SIN Vol. 24 Issue 09

Students raise almost €30,000 for Samaritans by shaving their heads

By Eimear O’Dwyer

The University of Galway Medicine Society’s ‘Shave a Life’ fundraiser has raised over €29,000 for the Galway Samaritans.

Some 25 volunteers shaved or dyed their hair in the Quays Bar on 9 February in aid of the mental health charity.

First-year medicine student John Kilgannon shaved his head at the event.

“The goal of the campaign is to raise as much money for the Galway Samaritans, and then hopefully to destigmatise talking about mental health, and to make people feel like it’s not embarrassing to talk about,” he said.

John said that the volunteers are grateful for the huge support from their course, the University and their friends. He appeals to anyone who can spare “even one euro” to donate to this worthy cause.

“If we can get one more person to open up and feel comfortable, then we feel like it’s been a successful campaign.”

MedSoc Auditor Ciara Murray said, “we really want to help [Samaritans] to help

our students with the money that’s being raised.”

She said that funding is needed to enable the Galway Samaritans to continue providing valuable support to the student community.

“They really do save lives and we are just very happy to be involved with the very brave students who are shaving their heads and dying their hair,” she added.

Galway Samaritans volunteer Mary Nee said the group is delighted with the event and that fundraising is essential for the charity, which costs around €80,000 a year to run.

“We actively listen to the people who call us. People would call us who are going through some kind of trauma in their lives.

“We help them to explore what’s going on for them. We hope that by the end of the call they have with us that they might come to some solution for themselves, or some way to move forward, to just take the next step.

“And we often have callers who’ll call us

over a few months or even longer when they are going through a particularly difficult time in their lives. And in Galway we have just under a thousand contacts every week.”

Heather O’Hagan, a 19-year-old firstyear medicine student also shaved her head. She highlighted the importance of raising funds for the work carried out by Galway Samaritans.

“We’ve been working with MedSoc to organise the event and it’s a charity really close to our hearts,” she said.

Taylor Mullins, a 21-year-old final-year creative writing student shaved their head at the event. Taylor says that they were inspired to get involved because funding enables this non-profit group to help people with mental health issues.

“It’s so important to bring awareness to mental health problems and people who help with that kind of thing. Therapies also very expensive so this is such an accessible and affordable way for people to get that kind of help.”

Donations can still be made to MedSoc’s ‘Shave a Life’ campaign via iDonate

Photo via MedSoc.

By Valerie McHugh Editor

Dearest readers, welcome to issue 9! A very special welcome to the new contributors that have made their SIN debut over the last few issues too; we are delighted to have you on the team. Congratulations also to all of our SIN regulars who have done wonderful work on their sections. This issue promises to be a great read.

Our reporter Eimear O’ Dwyer takes the front page this week. She headed along to the ‘Shave a Life’ event and had a chat with some of the people who took part. It was a fantastic event, and nearly €30,000 has been raised to date. Make sure to give it a read!

There are plenty of other fantastic articles in this issue too, so make sure to have a good flick through it!

In our usual housekeeping, if you would like to get involved with SIN, make sure to email editor.sin@gmail. com for more information. We can add you straight to our WhatsApp group from there! 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 9. We hope you enjoy all of the pieces and we will see you in two weeks!

A huge thanks to our team!

University students raising funds for Tanzania nursing placement

By Caoimhe Looney

Seven second-year general nursing students at the University of Galway are preparing to make the journey to Tanzania to do a service-learning placement in the Simanjiro Healthcare Centre this summer.

The nursing students, Clare Ison, Clodagh Prendeville, Sophie Shields, Melanie Sullivan, Deirdre Hamill, Alex Brady and Jakub Jaworski, will be flying to Tanzania this summer to spend four weeks helping out in the healthcare centre.

This trip is part of an International Nursing module at the University of Galway which has been in place since 2003 but has been cancelled for the past few years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The students have set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for their trip as it is entirely self-funded, and the costs involved are quite high.

They are also fundraising money for the Simanjiro Health Centre to help provide them with vital equipment and expand the capabilities of the facility.

The endemic Irish corncrake, a glimmer of hope

By Laura Hannot

Corncrakes are threatened by global extinction but the figures show progress in their conservation status.

The Corncrake LIFE project’s main objective is to protect this endemic bird nesting in Ireland and their recent figures show hope for the bird. However, corncrakes are not yet fully safeguarded.

An endemic Irish bird

Many in Ireland have heard about this famous bird that is the corncrake. Very secretive, it is hard to see it but often makes its presence known through sounds.

“Their call is 94 decibels,” said Patrick Fitzmaurice, Community Engagement Officer for Corncrake Life, and is more often heard at night and evening in thick

Conservation Friendly Mowing (CFM) is used in agreements between farmers and Corncrake/Traonach LIFE.

It consists of mowing the field 5km/h slower and starting from the centre so corncrakes are pushed to the edges of the fields where there is an escape.

Cutting the grass from the outside and working inwards, as people normally would, the birds get pushed further into the field and trapped with a high risk of mortality to the machines.

Positive 2022 numbers

On Twitter, Corncrake LIFE confirmed that 197 males during the breeding season have been recorded. It shows an increase of 4.8% compared to 2021.

Donegal and West Connacht

Almost 56% of the Irish corncrakes breed in Donegal. 110 corncrakes were observed in 2022, but this is nine fewer than in 2021. This region has seen a small decrease but the numbers in West Connacht are more positive. In the western part of the country, an increase of nearly 29% compared to 2021 has been reported, with 85 birds recorded. This region has 43% of the national

Even if the 2022 numbers are positive, any bird species can have an off-season.rally peak and trough so it’s important to look at longer trends to see the conservation

Traonach Life has on our beloved Irish

The students said that they are “beyond excited to study the culture of Tanzania, learn the language of Swahili and use every opportunity given to better our medical skills and nursing competence.”

The students will be living in a very remote area in the Simanjiro community among the Maasai tribe, which is without electricity or running water.

Simanjiro Health Centre opened in 1980 as a dispensary, and is now a 42-bed hospital, with an operation theatre, radiology, and outpatient department.

“It will be an incredible experience for us to immerse ourselves in a place completely unlike what we are used to at home,” said the students.

“We are certain that some of the presentations to the hospital will be things we have never seen before and find this concept very exciting.”

All donations to the students’ GoFundMe are greatly appreciated, and excess money will be donated to the service-learning site.

Even with this, last year’s numbers for the corncrake are encouraging and certainly seem a step in

Simanjiro Health Centre

Photo via Corncrake/Traonach LIFE on Twitter

Limesticks made illegal in France but still sold across the country

By Laura Hannot

Irish hunters from the NARGC expressed their surprise when they heard about hunting practices used in France. Hunting with glue (limesticks) is illegal but glue is still legally sold in hunting shops across France.

Prohibited in August 2022, an inquiry from the Association Nos Viventia proved they are still used in the name of tradition and passion.

Nos Viventia, a French association created in 2020 by Pierre Rigaux, an environmental activist, investigated this practice after it was forbidden by the French government.

The surprise comes after discovering that French hunting shops still sell the glue and the sticks used for this type of hunt. Deemed to be tradition, French hunters are not ready to let go of this practice.

Hunting with glue consists of applying birdlime on tree branches or sticks hidden in bushes. The birds who land on the branch will stay stuck on it.

Trying to free themselves, they will fight with their wings and beaks and their entire body will become covered in the sticky substance making them unable to fend for themselves. The hunters can then come and pick up their prizes.

“This hunting technique is mainly used in Mediterranean countries,” said Dermot Breen a ranger of Connemara Park.

“It seems to be very popular in random Mediterranean countries, Italy, Tunisia and Cyprus. It’s a huge issue down there, but no, thankfully it’s not really an issue in Ireland.”

Thrushes are supposed to be the main species hunted with this technique but if another bird comes in contact with the glue, the result is likely the same.

“It’s illegal in Ireland […] It would have never been seen as a hunting pastime,” said Dan Curley, Vice Chairman of NARGC. Endangered species, such as the ortolan, might be the victims of limesticks as the hunter is unable to choose which bird will land on the glue stick.

A lesser whitethroat found caught on a limestick Photo: Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS)

Image: National Association of Regional Game Councils on Facebook

“ Trying to free themselves, the birds will fight with their wings and beaks and their entire body will become covered in the sticky substance making them unable to fend for themselves. The hunters can then come and pick up their prizes.

Waking up to bad news: earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria

by Beyza Koç

I woke up to bad news. There was a severe earthquake in my home country. 7.8 they are saying, the biggest in that region since 1999.

I anxiously call my family, ask if they are okay. I can’t reach my grandmother but my mom says she has been evacuated in a mosque. First in Elbistan, Kahramanmaras, then Hatay, Malatya, Mersin and Gaziantep. All these cities pop up, more earthquakes are expected they say.

It hit Syria (and adjacent states) as well, and I know they have even less access to help. My messages are exploding. I check on my Turkish and Syrian friends. So many of them can’t reach anyone. Some know their aunts and cousins are under the ruins, unable to move.

“Our home and my father’s workplace are destroyed,” another one is saying. I can’t stop scrolling on social media and I can’t stop crying. The streets are so damaged that trucks can’t reach people. The streets are full of supply boxes but there is no systematic approach to contribute. Work machines and specialists are needed.

“We hear them screaming for help, but we are unable to move the rubbles” are the reports. The picture of Mesut Hancer holding his daughter’s hand is everywhere. I am desperate to help but the only thing I can do is donate and pray that rescue will be reached on time. I am going to college, but I can’t think of anything else.

“If not from the injuries, they will die of the cold” they are saying. I feel guilty sleeping in my warm bed, seeing all these

requests for help on Instagram while the world is busy watching the Grammys. But I also feel hope. Despite all political differences, when a disaster hits, we unite. Everyone starts a helping campaign. Rescue teams from all over the world send their troops. Medical aids and psychological support are organized. Local shops and restaurants distribute food and hygiene products for free. Search troops are looking for remaining lives. It is a hard time for our countries, but I know we will get through this together.

“

“Our home and my father’s workplace are destroyed,” another one is saying. I can’t stop scrolling on social media and I can’t stop crying.

VOA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Erasmus Diary – mall jail in Valencia

By Kara Wilson

My first two weeks in Spain. A time I had anticipated to be full of feat, novelty, and charm, took a bit of a turn. Instead of filling my days with tapas, hot girl walks, and fulfilling my pursuit to find my go-to coffee shop for the semester. I spent my time hot girl walking from the U.S. embassy to the Court House of Valencia, getting a lawyer, and enjoying the comforts of mail jail.

While haphazardly shopping in Zara and presenting a skirt and shirt to the cashier at the counter, the lady forgot to scan the shirt and placed both items in the bag anyways. When I exited the store, the alarm went off. The security guard took a gander into my bag to find what appeared to be a stolen item.

We spent a good amount of time challenging the very apparent language barrier and ultimately failing. In mall jail, we furthered our previous discussion while waiting for the two police officers in full uniform to arrive. The security appeared to be a bit miffed regarding my Spanish level and refused to check the cameras or to talk to the cashier.

Once the police arrived, I explained my situation and they seemed to understand. However, I learned that once you make a police report in Spain, you must continue the process all the way to court, so that’s just what we did.

After I was released, I hot girl walked my way right to the U.S. embassy before my first day of classes. There the very nice woman handed me a list of lawyers and warned me that this could lead to possible denial of my visa and ultimately deportation.

The next week before my day in court was extremely educational. I learned so much. I learned that there are virtually no lawyers in Valencia that speak English, I learned that European companies like Zara take petty theft incredibly seriously.

I learned that a crime like this can be given a fee of €10 a day for three months. Not to mention what this experience has done for my Spanish. I will surely never forget the words for white shirt, bag, to steal, lawyer, ticket, or court.

One extremely stressful week later, my day in court came. There I was greeted by my translator, my lawyer, Zara’s lawyer and the oh-so-lovely security guard. Against the request of my lawyer, and the judge, the Zara lawyer failed to bring the camera footage that would have proven my innocence.

My lawyer requested a suspension, but the prosecutor refused and decided that we would hold the trials based solely on testimonies. I had to deliver a full testimony, with the help of my translator, and was questioned by my lawyer, Zara’s lawyer, the prosecutor, and the judge. After I finished, the security guard was subject to the same.

My declaration seemed to be a little more convincing than his because the prosecutor decided to drop all charges from the Spanish government, and the judge ordered Zara to do the same.

My Spanish criminal record will be cleared, I won’t be fined, and I’ll receive my visa. Though my time in Valencia did not begin the way I anticipated, I know that life has a funny way of delivering our paths.

I hope to one day soon be enlightened and to laugh along. But, for now, I rest assured with an epic tale, an iconic mall jail BeReal, and the notion that I can only go up from here.

“I learned that once you make a police report in Spain, you must continue the process all the way to court, so that’s just what we did. The very nice embassy woman handed me a list of lawyers and warned me that this could lead to possible denial of my visa and ultimately deportation.”

Photo via Pexels

Society Spotlight: Neurodivergent Society

By Beyza Koç

We are introducing a brand-new series to give societies a voice, we started “Society Spotlight” to interview our favourite Socs and hopefully convince you to try them out.

For this issue, Eve Power, auditor of Neurodivergent Society gave us insight into her work.

When was Neurodivergent Society founded?

The Neurodivergent Society was founded in 2021. This is our second year as a society, and we were just recently granted full society approval by USCG.”

How many students are signed up for it?

As of now, we have 322 registered members – almost triple what we had last year!

Who is Neurodivergent Society for?

The Neurodivergent Society is for any student at the University of Galway that identifies as neurodivergent or is an ally of neurodivergent people.

Neurodivergent is an umbrella term to describe people who think, feel, learn, and behave differently to what is considered typical. This may include ADHD, autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia, dyscalculia, or OCD, but is by no means limited to these conditions.

What does a regular ND Soc meeting look like?

The goal behind our events is always to provide a safe space where neurodivergent people feel they can be themselves. At

the moment, that usually involves a relaxed space with food, fidget toys, and art supplies.

We try to have art supplies and fidget toys at our events as they can be a great distraction if someone isn’t necessarily comfortable talking within a group – and also because they’re fun!

We also emphasize that crafting is optional – but so is chatting. That may sound strange, but it’s all about the comfort of the individual and we want everyone to get what they want from our events.

We might discuss our experiences of being neurodivergent at the events, but the topics vary greatly – ranging from anything you can think of to absolutely everything!

We also try to keep our room locations and times as regular as possible because we know change can be hard to adjust to for some neurodivergent people. We also have some one-off special events, however, like movie nights and discussion groups.

What do you hope will change for neurodivergent students on campus?

I want neurodivergent students to feel as comfortable and welcome on campus as neurotypical students. Having this society is one step towards that. It makes us so happy to hear from our members the positive effect we’re having on their student life.

However, I would like to see more structured change on campus. The needs of neurodivergent people should be considered in all aspects of university life. Think about things like An Bialann, it can be a sensory nightmare for anyone – but can you imagine having diagnosed sensory issues and trying to navigate that space?

Simple solutions like quiet lunch spaces would make the world of difference. Another big thing that I continue to advocate for is blended learning.

Different learning styles are common, especially for neurodivergent people, so teaching styles should reflect that. More awareness of neurodivergence is needed on campus in general, and from that, I hope positive change will follow.

Neurodivergent is an umbrella term to describe people who think, feel, learn, and behave differently to what is considered typical. This may include ADHD, autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia, dyscalculia, or OCD, but is by no means limited to these conditions.

A lesson in ghost-hunting

By Rachel Garvey

Tell me you’re going ghost-hunting without telling me that you’re going ghost-hunting; I’m the classic example with my audio recorder, my EMF meter, notebook, camera and crystal pendulum. A typical supernatural poster girl.

There are two categories of people in this subject; people who have gone ghost-hunting and people who want to but are unsure how to do it. My library is chalked full of supernatural books, my arsenal is now growing with equipment that paranormal investigators use on their fields on haunted places.

This piece is going to offer a small guide on how to do ghost-hunting, nothing too spooky, but nothing too boring either.

Your energy and intentions

A lot of my knowledge is learned from books and world-famous demonologist Ed Warren and his wife Lorraine Warren, a gifted clairvoyant. Every being houses a particular type of energy within it, good and bad energy.

Every being has an intention too that they bring with them everywhere they go. When you are about to take part in a paranormal investigation you need to cleanse yourself of any negative energies; sage will help with that or holding your positive-filled energy crystal of your choice.

Good energy follows good. Bad energy latches on like a parasite; the last thing you want is something unknown following you home because you unknowingly invited something in because you approached the investigation with the intent on this isn’t real, if ghosts do exist then prove it.

Challenging the unknown is never a good idea. Say out We mean you no harm, we just want to communicate and then leave you in peace.

EMF Reading Meters

These are little devices that aren’t just used for paranormal uses, but for home uses too to test for electromagnetic fields in appliances that can cause cancer or other harmful effects. EMFs are commonly given off by spirits which is why they are popularly used in the field of ghost-hunting.

There are a lot of sceptics who will link a spike in the EMF meter to a nearby powerline, but what do you do when there is no logical or scientific explanation why your EMF reader is spiking to the red stage; there are numerous EMF stages that are colour green, yellow, orange and red. Green detects a light shift while red detects something that can be harmful to humans.

Audio recorders

This can be on your phone, iPod or an actual miniature audio recorder. Devices like these can pick up sounds that are unable to be heard by the human ear.

Often times, in investigations, a researcher will ask questions openly and loudly with no responses being given back, but when re-played later while all the research has been acquired, there will, in some cases, be a response. It will either be a response that will give us answers and give us something more to look into or it will make you want to get out depending on what you’re dealing with.

Spirit boxes fit into the category of audio equipment; a box that scans through radio frequencies and through asking it questions, it could evoke a response through the static.

Pendulums

A recent purchase for me, but I’m looking forward to testing it out on my next investigation. Hanging from a chain, you hold the top and let the crystal on the end hang freely but keep it still.

During an investigation, you can ask questions and evoke a yes or no response; if the pendulum rotates in a clockwise

circle, it means yes, an anti-clockwise circle it means no. There is room for falseness here as someone can manipulate the movement but keep your mind open.

Ghost-hunting can be interesting to the open mind, but to a great deal of scientists, it is merely just trying to find your own fun, talking with something that doesn’t even exist. However, when you follow various cases that have been proven to be actual supernatural or diabolical hauntings, you’ll find that there is a world out there that leaks into ours. The world of the unknown.

Don’t be afraid to learn about it, to acquire new knowledge, but under no circumstances do you use the supernatural for revenge or personal gain. Everything has a price. And what you give out into the world will come back to you. Don’t be making any deals with the devil!s

Doggies in the crystal store

By Rachel Garvey Features Editor

Imagine walking into your favourite crystal store the crystals putting a smile on your face, but with an added bonus, crystals and dogs. Who knew that dogs loved crystals too? The canines of Galway city have seemed to take a liking to Amber Gift Shop on Mary Street, and furry friends both big and small are always welcomed into the incense-filled atmosphere.

Instead of being tied to lampposts outside in the cold while their owner visits the retail stores, Amber welcomes all dogs into the warmth and the constant affection and attention of staff and customers. It has almost become a tradition to add pictures of the dogs that visit on their Instagram stories; dogs being able to bask in the spotlight of lovers of Amber.

Personally, I have been into Amber while a dog stands near the till, wagging its tail and looking around at all the beautiful crystals and dreamcatchers and they do put a smile on everyone’s face. As a dog lover, it was mandatory that I stoop down and say hello.

SIN spoke with the lovely Fiona, Manager of Amber about the importance of businesses supporting local charities. Little did Fiona know that during the interview, she quoted the slogan of my current workplace saying “Every Little Helps” when speaking about the prizes and raffles they hold to fundraise for the charities. Every little does really help these charities and not just the people, but the dogs too.

Q. Do you think it is important for small businesses to support local charities? Do you know of any other shops besides yours that support charities?

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I think that it is vital for businesses to support local charities. It allows for funds to be raised in multiple places and helps get the word out. The AWOL Tattoo and Piercing are also great for raising money and helping charities.

Q. What made you want to support MADRA as your chosen charity? Is it because of your love of dogs and their visits to the store?

We wanted to support MADRA because we are all animal lovers here. MADRA is an incredible organisation, I worked previously and the love and care they put in every day there is amazing. One of our staff members has a dog that she adopted from them.

Q. Amber’s Instagram stories hold pictures of the most adorable dogs, not a lot of shops let pets unless they’re working animals; do you think this should be more of a thing to let animals in?

We absolutely love when animals come to visit and people are surprised when we say they are welcome because it isn’t the norm in Galway. Personally, I think there should be more pet friendly places, but obviously, it’s up to the business owners. They never make a mess and they make staff and customers smile, so it’s worth it for us. We have dog treats behind the counter too.

Q. What kind of MADRA merchandise is for sale in Amber?

We currently have res-usable cups and socks. At Christmas time we had calendars too. We always welcome in any new items they have and we have a donation box at the till for MADRA and the Cope charity. We do feel it is important to support charities, they are vital to so many people and animals. We tend to offer prizes for raffles for fundraising to when we can.

Photo via Tripadvisor

Dog surrendering up 33% in post-Christmas period

By Rachel Garvey

The Christmas holiday proves to be a popular time for people to buy dogs as presents for their family members, but these animals should not be seen as gifts. Welcoming any pet into a household requires the responsibility of treating it like a family member. Unfortunately, this is not the case in every one of those situations.

Dog welfare charity Dogs Trust Ireland has found a staggering 394 post-Christmas surrender requests for the period between Christmas Day and the end of January. The charity explained the reason for dogs being brought back was due to “dogs exhibiting unwanted behaviours, owners not having enough time to spend with their dogs and the difficulties of finding pet-friendly accommodation”.

Dogs can be a magical and beautiful present for Christmas time, but families need to consider the responsibility of caring for and making a dog feel welcome. Training and patience are required for a new dog as new families are strangers to them.

They need their time to adjust too. Families should make sure they have the required list of needs for dogs before purchasing one.

Dogs Trust is urgently appealing for donations so they can cope with the number of

The Rachel Diaries

By Rachel Garvey

Welcome back to another dramatic episode of Rachel’s life. Get cosy and grab some snacks and get ready for a world of drama… Joking. The week prior wasn’t the worst week I’ve had since the start of 2023, the good is pushing hard to outweigh the bad; fair play to it for trying, it has never tried that hard before. What, oh what has happened this week, apart from the odd mental breakdown?

My boyfriend and I just finished applying for the Rent Tax Return on Revenue. A sweet load of money will be given back to us each which will be used towards moving back to the city since things are rocky in the countryside with zero hope of it getting better or being resolved.

We tried, we really did, but it was a chapter that we don’t regret opening. We learned from it and it’s a valuable life lesson that taught us that moving to a new place is scary. It’s an experience we have to go through and we told ourselves that if it didn’t work out then we would resolve it.

Our resolve won’t fix the situation in our new place of dwelling and we are now taking the necessary steps to move back into a bustling society. Living nearly thirty minutes

dogs that they need to care for, “especially the dogs raised during the lockdown which require extra behavioural support, meaning they are spending longer in our care”.

“As a charity that relies solely on the generosity of our supporters, we are appealing for donations as the current dog crisis is putting a huge strain on our resources,” said Ciara Byrne, Head of Communications at Dogs Trust.

“We are taking in more and more dogs with behavioural issues who then spend more time with us as our dedicated team works with them, to get them to a stage where they can be adopted. We are thankful that so many people contact us for help and advice about their dogs and don’t resort to abandoning them.

“We try to help where we can, from our online dog school training classes to advice available on our website, our aim is to keep as many dogs as possible happy in their existing homes.”

Collie’s sisters, Serena and Venus were pregnant when they were surrendered to the shelter in December. The puppies have found their forever homes, but the two sisters now hope to find their own. The dogs are unsocialised and unused to being walked on a lead or the sounds of traffic. They are currently looking for a quiet home where they can slowly come out of their shell.

outside the city taught us the value of what we left behind; bookstores within walking distance, nightlife that we loved walking through and observing, bus timetables that we didn’t have to worry about. I think it’s for the best.

We need all the luck and positivity we can get to get us through the organising and the saving and applying for various things when the big move will happen. Again.

I finally have all my Valentine’s presents organised for himself, I just need to fill in that card and all is ready to be given on the day of love. Although, working in retail, you’ll still have customers coming in the night before Valentine’s Day, approximately ten minutes until closing time, asking for bouquets and cards and little love gifts, but we can only tell them one breaking thing of Sorry, you’re too late, ‘tis all sold out.

Seriously, before working retail I had no idea that people were so last minute.com. Oh, this was a long time coming, but I finally made it to the hairdressers to guillotine my hair after two years of not giving it some TLC.

Numerous scissor snips, a wash and some red dye with gorgeous highlights later, I was free to go to parade my healthy new

Speaking about dogs like this, The Regional Rehoming Manager at Dogs Trust Ireland, Eimear Cassidy said “sadly, we are struggling to rehome medium to large size dogs, especially those who are nervous or worried, as they need quite specific homes.

“We are appealing to people who work from home or are home a lot of the day, live

Dog welfare charity Dogs

in quieter areas, don’t have children under sixteen and who are willing to give a dog a few months to settle in, to please contact us.

“We understand that people have preferences for certain breeds, but it breaks our hearts to see so many beautiful, bigger dogs being overlooked while the smaller dogs are generally quickly adopted,” she said.

hair. The feeling of someone else washing your hair feels phenomenal; cloud nine is calling, might want to pick that up.

Lastly, Thursday morning, Dylan came home early from his Jiu Jitsu training. I was still in bed, of course, the lazy thing I am. He bid me a “good morning” and went to Pipsqueak’s cage and beckoned me over. “Rach, I think you’re going to want to come over here and look at this in Pip’s cage” he said. I’m not only a Mam to two beautiful hamsters, but to worry too.

I jumped up out of bed, fumbled for my glasses and rushed over to the cages. Inside, tucked to the side of Pip’s house was a small box. My heart stopped and went into overdrive simultaneously.

I opened it and there was a beautiful gold ringed diamond promise ring.

An early Valentine’s gift that he couldn’t wait to give me. I hugged him to the ground and couldn’t stop looking at it. I know that a lot of people don’t believe in promise rings, but I do. They are essentially a ring before the engagement ring, holding a promise to be committed to your partner and them only. And people say that romance is dead…

Trust Ireland has found a staggering 394 post-Christmas surrender requests for the period between Christmas Day and the end of January.

Robbery most foul – Who must take the blame for the nursing home scandal?

By Fionn Sexton Connolly

National embarrassments are hard to come by. We complain about our politicians, but there are rarely moments which cause true embarrassment. When I watched Enda Kenny address Ireland on the state of the nation’s finances, I felt it for the first time. My eyes flickered to the faces of my parents who dejectedly turned away from the screen. My parents already knew that the jig was up: the economy was not going to recover any time soon.

The shame of the bailout-after-bailout split open every wound that had scabbed over. Words simply cannot describe how low the national mood was following the crash. It was as though we watched Ireland get spanked on the proverbial behind, and we could do nothing but watch on in horror, knowing that it was all in the alleged “national interest.”

This phrase is an interesting one because you know that it will be used, but the fun is in guessing who will say it first. Sworn enemies will sacrifice it all on the altar of the national interest: policy, history, voters’ preferences, politicians’ preferences, and other pesky notions corollary to “honesty” and “consistency.” Politicians use the phrase to dodge uncomfortable lines of questioning about pre-election promises and statements. Micheál Martin probably still shudders at the words “confidence” and “supply.”

The government has now landed its first national embarrassment: the nursing home debacle. Illegal charges levied against those in private nursing care is nothing new, apparently, as the government (or at least sections of it) has been rigorously fighting on the behalf of the Irish taxpayer to defend public money from this for over 20 years.

They are, of course, defending the coffers of the state from vulnerable elderly people with limited ability to travel and/or take a case against the state. Not exactly ambulance-chasers, one might notice.

So, where is the logic behind multi-million-euro legal cases that the government is bound to lose? No, seriously. The state coffers are so valuable that admitting wrong-doing and paying settlements from said coffers would be intolerable, but engaging in multi-million-euro legal cases defending said wrongdoing in court is perfectly fine. Could this be because most people do not have the time, energy, and resources to combat government legal teams with bottomless pockets? Almost definitely.

Recent advice published by the attorney general has obviously defended the strategy, citing the “public interest” as a reason to defend cases against the state so viciously, despite the interests of those suing being trampled on so publicly.

Termed: “litigation reduction”, the government is playing a game of financial chicken with people who have no other choice but to fight in court for what they are owed, and many will not face down the enormity of the state.

This is abusive and wrong, regardless of the intention behind it. While the government may fear paying out for the failures of the private sector, the aggressive and abusive tactic of litigation before mediation show that the government is more than willing to abuse the vulnerable to save money.

The state is more than willing to throw public money at bailouts, potentially illegal tax breaks for Apple, and huge legal fees, but they close the purse on people who were robbed blind on the state’s watch. Something is rotten in the state of Éire, it seems.

The deeper you push a ball under water, the harder it will fly up from the murky depths. Perhaps the government can see the truth rising and is now desperately avoiding the impending splash.

Termed: “litigation reduction”, the government is playing a game of financial chicken with people who have no other

Photo via Pexels

If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all

By Tara O’Malley

Love Island’s Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury welcomed their baby girl into the world on 23 January. Much excitement surrounded the pregnancy, so it should come as a surprise to no one that fans were waiting in eager anticipation for the announcement of the baby’s birth, and her name.

Some fans had already been guessing the name, with the most popular guess being Nephele. Nephele was the name given to a cloud nymph in Greek mythology, which fans reasoned could have been the baby’s name due to Molly-Mae’s constant use of the cloud emoji in her Instagram captions. This was not the name that the new parents chose, however. The name they chose for her was Bambi.

This name choice caused a lot of controversy, both among their fans and others. Some were very excited about the name and did nothing but congratulate them on the wonderful news. Others were less impressed by the name, stating that Bambi was not a good name for a person, or that the name ‘Bambi Fury’ would be ridiculous once the baby had grown into an adult. Even UK celebrities weighed in on the situation, with Kerry Katona slamming the name choice and Peter Andre defending it.

The criticism for Molly-Mae and Tommy did not stop there, however. Others began to criticise many aspects of the way they were handling parenthood, from the amount of money spent on furniture and accessories in the nursery to the way they were holding or carrying the baby. They could not do anything without someone on the internet criticising them.

One could argue that, because these pictures and videos of them with Bambi are being posted online, they are being left open to the wrath of the internet. These comments are a part of social media, and they should learn to expect it every time they share something online. This issue though, I’d argue, is much deeper than that.

There is a tendency online for people to slam down on celebrities like this when they announce the birth of their child. When Kylie Jenner gave birth to her son with Travis Scott, she had announced that his name was Wolf. She was mocked on social media for this name choice. She later shared that his name would be changed, and only last month shared that his name was Aire on a post celebrating his first birthday. She is not the only other example – there are lists compiled on a regular basis of the strangest celebrity baby names. It seems to be an obsession online to ridicule celebrities in this way, to such an extent that it is clear the internet has forgotten that these public figures are human too.

Instead of coming down on celebrities about their baby’s names or the amount of money they spend on items for them, users should maybe learn not to comment such horrible things about them. We may not agree with all of their decisions, but that is no excuse for this behaviour. It would be very difficult for someone to share such exciting news with the world, to be met with vitriol and criticism from thousands of strangers. No one should have to face such negativity, especially when they are new parents and are still learning.

Besides, in the case of the people commenting these things, it is not conductive for anyone’s mental health to spend time this way. This time would be better spent focusing on what we should be doing in our own lives, instead of critically analysing someone else’s.

Photo via Molly Mae Hague on Instagram

Irish Cinema – a New Golden Age?

By Emma van Oosterhout

The Nominees

It was hard not to be proud when the Academy announced its nominations on 24 January, with Irish nominees accounting for 14 of the mentions. Martin McDonagh’s hilarious black comedy The Banshees of Inisherin accounted for nine of these alone; including Best Actor for Colin Farrell, Best Supporting Actress for Kerry Condon, Best Supporting Actor for both Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan, and Best Director for McDonagh himself. An Cailín Ciúin became the first ever Irish-language film to be nominated, in this case for Best International Feature Film. A truly deserving nominee, it tells the story of nine-year old Cáit, who is sent to live with relatives in Gaeltacht na nDéise, against the backdrop of a nostalgic rural Irish summer. Other Irish nominees include Paul Mescal for Best Actor in the heart-wrenching Aftersun, and a Best Live-Action Short Film nomination for The Irish Goodbye.

The ‘Golden Age’ of Irish Cinema

I believe a golden age of Irish cinema has been coming for a few years now. With the success of Irish films such as Once (2007), Brooklyn (2015) and Sing Street (2016), our small island has been slowly cementing its name among the big wigs of Hollywood. Irish actors such as Liam Neeson, Michael Fassbender, and Saoirse Ronan have long been associated with American films such as Schindler’s List (1993), Inglorious Basterds (2009), Ladybird (2017), rather than Irish films.

However, I think we are starting to see a turnaround. Irish actors being cast as Irish characters in Irish films made by Irish filmmakers is a true breath of fresh air. This marks a badly needed change from the days of terrible accents and stereotypes such as Julia Roberts’ notoriously bad accent as Kitty Kiernan in Michael Collins (1995), and Tom Cruise’s equally bad turn in Far and Away (1992). Critically acclaimed films such as My Left Foot (1989), and In the Name of the Father (1993) were the exception to the horrifically inaccurate “Irish” films.

The Future

Upcoming Irish films include Flora and Son, God’s Creatures, and The Deepest Breath, all releasing this year.

I believe that in the near future Irish actors will be household names, including Jessie Buckley, Amybeth McNulty, Fionn O’Shea, and Daryl McCormack. McCormack received a BAFTA nomination earlier this year for his role in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande

Is Irish cinema entering a “golden age”? I think it’s hard to determine what will happen before the Academy Awards ceremony takes place this year. As I mentioned, I believe that a ‘golden era’ has been happening for a while now. A sweep of awards could mark the end of this phase, or it could prove to be the start of a wonderfully successful new period for Irish cinema.

Welcome

Yōkoso Huānyíng Ahlaan bik Willkommen Fáilte Salut

Quiz Night

Tráth na gCeist Boird for International Students

19:00-21:00

Wednesday 22nd March | Dé Céadaoin 22 Márta

The Corrib Room at Sult

Entry fee €5 + booking fee

8 Rounds + great prizes to be won!

All proceeds go to the SU Charities

And the Grammy award goes to…

By Rachel Garvey

The 65th Annual Grammy Awards recently took place on 5 January in the Crypto. com Arena in Los Angeles and celebrities splashed themselves across social media platforms with beautiful outfits. Outfits that were somewhat simple, but beautiful in a way that is unique and non-complicated, were shouting volumes at Camila Cabello’s outfit. The Don’t Go Yet singer wore a stunning bralette with a black gown that hugged her curves. The bralette was a sparkling silver with magnificent sequins. Cabello’s Instagram has since been posting more pictures of her in the outfit, figuring she should ‘milk this moment’ as best she could. Simple yet beautiful; she is the embodiment of that statement. Our senorita never fails to impress.

Taylor Swift joined the gorgeous gown party with her stunning two-piece gown; a beautiful shade of dark navy blue with a glitter sequin. The All Too Well artist resembled a night sky with shiny stars complete with purple specked diamond earrings. A dress like that would flourish anyone’s reputation. It acted as a subtle hint towards

the name of Swift’s previous album. This female artist deserves all the good in the world due to not just her as a being, but to the music she makes. It relates to our anti-heroes and makes us embrace our flaws, not run away from them while they look back at us in the mirror. Taylor and ex-boyfriend, Harry Styles, were caught having a genuine friendly moment in between performances at the award show, the two sharing a hug and a happy genuine chat. Whoever said there was bad blood there?

Harry Styles lived up to his surname as his style was loved by all; a sharp-looking cream coloured blazer with a black collar. It was worn over a sparkly silver low cut top with a darker cream- coloured pants complete with a cross necklace; he looked the part while receiving not one, but two Grammy awards. The As It Was singer won

the Grammy award for ‘Album of the Year,’ and while receiving his award, the reaction from some Beyonce fans was reported to be negative. His speech touched a lot of people and he said “this doesn’t happen to people like me” sparked a huge backlash from people as they expressed concerns over the favouritism for white artists at award shows. However, I believe Harry meant something completely different and didn’t deserve the negativity; his meaning being his manner and the way he dresses in an industry that can be extremely demanding and oppressive.

The night held the heartfelt moment of Adele being awarded the ‘Top Pop Solo Performance,’ her award being given to

her by Dwayne Johnson, someone that she has always wanted to meet. Beyonce fans were thrilled as the Queen B won an award for ‘Top R&B Song’ while bombshell Lizzo won the ‘Best Record’ award for her song About Damn Time. And yes, it was about damn time that the song won an award as it’s a hit that the lovers of music blast on a daily basis. Taylor Swift received an award for ‘Best Music Video’ for her song and short film of All Too Well. It was a heart-breaking, yet raw, piece of work that related to people on so many levels. The ‘Best Pop Duo/Group Performance’ went to Sam Smith and Kim Petras for their song Unholy, a definite fan favourite since it was released in September 2022.

Photo via Camilla Cabello on Instagram

Photo via Lizzo on Instagram – Adele, Beyonce and Lizzo pose together for a picture after each winning a Grammy.

Photo via Harry Styles on Instagram –Harry appears in disbelief after coming away with two Grammys this year

Flirt FM Galway Events Guide

Courtesy of Flirt FM

Repeating Events

Silent Disco

Every Tuesday and Wednesday at 8PM @ Róisín Dubh

Silent Disco every Tuesday and Wednesday at 8pm at Róisín Dubh. With Ted & gugai playing music you love... music

John Conneely Inc.

Every Sunday at 11PM @ Róisín Dubh Galway’s finest musicians! Multi-cultural lineup includes Keyboards, Saxophone, Dobro, Flutes along with guest musicians and the vocal talents of Italian singer Barbara Vulso.

you love to hate... and all your guilty pleasures.

She’s Electric

Monthly Wednesdays at The Ol ’55 DJ Doolittle’s Indie Disco

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

Blush

Thursdays at @ Róisín Dubh

Blush is a multi-genre clubnight focused on platforming women, lgbtq+ and non-binary Irish artists and Djs

Open Mic Night

Every Sunday at 9PM @ Róisín Dubh

Open Mic Night at Róisín Dubh

Saturday 25th February

Jewel of Cairo – Egyptian Folkloric, Fusion & Oriental Dance

7.30PM @ Mick Lally Theatre

Experience a hand-picked journey through the music and dances of Egypt, enjoying an exciting array of theatrical Egyptian folk style dances from the Siwa Desert, Alexandria and the Sudan, followed by a taste of Fusion dance - integrating Egyptian dance with world dance styles.

Sunday 26th February

Matthew Berrill Trio

8PM @ an Taibhdhearc

Matthew Berrill (Clarinet / Saxophone), Imogen Churchill (Voice – England), and Anatole Muster (Accordion – Switzerland) with Eoin Wynne

Thursday 27th April

ARXX

8PM @ The Loft

ARXX are a Queer Alt-Rock Gal Pal Duo. They’ve received 1.7+ million streams and have been making moves all over the UK and Europe.

WILL YOU RUN?

SU ELECTIONS

Part Time Officers

➤ Mature Students

➤ Clubs Captain

➤ Societies Chairperson

➤ International Students Officer

➤ Gender and LGBT+ Rights Officer

➤ Disability Rights Officer

➤ Postgraduate Taught Officer

➤ Postgraduate Research Officer

➤ Ethnic Minorities Officer

➤ Environmental and Sustainability Officer

➤ Convenor of the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies

➤ Convenor of the College of Science and Engineering

➤ Convenor of the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

➤ Convenor of the College of Business, Public Policy and Law

Nominations Open: 10:00 Wednesday 22nd February 2023

Nominations Close: 17:00 Wednesday 1st March 2023

Election Day: Thursday 9th March 2023

Fitzgibbon Cup Quarter Final

The UG Men saw off SETU Carlow to secure their semi-final place in this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup in Dangan on the 9th of February.

Photos by Lisa Hamilton

SU Charity Shave Off:

Ten participants partook in the SU Charity Shave Off which took place in front of a packed room audience in SULT on the 14th of February with €4000 raised for SU charities so far. The link for donations will remain open until the end of February and can be found on the University of Galway SU Instagram page. Massive kudos to all participants, especially Barry Keoghan whose eyebrows were also removed for charity.

Photos by Lisa Hamilton

ZooSoc: Bugs ‘n’ Kisses

ZooSoc held a speed friending event on the 16th of February in the Cube which saw all participants get up close and personal with some of the university’s zoological residents including Lenny the Leopard Gecko, Popcorn the Cornsnake and some Black Beauty Stick insects.

Photos by Lisa Hamilton

The Black Parade

The SU SOS week finished on a high on Thursday after a week of events with the Black Parade event in the Bailey Allen Hall. A collaborative event between Swiftie Soc, XCX Soc, Rock Soc and Orchestra Soc, all in attendance were in great spirit jamming out to some classic emo tracks as well as live entertainment on the night which was provided by Bees and Sawdust.

Photos by Lisa Hamilton

How volunteering can transform the student experience

By Ananda Patrasco

Mahatma Gandhi once observed, “the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” This perfectly encapsulates the essence of what volunteering can offer, it’s an impactful way to make the student experience a meaningful one. Volunteering can be a rich, diverse, and colourful opportunity for any individual that gets involved.

comes to volunteering you can fit it into your timetable- knowing whatever time you can give will be well spent.

Ms Bhat found that she could fit her role into her schedule: “Volunteering is one of those things you can put in as much or as little as you want in terms of your time commitments and tailor it as you go. You are going to get a positive experience either way and there’s always something good to come from volunteering.”

develop and learn current and new skills and it always looks well on a C.V., as experience and transferable skills are an invaluable asset for any profession you might pursue.

Ms Bhat describes how volunteering has allowed her to feel a sense of fulfilment. “Life is more than my academic pursuits or my career, I want a very holistic full-fledged life and I think one part of that is giving back and getting involved in the community.”

Preeti Bhat is a second-year medicine student at the University of Galway. She is currently volunteering with COPE Galway’s Homeless Service on their Street Outreach Support programme. This volunteering role supports staff when they engage with people who are rough sleeping in Galway City. The team links these individuals with relevant support services and provides food, refreshments, and essential items.

Ms Bhat shares, “I have thoroughly enjoyed volunteering for COPE Galway so far. I really enjoy going out there on the streets meeting and talking to folks that we are serving, understanding their life story better, what their lived experiences are like. It’s enjoyable forming that bond and that connection with people”

Even though finding time for extras as a student can be a difficult task, when it

Ms Bhat says that as a student volunteering was a great way for her to branch out of her “academic bubble” and to experience new things and meet new people.

She says: “I really enjoy meeting the other volunteers on a week-to-week basis. We are all from different walks of life and backgrounds and that’s really cool. Being able to meet other people who are vastly different than you, that have a different perspective, but who are also very much like-minded in the sense that we are all there for the same purpose, to support people who are homeless.”

Volunteering has been proven to help your mental and even physical health, with studies showing that those who volunteer are linked with having lower mortality rates. It’s also seen to significantly reduce symptoms of depression. Volunteering can provide a chance to

COPE Galway is a local organisation that believes in empowering people, creating change, and strengthening communities. They work with individuals and families across their homeless, domestic abuse and older people’s services. With around 200 volunteering roles, there is an opportunity for students to volunteer across all services, with any time you can give, and make a real difference in our community.

Volunteering offers so much, from meeting new people and experiencing new things to creating and being part of positive change in the community. With all that in mind it may just be worth a shot.

If you would like to enquire about volunteering with COPE Galway, contact Lucia or Mary at volunteer@copegalway.ie or visit www.copegalway.ie/volunteer

Ms Bhat shares, “I have thoroughly enjoyed volunteering for COPE Galway so far. I really enjoy going out there on the streets meeting and talking to folks that we are serving, understanding their life story better, what their lived experiences are like. It’s enjoyable forming that bond and that connection with people.

Preeti Bhat pictured volunteering with COPE Galway's Dave Byrne of the Outreach Team. There are many great ways to get involved in the community with COPE Galway. Visit www.copegalway.ie/volunteer to find out more!

Why you should be eating plenty of garlic

By Caoimhe Looney Health & Lifestyle Editor

I’m sure we’re all very familiar with garlic. It’s a staple in the majority of recipes and according to some statistics, the average person consumes 2 pounds of garlic each year. What some people might not know, is that before garlic was just known as just another vegetable, it was used as a medical treatment in some ancient cultures. Some of these cultures include but aren’t limited to Chinese, Egyptian and Roman cultures. There’s plenty of information available about their usage of garlic as a medicine.

These are some of the benefits of garlic for your health:

Garlic boosts your immune system

Your immune system is what helps you stay healthy and fights off sickness. Chances are if you get sick really often, your immune system is weak and needs something to help boost it back to full strength. Garlic offers an immune system boost to help prevent colds and the flu. Although it might sound gross to some people, eating raw garlic can protect against coughs, fevers and colds. Eating two chopped garlic cloves every day is the best way to benefit.

It helps reduce high blood pressure

High blood pressure is a risk factor for a lot of different heart conditions and strokes. Overall, it is the cause of 13.5 percent of deaths worldwide. Since this is such a common issue, it is important to address high blood pressure and try to control it as best you can. Garlic is a great way to tackle this as it has been scientifically proven to reduced high blood pressure.

It also helps reduce cholesterol levels

In addition to it reducing high blood pressure, garlic has also been seen in studies to reduce cholesterol levels as well. Garlic seems to especially reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad type) more than HDL (the good one). Cholesterol is another causation factor for heart conditions so this is another health issue to keep in mind.

Here’s a tasty and affordable recipe for garlic and basil ciabatta, to encourage you to fit garlic into your daily meal plan. This recipe is also really quick and easy to make.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tbsp softened butter

1 bunch of basil

• 1 small ciabatta

• 2 tbsp grated parmesan

• 2 crushed garlic cloves

Method: Heat grill to high. Beat together the mayonnaise, butter and garlic cloves until smooth. Chop basil, stir through and season with salt and pepper. Put the halves of the ciabatta, sliced lengthways, on a baking tray and spread with the butter. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan, then grill for 2-3 mins.

Cook time: 3 minutes

Photo via Jay Gajjar on Pexels

Photo by Daniela on Unsplash

Your guide to a dust exorcism

By Rachel Garvey

As someone who studies and practices the ways in Wiccan; a type of witchcraft, I have learned that the year is broken up into stages. In simpler terms, nature fol lows a permanent unchanging clockwork of spring, summer, autumn and winter; the division of these four seasons holds different holidays and celebrations. In Wiccan terms, such holidays are known as Sabbats and instead of seasons, they have a Wheel of the Year.

I won’t delve deep into this, but to offer a small example wouldn’t hurt this piece; Imbolc in February, Beltane in May, Mabon in September, Samhain in October and so on. Imbolc is a Sabbat for 1 February. It holds rituals that prepare us to welcome in the spring season and is a time of cleansing and purification. This is where spring cleaning joins the conversa tion and we start to roll up our sleeves to begin the traditional spring clean.

Dusting & Polishing

The dust bunnies must please take a stage exit right and left and everywhere. Win dows must be opened to let in the new spring fresh air and to let the stale smells of yule out. It’s important to open win dows on a daily basis to prevent humidity giving birth to mould shelves and picture frames and ornaments need their dusting

“ It is highly encouraged around spring time to give to charities what you no longer want. It’s a healthy purge that will have your wardrobe and cupboards feeling refreshed and ready to welcome in the new things you buy for the coming year.

Photo via Pexels

Why applying sunscreen should be in your daily routine

By Caoimhe Looney

I’m sure that we’ve all hear that you’re supposed to always be wearing an sunscreen, especially on your face. But most of us might not know the importance of wearing some, particularly when it’s not sunny outside and it’s dull and grey.

What is SPF?

SPF stands for sun protection factor, and it is used to protect your skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays. There are three different types of UV rays: UVB; UVA; UVC. UVB rays are what you hear of most often. They can cause sunburns and skin cancer. UVA rays also can cause skin cancer, as well as skin aging. UVC rays aren’t too much of a worry to us since they don’t pass the earth’s atmosphere. So it’s important to have an sunscreen that protects against both UVB and UVA rays.

How much sunscreen should I use?

In order to protect your face and your neck you should use about half a teaspoon of sunscreen. If you are also looking to cover your arms and legs you will need about an ounce of sunscreen. You should always be wearing a sunscreen that’s at least SPF 30 and in Ireland it should probably be water-resistant since it’s so quick to rain. It typically doesn’t matter what order you put your sunscreen on while using other products, so you should just find what’s best for your routine.

Why should you always wear sunscreen?

It protects against those harmful UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays can cause sunburns and skin cancer. UVA rays can also cause skin cancer, as well as premature skin aging. As well as decreasing the risk of sunburn and premature aging, wearing an SPF decreases your risk of developing skin cancer. Although it may sound scary, wearing an SPF massively reduces your melanoma risk and any damage to your body that may come with it.

It reduces signs of premature aging

As mentioned above, UVA rays can cause premature aging for your skin, so if you are using any other products in order to try prevent your skin from aging and you aren’t wearing sunscreen you are basically undoing any work that you have already put in.

It’s better than the moisturiser or makeup that you’re wearing that contains SPF

There’s quite a lot of moisturisers and foundations around that have a label on the package that say that they contain SPF. The only issue with this is that the SPF it claims to have is watered down throughout the whole bottle, so you’re never as protected as you might think that you are. You would need much more makeup than you typically use to reach the labelled SPF.

Hopefully this has convinced you to wear sunscreen – but if it hasn’t then it’s your skin on the line! There’s plenty of different types out there so it’s about finding the best one that works for you and adding it to your routine.

As well as decreasing the risk of sunburn and premature aging, wearing an SPF decreases your risk of developing skin cancer. Although it may sound scary, wearing an SPF massively reduces your melanoma risk and any damage to your body that may come with it.”

Match Report: Galway United 0-0 Cork City

By Nathan Ring

Galway United welcomed Cork City to Eamonn Deacy Park in their first pre-season game at the ground. With the season fast approaching, both teams were looking to turn up the heat in pursuit of success.

An entertaining first ten minutes saw both teams go head-to-head, with the away side enjoying a more favourable share of possession. United went the closest, with some excellent link-up play finding David Hurley with space on the edge of the opposition box. He promisingly lofted the ball into the box, but a lack of maroon shirts allowed the City defenders to clear.

Cork were searching to break the deadlock themselves, with Tunde Owolabi looking to use his blistering pace to latch onto the consistent supply of passes played over the top of United’s defence. However, the Tribesmen were not apprehensive, playing some positive football to carve out a few half-chances, much to the encouragement of the home fans.

With ten minutes left in the half, Cork City found themselves with ten men temporarily after a strong challenge sent a trialist tumbling into the home dugout. Galway looked to capitalise on their brief advantage, but a 20-yard effort from Manning floated over.

The second half sprang into action as both sides demonstrated their intent to win with feisty tackles and direct play. Cork went close 55 minutes in after an edge-of-the-box volley whizzed over the crossbar, but the lively Manning drove forward for United with some real intent. His mazy run earned the home side a free kick on the edge of the penalty area, but Conor McCormack’s effort was fired into the Cork City wall.

Manning would have another attempt from the edge of the box just five minutes later. His free kick curled towards the top right corner, but the travelling fans sighed with relief as the effort flew wide.

With Galway looking the more threatening of the two sides, Cork opted for a quadruple substitution. It was one of these substitutes that forced BrendanClarke into a smart stop in the 70th minute. Some sharp movement from Matt Healy gave him space to fire off an attempt, but this seemed to be the climax of their brief spell of pressure.

United reacted with a series of their own changes, which included the introduction of two new trialists. With 15 minutes left on the clock, United were fouled again on the edge of the box. McCormack rolled the ball into the stride of Mikie Rowe, who let off a thunderous

effort that seemed destined for the top right corner. The Cork City ‘keeper, Tobi Oluwayemi, pulled off a fantastic outstretched save and parried it away.

With just five minutes left on the clock, one of United’s trialist picked up the ball in the centre circle and danced through numerous Cork defenders before showing tremendous vision to pick out Ibrahim Keita. The French striker delicately directed the ball into the path of Francely Lomboto, who unleashed a fierce strike on the turn, but it flashed wide of the post.

The game ended in a stalemate, yet both sides displayed some encouraging play that is sure to excite fans for the season ahead.

TEAMS

GALWAY UNITED (John Caulfield, Manager)

B. Clarke, C. Horgan, K. Brouder, R. Slevin, O. O’Reilly, C. McCormack, V. Borden, E. McCarthy, D. Hurley, R, Manning, R. Manley

CORK CITY (Colm Healy, Manager)

T. Oluwayemi, C. Coleman, T. Owolabi, A. Bolger, R. Keating, B. Coffey, A. Winbo, J. Honohan, Trialist, K. Čustović, J. Häkkinen

Galway United prepare to take a free kick during their pre-season friendly against Cork City. Photo: Lisa Hamilton

Mary Healy and Nicole Fowley reflect on their on-field journey as Mary plays her final game in the green jersey

By Ciarán Ó Flaithearta

Following the recent Women’s Inter Pro series with over 20 Galwegians represented in the Connacht squad, captain Mary Healy and Galwegians captain Nicole Fowely are reflecting on their journeys. Mary is entering her final season before hanging up the boots, breaking up one of the most consistent half-back partnerships in both Galwegians and Connacht.

she would train and attend camp learning from the coaches and those around her.

Mary was determined to put herself in contention for an Irish jersey putting in the extra hours with the former scrum half and Galwegian’s head coach at the time, Cory Brown.

Mary says Cory taught her all she needed to know: “in the space of about six months I went from not being able to pass to being able to pass and then I was actually in contention.” All her hard work paid off when

Mary earned her first cap in the Stoop in Twickenham in the first Women’s International November series in 2015.

Mary has since gone on to win a total of 14 Irish caps.

For Nicole, it was a different story altogether growing up in Sligo she played Gaelic football and soccer with a bit of tag rugby on the side. Nicole started off her rugby journey with Sligo RFC to learn more about the sport and have a bit of fun on the pitch. It wasn’t until she was in college that she began to play rugby more frequently joining Railway Union and traveling up to Dublin from Sligo whenever she could to train.

Although she really enjoyed rugby, Gaelic and soccer still came first and only for a combination of Railway player-coach, Mere Baker seeing her potential and Connacht drafting her into the squad, she eventually chose to dedicate herself to rugby.

Following her decision to focus on rugby Nicole moved to Galway in 2016, “to play at

grueling routine of early mornings in the gym before work, after work running sessions which Nicole remembers fondly.

Having served their time on International duty the pair seem to be enjoying life at home with Galwegians which has had a long-lasting effect on them. For Nicole “it’s the comradery and the friendships that we’ve made down through the last number of years, it’s very much a family vibe which I think is kind of our culture and our ethos that everyone is welcome.”

The pair make a fantastic duo on the pitch but it also works well off the pitch with Nicole popping the question back in August. Having been together nearly eight years they agree that their understanding of each other benefits their game in many ways. But like all half-back partnerships it’s not always smooth sailing.

“Don’t get me wrong every now and then we do kill each other on the pitch, but you would if you were any other 9 and 10. But what happens on the pitch absolutely stays on the pitch,” stated Nicole while Mary insisted that it was never her fault.

With Mary stepping away at the end of this season to focus on her career she has set a goal to see Connacht win an Inter Pros be it promoting women’s rugby to helping with skills and passing sessions.

But, for now, Mary and Nicole continue to steer the ship for the women’s firsts in the AIL. Off the pitch, you will often see them on the side-line or helping out

Nicole Fowley of Connacht kicks a conversion during the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship Round 3 match between Connacht and Ulster at Energia Park in Dublin.

Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile