SIN Vol. 23 Issue 09 by SIN Newspaper University of Galway

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Winner: Best Newspaper at the National Student Media Awards 2019

Student Independent News Nuachtán saor in aisce · Vol. 23 Issue 09 · 22 Feb. 2022

NUI Galway students feel the impact of Leaving Cert grade inflation By Darragh Nolan and Caoimhe Killeen

Co-News Editors

Grade inflation is set to remain a major aspect in the running of Covid-impacted Leaving Cert exams despite the concerns of students and third-level institutions. Predictive and accredited grades were introduced amidst the pandemic but led to students achieving significantly higher CAO points and caused the points required for many courses to rise to alltime highs. Education Minister Norma Foley has confirmed that this year’s exams would go ahead traditionally with more choice and fewer questions for students. Though predictive grades and hybrid Leaving Certs are no longer on the agenda Minister Foley also stated this year’s points would be “no lower” than 2021’s record levels. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has also said all students in the 2022 class may have their marks raised if needs be though they won’t be lowered under any circumstances. It looks set to be a third year running for grade inflation despite the challenges it has presented for prospective university students. Dublin-native Ana Lynch was part of the Leaving Cert class of 2021. When applying for BA Government here in NUI Education Minister Norma Foley proposed “locking in” the 2021 increases to ensure the 2022 class weren’t at a disadvantage this time around.

Galway, inflated grades meant that the Ella Ní Cheallaigh points went up by 44 from 407 to 455. “I know a lot of people who got messed over by points by putting high courses of over 540 points and were left with their sixth or lower choice courses” explained Lynch. While Ana was lucky to have applied through the DARE scheme which offers reduced points to eligible students, grade inflation still impacted her points. “I think we [the class of 2021] were so lucky with the exam changes, but I know people in a much less privileged position such as bigger schools were super worried and basically just not having any support at all. “When grades came out, I think there was a lot of shock and definitely more people going for round 2 or 3 offers,” she finished. Nessa O’Connor from Galway sat her Leaving Cert in 2020 but then reapplied through the CAO for a different course in 2021 meaning she experienced the effects of grade inflation twice over. She applied for Global Commerce in NUI Galway in 2020 and due to the points jump, she barely got the course. “I realised during the year that commerce was not a course that suited me, something I didn’t get to figure out early enough to switch in 2020 because being online meant I couldn’t tell whether it was the course or lockdown that was causing unhappiness” explained O’Connor on her decision to switch. When reapplying, Psychology and General Science at NUI Galway were her first offered by NUI Galway as of the current and second choices. “The point inflation this academic year. year really hit because even though I was “I’m a bit unusual in that my grades over by 9 points for Psychology in 2020 it deflated,” explains Ní Cheallaigh. went up by 41 to 564 in 2021, and I suddenly “I went down one grade band in 6 of my found there was no chance of me getting in.” 7 subjects and my points went down from General Science in NUI Galway was now 570 to 460. It was quite stressful because at 555 which O’Connor stated was “just I was afraid that I would miss out on my insane in terms of points. It’s a course that first choice,” she added. is often treated as a backdoor into higher “I felt robbed because I’d worked so point qualifications, so being almost 500 hard and lost out on over 110 points just points is ridiculous.” because of, what I see, as a bell curve.” For Ella Ní Cheallaigh, a second-year Though inflated grades have been a sigEnglish and Media Studies student also nificant obstacle for many, the Education in NUI Galway, it was deflated grades that Minister proposed “locking in” the 2021 almost impacted her entry into college. increases to ensure the 2022 class weren’t English and Media Studies is no longer at a disadvantage this time around.

“I went down one grade band in six of my seven subjects and my points went down from 570 to 460. I felt robbed because I’d worked so hard and lost out on over 110 points just because of, what I see, as a bell curve.

”

News · Nuacht

Editorial By Valerie McHugh

Editor

Welcome to issue 9 of SIN! Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this edition, it is fantastic to have so many new people onboard, and there are loads of great pieces for you to have a look at in this issue. Leading the paper, we have a piece by Darragh and Caoimhe on the impact Leaving Cert point inflation has had on some NUI Galway students. We’ve a Feature piece by Aiza Saeed Akhtar about the harsh realities that can come with growing up in an orphanage in some parts of the world. She has interviewed Director And Co-Founder of Child In Family Focus Peter K. Muthui about his experiences. In our Opinion section, Róise Nic Dhonnagáin has nostalgically recounted her childhood which she spent mostly speaking as gaeilge, and discusses what she feels the future holds for the language. In Arts and Fashion, we have a brand new editor! Saoirse Higgins is an innovative writer and editor and has now joined our sub-ed team for this year. The section is bursting with some fun pieces, leading with a piece about the Druid Theatre’s new partnership with NUI Galway. Ewelina is back with another jam-packed Health and Lifestyle section and in this issue, Charlotte Lavin shares some easy ways to incorporate more fruit into your diet. Plus, we have two travel blogs in this section from Milan and from Florida. In Cainte, our Oifeach Na Gaeilge Eímear Nig Oireachtaigh shares some information about the upcoming referendum and finally, in Sport, Shane Lynch gives his opinions and predictions for Galway United’s upcoming season. If this isn’t enough to keep you reading, keep an eye out over the next few weeks for our NUI Galway SU Election Special which will be released soon. As usual, we would love to have you on board if you are interested in contributing, and you can find us on our social media tags below or you can email me directly on editor.sin@gmail.com. Happy reading!

@NuigSin @sin_news Student I ndependent News, NUI Galway

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Notice Of Referendum Thursday 3 March 2022 Referendum On Vice President For The Irish Language

SU SAYS by Eímear Nig Oireachtaigh

Oifeach na Gaeilge

Irish and NUIG

Did you know that NUIG is the only bilingual university in the country? This fact alone has brought so many of us here to spend time around people who speak and care about Irish, just like we do. It’s something we should be proud of! The special connection that we have with Irish here in Galway is deep-rooted in the culture. Irish makes such a difference to everyone’s lives in Galway. It’s everywhere, and it’s permeation into society here is definitely something to be proud of. International students notice it, tourists notice it, and I even noticed it when I moved from Wicklow! We are also the only university to have three fabulous campuses in the Gaeltacht and offer entire semesters to immerse our students in Irish. The time that I spent in Ceathrú Rua was such an eyeopener to the parts of Irish traditional culture that I had missed. This is why the role of Irish Officer is such a huge role to take on. This is, essentially, a full-time job that is currently being done on a part-time basis. All you need to do is look at my officer report to see how much work is involved, and how wide the remit is. Irish is in every single aspect of university life, from the disability services to Campus Living, from a research masters student who wants to submit their thesis in their first language, to a first year that wants a ciorcal comhrá and to improve their cúpla focal. Can you imagine the disappointment when barriers are raised to such simple requests? Galway has so much to offer people that care about Irish. This attachment to Irish goes far beyond the university grounds. The entire city is vibrantly multicultural. Áras na nGael offers an amazing social space, where people can learn, practice, and embrace our national language. It’s truly normalised in a way that I just haven’t seen in other cities. We should celebrate that attachment by allowing the Irish Officer for the Union the time and space to do the best job they can. The best way to do this is to make the position full time. I have heard some pushback about the financials, and I can understand why people may be worried. The levy referendum, though controversial, allowed us to set aside a specific budget for Gaeilge in the Union. This full-time person’s salary would come from this budget and will not affect any other area of funding. The Irish language and culture can show us and teach us so much. As someone who isn’t a native speaker, it’s offered me a community and friendships that I never could have thought possible before I learned how to speak it. It’s given me the confidence to try and make a difference. What makes Irish so unique for me, is that it goes beyond a language. It’s our past, our present, and our future. But it can also be funny, and informal, and messy. It’s just a language, but it’s also so much more than that. Vote yes on the 3rd of March to make a difference to Irish in NUIG.

An bhfuil rud é igin le rá agat? Cur litir chuig an Eagarthóir.

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

Find us online: www.sin.ie

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

News · Nuacht

INSIDE this issue... News

Galway businesses welcome anti food waste app Too Good To Go 5

Erasmus Diary: Don’t cry over split milk. Cry over empty milk cartons. 12

Becoming a social media minimalist: a Gen Z surviving without Instagram 17 An interview with crochet-clothes creator Sophie Ronan from ‘Things Sophie Makes’ 21

University launches new entrepreneurial scholarship 4 NUI Galway professor appointed to panel reviewing social care services in Northern Ireland 6 State survey on sexual harassment in higher education 9

Features Harsh realities of life in an orphanage We just want to be left alone Student Diaries Life in Limbo

10 11 13 15

Opinion The future of the Irish Language 16 Showing Respect and Care for Women with Epilepsy 18 Overcoming the flaws: Falling in love with Valentine’s Day 19

Arts & Fashion Druid Theatre partnership with NUI Galway 20 Bloody Brilliant — Carrie: the Musical GUMS Review 22 2022 Fashion Trends Prediction 23 A review of Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast 24 Galway Events Guide 25

Health & Lifestyle Healthy fruity breakfast ideas to start your mornings Milan blog: all you need to know 9 things to do when you have 5 minutes to yourself Beginners’ Gym Guide 5 healthy snacks that will get you through a busy day Travel Blog: America, Orlando, Florida Everyday can be Valentine’s Day —Rachel’s Gift Guide Make-Up Review: February

26 28 29 30 31 33 34 35

Cainte SU SAYS - An Ghaeilge agus OÉG

Sport Healthy fruity breakfast ideas to start your mornings 26

Agallamh Quickfire le Aodh Ó Coileáin 36

France defeat shows Ireland they have a way to go 39

Galway United Season Preview 38 NUI Galway Ladies Soccer team victorious over UCC 39

A huge thanks to our team!

Saoirse Higgins Arts & Fashion Editor

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

News · Nuacht

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

University launches new entrepreneurial scholarship By Darragh Nolan

Deputy Editor

“

NUI Galway have announced the launch of a new entrepreneurial scholarship for undergraduate students. The Séamus McDermott Entrepreneurial Scholarship, supported by the Liffey Trust, will run for an initial 10-year period. The scholarship will be worth €9,000 to successful applicants over the duration of their time studying at NUI Galway.

First year undergraduates are eligible to apply for the scholarship now and the inaugural recipients will be announced in March 2022 following a selection process.

It also aims to promote ideas of job creation, entrepreneurial development and education for life as first year undergrads wrap up the beginning of their third-level education. First year undergraduates are eligible to apply for the scholarship now and the inaugural recipients will be announced in March 2022 following a selection process. Prospective applicants must submit a statement of up to 1,000 words detailing their entrepreneurial efforts and how they have added financial, cultural, social or environmental value for others. Both successful and unsuccessful ventures can be outlined in the document and can include work done alone or alongside others. A number of applications will then be shortlisted at which point those who submitted them may be called for further interviews. NUI Galway President Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh was delighted to announce the university’s new collaboration with the Liffey Trust. “We welcome our new partnership with the Liffey Trust. A key strength of NUI Galway is our partnership with business, industry, government and civic society to nurture graduates that are civic, innovative and entrepreneurial. The scholarship will sow the seeds to further enhance and support our vision

for innovation, excellence and entrepreneurship in the region.” The man the scholarship has been named for, Galway-native Dr Séamus McDermott, has helped start 300 small businesses. He founded the Liffey Trust in 1984 in order to support entrepreneurship across Ireland. The Trust has helped over 200 enterprises create more than 800 jobs. The organisation offers mentorship and support for Irish entrepreneurs as well as facilities like office space. “We are delighted to broaden our scholarship portfolio to include the Séamus McDermott Entrepreneurial Scholarship,” Professor Michelle Millar, Dean of Students in NUI Galway, said. “Our campus is filled with creative and innovative minds that this scholarship can make a real difference to.” This represents the third scholarship of its kind named for Dr McDermott with NUI Galway joining Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin in benefitting from the Liffey Trust’s support. Further information for those interested in applying for the Séamus McDermott Entrepreneurial Scholarship can be found by getting into contact with IdeasLab via ideaslab@nuigalway.ie ideaslab@nuigalway.ie.

(Left to right), Professor Jonathan Levie, Personal Professor of Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, NUI Galway; Dr Séamus McDermott, Liffey Trust; Professor Michelle Millar, Dean of Students, NUI Galway; Natalie Walsh, Director of Entrepreneurial Development, NUI Galway; and Aidan Corless, Liffey Trust. Credit: Aengus McMahon.

ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

News · Nuacht

Galway businesses welcome anti food waste app Too Good To Go

By Erin Ní Ghacháin Food waste prevention app Too Good To Go has made its’ way to Galway, having first arrived in Ireland in October last year. Too Good To Go is a “social impact company driving a movement against food waste”. The app allows businesses, from cafes and restaurants to grocers and pubs, to advertise excess food (that would otherwise be thrown away) to consumers at a lower price. Consumers can download the Too Good To Go app and browse through their selection of businesses with unsold food – known on the app as surprise bags. These surprise bags are reserved for you through the app, with a quick payment (of usually less then €5) and an allotted time slot for your collection. Although you won’t know exactly what food you’ve bought until you have gotten it from the shop, that’s the surprise, each business on the app has a general description of the foods they sell.

Café Temple staff serving Too Good To Go food packages to customers

Two weeks after their Galway Launch, Too Good To Go have over 20 Galwegian businesses signed up. Brands include Café Temple, Marmalade Bakery, Mountain Road Kitchen, Mocha Beans, Caffe Nero and Pascals Café. A complete list can be found on the app or narrowed down to businesses within your corner of Galway. Too Good To Go has received positive press from the local community since its’ launch. On working with Too Good To Go, Café Temple of St Augustine Street said; “Every year tonnes of food that is perfectly edible is thrown away and anything we can do to counter this and reduce our impact on the planet must be done. Too Good To Go is a great platform as it allows you to connect with your customers and provide them with yummy food (that’s still perfect to eat) that would otherwise be wasted whilst still recovering costs.” The spokesperson for Café Temple added that: “As a social business we wanted to join Too Good To Go as the ethos just sits perfectly with our goals of sustainability and waste reduction.” Co-founder of Too Good To Go, Jamie Crummie has also commented on the app’s arrival in Galway, saying; “I’m thrilled to be launching Too Good To Go in Galway. We’ve already seen a huge appetite for fighting food waste since we arrived in Ireland in October last year and I’m excited to see how much of an impact Galwegians can have in the coming months and years. By doing something as simple as saving a Surprise Bag on their way home from work or on their way to meet friends, they’re doing their part in tackling climate change while getting some delicious food in the process - it’s a win-win.”

News · Nuacht

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

NUI Galway professor appointed to panel reviewing social care services in Northern Ireland by Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon A NUI Galway professor has been appointed to a special panel to review social care services in Northern Ireland. Professor Pat Dolan was appointed to the panel after an announcement made by the Northern Ireland Executive Health Minister Robin Swann MLA. The panel is expected to run for 16 months. The review will engage with parents, children, young people, and those working in and alongside children’s social care services. Professor Dolan will be on an Advisory Panel which will assist the lead reviewer Professor Ray Jones. Other members of the Advisory Panel include Her Honour Judge Patricia Smyth of the Northern Ireland County Court and former Director of Children’s Services, Marie Roulston, OBE. Young people, parent, and carers with personal experience of children’s social care services also have places on the panel. They are being independently recruited and supported by the Voice of Young People in Care and Children in Northern Ireland.

