Subvert Spring 2019

Editor

Dan Grennan

MEET THE TEAM Deputy Editor

Chief Subeditor

Deputy Chief Subeditor

Lauren Fetherston

Kasper Delaney-Petersen

Katie Walsh

Editorial Welcome to Subvert. The magazine that subverts the narrative.

Subvert travels through the stories lesser told and into some of the stranger sides of society.

The magazine is interested in: the people who work behind the scenes; the people in the more unusual cultures; and the people thriving in the stranger sports. People like PR experts working for the Taoiseach; a Reiki master and Tarot card reader, or the Harry Potter-obsessed quidditch players.

Subvert has no defined sections, but the stories are arranged so it flows through our three themes politics, subcultures and sport; with a fashion section in the centre, designed to appeal to our more grandiose inclinations.

Politics gives a platform to the less vocal parts of society. From Noel Rock, a TD who is sick of older politicians stealing his ideas, to Fred Connolly, who has almost a quarter century of experience volunteering for the RNLI; and then there’s Paul Glynn, an undertaker who deals with the darkest inevitability of life on a daily basis.

Subculture digs into the more subterranean lifestyles around. Lewis Kenny fills us in on feathering your nest as a professional spoken word poet; tourism’s tireless ill effects in Dublin has no end in sight, with more of our artistic spaces being destroyed to make way for hotels as, progressive dance venues fall, one after the other; and then we explore the masculine side of erotic tattooing, something not to everyone’s taste.

Sports plays with the more obscure and wackier games around. Alan Kelly interviews one of motorsport’s oldest female icons, rally-driver Rosemary Smith; World Wrestling Entertainment star, Jeff Hardy, spills the beans on his struggle with alcohol and drug addiction; and Ethan McDonagh reminisces on his Yu-Gi-Oh! days, while exploring what the card trading fantasy game has evolved into.

Subvert has a unique, artful aspect, in Chief-Sub-Editor Kasper Delaney-Petersen’s hand-drawn illustrations and cartoons. This magazine would not have been possible without the help of Ian Kilroy, Catherine Shanahan and Sharon Cleary, in the TU Dublin, School of Media.

Natalie Kavanagh and Bridgín Boyle are to thank for our glorious fashion shoot, for their role of photographer and model, respectively.

The editorial team took a few years off their lives in the making of this magazine, via fast food, beer and caffeine; but sure look, as Mark E. Smith says, “they fail to realise that 99.9% of people with a healthy diet will eventually die”.

Dan Grennan

Cover photography by Natalie Kavanagh Modelled by Bridgín Boyle Headpiece by Claire Garvey

Photography Editor - Nick Moloney Social Media Curator - Ian Curran Politics Editor - John Patrick Kierans Subcultures Editor - Rob O’Halloran Sports Editors - Catherine Devane & Roisín Chapman Fashion Editor - Katie McNamee Deputy Fashion Editor - Sophie Clarke Advertising - Caileam Raleigh, Ja Wei Lee, Stephen Ryan, & Cormac Byrne Contributors: Ethan McDonagh, Isabelle Evans, Megan Kavanagh, Donagh Corby, Ellen Corrigan, Darragh O’Connor, Alan Kelly, Shannon Somers, Jack Maguire, Keith Horan & Rory Lynskey Background illustration by Kasper Delaney-Petersen

SPRING 2019

Subvert

Fashion Fortune Favours the Bold P. 12

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Writing From the Hart P. 22

P. 34 Unseen in the Sea P. 24

The Rhyme of Life P. 42

Tivoli & Hangar P. 30 Behind the Wheel P. 46 Hot Ink P. 48

My Return to Yu-Gi-Oh! P. 66

Ageism & Sexism In Irish Politics Young politicians often bear the brunt of everyday ageism and sexism in Ireland. John Patrick Kierans explores how these new polticians cope.

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espite living in an era of ever emerging liberalism, both ageism and sexism are ‘infuriating’ issues that currently surround young people in politics.

Although the modern world consists of social media,

youth empowerment, and the #MeToo movement, older politicians seem to have the belief that they still rule the nation with an iron fist.

Whether they do it purposely or not, elected officials in Leinster House have a tendency to look down at younger Deputies, often taking credit for their

ideas and belittling their beliefs.

This is something that Noel Rock, TD for Dublin North West, has noticed since his election to the Dáil in 2016.

Although aged just 30, Noel has already had a remarkable political career. A DCU journalism graduate, he interned for Hillary Clinton during her time as a Senator in the United States, before working on her Presidential campaign in 2008.

Despite a failed election attempt at the age of 21 in 2009, Noel went on to win a seat in Dublin City Council in 2014, before taking a step up to the big time in 2016.

Despite all these achievements, and no doubt with many more to come, the Fine Gael TD still believes that everyday ageism occurs at Ireland’s Government Headquarters.

Speaking to Subvert over a coffee in the Dáil Bar, Mr Rock revealed the issue is something he still feels on a regular basis.

“I saw a quote from Francis Fitzgerald which was along the lines of, ‘I’ve often said things in meetings and an hour later a man will say the

same thing and from then on it will be attributed to the man, even though I said it first,’” he said.

“She’s obviously talking about sexism, but that same thing happens to young people too. It is absolutely infuriating when you make a point or pro-

“I think age has been an advantage in many ways ... Fianna Fáil wanted new, young, fresh faces, and luckily I was one of them.” pose an idea and someone else rips it and then it’s not attributed to you. That happens every single day and it’s absolutely infuriating.

“People wrongly ascribe age to seniority and age to wisdom, so the older a person

Illustration by Kasper Delaney-Petersen

is, the more their views are listened to by colleagues. That’s a difficulty, definitely.

“I do feel it less now than when Enda Kenny was in charge. I’m not saying Enda

“It’s below the belt stuff, people might even say it without knowing you or what you’ve done in politics.” personally did that, Enda is actually great for promoting young people.

“He gave Simon Harris a start, and he gave Leo Varadkar a start. He’s great for promoting youth, but a lot of people from that administration and that era aren’t necessarily in the same boat.”

Ageism isn’t only experienced in the Dáil either. Noel feels as though councillors are as much at fault as TDs.

“As a councillor it was a similar story,” he said.

“To be honest, it’s not particular individuals and I don’t think anyone means it, it just happens, I feel it and I notice it. When I read the Francis quote, I thought that is also applicable to my life.”

Fianna Fáil TD Jack Chambers, 27, believes that age is sometimes used to try to undermine people, but admits he has never let his youth be a barrier for him.

The Dublin West representative told Subvert: “I think age has been an advantage in many ways. For the election, Fianna Fáil wanted new, young, fresh faces, and luckily I was one of them. There were many others around the country also.

“I never allowed my age to be a barrier for me or what I wanted to achieve for my constituency. A lot of parties try to encourage young people to be active and Fianna Fáil are very positive with young people.

“I have had times where some people wanted to undermine me, and when people want to undermine you they’ll find something. People sometimes would try to dismiss you as a younger candidate because you don’t have as much experience. It’s similar with young people applying for any job. You’re meant to have a certain amount of experience.”

He added: “It’s below the belt stuff, people might even say it without knowing you or what you’ve done in politics.

“If people want to knock you they’ll find something. I find that most are positive about young people, but there’ll always be negativity. You can’t please everyone.”

Find out more about Noel Rock’s views at: www.noelrock.ie Find out More about Jack Chambers’ views at: www.jackchambers.ie

Jeff struggles through the Hardy times World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Jeff Hardy opens up to Donagh Corby about his substance abuse and his triumphant comeback.

Below: Jeff Hardy shows his warpaint, courtesy of WWE

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he streets of Brooklyn are abuzz with the noise of car horns. Street vendors are peddling their various confectioneries to a busy corner full of men and women going about their morning routine. A billboard advertises the weekend’s ‘SummerSlam’ wrestling event, happening a couple of miles away in the Barclays Center.

Above all the hustle and bustle, in a conference room in the Marriott Brooklyn Bridge Hotel, the stars of the World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE, are meeting members of the international media to promote their own various activities for the weekend. It’s been a hectic few weeks and months for a lot of the talent, but perhaps none more so than 40-year-old veteran Jeff Hardy.

For the Carolina native, his career has been the most unpredictable cliché. He saw the highest of highs in his time wrestling, only to be dragged right back down to earth like one of his patented high-flying manoeuvres. Hardy’s history with the law is well documented; he spent time behind bars in 2011, after a cocaine and prescription pill arrest in 2009.

With his most recent success in winning the United States Championship, just after ‘WrestleMania’, Hardy became one of a select few men to be crowned a ‘Grand Slam Champion’. This accomplishment saw him climb the ladder of the entertainment juggernaut once again, after having ‘Swanton Bombed’ his way into a North Carolina jail cell, thanks to a drinking driving arrest on the way home from a concert in his hometown, just a few weeks prior.

“I thought I was going to be fired,” he admits in the four-star New York hotel. It’s a far cry from spending the night behind bars on March 10th. “It was my first and last DUI.

“I did a music show in Mebane, North Carolina and then drove to meet my family in Charlotte and that’s where it happened. I was by myself and I drove like like a mad man.

“So I’m driving along - I shouldn’t have been driving at all - and I wasn’t paying attention and I hit the guard rail and naturally the cops showed up and it was a case of, ‘hey, I was too drunk’. I really shouldn’t have been driving.

“So I went to the clink that night and my family came and got me out and I was like, ‘okay that’s it, WWE are going to fire me’. But luckily they supported me and since it has been so far so good. I’m done drinking and driving!”

A few days after our discussion, the ‘Charismatic Enigma’, as he is known by fans, had an opportunity to win back his title from Japanese veteran Shinsuke Nakamura, at the company’s showpiece event of the Summer, and put on another breath-taking display of his death-defying wrestling style.

However, he came up short to the similarly enigmatic Nakamura and has since set his sights on 13-time World Champion Randy Orton.

To one side of us, WWE’s singing sensation Elias is reiterating to another journalist, for the umpteenth time this morning, that he’s set to perform his greatest song yet the following Sunday. To the other, Mike ‘The Miz’ Mizanin is once again explaining to a table of European reporters why he is the company’s ‘most must-see superstar’. There’s something earnest about the way the grizzled grappler talks about what inspires him to keep going,despite having already achieved one of the most exciting careers in the history of the business.

“I wasn’t paying attention and I hit the guard rail and naturally the cops showed up.”

And it sure isn’t easy for the rock’n’roll high-flyer. It never has been. He, his brother and former tag team partner, Matt, and countless numbers of their closest friends, have been plagued with various ailments that have threatened to, and in some cases succeeded in, ending their legendary careers.

Most recently, his life-long tag partner Matt Hardy has announced his retirement.

“The most important thing really when it comes to what we do is not being injured.

The touring schedule we have is brutal and you need to be physically able to work it. But I feel great. My daughter is seven-years-old and she’s really getting into wrestling now. Every time I step through the curtain now I want to do my best for her because I know she’s watching it all.

“And if she wants to do it, I’m going to support her 100%. She might get in the ring, but she’s only seven so we aren’t sure yet. Things change, especially at a young age. She does want to at some points though, so maybe in the future she can look into it. Maybe she’ll fall on her back one time and think differently. It’s an environment that can destroy you if you let it.”

And with the clock running out on the career of one of the industry’s most beloved servants, the hope of winning an elusive third world title is another element that lights a fire under the battered bruiser.

Despite all of his success and the myriad of unforgettable moments he has provided, he still feels he owes something to his legions of fans, hundreds of whom have congregated downstairs at the gates of the hotel in the hopes of meeting a legitimate legend of the business- to take a photo, or have one of their various pieces of memorabilia autographed.

“Within myself, I feel that one last title reign is the destiny I need to fulfil. When I came back from surgery for my rotator cuff in March 2018, I didn’t expect to win the United States Championship. I certainly didn’t think it would come that early that I would complete my collection of titles here.

“Before I’m done, I think I’ve got to do it one more time. I think there’s one more run left in me, and I think I’ll get there. It’ll probably be on ‘SmackDown’ as opposed to ‘Raw’ too, which is very fitting considering the history of Jeff Hardy.”

Wrestling isn’t the only passion that plays on the daredevil fighter’s mind. His band ‘PeroxWhy?Gen’ have been a staple of his life for well over a decade now, and he plans to grow their brand even further through touring and new

records, while on his way to a final world title.

“In a year’s time I’d really love to be touring a lot more with my band, playing a lot more shows. I’ve got to build for a career outside of wrestling, and I’m feeling really good about that. It’s hard to find time to focus on music because I’m so busy four nights a week and to book on my free nights is hard.

“So, hopefully in a year everything is going well on that front and I’m feeling good, healthy, and I’ve been the champion again. In fact, maybe I’ll be the champion around ‘SummerSlam’ next year.”

As the commuters on the streets of New York continue,

and the vendors keep hawking their goods, Jeff Hardy stands up, politely says thanks for the interview, and is guided by a PR director to his next obligation.

One can only hope his most recent legal run-in is his last, and for one last time his millions of fans can watch the Hardy boy-turned-man hold aloft that World Championship belt.

It would be a just end to a most entertaining of careers.

To find out more about Jeff Hardy please visit: www.wwe.com/superstars/jeff-hardy www.instagram.com/JEFFHARDYBRAND Jeff Hardy pounces on his prey, courtesy of WWE

The Life of a Jarvey I

Image courtesy of the Dublin Gazette

Stephen Ryan questions the ethics of horse carriage tours in Dublin

n Dublin, there are many unique ways in which one can view the city’s greatest tourist attractions, none more so than a horse and carriage tour that will also act as a history lesson as you ride through the streets of Ireland’s capital city.

Daniel Clancy has worked with horses his whole life and is now enjoying his role as a Jarvey, the term for carraige driver, a job he views as being extremely special.

“At the minute, business is very quiet but in the summer time it’s fantastic with all the tourists coming to our country,” Daniel says.

“Anyone I bring out with the horses will see the sites of Dublin City. They will see the Brazen Head pub, the Christ Church Cathedral, the Old Georgian area of Dublin City and then, of course, Dublin Castle. Generally people love the tours!”

However, not everyone sees the merry-side to these tours. Many believe that it is a form of cruelty to these horses, having to pull the weight of the carriage, Jarvey, and its passengers around the streets, especially in the warm summer weather.

“The complaints do and don’t bother me. It bothers me because, as a lover of animals, especially horses, I hate to think people believe I am cruel

towards them and I can tell you now it’s far from the truth.”

