SIN Volume 25 Issue 1

University of Galway students join nationwide march for accommodation access

By Alexander Lopatin

Students from across Ireland marched through Dublin on Wednesday, demanding the government increase spending to expand student accommodation and reduce student contribution fees.

According to RTE news, over 300 people took to the streets to signal the urgent need for more student accommodation.

Eoin Dowd, a first-year university of Galway student, described the housing situation to SIN as “brutal.”

“Currently I am in a dig. I have applied for three or four privately owned and on-campus accommodations, and did not get into any of them.”

Eoin said the government is not doing enough to address the situation. “People should not have to rely on overpriced private accommodation. Government and state should fund reliable, consistent places for students to live.”

Cost of accommodation was another point of contention from the protesters. “I’m paying too much for accommodation,” said Chirag, a postgrad cyber security student in the University of Galway. “Compared to other parts of Europe, Ireland has huge rental prices.”

Speaking to the crowd at Dublin, the University of Galway Students’ Union President Dean Kenny stressed that the students are not demanding for drastic measures.

“We are not asking for much. We are asking for access for basic facilities, for our basic human rights to be met. We say we have free education in this county; it is not the case. There are hidden barriers, there are additional costs that the government refuses to acknowledge.”

Eoin Dowd described being at the protest as “exhilarating. There’s a collective want to see change.”

The Irish Student’s Union spearheaded the protest, demanding that for less than 5% of the Government’s €65bn “Rainy Day Fund” be allocated to student needs. Sinn Féin TD Mairéad Farrell, Labour TD Aodhán Ó Riordáin and People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett joined the event in solidarity with students.

“The only way this government is going to be forced to listen and do right by students, is if we build a movement of student power on the streets that puts unbearable pressure on this government,” Barrett said to a cheering crowd.

Speaking to students’ demands, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said students “will not be forgotten” in next year’s budget. “Just since this time last year, there are approximately 900 additional student beds in publicly funded higher education institutions with an additional 2,000 being provided by the private sector.”

However, the recent housing survey revealed that student accommodation in Galway remains lacking.

“Out of 2,000 University of Galway students, over 30% of those respondents had not found suitable accommodation. These ranged from sleeping on friends’ couches, to living in hostels, commuting long distances every day, or simply not having a place to stay,” Kelly says. “For students, it’s raining right now, and it’s time for meaningful change.”

SIN reached out to Galway West TD Éamon Ó Cuív for comment, but received no response by time of publication.

“Many students have protested in years past, but there’s been no action taken,” said Chirag. Still, he remained determined to try. “We will try our best and do something for future students.”

Photo by Raimey O’Boyle

By Caoimhe Looney Editor

Hello everyone, welcome back to another year of SIN. I am honoured to have the role of Editor this year and I can’t wait for all of the new experiences we’ll have this year. A special thank you to all the new sub-editors and writers for putting together this exciting first issue, we’re delighted at all the involvement, both new and old.

This issue is full of interesting stories over the wide array of sections. In News, Emma, Eimear and Matthew have some great news takes on some stories that have recently hit the headlines, and over in Features Rachel and Alexander have some Halloween themed stories to get you in the October mood.

In Opinion there are some really interesting takes on internships and the Irish language, and in Arts and Fashion we have some reviews on current songs and movies to give you something to watch. Over in Health and Lifestyle we have tips to tackle the freshers flu, and in Cainte there is an explainer on the Irish language resources on campus

In Sports we have some incredible pieces you should take a look at. Finally in Photography Michelle and Hannah have taken up the reins and are starting us off this year with a new student showcase section to highlight students’ photography talents. Feel free to email photography.sineditor@gmail.com if you want your photo featured in the next edition.

If you would like to get involved with SIN, follow the Instagram page for all the latest information and updates. You can also get in contact with any questions or ideas by emailing me at editor.sin@gmail.com. You can also find us over on X/Twitter and Facebook to see what we’re up to!

For now, enjoy the first issue!

University of Galway students protest cost of living crisis in ‘sleep out’

By Aoibhé Hopkins

In a protest against the student housing and cost of living crisis University of Galway students spent the night in Eyre Square, despite harrowing weather conditions caused by Storm Agnes.

From 18:00 Wednesday evening to 06:00 Thursday morning, students gathered in Eyre Square in an effort to demonstrate the direct effects the costof-living crisis has on university students.

Student Union President Dean Kenny said, ‘‘The campout went fairly well, we had 50 or 60 people at the rallies and at least 10 camping out, which was a great crowd considering the weather and wind.”

“Two of us stayed awake the whole time to make sure no one caused hassle with us, and in fairness we had no bother at all,’’ Kenny added.

Kenny also acknowledged the support they received from an Garda Síochána saying, “I have to give a special mention to

the guards who were absolutely fantastic. There was a paddywagon coming down by the Skeff every 45 minutes to an hour, minimum, to check if we were alright.”

Public Support

Kenny highlighted the support from the public: ‘‘A lot of people were coming up and identifying with us even though they weren’t students, so it shows it’s not just a student problem. People trying to raise young families, working professionals trying to get into the property market.”

According to Kenny, the housing crisis goes beyond increasing prices, “We are finding – which is a lot more worrying –that price isn’t even the issue anymore, its availability. People will pay but they literally can’t get anywhere suitable. It’s very worrying but hopefully this will highlight what’s going on and make people realise that it’s not okay and it hasn’t gone away.”

Reason for the Protest

At 16:30 on Wednesday, students from the University of Galway gathered with members of their Student Union at the Quadrangle, to protest “the extortionate repeat fees and the price of the new accommodation in the University.”

Kenny said, “We have the highest repeat fee in the country. We want to show the University and Government that they need to tackle this head-on and take this seriously.

“We want more affordable purpose-built student accommodation; we want urgently needed digs legislation to be brought in to protect students.’’

The Student Union Postgraduate Officer, Fionn Sexton Connolly, added “This isn’t about publicity, this is about human rights.”

The students along with their union marched from the University into Eyre Square and set up their tents. Their aim was to show the government the effect the current cost of living crisis has on students.

A survey conducted by University of Galway’s Students Union found that 30% of over 2,000 responses stated that they had not secured suitable accommodation for the current semester.

Kenny explained the findings: “They’re living on couches, living in hostels, driving ridiculous lengths every day. A person speaking to me last week was driving seven hours each day, it’s not feasible, it’s not sustainable.”

He concluded, “This housing crisis is not just a housing crisis, it’s a living crisis. It affects every single one of us.”

“ The housing crisis goes beyond increasing prices. “We are finding – which is a lot more worrying – that price isn’t even the issue anymore, its availability. People will pay but they literally can’t get anywhere suitable.”

Image by Aoibhe Hopkins

New campaign launched on Higher Education campuses to end sexual violence and harassment

By Caoimhe Looney

#UnmuteConsent, a campaign against sexual violence and harassment, has been rolled out across all Higher Education campuses.

Sexual violence and harassment are significant issues that largely go unreported.

This campaign aims to target students to increase their knowledge and awareness of consent and encourage them to challenge and change behaviours.

harassment and extensive roll out of consent education and bystander intervention training programmes.

Speaking on the launch of #UnmuteConsent campaign Dr Marie Connolly, Chair of the IUA Vice Presidents of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Group, said:

“Following the remarkable reach of the #UnmuteConsent campaign in 2022 we are delighted that IUA is in a position to lead this campaign again this year. Sexual Violence and Harassment is a problem on third level campuses and across all strands of society in Ireland.

“Our ambition is for a safe and respectful third level experience for staff and students and we know that a culture of speaking about consent can help transform how we as a society respond to unacceptable behaviour. We are determined to continue our efforts to end SVH on campus and have designed this campaign to promote an understanding of consent; student understanding and skills for speaking up and calling out unacceptable behaviour”.

The HEA’s head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Sheena Duffy said, “We are delighted to support the third iteration of the #unmuteconsent campaign, which is an important element of the work ongoing across the higher education sector to address sexual violence and harassment.

“The campaign will make a significant contribution towards a campus culture in which every member of the HEI community feels safe, respected, and supported, and in which sexual violence and harassment will not be tolerated. It also plays a vital role in signposting the crucial support services available to those who may need them.”

The #UnmuteConsent campaign was launched on 2 October and is part of the measures within the National Consent Framework for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

Speaking on the new campaign, Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris TD said:

“Sexual harassment or sexual violence doesn’t start or end in third-level education, but education is the greatest tool to dismantling this culture that has crept into our society. We all have a role to play to ensure that we create a culture of zero tolerance, which will contribute to a change in attitudes and increased awareness.

“There is a particular responsibility on those charged with educating the next generation in ensuring that students and learners are equipped to lead the change across society.”

Specific targets of the campaign are to make students more comfortable in speaking out and reporting unacceptable behaviour and accessing support and practicing consent in their relationships and interactions.

The campaign was informed by findings from the National Survey of Student Experiences of Sexual Violence and Harassment in Irish HEIs (2021), and the Active* Consent Sexual Experiences Survey (2020).

In 2021, 7,900 students completed the National Survey of Student Experiences of Sexual Violence and Harassment in Irish HEI which reported that 72% of female students had experienced offensive sexist remarks.

Other statistics from the survey reported that a majority of students agreed that they felt safe from SVH at their accommodation and around the campus, but at the same time approximately four in ten of the students agreed that sexual violence and harassment were a problem at their higher education institution.

The National Consent Framework also lays out other measures for HEIs, which include enhancement of support services available to those who have experiences sexual violence and

Image from Simon Harris on Instagram

Number of arrests made following September street fight and car park brawl in Galway city

By Leona Gilmore

The Mayor of Galway City, Councillor Eddie Hoare, has insisted the city is safe despite a spate of violent public order incidents in September, which he said were “not good for Galway’s reputation.”

Cllr. Hoare also confirmed that city officials remain on high alert following last month’s violent clashes between two rival factions at Galway Shopping Centre when a car was driven into a crowd at speed.

Gardaí have reportedly arrested 19 people for alleged breaches of public order at Galway Shopping Centre car park. As a result of the

incident a man and a woman were taken to hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Bystander footage of the car park clashes and a connected street fight, also in September, near Eyre Square has been widely shared on social media.

“Galway has a really good reputation locally, nationally and internationally as a safe tourism destination,” said Cllr. Hoare. “Incidents like this are not good for Galway’s reputation.”

Cllr. Hoare said that he appreciated the Gardaí’s confirmation that arrests had been made and that he fully trusted the Courts and an Garda Síochána.

“This was an isolated incident... It’s important that they don’t re-escalate,” he said. “It has been addressed, and it’s important that message goes out that this won’t be accepted.

“Hopefully, we can move on from it,” added Cllr. Hoare.

Last month, Galway City Council and an Garda Síochána issued a joint statement on cooperation in response to the incidents following a meeting between the Mayor, Acting City Council Chief Executive Patricia Philbin and senior Gardaí.

In the joint statement, City Council

representatives said that they were committed to supporting the Gardaí in their role of keeping people safe in the community in the areas of crime prevention, detection, and enforcement, in accordance with the law.

Meanwhile, with Galway’s annual Baboró International Children’s Festival starting later this month, Cllr. Hoare said “it’s important as a city that we continue to protect Galway’s great reputation.”

Galway is known as the ‘city of festivals’ and is regarded as one of the safest and most relaxed cities to visit. Add in the 30,000 students who arrive each autumn at both of its universities, and you have a small city with an international feel.

The annual July International Arts Festival attracts thousands of people and involves hundreds of artists. The Galway Races also attract horseracing enthusiasts from around the globe to Ballybrit Racecourse every August and October.

Galway City has Purple Flag accreditation for promoting the safety and wellbeing of visitors and residents.

It was first awarded the purple flag in 2015 and has retained it ever since for its world renowned vibrant and safe evening and nighttime economies.

Gymnastics Ireland caught up in racism scandal

By Emma van Oosterhout News Co-editor

Gymnastics Ireland has come under fire following accusations of racism after a video of a medal ceremony went viral on social media.

The video being circulated on social media sites such as TikTok, Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter), shows a medal ceremony at a gymnastics event in which a member of staff is handing out medals to a group of girls, and does not present the only Black child there with a medal.

The incident took place at a Gymstart event in Dublin in March of 2022.

Gymnastics Ireland released an apology, which in part reads: “What happened on the day should not have happened and for that we are deeply sorry.

We are also sorry that what has happened since that date has caused further upset.

“We would like to make it absolutely clear that Gymnastics Ireland condemns any form of racism whatsoever… we are committed to ensuring nothing like this will happen again,” continued the statement.

The organisation has received backlash due to the apology being released over a year after the incident took place.

A spokesperson for the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media said to SIN that the Department found it “unfortunate that this process took so long. The child was badly let down, and it is right and proper that Gymnastics Ireland have issued an apology.

“SARI (Sports Against Racism Ireland) contacted the Department shortly after this incident happened last year. The Department immediately contacted Sport Ireland, requesting them to contact Gymnastics Ireland and request that

they investigate the incident,” they continued.

The spokesperson went on to describe that the child’s family and Gymnastics Ireland were involved in a mediation process: “The mediation process was conducted by Sports Dispute Solutions Ireland, a not-for-profit dispute resolution service for Irish Sport offering mediation and arbitration… the Department had no role in relation to this process.”

Seven-time Olympic medallist gymnast, Simone Biles said on social networking site, X: “It broke my heart to see… there is no room for racism in any sport or at all.” Biles went on to describe how she sent the child a “little video” to show her support.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the BBC that it was a “real shame” that it took Gymnastics Ireland such an extensive period to comment on the incident, but he is “glad that they finally have” addressed the issue publicly.

Image by Ania Klara from Pixabay

Image: Gardaí

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US Government on path to shut down, McCarthy ousted in historical vote

By Fionn Sexton Connolly

The United States’ lower chamber is facing an imminent shutdown, meaning that legislators cannot agree upon spending for the upcoming year.

House Republicans hold 221 seats of the 435, just enough to command a majority.

However, 45 members of the house are in the far-right ‘House Freedom Caucus’ and have significant sway over the passage of appropriation bills.

They are now forcing a shutdown in opposition to the estimated $31 trillion debt owed by the US government.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) led opposition to the election of Speaker Kevin McCarthy in January, which resulted in 15 rounds of voting and McCarthy giving significant concessions to Mr. Gaetz, namely reducing the threshold needed to call for a motion to vacate the chair from five representatives to one.

A temporary appropriation bill was passed in the senate to extend the deadline until mid-November; however, it has cost Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-California) his job.

Gaetz filed a motion to vacate the chair following the passage of the bill, finally pulling the plug on the tenure of McCarthy, who relied on Gaetz supporters to remain in situ.

McCarthy laughed and joked with fellow House Republicans prior to the vote, however when eight house republicans joined with democrats to oust McCarthy, the now former speaker did not show any emotion.

The final count was 216-210 in favour of vacating the chair, a first in US history, and the first time since 1910 that a vote of this type was called.

Prominent republicans Mike Pence and Newt Gingrich condemned the decision to remove McCarthy from his long-coveted role, further deepening the divide in the Republican Party.

Patrick McHenry (R-North Carolina) has assumed the position of speaker pro tempore. An election will be held following a meeting of the Republican members on 10 October.

This leaves the US at a precarious crossroads, as any speaker elected now must either rely on the support of the Democrats, further alienating far-right member such as Gaetz, or they will attempt to strike a bargain with Gaetz as McCarthy did, however unsuccessfully it ended up for him.

This crisis has emerged amidst a divided nation, which has been polarised by the wave of populism ushered in by former US president Donald Trump, who is currently re-campaigning for the Republican Party nomination for president.

A significant minority of the Republican Party caucus, namely the House Freedom Caucus, strongly oppose military and civil aid to Ukraine in their defence against the Russian war of aggression.

The growing ideological gap is no longer between the Republicans and the Democrats, as there is now a major fracture within modern American conservative politics.

The house will remain adjourned until the speaker pro tempore reconvenes for the election of the new speaker.

Democrats will field House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York), while the Republicans will pick a new leader by 10 October.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Green (R-Georgia) has suggested that Mr. Trump be elected speaker, which constitutionally may be allowed as there is no specific requirement for the speaker to be member of either house, however this has been damped by Trump denying any interest in the job.

The deadlock in DC continues, and the likelihood of a shutdown grows every day a new speaker is not elected.

“ The final count was 216-210 in favour of vacating the chair, a first in US history, and the first time since 1910 that a vote of this type was called.

Four-year spell broken: Macnas ignites Galway’s streets with Halloween parade

By Michelle Geraghty

As the sun sets on an October evening, wide-eyed children perch on their parents’ shoulders waiting in anticipation for the festivities to begin, while excited adults with childlike expressions reminisce about their first Macnas parade experienced decades earlier.

And then it begins. First, the drums: a rhythmic heartbeat in the distance. Next, the music, meandering its way to eager ears. And finally, the spectacle comes into view!

Giant puppets, intriguing characters and enchanting dancers gracefully emerge from the shadows, their story coming to life as pockets of smoke and fire fill the air and collective gasps ring out from the crowd.

There are few Galwegians who have not experienced the vibrancy, creativity and electric energy of a Macnas spectacle, which returns to the streets of Galway on Sunday 29 October after a four-year hiatus.

“We are back and we are ready to make some magic,” said parade director James Readon.

This year’s parade, ‘Cnámha na Loba’ is inspired by the legend of La Loba, a wild Wolf-Woman, standing at almost 5m tall and decorated head to toe in a unique creation of deathly white skulls, according to James.

“She is a wild wolf woman who has sung life back into all manner of almost forgotten tribes and Gods, conjuring them to the streets once more in a communal celebration of the ancestors that have come before us.” said James.

“Expect over 100 performers, dancers, huge puppets, and live musicians in stunning costumes, all coming together for our first street parade in four years and bringing with them Macnas’ signature collaborative creativity, electric energy, and joyous abandon.”

Masters of storytelling and pioneers of imagination, Macnas has been entertaining audiences with their immersive and mystical parades, installations, and theatre performances since 1986.

With its headquarters on the University of Galway’s South Campus, students may have already witnessed the Macnas drummers rehearsing on Thursday evenings, or heard

the brass band belting out tunes as they strolled from Sult into town via Fisheries Field where the Macnas office is located.

Since its inception, the award-winning and internationally acclaimed company has performed in over 20 countries, from Australia to China and Russia, and across the USA and Europe. They have headlined celebrations of countless events and festivals including St. Patrick’s Day, the Bram Stoker Festival, Galway International Arts Festival and the Dublin Fringe Festival to name a few.

Macnas also created the now iconic ‘U2 Heads’ and joined the band on the Zooropa Tour in 1992. And in 2016, they became the first spectacle company in the world to premiere at the famed South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas.

This year’s parade is commencing at 5.30pm at the Cathedral and will wind its way through the city, past the Town Hall Theatre, down Shop Street, over O’Briens Bridge, and finishing at Monroes Bar on Dominick Street.

For more information, visit: https://www.macnas.com/works/ halloween-parade-2023

Photo by Michelle Geraghty

What’s on in Galway: October edition

By Rachel Garvey Features Co-editor

October time brings an array of spooktacular activities to do and events to attend from costume parties to parades to pumpkin patch farms. Students can prepare to mark their calendar for the next month because SIN is about to share what Galway has on offer for 2023’s Halloween season.

The Absent Chainsaw Massacre

The inspiration from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was clearly used as inspiration for this event title. The original Leatherface will not be in attendance at this event, but that’s not to say attendees cannot dress up as him. The Cellar Bar, located on Eglinton Street, is hosting a costume party on Tuesday 31 October at 8pm in celebration for Halloween. A prize will be awarded to the best costume of the night. It is fitting to say that spooky fancy dress is highly encouraged. Tickets can be purchased online through Eventbrite.

Macnas Parade

A long-awaited and sorely missed Halloween

event is making a spectacular return this year after a four-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 virus. The Macnas society will once again slither through the streets of Galway city with costumed performers and musicians. The parade has taken possession of one calendar date, Sunday 29 October at 5:30pm.

James Riordan, Parade Director said, “This year’s parade is going to be a feast for the senses as we welcome audiences into the world of La Loba, a wild wolf woman who has sung life back into all manner of almost forgotten tribes and Gods, conjuring them to the streets once more in a communal celebration of ancestors that have come before us.

“Expect over 100 performers, dancers, huge puppets and live musicians in stunning costumes, all coming together for our first street parade in four years and bringing with them Macnas’s signature collaborative creativity, electric energy and joyous abandon. We are back and ready to make some magic.”

Halloween Drag Ball

On Monday 23 October, Róisín Dubh is hosting their popular Drag Ball which starts at 8:30pm. Costumes are highly encouraged

to be worn, but costume goers shall not be the only ones to dress up as talented and upcoming artists will be performing in costume also. Those who are in attendance will not only be enjoying the rich and classy entertainment, but showing support to the local non-profit LGBTQ+ organisation Galway against Homophobia.

#GFP Halloween Event

The Gourmet Food Parlour located in Salthill is hosting a Halloween event on Sunday 29 October at 4pm – 6:30pm. The event will include a live DJ, a themed cocktail menu, a selection of foods and prizes for the best dressed. Gourmet Food and Halloween themed cocktails is sure to be one of the best spooky recipes for lovers of spooky season.

Harryween Disco at Hyde

Hyde bar is hosting a Harryween Disco Brunch at their bar and restaurant on Sunday 29 October, commencing at 1pm. Your ticket purchase includes access to hellishly delicious food, drinks and music as well as encouragement to wear your Halloween costumes. Hyde bar is ready to welcome you, but Jekyll is uninvited.

Photo by Michelle Geraghty

Samhain’s wandering soul

By Rachel Garvey

It has numerous names and variations, but its very first word screams loud like a banshee never wanting to be forgotten; Samhain.

The best explanation to ever grace the screens comes from Michael Dougherty’s 2007 film, Trick r’ Treat. An Ohio local, a school girl called Rhonda explains, “Samhain, also known as All Hallow’s Eve, also known as Halloween.

Pre-dating Christianity, the Celtic holiday was celebrated on the one night between Autumn and Winter when the barrier between the living and the dead was at its thinnest and often involved rituals that included human sacrifice.”

A brief, but in-depth explanation of the true tradition that surrounds the Halloween holiday. However, a lot of different cultures including our own, know not the history that surrounds this spooky time of year.

Has anyone ever asked themselves why do we carve pumpkins? Why do people light bonfires? Why do children trick or treat and wear costumes? A lot of people will only say because that is what you do during Halloween and that is true, but do they know why? It is time for a quick tutorial on Halloween history, the lesson will be non-exhaustive.

Bonfires

Did you know that bonfires are a Celtic Samhain tradition. Bonfire has become the modern word, but broken down it is

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bones and fire, thus meaning a fire of bones because animal bones and crops were thrown into the flames as an offering. These fires were lit upon high hilltops in honour to make offerings to gods.

The Celts believed that the fires kept evil spirits away and people dressed in animal skins and heads to disguise themselves from such spirits. After the fires died, it was considered good luck to take an ember home and re-light the home’s hearth. The leftover ashes from the bonfires were spread across the fields as protection from spirits that would cause the next season’s crops to fail.

Pumpkins

Frech historian, Jean Markale states that, “Irish Catholics took Halloween legends more literally and popularised the jack o’ lantern as a representation of a wandering soul.” In British folklore, we learn about Jack, a trickster who offended both God and the devil with his pranks.

The story, “Jack’s death led him to being denied access into heaven and hell though the devil begrudgingly tossed him a fiery coal which Jack caught in a hollowed-out turnip. The light in the turnip lit his night walk on earth until his judgement day.” Thus came the jack o’ lantern name.

There is a reason behind everything, a story of some sort that eventually becomes history linked to past days. In today’s modern world, children dress up in costumes to pay an unknown homage to the Celts; their ghost and skeleton attires acting as a disguise from the spirits who wreak havoc on the living when the veil between worlds was at its thinnest.

We carve faces into pumpkins to represent the wandering souls on Halloween. The younger generations of today thought that bonfires were a chance to burn and destroy planks of wood and old tires, they would fill their trolleys with anything they could get their hands on in order to create the biggest bonfire in the area.

But even though the law officials consider it to be anti-social behaviour, they are paying tribute to Celtic traditions that brought good luck. There is a reason for everything.

All these traditions are a part of something bigger, something historically important; keeping history alive and the traditions that come with Samhain. This is all one big homage to the Celts. We still remember you.

Photo by Michelle Geraghty

Society Spotlight: The Granny Society

By Hannah Martin

Balls of yarn and crochet needles litter the table as the Granny Society teach their beloved practice to the eager members of the group, who are waiting to learn the secret of mastering the craft of being a Granny.

SIN spoke to Emer Kenny, the Granny Society Auditor, and it’s clear to see why so many people are showing up to take the classes with the wonderful group that make up the committee. They have created a safe space to learn something new, no matter the level of skill you have going into the class, and their infectious energy makes it easy to feel relaxed to chat or ask questions.

To describe the Granny Society and what it means to be involved Emer said; “we are a group of people who like to knit, crochet, sew, and embroider. We like to market as anything you think your granny might do, we teach it and we show you how to do it. I like to think that it’s just a nice little space where you can just learn to do things with no pressure.”

The Granny Society was adamant on making their classes and events available to every student.

“We have a lot of foreign students who don’t understand English, it’s okay. We can literally show you. If it’s an accessibility issue, we try and accommodate, if it’s something that we can maybe make

either easier to work, maybe with your hands or just to understand, let us know.

“There’s no harm in trying. At least showing up you’d be surprised how many people know less than you, know more than you. It’s just a bit of fun. You can pick it up really quickly.”

The society provides everything for the classes, the yarn, thread, needles and hooks. They have created a stress free space with their efficiency, there’s no need to worry about materials, there is nothing holding you back from giving knitting or crocheting a go.

“I think it was the first thing we did was we looked for the materials, not last summer but the summer before all we did was just look for materials... making sure we had everything so nobody could stress about it, because it’s all just super expensive.”

The Granny Society was set up last year and came from the love the committee has for crafting. Their goal is to make a platform where they can share what they loved with the University community. “Knowing that there are other people who want to learn the thing that makes you feel happy or safe, or that there are other people who know it and want to do it with you. That was kind of the driving force because it was like, we can just book a room under a name, just crochet and knit and nobody is going to stop us and we can get more

people in on it and then people know how to do it and it’s just a really cool thing. Just a thing for us to have, just to have a place to be where nothing matters except yarn.”

The events vary from specific classes in a field of ‘granny-ing,’ to charity initiatives set up to help raise money using the crafts the members have made during the year. Every Thursday at 7pm, they host a ‘Stitch & Bitch’ where participants can work on projects they mightn’t find time to complete otherwise, or if you’ve learned something in their classes that you’d like to practice they have the materials at the ready for you to improve and grow in confidence in your abilities.

At the end of every second semester they have their Granny Blanket Initiative, “which is my favourite thing ever,” said Emer.

“Everyone in the society makes 6x6 squares of anything, whether it’s crochet or something that you’ve sewn up like a quilted patch, and we make it into this massive blanket in semester two.

“Then we have a quiz/games night and it’s raffled off and it raises money for COPE Senior Service, which we think is really cute because Senior Service … Granny Soc. It works”.

If you’re looking for a society that is warm, welcoming and wacky, then the Granny Society is a perfect match. As Emer says, “there’s no harm in trying”.

Image by Foundry Co from Pixabay

Why is astrology gaining traction again?

By Rachel Birch

I am sure it comes as no surprise to hear that Astrology is in the throes of a renaissance, with social media apps like TikTok and Instagram fuelling its revival amongst young women especially.

Astrology has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, once considered a niche occult attraction for new wave hippy typecasts, it has now earned its status as a mainstay in popular culture.

Nowadays references to sun signs are ubiquitous and astrological parlance has become conventional. It is customary to be asked your sun sign by new acquaintances and bad days are no longer just bad days, they are now evident of mercury in retrograde.

This remarkable surge in popularity has not been seen since the peak of the New Age Movement in the 1970’s, so what exactly is behind this remarkable comeback? First, we must examine its origins.

To put it as simply as possible, astrology is the study of the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies which are interpreted as having an influence on human affairs and terrestrial events.

Astrologers believe that the sign the sun was in at the time of your birth indicates your basic nature and predisposes you to use certain strategies in dealing with life situations. Its practice dates to the Babylonian civilisation in the third millennium BCE and it was considered a scholarly tradition up until the 18th century.

As a self-professed Astrology enthusiast that has admittedly paid handsomely for a natal chart reading by a renowned astrologist in Seattle, astrology has offered me a lens for self-discovery and understanding.

My curiosity in astrology was sparked after I began living with an old flatmate who happened to be a firm believer in the ancient practice.

Like most Indians, Vinidra would consult her chart in times of uncertainty and confusion and routinely checked in with her family’s astrologist when faced with difficult decisions. Her brother’s pre-arranged marriage was orchestrated on the basis of zodiac chemistry.

I was fascinated by the fact that an individual who exemplified logic and reason (she is a PHD student in stem cell biology after all) could on the other hand invest in a belief system that is widely referred to as a pseudoscience. I sought to understand its puzzling appeal.

And let me tell you, the statistics speak for themselves. A 2014 study conducted by the National Science Foundation in the US revealed that scepticism around astrology was decreasing, with more than half of 18-24-year-olds surveyed attesting to a belief that astrology is a scientific tradition.

According to data analysis group WGSN, 62% of ‘Gen Z’ and 63% of Millennials say their zodiac sign accurately reflects their personality.

Google trends have documented a doubling of online interest in horoscopes since 2010 and CO-STAR, the mobile app which provides individualised daily horoscopes for its users has had over 27 million downloads since its inception. Why has this thousands of years old practice recaptured the zeitgeist despite its lack of scientific basis?

Sociologists believe that Astrology’s rise can be linked to the mounting insecurities associated with modernity. We are

living in unpredictable times marked by destabilising forces. Security has become increasingly lucrative, and anxieties are at an apex.

Millennials and Gen Z alike are facing ever competitive job markets with zerohour contracts, housing crises resulting in delayed nest departures and a volatile geopolitical landscape is at play. With all this in mind, it is therefore reasonable to look for answers amidst perpetual uncertainty and astrology is increasing being considered a viable source for them.

Whilst the pseudoscience is by no means a crystal ball into the future, it enables believers to regain a semblance of control and order in their lives amongst unfurling chaos which in turn, greatly relieves anxiety around the hurdles of modern life.

Astrology is unique in its relatively diverse range of claims; magic, art, science, a tool for psychoanalysis, a means of divination, its function varies from person to person and this versatility adds to the allure.

Humans have long attempted to find meaning behind the mundane and Astrology can be seen as another attempt to understand the ‘powers that be’. However, destiny is a polarising concept which divides peoples into two camps generally, ardent proponents of ‘everything happens for a reason’ and those that firmly advocate that ‘life is what you make it’. There are those that believe their lives are at the mercy of the mysterious workings of the universe, and those that categorically refute the notion of any form of predestination.

Statistically speaking, women are much more inclined to believe in the cosmic

Image by Mira Cosic from Pixabay

sway of the universe. This corroborates research which claims that 90% of astrology’s audience identifies as women. Why are women more susceptible to the trappings of astrology? Are we simply more gullible? I believe it’s due to the lack of representation in more traditional belief systems, including organised religion which are unquestioningly male centric.

Speaking of religion, astrology’s growth has paralleled organised religion’s continuing demise, especially amongst young people. Astrology provides a more flexible and inclusive alternative to traditional religions like Christianity which are typically more rigid and prescriptive in their teachings, without scrimping on the spiritual offerings.

Astrology allows its participants to opt in on an a la carte basis and its purpose varies depending on one’s degree of belief. Some people buy into it wholesale, consulting their horoscopes and natal chart when faced with difficult decisions, some use it as a frame of reference to enable better self-reflection whilst others use it as amusing subject matter at dinner parties. This freedom of choice is refreshing and reflective of our more liberal minded society on a whole.

Technology and social media are also responsible for the thriving astrology industry as it has helped democratise the belief system by opening up the channels of exposure and communication. A whole meme culture has been born from it, witty references to sun signs have become popular captions for virtual content and astrology theme skits have become viral sensations.

Whether astrology will continue to grow in popularity in the western world remains to be seen, however as social media continues to propel astrology themed content and anxiety continues to dominate modern life, astrology’s renaissance seems like it’s here to stay.

What are Micro-credentials and who can benefit from them?

MICRO-CREDENTIALS are short, flexible courses designed to fit around your life. Micro-credentials are quality assured and accredited by leading Irish universities. They are offered online, face-to-face or through blended learning (a combination of both). They are taught by leading academics and are created in collaboration with Industry. Micro-credentials can be taken as standalone modules or could be stacked into larger qualifications over time.

Both Students and Staff can avail of these short courses to gain specific skills needed to future proof yourself. So whether you want to upskill, reskill or discover a skill you never knew you had, Micro-credentials are a great way to stay ahead.

In the academic year 2023/24, University of Galway provided more than 40 micro-credentials. With a significant portion of them being available during Semester 2, you still have an opportunity to sign up this academic year.

Currently we have micro-credentials available across various subject areas such as Sustainability, AI, Law and Humanities.

Find out more:

• Visit www.microcreds.ie to find out more about the MicroCreds project

• Browse through universityofgalway.ie/micro-credentials to discover the range of courses on offer at the University

• Listen to our dedicated Podcast series on Spotify here

Email microcreds@universityofgalway.ie if you have any questions.

Student Diary

By Rachel Foster

Is my Erasmus experience what I expected? Well, no, because in order to expect what something will be like, you have to actually think about it before you go.

I don’t want to say that I completely refused to acknowledge my move to Spain out of fear and panic, but all of my last-minute travel receipts would say otherwise. However, my lack of preparation actually worked out well, as I was so pleasantly surprised by the beautiful city of Zaragoza which, for some reason, I had convinced myself was a rural Spanish town and not a massive city.

I know a quick Google search could have told me that months ago but, as I’ve already said, there was no place for that amidst the existential panic.

In my lack of preparation, I made the risky decision to go to Spain without somewhere to live. However, it turns out that, thankfully, student accommodation is not as ridiculous in other countries as in Ireland. So, within three days I had moved into my reasonably priced flat in the city centre, albeit that the shower doesn’t hang up on the wall.

My luck continued, as I live in an apartment with lovely Spanish people, so I can practise my Spanish every day. Although

this can be tiring, it is incredibly useful as English isn’t very widely spoken here.

That’s to say, it turns out that years of oral exams about weekend plans just aren’t that useful when you’re desperately searching for bedsheets, or when you’re about to collapse and a spin instructor is shouting instructions that you can only assume mean speed up.

In situations like that, I relish in my Irishness, as everyone is always so fascinated that the language barrier seems less important. The reputation that our small country has worldwide is astounding, and I’m so proud to talk about where I’m from and the craic we have in Galway… well as best as I can describe it in my self-conscious Spanish, spoken at maximum speeds of ten words a minute.

My broken Spanish aside, I’m proud to say my Irishness really shines through in the unrelenting heat of this city, which even the Spanish students complain about. Before you curse my name for writing that, as it’s probably raining in Galway as we speak, remember that the grass is always greener.

Yes, thirty degrees plus on holidays by the beach is ideal, but in a landlocked city completing daily tasks and going to college, I assure you it’s a living hell. Needless to say, after climbing five flights of

stairs in a non-airconditioned building, I spend every sweaty two-hour class focusing more on staying composed (and let’s face it, conscious) than on the literature I’m meant to be studying.

On the subject of going to class, I’m surprised by how much I have been going. Maybe I can’t call that a culture shock, but it’s definitely been a lifestyle shock, at least for me. However, it’s more than likely that by the time you’re reading this I’ll have stopped going, in the name of self-care.

I suppose the reason I’ve actually been going to class is because midweek hangovers are virtually non-existent here. I mean, I was initially disappointed to find out that people here tend to only go ‘outout’ at the weekend, but now I’ve learned why… and I’ve learned the hard way.

No amount of partying in my life could have prepared me for the kind of hangover that arrives after drinking red wine and coke (aka calimocho) until 7am. Needless to say, as I commenced my third day on my literal deathbed, I just started telling people I had a virus.

All in all, through all of the culture shocks, and homesickness, and hangovers, I still feel very grateful to be here… but I might feel even more grateful when my Erasmus grant eventually arrives.

Image by Emilio Sánchez on Pexels

Uni g’s busy bee

By Rachel Garvey

As the students are settling into college life and adjusting to their new surroundings in Galway city, there’s another being who is bee-coming a popular topic of discussion.

University of Galway’s campus as well as Galway city’s sights has been graced with the presence of a new buzzer called Marcus. A plushie bee that excels in Law and bee-coming the face of baking soc; that’s a sweet-as-honey story for students and lecturers.

Students are growing fond of the little buzzer and become excited when he updates his social media on Law facts, baking soc shenanigans and Galway scenery photos. SIN had the pleasure of interviewing Ella Sophia, a student in Law and mam to Marcus the Bee.

How long have you been a mam to Marcus?

I’ve had him since April 2021. My sister picked him up in a garden centre because my dad is a bee keeper and she wanted to show him the plush. She put him back and I picked him up again because I didn’t have the heart to put him back, he was too cute. I ended up buying him.

What inspired you to create Marcus’s own Instagram page?

My best friend suggested that I should make Marcus an account, almost like a spam account, but it ended up being all about Marcus and showing the world through his eyes as well as his “19 buzzinesses” he runs.

Does anyone give hate over having Marcus out in public?

I’ve seen a few people give me strange looks in public when I whip a bee out of my bag and take pictures of him, but most people don’t pay me any attention. A lot of people have even said to me that Marcus is cute.

How’s the change from Limerick to Galway? Is he liking it here?

Marcus is much preferring his busy life in Galway, studying Law and being involved with the baking society. There’s a lot more to do living in Galway city, but he misses all the flowers in the countryside back home. He spent the summer working in Johnson & Johnson in Limerick; going back to college was quite the change.

Are there any Galwegian bees that have caught his eye so far?

So far, he hasn’t met any Galwegian bees, but he does have two daughters, Marlene and Martina who come up from Limerick to visit him.

You’re a part of the University of Galway’s baking soc; how are you finding it?

Marcus has been kept busy with baking soc this year. He attended both society days, representing the society and getting people interested in what we do. We’ve held two big baking events, making banana bread and Biscoff blondies. They were a great success and we had a really great turnout for all our events this year. All of our members are lovely people and we have a wonderful committee too. It’s a great society to join because it’s non-academic. It’s a brilliant way to de-stress.

You post a lot about your Law lectures; what is your favourite module?

Tort Law has become Marcus’s favourite module last year. The lecturer made it very entertaining and it was a good opportunity for content for a segment called “Law with Marcus” where I would take something out of context from the law lecture and put it on his story. This year, he’s enjoying company law, however, he already knows all the laws from having nineteen buzzinesses.

Q. Your account grows nearly every day, do you hope to become a bee influencer or is this just for fun?

I like to think Marcus is already a bee influencer, but it would be cool if he became more well known. I love taking pictures of him and being creative with his content. A lot of people have told me that they love seeing what he posts and what he’s getting up to.

Photo: Marcus the Bee on Instagram

Photo: Marcus the Bee on Instagram

Budget 2024 – what can we expect?

By Fionn Sexton Connolly

Polling shows that Sinn Fein is on track to win the next general election, and the government may well consider a giveaway budget to secure a chance at re-election.

This approach is unlikely to cure any current economic woes for the government. The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has predicted that Ireland will enter a technical recession in the coming year, with corporation tax receipts underperforming its expected levels, year-on-year.

The so-called ‘mood music’ is cautious, with Michael McGrath fielding his first budget as Minister for Finance amidst warnings on overheating the economy.

All that considered, what will the budget contain?

Students

Simon Harris has reportedly pushed for a further one thousand euro decrease in student fees, doubling last year’s reduction.

It is also understood that a 25% increase in SUSI is on the table, however, there has been no sign of a definite increase so far.

This is in line with some USI demands for better treatment of students, however many universities and colleges are still charging students rents considered to be exorbitant and out-of-touch, with rooms in the brand-new Dunlin Village costing from €816 up to €962 a month in University of Galway, almost €200 more than the top rate of SUSI grant available.

There is little hope for a double payment of SUSI at Christmas this year, as there has been no call for it by USI and no pre-budget

leaks form the Department of Higher Education have been made suggesting so.

Cost of Living

Doubt also hangs over the amount of electricity credits that will be made available to households this year.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD has stated that households will need help paying their bills, it is unclear if support will be at the same level as before, as the economy risks overheating.

Both McGrath and Donohue are eager to avoid worsening inflation, however they are ultimately at the direction of the triarchy of Varadkar, Martin, and Ryan in any major budgetary considerations.

Social Welfare

Following incendiary remarks by Leo Varadkar about those on benefits in which he referenced Benefits Street, an infamous UK television show, there has been an effort by minister Heather Humphreys to secure the once off payments of double child benefit and pensions at Christmas.

It is likely she will succeed, as the Fine Gael parliamentary party try to distance themselves from the benefits-bashing ahead of the next general election.

Proposals to create a means-tested second tier for disability allowance will likely die before they reach cabinet, as government backbenchers have rebuked the idea sternly.

Health

The overspend in the HSE is estimated at over one billion euro for this year, despite the HSE warning the government that it

may not be able to reach the desired level of service provision without some form of a bailout.

Recent scandals at the Temple Street children’s hospital will certainly impact any decision to make HSE cuts.

Transport

Eamon Ryan will likely pursue an expansion of services rather than any further fee reductions.

There has been calls from the USI to increase the eligibility for people to avail of the young adult leap card, as at present it ceases to work on the 24th birthday of the holder.

The USI, as well as the University of Galway Students’ Union have called for the abolition of charges for students, however it is unlikely that such a call will be heeded.

Giving away or taking the p*ss?

The government have a fine line to walk this year, they must help those who need it the most while maintaining a significant backup should the predicted technical recession effect our corporation tax receipts further.

However, disappointing as this budget may be to the masses, it is not insignificant as the total package may exceed ten billion euros, not the biggest but not the smallest either.

Though, the existence of a sixty-five billion euro ‘rainy day’ fund has shown that government are more concerned about with mitigating future failures than they are concerned with fixing the current failures.

It is raining now, and it is unlikely to let up any time soon.

Image by Photo Mix from Pixabay

Postgraduate researchers protest for fair pay preceding Budget 2024

By Matthew H. Coggins

As the countdowv n to Budget 2024 ticks closer to zero, unionised groups of students and researchers all over Ireland are taking a stand on well-known issues like affordable housing, cost of living, and the student contribution charge.

For postgraduate researchers, who are paid a shocking average of €7.88 per hour, making ends meet is becoming increasingly difficult.

The Postgraduate Workers Organisation of Ireland (PWO) has outlined its demands which include a universal €28,000 stipend, access to parental leave,

well. Specifically for Galway, the average PhD researcher is paid below minimum wage equivalent.”

Chris continued, “Bringing everybody up in the PhD world here would have immediate impact because I know personally PhDs at this university who work three jobs to make ends meet. I know PhDs who do not have housing arrangements; I spoke to one yesterday who’s living in a hotel.”

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) held protests in Dublin on Wednesday 4 October, mainly targeting the government’s 65 billion euro “rainy day fund.”

The USI seeks 30,000 additional beds

“At no point are we afforded the full rights and benefits of really either category. In fact, it’s generally more insidious than that. We are providing teaching, we are providing research, we are performing labour for the benefit of universities – especially the University of Galway. It always focuses on research and excellence and things of this nature, completely ignoring the fact that it isn’t providing a living wage to the people who are boosting their rankings,” added Chris.

Furthermore, without any fundamental change to the current system, Chris expects, “An exodus of those who receive their degrees from Ireland. They will go to better places, where they are treated better, they’re treated like humans, they’re paid a living wage.”

Ireland prides itself on its strides towards a modern society. Rents in Galway County have increased by an average of 15% since 2022. No social protection was

and legal worker’s status for non-EU/EEA researchers.

Stipends of any kind for researchers in Ireland have hardly increased in a decade, yet researcher’s pay grows continually closer to the poverty line amidst a costof-living crisis.

The last demand, one of the most crucial, would provide non-EU/EEA postgraduates with the same social welfare, insurance benefits, and working hours as Irish Citizens.

For researchers at the University of Galway, Student Union Postgraduate Research Officer Chris Stewart explained that a universal stipend would, “change dramatically the quality of life for just about every PhD researcher at this university. That goes for the entire country as

in student accommodations, abolition of the student contribution charge, and an across-the-board €25,000 postgraduate research stipend.

There is an important distinction to be made in the terminology of how PhD researchers are addressed. Legally, non-EU/EEA researchers are classified as students, barring them from important welfare benefits that Irish citizens enjoy.

The “deliberate” degradation of international postgraduates is not a new reality to those seeking their doctoral degrees in Ireland. Chris said, “We are treated as a separate class because we can be taken advantage of more easily. We are students when it is convenient for administration and government, we are workers when it is convenient for administration and government.

available to both non-EU/EEA students and researchers.

It is unrealistic to expect research and the pursuit of postgraduate degrees from people who would not earn a living wage from it.

PhDs often have children, families, and parents to take care of while they research. If an international researcher wanted to bring their family to Ireland, Chris summarised, “The spouse is not afforded a working visa for anyone who is on a student visa. Technically, they are brought over as a dependent of the PhD researcher who is on Stamp 2, which is a student visa. They are not afforded the right to work. So that means the €19,000 stipend must cover the spouse, as well as any children.”

The severity of the mistreatment which impacts thousands of highly skilled professional researchers cannot be taken lightly.

For postgraduate researchers, who are paid a shocking average of €7.88 per hour, making ends meet is becoming increasingly difficult.”

Image from University of Galway PWO Twitter

Irish – time for a change

By Sean Burke

Those of us in University of Galway are acutely aware of the fact that being able to speak Irish automatically makes someone a bit more attractive. Despite this, most of us can’t speak the language.

If you ask people why this is, the common answer is ‘it’s because of how it’s taught’. While this may be partially true, it’s better to understand the failings of Irish language pedagogy in terms of how it’s examined.

The vast majority of Irish teachers in schools have a genuine love of the language, and really want to pass it on to the next generation. However, this is difficult to do within the structural

confines of the Irish language school subject. This is purely resultant from the attitudes towards the language from those in decision making roles.

From my perspective it really looks like those in power view Irish as something backwards that represents the past not the future. In this respect, they are completely wrong. The future of Irish language won’t be it being only spoken by people in the middle of nowhere in Conamara, who eat turf breakfast, wear woollen jumpers, and are terrified of electricity, as those in power seem to think is the case. The future of the Irish language is young and vibrant.

However, in order to truly capture that future, and allow it to flourish, we’re going to need to see a bit more ambition from a generation of leaders that still feels traumatised and aggrieved by Peig. But that’s where the issue lies. Decade after decade, those who should have been guiding the Irish language into a place of prominence in our modern Ireland instead viewed it as nothing more than a school subject, that they didn’t really like anyway.

This attitude, in turn, stifles the progress that could be made in the classroom. By solely treating the language as a school subject, it becomes just that for so many people. The result being that people’s only goal for their learning of the language isn’t to be able to speak it, but rather to be able to pass an exam.

Teachers who want to be able to pass on the language to their students, are left with no option but to focus on the nuances of some poem, instead of being able to meaningfully equip students with the skills to navigate the language.

If you stop and think about it, the idea that the oral exam for our nation’s first language includes reading a poem off a sheet is completely ridiculous. Yet, it’s exactly what happens. It is completely ridiculous that we set the bar so low for something so intrinsic to our national identity and culture.

If we changed the way the subject is examined, we can begin to make strides towards changing how the language is imagined. By moving away from rewarding rote learning, and the banking concept of education as criticised by Paulo Feire, we can structure the subject into something that truly rewards an understanding and appreciation of the language.

But the first step to having the subject reflect an appreciation of the language, is by having people in power appreciate the language. Unfortunately, as it stands, we are still far from realising this.

The changes we need to see to promote the Irish language simply won’t come from politicians who see the language as nothing more than a hobby language or a dying language. Of course, this isn’t the reality of it. Irish continues to be a language that people use every day as their primary language. People watch TV in Irish, people sing in the shower in Irish, people stub their toe in Irish, people live their lives in Irish. But Government after Government fails to recognise this.

We spend eight years in primary school, and another five or six in secondary school learning Irish, but yet few of us come out of school being able to speak it. We recognise it as the nation’s first language in article eight of our constitution, but yet it gets little meaningful acknowledgement in the halls of power. I’m not the first to point out that something needs to change, and I know I won’t be the last either. But I hope to God the last comes soon, because change is long overdue.

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An influencer degree won’t lead to an easy pathway to fame

By Eliash Eze Opinion Co-editor

With the introduction of the influencer course in the South East Technological University in Carlow in September 2024, people and especially children, need to realise that it won’t be a step-by-step guide on how to get big on TikTok or YouTube.

The idea of an influencer course is bizarre in the first place. There are other degrees that allow you to learn skills to grow in the digital landscape that isn’t throwing a wad of cash at a dedicated course on becoming an influencer.

All you have to do is take a single click into the specifics of what the degree has to offer to see that it isn’t even a proper influencer degree – crisis management, video and audio creation and management as well as celebrity studies. All of those modules and skills are learnt in other courses that specialise in media; global media, film studies and even marketing.

You don’t even need a degree in any of these courses these days to become an influencer. These days, employers prefer an influencer with actual experience in the field compared to someone who spent three or four years learning about how the internet and social media works.

Look at the influencers and celebrities of today. A large majority of them have gotten popular by sheer coincidence and luck through internet virality. I find it absurd that such a vague and broad course was even permitted through the meetings.

Today’s celebrities more than likely didn’t put a single thought behind their posts and videos. Bella Poarch, Logan Paul, Jeremy Fragrance – the list goes on. Learning about how they got famous

isn’t going to help you get famous. Almost all of those influencers gained virality differently, so trying to find a method or pattern in fame is preposterous.

An alternative to internet fame is becoming a social media manager. Look at TikTok accounts of massive companies: Ryanair, Lotus, KFC – they all gained virality through the young mind’s relatability and wit. You can get famous from being a media manager as well while gaining experience and adding to your portfolio.

Becoming an influencer as well as becoming a social media manager is in a bit of rough spot now, though one is a lot easier to be employable if that’s what you’re looking for – and I don’t have to tell you which one it is.

I worry that the new generation of internet junkies and addicts will flock to this degree thinking it will be some fantastical haven where they meet fellow influencers and internet enthusiasts like some cartoon movies and shows have led us to believe. All we can do is wait and see what the success rate of the new batch of potential influencers that will graduate will be in a few years from now – however low that percentage is.

Understandably, the course isn’t being introduced in one of the bigger universities such as University of Galway, because if it was, you would have to question whether we have lost our minds completely. There is a plethora of other methods to leave behind a sizeable digital footprint that doesn’t require having to go to school for it.

If you’re so hellbent on becoming an internet sensation, the best thing to do is to understand that it’s mostly luck. Once you understand that, you can go enjoy yourself, because I don’t recall ever hearing an influencer becoming famous because they thought it would blow up on the internet.

Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay

Internships, but at what cost?

What good is it to help others if you cannot start by helping yourself?

By Holly Leech Opinion Co-editor

The year is 2023. The cost of living is skyrocketing, and it isn’t coming back down to Earth anytime soon. The foreseeable future is as dystopian as it sounds, and right now this is very much our present reality. We’ve seen this trend before, and we’ll surely see it again.

Despite the predictably unpredictable, rise and fall of the economics that govern our every which way, unpaid internships have not yet become a thing of the past. One would think that, in this economy, the €14.80 living wage would prompt the payment of students for their troubles.

There are many issues in the country stemming from the ever-increasing costs. The people in Ireland are paying the price, and it begins here. At student level, the precedent is set.

For years, the “student budget” has been commonly accepted as a low standard of living. Scrounging off freshers’ freebies, leftovers, and one-pot wonders, the lifestyle of a student was notoriously unglamourous.

This lifestyle is now unaffordable to many students. The concept of making food in a dorm room and slumming it in the city is no longer an option as rent prices grow higher than the Irish skyline.

What was once considered lowly living is now an enviable experience to so many. Most students don’t want to still be living at home because they can’t afford or even find available and suitable accommodation. Nobody embarks on an hour-long commute in and out of college every day by choice. It’s simply not sustainable.

The cost of being a student on campus is high, and the situation isn’t becoming any less dire. The Kingfisher gym charges a 12-month annual subscription for students that generally aren’t in Galway for a quarter of the year. Campus accommodation prices are higher than ever. The resit fees are a flat fee and the highest in the country.

With all these additional costs, it should be possible to pay students when they’re engaged in a mandatory course module.

It makes sense why so many sectors in Ireland are struggling – people are leaving. The National Youth Council of Ireland have reported that more than 70% of young people aged 18-24 are considering moving abroad to earn a better quality of life.

The message that is being told, from the start, is that people’s time and their efforts don’t matter. We saw from the pandemic just how vital our essential services were. Yet, they’re still underfunded and underpaid.

Unlike the political state of the country, the ineffective tax system, and all other socio-economic issues which plague Irish society, this is a problem which has a solution. In fact, it’s rather simple to solve. Pay student interns.

The University placement system is flawed. Students who are on a placement year will still need to pay full fees, despite not having access to the (overcrowded and underdeveloped) campus facilities.

The response from the University, when addressed by the Students’ Union, was that the decision is above them and it’s just the way which it has always been done - students that are on placement are earning the money to afford the fees. If we look at it from the perspective of those students, then we find it’s quite a different story.

The placement application system generally requires you to take the first job which is offered to you. In most instances, the positions are disproportionately weighted to being Dublin-based opportunities. None of the positions are guaranteed, so it is suggested to students that they apply for multiple.

In my course, Law and Human Rights, the options for a human rights position were limited to being mostly part-time unpaid internships in Dublin. You can either, move to Dublin and work in a big firm where more than half of your wage is going towards rent, or you can choose to work part-time unpaid and then work an alternative job to make ends meet.

As with everything, there are naturally many contributing factors to this problem. That doesn’t mean we should be complacent. This problem has a very clear solution.

“ That lifestyle is now unaffordable to many students. The concept of making food in a dorm room and slumming it in the city is no longer an option as rent prices grow higher than the Irish skyline.

Image by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay

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Wednesday 11th October

Céadaoin 11 Deireadh Fómhair

Men never thought about the Roman Empire

By Eliash Eze

Snap out of it. Men think about all sorts of things, but why specifically the Roman Empire? Why not ancient Greece? Or the dystopian future that time is mercilessly dragging us towards?

The Roman empire is cool, really cool. It is fun to think about the feats of Julius Caesar and the tales of ancient gladiators battling in the Colosseum. It’s fun to talk about what you would do in those times and how you would do it.

But the events from that time period aren’t enough to warrant a portion of our brains to be dedicated to such a time period. Any guy that tells you that they think about the Roman empire is government robot, sent to trick you into believing that that’s all men think about.

To bore you with specifics, a particular

their findings, amplifying the contents of that TikTok – the Roman empire currently being one of such examples.

Which then causes men, whether genuine or not, to express their thoughts on a given topic. It gives men a chance to geek out about a random niche that we haven’t had a chance to endlessly talk about.

The Roman empire can be one of those niches – but it’s not installed inside you the moment we gain consciousness. There are other things that are installed into us, such as having extensive knowledge about fixing cars – even if we’ve never seen the engine of one.

An easier question is how much they think about characters like Travis Bickle, Patrick Bateman, Ryan Gosling. Those real characters that are quite literally me. The way they carry themselves, the things they think about and their relationships with peo -

those characters take up a larger portion of a guy’s brain than the Roman empire – unless you’re a history student.

There is an exception in that more aged men are actually thinking about the Roman Empire. Perhaps it was all that ran on their televisions a decade or two ago. Or maybe it reminds them of other wars and events throughout history that have happened or they happened to be in.

Time is an endless circle. We are all rolling a boulder up a hill just for it to roll back down when we are about to reach its peak and repeat the whole process again. Before we know it, the gods will punish us by thinking about another thing that only men can relate to.

Whether it’s the Roman Empire, the Joker or a reality check that is being a student in a university, the Roman empire isn’t the focal point of men’s lives – Ryan Gosling is.

Image by Hisham Zayadneh on Pexels

The absurd brilliance of Stop Making Sense

By Scott Stephens Arts & Fashion Co-editor

What do The Silence of the Lanbs and Stop Making Sense have in common? Both are movies directed by Jonathan Demme and feature a man who we can safely assume is at least a little bit mad. While we can say with almost complete confidence that David Byrne is not a cannibal, his behaviour may be something that warrants an investigation by the FBI.

In December of 1983 at the Pantages Theatre, Jonathan Demme oversaw the creation of what is now often regarded as one of the greatest concert films ever made. Recorded across four separate shows during Talking Heads’ tour of Speaking in Tongues, Stop Making Sense plunged viewers into the certainly senseless concert experience. 40 years and one dramatic band breakup later and Stop Making Sense is back in cinemas worldwide.

A24, having obtained the distribution rights for the film, re-released it in cinemas in September with it now available in 4K and IMAX. The soundtrack was also remastered by Rhino Entertainment. Following the premiere of the new and improved version

at the Toronto International Film Festival, the members of Talking Heads were seen at a Q&A together for the first time since 2002, when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Stop Making Sense is a truly unique experience that certainly lives up to its title. It is likely that this weird and wonderful production leaves the audience with a common thought; “why is this so brilliant? It’s absurd”. Throughout the film you are left to wonder whether certain aspects of it have any meaning behind them at all, but will still be in no doubt of its excellence. While it’s hard to decipher a purpose behind David Byrne’s ludicrously massive suit, it’s an easy sight to enjoy.

The energy of the film never abates, from start to finish you

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Stop Making Sense

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will be entranced and engaged in the music of Talking Heads, fan or not. Stop Making Sense begins with David Byrne walking onto a stage alone. Armed with only a guitar and a stereo, Byrne commands the stage with a performance of the band’s early hit ‘Psycho Killer’. Following this, song by song, Byrne is joined by members of the band and musicians, all of whom keep up with his exhilarating energy.

Even during ‘This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)’, one of Talking Heads’ most soothing songs, the thrill is not lost as Byrne dances with a lamp, repeatedly barely catching it before it hits the ground. One of the most impressive things about Stop Making Sense is the stamina of the performers, sustaining such a high level of energy for almost an hour and a half. The new restoration allows the sweat beads on Byrne’s skin to be seen as clear as day after he runs laps around the stage for no apparent reason in a section of ‘Life During Wartime’.

One of the reasons this film is so exciting is down to Demme’s direction. He purposely did not include a single shot of the audience until the final song. This stops the film from giving the impression that you are watching a recording of the concert, but rather gives you the feeling that you are at it.

Restorations of films are often unnoticed events. However, Stop Making Sense seems to have fought against that trend and won. It is possibly the massive jump in quality of the film that has helped this trend, or the highly promoted distribution by A24, but most likely it is the timelessness of Talking Heads’ music that has led to the movie achieving this. It is music that has the potential to live on and capture the attention of new generations, something that the re-release is most likely hoping to achieve.

The music featured in Stop Making Sense is recognisably a product of its time, but that is not at all to say that it should stay there. Talking Heads made music that was fresh and exciting, and it still packs a punch almost as big as David Byrne’s suit. You could say that the relevance, importance and brilliance of Talking Heads’ music is the “same as it ever was.”

Album reviews

By Maureen Arnold

With the end of summer and the coming of fall colliding, many artists look to September for album releases and new music. This month has seen releases from musicians dominating the charts, such as the emerging pop talents of Olivia Rodrigo and the often-heartbreaking indie ballads of Mitski.

GUTS

Olivia Rodrigo returns with her sophomore album GUTS, a pop album featuring familiar references to pop-punk and indie, only two years after her debut album SOUR

Once again Rodrigo attempts to create a sense of relatability to her predominantly teen audience, poking fun at the melodrama of adolescence and growing pains that often accompany ideas of young love.

She also contributes glimpses of insecurity and confusion young people take on when emerging into adulthood, for example, questions about power struggles and the sense of self that is sometimes lost in romantic relationships.

GUTS can be minimized to a breakup album to many, but in truth, GUTS comes through as more of a confession, that although Olivia Rodrigo herself seems to

GUTS takes listeners on a similar journey of ups and downs as Rodrigo’s debut album SOUR, with some songs feeling more upbeat and pop-punk and others being more whispered indie ballads, each with vulnerable and devasting lyrics you can either scream or cry to.

Touring for GUTS will begin in North America in the winter, with a Europe and UK tour commencing in the spring of 2024.

The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We

Mitski surprised her fan base with her seventh studio album, eerily titled The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We. Mitski remains mostly absent from social media while most artists advertise their work heavily on such platforms. In previous statements, Mitski suggested moving away from producing and creating new music due to the pressures and manipulations of the industry, however she has since retracted these remarks due to progress and agreements made in relationship with her recording label.

Mitski’s low whispers work well with her choice of orchestral accompaniment and choral background singers, especially in the first single, ‘Bug Like an Angel’ ‘Bug Like an Angel’ plays out like a raw confession, admissions of sedating rough emotions with substances and the honesty that comes with determining the source of said emotions. Mitski’s voice is raw and stripped down through this track, with support from a choir repeating phrases throughout, acting as an echo of Mitski’s inner thoughts.

Tracks such as ‘I Don’t Like My Mind’, another confessional track with low notes, shifts towards a more enraged and tired tone, as if coming to terms with Mitski’s own actions and feelings of defeat. This track has hints of southern twang, taking inspiration from the atmosphere of one of the album’s recording bases in Nashville, Tennessee, which is also where Mitski herself resides.

live a life her fans may envy, with fame, love, and admiration, she faces the same daily battles of self-doubt and embarrassment.

Embarrassment is a common theme Rodrigo tackles, with one track being titled ‘Love is Embarrassing’ and another song titled ‘Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl’ where she delves into the inner thoughts of those who seem to find themselves in awkward social situations such as “Why did I say that?” or “Do I stick out too much?” no doubt capturing what is simply the teenage experience.

Her last album, from 2022, Laurel Hell felt like a farewell, however in The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, there is familiarity and comfort even in its darker and gloomy themes, as this is what Mitski does best. People look to Mitski for a sadness that bites, ballads that leave listeners satisfied especially in times of woe.

Mitski first released singles from The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, with tracks ‘Bug Like an Angel’, and ‘Heaven’, the latter trending on platforms such as TikTok at exceeding rates.

Finally, the album was released in full on September 15, less than two months after its initial promotion, hardly giving fans time to prepare emotionally.

The album ends with a declaration, ‘I love Me After You’, addressing the truth of self-love after what may have been an unbalanced relationship. The story and overall feeling of the song builds throughout, like an invasion or descent into battle. Mitski must abandon outside opinion and go forth with a promise to herself, returning to her roots while remaining honest to the fact humans tend to change.

The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We may be similar to Mitski’s earlier albums, with familiar themes and rawness, but she comes through even stronger in her directness in her voice and messaging.

Touring will commence in the United States at the start of 2024 featuring opening acts such as Australian Folk Rock singer Julia Jacklin, Belgian-Egyptian artist Tamino, local Nashville soul musician Sunny War, and fellow American singer Sarah Kinsley.

“ There are glimpses of insecurity and confusion young people take on when emerging into adulthood, for example, questions about power struggles and the sense of self that is sometimes lost in romantic relationships.

Olivia Rodrigo: Guts album art

Mitski: The Land is Inhospitable and So are We album art

Past Lives: the wonder of what could have been

By Andréa Halff

Na Young (Greta Lee) is twelve when she and her family leave Korea for America. She has to leave not only her childhood crush behind, but also her whole life and identity. She has to learn a new language, and change her name.

Twelve years later, Na Young, now Nora Moon, is growing as a screenwriter and seems fully settled and happy in her American life when Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), her childhood friend, manages to get in contact with her again.

Another twelve years after that, when Hae Sung comes to New York to visit her, Nora appears happily married and fully established. Yet, everything indicates that the two of them never stopped thinking about each other.

Celine Song introduces her main protagonists to us when they are all grown up, and then switches to a flashback set 24 years

With the impressive chemistry between the actors and a relatable theme, it is easy to feel for all of them. Easy to get anxious with Arthur at the idea of meeting your wife’s childhood crush. Easy to idealise and romanticise the person you have not seen in so long like Hae Sung.

Maybe it is because the film is semi-autobiographical, however, I would give the film and its writer/director more credit than that.

Aside from its great storytelling and really immersing acting, Past Lives has a very discreet yet powerful soundtrack. Not the kind you will listen to imagining yourself fighting for survival with Matthew McConaughey or running away to the far side of the world with Emile Hirsch but the kind that really adds to the feeling of warmness and familiarity of the film.

And while the cinematography is truly beautiful and does remind us of the atmosphere of other A24 movies, it does so without the eerie-ness present in some of them.

All in all, Celine Song’s feature directorial debut does not look like one. It feels like every detail has been thought of.

Though not a lot happens in Past Lives, the beautiful cinematography and the themes it tackles are sure to leave a lot of us deep in our thoughts and with maybe even a few tears at the corner of our eyes.

earlier, instantly hooking us on their storylines and leaving us full of questions.

The whole film has such a warmth and coziness to it that it is really easy to feel empathetic towards all the characters and understand their point of view.

We understand the weird feeling that Nora goes through when she has to re-acquaint herself with writing Korean when just a few years earlier she was just learning English. It is also easy to feel the pain that Hae Sung expresses when meeting Arthur (John Magaro), Nora’s husband.

Remember that relationship that made you seek closure so bad but you never got it? Past Lives will make you feel like you’ll never get it, ever. But with a fairytale like that, long-lost lovers who had to part before they could even begin to know each other, how could you get closure? So many questions remain and they echo deeply within the audience.

In the meantime, nothing really happens in the hour and three-quarters we spend with Nora, Hae Sung and Arthur. And it is also what makes it easy to relate to them and feel for them. They’re normal people, very much like us, with a nice life, but without losing-your-whole-family type of tragedies or savingthe-world-great accomplishments.

The whole film has such a warmth and coziness to it that it is really easy to feel empathetic towards all the characters and understand their point of view. ”

Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) in Past Lives. Photo: Jon Pack/A24 Film.

The best Irish series and films released so far in 2023

By Rebekah O’Reilly Arts & Fashion Co-editor

Irish stars, and television has been reaching the top of its game recently, and so what better way to fill the blustery autumn evenings than with some of the best new Irish films and TV series.

There’s nothing that we love more this time of year than setting down on the sofa to catch up on all that we’ve missed out on over the previous few months.

From dark comedy, to crime, to heart wrenching personal stories, the Irish television and film sector has got a never-ending list of top-class watches to suit all different tastes and interests.

Best Interests

Best Interests featuring Irish comedian and actress Sharon Horgan is a four-part television drama series, written by Jack Thorne. It stars Sharon Horgan alongside Michael Sheen as a married couple, fighting for their disabled daughter’s medical care.

The series is a different approach for Horgan, who is best known for her comedy series Pulling (2006-2009) and Catastrophe (2015-2019).

Best Interests is a heart wrenching series, which focuses on a family’s battle to keep their daughter alive, despite the

The crime drama, which includes names like Simone Kirby, Wouter Hendrickx, Cathy Belton, Kwaku Fortune, and Aaron Monaghan, focuses on a sting operation carried out in conjunction with Europol.

The series is available to watch RTÉ One or alternatively on Prime Video

SisterS

SisterS, directed by Declan Lowney & Alicia McDonald, is comedy series which centres around a pair of women, one Irish and the other Canadian, who find out that they are sisters.

of Cian, a footballer who gets attacked on a night out. It shows the struggle he experiences as he tries to come to terms with his career-ending injury.

The film, released in May 2023, features some of the well-known names, including Eanna Hardwicke, and is rated 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film is available to watch on YouTube, and Amazon Prime.

God’s Creatures

God’s Creatures is a film which deals with ideas of right and wrong. It is cen-

doctor’s belief that it is in her best interest to be let go.

The series is available to watch on Sky Go.

Hidden Assets

Hidden Assets has returned to RTÉ with a brand-new season this September. The six-part series which is set between Limerick, Antwerp, and Belgium, takes place a year after the events in season one.

The pair set out across Ireland to find their alcoholic father. The series explores issues of parental abandonment and macabre humour that follows on from trauma.

The series, released in March 2023, can be watched on RTÉ One.

Lakelands

Lakelands is a film which tells the story

tred around a mother who lies for her son, leading to friction and separation amongst their family and community in their close-knit Irish town.

The film, released in March 2023, features some of the biggest names in Irish cinema, including Paul Mescal and Emily Watson.

God’s Creatures is available to watch on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Past Macnas Parades

Photos by Michelle Geraghty

2022 – Con Mór at Fisheries Field

2012 – Macnas at St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Dublin

2011 – Macnas at the Fringe Festival

2011 – Macnas at the Fringe Festival

2011 – Macnas at the Fringe Festival

2011 – Galway Macnas Parade

September SU Events

SU Protest

Photos by Ríain O’Donoghue

Photo by Joanna Brophy

Freshers Fair – Joanna Brophy

Karaoke Night – DJ Matt KV

Life Returns to Sult – Michelle Geraghty Orientation – Faye Ní Dhomhnaill

Outdoor Cinema – Joanna Brophy

Bird Ents for International Students – Dean Kenny

“Where” – Yue Qiu

Sunset over Blackrock Diving Tower – Michelle Geraghty

Quadrangle - Léa HEUILLET

Man on St. Patrick’s Day – Danny O’Sullivan

Funfair – Cian Carr

Cyclist riding bike, Eyre Square – Danny O’Sullivan

Student Showcase

Greenway – Yue Qiu

Galway Cathedral – Léa Heuillet

People celebrating St. Patrick’s Day – Danny O’Sullivan

Blackrock Tower at Moonrise – Michelle Geraghty

Blackrock Sunset – Cian Carr

Blackrock Drone – Cian Carr

World Mental Health Day 2023

By Jessica Galvin

October marks mental health awareness month, with World Mental Health Day falling on October 10th. The World Health Organisation have issued a campaign surrounding the theme that “mental health is a universal human right,” thus opening a conversation around the integral role mental health plays in overall health and wellbeing, whilst also focusing on the increasing threat mental health conditions are having on society’s young people.

Many issues are being brought to the forefront of their campaign; the right for all to be able to access quality mental health care, the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health and the importance of recognising mental health as a human right. In the words of W.H.O, “recognising mental health as a universal human right empowers people to stand up for their rights – and for those around them”.

October is a time usually given to unwind and reflect on the busy summer months. The change in seasons and weather also hint at a need to relax and take time for yourself.

However, the transition period to winter can be a challenging time for those who struggle with their mental health. Longer nights and shorter days leave many of our moods low mixed with feelings of isolation and restlessness.

According to Mental Health Ireland (One of Ireland’s leading mental health charities), wellbeing is an important factor when it comes to our mental health. The five ways to wellbeing have been identified as connect, be active, take notice, keep learning and give.

CONNECT: Make time each day to connect with people around you. This can be family, friends, colleagues etc. Connection can be made at school, home or with a group. Some ways to stay connected might be joining a society.

Societies like ArtSoc host events such as sip and paint night which allow you to meet likeminded people. Events like these can be a crucial outlet during the lead up to exams and a great way to take a well needed break from study or general stresses.

There are also plenty of ways to connect with others outside of the University. How about a cup of tea alongside a chat with a friend? A coffee date? Remember a lot of establishments also offer student discounts.

BE ACTIVE: Activity no matter the physical level has been proven to be beneficial to a person’s wellbeing and mental health. The university offers many sport clubs if you are interested in meeting in a group as well as the opportunity to take part in activities available at a low cost such as yoga, pilates and dance.

Galway also offers activities such as bowling, swimming and the museum… entry is free! Some people might find benefit going to their local gym. For others, getting out for a walk while listening to music is sufficient.

TAKE NOTICE: Although it can be difficult sometimes, try take notice of the world around you and what you are feeling. Don’t ignore your body and seek further support if you feel you need it. It may be cliché but try to find the beautiful things in life and attempt to stay present in the moment as much as possible. Sometimes the little things make a big difference!

KEEP LEARNING: Learning something new or setting a goal increases confidence and sense of purpose improving wellbeing and mental health. Try something new, learn a language class such as Gaeilge, pick up an old hobby that is lost in the past. For a challenge, try to learn one new recipe every week for the month of October!

GIVE: Helping others has been linked to happiness. It allows us to feel connected to the world and can feel extremely rewarding. Think about volunteering, doing a small act of kindness for a stranger or regularly donating to a charity.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Tackling freshers’ flu

Chances are you’ll probably come down with the flu at least once in your university year, if you haven’t already.

By Emma van Oosterhout

It’s that time of year again! Students are settling back in after a relaxing summer, only to suffer at the hands of the dreaded ‘Freshers’ Flu’. This flu is a universal experience for college students. Chances are you’ll probably come down with the flu at least once in your university year, if you haven’t already.

Why is this flu so common? Well, there are various causes of freshers’ flu, namely heavy alcohol consumption, stress, tiredness, and poor diet. These all weaken our immune system and leave us susceptible to contracting colds and viruses. Not to mention, mingling with new people throughout the first few weeks could introduce us to viruses, although this one, we can’t really avoid!

While Freshers’ Flu is no real cause for panic of course, it is quite an inconvenience for us hard workers. Fear not, freshers! There are ways to lessen your symptoms. Drink plenty of water, maybe switch that ‘casual pint’ to a nice warm cup of tea. Lastly, eat (somewhat) healthy food.

With that said, during times of sickness, we often turn to one special meal for the cure. Here is a recipe for an autumn soup, it makes four servings, so it’s an easy one to keep in the fridge and heat up as you need, perfect for students. For our vegetarian readers, simply replace the chorizo with an ingredient of your choice. (For example, another vegetable or beans/lentils).

Weekly meet-ups for 1st year students

✓ Peer learning sessions with trained student leaders

✓ Relaxed social space to get to know others in your class

✓ Discuss coursework in a friendly environment

✓ Complements lectures and tutorials

✓ Welcoming and inclusive Start dates

Week of 25 Sept: Engineering, PCM, Political Science & Sociology, Hotel Management

Butternut squash and chorizo soup

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large onion, chopped.

• 1 butternut squash

3 garlic cloves, chopped.

1 teaspoon rosemary

• ½ teaspoon ginger

• ½ teaspoon chilli flakes (if you like it spicy!)

• 550ml vegetable stock

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

• Salt and black pepper to taste.

To serve:

1 small potato

• 65g chorizo, chopped (many supermarkets sell pre-chopped chorizo)

• Brown bread or fresh baguette

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Slice the squash down the middle and lay the two halves face up on the tray. Drizzle each half with about a half tablespoon each and rub in. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper.

2. Turn the squash face down and roast until it is soft, this takes about 45 minutes. Leave the squash to cool down for 10 minutes afterwards.

3. In a large pot, heat the remainder of the oil. Add ¾ of the onion and a pinch of salt. Stir until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.

4. Add the butternut squash flesh to the pot, discarding the skins. Add the maple syrup, herbs (save some rosemary for the topping), vegetable stock, and some black pepper.

5. Use a hand blender (if you’re using a stand mixer, transfer the contents of the pot into the mixer) to blend all the ingredients until they are all blended thoroughly. Add more stock if you desire a thinner consistency.

6. For the topping, boil the diced potato halfway (about 8 minutes).

7. Add your chorizo to a pan (no need for oil, the fat from the chorizo will melt). Add your semi-soft potato to the pan along with the remainder of the onion and the rest of the rosemary. Cook until all the ingredients are covered in the chorizo juices.

8. Spoon the soup into bowls and top with the potato-chorizo mix. Serve with buttered brown bread or fresh baguette.

Image by Aline Ponce from Pixabay

Ask Skeleton Jack; king of the pumpkin patch!

By Rachel Garvey

October is officially here! With its commencement comes the arrival of pumpkins in shops and the opening of pumpkin patches across the country.

It would be spooktacular if SIN could get in touch with Jack Skellington and conduct an interview about all things pumpkin picking! Or how to pick your pumpkin and pumpkin patch recommendations, nevertheless we will just have to rely on careful research and strict observation when it comes to choosing our perfect orange vegetable.

SIN has you covered this month whether you are buying your pumpkin straight from a supermarket or adding to the fun by visiting one of Galway’s pumpkin patches. It’s a guaranteed day of fun having hundreds of fresh pumpkins to choose from!

Galway Pumpkin Patch

A spooky treat of a place that opened back in 2018; this pumpkin patch has grown in popularity amongst Galway’s locals. The pumpkin patch event is situated on the grounds of the Castletaylor estate in Ardrahan in the south of Galway.

However, the patch is only open for the weekends during October, luckily for us, weekends are dedicated to fun, relaxation and for a limited time only for this season, picking and carving pumpkins! The Galway Pumpkin Patch also has friendly farm animals; goats, sheep, a Shetland pony, and chickens as well as pop-up photo stations and two famous Disney characters; Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

Be aware that Galway’s Pumpkin Patch is a ticket only event. One large pumpkin or a selection of smaller pumpkins are available with each family ticket, however, more pumpkins can be bought at the entrance or exits. Tickets are bought in hourly slots! Single adult and child tickets are priced at €12.50. There are also family deals available. Be sure to check their website for availability before travelling.

It is sure to make a memorable weekend for all who attend. A day picking your perfect pumpkin and petting farm animals; a weekend well spent.

Michael’s Pumpkin Patch

Nestled snug in Bunnatubber, Corrandulla is Michael’s Pumpkin Patch with all the added spooky delights of pumpkin picking, animals, and photo-booths.

Michael has shared his story of growing up with pumpkins on his online pumpkin patch page, “I started this pumpkin patch in 2020, I have grown pumpkins since I was five. In 2018, I grew over 200 plants and decided to do a pumpkin patch. The first year we decided to test the waters with 300 hundred plants and thankfully they all grew well. We put up online tickets thinking we put too many, but they started selling out like crazy with similar experiences happening in 2021 and 2022. This year we are bigger and better than ever with over 6,000 plants.”

For Michael’s Pumpkin Patch, there are 20-minute slots

per €20 car. This includes one pumpkin but you can also choose to buy more on the day.

Snatch those dates up quick as there’s always wide interest in pumpkin picking this season. Always ensure there is space before you travel to your patch of choice. Never forgetting those wellies and warm clothes of course!

When it comes to picking the perfect pumpkin, it is all about your personal preference; large or small, white, green, or orange. A fresh, high-quality pumpkin should be solid to the touch. Usually, a rich orange colour that have a firm, hard rind. These quality inspections will ensure your display will last throughout Halloween!

Needless to say, all pumpkins are perfect and are ready to be carved and decorated whatever way you choose. It may seem like we are choosing a pumpkin, but often it is the pumpkin that chooses us because they stick out from the rest of their pumpkin cult to catch our eye. Jack Skellington would think it strange if he read this.

All he would say is, “You’ll know your pumpkin when you see it, and I expect my face to be carved on to it; I am the pumpkin king after all.”

Photo by Michelle Geraghty

An Ghaeilge ar champas

Le Faye Ní Dhomhnaill

Haigh a chairde! Faye Ní Dhomhnaill is ainm dom, agus mé atá mar Leas-Uachtarán don Ghaeilge don bhliain acadúil 2023/2024. Seas mé don ról seo mar is aoibhinn liom Gaeilge, ach nuair a bhí mé ag staidéar, mhothaigh mé nach raibh deiseanna ann dom chun an Ghaeilge a labhairt.

An cuid is mó do sin ná is duine iontach imníoch mé, agus níor ghlac mé páirt le clubanna agus cumainn. Ach ar aon nós, seo na deiseanna is atá ann do mhic léinn chun a cuid gaeilge a úsáid ar champas.

An Cumann Gaelach

Is é an cumann seo an dtreo is éasca chun an Gaeilge a labhairt ar champas. Anseo, buaileann tú le daoine ó gach cearna don tír agus is féidir libh gaeilge a labhairt le Chéile. Cuireann siad imeachtaí éagsúil ar siúl I rith na bliana, cosúil le luaschairdeas agus oíche na dathanna contaetha.

Bíonn fáilte roimh chách fiú mura bhfuil ach cúpla focal agat. Tá an-aithreachas orm níor ghlac mé páirt leis an cumainn agus mé i mo chéime. Má tá suim agat páirt a glacadh, is féidir leat an cumann a leanúint ar Instagram @cumanngaelach_og nó seol ríomhphoist chuig cumanngaelach@socs. universityofgalway.ie

Caifé na Gaeilge

Tá Caifé na Gaeilge suite i Áras na Gaeilge, agus anseo is féidir leat tae, caifé agus sneaiceanna a fháil. Bíonn daoine ann ag labhairt as Gaeilge. Is áit deas é chun píosa Gaeilge a cloisteáil &

chun cleachtadh a deanamh ar do chuid Gaeilge. I mo thuairim ceapaim go bhfuil an caifé is fearr ar champas ann!

An Coiste Gaeilge

Is é an coiste Gaeilge mo choiste. Is é an coiste an chomhairle do mhic léinn chun Gaeilge a plé. Fiú mura bhfuil focal ar bith agat, tá do thuairimí iontach tábhachtach agus ní féidir liom mo phost a déanamh mura cloisim do thuairimí.

Má suim agat páirt a glacadh le do thoil seol teachtaireacht chugam ar @gaeilge_cmlong nó seol ríomhphost chuig su.gaeilge@ollscoilnagaillimhe.ie

G-Spots

Mar chuid do m’fheachtas, bhí mé ag iarradh G - Spots a cruthaigh timpeall an champas. Faoi láthair tá ceann i Smokeys, agus beidh ceann eile i Sult an seachtain seo chugainn. Le G-Spots, léiríonn siad go bhfuil an duine ag suí ann sásta Gaeilge a labhairt le daoine eile. Coinnigh súil amach do do G-Spot!

Bláithín Nic a t-Sithigh

Is í Bláithín Leas-Uachtarán don Ghaeilge le Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éireann. Baineann a ról le gach rud Gaeilge agus an Gaeilge a chur chun cinn do mhic léinn triú leibhéal. Bíonn mé féin agus Bláithín ag obair le chéile go minic maidir le cúrsaí Gaeilge san ollscoil do mhic léinn.

Freisin, tá Bláithín i gceannas ar an Coiste Cultúrtha le AMLÉ. Déanann an coiste seo ionadaíocht, gníomhaíochas a chur chun cinn ar an Ghaeilge agus Cultúr na hÉireann. Má tá suim agat glacadh leis seol ríomhphoist chuig gaeilge@usi.ie

Photo by Faye Ní Dhomhnaill

FOCLÓIR

Le Sadhbh Clancy Cainte Editor

Chuaigh na céadta mhic léinn ar na sráideanna i mBaile Átha Cliath an Céadaoin seo caite, 4 Deireadh Fómhair, ag agóidíocht in aghaidh an géarchéim thithíochta na mac léinn agus an costas maireachtála a bhaineann le oideachais sa triú leibhéal. Tá an Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ) ag éileamh an rialtas 5% den €65 billiún ciste don ‘lá baistí’ a chur ina úsáid don géarchéim na mhic léinn. Iarrtar go úsáideann an rialtas an ciste sin chun cabhrú na mhic léinn atá ag streachailt le deacrachtaí airgeadais agus atá ag éirigh as a stáidéir mar gheall ar na deachrachtaí sin. Ag an agóid, chuir an tUachtarán don AMLÉ Chris Clifford in iúl go bhfuil an oideachais mar ceart daonna, ní pribhléid.

Géarchéim tithe: Housing crisis

Costas maireachtála: Cost of living

Ciste don ‘lá baistí’: ‘Rainy day’ Fund

Comhaitéireacht: Communting

grinds

Mháirseáil an agóid idir Cearnóg Parnell agus Cearnóg Mhuirfean le cainteoirí ós na hollscoile, páirtithe freasúra agus gníomhaí eile. Ar na sráideanna i mBaile Átha Cliath, aontaíodh leis na tuairimí faoin costas a bhaint leis an oideachais; cosúil leis an chomaitéireacht, an imirce agus an costas ar cíos. Tá na fadhbanna sin ag goilleadh níos mó ná cursaí airgeadais; cuireann siad isteach ar an tsaoil sóisialta ag an iomarca mhic léinn mar níl siad in ann pháirt a glacadh sna cumainn ar champas nó saol oíche freisin.

Life Skills grinds

Chuir an AMLÉ aighneacht faoi bhráid don Buiséad 2024 le moltaí chun costas maireachtála na mic léinn a laghdú. Ina measc iad sin ná deireadh a chur leis an Táille Síntiús agus laghdú €2000 a chur ar táille don bhliain acadúil 2023/2024. Ina theannta sin, ba mhaith leis an AMLÉ reo cíosanna do mhic léinn, ardú a chur ar íospha, agus 30,000 leaba a chur ar fail. Chomh maith leis sin, bíonn moltaí faoi cursaí Gaeilge san aighneacht, go háirithe an costas a bhaineann leis am a chaitear sa Ghaeltacht. Cosnaíonn sé níos mó ná €700 don mhúinteoirí faoi oiliúint i gcoláistí príobháideach. Tá an AMLÉ ag iarraidh maoiniú a fháil don cursaí Gaeilge sna meáin agus san Aontais na Mac Léinn ar fud na tíre.

Fógrófar Buiséad 2024 amárach agus achoimreofar athruithe faoin tacaíochtaí costas maireachtála, chomh maith athruithe faoin gcursaí cánachais, cursaí sláinte agus leas sóisialta.

Siamsaíocht

Photo by Raimey O’Boyle

Galway senior hurling & intermediate club semi-finals preview

In the second semi-final, champions St Thomas’ play Sarsfields.

By Dylan McLoughlin Sports Editor

Senior

It’s semi-final time in the Galway Senior Hurling Club Championship with two mouth-watering games down for decision. Last year’s champions, St. Thomas’, who are chasing an incredible six-in-a-row, face Sarsfields while last year’s beaten finalists, Loughrea, play Turloughmore in a much anticipated double header at Pearse Stadium on Sunday, October 15th.

Loughrea, who haven’t won the senior championship since 2006, topped their group, beating Moycullen, Cappataggle and Kilconieron along the way before victory over Clarinbridge in the quarter-finals.

Turloughmore, who won an incredible six-in-a-row in the 1960s but haven’t won this competition in nearly forty years, finished second in their group this year, beating Joe Canning’s Portumna, drawing against Gort before losing to St Thomas’ in match three. However, they still qualified for the

St Thomas’ finished top of their group, beating Portumna, Gort and Turloughmore, before seeing off the challenge of Cappataggle in the quarter-finals. They are once again the favourites to lift the Tom Callanan Cup this year.

Sarsfields, who last won the trophy in 2015, finished second in their group this season, beating Craughwell and Ardrahan, but lost unexpectedly to Castlegar. They beat Killimordaly in the preliminaries before hammering Oranmore-Maree in their quarter-final.

St Thomas’ to win as they continue their quest for an equalling record six- in a row, but the Cooney’s and Sarsfields will be a handful.

A huge crowd is expected in Pearse Stadium for what promises to be a fantastic doubleheader.

Intermediate

It’s semi-final time as well in the Galway Intermediate Hurling Club Championship, where Sylane take on Ballinderreen.

Sylane, who have spent most of their exist-

Ballinderreen, who last won this competition in 2017, finished second in their group, drawing against Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry and losing to Kinvara before picking up full points against Spiddal.

They went on to beat Abbeyknockmoy in the preliminaries before defeating Rahoon-Newcastle in the quarter-finals. There won’t be much between these two sides, but I expect Ballinderreen to shade it based on their performances to date.

In the second semi-final, Meelick-Eyrecourt takes on Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry in what promises to be another great encounter.

In their group, Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry drew against Ballinderreen, beat Spiddal and Kinvara before booking their place in the semi-finals after their win over Carnmore.

Meelick-Eyrecourt finished top of their group, beating Craughwell, Ballygar Abbeyknockmoy and then Kinvara in the quarter-finals.

Again, this is another tough game to call, but I expect Meelick-Eyrecourt to come through based on their excellent form to date.

Photo Adrian Payne on Unsplash

Galway United takes over the world, according to fans

By Sean Burke

It was once claimed that League of Ireland fans exist on the fringes of mainstream society, and for many years, Galway United existed on the fringes of the League of Ireland. When I went to my first Galway United match, United lost 6-0. Fortunately, winning has never been a requirement for Galway United fans, but it nevertheless is a welcome change.

After a 4-0 win over Kerry FC, on 22 September, Galway United secured enough of a lead over Waterford to ensure they could not be caught in this year’s race for the first division title. This comes after an exceptional season, in which 89 league goals were scored and only 16 conceded, winning every game they played in their home ground, Eamon Deacy Park.

This means that the Galway United men’s team will escape purgatory and return to the Premier Division for the first time since 2017. The women’s team also had an incredibly successful season, winning the inaugural All-Island Cup.

Notorious match programme purveyor, Ronan Coleman, said, “the general

perception amongst the League of Ireland community is that the Premier Division is not as strong as in previous years, so the expectation is high amongst Galway United fans that we will do well in 2024.” This means that the club could be setting their sights on qualifying for Europe.

United’s successful season, for both the men’s team and the women’s team, comes off the back of significant investment from the Comer Brothers. Last year, the Galway United Co-op voted to allow the sale of 85% of the club’s shares to the Comer Brothers. The Comer Brothers have yet to decide to exercise this option.

The improvement in investment has had obvious consequences. When walking into Eamonn Deacy Park, one does not even need to watch the match to know how well United is doing. The cacophony of fans singing, channels an energy and optimism which Terryland hasn’t seen since the Celtic Tiger. This incredible enthusiasm has been aided by the opening of a bar in Eamonn Deacy Park in recent years.

With League of Ireland attendance increasing generally, United now having

two Premier Division teams could lead to even greater attendance at Eamonn Deacy Park, which in turn, will generate more investment for the club, through ticket and merchandise sales.

Whilst the €36,200 prize for winning in the First Division isn’t particularly massive, the club only has to come third in the men’s Premier Division to make more than that (although prize money for coming first in the women’s Premier Division is only €12,000).

Either way, prize money from winning domestically won’t be where the club’s accountants will be drawing focus to. However, should the club qualify for Europe, the prize money becomes a lot more significant, and many supporters will already be looking at Ryanair flights with an excitement only otherwise seen in children waking up on Christmas morning and dogs about to be brought out for a walk.

Whatever the financial future holds for Galway United, this season has brought an emphatic euphoria to Terryland, that fans, young and old, will be hoping to see replicated for years to come.

Photo by Michael Gough

Dare to dream or brace for heartbreak: a beginner’s guide to Ireland’s chances of winning the Rugby World Cup

By Tristan Friel

Hopes are high for Ireland’s success in this year’s Rugby World Cup.

Some of our star players are in the form of their lives, such as Bundee Aki, scoring 4 tries already in this World Cup, who is an early front runner for player of the tournament.

Meanwhile captain and talisman Johnny Sexton has been in scintillating form in the early games of this tournament, scoring 3 tries while also being joint top points scorer so far with 45 points to his name.

However, this tactic didn’t quite work for the Springboks, as Ireland was able to scrape through one of the most gruelling games in rugby history, which is a huge attest to the character of this team.

This Irish team are carrying the hopes of a nation on their back, and it appears as though they are garnering even more support with every passing game.

The scenes in Paris after the final whistle against the Springboks were immense as the fans serenaded the players with a rendition of Zombie for

Our ability to deal with injuries will be crucial. We will have to hope Sexton avoids injury as he is key to the way we play, his presence and decision making in the back field is irreplaceable.

In most other positions we have quite a lot of strength in depth, and we should be able to weather any other major players getting injured, we just need to keep Sexton fit for as much of this tournament as possible.

Sexton also recently surpassed Ronan O’Gara’s all-time points record for the Irish national team.

Ireland is currently the second highest scoring team in this Rugby World Cup, beaten only by New Zealand. This Irish team also ranks second in offloads to only Scotland; showing a willingness to take risks and keep attacks alive.

The Irish team are coming off the back of a victory against South Africa, the defending champions who imposed a 7-1 bomb squad split off the bench in an attempt to smash up Ireland with their men and simply out muscle us at the breakdown in the second half of the match.

the ages as a fitting tribute to the late Sinead O’Connor and left fans with an image of the amazing scenes this sport can create.

For Ireland to stand a chance of winning this tournament, the team will have to focus on one game at a time and not be overwhelmed by the size of the feat they are undertaking in their bid to win a historical first World Cup.

Staying calm and level-headed will be key. We will need leaders on the pitch to make the right decisions at key times for us to stand a chance of winning against the better teams at this tournament.

In the end our main adversary in this World Cup may be as simple as luck and fate, however, there does seem to be a bit of an aura around this Irish team right now that is making us all feel a little invincible.

I believe we should enjoy the ride for as long as it lasts and maybe just pray for a little bit of luck to fall our way, and maybe just maybe we might just stand a chance of winning.

It is however hard to deny the thought of Johnny Sexton winning a world cup in his final game for Ireland would be the beautiful fairytale ending his career deserves and would bring a close to an unforgettable era in Irish rugby for both fans and players.

It is hard to deny the thought of Johnny Sexton winning a world cup in his final game for Ireland would be the beautiful fairytale ending his career deserves and would bring a close to an unforgettable era in Irish rugby for both fans and players.

Captain Jonathan Sexton during an Ireland Rugby media conference at Le Domaine des Vanneaux Hotel in Paris, France. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile