NUACHTÁN SAOR IN AISCE VOL. 22 Issue 08. 23 FEB 2021
Student Independent News
WINNER: BEST NEWSPAPER AT THE NATIONAL STUDENT MEDIA AWARDS 2019
NUI Galway grapples Covid-19 surge • Case numbers soar in University as Health Unit reports outbreak. • Positivity rate of 45 percent among health unit tests during week outbreak was first reported. By Paddy Henry Editor An alarming surge in Covid-19 cases among the student body in NUI Galway has caused concern within the University and the wider locality. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre confirmed on Monday last that the outbreak has resulted in 135 positive cases, with that number expected to rise, with thirty other symptomatic cases awaiting test results. Doors to the Arts Science building were shut on the 9th of February, with only those requiring access to labs and other practical learning methods being granted permission to access the University. NUI Galway’s Student Health Unit informed Public Health of a sharp increase in cases last week, with case positivity from Monday 8th of February to Sunday 14th standing at forty-five percent.
Case numbers in the centre had remained low throughout the month of January, with just fifteen positive cases confirmed through the health unit. However, that number has increased significantly in February with fifteen cases confirmed over last Monday and Tuesday alone. An email, sent on behalf of NUI Galway Dean of Students Michelle Millar issued a notice to all registered students on Friday afternoon, informing students of a number of positive cases among the student body. A later email that evening from the Department of Public Health confirmed the outbreak, and encouraged those with symptoms to contact their GP or the Student Health Unit doctor. Demand for testing for symptomatic cases within the Health Unit fell last week following the swift response from the Heath Unit and Public Health and the University management. Speaking to SIN, Medical Director at the Student Health Unit, Dr Eoin Mac Donncha, said that there were multiple factors, including the return of students to the city and densely populated student accommodation complexes that helped contribute to the sharp jump in case figures, “The reasons behind this are multi factorial. You would have had students returning that stayed at home over Christmas to sit online tests and exams. Even in the preceding week we could see a low escalation in the number of students contacting us with possible symptoms of Covid-19 who required referral for testing. But the explosion in positive cases only came in the beginning of last week. “I think it’s important to note that the vast majority of students will be observing the guidelines and sticking to the advice of public health, but unfortunately in Galway, because the student
accommodation complexes, both private and on campus are very closely linked and there’s very high numbers in a small geographical area that means that once the infection gets into any one accommodation setting that there is risk of a very rapid spread.” However Mac Donncha conceded that students disregarding public health advice was also a key reason for the upsurge in cases, but was keen to stress that those disobeying guidelines were in a minority, “Although the majority (of students) are being well behaved and trying to do their best, there is a minority unquestionably who were disobeying guidelines and having house parties and intermingling with other household settings and that minority unfortunately pose a huge threat in terms of causing a significant spread of disease. “There may be some blame attributed to students, but it is a minority of students, but unfortunately their actions have led to a big problem.” Gardaí have been regularly patrolling student accommodation complexes across the city. Gardaí attended a property in Terryland student accommodation complex, Gort Na Coiribe at midnight on Wednesday 10th of February, engaging with those present in the property. Students’ Union President Pádraic Toomey echoed the University’s pleas and linked the rise in cases to students moving back to the Galway from across the country after the Christmas break, “NUI Galway has the highest number of students not from its catchment area, which for us is outside Connacht. We have the highest number of students that are from other parts of the country compared to other colleges. So, when everybody came back that would not have helped the situation.
“Community cases are very high at the moment and everybody needs to be very careful, and to follow the guidelines, wash your hands, wear a mask, stay apart, do not congregate, cough or sneeze into your elbow and download the Covid-19 tracker app.” he said. Toomey also warned against blaming students for the sharp rise in cases. In September, students sparked outrage among the wider public, after footage of youths congregating en masse around the Spanish Arch area of the city was shared across social media platforms, “I think it’s important that students aren’t put to blame here again, as we learned during the Spanish Arch scandal that negative messaging does not work and finger pointing never has worked and never will work. It creates an us and them scenario and that needs to be taken into account.” said Toomey.
Any student who develops symptoms of Covid-19 should isolate immediately and arrange a test through their GP or the Student Health Unit. The Student Health Unit emergency line can be reached from 9a.m. to 9p.m. on 087-2673997. For asymptomatic close contacts the Health Unit can be called between 10a.m. to 4p.m. on 087-7058717 .
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INSIDE
NUI Galway overlooked, as Racecourse gets Vaccine Centre nod 4 NUI Galway’s Arts in Action 2021 programme to be launched by Sharon Shannon in concert 5 Discussions over study abroad begin for next academic year, as students demand clarity over plan. 6 Further funding for Flirt FM following support for community radio 7 Sustainability is shaping the future of fashion: a talk with Maura Duffy 8 Students’ Union launch sustainable Monday campaign 9 Student Diaries 10 “Pets are for life, not just pandemics”. A brief insight into Galway SPCA 11
IT’S A SIN: The Channel 4 series having a huge societal impact 12
Not all that glitters is gold; a review of the golden globes nominations 13 The death of cinema? 14
REVIEW: The Big Hearted Way by Theresa Rock 16
The role of celebrities and the Indian government 17 Cheap and easy recipes 18 Your very own little lockdown project 19 Thought-provoking novels to give you guidance during lockdown 20 Beauty bag review 21 How to keep a long-distance relationship alive 22 Dear NUI Galway, stop ripping us off 24 Will students protest NUI Galway’s recent actions once restrictions are lifted? 25 Does online learning need to change to keep students engaged? 27 Galway United training ramps up following fixture release 28 The highs and lows of Galway’s English footballing talent 29 Further wait for Galway gaels as GAA delay return 31
An bhfuil rud éigin le rá agat? Cur litir chuig an Eagarthóir chuig editor.sin@gmail.com
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SIN Vol. 22 Issue 08
EDITORIAL We’re back, and the madness of RAG Week feels quite subdued as we enter the busiest week of the year for those of you who chose NUI Galway, purely due to the fact that it has the highest pubs per person ratio of any University town or city in Ireland. To be fair after recent scandals, there are very few other reasons to choose this place! Mayo Monday and Donegal Tuesday may have been put on leave for the time being, but with a bit of luck they shall return in 2022. The age-old question asked by City Councils, concerned citizens and Karens everywhere, “How do we stop RAG Week?” has finally been answered. To put it simply it takes a pandemic and the complete shutdown of a country. As we find ourselves one quarter of the way through semester two already, and a good month and a half into lockdown three, there really is that overriding feeling that we are all wandering aimlessly through a desert on our own, desperately In search of something that resembles familiar civilisation once more. Mirages of social outings, stadiums packed to the rafters, with a chilling rendition of The Fields of Athenry echoing from the stands, and sun holidays crop up constantly. You know they are a far-fetched reality, but you still clutch on to that hope that one day it will return. As per usual, SIN has thirty-two pages full of all the NUI Galway news, features, arts, entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, opinion and sport that you can shake a stick at. Despite all the misfortune that the circumstances have brought, as a writing team we are quite lucky, as NUI Galway never fails to make a headline or two, with what seems like a conveyor belt of controversies being churned out each week. I would also like to thank our outgoing News and Deputy editor Conor Brummel in my editorial, who has provided great service
Students’ Union keeping us connected with online events By Darragh Nolan
EDITOR: Paddy Henry editor.sin@gmail.com LAYOUT: Shannon Reeves SPECIAL THANKS: Ellen O’Donoghue
to the paper over the last four years, particularly in his role as my righthand man for the past eight issues. A consummate professional and an absolute pleasure to work with, you will be a big loss to the editorial team, so mile buíochas Conor! However, as one door closes another one opens, and I would like to welcome our incoming news editorial team of Caoimhe Killeen and Ellen Donoghue to the SIN frontbench. As always if you are at all interested in writing for SIN please do not hesitate to get in touch. Our meeting for issue 10 takes place via Zoom on Monday, March 1st and it would be fantastic to welcome some new contributors along. Our online presence has been as important as ever this year, and our online team have done some fantastic work in helping to grow our paper. Valerie McHugh, Fiona Lee, and Paris Ediagbonya deserve special praise for their efforts of late, so on behalf of the team I would also like to express our thanks for the job you have done. As always, stay safe and stay connected during these the most isolating and uncertain of times. The clichéd remarks about positivity have become irritating at this stage, but there is some truth in them despite their irksomeness. We can still hope that those mirages I mentioned a few paragraphs ago give way to their real life equivalent, and that the craic will be ninety once more!
The NUI Galway Students’ Union is continuing efforts to keep students connected as they enter a new semester away from campus. Several events and activities are set to return for the second semester of this academic year. The monthly SU Charity Challenge for February is a Kilometre Challenge in aid of Galway Rape Crisis Centre, Galway Autism Partnership and Helplink. The weekly ‘Hump Day Hoolie’ via Zoom has been popular, providing students the opportunity to meet new friends and enjoy comedy from standup Steve Bennett. A new ‘Stitch and Bitch’ online knitting group will meet every Tuesday throughout February. “We want to help our students find friends and a sense of belonging at NUIG this year. Projects like our Charity Challenge are helping students to meet new people, have fun and raise funds for charity,” said Students’ Union President Pádraic Toomey.
“We have been delighted with the popularity of our Hump Day Hoolies and the positive feedback we have received from students who still haven’t set foot on campus but have been able to make friends.” “We want to highlight these ways to get involved in University life to all students and their parents who might be worried that loneliness and isolation could set in. Along with the SU officers there are lots of support systems available for students including our own CÉIM peer learning programming,” added SU Welfare & Equality Officer Róisín Nic Lochlainn. “NUIG Sports Clubs, Student Societies and the ALIVE Volunteering programme are also working to ensure students have chances to make connections outside of lectures with a Re-Orientation Day happening this Wednesday.” Additional information, Hump Day Hoolie tickets and sign-up for the Charity Challenge are all available through the Students’ Union website.
NUACHT
February 23 2021
NEWS EDITORIAL By Conor Brummell Hello everyone, and welcome back to issue eight of SIN! I hope you have not had too rocky a start to the semester, and that you are all keeping well. First and foremost, I would like to make the announcement that I am stepping down from my role of News and Deputy Editor of the paper this semester. Unfortunately, between my final year in college and other commitments, I feel as if I do not have time to do the paper the justice it deserves, and I would rather give someone else the opportunity to bring their ideas and strengths to the news section for the remainder of the year. It has been an absolute pleasure to work alongside the editorial team this year, from Paddy, our Editor, to Anastasia, Darren, Saoirse, Alice, and Oisín. The difficulties the paper have faced this year are next to none; with an online approach being adapted in September, to not being able to hold physical meetings, creating a paper seemed an extremely difficult and daunting task. Trying to motivate writers to engage in writing for a paper on a voluntary basis, and of course trying to get people to read a paper when there is no physical copy available, can feel nearly impossible. Nevertheless, SIN has survived, against all odds, in no small measure to both our readers and our contributors. I am extremely grateful for everyone who took an article for the news section this year, and to all of those who shared their stories with us here at the news desk. SIN has been a huge part of my college experience, and I am grateful for the opportunities afforded to me because of contributing to the paper. It is your first steppingstone into a career, and you will often find that through contributing to the paper, you will never be far from someone who once stood in your shoes as either a contributor or an Editor. The friends and the memories I have made, along with the enemies (no journalist can escape without having at least one), have made the last three years as a regular writer for this paper all the better. For that, I am truly thankful. Going forward, I’ll still be knocking about (you can’t get rid of me that easily!) and I am hoping that I’ll get to at least tell a few more stories before the year is out. Moving on to what you have all been thinkingwho will be taking up the mantle of the News Editor? I am delighted to announce that not one, but two people will be stepping in the role as co-Deputy and News Editors. Caoimhe Killeen and Ellen O’Donoghue have been chosen as my successors, and I am thrilled to say that the section will be in good hands. Ellen has been a dear friend of mine for the past couple of years, and the wealth of experience she brings to the role is formidable. Caoimhe is a diligent and capable writer who has continuously impressed with her stories this year, and I could not think of two better people to take on the role. Finally, I want to highlight the strong section we have for you this week for my last time. My successor, Caoimhe Killeen reports on how NUI Galway has received funding to better the EU’s response to further pandemics, Fiona Lee has a story on how Sharon Shannon is launching her partnership with the music programme in the college and how final year commerce students raised over €1000 for the Galway Simon Community through an online quiz. Darragh Nolan has all the latest on upcoming SU events. You can read all about how NUI Galway is set to become a smoke-free campus by September,
written by Tara Trevaskis Hoskin, and Paris Ediagbonya tells us about a study seeking participants over 18 to find out how about adult coping mechanisms during the pandemic. Ewelina Szybinska has a piece on the current media blackout in Poland in protest of a new advertising tax. Chomh maith leis sin, tá ár gcolúnaí Gaeilge Eimear Nig Oireachtaigh ar ais le hagallamh iontach a rinne sí le Fiona Ní Fhlaithearta ó TG4. For the final time, if you have any stories you’d like to share, or if you want to write for the paper, you can get in contact with Ellen and Caoimhe at deputy.sined@gmail.com. They’d only be too happy to help.
FEATURES EDITORIAL By Saoirse Higgins Hi everyone and welcome back to another issue of SIN! I hope everyone is settling into online college and are braced for the next few months ahead. Things are tough at the moment and with the high rate of infection among students I hope all of you are looking after yourselves. However, today I want you take a break from college, grab yourself a cup of tea, and sit down with the latest issue of SIN. Features has some great content in store for you. We have our regular columnists, Tom and Aine, back again with the relay of their lives told in warm and humorous tones. We also should welcome our new mature student columnist, Cormac Culkeen, whose first instalment is beautifully and humorously written. We also have a new column this week. We’ve started a Covid-19 column here at SIN to detail the student’s experience in a pandemic and Anastasia takes the first issue with some insight for us all. We then delve into our articles this week. Sophia Hadef sat down with fashion student Maura Duffy where Maura relayed her opinions and advice for sustainable fashion. Speaking of sustainability, Niamh Casey spoke with the Students’ Union on their Sustainable Monday Campaign. Caroline Spencer then checked in with Galway SPCA and tells us what’s been happening at the animal shelter. I stepped into some article writing myself and talk about the charity Generation Tech and how you can get involved if you’re looking to volunteer. That’s it for features this week. Have a good week, look after yourselves and I will see you for the next issue.
ARTS AND ENTS EDITORIAL By Alice O’Donnell Dia dhaoibh! Although I could swear that the New Year was only a few weeks ago, somehow we’ve already reached the end of February? How did that happen?! I for one cannot wait for these wintery early nights to be a thing of a past – Spring honestly cannot come too early this year! Even in a normal year, I find there’s not a huge amount to do in late February/early March. Throw in a pandemic and suddenly Netflix and books have become a lot more
appealing! Sofia Hadef reviews The Big Hearted Way, a novel by Theresa Rock. The book delves into the processes of self - growth and self love, and if that sounds like something you’d be interested in for sure read Sophia’s review to find out more about the book. If films are more your thing, SIN has you covered! Stephen Holland also takes a look at the cinema – will it bounce back after lockdown or have we all collectively moved onto streaming services? Liam De Brún also examines the film world, mostly the nominations of this year’s Golden Globes, with an emphasis on how progressive they have become. Finally, Anastasia Burton considers the pros and cons of episodic viewing of a TV show versus binge watching all the episodes in one sitting. Although individually our lives may seem currently on pause, the world keeps turning. Erika Sassone succinctly explains the protests currently occurring in India over new agricultural laws, and the impact celebrities have had on it. Similarly, Caroline Spencer takes a look at the strange occurrence of copyrighting names, as seen in the news recently with Evermore, a medieval theme park based in Utah suing Taylor Swift over the name of her most recent album, evermore. Are these law cases from a point of protecting intellectual property or adding to material gain? Read her article to find out! This issue is absolutely jam-packed with some fab articles. A big thank you to everyone who contributed and helped make this section one I’m so proud to present. If you have any interest in writing for the arts and entertainment section for sure shoot me an email at artsentertainment. sined@gmail.com.
FASHION & LIFESTYLE EDITORIAL By Anastasia Burton Hello my lovelies! Another week another issue of SIN bringing you some food goodies and lots of entertaining stories. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this issue, I know I always say this, but you are all fantastic! Every issue I am overwhelmed with the quality of the pieces and the amazing ideas everyone comes up with, I’m truly honoured to be able to read and edit your pieces (not that they require a lot of editing anyway). I hope you have all settled into the second semester with no issues and are doing well both mentally and physically. Having spent another holiday season in lockdown over the festive period, it looks like we are set to spend yet another one indoors in the future. I hope that the pieces inside our paper will cheer you up and keep you entertained throughout the semester because we all need a little entertainment these days. The fashion and lifestyle section brings to you the usuals, beauty bag review and budgeting advice, cheap and easy recipes we can all follow and enjoy as well as other stories which are sure to catch your attention and interest! If you enjoy this section and would like to write a piece of your own, why not give me a shout? I’m a hermit so it’s not too hard to find me. I’m always happy to hear your ideas and reading your pieces always gives me good vibes. Enjoy the issue and see you next time! Lots of love Anastasia
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OPINION EDITORIAL By Darren Casserly Hello once again everyone, and welcome to the second SIN issue of 2021. While we are locked up for a few more weeks you can still count on getting the same high-quality articles as always with SIN. We have a great range of topics to look at in this issue’s opinion section covering everything from discussing unpaid internships to the unfair criticism of teachers in the pandemic. I write about much longer people will be willing to put up with rolling lockdowns, and if we can look to the rest of the year with some amount of optimism. Stephen Holland gives us his opinion on the increasing wealth that billionaires are accumulating especially during the pandemic and when is it time to question the ethics of it all. Matthew Geraghty ponders whether the government failed have third level students? I don’t know about anyone else, but I assume all third level students would agree with me in saying that is most definitely the case. There has been very little said about third level students in the media during this pandemic and we are definitely a group that has been forgotten about for the most part. Nessa Gorrell asks if NUI Galway students will protest the university’s actions when restrictions are lifted and how frustrated many students are at NUI Galway’s actions. We have these and a lot more articles for you to enjoy in this issues opinion section. As always, I would like to finish up by thanking all of our contributors for making the paper what it is and if you would like to write for the SIN or just have any questions you can email me at opinion.sined@gmail.com.
SPORTS EDITORIAL By Oisín Bradley Hello once again everyone, and welcome back for Issue eight of SIN. With exam results behind us and assignment dates and deadlines flowing in once again, semester two is in full swing! If, like myself, you’re feeling bogged down by all the college work already, feel free to take a minute to relax and read through some of the amazing work from our writers across the paper. Sport as always has some interesting stories for you to cast your eye over. It’s great to see Irish football getting back up and running, and both Galway United manager John Caulfield and Galway WFC manager Billy Clery will have their hands full as they gear up for a tilt at the SSE Airtricity League First Division and SSE Airtricity Womens’ League respectively. While the football world is getting up and running, the GAA world has been delivered another setback by the government’s decision to not classify Gaelic Games as ‘elite,’ thus not permitting them to resume to play or training. The editor Paddy Henry has written his rundown on Ireland’s recent stuttering form in the Six Nations, whilst we also have the regular run-down on the impacts of Galway’s footballing prospects in England’s top football leagues, featuring the likes of Aaron Connolly and Ryan Manning. All this and more inside the sports section of SIN, enjoy the read!
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SIN Vol. 22 Issue 08
NUI Galway overlooked, as Racecourse gets Vaccine Centre nod Paddy Henry
NUI Galway had held discussions with the HSE over using the University campus to inoculate people across the county, and was seen by many as the ideal location for the city’s mass vaccination hub. Since the beginning of the pandemic NUI Galway has been providing the HSE with use of its buildings as contact tracing centres and isolation hubs for free.
Editor Ballybrit racecourse has been chosen ahead of NUI Galway as the centre for the Health Service Executive’s (HSE) mass vaccination programme in Galway city.
Ballybrit racecourse as chosen as county Galway’s only mass vaccination centre much to the annoyance of public representatives
Coiste Gno EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
2020 -2021
Other Universities have already been selected as vaccination hubs with Dublin City University selected as one of the capital’s four centres. In a statement to SIN, the University Management Team reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the national effort in combating the pandemic and said that they were open to farther discussions with state agencies to assist in the national effort against Covid-19, “Our University community is deeply committed to supporting the Government and the public good in whatever way we can to combat the virus. As part of that, and as part of wider scoping exercises for vaccination centres in the region, NUI Galway has had engagement with the HSE. The University remains open to further discussions with Government agencies to ensure that we help in whatever way we can to respond to the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic.”, they said. Ballybrit Racecourse was confirmed alongside thirty-six other mass vaccination centres last week by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly. The decision to grant county Galway, just one mass vaccination centre has been roundly criticised by elected representatives in the city, A spokeswoman for Independent TD Catherine Connolly described the decision as “inexplicable” and that the Leas Ceann Comhairle has written to the Minister for Heath about the decision. Fianna Fáil stalwart Eamon Ó’Cúiv rounded on his party colleague, telling SIN, “I don’t think the Minister for Health is good at understanding how ordinary people think, the only question people want to know the answer to is; Where do I go?
University rolls back on tobacco ban plan By Tara Trevaskis Hoskin
Vice President / Education Officer Leas Uachtarán / Oifigeach Oideachais
Vice-President / Welfare and Equality Officer Leas-Uachtarán / Oifigeach Leasa agus Comhionannais
President / Uachtarán
Emma Sweeney
Pádraic Toomey
su.education@nuigalway.ie 086 385 3658
Róisín Nic Lochlainn
su.welfare@nuigalway.ie 086 385 3659
su.president@nuigalway.ie 086 385 5502
Oifigeach na Gaeilge Irish Language Officer
Mature Students’ Officer Oifigeach Mic Léinn Lánfhásta
Gender and LGBT+ Rights Officer Oifigeach um Chearta Inscne agus LADT+
Disability Rights Officer Oifigeach um Chearta Míchumais
Erin Mac An tSaoir
Michelle Mitchell
Maeve Arnup
Patricia O’Mahony
091 493 570 su.gaeilge@nuigalway.ie
085 853 7011 su.maturestudents@nuigalway.ie
091 493 570 su.lgbt@nuigalway.ie
085 212 0689 su.disability@nuigalway.ie
Postgraduate Taught Officer Oifigeach na nIarchéimithe Teagasctha
Postgraduate Research Officer Oifigeach na nIarchéimithe i mbun Taighde
Clubs Captain Captaen na gClubanna
Martin Smyth
Sebastiaan Bierema
Kirsty Moran
087 781 0130 su.pgtaught@nuigalway.ie
091 493 570 su.pgresearch@nuigalway.ie
Convenor of the College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences / Tionólaí Choláiste an Leighis, an Altranais & na nEolaíochtaí Sláinte
Evan O’Flaherty
Convenor of the College of Arts, Social Sciences & Celtic Studies / Tionólaí Choláiste na nDán, na nEolaíochtaí Sóisialta & an Léinn Cheiltigh
Claire McHale
085 882 4797 su.clubs@nuigalway.ie
Societies Chairperson Cathaoirleach na gCumann
Barry Sugrue
Fionn Sexton Connolly
087 775 0227 su.scienceengineering@nuigalway.ie
087 155 5949 su.socs@nuigalway.ie
085 225 2185 su.council@nuigalway.ie
SU Council Chairperson / Cathaoirleach Chomhairle Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn
Convenor of the College of Business, Public Policy & Law / Tionólaí Choláiste an Ghnó, an Bheartais Phoiblí agus an Dlí
International Students Officer Oifigeach na Mac Léinn Idirnáisiúnta
Niamh Quinn
Cheyanne Nwaonukwube
085 732 8570 su.business@nuigalway.ie
087 659 1874 su.international@nuigalway.ie
087 606 5095 su.ethnicminorities@nuigalway.ie
Victor Igonin
@nuigsu
Plans set out in the University’s sustainability strategy for 2020-25 to make NUI Galway a smoke-free campus by 2021 have been deferred to September of this year. This particular action is part of the Health and Wellbeing section within the strategy and aims to prohibit smoking on campus. The strategy states that the campus would become tobacco-free in 2021. The pandemic has placed a strain on the completion of certain actions laid out by the sustainability strategy including a smoke-free campus. The Health and Wellbeing group for the strategy have therefore made the decision not to implement this action until on-site activity begins again, which they are hoping will be in September of 2021. NUI Galway’s Community and University Sustainability Officer Michelle O’Dowd Lohan explained that current restrictions have affected some of their other goals also. Speaking to SIN she said, “This is the case with some of the other objectives in the strategy for example reducing food waste and improving recycling.”
She added that, “The focus of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy for now and the coming months is initiatives and actions in the area of mental health.” The Mental Wellbeing strategy objectives within the strategy include creating a Mental Health Taskforce, implementing, reviewing, and updating the NUI Galway Mental Health Strategy, and ensuring that mental health is included within teaching curriculums along with other aims. The strategy outlines one of its objectives as, “To improve the physical, social, sexual and mental health and wellbeing of not only the staff, faculty, and students who spend a significant amount of time in our care, but also their families and the wider community in which the university is located.” Smoking has an extremely negative impact on people’s physical health and the strategy recognises this problem. Smoking can also create air pollution which is not only harmful to the environment but also to the physical health of those around smokers. A copy of the National University of Ireland Galway Sustainability Strategy 2021-2025 can be found online at www.nuigalway.ie/sustainability/strategy.
091 493 570 su.arts@nuigalway.ie
Convenor of the College of Science and Engineering / Tionólaí Choláiste na hEolaíochta agus na hInnealtóireachta
Aoife Buckley
091 493 570 su.medicine@nuigalway.ie
“I’m not quite clear, and that’s a lousy piece of PR. I know, that I’m not clear as a government deputy about what these mass vaccination centres are going to do, because it seems to me that the most efficient way of getting the vaccine out there is through the GP. Ó’Cuív also expressed his confusion over the decision to overlook the University as a potential location for mass inoculation, but suggested that a return to on-campus teaching in September may have been the reason behind it, “I presume that there was some logistical reason behind it to do with the availability of buildings or parking, but I’m a bit surprised that they’re not using the Bailey Allen Hall. But perhaps that might be because there might be exams going on in it later and that kind of thing when the disease is fairly under control.” he said. The HSE noted that the centres were selected based on population, ease of access, transport and parking. They also stated that centres will be of different sizes and operating hours and will be based on vaccine supply and catchment area need. The Minister said that while the vaccination programme will be largely dependent on supply, he expects to see mass vaccination centres operating at full capacity in the coming months, “We have always said the vaccination programme would only be limited by the availability and reliability of supply in these early stages of the programme. In the coming months supply will increase substantially and we will see these centres operating to full capacity and administering vaccines to the general population, following the Government priority list,” he added.
Ethnic Minorities Officer Oifigeach na Mionlach Eitneach
NUIGalwayStudentsUnion www.su.nuigalway.ie
Smoking areas on campus could become a thing of the past in September, as the University proceeds with plans to ban on-campus smoking. Photo: Paddy Henry.
NUACHT
February 23 2021
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NUI Galway’s Arts in Action 2021 programme to be launched by Sharon Shannon in concert By Fiona Lee One of Ireland’s best-loved musicians, Sharon Shannon, along with guitarist Jim Murray, will open NUI Galway’s 2021 Arts in Action programme with a free concert online on Wednesday, 17th February at 1pm. The event will also launch her new partnership with NUI Galway’s Music degree. The concert will celebrate Shannon’s musical virtuosity as well as the future potential arising from her future relationships with NUI Galway’s music students, as the next generation of emerging artists. Ms. Shannon will deliver a series of masterclasses that look at different facets of the creation, performance, and production of traditional Irish music alongside her long-time collaborator, Irish American fiddle player, Win Horan.
These masterclasses will be used as part of the teaching of traditional music modules within the new BA in Music. Sharon and Win will follow up the masterclasses with six live workshops per year, in which they will discuss traditional Irish music directly with the students. This will be the first Arts in Action programme following the death of the programme’s founding director and curator, Mary McPartlan, an accomplished folk singer and educator who died last April. To celebrate her memory, the theme of this limited 2021 programme is ‘art as legacy’, and will feature traditional and classical music, drama, performance, and literary-focused events. Speaking about the new partnership with NUI Galway and Arts in Action programme, Sharon Shannon said, “I’m delighted to be involved with the Music Department and I am really
excited about sharing my music with the students at NUI Galway via the online masterclass series we have developed. It’s also a great honour to perform along with Jim Murray in celebrating Arts in Action in 2021 and to help re-launch the late Mary McPartlan’s great series.” The entire programme will be presented online free of charge, providing viewers nationally and internationally a chance to share in this unique Arts in Action programme. The programme will have a wide range of art forms and artists to showcase the diversity of the creative arts at NUI Galway, including the work of the staff. The line-up includes: Máirtín O’Connor, Seamie O’Dowd and Cathal Hayden; Sean Ryan, Mick Crehan and Greg Cotter; Leah Redmond, soprano and Dearbhla Collins, piano, and Simon Mawhinney in association with Music for Galway.
NUI Galway receive funding for new EU Project to strengthen future pandemic responses By Caoimhe Killeen. NUI Galway has been awarded approximately €9.75 million in EU funding to develop IT services and systems that will boost the EU’s response to future pandemics. The NUI Galway-led project entitled “PANDEM-2” commences this month and will bring leaders across Europe in various sectors such as health, security, and communication. The advisory board for the Project is set to include the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). PANDEM-2 will involve the use of IT systems to simulate outputs that pandemic managers will prepare possible responses for in a variety of different pandemic scenarios. These systems will extend to other critical resources such as PPE, vaccines and hospital beds and their management, as well as improved planning across Europe in responding to a possible future pandemic. The PANDEM project was established to identify the gaps and research needed for preparing for future pandemics across Europe. PANDEM-2 will build upon findings made in past EU-funded projects to ensure better decisions are made in terms of improving health services and pandemic management. “Covid-19 has had devastating economic, social and health impacts on countries worldwide,” said Professor Maire Connolly of the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences and Coordinator of the PANDEM-2 Project. “The state-of-the-art tools that will be developed by PANDEM-2 have the potential to transform how Europe pre-
pares for future large-scale healthcare crises through improved analysis of surveillance and contact tracing data, innovative pandemic modelling, better resource allocation and training of pandemic managers using simulations across Europe.” Professor Connolly’s areas of expertise include that of emerging infectious diseases and pandemic preparedness having worked at the WHO for fifteen years as Coordinator for Disease Control in Emergencies and advisor to the WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Health Security up until 2012. Her roles involved creating a global research agenda for humanitarian emergencies and pandemic preparedness. She has also written over 50 WHO technical reports alongside the publication of three books of communicable diseases in emergencies. NUI Galway President Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh spoke of NUI Galway’s commitment to being to the forefront in shaping societal responses to future challenges, “it is reassuring to know that NUI Galway and the PANDEM-2 consortium will be at the forefront of developing systems to improve the EU’s preparedness and response to future pandemics… As a university, we play an important role in shaping society and this project amplifies our commitment to contributing to the health, wellbeing, and security of society throughout the EU.” Professor Jim Duggan from the School of Computer Science and College of Science and Engineering added that, “Our role within the project builds upon our work from PANDEM which involved research on pandemic response and the development of a resource modelling tool, PANDEM-CAP.”
Head of Music at NUI Galway, Dr Aidan Thomson, says: “I am thrilled that our Music students will have the opportunity to work with a musician of the calibre of Sharon Shannon. “Galway has a rich history of traditional music, and it is wonderful that one of its greatest exponents should be able to share her expertise with our students, and in turn greatly enhance their learning. The next three years will be a very exciting time for the BA in Music.” The programme will also include a theatre production of Sacrificial Wind Revival in memory of Mary McPartlan, and RTÉ broadcaster Vincent Woods in conversation with traditional Irish musician, Mick Moloney in ‘Green Fields and Granite Songs’.
Study seeking 1000 participants to explore adult coping mechanisms during Covid-19 By Paris Ediagbonya
Professor Maire Connolly of the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Coordinator of the PANDEM-2 Project. “This data will enable pandemic managers in capacity building and developing operational strategy for cross border pandemic response so that Europe will be as well positioned as possible for any future pandemic that may arise,” he continued. The news of funding for the PANDEM-2 project has also been welcomed at a national level. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly congratulated the university, stating, “I’m delighted to see further EU investment in research and innovation which will help us prepare at a national and European level for future pandemics. “While we are still facing many challenges with Covid-19, it is critical that we also focus on longer term developments for pandemic preparedness, as this project will. I am delighted that Irish research will be central to this work,” he finished.
To attend the free live streamed Arts in Action events, log on to www.eventbrite.ie and search for ‘Arts in Action Sharon Shannon’.
NUI Galway researchers are looking to evaluate the experience of emotional abuse on a person in childhood and the consequences it has on their coping mechanisms during the Covid-19 pandemic in their adult life. This study is aimed at gaining a better understanding on how to support those who may have experienced adverse events during childhood. Researchers of the School of Psychology at NUI Galway are looking for at least 1000 people, who are over 18, to participate in this survey. Those who complete the short survey can enter a raffle for the chance to win a €100 One4all voucher. The questions in the survey will explore themes concerning childhood experiences, relationship styles and current wellbeing. Clinical Psychologist in training, Hilary Groarke says that identifying inhibitors to recovery following traumatic childhood experiences, “It is critical that we identify factors that contribute to people’s recovery or obstacles that can block recovery following difficult childhood experiences and what empowers people to live a fulfilling life, particularly during a period of such disconnection, uncertainty and disillusionment.” Previous research has found that those who have gone through emotional abuse as a child tend to develop coping mechanisms to ensure their safety, such as staying quiet to avoid conflict with their primary caregiver. These experiences cause the development of an ‘over-active fear system’ in the child and this behavior results in those affected not seeking out support
due to the fear, distress, or guilt, which then transfers over into adult life. By exploring the consequences felt by those who have had adverse childhood experiences, researchers hope that this study will demonstrate results which will help with improving their understanding and enhancing the kind of support needed for those impacted. In a peer reviewed article written in 2017, NUI Galway researchers found that the capacity to speak out about feelings may correlate with reducing the number of people reporting to their GP about their physical health. However, researcher and Chartered Health and Clinical Psychologist, Dr Jonathan Egan stated that this would be particularly difficult to do for those who have experienced emotional abuse as a child, “It is frightening for many however, to start to learn to move towards relational closeness, when staying away from it was probably a clever thing to do as a child, particularly if your careers were not in a place to be the most effective parents at the time,” he stated. He went on to say that this impacts people more during a pandemic, where anxiety and isolation are heightened, “In the 2017 study, those who felt less integrated and fully present had twice the levels of anxiety, depression and worries about their physical health. That was back in a time when we were not living in a pandemic. A pandemic raises all fear levels, it opens doors to the past which before we could keep closed; for many, these doors are now blown open and the nights are long, and the days are dead. There is little to distract us from aches and pains.” he added. To participate in the study, use the following link: https://bit.ly/3tc6Cy6
6 NEWS
SIN Vol. 22 Issue 08
NUI Galway Human Resources Students Raise €1740 for Galway Simon in Successful Kahoot Quiz
Discussions over study abroad begin for next academic year, as students demand clarity over plan.
By Fiona Lee
Paddy Henry
Students in the Masters’ of Human Resources and those in the Human Resources Stream of the Bachelor of Commerce programme hosted a virtual quiz on Thursday, February 11th, in aid of the charity Galway Simon. The quiz gathered massive support from local businesses, with prizes sponsored by McCambridge’s, The Planet, Kash Beauty, Candy Stop, Next, The Yellow Mugs, and many more. A total of 10 spot prizes were given out, and the top 15 of 85 quiz participants won prizes as well. Many of the prizes were wellbeing-related, including gym memberships, fitness wear, healthy food, and well-needed treats. A whopping total of €1,740 was raised between ticket sales and donations. The students chose the theme ‘promoting wellbeing through a positive lifestyle’ and invited lifestyle, fashion and travel blogger, Louise Cooney,
along as a special guest. She is an ambassador for Pieta House and shared her thoughts and experiences with mental health to kick off the event. Galway Simon representatives also spoke about the charity. The charity was started by NUI Galway students in 1979, and they confessed that, unfortunately, their services have never been more vital amidst the long-term housing crisis. Dr Deirdre Curran from the Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUI Galway said, “In these challenging times for students and young people, it is so refreshing to see them turn their attention to others in need. “I could not be prouder of our excellent team of student representatives – Michelle Brogan, Donna Miskell, Emma Fitzpatrick, Dónal O Dálaigh, Niamh Hickey, and Shauna Moriarty – who have pooled their creative resources to put together this wonderful event.” The quiz itself was run through Kahoot, an online trivia website, and included quick-fire rounds of general knowledge, Galway trivia, dingbats, and guessing the celebrity by their baby photos. The quiz MC and student volunteer coordinator at NUI Galway, Lorraine Tansey, brought great energy and entertainment to the quiz with her comedy and conversation throughout. The SIN editorial team was well represented with Paddy Henry, our editor-in-chief, winning a 3-month gym membership, and our online editor, Fiona Lee, taking home a McCambridge’s hamper.
DISABILITY Rights Clinic
Clinic um Chearta Míchumais 3pm-4.30pm • Every Friday on Zoom For more information contact su.disability@nuigalway.ie
NUIGalwayStudentsUnion www.su.nuigalway.ie
@nuigsu
Editor.sin@gmail.com The University has begun discussions around the feasibility of running the study abroad programmes ahead of the 2021/2022 academic year, SIN understands. Almost a year since NUI Galway students studying across Europe were hauled home as Covid-19 began to take a firm hold on the continent, a return to normal study abroad programmes still looks far fetched in the short term. Some NUIG-partnered colleges have already stated that they will not be taking exchanging students in the Autumn, leaving many students with a limited choice of destinations for their year abroad. Eimear Boyle, a second year Commerce with Accounting student had been offered a place at the University of Maryland earlier this month, which was subsequently cancelled following an announcement that the University were no longer accepting exchange students. Boyle now hopes to complete the Global Year part of her course in Liege but called for greater clarity from the University on what plans are in place for the study abroad programme next year, “They are saying and acting as if everything will go ahead despite the pandemic but i feel like everything so far has been quite general and vague.” she told SIN. “In previous years they would have been further along in the process. I know it is all very uncertain, but it would be great if the college could make a definitive decision on whether we can go or not in September, and clarify the conditions surrounding it in the case that we can, sooner rather than later.” she continued.
Ina statement to SIN, International Exchange Coordinator at the international Affairs Office, Jodi Blumenfeld said that the University were working on contingency plans in the event that international travel restrictions are still in place come the start of the next academic year, “Management has begun discussions around the feasibility of students engaging in a study abroad experience for next semester and are examining contingencies in the event that public health guidelines restrict international travel.” she commented. Earlier this month, Taoiseach Micheál Martin conceded that international travel is not on the cards in the long term and conceded that international travel may not be safe until 2022. Students’ Union Education Officer Emma Sweeney said that students were being “left in the dark” over plans for the 2021/2022 academic year and said that t was “imperative” that a decision be made soon, “The university have begun to discuss the possibility of Eramus and Study abroad happening for the next academic year. From our perspective it would be imperative that this decision is made sooner rather than later. Students have been left in the dark about so many decision this year which has had an extremely adverse affect on their mental health and finances that this cannot be another one. “Erasmus is an integral part of the course and allowing students to develop. Those students who were forced to postpone and those students who chose their course for this reason should not be left disappointed again. “We will be putting pressure on the university to make a decision swiftly and in favour of mobility.”, she finished.
Media blackout in Poland in protest over new advertising tax By Ewelina Szybinska The Polish government has announced a new advertisement tax is set to be imposed on non-state media organisations in early July of this year. The move has led to outrage among independent media organisations in the Eastern European nation and has led to the foundation of the “Media Without Choice” movement, which has been backed by several non-state media outlets. Private television news channels including TVN24, and Polsat News have gotten involved in the movement by sharing a black screen with the message, “This is where your favourite programme was supposed to be”. Poles woke up on Wednesday 10th to face a day without access to information from private media companies. Radio stations apologized to their listeners but wanted to show the public what a day without independent media would look like. TVN24 tweeted, “We are showing the threat to the media market that the advertising fee proposed by the government would have. Viewers may be deprived of the choice and diversity that they are used to”. Newspapers including Gazeta Wyborcza and Fakt ran blacked-out front pages in solidarity. Around 40 private companies from the media sector have drafted a joint statement that assessed the tax on advertising revenues. Private companies understand that this would allow the government to successfully reduce their editorial independence. Successful imposition of the tax would result in the
weakening and even eliminating some media in Poland. Furthermore, this would significantly limit society’s ability to choose freely what they would like to hear, read, and see. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that the tax imposed on advertising revenues would be a source of funding towards Poland’s National Health Fund, free media, and culture. However, in an open letter to the government, representatives of the media wrote directly, that “It is simply a forced tribute, hitting the Polish viewer, listener, reader and internet user, as well as Polish productions, culture, entertainment, sports and media”. The open letter also highlighted a potential consequence of, “limiting the opportunity to fund qualitative and local content.” Currently, their production provides access to information, entertainment, and sports completely free of charge. Critics have also argued that the tax will deepen the unequal treatment of entities on the Polish media market. The situation where state media would receive two billion Polish Złoty from the pockets of citizens, while private media will be charged with an additional forced contribution of 1 billion Polish Złoty. The private media blackout piqued the attention of the European Commission recently. Spokesman for the commission, Christian Wigand reaffirmed their support for a free media, and reminded states of what is expected of them in this regard, “We expect member states to ensure that their fiscal or other policies will not affect the duty of ensuring a free, independent and diverse media ecosystem.” he said.
NUACHT
February 23 2021
Further funding for Flirt FM following support for community radio Paddy Henry University radio station Flirt FM is set to receive a significant boost to its coffers, having been granted approval for additional funding as part of a scheme aimed at supporting community radio. A total of €23.000 in funding through the Sound and Vision scheme looks set to be formally approved in the coming months. Flirt applied for financial support in September following the expansion of the scheme to provide greater supports for community and student radio. The station which relies heavily on student volunteers has continued broadcasting throughout the pandemic, despite access to the campus headquarters in Arás na MacLeinn being restricted due to Covid-19 guidelines. Speaking to SIN, FlirtFM Station Manager Paula Healy welcomed the news and said that the funding will enable them to employ another staff member on a permanent basis and increase their presence within the community. “For us it’s great and it’s big money and it gives us a huge opportunity.” she said. ” Getting the €23,000 will open up the horizons so much in terms of what we will be able to do. At the moment we have got myself in full-time, Eoghan (Holland), as head of news is part-time, and we have another part timer too, but now we will be able to bump her up to full-time. Her job will be to go out into the community to try and get as many people on air as possible. That is something we have always wanted to do, and we have always tried to do, but we never had enough people or enough time to do it really well. So basically, that’s where the money is going, it’s huge for us. “ Despite welcoming the additional support Paula noted that the vast majority of the €750,000 fund is being offered to bigger commercial stations and RTÉ;
“I will say that if people think that we are getting minted or something, we’re not. The vast, vast majority of money would go to commercial stations and to RTÉ, and specifically television.” The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about an increase in radio listenership across the board, and despite the lack of presence on campus this year Flirt has enjoyed a growth in their listenership since the beginning of the pandemic almost a year ago; “We found that at the start of Covid when everybody was in lockdown there was loads more people listening in, especially online because they weren’t actually in Galway. We’re never going to get the audience reach of Galway Bay FM, TodayFM, or RTÉ Radio One , but we’ve definitely noticed that people are tuning in just as a way to stay in touch with Galway and to stay back in contact with the University to feel like they are still a part of something. “ Proposals to revise the current student levy, which will be put to a referendum to the student
body later this semester will also increase funding to the station if passed. From the €224 levy payment €4.92 goes toward FlirtFM, under the proposed reform this figure would increase to €6 per student. Aaron Deering, co-host of the JAM Show, a weekly current affairs programme on the station spoke to SIN about the importance of continuing to support community and college radio; “Community radio is really important and it’s great to get the chance to do what we’re doing at FlirtFM. I’ve been a volunteer for the past four years and I’ve really seen the benefits of community radio from it I have friends that listen to my show and they’re in colleges all around the country and a lot of them don’t have radio stations. A lot of my friends would be quite jealous of the fact that you have the opportunity to do a radio show and it looks really good on your CV too, so it’s definitely a big advantage to have, I definitely hope that community radio will receive more support down the line.”
Photo: Paula Healy
Ward honoured by Mincéirs Whiden society Paddy Henry
with the student and staff body in the University, by winning the NUI Galway Best New Society for 2020. Founding member of The Mincéirs Whiden society, Mr Ward is a Programme Coordinator in the NUI Owen Patrick Ward has been rewarded with an Galway Access Centre and last year was elected honorary life membership to the society for his to the University’s Governing Authority, Údarás involvement in the society since its inception and na hOllscoile. for his distinctive contribution to its work. He holds a Professional Masters in Education The society is the first Irish Traveller stu- from NUI Galway, and was key to the organisation dent society in existence and has contributed to of the hugely successful NUI Galway Irish Traveller increased Traveller participation in third-level edu- Ethnicity Day on campus in February 2020. cation, while also providing a safe and welcoming Jason Sherlock, chairperson of the Mincéirs space on campus since its inception in 2018. Whiden Society, credited Ward for the work he The society has also built positive relationships has done for Irish Travellers in NUI Galway and beyond. “It is a great privilege that we can recognise Owen for the work he has done for Irish Travellers in NUI Galway and the wider community.” he said. “Owen never shies away from a challenge and he is always there to support any student, not only Irish Travellers but any student who might experience educational disadvantage. He was an early school leaver with no Junior or Leaving Certificate and he has overcome many barriers in his life to be where he is NUI Galway President Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh and Owen today. He is an inspirational role Ward at NUI Galway's celebration of Irish Traveller Ethnicity Day 2020 model.” he continued.
Vice-chairperson of the Mincéirs Whiden Society Anna Keane said that the society were indebted to Owen for his hard work, “Our members will forever be in Owen’s debt due to his work, endeavours and the support he has given. Owen is a true inspiration to all.” Owen’s achievements have been acknowledged outside of societal circles too. Dean of students Michelle Millar described Ward as a “brilliant ambassador for both the Travelling community and for our student body”, stating, “Owen has proved himself to be a brilliant ambassador for both the Travelling community and for our student body. He embodies the meaning of inclusion. I am delighted to see him honoured by his peers and look forward to celebrating and supporting him and his work as he helps our University to build on our shared values, including openness and respect.” NUI Galway’s Societies Officer Ríona Hughes spoke of her pride over the fact that NUI Galway were the first third level institute in Ireland to have a society like Mincéirs Whiden on campus and described Owen as a joy to work with, “We are immensely proud to be the first third level institution in Ireland to count Mincéirs Whiden among our list of societies. It has been a joy to work with Owen and all the other talented and inspiring students who have provided a platform and a welcoming space for future students from the Travelling community. Praise is indeed due to Owen for his foresight and vision in making this a reality.” she said.
7
Planning Application lodged for Newcastle Community Centre By Keith Faherty A revised application for planning has been lodged for a community centre in the Newcastle area. The group behind the €3.7 million project had submitted its original application back in March of last year, with the support of various liocal associations. City planners received documentation from the committee to get the go ahead. The process is currently ongoing. The cross community effort, to build a community centre in the Newcastle area involved locals of all ages and backgrounds, and will provide locals with office space, and room for social activities. Plans for a community centre in the Newcastle area have been in the pipeline for a long time. In 2010 the committee signed a long-term lease with Galway City Council to acquire the site for the proposed centre. The theme for the community centre development is health and wellness and the committee hopes to prioritise the physical and mental health among all age groups across the locality. Planning permission was granted by Galway City Council in 2015, to construct facilities, such as a sports hall, meeting rooms, tennis courts and car parking. The committee esurveyed members of the locality, to get their thoughts and preferences on activities for the centre earlier in the year and showed broad support for the plans. “Planning has been agreed by the Galway City Council, and they were very positive about the situation and with a new government in place and due to Covid 19 the final decision from the govermrnt has not been made yet,” said Galway City Council chairman Brendan McGrath. Seamus Davey, one of the key fgures in Newcastle’s quest for a community centre said that, putting pressure on local politicans played a huge role in getting the important community project over the line, and thanked local businesses who have backed the building of the centre for their role in the project. Outdoor features will also be included in the proposed centre with facilities such an an astroturf pitch, a children’s play area and landscaped gardens also mentioned in the proposal. Supporters of the development of the centre have said that it would be beneficial to the wider Newcastle community, particularly residents of estates such as. Bushy Park Lawn, Dangan Heights, Fairland’s Park,and Hazel Park. Davey hopes that formal approval will be granted by the summer time, and has appealed to government departments to support the project, “Feedback that we received has assisted us in enhancing the original plan as new plans were sent to Galway City Council, and (our) application was approved by them, we are currently waiting for a final decision which will most likely come in the summertime”, he said. The centre are also exploring the possibility of collaborating with local heart and stroke charity Croí, and NUI Galway, The theme for the community centre development is health and wellness and the committee hopes to prioritise the physical and mental health among all age groups across the locality.
8 F E AT U R E S
SIN Vol. 22 Issue 08
Sustainability is shaping the future of fashion: a talk with Maura Duffy By Sophia Hadef Maura Duffy is an ambitious 23 year-old fashion student. She was born in Boston, to two Irish parents. She moved to Ireland when she was six years old, and Cork later became her home. Throughout school, she always had an interest in the arts but decided that studying a commerce degree would be the stereotypical safe option. She completed one year in Waterford Institute of Technology before transferring to NUI Galway in 2018. Galway became her second home and she could not have been happier studying there. She completed her Bachelor of Commerce in May 2020 and later decided, due to Covid-19, to stay in Galway another year. Throughout her time in NUI Galway she was the Public Relations Officer for the Style Society. An inspiring role which reignited her love for fashion. She also worked part-time in Brown Thomas, where she learnt a lot about sales and luxury fashion. She decided to explore this sector and study a broad fashion degree— the right thing to pursue her fashion career.
Hi Maura, thank you so much for accepting this interview. Tell me more about your background, and what made you interested in sustainable fashion? Hi Sophia, thank you so much for asking me. I’m delighted to be speaking about sustainable fashion, a topic I’m very passionate about. I’m currently a fashion buying, styling and visual merchandising student at the Galway Technical Institute. I have been shopping consciously since I was about 17 years old. I believe we were shown a film similar to The True Cost in secondary school which completely changed my outlook on the fashion industry. Growing up, I always shopped in charity shops and vintage stores
because I loved the clothes you could find there. I love having unique and one-off pieces. However, when I learned more about the impacts of fast fashion on our world throughout college, I began making a conscious effort to only shop sustainably.
As a young woman, What is your relationship with sustainable fashion? As a young woman in Ireland, I believe it’s very easy to fall into fashion trends. There is a lot of pressure to have the nicest jeans and the perfect Pretty Little Thing dress. I learnt pretty quickly that these trends don’t suit me. I believe having your own style and following what suits you keeps you from falling into these trends and therefore prevents you from having a high clothes turnover. I follow a sustainable fashion lifestyle because I cannot support companies that exploit workers and neglect their fundamental human rights. I would rather pay €25 for a basic white t-shirt if I knew it was coming from a factory with safe working conditions, decent pay for its workers, and using recycled materials. Fast fashion companies are completely exploiting their workers for the western world profit. It is so corrupt and unfair.
How has the fashion industry changed during the past decade? Over the past decade, the fashion industry’s most significant change would have to be the introduction of online shopping. It has created a massive increase in fashion turnover. Clothes are now accessible to far more people. Pretty Little Thing has grown 238% between 2015-2019. The number of shoppers hit 5 million during this time – that’s a 70% increase. Companies having such a large market of repeat customers allows them to sell their clothes for cheap. Most recently, Pretty Little Thing offered deals of up to 99% off, with high-heeled shoes on sale for 25 cent and dresses for 8p. The whole fast fashion value chain is corrupt. There is no way a garment worker is getting a fair wage when a dress is 8 cent. Between delivery, marketing, sales/ distribution, materials and logistics, it simply cannot happen. Companies are getting away with doing this because customers have become accustomed to this quick and easy service which is provided to them from their own bed.
What are the main problems you see in the fashion sector today? According to clothes waste charity TRAID, the average garment is only worn ten times before it is thrown away. Water usage is a big problem in the fashion industry. A by-product from textile factories in countries that produce fast fashion items is untreated toxic wastewater. It contains substances like lead, mercury and arsenic that are incredibly harmful to aquatic and human life. Another is microfibres — microfibres come away from synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon, every time you wash your clothes. Each wash sheds around 700,000 microfibres. These microfibres are consumed by aquatic organisms which are eaten by fish and then later eaten by us.
Experts estimate that the fast fashion industry is responsible for nearly 10 per cent of annual global emissions. The synthetic fibres that most of our clothes are made of are generated from fossil fuels. If the demand for fast fashion continues to grow at its current rate, we could see the total carbon footprint of our clothing reach 26% by 2050. I am most passionate about the human rights problem. The 2013 Rana Plaza disaster is just one example of how unsafe it is to work in this industry. The collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which housed five garment factories killed at least 1,132 people and injured more than 2,500. This awoke the world to the poor labour conditions faced by workers in the ready-made garment sector in Bangladesh. Millions of people, most of them girls and women, are exposed every day to an unsafe work environment, and most of the factories do not meet standards required by building and construction legislation.
Why did you choose to study fashion in Galway, and can you tell us more about your studies? I choose to study fashion in Galway because GTI offered a very broad fashion course. I take modules in fashion buying, styling and design. I have had the opportunity to explore my art/design level again while applying my commerce knowledge to buying and leadership modules. I also love Galway and believe there are some creative and fashionable people here. Just walking along Shop Street you can see it, there are so many unique and amazing characters here.
Why is sustainability so important for you? Sustainability is so important to me because I believe we have gone too far already. Our ecosystems are affected by our selfish consumer behaviours and garment workers are dying. I know I’m only one person among many but if I can make the smallest difference, and hopefully influence others to do the same, we can stop the problem from getting worse.
What trends are inspiring you, and what are the essential pieces to have in our wardrobe? A current trend that has inspired me is the boyfriend blazer. I adore loose silhouettes with a sophisticated touch. I have recently gotten two amazing blazers that are such statement pieces. One is from Spice Vintage, and the other is from Gort Community Aid Thrift Shop. I shop mainly vintage, so I look for the small details – golden hardware, a strong shoulder pad and a doublebreasted front. I style them with jeans or dress trousers, regardless of how your feeling on the inside, you always look put together on the outside. Definitely my most recent wardrobe essential.
What is the revolution you are hoping for in the fashion industry? I want to see more brands making a conscious effort to source sustainably driven materials. A brand like ‘nu-in’ uses all recycled materials and is sold at a fair price, so it can be done. I want to see companies having laws in place before entering an agreement with factories to ensure their workers are getting a fair wage and a safe working environment. I also hope to see consumer approach fashion with a more resourceful mindset. Questioning, do I really need this piece? Do I already have something like it? Is it on Depop? Can I upcycle a piece I already have?
What are your projects for 2021? I have been fortunate to have some exciting projects this year. Most recently, I styled a ‘60s photoshoot and I designed a knitted t-shirt. I was commissioned yesterday to design another one for a guy in Galway. It is an exciting project, and I am delighted to have his input on colour palettes and style. Next week I am also hosting a sustainable fashion talk in my secondary school to about 80 Transition year students. I am excited about this and currently working on my presentation for it.
Any places in Galway and websites to recommend? I highly recommend Saint Vincent De Paul on Merchants Road. I always find some amazing pieces there and at a fair price too. They have recently set up a retro vintage corner in the store which always has some gems. Gort Community Aid Thrift Shop has been one of my favourites recently. They are a small vintage/second-hand store in Gort. I visited their store in December after hearing about it, and I was blown away by how amazing it was. They have a website too, which I have been using throughout lockdown. Also, I’m a big fan of Depop. I think it’s a great place to get some bargains and to make some cash too. It’s excellent for finding branded goods for half the price. You can find Maura Duffy on her Instagram: @ maura_duff
GNÉ -ALTANNA
February 23 2021
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Students’ Union launch sustainable Monday campaign By Niamh Casey The Students’ Union launched their #SustainableMonday campaign at the beginning of February with the aims being to offer NUI Galway students advice and encouragement to live more sustainably and to highlight the small changes we can all make that will have a big impact on our planet. Helping students take environmentally-sound action is a priority for the Students’ Union, and so each Monday in February they will be setting challenges, through which they will highlight tips and information on ways to live more climate-friendly. Speaking with Róisín Nic Lochlainn, the Welfare and Equality officer and the head of the campaign, she said “The climate crisis is possibly the biggest challenge facing our generation which is why I felt having dedicated days to sustainability is so important! We recently launched the SU environmental and sustainability working group which helped massively in the planning of the sustainable Mondays.” Students’ Union President Pádraic Toomey spoke of his delight at the launch of the new initiative, “We are delighted to launch our #SustainableMonday campaign this month. This year we introduced our SU Clean Ups and they were a huge success showing how much our students care about the world they live in. This campaign will show that by making small changes in our lives, like our choice of toothbrush, we can be part of the move to a sustainable future.”
The campaign has been launched as a replacement to the pre-existing sustainability themed week. This way the SU hopes to achieve a more lasting effect by drawing attention to the cause throughout the month. Each Monday will have a specific theme, with the first one being dedicated to sustainable eating. The goal was to encourage students to cut down on the amount of meat in their diets. Nic Lochlainn spoke about this, telling SIN, “We used the #meatfreemondays on our social media posts and others tagged us in their veggie food stories (they can win a Keep Cup if they tag us with their hashtag). We want to encourage students to try and go without meat at least once a week and SULT had some cheap, easy vegan recipes up on their social media.” The following Monday was a two-minute beach clean-up challenge, which NUI Galway students have shown great participation for in the past. Last Monday was the Get Walking challenge, where people were asked to tag the SU in photos of their walk. This also tied in with the Students’ Union’s February Kilometre Challenge, where students walk, run, or cycle a set distance throughout the month in order to raise funds for different Galway charities like Galway Rape Crisis Centre, Galway Autism Partnership and Helplink Mental Health. Next Monday the SU will be posting general tips for students on their social media on how to live more sustainably. Some of the tips include get-
ting a reusable water bottle/Keep Cup, carrying reusable shopping bags, do a local area clean up and try not to buy into fast fashion. However, Nic Lochlainn added, “it is emphasised that fast fashion is a necessity for most students, and the wider population, so we won’t be pressuring anyone at all in that regard.” The Students’ Union will also have lists of ecofriendly period products, cheap yet sustainable shopping lists and different charity shops around
Galway, as well as online classes on how to make your own clothes. To sum up, Nic Lochlainn added, “This campaign is very much about thinking globally by acting locally. We will be encouraging our students to look at sustainable food and transport choices.” Overall, the movement is about bringing awareness to eco-friendly and sustainable living habits that students can incorporate into their everyday lives and use going forward into the future.
It’s time to end Period Poverty Generation Tech calls for volunteers and create an equal playing field By Saoirse Higgins Features Editor
By Aaron Deering There is currently a bill being proposed by Labour Party Senator Rebecca Moynihan that will have an enormously positive impact on third level institutions around this country. The Senator’s bill focuses on ending
period poverty by making period products universally accessible in public buildings and ensuring that other groups are also catered for in the provision of products. If this bill is passed by members of the Oireachtas it will place an obligation on the government to make period products available free of charge in schools, educational facilities, and public service bodies. Other aspects of the bill include the promotion of environmental sustainability in the use of period products, requiring organisations to consult with users about what and where they want period products, ensuring people have a choice of period products and placing an obligation on the Minister for Health to engage in an information campaign, so people know that the products are available for free. Speaking about her bill senator Rebecca Moynihan sees no difference between toilet roll and period products, telling SIN, ‘I see period products as being
like toilet roll, no one is expected to bring that with them, and period products should be the same. I would like to see them being in local council buildings, social welfare offices and in any other buildings where the state funds’. The topic of free period products is a familiar one among the NUI Galway student body, having featured prominently in Student Union elections last year, particularly in the Vice President/ Welfare and Equality officer election campaign. At the time there was huge demand and support for this initiative especially amongst female students who were right to highlight that condoms are given out for free by the SU so the question remained why shouldn’t period products also be handed out for free, especially considering that they are more expensive? Senator Rebecca Moynihan’s bill stands to change this and finally bring about equality to not just to female students in NUI Galway, but to all third level and secondary level students across the country. If this bill is passed by the Oireachtas it will finally bring about progress on an important issue that was so widely supported during last year’s SU elections. Students in NUIG will no longer have to worry about the added financial strain of buying period products again and this is especially important as the Covid-19 pandemic has hit some students hard financially. Although this bill won’t fully end period poverty it will go a long way in bringing a positive end to an important issue for students on campus and finally create an equal playing field for students attending NUIG.
NUI Galway student Annemarie Clancy is encouraging students to volunteer for charity organisation Generation Tech. Generation Tech is a charity organisation that was set up during the first lockdown to help over 65s with technical support whilst their cocooning. Since their beginning in the pandemic, Generation Tech have supported 1000’s of over 65s. The founders of Generation Tech noticed a gap in the market, so they have continued their service since the first lockdown. Annemarie says it’s been a great success since the pandemic began. She believes it’s been great for making sure the over 65s are not forgotten about, “It’s great to know that our work is helping people to keep in contact with others during this chal-
lenging time. Often our callers feel a bit forgotten about, and they appreciate the service as it has been created specifically for their demographic.” The volunteers at Generation Tech are tech experts and give advice over the phone. They help with technology related issues such as using printers, setting up zoom, wi-fi routers, or resetting email passwords. The volunteers patiently
guide the caller through the issue. The call lasts an hour, however, if the problem takes longer than that the volunteer will call back the person who needs assistance. They are available Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm. Annemarie, a digital marketing student, decided to volunteer at the charity during the pandemic. She was looking to get involved in volunteering work when she came across the charity on studentvolunteer.ie. Annemarie says she was beckoned by the charity, “I’m really inspired by the idea of using technology for good. The fact that Generation Tech is one of the only organisations in Ireland providing support with technology to people over 65 also really appealed to me.” Annemarie believes Generation Tech is a great organisation for students to volunteer at, “The team at Generation Tech is fantastic and the team is so supportive. Many of our volunteers are from Galway and there’s a great community atmosphere.” Currently, Generation Tech are looking for marketing and PR volunteers. Annemarie says there are many benefits to volunteering at Generation Tech, “there are lots of opportunities to gain experience in different roles and the tasks that need to be done are varied. I’ve personally developed social media, PR, project management, and leadership skills since I began volunteering. Also, employers like to see that students were proactive during the pandemic and volunteering with Generation Tech would be a great way to demonstrate how you developed your skills.” If you or someone you know would benefit from this service, you can avail of it by calling these numbers: Republic of Ireland - 01-9633288, Northern Ireland - 02894 338 799. You can also email them at INeedHelp@ generationtech.ie.
10 F EATU R E S
SIN Vol. 22 Issue 08
Final Year diary By Tom Molloy Hi, everyone, and welcome back to the eighth edition of my Final Year Diary. I’m writing this on Valentine’s Day, February 14th. It was February 14th last year when I finally gave up smoking. It may have helped that we were in and out of lockdowns for 48 of those 52 weeks. It most definitely helped that I’ve had the unconditional support of a certain person. It’s not my usual style in this diary but, in this issue, I’d like to reflect on the last twelve months. I’d love to be all clichéd and say that making the decision to stop smoking was a tough one, but it wasn’t. That afternoon, I was halfway through a cigarette outside the Arts Millennium when something clicked. I just decided to not be a smoker anymore. After 20 cigarettes per day for about thirteen years, that was it. I was sure I would never smoke a cigarette again. Willpower trumps all else. If you truly do not want to stop your addiction you won’t stop your addiction. All the nicotine patches in Boots won’t help you quit smoking if you genuinely do not want to stop. The physical withdrawals were horrible, I won’t lie. Headaches, anxiety, sleeplessness, the whole lot. You’d imagine that the whole country being shut down in March would help because the option of having a smoke with my pint in town was gone but, in reality, the opposite was true. I had nothing to distract myself from the cravings. After about ten weeks, it got better. My relationship with cigarettes was nothing more than a self-delusion. My “addiction” at this stage was based on memories as the physical withdraw-
als were non-existent by now. I was sleeping, I was calm, and I was content. Thank heavens for small mercies. If I wasn’t 100% sure I’d never smoke again at the start, I was 100% sure now. After another ten weeks I felt like someone who had never smoked a cigarette in their life. The shortness of breath and the smoker’s cough were gone. It was a pity that social distancing was in place because, for the first time since I was about fifteen, the thought of being in a confined space with other people didn’t make me selfconscious about the smell of my clothes. I was happy with my smile and I was confident about my breath. The anxiousness had turned to giddiness, something my doctor attributed to me not being familiar with the levels of energy a normal human being is supposed to have. Each individual activity that I associated with smoking had to be relearned but with the addition of not going for a smoke immediately afterwards. Having my after-dinner cup of tea indoors was strange. Driving with the window up was strange. Going straight into the shower after getting out of bed was strange. But, as odd as it sounds, this new way of living was exciting. I don’t think about smoking at all now, except when I reach a milestone such as today. The difference in the quality of my life now compared to twelve months ago is immeasurable. To anybody reading this right now who has been debating quitting smoking, do it. Do it right now and mean it. You won’t regret it. My apologies for the flagrant display of narcissism this week but I am very proud of myself. Thanks for reading and my usual diary style will return next time. Also, Happy Valentine’s Day, Saoirse. I couldn’t have done it without you.
Mature Student Diary By Cormac Culkeen A hearty howdy, everybody. Well, that was a fun January, wasn’t it? I can only speak for myself, but I’m delighted to be back, and I hope that you all feel the same. This lockdown was a true test for us all, without the escape hatch of fine sunny weather. I’m looking out at a Galway where the snow is now very much in charge, set to blizzard since the early morning. Spring can’t come fast enough. I miss everyone, I miss the everyday activities that we took for granted. Our interactions with each other are reduced to Zoom; phone calls; texts; gifs; jokes bouncing around from one group to the next. That said, my weekly four hour Creative Writing seminar is a blessing, a chink of light that I can run towards, and the writing is a nice room to step into, away from all this enforced stasis that’s looming over us all like vultures on the hills. Keep your routines. Do the classes; do the work; it’ll keep your mind as healthy as it can be right now. I know this is supposed to be a diary of sorts, a collation of activities, but let’s be honest with each other, there’s not a lot to do, is there? I’m a creature of simple pleasures, but a lot of the roads have been closed off; tobacco free since late August, booze curtailed since September since my body and mind can not, will not process a hangover in the current situation. Why make a bad situation unendurable and turn your head into the party guest who corners you for the night and won’t shut up about themselves? What else is there? Ah, I hear the scraping of a chair upstairs, the neigh-
bours are up. Time to crank the speaker. I’m involved in an ongoing feud since the summer, where there’s been a cavalcade of noisy, braying, howler monkey parties slicing through my ceiling and down the stairs, to the point where I had to go up and threaten to dump their speaker off the balcony if they didn’t stop playing their execrable, mouth-breathing garbage. This did not have the desired effect. After an initial period of quiet, they started up again. So, I’ve retaliated. Let me just say that the majority of youngsters one meets these days miss the thrilling virtues of really loud rock music. Particularly in its use as a necessary moral adjunct to deal with a situation. Particularly thrash metal. If you’re having….let’s call them disputes with certain types that think carrying out what appears to be ritual human sacrifice in their apartment is acceptable carry on, firstly get a large Bluetooth speaker, one the size of a wine cask or a small child; plug the thing in and point it at the ceiling. Look for Napalm Death, Slayer, Possessed, Sodom, Sadus. The stuff where technicality and structure judders and melts into white noise. It works like a dream. After several mornings of what sounds like a grizzly bear dismembering its prey at warp speed, they’re too scared to come down and make a fuss, indeed any sort of noise at all. So, there you go. If you want to affect your immediate environment for the better: Thrash Metal is the great leveller. On a lighter note, if you fancy jumping around your own house/room/apartment, I heartily recommend Motorhead or The Jesus Lizard. Keep the heads up and stay contrary.
First year diary By Aine Fogarty Hello everyone and welcome back to my first-year diary! College has begun again and I hope you are all surviving. Now that we’re back and getting into the swing of things again, life is returning to normal. Well as normal as life can be during a worldwide pandemic. Trying to get back into a routine after a seven week break has been a struggle for me. The late nights of not sleeping until 5 a.m. and waking up in the evening are no longer, and the early morning lectures have returned. Thankfully, given that most tutorials didn’t start until week two, I was able to squeeze in a few extra naps and alleviate my sleep deprived brain. The first week back for me has always been when I feel most motivated. At the start of the semester coming back refreshed and full of energy, despite my need for naps, I believe I’ll keep up with everything and submit my assignments earlier than the day before. I can already feel myself slipping and it’s only week two of the semester. This is more than likely due to being stuck at home and I’m sure everyone reading this
understands, especially if you’re not in Galway. Spending most of your week stuck in your house can affect your motivation massively and I find myself doing my work from my bed. I’m even writing this in bed at this very moment. If I have a lecture before 11, I will most likely miss it and my concentration once the evening gets dark is out the window. Physically attending lectures not being a possibility is taking its toll on all of us and it is becoming especially apparent now every time I look at twitter. Every second tweet on my feed is a complaint about early morning lectures or lacking energy and concentration and even though that makes me feel sad about what my first year of college has become, I am also relieved that it’s not just me experiencing it. This semester is bound to have its challenges just as semester one did, but at least we’re all not alone. Social media has saved us all during this time and I can say I would not have survived last semester without it. I will end this entry by saying good luck with semester two and if you are struggling so far like me, don’t let it put you down and just think of the summer months ahead.
Mol na Meáin — Fiona Ní Fhlaithearta le hEímear Nig Oireachtaigh Tá céim ag Fiona Ní Fhlaithearta sna meáin. Bhí sí mar chuid den chéad dream a bhí thall in Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta. Bhain sí a céim amach i 2010. Tá scéal coitianta ag Fiona, cosúil le gach aon duine a bhí amuigh ag obair nó a bronnadh céim orthu i rith an chúlaithe eacnamaíochta. Bhí sí ag cur isteach ar aon phost as Gaeilge nó sna meáin a bhí ann, agus ag an am céanna bhí víosa á eagrú aici
chun dul go dtí an Astráil. Tháinig deis anuas i TG4 sular fhág sí, agus chuir sí isteach air. Faraor, ní raibh aon phost cinnte ag baint leis, bhí siad díreach ag iarraidh píosa oiliúna a dhéanamh, agus ansin d’fheicfidís dá mbeadh aon duine oiriúnach. Mar sin, d’imigh Fiona go dtí an Astráil, ach choinnigh sí i dteagmháil leo thar na blianta. Nuair a chuaigh sí ar ais go hÉirinn chun a páiste a bhaisteadh, chuaigh sí isteach go TG4 chun oiliúint a dhéanamh, faoi dheireadh thiar thall. Bhí postscáthú á dhéanamh aici, agus chuir sí aithne ar roinnt duine a bhí ag obair ann freisin. Cé nach bhfuair sí aon phost as sin, agus d’fhill sí ar an Astráil tar éis, ba thaithí iontach é di. Rinne sí féin agus a clann cinneadh bogadh ar ais go hÉirinn cúpla mí ina dhiaidh an baisteadh, agus tá ag éirí thar barr leo ó shin. Ba é an raidió an príomhábhar a bhí aici ina céim, agus tá suim aici fós plé le cláir éagsúla. Cosúil liom féin, is aoibhinn léi bheith ag labhairt le daoine – “Is breá liom suí síos agus scéal duine a chloisteáil... ní dhiúltóinn deis ar bith mar sin”. Is é an príomhmholadh a d’fhoghlaim mé uaithi ná go bhfuil ort gach deis a thapú. Go háirithe sna meáin, ceapaim go mbíonn daoine an-dírithe ar na rudaí gur mhaith leo a dhéanamh, agus níl siad ag breathnú timpeall orthu ar na deiseanna eile atá ann. Mura ndearna sí iarratas ar TG4 sular ndeachaigh sí go dtí an Astráil, ní bheadh an nasc sin aici leo, rud a bhí an-chabhrach agus í ag cur isteach sa phost atá aici anois mar réamhaisnéiseoir aimsire agus láithreoir leanúnachais ar TG4. Maidir leis an bpost sin, is é an rud is fearr léi faoi ná “go bhfuil an post é féin an-éagsúil. Níl tú suite síos ag an deasc ar feadh an lae, tá go leor éagsúlacht ag baint leis an lá.” Tá sé soiléir go n-oibríonn na laithreoirí go crua. Luann Fiona laethanta oibre atá aon uair déag, ag rá go mbíonn na sealanna fada. Dar léi féin, imíonn sé an-sciobtha mar gheall ar an éagsúlacht sa phost. Bhí sé iontach labhairt le Fiona, agus léargas a fháil ar chomhlacht atá chomh mór i saol na Gaeilge. Is féidir leat Fiona a fheiceáil ar TG4 ag déanamh réamhaisnéis na haimsire ar roinnt laethanta i rith na seachtaine.
GNÉ -ALTANNA
February 23 2021
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“Pets are for life, not just pandemics”. A brief insight into Galway SPCA By Caroline Spencer The latest lockdown has seen dramatic changes for animal shelters in Galway. Galway SPCA has seen a staggering increase of animal abandonments in the past year. The charity’s shops have had to close under the current Level-5 restrictions. People are being urged not to donate animal supplies due to the high volumes of donations. Office workers have had to work remotely. With the current restrictions, adoptions are harder to facilitate for the shelter. Volunteers and visitors are not able to enter the premises. Potential forever families can fill out adoption forms online. To help mitigate the situation the shelter has begun to hold online auctions. Supporters can bid on items such as collars and animal-inspired prints, toys, and stationery. The proceeds from these auctions give a much-needed financial boom to the shelter. There are other positive developments for Galway SPCA. NUI Galway lecturer Dr Linsey Meyers has written a book about an unruly gerbil and their hapless owner Aoife. The book is titled Mootsy and the AWFULLY big bite! The book is illustrated by eight-year-old Tara Caniffe, the very talented daughter of Dr Meyers. All profits from the book will go directly to Galway SPCA.
Covid-19 column By Anastasia Burton Covid-19 has been both a blessing and a curse. Ever since we first went into lockdown, I have had very mixed feelings about being stuck at home without a job and now having to complete my studies online. I must admit I was overjoyed at first when Covid-19 restrictions had begun as it made me feel safe but also gave me a long-deserved break from endlessly working myself to death. I believe our world is a fast one, fast-food, fast-fashion, fast-service, but when was the last time we got to really enjoy some time off ? Covid-19 is scary, it’s taken many lives and has proven to be a lot more dangerous than we believed at first. I think the government handled the situation poorly when they re-opened everything in late June and allowed life to just go back to the way it was pre-Covid. One thing we all need to understand is that there is no such thing as “going back to normal” anymore. We will need to continue following guidelines long after the pandemic is under control and everyone is vaccinated. I also criticise our government for ending lockdown before Christmas, I understand people miss their families but think of how much damage those two and a half weeks of being restrictionfree caused us! Was your shopping trip worth the rising numbers and deaths and prolonged lockdowns and restrictions? I don’t think the Covid-19 situation was handled well. The government did not know how to manage the situation, but what do they do instead of easing panic and trying to help the economy thrive? They fine us, and let the Gardai dance around on TikTok? So, let me get this straight, we can’t leave our counties, can’t so much as go for a walk around our neighbourhood without being stopped, but they can just go to the beach and record videos?
It’s kind of sickening, to be honest. As a foreigner, I have not seen my family in a whole year. I have been unable to care for my sick relatives and have been unable to see them or help them. The sheer disregard and ignorance some people have shown by going on non-essential holidays and trips, not wearing their masks and going to house parties have taken the chance to see my loved ones away. I have to admit I’ve grown to hate some people I used to know. Just for the simple fact that you cannot simply say it’s the government’s fault if you know that you did not follow restrictions and had no care in the world about Covid-19 and how it is affecting other people who. You’re the reason foreigners like myself did not go home last year, you’re the reason we still can’t go. Funny to imagine that if everyone just simply followed the rules and kept themselves safe, we could have avoided at least two lockdowns. The break was great for about two weeks. The PUP being extended to students was also helpful, but it made me feel useless. For a person who is used to working and going out and about doing business, it was hard sitting at home and trying to study for finals that were last-minute ideas. The workload was so crazy that I almost spent my birthday locked in my room crying and panicking. The university did not help the situation either. Forcing us to pay repeat fees we could barely afford and tuition we had no business paying as we knew from the start that everything would more than likely be online. We have to do better in following guidelines and keeping each other safe and healthy. The government needs to do more to support its citizens and not punish them for not working by reducing PUP and issuing fines. NUI Galway needs to stop thinking of itself as a business first and an educational institution second… and maybe then we can begin living our new normal.
The recent Christmas period saw an increase in pet adoptions. However, according to perennial reports, in the early year period the rate of animal abandonment rises. During prolonged lockdowns, many people are adopting animals on a whim. As the realities of caring for a pet come hit home, owners are increasingly surrendering animals at shelters. In too many cases, animals are abandoned completely. Galway SPCA is sadly not alone in dealing with an influx of animal abandonments in the past year. In late 2020, footage of a dog being tied to a gate and abandoned spread across the country. The dog, named Beau, was tied to the Dogs Trust gate overnight for seven hours. The charity publicly beseeched pet owners to ask for help if they wanted to surrender their pets. Abandoning pets like Beau can lead to terrible health problems that require expensive treatments. A statement from the charity over the incident states “we fear our veterinary costs will be even higher in 2021 and will be relying on the generosity
of the dog-loving public”. Galway SPCA is also asking people who are considering giving up their pets to get in touch. With lowering temperatures many animals are vulnerable to the elements. Despite the reduced space and resources, the Galway SPCA remains committed to caring for animals and finding families for them. “Please remember pets are for life not just pandemics.”
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12 A RT S & E NT E RTAIN M EN T
SIN Vol. 22 Issue 08
It’s A Sin: The Channel 4 series having a huge societal impact By Úna Kehily Sure to be one of the most talked about shows of 2021, Channel 4’s It’s A Sin has opened the eyes of a new generation to the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s. Set in London, the series follows four gay men, Ritchie, Ash, Roscoe, and Colin, and their flatmate Jill, as they come of age. We watch these characters navigate life with disease, homophobia and death during the crisis over the span of several years. While the first episodes of the show capture the joy and liberation of the LGBT scene in London in the 80s, it’s not long before the characters are confronted with the shocking arrival of AIDS. Creator Russell T. Davies perfectly portrays the fear and panic of the unknown disease as it takes
It’s not long before the characters are confronted with the shocking arrival of AIDS. Creator Russell T. Davies perfectly portrays the fear and panic of the unknown disease as it takes hold.
hold. It’s hard to contend with the cruel treatment AIDS victims suffered. Since no one knew how the disease was transmitted at first, those infected were treated as pariahs, not to be touched or even treated with the slightest bit of dignity, even as they suffered. It’s A Sin plays a vital role in highlighting the gaps in our education on HIV/AIDS. Sexual education in Ireland is hugely lacking in general, and it particularly fails to provide any education on LGBT issues. While we obviously cannot rely solely on television programmes to educate us, It’s A Sin has sparked a conversation on the AIDS crisis and the lasting effect it had on a generation of LGBT people. Although it’s set in the UK, we can imagine how terrifying that time must’ve been in Ireland too, where being gay was still illegal and the Catholic Church had a hold on the country’s ideas of morality. It’s A Sin’s impact has also had a more material outcome: requests for HIV testing in the UK increased fourfold during HIV Awareness Week which was held at the beginning of February, not long after the show’s release. And although the show conveys the hopelessness of a time where there was no cure and no future for AIDS victims, there is now hope for those who are diagnosed. They can have full, long lives in spite of their diagnosis. Medicine like PrEP that eliminates the chance of contracting the disease, also provides even more opportunity for hope. It’s A Sin is a must - watch for anyone, no matter their age or their sexuality. It is an upsetting but deeply human story that is sure to have a lasting impact on a whole new generation. It has already been a catalyst for discussion around the AIDS epidemic that will hopefully continue beyond its short five episodes.
Episodic or instant viewing? By Anastasia Burton
Mental Health Supports
Acmhainní Meabhairshláinte Don’t be afraid to reach out, you’re not alone. Ná bíodh eagla ort cabhair a lorg; níl tú leat féin. NUIG Counselling- email counselling@nuigalway.ie NUIG Chaplaincy - email chaplains@nuigalway.ie Text NUIG to 50808 Samaritans - Phone 116 123 Bodywhys - Phone01 2107906 or email alex@bodyhys.ie Pieta House - Phone - 1800 247 247 or Text HELP to 51444 BeLonG To - Text LGBTI+ to 086 1800 280 or email info@belongto.org Spunout.ie - Phone01 675 3554 or Email hello@spunout.ie COPE Galway - Phone 091 778 750 or email info@copegalway.ie Women’s Aid - Phone 1800 341 900
A problem shared is a problem halved. Laghdú gach anró é a roinnt. NUIGalwayStudentsUnion www.su.nuigalway.ie
@nuigsu
last week’s episode which can be quite frustrating which ultimately feeds in that instant viewing is I have often had debates with my friends about more convenient… or is it? which is better, to watch a whole show in one go Instant viewing allows you to watch the show in the minute it airs, or, watch a show that is released one sitting and enjoy it but once it’s over, what will episode by episode each week. As an anime fan, I you do? It’s almost as though you wasted about 12 epihave to wait weeks before I can watch a new season sodes of pure delight and excitement in one go when of any new show. Anime seasons are split between you could have stretched it out until the next month. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn, each sea- What I love about episodic viewing is the discussion sonal show airs for a total of two months with an forums and predictions. When all fans are on the same average run of 12 episodes with only one episode page and all saw the same episodes at the same time released every week. It can take a very long time to it opens up spaces for a community to form which watch a new show and it can be very frustrating. is always great! Not all our friends may be watching But I must admit I love the excitement and the cliff the same shows as us which leaves a lot of us feeling - hangers a lot more when I’m watching the show as a bit empty after finishing a show or while watching it airs. Although watching an entire show in one go it. When you are watching shows episodically it’s a can be pretty great especially if the show grips and fun thirty minutes of sitting at the edge of your seat sucks you in. What often happens during episodic while also knowing others are doing the same. viewing is that you forget what happened in the There are benefits to both instant viewing and episodic, but I would never get rid of episodic viewing even if I could because the memes and the sense of community with other fans is intoxicating and very fun, especially during a pandemic when you can’t just go out and watch a show with your pals. But hey, instant viewing is great if you want to consume a show and just have a great weekend in with popcorn, takeaway and a hot chocolate in hand. There is nothing better than falling asleep with the excitement of finishing the show in the morning or staying up all night long only to fall asleep feeling Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash satisfied and entertained.
C U LT ÚR
February 23 2021
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Not all that glitters is gold; a review of the golden globes nominations By Liam De Brún February 2020 was a monumental month in the history of cinema. When Parasite scooped Best Picture at the 92nd Academy Awards in the iconic Dolby Theatre it felt like a sign of the times. Bong Joon-ho’s masterpiece was the first non-English language film to lift Hollywood’s biggest accolade. Bong looked as shocked as fans around the world who wrote off the film’s awards chances as he walked to the stage to collect the film’s fourth award of the night. The shock on his face wasn’t one of humility. It’s common knowledge that films that don’t pander to the award boards’ predominantly white members are snubbed. Year in year out, the films and performances that play it safe win big in awards season. The King’s Speech, Argo, and Green Book are the kinds of by-thebook pictures that win in favour of cinema that’s bursting with diversity and creativity. Parasite’s win was meant to change everything. If the 2021 Golden Globes nominations are to go by, nothing has changed. The Golden Globes are typically seen as the Oscar’s less successful cousin. They roll round at the beginning of every year to remind you of their existence. It’s the pitstop before big ceremonies in Spring. You’re more likely to remember one of Ricky Gervais’s rants
against the room of A-listers than any of the previous winners. This is a ceremony that awarded Matt Damon’s survival film The Martian for Best Musical or Comedy. Odd nominees dominate the ceremony every year. However, The Golden Globes don’t feel weird this year. The nominations are horrifically backwards. 2020 despite a global pandemic closing cinemas across the world was, still full of terrific film. With all the major blockbusters getting delayed it gave casual audiences the opportunity to delve into films that would have passed them by any other year. In a year where we took to the streets to battle for equality, cinema was full of brilliant stories from filmmakers of every background. Spike Lee continued his renaissance with Da 5 Bloods, a hard-hitting war film that showcased the impact the Vietnam war had on the black community. Regina King’s feature debut One Night in Miami saw icons Muhammad Ali, Sam Cooke, Jim Browne, and Malcolm X discuss what it’s like to be a young black man in America. Minari, led by the excellent Steven Yeun, showcased the challenges of a Korean family trying to achieve the American dream. These allowed audiences an insight into race issues that Hollywood often ignores. Outside of dealing with crucial topics, each of them is fantastic works of art. Yet, each of the three were snubbed by The Golden Globes.
Fanfiction and tagging issues By Eadaoin Counihan
The following article deals with themes of an adult nature which some readers may find upsetting. Fanfiction is a staple of life for book readers and tv show bingers. You don’t like a character death - rewrite it. You don’t like the ending - rewrite it. You don’t believe the main couple belong together - rewrite it. You can’t wait for the next book in the series - write your own version. You want to see your favourite film characters in your favourite book’s world - write your own version. You believe the main character would be a vegetarian when in canon they are the biggest carnivore going rewrite it. Who regulates fanfiction? The fan authors do. What regulations are there? There are few limits. Any topic can be touched on from imitations of text conversations characters might share to a darker side fetishizing rape, incest, and paedophilia. While keeping in mind fanfiction (and people) in general are harmless, there are always the exceptions. One of the main issues is the inconsistent methods fanfiction sites use to tag their content. Adult content can fall under ‘M’ for mature. Sexual content can fall under a range from the outdated term ‘lemon’, to the more prevalent terms ‘smut’ or ‘porn without plot (pwp)’. Rape fantasies can inexplicably fall under non - consent (non - con). This is a brief glimpse of the myriad of terms that derive from fanfiction. There is no across the board labelling system and this leaves visitors to fanfiction sites learning from trial and error. In some cases, authors can choose not to tag their work. This is dangerous. As people grow up with the internet, young people are quicker and more at ease in the digital world. Children’s television shows and books also become subject to fan writers. This results in some appropriate and some concerning
content. There is LazyTown smut. A show aimed at young children has smut, and while this particular age range might not find it, what about the eight year - olds and nine - year - olds who want to read more stories with their favourite characters? Young characters are aged up to put them in sexual situations. Sexual myths such as ‘virgins tearing the hymen’ are perpetuated. This misinforms curious minds who might be too young and embarrassed to question it. Sometimes abuse is fetishized. If the television shows and books are aimed at children, why would the fanfiction not be read by children? The lacking self - regulating system puts children at risk. Desensitisation to violence and normalisation of abusive relationships shouldn’t be brushed off. A more efficient tagging system needs to be in place across all the fanfiction websites. NSFW content should not become a norm. The internet and fanfiction should be safely accessible to all who love books, film franchises and television series. Game of Thrones and His Dark Materials target audiences should both be able to explore fanfiction sites. Should children’s fiction be written in mature situations? The answer doesn’t matter. There will always be mature content created for child aimed media. Miraculous Ladybug is a prime example. There is both a large child and adult following to the kid’s television programme. The focus should be on a solution. A general ranking system across all fanfiction sites should be adopted. Writers should have the freedom to write. Readers should have the freedom to choose what they read. Each website should clearly mark a section explaining their labels or tags. Fanfiction is for everyone and fanfiction sites should be safe for all ages to use.
Helpline: 50808 is a free 24/7 text service which offers support for people going through a mental health or emotional crisis – big or small.
A quick glance at the best picture nominees tells you all you need to know about the awards show. David Fincher’s oddly meandering Mank, the story of the man who wrote Citizen Kane, was nominated as awards shows adore movies about making movies. The only film to deal with racial issues was directed by a white man; Aaron Sorkin’s crowd pleasing The Trial of the Chicago 7. The two nominations that invoked fury online were for The Prom and Music. The Prom on paper promotes the LGBTQ community, yet it features an awfully stereotypical performance from James Corden. Corden was nominated for Best Actor despite his dated performance. Music, singer sensation Sia’s directorial debut, features offensive portrayals of what it’s like to live with autism. The film has been labelled a disgrace by many autism awareness charities. Despite these films being harmful to the LGBTQ and Autistic community they are being praised by an award show that’s watched by millions. The Sound of Metal, a film about a drummer struggling with hearing loss, worked with deaf actors to ensure their lives were represented accurately. To the surprise of no one, this film was snubbed too. When you’re releasing a film centred around a sensitive topic, the least you can do is put some care into
Ricky Gervais Golden Globe monologues have become more memorable than the ceremony itself in recent years Credit: GoldenDaily. your movie. However, it’s apparent that will lose it any chance of being recognised by The Golden Globes. There are signs that The Globes are capable of making a change. Three female directors were nominated for Best Director, a record high. Promising Young Woman, a showcase of the struggles of being a woman in a male ego driven world, was nominated for best picture. This is a big moment for women in film. The Golden Globes realise that times are changing, even if they nominated Emily in Paris while snubbing I May Destroy You in the television categories. You can’t choose to pat yourself on the back just because you made one right out of dozens of wrongs. If The Golden Globes are to be taken seriously they need to start recognising the films that have the potential to change the world. Nominating a film just to get James Corden and Sia in your audience is simply not good enough.
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The death of cinema? By Stephen Holland You hear it all the time: Cinema is dying. In the age of streaming, who’s still going to the cinema? Why would you spend all that extra money when you can watch new movies from the comfort of your own home? Or even, if you’re feeling lazy, from the comfort of your own bed. As lockdown continues and movie theatres have had to shut their doors, we don’t have a choice, we need
to stay home and see what’s on YouTube, or Netflix, or Amazon Prime, or Disney+, or NowTV. It goes on and on. But when restrictions are lifted, will we all flock back? Or have people become too dependent on streaming services to return to the cinema? Warner Bros. seems to think that they have, announcing plans to release all its films on HBO Max throughout 2021. This decision affects major releases like The Matrix 4, The Suicide Squad, and Dune.
Acclaimed director Christopher Nolan said he would never work with Warner Bros again after the company struck a deal with HBO Max to release all their films in 2021 on the network. Image: Variety.
This game changing decision may have significant ramifications for the big screen if other studios decide to follow suit. Exclusivity has always been seen as the biggest draw for audiences. Many filmmakers have spoken out against the decision, with Christopher Nolan, whose latest movie Tenet was the last flick a lot of people saw on the big screen, vowing to never work for Warner Bros. again, severing their partnership after 18 years of working together. But we have heard calls claiming the death of cinema before. In 1927, with the release of the first talkie, The Jazz Singer, people said the medium was done and what made cinema worthwhile had been lost. With the popularity of home television sets throughout the 1950s and ‘60s some thought that no one would be interested in leaving their house when they could just watch TV at home. Then in the 1980s there was Blockbuster Video and the ability to rent feature films that you could watch anytime you wanted. Surely this would be the final nail in the coffin? But no, the threats kept coming, DVDs and then smartphones, and yet cinema is still with us. Lastly, we get to streaming services and the modern era, the greatest foe the silver screen has ever fought. But if you think this will be an
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When restrictions are lifted, will we all flock back? Or have people become too dependent on streaming services to return to the cinema? end, then you haven’t been paying attention to the real reason people want to go to the cinema in the first place. Going to the cinema is an event, a lot of the time the movie you’re seeing is the least important part. You want to go with somebody, you want to sit with people, and experience something collectively. If it’s a comedy the crowd laughs together, in a horror you all gasp together, and occasionally in a particularly good drama you might all cry together. Human beings are social animals and for an awkward introverted individual like me, the cinema is one of the only group gatherings where it’s not only acceptable not to talk but actually encouraged. We can’t lose that! The main thing to consider is that people like the cinema. It’s the most effective way to watch a movie, you experience it with all of your senses, and it’s one of the few times where everybody (almost) puts their phone away for two hours. The medium may need to go undergo a change when we come out of this pandemic. Find out what people want and what brings people in. If it
can no longer rely on the advantage of exclusivity, then it’ll have to start getting more creative. Replaying classic films that people love is always a good one. I for one would love to see Eraserhead on the big screen. Theme nights are a great way to gather a crowd as well. Who wouldn’t love to get dressed up and belt out a couple of numbers from The Rocky Horror Picture Show someday not far from now? Open air or drive - in movies can also be a magical experience during the summer months. Don’t get me wrong, streaming services are great, and they’ve been a fantastic distraction this last year. I have no doubt that we’re all going to continue binge watching for a long time to come. But they don’t have it all, and the cinema has some boxes that cannot be ticked anywhere else. The communal experience of a movie, as we all sit together with our sweet packets rustling, waiting in unison for the lights to go dark and the movie to begin, is something sorely missed in this lockdown. Once it’s all over, you’ll surely find me there. I hope to see you too. The popcorn’s on me!
So long, farewell. We hate to say goodbye. A tribute to the late Christopher Plummer By Valerie McHugh Beloved actor Christopher Plummer, renowned for his stellar roles in The Sound of Music (1965), The Insiders (1999), The Last Station (2009) as well as many more, passed away on the Friday February 5th 2021, leaving behind an everlasting legacy. He basked in the glory and admiration of the global spotlight for over 70 years, and leaves behind an accomplished career overflowing with pizzazz, undeniable masterpieces, and flair. As a man with multiple talents, who could turn his hand to many roles both on stage and on screen, Plummer was treasured by many around the world as well as by his daughter and spouse Elaine Taylor whom he was married to for over fifty years. Before he broke onto the streets of Tinseltown, he was simply known as ‘Arthur’ and was born on December 13th, 1929 in Toronto, Canada. After his parents divorced, he grew up mainly with his mother’s family in Senneville, Quebec outside Montreal where he discovered and nurtured his love for music and theatre. He later trained at the Montreal Repertory Theatre. After playing numerous roles at the theatre, he made his Canadian television debut in 1953, the same year he also made his Broadway debut. In his later life, he was reviewed by Rolling Stone writer Peter Travers as “simply stupendous” which encapsulates the opinions of many people around the world both inside and outside of showbusiness. Although his famed portrayal as Captain von Trapp in the 1965 classic The Sound of Music may be rated by some as his most famed role, Plummer had an
extensive career in the television, film and theatre industry which spanned seven decades. At the age of 91 Plummer was even set to star in a big - screen production of King Lear directed by Des McAnuff but unfortunately died pre production. Some of his most acclaimed performances were his portrayal as American journalist Mike Wallace in The Insiders (1999) and Hal Fields in Beginners (2010) for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was also awarded the 1974 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his depiction of Cyrano in the original Broadway performance of Cyrano (1973). Many would define wealth as a measure of money in the bank or houses you own, but it can be argued that the wealthiest people are those enveloped in a loving family. Plummer may have worked on multi - million - dollar projects and was a global icon, but if this is the true measure of wealth, Plummer was already a tremendously rich man. He lived a long life with his wife, and fellow actress, Elaine Taylor. Taylor was his third wife, and the couple described themselves as “best friends” and lived a fulfilled life together, settling in a farmhouse in Canada. According to his agency ICM Partners, Taylor was by his side when he died peacefully in his home. He is also survived by his daughter, Amanda, from his first marriage. Amanda is also a highly acclaimed actress and won the Tony Award in 1982 for her portrayal as Sister Agnes in Agnes of God (1979). His close friend and The Sound of Music co - star Dame Julie Andrews DBE has been mourning the death of
her “cherished friend” and said she would always remember the “consummate actor” by his “fun and humour.” Some of the child stars who made up the cast of the von Trapp children in The Sound of Music also reminisced on their time spent working with Plummer on ITV’S This Morning, with Angela Cartwright who played Brigitta von Trapp in the movie saying that “he brought a real edge to the part” and that he was a “very talented guy.” Nicholas Hammond who played Friedrich von Trapp says, “he showed me what it really is to be an actor with his concentration and his commitment.” He added that
he had “huge admiration for him” and that Plummer insisted on embodying the stern, disciplined character of Captain von Trapp off - camera to make the strained relationship the character shared with his children more believable on screen. Debbie Turner, who played seven - year - old Marta von Trapp in the movie, said that although he tried to maintain this serious persona, he still broke character from time to time with the children, and that she remembers him “making faces at me and trying to make me laugh’’ during filming. There has been an outpouring of grief from fans around the world on Twitter
following Plummer’s death, with many people sharing their favourite parts of his work over the years. Many fans mention that The Sound of Music was their “childhood,” and that they are sad to be saying goodbye to a true icon. But one thing is for certain. Plummer’s life and legacy will live on forever with his admirers from every corner of the globe. He is a Hollywood icon, and will continue to ignite the flame of passion in actors for many generations to come as after all, in his own words, the most successful performers need to “learn how to blaze.” So long, farewell Christopher Plummer. Auf Wiedersehen, goodnight.
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CREATIVE The Big Hearted Way CORNER by Theresa Rock
The Student By Aidan Moloney
Unfolding reluctantly from the warm chrysalis of oblivion, We submissively wade through the ocean of lethargy. Desperately holding our chins above the waterline As deadlines grasp at our frantic limbs To submerge us Our already thundering minds are stabbed With careless, normalised ridicules. Though indirect and trivial, The trembling walls of our mentality are cruelly chiselled at. Toughened, but frighteningly brittle. The blinded spend years constructing their persona, An ego-fuelled puppet standing nervously On a seemingly immovable pedestal, Held in place by the scholastic hierarchy Which only disintegrates into scattered fragments, lost on the fiery surface Of the real world we are taught to fear but not tackle. The end of the week consumes us, Like the very deluge of work we are being relieved of. Waiting on messages that will not arrive, Craving the reassuring hum of laughter within the walls of a classroom. We lie empty, dependent on the approaching Monday. Soon the Sunday blues will not be partnered By the routine cobalt lockers. A day of celebration for most, the eventual relief A night of existential realisation for some. The protective armour of compulsory procedure has vanished. Rescue from isolation is no longer guaranteed.
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By Sophia Hadef The Big Hearted Way is a spiritual journey of love and self-learning. It is a book that helps you to find your true inner-self and to develop the relationship you have with your soul. Theresa Rock is an Irish author and creator of the spiritual and emotional wellness programme, The Big Hearted Way. She wrote her stories to bring some light and confidence to the reader. She talks about life, as well as her childhood and experiences; she analyses situations of her past and explains how moving on to create her new self, helped her to finally live by her soul. “Like any change, questioning who you are takes courage and persistence. It involves leaving the familiar and safe. Going into the unknown. We learn new languages, visit foreign lands, explore history and planets. But exploring our own soul is what takes real courage. It can seem so much safer to explore the world around us. Exploring who we really are; now that’s the real expedition.” She examines her romantic relationships and realises that we sometimes force ourselves to feel accepted, to get attention and a feeling of love to soften our pain. We think we may heal by falling in love or rushing into a new relationship stage, but Theresa shows how happiness is only achievable when we learn how to heal by loving ourselves. She also talks about religion and how being spiritual is not necessarily related to following a specific church. To reconcile with ourselves and our spirit requires meditation, learning how to accept who we are and what we want, to follow our instinct and to appreciate every detail of this life. In the second part, Theresa Rock gives advice on applying those methods and finding the missing piece we need to be free. Throughout her stories about anxi-
The Fall Gets an 8 out of 10 By Daniel Falvey
Spoiler Alert. The following article references key plot points in the series.
WILL YOU RUN?
If you are like me and crime thriller series fascinate and intrigue you, you need to add this series to your watch list. The Fall has three seasons and is set in Belfast and is originally a BBC crime drama, although it is available for streaming on Netflix. The Fall is a gripping, provocative and surprising series, with many twists and turns throughout that will keep you watching it. It is rated as 18s, due to its scenes of graphic violence.
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ety, breakups, and health issues, she questions our values and beliefs; she guides the reader to finally find and trust their identity. “Most of us are living a life that is based on who we think we should be and who we have been told we are. But very often the identity we live by is not who we really are. It is not aligned with our soul.” Theresa is a mother of two children and a strong independent woman. Her story is powerful and very feminist in its outlook. She is an example of life, and I would recommend this book to young men and young women as guidance on gaining confidence about their future. “When we choose to become aligned with our soul and follow its path we become more alive, more vibrant, more content. The power within comes out to play. The most powerful, liberated, inspiring women and men I know are the ones who have chosen to grow into their own soul. These people make no apologies for who they are. The older they become, the more they belong in their own body. The more they embrace who they are, the more alive they become. There is no manual on how to take this journey. It is a personal journey.” I read this beautiful book thanks to Niall MacGiolla Bhuí who is the Group Senior Communications Consultant of the Bookhub Publishing based in Galway. You can order the book at https://theresarock.com/
The series is about detectives and police officers trying to catch Paul Spector, a serial killer, also known as the Belfast strangler. The main detective is DSI Stella Gibson, who is played by Gillian Anderson. She is the top detective in the series and comes from England to help the Belfast police officers in investigating the murder of a young women, although when she is in Belfast, his murder spree continues, which leads to her connecting Spector as the serial killer. The menacing Spector is played by Jamie Dornan. The character is a loyal father and husband, and is also a bereavement counsellor by day, although it thrills him to stalk and terrorise women he doesn’t know, breaking into their houses and strangling them. We see in season one, the killer covers his tracks very well, although he is not always successful in killing his victims, and this then becomes the beginning of
his downfall, especially when he becomes somewhat romantically involved with a 15 - year - old girl who babysits his children. The fact that he comes across as very normal and respectable, and the fact he has such a dark side makes this series even more gripping, provocative and surprising, and adds an extra layer of enigma to his character. The series has a lot of dark scenes in it, which relate mainly to murder and violence, and Paul Spector is not the only violent person in the series. Although The Fall is not a true story, the serial killer Spector has many similarities to the serial killer Denis Rader, who also used to bind, torture, and kill his victims in the same way Spector does in The Fall.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS The Fall is definitely a must watch series, and although it is a very gripping series, it loses marks because of how each of the three seasons conclude. The third season was also not as exciting to watch as the first and second. The third season was centred almost solely on the implications of Spector’s murder spree in Belfast, and was lacking in the element of surprise, in comparison to the first and second seasons, as they offered more gripping scenes, that were more largely centred around mystery. It was still however interesting to watch and well scripted and acted, so do not let that turn you off watching the series. Overall, The Fall is a very well scripted and acted series and is one of the most addictive psychological thrillers on Netflix.
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All Ireland The role of celebrities and the Indian government CLIMATHON By Erika Sassone
Months have passed since the beginning of the protests in India, but the media and newspapers are only now talking about them, why? Everything began with the decision by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi - to reform the south Asian nation’s economy. In fact, even though more than half of Indians work on farms, this sector is not developed at all, it is not productive nor as modern as should be. This is due to several factors, and it has been a problem for the country for decades now. Over the years, the Indian government has tried to protect the whole sector with subsidies such as exemption from income tax and crop insurance, but if on one hand these measures have been important - in some cases even fundamental to the farmers, on the other hand without competition the farms never developed. Besides, the government now sees these measures as no longer sustainable. In this chaotic situation, a few months ago Narendra Modi suggested to reform the law: the new agricultural bill provides for a decrease in the government’s role in this field. However, at the same time it allows for private investors to invest in this business. The aim of the Indian government is to bring growth to the agricultural sector, but farmers are very sceptical: “We will lose our lands, we will lose our income if you let big business decide prices and buy crops. We don’t trust big business. Free
Copy That By Caroline Spencer Copyright law is the bane of many a creative person’s existence. The penalties for taking another artists’ intellectual property can lead to epic court cases with six figure pay-outs. The lines between coincidence and blatant theft are becoming ever more blurred, and often ridiculous. Case in point, the recent furore between Taylor Swift and a medieval theme park named Evermore. Swift has recently released her second pandemic album titled evermore. The album follows only months after its smash predecessor folklore. It has been lavishly praised by fans and critics alike. So much so, multiple music journalists have been threatened by legions of Swifties (hardcore Taylor Swift fans) for rating the album anything less than a ten. One New York Times journalist is still in hiding, clutching a First Aid Kit album, whimpering “It’s been done!”. (The last point is not true, but it wouldn’t be surprising.) It was in this highly charged atmosphere that a medieval theme park based in Utah, stepped up to the podium. The owners are suing Swift for having “confused guests and negatively affected the park’s searchability on Google”. This park offers fantasy-based amusements with a medieval twist, dragon eggs, wooden hamlets and even a dragon mount. Unless Swift began singing songs about the joys of dragon riding and love under feudalism, their case is bogus. Yet it might be an audacious chess move on their part. After all, what better way to drum up publicity for a theme park during a pandemic? The crossover potential is staggering. Another recent case of copyright nonsense occurred with the country band Lady Antebellum. Following the killing of George Floyd and the continued Black Lives Matter protests, many artists attempted to reckon with the reality of systemic racism. This country band decided to
markets work in countries with less corruption and more regulation. It can’t work for us here” Gurnam Singh Charuni, one of the main leaders of the agitation, said. The protests against this law have continued for months. Since November farmers have travelled several kilometres to reach New Delhi, the capital, sometimes even in their tractors, to demonstrate against the reform. The manifestation has always been generally peaceful until January 25th, when the farmers faced the police: the riots spread panic through the city, caused one official death and injured hundreds. Moreover, the Prime Minister decided to block internet access in order to stop the farmers from communicating with each other. Despite this dramatic situation, international media did not pay much attention to the revolt and the public was left completely unaware of what was happening in India. That was until pop superstar Rihanna decided to speak out: she tweeted “why aren’t we talking about this?! #FarmersProtest” linked to an article published by CNN about the internet block at the protest sites. The impact was impressive: in a few hours everyone was talking about it, but her tweet caught the attention of the Indian ministry for foreign affairs too. They stated, “The temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is neither accurate nor responsible”. Is it true? Should celebrities ‘stay in their lane’ and not talk about politics? change their name to Lady A. Antebellum is the Latin term for ‘pre war’. It is commonly used to romanticise the pre-Civil War era in the American South, in effect, slavery and the Confederacy created to uphold it. Until recently, the members of Lady Antebellum seemed to have missed that history lesson. (Not too shocking in a country that has statues worshipping Robert E. Lee). The announced name change was not too controversial. After all, Dolly Parton and the Dixie Chicks have made changes to their own brands that made similar connotations. The problem was that Lady A is also the stage name of African American blues singer Anita White. In a stunning display of idiocy, the band initially threatened Lady A, a performer for over two decades, with a copyright strike. Both parties came to an eventual agreement but the fact this occurred at all is searing indictment on the band, and their ignorance. When musicians go to the bat over copyright, it can inadvertently reveal the strength, grit, and ingenuity of the artist. FKA Twigs first appeared under the name twigs, her nickname. Alas a band named The Twigs were upset by this. This resulted in the artist, real name Tahliah Debrett Barnett, adding FKA (Formerly Known As) in a Prince-like stroke of cunning. FKA Twigs has since gone on to create some of the best music and performances in recent years with albums LP1 and Magdalene. The Twigs have been on the soundtrack for Cruel Intentions 3. Swings and roundabouts, probably. Copyright strikes often come out of a place of grandstanding, greed, or grievance. The results can vary wildly, but the conclusions can be as stark as day. It can depict the moral choice between wandering around a theme park during a pandemic or listening to Bon Iver-assisted tracks from the safety of your home. It is the difference between taking a stand against historical racist ignorance and threatening the livelihood of an African American artist. In short, it can reveal the inadequacies of the affronted party and create a teachable moment.
There is no univocal answer to these questions. There are many examples of celebrities who have used their influence to raise awareness to different topics: for example, Dua Lipa founded an organization to help people with financial difficulties in Kosovo, Lady Gaga stood up against the ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ practice in the US military, Aretha Franklin was an activist for women and black people’s rights, many celebrities also gave their endorsements at the presidential US election and even more of them have publicly supported the Black Lives Matter movement. Even if many people think celebrities should not talk about politics, it is undoubtedly true that they are often the best means for issues to reach the court
of public opinion and raise awareness around delicate topics. In this case, Rihanna’s tweet went immediately viral, with thousands of likes and shares from her 100 million followers. Within a few hours the climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and the US Vice President’s niece Meena Harris tweeted support for the farmers, and soon everyone knew about the protest. At the same time, many Indian celebrities began to spread the same message of support for the Prime Minister, condemning not only the protests but Rihanna herself, and some people suspect they’re posting those statements under pressure from the Indian government. So, maybe celebrities should talk about politics and human rights only when it is convenient for the Prime Minister?
An online event across Ireland to improve consumption and sustainability on campus
LAUNCH EVENT Monday 22nd Feb 6pm
Zoom Link at nuigalway.ie/alive --> News & Events Learn Design Thinking - Win Pries - Meet New People
All Ireland CLIMATHON
An online event across Ireland to improve consumption and sustainability on campus
LAUNCH EVENT Monday 22nd Feb 6pm
Zoom Link at nuigalway.ie/alive --> News & Events Learn Design Thinking - Win Pries - Meet New People
18 FA SH IO N & L I F EST Y L E
SIN Vol. 22 Issue 08
The chopping block By Paul Lewis Professional Chef Cooking has provided me with a living for almost twenty years. More importantly, being able to cook for myself, friends and loved ones has seen me survive these years. Never has this tasty asset been more useful. Being stuck at home this last year has reminded me that although my trade may be that of a chef, in my heart, I am a cook. Nothing beats cooking, eating and sharing at home. With each day, each loaf or dish, I am learning and refining. There is nothing to being a cook. We are all cooks. Cooking is living. It’s friendship and romance. Cooking is convening with the world around us. Cooking is our bodies. Cooking is economy. From every good intention and action in the kitchen, something beautiful and unique is created. I have eaten many bad meals out and about; everything prepared for me in someone’s home, with love and conversation, has been delicious. Have you ever boiled pasta in salted water, after a night out, drained it, added cheese and pepper? You are a cook. Have you buttered toast and brewed coffee to bring to someone asleep in your bed? You are a cook. As all good cooks are generous, in this column I would like to share with you some things that will make life in your kitchen and home easier and more fruitful and pleasurable. I want, for the good of your stomach, your health and your bank balance, to exhort you to delete that delivery app on your device and
CHEAP AND EASY RECIPES By Niamh Feeney Many of us are missing out on the flavourful foods from our favourite restaurants this lockdown, especially if Deliveroo doesn’t cater to your area. It’s tough, I know. So why not experiment in the kitchen and cook up your own delicious dishes? These are my go-to simple and inexpensive recipes that I’ve learned to perfect over the lockdowns. If you’re looking for something delicious and nutritious, but trying to stay within a budget, then try these out.
Julie’s Squash Soup Serves 6
INGREDIENTS: • 1 squash • 4 sweet potatoes • 4 celery sticks • 2 carrots • 1 onion • 1 litre of v egetable stock • 2 garlic cloves • A drizzle of olive oil • Smoked paprika, salt and black pepper. • Optional sides: a slice of wholemeal brown bread with some Kerrygold butter.
• Equipment: chopping board, knife, liquidiser (or blender), large saucepan.
STEPS: 1. Wash, peel and finely chop the squash, sweet potatoes, celery, carrots, and onion into thin pieces. 2. On a low heat, put the olive oil into the saucepan followed by the chopped vegetables. Let it sweat in the saucepan (roughly 25/30 minutes) until soft and golden brown. 3. Sprinkle in the seasoning – smoked paprika, pepper, salt, and smashed garlic cloves. Add 1 litre of vegetable stock and simmer for a further 30 minutes. 4. When vegetables are soft, use your liquidiser/blender and blend until it becomes a smooth liquid. 5. Pour into a bowl and enjoy! This soup freezes well if you want to save the leftovers for another day. Perfect for a cold and windy evening. Total cost: 5 euro Next up, why not treat yourself to some homemade sushi. Follow this basic recipe and have some delicious sushi made in minutes! You can always add your own twist and make it vegan, vegetarian or even use other fillings like tuna and cucumber.
DIY Sushi Rolls Makes 10 rolls – serves 5:
INGREDIENTS: • 200g Smoked salmon • two chopped avocados • 10 seaweed sheets • 550g sushi rice (Jasmine works well too) • Optional sides: soy sauce and some pickled ginger if you’re feeling adventurous. • Equipment: saucepan, chopping board, sharp knife.
STEPS: 1. Cook rice for approximately. 14 minutes until light, sticky and fluffy.
2. With the shiny side down, pat the rice allover the seaweed sheets but leave a 2cm uncovered gap at the top of the sheet. 3. 1cm in from the bottom, where the rice begins, layer on the smoked salmon and avocado in a line. Be careful not to overfill. 4. Tightly roll from the bottom up and wet the uncovered side so it sticks in place. 5. Using a sharp knife cut the sushi roll into thick pieces. Bon Appetit! Don’t forget to dip into soy sauce or munch alongside some pickled ginger for a kick! Total cost: 12 euro Give these easy recipes a go if you’re looking to treat your tastebuds or housemates. You won’t be disappointed!
to see that you can, without trouble or expense and to much greater enjoyment, cook whatever you like for yourself. First you will need a knife, nothing special, just one you like. Preferably not the one in the drawer that came with the house you rent. A decent small knife, a bread knife and Y-shaped peeler are handy too. A wooden chopping board will help. Along the way a tongs, a wooden spoon, a scissors, a whisk and a metal spatula will all become trusty and indispendable attachments to your arm. A heavy frying pan and a big pot would be convenient, but any pots and pans will do. A stainless steel mixing bowl is essential. All of these things can be picked up affordably around the town - in ethnic stores, discount shops, charity shops and supermarkets. Everything spent is an investment. Nothing needs to be fancy. The best cooks will manage with what they can find. Look after your tools. Pick one thing up every so often. Maybe buy a few plates and bowls that take your fancy. Get to know your locality. Go to the market of a Saturaday and pick up some doughnuts, cheese and local vegetables. Check out the Asian and Polish supermarkets where you’ll find the likes of sticky dates, worlds of spices and condimnets, dark rye bread, fresh greens, yoghurts, tofus and big bags of rice and couscous. Go to a butcher or fishmonger and don’t be intimidated or feel under pressure. Just ask questions about what’s on offer. And of course, there’s nothing wrong with the supermarkerts either. Don’t overload yourelf with shop-
ping – just buy what you can cook and something for the pantry. Money spent on food is money well spent, if it’s going to a local supplier, even better. Clean and organise before you start cooking. Have all the things you need lined up, a place for preparation and a spot for washing-up and for finished things. Keep things moving around. Clean as you as go. In this way, very little can go wrong. Please don’t chop with a dirty board or knife. Stand straight at your chopping block, arse and elbows tucked in, legs slightly apart, hold vegetables in a claw-like grip, with your thumb protected by your knuckles, and carefully get chopping. Think about how you want to cut things before your start. Cooking is about practice and instinct, but it helps to have a plan, or some idea of what you want to achieve. Cook according to time available – instant ramen with vegetbles and egg in a hurry, full roast on a lazy Sunday. Get elaborate dinners going early, starting with the longest job and working backwards, one task at a time. Recipes are guidelines. Instead of scrolling on your phone and making the screen all dirty, write out and pin up the basic list of ingredients and method. Turn up the music. There are no rules in cookery, but there are building blocks, ways to approach things and wells of knowledge to dip into. In the next instalment of our journey into cookery and eating, we will dip our toes into soup. Oh, there is one rule – Never. Throw. Anything. Out. So long, fellow cooks!
FAIS EAN
February 23 2021
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NÓ S MAIRE ACHTÁLA
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Your very own little lockdown project By Rachel Garvey Lockdown has taught us that we need to find happiness in the little things, no matter how small they are. A lot of students have gotten to the stage where they have watched everything on Netflix or they’ve read every book in their collection and they are now running out of things to do. They can only walk around their house so many times before they start to feel their sanity slipping. However, the fact that we are encouraged to stay home and within a five-kilometre radius of our dwelling means we eventually start to get tired of our
surroundings. The solution? Change things up a bit. Start your own little house makeover! Shops may be closed until further notice, but that doesn’t mean that online shopping has been disrupted around Galway.
Bedroom Your bedroom is your own safe space, your hide-out where you can be you and do whatever you want in the comfiness and privacy of your own four walls. Change the furniture around in whatever way you wish. Different coloured frames that hold memories of your friends and family can be placed around near
Living in a pandemic has taught us that little things hold greater meaning to us than we ever gave them credit for... a few cosy blankets can have a big impact in freshening up your sitting room.
your window or on your dresser; TK Maxx, Penneys and Tiger all have a great selection of such frames for a very good price, don’t worry, it’s nothing too expensive. Making a collage on your bedroom wall of printed pictures with a final touch of a string of fairy lights is a great way to bring colour and a sense of warmth to your room especially on those cold dark days. All that is needed is some blue-tack and imagination.
Bathroom I consider the bathroom to be the coldest room in the house, but that’s only an excuse to make it warmer. Penneys has a nice range of bathroom mats that’ll be sure to warm your feet once you step out of your shower. Your boring plastic soap bottle can be replaced with a decorative soap dispenser which can be bought from every store mentioned previously. One final touch; candles! Just don’t forget to keep an eye on them and blow them out before you leave the house or go to bed.
Sitting room If you’re sharing a house with other people, it’s sometimes hard to decorate the place to your liking because you want to respect other’s choices in how the place should be decorated, but there is nothing stopping you from co-ordinating a plan to decorate the place together. It doesn’t have to be decorated to the point where you all spend a fortune, that is not what makes it a home. Living in a pandemic has taught us that little things hold greater meaning to us than we ever gave them credit for and what I’ve
Budgeting advice By Anastasia Burton Here we go again with some good old fashioned budgeting advice from your favourite hedgehog mom. Are you broke yet? I know Valentine’s day just passed and some of you probably spoiled the hell out of your loved ones, didn’t you? Don’t worry I went a bit mad myself. But hey, let’s get back to saving that money and getting that bag! Right now, saving money is harder than ever with the never-ending lockdowns and the never-ending closures and restrictions businesses face every day. What are we to do with the PUP, the majority of which goes towards paying basic bills and food expenses? The PUP is great and it does help pay for the necessities and keep you on your feet, but sitting at home and having nothing to do is affecting not only our mental health but our pockets too. When you’re home alone all the time with random ads popping up, you’re tempted to give yourself some sort of joy in your life and spoil yourself a bit. Which is completely fair. A great way for saving a little bit of money is by setting up a savings account on your phone banking app, and here’s why.
AIB allows their customers to have a savings account where they can throw money in and gather interest on their savings! This also helps lower your loan interests and mortgage rates, which is handy if you’re like me, and start thinking about that sort of thing pretty early on. It is very easy to open a savings account through AIB and they give you three saving options. The first option is to give your bank permission to take about ten euro per month or week from your account and put it towards your savings. You can also deposit a large sum of money and let it sit there, it is a great way of accruing interest and the money is also easily accessible if you need it. The final option AIB offer is a savings account. Here you can deposit any sum of money, but it can only be withdrawn if you give your bank seven days’ notice. This is a great option for those of us who are impulsive and may be tempted to dip into their savings to pay their bills or buy something for themselves. Go out there and open yourself a savings account, start that journey so that once we finally leave this endless cycle of lockdowns you can dip and fly away on a well-deserved holiday.
realised is books and a few cosy blankets can have a big impact in freshening up your sitting room. There is nothing wrong with displaying a few books in the sitting room, you would be surprised at how interested people will be in them. The same is true for throws and blankets, tucking some soft blankets into your couches or draping them over the back of your couch is a great way to add a more homely and cosy feeling to your dwelling. It also means you don’t have to go searching for a blanket if you’re lazing on the sofa!
Kitchen Perhaps a small potted plant on the kitchen sink. Plants bring a whole new world of colour into your kitchen and help make the room brighter. A mug tree is also a great investment with Dunnes Stores and HomeStore & More having them in stock. Personally, I prefer to keep my mugs out of the kitchen presses to prevent them from getting a musty smell and it is so much nicer having all your different mugs on display. Having one mug per branch is the way to go, everything is balanced, too many mugs hanging from the branches and the tree will look out of sorts. As my own personal touch, I added a miniature toy trolley, bought in Tiger, to my kitchen countertop where I keep receipts or vouchers from supermarkets. Don’t be afraid to get creative! Lockdown may mean we have to stay home, but staying home doesn’t have to be a bad thing, so keep yourself busy with a little redecorating during these seemingly endless periods of restrictions. Make it your own little lockdown project.
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20 FA SH IO N & L I F EST Y L E Mental Health Column By Ellen O’Donoghue Happy week after Valentines everybody. Especially those who are more relieved that it’s over than anything else. My friend texted me last Sunday saying that she loves seeing all the happy couples all over social media giving their gifts and being happy in their relationships celebrating love and my literal reply was that I hate seeing it. It makes me feel sick and bitter and nobody can tell me otherwise. Her reply? Self-care day Ellen. That’s what you need. So what did I do only sit in front of the telly watching I am a Killer on Netflix while knitting a headband for myself before having a few drinks to celebrate a big birthday in my family. Anyways enough of that craic. I’ve never been in a relationship for Valentine’s day so this could just be me being cynical but I think it is the biggest, most ridiculous money grab ever. Personally, it just is not for me. But anyways, that is not the point of this column. What I meant to get around to saying was that you shouldn’t need a holiday to validate your relationships. It shouldn’t take a commercialised stunt for you to be made feel special by that special someone in your life. If that is the only day that you are made feel like that, then there is most definitely something wrong. Remember that. One swallow doesn’t make a summer. One good day, or one good deed does not make up for toxicity in your relationship, especially if 99% of the time, it is bad. Gift giving should not be what makes your relationship great, it should be each other’s company and your love for each other that makes it great. I know far too many people who have been in toxic relationships, including myself, who did not realise just how toxic the environment was until they escaped it or until it was pointed out to them by somebody who cares. I think it is so important to keep an eye on yourself and those around you when it comes to your relationships, and their relationships alike. It is especially difficult for those experiencing it, to realise just how toxic their environment may be. It’s important to look out for the signs. Most simply, how do you feel after spending time with this person? Is it enjoyable? Do you feel good afterwards? Or do you feel drained? Do you feel bad about yourself ? Are you made feel like everybody is looking down on you? Or like you aren’t good enough?
Watch out for these major signs that may show if a person in your life is toxic. Also, remember while you read, that toxic people can have any relationship with you, it doesn’t have to be a romantic relationship. Toxic friendships or familial relationships exist too. • Toxic people are always ‘better’ than you at everything. • Toxic people are never happy for your achievements, no matter how small. • Toxic people cannot give a compliment. Regardless of how nice the compliment, it has to have a little negative on it. • You always feel emotionally exhausted or drained after you meet them, not satisfied. • Toxic people bully your insecurities and make you feel like you’re not enough for them, anyone or anything. • Toxic people do not support your dreams and goals. • Toxic people make you feel guilty for not putting them or their needs first, even though they don’t put you or your needs first. • Toxic people try to intimidate you to get their way. • Toxic people guilt trip you as a way of maintaining control. • Toxic people are easily jealous, and overly defensive. • Toxic people constantly see themselves as a victim, even if it is you who should be the victim. • Toxic people constantly lie to you, and never keep their word. • In toxic environments, you will find that it is always you who listens and helps with their problems. Toxic people are not there for you. One and all of these signs are signals of toxic relationships. Toxic people may do only a few of these things, but you must always remember that relationships are a two-way street. It takes two to tango, as they say. You cannot be expected to have a one way relationship. You deserve better, and if you feel otherwise, then you need to take a long, hard look at the relationships in your life - because I would bet that it’s the toxic person or people who have convinced you of it. It is also important to note that toxic relationships are emotionally abusive and manipulative. If you feel as though you, or someone close to you is in a toxic relationship, talk to them, or talk to someone you trust and go from there. In the long run, you will be so much better off - I promise. If they want to, they will. If someone loves you, they’ll show it. Sometimes you’re better off on your own.
SIN Vol. 22 Issue 08
Thought-provoking novels to give you guidance during lockdown By Stephen Holland The current lockdown situation is a difficult time for everyone. It can lead to feelings of isolation and hopelessness. When people are separated from their friends, family and loved ones, it’s easy to feel emotionally and spiritually bereft. Books are one source that can help ease the burden of seclusion. A truly great novel can teach us things about ourselves and help give us the strength and resilience that we never knew we had. Here are just a few books that I read when I feel like I need some guidance on this earth. I think each of these stories in their own way has something to tell us about the nature of the human condition, what it means to be alive, and how even when you’re feeling hopeless, there can always be a light at the end of the tunnel.
The Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Albom This heart-warming novel by Mitch Albom examines what it means to exist on this planet and the events that unwittingly affect our experience of being alive. It follows the life and death of a maintenance man named Eddie, who is killed saving a little girl on his 83rd birthday at the amusement park that he has spent his entire life working at. Eddie dies and goes to heaven where he meets five people who had a significant impact on his life when he was alive. The title may put you off, but this is not a religious book, it is about how our perception of our lives is often-times quite different from the reality of it. Eddie feels like his life was meaningless, that he squandered his opportunities, and that even though he lived to be quite old, his life did not hold much value. As he progresses through the afterlife Eddie is confronted by the interconnectivity of existence, how the little things you do can affect other people’s lives and experiences dramatically. He learns about anger and forgiveness, and the benefits of seeing two sides to a story. He experiences the power of love and that there’s always a purpose in life, even when it doesn’t feel that way.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull, by Richard Bach This short novella, by American aviator Richard Bach, is a fable about a seagull who loves to fly. While all the other
birds fly to get food or merely to get from place to place, Jonathan Livingston flies for the sheer joy of it. He wants to learn everything there is to know about flight and to soar higher than any seagull has before. His unwillingness to conform to social norms results in his expulsion from his flock. Now an outcast, he can focus wholly and completely on his passion for flight, becoming increasingly pleased with his abilities and leading a happy and peaceful life. Later, Jonathan meets two seagulls who recognise his incredible abilities and take him to a higher plane of existence. Here he can perfect his skills away from the distractions of everyday reality. This is a book to be experienced. It is an inspirational story about trying to better yourself, it is about following your passions and pursuing your dreams without worrying about what other’s will think of you. By not compromising his higher vision Jonathan is able to achieve transcendence and can utilise his exceptional skills for the betterment of all.
Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse This novel from 1922 is written by Herman Hesse and deals with the spiritual journey of self-discovery. Siddhartha and his brother Govinda are on the search for enlightenment. They become homeless and renounce all personal possessions eventually meeting Guatama, the famous Buddha. Govinda hastily joins the Buddha’s order, but Siddhartha does not follow. Although the Buddha is wise, he needs to forge his own path. Siddhartha becomes rich and wins the love of a beautiful woman, however, he soon learns that living a luxurious lifestyle is merely a game and offers no spiritual fulfilment. This novel teaches us that while knowledge can be passed on, wisdom cannot. To fully understand and appreciate life, we must first live it. The only way to learn from your mistakes is to first make them. The character Siddhartha honours the Buddha not by following him in person, but by following his example. The path to enlightenment is a solitary endeavour and you will not get there by merely copying others. The irony of the book is that the one person who seemingly disrespects the Buddha by not joining him is the only one who achieves enlightenment because he treated him as an influence and not a god.
FAIS EAN
February 23 2021
7
NÓS MAIRE ACHTÁLA
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Beautyy bag g review By Anastasia Burton Fashion and Lifestyle Editor Howdy, my fellow declutterers! Did you miss our series where we go through my beauty bag and see how much I’ve used since we last spoke? This column is for those who are trying to become more sustainable in the way they use their make-up and to inspire people to stop the hoarding and to only buy the products you need and run out of. This is a great way to save money and also fall back in love with items you forgot you had, or items you love but didn’t get a chance to love properly due to additions to your collection. This year is my low buy year which means I will not be buying beauty items unless I run out or absolutely need to buy. So far this year I bought a loose setting powder because the one I had made me look orange. Odd. So, let’s review my beauty bag from December to February:
1. Elf hydrating face primer – Using: I have to be honest, I used very little of this primer, it smells horrible and feels super greasy on the skin. I honestly have half a mind to give it to a friend or bin it and repurchase the Maybelline baby skin primer.
2. Essence lash princess False lash effect mascara - Used and replaced: I used this up, I have to be honest the wand is not easy to work with and the consistency of the mas-
cara is very wet. It’s not a bad mascara but it does not do much for the lashes. I replaced the Essence lash princess with the Maybelline lash sensational. So far it’s alright but I must say it does not do much for the lashes either, they don’t seem longer or as dark as I would like.
3. Rituals miracle lightweight foundation – Using: I have started using this foundation and I must admit it’s very pleasant on the skin, my only criticism is that the shade is a little too orange for me, even though the shade is called ivory. The foundation feels very hydrating and lovely on the skin. I will probably repurchase this in the future but will make sure to fish around for lighter shades. Do you think they have a shade called white plaster wall?
4. TheBalm sexy mama anti-shine translucent powder – Using: I’m going to be honest, I made zero to no progress with this. It makes no difference on my skin and I don’t really see a point in it if I use my loose powder.
5. Rituals miracle bronzing powder – Using:
6. Topshop Mother of pearl - Used + replaced: I have been using the Topshop mother of pearl for months. I finally used it to the best of my ability and got rid of it. It was a beautiful highlight, but I have to admit after using it for a total of six to seven months I wanted something new. I replaced this highlight with both the Topshop chameleon highlighter sea witch and Revolution vivid baked highlighter in peach lighting. Both of these are slightly pinking hues which I enjoy. The mother of pearl was very intense and beautiful, but these are slightly more muted and natural which I think I prefer right now considering it’s still wintery outside and to me, pigmented highlighters are for summer.
their colours to suit the season. So far, the shades I have hit pan on are Cube, Dawn, Destiny, Adorn, Mercury, Electric and New Wave. I will try and hit pan on one or two more shades before passing this palette along to a close friend after obviously sanitizing and cleaning it up.
8. TheBalm BalmBeach longwearing blush – Using: I have been falling back in love with this blusher over the last couple of months, simply because it added the colour that I have lost over the period of time we have spent indoors. I have used almost half of the blush and hope to hit pan soon. It’s quite old, so I feel once I hit pan I can bravely get rid of it.
7. Anastasia Beverly Hills Subculture palette - Almost there:
9. Catrice liquid camouflage high coverage concealer – Using:
I have been using this bad boy since August of last year. During our previous check-in, I have had hit pan on five shades, well now it’s seven out of fourteen! To be very honest I am bored out of my mind with this palette, it’s beautiful but I have done every look imaginable with it and I just can’t do it anymore. I am excited to start a new palette, possibly in March or April as I like changing my palettes and
This concealer is very new to my collection. As you know previously I had been using the Essence concealer for months. I used that up completely and decided to move on. I must say, this is the best pharmacy concealer I have ever used, even better than the essence. I am experiencing a lot less discomfort and cracking with this one and that’s always a plus!
I love this little bronze palette, it’s so natural and amazing. I hate when bronzers make you look like you have rubbed a load of dirt on your face, so the fact that this just gives me a gentle and natural bronze is making me a very happy girl. I have not made a lot of progress with it though.
Survival Guide: Semester 2
Online Learning ✔ Try to get up early every day and get dressed! ✔ Have a designated learning space and keep it organised. ✔ Make a schedule which contains breaks. ✔ Know who your lecturers are and how to contact them. ✔ Make to-do lists and use a calendar to keep track of all assignments and due dates. ✔ Take this semester one week at a time. Try to complete all your tasks for one week before the next one starts. ✔ Stay connected with your class and if you need help – ask! ✔ Please make sure to take care of yourself and EAT!
NUIGalwayStudentsUnion www.su.nuigalway.ie
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22 FA SH I O N & L I F EST Y L E
SIN Vol. 22 Issue 08
Is there a problem with oversharing on social media? By Ellen O’Donoghue This is such an interesting question. To me, the answer is obvious – of course there is. Social media has to be the best and worst thing that has happened to our generation. People literally have numerous different groups that they share and filter what they are sharing towards different audiences all of the time. It’s as ridiculous as it is amazing. Don’t get me wrong, I love social media. But holy god, some people do take advantage of it. I am a big oversharer - I literally have an article I wrote a year or two ago linked in my Instagram bio that states I have depression and details my experience with it. However, in my opinion, that is a positive contribution to the platform. I cannot count the amount of people who have come up to me on nights out or just randomly popped up to me via text or something who have confided in me about their struggles, saying they hadn’t felt like they could tell anyone, until they saw and read my openness and normalisation of mental illness. People enjoy seeing things about other peoples’ lives, hence why social media influencers are able to make a living by posting videos and pictures of their day to day activities. People can also teach and learn crafts easily as a result of people sharing their passions with the world on social media too, but the million euro question remains: Where do we draw the line?
Once you post something online, it remains there forever. People forget that a lot. You really have to watch what you type, because there is no plausible deniability for the world wide web. You either said it or you didn’t, and there’ll be receipts if you did. Employers see it too. If I were you reading this, I’d go on my social media accounts after and check my privacy settings. If you were hiring and looked yourself up on social media, would you call yourself up for an interview based on what you see? How you interact with people publicly on social media is a clear reflection to potential employers of how you will interact with and react to colleagues at work. You can literally tell when somebody does not have family members following their account on Instagram, Twitter, VSCO, or whatever social media you’re partial to using yourself. Just think - would you be okay with your mammy reading or seeing what you post? Furthermore, would you actually like seeing what you post if you didn’t know the person posting it? If the answer is no, then you may think again about posting. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but my likes and retweets may hurt my job opportunities in the future. It’s like a modern day affirmation. Without giving any spoilers, even in the Elisa Lam documentary recently released on Netflix, they discuss how she used her Tumblr page almost as a journal. And that, in my opinion, is precisely the problem. Too many people in our generation, although also not confined to our generation, use social media as a personal diary to detail every
minute of every second of their day. Different platforms, according to my feeds, represent different aspects of peoples’ lives. On Instagram, we have the pretty, attractive, positive yet empathetic vibes, where people support one another and drama still ensues, but just isn’t that common (or dramatic). However, the filters on this app are not confined to the photos. Instagram also presents, for the most part, a controlled and filtered perspective of people’s lives. Facebook is just the land of the middle aged. It’s what our children will refer to Twitter as in 20-30 years, I assume. You can’t open your newsfeed without seeing some Karen giving out about restrictions and vaccines, or their child’s dirty nappy, or just blatantly stating that they and their children are going to break Covid-19 5km restrictions because they ‘deserve it’. It’s all a wee bit ridiculous if you ask me. Twitter however? That’s a whole different ball game. Between Trump and his cult following, NUIG Confessions and their cult following, or just random people and their cult followings. I’d get into the whole Trump thing but to be honest, I just don’t have the energy. That isn’t the point of this piece. Social media brings a whole new aspect and region to local, national and international celebrities. Just a few good tweets seen and interacted with by the right people, and boom - you’re on Buzzfeed. It doesn’t even have to be completely your own idea or experience, but apparently no one cares when you’ve gone viral.
I try to do my best to stay away from any controversy on Twitter. Everything seems to be overly politicised. With the amount of oversharing of people’s lives that ensues, you would think that users would at least have a bit of respect and listen to other people’s views. It’s kind of like a game of ‘who can shout loudest, have the biggest opinion, or have the worst experience’. Don’t get me wrong, Twitter, and all social media, has been a godsend for advocacy, between mental health advocacy or the recent image based sexual abuse scandal in which so many people were affected, among many other things. However, among all of that, is the big bag Twitter brigade. I feel like some people live their lives on the back of the little white bird in the Twitter logo. They have such a loud voice online, but in real life, they wouldn’t say boo to a bird. On Twitter, it’s like you can’t voice your opinion for fear that somebody who has more followers than you disagrees with it and decides to set their tribe upon you to give you hate. Twitter is a place of expression, where you’re afraid to voice your opinion, even if only slightly controversial, for fear of receiving hate from those who preach freedom of speech - but only if they agree with what you’re saying. We now live in the land of the free and land of the keyboard warriors. But hey, welcome to the twenty-first century. Who needs a diary when you have a newsfeed?
How to keep a long-distance relationship alive By Eímear Nig Oireachtaigh
Mental Health Supports
Acmhainní Meabhairshláinte Don’t be afraid to reach out, you’re not alone. Ná bíodh eagla ort cabhair a lorg; níl tú leat féin. Rape Crisis Helpline - Phone 1800 77 8888 Jigsaw - Email info@jigsaw.ie Phone 01 472 7010 Turn2Me Mental Health Support www.turn2me.ie LGBT Ireland Helpline - Phone 1890 929 53 or email info@lgbt.ie Helplink Mental Health - Email helplinksupport@helplink.ie The Traveller Counselling Service - Email info@travellercounselling.ie MyMind - Email hq@mymind.org ADHD Ireland - Phone 01 874 8349 Men’s Aid - Phone 01 554 3811
A problem shared is a problem halved. Laghdú gach anró é a roinnt. NUIGalwayStudentsUnion www.su.nuigalway.ie
I’m three and a half years into a relationship with someone who lives in Maynooth. That’s a three-hour journey by train, and then bus while I was living in Galway. There is also the stellar option of taking one very long bus route, which drives through every single town between Galway and Dublin, which could take anywhere between three and a half and four hours, depending on the driver. To say it hasn’t been easy would be an understatement. Luckily, the experience has made me an expert in the area, and I’m ready to help all of you who have found yourself in a long-distance relationship in the last year because of our friend Corona. A lot of relationships are the same, whether longdistance or not. You need good communication, to be able to have fun, someone who respects and trusts you, the list goes on. These qualities become so much more important when you can’t see the person every day. A small miscommunication can become a fight very easily when you’re not physically there to read body language, the inflection in their voice, and so many other small cues. Here are some tips that I’ve found helpful:
Remember that it’s temporary. Whether you’re long-distance because of Covid-19, college, or any other reason, the plan is never for it to be like this forever. This separation is temporary. Although in my case it’s been a very long ‘temporary’, Covid will pass, college will end, and you’ll be able to see each other every day at some point in the future. I know it’s hard now, but working towards that future (even if it’s a year or two away) makes the present a whole lot easier.
Plan things to do for when you do have time together. @nuigsu
This is more helpful pre-Covid, but it still stands! If you know you only have one weekend a month with a person, make sure you plan. You don’t want to be going home on Sunday disappointed because you didn’t do anything
that you wanted to. That’s the keyword here – want. If all you want to do is curl up and watch The Office for the twentieth time, then you do that! Your time together doesn’t have to be action-packed to be enjoyable but putting a little thought in can make such a difference.
Organise dates that you can do remotely. This is the only thing that has been easier in the last year because a whole new group of people are suddenly in this position. Some ‘dates’ that we’ve had in the last year include making the same dinner and eating at the same time on a video call (this can be tough to time properly, but it’s the closest to sharing a meal you’re going to get!) and watching Netflix together through Netflix Party (a handy Chrome extension). Having food sent to their house is also a firm favourite of mine. For Easter last year, I was sent a gorgeous hamper full of my favourite chocolate. If they’re more of a savoury person, try ordering from their favourite takeaway. A nice gesture and they don’t have to cook dinner, it’s a win-win! Another activity we’ve been doing is playing games together! I’m not a huge gamer, but I do like Scrabble. At this stage, just doing something slightly different from my everyday work is so exciting to me! Also, as everyday communication goes, don’t underestimate a video call. Just seeing their face can make such a difference. I could write an entire thesis on this, but honestly, the most important thing is to remember that you’re on the same team. The situation is out of your control, but you can use this time to build a stronger partnership so that when you do have the chance to spend time together again, you’re ready to pick up where you left off.
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24 OPI NIO N
SIN Vol. 22 Issue 08
Dear NUI Galway, stop ripping us off By Anastasia Burton Most Universities expect students to pay tuition fees to cover the cost of on-campus facilities and services that are offered to them throughout the year. Of course, these tuition fees do not include accommodation costs, book costs, or transport. So what are we paying for really? This year unlike the rest, most of us have not set foot on campus grounds all of last year and probably most of this year also. So what exactly did most of us pay three grand for? From the very beginning of the year, there was minimal support available for students not to mention the outrage NUI Galway brought upon itself by charging repeat fees almost twice the price most other universities charge. NUI Galway has shown itself in the worst possible light throughout the past year, no support, constant nagging for money and fees and making it an endless battle for students to receive their refunds from on-campus accommodation. I ask you again, what are we paying for? The library that most of us can’t access due to limited spaces and unavailable booking times? A gym that has been opening and closing since March, or is it perhaps the lecture halls that none of us visited this year? It is an outrage that we are still being forced to pay for facilities we do not
have access to. If the university cared for their students, they would not ask for the full tuition price or perhaps would have cancelled it altogether as they seem completely out of the loop. Most students like myself are supporting themselves through a full-time job or internship which has taken up most of their time, just to be able to pay for their education. Funny how you need to work 40 hours a week to afford education when at the end of a rough shift you are left unable to so much as look at a book, never mind write an assignment. How are Irish students supposed to feel like their efforts amount to something and that their university cares for them when in response to our pleas for help they charge us extra? Personally, I felt like I just threw my hard-earned money into a dark abyss where I will never see my investment benefit me at all. Last year the university had to cancel most internships and placements as well as ERASMUS which means we are quite literally being robbed blind by a money-hungry institution which puts its students in positions where they are so stressed and overworked that they no longer have the desire for knowledge. Rather than focusing on how much you should charge each student and what the best way to suck money out of us and our parents is, why not focus on student mental health? Now more than ever the University needs to provide additional support to students especially those who come for low-income families who are struggling to stay afloat. I truly believe the only way NUI Galway will ever listen to its students is if they fall down in ranking as the top 1% of universities worldwide, or if there is a public outrage large enough to force the university to rethink their ways. I do not see the University ever listening to us unless they see that our outrage is costing them money, which is quite frankly, disheartening.
Has the government failed third level students? By Matthew Geraghty Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic in Ireland the Leaving Cert has remained a key issue at the forefront of government plans and in the court of public opinion. Rightly so, the methods of teaching and examining second level students during a deadly pandemic have been carefully considered and criticised. This may stem from the Leaving Cert exams being a favourite annual topic of discussion among the populous in nonCovid times- every year we all scramble to find out what poets came up in the English exam, or if the Maths papers were particularly gruelling. However, in all the recent chatter regarding the Leaving Cert another important cohort of students has undoubtedly been forgotten about: Third level students. Despite being the member state with the most expensive third level fees, Ireland holds a prestigious position within the EU as a member state with one of the highest numbers of school leavers progressing to third level institutions. In 2017 alone over 183,000 students enrolled in third level institutions across the country. But based on the media coverage, government addresses and the response from universities and institutes of technologies themselves, one would assume the student population was much smaller. While second level students have dominated the discourse regarding education in the pandemic third level students have been wholly underrepresented. President of NUI Galway’s Student Union Pádraic Toomey believes the problem lies at the hands of third level institutions as much as the government. He says, “the problem of autonomy where the government or the Higher Education Authority don’t get to give orders to third level institutions means that the govern-
ment couldn’t force colleges to keep study space open or remove repeat exam fees.’ Students in Galway, like many around the country, feel let down and exploited. The university delayed giving students details on learning methods until two weeks before the academic term began. However, what the university did prioritise over the education of students, was student spending on accommodation. In a mid-June email the University’s Dean of Students and Deputy President, without giving any details about what proportion of the academic year would be taught online, encouraged students to secure accommodation in Galway. Students were eventually told just two weeks before the academic year began how they would be taught over the coming nine months. The majority of learning for all students would now take place remotely. In the three month communication gap thousands of Galway students had secured accommodation in one of the country’s most expensive cities, behind Dublin and Cork, only to find out now that the money they had agreed to payeither to NUI Galway directly in the form of on-campus university owned accommodation, or to the private landlord market which the university undoubtedly prioritised over the welfare of their own students- was largely wasted. To add insult to injury, the Friday before the academic term was set to begin at most third level institutions, it was announced that universities would remain almost fully closed. Students who had thought they may receive some small amount of in-person tuition were let down, again. Regardless of spiralling case numbers at this time as a reason for the sudden change, decision makers at NUI Galway and other institutions, as
well as the government at large, had access to many professional advisers including NPHET and could have made an executive decision much earlier than three days before the beginning of the semester. Third level institutions have remained almost fully closed since, with students operating from home. At the outset of this pandemic many students had felt rallied together, buoyed by their respective universities ‘Were all in this Together’ approach. Things have changed now. As a third level student myself I think that my university and the government have prioritised the amount of money which they could get out of me, rather than being straightforward and prioritising my learning experience. When student’s questions were answered by the Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris in the Dáil last October they were deemed of such importance that they were relegated to being answered at 11 p.m. Indeed, third level students have not been addressed in any of the Taoiseach’s speeches to the nation. In the 2020-2021 academic year learning experiences have altered dramatically. Irish students are still paying the exact same fees that they would have in any other year, fees which go towards the upkeep of facilities such as libraries, fitness centres and most importantly in person learning opportunities with lecturers. But with these amenities closed almost all year is it fair to charge students’ the exact same amount when the majority have to teach themselves from their bedrooms? Many don’t even get a chance to engage with lecturers or peers virtually with a large number of educators opting to post pre-recorded classes, which removed the last opportunity for any sort of online academic conversation. This has contributed to a rise in loneliness and poor mental health among those in third level education. While the re-opening of a secondary school during a pandemic is certainly less complicated than that of a university, some more accountability, effort, and particularly mental health resources for third level students from those in power would not go astray during this deeply challenging period.
TUAIRIM
February 23 2021
25
How many more lockdowns Will students protest NUI Galway’s recent actions will people take?
once restrictions are lifted?
By Darren Casserly Opinion Editor
It was recently announced that there will be at least another six weeks of level five restrictions put in place by the government. This was met with the usual disappointment that we have become accustomed to over the last year. But what was different this time around was the overwhelming feeling of resignation that this is life now, and there is no light at the end of the tunnel because we have been seeing that same light for so long that we’re not sure it’s even real at this point. It has also raised an interesting question to me, when will people no longer put up with it? I’ve not been an anti-lockdown person at any stage of this pandemic, but I was thinking of the limits you could push people to before breaking. I know that we are all waiting to be vaccinated in the coming months, but as I have already said, false dawns have come hand in hand with this pandemic. The handling of this pandemic by the government has been, atrocious as we all know, and has just gotten worse as it has gone on. From the early lifting of restrictions in the summer to reopening for the few weeks at Christmas, every prediction by NPHET has been right and resulted in harsher restrictions and the government taking none of the blame. I believe the most frustrating part of it is the trepidation in implementing measures that have worked in other countries such as hotel quarantining upon entering the country, and as I have already mentioned, following the advice of health officials.
By Neasa Gorrell
We have seen in countries around the world where the pandemic has been handled by politicians who put their party’s popularity over the safety of its citizens that they have failed to contorl the spread of the virus over and over again. People have lost a year of their lives to this and look to be losing another six months at least. How will this period of time be looked at in decades to come? What will the fallout of this be politically? How long will we see the aftereffects of this last for? These are all questions that will eventually be answered, and it does not look like the future will be optimistic, the longer this goes on and the further the ripple effects go on for. The thing is that people need something to hope for and look forward to. The idea that this will be over sooner than it started is enough for people to cling to right now. My hope personally is that the fallout from the pandemic will bring about the first non-Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael government in the history of this state. But everyone assumed things would be better by this stage so in a few months’ time, this could look like the fantastical writing of a blind optimist, but I suppose we will have to wait and see.
Are teachers unfairly criticised over school closures? By Úna Kehily The complicated debate around the re-opening of schools has dominated the media since the reintroduction of Level 5 restrictions in late December. The last several weeks have seen heated exchanges between Teachers’ Unions, the Minister for Education and other members of government about the safety of teachers and students returning to schools, and the possibility of the Leaving Certificate exams proceeding as planned in June. Teachers and their unions have understandably expressed concern about returning to school, where they feel their safety and their students’ safety would be at risk. Considering the current restrictions state that not even one-on-one social gatherings are permitted, it is unsurprising that a school environment, where hundreds of students and staff are mixing five days a week, would remain closed. However, a significant portion of the general population does not agree. It seems that a lot of prevailing opinion on teachers in Ireland is quite unsympathetic, even under normal circumstances. People think that teachers are lazy, that their holidays are too long and that their work is actually really easy. This sort of belief was also common during the recession. It’s clear that criticising teachers is an easy target for the public to air their grievances in times of crisis. Nonetheless, arguments that teachers are simply lazy and refuse to work are
reductive; they are concerned, like the rest of us, about their health and the wellbeing of their communities. While it’s understandable that parents are stressed with both working from home and managing their children’s online education, it is not fair to pin these frustrations on teachers. Despite claims to the contrary, teachers have in fact been working even when schools have been physically shut. They still have to hold online classes, prepare videos and exercises for their students, correct work, as well as dealing with stressed parents’ concerns. Adapting to online education is no easy feat, nor is it anywhere near the in-person teaching experience. Many teachers are working longer hours than ever before, with no real work-life balance, and would much prefer to be back in the classroom. The last two months have seen members of the public going as far as calling for teachers’ salaries to be withheld until they agree to return to school. Threats like this do nothing but create division at a time when cooperation and understanding is vital. In a year where we have seen how interdependent we are for the protection of our safety and collective wellbeing, there is no good to come of vilifying our teachers for choosing to protect themselves, their students and their loved ones. Rather than attack them for standing their ground, we should direct our attention to how we have once again ended up in a position where closing schools is necessary to suppress the virus.
Protests are just a matter of time. As a third-year student at NUI Galway, I can admit with a heavy heart, that I have lost a particular element of love for the university I was once so glad to attend. This is solely because of the choices and actions NUI Galway management have made during this pandemic, all of which have shown a glaring disregard for students and their families’ financial and mental wellbeing. I am acutely aware of the situations that transpired so far throughout the academic year 2020/21 and those we encountered during the second semester of the previous academic year. In fact, I am so intensely aware of all of the actions undertaken by NUI Galway’s administration that I have been incredibly vocal on the issue, as should every single student that has been impacted by the choices and lack of compassion shown by NUI Galway during this pandemic. I feel looked upon as a pay-packet - devalued as a human-being pursuing a better future, to nothing more than a source of income for an institution. I feel my passions for life being commodified and sold off, my drive for study disregarded and manipulated. My dream of a better future being shoved to the back burner in exchange for all of my parent’s hard-earned income – and all of my savings too. All gone. The worst part of all of this? I am not alone. Thousands of NUI Galway’s students have been incredibly vocal each time NUI Galway makes a decision that stands against its students. Students on Twitter have tweeted thousands of times with the hashtag ‘#RipOffNUIG’, so much so that it has trended in Ireland on multiple occasions. Even the rapper Cardi B unknowingly shared the hashtag to her millions of followers when she reposted a NUI Galway student’s tweet who had the ‘#RipOffNUIG’ hashtag in her Twitter handle. This year, more than ever, NUI Galway students have been increasingly aware of how little they are considered by University management when it comes to the choice of prioritising student mental health and student financial wellbeing or university finances. Each time choices as such arise in management, concern for students is put last, and finances for the university propel to the forefront of NUI Galway’s outlook. We know this to be true for many reasons. We know this to be true as they unjustly push for an exam repeat fee of 295 euro, despite extreme disruptions to academic learning and no need for such an expense with online examinations in place. We
know this to be true as the NUI Galway bursar was recorded saying that the repeat fee of almost 300 euro was “modest.” We know this to be true as 100-euro from the 224-euro student levy goes directly to the already privatised Kingfisher Gym, which we cannot even become members of without paying an extra 250euro membership fee. What is modest about any of this? In what way is hundreds of euros modest? What is modest about the thousands of euros lost from students signing into accommodation leases under the advice of NUI Galway? Where and when does the modesty appear? It sure as hell didn’t appear when my hard-working mother had to choose between paying student fees or fixing our oven. No, modesty still hasn’t appeared as my family has gone almost a month with no oven to cook a family meal because we couldn’t afford to fix it and pay student fees, no – we had to make a choice because we couldn’t afford both. Yet, we’re just an average family navigating a pandemic, we’re not on the poverty line and don’t qualify for extra financial supports. We’re doing our best with the circumstances we could never have foreseen nor planned for, we’re surviving, but that doesn’t mean the increasing costs of education haven’t impacted largely on our lives. We had to prioritise our family’s future, the future my siblings deserve, and the future all of us have worked so hard to achieve. If this means we live for a while without the appliances needed to have a hot meal on our table, then so be it. We worked too hard to allow the greed of education institutions to undermine the direction of our lives. The barriers NUI Galway administration and management have created in students’ ability to continue accessing education are growing due to the sheer costs of studying at NUI Galway and lack of compassion shown in any of their decisions. The fees NUI Galway has imposed upon families are in no way modest. So, let me tell you this, Bursar - every action has a reaction and if you think that students will let slide all of the anti-student choices you have enabled over the past academic year, then you are so, so wrong. We will protest. I know this from talking to fellow students. We will be loud, and we will be disruptive. If need be, we will create a media circus. We will have the social and financial justice we deserve, and we will make it known that you have wronged each and every one of us. It is just a matter of time… and vaccine roll out!
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TUAIRIM
February 23 2021
27
Does online learning need to change to keep students engaged? By Neasa Gorrell Online learning is a relatively new phenomenon that was largely adopted by educational institutions all across the world as a means of teaching students remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic. To most people, students and educators alike, it was a new and foreign concept. Yet, today it is accepted as the new normal of education, teaching and learning. In its infancy, online learning encountered many impracticalities and technological difficulties that had to be fine-tuned, upgraded, or removed. Although the technology could be improved quickly with someone tweaking the code of its platform, the same cannot be said for students’ ability to engage with this strange form of learning. Each student learns differently, and this is something that should have been considered when establishing the methods of online teaching and learning. It can be difficult for students to focus or even engage with the learning material through online learning, as the methodologies of teaching differ between educators, making classes challenging to follow.
Another problem that is continually mentioned among young people nowadays in relation to online learning is screen burnout. Students have become so overwhelmed with the fact that their whole world has moved to an online platform that they genuinely cannot bring themselves to actively engage with the material on the screen before them. All of this gives rise to the question, does online learning need to change to keep students engaged? And more importantly, how? On this issue, we heard from various students who shared different outlooks and perspectives on online learning. The question of how should lectures be delivered is a very significant problem. As previously mentioned, all students learn differently, which leads to varying opinions, especially between the areas of study, whether it be medicine or language, psychology, or engineering. Language students have said that they find it incredibly challenging to engage with pre-recorded lectures as this form of teaching is so foreign to how languages were typically taught before Covid-19. Previously, when teaching was in person, language students would have had small class session tutorials with a language professor who could assist them
with any questions they may have. Yet, now, they are not delivered in a similar fashion, and often don’t allow for a tutorial style class session. With this lack of communication comes an inundation of emails to lecturers, with students looking for direction, many of which will overwhelm the educator and go unanswered. And so the cycle continues. Not only does this occur with language students, but more often than not, the same situation will arise in several different areas of study over and over again. This is one of the major problems encountered by everyone in online learning – the lack of communication, a disconnect between the lecturer and students, and a degree of depersonalisation and disinterest in learning through a screen. On the other hand, some students who have memory and concentration issues think that the pre-recorded lectures are hugely helpful as it means they can go back and re-watch everything, easing the stress of learning. It also allows for more inclusive learning as students with different learning or physical capabilities, who may have found it difficult to make it to classes on-campus for various reasons, are no longer at a disadvantage.
On the argument about tutorials, students who have had online tutorials often get overwhelmed when asked to speak, as they are made turn on their microphones and cameras. This can cause immense anxiety among students who are more aware of their appearance when constantly on camera and experiencing the severe effects of social isolation. Often, students are less inclined to make themselves presentable as they don’t feel up to it when they have nowhere to go. At other times, students are conscious of their home environments and are unwilling to keep a camera and microphone on.
Sometimes, the issues impacting a students’ ability to turn on a camera or microphone go beyond their control. The matter is simple when you consider that maybe they do not have the capabilities, environment, or technology to do so, all of which should not impact their overall grade. So clearly, there are many sides to the same arguments, and these won’t be resolved in a day. None of the problems with online learning are simple, but they all could be corrected to a certain degree. Hopefully, with technology continuing to advance and more feedback from students, we will find a solution to making online learning engaging for every student.
Billionaires! When is enough, enough? By Stephen Holland Billionaires around the globe have increased their wealth in this pandemic by nearly a trillion euro. At what point is it too much and how did the world even get like this in the first place? The birth of modern capitalism as we know it can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th century. New manufacturing processes meant that production could be ramped up to unprecedented levels. But It wasn’t the workers benefitted from this, it was the factory owners and the ruling elite. This led to huge profits and excessive wealth. It’s after this time that we begin to see the beginnings of huge income disparity between members of the general population. This level of imbalance would have previously only been attainable by royalty. The age of the multi-millionaire beginnings with John Jacob Astor, an investor who smuggled opium into China and used the profits to invest in real estate around New York City. At the time of his death in 1848, he was the richest person in the US, leaving behind an estate estimated to be worth $20 million. The world’s first billionaire was confirmed in 1916 as oil magnate J.D. Rockefeller. He controlled 90% of all oil in America at a time before electricity, when oil was needed for everything from travel to something as simple as having a light source. Now predictions are being made that by 2026, Jeff Bezos could become the world’s first trillionaire. That’s a thou-
sand billion, or a million, million. Bezos made his fortune through Amazon, an outlet that dominates the online shopping market, causing small businesses to close while refusing to pay its workers a living wage. Notice a pattern here? It’s the exploitation of everyday people. A phrase we hear all time is the rich get richer while the poor get poorer. That’s just the way things go. But it’s not right, and it’s not natural. If you visited a zoo and saw 100 monkeys who are weak, tired, and starving, and one monkey perched atop a giant pile of bananas refusing to share them with any of the others all the while demanding more, you would say, “I think this monkey is ill. I think we do need to do something to make sure the other monkeys get some bananas”. But the monkey is never going to give up with the bananas, just like the billionaires are never going to say enough is enough. They will continue to exploit, they will continue to deplete the natural resources of this planet, they will continue to divide and isolate us in the name of profit. It is up to us to demand change. It is up to us to say no more. It is up to us to campaign for policies that ensure people cannot be exploited, that the earth is preserved, and that monopolies cannot exist as they do. Human beings tend to gather, we have an innate drive to hoard wealth. This desire made sense during the stone age, if you had a back-up supply of food you might make it through the winter,
that impulse may be the one thing that keeps you and your loved ones alive. But this inclination does not translate into a world of surplus. When you’re taking money that you can’t even spend out of the hands of those who need it most, you’ve gone desperately wrong. When the top 1% now owns over 50% of the worlds wealth the only conclusion you can come to is that they won’t stop until they’re forced to. The renowned author John Steinbeck once said that the reason socialism never took hold in America was because “the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires”. This statement still rings true today, as hustle culture tells young people that unless they are constantly producing then they are failing. Everyone is supposed to aspire to great wealth, everyone is supposed to dive headfirst into every opportunity. You should be an entrepreneur, or an influencer, or an investor. But if we spent as much time holding billionaires to account as we do worrying about our own success, then maybe we could level the playing field for everybody. If we start living mindfully in this world, we can recognise that nobody is more worthy than anybody else of living a comfortable life. Nobody deserves to have billions in their bank account while some of us are in the negative. The absurdity of modern capitalism has never been clearer. The glass ceiling is beginning to shatter. I, for one, am ready for a new world.
28 SPORT
SIN Vol. 22 Issue 08
Galway United training ramps up following fixture release By Oisín Bradley Sports Editor It is a case of clarity at last for Galway United and the rest of the SSE Airtricity First Division sides this week, following the announcement of fixtures for the forthcoming campaign John Caulfield’s men returned to collective training on the first of February, and the intensity will surely be thrown into sharper focus given the looming nature of matchday one. The FAI have come under criticism in soccer circles for their delay in the release of fixtures, and this announcement will be welcomed by many from the boardrooms to the stands despite its tardiness It’s a home start for last season’s play-off finalists, as they face Shelbourne in Eamonn Deacy Park on March 26th. Shelbourne were one of the sides to suffer the drop from the top tier of Irish football in 2020, and this clash will be considered a great barometer for two sides who will be eyeing promotion from the offset. The fixtures don’t get any less significant from then on in, with matchday two seeing the men in maroon making the short trip down the M6 to take
on Athlone Town. The Midlanders will be looking to improve on last time out, when the visitors swept their local rivals aside with consummate ease in a 4-1 rout. Cork City will welcome Galway United to Turners’ Cross in league action for the first time since 2017. However, both sides’ fortunes have been dipped since then, and their star has fallen significantly since that 2-1 win for the Leesiders, who went on to become Premier Division champions that year. Caulfield will face off against his former employers for the first time since his departure, and his current club will be looking for a reversal of the fortunes on that day, when Garry Buckley’s fine strike and a Lee Grace own-goal sealed the win for the hosts. The Tribesmen will be aiming to once again to secure their berth in the promotion play-offs, which will be two-legged fixtures starting on Friday, November 5th. Last weekend the FAI board formally announced that Treaty United would be joining the league setup in place of Shamrock Rovers B for the forthcoming season, Their inclusion marks the return
of a Limerick side to the League of Ireland ranks following the dissolution of Limerick FC in 2020. Reports had suggested that the British and American owned venture Dublin County FC would be selected ahead of Treaty, whose ladies team feature in the Women’s National League.
June 11th
Galway United vs Athlone Town
June 18th
Galway United vs Cabinteely
June 25th
Treaty United vs Galway United
July 2nd
UCD vs Galway United
July 9th
Galway United vs Cobh Ramblers
July 16th
Bray Wanderers vs Galway United
Galway United Fixture List:*
July 30th
Wexford Youths vs Galway United
March 26th
Galway United vs Shelbourne
August 6th
Galway United vs Cork City
April 2nd
Athlone Town vs Galway United
August 13th
Galway United vs Shelbourne
April 9th
Cabinteely vs Galway United
August 20th
Athlone Town vs Galway United
April 16th
Galway United vs Treaty United
September 3rd
Cabinteely vs Galway United
April 23rd
Galway United vs UCD
September 10th
Galway United vs Treaty United
May 1st
Cobh Ramblers vs Galway United
September 24th Galway Unted vs UCD
May 7th
Galway United vs Bray Wanderers
October 2nd
Cobh Ramblers vs Galway United
May 14th
Galway United vs Wexford Youths
October 8th
Galway United vs Bray Wanderers
May 21st
Cork City vs Galway United
October 15th
Galway United vs Wexford Youths
Shelbourne vs Galway United
October 29th
Cork City vs Galway United
May 28th
* The above fixture list is accurate as of Friday 19th of February, and may be subject to change pending the admission of an additional club to the League of Ireland First Division.
Excitement grows for Galway WFC following fixture list release By Oisín Bradley
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The excitement of Galway WFC players, management and fans alike has been ramped up another gear following the release of the fixtures for the 2021 SSE Airtricity Women’s National League season. Billy Clery’s side will be looking to hit the ground running in 2021, and will have their eyes set on building on a 2020 season that showed glimpses of promise. Galway WFC will open their campaign on home turf when they welcome Cork City to Eamonn Deacy Park on March 27th. In the second phase of last season’s league season, Saoirse Noonan was the hero for the Rónán Collins-managed Cork City in Bishopstown as the women from Galway succumbed to a 2-1 defeat. The second fixture of the season will be one of notable interest to the club’s new first-team coach Dave Bell, who will be looking to mastermind the downfall of his former club Bohemians. The Dalymount outfit enjoyed relative success under the tenure of Bell including second-place finishes in the league. The fixture that always catches the eye for any club is the visit of the League champions, and this will be no different for the Galway WFC girls when they lock horns with Peamount United on May 29th. Last season’s fifth-place finishers Galway have had a stroke of bad luck, being handed the arduous task of making the journey to Greenogue twice in the league calendar, with the second visit coming on the final day of the season. Billy Clery’s side will face Cork City before the mid-season interval on June 5th June. The season will resume with a trip to Bohemians on June 26th. The Preliminary Round of the FAI Women’s Senior Cup is set for the weekend ending July 31st.
Galway WFC Fixtures March 27th
Galway WFC vs Cork City
April 3rd
Galway WFC vs Bohemians
April 17th
DLR Waves vs Galway WFC
April 24th
Galway WFC vs Treaty United
May 1st
Wexford Youths vs Galway WFC
May 15th
Shelbourne FC vs Galway WFC
May 22nd
Galway WFC vs Athlone Town
May 29th
Peamount United vs Galway WFC
June 5th
Cork City vs Galway WFC
June 26th
Bohemians vs Galway FC
July 3rd
Galway WFC vs DLR Waves
July 11th
Treaty United vs Galway WFC
July 17th
Galway WFC vs Wexford Youths
July 31st
Galway WFC vs Shelbourne FC
August 4th
Athlone Town vs Galway WFC
August 7th
Galway WFC vs Peamount United
August 21st
Galway WFC vs Cork City
August 28th
Galway WFC vs Bohemians
September 11th
DLR Waves vs Galway WFC
September 25th
Galway WFC vs Treaty United
October 2nd
Wexford Youths vs Galway WFC
October 30th
Shelbourne FC vs Galway WFC
November 6th
Galway WFC vs Athlone Town
November 13th
Peamount United vs Galway WFC
SPÓIRT
February 23 2021
The highs and lows of Galway’s English footballing talent By Oisín Bradley It’s been another hectic few weeks in the top tiers of English football, and Galwegians keeping track of the fortunes of their own troops will be likely pleased with seeing their names amongst the goals and assists in recent games, in particular those who have made switches during the January transfer window. Here, we’ll give you the lowdown on the happenings of five Galway men plying their trade across the Irish Sea.
Aaron Connolly – Brighton and Hove Albion Game time for Galway youngster Connolly for Brighton can only be described as sporadic in the 2020/21 season, having played only 31% of the club’s league minutes this season. The five-time Ireland international was in from the off in a 1-1 draw againt Burnley at Turf Moor. However, he was unable to make a sufficient impact, and was subbed off just after the hour mark for Leandro Trossard. Connolly was left to warm the bench for the next two fixtures, a 1-0 defeat to Leicester City at the King Power stadium in the FA Cup and a 0-0 draw to high-flying Aston Villa on home turf. Brighton and Hove Albion currently sit eight points and three places above the watermark, in a strong position to stave off the drop.
Greg Cunningham – Preston North End Regular and frequent game time is something which has been hard to come by for Greg Cunningham in seasons gone by. However, he is showing determination to turn the tide and get plenty of minutes under his belt at Deepdale following his lastminute
January transfer from Cardiff. Cunningham was left on the bench for the Lilywhites in a 2-1 defeat to Rotherham United on the road. That said, when his first start was afforded to him by manager Alex Neil away to Blackburn Rovers, he seized the opportunity, opening the scoring in the 19th minute. Fellow Irishman Alan Browne assisted Cunningham with a cross-field pass into the left pocket for him to run onto, before the full-back curled the ball with unerring accuracy into the far corner for his first League goal since February 2018. While Cunningham was ultimately dropped for the next game, a one loss at home to Watford, Cunningham should be able to kick on and rediscover some consistency provided he stays injury-free. Preston North End sit seven points adrift of the promotion play-off places in the Championship.
Ryan Manning – Swansea City Manning is another who has found minutes hard to come by in recent weeks, however in the limited fixtures thus far in February he has acquitted himself quite well in side. Manning was benched as the high-flying Swans secured all three points in a 2-0 win over Norwich City at the Liberty Stadium, and was restored to the starting XI for the visit of Manchester City to their home patch in the FA Cup. It was defeat for The Swans on the day against the Premier League champions elect, however Manning bagged himself an assist against the team from the division above. Swansea City are currently embroiled in an enthralling battle for the Championship trophy, and should they win their games in hand, Steve Cooper’s side will leapfrog their promotion rivals.
Daryl Horgan Former Galway United man Horgan looks set to be pling his trade in the third tier of English football next season. The gloss from The Chairboys unlikely promotion to the Championship has worn off with the Adams Park outfit well and truly rooted to the foot of the table, thirteen points adrift of safety. Goals have been an issue for Gareth Ainsworth’s charges this season, and Horgan was ineffective in recent losses to fellow strugglers Birmingham City and Sheffield Wednesday. The Galway native registered an assist however in a dramatic 3-2 win away to Huddersfield, playing the full ninety minutes in a clash where they came from 2-0 down to secure all three points. Next up for Horgan and his side are two tricky ties against promotion chasing Reading and Norwich City.
Conor Shaughnessy - Rochdale Shaughnessy’s Rochdale are currently embroiled in a tussle to avoid the drop to League Two, and the significant Irish contingent at the club will be looking to turn the ship around and alter their woeful form. The Spotland side have only recorded one win since the turn of the year, which was recorded prior to Shaughnessy’s deadline day arrival. Since then, Shaughnessy has been on the pitch for a 4-1 home loss to mid-table MK Dons and a narrow 1-0 away defeat to Blackpool, where he was substituted by manager Brian Barry-Murphy 60 minutes in. Shaughnessy will be looking to repay Barry-Murphy’s faith in him and instigate an uptake in performances as his side sit two points above the drop-zone.
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Lack of Western presence felt, as Ireland fail French test. Paddy Henry Ireland’s disastrous start to their Six Nations campaign has continued as the Men in Green succumbed to a second successive defeat, going down 15-13 to France at the AVIVA Stadium. Head coach Andy Farrell was heavily criticised for his team selection among sections of the media, following his side’s narrow defeat to Wales on the opening weekend of the championship. The Englishman’s decision to select Ulster outhalf Billy Burns ahead of the in-form Connacht kicker Jack Carty proved disastrous at the Principality Stadium. However, Farrell kept faith in Burns ahead of his side’s clash with a resurgent French outfit who have a first Six Nations crown since 2010 set firmly in their sights. Burns started at ten for the Valentine’s Day clash, but failed to perform once again on the big stage and
was subbed off for Ross Byrne early in the second half, as Ireland trailed 15-3. Some have pointed to a lack of presence from the Connacht ranks as a reason for Ireland’s calamitous start to the campaign. Ultan Dillane was the only Connacht player to feature at the AVIVA at the weekend , coming on as a second half substitute. Among those who will have been disappointed not to feature is Jack Carty, the Roscommon man has been in imperious form for the Westerners this season, and a string of impressive displays in the run up to the tournament against Leinster and the Ospreys led to many fancying the 28-year old for a call up as Johnny Sexton’s understudy. Connacht coach Andy Friend spoke of Carty’s ambition to return to the international setup, telling the Irish Examiner ”He still has the ambition to play for his country. I think he is in a real purple patch at the moment.”
” His ability to see space and put the ball there is probably the best I’ve seen. I love seeing that bloke when he is full of confidence, and at the moment, he looks like he is full of confidence. If he keeps that up, I believe the Irish team will have to come knocking for him.” said Friend. Former Connacht centre and NUI Galway alum Robbie Henshaw has been one of the few bright sparks in Ireland’s disaster start to the championship. The Athlone man impressed in the opening game and was crucial to keeping Ireland firmly in contention. He played the full eighty minutes against France but struggled in a backline that lacked leadership and attacking flair. Next up for Andy Farrell’s side is a trip to Rome to face championship whipping boys Italy at the Stadio Olimpico in what looks set to be the battle to avoid the wooden spoon in this year’s championship.
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SPÓ IRT
February 23 2021
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Further wait for Galway gaels as GAA delay return By Oisín Bradley Gaelic Games fans within NUI Galway and further afield were dealt another blow with the news in recent weeks that the resumption of non-elite sport has been pushed further down the tracks. Following a meeting between the three governing sports of our national games, (the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association) along with government representatives including the Minister for Sport Catherine Martin, it was re-enforced that senior inter-county GAA action does not fall under the bracket of ‘elite’ sport, and is therefore not eligible to continue under the Level Five restrictions in
place from the government to combat Covid-19. This news spells likely disaster for the prospects of seeing the Allianz Football and Hurling leagues making a return for 2021, as well as the Lidl National Ladies Football Leagues and the National Camogie League. The lack of a league campaign would more than likely spell disappointment for the players and management of the Tribesmen and Tribeswomen across all codes. Most sides make use of the National Leagues as a spring-board to attain a strong run of form prior to the commencement of the provincial championships, and many managers will be bemoaning the lack of a chance to experiment with different
NUI Galway lecturer to the fore in Covid-19 GAA study By Oisín Bradley An NUI Galway lecturer has been using his time productively during lockdown, as he has been to the forefront in compiling a study on the impact of Covid-19 and the first lockdown on Gaelic Games. Dr Seán Crosson, who is the Co-Director of the Sports Journalism MA Programme in the university, compiled the body of work titled ‘“This Too Shall Pass”: Gaelic Games, Irish Media, and the Covid19 Lockdown in Ireland’ along with University of Limerick lecturer Doctor Marcus Free. The study is included in a new collection, ‘Time Out: National Perspectives on Sport and the Covid-19 Lockdown which examines the impact of Covid-19 on sport across a broad range of themes. The collection of work will examine how all forms of media coverage of sport have been affected by the virus in the period between March 12th, when the initial lockdown restrictions were announced by the government, until May 10th, when RTÉ broadcast their first episode of ‘The Sunday Game’ over 150 days into the year. Understandably, there was a momentous shift in the tone and content of the coverage of gaelic football, hurling, camogie and handball due to the pandemic, and this is one of a plethora of subjects which the pair have taken a deep dive into in the paper. Dr Seán Crosson from NUI Galway’s Huston School of Film and Digital Media and leader of the Sport and Exercise Research Group in the Moore Institute, highlighted the importance of amateur sports within Irish society,
“As amateur sports that dominate the Irish sporting calendar each year, typically attracting the largest attendances and occupying a key role within communities, Gaelic games provide a unique focus in a collection such as this. “The pandemic has highlighted the importance of sports’ organisations and sport media in facilitating and encouraging responses at local and national level to the challenges Covid-19 has brought.” he said. Dr Crossan also noted the “unique role” the GAA played in bringing society together during the period, “In the Irish context, the rhetoric of shared sacrifice and collective discipline that was evident during the early months of the Covid-19 crisis signifies the GAA’s unique role as an amateur organization touching every part of Irish society through its players’, administrators’, volunteers’, and supporters’, family and social connections.” Naturally, the pandemic brought about the cessation and absence of the ongoing gaelic games calendar at a time when the Allianz Leagues were nearing their natural conclusion and the wheels were already in motion regarding looking towards the Championship. With the entire machine stopped dead in its tracks, focus quickly turned to the past, with classic games and iconic players from yesteryear gracing our screens. Apart from retrospection, the authors identify two prominent themes that dominated Gaelic games coverage in this time period. The first issue which the pair honed in on was the consequences for the GAA from the top to the bottom, from the members to the athletes and both the local and national sports media. Secondly, the role of the GAA in their response to the crisis was explored, and how their core philosophies and methods of overcoming the virus, within their own remits and the wider society transpired. The collection was edited by Jörg Krieger, April Henning, Paul Dimeo, and Lindsay Parks Pieper, and was published by leading international academic publisher Common Ground. Further information on the collection and Dr Crossan’s and Dr Free’s chapter is available online, where copies of the book can also be purchased.
tactics and players in an arena where results are less impactful to the trajectory of a side’s season. However, there is some scope for positivity amongst gaelic games circles. In an official announcement from the GAA, the governing body outlined their commitments to returning to play in the remainder of 2021. “We want to remind you all again that we will prepare a revised Master Fixture Calendar and plan for the remainder of 2021 once a new Government road map for society and sport is made available,” concluded the joint statement from the GAA’s President Sean Horan and Ard Stiúrthóír Thomas Ryan. In the mean-time it has been clarified that any
return to collective training or on-field activity for football, hurling and camogie is strictly not permitted by both the respective associations and the government. Such reiterations come off the back of the incidents earlier in the month in Down and Cork. Both Down football manager Paddy Tally and Cork football manager Ronan McCarthy were handed 12-week bans for overseeing collective training sessions during lockdown, with further sanctions expected to be handed down to both panels. Tally’s ban has since been shortened to eight weeks, with a similar reduction to be expected for Rebel bainisteoir McCarthy.
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