Life in lines

travel I beauty & health I travel I focus

LIFE IN LINES volume 1 issue 1

A UL Journalism Production

colour up your life

PICTURE THIS We speak to the talented two-some about their swift rise to fame

BITING THE BIG APPLE How to make your J1 in New York A1

AT THE RACES We snapped the glam from UL Race Day ‘16

co nten ts

Travel lth a e H & y Beaut Focus

Fashion

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Lifting the lid

On Tour

A day in life of fitness fanatic Darren Fehilly

Talking the talk with the Humans of Europe

0 Pages 4-2 -37 Pages 21 -52 Pages 38 -59 Pages 54

50 Demon drink Some home truths about the effects of alcohol

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Fit mind

Curtains up

The impact of exercise on mental health

Bottom Dog drama hit the world stage

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Editorial

meet the team

Life in Lines from beginning to end is nothing short of hardwork and dedication. It has been created by a range of students who each have phenomenal writing and imaginative skills.

We have spent many months writing and editing, with the aim to produce a top-quality magazine for our readers to thoroughly enjoy.

The University of Limerick has a history of fantastic magazines and we are proud to say that this can certainly be identified as one of them.

This class is full of amazing, enthusiastic, talented and driven individuals. Life in Lines has a mixture of our opinions, views and life experiences all rolled into one magazine.

On behalf of me and the editorial team, we would like to thank all of the team as without your pieces, our magazine would not be what it is today.

Life in Lines can be described as the ideal student magazine.

It has a mix of health, beauty, fashion, focus, travel, fitness and college life articles. Each member of the team wrote about something they were truly passionate about. It’s full of colour and life, hence the title ‘Life in Lines’.

The magazine is fun and down-to-earth, but still contains serious and relevant topics among third-level education students today.

So with that, on behalf of me and the whole team, sincere thanks go out to Colin McGann, our lecturer who not only supported us throughout this project, but put up with our antics along the way.

The class would also like to thank the whole Journalism@UL faculty for making this course an unforgettable one so far. The experience we have gained in two years has been second to none.

We have been taught a life lesson with this course; to always do something you are passionate about.

This magazine reflects that passion.

Editor Anna Cullen Deputy Editors Sarah Talty Cian Reinhardt Contributors Anna Mays Elaine Holmes Louise Kennedy Olivia Dawson Lindsey Frank Laura Sheehan Siun Lennon Sinead Donnelly Ethan May Aoife O’Rourke Michaela Deane Holly Kenny Cora Power Laura Ashley Ni Shuilleabhain Roisin Duffy

To all our readers, thank you for taking the time to read our magazine. So, sit back and enjoy Life in Lines, we have no doubt you will.

Anna Cullen Editor LIFE IN LINES

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Holiday hotspots in Europe

Louise Kennedy compiles a list of Europe’s best hidden gems to visit this summer. Read below to find out more about these destinations, estimated prices and just what makes them so appealing...

As summer approaches the question of where to go for a holiday is playing on most people’s minds, especially students.

This decision can be a difficult one, with factors such as flights, accommodation, LIFE IN LINES

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weather and more importantly alcohol prices to be taken into consideration.

Most of you will probably end up going somewhere generic such as Santa Ponsa or Magaluf. But why stop there? Why not

switch it up and go somewhere different with even cheaper alcohol and bigger parties? I have compiled a list below of the best European destinations that should be considered visiting this summer.

KRAKOW, POLAND

After doing extensive amounts of research one destination kept popping up, Krakow in Poland. With flights as little as €70 it is an opportunity not to be missed. Krakow has a massive party scene with two main party areas, the old town area surrounding the main market square, and Kazimierz. Both areas offer different tastes to suit each individual, with the old town area catering to main stream music and the Kazimierz catering to a more bohemian crowd with fewer tourists in the clubs and bars. The currency in Poland is the Polish Zloty, with 1zl roughly equaling €0.24, meaning you save your money. With a pint costing as little as 1.55 zł and nightclubs and bars open as late as 7am you can’t go wrong!

If that doesn’t entice you, you rarely have to pay entry fees to get into nightclubs and a Big Mac is priced as 2.04 zł, making it the perfect hangover cure! Former travel agent, Sarah McInerney says, ‘‘more and more young people are starting to travel to numerous destinations across Poland and with flights becoming cheaper and more frequent it is no wonder.’’

RIGA, LATVIA

Riga, the capital of Latvia is next on my list, boasting to be Eastern Europe’s ‘best party destination’. With Irish bars at every corner you’re sure to feel at home and temperatures around 20°C a tan won’t be missed. Flights to Riga start at €73 and although the flight time is just over three hours, it’s well worth the wait. During the summer months, Riga’s town square is converted into a massive beer garden with live acts performing well into the night. With half a litre of beer costing €0.99 and hostels from as cheap as €15 per night, it is clear why Riga is one not to be missed. Riga also became the European capital of free Wi-Fi in the summer of 2014. The city has three Lattelecom free Wi-Fi points per square kilometer. Free wireless internet can also be accessed in most hotels, cafes and taxis. ‘‘This destination is becoming increasingly popular for the simple reason young people know Wi-Fi is at their fingertips at all times’’, says Sarah McInerney. So looking for a Wi-Fi area to send snaps of essential pre-drinks won’t be a problem.

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PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

My next destination is a little more known, however highly underrated. Prague, Czech Republic is the 14th largest city in the European Union. Located in the heart of Europe, Prague is known for its beer, with Czechs drinking more beer per capita than any other country in the world. It’s no wonder, with beer costing between 0.62 - 0.98c. Although the official currency of Prague is the Czech Crown (czk) many hotels, restaurants and shops will accept euros. Flights to Prague can be as cheap as €97, even in peak seasons. The average summer temperature can be as high as 27°C, so cocktails on one of the many beaches is a must. ‘’The clubbing scene in Prague has really picked up in the last few years attracting young people from all over Europe’’, Sarah says. She continues to explain how hostel prices are ‘’one of the cheapest in Europe making it an ideal holiday location’’.

Prague has an extensive clubbing life, from massive nightclubs, underground bars, beer gardens and numerous pubs to pick from.

Sasazu, the biggest nightclub in Prague is one to visit since its opening in 2009. Its music is mainly rave and house, having guests such as Tiesto, Paul Van Dyk and Fedde Le Grande perform. With a maximum capacity of 2500+ people, there’s a good chance you’ll get in, even if you are a little tipsy.

LAGOS, PORTUGAL

Lagos, Portugal, although a more mainstream country to visit on a summer getaway, it is often forgotten about as destinations such as Lisbon are chosen instead. Lagos is the complete package, with flights and accommodation as little as €80 combined it is truly a bargain. Temperatures in Lagos are on average 25°C, and with around 11-12 daylight hours per day there’s plenty of time to relax on the beach or potter around the town. Bottles of wine are as little as one euro in supermarkets and spirits don’t fall too short behind with a vodka and coke costing €2 in bars and restaurants. Most restaurants also do a full Irish breakfast for just under €3! The nightlife in Lagos is abundant with bars and nightclubs open as late as 6am most evenings. With beaches widespread across Lagos, water sports and an infamous booze cruise is a must throughout the day. Emma McNamara, who has worked in Lagos during the summer for the past few years as a party rep says, ‘’there has been more and more tourists coming each year, especially Irish and British’’. She continues to say how ‘’between food and drink everything is so cheap’’ and the ‘’beaches are unbelievable’’.

With this brief outline of just a few of Europe’s hidden party gems I hope I have inspired you to go out there and try something different this Summer. These destinations are nothing short of exceptional on the basis of price, nightlife and weather. Besides, there’s nothing like exploring somewhere out of your comfort zone as it is the only way we grow.

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t c e f r e p e h t o t e The recip n o i t a c i l p p a p i h s inter n reative Director of C , ry er K in ge lla vi l al From a sm e one of the leading m co be s ha ll ei ’N O on THEIA, D . So, when it comes to C Y N in s er gn si de n io Irish fash ows exactly what to kn on D , rn te in t gh ri e finding th look for...

What’s the first thing you look at when you open a CV? I will only look at a CV if the attached letter of introduction is addressed to me and the applicant tells me why they want to come work for me.

Then I look to see where they went to school, and what experience they have.

Applying for a job in Ireland is different to applying for a job in New York City. Are there any hacks to tailoring a CV for Big Apple employers like yourself?

As mentioned above, find out to whom your CV should be addressed, and tell that person why you would like to work for them, and what it is about their company you like and what it is you think you can offer them. Research the company that you are applying to, and tailor your resume so that your experience is relevant to what they would expect from a potential candidate. Your CV should be one page only. No one is reading a two or three page CV. We don’t need to know that you worked in a restaurant part–time or worked as a baby sitter in Ballybunion on weekends.

What are the three best attributes a potential intern should demonstrate?

An intern should be hard working, self-motivated and think ahead.

Don’t be afraid to ask when you don’t know or understand something. An intern needs to be

well rounded and resourceful (use common sense) with many skill sets to offer.

Would prior experience in the area be a deciding factor or are newbies in with a shot too?

In a busy design studio, prior experience helps us tremendously.

There is a lot of work to be done and if an intern can’t turn on a dime and jump in where needed, it limits what we can task them with, and that slows us down. Newbies are sometimes taken on for a very short period, and some have turned out to be great interns applying common sense and elbow grease coupled with sheer determination to learn and experience everything possible about the industry.

We also have had woeful interns from fashion colleges who couldn’t lift their heads out of their social media apps and sat there in a vacuum waiting for their next assignments.

If a person wants to spend a summer interning in New York, when is the best time to start sending CVs and emailing employers?

Most kids start in January, but we have received some as early as last October.

If you want to learn more about spending a summer in NYC, head over to www.usit.ie for more information.

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C Y N G N DOI RIGHT A J1 in NYC is every student’s dream, but what if you could have all that AND make your C.V. stand out? Olivia Dawson spoke to Fashion Design student, Siobhan Garvey about her summer internship at fashion company THEIA...

Interning with Don O’Neill isn’t something every budding fashion student gets to do! Tell us how you bagged a job at Theia headquarters in New York?

I’ve always admired Don’s work for THEIA and when I found out he was also from Kerry, I thought it would be a great experience to learn from somebody that also comes from a small area. After sending numerous emails and letters he finally offered me an internship!

I can imagine working for any company in New York must be daunting, especially those in the fashion industry! Did you have much experience heading over there?

I was anxious at the beginning because I had never worked in such a large company before, but over the past few years I had done numerous projects and courses related to fashion. In transition year I got the opportunity to work in different parts of the industry.

