SIN Vol. 23 Issue 05

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Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

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Winner: Best Newspaper at the National Student Media Awards 2019

Student Independent News Nuachtán saor in aisce · Vol. 23 Issue 05 · 16 Nov. 2021

Students diving off Blackrock Diving Tower in Salthill for the Coldvember Challenge

Coldvember challenge sees donations pour in for Galway Rape Crisis Centre

By Valerie McHugh

Editor

• Phenomenal turnout at ­Salthill as NUI Galway ‘Coldvember’ returns for its fourth year • Over €5000 raised so far with the total growing by the day L-R: John Flannery, Charlie Clarke and Dan O’Connell

Donations have been pouring in for the NUI Galway Coldvember team who are swimming at sunrise in Blackrock Pier every day this November.

Coldvember, the annual student-led event which sees NUI Galway students swim in the freezing cold waters of Salthill

at dawn, has been taking place this month to raise money and awareness for the Galway Rape Crisis Centre.

The Galway Rape Crisis Centre are a local organisation that work to provide a professional, caring and confidential counselling and support service for people affected by sexual abuse and sexual violence.

With over 39% of GRCC clients in 2020 being under the age of 25, and 9% being male, the Coldvember organisers Charlie, John, Dan, Eoin and John were “honoured” to get an opportunity to raise money for the GRCC as part of Coldvember.

The team have used their social media platform to spread awareness and knowledge around the issue of sexual violence and regularly share information from the Galway Rape Crisis Centre with their near 3,000 followers on Instagram.

Speaking to SIN, co-organiser Charlie Clarke explained the multiple benefits of taking part in Coldvember this year.

“It’s just such a buzz. The whole idea of Coldvember is getting everybody down to promote positive mental health.

The water is so lovely and it starts your day off right, and there is such a positive energy down here.”

Niamh Connor, a final year student at NUI Galway, has taken part in Coldvember almost every day so far and shared some of her favourite parts of the event with SIN. “It’s such an exhilarating experience and it’s really got me motivated to get up early and tackle some of the assignments I have been dreading. I would honestly do this every day of my life if I could, and CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

News · Nuacht

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Editorial

SU Says... ‘Now is the time’

By Róisin Nic Lochlainn NUI Galway SU President

By Valerie McHugh Welcome to issue 5 of SIN everybody!

I cannot believe we are so far into the semester and that we have nearly reached our half way point. I am so proud of everyone who has written for this issue, and a special thanks to sub-editor Ewelina Szybinska who covered another section as well as her own this week. It’s a very busy time for everyone and it’s fantastic to see so many people this enthusiastic and committed to getting involved.

Coldvember takes the spotlight in this issue as you can see from our front page, and we have two new columns in our Features section – a first year diary

by Caoimhe McCauley and a final year diary by Niamh Connor. It’s so interesting to see how life can be so different for students at the start versus the end of their degrees. We’ve a fascinating opinion piece by David on Trump’s TRUTH Social which will give you a really interesting perspective, and in keeping with this online theme we have some online shopping insights for you in Arts and Fashion. The Student Health Unit have once again joined us for our ‘Health Spot’ to bust some myths surrounding sexual health and Caitlin has a great piece about veganism in Cainte for you to feast your eyes upon. Finally, we’ve some great sports pieces for you that cover everything from Johnny Sexton to homophobia in the sports’ world that I’m sure many sports fanatics will enjoy.

As always, if you would like to give writing for SIN a go, email me on editor. sin@gmail.com. I would love to see as many new by-lines over the next while as possible. For now, please enjoy issue 5 and I will talk to you very soon!

@NuigSin @sin_news Student ­Independent News, NUI Galway

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

For decades, Students’ Unions across the country have been warning governments that student housing was on the brink of crisis. Years later, over 93% of student accommodation is over €800 a month and Galway has ten times as many short term tourist lets than homes available to rent on Daft.ie. The student contribution fee was €800 back in 2008, but for this generation of students it is €3,000. That is a 364% increase in just over a decade, and currently stands at the highest student fees in the whole of the EU. This is no Ireland for young people. Continuous government have time and time again failed our students, who are the future of this island. The reality is that we all know someone who has had to drop out due to the cost of college, who has had to

sleep in a hostel or on their friends sofa, or who has had to go without food in order to pay their rent. This is the government trying to price working class families out of education and make higher education for only those who can afford it. All of the inequalities that exist in higher education were exasperated throughout this pandemic, but we never got to take to the streets. Well, now is the time.

The USI have organised a fees protest for Galway City which is happening at 2pm on the 24th November. If these statistics anger you, we are asking you to join us. The Students’ Union will be leaving campus at 1.30 from Áras na Mac Léinn, and whether you are an international student, a student nurse/midwife, or any student who is angry at the way we have been neglected; we are asking you to join us, have your voice heard, and show this government that enough is enough.

Coldvember

Over €15,000 euro was raised by last year’s Coldvember team, and this year’s group are CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE hoping to match, if not surpass, this total.

Clarke told SIN that “So far from the team are so welcoming. It’s amazing donations purely we have raised about how many friendly people you meet as €3,500 and then from our hat sales we well. At that time of the morning, you’d have raised around €2,000. On day one, think that people would want to keep to someone took a screenshot of our donathemselves but at Coldvember everyone tion page and said that we had raised over just bounces off each other’s vibes. It’s €1,000 already and we were just dancing such a positive place.” around the place. It was so lovely to see.”

Countless students and members of Clarke concluded that “we are aiming the local area take part in the daily event for €20,000,” and the team get closer to despite the cold conditions, with Cold- this goal every day as support for Coldvember merchandise even becoming vember extends across the country with available for the first time this year due many taking part in the event on other to the event’s popular demand. beaches nationwide.

Local businesses have also showed their Donations can be made at https://www. support for the Coldvember event, with idonate.ie/fundraiser/11419817_coldvember coldvember-Álainn Galway offering a 10% discount to nuig-s-page.html those who mention they are taking part The fundraising link will not close in Coldvember. They will also be running until December 31st 2021 and the team their own fundraiser for Coldvember on are encouraging everybody to get involved November 30th. in the event and donate.

An bhfuil rud éigin le rá agat?

Cur litir chuig an Eagarthóir.

Editor: Valerie McHugh – editor.sin@gmail.com

Find us online: www.sin.ie

News · Nuacht

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INSIDE this issue...

Student Nurses protest poor conditions and pay in INMO protest

News

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Asia Brodini: The Italian queer activist’s quest for change 12

Galway Against Homophobia stage protest about Italian anti-homophobia bill being shot down 5 Posthumous PhD awarded to tragic NUI Galway car crash victim 6 NUI Galway societal challenge projects receive funding 7 Farrell critical of government’s plans for vacant sites 8 Discovery about oceanic squid familial relationships made by NUI Galway researcher 10 NUI Galway astronomer part of international team that detected gas released in a giant planetary collision 11

Features Student Diaries SIN Says: Dear Bored Student...

13– 14 15

Opinion TRUTH Social: A dry land for Trump?

COP26 Glasgow: Has action finally been taken?

The modern man and his quest to define himself 19

Galway Christmas Market, we welcome you back with open arms 20

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Arts & Fashion Shop Depop

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Health & Lifestyle Health Spot: Sexual Health Myth Busting It’s the most financially stressful time of the year Living with anxiety: an interview with Ux designer Phoebe Crayk Project pan: October beauty bag review Skincare Review 101: Benefits of vitamin C

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Cainte Agallamh le Síomha Ní Ruairc

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Sport

My go-to quick and nutritional breakfast ideas

Ón Bhfeirm go Forc

Who will replace Johnny Sexton?

Sold out Aviva shows nation’s support for Kenny Galway United season review: a year to build on

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A huge thanks to our team!

Ewelina Szybinska Arts & Fashion Editor for issue 5

Valerie McHugh Editor

Ewelina Szybinska Health & Lifestyle Editor

Darragh Nolan Deputy Editor, News ­Co-editor

Caitlin Murphy Cainte Editor (Irish)

Caoimhe Killeen News Co-editor

Darren Casserly Sports Editor

Anastasia Burton Features Editor

Katie Barragry Online Editor

David Cendon Garcia Opinion Editor

Aine Fogarty Online Editor

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Homophobia in sport: an issue that should have been long solved 34

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Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Student Nurses protest poor conditions and pay in INMO protest

By Michael Bolton Over 200 people have attended a protest outside Leinster House to protest poor placement conditions and pay for Student Nurses.

Student nurses and midwives have called for payment and better working

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The Government announced the 12.5% for Student Nurses on internships but that’s not good enough. What about the back payment for student Nurses and midwives who’ve been on these internships since January? Being told you’re going to get paid at some point isn’t good enough, it doesn’t pay the bills. conditions for quite some time, with the Covid-19 pandemic exposing the reality of placement for many students.

The McHugh Report, a document on student nurses pay was submitted to the government in August but was yet to be published at the time of the protest.

Ciarán Freeman, a student nurse from NUI Galway discussed with SIN how the treatment of student nurses and midwives has made him feel.

“From a personal point of view, it’s left me with quite a cynical taste in my mouth how we’ve been treated by the government,” stated Freeman.

“The conditions we are fighting against, they always existed before the pandemic, but when you add in a virus that if you catch could make you critically unwell or kill you, that adds to your urgency in fighting for your conditions, your pay and your overall experience not just for yourself but those around you.

“It’s made me realise the work of a nurse and the value of a nurse to protect society and has made me really passionate to fight for it,” he finished.

Clodagh McGivern, Vice President and Education Officer for NUI Galway’s Students Union, attended the protest on Tuesday and heard the level of frustration

treatment of student nurses as a “slap in the face”, while also calling on the government to take action.

“Over the past two years, everything would’ve crumbled without the health services, without our student nurses and midwives, you don’t have a health service without student nurses and midwives,”

Students attending the INMO Protest outside Leinster House – Photo courtesy of @NUIGSU on Twitter among protesters outside Leinster House.

“They’re not getting paid for any of their work at all. It would be completely different if they were being shadowed and learning on the job but that’s not what they’re doing,” stated McGivern.

“They’re working long hours and then working part time jobs at the weekend they are completely burnt out”.

“They’ve essentially been working for free, during something as stressful as Covid. No student nurse should be put in that position to have to go on the frontline for our country at the middle of the pandemic.”

During the protest, McGivern heard the financial difficulties some students have faced due to placement.

“Someone told me they are getting €20 a week, yet it costs €16 a week to park at the hospital. It makes no sense at all,” she added.

President of NUI Galway’s Student Union Róisín Nic Lochlainn described the

said Nic Lochlainn.

“The Government announced the 12.5% for Student Nurses on internships but that’s not good enough. What about the back payment for student Nurses and midwives who’ve been on these internships since January? Being told you’re going to get paid at some point isn’t good enough, it doesn’t pay the bills.

“There’s so much talk and tweets but it’s time the government put their money where their mouth is, and show them the support they deserve.”

As a result of the treatment nurses have received through their placement, there is fears that the future of nurses in Ireland is at risk, something Ms Nic Lochlainn has addressed.

“What is someone going to do if they want to study nursing or midwifery, but they are faced with the dilemma that they aren’t going to get paid for it, especially with the rising cost of living in Ireland?,” asked Nic Lochlainn.

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Galway Against Homophobia stage protest about Italian anti-homophobia bill being shot down

By Caoimhe Killeen

News Co-editor

A protest has taken place in Eyre Square to protest the blocking of an anti-homophobia bill in the Italian Senate.

The protest took place in Eyre Square on November 3rd, and it was the first protest organised by the newly-formed Galway Against Homophobia.

The “DLL Zan Bill” named after Italian MP and member of the far-left Democratic Party Alessandro Zan was blocked in late October by 154 to 131 via a vote by secret ballot.

According to the Bill’s text, it would have provided measures “to prevent and combat discrimination and violence on grounds based on sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.”

Because of the timing of the vote the Italian parliament will not be able to hold another vote on the bill for six months and it is believed there will not be another vote on approving the bill before the parliament’s term expires in 2023.

With the bill being blocked, Italy remains one of the few European countries without any specific law against homophobia and disability of any kind.

Asia Brodini, a first-year student at NUI Galway and founder of Galway Against Homophobia states that her decision to create the organisation and do the protest was completely sudden.

“The Zan deal was what made me decide to do a protest, because when I heard the news, I was completely heartbroken, and I wanted to do something about it” stated Brodini.

The sudden timing of the protest meant it was not possible to ask local politicians or lecturers to attend meaning Brodini and the friends who helped her organise made their own speeches at the protest.

The protest also had its own organisational profiles through social media such as Instagram or Twitter, but a Tellonym account was also set up, a platform that allows questions submitted anonymously to be answered.

“We wanted to inform everyone about the protest, and anyone who submitted a personal experience with homophobia anonymously

With the bill being blocked, Italy remains one of the few European countries without any specific law against homophobia and disability of any kind. through Tellonym, we read it out loud at the protest” explained Brodini.

“I also plan to contact other politicians in Ireland who would be interested or have personal experience with homophobia so that they can speak up about it.”

There are currently no plans for a second protest as of yet but Brodini has stated she is focused on keeping the Galway Against Homophobia social media pages alive and another major event like the blocking of the Zan bill occurs, there will be a protest about it.

Final year Mathematical Science student takes home 2021 Hamilton Prize

By Caoimhe Killeen A final year Mathematical Science and international student at NUI Galway is one of the nine winners of this year’s prestigious 2021 Hamilton Prize.

The prize is awarded to the top mathematical students in the country in the final year of their course. They are nominated by their university to the Royal Irish Academy for consideration of the Prize.

Lijun Zou is originally from the Hubei Province in China and was nominated by NUI Galway for the prize.

“I am very honoured to receive the Hamilton Prize” stated Zou. “As an international student, I faced many challenges such as the language barrier. But the faculty members of the School of Maths are all very friendly and helped me a lot. I really appreciate them.’’

Aisling McCluskey, Professor in Mathematics in the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at NUI Galway has described Zou as incredibly hard working and extremely dedicated to her studies.

“The award of the prestigious Hamilton Prize is a tremendous honour, and we are delighted to acknowledge and celebrate Lijun’s achievement” continued McCluskey.

“This special prize underscores the importance of valuing and encouraging our undergraduate mathematicians as they progress into final year and into future STEM careers,” finished McCluskey.

As well as the award, a cash prize of €250 was awarded to Zou alongside a Certificate of Achievement. She was also invited to attend the 2021 Hamilton Lecture.

This year’s Hamilton Lecture speaker was Dr Caroline Series, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Warwick.

Dr Series was in conversation with RTÉ broadcaster and Assistant Professor at the UCD School of Mathematics and Statistics, Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin.

The awards ceremony and lecture were held on October 16th to concede with Hamilton Day. The renowned Irish mathematical scientist William Rowan Hamilton was on his way to the Royal Irish Academy along the Royal Canal from Dunsink Observatory on October 16th 1843, when he discovered quaternions and subsequently quaternion algebra.

His discovery was an important breakthrough in the development of modern abstract algebra and is said to be one of the very rare “Eureka” moments often portrayed in media about science.

The original equation was said to be scratched onto the wall of Broome Bridge in Cabra, Dublin.

It is also an important component nowadays for navigating satellites and programming for video games.

Pictured L–R: 2021 Hamilton speaker, Caroline Series FRS, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, University of Warwick; Lijun Zou, NUI Galway; Dr Mary Canning, President, Royal Irish Academy; Danny McCoy, CEO, Ibec. Photo: Royal Irish Academy

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President of NUI Galway Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh presents Karzan Sabah D Ahmed’s PhD parchment to Ahmed Mahmud, family representative.

Posthumous PhD awarded to tragic NUI Galway car crash victim

By Caoimhe Killeen Researcher Karzan Sabah D Ahmed has been awarded a posthumous PhD in Environmental Science by NUI Galway.

Karzan, his wife Shahen and their baby daughter Lina were tragically killed in a road accident in Ballinasloe in August of this year.

It’s understood the family were making a journey down to Carlow where Karzan was taking up a lecturing post at Carlow IT after completing his PhD. Karzan’s PhD’s research in Environmental Science focused on insect ecology in farm habitats for inclusion in new agri-environmental schemes.

The conferring took place on the University campus along with a memorial service to remember Karzan and his family.

The formal ceremony was live steamed, with a recording of the event was made available to family and friends overseas. This included Karzan and Shahen’s families in Kurdistan.

The memorial heard contributions both in English and in Kurdish from people who knew the family and those who worked with Karzan.

Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, President of NUI Galway, paid tribute to Karzan,

Shahen and baby Lina at the ceremony.

“We hosted the conferring ceremony and memorial in honour of Karzan’s academic achievements and the fondness for which he and his family were held by the community of NUI Galway and the wider community,” Professor Ó hÓgartaigh said.

“We hope there is some comfort in memory. Karzan’s memory is here in NUI Galway and in the wider community, among his colleagues, the students and all those who worked with him and who knew Karzan, Shahen and Lina.”

A floral wreath was laid at the memorial.

Prayers were offered by Imam Khalid Sallabi from the Galway Islamic Cultural Centre and Fr Ben Hughes, Chaplain of NUI Galway.

Dr Collette Mulkeen, postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Microbiology from NUI Galway’s Ryan Institute also paid tribute, remembering Karzan, Shahen and baby Lina.

Professor Michael Gormally who was Karzan’s supervisor during his PhD research spoke on the contribution of his research work.

A memorial plaque was presented to Ahmed Mahmud, representing Karzan’s family and to Mrs Kszeal Mahmood,

representing Shahen’s family.

A copy of Karzan’s thesis was presented to Azhwan Barazenda, representing Karzan’s family and to Mrs Shadi Faramarzi, representing Shahen’s family.

Mrs Kszeal Mahmood, representing Shahen’s family, holds a plaque in memory of the family.

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NUI Galway societal challenge projects receive funding

By Darragh Nolan

News Co-editor

do so using a much needed interdisciplinary approach with our Co-Investigator on this programme, Professor Carl Vogel from Trinity College Dublin, and through a valuable collaboration with Active Retirement Ireland,” he added.

Three academics at NUI Galway have been awarded funding for projects investigating societal challenges.

De-extinction The three projects are aimed at tackling issues surrounding climate change in Africa, how digitalisation impacts older people Lecturer in Zoology and researcher at the Ryan Institute Dr Kevin and the de-extinction of species respectively.

Healy and his project on de-extinction will enjoy an award of €190,803.

The awards were handed out through the Irish Research This will see an investigation into what species could be Council’s COALESCE programme in collaboration with the “brought back” from extinction and determine if such species Department of Foreign Affairs. could be legally owned and patented by their creators.

“For example, how do ecological considerations, such as the impact a de-extinct species would have on the environment, or the level of Climate Change interest from the general public affect these decisions?,” Dr Healy asked.

“Will the species we bring back from extinction simply reflect Dr Una Murray of the school of Geography, Archaeology and technological and ecological limitations or will financial factors Celtic Studies and the Ryan Institute has been awarded €338,000 be the main de-extinction selection criteria?” for research on the link between climate change and migration The Vice President for Research and Innovation at NUI Galway on Sub-Saharan Africa.

Professor Jim Livesey congratulated each recipient of the award and looked forward to the results of their projects.

“Investigating these societal challenges is a wonderful example of how our research aims to tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues through the Global Challenges Programme in our new Research and Innovation Strategy.

“I would also like to thank the Irish Research Council and the Department of Foreign Affairs for their continued support of our public research mission,” he concluded.

“

The project on de-extinction

will see an investigation into

what species could be “brought back” from extinction and determine if such species could be legally owned and

patented by their creators.

“Land degradation, water scarcity and declines in agriculture production, driven by an increasing intensity and frequency of environmental disasters induced by climate change, are key triggers for people to move from rural to urban areas for employment opportunities,” said Dr Murray.

“Social protection, social insurance, and cash transfers, although present in the UN Sustainable Development Goals and in the climate loss and damage debate, could play a stronger role in human migration and other forms of climate adaptation.”

Digital Exclusion Professor Kieran Walsh of the Centre for Social Gerontology received €192,161 for combating digital exclusion experienced by older people in society through Virtual-EngAge, a project focused on adapting the development of technology for the needs of older people.

“The COALESCE funding will enable us to pursue a really critical research area, within the Virtual-EngAge research programme, identifying how we can harness everyday technologies to enhance older people’s social connectivity and civic voices while also recognising and capitalising on the innate skills of many older people for adaptation and learning,” explained Professor Walsh “This funding is really important as it not only helps us respond to the gaps exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, but to

CLICK. FIND. VOLUNTEER. studentvolunteer.ie is a new easy-to-use, one-stop-shop portal connecting higher education students with civil society organisation volunteering opportunities.

r Registye! toda

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Farrell critical of government’s plans for vacant sites

By Michael Bolton Sinn Féin TD Mairéad Farrell has warned that “we need purposeful accommodation at affordable prices” to address Galway’s student housing crisis.

The Galway West TD told SIN that over 3,000 students in Galway are either staying in hostels or commuting long distances to third-level institutions.

Galway’s student population has been hit hard by the housing crisis issue, and

seems to have been heightened due to the to balance college life and the stress of pandemic, an issue that Deputy Farrell has trying to find somewhere to live.” recently raised in the Dáil.

Deputy Farrell said that the student Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Public housing crisis had exposed the high numExpenditure and Reform said that stu- ber of vacant buildings across Galway City, dents are reaching out to her because they an issue that Sinn Féin has recently raised “can’t find anywhere to stay” or that “rents in the Dáil. are far too high.”

According to Deputy Farrell, there are “Many students are couch surfing, 7,000 vacant sites across the city, despite staying in hostels or trying to commute,” thousands of people currently homeless. said Deputy Farrell. “It’s obviously very “There should be a tax for keeping these difficult for students when they are trying sites vacant,” she said. “It is absolutely

Deputy Farrell said that the student housing crisis had exposed the high number of vacant buildings across Galway City, an issue that Mairéad Farrell TD. Photo by Sinn Féin via Flickr

Sinn Féin has recently

”

raised in the Dáil.

scandalous that we have all these vacant sites in Galway City when there are so many people homeless.”

Meanwhile, the Government is introducing a new zoned land tax, which will replace the existing vacant site levy and will target unused residential-zoned land.

The new tax will be set at 3 per cent of the land’s market value.

However, Deputy Farrell said that the minimum two-year lead-in time before the new tax is applied is too long.

She has called for the government to clamp down on vacant sites and that, in her opinion, people are being encouraged to leave them empty.

“The problem is at the moment it is in the financial interest of those hoarding these vacant sites to keep them vacant,” said the Sinn Féin TD. Deputy Farrell also said that rents are “far too high and are allowed to go up” and that the Government needs to implement a rent freeze and a ban on price increases for the next three years.

In Galway City, the average asking rent is almost €1,400 per month, according to the latest figures.

The Government’s response is the introduction of rent pressure zones in cities, but people want a complete ban on rent increases, according to Deputy Farrell.

Transgender Day of Remembrance

An Lá Cuimhneacháin d’Íospartaigh an Fhoréigin in aghaidh Daoine Trasinscneacha Saturday 20th November | Dé Sathairn 20 Samhain @nuigsu

NUIGalwayStudentsUnion www.su.nuigalway.ie

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Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Discovery about oceanic squid familial relationships made by NUI Galway researcher

By Ellen O’Donoghue

Caribbean reef squid.

Photo: Betty Wills via Wikimedia Commons; special thanks to Noel Langan.

I nternational

Students’ Day

Lá Idirnáisiúnta na Mac Léinn

Coffee Morning at Sult Maidin Caife i Sult 10:00-12:00 Wednesday 17th November | Dé Céadaoin 17 Samhain @nuigsu

NUIGalwayStudentsUnion www.su.nuigalway.ie

A breakthrough about family relationships among lineages of oceanic squids was achieved by a team at NUI Galway’s Ryan Institute.

The findings, that explain the names of the different groups and provide important clues as to how squid evolved, have been published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

The researchers also discovered unexpected and unexplained relationships between different types of oceanic squid.

Lead author of the study, Dr Fernando Angel Fernández-Álvarez, Irish Research Council fellow and researcher at NUI Galway’s School of Natural Sciences, spent five years collecting tissue from squid while on oceanic cruises and sampling from commercial trawlers.

He said that as a child, he was always attracted to natural history, “so it is not surprising that most of my contributions as a professional zoologist have been centred in the field of phylogenetics and systematics”.

Dr Álvarez said that he believes the study is an important milestone for the field, and that it is “a good starting point for performing in-depth studies on the evolutionary trends that shape the huge diversity” of oceanic squids.

The research team used a method known as genome skimming to reveal the full sequence of DNA and identify relationships among squid.

“Our research could also be useful as we try to understand how our oceans will respond to ever increasing pressures from human activities,” Dr Álvarez said.

“This study provided an almost totally solved phylogeny of oceanic squids, including 22 out 25 oceanic squid families.

“It is important to say that this is the most reluctant group among cephalopods for this kind of studies, so our study has a deep impact on how we understand the diversity of squids in the open ocean.”

Oceanic squid are ravenous predators and the main meal of toothed whales and other endangered megafauna, and therefore are an important part of the marine food web.

Professor Louise Allcock, School of Natural Sciences, Ryan Institute, NUI Galway, said that the study “also highlights the importance of public scientific collections in addressing long-standing scientific issues.

“We supplemented the material we collected ourselves with samples from various museums including the Smithsonian Institution in the USA, the Biological Reference Collection of the Marine Science Institute in Spain and the Australian Museum, allowing us to have a truly comprehensive oversight of oceanic squids globally.”

Dr Álvarez said that the researchers also “provided specific names to the groups of families we found, so researchers interested in flying squid biology can use them for communication in an unambiguous way, or it can be used for selection of species to perform meaningful physiological, development, ecological and biological comparisons in an evolutionary context.”

The study was funded by the Irish Research Council through the programme Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards.

Read the full study in Zoological Journal of the Linnean ­Society here: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab069 https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab069.

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NUI Galway astronomer part of international team that detected gas released in a giant planetary collision

by Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon An international team, including an astronomer from NUI Galway, have detected evidence of a giant impact that occurred in a nearby star system.

The findings, based on the research by NUI Galway, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Cambridge University have been published in the leading international journal Nature.

It is the first discovery of a planet’s atmosphere being stripped by a giant impact.

The star that gave astronomers this rare glimpse into planetary formation is HD172555, located 95 light years away from Earth.

This star has been an object of interest to astronomers due to the large amount of dust orbiting within the terrestrial planet region — where rocky planets, such as Earth, are often formed.

Terrestrial planets are formed over the first tens of millions of years of a star’s lifetime. Scientists have theorised that in the latest stages of formation, planets grow through giant impacts with each other.

These giant collisions produce planets, satellite objects like the moon, as well as dust and debris. As The dust and debris produced can then be observed by telescopes on Earth.

Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observatory (ALMA), located in Chile, the team observed a carbon monoxide ring in the dust produced by the impact.

“This indicates that impacts can release large amounts of gas as well as dust, and that this gas can survive long enough to be detected,” said Dr Luca Matrà, advisor for the study and Lecturer in the Centre for Astronomy, School of Physics in NUI Galway.

Artist’s impression of a giant impact releasing gas from the atmosphere of a Venus-like planet. Photo Credit: Mark A. Garlick

“This has the potential to revolutionise our understanding and observability of giant impacts,” he added.

Based on the amount of gas present, the impact is estimated to have occurred about 200,000 years ago between two young planets similar in size to Earth.

Dr Matrà said that the amount of gas discovered is 10-20 per cent of the mass of Venus’ atmosphere, and that this amount shows the sensitivity of the observations.

“This puts forward gas observations as a viable detection method of terrestrial planet-forming collisions, and as a window to the composition of young planets,” he said.

The star system is estimated to be about 23 million years old — making it younger than the solar system which is about 4.6 billion years old. Based on prediction models, HD172555 is within the age range where planet formation from giant impacts is expected to happen.

Tajana Schneiderman, lead author of the study, and a graduate student in MIT’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, said: “Everyone is interested in observing a giant impact because we expect them to be common, but we don’t have evidence in a lot of systems for it. Now we have additional insight into these dynamics.”

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Features · Gné-altanna

Asia Brodini: The Italian queer activist’s quest for change

By Delaney Cha A protest was held in Eyre Square on November 3rd to show support of the LGBT community after anti-LGBT legislation in Italy was passed earlier in the week. Among those who protested was Asia Brodini (she/her) who is a 20-year-old Arts student at NUI Galway. Ms Brodini, who identifies as queer, recently left her home country of Italy right before the start of the term.

When Ms Brodini was 13, she dreamed of leaving Italy because of the homophobia that she experienced. While she was living there, she regularly protested against Anti-LGBT legislation and discrimination, especially the DDL Zan bill.

The DDL Zan bill was originally proposed by Alessandro Zan, a member of Italy’s Partito Democratico (the major left-wing political party in Italy), to extend the Legge Marino law which was originally passed in 1993. The original bill made acts of racial, political, or religious discrimination punishable by up to 4 years imprisonment or community service. The proposed extension of the bill would include acts of discrimination against sexual orientation, gender, and gender identity now punishable in the same capacity. The Senate of Italy recently announced that they would vote against and block DDL Zan. “When I read the news that the bill was blocked, and saw politicians cheering, it really broke my heart,” said Ms Brodini.

“I just kept thinking of everything that happened to me in Italy and of other people that I knew, and it was so heartbreaking that I wanted to show them support.”

A group of people, mainly students from NUI Galway and Brodini, organized the protest after news broke that the DDL Zan bill would be blocked in Italy.

“I had this rage and I wanted to show the politicians that they are putting shame on Italy.”

At 14, Ms Brodini started to become more interested in protests and started to take part in them when she was around 16 years old. She was used to being a part of the protests at home, but organizing one herself, in such a little amount of time in a new country was difficult. It first started with social media pages and creating social media cards that had information about the bill. The account @galwayagainsthomophobia was created on Instagram and Twitter, aiming for people to spread the word about the upcoming protest in Eyre Square.

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

“Changing the minds of homophobic people is almost impossible. But we can still speak up. I am not going to shut up.

”

Asia Brodini wearing the LGBT+ rainbow flag at the Galway Against Homophobia Protest “We used social media pages and passed out flyers which was good,” said Ms Brodini. “NUIG societies were also helpful and shared the information on their own social media pages as well.”

The news that the DDL Zan bill was blocked was announced on 29 October and within five days, Asia and a group of friends created a protest.

“I was really lucky with the people that I met here. They wanted to help me, and they helped me a lot. I wouldn’t have been able to have done this without them.”

The protest itself allowed for people who identify as part of the LGBT community to speak about the discrimination

they have faced or people they know have faced. Anonymous stories were also read out into the crowd. Around 80 people showed up for the protest, some of them donning rainbow flags wrapped across their bodies, others holding small signs in support, and the letters DDL Zan written on the palms of hands. Speeches were often met with warm applause and constant cheering, however, there was a moment at where passersby’s booed the protesters and name-calling was said on both sides.

“Changing the minds of homophobic people is almost impossible,” said Ms Brodini. “But we can still speak up. I am not going to shut up.”

Features · Gné-altanna

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

13

Final Year Diary

By Niamh Connor Hey guys! My name is Niamh and this is my final year diary. It’s the first piece I have ever written for the iconic SIN newspaper so please go easy on me.

I am a final year Music and English student currently drowning in assignments, much like my fellow campus goers.

The last few weeks have been absolutely painful when it comes to actually getting work done, but if I am honest, my social life has actually gotten a boost! I’ve just come off of three backto-back weeks of housemate birthdays as well as my own dreaded twenty-second birthday celebration. Please enjoy Niamh’s housemate celebrating his 23rd birthday.

First Year Diary

By Caoimhe McCauley Hello everyone, I hope you’re all doing well so far in this college semester. This is my first diary entry as a first year in NUI Galway. It has been challenging to decide what topics I would touch on in this entry but to be honest, I’m still getting used to everything even though I have been on campus for nearly two months! First year can only be described as a whirlwind of events. I have blinked and suddenly it’s week seven and I have four assignments due as well as a backlog of readings to follow up on.

It feels like only yesterday that I moved into my apartment bringing half my life and all of my clothes to Galway. (I own a lot of clothes !!).

It is fair to say there are a lot of ‘firsts’ in coming to college. Living independently, sleeping in a new bed, and living with strangers from across the country. Taking a gamble hoping you get on with your

this photo of my housemate Noel in all of his Marvel birthday presents (don’t worry I got his permission to use this photo.) The celebrations were great but once the confetti had been cleaned up, the cakes eaten and the hangover cured, the dreaded assignment anxiety returned with a vengeance. This has not been made any easier by the cyber-attack.

Now I know what you’re going to say. “You’re just using it as an excuse to procrastinate, that attack was weeks ago,” and honestly you’d be right in saying so but at the same time it was a valid excuse. My initial reaction to the cyber-attack was “unreal! I don’t have to go to class now!” But, this then turned into “how on earth am I going to write these essays without library resources?”

But ironically upon the news that most library resources are now accessible, I have yet to actually use them. My motivation is severely lacking. Does anyone have any tips?

The one productive thing I have done over the last two weeks is decide to properly take part in Coldvember this year. It has genuinely made my life so much more enjoyable (and dare I say it, it has motivated me to actually do some assignments.) The absolute rush of adrenaline upon yeeting yourself off the Blackrock diving board at high tide couldn’t be matched by anything else in this world! The sense of community felt upon stepping down to Blackrock is unbelievable! No wonder there have

been record numbers coming down this year and it is fantastic to see so many people raising money for such a good cause. Not only is it raising money for a good cause but the Coldvember crew are fighting the good fight against seasonal depression by bringing a great attitude and banging tunes to Blackrock every morning for a good auld sunrise swim.

That’s it from me folks, thank you for reading my very first final year diary.

Hope you liked it! Can’t wait to see you in the next issue.

Stay frosty, Niamh

housemates and most importantly praying that they’re not too messy. Independence in college teaches you a lot about yourself.

It gives you the space to explore the kind of person you can be without the influence of others. This freedom also means you have your own food shop, chores and washing to do which isn’t glamorous. Last night I found myself running across the road to the shop to buy toilet roll and bin liners.

This is the reality of college!

As college is still such a new experience, I tend to forget there are so many new opportunities here, people to meet and encounters to be had. The only problem is that I find it impossible to balance everything. Each hour of the day flies by and I don’t find the time between day and night as I’m enjoying myself so much.

Every time I open Outlook or Blackboard (when its working!) I can be guaranteed I will find a lecture sitting there to be caught up on or an essay to be started.

Between Harvard style citation, academic essays, and plagiarism there are a few things I’m not too excited to learn about.

I cannot lie - procrastination has really been my worst enemy since I started in college. Even sitting here writing this piece in the library, I’m thinking of the mountain of work that is waiting for me. I have been assured many times though that as long as I’m a student in college I will be behind until the last ever assignment I hand in! There have been a few all-nighters already which resulted in high levels of caffeine and sugar being consumed. Leaving important things to the last minute and causing unnecessary stress has always been a great quality of mine!

Even though the thought of college two months ago was so daunting but exciting, I have been very lucky with my experience so far. Living with great housemates, loving my course, meeting new friends, and eating too much Boojum have been just some of my highlights. Even though I know it’s only the beginning, I know my years in college will fly. Making the most of my time here is very important so I want to try new things, eat in new places and enjoy student life! Honestly, I think this time in college will be the most exciting and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Niamh at Salthill for day 9 of Coldvember.

14

Features · Gné-altanna

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Mature Students’ Diary

By Aoife Burke

Erasmus Diary

By Saoirse Higgins Hi everyone and welcome back. I hope everyone had a good Halloween. It was actually pretty good over here in Stockholm. I went to my first nightclub since Covid-19 and it felt weird but it also felt like it had only been a week since I’d last been dancing to Hips Don’t Lie. I don’t know if any of you got that feeling too. I have to say, this nightclub was probably one of the nicer ones I’ve ever been to. It was modelled after an opera house, so there were tall ceilings, walls made of glass, and little cherubs gracing the edges of the ceiling. It was ridiculously expensive though (€14 for a vodka and lemonade, and it wasn’t even a double). From some Instagram posts I saw throughout the weekend, it appears Galway students were very creative this year. I kept it very safe and went as Fred from Scooby-Doo and then as a witch on Saturday.

This is not really the point of this diary, but I hope everyone is safe after there are accounts of spiking spreading at the moment. I don’t think it has travelled here yet but as a woman, unfortunately, you’re always on guard anyway. I won’t give you advice on what you should do, I’m not in any way qualified, but I recommend researching the NHS website for information on spiking and particularly on spiking through needles as that seems to be the new mode of assault. Of course, it’s ridiculous that people should have to worry about this at all.

This is quite relevant for the part of Erasmus I want to speak about next. All of us are aware of the drinking and partying culture that often is synonymous with Erasmus. Of course, you should absolutely go out and enjoy yourself in any city you’re travelling to. Stockholm, like many cities,

Saoirse with her friend Lucia at the Grona Lund Amusement Park has a very vibrant nightlife. The pubs are great here and there are many cheap options for drinks. Plus, it can be a great way to meet people.

However, if this is not your cup of tea, there are so many other options. Don’t ever feel pressured to drink or go to environments you’re not comfortable in or enjoy. Stockholm, luckily, has so many amenities that there is so much to do that is non-drink related. From amazing coffee to the colourful amusement park, Grona Lund, you won’t ever be bored.

If you do decide to take part in drinking and partying, I have some quick tips for you. Many of this you probably know already but it’s always good to have a refresher. Number one: always know how you’re going to get home. Many of us are used to Galway nightlife with plenty of taxis outside of Supermacs or we live a 20-minute walk from the pub. However, when you’re abroad it can be hard to know where to get a taxi and it’s likely you don’t live that close by to the pub or club.

Here in Stockholm, the public transport is impeccable with buses running 24/7.

Therefore, I always have a friend or two to travel home with this way plus it’s much cheaper. However, I do not recommend travelling home by public transport alone.

In fact, if you can avoid it, I would not recommend travelling home alone at all. But if you must, make sure you have booked a taxi or uber.

My second piece of advice is to drink responsibly. Of course, you should always drink responsibly (not that I’m an angel in this department) but when you’re abroad you want to be extra careful. It could be the situation that you don’t know many people in your exchange city, you don’t know the city that well and you also don’t know the hospital system. Due to this, you

Hi everyone, I hope you are all well.

Now that the madness of Halloween is over it’s time for planning for Christmas! I am finding either I am busy or not busy at all. Today I am so busy. I was up last night doing a podcast which I am hoping will be broadcast on Flirt FM. The podcast is about music and poetry, mainly poetry from the romanticism era. You can tell how much I loved English and I am looking forward to final year next year. I am working on journalistic assignments all the time.

I sometimes do journalism work with the Galway Advertiser.

I find I do my best work first thing in the morning, so I get up early and get it out of the way. I am loving seeing the Christmas stuff in the shops. My family say I am like Santa at Christmas, it’s my favorite time of year. I still have my weekend job which is going well.

Excited about 2022 however as lots more projects will be unfolded! Now though it’s all under wraps.

A nice thing me, mum and my aunt are doing is staying in hotels. We do a little tour of hotels and have a nice evening meal and breakfast the next day. So, I am quite spoiled and very lucky I can live at home while at college. I have also gathered a following of almost 6,000 twitter followers so there are a few disgruntled heads who I have passed out like a lightning bolt!

I really do appreciate my connections in the journalism and music industry as without them, I don’t know where I would be. I hope to someday move back to Dublin to say hello to some of them again.

That’s all my news for the moment, speak soon! Aoife want your wits about you like all of this makes you more vulnerable than you’d usually be.

My third rule is just to have fun. You’ll meet so many different people and different nationalities and a few drinks can be plenty of craic.

That’s it from me today. I don’t have that much news other than two of my friends are visiting me for the weekend which I’m very excited about. I’m not really suffering from homesickness anymore, but I do miss my boyfriend terribly. I just wish I could teleport him here.

Well, I hope all of you have a good week and are as excited as me that November is here and Christmas is just around the corner.

Features · Gné-altanna

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Life in Limbo By ­Anastasia Burton

Features Editor

Hello everyone, how are you keeping? Now that Spooky season is over the weather is getting colder and Christmas songs are getting louder. In my religion (which I don’t really practice) our Christmas is on the 7th of January and we mainly celebrate New Year so I guess I’m not as excited as most would be. I’m writing this on the morning of my return from Edinburgh, and I have to say I had a real blast. My partner and I went for a 24hr trip and decided to explore the city. We went to a fabulous cat cafe which I was so happy about as I really wanted to visit it ever since I had been in Edinburgh four years ago. The weather wasn’t the best but it was so nice to travel once again. My partner and I even came across a small

SIN Says

By Katie Barragry Have a question? Send it to SIN on editor.sin@gmail.com editor.sin@gmail.com.

Hi SIN Says, Since restrictions have been lifted I have realised that I don’t actually have a lot of hobbies or interests to keep me busy outside of college work. I used to go out a lot with my friends but Galway night life has really changed in recent times. Do you have any advice in picking up new hobbies?

Thanks, Bored Student

Photos by 42 North, Katie Smith, jeshoots.com and Brayden Winemiller on Unsplash

hidden antique store where I got a marble design ring from the 1930s and my partner got a few coins dating 1778 and 1916, really crazy stuff! Now that we are back, I’m trying to motivate myself to prepare for work and for my two upcoming trips which I might mention in future issues.

To those wondering why I’m not writing about assignment stress and finals, it’s because I completed them all last year. Juggling my life in 2020 was crazy and here’s why. In November I received a job offer that required me to relocate to Dublin as soon as restrictions ease. Now at that stage things were quite uncertain and I was getting a little tired of Galway so we decided to move to Dublin in January leaving all our friends and our lives in general behind. Now during that time, I had my midterm finals which were stressing me out as I was also in the middle of work training and onboarding. I feel like maybe I haven’t been the most committed or serious student as I was always looking ahead trying to make money where I can and just work, work, work.

Hi Bored Student, Thank you so much for getting in touch with us. Having extra-curricular hobbies and interests is a great way to unwind and relax after a day of work or college. College students can find picking up a new hobby quite daunting as we often don’t know where to start. It’s important to recognise that it’s never too late to pursue a new interest.

Luckily for you, NUI Galway has a wide range of clubs and societies available for students if you are looking to get involved in something on campus. All details are available on the NUI Galway website but keep your eyes pealed on the weekly Student Union newsletter for updates and events.

I would encourage you to try something you have never done before, be it playing a new sport, learning how to play an instrument, or putting your cooking skills to the test. Consider taking up something that you have always been afraid to do or something that might put you out of your comfort zone. For example, hiking, joining a book club, playing board games or journaling. Alternatively, if you can swim, Coldvember is currently taking place out in Salthill every day for the month of November and might be a great place to start. Remember that going out and having a few drinks with your friends in the evening is also considered a hobby.

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So, I’m basically a finished but not graduated student of my course. I even received my provisional results already which was a relief. So I am stuck in a limbo where I am still technically a student but I have worked hard to stabilise my degree and leave time for working and earning for my future. Because it’s true what they say, a degree does not promise employment, so do your best to do both.

It is a chance to unwind and enjoy yourself, which is the most important thing.

Volunteering is an activity that should not be overlooked. It is a great opportunity to meet new people, educate yourself about the world around you and make a considerable difference within your community.

Working as a volunteer is also thought to boost confidence and self esteem levels for those who participate. At NUI Galway, you may also be eligible for the ALIVE Certification after volunteering for a certain period of time. As December approaches, so does the opportunity to work with Christmas charities for the weeks ahead. With such a wide range of volunteer associations based in Galway and beyond, there will be something that appeals to you.

After countless lockdowns, many people have realised the value of having hobbies and interests. We all need something to do before or after a long day of college or work.

A distraction from everyday life, hobbies are a great way to meet new people and explore your strengths. Having hobbies and interests to discuss is also a great addition to your CV. So, join the gym, grab a friend for a walk or organise that road trip you’ve been thinking of. Try your best to get stuck in and try something new. Best of luck!

Kindest regards, SIN SAYS

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Opinion · Tuairim

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

In my eyes, he became a personality. One that said or did anything as long as it generated attention and digital traffic. I believe that it was never about power for him; it was about celebrity status. That’s why social media was a godsend for him, one that sent him straight to the oval office.

”

Opinion · Tuairim

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

17

TRUTH Social: A dry land for Trump?

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It always felt it would only be matter of time before Donald Trump found a way back into social media, but who knew it was going to be by creating his own platform? Welcome to TRUTH Social.

After Trump was banned from both Facebook and Twitter, many critics hoped that would be the end of the post-truth tyrant. Citing the January 6th attack on Capitol Hill as evidence enough of what this arguably harmful digital rhetoric could cause, justifying Trump’s exile from the digital sphere.

Trump did try his luck at an ill-fated blog, “From the Desk of Donald J. Trump”, that was shut down after only a month of activity. But I think that his detached abandonment of it suggested a larger plan at work, one that was sure to make a splash.

The creation of TRUTH Social has left many wondering how this will change the narrative around fake news and what it bodes for the future of global media.

Slated to arrive sometime in November, TRUTH Social is headed by the Trump Media & Technology Group, which recently merged with Digital World Acquisition Corporation. A merger that raised Trump’s shares 400%. It will consist of three brands: TMTG+, TMTG News and the social media platform TRUTH Social.

Amusingly, TMTG+ hopes to replace streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+, hence the name, but this journalist wonders what exactly will they be streaming to their platform? The Real White Supremacists of New Jersey? Or perhaps a reboot of The Mandalorian but with Eric Trump playing all of the roles (including Baby Yoda).

The mind races with possibilities.

In TMTG’s press release, they made clear their intentions and political leanings. “Silicon Valley, the mainstream media, and Big Tech have begun to forcibly silence voices that do not align with their woke ideology. They are not just censoring content - they are determining what can and cannot be said. TMTG intends to even the playing field by providing people with open media platforms where they can share and create content without fear of reputational ruin.”

The irony is that if one takes a closer look at TRUTH Social’s Terms of Service, it may seem that they’re the ones censoring content.

Shocking, I know.

According to the Terms of Service users may not “disparage, tarnish, or otherwise harm, in our opinion, us and/or the Site.” It also reserves the right to remove users for any reason it deems necessary.

And if that wasn’t enough incentive to pre-order on the App Store, which apparently is a thing you can do, they can also take legal action after banning your account: “In addition to terminating or suspending your account, we reserve the right to take appropriate legal action, including without limitation pursuing civil, criminal, and injunctive redress.”

It really is the pinnacle of free speech in my opinion.

Yet not all reacted positively to this announcement. Mere hours after the announcement was made, anonymous hackers accessed a beta version of TRUTH Social and created fake accounts for Trump and his former aide Steve Bannon, posting images of defecating pigs. The beta site was promptly removed as a response, with the hackers saying that it was part of their “online war against hate”.

But really the only question that matters now is what will happen once TRUTH Social releases to the public?

Some think TRUTH Social will herald in the dominion of the Fake News era, where factual news sources are irrelevant, and populism dictates the political spectrum. Where journalism fails its duty to the public and truth loses any validity in swaying the masses.

Perhaps.

Ta

By David Cendon Garcia

Opinion Editor

But I think it will fail. I think TRUTH Social will follow the pattern established by all other Trump enterprises, whether its hotels, casinos, vodka, or steaks. TRUTH Social will fail to become a titan amongst social media companies not because of a lack of audience or a lack of financial backing, but because I believe Trump and the post-truth rhetoric he represents thrive off of discord and conflict.

Trump figured out, before he even ran for presidency, that he could rise to the top through celebrity status, and I believe he fostered that. In my eyes, he became a personality. One that said or did anything as long as it generated attention and digital traffic. I believe that it was never about power for him; it was about celebrity status. That’s why social media was a godsend for him, one that sent him straight to the oval office.

He was able to spew whatever he wanted online, and then just look away. He could retweet a white supremacist and just watch as MSNBC published endless articles and SEO content with his name plastered all over it. It appears to me that he thrives off of disagreement and outrage, he encourages it in his voters and supporters.

So, I deem that TRUTH Social is the worst thing that could happen to the Trump brand. There will be no discord or conflict because it will only be populated with the already converted. I think it will create a bubble of ideology, where members will not interact with established media channels because they already believe them to be false and misleading. And those with accounts on sites such as Facebook or Twitter, will pay no mind to TRUTH Social and whatever content is published on it.

Therefore, TRUTH Social will be a dry land for Trump, with no well to quench his thirst for discontent.

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Opinion · Tuairim

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

COP26 Glasgow: Has action finally been taken?

By Kevin Markey More than 30,000 activists, politicians, and policy analysts have converged on Glasgow for the 26th Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC. Six years ago, the Paris conference set the stage for nations making binding commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But the debate itself began in 1992 when the scientific community convinced politicians that climate change was a discussion worth having. It would seem to some that little has been accomplished. For me, the Greta Thunberg’s of the world would have you believe that discussion is the only outcome of the COP gatherings. That these conferences are, in her words, “blah, blah, blah”. My issue with this stance is that it gives no credit to the many people that have been working for the better part of 30 years to try and solve the many problems.

I think it’s fair to say that there was very little public consensus in the early 1990’s that ‘global warming’ was even occurring, let alone was human created. The scientific community had been building an agreement, but the public seemed to have little idea of the magnitude of the situation, not like we do today. For one, there was no Twitter, or Facebook at the time. Information moved slower; it took longer for ideas to build momentum. And this meant that patience was required.

Protest is vital in my eyes, of course. Activism is one of the main reasons this issue gained ground in the first place.

However, protest alone will not likely solve problems. Scientists and policymakers have the ability to get things done in my view; it just takes time. Getting a group of people to agree can be incredibly difficult. It may follow that the more complicated the debate, the more difficult the consensus. There is no simple switch to flip to fix this problem. There are thousands of switches, and likely hundreds of nations with their own agendas. The biggest problem now, is that time is of the essence. I concur that humanity must act quickly if we are to reverse the damage done over the last century and a half.

Luckily one might believe that this sentiment is finally being agreed upon by the world’s leaders.

In the first two days of the conference a landmark 04/02/2020. London, United Kingdom. Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson with Sir David Attenborough talk to school children at the Science Museum for Launch of the UK hosting of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). Picture by Andrew Parsons / No10 Downing Street

deal was reached by over 100 nations covering over 85% of the world’s forests to put an end to global deforestation and commit over $19 billion to rebuild the forests. That same day, President Biden announced the ‘Global Methane Pledge’, signed by over 70 other nations. Not including India, Russia, or China. The pledge commits to reducing methane waste at oil rigs and landfills by 30% by 2030. This action alone could contribute significantly to keeping the global temperature rise at or below the 1.5 - degree mark.

Over 100 nations also pledged to end global deforestation by 2030, this time putting their checkbook on the line and committing $12 billion to the cause. Along with this monetary pledge, several developed nations have said they will be contributing billions of dollars to the Global Climate Fund with the intention of reaching $100 billion a year in financing. Along with these national commitments, the world’s billionaires have joined in; Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged $315 million over the next three years to CGIAR to aid small share-holder farmers in rural Africa and Southeastern Asia. Jeff Bezos through the Bezos Earth Fund has committed to donate $2 billion between now and 2030 to restore ecosystems through planting trees and promoting climate-smart agriculture. Even one of the wealthiest people alive, Elon Musk, is considering donating $6 billion or 2% of his total worth to the UN World Food Programme on the condition that they explain to him how the money will be spent in ending world hunger.

Whether it is the world leaders or the richest 1%, I think that the message has been made clear to the world; ‘take climate change seriously now’.

Yes, we can all do our part by recycling and not wasting food, but real change may only come through large-scale transformational actions by our governments and wealth holders. So, if you agree with me, take to the streets or the internet and demand their immediate action. Do not take pandering or lobbying interests for a cop out.

If we are going to save the planet from th e i n c re a s i n gl y inevitable demise of climate change, we must act now.

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Opinion · Tuairim

19

The modern man and his quest to define himself

By David Cendon Garcia I can only speak for me personally, but I’ve never seen myself as some great warrior, a callous hunk, or even a particularly able lumberjack. And I’d be willing to bet, neither have most men today. That’s through no fault of our own I think, that’s just not what society demands of the modern man. Nor would it

“

The physical and aggressive tone masculinity has defined itself by, must soon be shed or fail to meet society’s demands of the modern man.

meet any of the necessary skills needed to thrive in this day and age. No matter if they happen to fall neatly into the traditional stereotypes of masculinity.

Yet that is exactly where I think modern masculinity finds itself, a stereotype. An almost laughable superficial understanding of what it means to be a man, hanging by a thread on the ledge of the 21st century, unable to let go of its past but desperately trying to evolve.

Like all questions surrounding gender, modern masculinity is complex and nuanced, continuously changing and adapting to new generations and expectations.

My understanding is that masculinity has, for the good part of the human experience, been defined by strength and ability.

By a brutish behaviour and an unsophisticated temperament that has served a specific purpose.

As humanity hunted down dangerous beasts, developed society, and waged war on each other, an aggressive approach was needed to survive. This was the lot assigned to the men. And as the eras passed, this outlook on life helped raise great cities and progress society. But as humanity’s need to survive diminished, so did traditional masculinity’s place in society.

I think it is fair to say that we do not hunt anymore for fear of starvation, we do not sharpen our sticks in wait of an invasion. With many of our needs met by society, I concur that we have now become an introspective species. The physical and aggressive tone masculinity has defined itself by, must soon

be shed or fail to meet society’s demands of the modern man.

But what is the modern man?

Well, I would say he is going through an evolution. Shedding his old shell and finding his place in the world.

Nowhere is this more evident than in entertainment.

The way in which modern masculinity is presented to the world is a good indicator of the direction it’s taking, and I don’t think there is anyone better to help analyse modern masculinity than James Bond.

The Bond films offer us a unique character study as to the evolution of masculinity, spanning all the way back to the 1960’s.

I see him as the pinnacle of what it means to be ‘manly’ in that socio-political moment.

Nonetheless, Bond has captivated the eyes of many across the world due to his sexual prowess, his physical superiority, and his impeccable sense of style. Many look up to him for guidance as to what a man should be.

In specific, I think that the current iteration of Bond, Daniel Craig, has begun to challenge the assumptions of not just the character but of masculinity. And how it can still be defined in this contemporary society without contradicting the advancements made in gender rights.

In what is, supposedly, Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond, I think he gave audiences a unique look into a masculine man who was both introspective and endearing. An international man of mystery and a caring father, aware of his previous mistakes.

Warning, spoilers ahead.

In the film, I think that Bond is forced to confront his previous treatment of women when he finds out that he has a daughter. A daughter that will grow up in a world that he himself has helped foster, a world which has been argued to objectify women and put them in harm’s way.

I then begin to see Bond as oddly realistic, a man with fears and faults. No longer is he the unfeeling bedder of women I have grown to see him as, but the scared father who must change his ways if he hopes to protect his daughter.

I think that this is succinctly communicated to the viewer, when Bond carries his child through the forest, and the mother leads forward with a gun in her hand. Subverting not only all the previous Bond films, but era’s worth of gender presumptions.

This to me is a much more relatable masculine figure, one who fears and protects but also doubts.

But in the background, there is a larger narrative trying to shape the modern man and what he should hope to be. Not a sexually violent and aggressive man, but a caring one, willing to defend if necessary and striving to improve.

Now, I don’t know about you, but that’s a man I can look up to.

20

Arts & Fashion · Cultúr 7 Faisean

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Photo courtesy of @christmasmarketgalway on Instagram

Galway Christmas Market, we welcome you back with open arms

By Rachel Garvey It’s officially November; a time where we welcome even colder and crisp weather, the bittersweet stress of Christmas shopping and stores displaying all their Christmas goodies just waiting to be purchased by Christmas-hungry customers. Santa has been checking his naughty and nice list all year round, but during this time he is playing closer attention to it; Covid-19 is holding the top spot on the naughty list since last year! However, the nice list is showing some proud results in regards to our society and a special present is in store for us; The Annual Christmas Market.

The well-loved Christmas Market is due to come back to us, the official opening set to fall on Friday November 12th 2021 and will continue to run up until Wednesday December 22nd 2021.

The Market is now in its 11th year of providing Christmas cheer and all things nice and is brimming with excitement over welcoming the locals and visiting tourists back into the heart of Eyre Square in Galway’s bustling city centre.

Last year, Christmas 2020, the Market was only a memory from the year previous in 2019 as Covid-19 restrictions prohibited the Market from setting up due to social distancing measures and the danger of large crowds coming together in the one space. However,

some Christmas spirit was still left I went with, but every time I walked behind from the absence of Galway’s through it, it felt like the first time and Christmas Market as Eyre Square was the feeling of joy never died, it just kept decorated with twinkling Christmas getting stronger to the point my cheeks lights, a Christmas tree and gigantic would hurt from smiling so much.

There’s that, but there’s also dragging light-up reindeer.

Walking through Eyre Square last your closest loved ones up on to the year held a bittersweet feeling; Christ- big wheel despite them having a fear of mas joy was in the air as locals took in heights, but once you’re high enough the dazzling Christmas lights, but an then that look of fear and uncertainty aura of sadness hung in the air due to turns into a feeling of fascination as they no Christmas stalls and the threat of look over Eyre Square and see the bird’s another lockdown, but this year we’ll eye view of all the Christmas lights dotmake up for what was stolen from us in ted around Eyre Square and Shop Street.

2020. Get your woolly hats and ChristMark your calendars for Friday mas jumpers ready to welcome back November 12th, it’s time to welcome the Christmas Market with its 32-metre the Christmas Market home, it’s time light-up observation wheel, 50 plus to welcome some normality back into wooden stalls each holding handmade our lives. The pandemic has taken so crafts or delicious Christmas goodies, much from us and it’s visible to see Beer Keller, Carousel, Santa’s Express that a lot of people are still worried, but we need to push those negative Train and so much more.

Personally, what I missed most about thoughts aside and replace them with the Christmas Market was the feeling of snow-specked thoughts of joy. It doesn’t joy, the feeling of being home; the best matter whether you’re walking through way to describe a feeling like this is like the pathways of the light-up displays being a little kid all over again, every with a crepe or glass of mulled wine in little thing excites you no matter how hand or cuddling up to your friends or many times you see it. Walking through significant other whilst you’re on the Eyre Square with friends or family and Big Wheel, but in those moments, you’ll taking pictures of the cute Christmas realise that better days are yet to come, backdrops and light-up gardens with that better days are already making a traditional Nutella crepe in hand. It their appearance. Galway Christmas didn’t matter how many times I walked Market; we welcome you back with through or how many different people open arms.

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Arts & Fashion · Cultúr 7 Faisean

21

Shop Depop

By Roisin Kerrigan If you love thrifting, then this online marketplace is most definitely for you. This app allows you to connect with sellers of second-hand clothes from all over the world, with a lower price than what you would spend in retail. This London based peerto-peer social shopping app appeared in 2011, and now has over 30 million users world-wide.

As the new generation of teenagers discover this app, a new faze and craze has appeared on the fashion radar, vintage fashion trends. Gen Z have taken sustainability to a new level by adopting a thrifty new shopping style. By buying from Depop, people are making fashion more diverse, inclusive, and less wasteful. These admiral qualities are only some of the reasons why sites like Depop, Poshmark, and Mecari are rocketing in popularity.

All you need to make your quick buck on this site is a username, PayPal account and items to sell. Selling on this site is fun and easy as you can set your own price while buyers are free to haggle for the price. Depop is the perfect market for those pesky online purchases that you forgot to return in time, you will always find another person who would adore your cast off.

When it comes to sustainability, the buying of pre-owned goods is a very eco-friendly option of shopping for your new glad rags. By buying these older materials instead of new, you are benefitting to the environment. It also condemns sweatshops who take advantage of the greedy materialistic western world by mass producing and abusing their employees, paying slave wages.

Selling on Depop isn’t without its own charges though, for every item you sell on this site Depop takes a 10% commission; It is a business after all. Depop is very reliable when it comes to payments and your income will be yours as soon as you make that sale.

Key words are a very important part of this online selling, as certain key words can allow you to reach a wider audience and thus a larger group of interested buyers. People are usually very friendly on this site and will allow you to haggle over the price of a piece, there is also a buy instantly option, but messaging the seller as a courtesy would be advisable.

One miss Flanagan, an avid Depop user and very successful seller suggests for anyone looking to earn some extra cash on Depop to take good, well-lit pictures to show off the clothes and never underestimate the power of your key words. Other words of wisdom would be to set a reasonable price, and pictures of the clothes being worn heightens the chance of the product being bought and ensures you a good rating.

Depop is a great tool to Students who wish to make some under the table cash and help someone else find a great outfit for a night on the town. So why not make your own account and set up your online store today, and who knows, you may even find yourself a bargain.

Book review: Sally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You

By Melissa Anderson Fans of Sally Rooney had a long wait after Normal People for a new novel, until 2021 provided the goods. Beautiful World, Where Are You was published last month and did not disappoint.

The book follows Alice, an acclaimed novelist struggling with her mental health and her best friend Eileen, who works for a literary magazine and is trying to overcome her latest heartbreak.

In true Rooney style, the story is divided between the protagonists. The narrative is spliced with email correspondence as this is how the women keep in touch with each other.

If you have read Rooney before, you will know not to expect a fast-paced plot-driven story. Instead, she sheds a light on modern Ireland and the hardships and triumphs that come with it.

Alice is introduced following the success of her latest book.

Having just suffered a nervous breakdown, she has moved back to Ireland from New York to live in the countryside. Here, she meets Felix, a warehouse operative and it is through their relationship that Alice’s insecurities come to light.

What is intriguing is the similarities that can be drawn between the character of Alice and the author herself. Throughout the novel, Alice comments on the shortcomings of fame and how it was never her intention to become famous. She questions why it’s so important to synonymise an author with their work. It’s hard to imagine Sally Rooney’s reaction to her own success as much different to Alice’s.

Eileen’s character develops a little slower, as she recovers from cyber-stalking her ex and allows herself to fall in love with Simon,

an older Catholic man she has known since she was a teenager.

Eileen is a more realistic character, in my opinion, as she constantly battles with money anxieties and family troubles. She has a complicated relationship with her parents and her sister, Lola.

The climax comes when the four characters get together for a weekend at Alice’s house. Here, the true complexities of the women’s friendship are tested, while they blame each other for not being present enough in their friendship.

Critics of Rooney’s cite the emails in this novel as a nuisance.

They are long-winded and allow the characters to indulge in commentaries on the Bronze Age, the collapse of human civilisation and how lives of easy consumption are made possible by the misery of millions. In my opinion, while these conversations are thought-provoking and informative, they can come across as condescending to the reader as like in all of her work, the protagonists are privileged white millennials.

However, there are many merits to this novel. It is culturally relevant as it is based in the backdrop of the Brexit/Trump era and contains an undercurrent of politics. Although the women are privileged characters, they are realistic as they fumble their way through their love lives and the complicated power dynamics in their relationships. They analyse and condemn the beauty industry and as usual in Rooney’s novels, they have communication issues.

A unique selling-point of the authors work is the way that the men are written – through the female gaze in a contemporary, authentic way. My favourite aspect of Rooney’s writing is the way she sets up scenes as if she is writing a play. A lot of the time she will describe a room in detail before or after a character enters/exits. I would recommend this novel if you’re looking for a fun romance read.

22

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Health Spot: Sexual Health Myth Busting getting STI screening even if it is just routine with no concerns or no symptoms or if they had any STI symptoms.

By Ewelina Szybinska

Health & Lifestyle Editor Welcome to the health spot. For today’s issue I was joined by Irene McHugh, Nurse from The Student Health Unit at NUI Galway to address sexual health myths. There can be quite a bit of misunderstandings and we hope to clear up some common misconceptions.

I am on the pill so I cannot get an STI

This is a myth. The pill will only help prevent pregnancy if taken correctly, it has no protection against any STI’s.

Using two condoms for extra protection

No, the best way to help prevent STI’s and pregnancy is to use one condom and to use it correctly.

You cannot get STIs if you do not have penetrative sex

That is incorrect because you can obtain certain sexual infections from skin-to-skin contact. These might include herpes, HSV that both males or females can contract. HPV also, which can lead to genital warts also from skin-to-skin contact. And you have also other skin infections like scabies.

There are no treatments for STI’s

That is not true. There are treatments for all STI’s, that be antibiotics or treatment in the hospital. It could be creams or medication. If anyone is ever in doubt, we always recommend

Withdrawal method protects from pregnancy and STI’s

This is false, some may use this method, but it must be done correctly. It is not an effective form of contraception because sometimes the male may have pre-ejaculate which can contain sperm so we would not recommend it. We would not advocate the withdrawal method.

Does the morning after pill have dangerous consequences?

No, the main thing people are told is that it may not always work. It is not to be used as a regular form of contraception.

Some people might call it ‘plan b.’ It is important that you get it straight away after unprotected sex or maybe a missed pill. You can obtain it from a pharmacist or your GP. It is free of charge with a medical card in the pharmacy also. You can get one for up to 5 days post unprotected sex. It will only protect you from what has already happened.

Taking the pill causes weight gain

I suppose with any contraception there might be the risk of side effects. Sometimes girls may be concerned about weight gain, but I do not think that you should avoid going on it if you do need regular contraception. The doctors are always very good, you can talk and discuss this. It is trial and error, it might suit your friend, but it might not suit you. If you find yourself gaining weight with it, get back to us and we can try another pill or other form of contraception

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Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

25

My go-to quick and nutritional breakfast ideas

By Isabel Filby I only recently have started getting back into the habit of eating breakfast. I always used to when I was younger and somehow when I turned 18 and moved out, I just stopped. I’m not sure why that was. I think I just got too lazy and couldn’t be bothered.

I still don’t tend to have much of an appetite early, so breakfast sometimes slips a little into brunching times, but I try to eat a little something anyways.

There are so many easy breakfast ideas out there, so today I wanted to just compile some of my personal go-to’s for you.

Avocado on Toast: This is my favourite for when I want to eat properly but don’t have hours to kill. I just take whatever bread I have at the moment, or bagels or anything bread-y and toast it for a few minutes (or as my flatmate says ‘warm it’ as I like my bread as untoasted as possible.)

While that is doing its thing, I cut up an Avocado into little cubes, pop it into a bowl, add a teaspoon of lime juice, some seasonings (salt, pepper, paprika) and mash it all up with a fork until it reaches the desired consistency. Then I just take the bread and evenly pack it on the avocado mixture, add a bit more pepper and some raspberry powder and you’re good to go. Really it doesn’t take long and will likely keep you full and give you lots of energy.

‘Healthy’ pancakes: This tends to take a bit longer, depending on how much you make, but it’s still super easy. All you need is an egg, a banana and about two tablespoons of flour. Pop all of these into a blender and mix until fully combined.

The consistency should be just past runny, but not gloopy.

Then cover the mixture and leave for 10 minutes while you preheat the pan so it can thicken up a bit more. Add a little bit of butter to the pan and then just make pancakes as normal.

If you feel fancy you can add some blueberries or apples, but they’re super yummy just on their own and you’d never guess that they’re free of added sugar and dairy.

Home-made Granola: Sometimes you just want a good bowl of cereal. I love making my own granola, so I can decide the ingredients, know exactly what is in it, and can also control the texture and make it as crunchy or chewy as I want. This does take a bit of time, but you can do it in bulk and then just store it for the next week. All you need is a banana, cocoa powder, agave syrup, puffed quinoa and some oats (any size works.)

Start by mashing up your banana and add it into a pan or a pot. Then, add 40g of agave syrup and heat on medium heat

until combined. Next, add your cocoa powder (or if you don’t want chocolate cereal just leave it out) and mix again. Once it’s mainly smooth, take it off the heat, add a dash of salt and then the oats and quinoa.

Fold it all in until everything is properly combined, and it looks like the texture you want. Then spread it onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 min at 180 degrees.

After 10 min take it out, turn it over and bake for further 5 minutes. Let it cool and break it into clusters. And now you have a super yummy, super easy home-made granola that you can just have with a bit of yoghurt (or whatever you want) and it requires zero prep for the rest of the week.

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26

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

It’s the most financially stressful time of the year BUDGET TIPS

By Rachel Garvey The mere mention of Christmas is enough to bring stress into our lives. The thought of trying to save up for Christmas presents for our friends and family, buying Christmas decorations, even the luxury to try and treat ourselves this year. However, as much as we love to spoil those close to us, we do still need to take into consideration that our money doesn’t grow on trees and that buying expensive gifts isn’t always the way to one’s happiness or one’s heart.

Christmas has always been viewed as a time for giving and we need to remember that it’s the thought that counts. Budgeting is a great way to prepare yourself for the Christmas season and that list of presents that is currently pending; waiting to be purchased. It’s time to get out your pen and paper and make a small list of who you need to get presents for.

You don’t need to buy a Christmas present for every single person you know, stick to those you are closest to. For example, your parents, grandparents, siblings, or closest friends. The power is in your hands with whom you want to treat this

Christmas, just take care that you don’t over-do it and that your list isn’t as long as Santa’s naughty and nice list.

Here are some small ideas to give you some inspiration about what you can buy this Christmas and the best part is it’ll fit perfectly into your budget!

Cold footies

cup of tea or coffee in the mornings when we wake up and several times throughout the day, but in the wintertime, the number of times we consume warm beverages can increase dramatically. There is no better feeling than wrapping your cold hands around a beautiful Christmas mug that is swirling with your tea, coffee, or a lovely hot chocolate. One can never have enough mugs for their home, but during Christmas time, the mugs come with an added bonus; they come packed with mug jumpers or sachets of hot chocolate, marshmallows and little chocolates. I think it’d be smart to add this to your list right now.

We need to embrace it; who does not love a nice cosy pair of socks? This is a rather controversial present idea because people tend to think “Socks? As a Christmas present?

That’s a little sad”. Sad is the wrong definition in my eyes and in times of uncertainty, we should learn to be grateful for the little things. Take a step back and look at the Your own creation bigger picture; it’s wintertime and we need All it takes is one decorative box or basto keep our bodies warm when we’re out ket, some Christmas themed ribbon and and about. Cosying up in our homes and a small list of what you’ll place into your wearing a pair of lovely winter socks will box/basket. Personally, this is an idea I only do wonders for our cold feet. All major used last year for one of my family memretailers stock out the loveliest selection of bers and I’ll tell you exactly what I put in! winter socks and if you look closely, you I took into consideration the things that can see the fluffy little fibres reaching out made them happy: to you, begging you to buy them. All they Cans of Monster, Hershey’s big chocowant to do is make someone’s feet happy. late bars, two Christmas teddy bears and a scented candle. However, you don’t have The perfect cuppa to follow that exact list, it’s all about what Retailers are swarming with snug little your family member or friend loves. Use Christmas mugs right now. We all love a this idea to get creative.

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

27

Living with anxiety: an interview with Ux designer Phoebe Crayk

By Charlotte Lavin Phoebe Crayk is a 30-year-old interactive learning designer from England. A few years ago, she moved abroad to France.

“I have suffered from mental health for over 10 years but within that time it has manifested in different ways alongside the labelling of different diagnoses,” she told me. She says that anxiety has been with her for a long time, even though she was originally misdiagnosed with depression twelve years ago, at 18.

“At the time, I went along with the diagnosis of depression, but it was a relief when at 30 years old the term anxiety was medically used for the first time,” she said.

She has been experiencing panic attacks for a long time but says “they are not like the ones you see in films.”

“My palms wouldn’t go sweaty; I never lost my breath. My heart rate wouldn’t rocket.

So, I did not think it was anxiety,” she said.

This is one of the reasons she never associated these attacks with a potential anxiety diagnosis before. However, she says that even though she has periods of depression, she never fitted with what she calls “the label.”

“Having a doctor tell me that perhaps I had anxiety made a lot of sense to me,” she added.

Crayk highlighted that for some people, an anxiety diagnosis can be daunting. In her case, it has helped her to understand some aspects of her personality, her actions, and reactions to things.

“Maybe the way you act has more to do with the disorder than it has to do with yourself,” she said. “Knowing that can be very useful,” she added.

Crayk’s anxiety often manifests itself through a movement of emotions and reactions. An intense set of emotions, starting with fear, that would lead to anger, that would then lead to a feeling of sadness.

“It is kind of a rotation for me, and I feel everything very intensely. It always starts with internal thoughts, fears, and a negative inner dialogue,” she said.

She explains that those anxiety attacks often begin with her thinking of a negative scenario. She would experience the thought of not being liked, not having friends, or not being good at her job. Not being good enough. This built-up fear would then appear in social situations. She would find proof that her negative thoughts are true.

Luckily, Crayk has learned a few helpful tricks along the way. The first one is therapy. It allowed her to understand how her mental health worked, and to implement coping mechanisms. Crayk adds that the key to therapy in her opinion is to find the right therapist for you.

Two other activities she finds helpful include going for walks and talking to people. She adds that at work, talking about her anxiety made things slightly easier for her, and deplores that the topic is still not always taken seriously.

“In recent years I think that the mental health of staff is more valued or understood but it is still somewhat taboo,” she said.

Dealing with anxiety has helped Phoebe to be thoughtful and compassionate. What can be said about her is that she managed to turn this challenge into a strength.

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

28

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Project pan: October beauty bag review Jeffree Star Conspiracy palette

By Anastasia Burton Welcome back to another beauty bag review. I know that seeing October is a little weird but, rather than updating you guys about my make-up every week I decided that it would be best to have one piece at the end of each month to really capture the change.

For those who have not seen my previous articles and have no clue what project panning is then let me explain.

Project panning is a challenge of sorts to help us use up our make-up and prevent spending too much on new make-up and forcing ourselves to get our money’s worth. I have been project panning for two years now as back in 2016 I used to be a make-up model for a local paper. We were sent a lot of make-up for free and a lot of it was either gifted or I bought some myself. Today I will share the empties, recycled and purged products of the last month and a bit.

Clinique high impact mascara – empty and replaced by Bad Gal Bang mascara

I really enjoyed this mascara but I was aware that it was drying up quite quickly. This was not the mascara’s fault but mine because I had received this as a gift about a Christmas or two ago and never touched it. Currently, I am enjoying the Bad Gal Bang mascara but I must say the wand is not my favourite. I find it chunky and difficult to manoeuvre. Although it does curl my lashes, it does not add as much volume and length as the Clinique mascara did for me.

Essence Million nude faces – 4 out of 10 shades used – recycled and replaced by

I loved this palette as it was travel friendly and very comfortable.

It had all the fall shades that one might need. However, my housemate was looking for make-up she could borrow from me for Halloween and that inspired me to go on a purge of decluttering.

She really liked the palette and since it was not in poor condition, I offered it to her and a few others. I replaced the palette with the JSC Conspiracy and once again do not come for me for having JCS products as I believe in separating the make-up from the creator. So far, I am in love with the JCS palette. I even used it for my entire face and body look for my Halloween costume.

Smashbox Ablaze palette – no pans yet, 6 eyeshadow shades and 2 highlighters

This palette is not bad but I must say I don’t think it is very usable.

The highlight shade is too dark for me. There is only one base colour while the rests are shimmers and dark tones. I think I will recycle this palette and offer it to my sister or aunt.

Catrice liquid Camouflage – empty – replaced

by Chanel Correcteur Perfection Concealer

I was so sad when I used up the Catrice Liquid Camouflage as it was honestly amazing, a little drying, but amazing coverage.

As I am on a low buy, I need to use up all the previously bought concealers and one of those was the Chanel. This is probably the most expensive concealer I own. It is exceptionally light in application and is particularly good at covering unpleasant dark circles.

Wet n Wild photo focus foundation – 2/3 used, alongside the Rituals Miricle lightweight foundation

I am using this foundation with a combination of the Rituals foundation as the Wet n Wild is very drying and settles into fine lines. The ritual formula is a little darker than my skin tone and is very dewy which helps them mix quite well and create a semi-matte warm pale tone.

Catrice 3D brow – both shades

I am happy with this affordable eyebrow product. It has two shades which are perfect if you want a little ombre effect or if you like mixing between light brows and dark. I do not think I will finish this soon as I am still digging on the surface.

Carter Beauty steadfast liquid liner pen – still miles to go

Yes, still using this one and guess what? I bought a back-up in Galway because they were on sale for one euro each. I could not pass this opportunity up.

Revolution Tropical Quench Essence Spray – Halfway there

I have had this spray for a year but I am not going to bin it just yet. I do not use the spray as often as most probably would but I am happy with the hydration this spray provides for the make-up.

The Ordinary – High Adherence Silicone Primer – newbie

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I have really needed a primer as my skin is a textural disaster (taking care of that) and The Ordinary products work very well for me and my skin so it was an easy choice to make. So far I am delighted with how it performs. My skin looks smooth like a baby when I apply my make-up and that is all I wanted as texture freaks me out.

That is all for the month of October! Looking forward to what November will bring!

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

29

Skincare Review 101: Benefits of vitamin C

By Ewelina Szybinska The powerful antioxidant vitamin C or scientifically, ascorbic acid, holds multiple benefits for general good health. One of those benefits is the promotion of healthy skin.

Eating foods rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruits is important, however it is unlikely that the nutrient will reach your skin directly. Many of us dream of glowing, plump and hydrated skin.

There are many vitamin C skincare products that help with pigmentation and skin inflammation, brighten complexion and stimulate collagen which aids skin elasticity and hydration. Not to mention it has anti-aging properties!

I have found a few products that will help you step up your skincare game. Allow me to introduce you to a list of products that your skin will be forever grateful for.

When it comes to vitamin C serums, keep in mind the high concentration levels. It is recommended to follow up with a moisturiser. The prices range and most are on the more expensive side.

Bliss Bright Idea Vitamin C Face Serum (30ml) brightens and diminishes dark spots without irritating the skin. This serum layers well with both moisturiser and makeup. Whenever my eyes catch the word non-comedogenic on a product, I instantly rank it above others. Non-comedogenic products will not clog your pores when applied, as a result preventing future breakouts.

It is important to add that the serum is vegan and cruelty-free.

Holland & Barrett Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Serum (30ml) will not break the bank. Why not hit the reset button and treat your skin to vitamin C with hyaluronic acid added? The extra moisture will benefit the skin’s natural glow while it reduces the appearance of fine lines.

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Revolution Skincare Vitamin C Eye Cream (15ml) could save your undereyes! If you’ve been caught up with work lately, losing out on valuable sleep, treat your dark circles with this brightening eye cream. Allow the hyaluronic acid, avocado oil and squalene to hydrate while niacinamide can visibly even your skin tone.

Do Vitamin C face masks really work? I decided to see if I noticed any difference within a month. I chose the Garnier Fresh-Mix Brightening Face Sheet Mask with Vitamin C for Dull Uneven Skin (33g) because I liked the idea of mixing the dry algae tissue with the fresh mix of vitamin C acid. Three applications a week are advised to notice the skin become more radiant. Honestly, I did not want to spend so much on facemasks and continued using the mask twice a week. After using the mask for a month, I can confidently say that any dark spots started to fade. It can be an expensive process and thus I would recommend treating your skin when it needs that extra boost!

The list could not end without a good moisturiser. The Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Skin Defence Daily Moisturiser (75ml) aids with retexturising skin appearance and providing a smooth base for your makeup application. This range is suitable for all as it aims to give results of healthy, youthful-looking skin. It is advised to use it every morning in upward movements. Take notice that the best results occur after a minimum of three weeks’ daily use.

There are so many products out there on the market. Ensure to shop around, read trusted reviews, and do patch tests before purchasing.

Cainte

30

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Agallamh le Síomha Ní Ruairc Inniu tá an laoch seo liom - Síomha Ní Ruairc!

Is láithreoir teilifíse í Síomha a chuireann ‘Réalta agus Gaolta’ i láthair gach seachtain ar TG4, agus fosta tá sí ag obair le Conradh na Gaeilge mar Chomho rda i t he o i r Ó ige.

Labhair Síomha liom faoin mhodh coinníollach, sraith The Wire agus tallann cheilte aisteach s’aici…

Déan cur síos ort féin i 5 fhocal.

Cairdiúil, muiníneach, fiosrach, maiteach, ceanndána

Céad phost a bhí agat?

Cluasa a pholladh i Claire’s Accessories.

Yuck!!

An bhfuil tallann cheilte agat?

Is féidir liom mo dhorn a chuir i mo bhéal

Cad é a thugann sásamh duit?

Aclaíocht agus glantachas. Agus codladh!

Trí rud riachtanach dom.

An bhfuil tú ag amharc ar shraith ar bith faoi láthair?

The Wire – deir gach duine gurb é ceann de na sraitheanna is fearr riamh agus aontaím leo!

Céad cheolchoirm ar fhreastal tú uirthi?

Six.. An banna a bhí an bua acu ar Popstars Ireland fadó fadó...

Cad é a chuireann eagla ort?

Neart! Táim théis éirí an-neirbhíseach le cúpla bliain. Bád an rud is mó a chuir eagla orm le déanaí...

Cuimhne is sásta atá agat ó d’óige?

Gach aon Nollaig le mo chlann. Bhíodar speisialta!

Cad é a cheannófá dá mbuafá an crannchur náisiúnta?

Pas gan an modh choinníollach a úsáid riamh arís. Ag magadh!! Cheannóinn teach mór i mBaile Átha Cliath.

Cad é a chiallaíonn ‘rath’ duit?

Ag dul a chodladh istoíche is ag éirí ar maidin gan a bheith buartha faoi do chuid béiltí agus d’áit cónaithe.

Agus… cén focal Gaeilge is fearr leat?

Cuisle

Ón Bhfeirm go Forc Le Róisín Ní Chiaráim

Bosca Foclóra

Le hÁine Ní Dhonnaile Véigeanáir – Veganuary Leithscéalta – excuses Aiste bia – diet Ciontach – guilty Fuinnimh – energy Damh – ox Oidis – recipe Bailíonn brobh beart – every little helps

iarraidh foirfeacht, ach go leor daoine ag déanamh iarracht go neamh-foirfeacht.

“Cinnte, leanfaidh mé ar aghaidh le Nílim ag rá gurbh is é sin an réiteach atá cuid den aiste bia veigeán a thriail mé ar ár gcuid fadbhanna go léir maidir le do mhí Eanáir. Is dócha go n-íosfaidh cúrsaí timpeallachta ach tá orainn tosnú mé iasc agus seacláid arís ach b’fhearr in áit éigin. liom tofu a ithe in áit sicín. Stopfaidh Ní bréag a rá gur údar lag mhisnigh mé ag ithe cáise agus bainne gan stró, is an fonn a bhíonn orainn a bheith foirfe fearr liom cáis veigeánach agus is brea i gcónaí. Fiú mé féin, mothaím ciontach liom bainne coirce.” Sin a dúirt Andraya agus mé ag úsaid buideál plaisteach nó Tighe, blagalaí agus griangrafadóir, nuair a cheannaím rud éigin ó Penneys. nuair a d’fhiafraigh mé di an mbeadh Tá an dearcadh ann go bhfuil an milleán sí ag leanúint ar aghaidh leis a aiste agus an fhreagracht go léir ar an duine bia veigéan tar éis ‘Véigeanáir’. Cé nach aonair, is dearcadh bréagach é seo atá gcreideann sí go mbeidh sí ag coinneál cruthaithe chun le dul i gcion ar ghnáthleis go hiomlán, rinne Andraya an pointe dhaoine. Ba cheart fáil réidh leis an go raibh sí ag iarraidh an réimse bia seo gciontacht seo, níl sé ag cabhrú le duine a leanúint chomh fada is féidir leí. Sin ar bith nó ar ndóigh lenár bplainéad. an meon a chaithfear a thabhairt isteach Ní hamháin go bhfuil tú ag cabhrú leis do dhaoine. Is beag rud nach gcuidíonn an timpeallacht nuair a leanann tú aiste le cúrsaí timpeallachta. bia veigeán ach tá go leor buntáistí eile Níl aon deireadh leis an gcaint faoi sláinte ag baint leis. Nuair a chuir mé tábhachtach an réimse bia veigeán sa ceist ar Andraya faoi, luaigh sí go raibh lá atá inniu ann ach céard is cúis leis níos mó fuinnimh aici. Chomh maith an dochar atá á dhéanamh don timpe- leis sin tá nasc idir aiste bia veigeán le allacht ar an gcéad dul síos? Bhuel, tá colaistéaróil, brú fola níos ísle agus baol droch-tionchar ag baint leis an méid níos lú galar croí. Is náireach an rud é uisce agus grán a úsáidtear chomh go gceaptar go bhfuil sé míshláintiúil maith le cúrsaí iompar agus an turas ón a bheith mar veigeán. Tá sé éasca an bhfeirm go dtí an forc. cothú ceart a fháil ach, caithfidh tú Ba chóir dúinn stop a chur leis an a bheith ciallmhar faoi áfach. Caithmeon seo go gcaithfear a bheith mar fear stop a chur leis an meon atá ann veigeán iomlán chun difríocht a dhéan- go gcaithfear feoil a bheith agat chun amh don timpeallacht. Tá go leor taithí próitéin a fháil agus a bheith láidir. Mar agam ar an ábhar seo agus na leithscéalta a dúirt Giusseppe Carusa, ithfear feoil ar fad atá ag daoine faoi. Conas gur féidir agus smaoinítear go mbeifear chomh leat réimse bia veigeán a leanúint? Nach láidir le damh ach déantar dearmad go airím uait feol agus déirí? Cá bhfaig- n-itheann an damh féar. heann tú do chuid próitéin? Sin na Ba cheart do gach duine diat veigeán ceisteanna a cuirtear i gcónaí maidir le a leanúint den chuid is mó.. Is cuma diat veigeán, ach mar a dúirt Andraya; “tá faoin uair a d’ith tú an rolla sicín nó an sé éasca den chuid is mó, tá gach duine creathán bainne sin. Ní chaithfidh tú difriúil ach an t-aon rud go raibh mé ag a bheith foirfe ar chor ar bith, is iomaí iarraidh i ndáiríre ná iasc. Creidim go athrú is féidir leat a dhéanamh gan mbraitheann sé ar an meon atá agat faoi stró. Cén fáth nach dtosaíonn tú anois agus an cúis go bhfuil tú ag déanamh é”. chun difríocht a dhéanamh. Thosaigh Tá sé ráite ag Andraya go mbeidh sí Andraya do Veigeanáir agus anois tá sí ag ag athrú go leor rudaí in a chuid aiste coinneál leis in áiteanna agus ag roinnt bia, dúirt sí go mbeidh sí ag déanamh oidis veigeán lena cuid leantóirí go a dhícheall ach ní bheidh sí ‘ro-dian’ minic. Ba cheart deireadh a chur leis an uirthi fhéin. Creidim go diongbháilte smaoineamh nach mbeidh tú in ann é a go bhfuil freagracht orainn athraithe dhéanamh go hiomlán agus mar sin nach a dhéanamh inár saol. Níl éinne ag ndéanfaidh tú tada. Bailíonn brobh beart.

MATURE STUDENTS

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32

Sport · Spóirt

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Who will replace Johnny Sexton?

By Michael Bolton As Ireland are set to begin their November series, it is yet another campaign where Johnny Sexton is arguably head and shoulders above the rest of the flyhalves in Ireland. With Sexton set to win his 100th cap against Japan on Saturday, I cannot see many more chapters left of a wonderful career.

Arguably Ireland’s greatest 10, he is not getting any younger and his longterm replacement is yet to be identified.

While it is encouraging to see Sexton healthy and in form at 36 years old, it remains unclear who will take over the throne at ten in the future, with the current back up to Sexton also a major concern. Despite this,

some players will look to impress over the following weeks and months to show there is life after Sexton.

Joey Carbery

Carbery burst on to the scene with Leinster and Ireland in 2016, with many fans and pundits viewing him as the future of Irish rugby. After two impressive seasons with Leinster, at which he shone at both ten and full back, it became clear to me that he is too talented to be Sexton’s back up. The IRFU stepped in to further his playing time with a move to Munster in 2018.

While the beginning of his Munster career showed promise, injuries in 2019 have stalled his career. Had Carbery stayed fit, he would more than likely be my choice for the ten jersey. Carbery’s injury struggles began with a serious ankle injury against Italy in August 2019, with a number of further injuries and setbacks to follow for almost two years following the injury.

Since returning in March, Carbery has been unable to hit the

heights we all know he is capable of. I think that the main priority for Carbery will be to stay fit and play in a consistent run of games, something that has been beyond his reach in the last couple of years.

Critics have come for Carbery following his start to the season, with Ireland manager Andy Farrell calling for patience.

Jack Carty

In my opinion, Jack Carty must be questioning what else he has to do to get a look in with Ireland. Carty has started the season brilliantly, outperforming both Carbery and Ulster ten Billy Burns in back-to-back games, yet still left out of the squad.

Despite failings across the team in the defeat to Japan, I think much of the blame was put on Carty’s shoulders.

While he has let his performances do the talking, it doesn’t seem me that Andy Farrell values the Roscommon man at this moment.

Arguably, Carty is what Ireland needs right now. His ability to find space behind the defence with ball in hand has caused several teams, including Munster problems. His running game and ability to link up with the back line makes him one of the most exciting players to watch in the URC for me.

Harry Byrne

6 November 2021; Jonathan Sexton of Ireland during the Autumn Nations Series match between Ireland and Japan at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

A somewhat surprise given his lack of game time this season, I see Harry Byrne as the long-term young option for Ireland. The younger brother of teammate Ross, Harry’s inclusion has raised a few eyebrows, while also raising some questions.

I don’t think anyone can doubt the potential that Byrne has. His creativity and passing range brings others into the game and makes him a joy to watch. While his brother Ross has been a reliable replacement for Sexton with Leinster, I think his reliability has somewhat gone against him.

It shows how rugby is changing in the ten position. Harry Byrne’s playing style of really stretching defences with kicks in hand and eye for a try is similar to other talented ten’s his age worldwide, such as England’s Marcus Smith.

With a somewhat change in approach leading to the next World Cup announced, I will be interested to see if Byrne gets game time this November to establish international experience. Byrne will look to play in important European games for Leinster this season to show just how talented he is.

Sport · Spóirt

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

33

Sold out Aviva shows nation’s support for Kenny

By Darren Casserly

Sports Editor

The Ireland v Portugal World Cup qualifier, which at the time of writing this has still not taken place, was sold out within two hours of the tickets going on sale. That means that over 50 thousand tickets were sold. This is only the second game since 2018 in which the Aviva stadium was sold out for an Ireland game.

On the surface it may seem crazy as Ireland cannot qualify for the World Cup already and are going up against a team that I think they are almost certain to lose against. But it is about more than that, it is about the future, and I think it shows that the Irish supporters are behind Stephen Kenny in guiding this team into that future. A rocky first year at the helm for Stephen Kenny was improved by solid displays against Portugal and Serbia and then wins against Azerbaijan and Qatar helped this upward trajectory.

The squad acts as another reason for me to be hopeful for the future with more young talent in the squad now than ever before and the likes of Gavin Bazunu and Andrew Omobamidele would be

enough to excite any fans with their potential. Whether Ireland wins or not, it’s not the point for me and those who share similar views.

Of course, there are other ways at looking at this news, from a another’s point of view maybe it’s just a lot of Man United and Cristiano Ronaldo fans buying tickets to see him, and they could not care less about Ireland. It is clear to me that that whether it is for the right reasons or not people do want to watch Ireland and they support Kenny.

It is clear that there is more exiting and expansive football played by a side that is young and hungry for a manager who wants to be there for the long haul, and this is something I don’t think I could have said about any Irish side before this now. From my perspective, the future looks bright.

I think it shows that the Irish supporters are behind Stephen Kenny in guiding this team into that future. A rocky first year at the helm for Stephen Kenny was improved by solid displays against Portugal and Serbia and then wins against Azerbaijan and Qatar helped this upward trajectory.

”

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34

Sport · Spóirt

Vol. 23 #05 16 Nov. 2021

Homophobia in sport: an issue that should have been long solved

By Darren Casserly Recently, Adelaide united footballer Josh Carvallo became one of the first professional footballers to come out as gay, and this led me to ask myself this question; why is there such stigma around this topic 18 June 2021; A pride flag flying in so many sports? It is a question I feel inside the ground before the SSE should not need to be asked in this day Airtricity League Premier Division and age, but unfortunately I still see a match between Bohemians and huge amount of homophobia in sports, Drogheda United at Dalymount even in very progressive countries.

Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó I feel it is also interesting to note that Mídheach/Sportsfile while it is rarer in men’s football for players to disclose their sexuality publicly, it is not the case in women’s football where According to the study 78% of the people I personally see less stigma around it for surveyed believe that gay people are not them. Of course, disclosing your sexuality safe as a spectator at a sporting event. It publicly is never easy for anyone but it also noted that 73% of people believe that does almost seem like a taboo subject in gay people are not safe in youth team sports.

Men’s football.

These figures show that although it can It was, however, great to see the over- be argued that many famous footballers whelmingly positive response Josh Carvallo themselves embrace the diverse spectrum received on social media after his announce- of sexual orientation, gender identity and ment. It does seem that on the surface many sexuality, the mood at the grassroots level in the football community are very accept- may show that there still is a major probing and it shows that there is a different view lem. The survey notes that the number of this topic in modern football. one solution to help gay teammates is to But, the statistics done by OutSport, one be an ally. It is an issue that clearly should of the first international research projects have been an issue that was resolved a done on homophobia and transphobia long time ago, but it is a problem that in sport make for concerning reading. needs to be solved.

“According to the study, 78% of the people surveyed believe that gay people are not safe as a spectator at a sporting event, while 73% of people believe that gay people are not safe in youth team sports.

Galway United season review: a year to build on

By Darren Casserly

”

and like all lotteries you’re probably not and bring in a couple players to sure going to win. up suspect areas I think this is a team It was a year of expectations for the A 0–0 draw in the first leg in Bray that would be hot favourites to win the tribesmen, with manager Sean Cau- set up a very interesting second leg at division next season. field having an off-season to build on home. It was a sold-out Eamon Deacy The young players coming through the squad that lost in last year’s first Park in front of over 3,700 fans where is another reason the United fans can division playoffs, expectations were their season ended in a 1- 0 defeat. As I look forward to next year. The likes of understandably high. Caufield had reflect on the season as a whole it was Wilson Waweru emerging as one of the shown me that he knew how to organ- disappointing, but not without benefit. team’s focal points up front and 17-yearize this United side and get results. I Finishing second shows that this team old defender Alex Murphy already also think that the investment from is capable of winning it next year and playing like an experienced player are the Comer group was clearly increased after a rocky start where Caufield was two players that will no doubt improve when looking at the signings they made figuring out his best team a formation and become more important figures in during the transfer window. and starting 11 was found that one 12 of the team next year.

A poor start derailed any chance of the last 17 games of the season.

The question of whether Sean CauGalway winning the league, but with Of course, given the teams budget field is the man to lead this team into the playoffs there is always a chance and resources it could be said that the future is still not clear and if United and in the first round they faced a Bray more was expected of them, but only have as poor of a start next year as they side they had beaten only a couple of one team is guaranteed to go up and did this year there might be fans calling weeks before. But the unfortunate real- the poor start cost this team. If Cau- for a change of manager and I wouldn’t ity of playoffs are that they are a lottery field is able to keep this team together personally blame them.

DISABILITY Rights Clinic Clinic um Chearta Míchumais

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2021 -2022

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Clodagh McGivern

Róisín Nic Lochlainn

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