Volume 14: Issue 10 Election Special by Student Independent News

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VOL 14, ISSUE 10

04 MAR 2013 Behaviour of students much better during this year's Unofficial RAG Week By Shannon McNamee and Jessica Thompson For the second year running, unofficial RAG week has gone ahead in Galway, despite warnings from both NUI Galway and Galway Mayo IT (GMIT). Videos of riotous scenes have gone on the internet, showing hundreds of people crowded outside Supermac's on Eyre Square creating mayhem with some people even attempting to climb up posts. A fight broke out between a student and a bouncer in Supermac's on Tuesday night, and videos of this fight have been posted online. The late night food joint is claustrophobic with

roaring students and one of them is physically fighting with a bouncer. When the video starts, the bouncer has a student by the scruff of the neck. However, as the video does not start until this point, it is impossible to say how the incident began. The student is then escorted out of the restaurant by a number of bouncers who struggle to take control of him. Numerous comments were posted on Facebook about the video, many of them expressing anger and disgust at the actions of the bouncers. One Facebook user said; “The bouncer is sober and should be more responsible than that; they’re not

allowed to hit people, just restrain them. I hope he gets done for this [because] don’t work as a bouncer if you can’t control your temper [sic].” While many comments were insulting towards Supermac’s management and the bouncer in question, others were defending him. One comment on the video read; “If you analysed the video properly, you’d see that the bouncer retaliated to a punch being thrown, and he was probably acting within his powers. Videos like this only show one side of the story; if Supermac’s cameras are checked, I’d say your man will be the one that’ll be done for assault in the first place.”

Supermac's is no stranger to late night shenanigans from drunken, misbehaved youths. Last year's RAG week saw the fast food restaurant invaded by hundreds, if not thousands of students over the week. One such video last year showed the lighting of a flare while students shouted and sang around it. Another showed large crowds in Supermac’s singing loudly and out of the control of the manager. A third video that went viral showed the borderline harassment of a female guard who was subject to students dancing around her singing “Who’s a sexy Garda?” Continued on page 2…

Sin ready to launch new website: sin.ie By James Falconer Sin Newspaper is to launch its long-awaited, new and improved website, sin.ie, this week. Since the rise of the internet, a lot of newspapers have been in decline. Their way back to supremacy has been through the immediacy of online newspapers. Online journalism certainly rivals that of material published in newspapers. Moreover, in many cases, online content can now be considered as journalism at its best.

In fact, many of the great articles available in newspapers make their way to the World Wide Web and as a result, this content has been made accessible to a much larger readership. After Jessica Thompson got the position as Sin editor, it was her intention to establish an interactive Sin website and leave a legacy of online journalism in NUI Galway. Having attained relevant experience in online journalism by founding her own online newspaper,

thedailyshift.com, Jessica approached the SU with her idea just before Christmas and told them exactly what she wanted done. The SU gave her the assistance she required and finally, after a lot of preparation, sin.ie will be up and running at the end of this week. The website will be linked to the Sin Facebook and Twitter pages so readers can like, share, and tweet articles published on sin.ie. Imagine you have something you want to say

in response to an article published on sin.ie – you will now be in a position to comment on it straight away. There will be no need to grumble and/ or get angry – now you will be empowered and the student voice will be heard. The interaction will be instantaneous and will inevitably lead to healthy discussion and debate amongst students. Continued on page 2…

Benefits Cosmetics coming to NUI Galway

One in five people consider suicide

Have TV screens become 10 too intrusive? Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam

How to be Metrosexual 15 Review: The River Cry

A Portrait of the Artist

Movie Reviews

Three lessons we’ve learned from the horse 22 meat scandal Laugh your way to good health

. . . S U PL STUDENTS’

16 UNION PAGE FULL-TIME

ELECTION

L A I C E P S

Sin.ie is almost ready to launch.

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USI President welcomes affiliation changes By Marése O’Sullivan

Due to a series of referendums held by University College Dublin (UCD), NUI Maynooth (NUIM) and Dublin City University (DCU) recently, there have been several reforms in affiliation with the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), which represents the Irish student body. While DCU voted to re-affiliate with USI after a decade, and Maynooth’s referendum resulted in huge support of USI affiliateion, UCD has decided to end the affiliation

between the college and USI. USI President, John Logue, declared: “The unique circumstances in UCD, with their Students’ Union in financial difficulty, resulted in a vote to leave USI to focus on local issues. I have no doubt we will work with UCD again in the future and, with the return of DCU and a reaffirmation of Maynooth students' support, USI can only go from strength to strength.” According to the UCD Students’ Union, 62% of their 2,276 students voted to leave USI. UCD

Sin ready to launch new website: sin.ie Continued from page 1… A major positive of the new sin.ie will be its ability to link to other NUI Galway websites, such as flirtfm.ie, su.nuigalway.ie, s:tv, and the Alive volunteer site, providing more exposure for everyone. Jessica is going to upskill the current team of subeditors to use the website and each writer will have an account. The whole editing process will be done online through word press and it will be much more efficient for the editorial team. If you are enthusiastic about an article, share it with your friends both near and far. This is a great opportunity to promote NUI Galway and its many delights. Jessica went on to state that: “We have an array

of talented writers with varying views so making articles more accessible to the wider public is an objective of sin.ie. The more likes Sin has on facebook, the more people are going to look at the website and this will mean greater recognition, not only for the website, but for our writers themselves. “No longer will readers have to flick through pages of Sin online to find an article. The articles will ‘stand-alone’ and simply require a click of a mouse.” It’s time to take Sin out of the Dark Ages and into the world of 21st century online media. Please follow Sin on Facebook (Sin Newspaper, NUI Galway) and Twitter (@sin_news) and spread the word. And don’t forget to check out www.sin.ie in the process.

Students’ Union President, Rachel Breslin, had previously indicated that a deal had been made to ensure the university would reform USI if it continued to be affiliated. Suggestions for improvement had included the introduction of direct elections for the USI Presidency and a review of the fee structure for affiliation. The USI constitution specifies that the disaffiliation will be made formal after one calendar year. However, the USI remains hopeful that UCD may reconsider its decision at a later date.

“Although the change is a significant one for UCD SU, with the support and efforts of students in UCD, our Students’ Union will continue to grow and become stronger for the benefit of all students,” said a UCD representative. NUI Maynooth chose to remain affiliated, with 1639 votes in favour and 253 against, while DCU re-affiliated with USI after a decade, with 768 students voting to affiliate and 642 in opposition. These moves come after Trinity College Dublin students questioned

whether they would remain affiliated with the USI last year and ultimately decided to. USI President John L o g u e s a i d ; “ We a r e delighted to welcome DCU back into USI after more than a decade since they were last members. This result comes after Maynooth students reaffirmed their commitment to the national union earlier today. I hope that DCU students will now play an active role in our national campaigns and join with their peers across the country in fighting to protect and

striving to enhance the student experience.” Speaking about the most recent developments, he continued; “It has been a strange 48 hours. The unique circumstances in UCD, with their Students’ Union in financial difficulty, resulted in a vote to leave USI to focus on local issues. I have no doubt we will work with UCD again in the future and, with the return of DCU and a reaffirmation of Maynooth students' support, USI can only go from strength to strength.”

Large crowds turn up for Donegal Tuesday By Áine O’Donnell Masses of Donegal natives and adopted supporters flocked to The Hole in the Wall pub in Galway to celebrate the annual event known as Donegal Tuesday on February 19. Donegal fans started queuing before the pub opened its doors at 10am. Revellers enjoyed a day honouring Donegal’s All Ireland win in the pubs of Galway before attending Donegal Tuesday club nights organised by Bentley and Karma nightclubs respectively. A heavy Garda presence was evident from the early hours of the morning due to the huge crowds which attended the event last year. A number of public order arrests were made throughout the day. Security was maintained by the bouncers in The Hole in the Wall with unruly patrons being removed immediately.

A video of Supermacs bouncers attempting to break up a fight between two men in the fast food establishment has gone viral on YouTube with many of the reposts of the video having over 6,000 views. The men fighting in the video are not wearing jerseys and are presumed not to be part of the Donegal Tuesday contingent. Many buses departed from towns all over the country including Letterkenny, Athlone, Limerick and Kilkenny. Student Union President Paul Curley stated that these non-Galway attendants would be most likely to be the source of trouble on Tuesday; “I’ve seen that people from all around the country come to Galway for this… of course it worries me”. Out-of-town visitors departed early in order to gain entry to the popular pubs The Hole in the Wall and Fibber Magee’s. Both

pubs were offering cheap deals on beer as an incentive for more custom as Donegal Tuesday has become one of the most important business days for both establishments. Eager Donegal followers queued from as early as 9am with latecomers being forced to wait to gain entry to The Hole in the Wall for several hours in some cases. Due to unprecedented crowds, a “lock in” was staged from 1 o’clock until after 4. The Hole in the Wall staff were kept very busy with a wait to get to the bar averaging at 20 minutes. Bar staff were forced to restock several times due to an extraordinary demand from the huge crowds at the event.

The day passed peacefully for the most part; bouncers were tested when a few young men living in an adjoining apartment attempted to sneak into the smoking room of the pub over the roof of a neighbouring building. The men were escorted from the bar instantly. Donegal Tuesday was first organised five years ago and has increased in popularity with every passing year, becoming notorious countrywide with many leading newspapers reporting on the event. NUI Galway considers the day a RAG Week event and continues to denounce all associated unofficial celebrations.

Behaviour of students much better during this year's Unofficial RAG Week Continued from Page 1… In a mass email sent prior to Unofficial RAG week, NUI Galway students were reminded of the consequences of any breaches to the code of conduct in relation to RAG week, including “behaviour that would bring the University name into disrepute.” NUI Galway and GMIT's student bodies both voted

in 2011 for the week to be cancelled following a number of anti-social occurrences and complaints from Galway residents. The celebrations began on Sunday night and continued until early Friday morning, each night bringing more work for local businesses and the Gardai. The crowds were not only made up of Galway

students. Busloads of young people from all across the country invaded Galway to partake in the notorious week of drinking that has not been short of drama, or appearances on the news for the past couple of years. A Facebook page entitled RAG WEEK Galway 2013 has attracted over 4,200 visitors and initiated 18 February as the date for the celebrations to begin.

The page has since been taken down and has been largely disapproved of by the NUI Galway and GMIT Students’ Unions. Paul Curley, president of NUI Galway's Students’ Union spoke on the issue; “I’m in town now and I’m watching two full busloads of people come in. I’ve seen on Facebook that people from all around the country are coming to Galway

for this. There are supposed to be buses coming from Letterkenny, Kildare, Limerick and Athlone.” Although this may seem like complete pandemonium, the Gardaí have confirmed that the degree of hassle from last year was not repeated. Extensive operations were carried out by the Galway city Gardaí to ensure that any anti-social

behaviour was tackled accordingly. Extra Gardaí were out patrolling the streets making their presence evident, for what was expected to be a week full of substance abuse, violence and arrests. However a spokesperson from the Gardaí has said that this year there was “none of the hassle seen before” and “very few arrests [were] made”.

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By Jessica Thompson I’ve never been overly interested in student politics. As a student, I didn’t give a fart in space about Students’ Union elections. I spent three years in UCD not having a clue who was president or vice-president or vice-president’s teamaker. When Election Day came along, all I wanted was the sticker that said “I have voted, have you?” so I could avoid being attacked and eaten by the forty million campaigners I would encounter while I walked from my lecture on crime novels in block D to my Popular Music lecture in a basement on the other side of the building. Campaigners. Campaigners everywhere.

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My solution on the day of the elections? Walk down the tunnel from the library, towards the Newman building, and whichever campaigner stopped me first would get my vote. Before voting, I could step through the doors of the library tunnel and have campaigners flock to me like moths to a light bulb. After voting, I could simply flash the sticker; no words were needed. We had an understanding. The light bulb was now switched off, and I had voted for another stranger whose name I couldn’t even remember. “Who did you vote for?” my friend would ask. “Not a notion,” I’d reply, “you?” “Same!” and we would skip merrily to our music lecture, parting the crowds of campaigners like Moses parted the sea. We were free. I never utilised the services of the SU. I never cared about the SU. Even last year, when I did my Masters in Journalism here in NUI Galway, I barely knew who was in office.

Then I became the editor of Sin and in November, I graduated with my MA and I started working closely with the Students’ Union here in NUI Galway. Suddenly my interest in student politics has increased immensely. As Sin is the Students’ Union newspaper, the SU plays quite a big part in my life. I feel like the independent daughter, off living in my own flat, miles away from my SU family. Maybe I don’t join them for tea as often as I should. I realise I only call the President when I need something. I hardly ever visit the Education Officer and instead bug him via email or instant message, and the Welfare Officer runs away whenever he sees me coming. But despite all that, the SU still has a big impact on my job. My point is the SU has a huge impact on you too, as a student. It’s all very well to swan into a polling booth and vote for whoever gets to you first. But you should stop and think; “Why vote for just anyone, when I have the power to choose someone worthy of the job?”

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Benefits Cosmetics coming to NUI Galway By Lyndsay Hughes Ladies, it’s time to be pampered! Cosmetics company Benefit are bringing their Benebus to NUI Galway on 6 March (Thursday) as part of a nationwide campus tour leading up to International Women’s Day on 9 March. International Women’s Day is geared towards raising awareness for women around the world, protecting them, and promoting their equality and independence. Well-known charity Women’s Aid will visit the campus along with Benefit to raise funds in return for makeovers and Benefit samples. In Ireland 1 in 5 women over the age of 18 have experienced physical, emotional or sexual abuse – this event aims to raise much needed funds to help these women. The director of the Women’s Aid charity, Margaret

Martin, says; “Women's Aid is delighted to work with Benefit Cosmetics Ireland as they start their Benefit University Tour. We welcome this opportunity to raise awareness of abuse of young women by those closest to them.” “In a national survey on domestic abuse, almost 60% of people who had experienced severe abuse in intimate relationships experienced the abuse for the first time under the age of 25,” she explains. Funds raised by the event will be used to finance the Women's Aid National Freephone Helpline. The helpline responds to over 11,000 calls a year from women who feel they are in danger, or have been abused. The Benebus will be parked at Aras Na MacLeinn this Thursday, and the Benebabes will spend the day offering make-overs, eyebrow

shapes, and samples in return for a small donation to the charity. The College Bar is set to host a reception on Thursday evening to raise further awareness and provide more freebies. Benefit boss Julie Strang said; “At Benefit we share the belief that it is every woman's fundamental right to feel safe. “We hope our University Tour will engage with and inspire young women who may feel confused, vulnerable or at risk,” she continued. At Benefit Cosmetics, they believe that “every woman has a right to feel happy, cherished and safe”. Their university tour will see them visit five campuses nationwide. Women’s Aid can be contacted on their National Freephone Helpline on 1800 341 900, which operates 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

These candidates are trying to prove to you why they are better for the job than their rivals. If elected, they will represent you. They will make decisions on your behalf. Surely you’ll want someone competent in the job; someone who knows what they’re doing; someone who has your best interests at heart? This year there are several candidates. You’ll see interviews with each of them in our amazing Election Special which comes as a supplement in this issue. I had the pleasure of meeting each and every one of them last week, as they came in one by one for interviews. I had the displeasure of

realising that many of them borrowed pens from me and most of these pens were not returned. I have one pen left. I will guard it with my life. Each candidate has a different vision. I have heard several unique ideas from different candidates. I have also heard several variations of the same ideas that are of the greatest benefits to students. What you need to do is consider what would be the greatest benefit to you, personally. Take a few moments to think about what you need most from college life. Now listen to the campaigners. Let them flock to you like moths to a

light bulb, because at that moment, you are, much like the light bulb to the moths, the most beautiful, brightest thing they have ever seen. Take the manifestos, and see which candidate will fulfil your education needs and welfare needs. Who will be the most suitable to represent you as your SU President? Have your say, because if you don’t, you’re letting others have it. So don’t forget to vote this Thursday 7 March. I wish I could vote. Isn’t it ironic that the year I realise the importance of these elections is the year I can no longer have a say in them? C’est la vie, Jess

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One in five people consider suicide

‘Have Your Say’ – Ireland’s first National Student Survey

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By Órla Ryan At any given time, one in five people will have suicidal thoughts. This fact was one of many eye-opening statistics shared with students who took part in a recent suicide first aid course in NUI Galway. Participants were also informed that people who have made a previous suicide attempt are 100 times more likely to die by suicide. The aim of the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training course is to equip partakers with the required skills to identify when somebody might be depressed or suicidal. Students were taught how to connect with, understand and assist an individual who is experiencing suicidal thoughts or tendencies.

The initiative was originally due to take place in the college in October but was cancelled due to HSE cutbacks. Following the controversial decision, the Students’ Union lobbied the Government and funding was restored. The hands-on training programme took place on campus on February 14 and 15 and eighteen students attended. “ASIST courses are hugely important globally – evaluations have shown that where ASIST is being rolled out extensively amongst communities, the incidence of suicide has dropped,” said Mark Logan, ASIST trainer and Regional Manager at RehabCare West. “People come in feeling worried and anxious about the course and leave feeling

The Batman Debate By David Molloy On Thursday 21 February, the Literary and Debating Society of teamed up with Comic Soc to hold The Batman Debate. The motion put forward was that “This House Would Support The Batman”, with Comic Soc’s David Burdon in main proposition of the motion, and Leigh Ashmore speaking in opposition. While ostensibly the motion was designed as an interesting spin on the continuing debate on vigilante justice, the speeches during the night were all based within the “Batman universe”

– that is, lots of references to the character’s 70-year history within comic books, as well as his time spent in animation, television, up to the recent and very popular Christopher Nolan films. The main arguments from proposition in favour of the Batman focused on his positive effects in Gotham City – a lessening of crime, a motivation for a corrupt police force to improve themselves, and that only Batman is capable of stopping villains such as the Joker. By his existence within the world of Gotham, Batman is a positive role model to others that may seek out justice in

confident about what they can do. “The evaluations are universally excellent because people leave with a set of skills and confidence to know what to do if somebody is at risk of suicide,” Mr Logan added. Joanna Brophy, Assistant Manager of NUI Galway’s Students' Union, stated; “It was great to work with Headsup and we look forward to running the course again, most likely in October 2013.” The model for the ASIST course was originally developed by the Canadian mental health initiative LivingWorks in 1982. The programme is the most widely used suicide intervention training course in the world – over one million people have been trained globally.

The NUI Galway Students’ Union has been running the two-day ASIST course on campus once a semester since 2009. In Ireland the course is facilitated by the HSE and Headsup – a Rehab Group initiative that promotes positive mental health among young people. Over the past decade, some 25,000 people have participated in the ASIST programme nationally. For further information on mental health support, text HEADSUP to 50424 or visit www.headsup.ie. Details on ASIST and other mental health courses are available on the National Office for Suicide Prevention website – www.nosp.ie. For additional information on RehabCare West, telephone 091 755 686 or email mark.logan@rehab.ie.

a cruel, unforgiving environment, such as his long-time protégé Robin. However, speakers in opposition noted that by going to the effort of costuming himself in such elaborate get-up and spending every night beating the tar out of poor street thugs, it’s evidently clear that Batman is clearly not a mentally healthy individual, and that it is not at all a viable solution for a man who is clearly close to the point of insanity to become the one and only authority on justice. Opposition speakers also noted the escalation apparent within the city of Gotham once Batman begins his crusade – evidence suggests that the Batman does a lot more

harm than good for the society he claims to be protecting. The speakers very much got into the spirit of the debate – one fan in particular saw it fit to bring in a Batman cowl (despite debating rule number one – no props!), and no less than three people claimed to be the Batman themselves. While the debate touched on serious issues that reflect the real world we – vigilante justice, police corruption, etc. – the debate thankfully never became heated, and no speaker took themselves too seriously. By evening’s end, the motion was passed in favour of the proposition, and the Batman was given the official NUI Galway seal of approval.

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By Seán Dunne

“Results will not benchmark Irish Universities.” Ireland’s first national student survey for all leading third level institutions is to be piloted next month in Ireland. The survey is based on the Australian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE). The aim of the pilot is to see how engaged Irish third level students are with the educational institution they are attending. The national project is to issue invitations to undergraduate (first and final year) and taught postgraduate students only. Speaking in NUI Galw a y, D r P a t M o r g a n Vice-President of Student Experience welcomed the shift in attitudes in engaging more with students and in essence breaking down administration barriers. “The aim of the survey is to find out engagement levels of students with their studies, the second aim is how to get students from memorising facts to actually being able to use them and applying them,” she said Similar surveys have been conducted in North America with The US National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Unlike our U.K counterparts the Irish National Survey will focus primarily on student engagement, whereas the U.K model specifically looks at student satisfaction. Dr Morgan stressed the commitment levels which NUI Galway and other Irish colleges had with being “committed internally to giving feedback to students on responses from the survey.”

“The results are not going to be provided in a way that Universities can be bench marked on or ranked,” added the Vice-President. The survey will not include outcomes that identify individual institutions, staff or students. This year what will actually appear on the results will be student engagement by sector. The survey will target national and sectorial outcomes under four key sectors, National Universities, Institutes of Technology and the Colleges of Education. The survey has had the full support of The National Union of Students of Ireland and at NUI Galway, Education officer Connor Stitt has offered his support behind the pilot. Specific guidance will follow to prompt consideration of methods to ensure that feedback from the survey is discussed effectively with students and staff at local level. In addition to the national report, institutions will receive a full set of their own data for internal use. One of the greatest incentives for students to participate in this survey, or any other survey, is to receive meaningful feedback on the findings. Dr Morgan urged students in NUI Galway and across Ireland to take part in the survey which will only take seven minutes to complete. The confidently of the survey is also stressed as students will be informed at the point of data collection about the purposes of the survey and reassured about the confidentiality of their information. The survey is open for responses from 4 March until 12 April. For more information log onto http:// studentsurvey.ie

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Mental health concerns grow in the LGBT community By Sean Dunne Last year, Ireland saw a record number of calls made to The LGBT Helpline. The helpline is a national support service for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Speaking at a volunteer recruitment drive, Paula Fagan said; “The LGBT helpline is struggling to meet demand for its services.” Adding to this the Coordinator of the helpline said; “We could have answered significantly more calls last year if more volunteers had been available.” The helpline is calling on more people to get involved to combat the growing concern in calls relating to people’s mental health. Ms Fagan added that 60% of calls to the service last year were focused on mental health. “In some cases, callers got in touch because their fear of coming out was causing them anxiety; in other cases, it was to speak about the impact on their mental health of homophobia,” added Ms Fagan. The LGBT helpline thanked The National Office

of Suicide Prevention, for the financial support they have given the service this year. The funding enables the service to continue providing mental health support to LGBT people. The LGBT helpline received about 10,000 calls last year, but due to lack of funding and volunteers, only a quarter of those were answered. “Our volunteers do excellent work and thanks to them we were able to extend our opening hours last year,” said Ms Fagan. The demand for the service at the moment is much higher than the service can cope with and this has led to the incentive for the recruitment drive for additional volunteers. Another issue was also highlighted at the drive and this was the growing need for female volunteers in Dublin. “We have significantly more male than female volunteers in our Dublin centre,” said Ms Fagan. Surprisingly out of a group of 48 existing volunteers, only 10 are women at the centre. The LGBT helpline added that they were happy

to accept volunteering applications from men, but they urged more women to step up and help out if possible. The main issues arising in the mental health area for LGBT people were negative reactions from family members or friends. Adding to this was the pressure of isolation, harassment and bullying. “Unfortunately, some LGBT people feel they don’t get the same level of support as heterosexual people during times of emotional distress,” added The LGBT helpline. “The death of a partner can provide a double blow for an LGBT person, because in addition to dealing with their grief, they may not get the same reaction or support that a heterosexual person gets when they lose their spouse.” The LGBT recruitment drive for volunteers will run over the next few weeks and will see a nationwide campaign take place. The service is calling on members of the LGBT to volunteer to help others in need of support. The LGBT Helpline can be accessed on 1890 929539 or e-mail info@lgbt.ie

NUI Maynooth develops new suicide test By James Falconer A computer-based system which can help to identify those at risk of suicide has been developed by researchers at NUI Maynooth. According to its Department of Psychology, the system can correctly identify those who are experiencing suicidal thoughts with 75% accuracy. The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) requires participants to confirm or refute statements under time pressure. Reaction times are tracked and passed through a computer process, which is then used to reveal unconscious attitudes or biases that are used to predict actual behaviour. Trials of the system were conducted over the past year with 24 service-users from St Patrick’s University Hospital in Dublin, Ireland’s largest independent mental health hospital.

The system was developed by Prof Dermot Barnes-Holmes, who said; “Some of the most difficult behaviours to predict are those that occur very rarely, but have large and devastating consequences, such as suicide.” Prof Barnes-Holmes worked alongside PhD student Ian Hussey, who said the test was less invasive than traditional methods that required people to talk openly about their struggle with suicidal thoughts; “We hope that this research could significantly impact how hospitals and doctors can assess individuals who present at hospitals and A&E with mental health complaints, helping to identify priority cases in terms of psychological care. Ireland is no stranger to the issue of suicide and we have higher rates than the European average, especially among young men.”

Experts have suggested that initiatives to prevent suicide should now take on added urgency, given the significant rise in unemployment rates during the recession and the 7% increase in suicides between 2010 and 2011. According to a paper published in International Psychiatry, the journal of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, both international and Irish literature draw clear links between unemployment and suicide. Ireland’s unemployment rate has rocketed from 4% in 2006 to 14.6% in 2013 – while the suicide rate over the same period rose slightly, from 10.8% to 11.4% suicides per 100,000 population; the fact that the 525 suicides recorded in 2011 represented an increase of 7% on the previous year suggested that our economic problems may

have a delayed effect on suicide rates. There is strong evidence to support the claim that with every 1% increase in unemployment there’s a 0.79% rise in suicides among those aged below 65. To date, research into suicide has largely focused on long-term suicide risk factors to indicate whether someone is at an increased risk over many years — analysing factors such as hopelessness, serious health complaints, and previous suicidal behaviour. The NUI Maynooth project focuses on short-term suicide risk assessment. The research project, which is funded by the Irish Research Council, is a finalist for the upcoming “Making a Difference” awards run by the Higher Education Authority to acknowledge useful postgraduate research work.

Galway designer dresses Oscar nominee By Jane Kearns A fashion design graduate from the Galway Technical Institute (GTI) dressed Irish Oscar nominee Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly for the 85th Academy Awards which took place on 24 February. The designer, Laura Jayne Halton who also studied Furniture Design and Manufacture in GMIT Letterfrack got the commission to design the Oscar gown after listening to an interview with Cronin O’Reilly on RTE1’s John Murray Show last month, where the producer spoke about her Oscar-nominated Best Short Animated Film, Head Over Heels, and her desire to wear an Irish dress on the red carpet. Laura Jayne, was listening to the interview and heard the West Kerry native say she hadn’t settled on a dress yet. The Maynooth native was very surprised after sending

some of her designs to Cronin O’Reilly to get an email from her London-based stylist, Selina Mills saying that she absolutely loved her work. “They said ‘could you do up a few sketches?’ and I did that and sent it off. By 8.30am the next morning, Selina Mills was on the phone to say ‘these are exquisite and we’d be delighted to have you as the designer’.” A week of sleepless nights followed for Laura Jayne as she embarked on the task of making a couture gown in five days in order to have it ready for Fodhla’s departure for Los Angeles. Up until the ceremony Laura Jayne kept quiet on the design of the nominee’s dress. In the lead up to the awards she did reveal that “it’s very classic and feminine, it's an approach I take with all of my design and it suits Fodhla down to a T, well hopefully!”

