Volume 14 Issue 11 by Student Independent News

FREE STUDENT NEWSPAPER

VOL 14, ISSUE 11

18 MAR 2013

Higgins for Welfare, Breslin for Education and Kearns for President in recent SU Elections By Jessica Thompson The recent Students’ Union elections saw three students elected to office for next year’s SU on Friday 8 March. Catherine Breslin was the first to be elected and will be taking up the position of Vice President for Education. “I’m elated. I definitely can’t believe it; it’s a total shock,” she said after being elected. She added; “It was the friendliest election ever. I don’t think there were any bad

feelings between anybody. It came down so close in the end but I couldn’t be happier.” Recalling the tension of the count, Catherine referred to the experience as “horrific” and said she was shaking, and didn’t want to know how it was going until the results were announced. Speaking about her campaign team, she said; “I owe every single thing to them. There was 198 in my campaign team and every single person did something for me. They were out in their red t-shirts absolutely covering the

place. I couldn’t have done it without them. It was a very well-run campaign.” There were three counts in total for the VicePresident for Education position. RON and Conor Nolan were eliminated in the first count, followed by Mark Kelly and Kevin Kennedy in the second count. This left Catherine Breslin and Thomas McConigley in the final count, though Catherine had been ahead in the race from the beginning. In the end Catherine won with a total of 1,637 votes – only 87 votes ahead of Thomas.

After the count, Thomas McConigley said that he was delighted he got so far, considering very few people had known who he was a few days earlier. Later that day, Declan Higgins was elected VicePresident for Welfare, following a tense count. After the first count, RON and J.D. Kiely were eliminated, followed by Patrick Clancy in the second count. Saoirse Nic A’Bhaird was eliminated in count number three, followed by Claire McCallion in the fourth count. This left Cathal O’Hagan and Declan Higgins,

Win tickets to the Galway Arts Festival.

Trinity students roam globe for Jailbreak fundraiser.

Are student elections a farce?

What does your lipstick 18 say about you? The Whales

A Portrait of the Artist

Film Reviews

Healthy Recipe

Carter knocks out Higgins on day of shocks in Galway

though Declan was the clear favourite to win. The end result was 1,602 votes to Declan and 1,435 to Cathal, deeming Declan the new Welfare Officer. “I’m absolutely de lighted; it’s been such an experience with all my friends and campaign

Your 2013/2014 Students’ Union full-time Officers are Catherine Breslin for Education, Sean Kearns for President, and Declan Higgins for Welfare.

team and the other candidates over the course of the week. It’s been tiring and difficult, but thank god I got through in the end,” Declan said after the results were a nnounced. Continued on Page 2…

Student raises €905 for Student Assistance Fund By Joyce Fahy An NUI Galway student has recently had his hair dyed and shaved to raise money for the Student Assistance Fund. With increasing fees and decreasing part-time job opportunities, the Student Assistance Fund is a huge help to many student’s lives. The SAF provides a further source of funding for students in addition to the

grant and to post-graduate students who are no longer eligible for the maintenance grant. Patrick Clancy, a final year arts student was often asked by friends to grow an afro so he decided to go for it this year and said to himself; ‘”why not put it to good use?” He grew his afro for the “first time ever” this year, bleached it and then shaved it. He raised €905 in total, all of which will go

to students availing of the Student Assistance Fund. His fundraising campaign began a few weeks ago. It modestly consisted of one bucket and stall located at Smokey’s café and in Árqs na Mac Léinn, on the Tuesday and Thursday of two weeks. The dying event took place on Monday February 25 in the college bar. The student who donated the most was allowed to choose the colour of his hair.

“It was supposed to go white blonde but it went ginger,” he chuckled, adding that he even bought an afro comb to manage his hair. This was followed by a shaving event on Tuesday March 5. “Nobody around me thought I’d raise more than €300. To raise treble that amount was definitely brilliant,” he said. Continued on page 2…

The SU Charity Skydive raised more than €8,000 for Pieta House and Age Action, the two charities the Students’ Union chose to support.

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Students protest outside PTC Snooker Grand Final By Frank Doherty On Thursday 14 March, a protest took place outside of Aras na Mac Léinn, which hosted the PTC Snooker tournament grand final between 11 and 17 March. The protest action, organised by NUI Galway Students’ Union, started

at 11am and highlighted the inequity of students’ denial of access to facilities which they pay for through the annual student levy (attached to registration fees). In an email to university administration, sent last month, student’s union president Paul Curley outlined the union’s position

on the matter, stating; “The availability of student facilities for use by students is paramount. To avoid this protest and similar protests from going ahead we suggest that alternative accommodation is found for this event and future events.” He continued by elaborating the demands of the

protest which were that a €90,000 single payment from the University be made, to be split equally between the societies’ office, the clubs’ office and the students union by Friday 8 March. The protest went ahead when this sum hadn’t been paid by the deadline on the previous Friday. It

was a peaceful picket with information disseminated bringing light to the situation. Events relating to the snooker tournament within Bailey Allen, went on without any interruption. When questioned in January about the PTC Snooker, Rory O’Toole from the Commercial Services Office stated; “The Com-

mercial Office can only book events into the Bailey Allen Hall after society activities have been confirmed in the venue for the academic year ahead. We work with the societies officer in relation to this.” As of yet an agreement has not been reached between the University and Students Union.

Trinity students roam globe for Jailbreak fundraiser By Marése O’Sullivan Trinity College Dublin (TCD) have announced the winners of its first ‘Jailbreak’ Competition, which saw students attempt to travel as far away as they could from TCD in 36 hours without any money, funded entirely by the sponsorship of travel companies. The contest began at 9:30am on Saturday March

9 in Trinity’s Front Square, with representatives of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Dublin University (DU) Amnesty, and the Dublin University (DU) Law Society. Matthew Hainbach and Claire Cullen, a couple in their third year of a Medicine degree, beat the other 39 pairs by getting as far as Mirimar, south of Buenos Aires in Argentina, by the deadline: a total of 7,020.4

miles from Trinity College Dublin. Together, they raised €2,120 for charity, and their ticket home was funded by musician Chris de Burgh. Brian Cusack and Sonia Wu Murphy came second by 36 kilometres, having reached Bintan in Indonesia. Over €14,000 was raised for St. Vincent de Paul, Amnesty International, and other charities by the TCD students.

The idea was devised by law student Sorcha McCauley, age 22, who had heard of similar challenges in the UK; “We're shocked how successful it has been given it's the first year of the competition. Only three couples didn't make it out of Dublin Airport. “Two other teams got further [than the winners] but they missed the deadline. One team is in Sydney

Higgins for Welfare, Breslin for Education and Kearns for President in recent SU Elections Continued from Page 1… He said that he found the count “the most difficult of all the days yet” and praised his campaign team for their hard work and support; “They were fantastic. They were a huge asset to me and they gave so much of their time to the campaign and sacrificed so much; that’s something I’ll never forget.” Declan’s plans, as soon as he starts, are to put together his “We’re here for you” campaign, so it will be up and running by September. There were only two counts for the position of Students’ Union President, as

there were only three candidates. But it was possibly the most tense count yet. Following the first count, RON and Rory McCormack were eliminated, leaving Conor Stitt and Sean Kearns running in a very tight race, with Stitt only 51 votes behind Kearns. When the votes from RON and Rory McCormack were transferred to the two remaining candidates, there were still only 55 votes between Stitt and Kearns. It was a close race, but Sean Kearns came out on top in the end. “Coming into this week I didn’t know what to expect and I’m so over the moon –

delighted. My team have been so good and so dedicated and I couldn’t have done it without them,” he said after winning the election. Speaking about the count, he said; “It was so hard to know how it was going to go. Everyone was such good support and it showed how close it was in the end. It was horrible, once the first votes came out and it was so close and it was going to go to transfers… you just couldn’t tell it.” Sean said his team were fantastic, with approximately ten to fifty people out campaigning every hour they had; “they put

so much work into it and they believed in me more than I did at times.” Sean plans on starting work on his manifesto as soon as he gets into the office. He wants to start working on everything he promised the students and will work endlessly to “do everything I said I’d do, and be everything I said I’d be.” This year saw the highest number of votes ever, with approximately 3,635 people having their say in the elections. The campaigning was very clean and very friendly, and Returning Officer Ken Curtin complimented the candidates on this.

Student raises €905 for Student Assistance Fund Continued from page 1… “I expected €400 at the most – I would have been happy enough with that. But I’m ecstatic and delighted I raised beyond my expectations as the money goes to people who really need it,” he added. “Fundraising is hard work. That’s why it’s a good idea

to have a specific event and maybe hold it in the college bar, speak to one of the societies or perhaps hold it around town and speak to some people from a few businesses around town. I raised €140 at the hair shaving event alone,” he said. Mr Clancy has collaborated with the current welfare officer, Dami Ade-

bari throughout the last year during his role as Arts Convenor, and is confident that the money will go to those in the worst financial crises. Dr Pat Morgan, Vice President for the Student experience at NUI Galway is going to work alongside the current welfare officer, Dami Adebari to make sure “that the money goes to people who really need it,”

stressed Mr Clancy. “If every student in the college gave me twenty cent, I’d have something like €3,000, so if you can target 1% of 17,000 people and get them each to give you a euro, you’d be doing well,” explained Mr Clancy. Would you have guessed his arts subjects are maths and economics?

and the other is in some corner of Malaysia,” she laughed. “One couple got to Rome, they dressed up as priests and handed their CV into the Vatican – so it's a good story to tell when they get home.” The DU Law Society Chairperson, Lydia Rahill, declared; “We are amazed at the support they’ve been shown, varying from Erasmus students to

Trinity alumni and travel companies. There [have] been an overwhelming number of people who have gotten on board to offer the contestants funding, accommodation, food, and travel. It has really been uplifting to see such enthusiasm and the success has been a testament to the goodwill of Irish ex-pats and the Irish gift of the gab!”

During the count, he said; “I want to thank you all for the way you handled the campaign this week. It’s been a pleasure to work with you. All candidates and their teams got on and fought a fair fight. It hasn’t always been this way. Everybody who ran this week can be proud of themselves and their teams.” This year there was also a referendum and whether the Students’ Union should take a Pro-Choice stance on abortion or not. There were a total of 3,596 students who voted in the referendum. Of these votes, 142 were spoiled, bringing the total number of valid votes to 3,454. A total of 2,478 students voted in favour of the referendum, with 1,118

voting against it, and the referendum was passed. The Students’ Union will now be taking a Pro-Choice stance on abortion. Furthermore, on Friday 15 March last, the parttime officers were elected for the academic year 2013/2014. These are: Aoife Ní Shúilleabháin for Oifigeach na Gaeilge; Cian Shelvin for Equality Officer; Patrick O’Flaherty for Societies Chairperson; Declan O’Loughlin for Clubs Captain; Phelim Kelly for Convenor of Science; John Bourke for Convenor of the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences; and Amy McDonnell for Convenor of the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies.

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By Jessica Thompson It’s been quite the fortnight here at Sin headquarters (my office). A lot has happened since issue 10. The most important news of all is probably the fact that we have new SU Officers; Declan Higgins for Welfare, Catherine Breslin for Education and Sean Kearns for President. After the nominations for the full time positions were announced, I had to scramble to fit in interviews for our election special last issue. This was the most stressful week of my year so far – no doubt about it. But I got to meet each of the candidates and listen to their ideas. I could tell from the moment they walked into my office whether they were good for the job or not. There was a passion in their eyes and an excitement in their voice. They were confident, determined and would do whatever it took to get the position. When Sean came into my office, he was immediately friendly and spent a few minutes chatting to me while we waited for Sean Dunne, Sin’s deputy news and co-features editor, to come and conduct the interview. Sean Kearns was friendly and seemed approachable and easy to talk to. I sat and listened while the interview was being conducted and I was interested to hear what ideas Sean had to bring the

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SU forward and make it more known on campus. I laughed as he said he’d love to bring a couch out and sit on it, inviting students to come and talk to him. I have no doubt he’ll be sitting on a couch outside the library on a regular basis next year. The count was tight between himself and Conor Stitt, and there were very few votes between them when Sean was elected. As he was announced president I could see how overwhelmed he was, and when I pulled him aside for interview, he was clearly welling with pride. He worked hard to get where he is, and I wish him all the best. The first time I met Declan Higgins was when he came to my office to be interviewed by Lyndsay Hughes. We struck up conversation as we waited for Lyndsay Hughes to arrive to interview him. He was calm and collected and had an air of sophistication about him. He knew what he was talking about. From that day on, whenever I passed Declan Higgins, he said hello to me. There is quality in a person who will meet you formally once and then talk to you every time he sees you afterwards. To Declan I was a person worth talking to. And this is an important quality in a Welfare Officer. If the Welfare Officer ignored you every time he walked past you, he wouldn’t be doing a very good job. Declan’s nerves were visible during the count for Welfare, but still he remained calm. When he was deemed the Vice President for Welfare, the emotion was clear on his face. He was overjoyed. His friends and campaign team immediately hoisted him up onto their shoulders in celebration. I

can say with absolute confidence that Declan will make a great Welfare Officer. I was delighted when a girl was elected our new Vice President for Education. The fact that the girl in question was Catherine Breslin was a bonus. When Catherine came for interview, she was friendly and bubbly, and struck up conversation immediately, as if she’d stepped into a room of friends. I listened as Conor Lane conducted the interview with her, and she talked in great detail about her plans for the position of education Officer. Her interview was long and interesting and she wasn’t afraid to get her thoughts and ideas out there. While walking around campus after the interview, I overheard several conversations about Catherine, and how she should be Education Officer. She was clearly popular with the students. She will make a great Education Officer. Congratulations are also in order for the new Part-time Officers, who were elected last Friday. The SU looks like it will be very strong again next year, and I wish the officers all the best with their new positions. But it’s time to flick forward in this paper. Check out our personality test on liptick on page 18. On page 27 you’ll find one of my favourite healthy recipes – try it out, it’s delicious. We’ve also published excerpts of some creative work this issue, because we can publish complete creative writing pieces on the website. On that note, be sure to check out sin.ie. It’s coming together slowly but surely. You should also enter out competition for free tickets to the Galway Arts Festival. Winners will be announced on Friday. Until next time, Jess

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Want to win tickets to the Galway Arts Festival? By Jane Kearns From the 15 to 28 July the Galway Arts Festival will be taking over the city once more; with a mix of theatre, music and art, the festival attracts thousands to Galway every summer. This year the festival is set to be better than ever, with a whole host of major Irish and international acts recently announced for the two week event. On the 20 July the festival will welcome American singer-songwriter Josh Ritter to the Big Top. Ritter will perform songs from his critically acclaimed seventh studio album, The Beast In Its Tracks. The album has garnered high praise from around the world. Just a few days after Josh Ritter takes the stage, one of the biggest acts to sign on to the Festival will be performing in the Big Top. On the 25 July, Oscar-winner Glen Hansard will be on the festival’s main stage. Glen will be performing songs from his solo album Rhythm and Repose along with some Frames’ favourites, accompanied by an eleven-piece band. Glen, who is one of Ireland’s most successful musicians, has recently come back into the public eye after his Vicar Street shows in December received a fantastic reaction all round. He’s currently on tour in Europe with dates in Australia coming up across March. After his Galway performance, Glen will be special guest to Bruce Springsteen at Nowlan Park, Kilkenny on 27 July.

On 26 July, Imelda May will be taking to the Big Top. Originally from inner city Dublin, Imelda May’s Rockabilly style has garnered her legions of fans and critical acclaim. She has three hugely successful albums under her belt and constantly wows audiences with her high-energy live performances. Along with special guests, Imelda May is sure to impress the crowds in the Big Top this summer. All tickets for these shows are on sale now, but as part of the partnership between NUI Galway and the Galway Arts Festival, NUI Galway students can

avail of an exclusive deal that includes a ticket for a Festival Big Top gig of their choice, a ticket to the Festival’s silent disco Silent Night, discounted tickets for other selected festival shows and a choice of either a Galway Arts Festival t-shirt or poster. GAF Student tickets are €45 and are available now. Sin Newspaper is giving away one of these GAF Student packages away this week and next week. To be in with a chance to win, go to sin.ie, or check out the details on our Facebook page, “Sin Newspaper, NUI Galway”.

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Survey results in serious alcohol concerns By Lyndsay Hughes

Summer Trips Internships Graduate Experience Gap Year

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Benebus rolls in to NUI Galway By Lyndsay Hughes Benefit Cosmetics visited the NUI Galway campus on Wednesday 6 March as part of their university tour aimed at raising awareness for Women’s Aid. The visit was geared towards raising awareness and much-needed finds for the Women’s Aid charity, which is focused on providing support for victims of emotional, physical or psychological abuse.

The eye-catching minibus stopped off at colleges in Limerick, Dublin and Cork before spending the day on campus at NUI Galway. The tour took place in the run up to International Women’s Day on 9 March. The Benebus, which was parked outside Áras na Mac Léinn, was packed full of Benefit samples and make-up artists, who offered make-overs, brow waxes and Benefit make-up in return for a small donation to the charity.

“It’s just been brilliant,” one volunteer told Sin, “it’s all about raising awareness and it seems to be doing the trick.” The make-up artists and bucket shakers on duty worked on a voluntary basis. Event organiser Caoimhe McCrystal told Sin that “the aim of the whole situation is to raise money for Women’s Aid, so we want to raise as much money as we possibly can for a very worthy cause. “The pink benebus has been all over the road, we’ve asked people to email us if

The Benefit volunteers stand proudly before their Benebus as they collect for Women's Aid. Photo by Lyndsay Hughes.

Universities are failing in their duty of care to undergraduates by allowing students to behave in a dangerous and irresponsible manner, according to a recent survey. A survey of school leaders at private and state schools revealed that there was serious concern about the level of pastoral support offered to undergrads. The findings come at a time when mental health issues and suicide have become a major problem among both second and third level students. Binge-drinking has been the focus of criticism, with many education heads believing that it is the root of the emergence of mental health issues among third level students. Almost nine out of ten thought that senior academics were turning a blind eye to drunkenness whilst more than 80% considered there was a serious issue with pastoral care – a similar number felt that universities were not doing enough to help students settle into residential life on campus. Dr Anthony Seldon, Master of Wellington College, has launched a four point plan to help stem the growing levels of psychological distress among undergraduates.

Dr Seldon said the findings were a “damning indictment” and that more must be done to make young people’s transition into third level education easier and more manageable. “The majority of undergraduates have a great time but a significant minority do not and an unacceptable number have psychological problems,” said Dr Seldon. “There is a belief that young people are adults and can fend for themselves. But 18-year-olds today are a lot less robust and worldly wise.’’ Another recent study by the Royal College of Psychiatrists found 29 per cent of those students referred to the health services showed clinical levels of distress. “Universities recognise the importance of monitoring a student’s transition into higher education, and many provide training for staff so that they can be alert for students at risk,” said Professor Eric Thomas, president of Universities UK. Locally, the Galway Pioneers are beginning a major drive to get young people to change their attitudes towards drink. The organisation believes that binge drinking is a cause for concern, and will visit schools as part of its efforts to highlight the need for a shift in attitudes.

They will also make young students aware of the consequences of alcohol addiction and its effects on families and the individual. A local spokesperson confirms it will be ramping up its efforts in Galway in a bid to encourage young people to stay away from alcohol until they are at least 18 years old. “It has emerged that boozing by teenage girls in Galway is the worst in the country. Liam O’Loughlin of the Western Region Drug Task Force has stated that more girls are drinking as much as boys in the West of Ireland than in any other region.” The spokesperson outlines that nationally alcohol misuse is a significant factor in the increasing incidents of street and domestic violence, rising suicide rates and ever growing levels of depression among younger and older people. The spokesperson also believes that parents hold a significant level of responsibility; “every parent has to reflect on his or her relationship with alcohol. Equally they should listen, in a mature, helpful way to what their teenagers have to tell them about their curiosity or indeed their dabbling in drink.”

they’ve spotted the Benebus anywhere funny, like in McDonalds drive-throughs, and we’re sending out prizes to the funniest ones.” Benefit Cosmetics decided to team up with Women’s Aid for the event after taking an interest in the work they do for women who have suffered any form of abuse.

“Benefit’s all about making women feel good about themselves, and the work that Women’s Aid does is just amazing. So we couldn’t have lent our support to a better cause,” said Caoimhe. “There’s so many good charities out there, but Women’s Aid, with all

the work that they do for women with self-esteem problems after abuse situations, are one of the best. We just want to help as much as we can.” All of the money rasied during the event was donated to the Women’s Aid charitable fund. The Benebus visit to Galway was the most successful of the tour, raising €2,135 for Women’s Aid. The day-time event was followed by an evening reception in the College Bar, which featured more makeovers and samples from the cosmetics brand. 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.

