College Tribune - Volume 33 - Issue 8 by College Tribune

COLLEGE TRIBUNE Independent Student Media

Issue_08.33

03.03.2020

NO BUDGING FROM COLLEGE; RENTS PROTEST CONTINUES

News

Page 13

Big Reads

Page 20

Culture

Page 25

The Business Interview with Denis O’Brien

Every UCD Political Society on Solving the Housing Crisis

Quotes Above Are Satirical Full Coverage

Page 10 Dublin’s Hottest Pictured Above: Students’ Union President Joanna Siewierska with University President Andrew Deeks

Upcoming Gigs

Universities Must Provide UCD TO INTRODUCE Alcohol Free Accommodation MANDATORY SEXUAL HARASSMENT WORKSHOPS

Conor Capplis Editor

in higher education. The group, which was comprised of 21 academics, gardaí, The number of olleges in Ireland reccommendations health professionals, stumust provide issued formally by dents and first responders, “drug, substance, the Rapid Respone recently released their recommendations for all HEIs. alcohol and to- Group to all bacco-free student accom- Higher Education There are no UCD staff on the Rapid Response Group modation” following new Institutions in team. Ireland. recommendations. The new A further note within “framework for tackling the recommendations for substance abuse” in higher “drug, substance, alcohol education was recently sent and tobacco-free student to all the presidents of highaccommodation” suggests er education institutions The number of that HEIs “could include de(HEIs) in Ireland. members in the veloping a contract of occuBack in September Rapid Response pancy for student tenants in Group. The 2019, Minister for Higher institution-owned student Education Mary Mitchell group contains academics, accommodation.” O’Connor convened a “Rapgardaí, health According to these recid Response Group” which professionals, ommendations, all HEIs was tasked with conducting students, first extensive research and pro- responder amongst must: allocate space on viding recommendations other experts. on tackling substance abuse Continued on page 4...

Conor Capplis Editor

n Tuesday 25th February, the University held its official launch of UCD Report and Support. The event, held in the Student Centre’s Fitzgerald chamber, saw a large turnout from staff across the UCD community. Speakers at the event announced 90-minute classes on preventing sexual assault, an anonymous bystander reporting tool for all members of the UCD community and the Students’ Union announced an upcoming ‘It Stops Now’ campaign. Next year, all incoming freshers will receive man-

datory 90-minute classes on how to intervene and help prevent sexual assaults from happening on and off-campus. Opening the event, UCD Deputy President and Registrar Mark Rogers noted that “UCD has zero tolerance” to the kind of behaviours addressed with this initiative. Dr. Aideen Quilty, Assistant Professor in Gender Studies at the School of Social Policy, was heavily involved in the research that went into this new programme. “It’s a really important message for incoming students and it’s about increasing knowledge and awareness as well as prevention,” Quilty told the Irish Times. The proContinued on page 5...

Sport

Page 32

UCD Sports Update March 2020

Editorial

elcome to Issue 8 of College tribune Volume 33. Boy it’s been a busy couple of weeks, with students protesting more than Greta Thunberg on Friday. The issue though? Well, it’s kind of a whole bunch of issues muddled into one little movement. Here’s a quick summary! The catalyst for these recent actions has been UCD’s decision to increase the on-campus student accommodation rents by over 12% over the next 3 years. This seems to be the straw that broke the camels back. As per our graph on page 4, this increase is far from unusual from UCD management. With state funding for higher education at a critically low level, tackling the housing crisis effectively isn’t easy. This brings us to our next big issue: money! Student groups such as UCD Students’ Union, Fix Our Education UCD and Anti-Casualisation UCD have been heavily critical of the spending practices of the current administration. The greatest hits include a €12.4 million University Club, just shy of €1 million on luxury flights, at least €5.5 million on the purchasing of offcampus residential properties, €7.5 million on renovations to Ardmore house, and the list goes on. University President Andrew Deeks has cited the reason for the rent increase as a need to fund the new residences currently being built on-campus. Although there isn’t one big UCD money pot where funds can be dished out here and there willy nilly, there is an air of great frustration in Belfield towards UCD’s general spending practices. Deeks and his colleagues have said they won’t back down on the rent increases, angering students but not halting the protests. Another issue that’s been thrown into the mix, is the alleged ‘casualisation’ of graduate students in