I did work experience in a local boutique called La Boheme, LIFE IN LINES

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and I also did work experience in a vintage boutique in Dublin called Dirty Fabulous. This gave me insight into the business side of the industry, dealing with customers, store management and styling. For our annual transition year fashion show I created two of my own looks which were shown on the runway. I also did a summer course in Parsons New School of Design in New York where I developed my drawing and designing skills.

Give us a run-through of a typical day working at Theia.

Working hours at THEIA were 9:30am to 6:00pm. Typical jobs included checking in fabrics, running errands, creating tech packs, steaming garments, working on bead work on dress patterns and assisting on photo shoots. I usually spent my lunches sitting out in the sun on Broadway beach with fellow interns.

What was it like moving to The Big Apple on your own for a summer?

I was really excited to move over

for the summer. Moving over to New York definitely taught me to be more independent and how to live on a budget.

I’m sure many of your friends were planning J1s and travelling the globe at that time, so what made you give all of that up for a demanding summer interning in the fashion industry?

Anything to do with fashion has always excited me and to be given the chance to work for such an amazing company interested me much more than a J1! I knew I would learn a lot from the internship and it’s important to get as much experience as possible in the fashion industry in order to succeed.

What was your biggest fear when you made the move across the waters?

I’ve always been an open minded person so I was more excited than nervous, but I was worried about missing my family and friends as it was the longest I had ever been away from home before.

New York can be an overwhelming city when you’re fresh to the hustle and bustle. How did you adapt to such a dramatic cultural change?

Because I have family in the states, I had been to New York before. Plus, I thrive off of the hectic nature of the city - there’s always something cool happening!

Price wise, how much are we talking to survive a summer internship in NYC and to squeeze in some “extracurricular activities” on the side?

As I was lucky enough to live with my aunt I didn’t have to worry about the ridiculous accommodation costs in the city. I had saved up money from working in my local shop for several years and my parents helped me out, too. I’d say you’d definitely need a couple of thousand dollars at least!

What was the highlight of your internship in New York?

It was definitely being able to assist at my first ever look book photo shoot and Don’s magical Great Gatsby themed birthday party.

If you could give students one reason why they should seek out an internship rather than your average J1 job, what would it be?

It’s a lot more rewarding when you are doing something you really love and have a passion for, and getting an internship in the career of your choice helps you to build up a strong CV!

Want to study fashion like Siobhan? Head over to www.lit.ie/courses/fashion for more information on how to apply!

Follow @theiacouture on Instagram and Twitter for fashion updates from NYC. LIFE IN LINES

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ERASMUS PLUS...

Is it worth it?

Elaine Holmes tells us the facts and figures about the Erasmus Plus Programme.

Erasmus Plus is a programme designed for higher education students across 33 programmed countries and 4,000 eligible higher education institutes across Europe. The 3-12 month period abroad is aimed at boosting skills, employability, education and training for students. About 200,000 students choose to study abroad each year under this programme.

Here in UL over 400 students each year from 16 courses opt to spend at least one semester in one of the partner universities around Europe.

abroad in the future, 33 per cent have found a life partner with a different nationality and 27 per cent met their life partner during their year abroad.

Some of these include universities in the UK, Spain, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Some of the most sought-after destinations include Malta and Prague. It is the largest Erasmus programme for outgoing students, teachers and staff in Ireland.

According to the study, the unemployment rate amongst former Erasmus students is 23 per cent lower than non-mobile students and 64 per cent of employers think international experience is important for recruitment.

Figures from the Erasmus Impact Study published by the European Commission in September 2014 show that 40 per cent of former Erasmus students surveyed had moved abroad after graduation. 93 per cent say that they could easily manage to live

The study also showed that former Erasmus students have better language and life skills, are more culturally aware and stand out in the job market with more academic recognition compared to non-mobile students.

Charles University Prague, Martha Moloney – New Media and English “On the first day of orientation week Erasmus students gathered together and we received a talk from members of the international office, the Erasmus office and other students volunteering at the international department of the university.

I found the classes to be more different to the ones in UL. Firstly, as being part of the Erasmus program, the choice of courses was very big and I thoroughly enjoyed the courses I took. It was a great opportunity to try out different classes that UL doesn’t have. I stayed in the student accommodation called Troja and this was about a 30 minute tram ride away from my faculty. There are so many different things to see in Prague. Some of the sites I enjoyed were the Astronomical Clock, Prague Castle, Old Town square, the National Theatre, Petrin Hill, Prague Metronome, Charles Bridge and Meetfactory.”

University of Malta, John Prenderville – Journalism and New Media “My student experience at the University of Malta was a positive one. There was a large amount of international students at the university so I never felt out of place. I would highly recommend to anyone studying in Malta to live at the Residence - a block of apartments specifically for international students. The extra cost compared to an off-campus apartment is worth it due to the friends you can make from every corner of the world. Malta is very culturally different to Ireland and it takes a while to get used to things over there. On the island itself, the two cities to visit are Valletta, which is the capital, and Sliema. Valletta is a city that would interest those who like history, Sliema is probably the best place in Malta for shopping. Both are easily accessible by bus, and the bus stop is just around the corner from the Residence.

Prague

Malta

Accommodation: €110-€260 (CZK 3,000-7,000) per month.

Living expenses: Food - €140-€155 (CZK 3,800-4,200), Transport - €10-€12 (CZK 250-300) per month.

Leisure Time: €25-€37 (CZK 700-1,000) per month.

Total: €285-€464 CZK (7,750-12,500) p/m Currency: Czech Republican Koruna Language: Czech

Accommodation: €500 per month.

Living costs: Meals – €250, Telephone/Wi-Fi - €25, Local transport - €40, Laundry - €20 per month.

Leisure activities: €170 per month.

Academic related expenses: €70 per month.

Average total: approxamitely €1075 per month.

Currency: Euro Language: Maltese

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TOP HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS Laura Sheehan talks about this year’s top holiday destinations for families, friends and couples.

Are you planning your next holiday? Are you sick of your annual trip to Spain and are in need of somewhere a bit different? Look no further as here is our list of top holiday destinations for this year. This list boasts holidays for families, friends and couples to ensure that there is something to everyone.

Whether it be a sun holiday or exploring a historical city you’re sure to find the perfect holiday destination for you.

Here are the top destinations for 2016.

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INDIA India - a country of immense culture is the ideal location for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in a completely different lifestyle from what they are used to. While it does cost a lot to travel to India (flights are around €600), the cost of living there is rather cheap, especially in comparison to Ireland, so you wouldn’t need a ridiculous amount of money in order to have a great holiday.

One of the highlights of a trip to India is getting to taste authentic Indian street food which is much better than your local Asian street food restaurant down the road. India boasts the most glorious temples the world has to offer, from the Taj Mahal to the Charminar. The Buddhist Caves of Ajanta are described

by Lonely Planet to be “the Louvre of ancient India” and are a must-see on a visit to India. The top three places to visit while in India are known as the ‘Golden Triangle’, they are the capital New Delhi, the city of Jaipur and the Taj Mahal.

KOTOR Kotor, Montenegro is definitely a good choice of holiday for families. It’s one of Europe’s most alluring bays, surrounded by mountains. The Bay of Kotor is a UNESCO World-Heritage listed landmark. Unlike other party destinations across Europe, Kotor is a secluded part of Montenegro which is the perfect destination for anyone who is looking for a quiet holiday in order to relax for themselves.

It’s a historical town filled with history and exquisite architecture, enclosed within the ancient town walls.

Anyone who enjoys the markets whilst on holidays will love Kotor’s quirky shops that can be found throughout the town. One of the best spots for a view of the famous bay is Citadella bar. There are many day length tours to go on to ensure that you get the most out of your time in Montenegro. Kotor is included in the majority of lists of highly anticipated holiday destinations for 2016 including Lonely Planet and Forbes.

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RIO de Janerio For those willing to travel that bit further and hoping to enjoy the trip of a lifetime then look no further than Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Situated in the heart of South America, Rio will be home to this years’ Olympic Games, making it a great tourist spot this summer. Even if you don’t have any tickets to the Games, the atmosphere is sure to be electrifying in the city during the summer months.

There are many renowned monuments in Rio for one to visit during a trip there, including Sugarloaf Mountain, Christ the Redeemer, Escadaria Selarón and Praia de Ipanema. With temperatures reaching up to 28 degrees all year round, it’s the perfect destination for someone who likes warm weather. Whether you go in January or July, the weather is good any time. Like India, a trip to Brazil will allow tourists to immerse themselves into a different, exciting lifestyle.

If you wanted to make a huge trip out of your holiday to Rio de Janeiro, one could continue their travels onto Peru, or more importantly to Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is an ancient Inca city which has been included as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Visited by over 2,500 people daily, a trip to Machu Picchu is a must if you’re planning on traveling to South America.

Fun Activities To Do Rio de Janeiro: Christ the Redeemer is not to be missed Peru: Who goes to Peru without going to Machu Picchu Kotor: Take a short boat ride to Our Lady of the Rocks India: Visit the beautiful Taj Mahal

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in the

Crowds finding the people that make the place

We visit other places in hopes of finding something new; we walk the streets, see the sights, doing everything we ‘need’ to do. But I believe a city holds so much more than tourist attractions and architecture.

Oftentimes it’s the people that make the place. So I travelled to the castles of Edinburgh, the canals of Amsterdam, and the packed streets of Prague, and did all I ‘needed’ to do. But then I took a step back, let the busy streets and flow of the city take over, and tried to find why each place is so much more than the sightseeing that so often surrounds it.

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Edinburgh scotland scotland

A walk down the Royal Mile and then through the Grassmarket was all it took for me to realize how many different types of people there are in Edinburgh. A hub for tourism, this city has transformed from a black plague ridden 18th century city to a hotspot for people to sample Scottish whiskey and buy cheaply made kilts.

There’s a sort of charm that is followed, even if you may not be from there. I had a taste of spunky Scottish humour from the woman that led a walking tour, and found it again in the street performers and cheerful owners

“I’m not used to it being so busy, I’m from a small town, but it’s a good and bad thing. There are a lot of people, but there are so many different cultures found here; Swedish, Spanish, Bulgarian, French…

That’s why I love it.”

of pop up shops.

While I may have run into more non-Scottish, the natives I did meet were eager to show their Scottish charm and tell me about the culture that surrounds this city.

Be sure to escape the typical and find the Edinburgh Scots so often raved about. Listen to a traditional Scottish band, drink a Scottish brew, and maybe even try a bit of haggis. But I also encourage you to jump in the salsa club, order pizza from the Turkish man selling it at 3am, and meet both locals and immigrants alike.