Make-overs were given on the day in return for a donation to the charity. Photo by Kieran Durcan.

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Tokyo court hears Nicola Furlong case By Áine O’Donnell The trial of murdered Irish student Nicola Furlong opened in Tokyo on March 4. Ms Furlong’s parents and her sister travelled to Tokyo for the trial and will appear in court for its duration. Nicola Furlong was found dead in a Tokyo hotel after attending a Nicki Minaj concert on May 24 last year while living in Tokyo on exchange from Dublin City University. Mr Richard Hinds, a 19 year old American is accused of murdering Ms Furlong by strangulation. He admitted to putting his hands on Ms Furlong’s neck during the trial but insisted that he didn’t believe he killed her because “the pressure was too light”. Dr Kenichi Yoshida, a forensics expert, told

the court that Nicola Furlong “didn’t die quickly, it took minutes and she died in great distress”. He also said a soft item such as clothing or a rolled up towel was used to strangle Ms Furlong. Ms Furlong’s DNA was found on a tank top and a towel in Mr Hinds’ hotel room. Dr Yoshida repeatedly denied that drugs and alcohol were the cause of Ms Furlong’s death amid arguments from the defence; he stated “she didn’t just die, she was killed.” The woman who accompanied Nicola Furlong on the night of her murder gave evidence via video link on the third day of the trial. The woman, known as Victim A, had previously given evidence against Mr James

Blackston who has been convicted of sexually assaulting her on the same night as Ms Furlong’s murder. Victim A sobbed while confessing her fury over the incident; “I feel so angry that he took her away from me and her family and that he isn’t taking any responsibility for the life that he took.” The video footage from the taxi which they took was also shown in court in which both Nicola Furlong and Victim A appeared unconscious. Victim A revealed that she “didn’t remember anything” after taking a second shot with the men in a bar. On the fifth day of the trial, Dr Marianne Hamel, an American pathologist for the defence, contested the findings of Dr Yoshida

declaring that she “could not determine if it was manual or ligature strangulation”. This argument from the defence is an appeal for a lesser punishment for Mr Hinds as the use of ligature will incur intent. An ex-girlfriend of the accused appeared as a character witness. She indicated that she believed that the accused “couldn’t hurt a fly”. She insisted that Mr Hinds had a gentle character even after the prosecution read her a transcript from the video from the taxi in which the men discuss having sex with the women in a crass manner. The defendant called Ms Furlong “Nicki” while on the stand which the Furlong family contested, finding it disrespectful as Ms Furlong

Breakthrough pain research at NUI Galway By Gillian Keating NUI Galway researchers in the Centre for Pain Research have been published for their breakthrough findings on how the brain functions to suppress pain. Their research shows, for the first time, the relationship between marijuana-like chemicals and the amygdala region of the brain in pain suppression during times of acute stress. The study was conducted by Dr David Finn and his research team in Pharma-

cology and Therapeutics, Centre for Pain Research and Galway Neuroscience Centre at NUI Galway. The research was funded by a grant from Science Foundation Ireland and builds on previous breakthrough findings from Dr Finn’s research group. Previous findings showed an increase in levels of marijuana-like substances in the amygdala associated with fear-induced analgesia. Fear-induced analgesia describes how pain becomes significantly suppressed in

highly stressful environments. When the body is faced with this situation it reacts to relieve stress levels, acting as a survival response allowing us to deal with potentially life-threatening situations. Soldiers in war environments would experience this response when they become injured in their line of duty. They do not feel the severity of the pain from their wounds until they are out of that life-threatening environment.

Dr. David Finn, Co-Director of the Centre for Pain Research at NUI Galway.

This insight into the physiology of pain prompted the research and experimentation into the relationship of these neurotransmitters and fearinduced analgesia. Endocannabinoids, marijuana-like substances, and neurotransmitters GABA (Gamma-amino butyric acid) and glutamate were blocked from interacting with the amyglada. Thus fear induced analgesia was prevented, ultimately showing how their relationship drives pain suppression. Dr David Finn, Leader of the Galway Neuroscience Centre, Co-Director of the Centre for Pain Research at NUI Galway and study leader says that; “This research...advances our fundamental understanding of the neurobiology of pain and may facilitate the identification of new therapeutic targets for the treatment of pain and anxiety disorders.” The Centre for Pain Research may use these findings for future research into treatment of chronic stress conditions where there is a deficiency in the naturally occurring endocannabinoid substances in the body and how these can be increased by pharmacology and therapeutic techniques to relieve those symptoms.

was only called “Nicola”, or “Nic” by her friends and family. Mr Hinds maintained that Ms Furlong had insisted they had sex although he initially refused because he did not have a condom. This statement is disputed as Hinds was wearing a denim jacket on the evening containing an unused condom. Ms Furlong’s father called Hinds’ display on the stand an attempt to “blacken her name”. O n M a rc h 1 2 , t h e defendant admitted for the first time to putting two hands on Ms Furlong’s neck on the night of her death. Hinds still reputed that he had no explanation for Ms Furlong’s death and stated that; “if I misjudged my pressure, I humbly accept it, if I misjudged it.”

He claimed that he put his hands on Ms Furlong’s neck because she wanted him to as an act of sexual pleasure. CCTV footage from the hotel was shown; Ms Furlong and Victim A are seen apparently unconscious being pushed in wheelchairs by Hinds and Blackson to their hotel rooms. On the same day, Ms Furlong’s sister and mother provided victim impact statements to the court. Ms Furlong’s sister made clear that she was very angry over her sister’s murder and appealed to the judges to award Mr Hinds the death penalty; “he took someone from us and ruined all our lives, so a life for a life.” The trial continues and a judgement is expected on March 19.

Scabies outbreak reported at UL By Jenna Hodgins The University of Limerick Student’s Union recently posted a message on Facebook warning its students about a recent outbreak of scabies on campus. The UL medical centre reported to the SU that an increasing number of students have been diagnosed with the infection in late February. Scabies is a highly contagious skin infection caused by the Scarcopetes scabei mite which burrows under the skin and remains barely visible. These mites excavate into the epidermis of the host and deposit eggs in the burrows until they hatch into larvae 3-5 days later. The movement of the mites cause the host to suffer intense itching resulting in rashes, red blemishes and sores on the skin. Scabies is severely contagious and can be contracted from objects such as bed linen, clothing etc., but it’s primarily transmitted from skin-to-skin contact. The infection spreads by scratching an infected area thereby picking up the male mites (who mainly inhabit the outer

layers of the skin) under the fingernails. Scabies can also be considered a sexually transmitted infection, similar to lice, which can spread even with the use of a barrier method like latex condoms. The symptoms posted by the UL Student’s Union include: • Itching, commonly at night • Rashes, mostly between fingers • Sores (abrasions) on the skin from scratching and digging • Thin, pencil-mark lines on the skin • The early symptoms of the scabies infection can mimic other skin diseases like an allergic reaction, dermatitis, syphilis and other such parasites like lice and fleas. The Facebook message has been shared and has instructed students experiencing any of these symptoms to contact the medical centre by phone. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms or fear you may have one of the mentioned skin infections, contact the Health Centre at 091-492604.

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Say goodbye to Rickshaws Plans to mark graves on Galway’s streets of Magdalene women By James Falconer City Council has unanimously voted to introduce new by-laws that will ban the use of rickshaws on the city’s streets. City Council personnel accepted that the decision to permit the movement of rickshaws up and down the city’s streets was as a mistake and a ‘failed experiment’. Similarly, the use of Rickshaws in the West End of London has also recently been controversial, and a motion to outlaw them there has also been enacted. Cab and taxi drivers feel aggrieved because their trade is being affected by

the Rickshaws, which have the ability to dodge traffic congestion by using pedestrianised streets. The new proposed bylaws outlawing rickshaws, which are three-seated carriages on wheels being pulled by people either on foot or by pedal, will be drawn up in the coming months. The motion to ban rickshaws by repealing the existing by-laws was proposed by City Councillor Mike Crowe, chair of the Transport Strategic Policy Committee. Cllr Crowe argued that rickshaws are a danger to pedestrians on Shop Street

and other pedestrian areas. He said that they add “no value” to the city. Cllr Billy Cameron, who seconded the motion, said Galway’s medieval streets were “too narrow for rickshaws to operate safely.” In Galway, there are currently 24 licences for non-motorised passenger transporters, including 20 rickshaws and four horsedrawn carriages. The new by-laws, voted by all 14 councilors present, cannot be introduced until the existing licenses for the 20 rickshaws expire, which isn’t until later this summer, according to senior engineer Billy Dunne.

New taxi app allows passengers to verify driver By Marése O’Sullivan Minister of State for Public and Commuter Transport, Alan Kelly, has launched a smartphone application that will enable anyone travelling in a taxi to check the legitimacy of their driver. Devised by the National Transport Authority, the free Driver Check app reveals the vehicle and driver license details, as well as an ID photograph. The passenger can also forward the relevant vehicle information to a friend via the app.

30% of taxis are unregistered with the NTA. Customers can report these drivers through the app. Onscreen, the profile will state “no details available” and a fixed €40 fine will be imposed. The app can be downl o a d e d f r o m A p p l e ’s App Store and Android’s Google Play Store. Once it is launched and contact details registered, the passenger can input the ordinary vehicle registration number; the vehicle license number, which is displayed on roofs and door signs; the driver

license number on the dashboard’s ID card; or scan the QR code on the disk in the front and rear windscreens. “[This will] reassure taxi customers that they are travelling safely, and that there is a record of their trip,” stated Minister Kelly. “We are using technology to give consumers more confidence in the taxi sector. […] For drivers, it will promote greater professionalism and accountability, and the data is already public record but being made accessible to the public in an easy way.”

A postgraduate seminar entitled “Making the transition to an industrial post: Key ingredients for success” took place in the careers seminar room on Wednesday 6 March. From the left: John Hannon (Head of Career Development Centre at NUI Galway), Dr. Lucy Byrnes (Dean of Graduate Studies at NUI Galway), Helen Ryan (Chief Executive Officer, Creganna-Tactx Medical), Michelle Queally (Postgraduate Research Society at NUI Galway).

By Aishling O’Herlihy New headstones for the graves of 50 former inhabitants of the Magdalene Laundry on Forster Street, Galway, who are buried at Bohermore Cemetry, are to be erected. It was confirmed by Galway City Council that these women are indeed buried at Bohermore, with the earliest burial dating back to 1924. Director of Services, Ciaran Hayes has spoken about the plans and has affirmed that the local authority does possess the relevant records and information of each woman, including their names, dates of burial and plot numbers. These records have been crosschecked and verified through the assistance of the Sisters of Mercy. The names of the women in question are also said to be included on headstones in a graveyard situated at the back of the Magdalene Home.

In response to questions from the City Council, Mr. Hayes has clarified that; “The Sisters of Mercy have proposed the erection of headstones at Bohermore with the names of the women and date they died. This will coincide with an appropriate service to be organized by the Sisters of Mercy.” With regards to the plans, City Councillor, Billy Cameron has asked that the sensitivity of this particular issue be taken into consideration, especially with regards to the family members of those buried in Bohermore. Mr. Hayes has reiterated this view stating that; “A consistent theme arising throughout the consultation was the sensitivity of the issue. At one level, apologies and compensation was demanded while at the other, families of some of the women requested anonymity.” He added; “I would be grateful if, in the course of any future debates on

this issue, the wishes of the families are respected”. The confirmation of the proposed plan follows a vigil that took place in Galway City at the memorial statue on Forster Street on Sunday 3rd in unity with those who were retained at the Magdalene Laundry. The event aimed to “acknowledge and commemorate” those who worked at the Laundry. These events and issues have arisen following the release of the McLeese report on State involvement in the Magdalene Laundries and the subsequent State apology made by Taoiseach Enda Kenny on February 19th to the survivors of the Magdalene Laundries. It is estimated that up to 30,000 women were incarcerated in Laundries in Ireland. The first Magdalene Laundry opened on Leeson Street, Dublin in 1765 and the last such institution in Ireland closed in 1996.

OPINION: Rumours of Carbon’s closure sweep Galway By Shannon Fahy It looks as though the rumour mill has struck up another storm. But is this merely a rumour or is Carbon Nightclub actually closing down this year? I’ve heard many versions of this story that has been circling Galway for as long as seven months now, when I first heard about it. The most established story of them all is that Carbon will be replaced with a Tesco Express shop in the next month. The club, which is located on Eglington Street in Galway City, originally opened in February of 2011 after taking over what was formerly known as the GPO. It is a popular destination for many college students, most likely due to its affordable beverages, hot topic music and its accept-

ance of Titanium Ents cards which gain students free entry before midnight on three nights of the week. As the academic year is nearing its end and summer holidays are approaching, students are becoming increasingly agitated. But the rumours are just that; rumours. Carbon will not be replaced with a Tesco Express, because Carbon will not be closing down. The source of the rumour is unknown, but now that the truth is out, and the air is clear with sighs of relief, we all realize how unrealistic the rumour was to begin with. I doubt Tesco would be able to manage the onset of flash mobs in isle three every night, and when customers insist on only paying three euro a pop for their drinks. After being in recent contact with a spokesper-

son from the nightclub itself, I can assure all disgruntled students that there is no need to worry. Jonathan, an employee at Carbon, answered in reply to my email about the concern. He insisted; “Management assured staff that this is not a true story.” This leads us to believe that no jobs will be lost for any of the current staff at this social location. Jonathan and the other staff have “no idea where the rumour came from”, but stated quite clearly; “No. Carbon is not closing to make way for a Tesco Express.” So rest tight, because you are all going to need your strength to enjoy the service Carbon will still have to offer in the future. Carbon is still well grounded on the street as well as on the periodic table.

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Christine Legarde: The fight for gender equality must continue

European Movement Ireland launches writing competition for students

By Órla Ryan

By James Falconer

The first ever female head of the IMF has warned Irish women of the danger of becoming complacent in the fight for equal rights. Christine Lagarde said female participation in politics and business is still too low in Ireland and she encouraged women not to “take things for granted”. “Assume that you can do just as well as everybody else, including boys. If people don’t respect you or accept you, leave them to it, they don’t deserve you,” said Ms Lagarde. The former French Finance Minister is in favour of quotas, but this was not always the case, saying in the past she found them “offensive”. However, she now feels they should be implemented temporarily

to kick-start increased female involvement in politics. “Once a threshold has been reached… we can do away with quotas and demonstrate on our own merits that we can be trusted, that we can contribute, that we deserve to be elected, hired or promoted.” She cited the French Senate and Nordic countries as examples of where gender quotas have been effective in increasing female representation in parliament and on company boards. “At the end of the day, people will have to be convinced that [women] bring something to the table.” Despite the advancements of women, Ms Lagarde feels like we still have a long way to go to achieve full equality. “If you look at the payslip of a woman and the payslip of a man doing the same job,

USI host European Students’ Convention By James Falconer The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) hosted the 25th European Students’ Convention last weekend. The Convention was launched in the Department of Education on Friday morning, with over 80 delegates from across Europe attending. The last time USI had the privilege of hosting this important event was in 2004. The Convention was co-hosted by the European Students’ Union (ESU). The Department of Education and Skills and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) joined

forces with USI to ensure the convention’s success. Delegates were addressed by high-profile figures in the Irish third level sector such as Seán Ó’Foghlú, General Secretary of the Department of Education, Tom Boland, Chief Executive of the HEA and Patrick Geoghegan, Senior Lecturer of TCD and presenter of Talking History on Newstalk FM. The theme of the Convention was “Equality for Diversity - The Social Dimension and Equality in Higher Education Today”. This tied into the theme that the Department of Education adopted for the presidency of the EU, “Equity

Rabbitte sees gap in social media legislation By Marése O’Sullivan Minister for Communications, Pat Rabbitte, has declared that there “may be a gap” in social media legislation in Ireland. Speaking at a four-day Joint Oireachtas Committee meeting on communications, he told members that the Communications Regulation (Amendment) Act of 2007 did not cover

electronic communications infrastructure. He argued that social media policies were not keeping up with the rapid changes in technology and that the new ways of public interaction with politics were challenging in terms of dealing with online harassment. “The same power that allows information to be shared in a free and open way also confers the ability to abuse, bully and

I can bet you that there is at least a 15, if not 20 per cent, difference between the two. So yes we must continue to fight and we must enlarge the circle of those who fight with us.” She recalled how her own mother was unable to open a bank account without her father’s permission, “not that long ago”. Ms Lagarde’s path to becoming one of the most influential women in the world was not an easy one, saying she often faced “scepticism and cynicism”. “You would walk into a room… and people sitting there say or think to themselves ‘Hmm, she’s just a woman, she has no idea, but let’s be polite, let’s listen.’” For women who are starting their careers, she advised: “Never give up, grit your teeth and smile.” and Equality” and it also links in with the “Year of the Citizens” initiative. USI President John Logue said; “With discussions around the future of Irish higher education drawing on international best practice, it is particularly apt that the European Students' Convention was hosted in Dublin this year. Over 80 delegates from countries across Europe gathered to discuss issues such as equality of access to higher education and I feel that both our student leaders and the heads of our higher education institutions did well to learn from our European counterparts who continue to place access to education as a primary concern while seeking to maintain institutional standards and finding innovative ways to fund the sector.” harass others, sometimes with the benefit of anonymity,” he said. Chairman of the National Anti-Bullying Coalition, Tom Hayes TD, declared that social media has a “very positive” and “exciting” potential. However, he noted that there is “a fine balance” to be struck between the freedom of speech and “not impacting adversely” on people’s rights. He has previously indicated that he would encourage the Committee to draw up a report to examine the need for social media regulation or legislation.

European Movement Ireland has launched a writing competition for third-level students. The winning essay will receive a €1,500 bursary award. The idea is to recognise Ireland’s forty year membership of the EU. EU sceptics should not be discouraged as the competition invites students to critically examine how Ireland and the EU have developed over the past forty years and how this relationship may develop over the next forty. Entries will be reviewed by an independent panel of judges drawn from the worlds of academia and politics to select a winner. The panel includes Dr Mary Canning, member of the Royal Irish Academy and member of Board of

the Higher Education Authority and European Movement Ireland, and David Byrne, former EU Commissioner and Chancellor emeritus Dublin City University. The author of the winning essay will be announced at a gala dinner in Dublin at the end of May 2013 and will receive a bursary award of €1,500. Second and third place runners-up will also receive prizes on the night. European Movement Ireland Executive Director Noelle O Connell, said that; “With 2013 marking the 40th anniversary of Irish accession to the EEC, and with Ireland currently holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU for the 7th time, now is the perfect time for students to explore the past relation-

ships between Ireland and the EU, to reflect on its current challenges and to contemplate future developments. We look forward to reading the thoughts and opinions of students around the country on the Irish-EU relationship.” In order to enter the competition for the EM Ireland 40 Years of Change Bursary Award, students must address the following question; “Critically examine how the relationship between Ireland and the EU has developed over the past forty years and how this relationship may develop over the next forty.” Essay style answers must be between 1,500 and 2,000 words and should be submitted electronically to Billie Sparks, EM Ireland’s Education and Advocacy Manager, at billie@ europeanmovement.ie. The deadline for receipt of entries is 5pm on Monday, 15 April.

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Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio elected Pope Francis I

Mendes turns down chance to direct next 007

By Marése O’Sullivan and Jessica Thompson

By Marése O’Sullivan

The world’s 1.2 billion Catholics have a new pope. Taking the name of Pope Francis I, the 76-year-old is the first Jesuit to ever lead the Roman Catholic Church in its 2,000 year history, and also the first Argentinian. White smoke rose from the chimney in St Peter’s Square in the Vatican City on Wednesday evening, indicating that a new Pontiff had been chosen by a two-thirds majority of the 115 cardinals. It was one of the fastest elections in recent years, after a mere five ballots. Although Pope Francis reportedly came second in the 2005 conclave, he was not one of the leading contenders this year. He appeared on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica for just over an hour to greet the crowds that had gathered below. He was introduced by a French cardinal, JeanLouis Tauran, who spoke in Latin to inform the world of the choice; “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum. Habemus Papam,” or “I announce to you a great joy. We have a pope.” The Pontiff prayed for the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, who announced his shock retirement last month amidst claims that he could not overcome the crises that have shaken the

Vatican, from child sex abuse scandals to private document leaks. Pope Francis also said that the cardinals went “to the other end of the world” to find a new Pope. In his first public mass, Pope Francis addressed cardinals in the Sistine Chapel and urged the Catholic Church to stick to its Gospel roots lest it forget its true mission. “We can walk all we want, we can build many things, but if we don’t proclaim Jesus Christ, something is wrong. We would become a compassionate NGO and not a church which is the bride of Christ,” he said in Italian. The new pope’s initial steps suggest that he

will bring humility and simplicity to the papacy, rather than pomp and grandeur. “When we walk without the cross, when we build without the cross and when we proclaim Christ without the cross, we are not disciples of the Lord. We are worldly,” he told the cardinals. He added; “We may be bishops, priests, cardinals, popes, all of this, but we are not disciples of the Lord.” Cardinal Seán Brady has said he believes that Pope Francis will continue the policy of Pope Benedict and Pope John Paul to address clerical child sex abuse in Ireland. The new Pope will be invited to Ireland.

On the 5 March 2013, Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela from 1993 died at age of 58 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Chavez underwent surgery in Cuba in 2011 to remove a baseball-sized tumor with cancerous cells from his pelvic region. The cancer returned repeatedly despite more surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments. It is not yet confirmed of what type of cancer the Venezuelan dictator

had and what organs were affected, as he kept these details secret. According to numerous speculations Chavez had pelvic cancer. His cancer was progressing at an alarming rate, but it was a massive heart attack that killed Chavez. To the people of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez was known as El Comandante. Chavez’s style of governing the country was very similar to how Cuban leader Fidel Castro was running his country; in fact, Chavez spoke of Castro as his mentor.

The first third-party app announced for Google Glass, called InSight is designed to recognise people based on their clothing. The developer gives two examples of InSights prospective uses; "For instance, Alice may look at people around her in a social gathering and see the names of each individual – like a virtual badge – suitably overlaid on her Google Glass display," or "Where revealing names is undesirable, only a tweet message could be shared. People at the airport could tweet 'looking to share a cab', and Alice could view each individual’s tweet above their heads." This shows the allure of the app it allows you to rec-

General Jose Ornella who was beside Chavez until the moment he died, accused the US (a sworn enemy of Venezuelan people) of foul play, blaming US for causing Chávez’s cancer. Chavez was laid to rest on the 8 March 2013 in Caracas, where he started his career as a military officer. The funeral was attended with multiple leaders from all around the world including Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and leader of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.

have been part of the Bond family, and very much hope I have a chance to work with them again sometime in the future,” he added. However, the producers were less than pleased to hear of Mendes’ decision and claim they are unsure who will follow in his footsteps. “We’re devastated,” Wilson told The Telegraph. “We didn’t expect it, so I have no idea who will replace him. We’re still reeling. We only found out a day before the announcement. I think he feels like he’s done it now, but hopefully we can tempt him back.”

Google Glass app identifies people based on their clothes. By Michael Healy

Venezuelan President dies of heart attack By Valeri Tarassov

Director Sam Mendes has declined to helm the 24th James Bond film. His latest 007 release, Skyfall, broke box office records last year. Starring Daniel Craig, Judi Dench and Ralph Fiennes, the movie took in $1.1 billion, received five Oscar nominations and won two, including Best Original Song for Adele. Despite its success, Mendes says he wants to focus on his other projects. “It has been a very difficult decision not to accept Michael and Barbara's very

generous offer to direct the next Bond movie,” the 47-year-old told Empire Magazine, referring to producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. He found the experience of directing Skyfall to be “one of the best [in his] professional life,” but also stated that he was exhausted by the end of the shoot. His theatrical productions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in the West End and King Lear at the National Theatre will need his “complete focus” over the next year or so, he said. “I feel very honoured to

ognise otherwise unknown strangers , possibly eliminating awkwardly searching a café for a contact who only told you he would be w earing green or forgetting people’s names in social moments after being told. Privacy infringement is also reduced as a change of clothes would make you unrecognisable to the app once again. With some current projections claiming Google Glass will see a consumer release later this year, small but significant changes to our daily lives might not be that far off. The only indication of price is that it will be below the $1,500 price Google charged for the dev kit. However, cheaper competitors are also emerging with Vuzix claiming its M100 will be a more

affordable alternative to Glass. Vuzix have also recently sent out there dev kits so it won’t be long until more app facts and rumours surface. If you want to voice your hopes for Glass and maybe give some developer ideas, Google has recently started an ad campaign on twitter with #ifihadglass. The tweets range from the socially profound to the significantly hilarious. Judge the predictions now before Glass reshapes the tech world and possibly our daily lives.

Disney planning on a live-action Beauty and the Beast remake. By Jenna Hodgins Disney are currently in talks to film a live action Beauty and the Beast film. The Mickey Mouse powerhouse are planning the film remake after the recent success of Oz the Great and the Powerful, which grossed over $80 million in its opening weekend. The 1991 animation is to be revamped and retold with a darker take and to be

entitled The Beast. The studio is in talks with British screenwriter Joe Ahearne who has written for the upcoming Danny Boyle thriller Trance. Ahearne is also accredited for television shows such as Doctor Who, The Secret of Crickey Hall and Da Vinci’s Demons. The critically acclaimed original animated film has earned over $400 million at the box office globally and

was the very first full-length cartoon production to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 1991. However, Disney is not the only studio planning a newtake on the animated classic. Last year Guillermo del Toro announced that he will be producing a live-action Beauty and the Beast’ alongside Emma Watson. The Pan’s Labyrinth director stated that filming is planned to begin this summer.

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OPINION: What’s to become of the ‘poor relation’: reform or abolition? By Martin O’Donoghue An historical perspective on the state’s Upper House reveals its strange place in Irish politics. It always seems to have proved the ‘poor relation’: misunderstood, held in relatively low esteem and acting as a stepping-stone or mere compensation for many politicians. Indeed, one of the ironies of the last election was that there were complaints that the university seats were undemocratic. It could be argued that they are actually the most democratic part of the current electoral system since they are the only ones neither elected nor selected by politicians. TDs and councillors elect 43 under the vocational panel system while eleven are Taoiseach’s nominees. So, how did we arrive at this system? The original Senate, formed with the aim of easing unionists’ fears by providing ‘alternative’ representation, was selected partly by President of the Executive Council W. T. Cosgrave and partly by the Dáil. Popular election of one quarter of senators every

three years under a PR sinThe formulation of a new This formula has varied There has always been gle constituency system constitution saw the place little to the present day confusion regarding the was scrapped after the 1925 of a senate debated again with county councillors House’s purpose and selecelection proved a debacle. with the classic dilemma of added to the initial election. Department of the Instead, senators and TDs Abbe Siéyes – that a weak torate of TDs amid claims Taoiseach files show Fianna nominated candidates who senate is unnecessary while of corruption though only Fáil loyalists writing to de in turn elected senators. a strong one is a nuisance – one allegation was ever Valera, on their own or Though it had no power being raised. De Valera did proved in court. Article others’ behalf feeling that of absolute veto, the Senate not appear receptive to any 19 of the Constitution service to the party justicould delay ‘Money Bills’ Upper House with the excep- allows for direct election fied appointment as one of by 21 days, refer other bills tion of a purely revisory body by ‘vocational' bodies but the Taoiseach’s nominees, back to the Dáil and delay to correct flaws in legislation. has never been invoked. though De Valera resisted all non-Money Bills these appeals. Subsefrom becoming law quently, the House for nine months Regardless of economic necessity or public has been home to (extended to twenty many high-profile months post-1925). disaffection, it seems the major argument for figures. However, With the backing of there are those who three fifths of the retention is the constitutional safeguard offered. would argue some House, it could also of these figures are exercise power of highly regarded in referendum. Though never However, a CommisDespite this electorate of spite of having served in invoked, this gave effect to sion was appointed and politicians, house exchanges the chamber rather than the notion of a check on a ‘vocationalist’ senate have revealed some behav- because of it. the Dáil’s power in theory based in part on the rec- iour on vocational lines. Regardless of economic at least. ommendations of one However, political scientist necessity or public disafFianna Fáil’s rise to power of the minority reports Basil Chubb felt any truly fection, it seems the major in the 1930s then saw ex- emerged. Backed by many vocational members owed argument for retention is unionists and opposition theorists and public fig- their election to political the constitutional safeguard senators use the power of ures, this was a variant friendship rather than voca- offered. The Seanad created delay to frustrate measures of the ‘Corporate state’ tional experience or expertise. in the 1930s has the same such as the Removal of Oath model of forming councils Of course, one could ask if, power of delay for ’Money Bill and a Bill banning the with equal representation for example, a trade unionist Bills’ while it was reduced ‘Blueshirt’ movement. As of employers and work- elected on the Labour Panel is to 180 days for others. HowGovernment anger grew at ers for each sector of the also a member of the Labour ever, the difficulty for those such opposition from those economy. Depending on Party and he/she speaks favouring retention is that not popularly elected, this the theorist, the place mostly on labour issues, is he/ politics is increasingly viewed Senate was then abolished of party politics was not she behaving vocationally or through social media, blogs by 1936. always clear. party politically? and television. The focus is

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largely on the Dáil relegating the Seanad to a minor place although, in terms of powers, its place as a legislature is minor. Constitutional lawyer and Senator J. M. Kelly termed it “nearly as subservient to the current Dáil majority and Government as a second House could be”. One could be somewhat mischievous and link the vocational ideal to the model of social partnership. Even that seems to be abandoned, for now at least, and it remains to be seen if any such idea for organising the Seanad would gain traction if reform were attempted. Conversely, other methods of constituting a second chamber may prove as troublesome now as in the past, particularly as the President can serve as a constitutional safeguard to a rogue Dáil. Ultimately, the argument depends on preference for a strong senate, a mere revisory body or whether one feels there is simply no need for one at all. In that sense, the referendum offers the opportunity to either open a new chapter or close the book on a House that seems to have always occupied a peculiar place in Irish political life.

OPINION: Misery has a short memory. Does 2+2=5? By James Falconer In 2013, Fianna Fáil is the most popular party in Ireland. There’s a perfectly coherent sentence, ‘the most popular party’? Who could have predicted this back in 2008? It seems that the Irish didn’t react to the financial catastrophe with anything revolutionary. Instead, we elected practically the same party only with a different name and colour (Fine Gael) – somehow expecting different results? Sadly, it looks like we’ll see the old treacherous brigade return to their snug nests in the Dáil sooner rather than never. Einstein’s definition of insanity can be used to sum up the general political mentality on this island, which often seems ‘insane’:

“doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.” It can be claimed that we're a very patriarchal society, and it too often appears that the masses have neither the time or respect for any radical intellectual thought or even much reasonable/rational thought. Why are we so conservative? We are generally dismissive of anything that we don't hear on the Six One News, or read in the Irish Times/Irish Independent; intelligence in Ireland often appears graded on one’s ability to understand and in some cases, to recite, what we see or read from these outlets. It was Montesquieu who observed that “those who govern have a power which, in some measure, has need of fresh vigour every day.”

This fresh vigour is released through the various forms of media which have wilfully given a disgraced party like Fianna Fáil a regular platform. Representatives of Fianna Fáil have been repeatedly invited on RTE talk shows, been given front-page articles in leading newspapers and have slowly but surely crawled back to the summit of Irish politics. Hold on a minute; isn’t this the party that’s left us almost €70,000 million in debt to our European and International masters? This is not our debt. Are we going to vote them back in so that they can feather their nests again? How about a widespread disengagement from representative politics? Does misery really have such a short memory?

2+2=5 is often used as a succinct and vivid representation of an illogical statement, especially one made and maintained to suit an ideological agenda. Its common use originates from its inclusion in the novel Nineteen EightyFour by George Orwell, where it is contrasted with the true, mathematical phrase 2+2=4. Orwell's protagonist, Winston Smith, uses it to consider the possibility that the state might declare 2+2=5 as a fact; he ponders that if everybody believes in it, does that make it true? One might shudder to think that if there was a general election tomorrow Fianna Fáil would most likely be elected into government. This is our present

reality and at this point, one may be unable to get de Tocqueville’s “people get the government they deserve” out of one’s head because let’s face it; every people deserves the regime it is willing to endure. It seems that in most other countries governments are afraid of the people; conversely, here, the people seem afraid of the government. Fianna Fáil have very rarely lost their grip of the Irish electorate since there succession to power in 1932. Their occasional loss of power seems to come in widespread cycles, boom and bust. Essentially, what happened in the Celtic Tiger era was that it all became unstuck and many segments of society realised how they were being

played and abused. Séan Lemass said that Fianna Fáil's achievement was to manage to juggle a whole series of balls (segments of society) and not drop any of them; Brian Cowen dropped them all and other parties grabbed them. The major flaw with the Irish electorate seems to be that we are, on the whole, apolitical and appear so unconscious of anything other than the same old tripe. However, at the same time, manage to appear so entrenched in ignorant meaningless righteousness that there’s undoubtedly a long road ahead before we awaken from our dogmatic Fianna Fáil slumber. Do you have an opinion on this article? Head over to sin.ie to have your say.

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OPINION: The Ruby Isle By Órla Ryan

Many onlookers – both in and outside the Emerald Isle – could be forgiven for thinking they had somehow wandered into a time warp. It’s been 21 years since the X Case sparked a fierce debate on abortion in Ireland. Precious little has changed over the last two decades. Defying its natural and expected tendency to be green, Ireland sits as a lone red spec on this particular map. Flanked by the pale blue depths of the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea, our little country provides a shameful global centre piece. The World Abortion Laws map indicates which nations have legalised abortion and to what extent. Red indicates that abortion is prohib-

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ited outrightly or allowed if the mother’s life is deemed at risk. Irish law on the subject, or rather the lack thereof, is less progressive than similar legislation in many developing countries, including India – birthplace of Savita Halappanavar. Her tragic death last year re-ignited one of the most schism-inducing debates in Ireland. Mrs Halappanavar (31) was 17 weeks pregnant and miscarrying when she attended Galway University Hospital on October 21. Her husband Praveen claims they were told "this is a Catholic country” and refused a termination due to the presence of a foetal heartbeat. An official investigation has found that an abortion had the potential to

save her life. “When you peel the layer, there are extremely conservative cultural practices that continue [in this country],” notes gender equality expert Dr Nata Duvvury. “Ireland has exported its problems to the UK,” she adds. Approximately 4,000 women travel from Ireland to the UK for a termination each year. In January, the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children held three days of hearings on abortion. The Government is due to announce plans for legislation in the near future – however confusion remains supreme as to whether or not a suicide risk clause will be incorporated. “We also have a rampant epidemic of mental illness which is not rec-

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• Student Services • Weight Management • Health Screening • NEW Physiotherapy Clinic

Further info on our website:

www.galwaybaymedicalcentre.ie 091-530054

ognised [in the abortion debate],” maintains Dr Duvvury. The women's rights activist lectures in NUI Galway’s School of Political Science & Sociology and approaches the abortion argument from a developmental angle – namely the impact it has on women’s health and maternal mortality, poverty and population control. At the UN-organised International Conference on Population and Development in Egypt in 1994, 179 governments signed a commitment to prevent unsafe abortions. Since then over 25 of these countries have liberated abortion laws, while a handful have tightened legal restrictions. In developing countries, a woman dies as a result of an unsafe abortion every eight minutes – this accounts for 13pc of maternal mortality deaths globally. Approximately 68,000 such procedures are carried out annually. A w o m a n ’s b o d i l y autonomy is something we often take for granted in the western world. “Abortion is actually code for a much larger discussion on women’s empowerment,” states Dr Duvvury. Research in India has shown that many impoverished women who have their ‘tubes tied’ as a result of medical advice view the process as one which enables them, possibly secretly, to end the patriar-

chal control their partners often exercise over their bodies. Abortion isn’t the only reproduction-related area which exits in a legislative vacuum in Ireland. Recently, the genetic parents of twins born to a surrogate won their landmark High Court case to have the biological mother legally recognised as such. During the case, Mr Justice Abbott rejected submissions by the State that the pro-life constitutional amendment confirmed the birth mother as the legal mother. Scientific and medical developments have long since overtaken their legal counterparts here. This fact was further emphasised by the media coverage garnered by a feature on Today FM’s Ray D’Arcy Show a few weeks ago. Mr D’Arcy condemned the State for failing to legislate on issues surrounding IVF treatment – something the UK did in 1990. “I think on this occasion the law is an ass,” he said. The host made the comments following an emotional interview with a listener who told him she had wanted to use her late husband’s sperm to conceive, but was informed it would be destroyed. The sperm was stored in the Human Assisted Reproduction Ireland Clinic in Dublin’s Rotunda Hospital since the man was diagnosed with can-

cer in 2010 and advised he may be unable to conceive following treatment. Upon making his donation, he had to sign a contract that stated his sperm would be destroyed if he died. Following a public outcry, managers at the clinic agreed to meet the woman in an attempt to resolve the issue. Another listener rang in and told a very similar story, but with an ending that did lead to their destruction of her late husband’s sperm and, with it, her dreams of a child. H A R I ’s R a y S k e l l y appeared on a later edition on the programme and admitted the current legal situation is a “dog’s dinner”. He stated that posthumous sperm use should be possible in certain cases and legislation needs to be put in place in order to “reflect the changes in Irish society”. Recommendations on the subject from 2005 have never been acted on. The area of reproductive rights is obviously an extremely sensitive one, but the failure of successive governments to implement any form of legislative framework is shameful and indicative of the reactive, not proactive, stance taken by so many of our public representatives. Our red light may not turn green any time soon, but it should at least start flashing amber – on a number of lanes.

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OPINION: Are student elections a farce? By James Falconer Do students have a voice – a real say in how the university functions? Or are we just mere lemmings who pass through an institution which conditions us for the wider world of representative politics? Of course, it helps to have students trying to get better student services on campus, but do a lot of candidates get grandiose ideas rather than being realistic in what they can actually deliver? In the last general election, the Labour Party made a vast amount of pre-election promises, which, once they took office, they almost immediately reneged on. The word ‘promise’ may sound a bit too personal in this case; however, these politicians were elected on foot of their respective manifestoes, which they are supposed to stick to – would you agree?

When questioned on his failure to uphold his election manifesto, Labour T.D. Pat Rabbitte said; “Isn't that what you tend to do during an election?” Does this candid remark imply a confession to years of lies in an attempt to get into office? If one makes this inference (many have), how can we believe another word he says? Where did Mr Rabbitte develop his shrewd political skills (more commonly known as ‘lying to the public’)? Right here! Pat Rabbitte served as President of NUI Galway SU from 1970-71 and then went on to become the President of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) from 1972-74. He was elected to the Dáil for the first time in 1989 as a Workers Party TD for Dublin south-west. After his time in student politics Rabbitte came through the ranks of

the trade union and civil rights movement, but it seems that he abandoned these earlier ideals for upholding the commands of ‘Frankfurt’s way’; he wasn’t alone on his political journey. Eamon Gilmore took a similar route to the summit of Irish politics. A native of County Galway, Gilmore cut his political teeth in NUI Galway. He was elected class representative and later at the age of 18 served as President of Students Union for the academic year of 197475. In 1976-78 he served as President of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI). When Mr Gilmore bellowed “It’s Frankfurt’s way or Labour’s way” during the Labour Party’s election campaign back in 2011 he tried to give the Irish public the idea that if we vote Labour we can have our budget decided by our own

democratically elected government. However, unless Frankfurt’s way is repudiated then Labour’s way is, and has proven to be, non-existent. He went on to say that “If as a country we accept the budget based on the EU/IMF deal, it’ll mean more taxes, more cuts, high unemployment, and no recovery.” These empty words will haunt – and rightly so – the Labour Party for years to come; they’ve done nothing to oppose the gross austerity measures being imposed on the Irish people. Collectively, Rabbitte and Gilmore have done more than most to provoke cynicism about politics generally from an early stage in their political careers with all their chopping and changing colours. Moreover, their huge effect on the current levels of cynicism in Irish politics has

been colossal. To say that the people who went out and voted for Labour are disappointed would be an understatement. Fair enough Gilmore and Labour could do little about the economic and fiscal situation, but they should have insisted on reforming hideous government structures. The Labour Party should have been to the fore with issues of social justice, such as poverty, unemployment and emigration, which badly affect the lives of Irish working people. Moreover, they should be leading the way in seeking accountability for failures and abuse, whether in politics, religious orders, business, professions or trade unions. They have done very little on any of these issues. There is little sense that a change in government improved anything in Irish politics and governance.

When approached by students looking for votes on campus, part of me engages with them and another part hears nothing but empty words. After listening to their spiel and asking them a few questions, I generally feel angry. This anger comes from tiredness in listening to the same old story time and time again. I sometimes view them as deceitful opportunists like Gilmore and Rabbitte, out to say whatever they need to further their careers in politics - lies. I’d like to thank whoever went around campus and put up a picture of a bemused cat saying “I’m not voting for anybody” amongst all the election posters - this was a stroke of genius. Do you have an opinion on student politics? Head over to sin.ie with your comments.

Open Source: Your free alternatives By Valeri Tarassov Most of us use Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office for daily study and entertainment. Some of you might be MAC users. These operating systems and office suites might be great but there is one big down side about them; they cost money. An average copy of MS Windows can cost from 100 euro for windows 7 and up to 280 euro for the brand new Windows 8, if a MAC user wants to work on Microsoft Office on a Macintosh, it costs around a 100 euro for MS Office suite. So how can you avoid these costs and get things done? Starting with the operating systems; Apple’s Snow Leopard or Mountain Lion or Microsoft Windows have proprietary licenses, which means their use is controlled by license keys or other means of payment verification. Even if some of us know a way around this, there is still a chance the system will lock itself out. Here is where a beauty of open source comes in, and absolute leader is

Linux. Linux is an open source operating system for PC that is absolutely free. Some time ago, computer geeks and those who were capable of managing were the only ones to use it and understand it; now it is as simple to use as windows or a Mac. For those of you who have never used Linux I would recommend to try out Ubuntu (www.ubuntu. com); the instructions are clearly available on their website. If you want to see how Ubuntu looks and how it can look once installed just Google for Ubuntu screenshots. Most importantly, it comes with latest office suite from Libre Office (www. libreoffice.org) already preinstalled on the system. Libre Office is a free office suite that evolved from previously well-known Open-OfficeOrganiser. While it comes pre-installed with most of distributions of Linux, it can also be downloaded f o r Wi n d o w s , i f f o r example, you purchased your PC with Windows installed and as usual there is no proper free office installed on it.

Libre Office is 100% compatible with Microsoft Office and documents created in either suite can be opened with any other office suite. There is one advantage of using Linuxbased systems; I don’t know a single virus that can be created for that system, just as there are no viruses that can affect a Mac, and guess why? Apple computer operating systems have a Linux core. You might ask who uses Linux? Or what is it? Well it is known for a fact that Google Inc is using a specifically designed version of Ubuntu Linux for their purposes; it is called Goobuntu. Linux can be found on most of the servers around the world. The servers of our Universities are run by commercial distributions of Linux. Another example is National Nuclear Security Administration of United States that is using Linux to run their systems. Next week we will be talking a little about privacy and information online. If you need any help, please mail the editor on editor@sin.ie.

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 Jobs Programme, Graduate Tax Positions wanted for KPMG (Accounting & Finance) in Dublin. Apply to www.kpmgcareers.ie by April 30th 2013. 2. Permanent Full-Time, Research Associate role wanted in Lex Consultancy (Banking & Insurance) in Dublin. Apply to zoe@lexconsultancy.ie by 17th April 2013 3. Full-Time, Safety Officer wanted in MMD Construction (Construction & Civil Engineering) in Cork. Apply to info@mmd.ie by 21st March 2013. 4. Full-Time, English Teacher wanted by Careers Teacher Education Recruitment (Teaching & Education) in London. Apply to ireland@careerteachers.co.uk by 31st March 2013. 5. Contract, Graduate Process Engineer wanted by Intel (Engineering, Science R &D) in Kildare. Apply to irelandjobs@intel.com by 30th March 2013 6. Permanent, Business Developer/Account Manager wanted by TransPerfect Translations Ltd. (Management & Business) in Dublin. Apply to eusalescareers@transperfect. com by 3rd of April 2013. 7. Permanent, Staff Nurse Galway wanted by Nurse Jobs Ireland (Medical & Healthcare) in Galway. Apply to hello@ nursejobsireland.com by 30th March 2013. 8. Permanent, Graduate Software Developer wanted by Fineos (IT & Telecom) in Dublin. Apply to careers@fineos. com by 5th April 2013. 9. Graduate Job Programme, Graduate Fund Accountant wanted by HedgeServ Ltd. (Fund Management & Investment Banking) in Dublin. Apply to opportunity@ hedgeserv.com by 30th April 2013.

EXPERIENCE TRINITY Trinity School of Business Masters Programmes Applications are now invited from exceptional graduates of all disciplines to our suite of Masters programmes For more information or to apply visit www.tcd.ie/business/masters

MSc in International Management Offers graduates of business or cognate disciplines specialised classes in all international aspects of management Includes an International Residency component in a BRIC country Internationally renowned faculty Continuous personal development training for managers-in-the-making

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Designed for non business graduates to obtain a sound understanding of business and management Students from a diverse range of academic backgrounds, from Law to Arts to Science Extensive range of optional modules reviewed annually in response to market conditions

Phone (01) 8962338 for additional information

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Occupational Therapy students visit Vic By Laura Reilly Promoting participation through meaningful occupation: an international collaboration to support community development in occupational therapy 2013 marks the European year of citizens – a time where Europe as an institution, and a society places focus on the rights that come with EU citizenship. Such rights include the right to travel within the EU, the right to seek work, the right to study and the right to equal treatment for all citizens. While all of these rights are enshrined in legislation and policy for many Europeans, these rights may be compromised as a result of health, social, ecomonic and political factors which limit their ability to participate as active citizens in Europe.

For occupational therapists, enabling people to realise all of their rights as citizens is an important goal. Increasingly, as occupational therapists recognise concepts such as occupational justice, occupational alientation and occuaptional apartheid, the need for practitioners to respond to the culutral, social and political context in which health and participation occurs is becoming more appartent. For occupational therapy educators, this shift in practice means that students must be provided with educational opportunities to collaborate with diverse communities to address social political and economic aspects of occupational participation. At the National University of Ireland, Galway occupational therapy students develop these

competencies through participation in service learning. Service learning is a form of experiential learning during which students collaborate with community groups to apply their academic learning in order to address community needs. Service learning has an explict aim of developing awareness and skills in democracy and citizenship among students and in promoting sustainable solutions to community challenges. Since 2006 the Discipline of Occupational Therapy has run a service learning programme within the third year of the occupational therapy programme, collaborating with over 50 community organisations and providing learning opportunities for over 150 students. In 2012/2013 as part of this work the Discipline of Occupational Therapy has

Students and staff from the university of Vic, students from NUI Galway, Margaret McGrath and Hazel Killeen (Occupational Therapy Lecturers at NUI Galway).

embarked upon the development of a community garden in collaboration with five local organisations representing people with disabilities and people who are traditionally excluded from mainstream society. The overall vision for the project is to “create a space which will facilitate those involved coming together as a community. By developing a sustainable garden we aim to promote well-being through engagement in purposeful activity.” (3rd year Occupational Therapy Students, NUIG, 2012) The therapeutic benefits of gardening for people with mental illness and physical disabilities have long been recognised by occupational therapists and many therapists will be familiar with the use of gardening as part of professional practice. What makes this project unique is its stated aim to develop collaborations between existing community groups so that the garden becomes an inclusive space for all citizens. In addition the garden will integrate health, education, research and the promotion of citizenship. Planning for the project in Galway began in August 2012 and has been led by the third year undergraduate students. As part of the project development we sought to identify examples of similar projects in other countries and made contact with The Project Miquel MartÍ i Pol which is a collaboration between

the Discipline of Occupational Therapy, University of Vic, Spain, Caritas Arxiprestal, Girbau Rotary, la Caxia Foundation, and Vic City Council. The Project Miquel MartÍ i Pol was established by Dr. Salvador Simo in 2005. It draws inspiration from the work of the Spainsh poet Miquel MartÍ i Pol who wrote; “Beauty is your heritage/ but you prefer / the sady and routine laziness/ of a cardboard box… Let me say that it’s time to love/ it’s time to believe in miracles / some day/ there will be flowers in the garden and wind in the trees…Those, who for many years lived far away from town/ will be called to return.” Guided by this vision, occupational therapy students and citizens, who for many years had been excluded from society because of stigma, created a garden on the grounds of the University. The creation of the garden took a period of 18 months and today students and people with disabilities work side by side to develop and maintain the garden. In Febraury 2013 a group of 15 occupational therapy students from NUI Galway together with two members of staff had the opportunity to visit this garden and to meet with Dr. Simo and his team of gardeners. The visit consisted of workshops of both a practical and theoretical basis. In the mid-morning sun of Vic we discovered that the

garden was not only given meaning by the people who pruned the bushes, and planted the bulbs but the plants themselves each harboured their own individual meaning. The first tree planted in this Vic garden made a lasting impression on the group. This tree called ginkgo biloba symbolized hope, survival and perseverance qualities which will be essential to the success of our project in Ireland. Upon reflection on this trip a definitive take home message emerged within the group. The power of meaningful occupation, and how being a part of such a project can empower a person to reach their full potential – in body and in mind. While we have heard of Mary Reilly’s comments in books and lectures that ‘Man through the use of their hands, as they are energised by mind and will, can influence the state of his own will’ this trip to Vic allowed us to witness it in practice. We would like to thank the following for making this trip possible: Lorraine McIlrath from Community Knowledge initiative (CKI) at NUI Galway and Bernadette Linnane and Kevin Burke from Bank of Ireland at NUI Galway for their kind sponsorship; Margaret McGrath and Hazel Killeen, Occupational Therapy Lecturers at NUI Galway; Salvador Simo Algdo and the Occupational Therapy students at the University of Vic, Spain.

It’s attend a random talk month! (Or at least it should be) By Megan Reilly What did you say your plans for this Wednesday were? Oh, going out you say? Having a party with friends? Or are you heading for a trip to the cinema perhaps? While I understand that these are all wonderfully acceptable and necessary social conventions, I have found another way to spend the odd evening. Why not cancel your date

with the library and pop into one of the many talks hosted by various societies and departments? The great thing about university is that there’s always something going on, small events that require no commitment but will in some strange and wonderful way expand your knowledge. Last semester I attended a talk that I thought was going to be about Gender Equality. It actually unfolded to be a talk from

the Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI, a bit of a misinterpretation on my part!) But even still, I received a valuable insight into the problems I r e l a n d ’s Tr a n s g e n d e r population face and how our government refuses to make provisions for them (in Ireland, a transgender person cannot be married of they wish to change the sex on their birth cert, thus forcing happy transgender couples into divorce simply

to achieve recognition). And just a few weeks ago I went to a talk on EU policy on human rights in China. I’m not studying human rights and I have no particular interest in the area. I went, well, just for the craic really. After all, college is a wide wonderful spectrum of culture, collaborating with just about all aspects of life. Only at university could you go practice archery the same day as studying psychol-

ogy and taking part in a debate. I mean, maybe it’s just first year fever gripping me here, but surely all these resources are here to be exploited by us? So, with that in mind, if you’re interested, I’d keep an eye on your e-mails and the NUIG Socs page. The Siobhan McKenna theatre is a usual spot for these gatherings, and the like of Fem Soc and Amnesty Soc are always entertaining speakers. If you ever

find yourself on a Tuesday night with nothing to do, there might just be a talk on Astronomy or Organic herb gardening waiting for you. Personally, I think the more random these topics, the more you’ll get out of them. And once you’ve fulfilled the conditions of ‘Attend a random talk’ month, you can progress to ‘going to random lectures month’ (I went to second year Maths last week…) but don’t even get me started on that.

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Climate Change: it’s about survival By Michelle Moore The planet is warming up. Teams of scientists have combed through a century’s worth of temperature records to support this statement. We have seen global temperatures spike dramatically in which heat waves and droughts are the stark indicators. Many people are still sceptical of climate change even though the facts are there. When I was picked by Trócaire to go on a campaigns trip to El Salvador to witness the effects of climate change, I

couldn’t resist. And now I feel a responsibility to tell you about whom I met and what I saw. El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America; in fact it is about the size of Munster. Over the past two years it has been battered by five extreme climate disasters: Tropical Storm Ida in 2009; Tropical Storms Agatha, Alex, and Matthew in 2010; and Tropical Depression 12E in 2011. Severe damage was done to homes, livestock, crop land and infrastructure. Scientists predict that the occurrence

Death in paradise at La Tirana

GAA-morisation By Niamh Prendergast. Is it just me or are the shorts getting shorter and the tan getting, well, more tangoed? And no, I’m not talking about the typically stereotyped outfit that one can see on a college girl wandering through the crowds in Supermacs at 3am on any given week night. Believe it or not I’m actually referring to the glamorisation of our national sports. It seems to me that long gone are the days when players walked into dressing rooms in a pair of dirty wellys up to their knees, a no-gripped, well-worn hurley in one hand, which looks like it’s just been taken out of the shed, and a pair of studded boots in the other, if you’re lucky – oh and all this whilst

puffing away at a pipe on his travels. Nowadays, it seems that sports gear has, at least in my house anyway, its very own room. Indeed, what used to be called a utility room, thanks to a sports-mad family, is overtaken by three hundred and seventeen hurley’s, a washing machine full of jerseys, a wash basket overloaded with dirty socks and enough gear bags to provide for a full team. Sometimes, I think that if a team of modern day GAA players hung all their gear out to dry, there would be a washing line going all the ways to Mars! Where has this transformation come from? I do, from time to time, wonder how the doors of some dressing rooms have not exploded with vanity and

of natural disasters within the country will continue to increase as a result of climate change and extreme weather patterns. El Salvador is ranked as one of the most vulnerable countries in Latin America in terms of climate related disasters; close to 90% of its territory and 95% of its population are considered to be highly vulnerable. Water shortage is possibly the most significant socioenvironmental problem the country faces; almost 95% of the country’s water resources are considered to be moderately-severely contaminated. Since the formation of Trócaire in the 1970s, it has worked with and within El Salvador in terms of agrarian reform, human rights, employment programmes, humanitarian aid, disaster risk management and economic development. Currently, Trócaire’s livelihoods programme in El Salvador works with 58 communities. And I was lucky enough to visit some of these communities. I visited Octavio Ortiz, La Tirana, Los Ángeles and Los Clará amongst others. All had their unique enchantments, from their style of social activism, creative innova-

tion for livelihoods to their strategic communal plans in tackling climate change. Their welcoming presentations varied but they all resonated optimism to Trócaire’s involvement and our presence. Close to the village of La Tirana, I got to go on a boat ride through the mangrove trees which blockade the village from the Pacific Ocean and its tsunamis. It sounds magnificent right? And it was. However, it was heart-breaking too. I witnessed mangrove trees that are dead and dying. Due to rising sea levels, some have greyed while others show a clinging to life that is evident in a dash of greenery. We emerged from the mangrove ecosystem onto a beach. But it was death in paradise. Stumps and bare trees scattered the seafront, mere fragments of grey and black. Not only did I partake in community meetings, I also got to interact with academics (in a conference setting) and discuss policies and legalisation with governmental officials. Initially I was unsure how a meeting would go with a politician but I’m pleased to say that an interaction with Lourdes Palacios, the President of the Legislative

Assembly’s Commission on the Environment and Climate Change, uncovered a respectful perspective on combating climate change at a governmental level. Señora Palacios’s concern reflects an urgent need for climate change legalisation. On our last day, we actively participated in a march, organised by Centro Salvadoreño de Technologia Apropiada (CESTA). In solidarity with delegates from Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama as well as Salvadoran students, activists, academics, rural farmers, fisherfolk and members of women’s groups, we all showcased our concerns through the streets of San Salvador. There were many faces I recognised from the communities we visited earlier in the week and my thoughts turned to their journey to participate in

this event. People had travelled for hours to be there. The procession was full of passion and full of human spirit. Colourful flags and banners illustrated each campaign but all had the mutual message of tackling climate change and this strengthened the bond of solidarity. People from along the streets joined us, adding to the already hundreds-strong march as we progressed through market stalls past historical monuments, hospitals and courthouses to the civic square. “El pueblo unido jamas será vencido! El pueblo unido jamas será vencido!” This rhythmic chant rings in my ears and follows me back to Ireland - “People united will never be defeated!” Take action on Trócaire’s Climate Bill campaign www. trocaire.org/climate.

egoism; or how the constituents of some dressing room have not been gassed out by the overpowering smell of lynx and hair gel which is nowadays a major component of every dressing room up and down the country. It seems that on many levels the GAA has been glamorised; nowadays GAA stars feature in television advertisements, have sponsored cars, write autobiographies and even have their own fashion lines. Perhaps, some sports stars have been influenced by flashy premiership stars across the shores, we are constantly hearing about their high lifestyles in the media and perhaps as a result, even though our national sports are not professional, perhaps some players are not unlike them in many ways, especially in terms of commitment and dedication. However, there is no

denying the fact that players of our national games cannot match the high lifestyle of premiership stars in Britain, although some of us may envy them. This fact does not appear to dis-hearten some of the egocentric chat-up lines that some GAA players try, and players such as Paul Galvin certainly live up to the idea of the fashion conscious GAA player. Undeniably, it is a very creditable organisation, and I have no problem with any player receiving some form of financial gains from their talents; after all, they do put in an extremely admirable effort and don’t get a penny for it. All I’m saying is the organisation has come a long way in just under 130 years. It appears that the social aspect of the GAA may have been one of the main reasons why it became so popular back in the days of

the organisation’s inception in 1884. Indeed, nowadays the social side to this organisation has a key role to play with relation to the growth of the voluntary organisation. Perhaps, this is where the glamorisation stems from; as both males and females play our national sports, it is a common way to find a partner or perhaps even a quick kiss at the back of the dressing room! It seems that guys are now making more of an effort both on the pitch and off the pitch, hoping that their efforts put into grooming pays off just as well as their sporting skills do. There is no denying that there are many stereotypical, excuse the slang, but, ‘jersey-pulling’ girls on the watch at all times, and for some, a well-groomed and slightly glamorised corner forward might be just their type, and for others, a sweaty corner back might

even do the job. Whilst I’m no ‘jerseypuller’ myself, I must admit that on a recent trip to the gym, I was easily distracted by the macho displays that occurred inside the weight lifting room and the whiff of male fragrances which my nostril’s received upon walking past the shower rooms on my departure. However, I was more so disturbed by their efforts at condoning the fake tanned look which would be more suited to the cast of ‘Geordie Shore’. Having said that, it was still no surprise to me upon finding out that it was indeed the college football team which had filled the insides of the gym with female ‘predators’ on an average Tuesday evening. Indeed, I can’t help but wonder what founding members of the GAA, Michael Cusack and Co., think of the modern day glamorised GAA players!

The Irish on the streets of San Salvador

Top tips for responsible drinking 1. Top tips for after-work drinks • Eat before you drink Eat a good meal before you start drinking, or enjoy some snacks while you drink. This helps to slow down the effect of alcohol on your body.

• Know your strength The strength of a drink varies dramatically, depending on what you’re drinking. So make sure you know how many units are in your drink. A cocktail can contain as many as 4 units, while a 750ml bottle of table wine (12% vol) has 9 units.

• Water, water Keep yourself hydrated. Drink water regularly whilst you’re out drinking and also when you get home, and try alternating each alcoholic drink with a glass of water. Both are good ways of cutting down your chances of a hangover.

• Have a break The Scottish Government also advises that we all have at least 2 alcohol free days per week.

2. Top tips for a night out with friends • Size isn’t everything When drinking wine go for a small or medium glass instead of a large. A lot of people don’t realise that there can be over 3 units in a large glass of wine!

• Change what you do on a night out Not all nights out with friends need to end up in the pub. Why not try something new as a group – perhaps set up a football team or learn how to cook.

• Getting Home

Sex without ongoing consent = sexual assault.

DON’T BE THAT PERSON.

Make sure everyone can get home safely with a driver, who hasn’t been drinking, reliable public transport or a licensed taxi – especially if you think someone’s had too much and they’re over the drink drive limit.

• Set yourself a drinking budget and stick to it Think about how much you’re going to drink before you start. One way of making sure you don’t go over this is to take only enough money to buy the drinks you want (and a bit more to get you home safely).

The Don’t be that Person campaign was developed to emphasize a very simple point which is that sex without on-going consent is sexual assault. And of course, being drunk is no excuse for committing a violent crime. Many campaigns focus on Alcohol Awareness but now is the time to act on it. Don’t be a victim of alcohol abuse. Don’t be that person.

Yes; Consent, Permit or Agree

No; Denial, Refusal or Silence

CAP YOUR SOLDIER HAVE YOUR SAY

FEEDBACK

STARTING OFF

CMY

FINISHING COLLEGE

Photography: Ben McCarthy

CHANGE 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.

S H A G Wednesday Finale. Condom WEEK See ya in September.

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Have you heard about these words? The first rule of Hat’s Off is that you really must try to tell as many people as possible about it – it’s a rather fun column and the more people we tell about it, the better. The fact that Hat’s Off shares its one and only rule with Street Countdown is by no means an accident. If I had a penny for every time I’ve been compared to Richard Whiteley, I would have precisely two. I was actually offered his position following his departure to that great big game show set in the sky, but had to turn it down due to my inability to tie a Windsor knot. He did ROCK a tie, bless him.

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Many Countdown aficionados are notoriously private about their primary passion for fear of being pigeon-holed as no more than sexually voracious teetotallers who converge at the 8+ club. HO (not to be confused with its lower case, more promiscuous counterpart) and SC are both founded on the twin tenets of being a much-loved cultural institution and a safe haven for those who wish to improve their knowledge of the English language in a cold climate. What binds us above all else though is the grammatically and politically

correct sheer unadulterated joy that is Dictionary Corner. Countdown actually stole the idea for arguably the show’s most popular segment from my little known ‘What the hell does that word mean, man? programme broadcast on Lithuanian TV for 327 consecutive hours in 1979. It was dropped for being “too good” [Source: Time magazine]. If I had a penny for every time I’ve been compared to Susie Dent, I would have precisely minus two. The grammar gambler in me says that breaking even is winning.

‘Breaking even’ is as good a place as any to start in terms of delving into the veritable morass of word meanings. This particular idiom was coined by a fisherman on the banks of the River Suir in 126 BC. In those days people referred to their hearts as ‘evens’ and heads as ‘odds’. And as you all well know, pre-Christian Waterfordians were the most prolific heartbreakers of that era. Hence ‘breaking even’ became a commonly used phrase. Like many terms, it has lost its true meaning over the years. Another axiom that trod the same path is ‘curiosity killed the cat’. Curiosity

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was in fact a serial killer in medieval times that had a particular dislike of felines. On a side note, Bell was a masked crusader that aimed to save innocent cats from an unexpected, violent demise. How many times have you used any of these terms incorrectly? How foolish do you feel right now? It’s not just animalrelated phrases that have been misappropriated. Sure, you may have bought those cool sweet wrapper shoes at your local flea market, but back in the day people used to trade clones of bassists at events of the same name. In some ways, society really has deteriorated. Many literal terms have become mere figurate phrases in the modern age. Prior to the 1900s, people who had a chip on their shoulder did so for entirely practical reasons as so-called ‘double yo-yoing’ was a hugely popular pre-twentieth century pursuit that meant individuals rarely had a free hand to carry their food. A rather inventive girl from Co Clare devised ‘shoulder food pockets’ to

help aid the masses and subsequently made her fortune. Interestingly, the phrase ‘hot pocket’ is entirely unrelated. I could talk about such things until the cows (often used as tutors in rural Ireland as an early form of household schooling) come home and rate my lexicon skills, but I better hit the hay soon. Incidentally, the only people who originally engaged in such a practice were amateur boxers with extremely poor facilities and no Irish Sports Council funding. Hat’s Offenders (that’s what you’re called now, by the way) and Countdown – street or otherwise – lovers must be publicly proud of their passion. Those who give in to this greater good, will find that doing so presents them with many new opportunities and admirers, rather than ‘pigeon-holing’ them. That phrase is quite self-explanatory in terms of its meaning. Obviously, pigeons have small holes. Duh.

OPINION: An argument on behalf of RAG Week By Eoin Molloy It's 2am on RAG Week Monday in Galway City. What seems to be half of the student population has converged outside of the spiritual home of NUI Galway: Supermac's in Eyre Square. They don't care that it's an 'unofficial' affair. It makes no mind that it's the diet version, the watered-down Coyotes vodka equivalent, the 'I Can't Believe It's Not RAG Week' strain of RAG Week, because it's still RAG Week. The temperature may be low but emotions run high. Fists are pumping, the traditional chant of 'whoop there it is' is being elevated to a whole new level of catchiness by a zealous crowd and, to crown the festivities, there is a young man atop a lamp-post. Scratch that. He is no mere man, he is immortal. He scales the pole without effort, looking like Bruce Wayne ascending from the pit prison in that Batman

film he was in. Casually dryhumping the pole, and of course, shirtless, our hero returns from on high like the man from Nazareth back to absolve a few more sins. Fanatical cheers from the disciples gathered at the foot of the lamp-post make me, an on-the-fringe spectator, feel as though I have somehow managed to stumble back in time to the sixties to watch the Pope address a screaming crowd at Ballybrit Racecourse. Images of Reeling in the Years are pushed from my head as the young man is promptly set upon and arrested by the waiting Gardaí before his feet even touch the ground; now resembling a tired infant being carried up to bed more so than an apparition of Christ, he is taken away in disgrace. His triumphs are soon forgotten as scores of pretenders clamber over one another trying to fill his void and become the central focus of night's carousing. Well the next few minutes of it anyways.

But that was weeks ago and since then, the events of RAG Week have received a great deal of coverage, both wanted and unwanted. The following Tuesday morning, The Galway Independent's Facebook page posted a link to a YouTube video that captured the night's antics. The administrator of

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Galway.' This is funny because about 70% of NUI Galway's students hail from outside of Galway. Another comment called for the complete removal of student grants. Surely the elimination of the right to higher education would be to the disadvantage of the country and cause students

It's like the Novena in reverse: it's going to happen every year, and

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one demographic will be happy

about it, while the other is not.

the page itself took no side. This impartiality sparked intense debate in the comment section below. The video instigated a wave of student-bashing and hatefuelled stereotyping, a lot of which it would be unwise to reproduce here. Some of the more polite keyboard-warriors labelled the crowd 'a disgrace to

to do a little more than organise a benign sing-song outside of Supermac's, but we'll move swiftly on. A more disturbing comment suggested that the Gardaí should have used physical force to disperse the crowd on horseback. Trying not to wonder what this commenter may think of what happened

at Tiananmen Square, I scrolled on. Of course, there were also incongruent arguments, emphasising the frivolity and good nature of the crowd that disparaged a lot of what was being said. They pointed out that there were no fights, no sexy Gardaí and rather disappointingly, no flares. These very arguments allowed me to retain my sanity as well as the continued use of my Facebook account, because the rebuttals I fought so hard to keep in reserve would be more than enough to get me banned from the site. In banning Raising And Giving Week, it would seem that all the University has achieved is heightened defamation for themselves, and a lot less money going from students to charity. To tell a student not to drink excessively during RAG Week is to tell a librarian not to shh, a politician not to lie, a lecturer not to complain about dwindling attendance.

It's like the Novena in reverse: it's going to happen every year, and one demographic will be happy about it, while the other is not. Taking away the right to collect for charity does no good for anyone, and it therefore should be re-instated. The week is a symbol of what University should stand for: freedom. Not freedom for freedom's sake, used in bad faith to impinge on the rights of others, but the freedom of youth to discover themselves in whatever way they see fit. With the week has recently passed: the endless campaigning, the bins overflowing with scrunched-up colouredy leaflets, the constant harassment of 'have you voted yet?', there was not one promise made to campaign for reinstating a RAG Week of sorts. While I admire 'Claire for Welfare's' idea of a charity week, surely there is a way to squeeze in some student antics on top of all the dogooding.

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What does your lipstick say about you? By Shannon Fahy

Lipsology: engraving the key of your personality Pretty in pink, rebellious red or bikerchick burgundy: the range of shades of lipsticks are endless, each catering to a different type of woman. But is it possible to read a woman from her lipstick, not only by analyzing the shade and how it varies with every type of woman – sophisticated, wild, gothic or plain Jane – but also from the shape that the woman engraves into the crayon itself, upon application? Cynthia Christ, a make-up artist based in Texas in the United States, and current owner of Sensia Studio and Japanese Day Spa in Houston, developed a chart from personal experiences with clients. This chart lays out the different shapes of lipsticks after continuous wear and categorizes the personalities of women behind these shapes.

Round Smooth Tip: The slightest change in shape indicates a completely different personality. A lipstick that is also rounded but has a smooth tip instead of a point, belongs to a woman who is outgoing, provides the peace, and is level-headed and generous – all characteristics that improve her chances of being liked by her peers. Flat Top: Plateau-like lipsticks are lacking in curves and peaks. The owners of these hold on to their high morals, seek approval before taking action, and some might call them “safe”. This is due to their cautiousness when it comes to taking care of their appearance and their conservative nature. People can depend on these women, as they have the ability to tackle challenges with ease which goes hand in hand with their decisiveness.

Original Shape: Every Lipstick, regardless of the cosmetic brand it belongs to, will start off with a smooth slant used to help mirror the curve of the lip. If the lipstick keeps this shape after continuous use, the woman to whom it belongs most likely has a tendency to follow; not only to follow the rules that she is governed by, but also the people that surround her. She does not seek attention, but this could be due to her selfconscious and reserved nature. She believes in planning, and will set herself schedules to ensure this. In order to catch the eye of a passerby, she may try to enhance her other features, for example, by dying her hair. Round Tip to a Point: If you are a woman who enjoys doing things for both her family and others, pay close attention. There are women who constantly seek company from others, exaggerate their stories and have a slight stubborn streak at times. Let me guess: in their clutch or hobo bags, behind layers of cotton and a metal zipper, a lipstick lies, with a rounded tip that curves to a point.

Concave Flat Top: There are lipstick shapes that vary slightly from a mesa. If it is flat but also concave, this belongs to a woman who would make a great detective, as she is naturally inquisitive and an adventure seeker. She has the ability to make friends easily, and this could be caused by the attributes she is gifted with. A flat concave lipstick belongs to an exciting woman with many complexities.

“

More can be calculated

from a woman’s lipstick than just her ability to

entice men as if she was a Greek mythological Siren

Sharp Angles Both Sides of Tip: If you are spiritual, faithful and enthusiastic, here is a heads up. While you are seeking the latest gossip and trying to find out as much as you can by being driven by your curiosity, you can also find yourself seeking the attention of others. People consider you mysterious, egotistical and always looking for the easy way to get things done. If this is true, then you must be the proud owner of a lip crayon carved down to a sharp angle on both sides of the tip. Sharp Angled Tip: On the other hand, there are women who sport lipsticks that have a basic sharp angled tip. These women are highly opinionated and spirited. Because they choose to voice their opinions, they often find themselves arguing with others. At the same time though, they are also outgoing and aren’t the biggest fans of schedules. These women thoroughly enjoy receiving attention but at the same time are weary when making new friends, and are selective when it comes to deciding with whom they share their secrets, enjoy trips to the spa and chatting about men with friends. Sharp Angle with Curved Tip: To t h e w o m e n out there that would consider themselves creative and enthusiastic, know that you are not alone. Finding yourself with bounds of energy and chatting endlessly just means you also have a distinct lipstick in your purse or pocket. There are women that crave attention and wear their heart on their sleeve. They offer help to others and find

themselves seeking the structure provided from schedules even though they’d prefer not to use them at all. These women are similar to me. I trace my lips with diligence and light-handed precision, eventually grounding down my lipstick into a sharp angled but curved tip. I’ve examined all my lipsticks, despite varying from Vintage Pink, Pink Champagne, Pinky Beige and all the way to Alarm, it seems as though, if I didn’t know better, they were all carved out from the same cookie cutter. Judging someone’s personality from their cosmetics doesn’t stop there. In 1981, Jilly Eddy, a woman fascinated with lip prints, established the study of Lipsology. This is the scientific study behind lip prints and the identifying of varying personalities through their readings. Similarly, there is Iridology and Rhinology which focus on the irises and nose. It is only just to acknowledge that lips can provide insight into scientific studies too. Ms Eddy hosts parties in which she gives lip readings based on twenty-five categories and one hundred subcategories. Some of these categories discuss the colouring of your lip print. If your lip print is solid in coloring, then you are an energetic person, while light colouring is attributed to a tired person. If your lip print shows a thin upper lip, then you would be considered to be very picky. You’re a romantic if your lips form a “v” indentation at the seal, while wavy lines forming your kiss mark, would describe you as artistic. In movies and theatre performances, lipstick has notably been used as a tempting augmentation to lure the hearts of men closer to the one that models it. Scientists in Manchester University discovered that women who wear colour on their lips have the ability to grasp the attention of men for much longer than if they were to go without, further proving that the majority of men find the lips the most attractive facial feature of women. Despite these observations and studies, it has now been discovered that more can be calculated from a woman’s lipstick than just her ability to entice men as if she was a Greek mythological Siren. Lipsticks are not solely used to paint up our faces to attract mates, but also to help distinguish between the varying types of women that are out there. This could become the female Achilles heel: our weakness, as it gives insight into the most vulnerable aspects of our lives. Our personalities are free to be judged and misconstrued by others as they please. Or is this a positive discovery; a way to know who we are dealing with and why they act the way they do? Personally, I prefer to believe the latter, but that’s because according to my lipstick I’m that kind of person. Take a look at your own lipsticks. You may just discover your lipsticks already know how you feel about this recent exposure.

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Back to Black By Aisling Owens “No one wants to kiss a girl in black,” Dame Maggie Smith’s hilarious alter-ego, Lady Violet, dryly remarked, in an early episode of Downton Abbey. One of her very funny one-liners, certainly, but I can’t say I agree. For years, I’ve been fighting an on-going battle with myself regarding the colour black. I wear so much of it. Too much, you could say. “You’re not constantly attending funerals Aisling,” I told myself each time I found myself being magnetised towards darker tones whenever I went window shopping. Yet, I always seemed to leave the shop with yet another LBD. A rule I firmly adhere to is one of fashion’s golden ones: always be comfortable in your clothing, and always make sure you love what you’re wearing. Definitely be adventurous, and certainly don’t be afraid to take risks, but, if you find you’re just not yourself in what you’re wearing, there is nothing wrong with turning to the classics.

Some might say that I’m admitting defeat. I disagree. I’m going one step further and outright defending my love of black. Before now, I had convinced myself I was a cop out by choosing the black item over the cobalt blue or the burnt orange or whatever colour was in season at the time. But not anymore. I’m taking a stand. I’m a lover of black, and proud. And I know I’m not alone. Many women feel the same. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense that many of us are subconsciously drawn to black. It’s not that we’re always going for the easy decision or the lazy option when we put together an outfit that is predominantly black (although, I will admit it, sometimes I am) – the colour simply suits most of us. It looks good with all hair colours. Being Irish and naturally pale, black compliments our complexions – yet, if you are a fan of tanning, black looks great against bronzed skin too. Coco Chanel once said; “Women think of all col-

ours except the absence of colour. I have said that black has it all.” She wasn’t lying. Black can be transitioned from

season to season and from trend to trend. Considering our nation’s current economic circumstances, it makes sense to invest in sta-

ple black pieces, rather than spend a fortune on something that will evidently not be in style next year. It is still possible to keep up-to-date with current trends in the form of accessories. Black outfits allow for any style of shoe, bag, belt or jewellery. It works well with all fabrics, be it chiffon, leather or lace. In fact, when the basic staple of your outfit is black, I find it’s much easier to add a pop of colour in the form of a vibrant clutch, jacket or pair of shoes. This way you can incorporate your favourite ebony items into your summer wardrobe. Take a black high-waist pair of shorts for example – team with a classic cream blouse, on-trend floral blazer and tan wedges and voila! A summer 2013 outfit sorted. Many of the most iconic ensembles in the world of fashion and showbiz have been black. The most obvious example that comes to mind is the legendary Audrey Hepburn, whose elegant style was encapsulated by two timeless dresses designed by her close friend Hubert de Givenchy for the

films Sabrina (1954) and Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961). We’re all familiar with the exquisite gown by the Emanuels worn by the late Princess Diana to her first official royal engagement in 1981. And who can forget Elizabeth Hurley’s Versace safety-pin number that she donned for the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral in 1994. Far from being boring and dull, black is in fact the most diverse and versatile colour you could wear. If you have a dig around your wardrobe you will most likely rediscover something black you bought five years ago. And chances are, with the pair of shoes you splashed out on last week, and the bag you got for Christmas, you’ll have a whole new look. So, the next time you feel a little pang of guilt for choosing to wear your trusty LBD, do what I did, and convince yourself that you are in fact a shrewd and innovative woman when it comes to fashion, who knows a timeless, elegant piece when she sees one.

easily matched for both the male and female form. The colour excellently conforms to match other fantastic colour to create any blend or any style to make any stylish look. Burgundy can complement both dark and bright colours to prime any summer or winter look. In the world of men’s styling, burgundy chinos with a bright coloured tee and bright coloured shoes allows for a creative look to attract attention. For an appealing summer style burgundy on top should be coordinated with plain and simple pants such as: sand or cream chinos. The application of dark colours and burgundy in the spring/summer season is unadventurous and makes style dreary with an overall lack of panache. For a modish female appearance the collaboration of burgundy and gold is eye catching. Gold jewellery with any burgundy attire makes for a classy look. Boohoo.com

and Asos.com have a nice variety of bandeau tops and crop tops which when put with bright yet not fluorescent clothes create a visually effective on-trend style. While burgundy with dark colours is more in

style, in summer months this style is lacklustre and unexciting. Burgundy continues to be sold along the high street but for a striking flare the colour needs to be merchandised and styled correctly.

Burgundy me! Please? By Michael O’Loughlin Burgundy can be described as the principal colour of choice in relation to high street inspired style. The

colour is recurring through the primary collections of many brands in clothing, accessories and make-up and moreover is continually worn by 16-25 year olds.

Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan magazines have termed burgundy the colour of choice for the fall collection 2012. Marie Claire featured the contemporary styled colour with many top designers. While the colour was the favourite of fall 2012, the trend has not been altered massively and it is very much still in fashion. Its popularity can definitely be linked with its adaptability in style, flexibility with matching colours and its lack of rigidity throughout the season changes. In men’s styling and culture, burgundy has now become a staple necessity in the wardrobe of a chic guy. The modern flair has incorporated the ultra-popular chino trend; the colour is also evident among all types of men’s clothing and accessories. The idea that the colour is not subject to specific seasonal colouring stereotypes permits burgundy to be worn all year long. Burgundy is

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Student Speak

Amy Abrahams “I am from South Africa and I just got my citizenship so this will be a really good St Patricks day.”

Connor Stitt “I have no plans at all, I hope the weather is nice and head down the Spanish Arch with a few friends.”

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By Sean Dunne & Orla Ryan

This week we asked students what they think of St Patricks Day and what their plans are…

Fionn Downes “I have no plans except study, final year physics.”

John Gouda “I am from Canada so this will be my first St Patricks Day in Ireland. In Cana da we just wear a lot of green and drink a lot.” Myrn Devaney “I’m doing the parade in ; we will wn to be running around town with the juggling society, being mischievous.”

Medb KielyCuddy “I’m going to Dublin for St Patrick’s as it will be very messy down here.”

Lauren Bradley “I will be working in McDonalds so it will be very messy.”

Ciara Matthew s “I’m just going to go to the parade here in Galway.”

Sean Ferhen “It’s a national day so probably just see what happens.”

Riordan Azan “I will just be going to the parade too and see what is happening.”

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features

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The myth of the introverted murderer

By Dean Buckley The world of humankind is a world dominated by the extrovert, where 75% of the population have been estimated to fit this personality type (Svoboda, 2007). In the ancient traditions of human bigotry, the mere fact that extroversion is more common than introversion is taken to mean that extroversion is what is natural and normal. Thus, introversion must be a deviation from that default. The idea is that because humans are social ani-

mals, extroverts must be the norm, whereas introverts are mentally ill or simply strange. There are many erroneous perceptions about introverts, but a particularly insidious one is that being an introvert makes you more likely to be violent, or a psychopath. This should be familiar to anyone who reads or watches the news regularly: a tragic double murder, after which the murderer turned the gun on himself. Reports describe him as a loner and introvert. The reason this should be familiar is that the media almost never report that a murderer is extroverted, simply because this is expected to be the default. Introversion is the deviation, so it must be commented upon. As a result, we have a feedback loop of false assumptions. The media only highlights a murderer’s personality type when he is introverted,

thus giving the impression that introverts have a greater propensity towards violence or psychosis. This reinforces the belief that introversion is a deviation and that extroversion is the

“

Our World is one of rampant corruption and of unmitigated greed, of bankrupt morality and of thriving injustice. Our World is one of disinformation and misinformation, of conflicts of interest and of boundless deceit. Our World is one of celebrated ignorance, of indolent skepticism and of contagious apathy. Our World is one of omnipresent egoism, of distractions both blatant and devilishly elaborate. Our World is one of decrepit institutions, of malfunctioning systems and of an incompetent establishment. Our World is one of political homogeneity, of mass-produced bureaucrats and of depressing hypocrisy. Our World is one of conscienceless capitalism, of deaths both tragic and utterly preventable. Our World is one of counterfeit guardians, of clandestine pogroms and of censored protestors. Our World is one of impotent charity, of scandals too heinous to even believe. Our World is one of the privileged and the unfortunate

and of a divide that has now become immeasurable. Our World is one of misplaced respect, of intellectual cowardice and of absent belief. The delusional puppet of the Global Ruling Class, our World is doomed to inevitable failure, regression and disorder. Enough Is Enough. "They" gambled with our livelihoods in the hope of inflating their coffers and lining their pockets. "They" refuse to take responsibility for what their avaricious recklessness has created. "They" serve only one another and ignore the demands of the majority. "They" hide behind a serpentine structure that camouflages their fraud and duplicity. "They" maintain that nothing can be changed, that inequality is necessary. "They" prefer to profit than to support social progress and development. "They" mislead and deceive habitually - "they" rarely have time for the truth. "They" gladly sacrifice their integrity in exchange for material wealth and luxury. "They" promote and propagate their secret agen-

use land for recreation and entertainment while many are forced to survive without shelter. "They" can afford to bailout broken fiscal systems but pay no attention to the sick or to the hungry. "They" quote national borders as the chief excuse for their negligence and inhumanity. "They" have no desire to improve our lives - unless, of course, they can find a way to benefit. "They" are selling us synthetic freedom and we are giving them international domination. Enough Is Enough. The problems of contemporary global society are manifold: biased judiciaries, amoral food and medical companies, an unelected Free Market dictatorship, a self-serving and treacherous Political Class, merciless and ubiquitous corporatism, a spineless and venal Media, a monetarily distended Entertainment Industry, thousands of avoidable quotidian deaths, carefully manipulated news acting as surreptitious propaganda, a veritable dearth of transparency and accountability, ineffective and diminutive taxation for the prosperous, increasingly encroaching commercialism, a Popular Culture predicated on

indifference and narcissism, an Economic System that has become cripplingly convoluted, gargantuan unemployment and pressurized emigration, the deliberate suppression of significant public information, discreetly endorsed bigotry and dwindling civil liberties, Multinational Trade Laws that impoverish the disadvantaged, execrable genocides that are uniformly disregarded, spurious democracy and institutionalized inequality, a Global Ruling Class that is both anonymous and totalitarian - the list regrettably goes on and on and on and on. My friends, this pathetic state-of-affairs has become untenable. From Washington D.C. to Canberra, from New Delhi to Brasilia, from Brussels to Pretoria and from Abuja to Jakarta, too many people are dying, too many children are suffering, too many injustices are going unpunished, too many lies are being told. At present, we live in a world paralyzed by avarice and blighted by duplicity, devastated by vanity and incapacitated by exploitation. Worldwide, the Authorities repeatedly refuse to listen to any of our griev-

Media reports treated the fact that Gacy was both an extrovert and a

”

serial murderer and rapist as an oddity rather than the norm.

norm, which makes the media even more likely to continue highlighting the introversion of murderers. What makes this extremely confusing is that studies have shown that introverts are actually less prone to violence and to criminal behaviour in general (Rushton and Roland, 1981). Indeed, we find that many famous

A Cry for Humanity By Adam Loughnane

munity. He also raped and murdered over thirty three people. Yet media reports treated the fact that Gacy was both an extrovert and a serial murderer and rapist as an oddity rather than the norm. That many murderers with serious mental health issues such as schizophrenia are shy or unsociable is not in dispute. However,

such people are unsociable because those who suffer from psychoses tend to withdraw from the world; they are unsociable because they are mentally ill, not the other way around. Furthermore, their shyness and unsociability do not make them introverted anyway. Introverts prefer solitary activities to social ones, but they do not have any particular aversion to social activities. There are many dangerous perceptions that emerge from viewing extroversion and introversion as default and deviation rather than as two perfectly valid modes of being. However, few are as dangerous as the insistence that introverts are dangerous or mentally ill. Introversion is nothing more or less than a preference. It does not make you strange, it does not make you ill, and it certainly does not make you a murderer.

serial killers were extroverts. For example, John Wayne Gacy Jr. was a sociable and friendly man who held regular parties, ran a profitable business and volunteered in his com-

das both subliminally and flagrantly. "They" craft and erect enticing diversions wherever and whenever possible. "They" advocate a culture of self-obsession, of compliance and of consumerism. "They" hail a perverted and disfigured caricature as an example of true democracy. "They" have abandoned substance in exchange for unbelievably tiresome sophistication. "They" promise urgent and fundamental reform but never deliver when they have the power. "They" pretend to be champions of nobility but soon change their colours given the opportunity. "They" manufacture pandemic fear and abuse it for unwholesome purposes. "They" insist that the State be kept as far removed from the Public as is legally feasible. "They" silently amass prodigious fortunes worth millions and billions of any currency whilst thousands perish everyday of causes that are financially preventable. "They" continue to exploit an unjust framework at the expense of the voiceless and the innocent. "They"

Reference List Rushton, J. Philippe & Chrisjohn, Roland D (1981), ‘Extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism and self-reported delinquency: Evidence from eight separate samples’ , Personality and Individual Differences, vol. 2, no.1, pp.11-20. Svoboda, E. (2007), ‘Personality. The real insiders: loners are pitied in our up-with-people culture but the introvert reaps secret joy from the solitary life’, Psychology Today, vol. 40, no.2, pp. 43-4. Dean is the winner of the Academic Writing Centre Competition. The reference list has been printed at the request of the Academic Writing Centre, so students can be aware of the correct way to reference in their essays.

ances, to empathize with our predicaments. In spite of our objections, of our calls for change and widespread reform, they have done absolutely nothing to ameliorate the condition of international society. I say that now is the time for us to stand up for what is right. To stand up for freedom and to defend equality, to resurrect democracy and to protect our humanity. We, the People - the almighty majority, we do not need a Ruling Class to show us how to live and to tell us what to value. Now, I do not contend that I know the "right" way - that I know the solutions to our many and varied difficulties. But what I do know is that the current approach is failing and that it is not the only approach that we as human beings may take. I believe that if we as a society honourably discuss and analyse our problems, if we permit each and every disparate voice to be heard, that we will be capable of finding a better answer to our dilemmas, an answer that is more democratic and egalitarian… The full version of this piece of writing can be seen online at www.sin. ie/2013/03/18/a-cry-forhumanity.

University College Dublin College of Science University College Dublin College of Science

University College Dublin College of Science

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Why UCD? Why UCD? Top 2% world university Why UCD? Research/innovation pedigree Top 2% world university Strong industry links pedigree Research/innovation Top 2%industry world university Full professional accreditation Strong links Research/innovation pedigree Earn examinationaccreditation exemptions Full professional Strongexamination industry links Fast-track your career Earn exemptions Full professional accreditation Fast-track your career Earn examination exemptions Fast-track your career

MSc Actuarial Science MSc Actuarial Science Graduate Diploma Actuarial Science MSc Actuarial Science Graduate Diploma Actuarial Science Graduate Diploma Actuarial Science UCD School of Mathematical Sciences introduced actuarial science to the in Ireland.Sciences We offer introduced the longestactuarial running and widest UCDuniversity School ofsector Mathematical science to variety of actuarial programmes, having in 1991. and widest the university sector in Ireland. We offercommenced the longest running variety of actuarial programmes, having commenced in 1991. science to UCD School of Mathematical Sciences introduced actuarial the university sector in Ireland. We offer the longest running and widest The MSc and Graduate Diploma cancommenced fast-track in your career, with variety of actuarial programmes, having 1991. significant employment linkscan to Dublin’s insurance market.with The MSc actuarial and Graduate Diploma fast-track your career, significant actuarial employment links to Dublin’s insurance market. The MSc and Graduate Diploma can fast-track your career, with Both programmes are accredited the Institute and market. Faculty of significant actuarial employment linksby to Dublin’s insurance Actuaries (UK), allowing you to obtain exemptions their Core Both programmes are accredited by the Institute from and Faculty of Technical (CT) 1-8 examinations. Actuaries (UK), allowing you to obtain exemptions from their Core Technical (CT) 1-8 examinations. Both programmes are accredited by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (UK), allowing you to obtain exemptions from their Core Applications open to graduates and final-year undergraduate Technical (CT)now 1-8 examinations. students withnow backgrounds in quantitative disciplines such as Applications open to graduates and final-year undergraduate Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, Economics, Finance and Physics. students with backgrounds in quantitative disciplines such as Mathematics, Economics, Financeundergraduate and Physics. Applications Statistics, now openEngineering, to graduates and final-year students with backgrounds in quantitative disciplines such as Scholarship paid research placement positions available for a Mathematics, and Statistics, Engineering, Economics, Finance and Physics. number of students as part of the MSc programme. Scholarship and paid research placement positions available for a number of students as part of the MSc programme. Scholarship and paid research placement positions available for a numberFurther of students as part of thewww.ucd.ie/graduatestudies MSc programme. information:

Questions? Contactwww.ucd.ie/graduatestudies pgstudies@maths.ucd.ie Further information: Questions? Contact pgstudies@maths.ucd.ie

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Review: Maya’s Journey By Liam King Maya’s Journey, written by NUIGalway alumnus Helena Abrahams, concerns the travels of Maya Truman, a Londoner who must undertake a journey of self discovery in her search for love and acceptance. The story opens with a medical student named Yusuf Taliep in apartheid South Africa, acting subversively against the white government, and the themes of race recur throughout the book. He participates in actions against the segregationist

government, coming close to being caught before finally being smuggled out of the country one short step ahead of the authorities. Meanwhile, Maya’s journey takes her to South Africa and Ireland in her quest of discovery. Maya is a fairly independent woman who cuts her own path, rejecting the career pre-ordained for her by her parents as overly restrictive, even where this causes friction in their already strained relationship. Starved of love from her family, Maya is forced to seek it elsewhere, no

The Whales By Roisin Kelly Sean made his lunch the night before. Six pieces of pan loaf spread out on the table like cards. The knife into the mayonnaise jar and the mayonnaise dealt out onto each slice. If there were crisps in the house, he opened a packet and made crisp sandwiches, and put another packet into his rucksack for a snack. Sometimes he dutifully added an apple. By ten o’clock at night it was all laid out: his rucksack with the lunchbox, his oilskins and boots. Then he went to bed.

His alarm clock went off at five. Everyone else was still sleeping as he stumbled into clothes and poured cereal, bleary-eyed. It was still dark outside and he saw his reflection in the kitchen window, pale under the bright overhead light. Stepping outside, he smelled the dew and tasted morning. The red pulse from the lighthouse over on Achill measured out the minutes until dawn, and the sky was brightening even as he pedaled

The Train By James Falconer Sebastian swam a mile against the current, just to see her, to say ‘goodbye’. He wanted to kiss her one last time. To his absolute dismay, by the time he reached the station, the train had already departed. He saw a faint trail of smoke hanging in the evening air. He was devastated and his body began to suffer a chill from the cool breeze, which swept across the old ghostlike station. He put his hand into his wet pocket only to find it was empty. The medallion she had given him must be at the bottom of the river by now. It was gone; his last memory of her had sunk in his titanic struggle to make the train. Whilst he stood there on the platform, a motorcar

crackled into the car park at the rear of the station. Sebastian heard a door close and then the soft patter of footsteps up to the platform where he stood trembling like a damp rat. As soon as the beautiful figure turned the corner his heart suddenly pounded and he was brought back to the reality he longed for. Immediately, Sophie's bright blue eyes shone a new light into his very existence. This illumination increased when she opened her mouth and smiled lovingly at him. Right there, and in this very moment he knew he would spend the rest of his life adoring her with all his love. He didn’t want to say anything because he was afraid. Words seemed something of a hin-

matter how far afield that may be. The author has lived in South Africa, London, and Ireland, and this comes across in the familiarity she has with the locations. There’s a solid sense of place throughout, without lavishing so much detail that the reader gets bored. But this book falls down in the dialogue and character interactions. People declare their worldviews to empty rooms, and anything they don’t say is clarified immediately by the narration. Too much is told rather than shown,

and the narration unnecessarily explains relationships that have already been displayed, such as Maya’s parents’ detachment. Yusuf is such a prominent agitator that the ANC takes the trouble to smuggle him to freedom, but at a meeting we see him try to attend, he arrives late enough to witness the arrest of the attendees, derides them for not resisting the police while hiding from them himself, and shouts his defiance once he is certain that no one actually is close enough to hear him.

He apparently overcomes this in later years, but it still seems to jar slightly. Later, while glaring out the window at the ‘hordes’ of passers-by near his home, the text feels the need to clarify that yes, he is indeed angry. He secretly despises his friends, while Maya also seems to covertly look down on her friends’ lifestyles. The references to apartheid and South African culture ring true, while someone with knowledge of the period or culture might find them of more value than the casual

reader. The atmosphere of fear does come across and there’s a sense that the author knows what she is talking about. But the narration tries to do too much that isn’t necessary, in general showing rather than telling a little too much. Maya’s Journey involves a strong main character and believable locations, but the awkward dialogue and interactions prevent this from being a great read. It’s not the most ambitious story in the world, but for £1.30 on Amazon, is worth a look.

down the road. Sheep were pale, damp shapes against the dark ground. By the time he crested the hill, the streetlamps by the harbour had flickered off and the little bay rested quietly in the swell of grey light. Dick was waiting on the pier, a slick yellow pillar in his oilskins. He was a man of few words, but his scowl clearly said ‘late’. To Dick everyone, everywhere, was late. There were several boats that serviced the fish farm but the Nora Jane was the only one that went out there at the crack of dawn, and Sean was the only islander unlucky enough to work for Dick.

“Grand flat day,” he said to Dick, who grunted. The gentle waves that broke against the prow as they headed out could have been the slosh of bathwater, but the boat had more roll in it when they cleared the bay. Against the rapidly brightening sky, the little boat-wreck on Ceann an Curragh was a rusty silhouette. Dick smoked in the wheelhouse. The inspectors might be coming out from the mainland today, and thus Dick seemed especially grumpy. Dick did not like inspectors. He did not like mainlanders in general coming out to poke around the fish farm, telling the

island workers how to do their jobs. “What do they know about life? What do they know about swell?” he had once memorably proclaimed, in a rare moment of articulation. The fish farm workers’ lives revolved around swell. On the island itself, if there was any sign of swell in the ocean, it was the first thing remarked upon in any conversation. “Bit of swell in it today.” Swell infiltrated the shop, the post office, the bar, Mass. Its white tongues of foam were everywhere. The Nora Jane grunted and chugged. Light was pouring down over the

Mayo coastline. The sun announced itself in a fiery ball over Croagh Patrick. It was a little apocalyptic. Sean glanced into the wheelhouse. Dick was standing with his hands on the wheel and his face was turned east and bathed in orange light. In Dublin they would already be getting on with the morning, and here it was just beginning. This evening, they would get the last of the sun before it went on its way over the Atlantic horizon. Like the story so far? To continue reading, go to www.sin.ie/2013/03/18/ the-whales.

drance; everything appeared to have been said, without the utterance of a word. If he could relive this moment of relief over and over again, it would be magical. “Did you think I was on the train?” she asked, with a delicate smile. “Of course I did; I thought I’d never see you again,” Sebastian said with a look of anguish. He wondered what else he could have thought. “Well, we were trying to make it, but the motorcar broke down. Luckily a kind gentleman stopped and gave us assistance; otherwise, we’d be still miles away. He was a very talkative man, we tried to explain that we were trying to catch the 3.05pm train, but he persisted talking. He told us how close to the station we were: ‘ahhh it’s only up the road there a little,’ he said.” “Maybe it wasn’t meant to be, Sophie?”

“It looks that way, my dear.” By this time they were in touching distance. Sophie slowly outstretched her hand and placed it on Sebastian’s

left cheek. She felt his cool skin and when she felt his hair she realised how wet he was. “How did you get so wet Sebastian?”

“I swam across the river to get here. I wanted to see you before you left; in fact, I wanted to persuade you not to leave.” To be continued…

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Tom Baxter comes back to Galway

It’s Reginald D. Hunter

By Rosemarie Reyes

By James Falconer

Tom Baxter returns to Galway on 23 March to play a show at the Róisín Dubh. He will be debuting new songs from his upcoming album, The Uncarved Block - Part One. This unique collection of songs highlights more of what Baxter has garnered acclaim for; raw confessions delivered in a raspy, emotional voice with haunting lyrics. The songs on Uncarved reflect Baxter’s ever-evolving journey through life, his passion for playing guitar and the singular places that influence the songs on this album.

His recent travels have included Devon in his native England, India, Southern Spain, and California, all placing an indelible mark on Baxter’s music. Notable songs from the new album include the sensual, driving beat of “Dual”, the otherworldliness of the title track “Uncarved Block” and the sweet, compelling “Sugarcane”. Originally from Cornwall, England, Baxter spent his teen years in Suffolk where his family owned a hotel. Its bar and ballroom served as the first venue for the band he formed with his brother, Charlie.

Aged 19, Baxter moved to London to attend music school which turned out to be more like the school of hard knocks. Playing covers while working odd jobs, he said of his humble beginnings; “I did lots of different things to pay the rent, and as hard as it was, I avoided getting a proper job because I knew I might just get stuck in it.” Luckily Tom's debut, Feather and Stone (2004), did well as word of mouth about his dynamic live shows got around the London music scene. His second album, Skybound (2008), produced his breakthrough single, the

magical 'Better', which appeared on the soundtrack of the 2007 film, Run, Fat Boy, Run. Baxter knows the true meaning of being a multimedia artist and has contributed his own gallery-quality paintings to visually explain his music. Expect new art to accompany The Uncarved Block - Part Two. Tickets for his Galway show at the Roisin Dubh, (www.roisindubh.net), are on sale now; don’t miss this opportunity see Tom Baxter’s live show, an unforgettable experience that will leave you breathless and wanting more.

Review: Motorcycle Display Team – A Taste By Daniel Nestor With tightly sprung bass licks intrinsically linked with clever drums, textured guitar riffs and an almost tamed, English post – ‘Brit Pop’ vocal, Motorcycle Display Team offer something special to their fans. Steve, a working actor from England, Morgan, a Dublin musician, and Matt, a lawyer from New Zealand, formed the band back in 2008, and have since worked hard to become established in the English music scene. Although these three talented and multi-cultured musicians have still found themselves rela-

tively unknown to Irish audiences, they have had their music featured in the hit television series “Hollyoaks” and also in a BBC sitcom called Off the Hook. As well as this, illustrious residencies in such renowned venues as ‘Dublin Castle’ and ‘The New Cross Inn’ in London have come their way. Despite their catchy debut LP Captatio Benevolentiae being released 2 years after their EP The Crayon Masterpiece, the album was definitely worth the wait for fans. The 11 songs could only be described as slick, tight and incredibly addictive. All in all, a perfect mixture between subtle, yet rough

drum beats, soft melodies and a guitar and bass that flow simultaneously, all lead to one thing; a fantastic sounding album. With the upcoming Irish release of their new single ‘A Taste’ off their critically acclaimed debut album, this indie trio is on the map now more than ever. A combination of clever, witty lyrics, tight drums, melodic bass and overdriven guitar creates a single that retains the true brilliance of the band in less than 4 minutes. Pulling away from the more conventional sound of one of their previous singles ‘Firecracker’, these Franz Ferdinand–

esque funk-punkers hold a very unique place in today’s music charts as an unsigned band whose melodies reflect The Beatles, Artic Monkeys and 60’s Motown. The band is ready to explode onto the Irish music scene with a total of four dates on their Irish tour, one of which is in The Bentley, Galway. If you’re interested in going to see a band who are on the verge of becoming signed and have songs that will, given half the chance, dominate the airwaves in months to come, then head down to see Motorcycle Display Team in The Bentley, Galway on Saturday 6 April.

Review: Stereophonics – Indian Summer By Vincent Hughes ‘Indian Summer’ is the latest single from Welsh alternative rockers, Stereophonics, best known for tracks such as ‘Have a Nice Day’, ‘Dakota’, and ‘Maybe Tomorrow’. The single was taken from their new album, Graffiti On the Train, which was released on the 4 March 2013 by the band’s own record label, Stylus Records. The single itself features an instantly recognizable sound, thanks to Kelly Jones’ distinct vocals

and writing style; but at the same time, there are some obvious differences between ‘Indian Summer’ and some of the band’s well-known tracks and albums. Speaking about these differences, Kelly said; “I found myself walking into a studio with 40 unfinished ideas, rather than 10 finished ones, and by doing that the songs became way more unpredictable... the band and everyone involved had a good time doing it because we knew we were doing something we hadn’t done before.”

The song is structured almost entirely around simple and pleasing melodies and progressions that build into a soundscape of sorts that possesses some rather cinematic qualities, and the string arrangements (courtesy of David Arnold, best known for scoring a number of James Bond movies, as well as Independence Day, Godzilla, Little Britain, and more recently, Sherlock) and soaring chorus vocals of the track contribute towards a somewhat uplifting and inspiring atmosphere, despite its somewhat

melancholic and wistful subject matter. The track’s lyrics seem to focus on ‘the one who got away’, instantly opening the piece up as something accessible and relatable to the majority of listeners. Its large and full sound, yet subtle and somewhat emotive approach, makes for a pleasant background track that will quite likely find its way onto the radio and worm its way into your head, completely unnoticed until you find yourself singing it under your breath while you go about your daily business.

Reginald D. Hunter has been embraced by Irish audiences over the past few years. He has headlined festivals across the country including The Electric Picnic, Vodafone Comedy Festival, The Cat Laughs, Galway Arts Festival and Galway Comedy Festival. He is one of those rare talents who can deliver insightful and intelligent humour, while making it look like a stroll in the woods. Reginald D oozes charisma and intelligence. Originally from the American southern state of Georgia, he came to London when he was 27 as a classic theatre student at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. When a friend dared him to do stand-up, he performed, and made £10. After having good fun and realising there was a living in it, Reginald D abandoned acting and embraced stand-up. Reginald D is known to ridicule and joke about different perceptions of race and identity. He’s attempted to reclaim the word “Nigga” and has used it in the title of one of his tours Reginald D Hunter: Pride & Prejudice . . . & Niggas, which caused much controversy and led to the poster been banned from the London Underground. He also went on a tour around Britain called Trophy Nigga with fellow comic Steve Hughes. However, some venues didn’t allow them to use the tour

title. Reginald D claimed that some promoters had issues with the word ‘trophy’. I think it was Brendan Behan who said; “There's no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary.” The Sunday Times said; “Hunter’s presence and intelligence make him one of the most brilliantly unpredictable comics around.” Reginald D is indeed one of the most supremely talented comedians working today and both his sell-out Edinburgh Fringe season and two UK tours are testament to his brilliance. He’s also released his debut stand up DVD Reginald D Hunter Live. In just over a decade since succumbing to a dare, Reginald D Hunter has become one of the industry’s bestknown and most distinctive performers. His material is often brutally honest, frequently controversial, but always carefully measured and thought out. Reginald D. Hunter returns to Ireland for a sixteen date tour which kicks off on 27 March. You can catch him in fourteen different towns and cities across the country. The tour will take place in venues both large and small – Dublin, Galway (30 and 31 March), Cork, Limerick, Laois, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, Louth, Donegal, Westmeath, Wexford and Kilkenny. Tickets are on sale from usual outlets. Or, check ReginaldDHunter. com for more details.

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A Portrait of the Artist So you don’t like the term ‘inspiration’? Well, it’s not that I don’t like it, it just seems to overstate for me; if you sat around all day waiting for inspiration…

By James Falconer Flirt FM – Tuesday 11.30am

Speaking to Galway poet Sarah Clancy Sarah, you’re an artist, primarily a poet? Well, I’d say, only a poet! My drawings are all atrocious and I’m not musical. When did you start writing poetry? I started writing poetry about 4 years ago, but I’d done a few bits before, you know, horrible adolescent poetry about how you hate everyone. I have applied myself to writing poetry because I really enjoy it – it’s a great sport, and it’s cheap – all you need is a pen and paper. What about your artistic process - your journey? I’m a bit of a pragmatist. If you want to write a poem, I think you need to sit down and write it. There’s a lot of talk about inspiration and muses and where poems come from, whereas for me, I think that one of the easiest ways that I learned, and became open to ideas, is by sitting down trying to write things. I write things very quickly, which isn’t similar to a lot of other people I know who write.

“

I often thought “I’d never show that to anyone”

and in some way putting

poems on Facebook was a

”

way of bypassing that, a little psychological trick!

Do you write as fast as you talk? [laughs] Near enough! Well, it’s not that I write very quickly however, I won’t spend a month sweating over a poem. I am more likely to write ten poems in a short time and only keep one of them. Is there any particular time of day you like to write? No, I could write at any time. I write a lot of things on facebook (maybe a bad habit). I started that for two reasons. I was away traveling and it was the easiest way to keep them safe, from one net café to the next; this was before Dropbox. Maybe the second reason was something of the Irish mentality; I was kind of ashamed of them. I often thought “I’d never show that to anyone” and in some way putting poems on facebook was a way of bypassing that, a little psychological trick!

You’d be waiting?! Yes, you’d probably be waiting! Inspiration is an idea or, how you were affected by a particular moment that makes you want to create something. Other people might have a very different experience with muses or inspiration, but I could be waiting years for a muse, or before some marvellous inspiration came and knocked on my door. You mentioned traveling, Sarah. Where in the world have you been to? Well, I haven’t spent a wild amount of time there, but I have been several times to Central America, particularly Mexico. I find it a fascinating place, the culture and its similarities to us here, it’s very Catholic and also very Pagan. Mexico is in a horrific situation at the moment. Even though normal life continues, it’s completely plagued with drug violence, and life is really cheap. A lot of things that happen here, happen there, only they’re exposed. There’s a South American writer called Eduardo Galeano who wrote a great book called The Open Veins of Latin America. It’s a fascinating book about the history of the Continent, but in those words, Mexico is like the open veins of capitalism that are at their worst there, as in, it’s not covered up. You’ve got people selling everything and anything and washing car windscreens at traffic lights to extremely wealthy people living in mansions in gated compounds and then you have people trying to live middle class lives amidst the backdrop of all this violence and failed state. What fascinates you the most about this situation? Well, it’s the overwhelming normality of it all, despite the fact that they’re finding beheaded corpses in places like Acapulco, which is considered to be quite a touristy destination; it seems to coexist. Where can we find your material online? I have a website with another Galway poet, Elaine Feeney – www. poetrygirls.com. You can also find me on Facebook or Twitter on sarahmaintains. James and Sarah discussed more than this. To see what Sarah says about activism, the economy and even her opinion of Enda Kenny, go to www. sin.ie/2013/03/18/sarah-clancy.

Michael O’Connor brings the ‘Arts into Action’ By James Falconer

was cast in The Bishop’s Candle Sticks as a character called Gendarme. After delivering The Arts in Action 2012/13 programme has a powerful performance in this relatively been serving up some fine treats every Thurs- small role, Michael was offered the lead role day at 1pm in the Cube, Áras Na MacLéinn. in the following year’s production, Love Thy Ailbhe Du Vé is a singer/songwriter from Neighbour. Galway and comes from a family steeped in In 2008, he joined Ala in a play called Our Town, under the direction of an American the Irish musical tradition. Currently based in Lisbon, she’s also a director, George Miller, playing the part of member of the ‘Bentley Boys’ band who an undertaker. perform throughout Ireland. Michael’s next role was that of a mad Oisin Minogue, a member of The Slopes, drunken cook in Alice and Wonder Land, again who won Witless back in 2011, brought his under the direction of Miller. unique blend of trad, rock and jazz to the In 2009, he joined Croí Productions in Cube last week. Oisin’s a play called Change Of music involves buildHeart. This was based on the Biblical story of ing up melodies and sounds with a violin and St. Frances and directed bouzouki, while using a by founder of the Croi loop pedal to create a production company, great mix of music. Maria Keogh. Michael Michael O’ Conwas also cast as a warlock in a play called Mary nor is an actor and singer/songwriter from Finnegan’s Wake. County Mayo. In a Joining Michael in the Cube last week was previous life, Michael Michael O’Connor, an actor Rory Stephens; a native worked as a butcher. and musician taking part of Dublin, Rory brings After being out of in Arts in Action 2013. work due to an injury, another dimension to Michael replaced the the songs by playing butcher’s apron for a guitar strap. the harmonica alongside Michael’s highly He began covering Irish ballads, and original lyrical observations. then moved on to Johnny Cash and CreedRory is also a songwriter and pianist. They ence Clearwater Revival among others. It both recently played The Rosewood Sessions wasn’t long before Michael grew tired of in Garvey’s Bar along with singer/songwriter, covers and thus started to write his own Pa Reidy. songs. He finished his debut album entitled If you’re looking for a break from your Octopus Tattoo in 2006. studies be sure to get to the Cube for the NUI Around the time of the album release Galway Medical Orchestra – Thursday March Michael joined a small theatre group and 21 at 8pm. Admission is Free.

Cúirt 2013 line-up announced By Marése O’Sullivan Irish Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, Belfast poet Michael Longley and renowned novelist Edna O’Brien are all to grace the stage at Galway’s 2013 Cúirt International Festival of Literature. Now in its 27th year, the festival will be held from April 23-28. It is planned to host a new EU initiative called The Crossroads of European Literature, as well as poetry readings, literary outings, theatre, book launches and writer interviews. The festival was launched in the House Hotel in the Latin Quarter on Tuesday March 12. The official opening of Cúirt will take place on Wednesday April 24, when President Michael D. Higgins will kick off Galway’s celebration of literature at the Hotel Meyrick alongside Heaney and Longley. Attendees can look forward to the selection of the winners of the Cúirt New Writing Prize, who will be awarded €500 each. Last year’s recipients were Kevin O’Shea from Connemara for poetry – he launched his début poetry collection in

late 2012 – and Eamonn Kelly, a NUI Galway Arts graduate, for fiction. Crime fiction will also be on the agenda, with a talk by the Random House Crime Panel on Saturday March 27 at 6.30pm in the Town Hall Theatre on the importance of the genre in Ireland. Arlene Hunt, the author of seven best-selling crime novels, will chair the event. Galway itself will be celebrated through the book launch of Galway Stories, a short story collection by some of the county’s most prominent writers. The Literary Brunch on Sunday March 28 will feature readings by Martin Dyar, Celeste Augé and Irish-language author Micheál Ó Conghaile. Edna O’Brien will give a retrospective interview, which is to focus on her memoir Country Girl. Kids will be entertained by the new ‘Cúirt Labs’, a three-day conference with creative practitioners, in the Galway Arts Centre on Dominick Street. An app with the festival programme is now available from the Apple Store. Further information can be found on www. cuirt.ie.

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Review: Cloud Atlas By Ken Glennon “The weak are meat the strong do eat.” Cloud Atlas is a tough sell. As adapted from David Mitchell’s 2004 booker-listed novel of the same name, three directors tackle six interconnected segments divided by centuries that overlap thematically gradually coming together as one story. To achieve this, the distinguished international cast made up of Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Doonae Bae, Hugo Weaving, Susan Sarandon, David Gyasi, Hugh Grant, Keith David, Zhou Xun and James Darcy tackle multiple roles between them across gender and race. The film begins with a tale at sea in the 19th century, featuring Jim Sturgess as a sailor who befriends a slave stowaway, followed chronologically with Ben Whisaw as a brilliant young musician working alongside Jim Broadbent’s legendary composer in Belgium. Then there’s Halle Berry as a reporter investigating a nuclear power plant in the US in the 1970’s. Jim Broadbent then takes centre stage playing a publisher on the run in 2012 London who, for convoluted reasons, is imprisoned in a nursing home.

Doonae Bae and Jim Sturgess are involved in a clone uprising in Neo-Seoul in the near future whilst Tom Hank’s plays a tribesman centuries later in a post-apocalyptic Earth, helping Halle Berry’s prescient character navigate her way to an ancient temple which may hold the mystery of the survival of both their races. And that’s the short, simple version. As such Cloud Atlas presents the progression or devolution of one character’s soul across the six timelines whilst allowing the game cast play a range of roles that beguile their age, gender or race in one segment, be it as the hero of one story or a cameo in another. That novelty alone is one of the film’s many pleasures to compliment the six distinct time periods, each populated with stunning images. The near future Neo-Seoul segment in particular stands out as a dystopian metropolis whilst cinematographers Frank Griebe and John Toll bring their own vignettes to life with great success. Whatever else may be said of Cloud Atlas, it’s a beautifully shot production and the two separate sets of filmmakers, Lana and Andy Wachoski of Matrix fame and Run Lola Run helmer Tom Twyker manage to compose Cloud Atlas into one stylistically unified piece.

Likewise the evocative score finds a way of aurally connecting the disparate threads without seeming to belong to any one story in particular. Yet what stand out in the end are the little moments of pathos that come out of the gargantuan production. Each actor brings their own unique touch to a myriad of parts, be it violently chewing scenery (see Tom Hanks’ drunken Scots murderer), or quietly operating under layers of make-up (Jim Sturges and Doona Bae in particular stand out as domed revolutionary figures). Having read the book, I wonder how well someone new to the world of Cloud Atlas will embrace the difficult task of keeping track with six stories and the multitude of parts afforded to each actor. One could easily dismiss it all as unwieldy and as each story is somehow propelled by one that preceded it, so too does its overall success depend on the individual strength of each story. Some, invariably, are more engaging than others. Yet against all odds the over-reaching arc manages to build momentum whilst cutting back and forth between plots as one

act in one story mirrors the events of another. Each tale involves characters rebelling against, to one degree or another, authoritarian regimes. This allows the end result feel like the sum of its parts, rather than a good-looking, but hollow collection of flimsily-connected stories with actors in bad make-up. In the end, Cloud Atlas deserves more honour than its box office failure and mixed critical reception has afforded it. It’s hugely ambitious, managing to take a difficult adaptation and turn it into a moving piece of cinema that manages to provoke moments of laughter, horror, awe and genuine pathos. And how often will you get to see Hugh Grant as a cannibal?

Review: Jack Reacher Review: Oz the Great and Powerful

By Ken Glennon

Opening with a sniper attack that drew comparisons to Dirty Harry, Jack Reacher sets its stall out immediately as a stripped down analogue thriller in a digital age. Adapted from Lee Child’s ninth Jack Reacher novel (One Shot) and starring Tom Cruise as the eponymous military investigator, there’s nothing terribly memorable about writer-director Christopher Macquarie’s (an Oscar winning writer for The Usual Suspects) take on the book. The main draw is a perfectly enjoyable performance from Tom Cruise. Though vertically far from the 6’5 giant that dominated Child’s stories, Cruise sells the impossibly efficient, charming and all round tough guy persona to a tee. Operating as an untraceable ghost figure, Reacher arrives on the scene after the prime suspect, a retired military sniper with a dubious past. Everything points to this man’s guilt though we see another shooter (Jai Courtney bringing a commanding presence to a stock main henchmen role and next seen as Bruce Willis’ son in the new Die Hard) commit the crime. What follows isn’t an especially remarkable story. There’s an obvious cover-up; the further the Cruise character gets involved the more people come after him; there’s a fleeting romantic spark between Reacher and the blandly idealistic district attorney (played by Rosamund Pike) and one well-done car

chase (with a perfect comic conclusion spoiled in the trailer). More memorable, if woefully underused, is the mysterious antagonist ‘The Zec’, if for nothing else then the gloriously successful stunt casting of legendary Bavarian filmmaker Werner Herzog. He pops up from time to time and has a great little speech about surviving in a Serbian prison. Somewhere along the way Oscar winner Robert Duvall appears as a friend in arms of Mr Reacher and steals a few scenes, while respected actors like David Oyelowo and Richard Jenkins operate in largely forgettable roles. As a hardboiled detective thriller Jack Reacher is solid, if altogether forgettable but while it lasts is entertaining largely thanks to a strong performance from Tom Cruise and an occasionally witty script that, like it’s leading man, goes about its business quietly and effectively.

By Ken Glennon “James Franco is the man behind the curtain.” Sam Raimi tackles the legend of Oz to unremarkable effect in this prequel to The Wizard of Oz. There’s a fair argument to be made that, having not seen the iconic 1929 film and the young target group for Oz, I’m outside the demographic aimed. That said, since when do films made for children have to be so dull? At a plodding 130 minutes, Oz offers few delights. There’s the carnival conman turned emerald city saviour named Oz, who has to overcome his selfish nature and become a good man as played by James Franco.

While it’s unfair to criticise a Disney film for being predictable, nothing about the Oz character stands out; neither as the roguish scoundrel in the first act, nor as the heroic figure he needs to be in the second half of the film. He’s supposed to unite the people of Oz (the city) against the wicked witch but he comes across as a walking smirk and is never terribly involving. As for the world of Oz, unlike its green screen compatriots John Carter of Mars, Avatar and Alice in Wonderland, it doesn’t come across as a legitimate and immersive environment. Two exceptions come in the shape of a vividly rendered China doll girl (voiced tenderly by Joey King) whom Oz saves, and a winged monkey servant (Zach Braff has never been less annoying). That pair provides some desperately needed colour in a picture that’s candy coloured, but often dull to look at. The three witches are played by Rachel Weiz (evil witch one and in Disney villain nasty mode), Mila Kunis (giving a good cackle) and finally Michelle Williams as the good witch. Luminous, ethereal and goodness personified she works beautifully as a fairytale heroine who battles her two wicked sisters for the soul of Oz. Michelle Williams and some well-done CG characters aside, Oz the Great and Powerful never comes to life.

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H ealth & F itness

{27} 18–03

You haven’t eaten in how long?

By John Mulry of Expect Success Fitness What if you could have more appetite control, an easy way to cut calories (safely), more productivity, reduced glucose/

sugar levels, increased fat oxidation (burn fat quicker), lower inflammation, an easy way to eliminate waste & toxins from your body, the ability to unleash the power of growth hormone and to never feel hungry again? You’d probably think you’d need some mega expensive secret ninja drug to get all those benefits rolled into one right? The thing is, you can have all these benefits and it won’t cost you a thing to get them. You can have them by adopting the intermittent fasting lifestyle. What is intermittent fasting? Basically it’s the act of willingly abstaining from food for a certain pre-determined period of time. The key word is ‘willingly’; it’s not starving yourself, it’s willingly choosing not to eat. To make the definition even simpler, intermittent fasting is made up of two windows, a window where you eat and a window where you don’t eat. For example you could follow a 16/8 fasting/eating window where every day you

fast for 16 hours then you would have an eating window of 8 hours. This method when combined with specific training and nutrient timing is known as the ‘Leangains’ method and has been made famous by Martin Berkhan. Alternative methods include the ‘Warrior Diet’ method (20 hour fast/4 hour feast) and the very popular and highly acclaimed method from author Brad Pilons book Eat Stop Eat which promotes one or two complete 24 hour fasts per week. I must make a special mention for Brad and his book Eat Stop Eat as he truly has pioneered the indoctrination of intermittent fasting into the mainstream and for anyone who would like to read more information on intermittent fasting I highly recommend you check out his book. Everything in his book is backed up by pure science and research and he lays out his own experiences and strategy for adopting fasting as a lifestyle. If you are interested in finding out more about Brad’s book then you can visit www.IntermittentFasting.ie to get more information on it. Here’s a teeny tiny snippet of what the book promotes. Obviously Brad is the expert in this but I’ll make give you a brief overview of the biggest benefits.

Probably the two easiest benefits of 24 hour fasting is plain and simple, it can be adapted into any lifestyle you already have and secondly it’s pretty hard to mess up. I mean there’s only one rule – just don’t eat for 24 hours. Obviously if you’re going to be fasting for 24 hours it will leave you with an extended period of calorie abstinence and this will play a big role in your success of your weight loss goals. This combined with some strategic exercise will ensure consistent results. Calorie intake aside however, it’s those good ol’ hormones and the effects of a 24 hour fast has on them that’s what is super special. Now there are two hormones in specific I’m referring to – insulin and growth hormone. Insulin and Growth Hormone: Without bogging you down with too much science, basically the less often you eat, the less often you raise insulin levels. Big deal right? Actually yes, it is a big deal. The less often we raise insulin the more fat you burn and this even includes if you’re eating the same foods in same amounts. So like my previous article in Issue 4 of Sin Newspaper, it’s a damn fine kick in the butt

for people eating 5-6 meals a day. Sounds good so far? The results are compounded however when we introduce the growth hormone. If both insulin and growth hormones are low, the fat falling off you effect (think I just coined a new phrase) is pretty low. In order to get the best results possible, we want to be in a position where the growth hormone is increased. Our body increases secretion of growth hormone in three specific instances: 1. While we’re sleeping/ immediately after. 2. After working out (as little as 10-15 minutes), 3. While we’re fasting/ immediately after. By tapping into all three of the specific times we increase the growth hormone and combining that with the increased insulin sensitivity = fat burning paradise. Plus the Eat Stop Eat method of fasting is actually a really flexible way of keeping fasting in your lifestyle long term; it fits any schedule, any social life and you can move it around any day you like. Personally I’ve adopted a kind of hybrid of the ‘Leangains’ method and the Eat Stop Eat method of fasting because that’s what works well for me.

Intermittent fasting is gaining a lot of momentum lately and I foresee it becoming more and more mainstream as people are becoming increasingly disillusioned with all the hype and nonsense out there regarding diet, exercise and nutrition. If you have read some of my previous articles in the Health and Fitness section of Sin Newspaper or if you follow me online either on my website(s) or Facebook page then you may have noticed that I’m not very traditional in my methods for fitness and life. For example; I advocate workouts that can be done without a gym, regularly cheating on your diet, meal frequency isn’t as important as the mainstream would like us to believe and that the timing of your breakfast doesn’t matter. Intermittent fasting falls into the same bracket as these beliefs and although it is not completely accepted, things are starting to slowly change. IF is not a diet, it’s a lifestyle; it gives you flexibility in your diet; it can be adapted to suit you, your eating style and your life. For more information on intermittent fasting visit www.intermittentfasting.ie

Healthy Recipe: Student-friendly quinoa, feta and chicken salad By John Mulry of Expect Success Fitness

Have you tried quinoa yet? If not you should consider giving it a go. It’s one of those foods that actually warrants the title ‘superfood’. I first came across quinoa when I was volunteering in South America, I didn’t know what it was back then when I was eating it but nowadays I can’t get enough of the stuff. I’ve got a really tasty quinoa recipe for you today but before we get into it, I want to give you a brief overview on this delicious flexible grain. Quinoa is readily available in Dunnes, Tesco, Lidl, Aldi or any of the health food stores. Unfortunately because of its rising popularity, its retail prices in some varieties have risen by over 600 percent since 2000. This rise in price has led to reports that the actual farmers who harvest the ‘mother of all grains’ cannot afford to eat it themselves anymore. This is unfortunate and hopefully in the future we will see sustainable farming practices in place for quinoa farmers much like those in place for farmers in coffee plantations. In terms of nutrition, quinoa is jam packed with vitamins and nutrients; it has fibre, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, zinc and B vitamins to name a few. On top of that it is very high in protein. Another great benefit of quinoa is that it’s a complete protein, as it contains all essential amino acids. This is good news for vegetarians

who sometimes struggle with combining foods together to get their full amino acid profile. With quinoa you can get all essential amino acids so this eliminates a lot of fuss. Quinoa is also gluten-free and is delicious hot or cold. The quinoa salad recipe below can also be had hot or cold and is the perfect lunchbox filler. This is a recipe

myself and my girlfriend have a lot as it’s delicious, nutritious, very filling and it’s super easy to make. One of the great things about this recipe and about quinoa in general is its flexibility. You can mix and match different ingredients with quinoa depending on your personal preference. Student friendly quinoa, feta & chicken salad Serves 2 Ingredients: 200g of uncooked quinoa 1 chicken stock cube 150g of cooked chicken breast (diced) 100g-150g of feta cheese (depending on preference) 1 red pepper (chopped) 1 green pepper (chopped) Juice of half a lemon Side salad

A tasty bowl of quinoa courtesy of Ben Eagan.

Method: Boil the quinoa in the chicken stock until it soaks up all the stock and juices and then leave to cool in saucepan. Frequent tasting is optional but highly recommended. Once the quinoa has cooled add in the feta cheese, diced chicken and peppers and mix in the juice of half a lemon. Serve with a side salad and enjoy.

Clubs Bookings in Kingfisher CLUB

Monday

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

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

Wednesday

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

Thursday

Friday Saturday Sunday Mon – Wed Thursday

Service Operates:

5.45pm – 9.15pm 5.45pm – 8.15pm

Monday – Wednesday Departing from Orbsen Building:

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

Thursday

Departing from Orbsen Building:

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

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

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

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

Swim Club

4.00pm – 5.30pm

2 Lanes

Fencing Club

2.00pm – 4.00pm

Raquetball court

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

€20 PEr Hour

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

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18–03

Galway Taekwon-Do Open – a smashing success By Leigh Michael Keeney Hosting an event in which a world champion is competing is enough to set any sport-lover’s heart racing. Gold medallist at the International Taekwon-Do Federation championships held in Canada last year and fourth-degree black belt, Paul Manning was a star competitor on Saturday the 9 March when NUIG Taekwon-Do club hosted the Galway Taekwon-Do Open in Dangan Sports Pavillion north of campus. Needless to say, Manning put the rest through their paces in the male sparring black belt category and emerged victorious yet again with another gold medal to add to his collection. Battling through the tournament table the final fight matched Manning with a promising young contender in the sport, Arnaud Dumattrouchane, who demonstrated mind-blowing spirit and vigour. He’ll surely set the martial

arts scene ablaze in times to come – you heard it here first. In the female black belt sparring the gold medal was won by none other than NUIG’s own Ms Iseult Ní Choitir in a spectacular match against Ms Verline Buenchou from Blackrock TKD in Cork. Iseult also went on to achieve gold in black belt patterns, a great result for NUIG. In red belt/black tag patterns Claire Enright stashed some gold for Innishannon TKD, Verline Buenchou swiped silver and Deirdre Smyth bagged bronze. In the male red belt/black tag patterns section, Arnaud Dumattrouchane came away with the gold medal, Chris Enright took silver and NUIG’s Joshua Byrne won bronze. Continuing the ambition to defend its home turf, NUIG Taekwon-Do members; Daniel Dempsey and Cathal Ó Murchú both fought their way into the sparring final for green to red-tag belts, but they

did not take it lightly and rallied an epic bout, with Dempsey – aka Tank, taking gold and Ó’Murchú securing silver for the club. Bronze was a tough one to win in this instance as the judges kept failing to reach a unanimous decision for the duel between NUIG’s Breandáin Ó Conchúir and DIT’s Brendan McMahon, meaning they drew twice. With Ó Conchúir sustaining a bloodied nose from the fight, it really was a ferocious battle, but in the end it went to sudden death and McMahon, being the first to strike and win points, obtained the bronze medal. Female patterns and sparring for green to red-tags saw Dominika Matczak and Donna Omahony claim gold and silver medals respectively in each for Midleton Taekwon-Do club, while bronze was achieved by Róisín de Búrca from IUTF Connacht in both. In the world of white belts to green tags the female patterns and

Hammer leaves his mark By Seamus Keane In February this year Stephen “Hammer” Dempsey became the HESPC Pool Intervarsity Champion after a tournament in Dundalk, County Louth. In doing so he became the first player to win multiple intervarsity titles, having previously won the event in 2008. Stephen played

some of his best pool throughout the weekend and came through a strong field to win the title. As number 2 seed this year Stephen bypassed the preliminary round. In the first four knockout rounds he beat David Brennan (NCI, 3-1), James Gilchrest (DIT, 3-2), Conor O’Boyle (DBS, 3-0) and David Moore (DCU, 2-3). He then faced his

sparring sections were mastered by Lenka Turoňová as she gained a gold medal in each for DIT, and likewise Órlaith Crowther earned two shiny silver medallions for CIT. NUIG had success in the male lightweight sparring with Matteo Brambilla winning a bronze medal for the club and Declan McGowan winning silver, but gold was scored with great skill by Killian McLoughlin from Banner Martial Arts and Fitness club in Cork. In the medium-weight category Iain Kelly also won gold for Banner, Richard Murphy won silver for CIT and Usama Ali won bronze for DIT. Lastly in the heavy weight section, bronze was won by Ricky Healy and silver won by Gordon Kelly, both from Banner, while Ali Aydin took home the gold for DIT. The final event – Team sparring – was incredibly intense with five competitors selected from NUIG and DIT; with two wins from each club everything depended on the

last contenders who clashed in an outstanding battle, but NUIG was bested by DIT who in turn was defeated by Midleton – the reigning champions for now. All in all it was a very exciting and enjoyable day for all competitors and organisers. DIT expressed its gratitude to the club, ‘A huge thank you to NUIG's Mr McCarthy and Mr Spelman for hosting a brilliant and well run competition!’ NUIG Taekwon-Do club have been heavily active in additional competitions over the past few weeks, and recently competed at the intervarsities in CIT winning a grand total of nine medals. One of the club’s best and brightest, Joshua Byrne also participated in a competition in Blackrock and won gold medals in both sparring and patterns; testimony of the high level of fitness and performance which the club promotes in its training.

teammate from NUIG Seamus Keane in the quarter finals. In a high quality match Stephen prevailed 3-2. He was on a roll and didn’t drop a game in the semi-final or final beating Darren Cole (ITB, 3-0) and reigning champion Brendan Traynor (DKIT, 4-0) in the final to claim the title. Stephen is now the most decorated pool player ever to come out of the Republic of Ireland. In the past twelve months he has become the first Irish player to win all national

and international college tournaments. Last April Stephen, along with NUI Galway team mates Stephen O’Sullivan and Seamus Keane represented Ireland in the Home Internationals Intervarsity pool tournament in Manchester, England. In this tournament he came through a strong 40-man field with representatives from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to win the Home International Individual championship. This triumph came in addition to the team event he won in 2011, making Stephen the first Irish player to triumph in all national and international college events. Outside of college tournaments Stephen captains Ireland’s National pool team. In 2012 he led them to their first ever European Championship success defeating Wales in the final on an 8-7 scoreline. The Irish manager described his performances in that tournament as “the most inspirational he had ever seen by an individual in an Irish shirt”. Also, in 2008 he became the youngest ever European Singles Champion at 18 years old when he defeated World Number 1 Gareth Potts to claim the title. He currently sits at the top of the pile in the countries rankings and has been the most consistent performer in Ireland in the last 5 years. Stephen is due to finish his Masters course this year and it is very unlikely a cue sport talent as good as his will pass through the college doors again. He has left a legacy in national college pool which will be very hard to equal and has led NUI Galway to be the most successful college in the country over the past three years.

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{sin} 18–03

Airtricity League returns Carter knocks out Higgins on day of shocks in Galway

By Ross Cannon

March has arrived and with it a new season of top-flight Irish football in the form of the Airtricity League. While the glitz and glamour of the ever-popular Barclays Premier League enters ‘squeaky bum time’ (an end of season phrase coined by Sir Alex Ferguson), the smaller and less spectacular League of Ireland got underway amidst freezing temperatures. While the league has come to be known for clubs in financial difficulties rather than their style of football there was a positive piece of financial news at the launch of the 2013 season. Since coming under the control of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) in 2007 the Airtricity league clubs recorded a collective club profit of €240k in 2012. This marks a genuine milestone for all the clubs involved as the burden of debt is lifted slightly.

Derry vs Sligo 0-1 Sligo took the lead early in the first half after a penetrating pass from David Cawley found Rafael Cretaro breaking into space on the right wing. Cretaro teed up new signing Anthony Elding who tapped home from close range. Derry had their chances also; Mark Griffin’s attempted lob skewed narrowly wide and shortly after, the Candy Stripes had a penalty appeal turned down after Rovers Gary Rodgers seemed to take down Derry’s Michael Rafter in the box. Man of the Match David Cawley struck a stunning shot from 25 yards, only to see it come crashing back off the upright. Rovers survived a late onslaught from Derry in the closing moments and started their title defence with a win. Dundalk vs Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Former Rovers boss Stephen Kenny is now in charge of Dundalk which added a little spice to this affair. Both sides came out with attacking intent but it wasn’t until the 66th minute that the game came to life, as Dundalk’s Dane Massey brought down Billy Dennehy just inside the box. Rovers’ Gary McCabe stepped up, but slipped as he struck the ball, allowing Dundalk’s goalkeeper Peter Cherrie to push the ball away with one hand. Nearing the end of the second half Dundalk had chances to win it, Galway native Vinny Faherty forced a save from Rovers keeper Barry Murphy with a header, but it wasn’t to be. It ended all even at Oriol Park. Bray Wanderers vs Shelbourne 1-0 The turning point in this game came when Paul Crowley ended his debut early for Shelbourne as he put in a two footed tackle on Bray’s Daire Doyle. The referee had no hesitation and sent Crowley for an early shower. Veteran Jason Byrne netted his 194th league goal after he thumped in a header from a wonderful whipped cross from

Kieran Marty Waters. Shelbourne responded well to going a goal down; Philly Hughes had a header saved but Shels couldn’t find a way back into the game. Wanderers start their campaign with a home win. St. Pats vs Drogheda 1-0 Super-sub Shane McFaul scored the only goal of the game for St. Pats after a penalty box scramble saw McFaul poke home in the second half. Pats dominated for the 90 minutes with Forrester, Fagan and Brennan all going close in the first half. Drogheda had attempts but nothing too worrying for Clarke in the St. Pats goal. It finished with the Dubliners taking the three points. Bohemians vs UCD 2-1 With only twenty minutes on the clock UCD’s Mark Langtry dove in and took down Bohemian’s Chris Lyons. The referee awarded a spot kick to Bohs and a red card to Langtry.

“

Crowley ended his debut early for Shelbourne as he put in a two footed tackle on Bray’s Daire

Doyle. The referee had no

”

hesitation and sent Crowley for an early shower.

Lyons coolly slotted the penalty into the bottom right corner. The visitors got back on terms ten minutes after the restart, Bohemians goalkeeper Dean Delaney attempted to gather the ball after his first attempt was spilt, but he took out Stephen Kavanagh in the process and a penalty was awarded to the students. David McMillan converted bringing the teams level. UCD’s equaliser only lasted ten minutes however, Karl Moore’s lofted ball into the box eventually fell to the feet of Kevin Devaney who turned neatly and stuck the ball into the back of the net. Limerick vs Cork City 0-0 An early lapse in concentration from Limerick’s goalkeeper Barry Ryan almost saw Cork City take the lead but his poor kick-out was not punished by Cork’s Darrel Horgan. Both teams had chances in the second half, Limericks new Belgian striker Axel Bassekota spurning a great chance after Danny Galbraith threaded a superb ball through the centre of the Cork defence. Cork had a chance late on but the attempt was too tame to worry Ryan and the all-Munster affair ended in a stalemate.

By Martin O’Donohue John Higgins joined the ranks of the big name casualties at the PTC Grand Finals in the Bailey Allen Hall last Wednesday evening when he succumbed to a 4-2 defeat at the hands of World No. 15 Ali Carter. As the players got underway, it looked like Higgins would be the first to strike as he got in among the balls. However a missed black on 59 allowed Carter in and he made no mistake with a 79 clearance to pinch it. Four times World Champion Higgins responded quickly with a stylish 111 break to the delight of the Galway crowd. However, the tempo slowed considerably after that with Carter edging a tactical next frame lasting almost 39 minutes. With the scores tight and just two reds left on the table, Carter managed to snooker Higgins on both and leave the cue ball in the jaws of the trop right corner pocket. Though Higgins managed an escape, it set up Carter for the clearance. Carter extended his advantage to 3-1 in the next. Opening with a 32 point advantage, the Scottish potter missed a black off the spot to allow Carter in to reduce his arrears to 10 points. Higgins got another chance in

this frame only to miss another black off the spot much to his visible frustration and although a lively bounce of the bottom cushion left Carter out of position on the blue, Higgins failed to profit. Despite such errors, Higgins still showed flashes of brilliance and reduced the deficit to just a frame with a splendid break of 83 in frame five. As he built a lead in the next, the crowd sensed a trademark Higgins comeback. However, It was not to be as he allowed Carter back into the frame and safety exchange was snapped by a superb pot on the penultimate red by Carter, developing the pink in the process, and setting the ‘Captain’ on his way to victory. In Tuesday earlier matches, Rod Lawler defeated Cao Yupeng 4-2 while Chinese no.1 Ding Junhui recovered from 3-1 down to beat Andrew Higginson 4-3. Further surprises followed though as 2006 World Champion Graeme Dott lost 4-1 to Xiao Guodong while the evening session provided much disappointment to a capacity Galway crowd as first World No. 1 Judd trump was edged out 4-3 by Alfie Burden and then Dubliner Ken Doherty lost 4-2 to Norway’s Kurt Maflin.

Almighty swedes or a bunch of turnips? By Padraic Ó Ciardha This week sees the race for second place in Ireland’s World Cup Qualifying group heat up as the boys in green face their two closest challengers. Sweden and Austria are Ireland’s biggest rivals for the coveted second spot in Group C behind the favourites, Germany. Friday’s game in Stockholm sees thirdplaced Ireland taking on Sweden, who sit a point above the Irish in second. Ireland also face a difficult encounter next Tuesday, the 26th, when they take on Austria in Dublin. The Austrians are two points behind Ireland in the group but entertain the Faroe Islands on Friday night, from which they will surely emerge with all three points. Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni named few surprises in his squad for the fixtures. Stephen Kelly, however, does return after a bust-up with the manager meant that he missed Ireland’s last two friendlies. Everton’s Darron Gibson once again refused a call-up to the squad. The 25-yearold has yet play in Ireland’s qualifying campaign, stating that he had not recovered from the disappointment of being overlooked during the disastrous EURO 2012 campaign. Richard Dunne, Keith Andrews, Anthony Pilkington and Kieren Westwood all miss out on the squad through injury.

Should Ireland lose one of their upcoming games, reaching Brazil would be all but impossible, even with five matches remaining. With automatic qualification surely out of reach, Ireland must come out of these fixtures with at least four points to keep hope of a play-off spot alive and to keep the pressure off the manager. Trapattoni’s men will be acutely aware of the dangers that face them in Sweden on Friday night. The Swedes have not lost a competitive home game since June 2009. Zlatan Ibrahimovic will pose the main threat to Ireland’s chances but the boys in green should also be wary of midfielders Rasmus Elm, Kim Kallstrom and Sunderland’s Sebastian Larsson. Sweden still remain unbeaten in Group C courtesy of their miraculous comeback against Germany last October, coming from 4-0 down to draw 4-4. While Austria may be an unknown quantity for many, Irish fans will recognise the names of Andreas Weimann, who has been in good form for Aston Villa this season, and David Alaba, who has performed impressively for Bayern Munich of late. Martin Harnik is another Austrian that Ireland will need to keep tabs on. The Stuttgart player has scored 11 goals from midfield this season. Both of Ireland's qualifiers kick-off at 19.45.

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by Conor Stitt

18–03

Book 3

Sudoku #1

Sudoku #1#2 Sudoku

NUI Galway Memes

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N ews

14–11

3 8 5 2 8 5 1 4 7 6 8 3 1 7 2 4 9 8 6 4

Challenging Sudoku Puzzles by KrazyDad

Book 3

Intermediate Sudoku Puzzles by KrazyDad

Sudoku #1 #2 Sudoku

92 7 6 8 51 2 9 3 7 3 16 63 14 2 8 35 1 2 5 48 7 3 1 74 6 6 74 1 74 27 91 8 38 3 4 5 2 1 7 12 4 2 8 9 49 5 79 4 5 99 4 8 55 6 64 2 1 94 76 6 54 3

5 3 73

Stoicism is the wisdom of madness and c "Once a woman has forgiven her man, she must not reheat his sins for breakfast." Stoicism is the wisdom of madness and cynicism the madness of wisdom. -- Bergen Ev -- Marlene Dietrich -- Bergen Evans

Sudoku #3#4 Sudoku

Sudoku #3

2 6

1 7

5 4

1 4 9 5 7 4 8 4

5 8 3

9 2

Sudoku #3 #4 Sudoku

57 3 1 72 1 37 1 32 5 3 34 7 4 7 1 5 5 6 5 5 9 64 8 4 32 6 6 8 3 8 5 1 7 1 4 5 3 4 2 29 3 9 8 7 9 9 5 32 67 5 49 7 41 8 7 82 6 8 4 11 2 2 99 84 2 2 6 9 4 8 5

2 8 9 6