The National Animal Rights Association often protest horse carriages in Dublin. They claim that “it is unnatural for horses to be in a city centre environment, let alone to be forced to carry and pull up to 6 times their own weight”.

Daniel explained the daily routine each horse will go through with their owner.

“They will all be given two heavy feeds a day, one in the morning and one in the evening with water provided throughout the day. If the jarveys know they will have a long day, we will have a third feed prepared for them,” he said.

The horses are generally strong and tough, and do not give in to lethargy easily. “But as I say, we do take great care of these horses and if we notice one is tired we will bring that horse back to the stables.”

These complaints won’t stop Daniel, who insists that he does not plan to stop his current occupation, no matter what others believe.

“People can have their opinions. At the end of the day, I know these horses are in great hands and I see first-hand how well they are all treated. A big part of why I love this job is because of the joy it brings others.

“I love working with the horses, but there’s something

about showing-off Dublin City, that gives me a sense of pride about where I come from. I’ve had amazing feedback from people who tour with me and that’s what it’s all about for me, making sure they enjoy their time here and learn about Dublin City along the way.”

Siobhan Meehan, anti-animal cruelty activist, understands the concern shown toward these horses. But she has been assured of the quality care these horses receive by visiting these stables herself.

Siobhan said: “When you talk to the owners you begin to understand that these horses are not overworked.

I was blown away by the knowledge of the owners and although it is not an ideal situation, I believe that if these horses are going to continue working and pulling carriages, we should make sure they are all taken care of this way.”

For more information on horse carriage tours please visit: www.dublinhorsedrawncarriages.com If you concerned about animal welfare please phone 00 353 43 332 5035 or visit www.ispca.ie

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Fortune Favours the Bold Tarot reading is more of an art form than a science.

Megan Kavanagh explores its mysteries and intracies.

Images courtesy of Lisa Pugh and Rahul/Pexels

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isa Pugh’s (pictured centre) Mother always went to tarot readings when she was younger. One day, she brought Lisa with her to a reading and that’s when a tarot Reader noticed the young Lisa’s ability.

“I got my deck when I was 14 and started my training from then. When I went travelling, I met a couple of tarot readers and they pushed me along to become a professional.

I’ve been doing it for about 20 years.”

Lisa has been professionally reading for six years and every reading is different.

It’s widely known that tarot reading is fortune telling from cards but what exactly will you experience if you decide to get a reading?

“My process is very

Tarot reading is often met with incredible scepticism.

Belief in anything beyond what a person can see and touch can be met with a lot of criticism.

Many people have dedicated their lives to debunking the supernatural or otherworldly phenomena.

On the topic of non-believers, Lisa replied: “I believe that if someone is sceptical; they’re allowed to be sceptical so I don’t really try to convince people.

“I really believe that the people who really believe in it will; and people who are sceptical may never believe in it, and that’s ok as well. I don’t need to

“I believe that if someone is sceptical they’re allowed to be sceptical so I don’t really try to convince people.”

“I think it’s becoming a lot more mainstream...there’s nothing to be afraid of.” question-based. So when you come to me, you just tell me what areas of your life you want to focus on or if you have a specific question you want answers to.

“It all just depends on the person and how in depth they want to get. I don’t predict deaths or illnesses, so there’s never anything scary that comes up,” Lisa said.

Lisa explained that many of her customers come to her from all over the world. She believes that people come for tarot readings when they’re at a certain point in their life where they need guidance and direction.

really I try to keep the power in their hands and to let them know that it’s their future and they can always change it,” Lisa explained.

“I think it’s becoming a lot more mainstream...there’s nothing to be afraid of.

For those who want to experience tarot readings but are hesitant to do so, Lisa’s advice is to open your mind to the possibility of something new and go for it.

“Don’t be scared. I think it’s becoming a lot more mainstream. There are a lot of young people seeing that there’s nothing to be afraid of. Research your reader and check if they have a code of ethics and ask

convince a sceptic. People get really focused on convincing.”

There are a lot of things that can influence a reading but one of the most controversial aspects of ‘tarotology’ is the accuracy of the reading.

“The predictions are just in faith with your current path and they’re not set in stone, so I don’t worry about it too much, because people can change their predictions by changing their behaviour. The predictions are based off the current path you’re on and looking at the different roads you can take, but

questions about their training if you’re concerned.

“If someone comes to me and wants to know what they can expect from the reading, I’ll reassure them, just as most tarot readers would. Check their website and information before going,” she said.

To learn more about Lisa’s practice and work, please visit: www.thetarotguide.com

A LIFE ON

THE ROAD

Image courtesy of Rosemary Smith

Almost seventy years after first getting behind the wheel Rosemary Smith talks to Alan Kelly about pioneering women’s motorsport.

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egendary Irish circuit and rally driver, Rosemary Smith, has won a number of accolades and gained many admirers over the course of her career, with the latest in her long list of accomplishments being the defeat of Jeremy Clarkson’s lap time in a Formula 1 car.

Being taught to drive at the age of 13 by her father, Rosemary (now 81), has been a pioneer in the world of women’s motorsport ever since.

“When I left school, I was huge into fashion. I lived for it: fashion shoots, fashion shows, whatever it was I was interested,” she said.

Having launched her own small dress designing business at the age of 17, a chance encounter with a regular client changed Rosemary’s life forever.

“A regular customer of mine came in looking for trousers, which wasn’t in line with the silky shirts and skirts women were expected to wear at the time, so I found her quite interesting. Often, we would talk about cars. My dad owned a garage in Rathmines at the time, so we had that common ground.

“After a couple of meetings, she came in and asked if I’d be her navigator for an upcoming rally. I said yes, not real-

ly knowing what I was getting into, but we went off and after about three hours we were totally lost. We decided I’d drive and ever since that moment, I’ve never looked back.”

With long, blonde hair, false eyelashes and polished nails, Rosemary quickly became known around the rally circuits, but she wasn’t just there to look nice, she was there to win.

Initially looked down upon by her male counterparts, Rosemary had to prove herself on the circuits and did so by winning numerous events and providing thrills and spills along the way. One moment she won’t forget, exhausted from driving on ice and snow for days, is driving off a cliff-side at 3am during the 1963 rally in Monte Carlo, hopping out of her wrecked car and saying: “right, what’s next?”

For years, Rosemary broke barriers in the world of motorsport, and her latest achievement may be her crowning one when, in 2017, she became the oldest driver to ever drive a Formula 1 car.

“I’m an ambassador for Renault and they asked me if I’d to do it, and I’m not one to turn down a challenge” she says.

The famous Paul Ricard Track, built in 1969 at Le Castellet,

near Marseille, was the venue.

The Guinness World Records committee decided Rosemary was ill equipped to drive at her age and therefore wouldn’t succeed in becoming the oldest person to drive a Formula 1 car, in turn shunning the event.

However, Rosemary, in her ever exceeding desire to prove everyone wrong, zoomed around the circuit without a problem.

“I was absolutely terrified,” she said. Knowing that just a few years earlier Jeremy Clarkson had stalled his Formula 1 car in an attempt to race around the very same circuit.

“I went around the track at about 180 miles per hour, apparently, but I didn’t look at the speed because I was so focussed on not crashing or spinning out. It was very sweet to get one over on Jeremy, who I’ve met in the past and not been too enamoured with.

Also, after the Guinness World Records committee didn’t bother showing up, it felt good to go out and show the world what I’m capable of.”

Rosemary knows she will soon be passing the black and white chequered flag into the final lap of her own life, but with her can-do spirit, we may see even more records broken before that comes to pass.

All images // Dan Grennan: Far Left - Evan ‘Minty’ Fogarty Standing - Dean Doyle Illustration by Kasper Delaney-Petersen

VS Dan Grennan talks to skaters about their public perception and their relentless commitment to the craft.

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kateboarding is a sport that takes balls, perseverance and a high pain threshold, especially when it can feel like the world is fighting against you.

From security guards to the elderly, it seems many people have a grudge against skaters. It could be that skating culture hasn’t been fully accepted by society, with the more conservative among us rejecting it.

Security guards have been known to show aggression to skate boarders. In particular, in the city centre and dock area.

“At the Grand Canal Docks, we have an ongoing issue with the security guards there. They really don’t like us,” organiser of the Skate Against Suicide, and avid skater, Evan ‘Minty’ Fogarty (20) said.

“They don’t take kindly to our kind around there.”

While there are no skateparks in the Grand Canal Dock and city centre area, skaters use ‘street spots’ to conquer new tricks. Tricks like grinding down handrails or ledges.

While skating these street spots is not technically ‘allowed’, in the nature of skating,

rules are not something to be respected.

While North Dublin native, Minty, understands that skating is prohibited in these areas, he feels that security guards are overly aggressive and can be heavy handed.

“Some of the security guards get really aggressive and they start pushing you and they are not allowed to do that.

There is no reason for them to push you or anything. Grand Canal Dock is full of security guards that just don’t want anything to do with you,“ Minty said of a good street spot outside the Facebook offices.

Minty also mentioned the security officers in Trinity College, saying, “We are obviously not allowed to skate in there, but they are not allowed to put their hands on you. No matter if you are a student, a skater or whatever. I have been in numerous rows with them over silly things.”

“My favourite thing would probably be meeting new people and meeting all the friends I’ve made skating so far,” said Dean Boyle (21) of North Dublin, a regular at Fairview skate park. “We really

look out for each other.

“Every time you learn a new trick you just get this rush, something you don’t feel everyday. Once you’re trying to learn a new trick, you could be trying for hours, days, months, years, but once you get it, you’re the happiest man on the planet.”

Minty has positive moments with random people on the street too: “There has been vigilanties that come in and get involved and help you out. One time I was skating down past Temple Bar, on Dame Street and people were shouting at me and pushing me and trying to start a fight. But then two homeless people came over and hit them and told them to ‘leave the lads alone, they are only skating, trying to have some fun’.”

As Evan ‘Minty’ Fogarty tells Subvert, “numerous times I have just been skating down the road and people will just shoulder-check you and knock you off your board and stuff.”

“Older people are the worst for it. Old Irish men, they just scream at ya and tell you to ‘f*ck off and get out of the way’.

If you are interested in skating be sure to check out Shred Shed, the soon to be open Indoor Skate Facility: www.facebook.com/pg/shredsheddublin/ about/?ref=page_internal

“You get so many people being aggressive towards you, for just skating down the road. If they ever actually stopped and watched you skating, they would be entertained and enjoy it,” said Minty.

Skating is not for the faint of heart, with Dean Boyle having broken his ankle three times. Dean, who has been skating for eight years, has come to accept that some people just don’t like skaters and will sometimes go out of their way to harm him.

He said, “yeah,I was skating through this park, Fairview, and up the path there was two fellas sitting on a bench.

They were having a smoke, and I was just skating and yer man gerrup off the bench and f*cked me off me board. I fell on to me side and me arm was all rashered [grazed].”

Minty also mentioned that ‘gym-going buff men’ tend to be aggressive to skaters, in his experience, saying, “they walk around with their shoulders out and then you are skating by

them, and you wouldn’t even be anywhere near them and they would start walking towards you and try and knock you off your board.”

Skating in Dublin is an occupation of ups and downs, knocks and bruises, but the spirit of the skater community is what keeps it going.

The Skate Against Suicide initiative, organised by ‘Minty’, showed the strength of the skating community, as 150 skaters skated all the way from Anne’s park, along the Clontarf sea, and back to Fairview skatepark. The initiative was in aid of Aware, a charity dedicated to helping people with depression, and raised €2,800 on the 2nd of February, 2019.

Not only did the initiative raise a substantial sum for Aware, it also demonstrated the strength of the skating community.

While the anti-skater sentiment exists, it does nothing to discourages Dublin’s skaters.

They keep pushing harder, and more often.

Chained to the Future

Image courtesy of Doire Finn

Catherine Devane interviews the co-founder of ‘Our Future, Our Choice’, a youth group fighting for a voice against Brexit in Northern Ireland.

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rowing up in the Northern Irish border town of Newry, Doire Finn was always interested in politics.

After studying International Politics and Conflict Studies in university, Finn was approached to work on a new political project known as ‘Our Future, Our Choice’.

The group is made up of a mix of young people who are campaigning for a ‘People’s Vote’ on the final Brexit deal.

“We are the Northern Ireland branch] of ‘Our Future, Our Choice’, who formed in February 2018. They were a group of four who believed that people deserved a final say on the outcome of Brexit. Since then, we have become a nationwide movement of young people who are actively campaigning for our future,” explained Finn.

When the UK branch asked Finn about working with the group, Northern Ireland had endured over 600 days without the Assembly in Stormont. Finn believed that the elected representatives who were in Westminster were either under-representing, or mis-representing the views of their constituents.

“We have only one indepedent MP in Northern Ireland,

and this is not representative of all the people living here. The impact that Brexit is going to have on my generation and the generations to come made me hugely passionate and determined that something had to be

“Young people living here have not seen the violence of the past” done,” said Finn.

Since becoming the co-founder of Northern Ireland’s ‘Our Future, Our Choice’, she has been busy campaigning, writing articles for The Guardian and being interviewed by the BBC.

“In December, we hosted the ‘Our Future, Our Choice’ battle bus, where a group of young people went to Stormont to show their discontent at our political situation. The highlight for me personally was being able to attend the People’s Vote rally in October 2018, to speak in front of 750,000 people, it was amazing to be able to represent Northern Ireland on a platform like that,” she said.

The group also organised a school’s walkout, where nearly 200 students from across Belfast left school in protest of May’s deal and their lack of political representation.

Finn predicts Brexit will be a massive turning point with regards to how young people view politics and says it “has the potential to act as a catalyst for those who want to become active in politics”.

“I truly believe that the only way out of the mess that is Brexit is with a People’s Vote.

Since 2016, we have seen a government who have struggled to keep the promises made in the referendum and are now stuck in a parliamentary logjam, with no clear way out, without causing massive damage to the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland was ignored in 2016 and has now become the most talked about and difficult aspect for the government to negotiate with regards to Brexit.

“Young people living here have not seen the violence of the past, and they are hoping for a future where they are able to live, work, and travel across the European Union,” she added.

For more information visit: www.ofoc.co.uk

Making ‘Ends Meet’ One of Ireland’s up-and-coming animators speaks to Cormac Byrne about the revolution thats gripping the trade.

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he Irish animation industry is currently in the middle of a minor renaissance.

Top Irish studios like Cartoon Saloon, Brown Bag Films, and Boulder Media have all enjoyed recent acclaim as they succeed in entertaining audiences at home and abroad.

One animator who is enjoying the fruits of this mini revolution is 27-year-old Gareth Lyons.