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

03.03.2020

Volume 33 - Issue 08

The Team College Tribune 08.33

UCD. Student group Anti-Casualisation UCD submitted a petition to the University Management Team (UMT) with over 2,000 signatures, calling for increased stipend and working conditions for PhD students at UCD. The UMT rejected the suggestion that UCD was casualising its workforce but conceded to conduct a review of the payments for casual teaching in UCD. There is a considerable amount of hostility amongst the student body towards the rent hikes. One large reason is so UCD can afford building the new residences. Our Deputy Editor Alex Lohier took a look at the residence plans in place (page 6), and honestly it looks pretty cool. Rent hikes aside, the new residences will have a lot of great facilities. As Alex says: “Central to the Phase 1 development is the ‘Fulcrum’ building, a 5-storey building with a 2-storey student centre housing a 290seat auditorium, restaurant, grocery shop, cafe and food pop-up stores (with the potential for a bar), a gym, a health and wellbeing centre and numerous meeting rooms. […] There are plans for a bank branch, a dry-cleaners, a new bus stop, a barber shop and a sporting area suitable for basketball, volleyball, netball, handball and rock climbing.” With the Students’ Union calling all students to partake in a protest on March 4th from 12pm by the Student Centre, it’s clear they intend to keep going on this one. Union Officers have recently claimed that this will be “the biggest protest UCD has ever seen.” With comparably low numbers at the recent protests, it will take some sort of miracle to get the numbers they need to change Deeks’ mind. Enjoy the read Conor

EDITOR’S PICKS

Conor Capplis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Editor

News

Alex Lohier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Deputy Editor

Belfield’s Growth Spurt: A History of UCD Rents

Rob Ó Beacháin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Law

By Hugh Dooley

The Business Interview with... Denis O’Brien

Dugh Hooley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Turbine

Conor Paterson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Politics Adam Boland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Science

By Neil Stokes

Cecily Nic Cionnaith . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gaeilge

Big Reads

Returning to College in my 40s

Patrick Doherty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Business

Aaron Collier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Philosophy Matthew Derwin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Music

By Rachel Thornburgh

Brigid Molloy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Film & TV

Every UCD Political Society on the Housing Crisis

By Conor Paterson

Original Design Newspaper Produced By Samuel Mc Sherry By Conor Capplis @sms.studio

Culture

Film Review: Birds of Prey

Mallika Venkatramani. . . . . . Arts & Lifestyle

Contributors Adam O’Sullivan Reporter

By Brendan O’Brien

Luke Murphy Reporter Alessia Mennitto Reporter

“The Absolute State” Brings Real Irish Stories To Stage

By Alessia Mennitto

Hugh Dooley Reporter Mahnoor Choudhry Reporter Neil Stokes Business, Sport Aaron Bowman Law Tamarin Tooley Turbine Agam Cobwag Turbine Isabelle Keenan Opinion

Contact Us Editor@collegetribune.ie +353 1 716 8501 PO Box 74, Student Centre, UCD, Belfield Dublin 4 Letters to the Editor should be sent via email and no longer than 300 words.