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Third Top Technology Talent Competition open to Galway students By Jane Kearns The 2013 Top Technology Talent Competition has recently been launched by Ireland’s leading business advisory firm; Deloitte. Now in its third year, the competition, which is open to all Galway students, seeks innovative ideas from students at all levels across Ireland on how technology can solve a business problem. The students with the top submissions will be invited to present their business plan to a panel of technology industry experts. Harry Goddard, a technology consultant with Deloitte said; “Deloitte’s Top Technology Talent Competition is about finding the finest minds amongst the next generation of technology talent.

As a significant employer of graduates, Deloitte recognises how critical talented technology graduates are to the future. “We are looking for practicable, workable and innovative ideas that use any form of technology to solve a business problem, create a business opportunity or enhance an existing service offering. This competition showcases the excellence, originality and entrepreneurial spirit that exist within Ireland’s student body. We have been impressed with the quality of submissions in previous years and are excited to see what innovative ideas the 2013 competition will bring!” The shortlisted entries will be invited to Deloitte’s Dublin offices in April to present their idea,

UCD egging students avoid expulsion By Órla Ryan Three UCD students have avoided expulsion from the university following an egg-throwing incident involving the Taoiseach last year. Enda Kenny was officially opening UCD’s new student centre and sports complex on November 29 when the fracas occurred. As he took to the podium, Mr Kenny encountered a group of protestors who were voicing their disapproval of grant cuts and increased registration fees. The eggs missed their intended target; instead hitting the college’s Vice President for Students, Martin Butler. Suzanne Lee (23) from Belfast, Aidan Rowe (22) from Mayo and Ben McCormack (24), originally from Chichester in England, were brought before a preliminary disciplinary hearing on 13 February. The trio were formally reprimanded and given a suspended €200 fine. They were also ordered to write a letter of apology to Mr Butler, which they have agreed to do.

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Speaking after the hearing, the students thanked lecturers, students and members of the public who supported them. They said they considered the verdict a victory for students' right to protest. Ms Lee maintained she had no regrets about her actions; "I'm not from a background that most students in this university are,” she stated. "If we had stood outside and chanted things and had banners, there would never have been as much media coverage as there was of what we wanted to get across, which is that people should not be stopped from obtaining third-level education." In total, four students were removed from the event by Gardaí. They were each cautioned under Section 8 of the Public Order Act and asked to leave the vicinity, while others continued the demonstration. The Union of Students in Ireland president John Logue stated: “He [Enda Kenny] promised not to increase student contribution. He is the leader of the country. Sounds like fair game to me [sic].”

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Prestigious Fashion Innovation Awards to be held in the Radison Blu By Jenna Hodgins

Lucky for some! Deloitte launches 2013 search of Ireland’s Top Technology Talent. Pictured at the launch are judges Harry Goddard, Partner, Deloitte (left) and Jason Ward, EMC Ireland Country Manager (right), with Philip Hayes, last year’s winner (centre). “Dragon’s Den style”, to a panel of industry experts who will decide on the winner. Along with members of the Deloitte team, the judging panel will feature Jason Ward, EMC Ireland Country Manager, as a guest judge. Last year’s winner, Philip Hayes, was a Business Studies student in the University of Limerick whose idea was entitled Goforagoo.com – a social networking website that explores aspects of user interaction both on a virtual and a physical level, setting it apart from other social network sites.

The technology the site would utilise included Web 2.0, cloud computing and geo-social networking which organises user details such as locations and interests, alongside targeted advertising. Philip said that he was thrilled to win the Top Technology Talent Competition. The competition was an excellent opportunity and the feedback from the judges and mentors proved to be invaluable. The winner of this year’s competition will be able to choose either a €1,000 prize or four weeks of paid work experience in Deloitte’s Technology Consulting practice.

Forget Milan, New York and London; Galway is the latest on the list of couture cities with the 2013 Golden Egg Irish Fashion Innovation Awards taking place on 28 March. The Radison Blu Hotel has been selected to host the prestigious Irish fashion awards where budding Irish designers will be commended for their talents. The awards are coming into their fourth year and, to celebrate this, they are offering early bird tickets available to the public at the bargain price of €25. These awards are the coming-of-age event for fashion fresh meat with over 120 new designers having submitted their designs to the competition. All of those who made it to the shortlist will be competing to win one of five big awards: Jewellery Designer of the Year, Milliner of the Year, Student Designer of the Year, Accessory Designer of the Year and Fashion Designer of the Year. Students who have been shortlisted are dotted around the country from colleges such as the National College of Art and Design (NCAD), Galway Technical

Institute (GTI), University of Ulster and Limerick School of Art and Design. The judging panel on the night will consist of Eddie Shanahan, the Chairperson of the Council of Irish Fashion Designers, Lisa Brady, Sunday Business Post fashion journalist and the managing director of Golden Egg productions, Patricia McCrossan. Previous winners of these prestigious awards have “enjoyed great success” says Patricia McCrossan talking about 2012 Designer of the Year, Natalie B. Coleman, who has dressed stars such as Sharon Corr, Kathryn Thomas, Mary J Blige, Charlene McKenna, Laura Whitmore and Marina from Marina and the Diamonds. Coleman, alumni of the Limerick College of Art and Design, has since gone on to have her creations featured on the pages of Dutch Vogue, Glamour, Company and on the catwalks of Berlin, Copenhagen and Amsterdam fashion weeks. For a chance to mingle with the next Dontella Versace or Vivienne Westwood log on to goldenegg.ie/events to receive more information about tickets or simply search ‘Irish Fashion Innovation Awards’ on Facebook.

Free archaeology conference in NUI Galway By Eileen Cameron The Association of Young Irish Archaeologists (AYIA) is holding their annual archaeology conference in the university from 8 to 10 March. This conference is open to all, and is free to attend. The keynote address on the Friday night will be made by Professor Charlotte Damm, head of the Archaeology Department in NUI Galway. Her lecture is titled ‘Getting at prehistoric religion: Ritual practice and sensory archaeology’. This will take place at 7pm in lecture theatre IT250 and will be followed by a wine reception at 8pm.

Lectures over the weekend will be given by research students and a number of professional archaeologists will present their work and resources. The students are from a number of colleges including NUI Galway, UCD, TCD, GMIT, Sligo IT and Leiden University. Topics under discussion will range from the context of Megalithic tombs to the archaeology of shopping. The lectures will last 20 minutes each and will be followed by a discussion session. Students are encouraged to submit A1 posters on an aspect of their research with a prize being awarded to the best one. A table quiz will take place on Saturday night with prizes kindly donated

by the Achill Field School, Abarta Audio Guides, the Discovery Programme, the National Roads Authority, the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland, Portwest, Charlie Byrnes and Four Courts Press. The table quiz is open to all and takes place in Fibber Magee’s bar which is located on Eyre Square Galway. Sunday morning lectures will commence at the civilised hour of 10am and continue to 1.30pm. Lunch will then be followed by a free tour of medieval Galway with Dr Eve Campbell. This will start at 2.30pm. The AYIA was founded in 1968, with membership open to students from affiliated societies in

the various universities, institutes and colleges nationwide. Recent graduates and those new to the archaeological profession are also welcome to join. The governing council is elected each year from representatives of the institution due to hold the next annual conference. The annual conference is the main event organised by the association and is designed to encourage interest in the profession, share new ideas and generate discussion. The lectures this year will all be held in room IT 250, and further details on the conference can be found on the 'AYIA Conference 2013' Facebook page.

{sin} Long-term student loans for Ireland suggests IMF By Dominick Crosbie As student fees continue to rise, along with lower cut-off points for the grants available, many students are struggling and face the possibility of having to drop out of college. In the latest report evaluating Ireland’s performance, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has suggested that, within the next two years, the government introduce a solution to the financial problems of students: a long-term student loan scheme. These loans are the norm in the US and Australia. They

allow students to repay loans through tax, when they are working and earning enough to afford repayments. This is not the first time an “affordable loan scheme for tertiary education”, has been suggested. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development suggested a sustainable funding model for higher education that could include student loans. In a recent report, the Economic and Social Research Institution (ESRI) pointed out how much more Ireland spends on education than countries with the system,

As part of the latest Irish tourist initiative The Gathering, Galway is adding yet another festival to its already stellar lineup of summer festivities. Embracing its Atlantic location and maritime culture, Galway will host, for the first time, the Galway Sea Festival, which will take place over the June bank holiday weekend. The festival will be a family friendly weekend, focusing on nautical themed events and is not aiming to exhibit alcohol-integrated activities in its itinerary. Sea-based activities that are hugely ingrained in Galway's maritime heritage such as kayaking, canoeing, sailing

and surfing are only a few of the elements that are intended to be included over the 3 day celebration. Many local businesses and organisations are getting involved, ensuring the festival is jam-packed with a variety of activities to span over the course of the weekend, with all age groups and interests in mind. Galway Bay Sailing Club is planning on bringing its annual regatta into the city which will provide an array of some 45 racing boats for the locals and many tourists expected over the weekend, and with the city having hosted the Volvo Ocean Race last summer, it is well equipped and able to accommodate such large scale events.

noting that Ireland was “in stark contrast to countries such as New Zealand, Canada, Australia and the UK.” The Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn ruled out the idea back in 2011, pointing out that this scheme takes 17 years to become self-financing. A spokeswoman for Minister said; “This issue has not been raised directly with [the Government].” The IMF report does not specify whether or not the loan scheme would cover fees or the grant available to students whose families cannot afford to pay for third-level education.

The festival will also host a variety of on-shore events, including guided historical walks along the city's canals, beach safaris for children (which The Galway Atlantaquarium will be aiding), music and dancing in multiple venues, street entertainment, food trails and much more. Galway Chamber President, Declan Dooley speaks on the festival saying; “It’s about combining lots of small events into a big festival. Galway Chamber of Commerce is steering the event, but we don’t want to own it.” The festival itself, is an initiative of Galway Chamber and will be run in partnership with Galway City Council and supported by Fáilte Ireland.

Skeletons found at Terryland Castle: Galway’s Richard III? By Eileen Cameron Evidence of Galway’s turbulent past came to light earlier this month at Terryland when a number of skeletons were unearthed during construction works beside the 17th-century castle. The remains of at least three individuals were discovered during archaeological monitoring of works to construct an access ramp from the Dyke Road to The Quincentennial Bridge. Although the present castle dates to the 17th century, there may have been an earlier structure on the site, with mentions of a fording point on the river

in the 16th century. Galway City Council Heritage Officer, Dr Jim Higgins described the find as a “fantastic discovery for the city” and suggested it “could be as significant for Galway as the finding of the skeleton of Richard III in the car park in Leicester.” Dr Higgins went on to say; “A number of historic events took place at Terryland Castle and we now have a team of archaeologists examining the skeletons. We did expect to find something in the vicinity of the castle because it has been the scene of a number of historic events through the past four centuries.”

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Have you got the ambition for a poetry competition?

Galway Sea Festival coming this summer By Shannon McNamee

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The castle is mentioned during the Cromwellian Wars in 1652 and later the Williamite Wars of 1691. The bones could be the remains of soldiers involved in either of these skirmishes. Alternatively, records indicate that the fourth and fifth Earls of Clanricarde inhabited the castle in the 16th century and there may have been a chapel at the site. Therefore, the remains could belong to members of the Clanricarde family. The bones are now being excavated and they will be examined by an osteoarchaeologist to try determine how and when they died.

By James Falconer Róisín Kelly recently won the Sin short story competition. Her story, The Whales was an outright winner and competition judge Dr Patrick Lonergan was very impressed with Róisín’s writing saying that; “The story is excellent.” You might be wondering where you can read the winning story. At the end of this week, The Whales will be published on sin.ie. I got the idea for the competition when I was appointed Arts and Ents editor of Sin. I was aware of the fact that there’s a library full of students predominantly writing academically. I know that this writing can often be rigid, procedural, and its main purpose is to convey knowledge, understanding, data and information. It’s orderly, organised and follows a

certain structure. I wanted to encourage students to diverge from this process and to embrace creative writing. The large number of entries is testament to students’ ability to put the creative cap on! Creative writing is often inspired, artistic and entertains with word pictures, concepts and deep meaning. It is enjoyable to read and can touch us while teaching us. It’s an art form; not necessary to learn, but a joy to those who do. Following the short story success I have decided to run a poetry competition. Nearly all writing shares the goal of communicating a message to an audience, but how that message is communicated can differ significantly. What are the differences between prose and poetry? Most everyday writing is in prose form and the language of prose is typically

straightforward without much decoration. Ideas are contained in sentences that are arranged into paragraphs. There are no line breaks and sentences run to the right margin. On the other hand, poetry can have ideas contained in lines that may or may not be sentences. Lines are arranged in stanzas. Poetry uses line breaks for various reasons and commonly follows a formatted rhythm or emphasises an idea. Lines can run extremely long or be as short as one word or letter. According to many great writers, poetry is the highest and hardest literary genre. You are invited to write a poem (300 words max.) and submit to artsentertainment.sined@gmail. com before 12 March. The competition will be judged by established Galway poet, Elaine Feeney.

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Burger King hackers have it their way Diamond Heist at Brussels Airport By Leigh Michael Keeney Global fast-food franchise Burger King found itself in a bit of a pickle on February the 19, as their twitter account was hacked The Twitter biography was changed to: “Just got sold to McDonalds because the whopper flopped =[ FREEDOM IS FAILURE.” The account picture was changed to the golden arches and the background advertised McDonald’s new Fish McBites. Followers then found tweets to be a few fries short

of a Happy Meal as they were of a crude nature, made racial slurs and reference to drug abuse; “This is why we were sold to @McDonalds! All of our employees crush and sniff percocets in the bathrooms.” Speculation about who was responsible focused on hacker groups mentioned in the tweets such as Anonymous, DFNTSC and LulzSec. No-one has confessed to being behind the stunt and rumours that McDonald’s were guilty themselves were stamped out when it was noticed that the company name had been misspelled in some of the tweets.

McDonald's also posted a message on its own Twitter feed which read; “We empathise with our @BurgerKing counterparts. Rest assured, we had nothing to do with the hacking.” Burger King has now restored its old picture and bio. They then tweeted, “Interesting day here at Burger King, but we're back! Welcome to our new followers. Hope you all stick around!” Illegitimate tweets have since been deleted. You could say that the perpetrators just took Burger King at its word; “Have it your way.”

By Ross Cannon On Monday 16 February armed men made off with a precious haul of diamonds from Brussels Airport. Eight heavily armed men, dressed as police officers broke through a perimeter fence using two black vehicles with flashing police lights. The Swiss bound plane had just finished unloading packets of valuable uncut diamonds as the two vehicles made straight for the Helvetic Airways passenger plane. The stolen diamonds are thought to amount to €37

million, but the Belgian state broadcaster reported the amount to be closer to €350 million. The men unloaded the diamonds from the cargo hold and piled them into the waiting vehicles. No shots were fired and nobody was injured. The men fled at high speed through the hole which they had entered. The Brussels prosecutor spokeswoman, Ana Bijnens said; “It was incredible how easy it all went.” The robbery is thought to have taken no more than several minutes.

It is thought that the men had extremely well placed knowledge of the airport. Brussels Airport has a strong police presence with police patrols constantly circling the airport’s perimeter. Doron Levy,, an expert in airport security at a French risk management company said “I am certain this was an inside job” and added that this heist was beyond the means of all but the most experienced and strong-nerved criminals. Belgian authorities recovered a burnt out van close to scene, and are still on the hunt for the audacious robbers.

Olympian Oscar Pistorius granted bail 007 to return in a new novel By Valeri Tarassov Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was granted bail on Friday 22 February after a lengthy hearing. The Olympian shot his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp four times through the bathroom door at his South African home on Valentine’s Day. The athlete argues that he did not realise that the person behind bathroom door was his girlfriend and that he had mistaken her for an intruder. It is known that Pistorious was paranoid and afraid of intruders.

Defence lawyer Barry Roux said Steenkamp was not murdered, emphasising that there were a number of cases where men have shot members of their own family through doors after mistaking them for burglars. However, the prosecutor maintains that Pistorius committed a “premeditated murder”, and his plan was to kill his girlfriend and try to get away with it by saying he mistook her for an intruder. Judge Desmond Nair ruled that Pistorius will face a charge of premeditated murder over the death of Steenkamp. A bail

of around €85,000 was set for the athlete. More controv ersy appeared in a case when a new lead investigator was appointed for the case, after murder charges against the original detective in the position were reinstated. Hilton Botha, the first detective on Pistorius’ case, is facing seven counts of attempted murder along with two other police officers for having opened fire on a minibus containing several people in October 2011, officials said on Thursday. Botha is due to appear in court to face those charges in May.

Russian meteorite strike By Valeri Tarassov

On 15 February 2013 residents of Chelyabinsk, Russia were caught by surprise, as a meteorite exploded in the sky literally over their heads. Pieces of it fell down to the ground destroying everything on their path. The explosion was so strong, that windows and light structures were broken by the wave of the blast. Over a thousand people were seeking medical help, mostly for injuries sustained by shards of glass travelling with high velocity.

Schools and day-care centres were shut down. The 6000 square feet roof of a zinc factory had collapsed and one woman sustained serious injuries to her spine.

Scientists determined that the weight of the stone that exploded in the sky of Chelyabinsk was only 1kg. Later that day a larger asteroid DA14 was expected to pass

the earth on a record short distance of 17,000 miles. Specialists think that the 1 kg stone that landed in Russia was a piece of the larger DA14 asteroid. Scientist agree that there was nothing they could have done to prevent this event, as objects that small appear unexpectedly and are very hard to trace. The event in Chelyabinsk did not cause any human causality, but we never know, what is coming from the sky.

By Thomas Murray A new novel penned by award-winning British novelist William Boyd and featuring Ian Fleming’s James Bond is to be published on 26 September. This is not the first novel to be written after Fleming’s death in 1964. Two books featuring the world’s favourite spy have been published in the last six years by different authors. Sebastian Faulk’s Devil May Care sold 44,093 copies in the first four days of its release in 2008, making it the fastest-selling book second only to the Harry Potter series. Carte Blanche, much like the 2006 film Casino Royale,

was a reboot of the James Bond series. Written by American author Jeffrey Deaver, Carte Blanche (2011) followed the exploits of Navy Reserve Officer James Bond who was born in 1979 and fought in the war in Afghanistan. Although the title and plot remain a mystery, Fleming’s estate has revealed that; “this new novel will see a return to the classic Bond era, featuring a 45-year-old 007 in 1969.” For fans of the Ian Fleming novels and old Sean Connery-era films, this comes as good news. Expect sexist misogynistic remarks and witty comebacks that crack like whips.

Expect physically distinctive, over-the-top villains whose lengthy monologues become their undoing; because Bond is back. And nobody does it better.

Mantel condemns Kate Middleton for acquiescence By Marése O’Sullivan Bestselling author Hilary Mantel has criticised the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, for being too compliant as a member of the Royal Family. At a public lecture in the British Museum on the fascination with royalty, the double Booker Prize winner – who is known for her historical fiction novels about the monarchy – declared that Kate is “a jointed doll on which certain rags are hung... a shop-window mannequin, with no personality of her

own, entirely defined by what she [wears].” Comparing Kate to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, the writer complimented the latter’s “human awkwardness” and “emotional incontinence” in the face of the media. “Cheerful curiosity can easily become cruelty [and] fatal,” Mantel said. “We don’t cut off the heads of royal ladies these days, but we do sacrifice them.” The 31-year-old Duchess is pregnant with her first child, who will become the future monarch of the

United Kingdom. Mantel stated that the press believe Kate’s life up until her marriage to Prince William was worth “nothing”, as for them “her only point and purpose [is] to give birth.” A spokesperson for Mantel proclaimed that the author’s speech was “remarkably sympathetic” towards Kate as it dealt with the “performance” aspect of royalty. However, the Prime Minister, David Cameron, added; “[Mantel’s comments were] completely misguided and completely wrong.”

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EXPLORE goes from strength to strength Over 36 new projects proposed by NUI Galway students and staff have been awarded EXPLORE Innovation funding since the programme launched in early 2012. Initiated as a partnership between the Students’ Union and NUI Galway, EXPLORE provides seed funding and support for students and staff to work in partnership on innovative new projects to benefit NUI Galway and the wider community. “No one ever knows how a pilot scheme will work out. EXPLORE was popular with both students and staff right from the start and it has continued to grow exceptionally well. The diverse range of projects and the skills and enthusiasm demonstrated by the participants is inspiring”, says Students’ Union President Paul Curley.

Prof. Chris Curtin, VP for Innovation and Performance at NUI Galway adds, “We want NUI Galway students to develop to their full potential during their time with us by gaining a rigorous academic education and by developing wide-ranging transferable skills. EXPLORE supports students to hone the skills developed on their courses and bring a concept from the idea phase to fruition, while staff have the opportunity to engage more with students and pilot ideas for further research.” EXPLORE projects span a huge range of topics including teaching/ learning tools, skills development, networking events, mentoring, outreach, technology, healthcare, history and research. The vast majority of projects benefit both NUI Galway students and staff, and the general public in Galway. In fact, it is estimated that thousands of people have already taken advantage of what EXPLORE projects have to offer.

Find out more about EXPLORE at www.su.nuigalway.ie/explore EXPLORE projects 2012-2013 Title

Lead student partner

Lead staff partner

Galway Games Development Workshop Áis Teagaisc don EiceolaÍocht Ardteiste/Teaching Aid for Leaving Certificate Ecology Creation of an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) locator app for iOS Exponential (Social connector for start-up founders, students, techies and entrepreneurs) Geography Field Study Resource Gafa le Mata (Bilingual mathematical walk app of the NUI Galway campus) Conference on Public Law and Policy The Cell Explorers Show (Biology outreach at Galway Science & Technology Festival)

Liam Krewer

Dr. Sam Redfern

Nora Blake

Sinéad Ní Ghuidhir

Michael McNamara

Dr. Gerard Flaherty

Alan Byrne

Dr John Breslin

James Burke

Seán Ó Grádaigh

Michelle Garvin

Dr. Máire Ní Ríordáin

Sandra Murphy

Charles O'Mahony

Enda McGrory

Dr. Muriel Grenon Dr. Veronica McCauley Prof. Martin Feely Dr. Diarmuid O'Donovan

Kitchen Chemistry - A Visual Explosion

Nicole Walshe

Self-Guided Field Trip

Alina Wieczorek

Global Health and Social Justice Forum

Manisha Sachdeva

Re-used Laptop Highperformance Cluster

Finn Krewer

Public Health Education Videos

Diarmuid Coughlan

Video-casting Seminal Legal Cases

Michael O'Donnell

Dr. Diarmuid O'Donovan Dr. Joe Mc Grath

Digital Memories - NUI Galway (Digitised biographies of early NUI Galway students and staff)

Michelle Moore

Mary Clancy

Leilee Chojnacki

Prof. Sean Leen

John Maguire

Dr. Edward Jones

Patricia O'Beirne

Dr. Irina Ruppo

Stephen Kearney

Dr. Rory Monaghan

Ciaran Dowd

Dr. Adrian Paterson

Chanté M outon Kinyon

Dr. Kelly Coate

Urban and Domestic Alternatives to Fossil Fuels: Human Powered Vehicles Creating awareness and prevention of hearing loss to students at NUIG (App) Academic Writing through Student Collaboration The Great Energy Debate at NUI Galway Energy Night 2013 FOCUS Research Mentoring Network (for PhD Humanities students) Thesis Talk (Blog forum for NUI Galway research students)

Dr. John Breslin

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Why are eating disorders still a growing problem? By Claire Long

An ‘eating disorder’ refers to a complex, potentially life-threatening condition which is characterised by severe disturbances in eating behaviour. We’ve all heard about it before; bulimia, anorexia and binge eating. For the most part I would say that a lot of us have come into contact with it during our lifetime, whether it be personal or a close relative or friend. Eating disorders and muscle dysmorphia (which is more common amongst men, who focus more on building muscle mass than restricting their diet) have become more prevalent in Ireland within the last 20 years, and is still a growing problem. Is it any wonder these mental illnesses are on the prowl when you cannot go anywhere without seeing Chris Hemsworth or Megan Fox’s buff body plastered across television screens and magazine covers, or a litany of diet advertisements flashing up on the television screen? The average female in Ireland is a size 14, yet women’s mags typically engage size six to 10 models to represent the norm. We are over-loaded with this idea of the ‘perfect body’, both men and women. Actresses and celebrities are constantly questioned about their diets and exercise routines and everyone has heard the joke “Bro, do you even lift?” Don’t get me wrong, everyone knows exercise is good, but too much of even that is a bad thing as body dysmorphia and anorexia prove. Half the people who contact Bodywhys, the National eating disorder organisation, are between

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10 and 24 years of age. Body image disturbance occurs as early as midchildhood. This constant barrage of ‘thinspo’ is imprinting itself on the minds and self-esteem of children and causing an epidemic of proportions this country is incapable of dealing with. These people see thinness as a solution to their problems; their body image is distorted from the comparisons they see around them on a daily basis from a young age. They use it as a coping mechanism so they feel they have some control over their lives which, as everyone has experienced, do seem to go a bit crazy once you hit puberty. Your body starting to grow bits or your voice deciding to jump an octave mid-speech would make anyone feel out of their depth. Children suddenly turn into vicious bullies wreaking havoc. Developing an eating disorder also happens with the occurrence of some disturbance during a person’s life, whether it be social, psychological or in a family context. Added to this, Ireland is incapable of giving these people the support and treatment that they need. Up to eighty people die annually in connection to eating disorders. There is a sever lack of knowledge and proper treatment for many sufferers out there with the majority of proper care being centred in the Dublin area. Education on eating disorders needs to be improved in schools and the general public, along with accessible services and treatment that is not mostly privatised. Building self-esteem for these young adults needs to be focused on. Even we should focus

on being comfortable in our own bodies whether you think your bum looks big in that skirt or worry your guns don’t bulge every time you direct someone to the library. No one is perfect, and in honour of this FemSoc shall be holding an art exhibition entitled ‘Glorious Freaks’. It shall be taking place from 4-8 March on campus. Catherine Morrow of FemSoc and organiser of ‘Glorious Freaks’ spoke about the exhibition; “We at FemSoc aim to provide a forum for debate and discussion. We want to advance the idea that women and men should enjoy equal status in society, and how can we even begin to be equal if we don’t even feel comfortable in our own skins? “With this exhibition we want to put the body as material for personal and artistic expression so that we can address what is quickly becoming an epidemic amongst young people today. It is as political as it is personal and we hope that by holding the exhibition people will feel more able to accept themselves for all their flaws and imperfections.” As a closing piece, the exhibition shall celebrate International Women’s day. It is a day held to inspire women and celebrate their achievements globally. It also aims to promote information about inequality that is rife both nationally and globally. I would encourage people to visit the exhibition and International Women’s day celebration as they will be fun and interesting events to attend. RE: New Public’s “I’m a Feminist and so can you” can now be seen on sin.ie.

