Volume 14 Issue 4 by Student Independent News

FREE STUDENT NEWSPAPER

VOL 14, ISSUE 4

29 OCT 2012

Chief Superintendent concerned about rise in Galway rapes By Marése O’Sullivan Chief Superintendent, Michael O’Sullivan, has expressed worry at the increase of 33% in rapes of males or females in Galway during the first eight months of this year, in comparison to the same time last year. Since January 2012, the amount of sexual attacks taking place in the city has been on the up, with eight rapes reported. However, the Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) estimates that it could be ten times that figure. The number of sexual assault

incidents recorded by the Galway Rape Crisis Centre (GRCC) has escalated by almost 400% in the last seven years. The GRCC's annual report states that they had 77 call-outs to the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in 2011, in comparison to 50 in 2010. Executive Director, Aoibheann McCann said; "It is no wonder our volunteer team won the 2011 Mayoral Awards. They faced a challenging year." With 17% of GRCC clients aged 18-23 and 12% aged 24-29, students – in

particular – must be on the alert. Alcohol consumption is the most common cause of a sexual assault, says the RCCI. Policy and Communications Director of the RCCI, Clíona Saidléar said; “The acceptance of alcohol to 'loosen up' and facilitate social encounters creates specific problems in recognising that alcohol is being used as a date-rape drug. [...] Rape prevention messages must not result in the misplacing of responsibility on girls and women who were intoxicated at the time of their rape. Such messages

reinforce victim-blaming and rape-facilitative attitudes.” A study carried out by the RCNI indicated that only 10% of victims disclose any rapes or sexual violence to the Garda Síochána, while 50% don't tell anybody. “I think if you're a girl you have to be particularly careful,” said Public and Social Policy student, Conor Lane. “Galway's one of the safest cities you could possibly live in, but it's still a city – you have to be extra vigilant.” Continued on page 2…

NUI Galway rocked by ‘Confessions of an NUIG student’ By Sean Dunne Conferring week saw NUI Galway rocked by the social networking page on Facebook entitled ‘Confessions of an NUIG student’. Similar pages have popped up for other colleges around the country, including UL, UCD and UCC. These pages contain sexual and explicit content. At the

time of print, some content had already been removed following complaints to the administrator. The NUI Galway press office issued the following statement about the controversial Facebook page; “NUI Galway implements a Code of Conduct which applies to all students attending the University. Students are regularly reminded of the

importance of adhering to this code. The University would expect all students to behave responsibly and to respect the University’s reputation and more importantly their own welfare in all circumstances including in their use of social media.” A large number of students are highly insulted by the ‘Confessions of an NUIG student’ page as many of the

Dr. Rolf Landua giving 8-year-old Sarah Casserly a lesson on the Large Hadron Collider at the Official Opening of CERN on 16 September.

anonomously-posted confessions are misogynistic, sexist and offensive. The Vice President and Education Officer of NUI Galway Students’ Union Conor Stitt said; “This page is something bizarre. Not only does it have a cringe-worthy sense of humour but trivialises anti-social behaviour and sexism to a huge degree. That being said, the same poor grammar and spelling traits are clear enough to indicate that the administrator is making them up and far beyond the real deal, but simply the immature and grossly misspelled ramblings of a student who needs to grow up.” The administrator of the social networking page urges students to mail in their “most embarrassing, disgusting, humiliating, dirtiest, silliest confessions” to be posted anonymously on the Facebook wall so that “everyone can have a laugh.” The Facebook pages for other colleges encourage the same behaviour. Continued on page 2…

Nobel Prize winner Edmund Phelps visits NUI Galway

World News

The Big Bang Experience

5 questions people ask the student living in a tent

Halloween Special

The 21st Century

Get your skates on

Cloakrumours

A proud Declan Corrigan receives his degree from “Jim Browne” last week.

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Conferring week in NUI Galway By Bebhinn Lernihan NUI Galway’s President, Dr James Browne, presented hundreds of ambitious and independent undergraduate students with their degree certificates last week. The autumn conferring took place from Monday 22 October to Friday 26 October with the ceremonies beginning at 11am each morning and continuing at regular intervals during the day until 8pm. Students who graduated last week were from the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies; the College of Business, Public Policy and Law; the College of Science; Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge; and the College

of Engineering and Informatics. NUI Galway’s President, Dr Browne, congratulated the graduates during the conferring service and wished them the very best in their future careers and in the challenges which they will face in the future. He said; “Each of you, today’s graduates, will have to reinvent yourselves many times in your career... Do not lose hope or courage... You have the potential and the talent to achieve great things – but it is only potential, which without hard work and endeavour will remain unfilled.” The college first opened its doors to 63 students on October 30, 1849 and

is now home to 17,000 students, 2,000 of which are international students who represent some 92 countries worldwide. The hundreds that graduated last week now depart from this figure of 17,000 and join the other 90,000 students that have already graduated from NUI Galway and who have successfully moved on in their careers and lives. Amongst the 90,000 graduates are many well-known and highly respected figures within society. Included in this figure are the President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, An Táinaiste Eamonn Gilmore and Attorney General Máire Whelan.

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NUI Galway student covered in excrement shocks Newcastle resident By Jessica Thompson Gardaí will deal with a Masters student in NUI Galway, under the Adult Cautioning Scheme, after he was found asleep and covered in excrement on the porch of a Newcastle home. The owner of the house opened her front door on Thursday morning 17 October to find a male student asleep with his pants down and covered in his own faeces after several bouts of diarrhea. The student had been out drinking the night before and was highly intoxicated when walking home. He stopped at the

Newcastle home to relieve himself, but fell asleep. When the owner of the house woke the still drunken student, she contacted the University authorities who told her to report the incident to the Gardaí. It is understood that she did not want the student to be charged with a criminal offence. According to The Connacht Sentinel, a spokesperson from NUI Galway issued the following statement: “The University condemns unequivocally any anti-social behaviour by its students. As and when the individuals concerned in such behaviour are

identified as NUI Galway students, the university has and will continue to deal with them by means of the disciplinary process as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. “The university brings to the attention of all of its students, on a regular basis, their obligations, and the possible sanctions which can be applied, under the Code of Conduct. “The university works closely with the Gardaí in trying to ensure that students are aware of their obligations and the serious consequences they face if convicted of anti-social behaviour.”

Chief Superintendent concerned about rise in Galway rapes Continued from page 1… Fourth year Creative Writing student, Shauna Cunniffe, commented, “I feel unsafe walking home from college, knowing of this recent rise in rapes. Personally, the fact that it is getting dark earlier is a cause of concern for me. I always try to be accompanied at night.”

Hannah O'Reilly, who studies French and English, told Sin; “I was followed around my estate two weeks ago by a man I didn't know. Especially after being on Erasmus and hearing the local horror stories, the idea of an increase in sexual attacks has become all the more terrifying and disgusting. “I'd be very independent

when it comes to walking home, but it's gone beyond a measure of a sense of security – it's now a sense of genuine safety. Some girls [feel] pretty much confined to being indoors unless they have a chaperone these days. It's something that a lot of people – particularly heads of state – will never understand: literal fear of either not making it home,

or having something as sacred as your body violated. It's more the political and social attitude towards it that kind of sickens me.” Additional volunteers have been trained in by the GRCC, thanks to funding from NUI Galway's Students’ Union, allowing more counselling to be provided. Students’ Union Wel-

fare Officer, Dami Adebari, advised students to be wary of the potential danger; “Don't walk home alone, don't take any shortcuts, and have a whistle or protective object with you. Stay in groups. Stay where it’s lit. Never leave your drink unattended. Just try to stay safe.” The Galway Rape Crisis Centre is currently looking

for female volunteers for the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit, which provides psychological support after a sexual assault. Full training is provided. If you would like to volunteer with the GRCC, you can contact them at grccvolunteers@gmail. com. Application forms are available on their website, http://www.galwayrcc.org/ volunteering.php.

NUI Galway rocked by ‘Confessions of an NUIG student’ Continued from page 1…

“Jim Browne” getting ready to award another batch of degrees.

The University of Limerick SU President Adam Moursy told Sin; “The University of Limerick SU does not endorse the ‘Confessions of a UL Student’ Facebook page, however, we have yet to receive any complaints with regards to it and as such, it has not become a matter of issue for us. We would recommend that students are vigilant with what they are sending in, as many of these stories can be easily identifiable and as such, may cause unnecessary embarrassment for the Students involved.”

UCC SU President Eoghan Healy also commented, saying; “Social networking pages such as the ‘confessions of a University Student’ series that have started to appear are, of course, damaging to the reputation of a University. All it takes is one fabrication from a student to damage the integrity of image of other third level students across Ireland.” There are many ‘confessions’ that have been posted on these social networking pages that use vulgar and insulting language, with comments such as; “When his hands travelled south

she didn't refuse entry” and “The slut ***** is squatting down having a ****, all over a pile of my clothes”. Vice President of Student Experience Dr Pat Morgan was unavailable for comment on the situation. NUI Galway also failed to comment on the situation when contacted by Sin. The UCDSU Education Officer Shane Comer too declined to comment on their own ‘Confessions of a UCD student’. The emergence of social media pages such as ‘Confessions of a University Student’ further highlights the growing trend in the

public perception of the dangers of such comments on social networking sites. The death of school girl Ciara Pugsley is one such case. Ciara experienced extreme bullying through the anonymous site, ask. fm, in the months leading to her suicide. Many students are worried that these pages will result in all students being “painted with the same brush”. The anonymity of the pages and the administrator may also pose serious danger to those who send in their ‘confessions’ so students would do well to exercise caution online.

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Editorial

By Jessica Thompson Halloween; it’s one of my favourite times of the year. Last year was my first Halloween spent in Galway, and it truly was spectacular. Never before had I walked through a city where every single person was in fancy dress. As I walked down the

streets, I met zombies, witches, boxes of teabags, an assortment of animals, French maids, nurses, gypsies, Little Britain characters, unidentified walking objects, Satan, butchers, and even Mario and Luigi. I myself, as you can see from my editorial photo, went as a zombie, in a costume I threw together that day, and some crazy make-up. There I am just hanging out with my vampire friend. Halloween is a popular time for students. Last year, as I wandered around the city amongst some of the strangest looking costumes, I realised that now is the best time to enjoy Halloween. As children, we

wore bin bags and had our mothers sort out the dodgy face paint. As teenagers, we were way too cool to dress up for such a childish holiday. But now, as adults and students, here we are, donning the stupidest outfits possible in an attempt to look more ridiculous than our friends. Halloween is kind of a big deal to us. For this reason, I’ve had my team of Sinners (a very apt title for the occasion) put together a series of Halloween-related articles. Stuck for costume ideas? Having trouble with make-up? Need some party survival tips or ideas for Halloween movies and treats? Turn to page 13 (unlucky 13 – see what I did there?), and start reading our five spooky pages of

Darragh O’Connor receives his BA Degree, while “Jim Browne” shows off some leg.

Halloween articles. This week is also Healthy Living week. It seems that every week is a week these days – and rightly so. It will be breaking news when we have a week that is, in fact, not a week of some kind. The Students’ Union is encouraging us to live healthily, and will be giving out free fruit and healthy living bags all this week. Turn to pages 16 and 17 for more information on this. Sticking with healthy living week, we have our usual columnists to give tips. John Mulry is debunking more diet myths on page 27, while Kiri Renssen explains how your diet can affect your mental health on page 26. Also on page 26 is a little health piece on how to combat fatigue. All of our writers have different opinions, but I have two particular writers who love to express theirs. The best part about this is that they often disagree with each other. So what did I do? I gave them a topic to debate, of course! Turn to page 10 to see the result and see who you agree with. If you weren’t hiding under a rock last week, you will have seen a large number of people in capes and hats. On behalf of Sin, I would like to congratulate everyone who graduated, including our SU Officers, and Sin’s own Arts and Entertainment editor, James Falconer. I can’t wait to flounce around in robes myself come November. As always, if you feel the need to chat about a story, email me on editor@sin. ie, or pop into my office. I’ve said this before, but I’ll remind you that I like my tea with milk and no sugar. Jess

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Vincent Hughes from Super7ayian, the Witless Heat 4 winners. Photo by Kieran Durcan.

Dear Editor, I was delighted that you saw fit to cover the recent launch of my new book The Disarmament of Hatred about French pacifist Marc Sangnier (1873-1950) and the movements for Franco-German reconciliation through youth in the 1920s and 1930s. However, your report implied that there was something new in students of history at NUI Galway being taught by published authors who were expert in their field. Happily, research-led teaching is in fact nothing new here. As I said at the book launch, I am one member of a discipline – History – that operates as a team of skilled players who combine teaching with a research-active culture of enquiry. All dozen or more members of the teaching staff are published authors or, in the case of our tutors, they are either already published or are well on the way to seeing their names in print. The research component of our job includes publishing articles in scholarly journals (accessible through JSTOR or

the James Hardiman Library’s ARAN collection) and writing or co-authoring books that reflect our own research in the archives. Something of the diverse range and work rate of History can be appreciated online (http:// www.nuigalway.ie/history/ recentpub.html ) or, more informally, by dropping into the Department’s public area to have a glance at our Recent Publications display. (This is maintained by our Records Secretary Maura Walsh, another published staff member.) After this friendly clarification, may I conclude on a note of thanks to your readers – our students. Their thoughtprovoking questions helped me clarify ideas and how to communicate them as I taught and wrote. As I say in the foreword of my book, such good tutorial exchanges percolate through the teacher’s mind and help inform what they subsequently publish. Yours truly, Dr. Gearóid Barry, Department of History.

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Nobel Prize winner Edmund Phelps visits NUI Galway

Class rep council proceeds smoothly

By Jane Kearns

By Rosemary Gallagher

NUI Galway’s Law Society, in conjunction with the Literary and Debating Society, welcomed world-renowned American economist, Professor Edmund Phelps to lead a discussion entitled ‘Innovation and the Good Economy’ on Monday 15 October. In 2006 Professor Phelps won the Nobel Prize for Economic Sciences for his analysis of intertemporal trade-offs in macro-economic policy. Throughout his career, spanning over five decades, Professor Phelps’ work has had a major impact on economic research and policy. He attended Amherst College for his undergraduate education in 1951, and by

1959 he received his PhD from Yale where he studied under future Nobel Prize winners James Tobin and Thomas Schelling. In 1961, Professor Phelps published a famous paper on the Golden Rule savings rate, one of his major contributions to economic science. By the 80s he was working closely with a number of European universities and in 1990 he was involved in a mission where he designed a proposal to reform the USSR. During his talk given to a packed hall, Professor Phelps addressed a number of issues concerning economies at this time, but his main focus was on creativity and innovation in the face of economic turmoil. He pointed out that

Ireland’s way out of the current economic downturn is reliant on harnessing entrepreneurship and innovative ideas. He then went on to discuss how imagination and recognition of creativity is the key to a successful economy, and noted the phenomenal success of some of today’s “modern creators” including Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs, saying that; “ Steve Jobs owed his success to a lot of creativity and a lot of insight.” He continued with an argument on how certain values create a thriving economy “Moral values, while hard to define, have shaped and built traditional economic powers such as the US, England, France and Germany.”

Cathal O'hÁodhagáin, Auditor of NUI Galway’s Law Society, said: “It is an honour and a privilege for our society to host such a brilliant mind as Professor Phelps. His economical work has rightly led to him being honoured with a Nobel Prize and it is apt that the 2012 Noble Prize winner for Economic Science will be announced this Monday, the same day as his address in NUI Galway.” At the end Professor Phelps’ lecture, Literary and Debating Society’s auditor Maria Keenan presented him with the President’s Medal, the society’s highest honour which has previously been awarded to Archbishop Desmond Tutu and writer Brian Friel to name a few.

NUI Galway co-launches digital theatre archive By Órla Ryan NUI Galway and the Abbey Theatre in Dublin have launched a groundbreaking digital archive partnership. A Digital Journey through Irish Theatre History is the largest digital theatre project ever undertaken and signals a new era of scholarship for Irish theatre at home and abroad. President Michael D Higgins launched the project in the Abbey Theatre on 22 October. Dr Jim Browne, President of NUI Galway, has said the benefit of this initiative for students will be "immense". “As East meets West, and the creative arts and scholarship combine, this project will see NUI Galway bring the most advanced digital technology to bear on one of the country’s most historic theatre archives. This digitisation project is based on an awareness of the importance of the Abbey Theatre for the social, cultural and economic history of this country – not to mention its ongoing significance for Ireland and the international community as one of the key national theatres in the world," he declared. Fiach MacConghail,

Director of the Abbey, said it had been "a long cherished ambition" of the theatre to preserve their annals. He said; "The Abbey archive is a major resource for Irish theatre and will help us celebrate the unheralded artists, actors and writers who have worked at the Abbey over the years. It will also inspire the next generation of theatre makers. We are excited to partner with NUI Galway and to have arts and science disciplines come together in this way.” The venture, which began in September, will take place at the college over a three to four year period and will bring together multidisciplinary teams of the university’s researchers, students and archivists. The archive, which contains over 1.8 million items, will be a major addition to the existing collection of literary and cultural archives at NUI Galway. The Archive Collection at the James Hardiman Library comprises over 350 collections, dating from 1485 to the present. The Abbey archive boasts a wealth of unique material that provides a fascinating insight into Irish theatre, history, culture and society. The archival material ranges

from photographs, set and costume designs, prompt scripts and audio files. NUI Galway recently launched a new undergraduate degree in Drama, Theatre and Performance, as well as a new PhD programme in

Irish Drama. The university has also introduced two new fully-funded PhD fellowships dedicated to research in Irish Theatre to give an immediate boost to the research team working on the archive project.

On Monday 15 October Class Representatives from all schools convened for the first full Class Rep Council of the semester. USI President John Logue and Deputy President/Campaigns Officer Kate Acheson were present to announce USI’s latest Campaign for Free Fees. The introduction of Procedural Motions in keeping with the USI format went some way towards seeing Students’ Union President Paul Curley’s vision of a more streamlined Council, as constant disruptions during proceedings last year frustrated Students’ Union and Class Reps alike. John Logue’s address divided opinion, as some welcomed the departure from the formulaic USI Campaigns of recent years, and others dismissed the new plan as just more political rhetoric from the Dublin-based Union. Logue criticized this tradition of marching on Dáil Éireann, claiming that buildings don’t bring about change; people do. He then

Niamh McNally was awarded her BA International 1st class honours degree by the “President of NUI Galway, Jim Browne” last week. It was also her birthday – is “Graduirthday” a word?

called on Class Reps to write to local TDs highlighting the plight of the most vulnerable students among us. Each university under the USI has been assigned a TD. NUI Galway has three: Labour’s Colm Keaveney and Derek Nolan, as well as Fine Gael Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames. Logue believes that with this campaign USI can bring back student activism, on a local level. Its effectiveness will, as always, be proven in the December budget. There followed a brief debate on the question of Mandatory Attendance. The motion was presented to Class Reps last week, allowing them time to discuss the issue with their class, and base their votes on a consensus. However uncertainty as to the terms under which the University intends to introduce the policy clouded proceedings, and after a brief debate and a few calls for clarification of details from Class Reps, VP/Welfare Officer Dami Adebari called for Procedural Motion 9d, that the motion be postponed until a later Class Rep Council. The motion was passed, granting Class Reps more time to clarify their stance on the issue, discuss with their class, and vote accordingly. Equality Officer Claire McCallion presented a Motion to Council mandating the Students’ Union to campaign for full equal rights regardless of sexual orientation. Following a brief discussion over the phrasing of the motion and the defeat of a Procedural Motion 9c (that the motion be taken in parts), the Equal Rights Motion was passed by an overwhelming majority. A vote by show-of-hands was taken for Academic Council. Five Class Reps volunteered, with the two places going to David Crowe (Economic Science HDip) and Roisin Casey (Gender & Rights MA). Finally a vote by ballot was taken for Council Chairperson. Mark Kelly (3rd Year Undenominated Science) was deemed elected.

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NUI Galway hosts public lecture on TV3’s Apprentice finalist to speak at the Children’s Referendum NUI Galway Postgraduate Open Day LM_Ire_Student_Union_(w)250x(h)161mm.indd 3

By Sean Dunne

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Francis Fitzgerald participated in a public talk on the upcoming Children’s Referendum on Monday 22 October. The talk took place in NUI Galway and was hosted by the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre. The Minister believes this is a once in a generation chance to make great change. She said; “There is a lot of potential in the constitutional changes proposed. 91% of children get home care – a second chance at a loving home where their parents have failed.” Other participants in the discussion included Fergal Landy of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre and Ciara Smyth of The Law faculty.

The talk in NUI Galway followed last week’s talk with Chief Executive of Barnardos Fergus Finlay, who spoke to the MA Journalism students on the upcoming referendum. He said; “Putting our kids at the heart of the constitution is what will prevent the mistakes that happened [to] a previous generation of Irish children.” Mr Finlay spoke of his work with Barnardos and the need for the upcoming referendum. “Children were sent to institutions by judges in a court who signed the order to take them away from their parents,” he said. Speaking to Sin on the Referendum, ISPCC Volunteer Patrick Clancy said; “The Childrens’ Referendum enshrines the rights of the child. The ‘no’ campaign has no coherent

08/10/2012 17:24

argument. The referendum helps children’ voices be heard throughout the courts of the land. I would urge all UNI students to vote. “The referendum has been put on a Saturday to accommodate students. So we need to come out in force for any future votes to be held on a Saturday.” The Children’s Referendum will take place in Ireland on November 10 because abuse victims from institutions such as Baltimore in Co Cork had no representation. Instead they were sent to a childhood of abuse – a stolen childhood. Minister Francis Fitzgerald urges people to vote for the Children’s Referendum and said the referendum has been placed on a Saturday to accommodate families, students and workers. The Referendum will take place on Saturday November 10.

By Sinead L. Healy NUI Galway will host this year’s Postgraduate Open Day on Wednesday, 31 October, from 12 to 4pm in the Bailey Allen Hall. The Open Day will showcase over 400 of NUI Galway’s postgraduate programmes, including taught and research masters, and doctoral research options. Joanne Sweeney-Burke, an NUI Galway graduate, business-woman, entrepreneur, and finalist in TV3’s

The Apprentice, will be a guest speaker at the event and will talk about how postgraduate studies furthered her own career. The Open Day will focus on the benefits of doing a postgraduate programme and the practicalities of making an application. Seventy information stands will provide details on postgraduate opportunities at the University, with academic staff and current students on hand to answer questions about specific courses. Information on scholarships, fees and other practical considerations will also be made available to prospective students on the day. There will be talks on funding opportunities and applications available; career prospects and progression; CV clinics and information on how to apply for a postgraduate course. Speaking ahead of the

Postgraduate Open Day, Joanne Sweeney-Burke said: “Postgraduate study gives your career path a clear focus. It defines your areas of expertise, intellectual offering but also demonstrates a level of achievement that employers will welcome. A postgraduate qualification also eases your path into the workforce by making you 'employable and career ready'.” John Hannon, Head of NUI Galway’s Career Development Centre said; “In the current economic climate, there is increased interest among undergraduate students in staying in education by pursuing postgraduate studies. A postgraduate qualification can provide a real career boost. Undoubtedly, it can maximise career prospects and earnings.” To book your place at the Open Day visit www. nuigalway.ie/postgraduateopen-day or you can register on the day.

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NUI Galway student wins top prize at Blog Awards Ireland By Marése O'Sullivan

Fourth year B.A. Connect in English, German and Creative Writing

mature student, Móna Wise, has nabbed four awards at this year's Blog Awards Ireland, including the top prize of Best Blog.

Mona enjoys the Blog Awards with some of her blogger friends.

The author of popular blog Wise Words, Wise is no stranger to literary success, having self-published her first book this summer, The Chef and I, and becoming a columnist for The Sunday Times. Out of 1400 nominations at the Blog Awards Ireland, Wise won the categories of Best Food and Drink Blog, Best Journalist Blog, Best Photography Blog and Best Blog. Over 200 bloggers attended the event, which took place on Saturday, 13 October, in the Osprey Hotel, Naas. Wise spoke exclusively to Sin on her blogging journey, which started in 2007 when her family moved from the United States to Switzerland and left their friends and restaurant customers

behind. “First, [blogging became a way] to tell stories about living in Switzerland, to put up recipes and maybe photos of the kids. I loved the immediacy of it: 'sit down; write; publish'. The audience was already there to start with. That connection was ver y addictive.” She never set her blog up to be a hook, she states, but that it was diverse enough for people to stay interested. Upon returning to her home in the West of Ireland, Wise took up her studies at NUI Galway. She has firmly integrated herself into the Galway blogging community, and says the Awards were a lovely way of being introduced to fellow writers that she knew really well online; so much so that they all felt like old friends, but had never met in person. “I think it was one of the best events I've ever been to. Everything ran like clockwork. It was so much fun. Though I won't lie, I was absolutely praying to win the Food Blog [Award]. The judging process is so gruelling – you're judged by your peers and then nineteen judges go through the blogs and check off [what they want], so the best man wins.” Wise says when she triumphed in the first category – indeed, the Best Food and Drink Blog – she started Tweeting for the rest of the night because she never thought she would win more. “I had come, I had conquered and I was so happy... and then it just kept going!” She was flabbergasted with her win of Best Blog, as she didn't even know they were going to award it. “I started crying. I couldn't even see when I got up to the stage. I was so shocked. I still can't believe it. It was absolutely amazing – the blogging paid off.” You can find Móna on wisewords.ie and check out her column every week in The Sunday Times.

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Galway families trace Viking origins By Marése O'Sullivan Scientists and researchers from Mary Immaculate College (MIC), Limerick, and the University of Leicester were in Galway on Sunday, October 21, to help families track down their Viking roots. Twenty-five potential Viking descendants, with surnames that were prominent in Galway records during the Middle Ages, turned up at Kelly's Bar in Bridge Street for a cheek cell swab. The team needed one representative per surname. The results will be analysed at the University of Leicester. Led by Dr Catherine Swift, Lecturer in Irish Studies at MIC, and Dr Turi King of the Department of Genetics at the University of Leicester, the aim of the search was to discover what percentage of the Irish population has Viking ancestry and to what extent the Vikings intermarried with Irish natives. The study was interested primarily in tracing the Y chromosome, which features solely in male genes, so only men over the age of eighteen had their cells sampled. The term 'Viking' comes from the Old Norse word 'vikingr' and describes the Scandinavian seafaring pirates and traders who raided and settled North-West Europe from the eighth to the eleventh century. Dr Swift commented: “One side of the study is the theory that

DNA doesn't mutate very much between father and son, so it's easy to identify Vikings because the DNA has been handed down directly. Irish surnames have [a] very clear ethnic diversity, whether they are Norse, Norman, English or Irish. We hope to see if the Vikings who settled in Ireland are directly from Norway or if they came via England or Normandy.” Dr Swift personally thanked NUI Galway for its contribution through the Centre for Antique, Medieval and Pre-Modern Studies (CAMPS), which provided the much-needed funding to start the project. “It’s fantastic that the link-up between NUI Galway and the University of Limerick is producing such significant collaborations, with the potential to add so much to our understanding of the early history of Ireland and the people who settled on the island.” The cross-disciplinary team of researchers, geneticists, scientists, archaeologists, historians, linguists and specialists also visited Cork, Limerick, Wexford and Roscommon in their search for Viking descendants. They hope to share their findings during The Gathering Ireland 2013, a series of events and festivities to celebrate Irish culture, history and genealogy, taking place next year. Contact catherine.swift@mic.ul.ie or see www.leicestersurnamesproject.org.uk for further information.

Dr. Turi King of the University of Leicester working with genetics.

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Invention of cardboard bike could change transport forever

Fearless Felix breaks two world records

By Jane Kearns

By Austin Maloney

Travel could be changing forever thanks to Israeli inventor, Izhar Gafni (50), who has spent the last number of years developing his latest invention: the cardboard bike. After four years of trial and error, Gafni has now proven that cardboard can be made stronger and put to more practical uses, by folding the material in different directions to make it more durable. Nimrod Elmish, Gafni’s business partner, stated that, in terms of production, the bicycle is will revolutionise transport.

He said; “It changes the way products are manufactured and shipped; it causes factories to be built everywhere, instead of moving production to cheaper labour markets; everything that we have known in the production world can change.” Not only will the production of the bike bring major social and economic benefits; grants and rebates will only be given for local production due to the recyclable nature of the product. Thus, there would be no financial profit from making bicycles in cheap labour markets. The bikes are very light

and require little maintenance; the tyres are solid so they can’t be punctured and, even though they are expected to last as long as ten years, their low price means that new ones can be bought regularly. Gafni hopes that the cardboard bicycle will change transportation habits all over the world, from the most congested cities to the poorest parts of Africa. “We are just at the beginning and, from here, my vision is to see cardboard replacing metals... and countries that right now don't have the money will be able to benefit from so many uses for this material,” he said.

Planet with four suns discovered by volunteers By Claire Devaney Two amateur astronomers, Kian Jek from San Francisco and Robert Gagliano of Arizona, have discovered the first planet with a four star system. Initially observed through a Yale University volunteering programme, which uses astronomical data from NASA’s Kepler space telescope, known as Planet Hunters, the planet is said to be six times the size of Earth. It is a gas giant slightly bigger than Neptune, located 5,000 light years from Earth and its temperature is estimated to range between 251 to 340 degrees Celsius. The planet orbits a pair of stars and is, in turn, orbited

by a second pair of stars approximately ninety billion miles away. Six circumbinary planets (which orbit two stars instead of one) have been previously observed, but none have been orbited by a second pair of stars. Meg Schwamb, a Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale University’s Astronomy Department, explained that even the circumbinary planets are extremes of planet formation; “The discovery of these systems is forcing us to go back to the drawing board to understand how such planets can assemble and evolve in these dynamically challenging environments,” she said.

It is not yet known how the planet managed to form and remain in orbit whilst being pulled by the gravity of four stars. Astrophysicist Dr. Chris Lintott of Oxford University told the Independent; “It's fascinating to try and imagine what it would be like to visit a planet with four suns in its sky, but this new world is confusing astronomers. It’s not at all clear how it formed in such a busy environment.” Gagliano declared that he was “absolutely esctatic” about the finding; “It’s a great honour to be a Planet Hunter, citizen scientist, and to work hand-in-hand with professional astronomers, making a real contribution to science.”

43-year-old skydiver, “Fearless” Felix Baumgartner, smashed two world records on Sunday, 15 October, after he completed a 39 kilometre jump over the deserts of New Mexico. The Austrian claimed the world records for ‘highest altitude manned balloon flight’ and ‘highest altitude skydive’, during a drop in which he became the world’s first supersonic skydiver, as he travelled faster than the speed of sound. The journey upwards, in a balloon that measured 850,000 cubic metres with a small capsule to hold Baumgartner, took two and a half hours. The descent took a mere ten minutes. From his position on the edge of space, the curvature of the earth was clearly visible. He is reported to have reached speeds of up to 1,166 kilo-

• • • • •

metres per hour during his freefall. Mentoring Baumgartner for the project was the previous holder of the record for ‘highest altitude manned balloon flight’, former US Air Force officer Joe Kittinger. Baumgartner wore a specially designed pressure suit to protect him during his fall. Without it, the varying pressure would have caused his blood to boil. His jump was streamed on YouTube and was watched by an

audience of around eight million people. “It [was] overwhelming,” Baumgartner told CBS This Morning. “I mean, that view, and also the fact that [before you jump from that height], there's not a single person on the whole planet who has experienced this moment. It's unique.” Baumgartner - whose previous feats include jumping into a 182 metre deep cave - now plans to retire from skydiving and begin a career as a rescue pilot.

One giant leap for mankind...

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she was bullied about as an adolescent. “In high school, if you have glasses, you’re a ‘four eyes’; if you have braces, you’re a ‘metal mouth’; but if you had my forehead? You’re a fivehead,” she told entertainment website deadline.com. The model will executive produce Fivehead with television scriptwriter and childhood friend Kenya Barris, who co-created America’s Next Top Model

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F eatures

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DEBATE: Is Irish apathy to austerity a reality? Irish apathy to austerity Irish apathy is a Myth is a frightful reality By Mark Kelly

By James Falconer

Where is the revolution in Ireland following the political and banking scandal? Since the bubble supernovae in 2008, there has been a campaign of fear orchestrated by the political class and elements of the media against the people of Ireland. It is aimed to demoralise the spirit of ordinary citizens who are not responsible for the reckless gambling of speculators, politicians and bankers. If the European Central Bank wants to cover professional investors’ losses, let it do so with its own money. We’ve been led to believe that we, the ordinary taxpayers, are actually responsible for the mess we find ourselves in today. It is time we tried to educate ourselves as much as possible. The right answers only come on the tail of the right questions. The biggest problem is our collective apathy. Why have we not faced up to the endemic corruption inherent in our culture? When the house of cards collapsed in 2008, where was the mass mobilisation, the huge protests on the streets, calling for, in fact demanding, not only the resignation of the whole government, but the imprisonment of those guilty of corruption? The massive problem in Ireland has been that the bacillus of corruption has too long been tolerated by a janus minded public that are capable of self-delusion and a jaded apathy. This has all culminated in the rule of law being gravely undermined. There has been a substantial proportion of the public willing to put up with it. Why hasn’t there been a Garda or Revenue initiated investigation into

corruption by a senior political figure except in response to prior media or tribunal investigations. Inexplicably, those investigations have been consistently ineffective at putting those responsible behind bars. The Mahon tribunal dismantled the whole edifice of lies constructed by Bertie Ahern and his cronies. Following this, many people felt deceived by a master dissembler. But in order to be fooled, you have to believe. Corruption in Ireland is the result not of innocence, but wilful ignorance, not just wrongdoing, but passive collusion. What happened was not belief in Bertie Ahern’s lies but something more subtle and more characteristic of Irish culture: a suspension of disbelief. The Mahon tribunal cost the Irish taxpayer €300 million to find out what most informed people already suspected. Essentially, it cost us a huge amount of money to find out we’d been robbed of a huge amount of money. What really should be turning stomachs is the complete lack of accountability where’s the justice? The Mahon tribunal was a legal affair, where are the prison sentences for those found guilty of defrauding the state? There is very little thirst for real justice in this country. If you go into a shop, steal something and are apprehended you will face the consequences in a court of law. However, if you happen to be in the ‘golden circle’ you can defraud the state of millions or more accurately, billions, and get away with it. This smacks of nothing other than white collar crime. Yet, we still accept it. Politicians have been let away with murder and there is a fatalistic sense

that nothing can change. Why have no politicians or bankers being imprisoned for causing the collapse of the economy? There seems to be a feeling amongst a lot of people in Ireland ‘ah sure, what can we do?’ Iceland is the perfect example, but we’re not told anything about Iceland in our mainstream media. Iceland fundamentally refused to socialise private debt, the people gathered outside their House of Parliament in Reykjavik until the whole government were jeered and heckled out of the building. They had to do ‘the walk of shame’. Have a look: http://youtu.be/ OFyOdJWt02Y. You’ll see that a revolution doesn’t have to be bloody and nasty as is commonly perceived. Furthermore, people are very quick to take to the streets in Greece and Spain in outright disgust at the public appropriation of private debt. Where’s the Irish resistance? The political system in Ireland is dysfunctional. It is the primary cause of the debacle we are still experiencing. The country needs to get up off its posterior and take back the Republic, which exists in name alone. Irish apathy to austerity is a frightful reality. Wake up Ireland.

What is apathy? If you know, fantastic. If you don't, however, I'll fill you in. Apathy is defined as “a lack of interest or emotion”. It is commonly used in terms of politics: people are often referred to as too apathetic about the things going on around them, namely referendums and elections. This could not be further from the truth. Let’s cast our mind back to November 2010, when the late Brian Lenihan announced that Ireland was to receive a bailout from the EU and International Monetary Fund. There was absolute uproar. How could our State, who had, for years, been the envy of many countries due to our unprecedented economic boom, suddenly be begging the European Central Bank (one of the main causes of the continent's banking failure) and the IMF, a tough and stringent organisation, to keep us afloat? This did not sit well with anyone. In three days, a campaign was put together to march to Leinster House. Incredibly, over 50,000 people did so in what was one of the proudest ever days to be an Irish civilian. People showed they would not sit idly by and watch our political masters run this country into the ground. The demonstration allowed them to direct their anger at the people who had effectively

ruined this country for us and for our children. It didn’t stop there, though. The Greens finally saw sense and, after seeing how united in anger the people were, did the noble thing and broke up the coalition. Then began the 'race' where every politician and their mother were clambering over each other to get votes in the General Election of 2011. The people were enraged, however, and weren’t taking any nonsense from them. They wanted to know what the politicians were going to do and how they were going to fix the problems that Fianna Fail had left us burdened with. If the candidates didn’t have a satisfactory answer, they were told to leave and the door was slammed in their faces. Ultimately, 70% of the electorate – the fifth highest ever and the largest in 19 years – turned out and voted. They made their voices heard and showed the politicians that mistakes and broken promises would no longer be accepted. Students also had their role to play. In the 2010 march, over 40,000 students turned out to protest the damage the Government was doing to our third level education system by increasing student levies and cutting grants. Some 25,000 turned out at a similar event in 2011. Most of these students pinpointed the mistakes of our Govern-

ment and subsequent bank bailout as the reason they were being targeted. Students are not ignorant or lacking in interest, they are actively engaged in current affairs and what is going on around them. They are mad and, at both of the aforementioned marches, boy did they show it! Despite this, the anarchists and far-left continue to judge us. They call us apathetic because we refuse to go to their marches or follow their ideals. I am sorry, but your ideals are not ours. We do not believe in occupations, violence, so-called communism or “smashing the system”. We do not want to be seen as people who do more harm than good. However, that does not mean we are not interested in what is going on. We will listen to you, we will debate with you and we will talk to you. We are not the bad guys here. We are merely trying to highlight that what we believe is different to what you believe and that doesn’t make it us right, and you wrong, or vice-versa. If you want us on your side, stop saying, “the problem with students is...” or “the problem with people in this country is...” And, for the love of all that is good, stop telling us what we believe is wrong and that you have the only answer. We are not apathetic: we care and are interested. Do not think otherwise.

Tom Hyland, the Chairman of Galway Science and Technology Forum, Alan Murphy, HR Director of Boston Scientific Galway, and Dr. Rolf Landua, Head of Education and Public Outreach at CERN exploring the Large Hadron Collider at te Official Opening of CERN on 16 September.

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Time for an end to closet homophobia By Órla Ryan

Sexual orientation is often viewed as irrelevant in western society, particularly in the eyes of young people. Despite this, sexuality-centred bullying and the use of gay-related derogatory terms are alarmingly common. Is this immature name-calling nothing more than just that, or does it signify something more insidious? In Ireland, homosexuality was only decriminalised nineteen years ago. As a nation, do we still hold on to outdated but deeprooted prejudices or is homophobia a part of our past? U n d o u b t e d l y, t h i s country has come a long way where the issue of gay rights is concerned. Mary McAleese's recent declaration of support for marriage equality will go down as a momentous occasion in Irish history. The former president, who is an active member of the Catholic Church, stated that gay people should be able to live their lives on their own terms and marry if they so choose. "I just think that people have this obsession somehow around sexuality with the idea of sex, forgetting what it is that family and partnership is about - it's about love and being there for another human being," she said. Ciara Keighron (18) agrees with this stance; "Love is love, it doesn't matter who it's for. You can't say one person's love is better than another's," she says. Ciara is openly gay at college but her family don’t know the truth about her sexuality. She cites fear as the main reason for this as "certain members of my family and friends definitely won't accept it". She hasn’t experienced much discrimination in Galway but recalls one particular occasion where a drunk man called her and a friend ‘f***ing lesbos’ on a night out. She feels homophobes should not use alcohol as an excuse

to disguise their bigotry. The truth often comes out when people have been drinking. "It's a case of idiots saying things, as opposed to idiots thinking things," she remarks. Seán Reilly (21) came out two years ago. A close friend of his had come out in the months preceding this and he was the first person he told. He began to question his sexuality around the age of 14 but was not comfortable enough to come out while at school. He is a firm believer that our education system is doing a disservice to Irish society by not teaching children more about the various types of sexuality. He also thinks the government needs to "remove the barriers" currently stopping gay people from marrying and adopting. "I would like to think that [gay marriage] will be legal by the time I want to marry," he adds. Kealan Moore (30) would also like marriage and children to feature in his future. He has been sure of his sexuality for some time but didn’t come out publicly until

last year. "I had been struggling with it for years and I tried to come out when I was 18 but, at the time, I just didn't have the proper social structure around me," he says. Although most people received the news well, his housemate did not and he almost ended up homeless. "You learn that you can't live with certain people," he muses. He admits that coming out can be a huge learning curve for both the person themselves and those close to them. Ian Power, of youthcentred charity SpunOut, agrees that telling people isn’t always easy but, if you choose someone you trust, the chances are they’ll be supportive; "Coming out as LGBT can be a hugely positive experience – a liberating time, when you embrace your sexuality. Whatever your sexual identity, remember it is only one part of your life, so embrace how you are feeling and enjoy being individual," he advises. He believes that Ireland has made significant progress in battling

homophobia in the last ten years alone. "Society is much more accepting of LGBT people across all generations. We still have a long way to go and prejudice still exists in dark corners of society and the LGBT community is still fighting for many legal protections and rights which still have not been recognised by the state but my view of Ireland is certainly a positive one," he affirms. Figures released earlier this month by the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network show that every county in Ireland has now hosted a civil partnership ceremony, with 862 couples entering into such partnerships since they were first legalised in April 2011. A recent Sunday Times poll suggested that 66 per cent of people in Ireland are in favour of same-sex marriage. Sexuality is a single aspect of a multi-dimensional person – it does not define them, nor should it define their rights or the way they are treated. Ireland, it would seem, is now more aware of this fact than ever before.

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The Big Bang Experience By Sinead R. Healy Big Bang: a sitcom, a firework noise and the creation of the universe. My general knowledge of these decreases in this order, which is slightly embarrassing considering the hype about the Higgs Boson (so-called “God Particle”) over the last few months. For me, the arrival of CERN in Galway last month was great timing. It was the perfect crash course about the history and mysteries of the Universe and why the Higgs Boson was such a big deal. The entrance tunnel displays a timeline of events that spans from the Big Bang right up to the present day. This tunnel brought us into the first of five main zones, the Big Bang theatre, in which a short film was played. A strong imagination turned out to be unnecessary with the eye-catching graphics and ambient symphonic soundtrack doing all the heavy lifting as the film took us through the Big Bang. In the particle zone, we were introduced to the full cast of fundamental particles, each with its own unique facial expression

that corresponds with its name. This zone is packed with interactive media in the form of touch panels and games, one of which calculates the number of particles in your body. Moving into the mystery room, the tour guide explained that we don’t know much about the universe and estimated that we can only account for 4% of matter. It feels a bit like Star Trek, with images of the massive, complicated machinery and the huge underground complex. It houses a replica of the Large-Hadron Collider (LHC), which is both the hottest and coldest thing on Earth. The final room takes us back to the real world. It reveals how fundamental research in the past contributed to the development of current technology, including medical scans and satellite navigation. The CERN exhibition received over 4000 visitors from all over Ireland in its first two weeks. At two euro and taking about hour, it’s great value for anyone with an interest in physics. CERN will be running until November 2 at Leisureland, Salthill.

Dr. Rolf Landua, Head of Education and Public Outreach at CERN explains the Large Hadron Collider to 8-year-old Sarah Casserly at the Official Opening of CERN on 16 September.

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5 questions people ask the student who lives in a tent By Frank Cronin

I post, therefore I am The other day I was watching a video online and it was so funny I literally fell off my seat and began to roll on the floor. This was all strange enough until I started to laugh. I laughed to the extent that my ass actually fell off. As you can imagine, I was rather alarmed by this incident. Despite my posterior predicament, in that very moment I couldn't help but wish there was a more succinct way to express what had happened to me. While I waited in the hospital for my a-hole keyhole surgery, I had a bit of time on my hands and got to thinking about the internet and its effect on us. We now live in the age of so-called 'Digimodernism' (thanks, Alan Kirby), where, for some reason, it's become acceptable - and often expected - to document almost every waking moment of our existence. It's a fair enough assumption that one would want to share significant moments in their lives with their family and friends. The meaning of the word 'significant' can vary greatly, however. I can't remember the last time I thought, "Jeez, thank god Karen posted that she just ate a sandwich for lunch. I was beginning to suspect she sourced her energy through photosynthesis. What a fool I feel upon discovering the truth. She is, in fact, not a plant. OMG." Karen's a notorious liar so, in order for people to believe her statement, she also feels the need to upload a photograph of said sandwich. The inclusion of an image was of particular benefit to me as, up until that point, I had never actually seen one before. I mean I knew they were edible but I just assumed it consisted of some sand sprinkled on a

potato wedge. The internet really is expanding my horizons. To be fair, Karen is as innocuous as she is irritating. There are many people who use social networking sites and other online forums for much more malicious reasons. E-bullying and trolling are huge areas of concern both abroad and closer to home - as was elucidated by Leo Traynor's recent encounter with his anti-semetic cyber persecutor. The anonymity shield provided by the internet bestows bravery on pathetic, insecure idiots who have nothing better to do with their time than torment innocent people they've never met and know relatively nothing about. Online arguments are ten-a-penny and, in the main, entirely harmless – even when one takes Godwin's Law into a c c o u n t . Tr o l l s f r o m 2012 are very different to their 1990s namesakes. Although, for all we know, they could well be bulbous, asexual creatures with illuminous spiky hair. Instead of hiding under bridges, they secrete themselves in the bottomless recesses of the internet. They come in all shapes and sizes – at best, they're annoying; at worst, they have the potential to ruin someone's life. They can mock, stalk or ogle an almost infinite number of people. Reddit's 'creepshot' and 'jailbait' sub-forums are paradigms of the latter. This lascivious online behaviour encourages the objectification of women who have often been photographed surreptitiously and many of whom are underage. The internet connects people in a colossal and unprecedented way – for better or worse. It opens

up the entire world for exploration, education and entertainment. It also provides a springboard of unprecedented potential for perverts. As Yeats might say, a terrible beauty is born, photographed, uploaded, tagged, shared, mocked, de-tagged, deleted and posted once more. Once online, always available. I recently rejoined Facebook for practical reasons following a two-and-a-half year period whereby I was most definitely conspicuous by my absence. Had I died? Been mauled by bears? Returned to my home planet? Without a profile to check, how could anyone possibly know? At one stage there was a somewhat plausible rumour that I never actually existed. I post, therefore I am. I do not post, therefore I am odd. One can change how they speak and look and, ultimately, who they are when online. I had firsthand experience of this when my South Korean mail-order bride arrived and she was, in fact, a 40 stone guy from Minnesota called Randy to whom I'm now legally bound. I can't complain too much though, we do lol a lot. We're not alone in this regard, either. Initially online abbreviations were for internet use only but now they've infiltrated our spoken vernacular. Many people say the term 'lol' as opposed to actually laughing. I'm sorry but that is just plain weird. So many of us are lolling on a regular basis, Huckleberry Finn would be proud. If I could pass on one piece of netiquette: the next time you feel the urge to sneeze or wank (verbally or literally) and want to tell the world – don't. Grab a tissue, not your laptop. FFS.

1. Why are you living in a tent? I believe that life exists to be explored and life's good and bad times must be examined equally to grow as a human. Sometimes it confuses me why more people are not pushing their own boundaries. We only have a finite time on this planet. On a pragmatic

“

and trees serves to hide you from trouble, and it’s just that little bit warmer under shelter on cloudless nights. There is a small bit of dampness but nothing more than you would get in a house that has no central heating. I recently got a clothing sponsorship deal with the heroes at Portwest. ie. Now I have awesome waterproof gear so the rain doesn't stand a chance.

I imagine drinking beyond the

”

point of blackout on the streets of Galway is more dangerous

level, my cash situation is tight and I don't qualify for a grant. I own a tent, I make YouTube videos for my YouTube channel (GLOWPUNK) and I love and understand the outdoors. So, it just seems like a cool way of turning a negative into a positive and learning a little bit about the universe and my relation to it. I hope one day to live from the earnings on my YouTube channel and I guess this is the beginning. It would be nice if the readers of this subscribed to my channel and said hello on the Glowpunk Facebook page. 2. Are you not always wet? It’s all down to finding a great place to site your tent. Grass, contrary to popular belief, is not ideal as it holds a lot of water. Being hidden amidst bushes

3. Are you not scared of getting attacked? I’ve been lucky in my life to travel to many different places in a variety of different capacities, from war-torn Liberia in 2005 with the UN as a soldier, to Mexico on cargo trains with immigrants in 2011. I have found that those who are the most fearful and would argue that something is dangerous are the kind of people who never go anywhere or do anything away from the flock. I try to go everywhere and do everything and try to ignore dogmatic fear-mongerers that can easily quell a budding adventurous spirit. Something could happen to me, but I imagine drinking beyond the point of blackout on the streets of Galway is more dangerous. I believe it is important to maintain an adventurous spirit and ignore purveyors of fear.

Fear leads nowhere good, yet for some reason people peddle it. 4. How long are you going to stay in the tent? The first month was tough. My mind was trying to process a return to university life and all the media attention and my body was trying to get used to different temperatures and new sleeping arrangements. Now, almost two months in, I feel completely at one with this adventure; I love it. I’m enjoying a new sense of self that only comes with having very few possessions to worry about. A wise man once told me; "whatever you own owns you back." To feel this light and untangled from my belongings is an explicably awesome feeling. At the moment I am only aiming for Christmas, but who knows? I might live the rest of my life in a tent. 5. Have you had a lady back to the tent? If I were a betting man I would wager that I have the coziest bed in Ireland. My bedding consists of two blow up mats, a sleeping bag from the 70s that my parents in their 70s no longer use, a high tog value duvet for a double bed, two pillows and a modern sleeping bag that I can whip out should it hit polar temperatures. So if a lady were to come back she'd be cosy. But in answer to the question… a gentleman never tells.

Boo! Frank Cronin is adapting to his new life in the wild.

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Vintage Style: Sinead Lally By Louise Hogan After being made redundant, make-up artist and trained beauty therapist Sinead Lally used her social media savvy to set up several successful blogs, a thriving business and one of Galway’s most popular pop-up events. We got some tips from the fashionable entrepreneur and blogger on how to get ahead professionally with the help of social media. Sinead started her first blog, Fashion House, in 2008. Much more than simply a creative diversion, Sinead put a lot of work into the blog, updating it three to four times a week. It was a huge hit with readers and led to Sinead working for the Hub magazine in London, covering events such as Glastonbury. Her second blog, Her Style Diaries, was also a runaway success and led Sinead to her next business; Cotton Face Vintage (www.cotton-facevintage.com). “With my love for clothes and fashion and vintage, I decided I wanted to start a business selling vintage clothes, but vintage clothes that people my age would wear and that was in trend. Something a little unique. I set up an office upstairs in my attic room last year. That’s where it started and hasn’t stopped.” Sinead is also the creative

force behind the massively popular pop-up vintage market, Pandora’s Box, currently resident upstairs at Electric Garden (check their Facebook page for dates). In these recessionary times, using technology as a business tool makes sense. Social media is vital to Sinead’s business; “Without it I don’t know where I’d be right now; it’s my main platform and I sell most of my stock form there.” On using social media to get ahead, Sinead comments; “It’s a good way to connect to other like-minded people and get your business out there. A Facebook page is a must, though you will need to update it all the time and promote yourself in a good light.” Sinead stresses the importance of devoting time to your social media output, connecting with followers, friends or likers and taking time to engage with them. “There will be a lot of time and effort put into this so be prepared for late nights and long hours. You might as well glue your phone/ipad to your hand now but it will all be worth it.” Sinead’s final advice for any would-be bloggers amongst you? “Be yourself, find your own niche and have fun. Get yourself out there. Don’t be afraid.”

Blackmail House’s drummer provides the beat at Witless Heat 3. Photo by Kieran Durcan.

Interview with an SU Officer: Vice President and Education Officer Conor Stitt By Marése O’Sullivan 22-year-old Conor Stitt graduated last week with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Legal Science and Information Technology. Sin quizzed him on his role as Education Officer, how he’s improved the Class Reps system, and who inspires him. Why did you want to be SU Education Officer? I wanted to make a difference… I was a campaigner and an activist; I wanted to fight fees and grant cuts, but also saw that there were problems with the system we had in NUI Galway, and I wanted to change it for the better. What does your job involve? My job involves two aspects – mostly casework. It’s a mix of academic issues and financial support. What’s your favourite aspect of the role? It’s definitely when you get the result the students desire, and you actually put a smile on their faces. That’s what’s most rewarding. What’s the most difficult part? Hearing some of the dire straits that students are in at the moment.

What’s the biggest change you’ve made so far? Reforming the Class Representative system, in that people have got more involved, by seeing that they are the lifeblood that keeps the Students’ Union going. The system definitely needed to be brought back to that position and I do feel as though I have somewhat done that. What are the biggest c hallenges the SU will encounter this year? We have a tough budget coming up; we don’t know what to expect, but we know that nothing is off the table. We need a defined and consistent plan and I feel that we […] are going to challenge the Government in a lot of ways. What are your plans for the year ahead? I suppose just to give it my all: [particularly so] that every student that comes into my office gets a result and knows that the SU can and does work for them. Who inspires you? President Michael D. Higgins, who has been in student roles before and has actively campaigned. Now, he is an inspiring person for the nation and knows [what] issues are important and puts them to the fore. What career do you hope to pursue after you finish in NUI Galway? My initial plan is to go into law, but public advocacy or public representation would be great avenues as well.

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Halloween make-up ideas By Gillian Keating The scariest night of the year is fast approaching so we’ve come up with a few Halloween disguises that are easy and cheap to recreate; all you need are a basic face-painting kit and some fake blood! Lichtenstein Pop-Art 1. Start with a light foundation base and set with face powder. 2. Use liquid eyeliner or black face paint to draw on thick eyebrows. 3. Draw a line down the centre of the nose, either side of the bridge and around your nostrils. Outline edge of the face, the jawbone, chin and underneath the cheek bone. Outline the ear and your lips. 4. Next, use a block colour over your eyelid and above the crease so you can still see the colour when your eye is open. Draw on winged eyeliner. 5. Outline the eye shadow and join up with the eyeliner. Line the bottom eyelid and draw in some false eyelashes (or use false eyelashes if you have them). Apply mascara. 6. Fill in your lips with red face paint leaving a small rectangular shape at one of the corners; fill the rectangle in with white. 7. With the bottom end of a paintbrush apply red face paint in dots all over your face. 8. You can customise this look further by drawing tear drops underneath one of your eyes. Creepy Doll 1. Apply a light layer of white face paint all over your face and neck and set with a little talcum powder. 2. Draw a rectangle under each of your eyes and fill in with block white face paint. 3. Use a dark colour eye shadow on your eyelid up to the crease, followed with a lighter colour from your crease up to your brow. Draw in a thin eyebrow with eyeliner. 4. Apply winged eyeliner and join it up with the rectangle. Draw on false eyelashes (or apply false eyelashes) to the bottom line of the rectangle. 5. Outline a heart shape on your lips and fill in with pink or red face paint. 6. Extend a line out of the corners of your mouth to your cheeks and dash to create a stitch effect. Zombie 1. Apply white face paint evenly all over the face and neck 2. Fill in the eye socket with black face paint, blending the edges into the white. 3. Apply black face paint to the forehead, temples and underneath the cheekbones. 4. Highlight the raised areas with more white face paint. 5. Cover the lips in blue face paint and draw in veins around the face, blending a little with the white. 6. Finally, add some fake blood around the mouth to complete the look.

Halloween Party Survival Guide By Áine O Donnell The witching hour is almost upon us and although this once meant donning a white sheet and collecting sweets off your neighbours, it now means one thing: the Hallowe’en party. The Halloween party has become a staple of the college social calendar and given it is the season, can get quite scary. Thankfully here at Sin we are not easily frightened and know how to pacify the Halloween party demons: 1. Dress to impress We all know that scene from Mean Girls when Katy arrives to a party dressed like something from your worst nightmare and commits "social suicide". The key to mastering Halloween is to have an epic costume. Don’t go for anything too spooky, scaring off potential shifts is not a look anyone is going for. You don’t want go too far to the other end of the spectrum and wear anything provocative, it is Galway remember and there is nothing worse than prancing about in wet underwear and not much else. Try to go for something original, which will be a good talking point; or get your friends together for a group costume. 2. Mysterious Girl/Masked Man/Gorilla The novelty of Halloween is that everyone gets to dress up and pretend to be someone they’re not. Imagine this absolute babe is chatting to you at a Halloween party and you can’t exactly see who they are because of their costume. You are probably thinking this is so sexy and mysterious but you are treading into dangerous territory. You mightn’t even recognise this person in the light of day and what do you know about them really? Your

Galway Batman might be less Christian Bale and more "Christ almighty". 3. Fright Night/Thursday morning You’ve met your perfect match. Everything is going well, the music is pumping, the drinks are flowing and they invite you back to theirs. You are thinking why not: carpe diem or “YOLO” as the kids say these days. You wake up the next day and you realize that Superman’s six-pack may have been fake, you don’t quite recall your whereabouts and all you have to wear is a sexy nurse’s costume. Nothing quite like walking through Galway city, passing school children and disapproving elderly people with not much clothing and even less dignity. 4. Drinking the witches’ brew A party is always a chance to have a few drinks and go a bit wild without anyone noticing. The problem with a Halloween party is that there are too many chances to make an absolute fool of yourself. After a couple of socials, you are feeling absolutely amazing and you hear "Thriller" pumping from the speaker; you think, “this is my jam”, and clear the middle of the room to unleash your inner Michael Jackson. The moves that you "mastered" in primary school may not be up to scratch and you will never live this down. Before you have even had the flashbacks from the hideous shame of the night before, the videos have gone viral on YouTube. It isn’t called the scariest night of the year for nothing… So there’s your quick and dirty guide to surviving a Halloween party. The main thing is to go out and have a frightfully good time.

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Spooks Up — Time to Bake By Amy Haverty Halloween is just around the corner, and if you are having a party or hosting a scary night in, then chances are you’re beginning to think about what food you are going to serve. So instead of the normal party food or the traditional dessert, why don’t you spook them up and bake up some Halloween treats. However, a party is a party, so I’m going to show you two of the easiest and quickest Halloween treats around.

Cobweb Cupcakes Cupcakes are one of the easiest confectionary treats to make, and it’s easy to decorate them differently for different celebrations. So for Halloween we’ll make Chocolate Cobweb Cupcakes.

For the cupcakes you will need: • 50 grams of unsweetened cocoa powder • 240ml of boiling hot water • 175 grams of plain flour • 2 teaspoons of baking powder • 1/4 teaspoon of salt • 113 grams of real butter • 200 grams of granulated white sugar • 2 large eggs • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. The vanilla extract is optional but it does take the overly sweet taste off the cupcakes. • For the icing you will need 75 grams of royal icing and 1 bar of cooking chocolate.

You will need to preheat the oven to 190 degrees. Then line 16 cupcake holders with butter and put them into the muffin tray. To make the cupcakes, mix the cocoa and hot water in a small bowl until smooth. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix the butter and sugar in another bowl with your hands until it is like a smooth paste. Then add the eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar. Add in the vanilla extract and mix, followed by the flour mixture. Just beat until integrated and then add the cocoa mixture. Mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are combined together. Fill the cups 2/3 of the way and bake until a knife comes out dry. Let the cupcakes cool and then it’s time to ice them. Once you have the royal icing on top,

The creepier side of Prague By Darren McDonagh, with Bridget Cheasty and Louisa Brophy Browne A thick layer of fog has descended upon the beautiful city of Prague of late. A Siberian chill can be felt in the crisp air and the sun has not been seen in days. With that the strangest of people have emerged from the depths and preyed upon us poor innocent students who are just looking for some good, clean fun. Alas, that was not to be… While touring around our local neighbourhood, Zizkov, in search of a pub or club, we happened across an evidently inebriated young man. He introduced himself as Dimitri, a Ukrainian student also studying in Prague, and asked if we had seen his phone. Obviously we had not, but he proved very entertaining and he asked if he could join us for a drink. In noticeably impressive English, Dimitri told us all

about his family in Ukraine, his girlfriend Alexandria and about living for a time in London. He continued to search for his phone and attempted to get through to Alexandria from Louisa’s phone. After making various attempts at seducing Bridget it became evident that he was too drunk and, not wanting to leave him alone, we brought him back to our apartment where he proceeded to pass out in a spare bed.

“

All three of us have woken up in the middle of the

”

night with a shadowy

figure standing above us

The following morning I awoke and, once he got his senses together, I greeted our guest to which he replied “Who’s Dimitri?” Turns out his name is Oliver, a student from Northampton. He has no girlfriend and his phone was in the bottom of his bag. Needless to say Oliver was quickly escorted to the door. While attending an Erasmus party last week we were making attempts at being social butterflies as usual. Eventually, Louisa and Bridget

got chatting to a group of Danish students. They were all getting very cosy and telling each other about their studies and their travels around Prague. There was confusion, however, and I personally found it very entertaining when they announced that they were 16-year-old pupils on a school trip. But I do think we must question here who the creeps were: the teenage school kids or the twentyyear-old college girls… But perhaps our creepiest encounter yet has been in our very own home. When paying our rent at the start of the month our landlord Nadia, with her many cats, was telling us about her deceased husband, Cliff. Since then all three of us have woken up in the middle of the night at different occasions with a shadowy figure standing above us. Now I’m not one to believe in lingering spirits but it would seem like old Cliff has some unfinished business and we’re the targets of his treachery. Oh Prague you never cease to amaze us.

melt the chocolate and decorate with piping. Cobwebs are an easy Halloween decoration but if you are a little bit more artistic than me, then the more elaborate the better.

Pumpkin Pie The next dessert which is always a nice surprise for Halloween is Pumpkin Pie. You will need to make the pie shell first and leave it in the fridge for an hour. For the pie you will need: • 2 cups of pumpkin puree, (oven cook a pumpkin sliced in half until fork tender, then scoop out puree) • 12 oz. can of evaporated milk • 113 grams packed dark brown sugar • 76 grams white sugar • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 2 eggs plus the yolk of a third egg • 2 teaspoons of cinnamon • 1 teaspoon ground ginger • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves • 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest. The spices are a personal choice so if cinnamon is not in your taste buds, feel free to swap the measurements of some of the spices. Once again you will need to preheat the oven, this time to 220 degrees. Mix the sugars, salt, and spices, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and then add to the spice mix. Stir in the pumpkin purée. Stir in milk. Beat it all together until it is well incorporated. Pour mix into the pie shell and bake at 220 degrees for the first 15 minutes. After 15 minutes turn the heat down to 180 degrees and bake for another 40-50 minutes until a knife comes out clean.

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Halloween: The oldest Irish tradition By Mark McGoldrick Ireland has been called the island of saints and scholars, but it could also be referred to as the island of ghosts and ghouls, as Halloween has its roots here. The pagan festival of Samhain marked the start of the New Year for the Celtic people who measured time in nights. The lengthening of nights signaled the start of another yearly cycle. The Celts also believed that the veil between this world and the next was at its thinnest during this period. The spirits of those who had perished last winter were said to return to the world to either visit relatives or to find a body to possess for the coming year. To avoid being possessed, Celtic people fashioned masks to wear outdoors to convince

lurking evil spirits that they too were dead. To invite their deceased relatives into their homes, food and drink was left outside and some Celts left their front doors open. Bonfires were also lit on hilltops to ward off evil spirits and encourage benevolent ones to approach. Druids predicted which villages would survive the winter, which villagers would become future leaders and who would get married in the coming year. The tradition of wearing costumes and lighting bonfires survives in Ireland today, with the former being big business for retailers worldwide. All this talk of evil spirits isn’t exactly Christian – an important fact, as Christianity has been prevalent in this country since the fifth century. Following the collapse of the Roman Empire in Celtic-held areas around Europe, the Catholic Church began to fill this void. In 839AD, Pope Gregory IV established All Saints Day or All Hallow’s Day to commemorate Christian saints. The night before this feast day became known as All Hallow’s Eve, which was eventually shortened to Halloween. After the Church exerted its influence on this holiday, all spirits that returned to the earth on October 31 were branded as hellish

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“I’m a mouse… duh!” – An appeal for Halloween creativity or demonic. The once revered Irish Druids were labeled witches or devil-worshippers and the Halloween bonfires were used, in later centuries, to burn heretics alive. It is rather ironic that a Pagan festival, which was essentially concerned with communicating with dead loved ones, was turned into the most feared day of the year by the church. Enough with the history lesson, you may be thinking, what about the sweets? Trick-or-treating is said to have originated in the Medieval British custom of souling. This practice involved poor people going from house to house and begging for food, wine and money in exchange for praying for the departed souls of the household’s family. Irish settlers fleeing the Famine later brought this custom to America. These people also swapped the burning of large bonfires with the placing of candles inside pumpkins – it is believed this is where the carving of pumpkins originated. Halloween was once a holiday that was firmly ingrained in Irish culture, whether through the possibility of contacting lost loved ones or the fear of what may be waiting outside the door. It’s nice to know that the Irish first fostered a tradition that is now at the heart of European and American culture.

By Ciara Treacy Halloween: a time that makes most of us realise just how uncreative we really are. Although there can be some weird and wonderful costumes to be seen on the night, there is a tendency to stick to the stereotypical outfits seen on an annual basis – animals, superheroes and nerds, to name but a few. It was in the movie Mean Girls that Lindsay Lohan’s character wisely acknowledged; “Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it,” as some ladies opt for French maid outfits and nurse uniforms with slightly less material than those seen in the corridors of your local hospital. Guys are also guilty

“

up to Halloween? When you went trick or treating all your neighbours would excitedly exclaim “would you look at the getup, I didn’t recognise you!”? Then as you got older the standard of costumes deteriorated, with last minute ideas consisting of a black bin bag and witch hat dug up for the third year in a row. I think it’s mainly down to laziness, as ready-made costumes can be bought and borrowed a lot quicker than it takes to design and make an outfit. Others crave a unique costume but are reluctant to fork out money anywhere other than Euro 2 for the sake of one night only. There’s also the fear that if you go for something too obscure no one will recognise it. Unfortunately, new cos-

It’s not so hard to spot ‘Where’s

”

Wally’ when there’s five of them on the dance floor

of sporting unoriginal costumes, including GAA players and morph suits. The question is, why has a lack of creativity hit college students at the time when they can enjoy Halloween the most? Remember as a child how you would go out of your way to have every matching accessory in the run

tume ideas on the block may not be as unique as you think, so

it’s important to stray away from obvious ideas to avoid spending the night comparing your Black Swan costume to those several other girls at the same party are wearing. And it’s not so hard to spot ‘Where’s Wally’ when there’s five of them on the dance floor in Carbon. Tutorials on YouTube are great for providing ideas, but any involving makeup/fake wounds, practise is needed. You may think you’re going to look like an extra in a Tarantino movie but if you haven’t tried it first you run the risk of simply looking like someone tipped half a bowl of Bolognese down your neck. Regardless of whether you’re dressed as Michael Jackson or Michael Noonan, Halloween is a great night where your crazy antics can go unnoticed if your costume is concealing enough. Think of it as a free pass!

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 NUI Galway Students' Un

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

Healthy Living Week 2012! Tuesday 30 October:

• Food for thought/Study. • Soccer Blitz in Corrib Village Cages. 4pm6:30pm. GRAND PRIZE 250 Euro. • Launch of Students’ Union Healthy Recipe Book. • Trick-or-Treat: Have a treat on us, look out for our volunteers. Or drop into the Students Union. • Feeling fruity days: Free fruit at different Students’ Union outlets and around campus. • BodyWise Size doesn’t matter campaign. • Have a Sneeze, Have a Tissue, Cold and Flu campaign. • Distribution of Students’ Union Healthy Living Bags. • Usual services offered by Sports Unit and Kingfisher. Random raffles taking place, boxing and mountain biking events. • No chip week: We encourage you not to eat chips for just one week.

Wednesday 31 October

• Its back: Condom Wednesday. • Launch of Students’ Union finance Guide. Food and finance. Budget well, eat well. • Trick-or-Treat: Have a treat on us, look out for our volunteers. Or drop into the Students Union. • Distribution of Students’ Union Healthy Recipe Book. • Feeling fruity days: Free fruit at different Students’ Union outlets and around campus. • Corrib Village Astro Turf pitches opened for FREE from 4-6. • Distribution of Students’ Union Healthy Living Bags. • Usual services offered by Sports Unit and Kingfisher. Random raffles taking place, boxing and mountain biking events. • No chip week: We encourage you not to eat chips for just one week.

• Food shopping competition: Win a voucher for free shopping. • Corrib Village Astro Turf pitches opened for FREE from 4-6. • Feeling fruity days: Free fruit at different Students’ Union outlets and around campus. • Distribution of Students’ Union Healthy Recipe Book. • Trick-or-Treat: Have a treat on us, look out for our volunteers. Or drop into the Students Union. • Students’ Union Table Quiz 7pm. Lots of Freebies. Come to College Bar. 7 o’clock. • Alcohol information: E-PUB info. • Distribution of Students’ Union Healthy Living Bags. • Usual services offered by Sports Unit and Kingfisher. Random raffles taking place, boxing and mountain biking events. • No chip week: We encourage you not to eat chips for just one week.

Launch of Movember is on 1st November, 1 o’clock in Smokey’s. It’s finally here. It’s all about the MO.

Friday 2 November

• No chip week: We encourage you not to eat chips for just one week. • Usual services offered by Sports Unit and Kingfisher. Random raffles taking place, boxing and mountain biking events. • Distribution of Students’ Union Healthy Living Bags. • Distribution of Students’ Union Healthy Recipe Books.

What happened during Equality Week 2012?

Thursday 1 November

• Launch of Movember in Smokies at 1 o’clock and in the evening in College bar. It’s all about the MO. Its all for charity. • Students’ Union and Health Connect food and the body campaign. Sign the petition.

A number of stalls set up by some of NUI Galway’s societies graced Aras na Mac Leinn during the Equality Fair.

Equality Officer, Claire McCallion at the Equality Fair.

The highlight of the week was the beautiful union of Dami Adebari and Conor Stitt.

Town Hall 8 November, 8pm

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Aishling Fitzgera ld “My favou rite costume was a crayon costume when I was younger.”

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Student Speak By Sean Dunne & Orla Ryan

Darren K ennely 3rd year Arts “I love Ha lloween because yo u can dress lik e an idiot and nobody judges yo u, and girls are allowed to dress slu tty and have no judgemen t.”

This week we asked NUI Galway students what their favourite aspects of Halloween are Caoimhe O’Connor 2nd year Arts up to “I remember going dressed as Derry cube, the a rubex I got comments funny.” were

Aoife Molloy Science “When I was ten, my friend’s sister came home and looked in the oven and thought her mom was giving birth in the oven. A strange Halloween.”

James Kenny 2nd year Arts “I always have to work, I’m a DJ but my dream costume is Randy Marsh from South Park.”

Sean Mar tin Arts “I dressed up as Doug fro m the cartoon a nd my friend we nt as Skitter, it was a good dou ble act.”

Craig Shelvy Arts r fou was “When I a as up d I dresse vampire with a helium balloon, but I got kicked in the head by a pony for scaring him, a great Halloween.” Chris Cornwell Engineering “I like that women get to dress up.”

Kate McDonagh Medicine “I dressed up as Medusa one Halloween but ended up walking into a with the high candle and it went hair, fire.” on

Gary Tierney Arts “I dressed up as old Greg from the Mighty Bouche, but the only person that recognised the costume was a bouncer in Halo and asked did I want to drink Baileys out of a shoe.”

Siobhan Igoe Bio Medical Science “The Free Sweets are the best thing.”

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Home entertainment picks for Halloween By Mackenzie Lynch and Ken Glennon Kill List (2011) Occult Horror, kitchen sink drama and the road movie collide in Kill List, a low budget gem from British director Ben Wheately. Compared to Wicker Man by way of David Lynch, this pitch black film follows two comparatively ordinary looking men who work as contract killers. Recruited by a mysterious figure, the two killers (played excellently by Neil Maskell and Michael Smiley) find themselves drawn into the ultra-dark world of the occult. Violent, stark and with a genuinely shocking ending Kill List is worth seeking out this Halloween. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) Directed by Jim Sharman, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a must-see on the Halloween movie-list. Why choose a trick or treat

when you can get a two in one deal? Gather your friends; don your finest corsets, fishnet tights and hooker heels or, better yet, a sparkly gold speedo, because Tim Curry will present you with memorable songs and dances such as 'Sweet Transvestite', 'I Can Make You a Man' and 'The Time Warp'. If that isn't enough, it also has Meat Loaf rocking out to 'Hot Patootie' and well... being horrifically beaten to death with a pickaxe. Rocky Horror is the ideal Halloween flick that outlives any cult classic. The plot is ambiguous and yet perfectly valid. A transvestite from Transylvania throwing together a concoction to create a gorgeous blonde? A newlywed couple getting caught up in the madness? The perfect way to spend Halloween night is joining in and playing the part. In the words of the film itself; “Come up to the lab and see what's on the slab.” No one blames you for shivering with antici....pation.

Review: Sinister By Ken Glennon As Halloween approaches one could do far worse at the cinema than Sinister – a quietly unsettling offering from the director of The Exorcism of Emily Rose. The story revolves around a true crime-writer who, in the hunt for a bestseller, moves his family to a house where a particularly gruesome multiple murder took place. Played by Ethan Hawke, here’s a man who sold a New York Times number one bestseller a decade ago and has been desperately seeking a taste of past glories since having followed his initial success with two flops. Uprooting his wife and two children to the site of a murder, Hawke’s charac-

ter isn’t the most atypically sympathetic character to head a horror picture and his morally ambivalent nature works in establishing an engaging lead. Within a week of arriving in their new home Hawke’s writer locates a box of home-movies in the attic. Believing them connected to his new book he begins watching what is revealed to be a series of grisly murders each connected by occult symbolism, a missing child and a murky image of a figure on the periphery of the killings. To reveal any more about the nature of the killings would be to spoil Sinister, which is better discovered fresh. Needless to say, once our leading man cracks open the home movies, strange

Angel Heart (1987) A l a n P a r k e r ’s d e l i ciously atmospheric mystery divides its time effectively between 50s Brooklyn and New Orleans, following the case of private investigator Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke). Parker’s film happily takes its time delivering scares (this is not by any means a straight up horror movie) and oozes dark style with terrific performances from Mickey Rourke, Lisa Bonet and Robert DeNiro. Rourke is typically charismatic as ex-solider turned private eye Harry Angel who is hired by DeNiro’s Lois Cyphre to track down a missing musician with suitably horrendous consequences for most involved. Highly controversial upon its 1987 release for its explicit violence and sexual content Angel Heart remains, over a quarter of a century later, a potent mix of film-noir and occult mystery.

and increasingly unsettling events begin to occur around the house. Plenty of small creaks, bumps and the odd loud crash in the house populate the first half of Sinister, and with fairly limited characterisation outside of Ethan Hawke’s crime-writer, the life looks like it’s about to drain from the picture well before the sixty minute mark. Then, as things take a turn both for the worse and for the supernatural, Sinister slowly evolves into a genuinely tense experience. This is especially true as the increasingly disturbing killings are shown via the Super-8 home movies and oddities began occurring in the house allowing Hawke to show his character unravelling while director Scott Derrickson carefully builds an understated and satisfying sense of tension.

“Whatever it is they burned it up in a hurry.” By Ken Glennon Released in 1982 John Carpenters remake of The Thing offers an effectively slow-burn home viewing horror experience. Set in an Antarctic research facility populated by a handful of blue collar workers The Thing follows an extra-terrestrial life form that absorbs living material to produce a near-perfect organic replica. Opening with a deranged helicopter pilot (and Ennio Morricone’s unforgettable minimalist score) trying to gun down a dog racing across the Artic landscape, Carpenter’s film takes its time, establishing the claustrophobic setting and its unfortunate crew (headed up by Kurt Russell’s gruff helicopter pilot Macready). After a particularly grizzly scene involving the eponymous creature and a pack of dogs at the facility, the all-male

Whether or not the second half of Sinister works depends on one’s willingness to go with the overtly supernatural elements at play. Situations involving characters doing typically stupid things in horror movies are kept to

crew sets about trying to kill the alien creature before it hideously assimilates them one by one. What ensues is a finely calibrated sense of paranoia amongst the men, armed with guns and flamethrowers, who know by now that the alien could be any one of them, and are constantly on the brink of turning on one another. It helps that the audience is also in the dark regarding the thing. It could be anyone and our own uncertainty allows for some genuinely tense sequences as the crew try to figure out who they can trust. The iconic blood testing scene in particular is a standout and Carpenter does an expert job maintaining the tension and sense of almost overwhelming paranoia amongst the men. The effective all-male cast is made up almost

entirely of character actors (Russell was the only star among them coming off the success of Escape from New York) in relatively nonshowy roles. Aside from Russell’s pilot, the characters in The Thing are there to do a job. We don’t have any deep characterisations to care about but, watching their progressive descent into paranoia, one can identify with their terror. A star element that does present itself is the innovative make-up and animatronic creature/thing effects. Impressively gory and not lacking in a sense of physical weight often associated with computer generated imagery (see the inferior 2011 prequel for an example of what The Thing would’ve looked like today), the work done by effects artist Rob Bottin and his crew is gruesomely outstanding. As cold Halloween viewing goes, The Thing is an excellent piece of sci-fi terror that continues to stand the test of time. Seek it out.

a minimal. Admittedly the discovery of the murder tapes and how long they are kept private is strained and there’s one key scene near the end, which I will not spoil here, where Hawke’s behaviour is a plot necessity as opposed to a logical

action. Yet these are quibbles and the stories pay-off is comfortably worth it. Overall Sinister is a deft, well-paced and effectively tense thriller that to its immense credit follows its grim convictions and storyline to the very last shot.

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Port Authority docks at the Town Hall Theatre By James Falconer Conor McPherson’s (The Seafarer, Shining City, The Weir and Dublin Carol) ability to write moving and humorous plays with beautifully constructed characters has made him an international success. He is regarded as one of Ireland's leading living dramatists and has won both Olivier and Tony awards. Port Authority tells the stories of three generations of Irish men who experience tough challenges in love, marriage and relationships. Set against the backdrop of contemporary Dublin, each man’s story is a beautifully woven tale of failure, loss and the elusiveness of love. With great wit and compassion, McPherson expertly exposes the heart of common man. Kevin (Carl Kennedy) is a young man who's just left home for the first time. He’s moved into a house with some friends one of whom is the girl he loves. There's something very strong between them, but it's interrupted by her relationship with a guy in a band and Kevin’s fling with a sexy barmaid. Inevitably, the house-warming becomes manic and things unravel for Kevin. Dermot (Phelim Drew) is a middle-aged man who's unexpectedly launched into a high-flying career as an executive middle-manager; he doesn’t know his luck. That's “high-flying” in a literal sense as his new colleagues take him on a champagne filled flight to Los Angeles. Dermot ends up backstage at a Bangers concert – the pub-band that Kevin was telling us about – now grown to fame and international recognition. By this detail, we know that this particular story must take place some years in the future. Dermot really epitomises a loose cannon, in over his head, drinking away his failures and shortcomings before our eyes. Yet, there is something adorable about him.

Joe (Garrett Keogh), an elderly man in a retirement home, receives a package in the post. It is the photograph of an old neighbour of his, someone he had fallen in love with some years previously. She catches him looking at it and offers to give it to him: “If you want that you should have it”. He doesn't take it. It is the story of an honourable man who is loyal to his wife and misses his opportunity to experience a deep love. "And of course, you fool yourself that God hasn't seen you," he says, about falling in love with your neighbour’s wife. The brilliance of McPherson's play lies in the way it demonstrates man's tragedy - the unexpressed emotion they repress. All of the stories are about frustrated desires and the peace that each of the characters make with them.

The 21st Century By Adam Loughnane I awoke at 8:30pm and opened my eyes. Sparkling like Fool's Gold on my ceiling were celebrities - a tad too photogenic for this time of the morning. Searching for my trousers, I found some Terrorism underneath my bed. It was babbling on about commercialism and homosexuality, I think. From my open window, the cacophonous call of a twirling Twitter caught my ear. It resembled so many dissonant yet self-indulgent voices shrieking aimlessly in an amoral vacuum. In my kitchen downstairs, the good Lord himself was wrestling with young Nihilism. In my opinion, those earrings and that leotard were not doing Our Savior any favors. The jaded sighs of Academic Education sang softly from the cereal cupboard. The Job Creators tried to enliven her but that only made her suicidal. Rather ominously, my cut-

lery drawer had removed itself from its home and had proceeded to replace itself with a Google search box. Alarmed, I thought of phoning my old friend John Honesty for help. It took a while for me to remember that he had hung himself quite a long time ago. Realizing that my breakfast was not to be found in this place, I stumbled into the lounge area to join my incongruous housemates. Ed Anger stood gesturing furiously at nothing in particular with a garden trowel. Bizarrely, the CCTV triplets encircled him like a trio of enchanted vultures. On our couch, Elizabeth Empowerment purred promiscuously as the bronze sheen from her plastic body threatened to outweigh its origin. Popular Culture popped into existence all around her – somewhat surreally, somewhat expectedly. A sudden silence drew my attention to the centre of the room. Stood opposite one another at our coffee

Witless Heat 3 winners, The Rusty Fixtures giving it their all. Photo by Kieran Durcan.

table were TV and Existentialist Skepticism. While the former tried to seduce and deceive everyone it surveyed, the latter quoted Kafka and Nietzsche and whoever else came to mind in intransigent defiance. Perpendicular to them, Big Tom Capitalism had set up a stall selling fresh air and emotions, opinions and sunlight and all else in between. Growing tired of this tumult, I decided to return to my bedroom. Some environmentalists begged me to ignore them as I climbed our staircase into the darkness. Turning left as I always did, I bumped into the ubiquitous Sweet Miss Charity. Although achieving nothing, her actions seemed to increase her sense of selfworth. For a moment, I was perplexed, but then I understood. Outside, something of a celebration appeared to be taking place. Big Business, The Media and The Governing Class cavorted like so many gleeful cherubim – hand-in-hand, arm-in-arm, connected irreversibly. From my vantage point at the window, it seemed almost impossible to observe where one of the gang concluded and another began. All the while, a thousand children slid to their evitable demise. The same would happen tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that. Behind me, a piano moaned gently – an aspiring keener, presumably. Sprawled across the keys were two of our most familiar amigos. The face of Sally Ignorance was a portrait of dystopia, while the words of Old Man Apathy convinced Humanity that atrophy was irresistible. In their company, Revolution’s deathbed prophecy started ringing in my ears: “My friends, it is the Great Delusion of working life that will deliver us to the Pit.” Good Grandfather Clock struck midnight and I began to retreat to my bed. “Beloved sleep." I mused solemnly. “Your sanctuary is all that I have left.” As

the Cult of Mediocrity made raucous love to their Mobile Computers, I sidled across the landing, now pleading for relief. Alas, my prayers would go unanswered – I guess Nihilism was not one to be taken lightly – for Young Prejudice soon poured cold water on my despairing dreams. “Beware, my friends! Beware! There is a stranger in our midst. It does not look like us. It thinks too much. It must be removed at once!” Thus commenced something of a gauntlet. Whilst ducking and dodging myriad missiles composed of both Fast Food and congealed Money, I noticed that a section of the herd had chosen to deny my existence. Upon reflection, I would later surmise that Denial had become their wont. At the time, it was not the venom with which my assailants pursued me that frightened me the most, but the indelible Greed and Vanity which had become engraved upon their faces. Lying upon my cherished bed, I finally started to relax. The attentions of the Image Generation had been diverted by the arrival of some alcohol and the outbreak of a party downstairs. Judging by their taste in music, it appeared to me that a flock of seagulls had taken the charts by storm. “How ironic,” I thought, “that Science has begotten such widespread monotony.” As I drifted on the margins of blissful oblivion, something surreptitiously omnipresent caught the corner of my eye. Its tendrils entwined around modern Technology, its musk emanating from fell Reality TV. Its likeness burned into the backs of unworthy millionaires, its song the soundtrack of economic catastrophe. The confusing indifference of uncontrolled chaos – the author of this tale of pandemic inequality. On and on, this mad carousel will turn. On and on, this poisoned web will spin. Such loss, such meaninglessness.

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Áras na Mac Léinn prepares for University Ball transformation By Lily McGarry With the University Ball drawing closer, the societies have been busying themselves with numerous preparations. Taking to the main stage November 13 will be Ham Sandwich fresh from their success at Electric Picnic, where their live show wowed the crowd. “Ham Sandwich’s pop aesthetic and good cheer won them a legion of new fans at the Electric Picnic and drew another huge crowd when they performed at Body & Soul,” writes Sorcha Coleman in The Irish Examiner. Áras na Mac Léinn will be transformed into five dedicated spaces; The Bailey Allen will house the main stage with Conor Ward, winner of the acoustic heat at witless 2012; Rofi James, winners of the acoustic heat at witless 2013; Ham Sandwich, supported by the

Rusty Fixtures; and then a DJ thanks to Rock Soc, DJ soc and the Societies Office. Italian Soc, will be transforming the Cube into 'La Casa del Jazz' – a House of Jazz. A dimmed backdrop will set the smoky atmosphere while guests are treated to an Italian-themed dinner. Performers on the evening will include a piano and trumpet jazz duo; Cotton Ball Three, a three piece acoustic and improvisation act from Galway; and the Notions, who play a mixture of blues and roots that reflects their eclectic personal musical tastes. Upstairs in the View, DJ soc will be pumping out the tunes, while Cumman Farraige and Marine soc will be creating an underwater teamed room with plenty of colour in the Meeting Rooms. The Space will host a gallery containing a variety of artwork and photographs

from our own Art and Photo Socs. While viewing these you will be entertained by classical and flamenco guitar. The Hub will be transformed ‘The room of Reclinement’, decorated by Potter and Astronomy Socs, and will provide a space to get away from the hubbub of the rest of the ball. Tickets will cost €15(students)/€20(non students) and are available from the Socs Box. Each ticket includes dinner, entry into Áras na Mac Léinn, and entry into The Bentley afterwards. This event is organised by the societies office in conjunction with the following societies Art, Photo, STV, Marine, Cumman Farraige, Potter, Astronomy, Rock, Juggling, and DJ. With the different genres of entertainment, along with the variety of rooms it promises to be a fun and entertaining night for all.

Explore your future Postgraduate Open Day

Wednesday 31st Oct 2012 Bailey Allen Hall, Áras na Mac Léinn 12 noon–4 pm BOOK YOUR PLACE: www.nuigalway.ie/postgraduate-open-day Alternatively you can just turn up and register on the day.

Find out more:

postgrad@nuigalway.ie

50 Shades of Bogger

By Martina Gnnon

50shadesofbogger. wordpress.com Continued from issue 3… We started heading deeper into the country after leaving that irresistible sun behind us to meet these ‘friends’ of Teapot’s. Teapot warned me that Bill never held back his thoughts and told me to prepare to be insulted. Well he couldn’t have been more wrong. I loved Bill. He was smaller than I thought but his accent was adorable. As for his wife, Josie, well she showed me heaven on earth. This woman brought me into her back garden and allowed me to pick and eat apples from her many apple trees. I died and floated to heaven on an apple tree. We left Bill and Josie’s house that night, unable to stop raving about how we had surprised and impressed each other yet again. I was gushing about how welcoming and hilarious they had been and he was rambling about how he had never introduced anyone

to them before. Apparently I had succeeded in gaining Bill’s elusive seal of approval and this had stunned Teapot beyond the ability of speech. Off we went into Limerick City. We ended up in a bar called Nancy’s. While there, Teapot acquired himself a fan. I came back from the toilet to find a tanned and exotic-looking drunk girl literally hanging off him. I have never seen him look so uncomfortable. He looked like he was in actual physical pain. I knew that he couldn’t stand those clingy, desperate girls. He eventually managed to wrangle himself free of her lusty talons and made desperate motions for me to come closer. I advanced unable to control my mirth at her antics. “Kiss me, kiss me!” she was drawling in a slurred French accent. “Ah no, sure I can’t!” he was attempting to protest. “Yeah you can, go for it,” I encouraged, thinking that if worse came to worse than I could potentially make plans with the barman. “No,” he said adamantly, “I don’t want to; I don’t want to be with her, I don’t want to be with anyone in here but you.” Well I immediately felt like a bitch for even considering the barman option. Frenchy girl eventually slinked off to another poor, defenceless guy, leaving us to giggle at her antics. The situation got worse after that. On this particular night, ‘Fiery Martina’ made an appearance. There we were piggy-

backing across Limerick City in search of food – for me of course. We took the advice of Nancy’s bouncer and landed in a dodgy looking kebab shop. Teapot just could not fathom how I could eat the ‘crap’ I was eating. He sat opposite me in the takeaway, his head in his hands, occasionally glancing at me from behind his hands to deliver looks of pure disgust. I eventually lost what little patience I had and stormed out of the takeaway but not before I caught the bouncer giving Teapot a sympathetic godhelp-you nod. I stalked up the street towards the traffic lights, trusting in my sense of direction to guide me. He followed after me and I proceeded to shout various, unintelligible profanities at him. He took it like a boss and calmly explained himself and his aversion to fast food. He genuinely didn’t understand how people ate take-aways after a night out. He even made me laugh when he bravely offered to take a few punches. A taxi-man then conveniently hailed us down asking if we needed a lift anywhere. Neither of us fancied piggybacking all the way back to the hotel we were staying in so we hopped in. Teapot later confessed that was his favourite moment with me, when I flipped out and nearly boxed him that night. Apparently he saw a ‘fire’ in me that he hasn’t see before and found it much to his liking. To be continued in issue 5…

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Bell X1 return to Galway with new acoustic set

Hilary Mantel wins Man Booker Prize

By Gillian Keating

English author, journalist and essayist, Hilary Mantel (60), has claimed the £50,000 Man Booker Prize for Fiction for the second time, for her novel Bring Up The Bodies (2012), published by Fourth Estate. A work of historical fiction set in the Tudor era, it is the sequel of a planned trilogy about Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to King Henry VIII. It follows the success of her bestselling novel, Wolf Hall, published in 2009, for which she also won the Man Booker Prize. Born to parents of Irish descent, Mantel spoke of her delight at scooping the prize twice, being the first woman

Irish indie rockers Bell X1 will be playing a new and unique acoustic set at the Town Hall Theatre on Saturday November 10. Bell X1 are one of Ireland’s most revered bands topping the charts with much loved singles like “Rocky, Took A Lover”, “Eve, the Apple of my Eye” and “Flame”. They are widely regarded for their rhythmic infectious hooks; however, when their upcoming tour floats into Galway, they’ll be mellow, soulful and acoustic. Bell X1’s new album Field Recordings, is a collection of tracks from their previous

five albums. These tracks are performed simply with guitars, piano and an iPod. The array of songs, taken from a plethora of live performances from the 2010 Global Acoustic Tour, brought the band from Canada to Berlin and everywhere in between. Bell X1’s 2005 song ‘Bad Skin Day’ was stripped down to a softer and more harmonised version on Field Recordings. It has been renamed ‘Bad Day Skin’ and the difference between the two tracks is remarkable. The lyrics are far more powerful in the new acoustic version. The acoustic guitar perfectly complements that power, making the track feel raw

Can I be your new Muse? By Róisín Lynam Muse are a powerful band on the alternative rock landscape since 1994. With the awe-inspiring voice, skinburning guitar and flawless piano talents of Matt Bellamy, heart-palpitating bass of Christopher Wolstenholme and pumping mosh-inspiring drums of Dominic Howard, it wasn’t long until they were spotted and gained recognition. Their fame first emerged with their album Showbiz in 1999; followed by another astounding musical creation Origin of Symmetry in 2001. In 2003, the release of Absolution witnessed the band’s more polished and experimental style. Black Holes and Revelations (2006) and The Resistance (2009) brought fans a matured Muse, far from the acidic tones of their previous albums. They have just released their latest album The 2ND Law. Fans have eagerly awaited this particular album. Those who were watching the ceremony at the Olympics were given a fresh taste with their song ‘Survival’. It was the official anthem for the internationally televised event. Although this preview was well received, how does the album sound in its entirety? Those die-hard fans that are hoping and dreaming of the days of Origin of Symmetry and Absolution would be

advised to lose their faith. This latest venture by the English trio is completely new and slightly unusual. Their customary epic intro makes clear their investments in a choir and orchestra. As the album continues it becomes a strange mix of dubstep, Queen-esque sounding crescendos and frown worthy U2 moments. However, the distinctive style of Bellamy’s breathtaking performances on piano often shines through, recalling fond memories of ‘Butterflies and Hurricanes’ from Absolution. The album does show the versatility of the band with Wolstenholme taking Bellamy’s place and singing several tracks. His voice creates a calming moment in the slightly overloaded album. At times it seems they have more money than sense, with a huge amount of orchestral pieces and overwhelming choirs. The cacophony means that the lyrics are simply lost in a sea of sound and are hard to distinguish. Committed fans may not be so accepting of Muse’s newest musical endeavor. It is a far stretch from their earlier albums, creating a completely different sound, even compared to their last album Resistance. In conclusion, the album is a completely new experience of Muse. It isn’t what you would expect and seems to be a muddle of genres that results in a surprising and enjoyable album. Have a listen, and see what you think.

By Marése O'Sullivan

and very intimate. Other tracks on their new double album include the well-known ‘Eve, the Apple of My Eye’ and the absence of heavy production emphasises the meaning of the anecdotal love-lost lyrics. ‘In Every Sunflower’ the acoustic piano and guitar make for undeniably moving performance. Field Recordings is a double-disced delight and certainly worth checking out on the Bell X1 MySpace page. There you’ll find some of their songs to whet your appetite for their upcoming gig. The captivating acoustics of Bell X1 can be heard firsthand on November 10 in the Town Hall Theatre, Galway.

to do so in the history of the award. “In 2009, I said to myself, 'I don't ever need to think about this again,' but when I was shortlisted [in 2012], I did desperately want to win. It seems there's a nine-yearold inside who wants to win all the prizes. But until the verdict came, I really didn't think I'd win.” Sir Peter Stothard, Chair of the Man Booker Prize Judging Panel, announced her victory at the awards dinner in London's Guildhall on October 16. He stated; “This double accolade is uniquely deserved. Hilary Mantel has rewritten the rules for historical fiction. In Bring Up The Bodies, our greatest modern writer

retells the origins of modern England.” Also on the Judging Panel were Professor of English Literature at the University of Liverpool, Dinah Birch; historian and author, Amanda Foreman; actor and editor Dan Stevens, star of Downton Abbey; and Dr Bharat Tandon, Lecturer in the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. Mantel was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2006. She is currently working on the third volume of the trilogy, entitled The Mirror and The Light, and the BBC is planning to adapt her books for the small screen, to air in six parts next year.

19 projects awarded

funding!

The Students’ Union/NUI Galway EXPLORE Initiative has announced that 19 groups with 106 student and staff partners have been awarded funding of up to €1,000 to deliver new, innovative projects on campus during the academic year. The first scheme of its kind in the Irish third-level sector, EXPLORE invites students and staff to team up and work on projects to benefit NUI Galway and/or the wider community. EXPLORE has a limited amount of funding remaining for the 2012/2013 academic year. Applications are currently being accepted and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Find out more and apply at www.su.nuigalway.ie/explore.

Title

Lead student partner/Lead staff partner

1. Galway Games Development Workshop Liam Krewer/Dr. Sam Redfern 2. Áis Teagaisc don EiceolaÍocht Ardteiste/Teaching Aid for Leaving Certificate Ecology Nora Blake/Sinéad Ní Ghuidhir 3. Creation of an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) locator app for iOS Michael McNamara/Dr. Gerard Flaherty 4. Exponential (Entrepreneurial network for students & on-campus start ups) Alan Byrne/Dr John Breslin 5. Geography Field Study Resource James Burke/Seán Ó Grádaigh 6. Gafa le Mata (Bilingual mathematical walk app of the NUI Galway campus) Michelle Garvin/Dr. Máire Ní Ríordáin 7. Conference on Public Law and Policy Sandra Murphy/Charles O'Mahony 8. The Cell Explorers Show (Biology outreach at Galway Science & Technology Festival) Loretta Breslin/Dr. Muriel Grenon 9. Kitchen Chemistry - A Visual Explosion Nicole Walshe/Dr. Veronica McCauley 10. Self-Guided Field Trip Alina Wieczorek/Prof. Martin Feely 11. Global Health and Social Justice Forum Manisha Sachdeva/Dr. Diarmuid O'Donovan 12. Re-used laptop high-performance cluster Finn Krewer/Dr. John Breslin 13. Public Health Education Videos Diarmuid Coughlan/Dr. Diarmuid O'Donovan 14. Video-casting Seminal Legal Cases Michael O'Donnell/Dr. Joe Mc Grath 15. Digital Memories - NUI Galway (Digitised biographies of early NUI Galway students and staff) Michelle Moore/Mary Clancy 16. Urban and Domestic Alternatives to Fossil Fuels: Human Powered Vehicles Leilee Chojnacki/Prof. Sean Leen 17. Creating awareness and prevention of hearing loss to students at NUIG (App) John Maguire/Dr. Edward Jones 18. The Great Energy Debate at NUI Galway Energy Night 2013 Gary Brennan/Dr. Rory Monaghan 19. Research Mentoring Network (for Ph.D Humanities students) Ciaran Dowd/Dr. Adrian Paterson

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Gig Review: Marina and the Diamonds

Seven Lives for Liberty to awake the west By James Falconer Seven Lives for Liberty is a theatrical tribute to the men and women of 1916. Performed and produced through drama and music, the intention is to portray the lives of the seven signatories of the Proclamation of Independence. The production is not a propaganda exercise, nor should it be seen as a form of protest. Its aim is to illustrate and re-enact those momentous events in our not-too-distant history. The idea for the production came about when musician Pat Walters sent James Connolly Heron (Connolly’s great-grandson) a CD with seven songs/laments related to this revolutionary era. Pat passionately believes that Ireland today has neglected the memory of these men and the sacrifice they made for all of us; he’s not alone there. The lyrics and music will engage the listener and stir the imagination and interest of the general public. The songs are a quiet tribute to the memory of seven heroes, who themselves were representative of many more. Seven Lives for Liberty begins with the surrender

at the G.P.O. and then goes back into the lives of the seven men. The leaders are portrayed as family men who had loves and personalities, which resonate with all of us today. They were playwrights, poets, writers, teachers, musicians and among their followers of ordinary working-men and women, actors. Considering this, it seems fitting that their memory is honoured on stage. Co-producers James Connolly Heron and Frank Allen would love to see Seven Lives for Liberty educate and introduce a new generation to the seven signatories. They also hope to encourage debate, reflection and make a meaningful contribution, as best they can, to the rebuilding of our country in our time. The script relies on primary sources, such as the last words of the signatories to their families in those final hours before their execution, copies of court Martials, witness statements and so on. It can be said, therefore, that this is a true story. The production is fundamentally a tribute, in their own words, to the memory of exceptional people at this remarkable time

in our history which witnessed the coming together of three great movements of that period - national, social and cultural. The opening show in Liberty Hall was a sell-out and with the 1916 centenary ever nearing, it is planned

By Aisling Owens to take the show to the four Provinces. The aim is to have a nationwide tour in place for the 1916 centenary. Seven Lives for Liberty will take place in the Town Hall Theatre, Galway on 15 November.

Seven Lives for Liberty will come to the Town Hall Theatre in November

Full line-up for Artistic Atlas announced By Jenna Hodgins Over forty writers, artists and photographers have been announced for the line-up of Artistic Atlas of Galway. The Artistic Atlas of Galway is a project based on the idea of highlighting Galway City and county as an artistic and literary capital by “mapping Galway through art”. Canvassing for the project began in the summer of 2011, and various poems, prose, photography and artwork were sought with Galway as the common theme. Submitted work was selected and compiled into the seven sub-themes, all relative to Galway: The Peo-

ple, The Streets, Romance, Water, The Underbelly, The Hinterlands and of course, not forgetting, Rain. The contributors will base their work on the aforementioned themes with their own unique twist. Inspired by the stories and poetry submitted, the maps will be created and drawn-up by the artists of the project. The purpose of these maps is to enable people to physically and mentally explore the landscape, read it and see it in the work showcased though unique and different perspectives. NUI Galway alumni Liam Duffy, is the chief editor who is involved with the Writers’ society publication: The Sharp Review. Duffy

transformed, what was essentially a magazine, read only by the society itself, into a much more widely read piece throughout the university and city. Following this, Duffy “became conscious and interested in how creative work is presented and delivered.” Thus, the concept of the Atlas was born. The maps are set to be finished around Christmas time where formatting for the atlas itself will be devised. Ideally, a physical book will be on the cards for publishing, although the notions of a possible e-book, pull-out maps and/ or an interactive website have not yet been eliminated. Until then, the Atlas

can be found on Facebook (https://www.facebook. com/ArtisticAtlasOfGalway). The page is very active with posts of excerpts from the contributors work, updates on the project itself, exhibitions and events of the featured artists and writers. The energy and excitement surrounding the project has been mounting since its prenatal days in 2011, and according to Duffy; “it's been on my mind when I wake up and go to sleep for over a year now, but each time I review the artwork or read the poems and stories we have, I get inspired all over again”. Be sure to keep your eye out for Galway’s new Artistic Atlas.

While standing around waiting for Marina and the Diamonds to take the stage, I got chatting to a couple of other fans about the Welsh songstress, one of which posed the question, “So are you a big fan of Marina, then? Since before Primadonna?” At the risk of sounding stereotypically hipster, the plain and simple answer was yes. I remember hearing her single Hollywood in early 2010 and instantly liking it. I then acquired her album The Family Jewels and attended her October 2010 gig in Vicar Street, and my admiration for her increased even further. So when she released her second album, Electra Heart, earlier this year, I was eager to hear it. Again, Miss Diamandis failed to disappoint. It is a fun record, a collection of bubblegum pop ditties and cleverly composed lyrics. So here I was on a wet Wednesday night, standing in the front row of the intimate Olympia Theatre, eyeing up the stage. The props were simple – a fainting-couch, hat-stand and retro television – but they tied in with the whole 1950s theme of Marina’s image. Before long, the band appeared and took their places, the crowd started screaming, and eventually the raven-haired singer strolled onto the stage,

clutching a bouquet and wearing a long veil with a crop-top and matching skirt ensemble. Marina immediately launched into the familiar “every boyfriend is the one, until otherwise proven” dialogue at the start of Homewrecker, and before long she had the audience dancing and singing along at the top of their lungs. “I learned a new slang w o r d t o d a y, ” M a r i n a announced to the crowd at one point, “ride”. To which the crowd responded, “You’re a ride!” The gig went on for approximately an hour and a half, playing a good mix of stuff from both Electra Heart and The Family Jewels, which I was pleasantly surprised about. We also saw two more outfit changes, which included another matching crop-top and skirt set, this time pink, and a loud elaborate prom dress. All too soon it was over, but not before she came back with an encore, performing Teen Idle and her newest single, How to Be a Heartbreaker. It was the final date of Marina’s Lonely Hearts Club tour and she certainly finished with a bang. The 27-year-old tweeted her gratitude with the following: “Dublin… Thank you ever so for your undying love + sweet sweet devotion. You were a total #ROIDE.” Any time, Marina. Any time.

Witless Heat 4 runners-up, Amber Lights. Photo by Kieran Durcan.

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Witless: Heat 3

Witless: Heat 4

By Michael Joyce

After a stunning second heat, Witless Heat 3 had a lot to live up to. The Metrognomes opened with an indie rock song called ‘Dark Desire’ followed by ‘Sounds Like Home.’ These songs showcased the band’s upbeat style and impressive bass grooves. The band then performed a genre crossover by playing a medley of popular dance songs and ended their set with the song ‘Neuphoric’. The Metrognome’s upbeat music created a great atmosphere for the competition, with quick, catchy songs and unique drum beats. The highlight of their set was their dance medley, which got a decent crowd off their feet. Next up was The Rusty Fixtures, opening with a track called ‘Boots’ and then launching into a fantastic collection of original folky tunes with beautiful vocal harmonies. ‘Bridgestreet Blues’ displayed some great guitar work and ‘Jungle Mix’ boasted creative backing vocals. The band finished with ‘Leave me where you lay me down’. The Rusty Fixtures played a flawless set, notably making great use of keyboards. Finally, in stark contrast to the rest of the Witless acts, hard-core punk act, Violins is not the Answer, took to the stage. ‘Refreshing’ is definitely a word which can be used to describe this band. In a

Witless heat four was the final heat to include amped-up electric guitars and pounding drums and it didn’t disappoint. Continuing the previous week’s trend of bands playing unusual genres, heat four featured the post-rock, instrumental band Super7ayian. The band played upbeat and enjoyable tracks with very interesting names such as ‘ClockSMASH’ and ‘Fusion Dance’. The three guitars mingled well together and the drumming never overpowered the other instruments, adding to the song’s character. It seemed that each song the band played was thought out very carefully, and not a single note seemed out of place. Super7ayian advanced to the Witless final as heat four winners. Following Super7ayian was pop-punk band Waggy. Influences from Blink182 and Greenday were clear here as the band launched into a set of fast-paced, energetic songs. Unfortunately there were some technical difficulties during the set, which interrupted the bands flow and a broken string also adding to the problems. But Waggy didn’t let this deter them as they stole a guitar from a girlfriend of Super7ayian and finished their set to great

The Rusty Fixtures performing on the Witless stage for Heat 3. Photo by Kieran Durcan. competition dominated by melodic vocals and clean guitars, Violins turned up the volume and roared until people listened. With songs like ‘Custard’ the band showed what they were all about – enjoyable, energetic punk. Although very different, the band gained great support and were one of the more enjoyable acts of the night. Witless heat 3 kept the momentum of the competition going. The Rusty Fixtures won heat three and the Metrognomes advanced in the Wildcard heat.

Galway comedy invasion By Connor McDonagh-Flynn http://conmcflynn.com/ Stand-up comedy is one of the purest, most nerve rattling forms of live performance. As a rising (hopefully) comedian that travels the country for gigs, I perceive that Galway is becoming a hotspot for this jocular entertainment. There are an increasing number of venues for budding and seasoned comedians to get on stage and let it fly. I’m sure, even as you’re reading this you’re thinking: “tell us a joke.” A request that teases my daily life, the same way the song “Galway Girl” vexes local musicians. But as Shakespeare said: “All the world’s a stage.” There’s another age-old myth that comedians are all crazy, energy-filled lunatics. This is not a complete truism. I cannot speak for everybody, but I agree with Aristotle: “There’s no great genius without a mixture of madness.” The life of a comedian is always twisted, filled with turbulence and butterflies. “Make me laugh funny man!” the comedian heard from the anxious audience. To be a glutton for punishment is an ideal trait if you’re thinking of chancing your arm and telling a few jokes on stage. It’s one of the most rewarding 'trial by fire' experiences you can imagine, sure to get your heart racing. October was a big month for stand up comedy in Galway. The Galway Comedy

Festival kicked off and brought some big names in, i.e. Tommy Tiernan, Reginald D Hunter, Des Bishop, Rich Hall, Ardal O’Hanlon, Pat Shortt, Jason Byrne, Andrew Maxwell, Phill Jupitus, Neil Hamburger, and The Rubberbandits to name a few. Galway was a comedy metropolis for the last week of October. If you’re wondering where to see some of the local up and coming talent there’s options a plenty building up in Galway. The Roisin Dubh has comedy on most Wednesdays, bringing the big names to the big stage in Galway. “Comedy Cocktails” in Busker’s is a cheerfully cosy comedy open mic night that’s held weekly on Sundays at 9:30pm. “Unhinged” Comedy is another weekly gig starting on 8 November downstairs in The Cellar Bar at 9pm. Plan an auld night out, have a laugh, and support live comedy around Galway. In other news… Sadly, Galway lost one comedy open mic night recently, awe… The “Get Up, Stand Up @ Garvey’s” which had been a part of the Galway comedy scene for the last two years came to an end on 25 October. However, local comedians made it a night to remember, leaving the audience in stitches and closing the doors to what was a great comedy night. That’s the comedy craic for you any way. The most important exercise is to keep laughing and get out there and support the live comedy.

Witless Heat 4 winners, Super7ayian rocking out on stage. Photo by Kieran Durcan. applause. Last up for Witless heat four was Friendly Persuasion, a Galway indie-rock band. The band played a series of original tracks including ‘Tropical Air’, ‘Chinese Girl’ and ‘Elevator’. Winners Super7ayian advance to the final while Amber Lights will advance to the Wildcard heat.

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H ealthy L iving

14–04

Combating Fatigue By Laura Thompson

For many people, constant fatigue is an everyday reality. Waking up with the alarm clock and wanting to turn over and sleep is a familiar pattern. One of the most commonly asked questions is; “how can I improve my energy levels and regain my vitality?” Here are some simple ways to do just that: 1. Eat a healthy balanced diet. Make sure to include plenty of complex carbohydrates such as wholegrain cereals, brown rice, oats, and fresh vegetables. These will give a slow release of energy. Try to avoid refined carbohydrates such as cakes, biscuits and white breads. These will give a short burst of energy but can lead to energy slumps. Adding a little protein to your carbohydrate will slow down their release, giving a longer, more sustained energy. 2. Reduce your intake of saturated fats, such as cheese, butter, chocolates and pastries. Instead, increase your intake of essential fatty acids or omega 3, 6 and 9. These are found in oily fish, nuts and seeds. Saturated fats can lead to obesity and heart disease. 3. Increase your intake of fluids. Drinking more water or herbal teas will hydrate your body, making you feel more refreshed. Avoid the “caffeine trap” which will stimulate you for a short time but exhaust you in the long term.

4. Exercise is vital for good energy. It’s often hard to make yourself exercise when you’re exhausted but you must use energy to create energy. A short walk will always leave you feeling energised. 5. Get a regular sleep routine – go to bed and rising at the same time every day. Wind down with a hot lavender bath. Turn the telly, computer and mobile phone off. Sleep in a dark room, not overly hot or cold. This will encourage a restful sleep. If you find that none of these things help, then maybe you should consider having a food intolerance test along with an overview of your personal nutritional requirements. Many people are eating foods that they find too difficult to digest. This can lead to bloatedness, indigestion and fatigue. By consuming a diet suited to your personal needs, you can improve your energy and maintain a healthy weight. If you are currently taking prescribed medication, then your nutritional needs may be increased. For example, many women who are taking the contraceptive pill require extra amounts of vitamin B and magnesium. A Multi B Complex is vital for the conversion of fat into energy. Magnesium is a great relaxant, very important for reducing muscle spasms and cramps. It also plays a role in maintaining healthy blood pressure and can prevent fluid retention.

Mental illness. What do those two words mean to you? Leonardo on Shutter Island? Russel Crowe and his beautiful mind? Or how you or someone you know hasn’t been quite themselves lately?

“

that roughly 40% of people aged between 17 and 25 fell outside the normal range for anxiety and depression and 30% were beyond the normal range for stress. College, money, work and family were cited as the main causes (most participants were college

”

Eating fish regularly helps maintain better moods, especially oily fish.

Earlier this month the S.U. marked Mental Health week. Awareness around this issue is incredibly important. Particularly for university students as almost 75% of all serious mental health difficulties manifest between the ages of 15 and 25. The national study of youth mental health in Ireland, a joint undertaking between the mental health awareness group “Headstrong” and the psychology department of UCD, found

students). So what are we do to about it? What can we do to help us cope best with stress? A body weighing 65kg is roughly made up of 61.6% water,17% protein, 13.8% fats, 6.1% minerals and 1.5% carbohydrates. We are, in essence, complex test tubes full of molecules that are busy interacting with each other. It makes intuitive sense then that what we eat has an impact on these chemical reactions. There is now a body

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Recipe: Very basic Chili Con Carne

Look after your mental health By Kiri Renssen

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of research supporting the link between diet and mental wellbeing. Being a student, I know that trying to make healthy choices when getting groceries can be more expensive. I have often winced at the checkout and thought “darn avocados!”. I also know that eating healthily is not always the mouth-watering option. To quote Doug Larson; “Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.” According to several studies quoted in the Changing diets, changing minds publication by the British Mental Health Foundation, we should be eating a diet made up of wholewheat carbohydrates, protein, lots of fruit and veg, some minerals and polyunsaturated fats and very little refined sugar and saturated fat. Another publication by the British Mental Health Foundation looked specifi-

By Clare Killeen

Four meals You will need: • 1 Green Pepper – diced • 1 Onion – roughly chopped • 250g beef mince • 400g canned chopped tomatoes • 400g canned kidney beans – drained and rinsed • 1 sad little teaspoon of chili powder • 1 tablespoon of cooking oil Accompaniments • Rice, potatoes or less healthy nachos — with grated cheese of course. 1. Heat the oil in a clean pot on a low heat. Add the chopped onion and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. 2. Add the mince and break it up well. Turn up the heat and continue to stir the mince for another 5 minutes. You want to “brown” the meat evenly. Spoon off the excess juice and sprinkle in your spices. Mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. 3. Reduce the heat, stir in the chopped tomatoes and cover the pot. Let the pot simmer away for about half an hour. 4. Half way through the simmer time, do a quick taste test. You might want to add more chili or some salt. 5. With 5-10 minutes left to go, add in your rinsed kidney beans and mix well. They need time to heat up and absorb some flavour. cally at the relationship between depression and food. It quotes several studies which have found that certain nutrients are particularly influential on our mental health. For example folate, zinc and thiamine (vitamin B1) improved mood in depressed patients. Eating fish regularly helps maintain better moods, especially oily fish. Trans-fats are a big no-no as they replace essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 in the brain, thereby preventing the brain from working properly. According to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, chips, powdered soup and some sweet and savoury snacks contain high levels of trans-fatty acids. What’s more is that these types of products are also frequently laden

Freezing If you don’t want chili four days in a row then consider freezing. In fact you could double the ingredients and save the whole lot in your freezer for the coming months. Sandwich bags are great for this. Spoon the portion you want into each bag and seal well. Don’t forget to defrost – take your portion out of the freezer the night before. If you won’t be home till late it’s a good idea to let it defrost in the fridge rather than out in the kitchen. Cook your rice or potatoes on the day you eat. Alternatives Chili powder on its own can be a bit flat. Experiment with cumin, chipotle paste, premade spice mixes or actual chili peppers. Use these in moderation and taste from the pot as you go. Try adding 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, some tinned sweet corn, chickpeas, cooked lentils, finely chopped carrot or spring onions. For a low fat and cheaper option, you could replace the beef with turkey mince, or scrap the meat altogether: Beans are a great source of protein all by themselves.

with salt and saturated fat thus leaving you with an unhappy heart as well as an unhappy head. Exercise. For me that equates to stitches, sweat and a face resembling a red traffic light! Although I have often felt less like a lithe, fit, gazelle and more like the tin man without his WD-40, I always feel better off after exercise. This appears to be reflected in the results of several research papers on the effects of exercise on mental wellbeing. For example a paper by Opdenacker, Delecluse and Boen found that after an eleven month exercise programme, participants showed significant increases in self esteem. What’s more is that the intervention group still felt better about themselves a year later. Edward Stanley

put it nicely when he said “Those who think they have no time for exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” The Headstrong-UCD report also found that despite needing help, a fifth of respondents didn’t seek it. Over a third said that they don’t talk about their problems. Guys were less likely to open up than girls. There was a direct relationship between levels of anxiety, stress and depression and the incidence of self harm and alcohol dependence. Having just one person that you feel you can turn to when feeling off was shown to make all the difference in terms of severity of depression. So talk! Vent! The “I” illness is isolation and the crucial letters in wellness are “we”.

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S ports & F itness

Meal frequency & stomach grumbles… are having meals of roughly 330 calories each going to fill you up or do you think two or three meals of 700-1000 calories would do a better job? As long as you get your required amount – that’s all that matters.

By John Mulry One of the most commonly spouted theories in the health and fitness industry today is: eat five or six small meals a day for a healthier lifestyle. But it’s not the end all and be all of healthy nutrition – not by a long shot… Last time out we discussed how breakfast or the timing of breakfast is not as important as the major food companies have led you to believe (if you missed that where the hell were ya?). Basically the gist of that is you don’t need to eat first thing when you wake up in the morning. There is no ‘magic time’ in the morning that our body must get food in. It’s nonsense, pure and simple. Following on from this we’re going to discuss meal frequency. Now for years I have followed and admittedly (holding my hands up here) recommended that people eat five or six small meals a day to not only lose weight but also to maintain a healthy lifestyle, ignite the metabolic fire and keep hunger at bay. Well that too is a load of bull crap. There is no magic solution in eating five or six small meals a day. Truth be told, it’s actually more of a burden than a blessing (especially for students). Eating frequent meals doesn’t control hunger anymore than larger infrequent meals do. Here are three myths you should know about meal frequency. Myth 1: Frequent meals throughout the day keep cravings and hunger at bay Eating five or six small meals a day doesn’t do anything differently than three regular meals or even two meals do. All it really does is train your body to get hungry at frequent intervals throughout the day. Again studies with very unrealistic parameters have been used to substantiate claims on the benefits of small frequent meals. In these studies the composition and macronutrient (proteins, fats and carbs) make-up of the meals were highly suspect. On top of that frequent eating means very small portion sizes. For example, let’s say that our TDEE or Total Daily Energy Expenditure is 2000 calories. TDEE is basically the total daily amount of calories you need to maintain your weight. Now

Myth 2: Frequent meals boost your metabolism Eating smaller, more frequent meals doesn’t boost your metabolism any more than to or three regular meals does. Studies that promote this myth always refer back to the effect foods have on our bodies. The TEF or Thermic Effect of Food boils down to this: when we eat our metabolic rate increases and our bodies require energy to break down the foods we eat. This would suggest frequent meals are better, however, one thing often left out from the studies done on TEF is that it is directly proportional to the amount of calories consumed in the meals – i.e. larger meals are better than smaller, more frequent ones. Myth 3: Frequent meals are the best way to maintain a healthy lifestyle Meal frequency like everything else comes down to the individual – frequent eating is only one method – it’s not the only way. Take me for example I ate six small meals a day – found myself always being hungry and if I wasn’t eating I was cooking or prepping, or thinking about eat-

ing or cooking or prepping. I had very little time for anything else. So I now have two, sometimes three gargantuan meals a day – never get hungry, always feel full after my meals and have more time to be productive. Oh, and my break—fast (see what I did there?) is NOT first thing in the morning… Honestly do you have time to prepare and carry around six small meals with you everyday? If you do, chances are you’re not getting a whole lot else done in the day right? This is especially true in college – you’re way too busy to be lugging around lunch boxes or stopping into the canteen every two hours to get a bite to eat, right? In college keep your nutrition as simple as possible – having three substantial meals makes a lot more sense than five or six itty bitty meals that won’t fill you up and leave your stomach grumbling – not good for you and not good for the people sitting beside you in lectures. In closing, one thing I like to say to clients or people who asked me for advice (btw if you see me and have a question, ask me – I’m a friendly guy) is that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach. What works for me may or may not work for you. The best thing to do is to try something – if it works for you, brilliant; if it doesn’t, figure out why – make a small change, track and tweak as you need to until you’re comfortable in whatever approach you take.

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NUI Galway’s Mountain Bike Club visits Ballyhoura The NUI Galway Mountain Bike Club took a trip to Ballyhoura in County Limerick on October 6. The group left the quad at 9am, and split into a beginner and experienced group.

The trails, run by Coillte, were wet, although it didn’t rain. A good time was had by all. Photos provided by Ultan O’Byrne.

Clubs Bookings in Kingfisher CLUB

Monday

PArk AND rIDE Tuesday to Dangan Sports Pavillion: now operating!

Commences to Dangan at 5.45pm Last bus from the Pavilion at 9.15pm

Wednesday

Bus will start at the Orbsen Building and complete its usual pickups. You can hop on and off as usual but this bus goes all the way to Dangan Pavillion!

Thursday

Friday Saturday Sunday Mon – Wed Thursday

Service Operates:

5.45pm – 9.15pm 5.45pm – 8.15pm

Monday – Wednesday Departing from Orbsen Building:

5.45 | 6.15 | 6.45 | 7.15 | 7.45 | 8.15 | 8.45 | 9.15 (final bus from Dangan Pavillion)

Thursday

Departing from Orbsen Building:

5.45 | 6.15 | 6.45 | 7.15 | 7.45 | 8.15 (final bus from Dangan Pavillion)

Aikido Karate Badminton Archery Club Futsal Soccer Taekwondo & Judo Swim Club Karate Club Archery Fencing Club Ladies Basketball - Varsities Karate Club Aikido Club Maui Thai Cricket Club Kayak Club Volleyball Volleyball Aikido Archery Mens Varsity Basketball Cricket Club Badminton Taekwondo Karate & Judo sharing General Varsity Training Sub Aqua Swim Club Frizbee Muai Thai Cricket Ladies Basketball - Varsities Ladies Basketball - Recreational Table Tennis & Fencing Taekwondo & Aikido Fencing Advanced Swim & Lifesaving Club Mens Basketball - Varsity Archery Club Fencing Inline Hockey Volleyball Club Blank Judo Club Waterpolo Taekwondo

TIME 1.00pm – 2.00pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 8.00pm – 10.00pm 8.00pm – 10.00pm 8.30pm – 11.00pm 7.30am – 9.00am 7.00pm – 9.00pm 6.00pm – 7.30pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 7.00pm – 9.00pm 7.30pm – 9.30pm 9.00pm – 10.30pm 9.00pm – 11.00pm 8.00pm – 10.30pm 1.00pm – 2.00pm 1.00pm – 2.00pm 4.00pm – 6.00pm 6.00pm – 7.00pm 7.00pm – 9.00pm 9.00pm – 11.00pm 7.00pm – 9.00pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 8.00pm – 9.00pm 9.30pm – 11pm 7.00pm – 8.30am 5.00pm – 7.00pm 7.00pm – 9.00pm 9.00pm – 10.30pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 8.00pm – 10.00pm 6.00pm – 8.00pm 8.00pm – 10.00pm 6.00pm – 10.00pm 9.00pm – 11.00pm 11.00am 11.00am – 1.30pm 3.00pm – 4.00pm 7.00pm – 9.00pm 6.00pm – 10.00pm 6.00pm – 7.00pm 7.00pm – 9.00pm 9.30pm – 11.00pm 12.00pm – 2.00pm

VENUE Hall 3 Raquetball Court Hall 1 & 2 Hall 3 Hall 1 & 2 Hall 3 Full Pool Dance Studio Hall 1 Hall 1 Hall 2 Hall 3 Hall 3 Hall 1 Hall 3 Full Pool Hall 2 Hall 2 to Oct 17th Hall 3 Hall 3 Hall 2 Hall 1 3 halls Hall 2 Hall 3 Hall 3 Full Pool 2 Lanes Hall 1 Hall 1 Hall 1 Hall 2 Hall 2 Hall 3 Hall 3 Raquetball Court Full Pool Hall 2 Hall 3 Hall 3 Hall 1 Hall 2 Hall 3 & 1 Hall 3 Full Pool Raquetball Court

Swim Club

4.00pm – 5.30pm

2 Lanes

Fencing Club

2.00pm – 4.00pm

Raquetball court

5-ASIDE SYNTHETIC PITCHES Cages for hire – Students & Staff

€20 PEr Hour

Located at Corrib Village For further info: contact Kevin Cassidy Email: nuigcages@kingfisherclub.com Text Kevin: 0861772589 Or visit www.otc.nuigalway.ie Kevin Cassidy is the facilitator for all your recreational soccer. Most capped player for Galway United, Manager/Coach with Galway District League.

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S ports & F itness

Connacht Junior League Div. 1C By Steve Dwyer

NUIG 16 Sligo RFC 10 NUIG couldn’t have wished for a better start to their year, winning their first two encounters well. They came into this match with Sligo RFC, on October 21, seeking to continue their untarnished record and make it three from three. Sligo, tipped as one of the stronger sides in the Connacht League, were not going to roll over and hand NUIG the points though, and so the dog fight ensued. From the whistle, neither team would give an inch and the spectators knew that they were in for a real treat. Both teams going hell for leather, and it was hard to see where either side would find a gap. It was clear that the only way one of the sides would concede points was through an error. College persevered and eventually a penalty was awarded after Sligo killed the ball

in a ruck. Dependable fullback, Cillian Waldron, slotted a difficult kick from the side line giving College the advantage. Another penalty gave Waldron an opportunity to extend NUIG’s lead and he gracefully struck the ball to split the sticks, adding another three points. College went into the break with a precarious lead, but Sligo RFC were not ready to put this game to sleep. They threw everything they had at College, and only valiant defence in tight at the ruck could stop them. Sligo’s hard work was rewarded when they were presented with a kickable penalty in front of the posts. As the sun gleamed down on the Dangan pitch, Sligo’s fly half Sean Bagnel converted. But the Sligo attack was relentless and wasn’t about to stop there. College took the foot off the pedal and allowed Sligo to scrape their way back into this game. And Sligo took the lead after a tremendous piece of individual skill

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Get Your Skates On By Rosemary Gallagher

took Julian Rippen over the line. The try was duly converted. All of a sudden this was NUIG’s game to lose. College, led by captain Jack O’Callaghan pulled together and finally started to string a few plays together. Luckily, they were given another penalty as a result of a deliberate knock-on, which Waldron slotted with ease. Nearing the end of this battle, College found themselves inside the Sligo twenty-two after sustained pressure. Sligo defended fearlessly, but it was to be NUIG’s day. Tenacious out half, Tony Hall, put the icing on the cake in the final quarter, steamrolling his way over the line to score, forcing the crowd into a frenzy. A win was undoubtedly secured. Another great win goes down in the history books, leaving NUIG Juniors sitting pretty at the top of the league! And the best is yet to come. Great result for the boys and the club in general.

Galway has a new team – a Roller Derby Team. They’re called the Galway City She Devils and you can recognise them by their bubble-gum hair die, shortshorts with leg warmers and some seriously hard-ass attitudes. I went along to Freshmeat Mondays with our hosts, the Limerick Roller Girls, to see if it was for me. Roller Derby is a predominantly female contact sport on wheels. Two five-person teams skate around a regulation track at high speed, each attempting to get their scoring player (‘jammer’) around the other team’s skaters. That means both teams are playing aggressive offense and even more aggressive defence at the same time. On wheels. Oh, and they have cool names: I met a girl from the Belfast Roller Derby Team recently who introduced herself as Dempsey Hammer: “Just call me ‘Hammer’” she said, nonchalantly. It’s nothing new either. Roller Derby has been on the go since the 30s, though largely as an exhibition

The NUI Galway rugby club had a proud win in Dangan on October 21.

sport. An amateur revival in the early 2000s has seen around 1,200 leagues pop up worldwide, with a focus on sportsmanship. It is even being considered for the 2020 Olympics. Intrigued by the flamboyance of the whole thing, and looking for something new to keep me fit, I decided to give it a go. The newly formed Galway team have been travelling to Limerick every Monday, getting to grips with the rules and the skates.

I arrived, strapped on a plethora of protective gear, popped in a mouth guard, and hit the track. Our first skill drill should have put me off: falling. However I found that once I’d gotten this out of the way I was able to learn the rest without quite so much trepidation. When the first thing you’ve done is fall on your heavily padded knees and elbows instead of your slightly less heavily padded bum, everything else seems easy. Two hours later I was hooked. I had expected a workout, but was more concerned about falling down and bruising like a peach than straining my muscles and lungs. It’s a pretty intense cardio, and the low stance you are encouraged to adopt left my thighs screaming the next day. Aside from that it was a lot of fun, the Limerick ladies were super-supportive, and the Galway City She Devils are rearing to go. Training starts in Galway in just a few weeks. Now I just need to come up with a name… The Galway City She Devils are looking for recruits. You can find them on Facebook: facebook. com/GalwayCitySheDevils, or come along and meet the team at their upcoming fundraiser. The Fr Ted Table Quiz at Kelly’s Bar on November 8 at 8pm. Teams can be of four people at €5 per person. All proceeds go to the Galway Rape Crisis Centre, and the Galway City She Devils Roller Derby Team.

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S ports & F itness

14–04

The West’s Awake By Ross Cannon

TG4’s documentary follows Connacht Rugby’s first historic Heineken Cup campaign. Regular viewers of TG4 will know that they produce top quality documentaries; The West’s Awake is a fine example of that and of talented Irish filmmakers. This documentary charts Connacht’s first ever season in Europe’s premier rugby competition, which showcases some of the top teams in Europe. The opening scene shows cold, hard, rugged Connemara terrain, slow-mos of gigantic men in green jerseys colliding on the rugby pitch and freezing Atlantic water touching western shores. “Connacht is hard place sometimes,” states Connacht’s young prop, Ronan Loughney, who fea-

tures prominently thorough out the documentary. His words could not be truer, especially if you are a supporter, player, coach or in any way affiliated with Connacht Rugby. Losing is a feature of Connacht rugby and a feature they are trying to change. What is evident from the film is that they are trying to rid themselves of being a team that almost had a great win and a team that almost scored a beautiful try. The coaching staff and players are looking to stand up and be counted amongst their provincial peers and in the future amongst the European elite. Connacht has long been labelled the “underdog”. It is a label that seems to fit quite well with the players and they seem comfortable with it, using it almost to their advantage. The documentary gives what

may be a never-before-seen view of what life is like for the players and management of the Connacht rugby team. Cameras capture raw and unrestrained emotion on the pitch, on the training field, fun and banter travelling to and from games but where this documentary really comes into its own is in the dressing room and specifically the pre and post-game dressing room. After fourteen straight defeat’s John Muldoon, now a veteran of Connacht rugby, gives his men a reassuring and impassioned piece of advice after yet another defeat; “Don’t, don’t give up on it, it will fucking come.” You can hear the heart ache and pain in his voice as he tells his men to hold out for that elusive victory. In a fairy tale ending that elusive victory does come. In the final game of their Heineken Cup journey, Connacht, going into the game as underdogs, grind out a famous and historic win at the sports ground.

The West’s Awake was aired on TG4 on 10 October.

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Heineken Cup round-up By Mark Higgins The initial rounds of matches in this season’s Heineken Cup are all wrapped up, and the four Irish provinces find themselves at varying levels of health. Munster climbed back on the Heineken horse after their openingday loss in Paris with a whopping 33-point demolition job on Edinburgh. Michael Bradley’s men were poor, undoubtedly, but a Munster side propelled by their spiritual king Paul O’Connell were efficient and clinical. A frantic final ten minutes, in which Rob Penney’s men crossed for three tries and that invaluable bonus point showed that Thomond Park remains a European fortress. Munster now wait for back-toback December fixtures against the English powerhouse Saracens, whom they trail by three points at the summit of Pool 1. The winner of the pool will be decided in these games, and with Penney’s philosophy of running rugby evidently taking hold in Limerick, fans should be optimistic of a Munster return to their rightful place in the competition’s latter stages. Leinster face a similar challenge to their rivals in the south, in that their European campaign will largely depend on a crucial set of matches in the run-up to Christmas. Joe Schmidt brings his charges to France to face a rampant Clermont Auvergne, who sit atop Pool 5 with two bonus-point wins and

almost 100 points scored in just two pool matches. The reigning champions, on the other hand, have looked ponderous and strained in the opening matches, scraping a home win against tournament debutantes Exeter before a hard-fought victory away to the Scarlets. Ominously, Leinster have scored just one try in their campaign to date; their Gallic opponents in December have ran in ten. A growing injury list doesn’t inspire much hope for Leinster supporters, with Rob Kearny now expected to miss up to ten weeks after undergoing surgery on his back. This means he will play no part in the November internationals and will struggle to return to full fitness for the trip to the French heartland. Leinster have enough quality and experience in the competition to progress, but will need a significant step-up in form to do so. Of the four Irish provinces, Ulster are in the best standing following the opening round of games. Sitting pretty atop Pool 4 following their eleven-point reversal of Glasgow, the Ravenhill side look well-equipped to continue their stunning run of form and advance from the Pool with relative ease. They are the only pro side in Europe to remain unbeaten all season, a remarkable feat given the stresses of modern rugby. The news of an injury to captain Johann Muller will trouble Mark Anscombe deeply, however. The Springbok, who has played in every single one of Ulster’s eighteen Heineken Cup matches since his arrival in 2010, has damaged ligaments in his hand, and is considered doubtful for the home-and-away fixtures against Northampton in early December. Muller’s imposing physical presence will be sorely missed against the Premiership leaders, who will look to assert their dominance up front with players like Dylan Hartley and Courtney Lawes. Connacht find themselves third in Pool 3 after their 22-30 loss to Harlequins at the Sportsgrounds. A spirited first-half display wasn’t enough to repeat last year’s heroics against the English champions, meaning the upcoming pair of matches against Biarritz are crucial to any hopes of progressing from the group. Eric Elwood will have been pleased with the performance of his out-half Dan Parks, who has settled into Connacht life well and provided a near-faultless kicking performance. Connacht’s defensive frailties were exposed once again, however, with scrum-half Danny Care sniping in for two first-half tries that would ultimately decide the match.

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F inal W ord

14–04

Overheard in NUI Galway

"Left handed people are more likely to die!"

Easy Sudoku Puzzles by KrazyDad

Joe Patrician In a lecture: Sudoku #2 Guy 1: “I always like to sit in the back.” Guy 2: “Why? Worried about someone reaching from behind and touchin’ ya? ... Should be.”

"This reminds me of the time we broke into the nursing home.”

8 1 6 9 Bethany Endersby 4 7 9 6Girl 8 talking to a friend in the Bialann: 6 9 2"I could never, ever, ever 2 9 7 shift4 anyone that was better looking than me… I'd Henry Roberts 1 9the Engineering 7just6feel so inferior." Fella outside Building: 4 3 1 9 "There's just something Ella Miniter about her8house; kittens ‎"I knew 1 4she was allergic to die!" cats so I just rubbed her 4 2 3eyeliner7all over my cat..." Challenging Sudoku Puzzles by KrazyDad Deirdre Molloy 3 9 8 2 Two girls walking to the Orla Hennessy © 2011 KrazyDad.com

library: Sudoku #2

3 5 Sudoku 4 9 6 Sudoku #4 7 4 9 9 1 3 3 2 8 6 5 7 4 4 6 4 8 5 6 2 7 1 7 1 9 8 2 9 4 8 2 6 8 4 8 Intermediate 9 4 Sudoku Puzzles5 1by KrazyDad7 2 4 8 8 6 3

m you -- I've got hundreds of people o abuse me. "Ghostbusters"

7 4 r few offend willingly, but as they are come affection. 2 1 gesippus 4 8 Sudoku #4 5 6 4 1 6 Sudoku #2

5 2 9 7 6 2 7 2 9 7 8 2 7 5

2 6 5 7 5 3 1 6 4 8 1 5 6 7 3 3 5 3 2 2 7 6 5 3 7 3 3 1 4 eautiful of all lies." 4 5 e Debussy

Sudoku #4

7 2

5 6

3 4 2

1 3 6 5 4 7 3 1 4

CloakRumours

Overheard at the kingfisher:

Jessica Thompson Two girls walking past the SIN office. One of them says: “It was one of those awkward moments where you think you know someone, but it turns out it was just because you’d been creeping on their Facebook.” Declan Higgins Picture it, graduation, NUI Galway, 2012. So there I am, walking back from the College Bar. I notice a country looking family in front of me. The man, clearly in his late fifties, was in conversation with his wife, a woman in her mid-fifties. I couldn't help but overhear their in-

NUI Galway lecturers canvas for a 'no' vote for mandatory attendance, on the basis that students smell, and more of them smell worse. 30:1 scale marble statue honouring 2011/2012 NUI Galway SU President Emmet Connolly concealed beside Aras Ui Cathail, awaiting arrival of specialised crane from Abu Dhabi. Architects for J. J. Rhatigan declare it their "most impressive erection to date.” University confirms that Engineering building has indeed sunk 10cm since its official opening last year. On the plus side, Aras Moyola is 10cm taller than it was in 2009. Corrib Village Management register trademark CampUs as they realise students will actually live in tents with zero amenities. Plans for the Corrib Shanty Town Experience are in full

sightful discourse. “Imagine Aidan [not his real name] is finished college,” the mother thought aloud. “How the [word that rhymes with luck and begins with f] d'ya mean, isn't he up here for [word that rhymes with shook and begins also with f]in ages, spending all our money... I haven't a red penny after him,” the father rebuffed. Clearly, this supportive father saw the merits of his son's love affair with education. I tried, in vain, to overtake them so as not to be a party to this dissing of the recent graduate son. “Ya, but [Name of father], he has his degree now in [subject 1] and [subject 2],” the mother attempted to

swing. Unauthorised excavation on campus revealed as just Potter Soc digging for Horcruxes. Again. Large number of male Class Reps rejects their hoodies for being a girl’s colour. University President James Browne condemns cheap alcohol promotions in Galway nightclubs: “It’s reckless and could lead to students getting hospitalised. Anyway, everyone knows pre-drinking in Corrib is the way to go.” Actually True Quote from our SU President, Paul Curley: "I had to leave a naked blonde one in my bed this mornin' to come to this meeting." Fresher lad couldn’t lift her, still shifted her. Felix Baumgartner base jump from top of Jimmy-Browne-MemorialHole-in-the Ground Viewing Deck rescheduled due to heckling builders.

mitigate. The father, clearly not seeing the return on his investment, was having none of it. “And what the [-----] good is a degree if he can't boil an egg, he'd want a shoe in the [named body location].” I was astounded. It was far too interesting to break away from this conversation at such a critical stage. Just as I broke away, I heard the

{31} 29–10

most insightful of evaluations of the three year BA degree in NUI Galway: - “Tis great alright to [you know the word] off to Galway for three years and spend all our money on drink, and then to come home with a piece a paper saying he studied at the Greeks. A [---] lot a good that'll do him alright.”

Pride: sometimes it really cannot be explained.

NUI Galway Memes by Conor Stitt

Picture this

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