Motley Magazine Volume VIII Issue 4

Volume VIII ISSUE 4 UCCMotley.ie

26.11.14

EMILY HORGAN

InterviewALEX

BRANDI GLANVILLE

“Everyone wants to be Queen Bee but it’s an ensembles cast and the show needs all of us”

HUTCHINSON “It’s not the medium we shoot with, it’s the eye that makes the photographer: the camera is just an extension of your eye”

GOOD TO BE GAY MAX FARRELL wonders if Ireland’s student population will continue their history of political apathy in the upcoming marriageequality referendum

KELLY DOHERTY

-Nicki Minaj on ‘Nazi-nod’

examines the effects of Taylor Swift’s Spotify split

KIERAN CUNNANE

looks at the recent controversy behind Nicki Minaj’s latest music video.

‘If you want same-sex marriage, you’re welcome. We Don’t. It’s our moral standards.’

RUSSIAN CONNECTION: Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Ireland, Maxim Peshkov, debates with Seán Butler in UCC and speaks to Aaron Noonan PAGE 6

‘FrackingFRACK OFF.’ LAURA CASHMAN discusses the controversial topic of hydraulic fracturing in Ireland

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FORGOTTEN GUANTANAMO

UCC & CATHOLICISM Laura Hussey investigates the recent interview of former UCC Chaplain Fr David Barrins in The Sunday Independent, in which he claims that Catholic students are being silenced by Irish universities.

From Fixie-Bikes to a simple class-party, we run through our favourite festivewants

Team Editor: Ellen Desmond editor@motley.ie Graphic Designer: Cathal O’Gara Deputy Editor: Eoin McSweeney Current Affairs Editors: Eoin McSweeney deputyeditor@motley.ie Laura Cashman currentaffairs@motley.ie Features and Opinion Editors: Claire Crowley features@motley.ie Hannah Kingston deputyfeatures@motley.ie Entertainment Editors: Laura Hussey entertainment@motley.ie Kelly Doherty deputyentertainment@motley.ie Fashion Editor: Emily Horgan fashioneditor@motley.ie Creative Director: Laurence Keating creativedirector@motley.ie Webmaster: Andrew Shortall Public Relations Officer: Méadhbh Crowley Staff Writers: Adam O’Reilly Sorcha Lanigan Rachel O’Shea Contributors Aaron Noonan, Holly Cooney, Cian Manning, Jonny O’Mahony, Jane Farrell, Martha Brennan, Mairead Leen, Kieran Cunnane, Aoife Stapleton, Ruth Wilkins, Orlagh Thompson, Colm Cahalane, Mervyn Galvin, Max Farrell, and Killian Down.

Special Thanks Kieran Murphy, John Murphy, Audrey Ellard Walsh, The UCC Students’ Union, The UCC Media Executive, Laura Harte and all the team at Webprint, Annie Hoey, Padráig Rice, Evan at For the Love of Licious and Amy Frahill Photography.

Very Special Thanks UCC Law Society, UCC International Relations Society, Maxim Peshkov, Alex Hutchinson, Colm MacSweeny, Kate Stables, Gerard Stembridge, Gerry Barry Miss Daisy Blue, The Dress Bar, Savoy Theatre, Lockdown Models, Brandi Glanville, Peter Desmond and Pauliinna Kauppila of SARDA.

ssue 4 of was a tough one – it was a tough one to get started and a tough one to put together. Perhaps, part of the reason is because November is the month of the year where everyone is tired and hanging on by a thread until Christmas – or perhaps because famous people and advertisers won’t answer my urgent calls. Most likely, however, it’s because UCC semesterisation was out to get the editorial team but we got there, eventually.

Yet, even though Christmas seems to be arriving earlier and earlier each year, this issue isn’t very “Christmassy.” We touched on the subject of Christmas a few times, sure, but ultimately it’s about as Christmassy as I am; which is to say, not very. We look at such things as Guantanamo Bay, the state of consent in UCC and the crisis between Russia and Ukraine – the world keeps going.

It’s probably obvious that I have several problems with Christmas, one of which is that at the time of print the Christmas tree has not yet been placed in the UCC Amphitheatre, which is an outrage because I’ve been waiting to tweet it for weeks. I’m on the fence about the season of Christmas as a whole, I find the religious aspect of it almost ironic and my Holiday Season emotions (not unlike the quality of content in this issue) are a bit of a rollercoaster. I can’t even begin to describe how excited I am about Christmas markets, the end of exams and finally being able to listen to Christmas jingles without being judged – but the whole thing does also make me feel a bit sad and sentimental, as well as incredibly guilty.

I guess I’m one of the lucky ones this year and though I now “don’t hate” Christmas, there was a time when I really and truly did. Christmas is a difficult time for many; for the many people who are struggling financially (by the way, everyone is getting a copy of Motley for Christmas from me), to the many who are unwell or who are missing someone. For those reasons and for countless others, many feel entirely removed from the festivities. To be honest, the cheer and celebrations can just seem like a bit of a brag, at times. The cost of the window decorations in Brown Thomas could probably have fed and housed a large family for a month.

But Christmas is, I’ve come to believe, an important time of year. “He puzzled and puzzed till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. Maybe Christmas, he thought... doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps... means a little bit more!”

Take some time out for yourself and be considerate of those who seem like a bit of a Grinch because they probably have a good reason to be.

At the end of the day, exams are only exams, and there’s a chance for a new beginning at the end of every year. We’ll meet you back here with another fresh issue of on the 12th of January.

Pieta House Cork Address: Highfield Lawn, Model Farm Road Bishopstown Cork

Phone: 021-4341400 Website: http://www.pieta.ie To Donate: http://www.pieta.ie/index.php/donate

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DAY BREAKFAS DITIONAL IRISH DITIONAL IRISH SERVED ALL D SERVED ALL D 20%

llll menu ite menu ite With Student I.D.

ALL DAY BREAKFAST €6.95 TRADITIONAL IRISH DISHES SERVED ALL DAY

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ST €6.95 H DISHES DAY Budget 2015 Rundown

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ems 8.65 is a sum that will be all too familiar with many of our student readers.

It’s a building block that may someday amount to a summer spent on foreign shores, or perhaps the one thing that prevents yet another lonely migration across the Atlantic from which there may be no return. Whatever this paltry sum may promise or indeed prevent, its name remains the same: the minimum wage.

For the last number of months there has been a perceptible change in tone in the news delivered to the masses on a daily basis; for five arduous, painful years, our ears were met each day by a seemingly endless stream of job losses in the hundreds, stinging tax increases and barked orders from our European financial masters, baying for repayments. Turn on the morning news today, however,

and you will be greeted with a far sweeter tune, a song known as the end of austerity. In fact at the time of writing, 515 new jobs have been announced in the past week, a sure sign that things are beginning to look up, financially speaking.

There is, unfortunately, always a caveat. Minimum wage levels in Ireland have not risen since 2007.

Prior to Budget 2015, which was presented to the public in October, Unite, a trade union, called for a hike in the minimum wage to €9.20 which

Forgotten Promise: Guantanamo Bay PAGE 10

the union forecasted would increase consumer spending by €1bn and cause employment figures to rise by a staggering 17,000. However, despite Budget 2015 marking the end of austerity, minimum wage levels remained stationary yet again.

This begs the question, how much is enough for the lowest earners in our society?

It is a difficult task to answer this question, not only from a moral point of view but from a purely statisticsbased standpoint too; such a divisive topic makes for campaigners on both sides of the fence presenting partisan statistics that support their own respective views, blurring who is right and who is wrong. It would appear at this juncture that those advocating a freeze in the minimum wage will remain satisfied for now, at least. In the words of Minister for Jobs, Richard Bruton, “I don’t believe the priority now is for wages

increases. The priority is to continue to focus on employment opportunities.”

Many will argue that the government’s policy on maximising employment whilst continually ignoring calls for an increase in the minimum wage is a somewhat flawed one. After all, many of those already in employment are struggling to make ends meet. As such, a “living wage” of €11.45 per hour has been postulated by a technical group of campaigners, trade unions and think tanks. This figure is touted as the true minimum wage from which an acceptable standard of living can be maintained.

Despite the dawn of the end of austerity it cannot be denied that we are still living in a harsh economic climate, one in which such a stark increase in the minimum wage will be laughed off as a piece of fantastical wishful thinking. However, those on the bottom rung of the wage levels ladder are doing everything but laughing.

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Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Ireland, Maxim Peshkov, debates with Seán Butler in UCC and speaks to ’s Aaron Noonan On the 12th of November The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Ireland, Maxim Peshkov, visited UCC to take part in a debate with International Law lecturer Seán Butler, on the current strife between Ukraine and Russia. The debate focussed primarily on the implications of the sanctions and counter-sanctions placed by Europe and Russia on one another, in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and the subsequent War in Donbass.

Mr Peshkov’s visit to UCC comes at a time of great unease in international politics, as Russia’s policies in Ukraine, along with its strategy in the Middle East and its conservative views on gay rights, increasingly leave the nation at odds with the international community. Indeed, the annual G20 summit in Australia last week focused primarily on Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Russian President, Vladimir Putin, received a frosty reception from his western counterparts in Brisbane, as he once again called for an end to economic sanctions on Russia. Mr Peshkov echoed these calls as he defended his country’s policies and actions in Wednesday’s debate. He

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began his speech by offering an impassioned plea to the audience, not to believe “all rumours about my country.”

Maintaining that Russia did not initiate the trade war that sanctions have brought on, Mr Peshkov blamed the European Union and the United States for “inventing” justifications for implementing the sanctions, adding that Russia kept its patience for as long as it could, before resorting to counter-sanctions.

As a member of the European Union, Ireland has also been subject to such counter-sanctions from Russia, which include a blanket ban on food imports from EU countries. In 2011, Ireland exported €150 million worth of food and drink to the Russian Federation, including €90 million worth of meat and €4.5 million worth of cheese. Mr Peshkov acknowledged that sanctions would put a strain on the agricultural sector of Ireland, saying “I would say that this step was rather painful for the governmental structures of Ireland, but this action was very pleasant mainly for local farmers.”

Mr Peshkov sought to put forward the idea that Russia was forced into its current position by Europe and the United States. He argued that sanctions on Russia were politically motivated, to create greater

competition between Russian and American oil in Europe. In essence, to extend American influence in the former Soviet Union through increased energy exports to the region.

The latter part of Mr Peshkov’s address was dedicated to the wider situation in Ukraine, as he sought to clarify Russia’s position: “[Russian] armed forces have never been on the territory of Ukraine. We don’t intend to send any forces to this country.” An interesting position to hold, given that a statement released by NATO just hours before the debate reported that Russian military convoys had once again entered eastern Ukraine.

Regardless of repeated accusations from several countries and intergovernmental institutions that Russia is directly complicit in the War in Donbass, it has denied any involvement. Mr Peshkov reiterated this sentiment by categorically stating that “we are not part of this conflict.” Indeed, he accused the European Union of igniting the conflict, stating that while Russia was not explicitly against a strengthening of relations between Europe and Ukraine, they hoped to sit down and discuss the implications of such a move. Instead, he argued, Kiev received an ultimatum from Brussels - to go with Europe or to go

with Russia. Such an ultimatum, he reasoned, was a precursor to the conflict in Ukraine.

Mr Peshkov ended his address by arguing that the goal of Europe’s sanctions, “to try to burn a feeling of disgust to our own government,” has not come to fruition. Rather, he asserted, the sanctions have engendered anger toward Europe among the Russian people.

Offering his rebuttal, Mr Butler said that he believes that, regarding Ukraine, Russia “has made some very dangerous decisions, ones that threatened world stability and ultimately threaten the Russian state itself.”

The core of his speech revolved around international law - its importance in world affairs and how he believed that Russia’s actions in Ukraine breached Article 2 (IV) of the UN Charter which states that “all members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.”Mr Butler offered several instances where he believed that Russia had breached the charter. “First of all, the occupying of airports and other strategic locations after the Ukrainian government fell. I’m talking about the Duma voting in favour of using military force in Ukraine. I’m talking about the ultimatum that Ukrainian troops received on the night of March 3rd, that they had to surrender their control of the Crimean peninsula by dawn of the 4th.”

He went on to say that the official annexation of the Crimean peninsula, along with the crossing of tanks and artillery from Russia into Ukraine, were also blatant violations. Mr Peskov had earlier reiterated the stance of the Russian government, which is that no Russian troops have set foot on Ukrainian soil. Mr Butler argued that although the counter-argument is that those fighting in Ukraine are “volunteers,” he “would be worried about the level of control - even if we take the them at their word - that the Russian government have over their soldiers if hundreds or thousands of them are participating in a war in another country, with either, the implicit consent of the Russian government, or, that they are unable to stop them.”

He went on to say that “if the Russia government truly respected international law, or truly respected the sovereignty of another country, would not permit its own soldiers to enter into other war zones to fight for a cause that as the Ambassador himself said, is not the Russian’s cause.”

Further expanding on this, Mr Butler disputed the Russian argument that it had a “responsibility to protect” (R2P) in the Crimean peninsula, i.e that it had to intervene for humanitarian reasons. “What harms were these people facing that required the vast Russian state to come and protect them?”

Certainly, according to Mr Butler, no extreme harm that would require the invocation of R2P. Regarding the sanctions that the European Union have placed on Russia, he said that the sanctions were necessary to send a strong message to Russia that its actions in Ukraine are not acceptable in the international community. “If we don’t draw the line right here, right now, then we have no idea what’s going to happen next. We do not know the Russian government has an interest in doing what it has done in Ukraine in states like Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.”

While he acknowledged, as did Mr Peshkov, that sanctions will be damaging to both European countries such as Ireland, as well as Russia, Mr Butler insisted that “this is the price we must pay for our values. Moral life is not always easy life. We must stand in defence of peace, in defence of the rule of law, and in defence of international consensus.”

After both speakers had finished and questions had been answered, a vote was taken among the audience as to whether the European Union should lift its sanctions on Russia. The result was a decisive no.

Eastern Ukraine remains heavily engulfed in hostilities.

Efforts to resolve the conflict are heavily marred by a deep, mutual distrust between the European Union and Russia. As evinced by the debate between Mr Peshkov and Mr Butler, two irreconcilable narratives have emerged out of the conflict. Russia maintains that its involvement in Ukraine has been minimal, with absolutely zero military intervention or threat of force, while Europe and the United States maintain that Russia is actively engaging in a ground war with Ukrainian troops near the eastern border, a gross violation of international law. Sanctions and counter-sanctions, while effectual in many ways, only enhance the misgivings the east and the west hold for one another. While sanctions are a useful tool to protest against perceived wrongdoings in the international system, they rarely offer a long-term solution to conflicts.

was grateful to be afforded a few minutes to talk to Mr Peshkov before the debate started.

Seeing as the primary focus of the debate was centred around the Ukraine crisis, Motley instead focussed on an issue that has been the subject of much debate in Russia over the past year: gay rights. In 2013, the Duma unanimously passed a law that made distributing material to children that promoted homosexuality as a norm in society a criminal offence. In contrast to this, Ireland will hold a referendum next year on the legalisation of same-sex marriage, with upwards of 67% of the electorate poised to vote yes, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll. Mr Peshkov was asked if he could account for the disparity in gay acceptance between our two countries. He responded by saying “it’s your choice who to marry.

I think it’s your choice and your destiny. If you want to have same-sex marriage, you’re welcome. We don’t. It’s our moral standards. You have your own, we have our own way.”

He went on to say that although a majority approved of same-sex marriage in Ireland, that 70% of those who voted in these polls said that “the best family to have children are natural families - father and mother. It’s a rather interesting, psychological paradox maybe in your country.” An interesting paradox indeed, but Motley was unable to find recorded evidence to back up such a claim. A Behaviours and Attitudes poll from August 2014 showed that 65% of respondents agreed that gay adoption was acceptable. While it is easy to account for the dissimilarity between our two nations on gay rights as having different “moral standards,” it is difficult to accept that treating homosexuality as abnormal in society is a “moral standard” to hold for any nation.

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Laura Hussey investigates the recent interview of former UCC Chaplain Fr David Barrins in The Sunday Independent, in which he claims that Catholic students are being silenced by Irish universities. n Sunday the 9th of October, Claire McCormack published an article for The Sunday Independent’s website titled ‘Catholic fear and loathing in our universities.’

In the article, Ms McCormack analysed the idea that Catholics’ beliefs are disregarded by third level institutions. Fr. David Barrins’ opinions formed the bulk of the article, with the former UCC Chaplain claiming that Irish universities are trying to silence students who have a strong Catholic ethos.

University College Cork prominently featured in the article, given that Fr. Barrin’s previous post was with the UCC Chaplaincy. Barins believes that universities like UCC are ‘intolerant’ towards Catholics, especially those who represent the prolife side of the abortion debate. “It’s discrimination and it keeps people silent by using very evocative terms like homophobic and bigot . . . it’s very hard to fight that because once you’re labelled, it seems to stick,” explained Fr Barrins. In the article in question, Fr. Barrins spoke about what he describes as a generally ‘anti-Catholic’ feeling

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among Irish universities. He claims that UCC is perpetuating the idea that an ‘anti-Catholic’ or ‘anti-pro-life’ attitude is acceptable.

The Dominican friar focuses in on a number of UCC student-run bodies whom he feels help enforce this ‘anti-Catholic’ ethos in the community.

He determined that over the past three years this has especially been the case. One of his criticisms was against the UCC Students’ Union which Fr Barrins’ claimed was disrespectful towards certain Catholic students’ beliefs; he revealed to Ms McCormack that at the last UCC SHAG Week in 2014 a “massive pink penis” was set up outside the Honan Chapel in UCC and “condoms were handed out to people going to Mass”. However, former UCC Students’ Union Deputy President and USI Vice President for Equality and Citizenship Annie Hoey defended the Students’ Union’s work in organising SHAG week. “SHAG Week (Sexual Health and Guidance Week) aims to inform students firstly about how to engage in sexual activity in a safe way, but also how to have fun and enjoy sexual encounters.” explained Hoey.