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OPINION: Have TV screens become too intrusive? The big question seems to be about public space It could be tough to being colonised by private interests. Take a live in a world where one gym in a public space has little or no access to for example - the gym news. Imagine not knowis leased to a franchise ing what’s happening in various parts of the that operates a business world? However, have within that public space. we reached the other Once they honour the contract they can show extreme nowadays? How whatever they want do you feel when you’re on their numerous TV bombarded with Sky, BBC, or RTE News upon screens. Recently, shopentering a public space? ping centres have been described as “mass priConsidering there are a few TV screens around vate spaces” as opposed campus, do you object to to public space. As a citia public space being colozen, I am, and yes you are, entitled to certain nised by private interests? rights and freedoms in Take Sky News for exampublic spaces. Once we ple; excessive exposure to enter these “mass pricorporate “news” and its vate spaces”, we give imagery penetrates our over some of our rights consciousness, and as a result, shapes our worldand freedoms as citizens. view by giving us a false Another pertinent question is what type sense of what is news. There are some recurring of space am I occupying images, namely the flag on campus? Does this of the USA, the Union change when I go from Jack, war/fear, Arabic the gym to the canteen people portrayed as teror College bar, to the rorists, and of course, library, the lecture theadvertisements. Is there atre? Should students any need for TV screens have a say in the content showing constant news of media used on campus in public spaces; do we irrespective of location? collectively If so, then how need exposure is this to be decided, and to the above Noam Chomsky calls these according to themes? what criteria? The “news” news stations “the myth I wonder why is on a loop and it’s the same people go to maker” whose role is to sensationala gym. I can ist doggerel only say why make emotionally potent I go, to keep replayed every my body fit few minutes. oversimplifications in an I have often and healthy. I raised this issue do not go to a effort to keep the ordinary with mangym to catch agement of up on “news”. person on course. various public I have no spaces, who problem with are quick to reassure media and have a huge people watching “news”, me that “it’s just news”. role in controlling our but I think it should be Rupert Murdoch’s News lives. Their need to sat- done independently. I Corporation is enormous isfy their interests inflicts cannot seem to escape – it is the largest media very severe constraints on TV screens in public company in the world by the political and ideologi- spaces and I often feel market capitalisation ($38 cal system. These forms like Winston Smith out billion). For most people, of media (e.g. Sky News) of Orwell’s 1984. Orwell the conservative news aim to determine, select, would say “in a time of channel Fox comes fore- s h a p e , c o n t r o l , a n d deceit, telling the truth most to mind when asked restrict us in ways which is a revolutionary act.” what they think of Mur- serve the interests of the How do you feel about doch’s media empire, but dominant elite groups. this issue? By James Falconer

the company’s holding is far larger – it includes Sky News, Asia’s Star TV Network, the National Geographic Channel and even the iconic TV Guide network. Widely respected academic Noam Chomsky calls these news stations “the myth maker” whose role is to make emotionally potent oversimplifications in an effort to keep the ordinary person on course. These myths, as Chomsky puts it, are “necessary illusions”. Or what might be called, in more honest days, propaganda. If we want to understand how our society works, the first thing to consider is who is in a position to make the decisions that determine the way the society functions. The major decisions over investment, production and distribution are in the hands of a relatively small group of major corporations, conglomerates and multinationals. They are the ones who staff the key executive positions in government, own the

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We need to talk about suicide By Órla Ryan

Greater levels of communication and information on mental health are vital to help those in need. “Public campaigns have a big role to play. It is important to create an environment where these

ashamed of their actions. Families are in deep disThere were 525 reported tress and they need more deaths by suicide in Ireland help to manage," Pauline in 2011; an increase of 7% Bergin, a senior psychoon the previous year. This therapist at Pieta House, figure is believed to be a affirms. huge underestimation. Ms Bergin advises peoIt is all too ple “to recognise when their loved easy to become The number of students one or friend is immune to becoming more hearing such statistics, but we must seeking guidance at the isolated, not remember that interacting, not every figure masks university’s counselling service eating or sleeping. a face; a human “I would life. Those gone encourage them “increases every year” were a best friend, to seek help with either their local a child, a parent, a issues can be talked about,” GP or counselling service lover, a classmate. Many factors contribute Ms Gavin maintains. […] sooner rather than to a person ending their She lists alcohol as a later.” own life. Bea Gavin, Head possible “trigger to a suiof Counselling at NUI Gal- cide attempt”, adding; Young men way, believes the recession “The culture of binge and suicide has led to a sense of pur- drinking is also significant Ireland’s rate of suicide poselessness for many. in that a very high rate of among young males is “Thinking about suicide suicidality is associated among the highest in the is much more common with alcohol use.” European Union. Some Sandra Hogan, who 165 and 72 young men than we realise […] you cannot know who will and works with Aware, echoes killed themselves in the who won’t go on to make an these sentiments; “Alcohol Republic and Northern Ireattempt, so it is important […] is a disinhibitor, it can land respectively in 2011, to offer support,” she says. also impact on levels of according to the Young Ms Gavin notes that the self-anger and self-aggres- Men and Suicide Report. number of students seeking sion,” she states. John Buckley, Youth guidance at the univerS e l f - m u t i l a t i o n i s Engagement Officer with sity’s counselling service another issue of immense SpunOut, believes society “increases every year”, with concern; "There is a huge may view men seeking almost 1,000 people attend- fear around self-harm help for emotional probing in 2012. with people being quite lems as a sign of weakness.

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“In Ireland there has in suicide rates in Scot- January. So far this figure traditionally been a dis- land between 2000-2002 stands at less than half. The Government cannot tinct lack of dialogue and 2009-2011. around suicide and this has S t a t e f u n d i n g o f make empty promises potentially impacted on €35million has been ear- when so many lives are how young men perceive marked for spending in at stake. Now is the time help-seeking and speaking the mental health sector for action; not lip service. up.” in 2013; the same amount Ireland has made some Mr Buckley is a firm as last year. steps in the right direction believer in early intervenIn January Kathleen where mental health is tion; prevention is always Lynch, Minister of State concerned. However, this preferable to cure. with responsibility for is largely due to independ“We need to understand Mental Health, spoke of ent, non-State funded that positive mental health the Government’s future organisations. A collective starts in the early years, plans in this area. At a effort is needed make real not in a fire-fighting bat- practice-based level, two progress. tle when the problem is specialist nurses are to be To reduce the stigma endemic. stationed in each suicide that often surrounds men“It’s an extremely tough unit in Ireland. A joint tal health issues, honest fight, but fighting stigma is initiative with the Irish and frank discussions are something that has been College of GPs that will needed at family, local successful in many areas, increase doctor training and national levels. such as cancer, so If you are feelit's a fight we can ing depressed or The Government cannot win,” he asserts. suicidal – or want to talk about any make empty promises when aspect your mental The Scotland health – speak up. model Mary McTernan, so many lives are at stake. For anyone who is founder of the concerned about a GRASP (Greater Now is the time for action. loved one, listen and show your Responsibility support. and Awareness in And for the GovernSuicide Prevention) Life on the subject has also Foundation, feels the Irish been introduced. ment, as Ms Bergin put it; government should follow In December, Minister “Recognise that suicide is Scotland’s lead of increas- Lynch promised that the not going away." ing funding in the area of 414 community mental For more information mental health. Based on health posts announced or support, visit aware. three-year rolling aver- in the 2011 budget would ie; grasplife.ie; pieta.ie or ages, there was a 17% fall be filled by the end of spunout.ie.

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OPINION: The IMF at NUI Galway graduation ceremony By James Falconer Whilst sitting in my graduation ceremony last October, I not only witnessed the strange attire and procession (how is a King’s sceptre related to receiving a degree in the Republic of Ireland?) of the university’s hierarchy, but also took umbrage with a remark, no, actually more of an aside made by an august academic. I had, of course, ex pected a formal event, but to witness these academics encapsulated in their regal garb was dissociating, and to say the very least, comical. I felt like a bit of a “Richard” in my robe that I had to hire at an exorbitant rate: “Ah sure, it’s only the one day, and your big day it is.” Indeed, it was a proud day for graduates and their families alike, but

I couldn’t help noticing As he made this con- there is a time and a place how ossified and preten- temporaneous, supposedly for most things and I don’t tious the event was. innocuous, yet highly think that was the time or My major grievance lies incongruous remark, snig- the place for such a slur. Sitwith a glib remark made by gers of laughter arose from ting under the nose of this a senior academic in his far his colleagues who sat wal- €200,000 (or thereabouts) too lengthy speech, which lowing in the mist which a year academic was a new seemed to usher time itself seemed to ooze from his generation of young graduinto some sort of suspended ill-chosen humour. At this ates who are set to embark animation. He did impart point, I wanted to stand on careers, further study, some interesting things; on my chair and scream. I or mostly likely, emigrahowever, I believe that he refrained from doing so in tion. Speaking of which, should have gone for qual- consideration of the occa- there were many parchity rather than quantity. sion, but maybe it was just ments uncollected and I When talking soon realised that these graduabout Pre-NorThis was to be a farewell – a ates had already man Ireland departed Irehe made referland’s shore. Are graduation. In other words, ence to an age these senior acawhen Ireland was made up of demics highly launch the life boats. five Provinces overpaid? How far removed are (Meath/Mide, the 5th Province), which what was called for. I didn’t they from the “swingeing with the passage of time hear any laughter from my cuts of the IMF”? duly became four. He then fellow graduates. Many senior academproceeded to inform us that; One might wonder why ics in Ireland were paid a “This was before the swinge- I have an issue with such total of €8m in allowances ing cuts of the IMF.” a remark. Well, I believe between 2005 and 2011,

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which were unauthorised by the Higher Education Authority (HEA). While all these allowances were being given out, the presidents of our universities were maintaining that the Irish university was broke. UCD president, Hugh Brady tried to defend these allowances on the grounds that they were “the international norm” and that they were necessary to “persuade” staff to take on leadership and management roles. Didn’t we hear similar platitudes from politicians when the global financial crisis was going supernova and probing questions were been asked about bank executives remuneration and bonuses? I didn’t experience any leadership at my graduation ceremony. I didn’t file away with any sense of invigoration or real hope for an Irish renaissance. I just

filed away, glad of making it to the endpoint yet feeling the unease that comes with being parachuted onto a badly listing ship. After four years of study, this was to be a farewell – a graduation. In other words, launch the life boats. The whole affair revealed the arrogance and grandiosity of some who inhabit the higher echelons of institutionalised 3rd level education in Ireland. The view of those who occupy the lonely eyries of academia can only ever be a strained one. In the surety of a gilded nest and generous nest egg, there must only be perpetual difficulty in attempting empathy with the on-going trials of the amorphous undergraduate masses passing below. See, not every golden circle was sundered with the collapse of the Fianna Fáil marquee.

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My first AA experience By Natalie Tesch It was 7.50pm when I joined the Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. I wasn’t sure what to expect and the closer I came to the building, the more nervous I became. When I finally walked up the stairs, I heard voices through the door. I didn't dare to go in. But when I heard someone walking up the stairs behind me, there was no place to hide. A man

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opened the door for me and handed me a cup of tea. When I had a tight grip around my tea, I looked around in the room. The walls were decorated with big posters, showing a twelve-step program, and words of encouragment; “You have the patience, the strength and the passion to achieve your ambitions, your goals and your dreams.” Carefully I looked at the people around me.

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There were about fourteen men, all aged between 30 and 75, and two women who seemed to be in their fourties or fifties. I felt very young and out of place. Many of the faces looked tired and worn out, marked with wrinkles. But none of them were dirty or drunk or had neglected his or her hygiene like I had been imagining, affected by my prejudices and my naivety. I sat beside a ver y friendly looking old man who reminded me of a typical movie grandfather who explained to me in a whisper how the meeting would be held. Each member would talk about their experiences and share parts of their story. He said that I wouldn’t have to share if I didn't want to. Then, the meeting started. One of the men read out the philosophy of the AA. He then started talking about his past. I was astonished by his openness and honesty. Life had been bad and it took him a very

long time to realize that it was the drinking that caused – and not solved – his problems. The drinking could have killed him. He said he started binge drinking in Dublin when he was young. When he was 34, his mother died. He never dealt with this loss and ended up drinking even more than before. He kept focusing on the negative things in his life, drowning them in alcohol everyday. At night he would bring the bottle to his room so he could drink from it first thing in the morning. If he didn’t drink before getting up, his whole body would be shaking; he would not even be able to shave himself. The two minutes before he was completely awake and realised what was going on with him were the only two minutes of peace of mind he would get for the whole day. It took him a long time to realize that he could not live on like this. One

day, he screwed up all his remaining courage and decided to call the AA for help. A detoxification was organized and since then he has been to the meetings several times a week for the last 14 years. With the help of the meetings he manages to go through the tough times without reaching for a bottle. He said that the AA has saved his life. After his story, each member told their own tale in turn, stating their name and that they were an alcoholic. After some time, the friendly grandfather beside me started talking. He talked about his first AA meeting and how he had thought that these meetings were the lowest you can sink in society. He just went to please his wife. But after a few meetings, he was coming back on his own. He talked of a disease of his second daughter. After five days of fighting for the toddler's life,

the doctor told the man to show her that he was there with her. He opened the box where the baby was lying motionless, and told the man to stroke his daughter's chest. But his hands were sweaty and shaking and he couldn’t focus. He couldn’t stroke his dying two-month-old baby because of his drinking. The guilt in his face was overwhelming and I had to clench my teeth stop myself from crying. I am not an alcoholic, but the stories I heard were so honest, so full of regret and so sad that I feel nobody could leave one of these meetings without learning something. I have learned that even if the AA members still struggle and time forced them to change into a person that they do not want to be, they know what they want and they are working very hard to get there. They deser ve to be respected and supported as much as possible.

Jobs Bulletin Finding a job can be difficult, especially if you’re not looking in the right place. But NUI Galway’s Career Development Centre brings you a fortnightly jobs bulletin to assist you in your search. For more information on duties and requirements for these job opportunities, go to www.nuigalway.ie/careers. 1. Graduate Job Programme, European Leadership Graduate Programme wanted for Telefonica (IT & Telecom) in Dublin. Apply to http://goo.gl/Suc4X by 20 March 2013. 2. Graduate Job Programme, Production Graduate Ireland (3 year graduate programme) wanted in SAICA (Environmental & natural Resources, Manufacturing & Processing). Based in Armagh, Down or Meath. Apply to paula.kearney@saica.com by 22 March 2013. 3. Contract/Part-time, PhD Student Linked Data wanted in Fuijitsu (IT & Telecom) in Galway. Apply to alan.wyse@hays.com by 21 March 2013. 4. Graduate Job Programme, Product Development Graduate for Intel (Engineering, Science & Research, IT & Telecom). Based in Kildare. Apply to irelandjobs@intel. com by 22 March 2013. 5. Graduate Job Programme, Manager in Training wanted in Abercrombie & Fitch (Management, Business, Administration, Retail, Sales). Based in Dublin. Apply to www.abercrombie.com/anf/careers/managerInTraining.html by 17 June 2013. 6. Contract/Graduate Job Programme, Residential & Teaching Assistants Posts wanted by Centre for Talented Youth, Ireland. Based in Dublin, Galway, Sligo or Westmeath. Apply to ctyisummerposts@dcu.ie by 15 March 2013. 7. Graduate Job Programme, Graduate Galway Restructuring & Forensic Position wanted in KPMG (Accountancy & Finance). Based in Galway. Apply to www.kpmgcareers.ie by 30 March 2013. 8. Graduate Programme, Graduate Programme in Mazars (Accounting, Finance, IT & Telecom, Management Consultant). Based in Dublin. Apply to www.mazarscareers. ie/ by 11 March 2013.

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Erasmus in Sweden By Louise Rael Sweden: the capital is Stockholm. Everyone is blonde. ABBA is from there. That was the extent of my knowledge of Sweden before this semester. This year I transferred over to the Commerce ‘International Experience’ programme, allowing me to spend one semester interning in Ireland and then the other studying abroad. I left on 22 January for Uppsala, the fourth largest city in Sweden, situated about 40 minutes from Stockholm. When I arrived everywhere was covered with snow and I spent the first two weeks in awe, every second sentence including the words ‘it’s so pretty!’ On my first call home I listened to my parents complain about the cold in Ireland; when I pointed out it was also quite cold here apparently I didn’t understand. At this point temperatures had fallen to –21 degrees. Mom insisted I bring thermals with me, which I agreed to with no actual intention of wearing them. I’ve been here now one month and have worn them every day. I also sleep in them. In some respects the cold here is actually more bearable than home. There is no wind and once you go inside any building, it is guaranteed to have adequate heating. As you would expect they are much more adept at dealing with snow. The roads are always clear and the walkways well gritted. One Swede (who got great enjoyment from the coverage of Britain’s recent ‘snow

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disaster’) told me he cannot remember a single day he got off school due to snow or bad weather. Uppsala is similar to Galway in that it is a University City with a small town atmosphere. It has a real picturesque look, very much like a little village, with people cycling everywhere and very little traffic. The University is one of the most distinguished in Europe and was founded in 1477. It has a unique layout with its buildings spread throughout the town. Before leaving one of my main worries was the language barrier. However, my fears proved unfounded;

very expensive. Although other exchange students found this annoying, they weren’t quite as baffled as me – apparently it’s only Ireland where you can pick up a litre of vodka at the nearest Centra. Meat is also ridiculously expensive. Instead of beef and chicken you find a lot of meats like salami and sausage. Any beef they do have is mostly Irish. A Swedish friend told me it costs them a lot less to buy Irish beef than Swedish beef (I did point out the possibility of horse). The best part of Erasmus in Uppsala has to be the Nations. There are 13 of them and they are exclusive to students. The majority have their own restaurant, bar and nightclub and the prices are much cheaper than anywhere else. They constantly have events and parties and with 13 nations there is something to do every night. You can have dinner at the nation, go to the bar for drinks and wait for the club to open a couple of hours later. The nations date back to the 17th century and the larger ones look something like Hogwarts. It’s definitely an experience listening to Swedish techno in a 17th century library! I would definitely recommend anyone going on Erasmus to consider Uppsala. I have only been here one month and it already feels like home. It is the most amazing place and you meet so many people. The biggest hurdle is the cold but even that is starting to look up. Last night I didn’t wear thermals to bed and this week we will have highs The snowy town of Uppsala in Sweden. Photos by Louise Rael. of 0 degrees. the Swedes speak better English than me. The majority of young people are fluent, with impeccable English and I’ve yet to meet anyone who speaks none at all. They all tend to speak it with a slightly doctored British accent, sort of like a hyper Hugh Grant. Genuinely the most serious difficulty I’ve had since arriving has been with the off-license. In Sweden the Government have a monopoly on the sale of alcohol. ‘Systembolaget’ is their chain of liquor stores and the only place you can buy alcohol exceeding 3.5% volume. The opening hours are limited and it is

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Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam By Joyce Fahy Irish people have a strange connection with the Irish language. The majority of us only speak Irish on very rare occasions, even then it’s just the cáca milis/cúpla focal, but we’re rarely willing to admit this to non-natives. I noticed this strange patriotism about the language when I was living in Germany. “Wow you’re from Ireland!” said the Brazilian guy. “You’re the first Irish person I’ve ever met! Wait, so your native language is… Irish, right? Or is it English?” he questioned. I paused. This, for me, was not an easy question. All I had to say was “it’s English”. But I felt I owed good auld Gaeilge something; a quick mention at the least. After all, it was the language that was metaphorically beaten into me as a primary and secondary school student. “Well, my native language is English. But there is another language in Ireland called Irish. Before the British colonised Ireland, we all spoke it. But now very few people speak it regularly. We have to learn it in school but apart from that, we only use it now and then.” I said. “Wow, that’s very interesting. Say something in Irish. I want to hear what it sounds like,” he said enthusiastically. OK: “Sláinte!” I said, telling him what it meant. He practised it a couple of times and every time we met after that, we’d clink glasses and say ‘Sláinte’. I didn’t tell him that my knowledge of the Irish language had dwindled to little more than a few oldfashioned phrases. Those fourteen years of Irish had left me with little more than basic verbs and odd colloquial phrases. The six weeks immersed in the culture in the Gaeltacht was where I learned most of my Irish. Apart from my useless grammar, my conversational language was quite good for a couple of months after the Gaeltacht.

But maintaining a language is like staying fit, one week you’re sticking to an elaborate fitness regime, the next you have a beer belly, your abs are just arms and you’ve swapped push-ups for lie-downs by the couch. Languages are high maintenance. Unless you’re hearing a language every day, seeing the language in newspapers, books, watching films, listening to lyrics in music, talking to friends, family and shop assistants, you lose touch with it. County Galway is home to the largest Gaeltacht Irish-speaking region in Ireland. But I rarely hear Irish speakers conversing in Galway city. And when I do the only words I seem to understand are: “Haigh” “Google” “Slán” and “An bhfuil cead agam dul go di an leithreas?” But we have place signs in Irish, and road signals. And the Dáil, Taoiseach and TD are Irish words. And every so often we hear a speech as Gaeilge, followed quickly by an English translation, of course.

I care about Irish. But when everything I hear or see in Irish is followed by an English translation, why bother? It’s like using the stairs, when you can use the lift; it may be satisfying and rewarding to use the stairs, but it seems pointless especially when I can just wait a few seconds for the lift to arrive… The irony I find with the Irish language is that it is more useful to use when abroad than in Ireland. So the next time I go abroad I’m going to do a crash course in Irish beforehand, so I can talk at ease about dodgy looking people on trains without them understanding me, and confuse the multi-linguists in the process – because everyone speaks English.

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Ain’t no mountain high enough By Austin Maloney Peter O’Connell will become the thirtythird Irish and first Galway man to climb Mount Everest in April. As part of the climb, Peter is raising funds for suicide awareness and prevention charity Pieta House. Sin had a chat with Peter, who is being assisted in his training by NUI Galway student Kieran Murphy, to find out more. So what inspired you to undertake the fundraising event you’re doing? Well, I suppose when I decided to do Everest I thought it would be a good idea to involve a charity with it. Pieta House is a suicide prevention and awareness charity, and it has affected my family, and unfortunately, has affected everybody in the country […] I thought it’s a great cause and what Pieta house is, they give great service, they give free counselling to people who are at that critical point when they’re thinking

Interview with an ALIVE Volunteer: Zhao Li By Siobhán Wilcock Zhao Li is in her final year of Business Commerce. She began her studies in Shannon, but this year she is on a transfer programme to NUI Galway. She is originally from China, but chose to do her degree in Ireland. She has volunteered with numerous organisations since September and is currently volunteering with Music for Galway. Zhao spoke about how she began volunteering by saying; ‘’When I came to Galway, I joined the ALIVE student volunteering organisation and searched their website for organisations I would like to work with. I love music and I also really wanted to try something new, so the organisations I picked were perfect for me. I also decided to get involved in something outside of my own area of study, so I volunteered with Sea2Sky and the Science Festival as I know very little about science. I found these very interesting and I really enjoyed meeting new people.’’ Her volunteering experiences have enabled Zhao to make new friends, both inside and outside of University and have given her the chance to try something completely new.

about suicide […] What they’re trying to do is set up a council centre within 100 km of everybody in Ireland […] The new centre for the west is in Tuam which is local for me so I picked Pieta House in Tuam. What are going to be the practical difficulties of climbing Everest? The lack of oxygen, I suppose, is the major one! Once you get up the altitude at the top of Everest has 30% of the oxygen that you’re used to running on. Obviously we have supplementary oxygen but at time that can fail and you can’t be over reliant on it […] It really is life and death out there, small things can make a difference, so preparation and planning is key to everything here […] Kieran Murphy of Magnifico Fitness is an NUIG student, he’s done all my personal training and he’s an excellent trainer. He put a lot of research into it to see what I’d need to do, to have me in the shape I need to be in to climb the highest mountain in

Zhao said that she was very nervous about stepping outside of her comfort zone, but that she soon realised there was no need to worry as everyone she met was very friendly and made her feel welcome and appreciated. She also found that there is an immense difference between volunteering opportunities in Ireland and in China. She said; ‘’In China, emphasis in college is always focused on education, so it was great to see just how many opportunities are available for students through the ALIVE programme and it was so good to gain so many experiences outside of education. I would definitely recommend ALIVE to anyone thinking of volunteering as it’s so easy to find something to suit you.’’ For the moment, Zhao is concentrating solely on her final semester of her degree, but she will continue to volunteer in the future and would love to try volunteering abroad, possibly with a volunteering organisation based in China.

the world. Hopefully, all his research will pay off and the time he put into it as well will pay off for me in the end. Why did you pick Everest as your fundraising event? It’s not that I picked Everest as a fundraising event; I picked Everest as a life goal, as something I wanted to achieve. I’ve been mountaineering for years, and I decided to pick Pieta house as a fundraising event while I’m doing Everest, it’s more the other way around. When exactly are you climbing Everest, and how long will it take you, ideally? I’m leaving on the twenty seventh of March, the expedition from Kathmandu takes 60 days, and that includes the return back to Kathmandu. Generally, you’ll spend 10 days walking into base camp, spend a further 30-35 days acclimatising […] The full

Interview with an ALIVE Volunteer: Nicholas Hogan By Siobhán Wilcock Nicholas Hogan is a second year Science student at NUI Galway. He has been involved with an organisation called Keep the Beat Klub (yes, with a K!) for many years. This organisation provides both a social and learning environment for its members. It gives them the opportunity to learn how to play an instrument and partake in performances, while facilitating them to grow and develop into confident and socially skilled young people. Nicholas started out as a member of the club and it was here that he learnt how to play the guitar. He said; “Since leaving the club as a member, I have given back

Birthday Cake in the Bailey Allen Tony Griffin, GAA all star, author, and founder of Soar Foundation will be speaking at the tenth ALIVE Certificate Ceremony, on the 27 March in the Bailey Allen, Aras na Mac Leinn about his inspiring personal journey across Canada on a bike, raising 1 million for Cancer research and the building of self-esteem and confidence programmes in schools across Ireland. Tony will help cut

the ALIVE 10th Birthday cake at this annual celebration of student volunteering. To apply for your ALIVE Certificate – The NUI Galway Presidential Award for Volunteering – visit www.nuigalway.ie/alive by the deadline of the 15 March 12 noon. Have you volunteered this year? Then apply for the award for your CV. Email alive@ nuigalway.ie to learn more.

summit bid will take 7-8 days from getting from base camp to summit, back to base camp, and then you’ve a further 5 or 6 days walking back to Kathmandu If anyone wants to donate to Pieta House as part of your campaign, or even just in general, what should they do? You can log on to idonate.ie, you can get onto the Facebook page, its ‘PeterOConnellEverestforPieta’, or even search my Facebook page Peter O’Connell, there’s loads of details on that […] I’ll be doing a weekly blog from Everest, which will be updated from Everest every week. As part of his preparations, Peter will spend the weekend of 1, March climbing Croagh Patrick 13 times, which will be a new record. You can also keep up with his climb on Twitter with #Everest4Pieta. 100% of the funds raised will go to Pieta House.

to the club by volunteering to teach the new members how to play the guitar and I am currently serving as Vice-Chairperson to the club.” Nicholas has also volunteered with Youth Work Ireland and has done an event management-training course with them, which taught him how to run and manage events, work in a team and build on his leadership skills. He has found this to be of great benefit to his work in Keep the Beat Klub as, in his own words; “not only has it helped me in my role as Vice-Chairperson, but it has also given me the confidence to be a voice for the members.” Although Nicholas didn’t use the ALIVE website to find volunteering opportunities, he is still eligible to apply for the ALIVE certificate, which is a recognised certificate awarded to NUI Galway student volunteers every year. Between college and his volunteer work with Keep the Beat Klub, Nicholas is kept very busy, but he has said he would love to find some volunteering opportunities through ALIVE in the near future. When asked if he had any message for future volunteers, Nicholas had this to say; “Volunteering is a lot more fun than most people think. It gives you a chance to make new friends, have fun and learn new things about yourself. For me, volunteering is my way of giving back to the club that taught me. I am passionate about Keep the Beat Klub and I intend to continue volunteering with them for many years to come.”

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E le c tio n S peci al

The roles explained By Jane Kearns The full time Students’ Union elections are set to take place on 10 March; all students will have the opportunity to vote on the day and ultimately decide who gets voted in as the president and two vice presidents. But before the voting begins, students need to do their research and find out exactly what it means to be a full time SU Officer in NUI Galway. The Students’ Union is broken into full time and part time officers, all of which are voted in by the student body, the part-time officers are voluntary positions and go unpaid, but the full time officers are paid a salary of €22,000 for the year they work for the SU, so students should choose wisely when voting. There are three full time positions; President, Education Officer and Welfare Officer, they all play different roles within the SU and offer a variety of services to the student body.

The Students’ Union President is the head of the SU in NUI Galway; their main job is to manage the Students' Union including Union finances, campaigns and initiatives. The President represents students' interests through meeting with management and participating on University Committees. They are chairperson of Students' Union Commercial Services, the company which runs the College Bar, Smokey's, the SU Shop, the Hub and the Wall. They also serve on the Board of Directors of: Seirbhisi Comhaltas na Mac Léinn, the Health Unit and Flirt Fm. The President is the spokesperson for the Union and leads any lobbying or student issues within NUI Galway and on a national level. There are two vice presidents on the SU, they are the Education and Welfare Officers; the Education is responsible for co-ordination of the SU Council, representing students on University committees

Vote, damn you!

which relate to academic life, dealing with students on a one to one basis and By Joyce Fahy when your partner turns keeping the Executive and to you and says “What do students informed of all If a piece of food was you want to name the baby? Because I was thinking Dorkface educational matters. snatched out of your mouth, you’d want it back, wouldn’t you? sounded nice.” They are also responsible for the provision of Just like if the right to vote was taken Do you really want to be the peracademic information away from you, you’d cry and protest son who stayed silent when their child through the publicain dismay. Every student on payment was named Dorkface? tion or leaflets/books of the student levy is automatically a One reason that people don't vote and organising and member of the Students’ Union. is that they don't want to feel responsiBut, why should you vote? Think you ble for the person who wins. But by not chairing the Education Forum. are not involved in student affairs? voting you are still responsible. The Welfare Officer Wrong. You’ve used the library, went If for no other reason: vote for the is responsible for to a club and/or society, used a col- craic. Don’t give someone you don’t lege computer and went to exams like, or don’t think suitable, a shot co-ordination and at some stage (I hope)! The student at winning. Don’t be one of those delivery of welfare campaigns on relevant union represents you on all of the people who complain about the welfare issues such as aforementioned, and more. outcome when you haven’t even Still not bothered enough to bothered to vote. SHAG week. Like the vote? The thing about votBe a voter! Contribute to the Education Officer they represent students on Uniing is that by choosing not choosing of the members versity committees and to vote, you still count. who run your Students’ also heavUnion! You might even deal with students on a It’s the same thing one to one basis, keep the ily involved be able to put it on as choosing to Executive and students academic in the Union of your CV! remain silent informed of all welfare mat- issues, being Students in Ireland ters, organise and Chair the a voice for stu(USI) and regularly Welfare forum and provide d e n t s w i t h i n t h e represent NUI Galway on welfare information to the University and also being with the day-to-day run- a national level, so it is wider student body. an important member of ning of the Union, and essential that all students Both of the vice posi- the Executive Committee. help with all Union cam- do their research before tions mean being clued in As Vice- Presidents, these paigns and events. All of casting their vote on 10 to all student welfare and officers are very involved the full time officers are March.

What’s the point of the Students’ Union? By Cormac O’Malley The Students’ Union is a representative body for all 17,000 students who attend NUI Galway. Students of all disciplines and age are represented by the Union. The disciplines are represented

through the position of convenors, and mature students by a Mature Students Officer. For any students who may have a disability there is the equality officer.

On a more general scale, there are the more senior positions such as the President and two Vice-Presidens who work as Welfare officer and Education Officer. The Welfare Officer deals with mental, physical and sexual health issues. It is generally the students’ personal problems that are the responsibility of those who occupy this position. The Education Officer deals with academic issues such as grants, fees, election of class reps and advice for those who have exam or remember that you don’t have to vote essay problems. for more than one person. The President of the StuFinish by folding your ballot up and placdents’ Union is essentially ing it in the ballot box and voila, your vote the figure between stuhas been cast and will be one of many votes dents and the Union. that will decide the direction in which the SU It is the President who will go next year. communicates first and Club Captains and Society Auditors can also foremost with the USI, vote for the Club’s Captain and Societies Chairstate boards and Colperson on the day with strictly one vote per club lege authorities. for Clubs' Captain and one vote per society for The responsibilities of the Student Union Societies' Chairperson. If you have an interest in how your SU is that exist regardless of run and would like to have a say, then castwho’s serving on the ing your vote will ensure that your opinion is committee are manifold. The running of The Colaccounted for. If you’re still not sure on how exactly to vote lege Bar, Smokey’s Café, or have further questions, visit NUI Galway’s the SU shop, The Wall Student Union’s website at su.nuigalway. Café, The Hub Café and ie for further information. Caifé na Gaeilge all lies in the hands of the Students’

How do I vote? The voting process explained

By Conor Lane The Student Union President, Education Officer and the Welfare Officer will be elected on Thursday 7 March, 2013. The term of office for the elected Officers of the Union runs from 1 July until 30 June the following year. Who is voted in is up to you. Voting is straightforward and easy. Simply show up at one of the designated polling stations that will be advertised around campus i.e.: An Bialann (the Canteen) (10am-8pm), Áras na Mac Léinn (11am-8pm) and the Engineering Building (12pm-4pm). The only thing you’ll need to bring with you is your NUI Galway student card, which you will show at one of the stations where you will then receive a ballot paper and pen. List your candidates in order of preference on the ballot and it is important to

Union. Another given responsibility is Freshers’ fortnight. You, the reader surely remember the beginning of your first year when several activities were taking place within the first two weeks specifically for newcomers, as you were back then. The organization of a lot of music and comedy events in the College bar and elsewhere on Campus also lies with the Students’ Union. So, it is not wrong for one to say that the Students’ Union contributes to all aspects of college life: social, personal and academic. To ask what is the point of the Students’ Union is to question the cohesion of students on both a local and a national level. It’s been said by people before that the Students’ Union is pointless. But if it were abolished tomorrow it would affect a huge amount of people – from the Student who needs help getting an already delayed grant, to the student who is in crisis emotionally, or even to the student who wants to get involved with college life but has no idea how. It is these students who need representation. So, think of all the work the Students’ Union does; do not become soaked up by the sponge of cynicism and remember when voting next week, that there are those who might need services that you don’t. We are all human after all.

E lec tio n S pe ci a l

The Part-Time Officers that make up the Students’ Union By Ann-Marie Donelan The Students Union operates with a fifteen member Executive Committee which meets once a week and is answerable to the Students Union Council, and therefore to the student members of the union. This committee is made up of three former students in paid full-time positions of President, Education Officer and Welfare Officer. With it being election time at the moment, these positions, or rather who will fill them for the coming year is a hot topic. It is hard also to miss the host of candidates battling it out in the hope of gaining one of these positions, with posters and campaigners in t-shirts

putting forth catchy slogans and promises, to be seen at every corner of the campus. Although it is of great importance, these candidates, some of whom will soon be responsible for the running of the SU, get the attention and coverage required for students to be able to cast votes confidently, the 12 other part time positions on this committee must be filled by full time students just a week later. These 12 positions are of utmost importance to the running of the SU and students should have knowledge of what it is these un-paid volunteers actually do. Firstly Oifigeach na Gaeilge promotes the use

How do student politics impact a future career? By Marése O’Sullivan Joining the SU as an officer means the opportunity to get a taster of the world of politics and to pursue an individual role which has unique responsibilities in university life. For over a century, the NUI Galway Students’ Union (SU) has represented the students of NUI Galway, with the aim of “promot[ing], defend[ing] and vindicat[ing]” the rights of its members. The work of the S.U. Officers is unlike any other: the power to really contribute to the lives and experiences of NUI Galway students. The only eligibility required to be nominated for a position is to be a member of NUI Galway Students’ Union. There are many similarities between the Students’ Union and the inner workings of the Irish government. All of this year’s SU candidates are learning about the structure of elections, how to canvass, and the difficulties of earning enough votes. However, the three full-time, paid positions of the SU who

and awareness of the Irish day activities of societies. opment and Participation senting a relevant school language and culture within The post-graduate stu- Officer to ensure the proof the college makes up the Union as well as pro- dents of the college are vision of resources to the rest of the committee, acting as chairperson viding assistance to Irish represented by a Post- clubs. language societies on cam- Graduate Officer, who also Mature students are not of Class Reps of their pus. encourages the inclusion forgotten by the Union as discipline. The Equality Officer and activity of post-grad a Mature Students Officer Elections for the part must promote the ideals of students in Union events. represents them, promot- time SU positions for the equal opportunities with T h e C l u b s C a p t a i n ing their development and coming year 2013/2014 the Union and University plays a vital role in stu- integration throughout will be held on 14 March while also providing a confident life as they work the college. and all of us at Sin encourdential listening and referral w i t h t h e D i r e c t o r o f A host of C onvenors, age students to make sure service to students. Sport and Develeach repre- they cast their votes, as The Societies Chairperthese positions are vitally son represents the views of important to the runsocieties to the University ning of the SU. and Executive Committee while By Órla Ryan providing Let’s cut • Attendance at An Bhialann and assistance Noteworthy inclusions to the chase: the college bar will actually count to the are an MA in Home and you love RON, I as lecture attendance (be sure dayAway: An Analytic Study of love RON. We must to swipe your student card every tothe River Boys’ tattoos and a grab every opportutime you order a pint or scone – PHD in the Psychological Effects this translates as double time at nity we get to bask in of repeatedly being denied entry my glory. You, the students the office). to The Front Door. of NUI Galway, are about • ‘Craic marks’ will be awarded • To increase employment and effito have your minds blown. I depending on how fun you are; ciency, the Arts Millennium building hereby present to you, my future dry shites run the risk of failing their will become a training centre for loyal subjects, RON’s manifesto: degree. construction workers who can begin As you all know, I am standing as their careers from the moment the • Smokey’s pigeon will hold a series a candidate in the upcoming Stustep outside the building. of workshops on the aforemendents’ Union elections. I would have tioned ‘craic marks’ system – he • F i n a l l y , a n d p e r h a p s m o s t preferred to sit, but cutbacks have led will attempt to pass on some tips importantly, every student who to the abolition of chairs in the univerabout how to be as effortlessly fun loses their jumper while dancsity. Which position am I running for, you and cool as he. ing bumper to bumper at any ask? All of them, obviously. I had conofficial college ball shall have it • Donegal Tuesday in RAG Week templated just going for SU President, but replaced with a jumper of equal shall be extended to encomwhy deprive the student body of as much or much lesser value within three pass every third day in semester RON as possible? to 72 working days (the same rule two. If it gets too confusing as to If – sorry, when – elected to every does not apply for dignity or selfwhether or not it’s taking place on office in the SU, I plan to bring about respect). any given day, assume and act radical changes to NUI Galway. Firstly, like it is. the name NUIG just doesn’t do it for me. As is clear from the above, RON

C’mon, vote for R-ON!

supervise the dayto-day running of the Union – President, Vice President/Education Officer and Vice President/ Welfare Officer – are only one year long each before the next election, so the impact I’m not entirely sure what I’ll change it • Instead of certificates, successful is not the only valid alternative; I am to yet, but the current frontrunners are the only choice that makes sense. A that each Officer graduates will be awarded vouchSmokey’s Academy for Over-Achievvote for RON, is a vote for progress, makes in the role ers for Supermac’s and Karma. The must be big. Fifteen ers, the Volvo Ocean Race Subsidiary volume of these will depend on equality, world peace and free snack part-time Students’ Sailor School and the Sultans of Ping boxes. You know what to do. complex credit system based on College of Latin and Art. As your brain processes the brilUnion Executive the criteria listed above. Citizens of every land the liance of this manifesto, I’ll leave you Officers also support • The scope of Arts subjects will be the work of the S.U. world over know that election with the following piece of advice; expanded to more accurately A form of Irish parliapromises are made to be represent the diverse nature of stu- feel free to put it to the test-o: Eat ment has existed since broken, but here goes anydents’ interests in the college. New natural foods, bathe twice daily, fill way. From September your nostrils up with gravy. Don't drink the thirteenth century. modules will include the destined2013 onwards, the foltea and don't drink coffee, cover The appointed ministers to-be-popular Pun-craftsmanship; of the Government must lowing will become your chin in Yorkshire toffee. Basic bean-cooking skills; and How be between 7 and 15 mema reality: to Master ‘The Floor is Lava’. bers, all belonging to the This message has • Undergraduate courses aren’t the national parliament, the been endorsed by only ones due for a revamp; the Oireachtas. The ministers years, through TEAM RON. university will offer a wide range are overseen by the Taoi- t h e s y s t e m o f of new Masters and Docseach, who is appointed proportional reprePresident from toral programmes. by the President of Ireland sentation. 1976-1978. More upon nomination of Dáil A dominant role, or recently, 2002-2003 S.U. Éireann, the lower house even a small responsibility, f o r m e r S . U . T r a d e President, Leona Byrne, is of the Oireachtas. The in student politics can pre- President (1964-1965), – Eamon Gilmore a Human Resources GenerGovernment is directly pare future leaders of this Michael D. Higgins, is cur- – studied psychology at alist, while 2011-2012 S.U. elected at least once every country for a demanding rently President of Ireland, NUI Galway and served President Emmet Connolly five years by Irish residents governmental position. while Tánaiste and Minis- as both S.U. President is a Tutor in Land Law at over the age of eighteen NUI Galway graduate and ter for Foreign Affairs and from 1974-1975 and USI NUI Galway.

E le c tio n S peci al

Being The President 101 By Paul Curley

As President you also sit on a lot of the top boards in NUIG but not UMT (University Management Team) where all the real decisions are made. If I was to hope for the University to change one thing it would be that the students of this college could be represented by their Students’ Union President on this board as a non-voting member as I feel it could offer the decision-making staff a practical insight into the students their decisions will be affecting. You also cannot be afraid to talk or enter into an argument when there are sometimes forty people around a table. You are the voice of 17,000 students and if you decide to have an off-hour at a meeting, a decision that was made could just have affected a faculty of students, for example. I guess the last thing is to leave the Students’ Union in a better way than you found it. It sounds simple but no one person has ever made the Students’ Union, however many have bettered it and that will be the next President’s job and whether it’s Conor, Rory or Sean I wish them all the best. This is a role that Michael D. Higgins and Eamon Gilmore have held, it’s an honour and an opportunity to be President of NUI Galway’s Students’ Union. Just remember to enjoy it; it’s something I probably haven’t done half enough.

When asked to write this article by Sin Editor Jess, what cropped into my mind were most of the mistakes I felt that I made during the year rather the successes, which I guess speaks for the intense learning curve you go on in this job. I know that the likelihood of having a more diverse job in future life is very slim after this year. The year has flown and while it’s meant to be a Monday to Friday nine to five job, it’s not. It’s nine to whenever meetings end and emails are replied to, getting asked Current SU President getting pally with former SU President and current numerous questions on nights out and President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins. Will Curley follow in his footsteps? regular Saturdays away on national duty at USI (Union of Students of Ireland) National Council. As President I guess you’re seen as the leader of a diverse range of students in NUI Galway and the manager of all the other much be the dictator that this position What are your reasons for officers. Although it’s hard to judge in manidemands. running for president? festos, common sense and knowing what Brian Carey is running for this position the common students’ opinions are on difon behalf of The College Bar Party because Do you think you have the fering issues is very important. he's the hero NUI, Galway deserves, but leadership skills for the position? not the one it needs right now. So we'll As the elected leader of the freshly estabYou have one year in your position and elect him. Because he can take it. Because lished "College Bar Party", Brian Carey has you need to try and make the SU as accessible as possible to as many of the 17,000 he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian; a already proven himself as a charismatic students in NUIG as possible. Prioritising head honcho. Brian's noble bearing and watchful protector. A dark knight. your goals is key if you want to succeed, And he wants one of the nice hoodies; chiselled good looks have often led peobut unfortunately, as you’re acting as the like the ones Paul Curley wears. ple to draw comparisons with the son of ‘opposition party’ to the university a lot a Norse god. of the time, it feels that the SU is in a If that isn't a good enough reason for What are your main aims and reactive situation to policies and this magnificent man to be leader, then I objectives if elected? initiatives that the University Brian Carey, if elected on behalf of The do not want to live in this world. College Bar Party, wants to tackle the big is trying to bring through. Although I may have issues... All of them. He doesn't know Why should students elect you? put the university in a what they are, and he doesn't care. Vote for Brian Carey. Because he would bad light there, the And neither should you, dear vote for you. Thank you. Much love. staff in general are reader. Because Brian will tackle very accommothose issues. HARD. *Please note that Brian Carey, the dark 1. S/He shall act as Chairperson and shall have responsibility to dating to work knight leader of the newly established Coluphold [the] Constitution and the terms of reference of all Union with. The reallege Bar Party, who resembles the son of How do you plan to get companies. ity is, in any a Norse god, will not be appearing on the students more involved job you’re 2. S/He shall be responsible for liaising with the appropriate staff members ballot card. in the union? of the Union, the Union’s companies and with University management. Group bathing, Sunday going to 3. S/He shall have responsibility for the day-to-day finances of the Union in afternoon barbecues and have disaconscription. conjunction with the senior staff member and shall report to the Finance greements Committee on those issues. and arguAre you intimidated by 4. S/He shall also be responsible for ultimate coordination of Students’ Union ments. But campaigns. the prospect of taking what you need to learn 5. S/he shall be required to act as a member of the Boards of Directors of over from Paul Curley? from day one Brian Carey feels that Paul companies owned by or related to the Union. is that arguCurley is leaving behind some 6. S/He will represent Union members on University committees. pretty big maroon chinos to ments are left 7. S/He shall be the Chief Executive Officer and chief-spokesperson inside the room fill. Brian Carey feels that he of the Union. after the meeting has the girth, and the groin to fill 8. S/He shall be the principal delegate to the National Council and Annual Congress of the Union of Students in Ireland. is over and that if those chinos. Brian Carey respects 9. S/He shall also be required to give a mandayou want to get your Paul Curley, and admires what he has manifesto policies done achieved in his year in office. But Brian tory report on work carried out at each Executive meeting. you can’t hold grudges. Carey is never intimidated, and will very

SU Constitution: The Students’ Union President

Carey for President

E lec tio n S pe ci a l So you want to be Education Officer? up in a sabbatical year that are completely unforeseen. This can be anything from the government pulling a fast one, to issues in your personal life that can affect your work. Dealing with these situations comes down to the individual and their ability to react. Not dealing with them can affect who you’re trying to help: the students. For me, it came down to the SUSI fiasco, the Clare County Council Household Charge/Grants debacle, the Budget and on a personal level, keeping myself in good mental health to be able to do the best job possible.

So you want to be Welfare Officer? By Dami Adebari

Is mise Dami Adebari, and the most important thing you all need to know is that the role of the Students’ Union Welfare officer is to help students for the year. Welfare is an umbrella term used to describe the personal issues that students face that are not academic. This covers various issues like mental health, accommodation problems, financial problems, health issues, depression, unplanned pregnancy, bullying or harassment, sexual health or bereavement. If you ever encounter a problem during your By Conor Stitt time as a student that isn’t to do with your must stress that anybody can become a memcourse then chances are the Welfare officer ber. So far this fantastic group of students has can help you out. Education Officer was a role that I brought you a wonderful, free initiative called had wanted for about 2 years before As the Welfare Officer of NUI Gal- Condom Wednesdays. Together we made taking office. I believed that the role way Students’ Union I also have the mental health week, healthy living week, alcocombined helping people with fees, privilege of working in partnership hol awareness week all possible. I’m sure you grants or back to education, and with agencies, voluntary and all remember SHAG week as well. Through all giving advice on study plans, community groups in address- our events during the year, we have encourcourses and any issues that arose. ing issues faced by individuals, aged you to be active, connect, take notice, The bulk of my work was dealfamilies and groups experienc- keep learning and be charitable. ing with those aspects. 1. S/He shall have responsibility for providing information and eduing social and/or emotional As a Welfare Officer, one has to know what No matter how much traincating the general student body on welfare issues and to this end difficulties. it is like to be a student; the highs, the lows, shall initiate campaigns on relevant and pressing welfare issues. ing you get and how much As your welfare officer, I the good, the bad times, thesis, placements, study into the grants system 2. S/He shall also provide a confidential listening and referral co-ordinate Welfare campaign long essays, exams, results and repeats etc. service for members of the Union. you do, nothing prepares you weeks and provide information I believe there are a set of skills required for fully in your role. I help students on relevant welfare issues such this job. One has to be a reliable, trustwor3. S/He shall represent members on various University committees. financially and try to give them as alcohol awareness, mental thy and emotionally matured individual some sort of security. To do that health, healthy living, road safety who takes pride in helping others. One must 4. S/He shall also organise and chair the Welfare Forum. you need to know the fees system and sexual health. have a proven record as an individual with in the university, the grants scheme, During the year, excellent interpersonal and commu5. S/He shall also be required to give a manmany of you will datory report on work carried out back to education and other financial nication skills capable of working have seen me and at each Executive meeting. supports like the back of your as an individual and being “All you hand. You need to know part of a team. One has to other Welfare workhow to deal with academic ing group members be a flexible, adaptable and need is patience “Knowing I have problems strategically around the univerenergetic individual with a and appropriately and Nothing is sity. The welfare non-judgemental attitude. and a big heart; after again, know the rules foreseen in a sabbatical working group are The Welfare officer helped so many and regulations of the year, but your ability students who chose must be a compassionate that, everything else likes of exams, like the to have the know-how, to volunteer for the and empathetic individual students is the most back of your hand. quick thinking and Students’ Union with the ability to underjust falls in place.” For all the knowlprofessionalism to deal and I stand and share the feelings amazing achievement edge an Education with these problems of another. He or she must officer has in this situwill get you far. The main be fully aware of the need to be I’ll ever have.” ation, there will still be thing that will define mentally prepared to face a variety any Education Officer times where we don’t know of difficult issues on a daily basis. Durthe answer to a student’s situaas a good or bad is their ing the term, one will have gained considerable experience and job tion. In that case, tell them you don’t initial desire to look out for satisfaction from working with know but you’ll look into it and get back to students and care about them; the people from different cultural them ASAP. Remember, the worst thing you rest comes after. can do is try to give advice when it’s wrong; Being the Education Officer and diverse backgrounds. you’re wasting time and effort, and the stu- in the Students’ Union this year Furthermore, I sit on several University committees dent isn’t getting the assistance they asked is, beyond doubt, the greatest 1. S/He shall have ultimate responsibility for the co-ordination of for and deserve. job I’ll ever have. Whatever on behalf of students, ranging the CRC in conjunction with the relevant staff members. There will also be times when you have to happens, this job has shaped, from drug policy, health, safety, 2. S/He shall provide a confidential listening and referral service run campaigns. The Education Officer’s prepa- matured and affected me insoloans and fees and parking. for all Union members. ration and time-management is key here. For far as I’ve learned how to be a However, the most important 3. S/He shall represent members on various University committees. me, my main campaigns were electing over better person in life and how part of my job is casework, 4. S/He also has responsibility for keeping the Executive and genwhich is dealing with any 350 class reps and preparing SU Council to to help people and I’ll look back eral student body informed on relevant educational issues. bring about the biggest fees march Galway has with pride. major problems that you might 5. S/He shall be responsible for dealing with individual ever seen. While spending late nights in the Knowing I have helped so encounter throughout the year. requests from students. office working on these, it was still my duty many students is the most amazing Whatever you need, from 6. S/He shall also organise and chair the Education to help individual students, so it takes good achievement I’ll ever have. For the condoms, hassle with landlords or Forum. time management and preparation to juggle next Education officer, I hope to give someone to talk to when you're feel7. S/He shall also be required to give a maneverything and still give all the different tasks the best crossover training and they’ll be ing down, the welfare officer is here for datory report on work carried out at the level of attention they deserve. the Education Officer that NUI Galway stuyou. All you need to do this job is patience each Executive meeting. While my role is close to how I imagined it, dents deserves. Best of luck to all candidates and a big heart; after that, everything else just there are many things that can and will come in the polls. falls in place.

SU Constitution: The Students’ Union Welfare Officer

SU Constitution: The Students’ Union Education Officer

S U P r e s id e n t

Conor Stitt Interviewed by Jenna Hodgins What are your reasons for running for president? My role in the Students’ Union at the moment is something I’m very passionate about, but as president I’d love to take on the exec team, promote what they can do and help them out in every way so that they can give the passion that I give to my job and know how to use that passion. Also, finances are taking a huge toll on students, and it’s getting more and more apparent that it plays on their minds whether they can enjoy college or not, or go to college or not. I want to take the lead and I feel I have the experience to do that, to actually start working on these problems and start fighting against fees, grant cuts and so on; looking at the students’ assistance fund, stuff like that. What are your main “I have aims and objectives if you’re elected? Something I feel the experience, quite strongly about is seeking full repthe passion, the knowresentation on the SU council so that how; everything that every class would have their say and would make a good I’d tell the class reps to go back and dispresident.” cuss them with their class so every student was by default effectively represented by their class rep at SU council. One of my policies is to make an Ents Crew, which would be like the Welfare Crew, but it would be about event management, getting gigs on campus, getting the experience, which would not only see us get better Ents, more affordable stuff and big names on campus but is fully student-driven. We’d have our own set budget that we can work with and make losses and profits, get working and get everyone involved in that. It’s these kinds of things that are great in that you can come and go as you please; there’s no responsibility involved, you can just get involved where you feel passionate and help people. It’s a way you can get involved in the Students’ Union without taking on the responsibility like that of a class rep but where you want to help out where you feel passionate. How do you plan on getting students involved in the union? I want people to get to know the SU, know the officers, know what the decisions and the roles are in the Students’ Union and the services they provide and from that, people get a great interest; people will take on the responsibility of being a class rep or a parttime officer or perhaps a full-time officer next year. The more people you get involved the more they will turn to their friends and say; “I was helping out on Mental Health week this week. They have a talk on tonight, do you want to go?” and more people get involved; it’s a domino effect.

Sean Kearns Are you intimidated at the prospect of taking over from Paul Curley? [Laughs]No. I think Paul has put a huge amount of energy into this year and he has put himself on the line time and time again; his own health, energy and time. It’s something I can relate to because it’s something I do now, except his role is different, being the head honcho; it’s very high profile. I know in terms of time and effort, I can match that because I do that now. I’ve stepped in this year when Paul was away. So I definitely think I have the know-how there. Do you think you have the leadership skills for the position? I believe so, I think I’ve a proven track record, having elected over 350 class reps. It takes a lot of confidence and know-how to get up in front of a classroom and get them to elect a class rep or come out on a march, to get them to believe in you. Even to get voted into the Students’ Union, it takes a leader; it takes people to be in that role. I know myself that I have the leadership skills and I’m sure if you asked anyone else, they would say that too. How do you see the union’s future with the USI, considering UCD has recently disaffiliated itself? I’ve been working with UCD SU for the past year and while I haven’t always agreed with their stance on things, it’s good to have a diversity of opinion; that’s something we’ll miss. I’ve received an incredible amount of help from the USI and different officers from around the country. That kind of networking is absolutely essential and there would be the benefits of the USI on my presidential term because they are a huge benefit to us. Why should students elect you? I have a proven track record as an Education Officer who has worked hard, been passionate and who has turned the office around and improved it significantly. I have the experience, the passion, the know-how; everything that would make a good president. The main thing to have is a care for students… and I care about every student. I want to see everyone do well without having to worry about their financial position or whether they have to emigrate or not. Having that care for students is something no-one could ever deny I have. Is there anything else that you’d like to add? Firstly, I’d like to encourage students to get out and vote. It’s essential that you have your say in who is going to be representing and making decisions on your behalf. If you believe there is someone right for the position, then vote for them because it is incredibly important that we have the right person. Be a part of the change you want to see; put your trust behind the candidate you feel fits that. Secondly, no matter what happens, I’ll still be an education officer until the 30 June and I’m going to be working hard. So if students feel the need to come to me, do.

Interviewed by Sean Dunne What are your reasons for running for president? I have been involved in The SU for three years now and have been the nursing class rep for three years. I have also worked in the SU cloakroom for two years now. A lot of people think this may just be about handing out smelly gear bags when in fact it is not. A lot of the time people come to you with queries and concerns as they think this is the SU. That was something that really struck me; when students were walking around without even knowing where The Students Union is, and I think this is a big problem within The SU. Students don’t relate to it and they become very despondent to it, and think it is just a building that exists. This is one of the main reasons I want to run, I want to change this , I want to bring the SU to students because at the end of the day it is their Union and this is something I want to do as President. What are your main aims and objectives if elected? This year SUSI was introduced for the first time, as the grants scheme, and lots of people will be rolling their eyes as they probably were told that they had incomplete forms, and did not receive their grants on time when this was not the case. I talked to different friends in different facilities and I think this is one of the most important things that must be done on a continued basis throughout the year as people’s needs change and different issues arise throughout the year... I want to make it a Students’ Union preoperative that this does not happen again, even if it is as simple as coming to a SU officer before students send away their information prior to applying for the grant. Another thing I want to change is the image of students which perhaps came as a result of RAG week a few years ago and I want to change this by making the SU more in touch with ALIVE and volunteering. I think a great incentive I could introduce would be a monthly volunteering incentive which would allow students to become involved in a fun way and it would be of no extra cost to the SU. It creates an image that students would get involved in and would maybe cost like €2 for an event in the college bar. It creates a great environment for students and also a great image of students on all the good work they do. All money raised would go to an outside charity. Making The SU accessible to all students is a key facvolunteering tor and the services are something I really want to generate. It makes the students feel good and the outside community sees a betof the college ter reflection community.

S U P r e s id e n t

Rory McCormack How do you plan to get students more involved in the union? It’s down to the little quirky things. I want to bring a couch down outside the libary and sit there for a day and have students come and sit and tell me your problems. Thinking outside the box is my main plan and I want to get more to the north side of the campus and get even more involved with Clubs and Socs. It’s about being creative and using methods that haven’t been used before. The monthly volunteering ideas that can be fun are another main aim, like a sports day for students and for students not to be afraid to approach the SU team. Are you intimidated by the prospect of taking over from Paul Curley? [Laughs] Well I’m pretty sure I’m shorter than him but no I am not majorly intimidated by taking over from Paul Curley. If you try to follow in someone else footsteps then you aren’t bring your own ideas to the team. Every President brings different skills Do you think you have the leadership skills for the position? I have done a lot of volunteering work with people with intellectual difficulties and people with mental health disorders so I think I could bring a lot to The SU in terms of this. I have also been involved in lot of societies and this is where my want to get involvement has come from. Lit & Debating gave me a great way to learn to public speak and I want to be a the drama Society President that is told has given me the what to do by students charisma skills as in and for them to find me a team role like the SU, approachable. we all need to get along. So yes I think I have the leadership skills. How do you see the union’s future within the USI, considering UCD has recently disaffiliated itself? It’s very early days to judge as UCD have just stepped away from it and we can’t tell if it was a good choice. If it comes to it we need to bring it to students and class reps and really weigh up the pros and cons. Discussion with UCD also would be needed to hear their feelings on the situation. Why should students elect you? I think I have the skills and have been extremely involved in volunteering and clubs over the past 4 years. I want to be a President that is told what to do by students and for them to find me approachable. Plus I am really nice too and I apologise in advance for the badgering for votes in the coming days. Anything else you’d like to add? I think the current SU team have done a good job, it’s not an easy job and sometimes I think students don’t understand the full extent to the job. I want it to be improved upon by more than just a weekly e-mail. It’s very easy to criticise when you haven’t done the job. We need to be going out and telling students what we plan to do and hear from the NUIG population what they want done for them.

Interviewed by Jessica Thompson What are your reasons for running for President? I’m running for president because I’m passionate about this college. I’ve been here for three years, I’m in my final year and I think this would be a great way to give back to the college. I’m all set for it, and if I get in I know I’ll do a really good job. I think it would be the perfect job for me. I’ve been playing sports for years and I’m a team leader and I definitely have the leadership skills needed for the job. What are your main aims and objectives if elected? I have lots of aims, but the main ones are to improve student engagement in the Students’ Union. I want to reach out to the majority of students and get them more involved. I want to increase accessibility to the Students’ Union to the majority of students who often wouldn’t go down there. I want to fight fee increases and grant cuts on a national level by campaigning from a local perspective within the college and within Galway, and within the USI on a national front.

Do you think you have the leadership skills for the position? I do. Because I’m very confident and I’m capable, but I am very caring as well. I would listen to everybody. I would want a bottom-up leadership, starting from the bottom so I could hear every student’s view, get class reps more involved in the union, so there’s meetings with brainstorming sessions straight away where everybody comes with their problems and we can just meet and negotiate between a board of people instead of just a top-down leadership where I tell everybody what to do. I gathered most of my leadership skills from sports, being involved in clubs and societies throughout my time in college and I think anybody would say I am a leader and I am confident and I’m competent as well. So they’re the main qualities you need in a leader and I think I tick all the boxes.

How do you see the Union’s future with USI considering UCD has recently “I’m very disaffiliated itself? I think the union has to stay with USI. confident and How do you plan on getting We need to be part students involved in the union? Mainly by promotion of it on campus. Obviof the national body I think I would be a ously there are good Welfare and Education to get any action platforms to do that on. I want to go out and done for students great leader. I represent reach out to students, go onto campus, go and to promote out to accommodations and get everybody student well-being, the majority. That’s what aware in college – especially first years who because it’s tough might not be aware, when they come in, of being a student, the Students’ Union the people who are there for them, if they need living off very little money, getting stressed somebody to talk to. needs.” I want to do that by reaching out to the students. out. We need to be on a I want to open up two or three more SU centres across national front to promote better well-being. the campus where people can pop in, have a chat, have a coffee and tell us their problems and the difficulties UCD’s circumstances are different from our own. they’re going through. I also want to integrate post- They had to withdraw from the USI. I do see NUI grads and mature students more into college life by Galway’s future with USI and I don’t see them withorganising nights for postgraduate and mature drawing it any time soon because we need to be students, to get them more into the mainstrong and united on the national front to get any real changes made with regards to fees and stream college circles. I want to engage the majority of grants, so I don’t see that affecting NUIG’s position within USI. students within the Students’ Union by making it more accessible to all Why should students elect you? and having the officers on the ground Students should elect me because I’m caring. throughout the college so they’re easy to see, easy to talk to. I want to be more I’m easy to talk to. If anyone has a problem, involved with class reps, and get them more I’d like them to come up and talk to me about involved within their classes to get a more real it. I’m hard-working. I’m very confident and I approach to the governing of the Students’ think I would be a great leader. I represent Union and get more involved in all corthe majority. That’s what the Students’ ners of the college and all circles. Union needs – someone who represents the majority of students and empathises with their Do you feel intimidated by day-to-day problems. the prospect of taking over from Paul Curley? [Laughs] Well I know Is there anything else Paul personally and you’d like to add? I hope that everyone I think he’s doing a gets down and votes great job, but no I’m in the elections on not intimidated by Thursday and that the thought of takwe get as many peoing over from Paul. ple involved in the I think I could do voting as possible, just as good a job if and I’d like to thank not better. I have a lot of respect for the everyone who votes things he’s done but for me in advance I think I can take the and hopefully it’ll be a Students’ Union to the good week on campus and next level. everything will go to plan.

We l fa r e Officer

J.D. Kiely

Saoirse Nic A’Bhairde

Interviewed by Marése O’Sullivan

Interviewed by Ciara Treacy

going for their day’s training, offer them this option and it’ll work towards their Why are you running for the ALIVE Cert as well. They can be trained with groups such as The Samaritans and position of Welfare Officer? I feel like I can make a difference. I’ve others like them for one day and they can dealt with a lot of people’s problems – run this hotline twice a week just for stubefore. I was Auditor of Music Soc. I was dents. Maybe on the busier nights where dealing with people constantly. They people are going out – when there’s more wanted gigs; they came to me. I took on people going out, there are a lot of people staying in as well – and maybe they need that role of parent, I suppose. I’d like to be there for people that were to talk to someone that lives in or around in my position before; I had problems the college, but totally anonymously. with handing in sick notes and bereaveWhat I want to do about financial ment notes. There’s a lot of confusion instability is nip it in the bud. A lot of around that. If I get elected to this posi- first years come in and they have no idea tion, I want to simplify things. I want how to spend money. They’re used to to be there – I want to be down getting maybe €20 off their parwith the students. I just want ents when they need it. They to put my own skills to use. “I want don’t have the knowledge to allocate their money at to be there What would be your all. So what I want to do – I want to be is, once a semester, make main aims and a big event out of it. We objectives if you down with the bring in older students were elected? students.” There are three main and more people from the SU – students that know how areas in NUI Galway that to spend their money. need to be tackled. That’s Sexual Health, Mental Health and Financial Stability. There’s a lot of What do you see as being the stigma surrounding sexual health. Last key skills and personality traits year, there was a great statistic – one in needed to be Welfare Officer and every four NUI Galway students that got do you think you possess them? screened for STIs actually had one, so it It’s all about dealing with people. It’s needs to be more accessible for people. a case-by-case study. Someone comes up I was looking at a college over in to you and they need to feel like they can Scotland and they have anonymous STI chat to you. They need to feel like you’re screenings. Basically, you go into the one of them. Like I say, I’ve done past clinic – I want to organise it in Áras na work with the Music Society. I actually Mac Léinn, hopefully – you pee into a went in there and I had no past expericup, you put your phone number on the ence in societies but I was dealing with top of it, and you leave it in a room where different people, different societies, trying no-one knows who left what where. It’s to bring everyone in together. I feel that only a phone number at the top. Then I possess the skill to be seen as a friend. that’ll go away for analysing and it’ll be screened and the number will be texted Why do you think students should whether they should come in or they’re elect you as their Welfare Officer? okay. We could organise that once a I think students should elect me as month. I know there are a couple of their Welfare Officer because I’ve teething problems with it but I’m had experiences dealing with sure that, with enough effort, we the college before, I’ve reprecould streamline that process. sented them in an all-Ireland For mental health, I’d like setting with the societies, and to initiate a call centre for stuI can be accessible to them. dents, by students, just a kind I’ve dealt with a lot of these of hotline where students can problems first-hand, such as ring up and chat and talk to repeats and different things people their own age. If you with the college, and I think ring, let’s say, the Samaritans, that I’m easily approachthere are a lot of older able and they can chat people there. Someto me. times, students feel like they can’t relate to them. So, what I want to do is integrate more with the Class Reps; when they’re

Why are you running for the position of Welfare Officer? I’ve been involved in the Students Union for the past three years very heavily and I have a genuine interest in student welfare and students being represented well – their opinions, their values – and to make sure that they’re well looked after. Sometimes they aren’t and they don’t know their rights; they don’t know that they can get help. It’s very important that there’s someone there to help them when they do need it.

it is very important that people can come to you, they can talk to you, you can be accepting of their situation and you can look at it without judging them in any form or way in the situations they are in or what’s happening to them and that they feel safe and comfortable coming to you. I think that I’m quite an approachable person in that way. And I’m definitely not judgemental in any way!

Why do you think students should elect you as their welfare officer? I’m a very hard working person. I’ve been involved in the union, I know how the Students Union works, I know how the university works. I will absolutely fight for What would you see as being your what needs to be fought for with regards main aims and objectives if elected? To inform people, to get them involved to fixing the SUSI system, with regards to and to improve the systems that are already running the right campaigns, bringing back there. For example, I would include a the good reputation of students hopefully sexual health awareness campaign in the by bringing in a charity week entirely sepaFreshers’ Fortnight. That’s when people rate from the old rag week where drink was involved! But basically just by being are coming to college, going out, having great fun, but it’s also an approachable person and the most dangerous time for very good at what I do and them with regards to sexjust helping out students as “I’m a very ual health because they much as possible. hard working don’t know quite what’s My ideal over the person. I will what. We don’t know entire year would be to how educated they are run several campaigns absolutely fight for on those sorts of things. to improve the systems what needs to be I think that’s very imporwe have in place, to basifought for…” tant – to be wise and to cally work at what the be aware. other people have started As well as that I think but haven’t gotten finished because of the way the Students a part of welfare that’s really commonly ignored is student health Union works. Each year you have new as a whole. I’m planning on bringing in people in it so what one person has worked general fitness classes which will be avail- hard at may not seem as important to able to everyone and I want to run that in someone else whose main objective at the conjunction with the clubs to encourage beginning of the year was to do something physical health which is a broad part of else. So a lot of things get left hanging. Like student welfare that is often overlooked there was talk at the beginning of this year in the SU. of a USI referendum which didn’t quite hapAnd as well as that I want to bring in a pen because it wasn’t viewed as being that general safety campaign for students – to integral. Same with the universal gym bike safely, walk safely, go on nights membership and it’s not that out safely – in general look after those aren’t important and themselves, to care for themit’s not thatv they weren’t selves and ensure everyone gets worked at. It just that they on okay and is alright. didn’t get completed because it was just such a short time period that What do you see as each person is in that being the key skills position and there’s so and personality traits much work involved needed to be Welfare as well. My ideal would Officer? And do you be to complete a lot of think you possess them? unfinished business I’d say you need to be very approachable, to be able and to make to listen to people some pathand to look at ways into improving their situation objectively. I do what we think I possess have. those skills. I have to say

We l fa r e Officer

Declan Higgins

Cathal O’Hagan

Interviewed by Lyndsay Hughes

Interviewed by Jane Kearns

What do you see as being the key skills and personality traits needed to Why are you running for the be welfare officer and do you think you have them? position of welfare officer? Fundamentally, it’s to represent stuI think first and foremost, you should dents. I’ve had many happy years here be easy to talk to and caring. I’ve worked now, I’ve been involved in class rep with people who have been bereaved councils and I’ve seen the importance for the last 2-3 years now, so I think of the position of welfare officer. I think that would play into it a lot. I think in it’s more suited to my particular set of addition, you need to be professional, skills because I enjoy dealing with people to be able to deal with case work, while and helping people with their difficul- still not getting overly attached, or dealties. When I was thinking of running ing with it in an overly emotional way. for the SU, I looked at the different posi- You need to be able to separate the two tions and I thought welfare would be things, and that’s what would provide the one I’d most like to do and the one the most effective service. I think that Dami has done a very that would be most suited to my set of good job over the course of the skills. last year, and I hope to continue on much of What would you see the good work, while as being your main introducing different aims and objectives “I am easy to initiatives as well, if elected? talk to and have We l l t h e f u n d a to give it a different mental tenet of it is a angle. a caring nature that belief in the support would complement services and bringWhy do you think that role.” ing them to students. students should College can be a very elect you as their daunting place, especially welfare officer? for first years. I remember Well I think that over when I was in first year; you’re the last three years of being not aware of the support services, involved with the class rep counhow to go about getting into the serv- cil and various societies, I have the ices. What I intend to do is formulate a necessary skills. I know a lot of the stu‘We’re Here’ campaign to bring all sup- dent body and I think I am easy to talk port services together and to promote to and have a caring nature that would them across campus, so that all students complement that role. are full aware of all services. It’s all really I think that the welfare services are tied up in the words ‘We’re Here,’ and it very fragmented. Theyare so far spread takes away that barrier so students know apart. I think we need to bring them that there are services, counselling and together so that if a student hypothetically came to me and said ‘Declan, I’m so on, there for them. If elected, I intend to run a strong having difficulty,’ I could give them sexual health awareness campaign and all the support services that are availprovide for screening, hopefully on able in perhaps a booklet for example, campus. I think it’s a stigma issue now so they are fully aware of all the and people are not being tested for services. At the moment, STDs and I think that’s an imporit can be confusing, tant thing to do now; to raise so I think we need awareness for the overall to bring all the services together campus. To underline the whole lot, I’d represent stuand have an dents, and that could be official conferfor anything – accommoral system, so dation issues and issues that students that students would have are never on with external communitheir own. ties and so forth. I would bring a more harmonious off and on-campus relationship between students, and those who are not here.

Why are you running for the position of Welfare Officer? It’s the one position that you can actually change individual students’ lives with. There are general policies and issues but it is very much a position where one person can come to you and you can be direct with them, hear their problem, go and solve it and hopefully make a difference for them.

nesses and TDs, and ask if they oppose fee increases and grant cuts, and then I’ll tell them I’m actually going to run a marathon to raise money for students on the grant to put money on their SU Cards so they can simply afford food. My plan with that is to hopefully get sponsorship from local TDs and businesses, and even if I can help one person afford food then it would be worth it. And my final aim is the don’t walk home alone campaign which I think they already do in GMIT. It’s basically an initiative for when a person walks home alone after a night out because they have no money to get a taxi; my plan here is to organise with taxi companies to take a student’s college ID card and keep it until they can afford to pay for the fare the next day, and obviously we’d rather go and pay a €5 taxi fare than pay €30 for a new ID card.

What would you see are being your main aims and objectives if elected? This is the part I feel strongly about; I’m going to start with the M&M Campaign that I plan to put in place. M&M means Money and Mental health, which are two major things that affect every single student coming into college. Regarding mental health, one in ten people suffer from depression and one in two people What do you see as being the key skills will have to deal with it at some time in their and personality traits needed to be welfare lives; so that means over 7000 people in NUI officer and do you think you have them? Galway will have to deal with depression at You have to be approachable; you need to some point. have similar experiences to other students, and If elected I plan to run an “Inspire” I do – I am on the grant. I know what campaign, which would highpeople are going through waiting light people such as Abraham “You for their next instalment so I Lincoln, Neil Lennon, Kylie can talk about grant issues and need to money issues with students. Minogue and even Frankie know the issues, Another thing that I from the Saturdays who understand is what a frighthave achieved greatness in and I think I do ening time college can be, their lives despite suffering know them.” from depression. When a lot of especially at the beginning, people are depressed they’re just when I came to college here I in a bad place and think that they came from Monaghan and I was can’t get out of, but with this campaign the only person from my school and you get a chance to see people who have done I knew no one, but I got involved in societies things that seem impossible and to show that and made friends. So if people are anxious you can get out of it. I want to show people that about being alone in college I do understand you can beat depression, you can be treated and what they’re going through and they can talk you can achieve anything you want. to me. The second part of M&M is the Money Overall I think experience and approachcampaign, and this is sort of a new area, ability are important for this role. Finally I because at the moment I see the Students’ was auditor of LawSoc last year. For Welfare, Union as being reactive and not you need to know how to highlight issues and proactive to government through working with LawSoc I’ve been able policies. Anytime to learn to deal with the media and get exposure on issues that I want like you hear about mental health, money and safety. the Students’ Union you Why do you think students should see that they are of course elect you as their welfare officer? doing a great I think all my issues are things job, but one that need to be on the ground, stuff thing you that needs to be changed and stuff that people care about. You need to do hear a lot know the issues, and I think I do about is their know them and I am approachable fight against fees, and I will of and I have the experience in dealing course continue to with the media and a variety of people. fight against fees but I As auditor in LawSoc I got the opportuwant to be more proacnity to talk to Nobel prize winners, tive. I want to go Mary Robinson, Jim Brown and a lot of people in authoraround to ity, so I know how to get local the best from those busipeople, and I would continue all of this in the welfare role.

We l fa r e o ffic er

Patrick Clancy

Claire McCallion

Interviewed by Joyce Fahy

Interviewed by Cormac O’Malley

Why are you running for the position of Welfare Officer? My main agenda is to help people. I have been a volunteer at the societies’ office for all of my college life and was the Arts Convenor for the last year – I want to continue helping students’ wellbeing. I am also a volunteer at Childline and I get on especially well listening to people and advising them on their problems.

What do you see as being the key skills and personality traits needed to be welfare officer and do you think you have them? One needs to be a people person. I think I am and my family have always said I should go for a strong people-orientated job. Also, I have good organisation skills, which is important for this job. One must also have the drive and want to care for the people of NUI Galway, which I most certainly have.

What would you see as Why do you think students being your main aims and should elect you as objectives if elected? their welfare officer? My main objective is to keep on I believe I am the best canditop of casework. I want to make date. I know it’s a cliché, but it’s sure I am not overwhelmed by the a cliché for a reason; I believe I casework but I also want to ensure have the best ideas. If elected, I it doesn’t prohibit me from being will be implementing an anonymous student line that students seen around campus. The current officer, can ring if they are feeling depressed or lonely, Dami Adebari has done a very good or even if they job. He’s done want advice on as much as anything edu“One needs to he can with cational, be a people person. regards financial or SUSI (the otherwise. I think I am and my new grants I not only family have always said scheme) want to help I should go for a strong students to and makstay safe, but ing sure people-orientated also to feel all students job.” empowered. aren’t being I have really supressed by their finances. Also enjoyed working Bea, the head of counas Arts Convenor and selling, and Dami have tackled would relish in the opportunity mental health by de-stigmatising of tackling issues such as menit and meeting students in lecture tal health, educational, finance halls throughout campus to dis- problems and any other wellbeing cuss the available counselling problems students may encounter. services in the college. If elected, I am open to takDami also did ing ideas on board as best I can. great work with SHAG week, menAlso, I know I tal health week have hair in my photo, but when etc, I aim to you see me continue all around camthese geat projects. pus, I’ll be bald as I’ve since shaved it off to raise money for the Student Assistance Fund.

on placement, from nearly all departments and all schools. But, I’ve been talking to students on Why are you running for the placement who feel that they’re not really on campus and they’re position for welfare officer? I feel that I have the experience not really working either. It’s a in the student union. I was class very grey area. So, we need to rep in first year. In second year I draft a welfare charter to let these was council chairperson, and this students know what their rights year I’m equality officer. are, who they can go to if they I’ve dealt with a lot of welfare have problems on placement, issues. The Equality and Welfare and what the Student’ Union officers interact with each-other can do because we still represent. deal with a lot of the same issues. My third objective is that In my three years in the student we’re going to expand condom Union, I’ve seen the Welfare officer Wednesdays. It’s been great this come away from being on campus year, thousands of condoms and talking to students, to being have been given out, you in the office dealing with see people with a lot of personal issues. pink t-shirts eveWhile this is imporrywhere but “Welfare tant, we need to we need to needs to be talk to students acknowledge brought back to who would not the fact that feel comfortthe Welfare students. I believe able or wouldn’t campaign that I can do know that they is not just that.” can come in to the about sexual student Union to talk health. We need to the Welfare officer. to address a larger I think that we need to amount of mental and have more presence away from physical health issues. So, for Smokey’s. So, we need to get on condom Wednesdays there will North Campus, we need to be in be tables on campus, so it’s not student residences more and we just going to be in Smokey’s. The need to tell students that it’s okay engineering will have table for to come to the welfare officer to example and it will be manned talk about issues. by me and by volunteers. The welfare working group is going to be expanded, and we’re going What would you see as to train them up more and give being your main aims and them knowledge on aspects of objectives, if elected? I want to bring in a Welfare college like where the counselforum where twice a year there’ll ling services are and where the be a meeting where students can disability office is. come in and talk about what they want from a welfare campaign, and what they need from a welfare officer. What you may need from a welfare officer and what I may need could be completely different. Like I may need physical help, but you may need help with study skills. We need to find out what students need. Then, we can use these ideas to direct the welfare campaign. My second idea is to draw up a welfare charter. An increasing amount of students have to go

What do you see as being the key personality traits to be welfare officer, and do you think that you have them? I think you need to be able to listen to students. I need to not just be able to talk at students but listen to what they want too. The Welfare officer needs to be able to leave their personal opinions at the door. You have to be impartial and you have to give advice that has no real reflection on what you believe. I think that the welfare officer as well needs to care about students, and should not be going in to the job for themselves. They should be going in for students. I think that the welfare officer should be able to separate themselves from the job, they shouldn’t take it all on board and I don’t think that I will. In fact, I know that I won’t take it all on board. But you need to be able to listen to students and find out what they need. Why do you think students should elect you as their welfare officer? I think that students should elect me because I have the experience. I can hit the ground running come July. I know the people around college that I need to go to if I need something sorted. If a student comes to me with an issue regarding their accommodation, I know who to go to. I know all of the numbers to call. I know how to deal with these issues because I’ve dealt with them before. I’ve dealt with a lot of casework in my time as Equality Officer and I feel that I have gained the necessary skills in how to do this job. I know that I can be a great welfare officer. I have made out a list of aims in my manifesto that I know are achievable. I do think that welfare needs to be brought back to students. I believe that I can do that.

Educat i on offi cer

Conor Nolan

Kevin Kennedy

Thomas McConigley

Interviewed by Marese O’Sullivan

Interviewed by Jessica Thompson

Interviewed by Ann-Marie Donelan

Why are you running for the position of Education Officer? Well, because I think education is the most important part of college. That’s why we’re all here, for our education, so we might as well have an officer who will help every student when they need it, with any education problems at all. I was a Class Rep when I was in first year, and there were certain problems that were wrong with the Class Rep system then, although it seems to be improving each year. Still, there were a few faults this year that could be changed. I was Convenor of Business, Public Policy and Law this year, so I worked very closely with the Class Reps and I know I said there were a couple of issues that really could be changed there, and that’s a role that the Education Officer deals with, so I think I can really help the students, help Class Reps to help the students.

Why did you decide to run for the position of Education Officer? I decided earlier on this year to run for Education Officer because when I got involved earlier on this year with the welfare crew and Dami, I started to see the problems that students faced and how big those problems were and what the SU could do about them. So when I got involved in all that, I wanted, straight away, to run and to get involved more. I knew myself that I can make changes to assist all the students in this college. I can see the solutions myself and how I could go about bringing those solutions to campus.

Why are you running for the position of Education Officer? Over the last two to three years I always thought about it and this year as I have started teaching first year tutorials – I’ve gone from sitting behind the desk and listening, to being in front of it giving notes and now I see what students actually need. Also, as it is my last year in NUIG I feel I should go for it.

What will be your main aims and objectives if “I don’t go you’re elected? I suppose the main probinto anything lems that I found this year half-heartedly; were that students seemed to have big problems with I give it my all the exams, and exam timefor absolutely tables and when they get everything.” their exams back, so hopefully if I was elected I would hope to have a better exam timetables for students. What I mean are the venues: not having students with exams at half nine in the Kingfisher and then an exam at half two out in Salthill. As well as that, here – when you do your exams in December, you don’t get your results back until the end of January, so I’ll hopefully change that and get results back a small bit quicker for the students and try to make the timetables more favourable for the students. I want to encourage students to get involved in the Students’ Union as well. We’re there for the students, so any problems that students ever have, they should use the Students’ Union, use the resources that are there for them. What do you see as the key skills and personality traits needed to be Education Officer and do you think you possess them? I’d hope I possess them. I think, as Education Officer, you need to be approachable. Students need to come and talk to you. If they email you, you need to be professional, able to email them back properly and try to reassure students that whatever problems they have, the majority of them can be resolved. At the end of the day, exams and college issues aren’t the end of the world. Why do you think students should elect you as their Education Officer? Well, if I’m elected, I’ll work 100%, I believe, go into anything for the students. I don’t half-heartedly; I give it my all for absolutely everything. I was unsure exactly if I was going to run for Education Officer, but so many of my students say to me that they want me to run because they know that I will give my all. I always have and I always will. You can only give always do that. 100% and I try to

What will be your main aims and objectives if elected? My main aim will be to put pressure on getting the grants on time. SUSI was ridiculous this year. It left students high and dry all over this campus. My own girlfriend is still, to this day, waiting for her grant. As it is, students who do get the grant are the most vulnerable students. If you’re getting a grant, you need a grant. There’s a system in place that you can only get a grant if you really need it and some of the most vulnerable students out there aren’t getting their payments on time. And if a student has that financial pressure hanging over their head all the time, then how can they concentrate on studying for their exams? It’s extra pressure that isn’t needed. What do you think are the key skills and personality traits needed to be Education Officer and do you think you possess them? “I know I’m Absolutely. Communication is a huge one. able to do it. You have to communiI’ve been in the cate with the students, with lecturers, with position of helping the different departpeople this year ments of the college. already.” Reliability is another one. You’re being trusted to represent the students across this college, and represent them outside, with USI and at USI Congress. You have to work hard. There’s a reason why it’s a full time position. There’s a reason why so many people go for it every year. It’s a bit job and you need to be a hard-working person and well-organised. I would also propose next year that it should be mandatory that all lecture slides go up on Blackboard for all students. Why do you think people should elect you? I’ve been involved with the SU this year. We went down to Ennis to protest outside the Clare County Council about the grants back in September and that was very successful. Through that and my work in different societies, I know I’m able to do it. I’ve been in the position of helping people this year already. Just through the Welfare group, people have come up to me asking me questions about certain problems they have. I’m well able to do this job and I think students should vote for me the best person because I am for this job.

What would be you main aims and objectives “I have an if elected? I have 5 main understanding of aims firstly to set students and their up an SU app for phones and needs on both sides other devices as I have been the where students student in the class could find out the stock of taking notes as well as the book shop, being the one giving important dates and news etc., also the class.” I would like to set up a module hub where at the beginning of each semester past students as well as lecturers would be able to give feedback on modules and let students know what to expect when choosing it. Also I will be looking into extending the library opening hours at weekends, particularly around exam time. A better run internship programme will be another idea I will be pursuing if elected and lastly I would hope to lower the fee of a 30 euro replacement fine for a student who loses their student card. What do you see as being the key skills and personality traits needed to be Education Officer and do you think you possess them? I believe you need to stand out and be able to talk in front of people as well as being friendly and approachable and understanding of students’ problems. I see the biggest problem with Education at the moment being students’ reluctance to approach lecturers with problems, with many being nervous and afraid to ask for help with a problem. Why do you think students should elect you as their welfare officer? As a student here in NUIG I used the S.U. services a lot and want to promote and them and feel further develop I have an understanding of students and their needs on both sides as I have been the class takthe student in ing notes as well as being the one giving the class. I approachable am genuine, and dedicated.

Educat i on Offi cer

Catherin Breslin

Mark Kelly

Interviewed by Conor Lane

Interviewed by Lyndsay Hughes

Why are you running for the position of Education Officer? I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in NUI Galway and want to give something back to the university and to the students. I feel like I have a lot to offer and that I represent the average student at NUIG. I also feel like I could do great work with the SU.

they just made made music events in the college bar, fundraising or what not. If we had a part-time position of someone with the sole purpose to create these events, I really feel like it would improve student life around campus. I would like to re-visit the RAG week deal. I don’t mean to bring it back, I just mean that I hope that our side of the bargain is being maintained. In the deal it was ensured that the health unit in the university would remain free. There are rumours now that this is going to be reneged on and I really think that this would be a complete disappointment to students as it is a fantastic service.

What will be your main aims and objectives if elected? Obviously with the education officer is usually “I’m grants, fees and funding. With the incoming of the centralized grants organised, What do you see as system, body SUSI being the key skills there has been a bit motivated and am and personality traits of a failure this year, needed to be Education in theory it will be a an approachable Officer and do you think good system in time you possess them? to come. What we’re Being approachable is one person.” experiencing now are of the main things because just teething problems. I you have to be student friendly don’t want to tear down the with the amount of people that system if I get elected. I don’t see have problems who need to feel comfortthat as the way forward. I feel like running able approaching you with them. From my with SUSI and working with them to try time in Biz Soc, I have developed my public and inform students and have them well speaking skills which I think are very necesprepared for any problems they may face sary because you’re talking to a wide range in the upcoming year is the way forward. of students. I’ve also developed my teamSecondly I want to clarify the issue working skills which are clearly a major of mandatory attendance. If mandatory part. You need to be able to represent a wide attendance isn’t in your degree program range of students. A lot of the candidates then why are lecturers taking attendance? sometimes come from an SU background If it’s not down on your degree program, and I think that there are a lot of people then I don’t really see the point in taking who have nothing to do with the SU and attendance in a lecture. the class rep system who need to be repreThirdly, one of the main things that sented by someone. really annoyed me when I was in first year was when I joined the B.Com degree and Why do you think students should we had to pay over €150 on compulsory elect you as their welfare officer? books in order to obtain codes to sit online I’m organised, motivated and am an tests. This system is ridiculous. We’re approachable person. From my just paying money out of our own time with the Business society pockets to make a lecturer’s life within the college I have easier. We’re paying enough as developed my public it is. speaking skills through My fourth point in lecture shout-outs my manifesto is to bring and addressing other back the position of the members of business part-time Ents officer. societies. I also feel that is important Most colleges in Universities and ITs all over for people outside the SU bubble to the country have one. I think this would bring be elected. I would back more student like to change this involvement around in the college campus because I feel and have more that there is a lack involvement for the students of involvement so vote Bresfrom Galway lin number students in one. their SU. Even if

Why are you running for the position of education officer? I feel that we’re coming to a critical juncture college-wise, next year we’re going to probably face more cuts to the grants, more increases in fees. The SU and the university are at loggerheads over certain issues in the college, and we need someone calm and stable; someone who will get the job done and has experience. I think I’m the kind of guy who could get in there and get the job done.

What do you see as being the key skills and personality traits needed to be education officer and do you think you have them? I think you have to be a little bit stubborn. You have to be really able to fight the university and lobby TDs viciously; you can’t just sit back.You obviously have to have good listening skills; you’ve got to be accessible; you’ve got to be friendly. I think I have definitely the stubbornness and I think I’ve got good listening skills from being a mentor leader. Leadership as well, obviously I’ve got those skills from being a mentor leader too. I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty, to fight the college or lobby TDs. I’ve done it before and I’ll keep doing it if I have to.

What would you see as being your main aims and objectives if you are elected? The big thing I want to do is get the students more involved in next year’s fees campaign. By this, I don’t necessarSo why do you ily mean that we will do the ‘Free “I’m not think students Fees’ thing again. I think we should elect have to look at all the issues; afraid to get you as their we have to get the students education involved more. So what my hands dirty, to fight officer? I’m planning to do is have We l l , a ‘Voice It’ forum, so we my slothe college or lobby TDs. would bring students into gan is ‘For one of the big theatres, and experience, I’ve done it before and do it three times over the for effecweek so every student gets to tiveness, for I’ll keep doing it if I you.’ I’ve been say what they want to say. I want to the pressure on SUSI; involved in the have to.” we’ve had massive issues this year Students’ Union with students not getting grants until for three years, I’ve after Christmas. There are still students been a class rep, and I’ve been who haven’t got the first payment of their on numerous different councils includgrant, and this is March. It’s ridiculous. The ing last year’s Election Reform Council. first day if I get in I’m going to call them, In first year I was involved in the Student once a week, until August. When the CAO Review of student services and this year comes out, I’m going to call them every day I was asked to help out with the Student after that, and have a set of objectives for Review again. This year, I was the SU counthem. If they don’t reach these objectives, cil chairperson and I’ve implemented a I’m going to go straight to the media. lot of change, and unlike last year, there’s In terms of the library, the big no bickering this year. You can ask any thing I’ll do is make sure that class rep and they’ll tell you that this the buildings and the library year has been way better than last communicate properly. year. I’ve been involved in USI, so I know how to lobby TDs effecWe have issues with sockets being gone; half tively, I know all the different of them are not working, contacts in the college and I and it’s taking away stucan attack if I have to. dents’ study time. I also Obviously, the most imporwant to make sure that tant thing is students. I want to the library interacts with be there for them, to help them all the college heads and at all times and make sure that the registrar, to make sure they feel like there’s someone that all the reading lists there that they can go and talk and all the required reading about any issues with grants, or material is bought. There is the library, or any problems they a fund there for the library have with their lecturers. to buy new books and it’s not being used properly.

Abo rtio n refere ndum Vote Yes for Choice By Sarah McCarthy On 7 March, students will be asked to vote on a proposal that the NUI Galway Students’ Union adopt a pro-choice position. This would include advocating for the right to legally access safe abortion in Ireland. So, why should you vote yes? First of all, it’s important to make one thing perfectly clear; Ireland’s laws against abortion do not prevent Irish abortion. Every year over 5,000 women travel from this island to UK abortion clinics, and many more order abortion pills online. This is a typical abortion rate, close to that of Britain. Let me say it again: we have a typical abortion rate. In reality, all that our abortion laws serve to do is make it very difficult for less privileged women to access the procedure. This includes increasingly large numbers of students. We are facing rising fees, cuts to grants, and the disastrous system SUSI which has left many still without their grant. We have reached the point where so many students are on the brink of poverty that many SU’s have begun handing out food boxes. How many of us could easily find the €500 €2,500 needed to travel; and at short notice? Many are simply deciding to order abortion pills online on websites such as womenonweb.org. While a medical abortion is a very safe procedure when done in the first nine weeks of pregnancy, this is hardly an ideal situation. One student from Dublin described her experience: "I couldn't afford to travel to the UK, so took the abortion pill at home at seven weeks pregnant... It was enormously stressful waiting for it to arrive... [It was] very stressful to take the pill with no medical supervision... Later I went to a family planning clinic for a check-up and they advised for me to have an ultrasound check. As

a student I couldn't afford it so I just had some blood tests and hoped everything would be okay." A consistent theme in such accounts is the loneliness and isolation that most women feel. Many speak of the anger they felt at having to hide their decision and others describe how they just wanted to be able to go home to their own bed. We need to face up to the reality that our restrictive abortion laws only work to place the most vulnerable women in a desperate situation when facing an unwanted pregnancy. It has been argued that our SU shouldn’t take one extreme side of such a “divisive issue”. But this misinterprets what the pro-choice position is. It is not one end of the scale; the opposite of the “pro-life” outlook would be one which holds that all pregnant people should be compelled to have an abortion. Prochoice is a broad stance which encompasses many points of view. It is not about being “pro-abortion”; it’s about realising that every child should be wanted, and that forcing a woman to go through with a pregnancy she does not want is simply w r o n g . E q u a l l y, it is about striving for a society in which all people have the support they need to have the children they want. Crucially, it is about trusting women to make decisions about their own lives for themselves. It is about respect and equality, values we should be proud to uphold. Students’ Unions have a long history of being at the forefront of the fight for reproductive rights. For decades they sold condoms illegally, and many gave out information about abortion against widespread public pressure and

legal challenges. Senator Ivana Bacik almost went to jail for doing so. In Galway, the NUI Galway SU was heavily involved in setting up the first Family Planning Clinic, amid much controversy. For years the national Union of Students of Ireland (USI) has had an explicitly pro-choice position and in the past few weeks Trinity SU and DCU SU have adopted the same stance. From gay liberation to women’s rights to natural resources, Students’ Unions have been instrumental in pushing Irish society forward, and they have always taken progressive positions long before they became the norm. A pro-choice stance is the natural position for our SU to take, and we shouldn’t be afraid of dealing with the tough issues. Savita Halappanavar's death is the stark, gut-wrenching proof that this issue is urgent, and that our "Irish Solution" is shameful. We have a duty to break the stigma, silence, and desperation that so many women in this country have to face. Take the first step; vote YES this Thursday.

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Referendum on Students’ Union Position on the Issue of Abortion On Thursday 7th March you will be asked to vote in a referendum on whether the Students’ Union adopts a Pro-Choice position in support of the national campaign for full reproductive rights, which includes a woman’s right to abortion, whether elective or medically necessary. The wording which will appear on the ballot paper, requiring a Yes / No answer, will be:

CMY

Do you agree with the following proposition: That NUI Galway Students’ Union adopt a Pro-Choice position, in support of the national campaign for full reproductive rights, which includes a woman’s right to abortion, whether elective or medically necessary. Furthermore, the Students’ Union should use every available measure to realise these rights on campus and nationally. This referendum has been requested by 500 members of the Students’ Union in accordance with the Students’ Union Constitution, Article 16.

Vote No to abortion on demand up to birth By Evelyn Fennelly Abortion is divisive and deeply personal Abortion is a deeply divisive and controversial issue. People come to support or oppose abortion based on deeply personal values and experiences. This needs a strong union to tackle the large challenges that loom in front of it – rising registration fees, the possibility of full tuition fees, the impact of austerity. These issues will be far more difficult to overcome with a student body fractured and divided over a contentious issue like abortion. The Students’ Union can remain neutral on this matter. Students should be allowed – in accordance with their own values and conscience – to make up their own minds about abortion. To remain united, the SU should remain neutral with regard to abortion. If you want the union to maintain its neutral stance, vote no. Realities of abortion on demand The referendum proposes that the SU campaign for a system of abortion on

An Reifreann ar Sheasamh Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn maidir le Ceist an Ghinmhillte Déardaoin, an 7 Márta, iarrfar ort vótáil i reifreann ar cé acu ar chóir do Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn glacadh le seasamh "ar son na rogha" mar thaca leis an bhfeachtas náisiúnta ar son cearta iomlána atáirgthe nó nár chóir, lena n-áireodh ceart na mná chun ginmhillte, beag beann ar cé acu an mbeadh an ginmhilleadh sin roghnach nó riachtanach de réir míochaine. Is mar seo a leanas a bheidh an fhoclaíocht ar an bpáipéar ballóide, ar a mbeidh ort freagra Tá / Níl a thabhairt:

An bhfuil tú ag toiliú leis an moladh seo a leanas: Go nglacfaidh Comhaltas na Mac Léinn, OÉ Gaillimh le seasamh "ar son na rogha", mar thaca leis an bhfeachtas náisiúnta ar son cearta iomlána atáirgthe, lena n-áireofar ceart na mná chun ginmhillte, beag beann ar cé acu an mbeidh an ginmhilleadh sin roghnach nó riachtanach de réir míochaine. Ina theannta sin, ba chóir do Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn úsáid a bhaint as gach beart atá ar fáil dó chun na cearta seo a bhaint amach ar an gcampas agus go náisiúnta. Bhí an reifreann seo iarrtha ag 500 ball de Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn, de réir Alt 16 de Bhunreacht Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn.

demand. Most pro-choice people would not advocate such a position, and I imagine many pro-choice people will be voting no on this referendum – because the proposal goes way too far for the majority of pro-choice people. If the SU is going to push for a system of abortion on demand, then the realities of abortion on demand in other countries need to be addressed. One of those realities is the targeting of prenatally diagnosed cases of Down Syndrome and other disabilities. In the UK, 91% of babies with Down Syndrome are aborted. In the US, the figure is at 95%. People with Down Syndrome have a right to be here. Neither their humanity nor their right to life is lessened because of disability. Another reality of abortion on demand is the systematic aborting of baby girls (gendercide). Genderbased abortions are now even happening in the UK, even though gender-based abortion is supposedly illegal. Gendercide is the most oppressive practice carried out against women today – there are over 200 million females missing because of gendercide. I’m baffled that the Feminist Society in NUI Galway can give their support to the tool that is used to bring this injustice about. In a system of abortion on demand without a time limit, many babies are born alive following abortion procedures. In a single year in the UK, 66 babies were born alive following abortion. These infants who survive abortion are able to breathe unaided. They are left to die from exposure – gasping for air and receiving no medical care. In Canada this same grisly scene was repeated nearly 500 times within a decade. The main pro-choice groups in Ireland support the “Canadian model”

of abortion – but they never mention these babies left to die. In the UK, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has advised doctors that babies who survive abortions should be ‘dealt with’ by giving them a lethal injection of Potassium Chloride to the heart. This is not a scene I want to see played out in Irish hospitals. Abortion won’t help women Abortion advocates falsely claim that legalising abortion would save the lives of women. Last month the government’s Health Committee heard evidence from consultant obstetricians. They were asked how many women have died because of Ireland’s ban on abortion. They all had the same answer: none. Women are not dying in Ireland because of our law on abortion. In fact, Ireland is consistently in the top 5 worldwide for maternal safety, sometimes even #1. If you want to improve the experiences of pregnant and birthing women in Ireland, support the expansion of midwife-led units or advocate for better ante-natal care for low-income women. Abortion won’t improve the outcomes from pregnant women. In fact, it could put them at greater risk. Our maternal safety score is three times better than the US, where abortion is legal. In the US, at least one woman a month dies from abortion. Groups such as Women Hurt are reporting an everincreasing number of women contacting them for help in the aftermath of abortion. How can it be claimed that this is pro-woman? Abortion won’t save women’s lives. It also won’t solve the problems in society that make women so desperate that they seek abortion in the first place – unsupportive boyfriends/husbands, cuts to children’s allowance. That’s what we need to tackle – not use abortion as a sticking plaster for failures in society. We have a healthcare system that honours the lives and wellbeing of mothers and their unborn babies, and does best for both. Let’s protect that; vote no.

Studen t SPea k

Asyiaf Maddan Medicine “We heard about lots of campus activity taking place from them.”

Student Speak

Election Special

Aisling Bell Psychology “I think they were decent enough, the free marshmallows last week were a good advertisement.”

By Seán Dunne & Órla Ryan

Jessica Brancely “I wasn’t really paying attention to be honest.”

eilly Aisling O’R sics Astro Phy h RAG week “I think wit ood job they did a g lling and with contro activities.” monitoring Aine Kilban e Bio Med “I’m not enti rely sure what th ey did, I only noticed shag week poster s and alcohol awareness.”

Felix Sproll Marine Science “I didn’t see them doing too much this year to be honest.”

Amy Robins Arts aigns “They advertised camp well; I’d feel happy them enough to approach if I had an issue.” Jos

eever Eabha McK they did rep; I think s s la c a ns and “I’m with campaig s b o j t n e n excell ys. Educatio a d s e n d e W condom were e and Welfar this year.” t n e ll exce Joyce Fahy MA Journalism “I think this year was a lot harder for them to work as there were a lot of problems with grants and students in financial difficulty.”

eph Eag ert Com on m “The erce re cond were o ever ms yw I can here; ’ reme t m anyt ber hing else they did.”

Studen t S pe ak Luke Callih an MA Modern Irish “Connor Stitt was excellen t but some of the others good have done a better job.”

Luyman Hakim Medicine “We got lots of e-mails during the year so we were happy to hear from them.”

e John Wad ow much n k “I don’t ey did, I of what th y care.” don’t reall

Leagh O’Mara Arts “I liked what they had done with campaigns on campus.”

Keelan Moore Creative Writing “I’m not sure if they did a good job, I’d like to know how much they spent on free alcohol vouchers in the past year.”

Roisin Murphy Arts “I don’t know anything about them.”

This week we asked students “How effective was the Students’ Union in engaging students this year?”

r Lydia Drive y d tu “I’m a s dent; abroad stu lly I don’t rea they know who are.”

Mark McGoldrick MA Journalism “I’m not really too aware of what the SU does in the college, I don’t even know who the officers are this year. Maybe next year they can raise more awareness as to who they are and what they do.”

Paul Cassidy Science “I think they did an okay Job, the campaigns were advertised very well.”

in Paul Griff Science “I wasn’t around campus too much but I plan to vote.”

388 SU Election Poster Part-Time.pdf

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The Irish National Student Survey needs your feedback! We want to hear from undergraduate (ﬁrst year and ﬁnal year) and postgraduate students. Tell us about your experience in college. We want to hear about your levels of engagement and satisfaction. We want to use your feedback to help colleges to identify areas of good practice and areas for improvement. Have your say and help to build a better education system for students.

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Preas Ráiteas: Seachtain na Gaeilge 2013

Press Release: Seachtain na Gaeilge 2013

4 –15 Márta 2013

4 –15 March 2013

Tá mic léinn in Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh, ag spreagadh a chéile leis an nGaeilge a úsáid roimh tús Seachtain na Gaeilge 2013, atá á eagrú ag Comhlathas na Mac Léinn OÉ Gaillimh, agus an Cumann Craic. Tá clár ama leathan d’imeachtaí éagsúla a chur ar fáil do gach duine, idir an 4rú agus an 14ú Márta 2013. Cuirfear tús leis ar an 4 Márta, le ‘Seoladh Seachtain na Gaeilge agus Feachtas Scéim Cónaithe na Gaeilge’ in Áras na Mac Léinn ag 12in. Beidh Oifigeach na Gaeilge, Feidhlim Seoighe ag seoladh feachtas nua bunaithe ar na scéimeanna cónaithe Gaeilge in Ollscoileanna eile timpeall na tíre. “Is scéim iontach é seo atá curtha i bhfeidhm in Ollscoileanna eile timpeall na tíre. Chruthach an scéim seo Gaeltacht beo, láidir ar an gcampas, agus ba cheart go mbeadh a leithead i bhfeidhm in OÉ Gaillimh” a deir Feidhlim Seoighe. Cuirfear fáilte roimh muintir iasachta atá ag iarraidh triail a bhaint as an nGaeilge ag rang d’fhoghlaimeoirí, My First Gaeilge (4ú agus 11ú Márta). Beidh go leor imeachtaí eile ar nós ceardlann drámaíochta (5 Márta), ceardlann damhsa (6 Márta) agus ceardlann amhránaíocht (6, 13 Márta) chomh maith. Tá na himeachtaí seo saor in aisce agus is féidir le gach duine a bheith linn! Bígí linn de Déardaoin, 7 Márta, do ceann de na príomh-imeachtaí, Rós Chlub Áras na nGael in Áras na nGael, Sráid Dominic 8in. Beidh na lovely ladies le stíleanna iontacha ann, strapairí láidre, agus aoi speisialta chomh maith. Tá an t-ádh dearg againn go mbeidh an Cabaret Craiceáilte i mBeár an Choláiste ag 9in, Luan 11ú. Beidh oíche den scoth i ndán do gach duine! Beidh Cóisir na Mac Léinn, ar siúl ar an 12ú Márta i gClub Aras na nGael. Seo deis ag daoine an Ghaeilge a labhairt i suíomh neamhfhoirmiúil. Beidh LÁ GAN BÉARLA ar siúl de Chéadaoin (13ú). Coimeád súil géar amach do mhic léinn OÉ Gaillimh lena gcomharthaí cárta agus iad ag labhairt i nGaeilge don lá iomlán!! Agus Seachtain na Gaeilge ag druidim chun deiridh, tabharfaimid aghaidh ar Chonamara agus Tigh Josie sa Cheathrú Rua ar an 14 Márta d’oíche lán de chraic, spraoi agus ceol! Deir Feidhlim Seoighe, freisin, gur iontach “an deis iad na hócáidí sóisialta chun snas a chuir ar Gaeilge mic léinn OÉ Gaillimh”. Le haghaidh tuilleadh eolais a fháil, téigh ar an leathanach facebook an Cumann Craic, http://www.facebook. com/cumanncraic. oegaillimh?fref=ts.

Students of NUI Galway are remembering their cúpla focal before the start of the Students’ Union’s Seachtain na Gaeilge 2013. The Student Union and the Cumann Craic are proud to announce a wide variety of events for 4-14 March 2013. The launch of Seachtain na Gaeilge, along with The Irish language Residence Scheme Campaign will happen in the Aras na Mac Léinn at 12pm on Monday the 4th of March. Oifigeach na Gaeilge, Feidhlim Seoighe stated that the “the introduction of a scheme, which is in place in numerous third level institutions across the country, would create a sustainable, living and active Gaelacht within NUI Gaway”. A beginner’s class will be held every Monday at 4pm for those who want to try their hand at Irish, My First Irish (4th and 11th March). There will be many other events including a drama workshop (5th March), a dancing workshop (6th March), and a singing workshop (6th March, 13th March). These are free and all are welcome! Be part of it on Thursday 7th, for one of the main events - The Rose of Club Áras na nGael (Dominic Street, 8pm). The glamorous lovely ladies will be there, fine strapping men, and a special guest too! We are very lucky to have the Cabaret Craiceáilte in the College Bar on Monday, 11th. A great night will be had by all! The Students’ Party will be on in Áras na nGael on Dominic Street (12th March). It will be a great opportunity to speak Irish informally. LÁ GAN BÉARLA is on Wednesday (13th). Watch out for the students with cardboard signs, speaking Irish all day long!! As a farewell to Seachtain na Gaeilge, we’ll be heading out to Conamara and Tigh Josie’s in Ceathrú Rua on Thursday 14th for a great night of craic, fun and music! Commenting on the fortnights events, Feidhlim Seoighe also noted the importance of informal events to spur students’ interest in the language. “Students do not usually have the opportunity to speak Irish in their daily lives, and the events held during Seachtain na Gaeilge give ordinary students the opportunity socialise as Gaeilge.” For more information, check out the Cumann Craic facebook page, http:// w w w. f a c e b o o k . com/cumanncraic. oegaillimh?fref=ts.

{sin}

{15}

Fashion

14–10

04–03

Socs in the City By Michael O’Loughlin The NUI Galway Rotaract Soc and NUI Galway Style Society will present a spectacular night of fashion, glamour and panache at the Socs in the City fashion show in the Radisson Blu hotel on Thursday 14 March. The charity event is sure to be a fantastic night of elegance and decoration. The night will be filled with excellent spot prizes and plenty of freebees. Before the show, there will be beauty stands and exhibits and competitions

for those who dress the best and attract the eye of the judges; the most fabulous and stylish woman will be awarded the best dressed award. The event is organised by the Rotaract society and the Style Society, one of NUI Galway’s newest and trendiest societies. Rotaract is an international organisation, with thousands of members who collaborate on a regular basis. The university societies are supporting local charities Larcc Cancer Care Centre and Hand in Hand, a children’s cancer charity.

The tickets are €15 for students and €20 for adults and will give invaluable assistance to the local cancer charities. The LARCC Centre gives support and holistic help to people living with cancer through a supportive environment, courses, information, experience and complementary therapies. Hand in Hand provides practical support for families who have been affected by childhood cancer. These charities are less well known than national charities and need any help available. Their work is so important

to cancer sufferers and needs to be continued, but they can only do so through charitable means. The event will be the pinnacle of NUI Galway Fashion Week organised by NUI Galway Style Society and is sure to create an exciting atmosphere around the university. The university stylists will be replicating modern looks from fashion weeks in London and New York and the show will feature both high street stores as well as indigenous Galway stores to show off their spring/summer collections.

The brilliant Suzanne Jackson of the contemporary So Sue Me blog will host the show that will feature the cream of NUI Galway’s modelling crop. So Sue Me is Ireland’s most successful online beauty, fashion and showbiz log and can be found at www.sosueme. ie. Jackson is a leading fashionista and beauty blogger and has transformed Ireland’s perception of fashion through social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter. Last year’s event was a massive success and this year will be even better according

to the organisers from the university’s societies. The event’s after party will take place in the Live Lounge with music from Rhythm Scheme. The Live Lounge in the Radisson Blu is a fantastic venue. Entry to the after party is secured with your ticket all for €15/€20. The after party is expected to be a thrilling end to an already exciting night. Tickets will be available all over the campus, at Smokey’s and the SocsBox as well as from the society members, so keep an eye out for posters and information during the week.

how to be metrosexual. They depict long hair, hair straighteners, quiffs, comb-overs, vest tops, earrings, fake tan and guyliner and now all of these trends have been adapted and are widely familiar. The metrosexual concept is not just related to reality TV stars but also with recent sports stars. Sports stars in the 21st century are increasingly being conveyed as celebrities. Cristiano Ronaldo, Gavin Henson and David Beckham are promoted as fashion icons along with their sports reputations. Salon.com

named David Beckham the poster boy for Metrosexuality. Their endorsements and modern style have made names for themselves and have them more popular and well known and have created a brand image. Metrosexuality is evident among students in varying degrees. To get the look, skinny jeans, low cut tees and hi-top runners usually fit the bill. The look has been transformed by designers and forms of chinos, boots, satchels and cardigans are now in fashion.

High street stores have started promoting this look and gearing clothing especially at the modern man, interesting in appearance and grooming – especially Topman. Slim clothing has been introduced by stores, both pants and tops and slim-fitted clothes are very much a metrosexual trend. Metrosexuality does not necessarily mean fake tan, chizzled abs, stereotypical combover, sand chinos and a white V-neck slim fitted tee; it is up to interpretation and personal style.

How to be Metrosexual. By Michael O’Loughlin Metrosexuality is a contemporary concept which has altered the perception of men’s appearance. Metrosexuality is a portmanteau term derived from metropolitan and heterosexuality. The idea is result of changing grooming practices for men which involves, trendier clothing, modern hairstyles and broadening minds. The fresh look is an outcome of urban and city lifestyles and allows men to keep up to date with present trends.

To b e m e t r o s e x u a l involves feminising the masculine; in other words combining classic male style with a funkier slightly feminine edge. Designers began to use feminine trends in men’s styles; skinny jeans and bags have now become a staple necessity in men’s wardrobes. Metrosexual men are continually portrayed in film and television and these men are consciously aware of their appearance and their overall perception. Reality TV stars have completely changed the face of

Metrosexuality. Shows like Geordie Shore, Jersey Shore, The Only Way is Essex and Made in Chelsea have changed public opinions of what metrosexuality is with a massive overhaul which has brought the 90s notion into this decade. Joey Essex, Mike “the situation” Sorrentino, Ollie Locke, Gaz Beadle, Mark Wright and Joel Corry have inspired the impressionable male ego. While these shows have been criticised for some of the things they represent, they have definitely modernised

Reality TV stars such as Joey Essex from The Only Way is Essex have completely changed the face of Metrosexuality.

Sports stars such as David Backham have mastered the metrosexual style, and created a brand for themselves.

The metrosexual style is increasingly popular among young men, and celebrities such as One Direction reinforce such styles.

Feminine trends such as skinny jeans and bags have crept into men’s style.

{16} A rts & E ntertainment {sin} 14–10

04–03

OPINION: Awards, movies and fashion – The Oscars 2013 By Michael O’Loughlin The 85th Academy Awards took place on Sunday February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. The show, hosted by Seth MacFarlane, honoured the best films of 2012. Successful films such as: Les Misérables, Argo, Lincoln, The Life of Pi and Django Unchained were rewarded for their box office achievement and reputable attributes. The star studded event epitomized the glamour and prestige associated with the film industry and the Hollywood reputation.

All of the main nominated films triumphed as they shared the glory. Argo won the coveted 'Best Picture' prize. Daniel Day-Lewis secured the 'Actor in a Leading Role' trophy for Lincoln. Jennifer Lawrence won 'Actress in a Leading Role' award for Silver Linings Playbook but tripped as she walked up the stairs to claim her award. Les Misérables was awarded the Oscar for 'Actress in a Supporting Role' for Anne Hathaway’s performance in the musical film. The awards ceremony was not short of fantastic fashion. There were striking dresses from Les Miserables actress Amanda Seyfried who wore Alexander McQueen, Jennifer Garner

in Gucci, Reese Witherspoon in a royal blue dress and Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence in a fabulous Dior gown. As expected director/actress couple Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter looked as bleak and unappealing as ever while Twilight actress Kristen Stewart looked sad and miserable while on crutches in an ever boring dress with seemingly unstyled hair. The male red carpet style was worn best by Eddie Redmayne in a slim-fitting Alexander McQueen tuxedo. The Hangover actor Bradley Cooper was exceeding handsome and his contemporary attire was complimented

Muggles gather in NUI Galway for the first ever PotterFest By Rozi Kenderesi This weekend, NUIG's PotterSoc held the country's very first PotterFest – a two day event which incorporated Harry Potter-themed activities, and an all-Ireland Quidditch intervarsity. The event, which brought together students from DCU, NCI and NUI Galway, took place on 22 and 23 February.

The NUI Galway Quidditch team practicing in anticipation of the PotterFest.

Friday the 22nd was filled with all sorts of wizarding fun. Attendees had a chance to go to an educational and entertaining talk by a Galway lecturer, a gaming room run by FanSci, and a drama game workshop, hosted by the Galway-based CAPE youthwork project. A showing of the popular Youtube hit play 'A Very Potter Musical', by an American drama group called Starkid, was also available for those wanting to relax. PotterSoc's friends over at AstroSoc offered people a chance to go on a 3D tour of the universe, an activity that was met with much positive feedback, both because of the talk and because of the extra-comfy chairs. Áras Na Mac Leinn was transformed magically for this event. Even a Diagon Alley and a Knockturn Alley made an appearance, complete with a resident dementor. Because no college event is complete without some sort of nighttime activity, Carbon hosted a Harry Potter themed night, with free entry for all

those who turned up at PotterFest. Saturday's events consisted of an intense group of Quidditch matches, to determine the National Quidditch champions. Quidditch is the popular wizarding sport played in the Harry Potter books. It was brought to life in a unique muggle way by the three participating colleges, who zoomed along on very comical foam pipe-insulation 'brooms'. After battling it out on the President's Lawn, and leaving a mess all over Áras Na Mac Leinn, the team from DCU were declared the country's finest muggle-Quidditch players, who could succesfully chase down a poor unfortunate 'snitch' in a high-vis vest. I think everyone can agree that is it a tremendous achievement. The society has high-hopes for other such festivals in years to come, perhaps encouraging more colleges from around the country to try and get their hands on the coveted Quidditch cup.

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by his signature sexy smile and Channing Tatum looked dashing and killed the tuxedo look in an expert manner. The performance of the night went to the Academy Awards tribute to the movie musical. This tribute was perfectly appropriate with the release of Les Misérables this year. The tribute included performances from Catherine Zeta Jone for Chicago, Jennifer Hudson for Dreamgirls and the cast of Les Misérables including: Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway.

Some of us were Seduced By James Falconer During the Theatre Festival NUIG Dramsoc performed Sam Shepard’s Seduced, which ran from 20-23 February at the BOI Theatre on campus. This play is a dark comedy which takes place at the death bed of the world’s richest man as the empire he has created begins to crumble. Henry Hackamore (Joe Power) maintains that “nothing’s harmless until it’s squashed”. Henry’s character was inspired by billionaire Howard Hughes’ reclusive final years, where his paranoia and madness overwhelmed him. In his prime, Henry had it all; he lived the American dream – beautiful women, flash cars, private jets. However, in a reversal of fortune, he is now emotionally bankrupt and lives in fear of his past. He cannot bear to have the curtains open and thus lives like a vampire. Joe Power gives an absolutely powerful performance from start to finish and his American accent is fantastic. Throughout the play 3 silent actors, with their faces painted, lurk around the stage illustrating the defects of character, which Henry suffers from. They are represented by Wrath (Conor Quinlan), Desire (Stella Godmet) and Hubris (Rebecca Rose Warner) who successfully create a sinister context to the dialogue in the play; it worked really well. Henry’s enfeebled body has left him numb and almost motionless. He commands his bodyguard Raul (Frank Blake) to rock and rub him. Despite his current incapacity, Henry persistently reminds Raul of his once great ability to command the skies, women and his fortunes. When two ex-lovers of Henry’s arrive on the scene, his insecurities quickly surface. Luna (Julie Gillen) and Miami (Róisín Eyres) pay him a visit and strut their stuff before him. They attempt to ‘seduce’ Henry by flaunting themselves before him and trying to fulfil his bizarre requests. When the second act begins, Henry appears to gain his strength, while the once shadowy intentions of the others are slowly revealed. With death so close, all three can almost taste Henry’s overwhelming inheritance. Henry’s incessant criticising takes its toll on Raul, whose once awkward and friendly demeanor begins to shift towards something decidedly more sinister. Raul reappears with his face painted and is present at a Henry’s last breath. The final result is an exceptional parody of the American Dream and an exploration of the futility of greed and wealth when faced with the certainty of death; one cannot take one’s fortune to the grave. This was a great play, very enjoyable – congratulations to all involved.

{sin} A rts & entertainment {17} 14–10

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Great comedy line-up to make headway By James Falconer On Wednesday 6 March there will be a great night of comedy at the Róisín Dubh. The event is a fundraiser for Headway Ireland. Imagine if you fell and banged your head, or were involved in a road traffic accident. What if you were assaulted or a loved one suffered a stroke or a haemorrhage? These are the most common contributors to Brain Injury. Funding for services, which provide people with rehabilitation from these often traumatic occurrences, is becoming scarcer. Each injury is unique, which means that symptoms can vary widely according to the extent and location of the damage to brain tissue. Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is referred to as ‘the hidden disability’ because its long term problems are often in the areas of thinking and behaviour and are not as easy to see and recognise as many physical disabilities. It is estimated that there are up to 30,000 people living in Ireland between the ages of 16-65 with long term problems following brain injury. Brain injury is the foremost cause of death and disability in young people. Those that are between 15-29 years of age are three times more likely to sustain a brain injury than any other group.

What are the consequences of brain injury? Following a brain injury, many changes occur that may be either temporary or permanent. Each person is unique, and the changes depend upon the type, severity and location of injury as well as the person’s pre-injury personality and abilities. The extent of some changes may only become apparent as time progresses. Often a person with an injury to the brain can fall unconscious for a period of time. Moreover, understanding which categories any particular behaviour falls into will need the help of a professional, such as a neuropsychologist to make an assessment. Remember that dealing with challenging behaviour can be a very difficult experience for anyone, and it is important to seek support for yourself when you need it.

Headw a y not only provides the necessary services for the patient, but also provides education, groups and counselling for family members. All these support services need funding; what better way to raise money than to have a laugh. Tom Stade is a 29 year old comedian from suburban Canada. He’s coming to Galway to share his renowned magnetic stage presence. What makes crowds love him so much is the innocence that lurks behind his devilish

smirk. Tom is a stand up version of Voltaire's naive optimist, Candide. He is a happy camper living in a world where happy people hang out and party. The unaffected simplicity of his outlook makes him shine. Since Tom arrived in the Scotland, the Canadian émigré has steadily earned a reputation as one of the most original and exciting stand-up talents around. He instantly made a splash on the UK and Irish circuit with his irrepressible charm and first-class story-telling, and after years topping the bill and playing at international comedy festivals

around the globe, he is now established as a leading touring act in his own right. Tom Stade is well on the road to becoming a household name. Trevor Browne became a comic almost unbeknownst to himself while he was traveling around Australia and saw an ad for a comedy competition in Sydney. He just decided to chance his arm, was given a gig and then realised he had nothing written. He spent the week writing and rehearsing and on the night of competition remembers going into the toilet staring at himself in the mirror thinking; "what the hell are you doing here; you’re not even funny, quick, run, run”. Trevor did one more gig in Australia and as soon as he got back to Ireland, he started booking gigs. After 6 months he dropped his act and wrote a character for himself, an alter ego;

Trevor Browne, the egotistical, misogynistic world famous singer-songwriter and since then, he hasn’t looked back. Karl Spain is one of Ireland’s best young comedians and in his short career he has already achieved an awful lot. He burst onto the scene in 2000 by winning a newcomer competition on RTE and has since maintained a high standard of comedy. Karl is probably best known in Ireland for his TV series, Karl Spain Wants A Woman, which was a huge success in that he not only got huge ratings but he also found himself a woman! In 2009, he filmed Karl Spain Wants to Rock, but didn't find a woman in that show. Apart from his own series, he has also performed stand up on television all over the world – the U.S, the Middle East, Australia, and even as far away as England. He regularly does corporate gigs and spends all his money on sweets and comics. He has performed at every Kilkenny Cat Laughs Festival since 2002. It's going to be a cracking show. Only proceeds from tickets bought from James Falconer will go towards the charity. Please contact James on artsentertainment.sined@gmail. com or on 0871354427 for tickets - €12.50 – doors open 9pm.

‘Manologues’ comes out on top at this year’s NUI Galway Theatre Festival By Jenna Hodgins The 3BA Theatre and Performance group Oddsocks, took to the stage as part of the NUI Galway theatre festival with the newly revised hit original play Manologues. The new and improved production, devised with the help of Kate Costello, took place on 20 February as part of the annual NUI Galway Theatre Festival. Manologues tells the story of eight male characters dealing with issues men face in contemporary

Ireland whilst searching for their identities. The performance took place in the Bank of Ireland Theatre for the ridiculous admission price of zilch, zero… nothing (it’s worth so much more). So, being the theatrical cynic (bad school play experience) and lover of wordplay that I am, I decided that I’d go down and check it out to hopefully prove myself right about theatre. I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised.

The cast of eight consists of both actors and actresses all playing male characters. At first, it was a strange experience to watch a female pace the stage referring to herself as a he, but within minutes I was consumed as every actor’s performance was so unbelievably convincing. Please don’t be offended, but ladies of Oddsocks – well done on being very convincing men! What makes Manologues a triumph is its relevance. The monologues deal with

issues such as prostate cancer, stroke, emigration, homosexuality, homelessness and much more. Each character is uniquely different to the other and presents their story to the audience through tonguein-cheek humour and heart-in-mouth raw emotion. I was so drawn into the lives of these characters that when I reminded myself that they were fictional, it was like finding out the truth about Santa. The one word to describe it overall is raw; from raw

emotion to the rawness of the stage, which was only decorated with the performers dressed in black and their trademark odd socks. They become the stage through eloquently devised choreography that will play tricks on your imagination and allow the play to become real. Manologues truly is a roller-coaster of emotion and sheer entertainment that will leave you overwhelmed. You are left laughing at the degenerating old male living in a

regenerating Ireland, unable to understand why his phone rings people in his pocket and how he can see people in Australia over a computer screen. However, you’re also left overwhelmed with the emotionally poignant tales of role models, father-son relationships and the hardship of illness and rejection from your own community. The ‘boys don’t cry’ concept is turned on its head as Manologues had a few glimmers of light in the eyes of both men and women.

{18} A rts & E ntertainment {sin} 14–10

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Primal Scream return By Austin Maloney THUMP - that’s the sound of Primal Scream walloping the new year into life with their first recording since 2008’s Beautiful Future album. That record, stuffed with guest appearances from the likes of Josh Homme, Lovefoxxx and Linda Thompson, was not received particularly well by critics or fans alike. Their latest album is entitled More Light and they’ve just released a track from it – ‘2013’. The Scream lost the wonderfully talented bass player Mani after he returned to the resurrected Stone Roses. Mani’s replacement was none other than My Bloody Valentine’s Debbie Googe. MBV’s Kevin Shields also features on ‘2013’ indicating that Primal Scream and MBV, who returned with a new album recently after 22 years, will be maintaining a close relationship on future releases. The initial “THUMP” was fairly misleading, I’m afraid. Despite returning to 2000 album XTRMNTR’s Dave Holmes, who is on co-producing duties for new album More Light, they haven’t, on the

evidence of this single, returned to that album’s sound. ‘2013’ opens with a saxophone riff before Bobby Gillespie’s vocals kick in. The good news is that they have re-discovered their political conscience: ‘2013’’s lyrics focus on war, oppression and capitalist tyranny. The bad news is that the song itself isn’t great. It doesn’t quite have the groove of Screamadelica or the power of XTRMNTR, and never seems to come alive until the final quarter, when it promptly ends. The chorus is a pretty lazy and uninspired “Twenty-thirteen, twenty thirteen, twenty-thirteen, all right!” Shields’ guitar is probably the best thing about this song, and he manages to add a bit of drive and urgency. All in all, ‘2013’ isn’t a bad start to life without Mani for Primal Scream, but it isn’t a great one either. However, it should be pointed out that this is only the shorter radio edit. The album will feature the full nine-minute version. Primal Scream will release More Light on 3 May. Fans can live in hope until then. It might be a complete disappointment, or it might blow us all away.

Will the real St Patrick please stand up! By David Molloy There’s been some debate over the theory put forward by historian Dr Roy Flechner of Cambridge University that St. Patrick came to Ireland, not to spread the Christian word, but to avoid becoming a tax collector and to take on the job of slave trader. The justification for this is based largely around the fact that slave ownership was a family business and also popular within the Church at the time. While it’s likely that some of these allegations published in the media carry much weight about the reality of St. Patrick, it is of course, adding to the small cottage industry that has formed within journalistic circles of revealing “the unknown side” of major figures.

Did you know Gandhi considered Adolf Hitler a “dear friend”? A pacifist mates with a genocidal dictator? On a lighter note, literary genius James Joyce wrote regular letters to his partner sincerely praising the majesty of her farts. Eamon de Valera was a passionate crossdresser. I made that last one up, but would you be inclined to believe it if it adorned the headline of a major newspaper? History is a tough thing to claim to know intimately. By its very nature, it’s often hard to understand exactly what happened or what the motivations of these characters were unless we were present ourselves. There’s only so much we can know. We may never fully understand St. Patrick’s motives just like we may never know for sure de Valera’s favourite way to unwind. However, we probably have a better opportunity to understand ‘Dev’ as opposed to Patrick. The past is a foreign country and it’s nigh on impossible for us to say with any certainty or authority that any particular event is 100% this way or that. That said, the more I think about it, the more I think Flechner’s theory has legs. What if Patrick was lying about more? What if he actually snuck snakes into Ireland, simply to kill, in front of the native Irish? Maybe he was a bit of an ego maniac? “Look at me, I just banished those snakes – will you give me Sainthood? Oh and you can go on the lash every March 17th - just for me!” Who was this mystical man that we cherish so much? Pagan or Christian, what difference does it make?

REVIEW: Palma Violets’ 180 By Austin Maloney

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For those unfamiliar with Palma Violets, here’s the lowdown. About a year and a half ago, Sam Fryer, Chilli Jesson, Pete Mayhew and Will Doyle started playing shows in the basement of their house in Lambeth, London. They signed with Rough Trade, former home of the Smiths and the Libertines, and since then have been splitting critical opinion down the middle. Certain quarters (cough, NME, cough) have proclaimed them saviours of all that is good and holy about music – the band that will save us all from a Mumfordian apocalypse. Others – older stuffier types who disdain of bands with members called Chilli – see them as talent-free hipsters, hyped beyond all proportion. Into the midst of all this comes their debut album 180 and it almost looks like the quality, or lack of, will decide whether they succeed or fail. The band have chosen to put their first two singles, ‘Best of Friends’ and ‘Step Up for the Cool Cats’ first on the album, which ensures a strong start. The former is a fantastic rickety sing-along with a howling chorus. It sounds like it might all fall apart at any minute, but it’s still tremendous fun and must sound incredible live. The latter manages to be catchy without any clear chorus. You’d expect it to decline in quality from this point, but they manage to keep it up.

From ‘All the Garden Birds’ straight through to ‘I Found Love’, the quality remains exceptionally high. Mayhew’s keys give Fryers and Jesson to freedom to fill the songs up with as many chaotic melodies and hooks as they like. Listening to the album, the most notable thing is that Palma Violets seem to totally ignore the traditional verse-chorus song writing formula. The clearest example of this is ‘Last of the Summer Wine’, which starts off with woozy organ sounds before snapping into the rhythm. This starts off tightly controlled, before getting more and more ragged, and eventually the song finishes with a minute of sparse drumming and cries of “We’re going up!” It looks like a disaster on paper, but sounds remarkably well on audio. However, the album does have some flaws. ‘Three Stars’ is much weaker than anything else on it. It sounds more like a bad attempt at a Christmas carol as opposed to an indie song! Parts of some songs can also feel a bit repetitive after repeated listens, and one seems to identify chord changes and hooks from earlier in the album. But those minor flaws still don’t diminish their achievement. Palma Violets may not be the saviours of all music, but they have produced a fantastic debut album, and for anyone with an interest in guitar sound and tricks, it’s well worth a listen.

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NUI Galway student releases enchanting album By Amy Havery Haunting and captivating are two words that spring to mind when listening to Hilary Claire Woods’ debut album The River Cry. The former bass player of 90s alternative rock band JJ72 has created a poignant and evocative new sound which is a million miles from her previous band. Although, the main reason it’s so different may be because this album is all her own work. Having written and arranged all the songs herself, Hilary is happy with the album she has created. “Yeah, I guess it’s my own stuff, so the songs are all mine. In JJ72, I didn’t write the songs I simply just played bass,” she said. “Is it a genre? It probably crosses a few genres. I guess

my tastes are pretty obvious when you listen to the songs,” she added. The album which consists of eight songs is described as evoking “a wide spacious landscape reminiscent of the cinematic, with its minimal instrumentation, subtle tones and tender vocals.” Hilary’s reflective tone adds an air of sorrow to the music but results in beautiful and well-crafted songs such as ‘While I Lie’ and ‘Sleep Baby Sleep’. Hilary, who is also an English Researcher here in NUI, is still surprised when she is recognised from the Dublin based rock band. “Actually it always surprises me how people remember. I get asked about it a bit, or at least it seems to spark a bit of recognition if it’s ever mentioned,” she said.

Her decision to come to Galway was mainly based on the professionals that she would be working alongside. “I guess I found a supervisor that I was really happy with there,” she said. “It’s a rare thing to find, to find someone that you really like their work and you like them as a person and there’s potential there to work together. It’s a special thing when you find that,” she added. However, living and working in Galway has conflicted with the launch of The River Cry, resulting in Hilary having to commute to Dublin on a regular basis. “I’m actually all over the place at the minute, commuting between Dublin and Galway, so it’s been

REVIEW: Parcels by Solar Taxi By Martin O’Donoghue Having the enviable distinction of being mentored by the late great John Martyn, Waterford’s Solar Taxi came to prominence in 2011 with their EP, She Dies With Beautiful Teeth. That collection was really upbeat and funky with songs like ‘The Fool’ which was used as the soundtrack to US film Exit Strategy and saw the band tour Ireland, even getting to support Roxette in Dublin’s 02 Arena. By 2012, Hot Press had listed them as one of their ‘Acts You Must Hear in 2012’ and last September a debut album quickly followed with Broken Brother’s Secret Bells. According to the band themselves, the LP expressed “a wide range of influences ranging from Goldfrapp and Fever Ray to Daft Punk to Nikka Costa”. This record spawned singles ‘Zodiac’ and ‘Gung Ho’ which, with its with its thudding rhythms and pop sensibilities, won numerous plays on Ray Foley’s show on Today FM. Such hits saw theblend.ie rate Broken Brother’s Secret Bells the best Irish indie album of 2012. Solar Taxi are showing some of the aforementioned versatility rather than the pop hooks for which they have won such plaudits. In fact,

challenging to say the least. But I guess it’s just a matter of trying to be a bit disciplined about your time,” she revealed. No doubt it will all be worth it for the talented singer as The River Cry has been well received throughout the country. Unlike any music to come out of Ireland before, the album sounds like a cross between Lana Del Rey with the sounds of old bluegrass Appalachia blended in. Hilary credits Bell Book and Candle and their generosity with the launch of this album and said if it wasn’t for their kindness, artists like her would not be able to release their albums. “They have been so supportive, and it’s great when you meet people like that because when you’re doing

song is clearly a departure from previous releases with soft piano accompaniment to lead singer Aishling Browne’s vocals. However, once the chorus and orchestra kick in, the pounding percussions contrasted with carefully plucked violin strings make for a dramatic finale. It’s a close that really showcases Browne’s strong vocals which guide the song to a rousing crescendo. Solar Taxi are currently gigging throughout the country and will play the Indiependence Festival in Cork this 2 August. ‘Parcels’ is now available to download from Bandcamp, iTunes and all other download sites.

Hilary Claire Woods’ debut album The River Cry is available for download or in Bell Book and Candle or OMG.

Open mic musicians release CD in aid of Sunni-Mae Trust By James Falconer

‘Parcels’ may at first seem a strange choice of single. For one thing, this track was only a last minute addition to the current album and even shaving over two minutes from the near 7 minute original, this radio edit still clocks in at four minutes and 21 seconds. However, the tendency not to let a sweeping epic just lie at the end of an album can be too much for many bands and Solar Taxi have opted to give ‘Parcels’ to the world. Nonetheless, the production and musicianship is as good as or better here than on their other singles and with a couple of listens, this song certainly has its reward. Starting quite slowly, the

it yourself independently, you’re relying in people’s goodwill and faith and it’s a great thing when it’s there,” she says.

A fantastic compilation of original music was recorded by musicians and songwriters from the Galway scene. Contributors to the CD are all regular performers at the Sunday night open mic in Róisín Dubh. Among the 14 acts featured are musicians such as Steven Sharpe, Tara Stacey, Pa Reidy, and Padraig Jack, to name a few. The Open Mic Vol.1 was officially launched on Sunday 17 February in the popular Dominick Street venue. The idea of recording this Open Mic compilation was born over the New Year period. MC’s Keith Emmett and Tracy Bruen were acutely aware of the array of original and talented performers who play week in week out. Their expectations of first-class shows grew and grew and over the

New Year break they realised that they had to record these great artists. The CD is bursting with variety and quality. Once Keith and Tracy proposed the idea to some of the regular artists, things quickly snowballed from there. The music staff at the Róisín Dubh agreed to fund the production of the album. Keith’s brother, Robert Emmett, chipped in with the design work and one by one, the tracks started to roll in from the artists. Keith said; “It all ran very smoothly and it was a real pleasure to be involved in.” All the proceeds from the sale of the CD will go to the Sunni-Mae Trust. Lily-Mae Morrison, who is 4 years old, was diagnosed last year with a rare form of cancer called Neuroblastoma. This type of cancer affects 1 in 100,000 children in Ireland. Lily-Mae is the daughter of dancers Judith Sibley and

Leighton Morrison who are best known in Galway for their work with Chrysalis Dance and Youth Ballet West. The family face a long battle and need to raise significant funds to help with their fight. The Sunni-Mae Trust for Lily-Mae was officially launched last year. There is a 70% chance that Lily-Mae will relapse and in that event the family would need to travel to the United States or Germany to avail of cutting edge treatments that are not available in Ireland. Any additional money raised will go to the Neuroblastoma Society to assist research into the appalling disease, which remains massively underfunded. To help Lily-Mae you can drop in to Róisín’s to buy the CD or donate to the SunniMae Trust – www.idonate. ie/372_sunni-mae-trust. html, or telephone (086) 408 9074. Any support is greatly appreciated.

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A Portrait of the Artist by James Falconer Flirt FM – Tuesday 11.30am Speaking to Galway performance artist Valerie Joyce How did you become an artist? I’ve always been drawing and painting, and I remember when I was a child, everyone would crowd around to look and they’d be amazed with whatever I happened to produce. It was other people’s response that fascinated me and I’ve continued that fascination because I want to connect with people – that’s why I’m an artist.

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A bit of good scavenging? Yes, scavenging – I love skips! So, I had an amazing studio in Temple Bar and I began with water colours, then charcoal and moved on to oil. I had exhibitions around Dublin and then across Ireland. Then I decided that I wanted to paint the ocean so I came home to Connemara and I opened an art gallery in Roundstone. I got the idea to walk into the paintings so I started to build, what I considered triangles, but people started calling them Tepees! I wanted to light them in the evening and it was around 1994 for the Clifden Arts festival when I built 40 of these Tepees and we had this amazing performance art – a land installation, called ‘Rest with me, in

around Kingstown to bring their curraghs into Clifden Harbour. We had 7 curraghs moored in the middle of the bay and we put fires into each of them, so that was the equivalent of someone giving you their car and saying “yes, of course you can put a fire in there”! The fishermen were amazing and we had this fantastic installation, again using fire at night, only this time on the ocean. I love doing work that includes the community and the audience. I don’t like to do work that’s separate from the audience. I like that people have access to the art without feeling that they have to have a degree in fine art to approach it.

I was different when I was out. I wanted to use my skills as an artist to explore this big identity change. It’s the whole public/ private persona? Yes, then a relationship had broken down and I got this image in my head and I thought “oh yes, I’m going to do that” and it’s called ‘Bespoke’. It’s about when you’re in a relationship and you really need to speak to your partner and they’re not interested in hearing what you have to say. I created a scenario and found music that related to the feelings that would come up in a situation like that. My performance art would be from my own experience, but then I make it accessible to people. I did a piece here on Mainguard Street recently and it was about the demise of the Celtic Tiger. I looked at how our identities changed again in those years. Like women who would’ve never thought about fake tan, the high maintenance really upped during this time. Getting the nails done; it became a necessity to straighten your hair and so many would not go out without the fake tan.

Did you have Where did you Psychedelic drugs? Let’s see now, there was anadin, an interest in go after this? Well, I started studying art? Yes, I did my doing performance disprin, red lemonade; you’d have to heat up the art on my own Leaving Cert out in Kylemore Abbey because I couldn’t lemonade, yes, that did things, that was psychedelic! and everyone afford to pay peoseemed to be getple. I wanted to ting it together and I was definitely on the Night Meadows’. The Teppes were about express what it was like in different emoCloud 9. You know, there are a lot of 8ft high and they were all lit in a field with tional situations. I would set up situations clouds that gather out in Connemara, rolling hills down by the sea and it was just to approach the subject. One of these is and I was on one of those clouds! Then amazing at sunset – people still talk about it. called ‘Sugarcoated’ and it’s about what a I heard about an Art college where you lot of women have to go through of an Did you get into acting and film could go to study art every day. I built up This was Clifden in the midevening before they go out on the town. making? What enticed you? a portfolio and got a place in the College 90s; were there any psychedelic Like get the whole make-up going, the Yes, I did. Well, I had been doing these hair and the shoes. That was my start-off performances before digital and the interof Art in Dublin. drugs out there at this time? Psychedelic drugs? Let’s see now, there theme because I was always curious about net. It was obvious to me that I needed to was anadin, disprin, record them and When was this, Valerie? red lemonade; you’d with the media This was back in 1979. have to heat up the revolution, the camIt was around 1994 for the Clifden Arts festival lemonade, yes, that eras were cheaper, What was the economic did things, that was they could be done when I built 40 of these Tepees and we had this climate like then? It was much the same as it is now. It was psychedelic! instantaneously complete recession and there were many and today it can be amazing performance art – a land installation done on a phone! buildings boarded up. [laughs] It’s I ask friends who just that you’re the whole identity change from when have a snazzy phone to come to my perDid this inspire you? talking about Tepee’s and sunsets! Yes, we were smoking the peace pipe! you’re at home in your jammies watching formances to film it, and then I upload it Yes, when I got a studio after finishing Art College I used to go out and find loads We had ham sandwiches too! It was just so TV and then this big transformation that onto to YouTube or Vimeo. You could look of stuff thrown in skips – this is where I innocent then. It was pre-internet… can take a long time and finally you’re on Vimeo for Valerie Joyce – Sugarcoated, found my material. I’d go down to adverready to out. Bespoke, For Crying Out Loud, they’re really tising agencies and photographic studios; So initially you were paintabout states and situations that women find of course, this is before digital media. I ing, but then began to explore themselves in. It’s not that I want to exclude As opposed to the men, who used to find reels of film in these round other forms of art? men - it’s just that I’m a woman and I can have a hot shave, a rub of Old metal cans. I remember jumping into skips Yes, I wanted to get into the paint- Spice and throw on a shirt? only speak for myself. That’s why I like finding ledgers and amazing paper. This ing so I constructed these things. After Exactly. But, that was my own experi- being an artist because I can say things I was the starting point because I’d have that I did another piece called ‘Seas-fire’ ence – I had to learn to get ready to go out, need to say and that I can also say things no money! using curraghs. I asked all the fishermen and then my personality would change, that many people don’t want to hear.

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Villagers set for the big city By Austin Maloney

Villagers are coming to play at Seapoint in Salthill on Thursday 14 March. The gig is part of their tour to promote the recently released album {Awayland}. Villagers are largely the project of one man, Conor J O’Brien, who founded the band after his previous outfit The Immediate, separated.

Traditionally, the ageold problem that Irish indie bands face is that very few actually achieve any significant popularity outside of Ireland. As a result, they generally end up playing the same venues to the same audiences over and over again. Villagers, along with Two Door Cinema Club and The Cast of Cheers, are part of a new generation of Irish bands that

have succeeded in making an impact outside of Ireland. They’re signed to famous indie label Domino. Also signed to this label are their new colleagues, Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand. Villagers’ debut album, Becoming a Jackal, earned them a spot on BBC’s flagship music show Later with Jools Holland, and a Mercury Prize nomination. The lead single,

also entitled ‘Becoming a Jackal’ won an Ivor Novello prize. O’Brien, perhaps in an attempt to shake off the Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes) comparisons, has decided to expand their sound beyond their acoustic guitar-dominated debut. The first single ‘The Waves’ sees him venture into glitchy electro. The follow up, ‘Nothing Arrived’ is

almost an attempt at a conventional pop single, albeit a song with hefty doses of piano. However, there’s much more to Villagers than just the musical arrangement. As you would expect from someone with a first class degree in English Literature, O ’ B r i e n ’s l y r i c s a n d imagery have also drawn praise. His talent in this area is especially clear

on songs like ‘Nothing Arrived’ and ‘Ship of Promises’, where he articulates his disillusion with, and rejection of, religion. Villagers are currently one of the best bands in Ireland and are definitely worth checking out. They will play in Galway on 14 March. Tickets are €22 and are available from the Róisín Dubh website and usual outlets.

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REVIEW: Hitchcock By Ken Glennon Anthony Hopkins dons a fat suit and prosthetics to become the eponymous director in Sacha Gervasi’s moderately entertaining film, which examines the relationship between Hitchcock and his wife and working-partner Alma Reville (the film’s chief outstanding element in Helen Mirren) during the making of the 1960s classic Psycho. On a side note, this would probably make an interesting double bill with the recent BBC/HBO TV movie The Girl, which dramatises the director’s allegedly obsessive infatuation with his leading lady Tippi Herden during the making of his follow-up feature The Birds. While that production has courted controversy for perceived character assassination of Hitchcock, the Anthony

Hopkins starrer won’t be making any such headlines. That isn’t to say there aren’t elements to enjoy in this ostensibly light look at Hitchcock. But those looking for a fly on the wall look inside the production of one of the most famous films ever made, or a substantial insight into the mind of the genius director, will instead be confronted with a fun, light film about two people trying to reconcile artistic and personal endeavours, around which a somewhat glossy presentation of the making of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho exists. Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren play the couple who have just enjoyed a major hit with North by Northwest. At this point, Hitchcock discovers the book Psycho and, fuelled by a mixed desire to prove he is still top of his game and to work with challenging material, he sets about making what would become a cinematic landmark.

Not deemed a winning project for funding, Hitchcock mortgages his and Alma’s expensive home to finance the film himself. As such, the film provides a good-looking recreation of the relatively troubled making of Psycho, while nodding towards Hitchcock’s obsessive tendencies towards his famous leading ladies (with Scarlet Johansson and Jessica Biel playing Janet Leigh and Vera Miles respectively). Chiefly though, the central driving force is the woman whose invaluable creative input was, to paraphrase Alma in the film, overlooked next to the genius Alfred Hitchcock. Fleeting worries of infidelity between both and mounting production pressures add to the growing tension between the two and watching Hopkins and Mirren go about bringing all this to life is enjoyable. Both are quite good here, especially Helen Mirren. Other harder-edged segments in the film hint at a more fiendish side of Hitchcock, where the violent urges, possibly

lurking under the man’s demeanour, briefly threaten to break through. Interestingly, these occur in a series of dream vignettes where he is counselled by serial killer Ed Gein (who was the real life inspiration for the killer in Psycho, The Silence of the Lambs and, in part, Leatherface in the The Texas Chain Saw Massacr,e played here by the very fine actor Michael Wincott). There’s arguably a more interesting film lying here somewhere which would’ve spent more time on the more unsettling idiosyncrasies in Hitchcock’s psyche (like the dramatisation of his abusive treatment of Tippi Herden used in The Girl). Light on any new insight into Hitchcock, or indeed the making of one of his greatest successes, Hitchcock is worth a look for its appealing recreation of the 60s production and the solid performances at hand, though it’s ultimately not a Hitchcock biopic that’ll linger in your mind long after it’s come and gone.

sister. However, the film gets slightly annoying at times, with characters needlessly shouting at each other for entire scenes, most of the story is completely predictable, but it follows the Apatow formula which always proves successful at the box office. Overall This is 40 is a decent movie, but it is nowhere near the genius of Apatow’s earlier films, the standout star

is Paul Rudd, but he’s essentially playing the same character he played in the hilarious I Love You Man. If you’re looking for a fun film to see in the cinema, This is 40 is worth a look, but if you’re hoping to laugh as much as you did the first time you saw Anchorman or any other Apatow film, dig out your old DVDs and watch them instead.

and appreciation Fix-It Felix enjoys. With that in mind, Ralph sets off in search of a hero’s medal (in the shape of the prize at the end of a level for gamers) in the hope of winning some overdue adulation. A familiar enough Disney tale to be sure but it succeeds beautifully, not only on the visual strength of its world but the strength of the secondary characters to go with Ralph. All of these characters leave an impression, ranging from a first person shooter general (voiced by Glee’s Jane Lynch), the adorable Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) a wannabe racer and glitch in a game called Sugar Rush, whose fate becomes entwined with Ralphs to moving effect, and the impressively unsettling Mad Hatter-like King of Sugar Rush (Alan Tudyk).

What makes Wreck It Ralph work so well, along with the requisitely superlative visuals, is the relationship between Ralph and said glitch Vanellope. She’s an affecting, suitably adorable creation (brought to vivid life by Sarah Silverman’s vocal performance). Her relationship with Ralph works without becoming overly saccharine. Both characters aspire to more than their respective societies are willing to allow. As a glitch, she can’t physically leave her game like everyone else in the arcade and when Ralph accidentally brings bug creatures from the first person shooter game, this adds a surprising level of tension for a safe animated feature concerning the survival of that character. This movie is a good example of a simple story that overcomes its predictable nature through well-drawn characterisations and innovative visual design.

REVIEW: This is 40 By Jane Kearns Since starting out almost 13 years ago with his cult classic Freaks and Geeks, writer, producer and director Judd Apatow has gone from strength to strength and gained legions of fans with his awkward style of comedy. With films like as Superbad, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Bridesmaids and whole host of other hit comedies under his belt, Apatow is now synonymous with modern American comedy and can be thanked for the careers of many actors including Seth Rogan, Jason Segel and Oscar nominees James Franco and Johah Hill. His latest project This is 40 was released just in time for Valentine’s Day and was tipped to be as laugh out loud as all of his other big movies. Entitled “the sort of sequel to Knocked Up”, This is 40 follows the lives of Pete and Debbie played by Apatow’s wife Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd five years after the events of Knocked Up. The pair who played the older in-laws of Ben (Seth Rogan) and Alison (Catherine Heigl) now take

centre-stage as the married couple struggling with turning 40, dealing with family and trying to keep their businesses afloat. The cast is typical of an Apatow production, with many of his other favourite actors taking on the supporting roles; Jason Segel reappears as the flirty character he played in Knocked Up, and Chris O’Dowd, Melissa McCarthy, Lena Dunham and Megan Fox round out the hilarious cast. The plot is a simple one; Pete and Debbie are stressed and generally unhappy with the way their life has turned out, they’re almost broke, their parents and daughters are putting a lot of stress on them and the spark in their marriage has long fizzled out. They try to deal with their problems as best they can which leads to many hilarious scenes, mainly led by Rudd who plays the bumbling husband and father perfectly. The story is very predictable but enjoyable for the most part, the onscreen chemistry between Rudd and Mann is wonderful, and Apatow’s daughters, Iris and Maude do a fantastic job of playing the moody teenager and annoying younger

REVIEW: Wreck It Ralph By Ken Glennon Disney offers a spectrum of visual and character-based delights that should appeal to a wide age group in Wreck It Ralph. This is a thoroughly enjoyable animation that has shades of brilliance reminiscent of classic Pixar offerings such as Monsters Inc. or Toy Story. While not in that bracket, it’s still a wonderfully inventive piece of work that capitalises on the endless visual possibilities that come with the video-game setting, whilst delivering well-developed characters and a satisfying story above and beyond its animation Oscar rival Brave.

John. C. Reily voices Ralph, the titular video game villain whose job is to destroy things so game hero Fix-It Felix (voiced by 30 Rock’s Jack McBrayer) can put it back together. Outside of Arcade opening hours, the video game characters live their own lives within the game world. Ralph is disillusioned with his constant role as bad guy, attending bad guy support groups (a small part of the movie that allows for various character cameos from other games) and living alone in the squalor outside of Felix’s building. As an integral part of his game he wants a chance to bask in the fanfare

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Why the long face? 3 lessons we can learn from the horse meat scandal By John Mulry of Expect Success Fitness Now some of you may or may not know this about me, but I don’t watch the news or listen to the news or read the news (apart from Sin of course) very often. I couldn’t, however, escape the scandal that has been the horse meat debacle. It has been everywhere, horse meat this horse meat that. The horse meat scandal was first brought to my attention by one of my clients, Stephen. He sent me a random text (I thought it was random because I had no idea what he was on about) saying he was up to his eyes in horsemeat.

I soon figured out what was going and first thought; “But hey, horsemeat is pretty damn good, it’s got some of the leanest protein around.” Now I don’t or haven’t eaten horse meat before (or well at least I don’t think I have) and like you I think I would kind of feel bad about eating it. In fairness I’m pretty sure I’ve eaten worse from my time volunteering

in South America or those couple of times I succumbed and got a dodgy Chinese from a takeaway. The whole horse meat farce got me thinking about a few things and it was Stephen again who prompted me to write this article. There are a number of lessons to be learned from this so here are my top 3. Horse meat scandal lesson 1: Eat crap and you have to expect crap If you eat packaged and processed foods you have to expect bad things to happen. This should be a lesson we can all learn from. Packaged and processed foods have so much fillers and hoodlum in them; I mean you can’t even pronounce half the crap that goes into them. If you can’t pronounce, how the hell are you going to know what’s actually in it and more importantly what’s it’s doing to you? Stick with eating real food with ingredients you can pronounce. Horse meat scandal lesson 2: There’s no horse meat in carrots Multi ingredient foods aren’t the answer. Stick with single ingredient foods. The majority of your diet should be made up of foods that have single ingredients. In other words foods that don’t have a tonne of items on the ingredients list; they only have one. For example you have chicken breasts and chicken nuggets. Chicken breasts are single ingredient foods, if you were to look at the ingredient list you would see: 100% chicken breast. Chicken nuggets on the other hand can be and are made up of some or very little real chicken, fillers, salt, sugar, preservatives, stabilizers, bread crumbs and all types of other stuff you don’t need. There was no horse meat found in any single ingredient foods were there? I didn’t

ear anyone say “hey I found horsemeat in my carrots” did you? Here’s a neat but very useful way to think of things when you get confused as to whether any particular food is good or bad for you. If your food can go bad quickly it’s good for you, if doesn’t go bad quickly it’s bad for you – simples. Horse meat scandal lesson 3: stick with Joe, the man you know Stick with Joe, the man you know. One of my old college lecturers and one of NUI Galway’s top lecturers Gerard Turley always had the saying “Stick with Joe, the man you know”. Little did he know he predicted the horse meat scandal way back then – ok not really but his saying is true. Stick with buying your meat from the local butcher or your fish from your local fish monger. We’re blessed in Galway – we have some fantastic butchers and fish mongers and I’m sure you can say the same; buy local, it’s good for you, the horses and the economy. So what has your biggest take away been from the horse meat scandal (pun most definitely intended)? There’s a lot of lessons to be learned – if you’d like to share some of the lessons learned from it be sure to get in touch and share your ideas on the new Sin website (www.sin.ie) which should be up and running and nearly ready to go. Until then I’ll leave you with this recipe tip: next time you’re making homemade burgers instead of using diced onion try diced stallion, err I mean scallion…

Laugh yourself healthy By Kiri Renssen

Why did the tomato turn red? Because it saw the salad dressing! Pretty lame I know but if it got a chuckle or at worst a bemused snort out of you, all the better. I may have just done your health a good turn according to certain studies on the effect of laughter on immunity. While differing results have provoked debate among researchers, some work suggests that the effects of a good giggle may be more far-reaching than we thought. We’re all familiar with the idea of laughter promoting a happier frame of mind but the physical act of laughing has other physiological effects. It can cause changes in pulse rate, blood pressure, skin temperature, brain and skeletal muscle activity as well as pulmonary ventilation. All of which may lead to an improvement in

general well-being according to a study by Hudak and DeGood published in the Phsycological Reports Journal. The American novelist and prisoner of war in World War II and Purple Heart award winner, Kurt Vonnegut once said; “Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterwards.” It’s true. Emotionally, we behave like sophisticated pressure cookers. Laughter is a release valve for the stresses, irritations and emotions we keep a lid on, sealed and steaming away through the ups and downs of every living. While it’s better to express your emotions and not keep them pent up, you’re better off laughing instead of crying.

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Apart from avoiding mounds of snotty Kleenex damp with tears and a face like a bassett hound , some studies, for example from the University of Toledo, Ohio, suggest that laughter boosts the immune system and that expressed sadness, i.e. crying, suppresses it. The study involved 39 women who were shown both sad and funny videos and were then asked to either inhibit or express the impulse to laugh or cry. Their moods were observed and changes in their immunity were monitored by determining their levels of secretory immunoglobulin A. Immunoglobulin A is a type of antibody in the human body that plays a role in immunity. It’s the main immunoglobulin found in tears, saliva and

“Laughter and tears are both responses to

frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterwards.” — Kurt Vonnegut

other secretions from mucosal surfaces in the body. The researchers found that the humourous stimulus resulted in improved immunity irrespective of whether the women laughed overtly or not. Expressed sadness was immunosuppressive; however inhibition of overt crying was not. It is believed that laughter may help our immune systems along by hindering the production of hormones like cortisol which are associated with stress and by increasing the production of substances such as beta-endorphin which give it a boost, according to papers published by the University of Massachusetts. However before you all start earnestly watching the Comedy channel to ward of illness or to speed up recovery time, there is a caveat. That being that there isn’t enough data to form a consensus among researchers on whether laughter can be used therapeutically. However in the meantime, while the researchers are busy gathering more data, it gives you a good excuse buy those tickets for that comedy gig you’ve had your eye on!

It’s that time of year folks!! The NUI Galway Sports Unit is proud to announce that “the 30th Annual NUI Galway Sports Awards” will be held on Thursday March 21st , 2013 at 6pm in the Aula(Upper), NUI Galway. NUI Galway's Sports Awards recognise not only excellence in individual sports people & teams but also for achievements in recreational participation & outstanding achievement. The Sports Unit invite you to submit your nominations for activities in the academic year 2012/2013. Please submit nomination here... Please read the guidelines carefully. Nominations are to be submitted no later than 3pm Tues 5th March 2013.

The Awards will be followed by the Sports Ball which will take place @ 7.30pm in the Galway Bay Hotel. *Our guest for the evening is Barry Murphy. Barry Murphy is an Irish comedian whose notable appearances include a starring role in Après Match. *Music by Hermitage Green! Tickets for the ball will be on sale soon from the Sports Unit...:) (Clubs will receive 2 complimentary tks) !

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Loughnane hangs up her shoes NUIG Ladies Basketball’s ‘Glory Road’. By Pádraic Ó Ciardha Former world silver medallist walker and NUI Galway alumna Olive Loughnane has retired from competitive athletics at the age of 37. The Cork-born athlete represented Ireland at the last four Olympic Games as part of an illustrious career that spanned over 12 years. Loughnane finished in 13th place in last year’s 20km walk at the London Games while her best Olympic finish came in 2008 when she finished 7th in Beijing. The highlight of Loughnane’s career is undoubtedly her second place finish at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin. The Irish athlete finished just 49 seconds behind the defending champion and Olympic gold medallist, Russian Olga Kaniskina, to claim the silver medal in a time of 1:28:58. Loughnane moved to Carrabane, Co. Galway when she was a child and began her degree in Commerce in NUI Galway in 1993. She represented the NUI Galway Athletic Club throughout her years on campus and was selected for a university Sports Award in 1996. Announcing her decision, Loughnane said: “To retire from athletics was always going to be a tough decision for me. I can be

happy with everything I have achieved and I have no regrets.” The BComm graduate had always maintained that she had no intention of competing at Rio in 2016, when she would be 40. She told RTÉ; “I was always in it to win it, so when that time had passed I felt it was time to move on.” Representatives from Irish sport were quick to praise Loughnane’s impact on athletics in this country. Pat Hickey, President of the Olympic Council of Ireland said; “Olive always embodied the true Olympic spirit with her race walking performances, her uplifting, smiling personality, and her positive contributions to Team Ireland at four Olympic Games.” He added; “She will be a real loss to competitive sport but I hope that she will return to the Olympic scene in future years in some other role.” After competing in multiple World and European Championships and with numerous national titles to her name, chief executive of Athletics Ireland, John Foley, described the 37-year-old as one of the best athletes in Ireland’s history. Loughnane is just one of a number of NUI Galway alumni who have competed at the Olympic Games. Paul Hession (Athletics), Cormac Folan (Rowing) and Eadaoin Ní Challaráin (Kayaking) have all represented Ireland at recent Games.

By Leah Cunningham and Róisín Higgins. This season saw NUIG join forces with local National League team, Foireann Chispheile na Gaillimhe as the newly founded NUIG Mystics. The team sees Joe Shields as newly appointed Head Coach, who previously took charge of the renowned women’s basketball program in the University of Limerick. Joining him this year as assistant National League coach is Mike Murray, who also continues his role as varsity Head Coach after an extremely successful debut year with the team. Murray led the NUIG Ladies Varsity team to their first Varsity cup win in recent years; beating Trinity College Dublin in the 'B' finals last year, by a remarkable 34 points; a final score line of 68-34. The side showed extreme commitment, teamwork and skill throughout the year, deservedly securing their place in the top division this season. NUIG Mystics enthusiast Joanne Glynn-Cullen has taken on the role of manager/mom/photographer of the team, completing the newly formed coaching staff. The National League side NUIG Mystics saw little time off over the Christmas holidays as they travelled to Castleisland to compete in their first St. Mary’s blitz; a long running

basketball tradition hosting the top Division one Women’s teams around the country. The Galway side fought off both the St. Mary’s and UL sides to secure their place in the final against Tralee Imperials. NUIG Mystics were victorious with a 3 pointer on the buzzer, shattering Tralee's hopes of winning the tournament. NUIG Mystics began the New Year sitting in third place in the National League table and having booked themselves a spot in the National Cup semi-finals against Dublin side Oblate Dynamos. The Galway team had beaten Oblate twice in the league; a huge achievement against a team who had competed in the Superleague the previous season. Mystics played with heart and determination but, it was the more experienced Oblate side that came out on top with a five point victory after a gruelling game. The Tribeswomen appeared almost unfazed by their semi-final

defeat, showing no loss of confidence going into their opening league game of the New Year, beating a tough Portlaoise team. This whopping twenty six point win pushed the NUIG Mystics side up to second place on the table. Next the girls faced a strong Castleisland team; however the Kerry girls could not keep up with the pace of NUIG. The game ended on a score line of 65-51 in favour of the Mystics. NUIG Mystics travelled to UL the following week in search of a massive win to keep them on track for their goal of finishing top of the league table. A combination of good pressure defence and smooth offensive plays led to a remarkable display of basketball, securing the team’s third consecutive win of the New Year and guaranteeing the Galway side a spot in the National League semi-final which will be hosted in NUIG’s Kingfisher on 16 March. NUIG have played a total of 8 league games and are happily perched at the top of the table. With huge wins on the road against top teams such as UL and UCC by over twenty points in each game, the team are continuously improving with each game. NUIG are guaranteed a spot in the Varsity league semi-finals and will face either NUI Maynooth or last year’s cup “A” victors DCU. Either way the team are confident as ever and are hoping to book themselves a place in the league finals on March 14th in the National Basketball Arena, Tallaght. The NUIG Varsity team will close their season with the Intervarsity Cup weekend, which is set for 12-14 of April and will be hosted by the UCC Basketball Club, for what is guaranteed to be a weekend of superb basketball of the highest standard. NUIG have high hopes of returning from the weekend with yet another All-Ireland Trophy to add to the list. As Mike Murray says; "Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen." Best of luck to all involved in both teams this season and for seasons to come.

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NUIG Judo Club Extend Remarkable Record By Darren Friel The All Ireland University Judo Championships were held on Saturday last, 16 February, in Trinity College Dublin (TCD). In excess of 100 students from 14 third level Colleges took part. NUI Galway Judo Club extended its remarkable record in this event by taking 9 gold medals in the individual events. The previous record of 8 gold medals was set in 1998 by NUI Galway. Of the 14 individ ual events in the men’s

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category, NUI Galway took 6 gold medals and contested a further 3 finals. A team of four ladies, took away 3 gold medals in the female individual events and contested a further 4 finals. The men’s team took away silver in the team event, reaching the final without losing a single contest and all wins were by full point within the specified time. The final was a repeat of the 2012 final which NUI Galway had won convincingly. The host team, TCD, came away with the title this year in what was

a thrilling final with the lead changing a number of times. The men’s B team took away bronze in this event. The ladies’ team event was won by Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) for the 3rd year in succession, with NUI Galway taking bronze in this event. Following the team finals, the individual events got underway with the novice belts, followed by the lower, middle and upper belt categories. NUI Galway took away 7 gold medals in these events throughout the afternoon

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All Ireland University Judo Championships Results: Saturday 16 February 2013 and a further 2 gold medals in the weight category competitions. On the day, the club recorded 37 full point throw (ippon) wins, the fastest of these being after just 5 seconds, and coming away with a total of 21 individual medals. The club can now look forward to continuing the tradition in next year’s event which is due to be hosted by NUI Galway. The club would like to take the opportunity to thank the staff of the University Sports Unit and the staff of the Kingfisher Sports Centre in the College.

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