Perhaps RTÉ’s 2018 release of his co-produced show Ends Meet epitomises the current popularity of animation in today’s climate.

Ends Meet is an animated sitcom about the life of an unemployed father Beezer, his son Sean Óg and Beezer’s ill grandfather, Tony.

The 10-part comedy is based in a fictional Dublin suburb and shows how the family attempts to survive after the economic crash of 2008.

Speaking to Subvert about his involvement in the co-creation of the show, Gareth said: “Ends Meet was funded by the Broadcast Authority of Ireland, who were looking to produce more mature animated content at the time.

“It just so happened that the head of comedy at RTÉ was looking for a show like Ends Meet.

“I pitched Ends Meet alongside my friend Mark Baldwin and we made a really great team once we got the go-ahead.

The show was only signed for one season, but Gareth said he will be looking

to pitch more animated ideas in the future which will hopefully take off.

“Netflix is investing heavily in animation at the moment and they seem to know something that everyone else is missing out on.

“There is a massive appetite for animation and I think it would be really cool to see more and more content produced by local Irish studios.”

Ireland’s apparent demand for animated content wasn’t always around though and Gareth says that a few eyebrows were raised when he first told schoolmates that he wanted to work in the industry.

Recalling how he ended up in his current career, he said: “When I first applied to the CAO as a school kid it was perhaps a little bit more of a niche topic.

“I went to a book sale in secondary school and they had a Don Conroy book on how to draw cartoons. I took the book home and I guess that’s how I first got into cartoons.

“My mum saw an advertisement for a local animation class in Galway and I went along. After a few classes, it occurred to me that I might be able to pursue a career in animation and I suppose that’s how I ended up in this industry.”

After studying animation at IADT, Gareth entered a world of animation employment which was rapidly developing.

“In the late 1990s there was very few studios in Ireland, with a few smaller studios spe-

cialising in niche areas.

“Now there’s tonnes of studios opening up around Ireland.

“The animation industry is going from strength to strength at the moment and it’s an exciting time to be a part of it.”

We’re sure to hear a lot more about Gareth Lyons as he makes his mark on the Irish animation industry.

To watch clips and discover more information about Ends Meet, go to: www.facebook.com/EndsMeetTv

Image of Seán Óg from Ends Meet courtesy of RTÉ

22

Writing from the Hart

Sophie Clarke interviews Irish rapper Aaron J Hart, discovering how he has used music as a coping mechanism through mental health struggles, homelessness, and drug-dependency in his family.

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aron J Hart became a household name earlier this year when a moving performance of his original song secured him a spot in the Ireland’s Got Talent 2018 finals.

Audience members and the judges of the talent show were moved to tears by the Galway native’s performance of his song ‘Show Pain’, which judge Jason Byrne described as “brave and beautiful.”

At the age of 13, the rapper began to write songs. Like many artists, he was inspired by Eminem and similarly, Aaron used writing as a form of escapism from his harsh everyday reality. Without writing, he says that he wouldn’t be here today.

Aaron’s mother struggled with drug addiction and they both experienced homelessness while living in England. Music has allowed him to open up about his personal struggles and helped him cope. When he was at his

lowest, Aaron looked close to home for his inspiration.

“It’s so hard to find role models in this day and age. I see myself as my own role model as I was the one who pulled myself out of the hardest times in my life. My mom is also an inspiration in my eyes, beating her drug addiction.”

He performed another original track called ‘Recovery’ during the show’s semifinal. The song is an honest piece which illustrates the difficulties of having a loved one struggle with drug-dependency, while learning to forgive them.

Aaron said that he was “blown away” by the support he received during this performance and added that it was an amazing moment for him to look his mother in the eyes, while telling her that he forgives her, no matter what.

Aaron fittingly released the track and music video for ‘Show Pain’ on October 20th, just after Mental Health Week this year and the single is currently climbing the charts. Aaron chose this

Images courtesy of Aaron J. Hart

release date as it marks a year from when he contemplated taking his own life. He revealed the inspiration behind the song:

“Last year, in October 2017, I lost myself. I isolated myself from everything. It all built up inside of me to the point that I was so close to suicide.

The song itself is an actual story.

I want people to hear it, see it, and know that they’re not alone.”

The song’s lyrics tell the story of Aaron’s mental health battles, and show that he is by no means alone in his struggles.

“I am brave. This song is for the brave,” he said.

According to research carried out by Mental Health Ireland, one in four people will experience mental illness at some point in their lives, with men in particular suffering in silence. The most recent statistics from 2017 showed that men accounted for eight in 10 deaths by suicide.

“Your mental health is like a super-power. You can be unstoppable if you tell your mind that”.

The lyrics to ‘Show Pain’ have really resonated with its listeners. Many fans have had its lyrics tattooed on their bodies, particularly the songs chorus, “I tell myself everyday that I’m okay, I hope the smile on my face doesn’t show pain.”

“Seeing my words marked on a person for life is truly mind blowing. I guess my music really does make an impact on people. That motivates me so much, knowing that my words are helping people to smile, laugh, dance, all through music.”

Aaron himself added to

his tattoo collection earlier this year, getting the phrase ‘Hold On Pain Ends’ (spelling out ‘Hope’) inked on his chest as a reminder to himself that he can get through anything.

“There’s always something better. The position that you’re currently in is temporary.

The only advice I’d give to my fans, or anyone out there, is to never make a permanent decision over a temporary position or emotion. You are in control.”

Since 2016, Aaron has used social media to share videos of himself performing his songs and has built up quite a following on his official Facebook page of nearly 33,000 people.

“I want to be able to stand on a stage and hear thirty thousand people singing my lyrics. I know that it’s a big dream, but it’s a vision I play in my head over & over again. I want to inspire people to chase dreams.”

Along with sharing his music, Aaron has used his social media presence to inspire others and show them that they are not alone in their struggles. He says that he is a “voice for the hurt.”

“It’s ok to feel like crap; billions of people do everyday.

Just make sure to focus on your mental health just as much as you would on your physical health.”

Aaron J Hart is working on a full album at present and says he would love to go on tour.

“I honestly have no idea where I will be one year from now, but I know I’m going to be happy. I’m going to work hard, appreciate my fans and enjoy life.”

If you have been affected by issues raised in this article, the following helplines are available: Samaritans Helpline on 116 123 Aware Helpline on 1800 80 48 48 Pieta House on 1800 247 247 The HSE Drug and Alcohol Helpline on 1800 459 459

24

Unseen on the Sea

Rory Lynskey takes to the coast to talk to Fred Connolly about what the life of an RNLI volunteer entails.

Image: Fred Connolly, RNLI Coxswain // Rory Lynskey

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here are many words that could be used to describe crew members of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). Heroic, courageous and committed are all terms that could apply to these selfless men and women who put their lives at risk to protect those in danger.

Regularly battling dangerous winds, powerful waves and stormy skies, the service is not for the faint of heart, yet for some of the organisations hardy volunteers the risks are worth the rewards.

For Fred Connolly, a humble coxswain (helmsman) of the lifeboat service in Howth, the prospect of giving back to the community is what makes his contribution so worthwhile.

Raised just a stone’s

throw from the station in Howth, Fred has been involved in the service for 24 years, having taken up the role as coxswain four years ago.

Fred was brought up in this tight seafaring community and at a young age he learned the vital role that the RNLI provides in safeguarding the public.

His local station is certainly kept on its toes with a 2015 report revealing that the Howth station was the busiest of Ireland’s 50 outposts. Last year, lifeboats were launched on 1,145 occasions, with 1,388 people aided in emergencies.

These figures don’t come close to illustrating the sheer dedication that volunteers show in saving lives -- regularly called from the safety of their warm

beds, or from the dinner table, or even from their own job – to aid those in need.

Fred explained that working full-time with a wife and young child, while also volunteering for the RNLI, can take its toll.

He said: “The furthest I can go without getting cover as coxswain is Sutton Cross (less than a five minute drive away), the same goes for family gigs and even a couple of pints”.

While Fred believes that his own familial relationships may suffer as a result of his dedication, he jokes that it can also suit him to skip shopping days.

Last Christmas Day, all of Howth’s 24 crew members were called to an emergency at Sutton, when a man reported

his wife missing following an argument. The man claimed that his wife said she was going for a swim, but never returned.

As it turned out, the wife was at a friend’s house down the road. But for Fred and the rest of the crew, this was not treated as a false alarm.

He said: “Everyone was pulled from their family for a call that turned out to be not needed, but the man was right to get on to us as his wife said she’d be back shortly, and everyone knows how dangerous the seas can be around Christmas time.”

As far as life threatening situations go, Fred acknowledges that while there is an obvious threat to safety in the job, he can’t recall a situation where he was genuinely worried for his life.

He said: “I can’t think of a particular time where I’ve thought; ‘I don’t know if I’ll be coming home tonight’. Most of the time you are safe in the knowledge that you have the right crew and safety equipment to get you home even in force nine or ten seas.” While films like The Finest Hours and The Guardian have dramatized what life in the service is like, Fred said real life is rarely actually like this.

While some might say that such films about tragedy in the service have put off potential recruits, Fred refutes this, and attributes low sign up numbers to a much simpler explanation: house prices.

It’s well known that housing prices in coastal towns around Dublin are higher than landlocked areas. This means

that people can’t locate to coastal areas where stations are situated without the proper funds.

Fred acknowledges that several stations struggle to launch all of their boats at any one time butsays that they have never failed to put at least one boat in the water during an emergency.

Fred prides himself on the comradery held between himself and his co-crew; he said: “You get every walk of

“the most difficult decision any coxswain would have to make is to call off a search.” life involved: physiotherapists, accountants, alarm fitters, everything; and they are all very loyal. This is what brings people together, no matter how different they are, they have a common interest, which is saving people’s lives.”

Made of stern stuff, Fred doesn’t shirk at the question of several hard decisions he has had to make in the past. As a coxswain at one of the busiest lifeboat stations in Ireland and the UK, tough choices come with the territory. Fred remarks that because Howth is a small fishing village, he may be getting rescue calls from someone he knows personally.

He said: “Without doubt, the most difficult decision any

coxswain would have to make is to call off a search. We would do that with the heaviest of hearts; but deteriorating weather can sometimes leave you with no choice, as it’s just not viable with bad weather.”

It takes a strong-willed leader to make these calls, but with lives on board and RNLI crafts at risk, the decision to call off a search, as difficult as it is, would not be made easily.

This kind of resilience he believes is what anyone interested in joining the service needs.

With a pager on every crew member, they are mostly tied to their area and are made to undertake extensive training.

Referring to the service as a “family”, it is obvious to see how Fred has embedded not just the position, but also the crew members into his life.

This is also evident in the dedication he has shown to both. It is clear that once you become a loyal member of the RNLI, no matter where life takes you, part of the service remains with you forever.

To learn more about the RNLI visit: www.rnli.org If you witness or experience a coastal emergency please phone: 1800 991802

Background illustration by Kasper Delaney-Petersen

Image of Esker Celtic courtesy of Keith Nolan

Football For All

Ian Curran talks to ‘Football For All’, a program for players of all abilities, about the inspiration behind the initiative and their hopes for the future.

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ootball for All (FFA) was founded in 2002, by the programme’s CEO John Delaney. He says the initiative offers those of all abilities the chance to reach their footballing potential. National Coordinator Oisin Jordan and former FFA coach Tracy Beesley spoke to Subvert about the Association’s strategic plan.

“FFA is a national programme with the vision to create opportunity for all to access football within their community.

Clubs can sign up and benefit from our support.” he said.

Since its introduction 17 years ago, the programme has come on in leap and bounds, receiving official recognition last year.

“We received an award for diversity and inclusion from the Irish Sport Industry Awards in 2018” he said. FFA is now a lot more inclusive across the country, with 15 programmes now available nationwide.

Oisin has lofty ambitions going forward. “In the future, we want every child in Ireland to be able to access football.

We want every parent in the country to know where they can access football for their child,” he said. “We assist with mental health, using football as a tool to provide support along with fitness.” The Kick Start 2 Recovery programme was developed in 2011, providing opportunities for service users within the HSE with mental health difficulties, to

re-engage with their communities through football.

Despite general success, there have still been examples of difficulties for FFA. A group in Dublin 15 collapsed last year, being replaced by a fitness group with similar intentions.

“The group we started in Huntstown included children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) , cerebral palsy and other illnesses,” explained Tracy.

“In the future, we want every child in Ireland to be able to access football.”

When Tracy attended monthly FAI (Football Association of Ireland) meetings, she noticed that other teams had been assembled and were competing. This was difficult due to a lack of interest in football within the Huntstown group and Tracy had to make a difficult choice.

“It was a good group, but it was more so about having something to do rather than an interest in the football. Cancelling the group was one of the toughest decisions we ever had to make.”

As a compromise the FAI

decided to hold a one-to-one workshop with the children who were interested in the football.

“They’re now playing mainstream football each week. We also had a child with cerebral palsy who is now with Esker Celtic,” explained Tracy.

A year-and-a-half ago, Tracy decided to start Spectrum Fitness. This was a broader fitness group with the same intentions, which has now spread out to 80 young adults from Dunboyne to Ratoath.

“Despite a lack of interest specifically in football, there is still a demand for keeping young adults active in a fun way. It helps, because Spectrum is a bit more open than just football, and we now have seven paid coaches. You look at the stuff our group is doing and it’s great,” Tracy added.

There are approximately 3,800 players participating in all FFA programmes at the moment.

Over the last four years, the FAI has established a number of associations to govern particular programmes within FFA. These are Blind Football Ireland, Association of Irish Powerchair Football and Irish Amputee Football Association. Each provides a pathway for their members from grassroots to international where possible.

For more information on Football For All, visit: www.fai.ie.

Astro Tough Sleek, slick protection for sports footwear on artificial surfaces

An abundance of talent. A lack of recognition. Rob O’Halloran meets the faces of Irish reggae to assess the colourful scene.

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eggae is alive in Ireland, even if you don’t really hear about it. Bohemian FC tried playing their away games with Bob Marley’s face plastered on their shirt this season, while an even larger version looks on to their pitch at Dalymount Park. But it’s not just the hipster soccer club keeping it relevant.

Barry ‘Bazza Ranks’ O’Brien and Jason ‘Jay Sharp’ Rymer, aka the ‘Dirty Dubsters’, have spent years pumping life into the scene which, despite its lack of mainstream coverage, is crawling with talent. The DJ duo have produced a contemporary version of reggae, which has brought them all over the world.

It was an innocent introduction to the genre for O’Brien, who discovered Bob Marley via a tape his brother had brought on holiday.

O’Brien couldn’t leave that cassette player alone, he was ‘obsessed’.

“I think the Jamaican voice and accent has always been something that’s always grabbed my attention. It is a focal point in the music I make today, and I work with people that can bring that kind of a vibe to the stuff that I do.

“There’s a different feel to reggae, there’s a different rhythm, there’s a different step than a traditional pop song.”

MC and vocalist Cian Finn, who has emerged as one of Ireland’s top talents, had an equally simple introduction, picking up a CD that had

been left in his house by a family friend. The Galwegian shares O’Briens love for the ‘Caribbean flavour’ of reggae, but it was the substance that really drew him in.

“There’s a different feel to reggae, there’s a different rhythm, there’s a different step than a traditional pop song.”

“The social awareness aspect of reggae was what pulled me into it, kinda like blues and folk you have songs that are about things that are happening and relevant at the time. I remember going to Firehouse Skank, a special sound system used for reggae and dub parties, in Dublin and they were playing a song about the Iraq war, which had only kicked off a couple of months beforehand. It’s almost like a newspaper; it has history. It isn’t a financial thing like pop music.”

For Dirty Dubsters, it was the reggae samples and tracks they played that got a really good reaction from the crowd.

The Dublin-based duo took it upon themselves to set up Irish Moss Records, named after the Jamaican, rum-based cocktail.

“We decided on a DIY ethos where we’ll make our music and distribute it ourselves.

We’d keep the money we make and funnel it back into new projects, where we might get a vocalist from the UK or Jamaica, or something. It’s definitely something we were glad we did and we still have the label going today, nearly 50 releases deep.”

The most prominent exhibition of live reggae in Ireland each year is at Electric Picnic. The three-day event has the ideally situated ‘Trenchtown’ in the woodland between the camping facility and the main arena. It’s almost impossible not to be drawn in by the melodic tones and positive atmosphere as you pass by.

O’Brien has hailed the unique setup, saying: “Places like Trenchtown are great because you’ve got all four corners of the country coming together like you never have again for the rest of the year.

“If you look at what Don and Mark [the organisers] are doing at Trenchtown, they’re getting bands, singers, drummers and people like us, and they give us the green light to bring people over, as we do every year.”

Cian Finn has previously played late sets at Trenchtown, when the area is in its element, and has plenty of faith in the

Reeta Cherie with DJ at one of her ‘Reggae Yoga’ classes in the Bernard Shaw on Camden Street // Rob O’Halloran

future of Irish reggae. “I think the younger generation are much more open to reggae music and are more primed for it, with trap music and the big influence of the London grime scene, and the west Indian UK crew, that kinda comes from the soundsystem scene. It is kind of like a cousin to it.”

Both O’Brien and Finn tour abroad to keep the money coming in, due to a lack of consistent gigs in Ireland, and the former has found in the past that new projects have been hyped everywhere, from America to Germany, yet not in Ireland. There is no doubt their exploits are appreciated abroad. “I’ve toured all over the place because of Irish Moss and Dirty Dubsters, so I’m very grateful for that. People have come up to me in Slovakia, you name it, and they put a phone up requesting a song we played years ago and I’d forgotten we even did the tune!”

There is a concern from both men as regards to the promotion of the scene. O’Brien feels the media coverage of Irish reggae is almost non-existent.

“I don’t want to sound moany or whingey but I don’t feel there’s any real media support. You certainly won’t see a review in the Irish Times

about this new album that’s reggae-based. I think there’s a bit of a snobbery about it, to be honest. I don’t feel like it’s overly supported by reviewers, writers, or critics, so a bit more luck on that front could definitely help.”

Finn believes that the scene requires consistent events to really blossom. “There are very few weekly events. In your city you need to be able to go, ‘oh yeah, every Friday there’s a reggae party there’. You need something that you don’t have to hear about.

“You see that in other parts of the world and it really creates a grassroots movement where people at a young age have a regular thing they go to and it creates a community where there is a potential for it to grow much more,” said Finn.

Away from the acts, Reeta Cherie, formerly of Sim Simma Soundsystem, created her ‘Reggae Yoga’ classes four years ago. The Chicagoan combined her two passions and often holds classes in venues such as the Bernard Shaw, on Richmond Street, and the Rathmines Collective, a holistic workspace studio.

“I was DJing with Sim Simma Soundsystem and I was well into yoga, so we decided why not put them together? It’s

like, ‘ok, why not?’ [laughs] and it actually works!” Cherie conducts her classes in the presence of a live DJ and has instructed at festivals such as Electric Picnic.

While Electric Picnic is an excellent showcase of reggae, consistent opportunities in Ireland for Irish talent are sparse.

O’Brien is reluctantly cynical about the ability to sustain a career in just the Irish reggae scene.

“Making a living out of reggae in Ireland must be a tough gig. You see people like Cian Finn, who spend a lot of time touring outside of Ireland.

I saw a band in Trenchtown called The Gangsters who blew me away and I didn’t know much about them, so there is a lot of talent but whether it’s going to be nurtured properly isn’t guaranteed, be it venues, promoters, bookers or even bloggers,” O’Brien said.

While those involved in the scene are as passionate as ever, it remains to be seen whether external factors, like coverage and promotion will allow it to continue to grow.

For more, please visit: www.dirtydubsters.com www.facebook.com/reetajustbreathe

30

Dublin’s electronic scene has been on the ropes with the demise of many beloved techno hangouts. Caileam Raleigh explores the implications these losses will have on Dublin’s booming rave culture.

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n the evening of May 31st last year, fans of Dublin’s booming electronic music scene refreshed their Facebook timelines to some truly devastating news.

Hangar was no more. One of the city’s most popular nightclubs was to be demolished to make way for yet another hotel in the city centre. It was news that many knew was a long time coming, yet still left fans reeling.

Despite Dublin being seen as one of Europe’s leading cities for hard-hitting techno, Hangar’s closure is just part of a sequence of events which have hampered the scene. In January 2018, it was revealed that plans had been approved for the demolition of the Tivoli Theatre, which is home to District 8, the epicentre of techno in the city.

D8, located on Francis Street, has hosted some of the biggest names in the game,with acts such as Deadmau5, Mall

Grab and Dax J all gracing the 1,000 capacity venue within weeks of each other.

However, in November of last year it was announced that the forthcoming season would be Tivoli’s final as host to Dublin’s premier venue for electronic music, as a series of stellar lineups were announced to say farewell to one of the cities mosh unique and inclusive nightlife spaces. On January 26th, fans, acts and associates of the venue made their emotional goodbyes with the Baron of Techno himself, Dave Clarke, playing well beyond curfew.

It was a fitting final act of defiance.

There is no shying away from the fact that urban development has a number of implications for the scene. Not only do fans no longer have a space exclusively dedicated to the music they love from internationally renowned names, but the rich wealth of local talents to be

found throughout Dublin and the wider country are being deprived of a platform to demonstrate their skills to an audience and further develop as DJs.

It’s not all doom and gloom, however, as a scene thriving despite the pressures of society is not an unusual paradox, but the hallmark of a youth driven counterculture. Some young, aspiring collectives see opportunity among the negativity. Eoin Lyons, a member of the Lost collective and president of the DCU DJ Society said, “With Hangar’s closure, and D8 not being far behind it, there’s a clear absence of a large warehouse type space. But Dublin has a really good number of nice basement type clubs, Wah Wah’s is really good and places like Globe seem to be really picking up since Hangar closed.

Pardon the pun, but it seems to have moved very underground.”

Photograph (background) of a techno night courtesy of The Building Society Photograph of the Tivoli Theatre (left) // Josephine Gallagher

While smaller, basement venues present the ideal atmosphere for local talent, the question still remains as to where the international acts will be hosted and if District 8’s closure will damage Dublin’s reputation as a hidden gem of Europe’s techno scene.

“I wouldn’t say Dublin’s ability to pull big names is diminished despite D8’s closure.

I still think that the city’s house, techno and the dance scene is growing and getting stronger with so many collectives popping up. Fair enough, some acts might be better in a bigger venue but there’s still the hunger for it in the city and I don’t think it’s going to stop the big names coming,” said Eoin.

Joshua Odlum Moody of the DIT DJ Society was more cynical as to what the future holds for techno in Dublin: “It’s very hard to see these acts in Dublin with District 8 closing down and Hangar is dust now, so there’s only really Index left as that warehouse type venue which leaves Dublin with only one techno nightclub and that’s quite sad. “You get a lot of people on the internet talking about techno, saying things, but they don’t really go to the gigs and as a result local acts don’t get the support and these types of nights shut down.”

Hannah O’Connell, a

contributor for District Magazine, thinks the loss of these venues could lead to a rise in illegal raves.

“You get a lot of people on the internet talking about techno, saying this and that, but they don’t really go to the gigs and as a result the local acts don’t get the support and these types of nights shut down.”

“When you close down legitimate places, it is something that can naturally happen because people want to go out and listen to music that they like

on big speakers and not just have to listen in their bedroom”.

The possibility of a rise in illegal raves may only be exacerbated by Ireland’s draconian licencing laws, which force nightclubs to close at 3am.

This has popularised the rise of ‘afterseshes’ and made Ned’s of Townsend Street a popular spot for such occasions, as it was classified as an early-house and thus opened at 7am. Sadly, Ned’s recently fell foul to the development epidemic, closing its doors for the last time in October 2018 to make way for a budget hotel.

While the future may look bleak as to where the scene may relocate, there is no doubt that Dublin’s hunger for top quality electronic music remains, as is demonstrable by festivals such as Boxed Off and Life continuing to grow year on year. Fans of the scene have cause to remain hopeful with the people behind Hangar promising that “Hangar 2.0 is just around the corner” and a wealth of local talent eager to let the city know who they are.

One thing is certain – the beat goes on.

For more techno concerts visit: www.boxedoff.ie or www.life-festival.com

Chic Behind Nile Rodgers The

Katie McNamee takes us on a journey through the intricacies of Claire Garvey’s unique designs, which range from dresses made completely out of cocktails stirrers to jackets made for the funkiest man on the planet.

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ashion is often known for its ability to create vibrant new worlds which allow us to escape day-to-day bleakness.

Stepping into Dublin-based fashion designer Claire Garvey’s workshop is a visual treat, an exuberant transition into a misty heaven full of sparkly embellishments.

It was just over a year ago when cultural icon, music innovator and funk fashion royalty, Nile Rodgers, stepped into this glittering workshop to celebrate the launch of Garvey’s menswear collection.

“When Nile Rodgers said to me that he wanted stuff for the X-Factor and that I had two days to do a men’s jacket, that was the biggest challenge ever. I had never done it before,” said Garvey, as she reflected on her new relationship with menswear.

Garvey’s designs have traversed the globe, as 66-yearold Rodgers also showcased her creations at the 2015 Oscars.

“He wore one of the designs on the red carpet and then he changed to a Louis Vuitton jacket for his dinner and then put on another one of my designs afterwards. I never thought I’d have somebody changing from Louis Vuitton and

then into my jacket. For somebody like him to put faith in you is amazing, especially when he gets stuff sent to him from Karl Lagerfeld and Louis Vuitton. It’s pretty pinch-worthy.”

18 years ago, Garvey set up her first business in Cow’s Lane, Temple Bar, and finally purchased the shop last January. The alluring force of art and fashion captured Garvey’s imagination as a child.

“I’ve always wanted to do fashion. My mum is an artist and ever since I was about five years old I was involved in art and drawing.”

She recalled reaching out to 1970s British designer Mary Quant, saying: “I sent some of my pictures to Mary Quant when I was about seven for her doll Daisy [a doll Quant famously designed]; it was a bit like Cindy the doll. She sent me back a message saying she’d keep me in mind for the future, with a signed autograph and everything. It started at that time and now I’d be unemployable in anything else. It’s the only thing I’ve ever been able to do.”

Garvey’s swirling palette of autumnal colours and unique materials conjures an alternative world that many of her clients are immediately drawn to. Her

designs range from bespoke one-off pieces to wedding dresses, and she welcomes any unusual commissions. “We did a dress for a girl going to an awards show in Vegas where she was nominated. I was trying to think of something for her and when I was sitting having a cocktail, I looked at the cocktail stirrer and thought, ‘wow, that’ll be a great idea for a dress’. So what we did was, cocktail stirrers on the corset of the dress, and we had a straw in the bodice. She actually won the award and was able to go up on stage and sip her drink through the straw on her bodice.”

Playing it safe is uncommon in the flourishing world of fashion and Garvey is constantly weaving narratives that take people out of their reality.

Combining hard and soft materials, her designs engage with different aspects of her own personality.

“They’re all parts of my mental personality depending on how I’m feeling that day. I love weird materials and combining pretty and hard, something like a plastic or PVC with lace. It’s not fabrics, it’s the combination of fabrics together that I like.” The experimental phase of Garvey’s designing

Inset: Claire Garvey in her studio // Katie McNamee Background: ‘Evening Bell at Miidera’ by Utagawa Hiroshige (1834)

is an unplanned process of recurrent change, allowing her imagination to take the lead.

“Not knowing what you’re going to create is my favourite aspect. When I’m doing things for a fashion show, I don’t tend to draw them out. I just work on a mannequin and see what happens and that’s very exciting. If something doesn’t work out, I’m not too precious about it. Sometimes the mistakes turn out to be some of the best things you’ve ever made.”

Fashion shows have always presented the perfect opportunity to connect with an audience and unveil an aesthetic.

Garvey seized the dream debut when her designs were shown in the thriving fashion hub of Paris.

“I won a competition to show my designs over Paris Fashion Week at the Pompidou Centre.

It was incredible to be there and see the different levels of talent.” Historically, fashion has exuded an aura of exclusivity, yet creative collaboration is increasingly utilized to achieve a more inclusive and total vision.

With the aid of makeup artists, hair stylists, photographers and videographers, Garvey’s intricate designs adopt new levels of meaning. “I really like letting creatives do whatever they want to do. They’ll do better work

without me saying I want something specific. It’s your vision but it’s like you’re passing it on to someone else. It’s like a present that you pass around and each person adds something new and in the end when you open it up, there’s stuff that you didn’t even

“When Nile Rodgers said to me that he wanted stuff for the X-Factor and that I had two days to do a mens jacket, that was the biggest challenge ever.” know was going to be there.”

By nature, fashion is a mutable and malleable industry, with each season predicated on a dynamic of change. Constantly evolving with style is the professional norm, which has typically been viewed as a

very difficult industry.

Garvey’s approach has changed over time: “It’s very different nowadays. I worked only to supply shops and didn’t have my own place. A lot of shops were too scared to take the chance on something different. It wasn’t really where my heart was at and when I opened up this place, people started coming to me wanting different things and you realized there was a different market. My pieces became more unusual as opposed to when I started, which was mass production.”

With clients of notoriety, and those on the hunt for something atypical, Garvey’s business is constantly growing.

“Generally, I want to do more pieces for musicians. I’m working on stuff for an American rapper called Dali Voodoo at the moment and I got working with him through Nile Rodgers.

“He’s a very colourful psychedelic rapper. I want to continue doing more performance pieces and one-off pieces. That’s probably where my heart is at.” If one thing is certain, it’s that the future is full of sparkle and glitter for Claire Garvey.

For more information visit: www.clairegarvey.com

34

Jumpsuit Debenhams €100 Fur coat Debenhams €220

‘Night Life’ : the activity of or entertainment provided for pleasure-seekers at night

Bridgín Boyle - Model Modelled-byPhotographer Bridgín Boyle Natalie Kavanagh Photography by Natalie Kavanagh

Background: ‘Geisha and Cherry Tree - Ueno Park’ by Tsuchiya Koitsu (1939)

Jumpsuit - Debenhams €100 Fur coat - Debenhams €220

Background: ‘Mishima Pass in Kai Province’ by Katsushika Hokusai (c. 1830-32)

Teal faux fur jacket River Island €113 Black feather dress Debenhams €150 Silver choker necklace -Claire’s €12

Sequin dress River Island €75

Background: ‘Thirty-six Views of Mt.Fuji - The Great Wave’ by Katsushika Hokusai (c. 1830)

Sequin dress Debenhams €88

Background: ‘Kirifuri Waterfall at Kurokami Mountain in Shimotsuke’ by Katsushika Hokusai (c. 1832)

Purple satin top River Island €37 Sequin skirt River Island €45 Hoop earrings Penneys €3 Background: ‘Maple Trees at Mama, Tekona Shrine and Linked Bridge’ by Utagawa Hiroshige (1857)

Image courtesy of Niall O’Connor

Tales of a Taoiseach

Darragh O’Connor talks to the author of the Leo Varadkar biography and advisor to the Taoiseach in his role as Minister for Defense.

N

iall O’Connor plies his trade as the press officer and press adviser to Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, in his role as Minister for Defence.

However, Niall started his career as a journalist, winning acclaim in 2017 when he won Young Journalist of the Year for his work as political correspondent for The Irish Independent.

As well as this change in his career, Niall has become a published author, with his debut book, Leo: A Very Modern Taoiseach, written alongside journalist Philip Ryan, which hit the shelves last September.

Niall shared his journey into becoming a published author saying: “It was July of 2017 when I received a phone call from British publisher, Biteback Publishing, seeking to publish the first biography of Leo Varadkar.” Being the youngest political correspondent in Leinster House at the time, Niall was hesitant, “surely there was somebody better equipped and more experienced than me to take on the challenge.

“I also had to consider the pressure that writing a book would bring. What if it was a flop? My job was hectic anyway and I had just lost my Dad. All those factors went through my mind,” Niall said.

After speaking to colleague and friend Philip Ryan, the current Deputy Political Editor at The Irish Independent, Niall decided to approach the

publishers and propose that him and Ryan co-write the book.

He recalls how difficult the process was, “to write 100,000 words about one person and for those words to have meaning, and above all else be accurate, was a significant challenge. Leo Varadkar, agreed to be interviewed on several occasions which was hugely important.”

The book took shape in 2018 but took longer than Niall had hoped to finish. “Leo: A very Modern Taoiseach - my first ever book - was born. It was an extraordinary feeling to call yourself a published author. The post publication period was exciting: radio interview after TV interview, review after review.

The vast majority of the reviews were extremely positive”.

So, what is the Taoiseach

really like, “It’s clear from the accounts provided to us for the biography that Leo Varadkar is a politician whose ambition, determination and desire to stand out contributed to his elevation to the highest office in the land,” he says of Leo Varadkar.

“Many political figures and, indeed friends of the Taoiseach paint a picture of a man who isn’t afraid to take calculated risks, even if they made him unpopular with some in his party,” continued O’Connor.

However, when one opposition party leader, Mary Lou McDonald, was asked to describe Leo in a word, she said, “Smarmy. Leo’s kind of smarmy”, she continued. “You’ll have seen him in number 10 talking about ‘Love Actually,’ and sort of donning various pairs of colourful socks.”

Two launches of the book took place in September, in Dublin and in Niall’s home town of Wicklow, both drawing big crowds. Anticipating the future, Niall speaks of a possible return to book authorship.

“The book has sold well, but I have no plans, at present, to do another one. However, as Leo probably has a few more years left in his political career, I wouldn’t rule out writing a second edition either.”

O’Connor’s book is available to purchase at all good bookshops, or find it here: www.omahonys.ie/leo-leo-varadkar-avery-modern-taoiseach-p-10404944.html

42

The Rhyme of Life Lewis Kenny is a young Dubliner chasing his dream - becoming a professional spoken word poet in 2019. Keith Horan uncovers his inspirations and the evolution of his style.

“I

want to get off the dole.”

There is no aloof or overly poetic answer forthcoming from Lewis Kenny when asked what he hopes to achieve in 2019 by pursuing a full-time career in poetry.

“I want to be able to earn a full-time living as a poet,” he continues. “It’s gotten to a stage of my career where I’m just done with open-mic nights – it’s about trying to go more professional now.”

Lewis was born and raised in Cabra, in the North inner-city, the youngest of five siblings, where he attended St Declan’s College. He recalls not having much interest in poetry during his school years. “What they teach you about poetry in school shouldn’t shape your perception and knowledge of what poetry is – poetry in Ireland didn’t stop after Patrick Kavanagh and Seamus Heaney, it’s still alive today,” he said.

After finishing school, Lewis tried his hand as a musician, a process which eventually led to him becoming a poet. “I remember one day trying to write Dylan-style songs and it wasn’t working out, but I liked

Images courtesy of Ciara Brennan/She Bop Imagery

the lyrics that I’d written.

“I went to my mate and showed him, and he said, ‘I’d never really thought of that before,’ and it’s mad how things just spiral from there,” reflects Lewis on his introduction to the world of poetry in Ireland.

“I went home that night after talking to my mate and just started looking around to see was there any poetry nights in Dublin. The only thing I could find was a night run by this guy called Andre. It was called LOQ, it used to be in the basement of the pub Sweeneys on Dame street.”

It was here that Lewis met Alvy Carragher and Anne Tannam, two Dublin-based poets who introduced him to the scene in the city at the time.

“We just chatted away for the night and it was an experience unlike any I’d had on the music scene. I found that scene very competitive, people didn’t actually want to engage with each other at all, until they’d reach a certain level, because everyone is trying to make it.

Whereas with poetry it wasn’t a very popular thing at the time, so there wasn’t much going on.”

That was five years ago.

The poetry scene in this country has experienced first a growth, and then decline since Lewis strted. “I was doing poetry for a year or two when Lingo Festival, Ireland’s first international spoken word festival, was launched in Dublin 2014,” he remembers.

“For me that was the peak – it ran for three years, all on a volunteer basis. Spoken word around Ireland and Europe was at peak popularity at the time. It was Europe’s only spoken word festival, the perfect celebration of bringing all four parts of the country together for one festival – it was amazing.”

Lewis feels the end of the beloved festival left a “huge hole” in the scene that hasn’t been filled since. “There’s a few nights around, they’re very sporadic, some of them pop up now and again, and some of them just aren’t good enough, if I’m being honest.”

He also doesn’t feel the bond between poets is what it was a few years ago. “Since people have realised they can make money off it – it’s sort of killed the community aspect a little bit,” he says.

“There’s people who have been slogging away for 15 years and it’s only now they’re starting to make a bit of money from it, full-time poets like Stephen James Smith and Colm Keegan… There’s not a great living from poetry, but there’s money to be made if you know how to make it.”

Lewis supplements the income from his poetry work by doing creative writing, wedding

writing and commercial advertisements. He has also produced content for RTÉ and warmed up crowds at Dublin gigs, for artists like Akala and Saul Williams. “I have an old manual typewriter on which I can do poems for people and sell them - and if you’re in anyway entertaining you can do very well with live performance. The option is also there to branch out into theatre, which I’ve being doing, so there’s lots of stuff you can do,”

“Since people have realised they can make money off it – it’s sort of killed the community aspect a little bit.” he says.

Lewis feels that his poetry was previously shaped by “community issues, family and youth culture”, but he believes now he is at a stage in his life and career where he wants to branch out into other areas. “I recognise the state of the country and want to write about it.

It’s a very interesting time in Ireland, I know lots of poets who are becoming politically active.”

Lewis, like most poets in 2019, also utilises social media to put his work out to the public,

a practice which he says has led to the rise of ‘the social media poet.’ Despite Twitter and other social media outlets providing anyone with the platform to publish their work, the Dubliner does not believe that this has diluted the quality of what’s on offer.

A fellow poet, Colm Keegan always says to me that some poets have the attitude that too many poets will saturate the market, and that’s absolutely not true. The more poets there are the, more people there are who are interested in poetry. The more people who are interested in poetry, the more work there’s going to be for poets. A rising tide lifts all boats.”

To learn more about Lewis’ poetry, please visit: www.thespark.ie/lewis-kenny/ www.twitter.com/LewisKennyPoet

The Fur & the Fury

Katie Walsh takes a look at Ireland’s fur farming industry and what is being done to put an end to it.

M

ink are farmed for their fur because it is fashionably soft and short. The species originates in America, with the fur trade making it to Europe in the 1920s, and to Ireland in 1951, when the first mink fur farm was established here.

In 1933, the Musk Rats Act was enacted to regulate the fur farming industry in Ireland, while the muskrat is a different animal, the Musk Rats Act was extended to apply to mink in 1965.

This piece of legislation was only eight pages long, and didn’t include any information on animal welfare or on the correct and humane animal to cage ratio.

By 1960, there were around 40 fur farms operating in Ireland; however, they were on a much smaller scale to today’s fur farms.

By the 2000s, the number of fur farms in Ireland dropped to five, but were much larger in size and capacity. Currently, “an estimated 200,000 mink are killed in Ireland every year”, according to the National Animal Rights AssocIation (NARA). NARA say “fur is murder”, and that “animals are not ours to wear”.

Over the last two years, NARA have increased their efforts on this campaign, with Ruth Coppinger TD putting forward a bill to ban fur farming last October.

In 2017, the Department of Agriculture commissioned a report into the fur farming industry in Ireland, which noted that all three farms operating “are

very experienced at handling Mink and in following the standard operating procedure on Mink euthanasia”. The term ‘euthanasia’ is used in the report to describe the killing of mink with Co2 gas.

The report goes on: “Each member of the team has responsibility for different tasks during the killing operations and all duties were performed

“Why should we block somebody from wearing fur, leather or eating meat?” satisfactory on the day of inspection.”

This document was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. It explains that the method of killing the mink is done by ‘Carbon Monoxide (Co2)’, or “gassing”, as NARA describe it.

The mink are killed during pelting season, when their fur is at it’s best and/or when an animal is sick or injured. The report says that the caged mink in fur farms, “appear to be content and happy”.

The Veterinary Inspector that carried out one inspection, whose name was redacted for data protection reasons, stated that the “mink were bright and alert on the day, showing no

Images of NALA Anti-Fur demonstrations courtesy of Karl Leonard

clinical signs of ill health”. The Inspector said, “I was satisfied that the killing box was working well and all the mink were killed humanely”.

One of the fur farms uses a “purpose built chamber imported from Holland with a capacity of 60 Mink in one killing”, according to the Department of Agriculture’s own report.

Needless to say, there are many that totally contest that this industry, as outlined in the report, involves animals that are humanely treated; caged animals, destined for gassing, that are described by the Department of Agriculture Inspector as “content and happy”.

One who sees things otherwise is the Green Party’s spokesperson onagriculture and animal welfare, Pippa Hackett.

“The Green Party fully support a ban on fur farming in Ireland,” says Pippa. “While other European countries have long since banned fur farming, Ireland has instead kept fur farms open. This antiquated and barbaric sector is totally unnecessary, and when you see some of the leading fashion houses turning their back on fur, it’s high time we did the same,” Pippa adds.

Pippa is hopeful that cross-party support on a ban can be built in the Dáil. However, some parties have a poor record on animal welfare issues, so succeeding in implementing a ban may be difficult.

“The smell on the outside

of the fur farms is overwhelming at times, goodness knows what it’s like for the animals on the inside,” says Pippa.

Laura Braxton, from NARA, says, “We protest outside the Department of Agriculture every week; Min-

“The smell on the outside is overwhelming at times, goodness knows what it is like for the animals on the inside.” ister Creed is responsible for licencing the fur farms. We also travel around the country every Saturday doing outreach and canvassing on the issue. We host daily online ‘action alerts’, encouraging people to contact their TDs, and we also supply other groups and individuals with leaflets to campaign in their own areas.”

As for the Fur Farming Bill, Sinn Féin and Labour have gotten on board, but Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have yet to join the anti-fur farming movement.

Fianna Fáil Councillor, Jerry Lundy, told Independent.ie that banning fur farming was, “an attack on the farming industry”, and that, “once you start ban-

ning any type of farming, where will it end? Chickens or beef?

Why should we blocksomebody from wearing fur, leather or eating meat?”

Pippa says: “When we were in government in 2009, we implemented a phasedout ban on fur farming, which resulted in a couple of fur farms being closed. Unfortunately, this was not seen through by subsequent governments.”

By 2012, two of the five fur farms in Ireland had shut.

When Simon Coveney became Minister for Agriculture in 2012, he began to question the outcome of banning fur farming.

Coveney got rid of the ban and set up the ‘Fur Farming Review Group’. Coveney told RTÉ.ie: “Lots of people are uncomfortable with the industry, but it is not that different from intensive farming in other sectors”. He added that if he was to close it down, significant compensation would have to be paid to the fur farmers.

The Government introduced the Animal Health and Welfare Act in 2013. Evelyn Suttle, from NARA, summarised the Act, in her view: “The Animal Health and Welfare Act we have now, basically says, ‘do whatever you want, but don’t spread disease and don’t dogfight’. Dogfighting is illegal; everything else is grand.”

It seems the fight to ban fur farming will continue. But unless the political will emerges for change, a resolution will remain some way off.

46

BEHIND THE WHEEL: An Inside Look At Rally Driving in Ireland A

sk most people what they think of when they hear the word ‘rallying’ and they instantly picture a group of young lads doing donuts in their local shopping centre car park. The Irish Rally scene is much more than that, however. Rallying is among Ireland’s most popular motorsports, with interest and popularity growing every year.

There is one main form of rallying in Ireland and that is stage rallies. Stage rallies have been the professional branch of the sport since the 1960s, focusing on straightforward speed over long stretches of road that is closed to other traffic. These kinds of roads can be anything from asphalt mountain passes to rough forest tracks. As a result of this unique sport, and the unpredictability of the stages, these races attract massive crowds of spectators.

Chris Armstrong, Young Rally Driver of the Year 2013, and Rally sport enthusiast, spoke about his experiences with the rallying scene, and how he himself came to love the sport.

“My father was a car mechanic and built and worked

on cars, so that’s where my interest sparked. Plus, in the country rallying is a big thing, as there’s not much else to be doing.”

“My father was a car mechanic and built and worked on cars, so that’s where my interest sparked”

In these Special Stage Rallies, each car will be given a specific start time with 5 minute intervals. The time begins ticking for eachs driving, not when the race starts, but at each drivers scheduled starting time. These rallies are organised off the basis of professional rallying and put emphasis on speed and driving ability. The navigation of these events are based on pacenotes, a commonly used method to accurately describe a rallying route in extreme detail.

“I won the Young Rally

Driver of Year competition back in 2013, so I would say that is still the hardest course I ever drove,” said Chris. “It was hard for me, especially because with rallying it’s all about the cars you drive. At the time I was driving an older car compared to everyone else in the race, a lot of people didn’t think I’d win because of that.”

Rallying is at the ‘grassroots’ of motorsport. If people are interested in getting involved with rallying they are encouraged to join their local automotive clubs.

While it can be tricky to make it to the competition stages in this line of sport, Chris sees a growth in this area among younger drivers.

“When I was 16, there was nothing to do but nowadays they’ve brought out new categories that you can start racing from the age of 13, and that’s getting bigger.”

Lately, motorsport clubs across Ireland are trying to encourage young people to get more involved in the sport.

Rallying and rally drivers are often misunderstood, as there is a lack of information out there on the sport, particularly

Speaking to rally driver Chris Armstrong, Lauren Fetherston looks into the reality behind Ireland’s leading motorsport. the closer to Dublin you get.

The professionalism of the sport can be forgotten because of average motorists driving recklessly around local car parks and other sites close to rallies, all around the country.

As a result of this, Motorsport Ireland in conjunction with RSA (Road Safety Authority) created banners with the phrase “Keep the race in its place”.

This is somewhat common at the Donegal International Rally, one of Ireland’s oldest annual rally competitions, with around 150,000 visitors every year.

These unofficial motorheads give the actual rallying scene a bad name. Chris spoke about how well organised these big races are, with some of them “taking up to 12 months to organise”. Rallying events can last anywhere from eight hours over the course of a single day to a 24 hours of competition, over a three day event. He said how “professional” the legitimate rallying community really is.

Certain rallies take place on open road, with a 30mph speed limit, with “special stages” that are closed to the public. It is generally over these stages that events are won and

lost: drivers have to drive over closed roads as fast as they can in order to produce the quickest time. You will receive fewer penalties for the lowest time. But

“To make it as a professional you have to spend a lot of money...

It is virtually impossible for an average person to do it” how do you prepare for a big race?

In the case of rallying, you are given a once off chance the Saturday before your rally to drive through the course in order to take “pace notes”.

“Most rallies are on a Sunday, so you usually drive around the stages in your own road car the Saturday before. You are only allowed do this once, and at a maximum speed of 30mph”.

Here is where your navigator

will take pace notes, in order to measure every twist and turn in every stage, to encourage the quickest speed possible.

While rallying is one of Ireland’s leading motorsports, the prospect of going professional in this country is very slim. Currently, there are only two professional rally drivers that earn a living through this sport. “To make it as a professional, you have to spend a lot of money to get there; you have to get all of the cars and be able to race them. It is virtually impossible for an average person to do it,” Chris said. “Realistically in this country, it is just about the love of the sport.”

With the slim chance of going professional in rallying, the next step for most rally drivers is international rallies. Having never been racing abroad, Chris is intrigued by the idea.

“I haven’t done it yet but the hope is in the next couple of years to go out to the UK or even Belgium to rally.

“A few drivers are trying to organise a big race in Barbados, so I’d like to go to that. At the end of the day, it’s all about the love of the sport, and even better if you can get a weekend away out of it.”

48

Hot Ink

The Art of Male Erotica

Tattoo artist German Ferreiroa talks to Nick Moloney about his explicit message and freedom of artistic expression.

G

erman Ferreiroa has become one of the busiest tattoo artists in Dublin and his bold take on the traditional style has made people look twice in admiration and awe.

German, or Gerfer_tattoo to his 12,000 Instagram fans, began tattooing the male body after a customer once asked him if he could tattoo something similar to one of his Sketches - and that’s when he decided to take his sketch work to tattooing.

“Most of the inspiration comes from feeling comfortable with your sexuality and any aspect related to it. I just want to do something different and something new. It is weird that there is still a taboo to talk or do things related to sex, when everybody does it and loves it,” German said.

While tattoos have undeniably grown in popularity over the past decade, they have taken on a much more important meaning to those who get them.

Tattoo artist Ryan Sean Kelly used tattooing to cover up scars which occurred from self-harm.

Also, numerous shops around Dublin have held events for charity which involved getting tattooed for a donation, such as Dublin Ink’s tattoo event for the homeless and Ink Factory’s event for Pieta House and suicide prevention.

German believes his tattoos affect everyone who sees them. Bold, heavy lines and an explicit message make his work recognisable and unique.

“They have a very strong and explicit message, so then you have the two different sides.

The customer that is happy to have something different and original on their body, that not everybody is open to having, which makes them unique.

“Then you have the people who look at it with different opinions, good and bad. So, in a way the tattoos impact everybody, and that’s what I’m looking for.”

But the negativity has impacted his business to the extent that his guest spot in another tattoo shop in Italy was cancelled after some of their resident artists disagreed with his work.

“I was invited to do a guest spot in a studio and a week before they cancelled because people from my guest spot didn’t agree with my work and my ‘gay stuff’, that’s exactly what they said to me.”

On top of that, German began what he calls ‘The Male Art’ project, which began with a small number of male models posing nude for German to draw. These exhibitions were open to the public and took place in Berlin and Dublin.

Since then he has opened the contemporary project to men from all over the world. So, German now receives daring nudes from men which he then draws and posts to his Twitter account @dickpicproject.

“The Male Project was the first time for me doing something artistic outside tattooing,” he said.

“After having a great response from people around the world, I decided to start a second project where any man could participate, even if they are not based in Dublin, by sending their pictures to me so I can draw them.

“I decided to post these drawings online, where I got reported multiple times and accounts were deleted, even though I have a lot of people supporting my work. The haters win most of the time. Now I’m posting censored pictures on Instagram and uncensored ones on Twitter,” he said.

German’s work is unique to him and the customers who allow him to showcase it on their skin. No other artist is as prominent in the LGBT community. One of his tattoos where he captioned “only Britney can judge me”, went viral and is the first thing to show up on Google images if you look up the term.

“Every tattoo artist uses tattoos as a medium to express their ideas and help people to represent whatever they feel. So, I like to think that every tattoo artist who is dedicated to this profession is doing that in their own way,” he said.

German has been stationed at True Black Tattooing in Temple Bar, where he feels more at home to do his work. He said: “I have the freedom to express myself without having to censor my thoughts or ideas.”

Andy Shark, owner of True Black, feels strongly about allowing artistic freedom to take place in his studio.

“The artists have complete freedom to tattoo what they want and book who and when they want. Taking this position as a studio allows the artist to focus on tattoos that they wish to work on rather than having

to work to a studio roster that doesn’t progress their artistic style or feed their enthusiasm to keep creating new and progressive work,” he said.

But Andy takes it one step further and encourages the artists at the shop to travel so they can continue to develop their work.

“It is an important part of our development as a studio that everyone is allowed to explore their own artistic path and we promote everyone through exhibitions of their work and actively encourage the artists to travel for three months a year to learn, refresh and keep their passion alive,” Andy said.

At the forefront of a tattoo renaissance, True Black has defined itself as the ‘go to’ for black tattoo work; defined by its old school thick-line work mixed in with new school, contemporary design.

“The Dublin tattoo indus-

try would appear to be thriving at the moment and everyone is thankful to work in an artistic field where the artists can be appreciated and paid fairly for their work, when other artistic fields struggle to consolidate their artistic freedom with a sustainable living Wage.” added Andy.

True Black Tattooing is made up of a collection of artists who are established within the tattoo industry and have their own distinctive styles.

The studio is intimate; where both the artist and customer feel relaxed and you can feel the studio is more about the art than about their brand.

For more information, and to see more artwork, please visit: www.trueblacktattooing.com

Otaku Takeover

Ja Wei Lee goes to ‘Dublin Anime Meetup’ to discuss the growing interest in the Japanese export.

‘O

taku’ is the Japanese term to describe an avid fan of anime.

Anime is a japanese style of animation that uses stark colorful graphics to depict dynamic characters, with action filled plots that often use fantasy or futuristic themes.

In Ireland, there’s currently a growth of Otakus, as more and more people develop a genuine interest in the once unusual activity of watching anime. With popularity growing over the years there has been some American shows influenced by anime, such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, however, some of the best japanese anime include Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, and Naruto Shippúden.

Numerous anime conventions take place in Ireland throughout the year, like Akumakon and J-Con, both of which aspire to satisfy the needs of true anime lovers with costume play, known as cosplay, games and activities.,

One party that is lending a helping hand in promoting anime in Ireland is the ‘Dublin Anime Meetup’. The group is part of the Meetup community, where individuals can organise events for people who share common interests.

Fans from DAM show off their cosplaying skills courtesy of Dublin Anime Meetup

Chris Hancock, anime aficionado and the main organiser of the ‘Dublin Anime Meetup’, spoke to Subvert about the group and how it has established itself over the years.

‘Dublin Anime Meetup’ was first started in February 2015. Chris took charge as the main organiser not long after, when it was still in its infancy. Back then, meet ups were patchy and not as consistent as they are today

These past meetups involved sporadic anime screenings, which were quite rare in themselves, due to the niche-interest of the genre.

Since 2016, the group has been holding a meet up every fortnight in Dublin’s Sin É pub on Ormond Quay. At these meetups anime fanatics gather around to watch various anime series using a screen projector that they sourced via the ‘Crunchyroll Outreach Programme’, the world’s largest online destination for anime.

The group also attends anime events like comic-con, international multi-genre entertainment and comic conventions, when the opportunity arises.

According to Chris, membership numbers gained a noticeable spike in and around January 2017, and events have been going well so far.

“Anime storytelling tends

to be different from western storytelling, so it can be very interesting when a viewer approaches anime from a different culture,” said Chris.

“Sometimes you start watching an anime and then it turns out differently than what you would expect. So, I think there’s more

“Anime storytelling tends to be different from western storytelling, so it can be very interesting when a viewer approaches anime from a different culture.” opportunity for a bit of surprise, as well as the cultural aspects that you aren’t used to,” added Chris.

Certainly, anime has its own conventions and tropes.

The comedy can be wacky. The content can be mature and the

story can comprise of complex character development arcs. The action sequences, depending on anime genre, are somewhat unorthodox to mainstream audiences, but are still enjoyable to watch. For someone who is used to western films, it can take a while to get used to anime culture.

There are an increasing number of students that are taking Japanese language as a Leaving Cert subject. Chris says: “Certainly many people who get interested in anime then go on to sort of learn from Japan itself or Japanese culture.

“If you watch anime, I’m certain you’ll learn a lot about Japan,” said Chris.

Chris believes that anime, while deeply connected to Japanese culture, can serve as an international culture in its own right.

“That said, I think anime is sort of a culture in itself, while obviously being based on Japanese culture. It’s kind of a separate thing, and I think if you mistake anime culture as Japanese in general, you will consequently get a warped view of Japanese culture.”

To learn more about Dublin Anime Meetup and events, please visit: www.meetup.com/DublinAnime

Flying High

Sport, not Sorcery

Images courtesy of the Dublin Draíochta Dragons

I

Roisin Chapman hikes up to Fairview Park to investigate the Harry Potter inspired sport of quidditch.

n Dublin’s Fairview Park, the Draíochta Dragons gather together for a pre-training huddle.

A man walking a dog stops out of curiosity as the team tuck their ‘broomsticks’ (PVC pipe) between their legs and begin a match. “What’s this?” he asks. The answer: Quidditch.

“We’re always pushing to move away from the Harry Potter world,” said Philip Moore, team captain. Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The sport has been defining itself worldwide since its first recorded game in 2005.

However, it didn’t make its way to Ireland until 2016, when Stevo Scheurer, an Austrian student studying in Trinity College, introduced the game to his Irish friends.

“I started playing quidditch in Australia, where, very similar to Ireland, I didn’t know anybody and there was a big group always [looking for] more recruits. So it was very easy to make new friends,” Sheurer told Subvert.

“I went back to Austria.

There, it’s been played for a few years, so the level was low enough for me to immediate-

ly get a spot on the different teams. Then I came to Ireland and I needed to make friends, so I set up the team.”

Draíochta Dragons have provided similar homes-awayfrom-home to a host of nationalities, with team members representing areas from Australia to France.

Niall Patrick Rowe plays the position of keeper for the Dragons. Rowe drives three hours every Sunday from Northern Ireland to attend the training session. Rowe is one of the most experienced members of the team, with two years under his belt, having played in England before joining the Dragons. However, he wasn’t originally sold on the game.

“I was sceptical when I first tried. I’m not a huge Harry Potter fan,” Rowe explained.

“My flatmate was the captain of my university team and she said ‘come along, give it a go; just for a bit of craic.’ I said ‘alright’ and I loved it.”

Despite trying to remove itself from the culture of Harry Potter societies, quidditch has struggled to define itself as a standalone sport, with Irish universities refusing to provide funding that other sports clubs receive.

“Quidditch is essentially run as a charity,” explains Rowe, as “Warner Brothers and JK Rowling still have the rights to the name.”

“It’s more of a community than a sport,” agrees both Moore and Rowe. They explain the inclusivity of Quidditch, from international tournaments, leading to players swapping jerseys, to the game’s unique position as one of the world’s few co-ed team sports. Quidditch, despite being a highly physical sport, similar to rugby, recognises all genders and even implements a gender quota, to ensure equal representation on the pitch at all times.

As one of the Dragons makes her way hurriedly across the pitch, late to training, she meets the joking tuts of disapproval from her teammates.

After she explains that she had spent the morning with family, one of her colleagues replies, in a sentence that sums up the experience of a training session with Draíochta Dragons: “that’s ridiculous, quidditch is your family.”

For more information, visit: www.facebook.com/DublinDraiochtaDragons/

“It’s more of a community than a sport”

“We’re always pushing to move away from the Harry Potter world”

y l l a c i n Tech

As cannabis is being decriminalised and regulated worldwide, Kasper Delaney-Petersen speaks to those on the forefront of selling cannabis products in Ireland, and the legality behind the practice.

W

ith what seems like an overnight sensation at times comes an explosive ‘new’ health-fad, creeping its way across the country.

Health shops are beginning to praise its supposed benefits with supplements and oils. E-Cigarette liquid is coming packed with the stuff, with the customary fruity flavours and obnoxious smells as standard.

On top of that, we’ve all seen through the windows of those certain establishments when taking a walk-through town, for years on end. Brightly coloured storefronts proudly displaying their wares; bongs, rolling-papers, vaporisers, incense sticks, tie-dye t-shirts, etcetera. Strange as it may have always seemed, the legality of this new health movement, as well as the sale of associated paraphernalia, is more comprehensive than it seems.

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a naturally occurring, non-psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. Much like its sister chemical THC, or tetrahydrocannabidol, CBD has been touted to include many health benefits, often being given as a remedy for a multitude of maladies.

It is this rise in products

containing CBD that piqued my interest after returning from a six-month stint abroad last year.

Upon returning there was an abundance of shop windows advertising green coloured posters, with ‘CBD HERE’ written on them, with cannabis leaves to boot. As long as the product contains less than 0.2% THC, it is legal to sell it.

While the legitimacy of CBD’s benefits has been widely and fervently, in somewhat equal parts, accepted and debated, CBD is often regarded to be an antithesis to the psychoactive effects of THC. Among those who are acutely aware of the benefits of CBD, it is understood that it is not medicinal in the same vein as THC, which would be the primary component of medicinal cannabis.

“It’s like if Vitamin C was illegal,” said Helen Stone, proprietor of ‘The Funky Skunk’, a chain of cannabis paraphernalia and seed shops across the nation. “If it’s something the body needs, then obviously people are going to seek it out in any way they can.

“Our bodies contain a natural cannabinoid system, and people have been ingesting the plant and using it as medicine

Left: Helen Stone, owner of the Funky Skunk. Above: The Funky Skunk interior // Kasper Delaney-Petersen for thousands of years. The health benefits were known and are known,” Stone continued.

The supposed calming effect of cannabis grown and bred to contain only high levels of CBD remains both enjoyable and desirable for people who may never have touched cannabis in any other context, despite CBD plants not containing any components that would induce any strong feelings of euphoria.

Or, to use the industry term, it will not get you ‘stoned’.

The problem that the public faces when purchasing the CBD infused products that are flooding the market appears with the lack of understanding that many of those selling it have. Stone explains that while she views the rise of cannabis products to ultimately be within the public’s interest, shop owners are often ignorant to how CBD works with the body.

“People think that CBD can be used to treat pain and cure ailments but that’s not really the case,” said Stone. “Me-

“The problem is that you have more people selling CBD without the proper knowledge.

When some guy is selling CBD liquids or plant material out of their shop that also does phone repairs, of course you don’t know what you’re getting.”

dicinal cannabis would contain more THC which is what’s used to treat chronic pain, epileptic fits and that sort of stuff.

“The problem is that you have more people selling CBD without the proper knowledge.

When the guy down the alley is selling CBD liquids or plant material out of their shop that also does phone repairs, of course you don’t know what you’re getting. I’m a qualified herbalist, so I can say I know what is in it, what it should contain, and how it can and can’t help you.”

“We have all types of people that love CBD, and it’s not just stereotypes as people would think...the public’s view on it has definitely changed,” explains Stone. “People switch to CBD to get off the ‘streetweed’, and others just love the calming and anxiety-reducing effects that it has.”

The legality of cannabis derivatives and paraphernalia has been questionable for a long time. Countless demonstrations, protests, and both

grass-roots and mainstream political actions have all tried and have yet failed to allow for either the legalisation or decriminalization of recreational cannabis. Stone explained the rules behind the sale of seeds, CBD plant material, and cannabis paraphernalia: “It simply comes down to the EU Single Market and the free movement of goods. If something is legal in another country, like the Netherlands, then you can’t stop it from coming in, for seeds anyway. It used to be more hidden, but now they’re specifically sold to be eaten or as pet food.

“CBD products are different simply because they contain less than the legal limit of THC. The truth is the market is being flooded because people just didn’t realise that CBD was legal all along in Ireland.”

Due to CBD counteracting the effects of THC, it is possible that the rise in CBD products can be attributed, at least in some small part, to the ever-increasing concentrations of THC in illegally sourced cannabis. These stronger, massively hybridized strains of cannabis have been attributed to a rise in people seeking treatment for psychoses and addictions, with the strength of cannabis making its way into Ireland reportedly having doubled in the past decade. Stone helped to illustrate how further regulations might work and, as she is from the United Kingdom, how the dangers of cannabis were potentially skewed there.

“I don’t agree with indepth government regulations

… People should be able to pick their poison, and if a shop can show the strength of what they are selling, like we can,” Stone then shows a binder full of the strains of CBD plant material that is on offer, “people can pick what they want. I can’t eat potatoes with my arthritis so I don’t. It’s like alcohol; if it’s not for you then don’t do it.

“The problem with the media saying that there is a rise in psychosis is that, in the UK, criminals were using it as a defence saying ‘it’s that crazy weed that made me do it’ and it’s admissible!”

“The truth is the market is being flooded because people just didn’t realise that CBD was legal all along in Ireland.”

Like dangerously strong alcohol, cigarettes, and others of the same ilk, government regulations are favourable until personal freedoms are severely impeded upon, at least in my opinion. If cannabis becomes legalised, regulations will be necessary to a certain extent to prevent mentally dangerous, excessively THC-dominant strains from entering the market. To Stone, “a system like Portugal’s is a great firststep.” Sure, anybody can chose their poison, as they should be allowed to.

During the Summer of 2018 a ‘vegan cannabis coffeeshop’ was opened on John Street in Waterford, called ‘Bloom’s Café’. It was immensely popular, garnering over 5,000 likes on Facebook and being featured in a multitude of newspapers and online articles. Unfortunately, ‘Bloom’s’ time was prematurely drawn to a close, with the entirety of the stock being removed from the store, making it impossible to continue operations.

The coffee shop closed in January of this year, but its legacy continues. Stone said of ‘Bloom’s Café’: “This wave of CBD products definitely would not have happened if not for the café down in Waterford. They chose the wrong time to open up, but if it wasn’t for him the rest of us wouldn’t be able to sell CBD … It’s obviously different outside of Dublin but he took the risk and it just didn’t work out … but we all owe him a massive debt of gratitude.”

It appears that with both medicinal and recreational cannabis being legalised in many countries worldwide, the trend of new products entering the market in any way possible is inevitable. One might say, for all those dirty stoners out there, business is ‘blooming’.

To learn more about the effects of CBD, please visit: www.health.harvard.edu/ blog/cannabidiol-cbd-what-we-know-andwhat-we-dont-2018082414476 Visit www.thefunkyskunk.ie to learn more about Helen’s stores in Cork City, Bantry, and Dublin.

LADY RIDER: Mountain Bike Master

Image of Amy Kelly // Thomas Fitzpatrick

Shannon Somers talks to mountain biker Amy Kelly, who is trying to break the mould in a male dominated sport.

H

ailing from the small village of Bree in county Wexford, Amy discovered her passion for mountain biking after she spent time living in France.

Amy unearthed the world of mountain biking in the French town of Les Gets, a commune in the Auvergne-RhôneAlpes region in south-eastern France – which is known as a mountain biking hotspot and she has been hooked ever since.

When Amy returned to Wexford, she became a member of the ‘Bree Mountain Biking Club’ and continued to practice her newly found sport.

Amy’s village Bree, is well known among biking enthusiasts for its hilly terrain and popular bike trails.

Speaking to Subvert, Amy recalls how her mountain biking career got off to a bumpy, but exciting start.

“Getting hurt was all I could think of. I barely took my fingers off the brakes the whole way down but after the first few crashes I realised it wasn’t too bad once I was wearing all the protective equipment,” she says.

While she is more experienced now, Amy says the

fear of injury is still in the back of her mind, knowing that some of her colleagues have suffered devastating injuries doing what they love. But completely nonchalant, Amy says that this is just part of the sport.

One thing that does concern her, however, is the battle to change the perception surrounding her beloved sport.

She claims that mountain biking is currently a sport that is ‘massively dominated by males’.

Amy insists that it is a sport that both men and women can enjoy. With her waist-length hair, petite figure and feminine voice, Amy reveals that many strangers are ‘suprised’ by her passion for biking.

After three years of being a member of her local club, Amy remains the sole female rider. The only other female members of the club are the chairwoman and volunteers that help out on race days.

The picture for female bikers appears a little brighter outside of county Wexford, Amy insists.

There are several clubs in Dublin and Wicklow that she says, “tend to have a crowd of girls who compete in competi-

tions”.

Thankfully, it appears that female interest in the sport is growing rapidly. In 2017, just three women competed in the ‘Irish Downhill Mountain Bike Series’ round that took place in Bree. In 2018, 11 women featured in the race.

On a national level, the backing of the sport is impressive. ‘Bike Park Ireland’, Ireland’s top mountain biking park, and ‘Biking Dirty’, a bike shop, are just some of the companies that help to fund events.

Further support also sees club members getting discounts on bikes and jerseys.

For now, Amy sees a return to France on the horizon, which she says is a hotbed of biking activity.

“I don’t think I’ll ever stop biking. I plan to move to Morzine, a ski resort in the French Alps, in the next few months, where biking is big. I’ll definitely continue to compete, and hopefully improve to go on to bigger competitions,” she said.

For more information visit: www.bikeology.ie

Ffrench following a dive at the Europeans // Tommy Dickson

Jack Ffrench talks to Subvert reporter, Jack Maguire, about the ups and downs of diving and his drift away from the sport.

D

iver Jack Ffrench has achieved what so many around the world can only dream of, representing his country internationally but even elite athletes can experience difficulties and drift away from their chosen sport.

Swimming is a sport that has proven successful for our nation in the past, but a sport which many seem oblivious to is diving.

Tom Daley is the first name that would spring to mind in this instance, a competitor for Britain. A name that would not be recognised by many outside the ‘Swim Ireland’ circle, however, is that true of Jack Ffrench, a home-grown Irish diver from Maynooth in Co. Kildare.

Jack, a Master’s student studying geographical information systems and remote sensing in Maynooth University, has been diving for the guts of 15 years. He is one of the only born and bred divers to compete for Ireland at a Senior European event.

“Pretty soon after the National Aquatic Centre opened first, I was learning to swim there and the swim coach at the time brought me up to the diving pool and the diving coach asked me did I want to do a two week summer camp. I did two of them over the summer in 2004 and then I got invited into the diving programme, after that and I just stuck with it from there.”

“I was just doing it for fun when I was younger, without any real intentions. As the years went on, I began to get better at diving and put more focus on it in my early years of secondary school.”

It was around this time that Jack got his first medal at the British National age groups, a diving championship. He was the first Irish diver ever to achieve this feat.

“In fourth year, I knew it was a chance to take a break from school and focus on training. I had a note in my journal saying I could leave early any

day of the week, no matter what the occasion, and it was signed by the principal as well, so I used to just leave and go training.

“Sixth year was probably the hardest because I had to focus on my Leaving Cert, so I was only training four days a week, three mornings before school and then a Saturday morning as well, so that was tough, training from 5.30am to 7.30am, and then doing school and study. First year of college is really where the ball got rolling then,” said Jack.

This dedication from Ffrench never wavered, coupled with his part-time job as a lifeguard and team-leader in the National Aquatic Centre, where he trained; he was immersed in the culture of diving.

Quite often, the training hours athletes go through are overlooked, particularly for Jack, who has represented Ireland on the European and International stage.

“I competed in my first

Background: Ffrench at the University Games in Taipei // Tommy Dickson

European Championships in 2016. I had qualified for it the year before, in a competition where my teammate, Oliver Dingley, came first; Tom Daley came second; and I came third.

That was a cool competition to be involved in. I had a bad competition two days before and I wanted to prove to people I could do this. I managed to get a PB, personal best, that I still haven’t broken.”

Competing for his country is something that clearly gave Jack immense pride, something he could have only dreamed of as a kid learning to swim in the National Aquatic Centre. He continued the upward curve, competing at university games and two more Europeans, the most recent in Edinburgh last year. Here, however, is where Jack began to struggle.

“To be honest, I just wanted to get out there and do six dives as best I could and whatever place they gave me I was happy with. The last Europeans, however, didn’t go the best, as I wasn’t mentally in a great place with diving all year.

“Similar to 4th year, when I finished my degree last year I took a year out of education to focus on training, to see where the end goal could be, with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in mind. I knew, deep down, I wouldn’t be good enough to qualify. It was as if I was trying to swim with a stone attached to me,” Jack said.

Jack admits to having a mental block in the lead up to the Europeans in Edinburgh. He would stand at the end of the board, knowing what dive he had to do, with everything but that dive in his head. With such precision and skill needed to perfect the dives Jack performs, any slight mishap could result in

“I was doing it for fun when I was younger without any real intentions. As the years went on, I began to get better at diving and put more focus on it.” serious injury.

“Going into the Europeans this year I think I only did my competition list once a month before, and on the morning of the competition I was having blocks. It’s probably the lowest score I’ve ever gotten in a competition and I know I can do better, but when I look back, I wasn’t enjoying the training.”

As a result of this block and falling out of love with the sport, something that can happen so easily to high performance athletes, Jack has decided to halt his diving career, unsure of whether or not he will ever return to the board.

“My focus now is on my masters and I don’t have any intentions at the minute of going back and starting diving again.

I knew when I was speaking to psychologists before Edinburgh, deep down, I just didn’t want to dive anymore,” he said.

“To actually win medals would be a massive jump from where I was; them lads are full-time athletes who eat, sleep, and train, whereas I had a parttime job. I’ve been so rigorous with it all for so many years that I just wanted to take a break from it.”

Jack, who represented his country countless times, both as an adult and underage, feels “sport doesn’t define you”. It seems so fitting that a young man of 22 years, with all that he has achieved, has found a path he is now happy with.

Focusing his attention on his studies, hopefully he will one day return to inspire the youth of tomorrow, and help Irish diving jump to the next level.

For more information on diving events and competitions in Ireland, please visit: www. swimireland.ie

The Gentle Business of Death Undertaker. Mortician. A job that often goes unnoticed. Isabelle Evans interviews Paul Glynn, and discovers the trials and tribulations that come with the job.

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eath is a part of life, an unavoidable destiny we all must face, even if we don’t like to talk about it. Paul Glynn deals with death every day, being an undertaker from North Dublin, he gives us a snapshot into the hours and days after we pass on and give our body back to the earth.

Personally I have been lucky enough to avoid experiencing grief first hand but watching loved ones deal with it, I was curious to find out how people support and live with grief on a daily basis.

As I walked up to a picturesque detached house in North Dublin and knocked on the quaint but stylish pale green door, I was taken aback at how normal everything was. To be honest, I expected an eerie and dark house with overwhelming tones of sadness as a place for an undertaker to live. Paul welcomed me into a gorgeously warm and busting home in which you could feel family and love surrounding you.

“An Undertaker is working with families a lot and the deceased. So when a person passes away, we help them to the funeral home to get prepped up and ready.”

For something that is guaranteed to happen to us all, do we ever give a thought to who takes care of our bodies in the immediate aftermath of our death? Who looks after us and our family before we are laid to rest? When we die there is a great responsibility to look after the body and this is where Paul steps in.

Did you ever picture yourself as an undertaker when you were younger?

“No but it’s something I would have liked” remarked Paul.

Going to work can be difficult for most, they mightn’t like the job, they might not get on with colleagues but what

type of person can deal with a job involved with grief? How would you describe yourself?

“Quiet.” he pauses and laughs. “No you can be independent but you have to be able to work with people. You do have to be social as well and take everybodies point of view.

You can have loads of different scenarios but you just have to work with them and make sure everyone is calm. If you’re calm they’re calm.”

Grief takes its toll on everyone in different ways. Many need time to heal and process the situation. But what about people who deal with grief everyday? How do you look after yourself and process the grief?

“Well I adapt. It’s something I just get on with. You can in a sense become desensitised.

You’re dealing with different situations, it might be an older person, it might be a baby, it could be a child, a girl, a boy, any scenario is possible. Working around all these different situations one has to adapt.”

“You need a strong enough person. There’s a lot of people who can’t adapt.

There is dead bodies and you will be left with them and you will be getting them dressed. If you can’t be around that environment, if you feel you can’t cope with it or feel insecure with it then you can’t work in that environment.”

People forget how draining emotions really are and when you work in this type of work you constantly have to deal with that. Would you say it’s a demanding job?

“At times yeah. It’s not black and white. You can blank things out. Sometimes you go in and you see emotions. You have to put up a barrier. You can’t get too emotional, you can’t get caught up too much because it will affect the work you do. You have to go in and do the job otherwise it’ll affect the family.”

“You can go into a situation where the family is roaring crying and you have to jump in.

You need to say look we need to do this and we need to move on.”

How do you unwind after work?

“Xbox games and movies.” he smiles.

How do you think Irish people cope with grief?

“A lot of them are emotional. Some families find it hard. If it’s someone younger than the bereaved then they find it harder again? Some of them let it out at the time, they might cry, some of them hold it back and get emotional later on.”

“Undertaking is a hidden role in a way, and people can blank you out sometimes.

They don’t want to see you.

Sometimes families come in and they’re in a zombie state.”

Illustrations by Kasper Delaney-Petersen

Do you ever feel hidden in society?

“It (profession of an undertaker) is hidden in a way and people can blank you out.

They don’t want to see you.

Sometimes families come in and they’re in a zombie mode.

They’re in a situation where they’re talking to you and communicating and then all of a sudden they’re not there. There mind is going through a process where it’s closing down but it’s going through a process of dealing with grief.

“For instance we collected the deceased from a house the night before. Came back the next day and met the same family to lay out the deceased. One fella that I worked with he said, “Aw do you remember us from last night? We picked up the husband the night before.” She couldn’t remember us. It was complete mental block within only a few hours.”

For someone who cares for us when we pass and our families during the most difficult times, undertakers are often overlooked.

Visit the Irish Association of Funeral Directors at: https://www.iafd.ie/

Heralding the Future Ellen Corrigan sits down with the editor of The Herald to learn about the future of print media, and his attitude towards online journalism.

T

echnological advances have altered countless industries in recent years, and the journalism trade is no exception. Alan Steenson, editor of The Herald, has experienced these changes first-hand, witnessing the industry completely transform during his career.

Having graduated from DCU with a BA in Journalism in 1996, he started in The Herald as a junior-sub. With a passion for foreign news correspondence and a self-proclaimed inquisitive nature, he was thrown head-first into the newsroom, recalling, “you’re always very idealistic when you’re that little bit younger, but reality usually ends up a little bit different”.

“During my first six months back in 1996, I caught the tail-end of very old-fashioned newspaper production.

It was a complete eye opener for me. I thought if I needed to crop a photograph, I’d click on my mouse and it’d be done. No chance. ”

Before the media industry became technologically savvy, Alan remembers a time when newspapers were almost hand-made creations, sewn together by a production team the size of a small army.

“When I tell people about it now, it makes it sound like I’m absolutely ancient!

There was a team of people on what used to be called ‘the stone’, who would literally get

a scalpel out, and cut into this sheet of glued-together columns on a paste board, then stitch them together like a jigsaw to make up the newspaper pages.

Once the jigsaw was put together, they’d put a sheet of glass over it and take a photograph called a bromide. That’s then what went to the printing press.”

While this process was

“I think Irish print media has been far too slow to embrace what online media can actually achieve.” certainly more time-consuming than modern practices, Alan describes the unforgettable atmosphere it created.

“There was such an amazing buzz when you went down to the stone at deadline time; it was just so busy and loud. Navigating that was a true skill. You’d send the paper off, then when it was printed, you’d see a column that was just slightly askew from someone shifting columns around before the glue dried. Those little quirks were just part of the process.”

However, production methods soon changed and a desktop-based system took over.

Alan notes: “In the 20 years I’ve been here, I would argue that there’s very few industries that have had to endure the amount of flux that journalism has. Even in the last seven or eight years, there’s been a rapid shift towards online journalism via smartphones.”

Alan believes that although the Irish media industry lacks a strong, profitable online model, it certainly can be created. He says, “I think we - and by ‘we’ I mean Irish print media in general - have been far too slow to embrace what online media can actually achieve for us.”

“I think the realisation is only dawning on us now that if people are going to pay for online news, the quality has to be a whole lot better. Twitter is taking over the breaking news element, and there’s so many newspapers out there trying to match that. What Irish media needs is to produce journalism that’s exclusive and of such high quality and such worth that people are happy to pay for it online.

“It needs to include photos, videos, podcasts; exclusive high-end features...similar to what The Observer and The New York Times are producing.

The ones that have done it best have created this sense that

The Herald editor Alan Steenson // Ellen Corrigan

you’re not really paying for news, you’re paying an exclusive club membership. However, it costs a lot of money to do that. There needs to be a leap, and for someone to say, ‘We’re going to invest in our journalism here.’ Then everyone else will follow.

“We were never going to stop this from happening, so we just need to be quicker to embrace the change.”

Alan himself notes that countless focus groups within Independent News and Media (INM) throughout the years have revealed an obvious trend in younger generations favouring online content to print material. This has proved fruitful in regards to The Herald establishing their online presence.

Alan explains, “We have a lot of experienced journalists working alongside digital natives who are really skilled at driving people towards our paper via Facebook, Twitter, etc. You need people like that to mix in with your brand of journalism.

“However, you get an instance whereby a digital native might find this great video of an incident and say ‘Let’s put this straight up online’. You have the experienced journalists asking ‘Have we checked this, do we know it’s real, have we spoken to the Garda?’ You

need to have the kind of people who know how to chase content that’s trending online, and mixing with the people who know how to fact-check. That’s essential when you get involved in online content.”

Catherine Shanahan, Head of Journalism at TU Dublin, said: “Journalism at TU

“Media employers are now actively looking for journalism graduates” Dublin is bucking the trend as we have had a big increase in applicants putting journalism down as a first preference. An interesting development from our point of view is that non Media employers are now actively looking for journalism graduates as they have a skillset that is particularly valuable, good communicators, digitally literate, strong writing skills, the ability to work in teams, as well as analytical skills. It is the Arts degree of the future.”

With regards to the incredible surge of online media,

Alan encourages those interested in forging a career in journalism to pursue it.

He says, “Don’t look at how the industry is changing and think that you have to change to fit into that industry.

I’ve seen so much change in how the business operates over the last few years. However, the basic building blocks of what makes a good story are the same as they were 20 years ago, 40 years ago, and they’ll be the same in five or 10 years too.”

“How you get the story and how you create an engaging story for your reader hasn’t changed. While the mediums by which we interact with our readers are more and more through an online space, the content that they want to read is still the same.

“Simply concentrate on getting a good story and getting it right, that’s what makes a good journalist. In that sense it doesn’t matter whether that’s connecting with the reader through print, through their phones, or via radio and television.”

He concludes: “A great story, and more importantly, a great writer, is what truly connects with an audience.”

www.herald.ie

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My Return to Yu-Gi-Oh! Ethan McDonagh explores the growth of the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game, and how much it has transformed in his abscence from playing.

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riginally a children’s card game, adapted from Kazuki Takahashi’s manga, which first published in September 1996, the world of the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game (TCG) has changed a lot since its launch in Japan, just before the turn of the millennium. The TCG has always been incredibly popular, with Guinness World Records naming it as the top selling TCG in history, with more than 25 billion cards sold worldwide.

First brought into Western society with the first English printing of cards in March 2002, the game is almost unrecognisable from that first release of ‘the Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon’ set of cards.

While fan favourite cards, like ‘Dark Magician’, ‘Red-Eyes B. Dragon’ and ‘Blue-Eyes White Dragon’ are still in play today, 16 years later, the gameplay, supporting the cards and format have all changed.

As someone who stopped playing the game in the late 2000s, and resumed in early 2017, after downloading the ‘Duel Links’ app,[the official Yu-Gi-Oh! game] learning the amount of changes that had taken place in the game was somewhat overwhelming. As with most returning players to the game, the first product I bought was for nostalgic purposes, that came in the form of ‘Legendary Decks II’, which came with pre-constructed decks, based around the decks

of Yugi Moto (Dark Magician), Joey Wheeler (Red-Eyes) and

“I sometimes get abused by my friends for still playing a game they stopped having an interest in when they were 10-13 years old ... I always defend myself by explaining just how much intelligence is actually required to be good.”

Seto Kaiba (Blue-Eyes), three of the protagonists from the anime.

However, it didn’t take long for me to realise that this set of cards couldn’t stand up to the present day meta game[the dominant style of play], which was based around incredibly

complex combinations of cards, that see the player end with insanely powerful fields, come the end of their first turn. This complexity was only increased with the addition of a new summoning method and card type, Links in July 2017. Not only did this change the type of cards and how they’re played in the game, it also brought with it wholesale rule changes and a different game board, with two new monster zones being added and a move of the pendulum zones.

My return into the YuGi-OH! scene eventually led to me attending my first ever tournament in, Gamer’s World on Jervis Street in Dublin. At this point in my adult life, there’s not many social occasions that are new to me, but showing up here was very much similar to a first day at school, where you have no friends and no idea what is actually going on. At least this time I didn’t have long hair that made me get mistaken for a girl, like my first day in a new primary school going into second class. I’ve never quite recovered from that.

Luckily for me, I wasn’t completely alone this time, as I went with my 18-year-old brother, but what did strike me immediately was the age demographic of the other people playing.

“We were easily the youngest people there and were surrounded by men (no women were there, obviously) in their

late 20s and early 30s, who’ve all been playing the game for a decade or longer.

One contestant who goes to tournaments regularly, Ben Coleman, explained: “Usually most people we play against are fully grown men who have serious jobs and some of them even have families. Sometimes I get abused by my friends for still playing a game they stopped having an interest in when they were 10-13 years old, but I always defend myself by explaining to them just how much intelligence is actually required to be good at the game nowadays.”

This was a point I was able to relate with after being told by one of my friends, “You’re going to have a lot of cats”, upon telling them I still collected Yu-Gi-Oh! cards and was doing a college project involving them. While I may not be a kid anymore, it is still somewhat painful to have one of your hobbies ridiculed as being something only introverted losers enjoy.

Another side of having not just Yu-Gi-Oh!, but any card game as a hobby, is just how expensive it can be. To buy a top-tier deck that can compete at a high standard and stand with a chance of winning, even small, local competitions, can cost anywhere from €346 to €561, just for a 40 card main

deck, accompanied with 15 card extra and side-decks. That doesn’t even take into consideration the cost of travel for players who want to attend major events, with Regional Qualifiers taking place all across Ireland.

Attendance at as many of these as possible is necessary

“Usually most people we play against are fully grown men who have serious jobs and some of them even have families.” if someone wants to accumulate enough points to play at the annual National Championships, which usually take place in June at the Ballsbridge Hotel, in Dublin.

Further adding to the cost of top-tier Yu-Gi-Oh! play for Irish players is the fact that the nearest Championship Series event takes place in London and is costly to attend over the course of a three-day period.

However, this does build a comradery between players,

with everyone looking to trade cards with all the other people at various events. After every match I played at the tournament, my opponent would always ask to see what cards I have with me, and vice versa, and I actually managed to sell a rare card I got in my tournament entry pack to one of my opponents, Cian McDonnell.

Cian is one of the best players in Ireland and was one of the few people at the event who has gone to major international tournaments. He said: “I try to go to as many competitions as possible but I do sometimes prefer the smaller ones, as it’s more intimate and you get to know the people you’re playing with on a more personal level.

“I’ve been to some pretty serious events and it can be very cutthroat with everyone just wanting to do the best they possibly can, while here you have a friendly conversation with your opponent as you’re playing.”

As you can see, the world of Yu-Gi-Oh! is very much alive, but a lot has changed since the days of throwing your cards down on the school playground at lunchtime.

Learn more about the Yu-Gi-Oh! universe at: www.yugioh.com

A hand of cards are meticulously studied at a tournament // Nick Moloney