SIN Vol. 24 Issue 04

Student Independent News

Delight as over 300 students attend campus Student Walkout Protest

By Darragh Nolan Deputy Editor

University of Galway students joined their peers across the country this month in walking out of classes to protest against high rents, accommodation shortages and the soaring cost of living.

Lecture halls were emptied as over 300 of people descended on the Concourse to make their voices heard.

Spirits were high as the significant turnout proved a welcome surprise for

those who took the step of walking out to express their feelings.

Student and Social Democrat National Executive member Seán Burke was in attendance and was motivated by success of the event.

“There was a great turnout. It was certainly energising to see so many people that are sick of this. Seeing all the young people wanting to register to vote is a good sign for the future.”

He has little faith that the current government will listen to young people’s concerns but hopes that protests will cultivate change into the future.

“Obviously we want the government to act but they’ve a track record of not listening and not caring so I doubt these protests will change that.

“What these protests could change is what the next government looks like by mobilising and energising young people to get out and vote and campaign.”

Seán said students’ short-term demands include rent freezes, more hous ing and increases to SUSI grants.

University of Galway Students’ Union Mature Students’ Officer Benjamin George

admitted he was worried he’d be one of just a few people at the protest.

“When I was leaving my own lecture there was a lot of people, I was half afraid I’d be one of the few people. Then actually following them, they all came here to the protest so that was a great experience.”

He said that though protests can be “quite unpopular in Ireland” he hoped that this campaign might buck the trend.

“People generally have a reticence to stand out, be heard and be seen. But when you have a national campaign like this one that’s gen erated quite a lot of publicity, hopefully it will generate interest and will continue to build on the successes of the cost of living protests.”

He said problems the problems facing stu dents are “institutionalised and systemic” and that more work must be done to solve them.

Higher Education Minister Simon Harris acknowledged the hardship faced by stu dents and said they were right to make a point on the rising cost of living by protesting.

However he pointed out that Budget 2023 represents a “direct recognition” of the conditions students are fighting against and government’s effort to “change that reality”.

Photo courtesy of Criodán Ó Murchú

“ What these protests could change is what the next government looks like by mobilising and energising young people to get out and vote and campaign.”

Editorial

By Valerie McHugh Editor

Welcome to Issue 4 everyone. A huge congratulations to our sub-editors and contributors for putting together an edition of great content. They have all put in a substantial effort, especially during a really tough mid-term exam period. A special thanks also goes to our Deputy Editor Darragh Nolan who went above and beyond to gather content for this issue.

Darragh’s story on the Student Walkout takes the front page this week, and we would like to thank all of the stu dents who spoke to us about it. The turnout was significant, as you can see from the photo on our cover kindly sup plied to us by Criodán Ó Murchú. Also, welcome to our new Cainte Editor Gearóid Ó Droighneáin who has joined our team. His gaeilge is go hiontach, and I am personally delighted he has taken over this section. Don’t forget to have a look at his piece on Oireachtas na Gaeilge this week!

In our usual housekeeping, if you would like to get involved with SIN, make sure to email deputy.sineditor@gmail.com for more information. You can find us over on Instagram and Twitter too, where you can follow everything we get up to too. We’d love to hear from you, so do get in touch!

For now, here is issue 4, we hope you enjoy all of the pieces!

Increase in Homelessness in Galway as Winter Approaches

by Seán Lyons

Galway’s rate of homelessness increased by 6% last month as nationwide figures hit an all-time high.

Figures released by the Department of Housing show that 257 adults are now registered as homeless in Galway city and county compared to 243 in July. This gives Galway the fourth-highest rate of homelessness in the country after Dub lin, Cork and Limerick.

This came just days after Budget 2022 was revealed in which several measures regarding housing were announced such as a €500 tax credit for renters who are not on State housing supports, an extension of the Help-to-Buy scheme and a vacant property tax.

COPE Galway, an NGO which provides assistance to women seeking emergency accommodation, said that the budget “will be seen as a missed opportunity to address the growing homelessness crisis” on their official Twitter account, adding that it contained “nothing to pre vent more people becoming homeless”.

According to data published by the Galway branch of the Simon Commu nity in August of this year, 494 people in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon are currently availing of emergency accom modation; a 20% or 82-person increase on last year’s figures.

Paula Freney, a project worker at COPE Galway, said that homelessness in Galway affects women of an immi grant background disproportionately because “where an Irish person might be able to fall back on family or other connections, immigrant women don’t have that option”.

She said that her workplace has twelve available beds at any given time and at present, “eight of the twelve are (being used by) immigrant women” but added that “that’s very subjective to our circumstances (week to week)”.

Wayne Stanley, Head of Policy and Communications at the Simon Com munity, said that “the burden of the housing and inflation crisis weighs on the shoulders of those least able to bear it” and called on the State to “step up the supports for those on the lowest incomes and those in the most acute housing need”.

The number of people homeless in Ireland overall reached a record-level of 10,805 people; a 237-person increase from July.

One third of students have “seriously considered” withdrawing from degree programmes

By Rachel Foster Co-News Editor

A recent survey has found 37% of students have “seriously considered” withdrawing from their degree programmes.

The research was carried out amongst first final year undergraduates, as well as postgraduate students, across 25 higher education institutions.

The reasons given for consideration of withdrawal were found to be: Personal or family reasons (13%); Financial reasons (10%); Transfer to another institution (9%); Other (8%); Health reasons (6%) and; Employment (5%).

Of this 37% considering withdrawal, 35% were first year undergraduate stu dents. This is starkly contrasted against the 2019-2020 statistic of only a 9% non-progression rate from first year to second year undergraduate.

There has been an increase in students’ engagement with learning since 2021, when learning was affected by the pandemic, particularly in areas such as, collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction, quality of interactions, and supportive environment.

The manager of the survey, Dr Siobhán Nic Fhlannchadha, has stated, “The results of StudentSurvey.ie have immense value for each of the higher education institutions, as well as for the whole higher education sector. I am always struck by how students

use the survey to reflect critically and con structively on their experience.

“For staff in the higher education insti tutions and organisations, these results represent an opportunity to grow, and I hope they make the most of it. The results this year show that students are facing challenges and institutions are providing supports to help them succeed.”

The survey has also found that 84% of respondents would choose the same insti tution if they were to start over again, 58% of respondents believed that their institution emphasised providing support to help stu dents succeed academically, and only 43% of respondents indicated as excellent the quality of interactions with academic staff.

Photo: StudentSurvey.ie

Exhibition detailing life and work of University of Galway’s first Professor of Irish unveiled at James Hardiman Library

By Steven Fox

An exhibition showcasing the life and work of Tomás Ó Máille, University of Galway’s first Professor of Irish, has been unveiled at the James Hardiman Library.

Saíocht & Saoránacht was officially opened on 30 September by Minister for Sport and the Environment Jack Chambers. The exhibition’s director is Dr. Lilis Ó Laoire (University of Galway), and its curator is Dr. Deirdre Ní Chonghaile.

The exhibition came about as a result of the work between Drs Ó Laoire and Ní Chonghaile, who saw the lack of read ily available information on Ó Máille as something that needed to be addressed. The exhibition comes as part of a series of events documenting significant milestones in the university’s history.

Originally from Joyce Country in the Connemara Gaeltacht, Ó Máille was appointed Professor of Irish at Queen’s College, Galway in 1909 (he was also the institution’s youngest professor at the time, at 29). His work focused on the preservation, promo tion, and revival of his native language, and he was described by one of his successors as “a scholar of importance, as well as being a man of action fully engagé in the cultural and political revolution of his time”

A primary focus of the exhibition has been the collection and digitisation of wax cylinder recordings that Ó Máille collected during his tenure, which document stories and songs of his native Connemara Gaeltacht. His efforts were quite ahead of their time says Ní Chonghaile.

“Machines were rare so for Tomás Ó Máille to have invested in a machine, he’s really pioneering in that respect”.

The project is currently focused on enriching the metadata of the digitised recordings. This involves attributing the recordings to individual performers to properly catalogue them. So far, a small number of recordings have been released to the general public and have been met with a positive response.

“We released the recordings on 23 September […] immediately there’s been a response from the general public […] the appetite is enormous” says Ní Chonghaile.

A website for the exhibition is currently under develop ment, with a host of different resources slated for upload. This

University of Galway in the early 1910s.

includes the digitisation of the newspaper Ó Máille edited and printed on campus, An Stoc, and Irish language material being digitised in collaboration with New York University. The international dimension is an important aspect says Ní Chonghaile.

“Gaeilge research is about cultural mobility worldwide, there’s Irish diaspora everywhere”

Looking to the future, there is a hope that the exhibition can be toured, especially to the Royal Irish Academy who hold record ings made by Ó Máille on behalf of the national Doegen survey.

So far, the exhibition has been a resounding success, and Ní Chonghaile is optimistic for its future.

“My hopes for all these recordings is that people, especially outside of Gaeltacht communities recognise this as their own heritage […] I’m looking forward to learning more about how today’s generation and coming generations create space for Irish, because that’s the only way it’s going to survive, if that space is created”.

Funding for the exhibition was provided by University of Galway and Foras na Gaeilge. It was commissioned by Roinn na Gaeilge, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. The exhibition is partnered with the National Library and the Royal Irish Academy. The digitisa tion effort was funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and the ongoing metadata work is funded by the Heritage Council.

Tomás Ó Máille

Dylan Meets Declan Varley

By Dylan McLoughlin SIN Columnist

Declan Varley is Group Editor for the Galway advertiser and is also the author of five works of fiction - Kittyland, which described his life as a student in the then RTC, Sure It Could Happen, The Elephant’s Graveyard, Nightmusic, and The Confession of Peadar Gibbons.

What is your background, and where did you go to school/college?

I am originally from Ballinrobe in Co. Mayo. I went to school in Ballinrobe and then to the Regional Technical College (as it was known then) in Galway, and studied Market ing. I always wanted to do Journalism but at the time there were no courses except for one in Dublin which was very difficult to get into. Marketing and Journalism are very similar because Marketing is trying to tell a story about something. I was three years in college and received a Degree in Business.

Where did your love of journalism stem from?

I always had an interest in writing and as a young child I was always putting books together. When I was in my late teens, I started a local parish magazine with some friends, and to make a few pounds, we sold it after Mass on a Saturday night. My mother used to love writing short stories also, and my father was a great story teller so it was hard to miss the Journalism bug. I love the idea of telling stories especially telling stories about things that matter to people. I have been a journalist for 31/32 years fulltime, the buzz isn’t being editor it’s going out to cover matches and putting it in the paper.

You already have five books and three plays out; have you intentions of writing anymore?

I am writing all the time. I have 7 books out and also have several other books published under different names. It’s good to see how they are doing, and often do better than the books written under my own name. The plays I wrote were all performed in Carnmore for the local drama group Compántas Lir and all were light-hearted and funny. I am currently working on a collection of short stores. I am also writing a book on Mayo football which hopefully will be published next Autumn.

In 2017 you did an article on Galway winning the All-Ireland along with the iconic picture of Micheál Donoghue and his dad who was holding the Liam McCarty cup in Ballinasloe. Can you tell me about that experience?

The best pictures in any media are the pic tures on the radio. Pictures tell great stories, and the best pictures capture all emotions, especially pictures after matches, where

people are full of emotion. That picture was very emotional, a father and son having a great moment after winning something that everyone wanted to win. There is such raw emotion from pictures like that. It also showed the human side to the Manager.

The same year you spoke at the Seosaimh Uí Ógartaigh awards. Can you explain what this is?

Seosaimh Uí Ógartaigh was a businessman in Galway about 40 years ago. He was respon sible for the Chamber of Commerce. His son is currently President of University of Galway. Seosaimh loved the Irish Language, and this Award is presented every year to honour busi nesses that go out of their way to promote the Irish language in their business. The Award is sponsored by the Galway Advertiser and the aim is to maintain the Irish Language in Galway.

You were named in Melbourne as a winner of the 2016 ISWNE Golden Dozen editorial awards. Can you explain what this award is?

As Editor of the Galway Advertiser, I select a topic that people can relate to every week. There is a group called the International Society of Weekly Newspaper, and they select the best 12 editorials awards known as the 12 Golden Dozen. I have won this award on a number of occasions. I start my editorial for the Advertiser on a Wednesday evening 10 minutes before the paper goes to print.

The Galway Advertiser marked its 50th Anniversary in 2020. What is the success of the newspaper?

The Advertiser was initially set up by Ronnie O’Gorman 52 years ago, and it’s still going strong. People love the idea of a free newspa per and the fact that it is dropped into their letter boxes every Thursday, and we guaran tee circulation every week. The Newspaper reaches everybody, it doesn’t matter who they are. The Advertiser started off in 1970 printing 7000 copies and in 2022 we print 55,000 copies and 40,000 online copies. We also have 2 other papers, the Athlone and Mayo Advertisers. We are also situated in the centre of town; we hope that people respond to advertisements in the papers and buy local.

You also did a Masters in Writing in University of Galway. Did you enjoy being back studying again?

I enjoyed back studying again but it is a different experience when it was all online lectures. I would have loved the experience of attending lectures but it was a very good course about writing, and I learnt a lot and it has made me a better writer. The advantages I suppose were I wasn’t spend ing hours in traffic travelling to and from college, so I was able to study and continue writing and doing the newspaper also.

Photo: advertiser.ie

How did you cope with Covid? It must have been difficult every week writing in the Galway Advertiser and trying to keep people’s spirits up.

Yes, this was a difficult time for everybody. The Advertiser covers so many topics and everything just stopped. Almost immediately all of our 50 staff were working from home. We were faced with the dilemma of what we could do to keep the paper going. Local busi nesses were in danger of closing so we decided to tell their stories in the Advertiser. People loved being asked and we filled the paper with their stories. This kept the paper going over that period. We all realised how important it is to support local shops and businesses as in the depth of Covid it was the local communities and sports clubs that helped the elderly and vulnerable in their communities.

Are you an optimistic person in life?

I am an optimistic type of person – glass half-full person - and I aim to bring that across in the newspaper. I aim to get the most out of life and like to challenge myself. I think it is so important to push yourself to do things that you might not be comfortable with. I always like to encourage people and I try to promote Galway as much as I can.

What are your pastimes and plans for the future?

My pastime is writing. When I go for a break into town, I always bring my laptop and do my private writing. I also like walking, swim ming and take time also to follow local clubs and national and international teams I plan to keep going doing what I love. I am launch ing a new look for the Advertiser, and change the stories I am writing to try and entice the younger generation into reading the paper, and try and keeping the paper going as long as I can, in an ever-changing world where papers are taken over by online reading.

I am writing to try and entice the younger generation into reading the paper... in an everchanging world where papers are taken over by online reading.”

By Eimear O’Dwyer

“After 5 years…this is a disgrace. To blame society, to blame families and to absolve the church, the state of any responsibility.”

“It’s not a national conversation though is it, around what the hell did we do to the women in the 20th century, what did we allow?”

This is the reaction of Annette McKay speaking to SIN after the recent announce ment of the Mother and Baby Home Redress Scheme on the 11th of October.

The Government will put 800 million euro worth of funding into the scheme in an attempt to redress 34,000 victims. €5,000 will be given to women who spent up to 3 months in an institution and €10,000 will be given to those who spent up to 6 months in an institution. €1,500 will also be given to women who worked while in the institutions.

People who receive redress under the scheme will also have to sign a waiver to ensure that they will not take future legal action against the State on this issue. The proposals will be debated in the Dáil in the coming weeks.

McKay 68, is the daughter of deceased Tuam Mother and Baby Home victim Maggie O’ Connor. Maggie was from Bohermore in Galway where she lived until her mother passed away in 1936 and her father enlisted in the British army.

Because of the absence of her parents Maggie and her siblings were sent to an industrial school.

“So mum and the other children were sentenced to an industrial school, Len aboy Castle in Taylor’s Hill in Galway and it was a dreadful place, one of the worst.”

Maggie could have left the school at 16 but she remained to ensure that her sisters were looked after and fed.

“She was raped by the caretaker in Len aboy when she was 17 and so when it was found out that she was pregnant she was moved to Tuam mother and baby home.”

McKay’s sister, Mary Margaret was born in Tuam in December 1942 and died in June 1943 at six months old of whooping cough and heart failure, according to the nuns.

The day Maggie was told about her babies’ death she was sent away to St Anne’s Industrial School.

Her mental health suffered greatly as a result.

“I knew about the Industrial School because she was so traumatised and damaged so when we were children the breakdowns and the suicide attempts were all linked to Lenaboy.”

Maggie stayed in Galway until she was 23. She then went to Belfast where she met Annette McKay’s father and they had 3 children.

“Her life was very rackety. Obviously such damage to her mental health and her physical health by all of the abuse she had really suffered from when she was 11 until when she was 18.”

When Maggie was in her fifties she went back to Galway and ended up in hospital for three weeks.

“You’re teenagers so you don’t think about these things but obviously she was suffering from some form of PTSD because she was in this world where people didn’t talk about what happened to her.”

“Her own sisters didn’t talk about what happened to her.”

“It wasn’t until later that I used to walk the streets of Galway and I used to cry because I used to think, she never walked these streets in peace. She never felt at home here. She’s never been accepted.”

“She must have thought ‘are people star ing at me?’ Are they thinking oh there’s that Maggie O’ Connor one, the one with the baby in Tuam?”

Annette says the redress scheme is inade quate, “a mealy mouth apology and a few bob.”

“There’s been endless commissions, forums, reports... [they] never refer to the wider picture which is actually this was Ireland’s shame and Ireland’s stigma.”

McKay says there needs to be a proper human rights process where the women affected are at the centre. She says women were seen as “sinful” and “shameful” and they had to “atone for their sins.”

According to the Mother and Baby Home report published in 2021, 9,000 babies died in the 18 institutions investigated, which is 1 in 7 of all children born. There were around 56,000 mothers admitted into the institu tions investigated up until they closed in 1998 and the Commission found that “most had no money and nowhere to go.”

“They set up camps to incarcerate women and anybody who understands psychology will tell you that when you put people in charge of a powerless group they will abuse that power.”

“The damage they inflicted annihilated their identity.”

“Those women were denied education, they were denied any rights, and they were denied a chance to have their own money.”

“They were seen as the perpetrators, you brought shame on your family. Never mind that they were the victims of rape, or incest, or abuse, or family violence. That one poor girl had to carry absolutely everything. No mention of the men. No mention of the religious institutions who took money to look after them and abuse them in those places.”

The content of this article may be distressing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised

The Mother and Baby Home redress scheme will see survivors getting “a pittance of an amount and yet another apology that you could paper walls with” says deceased victim’s daughter.

Mass grave of the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home, Tuam, Galway. Photo: AugusteBlanqui via Wikimedia Commons.

“After 5 years…this is a disgrace. To blame society, to blame families and to absolve the church, the state of any responsibility. What the hell did we do to the women in the 20th century, what did we allow?”

Self-Starter: Tuam Welcomes New Sourdough Baker

By Seán Lyons

“I think my love language is cooking and baking for people”, says Megan Katya Lowe who has enjoyed making food for others since she was a child. Growing up in a large family in Luxembourg, she often took it upon herself to make sure that no one went without. “Any time someone was hungry or they didn’t have dinner, I just went over there and cooked”, she says. Now twenty-three years old, she has found a way to make her passion a profession.

Six months ago, Lowe and her boyfriend made the bold decision to uproot themselves from Luxembourg and settle

you can just go on the internet and find a recipe and follow it”, she says. However, this has never deterred Lowe who has always strived to “do the hardest thing” when it comes to baking.

As soon as she learned about sourdough’s baking process, she was determined to master it and “be the best at it”. Of course, her journey to becoming an expert sourdough-baker was not without its challenges. As she honed her skills, “there were a lot of failures and a lot of breakdowns” but this only served to drive her on. “It motivated me and I hated that I kept on failing”, she says.

As the orders come rolling in, Lowe is focused on the future but concerns about electricity costs cause her to question the long-term sustainability of working from home. “It’s all very electricity based”, she says of the baking process, “because sour dough bread needs such a long fermentation time. I need the ovens on for a long time to create such a high amount of heat”. However, she is conscious of keeping costs low and this is one of the reasons she is adamant about staying at home for now. She says that she is “planning to stay around Tuam so I don’t waste money on fuel”.

Business aside, Lowe bakes because of the joy it brings and the easing effect is has on worldly anxieties. “I had really bad mental health issues in Luxembourg and I didn’t plan baking to help me with it but it’s just so time-consuming and distracting so it’s helpful”, she says. Whether it continues to be her living or not, Lowe acknowledges how beneficial baking has been to her sense of worth and how it will continue to fuel her. She says that prior to her baking journey, she “had lots of insecurities about lots of things and its brought my confidence up to a whole new level. I think that’s why I’m so much passionate about it – it’s not just there to make money or to feed you, it’s really good for mental health”.

on the outskirts of Tuam. At home, she dreamed of setting up her own bakery but found it difficult to compete with the existing corporate bakeries. As a result, she desired to move somewhere more accommodating to small business owners. “We moved here because I wanted to get into bread-making, into sourdough, into trying to open a business here. There’s no chance of doing that in Luxembourg – it’s not for the little person”, she says.

After months of groundwork, Lowe’s dream has become a reality with the launch of her business “May’s Place of Sour dough”. Working out of her home in a fully-equipped kitchen, she is taking orders from local cafés, restaurants and bars and delivering the bread herself. She chose to base herself in Tuam because she found it difficult to promote herself in the city. She says “in Galway city, it’s very hard to get the word out and find people. The established bakeries have got a huge head start”.

Conversely, the people of Tuam were immediately enthusias tic and encouraging towards her. “I posted it on our local Tuam Facebook page and the amount of people that commented and asked for some bread, shared my post; there was so much support just for someone trying to sell something that they love”, she says.

Already, she is enjoying high-demand and she attributes this partially to the scarcity of sourdough bakers. Upon arriving in Galway, she took a job in a bakery in the city and this helped her to get the word out about her sourdough baking. She says “when I was looking for a job, I said ‘I’m a baker and I make my own sourdough’ and they were immediately asking me, ‘do you produce your own sourdough’, ‘can you make big amounts’, ‘can we buy it from you’”. Immediately, she realised that she was tapping into a niche yet very lucrative market.

Lowe calls sourdough bread the “mother of yeast” due to its notoriously difficult nature. Unlike other types of bread, it is very much dependent on temperature, humidity, the cooling process and the type of flour used. “It’s not like a bread recipe where

Asking Direct Provision residents to pay for rent: a quick fix blaming it on the wrong target

By Alessia Micalizzi

Ireland’s capacity to house refugees and asylum seekers is ques tioned again as arrivals of people fleeing war and searching for refuge constantly increase. Even more, a Government proposal has been questioned suggesting full-time employed Direct Provision residents start paying their rent or the so-called fees for service.

According to Paddy Hennelly, the manager of Galway Direct Provision centre Great Western House, the proposal is “nothing new.” He explains how although the DP system doesn’t enforce people to move out once they are employed, it’s how it was meant to be since when asylum seekers were granted the right to work: “Only people that can’t financially sustain themselves have lawful access to Direct Provision. This proposal wants to encourage self-sufficient people to move out and make room for newcomers in need”, says Hennelly.

The non-ideal conditions of living in Direct Provision accom modations have often been brought up by the media, and whether they correspond or not to the reality of the centres, anyone could argue that living in private, own-managed accom modation is better, especially if you’re asked to pay for it. But what the manager of Great Western House pointed out raises a simple question: why doesn’t the Government revise the whole system, and put in place a process of actual integration in the Irish society once the asylum seeker no longer needs DP

The Irish state currently not being able to provide decent housing options to its citizens may be part of the answer.

What’s wrong with the proposal is its target: if the state is unable to manage the influx of people asking to be welcomed under international law, that’s not on the people. “This sends out the signal ‘Oh, those in Direct Provision get everything. The rest of us are being discriminated against” said People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith in an interview with Newstalk, and we saw how in the rest of Europe creating divisive narrative and discontent between citizens and resident refugees only led to disruptive governments.

When making decisions on these people’s lives, governments often forget that nothing is easy when you’re not at home and a home is no more an option. Being employed in a new country doesn’t necessarily mean feeling happy and free. If it can be legitimate to ask them to contribute to their “new home” maintenance, it should also be legitimate for them to ask for a decent “new life.” This involves, as for every Irish citizen, the

possibility of finding a house on their own without struggling too much, a job that doesn’t underpay them or take hours on a bus to be reached, and a healthy work-life balance where people consider them neighbours and not a threat.

The wrong targeting also follows the usual double standard: although employed Ukrainians might be asked to pay for the places they’re hosted in as well, the general talk on Direct Provision long-time residents is only happening now in the middle of the Ukrainian crisis, suggesting how this is a situation of urgency, but has never been before. The message seems to be “they are in need now, either you help us with that, or we

University of Galway Students’ Union Seomra Cótaí Saor in Aisce Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn

Photo by Pixabay

BeReal: An authentic approach to social media or another excuse to compare?

By Lucy Peoples

“Comparison is the thief of joy,” I was once told. In life, we must try to heed this quote by Theodore Roosevelt. But it is almost impossi ble not to compare our lives to those of social media influencers, reality TV personalities, and Hollywood actors when we see their lav ish posts online. Social media has become a platform of comparison for most of us.

It is difficult to see the purpose of following accounts of people who spend their time ordering clothes, makeup, and brands of accessories that we couldn’t afford at the present moment. Watch Gossip Girl to see how the other half lives – without the high-flyers consuming the contents of your scrolling! Apps such as Instagram have that effect on people, where everything is a competition.

Alexis Barreyat and Kevin Perreau (crea tors of the French app BeReal) had an idea to change this. BeReal is a social media app where it is required that its users take a picture at a different time every day. The time is decided by the app so whenever the notification arrives to “BeReal”, the user

The TD as a landlord

By Steven Fox

As we enter the closing stages of 2022, the issue that has pushed its way to the top of public consciousness has been the ongoing housing crisis. Exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the influx of Ukrainian refu gees, access to adequate housing in Ireland has become more and more difficult.

must take a snapshot of what they are doing at that exact time, wherever they are, whoever they’re with. It is true, however, that comparisons may still be made if you are not doing something as thrilling as your friends at the time of posting. But it offers the chance to see past the Instagram filters, the perfectly edited Tik Tok posts, and the always-sunny-always-smiling albums on those accounts which make you feel like it’s unnatural to have an off day.

So have they managed to create an authentic app? Studies show that posts on apps such as Instagram and TikTok can have a negative effect on the mental health of their users. BeReal, however, somehow manages to create a sense of solidarity as you cannot view what your friends have posted until you post yourself. It also does not show how many likes you receive or how many followers and the post disappears when the next “2 minutes to BeReal” request arrives.

I feel that the app’s developers have achieved a sense of authenticity and have created an online platform that is different from any other. It offers us the chance to

The high level of homelessness that we see around our towns and cities every day serves an important function, in the same way unemployment does to employers: it ensures there is always a potential customer, “a floating reserve army of labour” (or those in need of shelter), and in so doing makes it a seller’s market, allowing for wages to be kept low, and rental prices high.

Similarly, the dereliction that stains our urban centres allows for the remaining rentable properties to be valued much higher (and even those derelict properties can garner landlords an increased income through spec ulation). To remedy these issues would be to negatively impact landlords economically.

Who then do we turn to in addressing these issues? The first response of many would be the government and our represent atives in the Dáil. But therein lies an issue: many of the nation’s TDs are themselves landlords. How can they be expected to do what is necessary to alleviate the burden of the present crisis from the shoulders of the majority of the Irish populace, when to do so would affect their own finances negatively.

escape from perfection and share the real ity of watching Netflix in bed, spending hours on the bus at the weekend to get home, and simply cooking dinner in the kitchen. These scenarios that would oth erwise never see the light of day on your socials.

While it is true that the tumultuous nature of the last few years has greatly increased the severity of the crisis, it is not true to say that they are its root cause. Fundamentally, there is a contradiction between the class interests of those who are forced to rent (the majority of the Irish populace) and landlords.

In a recent Irish Times piece, it was revealed that of our 220 representatives between the Dáil and Seanad, 80 (36%) own a rental prop erty (or properties), land, or both. Many of them receive income from local authority schemes such as the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) or Rental Assistance Scheme (RAS). In fact, TD for Westmeath-Longford

Robert Troy, who recently resigned his posi tion as junior minister at the Department of Enterprise on the foot of a scandal surround ing his failure to declare his property interests, was in receipt of income from both schemes across his 11 properties.

As a TD he has used parliamentary questions to gain information on the RAS scheme in his constituency from the then Minister for Housing and has lobbied the same minister for increases to the HAP scheme. Most egregiously however, was his lobbying of the government to make it easier for landlords to evict their tenants during the pandemic’s rent freeze.

Troy is just one example of the liberties taken by landlord TD’s (and as the original breakers of his story TheDitch have since revealed, 75% of landlords in the Dáil have committed similar breaches), but his experi ence speaks to a broader issue. A third of TDs in government are landlords; the primary base and donorship of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are landlords. While Sinn Féin’s ranks are not as stacked with property owners, they are by no means strangers to the profession, especially in the North of Ireland.

The question should not be “Are landlord TDs willing to act against their own interests to benefit society generally?”. They have demonstrated through their deeds that they will not, and the sooner that they stop being relied on and trusted and other avenues are explored, the better for all.

Photo by Valerie McHugh

“

Protest or poor decisions: A better look at the recent climate protest

By Anna Falk

Two members of a climate activist group recently threw cans of tomato soup at Vincent Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers.” Peo ple around the world reacted in outrage over the supposed destruction of the painting, failing to realize the truth behind the matter.

As a lover of art, the initial news about the incident shocked me; why would climate activists attempt to destroy one of the world’s most beloved and recognizable works of art?

Upon further research into the incident, I feel more enlight ened about the topic and more outraged at those who can’t understand why they did it. In a video covering the incident, protestor Phoebe Plummer says, “What is worth more, art or life? Is it worth more than food, worth more than justice?” She goes on to note that the public is more worried about the protection of the painting rather than Earth and its people. The costs of living and oil are connected, she continues, and it has become so dire that many cannot even afford to buy and heat up a can of soup.

While I can understand how many, regardless of the message that Plummer and co-activist Anna Holland are sending, would still be concerned about the painting and the disruptiveness of the action.

The two admitted in a video posted to TikTok that they chose the painting specifically because they knew it had a protective covering. In terms of their destructive actions, they also admit that it seems ridiculous but had to be done to get people’s attention. Art in the modern world has become a way for corporations to fuel their unethical activities and further their agenda under the guise of beneficence. In funding the arts, they gain favour in the eyes of the people while continuing to grow in power and further damage the Earth and its people.

Plummer and Holland also mention matters of justice, particularly in the social and economic sense. Not only are these matters important, but they are intrinsically linked to climate justice. In acknowledging that we cannot have one without the other, it is also brought to our attention that holistic change cannot be possible without rupturing the foundation upon which our modern society has been built. These activists have received a lot of backlash for what first appears to be an outrageous, random act of violence towards a piece of well-loved art. However, their disruption was nec essary for those watching around the world to investigate the matter further.

Perhaps throwing soup at a painting of sunflowers might seem a bit odd, but their reasoning behind it begs the public to turn their attention to the more pressing matters at hand: the future of our planet and our people.

“

Plummer and Holland also mention matters of justice in the social and economic sense. These are intrinsically linked to climate justice... we cannot have one without the other.

Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Steve Irwin is Jesus and the Stingray was one of the Romans

By Suhasini Srinivasaragavan

Some of my fondest childhood memories were in front of the TV with my whole family watching the National Geographic channel. Those weekend mornings shaped the next decade as I grew up with an insatiable curiosity to know what happens everywhere, all the time.

I was the “But why?” kid. No amount of picture books on animals or nature tours on vacations ever dampened this thirst for knowledge that follows me still.

Nature documentaries were a major part of my life growing up. Think David Attenborough with his calm description of hibernating bears, Steve Irwin and his crocodile friends (RIP Steve), Austen

and observed them as they wiggled back into the mud. These shows taught me to love and respect nature, to treat it with caution, for although it is mighty and I would definitely get swallowed whole by an anaconda if it ever came to, nature is delicate and at risk. Thanks to these shows, I was introduced at an early age to the climate crisis.

As a kid, if anybody asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I proudly claimed that “I want to be a herpetologist!”. I was five when I knew, for sure, that when I grew up, I would wear mainly khakis and hiking boots as I travelled through the South American rain forests battling pythons for science.

However, woe befell when I found that some shows on these science channels are not entirely factual. Ripping off my rose-tinted glasses, I can

Photo by Sameera Madusanka from Pexels

The Car review: Arctic Monkeys’ new sound comes down to earth

By Darragh Nolan

The Arctic Monkeys of old are gone. And that is not a bad thing.

Far from the indie roots of the Sheffield band’s smash-hit debut in 2006 or their world dominating stadium anthem filled AM, The Car continues a sleek lounge rock evolution that began with its predecessor.

The latest release takes the sound from Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, a concept album telling stories of residencies in space and restaurants on the moon, and brings it right down to earth.

Arctic Monkeys are now a band not of raucous coming-of-age headbangers but nostalgic, crooning musings on a world leading man Alex Turner is weary of.

A new sound is always bound to divide fans but one can’t argue that The Car confirms the band is firmly sculpted in Turner’s image. This LP is impossibly cool, effortlessly sexy and endlessly mysterious.

There is some room for the good ol’ days if you look hard enough though. Opening track ‘There’d Better Be A Mirrorball’ may take long-time fans back to Favourite Worst Nightmare’s ‘Do Me A Favour’.

A couple resigned to the inevitability of breaking up while walking to the car evokes that famous car from 2007 that “went up the hill and disappeared around the bend”.

Overall this latest effort employs Alex Turner’s boundless song writing talent to explore new ground. His life and longing orbit the record with a self-consciousness and dejection that is equally jarring and wonderful.

Look no further than ‘Big Ideas’. A self-aware Turner reflects on those big ideas he had for the band and its music, only to have forgotten them as “the orchestra’s got us all surrounded”.

An orchestral sound does indeed surround this record. Wailing violins and Turner’s dulcet tones almost make it too obvious that tracks like ‘Big Ideas’ could serve as an audition for authoring the next 007 theme song.

One can only hope Barbara Broccoli and co. at Eon

Productions are listening because this version of Arctic Monkeys was born to score James Bond’s next outing.

Highlights include ‘I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am’, which brings the funk from the beginning with its winding guitar lines. This is a rarity for this iteration of the Monkeys who have all but abandoned the guitar because Turner “got bored” of writing on it.

Though the sound is undeniably appealing, this random sliver of guitar typifies what can be a messy album at times. All of a sudden we’re getting synth on ‘Sculptures Of Anything Goes’ before jumping back on the guitar for ‘Jet Skis On The Moat’.

‘Hello You’ is the jewel in The Car’s crown. The lyrical wit is unreal from the get-go: “Lego Napoleon movie, written in noble gas-filled glass tubes, underlined in sparks, I’ll admit it’s elaborate for a wakin’ thought”.

In typical Alex Turner fashion, he takes the meandering sound of the album on which he’s singing and makes it a central theme of what is its most impressive song.

This apologetic ballad wreathed in double meaning serves as Turner’s chance to address Arctic Monkey’s evolution, “hello you, still dragging out a long goodbye?”. The album’s confused sound bids a drawn out farewell to the band’s rock-fuelled youth.

The record is from start to finish beautifully arranged but just a bit more focus could have turned it from a good outing to a great one.

The Car comes so close to falling flat but just about picks itself up. A bit like its predecessor, it shouldn’t work but it does thanks to the band’s chameleon-like ability to change and Turner’s unique vision.

Flirt FM Galway Events Guide

Courtesy of the team at Flirt FM

For inclusion: info@flirtfm.ie, times correct at publishing, but do check before you head out.

Repeating Events

Silent Disco

Every Tuesday & Wednesday at 8PM @ Róisín Dubh

Silent Disco every Tuesday and Wednes day at the Róisín Dubh with Ted & gugai playing music you love, music you love to hate and all your guilty pleasures.

Wednesday 2nd November

Heaven

8PM @ Town Hall Theatre

Heaven is set in County Offaly, during the week end of a local wedding. Mairead and Mal are struggling to keep their marriage together. Per haps attending a wedding will help, or it might raise questions that are difficult to answer.

Tigh He-He : A pop-up comedy club

Every Thursday at 8pm @ Róisín Dubh

A pop-up comedy club, featuring the very best of Irish stand up comedy

Open Mic Night

Every Sunday at 9PM @ Róisín Dubh Open Mic Night at Róisín Dubh

John Conneely Inc.

Every Sunday at 11PM @ Róisín Dubh

The multi-cultural lineup includes Keyboards, Saxophone, Dobro, Flutes along with many guest musicians and the extraordinary vocal talents of Italian singer Barbara Vulso. Enjoy a setlist that spands decades from Nina Simone and Cab Calloway to contemporary music.

Friday 4th November

Hudson Taylor

7.30PM @ Monroe’s Searching for the answers tour 2022

Saturday 5th November

D. Cullen

7.30PM @ Monroe’s Tavern

D. Cullen plays Galway’s Monroe’s Tav ern to kick off an Ireland & UK tour. It will be his first gig back with his band post-Covid, and it will give him the chance to bring his new material to a live arena.

Gaby Moreno & Ultan Conlon

8PM @ An Taibhdearc

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and producer Gaby Moreno has released her seventh full-length studio album, Alegoría with songs in both English and Spanish exploring themes of hope, love, nostalgia and desolation, the album notably features, among others, her guitar heroes Marc Ribot and Davíd Garza.

Thursday November 10th Selvage

8PM @ Mick Lally Theatre

Galway’s Brú Theatre present Selvage, an inventive theatre show merging puppetry and physical storytelling with a live music score.

HALLOWS

Hamilton.

DramSoc MacDeath Murder Mystery

Witches Call Society

DJ Soc Fun and Games in the Hub

Silent DiscoDay of the Dead

Psych Soc present A Night at the Clown Asylum

Thorny Devil Stick Insect

Tarantula

Millipede

Cornsnake

ZooSoc – Meet the Animals at HALLOWS

HALLOWS Costume Roundup

Tortoise

Connaught League Round 1 – UG Women’s RFC vs OLBC

UG Women’s RFC Team

Buddha Bae’s Conor presents the award for Best Costume to the Great British Bake-Off Team at the WiSTEM DJSoc Halloween Event

WiStem Committee

Zoo Soc welcomes Tom Cuffe to Campus

The University of Galway’s Zoo Soc welcomed guest speaker Tom Cuffe to campus on the 20th of October to give a talk on the Birds and Nature in Galway City. Mr Cuffe is an experienced bird watcher and gave all in attendance an incredible insight into the variety of bird species we find in the city of Tribesmen. The talk attracted a large number of students all of whom were very eager to ask Mr Cuffe about his career, equipment and what advice he would have for budding bird watchers.

The Kardashians take Galway

Selene Gomez’s Rare Beauty is the jewel in the industry’s crown

By Isabel Filby

I remember when I first got into makeup, there were only few celebrity-owned makeup brands. Everything was either small one-off collaborations or simply promoted by them. Nowadays you can’t even walk into any shop selling beauty products with out being smacked in the face by several celeb-owned brands.

And not just makeup, skincare is the same thing. While some brands may be genuine and care about their products, many just seem to put out anything to increase their income and publicity.

Most famous, of course, Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, a brand that sets the standard for diversity and inclusion in the industry the world over. Also, Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics, the make-up and skincare brand that catapulted her, albeit controversially, into billionaires-villi. Nearly two decades later, the appeal remains astounding. Retail analytics firm Edited reported that the beauty industry was worth $532 billion dollars. Just ask the heritage fashion houses, from Chanel to Gucci, whose beauty and fragrance lines

is. With 48 shades in their foundation alone there should be something there for everyone.

Probably her most pop ular product, are the liquid blushes and for a good reason. There are loads of shades with different finishes and under tones, so there’s something to match everyone’s preferences. Whether you’re into a natural‘just got inside from the cold’ type of blush or prefer a more vibrant- ‘I fell face first into my blush brush’ look (definitely me), these are so versa tile and buildable. A little goes a long way and since they’re super pigmented they show up on all skin tones. They do not pill or muddy when you apply more and layer beautifully over all bases, whether it’s a full face of foundation or just SPF. If there’s any celebrity owned makeup brand that is definitely worth it and such an easy blind buy it is certainly Rare Beauty.

It is available online at Spacenk or anywhere there is a Sephora, so keep an eye out on your next trip as this really is a worthy purchase.

have increased their customer base and kept their bottom line flush.

Money is not the only magnet. However, in a society that fet ishises entrepreneurship, helming a successful brand allows stars to cement their stature and speed up their way to the top. Plus, celebrities are well versed in beauty and grooming, how could they not be? They haven’t spent hours upon hours in chairs, being preened to perfection.

They have access to the world’s best artists, techniques and treatments, and are sent loads of products by fawning brands daily. The majority have fronted some of the industry’s biggest beauty campaigns. One that has seen a lot of increase in popularity over the pandemic, with it going viral on TikTok, and of course two months later on Instagram reels, is Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty.

It started with kindness. Since the start, 1% of sales were dedicated to increasing access to mental health resources and services, espe cially for underserved communities. In an intelligent move, they had funds added to the good fight by engaging in a strategic partnership with the goal to raise $100 million over the next ten years.

If they reach that goal, it will make the Rare Impact Fund one of the most prominent mental- health organizations associated with a corporate entity. And to ensure maximum impact, Rare Beauty formed the Rare Beauty Mental Health Council, which is made up of expert advisors from leading universities, organ izations, and companies with a focus on mental health.

It’s interesting to see how blushes, highlighters, lip glosses, foundation, skin tints, and every single product from the Rare Beauty line-up can both achieve their goal as a beauty brand and still help the community with their mental health needs.

Selena Gomez is just 29 and splits her time as an entrepreneur with her duties as an actress, singer, producer and activist. Her products are targeted at anyone who wears makeup and the brand is all about “breaking down unrealistic standards of per fection.” Part of why it went so viral is because it caters to all skin tones, textures and colours. Some brands claim to be inclusive, but really aren’t (not naming any names), but Rare Beauty truly

Creator Selena Gomez modelling her Rare Beauty Eye Make-Up Products.

Photo: www.rarebeauty.com

The student corner: Reality of the commute

By Ewelina Szybinska Health & Lifestyle Editor

Commuting from place to place is often unavoidable. With rising living costs and a lack of accommodation, commuting is sometimes the best choice. As a past stu dent commuter, I hope to give you some insight into this dreaded reality, and how it isn’t always doom and gloom.

I commuted for two years before I was able to secure accommodation. The time spent travelling up and down, day in and day out, has brought a lot of things to my attention. For context, my day would begin at 5:30 each morning and end around 22:00 or 23:00.

There are a lot of factors that come into play.

“Have you packed your lunch?” “Have you checked the weather?”

“Don’t forget to buy the ticket.” “Wait, will I make it in time for class? nope, need to take the earlier train.”

Public transport

That’s not all. Over time, people adjust to circumstances that they find them self in. I always found that amusing. So, let’s talk about public transport. I don’t like to complain, I find it makes my day less productive and puts me into a sluggish mood. However, I cannot come to terms with the lack of public transport in Ireland. I can easily contrast it with countries such as Germany or Bel gium. Every part of the country is connected by transport that runs every few minutes. Worst case scenario, every hour. Yes, you read that right.

Can you imagine our train stations running every hour? I think when people think about commuting, this is a huge barrier. A turn off as such. As I said, nega tives are what they are, the positive side of things have occurred when the fares were cut down for young adults. Low fares will always be welcomed.

Social Life

What can I say, social life exists to a bare minimum. I wish I was speaking about clubs and pubs, but I am really going down the road of attending society meetings and events that run in the evenings. I would either miss things I would have wanted to attend, or I would stay with a friend that lived in Galway.

Living in Galway at the moment has changed how I socialise. I can attend the movies, plan my evenings with friends

until late. The only positive thing I can think of is the fact that you can meet some great friends while commuting. It’s likely you will be taking the same type of transport and follow the same timetable.

Workload

Time is of the essence. You won’t have the comfort of getting home early to sit by a desk of some kind to do some study or complete assignments. Some forms of transport will not allow you to get much work done. However, reading (if you don’t have motion-sickness) can be easily done. The best advice here is to plan ahead.

Commuting is all about planning! When asked, “is it worth it?” In many ways yes. You’re saving money and sometimes, well, it is the only option. On the other hand, there are quite a few disadvantages or things that might make your day a little bit more tiring.

“ There are a lot of factors that come into play. “Have you packed your lunch?” “Have you checked the weather?” “Don’t forget to buy the ticket.” “Wait, will I make it in time for class? nope, need to take the earlier train.”

Photo by Lisa Hamilton

Ultimate Christmas gift guide for super-eager shoppers

By Caoimhe Killeen

Not to alarm you, but Christmas is almost sixty days away. I know I find that scarier than spooky season. If you’re like me and already thinking ahead to gingerbread houses and candy canes, and trying to plan your Christmas gift list in advance this year, chances are you’re a bit stumped on what gifts to buy someone.

Well, look no further as these recom mendations may help you out a little bit.

For the coffee addict

‘AeroPress’ is the word on everyone’s lips recently in the coffee community. The product is compact, meaning it’s easy to bring through airports and it’s the fastest way to get your morning dose of caffeine if you’re trying to save money.

All you need to do is pour hot water onto coffee granules, use the plunger to push down for fifteen to twenty seconds and you have a cup of coffe. It’s the perfect gift to give the person in your life that still wants their daily caffeine fix but wants to save money. Plenty of coffee shops in Galway are stocking the AeroPress such as Urban Grind and Little Lane, so definitely check them out.

For the bookworm

Why not try a bookshop voucher? After all, it’s impossible to buy for a bookworm short of either asking them what books they want which ruins the element of surprise right? Either that or it’s not on their TBR (To Be Read.)

So, the best alternative is just to get them a voucher. Some people are weary of vouchers, but it’s really the best option to give them the money to get whatever book that their heart desires. One 4all works, but it’s even better if you get a voucher directly from the shop, such as Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop if you want to support local.

For the one who has a lot on their mind

Image: The Head Plan

Journaling is said to really help with allevi ating stress and anxiety, particularly up to exam season. If they’re new to journaling, a diary with a bit of structure would really help. Gratitude journals can also be a good option to reflect on the day and be grateful for the little things in life. If you’re looking to support an Irish business, The Head Plan have gratitude journals starting from affordable prices. Amazon also have aes thetically pleasing options available if you need some thing on the cheaper side.

For the person who needs a bit of pampering

For the one who wants a cute Secret Santa gift

Laptop stickers can be a cute way to make their someone’s work life more colourful. Redbubble have an ongoing deal on their website, where you can get a discount where you can get 50% off if you order ten small stickers. From general cute stickers of plants and books to those modelled of TV shows, anime, and movies, why not sup port an artist by buying some stickers? It’s a cute little stocking-filler to add to a gift.

You can never go wrong with a mini beauty kit. Boots sell plenty in the run up to Christ mas, but Rituals also have a store in Galway that sells great products. From their small showroom kits of their popular cherry blos soms scents to scents focusing on de-stressing such as their Ritual of Jing gift set.

There are plenty of scent options. If you have someone in your life that struggles a bit with getting to sleep at night, their pillow mist is also a great option and works like a treat.

Photo: AeroPress

Photo via Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

Image: Rituals

An bhfuil sibh réidh?

Le Gearóid Ó Droighneáin

Is chomh fada le Cill Áirne a bheidh dao ine as gach áit sa tír agus sa domhain ag dul le freastal ar Oireachtas na Gaeilge. Sea, tá féile na ngael ar ais arís i mbliana, an chéad uair ó 2019 nuair a bhí sé sa Citywest i mBaile Átha Cliath.

Reachtófar an féile ón 2-6 Samhain in óstáin thart timpeall ar Chill Áirne, ach beidh formhór na himeachtaí ag tarlú sa Gleneagal agus sa Brehon. Dóibh siúd nach bhfuil a fios acu céard go díreach é an tOireachtas, séard atá i gceist na cúpla lá de chomórtais, seisiún ceoil, amhránaíocht agus damhsa, chomh maith le agallamh beirte agus lúibín i measc go leor leor eile.

Ach, do na scoláirí triú leibhéal a théann chuig an Oireachtais, go hiondúil ní hiad na comórtais a bhíonn ag cur imní orthu ach is é Club na Féile a bhíonn siad ag cuartú. Bíonn Club na Féile ar siúl ar an Déardaoin, Aoine agus Sathairn, ach is ar an Aoine agus an Sathairn a bhíonn an chraic is mó. Oíche den scoth le ceol beo agus neart le n-ól.

Reáchtáladh an chéad Oireachtas i 1897 agus é ag ceiliúra 125 bliain ar an bhfód i mbliana.

Déantar an-chuid craoladh ón Oireach tas, ó Raidió na Gaeltachta ag craoladh cláracha beo ón ródaí i gcaitheadh an fhéile. Bíonn TG4 ag craoladh an Nuacht beo ón bhféile agus craolann siad Steip (an príomh chomórtas damhsa ar an sean-nós) agus Corn Uí Riada (príomh

chomórtas amhránaíocht ar an sean-nós). I measc sin bhíonn BBC Raidió Uladh, Raidió na Life, Raidió Fáilte agus Raidió Rí-Rá uilig ag craoladh beo ón bhféile.

Mar gheall ar an méid poiblíocht atá faighte ag an Oireachtas le linn na blianta, tá méadú súntasach tagtha ar líon na hiomaitheoirí agus ar líon na ndaoine a théann ag an bhféile.

Is iontach an deis é an tOireachtas do aon duine atá ag foghlaim Gaeilge, mar bíonn an Ghaeilge le cloisteáil i ngach áit ann, bíonn na daoine an-chairdiúl agus labhróidh siad le gach duine, ach níos tábhachtaí arís bíonn gach saghas canúint le cloisteáil ann, rud atá tairbheach agus an Ghaeilge á fhoghlaim.

antoireachtas.ie

Womens Rugby is back and better than ever in the University

By Steven Fox

“I don’t know what’s happened in girls’ minds, they all want to play rugby. But I won’t complain, I’m delighted”

The boom in membership is what has elicited such a response from the Uni versity of Galway Women’s Rugby Team captain Aisling Hahessy. Regularly seeing numbers upwards of 40 at their weekly training sessions, the club is experienc ing a resurgence following the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the team participates in both the Stu dent Sport Ireland Women’s Rugby League and the Connacht Women’s League, there is ample opportunity for both new and experienced players alike to get game time.

“In the college league, our focus this year is to give all the girls game time so that those new girls get the experience […] and to really work on our skills in those games”.

With the way club and college matches are divided (weekends and weekdays respectively) most of the team solely play college rugby. For those that are playing

with their local clubs, there is a push to encourage them to transfer to the college club, to have their experience on the pitch come the weekend.

The club’s resilience in the face of the challenges the pandemic threw at it is certainly admirable. Ellie Dillane, club captain during the 2018/19 season, was witness to the downturn during, and is ecstatic with the turnaround.

“They had a core of players that they’d kept for the four, five-year cycle. By the time I was captain, a lot of them had left”. The loss of this veteran player base was compounded by the retirement of their long-time coach. Couple these losses with a poor retention rate of new players who had never experienced the game before, and the club’s decline is hardly surprising.

However, in the current team, the atmosphere is quite different. The team gives preference to developing the skills of their new players, to bring them up to the level of those women who have prior experience with the game. The retention rate has also seriously improved, with the

bulk of the team now made up of players who have joined in the last two years.

In age-old rugby tradition, the social aspect is as important as the sport itself. This year, there is a push to bridge the gap between the men’s and women’s teams.

“We’re trying to get a bit more craic between them. On Sundays our team, the under-20s and the seniors have a match, so we’re all going to go to Massimo’s after, to try and get the teams talking and just to make a club atmosphere.

The season ahead is one that Aisling is looking forward to immensely, and she’s especially proud of the team that they have built and continue to build.

“This year we have such a great bunch of girls, everyone gets along with each other. Every training session everyone comes and does their best but there is that bit of craic as well”

If any of our readers are interested in joining the club, they can contact the club’s Instagram page @ug_womensrugby. Training sessions are held at the Dangan Sports Com plex every Monday and Wednesday at 7 pm.

The team pictured during their battle against Our Lady’s Boys Club.

Photo Credit: Lisa Hamilton

Ireland eases to win over Jamaica

By Sanjukta Salgaonkar

The Rugby League World Cup match that took place between Jamaica and Ireland this month saw a dominant Ireland side secure a resounding 48-2 victory in Group C.

The match itself was a wake-up call for the Jamaican team, who nonetheless had one of the biggest cheers from the crowd when Kieran Rush scored their only points of the game after the first-half hooter.

The Jamaican team started the game smoothly, with center Jacob Ogden narrowly failing to get on the end of a grubber kick in the 10th minute.

However, the Jamaican team was undone by a combination of brute strength and the sheer ingenuity of Luke Keary, who proved that he is an exceptional player in this match.

Louis Senior scored for Ireland in the 13th minute, from over in the corner.

Jamaica’s first points were scored as Rush held his nerve to kick a pen alty after Ireland were penalized for an offside.

Jamaica pressed at the start of the second half, but their threat soon subsided, and after Keary was denied a deserved try by a timely intercep tion from his opposite number, James Woodburn-Hall, Innes Senior crossed for Ireland’s fifth.

As the game progressed, Keary and Richie Myler even exchanged smiles after the latter floundered Keary’s clever lay-off on the left, which would surely have added to the Jamaica’s pain.

Speaking after the game, Tulsen Tollett, a former Rugby player and a BBC Sports commentor said, “Luke Keary really played well and stood out in the match against Jamaica”.

“The upcoming matches against Lebanon and New Zealand will be very interesting to watch,” he continued.

“The tournament is very interest ing so far, let’s see where it goes with all the injuries the players face.”

Later that week, Ireland’s chances of progressing to the World Cup knockout stages were dealt a huge blow as they fell to a 32-14 Group C defeat against Lebanon.

The rising star of the Connacht academy: Eoin de Butléir

By Ciarán Ó Flaithearta Co-Sports Editor

Eoin de Butléir is one of the Connacht Academy’s most promising up-and-com ing front-row players. He continues to go from strength to strength as he rises through the ranks in the Connacht setup. The last couple of months has seen him make his Connacht Eagles debut, captain ing the side after only three games, and most recently he has become more and more involved with the senior squad hav ing been their 24th man for the side’s tour of South Africa and their win over Munster.

De Butléir grew up in Carraroe where began his rugby journey for An Ghaeltacht a club co-founded by his dad. After a lot of begging he made his first appearance on a rugby pitch at the age of seven when his dad reluctantly let him play the last couple of minutes of an under-eights blitz on the Clifden sand pitch.

De Butléir says his dad had a big part to play in getting him to where he is now: “He coached us all the up until under 15s but that was as far as his expertise went, he couldn’t teach us anymore.” This was also the case for An Ghaeltach who couldn’t field teams past under 12s so De Butléir continued to play across town with Gal way Corinthians RFC.

Eoin played his school rugby with Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiaráin. When he was in fifth year the team went unbeaten and

went on to win the Connacht schools devel opment cup which he holds as his favorite sporting memory due to the comradery felt by winning alongside his childhood friends. At club level, he continued to develop as a player with Galway Corinthians RFC.

He began his journey into the Connacht rugby set up at the age of 16 for the Connacht under 17s and continued playing under 18 and 19 before getting his academy contract.

With older brother Colm already in the already in the senior squad, De Butléir described their good-natured competitive relationship that spurred him on to always try to improve

“It was always good watching him and trying to chase him and always trying to be better than he was, he would always be a huge motivation, even training together during lockdown we were able to push each other.”

De Butléir got his first underage Irish cap at the age of 18 against Italy in the Six Nations having been picked for the squad following a very impressive performance in the underage Inter Pros and following a break due to covid he played every game in the under 20s Six Nations championship. “You had to be on the ball at all times”, says De Butléir as he describes the competitive ness of the International scene.

As he edges closer and closer to making an appearance for the senior squad De But léir believes that he has what it takes to earn himself a pro contract by next year and he hopes to continue improving and growing with this young team of Connacht players.

Eoin De Butléir. Photo by James Crombie, INPHO, via Eoin De Butléir.

University of Galway Maree see their first defeat in Superleague

By Cóilín Duffy

After blitzing through the competition in their opening three games of the Super league season, Galway were brought down to earth with a 95-91 away defeat by UCC Demons on Sunday afternoon.

Last week, Tralee Warriors head coach John Dowling said Galway have the pieces to contend for this year’s championship.

Given their impressive early form, it’ll be a test of wills to see how they respond in the coming weeks after experiencing some adversity here.

Sloppy turnovers, missed open shots and multiple defensive breakdownsparticularly from three-point range - saw Maree quickly trail 18-7 as the home crowd roared the Demons on.

A rough first quarter for them was per haps typified by a sequence starting with 50 seconds left.

Tala Fam Thiam hit one of his two free throws, before Eoin Rockall’s sloppy turnover was punished as leading scorer Jeremiah Moore scored in transition.

Then moments later, Rockall was called for a charging foul on Scott Hannigan as he advanced with possession up towards mid-court.

Moore recorded a point less (16) than Maree managed during that ten-minute quarter, draining a three as time expired to give them a 28-17 lead.

Yet the Mardyke Arena would soon be hushed into silence midway through the second quarter.

Galway galloped forward on a 18-9 run, powered by an aggressive and inspired Rodrigo Gomez display. The Spanish small forward recorded 18 points in the quarter, including four from the foul line, as Char lie Crowley’s men fought well to restore parity and were ahead at one stage.

Joe-Junior Mvuezolo was the other constant threat for the visitors, but a Kyle Hosford three saw UCC take a slender onepoint lead into half-time.

Early in the second-half, they traded buckets as the lead changed hands. How ever, the visitors’ inability to consistently make their deep-range shots count proved decisive on this occasion.

Moore was quiet in stages but devastat ing in others, finishing with a game-high 31 points. He and Maree’s leading scorer Jarett Haines (26) were the pace-setters for their respective ball clubs, though the visitors’ rally came too late for comfort.

Hosford made consecutive threes, while his teammates were alert at the rim to snuff out Gomez’s incisive passes in-and-around the paint.

Mvuezolo drilled three triples - half of Galway’s tally from deep – reinforcing their need for others to efficiently con tribute besides the regular trio.

Thiam seemed determined to trade buckets with whoever would dare score for Maree: whether that be a jumper, a well-executed three, an and-one play or thunderous dunk.

He finished with 17 points but it felt like much more than that, on a day where Galway took too long constructing their attacks without reward and frequently played catch-up on the scoreboard.

Nonetheless, the game was still up for grabs at 78-70 with nine minutes left.

Mvuezolo hit a trio of difficult shots - all two-pointers - while the hosts fired back down the other end. Moore responded with a tough finish of his own, up-andover through traffic to give them a five-point buffer, before the Londoner and Haines both hit clutch shots, cutting the lead to one.

During one particular play, Maree secured multiple offensive rebounds, had open looks and went scoreless, but you could still be forgiven for thinking their spirited comeback was complete.

Haines’ storming speed in transition saw him race away from the UCC players, earning another and-one play. Having hit the free throw, and watching his team mates force a turnover, it meant they were tied at 88-apiece as the pressure

intensified. Nerves were beginning to jangle.

Then, Moore popped up with his second triple of the game, before they produced a big defensive stop and James Hannigan let fly from distance after a clever pass by their leading scorer.

94-88 with time running out, it was all a blur. Haines’ three-point attempt rattled in and out, before Cathal Finn made it a three-point game again with his second from deep.

However, Maree were fighting a losing battle as the Demons secured another defensive stop. Armed with multiple fouls to give, they wound down the clock to settle a sweet victory.

League leaders Neptune await Galway at home next Saturday, in a clash they’ll relish as their own unbeaten start to the campaign continued against Tralee War riors earlier this weekend.

SCORERS FOR UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY MAREE: Jarett Haines 26, Rodrigo Gomez, Joe-Junior Mvuezolo 24, Cathal Finn 6, John Burke 4, Zvonimir Cutuk 4, Zach Light 3.

SCORERS FOR UCC BLUE DEMONS: Jeremiah Moore 31, Tala Fam Thiam 17, Kyle Hosford 16, James Hannigan 9, Carlton Cuff 8, Kingsley Nwagboso 7, VadYm Bykov 3, Stevan Manojlovic 2, Scott Hannigan 2.

University of Galway Maree team who lost to UCC Blue Demons in their InsuremyVan.ie Superleague game at the Mardyke Arena in UCC on Saturday night.