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Withdrawal of funding forces SU to close down Cloakroom service By Tomás M. Creamer
FREE STUDENT NEWSPAPER | VOL 18, ISSUE 01 | 13 SEPT. 2016
SU President speaks out on housing crisis By Heather Robinson In 2015 last year the Irish Times reported that the housing crisis in Galway was at the ‘worst its ever been’. In the same news bulletin they mentioned there was going to be a 10% average rise in rent prices for Galway in the coming year of 2016. With many students left scrambling for accommodation at last minute because of CAO offers, there are many who must pay exorbitant rates for a room or forego their place in third level education. Jimmy McGovern, NUI Galway’s Student Union President had a lot to say on the subject; “To begin, there has been a very little number of new properties built in Galway for the past number of years. “With our University expanding dramatically over the past decade, our student population has grown to almost 18,000, our neighbouring institute GMIT and also the teaching hospital, have also played a major role in the accommodation demands. According to NUI Galway’s website, students make up 20% of the overall population in Galway city, with most young people being attracted to the friendly and cheerful atmosphere. McGovern also said that the industry growth in Galway city could be a contributing factor to the housing problem as more jobs are being generated but there are now fewer places to accommodate people. “As a University, we have heavily relied on the private market as a source of housing for students. However, the private market is worryingly unpredictable, as we have now experiencing. “People appear to be renting as opposed to buying, which again is putting more pressure on the rental market and limiting the amount of houses available for students. Property owners are renting to professionals, to, I believe, avoid the student-friendly nine month leases, and to higher the rent cost.” The issue of nine-month leases seems to
be further exasperated by graduating students remaining in their student accommodation. Graduates are extending their leases beyond the academic year and thereby limiting the private market for incoming first year students. Every year there are less properties open to the student population. According to McGovern there are plans in development for new purpose built student accommodation of up to 429 beds that is expected for September 2018. He also informed SIN that there should be a further 470 beds available by 2020. McGovern wishes to inform all students that the Student’s Union and the University’s Accommodation Office have partnered up to help solve this problem and provide beds where they are available. In a concluding statement McGovern said “The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) have also relaunched their housing initiative, homes. usi.ie, as a means to appeal to homeowners in all over Ireland to consider offering accommodation to students during term time. With rents increasing and accommodation being scarce, USI are committed to help tackle this issue.”
On the 31st of August, the NUI Galway Student’s Union (SU) announced through a post on its Facebook page that it has being forced to close down the Cloakroom service – a safe space where students could leave bags temporarily at no cost to themselves – due to a decision from the University to withdraw the funding necessary to keep it running. Jimmy McGovern, the current SU President, commented in response to a query by a contributor from this newspaper, saying “firstly, it goes without say that the Students’ Union is deeply disappointed with the University’s decision to withdraw funding from the Cloakroom. “The Students’ Union has operated and managed the Cloakroom for many years, and it has been a service used by a wide range of students. The staff cost for this service was covered by the University’s Buildings Office, however this funding was withdrawn last year. The Students’ Union are not in a position to fund the Cloakroom, but we have clearly stated to the Buildings Office that we are more than willing to operate and manage the service at no charge, if funding can be made available. We will, on behalf of students, continue to lobby for the University to source funding for this much-used and beneficial service.” The office of the University President, James J. Browne, was contacted for comment in relation to this issue, but has not responded at the time of writing. The office of Pat Morgan, the University Vice President for the Student Experience, was contacted, and commented; “I was unaware, until informed recently by SU commercial, of the source of funding for the Cloakroom or the cessation of funding. I will of course seek clarification on the matter in the next few days.”
2 NEWS
Sin Vol. 18 Issue 01
USI Unveils its Pre-Budget Submission for Budget 2016 By Cathal Kelly
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The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) launched its Pre-Budget Submission outside Leinster House last Tuesday, 6 September. Among the proposals that were included were at least a €500 reduction in college fees; a €140 million investment in higher education; reinstating postgraduate grants; and a €5million investment in third-level mental health counselling. The USI President, Annie Hoey, said the government needed to match talk of economic recovery with financial investment in thirdlevel education. The USI Vice President for the Border, Midlands and Western region, Michael Kerrigan, hand-delivered a copy of the pre-budget submission with students from GMIT Castlebar campus, to Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s offices in Tucker Street, Castlebar, while the USI Vice President for the Southern region, Niamh Murtagh, hand-delivered a copy to leader of the opposition and Fianna fáil leader, Micheál Martin’s offices in Turner’s Cross, Cork. “The third-level sector has struggled to perform during many years of austerity,” Annie Hoey, USI President said. “USI believes that the sector should be praised for its efforts to deliver quality education during a sustained period of underinvestment and uncertainty. However, what is necessary as a response to crisis is not sustainable as a long-term model. It’s time to match talk of economic recovery with strategic investment in vital public services such as education.” According to the recently-published ‘Investing in National Ambition’ report into the future funding of higher education, there is an “urgent” need for an additional €600 million investment over the next five years, as well as €100 million extra in student supports in third level education. USI is calling on the government to ensure that this required investment is on a phased basis so as to ensure quality and participation, and also ensure that support services can be improved. Research carried out by the USI shows some disturbing statistics. It reveals that 58% of students use extreme budgeting tactics, such as missing meals, in order to meet the costs of education. Further research into student dropout rates shows that financial issues are a significant cause for withdrawal from attending third-level. The highest available rate of maintenance grant, available only in special circumstances and at a non-adjacent rate, contributes to a maximum of 54% of the annual cost of participation in third-level. The reinstatement of the postgraduate grants will cost government €53 million.
The postgraduate maintenance grant was abolished in the 2012 Budget and was replaced by a postgraduate contribution fee of between €2,000 and €6,270 depending on incomes. The USI said a better educated population will lead to a stronger, more skilled workforce capable of earning higher incomes and paying back more taxes into the economy long-term. “Abolishing the post-graduate grants has created a two-tier system where students from lower socio-economic backgrounds cannot progress past an undergraduate level,” Hoey said. “Reinstating the post-grad grants will keep things on a level playing field.” The USI’s proposal to reverse Government cuts to student grants made in the 2011 and 2012 Budget will cost €12.3 million. The minimum reduction of the student contribution charge by €500 will cost €34 million per €500. USI said a reduction in the student contribution charge, or registration fee, is vital to opening the opportunity of third level education to those from disadvantaged and to increase social mobility in Ireland. The proposal for the government to secure ring-fence funding of €37.5m annually and to put an emphasis on local 24/7 crisis intervention services is something the USI said was crucial to improve the under-resourced, under-funded mental health services in Ireland, and to create real support for young people to improve their well-being and strengthen their mental health. In the pre-budget submission USI also proposed that the government invested in third-level mental health counselling and supports which will cost €5 million per year. “Hundreds of thousands of students and their families are extremely concerned about the ever-rising cost of third-level education,” said Hoey. “Dramatic increases in accommodation costs, a shortage in appropriate part-time work, and the burden of €3,000 fees contribute to a burdensome annual cost of around €11,000 to attend third-level, according to Campus Life. Against a backdrop of drastically reduced family incomes, this arrangement is unsustainable in and of itself. Worse, there has been no increase in the sufficiency of core student supports while costs have risen. Students and families are actively and demonstrably struggling to make ends meet. These concerns are reflected in our recommendations for Budget 2017. The affordability and quality of third-level education are topical and urgent concerns; if allowed to continue, the current system will ensure a two-tier and underperforming system. This serves no one’s interest.”
NEWS 3
September 13 2016
INSIDE
NUI Galway ranks in top 250 Universities in the World 4 Do you want to be the voice of your class? 5
Hello everyone and welcome to the first issue of SIN Volume 18! If you’re reading this just know that I’m probably dancing on the tables of the SIN office, celebrating the small victory that is editing my first newspaper. My name’s Sorcha and I’ve just taken over the reins from Jessica Thompson, the exquisite editor of our college paper for the past four years. Jess is certainly someone who has left me big shoes to fill but with a bit of luck and some serious hard work, sometime in the future the next editor might say that about me! SIN has been an integral part of my college experience so far and it is such an honour to be trusted with running the show in my third year here in NUI Galway. I still remember making a beeline for Jessica at my first Socs day, signing up to be a member and turning up to my first meeting. We were all packed into a room in one of the tower blocks of the Concourse and I had to perch on a rickety table in the corner with three other first years. And I probably thought I was going to be the next Andy Sachs. Jessica was a far cry from Miranda Priestly though and it was her encouragement and guidance rather than lectures on shades of blue that has helped me so much to get to where I am today. I wish her the very best of luck in everything she does in future (and I hope you all got the The Devil Wears Prada reference!) Back in my Leaving Cert days, journalism was always the go-to response when I was asked what I wanted to do in university. Being honest, it was probably a dream I had from much earlier on though. I’ve memories of being in primary school and being told off for putting too much information into
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my stories. But what good is half of the facts, eh? You gotta get the scoop! Another memory I have is from later on, in Transition Year. I was part of the editing team for the school yearbook, incidentally one of the best things I did during my time in school. Mr Keenan, an English teacher in my school was the head honcho of the yearbook and at the end of the year he gave us all a book each to say thanks for our efforts. Inside my copy of Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns he wrote words that have spurred me on to this day to always keep on believing that being a successful journalist is something I can achieve. “You’ve a talent with words, no matter the subject. Nurture it.” And then of course, some of you may know me as last year’s Lifestyle editor, which was my first real experience as an editor for SIN, working with an extremely talented and dedicated team. Phew, getting a bit emotional now. Enough of that and on to the business end of it all! Firstly, a massive welcome to anyone who is picking SIN up for the first time. If you’re a Fresher, I hope university is everything you thought it would be and sure maybe you’ll join us on the SIN team for an article or two while you’re here. Galway is one incredibly fun place to go to college – although I may be biased. There’s always something going on. One word of advice though: buy a rain jacket. I still haven’t. But you should. There’s a semipermanent drizzle here in Galway that hits you from all angles and looks deceivably light from indoors. It’s never light. This issue of SIN is the product of one scary but extremely exciting week for me and I want to thank everyone who has helped me out. From Jimmy McGovern, SU President making me feel part of the team from the word go, to Jessica showing me the ropes and to all the brilliant contributors who wrote the entire paper, so many people have helped this first issue even get to print. And to my housemates and friends who put up with me asking them to make me tea or even to try their hand at article writing, a massive thank you. We cover everything from the housing crisis that has plagued students the past few years to how to eat well when you’re a bit strapped for moolah to reviewing Netflix’s
Stranger Things. It’s a great, wondrous mixed bag for you to enjoy. Also keep an eye for more content on our website too, Sin.ie. Folks, it’s all happenin’. Semester One is in full swing and SIN is here to keep you informed. And if you’re a budding journalist yourself please get in touch! Needless, to say I’m still pinching myself that I’ve taken over the role of editor; the university is really going in for change this year, huh? First years, you’ve probably heard peoples’ gasps as they take in Smokey’s makeover - and whatever opinions you may have heard, at least eating will no longer cause a muscle strain. Those blasted tables. The College Bar is looking pretty swish too with a brand new name to boot, Sult. Who knows what else will have changed by the next issue? Enjoy your fortnight and I hope you enjoy the first copy of SIN 2016/17! Till next time, Sorcha.
Reproductive Rights Talk Sparks Controversy 6 Ógra ask students to use politics towards housing crisis. 7 5 Rites of Passage for Every NUIG fresher 9 Ten NUIG societies to join
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Confessions of a provisional driver
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Sult vs College Bar: what to expect?
14
Blackstone LaunchPad at NUI Galway
20
How to secondhand shop
22
Staying relaxed in the hectic chaos of college 23 Eating well on a budget
23
Reading recommendations
24
NUI Galway Alumni Association Writing Competition Winners
26
Can you become NUI Galway’s next big sports star? 29 Dublin and Mayo reacquaint themselves on the biggest stage 31
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4 NEWS
Sin Vol. 18 Issue 01
NUI Galway ranks in top NUI Galway launches 250 Universities in the World gender neutral bathrooms By Graham Gillespie NUI Galway has moved up 22 places and is positioned in 249th place in the prestigious QS World University Rankings. In what is the 13th edition of the QS rankings NUI Galway have achieved it’s highest ever ranking on the list improving on a 271st placing in the 2015 list. NUI Galway are the only Irish to improve on their overall placing in this year’s rankings and are the now the third highest ranked Irish university behind Trinity College Dublin (98th) and University College Dublin (174th), which also makes NUI Galway the highest rated Irish university from outside the capital city. In European terms NUI Galway came in just outside the top 100 universities on the continent at 111th. The improved placing seems like the fitting end
to a 10-year capital development programme at the college in which research and teaching space was doubled. President of NUI Galway Jim Brown said to Galway Bay FM that the top 250 placing is a reflection of the ambition, hard work and creativity of staff and students. Along with University College Cork and University of Limerick, NUI Galway is also only one of three Irish universities to receive a five QS star rating. These stars are rewarded on the basis of 11 different factors including research, teaching, employability and internationalisation. The actual rankings are calculated on the basis of six factors namely academic re p u t a t i o n , e m p l o y e r reputation, student faculty, International faculty, International students and citation per faculty. NUI Galway attained an overall
score of 41.00 and scored an exceptionally high 90.7 in the International faculty category, which further enhances the Newcastlebased university reputation as an international and multicultural campus. In terms of individual faculties NUI Galway also fared very well by placing in the top 400 in all five faculty areas with the Engineering and Technology faculty placing highest in 264th place. Similarly many individual subjects scored very well with Medicine and History being amongst a number of other subjects in the university that ranked in the 151-200 placings. Finally the QS rankings also stated that NUI Galway has high research intensity and standard, and that the university also has a comprehensive focus meaning there is a “wide range of faculty areas in which programmes are delivered.”
Blackrock Diving Tower ready for a splash… of paint By Michael Cole Galway City Council has recently announced that the plans for renovation of one of Salthill’s most distinguishable landmarks, the Blackrock Diving Tower, is to be made available for public consultation. The tower dating back to the 1950s is an iconic feature of the Galway coastline and its refurbishment can only serve to enhance the already picturesque promenade while simultaneously providing a more sufficient diving outlet for both tourists and the local community alike. The plans have been carefully put together over a long period of time to make sure the future undertaking of the project would run smoothly. The project is scheduled to be fully completed before June 2017 and hopefully when it is completed it will reflect the wishes of the Galway people. The affection the local
people hold for Blackrock is the reason why the public consultation is so essential, an example of this affection being the online petition ‘Give Salthill Diving Tower a Make Over’, which has attracted a significant amount of signatures. Proposed upgrades for Blackrock include plans to restore the diving tower and improve access to it, increase safety on and around the structure and to implement wheelchair access. The most pressing of these upgrades is surely the urgent need to improve the safety of the diving tower. Many will be familiar with the images of young people diving into the sea during stormy weather throughout the years, most notably during the hazardous Storm Desmond last year, and this should be an important part of the thought process on safety issues. While the council can only do so much to prevent such behaviour, locked gates sealing passage
to the diving tower in the event of stormy conditions could do much to help the situation. A purpose built changing room with lockers incorporated into Blackrock would be a welcome addition also and while budget constraints may not allow for this, such a facility would make for a secure place to change and leave your belongings while enjoying the diving board. With the plans being available to view by the public at City Hall for the next eight weeks, confidence is high that the development will meet everyone’s requirements and that Salthill will have a landmark that will stand the test of time for many more years to come. The fact that this will be only the first phase of an ongoing redevelopment plan for Salthill promenade is an exciting prospect, hopefully providing the catalyst for the re-emergence of the town as Ireland’s favoured seaside destination.
By Eoin Molloy Following a request made by the Students’ Union, NUI Galway has announced that it is committed to launching gender neutral bathrooms in each and every building across the campus. In a statement released earlier this summer, past SU President Phelim Kelly gave voice to his hope that the creation of gender neutral bathrooms will lead to a more “equal and inclusive University for both students and staff.” In a statement released to SIN in early September, Megan Reilly, NUI Galway’s Equality Officer spoke of the essential role played by gender neutral bathrooms in fostering an inclusive environment for trans and non-binary people. Key to this debate, according to Ms Reilly, is the fact that GN bathrooms will not replace the traditional “male and female bathrooms, but will be an addition.” Therefore, no-ones’ rights are being trampled on or diminished in any way. NUI Galway is the third Irish institution to introduce bathroom facilities that are
accessible to all genders, following in the footsteps of the University of Limerick and University College Cork. UL has had gender neutral bathrooms in place for over a year now, and according to their Welfare Officer Ciara Corcoran there was “no negative feedback at all.” In her opinion the issue of gender neutral bathrooms doesn’t affect a lot of people, but impacts heavily on the minority who are affected. The issue of gender neutral bathrooms has been debated the world over. Bruce Springsteen famously cancelled a gig in North Carolina after the state legislature passed a law that was anti-universal access bathrooms. It may seem to some as though supporters of gender-neutral bathrooms are making a mountain out of a molehill. To those in favour of the universal bathrooms, this problem is merely a flashpoint issue that is symptomatic of the ongoing suppression of LGBT rights. Men, women, gays, lesbians and transgender people share buses, workplaces, water fountains and social
spaces. Thanks to a misplaced residual notion of Victorian modesty, it seems as though the bathroom will be the last social partition to be torn down. The reaction to the imposition of universal bathrooms in NUI Galway has been quite apathetic. There have been no uproarious objections, and much of the celebration has been muted. It seems as though NUI Galway’s student populace are content to live and let live as they always have been. There appears to be no downside to the construction of these toilets, only positives. NUI Galway has become a more inclusive place and our diligent SU have once again shown themselves to be to the forefront of social change. It is equally important to treat little victories like this tentatively. Those who need them now have gender neutral bathrooms. However, this comes against a backdrop of ever-rising fees, a hostile jobs market, staggering rates of youth suicide and a culture of emigration. A battle may have been won, but the war rages ever on.
GMIT cheating investigation By Heather Robinson GMIT are once again under scrutiny for the latest in cheating scandals to arise from within the college. There is an investigation underway into a significant Facebook post that indicates four students, in final year of the Bachelors of Business Studies Course, had seen an exam paper prior to the exam in May of this year – exactly a year following the previous incident in the School of Business in GMIT. It was alleged that there was a particular Facebook post from one of the final year students with the questions of the exam paper made public, according to the Irish Times. Through the course of the investigation, four students in total are being held responsible for the incident. The students accused of cheating were interviewed on Monday 5 September and
they upheld their innocence to this point. The outcome of this interview hasn’t been made public at the time of writing. As reported in The Galway City Tribune, there was around 120 students affected in the cheating scandal last May and the college originally stated there would be a resit exam for the Enterprise and IT paper. However, the college backtracked on this decision and considered that the overall grade could be determined by the continuous assessment marks for the subject – which amounted to 40% of the module. It was only last year that GMIT were in the hot seat over a plagiarism scandal amongst faculty in the college’s School of Business. There was an external investigation made, surrounding the allegation that a lecturer had aided a student to cheat on an assignment and there
was further speculation on whether other staff members had helped to cover it up. Galway’s second largest educational facility, GMIT, are not the only college with a history of cheating. In relevant news, it was found that NUI Galway had the largest reported number of exam cheats between the 2012 to the 2015 academic years. Out of Ireland’s seven universities, NUIG reported a total of 329 cheating incidents – the highest in the country. These statistics were made public following an inquiry through the FOI Act by The Mail. Last week the college registrar of GMIT Mr Hannon appealed to the final year students to come forward with any information on the relevant Facebook post, saying that students may not understand the significance of what they know but “it all adds up to form a complete picture.”
NEWS 5
September 13 2016
Do you want to be the voice of your class? By Cathal Sherlock With the ever-increasing number of students attending NUI Galway it is important, now more than ever, that there is active representation for the student body. The Students’ Union Executive need support to keep in touch with the reality of student life, to stay up to date with issues affecting the student body and to address individual class needs - you, as a Class Rep, are the heart of this support system. Class Reps are elected by their classmates to represent their fellow students’ views and become the “Voice of your Class”. You play an integral role in representing students, helping students overcome problems by referring them onto the relevant support services, and maintaining the quality of courses within the University. Class Reps act as a point of contact between the class, academic staff, support staff and the Students’ Union.
The Key Duties of a Class Rep: GATHERING STUDENT OPINION:
To effectively represent the views of your class you first of all need to know what those views are. You should never assume or guess what the students’ opinions will be. Consultation can be a simple process and here are some ways of collecting feedback from your class, via a short questionnaire, ask as group after a class or doing contacting them via email or in a Facebook group. MANAGING CLASS ISSUES:
It is difficult to predict what issues you and your class will face over the year; it could be course workloads, timetabling issues,
lecturing issues, etc. It comes down to the Class Rep to try and find a solution for this issue, which could be resolved so quickly by just contacting the Lecturer, College department or a Students’ Union Officer.
Union campaigns, activities and collaborations are discussed at these meetings. Along with being able to put a mandate to SU too, which could be campaign on a political issue to improvements in the college.
DEALING WITH PERSONAL MATTERS:
REPRESENTING YOUR CLASS AT COURSE BOARD MEETINGS:
As a Class Rep it is a good idea to make yourself aware of the various student support services available within NUI Galway, so that if one of your classmates has a personal issue you are able to direct them to the right people. As a Class Rep you may be the first person a classmate confides in so it is important that the student is reassured and listened to. It is also important that you are aware of the boundaries, acknowledge if necessary that you are not a trained counsellor, and that you refer student to appropriate supports.
A significant role of a Class Rep is to attend Course Board Meetings that are scheduled between Course/Class Co-ordinators and Class Reps. During Course Board Meetings, Class Reps communicate the views and opinions of their class and work in partnership with the staff, ensuring that the requirements of students are given due consideration and taken into account. The key to success at these meetings is to ensure that the student voice is heard, acknowledged and acted upon.
REPRESENTING YOUR CLASS AT STUDENTS’ UNION (SU) COUNCIL:
KEEPING YOUR CLASS UP TO DATE AND PROVIDING EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK:
All SU Council Members must attend SU Council Meetings. The SU Council is one of the governing bodies of the Students’ Union. SU Council Meetings are hugely beneficial as they keep you in the ‘loop’ regarding what is going on around the NUI Galway, as well as providing you with a feedback mechanism and discussion forum on various issues affecting those you represent. The business of the meeting is conducted over a period of two hours, and has a pre-set agenda (all members are eligible to put an agenda item forward). SU Council happens three times a semesters, with another two faculty councils held a semester also. To get a breakdown of the timetable, please contact Cathal Sherlock, Education Officer at SU.Education@nuigalway.ie. All Students’
As a Class Rep, it is really important that you keep your class informed on what the Students’ Union is doing. All Class Reps must ensure that their class is made aware of the issues that arise at SU Council and anything that will affect the class. Also feedback to the students you are representing, on course board meetings or any other meetings held with regard to the class is essential. It is also vital that you give feedback on your work, in relation to issues raised, to your classmates. CORRESPONDENCE AND KEEPING RECORDS:
Remember that you are committing yourself to a statement once it is in writing. Ensure the details of your documents are accurate and written in a respectful manner. If you
need someone to check over a document to ensure it cannot be misinterpreted, email it to the Students’ Union, clearly marked as a draft document. Advice will then follow as to whether amendments or clarification is necessary prior to you sending it to the relevant member of the academic staff. It is important to keep a record of what action you have taken so that you can follow up on any issues. The best way to keep records is to communicate through email and save a copy of all correspondence to a folder. PROVIDING SERVICES:
At your own discretion you may choose to provide extra services to your class including Organising class parties or social events for the class though the College Bar or arranging to get class hoodies.
How to become a Class Rep: You can put yourself forward by filling out a nomination form by contacting Cathal Sherlock, Education Officer at SU.Education@nuigalway.ie. You will have to be then elected by your classmates and the election will have to done by a Students’ Union Officer or the lecturer. After being elected, congratulations, make sure to fill out the Class Rep Signup form to let the Students’ Union know that you are the class rep for the class and when you will be able to attend a training secession. On top of all that you will get a hoodie too. If you have any other questions about becoming a Class Rep don’t be scared to contact Cathal Sherlock, Education Officer at SU.Education@nuigalway.ie who will be happy to answer any questions.
Taking care of your mental health in college By Daniel Khan Stress and anxiety are two of the main contributing factors to poor mental health. Most people experience stress and anxiety from time to time. Stress is any demand placed on your brain or physical body. People can report feeling “stressed” when multiple competing demands are placed on them. The feeling of being “stressed” can be triggered by an event that makes you feel frustrated or nervous. Anxiety is a feeling of fear, worry, or unease. It can be a reaction to stress, or it can occur in people who are unable to identify significant stressors in their life. So if stress and anxiety negatively impact on your mental health the obvious solution must be reducing the stresses in your life and situations that make you feel anxious, how-
ever that’s easier said than done. You’re in college now, you’ve worked hard to get here and a lot of you have been looking forward to this for years, but it is a massive change from being in secondary school and living at home so it does take a while to adjust. There is a few things that you can do to help make the transition a little smoother. For many students managing money is a major new challenge. A budget does not mean you are poor, it simply means spending what you have on what you need. Set aside money for rent and bills first and then allocate money for food and then socialising, as hard as that may sound. You need to learn to be assertive with yourself, your friends and situations you might find yourself in. For example if you only have enough money for either food for the week or a night out, always choose food,
as tempting as the night out is, you’ll thank yourself when you’re not going hungry for the week. A good tip would be to find alternative ways to socialise without having to go on a night out or spend money, like joining a club or society here in college or getting involved with your Students’ Union. With so much going on around you all the time you need to make sure you set aside time for yourself to relax and do what you like to do whether that’s chilling out in your room or going for a walk, the benefits of this are endless especially for your mental health. Stress and anxiety are not always bad. In the short term, they can help you overcome a challenge or dangerous situation. Examples of normal stress and anxiety include worrying about finding a job, feeling nervous before a big test, or being embarrassed in certain social situations. If we did not experience
some anxiety we might not be motivated to do things that we need to do (for instance, studying for that big test!). It’s easy to forget that in a university that boasts around eighteen thousand students, no two of you are the same. We are all unique in our own way so some things will affect you more than others and vice versa. If you ever find yourself struggling with anything academic or personal just know that there are supports here in the university to help you and if you don’t know where to go or need help figuring stuff out, you can always call into us here in the Students’ Union. We’re here to help in whatever way we can, up until last year we were student just like you so we know how tough it can be, we might not have all the answers but well do our best to make sure your college experience is as memorable and rewarding as possible.
6 NEWS
Sin Vol. 18 Issue 01
Reproductive Rights Talk Sparks Controversy By Mark Laherty A talk about reproductive rights in the LGBT+ community was held in NUI Galway as part of the Galway Pride Festival. Organised by activist and Bi+ Ireland administrator Sharon Nolan, the event aimed to promote more inclusive language in discussions about the Eighth Amendment. The talk was the centre of some online controversy. Tommy Roddy, a gay man and former local election candidate, appeared on RTÉ Radio One’s Liveline in a debate with Nolan. He held that such an event ought to be held by a prochoice group, or give an equal platform to pro-life speakers. In a letter published in the Irish Daily Mail and the Galway City Tribune, Roddy wrote that “For an organisation promoting equality this is totally unacceptable to
have an event of this nature without a balancing event for people who hold a different point of view. Galway Pride Festival is effectively abusing its position to promote a Pro Choice stance.” On the Liveline debate, Nolan said that the festival committee had held open meetings over a number of months where potential events for the festival were discussed and organised. Had objections been raised by anyone at that juncture, they would have been taken into account, but the decision to hold the event as proposed was unanimous. She went on to clarify that the purpose of the event was not to promote a position on a divisive issue, but rather to “promote the use of more inclusive language… It’s about giving the people who wouldn’t usually get their say a platform… I’m personally very proud that the committee decided to hold this event.”
From its origins in the Stonewall riots, the Pride movement is historically political. Nolan wished that the festival would recognise both this political character and intersectionality between marginalised groups in society. During the radio debate, Roddy went on to reveal Nolan’s sexuality without her permission, a move that further spurred social media backlash against him. Speaking to SIN later, Roddy said he felt the event was, contrary to the organisers’ assertions, siding with the pro-choice position. “I understand that their aim is to make the prochoice movement more inclusive to LGBT people, but my argument for that is, why not make pro-life movements more inclusive of LGBT people? That’s why I feel that they were actually promoting one side over the other.”
Roddy also pointed to the inclusion of Janet Ní Shuilleabháin, a pro-choice activist and blogger, as a speaker on the panel. He intends to put a request to next year’s festival committee to not address the issue. “An organisation like Galway Pride should not get involved in the abortion debate, because it’s just too divisive an issue, and it has been for generations. “I don’t feel that festival represented me because it took that stance. I have friends of mine – I accept we’re probably in a minority – that did not go to any of the official Pride events for that simple reason.” With regard to inclusivity, he recounted how, six months ago, he “came out, if one can put it that way, as being pro-life myself.” Since then, he has been working on a project with Cora Sherlock to make the pro-life movement more inclusive of “people like myself who
are gay and who are actually pro-life.” While nothing is confirmed, Sherlock has invited Roddy to appear in the audience of Claire Byrne Live as a speaker during its abortion debate. In a statement sent to SIN, Nolan further defended the decision of the committee and made her position clear. Citing a Burning Issues 2 report, she showed that the issue for other marginalised groups that was supported most by the LGBT+ community was the campaign to repeal the Eighth Amendment. Nolan wrote in particular about how trans people have been excluded from the conversation. “There are many people in our trans community that have uteruses and aren’t women… Trans-erasing conversations do immense damage to our trans community, and it is important that our LGBT+ community stands up against this erasure.
“Lesbian, bisexual and transgender voices have always been at the forefront of activism for abortion access and freedom of maternity care, so it simply baffles me that people wouldn’t consider it an LGBT+ issue.” Intersectionality is key to Nolan’s argument – the idea that marginalised groups ought to co-operate in their aims rather than work alone. “There are people who are LGBT+ who have factors that could lead to our society discriminating against them – and it is only right that our community fights however we can for the eradication of these acts of discrimination. “There is still many injustices that our LGBT+ community faces, and to fight them we will need the support and strength of people outside of our community. Why wouldn’t it be the same for other social issues?”
“No, not at all, not at all. There’s absolutely no discrimination in Tuam. Tuam is fantastic. Brilliant place. In fact, there’s so much respect
for travellers in Tuam, whenever there’s a wedding or a funeral, they close all the pubs down as a mark of respect.”
Pride festival comedy night By Mark Laherty Galway Pride Festival held a comedy night in Seven Bar on 15 August. The event, hosted by Martin ‘Beanz’ Warde, brought in a full house and earned glowing reviews. The line-up included Pat McDonnell, Joe Dowlin, and Katherine Lynch of Single Ladies fame. The host Warde, known locally for heading up the Galway comedy club Blacklisted, said that the venue and event was one of the most enjoyable of his career
so far. In any gig at an LGBT+ event, he finds that the crowd is eager to get behind people. “It’s that sense of community and putting yourself out there. When you’re up on stage, you’re the centre focus, and that feeling of being the focus of attention resonated with most of the people who were in the room that night.” Lynch, the evening’s special guest, is a personal friend of Warde. They met back in 2006 for an article in The Voice of the Traveller and hit it off. This led to Warde’s
first time inside a gay bar. Ten years later, they came back together for the Pride festival. Warde, who considers himself an egalitarian, always makes an effort to keep an even-handed lineup, and this was especially true of a Pride event. “I wouldn’t have gone through with the gig if there hadn’t been at least one more, other than Katherine Lynch,” he said. On the night, he mentioned how he feels that the odds are stacked against female comedians due to a perception of them as “second-class when it comes to comedy, which is absolutely ludicrous.” One of several newcomers who performed on the night was Sarah O’Gorman, a teenage performer who “absolutely blew the roof off.” As the only traveller comedian in the country, Warde uses self-depreciating humour to challenge stereotypes. “I want them to laugh at me, I want them to like me, and I want them to
come away thinking, you know what? He’s a traveller, he does comedy, but he’s alright. Maybe the rest of them are alright. It’s a oneman crusade, I suppose. That better not be the tagline, now.” For Warde, comedy is about challenging ideas in that way. Whether someone is reading a book, watching a movie, or in the audience of a comedy show, they’re looking for their perceptions to be challenged. “That’s the human mind. You crave to challenge your own perceptions so that you can go beyond the boundaries that you’ve already limited yourself within. “So if I piss one person off, they will walk away thinking about that. If they keep on asking themselves the question of whether the joke was bad, that’s when I start to realise that my stuff is working.” A great example of this is his bit on his hometown of Tuam, which has a traveller population. Does this mean that there’s more discrimination towards travellers?
NEWS 7
September 13 2016
Lighting the way for the future Ógra ask students to use of Galway’s most iconic building politics towards housing crisis. By Erin Meehan Breen The Galway Cathedral is one of this area’s w most iconic landmarks. And these days, or nights really, it’s being seen in a whole new light. Since 1965 its arching green dome, stained glass windows and amazing architecture have sat majestically along the River Corrib adjacent to NUI Galway; it’s hard to believe such a magnificent structure could come from a former place of sadness as a jail. This past year the Cathedral celebrated its 50th Jubilee - and it did that with a major renovation. “We had to fix the roof, you know, so that the water couldn’t come in,” said Canon Peter Rabbitte, of the Cathedral. “And we did a lot with lights. We replaced some 30 ceiling lights with LEDs and we added about 80 or so more along the sides to light the
archways. It’s beautiful and it’s so much nicer for our worshipers and for our visitors.” While there, the lighting consultant suggested they continue the lighting project to the exterior of the building. “And so we did,” Canon Rabbitte said. “We had always had flood lights out there but they became expensive and they yellowed with years. We just used them less and less. We’ve added LEDs to the exterior now. They have whiter light but they enhance the architecture of the building so nicely.” Apparently, they can do so for a reduced amount of electricity; a similar renovation at the Cobh Cathedral in Cork is reported to have cut their power bills from €12,000 a year to just €500. “We are told that, yes,” Canon Rabbitte said. “But we haven’t really seen a reduction in the cost yet -
but it’s only been two months. And I believe that is because we have added so many new lights. We have easily added 30% more lights in all.” The Galway Cathedral sees thousands of visitors a year, now lighting its exterior about 9:30pm in the evening. That time slides earlier as the days get shorter but it is putting the Cathedral in a new light for all. At the Cathedral, they hope it will put the community in a giving mood. The project has cost about €10,000. They have recently launched a fundraising campaign to crowd fund that money and you are welcome to help out. You can find that fund at www.ifundraise.ie/2656_ light-up-galway-cathedral. html. You can read more about the ongoing renovation work at the Galway Theater on the cathedral’s Facebook page.
By Darragh Berry It’s that time of year again, when approximately 17,000 full time students begin another year at NUIG are looking for accommodation for the academic year. Unfortunately for some, the basic need of shelter will be non-existent as the housing crisis continues here in Galway. One of those full time students, David Cooney from Co. Meath has described the crisis as a “disgrace”. He is one of many students who will spend the foreseeable future commuting, sleeping on couches or sleeping in hostels as they desperately try and find a room. Schemes such as ‘rent a room’ have brought a decrease to the amount of people looking for rooms in comparison to 2015 but have not solved the problem either. Furthermore, Galway has been allocated €58 million to tackle the housing issue but the proposed 1,100 new social houses will not be built until 2017. President of Ógra Fianna Fáil, Eoin Neylon has asked students all over Ireland to become politi-
cally active in the hope of bringing an end to “desperate scramble for suitable accommodation”. The group is also looking to re-introduce the ‘Student accommodation scheme’ in this year’s budget through lobbying. The scheme, which fell under section 50 of The Financial Act 1999, permitted developers to claim tax relief against any expenses on the construction, refurbishment or conversion of student accommodation. The scheme, which was abolished in 2012, has been a hot topic in recent years, as many cities in Ireland other than Galway have also felt the wrath of the housing catastrophe. In 2014, then President of UCDSU, Fergal Hynes asked for the government to re-evaluate the scheme claiming that although he was “aware of the reasoning behind the abandonment of the scheme”, he could see the “crisis point in the student accommodation market”, a crisis which has kept its title almost two years later. The crisis is not just solely either
relating to students being homeless in Galway, Neylon pointed out that many people are under too much financial pressure already. Therefore, the mixture of this pressure and lack of housing in Galway has led to many people opting not to take up a course which they worked hard for in order to obtain the necessary amount of points or requirements. “The higher education system is under huge financial strain, standards are slipping and we are plummeting down international league tables,” he said. Neylon believes that the government has to tackle this issue in a way where the student is put first, no matter at how much of a disadvantage they may be. “Students need to become more politicised in order to put pressure on Central Government in order to find lasting solutions to these and other issues facing our society.” If you are having problems finding accommodation in Galway, visit NUIG’s welfare support service at www.nuigalway.ie/student-life/ accommodation
8 NEWS
Sin Vol. 18 Issue 01
USI call for shut-down of pregnancy agencies providing biased, untrue and dangerous information By Shelly Hannigan The USI has spoken out about pregnancy agencies in Ireland following a recent investigation by The Times where a counsellor was recorded making claims such as abortion increasing the risk of breast cancer. The video shows an undercover reporter seeking advice from the Woman’s Centre in Dublin which advertises itself as a source of impartial advice but the reporter seems to receive only negative advice towards abortion, some of which has been proved to be untrue.
The woman can be heard telling the reporter, “It’s way too late for the pill now because you’re seven or eight weeks” when positive options indicates that the abortion pill is designated for women under nine weeks pregnant. The woman goes on to tell the reporter that women who get an abortion are more likely to become child abusers. She can be heard saying,“Yeah, now that doesn’t mean that women get their kids and knock the head off them,” calling it a “psychological thing” and comparing it to bereavement. The video, ‘The
Times undercover at a Dublin abortion advice service’ can be seen in full on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFvOoMvpJGE. This investigation comes at a time when women’s rights and repealing the eight amendment are huge topics of debate and this video emphasises that Ireland is still far behind when it comes to this issue. Whether you think abortion is right or wrong all women should be able to feel safe when assessing their options and feel that they are getting the correct information rather than this scaremongering that can
be seen in this office. The USI feel that these agencies should provide this information and those not doing so should be shut down. “The production and promotion of misinformation is unethical, unhealthy and frankly, dangerous,” said USI President Annie Hoey, also suggesting that “having statutory registration and regulation of psychotherapists and counsellors” is the only way to provide help to those that seek it. Hoey pointed out that if a doctor or any medical expert provided a
patient with incorrect information they would risk losing their licence. This emphasises the seriousness of the woman’s actions in the centre. The Times provided insight into a serious issue and showed what is the information that women are entitled to with regards to options when pregnant. The USI has come forward to show support towards the regulation of these centres to ensure fair and impartial advice. The USI also encourage women experiencing an unwanted pregnancy to visit positiveoptions.ie or the IFPA on 1850-495-051.
FEATURES 9
September 13 2016
5 Rites of Passage for Every NUIG fresher By Orla Carty Ah, the NUIG fresher. Stumbling bleary-eyed through the campus, wondering where the heck those footprints lead. Should they be following them? What happens if they stray from the beaten track? Wait, was there always a café there? If we’re not one now, we remember it clearly enough to want to clutch our former selves and hush their worries. It’s an exciting time, but that can be overwhelmed by the newness and confusion of it all. Nothing rests easily. But before you freak out about Blackboard, or taking notes, or making maps, or just what on earth is going on in general, be assured. These things are rites of passage. You aren’t the only one. All of us have found ourselves on occasion in these situations… Just don’t panic… Because you may…
Don’t be ashamed that you’ve been sleazing around with your society picks, waltzing into two different ones every night with the sole purpose of pizza snatching. We expect it. We understand. We’ve plotted it that way. Find yourself in Coyotes. You frolic innocently with friends through Shop Street, hunting for Electric or Fourfour - all these other wondrous places you’ve heard of. The bouncers greet you as you flash your ID confidently, direct you upstairs toward the pulsing beat and whiff of dancing crowds. Until you spot the cowboy hats. I mean, that’s fun, but no one told you there were cowboy hats, did they? And on second thought, where’s the DJ? There’s a band onstage and that song is definitely not familiar. Now the staff are dancing on the counters. Yes, my friend. You have found Coyotes. Embrace it, enjoy it. Although not the most frequented spot of NUIG party-hunters, it’s a great one none the less. As long as you have some solid friends with you, there’s a fun night in store. It’s definitely a must-do for every fresher. Sleep through your lectures. It’s happened to us all. Whether your alarm fails to wake your catacomb self, or you’ve just found the couches in the Psychology Building lobby, you’ve missed it. Cue panic and I’ve-let-myself-
down syndrome. But go easy. It only feels that bad because you were conked. If you’d made the conscious decision to miss the same lecture you’d feel fine. So pretend you did. Anyways, you’re not going to fail from missing one. It’s all good. Visit Societies to get your dinner. Two words. Free. Pizza. Don’t be ashamed that you’ve been sleazing around with your society picks, waltzing into two different ones every night with the sole purpose of pizza snatching. We expect it. We understand. We’ve plotted it that way. Besides, once you’ve been reeled in, you can be really swayed by what’s actually on offer in a society. It gives you the opportunity to get a glimpse and suss them out. Some of my best memories in NUIG have come from societies that I only became part of after realising that they were really interesting during a free-pizza night. Take Boojum as your religion. Once you go booj you can never go back. The one thing to drown an ill head in is the soakage of a loving, caring burrito bowl. Vegetarians,
celiacs, lactose intolerants… there’s options for you all. Also, there’s the added bonus of a pretty canal-side walk on the way over. Maybe I’m biased (I’m ready to claim my free-t-shirt-after-forty-burritos next visit), but I would recommend a trip. Get lost. It’s a given. Again, those winding footprints serve to do nothing but add extra confusion and questioning. The Bialann alone is enough to find yourself submerged. Coloured blocks all begin to look the same, but no fear. You’ll find your way back. Yes, you may be ten minutes late for your next lecture, but it’s all a process. By the end of your time you likely still won’t know the campus like the back of your hand. But we find a way to make it work. Navigation becomes a sixth sense that you just have to drift with in hope. Print a map if it helps, but my advice is to just go with it. You may end up out the back of the Engineering building, but you’ll be somewhere. Finding new places is more interesting anyway, however you come by them. All in good time, freshers, all in good time. Just you wait.
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FEATURES 11
September 13 2016
Why you should be an active member of a Society By Tomás M. Creamer With over 100 different societies on offer, it can be hard to generalise the specific experiences and benefits, as they can range quite drastically depending on whether you join, say, the Baking Society, the Film Society, or the Shoutout Society. Many people, from what I hear, tend to just sign up to a bunch of societies, turn up to a bunch of events at the start of the year – partially for the free pizza – and then desist from attending. While the choice may faze one at first, Societies are also a great opportunity to learn that all of those niche interests and obsessions that once marked you out as being a bit “eccentric” compared to the rest of your school friends are not a waste of time, but on the contrary, a great opportunity to
meet some of the most relatable and kindest people you are ever likely to come across – and you make these friends in the knowledge that they care just as much about you and your interests as you do theirs. The Literary and Debating Society – with whom I confess both general and committee membership – was that society for me. I had a general interest in current affairs since I was around 12 or 13, but as you can imagine, it’s not really something that people in school would ever discuss, unless to take the mickey out of you for even daring to care about such things. So, when I was in first year, the idea of an entire society founded on the principle of talking precisely about the issues that do and should concern general society – water charges, alcohol, religion,
feminism, you name it – was a big draw for me, and I couldn’t imagine my life in Galway without it. Some societies can provide you with very formative trips in other cities or abroad, in order to meet new people and to broaden your horizons. Other societies focus on inviting notable guest speakers onto campus in order to increase people’s knowledge and awareness about particular issues. Some societies even just focus on providing chill spaces for people to relax and unwind from the demands of lectures, assignments and work. Very few societies offer all three, to my knowledge – and surprise, surprise, the Literary and Debating Society is one of them. I’ve gotten opportunities to hear journalists and professors from across the island share their knowledge on various issues, chilled and played
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Cards Against Humanity with an endless supply of tea with a fun group in the Meeting Rooms, and had opportunities to visit Greece and Warsaw to represent the society and the collage at major international debating tournaments. Most importantly, though, I’ve got to make amazing friends, both inside and outside Galway – friends who always have the voluntary option to associate with people who are more outgoing or adventurous, but value me for my own thoughts and my own personality. Even friends who I met through my involvement, however brief, with societies other than Lit & Deb, have been highly valuable and were fundamental to my campus experience – and can be for your experience too, if you decide to get involved.
Ten NUIG societies to join By Rachel Brownlow Starting out as a first year and want to make some new friends and find a way to spend your evenings? Or been around Galway for a few years and want to try something different? With Societies encompassing interests from Harry Potter to Sophocles, there’s something for everyone. Here is a list of ten societies to help discover the perfect one for you!
DISNEY SOCIETY Whether you’ve been watching the classics since you were a child and want to reminisce or are only just discovering the joy of them now, this is the perfect society for those who are looking for some light-hearted fun. From table quizzes where you can showcase all that hard learned Disney knowledge to sing-a-long movie nights, there’s something to be found for every Disney fan.
DRAMSOC If you have an interest in anything theatre related, be it acting, directing, stage management, costume designing or props, then this is the society for you. A great place to meet likeminded people, this society gives their members an amazing theatre filled experience like no other.
FILMSOC
POTTER SOC
As one of the biggest societies in NUIG, FilmSoc is a mustjoin for all film buffs out there. Every week there are two cinema screening of films varying from modern masterpieces to the classics, something for everyone no matter what your movie taste!
For any hardcore Harry Potter fans out there, this is the society for you. This society will immerse you in the magical world of Harry Potter with table-quizzes, a sorting ceremony and even quidditch training which takes place every Monday on the President’s Lawn. This is the chance to join the Hogwarts you always dreamed of!
LOTUS SOCIETY If hectic nights aren’t your style then the calming atmosphere of the Lotus society is something which I highly recommend. As well as a range of events and workshops which feature everything from meditation to Tai Chi, this society offers yoga classes for six week terms at amazingly discounted prices.
MUSICAL SOCIETY (GUMS) All that is required to join this society is a love of musicals. Unlike some colleges, GUMS welcomes everyone to join, regardless of whether or not you have two left feet! Year after year GUMS produces fantastic shows. This is a great society for first years who are just trying to find their feet in Galway, as it always has so much happening that it will help you settle in and find your Galway family in no time!
WRITERS SOC The Writers society is the ideal place for any aspiring writers to come and gain both feedback from people with similar interests and experience and to build their writing skills. This society is open to playwrights, poets, fiction and non-fiction writers of any kind! It is a way to spread your creativity with similar people with the addition of writerly games, tea and biscuits!
CLASSICS SOCIETY Have an interest in classics and looking to learn more? The Classics society amalgamates film nights, guest lectures and class parties as well as amazing society trips abroad to spread the
love of classics to an even wider audience.
ART SOCIETY This society is for anyone who either loves art or has always wanted to learn. Classes for all skill types are held weekly and range between still life, nude drawing, sculpting, painting, caricatures and mask making. All art materials are provided and there are open studio hours during which the art materials can be used for free!
BEST BUDDIES An amazing society that allows you to give something back, Best Buddies is linked with Ability West and gives students the opportunity to work alongside adults with intellectual disabilities. After undertaking a training evening with Ability West to make sure you are well-informed, you are then matched up with a ‘Buddy’ who you meet up with twice a month. You can go to lunch with your buddy, go shopping, for coffee, bowling, all the things you would normally do with your friends! This society is a wonderful opportunity for you to have fun while also helping someone else!
BIO: John, 19 years of age from
Renmore in County Galway, studying Arts (IT and English). What do you like most about NUI Galway? ‘That’s a hard one to answer. It’s close to home, the bar is handy and the coffee is cheap’. Would you change anything about NUI Galway? ‘In winter I wish all of the buildings were connected by underground tunnels’. The university aims to bring in gender-neutral bathrooms this semester, what are your thoughts on that? ‘It doesn’t really matter, girls’ bathrooms have lines and boys’ ones don’t. I don’t have to deal with lines. Other than that I don’t mind’. What are your hopes for the future? ‘I hope to write books and s**t, fiction and fantasy mainly. And then I hope that everyone will just chill out’.
12 FEATURES
Sin Vol. 18 Issue 01
Confessions of a provisional driver By Aisling Bonner One of my main aims for the summer was to get my ass in gear, figuratively and literally. Unwilling to make my poor parents endure another summer of taxiing me to and from work, I decided it was high time to start learning to drive, or (perhaps a more likely conclusion), die trying. This wasn’t always a summer mission. Last September, when I passed the theory test, the aim was to be driving by summer, not starting off. That plan backfired two days later when I lost my certificate proving I’d passed in my own bedroom never to be found again. It’s a DaVinci Code type mystery that still haunts me to this day. Naturally, it took me 6 months before I’d accepted defeat and forked out another €15 to replace the A5 laminated sheet of which I can only assume costs all of 2 cents to make. Two trips to the local NDLS centre, an eye test, some angry phone calls and a rake of documentation later, I finally received my provisional licence in the post in June. 9 months had passed and so far all I’d learned was that you CAN STILL look positively dreadful in a black and white thumbnail picture, even when you’re wearing make-up and given three chances to get it right. Bingo.
Start as you mean to go on, they say. Well, let’s just say it’s easier than it sounds. However, the prognosis has improved in the intervening month and a half. I have now completed 4 of the 12 essential lessons and am sucking diesel, bombing around my country roads like the Subaru-driving boy-racer I was born to be. In other words, driving at a safe speed given the conditions, allowing ample stoppage time with a fully licensed driver of over two years in tow. But what did you expect? Anywho, my first lessons have been a blur of brain hyperactivity, interrupted by the odd ‘JAYSUS MISSUS WHAT ARE YE AT’ from my instructor to my left as he grabs the wheel and uses his pedals to get me out of whatever mess I’ve created. He’s quite the character, my instructor. Known locally as the only man to help you pass in Naas (the third stingiest in the country) he’s taught almost all of my licensed friends how to drive. The first hour passed by with me listing everyone I know as he labelled them either a ‘bleedin’ mad yolk’, ‘sound woman’ or ‘gas young one’. To my absolute petrification, the second hour aka the first time I’ve even sat in the driver’s seat of a car, sees me out on the real live roads, driving a real live car, having a real live internal meltdown.
One thing I didn’t anticipate was my complete lack of spatial awareness. Every time another car passed I would literally leave a 2 metre gap to my right and mount half the ditch to the left and still close my eyes and wait out the inevitable collision. I was quickly made aware of this by the timely ‘Jesus Christ mind me bleedin’ tyres’ before plunging into an epic pot hole. We live to tell the tale. In the meantime, I’ve also been introduced to my instructor’s highly varied musical interests. On the USB attached to the car there’s everything from Catherine Jenkins and The Sound of Music to Bob Marley and David
Guetta. Apparently the transition from Edelweiss to Titanium is ‘deadly boiz’. On my last couple of lessons I have stalled right outside the Naas test centre (the irony) and cut out on a two-lane roundabout. While I am getting better, and can drive down a long straight road like a pro, the lessons are not waiting for me to keep up. Picture a struggling sausage dog chained to a semi-professional cyclist on a warm day. Me. So here’s to being overtaken and cutting out at traffic lights. There’s a long road ahead and I don’t think it’s a straight one. I’ll keep you posted.
The Jess Press: Being nice is the spice of life By Jessica Hannon Throughout my first year in college last year, I felt like I’d learned a few things about co-existing happily in this world and more importantly, feeling like I was becoming a better, nicer person as each year went by. As we get older, the friendships we make become stronger, happier, based on mutual interests and in fact healthy friendships. When people are growing and developing, they lose friends and make new ones, and so the cycle continues. If you look back, you’re probably not still close with all your childhood friends or the friends you made in secondary school and perhaps some of the people you became close to in your first year of college. And that’s perfectly okay and normal. In the same way, the friendships we make as we get older are different to the ones we’ve previously made. You may find that in comparison to school, friendships now are made on mutual interests and mutual friends instead of a mutual dislike for the same people, and that can only be good. I’ve learned as I’ve grown that trying to be a nice person, and trying to be a good person is probably the most important thing you can do. If you’re nice to others and trying to be a bright, good person, then positivity will shine all
On social media these days we always see a positive saying something like ‘Always be nice because you never know what someone else is going through.’ This is so true. Why be unkind when you can be nice? around you, and needless to say life will feel good and you’ll feel better. Humans can underestimate the power of a smile, a hello or even just a cheery face; laughter is contagious and perhaps your cheery smile will just help to brighten up someone else’s day. On social media these days we always see a positive saying something like ‘Always be nice because you never know what someone else is going through.’ This
is so true. Why be unkind when you can be nice? It’s human nature to make mistakes; as we grow, we learn and learning comes about by making and accepting our mistakes and wrong doings in life. In the wise words of Hannah Montana, every noughties child’s hero, “everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days!” For some of us, our wrongdoings and moments of misjudgement may make
us feel bad and guilty, but it’s imperative to be kind to yourself. What is the point in being kind to others if you’re not being kind to yourself? You can start this by giving yourself words of encouragement, remind yourself of the good person you really are and all the positive things you have done and have yet to do. Happiness comes from the inside. You can only be as nice and as kind as you feel inside and in your mind. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no psychology student, but these are just some of the self-help techniques that I find effective for day-to-day life. In order to be kind to others, be kind to yourself. In order to get on well in life, be nice, all it takes is a smile. People don’t value their mind, body and spirit enough in my opinion but as we get older we begin to see how everything we do in life stems from how we feel. If we feel bad, suddenly everything will seem bad and negative; you’ll find yourself making bad decisions because you’re feeling this way. But if we feel good, good things will come about. And that’s why being nice is the spice of life.
FEATURES 13
September 13 2016
Julian de Spáinn Year of graduation: 1996 Course at NUI Galway: BA Gaeilge agus Stair
Current Occupation: Ard-Rúnaí / General
How did attending NUI Galway develop you as a person?
How did your role in the Students’ Union set you up for your career after you left college?
The social side of college gave me the chance to develop my organisational and creative skills.
The experience I gained from being VP Welfare Officer was invaluable and helped me to identify problems quicker and solve them better. My experience as Oifigeach na Gaeilge, of course, was hugely relevant to the area I know work in, i. Irish language promotion. I would also say that the SU in general helped my career development as most of what I have done since has been a campaign of one sort or another.
Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge
Did you partake in any societies, sports clubs or volunteering at NUI Galway?
What is your fondest memory of NUI Galway?
I set up An Cumann Craic with a number of others and we organised An tSeachtain Ghaelach every year also.
The craic. There was always something going on and best of all you could do most of it as Gaeilge if you wanted
What was the college newspaper like when you were in NUI Galway? Did you write for it?
Has NUI Galway changed since you were here? Yep. Way more buildings and what’s the scéal with all the cars on campus!
I didn’t write for the paper, Cúlchaint, at the time but I was involved in laying it out. Cúlchaint was a great paper but ‘allegedly’ had a habit of printing articles of a libel nature from time to time!
Do you think the SU is a good way for students to get involved in college life? It’s a fantastic way to get involved in college life from parties to protests. The SU has something for all.
Do you ever miss NUI Galway?
Life of an Alumnus
Uaireanta. I’m still involved in the SU as a trustee and luckily still get a chance to visit the campus every now and again.
By Susan HayesCulleton
Did you ever get in trouble while you were here?
At the beginning of this week, I walked into a room full of people I didn’t know, facing an unfamiliar schedule of lectures and I knew very little about what to expect. Does it sound like something you’ve experienced lately? No, I’m not reminiscing about my first days at NUI Galway. I really did face this scene just a few days ago. I’m in Dubai as part of a trade mission from the London Chamber of Commerce to the United Arab Emirates. There are eighty different companies in this group, from the UK, Belgium, Greece, Lithuania, Hungary and Italy. Over the past week, I’ve met entrepreneurs and corporates in the three emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. To say that I’m “on my own” out here is an understatement. Yet, I feel so connected! All the participants share a passion for business, an ambition to seek new international trade opportunities, and a curiosity about each other’s culture. Together, we wonder at the grandiose architecture here in the UAE, and we share new experiences and anecdotes that cement our budding relationships. If you feel overwhelmed or a little out of your depth at the moment, that’s totally normal. Perhaps you feel like a small fish in a big pond, having moved from a small class to a group that fills the O’Flaherty theatre. Maybe you’ve moved in with some new people this semester. It could be that you’re facing final year and it’s begun to dawn on you how close you are to starting your career. Those same butterflies in your stomach paid me a visit last weekend as I boarded the plane. You’re going to feel this way on many occasions in your life if you want to experience new things, build a career you love and have great relationships. As you go through this emotion, you build resilience and can empathise with how others are feeling. I have had that same sentiment, both exciting and daunting, countless times as I’ve gone to networking events, worked with new clients, travelled to new places, gone to parties
of people I didn’t know, started going out with my boyfriend’s (now husband’s!) group of friends, etc. If you’ve come through the other side, you’ve got great practice. That’s how it feels like to leave your comfort zone, and that’s where great things happen. As I walked into our orientation session in the Quad that first day of Financial Maths & Economics, I was about to meet some friends for life (really, that isn’t just a cliché). I made amazing memories at NUIG; I had many conversations about life, the universe and everything at Smokey’s on the Concourse and Java’s in town; I studied and trained my brain to think logically; I helped create a society... Today, I write this piece looking out of my hotel window at the sparkling lights of Burj Kalifa, the tallest building in the world, and just like when I started college, I don’t know yet what seeds this trip has planted and I’m intrigued to see how they will unfold in my life. It is always awkward in the beginning but it gets so much easier. Last May, I went to the wedding of two of my previous classmates who married each other – so there’s a testimonial for you! By the second day of the trade mission here, the awkwardness was forgotten and we were sharing business contacts, insider’s tips for our industry and brainstorming business ideas for each other. Looking at Burj Khalifa reaching far into the night sky, there is a lot of truth to the metaphor: the sky really is the limit for how much you can enjoy the year ahead. So embrace the discomfort, now and always: it’s where growth happens. Feel the lurch of the unknown in your stomach, and know that if you take the jump you will be rewarded by amazing adventures and friendships! Susan HayesCulleton graduated from NUI Galway in 2008. She worked at a stock market training company before setting up her own company HayesCulleton Ltd. She has written three books, is a CFA charterholder and recently co-founded the #SavvyTeenAcademy. Follow her on Twitter at @SusanHayes_
Not really, apart from the time we occupied the quad during the free fees for Student Nurses Campaign.
What advice would you give to current NUI Galway students? You are in the college with the most opportunities to use, learn and experience the Irish language. Bain sult as!
If you could go back and do it all again, what would you do differently? Faic in aon chor!
alumni
noun (plural alumni əˈlʌmnʌɪ). A former pupil or student of a particular school, college, or university: a NUI Galway alumnus. Welcome back to the alumni of the Class of 1995. Origin: Mid 17th century: from Latin, ‘nursling, pupil’, from alere ‘nourish’.
Its really simple…when you graduate you become an alumni. You join the extended NUI Galway alumni family which has over
NUI Galway has a dedicated Alumni Relations team at who work to make sure alumni never lose their connection with their alma matter.
90,000 members. nd
a ay Alumni’
I Galw ected 0 arching ‘NU Stay Connelations on Facebook by se alway.ie or call 091-49431 iR mni@nuig Like Alumn In. Email alu d e k in L n o find us
14 FEATURES
Sin Vol. 18 Issue 01
SULT VS COLLEGE BAR: what to expect? By Georgia Feeney
Turns out it isn’t just First year students seeing everything for the first time…
Returning students for the academic year of 2016/17 arrived on campus taking a second glance at many of the college’s popular entertaining spots. The main points of eating on campus have been
made over while students were off on J1s, back home and enjoying their summer. The Bialann and Smokey’s café are seen to have been given a little TLC. These two popular student spots were
revamped and given decor that’s sort of hipster and laid-back. There’s a sort of no-fuss yet luxurious feel to the new look of the Bialann and café. That said, it is the college bar’s new look, now for-
mally known as ‘Sult’, which has most students across the campus talking. The rebranding and refurbishing of the college bar wasn’t a total surprise. Towards the end of the last semester, students and staff of NUI Galway were informed of the bar’s plans. Students were invited to get involved with the new vision for the college bar. The students union held a competition for students to come up with a new name for the bar and win a prize. On the 28th August 2016 the college bar facebook page announced the new name, Sult, along with a sneak peek of the bars’ new look. Sult is an Irish word meaning enjoyment, nourishment and satisfaction, a word the staff feel best represents the type of venue the college bar is. Their hopes for the new style bar is “go mbainfaidh sibh ar fad sult as an bear nua”, their message being that it’s out with the old and in with the new. Not all, however, were as excited about these changes. Many returning students worried this was too much of a change to their beloved college bar, the fear being that it wouldn’t be the same place. The answer to this is that it might be out with the old, in with the new but what made the college bar so great still remains. Those that enjoyed the nightlife entertainment the bar provided will be happy to know that nothing much is changing here. Live music and themed nights are still the plan for the 2016/17 academic year. As was seen from the organised line up of events for Orientation Week and Freshers week. Students can also be reassured that their favourite resident DJ’s are here to stay like DJ Paul Belton. Orientation week also saw the return of the popular college bar event, the silent disco. This was held to welcome first year students to the campus with spot prizes on the night such as four/ four club wristbands and Electric Picnic tickets. As was the case the last few years, the event was a huge success with over 100 students attending. For those that enjoyed rolling into the bar for some good grub to cure the hangovers, there’s no change here. The pizza menu and coffee stand remain, with prices also staying student friendly. The only small change made is the bar’s attitude to healthy food. They released their message on the bar’s facebook page saying, “Healthy is the new sexy”. This is the new direction their going in and it seems most students are supportive of this. While it may be a new college bar, Sult remains the same atmosphere as the college bar had; entertainment and good times, the most important thing for all staff members.
FEATURES 15
September 13 2016
In the case of Ryan Lochte everyone’s a loser By Graham Gillespie Who were the three biggest stars of the 2016 Olympics? One could argue for Simone Biles as she redefined what is possible for the human body; Katie Ledecky for making her fellow Olympic swimmers look like doggy- paddling toddlers; or perhaps Wayde van Niekerk for eclipsing Michael Johnson’s 17 year old world record. There are countless others worth mentioning. However, the true three biggest stars of the Rio Olympics? Pat Hickey, the Brazilian police and of course the perplexing Ryan Lochte, who overshadowed all the other storylines that emerged from the fortnight of sport in Brazil. The six-time Olympic gold medallist Lochte became the centre of attention for the world’s media when he claimed he was robbed at gunpoint on his way home to the Olympic village from a party. Following this the Brazilian police claimed that Lochte’s allegation was fabricated. They also desired to seize Lochte’s and two of his fellow teammates’ passports and question them on the incident when it then had emerged that Lochte had already left the country. It later became clear that the robbery indeed never happened but footage instead emerged of Lochte and his teammates vandalising a gas station and a gun being pointed at Lochte by an armed security guard at the gas station. Perhaps the most immediate question that springs to anyone’s mind when hearing this story is why did Lochte make up a story about robbed? And maybe more pertinently how on earth did he think he would get away with it? The answer to the first question may be that Lochte is an individual who rather enjoys the limelight and having column inches devoted to him, this is a man who has stated his ambition is
to be the next Kim Kardashian. He presumably saw this as easy opportunity to seize the public spotlight. The fact that he thought the Brazilian police would not follow up and debunk his story strikes me of arrogance and honestly, complete idiocy. Lochte further dug himself into a hole by fleeing the country, which exemplified the idea that he believes he does not need to take responsibility for his actions. This could stem from a sense of privilege or superiority he may think has being a top-level sports man, a celebrity and maybe most interestingly an American. It’s easy to see how Brazilians could perceive this as yet another instance where a South American nation is patronised and disrespected by their northern neighbours. Lochte’s claims were essentially taken as an affront to the nation of Brazil and he has since lost an estimate $1 million in sponsorship deals. This controversy has more than likely spelled the end of Lochte’s swimming career (if it wasn’t ending already anyways) but Lochte is most certainly not the only party that deserves criticism in this incident. I think the Brazilian police’s actions throughout this case have been far from ideal and in many ways they have used this controversy as a P.R exercise. Until footage of the incident became available to the public this police suggested that nothing untoward happened to Lochte and his friends when this is clearly not the case. He did lie about the robbery but he did indeed have a gun pointed at his head, which is probably a more serious issue that was glossed over. Lochte’s behaviour on the night of the incident was stupid and ignorant, but did he and his friends really deserve to be held at gunpoint by a security guard who demanded them to handover money for urinating and damaging a few posters? It
was a total over reaction by the security guards and the police chose not to focus on this point. Another group that I believe behaved well below their expected standard was the media. The story initially broke when Fox Sports News Australia broadcaster Ben Way heard from Ryan Lochte’s mother on a bus in Rio that her son was robbed, immediately posting it to Twitter without attempting to check the veracity of the claim. This trend continued throughout the lifespan of the story with there seemingly being a twist in the story every hour and everyone making their mind up on who was in the wrong long before enough details of the episode were known. The coverage of this story is a cautionary example of how the “hot take” culture that pervades throughout much of the media landscape can sometimes be dangerous and obscure the truth. In some instances Lochte was also arguably treated too harshly and unfairly vilified. The worst thing Lochte did in this case was not tell the truth which in itself is pretty bad but he did not hurt anyone. I don’t think the he same can be said for one of America’s Olympic “heroes” Michael Phelps who has been arrested twice in the past for DUIs. Granted Phelps did undergo rehab following these incidents but his actions did put people’s lives in danger - while the only person who was even remotely in danger in this incident was probably Lochte himself, due to the actions of the security guard. Ultimately the most likely outcome at this point seems to be that the case against Lochte will fade away. He will once again avoid consequences and return to his efforts to become a reality TV personality by appearing on Dancing with the Stars in the US. All the other parties involved will return to their daily work. Ultimately it seems to me everybody involved looks much worse now than they did before this case began.
BEWARE: Counsellors with intentions to ban Childhood in Galway city By Cathy Lee New proposals from Galway city council could potentially mean no more “having outdoor clean fun” from October in Galway city. Under new legislation people could not be allowed “climb any tree in a park or open space or operate any model aircraft/sailing vessel without permission in writing from the Council”. In the Connaught tribune last week it was described as “radical” and frankly, I couldn’t agree more. This also appears to be happening on a more national level with the likes having been seen previously in Dublin city too. Are city kids just unlucky in terms of what they can and can’t do in the place they call home? It’s unrealistic to think that cities are not places for children to grow up in. From London to Galway and inner city Dublin, changing cities can have a lot in common but one certain thing that will never change is people having children. Cities need to provide for this fact and of course that can be seen with public play parks and schools. But we’re talking here about simple childhood joys, such as climbing something and feeling like the greatest champ in the land. Cities contain a huge amount of public space and although this must be shared with everyone, I personally don’t think children and childhood fun should be something to ban. Do you have to own the land you walk on in order to have your own fun and enjoy yourself? I find it strange that so many things are banned in public places but the exact same action will never be banned in the home. Is home the only place where fun is allowed? It makes you wonder whether councillors have gone health and safety crazy with this or is it really living in fear when it comes to the thought of insurance and the prospect of potential suing. I think money and the spending of public money hits home on this one. The council doesn’t want or need to have a legal case on their hands every time a child cuts their knee or even breaks a bone. I suppose we have this human enough trait to want to blame someone when something goes wrong. But in reality, these things happen, all part of the learning process and a little thing called growing up. The countless times I fell on public ground as a child or even saw other children climbing things, I don’t think anybody had the council offices on speed dial at the time in case of emergency. Sure, health and safety wise maybe there is potential danger with these things. But this risk-taking is something natural that is taught to us in childhood. We learn from our ventures and failures and I really think with a risky move like this, counsellors are succeeding in taking that away from our young people. Looking at our life cycle, childhood isn’t the longest proportion of it. We live in a world where adults make the rules for those younger and this is something standard. But errors can be made and unfortunately some of these harsh rules can stick. Once it’s down in writing, it’s harder again to eradicate. Is there such thing as too many rules? Does this sort of thing impose on our so-called freedoms as citizens? I think it does. The proposals will go out to public consultation on 6 October. The lesson here is to vote for the people who reflect your outlook to help in developing and creating a world that you want your kids to grow up in. Whether we like it or not, the decision making process affecting the world we live in has to be done by someone else. Vote for the right someone, the right team and get as involved as you can.
NÍL ACH AN CHUID IS LÚ DEN SCÉAL AR EOLAS AGAT
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FAIGH AN SCÉAL IOMLÁN, FAIGH AN TÁSTÁIL Beidh Clinic STI faoi rún á reáchtáil SAOR IN AISCE san Aonad Sláinte Mic Léinn, Áras na Mac Léinn
An Mháirt, 5 - 7 i.n. An Chéadaoin, 5 - 7 i.n. Déan teagmháil leis an Aonad Sláinte Mic Léinn le coinne a dhéanamh. Arna chistiú ag Ciste na dTionscadal Mic Léinn www.su.nuigalway.ie
facebook.com/NUIGalwayStudentsUnion
twitter.com/NUIGSU
Coiste Gnó
Executive Committee
2016 - 2017
Vice President/Education Officer Leas Uachtarán/Oifigeach Oideachais
Cathal Sherlock
Clíodhna Nic Giolla Chomháill
Vice President/Welfare Officer Leas Uachtarán/Oifigeach Leasa
Jimmy McGovern
Daniel Khan
su.president@nuigalway.ie 086 385 5502
su.education@nuigalway.ie 086 385 3658
Oifigeach na Gaeilge
President Uachtarán
su.welfare@nuigalway.ie 086 385 3659
Equality Officer Oifigeach Comhionnais
Mature Students’ Officer Oifigeach Mic Léinn Lánfhásta
Megan Reilly
Damian Duddy
su.gaeilge@nuigalway.ie 0044 7763 5726 93
su.equality@nuigalway.ie 086 228 3856
su.maturestudents@nuigalway.ie 091 524 810
Societies Chairperson Cathaoirleach na gCumann
Clubs Captain Captaen na gClubanna
SU Council Chairperson | Cathaoirleach na Comhairle do Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn
Patrick O’Flaherty su.socs@nuigalway.ie 086 852 3417
Convenor of the College of Science Tionólaí Choláiste na hEolaíochta
Christopher Mc Brearty su.science@nuigalway.ie 087 656 5387
660 Officer Poster.indd 1
Caitlin Jansen
Aaron Reeves
Postgraduate Officer An tOifigeach Iarchéime
Cillian Moran su.postgrad@nuigalway.ie 087 769 0784
Convenor of the College of Arts, Social Sciences & Celtic Studies | Tionólaí Choláiste na nDán, na nEolaíochtaí Sóisialta & an Léinn Cheiltigh
Ciarán MacChoncarraige
su.clubs@nuigalway.ie 089 975 4741
su.council@nuigalway.ie 087 269 7232
Convenor of the College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences | Tionólaí Choláiste an Leighis, an Altranais & na nEolaíochtaí Sláinte
Convenor of the College of Business, Public Policy & Law | Tionólaí Choláiste an Ghnó, an Bhearais Phoiblí agus an Dlí
Convenor of the College of Engineering & Informatics | Tionólaí Choláiste na hInnealtóireachta agus na Faisnéisíochta
Diarmuid Ó Curraoin
Tim Murphy
su.business@nuigalway.ie 087 065 5357
su.engineering@nuigalway.ie 086 026 0500
Lorcán Ó Maoileannaigh su.medicine@nuigalway.ie 087 768 7892
su.arts@nuigalway.ie 087 054 4499
02/06/2016 11:59
NUI Galway Students’ Union Comhaltas na Mac Léinn OÉ Gaillimh
FRESHERS’ FAIR 2016 AONACH LUCHT NA CHÉAD BHLIANA 2016 11am-4pm Wednesday 14th September 11rn-4in Dé Céadaoin an 14 Meán Fómhair
Áras na Mac Léinn
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WHAT YOU SEE IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG
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CHECK WHAT’S GOING ON BELOW, GET TESTED FREE Confidential STI Clinic at the Student Health Unit, Áras na Mac Léinn
Tuesday 5 - 7pm Wednesday 5 - 7pm
(Commencing 13th of September) Contact the Student Health Unit to make your appointment Funded by the Student Projects Fund www.su.nuigalway.ie
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20 FEATURES
Sin Vol. 18 Issue 01
Blackstone LaunchPad at NUI Galway: LET’S DO IT
by Jemima Burke — Blackstone Intern Blackstone LaunchPad, a campus entrepreneurship program – opened its doors in February this year. Six months later, with over 2,100 students signed up, it is the largest and most popular student body on campus. What happens inside the space? Hands-on workshops; Show and Tell events where students engage in creative discussion and get feedback on their projects and ideas in a confidential, informal and relaxed environment; also interactive sessions covering all things entrepreneurial! Students can avail of free one-on-one appointments and can compete for funding at the yearly Student Enterprise Awards. Blackstone LaunchPad supports students in developing their skills regardless of what they are studying in college. Daniel O’ Loughlin, a Commerce student at NUI Galway - now an Audit Trainee in Dublin, joined the LaunchPad this February. While working on a project mapping the entrepreneurial ecosystem at NUI Galway, he developed his personal skills and connected with a diverse body of students all across NUI Galway. “One of the most unique experiences of working at Blackstone Launchpad is the opportunity you get to network with a community of entrepreneurs and business people,” Daniel says. “Everyone is welcome,” he adds, “from students without ideas to those who are already doing business.”
Blackstone LaunchPad is excited to announce the launch of its 2016/2017 programme in the Quad this Wednesday 14th of September at 5 pm. All are welcome to attend! We will also be announcing our Forbes 30U30 competition winners ! Come along to find out more.
LIFESTYLE 21
September 13 2016
SUMMER TO AUTUMN: How to transition your wardrobe from one season to the next By Georgia Feeney This is it. It’s September. The college year has officially started and the weather is starting to change. This means one very exciting thing: it’s time to take out the cosy clothes. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying autumn/winter is the best time of year. What with layering your clothes, comfy warm jumpers and it being totally acceptable to be in your pj’s by 8pm.
Now that we’re back to college most of you will probably be thinking about what you’re going to wear every day and planning a wardrobe re-vamp for the new season. But let’s face it, we’re students and we “don’t got a load of doe”. So we need to be very creative, in order to avoid wearing the same thing day in day out. The key word when dressing this time of year is layering. When it comes to transitioning your wardrobe you might actually be surprised by what you can still wear from your summer wardrobe. Keep in mind that the key trends seen so far for this season are Metallic, sportswear, military and underwear as outerwear. Hopefully some of these tips below will give you more of an idea of how to achieve looks that are bang on trend. Earlier this year we saw the high street stores flood with bomber jackets. Every blogger and their mother wanted one, or maybe five or ten. They were and actually still are the “it piece” to have in your wardrobe. So don’t be too quick in packing yours away because this jacket is remaining a firm favourite in the fashion industry. If you did, however, buy one that is a lighter material i.e. the satin bombers, keep it for a night out to pair with a black dress. The tailored look is something we’re also seeing crop up for this season. It’s actually easier to achieve than you might think and an ideal go-to outfit for a college outfit that looks like you’ve made more effort than you actually have. Taking a pair of black or dark denim shorts leftover from the summer, and add a thick black belt. Pair them with sheer tights and a structured black blazer. For a very chic look I would go all-black with silver jewellery. And if you’re worried about looking more staff than student you can dress this outfit down with a leather jacket. If you need any celeb inspo for this, look no further than style icon Alexa Chung. She always looks very put together and chic. And yet there is also something relaxed and whimsical about how she dresses. Note how even with masculine pieces the outfit remains very feminine. This is a very achievable outfit. The main tip I have for you, is to keep it simple. Let the pieces do the talking and don’t go overboard with the accessories. ‘Electric Picnic’ marked the end of the festival season. For those of you who went you might have accessories left over that you don’t know what to do with. Well, these
pieces can still be of use to get that Instagram worthy outfit! Celebrities like the Jenner sisters, Vanessa Hudgens and our favourite fashion bloggers have given bandanas a new lease of life. These were the popular choice of accessory for festivals but going by runways and high street stores, this accessory is remaining this season. Wrap up and stay cosy by tying the bandana around your neck. Do this with a white shirt, black leather jacket, dark jeans and black boots and you’ve got yourself a very trendy casual outfit. A trend many were originally reluctant to try but which has now be embraced is underwear as outerwear. Sounds risqué, but there is in fact a very classy way to wear this trend. As you’ll have seen, high street shops stocked up with the slinky black dresses with lace at the end. Part of the reason many fell for this trend was that it can be taken from day to night. Understandably with the cold weather you’re
The key word when dressing this time of year is layering. When it comes to transitioning your wardrobe you might actually be surprised by what you can still wear from your summer wardrobe. unlikely to come to college wearing only this dress. To layer it up: wear a turtleneck inside with sheer black tights, black heeled boots and a mac coat. Or take it to a sporty level by pairing the dress with trainers. And for those of you who don’t like to wear dresses you can still take part. All you need is a light and loose vest top and wear a white t-shirt inside. Finally Metallic. When it comes to this trend the key is to keep it simple. We’re seeing a lot of shops stock up on metallic clothes but one of the most popular pieces is the midi skirt. Styling this skirt is actually easier than you might think. Because the metallic colours are the loudest piece of the whole outfit you want to keep everything else quite simple and neutral. Cropped t-shirts or cosy jumpers are great accompaniments. As for the shoes again keep it simple with block colours i.e. black flats.
RORY MCNAMARA
ALI GREENE
FRANKIE MCCLEAN
WHAT ARE YOU WEARING:
WHAT ARE YOU WEARING: Shirt and jeans from
WHAT ARE YOU WEARING:
Jumper from Topshop, Jeans from River Island and boots from Schuh. STYLE ICON: Kylie Jenner.
Was once an avid Kim K fan GO-TO LOOK: All black eve-
rything YOU WOULD NEVER WEAR:
Yellow or orange clothes. Orange is a disgusting colour!
Topshop, shoes are Nike Freeruns from Footlocker STYLE ICON: The Olsen Twins - they’re boho chic but still classy at the same time. They’ve changed so much over the years and never go with what everyone else is doing. GO-TO LOOK: Skinny black jeans with a cropped jumper and runners. I’m huge into runners. YOU’D NEVER WEAR: Jeans and a dress together? You know that weird, noughties style!
Jacket from Boohoo, top from Zara, pants from American Apparel and old runners from H&M. STYLE ICON: Alex Murphy GO-TO LOOK: Leggings and
a big jumper! YOU WOULD NEVER WEAR:
Crocs. But then again, never say never!
22 LIFESTYLE
Sin Vol. 18 Issue 01
How to be a morning person By Heather Robinson There is some speculation whether or not morning people are a real thing. I would definitely say that I am one of those people but that doesn’t mean I always find it easy getting out of bed. My ideal morning is getting up early to grab a coffee to bring back to bed with me! Some folk love getting up early, if the sky’s awake then they’re awake (also me). Other people are early risers out of necessity because of their jobs and possibly a long commute -but they might hate mornings! And then finally there are quite a good many people who could (and will) stay in bed until noon whenever they can. Waking up is sometimes impossible – it’s difficult to shake off that warm, hazy and almost psychedelic kind of sleep. Personally I hate getting caught in that so the moment I’m awake I do a couple of things to help me get out of the bed in the morning!
I LOOK FOR THE LIGHT: This part is really easy
for me because my bed is up against the window. I usually just crack the curtain open a bit. I’m curious about the weather outside (like all Irish people) and this will help me in my plan making. If you have a bedside lamp, switch it on and start looking around a bit. Having some extra light will help you become more alert and aware of the morning. CHUG A PINT OF WATER: Sometimes if I’m
honestly wrecked and need more sleep but I have to get up early anyway, I’ll skip both of those steps and go straight for the glass of water next to my bed! Chugging down that water has the same magical effect as a bucket of cold water in the face. It clears the sleep fog and helps you launch into action. It’s really helpful on busy days when you need to get up and get things done. My digestive system is also thankful!
MAKE SOME PLANS: Every morning I chill in
RIP OFF THE BED-AID: This is the most painful
my bed for a little while just thinking of the day ahead. It can be one of my most creative and inspired moments of the day. If there’s a problem I can’t figure out, I try to let it calmly sit in my mind and allow my imagination to do the work. Or I just plan whatever outfit I’m going to stick on.
part of becoming a morning person – actually getting out of your nice warm bed! The best way to do this is to shut off your brain a little. Just don’t think about it, focus on your plans or the really great outfit you’re about to put on – is it in the laundry basket maybe? If you just pull the covers off and hop out, you’ll be
How to secondhand shop By Heather Robinson This is an official game plan for properly navigating secondhand shops, to find the clothes you actually want. Know what you’re looking for: Don’t walk into secondhand stores without something in mind to search for. Perhaps you want a new coat or a dress. You should have an idea of the style and image you’re going for. Don’t waste time in the wrong sections: Most shops will divide the clothes up by size, category and even colour. Take a turn around the shop to check the layout and then go straight for the sections that apply to you and your tastes. Give it a second chance: It’s best to go over a section twice because you might have missed something the first time. Look over each piece carefully: Don’t leave the shop with items that are stained, discoloured, moth-eaten or the wrong size. It’s not worth your money to bring them home. Thankfully most secondhand shops will only sell clothes that are in brilliant condition. Look for special offers and sales: Some shops will have 1/2 price sales on certain rails or on particular days of the week, so you might find you’re paying even less than what the tag says. Just leave: If you’ve looked over the entire coat section twice and the bomber jacket you want isn’t there, just leave! Don’t stick around, thinking that if you look hard enough, it will magically appear. This is how people become frustrated with secondhand shops and miss out on potential treasures in the future. Can’t find what you want? Move onto the next charity shop and search again. Don’t give up hope; the pieces you want will turn up eventually.
Don’t expect to find the latest trends straight away, it takes a few weeks before they filter into secondhand shops, either because someone purchased the wrong size or they discovered it doesn’t suit them. Secondhand shopping is not suitable for someone who only wants the newest trends and then wishes to discard the piece once it goes out of fashion. The three best items you’ll find secondhand are coats/jackets, dresses and jumpers. The men’s section is a treasure trove for oversized shirts and comfy sweaters. Look for high quality textiles such as silk, leather and wool, these often cost pennies compared to other retailers. The secondhand shops are better in the UK than they are in Ireland; so if you are planning a trip across the pond, don’t miss out on the opportunity to buy a whole new wardrobe for little expense! In Galway, if you’re looking for a new leather jacket or a jumper I like to go to Second Chances in town. They have loads of choice! Need a nice dress or top? Look in The Cancer Research Society shop and then swing around the corner to Enable Ireland’s charity shop. These shops are so well organised. The best charity shop in my opinion? NCBI in Tuam, Co. Galway. The outlet in Galway City can often have nice pieces as well, but the one in Tuam is better. Maybe it’s a small town thing. I hope this helps you find secondhand shopping less daunting. It’s important that you don’t get caught up looking at clothes you don’t like or that won’t fit you because it will just leave you disappointed. Make sure to keep an open mind and to know what you want as this greatly reduces your time spent looking and prevents bad purchases.
up and awake without any problem. The more accustomed you become to simply getting out of bed with no fussing, the easier it gets and it stops being an issue. It takes a while but a habit will form eventually. NOW STRETCH AND WALK AROUND: Don’t stretch out when you’re still lying in bed, you’ll just relax deeper into the mattress and getting up becomes tougher. Do it when you’re already up and ready for the day.
REWARD YOURSELF: Sometimes you feel
much happier doing something you dislike when there’s a prize at the end of it. If you got out of bed a little earlier today and now you don’t have to rush around because you’re running late, find some way to reward yourself. For me it’s enjoying my morning coffee in the comfort of my own home instead of in a travel mug while I race to the bus. It could be you now have time to perfect your winged eyeliner or make a delicious breakfast! Either way, make it something you’re happy to get out of bed for!
LIFESTYLE 23
September 13 2016
Sift Happens… By JJ Fenez A new year is upon us! College is a wonderful and exciting time in one’s life, or so they tell us. Most academic advisors skip over the incredible stress that college can put on a student. From sorting out accommodation to choosing modules and the ever dreaded exams, college is stressful from start to finish. One way to deal with stress is through baking. Baking is an extremely theraputic activity in a variety of ways. The physical act of putting together a recipe requires attention to detail, albeit minor, and this can have a very calming effect. In preparing a dessert or any baked good, the attention required helps to take your mind off of life’s stressors. It’s a way to ‘tune out’ everything else around you and focus on the moment. Baking can also be theraputic if shared. Once you have made your perfect little cupcake or your sinfully
delicious pastry there is the opportunity to indulge in your own creation and share with others. Making a quick batch of scones and inviting the gang over for tea can help to open lines of
communication and talking to others about what is stressing you out at the moment can help you to relax about certain situations and friends can often offer great advice.
Staying relaxed in the hectic chaos of college:
simple steps to staying on top of the new college semester By Máire McGeehan DRINK A LOT – water not alcohol!
Staying hydrated is important to think clearly and feel good, plus you will feel less hungry and snack less. Carry water with you especially for those packed lectures. KNOWING WHERE YOUR LECTURES ARE BEING HELD will help
you plan your journey and minimise stress. Popular subjects can be busy so aim to arrive early enough to get a seat. Those with cars may spend fruitless time searching for elusive (and possibly mythical) parking spaces. Prepare to journey to the wilderness of the north campus, ferried back by the friendliest of bus drivers to the goal destination. SOCIALISE – laughing with friends and like-minded people is a great way to relax. Get involved with the many clubs and societies available. Be mindful of too many distractions when the assignments start piling in. FOCUS AND GET ORGANISED.
Prioritise tasks and highlight the timetable to include study/read-
ing periods. Be prepared – know what’s expected of you and when. Fill in your academic calendar with important dates, taking note of study weeks and exam dates. Assignment dates may be already posted on student guides. Have a look on blackboard and the school websites. DON’T PROCRASTINATE – just do it. It’s easier said than done. That anxious sick feeling before lectures start may be a sign that you may not be staying on top of the work given, whether reading or assignments. By just doing it you will free up your energy and feel less anxious. IF YOU’RE STUCK, ASK FOR HELP. Burying your head in the
sand is not a winning strategy and eventually you will have to come up for air. There are so many resources and people willing to help. There’s no point struggling in silence. You can do it. LEARN A STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUE like meditation
or mindfulness. You can download a free app on www.headspace.com, which offers guided meditations. The college will have details of
courses as they become available. Even 20 minutes of mindfulness/ meditation per day could help you stay calm and clear-headed. BREATHE. It sounds simple but this is the single most effective method for deep and prolonged relaxation. When experiencing stress we tend to hold our breath or breathe shallowly. Doing this for a long period of time sends the body into fight/flight stress response. Feelings of anxiety, sweaty palms, and panic can arise. Every chance you get, take a deep breath in - hold it. When you let it go imagine all your stress and tensions flowing out. Add the square breath technique of four/four/four/four. Breathe in for a count of four, hold it for four, breathing out for four, holding out for four - simple but very effective. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Everyone will experience chaos and disorientation at some stage. The main thing to remember is that everything is ok, more than ok. You are here in NUI Galway surrounded by chaos, fun and opportunity – relax and enjoy!
Whether you bake for yourself or bake to enjoy with others, the act of measuring and mixing can help you unwind and detach for a bit and let creative juices flow. So bake! You’ll
be proud of what you create, enjoy a sweet bite or two and fill your home with wonderful a wonderful aroma. When sift happens, whisk your cares away!
Eating well on a budget By Jessica Hannon Here are some of SIN’S handy tips on eating well on a budget. All these dishes can be swapped around either to make vegetarian dishes or for simply a change in meat - your preference!
STIR-FRY WITH CHICKEN, NOODLES AND CHOICE OF FRESH VEGETABLES A stir-fry will always be a healthy choice for student meals. Add chilli sauce and a small amount of soy sauce for flavour. Soy sauce has a high salt content so no added salt is necessary. Chicken can be swapped for turkey mince with brown rice for a mix up at meal times.
CHICKEN CURRY WITH BROWN RICE This is a healthy and versatile choice for meal times. You choose the intensity of your curry sauce or even better, create your own sauce using curry powder. Why not try beef curry as well by swapping chicken pieces for beef. This meal can be swapped for sweet and sour chicken with a jar or sachet of sweet and sour sauce.
CHICKEN FILLET WITH BABY BOILED POTATOES AND FRESH VEG This winter warmer is perfect for cold days when you’re not feeling pasta or rice. Boil the potatoes while waiting on the chicken fillet to cook in the oven. Drizzle with sweet chilli sauce for flavour. Add your choice of fresh vegetables to the boil. Gravy is optional.
FISH LINGUINI This handy pasta dish is great because it gives us a break from the mundane chicken and beef. Boil stringy pasta while pan searing fish of your choice, onion and mushroom. Add sea salt, white wine (optional) and black pepper for flavour. Voilá!
BEEF RISOTTO WITH RICE, MIXED PEPPERS AND A BLACK BEAN SAUCE Again brown rice is the healthier option here. For different flavours why not try a spring onion sauce or make your own using just soy sauce and a bit of chilli. Again beef can be swapped to meat of your choice or no meat at all - go crazy.
24 ENTERTAINMENT
Sin Vol. 18 Issue 01
Reading recommendations By Jessica Hannon
Stranger Things is Netflix’s latest success story By Eoin Molloy Conceived by brothers Matt and Ross Duffer of Wayward Pines fame, Stranger Things is the latest Netflix phenomenon
that has everyone talking. Set against a leafy suburban backdrop in 1980s Indiana, Stranger Things begins with the unexplained disappearance of a young boy named Will Byers. The police say that he
has drowned, but a whole host of supernatural occurrences in the town whet the suspicion of Will’s mother and his friends, who believe a more sinister force is at play. Stranger still, at the time of Will’s disappearance a young girl named Eleven mysteriously shows up in their rural town. She speaks little, and is sheltered by Will’s friends from the ‘bad men’ pursuing her. The bulk of the series details the attempts made by Will’s dedicated friends to find him, aided by their new friend ‘Elle’. The show’s pacing is excellent, as is its beautifully-composed synth-based soundtrack. The electro-heavy music used in the introduction and throughout the show really help to set Stranger Things in time and place. The performances could not be better, and young English actress Millie Bobby Brown excels as the enigmatic Eleven. Winona Ryder, despite over-acting at times, is perfect as the worried-sick mother of Will Byers. The main gripe that many have had with Stranger Things is its hasty conclusion. Without committing the cardinal sin of giving away spoilers, it is fair to say that Stranger Things is in such a rush to reach a dramatic denouement that it casts aside some of the basic laws of logic along the way. Certain plot points don’t fit, glaring holes are glossed over nonchalantly. That being said, Stranger Things is a rare treat. It’s an exercise in straightforward and entertaining escapism. It’s a window into a forgotten era, an ode to small-town supernatural classics like The Goonies. All of this it achieves without being preachy or pretentious about anything. Moreover, Stranger Things is a symbol of Netflix’s might. The internet juggernaut clearly intends to dominate future TV ratings, and so long as its offerings continue to entertain and captivate us all in the manner that Stranger Things does, I don’t think anyone will complain.
Summer 2016 was a busy one, it seemed like I worked every day and on my days off I was usually too tired to even move, never mind walk the pooch. However, summer was not without grand reading plans. Every time I ventured to town I somehow found myself ambling through the bookshop (by the way book lovers, check out Charlie Byres book shop in Galway, it’s a must!). In doing this I ended up buying a load of books with the aim of getting around to all of them, which incidentally I did not. *Cries* But for the ones I did, here you go eager beavers. I encountered what I’d term a trek of a book one fine summer day. Recommended by friends but which I initially picked up myself, this 1000 page endeavour went by the name ‘Shantaram’ by Gregory David Roberts. A must read. Focussed on the character Lin, Shantaram is an autobiography of sorts, centring on Roberts’ journey through the Bombay underworld, chronicling his life from heroin addict turned armed robber, to his love and loss through a lyrical masterpiece. Roberts’ writing style is one I haven’t experienced since the days of reading Harry Potter as a child. The domino effect of the words, in which sentences and paragraphs fall effortlessly together provide readers with not only a gripping, thrilling read but also an immensely enjoyable fast flowing river of literary greatness. This one really is one for you to enjoy yourself, and that’s why I’ll leave it here for Shantaram, partly because it’s not mine to ruin on you and partly because it’s a trek as I mentioned, a trek I haven’t yet succeeded in finishing. I will because it’s that good, folks. If you need more than my word for it then lest we forget it’s also an international bestseller plus it’s sequel ‘The Mountain Shadow’ was just released last year. Get on it. In other news, I also got to experience another milestone of literary greatness, ‘The Road’ by Cormac McCarthy. Perhaps better known to readers (especially some of you post leaving-certers) than Shantaram, The Road is one of those books that doesn’t quite leave you in the state it found you. Dealing with post-apocalyptic America, this one was never going to be a cheery read, however I will warn you, the ‘happy ending’ is debatable if not to be completely contested. Actually who even said there was a happy ending, I’m not going to assume with McCarthy after reading The Road. Focussing entirely on one man and his son journeying the road of life (see what I did there) through desolate burned America, the book manages to convey the extraordinary measures one man on the brink will do to save another soul, that of his son. The Road lacks dialogue and many forms of punctuation - not that that is a bad thing; it just speaks for McCarthy’s willingness and ability to set himself aside from the rest. His Emily Dickinson-like non-conformity to literary norms is admirable if not convenient for the not so able reader. It’s probably a good one to start with if you haven’t picked up a book in a while. Its short, snappy style coupled with the page turning suspense knocks you right back in the saddle of literary attentiveness.
ENTERTAINMENT 25
September 13 2016
First Gone Girl, now Gone Baby? By Stephen Flaherty Looking for a new thriller to start you into the new college year? Then look no further than the debut novel by lawyer turned author Shari Lapena. In The Couple Next Door, every parent’s worst nightmare comes true. Marco and Anne Conti have accepted an invitation to attend a dinner party with their next door neighbours when their babysitter suddenly cancels. On the surface, Anne and Marco have an idealistic life. They’re young, successful, have a nice home in upstate New York and a beautiful six-monthold daughter. But appearances can be deceiving; Anne is in the grip of postnatal depression, and a dinner party with friends she is growing further and further apart from is the last place she wants to be. Not wanting to appear rude, and knowing their hosts Cynthia and Graham are not fond of babies, they decide to leave baby Cora asleep in her cot while they pop next door. They will take the monitor with them, and check on her every half hour. What could go wrong? But throughout the
evening, Anne feels uneasy about having left the baby alone next door: “What kind of mother does such a thing? She feels the familiar agony set in – she is not a good mother.” She convinces a drunken Marco to return home sometime after 1am, when their lives are turned upside down when they return to find their front door open and baby Cora taken from her crib. Panic sets in and the police are called, before Anne and Marco must face the shattering realisation that they are automatically seen as suspects in Cora’s disappearance. Lapena’s debut is a triumph, with an opening that sets the urgency and tension from the start with the help of its present tense narrative. The book evokes memories of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, the exquisitely written phenomenon that presented unreliable characters with questionable morals. With the exception of the smart, stoic Detective Rasbach who is assigned to investigate the kidnapping, each of the characters presented by Lapena raise a red flag at one time or another. So much so, that the reader also becomes a detective, shifting through the evidence and lies to find out who knows
The plotting and structure of the novel are completely compelling, with a multitude of twists and turns coming at a breakneck pace until the events of the night of Cora’s disappearance are revealed just beyond the half way point. It’s after this point were the quality starts to slip slightly...
BOOK: The Couple Next Door AUTHOR: Shari Lapena PUBLISHER: Transworld Publishers Ltd PAGES: 320 VERDICT: 4/5 what has happened to baby Cora. The plotting and structure of the novel are completely compelling, with a multitude of twists and turns coming at a breakneck pace until the events of the night of Cora’s disappearance are revealed just beyond the half way point. It’s after this point were the quality starts to slip slightly with Lapena struggling to wrap things up in as clean a manner as she has carried the story up to this point, but the hunger to get to the end never drops regardless. Without giving anything away, the novel’s close is actually a breath of fresh air in that it breaks from convention by not just ending on a happy note, but hints at much darker things to come. If you’ve read Gone Girl and liked it, love mysteries, or are simply looking for something to read in between the study and nights out that come with the start of the new college year, don’t miss out on this razor sharp, slick thriller.
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26 ENTERTAINMENT
Sin Vol. 18 Issue 01
University College Galway and the 1916 Rising NUI Galway Alumni Association Writing Competition Winners Joyce-Elena Ní Ghiobúin A Day’s Reflection, May 8th 1916 The first day back after Easter, and what a few weeks it has been, mused Annie, a student at University College Galway. She crunched the pebbles underfoot as she crossed the Quad towards the north-wing Library. Examinations loomed. Still, she felt listless because certain things agitated her thoughts more loudly than success in examinations. It had been a strange Easter indeed. She turned to admire the College. The Quadrangle was as stately and mellowed in beauty of tradition and association now as in her first days, when everything about university glowed exhilaration. Few of her then friends had joined her, and Annie had trembled with excitement and fear to embark on university education alone. But she had been right to go, for it initiated her into a community-life of brilliant lecturers and zealous students, respected independence, societies and even the women-student residences under the matronly lady superintendents. Having borrowed two books for her examinations, she left for a bench overlooking the castle-like southern wing of the college. Reaching for her notebook, her copy of Saturday’s Connaught Tribune caught her attention. A Rising had taken place two weeks ago in Dublin, although the ‘West’ had seen some of it too, but the information was unclear. She had however heard the shrill whistle of bombardment from HMS Laburnum and Gloucester, as they tried to shock Volunteers from their positions east of Galway. In Dublin, the British press had talked of rectifying the general ‘disorder’. Some leaders had already been executed. The Tribune published a copy of their Proclamation, among the signatories a Galway man, Eamonn Ceannt. Young people in particular were being surveyed, many in Dublin had been arrested and would quite likely be interned in camps somewhere in Wales. Michael, an engineering student she knew, was involved with the Volunteers. He had actually changed his name to Mícheal, an accent and interchange of two letters. He told her of Mellowes, a 22-year-old man who led around 500 Volunteers over the last few days. The College’s Academic Council, among many other voices, condemned the Rising. The sing-song voices of women students on the path interrupted her musings. Through the tree branches she saw Bridget, a Cumann na mBan member, probably involved over the last fortnight in cooking expeditions for the Volunteers.
So much for studying outdoors. Annie walked towards the Corrib tributary, and leaned over the water. Wavelets flashed bright and dark patches. How could the world harbour suffering on such a day as this? Suddenly, the dark sides of the little waves brought to mind trenches in their murkiness and depth. Her friend William was somewhere there, a little part of Galway somewhere near Arras. Did the power to think – so consistently cultivated at college – make it more difficult to deal with the senselessness of great suffering? She thought of the firing of bullet-hail, and Socrates’ reference to education using similar imagery – education the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. The incongruity of beauty and violence together. Her ears right then filled with soundlessness. After College Records ceased to acknowledge her, she would continue to have a life. But who now alive, she wondered, will live beyond today? The examinations! Her studies! She hurried back towards the Library to pause breathless at the arch entrance. AE, the poet, had once written, ‘The generations as they rise / May live the life men lived before, / Still hold the thought once held as wise, / Go in and out by the same door’. This is where she had stood on her first day, and here she was – almost ready to graduate. But university education lasts more than an examinations period or a few years, it is the perpetual tuning of mind and pen, to understand the strenuous, idealistic efforts of changing society and express them anew. She stopped, quickly opening her book. As if to answer to confirm the point of education, the verses read: ‘To a poet’s mind the gift is slight to speak, /A kind word for unnumbered toils, and build /For all to share a monument of beauty.’
Dean Buckley One hundred years have passed since bullets scattered apart the living bodies of fifteen men and set their ghosts to the work of haunting, while those they left behind plaited the ribbons of their flesh into garlands and draped them over the shoulders of a nation reborn in blood. After a century of independence, it seems we’ve finally stopped asking who fears to speak of Easter Week long enough to answer. Ireland is ready to talk about the Rising, and not just the myth of it, but the viscera. We must not waste this chance. The opportunity to debate the National Question was not one enjoyed by the students of University College Galway in 1916. Any discussion of independence was banned in 1913 by college authorities when the Literary & Debating Society voted in favour of establishing a campus corps of Irish Volunteers. The ban wasn’t lifted until after the Civil War, so there are ten years of minutes from UCG’s only forum for student debate that hold no record of their opinions on the defining issue of their lifetimes. No memories, but echoes. The College Annual of 1915–1916 contains a note apologising for its late publication as “the editor was arrested during the rising, and the proofs confiscated”. Cornelius O’Leary was the editor in question, arrested in relation to the abortive simultaneous Rising in Galway. He was held in a naval ship stationed in Galway Bay, the HMS Gloucester, which landed 100 marines in Galway Bay the day after the HMS Laburnum shelled the outskirts of the city in response to the attempted rebellion. He was not the only person from UCG imprisoned on the ship. Professor Valentine Steinberger was a lecturer in modern languages, still teaching into his late seventies. Though he owned a signed copy of Thomas McDonagh’s Thomas Campion and the Art of English Poetry, there is no evidence that Steinberger ever met McDonagh, or had any connection to the Rising whatsoever. He was arrested because the rebels received assistance from Germany, and, despite holding British citizenship since 1913, his nationality was all the evidence the British needed to intern him, with no
charges, and certainly with no trial. O’Leary and Steinberger were just two of over 3400 people summarily arrested by the British Army when Martial Law was proclaimed by Maxwell, so many that military prisons could not hold them all. O’Leary and Steinberger were among those shuffled around a series of ships, the Gloucester, the Snowdrop, the Albion and the Adventure, until space was made in the squalor of Richmond Barracks in Dublin. O’Leary and the other rebels were eventually imprisoned in Frongoch, Wales. Upon release in 1917, he was elected auditor of the Literary & Debating Society and later studied medicine at UCD. Steinberger remained in Richmond for the length of his “sentence”, in conditions of hunger and cold that drove younger men to madness. Steinberger didn’t have time to go mad at his age. His health collapsed in the darkness of Richmond, and he died shortly after his release in late 1916. He is best remembered today for his library catalogue, the first in UCG’s history. Recently, I sat beside the Recording Secretary of the Literary & Debating Society as she took the minutes of a debate about the commemoration of British casualties at Glasnevin. I thought of O’Leary, a fighter in the Rising banned from speaking of it in his own university. I thought of Steinberger, his story almost lost to history. I listened to the speakers. We must not waste this chance.
ENTERTAINMENT 27
September 13 2016
Megan Reilly In 2016 NUI Galway has 17,000 students from roughly 120 different countries. It has five faculties and employs around 2500 staff (NUI Galway Essential Guide 2014/15). The University been led by twelve presidents, witnessed two World Wars, and just one hundred years ago: a revolution. It is 171 years old. Irishmen and Irishwomen: Ireland, through us, summons her children to her flag and strikes for her freedom. When the Rising begins on Easter Monday 1916, University College Galway has just over 200 students. It is 71 years old (NUI Galway Commemorates 1916). There is political fragmentation all across Galway city, an economically depressed city of 13,000 where men of working class families have gone to join the War effort yet Militant Nationalism brews in the East of the county (Dorney, J). Galway is seen as the romanticised pinnacle of Irish culture and all that is authentically Irish. This may explain why the county mobilises 500 volunteers when the Rising kicks off, even though the rest of the country is largely unresponsive to the fighting in Dublin (NUI Galway Commemorates 1916). In every generation the Irish people have asserted their right to national freedom and sovereignty; six times during the past three hundred years they have asserted it in arms It is difficult time to be a student when the scholars and poets and philosophers of the day are taking up arms. The University itself is deeply divided. It is in the midst of an age of turbulence and social change; only having recently begun to admit women and to have representation for the Irish language. Serving President Alexander Anderson is a staunch nationalist who encourages students to join World War I. There is opposition from students, some of whom go instead to join the fight for Irish independence during their Easter holidays (A University in War and Revolution). In this supreme hour the Irish nation must, by its valour and discipline and by the readiness of its children to sacrifice themselves for the common good, prove itself worthy of the august destiny to which it is called. Two members of UCG staff and three students are arrested in the aftermath of the Rising. Thomas Derrig was a commerce student who started the Irish separatists’ volunteers in the college and was imprisoned in Frongoch following Easter weekend. One student, Brigid Lyons, even fought in the four courts and was imprisoned in Kilmainham with the other female rebels. Two members of staff who were not involved but supported the Irish Volunteers’ efforts were also arrested (A University in War and Revolution). Just a few years later their efforts for independence would come to fruition. The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and
equal opportunities of all its citizens, and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts, cherishing all the children of the nation equally. Today, there is no call to war or struggle for independence, yet Ireland is still working towards fulfilling its Proclamation. So we see the values of the Rising leaders ingrained in our body of staff and students. We study so we can bring about real and positive change. We immerse ourselves in societies and sports to enhance ourselves and others. Our Union strives to represent every student. We volunteer overseas and at home, actively protest inequalities we see in our own communities and further afield. We debate and write, teach and present, educate and support. We are lucky that unlike the students of 1916, there is no need to take up arms to make our voices heard. One hundred years on and the nation is a free one, and we are still changing, still fighting and still hopeful always for a better society. Comhchúram a dhéanamh do chlann uile an náisiúin To cherish all children of the nation equally References -A University in War and Revolution, 1913-1919 : The University College Galway experience, Exhibition in the James Hardiman building by Dr Gearóid Barry, Dr John Cunningham and Dr Conor McNamara in collaboration with James Hardiman Library and Archives. -Dorney, J. ‘The Easter Rising In Galway, 1916’. The Irish Story. N.p., 2016. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. -Harris, M.N, ‘NUI Galway Commemorates 1916’ Web 21.Apr.2016 -NUI Galway, The Essential Guide 2014-15, Accessed at: http://www. nuigalway.ie/media/nuigalwayie/ content/images/aboutus/ essential_guide_web1.pdf -Proclamation of the Irish Republic’. Easter1916.net. N.p., 2016. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
Ryan McGuiness As the centenary of the 1916 rising is being celebrated throughout the country, the college is currently doing its bit to commemorate this momentous occasion, with a programme of events filled with informative talks, exhibitions and conferences. As I learned more about this piece of history, I began to contemplate what the leaders of the rising would be like at my age if they went to college in NUIG in 2016. Below is the result of that thinking; satirical biographies of the seven signatories of the proclamation, and how they would spend their time in college. The human element of these men should be remembered before any idealised notions are able to distort history. Patrick Pearse: The Orator – usually seen in Lit and Deb society or verbally sparring with a professor, Pearse has a knack for speech making and uses it to his advantage. A little eccentric at times but always passionate, Pearse knows he wants to be a teacher in order to profess his knowledge upon generations to come. Is known to have a problem with authority. James Connolly: The Class Representative - always out promoting a cause or defending his classmates’ rights, Connolly is heavily involved in Student Union activity. He is firmly in favour of initiatives such as the BDS movement and is an advocate of equal housing opportunities for all students. Connolly also has an aspiration to be president of the country one day but for now, Students Union president will have to do. Joseph Plunkett: The Dreamerwell travelled and full of ambition, Plunkett dreams of a better world, one where he doesn’t have to sit four exams in the space of one week. He can be seen in Smokies writing poetry or laying out on the grass beside the quadrangle looking up at the clouds. Plunkett’s shy persona masks his courageous nature. Éamonn Ceannt: The Local Student- from just down the road, Ceannt is a Galwegian through and through. Always knowing that he was coming to NUIG, Ceannt embraces everything the college has to offer. With a keen interest in music, dance, poetry, literature and history, Ceannt is a regular in the
society circle and enthusiastically partakes in all events. Ceannt’s leadership qualities are excellent and he looks to become auditor of one of the societies next semester. Thomas McDonagh: The TriLingual Student- in NUIG, knowing Irish as well as English is a plus, but when you add a third language in French to that, you’re just showing off. McDonagh socialises with likeminded people in all three languages and attends theatre in his spare time, a classic arts/drama student. Even though he’s sometimes late to the party, he nevertheless makes up for it with his wit and charm. Thomas Clarke: The PhD Student- wise beyond his years, Clarke has come way too far in the education system to drop out now. As an undergraduate Clarke was an active member of NUIG society but now all his time is taken up with writing papers as well as planning and organising his final thesis. He’s looking forward to his eventual freedom. Seán MacDiarmada: The Organised Student- with study schedules and planners set up months in advance, MacDiarmada realises that he’s going to have to prepare for the final exams now if he’s ever going to get a first class honour. After a bad night out in Tuam, he became even more focused on getting his degree. Calm, cool and collected, MacDiarmada knows that hard work equals success.
September 13 2016
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Can you become NUI Galway’s next big sports star? By Trevor Murray If you have never dreamed of becoming a television star with superior delivery than Alec Baldwin or you haven’t thought what it would be like to headline a major music festival and rock out better than Geodude, then you’ve probably, at one point or another, held the lofty ambition of becoming a celebrated sports icon. Let’s just nip this in the bud now, though, - there’s no quick route to lasting superstardom, although one can be sure plenty of this year’s deluded X-Factor contestants might have missed that important memo. It takes guts, gusto, sheer perseverance and a little dollop of talent and hard work. Try and beat a shortcut through the long grass that is the entertainment industry (and yes, that includes sport) and you’ll probably get waylaid, covered in nettle stings and crying for your Mammy. Put in the graft, however, and the rewards can start to roll in. At least, that’s what the likes of Naomi Caroll, Jenny Byrne, Conall Mahon and Katie McEneff have all proven the last few months as their dedication to their chosen sporting calling saw them receive accolades at the 2016 NUI Galway Sports Awards earlier this year. Whether it was hockey, soccer, triple-jump or rowing, these athletes pushed themselves to achieve something special which is something everybody really ought to try out at least once in their academic lives. In short, their success wasn’t fostered overnight because they had to pour everything and more into climbing to the top of their respective disciplines. While it’s true that success isn’t everything, it’s sure nice to get rewarded for showing commitment and passion. With so many great clubs and societies offering a vast array of interests and engagements on and off campus, it seems a shame to pass it up. It would be like strolling past KBC employees with your nose in the air and your headphones plugged as they try in vain to give you a free €100 – not that yours truly has ever done that and regretted it later the same evening. No chance. Plenty of you probably signed up to your fair share on clubs day in the Kingfisher gym and that’s certainly the first step towards getting involved. Indeed, while it can be tough to successfully juggle academia, relaxation and activity all at once (especially around the time of studying for you-know-what), it’s important to get the right blend. Knowing when to switch off, unplug yourself from the reading room and thump a few footballs past a hapless goalkeeper on a wet and windy Tuesday evening – it’s quite therapeutic, believe me – is half the battle toward winning a healthy student experience. With that, if you find yourself reading this and you haven’t signed up to any clubs yet, fear not. Most of them are only happy to see new faces turn up throughout the year and you can always sign up through the NUI Galway Clubs webpage. Whether or not it sees you reach superstardom, only time will tell but taking part in a campus club is definitely worth the effort for the fun, excitement and focus that it can bring.
30 SPORT
Sin Vol. 18 Issue 01
Robbie Keane, the fabled Irish great who stayed true to his country By Trevor Murray The great thing about sport is undoubtedly its unique ability to transcend. It goes beyond the ordinary and the mundane. It reaches out to your innermost instincts. It stirs up hidden passions, invokes the tribal in us all and can captivate with a surge of tension or a slow build-up of drama like nothing else. However, it takes a certain, special character to send that message across and not just anybody can create that particularly unique collage of emotions. Make no mistake, the now retired Robbie Keane is certainly somebody who played that role with unerring ease each and every time he pulled on the Republic of Ireland jersey, and ought to retire safe in the knowledge that he has become an icon of not just Irish soccer, but world football too. Leaving the international scene with an astonishing 68 international goals to his name, the 35-year-old LA Galaxy star is the nation’s alltime top scorer and it is hard to imagine that anybody will come close to breaking his tally any time soon. That’s not simply because Martin O’ Neill’s men are now lacking a goal-scoring threat, either, because the team have a number of great options up front such as Jonathan Walters and Shane Long.
No, it’s simply because “Keano” is a player most countries only see once every generation and the sheer quantity of goals he plundered was almost too good to be true. Jason McAteer might go down in pop-culture as the man who won Ireland the World Cup with a thunderous goal in his sleep against Brazil in that famous Carlsberginspired ad many moons ago but Keane was the real dreamcatcher who conjured fairy-tale moments over and over again. Whether it was his last-gasp goal past German custodian Oliver Kahn in 2002, his era-beginning brace against Malta in ’98 or his whopping 41 goals in qualification phases down through the years, the cartwheeling legend knew how to transform reveries into reality on a consistent basis. Sure, there will be those critics who raise an eyebrow at any suggestion that the ex-Ireland captain was a true powerhouse who deserves to stand alongside some of the more celebrated names in the history of the beautiful game. However, the facts of his greatness need no embellishment; he performed at the highest levels of the game over a prolonged period, scored goals for fun – and with some style – and gave more to the international game than many of his so-called more gifted peers ever did.
His detractors will posit that he failed to deliver against the big boys, but that’s simply not true. He rattled the net against the Netherlands, Russia, Germany, Spain, Italy and many more besides, and he didn’t just turn up for the big moments either. Yes, he was a prolific poacher who will be fondly recalled as the best finisher the Green Army has
ever been lucky to scribble down on the team-sheet, but it’s his enduring commitment, hard work, availability and leadership that allowed him to play such an important, and lasting, role in the team for so many glittering years. With 146 caps behind him, the debate surrounding Keane’s value should involve nothing more than
adulation and respect. After all is said and done, it’s exactly what he deserves. Having gone above and beyond the calling time and again, Keane managed to make the impossible possible for fans of the Irish team and deserves to enjoy his retirement. Thanks for all the fond memories, Robbie.
Summer transfer spending reaches billion-pound breaking point By Eoin Molloy England’s twenty biggest football clubs have spent over one billion pounds adding coveted players to their ranks this summer. While it may hold true that transfer fees have been spiralling out of control in recent years, a billion is still an unfathomable amount of money. Heck, it’s more than most mid-sized nation states spend on healthcare. One billion, catchy and all as it may be, is not reflective of the true amount spent by clubs. The summer’s net spend amounted to 677m, meaning that teams on average covered one-third of their losses by selling on out-of-favour players. Of the twenty, only four Premier League clubs managed to balance their books during the latest window, the ever-prudent Southampton leading the way with a tidy profit of 20 million. So which clubs did the biggest damage? Manchester United spent 100m pounds to bring in Paul Pogba from Juventus, having let him leave for free four years ago. Continuing the ‘comeback’ trend, Chelsea resigned 30 year-old David Luis for
32 million pounds from PSG. The fact that a sometimes-dodgy central defender nearing the end of his career commands a fee of 30 million surely indicates that the market is over-inflated. The league is flush with cash from the most lucrative TV deal of all time, and is also awash in never-ending capital provided by deep-pocketed foreign investors. And it’s not just the big clubs spending any more, with most of the smaller teams breaking longheld club transfer records. Following the ‘Leicester upset’ of 2015/16, it seems as though the bigger schoolyard bully clubs have gathered their collective finances in a concerted effort to ensure that no upstart team ever dares to steal the Premier League title again. As expected, the footballing financial behemoths of Manchester top the spending table. Pep and Jose shelled out a combined 325 million augmenting their squads, while bringing in just 13 million in player sales. This is hardly a sustainable business model. City are used to busy summers. The Citizens have been spending
with reckless abandon since they were taken over in September 2008 by an Abu Dhabi consortium led by Sheikh Mansour, a man with a personal fortune of over 17 billion dollars. It is safe to say that City are decidedly unconcerned with balancing the books. The story is a little different for debt-saddled Manchester United who have been forced to pursue more and more commercial partnerships to justify their extreme expenditure. From a business perspective, the Pogba deal should have been avoided purely to save face. However, United have had a barren few seasons and needed to lock up some marquee signings during the summer, purely to show their fans that they still have the financial clout and prestige necessary to attract the world’s best players. Therefore, it seems justifiable for the big teams to spend the way they do. Buying big strengthens the club’s brand by grabbing headlines. It enhances the quality of the squad and improves a big club’s title prospects, unless you are duped into paying over the odds for turkeys
like Radamel Falcao. However, the story is a little different for smaller clubs. Without proper infrastructure in place, buying big can be a complete waste of time. Spending does not always necessarily equate to success. In the summer transfer window just past, English second division teams have out-spent Ligue 1 teams by 50 million pounds. Worse still, Aston Villa, a team who struggled for months to reach double digits in the Premier League last season have out-spent Champions League-winning Real Madrid by a whopping 28 million. Media outlets and pundits laud big spending as signalling the intent of a club or its owners. Take Chelsea for example. The Blues have 38 players currently out on loan yet they still found a way to spend 125 million pounds on fresh faces. As Jurgen Klopp correctly said, no-one in England believes that improvements can be made on the training ground. Players are bought and sold, moved around and loaned every year or two. Children are uprooted from schools and friends and
moved abroad, players are forced to learn new languages and ways of life. In the game of musical chairs that is the summer transfer window, the only real winners are the agents who collect hefty fees for brokering each deal. All of this reckless expenditure seems to be the sporting manifestation of our throwaway capitalist culture. The likes of Ed Woodward, Skheikh Mansour and Abramovich will continue to throw money at problems rather than trying to actually fix them. They will lose no sleep over the human costs of the transfer bubble: rising ticket prices or the obscene prices of replica jerseys produced en masse for a pittance. Ever since Blackburn Rovers steam-rolled their way to the title by spending big in 1995, pundits have wondered aloud when the transfer bubble will burst. However, it appears to be made out of Teflon. Summer spending will only slow down when the TV deals, jersey sales and ticket sales underpinning it begin to collapse. For the now, it seems as though we should get used to the idea of all half-way decent players costing at least 30 million.
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September 13 2016
Dublin and Mayo Probably True reacquaint themselves Myths About the on the biggest stage Smokey’s Pigeon All Ireland final preview
By Graham Gillespie It’s been two and a half weeks since Dublin had the euphoric high of beating arch-rivals Kerry in the semi-finals and nearly a month since Mayo’s competent but underwhelming victory over Tipperary. With such a long wait, both teams will no doubt be desperate for this week to end so they can do battle once more for Gaelic football’s biggest trophy on Sunday. There has been a striking contrast between the two team’s paths to the final. Dublin have displayed some of their best football, not least when responding to Kerry’s late first half blitz to exert complete control in the second half of that game to win 0-22 to 2-14. Dublin’s have exhibited a clear ability to dominate possession and capitalise upon this dominance with Diarmuid Connolly’s all round dynamism, Dean Rock’s free taking and the revival of Kevin McManamon’s form over the last two games, and this is without even mentioning the other three Dublin forwards who have nine all-stars between them. Further back the field potential player of the year candidate Brian Fenton has been consistently brilliant regardless of his midfield partner and the half back line also offers significant offensive threat with sweeper Cian O’Sullivan dictating defensive duties. Mayo on the other hand have not put together a convincing attacking spell in a match for longer than twenty minutes. Despite this they did put in a solid defensive display against Tyrone in the quarter finals and there has been small signs of improvement under new manager Stephen Rochford throughout the season. There is also the school of thought that Mayo’s one big performance could come at the right time this year with them having perhaps peaked too early in the past. Kevin McLoughlin’s role as sweeper has been one of the most divisive Mayo discussion points and while this has had some positives going forward, he has shown defensive frailties. Rochford played Barry Moran in the sweeper role instead against Tipperary but it is unlikely he will stay on against Dublin due to Jim Gavin’s men pace and energy. A lot for Mayo will come down to whether their key players perform on the day namely McLoughlin, Cillian O’Connor, Aidan O’Shea, Lee Keegan, and Keith Higgins, who has returned to playing in the backs after an ill-fated spell at wing forward. 32 year old Andy Moran could also prove crucial with him rolling back the years with his ceaseless movement in
the full-forward line. Also Mayo, being a much younger team than Kerry, should in theory be able to stay with Dublin for longer fitness-wise. Match-ups will be vital in this game none more so than the reunion of Lee Keegan and Diarmuid Connolly, who comes out on top in this clash could be pivotal in the outcome of the game. Connolly may need to be also mindful of his defensive duties against Keegan who may be given license to attack. Similarly Dublin’s half backs John Small and James McCarthy will be looking to pin back to Diarmuid O’Connor and co. It might well be the case that the two half-back lines will dictate who wins this game. Whilst ultimately losing by two points Kerry did prove that this Dublin team is vulnerable and has flaws that Mayo could also be in a decent position to exploit. The defending champions’ full back line at times looked shaky particularly under high balls into Donaghy and O’Sullivan. All of Paul Geaney’s points came from claimed high balls by his team mates who laid the ball back to Geaney who shot extremely quickly and accurately on site. Indeed Geaney’s goal also came from a high ball into the square. Mayo could easily replicate this by using Aidan O’Shea in the forwards to win high ball with both Cillian O’Connor and Evan Regan (despite not starting the last two games) being excellent candidates for the Geaney role. Dublin can also become complacent and throw away big leads at times like the 10 point swing against Kerry before half-time or when they lost a seven point advantage against Mayo in the last ten minutes to draw in the first semi-final last year. On both these occasions Dublin’s frailties were exposed by targeting Stephen Cluxton, but it may be harder for Mayo this time around with the surprise element of targeting the Dublin goalkeeper gone and it seems unlikely that a goalkeeper of his standard will make three or four mistakes in a row again like he did in the semi-final. Furthermore, if he performs well Cluxton’s kicking could cause severe damage to Mayo if they push up and Cluxton finds space further down the field. As Mayo once again try to force their way over the line for the first time in 65 years and this Dublin side look to defend their crown, this game will have a huge effect on both teams’ reputation. Whoever comes out on top on Sunday in Croke Park will certainly have cemented their legacy in their county’s history.
By Mark Laherty 1. Up until last year, the Smokey’s Pigeon actually owned Smokey’s. The café ran in their family since its foundation in 1846. 2. Unfortunately, the Smokey’s Pigeon lost the café to an evil man in evil clothes, who went on to redesign the establishment to look like Keanu Reeves’ office in The Matrix. 3. It is widely believed that all birds are descended from dinosaurs. This is false. The only bird that is a dinosaur is the Smokey’s Pigeon. 4. The Smokey’s Pigeon consumes 35% of all foodstuffs produced at the café. 5. Many have observed that the Smokey’s Pigeon has only one foot. This is the result of a terrible accident between two of the (dearly missed) bright orange couches. A movie of this incident is in development, called 127 Feathers. 6. If you swallow the Smokey’s Pigeon, it takes seven years to work its way through you. 7. Upon their death, arrangements have been made for the Smokey’s Pigeon to be cryogenically frozen until such time as medical science has advanced enough to bring them back to life. 8. The Smokey’s Pigeon can be seen from the moon. 9. The Smokey’s Pigeon can see the room from the Great Wall of China. 10. The Smokey’s Pigeon founded a political party last year called Pigeons Before People. 11. You are never more than six feet away from the Smokey’s Pigeon. 12. The Smokey’s Pigeon’s quack doesn’t echo. 13. The Smokey’s Pigeon flies clockwise when in the northern hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the southern hemisphere due to the Coriolis effect. 14. The Smokey’s Pigeon introduced potatoes and tobacco to England. 15. During their stint as an English monarch, the Smokey’s Pigeon was confronted with the starvation of the masses. The bird’s response? “Let them eat cake, there’s loads on the floor at Smokey’s.”
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