Keria,19

Prague czech republic czech republic

Prague, Czech Republic, is an absolute dream. Pastel-colored buildings packed in tight, streets twisting and turning, and myself, lost amidst them 99% of the time. Being lost in Prague is hardly something to complain about however.

Every turn you take opens up a new experience. I was left in awe by the Charles Bridge, the Prague Castle, and even the painted-over John Lennon wall was a sight worth seeing.

No matter how hard I tried, I was always drawn back to the sweet smelling and LIFE IN LINES

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trinket filled stands, and the owners that proudly stood behind them.

I urge you to spend your time in Prague always with a treat in hand. From koblasy sausages, to mulled wine, to the trdelnik (or what I like to call the “donut cone”), it is only in your best interest to try every Czech delicacy you can. And if these aren’t in your dietary restrictions, try to befriend a local. It may be a rare find, but if you’re lucky you’ll break the reserved and solemn attitude to find a smile on their face.

“[The Czech] are a little stubborn. But I don’t consider myself to be very ‘Czech-ish’, and I love having the opportunity to get in touch with people from all around the world here.”

Kristoff, 27

Amsterdam the netherlands

More popularly known as a city glowing red and hazy, I found a different side of Amsterdam not often discussed. I spent my days dodging speedy trams, busy pedestrians, and most of all, bikes. Making sure to stop at a microbrewery tour, take an hour on a canal cruise, and get cozy in the infamous bulldog place, I realized that it’s rather difficult to appreciate the absolute beauty of Amsterdam if you spend all your time taking selfies in front of the IAMsterdam sign and eating chocolate covered waffles (well, maybe a sugar high is still very much appreci-

ated).

As I roamed the city, I felt less like a tourist and more like a prospective resident. Amsterdam leaves you hooked, and while the locals aren’t rushing over to welcome you with open arms, they are welcoming people nonetheless. It will leave you wanting to call it ‘home’.

The best way to spend your time in Amsterdam is to plan nothing, and just go. You’ll be surprised to find how much you enjoy the both reserved and rambunctious sides of Amsterdam.

“its a beautiful city, it has great people, and it’s really diverse. You have the older parts, like the really classic parts, and then you have newer parts that have alot of people with different nationalities.”

Jaap, 23

While some may rave about the cuisine and others on the architecture, I found one thing for sure; most locals appreciate that the many faces who fill the streets aren’t always the same faces. So take on tourism, but also appreciate the crowds that you are weaving through. It’s great to bring back pictures, but even better to bring back stories from someone you may never get the chance to meet again.

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The Importance of

Travel

Can the world become your new favourite classroom? Discover why traveling can be fun, adventurous, and educational. Anna Mays reports.

A

t the peak of the mountain, everything seemed small.

The canopy-like Genizero trees that looked so vast and consuming now only appeared to be miniscule specks dotting the surrounding fields.

The small fishing village of San Juan del Sur was my most recent stop on a long and emotionally liberating backpacking trip through Nicaragua. Nestled between the cerulean Pacific Ocean and a mountainous rainforest, it was here that I looked upon the world with pure contemplation.

The indigenous people down below lived in a world filled with fresh fish, beautiful traditions, and the looming aroma of burning trash. They considered clean running water an extravagance and still found purpose and happiness in their everyday lives.

And yet in the developed world there is a CEO of a large company who ingests a pill everyday for his crimpling depression.

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The world seemed an odd place, standing on that mountaintop.

Leaving home was the best decision on my life. I was extremely surprised to find that the fear of travel was such a popular attitude in this world. Resisting the urge to explore something other than the familiar was never a consideration of mine.

I truly think the worth of thoughtful travel far exceeds the value of stagnantly living in the same corner of the earth for your entire life. There are different cultures out there, different foods and traditions, different ideals and gods. When I left home for the first time, I couldn’t wait to experience it all.

With every trip I take, I find that I always returned with more knowledge, life skills, and worldviews. Traveling has gifted me with things that I could never have hoped to learn in a classroom or textbook. I was able to experience things first hand.

I’ve read articles about the incredible deforestation of rainforests all over the world, but seeing the acres of felled trees and the destruction of such pure and lush habitat struck me deeper than any picture or paragraph could. Listening to a Dominican taxi driver casually warn me against the rising prostitution epidemic sweeping Santo Domingo forced me to thoroughly consider what it really meant to live in a place that didn’t constantly envision the American dream.

What teacher could do that?

But travel means different things to everyone. To me, travel is the opportunity to not only become a better student, but a better human being.

When asked what travel means to her, a French college student replied, “a way to experience new things, to meet new people, and to learn about different ways of living”.

Journeying to a foreign land shows you that the rest of the world does not behave exactly the same.

When asked a similar question a young American man stated, “to learn respect for other cultures and acceptance for other beliefs”. This response made me ponder the very substantial and significant values of travel. Could immersing yourself in different cultures and groups of people eradicate discrimination and intolerance?

Mark Twain famously penned the phrase “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts”. The world we live in today cannot possibly hope to endure while ignorance, racism, and animosity still maintain a capable and secure voice.

Understanding different beliefs and people is a necessity, and traveling is an enjoyable and liberating way to get a truly hands on and personal experience in this regard.

I have always made a point to make every travel experience of mine thoughtful and valuable in the best ways possible. Culture has always captivated me.

The fact that simple attitudes and customs can be the divide that distinguishes one group of people from another is fascinating.

However, I have found that it is the people of which every culture

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is built on. If you want to connect with the culture, you must connect with the people. William White, a professor of Cultural Studies and Religion at Plymouth State University said; “to immerse yourself in a culture means you must learn from it, be amazed by it, love it, be sick of it, hate it, be impressed by it, and learn from it even more”. Another way of life has so much to offer anyone who is willing to assimilate.

Every traveling experience of mine has been incredibly unique and unforgettable in it’s own way, but they have all demonstrated one common ideology. This has undoubtedly led to my overwhelming feelings of tolerance and sympathy of anyone who appears to be different than me. The human race is all fighting the same fight. We all struggle with the same problems; famine, disease, and religious persecution to name a few.

“[Travel] is a way to experience new things, meet new people, and to learn about different ways of living.”

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The more I learn about the world, the more I have come to realize that it is not the countries of where we are from, or the gods in which we worship, or the colors that pigment our skin, but rather the ignorant and inhumane voices that fuel the division and discrimination among people. We are truly all in this together. Traveling has taught me this very powerful lesson; one I believe that is a necessity for peace.

Traveling is important for your mind, body, and even your soul. People find themselves when they travel, even if they didn’t know they were lost.

IMAGE IS NOT EVERYTHING Former Miss Clare, Lauren Guilfoyle explains that “one size doesn’t fit all, and that’s absolutely okay.” The pressure to maintain a certain body image in today’s society has largely increased, writes Aoife O’Rourke.

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Is there really such thing as the ‘perfect’ body image? Is there such a thing as an ‘ideal woman’? The influence and pressure to attain the ‘perfect’ body image has always been a problem in society that affects both men and women. Focusing on how it affects women, many feel that there is a certain image of the ‘ideal woman’, which, in reality, does not exist.

Unfortunately pressure to have a certain body image has largely increased in recent years due to the growth and influence of social media. Social media forces celebrities and ordinary people to open their lives more publicly than they might like, forcing them under severe pressure to have the perfect image. Media plays a huge role in our understanding of the concept of beauty.

Psychologist, Ciara Williams has stated that; “research conducted at Harvard University found that only 2 percent of women felt able to say that they were beautiful despite beauty being an incredibly important category for women.”

Consequently, many women feel under pressure when it comes to their bodies, which can lead to body dissatisfaction and a long battle to achieve the perfect image.

Model and former Miss Clare, Lauren Guilfoyle states that it angers her “to think people have preconceptions of others based solely on their appearance, not stopping to explore who the person really is, and perhaps what has led them to the appearance they hold at that point in their life”.

While Lauren has said that “social media has a huge role to play in the pressure of being put on not just models, but anyone who uses social media apps,” she also states that the Miss Ireland pageant is not just about outside beauty but about “the beauty on the inside”. Miss Ireland and subsequently Miss World pageants have recently taken part in helping to decrease the amount of pressure put on not only the models, but ordinary women watching as well.

They have started by eliminating the infamous swimsuit competition in 2013, which Lauren says “did take the pressure off ”. Having modelled for many fashion shows, Lauren explained how “fittings with the models would take much longer than expected because very few of us fit into the tiny sizes that the employer brought along.”

The media broadcasts their idea of the ‘perfect’ model, not only in magazines but in reality television and even kids’ movies. In reality television, we’re shown the life of the Kardashians, where each one of them has a personal trainer along with a dietician in order to keep their bodies in ‘perfect’ condition. Other women do not have these facilities, and yet still long to be like one of them.

“It is demoralising, disheartening and embarrassing to

be told to hand that dress to the smaller girl over there because you do not fit to their criteria. I have thought about stepping away from the modelling scene at times due to it- it’s really not a nice feeling.”

Each of these women have their own Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat to show off to the world how they look.

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Kim Kardashian has recently published her own book of selfies. consisting of hundreds of selfies that Kim has taken in her lifetime, in order to show off how great she looks. Along with that, if you follow any of the Kardashians on their social media sites you will notice that each of them have their own waist trainer which is an elastic thick belt similar to a corset. These are worn, squishing lungs and cracking ribs, making it very difficult to breathe, all in the name of ‘beauty’. This is done in order to tighten your waist and get that hour-glass shape figure, that these ladies desire. But some women who have felt the pressure and purchased one have fainted from wearing it for too long.

I think that this answers our question on whether these women’s body images are healthy, and how they go about achieving it.

and extremely feminine in the beginning of the movie. Once she turns into an Ogre, she is looked upon as ‘disgusting’ and ‘ugly’ when she is green, overweight and quite masculine. This plays a role in influencing kids at an early age that fat is bad and thin is good.

Ennis psychologist, Ciara Williams has stated that we get both positive and negative messages about our bodies starting from a young age. She stated that “Children are sponges for information, explicit and implicit. If a young girl observes her mother valuing her appearance as crucial, she will come to see it as being crucial to her understanding of being female.”

Ciara explained that we need to start trying to decrease the amount of pressure on women to maintain the ‘perfect’ body

Both of these examples show that by these women opening their lives they are encouraging regular women to follow in their footsteps, and personally I think they could be setting a better example.

With these celebs and models having thousands if not millions of followers, they must also feel the constant pressure to look their very best. Yet I feel that they could do this without sending out the wrong message to their fans. Lauren Guilfoyle stated that she “really admired Holly Hagan from Geordie Shore’s rant recently in response to online trolls slating her about her fluctuating weight. Celebrities being open and honest about their difficulty maintaining the ‘perfect’ body image is definitely a step in the right direction”.

As for other television programmes and kids movies, influence in body image is seen in the famous movie Shrek. Shrek portrays the ‘ideal’ and ‘beautiful’ princess as being Fiona as she is thin

image today. “As women, as sisters, as friends, as observers, we need to stop shaming each other. We need to stop buying into or support magazines or any form of media involved in shaming other’s bodies. As a collective, we need to learn to value beauty as being much more than an outward, youthful appearance.”

Ciara goes on to say “True beauty touches our hearts in a profound way that physical beauty doesn’t. I can honestly tell you that the most beautiful woman I know is in her mid-seventies.

Her beauty is the truest beauty I’ve ever known in a woman. Getting that message ‘out there’ is a worthy task for this generation.”

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Y T U A E B T S S T E B ODUC R P 2016 We asked 60 women between the ages of 18-26 what their favourite beauty products were. There were some of the old reliable favourites with a few new names thrown into the list!

Moisturiser: Benefit Total moisture facial cream

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Primer: Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

Luxury foundation: Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation

Concealer: MAC pro-longwear concealer

Y S

Best bargain brand: Catrice Best luxury brand: MAC

Liquid eye-liner: Maybelline felt tip liner

Nail polish: Rimmel 60 seconds nail polish

“Catrice was voted as the best bargain brand while MAC was voted as the best luxury brand.”

Brow filler: Anastasia Beverly Hills dipbrow pomade

Bronzer: Hoola Benefit

Blusher: Benefit Coralista

Lip liner: MAC ‘Whirl’

Serum: John Freida ‘Frizz Ease’

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MIND OVER MATTER

ANIMATE

II

TAG ABOUT STORY

Darren Fehilly walks us through his rise to the pinacle of international powerliting, reveals his favoured workout programme, and details his idea of the ‘meal of a lifetime’.

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MIND OVER MATTER II

ANIMATE

‘TOO small FOR RUGBY’

DARREN Fehilly is one of the leading Irish I’d experienced nothing like it before. powerlifters within his 74kg weight category. On So as time went by, I became stronger and top of that, he is a fun loving, top knot enthusi- stronger, putting on huge amounts of muscle ast whose passion for all things health and fitness mass. It got to the point where I was actually getting into trouble for the amount I was lifting. simply staggers most common folk.

Having been a keen rugby player, and an ever Every day after classes finished, I’d have a broiled present member of Rockwell College’s Junior up and sweaty rugby coach roaring at me for takCup rugby squad, Darren was solely focused on ing all the weights in the gym, rather fitting if you pursuing a career in professional rugby. In fact, ask me, after all I was too ‘small’ for rugby.” as he told me; “lifting weights wasn’t really anything that had “Haha, I’m not saying I’m quite stage ready crossed my mind.” or anything, but someday you never know, Then everything changed.

Imightjustbethenextbigthing.DarrenSchwarzenegger,yeah “Out of nowhere, I we’ll go with that.” was dropped from the captaining the team to not even featuring.

Too small is what I was told. Well, as you can TO date, Darren has done incredible things on guess that didn’t go down entirely well. So that’s both an Irish stage, and also further afield in the tional scene. As an 18 year old, where this whole thing started. I began lifting internaachievements are almost weights, and after the third day or so was hooked, his inconceivable.

In short, the Tipperary native has accumulated many top three finishes in multiple opens, along with an IDFPA (Irish Drug Free Powerlifting Association) national championship, and even a world record squat of 175kg, a feat that saw him attain a World Championship win in Moldova last year.

Since then, the numbers have kept climbing.

He can now boast a squat of 190kg, a maximum deadlift of 212.5kg, and a bench of 100kg.

Even with those impressive stats, Darren still sees ample room for improvement.

“I suppose ideally I would like to add to my bench, which is why I have now incorporated a lot more hypertrophy training into my routine. In other words, I do a lot of bodybuilding movements which not only help with my muscle endurance, they also keep me looking well, which is great because let’s face it, at the end of the II 12 ANIMATE day you have to look like you lift.”

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“

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Hopefully this is just the start of my journey.

Ideally I’d like to be that pensioner you see in the the corner of the gym out-lifting everybody.

uat, and

eaking single lift sq A World record br kg. a new PR of 175

orld

ting W werlif . o P a 2015 oldov at the held in M t if l l na ips en’s fi ampionsh Darr Ch

A mo ster

200 09/ kg dead lift 08/ 201 .

4

‘Serious face on’ in preperatio squat.

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n for his penultimate

ANIMATE

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MONSTER LEG WORKOUT 1.

2.

1. BARBELL BACK SQUAT 5 sets of 5 reps (heavy)

2. BARBELL FRONT SQUAT 3 sets of 10-12 reps (moderate)

3.

4.

4. BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT 3 sets of 8-10 reps per side (light)

3. ROMANIAN DEADLIFT 4 sets of 8 reps (heavy), 2 sets of 12 reps (moderate)

5.

6.

6. LYING LEG CURL 3 sets of 8-10 reps (moderate), double drop set at the end

5. LEG PRESS 3 sets of 10-12 reps (heavy), double drop set at the end

Photos accredited to Bodybuilding.com

MEAL OF A LIFETIME For me, there is a dish so good, it has the capabilities of resolving all the world’s problems, period. CHICKEN AND CHORIZO JAMBALYA. What’s so good about it? Well there’s plenty of protein which is a must, along with some well needed carbohydrates and some essential fats too. Throw in some yummy veggies and you’re onto a winner. The best thing however, for someone like me, a pasty Irish lad, with red hair, is it’s as exotic as I’m ever going to get.”

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

- - - - - - - - - -

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan with a lid and brown the chicken for 5-8 mins until golden.

Remove and set aside. Tip in the onion and cook for 3-4 mins until soft. Then add the pepper, garlic, chorizo and Cajun seasoning, and cook for 5 mins more.

1 tbsp olive oil 2 chicken breast, hopped 1 onion, diced 1 red pepper, hinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, rushed 75g chorizo, sliced 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning 250g long grain rice 400g can plum tomato 350ml chicken stock

2. Stir the chicken back in with the rice, add the tomatoes and stock. Cover and simmer for 2025 mins until the rice is tender.

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UNDERSTANDING ANOREXIA

By Róisín Duffy & Sinéad Donnelly

“It’s not about being thin for me, I look in the mirror and I’m ashamed for my friends to see me like this. I look emaciated.”

“It’s not about being thin for me, I look in the mirror and I’m ashamed for my friends to see me like this, I look emaciated.”

Around 80 people a year in Ireland die from Anorexia Nervosa which affects up to 200,000 people, according to Bodywhys, The Eating Disorders Association of Ireland.

Two young girls who suffer from this psychiatric disorder agreed to speak to us in order to give people an insight into what it’s actually like to have anorexia.

Both *Gemma and *Haleigh stressed that recovery as a whole would be much easier if the people around them understood this mental illness.

Gemma: “The illness robs you of your identity.

You become introverted and deceitful.”

Gemma is a 19-year-old university student who has suffered with anorexia nervosa for almost six years of her life. She describes this illness as a way of controlling emotions: “Instead of crying, throwing a tantrum, slamming doors and shouting you restrict what you eat.” She also adds that the majority of sufferers also have severely low self-esteem, are perfectionistic and frequently struggle with depression.

Gemma was first admitted to hospital at the age of 15 with a BMI of 12, which is far below the average of 18.5 to 25. She spent four weeks on a paediatric ward before being referred by mental health services and described her time in hospital as a “nightmare”. Gemma received constant verbal abuse from a number of nurses who saw her mental illness as a choice and a “waste of hospital services”. “Every night I cried myself to sleep, of course when they couldn’t see me because if they saw me crying that would aggravate the staff further.”

To be diagnosed as having Anorexia Nervosa a person must display: - Persistent restriction of energy in take leading to significantly low body weight

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Either an intense fear of gaining weight or of becoming fat, or persistent behaviour that interferes with weight gain

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Disturbance in the way one’s body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body shape and weight on self-evaluation, or persistent lack of recognition of the seriousness of the current low body weight.

Since then she has celebrated her 16th and 17th birthday in two separate inpatient wards for adolescents with mental health issues.

Gemma repeated her Leaving Cert and achieved an outstanding 625 points. She went on to study Dietetics in DIT, however was admitted into St Patricks University Hospital the day after she completed her first semester exams in January 2016.

Having suffered with this crippling mental illness for most of her adolescence, Gemma acknowledges that describing anorexia to someone that hasn’t gone through it themselves is extremely challenging. She explains “It’s like having a little devil on your back all the time, criticizing you, telling you to do things that you don’t want to do.”

Haleigh: “In the beginning, I would throw out all my lunch and when I came home, I’d have the most miniscule amount of dinner, and I wouldn’t have eaten breakfast.”

Haleigh is a 17 year old secondary school student who has had anorexia for three years. She saw a child psychologist for over two years, but to no avail, and was then transferred to an adolescent mental health unit where she spent 49 days as an inpatient.

On discharge she was referred to a mental health service as an outpatient. She now sees a psychiatrist and a dietician on a weekly basis. As a result she has missed a considerable amount of school and must have regulated meals following a strict meal plan. She is unable to have food without supervision.

Haleigh explains how her eating disorder has put a considerable amount of strain on her relationships with her friends and family which has left her feeling isolated. She believes that she was more preoccupied with food which drove a wedge between herself and her friends. Haleigh feels that her friends cannot comprehend her actions due to her eating disorder are unintentional and out of her control. “All they’d say is ‘gain the weight’, ‘you’re stupid’, ‘you’re vain’, they just don’t understand at all, but no one would say that to someone who has cancer. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t do it.”

“There’s so much more to life than being trapped in this thing. I don’t know... I just want to be free really.”

She longs to have a healthy relationship with food and envies those around her who do: “I always stare at other people and how they eat because I don’t know how to eat without a meal plan and without thinking about it.”

Haleigh acknowledges that her battle with anorexia has robbed her of her teenage years “It has ruined every bit of my life since I’ve had the illness, I’ve had tiny good bits but it’s ruined the majority.”

Communications officer with Bodywhys, Barry Murphy, also explains that the ideal attitude to take towards people suffering from eating disorders is “compassion, non-judgment, understanding and patience”.

For more information on eating disorders visithttp:// www.bodywhys.ie

Mairead Doyle is a senior dietician who has been working in CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), Galway for two years. She reiterates that anorexia is mainly about control. “They then get feedback from other people who tell them they look really good and this continues the purpose of losing weight.”

She also adds that although the mortality rate is high, with the consistent support from family, friends and professionals partial or complete recovery from anorexia nervosa is likely. “People absolutely do fully recover. However, mortality rate is highest amongst people with anorexia nervosa versus others with psychiatric illness.”

She also stresses that a lot more awareness needs to be raised about eating disorders in Ireland “so much more needs to be done” in order to raise awareness about eating disorders in Ireland.

Gemma would like people to realize that: “It’s not about superficial things, like how you look -it totally isn’t- if it was I wouldn’t look like this.” Haleigh and Gemma are both extremely positive about making a full recovery in the future.

Haleigh concluded with her hope to be rid of her eating disorder forever: “There’s so much more to life than being trapped in this thing. I don’t know... I just want to be free really.”

*Names have been changed to protect identities of interviewees

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Going Viral What happens when a video you posted just intending to make your friends and family laugh gains over 500,000 views? Sarah Talty speaks to YouTube makeup vlogger Laura Culliney about her experience.

Laura Culliney, 20 year old make up vlogger from Clare, was shocked when in January when one of her make up tutorials went viral after being shared on Her.ie.

watching the video over and over again.

My brother begged me to post it and after a while I did and then my poor mother went into ‘hiding’ as she calls it.”

The student asked her mother to record her makeup tutorial for YouTube but her mammy only started recording halfway through. Laura says when she realised this she had a “typical Irish mammy meltdown” all caught on video. Her reaction was priceless.

Laura uploaded the video to her Facebook page and after that video became so popular she decided to send it to Her.ie who then posted it on their Facebook page, where it gained over 500,00 views.

I sat down with Laura three months on to talk to her about the experience.

“I was really interested in makeup and originally I started a blog but I didn’t think it really showed the more creative side to makeup like a tutorial would so I started the YouTube makeup tutorials.”

She said she knew by her friends and family’s initial reaction that the video was gold, but never in a million years did she expect it to go viral.

“I didn’t really have my mother’s permission before posting the video, in fact I wasn’t even going to post the video until my brother saw it and told me that I’d be mad not to. My whole family and I were sitting in the sitting room in convulsions

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“If you’re going to put yourself out there be prepared to be torn apart”

She remembers sitting with a friend in a restaurant after college when the video was first posted, speculating about how many views it might get. They guessed 20,000 at the most and were amazed when it had reached 40,000 views an hour later.

Three months on how has the video

affected her?

“To be honest I still feel the affects of the video to this day. It was only last week a friend of a friend sent on a screen shot of the video asking was it me, although it has calmed down a lot. At the start I was asked for photos with random people and everyone was asking me about my mother and the video. There has been a lot of random Facebook adds since the video and a few strangers asking for photos on nights out but they weren’t too strange.”

“The video hasn’t greatly affected me personally because luckily not a lot of people recognize me day to day as I look completely different when you strip back all that makeup. Although my friends have a great kick out of the video and sometimes introduce me as ‘the one whose video went viral’ on nights out and then people whip out their phone for pictures, it’s actually quite funny to be honest. The makeup video didn’t really affect my career as an amateur mua unfortunately.”

When something is posted publicly online there is always the possibilty to receive negitive comments as well as positive ones. But Laura said she didn’t let them phase her. “One person said that it was just me and my friend messing and that it was all planned, which actually made me and

Laura’s makeup look after the failed recording of the make up tutorial. my friends laugh so hard because it really was my mother.

The negative comments didn’t affect me at all I just brushed them off. I realized everyone has their own opinion or preconception and that’s their opinion, it doesn’t necessarily mean what they’re saying is true even if my makeup is like cement on my face or not! I think if you’re going to put yourself out there on a public platform be prepared to be torn apart but never let it get to you and never stoop to the negative Nancys levels.”

So does Laura have any tips for future vloggers? “I don’t think you need special equipment or a certain type of personality to start producing videos on YouTube. People make great videos from mobile phones or even iPads, but if you do want a very successful channel it is good to invest in special equipment. And you most certainly don’t need a certain type of personality to make YouTube videos. That’s the great thing about YouTube, there are so many different personalities on YouTube that attract totally different audiences.”

Laura hopes to make more creative makeup videos in the summer when she has more free time from college.

Finally I asked Laura will she still request her mother’s help in recording her videos in the future. “Mam claims she has stepped down from her camera woman role after her claim to fame. Unfortunately for her and me maybe, I probably will have to resort to poor mammy the odd time but I am sure she has learnt from her mistake and has acquired some new helpful skills, like concentration.” >You can check out the video on YouTube under LauraCulliney.

Multimedia Producer for Her.ie, Cassie Delaney, tells us why they decided to post Laura’s video on their Facebook page: • When it comes to selecting videos the first criteria is always that it has to make us laugh on the team. There’s no real formula for determining what will go viral so we find if something is genuinely funny it’s a good starting point.

• We know that our audiences also adore Irish mammys so we knew we could attach an attractive headline to the video. It was a very simple video and very easy for us to convey in one line what happens. We knew posting it with “Irish mammys never change” would appeal to pretty much everyone.

• I think the video is relatable because Laura’s mam was likeable and a bit daft, like every Irish mammy out there. Ultimately everyone who liked and shared the video could probably see their mother reacting in the same way.

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Plus size me “There is a market for all body types obviously not everyone is skinny and the majority of people are a size 10 plus. I understand skinny is high fashion but I think it’s time to change all that!”

With the legendary plus size model Ashley Graham making the cover of Sports Illustrated for the first time in 52 years, in February 2016 there has been widespread controversy over whether “plus-size” models are promoting an unhealthy body image or whether they are simply empowering women of all shapes and sizes.

The fact that the “Fashion law” in France has been passed meaning that models who wish to work in the industry must now produce a medical certificate regarding their BMI, shows how much the industry is changing towards promoting a healthier body image.

Both Ashley Graham and Tess Holliday, the leader of the plus size movement #EffYourBeautyStandards, have contrasting opinions on what the term “plus size” means. Graham views the label in quite a negative light: “I’ve never considered myself an actual plus-size woman. I’ve never thought of it as a positive word, and I think there’s a huge difference between straight-size models and plus-size models”. However, Holliday believes that the term is harmless: “I think the whole thing is actually very silly, because the term has never been used in a negative way. It’s never been used as hurtful, it’s something that’s basically just for women to kind of find where they want to shop, I guess.”

T

he beautiful Nicole O’Brien is a 20 year old Commerce student and a part time model from Inishannon Cork, who started modelling in Miss Cork at the age of 16. She has also modelled for agencies such as Cecelia Holman Lee in Limerick. As a young student in the fast and competitive modelling industry we asked her for her outlook on the industry and what it means to be plus size. “I love it! It’s so interesting! You meet so many amazing people and gain so many good experiences.”

She believes that many girls aspire to look like excessively skinny Victoria Secret models and celebrities who are promoting an unachievable body image: “I feel there’s so much pressure to be toned and skinny because the likes of Gigi Hadid are splashed across the Internet every day and the majority of girls around the world look up to them and want to look like them!”

She acknowledges that the term “plus size” is: “Anything from a size 16 plus however, in the modelling industry a plus size model is a size 12 plus and in some extreme cases with bigger agencies they can class plus size as a size 10 plus which I think is so wrong!”

Nicole strongly believes that modelling is a lot more about talent rather than what size you are and reiterates that “plus size” models should be included in the modelling industry: “Modelling isn’t just about the size you are it’s almost like a talent it’s not as easy as everything thinks! I don’t think it matters what size you are!”

However she doesn’t think that the term “plus size” will be eradicated any time soon.

Ashley Graham

10 things

1 2 3 4 5

6

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8

9

10

Height: 5 ft 9 Size: 16 Age: 28 Born in Lincoln, Nebraska Discovered in a mall at the age of 12 Signed with an international modelling agency at 13 First plus size model on cover of Sports Illustrated (in swimsuit edition) Regularly gives talks about body image in high schools and engages in Humanitarian work in South Africa Collaborated with Elle to create her own lingerie line for women of all sizes Will launch her first swimsuit collection with Swimsuits For All on May 5th 2016

you should know about Ashley Graham and Tess Holliday Tess Holliday

1 Height: 5 ft 5 2 Size: 22 3 Age: 29 4 Born in Laurel, Mississippi 5 Bullied at her high school in

Mississippi and dropped out at 17 6 Discovered on social media when

she posted photos on “Model Mayhem”

and was asked to come in for an audition 7 Leader of the legendary

#EffYourBeautyStandards on instagram 8 Featured in Vogue Italia 9 Signed with Milk Model Management

because of her Instagram account 10 Launching a ‘Fifty shades of Grey’

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Main photo from Elite Performace Psychology Ireland Facebook

Can exercise really improve your mental health?

Most of us know that exercise is good for our mental health and wellbeing, but a lot of us choose to ignore this fact. Michaela Deane spoke to Sports Pyschologist Keith Begley about the science that links exercise with good mental health, and the idea that it could replace medication altogether.

Q: How does exercise benefit the mind, what is the science behind it?

A: There’s two mechanisms really. When you exercise hard, there’s a chemical released in your brain called serotonin. What that does is it seeps down into your muscles and makes you feel relaxed. It’s very, very hard to get serotonin release without strong physical exertion, and when you don’t get that release you can tend to feel bad.

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because there’s no serotonin being released. That tends to be one thing, and over a period of time that can turn into depression, because you’re not getting enough serotonin release.

The other thing it does physiologically is it helps to regulate the thyroid gland. An awful lot of people who don’t exercise might have to take medication to regulate their thyroid.

The thyroid controls your metabolic rate, or the rate at which you burn off calories. If your metabolic rate is slow, you’re not going to burn off calories as you should be and that’s how you put on weight. Then you might not be able to lose the weight because your metabolic rate is too slow, and it turns into a spiral.

Q: Do you think people overlook exercise as a means to improve their mental health?

A: I don’t think people understand the link. A lot of doctor’s don’t get it either.

It’s very easy for doctor’s to just prescribe tablets, and there isn’t a huge amount of people in the country who would have qualifications from both the psychological and physical background – that’s a big part of the problem.

Q: What would you suggest for people who are too anxious or depressed to get out and exercise, and are stuck in a bit of a rut?

A: I suppose for an awful lot of people who get stuck in a rut, some of it is due to fear and sometimes their previous experience of exercise plays a big part.

Most people have previous experience of organised sport, a lot of people would equate exercise with competitive sport or games. If you come from a rural background, and think back to when you were doing PE in primary school it may have been Gaelic football or maybe hurling. If you didn’t feel adequate or good at them sports, you might have this perception that you’re not athletic or not good at sport and that’s it. But it’s only based on maybe them two or three ball sports that you’ve tried.

It’s people’s lack of confidence around exercise that plays a big part of them avoiding it. Especially if they’re overweight, which a lot of people are from a young age. So they never get to feel a degree of confidence around being involved in sport or physical activity.

Q: What’s the best type of exercise for getting your endorphins going?

A: The rate of serotonin released is dependent upon the intensity of the exertion. Because weight lifting is a more high intensity exercise, it releases serotonin quicker than going for a jog or a long walk, and it speeds up your metabolic rate as well. And it doesn’t have to be weight lifting, just once it’s high intensity exercise.

Even High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) which is 20 seconds of really intense work, then a 10 second break and 20 seconds of intense work again. 15 minutes of that a day, as opposed to walking for an hour is way more effective. Two or three hours later, your metabolism is working at a higher pace.

So longer term you’re going to burn more fat because you’re speeding up your metabolism, rather than just burning calories which you get with a lower level exercise.

Q: Would you say that exercise could be used to replace medication, if a strict regime was kept?

A: I would say yes, and there’s science to prove it. There was a well-known study done where there were two groups of sixteen people, and both of them had the same levels of depression.

Nine weeks later, the group that exercised reduced their levels of depression by 75 per cent, as opposed to the group who didn’t do anything at all.

Jade Hoynes (pictured above), who featured on Bressie’s ‘Ironmind’ on RTE2 back in November. I spoke to Jade about her experience on the show, which challenged her physically and mentally through strenuous exercise.

“It took a while for exercise to kick in when we were doing Ironmind. We were trying to get to grips with our daily lives and then we had this huge amount of training to do on top of that. It was difficult, but there were some days where I’d just go out anyways. Some days there’d be an hour of cycling, another day it’d be four hours.

It was a bit tedious. But the sun was out there, I was cycling and I felt refreshed. I felt more alive and I was really grateful to be there, because I was just taking in my surroundings. It did take a while for exercise to help my mental health, but it was good as well because it gave me a goal.

It gave me something to focus on, rather than sitting at home and wondering what to do.”

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Six months after forming a band, ‘Picture This’ sells out The Academy on April 3rd, the first Irish band to achieve this. Holly Kenny speaks with Jimmy Rainsford and Ryan Hennessy to talk about their recent success.

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f you had told two young musicians from Athy that they would sell out at the Grand Social for their debut gig, they’d shake their heads and laugh. In the case of Ryan Hennessy (21) and Jimmy Rainsford (23) they surpassed their expectations and sold out in 30 minutes due to huge demand. After relocating to a different venue, band ‘Picture This’ managed to sell out at The Academy in Dublin for their debut gig on April 3rd, making them the first band ever to achieve this.

“It hasn’t hit us yet. We were genuinely worried, we were like ‘Who’s going to come see us?’. We weren’t sure if we’d sell out.” Says Jimmy Rainsford, the drummer and backing vocals for the band.

The band is very young in terms of how long they’ve played together and only formed in October last year. That certainly doesn’t leave

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Above: Ryan Hennessy, lead vocals and guitar player.

Below: Jimmy Rainsford, drummer and backup vocals.

them shy of experience as Jimmy Rainsford was a drummer previously for singer Ryan Sheridan and Ryan Hennessy, lead vocals, was in a band with some friends called Bohemian. “It’s given us experience to be aware of what to do, it’s good to have that experience when you’re starting a band.

I have to say it’s been so natural so far, we’re just going with it.” The two boys, almost in sync look at eachother, nod and shrug their shoulders.

The two have known each other for a long time as they grew up together in the same town and went to the same school. They decided to form a band when Ryan put up a video on Facebook of an original song called ‘Take My Hand’ which ended up being their debut single. “I was playing it by a river and recorded it on an iPhone. Jimmy texted me later saying ‘you have to come out and record that song’.”

So far the guys have released four songs on their Facebook page since November last year; Saviour, Pretend, You & I and Take my Hand.

Both have agreed that ‘Take My Hand’ is their favourite song they have released. The reason why they named their band ‘Picture This’ is because they find their songs paint pictures of stories. “The music we listen to never translates into what we write. I write lyrics based on moods rather than because a band wrote a song like that. I write from my own experience, I write stories.” Said Ryan Hennessy.

The songs are all recorded in Jimmy’s home studio. One word the boys used to describe their music was ‘uplifting’. “I’ve said to Jimmy before, our songs will always fit perfectly in every romantic comedy. The story is; a lad falls in love with a girl, then they have a fight and he’s running back to get the girl – our songs would fit into that scene perfectly every time.”

Ryan said as he smiled at Jimmy.

The guys are an incredibly independent band and produce everything themselves in Jimmy’s home studio including making their own music videos, creating their own merchandise and doing live videos on Facebook to communicate with their fans. One aspect that caught the public eye was their ‘Taffic Jams’ where they play music in the car.

Continued on next page

Timeline 5th of October 2015 Created the Facebook Page and placed a profile picture of the band title.

8th of October 2015 Announced the release date of their first single ‘Take My Hand’.

19th of October 2015 Released their first single ‘Take My Hand’, it raked one hundred thousand views in under a week, making it the most successful video that they have released to date.

28th of October 2015 ‘Take My Hand’ released on iTunes and made it available on Spotify.

4th of November 2015 First ‘Traffic Jam’ video release, a cover of Kodaline.

13th of December 2015 ‘This Christmas’ released as band’s Christmas song. Recieves fourty seven thousand views and five hundred and six shares on Facebook.

24th of January 2016 ‘You & I’ released, reaching one hundred and seventy seven views and one thousand and sixty nine shares. It became available 9th of February.

1st of February 2016 Facebook page got verified.

3rd of March 2016 Announced the date of their debut gig in The Academy.

4th of March 2016 Announced they were headlining the Maynooth Student University Ball on the 9th of March.

5th of March 2016 First Q&A video live stream on Facebook with six thousand views.

3rd of April Sold out gig in The Academy with Luke Power and Aine Cahill supporting.

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“That is so much fun and that was not planned at all!” said Jimmy.

They record it on camera with Jimmy driving and singing backing vocals and Ryan playing the acoustic guitar and singing in the passenger seat. After a lot of positive feedback, the boys branched a little further with it and invited other artists to join them in the back seat and sing.

A video of them singing ‘Crazy World’ by Aslan which featured Christie Dignam went viral around many different news outlets online.

Ryan and Jimmy’s faces both lit up when talking about the experience.

“That was definitely our favourite one to do. He’s a living legend and that’s why our video went everywhere in online sites. His voice literally went through you in the car.”

There was a community feel to the gig as many trecked up to Dublin from their hometown in Athy.

When asked about the support, the boys had huge smiles on their faces as they spoke about their local community, friends and family.

The gratitude could been seen clearly on the expressions on their faces. Jimmy with pride said: “It gives us such enthusiasm to do this properly because the town is behind us and all our friends are behind us. We are so fresh as a band, we’re just trying to find our feet in the industry. We’re writing songs all the time and even this gig tonight, we weren’t expecting any of this. We’re very dedicated to our music.”

To sum it all up, I asked them what was an aspect of the whole

Above: Jimmy Rainsford (Left) and Ryan Hennessy (Right) pictured at their gig in The Academy.

Below: Picture This with support live at The Academy.

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experience that they liked. They both sat and thought about it for a moment, trying to summarise such a crazy and busy six months. “I like the feeling when we finish a song and we’re listening back and we’re like ‘Woah, this is so cool!”. Jimmy said and turned to Ryan to see what he has to say since he’d sat in silence.

There’s a spark in Ryan’s eyes. “What do I enjoy apart from the music? I like the excitement on Jimmy’s face when I say I wrote a new song.”

With that he flashes a cheeky grin.

These guys are only starting and are finding their feet but the sheer support from all across Ireland just shows that these guys are a band you should watch out for in the very near future.

Will there be an album out soon?

For the sake of us both, I hope so!

Get to know:

Bottom Dog Theatre

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BOTTOM DOG THEATRE

Above: Bottom Dog Theatre brought brought ‘Language Unbecoming a Lady’ to the stage in new york in 2015.

Left: Liam O’Brien Creative Director of Bottom Dog Theatre company.

Operating out of Limerick City for almost 10 years Bottom Dog Theatre have enjoyed success on both a national and international level.

Cian Reinhardt speaks with Creative Director Liam O’Brien to find out more.

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N the year we saw a Government announce an emergency budget, a declaration in September of a recession in Ireland and the death of the Celtic Tiger – in November 2008, Limerick saw the birth of Bottom Dog Theatre Company.

Creative Director Liam O’Brien said, “They say the recession is a good time for the arts, I believe they say that, whoever they are, because creative people tend to respond well to change or crisis.”

In times of economic uncertainty you would be forgiven for not wanting to take such a risk. For the company’s founders Liam O’Brien, Mike burke, Myles Breen and Mike Flynn the timing was not an omen of things to come as they brought Bottom Dog

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on a journey to international recognition.

“The great plays always seem to have conflict in them, there’s something that comes from a time of economic uncertainty

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Photograph: Ken Coleman Photograph: Cian Reinhardt

a show inspired by the art. “The show came first, more than the company.”

After that first show, lacking in funding and seeking direction decided they wanted to

They say the recession is a good time for the arts, I believe they say that, whoever they are, because creative people tend to respond well to change or crisis. where you might not have work you can slot in to, so you have to create something.” Given the economic climate, funding would be an issue; the Bottom Dog producer mentioned how over the coming years up to 20 theatre companies nationwide lost most of, if not all their funding.

“We were in a vacuum, there was that need of where do we work? How can we create work?

Myself, Myles Breen and Mike Burke got together and said we want to create something.”

The group visited the Limerick City Gallery of Art where they picked out five pieces from artists in the gallery and created

produce big plays.

“We just said why don’t we do a series of rehearsed readings to try out a couple of plays– to see if there is something in them,” said Liam.

Recruiting actors in a similar situation, the company came up with a concept of ‘pay what you can’ so people feeling “the pinch” could attend. Patrons pay a donation that goes toward funding the company.

It has been almost eight years since its foundation, and on a Sunday evening Bottom Dog are holding a rehearsed reading.

I have seen my fair share of rehearsals over the years, but I have never seen a crowd of almost 50 people show up to view one on a damp Sunday night.

These productions allow an audience to access the theatre atmosphere at a much lower price than usual. Considering the era of the company’s foundation, adopting this low cost approach may be one of the reasons the company has strived. The cost also shows the producers are involved for the love of theatre.

To date Bottom Dog produced 32 pay-what-you-can shows that appear in four productions in a series. Over the eight years performing these series the company has worked with 23 directors and over 120 actors from Limerick and beyond.

The audience at No.1 Perry Square Hotel in Limerick City shared conversation before,

Above: Myles prepares for a showing of ‘Language unbecoming a lady’. Photograph: Liam O’Brien

directed by Liam O’Brien, was first performed in 2009 and led to the company’s greatest accomplishment to date.

The one-man show was premiered as part of Limerick’s Pride festival in 2009 – and since has appeared in almost 20 venues.

Bottom Dog enjoyed international success as ‘Language Unbecoming a Lady’

We thought wow, this works in America as well as Ireland and it’s an Irish story.

We realised we could apply for festivals in Australia, China or in Africa. laughs during and beverages afterwards with the cast.

Seeing the appreciation the audience had for the group, and vice versa it is not hard to see why the company has survived as long as it has.

The company’s production ‘Language Unbecoming a Lady’ written by Myles Breen and

was invited to the Origin’s 1st Irish Theatre Festival in New York and was the first Limerick representative to do so.

The New York based festival featured productions such as Pat Shortt’s Selfie and Des Bishop’s Made in China.

The show was nominated for awards at the festival in best

production and best new play and has won best lead actor.

“We thought wow, this works in America as well as Ireland and it’s an Irish story. We realised we could apply for festivals in Australia, China or in Africa. You start thinking larger.”

Language Unbecoming a Lady finished its first Irish tour in almost four years visiting theatres such as the Watergate theatre in Kilkenny and Síamsa Tíre Theatre in Trallee.

“That show was the first full show we did after the gallery piece, and eight years later we toured it all over Ireland.”

“Our next project? We don’t know what it’s going to be.

We’ve just applied for a huge project grant, I can’t say what it is, but that would be a big ensemble, a big play.”

There is no definite answer for the future but with the current support the future looks brighter than an already impressive past.

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IS GENDER EQUALITY A MYTH? LAURA-ASHLEY NÍ SHUILLEABHÁIN ARGUES WHETHER OR NOT IRELAND CAN CHANGE THEIR ATTITUDE TO GENDER EQUALITY

In an ideal Ireland gender equality wouldn’t even be a current issue in the media because women wouldn’t be targeted in cases such as the UCD revenge porn scandal.

In an ideal Ireland women would earn the same as men. They would be entitled to the same hours, wouldn’t have to worry more about childcare than men and there would be an even ratio of women in local authority and state positions But this isn’t an ideal or equal Ireland and the facts point us in the opposite direction. The gender pay gap is increasing each year with a 14.4 per cent difference in 2014.

With 970,000 men and 851,000 women employed in 2011 we saw again that men had the unfair advantage in the work place as men worked an average of 39.4 hours compared to only 30.6 hours for woman.

Talking in a recent press conference Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook chief operating officer said that women nowadays are facing what is known as ‘a motherhood penalty’ when it comes to the cost of childcare. Instead of being rewarded for working , the higher rates of mothers paying childcare costs instead of fathers speaks for itself.

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She says that childcare should be a fundamental human right. Sandy argues that childcare costs one quarter of the typical Irish income. “We’re not going to get equality in the workplace until we get equality in the home.”

Yes we can say that wages and childcare rights are important to the gender inequality debate but something that is even more relevant are the positions that are available to women.

Can we really argue against facts that are so drastic?

Facts such as out of the 4,452 Dáil seats filled between the years 1918 and 2009 only 4.9 per cent or 219 of the seats were female. The same can be said for the 1,620 Seanad seats between 1922 and 2009 of which only 151 or 9.3 per cent of candidates were female.

Senator Ivana Bacik says that the 5 C’s – cash, childcare, confidence, culture and candidate selection proceduresare to blame for these statistics and the lack of female roles.

Emma Watson Ambassador for HeForShe

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n the words of Emma Watson, “how can we affect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation?”

Truer words have never been spoken.

It’s not about feminism or a belief that woman are the fairer sex, my argument is about the statistics.

The percentage of female TD’s has never exceeded 16 per cent at any one given time.

This is an obvious hit to gender equality rights for women and comes back to the idea of not having a voice.

So can we really accept that gender equality exists? Or is it more realistic to say that gender equality is a myth?

And we have to ask ourselves who exactly is going to fight for gender equality, if not ourselves. If we don’t stand up for gender equality then are we just a population of woman that are stereotyping themselves by accepting that gender equality is being effectively promoted in Ireland, even when the statistics aren’t there to prove it?

Are we a population of women sitting back and accepting that we are equal because of what we see on TV; actresses trying to promote equal pay and gender equality. However this does not mean that we actually have gender equality. The only thing this proves is that we have certain individuals willing to fight for it.

That is not to say that efforts aren’t being made to improve this ‘equality rate’ and change the level of bias being shown to women in the work sector. Take just one example as the gender quotas that were implemented for the 2016 election, saying that unless parties had a 30 per cent female rate then there funding would be cut in half.

The idea of gender quotas was done in the best way possible I think, but I don’t believe it achieved what it set out to. Instead of trying to change the opinion or

‘’

We’re not going to get equality in the workplace until we get equality in the home

CAN YOU ARGUE WITH THE FACTS? Ireland ranks 36th in the world based on the gap between women and men in education, the economy and political empowerment.

More than half a million women in 2011 were looking after home/family compared with only 9,600 men.

In primary education, 85 per cent of teachers are women and in secondlevel education, 63 per cent of teachers are women.

Despite this, women are not well represented at senior level positions: only 36 per cent of medical and dental consultants are women, 53 per cent of primary school managers, and 41 per cent of second-level school managers Women’s income in 2009 was around 73 per cent of men’s income.

After the 2011 General Election, only 15.1 per cent of TDs in Dáil Éireann were women.

Out of 4,452 Dáil seats filled between the years 1918 and 2009 only 219 of the seats were female.

perception of gender inequality in the workplace instead this basically forced parties into nominating females that could be terrible for the job, just because they wanted to keep the state funding.

Even president Michael D. Higgins admits that despite a growing awareness over the past 20 years, gender inequality “remains the most persistent and prevalent form of human rights violation.”

It’s gotten to the stage where I don’t know if it’s actually possible to have an impact on something that is so deeply ingrained in our beliefs and culture. the statitistics prove that even subconsciously this is the way gender equality has played out and honestly i dont see how this view can be changed when people wont admit that this is the ireland that we live in.

Statistics provided by the COMHIONANNAS INSCNE IN ÉIRINN, show the unfair advantage given to men over women in our current society.

Like I said. This is neither an ideal or equal Ireland.

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C

harity week is possibly the most anticipated week of the academic year.

Also known as RAG week, for most, this is a week for students to drink, party and drink some more. For others it is all about raising money for several charities while having some fun along the way.

The staff and students working in the Student Union and ULENTS spend weeks planning events that took place all around campus. On Monday, crowds gathered to watch a brave bunch of students as they shaved their heads, dyed their beards and waxed their chests, all in the name of charity. This is only one of the many fun activities the Students Union organised for the week. The most anticipated event was the annual concert, which takes place in the courtyard every Wednesday during Charity Week. This year the university hosted a concert with UK rapper and songwriter Professor Green. The Academic also performed in Dolans Warehouse, and money used for every ticket went toward all of the great charities.

This year the University raised money for the Association of Blood Bikes Ireland, St. Vincent De Paul, BUMBLEance and Corbett Suicide Prevention Patrol; Four great charities that are sure to put the money raised toward great causes.

Blood Bikes Groups of Ireland are a volunteer group that help those in receipt of care throughout Ireland. They deliver safe-to-carry medical items by motorbike when they are considered urgent or an emergency. They carry items such as scans, medicines, small medical equipment and lifesaving blood. Charity Week raised funds which will help with the running of Blood Bikes such as petrol, tax, tires and training.

The Corbett Suicide Prevention Patrol spends five nights every week patrolling the rivers areas of Limerick city in the hope of saving those contemplating suicide. During the long Winter nights these volunteers are outside changing the faith of others. Suicide is a massive issue in LIFE IN LINES

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UL RAISE AND GIVE Cora Power looks at the charities involved in Charity Week 2016 and all the facities that will be kept going through the help of students.

Limerick, and across Ireland, in particular with young people. Money raised will help buy the volunteers more equipment. They aspire to cover all seven nights of the week and the money raised this year will go towards that goal.

have transported 400 children to and from the four corners of the country.

St. Vincent De Paul is Ireland’s most recognised charity but the SVP Dropin centre is a lesser known branch of it.

They provide showers, meals, clothes and BUMBLEance was created from the money services to the homeless and marginalised raised with The Saoirse Foundation. Their people in Limerick. Due to financially service provide National transportation for difficult times, donations have fallen in critically ill children throughout Ireland. The recent years. With increasing demand for BUMBLEance is a unique service through services, volunteers are worried that the Angel Trips designed for children in palliative centre may suffer. The money raised for care making their final journey. These Charity Week will help fund the drop-in specialised ambulances are family friendly centre, supporting medical care for those with a bright interior and two seats for other in need who have difficulty accessing family members. The BUMBLEance team treatment alone.

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Deliver a BUMBLEance Smile

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Cora Power speaks to Ireland’s only children’s ambulance service that travels to all four corners of the country.

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UMBLEance is Ireland’s only interactive ambulance service designed especially for extremely sick children.

It was set up in September 2013 by Tony Heffernan, founder of The Saoirse Foundation.

His children, Saoirse and Liam both suffered from Battens Disease, a rare genetic brain disease. Sadly both Saoirse and Liam lost their lives to Battens Disease but Tony continues to help families that are in need of similar help.

BUMBLEance, which was designed to transport seriously ill children to clinics and hospitals inside a fun environment.

The workers at BUMBLEance have a mission, “We want an Ireland where the fear and stress of an ambulance journey for a child no longer exists.”

The specially designed ambulance is a first class service with a fun and bright interior. The décor reassures the young patients, who may be going through a difficult time. The ambulance includes Wi-Fi, a PlayStation, iPads, a 19 inch Led TV, colouring books, games consoles, DVD’s to distract the children on journeys that may take hours.

The service also provides a social media streaming service “so that loved ones

can keep in touch and replay messages”.

One of the main advantages is the seating space for two so that family members or carers can accompany the patient. This door to door service eliminates the stress of traffic and travelling concerns for parents. Each child who travels on the BUMBLEance also receives a BEE-BRAVE gift.

“Our aim is to distract, comfort and entertain Ireland’s youngest patients as they travel to and from paediatric treatment centres nationwide.”

Founder, Tony Heffernan spoke of the service, “Speaking from our personal experience, we saw first-hand the stress that travelling from rural Ireland to treatment centre caused our little girl, Saoirse. BUMBLEance ensures the safest, most comfortable and entertaining journey possible for a critically ill child in need of ambulance transportation to and from any treatment centre in Ireland.”

This year the University of Limerick selected BUMBLEance as one of their charities to raise money and awareness for during Charity week 2016. Head of fundraising and engagement, Nicola O’Sullivan said that they “are immensely grateful to have been chosen as one of

UL’s charity partners for 2016.

Funds raised through the generosity of UL are vital to BUMBLEance as it enables us to deliver additional support to a variety of diverse, critically ill children throughout Ireland.”

BUMBLEance provides a range of services such as the Angel Trip, a first class, professional medical team including Paramedic and EMT and a personal fridge for medication.

The Angel Trip service, “enables the family to solely focus on the terminally ill child as they are transporting them home for the very last time every penny raised through sponsorship, corporate partnerships, events and text donations goes towards enhancing and improving the services given to the children and families.”

“We cannot thank UL enough for helping us to provide more support to variety of Ireland’s most vulnerable and critically ill children. We rely heavily on donor funds to both operate and implement the BUMBLEance service and could not do any of the above without your invaluable support.”

“Thank you to UL for helping us to deliver more BUMBLEance smiles daily.”

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Alcohol & the Brain Anna Cullen researches how heavy alcohol consumption affects the body and brain.

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here are many types of chemical alcohol in the world, but the one we drink the most is ethyl alcohol or ethanol. This tiny molecule is water soluble, which means it can enter the blood easily and travel all over the body. In short, ethanol travels to all sorts of places that it isn’t meant to.

What’s worrying is the fact that roughly 20 per cent of this molecule passes through the stomach to the bloodstream.

The other 80 percent travels to the small intestine and is then carried to your brain. Ethanol slows the brain down, and messes with the messages that it usually receives. As a result, you get slurred speech, memory loss and your balance is affected.

During adolescence, alcohol use can damage two key parts of the brain: the area responsible for logic, reasoning, self-regulation and judgment, as well as affecting an area of the brain related to learning and memory.

According to New Scientist, ‘Wired and re-wiring’, “brain imaging studies suggest that the part of the brain linked to motivation and reward make teens ‘almost hard-wired for addiction’”.

Early alcohol use is also associated with other behaviours such as smoking and use of illegal drugs, unsafe sex, risk-taking behaviour, as well as poorer physical and mental health outcomes.

It’s a well-known fact that third-level students in Ireland are renowned for their alcohol consumption. This culture has been around for many years now, but little is done to stop it or control it. Alcohol consumption has a huge effect on young people’s brains, both in the short and long terms of their lives.

One recent study found that Irish third level students, who were regular, heavy drinkers were less likely to use positive coping strategies when feeling anxious or depressed. Although, in the short-term it may seem and feel like a good idea, alcohol can increase depression and anxiety soon after its use, leaving people feeling low and unable to cope.

An Irish Alcohol Diary Survey carried out by the Health Research Board (HRB) in 2014 found that 75 per cent of alcohol is consumed as part of a binge session. The survey interviewed 6,000 people aged 18-75 years across the country during 2013. It found that 18-24 year olds consumed six or more standard drinks – three or more pints of beer, six or more pub measures of spirits and more than 600mls of wine on a night out.

Binge drinking can be seen during many events too. For example, RAG week, Paddy’s day and Race Day. All these events are centered on alcohol consumption. Many young people cannot simply ‘go for one’ nowadays. It’s an ‘all or

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nothing’ kind of culture that has developed.

“Drinking alcohol leads to the release of endorphins in areas of the brain that produce feelings of pleasure and reward”.

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oundation Chair, Head of Teaching and Research in Physiology in the University of Limerick, Prof.

William O’Connor, blogs twice weekly on the website ‘Inside-the-Brain’. He focuses on the latest research developments in brain research.

In some of his blogs, he discusses the effect alcohol initially has on the brain: “Drinking alcohol leads to the release of endorphins in areas of the brain that produce feelings of pleasure and reward”.

William also examines how addiction begins and the factors behind it. He mentions how “our environment and in particular the people around us, and how we engage with them, is actually the deciding factor as to whether or not we become addicted”.

“Probably the most important message to be taken is the realisation that for an addiction therapy to be effective it must rely less on medication and more on compassion and inclusion, a fact known to all good addiction therapists for a long time,” he adds.

Alcohol addiction not only affects the brain, but also can damage the immune system; which may lead to

certain types of diseases. Between 2005 and 2008, 4,129 people under 30 were discharged from hospital with chronic conditions normally seen in older people, according to Alcohol Addiction Ireland.

They also found an increase of 275 per cent in discharges relating to Alcohol liver disease (ALD) between 1995 and 2009.

Alcohol itself doesn’t damage the liver directly, but the chemicals the liver breaks alcohol down into do the most damage. Alcohol that isn’t broken down, or is left over, wanders around the body and comes out through the kidneys, lungs or sweat.

So how do you know you have an alcohol use disorder? According to the ‘Rethinking your Drinking’ website, run by the National Institute of Health (NIH), it is important to note how many ‘heavy drinking days’ you have. These days consist of more than four drinks for men, and more than three drinks for women.

The website explains that “the more drinks on any day and the more heavy drinking days over time, the greater the risk not only for an alcohol use disorder, but also for other health and personal problems”.

Alcohol is not completely bad, and no one is saying that you should never drink it. But, young people need to be careful with how much they consume, when they consume it and where they consume it. They need to make sure they know when to stop and don’t exceed the recommended limits. Alcohol can be relaxing for some, and after a tough day some may need it. So, do not abuse it and put yourself at risk of addiction.

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The Healthier Option Any type of alcohol is someway bad for your health, however there are some beverages that are better for you than others.

These should be consumed in moderation. Vodka and soda water is one. It has very few calories but no nutritional value.

Whiskey and gin also has less calories but a heavy daily consumption can kill you.

Wine seems to be classed as good for you as regards nutritional value.

However, it may lead to a shocking hangover and some wines contain lots of sugar.

Bourbon and Guinness have also been somewhat proven to be good for you.

And the healthiest drink of them all?

A Bloody Mary.

It contains vodka, tomato juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, celery, salt and pepper.

That means it has very low calorie count and is packed with nutrients.

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A DOZEN THREADS

This men’s 12 item wardrobe makes a perfect space saver and build your staples for a stylish wardrobe for the summer months .

1 Jeans should be a staple in every wardrobe, as part of this 12 item wardrobe our first pair are some dark raw denim jeans, they can be worn with almost anything. Very versatile and worth paying for a good pair.

2 A kahki parka is the jacket of choice, it’s light and warm. If you get stuck in a bit of a shower, which is very likely in ireland you will be both prepared and stylish.

3 For our wardrobe we added a total of four tshirts, we were sure to pick up a number of colours to keep our outfits looking fresh and different.

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The maths: Choose your colour palette well and you could have a combination creating over 30 outfits.

Choice of: Two outerwear, five t-shirts/ shirts, three pants and two footwear.

The equation works out 2x5x3x2 That is over 50 outfit combinations from these 12 items. This will keep your wardrobe looking fresh even though you’ve got a minimum to work with.

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4 Streetwear has been very prominent the past number of seasons,and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon, investing in a nice pair is worthwhile, even trade a t-shirt for a pair in your wardrobe.

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Reiterating point number one, denim jeans are an important part of any wardrobe. Our second pairare a lighter shade than the first so your outfit isn’t stagnant.

6 Orange pants. Don’t fear a bit of colour, just don’t over-do it (wearing orange pants with an orange tshirt). Coloured pants for when you want your outfit to stand out or so you won’t get lost.

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7 A shirt is needed in any wardrobe, adding some pattern, torn between stripes and a poplin effect. Perfect to wear to dinner or on a casual day.

8 A good pair of shoes is needed for any wardrobe. We went with blue suede derby shoes sticking to our pallette.

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9 The grey sweater is there to throw on if you are in a rush or need something for a cool evening to keep you warm.

Working with a colour palette: By choosing a great colour palette you can create a wardrobe that you can mix and match as you wish; making it possible to have as many outfit combinations as possible.

If you are choosing a standout colour, reference a colour wheel to see which colours compliment the other. A general rule is that opposing colours will compliment each other..

LIFE IN LINES

II

55

A DAY AT

THE RACES

Aedin Dunne and Dylan Cooney

Aoife Carroll, Eimear Carroll and Sarah Talty

Valerio Van der Niall

Fashion blogger Penney and Polaroids (real name Nuala Gorham), had this to say about the upcoming trends for race days. “Off the shoulder is set to be a big trend again this season so I think it'll be a popular one for the races.

A Romantic theme and ruffled dress were frequent trends on the catwalk so I think we can expect subtle ruffles and flowy styles to be popular for race attire.

Judy Sheehan, Aedin Dunne and Amy Blue

Ronan Corcoran, Donnacha Quinn and Ryan Fitzpatrick

Roisin Duffy, Conor Kavanagh and Orlagh McCarthy

Judy Sheehan and Sarah O’Donovan

Lauren O’Sullivan, Sarah Talty, Niamh Talty, Emma Boxwell, Siun Lennon, Amy Dermody and Sarah Russell

Far left: Joanne Crosse and Darragh Dwan Centre: Aedin Dunne, Dylan Cloonan, Amy Blue and Patrick Earley Right: Sarah Talty, Lauren O’Sullivan and Roisin Duffy

S A R A E W R E D R A N E U W R E T U O One of the more risquĂŠ trends out there at the minute, but fabulous none the less. From Gucci and Burberry to Dior, lingerie-esque clothing was all over the spring/summer catwalks for 2016.

Givenchy ss16 Dior ss16

Seeing as these couture pieces may break the bank a bit and are, let’s face it, a bit much for work or even your Saturday night out, here’s a few high street picks that we love.

This green satin number is the perfect dress for a night out.

Pair with black lace heels and a leather jacket or a bomber for that edgy look.

River Island- €50 This Topshop strappy bralet is an essential for the festival season.

Wear it under a denim shirt with high waisted denim shorts and some beachy waves.

Topshop- €36 You cannot go wrong with a trusty ol bodysuit. This lace trim one from Missguided is perfectly on trend.

Team with a pair of white jeans or a black pencil skirt and heels you’re good to go!

Missguided- €25

Celebrities such as Lea Michele, Rihanna and Millie Mackintosh are fans of the trend.

JOURNALISM@UL Produced by the second year journalism students at the University of Limerick © 2016