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Kasia O’Connor Music Nicolas Murphy Music Jack O’Grady Film & TV Gemma Farrell Film & TV Brendan O’Brien Film & TV Ella Ryan Film & TV Leah Commandeur Arts & Lifestyle Milo Mehigan Arts & Lifestyle Katie Sport Emre Oktay Sport Tlamelo Malima Sport Ciarán Crowther Sport George Harding Sport

Volume 33 - Issue 08

03.03.2020

Contents

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Write For Us. Go to www.collegetribune.ie or email editor@collegetribune.ie

Big Reads

News

Universities Must Provide Alcohol 1 Returning to College Free Accommodation in my 40s By Conor Capplis

UCD To introduce Mandatory Sexual Harassment Workshops By Conor Capplis

Belfield’s Growth Spurt: A History of UCD Rents By Hugh Dooley

UCD Students Protest Rents, funding & graduate conditions By Conor Capplis & Hugh Dooley

The Business Interview with... Denis O’Brien By Neil Stokes

By Rachel Thornburgh

1 The Students’ Union’s Unsung Hero Spending a Day with Brian Treacy By Conor Capplis

Academic Spotlight: Dr. Andrew Jackson

Culture Sport 16 COMMENT: Pop Smoke’s Death is Indicative of Systematic 17 Problems By Nicolas Murphy

Film Review: 18 Birds of Prey

25 UCD AFC 31 Set For First Division Title Tilt By Neil Stokes

UCD Club Updates & 26 Fixtures

By Brendan O’Brien

By Mahnoor Choudhry

10 Every UCD Political Society on Solving the Housing Crisis By Conor Paterson

13 Wave Particle Duality for Feckin Eejits By Georgia Stynes

Science 20 Through an Artistic Lens

By Mallika Venkatramani

21 Restaurant Review Chimac

By Alex Lohier

News

UCD Students Protest Rents, Funding & Graduate Conditions

Everything We Know About the New Residences So Far

Belfield’s Growth Spurt: A History of UCD Rents Hugh Dooley - Reporter

niversity College Dublin are planning to increase rents by 12% over the next three years. This translates to a 4% increase in accommodation license fee per year. So, how does this increase compare to the historic increases in price since 2006? Using data from an archive of UCD’s residences website this article will show the historic trends of the price of on-campus accommodation. In 2006, a room in UCD’s cheapest on-site accommodation block, Merville, cost €3,544. On top of this base fee was a further €353 fees covering utilities and insurance. Fast forwarding to 2019, this base fee has increased by 88.57% to €6,683, a raw increase of €3,139. This increase can be averaged out to a 4.81% increase per year. During this period the average level of inflation was less than 1% per year. If the proposed 4% increase is undertaken, then Roebuck Castle, currently

the most expensive accommodation block, will reach €12,237 per academic year, assuming all other costs as a constant. Factoring in the additional cost of the €400 deposit then a single year’s rent in the “castle” will cost almost €13,000. This money could alternatively purchase 2,719 ciabattas from the Student Union Shop or run the University Observer for half an academic year. This would be a 70% increase on its price of €7,707 in 2010. UCD President Andrew Deeks has explained the necessity of increasing the price of on-campus student accommodation in order to fund capital projects such as the erection of additional accommodation blocks which “will contribute to longer term rent stability and potential rent reductions, and that it is in the best interests of our community overall to proceed [with the proposed

...Continued from cover the HEI campus for support groups working with those struggling with drug and alcohol abuse, implement a Student Community Support system, provide interventions that target higher risk groups and complete a formal evaluation of the effectiveness of their own Drugs and Alcohol Action Plan at least once every three years, provide drug, substance, alcohol and tobacco-free student accommodation and

“

A Students’ Union spokesperson has said the SU “would welcome the introduction of alcohol-free housing. It would be safer and more welcoming to other cultures.” rental increases].” UCD has the most expensive on-campus student residences in Ireland by a large margin. In second place is DCU, whose cheapest accommodation block costs

+88%

The base fee of Merville has increased by almost 90% since 2006.

€6,252, with some blocks ranging as far as €7,001. Trinity College Dublin’s cheapest on-campus accommodation comes in third, costing between €5,982 and €8,226.

