The College Tribune Volume 29, Issue 8
Flaws Found in 1 of 5 Berkeley Balconies
Independent News for UCD since 1989 collegetribune.ie
Tuesday, February 16th 2016
Seán O’Reilly Editor
M
andatory building inspections introduced in the Californian city following the tragic collapse in June which claimed the lives of six students and injured seven others have found that 402 properties, 18% of the total reviewed, suffer from similar structural issues to those that caused the disaster. However, almost one third of building owners did not respond to the city government’s request requests for a review of the structural integrity of their properties meaning that the final number of effected properties could still rise. In addition to the inspections, restrictions in building design and the codification of specific materials permitted for use in environments which are likely to see a high degree of exposure to moisture have been put in place by the Berkeley City Authority in an attempt to ensure there can be no repeat of the collapse. The events of June were described as a “wake-up call” by mayor Tom Bates, who also added that he was “shocked” at the number of properties which require urgent corrective attention in order to be made safe. As was speculated when images became available in the days after the incident, dry rot caused by water saturating the balcony’s inadequately protected wooden support beams led to the collapse. Thee mandatory inspections are to be made a regular occurrence due to the high risk of earthquake damage occurring to structures as a result of California’s proximity to seismically active areas.
Business Pg. 12
Remembering the Rising Cian Carton News Editor
A
s the debate over the 1916 Rising hits the public sphere, historians, both amateur and professional, are coming together to explore the Easter rising as part of Ireland’s Decade of Commemorations. How can one attach labels to a topic which proves to be so emotive and embodies an almost foundational myth status within the history of the creation of the Irish State? Here to offer a guiding hand is Dr Conor Mulvagh, lecturer in Irish History, who organised the recent event, ‘Globalising the Rising: 1916 in international context’, as part of UCD’s Decade of Centenaries commemorations. Mulvagh spoke to The College Tribune about the changing perceptions and maturation of views towards the Irish Revolution.
Internationalising the National University
For Mulvagh, the Decade of
Gaeilge Pg. 16
Clubanna i mBAC
Centenaries has been filled with opportunity. While researching the time period in order to “investigate how international UCD was a century ago”, he came across information that would eventually led to him publishing a book. UCD now brands itself as Ireland’s global university, but 100 years ago it wanted to be seen as “the national university, rather than a national university.” However, he discovered this was not entirely true. “In some small respects, the college was much more international than has ever been written about in its history. University College Dublin really saw itself as having a role in being a national entity. So it surprised me then when I found that one-third of the law students in the 1916 law class were from India. The fact that one of these law students went on to become something of the James Larkin or the James Connolly of India, organising transport workers strikes in the 1920s and coordinating lockouts, clearly shows
that he was influenced by his Irish experience both in the lecture halls and on the streets of Dublin in 1913 and 1916.” Published just this month, Irish Days, Indian Memories: V. V. Giri and Indian Law Students at University College Dublin, 1913-1916 is an account of the experiences of these Indian law students in UCD during the eventful time of Irish history. The most famous of the group was V. V. Giri, who went on to become President of India in 1969.
Public Perception of 1916
As the centenary of the Easter Rising approaches, Mulvagh spoke of it as being a “hallowed” event in Irish history. He believes that 1916 has become “a foundation narrative, and its subsequent re-telling and its mythologisation have become important facts in themselves in terms of how it has been commemorated and what place it has taken, both in the national psyche and in the evolution of the State, and how the State ar-
Tech & Science Pg. 16
Work towards a PhD from the comfort of your local bar with PubhD
ticulates its own journey towards independence.” On that basis, it has a strong influence on people’s perceptions of how they view their history. This relationship between the wider public and their history has come to the forefront of the commemorations, with a renewed public vigour on display. Mulvagh spoke of this wider community who continue to enjoy the pursuits of history. For him, “history is the ownership of everyone and not just an academic elite”, and he described the amount of life-long learners and history enthusiasts among the general community as “astounding”. He argued that “a lot of people don’t give the public the credit they deserve”, in that those who are quick to generalise risk missing out on the learning experience individuals can offer to each other.
Easter Rising: A Stepping Stone?
While the 1916 Rising may appear as major landmark in Ireland’s Decade of Centenaries, it will pale in comparison to the commemorations planned for upcoming years. According to Mulvagh Continued on Pg. 6
Kevin O’Reilly bags a rare interview with Other Voices’ Phillip King in
THE TRIB