Professor Dolan is also the Director of the Institute for Lifecourse and Society and UNESCO Chair at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway. He said a key part of the review will be listening to the voices of those with direct personal experience of the system. “The creation of this panel enables an important gateway to hear the voice of the parents and young people with direct personal experience of social care services. “It is intended that the review will lead to action in terms of better outcomes for service users and the professionals who work with and for them - where families views are not just heard but acted on.” The panel will look at the support services for families in place in order to keep their children safe, the care of children away from their families and how the services are currently structured. It will also be tasked with looking at the support for staff and how it can be developed to provide the best services possible to those who need their help and support. The Children Order was introduced in

Professor Dolan, Director of the Institute for Lifecourse and Society and UNESCO Chair at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway. Credit: NUI Galway. Northern Ireland in 1995 and was designed to support and protect children to the highest extent possible. There are more children in care now than at any stage since the introduction of the Children Order and there has been a sharp increase since the start of the pandemic.

NUI Galway CÚRAM research to advance treatment of Crohn’s disease by Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon A team of researchers at NUI Galway have discovered a new approach to the treatment of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The study, published in Advanced Science, identified a groundbreaking therapeutic strategy for restoring the lining of the intestine of patients with the condition. The treatment could also help prevent further inflammation, which causes the disease to worsen over time. A healing gel for inflamed cells to significantly improve treatment of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Credit: Maciek Doczyk

The researchers at NUI Galway CÚRAM designed a hyaluronan (HA) enema. Professor Abhay Pandit, Director of CÚRAM said that the team strongly believed the system will “result in reduced inflammation and protection of the intestinal lining” by acting as a barrier-protecting system for the damaged colon barrier. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, or IBD, is characterised by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and effects over 3.2 million people in Europe. The research represents a significant leap forward from the standard treatments for colitis, which focus mainly on maintaining remissions levels, but do not address the root cause of the condition. Dr Niranjan Kotla conducted the principal research of the study at CÚRAM. The study was done in collaboration with Dr Venkatakrishna R Jala, from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, James Graham Brown Cancer Centre, University of Louisville, in the United States. Dr Yury Rochev, co-lead on the publication said: “This res earch

demonstrates the efficacy of a unique therapeutic strategy able to induce a positive effect on damaged colonic tissue. The reduction in inflammation will be of great benefit to patients and highlights the potential use of this treatment.” CÚRAM researchers also identified inflammation-specific targeted carriers for local drug delivery to IBD. The study, published in Biomaterials, looked at the challenging but potentially effective practice of delivering drugs directly to inflamed intestinal sites. The research team was also led by Professor Pandit and Dr Rochev in collaboration with Professor Larry Egan, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at NUI Galway. They developed strong anionic c har ge d i n f lam matio n tar gete d nanocarriers (IT-NCs) loaded with an immunosuppressant model drug. “Our results suggest that IT-NCs have promising therapeutic potential as delivery carriers’ in colitis management,” said Professor Pandit. This research was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 - the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

News · Nuacht

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C T E ION L E News · Nuacht

#NUIGSU2022 Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Full Time Officers ➥ President ➥ Vice President / Education Officer ➥ Vice President / Welfare and Equality Officer Nominations Open: 10:00 Wednesday 16th February 2022 Nominations Close: 17:00 Wednesday 23rd February 2022 Election Day: Thursday 3rd March 2022 @nuigsu

NUIGalwayStudentsUnion www.su.nuigalway.ie

www.nuigsuelections.com

News · Nuacht

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

NUI Galway professor leads state survey on sexual harassment in higher education 58% had experienced unwelcome attempts at being drawn into a discussion of sexual matters and 57% dealt with offensive By Caoimhe Killeen remarks about appearance, body, or sexual activities. News Co-editor 14% also admitted they had partaken in sexual acts while they were unable to give consent with 7% saying they were physically A NUI Galway staff member has led a state-published report forced to do so. into student and staff experiences into sexual harassment and 83% of staff members agreed that they would be willing to comviolence in higher education. plete training on disclosures while 81% said they would undertake Dr Pádraig MacNeela from the NUI Galway School of Psychol- bystander intervention awareness. ogy led the survey which was launched by Minister for Higher The number willing to take consent awareness training if it Education Simon Harris. were offered by their HEI was slightly lower at 76%. The survey was launched in April 2021 and was carried out A quarter of staff members that responded to questions about by the Higher Education Authority (HEA). sexual harassment, the most common complaint at 60% was The HEA sent the survey to higher education institutions (HEI’S) sexist hostility. across the country, receiving over 11,000 responses from around Low levels of sexual violence were reported by staff, but the 7,900 students and 3,516 staff members. most common form of unwanted sexual contact was being “The students and staff who took part in these surveys provided touched in a way that made them feel uncomfortable. insights on a wide range of topics, across sexual violence, harassment, Minister Harris thanked students and staff that took part and consent education and supporting others,” stated Dr MacNeela. said the survey provided guidance for improvements despite “Taken together, the findings described a varied picture of the severity of the findings. strengths and resources, negative experiences and gaps in knowledge. “The survey findings point to some positive developments in “Yet alongside these strengths there were gaps in knowledge the higher education institutions that can be built upon in areas about how to make complaints or access supports through their such as awareness raising and education. institution. We also identified a high level of sexual violence and “But there are also some deeply troubling findings, such as the harassment experienced by students. levels of sexual harassment experienced by staff and students “By taking part in these surveys, students and staff across the that responded to the survey and particularly the female students country have highlighted for us the priorities that should be that reported that they had experienced sexual violence,” he addressed to create a positive culture of respect, safety, and consent.” continued. While the findings found many students said that they felt safe “This is a society wide issue and must be urgently tackled. In from sexual violence and harassment at their accommodation and 2021, I asked all of the HEIs to publish action plans to tackle around campus, two-thirds of student stated they had experience sexual violence and harassment, aligned with the Framework of being treated differently because of gender with 63% stating it for Consent, and good progress is being made in implementing had happened more than once. these across the sector, but there is much more to do.” 54% of respondents said they had experienced examples of If you have been affected by any issues in this article, there are sexual harassment such as repeatedly being told offensive sexual supports available at www.womensaid.ie www.womensaid.ie, Samaritans helpline at stories or jokes. 116 123, and LGBT Ireland at 1890 929 539.

66% of students surveyed said they had experience of being treated differently because of gender 63% stated being treated differently because of gender had happened more than once. 54% of respondents said they had experienced examples of sexual harassment 58% had experienced unwelcome attempts at being drawn into a discussion of sexual matters 57% dealt with offensive remarks about appearance, body, or sexual activities. 14% admitted to having partaken in sexual acts while they were unable to give consent

70%

7% said they were physically forced to partake in sexual acts while unable to give consent

Features · Gné-altanna

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Harsh realities of life in an orphanage An interview with Director And Co-Founder of Child In Family Focus, Peter K. Muthui By Aiza Saeed Akhtar

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“Even at this facility, contact with my siblings was rare, because children of different Volunteering is considered to be a good ages housed different parts of the campus. thing to do, and volunteering in orphanages And the effect of this limited interaction around the world is something that many with my siblings is felt to date as there is people engage with. However, according to not a tight sibling bond between us,” he says. Lumos, an NGO charity founded by J.K RowlBeing one of the 30 children under the ing in 2005, 300 global research studies have care of two care workers who worked in shown the long term harm of children living shifts, Peter felt “lost in the crowd”. He in institutions. An estimation of 5.4 million lacked “their attention, their love, their children are living in institutions worldwide care and their guidance that (he) needed”. due to poverty, lack of access to health and “I vividly remember the admission proeducation services, and discrimination. cedures from being roughed up to join More than 80 per cent of children living in the queue for head shaved. To the Mickey orphanages have at least one living parent. Mouse t-shirt I was wearing on that day, A study by Lancet Child and Ado- getting torn and discarded as it was too lescence Health, an independent and dirty for the new orphanage,” he says. international weekly medical journal, Family placement was only given to showed that orphanages are harmful to abandoned children, not to those who children, leading to significant delays in have living family. physical growth and brain development, “Seeing my childhood friends getting causing social and emotional difficulties placed in foster care. That was in the evenand exposing children to neglect and abuse. tual adoption, left me wondering when Peter K. Muthui was one of these children my time would come. And every time placed in an orphanage in Kenya. He was six visitors and volunteers came to the home, weeks old when his mother died in a building in the orphanage in this case, I was on my best behaviour. Why? So that I could increase my chances of being loved and taken away to be part of a family,” he says.

which was struck by lightning and collapsed. One year later, he was orphaned alongside his five other siblings when his father died. Having no family member willing to take care of them, they were put, separately, in institutional care by the local Children’s Court. “My two elder brothers were placed in an institution for boys that are in conflict with the law. Nancy and Mercy, my two older sisters, were placed in a similar facility for girls. Joyce and I, being the youngest, ended up in an institution for children living with disabilities,” says Peter. Two years later, he was reunited with all of his siblings in a Children’s Home which became their home for the remaining of their childhood and teenage years.

According to Child in Family Focus Kenya: one in three become children leaving institutional care become homeless. One in five gain a criminal record. One in seven become involved in prostitution. Tragically, one in 10 die by suicide. “My eldest brother’s suicide in the year 2007, proved that many young people leaving institutional care, indeed, end up depressed and suicidal. And this sad outcome, as well as the dysfunctions many care leavers have to grapple with, goes to prove that,” he says. Peter eventually obtained a BA of Arts degree in Sociology and Communication from the University of Nairobi and a Diploma in Mass Communication from the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication. He has spent 15 years advocating for children rights and protection, and family based care for orphans and vulnerable children hen he was 17 years-old, a new admin- as a member of the board of Safe Families istrator at the orphanage engaged in a for Children and of Kenya Society of Care conversation with him. Leavers. He is also a founding partner and “What was unique about this conver- Director at Child in Family Focus Kenya. sation is that she listened to me and this And he is the father of a four-years old boy. was really rare for me, as it is the case “When on duty at the abandoned baby for many children and young people in unit, which happened mostly on weekends, care. We were so used to receiving orders as well as after school hours; it was commonand instructions and not being given an place to find babies banging their heads on opportunity to speak or to be heard.” their mattresses in their baby coats. In ret“And that conversation with Sheila from rospect, I now know why that was the case.” 24 years ago, was a turning point for me. “Taking care of the hardware is not She gave me an opportunity that many enough, but the software must be attended couldn’t get and called out the leader in too. When I speak of hardware, I mean, me. She tapped into potential that had availing clothes, food and shelter. When I been trapped for a good 16 years,” he says. speak of software, I refer to the longing for She helped him getting a job at a gas love attention, consistent caregiving, and station as a pump attendant, which “taught so on. Love, one on one care, attention, hav(him) life skills that have stuck to this very ing a sense of belonging, identity, having day”. After leaving institutional care, Peter trusted relationships and being part of a was bewildered and lonely. Becoming community are needed by all children. And independent, forming relationships and only a family can provide this,” says Peter. performing elementary tasks such as For more information on Child in Famcooking or budgeting were hard for him. ily Focus Kenya, you can visit at Child In “The majority leave care with poor educa- Family Focus. tional results as well as limited life and social For more information on “Put Children skills. Lack of socialisation makes it pretty First” campaign and their pledge, you can hard for many to get jobs as well as even hold visit at rb.gy/fysjha and rb.gy/dwc9qx rb.gy/dwc9qx. onto them if they do get them. Many are left Fo r m o re i n f o r m a t i o n ab o u t vulnerable at this stage and fall prey to abuses, research on the institutionalisation sex exploitation, crime, bad company, early of children worldwide, you can visit marriages, amongst other vices,” says Peter. www.wearelumos.org/. www.wearelumos.org/

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Features · Gné-altanna

We just want to be left alone Trigger warning: Discussions of gender based violence, sexual harassment and assault. By Rachel Garvey Women have been the main target lately in society, but we’re not asking to be singled out in such a sadistic way, writes Rachel Garvey who describes her own experiences of unwanted and threatening behaviour by a stranger. Recently, women have taken to social media to share their stories on gender-based violence, sexual assault and harassment stories; tales they’ve kept in the dark for too long, but they should be proud to tell such an awful story that shouldn’t have happened in the first place. Firstly, women just want to be left alone while walking home or walking to work or even if they’re out walking in general. Walking is something so simple and so ingrained into our daily routines since we were able to tiptoe, but why has it become so feared? It shouldn’t ever be feared, this is where we know that society and the people in it are letting us down; we should be made feel safe when we’re outside and inside too! It was July 2021 and Eyre Square was dotted with groups of people; some lazing on the grass, some walking through while others stood within a distance of me waiting for their bus. I remember the weather being quite nice so I kept my hoodie off and my attire consisted of blue jeans and a horizontal striped t-shirt; nothing too fancy. I sat up on the concrete tree-bed near the bus stops and slipped in my earphones. A male stranger who was intoxicated passed me by and I looked up and gave him a small smile; huge mistake. He stopped right in front of me and leaned against the concrete beside me and I voluntarily moved away. He tried to make small talk and people have told me that I’m way too nice for my own good so I answered his questions with very quiet one-worded answers. “Are you single?” he asked and I replied with a “yes”. Perhaps that was a bad idea, but I panicked in this situation and when I panic then I can’t lie to save my life. I shrugged and said “I’ll find someone eventually, there’s someone out there for everyone”, that line being my main phrase when someone asks about my relationship status. Things got out of hand then. He leaned closer and his words went: “I’m the only man for you, there’s no-one else out there for you, we’ll get married…you’ll come back to me, you’ll see” “Don’t you want our kids to call you Mommy and me Daddy because I really want that” My chest tightened with heart palpitations and I knew my anxiety was sky-rocketing, I couldn’t move and he only got closer. I could feel tears in my eyes. All of a sudden, a car veered across the two lanes on the main road coming up the small incline of road and stopped dead in front of me. The driver rolled down his window and asked “Are you okay, Miss?”. The stranger answered for me “Yeah, she’s fine”. The driver got defensive in an instant and said “Hey! I wasn’t talking to you….Miss, are you okay?”. I shook my head and replied, “No, I’m not okay”. The driver threatened to call the guards if the male stranger didn’t move on. That threat was enough to send him walking on to another location, but I felt terrified. I thanked the driver and he went on his way and as soon as he drove off, a female approached me. She was a student who was also waiting for the bus and she apologised for what happened. She told me that she had wanted to come over and help me, but that she felt too scared to interfere, but she waited with me until my bus came, making sure I got on safely. We don’t ask for people to approach us and tell us horrible things like that; a small smile is not an invitation, don’t pretend that it is. If someone is in need then don’t be afraid to step in and ask if they’re okay. In my situation, another stranger stepping in to help was the antidote. Leave us alone. Let us walk home in peace. Let us wait for our bus in peace. Let us feel safe. It’s not a lot to ask!

Long COVID – Help is at hand Most people who get COVID-19 get better very quickly. Some people continue to experience symptoms and even have other symptoms develop in the weeks and sometimes months following their infection. This is commonly referred to as “Long COVID”. Some of the more common long-COVID symptoms include a lasting cough, fatigue, aches and pains, brain fog, loss of taste, loss of sense of smell, and insomnia. Current treatments for Long-COVID currently focus on managing the symptoms and improving quality of life. One recommended treatment for Long-COVID is hyperbaric oxygenation. Users of hyperbaric oxygenation are reporting relief for a wide range of Long-COVID-19 symptoms. They are reporting better quality sleep, more energy, relief from pain, improved sense of smell and/or taste, and improved concentration after a series of sessions. Hyperbaric oxygenation is proven to help reduce inflammation, encourage new blood vessel growth and stem cell production. Hyperbaric oxygenation has been studied and used to help people with similar symptoms including chronic fatigue, lung issues, cognitive disorders, and aches and pains. Hyperbaric oxygenation at its core is about getting more oxygen into injured tissue. When injured, tissue needs even more oxygen which is why hyperbaric oxygenation can help many of these symptoms. Hyperbaric oxygenation centres in the UK, USA, Argentina, France, Sweden, Israel, and Germany have all been reporting positive results for individuals presenting with Long-COVID. The BBC has done reports on the potential benefits of a course of sessions for Long-COVID. Please see OxyGeneration.com for further information.

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Features · Gné-altanna

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Erasmus Diary: Don’t cry over split milk. Cry over empty milk cartons. By Róise Nic Dhonnagain Everyone says you should be open to new experiences during your Erasmus year, but finding myself crying because I’d run out of milk wasn’t the sort of new experience I saw coming. Let’s rewind; I had been making tea in the kitchen of my impossibly small apartment with the teabags I had brought over from home. The night before I left, I had filled a zip lock bag with Barry’s tea and tucked it away in my suitcase – a little piece of home to bring with me to France – only to be ambushed by the empty milk carton sitting in the fridge. I cried because at home there is always milk in the fridge. I cried because in France there’s no one to call to ask to pick up a litre of milk on the way home. My first few weeks of Erasmus felt like a holiday, and the reality of the fact that I was now living a two-hour flight away from Ireland never properly sunk in. It wasn’t until the first therapy session I had in France over Zoom when my therapist looked at me and said, “You really miss your mom, don’t you?” that the floodgates opened. I felt so far away from home at that moment that I may as well have been in Australia.

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When that homesickness finally did hit, I had no idea how to cope. Before my roommate moved in, I lived alone for a month. Every minute I spent in my apartment by myself was accompanied by a varied selection of podcasts, some vague conversation about current affairs or relationship advice always droning on in the background so that I could avoid the silence. I took other sensible precautions like avoiding my Phoebe Bridgers playlist as best I could and not looking at photos of my dog. There were times in those beginning months when the homesickness felt impenetrable, like it was a weight sitting on my chest that I couldn’t shift. This wasn’t helped by the fact that after three years together with my boyfriend we were now living in different countries. Before this, the furthest we had ever lived apart had been me in Spiddal and him in Galway city – a mere 30-minute bus ride away. I desperately googled articles on how to cure homesickness, how to make a long-distance relationship work, how to cope with the fact

At home there is always milk in the fridge... in France there’s no one to call to ask to pick up a litre of milk on the way home.

”

that I had moved to a new country without a single person that I knew from home. Slowly but surely, I began to settle in more, until one day I woke up and wondered how I had found it so hard in the first place. At the moment, homesickness can feel impossible to get through. If you’re struggling with this, I can give you all the typical advice I garnered from my obsessive googling when I first went through it – keep in touch with your family, soak up new experiences, put yourself out there. And it’s true, this all helps. But the thing that made the most difference me most was being patient with myself. Erasmus can be an isolating experience and it’s important to be kind to yourself throughout it. Once you make it through the rough patch, you’ll open yourself up to amazing opportunities – after a while, you mightn’t even think of home at all. And if all that doesn’t work for you, indulging in home comfort, like a cup of Barry’s tea, is sure to make you feel a bit less far away -just don’t forget to buy the milk.

https://nuig.stationerysuperstore.ie/

Features · Gné-altanna

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

First year diary By Caoimhe McCauley Hello, I hope everyone is doing well during this fine time of the year . I always think February is a disregarded period of time during the year due to the ongoing poor climate and wet weather. I suppose people forget that February is the bridge between winter and spring. Summer is calling my name and I don’t think I can wait any longer. No longer having to pay rent and buy your own groceries for three months sounds extraordinary. As first year students we are introduced to a whole new way of life. The introduction into being a functional adult in society. Bills, rent, and fees are all banging on our doors to be paid and we have to prioritise what our part time jobs fund. The habit of budgeting is one every student has got to become used to! It is necessary in an Irish city where inflation is at full force! The student life really opens your eyes to the value of each euro that you spend. I’m not

Final Year Diary By Niamh Connor Hello folks! Long time no see. I apologise for not writing anything for the last issue of SIN but I had the dreaded Covid and my ramblings were not fit for public consumption. A lot has changed since I last chatted to you all. I did my driving test, caught Covid and quit my job. It’s been a busy few weeks so let’s catch you up. If you recall the last time we were in contact, I was just about to do my driving test. Well you are now looking at a fully licensed driver. I managed to pass the test first time! I was completely sure I had failed it but my nanny had the candle lit so God was on my side. Along with becoming a licensed driver, I also caught the illness of the year, Covid-19,

complaining however. Studying a subject you have interest in while living in Galway is a blessing in itself. College can be a weird period of time in a young adults life. Living a life of independence in Galway during the week to then travel home at the weekend for our parents to wash our clothes and make food is weird for me. Even though many students love being self-reliant, I think deep down we all want to hold on to some elements of our childhood for as long as possible. I enjoy a Thursday night knowing I get to go home the following morning yet I’m rearing to go back to college on a Sunday night. I feel as though I am in limbo between two different lifestyles. I enjoy the change of scenery from the hustle and bustle of Galway to the quietness of home. It’s hard to decide which lifestyle to maintain after being a college student but we all have loads of time to figure that out! The one realisation I have come to is that college is a learning experience inside and outside of the campus. A real opportunity to invest in a future and build a life for yourself through education. There isn’t any teachers or tutors that are going to demand for the work provided, to be complete. The work produced in college all stems from personal responsibility. It’s fair to say that the learning

environment that surrounds college is one many first year students aren’t used to. It is quite difficult to adapt to independent learning and research. In second level education each piece of information is pin pointed while college gives students the resources and time evolve their own independent thinking. College is also a great time to find likeminded people and enjoy new experiences. Every day I am pushed out of my comfort zone in various ways but yet am growing at the same time. College is a bizarre blur that cannot be described. Everyone’s experience is unique in various ways, but I do believe it’s what you make of it! There are so many opportunities that the college offers that student’s should grab onto. The year has flown and now there is only a couple of weeks left in this semester. Where has first year went? I can’t keep track of the clock. Even though I am counting down the days until summer I am quite aware there are a few exams that have to be sat and a semester to pass before I start thinking about the summer months ! I know as soon as summer hits and I’m stuck at home working, I will be wishing to be back in Galway. I’m pretty sure lots of people think in the same way though, always wishing for what they can’t have! Thank you all for taking the time to read another first year diary. You will hear from me again soon!

the Omicron variant. Not a fantastic start to February but c’est la vie. I had to isolate by myself in my college bedroom for two whole days before any of my other housemates tested positive. In that time I managed to rewatch most of Jane the Virgin, start the new Disney+ series Pam and Tommy (would highly recommend, the prosthetics are amazing!) and even watch the new Disney animation Encanto. Considering I was sick as a dog and it was difficult to leave my bed to go to the bathroom without coughing a lung up, I’d say it was a productive couple of days. One thing that the isolation process made clear to me is that being alone is trash. It was so hard not being able to hug my boyfriend, or converse with my friends in person. It was quite a lonely process and I would hate to go through it again. That being said I only had to go through just over 48 hours’ worth of total isolation before my

boyfriend and our housemate Noel (the Marvel fan from a few issues back) tested positive. I dread to think how my mental health would have suffered if I had had to do the full seven days. On a brighter note, I have finally quit my part time job as a waitress to focus on college more and I couldn’t be more at peace with my decision. Juggling waitressing work and college work proved to be too big of a challenge for my brain and motivation levels. It feels almost like the end of an era, but with the pressures of final year assignments looming large over me I am completely comfortable with the decision and hope that this will help in reducing my stress levels. That’s all the news I have for you this week folks. Thank you for reading and I hope you all survive the midterm deadlines and RAG week with some form of sanity and liver function.

Features · Gné-altanna

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

GAISCE GRUAIGE Shave, Dye or Wax this March to raise funds for the SU Charities!

More information from / Tuilleadh eolais ar fail ó studentsunion@nuigalway.ie NUIGalwayStudentsUnion www.su.nuigalway.ie

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Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Features · Gné-altanna

Life in Limbo Student Diary

SIN SAYS

By Anastasia Burton

Hi SIN Says, With the pubs and clubs opening again, I am anxious about being in a social setting and drinking again. It has been so long since I have been on a night out and don’t know what to expect. I want to go out and socialise, but I fear for my safety. I also do not like the feeling of being tired and hungover. Do you have any advice? Thanks, Apprehensive Student

bowls of coffee, not cups. I take the legal amount of coffee and multiple These last two weeks have been amazing. it by four with each serving so maybe It’s surprising to see how a weekend trip it’s simply illegal to abuse coffee like can change your outlook and recharge that in Italy. your batteries. I have recently started Also you will not believe it! Now, I am my new job at Slack which have been a sustainable queen but I really needed a bought by Salesforce. I had an intensive warm long coat and I was out with a friend Bootcamp week which was a lot of fun doing a bit of shopping. I popped into Zara and some team in-person events that and found the perfect coat! It was on sale helped me get to know my co-workers too so it was originally 98.99 euro reduce and the company atmosphere. It’s so to 17.99. Hate me, or love me but you have bizarre to think I am a 20-year-old stu- to admit, that’s a win. dent working for one of the biggest tech As you probably have heard, Ukraine companies. I never thought I would be is currently declared as a country of high able to achieve so much and it makes caution due to the tensions with Russia. me incredibly proud after the hardships As a Ukrainian, I am terrified of what will I had to go through to get to where I am happen to my family and have planned a today. trip back home in March, so in an issue or A few weekends ago I went on a trip two, I will be able to share with you what to Milan thanks to the Ryanair sales it is like for Ukrainian citizens during this two-for-one. My partner and I had both time. never visited Milan before and it was I hate to change the subject so quickly exciting to travel Europe again. Milan but please understand it’s not a topic was such a great cultural experience. I want to think about for too long. So if We took the sightseeing bus and just you’re looking for something to watch and spun around and took in the history. district yourself please watch the Twitter The food was, of course, great, but the Swindler! It is shocking, I watched it on coffee was disappointing (I’m so sorry my way to Milan and it literally cured my my Italian readers). To be fair I love motion sickness.

“

It’s surprising to see how a weekend trip can change your outlook and recharge your batteries.

Dear Apprehensive Student, Thanks so much for getting in touch. I would like to reassure you that what you are feeling is completely normal. Many of us are very overwhelmed with the sudden lifting of restrictions and a certain return to ‘normality’ once more. I have compiled a list of tips for reducing stress on a night out below; Put yourself first: Don’t feel pressured to go out if you are not feeling up to it and don’t apologise for doing what is best for you. There will be plenty of opportunities to go out in future if you want to. Have a plan of action: This includes organising a way in and out of town in advance, where you will be going and who you will be with. This will give you peace of mind for the night ahead and ensure everyone is safe coming home. Drink your water: Ensure that you drink plenty of water before and after your night out to keep hydrated and perhaps reduce the effects of your unwanted hangover. Also, leave a bottle of water beside your bed for the next morning. Food: Avoid drinking on an empty stomach and make time for a meal before you go out. Pasta and bread are my go-to foods for lining the stomach. Keep an eye on your friends: It is easy to get separated from your friends on a night out but please watch out for each other and stay in a group where possible. Avoid walking anywhere alone and always mind your drinks. Know your limits: If you haven’t been out in a while, it is likely that your alcohol tolerance may have lowered. Take it easy, pace yourself and include a few glasses of water between drinks. Cash: Always have cash on you as well as your bank card in case you need to get a taxi or have issues with your bank account. You don’t have to drink: Not drinking alcohol is your own personal choice so if you choose to opt out of drinking, remember you can still have a good time with your friends. Appearance: Feeling confident in your appearance will often help your self-esteem on a night out. Take your time getting ready and choose an outfit you feel good in. If you are not feeling that confident, try to fake it until you make it. Enjoy: The most important thing is to enjoy yourself. After a very tough two years, a chance to relax and unwind is the least you deserve. So make the most of your night out, stay safe and have fun! If you have any ideas up for discussion, please email sinsays.sineditor@gmail.com.

Opinion · Tuairim

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

The future of the Irish Language By Róise Nic Dhonnagáin

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The future of the Irish language is something that I have heard being discussed for years. At the Gaeltacht secondWhen I was a child, my dad would read to me every night before I ary school I attended, we were often given talks about the went to bed. I was, and always have been, an avid reader. I would importance of conserving the language. We were told that the clamour to be read three to four stories a night. I adored picture future of the language was up to us, that if we wanted to hand books - Charlie and Lola was my favourite by far. Every night my our language down to the next generation, we had to speak dad would read to me and every story he read would be in Irish. it amongst ourselves. For a language to survive it needs to be Recently my dad admitted that he translated the picture spoken, not just spoken about. I will admit though that, at the books he read to my siblings and I when we were children from time, I didn’t care. I was in no way then and in no way now a English into Irish as he was reading them, because there were perfect gaeilgeoir. so few books available in Irish. It never occurred to me that this But now that I am older, I have begun to understand the many was something he might have to do. ways in which the language has shaped my life. I was raised in the Gaeltacht, grew up watching Dora as Gaeilge, went to Irish-speaking schools from junior infants right up to Leaving Cert. I truly cannot imagine what my life would be like, particularly my childhood, had I not been raised by my parents with our language. It is integral not only to my experiences, but to my identity. And yet, as a teenager, I was embarrassed about speaking the language amongst my friends. At the time, it wasn’t the ‘cool’ thing to do. I didn’t understand why everyone was so worried about the possibility of the language dying out. To me it seemed it was everywhere. Almost everyone I knew and grew up with could speak Irish. It wasn’t until I began to understand the history behind the language that my outlook completely changed. Over time, I began to realise the immense struggle that had been involved in ensuring the language would survive. When the British colonised Ireland, our language was stolen from us. Use of the language was penalised. In a first-year history lecture I learnt that there had once been a time where children were given tally sticks to mark each time they were caught speaking Irish. At the end of the school day the number of notches in the stick would determine the severity of the punishment. As someone who’s entire schooling was centred around the language, it was hard for me imagine a time when its use would be repressed in this way. Stories like these are what put the conversation surrounding the future of the language into context for me - there was once a time where speaking the language you were raised with put a target on your back. For me, because the language has permeated everything in my life, I never truly understood just how hard the people before us had to fight for it. To me it seems that the conversation surrounding the future of the language has shifted over the years. The language has found a modern identity all over the island of Ireland and beyond, with the rap group Kneecap and TG4’s social media offshoots creating content that cements the language’s relevance amongst today’s generation. There are vast Twitter communities of people from all over the world conversing in the language. People have begun to realise the benefits of being bilingual, that Irish is so much more than ‘how it was taught in school’. As a language student being bilingual has allowed me to open the door into exploring other languages. Linguists stand by the fact that being able to speak two languages makes it much easier to learn a third. It has also made me realise that being monolingual in English cuts us off from our European heritage. Neither is being monolingual the typical experience of many people around the world – something my Erasmus year has made me acutely aware of. A teacher once told us; “You don’t have to worry about your kids not learning English. The world will teach them English. It’s up to you to teach your kids Irish.” This, for me, is the future of the language – it is by adapting it to become a part of our everyday lives, through the media we consume and the people we communicate with, that we can ensure that the Irish language not only survives but thrives, now and well into the future.

I didn’t understand why everyone was so worried about the possibility of the language dying out. To me it seemed it was everywhere. Almost everyone I knew and grew up with could speak Irish. It wasn’t until I began to understand the history behind the language that my outlook completely changed.

Team-Up & Get Walking

1st-31st March 2022

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Opinion · Tuairim

Becoming a social media minimalist: a Gen Z surviving without Instagram

Yes, it provided me with an instant hit of dopamine every few hours (or every few minutes), but what was I really getting from social media? Highlight reels of people I barely knew posing in front of aesthetic avocado toast?

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I never thought I had the will power to delete Instagram, nor did I envision myself writing about it. Nonetheless, I took the leap and jumped over the moon. With that, I decided I could do without TikTok, VSCO and Pinterest. Becoming a social media minimalist was never on my agenda. For years, I was the ultimate Instagram stalker, and the videos on my TikTok ‘for you’ page were my only source of information. With that said, my mindset gradually shifted when I considered the impact of pouring time into these feeds. Firstly, I felt that it was no longer serving its purpose. Yes, it provided me with an instant hit of dopamine every few hours (or every few minutes), but what was I really getting from social media? Highlight reels of people I barely knew posing in front of aesthetic avocado toast? Zillions of photo dumps from ski trips I hadn’t been on? I wasn’t actually communicating with anyone. I knew more about people I’d never met than my nearest and dearest. The next driving reason was the aul comparison spiel. We’ve all heard enough about photoshop and how “nobody online genuinely looks like that”. It’s a cliché and it’s annoying, but it is true. I could not swipe through stories of ‘wild nights out’ without subconsciously believing that my life was inferior. I felt lame and boring for staying in while everybody else my age was partying ‘every night’. The invisible pressure to constantly update your feed was another factor. I was incapable of going to a restaurant without documenting the elegantly stacked, flower-topped sushi rolls I was eating; or the cocktail I ordered that came served in a coconut shell. If I hadn’t posted on Instagram for a while, I was presumed dead, and this was not the sole culprit. I found myself continually trying to record everything that was happening, as if a single photo wouldn’t suffice, or the memory itself at that. The need to show evidence of doing something was taking away from the present experience of doing it. I don’t want to come across as a full-blown preacher, so I will acknowledge the good bits. For many, sites like Instagram and YouTube can be a place of self-expression. Those who struggle to reveal their true selves in reality can use photos, videos, or posts to show people who they are. Also, Twitter is great for staying topical about goings-on. By following world leaders, celebrities, and experts, we can stay ‘in the know’ without having to read jargon-filled news articles. As for VSCO, TikTok and Pinterest, these are super sites for creative and entrepreneurial people. You can even go as far as making a business out of them. All in all, if we create a healthy relationship with social media, and use them in moderation, they can improve our lives. I, for example, still benefit from WhatsApp and Snapchat as they allow me to keep in touch with friends and family. However, if you’re on the fence about a site in particular, think about the impact it has on you, and question yourself. Do you gain anything from this platform, or does it take from you? Are you seeking validation from likes and comments? Or do you utilize the site to build stronger relationships? If a platform is no longer doing it for you, don’t be afraid to go cold turkey. Trust me, you won’t miss the infinite boomerangs of clinking flutes on a Friday night.

TÓ

By Kate Regan

A M AC H M

24/02/22 More information from | Tuilleadh eolais ar fail ó studentsunion@nuigalway.ie

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Opinion · Tuairim

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Showing Respect and Care for Women with Epilepsy By Lorraine Lally

Member of Epilepsy Ireland and the Co-Chair of the IBE Youth Team

There was not a focus on the issues that faced me as a woman. I went off the University and was unaware of the issues facing me around contraception and the risks to an unborn child of certain medications. For International Women’s Day, there is a desire this year to break down bias. I feel no shame as a woman in discussing my rights to have control over my body. Control, to me, is precious. I am so proud to see the recognition of the concern and requirement for clear and adequate information on WomenAndEpilepsy.org.

As a woman with epilepsy, and a patient advocate, I have had the pleasure of being part of the website WomenAndEpilepsy.org. I would like to raise awareness around this special website. I was a premature baby that arrived 2 months early much to horror and disbelief of my parents. This is part of the reason that I was inspired to get involved as a patient advocate. My epilepsy was not obvious when I was born because there was a lot of focus on other medical issues. As a child being diagnosed with epilepsy, the consult- The website helps you find ant showed me the EEG and then the MRI answers to questions such as: Scan showing the defects in the structure • Why is epilepsy different for women? of my brain. As a child the electrical storm • What are hormones and how do they in my brain was a frightening reality. affect epilepsy?

• • • • • •

How does puberty affect epilepsy? Will epilepsy affect my sex life? Epilepsy and contraception Epilepsy and valproate Accidental or unplanned pregnancy What you need to know to have the healthiest pregnancy possible • Risks to the fetus of an unmanaged pregnancy in a woman with epilepsy • Questions for your doctor

My friend is planning and thinking about having a baby. As a woman with epilepsy, you need to plan well ahead of any potential pregnancy, so that you can have a healthy pregnancy.

”

We have done active work to include all women.

• For me I am not even thinking about it — even if you don’t plan to get pregnant any time soon, there are things that it’s vital to understand. • For my friend Claire who is planning and thinking about having a baby — As a woman with epilepsy, you need to plan well ahead of any potential pregnancy, so that you can have a healthy pregnancy. • For my friend Emma, who is pregnant! — Being pregnant is a time of wonder but, if you have epilepsy, you will need to be mindful of certain issues. • For my friend Anna, who is already a mother — This is an exciting time for new parents. But it is also a time full of questions and, often, worries. • There is also a section for medical professionals.

Photo by Joshua Fuller on Unsplash

WomenAndEpilepsy.org has been developed by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (ibe-epilepsy.org) as part of its Epilepsy & Pregnancy Project. The campaign has been developed with financial support from Sanofi. We welcome all feedback please email info@ibe-epilepsy.org for more information.

Opinion · Tuairim

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Overcoming the flaws: Falling in love with Valentine’s Day By Valerie McHugh

Editor

I never considered myself someone who subscribes to the intoxicating buzz that Valentine’s Day brings. On the contrary, I find myself swiftly moving past the aisles of chocolates in supermarkets around this holiday, avoiding the gaudy shelf talkers that flutter around the shelves begging me to buy a treat for that “someone special.” And, what light through yonder window breaks? It’s the fluorescent lighting above the flower section which surveys the dejected foliage, obviously wilting away. During Valentine’s week, these sad tulips and blushing roses seem to double in quantity, and more than ever, I am encouraged to take a sharp turn in the other direction. Even the history behind Valentine’s Day lends itself more to tragedy than to love. I had a look at some of the history surrounding this holiday, and according to the BBC, the namesake of the day, Saint Valentine, was allegedly a priest who defied Emperor Claudius II’s orders to ban marriage after he decided that married men did not become strong soldiers. It’s theorised that Saint Valentine continued to marry young lovers anyway and was subsequently sentenced to death. While he was in jail, it’s even speculated that he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter, writing her a love letter that ended with the words “from your Valentine.” I don’t think that William Shakespeare himself could write a more forlorn tale. Due to all of this, I generally stick with the more straightforward holidays and try to veer away from the lovesick cronies who flock to Boots on February 13. But as a fledgling journalist, I could not help but examine the roots underneath my aversion to this holiday. I would consider myself quite a hopeless romantic, yet for some reason this day never aligned with the part of me which believes in fairy tales. I’ve begun to realise that I don’t have an issue with love itself on Valentine’s Day, but rather, I just loathe the overcommercialised clutter that gets endorsed, only to be thrown in the bin a week later. I’ve found it difficult to separate the two entities of Valentine’s Day: the love, and the junk. Perhaps my overly sentimental brain could never link the two things together and therefore refused to accept Valentine’s Day as anything other than a sham. But this year, I decided to take a new stance and shift my perspective. Instead of focusing on all of the ‘flaws’ that this holiday flaunts, I decided to celebrate with those I love the most and solely focus on the ‘love’ dimension of this day. I figure that

Valentine’s Day doesn’t just have to be about celebrating the love in a romantic relationship, so it seemed apt to send a text to some of my closest friends reminding them that I love them. Perhaps that sounds cheesy, and in many ways, it is, but when I look at all of the people in my life who are in love or have a significant other, I can’t help but smile at the beauty that it is just to love or to be loved. That magic is not just reserved for the romantic lovers, but on the contrary, it treads its way through every relationship in your life, even the platonic ones. I’ve been reading up on the concepts of ‘self-love’ and ‘self-care’ too, and how these two things are arguably the most fundamental part of being able to love another person in the first place. Rupi Kaur even says that “how you love yourself is how you teach others to love you”. On the way to pick up some groceries on Valentine’s Day, I couldn’t help but notice all of the lonely teddy bears that were left behind in the wake of the gigantic shopping haul. Their besmirched grins didn’t seem to irritate me as much as they had before, and I even considered buying one for myself. I

figured that it could be an act of ‘self-care’ and that I could maybe even get myself a Harry Potter DVD and a hair mask while I was there to immerse myself in the whole concept. After all, Valentine’s Day celebrates love in all shapes and sizes, and the care that one can show for themselves counts just as much as the love between anyone else. So, here I am. I somehow managed to sway my opinions on Valentine’s Day by simply getting with the programme and engaging with the parts of it which applied to me. Of course, I will never be someone who shows any interest in gifts on Valentine’s Day, and I will likely always dash away from the confectionary section of the shops once February arrives. But next year I hope to continue with my newfound Valentine’s Day traditions and carry with me the notion that love is special enough just as it is. Once you push back the commercialised baggage that crowds the way, Valentine’s Day is, at its core, another day to show your love for the most important people in your life. Including yourself.

Arts & Fashion · Cultúr 7 Faisean

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Druid Theatre announces formal one year partnership with NUI Galway By Caoimhe Killeen NUI Galway and Druid Theatre have announced they have agreed on a ten-year partnership in order to focus on expanding academic links, student engagement, local and global events and to boost the creative sector in the West of Ireland. Druid Theatre, which is based on Flood Street in Galway is a touring theatre company and they described themselves as “a writer’s theatre, exploring ambitious projects, reimagining classics and premiering new work annually” both from Irish and international writers. Garry Hynes co-founded Druid Theatre as a student at NUI Galway alongside actress Marie Mullen and the late Mick Lally for whom Druid’s base theatre is named. The projects outlined in this partnership are ambitious, with Druid offering internships exclusively to NUI Galway and working to enhance NUI Galway’s successful Creative Arts programmes such as Drama and Theatre Studies. They will also look to host more on-campus performances and talks, such as the Druid Gregory project held outdoors in the Quadrangle in September 2020. Druid will also help to create greater awareness of the NUI Galway undergraduate and postgraduate courses within the arts community, at home and abroad, through mutual enhancement of the Druid Academy, Druid Artist-in-Residence, and the Druid Archive held by NUI Galway. Ms Hynes is the current Artistic Director of Druid and was the first female director to win a Tony Award for directing The Beauty Queen of Leenane in 1998, which made its world premiere in the Town Hall Theatre in Galway. “For the past 10 years, the Druid Academy at NUI Galway has been a tremendous source of pride and inspiration for us as a company, with students as they embark on their careers in theatre,” stated Ms Hynes. “We are delighted to announce the next stage of this academic partnership, deepening the relationship between ourselves, the students and the wider academic community in NUI Galway, the place where Druid was founded in 1975.” “Druid is not only an inspirational theatre company; it is also one of Galway’s most successful and resilient businesses,” said Professor Patrick Lonergan,

Professor of Drama and Theatre Studies at NUI Galway. “Our students will learn from their example as they build their own creative arts enterprises, working in the west of Ireland, nationally, and internationally just as Druid do.” “We’ve already achieved so much from working together. The next decade of

bringing renewed visual presence for the creative arts company on campus, engaging and inspiring students and staff. President of NUI Galway Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh was delighted with the establishment of this unique partnership. “Great things start at NUI Galway, and

“Great things start at NUI Galway, and Druid is one of those. We have a great tradition here of the creative arts and this partnership with Druid renews this relationship and is very much embedded in our values.

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NUI Galway students Ethel Rose Murray and Luke Heffernan with, from left, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, NUI Galway President; Professor Patrick Lonergan, Professor of Drama and Theatre Studies at NUI Galway; Garry Hynes, Artistic Director and Co-Founder, Druid Theatre Company; and Marie Mullen, Actor and Co-Founder of Druid Theatre Company. Credit: Boyd Challenger. cooperation promises to be hugely exciting,” added Professor Lonergan. Druid and NUI Galway will also work together to develop strategies to boost Galway’s international reputation and engage with and integrate diverse and new communities and cultures in the region. There will also be a focus on NUI Galway alumni, partly through Druid’s international productions, as well

Druid is one of those. We have a great tradition here of the creative arts and this partnership with Druid renews this relationship and is very much embedded in our values. “When you ask why a student from Boston, Berlin or Beijing would choose to study in Galway, one aspect is the unique opportunity they learn with our world class creative organisations, including Druid,” he concluded.

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Arts & Fashion · Cultúr 7 Faisean

An interview with crochet-clothes creator Sophie Ronan from ‘Things Sophie Makes’ By Valerie McHugh 1. When did you set up your business? Things Sophie Makes was born in September of 2020. I learned to crochet about 10 years ago, but I got busy and hadn’t crocheted in years. Like many people, I found myself with a lot more time on my hands during the lockdowns, and one day I picked up my crochet hooks and started making. I had forgotten how much I loved crocheting and how relaxing it is. I find it so cathartic to sit down in the evenings and go into my own little crochet world. I am based just outside of Galway city where I have lived all my life. 2. What made you want to start up your business? I am a very creative person and I love making things and being able to share them with the world. When I was 12 or 13 and had only been knitting and crocheting a year or two, I really wanted to start selling the things I made at local markets, but I never did. So setting up a business and selling my handmade bits has been a goal of mine for quite some time. 4. What type of products do you sell, and how do people order them? I have an online shop, www.soph.ie, where I have a range of different products from bralettes to bandanas and tote bags. Ordering depends on what you want, for something like a bandana or a tote bag which are one size, customers just need to choose what colours they want. For something like a bralette which vary in size from person to person, the customer needs to provide me with some sizes and measurements, along with their chosen colours.

This process can be daunting to some people, so I always make sure to tell people if they have any questions or are unsure about anything to pop me a DM on Instagram or send me an email. 5. How long does it take you to make each item? It depends on the item, something like a bandana only takes about an hour and a half, whereas a tote bag takes me over 5 hours of continued work. 6. What challenges (if any) have you faced along the way? To be completely honest, I don’t think I have faced many challenges! I absolutely love what I do and I’m so grateful to be able to have turned it into a business. Obviously there have been some new things I’ve had to get used to, such as photographing the products and running a website, but I wouldn’t change any of it for the world! 7. What is your favourite item? Hmm, that depends. I absolutely love the bandanas, I wear mine all the time, they’re great for keeping my hair out of my eyes and they keep my head nice and warm. But I love making custom orders for people, especially bralettes, because it’s really fun to see the different colours people choose and making their desired bralette for them! 8. What has been your favourite part of the experience so far? I think it would have to be the customers and the people who follow me on social media. I absolutely love when I receive messages from people who like my products or who tell me they’ve bought something in the past and they always get compliments when they wear it. It means so much to me to know people like the things that I make. I also love doing markets and pop up shops for the same reason, it’s so lovely to get out and meet people and see their reactions in person.

Arts & Fashion · Cultúr 7 Faisean

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Bloody Brilliant — Carrie: the Musical GUMS Review By David Cendon Garcia Is it unprofessional of me to admit that what got me to buy a ticket to Carrie: the Musical was not to support the local arts, but the prospect of a musical filled with blood and a murderous rampage? Even if, I won’t let you all shame me. I hadn’t been this excited to watch a musical since Little Shop of Horrors or Sweeney Todd (are you beginning to sense a theme?), and I was really looking forward to seeing how the Galway University Musical Society would handle such a gory tale. I admit it. I wanted to see litres of blood spilt over Carrie as she used her telekinesis powers to slaughter all those pesky teenagers. And by God did I get it. But that’s not all I got. Adorning this melodic tale of gore and murder were charismatic leads, an enthu-

in Carrie, a list that seemed to extend into infinity as the audience realised the absurdity of trying to warn them about the dangers of Carrie. It was a story about pain and suffering, and it was clear that they weren’t going to shy away from it. As the lights dropped and the musical began, I was instantly mesmerised by the live band playing in the back. I could only see the faint outline of a conductor passionately instructing her musicians: an engaged and committed performance. It was a performance of frenetic movements that filled the stage with a stellar musical score for the actors to engage with. I was particularly fond of a wonderful cherry-red Chuck Berry guitar that, at times, when a stage light would catch it just right, would shine like a bloody streak across the stage. As for the actors themselves, it should come as no surprise that Katie Feeney, the titular Carrie, was phenomenal. She would The Carrie ensemble. Photo courtesy of @gumsagram Instagram

movements and side narratives. At times, I even found myself watching them instead of the primary action on stage, hence the near-miss of the infamous bucket. This is not to say that any of it was boring, merely that the amount of attention put into these characters was impressive, to say the least. To give an example, there was a scene in a classroom where these background actors, without saying anything, managed to tell stories that not only furthered the plot but revealed more about their characters; characters which other productions would have ignored in favour of the protagonists. In specific, I would love to highlight the performance of a woman who, despite not having a single line of dialogue in the entire production, gave engaging performance after engaging performance, displaying a commitment to the success of the show that manifested in every single dance and stride across the stage. She succeeded, multiple times, in stealing away my attention and holding it for the duration of entire segments merely because of her obvious love for performing and the material. While I don’t know her name, the woman in the red beanie deserves her own show. Lastly, there would be no musical about a young woman who develops telekinetic powers without the practical effects. These

I admit it. I wanted to see litres of blood spilt over Carrie as she used her telekinesis powers to slaughter all those

”

pesky teenagers. And by God did I get it. siastic live band, and a rounded cast of background actors who did such a good job that I almost missed the bucket of blood in favour of watching their performances. All in all, it was a bloody brilliant time. I was lucky enough to attend the closing night, which to me is always the most emotional and committed of performances. This was no exception. It was clear even at the beginning how much sweat, tears and blood (both literally and figuratively) had gone into this production, constituting a final show for some of the crew who were moving on. There was an amusing warning voiced by an ominous voice at the top of the show that warned the audience of the vices and debauchery that would be at full display

belt out songs whose excellence were only matched by her introspective portrayal of a young woman choosing to hope. It was in the scenes with her mother that this was fully evident. Ms Feeney chose to pause in silence when lesser actors would have howled with pain, it was an effective tool to communicate Carrie’s loss of hope and family that only endeared us more to the character. A shocking development considering she would soon end the lives of all her classmates in a fit of murderous fury. Speaking on amazing performances, I just cannot emphasisee how good the background actors were. Even with practically no lines, many of them managed to tell intricate stories and define their characters just through

effects, while subtle, set an eerie mood that hinted towards their bloody outcome. Effects such as a levitating bible and chairs sent flying across the stage, helped the audience visualise the extent of her abilities and made us dread her inevitable use of them. The blood itself, of which I am a big fan (in case you hadn’t already realised), was made up of a bright red tint that contrasted and intertwined with Carrie’s white dress in a delightfully macabre way. All of this considered, GUMS can safely count me amongst their many admirers for producing a show that was never shy about its themes but also not bombastic, walking a fine line between gory sensationalism and restrained emotion. Well done everyone and I await eagerly for your next production.

Arts & Fashion · Cultúr 7 Faisean

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

2022 Fashion Trends Prediction By Saoirse Higgins Arts & Fashion Editor With social media impacting fashion in unprecedented ways, identifying new fashion trends has become harder than ever before. We are constantly seeing the ‘80s and ‘90s make comebacks in fashion with big jumpers, blazers, and wide legged pants staple pieces in the wardrobes of most Gen Zs like myself. Even last year we saw Y2K fashion come back into style with many opting for colourful tight tops and low-rise jeans (a fashion statement I can’t get behind if I’m honest). The reason we see these trends coming back quicker than ever before is due to apps like TikTok and Instagram that have made fashion into a new industry. Influencers have huge impacts on the consumer’s fashion habits, instead of the classic way of designers showcasing their new clothes on the runway and high street retailers knocking them off for an affordable price. This causes fashion cycles to come and go faster than ever so it is often hard to pin down what is the current trend. Yet, with all that being said, let’s have a look at what I think will be the new fashion trends for 2022. Of course, as the climate crisis looms over us, this paper will continue to promote sustainable fashion instead of fast fashion. Many of the items I will mention will be easily available in charity shops and small business everywhere. However, it also needs to be said, if you like any of these items and you seem them other shops, don’t beat yourself up for buying it there. Making people feel guilty about purchasing items that make them happy is not the solution to the climate crisis. On a lighter note, here are my top five predictions:

Statement Jewellery Pieces

I think as sustainable fashion is becoming more integrated into fashion culture, we see that a need to show your identity and to be original is a fashion statement in itself. Therefore, I think bold jewellery choices will be a big thing in 2022, with many buying original pieces from charity shops or small businesses. Jazzy rings, long necklaces and big earrings that show your personality are likely to be a staple of people’s everyday lives if it isn’t already.

Big, Comfortable Shoes

Although many made fun of the girls wearing huge Filas before the pandemic, I think shoes of a similar size and comfort are going to continue to be a huge trend. During the pandemic many of us got comfortable in our slippers and runners. And just because everything is back to normal does not mean we want to slip back into uncomfortable shoes. The runway has also seen models wear huge shoes like clogs with their outfits which are likely to leak into our daily fashion choices. I think we’ll see big runners, likely brands like Balenciaga, make a huge impact on fashion in 2022 along with colourful clog-like heels.

Lingerie as Evening Wear

Corsets made a huge splash on the fashion scene in 2021 and I think we’ll see a continuance of that trend into 2022. Corset tops make the perfect, elegant night-out top and I’m sure we’ll be seeing people wear them in pubs and nightclubs across the country as popular brands begin to catch up with the trend. However, I don’t think corsets will be the only lingerie wear incorporated into everyday fashion. Tops with silhouettes and lacy detailing are slowly coming on to the scene and I think we’ll see more of this in 2022.

Bright, Colourful, Fluffy Bags

Colourful bags have entered the fashion scene with Penneys stocking plenty of different colours across their walls in recent days. Across Europe, not only are pastel-coloured bags making a statement on the street, but they also appear to have a fluffy, soft texture. I think we’ll see more of this trend in 2022 especially as High Street retailers are making more efforts to stock them as I write this article.

The ‘60s are Back

I think fashion trends from 1960s’ USA will make a huge comeback in 2022, with it already making its mark in 2021. Colourful boho prints that were prominent in 1960s’ hippie culture can be seen on tops and jumpers across High Street retail and I think will become a wardrobe staple this year. Not only those type of prints, but tight miniskirts are also becoming popular again and this is likely to be a trend that will last for the rest of 2022.

Arts & Fashion · Cultúr 7 Faisean

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

“I felt like I was watching my own story.”

A review of Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast By Róisín Kerrigan Belfast, the Irish film phenomenon written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, is utterly brilliant. I would suggest it to anyone and everyone, but especially if you are from or have family from Northern Ireland. I, as a northerner, felt like I was watching my own story and my family’s experience of living in Northern Ireland with tensions never ceasing between the two communities. Every story my family told me about their lives growing up in the midst of the Troubles, from the rioting in the supermarkets to tin trashcan tops and the car bombings, was playing out on the silver screen right in front of my eyes. I’ve heard the stories of a riot breaking out and my grandmother taking her toddler twins and sprinting away for their lives from the danger. My grandmother’s car being bombed and blowing the windows from her house for allowing a Catholic- Protestant marriage to occur in her house. My grandfather warning his sons to never ever get involved with either side of the war. My father, uncles, aunts,

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grandparents, and even myself once being held at gun point for being a Catholic with a Protestant name. It was like someone had simply written a film about our lives. It was incredible. It is a masterpiece of film showing the everyday experience of the ordinary person living in the Troubles. I was very happy to see actual Irish actors on screen instead of Americans attempting and failing terribly to capture the Irish accent. However, I wish someone would have told this to Judi Dench, who I feel slipped in and out of her accent like she was going down a waterslide. It was the worst part of the film for me, without a doubt. However, I will say she has mastered the Irish granny’s mannerisms, like slipping money into her grandson’s hand. Jamie Dornan also adorned the screen with his portrayal of a Northern father looking after his family, not a far stretch. And the wonderful Jude Hill who portrayed the 10-year-old protagonist, Buddy. I’m telling you to remember that name, he is the next Robert DeNiro. This film has been nominated for a grand total of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

I, for one, was not surprised in the least. It is truly deserved as it played out the ordinary family life of those living in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. This is a film in which no Irish person should skip. These types of films should be viewed to help reduce the tensions that remain in Northern Ireland today.

Ants From Up There by Black Country, New Road; A Pop Masterpiece.

Ants From Up There doesn’t restrict itself to one sound and, in doing so, creates a singular sound of its own. Think Arcade Fire crossed with Sam’s Town-era Killers, crossed with David Byrne discovering Klezmer for the first time.

By Tom Molloy On February 4 of this year, English postrock ensemble Black Country, New Road (BCNR) released their sophomore album Ants From Up There. Four days earlier, lead singer Isaac Wood announced his departure from the band, citing mental health issues. Wood released a statement, “Hello everyone, I have bad news which is that I have been feeling sad and afraid too. And I have tried to make this not true, but it is the kind of sad and afraid feeling that makes it hard to play guitar and sing at the same time.” As a result, Black Country, New Road cancelled their upcoming American tour. It is unusual that the release of a band’s sophomore album marks the end of an era. However, that seems to be the case in my eyes for BCNR. Not taking away from the brilliant musicianship of the band as a whole, it was Wood’s lyrics and vocals that made the band’s debut album, For the First Time, the standout of 2021 for me. Ants From Up There doesn’t restrict itself to one sound and, in doing so, creates a singular sound of its own. Think Arcade Fire crossed with Sam’s Town-era, Killers crossed with David Byrne discovering Klezmer for the

first time. There isn’t one track on the album that this reviewer could describe as average or worse. Wood maintains the pop culture-sprinkled lyrics from their debut, “She had Billie Eilish style. Moving to Berlin for a little while” he croons on “Good Will Hunting”, almost as if he’s trying to create the next viral TikTok sound. It’s surprisingly cohesive considering there’s an awful lot happening at any given second in the approximately 58 minutes of the album. Take two tracks, Wood indulges in his wordiness (“Concorde”) and a deliberate lack of wordiness (“Bread Song”) to create two distinct highlights. “Chaos Space Marine” features a Bryan Ferry-esque introductory musical solo by the violinist, pianist, and saxophonist. “Mark’s Theme” is an interlude in tribute to the saxophonist’s uncle who passed from Covid last year. However, the single standout track from Ants From Up There is its final one, “Basketball Shoes”. The scope of the track is frankly remarkable even at 12 minutes and 37 seconds long. The track washes over the listener more than anything else, almost like reverse meditation but with the same cathartic result. In more ways than one, Ants From Up There is an album for 2022.

Arts & Fashion · Cultúr 7 Faisean

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Galwayy Events Guide Courtesy of Flirt FM. For inclusion, email info @flirtfm.ie, times correct at publishing, but do check before you head out.

REPEATING EVENTS Silent Disco

Every Tuesday at 8PM @ Róisín Dubh » https://roisindubh.net/listings/ silent-disco-on-tuesdays-2022-02-01-200000 Silent Disco every Tuesday at the Róisín Dubh with Ted & gugai playing music you love, music you love to hate and all your guilty pleasures.

Silent Disco

Every Wednesday at 8PM @ Róisín Dubh » https://roisindubh.net/listings/silent-discoon-wednesdays-2022-02-02-200000 Silent Disco every Wednesday at the Róisín Dubh with Ted & gugai playing music you love, music you love to hate and all your guilty pleasures

John Conneely Inc.

Every Sunday at 11PM @ Róisín Dubh » https://roisindubh.net/listings/ john-conneely-inc.-2022-02-06-230000

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 18 Soda Blonde

18.Feb at 8PM @ Róisín Dubh

Enola Gay

24.Feb at 8PM @ Róisín Dubh » https://roisindubh.net/listings/ enola-gay-2022-02-24-200000

Belfast’s Enola Gay releae their new track “Sofa Surfing”, a deeply personal insight into a turbulent chapter of their teens. The debut album from Soda Blonde may It’s the first official release from the band. be called Small Talk, but if there’s one thing they do not do, it’s mince words. The entirely self-produced album sees the group reflecting on their twenty-someFRIDAY FEBRUARY 25 thing experiences with refreshingly honest transparency. » https://roisindubh.net/listings/ soda-blonde-2022-02-18-200000

Tommy Tiernan: Tomfoolery 25.Feb at 7PM @ Leisure Land

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 19 The Dirty Circus

19.Feb at 8PM @ Róisín Dubh » https://roisindubh.net/listings/ the-dirty-circus-2022-02-19-200000 Join The Dirty Circus on Saturday 19th February at Róisín Dubh for an epic (and slightly belated) Valentine’s special. Expect burlesque, comedy, music, pole, drag and more than a few surprises.

Sky Atlas

19.Feb at 8 PM @ Seven

» https://www.eventbrite. Galway’s finest musicians the mulie/e/a-modern-movement-5-sky-atlasti-cultural line-up includes Keyboards, harry-fennell-derek-ellard-ursidae-ticketsSaxophone, Dobro, Flutes along with many 228843255337?keep_tld=1 guest musicians and the extraordinary vocal talents of Italian singer Barbara Vulso. A Modern Movement is bringing Dublin act Sky Atlas for a show in Galway, joining Mountain Language // An Act them on the night, Harry Fennell, Derek of Listening Ellard and Ursidae. Friday 4th Feb – Saturday 16th Apr 2022 Galway Arts Centre is pleased to announce the launch of its 2022 Visual Art Programme Entangled Histories with the THURSDAY FEBRUARY 24 opening of a group exhibition Mountain Language.

» https://roisindubh.net/listings/ tommy-tiernan-tomfoolery2022-02-25-190000 Tommy Tiernan is back onstage with his brand new stand up show ‘tomfoolery’…a high energy mix of outrageous idea’s and whimsical flights of fancy.

Mango X Mathman

25.Feb at 8PM @ Róisín Dubh » https://roisindubh.net/listings/ mango-x-mathman-2022-02-25-200000 Steeped in Dublin’s rave culture, and at the vanguard of Ireland’s burgeoning hiphop scene, Mango X MathMan’s rise is a tale of resistance, resilience, and wrecking the gaff.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 26 Tommy Tiernan: Tomfoolery 26.Feb at 7PM @ Leisure Land

» https://roisindubh.net/listings/ tommy-tiernan-tomfoolery2022-02-26-190000

Tommy Tiernan is back onstage with his brand new stand up show ‘tomfoolery’… 24.Feb at 7PM @ Sult …..a high energy mix of outrageous idea’s NUIG Take Me Out is happening Thursday and whimsical flights of fancy. 24th of February at Sult and audience tickets are now on sale. All proceeds go to the Wild Youth SU Charities: Galway Rape Crisis Centre 26.Feb at 8PM @ Róisín Dubh and BeLonG To Youth Services. » https://roisindubh.net/listings/ wild-youth-2022-02-26-200000

Take Me out

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 17 LGBTQ Sex Ed

17.Feb at 3PM @ Zoom » https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lgbtq-sex-edfor-consent-week-tickets-261001912747 Hosted by Dean O’Reilly and Stephanie Fogarty.

Sex Toy Bingo

17.Feb at 7:30 PM @ Sult NUI Galway Students’ Union Sex Toy Bingo is back for SHAG Week at NUI Galway.

Tommy Tiernan: Tomfoolery 24.Feb at 7PM @ Leisure Land

» https://roisindubh.net/listings/tommytiernan-tomfoolery-2022-02-24-190000 Tommy Tiernan is back onstage with his brand new stand up show ‘tomfoolery’…a high energy mix of outrageous idea’s and whimsical flights of fancy.

Rounding off the success of an impressive string of singles, Irish pop connoisseurs Wild Youth reveal their much-anticipated sophomore EP Forever Girl. For more information, see » https://flirtfm.ie/events/

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

Healthy fruity breakfast ideas to start your mornings By Charlotte Lavin

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

hat is your go-to fruit and vegetable shop? Galway has a few, and once you find the one you like, cooking will get so much easier. Seasonable cooking especially, and in winter more than ever, we all need nutritious and healthy breakfasts we enjoy to start (yet) another gloomy day. A lot of my favourite recipes

for a quick and healthy breakfast in winter include apples, which you will find plenty in any given shop. Because I usually buy my fruits at the market, I often buy just a bit too much and end up having to make a lot of smoothies. This is not a terrible thing, in my opinion, as long as you have a blender: I have been using my one for a few years now and it has not let me down yet. At the end of this article, I have included two easy to do smoothies’ recipes. Here are some yummy recipes that you might be able to implement into your daily morning routine.

Breakfast Apple Crumble

for the whole flat almost every Sunday. 1. Mix 100g of flour with two eggs and add 300 ml of milk. 2. Keep mixing until the consistency starts to be runny, then add a small amount of sparkling water. 3. Put some oil and butter in a pan and pour the batter. 4. Turn the heat on moderate and wait until the mixture is golden brown (you will notice little bubbles on top just before it is.) 5. Flip the pancakes over and repeat. 6. Add the fruits you want on top of the warm mini-pancake and pour yourself a glass of orange juice, with a coffee!

For this recipe you will need three apples And because you cannot feed only on (diced), ½ tablespoon of lemon juice, two apple-based recipes, here are a few of my tablespoon of maple syrup, one table- favourite smoothies’ recipes. As these spoon of cinnamon and one tablespoon of recipes are unfortunately a little less in water, as well as oats (as much or as little season, a trip to your nearest Tesco store as you want), honey, and a splash of water. might be needed. 1. Chop the apples, add a pinch of cinnamon, a pinch of salt and a splash of water. Berry smoothie 2. In a pan, sauté everything on medium heat. At the same time, pre-heat your 1. Blend milk (almond milk tastes nice oven. for this recipe) that you will pour 3. While the apples are cooking and the around three quarters of the way oven is heating, place all the other from the top of your blender, add half ingredients in a blender and blend a handful of hemp seed, a handful of for half a minute to make the crumble. spinach leaves and some frozen ber4. On a tray, put the warm apple dices at ries (fill the blender with them), the bottom and the crumble on top, 2. Blend, drink, enjoy! and bake for 15-20 minutes at 180C, or until the crumble is golden brown.

Banana smoothie

Sunday Pancakes This recipe is for eight mini-pancakes and was kindly taught to me by one of my flatmates, who used to make pancakes

1. Pour milk (about three quarters of the way up, again), add half a banana, a handful of spinach leaves, a tablespoon of peanut butter and flaxseed. 2. Blend, drink, enjoy!

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

MILAN BLOG:

all you need to know

By Ewelina Szybinska Welcome back to another travel blog. You are more than welcome to check out my two previous pieces on Budapest. For this issue, I decided to explore the beautiful city of fashion, Milan, Italy. Soon after I came back from Budapest, my suitcase was ready to go and board a plane to Italy. Now that I am thinking, this might be my favourite January of all time. I can’t skip the part where my friend and I almost missed that flight though. We arrived at the airport well in advance, however, we sat in a restaurant and lost track of time. It was also just our luck that our boarding gate was quite literally at the very end. I’ve seen people run with suitcases and not

just in movies. I never thought it would happen to me. It became funny once we’ve reached our gate! We made it. We arrived at the airport Bergamo Orio al Serio. To our surprise there was not a plug in sight. Being in a different country with not much of a plan and a low battery can really cause you to stress in a special way. A top tip I should follow, bring a power bank. We booked our bus from the airport to Milan. Upon arrival to the city, we figured out a way to get to our hotel. Now that I’m thinking, we really didn’t waste any time. As soon as we dropped off our luggage, we freshened up after travelling and decided to explore the nearby area.

The Naviglio Grande

The architecture is truly breathtaking. Our hotel was a five-minute walk from the Naviglio Grande. You can walk down the canal and pass vibrant bars and restaurants. So many to choose from, one will definitely catch your attention. The place to life in the evening! I would highly recommend going from late afternoon. The staff of each bar stand along the canal and invite potential customers. Music coming from the steam factory sparked our interest from the start. The pub is decorated with many marvel statues and other exciting figures. It may be described as almost chaotic, but I think the way it is designed and decorated makes the place stand out from others. You could order a game with your drink! Spoiler, it is in Italian. But hey, that did not stop us. Google image translator works a charm.

Piazza del Duomo

The Cathedral Square will make you stand and admire. Take a lot of pictures! The restaurants may be a little expensive around here, but the view is absolutely worth it. Here you will find th e Te r r a z z a Aperol. It has the most amazing view of the cathedral. The drinks are extremely expensive but again, the whole experience is worth the price. We were so lucky to get a table on the terrace with the cathedral in our view.

Grand Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Window shopping at Gucci, Yves St Laurent, Prada is fulfilling in itself. But what was really fascinating was the architecture yet again. The rich colour scheme, tall buildings and fine details stay in your memory forever. The pictures you can take here are also aesthetically pleasing! You will feel very comfortable having a photoshoot because everybody around you is!

Brera District

One of the most popular pasta restaurants can be found in the Brera District. You can wait quite a long time to get a table. We were lucky enough to wait a maximum of 10 minutes. The name of the restaurant is Osteria Da Fortunata. I ordered classic carbonara. The homemade pasta is so filling. You can see the ladies make pasta through the window from your seat. Definitely, a place to visit while in Milan. The Brera District is full of upscale food shops and fashion boutiques. Milan city is extremely busy no matter what time of day. Use the trams and the metro! They arrive every few minutes and are easy to navigate. I would recommend using the Moovit app to get around. P.S. - Visit every coffee shop you stumble upon. The coffee is really affordable and has a unique taste.

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

9 things to do when you have 5 minutes to yourself 6. Do some writing:

By Emma Ward When I have time to myself, I do a bunch of things like skincare, reading, watching TV or just spending time with my family, but that depends on my mood. Most of the time I watch a TV series, and at the moment I am watching Grey’s Anatomy. It’s a show I have watched for a long time and haven’t got tired of yet. But, if I do ever get bored of watching that, I would actually record a cover of a song. I am an amateur singer who in my free time records covers, edit them and post them to social media. Another thing I would do if I had a free day is I would go to a restaurant with my sister and my niece. I personally find this relaxing and afterwards I would just go home, and do some online retail shopping (it’s addictive!) After evaluating some of the things I do to relax, I decided to create a list of ways other people could relax.

1. Do some exercises, this is very good to clear your head:

If you have 10 minutes to yourself, you could look on YouTube for some easy exercises you could do at home or some yoga. If you have a good amount of time, you could go to the gym and do a full work out there and maybe use the swimming pool.

I think this could be relaxing depending on the situation: You could write in a journal about your goals for your future which is motivating, or you can write a letter to someone. Try writing a fiction story for fun.

7. Plan a holiday:

If you’re someone who loves travelling maybe you could start planning your next trip or if you have never been away, you could start researching places you could visit with your friends or family.

8. Speak with a friend:

If you’re like me (again) you like having company and speaking with people I find it relaxing when you meet up with a friend and just speak about everything and anything and maybe plan some fun things to do like go for dinner or on trips like I said previously.

9. Take a nap!

2. Meditation:

The last thing I would do if I had absolutely nothing to do is sleep! If you’re like me, a college student, then you know when to appreciate your sleep – I find this the most relaxing thing to do but if I did, I wouldn’t get any important things done.

3. Do some baking – maybe bake a cake:

So, they are the things I would personally do. I hope you enjoyed that and got a few new ideas on how to relax. Thanks for reading.

From personal experience I find meditation relaxing after a long day and it’s good for when I want to switch my brain off.

If you’re like me, I see videos on social media of chocolate cake and I instantly want to try and bake it at home. I do a google search and find the easiest one and attempt a go at it. In my opinion using the internet is great to find very easy recipes for cakes. If you are feeling more adventurous than maybe try cooking a new meal, like a chicken wrap or a new curry.

HOT MEALS

4. Go for a walk

If the weather is nice outside, maybe take your pet for a walk around your town or even walk to meet a friend and get a coffee. If that doesn’t work, maybe go for a run if you have enough time to spare.

5. Listen to music:

This is my personal favourite thing to do. I think people can do multiple things while listening to music but to keep it simple you could just go on Spotify and play your favourite tunes. This could relax some people and help the time pass by fast. Photo by Eric Nopanen on Unsplash

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Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Beginners’ Gym Guide By Anastasia Burton Going to a physical gym where other people can see you sweat and awkwardly squat, while being self-conscious about your technique, your clothes and your fitness level is honestly a big factor of people quitting the gym after just going once. Trust me, going to the gym and making it a routine part of your life is very hard and nerve-wracking at first, and that’s why I’m here to help! I started going to the gym regularly last October after only working out from the comfort of my home. The very first thing I had to do is change my mind set about the gym and instead of seeing it like a chore, I saw it as a fun activity or something I could do to distract myself or relax.

Mindset is where the magic happens

As I already mentioned, mindset is very important. If you hate the gym, you probably won’t go to the gym. Try and analyse why you dislike going and then try to brainstorm some more positive feelings when you attend. For example, there might be some post-gym, fun activities you can do to look forward to. In my case, it was a salt bath and self-care. Once you no longer see

the gym as a thing you have to do to stay healthy, and more so as the place where you can go to feel healthier and in tune with your body, your mindset might shift

No one is looking

Personally, a big blocker from was actually going to the gym alone and having people judge my weight, my technique, my routine etc. I also hated the idea of working out near men, I had seen too many TikTok stories and just generally felt uncomfortable by the idea. Once I actually made it in and stuck to my routine, I realised that it really doesn’t matter what you dress like or what you do, everyone is too busy with their own routine to care about yours. So do all the little workouts you want to do!

Don’t go every day

People often think that once you start going to the gym the only sure way to stick to it and get results is to work out none stop all week. That’s not true and can prove to be counterproductive. Realistically speaking you should only be committing three/four days to the gym. Don’t pressure your body and listen to it carefully, if your body and mind are both exhausted give yourself a much deserved break.

You don’t need to invest in Gym Shark

Going to the gym has almost become a marketing/ pyramid scheme. People go to the gym once and buy five pairs of leggings worth a kidney and a lung, and then invest in fifteen different protein powders and three water bottles. You don’t need to spend your money on gym related wear promoted by influences. Buy clothes that are comfortable both budget wise and physical comfort. You can use any water bottle, and realistically you don’t necessarily need pre-workout or protein powder unless you have a medical reason or if you are going in to grow muscle and commit to more serious workout regimes.

Remember, you are going to the gym for you, not for other people. Take breaks if YOU feel the need to. Buy gym wear YOU like rather than one that you think others will approve of. Focus on your self-growth and self-healing, the gym should not be a place of self-hatred, so allow your body and mind to rest appropriately and if you need someone to be there and help you create a workout plan, reach out to the gym staff or ask someone for a recommendation for their personal trainer.

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

5 healthy snacks that will get you through a busy day By Caoimhe Killeen We’ve all been there. A sudden urge to snack on the train, you’re in the library and your stomach suddenly starts rumbling like a loudspeaker, or you’re doing nothing at all. But either way, you get a sudden urge to snack. And there’s nothing wrong with a good snack, it can tie into the concept of eating intuitively. But if you’re bored of snacking on the same thing and looking for something that’s not a chocolate bar, here’s some of my personal favourite snacks that you can try out (and yes, some of these are vegan.)

Keogh’s Popcorn

Orange, Bakewell Tart and Banoffee Pie flavours. Again, some have flavourings but they’re generally packed full of good ingredients. It’s mostly dates and cashews that are in the bars to provide a bit of texture and sweetness but at only a euro, they’re as cheap as snack you can get with boxes of certain bars in five for €3.29. And yes, they’re also vegan friendly.

Proper Chips Think Doritos but with arguably better flavour. Proper also make popcorn, but their lentil crisps don’t taste like they’re made from lentils, they taste almost like a proper nacho. If you love a bit of heat, there’s Sweet Chili flavour to keep your tastebuds tingling. If you’re more of a barbeque flavour kind of person, then there’s also that flavour available as well. Again, they’re also gluten free and vegan friendly. But be warned, they’re just as crunchy, so maybe leave this one for if you’re at home and you have the urge to snack!

Normally, popcorn is for when we’re at the cinema right? A big salty bag to munch on when watching a movie. But Keogh’s also make their own healthy popcorn with a range of flavours. There’s Honey and Sea Salt for those who love a mixture of sweet and salty, Butter for those who love buttery popcorn and of course plain Sea Salt for those who love the classics. Dark chocolate Priced at around €1.99 for a single bag, it’s easy enough to get a quick Any kind of dark chocolate will do, no snack in and as well as that it’s gluten matter how bitter it is. It’s the perfect study free, and suitable for both vegetarians snack and snack in general. and vegans. Ac c o rd i ng to E ve r yday He alth . com, dark chocolate is considered a “superfood favourite”, as it has more

Nakd Bars

The ultimate cheap energy bar, and as the name suggests there’s not many ingredients in these bars. This makes it even healthier. The bar has a few flavourings here and there. My personal favourites include the Cocoa Delight, Blueberry Muffin, Cocoa

antioxidants and just the right amount of caffeine to keep you alert. It can aid in heart health. The darker the chocolate,

According to EverydayHealth.com, dark chocolate is considered a “superfood favourite”, as it has more antioxidants and just the right amount of caffeine to keep you alert. normally around 70% or so, the richer the benefits. Green and Blacks is the dark chocolate generally used for baking and a personal favourite of mine. Especially the orange and almond flavour which sweetens up the bitterness considerably. If you’re used to bitterness, you can go for the 85% Cacao bars from Moser Roth available in Aldi but be warned, it really is quite an overpowering flavour. Again, there’s a variety of healthy snacks out there and it really just depends on personal preference. But hopefully, you’ve gotten some inspiration from this the next time you’re searching for a new healthy snack.

”

HÁIN C C H G

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

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Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

Travel Blog: America, Orlando, Florida By Anastasia Burton

“

I hope everyone is having an eventful 2022, I’ve noticed an increase in people living their best lives and thought I’d share my recent trip with you guys and tell you about Florida in Winter. My mom has lived in the United States for the past eight months and as I didn’t have any major plans for the new year I thought why not go visit? The states are usually expensive to fly to, but the tickets were luckily very cheap on the dates I had been looking and it just seemed like a sign from above that I need to go immediately! It was a little nerve wrecking as it was my first trip outside of Europe for an extended

Walmart? It’s like a Woodies and Tesco has a baby with Lidl’s bakery section. They had boiled eggs in a jar… so you don’t have to boil them.” time. I was on a connecting flight which always increases the anxiety by about 40 per cent. All we needed to prepare for the trip was a covid test, Visa (which costs only 17 dollars for Irish citizens) and a covid pass. Obviously, my passport documentation too but it was fairly easy to get there in the end and border control were very kind too so no major events to be anxious about on your way to Orlando. Don’t laugh, but what I was most excited about was seeing a Walmart and Target. I just really wanted to know if it’s more like a Tesco or Lidl, what do they really sell? How far is the range

of ridiculousness? Will I see people on scooters wearing short shorts and diapers as I had previously seen in Walmart memes? So many questions that I will answer for you guys at the end. Immediately I was set back by the weather, I knew it would be warm, but I didn’t really believe it if you understand me? As I left Ireland it was gloomy and grey as it usually is during the winter months, but in Orlando it was sunny skies and dry land! Everyone knows Florida, specifically Orlando is the place to be if you’re a Disney or Universal fan. There are so many themed parks and amazing alligator adventures to attend to that you minorly lose yourself and sight on your wallet. I am embarrassed to admit how much I have spent. Most of my trip was split doing fun activities like pirate minigolf, cat cafes, theme parks, and shopping malls. I have to say, American clearance stores are brilliant for sucking you in! Branded items selling for almost 50% below market price is both amazing and terrifying to see. There were of course some downfalls, a major one of them was the fact that everything in Florida was a lot bigger and spaced out, which made my little Lisa Simpson heart shatter. The cars were huge and the petrol costs almost set me flatlining. I was ashamed to constantly have to ask my mom or her husband to drive me places because I physically could not walk there myself, not to mention the public transport there is practically non-existent. I obviously went at the peak of the Omicron pandemic and was a little worried by how laid back the American government appeared to be about mask wearing and covid certificates. It was frankly very concerning as they had almost 500,000 sicknesses reported daily. I had been to Disney world and Hollywood studios

during my stay and as much as I had hoped the rules would be stricter there, I must admit there was a huge problem with overcrowding and the non-essential mask wearing. The only place they had insisted masks be used is inside the rides, but I didn’t see how it helped when we were breathing down each other’s neck for about 45 minutes before we got indoors. I was taken aback by how kind people were in America, it seems a little strange, especially to me as an Easter European who only heard nice things said to me on my birthdays… sometimes. It felt a bit like a distorted reality or a Sims game with the fact that palm trees were decorated with Christmas lights and houses, that were otherwise green and summer like, put a grinch and bubble snow in their front yard. Another downfall was the food, I’m not going to lie to you, it’s exactly as you expect: a bit flavourless, greasy and sweet. I don’t mean to diss the food, but it was strange that the calorie count was displayed everywhere. I struggle with an ED and found that it had been extremely triggering. To the point where I lost 2 kilos from avoiding food in fear of the calories. Apart from that America was extremely fun, so many things to do for people of all ages, it will cost you a pretty penny, but the adventure in itself is worth it. Feed your skin some vitamin D and wear all your summer outfits! (that you keep buying even though you live in Ireland during Summer… Bestie I get it I want you to look fly too but it’s too cold for fashion in Ireland) And to answer the question you have been asking since the beginning of this article; what was Walmart like? Honestly, it’s like a Woodies and Tesco has a baby with Lidl’s bakery section. They had boiled eggs in a jar… so you don’t have to boil them. Do with that information what you will.

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Everyday can be Valentine’s Day —Rachel’s Gift Guide By Rachel Garvey I’m lazing in bed right now as I write this SIN article, my partner Dylan is lazing beside me on his XBOX and I’m hoping his attention keeps veered towards his TV screen as opposed to my laptop screen because I don’t want any future surprises to be ruined. Another year, another February, another visit from February 14th; the day of love and romance. Buying gifts for your other half or someone close to you in general can be rather infuriating, especially when they’re hard to please. However, this small gift guide is sure to turn any frown upside down and any hard to please person into a lover of everything. But, this gift guide isn’t for Valentine’s Day, its designed for year-round use, one that you can dip into anytime you want to treat that someone special to something special. Quite frankly, it shouldn’t be fair for people to “be hard to please,” everyone should be grateful for every little thing, such gestures need to be given more recognition and not taken for granted. Here is a gift guide that you can use at any stage of the year, and one that maybe you can save it for next year’s Valentine’s Day too.

‘Cause I’m making pancakes!

Breakfast in bed is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face especially with this year’s Valentine’s Day having landed on a Monday. The Monday blues will be sure to disappear after seeing your partner come in to the bedroom with a plate full of pancakes; don’t just stop there, go all out! This could be something that you do for your other half on any given day. Cut out the pancakes into hearts,

sprinkle some heart-shaped edibles on top, place a tiny rose on top of the pancake stack. The plate of pancakes is your oyster, and it doesn’t particularly need to be pancakes, it could be any of your partner’s favourite breakfast of your choosing.

“I love you” Bear!

No-one can resist a gorgeous furry teddy bear holding a heart that says “I love you”, no-one! Retail stores offer such a wide variety of cuddly teddy bears to choose from. I’ve been keeping a look out and Tesco, Dunnes and Eason have a lovely little selection. Trust me, if you do save this gift guide for next year’s Valentine’s Day, make sure to get the teddy bear in good time. I’ve seen the look of horror on a customer’s face when you tell them that Valentine’s Day presents are out of stock on Valentine’s Day at 9:40pm at night when your workplace closes in twenty minutes; don’t be that disorganised.

Three Bs (Big Beautiful Bouquets)

The tradition of red roses will never die. The red roses are not only tradition, but it’s the safest option too when deciding to buy flowers. Last year, I sent a huge bouquet of roses out to my parents in the countryside and they were more than overjoyed with the gesture. It’s nice to make people feel loved especially when you hold so much love and appreciation for them.

Let her sparkle!

Sometimes, us women like to have a bit of sparkle on us because of a new necklace or bracelet and I’m genuinely not telling you to go out and purchase the most expensive piece of jewellery, but find something that fits your budget and something she will treasure forever. Jewellery is a woman’s best friend, oh sorry, its actually diamonds are a woman’s best friend!

Brainstorm the little things!

It could be a card, a hug and a kiss, their favourite bar of chocolate, but find something that makes your partner smile. You don’t have to go completely mad like me who buys her partner everything on the list because she wants to make him feel appreciated and it feels good to spoil your other half.

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

Make-Up Review: February By Anastasia Burton

liquid liner and I am in love with the blue shade and the simplicity of use! While I was in America I bought some colourful Colourpop eyeliners so stay tuned!

Hello again fellow make-up lovers! It has been a while since I have written a make-up bag review and that is simply because I didn’t get a chance to use my make-up as much as I had hoped. But it has been a few months of constant usage and I am excited to share my new achievements with you guys. Now just to give some of you a reminder of what I do this for; I realised that I am not being sustainable with my make-up. I had more make-up than I would like, and I wanted to give proper love and dedication to my products, to use them up and avoid over purchasing of new items.

7. R evolution Tropical Quench Essence Spray – Halfway… still

Maybe I’m using it wrong? Why is it taking so long to use this up! This is a scented spray so beware of that if you are sensitive to scented products. I mean it’s a good spray, but I don’t think it makes a huge change.

8. The Ordinary – High Adherence Silicone Primer – Using

1. Bad Gal Bang mascara – Empty + Replaced by Essence Lash Princess and Great Lash Maybelline

This primer works like a dream. It’s so smooth and comfortable on the skin you have no idea. I love it so far and in order to really enjoy it I am using it sparingly.

I have to be honest, I was not a fan of this mascara. It flaked and was uncomfortable to apply. It made my lashes look very thin but long which wasn’t flattering on my eye shape. I replaced it with two drug store mascara’s which are not only better for the pocket but also work great together.

9. R ituals Miracle Bronzing Powder – It’s been 84 years…

I have been using this consistently for two years… TWO YEARS! I have not hit pan and I’m not even sure I’ve hit the tip of the iceberg. This pan is endless! It’s very sheer so beware that it’s very gentle so maybe the formula is too soft to hit bottom on.

2. Jeffree Star Conspiracy palette – 2/18 shades heavily dipped // in combination of Anastasia Beverly Hills subculture palette

10. Flormar compact powder – The design is disappearing

As much as people hate Jeffree Star, I still think his products are worthy and are some of the best in terms of pigmentation. I have to admit I love the ‘Conspiracy’ palette and am using it heavily for everyday make-up. It offers so many shades that you’re promised a new and amazing look each day. I have also repurchased the ‘Subculture’ palette on Depop brand new as I used to use it a lot in 2020 and the first half of 2021, I found I missed the shimmer shades and the formula. I will switch out my make-up bag palettes in Spring so I’ll see which new palettes I can start dipping at.

I started using this recently and I have to say it is amazing! It’s a lot more comfortable than loose powder and less messy. It comes with a little cushion and a mirror which makes it perfect for touch-ups on the go!

3. Chanel Correcteur Perfection Concealer – Almost empty – will be replaced by Misslyn concealer

This Chanel concealer is great, I don’t think it is unique in packaging or in formula so I will not be repurchasing after I empty it and look forward to testing some cheaper options like the Misslyn concealer. So far, I think my favourite concealers so far are from Essense and Catrice.

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With Any Hot Drink

Cainte

Agallamh Quickfire le Aodh Ó Coileáin By Áine Donnelly Liomsa inniu - mo léachtóir féin, Aodh Ó Coileáin! Tógadh Aodh i nDaingean Uí Chúis i gCo. Chiarraí agus tá tréimhsí caite aige ag obair sa sorcas, san amharclann, agus le cúrsaí raidió agus teilfíse. Tá an-rath air mar scannánóir chomh maith, le ‘Cumar - A Galway Rhapsody’ a bhain Best Documentary ag an Irish Film Festival London sa bhliain 2019. Tá sé mar léachtóir ar na cláir BA agus MA sna meáin in Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh, agus ina fhocail féin, is maith leis “cuairt a thabhairt ar áiteanna spéisiúla agus fíonta maithe a bhlaiseadh”. Labhair Aodh liom faoin chéad phost a bhí aige ag cócaireacht, Meatloaf agus an sraith Undercover. Déan cur síos ort féin i 5 fhocal. Rógaire, rampaire, clabaire, strapaire, finscéalaí. Céad phost a bhí agat? Cócaireacht. In aois 13 bhíos i mbun na sceallóg tar éis an dioscó i mbialann gasta sa Daingean (ní raibh an dlí go gcaithfeá a bheith os cionn 16 ar an saol!) Cuimhne is sásta atá agat ó d’óige? Rámhaíocht i gcuan an Daingin i mbád beag a bhí goidte (tógtha gan chead!?) ag mo chairde agus mé féin. Ceol ar bith atá ‘on repeat’ agat faoi láthair? Meatloaf - sé a mbítí ag casadh ag an dioscó nuair a thosnaigh mé ag rince (go gáifeach ar dtús ach chuaigh mé i dtaithí air!) Cad é a cheannófá dá mbuafá an crannchur náisiúnta? Bailiúchán maith pótaí copair chun cóiceareachta.... An bhfuil ‘happy place’ agat? Mo cheann in ucht mo mhná chéile le fuineadh gréine. Cé hiad an triúr cáiliúla a dtabharfá cuireadh daofa dul chuig cóisir dhinnéir? Niamh Chinn Óir, Mícheál Ó Coileáin, Éamon de Valera Cad é a chuireann eagla ort? Eagla nach dtiocfadh eagla orm... An bhfuil tú ag amharc ar shraith ar bith faoi láthair? Undercover Rud ba mhaith leat a dhéanamh sula bhfaighidh tú bás? Úrscéal a scríobh. Cad é a chiallaíonn ‘rath’ duit? Sláinte! Deirtear i gCiarraí: ‘Rath agus bláth ort oíche agus lá!’ Má tá tú i do shláinte, tá rath ort. Agus… cén focal Gaeilge is fearr leat? Rath

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

SU SAYS - An Ghaeilge agus OÉG le hEímear Nig Oireachtaigh

Oifeach na Gaeilge

An raibh a fhios agat gurb í OÉG an t-aon ollscoil dhátheangach sa tír? Tá an fhíric seo leis féin tar éis go leor dúinn a thabhairt anseo, chun am a chaitheamh le daoine a labhraíonn agus atá an-aird acu don Ghaeilge, cosúil linn. Is rud é gur cheart dúinn a bheith bródúil as! Tá an ceangal speisialta atá againn leis an nGaeilge anseo i nGaillimh fréamhaithe go domhain sa chultúr. Déanann Gaeilge an oiread sin difríochta do shaol gach duine i nGaillimh. Tá sé i ngach áit, agus is cinnte gur cheart dúinn a bheith bródúil as a tréscaoileadh sa tsochaí anseo. Tugann mic léinn idirnáisiúnta í faoi dheireadh, tugann turasóirí í faoi dheireadh, agus thug mé féin í faoi dheireadh nuair a bhog mé ó Chill Mhantáin fiú! Chomh maith leis sin, is muidne an t-aon ollscoil amháin le trí campas álainn sa Ghaeltacht agus seimeastar iomlán a ofráil chun na mic léinn a thum sa Ghaeilge. B’scailt súl é dom an tréimhse a chaith mé sa Cheathrú Rua don chuid den chultúr Gaelach a chaill mé. Is é seo an fáth gur ról ollmhór é an tOifigeach Gaeilge chun tabhairt faoi. Go bunúsach, is ról lánaimseartha é seo atá á dhéanamh go páirtaimseartha. Níl ort ach breathnú ar mo thuairisc mar Oifigeach chun feiceáil an méid oibre atá i gceist, agus cé chomh leathan is atá an cúram. Tá an Ghaeilge i ngach uile chuid de shaol na hollscoile, ó sheirbhísí do dhaoine atá ar mhíchumas go ‘Campus Living’, ó mhac léinn taighde atá ag iarraidh a dtráchtas a chuir isteach ina dteanga féin, go mac léinn céad bliana atá ag iarraidh ciorcal comhrá chun feabhas a chur ar a gcúpla focal. An féidir leat an díomá a shamhlú nuair atá constaicí curtha sa bhealach le hiarratais chomh simplí sin? Tá go leor i nGaillimh le hofráil do dhaoine atá an-aird acu don Ghaeilge. Téann an ceangal seo i bhfad níos faide ná fearainn na hollscoile. Tá an chathair ar fad bríomhar agus ilchultúrtha. Cuireann Áras na nGael spás sóisialta thar cionn ar fáil, áit gur féidir le daoine ár dteanga náisiúnta a fhoghlaim, a chleachtadh agus glacadh léi. Tá sé normalaithe i slí nach bhfuil feicthe agam i gcathracha eile. Ba cheart dúinn an ceangal sin a cheiliúradh, agus an t-am agus an spás a thabhairt chuig Oifigeach Gaeilge an

Chomhaltais chun an post is fear gur féidir leo a dhéanamh, a dhéanamh. Is é an tslí is fearr chun é sin a dhéanamh ná an post a bheith lánaimseartha. Tá roinnt daoine buartha faoin airgead, agus tuigim cén fáth go mbeidh daoine buartha. Cé go raibh an reifreann faoin tobhach conspóideach, thug sé deis dúinn buiséad a chur ar leataobh don Ghaeilge sa Chomhaltas. Tiocfaidh an tuarastal lánaimseartha as an mbuiséad seo agus ní chuirfidh sé isteach ar aon mhaoiniú eile. Is féidir leis an nGaeilge agus an cultúr go leor a thaispeáint dúinn agus

Tá an ceangal speisialta atá againn leis an nGaeilge anseo i nGaillimh fréamhaithe go domhain sa chultúr. Déanann Gaeilge an oiread sin difríochta do shaol gach duine i nGaillimh. Tá sé i ngach áit, agus is cinnte gur cheart dúinn a bheith bródúil as a tréscaoileadh sa tsochaí anseo.

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a múineadh dúinn. Mar dhuine nach bhfuil mar chainteoir dúchasach, tá sí tar éis pobal agus cairdeas a thabhairt dom nach bhféadfainn samhlú sular fhoghlaim mé conas í a labhairt. Thug sí an mhuinín dom iarracht a dhéanamh agus difríocht a dhéanamh. An rud faoi leith faoin Gaeilge dom ná go dtéann sé níos faide ná teanga. Is é ár stair, ár sochaí reatha, agus ár dtodhchaí í. Ach freisin, is féidir léi a bheith greannmhar, a bheith neamhfhoirmiúil, agus a bheith trína chéile. Níl inti ach teanga, ach tá i bhfad níos mó ná sin i gceist léi freisin. Caith vóta ar an 3ú Márta chun difríocht a dhéanamh don Ghaeilge in OÉG.

Cainte

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

na IRISH LANGUAGE WEEK

Tuilleadh eolais ar fail ó / More information from su.gaeilge@oegaillimh.ie

@nuigsu

NUIGalwayStudentsUnion www.su.nuigalway.ie

Sport · Spóirt

OPINION

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

Galway United Season Preview By Shane Lynch

improving as a striker, a position in which Galway have introduced added firepower There’s something in the air in Galway to aid Waweru. One of them is Francely City. A football renaissance led by a man Lomboto, who missed last season with a who’s rebuilt the greatest of Irish foot- broken leg, and in pre-season, has looked balling empires. Since John Caulfield’s a striker who’s reborn. With a point to arrival at Eamon Deacy Park, Galway prove, the potential of both Waweru and United’s fortunes have been drastically Lomboto linking up this season has fans altered, from the despair of languishing salivating, and with new strikers Jordan in the first division of Irish Football, many Adeyemo and Manu Dias also shining in refused to believe that a time may come, pre-season, Caulfield will be spoilt for where they could re-join Irelands elite. options up front. But United evolved as a compact side, One of the major points noted durmixed with the correct blend of youth and ing the transfer window was Caulfield’s experience, which helped to bring them shrewd ability to not only replace departall the way to the anguish and despair ing players, but to add new blood and of being ninety minutes away from the quality to a squad on the precipice of their ultimate goal of promotion. It’s been a ultimate goal. Diego Portilla is one of those journey of optimism and excitement for players. Portilla impressed many supportthe maroon army faithful, with many ers in pre-season, oozing class, composure pundits believing that this may be the and bringing sophistication to a dynamic year in which Galway dine at the table of back line, with a potential link up with the Irish footballing elite. wonderkid Alex Murphy helping to drive One of Galway’s key players last season home the philosophy that defences win will look to play a substantial role in the titles. fight for the title. He is the electrifying In a division where no game is easy, Wilson Waweru. Leading the line last year there will be many familiar rivals for Galfor the tribesmen, Waweru is a product way on their quest for promotion. Firstly, of the Galway United academy. As well Waterford, who lost the relegation playoff, as being a huge fan favourite, he is only will be eager to bounce right back up to

the premier division after gradually slipping into a relegation battle. Ironically enough, Galway’s biggest test will be against Cork City, a team who have been going toe to toe with the men in maroon for both playoff spots and the title in the past few years. These two games are the first games of the season for Galway United, giving the division an explosive start, and sets the tone for a memorable season. John Caulfield’s undeniable connection to Cork City gives these games an extra layer of intrigue and, ironically, Cork’s most famous adopted son could be the man who puts them to the sword, an ousted rebel who assembled his own footballing tribe. To conclude, I feel that this can be the season in which Galway can make a serious challenge for the title. Since Galway got relegated in 2017, they never really looked capable of promotion, with flickers of hope through the play-offs, they never looked like a team who could stay in the premier division should they have gotten the promotion. However, through sheer grit, passion, and the rise of attendance figures in Eamon Deacy Park, you have to wonder, will this be the birth of a new Irish footballing giant?

Niland directs NUI Galway to Fitzgibbon cup semi’s By Darren Casserly A 14-point game from Evan Niland sent NUI Galway through to the Fitzgibbon cup semi finals against GMIT after overcoming Waterford IT at a score of 1-22 to 2-13 on a bitterly cold Dangan night. Waterford got on the scoreboard first from a free scored by their goalkeeper Barry Nolan who was immense throughout with his distribution. However, it was not long until the home side took over and built up a lead that would not be overcome by the Waterford side. Defensive lapses by NUI Galway kept this game close as Stephen Barrett scored a penalty for the away side midway through the first half. The talent of the Galway forwards though was too much to keep this game too close as an excellent solo goal from Fionn MacDonagh and scores from the likes of Cian Lynch was too much for Waterford IT to handle. The half time score of 1-11 to 1-8 may have made it seem like it was a close game, but those in attendance could see NUI Galway was the better side from play. The difference was beginning to show on the scoreboard at the second half as Galway were able to open up a 9-point lead 10 minutes into the second half as some

ill-discipline from the Waterford side was punished by the clinical Evan Niland. Poor defending continued to cost

On the brightside, it guarantees a Galway side will be in a Fitzgibbon cup final for the first time in over a decade.

The difference was beginning to show as Galway were able to open up a 9-point lead 10 minutes into the second half. Ill-discipline from the Waterford side was punished by the clinical Evan Niland. Galway however, as consecutive points and a converted penalty cut the lead to 3-points. However, it did not seem to faze an experienced Galway side as Evan Niland continued his superb form from the dead ball and the game never truly seemed at risk for the home side. It is now onto a semi-final against Galway neighbours GMIT who have been somewhat of a surprise package this year given their history in the competition. This is not to say that they will be a walk over and they have several players who will no doubt give NUI Galway trouble including their own free scoring threat in Kevin Cooney who scored 11 points in their quarter final victory over TUS Midwest.

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NUI GALWAY: L Reilly (Castlegar); E Lawless (Athenry), J Fitzpatrick (Killimordaly), C Caulfield (Kilconieron); C Killeen (Loughrea), D Morrissey (Sarsfields), M Gill (Castlegar); D Kilcommins (Annaghdown), I McGlynn (Kilconieron); C Walsh (Turloughmore), C Lynch (Patrickswell, Limerick), F MacDonagh (Moycullen); P Hickey (Nenagh Éire Óg, Tipperary), J Fleming (Meelick-Eyrecourt), E Niland (Clarinbridge) Subs: C Salmon (Clarinbridge) for MacDonagh (temp, 30-30+2), M Kennedy (Clarinbridge) for McGlynn (50), O Flannery (St. Thomas’) for MacDonagh (52), N Collins (Cappataggle) for Hickey (60) Scorers for NUI Galway: E Niland (0-14, 12f); C Lynch (0-3); F MacDonagh (1-0); C Killeen (0-2); M Gill, J Fleming, M Kennedy (0-1 each).

Sport · Spóirt

OPINION

Vol. 23 #09 22 Feb. 2022

France defeat shows Ireland they have a way to go By Darren Casserly

Sports Editor

There is going to be no grand slam for Ireland this year. They probably won’t win the Six Nations either. France have shown Ireland they are not at the top table in international rugby. These are all things I learned after Irelands’ defeat in the Stade de France last weekend. It had started out so promisingly for this Irish side, they destroyed Wales like never before, the new additions seemed tailor made for the side, and it looked like Andy Farrells style of play was bearing fruit. The new additions to the side do still look quite impressive, with Mack Hansen looking particularly impressive in both games and going over with a sublime try in the game against France. It is still left to be seen if this style of play will work for Ireland or they have to look for something else. What is clear is that France made it incredibly uncomfortable for the Irish side and looked like they were going to make a turnover with every ruck. They were bigger, better, and smarter than an Irish side that made Wales feel the same way the weekend before.

It may seem like some unfair criticism given the fact that Ireland cut the deficit to 3 points in the second half and kept it a one score game for nearly the entirety of the second half, it just felt like such a come down from the weekend before. France are an interesting team to come up against for several reasons, they seem, in my eyes, to be somewhat a surprise package in the way that you’re not sure if they will be a disaster or they will be the best team in the world. They have not won the Six Nations in the last decade, in which time Ireland have won it three times. They are the better team, and it was just a matter of time until they win it again, but in saying that, nothing is guaranteed, and they could lose all their remaining games, but winning it all seems more likely. The biggest question that came out of this games is what will we do without Johnny Sexton? He’s 36 now and still the best fly-half Ireland have. Without Sexton this team does not look the same and won’t look the same when he’s gone. There are more problems than just this in the side, but if the rest of the campaign can be considered a success they surely will be swept under the rug.

James Ryan of Ireland in action against Gael Fickou of France during the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between France and Ireland at Stade de France in Paris, France. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Photo: @nuigalwaysport on Twitter

NUI Galway Ladies Soccer team victorious over UCC By Pádraic De Búrca NUI Galway Ladies Soccer Club defeated UCC 2-0 in the WSCAI Kelly Cup on Wednesday afternoon in Dangan. Playing with the aid of a slight breeze in the first half NUI Galway dominated territory but could not make it count on the scoresheet. Midway through the half Chloe Singleton had the ball in the net for the home side but her effort was ruled out for offside. At the other end Christina Dring went close to scoring for visitors on a counterattack but her shot was expertly tipped over by Abbiegayle Roynane. It took NUI Galway a while to settle in second half playing into the wind but when they regrouped, they did so in style with Kayla Brady and Elle O’Flaherty penetrating the wings, peppering the Cork box with crosses. The midfield battle was won by the Galway’s central midfield trio of McCall Mennion, Emma Cian, and Chloe Singleton. Ciara McManus’s introduction added to their creativity and at the back the Galway girl’s defence was well marshalled by centre half’s Therese Kinnevey and Mollie Page. This gave wingbacks Brena Milton and Lauren Seaman (who had replaced the industrious Jane Trehy when she got injured) the freedom to drift forward. Indeed on 63 minutes it was a defence splitting through ball from Seaman, that allowed Laney Green get in behind the UCC defence and fire the ball low into the bottom corer leaving ‘keeper Hanna Walsh with no chance. A feature of the second half was Singleton’s ability to turn defence into attack when she embarked on a number of power runs with the ball to relieve the pressure. Indeed, it was no surprise when she turned up in the six-yard box to score Galway’s second on 69 minutes following a goalmouth scramble. NUI Galway then introduced Angie Ambroisio to add some defensive cover to see out the game. The win sees NUI Galway’s name go into the hat for the quarter-final draw with games to be played on the week of 21st February.

Coiste Gnó EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Vice President / Education Officer Leas Uachtarán / Oifigeach Oideachais

2021 -2022

Vice-President / Welfare and Equality Officer Leas-Uachtarán / Oifigeach Leasa agus Comhionannais

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Clodagh McGivern

Róisín Nic Lochlainn

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