Sin Volume 11 Issue 1

in this issue: Fresh magazine, Flatliners, Oasis, Hardy Bucks, Lisbon Treaty, New Buildings on Campus, Scrobius Pip and Dans Le Sac, Arctic Monkeys,Sailing, GAA

F R E E S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R , V O L . 1 0 I S S U E 1 , 1 4 . 0 9 . 2 0 0 9

Warning from Down Under of crippling debt if fees return By Deirdre Judge

The new Park and Ride facility at Dangan. Pic. Deirdre Judge

Angry staff and students forced to ‘park and stride’

By Deirdre Judge

Student officers at the special meeting about the reintroduction of fees

The university’s new Park and Ride

current economic situation the

system has hit a huge snag with the

necessary resources are not available.

news that while 500 new car parking

The cost of operating the bus service

spaces are available at Dangan, there is

could be met by a price of less than

A combination of bad timing and the

Incoming students this year have been

no bus to transport staff and students

€100 being paid by every person

weather was blamed for the poor

notified by the Higher Education

to the campus.

holding a parking permit,” he said.

turnout at the public fees meeting

Authority that they may have to pay for

attended by student representatives

their own tuition from next year. The

Keith Warnock,Vice President for

SIN contacted Mr Warnock regarding

from Australia and New Zealand last

‘study-now-pay-later’ model has been

Capital Projects said in an email

the matter. “University management had

week. Steffie Hinchy, Education Officer

reported to be the one favoured by

circulated to staff that while they had

hoped to introduce a system of charging

of National Union of Students in

Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe. It

hoped to reach agreement on a new

to finance the bus. Discussions with staff

Australia (NUS) and Sophia Blair

is believed to be one of five models he

parking system, it had “not proved

and student representatives ended in a

President of the New Zealand Union of

has presented to the Cabinet with a

possible”. Efforts had been made to

stalemate so there would be no bus for

Students Associations (NZUSA)

September 15th deadline for returning

introduce charges that would reduce

the foreseeable future but I remain

explained how the deferred loan system

observations before he will make a

demand and provide the resources to

optimistic that the situation will be

in their countries had student debt

formal recommendation on the issue.

operate the bus service but to no avail.

resolved,” he said.

reaching a whopping $10 billion and rising.

“The HEA grant is not available to fund continued on page 2

a bus service, and, even if it were, in the

continued on page 2

continued from page 1

Warning from Down Under of crippling debt if fees return

at by taking the approximate cost of

system of deferred loans he denied being

and their shortcomings.’ O Cuiv said he

running the bus and dividing it by the

in favour of this model saying that “the

is ‘on record at NUIG for saying that he

number of parking permits and rounding

media had hyped this up.” Hinchy, who

personally does not object to high

it off.” On the point as to how any

with her New Zealand counterpart,

earners paying fees but that there is no

charge for the service related to students

Sophia Blair are here to meet with

question of imposing fees on those who

he said, “Students would be expected to

politicians and students to spread

cannot afford it.’

pay.”

awareness of the problems created by

In response to the situation Students

student debt in their countries. They have

Union President Donna Cummins said

held meetings and garnered support from

they had been made aware during the

FF back benchers and Hinchy is expected

summer that there would be problems

to meet Mary Harney in the coming days.

with introducing the new Park and Ride

Peter Mannion, President of the USI has

system, and the situation is “not at all

said, ‘Minister O’Keeffe is not making the

satisfactory.” She feels the parking

decision on his own, it’s time for

Steffie explained how the Higher

problem could partly be alleviated if

politicians such as Eamon Gilmore to put

Education Contribution Scheme (HECS)

those staff and students living within

their money where their mouth is.’ He is

works in Australia. The HECS is

walking distance decided to leave their

appealing to all students saying ‘we need

determined by the student’s course of

cars at home. “Commuting students who

you’ and stressing the importance of

study and as it is gauged by future

cannot afford to pay rent in the city and

student participation in campaigns being

earning capacity students make

are therefore forced to drive long

organised by SU’s, such as Battle Buses to

mandatory repayments when they reach

distances deserve the parking spaces, and

local TD offices as they ‘are feeling the

a specified earning threshold. The initial

staff and students are equally guilty in this

heat’ and ‘they must be held to account.

set up costs of this system in 1989

matter. From environmental and health

If they don’t get it right now, it could be

incurred “huge costs to the Australian

points of view alone, those that can walk

detrimental for students in the future.’

Government and it was over a decade

should walk.”

Donna Cummins, SU President of NUIG

before it began to recuperate any of this

Donna added: “We are working hard to

said, “Second years and up must look

revenue,” said Steffie. This has led to 3

get resolution in this matter. The SU is

after the incoming students and said it is

billion of the $10 billion student debt

very concerned for the safety of students

important to be proactive not reactive.”

been written off as bad debt.

and the Union will be advising students

She recently held a meeting with O’

She added, “The debt per student

to avoid parking there at night.” The Park

Keeffe and while he clarified some points,

averages between $20,000 and $40,000

and Ride facility opened on September 7,

his refusal to consider putting off any

(€11,000 to €23,000) and it is only now

and can be accessed via Corrib Village off

proposal until after the publication of the

20 years later that the real socio-

Upper Newcastle Road.

Book of Estimates by the Auditor

economic problems are becoming known.

Women take longer to pay the HECS back as they often have to leave the workforce when they have children and consequently this has led to a reduction of fertility rates.” Mortgage rates are also affected, as people have to put off buying homes. “Often people emigrate as a way to avoid paying back their loans leaving the Government no way of recouping monies, but with interest accruing on said loans they may never be able to return home,” she said.

General was ‘very disappointing’.

Come to the Library this week Great prizes can be won by first year students who visit the Library’s orientation event over the next three days. Prizes on offer include laptops, training vouchers, a flat-screen TV, travel vouchers and gym membership, plus loads more. If that is not enough, we will be handing out lots of free sweets.

By coming to meet Library staff and learn what the Library has to offer, you will be in with a chance to win. Everyone is entered into a draw.

We are always very keen to talk to students, since we want to provide the best service possible. During the orientation event, Library staff will be in the Library foyer to answer any questions and advise on all aspects of the Library’s services and resources.

Meeting with Minister disappointing for Ozzie student reps

By Deirdre Judge

Sophia added, “In New Zealand the average debt per student is around

The meeting between Steffie Hinchy,

$27,000 dollars

Australia’s Education Officer of the

(€13,000) and student debt is expected

National Union of Students was

to reach $20 billion by 2020.

described as ‘very disappointing’ as Minister O’ Keeffe proved less than

continued from page 1

Park and Stride When asked about the €100 he said, “This figure was to give an indication of what the charge might be. It was arrived

forthcoming on the proposal relating to fees he has presented to the Cabinet.

While he willingly admitted to presenting five draft models to Ministers who have been given until the 15th of September to respond with their views, he expressed ‘no preference’ to any one of them according to Hinchy.

In response to questioning about his supposed leaning to the Australian

USI President Peter Mannion speaking at a special meeting on the reintroduction of fees.

Pic. Nick Geoghegan

Both the USI and NUIG’s SU said that Minister O’ Cuiv who was publicly embroiled in student protest last year had refused to meet them to discuss the situation. SIN contacted the Minister and was told that a funeral of a close friend prevented him from taking part in the recent discussion on Galway Bay FM. He went on to say he is ‘intimately aware of the Australian and New Zealand systems

We believe that the Library is central to your studies, since it gives you access to a wide range of resources – books, journals, databases, electronic journals.

Drop in to see us and get a flavour of the Library and its friendly staff. We promise not to overload you with information.

We have now produced a self-guided tour of the Library. There is a booklet with printed maps that highlight key

services.You can use the booklet with an

were closed. And the question has to be

Having it on campus is a definite

the purpose it was designed for.

audio wand available from the Customer

asked; was it all worth it? Áras Moyola

improvement.

The library is open access for all

Services Desk, or you can download the

was built not so long ago. Would it not

The new library has a PC suite, plenty of

students. For the nursing students this

audio tour from the Library’s website:

have made more sense to include an

study space, photocopiers and wireless

new library will make researching

www.library.nuigalway.ie

extra floor for the Nursing Library there,

internet. It looks a bit strange with those

assignments and studying for exams

The Library Orientation event takes

where the nursing students have all their

wooden slats on one corner (a rag week

much easier than it has been in the past,

place from 10am to 4pm on Tuesday 15

lectures? That being said, previous to this

accident in the making) but it can be

but at exam time it will also fill up with

September and Wednesday 16 September

the nursing students had to walk out to

argued that the building is simple and

other students who can’t find space in

and on Thursday 17 September from

Dangan to get to the Nursing library.

straightforward, and is ideally suited for

the main library. Should the Nursing

10am to 1pm.

New Nursing Library finally open

By Matthew Watkin The new Nursing Library-between Áras Na Gael and the James Hardiman Library-is now open. For most students the building of this new library was an inconvenience; for pretty much all of last year the whole area was blocked off and the steps from Smokey’s down towards the College bar and the Students’ Union Advertisment

New Nursing Library

Library be reserved exclusively for the

na Mac Léinn being reopened to students.

‘College Weeks’. An added bonus to this

and truly operational by the end of the

nursing students? It was built

Completion of the project had originally

space is the beautifully designed panelling

month.’

purposefully for them, but as one of the

been set for September. According to a

along the walls that doubles as

librarians remarked to me, “It’s hardly

spokesperson in the Buildings Office,

partitioning so the hall can be divided

fair to exclude other students when

“The programme was to release the

into three separate areas.

there may be space for them to study

events space (called the ‘Bailey-Allen

Much thought has gone into considering

too.” The university are very keen on the

Hall’) for term start, and the rest of the

access and usage by those with

‘campus of the future’. The new

spaces during the month of September.

disabilities, as all areas are wheelchair

Engineering building, the remodelling of

We are hitting our deadlines, but with an

accessible and included is a special

Áras na Mac Léinn and now this new

extraordinary amount of effort. The

wheelchair lift to some of the areas

library are certainly on the way to

budget for the renovations “was

upstairs. All room signs have also been

achieving that.

approximately €5 million and thankfully

done in Braille ensuring those who are

we are hitting the agreed financial

visually impaired can move around with

targets.”

ease.

Facilities on offer in the new building

The Health Unit is set to move back in at

include acoustic rooms, a dark room for

the end of the month and has been

photography buffs, an art room flooded

described by a member of its staff as

with natural light, a multi-purpose room,

‘fabulous.’ The unit has been kitted out

a space created for students to relax in

with extra consulting rooms, a more

and rest their lecture addled brains, while

comfortable waiting area, separate sick

staring out at the view across the Corrib.

bay with en-suite facilities and is

The pièce de resistance however is the

decorated from floor to ceiling with ‘a

‘Bailey-Allen Hall, an enormous space

high spec of infectious control.’

with kitchen facilities next door so the

Despite the fact that works are still being

annual plethora of Socs balls have the

carried out, Flirt FM is expected to be

perfect venue to hand. The Hall will

moving in by the middle of September

undoubtedly be crucial to the SU’s

and according to Emma Conway, SU

efforts to hold big events during future

Welfare Officer, the Aras should be ‘well

Renovation of Aras na Mac Léinn near completion

By Deirdre Judge Finishing touches and addressing last minute snags appear to be all that stands in the way of the newly revamped Aras

Rag Week to be rebranded College Week

By Deirdre Judge Proposed changes to the week formerly known as Rag Week are “not window dressing”, according to Student Union President Donna Cummins. The withdrawal of support for Rag Week in 2009 by university management left the future of the event hanging in the balance.

Agreement has now been reached between the SU and management and the re-launch or re-branding of the week to ‘College Week’ is expected to take place in October.

Donna describes some of the changes as

The newly renovated Aras na Mac Léinn

Finishing touches being put to the Baily Allen Hall

The Health Unit

“drastic but necessary”. She said it is

Paula Healy podcasting, re-streaming and

said: “Given the current economic

(writingcentre@nuigalway.ie).

important to refocus on the “number

24 hour webstreaming are coming to

climate, even more students are relying

Tutors have been trained to help

one priority of the week which is to raise

Flirt FM soon.

on financial help from the Government

students get started, organise and clarify

with their college expenses. This year, we

ideas or fine-tune their writing in terms

have witnessed an increase of 30 percent

of grammar or spelling. Students should

in the number of students applying for

bring a copy of the assignment and any

the maintenance grant. For vulnerable

notes, drafts or completed compositions

students, the first six weeks in college are

to the session, which will last a maximum

critical and if these students are

of 30 minutes on a one-to-one basis.

struggling financially, there is a real danger

According to Sandra Bunting of the

that they will be compelled to drop out

Academic Writing Centre: “At times

of their studies. This latest delay in the

students don’t know exactly what they

payment of grants by Sligo County

want to work on. Tutors talk them

Council will affect hundreds of students,

through their assignment and clarify their

who may possibly have to wait until

ideas. If they don’t know where to start,

January 2010 to receive their payments.

they initiate several idea generation

This delay would not have occurred if the

techniques. Students may want to expand

Student Support Bill had been enacted as

on main points, shape the material better

promised.”

or improve their grammar and

more money for charity.” The SU is keen to host as many “quality events as it can” in an effort to keep students on campus, as past weeks have shown “that it can be done well and I am looking forward to the launch in a few weeks time.”

Many felt that pubs and clubs around the city played a part in the events of last year and the SU have met some of the owners of these in a bid to avoid future problems. “They were not contributing but instead were eroding the basis of Rag Week and should stop trying to hijack the event for personal gain. We would

Delays in Sligo maintenance grant payments causes concern

like them to participate. However if they contribute to the week as given the

The Union of Students in Ireland is

present economic climate, more than

deeply concerned about the delay in

ever they need to support our local

payment of the maintenance grant to

charities. The week will be a campus

students from Sligo. Sligo County Council

event not a city one,” said Donna.

has indicated that it will not make the grant available to students until it

Tragic death of Nursing student It is with regret that the college has learned of the tragic death of student Sarah Morrissey. She was due to begin her second year of Undergraduate Nursing this month, at the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at NUI Galway. Sarah was laid to rest last week at Kilmurray McMahon, Kilrush, Co Clare.

24-hour Webstreaming and Podcasting Coming to Flirt FM Podcasting and 24 hour web streaming are to be available on NUIG’s college radio station Flirt FM. The station, which has been based in Aras Uí Chathail, is due to open in their new studios in the refurbished Aras na Mac Léinn this week.

A new look website will be launched shortly and according to station manager

receives the relevant funding from the Government. The USI has strongly condemned the Minister of Education, Batt O’ Keeffe, for failing to implement long overdue reforms to the student grant system, which were promised in

punctuation. In some cases it is simply a

Academic Writing Centre to relocate to the Library

the Student Support Bill. This bill was

The Academic Writing Centre is to

designed to address the longstanding

relocate from the Students Union offices

criticism of the student grants system by

to the James Hardiman Library. The

introducing reforms which would

service was established last January on

streamline the whole process, making it

the initiative of the Student Council to

easier to operate and less bureaucratic.

help students with their compositions,

For years a fragmented grants system has

essays and written projects. It caters to

been responsible for delayed grant

all undergraduates no matter what

payments and much confusion to

discipline. Mainly a drop-in facility,

students. USI President, Peter Mannion

appointments can also be made by email

matter of giving students the reassurance they need to write well and feel confident about it. We try to give them the tools to work through their assignments in a more focused way. We have helped students from Commerce, Nursing end Engineering as well as History, English, Sociology, Politics and other Arts subjects. Anyone who wants to improve writing skills can benefit from the service.”

The Centre was set up last January on a trial basis. “We ended up dealing with a large number of students, some of them dropping in and others by appointment.

The number of enquiries increased daily.

Perhaps our biggest achievement was to get the go ahead to continue this year,” she said.

Positions Available:

NUIG STUDENT COLLEGE NEWSPAPER SIN FIRST MEETING

News Reporters Features Writers Sports Writers Photographers Sub Editors Distribution Team General Helpers

AC 213 6PM TUE

SEPTEMBER 15TH 2009

People With Information On Stories Sin Could Cover Editor 2009/2010: Mairead Ni Chaoimh sin@editor.ie

Editor Mairéad Ní Chaoimh editor@sin.ie News Team Deirdre Judge Matthew Watkin Entertainment Team Aoife McMurrow Sinead Burke Liam Griffin Contributors Colm Byrne Richard Martin Sarah Schepers Kevin O’Connor Conor Keane Lorraine O’Hanlon James Byrne Ronan Fitzpatrick Aisling Walsh Photography Nick Geoghegan Business Manager Andrew Cosgrove Layout Tom Parandyk

editorial

Editorial Team:

Hi guys, and welcome back

success of this paper

just opened on campus

their cars. The SU is advising

to another year of college,

depends on your

without the ‘ride’ facility. A

students simply not to park

and a special hello to

contributions. So the bigger

brand new 500-space car

there at night.

freshers who are new to the

and better the team, the

park as part of this ‘park

The college authorities are

campus.

better the end product! If

and ride’ plan is now open

saying that a HEA grant

You have in your hands the

you think you might enjoy

at Dangan. The original idea

funding the bus service is

very first issue of sin for this

being part of the sin team,

was that motorists would

not available. And they are

year, your ticket to the latest

whether it be through

park their car there, then

also saying that when

news and general goings on

chasing news stories, taking

board a shuttle bus which

students and staff

round campus.

pictures, proofing articles,

would take them onto the

representatives got together

Yours truly has been

penning heavy hitting

main campus. Now it has

to hammer out a deal over

appointed new editor for

opinion pieces, covering

emerged that there is no

charging for the bus, they

the coming year. Due to

sport or helping out with

shuttle bus service, nor will

could not agree and a

cost cutting in the Students

distribution, then come

there be any put in place any

stalemate was reached.

Union the post has been

along to the first meeting.

time soon. The hope was

Clearly there is conflict

slashed from the full-time

It’s happening on Tuesday

that this ‘park and ride’

between the staff and

post it was last year to the

September 15th in room AC

would go a long way into

students on this issue. At the

part-time post that it is now

213 at 6pm. If you can’t

addressing the university’s

end of the day though, the

this year.

make the meeting, feel free

chronic parking situation.

authorities need to ensure

This means that the quality

to drop me a mail or pop

But now the name ‘Park and

that agreement is reached as

of the publication will

into my office and introduce

Stride’ has caught on round

soon as possible. The

inevitably suffer, as resources

yourself. All ideas are

campus. This latest twist in

situation urgently needs to

will be stretched. However,

welcome.

the saga is a major blow to

be resolved. We are all back

in the spirit of these tough

the university’s parking

to college now in our

economic times, we will

strategy. And worryingly, it

droves, and looking for a car

endeavour to nonetheless

It would be comical if it

puts the safety of students

parking space will not get

entertain and inform you as

wasn’t so serious. A new

who stay late in college at

any easier until this problem

best we can. Ultimately the

‘park and ride’ facility has

risk as they walk back to

is tackled.

For all the la test news, views and reviews g o to www. sin. ie

La Tacquita: Dispatches from an Irish student in Mexico feature by Aisling Walsh I have been in Mexico for nearly a month and amazingly I have not died

So it appears I won't get much use out of my six

the geese and ducks woke up and basically this

months supply of Tamiflu, unless I sell it on the black

continued for the rest of the day. After a few days I

market to recoup some of the expense. I'm almost

hardly noticed it but every few mornings, just after

sorry I haven't contracted the 'deadly' virus just so I

the menagerie next door began its dawn chorus, the

could say: 'Yeah, I got swine flu in Mexico, you know

trains would pass with whistles blaring to warn

the place where it all started.' But seriously, when

early-rising pedestrians of their approach (to get to

travelling to a foreign country there are almost

some parts of Xalapa you have to cross the tracks

always real fears or concerns, no more so then

by foot) adding to the cacophony. If that wasn't

when planning to be away for a year. A study abroad

enough to get me up in the morning I also had

year is a great opportunity to learn a language,

regular human traffic passing through my bedroom

expand your horizons and experience a different

from about 7am on as my housemates had to cut

pace of life. There is so much to look forward to:

through my room to light the gas heater for their

incessant parties, gorgeous men, exotic food and

showers. No matter how quiet or discreet they

drink, weekends in the mountains or at the beach

were about it I never managed to sleep through it.

and, well, university of course! Erasmus is not just a holiday, however, and planning to live in a foreign

It sounds like hell but actually there were many

country for a year is a hell of a lot more

compensations. To say that the Casa Libertaria was a

complicated then throwing some flip-flops and

party house would be an understatement. From they

sundresses in a suitcase and hopping of to Marbella

day I arrived to the day I left I think there was only

for a week. It takes a lot of organisation, a lot of

one night where there weren't at least a few chelas

planning and a lot of patience.

(Mexican slang for beer) shared or a full blown party or night out. On my first full day in Xalapa,

First you need to you provide the documentation

after paying a brief visit to the school for Foreign

your host university requires - proof of funding,

Students to let them know I was alive, I was taken

medical certs, letters of acceptance, passport

to a pulquerĂ­a. Pulque is a sweet, opaque alcoholic

photos, placement tests. Once that is completed you

drink made from fermented agave (cactus) sap. It's

need to gather all the documentation required to

strong but it goes down easy and since they serve it

obtain a visa (if studying outside the EU): further

in giant jars it's quite easy to get very drunk without

proof of funding, letters of acceptance, passport

even realising it. So I spent the afternoon sitting on a

photos etc.

bench, in what looked like someone's run down back yard, drinking pulque and getting to know my

or even contracted swine flu. Of course there have been a few anxious moments, like that time when the person next to me on the bus sneezed and the other time when the person I was talking to coughed without covering their mouth. After each incident I monitored myself for signs of any flu like symptoms but I seem to be perfectly healthy.

I arrived in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico at 4am on

housemates and their friends.

Sunday the 16th of August, having left Ireland at 7am the day before. It took one car journey, two flights, a

The following two weeks passed in a blur of

taxi, a bus journey and another taxi to arrive at La

registering for college, picking classes, looking for

Casa Libertaria, my home for the next two weeks. A

houses, trying every kind of Mexican food and drink

mildly drunk, young Frenchman - who I knew

I could find and lots and lots of partying. After a

through a friend but had only ever had contact with

week of checking websites, ringing numbers in local

over email - greeted me and showed me to my

newspapers and visiting some extremely dodgy

lodgings before disappearing back to bed, leaving me

apartments - one lady wanted to charge twice what

alone to ponder my surroundings. The house was

I ended up paying for a room with an ensuite but no

basic at best: two toilets whose cisterns needed to

internet, no kitchen and absolutely NO MALE

be filled manually after every use, one bathroom

VISITORS (her emphasis). I finally found a nice

missing a sink, a kitchen which seemed to be held

comfortable house with a functioning toilet, spotless

together with dirt and grease, a broken bed which

kitchen and no turkeys or human traffic through my

served as a couch and a general feeling of choas

bedroom every morning. I am sharing with a

about the place. My room itself was clean and

Mexican, an Australian and the occasional cockroach.

comfortable with only one or two drawbacks.

I will be here for the next year studying a variety of It had been hard to settle that night even though I

subjects from a course on Don Quixote and

was wrecked after my 30 hours of travelling, but I

Cervantes to the Human Body & Sexuality (for

was finally drifting off to sleep around 5 am when I

which we will actually be required to watch a porn

was jolted back to full consciousness by a cock

movie in class next week). If you were under the

crowing from what seemed to be just outside my

impression that Mexico was a conservative Catholic

window. It was the moment I felt I had finally arrived

country I can tell you now that it is very often the

in Mexico; a country where it seems even in the

opposite.

middle of a city you can be woken by a rooster. The cock was followed by a screaming turkey and then

Over 2,000 to attend NUI Galway Volunteering Fair

involved with Galway city and county organisations. Whether it is working with youth, disability or social justice organisations, our students gain skills and experience while lending a hand. NUI Galway really values our community partners as they host and support our student volunteers. The Fair is great opportunity for students to see the range of activities within the Galway community they can avail of, while also providing a space for organisations to recruit much needed volunteers”. Exhibitors at the Volunteer Fair will include: Rehab Care, Habitat for Humanity, Down Syndrome Ireland; Childline, Galway Refugee Support Group, Simon Community, Enable Ireland and Positive Mental Health. Lorraine Tansey added: “We are delighted to not only welcome community organisations to showcase their opportunities for volunteers but also

The eighth annual NUI Galway Volunteering Fair will take place on Thursday, 24 September in Áras na Mac Léinn, from 1-5pm. With over 2,000 students, staff and members of the general public expected to attend, the Fair will be officially opened by Galway City Mayor Declan McDonnell. Over 60 charities and community organisations will showcase the wide range of volunteer opportunities available for students. This year NUI Galway's volunteer programme ALIVE is delighted to collaborate with the Galway Volunteer Centre in hosting the event.

The Fair is part of a week-long celebration of volunteering at NUI Galway, the culmination of which will coincide with the national volunteering Give it a Swirl day on Friday, 25 September. Lorraine Tansey is Volunteer Coordinator of the

to welcome members of the public onto campus”. Established in 2003, the ALIVE programme at NUI Galway, was the first ever student volunteer programme to be embedded within an institution of higher education in Ireland. Through the ALIVE Programme, students can access an online database of volunteer opportunities.

The programme also includes a series of workshops to help students make the most of their volunteering experience. At the end of the academic year students can apply for an ALIVE Certificate which is awarded by NUI Galway President, Dr James J. Browne, in recognition of their commitment to volunteering.

To book a stand or for further information, please contact the ALIVE office on 091 493823 or email alive@nuigalway.ie.

ALIVE Programme at NUI Galway: “Students benefit enormously from getting

Sammelsurium at The Arts Millennium building A multi-media exhibition can be viewed from this week in the foyer of the Arts Millennium building. The exhibition will be opened on Wednesday, September 16 at 6.00pm by NUI Galway Arts Officer, Fionnuala Gallagher.The exhibition entitled Sammelsurium will run until October 14 and is open daily from 9am to 10pm. It includes figurative work and abstracts of varied media. The exhibition contains the work of two female artists Dagmar Drabent and Marina Wild. It includes figurative work and abstracts of varied media.The Arts Millennium Building is located opposite the James Hardiman Library.

The group of 22 NUIG volunteers who built homes in Honduras

NUIG volunteers build homes and survive a coup in Honduras feature by James Byrne NUIG volunteers travelled to Honduras in Central America to build homes during the summer.

This resulted in an inseparable link between the

would especially like to thank the group leaders,

affable Santa Rosa de Copan people and the hearts

Iomar, Paddy, Mary and Brian for providing a

and minds of 22 intrepid NUIG Volunteers. Those

wonderful opportunity for all involved. As a result of

who participated not only exacted change in the

the success of this year’s mission, Fr Iomar Daniels

way Margaret Meade prophesises but more

will be running a similar trip next summer; do keep

importantly received a life lesson which no text

an eye out for details (www.nuigalway.ie/chaplains).

book or lecture can furnish. This attests to the

However for some of the group, the military Coup

reality of altruism and its effects and how a small

d’état of June 28th provided an interesting end to

group of committed citizens can change someone’s

their Honduran experience. President Manuel

world, one brick at a time.

Zelaya, who is currently in exile was toppled for his

Working under the auspices of Habitat for

attempts to amend the constitution and seek re-

Humanity, who aim to eliminate housing poverty, our

election of the presidency beyond the four year

group worked alongside local labourers and

limit. But for Laoise Martin and David Keane among

beneficiaries to construct six houses which became

others, witnessing the 9pm curfews and the

homes for the worthy recipients. During the three

presence of armed soldiers on the streets was a

week build we constructed homes from foundation

surreal incident. “We were fortunate to be removed

level to the finishing touches. Some of the laborious

from the centre of it, our only real fear was not

jobs included digging foundations, mixing concrete,

been able to fly home due to the airports been

block laying, plastering, laying floors to building

closed,” said Laoise. The coup leaders have since

drainage units and general labour. There certainly

received worldwide condemnation and at present

was no scarcity of hard work especially demanding

the situation is still unresolved.

in the humid conditions!

For all concerned Honduras is a fond memory now,

In Honduras a home costs $5,000 to construct, with

but the result is one which has provided a home for

the recipient family paying a small mortgage so that

nigh on 35 people and many more to come. The

this program can be continued for another needy

kind words offered by the recipients at the farewell

family. It’s very much a “hand up, not out idea” says

ceremony were testament to the effort put in by

Cathal McCague, one of the volunteers.

the group since last October.

As a group, the undertaking overall raised over

We are stuck in the midst of economic mire here at

€112,000 for the cause which of course was

home, but the photos and provision of homes for

completely due to the generosity of NUIG students

our Honduran friends does not display their

and staff and the wider Galway community. A big

affluence. Their affluence in graciousness, humility

thank you is merited to all, but especially to the

and appreciation was all brought home to us. We

Chaplaincy Office, the president Dr Jim Brown and

have the wonderful recollections and cries of “Mas

Vice President, Mary O’Riordan, Alumni Office,

Agua” (more water) and “Mas Cemento” (more

United Charities, Brendan Smith (DERI) and past

cement) as a fond memory!

pupils. The foot soldiers of the group however

Paid for by the SU and printed in Sin, because you need to know

Update from SU President, Donna Cummins.

Have you elected your class rep yet?

Every class is entitled to a Class

contact the SU Vice-President/Education

Representative to represent their class.

Officer Emmet Connolly at

If your class does not have a Class Rep

su.education@nuigalway.ie. Further

your voice will not be heard. If you have

information regarding the role of Class

been elected as a Class Rep make sure

Reps is also available in the education

you drop up to the Students’ Union

sector of our website

office with your sign-up sheet

ww.su.nuigalway.ie. Class Rep training

completed or get a sign-up sheet from

will be held on Saturday, the 3rd of

us.

October with the first full CRC meeting scheduled for Monday 5th at 6pm in the

If you have any questions on the roles

Colm O’hEocha Theatre.

and responsibilities of a Class Rep

Win tickets for Neil Delamere!!! comedian Neil Delamere debuts his new show Bookmarks as part of NUI Galway

HI EVERYONE!

Students’ Union Freshers’ Fortnight.

You are very welcome to the first instalment of the SU Page for this academic year. Over the next 8 months, we are hoping to use this

Tickets are only €8 from the Students’

space to communicate with you about what your Union is working on

Union (College ID required). Gig takes

and what issues are relevant to you. At the moment, we are fighting the

place in the O’Flaherty Theatre at 8pm

introduction of proposed third level fees. If Minister O’Keefe gets his

on Wednesday 23rd of September.

way, the first years this year will be paying extortionate fees for the

Support on the night comes from

remainder of their degree. If introduced, a loan system (which is what

comedian John Lynn.

is favoured by the Minister) will not generate income until 2015. It will The SU is giving away two sets of two

not help us out of this recession and it will not improve the standard of education in third level institutions. Applications to English

NUI Galway Students’ Union Freshers’

tickets. All you have to do to win is

Universities rose 15% this year and with these proposed measures, an

Fortnight 09 presents NEIL DELAMERE

email studentsunion@nuigalway.ie with

Arts degree in UCD would cost more than the equivalent qualification

Best known as the star of RTE’s The

your name, phone number and student

in Oxford. Third level fees are an immediate threat. If you disagree with

Panel and BBC’s Blame Game, Irish

ID.

paying up to €35,000 for your degree, e-mail aire@pobail.ie and tell Minister Eamon O’Cuiv that the West is awake.

Freshers’ Ball

This has been a busy Summer for the new officers in your Students’ Union. I have been working hard to ensure that you get better value

NUI Galway Students’ Union Freshers’

Party & Disconnect 4 in the Class

for your money on campus. Fruit in all SU outlets has been reduced to

Fortnight 09 presents the Freshers’ Ball

Room and DJ Graham Stewart in

45 cent. A microwave will be available in Smokies to ensure you have a

School Disco

the Dance Room

hot meal. Pints in the College Bar will be the cheapest in town at just

Tickets: €10 from the Students’ Union

Competitions, freebies, prizes and

€4 and soda guns have made soft drinks as cheap as 80cent. Be sure to

Thursday 24th of September

surprises all night long. Prizes for best

pick up an SU Card and use it so you can build points and getter

8pm – 10pm

dressed school girl and boy. Think

better value in Smokies, the College Bar, the SU Shop and The Wall

Pre-Ball reception in The College Bar

blazers, tartan, knee high socks and a bit

Café. The SU Skill Shop is also taking form and keep an eye out on

10pm onwards

of bling thrown in!

your chance to learn CPR and suicide interventions skills.

School Buses depart College Bar for Ball 11pm – 2.30am

ID Required Over 18’s

Check out the sparkling new SU website on www.su.nuigalway.ie for

School Disco with 2 rooms of music

Only ROAR No Refunds

more information and feel free to call up the SU office in Áras na

featuring: Super Extra Bonus

Macléinn at any stage during the year with any questions.

Contact us! Our offices are located upstairs in Áras na Macléinn.

Enjoy the year!

091-524810, studentsunion@nuigalway.ie, www.su.nuigalway.ie

The SU Sessions present Kilkenny band Saving J this Tuesday the 15th of September at 7pm. As part to the Freshers’ Fortnight of events the SU Sessions return for a second year and are delighted to welcome back Saving J who are touring the country with their debut album “This City Street”.

Kilkenny-based purveyors of power-pop SAVING J continue to tour the

Union Services

The SU Sessions – Saving J

Lockers: Log on to the SU website at su.nuigalway.ie and apply for a locker. Then you have a couple of days to call up to the Union offices in Áras na Macléinn to pay and collect your key.

Cloakroom: To avoid dragging your bag of laundry around before the weekend trip home, drop your stuff into the Students’ Union cloakroom located in the Library Basement. The service is free and it’s open 9am – 9pm Monday – Thursday and 9am – 6:30pm on Fridays.

Second Hand Bookshop:

country with the likes of The Coronas, The Blizzards, Ham Sandwich &

Save yourself some pennies and check out the Students’ Union bookshop

Fight Like Apes, winning the musical hearts of all and bouncing all over

online at su.nuigalway.ie. You can search by subject and check out the condition

the radio waves with their blitz of quality singles. Doing it the good old

of the book by calling up to the Union offices. You’ll be amazed at how much

fashioned way by releasing a steady flow of brilliant singles, their 'live'

money this can save you. You can also sell your old books here.

following has grown to impressive numbers.

Accommodation Advice: Their debut album 'This City Street' is a look back onto early 90's pop

Not sure if your landlord is really entitled to start subletting your living room

and is reminiscent of US bands like REM, The Gin Blossoms and Veruca

carpet without telling you? Talk to Emma Conway, the SU Welfare Officer. She

Salt.

can help you with any questions about renting and about your tenancy rights.

Contact Emma at su.welfare@nuigalway.ie or just call up.

The band will tour across Ireland in September to demonstrate their blend of what Hotpress described as 'Unstoppable, Euphoric Pop'

Education Woes: Repeats, appeals, subject choices and project decisions can all be a bit of a slap

The SU Sessions are a free weekly event open to the public and hosted

in the face after a care-free Summer. If you’re having any trouble with these or

by NUI, Galway Students’ Union in ECO Grounds (An Bialann) every

other academic issues, give Emmet Connolly an e-mail at

Tuesday at 7pm. www.myspace.com/thesusessions .

su.educataion@nuigalway.ie and he will help you out.

The First Year Welcome

SU Card & Travel Card: These cards will save you money for your dietary and locomotive needs. Call up to the Union to receive yours.

Keep an eye out for all the Freshers’ Fortnight stuff – free diaries are being distributed across campus, the Freshers’ Fortnight timetables and Your Union posters with information on what we do and how to contact us.

The Canadian show, Trailer Park Boys is

way people get their entertainment?

obviously a big influence on Hardy Bucks, did

We'd like to think so. We hope that more people

you watch it and think "I can do that!" or

see us and get inspired to start making their own

were you thinking of directing something for

stuff. Laptops and cameras have gotten way cheaper

a while and the format just fit? I'm not sure

in the past 10 years. If you have an idea that might

it's ever explained why the lads are being

work, you can get an audience online and hopefully

filmed or why anyone would want to make a

find funding to make it grow.

documentary about two wasters in Mayo.

Youtube sensation from small town Mayo finds mainstream success feature by Kevin O’Connor

“Yeah we're big fans and and really admire the show

That's obviously a double edged sword too

but it wasn't a case of rip off city. The humour and

though, although Youtube is a great way for

colloquialisms of the rural Irish male/ small town

unknowns to make shows for hardly any

Mayo are what got us doing it. I had a college

mone.Being on TV obviously does give

project to do and Martin happened to be free that

credence to a series, however, do you find

weekend so we just started riffing random

that making a show for TV means you have to

throwaway lines. We'd cut it and get kicks out of it

water it down compared to something that

ourselves. We did a proper one six months later

will just be on the net?

with loads more characters and that became

Yes. If it was on TV, Bucks would have to be so

episodes 1-3.”

tightly scripted that it could hold the attention of the average viewer. That would mean taking out the

One of the background themes in the show is

meandering scenes and the obviously amateurish

about the impact of the recession on small-

approach which we think is the main charm of the

town Ireland, did you feel that young people

show. We're not on telly though so we don't have to

in small towns in Ireland are generally

worry about it.

forgotten about in other areas of arts and culture, or was it just the case that you

I recently saw a Hardy Bucks live show being

thought "this will be funny"?

advertised, what's involved in that? Is it a one

As mentioned it was purely for our own

off or is that a permanent direction?

entertainment. It wasn't until we put up a demo on

Not sure really. Can't see it being as engaging as the

Bebo (baby!) and it turned out that more people

videos but we like the way the Bulmer’s festival is

than just ourselves liked it. Now it's getting a little

putting us on with rubber bandits as it demonstrates

bit more popular on youtube. It has opened our

that it's not just musicians who can start gigging

eyes to the fact that there really isn't much

from their uploads. More Irish internet comedy

attention given to comedy for youngsters living

please!

outside the Pale.

What next for Eddie and Buzz? Are they ever

Sin’s Kevin O’Connor recently caught up with Chris Tordoff, one of the cocreators of Hardy Bucks, a Youtube sensation that is quickly finding mainstream success. Hardy Bucks is about two lads trying to make the most of life in small town Mayo while

A lot of people are surprised that you are

going to get to Galway?

actually from England, the old cliche is that

It's only an hour away by Bus Eireann so maybe they

it's only an outsider that can properly satirise

might be tempted to get a return and cruise to CP's

something (Des Bishop being the other Irish

for a few gamey birds. Be warned though potential

based example that springs to mind) but is

gamey birds - If one of them scores and any of the

there truth in that in your opinion?

other lads don't, they'll end up piling back to your

We say we're more Irish than English really as we've

gaff for a place to crash anyway so hide the

been over here since we were kids. Always sharing

Bavaria cos Eddie's a slave to it.

the same point of reference from an early age helped so we'd say yes there is truth in it. Des

Have you any other projects lined up?

Bishop works well cos it's the observations of rural

Not yet but hopefully when we finish this Storyland

life from someone with a streetwise Bronx brogue.

thing (one episode left) we might do something else.

Big culture gap, whereas Bucks is so unflinchingly

battling with their arch nemesis and local drug dealer; The Viper, but in reality, it’s about much more.

rural that it probably won’t be as readily accepted.

And now for a few suggested questions for our readers; Does The Viper know that he has

Is it a fair point that without Youtube Hardy

a cobra on his t-shirt and not a viper? Is a

Bucks wouldn't exist? This is probably the first

middlin' big man really better than a good

example (except maybe Eyebrowy), in the

small man? How much is a tenshpot in

British Isles at least, of a popular online only

Swinford?

series that has gone mainstream almost

No, he's pig ignorant. Of course he is. €15-20.

overnight, is this going to be one of the early examples of the internet overtaking TV in the

Okkervil River Gig Review

acclaim. The band is known for their energetic performances and concept albums that are meticulously detailed from the lyrics. Front man Will Sheff writes with the gift of a novelist and sings in an accessible tone. Taking the stage with suits donned and looking rather dapper, the crowd was more than excited to see the band finally play The Roisin. Supping on pints of Guinness and in high spirits after their performance at the Electric Picnic the band belted out number after catchy number. Highlights of the gig included performances of tracks Lost Coastlines

by Sinead Burke

with the entire audience contributing fast paced handclaps. The voice of Patrick Pestorius was simply smooth and gorgeous on this one. Also the excellent track Our Life Is Not A Movie Or May with shaky maraccas, and also a heavy rocking tambourine version of The Beach Boys Sloop John B. Galway gave them a great

Another Texan based six piece, these guys and gal played The Roisin on September 7th. After years of trying to set up a performance at the Roisin, Okkervil River (a name taken from a short story by Tolstaya) released their latest

reception (which was much deserved after the quality gig). These guys and gal will definitely be back and if you haven’t already you should take a trip down Okkervil River.

album titled The Stand Ins in September 2008 and it received much critical

Blitzen Trapper Gig Review by Sinead Burke

when he plays harmonica and acoustic guitar numbers. Shockingly Blitzen Trapper played a free gig in The Roisin in association with Strange Brew (before their set at this years Electric Picnic) and were even kind enough to write out a set list for Sin ( they don’t get them printed up, they just go with the flow). Sounding similar

Hailing from Austin, Texas are the charming and uplifting Blitzen Trapper. The six

to The Band, Dylan’s Basement Tapes, CSNY (Crosby Stills Nash and Young); and

piece played the Roisin on Thursday the 3rd of September. After recent shows in

citing influences of Gram Parsons (The Byrds) to Jeff Tweedy (Wilco) these guys

Dublin supporting Wilco and having supported Fleet Foxes these guys have

put on one hell of an old school show, by a modern band. So break out the

already been that band to watch. Rolling Stone featured their track Furr as the #4

record player, these guys give you the option of buying their album on vinyl at the

best single of 2008 and their album of the same title was voted #13 in their best

gig. Carefree country folk lyrics created romantic images that were teamed with

albums of the year chart. Lead singer Eric Earley is reminiscent of a young Dylan

gorgeous melodies and powerful harmonies. Simply Blitzful.

The September Issue Film Review

entertaining to watch because she’s endlessly poised and always ready with a catty put-down. Her father was the editor of The London Evening Standard and the only time that you actually see any sort of vulnerability in her is when she says that her intellectual siblings don’t seem to think much of what she does. Her daughter Bee goes so far as to dismiss the fashion industry (and therefore Anna’s job) as ‘amusing’ and seems determined not to follow in her mother’s footsteps.

by Lorraine O’Hanlon

These little insights make it easy to forget that we are dealing with a woman who has so much influence over the fashion industry that designer clothing companies have been known to change their designs or even the fabrics of clothes that they have produced based on her whims.Anna’s team at Vogue is made up of larger-

The September Issue was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance

than-life characters and the documentary also features actress Sienna Miller in a

Film Festival and was screened to an adoring audience during this year’s Galway

cringe-worthy cameo. Given that we’re so used to seeing airbrushed actresses in

Film Fleadh. Soon the rest of the country will figure out why this RJ Cutler-

magazines it’s enlightening to see Miller’s appearance being ripped apart and then

directed documentary was such a hit on the festival circuit. It offers a rare glimpse

rebuilt by unforgiving fashion experts. Despite the appearance of a bona fide

into the inner workings of ‘Style Bible’ Vogue magazine as it follows Anna Wintour,

celebrity in the documentary, the blunt fashion editor Grace Coddington is the

the commanding editor, and her team as they put together the September 2007

outright star of The September Issue. She is different in every way to the prim

issue of Vogue. The issue was the largest one the magazine had ever published,

editor, yet she is one of the few people whose opinion that Anna ever actually

running at a massive 840 pages. Most people will be familiar with Anna Wintour

considers. Their dynamic is fascinating and sometimes hilarious to watch. Anyone

from Meryl Streep’s portrayal of a character based on her in the enjoyable chick

who has even a passing interest in fashion or journalism must go see The

flick The Devil Wears Prada. The inspiration for that film was the fiction book of

September Issue. Fans of The Devil Wears Prada, Ugly Betty or even America’s

the same name by Lauren Weisberger, Anna’s former assistant. Ms. Wintour

Next Top Model in particular will love this revealing documentary.

doesn’t come across as evil as Meryl Streep’s character but she’s just as

Rating: 8/10

Lisbon

YES

by Ronan Fitzpatrick In 2008 Ireland was asked to ratify the Lisbon Treaty, and with a clear majority, they rejected it instead.

Now, less than 16 months later, the same question is being put to the Irish people. Referenda are the chance for a nation of people to speak together, with one voice and make their opinion clear on the issues of the day, but it seems that

478 days after the Irish people

been calling for years. It does

on our constitution will have to

said ‘No’ to the Lisbon Treaty,

this by taking decisions which

be put to referendum.

they’ll vote again, but not on the

used to be made by the Council

Lisbon isn’t just about the

same thing as the ‘No’ side say.

of Ministers, and allowing the

internal structures of the EU

The Irish electorate stand

directly elected EU Parliament

though. The Treaty specifically

poised to deliver a vote which

to have a say. This follows the

makes fighting climate change a

will dramatically affect our

shift in power from the

part of EU policy. The treaty

future. There are some who

unelected to the elected bodies

makes the Charter of

believe that we should not be

of the EU. The Treaty will mean

Fundamental Rights of the

making this choice. They say that

all Council meetings will be

European Union a part of EU

‘No means No’ and that it is

televised and can be viewed by

law which protects the rights of

undemocratic to vote again but

the public for the first time. The

all EU citizens. The Lisbon Treaty

they are wrong. Firstly, we are

Treaty will also make the EU

also enshrines the principle of

being asked to vote on a subtly

more culpable to national

mutual solidarity where EU

but fundamentally different

parliaments who will now have

members will help each other

proposition. We now know that

the power to view proposed EU

when they are affected by

Ireland will get to retain its

legislation and demand a review

natural disasters or attack

Commissioner. The guarantees

of it, a big step in making the

without promising military

secured on taxation, neutrality

‘Brussels bureaucracy’ more

assistance.

and ethical issues such as

accountable.

If you think Lisbon won’t make

abortion will now be EU law

Lisbon also makes a number of

the EU better or worse there

their opinion isn’t always heeded. Has

and will be equal to the treaties

other institutional changes. It

are still good reasons to vote

anything really changed since the first

themselves. So while some argue

changes the system of voting in

‘Yes’. Voting ‘No’ sends a bad

that not a word has changed,

the European Council and the

image to the world about the

the substance of what we are

number of areas which are

type of country Ireland is. We

voting on has changed. Secondly,

decided by Qualified Majority

built our economic and

there is the pragmatic view. The

Voting (QMV). This will mean

diplomatic success in recent

alternative to a second

that the majority of people in

years by portraying ourselves as

referendum is to see the EU

the EU overall and the majority

an open, vibrant nation which

caught in more institutional

of countries will have to support

embraced the EU ideal. We have

wrangling while its future is

a proposal to have it approved.

built up goodwill towards us by

Europe has moved on, with many

being decided. At a time when

Some have said these changes

embracing the larger role we

the EU needs to be working on

take power away from smaller

can have in the world via the EU.

member states ratifying the Treaty

the big issues such as climate

member states but this is

Voting ‘No’ sends a clear signal

change and the global recession,

incorrect as that figure only

that we are moving away from

this would be madness. Put

takes into account half of the

the EU and this can only have a

simply, Lisbon II is the most

new voting system. In reality we

negative effect both

practical choice for Ireland and

retain about the same amount

diplomatically and economically.

the EU.

of power as we have now! The

As part of the EU, Ireland can

So why should you vote ‘Yes’?

removal of vetoes has scared

do more than it can alone.

While the Lisbon Treaty isn’t

some but we retain a veto on

So vote ‘Yes’ for a stronger,

particularly exciting, it does

important issues such as military

more dynamic and more

introduce a number of changes

and taxation matters. Lisbon

democratic EU. Vote ‘Yes’ for a

which alter the structures of the

also introduces a new system

better future for Ireland, the EU

EU to reflect its increased size.

for amending treaties which will

and its citizens. The choice is

The Lisbon Treaty goes a long

help make the EU more

ours, let’s make it the smart

way to making the EU more

dynamic. However, as is the case

one.

democratic, which critics have

now, any changes which impinge

vote and can our new legal guarantees be relied on? We are also the only country whose people have gotten to vote, how much of a factor should this be? In the mean time,

already. Should Ireland really be able to halt the progress of over 730 million people? This article lays out the arguments in favour of the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ sides of this new Lisbon campaign from two student perspectives.

Lisbon

NO We are a society which firmly

to inform people. An

will only be within the limits

believes in the democratic

independent booklet was sent

defined by the Treaty, making it

process. We believe that the

to every home explaining the

entirely toothless. The Lisbon

majority will of the people

ramifications of a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’

Treaty is supposed to give

carries with it the supreme

vote and numerous debates;

Europe an ‘environmental

decision on how our country

public and televised occurred in

conscience’ and make real

should proceed in its existence.

which the Irish people could

efforts to address climate

In the past we have used our

make up their minds. This they

change, yet the treaty sets out

vote to choose new leaders and

did and they decided to vote

no real targets or guidelines,

change the very fabric of our

against the Lisbon Treaty. In the

merely aspirations and aims. In

Constitution. While some of

wave of panic that followed,

addition, Lisbon specifically

Deb and Law Soc, the debate comes

these decisions can prove to be

European leaders such as

makes room for a European

unpopular, as seems to

German Chancellor Angela

Nuclear Policy, a move which

to Áras na Mac Léinn. Come and

frequently be the case with the

Merkel and EU Commission

Ireland has traditionally been

results of General Elections, the

President Jose Manuel Barroso

very strongly opposed to. By

fact remains that the peoples’

were quick to criticise our

ratifying Lisbon, we could be

voice, decision and mandate are

decision from the corridors of

opening the door for nuclear

meant to be respected and the

Brussels. French President

power to become a part of

validity of that decision above

Nicolas Sarkozy had the cheek

Ireland energy policy. Is this

question. The EU seems to be an

to actually fly to Dublin to

really in the best interests of

institution which does not hold

criticise us in person and call for

Ireland, or of Europe for that

these values as near or dear as

a rerun of the referendum.

matter?

we do. In fact whenever we

We as a nation made that

Finally, we have to look at the

make a decision which

decision; it was delivered by a

thinly veiled threats issued by

undermines the view of the

strong majority and as such

the ‘Yes’ side. The poster

European Commission, Ireland is

should be given the respect that

campaign urging us to ratify the

scolded as the naughty

it deserves. Holding a second

treaty hints at dark

rebellious child of Europe. In the

vote on the Lisbon Treaty

consequences if we refuse to

past, we have been asked to call

undermines Ireland’s right to

approve it this time around. Are

a second referendum because

have it decisions respected in

we really to believe that a

the decision we returned did

Europe, and it seems that a ‘No’

second rejection of the Treaty

not sit well with the aims of the

vote is the only way to show

will lead to us being thrown out

EU. We saw this happen with the

the condescending Commission

of the European Union? Member

Nice Treaty and now it is

that any decision delivered by

states have differed with the EC

happening again with Lisbon.

our people in referenda is final

before, the United Kingdom and

The simple fact is; the majority

and not open to negotiation.

Denmark refused to join the

of people who cast their votes

Even the proposed benefits of

single currency and they are still

last year rejected the Lisbon

the Lisbon Treaty do not stand

welcome members of the EU

treaty. Those who voted ‘No’ in

up to much scrutiny. The

after all.

the first round have had their

Charter of Fundamental Rights

This could be the most

choice dismissed by the EU, who

is one of the biggest weapons

important moment in the

say they were misled by

the ‘Yes’ side has in this debate.

history of the EU. With each

scaremongering, blatant

We are told that it is a

treaty we are moving more and

Euroscepticism or general

magnificent document, charged

more towards a single political

paranoia from those terrified of

with protecting the social rights

identity. If the road ahead is not

a more powerful European

of each and every European. Yet

one we wish to travel, we must

Union. The fact remains that

they fail to mention that the

speak now, speak firmly, and

both sides had the opportunity

rights protected in the treaty

vote ‘No’.

by Conor Keane Next we bring this, one of the most talked about referenda of recent years, to your doorstep. On the 24th of September, courtesy of Lit and

hear what the experts on Lisbon have to say, with confirmed guests including Minister Micháel Martin (Minister for Foreign Affairs) himself and the always controversial MEP, Patricia McKenna. Then, put your voice and vote to the test on the motion: “This House Believes No Means No”.

Eagles of Death Metal Swoop in by Tomwaitress Tomwaitress meets Jesse "Boots Electric" Hughes of Eagles of Death Metal.

So like everything else in the country the music

headphones, which he removes and I salute him. We

scene is suffering thanks to the recession. It would

get talking about Eagles of Death Metal’s last album

seem press passes are getting harder and harder to

Heart On and eventually I pluck up the courage and

get a hold of. Take my latest attempt to get a press

ask him if he could maybe put my name on the

pass for the Eagles of Death Metal gig in Dolan’s

guest list. He says of course and fetches a card from

Warehouse in Limerick on the 25th of August. I was

his black beaten wallet. “Here write your name on

out of the country when the tickets went on sale.

this,” he kindly says and hands me a card. I rummage

By the time I was back in the country the tickets

through my handbag for a pen and when I’ve finally

were sold out. Fuck. Apply for a press pass and

found one I look up to see that he’s turned around

they’re “all” gone, enter a competition to win

slightly bent over to allow me to lean the card on

tickets, doubt there were even any tickets to give

his shoulder and write. Hands trembling I write

away. So what do you do? Well if you’re Tomwaitress

Tomwaitress* and on closer inspection I realise that

you go straight to the band, man. Hey these times

the card is an Ace of Spades playing card. What a

are making us all a whole lot more resourceful,

dude. He takes the card, puts it back in his wallet,

you’ve got to take things into your own hands right?

and gives me a kiss on the cheek. His moustached kiss is genuine and sweet. Girls on the street

Walking down Cruises Street (Limerick’s version of

approach me and ask “Is that the guy from Queens

Shop Street) I spot Jesse “Boots Electric” Hughes

of the Stone Age?” Later they mention that he came

window shopping with his black haired beauty of a

into Boots with his girlfriend to buy toothbrushes,

girlfriend. He’s about to light up a cigarette. I let him

and dental floss and said that he is going to put

take the first drag and then politely (if that’s

them on the guest list too. A buzz is around the

possible) interrupt. His girlfriend is sucking on a

town, with girls from pharmacies to antique stores

candy pop. So I tell him I’m a fan and he asks if I’m

getting put on the guest list. Later at the sold out

heading to the gig, I awkwardly tell him no that I

gig, “Davey Jo” Catching walks past us in the hallway.

have to catch a plane to Paris in the morning. He

The excitement is tangible. The venue is packed to

jokingly berates me for this and says that I should

the ratio of 70/30 in favour of men. The stage is

try come along, we get to talking about the fact that

filled with one hell of a big drum kit, fenced in by

they’ll be in Paris at the weekend too, performing at

maroon velvet-covered amps which are contrasted

the Rock En Seine Festival. Through his desert red

by funky Californian orange amps. The band

sun glasses he asks me where should they shop and

including Hughes, Catching, O'Connor and Castillo

where exactly is Dolan’s. His girlfriend states that

speed through tracks such as Cherry Cola, I Want

she wants “shoes” and they’re off to Footlocker. I

You So Hard (Boy’s Bad News), Don’t Speak (I

wish him best of luck with the gig and they’re gone.

Came To Make A Bang), Got A Feelin’ (Just

Only then after the adrenalin and Jesse is gone, it

Nineteen), Brown Sugar, Secret Plans, Wannabe in

occurs to me that I should have asked him for a

L.A. and Now I’m A Fool to name a few. The last

press pass. Fuck.

track of the night was the glorious Speaking In Tongues. Eagles of Death Metal turned Dolan’s into

Fast forward to a couple of hours later and I’m

one big mosh pit, with men stage diving, girls

walking out of HMV (after buying a reggae/rap

swooning and everybody was rockin' out.

album). All of a sudden I spot that Jesse is walking

Peace, Love & Death Metal.

towards me. He’s alone this time, listening to

Well it’s closing time…till next time, Tomwaitress.

Erasmus View by Sarah Schepers A German Erasmus student shares her first impressions of Galway with SIN. She gets harrassed by ignorant racist drunks round town, yet still manages to have a good time in Galway.

“Galway is the best choice you could have made!”. “I

people, we were a bit shocked when we were

had some of the best nights partying in Galway.”

confronted with a different group of people. In only

“The Irish people are the most friendly people I have

one night I got insulted three times by different

ever met.” These are just some quotes of friends and

drunk guys for being German. The last one even

family members when I told them that I was going to

introduced himself to me as Hitler. In between these

Galway for one semester. I’m a visiting student from

three events an old guy was making gestures at me

Germany and I always wanted to go to Ireland to

to have sex with him and another guy that followed

experience this great country.

us just reached out to literally suck my friend’s face.

The first few days started really well. After meeting

So when I met “Hitler” I finally lost it. After shouting

my American roommates the first feeling of a slightly

at him for maybe ten minutes suddenly he was the

increasing sadness had vanished completely. We went

shocked one and started apologising to me over and

out to pubs, ate fish and chips. Locals invited us for

over again. I calmed down, realised that he was a

Guinness, we toured the city and were amazed by all

really nice guy, and we had a good long talk. In the

the cute and colourful houses. We started saying:

end, even the worst night so far ended up being

“Stop it Ireland. You’re too cute.” Even the rain didn’t

really great. Stop it Ireland!

seem to bother us.

After all this cuteness and meeting really friendly Advertisment

Anti Pop Consortium feature by Liam Griffin Sin’s Liam Griffin sits down with hip hop group Anti Pop Consortium for a chat

Anti Pop Consortium are one of the few hip hop

of hip hop since you were together last?

groups that manage to attract fans from almost

Beans: Much has changed and the influence that we

every musical background. Mixing electronica with

inspired has saturated the landscape. No matter

their poetic abstract lyrics Beans, High Priest and M

how many people think that have a grasp of

Sayyid create songs which are challenging, thought

electronic music in hip hop, they ain't us and this

provoking and often really weird. Not content with

album will prove it.

writing Burroughs in the Ghetto style lyrics all

Priest: ditto

members of the group produce the other worldly

Sin: How much room is there for improvisation on

beats and pieces that make up an APC track. When

stage?

word got out in 2003 that the group had broken up

Beans: Improvisation is a huge factor in our live

the hip hop community let out a collective sigh.

shows. We've come up with some things that we

Here was one of the most engaging and progressive

wish we had recorded HAHAHA!! It’s something

troupe giving up the ghost. Thankfully they have

we collectively enjoy performing and to me,

recently reunited, at a time when intelligent Hip

becomes the highlight of the show.

Hop is needed the most, with a new album

Priest: We bring the studio to the stage- it's the

Fluorescent Black.

only way to keep it interesting for us as performers.

SIN: Anti Pop Consortium have been working on

Sin: You've recently signed to Big Dada, an imprint

separate projects for about 6 years. What happened

of Ninja Tune. Are there any other artists on Ninja

to bring you back together?

Tune that you admire?

Beans: In our separation, we still stayed in touch

Beans: We like Roots Manuva!! We did a track with

and was aware of what the other was doing. It was

dude for our record

through an ex-girlfriend who got us together for my

SIN: APC is one of the few hip hop groups that are

birthday 2 years ago. We met and decided it was

involved in both the lyrical composition and

time to work together again.

production. Do you think this is important? Are

Priest: We were all in the headspace finally- it

there any unusual instruments you've been using

definitely took a bit of coaxing but I am glad we

lately? Do you have any favourite pieces of

were able to make it happen.

hardware?

SIN: How did it feel to be back in the studio after

Beans: It's very important because our sound is

so many years?

self-contained and the source of that material

Beans: It felt like no time had passed but it took

derives from us. I'm not going to list what we use

sometime to start working and get use to working

because it doesn't matter. You can't do what we do

together again. This album is proof of that process

so it's irrelevant.

Priest: Yep felt same as it ever was.

Priest: I could go on for days, but it is a very

SIN: How would a typical APC track develop?

interesting for hardware/software and the

Beans: Since we're all producers, someone will

integration of the two- We have a lot of resources

produce the track and who ever lays vocals on the

from modular synths to OSC controllers to millions

track first is the first MC heard on the track or

of vst plugins and such- the lemur has been great for

arranged in an agreed upon order. We improvise and

wilding out in LIVE 8 the ARP 2600 is definitely a

record jams at practice sessions some of the tracks

favourite as well.

on the next record were done in this fashion.

SIN: ATP are known for being involved in slam

Priest: There is no set formula- as Beans said since

poetry and taking an experimental approach to

we were all produce everybody brings something to

writing lyrics- can you describe some for the ideas

the table- on the LP it was great to record in the

that inspire you?

same fashion we perform as a "band" with all the

Beans: Life is the inspiration. Not in the slightest

synths and effects at once.

do we encounter a problem with expressing

SIN: Have you been playing new material live? How

ourselves being creative. That's why APC are here

have audiences responded to your new material?

on earth. We're all serious writers and pay close

Beans: The new material has been received quite

attention to the writing. Other people are doing

favorably and in the live shows, we only feature 2 of

what they do but we do us.

our old recordings so it's going down with

Priest: The slam poetry scene was open and

audiences quite well.

equally influenced by hip hop- it provided a great

Priest: We are not resting on our laurels and

atmosphere to grow.

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romanticizing the past is corny - it's critical to share our most recent developments - sometimes to a fault but we wouldn't have it any other way SIN: Have you noticed any changes in the landscape

Sweet n Sour Bite from the Arctic Monkeys by Sinead Burke Sinead Burke reviews the latest album - Humbug-from the Arctic Monkeys.

Humbug, the third album by the Sheffield four The

sound that leads into a more than infectious guitar

Arctic Monkeys-Turner, Cook, O’Malley and

hook, twisting and turning and is further

Helders-is their most interesting and intelligent to

complimented by Turner’s excellent timing/use of

date. It was recorded in the small town of Joshua

the word “pirouette”. Secret Door recorded at The

Tree in the Mojave Desert at Rancho de Luna with

Integraton (which is a wooden dome that is 38ft

help from Joshua Homme (Queens of The Stone

high in the middle of the Mojave Desert) is the most

Age, Eagles of Death Metal and Them Crooked

honest of tracks and it is on this track that Turner

Vultures) and Alain Johannes (Eleven, Queens of The

might just be acknowledging his moany reputation.

Stone Age and Them Crooked Vultures), in Homme’s

Up next is Potion Approaching with the suggestive

Pink Duck studio in Burbank, L.A. and even all the

and sensual lyrics, “Yours is the only ocean/ that I

way to Brooklyn to work with James Ford (Simian

want to swing from” The shakedown near the end

Mobile Disco). Humbug is short and boy is it sweet,

of the song with Homme ooh oohing in the

sour and oh so sexy. The boys are back with new

background is bubbling with sex appeal. The

haircuts and long locks that are untamed, yet of

gorgeous Fire And The Thud is the next song on the

course tamed. Their debut album Whatever People

album and features Alison Mosshart of The Kills.

Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not was the fastest selling

Cornerstone is simply gorgeous with Turner

debut album in British music history and won the

sounding like Richard Hawley on this track, amongst

2006 Mercury Music Prize and as if that wasn’t

others. For instance remember the crooning sound

enough, just recently it has gone platinum four times

of his voice on the track Only One Who Knows, off

over. Arctic Monkey’s second album Favourite Worst

their second album. On Humbug Turner’s voice is

Nightmare was nominated for the 2007 Mercury

most evidently influenced from his vocal style

Music Prize and sold close to over a quarter of a

adopted for his side project The Last Shadow

million copies in the first week of its release. Every

Puppets (with Miles Kane of The Rascals). For the

track off the first album was excellent; not one

majority of this mature record his voice is more

could be classified as a filler. However, the same

crooner than commoner. Dance Little Liar is the

cannot be said for the Arctic’s second album, which

track that convinced Josh Homme to work with the

started off exceptionally strong with tracks like

Monkeys. Homme only had to hear one note to

Teddy Picker and Fluorescent Adolescent and ended

change his mind after ten years of saying no to

excellently with songs such as Old Yellow Bricks,

producing bands. The opening note is as eerie as a

505 and Brainstorm. Somehow the album got lost in

backwards guitar can sound. Pretty Visitors beats

the middle perhaps due to Turner’s inner “miserable

out at an incredibly fast pace, akin to the Monkey’s

little tyke, a reputation that his songwriting seems to

earlier style. Also it is more reminiscent of Turner’s

have outgrown on their third album Humbug.

earlier lyrics when he dryly states “What came first

The opening track My Propeller has a sinister sound.

the chicken or the dickhead”. The Jeweller’s Hands

The whole song is a double entendre and seriously

is a novel of a song in its own right. Turner’s wit is

sexy, “I can’t get it started on my own”. Crying

as sharp as ever and the band is only growing

Lightning is the first single off the album and has a

tighter.With direction from Homme, Johannes and

heavy base, cymbal drums, and one motherfucker of

Ford they have made an album that only truly

a guitar solo. Turner’s lyrics are bang on as always:

reveals its treats after you give it a certain number

“Outside the café by the cracker factory you were

of plays, so yes treat it like the hard boiled sweety

practicing a magic trick”. Next up is Dangerous

that it is, and suck on it for a while.

Animals which is perhaps the most QOTSA sounding track on the album. It begins with a sonar

Oasis

How their star has fallen feature by Richard Martin

I suspect that a lot of Oasis fans

as everyone now knows, blew it.

things you’ll never see’. Their

breathed sighs of relief when

To speak of Oasis and why they

childhoods were marred by

Oasis finally called it a day last

were so important is to speak

drunken domestic violence

month. Noel announced he

of Noel not Liam. Noel wrote

which their father regularly

could not ‘work with Liam one

the songs and ‘made it

subjected on his family. They had

had to ask that shows how far their

day longer’. The truth is Oasis

happen’. That is not to say Liam

a miserable childhood, but a

have spent the noughties

isn’t talented, because he is. His

normal working class

star had fallen. There was once a

releasing bad album after bad

voice on the first three albums

‘Thatcherite’ childhood.

album. Their sound evolved to

is incredible. Heartfelt and

such a diluted weak form devoid

passionate, reminiscent and on a

Few people realise that Noel

of any real passion relative to

parity with Lennon and Lydon,

was quite old when they

their early sound that it had

but he never had any creative

released ‘Definitely Maybe’ in

become almost cringeworthy

input.

the autumn of 94. He was 28.

listening. With each new release

Oasis have always been a band

He had spent the last 10 years

their legacy, credibility and

that identified with the working

of his life on the fringes of the

importance as a band suffered.

class. The Conservative rule of

music scene of Madchester

Any true fan of Oasis was

the 80’s and early 90’s had

eventually working as a roadie

secretly delighted by the news.

entrenched the working classes

for the ‘Inspiral Carpets’. Those

However the question remains.

firmly at the bottom of the

were the years that made Noel

Were they ever important? Yes.

social ladder. It was not a land of

and Oasis. Living in bedsits,

But why? What was so

equal opportunity. A whole

having no money, signing on, he

important about five working

generation had grown up

was the quintessential working

class Mancunians? Basically when

knowing nothing but

class man. During that period he

they first emerged in late 1994

conservative rule. For millions

wrote the first three albums and

the music scene was shit. With

the dole and bedsits were the

a whole host of future B-sides.

Kurt Cobain’s suicide in April

only reality in their lives. People

He wrote about hope and

1994, a huge gaping void was

had lost hope. Noel rightly

despair and crucially from the

left. The angst of Grunge was

commented that it was ‘soul

working class perspective. He

over. The energy, baggies and

destroying’ to leave school and

once said when asked about his

Reni-hats of Madchester and the

join the dole queues with your

song-writing from that period of

community of Spike Island had

father. The Gallaghers came from

his life that ‘I was writing about

long since evaporated into the

this environment, an

things that were true to me,

vaults of musical lore. The Roses

environment where ‘We’ll see

shagging, drinking and taking

Did Oasis ever really matter? That I

time where a question like that would have been inconceivable, an all most heretical statement.

drugs’. On hearing Kurt Cobain

reflection on a pain that will never

proclaim that ‘I hate myself and I

leave him fused with a euphoric

wanna die’ he wrote ‘Live Forever’

powerful melody is possibly Noel’s

as a riposte in 1992 at a low ebb

greatest ever achievement as a

in his life. Millions across Britain

songwriter.

and the world could identify with

It has been said cruelly and unfairly

this outlook, the reality of poverty

in certain circles that Noel’s

and being a member of the

musical talents are overrated and

underclass without a voice or

that he has been guilty of nothing

hope.

more than base thievery of other

All great art has an element of

artists’ work. Most notably T-Rex’s

catharsis- where the artist pours

classic ‘Get it on’ which Noel used

all his emotions, his neuroses and

on ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’(which

his psychosis into his art and

Alan McGee once described as the

expresses his or herself with

best social comment in 40 years of

poignancy and confidence. The

music) and ‘Some Might Say’.

early Oasis sound is at its root

However I disagree with that point

form a cathartic sound. Noel

of view. As James Joyce once said

unleashed his pain, bitterness and

‘Creativity is memory’. It could be

dispair and in the process created

argued that Joyce ripped off

brilliance. ‘Don’t Look Back In

Homer in creating ‘Ulysses’. But in

Anger’ is a classic example. The

truth it could only take an artist of

regular childhood refrain, ‘Stand up

genius to transpose the

beside the fireplace and take that

wanderings of an epic, mythical

look from off your face’ was what

Greek hero (Odysseus) with that

Peggy Gallagher used to admonish

of a bumbling Dublin Jew (Leopold

her surly son with when the family

Bloom) and a young wannabe poet

photographs were being taken.

(Stephen Daedalus). If anything,

Another example is the John

Noel has been far too depreciating

Lennon line ‘I’m going to start a

of his musical gifts.

revolution from my bed’. The

That Oasis became ‘The Voice’ for

homage to his hero and the

working class Britain was

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inevitable. Their euphoric music

styles and being the biggest bands

middle of a cocaine blizzard. Noel’s

became the very thing they set out

became the music of change. It

in Britpop also led inevitably to

home ‘Supernova Heights’ became a

not to be; cliched rock stars: self

wasn’t coincidental that ‘Some

comparisons to the rivalry

‘happening’ place. The two

indulgent, arrogant and out of touch.

Might Say’ became Oasis’s No1 hit

between ‘The Stones’ and ‘The

Gallaghers embraced the blizzard

When New Labour eventually

on the day that Labour recorded a

Beatles’ in the 60’s, which in

with equal enthusiasm and they

recorded their landmark landslide

landslide victory over the

essence is what Britpop was all

eventually paid the price. Cocaine is

victory over the Tories in 1997,

Conservatives in the local

about, a revivalist movement trying

the ultimate reward drug. In more

Noel famously visited 10 Downing

elections. People wanted change

to recreate the greatest decade

primitive times it was used as an

St the next day to meet Blair. The

and to overthrow the

known to mankind. To most people

anaesthetic to dull pain. The mass

two leaders of their respective

establishment. It seemed Britain

it was the working class heroes of

release of dopamine and serotonin

social movements were famously

was moving their beat. Their music

the North versus soft middle-class-

infuses the user with confidence and

photographed sipping champagne

went hand in hand with change and

shandy-lager drinkers of the south.

euphoria. But it is a false high and a

and having a big chuckle. Songs like

the future. The Oasis formula was

That ‘Blur’ had an amazing guitarist

fake confidence. And the user

‘Up in the Sky’, ‘Cigarettes and

simple and unbeatable: a brash

in Graham Coxon and had a

quickly becomes guilty of bad

Alcohol’ were made to sound

charismatic almost anarchistic

unique sound was overlooked by

behaviour. When Noel hoped in an

hollow by this ill-judged meeting.

frontman with anthemic melodic

all and sundry. Blur won the battle

interview in 1995 that Albarn and

Once Noel decided to go there he

songs that symbolised the lifestyle,

with ‘Country House’ but Oasis

Alec James (Blur bass player)

lost his unique status in society

bravura and charisma of the

won the war with the release of

‘caught AIDS’ and died it became

which few others have had, a man

working classes. At their peak it

the ‘WTSMG’ album. As the Oasis

apparent that success, money and

respected by all strata of society.

seemed Britain was moving to

star shined ever brighter and the

drugs had changed him for the

Any future pronouncement that

their beat. Their music went hand

industry became consumed by

worse. His prodigious cocaine

Noel would make could never have

in hand with change and the

‘Noelrock’, Damon Albarn became

consumption had taken away from

the same ring of authenticity

future.

one of the most reviled people in

him the sensitivity and grounded

because he was now part of the

Their ‘war’ with Blur gripped the

Britain.

working class outlook that was

establishment, something which he

nation. It inevitably became a war

However the end was nigh.

crucial to his creativity and success.

never was until fame and success

between the classes. The differing

London at the time was in the

To his credit he did apologise saying

came into the equation.

‘AIDS was no laughing matter’, but

Oasis released four more albums

it was a comment that drew the

until there eventual demise this

wrath of even his biggest fan, his

August. Each was a diluted form of

mother Peggy Gallagher saying ‘I

their previous brilliance. Whilst

didn’t raise my son to say things like

there are undoubtedly lots of good

that’.

songs, not one of the albums can be

At their peak their potential

seen a great work of art. While the

seemed limitless. Their sound was a

two brothers always fought, Noel

fusion of everything of what had

describing Liam as having ‘man

existed before them; The Beatles,

periods’ no-one ever really believed

The Stones, Bowie, The Sex Pistols,

they would split. But when Liam

Slade, The Roses, T Rex, The Bee

reportedly questioned the

Gees............ the list is endless.

legitimacy of Noel’s kid and

They reached their zenith on the

smashed his guitar backstage at the

10th and 11th of August 1996

Rock-en-Seine festival on the 28th

where they played Knebworth. They

of August it was the straw which

were so big at the time they could

broke the camel’s back. The

have played 53 sell out shows. But

remaining tour dates were cancelled

the end was just around the corner.

and Noel is expected to finally

‘Be Here Now’ signalled the end of

break out on his own. Oasis have

Britpop and Oasis as a serious

been for the last 10 years a band

musical force. Once the initial hype

living a formulaic existence devoid

subsided people realised what it

of the passion and hunger which

was; over produced, bloated and

brought them to stardom. However

self-indulgent, it bore all the

as Harrison once put it ‘All things

hallmarks of serious cocaine use.

must pass’. Oasis had their day. And

Whilst they are good songs ‘Stand

it was a good fucking day!

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By Me’ being particularly notable, the lyrics are lazy and the sound lacks coherency. The Gallaghers

Red Lola Theatre Review by Colm Byrne What if you found out that the same young girl/boy you see at the bus stop

reversed and have white porcelain masks at the back of their heads. Get the

everyday fantasised about having sex with you? It's a very uncomfortable thought.

idea? The inversion is disorienting but not by the simple effect itself, but by

Children in theatre and film are commonly stereotyped as precocious and

creating an abstraction allowing the audience to enter safely into the off-colour

innocent, but what about precocious and sexual? This is where Asylum

sexual dynamics between a man and a child unfolding on the stage.

productions lands us right into this topic in a clever way, as you'll see.

This is for children right? Simple plot? Puppets? Asylum successfully invoke the post-modern theatre experience where expectations are reversed and norms are

Red Lola is a body bending haunting power play on sexuality presented as a

gone out the window.

simple story told backwards in short, sharp vignettes. Lola (Medbh Lambert), a

But what is it that this show asserts? Sexualised youth? A real-life girl's day-dream

pubescent schoolgirl waits for the bus. Along comes Hum (Marcus Bale). He's

of a faceless lover in the minutes before her bus comes? A trap for the audience

married, and is all business with his suit and briefcase. They wait in silence. Lola

transformed to voyeurs? Asylum have produced something worthy of the stage

notices Hum. Lola wants Hum. She raises her skirt a few inches showing her

and debate. Red Lola is an Asylum Productions play staged in Mill Street Studios,

creamy white thighs. Hum is shocked.

Dublin as part of the Dublin Fringe Festival, and runs until this Saturday

The piece is staged like a puppet show. The actors are rendered into full size

September 19th.

marionettes by having their backs to the audience; they wear their clothes Advertisment

Flatliners interview by Aoife McMurrow Sin’s Aoife McMurrow caught up with Canadian punksters Flatliners. Up for discussion was speed, weed, Fat Mike’s Nipples and war wounds.

“Our sins have come back in a physical form…and they’re pissed.”

-Flatliners, (1990)

Do you think your style of

lot of jealousy?

Jon: Rob Hasebe!

music has changed since

Chris: Actually, we got so many

Chris: Rob Hasbe was a prick!

“Destroy To Create,”

chicks it was fucking cool.

No, that’s actually our really

perhaps moving away from

[Laughs] No, it took us a long

good friend.

ska and leaning more

time to record that record

Jon: Rob we love you!

towards hardcore punk?

when we were in High School.

Chris: Yes it has. We wrote the

We recorded in a town that was

“The Great Awake”

first record when we were

half an hour away so we had to

embraces the “gritty punk

pretty young; we were fourteen

take the bus there with all of

rock” that you grew up

years old. We didn’t smoke that

our gear or we’d have to ask

listening to. What bands

much weed back then, so maybe

one of our parents to drive us.

would that be?

that’s why it’s slowed down a

Chris: It’s hard to say. We all

bit! Next record we’re going to

Did your classmates realise

like a lot of similar bands but we

get addicted to speed and just

just how big you were going

all like our own little thing.

see what happens, it’ll be really

to become as a band?

Scott: We listen to a lot of the

fast.!

Chris: No and once we got

newer Fat Wreck Chords bands

Scott: We wrote most of that

there, they stopped being friends

to be completely honest with

record when we were fourteen,

with us! There was one time

you. We’re all huge fans of None

and recorded it when we were

while we were in High School

More Black, Dead to Me,

sixteen because at that point we

when we were just trying to

Dillinger Four, the newer

had finally written enough songs

book as many shows as possible

generation of all these amazing

that we could record a full

and at one point, all of our

bands.

length record; so we were really

parents were trying to convince

stoked about that, obviously.

us to quit the band until we

You’ve been lucky enough to

Three years passed after that

were done with school, that we

perform with the likes of

record came out before we

could pick up where we left off

Anti-Flag and Rancid. Out of

really started writing songs for

but it never happened obviously.

all the bands you’ve played

another record so we weren’t

I hope now that we defied their

with, has there been any

old, but we were older and I

expectations.

highlights?

guess our musical tastes kind of changed.

Scott: I remember when we Is there anybody in

played with Anti-Flag, we were

particular you’d like to stick

seventeen years old and we

What was it like recording

a big two fingers to now

were hanging out in our room

when you were still in High

that you’ve got to where

just like this at the show and

School? Did you encounter a

you are?

Chris #2 from Anti-Flag just

comes in and sits down with Jon and

surprising thing about them?

music and the fun part of it, the

you’re going to go that route, I mean

I and we just talked about Mitch

Chris and Scott: Mike’s nipples!

important part of it really. There’s big

everyone’s really the same in the

Hedburg, the comedian, for like

Scott: They’re really big and not

companies like Live Nation who own

end, they just want to go to a show.?

twenty minutes. It was weird! He just

regular looking whatsoever. They’re

like three quarters of the venues in

came in and introduced himself like

great. Spectacular nipples.

the United States which is just weird.

If you could pick one song that

“Hey, I‘m Chris.” We’ve been lucky

Chris: Honestly, the most surprising

It seems that in North America

embodies everything you stand

enough to tour or at least play a

thing about being on tour with

there is more of a hectic business

for?

one-off show with some of these

NOFX is that we are on tour with

mindset rather than here where it’s

Jon: “In my eyes” by Minor threat

incredible bands and when you meet

NOFX.

just “fuck it, it’s music, just enjoy it.”

them and they’re just older dudes

Scott: At the same time though in

You can generally gauge how

who play punk rock music. Everyone

Do you think the term “punk”

North America, we’ve experienced

good a punk gig was by the size

is doing it for the same reason.

is used too loosely these days?

the punk rock scene more out there

of the bruises that appear the

We’ve been lucky not to experience

It was but not so much anymore

because we started as a really small

next day. Have you any war

much rock-stardom bullshit.

because now, I don’t even know

band playing really small clubs and

wounds from this tour?

what popular music is now, but its all

community centres, that’s where you

Jon: Scott’s neck is pretty fucked up,

How do you keep yourself

bands like Cobra Starship and maybe

really see the scene come out and

I don’t know what happened there!

grounded?

a few backwards ass motherfuckers

everyone does their part. Those

[everyone looks at the suspicious

Chris: We don’t take anything

would consider that punk rock. A

small shows are fun.

looking bruise on Scott’s neck]

seriously.

few years ago a lot more people

Chris: Maybe that’s why I’m thinking

Scott: No, it’s not a hickey, it’s eh…

were all like “New Found Glory are

the way I am about the Europeans. I

Chris: I just punched him in the

Even when you’re touring with

a punk rock band!” When the pop-

mean the first time we came over

neck.

your own idols?

punk thing was huge everyone did.

here we were blown away. We were

Chris: It fucks with your head but in

so taken aback and flattered that

So you gave him the hickey?

the best possible way. They’re just

How do you find the punk scene

people knew our band and that a lot

Chris: I gave him the hickey. You

regular dudes and they take care of

here differs from the American

of people would come out and

know we’ve been friends for a long

the bands they bring out because

punk scene?

actually pay their own money to see

time. Love comes out. We did drink a

they’re the ones bringing them out.

Chris: In comparison between

us play. We had never been there

lot of wine that night.

They’ve been in the exact same

Europe, the U.K and North America,

before.

Note: Shortly after this interview

position we’re in so now it’s their

I find that kids are a lot more into

Scott: In North America we’d go

was conducted, Chris had passed out

turn. NOFX bring us out time and

good music here. Maybe that’s

out and flyer for our own shows, just

in a cupboard, Paul had disappeared

time again, it’s ridiculous.

because we get lucky and play good

bring our friends and randomners to

with a mysterious Irish girl and

shows out here but it seems that the

see our band.

Scott’s hickey hadn’t improved.

You’re here tonight with NOFX.

people that are working the shows

Chris: Kids know over here already.

Getting to know them as

and go to the shows and even the

As far as country to country goes,

Jon and Rob Hasbe are still the

people, what’s been the most

bands, care a lot more about the

there aren’t that many differences. If

best of friends.

Scroobius Pip and Dan Le Sac interview by Liam Griffin Sin’s Liam Griffin interviews hiphopsters Scroobius Pip and Dan Le Sac, the band who have become legendary with their experimental approach to live performances.

Scroobius Pip and Dan Le Sac

about something you can’t force

and shaved my head so no-one

arrived triumphantly on the UK

anyone to believe in something

recognises me so I can walk

music scene in 2007 with their

so if someone listens to a song

around and see what the DJs

witty pop culture bashing single

and it makes them think about

are playing and how the crowd

"Thou Shalt Always Kill," which

anything then that’s the

are reacting. I usually open with

became an instant hit. Since then

important thing. We don’t really

some classic hip hop, like Run

their album Angles was released

make love songs because we’ve

DMC or something and move

to critical and public acclaim

heard love songs so much that it

on to electro and disco. I tend

earning them the cultural capital

is insipid. We’re all told what

to stay away from guitar

necessary to give up their real

love is that by the time you’re

orientated stuff. Invariably I’ll

jobs and embark on a globe

25 you’re sick of the subject- so

end up playing jungle for the last

trotting musical adventure.

instead we make songs about

half hour or so, I can’t help

Sounding more like a

Tommy Cooper.” Tommy

myself.”

performance poet than a regular

Cooper was an English comic-

Recently the band got into an

UK rapper Scroobius writes

magician whose act often

awkward position- they were

thought-provoking songs about

involved messing up the magic

booked to play a gig sponsored

God, self-harm and the periodic

trick for the purpose of making

by Coca Cola, a company they

table. Dan Le Sac provides blips

it a comical farce. “Most people

openly despise. Instead of

and beats that borrow from old

don’t know he died onstage,”

cancelling the gig they decided

school hip hop, electro and

Dan adds.

to use the stage as a platform to

Radiohead.

Scroobius Pip and Dan Le Sac’s

voice their opinions. “We’re

SIN caught up with the one who

live performances have become

both anti-Coca Cola and Nestlé.

doesn’t have a Hassidic beard or

legendary for their experimental

Relentless, who are sponsoring

wear a trucker’s hat after his

approaches. One idea was to

this festival, has recently been

energetic DJ set at Bar903. But

present the shows as

bought by Coca Cola but we

this isn’t Dan’s first time in

motivational seminars, using four

were unaware of this when we

Galway- they’ve played blinding

forms of motivation—Love,

agreed to do the gig. When we

sets in both De Burgos and the

Lessons, Storytelling and

found out Coke had bought

Roisin Dubh. Although he’s had

Religion—to link their songs

Relentless we talked about

almost no sleep and he has a

throughout the show. I ask Dan

pulling out of the gig because

whole day of travelling ahead of

if they have come up with any

we’d be taking money from a

him Dan appears fresh and

more schemes to present their

company we rally against but it

upbeat. I ask him if he’s been

music. “Currently we have new

was too close to the show to

having a good time recently:

ideas that we’ve been kinda

walk out so we’ve made an

“The summer’s been really good,

trying to put together but we’re

active effort to let people know

we were meant to take the

always trying to think of new

about the problems Coke cause

summer off. But we started to

ideas and approaches. Pip always

and to be honest it’s actually

get offers from places like

tries to practice his banter with

worked out better for us. We

Norway and Sweden, places we

the crowd cos he has a bit of a

realised we can suck the

haven’t been. We decided to

stutter. But we don’t want to get

corporate cock a little as long as

push the album back further and

lazy and just hire a live band. It’s

we do it in the right way and it’s

actually try to hit off to some of

like artists feel they have to fill

becoming harder and harder to

these spots. We have been doing

the stage with more musicians

avoid it. Instead of living a life

our best to stay away from the

and backing singers. I don’t want

where you avoid everything and

UK and Ireland, not because we

a drummer, I don’t need a

sit in a box drinking filtered still

don’t like playing here but

drummer. It makes more sense

water while eating your own

because people might get sick of

for us to have dancers,” he

sandals. You have to admit the

us.”

jokes, “than it does extra

facts you know and talk about

For a band that is so open about

musicians.”

them and try to stay honest.”

their views (they hate Coca

But the band is one part of

Hopefully this honesty extends

Cola, they’re worried about how

Dan’s musical life- the other

to Dan's promise to return to

we’re using up the world’s

being his job as a travelling DJ.

Galway in the near future.

resources and they abhor

But what kind of songs does he

However it will be interesting to

worshipping popular bands) I

play? “I really play everything. If

see what direction Scroobius Pip

wonder if there are any specific

depends what the venue and the

and Dan Le Sac take from here

messages Dan would like people

people are like. I always get to

and whether or not they can

to take from their

shows an hour before and

hang on to their integrity.

music.“Whatever they like. No

wander around the crowd- its

matter how much you can talk

good now I’ve grown sideburns

NUIG Sailing Club success in Cong to Galway Race by Lisa Mullee Following on from the success of the Volvo Ocean Race NUIG sailors take on a version of their own Volvo by participating in the challenging Cong to Galway race.

Lisa Mullee at the helm during the Cong Galway race

Saturday August 29th saw a total of ten NUIG

Clarke and Marguerite Leech for taking the trophies

sailors competing in the infamous 32km race from

for 1st Vanguard and 2nd boat overall, as well as Lisa

Cong to Galway along the challenging waterways of

Mullee and Helm for securing the trophy for 3rd

Lough Corrib. Four Vanguards and an RS800 Skiff

place overall. Many thanks to Corrib Rowing and

boat enjoyed great success and exciting sailing

Yachting Club for hosting a great event, long may it

conditions in a fleet of 38 boats. An NUIG boat

continue.

storming along at speeds of up to 17 knots achieved

NUIG Sailing Club are also holding the top two

the winning time on the first leg to Kilbeggan, the

positions in an on-going 1720 keelboat Youth

halfway point, where a welcome rest was had by

Championships taking place Sundays in Galway Bay

all.

Sailing Club. We have a packed schedule ahead with

The re-start proved exciting with increased wind

the GP14 Youth Championships around the corner,

speed as the whole fleet began the tough upwind

swiftly followed by University Team Racing events.

sail, navigating treacherous rocks with varying

We hope to see some new sailors this year with

success! Unpredictable winds on the River Corrib

introduction sessions kicking off after Clubs Day.

meant a demanding final sprint to the finish line at

Word on the water has it that there will be a BBQ

Menlo Castle, with congratulations due to Cathal

and celebrations to start the season in style.....

Sport News & Opinion Clubs to recruit new members at Clubs Day Clubs Day is taking place this Tuesday September 15th. There are now 45 active and vibrant sports clubs at NUI Galway that you could join.

You could take up anything from martial arts to camogie to cricket to tag rugby.

Joining and participating in a sports club will provide you with lasting memories of college life. Active participation in sport and fitness activity keeps your mind alert and your body toned. It is a great social outlet.

Clubs day is taking place in the University Sports Complex, Kingfisher

taught on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Ireland’s performances throughout the

around Ireland could be a very different

6pm-7pm, everyone is welcome "and we

campaign have NOT been pretty and

prospect! Steven Reid and Steve Finnan

do mean everyone". This style of class

remained true in the Cyprus game. Shay

might be able to stand on two legs

enables all levels of abilities to work –

Given launched ball after ball on top of

without buckling, Stephen Kelly might

out together and achieve their health

Keane and Doyle who are hardly giants!

get some game time, Kilbane might be

and fitness goals together and have

With that gameplan, Folan should have

dropped, Andy might get a game in the

some fun.

been given the nod. Granted it was a

centre, McGeady might actually cross a

very energetic Irish start and Doyle

ball that beats the first man, and even

Clubs Captain

took his goal well but once the

S.Ireland could answer the call.

Nominations close for the position of

Cypriots scored they took control.

Clubs Captain on Wednesday 23

Whelan and Andrews didn’t get a kick

That’s assuming that all goes to plan in

September at 5pm.

and were found to be out of their depth

the next two games.....

against a second rate national midfield.

Fingers crossed folks!

On Course for a Showdown in Croke Park

It took a moment of skill - and luck that

By Conor McGinty

the highest level. O'Shea, Given, Dunne,

Club.

Indoor clubs training takes place primarily in the University Sports Complex with some exceptions such as

Another World Cup qualifying match,

the Handball club who train in the

another dismal and depressing

University Sports Complex and St

performance, another 3points.

Mary’s School, a 10 minutes walk from

Entering the business end of the

campus. The Squash Club train in the

campaign Ireland are sitting pretty in

University Sports Complex and the

second place just a point behind the

Lawn & Tennis Club in Salthill, a 20

World Champions and are on course

minute walk from campus. The Boxing

for a showdown in Croke Park on the

club train in the Pavilion in the Dangan

10th October.

Sports facility.

A glance at the table would suggest all

Field Sports clubs train primarily in the

is well in Camp Trap but this just isn't

Dangan Sports facility. Water Sports

the case.

clubs train in the University Sports

For God's sake we should be putting

Complex, and the Kayak club train on

teams like Cyprus and Montenegro to

the Corrib river as do the Rowing club.

the sword and not just winning by

Check out this website for more details

nicking the odd goal!! We have a

& timetables: www.nuigalway.ie/sports/

squadful of Premiership footballers -

Exercise can act as the key to a healthy

deemed with La Liga one of the top

lifestyle, meeting like-minded friends and

leagues in the world - compared to the

an opportunity for a sense of personal

Cypriot team made up solely of players

achievement. This applies to whatever

from their national league. Trap will

level of fitness you are and at what level

point to his victories, unbeaten run in

you choose to participate. Other

competitive matches and most

activities during the year open to

importantly the position the national

participants include fun runs, 5 a side

team find themselves in to answer his

soccer and rugby tournaments.

critics. But are his €2million a year

Club fitness is open to all students and

salary and his reluctance to alter his

is a circuit based class using weights,

tactics liable to cost us a place in South

stability balls and kettlebells. The class is

Africa?

the Cypriot keeper unnecessarily came of his line - from Duff to set up Keane for what could be the most important goal he has scored in a qualifying campaign. Dropping points to Cyprus would have been a nail in the coffin of our World Cup ambitions.

And so begins the Dunphy-esque rant;

GAA Referees Required

By Michael O’Connor

We have players capable of playing at Duff, Keane and Doyle all have strong claims to being essential to their current teams. If their club managers, even God damn Mick McCarthy -as much as I'm pro-Keane (Roy) he was the last man under who we actually played good football -saw a performance like that , they'd be replaced long before the end. Real followers of football know the Italians’ negative tactics don't allow for players to play the "beautiful game".

Football needs entertainment and frankly you'd see better games in your local leagues than that displayed in Cyprus.

If management think that these kind of tactics are going to bring Ireland to the top table in South Africa they're going to be seriously shocked! If we qualify, the play-offs are going to throw up a tie much more challenging than what we have faced to date - think Sweden, Russia, Croatia, and France.....

I shudder to think how we'll get found out if we get drawn against one of these "football" teams! The sooner Trapattoni eats humble pie and changes tack the better.

Because by the time 2010 comes

Over the course of a Gaelic games season in the university numerous games are played in NUI Galway in the Dangan Sports ground. The most important person in any game is the referee and NUI Galway are offering an opportunity to any budding whistle blower to learn the rudiments of the game. A basic one-day course will be run by the NUI Galway GAA office to train up potential new referees. Once completed new whistlers will be asked to take charge of challenge games in hurling, football, men’s and women and camogie. The need for the college to have a number of referees available to handle challenge games within the college is one of the biggest difficulties facing the college each season. Any interested potential referee can choose to referee any code or be available for all games. Any student who does the one-day course that will take less than two hours will be paid for each game that he/she officiates at and will receive official college gear. Contact Michael O Connor (087) 9840184 or gaelicgames@nuigalway.ie

Football Sigerson Cup 2009 panel

All systems go for another Gaelic games season

Caimin Morey, Clare U 21 player

The largest sporting organisation in the university is

those Gaelic games fans who wish to play sport but

the GAA with its many facets, namely hurling,

do not feel up to the rigours of senior training the

football, ladies Gaelic football, camogie and handball.

second string sides would and always do provide

A long and famed history is attached to GAA in the

excellent training, matches and an opportunity to

university with many of the game’s greatest

meet new buddies around the college. A new

exponents linked to former/current students and

development last year was the formation of a

players. There are nearly 20 teams in total playing

second fresher hurling side and for this to continue

Gaelic Games. A notable feature of the current

more players each season are required to sign up.

hurling side is the large representation of 13 NUIG

The camogie side shows great promise winning the

students on the Clare under-21 hurling panel that

Ashbourne shield in 2009 whilst the Sigerson side

played part in the historic under-21 hurling final

reached the semi-final losing narrowly, displaying

versus Kilkenny last weekend. A number of the

great scope for future success. The ladies football

Galway minor hurling panel that won the All-Ireland

club is one of the strongest sport units in the

minor hurling title recently are also in the college as

college and continues to grow from strength to

first years. A vast number of inter county players in

strength. For more information relating to Gaelic

hurling, football, camogie and ladies Gaelic are

Games within the college contact Michael O

students in the college thus ensuring a strong

Connor, Gaelic games officer (087) 9840184 or

competitive environment for places on the senior

gaelicgames@nuigalway.ie

sides. Outside of the senior teams there exists intermediate and junior sides in all codes as well as fresher A and B sides in hurling and football. For