“Being sexually active is nothing to be ashamed of and the week aims to show that. While the week looks at sexual activity as a fun and healthy activity, it also acknowledges that not everyone

is sexually active nor should they feel pressured into engaging in any kind of activity that they don’t want to,” she went on, “consent plays a huge role in the week, and the USI ‘Say Something’ survey shows worrying statistics of harassment, sexual assault and sexual violence on campuses, and how under reported they are.”

She continues to say “SHAG Week is about promoting safe sexual activity, that is fun and consensual, and that no one should ever feel pressured into engaging in any activity that they don’t want to or don’t feel ready for. To smite the positive work the SU does in promoting all of this, by claiming it is anti-Catholic, is unfair.

Promoting positive and safe sexual activity is not discriminatory- it is a realistic and practical approach that responds to the needs of many students. There is a lot of work done by UCCSU in terms of promoting mental wellbeing and having a positive relationship with your body, and SHAG Week and being proactive in taking suitable precautions plays an important role in that.”

The Sunday Independent article furthermore notes that Catholic societies, or lack thereof, in universities in Ireland are symptomatic of this growing intolerance for Catholics. Father Barrins mentions that while there are Islamic or Muslim Societies, there are no Catholic societies but only Christian Union; the umbrella society for those who believe in Jesus. However, the article fails to mention the argument that an Islamic Society is just as diverse a label as Christian Union. “The Islamic societies have huge support and that’s great but Catholic students are almost being told what they believe in and who will represent them,” Fr Barrins said to the Irish Independent. Fr Barrins is certain that being Catholic in an increasingly secular environment has become difficult for students and speaking to Holly Ni Cheirligh, former Auditor of the Christian Union society in UCC, she partly agreed with his sentiments, telling Motley she “can see that there has been some hostility towards the Catholic group in UCC,” but was quick to note, “however I don’t see that as a reflection on the attitude towards to Christian Union on campus.

I have felt very supported by students, other societies and the Societies Guild as we strive to focus on the love of Jesus and building good relationships with those around us in UCC.” Barrins also cited the UCC Societies Guild as having “refused” a “Love Life Society” application on the grounds of religious bias. “Love-Life is being discriminated and worse because they are pro-life and there isn’t a single society at UCC that is prolife,” he said. Amidst this argument at the decision made by the Societies Guild Executive last year, an anonymous student linked to the Love Life group told the Sunday Independent last month that “I feel discriminated against; we’re paying huge fees that partly fund the societies so we feel like we are being robbed to a certain extent. We don’t have freedom of speech or the right to association, it’s an absolute oppression.”

To apply to become a new society in UCC, Motley learned, there are a number of formal steps. A thorough application must be filled out, along with submitting a preliminary budget and a minimum of 100 student signatures. The group of students also have to justify how their society would benefit UCC, contribute to the student

experience, as well as explain how the society differs from existing ones. Padraig Rice, former UCC student and UCC Societies Guild President 2013-14 clarified the reason that the application was unsuccessful stating that “the Societies Guild rejects applications for two main reasons. One, if the remit of the Society overlaps with that of an existing Society. Two, if the society is based around one single issue. ‘Love Life’ was rejected on both grounds. The debating and humans rights elements of the application were already cover by Societies such as Philosoph and Amnesty. When these elements were discounted what remained was the anti-abortion campaign. The Societies Guild has a long standing policy of rejecting Societies based around one single campaigning issue. All applications for a Pro-Choice Society were also denied. I reject all accusations of bias or religious intolerance levelled by the former Chaplain.” On the same and equal grounds a Pro-Choice Society would never have been accepted either.

The “Love Life Society” applicants also sought

to appeal the decision and attended one of the UCC Societies’ Senates last academic year, in an attempt to obtain the necessary amount of signatures from existing society Auditors, which is necessary to appeal a rejection. At the Senate it was also rejected by majority vote of the Auditors.

This is not the first time the failure of a “Love Life Society” application has been questioned in the Irish media. Although the appeals process was unsuccessful in March of last year, it was only last month that The Irish Catholic website spoke about the application and a spokesperson for the Bishop of Cork and Ross asked that UCC intervene. However, it was in the same article that the spokesman for Bishop John Buckley admitted that the diocese “enjoyed very good relations” with UCC. He said “this was manifested through the partnership between Church and university in relation to the Honan Chapel itself, and through the funding by the university, for Catholic chaplaincy” Catholicism being the only religion in UCC offered both a dedicated place of worship and chaplaincy service. Bishop Buckley confirmed “that he has always been made to feel welcome in UCC by the president, staff and students.” Motley also approached the Chaplaincy director Fr Tom on his thoughts about the attitude towards Catholics in UCC and the allegations of discrimination towards the pro-life society. When asked to comment, the UCC Chaplainc explained that “given that the article interviewed the former Head Chaplain and that there is a new agreement between the Diocese/Honan Trust and UCC under negotiation it would be remiss [of the Chaplaincy] to pass any comment at this time.” Before this issue went to print, the UCC Societies Guild had yet to receive any word this year about a follow up “Love Life Society” application, since that of March 2014.

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Holly Cooney discusses President Obama’s unfulfilled promise to close the notorious prison’s doors ince 1903 the Guantanamo Bay naval station in Cuba has been leased by the U.S government. Cuban governmental authorities agreed to the lease on the basis that the island be used as a naval station, something they believed would significantly reduce the US military presence. The lease was worth $4, 0845 to the Cuban government but following the Cuban revolution of 1953-1959 Cuban authorities, under the leadership of Fidel Castro, refused to accept payment due to their demand to have Guantanamo returned to Cuba. Unfortunately, this 111 year old lease agreement cannot be broken unless it is agreed to by both governments, a handy little trick by the US government.

Following the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers and World Trade Centre the migrant detention facilities at the base were alternated to become a detention centre for Middle Eastern and African suspects involved in the war on terror. Since its inception there have been over 750 detainees and as of November 2014 there are 148 prisoners currently detained, most of whom are of Middle Eastern ethnicity. Of the 148 current prisoners the majority have been cleared for release for a number of years, but surprise, surprise they haven’t gone anywhere. The question of why these incriminated prisoners, who have been cleared for release, are still detained in what Amnesty International has called the “Gulag of our times” is one that needs to be answered. The simple answer is politics. Guantanamo has long been a symbol of the USA’s control and also is seen by many to be an accurate way of tackling the war on terror, although Guantanamo Bay is absolutely not tackling the war on terror but is doing exactly the opposite, as it has long been a training camp for anti-American groups such as Al Queda and will continue to be so until something is changed.

In response to the suspected war crimes of its prisoners the US government has reacted in a brutal and inhumane way. The torture Guantanamo imposes on its inmates is something we are all aware of. Sexual harassment and humiliation is a common method with most detainees claiming they were raped, or threatened with rape, alongside other forms of sexual assault such as stripping and sodomisation. Sleep and sensory deprivation are also common, in these cases inmates are subjected to 20 plus hours of interrogation which can cause impaired memory and cognitive functions, hallucinations, psychosis and cardiovascular disease as well as mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Sensory bombardment involves the strapping of inmates to a chair, shackling their

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hands and feet and forces them to endure incessant strobe lights and music just below the point needed to shatter the eardrum. Mostly rap and rock music is used and following the news that their music was being used in this torture, musicians including Rage Against the Machine, R.E.M and Massive Attack were involved in protests as part of the Zero dB initiative against music torture. Solitary confinement and isolation are also used as torture methods, despite being outlawed by international law under the Convention Against Torture, ICCPR and the Geneva Conventions but is still a commonly used method in Guantanamo which causes permanent psychological damage. Other than these other forms of torture include enforced medication and feeding, temperature extremes and even mock executions.

The shame Guantanamo Bay brings on the USA and also on Cuba, which is solely due to its geographical location, is something that was worsened by everyone’s favourite republican, Mr. George W. Bush. It was Bush who instituted Guantanamo as a prisoner of war camp and it was under his leadership that the suspects, and I emphasise “suspects” of 9/11 were captured and detained without trial. Whilst I admit that it is easy to criticise Bush for being the instigator of the world’s most controversial prison camp what we also need know is that whilst under his presidency 779 men were detained, but over 500 of those were released.

Obama, despite his huge popularity is also a culprit. During his presidential campaign one of his many election promises agreed to shut the doors of Guantanamo, earning him democratic, liberal and left wing support and even that of Guantanamo’s prisoners themselves who chanted “Obama, Obama, Obama!” during his successful election in November 2008. Upon taking office, one of his first acts as president was to sign an executive order for the closure of Guantanamo within one year of his rule. Sounds great right? Well that was in 2009 and as we know the doors of Guantanamo are still wide open five years later. So why is it that Obama, the people’s president, has failed in his promises surrounding such a notorious and hated institution?

The White House has been spinning the same yarn that Guantanamo remains open due to legislative constraints imposed by Congress but the facts don’t add up. In reality, since taking office Obama has had little interest in dealing with Guantanamo.

Under Obama, 79 detainees have been cleared for release, yet they remain in Guantanamo, the only progress he has made is 90 transfers, a stark contrast to Bush’s 500 releases. Obama is the first president who, despite the overwhelming condemnation of the military commission has actually supported indefinite detention and constitutionalising it as law. What this means is that some detainees will never be released as they are considered a threat to national security.

Despite the moral implications of Guantanamo Bay, surrounding the torture methods and indefinite detention which in my opinion are the strongest and most important reasons for its closure, there are also other facts and figures the US government needs to look at, namely the financial implications of keeping it open. It costs a staggering $2.7 million a year to keep just one detainee at Guantanamo so obviously, even financially it just isn’t working. The US government need to look at the facts and the reality of how Guantanamo is not only affecting its prisoners but also the US, in both a national and international sense, and if this doesn’t encourage change then unfortunately nothing will, as even the physical closure of Guantanamo won’t end the psychological effects it has had on its prisoners nor will it change the mindset of the military as the closing of one Guantanamo will only mean the opening of another, identical in all but name. Laws need to be amended and righteousness needs to be reinstated as “the land of the free” is merely a cruel, paradoxical and ambiguous term for a land which is not for the free, but the wrongly accused, detained and imprisoned.

n mid-September of this year, the Syrian Civil war took a new turn. The Obama administration, which for so long had sought to define its legacy by ending wars, was now being forced to extend its reluctant bombing campaign from Iraq to neighbouring Syria, in order to contend with the seemingly inexplicable rise of the Islamic State. In order to stop the fall of Baghdad, the US-led coalition would have to strike the heart of the Islamic State across the border, where the group had, until recently, served as a convenient ally in the fight against Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.

However, for all the intense media coverage that the Islamic State were getting, another terror cell revealed itself in the lead up to the US bombing campaign in Syria. The “Khorasan Group” started to appear in statements from US officials, with the Director of US Intelligence, James R. Clapper stating on the 20th of September that “in terms of threat to the homeland, Khorasan may pose as much of a danger as the Islamic State.” Indeed, a statement released by US Central Command on the 23rd of September confirmed that strikes against this mysterious group had taken place in Western Syria. Again, on the 6th of November, CENTCOM confirmed further strikes against the Khorasan group had taken place.

But who are the Khorasan Group? How did their existence slip past the watchful eyes of every observer of the Syrian conflict until the United States decided to hit them with airstrikes? In the aftermath of the initial strike in September, international media began to openly question who this new terrorist faction was.

Muslin al-Fadhli was being touted as the leader of the shadowy cell. Many outlets, such as BBC News, described the group as “al-Qaeda-linked,” while the New York Times noted that “it is unclear who, besides Fadhli, is part of the Khorasan group.”

The significance of the “emergence” of this group is that it’s not just linked to al-Qaeda, it is in fact core al-Qaeda, veteran members of the organisation who were in close circles with bin Laden. In the aftermath of 9/11, the United States aggressively pursued and degraded al-Qaeda through its incursions into Iraq and Afghanistan. Controversial though they were, those wars yielded results in the eyes of the US government, with Obama frequently describing al-Qaeda as “decimated”, “on the run” or “on their heels”. The assassination of Osama bin-Laden in May of 2011 only served to reinforce this idea that America’s War on Terror, contentious though it may have been, had at least resulted in al-Qaeda’s destruction.

While there is an element of truth to such a theory, it doesn’t tell the full story. Of course, a ten year operation to destroy al-Qaeda was going to bear some fruit. As an organisation, al-Qaeda doesn’t look anything like it did in 2001. What was once a highly centralised group, has now become deeply decentralised, with several regional terrorist organisations such as Jabhat al-Nusra, Boko Haram, al-Shabaab, al-Qaeda in Somalia, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and the newly formed alQaeda in the Indian Subcontinent all pledging

Aaron Noonan investigates the latest of terrorist organisations to appear in the Middle East

their allegiance to bin-Laden’s successor Ayman al-Zawahiri. When recently put to task on what the “Khorasan Group” actually is, US National Security Advisor Susan Rice described al-Qaeda as a cancer that has metastasised around the globe, hence its decentralised structure. A convenient metaphor, but one that doesn’t quite explain the “Khorasan group”.

The group’s leader, Muhsin al-Fadhli, was a close confidant of Osama bin-Laden. So much so, in fact, that significant evidence exists that he was one of a very small number of people who knew about the 9/11 attacks before they took place. Al-Fadhli has been in Syria for the past year or so and has gradually formed and led this “Khorasan Group” of veteran alQaeda members, tasked with plotting attacks in the west, just as the previously centralised al-Qaeda did leading up to the 9/11 attacks.

Syria is the perfect location for such a group to flourish. Jabhat al-Nusra, al-Qaeda’s official wing in Syria, has a considerable foothold in the country, bringing in a relatively large number of recruits

from the West. Easy access to jihadists with western passports is of huge benefit to a group charged with plotting western attacks. So one can see why the United States would be eager to strike a group such as this in tandem with its strikes on the Islamic State.

However, for this particular group to be actively plotting attacks against the United States from Syria poses a huge PR problem for the Obama administration. Just as Susan Rice described al-Qaeda in 2014 as a metastasis of its former consolidated self, the general US position on al-Qaeda for the past number of years has been that it is “decimated” and “on the run”. Hence the US-assigned moniker “Khorasan group”. The name is an invention of the US government to conveniently ignore the fact that core al-Qaeda still exists. The word Khorasan actually refers to an ancient and loosely defined geographical area around Afghanistan, so it’s most likely that this name was assigned to refer to the idea that these men travelled from al-Qaeda’s traditional home ground to be in Syria.

The existence (and designation) of a terrorist cell like the “Khorasan Group” serves as a potent reminder that al-Qaeda is still very much alive and kicking, despite the United States suggesting otherwise.

For the United States to openly acknowledge that veteran members of al-Qaeda are operating freely in Syria would be to backtrack on years of rhetoric and contradict one of the few supposed successes of the War on Terror. An opportune re-naming of this group led to widespread confusion among the media, conveniently muddying the truth about core al-Qaeda’s operations in Syria.

Although hugely redefined since its most consequential operation on the 11th of September 2001, al-Qaeda still retains a strong following and a strong core leadership. Its decentralisation has been significant, but many of the regional organisations that pledge allegiance to al-Qaeda and al-Zawahiri are highly developed and extremely well funded. After all, a metastasised cancer is never a positive outcome, so Susan Rice’s metaphor is somewhat redundant.

So while the Islamic State garners all the headlines, it is important to understand that al-Qaeda haven’t simply gone away. Ayman al-Zawahiri still holds considerable sway among a significantly decentralised al-Qaeda, but a group such as Khorasan is a testament to the fact that the foundations of the organisation still lies in core and well-established members. Despite apparent success stories such as the killing of Osama bin-Laden, core al-Qaeda remains a genuine force in global jihadism. Despite the fact that the United States struck a significant blow to the organisation in the years after 9/11, it has adapted by decentralising.

The Khorasan group, however, serves as a reminder that core al-Qaeda still has a hand to play in global jihadism.

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Laura Cashman discusses the controversial topic of hydraulic fracturing in Ireland

ith environmental issues arguably low on the list of government priorities, hydraulic fracturing or fracking, as it is more commonly known, has yet to come to the fore in public consciousness. The recent water protests, however, have ensured more and more Irish people have begun questioning the motives of the Fine Gael/Labour coalition and the future of our country.

Fracking is a means of extracting natural gas from sedimentary rocks by drilling wells underground and pumping a combination of water, sand and chemicals at high pressure. It remains a highly controversial topic all over the world as well as in Ireland. The steadily increasing public engagement with political issues here has had a knock-on effect on the push for fracking with the anti-fracking movement seeing an increase in numbers and support. Campaigns have been supported by both the public as well as elected officials with over sixty local election candidates signing Friends of the Earth Fracking Free Ireland Pledge in April last. This campaign encouraged Irish people to question the meaning of fracking, its implications on our lives and the motives behind the companies behind it.

However, fracking is not just an Irish issue. It is an international issue. Communities in the United States, the United Kingdom and South Africa among others have both debated and protested against hydraulic fracturing. In South Africa, where one out of three people live below the poverty line and unemployment lies at over 25% of the population, many believe fracking will industrialize the economy. In fact, in 2012, the South African government sponsored a South African think tank Econometix study to examine the economic effects of fracking which found that developing just one-tenth of the estimated shale resources could boost the economy by $19.56 billion, 5 percent of South Africa’s current GDP. It would also create up to 700,000 jobs. These arguments have encouraged the most vulnerable in society, as well as politicians and lawmakers to embrace fracking. In Ireland, Steven Carroll of the Irish Times wrote in an article that the arguments for and against fracking show that exploration firm Tamboran estimates that

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the proposed Fermanagh site alone could “provide 50 years supply for Northern Ireland at current usage rates. The value of such a yield has been estimated at $50 billion.” While there are similar predictions for Leitrim, Cavan and Sligo, in Ireland and indeed the UK the government owns underground mineral rights, not the landowners. This means that the monetary benefits to the landowners are minimal at best.

However, many reports and anti-fracking movements have shown that the economic benefits do not outweigh the social and environmental drawbacks especially in Ireland. Leah Doherty of Fracking Free Ireland claimed it is potentially dangerous in a recent Huffington Post article. “Here in Ireland there are laws forbidding people to even build houses near important aquifers, so the idea that fracking could take place anywhere near our underground water systems is crazy.” Considering the perilous situation the Irish government is currently facing regarding water, would the government survive if they put our water situation in danger like this?

With the US Environmental Protection Agency recently reviewing contamination in California and finding that the “industry illegally injected about 3 billion gallons of fracking wastewater into central drinking-water and farm-irrigation aquifers,” many fear a similar fate to our water supply in Ireland.

However, the government appears reluctant to put the issue to rest, despite an Environmental Protection Agency commissioned report on hydraulic fracturing which received 1,356 submissions following a public consultation, the majority of which are opposed to the practice. Doherty claims that this also alerts us to the corruption in our government. “The biggest farming

union in the country the Irish Farmers Association, which has strong ties to the political establishment, have still not informed their members about the associated risks of fracking to the farming industry. This is scandalous in my view and it is because of these types of cozy relationships between big organizations and government that people are being kept in the dark.”

Interestingly, however, local government does appear to be responding to the call from the public with “out of the 13 [counties] zoned for fracking, five of the County Councils have either called for a moratorium or ban on fracking.”

The impact of fracking does not stop at environmental effects but also our food production and tourism sectors. The drilling of both boreholes and the process of fracking itself could potentially change the Irish landscape. Considering that the attractiveness of our landscape attracts thousands of visitors every year, fracking could have a huge effect on tourism. Many of the counties that are being proposed are renowned areas of natural beauty. The food production sector has voiced its worries over the poisoning of our natural resources and water supplies. As well as this, several healthcare professionals have come out against fracking with many affected in America being found to have had many detrimental health effects varying from asthma to arsenic poisoning.

It is clear to see that there are many different facets to this ongoing argument. The history of fracking proposals in Ireland has been fraught with uncertainty.

On the 26th of March 2010, the Fianna Fail/Green governing coalition invited applications for “Onshore Licensing Options over the Northwest Carboniferous Basin and the Clare Basin.” However, this has been put on hold in the Republic. Northern Ireland was also heralded success recently with DUP MLA and Minister for Energy Arlene Foster terminating Tamboran’s exploration license. But with the lure of jobs and monetary prospects for the government still in people’s minds, the story is far from over. As Tamboran recently claimed, regarding Fermanagh, “people have a right to the facts and that is what we are seeking to establish with this project.”

Motley goes through the significant changes outlined in Budget 2015 by Finance Minister Michael Noonan From 2015 tax relief on water charges at the standard rate of 20% will be available, up to a maximum of €500 per annum (which means a maximum €100 tax credit). This relief will be paid in arrears.

Incomes of €12,012 or less will be exempt from the Universal Social Charge.

A relief from DIRT on savings used by first time house buyers towards

the deposit on a home is being introduced.

The Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) reliefs available for the purchase of hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in electric vehicles, and electric motorcycles are being extended to 31 December 2016.

There will be a doubling of JobsPlus places from 3,000 to 6,000 to incentivise employers

to hire long-term unemployed people from the Live Register.

Employers can receive up to €10,000 in monthly cash grants over 2 years for each eligible employee.

Limerick (€10 million); a new Human Biology Building at NUI Galway (€7 million); and the construction of the Confucius Institute at University College, Dublin (€3 million).

The pupil/teacher ratio in all schools will remain unchanged.

The 12.5% Corporation Tax will not change.

Three capital projects will be funded in Irish universities in 2015: a major library project at the University of

Changes to our residency rules to require all companies registered in Ireland to also be tax resident. This will eliminate the ‘Double

Irish’ tax scheme. This legal change will take effect from 1 January 2015 for new companies.

An additional 200 recruits will enter Garda College in the coming months.

For existing companies there will be a transition period until the end of 2020.

It is expected that Ireland will provide some €600 million in international aid in 2015.

No cuts or amendments to the student maintenance grant A return of the €25m withheld from colleges in the 2013 and 2014 budgets.

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Rise of the Islamic State Web Summit

Motley

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Dublin

Wishlist

In a somewhat-satirical glance into students’ acceptable level of drinking habits, Adam O’ Reilly investigates what has become the norm for both him and many others.

ow it’s not my intention to glorify the whole ordeal associated with the overconsumption of alcohol but it is pretty glamorous isn’t it? The biggest decision you will ever face throughout your college years may well be: where to go for “Prinks.” After all, pre-drinks are the most important part of the night; a glamorous affair very similar to the pre-Oscar party, bringing together various characters from all walks of life. Prinks, or “prinkles” if you’re feeling sassy enough, is key to any successful night on the town, it’s also the only viable financial option amidst the current economic crisis. A trip to Aldi or Lidl is advised but not essential, I mean you can’t really go wrong with a bottle of white wine for €3.99 now can you? It’s important to take all the selfies you can during the early stages of prinking because let’s face it, it’s at this time when you are at your classiest, your outfit is still together and your hair is on point.

Let’s be realistic here, you may as well leave the dignity at home because there’s no place for it where you’re going. It’s only the start of the night so you best be prepared, give your hair one last ten minute blast of hairspray, stick the sneaky naggin in any orifice you can and maybe brush your teeth if you’re planning to meet the future bae.

Not only is vodka a little drop of courage in a glass but it also doubles as a truth serum which can be a volatile combination at best. Take myself for example, I remember graduating from secondary school and attending a celebratory “I’m never going to have to see you bitches again” party. I remember sitting down in an outside terrace sipping my wine-vodka concoction, taking in the sunset before inviting fellow classmates to sit with me, while I gave them a detailed account of why I hated every single one of those shady bitches. It felt like a scene from Mean Girls when everyone stood up to Regina George but in retrospect the only similarity it had to Mean Girls was that Lindsay Lohan and I clearly had a drinking problem. Never-the-less, I look back at that night fondly and cherish every moment of it.

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You also realise the amount of people you love, well, according to the vodka anyway.

If you’re like me then you’ll be the friend who always passes out half ways through the night and when you eventually come-to, you’re being carried home by all your friends. How glorious being carried home by the peasants, you finally start to feel like the Queen you always knew you were meant to be. Who knows, if the peasants behave you may even reward them with a shower of your heavenly vomit, people always get so grossed out by vomit but I think it’s rather beautiful in some ways. Vomiting is just the body’s way of releasing the vodka fairies, beautiful little creatures similar to Tinkerbelle who ensure a good

night is to be had by all. Okay, well, I may be trying to polish a turd here but by the end of the night you are more than likely going to be covered in vomit anyway, so excuse me for trying to make the whole ordeal a little bit more Disney!

Like everything in life, all good things must come to a flaming and disastrous end - the morning after. There is one blissful moment when you can’t remember what, who or where the Hell you are. You wake up with a banging headache buried under a mountain of cans, not knowing how you got there and you turn to Toto and say “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.” Needless to say, Toto isn’t your cute little puppy, oh no, Toto is the Erasmus student who’s bed you woke up in and who you more than likely did the nasty with.

You can take this one of two ways, “hurray I got laid” or “I’m going to choke on my shame.” Let me tell you something for nothing, any time I wake up in a strangers bed I usually leave them a thankyou note and a fruit basket; I’m so dry anytime somebody goes down on me there’s the danger of starting a fire. Excuse me for being an open book but my dignity ship has set sail a long time ago and I don’t see it coming back anytime soon.

The moral of the story is…well there really isn’t one is there? If all you people can take from this is “I hope I don’t end up like him” well then my job here is done.

’s Hannah Kingston does some role reversal field work on a night out Ah lad, she’s crawling.” “She’s the village bicycle.” “She’s a whore, I wouldn’t touch her like.”

I’m a half-hearted feminist. I like the door being held open for me, I like to attempt flirtatious smiles (terribly) and use Debbie and Deirdre to make my life easier when times are tough. (Those damn bouncers.) I am sorry Suffragettes but in my opinion there are plenty of other things to be getting riled up about in our short time on Planet Earth. I do however have something to rant about, as per usual.

Why is it okay for boys to sleep with anything that walks, breathes and has lady lumps? Why is it not so equally okay for girls to literally throw their knickers to the wind and enjoy themselves?

It has been proven, in evolutionary science, that males were more likely to “spread their seed,” impregnating their multiple mates, thus hindering the sexual stamina of females who are given no choice but to care for their young. Durex hadn’t been necessarily been established at this point, obviously, but I feel that certain aspects of our ancestor’s socially accepted coital activity lingers on.

Today, we have multiple bolts and whistles to prevent our eggo from getting preggo, yet girls are usually viewed as “easy,” “slutty” and even “dirty” if they choose to have as much fun as our male counterparts. The lack of respect that these women receive is disgusting. I have overheard many male conversations where the “slut” in question and a stray dog are equated.

Why are “mansluts” not treated as harshly?

Perhaps it’s the small town syndrome. Back in West Cork, there is a far greater ratio of hot girls to boys. Maybe desperation and island fever are the ingredients that rectified the behaviours of the whores. Perhaps it was the novelty of receiving attention of said-man whore was too great an option to pass up on.

At the end of the day, sexism will always exist in some shape or form. All aspects of life never remain in complete equilibrium. There are inequalities between the sexes in some shape or form, whether it is a woman using the girls to get what she wants or a boy simply refusing to do anything domestic, ingrown societal normalities are indestructible to a certain degree.

Girls can be cruel and will often immediately call the girl in question a slut when gossip seeps through the grape vine; it’s time to remember that statistically, boys most frequently iniate sex with their partners. Boys: before you call that girl a slut, remember that she is probably has as much selfrespect and self-worth as you do.

To illu s t r a t e my torrent of anguish against the sexes and the horrible things we say about each-other as a result of getting freaky, I decided that I would carry out my own personal experiment.

I would become a chick with a...boy’s attitude. This began one drunken Tuesday, I started small. I shouted out a taxi window: “Hey sexy, yeah you, hey.” I then hid my face because I felt like a massive pervert. Is it just me? Am I the only one that goes red and starts power-walking when being sexually harassed by boy-racers? The boy in question just continued to slurp on his can, totally unphased.

My next experiment was carried out on all Hallow’s Eve. This time I was determined to become a boy in a body with boobs. It involved heavy

drinking. I was dressed as an Indian, not too “slutty,” but clearly on the rampage. I was at a house party when I spotted somebody I had previously scored; perfect target. I stumbled my way over having smeared more lipstick on my face and pushing my boobs as close to my chin as possible. I plonked myself down and tried my most radiant smile, probably with lipstick on my teeth. I rambled on about god knows what and realised that he was not drinking. (Oh no, this will be more vivid in his memory.)

I decided I needed to act like a proper alpha male, regardless of the fact that he was talking to another lady when I approached. I bluntly asked if she was seeing anyone/what were his plans for the night/where he was staying; subtle. Next thing, he, my best friend and I were in a taxi. I soon made the lunge at Centra; pure romantic.

The party moved to the Bowery for a night of shots, vodkas and whites and dancing.

I recall attempting to be as suggestive as Beyonce in “Partition.” If I ever see footage of this night, I will wallow in a bath of self-loathing.

Of course, what always follows a night of girls drinking for two? DMCS in the toilet.

We disappeared and discussed all of life’s strengths and weaknesses. By the time we reemerged, half an hour had passed and Target was long gone. I wasn’t overly heartbroken and scored in and around four people after this.

I felt like a King Alpha as I waltzed home, high heels in hand. Despite the lack of one-night stand, I felt, even through a drunken lens that that would be one step too far, whether my little assignment was internally or externally assigned.

I felt like a champion as I munched by way through a jar of peanut butter and jam, and the vast amount of what was chillin’ in the fridge. To make things even better, I located my phone which had been missing for four hours. I was Sasha Fierce, struttin’ round maulin’ the faces off fellas.

The next day? Not so much. I woke up feeling like my brain was being shaken around in a jar by some sadistic and disapproving nun. “Frank the Fear” was spooning me and giving me little flashbulb moments of recollection that I did not want to collect. Was I a horrific and dirty slut who needed a cold shower and a spanking? What was this indescribable guilt I felt?

The moral of the story? Boys and girls have learned to have different mind-sets, or maybe just I have a learned different mind-set. The message of my story? Throw yourself out there and find your own perspective. Life has no rules, Venus and Mars are close friends.

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‘How to meet the Taoiseach, start a business, and predict the future’

“Ireland is a tech centre.”

– Alex Guy, Product Manager at Interoute VDC It started with a simple disagreement over food.

I’d woken up at 6am, gone to work at a media desk at 7am, and myself and my fellow volunteers were supposed to be given access to Food Summit, some sort of food Mecca where whiskey-flavoured ice cream grew on trees and the English Market had relocated itself to Dublin and everything was free. I’d been handing out Food Summit vouchers all morning as part of my job, registering members of the media who were attending the web summit.

Wristband, name-tag, food summit voucher, and they were all set to go inside. “Nah, volunteers don’t get access to that,” I was ultimately told as I was handed my own food voucher – entitling me to a sandwich in a bag.

Earlier that morning, I had also stumbled upon a “founder’s wristband”, a strange, mythical item.

Bono wore one. Billionaire investor Elon Musk wore one. The CEO of Dropbox wore one. And I was dumb enough to say “hey I found this” and was yelled at about a security breach; how nobody should have even seen these, etc.

On Day 2 of Web Summit, I decided to print myself and two of my friends a media pass behind someone’s back, and instantly we were in. When

I walked in the morning of Day 3, nothing was the same. People suddenly were really excited to tell us about their ideas, people were happy enough to teach us a few lessons, and I decided to introduce myself as “I’m from Motley, Ireland’s biggest student magazine” every single time.

the stage for the summit. The idea that your house will someday soon learn when to heat itself based on your preferences while at the same time saving you money is an interesting one but the talk that stood out the most for me was Brad Templeton's "How Computers Driving Cars Will Change the World More Than the Internet". He illustrated our oversights and inefficiencies with the way we buy VirtualQ cars today by clarifying that the question we ask today is "what will satisfy any of my needs for the The very first moment I walked into Web Summit next 5 to 10 years?" So if you go skiing once a on Day 3, I only wanted one thing: coffee. Lining year or move in the near future, you'll be buying up outside the Google stand for a mocha and a a car that is way bigger and uses more energy brownie, about five minutes in, a woman comes than you'll need in an average day. His speech up to us raving about her app. Designed to make painted an image of a world where nobody would queuing simple, you can register for a place on a drive. Thanks to the internet, we would only need queue online, and get a notification on your phone to call an auto-taxi using an app like Halo or Uber when you’re allowed in. Show your position on that would be just the size we need. And because the app when you get to the door, and you’re in. there would be no need for a driver in this perfect Solving simple annoyances with smartphones was world of internet-connected, always aware, never to be a huge element of the Web Summit approach drunk and never tired cars, the inside of the cars of to things. virtualQ.io/ the future would be drastically different. During our commute to work or college, we could have a table BrewBot which we can talk around, have a meal or get some work done. Can you imagine a world where “Brewbot is a robot that makes beer” was their instead of wasting time driving, you would be able selling line, and that’s what it does. A personal to spend time reading the news or your favourite brewery in a box, we’ve sampled their product first book? I'm looking forward to this future and I'm hand at Web Summit; we can give you positive confident that someday I'll see it. reviews; even the biggest beer hipster might be surprised by the quality.

Thync brewbot.io

Google’s self-driving car Working on the Machine Stage, I had the chance to listen in on some amazing talks on really interesting and at times futuristic seeming subjects.

The Internet of Things and Automation dominated

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Another interesting moment at the Machine stage was the chance to catch a presentation from Thync, a company that claims to be the first company to sell “consumer electronics to unlock the power of the mind”. Their product, launching next year, claims to be able to use tiny electrical pulses to stimulate calming and energetic moods within your brain.

More interestingly, these claims have held up in rigorous testing by universities such as MIT. The potential for use and abuse of such a device is shocking; we’re reaching a world where recreational drug use might be replaced with a forehead attachment and an iPhone app. http://www.thync.com/

Goodwall “The social network to do good”, Goodwall is a social network where you can track the good that you’ve done and enhance your CV by having a record of your voluntary contributions to society. goodwall.com

Colm Visits Food Summit It started this odyssey and it’s definitely a high point: Food Summit, developed in cooperation with Good Food Ireland, placed high-quality Irish food front-and-centre.

You can check out Good Food Ireland’s members and recommendations on their website. Personal favourites of mine were the desserts; Glastry Farm’s Kilbeggan Whiskey Ice-Cream is nothing short of a religious food experience. The main course, featuring meats and cheeses sold in Cork’s English Market, showcases Irish food mastery. Over 20,000 people visited Food Summit every day, many taking this new insight into Irish food throughout the world with them. www.goodfoodireland.ie

Student Summit Night-time on Day 2 brought us Student Summit, where 3,750 third-level students from across Ireland were treated to speeches from a diverse bunch of speakers such as Economist David McWilliams, self-driving car innovator Brad Templeton, Dropbox CEO Drew Houston, 18-yearolds using technology to fight technology Riley Ennis and Noor Siddiqui, and a panel discussion on the inherent risks to our society posed by artificial intelligence. These big names offered huge inspiration; showing that it’s possible for people to start building disruptive ideas and technologies from a young age. As we look towards a future where emerging ideas such as self-driving cars and artificial intelligence are near a point of being accessible to the public, and our lives are more influenced by data than ever, the big question at Student Summit was if it’s possible to even plan your own future. McWilliams explained that he’s always been working in jobs that never existed five years beforehand, and as technology advances, what we need will become more questionable.

Riley Ennis and Noor Siddiqui are two American 18-year-olds taking different yet pro-active and original research in the fight against cancer. Riley Ennis came up with

ideas to fight the disease and dropped out of high-school to devote his time to full-time research and development.

Noor Siddiqui founded Remedy, a startup that works closely with Google Glass to develop wearable technology that could be used by doctors in the operating theatre, and to ensure that the flow and storage of information in hospitals would be entirely optimised.

Drew Houston, CEO of Dropbox, explains that anyone interested in working in the tech industry should reach out to young, growing startups: with growth comes opportunities for learning and development, which will help you develop your career.

These sentiments were echoed at BUILTINCORK where the vibrant and growing startup community was shown publicly. DC Cahalane, VP of Growth and Marketing at Teamwork.com outlined plans to hire 20 additional employees at their offices in Cork over the next year in a variety of positions ranging from development to more marketing-focused roles. dropbox.com/careers teamwork.com/jobs

Mervyn Visits Food Summit, Meets Very Interesting People By far the most stand-out time of the Web Summit for me was Food Summit. The Food Summit featured the best of Irish cuisine from all parts of the country and there was plenty of it to go around. There was also plentiful wine which certainly helped me in my "networking." As the night progressed and I ran out of people to network with, I realized that there was one person I had yet to network with: Paddy Cosgrave, founder of Web Summit, and an omnipresent figure. He is certainly a charismatic man but not wanting to waste much of his time with my drunken babbling I left him be after a minute or two. Sooner or later this, a woman from Bord Bia gave a speech about how brilliant all the food was – something we can all agree on – and An Taoiseach told everyone how happy he was with the Web Summit (unmentioned was his appreciation for the business it brought to the area). After his speech and some award ceremony there was a kind of rush to the stage and people started taking photos with Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

I thought this the prime opportunity to ask the head honcho a question or two.

When asked for advice about starting a business in Ireland the leader of the Fine Gael stated proudly that "Ireland is one of the greatest countries in the world to start a business." Mr. Kenny then went on to say that "anybody [...] who wants their own business can go to their

Local Enterprise Office and they'll get all the help they need there." And in that moment I realized that our Commander in Chief was not the grail of wisdom that I expected him to be.

Enterprise Ireland and Starting Your Own Company Part of the reason I travelled to Web Summit with a few close friends was because I wanted to explore the idea of starting my own business, so we went to Enterprise Ireland to discuss what young people and students can do to get out there and get active. Enterprise Ireland offer a number of youth grants; a graduate grant of €50,000 to back-up a €5,000 personal investment being the stand-out offer. If you’ve got an idea for a business that can be export-focused and has international potential, Enterprise Ireland might have the support you need to kick-start your business.

The EI representative we were speaking to also highlighted the importance of speaking to local supports such as the County Enterprise Board offices. Eamon Curtin, the director of UCC IGNITE, spoke similarly. He explained that getting involved in competitions and engaging with EI and local enterprise boards was an effective and simple way for young entrepreneurs to raise the money that they need.

DC Cahalane from Teamwork.com echoed this once again at the recent BUILTINCORK event, pointing to companies such as Microsoft that can offer thousands of euro of free services to young startups.

The moral of the story was to not be selfish and reach out to enterprise offices, the tech community and more. Attending workshops such as BUILTINCORK or the upcoming Startup Weekend in Cork offer amazing chances to network. He also pointed to Github’s Student Pack, where thousands of dollars worth of internet services are offered to student developers. “We’re really interested in offering Teamwork’s services in the pack”, he explained Alex Guy from Interoute VDC told us that Interoute are hugely interested in offering their cloud platform to universities and students in Ireland. “Ireland is a tech centre”, he said, speaking hopefully about plans to open an Irish data centre as well. He explained to us how he strongly believed that by offering students with the ability to build using the cloud, they could encourage student engagement with the world of the cloud. www.enterpriseireland.ie/ www.corkCEB.ie/ @BUILTINCORK on Twitter education.github.com/pack www.interoute.com/cloud-hosting-startups

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Sorcha Lanigan adds her voice to the disappointment of many students who feel UCC needs to do more to educate about consent arlier this month, a survey by the National Union of Students (NUS) revealed that one in four UK students have experienced unwanted sexual advances, including catcalling, groping, and assault. I myself need feminism because I received a catcall for the first time during a time in which I was still learning about the lifecycle of tadpoles and carrying a tamigotchi to school. A recent study at Cambridge University in April found that more than three quarters of students had been sexually harassed and many more seriously assaulted in night clubs but also within the supposed safety of colleges. If “bitches be crazy,” is true, then what turn of phrase do we apply to men, who commit 500,000 violent crimes per year in the U.S. to women’s 8,000?

During Barack Obama’s presidency campaign, a heckler carrying a sign that read “Go back to shining shoes” was thrown out and subsequently taken to court. Similarly, an insurgent carrying hate speech at one of Hillary Clinton’s press conference in Montana which read “Get back in the kitchen and make me a sandwich” triggered jeers, sighs and smirks, yet was ultimately ignore.

In other words, it was tolerated. Why? Goethe once said, “If you treat an individual as they are, then they will remain as they are. But if you treat them as if they were what they ought to be, they will become what they ought to be and could be.”

Society, history, and the media has ingrained ludicrous gender roles and ideals that, unfortunately, have had a massive effect in shaping and cultivating unequal standards for men and women, promoting a distorted and narrow-minded view where expectations for the sexes are different and ill-conceived. Women living in Ireland today still do not even have basic rights over their own bodies, with abortions being illicit and thusly stigmatised, which begs the question how can we be trusted with a child if we cannot even be trusted to make a choice? Harmful and ignorant attitudes are peddled that teach women to cover up, to not drink, and never to walk home alone, (heaven forfend!) rather than instil in males the concepts of consent, capacity and sexual assault. A recent case occurred in Kentucky whereby a 15 year-old-boy was left in critical condition after being gang-raped by three other teenagers. Do you think anyone proposed questions such as “Well, what was he wearing? Was he drunk?” or dismissed the incident with the comment “He was asking for it.” Nobody ever asks to be raped.

In the NUS survey of 2,156 men and women,

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almost one third of respondents said that they had endured unwanted sexual comments about their body. Two thirds stated that they had seen students put up with unwanted sexual comments, while more than a third of female students said that they had faced unwelcome sexual advances. With social media sites such as ‘Unilad’ and ‘Lad Bible’ normalising and trivialising misogyny and rape culture, and spreading worrying and problematic perspectives about rape and harassment, Oxbridge Universities have taken a highly recommendable stance that holds compulsory sexual consent workshops for all students.

The workshop aims to intervene in this ‘lad culture’ by encouraging students to think and talk about sexual ethics and the importance of individual anatomy.

The campaign defines consent as the “active and willing participation in sexual activity,” which cannot be assumed and “means that both parties had the freedom and capacity to make the choice.”

will consider adopting examples of best practice.” This rather obtusely worded remark resulted in complaints from a number of students, critiquing it as a form of microaggression that neglected to take sexual assault and consent seriously.

With recent figures showing that one in five women will experience rape or sexual assault but only 3% of rapists will be jailed, the comment did little to placate students that the issues of sexual assault and consent were being appropriately tackled. UCC Feminist Society later released a response from Dr Byrne in relation to the upset caused by his comment.

In this he said that “by way of update of the current situation in UCC; we do not yet have workshops on mandatory consent. We are at the start of process of collaboration with external researchers, investigating the issue of consent in sexual activity. We are also considering the various approaches in the UK, one of which is a workshop on mandatory consent. The best approach is the one that has been shown to work.

Unfortunately we don’t yet know what that is.”

He went on to add “I am indeed sorry if my words in the Examiner are seen as anything other than a clear statement of how we try to highlight the importance to our incoming first year students of behaving responsibly, considering their choices carefully, and deciding to become sexually active as an active positive choice. I deliver these presentations.

I think these are important.

In these presentations I also reference the range of harms our students suffer and that we witness in Student Health, including sexual assault. Unfortunately the statistics clearly show the link between alcohol and many harms including sexual assault. It is important that our students know this.”

Arguably, in taking examples from the stances that Oxbridge Universities have implemented in these issues, it would be highly recommendable that more colleges would follow this lead. With words like “slut” and “bitch” being thrown around on the daily, resentment and judgment towards female sexuality have become normalised. Currently, men are being taught that dominance and acting upon women are manly urges, whilst women are thrust into a more objectified role that often results in being taught to submit and endure this behaviour. Workshops on consent would be a fundamental prerequisite in breaking down the barriers of perverse and distorted gender roles that exist today.

Consent is also central to the recently passed “Yes Means Yes” legislation in California which requires that universities must adopt an “affirmative consent standard” in their handling of allegations of sexual assault. The phrase refers to a shift from a negative model of consent, symbolised by the phrase “No Means No” to one which emphasises the importance of affirmative desire - “Yes Means Yes.” This avoids the problem of interpreting silence or passivity as consent.

When asked by a national publication if UCC would consider the possibility of administering these mandatory workshops, the head of student health, Dr Michael Byrne made the comment “at orientation, each incoming first-year student is asked to reflect on their social choices, including their relationship with alcohol, the consequences of drunkenness and the desirability of making an active choice as to if, and how they might become sexually active. The university If you have been affected by any of the issues has noted the emerging efforts in the UK to try to raised in this article you can contact the National address difficulties arising from a ‘lads culture’, and Rape Crisis Hotline on 1800 77 8888

ood has become a frightening and political issue but where is the voice for young people? The issues are complex and global from production to the plate. How can we engage and connect with the politics of food and have an influence about the food that we buy and eat? Everyday we are reading about food-related concerns from food poverty around the world and on our doorstep to health issues directly related to the food we eat - obesity, anorexia, diabetes, allergies and food obsessions…from mental health issues relating to the body image; images of ‘perfect bodies’ spread across food adverts to global concerns about feeding an increasing world population.

At the age of 12 my mum took me to an international Slow Food conference and festival called Salone del Gusto / Terre Madre: a meeting of food communities around the world showcasing indigenous food products and cultures and raising issues about food production on a world stage. Two years later I went back as a junior journalist for BBC Northern Ireland and interviewed food activists; Vandana Shiva from India and Alice Waters from California. This year I went back - aged 20, to join a group of young people gathering as the Slow Food Youth Network at Terra Madre 2014.

Slow Food Youth Network (SFYN) have got together to drive an exciting new voice for young people and food issues under the umbrella of the global Slow Food movement. SFYN has been set up to provide a platform for young people to take part in the public debate around current issues, such as; how to feed the world, what to do about food waste, and how to produce food that is as sustainable as possible. I went to represent University College Cork and was surprisingly the only youth representative from Ireland. It is an international network of young people from around the world who hope to raise awareness of food production and consumption and do something real, not just talk. It was founded by a number of enthusiastic and motivated young people with a passion for good food and an interest in sustainability issues. These are the world’s future leaders, entrepreneurs, farmers and consumers. SFYN was founded to make young people familiar with Slow Food’s philosophy that says that all food should be “Good, Clean and Fair.” This means that food should be prepared with care and respect, grown as sustainably as possible and that the farmers and producers should receive a fair wage.

The ambitions are high. SFYN wants to raise awareness among young people and consumers to encourage them to make responsible choices in buying and eating food. Not an easy aim when the odds are stacked against us. We are vulnerable to the marketing powers and temptations of large companies employing skilled imaging specialists with big budgets to get us to buy processed foods and non-foods in irresistible packaging – far removed from simple healthy foods.

But what exactly is Slow Food? Slow Food is an international organization that stands at the crossroads of ecology, gastronomy, ethics and pleasure. In 1989, Italian food philosopher and campaigner, Carlo Petrini, founded the organization “to counter the rise of fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and peoples dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.” It opposes the standardization of taste and the growth and unrestrained power of multinationals in the food industry. This global organization now has supporters in over 150 countries around the world who are combining a commitment to protect the environment with their passion for good food. It is essential, not only for us, but also for the future of the earth to change the present food system. Slow Food

promotes small-scale agriculture, protects biodiversity and fights food industry’s politics of endless growth. Every two years Slow Food organizes a big meeting for a network of food communities and congress in Turin: Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre. People from all over the world who support a sustainable food system gather there to show their artisanal and local products and to exchange knowledge, experiences and ideas.

SFYN unites groups of young food enthusiasts, chefs, activists, students and food producers who participate in public debate about current issues and introduce young people to the world of gastronomy. The local groups independently create original and engaging events aimed at raising awareness about food issues and providing means to take action. SFYN promotes cooperation between the local groups, facilitates the exchange of knowledge and ideas, and campaigns internationally. Thus combining the powers of young food activists from all over the world! A fun example is the Disco Soup: a SFYN trademark event, that combines cooking a giant soup from vegetables that would have been destined for the dump, with music and socializing. It not only makes a bold statement about food waste but is also a lot of fun!

The SFYN stall stands amidst this world of gastronomic colour, holding regular debates and discussions about food issues around the world. The energy is electric but there are some big challenging issues to discuss. In another area Slow Fish are raising debates about fishing the world over and on the other side of the pavilion, the issue of pesticides and agro-industry on bees is being discussed… the stories and concerns are so many that it is almost overpowering.

One of the key influential moments for me was a debate about Edible Education with Alice Waters a chef and food campaigner in USA, Carlo Petrini and Jamie Oliver. The hall was absolutely packed – over 2000 people. Oliver is held in high esteem for his work on campaigning for healthy, school dinners and engaging young people in running a restaurant in London. There was much discussion about children’s rights in having access to good food and a good education and how we can reconnect them to the food that they eat through edible gardens and food education. “Last year was the first year where more people died from obesity than famine,” explained Jamie Oliver, and it really shocked me. The current food system is absolutely criminal in nature, we need to inform and educate the young generation so they can reconnect with the land regain a love for their food.

Coming home to Cork, I am inspired to bring the energies of so many passionate people back with me. The food issues here in Ireland are the same the world over. They are driven by the agendas of supermarkets and large producers and it is crucial that young people in Cork and Ireland have a voice and make a difference.

Terra Madre Day is on the 10th December when the world will unite together in a global celebration of local food. To join in this festivity we will be holding a Disco Soup on campus to show our love for those poor rejected vegetables and to rid us of those winter blues with some dancing, music and some delicious soup!

To be inspired and for more information about Slow Food and Slow Food Youth Network and their different projects visit their websites: www.slowfood.com | www.slowfoodyouthnetwork.org They can also be found on Facebook where there are some more great images of Terra Madre 2014: Slow Food Youth Network/ Slow Food International

19

THE BOOK

THE

LOOK-AT-ME

SEMESTER TWO FIX Funked-Up Fixie-Bikes

SKIRT

Funkedupfixies.com allow you to design and customize your very own fixie bike, with prices beginning at €495 (you might want to ask Mr. Clause to chip in). It’s better to invest now though, because once this courier’s favourite goes mainstream so will the cost.

Sequined Skirt - H&M While this may have been part of the Highsteet’s push for Summer Sequins this year, don’t let the retail trends fool you. Sequins are and will always be the essential Winter-wear.

*Delivery & two-year warranty included

WOMAN IN THE MAKING Woman in the Making tells the story of O Neill’s journey from the fields of a once homophobic, homogeneous Ireland, through Tokyo’s chaotic underbelly and Dublin’s burgeoning drag world, to becoming Panti Bliss.

Woman in the Making not only documents O’Neill’s these latest experiences with #PANTIGATE, but also his personal struggle with HIV diagnosis and how he came to terms with it. Rory’s passion for politics and activism is also features throughout – all to be told a large dose of Panti’s trademark humour.

Woman in the Making, by Rory O’ Neill is available at Easons on Patrick Street for €17.99.

For those more tech-savvy the e-book is available to download for only €9.99 through their online store.

An End-of-Exam Party What you Need Classmates A willingness-to embarass yourself Your go-to shirt/skirt (see right) Your dancing-shoes

THE GO-TO SHIRT Brooks Brothers Black Watch Plaid Need a shirt that’ll last the busy Christmas schedule of family-visiting and and keeping up with appearances on your annual visit to Mass? Look no further then this classic Brooks Brothers button-down.

How to Succeed

There’s nothing we like more at than our annual Christmas party, but if we had to pick a match it’d be the many impromptu postexam soirees.

Why not kick off your night with a class-dinner in Bodega Bar’s restuarant which offers a variety of A la Carte and party platter menus to suit all budgets.

21

’s Rachel O’ Shea was excited to speak with SARDA Dog Handler, Pauliina Kauppila ARDA Ireland is a leading national voluntary 999 / 112 emergency search and rescue organization. Since establishment in 1987, Search And Rescue Dog Association (Ireland), has been training, assessing and deploying air scenting rescue dogs throughout the country. The objective of the organization is to assist in the search and rescue of missing persons. Teams which consists of “a handler and dog,” are deployed wherever disaster strikes, in the mountains, woodlands, rural and urban areas, waterways and seashore, as well as in locating accident or disaster victims.

Pauliina Kauppila explained her role and experience working as a member of the organization. She began by say she “first got immersed when I got to know a paramedic in Beara Peninsula who had previously been involved with search dogs. He suggested that I try training my own dog, who was 2 years old at the time. I trained independently for a while but when I decided to get more serious about it, I joined SARDA.” A SARDA dog team is the synergistic sum of two halves: the handler and the dog. Each handler has their own dog that they train with specifically and work with when callouts are deployed. She explains

22

that the stronger the bond between the handler and dog, the more successful they operate as an effective team. “The longer you work with a dog, the better you tend to work together,” she claims, “It is up to the handler to plan the search, taking the terrain, wind direction and other factors into account. You then try to cover the area as well as you can, sending the dog out to specific directions as you go. A good dog will range a long way away from the handler, ideally doing a lot of the legwork for you”. Kauppila has her own dog “Koiru,” which is actually the Finnish word for “dog.” “Koiru is 10 years old but she still absolutely loves the training,” Kauppila explained, “When things are going smoothly, working together with the dog is great fun. And the nice thing is that the dogs agree! For them, the training is basically just a brilliant game of hide-and-seek with kind people who have an endless supply of toys for them.”

There are many different ways to execute a callout and you need to be ready for everything. “If you’re being called out as part of your own team, be it coast guard, mountain rescue or another team, you plan it together with the rest of the team mates.

Ideally, the handler and dog will go into an area

that has not got other searchers in it, as this can be confusing for the dog. If it is an area that you’re not familiar with, it is good to have a navigator with you so the handler can just focus on the dog. If the search is coordinated by, say, the Gardaí, you will generally be allocated specific areas of interest to sweep. Quite often it is the case of trying to eliminate areas, and it is rare to actually get a find in a real search situation. You need to be in the right place at the right time, and that is often down to luck.”

Kauppila laughs as she is reminded of a recent search where she had to be rescued herself on the outing. “I tore the cruciate ligament on my knee during the recent assessment in Wicklow and had to come down off the hill on a stretcher” she admits, “It was kind of ironic. And yes, everyone else seemed to think it was very funny! There was much slagging and photos being taken as I was being carried back.

Ah, the ignominy.”

Becoming a SARDA Handler is not an easy feat, there are many challenging training assessments that must be undertaken. While most handlers have had previous experience in other search and rescue teams, you need additional training to join the SARDA team.

“I have been a volunteer with Castletownbere Coast Guard unit for over 10 years. As SARDA handlers, however, we also get additional training in first aid and mountain skills. In order to become a qualified dog team, you have to go through various stages of training, including a pre-assessment followed by a rigorous 3-day assessment on the hills. Basically, the assessors want to see that you and your dog work well as a team and that you cover your search areas thoroughly and efficiently. The assessments are not much fun, to be honest with you.”

There appear to be many unforeseen and interesting benefits with using search dogs. Motley learned that SARDA’s “dogs are air-scenting dogs which means that they can cover large areas quickly and efficiently. With the right wind conditions, a dog can pick up a person’s scent from several hundreds of metres away. And the great thing about using search dogs is that, unlike humans, they work just as well in the dark or in foggy conditions.” Kauppila highlights the benefit of using search dogs as she recalls a particular case that stood out for her, recalling a time in June when she was called out with her Coast Guard team.

“A man had gone missing and his family was concerned. Koiru found his body, so I was the first person on scene. That kind of experience is something that stays with you. Despite the sad outcome, I was pleased that she had worked so well – this was a scenario we had practised dozens of times in the past, so it kind of made all that training feel worthwhile. Also, a number of other searchers had walked past the spot previously but missed the body, so Koiru’s find highlighted the value of having a search dog as part of the search effort.”

When selecting dogs for training there are many factors that need to be taken into account, and not all dogs are suited to the job. “A few different breeds pop up, but most of our dogs are collies or collie crosses,” says Kauppila, “They seem to tick a lot of boxes when it comes to physique, intelligence

and play drive. Play drive is hugely important. The more the dog wants to play, the easier it is to train them and the more motivated they are.” Before any dog is accepted for training, it needs to pass a basic obedience test and a stock test. The latter is very important because dogs often train on mountains where there are sheep. The actual search training starts with short run-outs where the dog gets rewarded for finding a person. From this you move on to indication: the dog needs to return to the handler and indicate by barking that they’ve found someone. Gradually you make the areas bigger and the distances longer. The reward is generally just playtime with a tennis ball or a tug toy. “I am always amazed how absolutely motivated my dog is to run around hills for hours, just to get the toy again. You also use praise and general excitement: basically having a find is always a big party! The idea is to make the whole experience as rewarding as possible for the dogs.”Despite the fun of training, it’s quite a long process to get a dog fully qualified, generally it will take at least 2-3 years to get a dog (and the handler!) to assessment level and there is no definite lifespan for a search dog.

“As long as a dog is fit and performs well, they

can keep working. Having said that, you have to be realistic about it too. Koiru’s current qualification will expire when she is 13, so that should take her well into her retirement.”

Being part of the SARDA team takes a lot of hard work but is thoroughly fulfilling and rewarding.

Not only are they committed the great work they do helping others but for the love and satisfaction of working alongside you furry best friend.

“Working together with my dog is hugely enjoyable for me. When I see her bounding back to me after a find, all delighted and excited, I get a great buzz from it too. It is simply a nice thing to do, to be out on the hills and forests with a bunch of happy dogs and like-minded people. There is a social aspect to the training too; we’d generally have dinner and few pints together on the training weekends.”

There are many ways you can get involved or volunteer. “We receive a small grant from the government but also rely hugely on fund-raising,” she explains, “All our handlers and helpers are unpaid volunteers, but money is obviously needed for equipment and training. We have an annual street collection in Cork coming up on the 10th of January. You will see our members shaking buckets in the city centre and outside the main shopping centres on that day. The dogs will be there too, of course. Feel free to come and say hi! There are also other ways to help and get involved. We are always looking for ‘dogsbodies’ to help us with the training. These are the people who hide away and wait for dogs to come and find them. It is actually a really fun and strangely relaxing thing to do. We could not train without our dogsbodies, so we are always very grateful to them. If you are interested in helping out in this way, you will find details on our website.”

For more information you can visit www. sardaireland.com or on the Facebook page: Search and Rescue Dog Association (Ireland).

23

With the deadline upon us for marriage-equality voter registration, Max Farrell discusses the multi-faceted nature of the debate ittle over a year ago, Forbes, one of the most popular financial magazines in the US, was obligated to correct an innacuracy in an article that claimed Michael D. Higgins, president virtuoso, to be openly gay. This was followed by an emotional apology from the article’s author, Cork-based writer David Monagan, in which he labelled the blunder “the worst mistake I have ever made.” The Irish Independent felt the need to write a leading article for their front page, entitled, “Apology as Forbes withdraws claim about President”. Monagan went on to pen a self-involved article for the Irish Independent on the “cynical state” of modern journalism, blaming Forbes’ editorial standards for the gay gaffe’s publication.

The Independent’s incongruos leading article, two columns essentially reporting that someone has mistakenly called Ireland’s president ‘gay’, is quite revealing of the rampant childish homophobia that existed throughout Ireland in the Summer of 2013 - homophobia which continues today- and gives rise to multiple questions regarding views of homosexuality in Ireland. That a simple mistake in fact-checking by a reporter was seen as deserved of more column inches than a story on two toddlers

that were able to walk unaccompanied out of a creche, which was previously the subject of a Primetime investigation, is baffling to say the least. The Daily Mail didn’t even acknowledge the ‘story’. The most perplexing part of the debacle seems to be why The Irish Independent, a leading Irish Publication with a readership of over 500,000, would lead with a story which overtly, in my opinion, represents

the notion of ‘being gay’ in a defamatory light. I’ve never been offended upon the rare occasion that a prosecco-goggled woman mistakes me for heterosexual. Conversely, just last month while attending a Lady Gaga afterparty I was mistaken for a lesbian. I didn’t cry Antipholus or expect an apology. Why would I? We at know better; we know that in today’s modern Ireland it’s not just good to be gay, it’s great. Heck, it’s down-right fabulous.

Gay-Ireland is a magical place. It’s a place where every straight woman has a gay best friend who can hold their hair up and at the same time question their outfit choice while they unbecomingly regurgitate woo-woo shots into the bathroom sink. It’s a place where every wedding has a token gay to start the dancing during that awkward moment of sober/drunk inbetween. It’s a place where you never have to remember any one’s name owing to the fact that you call everyone ‘darling’, and they never call you on it as they believe they’re engaging in some form of quasi-Marxian exchange in fabulosity. With polling for marriage equality revealing that the majority of the Irish electorate are indeed in favor of the right for their gay counterparts to marry, regardless of gender or sex, who wouldn’t want to be gay in today’s Ireland and who wouldn’t want us gays to have a big fat fabulous wedding? Well, according to the latest polling figures, 24% of the registered-to-vote population don’t.

This is a worrying figure. 24% of respondents to pollsters answered, honestly, that they will vote against the marriage equality referendum this Spring. While some may see this figure as a minority number and believe that the yescampaign is going to win by a landslide; I must admit that I have my doubts. The figure is

the afformentioned arguments will scoff and disregard these opinions. This is lamentable.

This begs me to ask the question: how liberal is UCC? How open are we as students? How accepting are we of differing view-points?

Do we believe that each student’s opinion deserves to be heard and valued, or do we -as it seems- solely believe in majority rule without consideration? It is interesting to note how little debate has been heard on how we are implementing a binary decision system to create a new form of acceptable set of binaries who will be entitled to rights. Little regard is payed to those who freely dedicate themselves, without state-aid, to the caring of another, whether

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familial or friend. “SameLove”? Not quite.

The decision being made in the same-sex marriage referendum isn’t one to be taken as unequivocal. In order for the marriage equality campaign to succeed it requires open, reasoned and substantial debate. As of yet, this has not been realized. We all view our own selves in a progressive light. We self-congratulate ourselves for attending protests, for donating money to that Panti Bliss one off-the-telly’s crowd-funded film, for engaging with fringeculture and for possessing forward-thinking, anti-patriarchical and feminist belief-systems.

While patting ourselves on the back for all our ‘progressive’ ways, we use the other hand to simultaneously condemn people like Breda O’ Brien and John Waters as homophobic, along with a fistful of disparaging remarks that, if printed, would probably get this magazine banned from campus. Is this really the ‘diverse’ Ireland that we want to build -one founded on the intentional ignorance and inattentive inconsideration for those who possess differing opinions? Is this not the very reason that a national publication led the front page with a story that saw the notion of ‘being gay’ in a defamatory light? Being gay in Ireland is great; being gay and mindful is better.

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worrying because of the 76% that claim they are ‘for’ marriage equality, how many of them are actually empassioned enough to vote?

How many of the historically apathetic student population have even registered to vote?

How many of these people only answered yes because to be ‘for’ marriage equality is the popular thing to do? How many out of this 76% have given more than two minutes thought to the intricacy of the decision they will be asked to make this Spring? Not many, I expect, and it is this which is unfortunate. The opponents to the referendum’s passing -the 24%- have considered the debate, and they are impassioned voters. A lot of those who have registered to vote can be viewed, thanks to the counter-intuitive-marriage equality PR machine, in a manner that is the equivalent to the liking of a Facebook page: keeping up with appearances, but unengaged nontheless.

The number of people on campus that claim to support marriage equality and yet have no rational reasoning behind their claim is equally worrying. Another note of concern is that the marriage equality campaign has purposely ignored one facet of their own community: gay people against marriage.

There are many groups of people -hetero and homo alike- who view the very notion of marriage equality as antithetical to gay lifestyle, as a blasé generation being openly appropriated into a heteronormative institution, as not dissimilar to the entering of a minority party into a coalition; you’re technically equal, yet you have given into a structure that does not accommodate and/or fit with your set of beliefs: you’re giving something up. There are those who believe that gay marriage is demonstrably not the same as heterosexual marriage - that the religious and social significance of a gay wedding ceremony simply isn’t the same. There are those that believe that gay activists should instead put their energies into environmental issues like climate change, because there’s a chance to make a morally more defensible and more urgent difference. There are those who believe that gay lobbying groups are abusing their positions within the gay community, as well as the sentimental structure of marriage, by using marriage equality as a way of gaining rights that would have taken more time and effort if they were to lobby for in a more libertarian manner. Are we re-building a glassceiling? These are people whose opinions I respect, not because I aggree with them fully (though their arguments are all near-infallible), but because they are well-thought, rational opinions -and I respect that. “#SameLove” and “#YesEquality” are not rational reasonings for making a decision when voting in the upcoming referendum, and they certainly will not drive apathetic voters to the polls. I have no doubt that the majority of individuals reading

Irish t the e tha a whole v e li e Ib ody le as peop hat everybsame t e e h e t r g a have should rights. arroll O’ C beth -Eliza

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Future Islands – Singles he Baltimore based Future Islands are an ample exemplification of the Samuel Beckett quote “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again.

Fail again. Fail better.” After eight years, four albums and three labels, it appears that the synthpop group have come to public prominence not necessarily for their music, but rather for their frontman’s ability to bust a move. Samuel T. Herring’s beguiling gyrating on The Late Show with David Letterman not only attracted YouTube generation devotees to their nineteen-eighties sound, but it also garnered much deserved attention, which has sadly been to the detriment of the appreciation of their sound.

Singles is the culmination of the experimentation of Future Islands’ three previous albums. The content

s the months passed it seemed unlikely that Azealia Banks was ever going to debut Broke With Expensive Taste but after many delays and label disputes the album was dropped in a flash release similar to Beyoncé. Banks, well known for her chart topper hit 212, shot to fame in 2012 It has been a tumultuous two years that has seen Banks engaging in several battles with her management team, not to mention an amount of online feuds with the likes of Lady Gaga and more recently Eminem. The album throws everything that Banks has to offer at the new record.

The first tack on the album, Idle Delilah, is a concoction of everything, including bongo and steel drums and monkey screams and it really sets the tone of the album, not to mention the fact that it is intoxicatingly catchy. Banks continues to broaden her horizons

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Nicki’s Nazi ‘nod’

Brandi Glanville

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BY CIAN

MANNING

is melodic, however the tone, paradoxically not always gloomy, relies on the vocals, delivered by Herring but also to the beat of the songs. Keyboardist Gerrit Welmers and William Cashion on guitar form an electronic harmony to compliment the thrilling voice of Herring. One could argue that the American group who formed at East Carolina University in 2003 (and originally consisted of five members downsizing to three in 2006) rival Tears for Fears in their ability to mix dark lyrics with bubbly air.

Undoubtedly the song of Singles is its lead Seasons (Waiting on You).

Its mixture of melancholy lyrics and nostalgic sound, which is demonstrated through the album, introduces the central theme of longing for not only hopes and lost things but also for attention. If one is a fan of the film

Drive, the Future Island sound will act as an adequate accompaniment (clearly something neglected by BBC Radio One’s and Zane Lowe’s terrible recent re-scoring of the cult film).

Like the attention the band has attracted, Sam Herring is core to all that is good about this album. His ability to mix monotone vocal with the depth of a crooner makes the

simplistic lyrics glisten, songs such as Like the Moon and A Dream of You & Me prove that the album is more than just a random collection of singles which its title may suggest. However, the inclusion of the track Spirit appears to be in aid of making up the numbers, rather than further elevation of the standard of the album.

Nevertheless this effort by Future Islands is considered by some to be the frontrunner for album of the year.

In an age that owes much to the excess and greed of the nineteen-eighties, Singles is worthy of indulgence, perfect for the swooning that is reminiscent of The Breakfast Club anthem Don’t You (Forget About Me) sung by Simple Minds. For synthpoppers and ‘eighties aficionados’ don’t forget to listen to Future Islands. One surmises that this is only the beginning.

when she goes bilingual in the track Gimme A Chance, which displays the Harlem rapper spitting out her best Spanish raps. The album is definitely rap rather than pop, although tones of dance and pop can be seen seeping through the cracks on tracks like 212, Heavy Metal and Reflective and Miss Amor. Banks even goes all cheesy-pop 80’s in track Nude Beach A-Go-Go. The sonic chaos of the album is the perfect companion to Banks’ less than tame lyrics. Azealia Banks has filled the album to the brim with experiences of her life in Harlem, femininity and a thirst for blood seen in such lyrics as “moves sexy in Dior” on JFK, but threatens to rip challengers’ heads off and “send [them] to Jehovah” on Yung Rapunxel. Broke With Expensive Taste encompasses not only the revolution started by Banks, but the evolution of the music industry.

ff the back of the success of Sound City, Grohl’s first documentary, the Foo Fighters have released their latest album, Sonic Highways.

This album is accompanied by a documentary chronicling the process of writing the album in 8 different cities in America that are integral in the music industry. As a fan of the Foo Fighters, I went into this album with high expectations. However, some were met and some weren’t.

Originally under the impression that the band would be writing a song in each city, it quickly came apparent that in reality, it was the lyrics that would be written in each city, rather than the songs. While the documentary is fascinating, and the interviewees are massive contenders in their own genres, it is obvious from the outset that Grohl had a serious case of mental blockage,

and decided to tour North America looking for inspiration.

However, despite its flaws, this is still a very well put together album, with excellent melodies, riffs, and drum grooves. It may hold very strongly to the Foo Fighters sound, and really doesn’t stray from the path, but it is still a good old fashioned rock record.

While it isn’t as strong as Wasting Light, or as interesting as The Colour and The Shape, it is still good, and worth a listen.

Editor Ellen Desmond speaks with Colm MacSweeny of the up-and-coming Cork band MKAI who trumped Taylor Swift in the iTunes charts last week

KAI exploded last week across Irish music media and mainstream media alike, as news broke that their debut EP ‘Waiting’ had done the seemingly impossible. ‘Waiting’ which was released to a sold out Crane Lane on the 8th of November, quickly soared up the Irish Ti unes charts.

MKAI was soon pulled into media frenzy, as the EP overtook Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran and Hozier on the Ti unes charts, before ultimately knocking Taylor Swift’s 1989 off of its third place seat. There ‘Waiting’ proudly held its own for a considerable time, and it now reigns at number 4.

MKAI, a group of four Cork brothers, have all been involved in different bands and musical projects before. However, following what has been called a “remarkably successful crowdsourcing campaign” the brothers finally came together in 2013 and had the platform they needed to begin work on recording ‘Waiting.’ Motley spoke with MKAI’s Colm MacSweeny about the overwhelmingly positive response to the debut and the journey so far. For him and his brothers, the level of success was totally unexpected.

“I mean we didn’t know what to expect really, we were just hoping for it to do well but then out of nowhere it shot straight up to third place on the Ti unes charts. Which was just amazing like, I mean you’re looking up at the top five and you’re in amongst people like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Foo Fighters and One Direction, I mean that’s people that you wouldn’t even imagine having your name said in the same sentence with, you know?”

The climb to Ti unes’ chart success has been an extremely fast paced one for the four brothers, all former UCC students, with the bulk of the buzz forming in a three week period. The group purposely released the video for their song ‘Waiting’ about two weeks before the EP launch. The video was shot and directed by Madra Mór, a London based production company, and the stunning video was responsible for kicking off much of the hype that was to follow.

“We had a good few thousand views before the EP even launched so that really helped us get a bit of a buzz going and then the EP launched!” explained MacSweeny. “So for the EP launch itself we just wanted to make it something different,” he continued, “On the night we brought over three dancers from Kerfuffle Dance Studio, one was the dancer in our video for ‘Waiting’ and she brought over two other dancers as well, and there was a string quartet playing some of our songs before we came on and it was cool because it was just a completely different vibe. And because of that then, people were talking about it, a lot.”

The buzz had been rapidly growing up until D-Day, which came with a Facebook post on the MKAI official Facebook page. Following the Facebook post, which informed fans that the EP was now available

on Ti unes, the band members found themselves “checking it every hour and seeing the numbers go up and up and up.” MacSweeny admitted it was entirely unexpected and added that “it really means something as well, like people are delighted to see an Irish band, an unsigned Irish band, up there doing so well. I mean we’re completely blown away by it, it’s just phenomenal.”

The hypnotic melodies and charming lyrics were composed by the brothers themselves, who grew up in a musical family with nine children and are no strangers to working or singing together. MacSweeny described working with his brothers as “great actually, I mean I’ve been in a few bands before and you have great fun and all that but I think when you’re with the brothers you just kind of understand each other a lot more, if you know what I mean, especially musically.”

He described their household and childhood as always full of music, and believes that being a family definitely has a very positive impact on the band.

“Whether it was birthdays, Christmas or whatever, everyone would be hanging around the house playing music and singing together…. you just kind of understand, what the other person is doing, where they are coming from musically, it’s a lot easier to play together and to write together as well.”

The start for MKAI, was a bit unusual but a glowing opportunity presented itself and it had to be taken. According to MacSweeny, “basically what happened was, Conor and Cian, Cian would be the main vocalist, were doing a live session in The Sextant Bar in town. And this couple came along, they had had great fun and they got them along to do a wedding. And anyway eventually, they were asking if there were any originals by the lads and Conor and Cian told them there were.” The couple soon had them set up in the famous Ballintubbert House in Laois, a place renowned for its quiet surroundings and as a hive of potential creativity. “They had been writing together [Conor and Cian] so it was just the chance really to take it and get time to actually write/ record,” MacSweeney continued, “that was back in summer 2013, and they spent a year basically there,

the two of them, and myself and the other brothers would pop up and give them a hand when we could.”

The name of the band, along with the music, also finds its roots in a familial connection. “Eoin, when he was younger, he couldn’t say the word music,” laughed MacSweeny, “and so when he was young and we were all at the house and he wanted some music put on he’d say ‘Mum, mum, put on some mkai!’

And it just grew from there; it’s really funny, it just became a running theme in the family that music just became mkai and then when the band formed it just seemed natural that that would be the name.”

Speaking of the brothers’ experiences in UCC, Motley discovered that none of them actually studied music here. With the eldest beginning in 1997, and their younger sister still a current student, it’s been a long and diverse relationship with the University for the MacSweeny family. The MKAI members themselves studied everything from Law, to Arts, to Economics and “things that may seem not-musically inclined but if you think about putting all those things together it does make sense for the band, you do have to be aware of what’s around you.” MacSweeny also explained that the environment of UCC really benefitted them, telling Motley that “I think it was just the culture of UCC, really, that bred what we had. I mean, all of us have been in bands throughout the years, all throughout college, Cian was in a band called Carbon Copy who were quite a popular band at the time in college, you know, they did a load of college balls and different types of events around college as well. UCC really gave us a good platform for people to hear our music, back before all this obviously, so yeah, we’ve a good relationship with UCC – a very long relationship with UCC!” The graduates of MKAI are very interested in returning, and admitted that “we’d love to do gigs up in UCC, it would be great to get involved with the students, definitely.”

As part of MTV Crashes, MKAI perform at the Old Oak in Cork on the 26th of November at 1pm. Debut EP ‘Waiting’ is available on iTunes now.

Little Green Cars have been making a lot of noise since their inception in 2008. Their iconic harmonies and the unusual subject matter of their songs have proven to be this indie band’s signature features, holding the attention of the music industry. The band are as good live as they are on record, with every song sounding that much better on stage and have had major success not only in Ireland but across the globe, performing on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last year.

The band’s first amalgamation was The Revolt in the early noughties, which featured two of the current members Adam O'Regan and Donagh Seaver O'Leary. Following from the band’s dissolution, the group we know and love as Little Green Cars was formed joined by fellow members Stevie Appleby, Dylan Lynch and Faye O’Rourke.

Speaking with O’Rourke, she first recalled her experiences of the band’s formation. “We formed in our early teens. Adam and Donagh had been in a previous band together and the rest of us joined one by one after that. Happy accident, really. I met Stephen through a friend and the guys were in school together.”

A band’s name is crucially important, having previously talked to The 1975, I truly learned how vital names can be to a band for the success of the band. Little Green Cars certainly stands out and makes the band iconic, as O’Rourke explained, the group thought long and hard about naming the band: “It’s been around for quite some time. It was a name we chose when we were 15 and we've just stuck with it. Adam and Stephen came up with it and the idea was really just to have a name that didn't give anything away about the music. The guys always liked the idea of cars being in the title and it just went from there.”

Just from listening to Little Green Cars, it is clear the band has many influences. From John Wayne to Harper Lee the group seamlessly travels through genres. O’Rourke told Motley that the band’s influences come from each other. “I guess each other’s tastes,” she explains, “We all have listened to so much music over the years that it’s hard to say. We'd be swapping CDs regularly with each other.” She continued that

“No one in particular influenced us as a whole as our music has changed a lot over the years. There isn't a genre any of us wouldn't listen to. We've always liked a live sound. We don't want to record anything that we can't emulate on stage ourselves.”

Even successful bands like Little Green Cars experience, along with everyone else, highs and lows in their careers. O’Rourke admitted that some points of their career so far have been tough.

“Low points are probably when you're working on something for such a long time and it doesn't work out. Self-motivated work can be tough and letting some songs go can be a struggle for us at times.” But as she explained the high points are the greatest. “High points really are being able to do it for a living, which includes everything really. Touring has been an amazing aspect.”

The band have toured extensively across Ireland, the UK and the US and have supported Jake Bugg on tour. They also played at the 2013 SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas, the Coachella music festival in California, Lollapalooza 2013 in Chicago and the 2013 Osheaga festival in Montréal. Even though they have played such iconic festivals and venues, O’Rourke confesses that Irish audiences are their favourite stating that “our home audience had been amazing really. Coming back from a really long tour to a sold out show for 2 nights in Vicar Street was incredible.” But she also admits that touring Australia and the US were pretty good too.

“Australia was amazing for us as well because we didn't know what to expect and our audiences there were very good to us. We've done our main body of touring in the US so I couldn't leave them out either.”

With an impressive back catalogue, including a number one album Absolute Zero, when Motley asked O’Rourke to choose just one of her favourite songs, it was obvious she would find this difficult.

Instead of answering the question directly she, like a parent asked to choose their favourite child, instead claimed that she doesn’t “have any particular favourite. It can change.”

O’Rourke exclusively told Motley of the band’s latest ventures in studio, although remained elusive over the content, so not to spoil it for their fans. She divulged that they are “going back into the studio soon to record the second album. And these songs I think are on a different level to the last songs on the album. Not that I think they're better but they're relevant to who we are now.”

Even after all their success the band has kept

their humbleness, which is a breath of fresh air in the current egocentric music industry. When speaking about the band’s success and how prepared they were when their songs received such positive feedback, Faye confessed “I don't think being prepared comes into anything like that. I've always believed in our songs and it was great that other people did as well. We're ambitious that there's more we can do.”

As the interview came to an end, we started to discuss what the future holds for the band, and if there will be much more to come in the future. Fans can rest assured, as O’Rourke told Motley “you can expect us to keep going. We're as focused as ever and have written a lot of new music. So you can expect to hear all of that.”

As a parting word to the students of UCC, Faye O’Rourke gave advice to students hoping to pursue a career in music: “Do it for you. If you're truly happy with something you've created and find a satisfaction from it, then you is doing well I think.”

Little Green Cars play The Everyman Palace Theatre on the 22nd of December, tickets €23 (excluding booking fee).

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he brains behind This is the Kit, Kate Stables, recently spoke to Motley from Paris, just weeks before her upcoming December show in Cork City. Described as “the musical project of Kate Stables and whoever joins her, Kate rips forward (on the banjo) with her hypnotic twang pattern and a voice of rare, unaffected beauty.”

This is the Kit has opened for incredible acts such as The National, Jose Gonzales, Iron & Wine, Jeffrey Lewis and Alexi Murdock.

Famous for her banjo, and even more famous for making those who hate the banjo love the banjo, Kate Stables brought together the British folk-rock band back in about 2003 and they are now based in both Paris and Bristol. The name of the band, it seems spawned from Stables’ nickname, “Kit,” which derives from her first name, Kate.

She explained to Motley that “it's just a case of the sounds of the words. My close friends and family have always called me ‘Kit’ so I guess that's where that bit came from. Also, the project is always changing and not very easy to pin down (size and shape wise) so a phrase like ‘this is the’ is completely redundant. A bit of my contrary nature poking out.”

After the great success of her latest EP, Spoon Quake Bash, Kate Stables’ advice to struggling artists hoping to do what she does is to “​just to keep going, I guess. Keeping going is how you get better and learn how to keep going and how to learn.​” Surprisingly, writing songs is apparently a labour for Stables, though the fruits of said labours are truly breath-taking. “​I normally need solitude and hours of it,” she admits while explaining her songwriting routine. “I’m not the sort of person who can just write a song in 20 minutes,” she went on, before saying “it takes a while for it to settle in and then it needs to shift around and change shape a few times before I feel like it's ready. And even after it's ready the song usually continues to change, to ferment a little.” It’s difficult to imagine the creative drive behind such seemingly effortless and flowing albums as 2008’s Krulle Bol and 2010’s Wriggle Out The Restless finding the process in anyway a challenge. Currently, Stables is working on This Is The Kit’s third studio album along with Aaron Dessner of The National.

Having been regularly praised for her stunning live performances, in which she leads with vocal and sometimes guitar, as well as the banjo, Motley were keen to hear who topped her list of inspirations and best live bands. After some deliberation she replied “off the top of my head (no doubt I'll think of another one tomorrow) it's probably a French band called Hyperclean​. The members have changed a bit over the years but at one point it was this amazingly tight band of friends and ridiculously talented musicians and watching them communicate and play together on stage was truly excellent to behold.” She went on to speak more of Hyperclean, explaining that “they’re very accomplished musicians and the lead singer is completely unpredictable and kamikaze and at the same time

Motley’s Entertainment Editor Laura Hussey speaks with Kate Stables of This Is The Kit, about embarrassing on-stage moments, her songwriting and her favourite bands.

very charming and compelling. They always gave a surprising show.

Their drummer now drums for Tame Impala and the rest of them do various other projects (including the incredible band Aquaserge) so Frederic Jean continues the project with a mixture of old and new musicians. It’s very great.”

Stables has a long list of favourite acts to say the least, and among them are “Richard Dawson, Rozi Plain, Rachael Dadd, François & the Atlas Mountains; and since living in France I’ve discovered some amazing French and Belgian bands that I think are great. Bands like: Hyperclean, Moodoid, Aquaserge, soy un Caballo, Kidsaredead, Castus and Forever Pivot. There are some great bands over here that don't get much of a look in on the UK scene so I feel very lucky to have stumbled upon them and to be able to hear their music.” The conversation with Stables soon took a turn to discussing literature, another love of her’s, and she admits “there's a few (books) that rotate around for the top spot…today it's U ​ nder Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas. It just manages to sum up everything about life and death and humanity and poetry and love and fear and everyday human goings on. Plus the language is so rich and spot on, it's like a meal, you could live off it. I love it.​” In an interview as eclectic as the woman herself, Stables jumped back to discussing her live performance and was quick and full of humour when asked if she’s ever been partial to a few embarrassing on stage mishaps, which is a question many musicians would tend to avoid. “Yes. Most shows there's an embarrassing moment or two​but they vary in strength. Could be me losing my kapo or could be me starting a song in the wrong key or could be me just falling over or saying something stupid or indiscreet. The possibilities are endless!”

While Stables enjoys living and working in Paris, she is undecided as to her favourite city, with Bristol still remaining a core hive of activity for the band. “I do like Brussels,” she says, “I have lots of friends there and every time I go it's very inspiring. I also like Lille but I wouldn't mind living somewhere properly north. Glasgow would be a good one or maybe even Reykjavik. Or somewhere in Canada would be great too… It turns out I can't actually decide.”

An incredibly talented and inspiring live musician, Cerys Matthew of BBC 6 Music described Stables’ sound as “absolutely gorgeous, like an aural bath with the warm water just lapping over you.” This is the Kit’s gig in Cork City this month is the perfect opportunity to catch Stable’s “hypnotic twang” and voice of “rare, unaffected beauty” - certainly not one to be missed.

This is the Kit perform Wednesday the 10th of December in Coughlans. Doors open 9:30. Tickets cost 12 euro. As part of their tour, they will also perform at the National Concert Hall in Dublin on the 13th of December.

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Kieran Cunnane looks at the recent controversy behind Nicki Minaj’s latest music video.

ver the past weeks, the pop culture universe has witnessed the most dramatic break up since Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin decided it wasn’t really all yellow. Taylor Swift has announced the removal of her expansive back catalogue from the streaming behemoth that is Spotify.

Whilst the move isn’t completely unprecedented - there were delays in Spotify’s initial acquisition of 1989’s lead single, Shake It Off - it has left the pop culture fiends of the world reeling about having to open two tabs to listen to her dulcet tones alongside the rest of their music collection. Whilst initially, Swifts decision may not seem particularly ground-breaking and pretty much the least important thing to ever take up space in The Guardian, on a wider scale, Swift’s actions are indicative of a series of wider issues regarding Spotify and the music industry as a whole.

To explain the reasoning behind her decision, Swift suggested that she’s “not willing to contribute [her] life’s work to an experiment that [she doesn’t] feel fairly compensates the writers, producers, artists, and creators of this music.” This may seem intriguing, given that Swift’s $200 million empire has stemmed from a musical career which has been nothing but promoted and boosted by Spotify, but as a movement for the music industry as a whole - rather than just Swift’s personal gain - it begins to make sense.

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Regardless of how much money is sent towards record labels or industry figures by Spotify, it’s estimated that the copyright holders of music are paid roughly half a cent per track stream. Songwriters and musicians are receiving close to no compensation for their art but have to accept it or else lose the chance to be in one of the largest music services in the world.

Whilst Swift can certainly afford to accept poor compensation for her work (where smaller, independent artists cannot) it’s Swift who holds the bargaining chip that your local math rock/punk/vaporwave band does not.

Swift’s refusal to allow the giant capitalist machine of Spotify to completely dictate the grounds on which her music is distributed is a powerful decision. It puts the power back in the musicians’ hands for once and is a reminder that it is the music distribution companies which are dependent on the musicians, not the other way round. Furthermore, Swift’s massive reputation and success means that society stands up and listens when she says that there’s an inherent issue with Spotify, something that wouldn’t occur if the small bands and independent artists, that are hurt by the service, tried to make a stance. Say what you want about Swift and her music but she’s one of the few modern pop artists who has the empowerment and sense of self determination to not bow to the industry’s every whim.

azism as an aesthetic is pretty much guaranteed to put your piece of work in a negative spotlight. But as the saying goes, there’s no such thing as bad press, and that is the best excuse to be given for Nicki Minaj’s latest lyric video for her single Only.

The animated lyric video features an abundance of outlandish and even nonsensical imagery ranging from gas masks and the Lincoln Memorial to Drake dressed as a bishop.

However, what has caught everyone’s attention is its extreme use of Nazi propaganda. Flags and armbands resembling those used by the Nazis – albeit, with the swastika replaced with the symbol of Minaj’s record label YMCMB - adorn the music video, complementing the weapons of warfare seen in the video.

Needless to say, this is a tasteless attempt at a stylish lyric video. The theme of the song seems to be that Minaj has bodacious features. How, in any sense, that this matches with the Third Reich is beyond me. It’s almost as tasteless as the pornographic film sub-genre titled “Naziploitation,” where American actors with horrible German actors portrayed Nazis in these Grindhouse films. While, bizarrely, these films helped people to cope with the overwhelming horror of Nazism, Minaj’s video has no redeeming quality.

Minaj has since made a (poor) apology for the video, stating that she’s sorry “if it has offended anyone.”

The word “if” is apology poison and is a tell-tale sign in somebody’s apology

to whether or not they truly mean it.

Minaj really shouldn’t be surprised that the video offended anybody, seeing as it just so happened to coincide with the 76th anniversary of Kristallnacht or “The Night of Broken Glass” when thousands of Jews were brought to concentration camp with over 1000 synagogues being burned and Jewish homes, schools and hospitals being demolished with sledgehammers.

Minaj actually states that the inspiration from the music video wasn’t inspired by fascist propaganda but rather that the film’s director Jeffrey Osborne was inspired by “a cartoon on Cartoon Network called Metapocalypse and Sin City. This is in direct contradiction with the words of Osborne who not only refused to give an apology but admitted that while there were certainly symbols of Nazism in his video, the actual point of it was to “remind younger generations of atrocities that occurred in the past as a way to prevent them from happening in the future.”

I sympathise with Osborne for this reason but is a Nicki Minaj lyric video really the way to go to get your point across? Even then, putting Minaj as a latex-bound dictator of an army doesn’t really say “Nazis are bad” as much as it attempts to scream “Nazism is sexy.”

Regardless of the theme of the video, it seems to be yet another shock-tactic to gain hype for a popstar’s work. Minaj certainly got the attention with little to no consequence.

Entertainment Editor Laura Hussey interviews award winning film director Gerard Stembridge fter completing a fascinating and lively talk in UCC, Gerard Stembridge sat down with Motley to discuss his work as a director over the past 20 years. Stembridge’s work has varied from television, literature and film to even directing Dermot Morgan’s one man show in the Olympia Theatre in 1994 and a satirical radio show Scrap Saturday on RTÉ Radio. An active and award winning playwright, author and film director, in 1995, he was honoured at the famous Thessaloniki awards with Best Screenplay for the phenomenal Guilt Trip, starring Andrew Connolly. Gerard’s most successful film, About Adam, starring Stuart Townsend and Kate Hudson, was nominated for Best Script and Best Director of a Feature Film at the IFTAs in 2003. Stembridge's latest novel ‘The Effect of Her’ was published in 2013. He is also the author of three earlier novels: ‘Unspoken,’ ‘Counting Down’ and ‘According to Luke.’

A fascinating revelation from our talk was learning that Stembridge was unhappy at the way one of his most successful films has been received nowadays, compared to at the time of its release in 2000. When Stembridge wrote About Adam in the late nineties, Ireland was on the cusp of an economic boom, prosperity brought with it a renewed sense of hope for the Irish people, most notably the city of Dublin in which the film is set. “I subsequently became dissatisfied by the way in which, the film was a celebration of our new prosperity,” he admits, “but the way that prosperity turned into something rather grimy and greedy made me feel that I had actually praised too soon if you know what I mean. The positive quality of the film was actually not real anymore, it had no basis in how the country had developed. It marks a very short passing phase.”

Having first encountered the delightful About Adam in the harsh light of a post-Celtic Tiger setting, this summation of how the film’s perception has changed is very apt. Stembridge was quick to add that “in terms of the making of the film itself, I haven’t seen it in a long time but I’m pretty happy with it.”

Before going on to divulge “I will say that I would have preferred to use only Irish actresses as the three sisters but just in the nature of film and financing we fought long and hard about it and in the end largely reduced it to one

American actress and the rest of the cast was all Irish. Funnily enough, if the film was being made now, the American producers would be more than happy to have Irish actresses. There are two stars in particular that any American producer would be happy to cast, Eve Green and Saoirse Ronan. Ten years ago, they would not consider any Irish actress I put forward.”

Having written and produced such a body of unique and thought provoking work, Motley was eager to learn how difficult he found the writing process. Stembridge thoughtfully explained that “it’s not a choice. Film people are incredible the way they keep on going, this can be said for any creative person. Without sounding too pompous about it, it really isn’t a choice. Either you have something you really badly want to say and you sit down and start writing, or you don’t. I’ve no time for people who say that they have so many ideas they just don’t have the discipline to sit down and write them. Well, and I don’t say this to these people, but it’s probably because they aren’t writers.”

Stembridge divulged a little bit about his personal tastes and his choice for favourite film did not disappoint, citing the incredible Sunset Boulevard as his top choice. “It was made in 1950, I think the reason you like a film will often tell you something about yourself. It doesn’t show off, its brilliance is a kind of hidden brilliance, it looks so easy, it looks just like a story being told. It’s only when you analyse it that you realise how perfectly structured the story is, how brilliantly the actors have been cast and how they act in it. How they act is very important because one of the principal characters is an ex-silent film star.

When you see her, you see she’s totally overacting but then you think no, she’s not overacting, that’s how she acts. So all that is so important because it’s a film that can bear layers and layers of interpretation.”

This analyses is one that is often missed by audiences watching Sunset Boulevard. “Any Joe Soap can watch it just as a creepy story about an old woman who wants to regain her youth,” says Stembridge, “it can be read as a metaphor for the corruption of Hollywood. It can read as a kind of sinister story of a young man using his sexual attractiveness to make a fool of an old woman, there are just so many brilliant layers in the story but all understated and I realised that is the key in films. I absolutely love it, what it brought out in me was I appreciated a film that doesn’t proclaim itself loudly, that just says here’s a film, you’ll be entertained, enjoy it.” Stembridge’s insightful and enlightening analyses of his favourite film manages to reflect much of what shines through in his own work. This attitude most certainly permeates in Gerard Stembridge’s multilayered and intelligent creations. He successfully has established both his films as accessible as well as clever, and has become one of Ireland’s best known, modern creative gems.

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Staff Writer Adam Reilly speaks with Brandi Glanville of reality TV hit Real Housewives of Beverly Hills otley was thrilled to catch up with Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Brandi Glanville and get the latest news on the show after a truly explosive season finale. Brandi Lynn Glanville is known for being a former supermodel, New York Times bestseller and of course for her on-screen antics. Her tumultuous marriage to Eddie Cibrian of CSI Miami came to a sudden end when infidelity accusations with both Country singer LeAnn Rimes and Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Marie Jancan arose. Now more than four years since her divorce was finalised, Glanville has taken over reality TV and has even managed to find the time to write two extremely successful books.

After we took the time to welcome Brandi Glanville to the Motley family we had to ask her how she was feeling after the crazy RHOBH reunion show and she replied, “things have been going really well for me in business and work situations. Romance… well its complicated.” While Glanville is known for the occasional fling on Real Housewives she lets Motley know that nothing too serious has come about yet. she is undeniably the Housewife who’s not afraid to tell it like it is but her sharp tongue has landed her some pretty volatile situations with the other women in the show and even brought about the threat of a lawsuit.

During filming the previous season of RHOBH Glanville, 42, revealed a secret about former housewife Adrienne Maloof which to the fans disappointment was edited out by Bravo executives who feared a lawsuit. It came to surface by US Weekly that Glanville had dished out about Maloof’s secret surrogacy pregnancy that she had kept hidden from not only her children but the whole word. Glanville found herself in the middle of a legal battle between herself and Adrienne which was eventually dropped. The pair believed to be sworn enemies may have patched things up, as Glanville hints that Maloof makes a cameo on the new season and tells us, “Adrienne and I are actually in a good place right now and we both promised not to bring up the past and try to move forward in a positive way and when I promise something I stick to it” Glanville has had her fair share of bust-ups with her fellow housewives, including one with Race To Witch Mountain actress Kim Richards, which resulted in Glanville attacking the recovering alcoholic accusing her of “doing crystal meth in the bathroom all night.”

But no screaming match compares to that of late, Glanville versus ex-bestfriend Lisa Vanderpump. After a clip emerged on the internet showing Glanville slapping Vanderpump in the face, Motley quizzed the Celebrity Apprentice candidate on her current feelings towards SUR Bar and Restaurant owner Lisa Vanderpump. She claimed, “I love Lisa and always will but that doesn't mean we won't have bumps in our road in our friendship’s future. Lisa is very very sensitive and takes a very long time to put things behind her so time will heal both of our wounds.”

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Since joining the cast of RHOBH Glanville has faced plenty of hardship and tells Motley, “I still look back on my first season and wonder how I got through it sometimes, but being a middle child and having my parents raise me to not start fights but make sure I finish them has helped a tonne.

I also think anyone who goes through a divorce learns to grow a thick skin and realizes that no one fights your battles for you.” Glanville soon began to show Motley her personal side when she opened up about how her divorce left her in a dark depression that she feels she may have been overcome by if it wasn’t for her two sons.

According to Glanville, the word “Mom should be synonymous with strength.”

A difficult decision for any reality mother is whether or not her children should be exposed to the cameras. Glanville told Motley that she would love for the viewers to see the motherly side to her rather than the sharp-tongued trouble maker she is portrayed on the show. She ascertained, “I really do [want viewers to see her motherly side] but at the same time, I’m realizing with my kids getting older and more aware of the things happening around them it’s probably best not to subject them to public scrutiny at such young ages.”

The question on everyone’s mind when talking about reality shows is the authenticity of the relationships between cast mates when the cameras switch off but according to Glanville, “some relationships and friendships need that break to process all the drama and others like Yolanda Foster’s and mine are a constant but we all have very busy lives so when we first wrap we all go into hiding for a bit.” We asked Glanville why the show has become the phenomenon that it is and according to the gorgeous mother of two, all the women have really big personalities and oftentimes it becomes a “who can start the most drama contest.”’ Glanville added: “Everyone wants to be Queen Bee but it’s an ensembles cast and the show needs all of us.”

As it’s so topical, we talked to Glanville about the same-sex marriage equality referendum which is quickly approaching in Ireland. In response Glanville had this message to share with the readers of Motley. “Don't try to keep up with anyone just be the best you can be. We are all perfectly imperfect.

Trying to the best of your ability is perfection in my book- also smile! It’s amazing how a friendly face can light up ones day.”

Make sure to catch Brandi when Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 5 premieres on Tuesday, November 18th and on Celebrity Apprentice premiering on January 5th.

Seeing isn’t believing, believing is seeing…” Christmas is a season like no other. Be it Easter or Halloween, it is never as easy to find cheer as at Christmas time.

And what distinguishes Christmas so much? Why, songs and movies of course! Recently, we at Motley have been reminiscing about our favourite Christmas movies. It is an indisputable fact that Christmas without movies would be like hot chocolate with no marshmallows, or Tom without Jerry - ultimately meaningless. Here’s our feelings on a few of our favourites to tick off over the holiday season.

The Polar Express

Tom Hanks adopts a grandfather/mystical figure in this visual bounty, where children glide through mountain sides on magical trains and meet Santa in all his glory. It doesn’t seem like ten years ago since we were watching in awe, simply enchanted at the little bell that only rang for those who truly believed. Breath-taking.

Elf

Who doesn’t love the adorable Elf, who eats sweets constantly and always finds adventure wherever he goes? Contrast that with a grouchy father who’s frozen heart eventually melts, it’s hands down one of the most feel good Christmas movies around.

Home Alone

The tricks, the laughs, the reunion! All facets are present in this coming of age movie, as the main character has to fend for himself and realises that

With the countdown to Christmas beginning, Mairead Leen pens a festive movie bucket list he really does love his family, including his pesky older siblings (after a long week apart, mind you). The ingenuity of his pranks and eventually conquering the quintessential baddies makes this necessary viewing at Christmas time.

The Santa Clause

Much and all as we loved watching this as the Big Big movie on a Saturday night (usually a fortnight before Christmas Eve, if you’re wondering), it is only now that one can truly appreciate the wit of Scott Calvin: “Can we take a direct flight back to reality, or do we have to change planes in Denver?” From saving Christmas, to the cranky elf Bernard, and father-son bonding moments, this is a Christmas classic. Santa Clause 2, not so much, because Charlie grew up to become a rebel, which is why sometimes it’s best not to overdo a good thing!

A Christmas Carol

This is a newer release and isn’t quite as nostalgic but still brims with sentimentality. Jim Carrey brings to life a legendary figure of ill will and spite, yet beautifully captures an old man who eventually changes his ways and sees the light, as well as discovering his charitable side. It is a delightful tale of morality and social division, a topic which always must be considered, not only at Christmas, but all year round.

’s

Miracle on 34th Street

This movie examines the vague differences between reality and fantasy, commercialism and generosity, and the perspective of children versus that of adults. Kind Kris Kringle is committed because he truly believes that he is the real Santa Claus, so a lawyer spellbinds a courtroom by arguing that he really is indeed Old Saint Nick. A tale that teaches us that sometimes, a ludicrous view of the world is far more enjoyable than practicality.

It’s A Wonderful Life

When a suicidal man who has abandoned his dreams decides to end his life on Christmas Eve, his guardian angel shows him what life would have been like for his family and friends if he had never been born. It is a warming tale of carpe diem and how missed opportunities and failures are there to help us do better.

Christmas movies encompass the spirit of Christmas, the importance of family and friends and the joy of giving. You’re never too old to watch that one Christmas film that fills you with nostalgia. You’re never too old to watch the tree light up. You’re never too old to light up someone’s holiday, maybe someone who needs a kind word or just a helping hand. So this Christmas, forget about how old you are and think about the silly Christmas movies that have a deeper meaning behind them.

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erry Barry is an artist from West Kerry who works in a number of interesting, and innovative mediums. He works most notably as a land artist. Denise Hall in her article in the Irish Examiner explains the concept succinctly: “Like the principles of the land art movement, the installations are meant to co-exist with the elements of nature, which are themselves an ever-changing work of art.” Hall explains that it is a movement which grew with vehemence in the late sixties and seventies. It originated as a protest against “the increasing artificiality of art, and occurred simultaneously with the emergence of the environmental movement.” Barry himself began as a painter until he found that the sea, mountains and lakes which he depicted demanded more interaction than painting as an interface. 1975 marks the beginning point for Barry’s landscape and natural elements work and he can now safely claim his title as the “longest working Irish land artist.”

Employing natural elements to create his works of art, Barry is particularly interested in water and the sky, those two most liminal elements which intoxicate the human mind with their neither-here-nor-thereness, and the unfathomable realms which we try to capture but inevitably fail. When asked how his work came to take this form, his answer is that works such as ‘Spiral Jetty’ and ‘Running Fence’ kick-started his imagination. ‘Spiral Jetty’ is an earthwork sculpture created by the American sculptor Robert Smithson in April 1970. The construction of it was also documented in a 32-minute film. ‘Running Fence’ was an installation piece by Christo and JeanneClaude, completed on the 10th of September 1976 and deconstructed fourteen days later, leaving no trace. These pieces started him thinking about what he could create from the landscape himself. He continues to gain a lot of inspiration from the artist David Hockney (very popular in the 60’s in England) and evidence of this is seen in his work.

Of course, when dealing with something as temperamental as the elements, (especially the Irish

Motley’s Jane Farrell speaks to the longest working Irish Land Artist Gerry Barry on the natural elements in his work.

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ones) issues of permanency are out of the hands of the artist but Barry explains that leaving it up to nature is part of the point. The influence of nature, the changing seasons, ageing, the forces of wind, water and sun, evolve the works and allow them to surpass how human hands attempt to control them. The installations are designed to harmonise with nature and some of them still exist in spite of them having been installed as far back as the 1970’s.

Barry is a prolific artist in spite of the fact that his work demands that he waits for conditions to be right.

His patience is rewarded in the ephemeral artworks he creates that are wonderful in the truest sense of the word. He mainly works in Kerry which is the environment he grew up in. He describes the landscape dominated by lakes, mountains and the sea as occasionally “overpowering” and inevitably attempting to capture this in art is a daunting endeavour which Barry does not seem to be deterred by. A true love of this landscape is what motivates his work. This creates a singular and extraordinary relationship with the place that viewers are invited to share.

Barry is currently a teacher in St Aloysius’s Secondary School in Cork City which provided the setting for our interview. The creativity he sees blossoming in the classroom is something he greatly encourages. Barry cites ‘Wonder’ as the reason why he creates art. To inspire such a feeling is his aim and he has a story which proves his success in that endeavour. After completing a work on a beach early in the morning, Barry decided to involve the children from the local primary school and to encourage them to make their own works. They did this with great enthusiasm. A young boy, awestruck, asked Barry, “Did you make that?” When answered in the affirmative, he replied, “I thought aliens made them!”

Barry uses a Nikon D5000 to photograph his works upon completion in order to document them but the best way to experience his work is to visit them in the setting which inspired them. The flip down viewfinder of the D5000 allows him to use different angles, which is helpful given that Barry works a lot on the edge, such

as where the sea meets the sand or river. The reflective quality of water is particularly alluring to Barry. “It’s extremely powerful and the way people and humans can be drawn to water is phenomenal.” Barry is an artist who feels much anchored in his own place, which is unsurprising given that his work is rooted in it.

His father was a great source of encouragement and inspiration for him. After his death, Barry made the work you see below, a triple circle cut out of a salt marsh with a spade his father had made. Just as he photographed it, a rainbow serendipitously appeared and added a symbolic element to a work which already had personal significance.

I was interested to find out if the author and cartographer Tim Robinson had any impact on his work.

Robinson produced a fascinating and special map of the Burren which was, as Barry puts it, simultaneously “a history, a geography and storytelling.” The microscopic attention to detail in Robinson’s documentary style books Stones of Aran: Pilgrimage and Stones of Aran: Labyrinth bear certain similarities with Barry’s land art.

Both attempt to realise nature in a form which inspires wonder. Both inspire an awareness of the world and also allow us to interpret the elements in a new manner.

Barry and Robinson met briefly in Roundstone in what I imagine to be a great meeting of like minds.

He is a graduate of three art colleges which justifies his right to question why they are almost all located in cities. As an artist who takes his inspiration from nature, studying in cities did not provide the canvas or inspiration he needed for his work and he preferred walking the beaches and mountains than spending time locked in a studio. He sees art as a response and not something which can be contrived. Art is something happening outside the window for Barry, so that is where he likes to work. Spiral shapes are a common feature in Barry’s work and serve to complement the primal, eternal essence of the natural world.

Barry is not interested in galleries; instead he uses the beach itself for his exhibitions. His site of choice is a part of West Kerry where the river flows into the sea, a mile or two outside of Castlegregory. He informed me of one such exhibition which took place as part of the Feile na Bealtaine festival in Dingle. It lasted a weekend, and contained fifteen works which he wanted to look like the work of fifteen different artists. The large attendance at this event is testament to how people respond to the primal.

Barry surprised me with an opinion which many may find interesting: “Man has a lot to learn in terms of where they’re living. In fact, men have a lot to learn from women. Women know how to live on this planet, they are not the ones who go to war or greedily run companies.” His art is trying to return to what he reckons we should be focusing on, our immediate surroundings.

He wonders why we as humans feel that we have to send a comet into space to go looking for a new place instead of embracing and nurturing the one we have. In an effort to do this, his work tries to compliment nature, and return to the simplicity of nature which has been shoved aside by technology. Having said that, the internet has provided a great outlet and means of display for his work, he is taking the best of what it offers and the response to his work online has reassured him in what he’s doing.

Alongside this type of work, his landscapes done in colour pencil, mainly using the colours brown and blue

which are layered. He also draws realistic characters from his locale and he has no problem shifting between mediums. Barry maintains that, “Being an island people, we are a spiritual country, we are in touch with the clouds and that is why the weather dominates our minds. When people talk about the weather, what they are actually talking about is nature and the clouds.” This spirituality finds its way into his work when he examines stories from the bible from a new perspective. One such work is title Famine of the Soul and features the bones of a fish which is intended as juxtaposition to the fish which Christ fed to the masses. Another work is a revitalised image of the Madonna and Child, but of a father and daughter iconised. From this, it is clear that stories of the bible fascinate him, but as to whether one belief system informs his thinking, the answer is more ambiguous. Barry is spiritual, but does not conform to any one belief system or doctrine.

Finishing the interview, Barry painted a wonderfully evocative image of looking into his grandmother’s fire, listening to her tell stories and picturing the whole thing on the flames. This simplicity and purity is what is translated into his works. He then had this advice to offer. “In whatever process you’re involved, have faith, your time will come if you want it to come.”

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Splurge & Save this Christmas PAGE 40

High-Profile Collaborations

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[Interview]

Emily Horgan chats with the groundbreaking Irish fashion photographer ver the past few years, more and more people are opening their minds to the world of photography. Fashion photography is no longer just an aloof size 8 model in front of a white screen. It consists of shapes, light and artistic interpretations, allowing the true art of fashion shine through. One man who is currently breaking the mould of Irish photography and fashion photography is Alex Hutchinson, a Dublin based photographer with a strikingly unique and distinctive style. “It never really occurred to me that I wanted to be a photographer growing up,” he admitted. From a young age, Hutchinson wanted to be an airforce pilot. However, when a failed eye test meant this dream was no longer obtainable, he used his eye for a more artistic line of work. “I didn’t pick up a camera until I was about 26, but once I took my first image I felt compelled to do it over and over again,” he explained, “I bought a camera, quit my job and went travelling with it. The greatest decision I ever made.”

It is a grey area as to whether Alex Hutchinson can be described as specifically a fashion photographer or not – he himself admitted that fashion is not his top priority when it comes to his shoots. “I really struggle to place myself within a genre,” Hutchinson divulged, “Fashion photography is inherently about the clothes, and my work is inherently about the person. It’s hard to bring across a raw emotive style when someone wants simple shots of their clothes.”

So where does he find his inspiration from, with no real genre to adhere to?

“There are a couple of images that have stuck in my head and I look back on and try to remember why I took up photography in the first place. One is a behind the scenes shot from another photoshoot.

The model’s hair was being pulled at and she was being poked with a makeup brush. I think it represents where the glamorous lifestyle and reality of high fashion modelling come together – a vacant stare on a beautiful face”.

In the age of digital photography with images merely made of pixels on a screen, Hutchinson makes sure to go back to the old style of film cameras while on a break from his usual stints with his Nikon D700. “I love using film because you take your time with each image and you become more comfortable with the medium,” he told Motley, “with digital photography there is always a new software or a new app to take ‘better’ images”.

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An unavoidable question to ask a talented photographer like Alex Hutchinson is the idea that everyone is now able to be a photographer in their own right, with some new smart phones boasting an 8 MP camera and hundreds of apps for editing photos to make them look highly professional.

However, could this form of photography be seen to be watering down a professional’s work? “I have no quarrel with ‘iPhone photographers,” says Hutchinson, “I feel that yes, there will be a lot more terrible work out there, but with that, an amazing artistic eye could be found and will find themselves.

I hate when photographers give out about that, we all have to start somewhere. It’s not the medium we shoot with, it’s the eye that makes the photographer: the camera is just an extension of your eye, it doesn’t matter what you put in front of it.”

As for photography in our own fair isle, it can’t be denied that we have the perfect backdrop for stunning shots with our beautiful country sides, interesting cities and breath taking landmarks. This,

combined with the raw artistic talent that most Irish people tend to have, surely we have all the ingredients to be produce potentially amazing photographers. According to Hutchinson “the Irish have a great talent for photography, film, music and other creative outlets. For such a small island, we have a great number of people who are extremely creative.” But where does fashion photography come into play? “I believe the fashion industry in Ireland is very safe,” he admits, “There are a few people I see at the moment really creating something; Philip White and Boo George are among those people who I really admire. I think their take on fashion is progressive and about the image, not just the fashion.” Other Irish photographers that Hutchinson takes a inspiration from include Martin Gregg, Seamus Travers, Rich Gilligan, Johnny McMillan and Alex Sheridan (“he will be the next big thing, not necessarily in fashion photography, but photography as a whole”).

With a portfolio boasting a large range of content from Lookbooks for 9 Crow Street to shoots for Vogue UK, the future is looking bright for Alex Hutchinson. “My plans for the future?” he says, before continuing, “well, I am drawing up a new project at the moment that will be shot on medium and large format. Hopefully this will be my biggest project to date.” With all of his success and talent, he has a very humble view on putting his talents to use. “I am making a conscious decision to document my friends and family,” he adds, ”as they will always be the most important things to me. Once fashion is gone out of style and the next generation of models come in, the images of my friends and family will be the most meaningful.”

BY

AOIFE STAPLETON

t’s no secret that the nineties have been back in the fashion spotlight over the past few months. We first saw the revival of the crop top, dungarees, the slip dress and the tattoo choker, but in more recent times the fash pack’s focus has been placed on the revival of the runner. Yes, we never thought it would happen, but its no doubt they are back and better than ever.

Like most trends with a bit of longevity, its roots can usually be traced back to the runway and this unsurprisingly is no exception. Ordinarily when we think designer, we think chic, polished, haute couture but for the past number of seasons the fashion houses have been breaking all the rules and have sent their models down the runway in the most unconventional choice of shoe. If we look back on Spring/Summer’s collections of 2014 we first saw the fashion elites Chanel and Dior showcase some sporty footwear in both their collections. It may have created a stir in the fashion world, but obviously created a lasting impression as many designers then followed suit. Come Autumn/Winter we were presented with designers such as Jeremy Scott, Ralph Lauren and Celine putting their own spin on the trend. While the coming Spring/Summer 15 collections were also no strangers to the take over, as we saw Alexander Wang’s integration of the stylish Nike Flyknits into his ever sophisticated collection, proving that incorporating runners into your everyday wardrobe is no longer reserved for you fashionably inept dad.

On the high street alike, its clear runners are truly having a fashion moment, and unsurprisingly so with celebrity style icons like Olivia Palmero, Cara Delevigne, Miranda Kerr and Lana Del Rey being papped wearing various styles with their casual attire. Runners are a readily available trend with so many different styles that there is bound to be

Update your wardrobe with the latest sartorial essential: Left: Dior; Above: Gucci; Below: Mondrien Red Leather by Dior

something to suit us all. For a versatile, understated look, Nike Free Runs or Nike Roshe Runs in black and white are the perfect addition to any minimalist’s wardrobe. If you’re willing to push the boat out a bit and want to go for something that will make a statement, opt for the playful patterns of the updated Nike Airs or the unexpected colour pairings of New Balance. However, if you really want to stick with that old school, retro runner look, then a fresh, crisp, white pair of Adidas Superstars or Stan Smiths is the footwear of choice for you. The convenience of this trend is that all of these styles are available in both Office and Schuh, but if you’re more of an online shopper, look no further than Asos for an ample collection of brands and styles. With sales in runners soaring over the past number of months, now is a good time to put them on your Christmas list. Product and marketing director for Schuh, David Spencer recently told The Daily Mail: “Nineties sport is the footwear of choice and we have seen a massive uplift in sales for this type of footwear, especially on ladies- where we are seeing girls who aren’t traditionally sports customers buying into the trend too.”

What makes this trend an exciting one is the fact that runners can essentially be worn with any outfit and have the added extra of being super comfortable for those long days in college. For a laid-back look, pair yours with ripped skinny jeans, a simple t-shirt or knit and your token leather jacket, letting your footwear do the talking. For a more sophisticated fashion-forward look, pair a simple and unfussy style of runners with a pair of leather pants and a chunky polo knit, adding a bang-ontrend duster coat and a simple beanie hat for those

Comfort and style are the two main priorities for the average college student when it comes to their wardrobe and luckily for us, runners seem to tick both of those boxes. cold winter days. If you want to be a bit more daring or if you’re going somewhere special, runners work surprisingly well under a tulle midi skirt, a fine knit and a statement necklace. The key to this trend is making your outfit look effortless yet stylish. Wearing runners is a great way to dress down an otherwise dressy outfit making it more day time wearable.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with colours, as it’s a quick and easy way to add a pop of colour to a dull winter wardrobe. Unlike the winter boot, runners can be worn right through all seasons so if there’s anything that is an investment piece it’s a good quality pair of kicks.

Comfort and style are the two main priorities for the average college student when it comes to their wardrobe and luckily for us, runners seem to tick both of those boxes. Whether you’re just looking for new pair of gym shoes, an everyday shoe for college or a pair to add a stylish edge to your outfits, you’re bound to find something tailored to your needs. With big brands like Nike and Adidas constantly releasing new styles, colours and patterns, it’s a trend that looks as though it’s set to stay for a while, and who are we to complain when it’s the next best thing to wearing slippers outside the house shame free!

Add this pair of Gucci’s neon green leather high-tops to your Christmas list to stand out from the crowd next semester.

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Fancy PJ’s:

Pajamas aren’t usually something we tend to buy ourselves or at that spend good money on, but there’s something about a good pair of pj’s at Christmas that just seems worth the money. They last forever and vary so much from fuzzy onesies to silky nightdresses. There’s no need to go crazy but a few extra euro can be so worth it once nightfall comes around.

When November comes and the party season starts, something magic happens across all high streets. Sequins shine and fur flourishes as the party season items hit the racks. It can be a bit overwhelming, so much temptation yet so little cash. s Martha Brennan lays down a guideline of what you should dish out on and what to walk away from this Christmas season.

Make Up:

MAKE-UP

This one is a definite splurge. Brown Thomas is not only loaded with miniature trees and ribbons but kits and packages at amazing value. Even though 60 euro for brushes may seem like a splurge right now, in the long run it’s a one time a year deal. Some of those gorgeous eye shadow kits and mini boxes may never come back so snap them up now rather than paying twice as much in a few months’ time.

A Winter Coat

A good coat can completely change any outfit. Long furry trenches or woolly button ups are not only cozy but a fashion statement in themselves. What makes it even better? They usually last forever and typically it’s hard to find one that will go out of style. So spend the extra few bills and you’ll thank yourself in years to come.

Winter Boots:

It cannot be stressed enough that we need to wear good shoes for healthy feet. We’re not talking Manalo’s here, just a few extra hours of work can pay off the extra bit that an actual shoe shop will charge (aka not Penney’s). A pair of nice leather boots not only look sophisticated but they can be worn in so many ways, casually with jeans or classy with tights. Again an option that will last you a while, and your feet will thank you later.

Sweaters:

One of the easiest ensemble staples, stylish throughout three seasons of the year, is a cable knit with jeans or a skirt. It’s ok to splurge or save here. There is no reason why you should avoid the cozy cardigans in Penney’s this season, but Next do have a gorgeous sweater collection right now and Ralph Lauren or Hilfiger have the most comfy pull overs with a hint more sophistication, all year round.

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Scarves and Hats:

The holiday season is upon us once again, and this time of the year is always a makeup and beauty lover’s dream with the release of many companies’ most covetable collections.

With so many options to choose from, the task of finding the perfect gift whether for a loved one or for one’s self (let’s be honest here) becomes exceedingly difficult.

However, one of the most rewarding aspects of the season is finding that perfect lipstick or eye palette that makes you look and feel amazing.

The Queen of covetable (yet entirely usable) makeup collections, Bobbi Brown, has this year released the amazing Scotch On The Rocks - a timeless and sophisticated collection showcasing some fantastic limited edition shades of eyeshadow, lipstick, lipgloss, gel eye liner and nail polish as well as two incredible highlighters. The Bobbi Brown counter at Brown Thomas Cork offers, like all BB counters, complimentary lessons ranging from a quick eye lesson, to the Ultimate Makeup Lesson and everything in between. These are a great way to get to know some of the fabulous new products as well as picking up some tips and tricks from the Bobbi artists.

First up in the collection are the three new shades of nail polish (€14) a classic red, a Bordeaux style burgundy and a fun sparkling gold glitter shade which looks great alone or layered over other shades. The lipglosses (€24) are some of Bobbi’s most loved products, as they are shiny but not sticky, and the High Shimmer finishes are incredible, particularly the new shade Bellini which is stunning. The lipglosses are great alone but they also pair so well with a lipstick and the four shades available with this collection are all about classic glamour, from a deep Burgundy to a sheer, light reflective gold, keeping in tune with the nail varnishes.

There are three standout items in this collection; the two Highlight Powders (€42.50), Bronze Glow and Pink Glow, both create a beautiful sheen on the skin that can be built and layered and finally the Scotch on The Rocks (€69) eyeshadow palette, an absolutely stunning collection of nine shadows, with a variety of finishes from matte to metallic and Bobbi’s famous Sparkle Shadow - these can be used daily for a subtle eye look or using Rich Caviar (a deep luxurious warm brown) you can easily smoke your look out for evening or any holiday event. The shadows come housed in a fabulous faux-croc case that looks timeless and classy, making them an apt centre piece for the collection.

Bobbi Brown has also launched an App named Ask Bobbi which gives you access to tips, tricks and techniques to help you utilise your makeup to help you feel your best as well as the option to book lessons with an Artist at your nearest counter.

As warm and protective as wooly hats and scarves are, you’re more than likely not going to find ones which are better quality than others based on price. Wool is usually wool and while obviously cashmere is a nice option, you can get a Burberry knock off very easily. And in addition, let’s face it, they are one of the first things you’ll lose or leave behind in lectures so you don’t want to be over splurging on these.

Sequins and Party Dresses

Last year my cousin dished out on a gorgeous black sequin jumpsuit, which hasn’t been taken out of the closet since New Year’s. Sequins and Christmas time dresses usually can’t be worn past January so you’re better off saving a bit here. Stick to affordable party wear so you can afford all 12 pubs this season.

Festive Christmas Jumpers

You have roughly a three week time frame to squeeze wear into this one, and with memorable bold patterns and decorations, this one is pretty self-explanatory. You’re much better off to just have one cheap festive wear in your wardrobe and spend the money elsewhere.

et’s first take a look at H&M’s incredible track record. It dates back to 2004 when the legendary Karl Lagerfeld started the trend of collaborations with the Swedish retailer.

This collection, of course was not without controversy as Lagerfeld complained that the high street label made his pieces larger than what he wanted claiming his target was “more slim and slender figures” (please see article on Chanel for Feminism in our previous issue if this makes your blood boil.) Because of the major success of this collection, H&M have made a trend of teaming up with different designers each year since then, making big fashion names more accessible for people who shop on the high street - which, let’s be honest, is most of us. Top names include Stella McCartney (2005), who brought what she does best to her H&M collection: minimalism, which one can one can only describe as wearable and feminine in fashion terms.

Versace was the next big name to team up with the store in both 2011 and 2012, bringing bold colours and prints to H&M to symbolize the glamour that the Versace brand embodies.

Isabel Marant’s collection in 2013 was described as being similar in quality to her other pieces but less than half the price. Now, for this year it’s Alexander Wang.

The launch party for this collection may have been the most extravagant yet with celebrities such as Dakota

Fanning and model Hanne Gaby Odiele attending, who also labeled the collection as “pretty f***ing amazing,” not to mention Missy Elliott’s comeback set on the night. The collection represents what Wang does so well: “cool” and “edgy.”

Although they’ve had the most prolific, H&M isn’t the only high street label that has had high profile collaborations. During the past year, Stella McCartney teamed up with Adidas, which was to contribute to what seems to be the ever growing “gym luxe” trend that has been gracing catwalks, such as Chanel, in the past year. Her pieces are both fit for the gym and for the catwalk, showcasing them using models that were doing yoga, on exercise bikes and jogging down the runway.

Another high fashion collaboration, which, in my opinion didn’t get enough lead up or recognition, was when Valentino and GAP joined forces to release an amazing collection. This dates back to November 2010, and a possible reason that it went so unnoticed could be the fact that it was exclusive to only a couple of stores around Europe. On top of this, the collection boasted an exclusive seven pieces, which added to the secrecy and exclusive feel. Although the prices of these collaborations are often a little bit higher than normal on the high street, it has to be considered that they come nowhere near the price you would pay for an original piece by any of these designers.

It’s also near impossible to forget the celebrity collaborations with high street shops. The two best known would of course be Kate Moss for Topshop and Rihanna for River Island. Moss’ inaugural collection was undeniably highly successful as she now boasts over 14 collections with Topshop,. It could be said that she’s now considered more a part of the Topshop furniture rather than a collaboration. Rihanna, on the other hand first teamed up with River Island in 2012 and it went so well the first time she came back for more in 2013.

There were very mixed reviews for both collections as people thought them to be “underwhelming and overpriced.” Perhaps they should have left it to the likes of Lagerfeld and McCartney!

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