Sin Volume 13 Issue 6 by Student Independent News

FREE STUDENT NEWSPAPER

VOL 13, ISSUE 6

21 NOV 2011

Students March in Protest Against Planned Fee Increases and Grant Cuts By Mark Kelly “No ifs, no buts, no education cuts” was the message delivered by between 15,000 and 20,000 students to the Labour party and Government on Wednesday 16 November. They marched from Parnell Square, right outside the Rotunda Hospital, all the way down O’Connell Street, by Trinity College Dublin and down towards the office of the Taoiseach. Dublin came to a near stand still as angry students, who felt lied to and cheated by a junior partner in Government who broke their promise, made their voices heard. 1,000 NUI Galway Students made the long trip to the capital to ensure that their voices, which screamed “no” to fees and grant cuts, were heard by a government who are seen to be letting students down. Eighteen buses picked up approximately 1,000 NUIG students from outside the cathedral on a cold, wet Wednesday morning to join their fellow students in a protest against a number of different factors; rumoured increases in the Student Con-

How Accessible is Our Campus?

Forced Emigration of Graduate Teachers

Sir Terry Pratchett at TCD

Colm Tóibín Receives Lit 15 & Deb President’s Medal BizSoc’s Apprentice Final Students protesting at the USI National Student Demonstration in Dublin on 16 November. Photo by Ian Colgan. tribution, a decrease in the grant, threats to the mature student grant and the planned axing of postgraduate grants. A high security presence outside the buses, and one security person and steward on each bus showed the SU’s commitment to ensuring that nobody would detract from the main messages of the day. USI, for their part, ensured the same. They had hired a security group to, in association with the Gardaí, mark the

route the protesters would take and also to ensure that no students tried to deviate away from the route or cause trouble. The students, while loud and angry, were extremely respectful and peaceful, some even engaging with the Gardaí in light banter. There was a real feeling of solidarity amongst the students, who cheered and chanted together. Some students had even brought drums, making it a

comfortable environment for the students as they marched. Some of the placards showed off their intelligence and critical satire: one read “Liz Quinn: not the only one getting screwed by Ruairi.” However, some placards highlighted the desperation of the situation: “I can’t afford to go to college as it is, any increase or cuts will end my education” while another, written on a cereal box, read “My disposable income made

Review: John B. Keane’s 24 Big Maggie Page this sign.” One protestor told Sin, “I live 35km from college, and my grant has already been cut by more than half. I can barely survive in college, any cut to my grant and I won’t

be able to come back” while another said “My parents are already spread thin paying for my fees. Any increase and I wouldn’t be able to come back.” Continued on Page 2

Students’ Union Council Adopts No Platform Policy By Eistear de Burca The NUI Galway Student Council was presented with three important motions on 7 November. These included a motion to provide a statement of solidarity with Occupy Galway, a motion supporting a No Platform Policy by the SU, and a motion regarding how SU officers present at SU council. After discussion, all three motions were passed by vote. The No Platform motion proposed that the Students’ Union will be mandated to automatically oppose any

invitation to members of listed organisations to speak at this university. SU officers shall be prohibited from sharing a public platform with members of the listed organisations. Organisations are to be added and removed by ballot at class reps council. The listed organisations included the BNP, The National Front, Combat 18, Column 88, MPAC Ireland and Hizb ut – Tahir. After a short discussion on the motion, it was passed with an overwhelming majority of 55 – 2. The idea of a No Platform policy originated in

the United Kingdom, where it has been adopted into the Constitution of the National Union of Students; it was instituted in the 1990s to prevent members of the BNP to stand for SU elections. Some universities have decided not to endorse this policy, including the University of East Anglia and the University of Bath; the University of Durham disaffiliated from the NUS in 2010 after a cancelled multiculturalism event involving two BNP speakers led to thousands of students joining an internet campaign dubbed ‘Durham University

Students for Freedom of Speech’. Essentially the policy proposes to ban members of fascist and/or racist organisations from speaking on the NUI Galway campus. Will O’Brien, Equality Officer, who proposed the motion, says that such a policy is essential in Ireland because “we don’t have a far-right extremist wing, and we need to do everything we can to maintain this.” He commented, “Nothing good comes from it, it destroys countries and takes decades to get rid of.” Continued on Page 2

Olivier Caignart performing at the Juggling Society’s Super Awesome Amazing Juggling Show in the Baily Allen Hall. Photo by Matt Burke.

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Students March in Protest Against Planned Fee Increases and Grant Cuts Continued from Page 1 After the march, students gathered near the stage that had been set up in Merrion Square. USI had three speakers, one undergraduate, one postgraduate and one mature student. Each spoke about how any increase in fees or cuts in grant would have a detrimental effect on students and their lives. Gary Redmond, President of USI, gave a speech in which he said “today, we stand shoulder to shoulder to protest against the Labour party breaking their pledge. He [Ruairi Quinn] signed the

pledge before the election, and it won his party votes. Now, they want to break it. Nine months on, we have a Government in hiding and we are here to tell them. Shame on you!” During the protest, members of FEE and Occupy Dame Street deviated from the march route and attempted to occupy Fine Gael Headquarters. The only incident of the day occurred when members of said organisations were not permitted to re-join the protest by USI stewards, along with the Gardaí. Gerard Madden, FEE activist, told

Sin: “this was a grotesque spectacle and a disgusting act on the USI’s part by excluding, and discriminating against, elements of its own membership, which abrogates its own ethos of being a force dedicated to uphold student rights. FEE was acting entirely peacefully, and our attempt to rejoin the march posed no threat to safety.” However, a USI steward who took part in keeping these members out claimed: “a lot of them had their faces either fully covered or half covered with masks or scarves. In the interest of safety and a

peaceful protest, we couldn’t allow them to re-join the demonstration.” Overall, both USI and the Gardaí were pleased with how students acted. USI said “it showed how much students truly care, no matter how angry they are, they will follow all of this country’s laws and still express their dismay at Government actions” while a Garda Superintendent was quoted as saying “the protesters were impeccably well behaved and have given students everywhere a good name, and enhanced their reputation.”

NAIRTL Award for Dr Frances McCormack By Barbara Preston The English department’s Dr Frances McCormack is having a dream year. She was awarded NUI Galway’s President’s Award for teaching and excellence in October 2010, appointed Vice-Dean for Learning and Assessment in the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies, and now she has won a National Award for Excellence in Teaching. Dr McCormack was one of five teachers from seventeen higher education institutions across the country, who are considered to exemplify teaching excellence, to be honoured at the National Academy for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning annual awards ceremony in Dublin on 7 November. The ceremony celebrates “successful efforts at integrating research, teaching and learning.” NAIRTL was set up in 2007 and the awards are given to higher education teachers “who demonstrate outstanding dedication to their teaching and have made an exceptional impact on student learning.” Sin caught up with Dr

McCormack for a cup of tea between lectures and congratulated her on receiving this well-deserved, prestigious award. She said that she was delighted about it but also surprised because it had been her ambition to be nominated but “never thought it would happen this quickly”. Receiving the President’s award for 2009/2010, for which she was nominated by both students and staff, and now the national award, is “such an honour.” Dr McCormack feels that she is very lucky to have a job which makes her “look forward to getting up and going to work,” but “another thing to be rewarded [for it]”. Her students are unlikely to be surprised by this award – the popular English lecturer brings her passion for her subject into the lecture theatres. As well as carrying out her academic duties, she is constantly studying and “likes to be on the other side of the table.” Dr McCormack told Sin that “the work pays off in the classroom” and also that the position of ViceDean – overseeing and advising on aspects related to undergraduate teaching

Dr Frances McCormack, NAIRTL Award Winner. Image courtesy of NAIRTL. – gives her the chance to use some of what she has learned and to “learn what others are doing.” When asked what she plans to do with the €5,000 prize, Dr McCormack said, not surprisingly, that it will be used to buy teaching equipment.

So what’s next for Dr McCormack? Following on from the NAIRTL awards, she is now nominated for a European Award in Teaching Excellence. Sin and the whole of the NUI Galway campus will be wishing her the very best of luck for the future.

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Students’ Union Council Adopts No Platform Policy Continued from Page 1 Dealing with accusation that such a policy violates free speech, O’Brien said that the platform being denied is not a right but a privilege. “It is not an entitlement for everybody. Fascism and racism are fundamentally opposed to democracy, and simply are incapable of being part of the democratic conversation.” He is adamant that it is of vital importance that such ideas be refused admission to campuses, as they bring nothing but damage and ruin. At the Class Rep meeting, one student raised questions about how the No Platform policy connected to the idea of tolerance that is purported to be of paramount importance in today’s society. She said, “How far will this idea of banning certain speakers and organisations go? On the university campus of all places, are we not professing to provide a marketplace of ideas, free discourse and discussion? Instead of banning certain groups, we should educate students against them and then encourage them to protest and express their beliefs; instead of forbidding, we should promote the opposite to fascism and racism in such a way

that students will see absolutely no attraction in such ideologies. In facilitating our version of tolerance we need to be careful we are not becoming intolerant.” A survey carried out by Sin after the meeting amongst students revealed that out of 154 students, 96% reported that their class reps had not consulted them concerning the motion. 48% said they would have voted against the No Platform proposal, which is sizeable advance on the 3.6 % who voted ‘No’ at the Council meeting. One class rep reported that he received the motions on the day of the vote and did not have time to consult his class. Other reps did not receive the motions at all and were only introduced to them at the meeting. These results put a question over the way in which the SU is carrying out its duties respecting class reps and correct student representation. There are clear administration difficulties as well as problems with getting the opinions of the entire student body. The No Platform policy is a very important issue and requires substantial consideration and debate, which it unfortunately has not received in this instance.

Scenes of students protesting at the USI National Student Demonstration in Dublin on 16 November. Photos by Ian Colgan.

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Editorial We’re half way there folks! Half way through the college year – if we get all our assignments in on time and pass our exams – half way through the lease on our crappy accommodation, probably considerably more than half way through our cash, but most of all we are half way through the thir-

teenth volume of Sin. I can honestly say that in the last three months I have been blessed with an incredible team of volunteers. The writers I am lucky enough to meet every day are dedicated, active, interesting, and lots of fun. You wouldn’t believe how active these people are on campus, in societies, clubs, local politics, and their community. We have foreign correspondents reporting from their Erasmus locations, we have students using the expertise from their degrees to deliver informative pieces.

The sub-editors who have helped keep me sane over the last few months surprise me constantly by sourcing incredible material, getting it all in on time, and in good shape. In this issue over fifty volunteers have written almost sixty articles. That’s over 30,000 well-researched, spell-checked, informative and often downright hilarious words. Can you believe that? Lecturers have stopped me in the hallway to tell me what a great job this team is doing. I have met local Galwegians who have commented on an amusing or interesting article they read in Sin. Our website

is getting more traffic every week. Our Web Editor Jessica has had requests from other publications that wish to print our writers’ work. If you see a Sin writer in college this week, give them a hug. They’re doing a great job. We’re looking pretty good to. Sin has been strutting its stuff on the concourse, vogueing in the bathroom mirror and whistling at itself when it catches its reflection, all due to the incredible work of NUI Galway graduate Shannon Reeves. No wonder we’re so smug. We’re hot shit! It’s easy to become complacent when everything is going so well. I worried in the beginning if there would be enough

All hands on deck! The fourteen NUI Galway volunteers who will be traveling to Zambia in 2012 with Habitat for Humanity. From left to right, back: Laura Gray, Ciara Rigney, Shane Lynch, Colm Seale, Cian Glennon, Claire Moran, Jane Quigley, Emma Farrell. Front: Aaron Liston, Christina Fox, Aileen Riney, Sara Quigley. Not pictured: Peter O’Farrell, James Gallagher. Apologies from Sin to this great team of volunteers for getting their details wrong last week. If you wish to donate to their efforts, visit: http://www.mycharity.ie/event/nui_galway-_habitat_for_humanity-_zambia_2012/

campus and student news to keep us going, to live up to our new ethos of focusing on NUI Galway, on education, on our readers. With so much exciting research coming out of our college, with so many active vibrant young people excelling in diverse aspects of society: sport, academia, politics, volunteering, fashion, music, film, literature… trust me, there is no shortage of news about NUI Galway. But as I said, we’re only half way there. Up is not the only way. If you think we should be doing something better, let us know. We need to be constantly challenged, constantly trying new things. This issue is the angri-

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est yet. With the upcoming budget of doom students are anxious and enraged, and it comes out in our news section. We have reports on grant cuts, reductions in postgraduate assistance and caps on student numbers prompting protests nationally and internationally. Don’t get mad, get even. I invite you to use your paper to inform other students of the injustices we’re facing. Keep up the fight people. Contact your local TD. Tell them we will not be walked over. We learned this week how loud our voices can be. When we return in January our front cover should read “Students Spoke: Government listened.”

Shane O’Malley performing at the Juggling Society’s Super Awesome Amazing Juggling Show in the Baily Allen Hall. Photo by Matt Burke.

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g A LWAY n E W S 259 SU Enterprise Awards Poster.pdf

Life Society Host Ryan Bomberger Amid Poster Controversy By Eistear de Burca The Life Society hosted a talk on 3 November by the founder of the Radiance Foundation and of www. toomanyaborted.com, Ryan Bomberger. He leads the Endangered Species Project in the US which aims to create awareness of the high abortion rates among the black population. The title ‘Endangered Species Project’ is designed to echo the Negro Project developed by Margaret Sanger in the 1930s which aimed to slow down black reproduction and had, pro-lifers believe, the extermination of blacks as its final aim. Today Bomberger believes that the principles behind Sanger’s project are still intact, as “nearly 40% of all African-American pregnancies end in induced abortion,” a higher statistic than that of those who die from the seven leading causes of death combined according to official data. Reggie Littlejohn of Women’s Rights without Frontiers had been scheduled to speak

on 2 November but due to unforeseen circumstances was unable to attend. Ryan Bomberger who had been addressing the Pro-Life Campaign National Conference in Dublin agreed to provide a replacement talk on Thursday evening instead. The event was advertised with posters bearing the question “Is abortion making black children an endangered species?” and was presented as being a public lecture on the racist and eugenic foundations of the abortion industry. The posters created a stir, with much discussion and comments concerning the appropriateness of such language. One concerned individual acknowledged that the issue was important but was worried about the wording on the poster, saying that it would “give a very wrong message, as it is offensive to black people.” He went on to say that NUIG had quite a number of black students and that such posters could have a “terribly negative effect on getting them to join the society.” Another critic

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WHAT IS YOUR B IG ID E A WORT H ?

wondered, “Since when have blacks become a species?” Evelyn Fennelly, the auditor of Life Society, commented that the subject of the talk is an extremely important issue, one that both sides of the life debate should find agreement on. “However I was disappointed that the poster campaign caused controversy as it distracted from what really mattered. People got worked up about the semantics rather than the actual issue which was unfortunate. We will be reviewing our PR policy, and apologise if anyone was offended by the wording.” A student who attended the event commented that the speaker supported each claim “with hard-core evidence, drawn from current and past statistics” and “the speeches of mainstream prochoice individuals.” He further remarked that “As an adoptee, his own personal experience added greatly to the impact of what he said, reminding us of the sobering fact that abortion could well have stolen this life.”

CMY

e t a D g n i s o l C November h t 7 2 y a d i Fr

€25,000 PRIZE FUND Enter the NUI Galway Students’ Union Enterprise Awards. Closing date for submissions Friday 25th November. www.su.nuigalway.ie for more information. Supported By:

NUI Galway Graduate Wins Prestigious European Doctoral Award By Marése O’Sullivan NUI Galway PhD graduate, Dr. Michael Keeney from Donegal, has set records by becoming the first Irish student to receive a European Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Doctoral Award. The European Society of Biomaterials bestowed the annual award on him to complement his science doctorate. The European Doctoral Award aims to enhance the graduate’s qualifications, whether they choose to pursue a career in the Biomaterials industry or in the academic world. Dr. Keeney’s European Doctoral Award recognises the “clear European dimension in [his] PhD work” and showcases the international quality of

his research. The award also recognised the work of Dr. Keeney’s supervisor, Professor Abhay Pandit, Director of NUI Galway’s Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials (NFB), in overseeing Dr. Keeney’s thesis last year. The title of Dr. Keeney’s dissertation was ‘Design and Functionalisation of Collagen/Calcium Phosphate Scaffolds for Non-Viral Gene Delivery in Bone Tissue Engineering’, examining tissue regeneration of bone defects. His research was carried out at the NFB and was funded by the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology (IRCSET), as well as by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI). Dr. Keeney completed the international requirements

for his European Doctoral Award – “to work in two or more countries, to present work at biomaterials conferences and to publish work in high quality international journals” – by undertaking a placement in the Jansen Laboratory in the Netherlands’ Radboud University, approved by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory. He carried out extensive experiments and research on in-vivo (living organism) bone formation there, before becoming a research assistant at NUI Galway. He then took up a postdoctoral research fellowship post in Stanford University in the United States, where he now studies tissue engineering and drug delivery in the University School of Medicine’s Department of

Dr Michael Keeney. Image courtesy of NUIG. Orthopaedic Surgery, which is “committed to advancing knowledge related to the care of conditions of the musculoskeletal system through basic science and

clinical research.” Dr. Keeney thanked NUI Galway for helping him to achieve this major accomplishment: “It is an honour to receive such a prestigious

award from the European Society of Biomaterials and it is a credit to all the hard work being performed at the Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials.”

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NUI Galway Home to Exclusive Northern Ireland Archive By Jessica Thompson NUI Galway are to launch the Brendan Duddy Archive on Tuesday 22 November, following a half-day symposium ‘Negotiating Peace’. The papers of Brendan Duddy, which were deposited at NUI Galway in 2009, provide a unique insight into the resolution of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The Duddy archive includes coded diaries of contact and messages exchanged between the British Government and the leaders of the IRA, who were secretly in contact through Duddy at various points between 1973 and 1993. The Duddy papers are directly related to the papers of Ruairí Brádaigh, former president of Sinn

Féin, which are also held in the James Hardiman Library. Together, these archives constitute one of the most important sources for understanding the attempts to resolve conflict in Ireland that culminated in the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. Dr. Niall Ó Dochartaigh said of the papers “They show the remarkable persistence and consistency of Brendan Duddy’s conviction that the conflict could only be ended through a negotiated settlement that included the Provisionals. From the early 1970s Brendan Duddy worked determinedly and in complete secrecy to try to draw the two sides closer together, a lifetime’s work that eventually came to fruition in the negoti-

ated settlement of the late 1990s.” Also included in the archives are several hours of filmed interviews with Brendan Duddy by Dr. Niall Ó Dochartaigh. These interviews cover key historical events in which Brendan Duddy was involved. NUI Galway’s School of Political Science and Sociology and the University of Ulster’s International Conflict Research Centre (INCORE) have collaborated to make a selection of primary documents available freely online through CAIN (University of Ulster’s Conflict Archive) and NUI Galway’s library website. University Librarian at NUI Galway, John Cox commented “The deposit of the papers at NUI Galway is thanks to the generosity

NUI Galway Scientists Help Unravel Pigeonpea Genome By Katie Finnegan Researchers at NUI Galway are part of a global scientific team that has succeeded in decoding the genome of a crop known as the Pigeonpea: the staple food for millions people worldwide. The mapping of the pigeonpea genome is a breakthrough in agricultural development and will have a major impact on improved crop productivity, tackling pests and disease constraints in production, and improved resistance to harsh environments and the future variable climate. It is now set to join the world’s league of major food crops with the completion of its genome sequence. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), an Indian-based agricultural research institute, led a global partnership and spent a few years analyzing the genome. NUI Galway Botany and Plant scientist, Mark T.A. Donoghue, Reetu Tuteja and Charles Spillane helped in decoding this

plant’s genetic code and their work has been published in the highest-ranked journal in the area, Nature Biotechnology. The pigeonpea is known as the ‘poor people’s meat’ because of its high protein content and provides a well balanced diet when paired with cereals. “Pigeonpea is a staple food crop of millions of poorer smallholder farmers in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa,” said Prof Charles Spillane, the head of botany and plant science at NUIG. The so-called ‘orphan crop’ is the first nonindustrial crop to have a completed genome sequence. “While crops such as pigeonpea are essential to food and livelihood security in developing countries, such crops of the world’s poorest peoples are considered orphan crops as there is limited scientific research applied to the development of improved higher productivity varieties due to a lack of commercial incentives.” said Prof Spillane. “The mapping of the pigeonpea genome is a breakthrough that could

not have come at a better time. Now that the world is faced with hunger and famine, particularly in the Horn of Africa brought about by the worst drought of the decades, science-based, sustainable agricultural development solutions are vital in extricating vulnerable dryland communities out of poverty and hunger for good,” said ICRISAT director general William Dar, who visited NUI Galway earlier this year. “Modern crop improvement technologies for smallholder farmer crops such as pigeonpea will be crucial to speed up the development of improved varieties that can provide high yields and improved livelihoods,” he said. Research partners included BGI – Shenzhen (China), the National University of Ireland Galway, University of Georgia, University of California-Davis, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and National Centre for Genome Resources, and was also supported by the CGIAR Generation Challenge Programme based in Mexico.

and kindness of Brendan Duddy and his family who placed a great deal of trust in the University and its archive services to take care of the papers. This is a very significant addition to our archival collection.” The Negotiating Peace symposium is to include speakers such as BBC investigative reporter Peter Taylor; former senior Irish diplomat Seán Ó hUiginn; former senior British government official Mechael Oatley; and Professor Paul Arthur, Honorary Associate at INCORE. The symposium will be held on Tuesday 22 November at 2.30pm in The View, Bailey Allen Hall, followed by the launch of the Brendan Duddy Archive at 4.30pm in Aula Maxima, with a reception at 6.00pm. Numbers at the symposium are limited, so register at www.conference. ie to ensure a place.

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Undergraduate Writing Competition By Austin Maloney

The Academic Writing Centre at NUI Galway is set to run a new writing competition for undergraduate students. The criteria that the Academic Writing Centre have set for the competition is an essay of 450-550 words, with the intention of changing the view of academic writing as functional and boring, with a series of stifling rules and regulations. They instead hope that competitors will treat academic writing as a form of genre, such as free verse or drama. The Centre is looking for the work to be strong and well structured, but also free of errors and mistakes. They are requesting

that the pieces are exciting and entertaining to read while also retaining an academic tone. The pieces will earn points for using powerful and fresh language. The winner of the competition will receive a prize of €100, and will have their essay published on the Academic Writing Centre website. The Centre will also be publishing other high scoring pieces on their website, depending on authors’ permission. The essays will be on a set series of topics, which are available on the Academic Writing Centres website. More details can be found by contacting Ira Ruppo Malone at irina.ruppo@nuigalway. ie or on their Facebook page.

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NUI Galway an Accessible Campus? By Liam O’Brien One of the biggest hurdles in adjusting to university life over the first semester is getting your bearings on campus. Needless to say, students with mobility difficulties will have a greater challenge to tackle. Tiredness, a lack of speed, or restricted movement all pour salt into an already smarting wound. NUI Galway’s disability access improves with each passing year but some issues still remain. The Concourse is one of the university’s most frequented buildings, holding lectures for Arts, Sciences, Commerce and Law students, and connects to the all-important James Hardiman Library. However, access to and within the concourse is problematic. Most of the clearly visible entrances from outside are all reached by staircases, forcing students who use wheelchairs to seek out other entrances via the I.T. building or up the ramp beside the Arts Millennium building. Even then, there are problems inside. The elevators to the towers do not always work, and the one in front of the library, descending to the area by the Student Union shop, has been inactive so far this semester while work to repair it has been ongoing since the summer. The doors linking the

different areas of the concourse (the I.T. building, the physics department, the lecture theatres) must all be opened by hand. Doors which open automatically at the touch of a wall-mounted button have been installed in the library and Áras UÍ Cathail, but why not in one of the most prominent buildings? The Arts Millennium building also has its fair share of problems. The single elevator is not well signposted, far from the beaten track, and is accessed through narrow doorways. Áras Uí Cathail is one of the most important stops for first years, to pick up student ID cards and sort out fee payments. The sole elevator in the building opens out into a bottlenecked hallway which, during opening hours, is usually full of queuing students, intent on getting their paperwork out of the way. As you can imagine, it’s not the most convenient place to get through. This building also houses the office of the disability support service – sadly not located on the ground floor, though it has been requested multiple times to be made more accessible. These issues may only seem like minor inconveniences to the able-bodied, you would be surprised how restrictive it can be and how much longer a simple journey can take

when you have limited ways to move. Try to get through one of your busier days, reaching everything on time, without using a single stairway. It becomes confusing, time-consuming, and awkward. In spite of these issues, NUI Galway has been making progress with regards to its access for students with disabilities and seems very likely to continue doing so in the future. Steps are slowly being taken to improve older buildings, whereas more modern ones such as Áras Moyola and the Cairnes Business School are easier to get around for students with mobility difficulties. The disability support service provides aid to students, with needs assessments taking stock of a student’s difficulties and a report sent to their lecturers detailing the supports they need. Lockers, assistive technology, learning supports and personal assistants are on offer to aid students. The final result is that while the support available is excellent, many of the buildings themselves leave a lot to be desired. The people and the products are there, but the place lets the side down. “I personally love them,” said student Katriona O’Shea, regarding the aid offered by the disability support service, but she finds physically getting

Martin Meyler at the ComicsWest event in the Bailey Allen Hall.

Sing 'N' Tonic, an a-capella group from Choral Society perform as part of the Music Week Society Showcase. around the university to be “Atrocious. There’s no way around it! I only get to the concourse through the back of the I.T. building, and I reach the lecture halls in the Arts Millennium building through the fire exits.” Lori Humphreys, working with other commerce students in a community project alongside the Irish Wheelchair Association, recognises that the university’s complex layout has room for improvement. “When we saw how bad it really was,” she said, “we decided to raise awareness.” The future looks bright for NUI Galway, as it is set to spearhead action on disability law not just in Ireland, but across the whole of Europe. On Friday 14 October, NUIG’s Disability Legal Information Clinic was launched, a joint project between the Free Legal Advice Centre and the Centre for Disability Law and Policy. It is a free, confidential drop-in centre for those seeking legal information from trained student volunteers supervised by a legal practitioner and a staff member from the Centre for Disability Law and Policy. It is the first clinic of its kind in Europe, and hopefully it will become a trendsetter among universities. Attorney General Máire Whelan was present for the opening ceremony and was eager to share her thoughts on the development. She is hopeful that the opening of the clinic would at least help students get

access “to such wonderful facilities” in the University. By giving information and clinical experience, it would allow students to know their rights. “When people do not know their rights, they are vulnerable”. Professor Gerard Quinn, Director of the Centre for Disability Law and Policy, when asked if he could imagine other Universities following NUIG’s example, he said he’d “Love if they would,” and that founding the clinic had involved help from “a lot of other clinics worldwide.” Although Professor Quinn recognises the improvements made to the university’s accessibility for students with disabilities, he believes that “it is time for another audit; the previous one was seven or eight years ago.” The Centre for Disability Law and Policy recently had another success with the start of the Europewide Marie Curie Initial Training Network. This is a €3.7 million program that allows a team of fourteen researchers from around the globe to research and explore options for European disability law reform as they undertake their PhD studies, receiving paid placement from non-governmental organisations such as Brussels’ European Disability Forum. Magdolna Birtha, Abigail Rekas and Anna Arstein-Kerslake will be completing their work here at NUI Galway. The Centre for Disability Law and Policy was selected in late September

to direct the program all across Europe over the next three years, at the forefront of the project, and received the largest EU Framework Level 7 grant ever awarded to a research centre at an Irish law school. Professor Quinn has high hopes for the project. Not only will the students be given “direct academic credit for their work with the clinic” but they will have chance to tackle “the bigger issues, and make their own submissions to reforms.” The Attorney General, Máire Whelan, is even more passionate about the prospect. “I expect that in the future, the government to comply with its national obligations and the U.N. Convention [on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2006]. It should be their intention to ratify problems with disability law and continue with work in progress.” Overall, even though the university has improved with regards to accommodating students with disabilities, providing as much support as possible, and looks ready to lead the charge with both the Marie Curie program and Europe’s first Disability Legal Information Clinic, many simple issues regarding ease of access and movement need to be resolved, and soon. After all, there’s not much point in having such a high standard of education available if it’s not within somebody’s grasp, just because of a difficult layout.

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Galway in line for Public Phoenix Bark Bike Scheme

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NUI Galway Graduate Michael D. Settling into Presidential Seat By Katie Finnegan

By Jessica Thompson A public bike symposium was held in NUI Galway on Tuesday 15 November last, to gauge the appetite locally for a public bike scheme. The event was opened by Minister for Public Transport, Alan Kelly TD, and attended by a number of business interests, elected representatives, members of the public and civic society, and some of Galway’s key stakeholders. This was the last of four symposiums that have taken place following the announcement by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister Alan Kelly of the Government’s commitment to exploring the rollout of a public bike scheme to regional cities. Speaking at the symposium on Tuesday morning, Minister Kelly said, “The government believe public bike schemes in Waterford, Limerick, Galway and Cork will enhance the city centres.”

The Dublin Bike Scheme has been a resounding success since its launch in September 2009, with over 63,000 members, and more than 2.5 million journeys taken, so the government hope to make it a success in regional cities too. A recently published report carried out by the NTA revealed that a similar bike scheme in Galway would require between 200 and 250 bikes over 23 docking stations within a four kilometre square area around the city. “Such a scheme has been tentatively costed at €1.7m in capital,” said Anne Graham of the National Transport Authority (NTA), “and almost €4m in operating costs over 15 years plus the apportioned cost of a national control centre.” There are a number of reasons why a bike scheme would benefit Galway city. This is a sustainable transport that is efficient and easy to use. It would allow users to avoid the heavy traffic

congestion and high parking costs of Galway city. The scheme, if introduced would benefit Galway’s large student population greatly, giving them a means of travel that is faster than walking, more eco-friendly than driving, and an excellent way to keep fit and healthy. It will also help to combat the rising obesity levels in Ireland’s young people. Membership to the bike scheme is extremely cheap, with a three-day cost of €2 and an annual membership of €10. Rental without membership is also extremely cheap, with the first half hour of travel costing nothing. Galway is a very cyclefriendly city, as it is so compact and is well suited to a bike-sharing scheme. This is an affordable, efficient means of travel, aiming to get as many cars as possible off the road, and people back on bikes and public transport.

Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina will not be joined by their four adult children in their new home in Dublin’s Phoenix Park, but the couple will not be alone. The halls of Aras an Uachtarain will be filled with the sound of heavy paws as the couple is set to adopt Bruno the Bernese Mountain Dog. The presidential pooch is a 12-month-old homeless puppy. He was previously owned by a Northern Irish couple who emigrated to South Africa. Sadly, they could not take him with them so Galway Bay FM radio broadcaster and dog breeder Valerie Hughes stepped in. “They were absolutely devastated and heartbroken when they handed him into the Bernese Mountain Dog Club,” Ms Hughes said. Ms Hughes is one of the best-known breeders of Bernese Mountain Dogs in the country and has won many

Mic léinn Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge ar Flirt FM Le Colleen Ní Bhaistir Flirt FM! Stáisiún Malartach na Gaillimhe. Éistígí linn beo ar líne ar an suíomh flirtfm.ie nó ar 101.3FM. Tá mic léinn Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge ag an gCeathrú Rua ag craoladh beo ar Flirt FM faoi láthair. Gach Dé Céadaoin as seo go deireadh an seimistear beidh mic léinn ón Acadamh le cloisteáil beo ar an aer idir 11.00 agus 13.00. Tá an craoladh seo ag teacht ón stiúideo atá againn anseo san ollscoil ar an gCeathrú Rua. Is iad na spéirmhná ón gceathrú bliain den B.A sa Chumarsáid Gina Ní Chathasaigh, Roísín Ní Ealaí agus Samantha Connolly a chuirfidh tús leis an gcraoladh i mbliana agus iad ag obair le lucht an darna bliain.

Conas a tharla sé sin, deir sibh libh féin? Bhuel bhí mic léinn bhliain 2 den B.A sa Chumarsáid ag craoladh beo trí Ghaeilge ar Flirt FM anuraidh ar feadh 11 seachtain mar chuid den obair a bhaineann leis an modúl i gcraoltóireacht raidió. Chraol na grúpaí éagsúla ó bhliain 2 den chéim sa chumarsáid cláir leath uair a chloig ar nós, Scléip ar an Aer, Iris an

Iarthair, An Solas Glas agus Cumasc. I mbliana is iad Luach na Nuachta, Brí Beo, Glór an Phobail agus Fite Fuaite atá ag craoladh. I measc na n-ábhar a bhí ann go dtí seo bhí gach rud ó Oíche Shamhna, gnéas, an Oireachtas agus roinnt ábhar eile. Ní cláir leadránacha a bhíonn á gcraoladh againn, geallaim daoibh! Bíonn guthanna éagsúla

Foclóir: Stáisiún Malartach na Gaillimhe: Galway’s alternative station Suíomh: Site Ag craoladh: Broadcasting Beo: live Cláir: Shows Teachtaireacht: Text/Message Éagsúlacht: Variety Geallaim daoibh: I promise you Ní cláir leadránacha: It’s not a boring show.

iontu, tuairimí ón bpobal agus ceol le cloisteáil ar na cláir a chraolann an tAcadamh ar Flirt FM. Tabhair cluas dúinn gach Dé Céadaoin idir a 11 agus a 1 ar Flirt FM! Is féidir libh teachtaireacht a sheoladh chugainn tríd an suíomh www.flirt.ie nó seol téacs chugainn ar 085 180 1013.Chomh maith leis sin is féidir libh teachtaireacht a fhágáil dúinn ar Facebook- An tAcadamh ar Flirt FM. Beidh mise Colleen Ní Bhaistir ag scríobh an cholúin seo “Scéalta ón Acadamh” sa pháipéar ‘Sin’ go deireadh an tseimeastair agus beidh mé ag trácht air ábhair éagsúla in Ollscoile na hÉireann Gaillimh. Má tá aon tuairimí agaibh seol chuig an bpáipéar iad ag editor.sin@ gmail.com nó seol chuig Áras na Mac Léinn, OÉ Gaillimh iad.

awards in a variety of different dog shows for her pedigree Bernese Mountain Dogs. Many of these have been at Crufts, the world’s largest dog show held annually in Birmingham. “[Michael D. Higgins] has had Bernese mountain dogs for over nineteen years and is very familiar with the breed so we are just delighted that the new president is going to stay with the breed that he knows and loves.” Bernese Mountain Dogs can reach up to 70cm in height and an astonishing 120 pounds in weight. The handsome Swiss dogs retain their puppy-like enthusiasm until they are about 2½ years old, so need plenty of open space to bounce and play. Where better to do that than in Phoenix Park? Ms Hughes said that the new President had been in touch with her regarding the dog for some time and he was adamant that the lucky dog that would be joining him the Aras would be a dog that was in need of a good home. She also revealed that one of her own pedigree puppies would be joining Bruno at some stage in the New Year. “When I told Michael D about the dog, his eyes lit up and he was bowled over by the pictures. The second puppy will be born in the New Year and I will house-rear that so that the Aras staff and security don’t

have to be cleaning up after a young puppy,” she said. Bruno moved into his new home on the 11 November. In other presidential news, the white Oak inauguration chair used in the inaugural ceremony for Michael D Higgins has been designed and made by GMIT Letterfrack graduate John Lee. John, based in Pagestown, Co.Meath, graduated from the Furniture Design and Manufacture programme in 1993 and following a number of years working in the UK, returned to Ireland and set up his own highly successful furniture business. John was awarded the commission following a tendering process conducted by the OPW to replace the previous chair, the ‘Viceregal Throne’, made in the nineteenth century for the British Viceroys or Lord Lieutenants of Ireland who controlled British administration in Ireland. This chair was altered for use by the Éire government to inaugurate the first President of Ireland, Douglas Hyde, by removing a carved crown that decorated its top and incorporating the State Harp as a fabric inset in the back of the chair. “The new chair is a modest and modern but not overwhelming piece that reflects the dignity of the office of the President,” says Mr Lee.

NUIG’s Got Talent Winner Niamh Langan is congratulated by presenters Steve Benn and Bridin Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh.

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Forced Emigration of Graduate Teachers By Colette Sexton

There has been bad news for graduate teachers this month as rumours are suggesting up to 2,000 teaching posts may be cut in the upcoming budget. Graduate teachers are being forced to emigrate due to the lack of teaching work available in Ireland. A new report on Public Sector Trends by Richard Boyle showed that two out of three people employed in the Irish public service work in either health or education. However, numbers employed by the public service have decreased in recent years. The amount employed in the public service in 2011 is now just below the 2006 levels of employment. In 2011, there were approximately 93,000 people employed in the education sector. The report also shows

that Ireland’s educational attainment scores are below the European average and this rate is not improving. The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey is an internationally standardised assessment given to fifteen year olds in schools across the world. Ireland’s score and ranking in both reading and maths has fallen. In the PISA survey of 2006, Ireland was ranked sixth of the EU15 in maths but by 2009 Ireland had dropped to eleventh place. The loss of young, enthusiastic teachers due to budget and funding cuts might be compromising the education of Ireland’s children. Many of the teaching graduates of the Class of 2011 have applied for jobs in the UK and have managed to secure full

time posts there with no intention of returning to Ireland in the coming years. NUI Galway teaching graduate Aoife McAdden, speaking to the Irish Independent, claimed that job opportunities in Ireland are severely lacking. “Out of a class of nearly 200 who graduated from Galway this year, I don’t know anyone who got a full-time job at home.” Some Irish graduates were lucky to get temporary work covering maternity leave at home. Many did not even apply for jobs in Ireland, thinking it was a lost cause. Budget 2011 measures led to an overall reduction in pay of over 1 5 % f o r n e w t e a c hers appointed after 1 J a n u a r y, 2 0 1 1 . E v e n if teaching graduates secure a job in Ireland, they are paid €100 less in September 2011 than

they would have been if they started the job a year earlier. In response to reports that Budget 2012 might increase the pupilteacher ratio, ASTI General Secretary Pat King said: “Ultimately economic recovery is about jobs. If the pupilteacher ratio is increased by one, almost every second level school in the country will lose between one and three teachers. Schools will be forced to drop subjects and classes. For many young people this will impact on their career and study options, whether or not they will get work in Ireland, and what kind of job they will have. It’s that serious”. The worst days of the recession are said to be behind us but opportunities for Irish teaching graduates only appear to be getting worse.

IFI to Establish Film Archive Centre at NUI Maynooth By Marése O’Sullivan

NUI Maynooth is set to play a leading role in the film industry, as the Irish Film Institute this month announced their plans to collaborate with the university to establish the IFI Irish Film Archive Preservation and Research Centre there. The Irish Film Centre was founded in September 1992 and, in the same year, its staff set up the Irish Film Archive to safeguard and protect Ireland’s film history, as well as to make it accessible to the public. Margaret Kelleher, Director of NUI Mayn o o t h ’s H u m a n i t i e s Research Institute, An Foras Feasa, commented: “We warmly welcome the announcement of the planned construction of the IFI [Centre on campus]. This will be a key

national resource, and builds on existing collaborations between the IFI and An Foras Feasa. The riches in the IFI collections are of interest to a diverse range of subjects, extending beyond film and media to music, Irish language studies, history and the social sciences.” The Head of the IFI Irish Film Archive, Kasandra O’Connell, believes that Ireland is in urgent need of the NUI Maynooth development: “Time is running out, as our archive building in the historic IFI premises i n Te m p l e B a r h a s reached capacity. Critically, we cannot accept any more material, meaning that precious collections are in danger of being lost. […] This exciting partnership [with the university] will provide a long-term

secure home for the Collection and allow us to create a Research Centre through which the use of digital technology will ensure the collections are more widely accessible for future generations.” The Irish Film Institute’s Irish Film Archive Preservation Fund campaign was recently launched with a target of €300,000 by Spring 2012. Oscar-nominated Irish actress, Saoirse Ronan, star of award-winning motion pictures, Atonement, The Lovely Bones and The Way Back, has championed the endeavor. The IFI launched a promotional short film in which the seventeen-year-old Carlow native encourages the Irish public to back the IFI’s efforts to protect our country’s motion picture legacy. In the video, Ronan

is digitally transported into iconic footage from the Irish Film Institute’s archive, including scenes from Once and My Left Foot. She is also featured in real-life film documentaries, standing beside Michael Col lins during a passionate speech, walking along the pitch at the GAA AllIreland finals, and on the plane of President John F. Kennedy upon his arrival in Dublin Airport in 1963. “The written word can be powerful and beautiful, but films transport us to another place in a way that even the most evocative words never can,” the actress says. “If we lose our films, we lose that other place forever. The IFI Irish Film Archive urgently needs your support to save and preserve our film heritage.”

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UL Awash With Money Saving Tips By Siobhan Manson With the upcoming budget looming, Christmas bells prematurely chiming and the closing date for fees not long past, dwindling finances are yet again at the forefront of students’ minds. University goers are notorious for their money saving beans-on-toast dinners and bottles of Buckfast. In the University of Limerick, economically minded students are finding new ways to save a buck. It seems rather than showering at home some have been resorting to using university gymnasium facilities. Derick Daly, President of UL Students’ Union, told the Limerick Leader that “there is anecdotal evidence that students are using the gym more often to get use of their membership as their discretionary spend has evaporated, but also to use the showers there to avoid switching on the hot water to save costs”. This shows the length students are going to in order to save money. The shocking rev-

elation reinforces growing fears that students will be forced out of education if fees increase. It is rumoured that the government intend to increase the ironically named student contribution figure by a whopping three thousand euro. Although this is said to be speculation, Daly’s claim poses the question whether any increase, large or small, will have an effect on student registration numbers. With some students already experiencing significant grant reductions, a fee increase may be the catalyst for a decline in the number of students going on to third level in coming years. So what does the future hold for the students of Ireland? Will we long for the days of beans and buckie? Will the gyms be monitored for refugees or will these students be left with no choice but to withdraw from education? Perhaps these reports from UL will be a wakeup call to government… but I wouldn’t bet my hot water on it.

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NUI Galway Graduate Leads Protest Against European Commission President By Emmet Marron Austerity is very much the buzzword of the moment. As with many political euphemisms, it is a fairly innocuous term that suggests nothing of the devastating impact it has on peoples lives. Across the continent the livelihoods, prospects and dreams of European citizens are being thrown into turmoil in the name of austerity. In the past two weeks, two democratically elected heads of state have been forced to step aside in favour of technocratic governments tasked with implementing austerity measures which will greatly impact on the social fabric of their countries for years to come, in a desperate attempt to placate the markets. As students from

all across Ireland took part in the fees protest they too are reacting to this drive for austerity, that the reintroduction of third level fees is even on the table at this point in time is to a large part as a result of the agreement that our last government signed with the EU and IMF shortly before capitulating. Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council and one of the staunchest proponents of austerity as a means of fixing the European financial crises, was last week delivered a clear message on behalf of those feeling its effects while attending the opening of the academic year at the European University Institute in Fiesole outside Florence. The EUI is the prestige university of the European Union, many of

the senior staff are former members of European Union bodies and a large percentage of the mainly post-graduate student body go on to take up jobs in European institutions. As such Van Rompuy naturally expected a placid and compliant audience for a speech intended to justify the austerity measures being carried out at the behest of his colleagues and to mask the growing undemocratic tendencies within the European Commission of which he is the unelected President. Among this audience of the “cream of European students” (van Rompuy’s own words), were members of a broadly leftist student collective within the university, “The Prezzemolo Collective”, who took the opportunity of the Presi-

dent’s attendance to make clear their objections to the direction that Europe is taking under his stewardship. The president’s intervention was met with the striking image of students standing throughout the audience holding aloft banners reading “Democracy,” while parts of the speech which flagrantly disregarded the harsh reality of austerity measures were loudly challenged by the student body. A spokesperson for the group, Francis O’Connor, an NUI Galway graduate from Newcastle West, then made his way to the stage and delivered an impassioned speech in which he directly challenged the consensus of the European elite as laid out minutes previously by the President. According to O’Connor “the intervention was a

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

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

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)

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

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

Lunchtime Shuttle From Dangan Carpark

13.00, 13.30

14.00, 14.30, 15.00, 15.30

13.00, 13.30

Lunchtime Shuttle From Orbsen Building

Bus ag Am Lóin ó Áras Oirbsean 13.00, 13.30

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.

13.15, 13:45

Lunchtime Shuttle From Dangan Carpark

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

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

Lunchtime Shuttle From Dangan Carpark

Afternoon lite Service from Orbsen Building (every 30 minutes)

Peak Evening Service from Orbsen Building (every 15 minutes) Peak Evening Service from Orbsen Building (every 17.00, 15 minutes) 17.15, 17.30, 16.00, 16.15, 16.30, 16.45, 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,

crisis. Our intervention was an expression of solidarity with them.” The group claims that the message that they deliver is not a eurosceptic one, it is one of a better Europe which is possible, one which puts the interests of citizens from all across this union at the heart of legislation and policy. That the group is made up of students from many member states (including significantly Greece, Ireland and Italy) who are working together to envisage a better Europe shows what is possible when Europeans work together. The Irish students who march through Dublin this week do so as just one part in the European wide struggle against austerity. Find out more at: http:// collettivoprezzemolo.blogspot.com/

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)

symbolic one. The EU has an ephemeral quality, it is everywhere and yet it is nowhere. National politicians are occasionally confronted by their citizens (but unfortunately on an ever less frequent basis) and are to varying degrees held to account by the media and the electorate. Politicians at the European level, like Van Rompuy, never engage or even recognise the existence of the people they “rule over”. We as a collettivo are lucky enough to be in a position to have an opportunity to force him to recognise, at least for a moment or two, the existence of another Europe. All of us Greeks, Irish, Italians, Portugese and Spanish members of the collettivo have personal stories of the economic hardships wrought by the

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

QR code timetable

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Postgraduate Grant Under Threat By Colette Sexton Proposed government plans advocate the scrapping of postgraduate grants in this year’s budget. Currently 40% of all postgraduate students, which amounts to 9,000 this year, are entitled to maintenance grants and are exempt from paying fees. From next year onwards however, new government plans might mean the scrapping of postgraduate grants. On average, postgraduate

students who qualify for grants receive €6,000 a year from the government to cover fee payments and maintenance. The state pays all undergraduate fees while also providing maintenance for 44% of all undergraduates. Cutting financial support for postgraduate students is estimated to save the Department of Education over €50 million a year. Students currently enrolled in courses will be allowed to complete them with financial support still being provided.

On the other hand, students beginning postgraduate courses in September 2012 will not be entitled to support. This news comes as Labour TDs are under increasing pressure not to renege on promises made in the run up to the General Election earlier this year. Four days before the election Ruairi Quinn, the current Minister for Education, signed a pledge which promised not to re-introduce third level fees. The abolishment of post-graduate grants might provide the

Easpa múinteoirí ealaíne le Gaeilge Iarrachtaí á dhéanamh chun an scéal a athrú Le Meadhbh Ní Eadhra Tá sé beartaithe ag an gColáiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD) i mBaile Átha Cliath, dioplóma i dTeagasc trí Ghaeilge (Ealaín) a reáchtáil ó dheireadh mhí Eanáir 2012 ar aghaidh. Mairfidh an cúrsa ar feadh bliana agus is cúrsa páirtaimseartha

a bheidh i gceist. Is deis iontach é seo dóibh siúd gur spéis leo a bheith ag múineadh trí mheán na Gaeilge, agus tabharfaidh sé neart cúnamh agus tacaíochta dóibh agus iad ag iarraidh teacht ar bhealaí chun an ealaín a mhúineadh trí Ghaeilge. Is i gcomhar leis an gcomhlacht Gaelchultúr a bheidh an cúrsa á reáchtáil

agus tá COGG ag cur tacaíochta ar fáil don chúrsa. Sa chúrsa seo, tabharfar deis do na rannpháirtithe a bheith ag foghlaim sa seomra ranga ach ar an idirlíon freisin. Mar sin ní bheidh gá dóibh freastal ar sheisiúin sa seomra ranga gach seachtain. Beidh léachtaí ar siúl in NCAD i mBaile Átha Cliath ar chei-

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Labour government with a ‘get out of jail free’ clause as it is not technically going back on that promise. USI President, Gary Redmond, has condemned the idea of cutting postgraduate financial supports. He believes that abolishing post graduate grants would lead to higher education being once again available only to the wealthy: “This Government, and its predecessor, have spoken at length about the need to build a knowledge economy, the value of education and the need for Ireland to increase its R&D capacity. This proposal

would mean that the number of students able to progress to Masters and PhD level would plummet, and Higher Education in Ireland would return to being the preserve of the wealthy elite.” Ironically, it was Niamh Bhreathnach, Labour Minister for Education that abolished third level fees in 1995. Current Education Minister, Ruairi Quinn was Minister for Finance at the time. In early November, a group of over ten Labour TDs attended an ad hoc meeting to discuss their increasing concerns over the possible re-introduction of

third level fees. Speaking to the Sunday Business Post after the meeting, new Labour TD Alex White said that fees are an important issue for the Labour Party: “third level fees and university access was a big issue for the Labour Party, and would be regarded as a highly progressive achievement by the party when last in government.” It remains to be seen what affects this year’s budget will have but with Ruairi Quinn being ordered to find savings in his €9 billion education budget, things are not looking good for third level students.

thre Shatharn i Seimeastar 1 agus ar cheithre Shatharn i Seimeastar 2. Lena chois sin, cuirfear ábhar foghlama agus ceachtanna idirghníomhacha ar fáil do na mic léinn ar an suíomh ríomhfhoghlama www.ranganna.com. Deir Stiúrthóir Oideachais Ghaelchultúir, Éamonn Ó Dónaill, go bhfuil sé mar aidhm ag an gcúrsa seo scileanna teanga a thabhairt do na rannpháirtithe ‘a chuirfidh ar a gcumas an ealaín a mhúineadh go héifeachtach trí

Ghaeilge agus páirt a ghlacadh go muiníneach in imeachtaí na scoile a reáchtáiltear trí mheán na Gaeilge.’ “Tá deacrachtaí móra ag scoileanna múinteoirí ealaíne a earcú a bhfuil caighdeán sásúil Gaeilge acu,” ar sé. Dar le hurlabhraí ón NCAD, is cúrsa é seo a mbeidh éileamh mhór air agus tá áthas orthu go mbeidh deis nua á gcur ar fáil do dhaoine gur spéis leo an ealaín a mhúineadh trí Ghaeilge. “Níl aon chúrsa eile cosúil

leis seo ar fáil in Éirinn, go bhfios dom,” ar sé. Tá tuilleadh eolais ar fáil mar gheall ar an Dioplóma i dTeagasc trí Ghaeilge (Ealaín), chomh maith le bróisiúr agus foirm iarratais an chúrsa, ach glaoch a chur ar (01) 484 5220 nó scríobh chuig eolas@ gaelchultur.com. Is féidir an bróisiúr agus an fhoirm iarratais a íoslódáil freisin ó www.gaelchultur.com. Is é Dé hAoine, 16 Nollaig 2011 an spriocdháta d’iarratais.

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Number of Students in Third Level to be Capped? By Louise Hogan A report commissioned by Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn, has recommended capping the number of students admitted to third level institutions, as a cost saving measure. The report, by the Higher Education Authority, proposed the drastic measure as a way of minimising the €500 million funding gap for third level education. Despite numerous preelection promises not to raise student fees, Quinn now claims he has less room to manoeuvre than previously envisaged. In September, the student registration fee was raised to €2,000, generating an

estimated €40 million. However, another source of revenue is necessary as the Hunt Report earlier this year warned an extra €500 million was needed each year to maintain current teaching standards. A spokesperson for the seven university presidents claimed last week that resources per student had fallen to levels so low as to affect the sustainability of the university sector. This latest report, which also advocates for a student loan system perhaps based on the UK model, follows on from the Hunt Report, a twenty year strategy for the university sector, which supported the introduction of student

fees. These reports, coupled with the Minister’s repeated refusal to offer any concrete assurances to students, are extremely worrying and would seem to indicate an inevitable rise in the cost of third level education. The idea of capping the number of students admitted to third level institutions is a worrying new development. Any capping of numbers would be unlikely to affect current students; however with the number of students enrolling in third level education set to rise to double its current level by 2030, such a policy would mean thousands of people effectively being denied

their right to an education. The increased cost of third level education in the UK is also expected to put more pressure on the Irish system as some of the estimated 6,000 Irish students in the UK are expected to return to Irish third level education. A cap on student numbers would mean thousands of young people would have no alternative but to join the live register. Third level students and staff alike are in disagreement with the assessment of the sectors finances by the university presidents. There are claims that the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, which were released

last month and showed Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin slipping out of the top 100, were exploited and their importance exaggerated in order to justify the possible introduction of fees. General Secretary of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) Mike Jennings commented “Small changes in these rankings are given exaggerated importance way beyond their merit. Most academics are completely sceptical about the validity of the rankings process.” This latest report is expected to shape the Cabinets upcoming discussions on the issue. Minister Quinn previously

claimed he was examining “more creative ways” of reducing spending but the HEA report has, from a student’s perspective created a rather bleak picture of what the future discourse on fees will be. Both the USI and FEE have been proactively fighting any measures aimed at increasing costs for students, including the national protest [see cover story]. With the university presidents lobbying the government to raise fees however, despite failing themselves to bear the brunt of any significant cost cutting measures, students face an uphill battle to combat any increased costs or proposed cap on numbers.

Assisted Suicide Motion carried in TCD By Barbara Preston A potentially controversial philosophical debate on assisted suicide in Trinity College tempted NUI Galway’s Philosophy Society to make the trip up to Dublin on 17 November. With speakers including Sir Terry Pratchett, Dr Philip Nitschke and Dr Kevin Fitzpatrick from the UK organisation ‘Not Dead Yet’, one national newspaper had reported protests from pro-life groups in the run-up to the debate but the evening was one of serious consideration of both sides of the argument. Those fortunate enough to get into the packed hall were treated to wellpresented, fascinating arguments. The motion that “This House Would Provide Assisted Suicide For All Adults” was proposed by student Sarah Grace, who introduced the argument on this “sensitive issue” and spoke about the expected arguments against it. The opposition was led by Maureen Junker-Jenny, Professor of Theology at TCD, who took an ethical stand against the erosion of the value of human life and the moral responsibility legalised euthanasia would place on families and the medical profes-

sion. Tom Curran, head of pro-euthanasia group Exit International, claimed that the issue is all about choice and that this decision should be made by those dying rather than the medical profession or the law. Since suicide ceased to be a crime in 1993, there is a legal anomaly in that assisting someone to commit suicide can result in ten years in prison – Mr Curran pointed out that there is a big difference between “irrational suicide” due to depression and “rational suicide” and that those who choose to die but need the physical assistance of others to do so, should be given that right. Derwin Brennan, student speaker for the opposition, focussed on prejudice against the elderly, senility and illness. This prejudice, he said, drives the idea of “burdenhood” and lack of dignity in infirmity and which, if legalised euthanasia existed, would encourage those who feel a burden on their families or society to choose to die. “Dignity is where you make it”, he said, even when one is ill or dying, and therefore society should protect the potential dignity inherent in all people.

Sir Terr y Pratchett, famous for his ‘Discworld’ novels and, more recently for the documentary Choosing to Die, spoke for the motion. When making the documentary at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland, he learnt that choosing to die with dignity was, for some, preferable to a protracted, painful death in hospital. “It comes down to the individual,” he said, but that “does not mean everyone else has to make the same choice.” Death, for him, “is not a good thing, or a bad thing – it is just a thing.” With news recently published that Sir Terry has already begun the process of assisted suicide, he told the audience that “the letter to Dignitas keeps me going”, but, “I hope I never have to use it.” Dr Kevin Fitzpatrick then spoke against universal legislation to allow assisted suicide. He said that there is “no such thing as a ‘right to die’” as death is inevitable for all. He believes that, while there must be compassion for those who suffer terminal illnesses and that people who help them should not be condemned, you cannot legislate “for pure compassion” and that “one person wanting something should not make it [available] for

everyone.” Last to speak for the motion was Dr Philip Nitschke who pointed out that where assisted suicide is legal, it has not produced a “hell on earth”; rather, it “empowers people and takes away their fear”. He said that “we are alive because we want to live, not because we haven’t worked out how to die,” and that the possibility of social pressure should not disenfranchise those who want to make a choice. His oration raised many

points of order before the final student speaker, Liam O’Neill, wrapped up the opposition with an impassioned plea to protect the vulnerable who may die even though they want to keep on living because, “doctors are not infallible”. After the motion was put to the floor and carried by a sizeable majority, Sin had the opportunity to talk to some of the speakers. Listening to an absorbing discussion between Sir Terry and Dr Fitzpatrick was almost a summation

of the night’s debate. Both men agreed the facts that suicide is not illegal, that there is a right to refuse treatment and living wills and advanced directives are becoming more common. However, the law does not allow doctors to physically do anything illegal and the big difficulty seems to be that universal regulation without constraints and oversight is not acceptable. As Dr Nitschke said during the debate – wait five years and see how things have changed.

Sir Terry Pratchett and Dr Kevin Fitzpatrick, with Barbara Preston, Sin reporter, taking notes.

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

Student Announcements 1. INMO Nurses Meeting

The SU has facilitated an information evening for nursing students regarding proposals for 4th year payments. This meeting will be hosted by representatives of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and will take place from 8pm-10pm on Thursday 24th November in AM250 (O’Heocha, Arts Millennium).

Enterprise Awards Closing Date: Friday 25th November

2. SU Council, Class Reps Christmas Party

The last Class Reps SU Council meeting of the year will be on Tuesday 22nd November at 6pm in IT250 on the first floor of the IT Building. All Class Reps need to attend this meeting. Please bring your SU Card with you to the meeting and afterwards we will have the Class Reps Christmas Party in the College Bar with Santa Hats and lots of good cheer.

3. National Demonstration

There is just over one week left to get your big idea submitted to the awards.

The SU would like to thank the 900+ students from NUI Galway The NUI Galway Students’ Union Enterprise Awards aim to unlock the who took part in the Union of Students in Ireland’s National Dempotential of the students of NUI Galway to invest in their own futures onstration on Wednesday 16th today. If you have an idea for a new business or a social enterprise November. Over 20,000 students then this can be the competition that can allow you to realise your marched from Parnell Square to goal. Students are invited to sketch out the initial proposals for their Government Buildings in a wellproject or business and to draw up the plans they hope will make their attended, peaceful protest which idea a reality. The finalists will be given the chance to take their ideas March to Government Buildings, Dublin highlighted student issues, and in forward and to set about implementing their projects with the assistwhy we’re marching: 1. We need to make Labour honour its preparticular, the threats to increase ance of a financial allowance, workshops and clinics. The closing date election pledge to not increase fees or reduce the grant (see pic). the €2,000 Student Contribution for submissions is 5pm Friday 25th November. 2. We need a fair deal for nursing students. They should be paid for their 4th year placeand to cut the student grant. The ments and not forced to work the wards for The overall winner will receive a direct investment of €10,000 in their no pay. student movement and our issues 3. Our Mature Students need support, not cuts. project to really help get it off the ground in addition to further guidThey have been denied the grant which they received a lot of positive media need to stay in college. ant r G E th E v ance and mentoring to help bring the project forward, while two • Sa • Stop FEES attention. This is only part of the thE Grant E v a S • runners up prizes, each valued at €5,000 will also be awarded. The ES nationwide student campaign Stop FE goal of the competition is that every entrant has taken the first steps to make Fine Gael and Labour FacEBooK: SEarch For TICKETS €3 of launching their idea and so the benefits of each idea have been with SU CARD honour their commitments to stuthe SU Office allowed to flourish. More information including submission template 16 from dents made prior to the February Buses dept. 10.30am, NOV return 8.00 pm (approx.) and assessment criteria is available at www.su.nuigalway.ie general election. Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn signing the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) pre-election pledge not to increase fees or cut the student grant.

il after the of the Dá out in front o or e-mail in sleeping office for more inf Interested igalway.ie SU ident@nu up to the es ll .pr Ca ? su march

‘NUI Galway at the NatIONal StUdeNt demONStratION – 16th NOVember’.

WED

nsu-20111025-16NovDemo.indd 2

11/2/2011 2:32:11 PM

Christmas Study Space Lectures finish on Friday Dec 2nd. Study Space for Christmas 2011 is as follows, from 8.30am – 10pm: Sat 3rd –Sun 11th Kirwan, Cairnes, Darcy Thompson, O Flaherty, & McMunn

Students’ Union Charity Challenge Skydive Information Day Wednesday 30th November 11am - 4pm in Áras na Mac Léinn.

Mon 12th & Tue 13th Darcy Thompson, McMunn & AC201 Wed 14th & Thurs 15th Larmor, McMunn, Dillon & AC201

Jump out of a plane and raise money for Galway Rape Crisis Centre and Spunout.ie

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Italians on Berlusconi By Cormac O’Malley Prior to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Burlusconi’s resignation I spoke to two Italian students who, like me, are on Erasmus here in Leuven, Belgium; Andrea D’Ettore and Daniele Militano. We discussed Berlusconi’s corruption,

his probable departure and Italy’s debt crisis. Sin: To begin, the IMF is in Italy; Silvio Berlusconi is on the brink of resignation; in a sense everything that can go wrong has, and probably will go wrong; how worried are you for Italy?

Cormac at Speaker’s Corner.

Andrea: Actually I feel like a contrarian because I’d hope Berlusconi doesn’t resign as soon as austerity measures would be passed by the parliament. But at the same time I fear that Italy could become the next victim of the debt crisis. Of course if Italy tries to borrow money, it would have to pay an interest rate of 7% for ten year bonds; and I think that speculators will keep on putting Italy under pressure. Actually I don’t think that Berlusconi’s resignation will be the Pangaea for all of Italy’s problems. Sin: Italy is nearly €1 trillion in debt. Things are worse than ever; Italy could likely be the next Greece, although people have started saying that Italy is too big to bail

out. We already know about the lack of wealth in the Mezzogiorno. Was this crisis inevitable? Daniele: Well Italian debt is huge and it’s really worrying that these days the spread between the BTP and the German bonds has reached the highest levels ever, so it’s very worrying. The situation is critical and there is that possibility of becoming even worse than Greece, yes. But I must say there are some differences between Italy and Greece from the economic, but Italy obviously in land mass is a bigger country with a more erratic wealth. So it’s very worrying. There are some attempts to diminish Italy’s economic and political sovereignty. This is horrific. Sin: How corrupt do you

think Berlusconi is? Are you proud of him as a Prime Minister? Andrea: I’m sure that Berlusconi has some problems with corruption; but actually I don’t want to be a judge of course. I’m sure that his success is because of the fact that he was supported and financed by the Mafia. There is a lot of evidence that demonstrates that Berlusconi, especially in Sicily, had a lot of contacts; so he benefited from contacts he had that were both corrupt and honest. Of course he doesn’t have a good reputation as a PrimeMinister for an important country like Italy; but no I wouldn’t be proud of him. Also, the government have been involved with many sexual scandals. Our international reputation has fallen down drastically

with these scandals. It’s an embarrassing disgrace. I can’t be proud of him. Since this interview, Berlusconi has resigned and Mario Monti has been named the new Italian Prime Minister; a former EU commissioner to Italy. This will likely mean no negotiation of the 7% ECB interest rates. It will likely mean the silencing of both Eurozone-sceptics and Euro-sceptics that exist almost everywhere now from Ireland to Portugal to Greece to Italy. The front cover of last week’s issue of Time Magazine called Berlusconi “The man behind the world’s most dangerous economy.” We wait and watch. We will need our printing machines back from Britain, as the euro will fail.

Snow Survival Strategies By Sinead Healy After getting snowed in two years running, we can’t exactly call it an unexpected phenomenon and descend into chaos this year. If you end up braving snowy conditions on foot or car in the coming weeks here are a couple of strategies that might turn your journey from an icy hell into a more manageable winter wonderland experience. Walking: With the risks associated with driving or cycling and the unreliability of public transport in the snow, it is often best to get around on foot. However, walking isn’t without its own set of dangers. Remember that guy two years ago who fell on RTE news? Ouch! If you own solid, waterproof snowshoes with good grip and traction, wear them. If not, normal flat boots or wellies with textured soles will do the job. Most types of shoes can be adapted to the snow using ice-traction shoe grips like YakTrax. Costing €5 - €20, they can be found in the likes of Dunnes and Penneys.

They are small, stretchy grips with small metal studs on the bottom that stretch onto the shoes you’re already wearing. If you don’t have snowshoes or grips before snow strikes, tracking them down is like finding gold dust. Instead, take inspiration from Superman’s underwear-on-the-outside wardrobe malfunction and wear a thick pair of socks over your shoes. It’s not sufficient to wear the right shoes. You must also walk the right way too. Long strides throw off your balance – a vital factor in keeping your footing and not slipping and falling. Slips tend to happen when you firmly plant your foot on a slippery surface. Instead, take relatively quick steps along ice patches. Like a good chess player, think several steps ahead when navigating snow. Look ahead for icy patches, which are often darkened or shiny, and figure out the safest way to avoid them. Despite this, there is still a good chance of taking a slip. Just in case, keep your hands free. Use a backpack rather than a handbag or a

shopping bag. This means your can break your fall with your arms. Also, leaning forward while walking means you can direct you fall forwards rather than backwards and hopefully ensure a less nasty slip. If in doubt, don’t walk alone and have a charged mobile phone with credit in case of an emergency. Driving: Not driving in the snow is pretty much a 100% effective way of not getting involved in a snow-related car accident. Go figure. However, this is not always practical and feasible option. If you need to hit the roads taking some time to carry out basic preparation and know the fundamentals will decrease the chances of rapidly regretting the decision and first-hand experience of horror stories. Sort out basic maintenance issues – ensure tyres are up to scratch and properly inflated, top up windscreen washer using an anti-freezing agent and check that you have enough petrol. Know your car. Finding out if your car is front-, rear- or four-wheel

Lindsay Hollingsworth performing at the Juggling Society’s Super Awesome Amazing Juggling Show in the Baily Allen Hall. Photo by Matt Burke drive and if it has active safety systems like antilock brakes while sliding around an icy corner or facing a treacherous downward slope is not fun. Before you set out, dress in warm clothing and clear snow and ice from all windows and lights. Bring along a mobile phone, ice scraper, brush, some emergency food and drink and a rug/loose carpet in case you get stuck on ice. It’s easier said than done, but get your speed right. There is a trade-off between going too fast at the expense of control and too slow that you risk losing momentum when you

need it. This depends on the conditions, the road and your car. Increase your stopping distance and look as far ahead as possible. Stopping distance on ice can be ten times longer than on a dry road so anticipate stops well in advance and keep a big safety margin. Despite best efforts – gentle breaking, slow speeds around corners and smooth accelerating and steering – a skid is almost inevitable. Steer into the direction of the skid. Avoid the temptation to break. Recovery is all about good steering and staying calm. A couple of quick tips

about using gears in a manual car: start off slowly in second gear to avoid wheel spin, drive in the highest gear possible and decrease speed by going down through gears. Drive in the ruts left by other vehicles to help your traction. Use dipped headlights. Turn off the radio and all distractions because snow requires your full attention. Cycling: Just don’t. Seriously. Take home message: be prepared and alert and avoid unnecessary risks or trips.

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An Audience with Colm Tóibín By Claire Finnegan Mr Tóibín’s prosaic works address some of the most prevalent issues of modern society within Ireland and further afield, including the depiction of Irish society, living abroad, the process of creativity and the preservation of a personal identity, especially in front of loss. Works which reflect this include The Blackwater Lightship, Brooklyn and The Sign of the Cross. The Blackwater Lightship was nominated for the IMPAC Dublin prize and won the Booker prize in 1999. As well as this, Tóibín’s remarkable contribution to Irish journalism has further emphasised his place on the Irish literary stage, due to these achievements, and an abundance of further contributions which Mr Tóibín has made to Irish literature, NUI Galway’s Literary and Debating Society welcomed Mr Tóibín to make

a formal address to the society as well as awarding him the President’s Medal. The Medal is an accolade bestowed upon those who the society views as having been remarkable in their chosen field. As we all sit down in the Kirwan theatre Tóibín reads a tale from his new book Empty Family called ‘Two Women’. As he reads it is clear to the listener why he has been given the honour the President’s Award; Mr Tóibín reads his engagingly descriptive tale with both poise and personality, with high emphasis on the relationships between characters and their individual personalities, showcasing his strong empathetic identity. Rare is it to have complete silence in a lecture theatre, but everyone listens intently, with the occasional outburst of laughter. He tells us how The Blackwater Lightship was not written to raise issues,

with its arguably controversial topics for 90s Ireland, but did so, reflecting when Mary Robinson poured tea for homosexuals in Government in 1990, reflecting a welcoming of the gay community. It also reflected how AIDS suffers in Ireland in the 90s had to rely on their friends to act as their family in their hard times. Mr Tóibín reflects on a question directed to him from a student about his career teaching creative writing in Princeton University. He tells us that his main job is creating safe space to talk about works so the student’s don’t feel threatened or undermined and how the introduction of deadlines are useful to create structure and rhythm to their writing. He describes his most valued experience as a teacher as giving a student the confidence and ‘permission’ to write about his or her personal experiences.

In reference to his book The Master which depicts the American-born writer Henry James in the final years of the 19th century he had to refer to James’ letters. He felt that he had to stay faithful to what he thought his feelings were which he will never truly know unless James “comes back from the dead”. Tóibín also drew on his own reaction to scandals to effectively capture James’ feelings on the tribulations of Oscar Wilde. As with all his books, Tóibín tells us that once a book is written that it is better to walk away from it, for even though he, like many authors, would like to make modifications to his work, it is simply impossible to release a new edition to appease the publisher. On his skill of writing he says “I don’t set aside time for writing. Sure, sometimes nothing comes naturally, and I procrastinate a lot. I have three

Colm Tóibín presented with an award by the Literary & Debating Society. short stories and half a novel in the pipeline. Once I start to write I need to do it, or it will never be finished. I am very start and stop with regards to writing. Once I begin, I work at it fully.” He uses the analogy of not wanting to swim in the cold waters of Ireland, but you need to just dive in and take the plunge. When awarded the President’s Medal for people

who have made outstanding contributions to their field of work - whose recipients include Philip Pullman and Brian Friel – Tóibín seems both honoured and humbled, and was congratulated with a standing ovation. It was clear to all there that he deserved this great honour of receiving the President’s award for his outstanding contributions to Irish, and worldwide literature.

Sustainable Campus: Cycling to Campus Continuing the cycling theme of the last Sustainable Campus column, we take a look at current and future trends of cycling on campus. By Darren Byrne, Ronan McNamee, Mark Stafford In 2010, 15% of students cycled to campus regularly – up from 10% in 2005. This is far in excess of the national cycle commuting proportion of 2%. Why are more students cycling? Could it be that we can no longer afford to pull up at the petrol station and go through the gruelling torture of watching the figures rise and then watch the needle return to zero after what seems like no journey at all? Petrol prices have risen sharply and general economic reasons could well be behind the increase in student cycling over the last five years. With a properly maintained bike, travel to campus is free. Or could it be to do with the health benefits associated with cycling? Shocking results published in the past few weeks by the Survey of Lifestyle, Atti-

tudes and Nutrition show that 59% of Irish adults do not get the recommended amount of physical activity and 23% are overweight. It also showed that in 2006 the main causes of death were linked to the circulatory system. A fitter student may even be a more productive student; after all Albert Einstein claimed he devised his theory of relativity while out cycling! Significant steps have been taken by NUI Galway to promote sustainable travel to and from the campus. They have set targets and aim to achieve 17% of students cycling by 2017 and have begun provisions to cater for this. Currently there is only enough secure parking for less than 10% of all students, as we can see from the endless string of lamp posts and bus shelters with bikes chained to them. The university is also adding more changing facilities and currently drafting the new mobility

plan to outline the work intended. Despite the benefits of cycling and the work undertaken by the university, 23% of students living within three kilometres still drive solo each day, a distance which takes just twelve minutes to cycle. We even have the situation where many students sit in traffic in order to go to the gym for a work out. A question we need to ask ourselves after each short car journey is: “Could I have made that trip by bike?” The answer for the vast majority of short trips is “Yes”. A distance of five to ten kilometres is considered a reasonable commute to cycle. So why is it that many students still make the short trip to college by car? Ask anyone around campus, each person will have a different opinion. It may be the weather, the lack of parking for bicycles around campus, the lack

of changing facilities or the lack of adequate cycle lanes or even just laziness. To decipher this problem and try to create awareness, we are currently carrying out a Final Year Project on the trends in cycling within the University and greater city area. To date, we have looked at a few areas in which the University could be improved to facilitate cycling, for example the provision of secured and covered bike shelters and the potential for short-term bike hire system similar to UCC and the Dublin Bikes Scheme. We will also be carrying out a campus wide survey to look at cycling trends and to get student and staff views on the facilities currently available. In general, we would like to pinpoint the key reasons why students (and staff) living in close proximity to the campus do not cycle. If you would like to like to know more about the project or assist

in any way, please contact r.mcnamme1@nuigalway.ie So whether it’s for

health, to save a buck or just because you enjoy it, as they say “On yer Bike!”

Chris Power on stage for the final of NUIG's Got Talent.

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The European Debt Crisis A Very Nineties Christmas What the hell happened? By Louise Hogan George Lee has spent the last three years speaking in hushed, worried tones on RTE News and you’re not exactly sure why. You’re aware there’s a recession. You know Greece is really in trouble and Ireland isn’t doing too great either; this much you’ve gleamed from half heartedly skimming the Indo on the Friday evening bus home. But what actually happened? Why are we bailing out the banks and then asking Europe for a bailout ourselves? What is a bailout? And what’s going on with the rest of Europe; why do the Germans look so smug and why are the Greeks always on strike? Let’s start with Ireland. You know all about the Celtic Tiger, the boom years when we were awash with cash - except we weren’t. There was plenty of credit but not enough money behind it. For example, you go to your bank and ask for a loan of €250,000. You own a farm worth that amount so the bank says no problem, if you have any trouble paying it back, they can reclaim their money by selling your land. But land prices were wildly inaccurate, inflated due to sudden, instant demand. Then the property market reached saturation and, precipitated by the global financial crash, prices dropped rapidly. Suddenly the piece of land you thought was worth €250,000 is actually only worth €150,000. Your job

in a factory in Shannon is being outsourced to India, you can’t pay back your loan and your land no longer covers the difference, so both you and the bank are in debt. This situation happened many times over and on a much larger scale with property developers and commercial land, until the banks had so much debt they were on the verge of collapse. In steps the Irish government tried to bail them out. A bailout is basically what your parents give you when you arrive home on a Friday evening, hungr y and broke: a few quid to help you make it through the weekend. A bank bailout is the same principle but on a much larger scale. A dig out from your parents is most likely to be along the lines of your Dad throwing you a tenner, warning “that’s the last of it till next week!” whereas the Irish government agreed to take on the banks debt indefinitely. They claimed the Irish economy would collapse otherwise. However, the failure to place a monetary or time limit on these bailouts was certainly a massive and costly oversight. To date, Ireland has pumped five separate cash injections into the banking sector; that’s a massive €70 million to be footed by the Irish taxpayer. Because we bailed out the banks, we in turn were short of money and needed a bailout from Europe. Imagine you loaned your money to

your little brother and then realised you needed some cash from your friend to keep you going. This isn’t an entirely accurate comparison however as your friend may well refuse to loan you the money: after all what’s in it for them? But Europe had no choice, or at least the Eurozone didn’t. We share a currency, so if Ireland defaults on its loans, it affects the value of our currency which impacts the other sixteen countries that use the Euro. So they were effectively forced into bailing us out. Which brings us onto Greece; even before adopting the Euro, the Greek government was borrowing heavily. Once it joined the single currency, Greece went on a spending spree; public sector wages doubled and there was a massive increase in public spending. The country now carries €340 billion in debt. Private creditors have already been forced by European leaders to write off 50% of Greek debt and Greece is about to accept its third EU/IMF bailout. The German economy was relatively sheltered from the global economic crash allowing them to emerge as the new European powerhouse, negotiating and financing most of the strategies aimed at saving the Eurozone, hence their newfound smugness. So there you have it; the European debt crisis lite, minus the dense economic jargon of George Lee. Trust me, you won’t impress any Economics lecturers by quoting from this article!

By Áine O Donnell The nineties is an era synonymous with all things tacky, gaudy and cheesy. During our childhood years, Christmas was all about waiting anxiously on Christmas Eve for Santa’s arrival and our only sign of religious devotion was praying to the baby Jesus that we were good enough to get more than coal. Recently, we have come accustomed to a “bah humbug” attitude and the current rampage of Scroogism is rife (does “they have their bloody Christmas decorations up already!” sound familiar?). The nineties, however, were the Golden age of Christmas. Back in the good old days, Santa was having his sleigh pulled by the Celtic Tiger and the elves weren’t facing redundancies. Christmas was lavish and extravagant. There was no need for excessive budgeting or cutting down in order to afford presents. Our Grandparent’s horror stories of receiving oranges on Christmas Day seemed ridiculous compared to the leaning tower of gifts we tore apart on 25 December. Our wish list included almost the entire back end of the Argos catalogue and we made no qualms about

how much we were getting. Forget about good will among men and all that jazz, it was all about presents! Christmas Day had a military routine. We woke up at an ungodly hour and rushed down the stairs to finally play with the toys we had waited so long for: Tamagotchis, Furbies, Baby Borns, Pokémon and Lego. After many hours of our parents painstakingly releasing toys out of their plastic prisons, everyone sat down for dinner. When we had eaten enough food to feed a small village, the annual viewing of Titanic took place in every Irish home. As Kate emotionally let go of Jack, an orchestra of snoring and children’s squeals rang out from the viewers. The evenings were filled with the classic drunken father vs small child game of Operation which could only end in tears. Christmas meant one thing for Irish children: the coming of the sacred Late Late Toy Show. We were transfixed and held in an unmistakable hush. We hung to every word spoken by Gay Byrne and were seething with jealousy at all those lucky brats who had tried out all the top toys for the show. The toy

car cavalcade was an inevitable pile up but always a highlight and “there’s one for every one in the audience” was met by swearing from the adults. We knew that Christmas had finally arrived when the Toy Show was on and we had seen that Coca-Cola ad. A white Christmas seemed like a myth in the nineties. We yearned to play in the snow on Christmas Day and were in a state of exultation if the illustrious day ever came. The snow days off school almost never happened and to us snow seemed like a miracle. How times have changed. Now we curse the snow for the abomination it has become. We have been stuck in traffic, had cabin fever from being locked in doors and faced with the irritating sniffly nose. It was nice to sing “White Christmas” and not to curse Bing Crosby. In the nineties, Barbie and Action Man would remain married until at least New Year’s Day, we could put up our Christmas decorations in August and everyone would be already in the Christmas spirit! We had no fear of a recession so we made risky decisions with our Monopoly money. A nineties Christmas truly was Christmas at its best.

Brian Grant – Day 3

Kevin Donoghue – Day 3

Brian Grant – Day 17

Kevin Donoghue – Day 17

Movember Update Sin has been charting mo-bros Brian Grant and Kevin Donoghue since day one, and can report the following on the facial hair front: Brian is undoubtedly in the lead for thickness and volume, but seems to have misunderstood the point entirely. What we have here, Brian, is a beard. Kevin gets Editor’s Pick: Sin’s favourite Mo Bro! Watch him squeeze out those last few follicles on Sin.ie.

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Opinion: Ladies’ Night

Gifting Plants

By Peter Langan

By Fiona Gillespie

Sexism comes in many different shapes and sizes. It can range from a smug comment to full on discrimination in the workplace or in college. For years sexism has been seen and portrayed by the media as something that can only occur to a female. This mindset came about in part due to the feminist movement, which has done great work in highlighting unfair differences in the treatment of the sexes. The feminist movement has helped women move beyond the home and explore whatever aspect of modern society they want to, which is laudable. However, for ever y action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The media often portrays females as the only victims of gender inequality. The government, due to persistent campaigning, provides vital and worthwhile breast-check facilities around the country. However, whilst this is a very worthwhile cause there is no national rollout of centers for men to attend a prostate check. There are

twenty National Breastcheck centers and a website. There is not one national Prostate check center nor a website, though the Movember campaign is raising awareness. This is worrying. Between 1999 and 2000 prostate cancer affected 1,934 men. In the same period 2,715 woman were diagnosed with breast cancer. This shows that prostate cancer, which is almost as common as breast cancer, is being comparatively overlooked by the media and society. Society often tells us that we must ‘man up’ when something goes wrong, whereas woman are expected to express their feelings. Recent statistics show that, in 2010, of the 486 deaths in Ireland which were officially declared as suicide, 386 of them were male. This highlights something very wrong in society that so many men are taking their own lives. A very common and simple example of discrimination against men of our age within society is ‘Ladies’ Night’ in local nightclubs. Men are being forced to pay large sums of

money in order to subsidise the night out for their female fellow partiers. I feel, and many others both male and female agree, that this is completely unfair and stinks of sexism. One can’t help but wonder how it is that clubs get away with this marketing campaign in a modern Ireland built on the foundation of equality for all. Men no longer have the luxury of subsidising a Ladies’ Night. The clubs expect every male punter to fund the partying of both sexes. I believe it developed from the bygone days where women didn’t work, thus it was expected that the man would pay. This now is no longer the case. Students have a tight budget and €6 (male price for Wednesday Night in CPs) is quite large when compared to ones daily expenditure at college. It’s a meal, a taxi home, or phone credit. Why should men be discriminated against with these unfair admissions policies, or our choice of nightclub narrowed due to cost? Clubs point out that Ladies Nights are good for business. This however is not a valid excuse. Many

clubs operate within the law, do not encourage discriminative admissions policies at their venues and still manage to make a profit. I often wonder why is it that some clubs have to discriminate and others do not? It is assumed that every man is looking for a woman, which is not necessarily true. A man may be in a relationship and as such have as much right to free entry as any lady entering the club as our intentions are the same: to have a good time. This practice, which is completely unfair to the male punter, is also illegal under the Equal Status Act, as clubs are discriminating against someone on the grounds of gender. Recently clubs have been sued under this legislation. The Equality Commission states that these policies infringe on men’s rights. I think it’s about time night clubs honoured these rights. Finally, I believe that if we truly want to have equality between the sexes, practices like Ladies’ Night have to be ironed out. It is out dated, extremely sexiest and belongs in the past.

The class Christmas party is a few days away and you still don’t have a present for your Secret Santa! Or worse, it’s the week before Christmas and you have yet to find a good present for your brother! Worry not, my friend, plants are great presents to give. They can be personal and sincere, without having to know the recipient too well. And with so many variations, there really is one for every friend, family member, classmate and colleague. An orchid is a beautiful flowering plant to give to that special someone and it needs only indirect sunlight and watering once a week. Phalaenopsis orchids bloom from winter to spring and the flowers are

long-lasting, so your significant other can enjoy the beautiful colours and fragrance well into the summer. Succulents are waterstoring plants that thrive in harsh climates. Your colleague who lives at his/ her desk would love an aloe vera plant, which will last forever with little or no care. Water the plant every week and give it occasional sunlight. Of course, the more sunlight, the better, but that’s considered a luxury in some offices on campus. If you want to be extra fancy, why not give your dearest sibling a bulb or herb kit with soil, pots and bulbs or seeds so that they can plant their own? This would be a bit of extra work, but the rewards are blooming good.

BizSoc’s Apprentice By Kealinn Ross Parking pay problems, drink spiking, neck bling and student deals – just some of the ideas at The BizSoc Apprentice, which culminated on Tuesday 15 November with a Dragon’s Den themed grand final. After eight weeks of competing, the remaining four teams were finally given their chance to vie for the all important €1,000 prize fund. The judging panel consisted of Irish Apprentice star, Breffny Morgan, CEO of Galway County and City Enterprise Board, Breda Morgan and NUI Galway economics lecturer, Brendan Kennelly. Among the audience were many friends and supporters of the contestants as well as several mem-

bers of university staff. A special guest was also in attendance, Burton Lee, a student enterprise initiative expert from Stanford University in the US. The competition kicked off with a very strong presentation from Team Inbetweeners, made up of second years Eoin Brosnan, Emmet Heneghan, John O’Reilly and Micheál Murphy. The team’s idea took the form of a smart phone app, The Student Life App, designed to make students’ life that little bit easier. While the judges had initial reservations regarding the association of alcohol deals with the App, the overall reaction was positive. Next up were The Chicas, consisting of first years Aoife Harkin and Orlagh Keating. This

team’s product mixed a welfare concept with profitability. Their product idea, The Triple S – or The Spike Safe Straw consisted of a specially chemically crafted straw, designed to effectively reduce date rape through identifying drinks that have been spiked. Initially, Breffny offered some constructive criticism that perhaps a tablet would have been better however the team strongly rebutted this argument. Overall, the judges praised the product. Te a m D y n a m o f o l lowed, with a highly entertaining presentation. Their product, The Neck Generation, involved creating a line of silicone based necklaces, progressing from the wristband craze. Team members Dean

Mc Cole and Sean Scott provided numerous laughs for audience and judges alike with Breffny declaring his post-presentation state as “speechless”! The final team to take to the stage were Team Cruinneas, made up of second year students, Caoimhe Folan, Erika Fox and Gráinne Conneely. The team gave a very professional presentation on their product concept; an App allowing the user to pay for street parking electronically. Breda Fox questioned whether the concept could be guarded by the team in terms of outside competition however the idea was extremely well received by the other two judges. Once the presentations were completed, it was down to the serious

Aloe Vera is the perfet present. Photo by Fiona. business of voting. With the eerie soundtrack of The Apprentice booming through the lecture hall, audience members with BizCards were offered one vote each. Audience vote made up 25% of the overall decision, with the judges’ votes making up the remaining 75%. After lengthy deliberation by the judges, The Chicas were declared the winners by BizSoc Audi-

tor, Paul Curley. The girls walked away with €1,000. Speaking after the competition, team member Aoife Harkin spoke of the big plans they had in store for the Triple S Straw. She said her team is currently looking into patenting possibilities for their product. BizSoc plans to make The Apprentice an annual event after the success of this year’s competition.

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Dear Darcy, A good mate of mine is always flirting with girls on our boys’ nights out and he has a girlfriend that he’s been dating for around six months. He never scores the girls but I still think it’s wrong that he flirts with girls all the time. Should I tell his girlfriend that this is what he gets up to? I really like this girl and I know we’d be better together but I’m not sure how to tell her without seeming like a tattle tale. I want to be able to stay friends with her. Yours truly, — Jack Dear Jack You are not thinking with a clear head at all! Because you like this girl, let’s call her Jane, your judgment is automatically clouded. This will be your downfall. I don’t want to get in the way of your friendship or your chances with Jane so I’m going to give you the best advice that anyone could give you. Do not mention this to Jane. It can either go one of two ways. Neither of them is in your favour. Scenario one: You tell Jane that her boyfriend, let’s call him John, is flirting with girls on your boys’ night out and she nips this problem in the bud. John is no longer allowed out with the guys, especially you, because you are obviously a bad influence! In the end this means that you have no chance with her and your friend doesn’t get to hang out with

Dear Jack, Stop being a Jackass! Did you see what I did there? I made a joke about being an ass and your name is Jack… You should know that this joke isn’t even half as lame as your plan to get the girl. Not even half… Now, let me get this straight: you plan to tell Jane how horrible her current boyfriend really is and then she will fall into your arms so that you can both live happily ever after? What will you do when she realizes that you have absolutely no loyalty to your own friends? After all is said and done I’m sure Jane knows that her boyfriend is going out for these “boy’s nights” and it would be silly of her to think that he wouldn’t stroke his male ego by flirting

you anymore. Consequence: No Jane and no John. Scenario two: You tell Jane the sordid truth and she is unphased by it. Worse still, she laughs about it with John. Afterwards John stops hanging out with you because he can’t trust you and Jane doesn’t remember your name. Consequence: No John and no Jane. In short don’t meddle when you have an ulterior motive because it will only lead to trouble! For now you should try to develop a friendship with Jane. If nothing more you will have gained a new friend. Best of luck!

Hugs —Darcy

with some girls. I don’t condone the sad attempt at feeling manly but it’s not like he’s cheating on her so I’m not really feeling a big dramatic story here. You will not be the knight in shining armour. Telling her is the wrong move, plain and simple but please believe me when I tell you, if you decide to go against my advice and tell Jane what John is up to you deserve everything you get!

That’s Life, Barnacle

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

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Stranger Danger by Sinead Healy I am sure you can remember a time when your mother warned you not to take sweets from strangers. Well, she was right. What about a DVD though? Aside from the small chance that it’s a digital version of the videotape from The Ring that will result in your imminent and horrific death, what’s the worst that could happen? On a Friday afternoon in Eyre Square last month, free DVDs were handed out. The bright yellow and blue slipcase advertised two fortyodd minute documentaries and several music videos. It doesn’t come across particularly hazardous. Arguably, paranoid and hysterical, but intriguing enough to accept and watch. The content is slightly disconcerting. Rather than the typical piracy voiceover and threat, this film urges people to spread the DVD and its message. From the opening flurry of various news snippets and advertisements about microchips, it gets progressively stranger touching on Orwellian conspiracies, scenes from The Matrix, the mark of the devil (Revelation 13:1 6-17) and then the agenda behind the so-called documentary: Freeganism. The word freegan is a compound of “free” and “vegan”. Being a Freegan involves avoiding not only products from animal sources but also the entire industry surrounding it. Freegans scavenge through supermarket and domestic bins for food and chose not to work for money. These are

their preparations for survival once microchips (i.e. the mark of the devil that is bringing us closer to Judgement Day) will supposedly be government mandated and necessary for buying and selling. In the end, the film isn’t quite a documentary at all. It is a message, or propaganda depending on your viewpoint, of Jesus Christians - an orthodox and evangelical Christian sect. At the time of filming, there were only about two dozen of them worldwide. Despite this small number and their selfless giving from the sake of giving motto, they have often been labelled a cult by the media and have generated quite a lot of controversy, including alleged kidnappings and advocating corporal punishment. The latter is the main subject of the other documentary titled Beyond Justice. Interestingly, the viewer isn’t the only one misguided by their documentary. One of the people interviewed, Ben-Emlyn Jones, made the following statement on his blog: “I was not aware I was taking part in a Jesus Christians production and, much as I like the film, I don’t feel comfortable with that knowledge.” He also went on to claim at least several other cast members were also unaware about the true intentions of this film. Even taking the microchip subject at face value is unwise. The editing and splicing of some clips influences the interpretation of the content. For instance, it includes footage from

the show Anglia Tonight on ITV, interviewing teenagers about a new ‘Vericool’ fingerprint lunch queue system at school, but it is framed as if the teenagers are talking about microchips. Arguably, microchips are a logical progression, but why not say that outright? In another twist, it turns out that Jesus Christians disbanded over a year ago and is no longer functioning as a visible community. Instead, the individuals distributing the DVD are operating autonomously while retaining the core ideals of the movement. Ironically, this is partially due to many of the members deciding not to renew their passports now that they use biometric chips and also because of persistent misinterpretation in the media. Consequently, it only seems appropriate to quote Leviticus 24:20: “eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured the other, so he be injured.” Misrepresentation spreads. Lies propagate lies. The real message here is probably not to believe everything you hear or see even if it is in a documentary. Critical awareness and evaluation isn’t just something limited to essays and lecture halls. After all, this is a documentary that isn’t a documentary. A defunct religious group that is actually active. A microchip that is the mark of the beast. It’s certainly an unusual and interesting way to spend an afternoon. Hazardous? Not necessarily. Just be careful about what you believe.

Sin Sanctioned Procr astination This week: Dr. Mark Healy in Civil Engineering What’s the worst Christmas present you ever received and how did you react? A horrible turtleneck Christmas jumper. With reindeers emblazoned on it. And possibly Santa, too. Needless to say, I thought it was the best Christmas present ever and proceeded to wear it for the next ten years. A fashion faux pas that will no doubt follow me around for many years to come. Who should our next victim be? Dr. Frances Fahy in Geography

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Top Ten Tips for Going on Erasmus by Marése O’Sullivan With years of language study behind you, it’s finally time to make the move to the country where they speak it. Yes, the famous year abroad! Lecturers will try to make you understand sticky grammar points, you’ll attend aural classes in a desperate attempt to comprehend the accent, and learn off reams of vocabulary that you aren’t likely to use in dayto-day conversation. So, in a bid to help you have the best year of your life, here are Sin’s Top Tips: 1. Read up on the city. You will be living abroad for at least three months, so get to know your new home. Discover the tourist regions, the names of big shopping streets, and if it’s famous for any festivals. Besançon, for example, is known for its International Music Festival, Avignon is renowned for its theatre and Aix for its Festival International d’Art Lyrique. 2. Talk to previous Erasmus students. Their advice can be very helpful: whether it is about particular courses they found fascinating, what subjects to specialise in at university, where to go for nightlife or just an idea of where to live. Their in-depth knowledge will help prepare you for your studies abroad. Having been through the experience themselves, they will be more than willing to give you guidance and information.

3. Keep track of your documentation. Have a folder that contains all of your Erasmus documents. Highlight the dates that you need to post forms back to NUI Galway, and who you need to send them to. Keep a copy of the foreign university’s academic calendar close at hand when booking flights home. Get all your forms signed and stamped as soon as possible, especially for the Erasmus grant. If you don’t get a form handed in or you forget to collect a sheet from the International Office, you could be ineligible to go on Erasmus. The translated birth certificate is of vital importance. Once you receive it from NUI Galway, photocopy it along with every other document; you will need several copies of them. 4. Sort out your accommodation in advance. College accommodation is quite small in France, and is not up to the standard that it is in Ireland. It’s handy for meeting other Erasmus students, but if you want a spacious home, you should have a look at private accommodation. Find out what NUI Galway recommends based on feedback from previous years. 5. Immerse yourself in the culture. Try local cuisine and delicacies – although snails are not a staple of the French diet! Discover what the local traditions are. Make an effort to speak with the locals. You’re there to improve

your language skills, after all. Visit all the sightseeing spots in your city, and appreciate the beauty of it. 6. Buy a 12-25 Card. Go explore! Europe will be on your doorstep and, while you have the chance, you should avail of it. The 12-25 Card can be purchased at any train station if you’re between the ages of twelve and twenty-five: all you need is a form of identity and a passport photograph. The price reduction is unbelievable: up to 50% off the normal tariff. It costs €49 but saves you a great deal of money if you’re planning on hitting the road. 7. Organise your housing allowance. Sort it out as soon as possible when you arrive, because it will take a while for them to process your application. In France the Caisse d’Allocations Familiales (CAF) gives you a rent rebate, a percentage off the amount you pay for accommodation. You need to open a French bank account to receive it. Find out all the documents you will need – from proof of address to passport photocopies to an official letter from the university stating that you are a student there – and bring them to the bank on your next visit. 8. Find out about the university. In Avignon, lectures are 8am – 8pm, lasting for an hour and a half each (Yes, that does mean that double lectures are an entire three hours). Once classes end at 8pm,

the gates of the university shut for the evening. Lecture attendance is taken seriously. If you miss two classes a doctor’s certificate is required. Some Universities don’t open during the weekend, so check out libraries in the town centre if you need a study space. Get your student card as soon as possible. Discover

where the International Office is on campus. Get to know the staff there by name; you will be visiting it regularly. Check out the exam schedule, if possible. 9. Research the classes on offer. Attend as many introductory lectures as you can, as the first class will be instrumental in deciding whether or

Members of the Law Society with Carol Coulter, Kevin O Higgins, Brian McCallaghan and Jerry Carl

not to pursue the course. Library talks and Erasmus meetings are very useful too. They will provide you with essential information, such as how to access your email or change your password. 10. Do Some Extracurricular Activities. While you will no doubt make friends with the other English speakers, ensure that you meet native people too, either in the lecture halls or through extracurricular activities. If you want to participate in sport, sort out your medical examination or injections before you leave Ireland. Classes like theatre or choir are very sociable, and you can even get marked for attending. In Avignon, students can take a culture module worth three credits over a semester, choosing from a wide range including Fiction Writing and Salsa Dancing.

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It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Deireadh ré na Christmas… Is That a Good Thing? bpictiúrlann By Jordan Lillis and James Falconer

Le Seán Ó Flatharta

Jordan’s looking forward to hanging her stockings by the fireplace with care. James is settling down with the Grinch for a long winter’s nap. But is it all just about the money? Or is there something else to Christmas?

Sa lá atá inniu ann tá an oiread rudaí ar fáil saor an aisce ar an idirlíon, ach ar cheann de na rudaí seo a bhfuil mór-éileamh air tá na scannáin saor in aisce. Is féidir dul ar shuímh áirithe agus breathnú ar scannáin nach bhfuil sna pictiúrlanna fiú, go fóill. Is fadhb dhamanta í seo do lucht déanta scannán agus do thionscal na scannánaíochta. Ní haon iontas go mbíonn mic léinn ag íoslódáil scannán go míhdhleathach, tá mise ag rá leat, tar éis a bheith ag an bpictiúrlann go mbíonn do phócaí sách folamh. Íocann mac léinn €6.50-€7.50 ar thicéad amháin. Agus ansin, bíonn ort rud beag a cheannach le hithe agus le hól. Sílim nach mbaineann tú an sásamh céanna as an scannán mura mbíonn tú ag plaiceadh ach mo léan géar tá praghsanna an bhia chomh daor nó níos daoire ná na ticéid. Tá €5.50-€6.00 ar ghrán rósta (popcorn) agus deoch bheag, €7.50-€8.00 ar ghrán rósta agus deoch meánmhéide agus €9-€10 ar ghrán rósta agus deoch mhór. Mar sin, bheadh suas le €20 caite agat agus gan feicthe agat ach scannán agus grán rósta tirim ite agat. Nach mór an méid airgid é seo do dhaoine nach bhfuil mórán airgid acu? Má cheannaíonn tusa leathanbhanda, ní chosnóidh sé ach thart ar €20 sa mhí ort. Tá an rogha sin beagán níos tarraingtí ná €20

Jordan: Christmas! Come on, who doesn’t love it? The music, the presents, the excitement, the Christmas cheer… Lets face it, we all need some cheer right now. With all the s**t going on in our country, never mind the world, it’s a wonder we’re all still here! How have we all managed to stay even slightly positive through the depression that is our disaster of a country? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not exactly Miss Happy 24/7, in fact I’ve managed to become the most cynical of all my friends, with little effort. However when it comes to Christmas, I have never been able to help blossoming with happiness when I hear that first Christmas song. I love it! How can you give up that warm fuzzy feeling for a grumpy, Christmas loathing demeanor? My nemesis has referred to the religious side of Christmas. For me, Christmas is not about a particular set of religious people enjoying a happy day. To be honest, I’m not exactly a believer in the big man that goes by the name of Jesus. I

think Christmas, (forgive the cheesiness that may follow), is very much a family and friends holiday. Why do people have to be scornful towards that? What is wrong with having your family and friends get together for parties, dinners, fun, laughter and most importantly, a hell of a lot of food? Any holiday that gives me the opportunity to eat my brains out without getting strange looks is fine by me. What I’m trying to say is that people take this topic too seriously. I respect people taking stands against commercial holidays like this that get a scary amount of attention, and so much money being pumped into its concept. But I don’t care what people say, there is absolutely nothing wrong with letting the Christmas spirit envelop you for a minute and forgetting the blues that are everywhere these days. There’s just nothing wrong with letting yourself enjoy some gifts and finding just the right one for your loved ones. Relax! Let the cynical side of you take a nap for a while, it’s tired.

Overheard in NUI Galway Maggie Carty In Bialann: Boy: They definitely are. Girl: No they’re not. Boy: They definitely are! Girl: They’re not... Boy: Your boobs are definitely bigger!!

Maria Dolan 2nd year Geography student: “He’s from Mullingar? ...but he said he’s from Westmeath?” Cian Moran 2 girls on the bus on the way back from the USI protest:

James: So, it’s that time of year again. The festive season! “Tis the season to be jolly”? People can be heard saying things like “happy Christmas” and sending cards with the same sentiments on them? Absolute lunacy! When you meet a friend around Christmas and you’ve already sent them a card, don’t wish them “happy Christmas” - just give them a rotten look and say “your card is in the post.” Why is so much fuss made of Christmas? Well, supposedly there was this man around 2000 years ago called Jesus Christ. Now, Jesus was the Son of... A scream of “I want it Mammy, I want it, I want that from Santa,” distracts my writing as a red faced mother pulls her deafening child away. Oh, the desire for stuff is high at this time of year, especially when gadgets are made loud, insufferable and expensive and kids are convinced they must have them. When I hear Christmas, I never hear ‘Christ’ always ‘Chris’, and I wonder, “who’s Chris?” If you’re not into any of the religious significance of Christ-Mass, then why celebrate it? The time of year, customs and traditions

of Christmas were popularised by the Roman Catholic Church who copied them from Pagan witchcraft. So essentially, we’re Pagans in denial. There is a certain stigma attached to Christmas where most of us are either consciously or unconsciously made to feel guilty for not giving nice presents. C’mon, hasn’t it happened to you? Some family member has given you a really expensive and flash gift, and you’re left thinking “I hope he’s happy with the socks.” The whole market is geared towards Christmas and we, as consumers, are expected to devour large amounts of almost everything. Surprise someone this Christmas – give them nothing (but love)! Imagine if all the money that was wastefully spent this Christmas was given to needy charities around the country - what a better outcome it would be. Maybe I am a little idealistic, but I feel that the general consensus is to leave it to someone else, but we should take action! However, with the December decimation of our whole public system approaching, I suspect Christmas will be a modest affair.

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! “If we pay Brian Grant’s wages does that mean we can order him to shift us?” Katie Connolly Megan: Who’s Georgia Salpa? Caoimhe: A model who’s

from Greece Megan: ...the movie? Colin Whelan Engineering Building: “He’s the sleaziest lad you’ll ever meet. You actually have

to have a shower after he smiles at ya.” Malavika Suresh Overheard in the The Hub in Áras na Mac Léinn: Girl 1: I wonder how many calories are in semen? I’ll Google it. Girl 2: 5 cals per teaspoon. Girl 1: Wow, you knew that pretty fucking fast! Meghan McCord Millar Guy outside library: Like, I thought she was a nice quiet girl, but she raped me that night!! Like seriously raped me...

a chaitheamh ar scannán nua nach maireann ach dhá uair a chloig nó mar sin. Leis an idirlíon tá rogha den scoth agat idir chluichí agus suímh sóisialta. Tá teacht ar na suímh seo ar fud na cruinne. Dá bhfeicfeá scannán maith ar shuíomh áirithe déarfá le do chara é agus ansin scaipfí an scéal. Téann sé ó dhuine go duine agus sa deireadh ní call do dhuine ar bith den ghrúpa cairde áirithe sin dul chuig an bpictiúrlann chun an scannán sin a fheiceáil. Tá na suímh seo mídhleathach, ach i ndáiríre píre, ar stop sé sin duine ar bith? Ar cuireadh pionós riamh ar dhaoine a chuaigh ar na suímh seo agus a bhreathnaigh ar scannáin? Ach arís ar ais, nach iontach an áit í an phictiúrlann, bíonn atmaisféar deas ann, bíonn gach duine ag tnúth leis an scannán agus bíonn beagán rómánsaíocht le brath san áit i gcónaí. Is mar leannáin a théann ar a laghad 30 faoin gcéad de na daoine chuig an bpictiúrlann. Ní cheapaim go bhfuil sé chomh rómánsúil sin a bheith ag suí sa bhaile le ríomhaire glúine nó fiú scáileán mór. Tá go leor argóintí ar chaon taobh, ach den chuid is mó, is iad na mic léinn atá ag coinneáil tionscal na bpictiúrlann i mbarr uisce. Nuair a bheidh sibh ag an bpictiúrlann an chéad uair eile, breathnaigh thart go bhfeicfidh sibh an bhfuil mórán mac léinn san áit agus ansin fiafraigh díobh féin, an bhfuil deireadh ré ag teacht leis na pictiúrlanna? Pakie Killilea Walking past Kingfisher: “His entire leg was literally on fire and then he knocked him out with a roundhouse kick!” Tom Bergin 2 girls near Smokeys... Girl 1: “I’m going to get him to do a big Jigglypuff Tattoo on the top half of my leg.” Girl 2: “Why?” Girl 1: “It’s practice for him and he said it would be my Christmas present.” Girl 2: “You only know him two weeks...”

{sin}

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Re: By Caroline Forde Every day, women live in fear because they are beaten, raped and trapped in their own homes by those closest to them - their boyfriends, partners and husbands. For many of you reading this, a foreign culture is called to mind, one that routinely denies women their basic human rights. However, this is the reality many women face right here in Ireland. According to Women’s Aid, one in five women are subjected to domestic abuse at some point in their lives. At a time when vital funding is being cut, Safe Ireland reports that domestic violence refuges are witnessing an unprecedented increase in the number of such survivors seeking help. A national one day count of those accessing refuge conducted on 4 November

New Public

2010, revealed that eighteen women could not be accommodated due to lack of space. Undeniably a global phenomenon, violence affects the lives of millions of women worldwide, cutting across cultural and religious barriers. According to Amnesty International, one in three women face abuse, assault and rape on a daily basis because of their gender. Resulting in short and long-term consequences, there is an equally profound impact on the physical and mental health of survivors, in addition to wider social and economic costs to communities. In what would be considered more traditional societies, wife beating is largely regarded as a consequence of a man’s right to inflict physical punishment on his wife. According to the World

Health Organization, this belief has been indicated by studies from countries as diverse as Bangladesh, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea. Although attitudes of this nature would indeed spark feelings of outrage in contemporary Irish society, the endemic nature of violence against women in this country cannot be denied. While there is no doubt that men also experience physical and sexual abuse, the vast majority of survivors are women. Gender-based violence is rooted in a global culture of unequal power relations that deny women equal rights with men and it is compounded by discrimination on the grounds of race, ethnicity, sexual identity, social status, class, and age. Such multiple forms of discrimination further restrict women’s choices,

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For a World without Violence against Women The 16 Days Campaign increase their vulnerability to violence, and make it even harder for survivors to obtain justice. Violence against women reinforces gender inequality and, too often, no one is held accountable for these crimes. To live without a fear of violence is a right that every human being should enjoy. Taking place between 25 November (UN Day Opposing Violence against Women) and 10 December (Human Rights Day), the 16 Days of Activism to End Violence against Women is an international campaign aimed at highlighting the link between gender-based violence and human rights. Unequivocally calling for the elimination of all forms of violence against women, this global campaign breaks the silence by making this issue visible in our socie-

ties, giving hope to women who are suffering and calling for perpetrators to be held accountable. Gaining momentum following its establishment in 1991, over 3,400 groups in 164 countries have taken part to date. Ensuring that women do not suffer in silence, Women’s Aid has tirelessly worked to address domestic violence in Ireland for over thirty-five years. Since 1996, this organisation has used the 16 Days campaign to raise awareness of this serious and widespread problem and to advocate for positive policy and legal change that will increase women’s safety. One such event is the One in Five Women Solidarity Balloon Release, which will take place on 24 November at 11am outside Dáil Éireann. Replicated across the country by local organisations,

groups of five balloons will act as a visual symbol of the impact of domestic violence in Ireland. Here at NUIG, the Feminist Society and Global Women’s Studies department are organising a number of events, including invited speakers from support services and an ‘open mic’ night to launch the 16 Days Campaign. Further details can be found on Facebook: Search for the “Feminist Society NUIG” and “16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women at NUIG.” For more information see: Irish 16 Days Campaign: http:// w w w. w o m e n s a i d . i e / campaigns/16days or local support services: Cope Galway, http://www.copegalway.ie/, and the Galway Rape Crisis Centre, http://www.galwayrcc.org/.

You Know It’s Exam Season When... by Lia Stokes It’s that time of year again. The time when this laid back, smiley-university of ours becomes a bleak, soulless breeding ground of stress and guilt. Exam season has creeped up on us once more, in its ever swift and stealthy fashion and has brought with it notable changes to the college. The Bialann and Smokeys, whose warm and friendly atmospheres act as perfect locations to unwind, have recently become haunting grounds for the hungry and sleep deprived. The students who usually saunter around the halls with a spring in their step and a sparkle in their eye can be seen gnarled and broken as they hunch over their only meal of the day, usually consisting of a large coffee and little else. During this grim season, social hot-spots such as the library and reading room become void of the interaction that defines them

throughout the rest of the year. Even the infamous ‘Top Floor’ or CPs as it is otherwise known, grows decidedly less glamorous in the run up to exams. The immaculately made-up and perfectly coiffed ladies that stomp the leafy aisles are somewhat more disheveled and much less ‘sparkly’ than usual. Their pale pallor is lacking its lip-glossed smile, and they only stop to talk to every third person on the way to the bathroom The hum of quiet chatter and gossip is replaced by ghostly silence and the only sound of communication is the clattering of keyboards and hushed tones seeking notes or rare books. Backs are hunched and twisted over desks that become home for the duration and once hopeful eyes are reddened and manic in an effort to stay awake. What must be distressing for lecturers in particular during this time are the masses of unfamiliar faces descending on their lecture

halls in the hope of gaining even the smallest insight that could lend itself to a higher grade. Where they usually deal with hand-fulls of willing spectators, they are now faced with hundreds of greedy eyes staring down at them in a trance like-state. Yes, exam season takes its toll on the best of us. Stresslevels are off the scales and immune systems are at an all time low. People can be heard coughing and spluttering in all corners of the campus. The cold and inevitably wet weather only worsens the pains of flu and seems to mirror the feeling of gloom and despair felt by thousands of students. However, it is perhaps most terrifying for first years. Having just been through a year of what some may describe as hell, studying for their leaving Cert, they do not expect to be burdened with such a work load and the inevitable guilt, so soon. They edge their way cautiously around

the alien aisles of the library praying they have the correct code for the book that may unlock all of the answers and strategically avoiding the eyes of anyone else who may laugh at their ignorance of the seemingly complicated system. A pleasant time it is not. Galway bars and clubs are losing more business by the day, longing for the return of their loyal patrons and hoping exams are finished early this year. It is an eerie time as tumbleweed rolls across the threshold to the College Bar a place where activity is now limited to lunch and dinner for the starving throngs. Yet as the days go by a glimmer of hope emerges in the form a Christmas tree. Erected in the Bar, the beast stands around ten feet tall, adorned with twinkling lights and shiny baubles. Slowly but surely festive songs seep through the speakers hoping to breath life and faith back in to the suffering student body.

Students protesting at the USI National Student Demonstration in Dublin on 16 November. Photo by Ian Colgan.

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Your Top Three Christmas Movies

Album Review: It’s Time by Oddsocks Revival

When Sin and FilmSoc asked what were your favourite movie to observe over your bulging bellies, while you lounge like manatees on Christmas Day, this is what you came up with. FilmSoc will be screening these beauties in the coming weeks.

by Jessica Thompson

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory By Rosin Peddle Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is as much a part of Christmas as turkey and ham. The 1971 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is always shown at least once over the extended Christmas feast. And if by some freak accident RTE or BBC don’t show it, you should track it down anyway. Charlie Bucket is a very poor little boy who loves nothing more than a creamy bar of Wonka chocolate. The man behind these bars is a reclusive genius whose mysterious factory seemingly operates without any employees. No-one has seen him for years until he decides to throw open the doors of his wonderful factory to those lucky enough to find a golden ticket in a bar of Wonka chocolate. Against all odds, Charlie gets in to the factory. Unfortunately there are four other horrible children who are out to get their paws on Wonka’s chocolate. Who will win the lifetime supply? So what makes Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory a classic Christmas film? Well, the story helps; Roald Dahl was the master of children’s writing. His unique imagination and refusal to sugar-coat his stories make him one of the best children’s fiction writers ever. But it is not the story alone: after all, the 2005 Tim Burton remake told the same story and was nowhere near as successful. Unlike Johnny Depp in the remake, Gene Wilder stayed on the right side of creepy as Willy Wonka in the original. He really is outstanding. The casting is note-perfect and the sets are still impressive forty years later. It doesn’t shy away from the sinister side of Dahl’s world either; the glee with which the four brats are disposed of is quite jaw-dropping. And there is, of course, the music. Get the fire lit, the tin of Roses on the lap, and come away to a “world of pure imagination”.

Home Alone By Jessica Thompson Home Alone is a film we all remember from our childhood. Watching Macaulay Culkin play the role of Kevin, and outsmart a couple of nasty burglars made us all, at some stage in our childhood, feel like we could beat up adults. The film tells the farfetched story of Kevin, an eight-year-old kid, who is left behind when his very large family go on a Christmas holiday to France. Once she realises she’s left her baby behind, Kevin’s mother tries desperately to get back to him as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Kevin has adventures of his own. He eats whatever he wants, watches whatever he wants on television, and just generally has a ball. As well as all of this, he has two burglars to contend with. The “wet bandits,” Harry and Marv are breaking into as many houses as possible in this rich neighbourhood, but when they reach Kevin’s house, they’re in for a surprise. Still, they don’t give up, and go through quite a lot just to rob that one house. Any ordinary kid would call the police, but there’s no fun in that, and Kevin certainly comes up with better ideas. He outwit’s the burglars in numerous ways, which is the real draw for children - an eight-year-old who can conquer the adults. Fun as the film is, it contains quite a lot of violence, and to be quite honest, I’m surprised the two burglars were alive at the end of it. They trip down stairs, get burnt, hit with very heavy objects, step on sharp things (strategically placed by Kevin), and go through many other forms of pain while navigating a large obstacle course of traps. Naturally, Kevin is reunited with his family, but don’t worry, there are two sequels of Kevin’s adventures. This is definitely a “don’t-try-this-athome” kind of film, but I’m sure we can all see the appeal

for children. “Keep the change… You filthy animal!”

Die Hard By Katy Quinn It might not be the first movie to spring to mind as one to watch at Christmas but Die Hard is the ultimate action flick. With Bruce Willis playing the NYPD cop John McClane, whose sanity is questionable, and Alan Rickman brilliantly portraying the all-important ‘bad guy,’ this film is a must for any thrill seeker. Released in 1988 and nominated for four Oscars, including Best Visual Effects, it catapulted Bruce Willis to Hollywood fame. Before this, he was the relatively unknown guy from Moonlighting. Now thanks to the Die Hard franchise (there are four altogether) and some remarkable acting, John McClane is one of the most important action heroes of our time. One of the amazing things about this film is our ability to empathise with the reluctant hero that Willis portrays so well. McClane represents the ‘every-day’ hard working man who gets caught up in circumstances that force him to come to the rescue of everyone else. The witty wise cracks and the now famous catch phrase “yippee kai-yay motherf**ker” has affirmed his status as a memorable hero. Alan Rickman is the intelligent terrorist who everyone can love to hate. He is not mind-numbingly stupid as most villains tend to be, but on more than one occasion McClane proves too much for him. With director John McTiernan (Predator) ensuring that the film is fast paced and adrenaline fuelled, the experience is enthralling from beginning to end. Whether John McClane is climbing an elevator shaft, throwing himself off a building (even with a fear of heights) or shooting to bits anything that moves, you are sure to be holding your breath. This is why this film, unlike so many of its action packed counter-parts, has stood the test of time.

“Album reviewer urgently required! Due this evening,” said our editor. Soon enough, I found myself leaving her office with the album in my hand. And man, was I blown away when I plugged in my headphones and had a listen! The album in question is none other than It’s Time by a band called Oddsocks Revival, based in Sligo. The band has been going since 2003, and combines a variety of music genres, making a deliciously original blend of humbucking blues, dirty funk grooves, and classic rock. The line up is Anthony Mannion (lead guitar/vocals), Luke Mercer (lead guitar/vocals), Michael Conefrey (bass/vocals) and Eoghan O’Kelly (drums/ vocals). Oddsocks Revival have a unique sound that sets them apart from the rest of the music world

– and in the best way possible. With twin lead guitars that emit the most amazing and complex riffs, powerful four part harmonies, funky bass lines, damn good drum beats and, of course, a truly amazing lead singer, this band is bound to keep you entertained. It’s Time blew me away with its catchy melodies, funky bass lines, and epic choruses. What is really impressive about this album, and the band in general, are the huge four part harmonies that remind me of classic rock bands of the 70’s and 80’s – decades which were nothing short of spectacular in terms of rock. That spectacular element has been brought into the current decade with Oddsocks Revival. The song, ‘East of Jackson’ has an intro to rival the likes of Status Quo, vocal harmonies that recall Kansas in ‘Carry On My Wayward Son.’ This

isn’t the only song on the album that made me thing of some of the world’s most loved rock bands and performers! ‘Stiletto Heels’ is quite redolent of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, with its cool, laidback, blues rhythm and the excellent rock voice of the lead singer. Though there is a feel for numerous amazing bands of the past, and a blend of fantastic music styles, this album shows Oddsocks Revival’s unique style and originality. Oddsocks Revival are definitely a band worth listening to, and will be playing here in NUIG on 29 November in the College Bar, all thanks to the lovely people at Rock Soc. Doors open at 8pm. Tickets are only €5 and are available from the Socsbox, or at the door on the night. If this review hasn’t convinced you, check out their official website: http://www. oddsocksrevival.com/

Brendan Fahy performing at the Juggling Society’s Super Awesome Amazing Juggling Show in the Baily Allen Hall. Photo by Matt Burke

{sin} Arts & Entertainment {23} 13–06

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Opinion: Facebook is Watching By Katy Quinn First they were slated for copyright issues and then they were attacked for violating their users’ privacy by tracking what websites they visited even when they were logged off. And now it seems Facebook is tracking our nights out as well. New technology installed by Tipperar y based tech firm VisionID means that some of the top venues in Ireland have wall to wall wireless networks. This means that once you arrive at the club you can log into your Facebook, instantly update your status and upload photos while at you party. This is an unbelievable first for the nightclub industry and is already installed

WHAT

•

DOES

really true that we cannot stand to be out of touch even for a few hours, including on a night out? Who wants to be the person who cannot wait to upload a photo that they just took and has to do it right there at the bar? Surely putting them up a few days later would suffice when you are still trying to piece together the night and your photos offer a humorous r e m i n d e r. F o r m e , i t sounds just like another ploy for Facebook to know what county we are in, what club, who we are with and even what music we are listening to. They just don’t seem to be able to leave us alone and what is worse is that we seem fine with letting them into every aspect of our lives.

in The Icon in Limerick, Havana Brown’s in Cork and Krystal in Dublin. You would be forgiven for thinking that masses of people trying to access it at the same time would only create traffic and make the network slow. However, Cathal Murtagh form VisionID states “We had no issues overcoming the challenges provided by a large number of people gathered together.” Does this mean that Facebook and technology in general officially rule every aspect of our lives? One thing is for sure, this new era of constantly updating your life on the internet is fast taking over. Gone are the days when people gave up chocolate for lent, now they give up social networking. Is it

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The eerily accurate premonition of George Orwell’s 1984 springs to mind, “Big Brother is watching you.” What makes all of this worse is that people are allowing a website access into their lives, you upload a photograph from your Smartphone and it

immediately belongs to Facebook. This is invasive whether you want to see it that way or not. If you log into the site, Facebook immediately tracks your location, they know exactly where you are and what you are doing. Especially when you are

using your mobile since we would assume you aren’t bringing your laptop to the club! Personally I think Facebook is a great way of keeping in touch but using it on a night out is just a bit excessive, and I for one will not be buying into this new craze.

Film Review: Persona By Gerard Madden Acclaimed Swedish director Ingmar Bergman, best known for his iconic film, The Seventh Seal, has a credible claim for being the greatest filmmaker ever. For those only vaguely aware of his works, his excellent 1966 picture Persona, will immediately establish what all the fuss is about. Persona tells the story of Alma (Bibi Anderson) a nurse charged with caring for Elisabeth (Liv Ullman), an actress who refuses to speak after a serious nervous breakdown while on stage. The two move to a secluded coastal home to help Elisabeth recover. Their isolation causes Alma’s optimistic shell to fragment and darker recesses of her personality to emerge. P e r s o n a ’s o p e n i n g sequence features a projector coming to life, superimposing a series of images that deal with the themes that preoccupy Bergman; scenes from early silent films, an erect penis and a hand being crucified, signifying the cinematic form, sexuality and religion. The film ‘breaks’ in the middle, signifying the shift in Alma’s personality, and at the film’s end the projector flickers and dies; Bergman wants to remind us that we are watching a mediated story. There’s even a shot of Bergman and cinematographer Sven Nykwist on a camera-crane near the film’s end; the film-makers are inseparable from their work. Early in the movie, Elisabeth recoils in horror at a TV broadcast of a Buddhist monk selfimmolating in protest

against the Vietnam War, suggesting her silence is a reaction to the horrors of the world. Alma’s troubles are more personal; she is haunted by her infidelity towards her fiancé, after a sexual tryst with a boy on a beach. The scene where Alma describes the incident is one of the most erotic in cinema history; all the more so because it is left purely to our imagination. When Alma discovers Elisabeth recounted the incident to her husband in a letter, her personality poisons considerably. Anderson and Ullman are excellent here; they take up the vast majority of screen time, with minimal use of music. The fact that the two look highly similar is no coincidence on Bergman’s part; their identities start to overlap, signified in a famous image of their two faces blurring into each other. The movie is beautifully shot in blackand-white, courtesy of

Nykwist, who makes hypnotic use of lighting and framing. Notwithstanding its relative obscurity, Persona’s story of identity confusion is immensely familiar due to its influence on countless movies since. Among its most noted imitators is Fight Club, with a nod to Persona’s infamous cock shot in the closing moments of that movie. It is strongly echoed in the movies of David Lynch in particular; Persona’s opening montage was Lynchian a decade before Eraserhead, while Lynch’s Mulholland Drive draws heavily on its theme of two individual’s identities converging, as did last year’s Black Swan. Persona remains as shocking and intense as it was in 1966; the masterpiece of one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. Persona will be screened by FilmSoc in Áras Uí Cathail on 30 November at 8pm.

Bibi Anderson and Liv Ullman in Persona.

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Review: Big Maggie by John B. Keane By Lisa Fitzgerald In a small town in 1960s Ireland, battle-hardened Maggie Polpin, sets about taking control of family affairs following the death of her erstwhile husband, Walter, who, after an embittered and sexless relationship, leaves her with the family business

and farm. The unfolding power-play between Big Maggie and her four adult children over the land and money proceeds at a furious pace as she attempts to maintain control over her property, much to the chagrin of her disgruntled offspring. Early on Maggie laments that, “Pride and ignorance and religion

were like chains around me.” So too, clearly, are her family and friends, as she gears up to alienate all around her in an attempt to maintain control of what she considers to be hers. Having previously garnered acclaim for her portrayal as the Widow Quinn in Druid’s 2004 pro-

Big Maggie, Directed by Garry Hynes. Photo by Robert Day.

duction of The Playboy of the Western World, Aisling O’ Sullivan proves herself as a the intimidating matriarch. Her gruffness is accentuated by would be suitor, Byrne’s (John Olahan), cheery demeanor. Having rid herself of an abusive alcoholic husband Big Maggie has no intention of handing control over to her children, all of whom she pays regularly, and consequently sets about pushing each out of the nest. Oldest son Mick (Stephan Mullan) leaves for England but younger son Maurice (Paul Connaughton) stays hoping to take over the farm and marry local girl Mary Madden (Amy Molloy). Elder daughter Katie (Charlie Murphy) is quickly married off to a local farmer and when the youngest, Gert, (Sara Greene) makes a play for ‘commercial salesman’ Teddy Heelin (Keith Duffy), her ardor is soon cooled by her mother’s interfering and she too leaves for England. Traditionally accused as lacking somewhat in

sensitive characterisation, this is a plot-driven play centred around one character, Maggie, who does not garner any sympathy from the audience but nor, you feel, does she want it. Written by John B. Keane in 1969, the play caused controversy when it was first produced, with graphic portrayals of sex and abuse and a dark and negative view of Irish family life. In the program, Chair of the Irish Theatre Institute, Catriona Crowe sees Keane as a playwright, “not afraid to confront the visceral acquisitiveness, hypocritical Catholicism and thinly hidden violence at the heart of some Irish families.” The poisonous relationship between Maggie and her husband and her subsequent harsh treatment of her children seek to alienate the viewer but at the heart of the play is a figure struggling to maintain independence in the face of traditional mores. What emerges is a larger than life character battling against the stereotypical roles she

has been assigned. Sometimes coming across as the female version of Keane’s more notorious character, the Bull McCabe, her overcoming of hardship does not lead to any great satisfaction. For Aisling O’Sullivan, who plays the embittered Maggie, “Something has happened inside her spirit that has taught her a very hard lesson about life” and the inclusion in the program of a manifesto written in 1971 by The Irish Women’s Liberation Movement is telling in how the audience is expected to respond to the play; seeing Maggie not as the instigator, but rather the victim of her own fortunes. The play is definitely of its time and some of the jokes will ring hollow for younger viewers but the performance certainly resonated for most of my immediate audience who absolutely loved it. Big Maggie runs in the Town Hall Theatre until 19 November before embarking on a nation-wide tour and returning to Galway from 24 – 28 January.

Play that Funky Music By Jane Kearns Backstage at Monroe’s is one of Galway’s newest live venues. With its wooden interior, dim lighting and big soft couches Monroe’s is one of the best pubs in Galway to just relax and have a drink with friends, so last Thursday I did just that! I went to see Monroe’s weekly funk band, Tongue; a large and laid back group of musicians fronted by a lively, husky voiced singer. The band is on every Thursday, and has a warm-up act in the form of funk DJ Will Softly. The weekly show is free before 10pm and costs €5 after that. Tongue takes to the stage at about 11.30pm and play until closing. I must admit I was excited about seeing this group and was looking forward to fun and diverse night of dancing and soaking up the atmosphere of a funk show.

I arrived just as the DJ was finishing up and was expecting the evening to be in full swing, instead I found a sparse crowd of people sitting at tables and at the bar, barely listening to the music. Once the band took to the stage a few more people began to arrive and the place began to fill up, but this didn’t really make much difference to the overall atmosphere as many didn’t seem too eager to dance. But as the drinks began to flow and people began to relax the dance floor got a bit more crowded and I was no longer the solitary woman dancing like an idiot while the crowd looked on. The lead singer played off the crowd and got better as more people began to dance. The band however didn’t seem that into what they were doing, they were very good musicians, but just didn’t have the same

exuberance as their lead singer. The songs being played weren’t exactly what I had expected. Funk bands I’ve seen in the past have usually stuck to playing crowd pleasers and funk classics, but Tongue played a set of very different songs, many I’ve never even heard before. But nonetheless I tried to enjoy the music, and I did. Some songs were a lot of fun to dance to and some had clever and catchy lyrics that stuck in my head for days. One thing that surprised me about this gig was the age range of the crowd, apart from the boy at the door I was by far the youngest person there. Many seemed to be in their mid to late thirties and were clearly avid funk fans that were out for a laid back night with friends. The evening definitely catered more towards this older crowd.

Vincent Hughes & Brian O Brien busking for Down Syndrome Ireland on campus. For me Tongue were more like background music than a take-notice funk group that I wanted to dance to and sing along

with. They were good and sometimes entertaining, but not really my cup of tea. Overall I would recommend seeing Tongue with

no preconceived notions of what they’ll be like. Otherwise you may be left asking “What the funk?! I didn’t pay for this!”

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Julia Restoin Roitfield: “Exactly what beauty is.” by Lia Stokes Having been described as “exactly what beauty is” by the famously exciting designer Tom Ford, it is no surprise that brands such as Accessorize and most recently Lancome, are snapping up Julia Restoin Roitfield to front some of their biggest adcampaigns. Blessed by the gods of fashion and beauty, Julia is considered one of the greatest style icons of the day and a muse for the likes of Tom Ford. The model, artistic director and international

socialite comes from a family of fashion royalty. Her mother, Carine Roitfield, is the former editor-in-chief of French Vogue while her father is the creator of Equipment clothing line which recently relaunched its line of iconic silk shirts that are hugely popular among the celebrity ‘fash-pack’. Restoin Roitfield has fashion in her blood and attributes her artistic endeavours to her parents and their friends, acknowledging that in some way, she was “moulded by the people around her.”

Having studied design management in Parsons School of Design in New York, she divides her time between modelling and artistic direction. She has been modelling since she was a child and even now at thirty (which is practically ancient in modelling terms) is widely sought after. However, she insists that art direction is her true passion, claiming “fashion is mom’s thing.” Despite this, Julia is grateful for her inherent link to fashion, aware that she might not have been so successful without the platform her

parent’s background provided. She is also proud of the acclaim her mother Carine has received for her personal style and counts her mother among her fashion icons. Though a fashion icon in her own right Roitfield maintains that she prefers “the pure aesthetic side of fashion to the hip and trendy side.” While she remains a major player in the fashion world, the French beauty is outspoken about the need for change in the industry. Endowed with a rare combination of a slender body and womanly curves,

Julia argues that this body type is too rarely seen and even less celebrated on the catwalk. She believes that it would be more inspiring to see fashion on the bodies of women as opposed to young girls. Quietly confident in herself, Roitfield does not feel pressure to mimic the super-thin models she competes with, remarking “people pick me for the way I am. Why […] change if it its working for me?”. It is this strong confident personality and flawless appearance that has attracted so much media attention in recent

years. And no doubt is also what captivated Lancome’s Aaron de Mey to cast her as the face of the brand’s Spring 2011 Ultra Lavande make-up collection. However, it is looking like the model will be putting her fast-paced fashion life on hold for a bit as it was revealed this week that Julia is three months pregnant and looking forward to parenthood with long-term boyfriend Robert Konjic. “Robert and I are delighted, happy and excited,” she told Vogue in an interview earlier in the week.”

your ears and neck guarded from the elements. If your student budget is already stretched, and you can’t quite afford to splash out on a head piece, then you can always make your own. The craze of knitting is a growing trend and making your own hat is a sure way of owning a unique piece. While knitting may have been considered old fashioned in the past, most top designers are going back to basics and using knitted materials in their winter col-

lections. Top fashion milliner Philip Tracey has recently designed a range of hats in aid of Action Breast Cancer. The world famous designer, who is originally from Ahrascragh, Co Galway, is one of seven Irish hat makers who has been customising pink beanie hats for charity. Treacy and seven other designers were given the task to transform a basic beanie/beret style hat into something more stylish. London based Treacy

embraced his Irish roots and drew inspiration from the actual breast cancer logo, which is a twisted bow. He added two of these bows in orange and cream to the hat, along with a fresh green diamante brooch to complete the tricolour. Having worked their magic on the hats, the range will now retail in Centra for €5. So whether its for charity, fashion or just plain comfort, the hat is the way to go this season. Viva la beanie !

Hats Off to Comfort By Ashling O Loughlin With the cold and icy winter ahead of us it’s no wonder that woollen and knitted goods are so on trend this season. And it is not just the usual essentials like scarves and gloves. This year the trend of woollen clothes has extended to leggings, skirts and most popularly, hats. For those of us with a mad hatterlike enthusiasm for head pieces its good to hear that this season’s collection

includes a great variety of hats to keep your ears warm this winter. Givenchy started the trend this season with the quirky woollen ‘Cat’ hat. Classically coloured in black, this hat is both elegant and cute. However for us mere mortals, the high street offers a range of similar pieces for a much more student friendly price. River Island and Penneys both have a range of woollen animal inspired hats. Woollen hats with leopard

print trimming create a sophisticated look, while teddy bear eared hats are perfect for a more causal, youthful look. Suede floppy hats are also making a big appearance this year in the world of fashion. No longer is this style of hat reserved to straw and summer time, but can be worn in winter as a suede piece. Dunnes Stores is offering a range of floppy winter hats in beige and black. This style of hat is perfect for dressing up an outfit while also keeping

Style Spotter With Erika Fox. Photos by Cayla Bloomer Name: Ciara Coogan What are you wearing today?

• Jacket and Boots from Topshop. • T-shirt from Urban Outfitters • Bag from Marc Jacobs • Shorts from Levi’s Style icons? Billie JD Porter & the Geldof sisters. How would you describe your style? Relaxed thrown together style with a hint of vintage. Vintage shops are treasure troves of little gems, it just takes patience to root through everything, but it’s rewarding. What is your opinion on NUIG style? Style in NUIG is for the most part trend after trend: Uggs, suspender tights and Hollister hoodies. The few who don’t follow the herd and make the effort to create their own unique style, look great. It’s all about being comfortable.

Name: Dave McCarthy What are you wearing today?

• Jumper from Penneys. • Jeans from Topman. • Boots from Jack & Jones. Favourite shops? Penneys and TK Maxx How would you describe your style? I really like ugly clothes such as Christmas jumpers. I have a reindeer sweater. What is your opinion on NUIG style? It’s a bit lacking to be very honest.

Students & Staff!

w w w.c

“PLAY YOUR PART” this Semester

y. ie lu b s .n u ig a lwa

MONDAY

Hall 1

Hall 2

Hall 3 1-2pm Aikido Club

R.Ball Court / Studio

1-2pm 3-5pm

Tabletennis Club

6-8pm

Badminton Club

Archery Club

8-10pm

Futsal

Taekwondo Club & Taekwondo Judo Club

TUESDAY

Hall 1

7-9am

Cricket Club

6 - 7.30pm

Fencing Club

6-8pm 7.30 - 9.30pm

Muai Thai Club

Hall 2

Aikido Club Cricket 9-10.30pm

Hall 1

Hall 2

Frisbee Club

7-9pm

Cricket Club

Taekwondo Club

8-9pm 9-11pm

Badminton Club

Hall 1

7-9am

Cricket Club

5-7pm

Volleyball Club

6-8pm

Volleyball Club Badminton Club

Hall 2

Hall 3 Archery Club

Pool

Womens Rugby 7.30-8.45pm

Dangan Pavillion

Boxing 5-6.30pm

Ladies Soccer 6-7.30pm

Hockey 7.15-9pm

Dangan Sports Regional Corrib Village Grounds Sports Centre Cages

Lacrosse 6.30-8pm Mountaineering Club 7-10pm Wall

R.Ball Court / Studio

Athletics 7-8pm Kayak Club 9-11pm

Pool Swim Club

Handball Club 6-10pm

R.Ball Court / Studio

Taekwondo & Aikido

Mens Rugby 7-8.30pm

Dangan Pavillion

Fencing Club

Hall 2

6-7pm

Speedball Club

7-9pm

Inline Hockey Club Volleyball Club

Hall 3

Sub Aqua Club

Pool

Dangan Pavillion

Athletics 7-8pm

Dangan Sports Regional Corrib Village Grounds Sports Centre Cages Mens Soccer 5.307pm Softball 6-7.30pm Mens Rugby 7-8.30pm

Athletics 6.30-7pm Lacrosse 6.30-8pm

R.Ball Court / Studio

Pool

Dangan Pavillion

Dangan Sports Regional Corrib Village Grounds Sports Centre Cages

Pool

Dangan Pavillion

Dangan Sports Regional Corrib Village Grounds Sports Centre Cages

Pool

Dangan Pavillion

Dangan Sports Regional Corrib Village Grounds Sports Centre Cages

Capoeira 6-8pm Studio Judo Club

Hall 2

Hall 3

12-2pm 4-5.30pm

R.Ball Court / Studio

Taekwondo Club

Hall 1

Hockey 6.157.45pm

Boxing 6-8pm

Swim Club 8.30 11pm

Archery Club

Hall 1

Dangan Sports Regional Corrib Village Grounds Sports Centre Cages

Fencing Club

Cricket Club

11am - 1.30pm 2-3pm

Hall 2

Hall 3

2-4pm

For more info on University Sports or Clubs please contact:

R.Ball Court / Studio

Mountaineering Club 7-10pm Wall Recreational Bball

Hall 1

Off Campus Clubs

Swim Club 8.30 11pm

Athletics 6.30-7pm

Womens Rugby 7.30-8.45pm

Muay Thai

FRIDAY

SUNDAY

Boxing 6-8pm

Ladies Varsity Bball Table Tennis Club

8-10pm

SATURDAY

Hall 3

Aikido Club Archery Club Mens Fresher Bball Judo & Karate Club 6-8pm

6 - 7pm

9pm - 10.30pm

Dangan Sports Regional Corrib Village Grounds Sports Centre Cages

Volleyball Club

7-8.30am 1-2pm 4-6pm

7-9pm

Karate

Dangan Pavillion

Ladies Varsity Bball Karate Club

8 - 10pm 9 - 10.30pm

THURSDAY

Hall 3

Pool

ig a lwa y. ie

Mens Soccer 5.307pm

7-9pm

WEDNESDAY

w w w.c lu b s .n u

Club Booking Time Table in Sports Complex 2011 – 2012

Equestrian Club, Rockmount R.C, Wed 1pm Frisbee Club, Presidents Lawn, Mon & Thurs, 6pm Squash Club, Galway Lawn Tennis Club, Mon & Wed 7.30-9.30pm

R.Ball Court / Studio

Swim

Fencing Club Tennis Club, Galway Lawn Tennis Club, Sun Handball Club, St Marys School, Tues & 6-8pm Thurs 7-10pm Golf Lessons, Salthill Driving Range Wed 6pm Surf Meeting, O’ Flaherty Theatre, Mon Mountbike - Ballyhoura Mtb Trails Dates TBC 6.30-8pm Sailing, Galway Docks, Fri 1pm Mountaineering Hikes, leaves Quad, Sun 9.30am

Kathy Hynes, Development Officer, Clubs & Participation Ph: 091 493475, E: kathy.hynes@nuigalway.ie

Gary Ryan, Development Officer, Elite Sport Ph: 091 49 5979, E: gary.ryan@nuigalway.ie

Windsurfing , Rusheen Bay, Sat 11am - 3pm Pool & Snooker - Hub, Mon, Tues, Wed, 6-10pm Rowing Club, Kingfisher, Mon & Wed. The Rowing Club Tues & Thurs 6pm, Fri 4pm.

Ellen Kelly, Sports Administration Office Ph: 091 493482, E: ellen.kelly@nuigawlay.ie

For news & more information please see the calendar which is updated daily on www.clubs.nuigalway.ie

Riding the Waves

By Gráinne Conway

Want to tr y something new, get fit and make new friends? Or even drop words like ‘cowabunga’ and ‘gnarley’

into normal conversation? NUI Galway’s friendly and local surf club is definetely the club for you. They are six time intervarsity champions and are the biggest club on

campus with over 450 members. This year, they have ambitious plans to make the club even more extraordinary with a paced social calendar already underway. They have a number of upcoming events that will entice you to come along and enjoy the ambi-

ence. All members young and old are welcome to their meetings which are held every Wednesday at 8pm in the O’Flaherty Theatre on the concourse. Currently, the club is arranging their annual trip away, this year Portugal is on

the horizon. So, if you are in need of an escape from those January blues, a week of sun, surf, swells and shenanigans is just the ticket. For more information, you should come along to the weekly meetings or email surfclub@ clubs.nuigalway.ie

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It may seem stupid to think about heart health right now. You’re young so even if you live on fast food and only exercise walking to college, it’s unlikely you’ve experienced the heart pain of angina, the debilitating leg pain of arterial disease or the terror of a heart attack. Heart disease is a huge killer in our society and a high proportion of these deaths can be prevented through maintaining a healthy lifestyle from an early age - the earlier the better. Heart disease is an umbrella term for a wide range of diseases that can affect both the heart and the arteries and is more accurately called cardiovascular disease. Two elements predominantly cause cardiovascular disease: stuff damaging the heart muscle or arteries and bad fats building up in the arteries causing them to become narrowed or blocked. If the heart muscle is damaged, it fails to pump blood to all the tissues in the body so this is called heart failure. If bad fats build up in the arteries, it’s known as atherosclerosis and the ultimate consequence depends on what arteries are being narrowed. Narrowed arteries in the brain are called

cerebrovascular disease and can lead to strokes. In the heart it’s called coronary artery disease and can lead to angina and heart attacks and in the legs it’s known as peripheral artery disease and can lead to large nonhealing ulcers, gangrene and limb amputation. All of these conditions are very common. No matter what hospital you walk into in this country you’ll find people suffering through the difficult recovery after a heart attack or stroke, or waiting to hear if the surgeon can save their leg from an amputation. The hardest part of it all is that a large percentage of the disease is preventable. Sure, we can’t change the fact that, as we age our bodies weaken. Yes, some families are more susceptible than others so genetics play a role. However, huge, multimillion-euro studies all over the world have shown that, even when this is accounted for, it is our lifestyle that is doing the greatest amount of damage. I’m sure you’re not surprised. We all know that we should exercise regularly and we’re also pretty well educated about what food is bad for us. So why is this still happening? Well in my opinion, the problem comes solely down to our

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Recipe: Thai Spiced Burgers

Love Your Heart By Aoife Brennan

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Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes Serves: 4

Ingredients: • 8 spring onions, finely chopped • 1 red chilli, finely chopped • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 100g salted peanuts • 500g/ 1lb 2oz lean minced pork or beef • A large bunch of fresh coriander, chopped • 1 lime, zest and juice only • Sweet chilli sauce and sliced cucumber to serve • Salt and ground black pepper Method

attitude when we’re young. Yeah, yeah, heart disease is terrible but unless you’ve seen a loved one suffer through it it’s hard to imagine it happening to you. We can’t see or feel our hearts being damaged, until it punches us in the chest as we panic, gasping for oxygen during a heart attack. By then, the damage is done. In addition to this, we’re living, and expecting to live, longer these days. It’s no longer acceptable to live to sixty. So now, while you feel invincible, make smart decisions that you’ll be proud of in the future. Try this week’s workout, eat a few more veggies, take

time to chill out, de-stress, and have sex* (scientifically proven to boost heart health folks!). Finally, cut down or cut out the cigarettes. I know, I know, I’m practically wagging my finger at you! You know they’re bad for you but, again, try to think of the future you. I’ve yet to meet someone with heart disease or cancer who thought that smoking all those years was worth it. If you really want to quit go to the doctor now and get some help. Be the best you can be and don’t wait for your heart to tell you to smarten up.

cardiovascular fitness (so a stronger heart) and torches excess fat! If you’re already quite fit you can do this routine twice or even three times, back-to-back to make a killer 12 - 18 minute routine. Enjoy!

20 seconds.

1. If you have a food processor place the spring onions, chilli, garlic and peanuts into the bowl and process until finely chopped. If not just chop up nice and finely. 2. Tip into a bowl and mix well with the pork or beef, coriander, zest and juice of lime and plenty of seasoning. 3. Shape the mixture into burgers and if you have time, chill until ready to cook. 4. Cook in a hot pan for about five minutes on each side or barbecue if it’s summertime. 5. Brush slices of crusty bread with a little oil and toast under the grill. 6. Serve the burgers with the toasted bread and a little sliced cucumber and sweet chilli sauce.

*Safe Sex. — Ed

Workout

This workout is taken from BodyRock.tv. Search the BodyRock site for ‘6-minute Workout’ to see a video and some pictures of these exercises. This routine is suitable for guys and girls of all fitness levels just push yourself to a level where you feel challenged. If you’re new to this kind of thing, take your time the first few times you work out. Listen to your body; stop

if there is any pain, take breaks if you need them and don’t be sloppy with your form - do the exercises right so as not to injure yourself. Having said that, push yourself! Do this routine more than once and try to beat your reps each time. That way you can see your fitness improving. When tried a few times a week, exercises like this rapidly increase your strength, improve your

Equipment Needed: Interval timer: set for 12 rounds of 10 seconds and

1. Jump squats: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, toes and knees pointing slightly outwards. Drive your hips back and down into a squat. The lower you go the harder it is. From the squat, jump up as high as you can. As you come back down go straight

into the next squat, ready to spring up for the next jump. Repeat as many as you can during the 10 seconds. 2. Side pike jump: Start in the plank position, arms straight, shoulders over your wrists, feet together. Keeping the arms straight, jump both your feet off to the left, lifting the hips high as you go. From there jump

both feet all the way over to your right. The faster you go the harder it’ll feel! 3. Mountain climbers: Start in plank position. Step one foot up towards your hands. From here, jump and swap feet repeatedly and as quickly as you can. Try to keep your shoulders over your wrists, particularly if you’re strong.

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Volleyball Intervarsities Take Centre Stage at NUI Galway By Aisling Crowe NUI Galway hosted the 2011 Volleyball Intervarsity Championships from 17 – 19 November. This prestigious tournament was held in the Kingfisher Club. The university played host to both the men’s and women’s tournaments over the three days. The action got underway at 10am on Thursday morning with the entire day dedicated to the pool stages. Both defending cham-

pions were returning to put the titles that they claimed in 2010 on the line. The defending men’s champions are UCC volleyball club. They were undefeated on their way to the title last year and were hoping for a repeat performance again in Galway. The 2010 All Ireland Women’s champions are the UCD volleyball club. They have an excellent recent history in the tournament, having finished as runners up the previous two years.

In the men’s competition the teams were divided into four pools with three teams in each. NUI Galway were in pool four along with teams from Cork IT and Carlow IT. In last year’s tournament, the NUI Galway team made the semi-finals where they lost to the eventual champions. In Pool One, UCC were pitted against the teams from the Royal College of Surgeons a nd P o ol Tw o s a w Queen’s University caught up in middle

of the ancient rivalry between Dublin’s oldest universities - UCD and Trinity College. Pool Three was made up of teams from GMIT, DCU and the University of Ulster Jordanstown. The women’s competition had three groups for the pool stages, which also started early on Thursday morning. NUIG’s women’s team were in Pool 3, where their competition came from the Royal College of Surgeons and University of Ulster,

Jordanstown. Pool One was made up of the teams from DCU, Cork IT and UCC. GMIT, Trinity, UCD and Queens made up the four-team Pool 2. The competitions were hotly contested with every team desperate to be the one lifting the coveted trophy at the Awards Ceremony held in the Meyrick Hotel on Saturday 19 November. At time of print the outcome was undecided. Check out www.sin.ie for full results.

NUI Galway FC’s Talent Coming to the Fore NUIG v Corrib Celtic 3-2 By Dami Adebari NUI Galway FC picked up their league campaign with a win over Corrib Celtic. When the game got u n d e r w a y, N U I G looked a bit shaky, but luckily they came away with three points. Their opponents, Corrib

Celtic looked a decent side with great team chemistry but lacked the finishing touch. Even from the very first whistle, Corrib Celtic looked under significant pressure. Gary Mullin sweetly fired home from a long range distance shot, sailing past the goalkeeper into the top corner of the net. NUIG were

determined to perform. Corrib Celtic continued to pressurise NUIG but just couldn’t capitalise. To the relief of Mikey Creane, Corrib Celtic had left their defence wide open, allowing him to net another fine goal. The game seemed out of reach for Corrib Celtic, however, just before half time, they got a late goal. 2-1 the

score now stood. Half time came about and the message from the manager was clear, ‘’go out there lads, keep calm and composed and win the game.’’ The game resumed and NUIG began to dominate. Chances were scuppered. Disaster struck and Corrib Celtic equalised from a corner. The game tran-

spired with both teams looking for a winner. Corrib Celtic gave NUIG a scare when they came across an open goal but missed narrowly. A minute to go, the score was still level. However, Richie Byrne reaped the rewards with a last minute goal. The quest for another victory continues.

NUI Galway Softball Club’s Highs and Lows By Mark Kelly On Saturday 5 November the NUI Galway softball club took part in the Dublin Indoor Intervarsity. Teams from UCD, UL, Tralee and Trinity all took part in the event and the twelve teams were split into two groups of six. Indoor softball is quite different to outdoor softball in the fact that the pitcher only gets to throw one ball, it is either hit, a strike, in which case the batter is out, or a ball, in which case the player takes a base. NUIG commenced

their campaign with a match against Tralee’s Molly Roses. After an even first inning, NUIG piled on the pressure in the field, before taking the bat and grinding out an eight run victory. The next match saw them take on the Trinity Oddsox. A great first inning from the pitcher and fielder, followed by a strong batting display saw them take a hefty lead. While Oddsox did perform better in the second inning, NUIG won the match convincingly. At the end of the two games, everyone had scored a home run, apart from

yours truly, who swore he would score one before the end of the tournament. Next up was Marley 2. In a tight affair, Marley 2’s better fielding saw them take a first inning lead. At the bottom of the second, NUIG needed 33 runs to win. However, some controversial umpiring decisions saw NUIG lose by four, their first loss of the day. Unfortunately, the loss seemed to affect the team’s mentality as the fielding and batting in the next game against the Allsorts reflected. After a tight first inning, Allsorts

batted magnificently, and fielded just as well to ensure a hefty 47 run defeat. The last game of the group was against UCD 2. It turned into a highly competitive game, with both NUIG and UCD batting and managing bases beautifully, contributing to a high scoring game. UCD and NUIG fielded extremely well and I finally hit a home run! An extremely close match finished with a single run victory for NUIG, leaving them with a 3-2 record in the group stage. This left them tied second, b u t u n f o r t u n a t e l y,

they were ranked third. In the first playoff match, NUIG faced UCD 1. A tight first inning saw NUIG hit home runs whilst UCD used pace to get around. However, some excellent fielding by UCD in the second innings and a poor batting display by NUIG ensured UCD’s progress to the next round. As it transpired, UCD were the eventual winners, beating Marley 1 in the final. A good day was had by all, and congratulations to the organisers for planning a wonderful event.

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Charity Run for “Inspirational” Mark By Colette Sexton A night time charity event, the Run for Mark in the Dark, was held simultaneously in Belfast, Dublin, Cork and Galway at 7.30pm on Wednesday, 16 November. The run was held to raise funds for Mark Pollock who was left paralysed after falling from a second story window in July 2010. The run started outside the Kingfisher Gym and went up to the Park and Ride. The two mile journey was ‘chipped’. This was an interesting technique for all kinds of runner, from beginner to advanced, to monitor their progress. Pollock is often described as an ‘adventure athlete’. He lost his sight at the age of twenty two but did not let this hold him back. Pollock

has competed in marathons in the North Pole, Gobi Desert and Syrian African Rift Valley. Around eighteen months ago, he fell out of a second story window, broke his vertebrae and is now in a wheelchair. Everyone that took part in the run donated €25 to the Mark Pollock Trust and will help Pollock in ‘Project Walk’ which is his quest for spinal rehabilitation. Many of the participants in the Galway Run for Mark took part because of his inspiring personality. Martina Gannon, NUI Galway Arts student, was one of the runners: “The fact that four different provinces are doing the run for him just proves how inspirational he is... He gives you a sense that you can do anything and this is just a small thing

Siobhan Sumption, Shane Murphy, Christina Quinn and Tommy Torrades before the event.

compared to what he has done so I couldn’t think of any reason not to [take part in the run].” Some students were taking part not just because of Mark’s story but because they had previously met Pollock in person. Simon Casey from the NUI Galway Badminton Club, was one of the lucky few who had an opportunity to meet Pollock. “A couple of weeks ago we actually bumped into him and we had a great chat with him so after that we decided we were going to do [the run].” Pollock was heavily connected with the rowing club in NUI Galway before he lost his sight. This is one of the main reasons why the run was organised with such close connections to this campus. Five members of the current NUI Galway Rowing Club took part in the event. Irish runner and marathoner, Richard Donovan, first met Pollock in 2004. Mr Donovan operates the North Pole marathon and Pollock took part in the marathon that year. Donovan was race director for the Run for Mark in the Dark and was involved in measuring the course and other necessary organisation: “I found Mark an inspiration to be honest

when I met him. I think we need more people with his type of attitude to life and I had no hesitation in helping

out when I could.” Donovan believes that the Run for Mark in the Dark will be an annual event that will

increase in size each year. “It’s a platform for future events. I think it’s going to be an event that will grow.”

The contestants before they begin to run.

Athletics Display Valiant Flair in Maynooth By Neil Hyland The first athletics intervarsities of the college year took place in NUI Maynooth on Saturday, 12 November. The NUI Galway Men’s team performed admirably in a high class field in the National Road Relays Intervarsity. With many runners from DCU and UCD still harbouring hope of representing Ireland in London next year, the NUIG team can be extremely proud of their fourteenth place finish

out of twenty-four teams. The team was anchored by first year student Barry Healy, with Rory Mannion, Diarmaid Collins, David Keogh and club captain Oisin O’Carroll completing the quintet. Unfortunately, due to injuries and other commitments, NUIG failed to yield a female team. Nevertheless, morale remains very high in the club due in no small part to the presence of reputed trainer and former Irish distance runner Gerry O’Reilly as

club coach. With the likes of Mark English, Darren McBrearty and John Coughlan, son of former World Champion Eamon, all competing, our distance runners can take pride in their performance and hope to build on this for the National Indoor Intervarsity Championships in Nenagh next February. For all those still interested in taking part in athletics at any level, training in Dangan is still every Monday and Thursday at 6.30pm.

NUI Galway’s Squash Club Retain Kevin Quinlan Cup By Shane Tuohy A crisp, cold November morning welcomed UCC to a sleepy Galway Lawn Tennis Club for the second annual Squash Invitational competition. NUI Galway and UCC faced one another for the second time with NUIG vying to defend their title. Three teams represented each university, two men’s and one ladies’. In general, competitive squash matches are played best of five. Players are ranked from one to five and each player takes on their counterpart from the opposing team. From the opening round of matches, it was clear that both teams were very much up for it, with the two sides trading early points. There was excellent squash on offer and some gripping games,

NUIG’s Brendan Murtagh and Wojceich Sokol both fought bravely but lost out in tight fifth set deciders. Also, early victories from Domhnall O’Connor, Kevin Collins and Shane Tuohy helped to steady the ship as NUIG began to get the upper hand, thanks in no small part to the excellent performance of the ladies’ team, which saw Jennifer Hegarty, Margaret-Mary McGrath, Annika Leichtle, and Anna Sokol take their games in straight sets, 3-0. It soon became apparent that it was going to be NUIG’s day. With fifteen games taking place, a score of eight points were required to win, and Burrwa Nashat took to the court knowing that victory in his game would award the tournament to NUIG. Despite a brave fight back by

his Cork opposite number, he sealed the win for NUIG with a confident performance. Although already assured of victory NUIG powered on to win two further matches leaving the final score 10-5 in the Galwegians favour. NUIG now retain the Kevin Quinlan Cup, having also won the inaugural competition last year. The Squash Club has witnessed a phoenix like revival over the past twelve months. Going from being defunct it has become a vibrant club with packed training sessions, twice a week. The club will host the Irish Inter-varsities in February and their present performance bodes well for them to be among the challengers at the biggest tournament on the University squash calendar.

NUIG’s victory and recent progress has been greatly aided by the addition of former world number thirty

professional player, Alana Miller to the club’s coaching team. Alana has brought her vast experience and together

with the guidance of coach Edwin Brennan, the club is likely to continue to grow and prosper.

Wojciech Sokol, Brendan Murtagh and Shane Tuohy at the Squash Invitationals competition, 5 November. Photograph by Burrwa Nashat

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Gary Ryan: A Martial for She Flew Through the Air Elite Athleticism with the Greatest of Ease… Sinead Farrell For the past fourteen years, the sports department at NUI Galway has been facilitating the needs of high performance athletes in juggling their academic and training commitments. In 2009, the commanding post of this task was designated to Tipperary native Gary Ryan. He reiterates the importance of assisting dedicated sports performers in sustaining a balanced routine that incorporates study and training in appropriate proportions. “Going to college and getting a degree is hard enough and when you’re trying to sustain training for something that you’re passionate about, we think it’s vital that there’s help available to help athletes achieve that”. Gary’s sporting history stems from an impressive profile as a sprinter, which yielded him an appearance on the Olympic stage in 1996 and 2000. After his retirement from the competitive sector in 2006, he transferred his skills to the coaching aspect of the discipline and was appointed to Director of Athletics Ireland where he provided a thorough mentorship for athletes who could potentially compete at international level. Three years later he discovered an advertisement for an Elite Sport’s Development Officer here in NUI Galway where today he continues

to counsel pedigreed athletes. Currently, there are a total of sixty-one students endowed sport’s scholarship for the university, which encompasses fourteen different sports. “There’s a great variety of students on the programme and they’re a really talented bunch. I review their progress twice a year along with their coaches so they’re a really important factor in developing the talent as well. To be successful in the long run it all comes down to work ethic and I try to instill that into athletes when I meet them. I worked in the P.E. department in UL where I got my masters so I worked with athletes from different areas there which was helpful when I took this position.” In order to be awarded this coveted title, the student must endure an application process plus an interview and the results will determine if you have matched the criteria for the scholarship. “There is a benchmark across all sports. We research each athlete’s sporting history and then we conduct an interview.” The prize for securing a scholarship presents essential benefits for aspiring athletes. In addition to receiving a sizable monetary grant from between €1,000 - €1,500, they are also entitled to sponsored membership at the Kingfisher gym, free

access to medical facilities, free consultations with a nutritionist and a sport’s psychologist and a performance planning regime. These plans are tailored to each athlete’s individual abilities and objectives. Gary administers these plans after discussing with the athlete and monitors it with them on a regular basis. The programme survives on a structured and organised team based network. Gary consolidates with different administrative figures and coaches on behalf of his scholarship students. The focus is on inspiring young athletes to realise their potential - a philosophy that eighteen-year-old Jennifer Byrne can attest to. She joins a contingency of thirteen fortunate selectees for sports scholarships. The first year medicine student is a budding soccer talent and although still in her sapling years of perfecting the craft, prestigious achievements are not uncommon for her. She was a member of the Irish ladies U17 team that secured the nation’s praise at the World Cup in 2010. “I was told about three weeks ago that I got it and I was delighted to get the news. The gym membership is brilliant for training and Gary has been really helpful. I think the programme is really important because it helps you manage both your college and training requirements.”

The NUIG windsurfing club's Saturday training session in Rusheen Bay, Knocknacarra. Photograph by Paul D'Eath.

Rosemary Gallagher “Go into pike, then hump the sky,” our instructor explains, while gyrating wildly against the silks in an inverted position. She instructs us to wrap the silk around our right leg, let our left arm fall to our ear to pick up the loose end, wrap that around our waist, then twice over our free leg, before letting go completely and dangling from the air like something caught in a spider’s web. No, this is not extreme Twister; I’m at the Galway Community Circus adult aerial silks course in Shantalla Community Centre. It’s the last class of our eight-week course, and I can honestly say I’ve managed to make at least one trick look good. This is not a fad either. Despite my surprising lack of upper-arm strength, I have now been an avid attendant at Aerial Silks for two years. In that time I’ve learned some pretty cool tricks, but more than anything it’s a wonderful full-body workout. Classes are typically two hours, with conditioning at the beginning to stretch us out and strengthen our muscles, before we leap into the air, wrap ourselves up in knots, and attempt to appear graceful. I may not be able to manage a pullup yet, but I have learned how to climb, ‘skin a cat,’ do a hip, foot or double foot lock (from which the logical progression is the freakin’ splits) and my favourite: the visually dramatic ‘drop’. This isn’t flying; this is falling with style! Tara Wray, a final year Arts student, did the adult course too. She explained what attracted her to the circus: “I’m the kind of person that’s not into traditional sports – I grew up in Australia so I was used to running sports and when I came to Ireland, all the options were Gaelic. I was always more interested in things like juggling and hooping, so this was an opportunity to do something other than the typical sport.” Did she think it was

a good work out? “Yes definitely, I’m a lot stronger!” The Community Circus has a long history with NUI Galway. In addition to strong links with our own Juggling Society, there are a number of NUI Galway students actively involved in the project. First year Arts and Theatre Student Blue Hanley, has been involved since she was sixteen. In the upcoming show, The Lost Circus, she is doing acro-balance stilt walking and doubles trapeze. When I asked what the heck acro-balance was, Blue explained that one person acts a base, and balances a ‘flyer’, allowing a stiltwalker to hold completely still for a moment: quite a feat as they must remain in constant motion to stay upright. Molly Delaney, a second year Arts & Children’s Studies student, is quite new to Circus. “I have many, many

friends involved, and they kept talking about it. I went along to shut them up really and haven’t been able stop since.” What keeps her coming back for more? “I like the family atmosphere: there’s no shame in circus. Everyone is really close, and we all have similar interest. There’s a great community feeling.” In The Lost Circus Molly will be performing on aerial cocoon and minihoops. The Lost Circus, presented by the Galway Community Circus with Fidget Feet Aerial Dance Theatre and Scarabeus Theatre Company, will run for two nights on 25 -26 November in the Black Box Theatre. With 100 young performers including some great NUI Galway talent, it promises to be an exciting display. Check out this week’s Societies What’s Happening Guide to win two tickets for the show.

I just make it look easy!

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What’s Happening in Galway 21st November – 4th December By Ashling O’Loughlin, Arts & Entertainment Editor Monday 21 November – The Cathy Thursday 24 November – VegSoc host Sharp Dance Ensemble, in the Town Hall Veg Pot Luck Lunch. The hub @ 1pm. Theatre @ 8 – 10pm. Friday 25 November – Galway’s VinTuesday 22 November – Underwa- tage Frock & Crock Sale, at Lynch’s Cafe, ter Photography Show. Concourse, Room Shop Street. @ 6.30pm .Tickets €5. AC201. @ 5 – 8.30pm. Saturday 26 November – An audiWednesday 23 November – Intro- ence with DJ Scott Ferguson, in Aras na duction NUIG triangle. @Book 7 Mac Leinn Sudoku @ 6 – Puzzles 7pm.by KrazyDad Book 1 To Costume. 1Intermediate Easy Sudoku Puzzles by KrazyDad – 10pm. Sunday 27 November – Galway ConSudoku Sudoku#1 #2

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tinental Christmas Market in Eyre Square from 10am. Monday 28 November – Comedy: Dead Cat Bounce, at the College Bar. Free entry. Tuesday 29 November – Theatre: The Rehearsal, Playing the Dane. The Black Box Theatre @ 8Puzzles – 10pm. Ticket €5. Challenging Sudoku by KrazyDad Thursday 1 December – Theatre: The

"Better a witty fool than a foolish wit."

-- Williamphotographed Shakespeare Ruairí Quinn shifting a young wan in Coppers after USI protest. Sudoku #4 become 417,000 students 88 allegedly 4 1 ‘active members’ of societies, as CV application deadlines loom large. 9 does 3 be burned in9effigy 5 Sin6writer 8 for7 use of Hiberno-1 English construction to indicate latter continuous 5 7 3 3 9 tense. 1 Fianna4 Fáil and Free Education for 1 Ógra 7 Everyone 3 duke it out, ‘Two Tribes’ music video-style in 9 5 4 4 3 1 6the Bialann. 2 Bicycle thefts up 50%:8half of 2bicycles on campus 1 now unicycles. 6 2 Speculation that SU President sold shares in Diageo 7 before Rag Week 5 abolition. 8 6 and Buckfast days Labour and Fine Gael hold pre-budget 6 8 5 4 planning9 ©meeting 2011 KrazyDad.com © 2011 KrazyDad.com © 2011 KrazyDad.com in Siobhan McKenna theatre, while silly students head to USI protest in Dublin. Quinn cackles and rubs hands sinisterly. Umbrella fatalities on campus reach an all time high: up to fifty dead umbrellas daily. Hammered Engineering student really does feel connection with lyrics of inane song blaring in CPs. Formal complaint lodged against Speedball Club for presentation of a sixty-four question quiz, despite Geneva Convention protocol recommending tenten format. Reports that toilet paper in the Quad is fancier than in the Concourse. Student complains about something. Bear attacks on campus leave fifteen injured this week. SU condemns University’s Bear Defence Policy. Fresher student from Leitrim eventually figures out how pedestrian crossing lights work. Grant cuts result in 82% slump in shoe sales for Brown Thomas compared to October 2010. Mature student holds up hand for so long that circulation is cut off, gangrene sets in and it has to be amputated. Unnamed SU officer defiles puppy. Georgia Salpa nominated for honorary degree.

Seafarer. Town hall Theatre. @ 8pm. Ticket prices vary. Friday 2 December – Citog Presents, at the Cellar Bar @ 9pm. Saturday 3 December – Bell X1 play the Rosin Dubh @ 8pm. Tickets €30. Sunday 4 December – The Jane and Kiki Drag show at Dignity Bar @ 11pm. Free admission.

Horoscopes By Myles McKittrick Aries [Mar21 - Apr19] The secret to your future happiness depends on you solving this conundrum: People are to trees as… Taurus [Apr20 - May20] If the same thing happens twice it may not happen a third time. Gemini [May21 - Jun20] After countless cases of students becoming blind due to emulating the ideology created by this star sign, Gem - in - i has been revoked and will no longer feature in this article. Cancer [Jun21 - Jul22] You have made good progress with a love in your life but you are still struggling with some other issues. I think you should deal with all your problems as they arise as sometimes it is difficult to stay on top of everything. Luck will present itself to you in a form you least expect. Leo [Jul23 - Aug22] You should be a secretary. Virgo [Aug23 - Sept22] Everything has started to go downhill since September. The love of your life has yet to appear as you expected. Your college grades have been substandard… Could always get pregnant? Or start studying. Up to you I guess. Libra [Sept23 - Oct22] It is time to get paranoid. Everyone will start pretending they are happy in a few weeks and they will all hang up lights and trees everywhere. Be careful, they just want you

to think they are happy so they can get you happy. And God knows what they’ll do next. It’s a conspiracy. Scorpio [Oct23 - Nov21] We really should go for tea again sometime?! Starting to get ridiculous at this stage!! Next week maybe?! Sagittarius [Nov22 - Dec21] Happy Birthday you big pile of loveliness. Mwah mwah! LYAn4eva2K11 Capricorn [Dec22 - Jan19] The cards say you will be billionaire in the near future. You will then marry a supermodel who will make you invest in the poodle clothing market. You will lose all your money and your wife will sleep with your ugly cousin Dave. Aquarius [Jan20 - Feb18] Fabulous mistakes have been made. People have tried to do the wrong things at times but never failed in doing them and therefore all is not lost my son. All is not lost. Pisces [Feb19 - Mar20] Laura, do you remember in labs when you said you thought my horoscopes were good? That was really nice, thank you. In fact, that whole conversation was really nice and I was in a really good mood. Bad news though. You can’t get the marks from labs because you weren’t wearing the lab coat properly and you really shouldn’t have been talking anyway. I had to report you, any good student would have. Love the comments though.

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