SIN Vol. 24 Issue 10

New Students’ Union full-time officers elected

By Caoimhe Looney

The University of Galway elections have concluded, and the four full time Students’ Union officers have been elected for the academic year 2023/2024.

Dean Kenny was elected as SU President, Izzy Tiernan was chosen as Vice-President/ Welfare and Equality Officer, Raimey O’Boyle will take on Vice President/Education Officer and Faye Ní Dhomhnaill will become Leas Uachtarán don Ghaeilge.

Kenny is set to replace Sai Gujulla in July, and the first thing he plans to do tackle is the repeat fee issue, but he proposes “an alternative solution.”

He said: “I have been here for three SU Presidents and they have all swore to get rid of the repeat fee but it has never happened. I propose an alternative by setting repeat fees per module to €100, with a €300 cap altogether.”

“I strive to be the most present President this SU has ever seen at the most basic level by interacting and liaising with the student body as much as possible, and I believe Pints with the President is a small step to achieving this.”

Freshly elected VP for Welfare and Equality Izzy Tiernan also told SIN her aims for when she takes office in July, saying “My main plan is that I want to set up a Student Watch alongside the on-campus Gardaí and security so students would get involved keeping the university safe.”

Speaking on inheriting the role from Imogen O’Flaherty Falconer, they said: “I hope to carry on the great work done by the previous officer in introducing sensory rooms and will act to create more, as well as continuing to work with brilliant organisations such as Active Consent.”

Raimey O’Boyle VP for Education elect spoke about her passion to be Education officer, as being the current Postgrad Taught Officer.

She said: “I deal with similar issues regularly and work really closely with the current Education officer a lot, so I’ve been working in that remit and becoming VP for Education I would get to continue to do this work, in a greater capacity.”

Speaking about how O’Boyle plans to reach out to students she said: “I have a suggestion box on my Linktree and anyone can contribute to that, and attending

councils, and maybe a regular stand for people to come up to.”

Faye Ní Dhomhnaill will be taking over as Leas Uachtarán don Ghaeilge, the first time this position has had elections along with the other full-time officers, and spoke about her passion for the role.

She said: “Is aoibheann liom Gaeilge. I want to bring a bit more Gaeilge to campus and let people know that it’s ok to want to speak Irish.”

Ní Dhomhnaill said he plans to “;et people know what rights they have in regards to the Irish language and compose a list of the rights that students have.”

She said: “I want to put a new straitéis na Gaeilge in place to have a next step and keep putting the pressure on.”

The newly elected committee will begin their roles in July, along with the 14 new SU part-time officers that were also recently elected, to look after student’s issues and provide information to students about all aspects of student life.

To contact the Students’ Union about issues relating to the aforementioned topics, you can visit https://su.nuigalway.ie/ about-su-nuigalway/executive-committee/

The new Students’ Union Full Time Officers. L–R: Izzy Tiernan, Vice-President/Welfare and Equality Officer; Raimey O’Boyle, Vice President/Education Officer; Dean Kenny, SU President; and Faye Ní Dhomhnaill, Leas Uachtarán don Ghaeilge. Photo: Lisa Hamilton

By Valerie McHugh Editor

Dearest readers, welcome to issue 10! I cannot believe we have hit double digits. A very special welcome to the new contributors that have joined SIN over the last few weeks. Congratulations also to all of our SIN regulars who have done wonderful work to fill the pages of this issue with brand new content.

Our reporter Caoimhe Looney takes the front page this week. She sat down with the newly elected Students’ Union Full-Time Officers to find out about their plans for the year. If you were following the elections like us, I am sure it will prove to be an interesting read. A special thanks to our chief photographer Lisa Hamilton for taking the group photo you see on our front page too. Lisa also took over our social media for the election. She was the first to break election news over the couple of days, and we couldn’t be more grateful for her brilliant work.

There are plenty of other brilliant articles in this issue too, so make sure to give it a read!

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 10. We hope you enjoy all of the pieces and we will see you in two weeks! P.S. keep your eyes peeled for some news on our brand-new print edition of SIN which is launching in the next few weeks.

A huge thanks to our team!

McHugh Editor

Galway students lead climate protest

By Megan Milne-Thompson

On Friday 3 March there was a protest march lead by students in University of Galway and local schools over the inaction by government on this issue.

Part of the Fridays for Future movement, which was begun by Gretta Thunberg, this protest was part of one taking place in 150 countries, it centres around youth activism and inspired by her Friday protests outside of Swedish parliament in 2018.

Protesters expressed concern over both local and global climate change, from needing more bins in Galway city to how it has been and will further be impacted by rising sea levels.

The protest began at 1pm. Gathering in Eyre Square with other students, those attending were addressed by members of the Universities environmental society.

Overall, it was a call to action with many reminders to be hopeful and aiming to engage passers by and inform them of the reasons for protest. Then the march began, down shop street to Spanish arch, with signs.

Two of the signs read, “I don’t want to go to mars,” and, “Climate justice is a right.” They were also chanting things such as “Fridays are for future” and “stand up join the fight climate justice is a right”.

Once they reached Spanish Arch, there was an opportunity for anyone to speak who wished to do so. Adults and children took the opportunity to speak, before marching back to Eyre square and accommodating open conversations with the public on the reasons for protest and climate issues.

Equality referendum set to be held in November

By Caoimhe Looney

The government have announced that a referendum on gender equality and the constitutional family will be held in November this year.

The referendum comes following recommendations made by a Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality two years ago and the Special Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality.

It’s sets to tackle both Article 40 and 41 of the Constitution, which could include the removal or the replacement of the reference to women ‘within the home’ due to the criticism it has faced increasingly in recent times.

The proposed amendments are due to be published by the end of June, with the referendum set to take place in November.

Other recommendations made include the specific reference to gender equality and non-discrimination.

The Government confirmed while making the announcement that a interdepartmental group will be established to agree on proposals.

The current Article 40.1 in the Constitution, which contains the equality guarantee, states that ‘all citizens shall be held equal before the law’ and critics have commented that it lacked specificity and the Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality recommended it should be amended to refer explicitly to gender equality and non-discrimination.

Article 41 refers to the family and their rights under the Constitution, but the current Constitutional definition of the

family is limited to the marital family and does not provide any definitions to families outside of the marital one.

The Citizens Assembly recommended that this article should be amended to protect family life and not limit the protection of the family to the marital family.

The third article which will be included in the referendum is Article 41.2, a very controversial article due to its reference to the woman ‘within the home.’

The Citizens Assembly recommendation was that this article should be deleted and replaced with non-gender specific language and obliges the State to take reasonable measures to support care within the home.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: “For too long, women and girls have carried a disproportionate share of caring responsibilities, been discriminated against at home and in the workplace, objectified or lived in fear of domestic or gender-based violence.

“I am pleased to announce that the Government plans to hold a Referendum this November to amend our Constitution to enshrine gender equality and to remove the outmoded reference to ‘women in the home’, in line with the recommendations of the Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality.”

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, said: “I commend the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality and the membership of the recent special Oireachtas committee on gender equality for their work to advance these difficult and sensitive issues.”

Extracts from the Constitution (source: irishstatutebook.ie)

ARTICLE 40

1. All citizens shall, as human persons, be held equal before the law.

This shall not be held to mean that the State shall not in its enactments have due regard to differences of capacity, physical and moral, and of social function.

ARTICLE 41

1. 1° The State recognises the Family as the natural primary and fundamental unit group of Society, and as a moral institution possessing inalienable and imprescriptible rights, antecedent and superior to all positive law.

2° The State, therefore, guarantees to protect the Family in its

constitution and authority, as the necessary basis of social order and as indispensable to the welfare of the Nation and the State.

2 1° In particular, the State recognises that by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved.

2° The State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home.

3 1° The State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of Marriage, on which the Family is founded, and to protect it against attack.

The lion, the leak, and the Hancock

By Fionn Sexton

Over 100,000 WhatsApp messages from Matt Hancock’s time as UK Health Secretary have been leaked by a journalist assisting him in writing his memoirs.

The leak contains thousands of conversations between Mr. Hancock and various government officials throughout the early pandemic.

It was leaked by Isabel Oakeshott, who justified her breach of an NDA as being in the public interest owing to her belief justice would not be achieved during the official inquiry. Ms. Oakeshott was previously the political editor-atlarge of the Sunday Times newspaper.

Mr. Hancock served as the head of the Department of Health in the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Recent leaks have revealed deep divisions within the government ranks during the height of lockdown restrictions in the UK, with a former aide of Mr. Hancock describing the then-Chief Advisor to then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings, as a “f****** piece of s***”. It is understood that the entirety of the messages leaked by Ms. Oakeshott were also in the possession of the official inquiry into HM Government’s response to the pandemic.

Hancock resigned from the Cabinet following the revelation he broke lockdown protocol by kissing his then-aide. Mr. Hancock has described his experience in the leaked messages, claiming he was isolated following the release of the CCTV footage and felt compelled to resign as a result.

The leak has prompted serious questions about the UK governments response to the pandemic in the early stages, with Mr. Hancock describing “fear/guilt” as a desired motivator for compliance with pandemic restrictions on social gatherings and so-called “non-essential” businesses.

Sky News reported that Mr. Hancock was forwarded a message from Stephen Brine MP, who is currently the chair of the Health Select Committee. Michael Gove, then-Levelling Up secretary, was believed to have sent the message to Mr. Hancock on behalf Mr. Brine.

Criticisms of government policies are contained in messages sent to and from Mr. Hancock, with Rishi Sunak’s “eat out to help out” being linked by Department of Health officials with a rise in infections.

The leak comes as the UK attempts to rally support for the Windsor Framework, which is thought to be a finalised Brexit deal that will allow for a return of devolution in Northern Ireland.

Institute For Study Abroad

(IFSA)

Delivering highquality academics and personalized experiences, worldwide.

In 1988, IFSA was founded on the campus of Butler University as an independent non-profit. Soon our organization gained notice as a pioneer in high-quality international education.  Today we’re as committed to academic excellence as ever, delivering lifechanging study abroad programs in 19 countries by holding firm to our belief that every student is unique — and their journeys should be, too.

We are looking for a colleague to join us in Galway on a parttime basis to provide personal, academic, social and cultural support to our students based there during the semester and to support our shorter programmes throughout the summer.  This role would be ideal for a Masters or PhD student or part-time member of staff looking for an exciting, rewarding position with flexible hours.  It is a forward-facing role with elements of mentoring, pastoral care and event planning.

The link to apply is here:  https://workforcenow.adp.com/ mascsr/default/mdf/ recruitment/recruitment. html?cid=3248cb10-3ae5-42f1a447-81a34d0688b9&ccId=190 00101_000001&type=MP&lang =en_US&jobId=457300

Photo by Matt Hancock on Instagram

Erasmus Dairy

By Kara Wilson

One month in and so far, I’ve learned a lot, loved a lot, and lost a lot. High highs and low lows. But still, I find a level of comfort within this chaos.

Something that I’ve really had to adjust to coming from an American lifestyle to a European is to relax. In America, the work culture is so intense, and everyone is expected to have their whole life perfectly strung together in an extensive list of high achievements before we even learn how to walk. So, when I have to go to Spanish shoplifting court, or I spill 1.5Ls of water on my brand-new MacBook, or I feel slightly incompetent in my language abilities, the world feels like it is slowly but surely crumbling around me, and I’ve disappointed everyone in my family line.

But I’ve really spent the last week trying not to be so hard on myself. I’m a 21-year-old girl who’s moved countries twice, by myself, and with all things considered, I’m doing pretty well. For every court date, there’s an unforgettable night of sunsets and sangria. For every broken laptop, a breathtaking discovery of a new,

favourite statue. And for every Spanish word you cannot remember, there’s a new one learned.

I think the struggle with most Erasmus semesters is to find the balance in it all. To focus on school, which for me is all in Spanish and surprisingly draconian. But, at the same time, being social, traveling as much as possible, and establishing a life. It can become so overwhelming and fearsome to place more energy into one of these aspects than another for the fear of wasting time. Spending too much time on school, not enough on travel or socializing, or vice versa.

Though now, a full month later, I feel I have my feet on the ground. I’ve found great friends, I’m attending all my classes, found my favorite places to go out, and can mostly navigate my way beyond the GPS. But I can’t help but to fear that the progress I’ve made in establishing my life in Spain has hindered my opportunities to see more.

I’m the kind of person who will never be happy with myself unless I’ve done it all, which surprise, you usually can’t. I’m really starting to love my little temporary life in Spain, and I’m sure I’ll be

mournful in my departure come June. But I hope within this time of independence and growth, I learn to be happy with my efforts and to be proud of my feats given circumstances I cannot control. Because that is life.

Life happens all around us and even though it might be slower and sweeter in Galway, it doesn’t stop for any of us. And it is hard. It’s hard to explain to the man at the apple store, while you cry, what happened to your laptop in your second language. It’s hard to turn down a trip to Morocco because your schoolwork pours densely into your weekend. It’s hard to watch your friends in Galway living a life you know all too well. But I believe in myself and my ability to prevail. And though I want to make the most of this opportunity and to prosper during the exam season, my biggest goal is to gain self-compassion. To recline in the fact that I’m doing the best I can and that truly is okay.

But at the same time, I hope to never lose the chaos. I hope simply to find the antithesis in being responsible and spontaneous, because that is where true success lies.

Photo by Aleksandar Pasaric

Book talk with Galway’s Dubray Books

By Emma Ward

As a book lover, I spend a lot of time exploring bookstores around Galway, but I should mention that I am a wheelchair user so this is a major factor in where I buy my books. One of my favourite ones is Dubray Books located down shop street. I find myself to keep going back there to buy books because they are so accessible for people like me. I conducted an interview with Dubray on why they are one of the best book shops in Galway.

SIN interviewed Réiltín; who coincidently is the same person I always go to so I was looking forward to her response; and asked Réiltín what would be Dubray Books’ bestselling genre, and she told me that general fiction and, surprisingly to me, sci-fi is their most popular genres. She says there isn’t a bestselling genre at any consistent time as it changes weekly/monthly and it just depends on what the newest trend would be.

BookTok is a major selling point for them right now as it gives people suggestions on what to read; Colleen Hoover is massive at the moment and Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reed is huge because of the TV show that came out recently. It just depends on what is happening in the world or the media right now that affects what the bestselling is right now.

I asked her what makes their bookshop unique: she explained that a lot of people have said they like the atmosphere in the bookshop and they like the staff recommendations because it gives more of a personal feel to the book.

She says: “We get a lot of people come in asking for recommendations and we love giving them, we love talking about books all the time. I think this is what makes our shop unique because there’s more of a personal feel and people can come to talk about books all day.”

I also asked if the store has any book clubs. They don’t, but they do have an online blog that staff members can write on or they sometimes get authors to write on it. This is good if a customer is looking for recommendations online and they also have the ‘staff recommended reads of the month’ which includes three non-fiction, three kids, three teen, and three general fiction books.

Lastly, I asked what would be the age demographic for the store and was told that they don’t keep track of the age demographic because there isn’t a specific age group. There’s a wide variety of ages who come in, but BookTok has had an influence on the younger people.

“We get a lot of people come in asking for recommendations and we love giving them, we love talking about books all the time. I think this is what makes our shop unique because there’s more of a personal feel and people can come to talk about books all day.”

A window display at Dubray Galway for Catfish Rolling by Galway author Clara Kiyoko Kumagi who blends magical realism with Japanese myth and legend in her story.

Photos by Dubray Ireland.

Society Spotlight:

Drag DragRace

20:00 Thursday 30/03/23 at Sult

SIN interviewed Ava Murray from Writer’s Society for this week’s Society Spotlight.

By Beyza Koç

When was Writers Soc founded?

I think Writers Soc was founded in 2015 or so. It was a very different scene than it is now. It was smaller scale which is usually the case for many new societies.

How many students are signed up for it?

This year alone, we had about 100 new sign ups. In terms of active followers, it’s between 20 and 30. I know that the pandemic made it so difficult to fully immerse yourself in social events like society meetings. Last year had a low turnout and I was worried it would be the same this year. I received the most wonderful shock I’ve had being part of a society when we got 40 people sitting in the room on our first day. And my god, have they made all the work worth it. So diverse in backgrounds, thoughts and writing styles. It makes everything chaotic in the best possible way.

Who is Writers Soc for?

Anyone who writes anything- which is most people. It’s doesn’t even technically need to be written down, if you have any way to express a story, a perspective, the doors are open to you. People may imagine our sessions to be intense affairs where we hunch in hushed silence, slaving over our “magnum opus”. That personally sounds like my creative nightmare. Everyone has a a story and it’s our goal to let people express that through storytelling, poetry and any other written or aural media you can think of.

What does a regular Writers Soc meeting look like?

Picture a bunch of tables, surrounded by a bunch of chairs. We meet up at least once a week and each session has a focus-whether it be music prompts, world building, character development, bite sized poetry. All genres of work fit the criteria though we do tend to focus on fictional writing. We provide prompts that are open enough to give you creative freedomto make it as ridiculous or as sincere as you wish. A lot of our activities have a group aspect- societies are an environment that can help you make great connections, but individual pursuit is welcome too. Ultimately, everyone is a great writer- you just need a place to let it out.

What do you hope for the society’s future?

It was a concern as we returned to college that the society would crumble but I am forever grateful it didn’t. I wouldn’t have had the privilege of knowing the people I know now. In terms of what’s next, a new college year is on the horizon and that means new committee members will be stepping up to the plate. There were some things we never got a chance to tackle this year. My hope is that next year, the society will be adventurous. Writing is not just huddling over a notebook on your own. Every piece of fiction ever written is inspired by what is lived, and the collective experience of every writer out there is spectacularly imaginative.

How we write could and should reflect that.

Are you excited about the upcoming publication?

Tickets €8 + Booking

All proceeds go to the SU Charities:

Excited doesn’t even begin to describe it. There is only so much one can do in a two hour session. The annual publication provides a means to delve deeper into your own writing capabilities. The theme this year was “voyage” and I was gobsmacked at the creativity – discussing not only physical displacement but emotional and temporal journeys too. Pre-orders are available this weekend and I would encourage anyone looking to support local creatives to give it a chance.

Book Here

Featuring performances from your University of Galway Qweens and Kings and the legend Annie Naggins

Hosted by Steven Sharpe

Galway Rape Crisis Centre and Galway Simon Community

Photo by Beyza Koç

What it takes to be a final girl

By Rachel Garvey

The final girl; a concept widely used in horror movies since the dawn of that particular era and a favourite subject to converse about amongst fans of the genre and students studying Film & TV. The world loves a ‘final girl; and fan favourites give rise to arguments on who holds the top spot, but in reality, these feminine hero-survivors share similar qualities when it comes to defeating the protagonist and are seen as equal top spot holders.

Our beloved genre holds a list of fierce final girls; Sidney Prescott played by Neve Campbell from Scream, Laurie Strode played by Jamie Lee Curtis from Halloween, Lorraine Warren played by Vera Farmiga in The Conjuring franchise and the list grows. However, horror breaks the rules from time to time; no final girls or final guys are left to stand tall yet traumatised from the events they’ve survived through. These films involve The Grudge, Hereditary, It Follows, Sinister and the infamous Terrifier movies; Art the clown will make Pennywise look like a Disney princess and that statement is simply prohibited to debate.

Our survivor girls share traits that work hand-in-hand with the audiences survival guide when they scream at the television to don’t go in there, that’s it, walk away or run, and these are the reasons why they survive; they do the things we normally say out loud.

We see a detailed explanation of such concepts during the end scene of The Cabin in the Woods, where catastrophes and deaths are imminent to appease the Gods that lay beneath our world and the number of sacrifices they need; the unruly girl, the athlete, the smart one, the joker and the innocent one. These are known as character profiles that every group of friends in horror films have and the innocent one is known as the survivor, the final girl or final guy.

This is because they aren’t clouded with fantasies and they pay attention to their doubts and fears. Often times, while their group of friends put themselves into a dangerous scenario that will involve death, final girls can sense when something is wrong, they’re the ones that are labelled crazy by their peers until it’s too late and they had wished they had listened to their friend. They hold an immense strong will to fight and survive the danger that falls unto them, their will increases only after stumbling upon their deceased friends.

Their history involves a past traumatic experience that still haunts them, but that experience fuels their fight in life when faced with a second trauma; their knife-wielding enemy. Sidney Prescott still grieves the death of her mother in the first Scream movie, throughout the Halloween franchise, Laurie Strode’s first encounter with Michael Myers plunges her into the depths of depression and alcoholism while distancing herself from her

daughter and grand-daughter, Dani from Midsommar is still fresh in the grieving pits of hell when her family die and so on.

But why do we love these characters? We love that they are still alive, still fighting, still wanting life to prove there’s still good there after the first trauma. We live for these characters and feel their emotions because we are them. We feel their pain because it’s our own pain from our own life. We try to send all our strength to them when they’re on screen because we want them to live, we want to still live. Especially after trauma. Perhaps we’re all the final girls. Perhaps that’s why they’re crucial to us because we are them and they are us. All fighting to stay alive. All fighting together.

Photo via Rotten Tomatoes

Dylan meets: Amy Croffey

Galway girl Amy Croffey lives in London where she works as a Senior Producer for CNN. She has a plethora of experience under her belt across multiple platforms and continents, previously working for RTE, Newstalk, Today FM, TheJournal.ie, The Daily Mail Australia and as a celebrity gossip columnist at The Sydney Morning Herald.

By Dylan McLoughlin SIN Columnist

Describe your upbringing in Galway. I was born and raised in Killure Castle in between Ahascragh and Ballinasloe in Co. Galway by Gerry and Maura Croffey. I’m the eldest of three girls, Sarah is a head chef locally and Kate is an NUIG business studies post-grad alum. I attended Killure NS for primary, before going to secondary in Ardscoil Mhuire, Ballinasloe.

Were you always interested in news and media at a young age?

I’ve always loved news in any format: TV, radio, newspapers or digital. I knew I wanted to pursue journalism in my teens when I landed work experience in transition year alongside Galway Bay FM’s Ollie

formerly of Westlife fame. One of my least favourite interviewees to this day - and I’ve been around the block! He called Galway a “sh*thole”, so do you blame me?

The Connacht Tribune’s Bernie Ni Fhlatharta and Denise McNamara also took me under their wings during that time, showing me the ropes, editing my copy, and taking me to the Galway Courthouse, where there was never a dull moment under Judge Mary Fahy. An internship in RTE while studying for my Masters in Journalism at DCU sealed my fate as a hack. The likes of NUIG alumni Sean O’Rourke and Ailbhe Conneely guided me while in the newsroom at Donnybrook. Luckily, I got kept on as a freelancer at RTE, particularly on the Radio One and 2FM news desks, where I got to work alongside my all-time favourite news icon, Anne Doyle - one of my highlights.

You landed a big job with CNN but couldn’t take up the role in London due to the pandemic. How difficult was that?

After six years working the celebrity circuit in Sydney, I was looking forward to moving to London, but when lockdown was announced, I was glad to be at home with my family, walking the dogs in the countryside, and catching up with old school friends for socially distanced coffee and chats, usually around the grounds of Garbally or Clonbrock.

Is there any piece of work that you have done to date in your career that you’re particularly proud of?

Field producing for CNN at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral was one I won’t forget as it was the largest organised event, I will ever cover with world leaders in attendance from across the globe. I also loved my time in Sydney working as a celebrity reporter and gossip columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald, where I interviewed the likes of Tom Cruise, Chris Hemsworth, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Russell Crowe, Drew Barrymore, and Kanye, to name but a few!

What advice would you give a new journalist starting off? Get as much work experience as possible! Pitch stories and reports to local newspapers, magazines, and radio. You can never have too much experience!

What’s the best advice you have received in your career so far?

If someone is not annoyed by your journalism, you are working in public relations.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I love catching up with friends for dinner, playing tennis (well, learning to), and exploring London.

Do you get back to Galway often?

Turner. During another work experience stint, this time while at the University of Limerick, I doubled down on that career choice after a couple of months in The Connacht Tribune newsroom under the watchful eye of the late, great editor John Cunningham. One of the best editors I have ever had the luck to work with, although I am not sure I will ever fully forgive him for making me interview Brian McFadden,

Describe your role at CNN and what you love about it.

I’m a senior producer in CNN’s London bureau focused on international news, in particular the EMEA area. The best thing about being a journalist is that no two days are alike, so you never get bored. I love the excitement of putting together live television, in what feels at times like breakneck speed, for an audience in every corner of the earth.

As much as possible! Looking forward to the annual day out on Shop Street for Christmas, and spending time with my adorable Oranmore-based nephew, Orin, 17 months! I have already started his NUIG college fund!

What are your plans for the future in the industry?

Enjoying where I am right now, it took a lot of hard work to get here.

“ John Cunningham was one of the best editors I have ever had the luck to work with, although I am not sure I will ever fully forgive him for making me interview Brian McFadden...

The Rachel Diaries

The piece details an experience of sexual harassment. Reader discretion is advised.

By Rachel Garvey

My, oh my. That is my response to the last two weeks. Nothing in relation to Camila Cabello’s song. It has been busy. It has been testing. There’s one thing I can say for sure, I’m still here, alive and kicking. During one of the Mondays, I caught the early bus into town for a SIN promo video shoot and decided to wear a dress; nothing too revealing, the only bit of skin that showed was a fraction of my thigh above my knee and while waiting for the bus to college I heard – “are you not cold? You’ve a fine set of legs on you, why don’t you come here and sit beside me?”

I made the mistake of turning around to an man (who I believe to have been intoxicated) sitting on the drenched bench behind me. I’ve seriously lost count of the number of times I’ve been sexually harassed, but you never get used to it. No-one should ever have to. I told him that I was fine where I was standing and his response was “You would say that, wouldn’t you? Come on, come here beside me.”

I panic and close in on myself when this happens. It’s easy for people to encourage you to say something, but try being in that situation and you’ll feel different. Thankfully, saved by the bus is a thing, but he stood up real close to me to the point of contact and asked “Will you meet me again?”

I panicked more, taking a step back in shock before a girl stepped up beside me and chatted to me, almost as if she was a lifelong friend. And I relaxed. Smiled and thanked her more times than I thought I would have a panic attack in those few short minutes. A second-year student studying Midwifery; she is a true hero and the world needs more people like her; people who step in, people who stop sexual harassment before it escalates further.

Clothes are not consent; I felt that it was unsafe to wear a dress, but then reality hit that I can wear what I choose and nothing in my wardrobe acts as an invitation to harassment. Then a couple of days later at work, in a messy ponytail and box-littered uniform, I was approached by another male I believe to have been intoxicated. He had only asked where something was, I showed him because that’s my duty to a customer, but it’s not nice when you’re stuck between a male and a cage, him getting closer and closer and telling you “I’m not a pervert.”

Oh, how I long to see the day where society wakes up and smells the roses and realises how wrong this is. Whether we’re clad in an outfit of our choice or work uniform, nothing should act as an invitation, nothing should be considered an invitation and to quote Morgan St. Jean’s song “It’s not all men, but it’s all women”.

However, the brighter side of this diary brings me to the joy that spring has finally begun and that my novel continues to grow in length, hitting the mark of over 30,000 words now. Pipsqueak continues to wake Dylan up at night due to his habit of biting the bars on his cage and the little acrobatics he does on the ceiling bars. He can actually pull off doing a hamster-splits; it’s super adorable, I didn’t know my little boy was so flexible. I wonder would he be able to teach me the splits, I’d even give him extra seedies (yes, we call seeds seedies in our house) for the job.

“ I was rescued by a second-year student studying Midwifery; she is a true hero and the world needs more people like her; people who step in, people who stop sexual harassment before it escalates further.

Photo via Unsplash

The meteoric rise of Holly Cairns to Soc Dem leadership

By Fionn Sexton Connolly

Holly Cairns was elected unopposed as the leader of the Social Democrats following the resignation of co-leaders Catherine Murphy and Róisín Shortall. Following months of political scandals involving both the main government parties and the main opposition party, people are fast running out of fresh voices to listen to.

Holly Cairns represents a politician that is closer to the youth than any other leader. She is part of a new generation of Irish people who just can’t get by. Her party does not own a vast portfolio of property and she has no millionaire benefactor to fund staff salaries and campaigns. Her success is entirely founded upon the need for real change in Leinster House because the Irish youth are no longer voiceless.

The baggage of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour, and Sinn Féin is simply too heavy for some voters to bear, and for those seeking a break from the past, the Social Democrats represents a taster of a potential future.

A party that seeks to build something new, rather than repair the omnishambles it inherited is rather refreshing in the republic, and practically unheard of in the North.

The ugliness of Irish politics is apparent to anyone with access to the internet; one or two parties release their supporters on anyone who disagrees with the party orthodoxy.

The Social Democrats don’t do ad hominem politics. They don’t roll their eyes to heaven or bust up meetings of the Dáil because

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Leo was mean during question time. It is a mature, competent, and progressive political party that has no ties to corruption, terrorism, or fascism. This may not seem like a high bar, but that’s Ireland for you.

Holly Cairns represents something much broader than the four incredibly comfortable career politicians leading SF, FF, FG, and Labour; she represents something newer, greener, and cleaner than all the rest.

She does not defend murderers, she does not defend water charges, and she does not storm out of the Dáil in order to generate clicks. She has lived in Ireland as students know it, as young women know it, as queer people know it. Few other leaders in the Dáil can claim the same street smarts.

Her performances in the Dáil have been well received online, being one of her parties most valuable TDs prior to her election as leader earlier this month. While barbs flew back and forth over election returns, Cairns and her party needled the government on the many health crises plaguing the HSE, as well as the failure to stem homelessness. They picked up the real business of opposition while the three biggest parties went blood-simple over election returns.

As praiseworthy as Cairns is, she has many hurdles ahead of her. Part of the appeal of the Social Democrats is their lack of baggage, but the only thing you can take away from government is baggage.

So far, the party has never served in government, and this can become an issue, fast. The party is not immune to the effects that prolonged opposition has on a party; SF have dropped in the polls month-on-month since 2022. There is a growing tiredness with Sinn Féin, as it now has become associated with the establishment it so vehemently attacks.

Cairns would do well to engage with government at every opportunity, and she has not ruled out coalitions with any combination of parties, granted it was on her terms. She knows that she can’t just declare the government is doing it badly, she must prove that she could do it better.

Holly Cairnes is part of a new generation of Irish people who just can’t get by. Her party does not own a vast portfolio of property and she has no millionaire benefactor to fund staff salaries and campaigns. Her success is entirely founded upon the need for real change in Leinster House because the Irish youth are no longer voiceless.

Saving the nightlife industry: is it time for a new approach?

By Tara O’Malley

Nightclubs have always been a central part of nightlife, particularly for those in university. Before the pandemic, a night out on the town would often end in the same way – dancing with friends on the sticky nightclub floor into the early hours of the morning.

For a long while after restrictions eased, this was not the case. This led to a declining nightlife industry across the country that lasted long after other industries managed to get back onto their feet. A solution to this problem, which will be going ahead in the near future, is to allow nightclubs to extend their opening hours. This would be a good solution for the industry.

However, this decision may go in the face of an effort that the Irish government has been making to reduce binge drinking. Since 2018, several acts have been signed into law to “reduce alcohol consumption and limit the damage to the nation’s health, society and economy”, according to gov.ie.

Since nightclubs are often hubs for drinking, it raises the question of whether or not it would be the best idea to let

nightclubs extend their opening hours. It would be rather contradictory, in fact, for the government to support this if their longterm goal is to reduce alcohol consumption.

On the other hand, denying nightclubs the option to extend their hours and recuperate their losses will not do good on the government’s goal to help the nightlife industry. This creates a tricky dilemma – if the government decides not to go ahead with the decision to let nightclubs open for longer, what can they do instead to help the industry recover?

The only option that could be feasible in the near future would be to develop other activities to do late at night. One thing that could be done, in terms of a possible replacement for the nightclub, is to provide another place for people to go in the late hours of the night and/or the early hours of the morning, somewhere that was not a bar or a club serving alcohol. There are many students, for example, who would like to stay out later into the night but do not wish to partake in the drinking or partying scene.

This is not to say that nightclubs are so bad, but rather to highlight that there is much more that people want to do instead of going

to the bar or the nightclub at night. I have had many conversations with classmates where we discussed how nice it would be if there was a coffee shop, internet café or something similar that was safe, warm, and open after 9pm.

Sometimes people want a place to dance the night away, but other times all people want is a space in which to hang out and socialise with friends. If there was something like this in the city then the government would be able to continue their efforts to regulate alcohol usage, and the nightlife industry would have another avenue to use to recover.

While nightclubs extending their opening hours may be the simplest solution to an economic problem, it is probably not the best one for the long term. If the government wants to reduce the use of alcohol, they will need to work with those in the nightlife industry to develop other options for night-time recreational activities outside of those that revolve around drinking.

There are many people who would partake in other safer activities, or use the alternative spaces I describe above, if they were available to them. The ball’s in the government’s court.

“ There is much more that people want to do instead of going to the bar or the nightclub at night. I have had many conversations with classmates where we discussed how nice it would be if there was a coffee shop, internet café or something similar that was safe, warm, and open after 9pm.”

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Memes and dopamine

By Rachel Garvey

It’s humorous when our generation learns that to be social is to download every social media forum there is: Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. As a side-note – people still use Facebook – it isn’t that ancient.

In my teenage days, to not be on any social media was deemed uncool because it was an addictive craze, no victims were left behind in their invasion to androids and iPhones; no-one wanted to feel left out because not having access to such apps left you feeling excluded due to your group of friends making group chats and conversing there instead of in person.

Social media does the job in keeping us informed, but our generation and the younger generations are voluntarily allowing themselves to be fabricated by sugar-coated stories, celebrity drama based off rumours and magazine covers that influence our minds to think how we should look.

For instance, the Tommy Fury fight with Jake Paul spiked dozens of articles online of comments being made my Tommy’s opponent or how his girlfriend, Molly-Mae, ‘staged’ his welcome home. We fed into it. Love Island drama; a show that captures millions of viewers attention yet the contestants

can’t find love in the real world with their looks and physique? We feed into it even after they leave the villa. In reality, it’s our own lives we should be worrying about.

Quite frankly, it’s refreshing to walk into book shops and being surrounded by books, getting away from the general population of people looking down at a tiny screen. We’re setting a terrible example for our future generations because we’re so dependant on our devices.

I remember being the type of child who went to bed with a book, not a phone or a tablet. We’re living in a world where we’re reading less, creating less and working less because of the painful addiction to social media.

It’s a case of memes fuelling our dopamine. Funny enough, they rhyme and the words can be found inside one another; dopam(eme)ine. Except for the slight variation between the sounding letters of m and n

The famous Tiktok app offers users the experience to create their own videos using lip-sync sounds as well as a variety of other creation tools. People create there. Kindles can be bought, audio books and e-books. People read there.

Work is the one exception because offices need computers and staff need access to their workplace’s online forum

to help customers. Do we want to get to the stage where our great-great-grandchildren won’t know what an actual book looks like? Will playing outside resort to children sitting on the curb, all their heads bowed on their phones instead of racing each other on bikes and scooters?

The world has its alterations over time, and it’s encouraged we change with the world, but not at the cost we lose what was most important to us once upon a time. Society needs to train their brains to live without their phones, to live without going on social media every two minutes even if its just for a few minutes, or hours.

Dopamine needs to be produced from our brains while going to cafes and socialising, taking a walk on the beach with no shoes so you can feel the sand between your toes, making memories with those who you share your life with because those are the things that matter.

Getting into a relationship with a device that’ll outlive a human is not an app you want to download. Why don’t we all, put down the media apps and play a game called life, installing time is zero and instead of it taking up space on your SD card, it’ll update your memory bank forever.

Photos via Unsplash

Are You Team Hailey or Selena?

Context Collapse Fueling Hate On Social Media

By Jessica Galvin

If you have been using social media over the last month, you have most definitely heard about the celebrity “drama” between model Hailey Bieber and popstar Selena Gomez. For those of you who don’t know what I am talking about or have never heard the phrases “Beliebers” or “Selenators,” this drama involves singer Justin Bieber, his wife Hailey Bieber, his ex-Selena Gomez and somehow Kylie Jenner.

This story dates all the way back to 2009, when Selena and Justin first met. They quickly became teen heart throbs to their combined fan bases before solidifying themselves as pop culture icons when they became official in 2011. The couple soon earned the nickname “Jelena” and were on

and off romantically for almost ten years before finally calling it quits in 2018. Six months later, Justin proposed to his now wife Hailey Bieber instantly creating a media and fan frenzy. Rumors quickly circulated that Hailey had “stole” Justin from Selena.

The 26-year-old model was even accused of being obsessed with Jelena, with fans uploading old videos which they believed proved this narrative. It didn’t take long for

towards Hailey whose Instagram comment sections are extremely negative. The comment sections of all involved have become battle grounds between fans and even celebrities such as Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga started unfollowing Hailey and Kylie.

So, with all that information out of the way it is time to ask, who do you think is to blame? The answer is… context collapse. Context collapse is an effect of social media which

backlash to grow, and attempts were made to try and stop the hate-filled social media rampages. The pair posed together at an event in October 2022, but speculation over the love triangle would always remain.

It all kicked off again last month, when Selena Gomez overtook Kylie Jenner as the most followed woman on Instagram. A TikTok user then posted a theory claiming that a recent post by Hailey and Kylie, consisting of the duo showing off their eyebrows to the camera, was making a mockery of a brow lamination Selana recently had done. This went viral with thousands of users starting to find any information they could to prove Hailey was to blame. Kylie Jenner and Selena both chimed in to shut down the claims, but Selena didn’t refrain from adding fuel to the fire by showing support for her friend Taylor Swift when she replied to a Tik-Tok clip which showed Hailey making a gagging motion after Swift was mentioned during a televised rap battle show.

Selena quit Tik-Tok in March, but the online space continues to be a back-andforth hate filled conversation. Especially

involves the flattening of multiple audiences into one space. Looking at Tik-Tok, the hate aimed towards the women is heightened by the fact their individual fan bases have been combined, due to the For You Page, which allows the different audiences to occupy the same space. This creates a battle ground for fans and produces a sense of heightened hate towards the individuals involved.

The sexist nature of the feud cannot be ignored either. This story is a stark reminder that sexism is still alive, and society isn’t learning. I am not saying Hailey is an angel, but I don’t believe it is right for anybody to throw digs at how she looks/ compare her to Selena. Selena has also faced terrible body shaming comments over weight gain due to medication she is taking to help her Lupus (an auto immune disease). From watching a few Tik-Toks, it is clear Justin is not getting the same treatment. Is it not right to question why he hasn’t received half as much criticism as his wife? After all, he is the one constant in the story. It’s time to stop pitting women and girls against each other.

Photo Credit: Selena Gomez

Photo Credit: Justin Bieber

“ For those of you who don’t know what I am talking about or have never heard the phrases “Beliebers” or “Selenators,” this drama involves singer Justin Bieber, his wife Hailey Bieber, his ex-Selena Gomez and somehow Kylie Jenner.

Paris Syndrome: Romanticising an idealised version of life elsewhere

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GUMS’ The Addams Family review – a macabre musical

By Emma van Oosterhout

Photos by Lisa Hamilton

After the enormous success of their January production of All Shook Up, which had a five-night run at the Black Box Theatre, and the popularity of Netflix’s Wednesday last year, to say that GUMS’ version of The Addams Family had a lot to live up to is an understatement. The Addams

Family played to a sold-out audience every evening from Tuesday 7 to Friday 10 March in the Bank of Ireland Theatre.

The storyline of the musical followed an 18-year-old Wednesday Addams (Ciara Doherty) as she falls in love with and intends to marry Lucas Beineke (Robert Cosgrove). The two lovebirds bring their families together for a dinner to announce their engagement. But, as anyone who is familiar with the members of the Addams family, chaos is never far away!

The set was minimal, but the cast made full use of the stage. A table, armchair and mantlepiece were the sole props at the beginning of the show. The moon shone brightly above the stage. Lurch (Eoin Cassidy) was the first character seen by the audience, who came from behind the seating rig to interact with the audience. He sat on audience members’ laps, and invited an audience member up to waltz with him on the stage before the show began.

Cian Elwood’s portrayal of Gomez was mesmerising; his Spanish accent was perfect. Elwood really encapsulated Gomez’ eccentric and flustered nature. Taryn Clarke was perfectly cast as the glamours, yet scary, Morticia. She brought a domineering energy to the stage and showcased Morticia’s loyalty to Gomez and her family, whilst also showing how she has Gomez wrapped around her finger, as does Wednesday. Pugsley (Eloise De Sousa) played Pugsley, the youngest Addams child, who is constantly tormented by his sociopathic older sister, Wednesday.

Abbie Doran and Lisa Hamilton provided comedic relief in the form of Grandma and Uncle Fester. There was no shortage of hilarious one-liners from these two, including the 104-year-old Grandma singing Flo Rida’s “Low”, and Fester declaring his love for the moon. A hidden gem of the show for me, however, was Saorla Fenton, who played Lucas’ mother, Alice. Alice went from a sweet, rhyming Midwestern woman to full-on crazy after (mild spoiler alert!) ingesting something she shouldn’t have.

One critique I must mention is the music was too loud. I was sitting in the second row and found it hard to hear a few of the cast’s voices. This technical issue seemed to be rectified at the start of the second act, however, it came back with a vengeance as the singing continued. Wednesday and Lurch were particularly hard to hear, but this was no reflection on Doherty and Cassidy’s respective singing capabilities. The choreography and stage direction were brilliant, my personal favourite part being Gomez and Morticia’s tango.

Overall, I would say that GUMS put on the best possible production with a limited set and cast. In saying that, the small cast was a pleasant change to the large chorus that sometimes can overwhelm a musical production. Although the plot was a little hard to follow at times, with the distracting ‘ancestors’ chorus, and the minor technical issue, I thoroughly enjoyed this musical production, which lived up to the precedent of entertaining and fun musicals staged by GUMS in the past.

The Addams Family

Ciara Doherty as Wednesday Addams

The Moon and Me

Taryn Clarke as Morticia Addams

Saorla Fenton (Alice) and James Boylan (Mal)

One Normal Night

Emma Bannigan (Co-Choreographer) and Eoin Cassidy (Lurch)

Eloise Desousa (Pugsley) & Ciara Doherty (Wednesday)

Cian Elwood (Gomez Addams) and Robert Cosgrove (Lucas) Addams Family Production Team

Abby Doran as Uncle Fester

Galway City’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations

Photos by Lisa Hamilton

Mens’ Freshers

Hurling Final –University of Galway vs. UL Wolves

Photos by Lisa Hamilton

Science Ball

Photos by Lisa Hamilton

Rugby Ball

Photos by Lisa Hamilton

Summer Beauty Trend Predictions

By Roshni D’Souza

We all love a good trend to look forward to especially in the summers because we can get our floral outfits, bikinis and swimsuits to rock the beaches. But sometimes it’s best to know what’s onboard for the summer so you can plan ahead. Or you can create your own trend based on what everyone’s talking about! So here are some of the beauty trend predictions for 2023:

1. Gemini hair

This is something that’s already trending and since summer is always associated with colour, you might see it a lot more. Gemini hair means colouring only a section of your hair and then leaving the remaining hair uncoloured. You can either colour a side of your hair or you can colour the front, the back, or anywhere you’d like. But make sure the rest of your hair is natural.

2. Trends related to hair washing

We’ve seen enough articles about how not washing our hair can lengthen, strengthen, and protect the it. This trend might be specifically a response to that since now it’s quite clear leaving the hair unwashed only leads to damage. Hair trends such as scalp massages, hair masks, and shampooing twice might come up in the summer, especially because humidity tends to affect hair negatively.

3. Nude makeup tones

a-la the 90s

Like pretty much every year, this year might also see a comeback of one of the old trends back in the day. The 90s were filled with cool nude tones worn by supermodels. These tones are more on the colder side rather than the warmer side that nude tones are mostly associated with now, which means it includes grey and charcoal colours. Now it might sound weird to have cool-toned makeup in the summer, but who knows? It might actually go well with that blue floral dress.

4. Show-inspired looks

When 2023 started, a lot of people began wearing the cold goth look when it came to makeup. That was inspired by the show Wednesday. But for the summer, there might be another show that might blow up, making people adopt a look from that show irrespective of what season it is.

5.

Glow moment

With the growing interest in skincare, there might be an interest in keeping skin glowing and hydrated, especially in the summer. Now usually, the teens don’t really bother with hydration and elasticity because that’s something older people look for. But since the summer dehydrates the skin, the younger people also might look for some hydration, a bit of collagen boost and some elasticity.

That’s all the predictions for now. Hopefully, the summer keeps you warm but not sweaty.

Photo via Rotten Tomatoes

As Dr Derek Shepherd would say, “It’s a beautiful day to save lives”.

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Drug driving: What you need to know before getting behind the wheel

By Valerie McHugh

As the countdown to St. Patrick’s Day gets underway, many are planning how they are going to spend the bank holiday weekend. With one in four motorists admitting to driving over the limit after a night out, the issue of drug driving is likely to become incredibly prevalent over this celebratory period. If you are considering taking illegal substances this week, or at any stage in the future, this essential guide covers some of the things you should consider before you drive under the influence of drugs.

More drug types can now be detected due to new tool

The new roadside drug testing device (Drug Wipe 6S) was implemented before Christmas, and has increased the number of substances that can be tested for. The portable tool works like an antigen test and tests for cannabis, cocaine, benzodiazepines (sedatives like Valium) and opiates, amphetamine and methamphetamine. The latter two substances were not detectable on the device’s predecessor.

Brian Farrell, the Head of Communications at the Road Safety Authority, says that the new drug testing method implemented means drug detection results can be generated faster.

He says: “I am anticipating that there will probably be a spike and increase in drug driving detections but we must wait a little bit of time for official confirmation. There has always been a big problem with drug driving but we have never really been able to get a sense of how big it is. Now with the Gardaí having this additional tool, I think we are likely going to see an increase in drug detections.”

Over the counter or prescribed medications can impair your driving

Taking prescription or over-the-counter medicines under the advice of your GP or pharmacist is not an offence. However, if these medicines impair your driving, you can be convicted of drug driving.

Medications like anti-depressants, sedatives and painkillers can have side affects that may impact your driving ability.

Mr Farrell says that if people are concerned about medications affecting their capability to drive, they should consult with a medical professional.

He says: “People should always consult with your doctor and your pharmacist about the drugs you’re being prescribed, and you should tell the doctor if you need to drive for a living. If you’re suffering from any side effects, you should alert them straight away so they can prescribe you something else that doesn’t cause impairment.”

You could be disqualified from driving, get fined up to €5000 or go to prison

All drug driving offences carry a period of disqualification. Disqualification periods vary.

For those convicted of being above the threshold for cannabis and cocaine (with no proof of impairment necessary by the Gardaí) the disqualification period is not less than 1 year for the first offence and not less than 2 years for the second or subsequent offence.

For those convicted of drug driving while impaired, the penalty or disqualification period is a minimum of 4 years for a first offence and 6 years for a second or subsequent offence.

Following this, the maximum penalty for all drug driving offences is a €5,000 fine and up to 6 months in prison on summary conviction.

Mr Farrell says that the RSA’s campaign against drug driving is focuses on the phrase “there is no hiding drug-driving.” He says: “It is just not worth the risk. The Gardaí are out there, and it is a serious offence [to drive while under the influence of drugs] with serious consequences.”

Photo via Pexels

USIT is the leading travel company for students in Ireland who operate the J1 programme, and under its’ guidelines, if you have committed, been arrested and/or convicted for drug driving, you will not be eligible to apply for the visa.

A J1 visa allows you to travel and work in the United States for up to four months if you are a full-time third level student.

Lisa Collender, Chief Marketing Officer at USIT, says that the programme is often referred to as a “milestone” in people’s lives and is an opportunity for people to “kickstart their careers”.

She says: “Our mission for the J1 is to help students in 3rd level colleges to spend a summer working and travelling in the USA. This is why we want students to seriously consider how these dreams can be taken away with a drink or drug driving offence. Ask yourself: is the risk worth sacrificing a summer of a lifetime working abroad?”

Drug driving can kill

Driving a vehicle is a complicated and intricate skill, and drugs can impair how we function. This can lead to drivers becoming a danger to themselves or to others, resulting in serious injury or death.

RSA research from 2013-2017 shows that 29 per cent of drivers killed had a positive toxicology for drugs.

Speaking on the Mr Farrell says that many people do not see themselves as a person who could cause an injury or fatality.

He says: “Especially in the younger age groups, people often do not see consequences like this as something that could happen to them. This is particularly true among men. For some, social death hits home harder than an actual fatality.”

For more information on drug driving, visit rsa.ie

How to beat that mid-semester motivation loss

By Caoimhe Looney

It’s reaching that time in the semester where everyone is starting to feel burnt out and losing their motivation to keep up with assignments. One thing to keep in mind is that also means you’ve gotten this far, and you’ve only got a few weeks left until summer holidays. However, motivation loss can be difficult to deal with, especially since in college time moves so quickly and assignments keep building up if you don’t stay on top of them. Here are some tips to try help you overcome your burn-out and get back on top of your work.

Set small goals.

Breaking down everything you need to do into a list and being able to tick them off one-by-one can be a great way to make you feel productive again. Writing everything down ensures you remember everything you need to do, and lets you prioritise what needs doing. Plus, being able to tick off something that you’ve finished (no matter how small) is always a way to get your endorphins going.

Reward yourself.

Rewarding yourself can be one of the best ways of regaining your motivation. You can set little rewards for completing every task, or bigger rewards for completing a certain amount of tasks. Either way you’re replacing that motivation to want to keep on top of your work with motivation to get your reward, and any motivation is better than none.

Take time to relax without feeling guilty.

As important as it is to keep on top of your work and get it done, it is also important that you set aside time to relax. Not relaxing and working all the time will just lead you to burn-out much quicker. Taking time to go for a walk or spend time with friends can often leave you feeling rejuvenated and refreshed, which means you can get back to work with a better mood and a clearer mind. Feeling guilty about taking breaks will only make you feel worse in the long run.

Time management.

Organising your time is one of the most important ways of ticking off your whole checklist. You need to make your schedule as realistic and as adapted to you as possible to ensure that you stick to it, and it works. So if you’re a night-owl then make sure you’re planning to study and do assignments in the evening or night time, so you are most likely to do your best work. There’s no point on making a schedule that doesn’t work for you and then failing to stay with it.

Believe in yourself.

This one may sound cringy, but it is the most important. Always be sure to remember that you made it this far already, and that you are well capable. All the work you put in will be reflected in how you do, so if you keep up the right attitude it will stand to you later.

A drug driving conviction could stop you from going on a J1

“ We want students to seriously consider how these dreams can be taken away with a drink or drug driving offence. Ask yourself: is the risk worth sacrificing a summer of a lifetime working abroad?

Photo via Pexels

Five places to visit this year

It has almost been a year since the pandemic international travel requirements ended for the people of Ireland. An excellent new year’s resolution this 2023 would be to travel more. Grasp the opportunity and the freedom with a newfound appreciation. But where to begin? There is something for everyone this year from exciting European cities to beautiful landscapes. They can be found at a reasonable price if booked wisely.

Words & Photos by Lucy Peoples

hostel, it is as beautiful and as welcoming as the surrounding hotels in the area. The Inn is immaculately furnished with excellent privacy and a friendly atmosphere, courtesy of the sports bar, Belushi’s, which is located downstairs. This hostel is located in the city centre and the staff provide tourist guidance, bicycle hire and recommendations on the best places for nightlife. This location is perfect for group holidays and parties.

3. Bruges

London has something for everyone and an example of this energy can be found in Camden Town. Camden is located beside the canal and holds an exciting buzz for anyone wishing to experience new cultures and explore different aspects of themselves. Every style and taste can be enjoyed at Camden Market where nothing is too “out-there.” Experience a place where curiosities are heightened by fashion, music and street art in this retro, punk town. This is a great place to discover new styles and provides an opportunity for tourists to explore the city of London with the help of the Underground. Perfect for students and lovers of the hustle and bustle city breaks.

5. Nice

Located in the South of France, Arles is the ultimate hidden gem for couples and families who wish to relax by the seaside and enjoy the peace and tranquility of a sunny village. Designed for sun-holiday enthusiasts, Arles is just 16 minutes from the city of Avignon by train. This beachy resort is an escape from the hustle and bustle of Avignon and provides the perfect holiday atmosphere, located on the beach with a promenade of tapas bars and restaurants complimented by live music throughout the day.

2. St. Christopher’s Inn

Despite the character of Colin Farrell’s skeptical attitude on the beauty of this historical village in In Bruges, this town promises to be the perfect holiday destination for Christmas enthusiasts. It is never too late to book a spot in this Christmas wonderland where you can enjoy a cup of mulled wine, explore the Christmas markets and go to every film destination embarked on by Gleeson and Farrell in the crime/comedy classic. With ice skating and carol singers at every corner, this place will de-Grinch even the toughest Scrooge!

4. Camden Town

In the heart of the city of Barcelona, St Christopher’s Inn provides the most perfect and reasonably priced accommodation for people wishing to explore the exciting Spanish tourist attractions. Upon your arrival in St. Christopher’s Inn, you will notice that although it is labelled as a

It is hard to get over the South of France when dreaming of holiday locations. Nice, however, provides a different atmosphere than other cities of Europe. It is a place where everything seems possible and relaxing is a part of the lifestyle. Enjoy all the familiar aspects of a city with museum and shopping attractions during the day, explore the old city of Nice while only a short walk away from the crashing blue waves of the French Riviera. After a fresh swim during the day, the city transforms at night to a place of dance and delicious dining. The city becomes a lively location where everyone is at the same party while being surrounded by the nature of the beautiful environment. Nice is the perfect place for families, foodies, party-lovers, people in need of a break... it really has something for everyone.

Make this year a magical one with a visit to any one of the beautiful locations mentioned above.

1. Arles

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Are Mayo & Derry peaking too soon?

By Nathan Molloy

The quality of a team is always hard to rate when it comes to the Allianz Leagues. Play too well and you could be considered to be peaking too soon, play badly and your performances would be written off, as you are clearly timing your peak for the championship. The latter was evident in the discussion on Dublin last year as Dessie Farrell was praised for focusing on the much more important championship, rather than the league from which his side was ultimately relegated.

The former is much harder to distinguish from actual quality. This question is being put to both Mayo and Derry this year. Both counties have made terrific starts to their league campaign, in Division 1 and 2 respectively. Mayo sit top of Division 1 and are unbeaten, with a record of three wins and two draws. Derry, however, have a more impressive record, winning all 5 of their games played and look to be assured of having a place in the top division next year.

However, doing well in the league would mean nothing to both sets of supporters if their sides fail to make a deep run in the championship. Derry are the reigning Ulster champions, having won their first provincial title since 1999, with a 2-point win over Donegal last season. They also made it to the All-Ireland semi-finals, losing out to Galway.

Manager Rory Gallagher will hope to take the Oak Leaf County one step

deal with a swathe of retirements in his squad, leaving him to manage a youthful team through a harsh Division 1. To everyone’s surprise, Donegal finished in a comfortable third place behind Dublin and Kerry come the start of April.

Unfortunately, their good form unravelled as summer came along. Donegal suffered a 9-point hammering at the hands of rivals Tyrone in the Ulster championship before limping their way through the qualifiers and crashing out in embarrassing fashion losing by 15 points to Galway in round 4.

Is Rory Gallagher making the same mistakes this time around? The Ulster side have outclassed their opponents in numerous games this campaign, giving Limerick, Meath, and Kildare double-digit hammerings whilst squeaking out wins against

Under Gallagher, Derry’s transition from defence to attack quickly. Fitness is therefore instrumental and may indicate if a team is peaking too soon. In their tight wins over Leinster opponents Dublin and Louth, Derry outscored them both in the latter stages of the game. Against Mickey Harte’s Louth, they got three out of the last four points to seal the victory. Facing a 5-point deficit at half time versus Dublin, Gallagher’s men put in a sensational second half, outscoring the Dubs 1-09 to 0-06, utilising counterattacks to break through their opponent’s defence. Overall, with Gallagher’s history and Derry’s second half

statistics, many might think that may lead to the side peaking too soon.

Kevin McStay is enjoying a great start to his first season in charge of his native Mayo, but could the same apply to his team? Unlike Rory, McStay’s previous teams do not have a history of hitting peak form in spring rather than summer. The Mayo native was given a baptism of fire during his first stint in intercounty management in 2017, with the task of keeping Roscommon in Division 1. He failed, with the Rossies going down with a measly 2 points and a goal difference of -46.

The tables had turned come July, when McStay led Roscommon to their first Connacht title in 7 years as they outclassed Galway in the rain, winning by 2-15 to 0-12.

After joining Mayo he began his second stint as an inter-county manager quite well with a 2-8 to 1-11 draw with Connacht rivals Galway. They have since enjoyed fine wins over Kerry and Tyrone, a draw with Armagh, and a tight victory over McStay’s former team Roscommon.

There are a few signs that Mayo could be peaking early. In their game against the reigning All Ireland champions, it was clear that they were a lot fitter than the Kingdom, winning the ball with ease and only letting off in the second half. Against Armagh, their fitness helped them to a 5-point lead coming down the final stretch but the Ulster side managed to reel them in for a draw.

Reaching peak physical fitness now is a dangerous game with the new championship structure. Mayo begin their campaign against Roscommon on the 9 April and Derry play Fermanagh on 15 April. Their fitness levels may be a bonus in the provincial campaigns, but it could prove detrimental in the latter stages of the All-Ireland Championship when fatigue begins to take its toll.

Fionn McDonagh of Mayo during the Allianz Football League Division 1 match between Roscommon and Mayo at Dr Hyde Park

John Small of Dublin in action against Paul Cassidy of Derry during the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between Derry and Dublin at Celtic Park in Derry.

Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Calling the shots

By Ciarán Ó Flaithearta Sports Co-editor

Katie Kilbane has a wealth of experience when it comes to wielding the whistle. Having refereed for 12 years now she has taken charge of games at as high a level as Women’s AIL, J1, and U20s in both Connacht and Munster.

Kilbane first played rugby during her time in university. She says: “I had wanted to play for years but dad wouldn’t let me, he thought it was bad enough that I was breaking myself playing football, so I definitely shouldn’t play rugby.” But by that point, she was an adult and instead of joining the college football team, she signed up for rugby.

While playing with the University she also joined Galwegians and played a season in the Women’s AIL, but says she didn’t keep it up due to other commitments: “I was rowing, I was playing county football, I was playing rugby with the college and then I took up reffing on top of that so it was just a lot.”

It was clear that once Kilbane had a taste for the sport she

in the

game would be

can be easier than women, I guess it’s a little different for me as I have played with the women and some of them know me personally where as with the men they don’t care if your male or female, donkey or a dog as long as you’re doing a good job.

fully emersed herself in it. After playing for about a year she had already signed up for a refereeing course. When asked what the appeal to refereeing was she responded with a laugh: “baiting literal baiting,” from a friend and referee Mike Forrestal who ebbed her to “try refereeing a real game.”

Having refereed GAA from under 12s and getting her qualifications as a GAA ref at the age of 16 Kilbane says she was always “weirdly interested” in refereeing: “I spent my Junior Cert results night refereeing a camogie match instead of going out.”

Since becoming a referee the 29-year-old has worked her way up through the ranks where she now takes charge of games in J1 U20s and in the Women’s AIL. Some might imagine that being a female referee in the men’s game would be difficult but Kilbane says otherwise: “Men can be easier than women, I guess it’s a little different for me as I have played with the women and some of them know me personally where as with the men they don’t care if your male or female, donkey or a dog as long as you’re doing a good job.

“It’s a very enjoyable sport and a very welcoming sport that has a good degree of respect there from men and women.”

A highlight in Kilbane’s career came in 2017 while she was

refereeing in Munster. She was chosen to officiate as a touch judge during the first-ever women’s Barbarian series: “It was probably the closest to a professional environment that I’ve been in.” The Barbarians came out as clear winners over Munster in Thomand park with a 19-0 victory.

Kilbane stopped playing the sport a couple of years back through various different injuries and that was when she decided to focus on refereeing which in return gave her the outlet to stay involved in the sport: “It was my way of competitively staying within the game not everybody joins refereeing to be competitive about it and to try and get to the top, I do. It gave me a sense of purpose within the game when I couldn’t physically play it anymore.”

Without referees our game wouldn’t be able to function but refereeing isn’t there just to facilitate the player but for people like Katie, it’s a way to stay involved and competitive and an overall great sport to be involved in.

She says: “So if you’re falling out of the game it’s a great way to stay involved in it at a high level and it’s also just a great way of giving back if you want to volunteer.”

“ Some might imagine that being a female referee

men’s

difficult but Kilbane says otherwise: “Men