DRONE FOOD DELIVERY TO LAUNCH SOON AT BELFIELD

Alex Lohier - Deputy Editor

rone-delivered take-away meals will soon be a reality for UCD students, as news comes out that Manna will launch this month. Manna, founded by Bobby Healy, is promising to facilitate the delivery of food within three minutes via the use of autonomous, aviation-grade drones. These will be operated by the restaurants themselves, and ordered by customers via Just Eat, who have partnered with Manna in pioneering the use of this technology. Having received numerous rounds of funding, the company will hold a testing phase from its base in No-

vaUCD, in preparation for its launch in South Dublin. The trial period in UCD lasts five weeks and will be limited to two drones. ‘’The service will run from Monday to Saturday, offering lunch and dinner from our food partner Camile Thai and icecream from Ben & Jerry´s’’ tells Alexandra Slabutu, Drone Operations Project Manager at Manna, to the College Tribune. The testing phase will be facilitated by Manna employees and aided by university students, many from UCD, who volunteered to provide feedback and insights into potential improvements. In a recent press release on the upcoming launch, the company announced its

Universities Must Provide Alcohol Free Accommodation

partnership with Just Eat, Camile Thai Kitchen and Ben & Jerry’s for the initial launch phase, with numerous other restaurants in the pipeline thereafter. During an event hosted by ‘tribetacics’ in late 2019, Bobby discussed Manna’s origins and his ambitions for the company. The initial idea was borne out of a late-night craving for a bag of chips. Bobby, ever the entrepreneur, began writing code (dubbed ‘Bag-a-chips’) that would send an autonomous drone to the chipper and return to his house, without actually picking up any food. Recognising the potential, Bobby knew he was on to something. Fast forward to now, and Bobby is already

March

From March 2020, Manna will pilot their drone food delivery service in UCD. The trial period will last five weeks.

80km/ph The maximum speed of Manna’s food delivering drones. From take-off, food is expected to be delivered within three minutes.

busy trying to enter the US and UK market. How does it work? Order your food using Just Eat as you normally would. This will alert the restaurant, who will prepare the food and load it into the drone, which will fly at a maximum speed of 80 km/ph. Within three minutes of takeoff, you will get a notification saying your food has arrived. Head outside, and you will find a drone hovering ten metres above your head. Once you confirm that you are ready to pick up your food, the drone’s belly will open up, and your food will be lowered down via a biodegradable linen thread. Autonomous food-delivering drones are on their way.

“

Students’ Union Accounts Show Strong Financial Year

on-campus alcohol-free social spaces. In response to these new recommendations, a UCD Students’ Union spokesperson has said the SU “would welcome the introduction of alcohol-free housing. It would be safer and more welcoming to other cultures.” The spokesperson continued: “UCD has alcohol free spaces, and events. We have a part time role for non-alcoholic events and most of the SU events are daytime non-drinking ones. The

UCD’s New On-Campus Residences Currently in Development university policy states that bars must serve non-alcoholic alternatives at a reasonable price during trading hours and that non-alcoholic alternatives should be available for non-drinkers at all events as well as food.” The Tribune reached out to UCD, but have not received a comment by the time of publishing.

Volume 33 - Issue 08

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COLLEGE TRIBUNE

News

UCD Launches Anonymous Reporting System & Mandatory Sexual Harassment Workshops ...Continued from cover gramme will include workshops, talks and a short film. The programme has already been successfully piloted on 200 students and 100 staff will be involved in the formal rollout in September. Professor Jason Last, UCD’s Dean of Students, formally introduced UCD’s “Report + Support” anonymous reporting tool. With a short demonstration, Last showed how any member of the UCD community can now anonymously report all forms of bullying, harassment and sexual harassment. The tool requires selecting items which best describe the incident or behaviour. It is the first of its kind that allows anonymity and for individuals to report on behalf of themselves and other people. Report + Support is available now at reportandsupport.ucd.ie The tool has

Pictured Above (left to right): Professor Colin Scott, Dr. Aideen Quilty, Una Carroll, Professor Jason Last and Noeline Blackwell.

