SIN Vol. 19 Issue 05 by SIN Newspaper University of Galway

NUACHTÁN SAOR IN AISCE VOL.19 Issue 5. 07 NOV 2017

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Student Independent News Photo credit: Aengus McMahon

Ready, set, go!

‘Song of the Spirits’ Macnas parade celebrates art and culture in the city. See inside for more photos.

LET’S BEAT RAG WEEK! Students’ Union aim to break fundraising records this year By Sorcha O’Connor Students’ Union President Lorcán Ó Maoileannaigh has revealed this year’s Students’ Union are hoping their fundraising efforts for charities AMACH! and Domestic Violence Response will compete with the olden days of RAG week. The current record stands at over €30,000 and the team in Áras na Mac Léinn have a number of events planned for the rest of the semester, with everything from a petting farm to running the roads organised to enter the record books while raising some much-needed funds. “As far as we’ve gone back the record for the most money raised by the Students’ Union is €32,500 and that is going back to the days of RAG week when there was a whole week dedicated to raising money,” explained Lorcán.

“This year we are looking to run as many charity events throughout the year and that’s the initiatives such as the run day and the charity boxing.” The main event is set to be the showdown between NUI Galway and GMIT in the Radisson Blu Hotel at 8pm on 22 November. NUI Galway students will be stepping into the ring later this month to face off their rivals in GMIT. According to Lorcán, it’s set to be a night to remember. “The white collar boxing is about pride, going up against GMIT!” he said. “Hopefully it’ll turn into an annual event. We have 1200 tickets to sell, so hopefully we will make a lot of money from that.” There will be 15 fights in total on the night, with Lorcán also taking on his GMIT counterpart Mark O’Brien at the event.

The rumble in the Radisson will raise funds not only for NUI Galway SU’s chosen charities but also Galway Hospice, Hand in Hand, Milford Care Centre, and Special Olympics Ireland. Tickets can be purchased from the Students’ Union for €25 or €15 for students. Training has been going well according to Lorcán, with fighters putting in the hours in the boxing club in Oughterard, as well as additional practise in GMIT and the Bailey Allen Hall. The Students’ Union Christmas Day is also scheduled for Thursday 16 Novemeber, with festivities kicking off at 10am in Sult. There will be Christmas jumpers and some merry tunes aplenty, all in order to raise money for charity. Lorcán explained to SIN that the fun-filled day usually garners roughly €10,000, and said it would hopefully be as successful this time round.

On Sunday 12 November, the Students’ Union is inviting one and all to lace up their runners, get out and get moving for a good cause. They will be hosting a charity run day on campus where they want students, staff and locals alike to “run, jog, walk or crawl a charity 5k”. The race starts at the Alice Perry Engineering Building at 10am. Registration for the event will open at 8.30 AM that morning at the Engineering Building, with pre-registration also available online at www.Popupraces.ie. Registration fees are €10 for students and €15 for non-students, with a small surcharge for online registration. While it is set to be quite the professional affair, with all competitors having their run chip-timed, Students’ Union President Lorcán Ó Maoileanaigh told SIN the event will foster a “community feel” among runners. “For the run day, we’re trying to incorporate students, staff and the community, for them all to take part … there is a community feel to it,” said Lorcán. And whether you sprint home or crawl over the finish line, a free goodie bag will be provided for all finishers. Lorcán hoped that people would turn out to help the Students’ Union in their bid to raise much needed funds for charity. All proceeds from the event will go towards this year’s chosen SU charities, Domestic Violence Response and AMACH! LGBT. Domestic Violence Response (DVR) is a community led organisation based in Oughterard, Co. Galway that responds to the needs of women and children affected by abusive or violent behaviour in the home and work towards a long-term plan for the eradication of domestic violence. AMACH! LGBT is a volunteer organisation in Galway city whose work involves representing and advocating on behalf of the county’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Their aim is for a socially inclusive and safe community. As the chosen SU charities, they will receive all proceeds from this year’s fundraising efforts. If running isn’t your thing but you’d still like to get involved, you can sign up to volunteer at the event. Just get in touch with the Students’ Union over in Áras na Mac Léinn or apply at www. studentvolunteer.ie.

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SIN Vol. 19 Issue 5

Students help raise €500 for ChildLine By Sorcha O’Connor They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and for some NUI Galway students this proved to be true as they helped raise important funds for children’s charity ChildLine on 25 October. The Blackstone Launchpad played host to an ISPCC ChildLine Cheerios breakfast on campus, which saw students donate €500 to the worthy cause. The breakfast was held from 8:30am to 11:30am and Natalie Walsh of the Blackstone Launchpad

in NUI Galway said the group were “delighted” by the efforts made by generous students on their way to early morning lectures. “Blackstone LaunchPad were delighted with the turnout,” she said. “NUI Galway students were fantastic to come along, donate and have some breakfast with us, we couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. In just over just three hours of fundraising we raised €500 for this worthy cause.” Students tucked into cereal, croissants, fruit,

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and tea and coffee on the day,with some special packs of Cheerios sent to the organisers especially for the event. “For breakfast, we had received special Cheerio’s packs from ChildLine and we added some additional components to the breakfasts including, tea, coffee, juices, scones, croissants, fruit bowls, cereal bars and other cereal favourites including porridge, Coco Pops, Rice Krispies and Corn Flakes,” explained Natalie. If you missed the breakfast but would like to

donate, Natalie told SIN that there was still time to make a donation. “There is still time to donate, we will be sending the money on Friday 10 November to Childline,” she said. Breakfasts were held across the country over the last fortnight to raise much-needed funds for the children’s charity. ChildLine is a telephone service which answers calls from children in need across Ireland 24 hours a day, offering support and a listening ear.

Academic Writing Centre to launch Twitter competition By Aoife O Donoghue The traditional Spelling Bee competition is getting a modern twist this year on campus, as NUI Galway students compete for prizes by rephrasing and correcting long-winded tweets from the Academic Writing Centre. The AWC is set to launch its innovative Twitter competition later this month. All students are eligible and are encouraged to take part. Manager of the AWC Dr Irina Ruppo Malone explained to SIN that the competition aims to improve students’ writing skills, with a prize or two up for grabs for the winners. “It’s an opportunity to showcase your writing skills and to win small prizes,” she said. So how does it work? Every three weeks, the AWC will tweet a long and cumbersome sentence. Students are tasked with transforming these sentences into shorter ones, while still maintaining all the original information. Then they simply have to tweet their re-written sentence back to the AWC, with the most eloquently-phrased tweet nabbing a prize for the author. All winning entries and photos of the lucky winners will be published on the AWC website. Prizes include money on your SU card, rewarding students’ writing excellence. Follow @AwcNuig to keep an eye out for the first stage of the competition. To stir up some inspiration while you await the first tweet, check out some of last year’s entries on Twitter while you’re there. The AWC is a free service based at the James Hardiman Library. It provides one-on-one tutorials on essay writing as well as workshops and online courses. Opening hours are 11.00-13.00 Monday to Friday and 18.00-20.00 Monday to Thursday. Feel free to drop in anytime.

‘Song of the Spirits’ Macnas parade celebrates art and culture in the city. All photos: Aengus McMahon

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Can you believe it is the second last issue of SIN for 2017, never mind this semester? Time has flown and we will be gearing up for exams and the Christmas rush before long. This time of year is always one of great change, and it couldn’t be more ideal a stage of the semester to really start changing a few things in your schedule to make the most of your time here in NUI Galway. You can join new clubs, start a better study plan, or even just buy a new winter coat to change up your wardrobe. However, there is one change that is happening very soon that a lot of people will be disappointed to hear about. The bus company that runs the park and ride service is changing hands, and we won’t see the friendly faces of Eddie and Gerry to greet us every morning. Here at SIN, we are great fans of these two lovely bus drivers and we wish them all the best in the future. We will have the scoop on when exactly the change will occur, and why, in the next and final issue for this year. In the meantime, enjoy all the news, features, poetry and opinions we have to offer this fortnight, as well as your fortnightly makeup tutorial from Instagram queen Kake Me Up, and a round-up of international and national events on the sporting scene. Hope you have a brilliant fortnight, Till next time,

Sorcha.

NUACHT

November 07 2017 FEATURES EDITORIAL: CONNELL McHUGH

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORIAL: MICHAEL GLYNN

It’s issue five and it is safe to say that we’re all well and truly past the stage of saying ‘sure I’ll start that next week’ and that we’re all feeling the pressure of the impending exams (timetables are out on Friday, fantastic news). The features section this week contains a variety of articles. We have the Erasmus diary, we have a look at the Athenry for Apple campaign, as well as the recent all-time high value that Bitcoin has reached. A few year ago, 10,000 Bitcoin could buy you two pizzas, now it can get you a mansion worth £17 million in Notting Hill. This meteoric rise is examined by Garbhán Moriarty. Read that article and more now, and pick up the final issue of the year in a fortnight.

Heyo arts entertainment folk, it’s your lovably adorable Arts & Entertainment editor Michael Glynn here and boy have we got a great issue lined up for you. We have a light-hearted list of Christmas films designed to perfectly smooth you into the Christmas spirit, entirely unlike Brown Thomas’ example of shoving Christmas in your face on 1st November. Following that is an informative piece on the perfect television shows to watch when you can’t be bother following the intricate plot of Game of Thrones all day. And last up is an article examining the Secret RTE Producer - is he a hunted hero or an untrustworthy source of spite? And that’s all for this issue folks, happy reading..

OPINION EDITORIAL: TEODORA BANDUT

SPORTS EDITORIAL: GRAHAM GILLESPIE

Our penultimate issue for this semester has arrived and we are all feeling the pressure of time passing. If, however, like the conscientious student that you are, you want to pass some time in between divinely productive study sessions or motivating classes, you’ve come to the right place. To keep you up to date on all-important matters, our contributors have teamed up to bring you some food for thought. We’ve gone head to head on whether religion in schools with a view to let you, dear readers, to decide for yourselves. Our student friends across the land in UCD have recently impeached their Students’ Union president. An account of why this was a positive turn of events can be found in the opinion section. We’ve also got some thoughts on Tinder as the modern cupid. Enjoy!

Hello and welcome to the penultimate issue of SIN for 2017. Once again we have plenty in this edition’s Sport section to help keep your mind distracted from whatever college work you should actually be doing instead of reading this! Various plights are discussed in this issue as we reflect on Galway United’s relegation and what it might mean for the club going forward. The poor starts of the two Merseyside clubs are also analysed in depth. There’s also some words on Ireland’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup, along with a look ahead to this month’s International Rules series down under. As well as this, we check in with the Irish provinces’ progression in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, and finally, the merits or otherwise of representative sides such as South Kerry playing in county championships are examined. As always if anyone wants to get involved in writing for SIN, please drop us a line at sport.sined@gmail. com. Thanks for picking up this issue and I hope you enjoy reading it.

FASHION & LIFESTYLE EDITORIAL: AMY McMAHON Hello everybody! It’s getting close to the end of the semester. With that comes exams, assignments and often stress. In this issue our lifestyle section, Marie Caody will give helpful tips on focusing to get tasks done. Our fashionistas have pulled together a great section featuring all your favourite winter wardrobe looks. Orla Carty treats us to a Shay Mitchell Steal Her Style to achieve her lush look for less. We have the best of winter coats from the high street by Ashlyle Cota and Kake Me Up is back with another stellar step by step tutorial, just in time for the Science Ball this week. There’s lots to read and lots to love in this issue!

EDITOR: Sorcha O’Connor editor.sin@gmail.com LAYOUT: Shannon Reeves

Find us online: www.sin.ie

INSIDE Vox Pop: Should there be more student parking on campus? 4 Students taking on Gaisce at NUI Galway

Protest held against Enda Kenny’s Honorary Doctorate from NUI Galway

Christmas break: what to expect from a trip to Trondheim, Norway 9 Society Spotlight: The Physics Society

Celebrities and substance abuse: a constant battle?

Head to Head: Religion should be taught in schools

Katie Ascough is not a victim

KakeMeUp for SIN: Add a pop of purple to be Belle of the Ball! 16 It’s 2017 – surely women can do what they want with their bodies?

Staying focused during the home-stretch of the semester 18 Top three films to help express your elf

Secret RTÉ producer: hidden hero or rightfully hunted renegade?

Promising start for the Irish provinces in Europe but much work to be done 23 Merseyside misery for Klopp and Koeman: where did it all go wrong?

Galway United fall at the last hurdle, and face long road back to Premier Division football 27

An bhfuil rud éigin le rá agat? Cur litir chuig an Eagarthóir chuig editor@sin.ie.

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SIN Vol. 19 Issue 5

VOX POP: Should there be more student parking on campus? By Ashyle Cota and Sorcha O’Connor

With university comes a lot of pressures: getting to all your lectures, exams, essays… Here in NUI Galway students face another extra pressure: beating the morning traffic to secure a parking space on campus. It is understood that some students have had no other option but to park their car in nearby housing estates, despite having paid for permits to park on campus. At the time of print, SIN was waiting on a reply from the parking office regarding whether anything was in the pipeline to improve the current overspill of cars into local residencies. Meanwhile, we asked students whether they think there are enough parking facilities at NUI Galway at the moment and whether €50 a year for parking is a fair price for students when lecturers have to pay €55, just €5 more. Many thought the pricing was “reasonable” and “fair”. In regards to the lack of parking, the general consensus was that more needed to be done in order to provide better parking facilities for students driving to college every day.

Liam Dalton, School of Physics

Eoghan Whittel, Engineering

Lucy Elvis, PhD Philosophy

fees and everything else. I suppose if you were doing Pay and Display it would work out more. I’d say they should probably lower it down to about €45, have maybe a bit more of a jump between lecturers and students because students don’t have an income really.

Deja Bullock, MA International Management

No, I don’t [think there are enough parking facilities]. I don’t really have a problem with it myself because I get a lift in with my mom. I drive here, and she just takes the car. If there’s no parking available, I just hop out and she just takes the car. I have noticed, especially in this car park [near the chapel] there’s never a free space. I think €50 is reasonable. If it guaranteed me a spot, then I would have no problem paying that for the whole year.

‘You’d need to be here really early to get a parking space’

I don’t drive, so I don’t really know. I just cycle everywhere. I think it’s €50 a month inside in town, so yeah [it’s fair]. I know it’s expensive but I think if you’re able to park in here and the parking is safe and you’re not going to get robbed, it’s grand. I know in some colleges, like in UL, lecturers and staff don’t pay anything.

Sean Kilker, Engineering

I do not know, because I cycle everywhere! If they can afford a car, they should be able to afford €50. Arguably, lecturers on a permanent, full-time paid contract should pay more. Those on a flexible, insecure contract should be paying the same as students. They quite often have an even lower income.

Steven Ryding, Mechanical Engineering

Yeah that sounds right. I mean, I’m from America and during my undergrad at Wausau I had to pay… God, it was US $200 for the whole year. So, €50, which would only be about US $70, I would pay it if I had a car, since for the past four years I’ve been paying $200.

Rebecca Feeney, BA Law

No, not really. It’s just hard to find parking if you come five or ten minutes late, that’s probably the worst thing. Yeah, I think that’s fair. I think that for a year it’s really good. If it’s guaranteed parking it’s a good price to pay.

I’m not a driver myself, but I really think this is a problem because there’s people I know who might come in each morning, and they might be in at 8:30am or so and they just still can’t find a parking space or end up at Dangan or something like that. When you put it like that I think it’s a bit much ... We already have to pay

Definitely not. You’d need to be here really early to get a chance to get a parking space. I think it could be reduced slightly, but overall, compared to airports and stuff that they have to pay for, it’s not that bad. It could be better but it’s not the worst price either.

NUI Galway Students’ Union Ents Present

Thursday 16th November 2017

Déardaoin an 16 Samhain 2017

Christmas

CHARITY

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DAY

Deck the halls and jingle your bells! The biggest charity event of semester 1 is upon us! Featuring Christmas Dinner, Santa, Christmas jumpers, tinsel, good cheer, cheesy Christmas tunes, DJs and lots of festive surprises from 10am at Sult. SU LOCKERS

€5 wristbands for entry to Electric/44 at 10pm on sale from the SU Ofﬁce and SU Engineering Desk SU LOCKERS

All proceeds go to Domestic Violence Response & AMACH! grinds REGISTER SU CLOAKROOM

Life Skills Tabharfar an t-airgead do Domestic Violence Response & AMACH! SU

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SIN Vol. 19 Issue 5

Students taking on Gaisce at NUI Galway By Alana Gallagher

‘Gaisce – The President’s Award’ is a self-development programme that encourages you to find your passion, get active, and make a difference in your community. For those of us here in NUI Galway, it’s a great way to meet new people, as well as combining all the different forms of extracurricular activities together in a way that helps you develop a vast array of skills - which may then be used to further enhance your employability prospects and improve those Graduate CVs.

There are three levels of Gaisce: Bronze, Silver and Gold. If you’re just starting out, Bronze is the best fit for you, as it is the first level of the Gaisce Award, with 26 weeks in total to complete. There is great flexibility with Gaisce and it is entirely up to you what pace you take to complete the Award. With Gaisce, there are four key categories: • Community Involvement is all about giving back through volunteering and getting the chance to make a difference to your community, whatever your passion may be.

• The Personal Skill category gives you the opportunity to develop a new skill or interest, or even just advance further in an existing skill you already have. • Physical Recreation gives you the chance to get moving so that you may feel healthier, think better, and become physically stronger. You don’t need to be super fit or have participated in any physical activity before — just try it out! • Finally, the Adventure Journey is an exciting overnight expedition which provides

a unique, challenging and memorable experience as you explore your self-sufficiency. Not only is the trip incredibly fun, it’s a great way of spending time with new friends! To earn your Bronze Award, you must carry out one hour per week in each of the first three categories across a total of 13 weeks. Within one of these three categories however, you must complete another 13 weeks of participation – luckily, you choose which one you give extra to.

Lastly, you undertake a twoday, one-night group Adventure Journey. You should cover a minimum total distance either of 25km if walking, or 100km if cycling, and you must spend the night either camping or in a self-catering hostel. This is a fantastic opportunity to try something that may be out of your comfort zone, learn independence, and create unforgettable memories by exploring the Irish outdoors. To get involved simply get in contact with a President’s Award Leader (PAL), as they will be the one to monitor you for the dura-

tion of your Award and sign off at the end if you have successfully carried out each category. In NUI Galway, Áine Gallagher is your go-to PAL. You will agree with her as to what you would like to do in each of the four categories, and you may then apply and pay the small €15 participation fee for the Bronze Medal. After that, it’s all up to you to put the effort in, make the most of your experience, and reap all of the personal-development rewards Gaisce has to offer! To contact Áine, email aine. gallagher@nuigalway.ie.

#MiseFreisin: Ionsaí gnéasach i Hollywood agus sa bhaile

Erasmus Diary: 10 things I miss about Ireland

Le Rebecca Fisher

By Brigid Fox

Ar oíche Dé Sathairn, chinn mé féin agus cúpla cairde teacht le chéile chun oíche lán de pizza, fíon agus cluichí boird a bheith againn. Tar éis roinnt deochanna, shocraigh muid go mbeadh sé ina smaoineamh maith dul amach chuig club. Idir a haon a chlog ar maidin agus a trí a chlog ar maidin an oiche sin, rinné muid teagmháíl le trí ghrúpaí éagsúla de fir, a rug orainn go míchuí agus gan ár toiliú. Bhí na trí imeacht uile thar a bheith uamhasach agus ionsaitheach agus chuir sé scamall dubh thar ár n-oíche spraíúil. Cé go raibh na himeachtaí seo thar a bheith scanrúil, tharlaíonn siad go laethúil, do mhná AGUS d’fhir ar fud an domhain. Tá c i a p a d h g n é a s a c h agus ionsaí gnéasach ar thús cadhnaíochta na meáin idir náisiúnta faoi lathair, mar gheall ar dhaoine cáiliúla cosuil le Harvey Weinstein & Kevin Spacey, á gcúisiú le iompar míchuí. Mar gheall ar na fir agus mná cróga a labhair amach i gcoinne na bhfear seo, táimid mar shochaí, ag tosú ag labhairt níos mó faoi ionsaí ghnéasach. Le níos mó agus níos mó daoine ag teacht chun cinn lena chuid scéalta féin faoi ionsaí ghnéasach a insint, daoine cosúil le Rose McGowan, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie agus Cara Delevingne, atá i measc na híospartaigh, ní féidir linn ach a bheith ag súil go ndéanfar níos mó sa todhchaí, chun a chinntiú nach ndéanann daoine atá i riocht cumhachta mí-úsáid ar an gcumhacht sin arís.

De réir mar a thosaigh na scéalta seo ag tarraingt aird an phobail, bhí mé ag iarraidh an díospóireacht maidir le ciapadh gnéasach a oscailt i measc mo chairde féin. Bhí scéal ag gach bean sa seomra, chomh maith le tromlach mór na bhfear, faoi ionsaí nó ciapadh á dhéanamh orthu, go léir acu ag tarlú gan a chuid toiliú. Bhí scéaltaí ann faoi láimhe faoi bhun sciortaí, tóineanna a bhualadh, daoine á leanúint abhaile, gruaig a tharraingt agus níos measa fós. Ní mór dúinn cultúr measúil a chruthú laistigh den tsochaí, ceann ina bhfuil sé toirmiscthe lamh a leagan ar aon duine gan toiliú, beag beann ar inscne, aicme nó claonadh gnéasach an duine sin. Ní mór dúinn ár gcuid páistí a mhúineadh chun iad féin a iompar i gceart agus cúram a thabhairt dá chéile nuair a thagann na cásanna seo chun cinn. Ní mór dúinn a mhúineadh nach leithscéal é an chumhacht, chun daoine eile a ghortú agus a dhíghrádú, tar éis an tsaoil, is féidir le beagán meas dul ar bhealach fada sna hamanna dorcha seo, cuir tú féin ina gcuid bróga agus tuigfidh tú go luath. Tá mise ag seasamh leis na híospartaigh neamhdhíobhálach d’fhoréigean gnéasach, an bhfuil túsa? Má bhí ionsaí gnéasach déanta ort féin nó ar duine éigin a bhfuil aithne agat orthu, téigh i dteagmháil le ceann amháin de na huimhreacha atá liostaithe thíos, le haghaidh cúnamh sábháilte, saor agus rúnda; • Galway Rape Crisis Centre: 1800 355 355 • Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU) Hazelwood House: 087 6338118.

After flying home for a quick visit to Ireland this week I couldn’t help reminiscing about the simple things I missed about being home. Having lived in Spain for almost two months now, it is no surprise that I’ve felt the absence of a couple of my belongings, as well as the presence of some of the beautiful people and places I left behind. I’ll try to avoid a too generalised and stereotypical list, focusing on more personalised pieces that I have longed for while being away – but while you can take the girl out of Ireland, you can’t take Ireland out of the girl!

1. Barry’s tea My family, like many Irish families have what can only be called a tea obsession. Starting from a young age, a cup of tea could be found at the centre of any good conversation in my household. Whether it’s because a relative came over to visit, someone is just home from work or the terrifying realisation that the kettle hasn’t been boiled in twenty minutes, any excuse is made for a cup of tea. However, not any tea will do. Only the brew of a Barry’s tea would pass the test in my house. Living in Spain sadly means a proper Barry’s tea is non-existent. This in turn has forced me to begrudgingly accept the taste of PG Tips instead. Truly tragic.

2. Dairy Milk chocolate A popular choice of chocolate, the Dairy Milk range has become a staple item in my diet since starting university. Shamelessly I live for gigantic bars of plain Dairy Milk chocolate that can make any lousy day so much better. Unfortunately

they are scarce in Oviedo. I had to search Spanish stores for cheap knock off, “is it even worth buying” replacements. Once again, my food standards took a hit.

3. Galway City Before my Erasmus, Galway had been my home away from home for a little under two years and I miss it dearly. A city like no other, I felt privileged to go to university there. Being the beautiful, vibrant city that it is means it’s not the easiest place to forget. On a happier note, I do not and most likely never will miss the Galway weather. Reaching university, drenched and freezing wondering was the walk to college really worth it is something I dread in returning to NUI Galway.

4. Saying the word “grand” This simple five letter word symbolises so much more than just a throw away phrase to end every sentence. It reflects so many great things about Ireland. Our relaxed presence, our friendly nature and our general optimism in everyday situations. Although everything might not be as “grand” as we want it to be, rest assured a cup of tea will always be there to help.

5. Loved ones As obvious as this may be, the people I left back home are what I long for the most. This is quite frankly the most significant part of what I miss about home. My friends, my family, being away from them still seems so strange and unfamiliar. Thankfully technology like Skype, Messenger calls, even Whatsapp have been such life savers in keeping up with all of the shenanigans back in Ireland.

6. Home comforts I am a woman devoted to simple comforts. Cosy duvets, hot water bottles and fluffy pyjamas are my calling. This along with a strong cup of tea and some Dairy Milk is my own personal form of heaven. My comforts are very important to me and moving to Spain required me to leave some of these commodities behind and are something I miss incredibly.

7. My entire wardrobe I may not be a follower of fashion magazines or indulge in copious amounts of designer goods but I’ve always had a huge interest in my own fashion and creating unique looks. So much of fashion is putting yourself in clothes that make you happier. Fashion that makes you feel like you can take on the world is invaluable. Unfortunately, because the expense of baggage is appalling to begin with, my attempt at hauling over my entire wardrobe seemed impossible. So, this resulted in the horrific splitting and reducing of my fashion collection.

8. The English language Until you’ve left the English language behind, you’ll never truly grasp how wonderful it is to hear it again. Speaking English is still common in my life in Spain as I befriended English speaking people and talk to my family on Skype, but in general day to day use it is unheard of. As Oviedo isn’t a popular tourist destination locals found no need to learn the language and in turn it made me appreciate understanding and hearing English again during my time back home.

9. The kitchen stove For anyone who don’t understand the sheer delight and comfort of having a fiery stove warm up your kitchen it is something of pure bliss. A focus point for family conversations and tea, its heat and presence in the centre of a room is something like no other. Simple in its way, this possibly insignificant item shares a piece of my heart reminding me of the little comforts of being at home.

10. The friendliness of Irish people We live up to our reputation of being some of the most friendliest people in Europe and it is something to take pride in. Travelling home from Oviedo to Dublin it was clear who the winners of friendliness were. Although the Spanish aren’t necessarily unfriendly they are just nothing compared to the Irish. We strike up random conversations at bus stops and bathrooms. “Do you need a hand with your bags?” we ask when we see someone getting off the bus. We’re always willing to talk nonsense. It is definitely one of the most admirable qualities of our little country. I enjoy my time in Spain and long for more adventures here but Ireland will always have a strong place in my heart. It may not be perfect, but it’s home. Pick up the next issue of SIN to read about everything I wish I knew before going on an Erasmus

NUI Galway Students’ Union Presents The Ultimate Study Break: Cuireann Comhaltas na Mac Léinn, OÉ Gaillimh, An Briseadh Staidéar Iontach i Láthair:

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There will be rabbits, gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, chicks, hens, turkeys, geese, ducks, sheep, goats, pigs, a llama, cake, tea, a raffle and tunes from Flirt FM. All funds raised go to Domestic Violence Response and AMACH! Tabharfar an t-airgead ar fad do Domestic Violence Response agus AMACH! www.su.nuigalway.ie

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8 FE AT UR E S

SIN Vol. 19 Issue 5

Protest held against Enda Kenny’s Honorary Doctorate from NUI Galway By Connell McHugh On Monday 23 October, former Taoiseach Enda Kenny was present in NUI Galway for a conferring where he received an honorary Doctorate of Law (LLD). Present at the event was the Chancellor of the National University of Ireland Doctor Maurice Manning. “The National University of Ireland is pleased to honour Enda Kenny today as we have honoured his predecessors. Through honouring those who have served in the office of Taoiseach, NUI affirms our sovereign state, our democratic system of government and the freedoms it confers on the citizens of Ireland,” he said. Also present was President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne who summed up Kenny’s achievements over his time in politics: “For more than four decades, Enda Kenny has been a member of Dáil Éireann, conscientiously representing his Mayo constituents, while simultaneously making enormous contributions to national and international politics. “He inspired many with his vision, his sense of purpose, his tenacity and, no less important, his innate humanity and personal decency. Today we salute him as the ‘Quiet Man’ from Mayo who, when the call came, rose

to lead his country out of darkness, to restore it to its place among the nations, and to give all of us a reason to hold our heads high once more.” However, the day was not without some controversy. Protesting at the main gates of the university was the Galway Alliance Against War who believe that it is hypocritical to honour a man who allowed US military to use Ireland to transport troops and munitions to warzones in the Middle East. A post on their Facebook page had the following to say on the matter: “NUIG failed to see the irony in bestowing a doctorate of law on a man who, during his years as Taoiseach, was a willing accessory to war crimes committed throughout the Middle East and beyond. Under Kenny’s watch the US military was given free rein to use Shannon airport and Irish airspace to transport troops and munitions to war zones to kill and destroy. This includes US weapons destined for Saudi Arabia’s genocidal war in Yemen, where little children perish one every ten minutes. Enda Kenny is no Doctor of Law he is Doctor Death”. Protestors held signs bearing statements such as ‘NUIG honours another war criminal’s lapdog’ and ‘Shannon Warport – a national disgrace’.

Since 1908, National Universities of Ireland have conferred honorary degrees mainly with the purpose of honouring academic distinction, whether in the humanities or in the sciences. In addition, the University honours those ‘who, whether in their personal or representative capacities, through their energies, service and actions, have contributed significantly to public life.”

Previous recipients of honorary degrees from NUI Galway include Margaret Atwood in 2011, whose famous novel The Handmaid’s Tale has recently been adapted into a TV show, and Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, famous RTÉ GAA commentator. Former Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and current President Michael D. Higgins are also part of the illustrious few to have received them.

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When Apple first announced their plans of a €850 million investment to build a data centre in Athenry, the immediate local reaction was shock. Initially, people were wary of what was going to come. When locals learned of the positive effects that the centre would have on the area, they began to get on board with it. As the High Court ruled in favour of the centre recently, founder of the Athenry for Apple group Paul Keane sat down with SIN to fill us in on what had happened over the last two years. “People just didn’t know what a data centre was, they didn’t know that it wasn’t a factory,” he explained. Paul set up a Facebook group in November 2015 to educate people on the process and said a lot had changed since he did. “Between then and now it has grown into a community movement.” According to Paul, people began to feel like the centre would have the added benefit of socially developing the West of Ireland, as well as any technological advances it would bring. Paul has grown two groups out of his 6000-strong “Athenry for Apple” community, one legal group and another group who manages membership. “Everyone is joining together looking to get this thing moving,” he said. Both the County Council and An Bord Pleanála (ABP) reviewed the site. ABP held an oral hearing in Galway on May 27, 2016 where there were about 11 objectors to the project. Most of the concerns were local based like flooding, destruction of the forest, energy concerns and impact on wildlife. The main argument at the hearing was the community sacrificing too much for little gain.

ABP decided to grant planning permission but there was a request for a judicial review put in at the end of 2016. A hearing was held at the start of 2017, the main concerns all energy and environmental based. Allan Daly and Sinead Fitzpatrick were the two remaining local objectors at this stage. There was a third appeal from a Dublin man, Brian McDonagh, the only one who wasn’t a local. He had purchased land in Wicklow for €22 million with the intention of developing the world’s largest data centre. Planning permission was refused. The result of their objections was reviewed a few weeks ago but they were ultimately turned down. It is estimated that 300 construction jobs will be created immediately, but only for highly skilled builders of these types of centres. It is these people coming to the area working there who will be benefit Athenry most in terms of moving and living there. From speaking to Paul, it would seem that the overriding sense in Athenry is that of positivity and people are now looking forward to the future.

GNÉ -ALTANNA

November 07 2017

CHRISTMAS BREAK:

what to expect from a trip to Trondheim, Norway By Cillian Doyle Trondheim is a seaside city in the middle of Norway with history, culture and a large student population, giving it a feel similar to Galway. Reasonably

priced flights are easy to find, with return tickets costing as little as €150, and Airbnbs start at around €25-30 a night if you book in the off-season. Norway is infamously expensive, often managing to make Ireland look cheap,

however if you shop around, particularly for flights and accommodation it is possibly to keep costs down. Home to 170,000 people, Trondheim offers a relaxed atmosphere away from the more hectic Oslo. Islands, canals and a park with more than 10 lakes and a large forested area make Trondheim a picturesque city, and with mild temperatures until the end of September, the weather isn’t as much of a problem as you might think. The city is built beside the Trondheim fjord, one of the largest in Norway and home to some of the best salmon fishing locations in the country. Scandinavian countries have developed a reputation for high quality cuisine in recent years, notably “Noma” in Copenhagen, which has been voted the best restaurant in the world four times. Trondheim is no exception with many good restaurants, including “Credo”, which is accredited with a Michelin star, though as usual in Norway it doesn’t come cheap, with the menu

set at €100 per person. If that’s outside your budget, there are many high quality affordable restaurants with meals starting at around €20 per person. The stunning Nidaros Cathedral is located in Trondheim, built over the course of 270 years, it is the northernmost medieval cathedral in the world. It is said to be the burial place of Olaf I, the Viking who brought Christianity to Norway. The church was partially or completely destroyed by fire on four different occasions, but was rebuilt every time, with restorations being completed in 2001. Many people visit the site on a pilgrimage every year and it has become a popular tourist attraction. Trondheim is home to many museums, including an art museum and “Rockheim”, a museum dedicated to pop and rock music. There are many interactive displays including DJ decks and “Virtuelle Rockheim”, where visitors can manipulate an avatar to explore 3D exhibitions. The location

of the museum is symbolic as Trondheim has a long history of producing famous musicians, particularly in pop, rock and jazz. Owing to its large student population there are many events on in Trondheim, which can be found on Facebook including music in the streets, boat races and concerts. Nightlife in Trondheim has a lot to offer, with live music of many kinds, beer tastings and many student parties. A beer in a normal bar costs around €7, though student bars are much cheaper, at around €4-5. Sports fans will also find a lot in Trondheim, particularly fans of cycling, skiing, ice hockey and football, with Trondheim notably being home to Rosenborg BK and football legend Nicklas Bendtner. All in all, Trondheim is a beautiful city with a lot to offer, and although it can be very expensive at times, if you shop around it is more than possible to visit on a budget.

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10 F EAT U R E S

SIN Vol. 19 Issue 5

SOCIETY SPOTLIGHT: The Physics Society By Sorcha O’Connor

“The Physics Society is technically an academic society, but we like to think of it as more of a comForget everything you learned about physics from bination of that and a social society. The majority the Big Bang Theory and banish all thoughts of of our events are things like bowling, cinema, laser complex equations. The NUI Galway Physics Soc quest, games nights and more,” she said. makes everything about science a whole lot more However three interesting speakers are invited fun. each semester to keep members’ brains mulling Auditor of the society Orla Carty took the reins over the intricate subject of physics. According to of this vibrant and exciting society at the begin- Orla, attendance at these talks does not mean you ning of this semester and she has great plans for have to be an expert in science. the upcoming year. “Each semester we have three speakers, who She explained to SIN that while the society give academic talks. I cannot emphasise enough is considered an academic one, the many social that you do not have to do Physics to be in the events held by the group far outweigh the time Physics Society,” she explained. spent discussing complex matters of the universe. “I’m auditor and I do Arts with Creative Writing! We welcome absolutely anyone who wants to get involved, with even the tiniest sliver of curiosity about science in general. “Half of the committee actually aren’t even science students – we aim for diversity,” she laughed. The society hosts events every Tuesday at 7pm, usually on the Concourse. The group offer an international trip away in January, and are also the organisers of the Science Ball, which will be held on 8 November this year in DIT students visiting NUI Galway with the Physics Soc the Salthill Hotel.

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“As well as our weekly events we have special, counts for nightclubs Four Four and Electric. larger-scale events. Every year we host the annual SciIf you are interested in joining in on all that is ence Ball, as well as an international trip,” said Orla. on offer at the Physics Society, email physicsoc@ “Last year we went to Amsterdam, the year socs.nuigalway.ie for more information. As Orla before Budapest, and the year before that Prague.” mentioned, everyone is welcome, whether you are The society collaborate with other universities the next Hawking or simply looking for a way to and colleges throughout the year, to form bonds make some new friends. between students with similar interests – be that socialising or Newtonian mechanics! “We had DIT visit us this past April, and had a really cool weekend with a three-dimensional tour of the universe, a dinner in Papa Rich and a trip out to Mace Head’s atmospheric research plant,” said Orla. “Next semester we hope to have some kind of collaborative exhibition with some of the creative societies and an intervarsity – it’s going to be a great year,” she said. Society members are entitled Members of Physics Soc on the International trip last year to a key tag which provides dis-

The rise of Bitcoin By Garbhán Moriarty Bitcoin, a form of digital money, is the first real crypto-currency that has survived long enough to cause a stir in international financial circles. It differs from other currency as it is not centralised. Money is transferred peer-to-peer without passing through any banks or governments, meaning that the process is extremely fast and there are no charges for international payments. In November of 2008 the invisible, potentially fictional, creator Satoshi Nakamoto penned a paper called Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System in which he described the currency as “a system for electronic cash transactions without relying on trust”. This statement describes the logic behind the need for Bitcoin. The same paper quotes a headline from 3 January 2009: “Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks.” Bitcoin was created in the wake of the Financial Crisis of 2008. Multiple bail-outs of banks that had acted against the interest of their customers showed the world that their money was not safe in the ‘trusted’ third-party that modern economies relied on. Bitcoin’s lack of a middle-man meant that the owner’s wallet was safe and private. The first notable purchase, decided pricewise on a Bitcoin forum, was for two pizzas from Papa John’s on 22 May, 2010 and they cost 10,000 BTC. Bitcoin’s growth was slow and controlled. By October 2012 Bitpay, a bitcoin payment service provider, reported having over 1000 merchants accepting Bitcoin under their payment processing system. Satoshi Nakamoto feared controversy early on. After many of their main methods of accepting financial donations had been blocked, fans on a Bitcoin forum asked for Wikileaks to start accepting Bitcoin. Nakamoto posted, “I make this appeal to Wikileaks not to try to use Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a small beta community in its infancy. You would not stand to get more than pocket change, and the heat you would bring would likely destroy us at this stage.” However, Bitcoin faced a different existential threat in October 2013 when Ross Ulbricht,

the creator of the Silk Road deep-web site, was arrested. Silk Road was an online marketplace where users could make various forms of criminal purchases, primarily for drugs such as MDMA, cocaine, cannabis and psychedelics. Silk Road’s currency of choice was Bitcoin. The FBI seized 26,000 BTC from users of the site, and roughly 600,000 BTC from Ulbricht’s personal account, worth $80 million. Economists estimated this was the end of Bitcoin, and its value would fall to nearly 0. However, this wasn’t to be the case. Its value retained throughout 2015, and has overall been on the rise through 2016 and 2017. All the while, through controversy, rises and falls Satoshi Nakamoto has remained anonymous. In 2012 Nakamoto appeared to release some information about himself on the P2P Foundation website, claiming to be a 37-year-old man living in Japan. However, Swiss coder Stefan Thomas, who graphed time-stamps from Bitcoin’s public ledger found that the individual who he believed to be Satoshi had almost no posts between 5am and 11am GMT, which suggested he lived in most likely North America, or somewhere in Central or South America. Craig Steven Wright, a coder who Wired magazine suggested was the true identity behind Satoshi Nakamoto, posted on 2 May 2016 that he was in fact the creator of Bitcoin. On 4 May 2016 however, he deleted blog posts relating to him being Nakamoto, and posted the message “I’m sorry”. Bitcoin has endured many attacks on its existence such as legal cases, involvement with illegal purchases, sharp drops in value, accusations of money laundering and arrests of those high up in the Bitcoin community. However, its value as of now is at an all-time high. On 31 October it was valued at €5478.93 per Bitcoin, nearly four times more than an ounce of gold. The two pizzas that early adopters of the new currency bought, at today’s value, are worth €54,789,300. That would afford you 4,383,144 large pizzas from Papa John’s in Galway - not bad for a currency that only exists in code.

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12 OPI NI O N

SIN Vol. 19 Issue 5

Celebrities and substance abuse: a constant battle? By Áine Kenny

With fame comes fortune. Coupled with this fortune however is the misfortune of enormous pressure. Celebrities are scrutinised on every level by the media and by normal people. We judge how they speak, how they dress, and what they do. It isn’t surprising to see a vast majority of celebrities are now beginning to speak out about the pressures of the high life, and the substance abuse which comes with the party lifestyle. Recently Ed Sheeran explained that the reason for his year out was to tackle substance abuse. While Ed hasn’t given any details, it is common for celebrities to take drugs recreationally

and then they become hooked, doing them alone as Ed says. Demi Lovato released a YouTube documentary recently about her battle with drugs and her mental health issues. Shockingly, Demi had been taking cocaine since she was 17 years-old, while filming on Disney channel. She traces her addiction back to her father’s genes and her low self-esteem, as well as having bi-polar disorder. Demi is now entering her fifth year of sobriety. What is good about the Demi Lovato story is that she shows people that before it gets better, it has to get worse. She wasn’t miraculously cured after her first stint in rehab, despite

claiming publicly she was sober. In an interview with E-Online, she admits she couldn’t go an hour without doing cocaine, and even smuggled it on board flights. She also abused alcohol, stating she would drink raw vodka at 9am. In her documentary, she also says she did interviews while high, and she would fake her drug tests using other people’s urine. Demi isn’t afraid to show people how horrible life as an addict can be, and she is proof that with perseverance and commitment, you can get better. There are other celebrities who haven’t been as constructive when it comes to discussing substance abuse issues. A lot of music artists sing about the party

scene and glamourize drug use. While this seems cool for a catchy pop hit, it doesn’t translate well into real life. Miley Cyrus spent a good few years trying to convince us that she was hardcore by posting about her drug-use on Instagram (we get it, you smoke weed). As a result, she looked ridiculous, and quite frankly, her music suffered for it. While no celebrity asks to be a role model, it was incredibly irresponsible of her to publicly share pictures of her on acid to her younger fans. She is now clean and thankfully making better music. A real success story would be Robert Downey Jr. While most people our age see him as Iron Man, back in the late

nineties and early noughties he was put in rehab and prison for multiple charges of possession. He was once even arrested while speeding down Sunset Boulevard with his car full of heroin, cocaine and an unloaded gun. He was fired from the hit TV show Ally McBeal for his substance abuse and most people thought his career was over. After his last stint in prison he managed to get clean and is now the fifth-highest paid actor in the world, according to Forbes. He credits 12 step programmes, Kung-Fu, family and friends supporting him, and meditation as key to his recovery. By highlighting success stories like these it gives other people hope.

Tinder: a cynic convinced By Amy McMahon

Charity Christmas Day 2017 Thursday 16th November

As Irish people we have a funny way about us. It takes us an unnatural amount of time to get used to something. We’re not keen on the idea of the unknown. So, it’s understandable that it’s taken us five years to warm up to Tinder. Tinder is an app made with the purpose to connect people sparking friendships and relationships across the world. However, the app has become notorious for hook-ups, leaving those actually looking for love with slim pickings. That being said, I’ve changed my tune when it comes to Tinder. With more celebrities confessing that they found their perfect match using the app, it does make you believe it can work. One of the latest matches made in Tinder heaven was between Louise Pentland and her beau Liam. The Sprinkle of Glitter YouTuber revealed to her 2.6 million subscribers how she met Liam on Tinder and are now “thrilled” to be expecting a baby. If it works for famous folk, why not for us mere mortals too? As a former sKeptic I can see how easy it is not to be totally convinced that finding the one and falling in love is possible on Tinder. Putting forward your best six photos, summing up your personality in a brief bio, and trying to spot the keeper on a field of players can be difficult and can make you feel as though it just won’t happen. Users are limited to what content they can upload, and unlike other dating apps and sites you literally cannot give someone your life story. Personally, I think this makes the process of searching for that special someone that much easier. A little scroll through their account and you know what that person considers

to be a priority. Adding family photos to their profiles gives the impression that they value family. If all six photos are of nights out, this can communicate either a fun person, the life and soul of the party or someone that just spends their days going to Carbon… not as attractive. If sport is a common feature, then you may connect over a mutual interest or maybe you could be put off by how many gym mirror selfies they have up - like seriously we get it, you go to the gym! Who really needs any other information? First impressions are everything. No exceptions. Psychologists have said that all you need is seven seconds to fully form an impression. Swiping left and right is almost like seeing your suitors in a line up, at first glance you’ll spot the one. A nice smile, baby blue eyes and you’re sold. When chatting girl to girl about personal problems, no matter how devastating the situation may be, all hope is restored when one of the group members conveniently happens to know a girl that was in a similar situation. Well as it happens, I know a girl who used Tinder to find love. So, don’t you fret and don’t you cry. There is hope for us all. This girl in particular was working in Italy as an au pair and used the app to get to know people over there with her Irish charm. Little did she know she would end up happily ever after in a relationship introduced by Tinder, the best wing man of all. People are open to finding the one online now. Five years on, it’s still one of the most used dating apps with 50 million people using the app. The chances of meeting someone on Tinder are high. But, bear in mind that you will have to swipe left to a lot of frogs before you find the Prince to your Tinderella.

TUAIRIM

November 07 2017

HEAD to head

Religion should be taught in schools

Why religion should not be taught in schools

By Tarryn McGuire

By Connell McHugh

In the wake of recent Census results, Offaly has been named the most Catholic county in Ireland. In Offaly 88.6 per cent of the population identifies as Catholic, while in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown that figure is 69.8 per cent. Overall, figures prove significantly less favourable to religion than in 2011. This raises the question should religion still be taught in schools? At present, schools typically spend up to two and a half hours a week on religion. The aim of the Religious Education course is to support a religious understanding of the world. All schools at second level are obliged to teach a specific religion as well as the state Religious Education course. So, not only does this course give students a knowledge of their own religion, but also opens their minds to other religions across the world. Religious education supports young people in developing responsible attitudes to other people, their values and their capacity for moral judgement. Educating students on major religions around the world and how they affect us and the things we do should be offered in schools. Religion affects many political aspects of our world and always has. Admittedly atheism and the theory of evolution are not included in the course curriculum, and maybe they should be considered, as young people should be made aware that people have different views on this subject. Despite the absence of Darwin and Dawkins, there are many positives to studying the subject. One of the main aims of the course is to contribute to the moral and spiritual development of students. It explores many different ways of think-

ing and contemporary moral issues. The subject helps to encourage pupils to make their own minds up about what they believe and what they don’t. Religious education teaches us to show respect towards other cultures, ethnicities and ways of thinking. It encourages students to gain a better understanding of the world around them. With just 1% of pupils in Catholic schools opting out of religious classes, this shows that parents believe that their child should have some form of religious education behind them. It is religious education in schools that teach a lot of children the difference between Christians, Jews, Muslims, and so on. Religious education is taught in schools in order to educate students about what is going on in the world and the people in it. In a multicultural world that is all interconnected, people will need to learn to respect other people for who they are, including for their religion. The study of religion is also an exploration of how and why religious communities work. For instance, one might be a professed Christian who worships her ancestors without feeling any sort of

cognitive dissonance. People do what they do and believe what they believe not because there is proven scientific evidence, but because association with a particular identity helps us understand who we are in the world. Religious education also teaches religious awareness. The understanding of a wide range of religions should be taught to students, because ignorance of religions breeds hate of unknown ideas and philosophies. With the Roman Catholic religion dominating Ireland, 96 percent of primary schools here being under the patronage of religious denominations, and approximately 90 percent of these overseen by Catholic Church, it makes sense that religion has been such an important subject for us. However, we all know that Irish society has changed a lot in recent years. There are now families of many different nationalities, religions and beliefs living here. Our current religious education system therefore helps ensure that there is respect for all the different traditions and religions from which pupils come, and should remain part of the school curriculum.

Spending 14 years in the Irish school education system certainly teaches you a lot. There’s the ABCs in Junior Infants, long division in Fifth Class and all of those exams in secondary school. You may have hated it, but you got through it. One thing that remained constant over those years is religion, or religious studies as it was referred to in later years. “AliveO” was always on your school book list in primary school and religion always had its two onehour slots on your timetable. You would sing songs, learn prayers in English and Irish, and the school’s priest would visit your school at least once a month for some sort of service. There was no escaping it, for better or for worse. Now just imagine actually trying to escape it. Think of all those times as a seven-year-old practicing for your First Holy Communion, as a 12-year-old for your Confirmation and all the subsequent masses that were held, including your graduation one in Sixth Year. In some schools there is no escaping it. You take part or you sit out. The Tipperary Education and Training Board (ETB) has been in the headlines recently for

just that. In theory, it is a multidenominational patron body owned by the State. However, all second-level students under the brand of the ETB must remain in the room while religion class is being taught and not take part in any other activity, for example studying, or listening to music with headphones. In documents obtained by Atheist Ireland, the ETB stated the reasoning for this: “The rationale for this is to ensure that no unfair advantage accrues to students opting out of religious education, but rather to ensure that all students have equality of opportunity time-wise when it comes to exam preparation during the school day.” There are students who are forced to remain in a room and listen to teachings that they may not necessarily agree with in the name of “fairness”. Ironic. The current curriculum for religion stems from a 19th century ethos and is clearly unfit for the purposes of teaching 21st century students. According to education.ie, 96% of primary schools in Ireland are owned under the patronage of religious denominations and 90% of these schools are owned by and are under the patronage of the Catholic Church. Right now, up to 20% of children are of no religion. Clearly the religious education system does not apply to a vast amount of pupils. With all the news stories that have emerged of the ETB and similar incidences, the Catholic Church has spoken out about the “prospect of a generic model of primary education”. Archbishop Eamon Martin told a conference in Dublin on Thursday 26 October that religion in a Catholic school was “not an added extra to be fitted in during break time or twilight hours or during registration.”

“Everything that happens in the school community is rooted in the Gospel values,” he said. What must be questioned is whether schools should bear the responsibility of teaching children religion, and in the case of primary schools, whether they should be the ones introducing children to religion. If a parent raises a child as an atheist, why should a school contradict them? If a school does not involve itself in such matters, there is no possibility for conflict. One could also say that it is a narrow-minded view of religion that is given out to primary school children, one which unfairly promotes one religion over all others. Most children go into first year of secondary school not knowing the seven major religions of the world. It is only then the curriculum becomes much broader as it includes morality and philosophy. Meditation and relaxation techniques are introduced, which undoubtedly help students, but is this really the subject that calls itself ‘Religious Education’? Surely it should be rebranded as ‘philosophy’ and not be restrained by the religious ties as to what can and cannot be discussed. Even after secondary school, students come out lacking knowledge in politics and the law, and physical education is still not counted as a ‘real’ subject. Perhaps the two hours a week spent on religion should be instead focussed on these areas. Religion, and more specifically the Catholic Church, is an important part of Irish society, and there is no doubt that it has and will continue to have a large influence on Irish society for some time. While asking for it to be removed from schools as a subject may be much to ask right now, it is in need of a massive overhaul, if not discontinuation.

14 OPI NI O N

SIN Vol. 19 Issue 5

The new church: the many faces of moral absolutism By Eoin Molloy At the ripe old age of 87, renowned Russian-British political theorist, Isaiah Berlin was asked to summarise his theories for a Chinese magazine. Having recognised he was entering the twilight of his existence, this illumined philosopher seized upon the opportunity and penned an incredible essay admonishing the evils of moral absolutism. Moral absolutism is the idea that one answer and one answer only is true, the obvious implication here

interpretation of the world, with all other schools of thought being deemed as blasphemous. In recent years, Irish citizens have decided to cast off the shackles of canonical domination. As is usually the case, however, one chain has been removed only to be replaced by another. Moral absolutism has resurfaced in modern Irish society on the political left, who it has to be said no longer deal in facts and statistics, but instead seek to dominate debate by appealing to emotion and higher authority at every turn.

It is clear to see how the Catholic Church came to occupy such a dominant role in Irish society. Moral absolutism meant that official Church doctrine was the only true interpretation of the world, with all other schools of thought being deemed as blasphemous. being that all others are false and consequently, to be disregarded and drowned out. In the modern parlance, absolutism is often conflated with fundamentalism, or extremism. Berlin viewed moral absolutism as being the well from which all evil springs. This is quite a hard point to argue with as most evil ideas do indeed originate from areas of thought that advocate viewing society as black-andwhite when in reality, we all know the world is made of decidedly grey matter. Moral absolutism capitalises on anguish as a means of bolstering the validity of the ideology being espoused. Take the Catholic Church for example who, during their nascent period, employed moral absolutism as means of moving beyond scrutiny. This was achieved by constantly appealing to the idea that the absolution of the soul was a topic of importance far beyond mere quibbles like science and objective facticity. In this fashion, the many evils of the church went under-scrutinised. Therefore, it is clear to see how the Catholic Church came to occupy such a dominant role in Irish society. Moral absolutism meant that official Church doctrine was the only true

The left seeks to dominate discussion on topical social issues like publicly-funded education, the disastrous state of the HSE, abortion, and Brexit by appealing to moral absolutism. These debates are routinely rounded down to the lowest common moral denominator so as to create an immovable strawman. Shameless appeals to emotion that are trotted out in comments sections the internet over ad nauseum. Moral absolutism obfuscates debate and places genuinely-debatable topics beyond scrutiny and into the moral realm. The most common example of this in modern Irish society being the cry of misogyny being levelled against a man who may possess qualms about the morality of legalising abortion. In almost every single debate on abortion, moral absolutists on the left will seek to round down the issue by referring to those who may want to terminate a pregnancy arising from rape or incest as a means of placing the wider question beyond scrutiny. This is just one example of how a debate can be reduced to its lowest common denominator to ensure that

an argument will never have to rebut a countervailing fact or statistic. It is for this reason that I believe today’s politically-regressive left is the new church of Irish society. To return to theory, Isaiah Berlin often expressed serious misgivings about moral absolutists, particularly when placed in power as they often self-present as having all of the answers to society’s ailments. He said: ‘most revolutionaries believe that in order create the ideal world, eggs must be broken, otherwise one cannot obtain the omelette. Eggs are certainly broken – never more violently than in our times – but the omelette recedes even further into the distance’. Every single morally-depraved action of the twentieth century was carried out by some moral absolutist or other who believed that theirs was the only correct interpretation of a given ideology. Stalin was able to self-countenance acts of moral barbarity by reference to higher authorities as a means of placing the dubious morality of his conduct beyond scrutiny. When Stalin oversaw the mass extinction of the Kulak class, of whom some three million were brutally murdered, he viewed them as being mere necessary eggs that ought to be broken to create the perfectly-balanced omelette. The very same can be said of Hitler’s purging of the Jewish peoples, and of the numerous strains of radical Islamic fundamentalists who view Western infidels as being a plague on the Earth in need of eradication. None of this is to imply that there is an ideological link between political leftism today and the depraved acts of the past. This column simply seeks to highlight the dangers of moral absolutism. All aspects of a given debate must be considered. In today’s online world, it can become all too easy to embed oneself with likeminded people who think unilaterally on most issues. Moral absolutism is the source of nearly all of the world’s evil and is equally dangerous irrespective of whether it comes from the pulpit or the pamphlet of a political activist. We must always remain wary of those promising utopia, because history shows again and again that an omelette cannot be made without first cracking eggs.

Katie Ascough is not a victim By Mark Laherty The President of the UCD Students’ Union Katie Ascough was impeached on October 26. T h e p e t i t i o n c a l l i n g fo r Ascough’s impeachment was initially started because Ascough made an executive decision against the wishes of her fellow sabbatical officers to remove abortion information from the "Winging It" handbook. Ascough conducted a disgraceful campaign against impeachment in the weeks before the vote. She accused those wishing to impeach her of bullying and attacked her sabbatical officers. “It is not very noble of four men to gang up and demand that one woman, against her will, break the law,” Ascough wrote in an open letter on the ‘Fight for Katie’ Facebook page on the day of the vote. Ascough presents herself as the victim of sexist bullying, but that is not the case. Campaigns and Communications Officer Barry Murphy made a public Facebook post supporting the impeachment campaign on 23 October. The post garnered over 4,400 reactions. The post recounted the confrontation between Ascough and Murphy about the handbook. “20 minutes before she was due to leave [for annual leave], Katie decided to look at the book for the first time,” Murphy wrote. “She insisted the [abortion] information would have to be removed,” but eventually “reluctantly agreed to leave the information in.” Three weeks later, Ascough cancelled the book “because she had suddenly become aware the information was illegal” despite being present at a talk discussing the history of distributing illegal information in previous editions of the handbook. Ascough often cites the legal advice allegedly given to her by the SU lawyer as a defence. Murphy claims that he and the other sabbatical officers were never shown the legal advice or allowed to speak to the lawyer. This necessitated a second printing of the handbook costing €8,000. This print also contained illegal information. Ascough did not seek legal advice before finalising the second edition.

With this context, it is undeniable that the campaign to impeach Ascough was not a bullying campaign. screenshots of a Whatsapp chat leaked to the University Observer discuss the bullying narrative’s effectiveness as a campaign tactic. It is just that: a tactic and not the truth. It is also the flipside of the truth. Amy Crean of the impeachment campaign wrote in a Facebook post that she has received death threats and “had her personal media combed through and publicised.” You might take issue with the presence of any illegal information in the handbook regardless of the abortion issue. But, illegal information remained in the expensive second edition that Ascough pushed through. She would have had a leg to stand on if she had removed all illegal information. She did not. This was clearly a bias-motivated act which contradicted the mandate given to her by the UCD referendum on the abortion issue. A talking point has been made of the legal advice allegedly given to Ascough by SU solicitor Richard Hammond. This was discussed by an unknown former UCD alumnus in their anonymous letter to the University Observer under the pseudonym ‘DeepThroat UCD.’ They called into doubt Ascough’s claims that the experienced Hammond advised a course of action which has proven so controversial. Concerns about the running of the No campaign were also raised by an anonymous member of that campaign. They expressed concern that a member of the Ascough family and “other prolifers external to the University” are involved in the campaign. Ascough is dishonestly telling a narrative where she is an honest worker who is being bullied by screeching feminists for her personal views. This is not true. This is not an abortion issue. You can be pro-life and still recognise that Ascough’s impeachment is fair. Ascough has used this campaign to clamber onto the national stage. Murphy wrote that she wants to be a national spokesperson for the pro-life campaign. She used her position and campaign to publicise herself. Murphy describes it as “embarrassing.” Another word might be “chilling.”

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16 FA SHI O N & L I F E ST Y L E STEAL HER STYLE:

SIN Vol. 19 Issue 5

BEAUTY REVIEW:

Shay so in love with sosu fake nails Mitchell By Róisín McManus

By Orla Carty

Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell plays Emily, the sporty one. Generally seen wearing tracksuits or comfy jeans on set, the actress is the complete opposite in reality. Her style is sophisticated, fancy and flattering. While we don’t all have a celebrity worthy budget, or willowlike figure, we can certainly emulate her fashion aura. One of Mitchell’s signature staple looks is the classic huge sunglasses vibe. If you don’t feel like a queen when you wear these, you’re lying. As we live in cloudy old Ireland, sunglasses tend to be overlooked a tad. Don’t be afraid to whip them out! Her clothing options tend to be quite simple. She generally opts for a tailored trouser look, or skinny jeans. Paired with heeled boots, a plain tee and bag, the effect is timeless. A long coat is ideal to put over during this cold time of year. Where to get the Slay Mitchell look yourself: • Top/Bodysuit: €11.20, Pretty Little Thing • Basic Black Jeans: €13, Penneys • Denim Jacket: €75, Missguided • Patent Boots: €39.99, New Look • Handbag: €24, Boohoo • Sunglasses: €60, Quay

A week since applying my SOSU fake nails, I’m sitting down to write this review of them and I honestly couldn’t fault them. The ones I chose were the ‘Blossom Touch’ and I can say that I haven’t gotten sick of wearing them yet. There are 24 nails in the pack so

it’s enough for two applications. They retail at €9.95, so when you think about it, that’s only a fiver for each go. There’s a lovely foil detail on some of the nails and the other nails are a cute baby pink which I adore, so you can mix and match your styles from one wear to the next. In terms of application, I must admit that I did find it slightly fiddly, but I think that that’s just general knowledge when it comes to fake nails.

Before you apply the nails, you need to buff your nails and push back your cuticles and the pack comes with the tools needed to do both these things, no complaints there. When you apply the nails, be wary of the glue as it is so heavy duty you could easily get your fingers stuck together and admit it, no one wants that. When the nails are on, naturally enough they may not be a perfect fit, so you will need to file them down to size to suit your nails. Et voila, you’re ready to go!

Now on to the interesting part, where can you find these bad boys. Well first of all, Matt O’Flaherty’s Pharmacy on campus sells them, which is always handy when you’ve a last minute night out and need to rush home to get ready. Otherwise you can pop into your nearest Penneys, Matt O’Flaherty’s in town, or Cara Pharmacy to find them. Me, I’d say run and get them as quick as you can as they are easy to put on and they do the distance!

KakeMeUp for SIN: Add a pop of purple to be Belle of the Ball! 1

By Kate O’Neill

As always, I’ve started off with Now to really make the look a clean base by priming my lids “smokey”, I took some black with concealer and setting with shadow and an even smaller a translucent powder. This will help blending brush and placed it on the very with blending later! outer corner of my lid. I went back in with the previous purple to blend around the For my transition shade I edges and create a seamless blend! Once used Buon Fresco from my again I smoked the black under my lash Anastasia Beverly Hills Mod- line to darken everything up. ern Renaissance palette on my Inglot 6ss brush. I applied this in circular Next step is to carve out that motions throughout my crease and lid! To do this I took some conunderneath my lashline. cealer and a small flat brush. You want to follow your natural crease Now to deepen up the purple, or even go slightly above. Once you get I took the Inglot shadow num- to the darker shadows on the outer ber 297 and with the same corner, take your finger and dab it brush, I focused it more directly in gently so it blends together and there my crease, not to cover up the transi- are no harsh lines. tion shade! I also blended this on the outer lid and underneath again. Before the concealer dries, I took the Inglot body sparkles To add even more depth I in 53 and patted it over the took another Inglot shadow, concealer, stopping right at the outer number 308 on a smaller corner. I also added some highlighter blending brush. Here I used the in the inner corner and brow bone! MAC 217 brush. I focused this dark purple initially on the outer corner Finally, I lined my eye with and once the majority of the product gel liner, just to hide the lash is off the brush, blended it into my band! The lashes I’m wearing crease and underneath once again. here are SoSu lashes in Dubai.

Hope you all enjoyed this purple glam tutorial! Half-cut crease looks are my favourite type of eye look to do, especially for an extra special occasion like a ball, or even for all your upcoming Christmas parties. They definitely take practice to perfect the shape of the cut crease but be patient! Thank you guys for reading, and remember to follow me on Instagram (kakemeup) and Snapchat (kakemeup8). Till next time!

Xoxo Kake

November 07 2017

FAIS EAN

NÓS MAIRE ACHTÁLA

It’s 2017 - surely women can do what they want with their bodies? By Tarryn McGuire Recently, model Arvida Byström did a photoshoot for Adidas where she showed off a girly, lacy frock and a pristine pastel pair of Adidas Superstar trainers. She’s petite, blonde and feminine, striking a pose that practically screams strength and power. What’s not to love? Well, the model stirred up a storm for showing her unshaved legs in the shoot, with some people leaving nasty comments below the YouTube video and even sending rape and death threats directly to her. The Swedish artist, model and photographer is well known for advocating against stereotypes and being a big activist of the “no-shave” movement. The Adidas “Superstar” campaign focuses around authenticity and features the “icons of tomorrow” including models, artists, activists, and athletes. The Superstar sneaker was designed to “redefine beauty”, and it certainly caused controversy as soon as the video was posted on the internet. It raises the question whether women can do what they want with their bodies. In an attempt to fight the stigma around women’s body hair, French women have posted pictures of hairy armpits and legs on Twitter to fight the stigma over female body hair. The hashtag #LesPrincessesOntDesPoils - princesses have hair - was the top trending topic on French Twitter with over 25,000 mentions. The hashtag was launched by 16-year-old Adele Labo, who had been mocked and teased at school for refusing to shave. “I think society stigmatises women, there is massive social pressure over body hair,” she said at the time. When the women’s liberation movement took off in the sixties and seventies, underarm hair and leg hair became associated with a certain kind feminism. The body hair often usurped everything

It’s unavoidable. They’re everywhere. They can’t seem to catch a break. Yes, as if celebrities weren’t under enough pressure already it seems as though the media are in a frenzy when it comes to photographing their bodies. Could you imagine seeing yourself on the Daily Mail with a feature pointing out your best and worst body parts, suggesting weight gain or loss and speculating pregnancies? The paparazzi have always pestered celebrities but with social media use at an all-time high, it’s harder to avoid the issue. Once upon a time it was enough to be talented to make it to the top. People only cared about your skill that made you stand out from the crowd. There weren’t any imposing relationship inquisitions, no one asked “who are you wearing?” and there certainly wasn’t the same violation of privacy like there is now just trying to get a shot of

Trendspotter: The Best Winter Jackets By Ashyle Cota It’s already November, winter has officially arrived. So that you’re wrapped up and ready for your winter wardrobe, here are the biggest trends on the high street. According to Vogue and Elle, coloured fur, cool pastels, the Teddy Bear Coat and puffer jackets for both men and women are all in. Whether you’re styling up or keeping fashionably functional you should be able to find something to suit the occasion.

The Poncho Capes and ponchos are this year’s Dad Jacket trend-wise. The posh poncho seems to be making a comeback! Cream/Navy Poncho Price: €25 From: Swamp

The Mary Kate and Ashley Long Coat

else about a person and, even today, sporting body hair is often interpreted as “making a statement,” as demonstrated by the many sensationalist and negative reactions when Julia Roberts appeared with underarm hair on the red carpet in 1999, or when Mo’Nique walked the carpet with hair on her legs in 2010. Although these powerful women are making a fantastic statement, maybe they were simply allowing their body to be the way they want it to be. Not everything we do as women has to be a so-called political statement. In 2017 it can’t be too

much to ask for to be able to do what we want with our bodies without being constantly scrutinized. Maybe the ultimate fashion accessory for this winter is hair? Some women choose to remove their body hair, whether it’s because they prefer their body that way, or because they see it as a social norm. Others choose to wear pants all year round, or have a collection of tights or stockings for the purpose of hiding their body hair. Whatever your preference, it is up to you. It certainly seems that Adidas believe that too!

Smile for the karma: the negative impact of focusing on celebrities’ bodies By Amy McMahon

famous folk in a compromising position. It’s hard to imagine in today’s society. Now it’s not enough to be talented. You have to have it all: the talent, the looks and the personality to back it up. Stories surface revolving around celebrities that really have nothing to do with their success. These stories have been formed in a way to make us believe we want, or even need, to know the ins and outs of a celebrity’s personal life. Stories like how Ariel Winter has had a breast reduction – which has absolutely nothing to do with her acting career, and yet is plastered on every Facebook wall telling us we should want to know about it. We are privy to a timeline of her boobs from big to brand new all along our social networks for no reason other than it happened and she happens to be famous. Another on-going “news” story is the Kylie Jenner pregnancy watch; will she or won’t she show

her baby bump? Truly gripping stuff. As the world faces far more important and serious issues, somehow people are interested in seeing if a pregnant woman will… wait for it… show that she’s pregnant. Joking aside, this kind of celebrity hounding has a clear negative effect on the celebrities themselves and their followers. Putting pressure on famous people constantly to look a certain way forces them to trim down to unrealistic standards that the media sets. This idea then transfers to their fans. Seeing these celebrities all day every day with the media focusing on their bodies, impacts the rest of the world. According to BodyWhys, approximately 200,000 people have been affected by eating disorders in Ireland alone. With this continued focus on our body image is it any surprise? Let the entertainers entertain us, we’re not entertaining this media nonsense anymore.

Long coats are one look that will never go away and are all the rage this winter once again. Whether they’re an on-trend mustard or red colour, or in pretty pastels, long blazers and trench coats are in fashion, some clinched at the waist. Available at Penneys, New Look and Miss Selfridges. Light-Grey Moda Button Belted Cape Price: €45 From: Swamp Long Pale Pink Blazer Price: €34 From: Penneys

The Fur Collar Cosy, comfortable and oh so chic. Different variations are available in New Look, Penneys, and Swamp. Fur Collar Cape Cream Price: €90 From: Swamp

The Bomber and Faux Leather Jackets

Available pretty much anywhere in town, these types of jackets are a trend here to stay. Selena Gomez’s faded brown leather jacket looks set to be staying for the colder months as are midlength waterproof shells and raincoats. The latter can be found in block colours or with floral prints and are popular with both guys and gals (not to mention beanie hats!) Price: €30 From: Penneys

18 FA SH I ON & L I F E ST Y L E

SIN Vol. 19 Issue 5

5 apps every student needs By Aine Kenny Nearly every student in Ireland has a smartphone, whether it’s an iPhone, Samsung, or HTC. With the invention of these devices came thousands of handy apps at your fingertips, some being particularly great for students. Here are SIN’s Top Five apps for students:

Deliveroo and JustEat.ie Technically, these are two apps but we’ve rolled them together due to their similarities. You come home from a long day of lectures only to discover all you have left in the fridge is a half-eaten banana and some milk that’s definitely gone off. While it is important to know how to cook healthy meals for yourself, sometimes we all need a break from slaving away in the kitchen. JustEat has all of your local takeaways’ menues on the

app, and even pinpoints your location so they know where to deliver to. They also allow you to pay online which is very handy if you have no cash on you. Ordering as a group is a good option as most restaurants have a minimum spend as well as a charge for delivery. Deliveroo is a similar app, except they will go to some restaraunts which don’t usually deliver and have one of their workers wait in line for your food. This service is dearer than a standard delivery, but when you are craving a Boojum and it is lashing rain outisde, you might just be willing to pay.

to your work. They also offer a variety of fonts, colours and patterns. Group work can also be done on Evernote, similar to Google documents.

UniDays UniDays is essentially an online discount service for students. You log in using your student ID and password for your college account. Then you are entitled to 10% off numerous online shops, such as New Look, boohoo.com, and even Apple. You are given a code to enter at the virtual checkouts. This is especially handy if you have misplaced your student card (which happens the best of us...) Look out for special offers too, as sometimes UniDays have up to 25% off in clothes shops!

Evernote Evernote is a note-taking app. If you are prone to losing sheets of paper or prefer to type on a tablet in class than write down what the lecturer is saying, Evernote is a great way to do this. You can add links, tables and audio

MyTaxi MyTaxi is the successor to Hailo. MyTaxi is essentially an online taxi rank. You can book a driver

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online for a certain time, and pay by card if you have no cash. You can also track where your driver is. There is a €2 booking charge when you use the app, but it beats ringing the taxi company and getting no answer on a busy night. MyTaxi also tend to email their customers discount codes which can be entered in before completing the transaction, leading to some cheap fares.

Banking apps While banking apps may seem like something a businessman would want, they are very useful for students too. Most students don’t have a massive amount of money, and some of us might even struggle to keep our balance above five euro. With your bank’s app, you can easily keep track of your money by checking your balance. You can also quickly pay into other people’s accounts if you both use the same bank. Some banks also keep track of what you spend your money on by showing you your card transactions. That way you’ll see if you are spending way too much money on food and not enough on bills and utilities.

FAKEAWAY: Fish and Chips By Orla Carty T h e re a re s e v eral kinds of takeaway cravings – Chinese, Indian, Pizza, Boojum, Chilli Shack… but fish and chips is a solid classic. Somehow those salmon fillets that Mam makes on weekends just really don’t taste as good as the mouth-watering, salty, crunchy takeaway version. But never fear, here’s a compromise! To start pick up some fresh haddock, available in all good supermarkets, and split it up into two or three pieces. Pat the bits with a towel to make sure they’re not too wet. Then, make up your batter. Mix up flour, salt and pepper in a bowl with some oil. Whisk egg white in until frothy, and then whisk water in too. Cover the fillets in flour and then dip them into this batter, for about five minutes. Pop them into a baking tray and cook in the oven for approximately 20-25 minutes. For the chips part of this famous duo, you have a couple of options. For your regular standard chunky potato fries, cut up some slices and boil them in a pot. Leave them to cool then put them into the oven to cook, with some olive oil. To finish, squeeze some lemon, some vinegar and salt over them. If you want to opt for something healthier, try sweet potato. Chop up slices, toss them in oil and Piri-Piri spice and bake them in the oven, making sure you turn them. Add some garlic mayo and bon appetite!

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There should be a word for the fug of hopelessness that surrounds campus in November. Nights out become faded memories, while even lecturers emit an anxious ultrasonic frequency as they race through their slides. Don’t freak out - it will all be over by December 15 at the latest. You’re guaranteed at least a few days of total inertia/legendary parties. Until then, here are SIN’s top tips for keeping your mind on track and acing the semester.

1. Know your deadlines inside out. Put periodic alerts on your phone in the weeks and days leading up to them. Stick post-its on your calendar, notebook or mirror. Constantly confronting yourself with deadlines is stressful, but it can be a good motivator. 2. Even if you’ve missed a lot of lectures, start attending faithfully. You’ll only dig yourself into a deeper hole if you avoid them out of shame. With some subjects, you may be able to get away with focusing on what’s being taught now and not knowing the earlier material exhaustively. 3. Get enough sleep. All-nighters rarely produce results and throw your body out of kilter. Chronic sleep deprivation makes your metabolism go haywire and exacerbates depression and anxiety. People over 18 should get seven to eight hours a day. 4. Make use of your lecturers’ office hours or tutorials. They don’t want you to fail either!

5. Eat properly. Junk food might act as a temporary salvation, but it can negatively impact your mental functions. Oily fish, vegetables and whole grains will get your brain whirring. 6. Pop into SUMS for maths help, the Academic Writing Centre for essay-writing advice and Computer DISC if you’re having trouble with I.T. assignments. These services are free and very effective. Don’t forget the Students’ Union advertises grinds on their website – these can be great if you’re intimidated by lecturers and would prefer undivided attention from a friendly face. 7. Take frequent breaks. This is vital if you’ve been staring at a laptop or book for hours. Getting up regularly to walk or stretch will get your oxygen flowing. Avoid eye strain with the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. 8. As Donna Meagle would say, treat yo’ self. Set goals and reward yourself with something small like an episode of your favourite show or a latté when you meet them. This gives you something to look forward to when essay research puts you in a pit of despair. 9. Visit the campus counselling service on Distillery Road. It’s free, and there’s no such thing as a problem too small if it’s overwhelming you. Even one session can help. 10. To-do lists can be a great way of slowly conquering that mountain of work in front of you. Setting yourself tasks and crossing them off as you go can psychologically make things feel easier.

NUI GALWAY STUDENTS’ UNION PRESENTS / CUIREANN COMHALTAS NA MAC LÉINN

CHRIS KENT STEVE BENNETT

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SU CLOAKROOM

grind REGISTER SU

Life Skills

Students’ Union

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C U LT Ú R

November 07 2017

SIAMSAÍO CHT

EASY WATCH TV By Michael Glynn

You’ve got some free time, everyone keeps telling you about the next best Netflix show but you’re not feeling up for watching something that will force you to think. Well fret not, stick on one of these bad boys and let your brain melt into goopy goodness.

Tipping Point I’ll say it: Tipping Point is better than Game of Thrones. It has the power to make you feel really clever when you get a question right because you’re not under pressure and on television. Oh, the tension created when the coins are on the brink, the charisma of Ben Shephard, the agony when somebody takes the trade at the end to try to win £10,000… Tipping Point is a simple yet elegant

quiz show where contestants put coins into the Tipping machine, aiming to get coins pushed off the end by a moving platform where they will be deposited into your bank. Truly amazing stuff. You don’t even have to pay attention to the questions.

The Chase Another quiz show in which you don’t really have to pay attention to the questions. Players attempt to collect money into the shared bank by answering questions correctly against their opponent, “The Chaser”. One correct question moves the player towards home, incorrect answers hold the player in place while the Chaser can still answer correctly and narrow the gap. The drama

Top three films to help express your elf By Amy McMahon It’s coming up to the most wonderful time of the year again: Christmas. Yes, it is only November, but with upcoming Christmas exams and the return of the Christmas Market in town, we thought we would ease you into the Christmas spirit by rounding up the top three festive films that have become annual must-watch movies throughout the years.

Home Alone A classic Christmas movie that first premiered in 1990 and is still watched religiously every year. Home Alone has become part of the Christmas tradition and is a movie-must in the lead up to the big day. There’s something magical about sitting by the fire, hot chocolate in hand watching this film. The gags never get old and we still root for Kevin as he wreaks havoc and defeats the burglars, the Wet Bandits. And, it gave us the great one liner now seen on many-a Christmas jumper: “Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal!”

Love Actually Is it really Christmas if you haven’t watched Love Actually? This one is arguably the best rom-com ever made and even though we know the film line by line at this stage, we still adore it. It hits home the real message of Christmas, love and togetherness, while still being absolutely hilarious. From a dancing Prime Minister to a Nativity show with lobsters, it is two hours of pure entertainment. If you’re like most people and deem this to be one of your all-time favourite films, then you won’t reserve this movie for Christmas alone but all year round. So technically the Christmas countdown starts in July, but we’ll say nothing…

Elf “Buddy the Elf, what’s your favourite colour?” The best movie to ease yourself into the Christmas spirit above all is Elf. Ten minutes in and you’ll be singing Christmas carols. Will Ferrell brings us joy each and every year as Buddy

CREATIVE

Chewing gum for the eyes: CORNER One of Us By Orla Carty

comes in the form of sneaky contestants; players can choose to accept less money and start off one step closer to home, or try to win more by being one step closer to the chaser. Teammates have been known to tell each other to take the risky option while they themselves sacrifice shared money to secure themselves. Nasty stuff.

The Cube Ah The Cube, nothing is more aggravating than watching some punter fail at a reasonably simple

The stink bomb blew just off-centre, Not one of us had a gas mask ready, An epidemic that gradually turned us Inside-out, and choked our lungs, Those deemed severe cases line up for treatment, Our entire clan (minus one) up in arms. Maybe you do chortle through the shroud at us all, But I don’t know at nineteen a gravestone just doesn’t seem enough.

task. Players are given various different tasks which upon completion reward them with greater prize money. The catch? They have nine lives total and if they accept a challenge they must complete it successfully if they are to leave with anything, so every challenge is a gamble. With camera cuts, tension, and supportive but effectively helpless family members seated to the side, The Cube is the master of the game show drama. There’s also nothing more annoying than seeing somebody fail to walk in a straight line blindfolded… Come on, like.

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ourselves someday. With ice skating, snowball fights, and next-level Christmas decorating, this film is full of the best parts about the festive season. Although we’re not too sure about the sweets and syrup on spaghetti, everything else embodies Christmas and is complete comedic genius.

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SECRET RTÉ PRODUCER: hidden hero or rightfully hunted renegade?

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producer at RTÉ, but everything they say is unverified. Why should we trust this account more than the writers of fake news? Twitter accounts mocking this twitter account have begun to appear too, such as ‘Secret RTÉ Presenter’ and ‘Secret TV3 Producer’. While these two accounts are being overtly satirical, in reality, they are just as credible as the secret RTÉ producer. We may all like to hear the gossip from the national broadcaster, but we must not allow voices such as this one to be given popularity. To do so would see the end of true, honest media and the continued rise of fake news.

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took some time off from their tweeting. We live in a world of fake news. The term gained immense popularity during the 2016 US Presidential Election, now there are more and more stories about fake news, calling it and its writers out. Twitter accounts similar to this one have also been cropping up all year: one from the White House, another from NASA, and another from the US Department of Justice. Ireland finally has its own, but it must not be trusted. We cannot trust this account. Yes, the claims they are making seem to be true and more than likely are coming from a

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millennials would have grown except on Fridays. Supposup imagining the place to be edly it is the only day that is like. ‘It was always busy, worth the effort of eating in bursting with the youngest, there. Eggs, chips and beans and usually most enthusias- for a bargain of €3.50. tic people in RTÉ. Now – the Overall, the person behind lights are off. Only a genre the account seems to be head executive producer and extremely fed up of how the odd straggler. It had been RTÉ is being run. Across the diminished the last 15 years’. board, there is ‘a lack of innoThis was pretty obvious to vation, no one being brave’. anybody who has a younger Perhaps a bit hypocritical relative who watches televi- coming from someone who sion. All children nowadays is hiding their identity rather watch the Disney Channel or than publicly putting validity imported shows from other to their tweets by revealing countries. No more Dustin, their identity. The producer Socky or Zig and Zag on the got a bit scared last month Den, so RTÉ was bound to see when a private investigatheir programming impacted. tor was hired (presumably cint le Cárta C The canteen is igenerally by RTÉ, but not confirmed) ris empty during the week, to hack the account, and so

On 7 September, a Twitter account going by the handle of @rtesecretpro put out its first tweet to the world: ‘I’m an RTÉ producer, I’ve worked in, or in conjunction with a lot of different areas. Primarily TV. Kids, Daytime & Lifestyle, Entertainment. Docs, comedy, a little radio’. Since then, whoever is behind it has been dishing the dirt on Ireland’s national broadcaster. It has gained over 29 thousand followers. Fair City, the RTÉ canteen chat and complaints about cameramen have all featured in over 250 tweets. It seems nothing is off limits.

The sport sector of Ireland’s national broadcaster has been a target. The account holder believes the coverage is ‘a fraction of what we had 15 years ago and the coverage we do have is tired. Derivative. Same people in Sports just 15 years older. No mission. No style. No joy.’ The tone of the tweets are like that one extremely harsh teacher we all had in secondary school; they want to see the best from you, but they could be a little kinder in how they critique you. The children’s sector even gets a mention. Young peoCárt ple’s programming c i n t isl epainted a s i as a depressing i r void in RTÉC nowadays compared to what

By Connell McHugh

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SPÓIRT

November 07 2017

Promising start for the Irish provinces in Europe but much work to be done By Mark Lynch After two rounds of this season’s European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, there has been much variation in each province’s performances. Ulster sit in third place in Pool One with one win and one loss, Leinster are out in front in Pool Three with two bonus point victories, Munster are in second place in Pool Four after a win and a draw, while in Pool Five in the Challenge Cup, Connacht lead the way after two wins. Overall it’s been more positive than negative, but Munster and especially Ulster will have a lot of work to do in order to ensure a passage to the knockout phase of the competition. Leinster and Connacht have given themselves the greatest of chances with the starts they’ve made, but still with a long way to go. The Boys in Blue will undoubtedly be the most pleased with their first two

outings. Pre-tournament many were calling their pool the toughest pool, with Exeter, Montpellier and Glasgow for company. However, they’ve come racing out of the blocks with two barnstorming displays that have made the heavyweights sit up and take note. First off, they defeated Montpellier in the RDS in what was a deceivingly close contest. They secured the bonus point in the 66th minute but Ruan Pienaar’s efforts made for a nervy last ten minutes. A week later, they came to Glasgow, saw what the Warriors had to offer and in the end, comfortably conquered them. The pack’s dominance was evident with Cian Healy bagging two first half tries, while Johnny Sexton finished the day with 17 points, as they once again picked up the maximum five points on offer to lead the pool, two ahead of Exeter. Connacht have also got two wins from two in the Challenge

Cup and can be extremely pleased with how they’ve fared thus far. They began by blitzing Oyonnax 43-15 in France in a dream start for the Westerners. The home side got all of their scores in a jam-packed first half which Connacht led 22-15, before adding another two tries and a handful of kicks from the boot of outhalf Andrew Deegan, who impressed hugely. In another positive note from that game, the back three all crossed over the try line. Seven days later, in front of less than 4,000 spectators, they narrowly defeated Worcester Warriors 15-8 in Galway. This was a much less free-flowing affair but it was enough to make it seven games on the trot unbeaten at home in Europe. Munster haven’t set the world alight with their openers, but nonetheless have given themselves a solid standing in Pool Four. Most importantly for Rassie Erasmus’ men is

that their fate is still in their own hands. They trail Leicester Tigers on points difference alone and they know that winning the rest of their games would guarantee a quarter final spot and possibly even a home one. They started with quite an unusual result in rugby, a draw away to Castres. Playing away from home in France means this should most definitely be viewed as two points gained rather than two points lost. Racing then visited Thomond Park in the week which marked the anniversary of Anthony Foley’s death last year. Incredibly the game was scoreless until the hour mark, when Conor Murray crossed over before Ian Keatley converted. Coming out on top in such a slog of a game in terrible weather conditions shows impressive mettle that looks promising heading towards the business end of the pools. Ulster have made the worst start of the Irish teams. How-

ever, there is still hope and a qualifying runners up spot is a very achievable aim for them. In a poor first half against Wasps, they scored just three points, but added a further 16 to claim the win, while also preventing the Londoners from picking up a losing bonus point. New signing Christian Lealiifano is proving to be an astute addition to the Ulster backline and has helped cover for the loss of talisman Ruan Pienaar as well as Paddy Jackson while he’s engaged in his ongoing court case. Newcomers to the top tier of European rugby La Rochelle then humbled Ulster in France with an immense second half showing, but it’s much more likely that this showed the French side’s prowess at home rather than any incompetence from Ulster. It does mean that they now have to rely on other results going their way to make it to the quarter-finals and it makes every game an abso-

lute must-win, while bonus points are also now a necessity. They’ve left themselves with a serious challenge but they have a lot of experienced heads who will know to just take it one game at a time and see how far they can get. As previously stated, it’s been more positive than negative for the provinces, with some eye-catching performances, especially by Leo Cullen’s Leinster, who have shown themselves to be genuine contenders for honours even at this early stage. In the other pools, unsurprisingly, Clermont, Saracens and Toulon have all made headway in the first two rounds, while Bath have shown they mean business being level on points with Toulon in Pool Five, leading the group on points difference. It’s the usual unflinching exploits from the English and the French, but the Irish are keeping pace with plenty of room for improvement.

The pros and cons of representative sides like South Kerry By Paul Shaughnessy Not many people really know the story about the divisional sides in different counties. For example, there is a South Kerry divisional side which consists of players from junior and intermediate clubs such as St. Mary’s Cahirciveen, Valentia, Sneem, Water-

ville, Derrynane, Renard, St Michael’s Foilmore, Dromid Pearses and Skellig Rangers. There is numerous disadvantages and advantages to the South Kerry divisional side. One major factor is that the divisional side cannot enter the provincial championship if they claim the county title. The divisional

sides should have the same right as any other club to enter a provincial if they are entering into a club championship. Another disadvantage for the divisional sides is that don’t get to train together all year which can be bad for a team early on in the championship. More competitive games in the championship means less

teams likely to win four or five titles in a row. An advantage for South Kerry is having a wider range of players to choose from compared to the smaller clubs. Another advantage is if divisional sides go all the way to the county final they are putting their hand up for county selection. It could also go pear

shaped for other teams, as divisional sides could dominate county championships because their players would not suffer from burnout due to having the choice of players from nine clubs. A big advantage is that we could see less of the small clubs struggling and more high quality competitive games.

I don’t think it is an unfair system to have teams amalgamate like this. Some people think not all of these players will get the chance to play senior club championship but there is not as much pride and passion for divisional sides compared to a club side, so it shouldn’t be a problem.

Ireland make the trip down under for International Rules series By Paul Shaughnessy The International Rules series has a life of its own and it will be interesting to see how Ireland adapt with some of the new players playing with the oval ball for the first time. No doubt the experience of Pearse Hanley and Zach Touhy have gained from playing with their clubs in the Austral-

ian rules league will count when Ireland and Australia are battling it out for the Cormac McAnallen trophy. M a n a g e r Jo e Ke r n a n doesn’t have all the players he would want available to him especially some of the Dublin players, with others tied up with their respective clubs. Ireland has decided to go with an athletic team with some electrifying

pace coming from players such as Sean Powter, Shane Walsh, Paul Murphy and Karl O’Connell. Kernan has some terrific fielders in his team including Enda Smith, Niall Grimley, Michael Murphy, Aidan O’Shea and Gary Brennan. Also some very accurate players on the squad include McManus, Geaney and Conor Sweeney. Interestingly, there are only

four players remaining from the last international squad: Aidan O’Shea, Conor McManus, Gary Brennan and Eoin Cadogan. Ireland will have to be aware of the pace Australia have in their squad with their standout players including Eddie Betts, Patrick Dangerfield, Brendan Goddard and Joel Selwood. It’s hard to predict what

result will occur, but with the talent in this Ireland squad they should have enough to hold off the Aussies. The first tie takes place on Sunday 12 November in the Adeliade Oval and the second leg takes in the Domain Stadium on Saturday 18 November. IRELAND SQUAD: Niall Morgan, Niall Sludden, Chris

Barrett, Brendan Harrison, Aidan O’Shea (Captain), Conor McManus (Vice Captain), Karl O’Connell, Paul Murphy, Paul Geaney, Peter Crowley, Eoin Cadogan, Sean Powter, Michael Murphy, Pearse Hanley, Zach Touhy, Conor Sweeney, Niall Grimley, Shane Walsh, Enda Smith, Kevin Feely, Gary Brennan, Killian Clarke and Niall Murphy.

SPÓ IRT

November 07 2017

Merseyside misery for Klopp and Koeman:

where did it all go wrong? By Mark Lynch Thirty years ago, Everton and Liverpool were the kingpins of English soccer, competing year after year for league titles and cup wins. In 1985/86, Liverpool pipped their local rivals to the First Division title by just two points, before they completed the double by beating the blue half of the city 3-1 in the Cup Final. They were undisputedly the best two teams in the country and few could see an end to their dominance. However 32 years on, at the time of writing, Liverpool lie in seventh place with ten games played. 16 points from a possible 30 is a disappointing display for the Anfield faithful. Even worse off are their closest neighbours, Everton, who have sunk down to 18th place having the same number of games played. They’ve won just two out of their ten fixtures so far this season. How have two contenders for Europe slipped down the pecking order so drastically? The oft-used excuse is a lack of spending and an inability to compete with the hundreds of millions of the Manchester teams and Chelsea, and even to an extent Arsenal. However, this can’t really be used in the case of these two. Liverpool splashed out £80m in the summer plus the undisclosed fee for Dominic Solanke, more than likely

All is not hopeless for both Liverpool and Everton for the foreseeable future, or even for this entire season. It would be hard to envisage a top six without Liverpool if they produce the attacking prowess they have available through the likes of Coutinho, Mane and Salah, but their defence will probably prevent a top four challenge.

bringing it close to, if not above £100m. Money wasn’t the principle issue at hand here, but it was the intriguing and flawed personnel that Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool chose to bring in. Ask any consistent follower of Liverpool who their three best players were last season. You would probably hear a lot of “Coutinho”, you’d probably hear “Mane” mentioned quite a lot and “Firmino”, “Henderson” and “Lallana” would more than likely make up the majority of other answers. Note the positions of these players. Not one defender, not one goalkeeper mentioned, the most defensive player being Henderson and to say he’s a defensive player would be to misunderstand his main role. Now consider their signings, the major ones being Mohammad Salah and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, both midfielders, neither defensive. Solanke is a striker and their other signing, Robertson, is a young left back whose game time has been extremely limited. So they’ve completely ignored the glaring issues they have and that they have had for years now: a defence that could concede with no opposition and a goalkeeper that appears to receive war flashbacks every time the ball goes near the penalty area. Add this to the fact they haven’t had a consistent goalscorer since Luis Suarez left in 2014

and you have a team who struggles to get goals but has no problem letting them in. Go figure. Everton are a slightly more baffling case, because they actually spent more over summer but have somehow plummeted much further. £135m plus the undisclosed fees of four more players brings them easily over the £150m mark. They appeared to be positive signings that would give the team a solid spine with a promising mix of youth, through Michael Keane and Jordan Pickford, as well as experience through the likes of Wayne Rooney. Throw in a player in his prime like Gylfi Sigurdsson and you might well find a team who had a shot at securing a European place this year. There is one major point that must be taken into account to fully understand the case of Everton and it involves the sale of one Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United. The Belgian forward went to the Red Devils for a whopping £75 million putting their spending into context, while the absence of his goals are adding to the struggles of last year’s seventh placed team. Lukaku got 25 goals in the league last season and replacing him with midfielders, defenders and a goalkeeper has given the team a balanced feel but with no focal point at the end of it. It’s a mistake Tottenham made when they sold

Gareth Bale and Liverpool made when they sold Luis Suarez for £86m and £75m respectively. A game-winning forward can only really be replaced by another game-winning goal-scorer and out of the three aforementioned selling clubs, only Tottenham have found one in Harry Kane, who’s a product of their own academy. All is not hopeless for both Liverpool and Everton for the foreseeable future, or even for this entire season. It would be hard to envisage a top six without Liverpool if they produce the attacking prowess they have available through the likes of Coutinho, Mane and Salah, but their defence will probably prevent a top four challenge. The fate of the aforementioned Phillippe Coutinho in the January transfer window will also have a ginormous impact on the outcome of their year. For Everton, Ronald Koeman has been given the boot as a result of their poor performance in the opening 2 months of the season. With a new manager at the helm, perhaps it’s possible they’ll assimilate into a well-oiled machine and compensate for the loss of their talismanic striker. Again, it would still be a huge surprise if they remained in their current position come mid-May. That said, it’s still a far cry from their supremacy of the mid-1980s.

Will Ireland make it to Russia? By Paul Shaughnessy

Our country’s soccer team faces one of their biggest games in years. We face Denmark in the World Cup play offs, away in the first leg on 11 November and have the second leg in the Aviva stadium on 14 November. It was great to see us pull off a hard earned win against Wales thanks to James McLean’s goal in the deciding group game. It’s really hard to know what to expect from this Irish team. They showed in the Euros in France that they are capable of competing with the best teams but they are also really inconsistent and strug-

gle against the weaker teams such as Georgia and Moldova in group games. Martin O’Neill’s side will need a world class performance if they’re going to get to Russia. The team is a tough one to predict especially with Jon Walters and Seamus Coleman ruled out through injury and stand-in captain David Melyer ruled out due to suspension. It’s good to see so many of players doing well in the championship however, such as Callum O’Dowda, Conor Hourihane, Sean Maguire and Matt Doherty. Whether the Irish management take a risk to bring players like this into the team or not is the big question.

Ireland’s record against Denmark is not ideal, having won three, drawn five and lost five of their previous meetings, with the most recent game being a friendly which ended 4-0 in Denmark’s favour in 2007. It’s really going to be interesting to see if Ireland will play for a win or draw in Denmark. You feel that a win or draw would be a magnificent result but there’s no guarantees. As supporters we question Martin O’ Neill’s decision especially bringing on Kevin Long for a striker in Cardiff when Long hasn’t received game time for Burnley.

Martin O’ Neill will have to be aware of the threat that Denmark can cause if their given time on the ball with their top players including Poulsen, playmaker Christen Eriksen and the aerial threat of Nicolas Bendtner. Especially with the type of form Kasper Schmeichel is in and his capabilities we have seen in the premier league. It’s tough game to predict but I Just feel Ireland have more balanced team and the best draw they could have asked for but they will need to get their game plan right and attack the Danish from the start and doubt questions

into their mind. I feel that Martin O’Neill’s side will bring the hurt from Thierry Henry’s handball and the anger from that night to help their bid to reach Russia. They will also especially want to achieve this for Seamus Coleman after his leg break. Ireland should get a 1-1 draw in Parken and bring the Danish back to Dublin and claim a slender 1-0 win. My predicted team to line out is as follows: Darren Randolph, Cyprus Christie, Shane Duffy, Ciaran Clarke, Stephen Ward, Harry Arter, Conor Hourihane, James McClean, Jeff Hendrick, Robbie Brady, Shane Long.

SPÓ IRT

November 07 2017

Galway United fall at the last hurdle, and face long road back to Premier Division football

Sult Spiced

not on going to see United slogging it out against Cabinteely and co. This reduction in attendances will naturally result in a decrease in income, which in turn will create a financial problem that could be exacerbated by Galway now having to cover the costs involved

in fulfilling 18 away league fixtures next year, which is two than they had in 2017. Regardless of what happens next one thing is for certain, it’s going to be a long, hard road back to Premier Division football for Galway United.

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Galway United will be playing first division football next season following their relegation on the last day of the season after a 4-3 loss to Dundalk. As it transpired, even if Galway had gotten a win at Eamonn Deacy Park on 27 October, they still would have went down as St Patrick’s Athletic picked up a 1-1 draw away to Derry to guarantee their survival, whilst Sligo also secured the point they needed at Drogheda. It was the draws throughout the season that ultimately killed United. Four teams, including Shamrock Rovers who finished third, suffered more losses than Galway, but Shane Keegan’s side finished 14 matches level, a total which only Sligo Rovers surpassed. Any other year, these draws may have been enough to stay up, but not in year where one quarter of the Premier Division’s participants were relegated as a result of the new format change which will see two ten team divisions next season. Included within those 14 games were draws against both the league’s best team, Cork City, and indeed the league’s worst, Drogheda United. Several more stalemates were played out against all the sides situated between these two in the table, which would suggest that Galway had a habit of performing to the level of their opponents. This was an advantage when they faced the best sides in the League of Ireland, as their shock April victory at home to Dundalk and the aforementioned draw with Cork City show. In games like these Galway demonstrated that they had the talent to possibly remain in the Premier Division, with Ronan Murray, Gavin Holohan and more recently Rory Hale often shining on these occasions. However when they played opponents who were on paper inferior, they were dragged down and rarely performed at their best. The Tribesmen were always competitive as shown by the fact they only lost two games by more than two goals all season. On the flipside, they only managed to win one game themselves by three or more,

which emphasises how fine the Sligo than United is to Galway, sides are playing on the same margins often were in many of with so many other things hap- night, which was something that their matches. pening in the city, soccer often occurred on the last day of the Some of the other reasons why gets forgotten about. season. It’s not hard to see why a Galway ended up in the bottom It will also now be an even casual sports fan in Galway next three were clearly on display in greater challenge for the club to year might opt to spend their their final game against Dundalk. compete with their neighbours money on watching Connacht Galway were 3-1 behind at half Connacht, especially when both play the likes of Munster, and time, but mounted a spirited fight back in the second half to bring the game level at 3-3, before a defensive error in the last minute by captain Colm Horgan gifted Michael Duffy a tap in and Dundalk the victory. The second half was in many ways a microcosm of Galway’s season, they dazzled for periods playing attractive attacking football, but came up short due to defensive frailties. A pivotal moment of Galway’s campaign was also when they lost Lee Grace to Shamrock Rovers, who had formed a solid partnership with local lad Stephen Folan at the heart of the United defence, midway through the season. The Terryland-based club never fully recovered from this departure and ended up paying the ultimate price. It is difficult to immediately t le Cárta int le Cár i s c implica- t a C scin C know what will bei r the iri tions of this relegation for the future of Galway United FC. The battle for survival can sadly be all too literal in the League of Ireland, with many clubs in recent years, including Galway i r gone out of ir themselves, having isc C isc aC i n t l e can int le Cárta business. If the Corribsiders Cárt keep most of their squad together they should comfortably the best team in the first division, however the club’s financial position will likely not allow this. An ominous sign for the futurelwas e C the ár i n t out nt le Cárta email that the club to thet a s csent i sci C r C ri season ticket holders before the final game of season, asking them to leave their tickets at home and pay their way in to help keep the club afloat. Galway do at least have some good underage teams which could help cushion the ri C is blow of losingrseveral key players. a C sc ta i r cin t n á t le C The attendances twill Cár l elikely drop off significantly next season. Galway is a fickle city when nt le Cárta sci it comes to sport at the best of i C r times and the number of dedicated fans United has is relatively small given the size of the city. Finn Harps and Sligo Rovers for example have a sizeable hardcore support and are far more integral institutions to Ballybofey and r C

By Graham Gillespie

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www.su.nuigalway.ie

facebook.com/NUIGalwayStudentsUnion

twitter.com/NUIGSU