Sin Volume 16 Issue 6 by Student Independent News

FREE STUDENT NEWSPAPER | VOL 16, ISSUE 6 | 24 NOV 2014

NEWS

INSIDE NUI Galway hosts Mass Marriage for Marriage Equality Miss Watts estimated that over 400 people had registered to vote at the Mass Marriage by the afternoon, which she believes is due to both the strong support of the college and the wider Galway community of LGBT people. The event, organised through a combined effort of the Students’ Union and the GiG Soc, was a tremendous success both aesthetically and in terms of achieving their goal for the day. For those who didn’t get a chance to register on the day there is still time to do so at the SU. Please register before 25 November to vote in favour of marriage equality in the 2015 referendum. Check out the GiG Soc on Facebook for more updates on LGBT support events.

FEATURES

“This is why a lot of people in the 18 to 24 age category do not register. With this event, we [hoped] to take the chore out of registering and have a lot of fun in the process.” Despite the joyment of the festivities, events manager of the GiG Soc Jessica Watts noted how this pretend marriage ceremony, signified what members of the LGBT community will miss out on if the referendum is not passed in 2015. The referendum, if put in place, seeks to establish equal rights for LGBT marriages, meaning they will have the same equal right as those of a hetro-sexual marriage. When asked if she believed those who registered on the day will turn up to vote on referendum day, Jessica Watts confirmed that she fully believed in the support people had shown on the day.

Continental Christmas Market returns to Galway

ENTERTAINMENT SPORT

To Dissect a Broken Heart

The changing definition of Amazon

Students’ approach to exams: Expectation vs Reality

FINAL WORD

Some of those in attendance at the NUI Galway Mass Marriage, which was held to encourage students to register to vote in the 2015 referendum for Marriage Equality.

2,000 jobs to be created across Ireland

THIS WEEK’S DEBATE: Should we be allowed to eat our own food in the Bialann?

LIFESTYLE

The Bailey Allen Hall at NUI Galway was flooded with signatures and balloons for the Mass Marriage 2014 organised by the GiG Soc on Wednesday 12 November. The event, co-hosted by societies officer Paul O’Flaherty, was organised to encourage people to register to vote before 25 November. People who are registered to vote before this date can vote in the marriage equality referendum in 2015. Th e Ma s s Ma r r i ag e involved people finding a partner, or arriving with one, and getting married. Paul O’Flaherty conducted the ceremonies, and the newlyweds got to take home a pretend marriage certificate. Sean Reilly, Co-Auditor of GiG Soc said: “We know that college students are in favour

of same-sex marriage. But we also know that the majority of them aren’t registered to vote. We hope to get that majority on the Register of Electors so they can use their vote to affect positive change for the LGBTQ community.” For one day only, NUI Galway’s Bailey Allen Hall was transformed into a wedding venue for Mass Marriage 2014, allowing a “minister” to marry students irrespective of gender. Instead of signing a Certificate of Marriage, students signed a Voter Registration form. Students could also go to an information point to find out if they were already registered to vote. “To a student who has grown up in the noughties, the current system of voter registration seems very outdated,” said Mr Reilly ahead of the big event.

Secondary school teachers to strike in December

MERRY CHRISTMAS

By Áine Leech

Christmas Day at NUI Galway

Things that are only acceptable at Christmas

How to pretend you love your Christmas gift

Christmas shopping on a student budget

Why you should invest in a Christmas jumper

#SinBeards: Ground Zero

RETRO REWIND: The Great Depression

REVIEW: My Favourite Faded Fantasy by Damien Rice

Sin’s Poetry Competition winner

World Rally Championship Season review

Who’s better? Ronaldo or Messi?

30 31

Diary of the Smokey’s Pigeon

College Insider

2 NEWS

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 6

BSafe: personal safety app launch

450 new bed spaces to be built at Corrib Village

By Chelsea Tabert

By Maurice Brosnan

The BSafe app is a new tool used to ensure the personal safety of yourself. NUI Galway Students’ Union are encouraging students to download this app to their smart phones. Aoife Ni Shuilleabhain, Vice President for Welfare Officer commented: “We see a lot of students coming into Galway who may be used to their small home communities, then all of a sudden find themselves in a much larger city. We’ve been working on this app to ensure your own safety, especially as the days are beginning to get shorter and darker much more quickly.” BSafe has various features inside the app itself such as the ‘follow me’ setting which allows you to ask a contact that you have set in the app to virtually follow you home through the GPS tracker. You are also able to select ‘primary contacts’. These should be your housemates, best friends,

or parents – the people who have an idea of your daily schedule. Another feature of the app is the ‘timer’. This feature allows yourself to set the usual time it would take you to get a set distance – home, town, college, etc. If you do not ‘check-in’ after that time an automated text will be sent to your primary contacts to alert them. There is an alert button within the app. When pressed, the alert feature will contact your primary contacts. If the feature is selected, it will also take audio and video footage through the phone and send these media files to the same contacts. A GPS tag of your location will also be included in the link. Aoife also commented saying that “men are also encouraged to download this app. You never know what could happen.” After all, it is better to be safe than sorry. The app is currently available for download on iTunes, and the Google Play store.

NUI Galway have announced plans to develop new apartments for 450 students to live on campus. v The new development will be an addition to the on-campus accommodation at Corrib Village. The plan will see 450 bed spaces constructed at the north campus at Upper Newcastle Road. Corrib Village is already home to hundreds of students during the academic term and tourists during the summer, but following severe worries about accommodation shortages for students last summer the College have taken preliminary steps to begin addressing that issue. The university has begun the process of completing the extension, and have issued tenders for the development of the project, including quantity surveying services, project

management consultancy services and construction project management services. NUI Galway said: “The University has, following detailed analysis, identified an urgent need to add significant additional student accommodation in addition to existing accommodation at Corrib Village.” “The first phase of the development plan will comprise of the development of circa 450 student bed spaces on a green field site on the north campus of the University at Upper Newcastle Road”. Corrib Village is a popular source of accommodation for first-year students and includes a number of different facilities, including a Day-Today shop/deli/café, a laundrette, a study room, parking and sports facilities. The extension of Corrib Village follows confirmation given by NUI Galway in July for plans to replace existing and provide additional accommodation for students.

Christmas day at NUI Galway By Áine Leech

Members of the Welfare Crew holding furry friends who visited NUI Galway last week as part of Mental Health Week.

Christmas Day in the college is undoubtedly the highlight of the first semester here at NUI Galway and this year was no exception. Organized by both the BizSoc and the Students’ Union, the event, which took place in the College Bar, was a roaring success raising funds for the two Student’s Union charities, Console and Belongto. Speaking to Sin before the event, auditor Tracey Brady stated that the BizSoc were “delighted to be involved with Christmas Day.” With hopes that the event would be the college’s best Christmas Day yet, the Students’ Union and BizSoc seemed to deliver, as everyone in the College Bar

appeared to be in merry spirits. Tracey promised that it would be an “amazing day” and it truly was for all those involved. The Bar was flooded with all things ‘Christamassy’ on the day, with Christmas tunes blaring out of the speakers and of course everyone donning their favourite Christmas jumper. The College Bar even had deals on traditional Christmas dinners. Along with the College Bar festivities the BizSoc also organized a morning swim at Blackrock in aid of Console and Belongto. Those who participated in the freezing event could not wait to warm up at the College Bar before heading to Superclub, the combination of both Club44 and Electric, afterwards.

Choice Soc host screening of Vessel By Orlaith Reidy On Wednesday 12 November, Choice Society hosted the Irish premiere of Vessel, a documentary on the global struggle for reproductive rights and how women are taking back control. Screened on campus, the film attracted a large audience and was a great opportunity for people to be introduced to Rebecca Gomberts, the doctor behind womenonweb.org which has helped so many women in Ireland in dire circumstances obtain a safe abortion. Independent TD Clare Daly addressed the crowd, calling for activists to keep up the pressure on the government. Other speakers included our own Aoibheann Huston, public relations officer of Choice Society who reminded us of the importance of a strong feminist and pro-choice presence on campus. We also heard from Sharon Davies, representing Galway Pro-Choice, with whom we

helped organise the recent vigil in Eyre Square to remember Savita Halappanavar, who’s untimely and preventable death shocked our country two years ago. Hosting the premiere here in Galway is a reminder of how little has changed for women and how we need to keep working for safe and legal access to abortion to be introduced in Ireland. Even the film’s title hits home here for us as it is the word used by the chair of the United Nations Human Rights Committee when he described women in Ireland under our abortion regime as ‘vessels and nothing more’. The film is expected to go on to be screened in Dublin, Belfast, Cork and more locations across the country. If you are interested in joining Choice Society or you just want to keep up to date with what we are up to, you can follow us on facebook at: facebook. com/ChoiceSocietyNuig or email us at: choicesoc@socs.nuigalway.ie.

A group of students poses for photographs at the NUI Galway Science Ball which took place on Wednesday 19 November in the Galway Bay Hotel. Photos by Srinivasan Arumugam.

NEWS 3

November 24 2014

Have you visited sin.ie yet?

Is it too soon for Christmas?

By Jessica Thompson Yes, we are aware that it’s only November and just over four weeks to Christmas. Realistically, I’d b e happy to wait another week to start thinking about Christmas. But with Sin planned numerous weeks ahead all the time, we pretty much started looking towards our Christmas issue just after Halloween. It’s true; we went from talking about what onesie we should wear to keep us warm on the spookiest night of the year (I went with my usual pig onesie) to what kind of Christmas jumper we should wear for the festive season (I’ll be going with a baby pink, snowflake patterned one €17 in Penneys). That’s the thing about being the editor for Sin. I think in issues rather than weeks or months. If I’m trying to remember something I’ll think “it was around issue three, which means it was the middle of October” and I’ll then remember the time and date of said event. Similarly, after Halloween, instead of thinking “x number of weeks to

Christmas”, I was thinking “my god, it’s only two more issues to Christmas”… With that in mind, you’re halfway through the year – only six issues until you’re finished and jetting off to some exotic summery location after your end-of-year exams. Now that’s a scary thought. For now, though, let’s stick with Christmas. As I write this, it’s 8 o’clock on the evening of Thursday 20 November. I’ve witnessed an abundance of Christmas jumpers, weirdlooking elf shoes, Santa hats, elf hats, rudolphs and Christmas trees. Today was the Students’ Union and College Bar’s annual Christmas Day, and my god was it hectic! I attended none of the event due to pressing Sin matters, but I feel like I was in attendance – mainly because I witnessed the joy and laughter of very merry Christmas jumpered students as recent as fifteen minutes ago as they ran gleefully up and down the corridor outside my office like children dashing to the living room to see what Santa left them. I considered enjoying Christmas lunch in the College Bar with a friend earlier, but as I passed the bar and saw the queue stretch as far as the eye could see, I decided against it. To add to the Christmassy feel, the Galway Continental Christmas market is back with a bang, bringing with

32 pages once a fortnight simply isn’t enough when it comes to covering all the great stories on campus and entertaining our readers every day. This year, we’ll be ensuring our website is constantly updated with great news stories, opinion pieces, fashion, sport and much more. Visit our website at www.sin.ie or simply scan the QR code. it stalls of woolly hats and gloves and scarves and socks and ponchos and hoodies and everything else you can think of. But what always gets me into the Christmas spirit is the food and the smells. Most of the stalls sell different types of food – from hotdogs to crepes to waffles to candy canes to anything else you can think of. There’s something for everyone and I strongly recommend going to that little wooden stand in the middle to try the hot chocolate – it’s some of the best I’ve tasted. But first and foremost: get yourself ready for Christmas with Sin’s Christmas special. We’ve worked hard on this one and have prepared a festive pullout to get you in the mood for party season. With pieces on Christmas jumpers, Christmas shopping on a student budget, things that are only acceptable at Christmas, and even how to act like you love a particularly awful Christmas present,

Editor in Chief: Jessica Thompson editor@sin.ie Layout: Shannon Reeves | contact via Ed. NEWS Ciara Treacy | localnews.sined@gmail.com Chelsea Tabert | nationalnews.sined@gmail.com FEATURES Eoin Molloy | opinion.sined@gmail.com Áine O’Donnell | features.sined@gmail.com LIFESTYLE Jenna Hodgins | fashion.sined@gmail.com

there’s something for everyone this issue. We’ve e ven g ot the Scrooges covered with ‘The grumpy man’s guide to Christmas’. Some of our popular columns are Christmasthemed, including Yellow Brick Road, Dean of Letters and Catch 21. We’ve got pieces on books as Christmas presents, games as Christmas presents, as well as a letter to Santa – and a letter from Santa. So enjoy this issue. Let yourself feel the Christmas spirit – it’ll get you through exam season, we promise. Sin will be out of business until after the Christmas, but keep an eye on sin.ie because you never know what you might find up there! Now where are my mince pies? Happy Christmas from all at Sin! Until 2015, Jess Tweet your Christmas greetings to: @Jess__Thompson

WEB EDITOR John Brennan | web.sined@gmail.com

Get in touch with Sin:

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editor@sin.ie Sin Newspaper NUI Galway @Sin_News

Send us your tweets and we may publish them in future issues of Sin.

Sin would like to wish all its readers a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year! See you in January!

The NUI Galway Science Ball took place on Wednesday 19 November in the Galway Bay Hotel. Photos by Srinivasan Arumugam.

4 NEWS

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 6

2,000 jobs to be created across Ireland By Kieran Kilkelly Over 2,000 new jobs were announced among various different companies earlier this month. This comes as positive news with many Irishbased factories and companies closing down in recent months. The jobs will be created in six counties across various different areas including retail, food, IT and the automotive and banking industries. Leading the way is major fast food chain McDonalds with a €20 million investment which will ultimately create 700 jobs which will be filled up until the end of next year. Plans to open 12 new restaurants in the coming years will result in more jobs being made.

So far they will be opening up fast food outlets in Dublin, Ballina, Kilkenny and Kildare Village while they are actively seeking other locations in which to invest. Following on from this Deutsche Bank also revealed that they would also be expanding their business. They have taken a 100,000 square foot office space at Eastpoint Business Park in Dublin which will become a regional hub and centre of excellence. 700 jobs are set to be filled over the next three years with hiring to begin early next year. The bank, which currently employs 300 people in Dublin, is focused on “recruiting the best talent” for all available positions.

A further 740 jobs were announced in Longford, Dublin, Galway and Kildare. A new state of the art pet food pouch facility will be opened in C&D Foods in Edgeworthstown, Longford. 70 jobs will be created over the next three years as a result of it with the facility being the biggest of its kind in Europe. €15 million is set to be invested adding to the €55 million that has already been invested in the company since 2007. Locally, Valeo Vision Systems is due to continue its planned expansion in Tuam, Co. Galway with 140 permanent jobs to be created over the next two years in research and development and operations.

Kildare Village has is also scheduled to enter phase two of its expansion. The shopping outlet will see 120 construction jobs created as €50 million is invested in the new extension with 36 new shops being built. This is expected to create a total of 338 further jobs when the project is complete bringing the total workforce in the shopping outlet to over 1,000. Finally, IT firm Ammeon based in Dublin has revealed that 30 high-skilled jobs will become available with both experienced graduates and IT professionals welcome to apply. These jobs mark an upward turn in the economy and following on from this there was a total of 2,900 less people signing on the live register in the month of September.

IT’S BEGINNING TO FEEL A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS:

the continental Christmas market returns to Galway By Rebecca Fisher The sound of jingle bells is nearing its return to Galway city as the Continental Christmas Market is back with a bang. The annual market is now in its fifth year of trad-

ing and is the first of its kind in the west of Ireland. It will be running from Friday 21 November until Monday 22 December in our beloved Eyre Square. The market will be open Monday to Wednesday 12 noon - 8pm and Thursday to Sunday 10am - 10pm with a variety of themed stalls

on hand to usher us into the festive season in style. The event presented by the Galway City Business Association and sponsored by Galway City Council brought in over 600,000 visitors to the market and Galway last year, generating an immense festive buzz to be topped this year. Galway’s citizens will be spoiled for choice with a variety of Christmas treats on offer over the seasonal period. From stacks of sweets stalls to sensational mulled wine, from German barbeques to the best baked goods this side of town, Galway is in for a flavourful few weeks. Along with the vast arrangement of food displays, punters will be presented with the finest hand crafted goods from across Europe, that are perfect for any last minute gift runs. Don’t miss a visit to the iconic German Bierkeller, at the centre of the market which will be hosting Oktoberfest style events and bringing a wide range of traditional German delicacies to our shores.

Don’t worry kids, you haven’t been forgotten with Santa setting up shop in the market for the duration of the festive period. Chris Cringle himself will be meeting with the boys and girls of Galway in his grotto to ensure everyone gets what they want this coming Christmas. As well as that the Santa express will be running around the clock, so make sure to hop on and explore Galway city in true Christmas style. The main stage will be holding a host of live musical performances, family entertainment, carol singing and much more over the coming weeks. The market will officially kick off its festivities with the switching on of the lights and Christmas parade through the streets of Galway at 6pm on Friday 21 November, a night not to be missed for the whole family. For more information on the market and to keep updated on their upcoming events visit www.galwaychristmasmarket.ie or like ‘Galway Continental Christmas Market’ on Facebook.

Galway SPCA/MADRA forced to shut doors for a month By Chelsea Tabert Galway SPCA/MADRA has been forced to close for the month due to an influx in stray and abandoned dogs. Throughout the month of October the charity has received more than 60 enquiries from people wishing to rehome their pet dogs. During this same period, another 71 dogs were rescued from local authority’s pounds in the county after being found strays or surrendered by their owners. MADRA Chairperson Edel Comerford commented: “We always find November to be a particularly difficult month, but this year October has left us feeling extremely disheartened. Not only do we have to face the prospect of not being able to empty the pounds this month, we also feel like things are getting worse in spite of repeated

attempts to educate people about responsible dog ownership.” She continued by saying “People are too quick to surrender their dogs without trying to find another solution. In the case of dogs that wander something as simple as erecting fencing or buying a dog pen could solve the problem.” Galway SPCA spokeswoman said that their current financial situation is no better. She concluded by saying: “People need to realise that when they get a dog they are making a commitment of ten to fifteen years depending on the breed – dogs are not disposable commodities. To be a dog owner you need to realise that it is a big responsibility. In order to fight the rising fees in caring for these dogs, and keep the facilities up and running, the Galway SPCA has set up a silent auction on their Facebook webpage. You can also donate €4 by texting MADRA to 50300.

NEWS 5

November 24 2014

Secondary teachers Dublin families facing eviction to strike in December By Orla Furey

By Chelsea Secondary school teachers are to strike early December, as a row over proposed reforms escalates. A spokesperson for the TUI confirmed its members, along with those of the ASTI, intend to hold a strike on Tuesday 2 December. Another potential strike in January is being discussed. Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan commented stating the decision is “disappointing and disproportionate”. The strike dates came after 10 November, when teachers rejected a set of revised proposals, saying the ‘internal assessment’ model would not be acceptable.

A joint statement from the TUI and ASTI said: “The unions welcomed the shift in position by the Department of Education and Skills on some issues in recent negotiations, but issues of critical importance were not resolved.” Under the proposed Department of Education’s plan, teachers would still assess 40 per cent of a student’s in-class work and award a grade accordingly. O’Sullivan warned that no more concessions would be given. T h e p ro p o s a l a l s o included elements such as final exams in third year accounting for 60 per cent of the junior cycle marks, exams to be marked by State Exams Commission, and the State Exams Commission to

check a proportion of teacher assessments to ensure consistency and fairness. O’Sullivan commented after the proposal refusal: “Over recent months I have accepted the genuine concerns that many teachers had about the future of the junior cycle. In putting a new offer on the table this week I have gone as far as I can to address those concerns while still maintaining the integrity of the junior cycle reform.” She ended by stating that the new proposed reform in the junior cycle is “in the interest of students”. The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals has expressed its disappointment at the move, and asked both unions to look at the offer once again – while it still stands.