STUDENTS’ UNION ACCOUNTS

SHOW STRONG FINANCIAL YEAR Conor Capplis - Editor Alex Lohier - Deputy Editor

he College Tribune has obtained the UCD Students’ Union Financial accounts for the Year 2018/19. The organisation’s 2019/20 budget is also included in the document released by the Union. We’ve put together the most notable figures from these documents and compared them with the 2018/19 budget. Last year’s budget projected an “Income from Shops” of €95,000. This was surpassed with an actual income of €295,000. This 210% difference in figures comes as money was taken from the SU Shop reserves which financed the €120,000 office refurbishment for the Students’ Union. The offices of various Sabbatical Officers have reported notable changes in this year’s budget. It is understood that the spending practices of these offices depends on the costing of each officer’s manifesto plans. The biggest difference compared to last year’s spending, is Conor Anderson’s Graduate Office Budget which has seen an increase of 290%. Coming from Former Graduate Officer Niall Torris spending €2,278 last

year, Anderson is projected to spend €8,925. University Observer costs for the year are expected to be €26,465, which equates to an average of €3,308 per issue. Note that this does not include any staff costs, such as their salary and expenses. In contrast, the College Tribune projects a yearly expenditure of €8,014, (roughly €801 per issue) representing 30.28% of the Observer’s expenses. However, it is important to note that the Observer also

The Tribune projects a yearly expenditure of €8,014, representing 30.28% of the Observer’s expenses. publish a magazine with their newspapers, which the Tribune does not, and print on a larger broadsheet newspaper. The “College Officer Activity” sees a 360% increase on last year’s spending. It is understood that last year’s College Officers were given a similar budget but avoided high spending. This year’s budget factors in a €25,000 “Strategy Review.” The Union’s current strategy was drawn out

during the 2016/17 academic year. The current strategy, costed at approximately €15,000, was commissioned by Former Union President Conor Viscardi. The current strategy, due to conclude in May 2020, is planned to be replaced with a new four-year plan. The €25,000 is projected to be spent on funding the company “Thinkhouse” to provide research services to the Union. The remainder of the funds are due to be spent on the formulation of this strategy. There is a projected increase in “Other Income” to €113,000. This category includes any income received from brand deals with the Union. This year’s budget shows a strong increase in this type of revenue, with the 2018/19 budget estimating just €20,000 in Other Income. Last year’s accounts saw over €18,000 spent on “Ads & Promotions.” This year’s budget estimates just €5,000, over 70% less than their 2018/19 spending. Last year’s SU rebranding accounted for approximately €5,000 of this spending. The Union has also focussed more on digital advertising, which is much less costly than printing.

been available online since early 2020. Una Carroll, UCD Students’ Union’s Welfare Officer, also spoke about the work the Union has done over the last number of years to combat bullying and sexual harassment. Carroll has been heavily involved in the formation of these initiatives, building off the work done by last year’s Welfare Officer Melissa Plunkett. She also announced the launch of the Union’s ‘It Stops Now’ Campaign, due to begin this week. Noeline Blackwell, a human rights lawyer and the Chief Executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, also spoke at the launch about the importance of the initiative. Beginning her speech with a story about a student who was being beaten by his PhD supervisor, but didn’t want to publicly come forward for fears of jeopardNot An Advertisement

ising his degree, Blackwell praised UCD and noted the importance of an anonymous platform for reporting harassment. She also jokingly congratulated the organisers for holding the event on the day after Harvey Weinstein’s verdict was released. In February, TheJournal. ie reported that nine colleges in Ireland have signed up to an “€80,000 online system that allows students to anonymously report experiences of sexual assault.” UCD will not be a part of this scheme as an internal system has already been developed in the form of Report + Support. A Department of Education spokesperson also confirmed to TheJournal.ie that the department “provided UCD with €14,000 to fund the reporting system, alongside consent workshops and an evaluation of the college’s current consent workshops.”

News

The Newsstand Alex Lohier Car Trouble The TomTom Traffic Index 2019 has ranked Dublin as the 6th most congested city in Europe (17th worldwide), ahead of cities such as Paris (19th), