SIN Vol. 25 Issue 3 by SIN Newspaper University of Galway

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Winner: Best Newspaper at the National Student Media Awards 2019

Student Independent News Nuachtán saor in aisce · Vol. 25 Issue 03 · 27 Nov. 2023

Photo by the Coldvember team

Coldvember charity rocks Salthill in its sixth consecutive year By Alexander Lopatin and Matthew Coggins

The event has been incredibly pop- businesses in Salthill. Meanwhile, the ular with the students at the University participating students not only leave of Galway. In a survey sent to students the water energised, but enjoy health The sea is calmest before dawn, but in asking whether they had participated in benefits of responsible cold exposure Salthill, it roars with a hundred voices. Coldvember yet, 74% of the responses as well. University of Galway students crowd were a yes. This year, Coldvember is raising around Blackrock Diving Tower and plunge “All you have to do is just go in the money for Galway Rape Crisis Centre, themselves into freezing water. They are water,” says Helena Canny, a member of a local charity that helps and supports here for Coldvember — the annual student the student committee that organizes anyone affected by sexual violence and run charity event that challenges students Coldvember. abuse. “We’re just shy on 7,500 euro at to forget their exam woes by going for a “It’s a mindset to get yourself into the the moment,” Canny says. Last year’s refreshing November swim. cold water. Once you first go into it once, event raised upwards of 19,000 euro, a “I’m cold, freezing. But glad I’m glad I you do get the dopamine effect and you record that Canny’s team is hoping to came down,” says Eve Lonergan, a second do feel amazing afterwards.” clear. year University of Galway student. She She first attended the event two years Local businesses in Salthill, such as hugs herself against the wind, while water ago and enjoyed it enough to get involved Álainn—a specialty coffee and superfood drips down her hair. with the team. café — are enjoying seeing more custom“It’s a bit of fun, and once you do it you “It’s very social, because you know the ers. “Business has been great because of Irish love drinking, and it’s nice to do Coldvember,” says Sean Fleming, Álainn’s can feel proud of yourself.” Students rise early and make their way something social that doesn’t revolve manager. He works the coffee machine as to the event for various reasons. For Felix around drinking”. he talks, while shivering students line up O’Neal, a first year University of Galway Beyond offering another opportunity at the register. student, it was to challenge himself to for students to socialise, Coldvember “Definitely between 7am and 9am exercise more. “Feeling a lot better now, — which is running for a sixth consec- there’s a lot more people than there like I’m doing something with myself,” utive year — has evolved into a major he says. fundraising event and a boom for local Continued on Page 2

News · Nuacht

Editorial By Caoimhe Looney

Editor

Hello everyone, welcome back to the third issue of SIN for this academic year, and final of semester one. A special thank you to all the sub-editors and writers for all the participation we’ve seen throughout the semester, especially for this issue as we come into exam time in the university. This issue is full of interesting stories, with a special focus on Christmas as we come towards the holiday break. Our front page reflects on the success of Colvember this year, with a few days left for anyone who has yet to take part! In News, we have reported on the announcement of Galway’s high ranking as a student city, and the government discussion over the ban of vapes. Over in Features, there is an overview of the Galway Christmas Markets, and a Palestinian student’s activism while in Galway. In Opinion, Holly and Eliash have some takes on public transport in Galway, and the season of winter, meanwhile in Arts and Fashion there are reviews on current movies and games to give you something to watch and play. Over in Health and Lifestyle there’s an article on the Movember fundraiser, and in Cainte our Leas-Uachtarán don Ghaeilge discusses GaelSeachtain in the University of Galway In Sports we have a piece on Galway United’s successes. Finally in Photography Michelle and Hannah have continued with the student showcase section and have some snaps from events and societies meetings. 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 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 third issue!

An bhfuil rud éigin le rá agat? Cur litir chuig an Eagarthóir. Editor: Caoimhe Looney – editor.sin@gmail.com

@sin_newsug @sin_newsug

Find us online:

www.sin.ie

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Coldvember rocks Salthill Continued from Page 1 normally would be.” Dr Nicole Burns, an expert in exercise physiology and a lecturer at the University of Galway, notes the many health benefits of cold-water exposure. “Studies have shown cold water swimming may be associated with decreased inflammation, increased immunity, decreased depression, and improvements in cardiovascular health,” she says. However, people with pre-existing conditions such as arrhythmia and cardiovascular diseases should take special precautions before deciding to dive in. “Don’t stay in too long, even if not feeling cold in the water,” Burns adds. These safety recommendations mirror the best practices that the Coldvember committee urges the attendees to follow. These include not jumping into the water right away to avoid shock, never swimming alone or under the effect of substances, limiting a swim to five to ten minutes and dressing warm as soon as you get out. While the charity part is important, Canny says, “The main goal is for students and mental health and starting your day off right.” Canny urges anyone who has not tried it yet to come down to the beach and participate. “You feel amazing coming out of the water,” she says. “You’re telling yourself not to get into it, until you do, and then when you get into it, you’re just trying to keep yourself warm, and then when you come out you just feel amazing. The rush of dopamine comes to you. It’s just a great way to clear your head – you just leave all the stress in the sea.”

A huge thanks to our team! Caoimhe Looney Editor

Eliash Eze Opinion Co-editor

Chloe Richardson Deputy Editor

Rebekah O’Reilly Arts & Fashion Co-editor

Emma van Oosterhout News Co-editor

Scott Stephens Arts & Fashion Co-editor

Eimear Eastwood News Co-editor

Michelle Geraghty Photography Co-editor

Matthew Coggins News Co-editor

Hannah Martin Photography Co-editor

Rachel Garvey Features Co-editor

Megan Connolly Health & Lifestyle Editor

Alexander McCormac Features Co-editor

Sadhbh Clancy Cáinte Editor

Holly Leech Opinion Co-editor

Dylan McLoughlin

Sports Editor

News · Nuacht

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

INSIDE this issue...

News

Teenager arrested in burglary at Aldi in Mountbellew

Health minister announces ban on sale of vapes to under-18s

Galway ranked the 7 best student city in the world

Features

News

Features Galway’s annual Christmas market

The Hygiene Hub Christmas Appeal

Receiving a National Garda Youth Award

My Homeland, the Youth Will Not Tire

Opinion

Editor diaries Opinion

Why don’t buses run past midnight? 12

Plugged in: Politics and policies matter, here’s why

Sexual Health West World AIDS Day Concert

A United Ireland is More Than Getting Rid of a Border

We have done the state some service: why everyone should have to work in the service industry at least once

Winter is in fact, the most wonderful time of the year

Five Nights at Freddy’s review

Photography

When should you defrost your Christmas playlist?

Arts & Fashion Grammy nominations 2023 announced

Is GTA VI finally on the way?

Photography Student Showcase

Events & Societies

Galway Christmas Market

Diwali at University of Galway

Health & Lifestyle Christmas present shopping on a student-friendly budget

Cainte Am Nollaig i nGaillimh

Arts & Fashion

Coldvember 2023 28 Health & Lifestyle Getting involved in men’s health this Movember 30 Cainte GaelSeachtain in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe 32 Sport

Sport Eamonn Deacy Park: Galway’s largest source of energy

Corofin vs Ballina Preview 35

Teenager arrested in burglary at Aldi in Mountbellew By Fiona Zokou A teenager has been arrested following a burglary at an Aldi store in Mountbellew on Wednesday 8 November. The incident occurred overnight, and the store was closed the following day. According to an unnamed source, bottles of alcohol were smashed, and a fire was started within the store. Aldi informed the public through a post on Facebook stating: “Due to an incident overnight, your local ALDI in Mountbellew will not open today. We plan on re-opening again tomorrow at 9am.” Gardaí arrested the teen male quickly in Mountbellew and he was promptly brought to a Garda station in Galway. The store did open back up as promised on 9 November but the incident raises questions about the crime rate within Ireland. Relating to burglary offences since 2022, the Central Statistics Office states: “Burglary & related offences remained unchanged in the year to Q1 2023.” In 2022 the number of non-aggravated burglary offences committed was at 8,816 compared to 2023 where the number had dropped to 8,715. While the lack of uptake in burglaries is a positive sign, there is still a lot of work to be done within the country regarding youth and the criminal justice system. An initiative by the government, titled The Youth Justice Strategy was created around the frameworks of the Children Act 2001. This Act was created in order to deter youth crime and offer an alternative solution to prison for rehabilitation of children eighteen years old and under, explained the Irish Youth Justice Service. The Youth Justice System states: “there is much to be done to deal more effectively with the factors that relate to the involvement of children and young people in crime and the impact on victims.” In the strategy, a number of guiding principles can be found. A few include: young people will be treated as children first and foremost with respect of their human rights and detention of youth should always be the last resort. In addition, local communities, organisations and different agencies have come together to help in the prevention, deterrence and intervention of juvenile offenders. This strategy is a very welcome addition for many as seen within the Dáil on the progress and improvements of the strategy. Deputy James Brown, Minister of State at the Department of Justice said; “youth justice interventions are not about avoiding punishment or consequences. This is about dignity and respect. It is about recognising that many young people who do stray from the proper path simply need support and direction to get their lives back on track.”

News · Nuacht

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Health minister announces ban on sale of vapes to under-18s By Fiona Zokou A bill has been passed in the Dáil that will ban the sale of nicotine inhaling products (vapes) to those under 18 - years old. Put forward by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill includes a number of conditions such as: banning the selling of tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products at events for children, and the advertisement of nicotine inhaling products around schools and public transportation to name a few, described by Irish Legal News. The attempts to ban the sale and purchase around shops, schools, and vending machines are seen as a positive among many. This is due to the increased health risks of children and young adults over the years. At the Dáil Éireann debate on 8 November, Deputy Róisín Shortall said; “there is no justification for [vapes] to be brightly coloured or have particular flavours that mimic flavours of sweets.” Her statement is about the marketing towards the younger generation. This can be seen through the packaging, flavouring and colours of these products which are addressed within the Bill. Vapes, also known as e-cigarettes, were first thought of and many still consider to be an alternative to smoking. Trendy and treated as healthier due to the lack of tobacco, the different shades and tastes are an added incentive for young people. However, the Irish Cancer Society noted that while vapes are considered not as

harmful as cigarettes, there are still many uncertainties about the long-term effects. The society also stated that vaping “may cause precursor events to cancer, such as lung inflammation”. Within Ireland, about one in ten Irish people vape and is most common around those aged between 18 and 22 years old, as discovered by European Recycling Platform. While this statistic is alarming, not only are the health risks of concern but the environmental impact. There have been many discussions in the past on the full ban of single-use, disposable vapes over the threats they cause environmentally. Often discarded in public spaces, the material they contain have a bigger impact on the land than thought before due to the amount of plastic and batteries, described within the Dáil debate. The Bill goes onto state that there will be ‘additional enforcement powers to the Environmental Health Service for measures in the Bill and for all previous Tobacco Control Acts.’ The efforts to completely phase out the consumption of nicotine products and remedy the environmental concerns from disposable vapes appears as a welcome change to some. As of now, the next stage of the Bill is the Seanad. While many within the government have urged for more to be done, Minster Donnelly says that he hopes “we are probably all agreed we want this in law before Christmas” and that it is a positive step for Ireland.

Image by Horst Winkler from Pixabay

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Galway ranked the 7th best student city in the world

News · Nuacht

Image by Fionn Davenport on Ireland’s Content Pool

By Chloe Richardson Galway was named the 7th best city in the world for higher education and university students, according to a ranking provided by The Campus Advisor. In the same ranking, Galway was ranked 1st for Student Friendliness. The Campus Advisor compiled a list of the ‘Top 50 Student Cities in the World for 2023’ based on student experience. Cities across the globe were measured using real insights gathered from students. Galway was named among 50 cities

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The city received an overall score of 4.47 out of 5. Student Friendliness had a score of 4.94, ranking Galway 1st in the world for 2023. worldwide, and measured based on key factors such as; student friendliness, cost of living, nightlife, public transport, amenities, safety, and the invaluable opinions of current students. The city received an overall score of 4.47 out of 5. Student Friendliness had a score of 4.94, ranking Galway 1st in the world for 2023. The University of Galway said in a social post, “Galway, You’ve done it again! Students from around the globe have spoken, and our city’s warmth and friendliness have earned us the prestigious title of the friendliest city on the planet.” Galway is also being commended for its rich culture, variety of pubs and restaurants, and lively social environment. A reviewer for the ranking said: “Galway holds a special place in my heart as one of the friendliest cities I’ve ever encountered. The locals exude a genuine warmth that makes the entire experience unforgettable. What I love most about Galway is the rich variety of pubs, each with its own character and charm. The cultural scene is nothing short of fantastic, and the city is dotted with art facilities that make every corner a feast for the eyes.” Cork and Dublin were also among the top 50 cities worldwide, receiving top ratings across areas like cost-of-living, nightlife, public transport, amenities, and safety.

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Features · Gné-altanna

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Photo by Hannah Martin

Galway’s annual Christmas market By Hannah Martin Christmas has been extended this year for the people living in Galway with the Market arriving earlier and staying later. There is no better way to get into the festive mood than with a walk about the stalls, supporting local traders, and feasting on Christmassy treats while the lights twinkling around you. To help celebrate the most wonderful time of the year, SIN representatives interviewed a few of the market traders to see how they felt about being back in the stalls at the Christmas Market. First up we have the Man of Aran Fudge who keeps the locals and tourists’ sweet tooth satisfied over the festive season.

With a wide selection of fudge made on the Aran Islands, Tomás Póil is a Galway Christmas Market regular. When asked was he excited to be back for the 2023 season he said; “I’m so grateful that people are spending their hard-earned money on my fudge. When I started, it used to be all about the money for me, but now it’s just about fun and appreciation.” Yvonne Sheragashi from The Olive Tree is spreading the cheer with her handcrafted olive tree nativity scenes and decorations. The stall was full to the brim with beautifully carved pieces of olive tree depicting the rise of Christmas. Eager to be back with the other traders Yvonne said, “I’m very excited to work

Photo by Hannah Martin

here at the Christmas Market, it’s good craic, lovely people. I like the work that I’m selling because it’s all handcrafted, so I really appreciate that.” Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without giving back to the community, and the last stall interviewed are set on doing just that. Aoife and Aoife have taken a hut for the week to raise awareness and raise funds for Jigsaw Galway as part of the initiative to support young people aged 12 to 25 with their mental health. The Jigsaw team are new to the Market this year as Aoife explained; “this is our first time ever doing it, and actually it was as a result of our Youth Advocates. One of the things they identified last year was that they’d like to be present in the Market, and raise awareness and raise funds. “We have a raffle that’s being funded by Lidl and also Starbucks, and so some people are just donating money and some are buying tickets for the raffle”. They said they are excited to be a part of the Market while also supporting our community. Why don’t you take the time to explore the Christmas Market if you haven’t already and meet the local traders who make the winter wonderland possible each season? The huts, crafts, carousel, and Big Wheel are in Eyre Square until 9 January 2024 so there is plenty of time to stick on your Santa hat and experience Eyre Square in the height of its Christmassy glory.

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Features · Gné-altanna

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

The Hygiene Hub Christmas Appeal By Fiona Zokou

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Once again, Hygiene Hub is back and doing better than ever this year at the University of Galway, having launched their Christmas appeal. Donations have come pouring in from students for a cause, some of us may have experienced before: hygiene poverty. What is hygiene poverty you may ask? It is not being able to afford some of the most basic hygiene and cleaning items such as deodorant or soap.

What is hygiene poverty you may ask? It is not being able to afford some of the most basic hygiene and cleaning items such as deodorant or soap. For many, our morning routine is one of, if not the, most important parts of the day. But what if you weren’t able to wash your hair, brush your teeth, put on deodorant. This is a reality faced by thousands of families around the world and within Ireland.

For many, our morning routine is one of, if not the, most important parts of the day. But what if you weren’t able to wash your hair, brush your teeth, put on deodorant. This is a reality faced by thousands of families around the world and within Ireland. As described by Independent news, ‘41% of those surveyed had gone without or cut back on the use of hygiene items as a result of their financial situation.’ However, it does not need to be this way and through Hygiene Hub, students and the community can really make a change.

donate gift sets, the Hygiene Hub understands that is not always possible. According to Joanna, these were the most needed items to give: deodorant, shower gel, shampoo, nappies, toilet roll, surface cleaner, and more. “If it is something you use yourself; chances are somebody else will certainly need it,” she said. “Not having the correct hygiene supplies may make you have to take choices between do I eat dinner or do I have nappies for my child. It is very tough choices people have to make and some people take for granted.”

How does the process work?

Effect on Students

I had the chance to speak with Joanna Brophy, Assistant Manager and organiser of Hygiene Hub at University of Galway’s Students’ Union. Joanna explained that people can drop off items in the Student’s Union office, upstairs in Áras na Mac Léinn between 10am - 5pm Friday 24 November. While this time is preferred, students are not restricted to it. Volunteers with the Hygiene Hub will come on 24 November and collect the items. They will be donated to a number of different charities around Galway, some listed are: “COPE Galway, Galway Simon Community, Galway Traveller Movement and St. Vincent DePaul. They will be given to people who need it.”

What are the most needed items? As the holidays do approach, this is the Hygiene Hub’s Christmas appeal. While it would be amazing for individuals to

While the issue may seem faraway for some, it is closer than thought. As of 2020, 10% of third level education students came from disadvantaged backgrounds as reported by the Journal. However, the University of Galway has really made an effort to support students who may not always have access to such items. In 2017, a program was started through the University of Galway Students’ Union to distribute free period products across campus. For students who are faced with financial issues and other challenges, this program is a much needed and welcome addition to the university. The Students’ Union Vice President and Welfare Officer, Izzy Tiernan stated; “Students have enough financial worries as it is with the cost-of-living crisis and spiraling rents, and we firmly believe the Government needs to mitigate the cost of these essential healthcare products for all.” This is why organizations like the Hygiene Hub are so important because even the smallest contribution can make the biggest difference to one individual, especially during holidays.

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Features · Gné-altanna

Receiving a National Garda Youth Award By Latisha McCrudden

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On 4 November I received the National Garda Youth Award for Special Achievement at the Midlands Park hotel in Portlaoise. It was a day of recognition, empowerment and pride and was an honour to receive the award. The Special Achievement award is for someone who has overImage by Latisha come difficult circumstances, defied all the odds and whose McCrudden commitment deserves recognition. For the difficult circumstances I have overcome in my life so far include I am a domestic abuse child survivor having grown up in a domestic abuse home Auditor of the Minceirs Whiden Society and class representative for the first fourteen years of my life. in the Students’ Union. I have also had a tumour removed on the long skull bone I’ve also spoken in the Oireachtas last October, I spoke in the of the left side of my head and been diagnosed with Fibrous Gresham hotel in Dublin at a Rosa event this April, I was a panDysplasia, which is a disease which weakens and erodes the good ellist on the young Traveller changemaker event during Traveller bone in my body and replaces it with fibrous tissue making it pride week in the summer and spoke at a national conference bad bone, and due to personal circumstances in my life I have in collaboration with the HSE and Sligo Traveller group on my overcome my battle with mental health, having contemplated educational journey, but also my mental health battle and journey. Overall, my winning of the National Garda Youth Award can bring a sense to people that your life can be at such a low point but that there is good days after these bad days, hence the rainbow after the rain. Life can be extremely hard and unfair at times, but for me personally, the young girl in me that was put down by the person that’s meant to love and protect her the most in life, strives forward to say you can carve your own path in life even if it was not carved out for you.

My winning of the National Garda Youth Award can bring a sense to people that your life can be at such a low point but that there is good days after these bad days, hence the rainbow after the rain.

taking my own life at the age of fourteen, by going to Pieta House and getting my life back on track. Through all my life even going back to the very early years of my childhood I’ve always been a motivated person. Growing up in the home I grew up in also made me want to always ensure I was a strong independent woman in life. The achievements which contributed to me winning the National Garda Youth Award include: during secondary school I committed a lot of time and energy towards extra circular academic activities. I completed a project called the Future of Sport which I competed in Scifest in Sligo twice with, BT Young Scientist in the RDS in Dublin, DCU in Dublin and UL in Limerick. I also got accepted into the Climate Ambassador programme for Ireland, and for my work through the year received the outstanding achievement award from the programme. In transition year I completed the Gaisce Bronze, currently working on my silver now and the John Paul the Second award also. I also made sure to not let my academic commitments subside and with hard work got all As and Distinctions in my junior cert, Distinction in my Transition year programme and the points needed in my Leaving Cert to go on a pursue my dream to become a lawyer in University of Galway. Along with school I am heavily involved in activism and politics having my eyes set on the 2028 election. I am currently a member of the Irish Traveller Movement youth forum, Minceirs Whiden youth forum, National Womens Council of Ireland, National Youth Assembly of Ireland, Spunout and a National CERV project which is looking at the impact of Covid 19 on children across the country and it will be national research information for all other European countries come next year. In college since I’ve started in September, I am first year representative in the Law Society, Auditor of the Politics Society, Vice

Features · Gné-altanna

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

My Homeland, the Youth Will Not Tire By Jenna Solomon Under the darkening ash-white November evening sky, international students and locals gather on the glistening granite of Galway City’s Eyre Square for the Solidarity Vigil – a peaceful protest supporting Palestine. Huddled close with their hands numb, the protesters’ powerful, unifying banners demanding an end to the war in Palestine that intensified last month are visible for all to read: ‘STOP COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT.’ ‘END THE SIEGE IN GAZA.’ ‘PEACE TO THE LAND CREATED FOR PEACE.’ One of the peaceful protesters, Amal*, begins to sing Mawtini. She sings in a throaty Arabic, her voice rising into the darkening sky. The people gathered turn their heads to watch. Her face is streaked with tears, and the rain-soaked flag in her hand shines under the warm yellow streetlights. “My homeland,” she is singing, “my homeland, the youth will not tire until your independence or they die.” “I don’t know where my family will go,” says Amal, a master’s student at the University of Galway. Amal says she finds comfort standing in solidarity with others – even people she doesn’t know, from all walks of life. For her, active involvement matters. Hearing the voices of fellow activists, comforted and emboldened by the collective presence in Eyre Square, makes clear the power of protest, which is something that Amal, who has taken to protesting in recent times, understands. Amal says that her family live in the West Bank, part of occupied Palestine, and are currently readying themselves to flee should violence flare up in their city. But she is worried for her family’s safety. Following the attack by Hamas on 7 October, the Israeli Government escalated its war on Palestine, beginning with bombing in Gaza. The history of the conflict between Israel and

Image by Yue Qiu

Palestine goes back to the early 20th cen- and hosted an educational Q&A session. tury. But the events of the last month have Amal believes education is key if people marked a new chapter of such violence it are to move from a position of neutrality to has been labelled as a genocide. advocacy. Several student organisations at In Ireland, foreign minister Micheál the University of Galway, notably the Beyond Martin reiterated to the Dáil that the Borders Society, have taken up the challenge. Irish Government supports the peaceful The society, formed this September to creation of a functional Palestinian state, raise awareness of asylum seekers, refumainly through humanitarian aid and gees and people on the move globally, has scholarship programmes. co-hosted several protests and fundraising Amal says that Irish people are sympa- events on campus. thetic and recognise something of their No matter how tiring it may be, Beyond history as a British colony in the Pales- Borders committee member Emmet tinian struggle for statehood. O’Reilly says that it is important for the But most people, she says, remain international community to take action silent. “They didn’t react,” she says. “They when thinking of the realities of families just don’t care.” in Gaza who have nowhere to run during For Amal, this is the war she must fight Israeli bomb attacks. here in Ireland. In the same way that the Solidarity is a philosophy Amal lives Hamas attack on Israel has been decontextu- her own life by. Under Israeli Apartheid, alised, Palestinians have been dehumanised. people like her from the West Bank are This dehumanisation can be brutal not allowed easily into Gaza or other parts and fatal, as it is in Gaza right now, where of Palestine. As a West Banker, she has one of Amal’s friends has lost her family more privileges than her friends in Gaza. home in the recent bombing. But it also “But that’s never mattered to me,” says shows in the responses of people in the Amal. “We feel we are united. With every international community. murder in Gaza, we feel their pain.” “They don’t know my story or my Even now, when she might stay in Ireland friends as humans,” says Amal. at the end of her degree, her choice is the Amal recalls being no more than 11 or 12 same one she made as a girl preparing to flee. when her family first felt they had to prepare “I will return to Palestine,” she asserts. She’s to flee their home. She remembers having to brought with her to Ireland all the beauty of decide what she would take with her. She went her home – Palestinian-roasted coffee, which to her room, looking at her toys and books – she boils on the stovetop, her floral ceramic her life’s memories – and couldn’t choose. handmade Palestine mug, the iconic keffi“I decided then that if they force us to yeh with its embroidered fishnet pattern leave, I will not leave,” she says. “It would – along with her passion for its potential. be better for me to die with my toys than “I think I can make a difference with my being [a refugee].” work,” she says, referring to her career in Amal has never been able to shake that the West Bank which she hopes will be intense attachment to home, and she advanced with the degree she is pursuing feels a strong duty to raise awareness of in Ireland. Until then, she has her activism. the conflict’s history and impact on Pal“If governments are standing with Israel estinians while in Ireland. just to benefit politically, people should In addition to participating in the stand with humanity – humanity with Galway Solidarity Vigil organised by Israeli civilians and Palestinian the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign civilians.” in Ireland, Amal created a 13-page informational booklet about the *Name has Israeli-Palestine been changed conflict to protect the person’s identity.

Features · Gné-altanna

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Editor diaries By Rachel Garvey

Features Co-Editor

Hello November and hello sinners. November is officially here and we all know what November means; the big clue is in Eyre Square, The Annual Christmas Market is back to kick-off the winter season and Christmas music is being played on radio stations and surrounding shopping centres. We need to embrace it, Christmas season has begun because November is genuinely every Irish person’s preparation season for present hunting and Christmas décor purchasing. You all must see the view from the Big Wheel too, it is simply spectacular to see the lights in Eyre Square, Shop Street and down towards the Latin Quarter. Every single year, I keep saying to myself that I’ll get the special package for the Big Wheel; 50 euro for a group of four people, a comfy-seated gold cart and a bottle of prosecco and a time limit of 25 minutes on the wheel. However, I’d most likely switch the prosecco with a glass of Coca-Cola, I’d be a happy elf then. Everyone is aware that Christmas season is quite stressful and a sad time of year for a lot of families. Loved ones who are no longer with us are remembered and candles are lit in houses and churches for them. On top of that because of the cost of living or inflation, it seems like everything is way too expensive and what we used to spend on Christmas presents has doubled over the last few years. The icing on the cake is for a lot of students, it’s exam season and you don’t need me to tell you that’s stressful in its own right. However, if you break it down into little pieces then you’ll find it’s going to be so much more manageable.

Image by Michelle Geraghty When it comes to buying Christmas presents for friends and family, don’t overdo, don’t overthink and don’t break your bank wanting to please everyone. If you look closely, there’s something perfect yet rightly priced on the shelf in front of you. A quick tip: put a Christmas hamper together and fill it with their favourite snacks, body wash and spray, little bits and bobs that they use and love; they’ll love something more that you’ve put together yourself rather than something over the top that they won’t use. Trust me, I’ve adapted this strategy and have received great results and genuine reactions and every single thing in their hamper is used.

Preparing for exams is something different to finding the right gift, but there is a simple strategy for that too; an hour or two or three a day keeps the stress at bay. Practice a few exam questions, write out your answer and make sure your points are valid with zero waffling. Do your research, highlight the important bits and most importantly, take your study breaks to get a coffee, have a snack or listen to your favourite tunes. Life isn’t one big picture that you have to tackle all at once, break it down and analyse each piece as it comes and how you’re going to climb over it. You got this.

Opinion · Tuairim

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Plugged in: Politics and policies matter, here’s why By Fionn Sexton Connolly Look, keeping politically active is a hard sell when there seems to be a new WWIII-causing event plastered over the news every week, but hear me out. It is hard to follow the actions of politicians who are far removed from the outcome of their policies, nobody expects Simon Harris to understand what it’s like to have the hardship fund cut in half, or for Hildegard Naughton to understand how the state actively undermines efforts to combat addiction. But students are nearly always on the chopping block of government policy, it is students who suffer high rents and low pay, it is students who keep the rotting corpse of the service industry animated, and it is students who are forced to leave Ireland due to government failures. If it is us who suffer the most because of government policy, then why shouldn’t we be the most aware of it? Being aware of the decisions that affect you is important; if you know that the budget is coming up then you can lobby the members of your SU, or the USI, or even your local TD. If you know that there will be a giveaway budget, you can be a part of the effort to leverage a better deal for yourself and your peers. One voice alone is easily drowned out, but many voices shouting in choral unison is impossible to ignore. There was a time when every political party had large followings on university campuses, there was a time when the SU council had well over a hundred attending class reps ready to argue about the future of the union. Nowadays we suffer

Image by Edmond Dantès on Pexels in silence, apathy has infected us because the sheer mental strength required to follow politics is not there anymore. We are tired, we are broke, and we are stuck between eating or studying. That’s why it’s vital to know who your TD is, which way they vote, and what they believe. There are thousands of students in Galway who could easily make the difference in a general election, and there is nothing scarier to a TD than losing their seat, their power, and their privileges. You don’t have to support a party to be a part of something bigger than yourself, party politics put us here, it is hard to see how it will help us get out of the economic hole our generation is buried in. So, get out there and be aware of who wants to cut your SUSI, or raise your taxes, or who tries to cut student hardship funds (Spoiler, it was Fine Gael). It could be the start of the change you want to see.

Why don’t buses run past midnight? By Eliash Eze

Opinion Co-Editor A city that comes to life after dusk lacking transportation services at night will only lead to the detriment of a city. There are no major changes being initiated to combat the nightly journeys across Galway city while the Christmas Market is starting earlier and lasting longer with each following year. So why can’t buses do the same? Returning home from a night out would be exponentially easier and more cost effective for everyone if buses ran past midnight. The majority of journeys back home are made by taxi or the long trudge back home in the dark. The plan for trams in Galway has been cancelled and there are no transportation services available after midnight in Galway that isn’t the taxi; so how are students supposed to navigate the city after the lights are out? Image by Zeeshaan Shabbir on Pexels

On top of that, a large number of students work night or weekend jobs, where buses don’t operate late at night and they are relegated to hollering for a taxi. Park and stride, as well as walking, are both ample options, but a third option wouldn’t hurt the city. This isn’t about students enjoying their nights by drinking away, but to the people of Galway as whole, who live their lives at night as opposed to the day. As the world tries to reduce carbon emissions, the overreliance of taxis post-midnight isn’t reducing the carbon emissions by any means. Taxis are reliable and everywhere, but those benefits are also why the rest of Ireland needs more nightly services. By reducing the reliance of taxis, carbon emissions would also reduce significantly. Meanwhile, walking can only build your muscles up so much before frustration and exhaustion kicks in. Finding ways to ease citizen transportations at night would assist in growing Ireland, especially Galway, into a more pleasant city to reside in. Dublin being the first to try out new ideas before the rest of Ireland gets to is unsurprising, but similarly to contactless payment that is being tested out in Dublin in May of this year, the rest of Ireland needs to acquire this commonplace technology that is existent in the majority of Europe. It is even more important that a city like Galway, which thrives off of students and their wacky nights, that buses run much later than they currently do. The contactless payment option that has begun in Dublin is something that is taken for granted in every other major city in Europe, so why is Ireland struggling to keep up? Compared to Dublin, it would be easier to begin an initiative of midnight buses in Galway as opposed to Dublin, given its size and the routes that the buses have to take. There needs to be more focus and less restrictions on upgrading the bus services of the rest of Ireland, not just Dublin. Cities that thrive off of students, like Galway, need these kinds of improvements in services urgently if the city hopes to retain as much of its student population as possible in the future.

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Opinion · Tuairim

Sexual Health West World AIDS Day Concert St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, Galway Friday 1 December 2023 at 8:00pm Significant rise in new diagnoses of HIV in Ireland ahead of World AIDS Day 2023 Sexual Health West will celebrate the annual World AIDS Day Concert once again on Friday 1 December from 8:00pm at St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church in Galway. We are delighted that our great friends Cois Cladaigh and Bel Canto will once again be performing. The concert is open to all and admission is free. “We are delighted once again to be able to host the annual World AIDS Day Concert in the beautiful surroundings of St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church in Galway, and we look forward to welcoming those who have attended over the years, as well as those who would like to come along for the first time – all are welcome to this wonderful concert and entry is free to all.” says Joe McDonagh, CEO of Sexual Health West. The World Health Organisation states that the theme for World AIDS Day 2023 is Let Communities Lead. World AIDS Day is an opportunity to reflect on the progress made to date, raise awareness about the challenges that remain to achieve the goals of ending AIDS by 2030 and mobilize all stakeholders to jointly redouble efforts to ensure the success of the HIV response. The advances in treatment have dramatically improved the lives of many people living with HIV. Timely, successful treatment can lead to the same health and life expectancy for people living with HIV as the general population. In addition, successful treatment prevents onward transmission of HIV to sexual partners. This (also known as U=U, undetectable equals untransmittable) is an extremely important public health message which along with other HIV prevention measures has the power to end HIV. It is of great concern that recently published figures for 2022 from the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) indicate that in 2022, there was a large increase (68%) in the overall number of diagnoses, compared to prepandemic year 2019. This is largely attributable to an increase in diagnoses among people with a previous diagnosis outside Ireland. Significantly though, the rate of first-time HIV diagnoses decreased by 16% in 2022 compared to pre-pandemic year 2019. Among people with a first-time HIV diagnosis, 45% were diagnosed late, and this is of concern as it has been shown that late HIV diagnosis is associated with poorer outcomes and an increased likelihood of ongoing HIV transmission. The figures for rates of new STI diagnoses in Ireland remains a real concern, with figures for 2022 compared to prepandemic year 2019 indicating a rises in Chlamydia of 19.5%, a rise in Gonorrhoea of 45.3%, a rise in Syphilis of 13.9%, with a decrease in new diagnoses od Herpes at -4.2%. The work of Sexual Health West remains essential to help address these very worrying rises in new diagnoses of HIV & STIs in Ireland. Ireland is contributing to the ambitious UNAIDS targets for zero new infections by 2030 by ensuring HIV treatment is available free to everyone in Ireland, through the development of the national PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) programme which was introduced in Ireland in 2019 with PrEP available free of charge to those considered to be at risk of HIV through sex. Free HIV testing is available in Ireland through a variety of services e.g opt-out antenatal; sexual health services; emergency departments, student health services, NGO’s, drug and homeless services and primary care). HIV community-based testing is also provided in many venues nationwide. The National HSE home STI testing provides a home testing service for STIs and HIV. The National Condom Distribution Service (NCDS), established by The HSE in 2015, distributes free condom and lubricant sachets to sexual health services, third level institutions, public sector organisations and NGOs. Condoms and lubricant are available for free and can be accessed by anyone from the age of 17 years through a range of clinical services, postal services or community venues. In 2022, the NCDS distributed over 1 million condoms seeing an increase in the demand compared to 2019, prior to the onset of COVID-19.

We have been very busy since the last concert as we continue to support those living with HIV across the west of Ireland. Our WISER (West of Ireland Sexuality Education Resource) education team are busy delivering relationships & sexuality programmes in schools, colleges, third level and in communities ensuring that all have access to education and information regarding their sexual health. We continue to offer Rapid HIV & Syphilis Testing in community settings across the region, and we are a partner in the HSE National Condom Distribution Scheme and continue to distribute free condoms and lubricant through our online mailing service. We continue to promote our excellent book ‘Sex Educated’ - the book idea came from answering thousands of questions over the years of teaching RSE in classrooms, giving our WISER team a unique and invaluable insight into the minds of young people; their worries, their curiosities, and fears and what information they are unearthing on the internet. This book meets the needs of young people in Ireland right now, and tells them what they want and need to know with evidence-based, factual, age-appropriate information.” Sex Educated is available on our website at https://sexualhealthwest.ie/ World AIDS Day became the first-ever global health day 35 years ago on 1 December 1988. It has developed over the years and is now an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. If you would like to find out more about any of our services, the concert, our book Sex Educated, or speak to someone at Sexual Health West please call 091 566266 or e: info@sexualhealthwest.ie for more information.

Opinion · Tuairim

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Image by Ireland’s Content Pool

A United Ireland is More Than Getting Rid of a Border By Seán Burke When those of us in the 26 counties talk about the prospect of a United Ireland, it is a near certainty that someone will speak up to talk about making sure that a new Ireland is one that is welcoming to unionists. However, dwelling on this fact is of little use to moving the conversation forward. It is an accepted reality that unionists need to feel that the Irish state works for them. What us Southerners often neglect in our conversations is that the nationalist community also needs to be accommodated in this New Ireland. When looking northwards, nationalist determination for a United Ireland can often cloud the reality which is that changes will need to be made. Whilst nationalists want to be a part of an all-island Irish state, this often isn’t at all costs. John Hume once famously remarked, “You can’t eat a flag”, and in a border poll this will be at the forefront of most people’s minds. If a United Ireland means people having to pay for healthcare all of a sudden, then it’s unlikely that a majority of people in the North will vote to make themselves worse off. Moreover, a successful border poll will not end the constitutional question, but it will begin a new constitutional question. It’s safe to say that Bunreacht na hÉireann was designed as a Catholic constitution for a Catholic Ireland. There’s no doubt that changes will have to be made to accommodate unionists in this regard, but it also ought to be considered that Bunreacht na hÉireann is a constitution for a partitioned Ireland,

written by a man who seemingly refused to acknowledge that fact. In all likelihood, the retention of a devolved assembly in Stormont will garner cross-community support. Not least given the fact that there is also a cross-community mentality that Dublin doesn’t really care about Northern Ireland. While some may dispute this, it’s a mentality that is well grounded in fact. A century on from the partition of this island is important for those of us in the 26 counties to reflect on how past governments failed people we called our own, simply because they were on the wrong side of the border. For decades, Irish people felt abandoned by the Irish Government. Simply put, it’s because they were. When Bernadette Devlin asked the Irish Government to provide gas masks for children in the North, the Government refused. This is one of many instances of an Irish Government abdicating its responsibility to Irish people. There’s often the presumption that the result of a border poll passing will simply be the North being added on to the South. There is no scenario in which this can be for the better. This State has failed people in Northern Ireland time and time again, as has the UK. Leaving one state that neglects you just to join another state with a strong record of the same simply won’t be good enough. Simply put, a United Ireland will never be realised without the creation of a New Ireland, with a new constitution, and a new understanding of what an Irish state really means.

We have done the state some service: why everyone should have to work in the service industry at least once By Fionn Sexton Connolly There are fewer things in life more soul-crushing than the service industry in Ireland. It is the backbone of most college students’ finance, and it is the actual backbone of the Irish economy. I think that everyone should work in the service sector at least once in their life, perhaps like a bizarre form of national service. Why though? Because it is difficult in a way that other jobs aren’t; because it is still classified as ‘unskilled labour’. That classification could not be further from the truth. Anyone who has worked a restaurant, bar or café will tell you about the plethora of things one must master at a very young age, for exploitative wages and conditions. Every bar worker knows that there is an art to pulling pints, making cocktails, cleaning glasses, taking money, and doing so quickly, all the while drunk patrons scream like drunk toddlers. Image by Rene Asmussen on Pexels

Every member of the waiting staff in restaurants knows the menu off by heart and must recite it regularly for rude tourists who are greatly offended when the menu doesn’t involve some form of chicken nuggets and chips because they don’t know what Duck L’orange is (and they will protest loudly regardless). Every barista knows the pain of having to bang out a few dozen coffees per hour for hyper aggressive and impatient people who think they are the only ones whose job matters more if they have a coffee beforehand. This experience has bred a generation of people hellbent on escaping this industry into a sector where they aren’t expected to work every weekend for peanuts and can get a decent night’s sleep without the fear of the dreaded closing shift followed by an opening shift. I was a chef in a small restaurant in Lahinch. I was 19 when I started as a washup, and about nine months later I had to manage the kitchen as an acting Head Chef when my superior took his annual leave. 19 years old. I had done time on every station, had to learn every recipe, and had memorized the order book for our suppliers because we lost a lot of staff due to the seasonal nature of the service. It was intense and traumatic at times as well as exhausting, but it taught me some valuable lessons. It taught me how to work with a diverse group of people from all over the world, how to budget, how to clean like a machine, and how to service over 100 breakfasts per hour while incredibly hungover. It is the universal experience among working middle class people, and everyone should endure it once for two reasons: to show how we have sold out this country to the tourism industry, while our youth succumb to horrible wages and conditions to keep the yanks fed and watered; and to make every person realize how hard it is to get everything right – to give their waiter a little sympathy before you scream at them for forgetting your garlic mayo.

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Opinion · Tuairim

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Winter is in fact, the most wonderful time of the year By Holly Leech

Opinion Co-Editor With exam season right around the corner, this may not be the most agreeable opinion. Nevertheless, I will endeavour to share why I find winter to be the most special. I’m going to preface this by saying that for me, winter is the most wonderful time of the year. I know that this is not the same for everyone, such a blanket statement about something so specific to each person cannot and will not be universally agreed upon. But, with open minds maybe you may come to an understanding from my perspective. Whilst it is nice to eat good food, and to receive gifts, and to be surrounded by friends and family, it’s not just those reasons that I think winter is great. Though, as superficial as it may seem, they are largely contributing factors. For someone like me, who is busy all year round, winter is the one time that I can rest. I can focus on the things that I value most and reflect on the year so far. I can step out into the darkness at 4pm

knowing that I have the whole evening ahead of me and that the sun isn’t going to set bringing with it a sense of finality. There are no limits to my day, as it has already passed, and the night begun. The cold and crisp winter air reminds me to be grateful for the warmth and comfort that I live in. The steam rising off a hot meal makes me appreciate what I have just that bit more. The sparkle of the lights and the jovial music playing on repeat creates an excitement and a buzz that is particular to this time of year. Life moves at such a fast pace. It is okay to step back from time to time and to enjoy the stage that you are currently in. There is the constant pressure of expectations that are placed on us both internally and externally, but sometimes you just need to rest. Animals are hibernating, the landscape is covered in a thick blanket of snow, the sky is bright and there’s a constant light dusting of frost each morning brushing each blade of grass. The ground has a glimmer to it and there’s that satisfying crunch underfoot. Everything smells faintly of a unique combination of spices and perfumes.

Each building has a warm buttery glow emanating from inside, there’s laughter in the air and, although you cannot feel your feet, there’s a thick wave of heat waiting on the inside of each door that envelopes you in a welcome once you arrive at your destination. Winter is restful. If there’s ever a time of year where our bodies and our minds are telling us to take a break, it’s now. When one year ends and another begins. Image by Hannah Martin

When should you defrost your Christmas playlist? By Rachel Garvey On 1 November, Mariah Carey officially started defrosting. Perhaps it took a full night and her defrosting process was scheduled for the night of Halloween so she would be ready at the commencement of November. We all know what Mariah Carey brings, All I Want for Christmas is You and that kickstarts the race for which Christmas songs follow Carey’s holiday hit. One might ask themselves, “when is it deemed appropriate to play Christmas Image by Gary Spears on Pexels

music?” and numerous answers are given; such a question only has two categorised answers: No, December time is only for Christmas music and yes, November time is appropriate to play Christmas music. However, I fall into the category of the yes factor; that November is allowed to have its Christmas music played. If we really think about it, every holiday season is prepared for the month previous; January displays all their Valentine’s Day products in preparation for February, September is preparation time for October with Halloween sweets hitting the supermarket shelves and spooky décor in most retail outlets. Following that quick lesson, it is easy to see that November is December’s preparation month for all things holly and jolly. If you do not believe me, there are many examples of this all over Galway city. Brown Thomas had their Christmas displays up the week before Halloween, The Christmas Market officially opened for business on 10 November and shopping centres were busy decorating for 1 November. I think it is time that we face the music – literally. Christmas season has arrived and we must embrace it. I have heard whisperings that Christmas music is being played too early

especially in most shopping centres; the speakers have a Christmas music station on and it plays all day. A co-worker of mine is of two minds about the whole ideal; she loves singing along to the festive songs, but she thinks it is way too early for them to be played. This is not bias, but it is a common fact that those who believe it is too early to play Christmas music will be disappointed because there are no way businesses will stop playing Christmas songs to accommodate a small amount of people. In my house, Christmas music was always played in November because that is the time when we would put up the tree and decorate the house while a Christmas music channel was on the television belting out tunes. Music is a way of life for a lot of people and in Ireland, November time is an acceptable month to start playing Christmas songs. It makes people happy. It gets us in the mood for the upcoming winter season full of lights, presents and family time. There is a reason why there’s memes all over social media that Mariah is defrosting, it is because she is ready to sing her tune again and to tell you that all she wants for Christmas is for you to listen to Christmas music if you want to in November. It’s not a Christmas crime – literally.

Arts & Fashion · Cultúr 7 Faisean

Image by Suvan Chowdhury on Pexels

Five Nights at Freddy’s review By Rachel Garvey

Grammy nominations 2023 announced By Emma van Oosterhout Another year rolls around, which means another year of musical talent is recognised by the Recording Academy. With 88 categories, there is seemingly an award for everyone. Below is a breakdown of the most prestigious music awards. The nominations in each category were cut from ten to eight, making it harder for artists to get nominated. Next year’s awards will also see the introduction of three new categories; Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Pop Dance Recording. The categories of Producer of the Year, Non-Classical and Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical were moved into the General Field, having previously been under the Production heading. Leading the nominees with nine nominations is SZA, whose second album SOS released last year. She has been nominated for the Big Three (Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Album of the Year). Following SZA in second place with seven nominations was Phoebe Bridgers, Serban Ghenea and Victoria Monét. Third place saw eight artists with six nominations each. These were Jack Antonoff, Jon Batiste, Brandy Clark, Boygenius, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, and Taylor Swift. Only four other artists received all Big Three nominations: Jon Batiste, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift. The Best New Artist category honours newcomers to the industry and saw Gracie Abrams, Fred Again, Ice Spice, Jelly Roll, Coco Jones, Noah Kahan, Victoria Monét, and The War and Treaty get nominations. Morgan Wallen, who rose to international prominence with his song Last Night, was notably absent from the major categories, only receiving one nomination for Best Country Song. Doja Cat was also somewhat snubbed in the major categories, receiving only three nominations. The Grammy Awards ceremony is due to take place on 4 February, and promises to be an interesting night, given the variation of nominations.

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Gracing cinema screens across the country on 25 October, the horror-comedy movie Five Nights at Freddy’s brought cinemagoers into a world of deadly animatronics and missing children and the pending question of “where have all the children gone?” Directed by Emma Tammi who worked with the famous production company Blumhouse, the cast and production and screenwriters were ecstatic to be working on the movie. Although the movie received mixed reviews online; 5.5/10 on IMDb and 30% on Rotten Tomatoes, it is easy for individuals to be overly critical. The Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes stated, “Most viewers will find this adaption muddled and undecidedly unscary” while the audience says, “Perfectly capturing the lore - and the spirit - it is a long-awaited treat for fans of the games”. All a movie needs to survive and become a box-office hit is a good plot, an even better plot twist and actors who bring the story to life in a way we didn’t anticipate. Josh Hutcherson from The Hunger Games stars as our main role in this animatronic nightmare alongside Elizabeth Lail from YOU and Matthew Lillard best known for his role in Scream and the live-action Scooby-Doo. The movie stems from the video game of the same title and is also compared to Willy’s Wonderland movie where there were killer animatronics possessed by

cannibalistic serial killers with their target on a janitor played by Nicholas Cage. The Five Nights at Freddy’s movie introduces us to Mike, a security guard whose life is in unbalance; he is the guardian of his younger sister, he can’t hold a job and there’s the possibility he will lose custody of his little sister to his demanding auntie. In a desperate attempt to right his wrongs after getting fired, he takes a security job in an abandoned pizzeria called Freddy Fazbears’ Pizzeria. After a night visit from the local female sheriff, Vanessa, we are introduced to the film’s supposed villains; Chica, Bonnie, Mr Cupcake, Foxy and Freddy. There are more sinister forces at play and puzzle pieces are shifted to find out what happened to the missing children who disappeared in the pizzeria and who is behind it all after bodies start appearing one by one during the night shifts. The movie may not be packed with wall-to-wall gore and bloodshed, but it’s generous in various kill scenes to satisfy the gore-lovers. The entire movie itself is an endearing tribute to game fans of Five Night’ at Freddy’s and offers people a memorable cinematic experience while watching their favourite game characters come to life on-screen. The animatronics will make you fall in love from the start as they come alive and want you to join in their friendship with them, but a warning; do not become an animatronic like them. It doesn’t look to be comfortable in the transition.

Five Nights at Freddys’ movie poster

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Arts & Fashion · Cultúr 7 Faisean

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels

Is GTA VI finally on the way? By Finnian Cox Rockstar games has announced plans to reveal the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI next month, as the company celebrates its 25-year anniversary. Releasing ten years after the fifth instalment in the GTA (Grand Theft Auto) series, Rockstar President Sam Houser said in a statement the developer is “very excited” about the announcement. The project, which has been a subject of extreme secrecy, has had fans speculating for the best part of a decade, desperate for any semblance of hints from Rockstar. Though development was announced back in February of 2022, very few announcements have been made since, with no official images or footage shown yet. Rockstar have been accused of being too profit orientated by fans of the series in the past, due to the number of DLCs and premium content released for the online version of the game. Since the launch of GTA online, there have been over 40 DLC’s released for it, to a busy market. This month alone saw a peak of 160,000 players. The game holds the title of second best-selling videogame of all time (behind Tetris, of all things). It has made about eight billion USD in profits since release. Satirist gaming youtuber VideogameDunkey released a video after the trailer was announced, highlighting ten years of misunderstanding, false hope, and outright lies that have circulated online. One notorious example of this is a video by youtuber Sernando. In 2017, he released a video claiming to have obtained a copy of GTA VI, which currently has 4.7 million views. The cultural impact of the GTA games contributed heavily to this. The popularity of it on YouTube meant that there was a constant clickbait market for fake GTA VI footage. The first instance of actual gameplay footage came in 2022 when a member of hacking group ‘Lapsus$’ leaking what was alleged to be footage of the sixth instalment in an attempt to blackmail the company. In a statement, the Rockstar Games team said they were disappointed to have had the game revealed this way, and they would “Properly introduce you to the game when its ready”. Despite instances such as these, there are plenty of positive stories from the YouTube GTA community. Ireland’s own Jacksepticeye tweeted his excitement for the next game.

With the beginning of his career and the release of GTA V coinciding, he attributes much of his early success to his videos of gameplay. “GTA V was some of the very first content I ever did on my channel, when I had like 2,000 subs”, he said. His initial rise in popularity came when youtuber PewDiePie, (who had the most subscribers on the platform at the time) reacted to one of his GTA videos in September of 2013.

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Photography · Grianghrafadóireacht

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Galway Hooker – Michelle Geraghty Christmas Shopping at Sunset – Michelle Geraghty

Sult – Michelle Geraghty

Student Showcase

Bird – Hannah Martin

The Quad – Michelle Geraghty

Blackrock Cottage – Michelle Geraghty

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Photography · Grianghrafadóireacht

Winter sunset – Hannah Martin

Christmas in Galway – YUE QIU

Winter Sunset – Michelle Geraghty Christmas in Galway – Yue Qiu

Galway is Coming – Yue Qiu Galway Hooker at Sunset – Michelle Geraghty

Winter Sunset Blackrock – Michelle Geraghty

Photography · Grianghrafadóireacht

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Pink Training & The Dirty Circus at Pink Training Photos: Matt Kavanagh

Events & Societies

Photo by Devika Das

PhotoSoc Trip to Killadoon

Photo by Aditya Bhange

Photo by Louise Triboy

Photo by Shivam Sharma

Orchestra Society: The Wildlife Orchestra at Baboró. Photos: Angelo Joel Joy

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Photography · Grianghrafadóireacht

Photo by Lorna Shanley

SU Launch GaelSeachtain Sult Taylor’s Version. Photos: Matt Kavanagh

Transgender Day of Remembrance. Photos: Raimey O’Boyle Fem Soc

Baking Soc – Beyond Boarders Bake Sale

Photography · Grianghrafadóireacht

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Galway Christmas Market Photos by Michelle Geraghty (unless otherwise noted)

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Photography · Grianghrafadóireacht

Photo by Yue Qiu

Photography · Grianghrafadóireacht

Diwali at University of Galway Photos by Mayank Gajbhiye

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Photography · Grianghrafadóireacht

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Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

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Photography · Grianghrafadóireacht

Coldvember 2023 Images by the Coldvember team

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Photography · Grianghrafadóireacht

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Getting involved in men’s health this Movember By Megan Connolly

Health and Lifestyle Editor November – the month of men’s mental health. It’s that time of year as the popular phenomenon of Movember rolls around again. This initiative of growing out your facial hair signifies the importance of men’s health, both mental and physical. The unique association, which was originally created back in 2003, spreads awareness on men’s mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. With its 15th year in Ireland, this movement is not going out of style any time soon. So, what is Ireland doing for men’s health in 2023? Our very own University of Galway Law Society are the stars of the show

for fundraising in Galway this year. Many law students are individually taking part in Movember and their progress can be tracked on the official Movember website or through the Law Society Instagram page! The society are certainly keeping busy this month as they are also creating events in order to fundraise for their official November charity. Donations can be made to this website. The popular taxi company FREENOW is also participating this year and partnering with Movember right up until February 2024! You can donate through the FREENOW app by ‘rounding up’ your taxi fare to the nearest euro, meaning the difference will go to the Movember charities! No matter how little, every cent helps with this feature on FREENOW as it is the leading taxi app in Ireland. According to a survey done by the official Movember charity, 68% of FREENOW drivers say that having a chat

with a passenger has a positive impact on their own mental health and well-being. This partnership with leading Irish companies like FREENOW is an important step for the Movember organisation, as it spreads awareness through customs we’d use frequently in our daily life. Are you showing your support by letting go of your shaving routine this November? Of course, the most important part is spreading awareness and donating to well-deserved charities. Growing the Mo’ is simply just for fun! Nevertheless, if you do choose to have excess facial hair throughout November, you become a poster boy for men’s health. The moustache is a symbol of support for men, and while it may feel futile, you take part in sparking important conversations regarding mental health or male-related cancers. If you spot a Movember advocate by their newly grown moustache, you can surely count on them to care about your well-being! This campaign is becoming increasingly important in Ireland as concerns for men’s mental health continue to grow daily. Staggering statistics from the official Movember site show that 302 men died by suicide in Ireland in 2021. Another statistic shows that around one in every eight people in Ireland know someone who was close to them that died by suicide. These facts tell us that Movember is one of the most important fudraisers currently in Ireland, and we should absolutely prioritise getting involved. That being said, here are three ways that you can participate in Movember; either during the last few days of November, or to keep in mind for next year. 1. Check out the Movember partners and make sure you support them! This could mean attending fundraisers, or using the FREENOW taxi app and rounding up your fare. 2. Simply donate to individual Movember charity members. The price of a coffee goes a long way for mental health projects in Ireland, or the Irish Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry. 3. Become a charity member yourself and grow your Mo’. Track your moustache progress on social media as a way to entertain your followers, this may result in more donations for the Movember cause! And remember: caring about your health is not limited to one month of the year. Your health is always a priority. If you have been affected by the topics discussed and need immediate support, please contact a helpline listed below.

Photo by Craig McKay on Unsplash

The Samaritans: Free call 116 123. Available 24/7. Pieta House: Call 1800 247 247.

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Health & Lifestyle · Folláine 7 Nós Maireachtála

Image by Monika from Pixabay

Christmas present shopping on a student-friendly budget By Emma van Oosterhout Christmas shopping is no doubt a stressful experience. Trying to find the perfect present for a loved one is already difficult enough. Add in a sprinkle of overheating in crowded shops, paired with those awful Christmas song covers, a scarce bank account and it’s a recipe for a full-on horror show. If this article can make even one person’s Christmas shopping a little easier, then it will have succeeded in its purpose. Here is a list of shops and websites with student discounts.

The Filling Station

Located on Abbeygate Street, The Filling Station is a small business. The store pride themselves in offering minimal waste food and household products. They also offer natural skincare and cosmetics along with reusable water bottles, bamboo toothbrushes, reusable nappies and period products, candles and haircare. We could all do with being a little kinder to our environment, so The Filling Station is a great company to support!

Boots

Although you need an Advantage Card for this one, Boots also offer a (you guessed it) 10% student discount. With locations on Shop Street, Knocknacarra, Wellpark and Galway Shopping Centre, there is no shortage of Boots stores across the city. From handy gift sets to perfumes, makeup, hairstyling tools and photo-printing services, Boots is truly a Galway staple when it comes to Christmas shopping, and is definitely one not to be missed.

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Avail of a 10% student discount at Schuh on Shop Street. Although small, Schuh has some really cool shoes and accessories including (drumroll) Crocs in a plethora of colours. Their friendly staff are on hand to help with any queries you may have, and the handy discount also helps the experience too.

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With two floors of fashion in both Corbett Court and Knocknacarra, New Look offers a 10% discount to third-level students. Why not pick up a cozy set of pyjamas or slippers? Their gift corner truly has something for everyone, from cocktail shakers to mini quizzes and even Christmas jumpers for your furry friends!

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Lifestyle Sports

With convenient locations in both Corbett Court and Headford Road Retail Park, Lifestyle Sports offers a 10% student discount. With perfect gifts, from trendy footwear to fashionable athleisure and accessories such as hats and smart watches, Lifestyle is a perfect stop on your Christmas shopping journey for the sports or exercise lover in your life.

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Cainte

Am Nollaig i nGaillimh Le Sadhbh Clancy

Cainte Editor

Panto as Gaeilge

Tá geamaireacht Gaeilge ar súil idir an 7ú agus an 23ú Nollaig san Taibhdhearc, amharclann atá suite i gcroílár Gaillimhe. Tá sé bunaithe ar scéal béaloideas faoi Fionn Mac Cumhaill agus é ag buaileadh

le Benandonnar, Fathach ollmhór na hAlban. Is rud iontach é an geamaireacht sin do phaistí atá ag labhairt Gaeilge sa saol coitianta. Tá ticéidí ar díol ar https://www.ticket tailor.com/events/antaibhdhearc/1006290

Margadh na Nollaig

Tá Margadh na Nollaig ar ais arís i nGaillimh! Beidh na stainníní oscailte go dtí an 7ú Eanáir. Is ócáid iontach é ag léiríodh bia agus brandaí Éireannaigh. Tá siamsa Image by Hannah Martin

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Foclóir Geamaireacht – Pantomime Roth Ferris – Ferris Wheel Roithleagán Ró – Merry-go-round/Carousel Pluais Dhaidí na Nollag – Santa’s Grotto Snámh na Nollaig – Christmas Swim ar fail do gach duine; cosúil leis an Roth Ferris, an roithleagán ró agus pluais Dhaidí na Nollag. Fáil scailtín fíona agus bain sult as.

Tabhair Cuairt ar na Tithe Tábhairne

Tá Nollaig an t-am is fear chun cuairt a thabhairt ar na tithe tábhairne i nGaillimh. Bíonn soilse Nollag le feiceáil agus bheadh tú in ann pionta a ól in aice le bladhmsach thine. Tá go leor ceoil beo le cloisteáil, ceoil na Nollaig san aíreamh.

Am don Charthanacht

Tá go leor himeachtaí carthanacht ar súil i nGaillimh ag am Nollaig, go háirithe chun snámh a dheanamh san fharraige. Is é Coldvember mar imeacht láidre i measc mic léinn agus iad ag tiomsú airgid do Galway Rape Crisis Centre. Beidh snámh na Nollaig ar súil idir an 20 – 26 de mhí na Nollaig ar son Cope Galway.

Crannchur na Nollaig

Beidh ticéidí don Crannchur na Nollaig ag Comhaltas na Mic Léinn, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe ar fail go dtí an 7ú de mhí na Nollaig. Ina measc na duaiseanna, beidh táibléad, ticéid féile Wild Roots, ceachtanna tiomána agus go leor leor eile. Tá ticéid amháin €5 agus tá trí chinn le fail do €10.

GaelSeachtain in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe Le Faye Ní Dhomhnaill Haigh a chairde! Caide mar a bhfuil sibh? Mise Faye Ní Dhomhnaill, Leas-Uachtarán don Ghaeilge leComhaltas na Mac Léinn, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. B’fhéidir go bhfuil sé feicthe agaibh, go raibh Gael Seachtain againn ón 13ú-17ú an mí seo. Is í aidhm an seachtain seo an Ghaeilge a cuir chun cinni measc na mic léinn. Bhí go leor imeachtaí againn, ó maidin chaife go Ceardlann Fostaíochta le Conradh na Gaeilge. Ceapaim gur rud tábhachtach é an Gaeilge a spreagadh in áiteanna nach mbíonnan Gaeilge go minic. Mar sin, rinneamar iarracht i mbliana comhoibriú le cumainn nach bíonn mórán baint acu leis an Gaeilge. Anuas ar sin, bhí muid ag iarradh go dtaispeánfaimid gur féidir leat Gaeilge in úsáid i ngach áit. Mar shampla, rinneamar

TAY-dóireacht, treodóireacht ach ba iad na treoireacha go léir liricí Taylor Swift a bhí aistrithe go Gaeilge. Is rud iontach símplí imeacht cosúil le sin a cuir ar siúl, ach bhain daoine an-sult as! Taispeánann imeachtaí mar sin do dhaoine gur rud éasca é an Gaeilge a úsáid ó lá go lá, fiú más liricí Taylor Swift is atá i gceist! Ceapaim gur rud iontach tábhachtach é doirse a oscailt ar feadh daoine nach mbíonn baint acu leis an Gaeilge go minic. Sin ceard a tharla domsa, ní raibh Gaeilge ar bith agam nuair a bhí mé níos óige. Ach ansin, fuair mé deis píosa Gaeilge a úsáid, agus rinne gach rud chiall i mo cheann. Sin an buntáiste le imeachtaí cosúil le GaelSeachtain, go mbeadh gach duine ón gach cúinne don domhan mór in ann an Ghaeilge a úsáid. Ag caitheamh súil siar ar an seachtain álainn sin, ceapaim go raibh sé den scoth

Image by gaeilge_cmlong on Instagram na mic léinn agus na cumainn ag teacht le chéile ar son an Gaeilge. Tuigeann daoine cé comh tábhachtach is a bhfuil sé an Gaeilge a chur chun cinn. Mar sin, más cumann nó duine aonrach thú agus teastaíonn uait imeacht trí ghaeilge a cuir ar siúl, bí i dteagmháil! Seol ríomhphost chugam ar su.gaeilge@ollscoilnagaillimhe.ie, agus su.gaeilge@ollscoilnagaillimhe.ie feicfidh mé sibh i seimeastar a dó

THRIFTMAS

Market Tíosmhargadh na Nollag 11:00-15:00 Thursday 30th November Déardaoin 30 Samhain

Student Business Stalls Áras na Mac Léinn Foyer

Galway Simon Community Second Hand Pop Up in The Cube

@UniOfGalwaySU

UniversityOfGalwayStudentsUnion www.su.universityofgalway.ie

Sport · Spóirt

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

20 October 2023; Maurice Nugent of Galway United celebrates with the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division cup after the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division match between Galway United and Wexford at Eamonn Deacy Park in Galway. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Eamonn Deacy Park: Galway’s largest source of energy By Seán Burke Friday 20 October saw the heavily anticipated lifting of the League of Ireland First Division trophy by Galway United, preceded by a win against Wexford and accompanied with an electric crowd providing a canopy of racket and a presentation of pyro. Fans of all ages had gathered in Eamonn Deacy Park to see the historic moment of the trophy being lifted. The match, which saw Wexford fans return home disappointed, started strong for Galway United with a goal from Wassim Auoachria five minutes in. The match ended with a 2-0 victory for United, bringing the team to a whopping 98 goals across the season. This also cemented their record of winning every home game during the season. Had it not been broken, the scoreboard would have had a quiet second half, contrary to the loudness radiating from the stands. Chants from the crowd were atypically cordial, with GUFC fans promoting the versatility of Wexford produce, singing, “You can shove your Wexford strawberries

up your a***”. Asserting Galway United’s place as a club with a conscience, throughout the match towards the back of Block F, there was an array of Palestinian flags, accompanied by chants of “Free! Free! Palestine!”. After the final whistle blew came the ceremony of the trophy being lifted. Flags were waved triumphantly, with a backdrop of fans’ cheers bellowing. Ordinarily, thoughts occupying the minds of fans leaving Eamonn Deacy Park consist of ‘Where did I park my car?’, ‘where is the nearest pub?’, and of course, an assessment of the match. But on this day, whilst the former two thoughts remained pertinent, the latter was ousted by the question, ‘what’s next?’. Next is, of course, the Premier Division. This means Galway United will be in for a much more formidable challenge than what fans have become accustomed to over the last year. In the FAI Cup semi-final, United lost to Bohemians, albeit by only one goal. In the Premier Division, Bohemians came sixth on the table. Given this, Galway United fans may be mistaken to be too optimistic for the year ahead.

Nevertheless, the club has faced financial hardships in the past, and Premier Division prizes are significantly more substantial than those for the First Division. The team will only have to place third in order to win a prize greater than that for coming first in the First Division. However, it is quite likely that money issues will be less of a concern than in previous years. This is because of the Galway United Co-op voting to give the Comer Brothers the option to buy an 85% stake in the club. Fans hope that this will lead to more investment in the club, which will make for a better team. Galway United certainly has quite the challenge ahead of them. However, on the back of a successful season, which has brought in new fans of all ages, there’s a significant reason for hope and optimism to the zeitgeist in Terryland, in spite of the hellscape that is the Headford Road. When the next season begins, it is perfectly reasonable to expect it to begin in Galway with a fog of exuberance smothering the stands of Eamonn Deacy Park and an energy that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world.

Vol. 25 #03 27 Nov. 2023

Sport · Spóirt

Corofin vs Ballina Preview By Ronan O’ Donnell Saturday 18th November, we will see the clash between Galway kingpins Corofin and Mayo champions Ballina in the Connacht senior club semi-final in Pearse Stadium, Salthill. Ballina Stephanites have had just six days to prepare for this stern test after their comprehensive 15-point win over London champions Fulham Irish. Corofin got over the line in their county final against reigning Connacht champions Moycullen and will be eager to go further in the Connacht championship. Ballina were without three of their crucial players against Fulham Irish, with Padraig O’Hora, Dylan Thornton and Evan Regan all unavailable for that clash. Ballina manager Niall Heffernan will be hoping to get them back for the massive test of Corofin. Corofin are well familiar at this stage of getting out of Galway, progressing in Connacht, and competing in the All-Ireland series. They have an impressive 10 Connacht titles to their name, with the most recent coming in 2020. They also have 5 All Irelands, with four coming in the last 8 years. They famously became the first club team to win 3 All-Irelands in a row when they did so in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Ballina won their first Mayo championship since 2007 this year after coming close in recent years. The men from Mayo went on to win the Connacht title the same year.

This game will have many key matchups with county players such as Liam Silke, Dylan Mc Hugh, Kieran Molloy and Padraig O’Hora. Other names to look out for include Ronan Steede, Tony Gill and the 39-year-old star man Gary Sice for Corofin. Ballina have the Irwin brothers Jack and Frank, who is a member of the Mayo senior team along with fellow panellist Conor Mc Stay in the forwards. The man that makes Ballina tick is sharpshooter Evan Regan, who has previous experience with Mayo. The Corofin manager, Kevin Johnston, previously managed Ballintubber in Mayo and will know what to expect when his charges come up against the men from Ballina. Corofin are hot favourites with the bookmakers for this one, but Ballina will be no push-over. The winner of this clash will take on the winners of St Brigid’s (Roscommon) and Mohill (Leitrim) in the Connacht final. The game will be live on RTE1 with a throw-in time of 2pm. PREDICTION: Corofin will be too strong in attack and will win by 4-5 points. FINAL SCORE OF THE MATCH: Corofin 0-16 Ballina 0-12. Corofin are set to face St Brigid’s from Roscommon in Dr Hyde Park in the provincial final on Sunday 3 December.

18 November 2023; Conor Cunningham of Corofinin in action against James Doherty and Sean Regan of Ballina Stephenites during the AIB Connacht GAA Football Senior Club Championship Semi-Final match between Corofin, Galway, and Ballina Stephenites, Mayo, at Pearse Stadium, Galway. Photo by Ray Ryan/Sportsfile

Convenor of the College of Arts, Social Sciences & Celtic Studies | Tionólaí Choláiste na nDán, na nEolaíochtaí Sóisialta & an Léinn Cheiltigh

President | Uachtarán

Leas Uachtarán don Ghaeilge Vice President / Irish Language

Vice President / Education Officer Leas Uachtarán / Oifigeach Oideachais

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

Dean Kenny

Faye Ní Dhomhnaill

Raimey O’Boyle

Izzy Tiernan

Convenor of the College of Business, Public Policy & Law | Tionólaí Choláiste an Ghnó, an Bheartais Phoiblí agus an Dlí

Convenor of the College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences | Tionólaí Choláiste an Leighis, an Altranais & na nEolaíochtaí Sláinte

Convenor of the College of Science and Engineering | Tionólaí Choláiste na hEolaíochta agus na hInnealtóireachta

Postgraduate Research Officer Oifigeach na nIarchéimithe i mbun Taighde

Postgraduate Taught Officer Oifigeach na nIarchéimithe Teagasctha

Cameron Rose

Katie Scrivener

Joey Andrews

Chris Stewart

Fionn Sexton Connolly

Ruairí O’Boyle

Coiste Gnó Executive Committee 2023-2024

Societies Chairperson Cathaoirleach na gCumann

Clubs Captain Captaen na gClubanna

Environmental and Sustainability Officer Oifigeach Comhshaoil agus Inbhuanaitheachta

International Students Officer Oifigeach na Mac Léinn Idirnáisiúnta

Gender and LGBT+ Rights Officer Oifigeach um Chearta Inscne agus LADT

Rachel Concannon

Justin Kossel

Molly Hickey

Julia Collins

Sava Beekman

UniversityOfGalwayStudentsUnion www.su.universityofgalway.ie

@UniOfGalwaySU Disability Rights Officer Oifigeach um Chearta Míchumais

Mature Students’ Officer Oifigeach Mic Léinn Lánfhásta

Ethnic Minorities Officer Oifigeach na Mionlach Eitneach

Mary Tynan

Adrian Wisdom

Vanessa Frimpong