her experiences in motherhood she understands the youth and the issues

{13} 24–10

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This is no ordinary place they face. Her four children have been active in her campaign. Davis is adamant that young people should have a voice in Ireland’s political world. “I understand the struggles that they [her children] have got through and how difficult it can be for young people... the political system in many ways has failed our young people. Young people need to feel that they are listened to, that they are heard and that their views and opinions are taken into account.”

Davis wishes to involve the youth more in politics. If elected, she would ensure that one young person held a seat on the Council of State.

She wishes to set up a convention for students where they can discuss issues that they face in an open and frank way.

Suggestions from these conventions could then be brought forward to the relevant department ministers. Davis

UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School

is also looking into the possibility of setting up a presidential award scheme that would acknowledge Irish people’s work in all areas of society including sport, art, culture, business and civic engagement.

When quizzed about issues such as unemployment and emigration that young people are faced with nowadays, Davis claimed that “the president can repair our reputation abroad... and ensure that we get more business, more foreign investment, more tourism opportunities here.

The President can use the influence and the prestige of the office to do that and that can ensure that there are more jobs for young people so that they will not have to leave out of necessity.”

Learn today Lead tomorrow

In poll carried out across seven Irish university campuses recently, Davis scored just 6%. Davis thinks that her low polling among students was because the poll was carried out with three weeks to go before the election and students might not have become engaged with the presidential race at that early stage.

Davis holds an honorary doctorate from NUI Galway and has spoken here several times in her role as chairperson of the Taskforce on Active Citizenship. Being from Mayo, she regularly comes to Galway and she says that she would be ‘delighted’ to visit NUI Galway if she is elected president.

Davis’ campaign has not been as stormy as

some of her competitors but it still has not been without controversy. Her relationship with the now infamous Denis O’Brien, who donated €2,500 to her campaign fund, has come under much criticism. Her appointment to a number of State quangos by past Fianna Fail government ministers led her detractors to question her independence in the presidential race. On 4 October, Davis released details of her earnings to the press and posted her P60 to her website in an attempt to put a halt to the dialogue.

And her lady in red election posters? Davis said they were the result of a good photographer, good lighting and make up. Who are we to argue otherwise?

S E G A P THE SU É Gaillimh O n in é L c a M a n s a lt a h Com ion n U ' ts n e d tu S y a lw a G I U N

www.su.nuigalway.ie

"The mission of the Union shall be to represent its members and promote, defend and vindicate the rights of its members at all levels of society." — Constitution of the Students’ Union s. You can still keep ay d w fe t ex n e th r ve l of you graduating o al to e n o r the real world! d l te el en W u s! yo ea ce d n o ir a .ie h in g Comh UI Galway on www.s N m o fr s ew n h it w e up to dat

Introducing the new SU Science Convenor Hi,

Introducing the new SU Mature Students Officer Well Folks, I would firstly like to thank all who turned out and voted in the elections a few weeks ago.

I’m Saoirse and I’m the newlyelected Convenor of the College of Science, and class rep for anatomy. I’m a 3rd year science student here at NUIG. I’ve been a class rep for the last 3 years.

I’ve always been heavily involved in the SU. Last year I was the chairperson of the SU Council and I was elected to the Academic Board of the college of science.

I’m from Bundoran, Co.Donegal, originally and came to Galway 3 years ago. I’m passionate about helping students with their problems and making sure all classes have a class rep. I’m always around to lend a helping hand so feel free to come to me with any questions, queries or issues you encounter throughout the year.

What I hope to achieve this year is to set up the ground work for a disability fund within the college for mature students who have or feel they have dyslexia. I also want to look in the possibility of opening a homework club in conjunction with the ALIVE program for both students and staff. The car parking issues must also be looked at. Many mature student drive in and the lack of student parking must be looked at. Finally with the budget coming up I intend to lobby TD’s about the importance of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) and how it should not be cut but if anything allow the maintenance grant to be accessed once again by students on the BTEA.

Best wishes, Saoirse Nic A’Bhaird su.science@nuigalway.ie

Have a great year, Mark Pierce su.mature@nuigalway.ie

Healthy Living Week and headstrong.com. With the Note to Self campaign being such a success during Mental Health Week, with over 250 participants reachout.com wish to return once again during Healthy living Week and run another event.

Healthy living week takes place next week between the 1st to the 4th of November. Throughout this week we will be promoting how students can maintain a healthy lifestyle while studying in college.

Many different events will take place throughout campus during these days focusing on physical, mental and sexual health which all plays a part in the student lifestyle.

Continuing on from Mental Health Week that just took place a fortnight ago, we will once again be promoting the theme of resilience in conjunction with mental Health Ireland through sports competitions, quizzes, books and films.

Furthermore, since the suicide rate is higher than road accidents in Ireland, and most of the victims male between the ages of 18to 25, the promotion of young men’s mental health is a priority to be promoted by advertising websites such as pleastalk.ie, headsup.ie

To relieve the stress and anxiety from your studies, soccer competitions, training sessions and exercise classes are taking place.

On Thursday 3rd of November, Marketing Director of the Corrib Village soccer cages is organising a five-a-side soccer tournament with cash prizes for the winners and the runners up. Mountain biking demonstrations are also taking place on campus. The Sports Centre has offered to provide Students with a free trial of its wonderful facilities between nine and 5 on Wednesday the 2rd of November. Kingfisher have kindly offered students to try out several free exercise classes that take place in the sports centre.

The off the couch fun run will take place Tuesday at lunchtime while the athletics club will be organising circuits in Dangan sports Hall on Tuesday evening.

dom and his Health Connect team will be spreading their love around campus by handing out Durex extra safe condoms to people they meet on their travels. The entertaining Siobhán O’ Donoghue from Aids West will also visit us for a sex talk highlighting the dangers of unprotected sex in her own humorous ways.

There will be many more people visiting throughout the week such as Connacht Rugby players who you can challenge to press-up and sit-up competitions, visitors and stalls set up from the Marie Keating foundation and Spunout.

ie. With this week taking place at the start of November, a launch for Movember will take place on the 1st of November. There will be a reduction of prices that will be offered from the SU Commercial Services as well as free fruit being handed out throughout the week.

A list of all the events will be finalised later on this week and will be sent out to you on your weekly email as well as being postered around campus. Anyone who wants to help out or is looking for more information on the week could you please send me an email at su.welfare@nuigalway.ie.

With college being a time when many people participate in sexual activity, it is only right that safer sex is highlighted and that awareness is raised of obtaining sexually transmitted diseases. Captain con-

What the SU’s Been Up To...

340 Class Reps elected

Rag Week Proposal passed

Mental Health Week launched

Self-defence Life Skills courses held

Preparing for a student nurses’ pay campaign (more on that in the next issue)

WHAT IS YOUR B IG ID E A WORT H ?

THE SU ENTERPRISE AWARDS “The Students’ Union Enterprise Awards were an incredible boost for my business. I never imagined I would have the opportunity to bring my business ideas and plans to life, and the awards have given me this opportunity. Simply getting involved was a great experience – the advice, the mentoring and the entire experience was as invaluable as the award itself.

I had never entered a competition of this type before. As I come from an IT background, the business advice throughout was of huge benefit to me and my business, and to receive mentoring from experts in areas most suited to my business was a hugely beneficial experience.

€25,000 PRIZE FUND Enter the NUI Galway Students’ Union Enterprise Awards.

Closing date for submissions Friday 18th November. www.su.nuigalway.ie for more information.

Winning the award has allowed my business to grow steadily over the past few months. I am excited for anyone entering this years awards!”

— Cian Brassil – West Coast Surfer 2011 Winner

Supported By:

"What started as an idea in our heads became a reality over the competition, with huge gratitude being owed to the mentoring we received from professionals in every business area, as well as fellow students who were able to make our idea a marketable product.

We were no longer students working on a project, but entrepreneurs on a mission! By having the stamp of the Students’ Union Enterprise Awards we secured interviews with potential suppliers, and advice from Ireland’s success stories.”

— Laura Crean – Little Green Wheels 2011 Finalist

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Tales from Ireland’s Band of Brothers

By Philip Halton To many NUI Galway students, World War II brings to mind films like Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red line and Band of Brothers: indeed the Hollywood dramatisation of WWII has caused the real heroes of this conflict to be bound up with the abstract Hollywood archetypes that have come to represent them.

Meeting Matt Damon or Tom Hanks seems sexier than meeting a real veteran of the war; but as a former history student at NUI Galway, I was keen to learn about WWII from a primary source: the intrepid octogenarian, Michael Reilly.

“Buon giorno” Michael says in an affected Italian accent as he shakes my hand with a masculine vice clamp that belies his advanced years. As he sits back into his comfortable armchair, his face is lit up by a shaft of light beamed down from the ceiling, the wisps of grey in his hair glisten in the pewter light and his deep set feral eyes flicker with electricity. In an instant that I realised that Michael is very com-

fortable with the house he lives in: a house that is heavy with chatter and high-jinx revelry as his young grandchildren trickle in and out of the house to see their Grandmother and Grandfather.

“I joined the army for the adventure,” says Michael as he beams with pride and puffs out his iron cast chest to display the medals pinned to his breast.

“The medals comprise of three service medals for time spent with the British Armed forces and two campaign medals, viz., The North African Campaign and The Italian Campaign medal,” he tells me.

After fighting in the North African campaign, Michael and his regiment, the 5th Northamptonshire Regiment, were among the leading elements that invaded the island of Sicily and later took part in the invasion of mainland Italy. The Italians greeted them as liberators with all the pomp of returning heroes: waving flags, cheering and offering Michael and his comrades “tomatoes; pomodori, chickens; polli,

and eggs; uova,” Michael says in his polished Italian accent. According to Michael, at this stage in the war the Italians had the prescience to side with the Allies as they were acutely aware of which way the war was going “The Italians were very clever; they knew they had been led astray by Mussolini and they were more willing to approach an Allied soldier than a German.”

In early 1944, the Allies attempted to punch through the German defenses of the Gustav line and march northwards towards Rome. The fighting around Naples was particularly fierce around this time and Michael recalls being sent back to the rear of the frontline as his battalion caught up on some much needed rest after battle fatigue. “Three days of rest behind the lines in Naples, and whilst we were catching up on some much needed rest, people were killing each other up the road!” This blunt assertion surprises me. It is quite easy to be taken aback by Michael’s o v e r a rc h i n g a b i l i t y

Michael (far right) sits on the fence with his comrades in ­Austria.

Photograph from the collection of Michael Reilly.

Michael Reilly proudly holds aloft his campaign medals. Photograph by Noel Egan.

to present such stark parallels in the same sentence: contrasting a basic human need for rest, with something as uncanny as humans killing each other.

The intrepid Michael Reilly also took part in the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944, where the allies attempted to wrest control of the high ground held by the elite German 1st Parachute Division who were dug in and commanded an imperious vista of the landscape below. Attempting to bomb the Germans into submission, the Allies completely transformed the pastoral beauty of Monte Cassino into a lunarscape of craters and pockmarked earth.

“It was the last world in Monte Cassino; I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Michael recalls as the light from his eyes dwindles. “All that bombing and shelling, there were more guns than there were people.” As bullets whizzed through the air and artillery continued to churn up the bowels of the earth with seismic explosions, Michael said his mind just went blank: “Nothing goes through your head,” he says as he raises his right hand and makes a gesture of blessing himself,

“All you can do is pray and wish for the best.”

In late April 1945, with total defeat edging closer for the Axis powers, Mussolini and his mistress, Clara Petacci attempted to flee to Switzerland, only to be quickly captured and executed near Lake Como by Italian partisans. Michael was present that day when Mussolini’s body and that of his mistress, were taken to Milan and hung upside down on meat hooks from the awning of an Esso gas station on the grounds of old Piazza Loreto. Mussolini’s end was a grim one; a final act of violent retribution from the Italian people who had suffered under the yoke of tyranny.

Michael watched as a baying Italian crowd took turns as they spat and threw stones at Mussolini’s stiff, lifeless body.

When asked what his reaction was to seeing Mussolini’s body; one of the most infamous characters of world history whose name crackles in the background of every history class across the world, Michael shrugs his shoulders with an air of nonchalance: “We just walked by him, passed no remarks ... he was dead and I was alive and that was that,” he explains laconically.

After the war had

finally been won, Michael did not demobilise straight away as he spent two years as part of an occupation force in the rolling hills of Austria. This was a sliding doors moment for him and his comrades, after going through the hell of the North African conflict and the dogged fighting on the Italian peninsula.

As a young man, Michael threw himself into the war in the service of liberty. Michael trekked through the arid deserts of Africa, traversed the russet waters of the Sangro, trudged through the muddy blancmange of Monte Casino and came out the other side to find himself striding the plush pastures and soft rolling hills of Austria. Michael is a man whose memory recalls the downfall of Mussolini; a dictator who now merely exists for people in abstract and within the pages of history books. He is the man with the avuncular image and the warm smile, cracking jokes as his grandchildren trickle in and out of his home.

Michael Reilly is the man who has more yarns to ream than the great novelist Dan Brown, he is the man who has had; and continues to have the ‘life of Reilly’.

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Rise of the Vampires

By Louise France Vampire fiction has been around for centuries.

Through myths, folklore and literature, vampirism has forged a firm niche in popular entertainment.

Particularly since Irishman Abraham “Bram” Stoker brought us the terrifying and thrilling Dracula, vampires have waned in and out of fashion while retaining their place in the public consciousness.

In recent years films such as The Lost Boys, Fright Night and Interview with a Vampire, to name but a few have seen great success. The feisty vampire slayer Buffy who graced our screens from 1997-2003 reached a huge audience, bringing vampire fiction into the noughties.

Yet lately vampirism has reached a “tipping point” and dominates all levels of pop culture. True Blood, The Vampire Diaries and need I mention The Twilight Saga inspired an unprecedented surge in vampire fans (or fanatics!)

Twilight being the ‘saga’ it is deserves particular attention. The last film, Eclipse (2010) earned a domestic total gross of $300,531,751, a drop in the ocean of the mounting mega profit that the brand is making. I will admit right here and now I’m a fan: I’ve read the books, I‘ve seen the films and I will go to see the

final two. And yes, I really do get the Robert Pattinson attraction. There was a time when I wouldn’t have admitted that but since last Christmas when someone kindly mortified me by getting me a Twilight/Robert Pattinson annual I said to myself: what’s the point hiding it, I’m obviously not doing a good job of it. With websites and fan pages to cater for all ages there is no disputing the popularity of Twilight across the board. In an attempt to over take the plethora of fan sites and official site has been established — www. twilighttimecapsule. com — where ordinary people can use our “personal memories” to become “part of Twilight saga history”.

The vampirism of True Blood conveys the usual issues of desire, identity, alienation, intemperance in such a liberated way one almost blushes when viewing. The sexual liberation of the petite but powerful Sooki Stackhouse is a huge part of the show. Buffy was also a strong female character actively pursuing and killing vampires yet these defiant and strong females stand in stark contrast with Bella Swan, the leading lady of Twilight. Through Bella we see a reaffirmation of patriarchal social structure. Her own inner narrative along with the surrounding actions of

others situates her as powerless. In the second film New Moon her weakness is portrayed as she has a full scale mental breakdown, gets lost in the woods and has to be rescued yet again by more men.

This damsel in distress routine is further amplified through Edward’s “traditional” values. So traditional, in fact, that he goes against all we know about vampires and sex and refuses to do the deed until he’s made an honest woman out of her. Despite Bella’s inner cringes, she and Edward take the most old fashioned route to an extraordinary life. Yet even post marriage they can’t just enjoy their desire for each other, because she’s pregnant within five minutes (I really hope I haven’t ruined the ending for anyone but I presume you have seen the trailers). All in all, Bella is nearer to the virtuous damsels corrupted by predatory Dracula style characters than a modern representation of female sexuality today. Yet in Twilight even our leading male vampire is watered down, old fashioned and a bit of a prude.

Why are we so obsessed?

Is it because vampirism lends us an escape into another world of sexual freedom, excitement, and rejection of the societal conforms of daily life? Or

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Herbal Cough Syrup is it because more and more vampirism plays on our fears and insecurities? Bella Swan’s obsession with ageing is a constant narrative as she pesters any willing vampire to change her so she can remain forever a teenager like her perfect, sparkling boyfriend. We are increasingly being told our bodies are not perfect enough and our skin isn’t young enough yet on screen we see the perfect albeit fictional solution to all these problems: become a vampire.

In any case keep your garlic and holy water handy, or, if vampires are as hot as they are in the movies, maybe ditch the slayer paraphernalia and crack open a Tru-Blood (www. trubeverage.com) instead.

A few Vampire films should you wish to stray beyond Twilight this Halloween: Dracula (1931); The Lost Boys (1987); Fright Night (1985) or (2011); Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994); Blade (1998).

By Fiona Gillespie The Organic Gardening Society was lucky enough to have medical herbalist Karin Weiland talk with us last week about all things herbal. Karin runs Solaris Botanicals with her partner Jeorg. One of the best things she shared with us was this fabulous recipe for cough syrup: 50g dried thyme (or 120g fresh thyme) 20g dried liquorice root (found in health stores or from Solaris) 5g fresh ginger root 400ml water 300g honey / brown sugar Using a thick bottomed stainless steel pot, simmer the dried or fresh herb(s) of your choice in the water for 10 minutes, ensuring that the lid is on.

Take the pot off the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.

Strain through a fine sieve and return to the cleaned pot.

Simmer for a further 20 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to approximately 300ml.

Measure and add equal amounts of sugar or honey, approximately 300g.

Very gently simmer the mixture, while stirring, over a low heat until it starts to thicken and coats the back of a spoon. This can take another 10-20 minutes.

Use a funnel to pour the hot syrup into sterilised dark glass bottles.

Put the lids on and leave to cool.

Label the bottles and store them in a cool dark place or in the fridge. The syrup will last up to a year.

To use, simply take 1-3 tablespoons a day neat or dissolved in some warm water or herbal tea.

This syrup is fantastic for coughs, colds and sore throats. Enjoy!

To contact Karin Weiland e-mail warinski@ hotmail.com or visit www. solaristea.com.

The Origins of Halloween

By Eileen Cameron The festival of Halloween is generally linked to the ancient festival of Samhain.

The word Halloween itself derives from the phrase “All-Hallows-Eve”, i.e. the night before All Hallows Day, or All Saints Day, which was designated as a holy day by the church during the 7th Century in an attempt to usurp the pagan festival.

In ancient Ireland, the festival of Samhain marked the end of Summer and the beginning of Winter. This was also the end of the pastoral cycle, when all the crops would be gath-

ered and stored for the long winter ahead. This period between the ‘light’ days of summer and ‘dark’ days of winter was believed to be a time when the boundary separating the living from the dead became blurred.

It was a time associated with death and when animals were traditionally chosen for slaughter to provide meat for the coming Winter.

In common with other cultures such as the Egyptians and pre-Spanish Mexicans, ancestors were remembered and attempts were made to ward off evil spirits. Extra places were often set at the dinner table as it was believed the dead

could return for that one night.

The Romans celebrated the end of the harvest with a festival dedicated to Pomona, a goddess of fruitful abundance associated with apples. This is perhaps where various Halloween games using apples derived from, such as ducking for apples; or letting the peel drop to the floor to reveal the initial letter of a future spouse.

Samhain was one of the Celtic fire festivals. The flames of old fires had to be extinguished and ceremonially re-lit by Druids.

Animal bones were burnt, probably as offerings. The sacred fires were believed to

Junior Infants class of Scoil Bhride, Shantalla at the Baboro events in the Bailey Allen Hall. protect from any malevolent spirits abroad that night but people may also have worn costumes made from animal skins to confuse them. More recently people threw a lock of their hair on to the bonfire so that they would dream that night of their future loved one!

Trick or treating may have evolved from offerings given to the Druids to bring protection from bad

luck. More recent ‘tricks’ carried out due to lack of ‘treats’ included re-hanging or removing gates to confuse the owners.

The origin of the Halloween lantern, traditionally made from a turnip (the pumpkin being a later Americanisation), is alleged to be the tale of a young blacksmith called Jack O’Lantern. He made a pact with the devil during a gambling session in which

Satan promised never to take his soul. When Jack died, entry was refused at the Pearly Gates on account of his debauched ways, with the Devil also keeping his promise. Poor Jack was condemned to roam the hills. His only possession: a lump of burning coal, thrown at him by the devil. He pulled a turnip in a field, gouged it out and placed inside it the piece of coal to light his way!

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Be Seen, Be Sensible, and Be Safe

by Barbara Preston The autumn equinox has passed and the days are getting visibly shorter. Darker mornings and evenings, coupled with seasonal rain and fog make the journey to and from college more hazardous than ever. Visibility in these conditions is of paramount importance for everyone using the roads, be they drivers, cyclists or pedestrians. According to the Road Safety Authority, of the 212 people who died on Irish roads last year, 49 were either pedestrians or cyclists, with the most

dangerous time of the day being between 6 - 8pm. As the majority of students travel to college by bike or on foot, these figures are a stark reminder of the importance of taking care on the road.

Irish Road Safety Week has just passed and your Students’ Union once again teamed up with Galway County Council to promote awareness of the dangers on the roads and how to avoid them. The SU Welfare Officer, Brian Grant, has emphasised that road safety is a major issue for students.

He told Sin that this year,

in particular, he aimed to “stress the importance of visibility when cycling home, especially coming into the winter months when most students are travelling back and forth to college from their residences in Galway city.” High visibility cycling packs were distributed around campus recently, with more information available in the SU Diary and on the SU and RSA websites.

Being seen is important for drivers as well as pedestrians and cyclists. If you are driving to college, make sure your lights are

in good working order and please use them! That goes for cyclists as well.

Of course, no matter how visible you are, senselessness causes accidents, be it your own or someone else’s. ‘Senselessness’ here does not mean ‘stupidity’ (although there’s plenty of that around too), it is the dulling of your faculties due to alcohol consumption or exhaustion. The biggest and most publicised problem on the road is drunk driving: drunk driving kills, but so does drunk cycling and staggering on two legs under the influence. Going out for a

few drinks is fine – as long as your senses are sharp enough to walk home safely.

People forget that using your eyes and ears are as necessary to road safety as everything else. It does not matter if you are dressed head to toe in reflective gear if you are not using your senses. Walking or cycling with loud music playing through headphones means you are isolated from traffic and unaware of approaching danger. Last year in the UK, the AA said that up to seventeen accidents a day were caused on British roads due to the use MP3 play-

ers. Using a mobile phone while cycling is as much of a ‘no-no’ as when driving.

Texting while walking is also highlighted by road safety authorities as a serious contribution to road accidents.

If you step out in front of a car without using all of your senses, you will become a statistic: it’s simple as that.

All road users should take advantage of the information and resources distributed during Road Safety Week to brush up on the Rules of the Road. This winter, aim to travel to and from college safely every day.

By Myles McKittrick and Sinead Healy Although the existence of zombies is a contentious issue, they are practically a cultural epidemic these days with hundreds of movies, internet survival guides and video games from the centuries old myth of the undead. The question is: are zombies just fictional or is there something more to it? Myles argues that zombies might be an epidemic, whereas Sinead insists otherwise.

Myles: I want to start my argument by defining what I think a ‘zombie’ is: a person who has become unable to function cognitively at a normal level.

Nowadays we are all well aware of the fact that if a person dies they are dead and are definitely not coming back, especially not to eat human cerebellums…

Wh e n yo u t h i n k ‘zombie’ do you think of people barely able to function? People that can only do basic menial tasks and even then these cannot be performed at a high standard? The standard image of a zombie is a dirty, blood-drenched being that staggers about the place barely alive searching for food. Anyone else think that this actually describes one of your friends on a night out? (S)he gets wasted, starts a fight and then tries to kill everyone to get to the top of the queue in Supermacs? Then orders a

snack-box and spends the whole time drooling into it? It got me thinking…

I decided to get the general opinion* of people by asking completely random students if they knew anyone who fitted this description. Most people had several friends who exhibited some of these characteristics and a high number of people said they had a friend with all of the above traits.

The odd individual would actually add in extra characteristics like farting and slobbering in an attempt to talk and eat at the same time (something that really is not acceptable in any social setting).

The part of this survey I found the most surprising was that six out of ten people said that their ‘zombie’ friends name was Mike. The names John and James scored lowest in the survey, meaning that if you have either of these names you are very unlikely to act the zombie.

Maybe ‘Munching Mike’ from my childhood actually had a basis? I don’t think he ate people, but I might have been missing from school that day.

My point is that the image of an aggressive drunk student actually matches well with that of a zombie. If drunken students are zombies then the amount of zombies in Galway must be astronomical at any given time?

Anyone who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol can’t function properly and thus fits the description. If we are all honest, I think we know someone who consistently ‘acts the zombie’. For this reason, I would argue that not only do zombies exist in modern times but they are so frequently encountered that everyone has simply become immune to the reality that these horrific creatures exist. And there is a 60% chance it will be someone called Mike.

Sinead: Zombies aren’t going to get you.

Whatever else might happen in NUI Galway this year or ever, I can definitively assure you that zombies will not be responsible. Why not?

Well, zombies don’t exist, that’s why!

It’s not possible for a human body to come back to life like Frankenstein’s monster. Even if the dead were reanimated, they wouldn’t be able to move because no blood or oxygen is being delivered to their muscles, which means no muscle movement and no lumbering zombie.

Even if it could move, a zombie would be too picky about temperature to survive.

A zombie is essentially dead meat and meat doesn’t last very well. Exposure to hot sunshine means an increased growth of bacteria and rapid fatal

decay. In cold climates, t h e z o m b i e wo u l d freeze. Frozen zombies don’t move and zombies that unfreeze tend to refreeze. This process damages the cells and allows the introduction of bacteria.

Even in moderate climates, zombies would have crows and insects m u n c h i n g away a t them. The world is not zombie friendly and this is before people take out shotguns.

What about virus zombies and the zombie disease though?

Ignoring the vague magical properties of such a virus, zombie disease transmission requires direct contact with the infected. Typically biting. This isn’t a good business model. It’s slow, cumbersome and alarming. Although STIs are major health issue, people with STIs, unlike zombies, can disguise their infections. This

allows a greater capacity transmission (does anyone want to have sex with a zombie?).

For a zombie disease to be successful, it would need to leave the biting to the vampires and werewolves and go airborne or get smart: they could try organising a zombie blood drive to infect wider numbers. Since zombies aren’t smart, this seems unlikely. And a zombie would be kicked out of any school before it got smarter too.

Bottom line: zombies don’t exist, but if they did they’d be horribly unsuccessful and probably die before anyone noticed.

*Please be assured, Sin does not normally advocate the pulling of ad hoc or imaginary surveys out of ones ass. You’re on thin ice McKittrick. —Ed

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Arts: The Undervalued Undergraduates?

By Áine O Donnell “A Bachelor of Arts?! All that’s good for is keeping you company in the dole queue!” This has become a common cliché to face Arts students in recent years. The most popular degree at NUI Galway has become the laughing stock of the academic world. It is treated with as much respect as Brian Cowen’s political career. Is this view unfounded or is an Arts degree simply a fancy excuse for a three-year long session?

Arts students have become synonymous with the wild Galway lifestyle - fond of drinking and partying to the wee hours - but is it their fault if they put the Art in pArty? The classic stereotype of an Arts student is bunking off lectures while nursing an earth-shattering hangover. The Arts students are not alone in this; Commerce, Engineering and the

Science students have all been there. I’m looking at you too medical students!

Everyone in NUI Galway knows how to have a good time and it just so happens that a high percentage of the student body study Arts.

No doubt the craziest people you know come from every corner of the academic smorgasbord and not just the pigeonholed Arts students.

Anyone who has undertaken the Arts degree under the illusion that they are here for a summer holiday is in for a nasty surprise.

In first year, Arts students juggle a demanding four subjects ranging from modern European languages to philosophy or psychology.

On average each student has up to sixteen hours of lectures which does not include the abundance of tutorials, which are compulsory every week. The time spent in class is supplemented by hours of study

and evening reading. The huge group of Arts students are pitted against each other early on as NUI Galway has the lowest level of honours degrees in the country and many are competing for Second Arts places in Psychology or Legal Studies.

Those of the opinion that the degree isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on are at odds with the high percentage of employers who favour Arts students. Arts graduates are proven to perform better in an interview setting and show better language skills than other undergraduates.

In the competitive world of employment, the silly little Arts students come out on top and most definitely have the last laugh.

Arts has become one of the most popular degree choices in the the economic downturn, as degrees once celebrated for their high job vacancies lose favour (we are all familiar with a career guidance advisor coaxing

Pop Quiz: The Ring Puzzle

us towards IT as there are “loads of jobs” in computing). Leaving cert students and mature students alike can now choose to study what they are passionate about as job security has become a thing of the past.

Arts is the choice of people who are doing what they love doing not a degree for people who have a standing order in The Hole in the Wall.

The low points requirements for Arts have also resulted in it being the butt of many jokes. Arts has the largest number of student places available which has subsequently resulted in low points. Among the students studying Arts at NUI Galway are some of the highest achievers in the country, which truly shows that the view of the degree being a “daycare for dunces” is ridiculous. Famous Arts students include Natalie Portman, Stephen Speilberg and even Nelson Mandela, all of whom are leaders in

Park & Ride Bus Service Ride Bus Service Timetable - Semester 1, 2011 PARKPark&&RIDE BUS SERVICE Peak Morning Service from 1, Dangan Carpark (every 15 minutes) Timetable - Semester 2011

Timetable - S

8.00, 8.15, 8.30, 8.45, 9.00, 9.15, 9.30, 9.45, 10.00, 10.15, 10.30, 10.45, 11.00 Peak Morning Service from Dangan Carpark (every 15 minutes) 8.00, 8.15, 8.30, 8.45, 9.00, 9.15, 9.30, 9.45,

11.30, 12.00, 12.30

Lunchtime Shuttle Mid–Morning lite From Orbsen Building 13.00, 13.30

Lunchtime Shuttle From Orbsen Building

Lunchtime Shuttle From Dangan Carpark 13.15, 13:45

13.15, 13:45

Afternoon lite Service from Orbsen Building (every 30 minutes)

14.30, 15.00, 15.30 Afternoon lite Service from Orbsen14.00, Building (every 30 minutes)

lite

14.00, 14.30, 15.00, 15.30

17.45, 18.00, 18.15, 18.30, 18.45, 19.00

The night time service is no longer running.

University is providing a free EMERGENCY taxi shuttle from Orbsen to the Dangan carpark (only).

The night time The service is no longer running.

9pmaplease telephone 091-561111 to request the Dangan The University isAfter providing free EMERGENCY taxi shuttle from Orbsenatotaxi thejourney Danganto carpark (only). carpark.

After 9pm pleasePlease telephone 091-561111 request a taxi journey to the Dangan note: No other to taxi destinations are possible and thecarpark. service is only available from 9pm to 11pm Please note: No other destinations are possible and the is only available from 9pm to 11pm Your taxi staff/student number and name willservice be requested by the driver, for our records.

Your staff/student number and name will be requested by the driver, for our records.

Peak Morning Service from Dangan Carpark (every 15 minutes)

8.00, 8.15, 8.30, 8.45, 9.00, 9.15, 9.30, 9.45, 10.00, 10.15, 10.30, 10.45, 11.00 Peak Morning Service from Dangan Carpark (every 15 minutes) 8.00, 8.15, 8.30, 8.45, 9.00, 9.15, 9.30, 9.45,

10.15, 10.30, 10.45, from 11.00 Dangan Carpark (every 30 minutes) Mid - 10.00, Morning lite Service

11.30, 12.00, 12.30 Mid - Morning lite Service from Dangan Carpark (every 30 minutes) 11.30, 12.00, 12.30

Lunchtime Shuttle From Orbsen Building 13.00, 13.30

Lunchtime Shuttle From Orbsen Building

Bus ag Am Lóin ó Áras Oirbsean 13.00, 13.30

Lunchtime Shuttle From Dangan Carpark 13.15, 13:45

Lunchtime Shuttle From Dangan Carpark

Bus ag Am Lóin ó Charrchlós an Daingin 13.15, 13:45

Afternoon lite Service from Orbsen Building (every 30 minutes)

14.30, 15.00, 15.30 Afternoon lite Service from Orbsen14.00, Building (every 30 minutes) 14.00, 14.30, 15.00, 15.30

Peak Evening Service from Orbsen Building (every 15 minutes) Peak Evening Service from Orbsen Building (every 17.00, 15 minutes) 16.00, 16.15, 16.30, 16.45, 17.15, 17.30, 17.45, 18.00, 18.15, 18.30, 18.45, 19.00 16.00, 16.15, 16.30, 16.45, 17.00, 17.15, 17.30, 17.45, 18.00, 18.15, 18.30, 18.45, 19.00

The night time service is no longer running.

University is providing a free EMERGENCY taxi shuttle from Orbsen to the Dangan carpark (only).

The night time The service is no longer running.

Ní seirbhís ar fáil After 9pmana please telephone 091-561111 to request the Dangan The bheidh University is providing freehoíche EMERGENCY taxiníos shuttlemó. from Orbsenatotaxi thejourney Danganto carpark (only). carpark.

Afteran 9pm pleasePlease telephone 091-561111 to request a taxi journey toin theaisce Dangan note: No other taxi destinations are possible and ar thecarpark. service is only available 9pm to 11pm Tá Ollscoil ag cur tacsaí ÉIGEANDÁLA saor fáil ó Oirbsean chuigfrom carrchlós Please note: No other destinations are possible and the is only available from 9pm to 11pm Your taxi staff/student number and name willservice be requested by the driver, for our records.

Your staff/student number and name will be requested by the driver, for our records.

a dhéanamh ar thacsaí chuig carrchlós an Daingin.Tabhair faoi deara: Ní féidir tacsaí

Dangan carpark. Please note: No other taxi destinations are possible and the service is student number and name will be requested by the driver, for our records.

foirne/mic léinn a lua leis an tiománaí.

Buildings Office, 2011; subject to change Buildings Office, 2011; subject to change

QR code timetable QR code timetable QR code timetable

less degree (“do you want fries with that?” has lost its comedic value) just remember that they may be bossing you around some day. The Bachelor of Arts deserves some degree of respect.

Timetable - Semester 1, 2011 Amchlár –S

Peak Evening Service from Orbsen Building (every 15 minutes) Peak Evening Service from Orbsen Building (every 17.00, 15 minutes) 16.00, 16.15, 16.30, 16.45, 17.15, 17.30, 17.45, 18.00, 18.15, 18.30, 18.45, 19.00 16.00, 16.15, 16.30, 16.45, 17.00, 17.15, 17.30,

their field and positive public examples of the value of the degree.

Before you like that ‘hilarious’ Facebook group poking fun at Arts students or slag them about their use-

AN TSEIRBHÍS Park & Timetable RidePÁIRCEÁLA Bus Service - Semester& 1, TAISTIL 2011

Lunchtime Shuttle From Dangan Carpark

13.00, 13.30

Ebenezer lives in Cork and his girlfriend, Jacintha, lives in Galway. There is a corrupt mail service between the two cities: all objects sent through the mail must be sent in a box. All boxes are opened by the postal workers and their contents stolen or destroyed, unless the box is padlocked.

Ebenezer wants to send an engagement ring to Jacintha. How can he get the ring safely into Jacintha’s hands through the postal system?

Note: Ebenezer must send the ring in a box through the mail service, and of course this box must have a padlock, so Jacintha won’t be able to open it. Ebenezer must keep the key to the padlock, because if he sends the key to Jacintha, he would have to put it in another box, and that box would be opened and the key stolen or destroyed.

And of course if he sends the key in a padlocked box, Jacintha won’t be able to open that box to retrieve the key. There are no duplicate keys: Ebenezer has the only key to the box in which he sends the ring.

Can’t concentrate on anything else? Like ‘Sin Newspaper, NUI Galway’ on Facebook for the answer.

Park & Ride Bus Service

10.15, 10.30, 10.45, from 11.00 Dangan Carpark (every 30 minutes) Mid - 10.00, Morning lite Service

11.30, 12.00, 12.30 Mid - Morning lite Service from Dangan Carpark (every 30 minutes)

by Dr J. N. Sheahan

Buildings Office, 2011; subject to change Buildings Office, 2011; subject to change QR code timetable

QR code timetable

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F eatures

{21} 24–10

,

The Quarter-Life Crisis

By Micaela Donovan When you are a five-yearold, all you want is to be six.

Your birthday is the most joyful day of the year, not just because of all that delicious MSG-infused party food or the emotional roller-coaster of musical chairs. Even all the free shit you get isn’t what you look forward to most.

Just being older was the real prize. Your newly increased age number fills you with pride.

This is followed by the years of wishing you were old enough to be allowed participate in whatever debauched activities were going on in the sweaty lynx-fume ridden, puke stained den of inequity that was your local parish hall disco. When the thrill of that had passed you long to finally reach the magical age of eighteen, able to purchase cider from Centra without the terror of being IDed, refused, and running away smelling of shame. And of course there’s the eternal wait to be old enough to escape the clutches of your nagging, control-freak, deeply unreasonable parents (who, lets face it, were probably just as excited when that day came as you were.)

If you are reading this, you are finally an independent young adult, free to let the filth in your new home pile high and party yourself into a coma every evening if the fancy takes you. You truly are living the dream. Then before you know what’s happened, you are in your final year and the horrible prospect of “real life” and your future participation in it suddenly looms. You remember when Carbon was called GPO. You

see fifteen year olds on Shop Street and you don’t understand their hairstyles or their runners. The way they repeat “S’up John! S’up Edward!” at one another baffles you. You realise that you are dreading your twenty-second birthday.

What you are experiencing may be the beginning of a “Quarter-Life Crisis.”

This phenomenon is relatively new. Fifty years ago the transition from childhood to adulthood was a much shorter period. Most people left school and entered work, married and had children at a younger age. Today youth is celebrated in a much more “in your face” way than ever before. In the 1960’s people were exposed to roughly 100 advertisements a day. Now, the average Western adult see six times that amount, and many of them are for beauty and anti-aging products, telling us that old is bad, young is good. It’s all the Olay ad’s fault! Every year there are more and more ways to preserve yourself like a big pickle. Apparently some people actually pay a lot of money, to a sick individual called a “dermotologist,” to have cow steroids injected (with a needle…) into their own face. This kind of stops them looking older but also makes them look a bit frightening.

Ageing is not just a fear for women of course. Men’s vanity over balding and “the middle aged spread” is just as prevalent. But as an ex-boyfriend once informed me, as a nearly twenty-one year old woman I have already passed my physical peak (yes, he was a gem.) It’s all one wrinkle deepening, cellulite developing journey downhill from

here apparently. Whereas men, he helpfully pointed out, generally get better looking with age. And when I look at my new boyfriend Gary Barlow, I have to admit I can’t argue with that.

Of course, the changes in your looks aren’t the scariest part of getting older. The period between your twenties and thirties can be an anxious time because you may feel pressure to know which career direction you want to go in, or regret for opportunities you didn’t take. The good news is that the earlier you begin to experience these kinds of worries, the sooner you will accept your life as it is and be able to work towards a more realistic dream than being Prince Harry’s wife/ professional chocolate taster/ bikini inspector.

More good news has been found by sociologists who have discovered that the happiness of the average individual seems to at first decrease with age around 35 but at 50 begins to increase to higher levels than ever before. This theory is known as the “Happiness U-Bend.” Unsurprisingly, the older you get, the more comfortable you become in yourself and being closer to death seems to really sort out your priorities. We all know people in their seventies and eighties who’s sole interest in life seems to be just having the craic and enjoying themselves. See them as role models. And instead of looking back on those golden days in Corrib Village, try to look forward to meeting everyone again in a retirement home and having better fun the second time.

The organisers of BizSoc’s Suit Up Day collect donations outside the College Bar.

Dear Darcy, My boyfriend and I have been dating for two years. We started going out in 5th year when we were in the same class back in Dublin but now we’re doing the whole long distance thing.

He went to college in Limerick and I came to Galway. We only get to see each other during the weekend which is great but it also means I don’t get time to spend with my friends when I do go home so I’m missing loads of girly nights out! I don’t want to have a long distance relationship and I don’t want to break up with him either. I miss my friends but if we broke up I’d miss him too. By the way I really like this guy in my course but he said he wouldn’t score me unless I was single! What should I do? Help me please! — Missing Out Dear Missing Out, College is a time for having fun and you don’t seem like you are really enjoying the experience. It’s sad to see a relationship end. You have to think carefully about what you want to do. If you are going home every weekend but don’t have time to hang out with your friends or do the things you like then your relationship is having a negative effect on your life. It’s true that long distance isn’t easy for anybody but you have to ask yourself if long distance is going to work for you. I’m sure you both discussed this before you came to college and it’s proving to be a lot harder than you both thought. I’m a huge fan of honesty and I think that you should

For the Attention of Missing Out: I’ve been waiting for the first wave of Freshers ready to spread their legs wings, and experience college life to its fullest. I’m a little upset your letter was so long though. You don’t need to write an essay length question when all you really want to say is “I’m bored during the week and I want to cheat on my boyfriend. Is that okay? ” The answer is no but I digress…

Your problem isn’t exactly unique so I’m going to give you the same advice I’ve been giving for years because it’s timeless. Get over yourself. If you really want to get the leg over this boy in your class then dump the significant other back at home. There is no reason for you to hem and haw about this at

discuss your feelings with him before making any drastic decisions. Believe me; this other boy in your class isn’t worth throwing away a two-year relationship over. Talk to your boyfriend. Discuss spending more time with your friends at the weekend and trying to set aside time for just the two of you. If you want it to work you should try your hardest to make it happen so that you have no regrets. I hope you are happy no matter what decision you make.

Hugs —Darcy

all. It is obvious you don’t see yourself settling down with this guy, having a family, building a life etc. just do him the courtesy of breaking up with him before you move on. Enjoy the freedom of the single life. And while you’re at it enjoy safe sex. If you’re truly intent on experiencing all life has to offer, including chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea and genital warts, just don’t pass them on!

That’s Life, Barnacle

For more advice please email advice.sin@gmail.com!

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Mr. Gay Galway

By Ashling O’ Loughlin For long enough it has been mainly the ladies who have been dominating the beauty pageant scene in Ireland. Rosanna Davison is still clinging on to the glory of her Miss Ireland title from 2003 and the Rose of Tralee is getting duller every year.

Which is why ‘Mr. Gay Ireland’ is such a welcome and exciting alternative to any of the other beauty contests in Ireland.

The Mr. Gay Ireland Contest is a project organised by the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Ltd. It is an annual event that strongly promotes self esteem in young gay men, as well as raising awareness for HIV and supporting a number of great

causes. While the contenders for Mr. Gay Ireland are undeniably handsome, there is a lot more to the competition than just looks. Contenders are expected to raise money and promote themselves as a public figure to their local community, as well as nationally.

It takes confidence, intelligence and determination to be a Mr. Gay Ireland contestant. Thus, Andrew Guerin is the perfect representative for the West! Our very own Mr. Gay Galway is an NUI Galway graduate who studied general nursing while training in UCHG. Andrew got involved in the competition when he was approached by the winner of Mr. Gay Ireland 2010, Marcus Wynne, who suggested that he should

apply. Andrew admits that he felt a little unprepared but rose to the challenge, “I knew that this was a once in a life-time opportunity and as a result, embraced it.”

Andrew says he has loved the experience so far and that he has really enjoyed the social aspect of the competition; meeting new people and making new friends.

Fundraising is a vital part of the contest and Andrew’s own ongoing fundraising goes towards the GUIDE clinic in St. James’s Hospital, Dublin. The GUIDE Clinic is the largest, free STI, HIV and Infectious Diseases service in Ireland. The programme’s mission is to provide a top class service to people living with HIV, as well as treating STI’s and infectious diseases.

Having previously worked in St. James’s Hospital, Andrew says that he is “very proud

to be fundraising for such a great Irish hospital and service.” As a worker in the health profession he is the ideal candidate to endorse the importance of such a great cause. The contest is also focused on funding the New Fill Project in St. James’s Hospital which Andrew explains is a “reconstructive treatment that is success-

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Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community.

This is important today in Ireland as being gay is not something that everybody is comfortable with. Andrew speaks of how a lot of young people struggle with their sexuality and this has led to cases of depression amongst young gay people. A study carried in 2004 by YouthNet,

It takes confidence, intelligence

”

and determination to be a Mr. Gay Ireland contestant.

fully used to overcome some of the most distressing sideeffects of the antiretroviral medications used to treat HIV – muscular collapse and facial wastage.”

Mr. Gay Ireland is all about promoting self confidence and equality in the

commissioned by the Northern Ireland Department of Education, found that LGBT young people are five times more likely to be medicated for depression and at least three times more likely to attempt suicide. These scary statistics are part of the rea-

son why Andrew is so eager to actively promote good mental health and to “help the young gay men of Ireland to relate positively to being gay.”

Andrew says that he took part in the competion to make a change and be part of something positive, “My advice for anyone wanting to enter this contest is first and foremost ‘Be who you are’ and stand up for what you believe in.” It is clear that Andrew is following his own advice and making his own mark. With his striking looks and warm personality, he is not only capable of winning Mr. Gay Ireland, but is also destined to positively help change the lives of many people.

You can vote for Andrew on www.mrgayireland.ie, and the final of the competition takes place on 30 October 2011.

Six Surprising NUI Galway Degree Holders

By Marése O’Sullivan The deadline for honorary degree nominations is fast approaching. Presenting honorary degrees has been a long-standing tradition for universities, the practice dating back to the end of the 15th century.

The chosen recipients do not have to complete the standard requirements to gain the academic achievement; rather, they are conferred by the university in recognition of their outstanding contribution to society in their particular field.

At the 2009 Honorary Degree conferring ceremony President James Browne claimed that “NUI Galway is fortunate to be associated with many outstanding honorary graduates throughout its history,” and is “very pleased to be in a position to recognise these exceptional individuals.”

Sin has complied a list of some of the most famous honorary NUIG graduates: Margaret Atwood.

The renowned Canadian writer was conferred in 2011 with a Doctorate of Literature. She has created an astounding collection of literature: mainly

known for her work as a novelist – particularly for The Blind Assassin, which won the Booker Prize in 2000 – Atwood is also the author of more than fifteen books of poetry alone and completed many short fiction collections. Her work has been published in over forty languages.

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Africa from 1994 until 1999.

Martin Sheen.

Sheen’s Irish roots led him to NUI Galway as a mature student in 2006 to study English Literature, Philosophy and Oceanography.

He starred in the hit television series, The West Wing, and is a respected film and television actor,

They are conferred by the

university in recognition of their

Gabriel Byrne. The acclaimed Irish actor has dipped his toe in the film, theatre and literary worlds. At the start of his career, he performed at the Focus Theatre in Dublin, and then joined the Royal Court Theatre in London. He has always had a great love of the

Irish language and wrote the first television drama in Irish, entitled Draíocht, which was broadcast on TG4. He has starred in over thirty-five feature films. He was awarded a Doctor of Arts in 2007 and was commended by the then President of NUI Galway, Dr. Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh, for being a “master of his craft.”

John McGahern.

The author, who died in 2006, had a strong connection with the city of Galway throughout his life, even donating his archive to NUI Galway. He was praised throughout

the world for his novels and short stories as well as his non-fiction essays.

McGahern was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Literature in 1994.

Students’ Union President Emmet Connolly invites students to nominate honorary degree candidates by emailing suggestions to su.president@nuigalway. ie before 5pm on Tuesday, 8 November. They will present the candidates to the President for consideration in November.

For more information and criteria see www. su.nuigalway.ie

” Sin Sanctioned

outstanding contribution to

society in their particular field.

Nelson Mandela.

In June 2003, the Noble Laureate was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from NUI Galway, highlighting the university’s commitment to the field of human rights.

Born in 1918, Mandela strongly opposed the ‘National Party’ government’s apartheid policies.

His determination to sacrifice his personal freedom in prison, in return for not compromising his political stance, made him internationally recognised. He was released in 1990 and has dedicated his life to human rights.

He was President of South

since become U.S. Secretary of State. She has received many awards for her contribution to the development of healthcare, women and children, and is particularly noted for her interest in peace and reconciliation in the North of Ireland.

as well as a political activist. He was conferred with a Doctor of Arts in 2006, prior to his semester here.

Hillary Rodham Clinton. In May 1999, the then First Lady of the United States was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate from NUI Galway, as well as the freedom of the city. She graduated from Yale Law School in 1973 and was elected a U.S. Senator in 2000. In 2008, she campaigned for the Democratic Presidential nomination, the first time that a woman had ever competed in a presidential race, and has

Procr astination

This Week: Dr. Niall Madden, Maths Department.

When was the last time you dressed up for Halloween, and what did you wear?

I last dressed up for Halloween for a UCC post-grad party in 1999. A friend and I went as The Blues Brothers. But we didn’t have hats. Or suits. But it was dark and we were wearing sunglasses, so at least we had that much right.

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Five Movies to Scare You Silly on Halloween

By Roisin Peddle First things first: I am a total coward. I love the supernatural, but when it comes down to it, I’d rather hack off my own foot than hang out with a gang of ghosts. But it is almost Halloween, that special time of the year when the gossamer curtain between the mortal realm and the land of the dead is at its thinnest, when every creak on the staircase or rustle of an autumn leaf sounds like a spectral footstep. And also, when college students like to dress up in silly outfits and watch scary movies. With this in mind, here are five horror movies to suit every occasion.

Scariest recent film: The Ring. Yes, yes I know.

There’ll be howls of “That’s not scary!” But the American adaptation of The Ring is a very effective, atmospheric thriller, and the cursed videotape by itself is enough to give anyone the creeps. After the first time I watched this (alone, foolishly) my TV made lots of white noise and the lights flickered.

Samara didn’t appear, but I spent a sleepless night. For a scarier experience, track down the original Japanese version. Honourable mentions: Paranormal Activity, The Strangers.

Scariest 1980s: The 80s were a decade of horror, and not just the clothes. The movies were almost as terrifying. Top of the pile was Poltergeist, the story of a family who annoy some seriously malevolent ghosts by moving into a house on top of an Indian burial ground.

What makes the film even more chilling is the story of a curse surrounding the cast and crew, which apparently claimed several lives. Honourable mentions: The Shining (spoofed too much to be really scary), and Friday the 13th.

Vintage horror: It has to be the man himself, Alfred Hitchcock, with every shower salesman’s favourite film, Psycho. While the violence is mild by today’s standards, Psycho ratchets up the tension until you dread any human coming into contact with mammy’s boy, Norman Bates. The moment Norman’s little secret is discovered is still frightening all these years later. Honourable mentions: Dawn of the Dead, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Best Gore: You definitely could not call the violence in Saw mild. A million sequels later, it’s still a massive franchise, and the Jigsaw killer will haunt your nightmares.

The original film, released back in 2004, is full of twists and turns and of course, violence. Saw launched a whole horror subgenre of gore: the bloodier the better. Honourable mentions: Hostel, The Human Centipede (for the extremely strongstomached).

Best Silly: By now, your nerves should be well and truly shot. Well, Dammit Janet, you’ve got to do the Time Warp with a Sweet Transvestite. Yes, it’s the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The cult classic which takes the mickey out of every horror convention in the book.

It’s a must-see, and the only scary bit is the sight of Tim Curry in stockings.

Honourable mentions: The Nightmare before Christmas, Sorority Row (although I’m not sure if that was meant to be funny…)

As you attempt to close your eyes tonight, just remember; there is no scientific evidence that ghosts exist, vampires were just the Victorians’ way of dealing with sex and sadistic serial killers make up 0.000000000001% of the populat... Oh my God… Did you hear that? What the hell was that?!!! Gah! Happy Halloween.

All that Modern Jazz

By Jane Kearns Released in conjunction with his eighty-fifth birthday, Duets II pays homage to Tony Bennett’s old American style of singing, while putting a modern twist on some well known classics. This album is a follow up to Bennett’s hugely popular album Duets: An American Classic, and is jam-packed with an array of guest appearances, ranging from Lady Gaga to Aretha Franklin. Duets II is one of the music veteran’s most successful albums to date, shooting to No. 1 in the US charts, and reaching No. 13 in Ireland, this album proves that it’s hard to beat the classics when it comes to being a success in the music industry.

Duets II encapsulates

laid back jazz and lounge styles, but is still able to be relevant and appealing to a young and modern audience. With seventeen tracks this album contains a mixture of smooth classics and upbeat tunes, all of which are instantly recognisable and loved my millions. The main attraction of Duets II is the sheer star power the album holds. It features some of the world’s most popular artists and spans over many genres, from the sweet country voice of Cheryl Crow to the ultimate pop diva, Mariah Carey. Duets II has it all!

The album also contains the coveted honour of featuring the soulful voice of the late Amy Winehouse.

‘Body and Soul’ is the singer’s last recording before her untimely death earlier this

A Cry From History Review of From The Earth, A Cry by Ian Kenneally

By Gemma Morrow Before the age of 25, John Boyle O’Reilly was a reporter, soldier, rebel, convict and fugitive. These days, most people struggle to get a degree and a job.

Of course, times were different back then in the 1800s and Ian Kenneally’s From The Earth, A Cry brings that era wonderfully to life.

The story chronicle’s the life of John Boyle O’Reilly, a poet from Meath. From such inauspicious circumstances rose a great man, one who would set out to try to change Ireland and America for the better.

John started in the workforce at just eleven years old when he took his brothers place as an apprentice in a newspaper office. From there he joined the British Army enjoying the regimental lifestyle and the uniform – it is noted that he particularly liked riding his horse past shop windows in order to admire himself. He was a typical teenage boy but that all changed when he became a recruiter for the Irish Republican Army. In this role O’Reilly introduced eighty men into the Fenian

ranks before he was caught and court-martialled.

Consequently, O’Reilly found himself imprisoned on the far side of the world, in a penal colony in Western Australia. The book tells of O’Reilly’s despair, seen through the eyes of friends, and the actions of several brave men who rescued him from the prison and sent him on a whaling ship to America. None of them could know he would eventually become an editor for The Pilot, meet his wife, become an activist for the Land League and the African-American community, all of which endeared him to many people from various backgrounds.

As can be expected from a book about a poet, there is a lot of verses scattered through the text, but each poem is well placed to represent the opinions of the writer, and also to give an insight into the mind-set of O’Reilly at various times. In particular, there’s a lovely poem, near the start of the book, lamenting the death of Frederick Lucas, founder of Tablet, a Catholic journal. O’Reilly wrote the poem when he was eleven: from a young age he exhib-

year, and it truly captures the essence of her jazz style and soulful voice.

But does Bennett’s contemporary version of these much loved classics really beat the original? Well the fact that some of today’s most well known artists are featured on the album does attract more media attention and creates an allure that draws in a younger crowd to this kind of music.

But unfortunately many of these covers just don’t cut it as genuinely excellent pieces of music. Of course there are some wonderful songs on the album; ‘The Lady is a Tramp’ featuring Lady Gaga is a fun and high spirited cover of the song made famous by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Shirley Bassey; Gaga’s powerful voice and

Bennett’s charm give the classic a modern air while still staying true to its show tune roots. However, other songs such as ‘Blue Velvet’ featuring Kd Lang seem to fall flat and just don’t compare to the original.

Overall, Duets II is a great attempt at reviving the music of 40s, 50s and 60s and introducing it to a modern audience. This album is definitely aimed towards those of us who just want a taste of older genres while still having the familiarity of the modern voices that we know and love. But if you’re already a fan of Bennett, listen to his older albums, such as I Left my Heart in San Francisco or relax with some classic show tunes and jazz from the Rat Pack and you’ll never be disappointed!

ited incredible talent. Also included are documents written by O’Reilly: letters to friends, notes and also a letter written to the police of Western Australia when he was editor of The Pilot: “Do not perpetuate the stupid folly of printing my name among your criminals. I am far beyond the reach of your petty colony laws.”

From the Earth, A Cry is a biography but also a historically legitimate piece of

writing. It’s fluidly written with a striking insight into the mind-set of the man who transformed himself from soldier, to convict, to editor of The Pilot newspaper. This triumph of historical biographies is filled with dangerous rescue attempts, political intrigue and wonderfully, compelling characters that live and breathe on the page. A great read for anyone interested in the poet or Irish history.

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Kevin Barry Visits NUI Galway

By Roisin Peddle “James Joyce rewritten by the Rubberbandits” is how one blogger described Kevin Barry’s latest novel, City of Bohane. As a Limerick man, he takes this as a compliment of the highest order, and his reading at the Cube on Thursday 13 October as part of the NUI Galway Arts in Action series was wonderfully surreal.

“

“Much of my misspent youth was spent in the immediate vicinity so it’s nice to come back to the scene of all my crimes,” Barry grins before reading extracts of City of Bohane.

It’s a dystopian tale of gangs and violence, set in the imaginary city of Bohane sometime in the near future. Bohane is an “amalgam city” of everywhere Barry ever lived, though

City of Bohane’s language is vivid and evocative... Like Barry’s short

”

stories, it represents the Irish psyche with astonishing accuracy.

Barry was born in Limerick in 1969, and began his career as a journalist and a travel writer, penning surreal portraits of Irish life for the Irish Examiner and others. He also has had a story, Fjord of Killary, published in the New Yorker. In 2007 he left journalism to concentrate on fiction full-time, and his first collection of short-stories, There Are Little Kingdoms, won the Rooney Prize for literature that same year.

geographically it’s based on Porto. The demonic seagulls of Galway and “occult feel” of the Corrib make an appearance too, while it is impossible not to hear the Limerick accent in the rendition of the gangsters’ speech. “It’s a mad stewpot of all these different places,” Barry says, adding that he has denied that Bohane is Limerick ever since the novel came out.

Given the surprising lack of technology in this futur-

istic Ireland, the implication that Bohane is in some kind of parallel universe is credible. It is something that Barry has obviously thought out. “It could be an alternate universe ... their past is not necessarily our present.”

City of Bohane’s language is vivid and evocative; full of startling images. One character has a “mouth of teeth like a vandalised graveyard.” Like Barry’s short stories, it represents the Irish psyche with astonishing accuracy. Barry is fascinated by the way the Irish speak the English language and some of Bohane’s speech patterns would be indecipherable to those from outside the West of Ireland.

“English people are getting on fine,” he laughs when questioned from the audience about readers outside Ireland. America is a different prospect, however.

“My agent told me ‘Forget about Kansas!’”

City of Bohane is currently in the works as a screenplay, and considering how the words Barry has put on paper are extremely visual, it’s not surprising that it may become a movie.

Meanwhile, Kevin Barry is returning to his “first love” - the short story. A second collection is on the way for next year.

Review: Papillon

By Gerard Madden Franklin J. Schaffner made his name directing such classics as Planet of the Apes and Patton, for which he won an Oscar for Best Director. His 1973 jailbreak movie Papillon, which was jointly screened by FilmSoc and the Psychological Society as part of Mental Health Week, is a captivating account of two men’s friendship and endurance against the savage and authoritarian penal system of colonial France. The film draws inevitable comparison to The Shawshank Redemption.

Papillon is based on the 1969 autobiography of the French felon Henri Charrière, nicknamed Papillon, the French for butterfly, because of a prominent butterfly tattoo upon his breast.

Charrière, who claimed to have been wrongfully convicted for the murder of a pimp and to have escaped from French Guyana’s hellish penal colony of Devil’s Island, has been accused of basing most of his alleged actions on other prisoners, but there is no doubting his ability as a storyteller, and his book swiftly became a bestseller. Charrière is portrayed in the movie

by Steve McQueen, who

became famous following of his performance in another iconic jailbreak film, The Great Escape. Dustin Hoffman co-stars as his shambling sidekick, Louis Dega, a wealthy counterfeiter who assists Papillon’s escape attempts in return for protection and becomes a good friend Papillon is meandering, conservatively directed and, at 150 minutes, too long. But it works, thanks to beautiful visuals from cinematographer Fred Koenekamp, fine performances by McQueen and Hoffman and several iconic scenes. One is of Papillon seeking assistance from a leper colony, with the reviled ‘pimp-killer’ being empathised with by the reviled disease victims, who are outcast from society because of their hideously deformed appearance. When Papillon later attempts to take refuge in a nunnery he is promptly handed over to the authorities, the movie no doubt wryly asking which of the two are the better Christians? The movie clearly takes the side of the pariah against the powerful in society, with Papillon making common cause with the tough gay prisoner, Maturette, homosexuality being no cakewalk in the

1930’s when the movie was set.

The movie’s undoubted highlight, however, is of Papillon being held in claustrophobic solitary confinement for refusing to betray Dega for smuggling coconuts to him. Living in darkness, existing on half rations, eating bugs and tormented by surreal hallucinations, Papillon is very nearly reduced to betraying his friend, summoning the head warden to make a confession. However when he is questioned by the warden, he finds himself unable to do so. This sequence succeeds excellently in immersing the audience in Papillon’s maddening, suffocating claustrophobia and is strongly moving, thanks to McQueen’s intensely convincing performance.

The movie concludes with shots of the real Devil’s Island, now in ruins, while we are told “This, the infamous penal system of French Guyana, did not survive him [Papillon].”

Papillon is a gripping, if slowburning, escape-adventure story. It reaffirms how a love for freedom and the solidarity of friendship can triumph over the barbarity and degradation of the penal system.

Review: The Pursuit of Happyness

By Sinead Healy It seemed ironic, if not misguided, to screen Pursuit of Happyness during Mental Health Week. At face value, it seems like an optimistic film. Both the trailer and title suggest the typical ragsto-riches tale. The happy ending is inevitable; no one makes a movie about a man struggling to succeed who doesn’t succeed in the end.

No one titles a movie Pursuit of Happyness without a happy ending. However, it is ultimately the journey rather than the ending that better defines the film, the setbacks rather than the successes.

The brief minutes of cheerfulness are largely unable to justify the previous grim 110 minutes.

Inspired by a true story, as they like to say in Hollywood, the film documents

the downward slope of struggling salesman Chris Gardner, played by Will Smith. Gardner risks his family’s savings by investing in a collection of expensive medical devices, while struggling to pay his rent and day-care.

In a series of missed opportunities, misunderstandings, defeats and failures, Chris’s wife leaves him. He is then evicted from his home and loses most of his money to the IRS. Indeed, the majority of the film chronicles Chris’s efforts to keep himself and his five year old child housed and fed while he is enrolled in an unpaid internship programme with low odds of a paid job at the end.

Despite one tragic event after another, there is a lack of strong conflict and the film drags at points. The repeated running scenes

come across as redundant instead of creating tension.

Clocking in at just less than two hours, it isn’t a long movie, but the slow, drab tone made it seem that way.

Early in the movie the narrator comments that the stockbrokers all looked happy and in that particular scene they did, but at the end when Chris emerges overwhelmed and joyous, the crowd of stockbrokers swarming around him are stony-faced and unhappy.

Perhaps being a stockbroker was not his true pursuit of happiness. Perhaps it was merely just a pursuit of money; a grander version of selling each bone density scanner: a transient happiness.

What is happiness?

Throughout the film, Chris speculates about happiness and whether it’s actually

Steve McQueen struggles against the darkness in Papillon. attainable. However, it is evident in the scenes with his son that Chris finds it.

The money is a means to an end. The ending being the decent living he secures for himself and his son; a safe home and the chance at a

good future.

Without being too down on what is a great film, it is not as uplifting or happy as it could be, but that, in itself, might be the point.

The pursuit of happiness is a right, but happiness cannot

be found without actually looking for it; it won’t necessarily find you. This is a worthwhile film and I would recommend it. Give it a try if you’re after a movie that is light heartedly dark, with a good message.

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U Magazine High Street Style Awards

By Lia Stokes On Friday 14 October U Magazine hosted their third annual High Street Style Awards in Association with Diet Coke. The event celebrates high street

fashion under various categories from ‘Best Denim’ to ‘Best Value’ and ‘Overall Best High Street Store’.

The glamorous celebrations took place in Dublin’s Mansion House where over 400 loyal

U Magazine editor Jennifer Stevens with Lia at the High Street Style Awards. Image courtesy of U Magazine.

readers and followers of fashion including a few famous faces, enjoyed a complimentary drinks reception hosted by Tia Maria as well as a fabulous fashion show featuring all the hottest Autumn/Winter trends.

The catwalk show revealed a number of useful pointers for the seasons ahead. It seems sequins, animal print, 60’s style shift dresses and bold prints are going to be all over the high street, while androgynous silhouettes are going to continue to thrive in our stores.

On a more practical level, and something that will come in handy during Galway’s rainy season, (August to June), is the winter coat. From capes to faux fur, anything goes in this department so we can finally revel in a fashion trend that is practical and cozy!

As well as offering a comprehensive overview of the hottest up-coming trends, the aim of the awards was to celebrate the best the high street has to offer. Unsurprisingly, everyone’s wallet friendly favorite Penneys took home four awards including ‘Best Accessories,’ ‘Most Improved Store,’ ‘Best Value’ and the top Award of the night, ‘Best Overall High Street Store.’

So now the poor students of Ireland can rest assured that all their fashion needs can be met without breaking the bank!

Other big winners on the night included River Island who walked away

with three awards for ‘Best Jeans,’ ‘Best Shoes’ and ‘Best Changing Rooms’ while AIWear collected two accolades in the ‘Best for Saturday Night’ and ‘Best Customer Service’ categories. The U Magazine ‘Editor’s Choice’ went to H&M while the U Magazine ‘Hall of Fame’ award went to Marks & Spencer.

The awards are based on the votes of U Magazine readers and high street customers which makes them some of the most coveted around. The night was a fantastic success and U Magazine Editor, Jennifer Stevens, was delighted with the turn out saying “We are so happy with the event this year. We’ve had over 11,000 votes across all categories so it is the biggest awards ceremony we have had so far. Our amazing events team has transformed the Mansion House ... It could be anywhere!”

As well as individual goodie bags and spot prizes on the night, one lucky lady was awarded the honour of ‘Best Dressed:’ with a prize consisting of a €500 shopping spree with a top stylist as well as a luxury weekend break for two in a Dublin hotel, every woman was dying to win.

Much to my surprise it was myself who took home the amazing prize, sporting a blazer by Galway designer Sarah O’ Neill for her line Harlow and Harvey, my boyfriend’s shirt and a skirt from Penneys! All in all it was a great night and I shall certainly be in attendance next year.

Style Spotter With Erika Fox. Photographs by Cayla Bloomer

Name: Simon White

Name: Kate Porter

What are you wearing today?

Zip-up hoodie from River Island.

T-shirt and Trousers from Topman.

Shoes from Schuh.

Bag from Farrell & Brown.

What are you wearing today?

Describe your style in 3 words: Preppy, Cool & Casual.

Describe your style in 3 words: Individual, vintage and fun.

Fashion Loves & Hates?: I’m mainly inspired by & love high street clothing and absolutely hate alternative style!

How would you rate NUIG Fashion? I really like it. Overall, there is a really cool mix of style.

Jeans from Topshop.

Jumper from River Island.

Converse Runners from Schuh.

Bag from Penneys.

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Wrapping up for Winter

By Megan Carey So as the evenings grow darker and the cold begins to set in, we are left pondering the question — what to wear? In Galway we see sun, rain, hail, sleet and snow in the one afternoon, so how do we dress to suit the weather’s changing mood? Fear not!

For I have some solutions to help you get by during what is expected to be another snowy winter, while keeping you up to date with this winter’s fashion.

I love winter clothing, wrapping up all nice and cosy, but let’s start with coats. Barbour jackets are set

“

dressier than other styles and great for hitting the town.

When exploring colour, I find black to be one of the best choices; it can be worn with most colours and looks great over jeans or tights.

However this season is choca-bloc with colour. One classic is the nude camel colour found on many trench coats. This is another great colour as it also can be worn with nearly anything. It looks great with a pair of brown boots and can be a fun way to brighten the winter wardrobe.

Another reason I love winter wear? Accessories!

Accessories can add so much

In Galway we see sun, rain, hail,

sleet and snow in the one afternoon,

”

so how do we dress to suit the weather’s changing mood?

to be popular this winter; celebrities like Alexa Chung have been spotted sporting this brand. Their jackets are warm and fashionable and are perfect for casual college wear. In Galway, waterproof material can be essential, so I find a classic Mac can be a good back-up if you find your favourite coat has been soaked after you spent the night wandering around the Latin Quarter. A popular style which can be great for the winter months is the classic trench. It can be a little

to an outfit and turn it from blah, to fa-blah-ous! Winter means gloves, hats and my personal favourite – the scarf.

I think that most outfits can be complimented with a scarf.

My top tip: most of the time you cannot beat Penneys for the cheap and oh-so cheerful scarf. Every winter they have a great selection that is ideal for the student budget.

Another tip is to get at least one neutral scarf, as it will go with most outfits and if you have gone for a patterned coat it will keep you looking sane and not too busy. Gloves are a must-have for those cold mornings and snowy nights.

I love the fingerless ones with a flap, so you can get the best of both worlds. Hats are not for everyone, but those of you who can pull them off, wide-brimmed hats are all over the runway this winter. A suitable style for both men and women, it can add sophistication to the best of outfits. However I do warn that you be careful how you style it, you don’t want to turn out too much like a cowboy/cowgirl unless of course that’s the look you were aiming for. Stay comfy and warm while walking up and down the concourse showing off your style!

N U I G a l way C L U B S PA G E He a lt h y Li v ing Wee k One of the biggest problems in Ireland a today is lack of activity. We know it’s good for us but avoid it like the plague either because we’re used to being sedentary or afraid that exercise has to be vigorous to be worth our time.

The truth is, movement is movement and the more you do, the healthier you’ll be.

Even moderate activities like household chores, walking can make a big difference.

Just adding a little movement to your life can: • Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes • Improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression • Enhance self esteem • Reduce stress

Simple Ways to Move Your Body • Turn off the TV. Once a week, turn off the TV and do something a little more physical take a walk...almost anything will be more active than sitting on the couch. Or join the off the couch programmes www.otc.nuigalway.ie • You can join at any time soccer. Fun runs walk or jog – just get moving • Join a sports club www.clubs@nuigalway.ie all levels – so yes that means you - , you can be a complete beginner to someone use to play. Get moving.

• Walk more. Look for small ways to walk more. When you get the mail check out a new venue for your morning coffee or Lunch. .

• Do some chores. working in the garden, raking leaves, sweeping the floor...these kinds of activities may not be ‘vigorous’ exercise, but they can keep you moving while getting your house in order.

• Pace while you talk. When you’re on the phone, pace around or even do some cleaning while gabbing. This is a great way to stay moving while doing something you enjoy.

• Be aware. Make a list of all the physical activities you do on a typical day. If you find that the bulk of your time is spent

sitting, make another list of all the ways you could move more--getting up each hour to stretch or walk, walk the stairs at work, etc.

The trick to healthy living is making small changes...taking more steps, adding fruit to your cereal, having an extra glass of water...these are just a few ways you can start living healthy without drastic changes.

Eating Well Eating a healthy diet is another part of the healthy lifestyle. Not only can a clean diet help with weight management, it can also improve your health and quality of life.

• Eat more fruit. Add it to your cereal, your salads or even your dinners • Sneak attack brings in more veggies.

Add them wherever you can--a tomato on your sandwich, peppers on your pizza, or extra veggies in your pasta sauce. Keep pre-cut or canned/frozen veggies ready for quick snacks.

• Switch your salad dressing. If you eat fullfat dressing, switch to something lighter and you’ll automatically eat less calories.

• Eat low-fat or fat-free dairy. Switching to skim milk or fat free yogurt is another simple way to eat fewer calories without having to change too much in your diet.

• Make some substitutes. Look through your cabinets or fridge and pick 3 foods you eat every day. Write down the nutritional content and, the next time you’re at the store, find lower-calorie substitutes for just those 3 items.

Creating a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to mean drastic changes. In fact, drastic changes almost always lead to failure. Making small changes in how you live each day can lead to big rewards, so figure out what you can to be healthy today. Get on line and plan a little extra activity every day, join a club, take part but get off the couch today!

I n t e r C o l l ege G a m es !

The games shall be launched on Mon October 10th to coincide with mental health week and during this time clubs will have the opportunity to advertise their events.

The competition shall commence on Mon the 17th at 12pm. The games will run for two weeks and end on Wed 26th at 12pm of October in time to coincide with Halloween celebrations.

t h e r a ce is s t i l l o n , c o m e a l o ng a n d gi v e y o u r sc h o o l t h e c h a nce o f w ining T h e G a m es !

Fi v e Asi d e S o cce r C l a ss Le a gue Only 50 cent inclusive fee Guaranteed 7 matches in Semester 1 140mins of soccer, fun and friendships In the cages Corrib Village.

All welcome represent your class!!!!!

Contact Kevin Cassidy by e-mail: nuigcages@kingfisherclub.com or text 086 177 2589 Futsal the indoor game – Leagues – starting end of September!!!

E-mail nuigcages@kingfisherclub.com/text Kevin 086 177 2589

C a ges C l a ss l e a gues Start : Tuesday 4th October 8 week league.

5 aside leagues in the Cages Corrib village( Floodlit) All inclusive – unnamed squad – just have to be your class.

Take it in turn to represent your class – €50.00 per class Or enter a 2nd fixed named squad for €30.00.

Enter as many as you want!

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 12 - 2pm & 4-6pm Contact Kevin Cassidy 086 177 2589 email nuigcages@kingfisherclub.com

Excellent Sponsored Prizes Kevin Cassidy is the facilitator for all your recreational soccer.

Most capped player for Galway United, Manager/Coach with Galway District League.

C a l l ing a l l s o cce r p l a y e r s We are pleased to announce the return of the Futsal Leagues!

Fu t s a l 5 a si d e Le a gues Start date: Monday 3rd October, Kingfisher Club. 8-10pm — 8 week league

Registration: €50.00 per team – Squad of 8 players.

Register on line at www.otc.nuigalway.ie All teams to be registered by 8pm Thursday 29th September.

Fees to be paid by Monday 3rd October 2pm.

Contact Kevin Cassidy 0861772589

Substantial prizes — Great fun!

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Protein: Build your Body

Recipe: Falafel with yoghurt drizzle

By Aoife Brennan

Preparation time 30 mins

Protein! What is it, why do we need it, where can we get it and how much of it do we need? Proteins are composed of long chains of amino acids. There are twenty-two different types in humans.

These protein chains vary in length from hundreds to tens of thousands of amino acids. Th e sequence of which determines what protein will look like and what it will do.

Proteins are often called the ‘building blocks of life’ as they make up essential components of our bodies such as enzymes, muscle tissue, hormones, connective tissue, antibodies, hair, nails and much more.

To build all of these important things, we need a good selection of amino acids from the foods we eat, in particular, the essential amino acids. Nine of the twentytwo amino acids are called ‘essential’ because we cannot make them in our bodies and so must get them from our diet. The remaining thirteen are divided into non-essential (of which there are four) and conditional (of which there are nine). The conditional amino acids are those that we can make in our bodies but in conditions of stress or injury we need to consume extra in our diet. This includes illness and strength training and that stiffness and burn you feel in your muscles the day after a workout is the repair of thousands of muscle microtears you get when working out intensely (don’t worry, it’s a good thing). When you hear phrases like ‘whole protein’ or ‘complete protein,’ it means that this food contains the correct amounts of all of the nine essential amino acids. This term isn’t really used much anymore as it has been shown that you don’t need to get all of these amino acids at once. The overall balance of amino acids is more important. A healthy body is very efficient at breaking down proteins and absorbing amino acids, so aim to vary your sources of protein to ensure you’re getting a good mixture of all the different amino acids.

Now that we have the biochemistry out of the way, let’s discuss dietary sources of protein. Meat, poultry and fish

Cooking time: 10 to 30 mins Ingredients British Nutritional Foundation target nutrition profile

Weight loss nutrition profile have traditionally been seen as the best source of protein but lots of research into vegetarian diets have revealed that getting enough protein from dairy and vegetable sources (such as beans, lentils, dairy, nuts and eggs) is not a problem, regardless of what worried parents or carnivorous friends say. People can (and do) run marathons, compete in Iron Man competitions, body build, participate in the Olympics and compete in fitness competitions on vegetarian diets.

Research at Harvard University has shown that animal protein and vegetable protein have the same effects on health. That isn’t a license for vegetarians to forget about watching their protein intake!

The food available in restaurants and delis in our society are not geared towards providing healthy sources of a wide variety of nutrients they provide the food many people consider the tastiest: usually high fat, high protein. Think burgers and chips, deep-fried anything, kebabs and cheesy paninis.

How many of you order salads when you’re out? I don’t, as they’re typically 90% lettuce, 10% oily dressing and 100% boring. When eating out, a healthy, vegetarian or vegan diet becomes more difficult and so you have to work that bit harder to get the right amount of protein and avoid the ‘unhealthy vegetarian diet’: high in carbs and high in fat.

Overall, whether or not you eat meat is not the issue of concern. It’s trying to find the good foods and avoid the bad. As a society we actually eat too much protein, not considering that it’s the ‘protein package’ that is most important.

For example, a steak, like all red meats, is a great source of protein with a 6 oz steak containing 35-38g of protein but also 44g of fat, 16g of which is saturated. That is more than three-quarters of the recommended daily intake of saturated fat and explains why fats from red meats tend to be the worst for our cardiovascular health and should be restricted in our diets. The same amount of salmon gives you 34g of protein, 18g of fat, 4g of which are saturated. A cup of cooked lentils has 18g of protein but less than 1g of fat and a cooked egg white contains 4-5g of protein and almost nothing else. So when considering your protein intake be aware of what else comes along with it. Vegetable sources of protein have the additional benefits of lots of fibre, vitamins and minerals. The best animal proteins are fish and poultry whereas red meat should be limited to a maximum of 400-600g of lean cuts per week.

The recommended daily amount of protein ranges from 40-70g per day but this can vary greatly depending on age, size, gender, health and activity levels. If you are eating a healthy balanced diet you shouldn’t need protein supplements even if you are quite active. The protein demands of the body certainly does increase if you are involved in any strength, resistance or endurance training as these types of exercise rapidly break down muscle, which needs to be repaired afterwards or it will be lost.

Think of those very thin marathon runners that repeatedly eat away at their muscle mass through constant endurance training. It is recommended that strength or endurancetraining athletes eat between

• 2 tins of chickpeas • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp baking powder • 1 tsp cumin seeds • 1 tsp ground coriander • ½ tsp cayenne pepper • 1 garlic clove, crushed • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley • 1 lemon, juice only • Vegetable oil • Pitta bread and natural yoghurt, to serve

Method 1. Drain the chickpeas and place in a food processor or blender with the salt, baking powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garlic, parsley and lemon juice. Whizz until very finely chopped but not puréed.

2. Heat the oven to 170C. 3. Using a wet hand shape the mixture into 16 balls, then flatten slightly into patties. Bake for 20 - 25 mins until golden brown.

4. Serve 3 or 4 falafels inside a warm pitta bread pocket, with a drizzle of yoghurt over and any other fillings you like (lettuce, salsa, sliced tomatoes, red onion etc).

Mike Tyson: vegan and buff! (Courtesy of Vegan Magazine) 1.2 - 1.7g of protein per kg of bodyweight for the best performance and health. This amount of protein can easily be obtained in a healthy diet.

If muscle bulk is your sole goal, should you eat more protein? More than the average person, yes, but research has shown that eating greater than 1.2 - 1.7g/kg has no additional muscle-building effects even in well-trained bodybuilders. So, to calculate your own protein needs multiply your weight in kg by 0.8 to 1.8g. Use the lower number if you are in good

health and not very active but if you’re ill, very stressed, pregnant or engage in intense weight or endurance training then use the higher number.

If you don’t fancy calculating and counting your protein intake then calculating your nutritional profile is a little less laborious. Most diet journaling programs can do this for you and show you what percentage of your calories come from protein.

Somewhere between 10-20% is perfect. You can consume more if you like, it certainly isn’t unhealthy but it may

not boost athletic performance after a certain point, as mentioned above and watch the amount of fat that comes with it! As I’ve said before, it is easier to maintain small changes in your diet, so if you want to incorporate more protein into your day, take your time, do it slowly, be smart about it and experiment with ways to make it tasty so you look forward to eating it. Food is to be enjoyed and smart choices will see you enjoying it for as long as possible in a strong healthy body.

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Gutsy Performance from Emerging NUI Galway Football Squad Sligo IT: 1-9, NUI Galway: 1-8

By Brian Grant After narrowly losing out to Athlone IT by two points in their first league outing the previous week, NUI Galway’s Men’s Senior Gaelic Football team were determined to restore some pride in Dangan. The home team were always going to find it difficult against a side that included a range of inter-county footballers.

NUI Galway played with the aid of a strong breeze in the first half and got off to a dream start with Calum McCormack pointing after two minutes. In quick succession, Shane Moran netted home delicately from close range.

The students studying in the Yeats county reacted instantly, with Danny Cummins blasting his goal attempt against the crossbar, but he was for-

tunate enough to catch the rebound and point it over the bar. NUI Galway added two more points onto their tally before the interval. As the half progressed, Sligo began to find their feet, leaving them to trail only by a single point at half time.

With the momentum of the game now favouring the visitors, NUI Galway’s character was tested. They came out fighting the heavy resistance of the Sligo attack. NUI Galway started growing in confidence as Sligo IT were finding it very difficult to capitalise on their possession. David Wynne came on as substitute, now adding an extra dynamic and energy to the home side, who pushed on into a three point lead. However the pendulum swung once again, when Gary Gaughan rifled a home

a goal for Sligo ten minutes from time to equalise the score line. Inspired by this goal, the visiting side found the scoring range twice in what was a scrappy final ten minutes. It was a case of too little too late for the home

“

experimental side showed throughout the game.

Nine or ten of our key players who have Sigerson tournament experience are out injured or have club commitments, providing me with an opportunity of viewing new talent com-

With the momentum of the game now favouring the visitors, NUI Galway’s

”

character was tested. They came out fighting the heavy resistance of the Sligo attack.

side. They tried to react to Sligo’s attacking forces and reap a result from this game but could only find a consolation point in the last minute of the game.

Although losing the first two league games, John Maughan remained positive after the game, stating that he was “encouraged by the spirit his young

ing through. There are sixty-seven or sixty-eight students trying to make this thirty man panel which is a great thing, as competition is healthy.”

To get involved with any of the NUI Galway GAA teams, or to train as a referee contact Michael O’Connor on 087 984 0184.

Lacrosse Prospering in Galway

By Dara McCreary Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin, which is played with a small solid rubber and a long handled stick. The prime objective of the game is to score by shooting the ball into the opponent’s goal, using the lacrosse stick to catch, carry, and pass the ball. The earliest known mention of Lacrosse in Ireland is a report on an organised trip in 1876 by William George Beers. This particular man is credited with modernising and codifying the game in Canada in 1867. Remarkably, since then, Ireland has progressed with vigour, with the Irish Men’s team ranking 9th in the world after the 2010 World Championship and the Women’s team ranking 5th in the world since the 2009 World Cup respectively.

Notably, the Galway Lacrosse team was established in 2009. The men’s lacrosse team has greatly

progressed in terms of experience and gaining a relative number of new players. In their first two seasons competing, they have come fourth in the Irish Lacrosse League. However, last season they came third in the first ever Newtownards Cup, (an 8-a-side tournament) almost making the final only to lose to Dublin Bay Prawns by one goal. This year, with the appointment of Ryan Doran and me, the club has set high standards. In the 2010 World Championships and 2008 European Championships, I was a member of both teams. Ryan has just returned back from the 2011 Box World Championship where the Irish team finished strongly.

At the moment, the club is currently recruiting all levels of players. On a regular basis, it attracts players from the USA who have a vast amount of experience, staying for one semester at a time. It also has a number of new players from Ireland who only became familiar

with the sport through word of mouth or watching it in the movies. As the sport is still very much developing in Ireland, it is open to beginners all the way up to international players as there is fantastic diversity in the skill level of all the players involved. The Irish Lacrosse League is run every year involving teams from Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Galway. Each team competes once a month and play on average two to three games each on match day.

Generally, the competition lasts a full weekend, arriving on the Friday, playing games on Saturday, then socialising on the Saturday night and returning home on the Sunday. A great weekend is had by all.

On top of that, the women’s team began in earnest this season. They have appointed a new women’s coach, Deidre Swail. Deidre is a member of the Irish Development squad who are working towards the 2012 European Lacrosse Cham-

pionships. The club wishes to reiterate that anyone is welcome to join, of any level of experience. As it will be mostly a development team this year, any experienced players who can help with sessions would be greatly appreciated. In Ireland, women’s lacrosse is still developing as a sport. There are teams from Dublin, Galway and significantly, Belfast is now setting up their own club.

These leagues are great fun, there are a lot of other new players so you won’t be intimidated, with the addition of some internationally experienced players who bring great knowledge and skill to the squad.

Training is scheduled twice a week located in the Astro Fields in Corrib Village at 6.30 – 8 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Beginners are welcome and the club can supply all the gear. You can also find them on Facebook at galwaylax@groups. facebook.com or email ­galwaylax@gmail.com.

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Colts Cope with the Highs and Lows

By Dami Adebari

A significant cup game, a match that had to be won. If we had lost, our hopes of silverware would diminish rather quickly. We knew we had our problems, our star man in midfield

“

The goal can only be described with one word: fantastico. So, the score stood at 2-2 and both teams retired for half time.

With the score tied, the second half promised to be a thriller and that’s what it was for NUI Galway. Both

Quick passing and movement

saw us thump four goals past

”

the West UTD keeper. It was all square now, ours for the taking.

and last season’s top goal scorer, Liam Mc M o r r o w w a s m i s sing. Nevertheless, we marched on to Colemanstown. The game started off promising as the plan was to keep it simple. Short passes and tight defending ensured that we were the superior team and before we knew it, we were 1-0 up. Joe Monaghan leaped higher than the Colemanstown defence and headed his way home.

Unfortunately, the celebrations were not to last. Five minutes later, Colemanstown equalised through a controversial penalty.

1-1 the score stood. All NUI Galway’s heads were down and disappointed and before we knew it, we were 2-1 down. A magnificent effort by the Colemanstown number eight, who rounded the defence and slotted the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs.

Even though it was only the first half, we thought it was all over but to our credit, we continued to fight.

Before we knew it, we were rewarded for our hard work. A solo effort by Roger Grealish saw him take on two defenders, smashing the ball past the Colemanstown goalkeeper into the top corner of the net.

teams worked hard but neither could score a goal. Time passed and frustrations started to show.

Suddenly, out of the blue, a goal came for NUI Galway. A nice assist from our left winger saw Eoin O’Callaghan strike the ball into the oppositions net. The score now stood at 3-2. Colemanstown fought back hard but their efforts were in vain, as NUI Galway scored their fourth

goal. Dami’s strike from outside the box on the left wing made the score 4-2.

The referee blew the final whistle and it was all over. We live to see another day; we march on in search of more victories.

Elsewhere in the league, we could unfortunately no longer sing the sweet song of victory. We faced a tough West United side who were craving for success.

Goal after goal saw West UTD 4-0 up in the first half. Words of wisdom were passed around at half time and soon as the second half kicked off, we found our magic again. Quick passing and movement saw us thump four goals past the West UTD keeper.

It was all square now, ours for the taking. In extra time, our hearts were broken by a West UTD penalty. 5-4 the final score now stood.

Disappointed and downhearted we still dare to dream.

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Much More than a Club

By Aisling Crowe NUI Galway’s Ladies R u g b y t e a m ’s f i r s t decider consisted of a bruising encounter with Buccaneers in the Connacht League. The day following this match, I met with Louise Kelly.

Having just suffered a narrow defeat, Louise exudes passion and enthusiasm regarding her team and sport and it evidently shines through. Louise had never played rugby until her second semester in NUI Galway, “I always had a good interest in watching the Irish team play but I had never played. I was involved in other clubs at the time but my friend and I joined the rugby

team in semester two of first year and I haven’t looked back since.”

The rugby club is welcoming to everyone. More importantly, the camaraderie and bond that the rugby team has is still evident long after the players graduate. “It’s kind of more easy going than other clubs, it’s hard to explain why. There’s a warm atmosphere and the people involved are great.” Rugby has played a huge role in Louise’s years in NUIG and has had a major impact on her life. She explains, “I have made so many friends through rugby.

It gives me a lot of confidence especially when we reach finals.

Last year we had a big

squad and there was a lot of competition for places.” Louise is also quick to acknowledge the input of the team’s coaches in their success.

“We have two coaches, Simon and Daragh, who are brilliant and really know their stuff.”

As well as the fantastic atmosphere and welcoming nature of the club, there is the serious business of rugby to be dealt with. Irish international Carol Staunton is one of the mainstays of the team and there are players from each of the four provinces on the team too. The experience these players possess, has helped the NUI Galway ladies’ rugby team become one of the best college teams

in the country.

Generally, there are twenty to thirty players involved at any one time; however, a core group of twenty makes up the squad. The team and their coaches have set out their goals for the coming season, they are in fact striving for the top. “We have done a lot of planning and a lot of effort has gone into preparing for the season. Last year we got to the league final so it would be good to win it this year. We got to the 2010 Intervarsity’s final too,” she adds.

You might assume that being the captain seems like a lot of hard work but it’s not, when everyone gets involved and helps out. Louise and the rest of the team are hoping that their efforts will be

rewarded at the end of the season. “It’s a great effort by everyone and it would be fantastic to see some medals at the end of the season as a reward for all the hard work.”

It must be pointed out that, it’s not just Irish students who are drawn to this club. The club also prides itself on, the fact that visiting Erasmus students who join the club are hooked and for many it’s the highlight of their time in Ireland. “Last year we had nine or ten American students and they said joining the rugby club was the best thing about their time in Ireland. They get to travel around the country with us and see the sights and then we have great nights out so they really enjoy it.”

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S ports & F itness

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NUI Galway set for Feast of Hockey this Halloween

By Síle Johnson The National Hockey Intervarsity Tournament descends on the tribal city this coming Halloween season and what an event it promises to be! The tournament will see over three hundred students compete, in this, the most prestigious university hockey tournament of the year.

The tournament is to take place over three days, beginning on Sunday 30 October, and culminating in a day of finals on Tuesday 1 November. The intervarsity dinner ball will take place in The Ardilaun Hotel, followed by a social event upstairs in Monroes Live. NUI Galway’s Ladies Hockey Club will be hosting the sporting event in

two local venues; the Regional Sports Centre, Dangan and Mervue Utd. With both venues being so well known, large crowds of keen hockey enthusiasts are expected to come to the tournament and support the home grown talent.

As well as supporting their local university NUI Galway, they will be able to appreciate the

talents of students from well-known hockey competing universities such as UCD, UU (University of Ulster), and UCC amongst many others. Scores of players making the journey will be of international standard, and are sure to put on a good show for local enthusiasts.

NUI Galway’s ladies will be hoping to emulate the UCD ladies

The NUI Galway Ladies Hockey Team practicing some pre-match intimidation ­tactics ahead of the Intervarsity Tournament. Photograph by Euge Pettit.

The Power of Speech

By Sinead Farrell “I don’t know what to say really…” The very utterance of these words has been known to trigger a rush of chills through the spine of athletes worldwide.

They have become as identifiable as the old pre-performance pep talk of “go out and give it yer best.”

No one can quite define why contemporar y athletes are incorporating motivational speeches into their preparation before competition. However, NUI Galway’s sports star contingency is airing their views on the

topic. A representative of the Irish and University Judo club team, Jake Walsh, insists on tuning into his preferred motivational sound track before charging into the ring to fight. The twentyyear-old Tipperary native swears by the enthusiasm it can invoke in an athlete. “I find listening to motivational music before I fight psyches me up as well as getting me into the rhythm and pace that I like to fight at.” He revealed that his preferences include ‘Let’s get it started’ by The Black Eyed Peas and ‘Can’t be touched’ by Roy Jones. The liberating combination of the lyr-

ics propelled by a speedy instrumental backing track commands Jake’s concentration. He also confessed that they have evolved into critical components of his routine.

“After trying it once, it is now essential for me to listen to my playlist before I compete.”

Sarah Dillon from Kildare is another advocate of this martial arts discipline and she echoes her teammate’s sentiments.

Her choicest listening selection however, is less specific. “I think it gets you psyched up mentally for whatever you’re about to do. I normally listen to inspirational speeches in two

minutes on YouTube, or before a sporting event, I listen to rock music.”

She clearly emphasized the fact that they are merely a therapeutic method in transforming her to the ‘zone’ before a competition. If for some reason, she cannot access the material, she is still determined to give 100% effort.

Whether it’s AC/DC or Eminem, there’s a motivational tune out there that appeals to everyone’s style. Iconic sports performers like Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Jonah Lomu and Koybe Bryant have all publicised their own unique brand of motivational material, all of which are on Youtube. Even the film industry is capitalising on the sporting

hockey team, who succeeded in being hosts and victors in last year’s tournament. The NUI Galway ladies firsts have had a winning start to the season, having defeated Ashton 7-2 in their maiden match of the Examiner Cup, an interprovincial tournament between top teams in Connacht and Munster. The team will be hoping to maintain their winning ways, to see them through their tough pool which includes last year’s runners up, UU. Captain Aoife Smyth will be leading her charges from the right back position. She is confident in her team’s ability, “we certainly are competing for a top spot in the group, and a place in a final.”

Preparation for the tournament has been on-going since last April, with members of the university hockey club working tirelessly to ensure the tournament reaches the maximum of its potential as a sporting occasion. However, involvement in the tournament is not strictly confined to members of NUI Galway Ladies Hockey Club.

As the planning of the tournament progresses, it is increasingly proving to be a community affair.

Members of neighbouring hockey clubs have come forward to act as on-site volunteers for the tournament. Students from local school have offered up their time to act as ball girls for the finals. Also, the local media have been extremely forthcoming in offering their services, notably Galway Bay FM., who will be broadcasting updates and results throughout the Intervarsities.

The National Hockey Intervarsity Tournament is eagerly anticipated by hockey buffs all over the country. The NUI Galway’s Ladies Hockey Club has worked doggedly in past months to serve up a tournament to remember, both in the university and the community. All indications tell us that this Halloween will cook up just that!

So if you’re in the area, be sure to check us out either in Dangan or Mervue. It promises to be a magnificent sporting occasion for all the community.

sphere, as an ideal way to indulge viewers and secure profits simultaneously. The opening quote is from Any Given Sunday, an uplifting address made

by Coach Tony D’Mato (Al Pacino) to an apprehensive football squad in the final moments before “the biggest battle of our professional lives,” leaving audiences captivated in its wake.

We must pose the question regarding non-believers. Are they destined to spend the remainder of their sporting career marooned in the under achiever’s lounge simply because they refuse to participate in this habit? Of course not, and hurler Seamus Hennessy can testify to this issue. “My preparation would usually

consist of some mental preparation through visualization. This involves spending a few minutes trying to see myself in various scenarios and what I might do if these scenarios arise in a game.

Many motivational speeches tend to involve roaring and shouting as standard and can use up a lot of energy as a player which I feel is better served being held back for the game situation.”

The decisive issue in this debate is choice. You either seek comfort in the reassuring words of others or you are a selfmotivator. Either way, it can’t hurt to remember that “our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”

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What's Happening in Galway Horoscopes 24th October – 6th november

By Ashling O Loughlin, Arts & Entertainment Editor Monday 24 October Saturday 29 October The Profile @ the SU Sessions. 8pm. Fancy Dress as part of Aboo Halloween Festival @ Tuesday 25 October The Latin Quarter.

9.30 - 11pm. Trad Session @ Taafees Pub. Sunday 30 October 4pm . Thriller Street Dance Performance as part of the Wednesday 26 October 8pm. Michelle Shocked @ RoiAbooo Halloween Festival sin Dubh - Tickets €18. @ The Spanish Arch in The Fish Market.

Thursday 27 October 8 – 11pm. Student Night as Gaelige. – Aras na Geal, Monday 31 October Dominic Street.

10pm. Rubber Bandits Halloween Dirty Rave @ Rosin Dubh. Tickets €12.50.

Friday 28 October 10pm. Drama: All Things Con- Tuesday 1 November sidered. @ The Town Hall 5 - 6pm . Ballet Classes. The studio, Tickets €10/12.

Cube, Aras Na Mac Leinn.

The NUIG Comic Soc presents…

“To the Áras Mobile!”

By Dave Burdon, with Conor Hooper.

Wednesday 2 November 7.30 – 9.30pm. Comic Book Drawing Classes. @ The Art Room, Áras na Mac Léinn Thursday 3 November 1 - 2pm. Guest speaker : Doerthe Maria. @The Cube Theatre, Áras Na Mac Léinn.

Friday 4 November Camp Attack @ Dignity Gay Bar, entry free before 11.00pm Saturday 5 November 11pm. Disconauts @ Monroes Tavern. Tickets €10.

Sunday 6 November 3.30pm. Brian Friel’s The Faith Healer @ The Town Hall Theatre. Ticket prices vary.

By Myles McKittrick

Aries [Mar21 - Apr19] You will meet five beautiful women today. Two of them will be real.

Taurus [Apr20 - May20] If you don’t ‘like’ 200 Facebook pages by the end of the day you may die.

Gemini [May21 - Jun20] Start preparing for your exams.

No one likes a joker. Bit of cop on there John. You’re going to fail, like. Do you really want Jenny thinking you’re stupider than you are?

Cancer [Jun21 - Jul22] You will become vegan in thirtyseven hours. Emailing lecturers is not an acceptable form of socialising.

Leo [Jul23 - Aug22] Keeping everything positive is a great approach but try not to be too positive as this can cause you to be less positive than you would be otherwise if the same situation had been different.

Virgo [Aug23 - Sept22] Ring up a radio station and request that they play ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. And you thought all those years of ballet would never pay off. Keep it up twinkle - toes, make daddy proud.

Libra [Sept23 - Oct22] Youtube is your lucky social networking site due to the lunar patterns on Venus.

Scorpio [Oct23 - Nov21] Why would you lie about something like that? After all we have been through?

Sagittarius [Nov22 - Dec21] You smell like a summer breeze.

Capricorn [Dec22 - Jan19] You have gained a few pounds since last issue but still remain confident that the crumples in your tummy are muscle… An extra special moveable kind of muscle… My advice is to wear tight fitting tops to emphasise your specialness…

Aquarius [Jan20 - Feb18] “Aqua-porins are proteins in membranes that allow for the diffusion of water soluble substances through the membrane.” As this is your lucky time of the year, if you use this as a chat up line you will pull.

Pisces [Feb19 - Mar20] Slowly realising you can’t write horoscopes…

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Get more with our 3rd level student account

Talk to us today about all your banking needs Drop into our NUIG branch Call Kevin Burke 076 624 1304 www.bankofireland.com/studentmoney

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