Fifteen families living in rented accommodation in the Red Arches estate Baldoyle, Dublin, are facing eviction as their landlord has gone into receivership. Receivers of their rented homes are planning to use the properties for social housing. Tenants who were late with their rent payments last month received letters in early November, issuing the termination of their tenancies. A spokespers on for National Asset Management Agenc y (NAMA) made a statement saying that the properties are being sold to the local authority and confirmed that they have been approved for social housing. The tenants have filed a complaint with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), which aims

to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants. The dispute with the involvement of PRTB could be informally resolved through mediation or adjudication. If this is unsuccessful the dispute may be resolved through tribunal action. Mary McDonald, a tenant at Red Arches for the past two years told the Journal.ie that she “cried for five days” when she received the letter. She has searched for new accommodation but is finding it difficult to find a new property that she can afford. Ms M c D o n a l d a l s o revealed that “one of the girls [whose tenancy has also been terminated] told me she went to see a house and someone had six months’ rent up front – we’ll never be in a position to do that.” If she fails to find afford-

able accommodation it will mean her family, and perhaps 14 others, will be homeless for Christmas. While local authorities do not have a statutory obligation to house people, they do have general responsibility under the Housing Act 1988 for the provision of housing for adults who cannot afford to provide it for themselves. They can help by providing housing arrangements with voluntary housing organisations or other voluntary bodies; they are also in a position which allows them to provide funding to voluntary bodies for emergency accommodation for people who have lost their homes and have nowhere else to live. NAMA has emphasised that they are only the owner of the loans and that it is the receiver who is selling the houses.

Ireland’s drug trafficking on the rise By Laura Roddy On Friday 7 November a man was arrested after Custom’s Officers seized 5.4kg of cocaine at Dublin Airport. The 50-year-old Romanian national had arrived on a flight from Abu Dhabi with 289 pellets of the drug. The cocaine was concealed in Lindor chocolate sweets, and had an estimated street value of €378,000. This drug bust is only one of six recent incidents in the ever-expanding narrative of drug trafficking and distribution in Ireland. On 13 November, three Englishmen, who were caught with a tonne of cocaine off the coast of Cork, appeared in court to be further remanded in custody. The three were carrying what was estimated at €80 million of the substance; it has been one of the biggest seizures of drugs in the country in the last 18 months.

“Drug seizures play a critical role in targeting the livelihood of criminals and reducing their ability to carry out illegal activities,” Gardaí said in a statement. Looking at the bigger picture, they noted, “Drug seizures also help protect communities from the devastating impact of drugs and the associated criminality.” Drug-use is one of the main factors that contribute to anti-social behavior. Fine Gael councilor, William Lavelle, has said to the Irish Mirror, that there have been a number of violent incidents involving crystal meth in the past two weeks in his constituency in Lucan. A report, this year, by The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs a n d D r u g Ad d i c t i o n (EMCDDA) names Ireland as the third country in Europe with the highest death rates caused by drug overdose.

There has been a crackdown by the Gardaí on drug criminals recently, with a number of drug seizures taking place in the past month alone. O n 2 2 O c t o b e r, a 53-year-old man was charged after Gardaí found cocaine worth €270,000 at a house in St Mark ’s Avenue in Clondalkin. Gardaí arrested two people in Limerick on the 30th when €100,000 worth of Cannabis was found in their car. A Limerick man was caught with €750,000 worth of heroin on Monday 3 November. O n 5 N o v e m b e r, ecstasy tablets, LSD and other controlled drugs to the value of €180,000 were seized by the Gardaí after a raid on the ‘Dark net’ drug distribution in Dublin. On 8 November three were arrested in Tralee where €37,000 worth of cannabis was found at a house.

ALIVE NUI Galway’s Community Volunteering Programme

An opportunity of a lifetime What do ALIVE community volunteers do? talk to people  work with animals  drive cars  plant trees  write letters  paint walls  host events  raise funds  cook dinners  walk dogs  play music  listen to people  give first aid  collect for recycling  engage with young people  spend time with older people  keep accounts  campaign on justice issues  office work  after school support for children and much more! Sign up to volunteer on the ALIVE website  Volunteer Opportunities Database with over 120 Community opportunities  Map of Galway with Community Organisations markers to help you find your way  Stories from ALIVE community volunteers  Videos and interviews with community organisations

6 NEWS

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 6

18-year-old gets elected into US Office By Laura Roddy 18-year-old Saira Blair made history on Tuesday 4 November when she was elected state legislator in Charlestown, West Virginia. Blair is now the youngest lawmaker in the US. The Republican Party won 63% of the vote, defeating two other candidates in

the election. She will represent 18,000 people. Speaking after the election, Blair said: “When I made the decision to run for public office, I did so because I firmly believe that my generation’s voice, fresh perspective and innovative ideas can help solve some of our state’s most challenging issues.”

The teenager ran a conservative platform, where her core political beliefs are pro-life, proguns, pro-business and pro-2nd amendment. Most importantly she feels is the focus on bringing jobs to the state of West Virginia, where there is a 6.6 % unemployment rate. When asked whether

she was one of the few among her peers on the right of the political divide, she replied there are many conservatives in her university. Blair believes they are afraid to speak out for fear of being “beat up on social media”; she hopes that she will show it is “okay to have the same views as your grandmother”.

Blair is a first year student, attending West Virginia University where she studies economics and Spanish. The teenager has decided she will only attend college in the first semester of every year as the legislature meets for 60 days from January to March. Most students her age

study politics at school or university, but Blair believed she could put thought into action after at t e n d i ng a p ro g ra m called ‘Youth and Government’ which is run by the Youth Leader Association. She had also worked as her father, Senator Craig Blair’s, campaign manager.

NUI Galway Zoology student to conduct urban spider study around Galway City So far she has been able to identify 110 specimens from 27 By Kieran Kilkelly As part of a final year research project, Aileen Wruck – an undergraduate zoology student at NUI Galway – has decided to investigate and try to get a better understanding of urban ecology with regard

to spiders; in particular, how they use man-made structures to their advantage. Aileen expressed that the main reason she chose to do the study is “because so little is known about the biodiversity of spiders in an urban environment.” She has also “always found

spiders fascinating” and “this was a great opportunity [for her] to learn more about them.” So far she has been able to identify 110 specimens from 27 species by means of setting traps in unlikely wildlife locations such as car parks, bridges, stone walls and

species by means of setting traps in unlikely wildlife locations, including two false black widow spiders found in a local car park other popular urban areas around Galway. Her most prize find to date were two false black widow spiders found in a local car park. These spiders, not native of Ireland, have had much publicity in recent months due to the number of bites that have resulted in hospital visits. However, contrary to popular belief, it has been found that they are relatively harmless and Aileen is also using this study to “set the record straight.”

But it is not just the false black widows that Aileen has an interest in. Both the Walnut-orb weaver spider (nuctenea umbratica) and raft spider (dolomedes fimbriatus) are particular spiders that she also has a lot of interest in. Aileen’s project supervisor, Dr Michael Dugon, also shares her eagerness to analyse and examine new urban wildlife. He finds it “fascinating and slightly scary to think that we have created

ecosystems where climatic and geographical boundaries do not apply anymore.” It is clear that urban ecology is will be a popular field study in future with our ever-rising populations and growing cities and Aileen’s study will be of much interest to many ecologists. If you happen to see any unusual spiders around, Aileen would much appreciate if you could send on a picture of them to her by e-mail at a.wruck1@nuigalway.ie.

Public Official blows the whistle on tax evasions By Tomás M. Creamer

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G er r y Ryan, a public official with the Department for Enterprise, has made headlines due to a dossier that he provided to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that make serious allegations against former politicians who allegedly engaged in tax evasion via off-shore accounts. Ryan was asked in 1998 to investigate tax evasion schemes by Ms Harney, the former minister for Enterprise, but as he claimed in the covering letter of his dossier, he was “asked to terminate [the] investigations” June 2004. Ryan has also cited attempted obstructions

to his investigations, such as offers of a bonus of €20,000 and alternative posts within the public sector. The tax evasion allegations refer mainly to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael politicians, coming at a time when Fine Gael and Labour are embroiled in the current Irish Water controversy. There have been widespread denials of wrongdoing. John Bruton, incumbent Minister for Enterprise, said that following on from the initial inquiries on matters relating to tax evasion carried out since 1998, “complete files covering all issues were, following the procedures laid down in the

legislation, sent during the years 2004-2010 to the appropriate authorities – the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, the Gardaí, the Revenue Commissioners, the Mahon Tribunal and the Moriarty Tribunal”. Responding to a Dáil question from Sinn Fein’s Deputy Leader, Mary Lou MacDonald, in relation to Ryan’s allegations, Taoiseach Enda Kenny responded that he “[did] not believe Minister Bruton was part of a pattern of political obstruction”, and that the evidence was that “the minister requested that the work would proceed on the completion of the witness statement”.

FEATURES 7

November 24 2014

THIS WEEK’S DEBATE: The Bialann recently put up a poster stating “Only food purchased in our restaurant should be consumed here”. Is this fair? YES: Is this “ban” really that big of a deal?

NO: The Bialann is the college canteen

By Tomás M. Creamer

By Maurice Brosnan

This is not going to be a popular thing to say, but I don’t see anything wrong with the Bialann banning food that hasn’t been purchased there. But before you dismiss me as some Thatcherite crank, allow me to explain my position. The university has contracted the Bialann out to the Aramark Catering Company, and they are pretty much responsible for running the show. And by God, they do a great job – the food is delicious, the seating area is generally clean, the staff are great and the prices are pretty reasonable. While I may be wary of the whole neo-liberal preference towards privatising and outsourcing as much duties to the private sector as possible, I believe that in the case of the Bialann, it has worked out well. With the economies of scale and the specialisations available to Aramark, it’s hard to see what could be a better alternative in terms of quality and value for money for students. Of course, the thing with a private corporation is that they need to make a profit in order to keep things ticking over. That isn’t great, I know. But until some genius can make socialism work properly, we will just have to stick with capitalism for the foreseeable future, I’m afraid. It is therefore not much of a surprise that they have put up a sign at the entrances to advise people that only food purchased

in the restaurant should be eaten there. After all, is this not commonplace in virtually all privately-owned restaurants? Why bother selling food if customers are just going to bring food in with them? Few would doubt the value that the Bialann has to offer. However, that is because it makes a great trade with the student population who buy their lunches there. If they reduce that trade by not encouraging students to buy their food there, it could have unintended consequences. If the ban on “outside” food is lifted, it could start a decline in the variety of food that An Bhialann has to offer students. Wraps, vegetarian dishes, Asianinfluenced dishes – all of these could be under threat. And while I may enjoy some good hearty meals, such as a Shepard’s Pie, I also appreciate variety. It could g et w ors e though. If the senior managers at Aramark were reviewing their operations, and saw a steady, if not terminal decline in one of their operations in NUI Galway, they could well decide to pull the plug altogether. And where would that leave hungry students who would like a hearty lunch during the week? No pun intended, but to use an old saying: “we can’t have our cake and eat it too”. We should appreciate the Bialann – it is second only to Smokey’s Café in terms of its centrality among the eater-

ies in NUI Galway, and it is a great compromise between affordability and quality. There are, however, certain costs, other than what we pay directly for the food, to maintain these institutions on the campus. Smokey’s café is funded by the Students’ Union contribution, which all students here have to pay. In comparison, all that the Bialann’s asking is: if students do come to the restaurant, shouldn’t they be expected to purchase the food there? And come on, who honestly wouldn’t? There is this argument that it’s the university canteen, and therefore there should be no such restrictions. Really – what is Smokey’s café for, then? Is that not adequate for most people? I mean, there isn’t the same issue with profits – the Students’ Union owns Smokey’s, after all. So if you brought in your own food, why not eat it there? You even have some friendly pigeons waiting patiently to help finish off the crumbs if you get stuck. What more could you want? To sum it up – when you have Smokey’s, why is it a loss if you can’t bring your own food into the Bialann? That’s not really what it was meant for anyways, as far as I can tell.

So the Bialann on campus has put up signs implying that only food purchased their can be consumed on the premises. At first, this seems reasonable. They are not a part of the Students’ Union and in fact, rent this space off the college. Where is the benefit in allowing students to consume products that were not purchased on their premises? In normal circumstances, an establishment would have every right to enforce this rule. But these are not normal circumstances. The Bialann is based on a university campus, and as such is part of the college. Students have a few basic expectations when it comes to college. In

return for paying fees, we expect lectures to start on time and be realistically organised and informative. If the lecturer didn’t turn up, or the lecture hall was locked the college would have failed to fulfil our expectation. We also have a basic expectation that there should be somewhere set aside for students to eat. The canteen is the area that fulfils this most basic need. In every university the canteen is where lunch, whether it is purchased on the premises or brought from home, is consumed. This is just natural order; it is expected. Furthermore, as well asfunctioning as somewhere people can sit and eat, the Bialann operates as a meeting point. Regularly groups will gat h e r, e a c h with a different purchase. One might be drinking a Starbucks, another eating a subway, another with a Bialann dinner and more with home lunches or coffee from the SU Shop, or even a smoothie from Smokey’s. Consider the alternative. If this rule was implemented and enforced, stairways and

corridors would be inundated with people sitting there eating their lunches. In reality, there is nowhere else remotely capable of catering to the number of students who eat home lunches. Furthermore, is their even a need for such a rule? As I previously mentioned certain patrons would stop going to the Bialann because their friends can’t eat there. Also, it’s not as if the Bialann is ever full? At peak times it is certainly busy but rarely does one have to go elsewhere due to a lack of available seats. I have no doubt many caterers, sandwich bars or coffee shops would happily pay rent to access the thousands of students who congregate around there daily on the condition that students can still consume home-lunches within the building. It’s not as if the college would suffer financially by ensuring students have a choice between eating provided food or home lunches. It’s the responsibility of the college more than anyone else, but if all parties are reasonable there is no reason why it can’t continue as it has done, and has done so quite successfully I might add. In reality, you can’t expect any college to not have a canteen. It’s not asking much to have a place to eat, but it is a definite requirement. Let the people eat.

8 OPINION

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 6

Irish government up creek without a paddle with the Irish water debacle By Cathal Kelly The government has come under serious pressure from many groups including the opposition parties after its handling of the Irish water issue. Since the appointment of John Tierney as head of Irish water on January 29, 2013, the government has been accused of being less than forthcoming with the facts, and the whole truth on Irish water. Tierney, who has worked on several county councils in the past, was granted a salary of €200,000 with no bonuses. The news was initially welcomed by many, as it was reported that 400 jobs installing water meters would be given to graduates, the unemployed or staff of small businesses and companies to provide 1.05 million meters and boundary boxes, along with contractors to run the metering programme and a customer call centre. Phil Hogan stated in 2012 that the roll out of water meters will create 2,000 new jobs during the three-year metering installation period. Managing director of Water John Tierney stated in June of 2013 that the first domestic water meters would be installed with a national roll-out beginning in September.

He said the new semi-state body hoped to have 100,000 water meters installed by the end of the year. However, it emerged that all water meters wouldn’t be set up till 2016. Uproar emerged when it was revealed that the then Environment Minister, Phil Hogan, snubbed an offer by Siemens to finance water meters that could have saved over €350m, and instead Irish Water spent €50m on consultants last year. As well as that, many senior positions within Irish water were filled with government supporters. This caused tensions to rise over a lack of transparency and the extent of Mr Hogan’s knowledge. Phil Hogan insisted he was unaware of the spending on consultancy. On top of this controversy and calls of ‘redtape politics’, many people have been angered at the amount of money that has been spent on setting up Irish water, with several million spent on consultants fees, salaries, contracts, €20,000 spent on the Irish water logo and 3.2 million on postage, advertising and design. The public has had it. Several hundred thousand protesters demanded free access to water last month. The government previously said that the water charges would be about improving the supply of water and conserving it for the future as a finite resource.

However, following the recent protests, Enda Kenny said that scrapping the water charges would necessitate a 4% rise in the top rate of income tax. Taoiseach Enda Kenny recently defended the introduction of water charges, in the face of historic nationwide protests earlier. Speaking at the Fine Gael Presidential Dinner in the Doubletree Hilton on Dublin’s south side, Kenny said Irish Water had been set up, and water charges put in place ‘as an alternative to increasing income tax’. He said: “I am not prepared to increase income tax by four percentage points on the top rate, to do away with our tax package in the recent budget.” Irish water is an alternative to increasing income tax. The government did not increase income tax in the last three and a half years, and in the most recent budget have reduced the top rate, and increased the band at the lower rate, and that will continue next year, and the year after if the government is re-elected. He denied that his reference to a 4% income tax increase was a “threat” to voters, saying that he was describing a set of “choices” presented to his government, and to the public.

We can either re-elect a government that pulled our country out of the economic swamp, or we can hand it back to those who wrecked it or to those who have no stability and no consistency on how to pay for any of these services. Surrounded by Fine Gael representatives and members, the Taoiseach added that without water charges, Ireland would be left in “a situation where people […]

Kenny said Irish Water had been set up, and water charges put in place ‘as an alternative to increasing income tax’ continue to boil water for decades” – an outcome he said he was “not prepared” to allow. Reacting to the demonstrations, which saw more than 100,000 people take to the streets of towns and cities across Ireland, Kenny insisted the government was “conscious of people’s concerns, and we will deal with this clearly and with certainty”.

Mairia Cahill, the water charges and the political blame game By Eoin Molloy

years of age. We know this to be a fact. Her abuser was set free, and Mairia was told to Our politicians engage in a repeated cycle of remain silent by a ‘kangaroo court’ set up by obfuscation and blame-assignment that is of the IRA. little benefit to anyone. It is hard for southerners to understand Fine Gael and Labour have a lot to lose. that there are certain areas of Belfast that are With the fast-approaching general election in simply outside of the PSNI’s control. In these 2016, they are slumping in the opinion polls. areas, the IRA has become judge, jury and This fact, coupled with the rise of Sinn Fein, executioner. Therefore, the argument of ‘why has surely been a cause for concern for Enda, didn’t Mairia go to the police?’ is completely Joan and the gang. and utterly redundant. At age 19, she wrote a Vague, sensationalist statements, such letter to the IRA command outlining her disgust at the as that of Joan Burton, will do nothing fact that the man who abused her (a man who was likely to comfort victims of real abuse like to offend again) would be afforded the opportunity to Mairia Cahill. What we need is a cross- have a new life. She could not accept this. border, legally-powered investigation And now, her story has become widespread. Everyinto sexual abuse, such as the one one knows of her struggle. We admire her bravery. We advocated by Michael Martin. commend her for coming forward. Mairia’s case seems Therefore, it is human nature that they unique, but they are undoubtedly many othshould want to snipe at their closest rivals ers who have suffered similar fates. These by bringing up incendiary topics to discredit people now have a point of reference, an them. This would all be well and good, were inspiration. Mairia is that inspiration. the ‘incendiary topic’ not a human person The sickening thing, however, is that the who has suffered terribly. FG/LAB politicians who accuse Gerry Adams Mairia Cahill was repeatedly raped by a and Sinn Fein in general of a cover-up, are not member of the IRA when she was just sixteen interested in helping victims. They are simply

using Mairia as a chess-piece. Fine Gael’s Regina Doherty and Labour’s Joan Burton were particularly vehement in their condemnation of Sinn Fein’s handling of the issue at large. They spoke of how Mary Lou and Gerry Adams ‘failed the children of the nation’. They also derided Mary Lou’s attack on the government for their handling of the Magdalene Laundries abuse scandal. But are these two things really comparable? The Magdalene case concerned systematic, state-sponsored abuse. Our Taoiseach wouldn’t even apologise for the abuse at first, fearing legal liability. I am well aware that the IRA may have engaged in abuse, but it was not state-sponsored. Vague, sensationalist statements, such as that of Joan Burton, will do nothing to comfort victims of real abuse like Mairia Cahill. What we need is a cross-border, legally-powered investigation into sexual abuse, such as the one advocated by Michael Martin. This blame-attachment, as it were, is a deliberate and obvious attempt by the traditional parties of government to discredit Sinn Fein and its leadership. That is not to say that Sinn Fein handled the case at all well, but we just don’t have enough third-party evidence to condemn them. On the flip side, Sinn Fein responded by attempting to return the focus to the water charges debate. This is, obviously, a vastly different topic. The matter of water charges is

fast-becoming one of the most divisive issues in modern Irish history. Mary Lou McDonald undertook a ‘sit-in’ protest on Thursday the 13 of 2014 when Tanaiste Joan Burton refused to answer her question about whether or not the water charges could potentially be deducted straight from people’s wages. While vastly different, these are both serious issues. Mairia Cahill’s abuser deserves to be brought to justice. Mary Lou’s question about the water charges deserves to be answered, but she must also be attempting to deflect some of the attention away from the Cahill case by re-opening the issue of the water charges. One thing we have to remember is we elected these people to act. We want our politicians to solve problems, not cause them. The endless back-and-forth nature of party politics is dizzying and largely ineffective. Unless we have meaningful cross-party cooperation, nothing will ever be solved. For now, it seems as though our politicians are content to squabble amongst each other for PR gains at the expense of solving actual issues. We need to remedy this. A parliament that bans political parties would be an interesting experiment. If there were no political parties, and all candidates were independent, there would be none of this pre-election one-upmanship. Whether our politicians would actually get more done or not remains to be seen.

OPINION 9

November 24 2014

Accountability evasion CASUAL SEXISM: A growing concern By Sylvia Power

Recently, public trust within the main political parties in Ireland received a devastating blow as allegations that prominent former Fianna Fáil politician and at least one former Fine Gael politician engaged in significant tax evasion over an extended period of time dating back to the 1970s. At the heart of the controversy is Department of Jobs and Enterprise Official and whistle-blower, Gerry Ryan, who is linking these files to the Ansbacher account scandal which emerged nearly 15 years ago. In 2002, the names of 200 officials who held “sham” bank accounts with Ansbacher were released in a report which was over 10 million pages long. Ansbacher (Cayman) Ltd was established by the late Des Traynor, financial advisor to former Taoiseach Charles Haughey, who held an account there. Clients of the Dublin-based

bank were doctors, architects, solicitors, company directors, and chairmen - particularly from the company Cement Roadstone Holdings (CRH) and bankers. Traynor was a former CRH chairman. Investigators found evidence of fraud stating: “The inspectors have uncovered evidence that tends to show that individuals and corporations conducted their affairs with intent to defraud the revenue.” Inspectors also revealed engagement in unlicensed banking. Following the fallout from the report, former Tánaiste Mary Harney stated the importance of having the “capacity and courage to lift the veil of secrecy”. Ryan's allegations involve politicians from both parties having accounts at Ansbacher Ltd which were never exposed in the original political scandal. Harney shut down investigations into the Ansbacher case in 2004, despite the availability of vital evidence.

It is exceedingly difficult for a whistleblower to receive support from government ministers. Ryan forwarded his work through five different authorities before getting a response from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC.) However, on 12 November, the PAC was told by its legal advisor that it cannot investigate claims in the Ansbacher dossier and furthermore, it would have to put a motion before the Dáil to alter its ability to take further investigations. Without the courage of whistleblowers like Ryan, would the Ansbacher case or any of the political and financial scandals recently have been uncovered at all? Clearly, we need sweeping reform with regard to tax evasion, and competent ministers to implement it. The public trust in government is at an extreme low and if this issue goes unresolved, it will be both an ethical and a legal injustice.

The woes of Ed Miliband By Tomás M. Creamer Ed Miliband is the leader of the British Labour party – and he has been in serious trouble in recent times. Since his election as Labour Party leader, Miliband’s awkward style has not won him much appeal from the general public. Even labour supporters are dissatisfied with him – 58%, according to a recent poll. Miliband, like David Cameron (Conservative leader and incumbent Prime Minister), is an Oxford graduate. He started out

his political career as a researcher within the party, a pedigree that is not exactly the flavour of the month for many people in the UK, who view this route into public life as somewhat elitist. This explains why Labour are stagnating in the polls, despite support for the Conservatives declining. However, this doesn’t explain why the same opinion polls show that many people think that David Cameron makes a better Prime Minister than Ed Miliband ever could. In part, this had to do with the backlash against “spin-doctor-

ing”, which former labour leader Tony Blair perfected as an art form. He has been caught out at times by his lacklustre media strategy – such as when he responded to five different questions in a row with pretty much the exact same answer, earning him the honourable title, “Robo-Ed”. This awkwardness in his media interactions has not inspired much confidence in his leadership capabilities as a result. Also it may be considered by some to be of peripheral importance, the surge in support of the

By John Brennan Society has always had sexist people and television has always created ‘humorous’ misogynists for cheap laughs at the expense of dehumanising the opposite sex. Look at Quagmire from Family Guy, Jay from The Inbetweeners, Joey from Friends to name a few. All these pseudo comic relief characters regularly treat women as objects, with varying degrees of severity. Worryingly, this has always been presented as both funny and acceptable, and thus it’s been engrained into us as a social norm we should accept and live with. Since the dawn of television it’s been there; all you have to do is look for it. Recently, Dapper Laughs: On the Pull has been dropped by ITV2 in the wake of public outrage at comments made by the comedian, Daniel O’ Reilly. Accusations have been levelled at Dapper Laughs, in that it has gone a long way to both normalizing and encouraging casual sexism. Not to mention the trivialisation of rape. These accusations are well founded. ITV had effectively given O’Reilly the exposure and legiti-

macy of its station, and thus given him a forum to accentuate this growing problem. This is a fact; casual sexism has been normalised for both young men and women alike. Daniel O’Reilly has said his disgusting comments were merely dressed up satire; one has to wonder does the man understand actually understand the term? Satire is defined as the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice or folly. How exactly do the likes of “she’s gagging for a raping” or “if she cries, she’s playing hard to get” come under that definition? ‘Lad humour’ isn’t funny. It’s crass, vulgar and incendiary. It’s base, unintelligent and repulsive. It’s divisive and relegates the opposite sex to being merely an object to scorn and manipulate as a means to a sexual end – there for your pleasure and that’s it. The fact that this show, glorifying the treatment of woman as objects was made on the back of his social media explosion (on vine) in recent months is utterly baffling: yelling, gawping and encouraging aggressive behaviour towards women isn’t comedy. The fact that ITV2 even produced this in the first place is in

itself disappointing. O’Reilly’s attitude has been popularised through social media where he had amassed a huge following and his sentiments, whether you believe it or not, have resonated deeply with people, perpetuating this pseudo ‘lad culture’ prevalent across all platforms of the media. I deplore misogynists, sexists and morons who think that you can make comments of this ilk and hide behind a veil of pseudoironic comedy. You think to say that Dapper Laughs has helped in the continued trivialisation rape is a ridiculous statement? On the back of the finale of Love/Hate the sheer number of memes cluttering newsfeeds making light of a character’s rape was outrageous. What’s worse is that it was seen as appropriate to make light of a serious subject like this. This is a frightening social commentary, more so than any vitriol or caustic nonsense touted by Mr O’Reilly and his repulsive brand of ‘banter’. He can try and dress up his disgusting attitude in the garbs of satirical social commentary and pushing boundaries, and in a manner of speaking he has. Just not the way he intended.

Scottish Nationalist party right after the independence referendum has also made things difficult for him. Allegations of mistrust within the party were given credence when Scottish Labour leader, Johann Lamont, resigned her position. She accused the central leadership of the British Labour party with interfering with what

was meant to be a semi-independent unit of the Labour party. As a result, he is likely to have many of the former Labour citadels in the Scottish central belt areas stormed by the nationalists in next year’s general election. If that wasn’t bad enough, he faces the problem of UKIP threatening a few “safe” Labour seats in the post-industrial north.

This will be very dangerous for Miliband, because if he loses the next general election to Cameron’s conservatives, it is hard to see how he will stay on as Labour party leader. And with dismal poll ratings in England in general, the last thing he needs is UKIP and the Scottish Nationalists crashing to victory in Labour’s northern strongholds.

10 FEATURES

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 6

Don’t throw mud against the wall hoping it will stick By John Mulry

Market Thyself

Most ‘secrets’ are visible in plain sight. The thing is though; they aren’t really obvious until we are made aware of them. What I’m going to share with you in this issue of Market Thyself isn’t necessarily a ‘secret’ per se, but it might just be the secret ingredient you need to land the job, the graduate position, the role you so richly deserve. What’s the secret? Message to market match. It simply means matching your message aka your CV, your cover letter, your application, the value you can add to your target market (your prospective employer). This is marketing 101 and whereas it may appear to be common sense, sadly it’s not all that common. As I mentioned, when I was at the stage where I needed to apply for jobs, I had one standard CV that I’d send to everyone, one cover letter, where I’d change a few things here and there and that’s it. How were my results? Terrible. At the time I wasn’t aware

of message to market match so I didn’t know any better but when I stared to put together bespoke applications specific to the employer I started to get more traction. Nowadays, it’s the basis that everything that I stand for from a direct response point of view. Message to market match is the backbone of what I call the triangle of marketing success. In the triangle we have three parts: message, market and media. These are three fundamentals to all successful marketing, of equal importance to one another. I’ll cover how they relate to you marketing yourself to potential employers in a second but first here’s a breakdown of each one. One: Message. What you say about yourself, your products, your services, offers, guarantees, companies, features, benefits, customers etc. that is compelling and magnetic to a particular audience. Two: Market. Your Market is who you choose to craft your message for and deliver it to.

• A terrific proposition. • A strong USP (Unique Selling Proposition), • A strong UVP (Unique Value Proposition), • An irresistible offer • A reassuring guarantee, etc., etc., etc.

Three: Media. How you get your message to the market in a way that is effective, efficient and affordable. Successful marketing comes down to these three things, each and every time. Unsuccessful marketing is a result of one or more of these elements poorly executed. It’s simple maths in the end. Right Prospect + Right Process + Right Proposition = Right Results The great thing for you when you’re actively looking for potential employers is that you don’t have to look too hard. They put their hand up for you and tell you they have positions available. That’s one part taken care of. In the last issue I discussed how you can ‘show up like nobody else’ which helps take care of the right process. The last part, right proposition, is where you’ll have to put the lion’s share of your focus. What makes up a great proposition? Well from a business marketing point of view you need:

From the viewpoint of you looking to secure a job, all you need to focus on is answering the questions: Who are you and what can you do for the prospective employer. Note that it isn’t just about who you are and what you do; it’s about what you can do to add value to the prospective employer. Another thing which will make you stand out is doing things out of the ordinary. Plain vanilla, ordinary, uninteresting or incomplete propositions are out of sync with the new economy employer. What do I mean by the new economy employer? Simply, that the power is essentially in their hands; there’s a lot more demand than there is supply in most areas of employment so using generic

and me too style applications that aren’t interesting or aren’t a perfect match for a prospective employer is not the way to go. Think about your current propositions; are they a perfect fir for your dream employers? You may be thinking why do I keep saying dream employers through this column? It’s simple and I’ll illustrate it with a quote: “you can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance of doing what you love”. That quote is from comedian Jim Carrey and it’s so true; sure you could just apply for any job, but why don’t you go after a position you’d truly love. It makes putting together a proposition much easier by the way. Why? Because it’s backed up by passion. In the next issue I’m going to walk you through a case study of a proposition for a graduate role that hit all the notes we discussed. It worked so well, the applicant didn’t just get hired; they got hired into a senior position, bypassing everyone else. Not bad eh? Stay tuned…

It has been a while but sometimes I get the urge to want to talk to her, not romantically or lustfully, but just to hear her words, to see how her day is going and hope the reply is positive. I guess that’s how I know that I loved her. It is easy to love while within in a relationship with all the passion, romance and everything else that goes with it but when it is all over that could easily become lost. But it hasn’t; my want for her to be happy is still there despite it all. But I must live in reality and in it, all that there is between us is silence; and silence is the death of love. And from there on in it becomes forever silent and all that there was is muted, choked by the thorns of prosperity. In this absence of talk she is but a fictitious person, someone who no longer exists within any parameters of my life, as I now begin to rebuild from the rubble.

I no longer wallow in those songs that reach out to the core of my heart and pull at the strings wistfully, but instead bounce to chant of the upbeat. I smile not only at the past but now the future as my winter fruits blossom for all to see. The question “If I forget her, did she ever exist?” no longer plagues my mind as I do not wish to forget her. Instead, I will use the experience as a stepping stone to further things; to make someone smile, make them laugh and be happy, in my sole presence as I did with her. It will not be a taunt towards her leaving but rather a gesture of her longlasting effect on me. But in this remembrance I have but one regret – and to regret is to always have a stain on the soul, a mark on the heart and something on the brain, forevermore. It is never being able to have those unlimited “lazy days”, countless romantic evening strolls and

many passion-filled nights that I had once planned for us. But plans change and alter and we will be remembered as a love story of ancient city where people only care for artefacts of which we left nothing behind. But we didn’t need a history to install anything within us, we had it already. But like every relationship it has eroded and became extinct and archaic. And I too am archaic in my ways and must realise now that there is no such thing as purity within two hearts adjoined, that souls are not made to be “mated” and great minds do not think alike but rather the subliminal world we live in has planted the same commercial message within two people. And in response to this I abandon my romantic nature. I place an embargo on my broken heart until it too can flutter without pain, without remembering; until I can feel such as a I did before, a fisherman, happy, lost at sea never wanting to be found.

Mionscéalta na Mic Léinn Cén áit atá le bheith ag an Ghaeilge in “Ireland 1916”? Le Feidhlim Seoighe, Leas Uachtarán Gaeilge Maslaithe. Náirithe. Feargach. Fágtha gan focal. Bhuel, focail gan chiall, ar a laghad. Sin an chaoi gur bhrath muintir na Gaeilge agus iad théis féachaint ar shuíomh idirlíon nua, ireland.ie, suíomh idirlíon oifigiúil Rialtas na hÉireann do chomóradh 1916. Ba é seoladh an suíomh seo lainseáil clár imeachtaí, agus an cuí go raibh an Rialtas chun ómós á léiriú dóibh siúd gur troid ar son saoirse na tíre in Éirí Amach na bliana 1916. Ba bhreá liom a rá gur éacht a bhí sa seoladh, agus go bhfuilim sásta, agus ag súil go mór le comóradh de chuid na rialtais i gceann dhá bhliain, ach faraor, nílim. Ní oiread an Ghaeilge a bhí á chuir as dúinn, ach an caighdeán a bhí san fhadhb. Dá ndéanfadh a leithead d’aon teanga eile, bheadh ceist cinío-

chas cultúrtha le freagairt ag an Roinn. An rud is náirí ar fad a bhí ann ná nach ní amháin go raibh an teasc ar an suíomh aistrithe ar an tseirbhís aistriúcháin Google, ach go raibh an cháipéis de chuid an Rialtais ar fad aistrithe ag úsáid an áis chéanna. Seans gur cheap an Roinn nach mbeadh a fhios ag aon duine faoi, nó seans nach raibh aon duine chun airde a tharraingt air. B’fhéidir gur botúin ionraic a bhí ann. Nó seans nach bhfuil aon mheas acu ar an Ghaeilge sa Roinn. Is deacair an troid í an Ghaeilge a choinneáil mar theanga bheo in Éirinn sa lá atá inniu ann. Aire gan Gaeilge, nach féidir leis labhairt lena daoine a dhéanann sé ionadaíocht uirthi ina dteanga féin, a bheidh ag úsáid “Google Translate” chun aistriúcháin a dhéanamh ar cáipéis tábhachtacha, Straitéis gan cumhacht, nó gan brí, is cinnte go bhfuil Rialtais an lae

inniu théis a dhroim a iompú ar ár dteanga, ‘is ár gcultúir. Ach céard anois, an bhfuil tacaíocht Fhine Gael uainn chun an teanga a shábháil? Níl. Tá sé tábhachtach seirbhísí agus gnó an stáit a iarradh trí mheán na Gaeilge, ach níos tábhachtaí arís fiú, nár cheart go mbeadh sí á labhairt i measc an phobail mar theanga bheo, shóisialta. Ba cheart dúinn ar fad Gaeilge a labhairt lena chéile, í a normalú. Beannaigh le daoine i nGaeilge an chéad uair a labhraíonn tú leo, tóg caidreamh, agus déan cairdeas nua trí mheáin na Gaeilge, caith Fáinne, nó banda láimhe an Conradh. Bíodh fios ag an Domhan mór go bhfuil Gaeilge agat, agus an rud is tábhachtaí, bí bródúil aisti, agus ná masla í tríthi a choinneal ciúin. Tá an Rialtas tar éis teipeadh orainn, ach coinne muid orainn ag troid.

FEATURES 11

November 24 2014

The changing definition of Amazon Neil Johnson By Ciara Treacy This month Amazon released a teaser for another of its home-grown products, hoping to revolutionise the digital age and raise a metaphorical middle finger to its competitors. The preview for the Amazon Echo shows a cylindrical speaker named Alexa (reminiscent of Apple’s Siri) which, based on voice control, enables its new owners to access the internet, play music, set reminders and perform other functions expected of a smart product. In its twentieth year, Amazon is the biggest e-tailer in the world, from beginnings as a garage-operated online bookstore to

receive orders from amazon. com and prepare them for shipping. Goods are stored randomly, to eliminate the possibility of delivering the wrong product. Once packaged, goods are closely tracked until they reach the customer’s doorstep. Reluctant to put all his eggs in one basket, in recent years Bezos has acquired competing companies such as Goodreads and Brilliance Audio, purchased the Washington Post newspaper and has also established an aerospace company. His golden child Amazon is famously unprofitable, due to continuous investment in new developments to help the name become even more well-known.

Manhattan customers will be the first to benefit from Amazon’s inaugural brick-and-mortar store to be opened in the New Year. The store will have a mini-warehouse to deliver orders within New York, will accept returns and is also expected to showcase its Kindle and Fire products in the flesh. an internet giant providing a one-stop-shop for all consumer needs. The Echo joins a growing list of Amazon-produced electronics, including the Kindle reader and Fire tablet, TV and smart phone. In the 80s its founder Jeff Bezos responded to the birth of the internet by listing 20 products there was the biggest customer demand for and ranking them by various criteria. When books consistently came up trumps, Bezos packed his belongings and followed in the footsteps of Bill Gates in moving to Seattle, Washington, to become part of the dotcom generation of entrepreneurs. The company now employs 132,600 people and operates over 90 warehouses, or fulfilment centres, where workers

BBC documentary Amazon’s Retail Revolution shows a British classroom scene where the teacher asks children to place counters on what comes to mind when she says the word ‘Amazon’. Eight children place theirs on a picture of the river, while almost twice that amount place them on the logo for Bezos’ company, in a demonstration of brand recognition many companies would kill for. With over one bookshop closing a week in the UK, the brand is not always met with popularity, especially among those in the bookselling industry. Bezos has defended allegations of monopolising the market however, and argues that Amazon has simply responded to changing consumer needs through low-cost books and the

introduction of the Kindle e-reader. His company also aims to build the world’s most author-centric publishing house, to help writers access their target market easily. Dominating the market is not the only criticism of Amazon, as the company has consistently come under fire for tax avoidance, price discrimination and maltreatment of workers. In 2011 there were allegations that working conditions were so hot that ambulances had to regularly take away workers who had passed out. There’s also the pressure to stringently follow the handbook’s 14 principles, their own version of the 10 commandments. The most important one is customer obsession; to start with the customer and work backwards. Manhattan customers will be the first to benefit from Amazon’s inaugural brick-and-mortar store to be opened in the New Year. The store will have a mini-warehouse to deliver orders within New York, will accept returns and is also expected to showcase its Kindle and Fire products in the flesh. Another work-in-progress is the potential use of drones to deliver Amazon products in the future. Previewed last year on US show 60 Minutes, what seemed like a far-flung publicity stunt before the Christmas shopping period has turned into a serious project for the company, who have hired a pilot and flight safety manager to assess the feasibility of delivery drones. With what appears to be an endless stock of innovative ideas, it is clear that Amazon is not afraid to break down barriers in online retail and that competitors need to err on the side of caution for fear of stepping on its toes. To exemplify this, a renowned bookseller on the BBC documentary compares Amazon to god and when told that god loves us, replies with ‘ah yes, but he is vengeful!’

were in NUI Galway? Did you write for it? Never really read it so never contributed to it.

Do you ever miss NUI Galway? No, because I never left Galway after graduating.

Any juicy stories of your time here? Year of graduation: 1987 Course at NUI Galway: MA Psychology Current Occupation: CEO Croí, West of Ireland Cardiac Foundation

What is your fondest memory of NUI Galway? Meeting my wife.

Has NUI Galway changed since you were here? Totally changed.

How did attending NUI Galway develop you as a person? Grew up and learned how to fend for myself.

Did you partake in any societies, sports clubs or volunteering at NUI Galway? Joined the Athletics Club and attended many Lit & Deb Society events.

What was the college newspaper like when you

Nothing I could commit to paper.

What advice would you give to current NUI Galway students? Enjoy every minute of your college years. Galway has to be the best University City.

If you could go back and do it all again, what would you do differently? No regrets so wouldn’t change anything.

12 FEATURES

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 6

STUDENT’S APPROACH TO EXAMS: Expectation vs reality By Kieran Kilkelly It’s approaching that time of year again, the time which all students dread; exams. We all know the date at the beginning of the year, yet we still fret when it arrives. And in fretting we realise that it is time to actually leave our active social lives behind and hit the books. But it doesn’t always go to plan. You begin to come to terms with the fact that you might not know all there is to know about what happened during the Irish rebellion due to the fact that you spent the whole time talking during those lectures. To try and rectify this you decide an early start is necessary and for that, an early night is a must. However, despite saying good night to your housemates and hitting the leaba early, sleep eludes you. Instead, you enter into a late night Snapchat conversation about how badly prepared you actually are for these exams and end up getting to dreamland at a later hour than a normal night.

The alarm goes off after your measly three and a half hours sleep and suddenly the snooze button becomes your friend. That healthy breakfast and half eight morning start in the library becomes a 12 o’clock rush out the door with a chocolate bar and half a travel mug of tea in your hand. Thankfully, you manage to find the last seat in the library beside a plug to charge your faulty laptop and your day of “no interruption” study begins. Cue a text from a friend who has been studying all morning and decided it is time to take a break. Temptation overcomes you and you convince yourself that a half hour chat over tea won’t hurt too much. 30 minutes turns into an hour and then into two as the want for gossip and the lack of desire to study gets the better of you. You return to the space you have reserved and try to retain some information but it just isn’t working.

You haven’t checked your Facebook, Twitter or Instagram newsfeeds in a couple of hours and the itch is truly getting to you. You reconsider the social media ban you had placed yourself and say “Ten minutes won’t hurt will it?” It affects you more than you think as you scroll through pointless stories and take irrelevant quizzes all in the hope that you will finally find out if you really are the biggest Twilight fan the world has ever seen. After discovering that you’re not Edward Cullen’s future wife due to your lack of knowledge on him you decide it is truly time to get stuck into all things educational. But wait, it’s half four and you haven’t had anything to eat since that chicken fillet roll and bag of tayto earlier on. You don’t live that far away and the library is getting quieter so maybe you should pop home and cook up something of sustenance. After all, you can’t concentrate properly on an empty stomach.

Sitting down to your dinner, one of your favourite episodes of Friends comes on and you can’t just leave while that’s on. Unfortunately, comfort sets in and it makes it harder to make that short trek back into college (the light rain doesn’t help either). Studying at home for the evening it is so! But like your attempts all day, that doesn’t go to plan either. You can’t settle. Your desk in your room is creaky and the chair you’re sitting on is lopsided – they are no conditions to be studying in really. Anyways, it’s getting late and you’re feeling tired. One last cup of tea and you go to bed with the intention to make a better day of it tomorrow and not be wasting precious study time. But that late night Snapchat keeps you awake again and ultimately sends you into that irreversible cycle of unproductivity and procrastination.

from Sin

14 MERRY CHRISTMAS

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 6

BEARDED BACKPACKER: Christmas Abroad Weather is a huge factor on this point. I had Christmas in Perth last year in 41°C and spent most of the day avoiding the glare of that recalcitrant sun, paddling in bath-like waters and being wary of the legitimate threat of sharks.

warm for it. So salads, fish and “refreshments” are about all you’ll be willing to palate. Seeing decorations in areas seems strange; almost convoluted given the weather, but likewise people from these countries would be horrified Disney has its say on the matter by the cold, dank, weatherbeaten shores of Christmas too, Epcot centre on Christmas Eve time in Ireland. Australian Christmas is built around and the fireworks display is a sight sunshine, fish and sea sides. Ireland couldn’t be much furto behold. It’s a complex mixture ther from that image.

between airstrikes and an exploding packet of skittles By John Brennan I’ve had Christmas in two hemispheres, in three countries: Ireland, America and Australia. Obviously, we aren’t going to delve into the Yuletide shenanigans associated with Ireland, we’ve all lived it. Christmas abroad can be the most jarring and oddly disjointed experience you’re likely to have. AUSTRALIA:

Familiarity is the hallmark of Christmas. Change at Christmas is something that takes you totally out of your comfort zone.

My dinner consisted of a banquet of salmon, prawns, sole and other members of Ariel’s clique. It was unlike any Christmas I’ve ever had. Australia has wild turkeys that are a protected species, so you cannot feast on the apologetic looking avian rejects. Sure you can get them, but the temperature and climate seem to implore you to feast on fish rather than daft-looking flightless birds. The climate is something that just distorts your entire perception of the time of year; winter doesn’t scorch in our hemisphere. Irish winter = Australian Summer. You don’t actually want hot food; it’s too

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:

“Happy Holidays!” It’s not holidays guys. It’s Christmas. Let’s nip that one in the bud. I spent Christmas a few years ago in Florida, spent the day eating an obscenity of prawns, feasting on turkey but maligning the absence of Spiced Beef. If you aren’t familiar with it google it, it’s exceptionally tasty and a tradition originating from Cark City boy, where half my family originates from. The overtly happy, excitable nature of Florida around Jesus’ birthday is the nauseating side of obnoxious. Florida as a holiday destination is a whirlwind of rollercoasters, NASA space centres and the almighty power of consumerism.

At Christmas multiply this by ten, add a temperate (almost Mediterranean) climate and you’re about where you should be! Beyond the tedious and suffocating level of well-wishing Christmas over here is very much an aesthetic delight. Gargantuan Trees showered in the tinsel version of Sally Hansen litter the urban and shopping centres alike. Disney has its say on the matter too, Epcot centre on Christmas Eve and the fireworks display is a sight to behold. It’s a complex mixture between airstrikes and an exploding packet of skittles. So much colour, so much noise and Santa hasn’t even arrived yet. Incredible scenes. I can also confirm that Santa travels the world in one night; I’ve been to three different places and woken up with a few choice prezzies in both hemispheres and on both sides of the Atlantic. That man and his cohort of antlered horses deserve some sort of award. In the New Year I’ll be discussing Australia and New Zealand properly. Both really warrant your time but will undoubtedly decimate your pockets. Get planning those trips over Christmas and establishing some resolutions. You guys drop me a tweet (@jbrennan88) if you want any region specific advice. Backpacker out.

A grumpy man’s guide to Christmas My Letter to Santa By Kieran Kilkelly A month until Christmas and already I’m sick of it – not that I ever was a fan. Songs and television ads have my head wrecked already with everyone trying to get into that festive mood. What’s so festive about it? It’s just another day of the year. We’re meant to be all happy and merry even though it’s freezing out and we’re essentially broke from all the elaborate spending. Not much to be cheerful about if you ask me. And even if you can be content with your spending and the cold, you can’t relax on Christmas Day. No, sitting down to the Christmas dinner and some unknown relative that you haven’t seen in years calls to the door and interrupts you. In the “spirit” of the season, you have entertain them and dish out your expensive whiskey that you were saving for a proper occasion, not some day that comes every year. But I have to endure the elongated lead up to 25 December first of all. The worst of all is those people who wear those Christmas jumpers with a snowman, a reindeer or some other unrelated figurehead placed prominently on it. And not only that but they light up! I know it’s dark and all but a light up jumper? Seriously? Who comes up with these things? But I guess it all ties in with all the com-

mercialism of the season. How I despise that aspect of it, above everything else; the singing, the constant happiness. I can deal with them somewhat. But not the money associated with it. If one more person asks me what I want for Christmas, I won’t be responsible for what happens. I was never one for getting the religious message across but I’d rather be preached to than endure those who only have eyes for presents. That’s what’s wrong with people these days, too much money to spend and not enough brains to realise what to spend it on. €500 euro phones are given to kids who don’t understand the value of money while some struggle to put food on the table Monday to Sunday. Madness, that’s what that is. What happened to the days where a toy from the pound shop would have a child smiling uncontrollably for what could seem like an eternity? You wouldn’t hear an ounce of complaint out of them on Christmas Day. Not like today, where it isn’t only the kids that aren’t satisfied but the adults too if they don’t get what they want. It all comes out after a few drinks and the true meaning of Christmas is lost – not that there is a true meaning; it is only a birthday after all. An expensive birthday for all of us. It really is all a load of nonsense and we’d be better off without the hassle of it. To Christmas I say “Bah humbug!”

By Dean Buckley Dear Santa, Howya, it has been a while. Sorry for not writing to you these past ten Christmases, I came down with a serious case of ‘I don’t believe in you’. You know, because you’re a fictional character based on an Anatolian Greek Saint, merged with various pagan figures and rounded off with a healthy dose of folklore until you became a sanitised secular mythical figure that most kids don’t even know has religious origins. Anyway, I’ve come to be thinking lately that, gosh, wasn’t it great how when I believed in Santa, I used to get a load of free stuff? I mean, that’s not to say I no longer receive Christmas presents. But back when I believed in you, I could be fairly extravagant with my wishes, whereas now I’m more reasonable and reserved. Once, all I wanted for Christmas was BlackWarGreyMon, the coolest Digimon toy ever. Now, it’s more like, can I get a nice jacket? And maybe a new pair of headphones, if it’s not too much? And the thing of it all is that, as a student, I love getting practical stuff for Christmas, we all do, unless we haven’t grown the hell up yet. But also, I want really, really expensive practical stuff and a few sweet luxury items as well.

So, here’s my student’s wishlist, presented in the manner of a song:

Twelve chicken fillets, eleven woolly blankets, Ten trays of minced beef, nine bags of turf, Eight PS4 Games, seven frozen dinners, Six chocolate log rolls, five months’ rent, Four loads of washing, three packs of fags, Two PS4s, (one for the girlfriend) And a full tank of fuel for the cold. Once you’ve got that tune out of your head, how’s about it? I think it’s a fairly okay list, I mean, sure, expensive but now that I believe in you again, cost is no object. I could have asked for nothing but PS4 games. Or I could have asked for a mountain made of mince pies. I could even have asked for BlackWarGreyMon. But, no, here I am, proving that I am a responsible adult the only way that I know how – writing to Santa Claus and begging him to fill the massive holes in my budget created by months of recurrent financial mismanagement. And really, what’s more adult than desperately denying reality in the face of encroaching despair? Merry Christmas.

November 24 2014

MERRY CHRISTMAS 15

Things only acceptable during the festive period By Kieran Kilkelly It is the season we all look forward to: the singing, the sense of goodwill and of course, the food. However, it is a weird time of the year that bears strange traditions. People overlook that fact and say it only comes once a year but that doesn’t mean all things should go. Here are some of the things you will only find – or find in abundance – at Christmas: DECORATING A DEAD TREE

Regardless of origin, this concept is a mad one really. We go out and spend a disproportionate amount of money on a tree that has just been literally chopped dead. Not content with showcasing the strength and power humanity has over all over living things, we decide to humiliate it by decorating it with objects which don’t even reflect the true reason for Christmas being celebrated in the first place: the birth of Jesus. The main excuse for having a “real” Christmas tree is that it gives off a “Christmassy” smell. However, and I’m sorry to break it to you, that heart-warming scent that you smell, the one that sends warm shivers all over your bod, is essentially rotting pine leaves. Of course, you can invest in a fake Christmas tree in favour of the real one but then all you’re doing is making a shrine of a plastic artefact rather than a dead one which is equally ridiculous. WISHING FOR SNOW

If it was any other time of the year people would complain about the cold and the hassle that comes with having any sort of snowfall at all - be it light or heavy. Then Christmas comes around and it is acceptable to have minus temperatures just so the snow can “stick” and we can all feel warm on the inside despite being frozen on the outside. It is, in fact, the only time we are actually happy that the weather we wished for actually arrived with the summer sun that we had hoped for being too hot and the rain that was much needed being too wet when they do come. If it arrives on Christmas Day it is a positive, although a lot of people travel on that day and it makes it inconvenient, not to mention dangerous. But it doesn’t matter, let’s all be amazed by this white stuff falling from the sky making things look all happy and that. COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS

With the exception of a bride in anticipation of her wedding day barely anyone ever counts the days until such and such a thing that will happen.

That goes out the window come Christmas time. You often hear it is ‘x’ amount of weeks until Christmas or this day ‘x’ months will be Christmas as if it was the end of the world. Thankfully, it is not but that doesn’t matter because no matter how many times you tell people it is too early to be thinking about Christmas they still remind you of how long it actually is until the big day. SPENDING ALL YOUR MONEY JUST FOR ONE DAY

January is always seen as a poor month as the next pay check generally doesn’t come until the end of the month and all your disposable income from last month’s wages are now tied up in uneaten mince pies. We seem to spend every penny we have in the lead-up to this one day and then it is gone and you reflect on whether buying that talking Santa for 60 quid was such a good idea. Oh well, up to the attic to be forever forgotten about. COOKING ENOUGH FOR AN ARMY

This is a by-product of the fact that all of our money has just been spent on the festive occasion. For the first time that year we actually have a three course meal in our own houses featuring an oversized turkey, Brussels sprouts (who even eats them anymore?) and a selection of desserts that were on offer in the local supermarket. You go to bed that night dreaming of the feed you had and wake up hungry as a result of it. Having your bowl of cornflakes, the question “what’s for dinner?” arises with the response being “leftover turkey”. That becomes the same response over the next week and a half as there is nothing else in the house nor any money left to buy food.

Christmas Stories By Dean Buckley Chestnuts crackling on an open fire, Jack Frost gnawing at my toes. One of these things is actually happening at my house now, and I guarantee you, we do not buy chestnuts. Yes, the holiday season is in-bound; that time of year when a certain vocal minority whine about the secularisation of Christmas, when the only reason that happened is because secular society in the west is still based on Christian values and traditions. Fact is, Christmas can never be made secular, because it’s an inherently spiritual time of year, even when practiced by nonChristians, and also, helpfully for me as I sit down to write a column on such matters, rich in literary possibility. Of course, there are other holidays celebrated around this time of year, namely Hannukah and Kwanzaa, but I know nothing about them, so I won’t presume to speak on matters of which I’m either completely or functionally ignorant. Christmas as we know it was born out of syncretism, the merging of beliefs and practices from divergent philosophies or religions. The practice of gift-giving originates with the ancient Roman feast of Saturnalia, and many traditional Christmas foods come from the Scandinavian holiday of Yule. They came to be part of Christmas for various reasons, because it behoved the Christianisation of these peoples, because the ideas were manifest in the story of the Nativity anyway, and because giving presents and eating nice food is a good way to spend a day. In this sense, Christmas is always a good setting for stories where diverse groups of people come together in some way. I mean, obviously the unity of the human family is a

lie, but, on Christmas, it’s a lie we can believe might become true one day. The walls between people aren’t the only blurred boundaries on Christmas. Situated deep in winter, the world is dying on Christmas, yet it is also a site for birth; the birth of one of the most profoundly important figures in human history. Of course, that birth is itself a promise of eternal life, the ultimate defeat over the evil of death. At the nadir of the earth’s decay, the end of decay itself is revealed and apparent. In short, the world itself is more liminal, ghostly and divine this time of year. Magical mischief makes itself known, the truth becomes even more wobbly than it already is, and heroes triumph over the gravest of foes. But, as we all know, Christmas is not just a time for comedy and adventure. This time of year holds a great deal of tragedy too. The deprivation of families who can barely afford to eat on Christmas, let alone to eat sumptuous feasts, who can barely afford to clothe themselves on Christmas, let alone to clothe themselves in finery, who can barely afford to give each other a smile on Christmas, let alone to give each other luxuries. Now there’s a story we’ve been hearing for too long. Christmas is also a time of year when suicide rates are liable to spike, because nothing reminds you of how alone you feel than an annual celebration of togetherness. Not to mention the old folks who will freeze to death in their homes, because their heating ran out or broke, and no one was around to visit them. These stories also need telling. Not just because all stories deserve to be told, or to guilt us into individual action, but because Christmas is the promise of a better world, and it’s time we gave it to those who’ve waited too long.

Why books are the best Christmas present By Siobhán Mulvey

3. BOOKS WILL PASS THE TIME. Once reading

1. THEY’RE CHEAP. In these recessionary times, it is important to get your money’s worth when buying Christmas presents. With Eason’s ‘3 for 2’ offers you can get books for the whole family. Even Tesco has books for as low as €7.99 – perfect for those last minute presents on Christmas Eve.

you will get lost in a book and enjoy living in your alternative universe of choice. If you’re a Grinch, and want to block out the compulsory family time, escaping to a fictional world while sitting by the fireside is the quickest way to do this. Christmas 2013? Can’t remember what I did, but I read the whole Game of Thrones series...

2. THEY’RE EDUCATIONAL. Yeah give me a moment. Books are the number one way to broaden your mind and make yourself smarter. You can return to college next semester with more brains in your head and an improved outlook on life! It’s all about staying one step ahead in the game.

4. THEY’RE COMMEMORATIVE. Want to give

a meaningful present? A well-chosen book proves how well you know the person who receives it. You know what they like to read. There’s nothing smarter than writing a little note on the inside cover, including the date. Your family member/friend will always treas-

ure their book with your words inside. After all, it’s the thought that counts. 5. THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. Eve-

ryone has an interest, and there’s probably a book about that. Farming, cooking, football, fashion, politics – there’s a book on every possible subject. The wide range of genre in fiction writing, from classics to detective novels to science fiction to romances, means that there’s something in a bookshop for everyone. 6. EVEN FOR THOSE WHO DISLIKE READING.

For those who don’t read a lot, the Christmas break is the perfect time to immerse yourself in a good story. If you don’t like reading, you just haven’t found the right book yet.

16 MERRY CHRISTMAS

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 6

A Christmas Crisis By Ciara Treacy

Last week was a particularly strenuous one, which resulted in me dozing off in the Journalism suite after a 12 hour typing stint and an overdose of peppermint tea. The accumulation of stress brought about a nightmare of being chased by past exam papers and living on the streets holding a sign reading ‘will write trivial columns for money’. When I awoke, I felt relieved that just like the ending of all my Junior Cert short stories, it was in fact all a dream. Similar to Ebenezer Scrooge I ran to the nearest window and shouted to the first passer-by I saw, for reassurance that exams were but a myth and a happier season was now upon us. “You there boy, what day is it?” “Why ma’am it’s the twentieth of November!” Ah yes. Back I crawled to my study lair, without even a singing Muppet or Tiny Tim in sight. Exam season has become just as much of a Christmas tradition as presents and Saint Nick at this point; yet every year most of us still treat it like a new phenomenon. The determination to ‘never leave it so late to study again’ has lost momentum since summer exams and previous breakdowns are as hazy a memory as the topics we were studying. I haven’t even been able to study yet, with a heavy load of assignments and other self-imposed commitments which have made me question how masochistic one person can be. The only thing more of a nuisance than exam time is people during exam time. There are those who allegedly have nothing done, and those who boast about having everything covered and

How to get into an empty relationship in time for Christmas By Mark Laherty DIG INTO FLIRTY HOROSCOPE BANTER:

Asking a guy’s sign is too obvious, so why not broach the subject by sharing your favourite birthday memories? What a great chance to recall your own 16th birthday party. No expense was spared, since Dad used it as an opportunity to try to buy back your love even though he still brought Molly. Remember, incorporating your parents’ divorce into flirty banter is a winner. SEND HIM A SNAPCHAT:

Send him a selfie of you hanging out with the girl that keeps commenting “lol” on all of his lame statuses. Caught red-handed, cheating before the relationship has even begun. Lol. JUST GIVE UP:

Love finds you when you least expect it. If you stop trying, maybe you’ll finally be found! Probably not, though. Most likely you’ll die alone, but you were born alone and you’ve always been alone so you won’t lose anything.

Scrooge and Santa By Hazel Doyle

stored in neat folders. I don’t know who’s worse. Then there are those who treat it like a marathon, setting up daily camp in the reading room and encircling themselves in a fort of colourcoded notes and festive Starbucks cups. It always seems to be a contest of who can stay (or can create the illusion of staying) there longest, while in the library during this period it’s a battle of who can wear the most make-up. One of my own biggest discoveries over the past few years is that I do my best work at night (innuendo unintentional), so will be opting for evening study sessions. I’m actually looking forward to the commencement of study week to afford myself the luxury of a lie-in, which will hopefully leave me as rejuvenated and glowing as Kim K’s behind. My whole postgrad is literally a daily and sometimes hourly swap between the ideology that I need to put my all into coursework versus the defiant ‘this is my last year in college, I’m going to enjoy myself’ stance. That being said, there are strange niceties involved in exam time - procrastination gets much more creative, lunch breaks have never been so appreciated and I get most of my best shopping done during that time. Christmas also provides a welcome distraction, eloping on trips to the Christmas market and watching the John Lewis Christmas ad on repeat (penguins are not so great when you have to dress up as one for work). For me the pinnacle is watching the most underrated yuletide movie of all time, Jingle all the Way (Arnold Schwarzenegger leaves his Christmas shopping until the last minute in a piece of cinematic glory), the Chrismukkah episodes of The OC and wearing an assortment of festive jumpers. I previewed one of my merry ensembles at the College Christmas Day last week, the turnout at which shows just how desperate we are to embrace any indication that an end to study is somewhere in sight. Both seasons are well and truly upon us, with the individual power to leave us broke and fat, relying on others to make our time a successful one. Until 2015 all.

So it’s that time of year again; the Christmas jumpers are nearly sold out in Penneys and the rain has started to hit you all slanty. Oh yes! Santa is on his way. What’ll you be asking the Big Red Fella for this year? I feel like I’ve gotten to a stage where I have everything I really need in life, and the rest is just surplus… oh wait! There’s threefor-two in Boots! It can be an expensive time of year. There’s all those presents you’ve to buy for those you love, and then there’s the emergency presents that you have to have under the tree, just in case someone should “pop round” with a present for you. Ah sugar! You didn’t think that she’d give you one this year, so you didn’t get her one. There’s definitely something to be said for the way that lads do things; no presents. So there’s not many a manly friendship which will result in the need for a three-for-two selection in Boots. I’ve never seen a lad give another boy a wrapped-up parcel, unless it was a father-son exchange. Girls can go a bit over the top, buying presents for housemates, the girls from secondary school and that girl that you sat beside for your First Holy Communion. It takes the thought out of it if you spread the love around too much. Kris Kringle, or “Secret Santa”, which is where everyone’s name goes into a hat and you choose one, is a great present-giving game. My housemates and I did this last year, and it was so nice. We got to give one quality, thought-out gift to someone, instead of just going to the check-out in Penneys, and buying all the lip-glosses in sight, to then dish out willy-nilly. It is an expensive time of year, and I’ve heard that Irish people spend the most per capita, compared with other Europeans. On top of all the presents, there’s all those gettogethers. This is great fun, and most people head home for Christmas, so it’s a great way to see everyone in the one place, but all those cups of tea and all those fancy dresses add up. I’m not Scrooge, I swear. I love the nights out at Christmas, and I love the hot-chocolates with my friends, in front of hotel fires,

but somehow I’m never quite prepared for the cost. I try to do a biteen of a budget just after Halloween, but the list of presents grows longer as each week passes by. Then if I see something expensive that Mam would love, I’d better find something to match it in price for Da, because I want them to feel equally loved. I guess my generous nature just runs away from me… ‘till January, when me and Ebenezer are bezzie mates. And sometimes it feels a bit silly to buy a present just for the sake of it. I mean, if you see something that someone would love, then go for it! Get it! Wrap it! Give it! But if it’s just because you don’t want to lose face when the giver gives you a gift, then is there really any point? I’m notoriously bad at presents. I just ask people what they want. There are no surprises with me! Well, at least you’d better hope not, because I’ll get the size wrong, or I’ll buy it from the wrong place. It’s never going to be right if I get it for you of my own accord. This Christmas my friends and I were talking about doing a book exchange; where you give someone a book you already own, that you’ve already read, that you think they’d like. So it’s passing on the book-love, and it’s definitely a thoughtful gift. But you’re bound to end up having to give someone a book that you’ve highlighted the beJaysus out of for an English seminar. Have we all just reached an age where there is nothing left to give us? We can download most of our lives for free, and there’s only so much chocolate you can really give someone. Giving is a great feeling, when you hit on that present that you’re sure they’re going to die for… but when it does just come down to “is that part of the three-for-two offer? Sure get it and I’ll find someone to give it to” then is it really worth it? Maybe one more cuppa with your Grandma would be a better way to spend the Christmas funds.

November 24 2014

MERRY CHRISTMAS 17

Christmas Presents on a student budget By Eoin Hynes Two major annoyances confront the vast majority of us over the festive period. What will we get our loved ones, and (a concern very particular to us students), where will we get the money? Of course, you tell yourself you’ll save up in November. However, increased heating and electricity bills due to the dropping temperature and fewer hours of daylight always throw a spanner in the works. Not to mention the vast array of events and most notably, the 12 pubs, draining our wallets of useful funds. Realistically, Christmas shopping on a student budget is never easy. But never fear; that’s why we’re here to help. DAD: Bathroom Fishpond, €8, Tiger.

Dad has enough socks, too many ghastly ties, and does he really need another mug with a cheesy pun on it? Probably not. Now, while keeping magazines and other reading materials in bathrooms is pretty commonplace, how many people have their own pond to fish in? And it the cold winter, the oul’ lad can enjoy a spot of fishing from the comfort and warmth of his own bathroom. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your tastes) it’s only magnetic fish with a magnetic rod, so your bathroom won’t stink of fish.

MAM: Drink bells, €3, OMG.

YOUNG SISTER: Doll’s house, €5, Tiger

GIRLFRIEND: Microwaveable bear/sheep/dino-

So Mam’s been in the kitchen all day preparing the biggest feast of the year. Slaving away in there all day is thirsty work and all she’ll want to do afterwards is slump into the comfiest seat in the house and relax. Well deserved, I’m sure you’ll agree. One problem, she forgot to take her relaxing cuppa tea or nice warm glass of mulled wine from the kitchen with her. Or maybe it’s refill time. Would you want to get up? Of course not. Well, with these bells, she can stay put, but keep the refreshments coming. On top of this, a nice Royal Jelly bath set will help her with her relaxation, and probably put you in first place in the pudding pecking order.

Danish store Tiger provide another fantastic Christmas purchase: a flat-pack, DIY Doll’s house. How very IKEA. Those Scandinavians are mad for this kind of thing seemingly. Simple and timeless, and including two little dolls; how could you go wrong?

saur, €12.50, Topshop. First of all, they’re not as grim as they sound. Second of all, they’re quite cute. If you’ve ever had one of those pillows that you microwave and they retain the heat, this is them, in the form of various creatures. Also, they’re ridiculously soft. Warm, soft and cute – the perfect winter companion. Optionally, there’s the aforementioned jewellery and bags in Kembali, and the always reliable body washes and random skincare things that we men would never been seen dead using in The Body Shop from €9.

YOUNG BROTHER:

Balloon powered race car, €3.99, It’s Magic! Luckily enough, younger siblings are easy to keep satisfied. For €3.99 and a bag of balloons (surely no more than a Euro), they can have hours of fun racing this little plastic car around. And if you’re into your physics, they might just learn a little bit about the displacement of air and air pressure. But more importantly they’ll think you’re the best older sibling ever.

TEENAGE BROTHER/SISTER:

Two for €12 on DVDs and CDs, HMV This may seem lazy, but when you think about it, they’re arguably the hardest age group to buy for. Old enough to not be so easily entertained, but not old enough to buy interesting, mature gifts for. If you’re generalising mid-teens (as I clearly am), they like nothing more than sitting in their room with the laptop and not socialising with the rest of family bar dinner. So these are perfect to keep them happy. And if you’re smart about it, you might find two DVDs or CDs that you’ll enjoy too! On the other hand, you can find lovely jewellery and bags in Kembali starting at €1.50 (yes, one Euro and fifty cents) up to €10. For the guys, they might enjoy some of the posters, games, and general comic book and TV related bits and pieces in Sub City.

How to pretend you love your Christmas gift By Eoin Hynes We’ve all been there; Christmas morning and you’re handed a package that looks and feels suspiciously like an iPhone box. You pause, fumble with the fiddly sellotape on the wrapping as to not rip the wrapping paper (you’re not an animal), and then pull out the contents of the package to reveal one of those fancy boxes for watches with a tiny little pillow inside for the watch to rest on. Why do watches need pillows? Why do I need a watch? Phones tell the time. Sure, the watch looks nice, but so does the retina display of the new iPhone. Disappointed as you may be inside, there is still a ‘thank you’ and a smile to be forced out. This may not always be easy, but here’s our step-by-step guide to doing just that. Pre-emptive: Avoid having to pretend you’re not disappointed with a gift by hammering home early the gift you actually want. Drop hints like bombs, have no shame. Yes, parents really can be THAT oblivious. This piece of action takes place as early as October for some. If performed correctly it should mean you need not take any of the following tips. Assess the situation. Smile and thank the gift giver, while trying to guess what’s inside. Have a good feel for size, weight and shape. A quick shake will give further clues to the content. If there’s a big rattle, it may as well be a jigsaw.

Begin to peel back the sellotape, taking care not to rip too much wrapping paper (recycling is where it’s at at Christmas these days apparently). Patience is key here. If you peel slow enough you might be able to grab a sly peek at the inside before it’s fully in view, giving you time to prepare something nice to say about whatever’s inside while you take the rest of the wrapping off. Having removed the rest of the wrapping, it’s your time to shine. Some gifts require Oscar-worthy improvised performances, but hopefully with the previous tips you’ll have some sort of script prepared. Begin with the ‘Oh brilliant! Thaaaaank you!’ Remember to extend the thank you, but not too much, that gives the game away. Continue with the ‘How did you know?’ and follow up with the ‘I’ve had my eye on this for aaaaages!’ (Again, extension is key, but don’t overdo it). Finish up with another thank you and a hug if necessary. That was the hard part, but your job still isn’t done. To ensure the giver that you really appreciate their gift, use it! Even if it’s useless, anytime they enter the room try to have it at hand to pick up and look like you’re appreciating it. If it’s a pair of disgusting socks, just put them on and wear them around, simple. If it’s a stupid jigsaw, try to find younger family members around the house to assemble half of it for you and anytime you need to, hover

over the jigsaw, deep in concentration with a few pieces in hand. If it’s discarded to one side of the room under heaps of wrapping paper and other miscellaneous packaging, the giver may cop on to your earlier act. This is probably the most important. Actually appreciate the thought. Yes I know, it goes against the other steps, but

Why do watches need pillows? Why do I need a watch? Phones tell the time. Sure, the watch looks nice, but so does the retina display of the new iPhone. even if you detest what you got, it’s the thought that counts (clichéd as it is). Whether you love or loathe your gifts this Christmas, do try to remember that it’s not all about the presents, or the food (although it’s got a lot to do with the food), but mainly it’s about coming together. And even if your gifts aren’t what you’d have wanted, remember that there’s people there getting you these gifts anyway. Unless it’s socks or a jigsaw, then you have a right to be annoyed.

BOYFRIEND: Homme by David Beck-

ham, €7, The Perfume Shop. Ladies, this is a no brainer. A winwin. Sure, you’re other half may already smell nice, but does he smell like David Beckham? No, I thought not. And no, it doesn’t smell like him right after a match. It smells like you’d expect offpitch David Beckham to smell. Which is pretty nice in fairness. So getting this body wash and spray combination for just €7 is an absolute steal. And if you pay with a tenner you’ll still have enough to get him a drink in the college bar too, which he’ll definitely appreciate.

Holiday coffee drinks to fuel your festive despair By Mark Laherty HOLIDAY TRAVEL: STARBUCKS CARAMEL MOCHA

Travelling home is a slog, but with a caramel mocha on board, you can finally harness your misery in meaningful ways. While you’re at it, try shoving snow globes down your top in the airport so you’re stopped by security. Take the opportunity to get some stuff off your chest besides the snow globes. PICKING OUT A CHRISTMAS TREE: LILY O’BRIENS HOT CHOCOLATE

This year, rather than shivering through your younger cousin’s choosiness, you have a lovely cup of hot chocolate, and before you know it, you’ll be sobbing about how your sister slept with your ex when she found out he was planning to propose to you. CHRISTMAS MUSIC: SKINNY CINNAMON TOFFEE SPICE CHAI

Hearing Alvin and the Chipmunks for the 50th time in a week is enough to drive someone to madness. Thank goodness for this mixture, which could be used for some sort of pseudo-religious eye surgery. You know where the town’s radio transmitter is. Now go ram your car into it as hard as you can. The damage to your car is temporary. If you survive, the feeling of unchecked power will sustain you for months, if not years, to come.

18 MERRY CHRISTMAS

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 6

NUI Galway’s most eligible bachelors: Mistletoe edition By Áine Leech The winter nights are getting colder, there is not much oil left in the tank and nobody in our house has enough energy to bring in coal for the fire. It is evenings like these that you wish you had a special someone to snuggle up to underneath the mistletoe. Well fear not ladies, I have searched far and wide throughout the campus to compose for you a list of NUI Galway’s top five most eligible bachelors (in no particular order) there are plenty to go around: BOUNCERS/CLUB REPS: “The line for Brooklyn Zoo is miles long” you hear the taxi man shout. Little does he know that your new found BF has all the power to get you past all the peasants in the line. Straight into the club you walk, five of your bezzies in tow, with no sign of an entry fee. Free bottle of champagne you say? But it’s not your birthday, the barman retorts. You reply smugly with “I know the bouncer”. MEMBERS OF THE KAYAKING CLUB:

Dedication, team player, commitment, hardworking… what more could you want in a man? Oh I know, those arms! Yes ladies, it’s not the gym you need to join to check out

those pecks but the kayak club. All those early morning starts rowing boats result in those guns really reaping the rewards. Who cares if it is cold and miserable at 7am, think about all of those cuddles with the team captain after. Not to mention all his other hot kayaking friends. THE TUTORIAL TUTOR: The older man has

legendarily been so hard to resist for the college undergraduate. This love bug you’ve been bit by is especially hard to shake off since you know he is an intellectual. A goodlooking guy that reads – you are practically starring in your own rom-com. Unfortunately, this romance is prohibited but one can always daydream of snuggling under the mistletoe while knowing you will get that coveted 1.1. EXCHANGE STUDENT: Someone is going to

be alone in Ireland on Christmas? Not for long. There’s nothing you love more than to help those in need, particularly hot Italians in need. Who better to show them around the glamorous Galway Christmas market and to share a drink with at the German beer stand? Mammy will only be delighted to have him over for Christmas day. Sure his English is a little broken but no one can speak anyway once that food coma hits. Time to snuggle up with La Vita et Bella.

An open letter from Santa Claus to the students of NUI Galway Dear Students, It seems like it was only yesterday when most of you were sitting in your jim-jams scribbling poorly-worded letters to me with blue markers on red-cardboard, proclaiming your desires to be gifted outrageous presents. Twenty odd years later, many of you are still scribbling poorly-worded notes with blue marker and asking for outrageous gifts – who really needs Beats by Dre? Worse still, there are roughly 20,000 students in your fine establishment and almost 8,500 of you are on my naughty list. For the most part, this is due to your fondness for eggnog and your lack of fondness for lec-

tures that start before noon. As part of my annual Christmas drive, it is my wish to get most of you back onto the good list in time for D-Day, December 25, so here are my guidelines. Scale back the eggnog abuse until Christmas. Go to your classes. Submit your assignments on time. But most importantly, leave out cookies and milk on Christmas Eve. Traversing the world in one night is fairly rough, especially at my weight. So please leave out something for me to nibble on. Scolding aside, make sure ye enjoy the Christmas break. Fatten yourselves up on Quality Street and Celebrations. Over-indulge at mammy’s expense while you can because before you know it you’ll be back to eating tinned beans three times a week. All’s good here up in the North Pole, by the by. The elves’ eleven-month strike against our use of the JobBridge scheme is thankfully at an end. Rudolph is going through an awkward phase. He has dyed his hair blue and insists that we call him ‘Raul Dolph’. We oblige for the most part. I look forward to getting all of your letters. For the tech-savvy, you can also email me your requests for presents at SantyBaus1111@gmail.com, or else you can tweet using #alliwantforchristmasNUIG and I will be sure to sort ye out. All the best, Nick

Top games to lose yourself in this Christmas By Duncan Walker It’s that time of year again when the wind bites cold, the sun sets early and the Christmas commercials begin to make suspicious noises at the door. No better time to snuggle up warm in the comfort of one’s home and find something unproductive to do. The popular contender for the indoors unproductivity award this year is video games, so here’s a merry list if games to either find for a friend or hoard to yourself. ANY POKÉMON GAME:

You probably still hold at least a sliver of memory from a time when you rushed eagerly towards your Christmas tree and did a surgeon simulator on the wrapping paper. If the Pokémon God Arceus favoured you, legend has it he would leave a game under the tree for you. If you aren’t fazed by the fact that there are over 500 now, and still want to catch them all, then by all means, choose your starter. If you’re pining for games long past, there are still sites that archive the games, and they’re even accessible by smartphone. Go on, become the very best, like no one ever was. KINGDOM HEARTS 1⁄2:

If the description “hit Disney villains with a massive key” doesn’t sell it well enough, it’s a PS2 classic which has you fighting across the Disney universe by means of fun gameplay and exploration of the films you watched as a kid. This month, why not try the Nightmare Before Christmas world? As an older title,

Kingdom Hearts is a tricky one to come by, so either get a lend of a Playstation 2 from the Ghost of Christmas Past or wait for the HD release coming this December. ANIMAL CROSSING:

For a soothing game this holiday, there are few better than Animal Crossing. Like the Sims without the god complex, you can tend to a town of your own design as you build up a world of your own. The seasonal touches are a warming feature, and if the snow has yet to fall outside, you can still fill your town with snowmen to your heart’s content. As a gift or a cheeky purchase, it’s an ideal Christmas game. SKYRIM:

If you play games already, chances are you already have this one, and an explanation is hardly due. A wide world to explore and a variety of ways to explore it. This season however, if you have had the pleasure of owning the PC version, you can try out the Frostfall mod, which lets your hero feel the effects of the cold like you do on the way to lectures. With hypothermia added, the Nordic tundra becomes all the more intense to explore. RAYMAN LEGENDS:

Christmas is a holiday for spending time with others, and what better a way than a co-operative game without any pressures of competition. Enjoy the amazing art styles and music as you and 3 friends can run and jump your way through a colourful array of worlds.

November 24 2014

MERRY CHRISTMAS 19

Budget Beauty Buys Why you should invest By Áine Leech

SALLY HANSON:

The lead up to Christmas can be a stressful time as we all know. Cards to write, Presents to buy and all on a student budget. Here at the Sin beauty head-quarters we’ve got those all-essential beauty stocking fillers covered, for both the woman and man in your life - all for less than €30.

Every girl will be rushing to the shops this Christmas for some faux-glow. Why not save her the trouble and slip some Sally Hanson spray tan in her Christmas stocking. It’s super cheap and super reliable. Be sure to look out for it on special offer and nab yourself a tanning mitt to wrap up with it.

LUSH CHRISTMAS BATH BOMBS:

Lush are well known for all their fabulous handmade cosmetic products and their Christmas stock is no exception. All that glitters may not be gold, but most of what glitters is contained in these lush bombs. Bubbly, sparkly, and they smell so, well, lush. Available in a wide range of fragrances and Christmas designs. The perfect buy for anyone who loves a good bubble bath.

TED BAKER MENS’ MINI HANGING CHRISTMAS GIFT SET:

Buying a fragrance for someone else can be a nightmare. Especially if you’re not completely sure what they usually wear. This Ted baker gift set (available in Debenhams) solves that problem for you. Containing four small samples of Ted Baker’s top fragrances, the man in your life can choose his new signature scent. Hey presto that’s his birthday secretly sorted now too.

REAL TECHNIQUE’S BRUSH SET:

SOAP AND GLORY ‘DAILY DOUBLE’ GIFT SET:

A bit more expensive than the other products on this list, but these brushes are definitely worth the extra few bob. For €28.99 the kit includes four coverage essentials: a detailer brush, pointed foundation brush, buffing brush and contour brush. All great value considering the fantastic quality of this product.

This set for men includes a shower gel and body spray. For only ten euro this is the perfect “secret santy” present for that classmate you really don’t know what to get. Its quirky packaging is typical of the Soap and Glory brand. If anything the blurb on the back of the packaging will make them giggle in the shower.

WINTER DRESS 101: What’s in on the high street this party-dress season By Rebecca Fisher and Heather Robinson It’s the season of giving and what’s a better gift than a guide to help you look amazing every time you leave the house for a night out? Here at Sin we know that everyone is different and it’s impossible for us to suit just one body type -so don’t fret, we won’t confuse you with all that pear-shaped and apple fruity body-type jargon. If you are… HEAVIER ON TOP:

The idea is to slim down the appearance of wide shoulders or a bigger bust so all the attention must go on your waist and hips. Embellished and A-line skirts are huge this season. Tulle skirts have also made an enormous appearance and should never be over looked. They are classy and feminine and are adaptable between nights out, fancy parties and casual Saturday wear. V-necked tops in a simple block colour like white or black will match perfectly and you’ll never be out of style. HEAVIER ON THE BOTTOM:

It’s almost the same as before except now the focus must be on the top half of your body. Structured shoulders and bejewelled tops will enhance your upper half and even out your body. Try to keep the bottom half as simple as possible. Varying and riskier necklines are huge this season so you have the opportunity to play up your look with minimal effort while still flattering your shape. It’s all about placement with prints and embellishment; try something out of your comfort zone to really enhance your upper half.

in a Christmas jumper

By Ciarán Bissett Winter is coming and with that comes a few undeniable novelties. God awful Trip-Hop and House remixes and renditions of Frank Loesser’s ‘Baby it’s Cold Outside’, the demise of summer perks like not wearing socks or forgetting your jacket, the inability to take any action whatsoever on plans you had made for the warmer months such as: hosting a BBQ, wearing white pants to said BBQ, fishing, Frisbee and essentially living out a Budweiser ad. Yet, despite any and all relevance these winter traits may beare, the most important, noticeable, life-changing, society-challenging, government-defying, decadent, stick-it-to-the-man way to do winter is: the Christmas jumper. The Christmas jumper dates back to a simpler time: a time of grandmothers and open fires; a time when only those who knew the unconditional love of an elderly woman could feel snuggled in style. Flash forward to the 21st century and the loneliest sap in the quietest part of town, in the emptiest flat can sport the latest in snuggle-wear. High street shops from Topman as far as River Island and even Brown Thomas have been caught out stocking a few cheeky bobbles and fairy lights decorated jumpers.

FOR EVERYONE:

sounds fine and dandy? A Christmas miracle even to be exposed to as many 3D pictures of Rudolph one could possibly handle, hanging out of your knitwear. Or even better; pictures of Santa Clause having trouble jumping down the chimney and to no surprise, his exposed his arse. Hilarious. See, this is dangerous territory ladies and gentlemen. Don’t be the guy snatching attention from the strobe lights of the Electric dance floor because the fairy lights on your chest are burning brighter, flashing quicker and singing ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ when you squeeze Rudolph’s nose. This year, go for class over crass and personally, I would steer clear of lights and sound effects. River Island can be consistently counted on to stock nice, smart-casual knitwear and come mid to late November, a few bobbles here and there. On visiting Topman, one might take a brave step into classic manhood and attempt the Turtle Neck and Overcoat image, currently a flagship style for the store. These jumpers look more like winter-themed jumpers as opposed to the Christmas jumpers wrapped in silliness and merriment that the likes of Born, who do the odd budget jumper, might stock. Topman jumpers are often covered in knitted snowflakes and lacking that ‘Granny-Effect’ one often craves in one’s snuggle-wear for the gruelling trek between 12 saloons, pubs, bars or taverns in late November, or for the outdoorsman who prefers to do their assignments outside (this is not advised; your knitwear will stink if exposed to too much rain and if you fail to heed this warning and venture to the ironically bright darkside of fairy lights and tinsel, you may get electrocuted). To conclude, don’t fear the Christmas jumper embrace it with tastefulness a n d b ravery. You will thank yourself when creeping on your own Facebook as you work through the ritual-like steps of procrastinating when preparing for exams and catch a glimpse of yourself looking the bee’s knees, sporting the latest in high street snuggle-wear. Don’t miss out on the small window of opportunity to turn a few heads in your morning lectures. Trust me; it is worth the few euros and slight embarrassment.

Sparkle is an essential part of any festive look and with the way the high street is looking this season you will be spoiled for choice. Deep jewel tones such as royal blue and emerald green are huge for A/W and flatter that pale Irish palette A l l perfectly. Another seasonal staple is Velvet; it adds a touch of texture and luxury to simple look ‘Tis the season to be jolly and an and feels fabulous to wear. excuse to wear ridiculously festive If you prefer to reser ve jumpers! Here at Sin we love a good Christyour sparkle for your mas Jumper, the cheesier the better – so show jewellery, ‘20s-esque us yours! Post a picture of your Christmas head pieces a r e l o o kwoollies on either Facebook, Instagram or ing highly favourable. Twitter using the hashtag #SinXmasThe most important Jumpers and you could feature on part of a party look is feeling our website Sin.ie. Happy comfortable and c onfi dent. Pick snapping! and choose which elements work for you and don’t be afraid to step outside of the box. The festive season is a prime time to try out something daring and (jingle bell) rock your heart out while looking like a million bucks.

#SinXmasJumpers

present future

THE SU PAGE

NUI GALWAY TALKS

By Megan Reilly This week I sat down to interview friend and third year student Kealan, about his experience of a difficult time in his life, and how he sought help. Here is what he shared with me. Kealan tells me that all of this started during second year, when he began suffering panic attacks and episodes of rage. According to him, one night he found his mind so over-occupied with these issues that he almost stepped out in front of a car by accident. It was affecting his studies negatively as well and in his own words “I nearly failed second year because of it.” These events were enough to make him realise that he needed help. Kealan sought help in the counselling service here on campus and his own GP. The counselling centre provided him with ongoing sessions to work on the issues at hand, while his GP prescribed medication for the panic attacks. He tells me that now he feels ‘perfect’ and how the university was accommodating and gave him an extension because of his circumstances, which allowed him to pass and progress to third year. So when I ask him about advice he would bestow on other people, he has plenty to offer: Don’t just rely on one service, he says, there are a range of services out there that will all be able to provide you with the help you need. If you’re uncomfortable with going to a new GP consider getting in contact with your GP at home. And don’t be afraid to switch GP if you are not

satisfied with your current one for whatever reason, he did this and said it was a great decision. He also says it’s all about managing the stresses of life, and once you have the measures in place to get better, avoid the things you know will stress you out, or at least try to cut down on them. It’s important to think of you. Lastly, Kealan has been active with the TaeKwon-Do club for a while now and informs me that it really helped him in so many ways to get to the place he’s in now. So the moral of this story is to seek the help you need. We have four go-to services on campus for mental health issues that are listed below. And if you’re going through something but are worries about approaching these services, why not bring a friend? Or talk to a friend about how you feel. Remember this above all; talking is a sign of strength. CHAPLAINCY CENTRE ST. DECLAN'S 6 Distillery Road, E-mail: chaplainsnuigalway.ie NUIG COUNSELLING 091 - 492484 counselling@nuigalway.ie THE HEALTH UNIT Aras na mac léinn 091492604 AOIFE NÍ SHÚILLEABHÁN Welfare officer su.welfare@nuigalway.ie 091 492747

22 LIFESTYLE Ground Zero By John Brennan “Why do we fall down Bruce? So we can get back up” – Thomas Wayne (Batman’s auld lad) Everything that has a beginning has an end. It is with a heavy heart that I lay my eyes upon the sink strewn with the stray remnants of my once vociferous beard. Yes, my beard was loud. It’s like returning to the scene of a brutal murder. The pangs of loss, guilt and vulnerability come in waves, ebbing at my fractured confidence. Where do I begin to rebuild, where do I start? I have lost my beard, and to an extent my identity. With my last article I offered the scant morsels of knowledge that were contained within my fallen furry friend. Alas, those of you still on the righteous path buoy me with a sense of indescribable hope. As we all know, a beard during the exams generally raises grades. The more full-bodied, manlier and hairier a beard is,

the higher the grade you’ll grant yourself in the exams you’re facing into. The beard, like the brain, has the capacity to store information. Festive beards are the enemy of banality. Besides the heat, the similarity between yourself and old St. Nick means that you’ll be suitably clad for the harshest months of the year with academic ammunition to destroy those pesky exams and be suitably clad for Yuletide. We are in the depths of winter, peppered with dreary the monotonous drizzle only Galway can conjure. I have hacked and carved up the hairy scarf I had spent several months nurturing like a babe in incubation. It has taken years off me, but is growing back a pace that can only be described as breakneck. It had become so engrained in my identity that I thought the beard and I were one. That it was an extension of my face. I now sit aghast, facing a judgemental mirror, sneering in cold silence. This is an existential crisis of sorts, the like of which I have never known. ‘Regret’ is a word that becomes more irksome than anything you’ll ever know. It is embodied in my face. I’ve spent the last few weeks being informed of how different I look as I’ve had my lack of beard observed by well -intentioned peons.

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 6

Hair grows. Hair grows. Hair grows. No amount of heel-clicking or reassuring myself that there is no place like (bearded) home will change any of this. The beard is dead. Long live the beard. In essence, we ain’t in Kansas anymore Toto. It’s time to step up and begin the beard process from ground zero. Do not stray from the path I have set you on. I have fallen into non-bearded darkness. Your beard should be more than capable of fending for itself at this stage, pay forward the knowledge I have bestowed on you all, irrespective of levels of beard. The knowledge is within you. Incite this beard revolution as we hijack winter and remould it in our new bearded image. A beard isn’t an image, it’s a lifestyle you embrace and should you fall from the proverbial horse, pick yourself back up, dust yourself and get back up. No one is here to lift you up on their shoulders, unless you’re friends

with the Ser Sandor Clegane that is. It’s not a coincidence he has a beard by the way. I am growing out my beard again. I must retrace the steps I’ve laid out for you, many of you are infinitely beardier than babyfaced self at the moment; you must look to yourself for inspiration. You have become more than I could ever have dreamed you would become. When I return in the New Year I will be back to my bearded loquacious self. Advice will flow like the Ganges. I will be a better role model to my bearded brethren. Have a wonderful Christmas, haul ass in the exams and may your New Year’s resolution be for a bountiful beard. All this will come to pass. 2015 will be the year of the beard. The Yeard. Get ready. @Jbrennan88 How's your beard growing so far? Tweet us a photo with the hashtag #Sinbeards and show us your festive face.

F.A.O John Brennan (AKA the Beard Man) - "To Beard or not To Beard?" Most Almighty Beard Man, We would like to commend you on your efforts at making NUIG a better, beardier place to be. Although unable to grow beards ourselves, due to our dysfunctional facial follicles and lack of testosterone, we are avid beard activists who wish to encourage the male species to be more comfortable and warm in their natural bearded state. Your column has changed our lives and the lives of the many other beard enthusiasts in hiding around campus. Every fortnight, I (one of the two writing to you) channel your Holy Beardiness into a dramatic reading of the Word of the Beard. I like to think that you’d enjoy these readings as a tribute to the Beard; the ever-growing and enraptured audience of the Hub definitely do in any case. Our devotion to Your Beardiness is unparalleled. We spread the Word of the Beard as you dictate it to us every fortnight. We encourage all men (and the occasional blessed woman) to embrace their glorious facial hair, in accordance with your teachings. We are writing to you then, in the throes of our grief, to ask you, Most Holy Bearded Man... WHY? Why when we have done you no wrong, do you deny us the Beard in this most cold wintery month of November? You say that this is a protest against the wrongful cultivation of beards in relation to charity. Yet I do not believe you understand the true ramifications of your actions. How can you justify unleashing this mayhem? Without the Guardian Beard to guide and light us on our path, who is to say what is right and what is wrong?

We cannot describe our despair upon reading your intentions. I was momentarily incapacitated as I attempted to understand the Divine Intent of your Beardiness, yet nothing seemed to make my imminent task of delivering this most heartbreaking news to your followers any easier. That the hair would be taken from us is one thing… But the Beard? THE BEARD? What should we call you now Almighty Beardiness? Your Holy Baldiness? Baldilocks? Dr.Evil? Sir Patrick Stewart? Humpty Dumpty? Baldy Spears? Baldemort? As sudden as the influence of the Beard came into our lives, it left us. And now we are as barren as the face that once bore such glory. We await (like your face) for the return of the warmth and security once provided by the Beard to come to us once more. So we are writing to urge you, Our Beardiness, to reconsider. Or if you have already carried out this heinous crime, to assure you that our support is unwavering. We understand the need for sacrifice. We understand that this is a test of our true devotion, to weed us out from those wispy haired atrocities that attempt the sin that is Movember…. We will await the second coming of the beard. This is the Word of the Beard. Thanks be to Beard. Yours in Beardiness, The Beardloved To see the Bearded One's response to his followers, visit www.sin.ie/thebeardloved

LIFESTYLE 23

November 24 2014

RETRO REWIND The Great Depression By Áine Leech and Fiona Lynch

MAKE-UP:

This week we are taking you back to the 1930s for some inspiration for the party season. The 1930s is often referred to as ‘The Great Depression’. However there is nothing depressing about the fashion from, or inspired by that era. Fur trimmings, warm golden brown tones,

and matching floral pieces; the 1930s was full of glamour. The hemlines got longer, yet still remained feminine, as all pieces from the era. All these looks are available in local Galway stores, nab them quick for your perfect Christmas day outfit!

OPSH Styling Event with Justine King

FACE: Just like the 20s, matte and full coverage

with circular, bright rosey blush on the apples of the cheeks. EYES: Circular and rounded in shape with warm winter-y colours. Add a shimmery shade in the centre for added dimension. Brows were typically kept very thin. LIPS: Use a dark red and define the cupid's bow like the 20s; keep the lip line sharp at the outer corners.

By Jane Kearns

RETRO REWIND PRODUCT LIST: 1, 2, 3 and 4 from Miss Selfridge 5. Topshop 6. Topshop 7. Born Clothing 8. Born Clothing 9. Topshop

On October 29 Style Soc welcomed Irish owned company Opsh.com to NUI Galway; a new online company founded by Jennie, Sarah and Grace McGinn. Opsh aims to revolutionise online shopping by bringing together some of the most popular High St shops into one sleek, easy to navigate place. Apart from the McGinn sisters Opsh. com is also home to stylist Justine King, who presented a workshop and styling session to Style Soc. In a comprehensive and very informative discussion, Justine gave attendees advice and insight into how to dress for your shape and skin tone, how to incorporate trends into your wardrobe and general information on styling and fashion. However the most interesting part of her discussion involved Justine detailing her impressive career that led her to become part of Opsh and her best advice to succeed in the intensely competitive fashion industry.

Having worked her way up from being an unpaid intern to being a stylist on TV3’s Xpose and a regular stylist for the Irish Independent Weekend Magazine, Justine told Style Soc that to succeed in the business you need to work hard, be prepared to work for free, accept that you will get a lot of rejection letters and be prepared to blag your way into shoots and shows from time to time. Giving some helpful hints and tips on how to get an internship in New York and how to go about making it as a freelance stylist, Justine was definitely motivating and inspirational for any aspiring stylist. The session also included some insight into what Opsh really aims to do, it’s a site that is here to change the way we shop online and so far it seems to be doing just that. The McGinns and Justine hope to expand Opsh with more retailers and make the site as big a name as other online stores such as ASOS.com, and prove that you can have a successful fashion career in Ireland.

Style Spotter ORLA MORAN

BOOTS: Timberland COAT: River Island JEANS: River Island SHIRT AND SCARF: Penneys LAST PURCHASE: Blue shirt from Penneys

YETUNDE SULAIMAN

CLAIRE FLYNN

COAT AND SCARF: Penneys SHOES: Dune DRESS: H&M BAG: Zara LAST PURCHASE: Metallic gold

JEANS AND TOP: Topshop BOOTS: River Island JACKET: Zara LAST PURCHASE: Halloween

skirt from River Island

FAVOURITE ONLINE SHOP: Folkster

contact lenses and scarf

JOE KELLY

SHOES: Logues JEANS AND JUMPER: Pull and Bear SHIRT: John Rocha FAVOURITE SHOP: Topman MOST EXPENSIVE FASHION ITEM I BOUGHT: Suit

24â&#x20AC;&#x201A; ENTERTAINMENT The Drop By Ken Glennon Another Dennis Lehane adaptation merges in the appealing form of the star-studded Brooklyn drama, which includes James Gandolfiniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s final on-screen performance. Based on a short story of Lehaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entitled Animal Rescue, Bullhead director MichaĂŤl R. Roskamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s American dĂŠbut is an engrossing drama that intimately explores its tale of small time crooks. Eschews the grandiosity of previous Lehane works on film (of those Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen Mystic River and Shutter Island), this latest work features Tom Hardy as Bob, a kind, seemingly straightforward man who works in a bar owned by his cousin Marv (Gandolfini). Marv used to be a neighbourhood tough guy before Cheechen mobsters muscled him into giving up his bar as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the dropâ&#x20AC;?, a temporary holding place for their dirty money. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They pressed, you blinkedâ&#x20AC;Ś itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been over for a while now,â&#x20AC;? Bob informs his cousin, yearning for a taste of his wise-guy halcyon days. What sets most of the plot into motion is Bobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chance discovery of a brutally beaten pit-bull pup, left in a bin outside a waitressâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; house. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s played by Noomi Rapace, following The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Dead

Man Down with another nuanced piece of damaged goods. Everyone has a past and her progressive dynamic with Hardy, whose Bob is disarmingly lost when confronted with responsibility for the pup in his care is oddly sweet. They tip toe around a growing fondness and their subtly developed rapport is indicative of Lehaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carefully textured screenplay. This relationship brings into play the dogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s abusive former owner and Rapaceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unhinged ex, played with underlying ferocity by Matthias Schoenaerts (doing a mind bogglingly good take on a Brooklyn accent in his second language). Like everyone else in Roskamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s film heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well cast, bringing a sincere blend of lunacy and strange tenderness to a psychologically damaged bully. Also on hand is a cop played by John Ortiz who recognises Bob from their local Catholic church. Guilt, past sins and their resulting price haunt The Drop, within which Bobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dutiful church visits are firmly established. Such interest in these characters, buoyed by the world class ensemble, elevates The Drop above what might have otherwise been a rote crime procedural. I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mentioned the five thousand dollars stolen from Marvâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bar which is, in its way as important to the story as Bob finding the battered pup. Those separate acts, one a choice the other an accident, shape every-

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oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fate in this story. The outcomes of both carry plenty of dramatic weight but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lehaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dialogue, which feels of a piece with the environment and the performances behind it that make every interaction, be it a brief interlude of Ortitz cop interviewing a random barfly or a heavyweight showdown between Hardy and Schoenaerts compelling. Consider the attention given to Gandolfiniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s character and his sister (Ann Dowd); an element which here takes time looking into a main characterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home life that serves as

The Canal By Tom Garavan The Canal is a movie that seemed to slip under the radar for many. However, it seems to be an Irish try at the recent horror hit The Babadook. Filmed in Dublin during the summer of 2013, writer and director, Ivan Kavanaghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Canal is a nice addition to the Irish film scene. It received funding from the Irish Film Board and stars Rupert Evans, who some may recognize as Hellboyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tag-along buddy, John Myers. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on 18 April. The story focuses on film archivist David (Evans). After receiving a film reel of a murder investigation that, surprise-surprise, involves the house he currently lives in. Things start to get a bit spooky. Add in the fact David is paranoid that his wife, Alice (played by Hannah Hoekstra) is having an affair, we have a nice little recipe for a horror/thriller here. The film develops at a nice pace, some may consider it a little tedious, but much like the recent Babadook, this film needs investment to get all that can be taken from it.

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 6

both relevant plot set-up but also meaningful character detail. Likewise the economic use of the police detective, which in another film could just be a token cop role, here serves to highlight a key aspect of who Bob is as well as the films central preoccupations with guilt and sins. As these various charactersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fates elegantly intertwine the skill and craft in front of and behind the camera serves up an intimate, consistently riveting character piece that sits comfortably with the more epically inclined Lehane adaptations.

You can actually draw a lot of parallels with this film and the Aussie hit. We have the erratic and possibly insane parent figure David and the child thrown into the mix. Calum Heath who plays Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son Billy, doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give a performance as hitting (possibly irritating) as Noah Wiseman in Jennifer Kentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s horror; he performs well for someone so young. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but see this as an Irish alternative to The Babadook. However, if thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one thing I prefer out of the two, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the ending to The Canal. It actually offers some sort of closure, as opposed to the very vague ending in The Babadook. Evans also does a fantastic job portraying his descent into chaos. A scene involving him and Antonia Campbell-Hughes, who plays Billyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s babysitter, is borderline disturbing as he descends into a hysterical frenzy. Overall I definitely recommend checking out this film. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nice to see more Irish films emerging, especially in the horror genre (although this could also be classed as a psychological thriller, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a rant for another day). If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for something along the psychological-horror lines, give this one a shot.

Cork Film Festival Review: Standby By Jane Kearns

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Irish film is getting better and more universally appealing; this was never more apparent than at the opening weekend of the 59th Cork Film Festival which showcased a plethora of fantastic Irish-made films, the best of which came in the form of a romantic comedy called Standby. Written by Pierce Ryan and directed by brothers Ronan and Rob Burke, Standby, which premiered at the film festival, is a film that has the innate ability to entice both Irish and international audiences. Alan (Brian Gleeson) is a dissatisfied tourist adviser living in Dublin with his father. He works in Dublin Airport and leads quite a listless life answering inane questions and pointing out where airport departures are; that is until Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day when an old flame unexpectedly comes to his desk looking for accommodation while her flight is on standby. Alice (Jessica Pare) was Alanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s summer love eight years previous; the pair met in New York but their romance came to an untimely end when Alanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s student visa ran out. In a seizethe-day moment, Alan invites Alice to spend the night with him catching up and enjoying the nightlife that Dublin has to offer.

The pair spends the night exploring Dublin, moving from the mundane of the main streets and bars to the surprises that clubs, house parties and even weddings have to offer on a night out. Bearing similarities to Richard Linklaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Before Trilogy, Standby presents two likable characters that are obviously meant to be together, however Ryan injects plenty of Irish wit and self-depreciation into the film which gives it a much more light-hearted and fun feel. Gleeson and Pare as the leads are fantastic; Alan is typically Irish â&#x20AC;&#x201C; witty, cautious and generally underwhelmed by his home town. Alice on the other hand is more vivacious, inquisitive and charming, the two have a wonderful chemistry and circle each other well, moving from annoyance to awkwardness to attraction often in the same scene. Directing, the Burke brothers use Dublin perfectly as the backdrop for this should be romance. They make the city look energetic and full of possibilities in spite of the fact that the running gag is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Is this all there is to do in Dublin?â&#x20AC;? Both the city and the characters are vibrant and engaging in Standby, a thoroughly fun and heart-warming Irish romantic comedy.

ENTERTAINMENT 25

November 24 2014

N TE THE BEAT

By Jessica Thompson This week is the last week of the semester, excluding study week and exams, so why not soak up some of the great live music happening in town before disappearing into a cave to study and experience the wonder of sleep deprivation? There’s plenty of music events going on in Galway’s various venues and two such events are the Raglans in the Roisin Dubh on 27 November, and Ultan Conlon in Kelly’s on 28 November.

The Raglans are a fourpiece band, which started when singer Ste and bassist Rhos met at a festival a couple of years ago. “Next thing we knew, we were playing gigs and people were coming to see us. It all happened real fast. We released our debut album this year and have been gigging and touring all over Ireland, the UK and Europe since. Life is good,” the guys said. With a variety of influences from indie to folk, punk to rock, there’s bound to be something for everyone in the mix.

“We’re a live band, so we’ve always been into music that’s energetic. We’ll listen to anything and try anything. If it sticks, happy days; if not, we’ll move on.” Other things that influence the band are people, life, times and places – so anything they come across is turned into music. Since the band formed in 2010, Raglans have undergone a huge rise in popularity, which has taken them from gig-opening favourites in Dublin to garnering widespread recognition across the UK as special guests to international acts such as The Courteeners, Haim and The Libertines in a sold-out Hyde Parke. This summer alone, they have performed at Electric Picnic, Sea Sessions, Latitude, Indiependence, Redfest, Deershed and Camden Rocks to name but a few.

Damien Rice: My Favourite Faded Fantasy By John Brennan Damien Rice released his first standalone album in eight years recently. It is for all intents and purposes a polished exemplary semiacoustic masterpiece. In the intervening eight years he has floated between obscurity and irrelevance. Yet, he returns with the panache and softly spoken power you’d expect from the man who penned the likes of ‘Rootless Tree’, ‘Cannonball’ and ‘ The Blowers Daughter’. My Fav our ite Faded Fantasy opens with the eponymous title track. It is soft, irreverent and beautiful. It’s gentle and coaxes the listener into delving deeper into this album. Rick Rubin has worked his magic here, taking the reclusive Kildare man to new heights. It’s magical stuff. ‘It takes a lot to know a man’ ups the ante with a melodramatic nine-minute odyssey of a sadness and regret. It’s delicately poised and controlled. Whisper quiet and wistful in parts, it’s an emotional spectrum of sorts, slow and teasing but never dull.

‘The greatest bastard’ is an ode to Lisa Hannigan and the breakdown of their personal and professional relationship. It’s raw, frank and honest. Beyond that, it’s just simply stunning. Damien is still in parts, trapped in his self-depreciating lyrical woe, but it’s genuinely compulsive listening. The fourth track ‘I don’t want to change you’ is a song built upon crescendos. His lyrics are kinder than before here, there is undoubtedly an undercurrent of longing flowing through the album and it’s never clearer than on this track. This is a simply gorgeous track. At this stage the album reaches its halfway point. ‘Colour me in’ harkens back to the days of O with a powerfully withdrawn vocal-driven masterpiece, slowly building towards a wonderfully orchestrated climax. ‘All these useless dreams of living ’ captures the tone here; it’s a Damien Rice album after all. You shouldn’t be expecting sunshine and daisies. ‘The Box’ is one of the

strongest tracks on the album and undoubtedly shows glimpses of 9 and some of his B-Sides too. It’s a melancholy lyric-driven song, it’s thought-provoking in that it gives great insight to the man as opposed to the performer. Ultimately it’s a great song laden with crescendos and crashes. ‘ Trusty and True’ is a fantastic song too; the album is full of them. It’s got a bleak positivity about it with a real Irish feel to it. His voice really shines through here as he seems determined to let go of the past; “We can’t take back what is done, what is past, so let us start from here”. ‘Long Long Way’ sees the album culminate with a defiant bang. It’s surprisingly uplifting for a Damien Rice song – gentle in parts, loud and persuasive in others. Overall My Favourite Faded Fantasy is a frankly breath-taking album and arguably one of the best to come from an Irish artist in the last few years. A simply stunning return to form, he has crafted an album of astonishing depth.

Raglans and Ultan Conlon to perform Galway gigs But, naturally, Galway is one of those places that stay in their memories. “We’ve done a few gigs in Galway over the last couple of years. It’s great – lots of people who are up for a good time and lots of cool venues. What more could you ask for?” And the guys show no sign of stopping with plans to keep gigging in 2015; “We started

this band to play gigs and travel and so far that’s what we’ve been doing, so we’re just gonna keep going!” Raglans will perform live at the Roisin Dubh on Thursday 27 November. Tickets are €12. Show starts at 9pm. Another artist worthy of your time this week is Ultan Conlon. With two studio albums, three EPs and a feature film soundtrack and score under his belt, Ultan is a rising star in the music industry. “I’ve been playing and writing songs since I was in my early teens and have never managed to stop,” he said. And he shows no signs of stopping yet with plans to gig as much as possible in the new year when he will also be recording new songs; “my favourite part of all”. Galway-based Ultan recorded his latest album

Songs of Love so Cruel in Yellow Arch Studios, Sheffield with Richard Hawley and Colin Elliot. In 2006, he played in a two-piece harmony band called ‘Ultan John’ with Galway-based singer/songwriter John Conneely. To top it all off, one of his songs, ‘Really Gone’ was recorded by “the legendary” John Martyn, an also featured in Songs for Amy, a feature film for which Ultan recorded the soundtrack and co-composed the score with Galway guitarist Eoin McCann. Things never seem to stop for Ultan who is influenced by anything and everything; “My main influence comes form songs I hear. I don’t care who wrote them; if I like them, they influence me.” Ultan will perform upstairs in Kelly’s on Friday 28 November. Tickets cost €10. Doors open at 9pm.

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EVERY NIGHT music you love, music you love to hate and all your guilty pleasures With gugai & Ted

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26 ENTERTAINMENT Review: TimeRiders By Tomás M. Creamer On 6 November this year, the TimeRiders series came to a close when the ninth and final entry to the series, The Infinity Cage, hit the bookshelves. If you haven’t heard of TimeRiders, don’t worry – It seems to be relatively common, although quite unfortunate, because the books have a lot to offer. The series revolves around three main characters. There’s Liam O’Connor, a sixteenyear-old from Cork who never managed to get a lifeboat off the Titantic, Madeline “Maddy” Carter, a young woman from Boston who was on a plane that was blown up by terrorists, and Saleena “Sal” Vikram, a young girl from Mumbai who was trapped in a burning building with her parents in 2026. Instead of dying, all these teenagers were saved at the last minute by a mysterious man, who recruited them to work in a secret agency, based in New York in September, 2001. Their job? To make sure that time travellers

from the future do not end up changing the present by messing around in the past. Besides a time machine, a super-powerful computer, and a genetically-engineered cyborg called Bob, these three teenagers only have their wits at their disposal to ensure that no idiots from the past changes the future in another direction from where it is destined to go, for good or for bad. Time travel is admittedly pretty cliché at this stage in fiction in general. Many people might have expected some happy-clappy series about three teenagers having a blast trawling through whatever period of time takes their fancy. However, they couldn’t be more wrong. Environmentalism and climate change is, strangely enough, arguably the dominant theme throughout the series in general. It seems that, in the future according to the book, humanity is destined to be the victim of global climate change and resource over-consumption, for which they themselves are responsible.

And it is from that context that most of the “villains” are spawned, as they desperately attempt to escape into the past in order to change the future for the better (or at least their version of a better world). The series in general does give a very gloomy picture of the future of humanity, more so than what you’d expect from typical young adult books. However, this also gives the series an ethical depth that is largely missing from much of popular fiction today. That’s not to say that the book is just a boring rant about environmentalism. Far from it. The main characters are engaging, and many of the once-off characters are also quite well-developed. The short chapters, which often switch between different times and places, give the books an addictively fast pace. And they often have the action that goes handin-hand with that fast-paced style. All nine titles of the TimeRiders series are available in most good bookshops – and if you are struggling for a Christmas gift, you could do worse than start off with the first book in the TimeRiders series.

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 6

Special Collections Lunchtime Series The Special Collections Lunchtime Lectures Series 2014/5 will continue on Wednesday 2 December with “Marginal errors: marking books” by Dr Rebecca Anne Barr or the English Department. In a university library, the traces of other users are hard to miss. Despite librarians’ warnings, university books are often littered with comment, annotations, underlin-

ing and even neon highlights. Yet in the field of book history, the study of marginalia has become one of the most exciting and lively areas of research, with scholars recovering reading practices and individual readers from the notes and signs, even drawings, left in printed books. This talk will look at some examples of annotation, mar-

Predator

Sin's poetry competition winner

By Sarah Kinneen He’s a ladies man A straight-talking sharp-shooting woman thriller He scours the room Patient like a wolf killer A straight-talking sharp-shooting woman thriller White legs flash like flesh Patient like a wolf killer He waits with warm breath

He waits with warm breath For a moment to strike, his lunar eclipse He can tell from her eyes and the way she licks her lips A princess, trapped, in a black dress For a moment to strike, his lunar eclipse Behind the nightclub dumpster after dusk

A princess, trapped, in a black dress Pinned down in the dust Behind the nightclub dumpster after White legs flash like flesh dusk He can tell from her eyes and the way Although he likes her best in red she licks her lips Pinned down in the dust

ginalia, and marking in the NUI Galway’s Henry Library Collection, and explore the potential value of marks on books, asking what marginalia might tell us about books and their readers. Some Henry Library material will be on display during the talk. All are welcome to the G011 Seminar Room in the Hardiman Building at 1pm.

He leaves her kissing a distant memory Although he likes her best in red She’s clothed in the shadows of the dark street He leaves her kissing a distant memory A feeble farewell to all that she knows She’s clothed in the shadows of the dark street Her skin still crawling, haunted by his hold He’s a ladies man A straight-talking sharp-shooting woman thriller He scours the room Patient like a wolf killer

SASSI (Student Activity and Sport Study Ireland survey)

Prize for the first 603 replies! NUI Galway Students - we need your help in this National Survey of 41 Institutions! There will be random prizes for the first 603 returned surveys. There will be a draw for an overall prize of a LAPTOP which will take place after 28th November for all who returned their survey.

JOIN A CLUB! Any Day!

Any Time!

Best of all it’s

FREE!!!! Download our EVENTR APP or come in to the SPORTS UNIT in the Kingfisher Building to find out more! For Club news and calendar go to Www.clubs.nuigalway.ie We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the best of luck in your Exams & we wish you a very Happy Christmas! From All the staff in the Sports Unit! We will see you on 15th January 2015 for Clubs Day - keep an eye out for further details… PS: To book the Cages during Dec –Jan! Contact 086 1772589

Please log on to the link below as soon as possible to complete the survey and help the development of Sport and Health! Please take a few minutes to complete this survey. It’s incredibly important to the direction of Health, Recreational Activity and Sport in your institution. It’s about you having a say. If you take part in activity great and if you don’t let us know why! Please complete before Friday 28th November. To complete the activity survey go to this link! https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/nuig1

28 SPORT

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 6

CONNACHT ON THE RISE Eleven years ago fans of Connacht Rugby took to the streets to protest against the proposed shutting down of the club to save costs. Back then, Connacht were seen as a development side and only received half the funding that the other Irish provinces received. Fast forward to the present day and the 5,000-6,000 fans that attend the Sportsground every home match can be thankful for that protest. With every year since, their status within Irish and European rugby increases and the IRFU has realised that and this year increased their funding by €1 million. It has been a much needed investment for Connacht to step up to compete with the other Irish clubs. Having the smallest playing population of all the provinces, it has been more difficult for them. Despite this, they have a growing fan base and there has been much interest in them over the past number of years. This year in particular has seen a change of fate for Connacht. The start made to the PRO12 league had pundits taking note in particular of Darragh Leader, Nathan White, Rodney Ah You and Robbie Henshaw, who all earned call ups for Ireland’s recent Autumn Internationals.

It was an impressive start to the league with three hard fought out victories against the Newport Dragons, Edinburgh and Leinster – the two latter victories being just scraped by a point, showing a resilience and determination not exhibited before. Pat Lam seemingly had his bedding in period and had got these players playing to their full potential, but there was signs that there was still a bit of work to be done in their 39-21 loss to the Glasgow Warriors, especially defensively, where there were far too many metres gained by the Scots. A more disciplined performance from Lam’s men in the next game earned them a draw against the Cardiff Blues, but fans had reason to be disappointed with two converted tries being given away in the last 20 minutes of the match; the inexperience of seeing out games obviously being shown. Two routine wins against Treviso and La Rochelle followed and going into the European Challenge Cup game against Exeter,

there was a degree of optimism and a lot of excitement. It was a hard fought performance from Connacht, but the class of the English club prevailed and now Connacht face a tough task to qualify for the next round, as they need to pick up bonus points along the way. As for the PRO12 league, they sit firmly in mid table and look to be competing for one of those European Champions Cup places, if they can just turn those impressive performances into results. As usual, it’s a case of if for the nearly men, who have always fought hard throughout the years, but are only starting to see the results now. Even if they don’t make the Champions Cup, hopefully this will be the season that people remember as the start of something great for Connacht Rugby. For this to happen, Connacht will of course need to keep their best players. Key is keeping the services of Robbie Henshaw. The Athlone man’s performance against the

Springboks showed that he is in the same class as the likes of Jean De Villiers, who he was up against at inside centre. In years gone by, Henshaw would be been carted off to Leinster at the first opportunity. Given Henshaw’s undoubted class, this may still happen, but the feeling is that things are changing in Irish Rugby. Leinster are still top dogs, but the gap between the other three is closing fast. A huge part of this has been the success of the Connacht Academy, which has produced players like Henshaw, Kieran Marmion and recent NUI Galway graduate Darragh Leader. The efficiency of the underage structure is light years ahead of Munster’s, in particular, and is a solid building block for the future. One thing is for sure though, they are a side that are on the rise and under the guidance of Pat Lam and a bit more funding, it might not be too long before we see Connacht making a similar impact to the other Irish clubs in the PRO12 and in Europe.

NUI Galway Ladies scare high flying UCD

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UCD’s women are currently the top Irish University team and are paving the way in women’s soccer. They will be odds on favourites at this year’s Irish Intervarsities, but the NUI Galway ladies certainly put it up the away team, when they travelled to Dublin for their latest league game. It was clear from the outset that the away side were fully focused and prepared for this game, as they took the lead inside the opening 10 minutes. After some neat passing from winger Rachel Keyes and right-back Nina Stromizzle, the ball fell to exchange student Rebeka Ausbrook and she finished with aplomb to make it 1-0, after a lung-bursting run through the middle. Throughout this half, Maebh Coleman made an excellent woman-marking job on Irish International Ciara Grant from her customary defensive midfield position. On the left side of midfield, Eimear Foley linked up dangerously with excellent defender Sarah Peters and multiple chances were created from that side of the pitch. UCD gradually gained the upper hand in the game as they went back to basics to try and break down the Galway defence. Through playing very simple football, UCD banged in three goals before half time. They were sloppy goals to concede from a Galway point of view, with two of them from set pieces.

The NUI Galway ladies knew they had to take some risks for the second half and so they switched to playing two up front. The Galway women showed no fear of the renowned Dublin side as the ever present captain Jennifer Byrne, defender Morgan Rath and final year student Tessa Mullins broke up the play and powerfully urged their team forward. A fascinating 45 minutes of football ensued with Paula McGrory setting up the talented Kate Ruble to pull back the deficit early on. UCD’s class showed in the end though, with two unstoppable long distance strikes finding the Aisling Hanley’s net. NUI Galway keeper Hanley was certainly was not at fault for any of the 5 home goals and had pulled off some impressive saves throughout the game. Substitute Sarah Bowman snatched a consolation goal, when she found the top corner of the net for Galway in the dying minutes of the game, to complete the 5-3 score line. This was a disappointment the travelling team, as they undoubtedly deserved a share of the points over the 90 minutes. Although an unfortunate result in the end, numerous positives can be taken from the overall spirited and encouraging performance of this close-knit panel. They begin into their vital Intervarsity qualifying tournament soon and will be full of confidence, knowing that they stuck it up to the favourites for the competition.

SPORT 29

November 24 2014

World Rally Championship – Season review By Yvonne Clinton 2014’s World Rally Championship was a season of firsts – debut wins, podiums, seasons and first-time tarmac titans. But despite this, it was the ‘Year of the Confirmation’. Volkswagen’s Sebastien Ogier might have won his debut title in style last year, but he had to defend it in 2014. And he defended it in fine fashion. He didn’t have it all his own way. Teammate Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland started a rigorous mental training regime, and was a changed, confident driver. Their junior stable-mate, Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen, came of age in 2014. Last year’s sensation Thierry Neuville bedded himself in aboard his new Hyundai to claim a debut victory. For Northern Irishman Kris Meeke, the second half of the season was spectacular as he found his stride with Citroen. An early-season surge is characteristic of Ogier, and he scored victories on five of the first seven rounds. Despite leading Rally Sweden, getting stuck in a snowbank cost him dearly. Latvala capitalised on his misfortune, claiming the win over Mikkelsen, who mounted the podium for the first time in his short career. Latvala also won the fifth round in Argentina after a tough rally of attrition. Ogier classed it “the roughest rally in the championship” on his way to second. For non-VW drivers, the season’s first half was sporadic. Meeke made a

dream start to his first full year as a factory driver, claiming his debut podium at the first time of asking, third overall on the fabled Monte Carlo Rally. While he binned his Citroen on the unfamiliar snow of Sweden, and again on live television in Mexico, he redeemed himself with a further podium on the Argentinian stages.

Latvala failed to capitalise on his carelessness, crashing out of the lead on the final day. Australia saw a return to form for the man with Number 1 on the doors, but VW dropped the ball on his home rally of France, with a transmission fault losing him time and all hopes of victory. A rejuvenated Latvala claimed his

Heading into the penultimate round in Spain, there was only one champion in sight - Ogier. The jubilant champion declared that it “proved that the first title was not a oneoff”, as he jumped on his roof with co-driver Julien Ingrassia. Neuville retired his brand-new Hyundai numerous times, with mechanical teething problems and crashes, but pleased his bosses with a debut podium for the nascent team in Mexico. As for M-Sport’s leader Mikko Hir vonen, returning to the team that nurtured him through the majority of his career, it was a disappointing time; a podium in Portugal his highlight. Ogier’s purple patch came to an abrupt end in the second half of the season. Struggling for pace on Rally Finland, Ogier was bested by local hero Latvala, ending three years of French dominance. Worse would come at his team’s home event in Germany. Crashing twice in two days amongst the vineyards, it was a nightmare. But

second win in four rallies, and his first ever on tarmac. Meeke had a run of good results through the summer, including podiums in both Finland and Australia, and even briefly held the lead before crashing in challenging conditions at Rally Germany. But heading into the penultimate round in Spain, there was only one champion in sight - Ogier. Needing just one point more than Latvala to claim his second title, he managed his speed - and lead - perfectly to come home just over ten seconds ahead of the Finn, with the world title safely secured in his VW Polo. The jubilant champion declared that it “proved that the first title was not a one-off ”, as he jumped on his roof with co-driver Julien Ingrassia. The pair join

an illustrious list of just eight multiple world champions, including their compatriot, the nine-time master Sebastien Loeb. The season is bookended with a pair of tough rallies with changing conditions - the Monte Carlo Rally and Wales Rally GB, the “Monte Carlo on gravel”. Despite the manufacturers’ and drivers’ titles being decided, the event was still full of anticipation and fighting talk. Mikkelsen spoke of pushing hard for his first win, and showed good speed before crashing on just the second stage. From there on it was a battle between Ogier and Latvala, who tussled until Saturday morning, when the Finn had a costly visit to a Welsh ditch. From there, Ogier coasted to his eight win of the year. For Hirvonen, Wales was an emotional event, as he had announced his retirement from rallying the week before. Meeke nibbled away at the experienced Finn for second place all of Sunday morning, but a pair of punctures through the day tossed him down to sixth. Lucky to survive after running out of spare tyres, he helped Citroen secure the runner-up spot in the manufacturer’s race. The rally belonged to the world champion, and the retiring man who had been a relentless challenger to not one, but two masterful ‘Sebastiens’. Bidding farewell to the legion of fans that have followed him around the world, Hirvonen’s words were simple. “Thank you.”

Do off-field actions warrant on field consequences? Kind of By Maurice Brosnan Punishment for off-field actions unrelated to sport should be the responsibility of employers (or in the case of the GAA the county board) only. Being a high-profile sports person gives one an esteemed position. Simply based on your sporting ability, you are given all sorts of privileges and opportunities that one would certainly not be granted if they were not in this position. Due to the position of sports stars, on field actions are closely monitored and even admired. Many of us have tried to replicate the skills of Ronaldinho or a long-range, edge of the boot Ciaran McDonald style point. Due to the ‘see and copy’ nature of sport, when sports stars misbehave on the field it must be punished as not only can it endanger fellow players or officials, but often it can be something young players replicate. That is why retrospective action via the citing commissioner in rugby has been introduced and why retrospective punishment for diving in soccer must be introduced. However, once we enter off field actions, we enter murky waters. Firstly, we are (thankfully) fast approaching a stage where sports stars in general are no longer be labelled ‘role

models’. Their actions on the pitch, even hair styles or boots may be admired and replicated, but due to the relentless public failings of sports stars we are now in an age where children appreciate footballers on the pitch but not as people in general or their off-field behaviour. The case of Rio Ferdinand’s recent three match ban and £25,000 fine is a curious one. Ferdinand, was banned for using a derogatory remark in a tweet when responding to criticism from a user. He went for the textbook, tried and trusted teenage boy tactic of insulting your opponent’s mother. Guaranteed to be successful. However, Ferdinand was punished by the FA because as a ‘role model’ and regular tweeter he ‘should know better’. Now, I can understand why some children may aspire to replicate Ferdinand the player, certainly the Ferdinand of old; once the most expensive defender in the world, Champion’s League and Premier League winner, having filled in as England and Man United captain. But the idea that there are children wearing back-wards hats with the number five scrawled across every piece of clothing they own, dreaming of cunning ploys to ‘merk their mates’ and growing long hair so they can get the trademark Ferdinand braids is ludicrous.

Furthermore, what makes the FA in a position to label Ferdinand as a role model, or to decide he should know better? Does that mean certain players are allowed use the term Ferdinand did because they don’t know better on Twitter? The basis of any punishment is consistency and when dealing with matters like this, matters that are perfectly legal and almost acceptable on Twitter, the FA have no chance of maintaining consistency. Take the case of Ched Evans, a convicted rapist who was recently released from prison and is now controversially seeking to re-join his old club Sheffield United? Does his off-field actions not merit punishments as Ferdinand’s have? Yet the FA have rightly left it to his employer to decide whether or not Evans deserves a second chance. Then there is the case of Aaron Devlin. After a club game in which the referee controversially allowed a goal against Devlin’s club side, Ballinderry, in the last minute which cost them the game, Devlin took to Twitter to vent his frustration. In doing so, he published ‘threatening comments’ regarding referee Anthony Campbell and while this tweet was later deleted other tweets criticising the referee have remained. He was banned for 48 weeks as a result.

Now, I have not seen the tweet. But I feel Devlin deserved punishment. Being a referee is one of the most challenging jobs in sport and the authorities have a role to play in ensuring they are comfortable and safe in doing their job. However a ban of this extent is ridiculous, Paul Galvin slapped the referees notebook out of his hand in 2008 and got 12 weeks? Once more it comes back to consistency. When it comes to matters away from sport entirely. Matters like Ferdinand’s tweet or Evans conviction are entirely unrelated to football and should be of no concern to the sporting body. If it affects their performance or the reputation of their club then their employers have every right to punish them. Matters like Devlin’s tweet, or Brian Cody criticising the referee after the All-Ireland final or Sir Alex Ferguson’s constant criticism of referees are matters involving the game and as such deserve sporting body involvement. However, if we are to enter an age where authorities will try to legislate for morale matters, completely unrelated to the sport, then we enter an inconsistent and unorganised system. The authorities should trust in the employers, and leave sporting punishments to sporting matters.

30 SPORT

Sin Vol. 16 Issue 6

SPORTS DEBATE: In the age-old Ronaldo vs Messi debate, who is better? Ronaldo is a better individual player There’s so much more to Messi By Michael Farrell First of all there is so little between the two best footballers of our generation, who will both in time be thought of as the greatest ever, that we really should just accept them as equally great players. Of course though, we simply can’t. For the duration of his career, Ronaldo has been thought of as the bad guy. It doesn’t help that he plays for Los Galacticos, Franco’s Blancos, or quite simply the commercial juggernaut that is Real Madrid. Messi on the other hand plays for the good guys, the traditionalists, the team who are

the European Championship semi-finals, losing out only on penalties and claimed the La Liga title. Whereas, Messi and Barcelona only won the Copa Del Rey, but the Argentinian did have a marginally better scoring rate. This year’s award seems clear cut. Ronaldo has scored an astonishing 23 goals in 17 games for club and country so far this season. Messi on the other hand has only 11 goals in 15 games. Granted Messi has been playing further back the pitch in order to supply Neymar and recently Luis Suarez with quality ball. This change in Messi’s positional change coincides with Xavi’s and even Iniesta’s

This year’s award seems clear cut. Ronaldo has scored an astonishing 23 goals in 17 games for club and country so far this season. more than a club, the team who play football as it was supposed to be played, FC Barcelona. Ronaldo is narcissistic, vain and goes down too easily in the tackle. Messi is good natured, generous, a model professional. This was the balance portrayed in the media. One problem though, Messi and his Dad kinda forgot to pay their taxes. A whole 53 million euros worth in fact. What does this have to do with my argument you ask? Little in truth, but as the general opinion on both the personalities of Ronaldo and Messi has changed, so has the Ballon D’or voting. Messi, the winner of four Ballon D’ors in a row between 2009 and 2012, has not been himself in a Barcelona shirt since his legal issues began. Ronaldo, on the other hand, has gone from strength to strength claiming last years award, after winning it for the first time in 2008. Realistically, the only disputable award was the 2012 version. Ronaldo did carry Portugal to

decline over the last number of years. Success and Ballon D’or voting are circular in nature, but it is worth noting that Ronaldo has never had a team mate voted into the top three. Messi in comparison has had a teammate there five times. Xavi on three occasions and Iniesta on two. In 2010, both Xavi and Iniesta were named in the top three on the back of Barcelona’s unprecedented success, but also because they just happened to win the World Cup. Both players were named in the team of the tournament with Iniesta claiming the Man of the Match award in the final. To prove my point that both players were by far the best players on the most successful international team of all time, I will point to the fact that Iniesta also picked up the Man of the Match award in the Euro 2012 final, along with the player of the tournament award, and Xavi got the player of the tournament for the Euro 2008 campaign. So you understand that Messi has had probably the two

best midfielders of the last ten years supplying his goalscoring chances? Ronaldo hasn’t exactly been playing with amateurs, but only this season and last season could you possibly argue that he has had the better team. Ronaldo even managed to keep up with Messi goal ratio wise in the 2009-2010 season, scoring 33 goals in 35 appearances to Messi’s 47 in 52. Remember this was Barcelona’s treble season, while Ronaldo was relying on a midfield mixture of Esteban Granero, Lassana Diarra and Mahamadou Diarra for large parts of the season. On an international level, Messi did reach the World Cup final, but some of his team mates again included Angel Di Maria, Sergio Aguero, Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Higuain. Ronaldo’s best teammate for the tournament was fellow Real Madrid man Pepe, after that probably only player of note was João Moutinho, now at Monaco, that is unless you want to include Nani in that. The major difference between the players is that due to Ronaldo’s pace, athleticism and strength, he is capable of scoring in any system, in any team. Messi on the other hand is more reliant, due to his size and skill set, on being in a team that facilitates him, see Argentina

By Kieran Kilkelly

pre-2011 and Barcelona of late. But the defining part of my argument happened on the 15 November 2008. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice against Stoke City in a Manchester United win and proved without a doubt that he can “do it” against Stoke. Has Messi? Just saying...

efforts something which is a rare skill. So it is a wonder why Messi has collected twice as many players of the year trophies to date? Most would say that it is because he played in La Liga, which is an easier

In future we will have no such thing as religion, instead we will have followers of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo such has been their impact on world football. They have divided opinion among every football and sporting fan alike but only one of them can be the ultimate Messiah of the beautiful game. My beliefs firmly lie with Messi. Aside from the fact that he is halfway there with the spelling of his name there is so much more to him than the Portuguese man. At just less than 5”6 foot one and only 67 kg one would seemingly say that he is too slight to make an impact in the modern game. That it would be easy to knock him off the ball with no real physique to him. That is not the case. Unlike Ronaldo, who has an obvious height and strength advantage over him, he does not need it, instead relying on nothing but his skill and agility. It has become characteristic of him to float through defences with minimal

league than the Premier League. However, for his first renowned accolade Ronaldo played in the Spanish Premier Division alongside him for half a season, at the beginning of the 2009/10. So why couldn’t Ronaldo excel such as Messi did in the following years?

There is no discernible way to find that out unless Stoke qualify for the Champion’s League in the next few years but that is highly unlikely. It shouldn’t matter though whether he can produce on a muddy pitch against brutish Staffordshire men,

It took Zarra 15 years to get to that tally. If Messi is to break it this season – which in all probability he will – it will have taken him just over 10 seasons to do The reason being, Messi is a more natural footballer whereas Ronaldo is a more natural athlete. How does one come to that conclusion you ask? Well, it is simple when one thinks of Ronaldo one thinks of power, acceleration and strength while if you do the same for Messi there is finesse there, a skill like a master craftsman would have; he respects the ball and in that respect gains ultimate control. Not only this but his stats make for better viewing as he enters what is considered to be the prime age for a professional footballer. At the time of print he had scored 250 league goals in 288 games (0.86 goals per game) – compared to Ronaldo’s 279 in 371 (0.75 goals per game) – and was only one away from former Athletic Bilbao striker, Telmo Zarra’s record of 251. It took Zarra 15 years to get to that tally. If Messi is to break it this season – which in all probability he will – it will have taken him just over 10 seasons to do so highlighting the ongoing quality he possesses. Of course the main argument will be “can he do it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke?” just as Ronaldo did in his Manchester United playing days.

he has done it and continues to do it on the big stage and that should be enough. His rise to prominence coincides with Barcelona’s rise to dominance. Four consecutive league titles and two Champion’s Leagues should be enough to convince any man that he is the greatest of our generation if not all generations. But no, people will not give in. They have fallen under the egotistical magic spell of Ronaldo and are blinded to everything else. These people argue that both Xavi and Andreas Iniesta made Messi; they were just the pillars to his pedestal. This can be portrayed as true but has Ronaldo not got such support in last year’s player of the year victory and perhaps this year’s too which he is hot favourite to win? One world record transfer breaking player comes to mind among others. There is no such thing as a one man team however it is the ability to stand out among a team of superstars that makes you great; and both players have the ability to that, although only one acquires the talent to stand out among two world class outfits and has shown it time and time again –and that is Lionel Messi.

FINAL WORD 31

November 24 2014

diary of the SMOKEY’S PIGEON THEY'RE TRYING TO FRIGHTEN ME AWAY AGAIN. They don't want me here and they're using scare tactics to rid me of my home. A lot of people are saying that the pigeon hanging from outside used to live in the engineering building; until he annoyed the head college people that were. Others are saying it's fake but either way it's a message; a message for me to leave. But I won't give in, I'm gonna be stubborn. I'll dig in my claws - or what's left of them - and stay. Smokey’s wouldn't be the same without me anyway. I'm part of the furniture except in a less neon bright way. It's been my home for so long I wouldn't know where else to go. Would I be accepted anywhere else? Who really wants a pigeon taking up shelter with them anyway? That's if I even get the chance to relocate. There's something big planned with all the changes that are going on, new doors, new furniture, new people.

I might not be here after Christmas but ye'll all know who is to blame. Follow @Smokeys_Pigeon on Twitter for regular pigeon musings

THE COLLEGE INSIDER Four students sentenced to life imprisonment for making excessive noise in library ‘silent zone’ conceal the sound, ruffling Tayto packets and nudging one another FOUR MALE STUDENTS were as ‘fit birds’ crossed their line of apprehended yesterday in the first vision. floor ‘silent zone’ of the James The crime of playing Skrillex Hardiman library by the university’s in the library carries a sentence independent Libocop service. of five years in and of itself, so The arrests come as part of a it is unsurprising that the men wider crack-down on excessive received life. noise pollution in the library. Chief of police at Libocop, The men were charged with Martin Martinez, told Sin the folplaying Skrillex loudly on large lowing: “I feel sorry for them, but headphones that do nothing to there’s a clear sign written on By Eoin Molloy

each desk in the silent zone that reads: ‘no talking, no headphones, maximum penalty of life imprisonment’. ‘Tis clear as day like.” All four pleaded innocent at the trial at the People’s Supreme Justice Court of NUI Galway on Friday last. They were thoroughly cross-examined, and their guilt was ascertained by the acting jury, the SU council. All of the men have chosen to appeal their sentences.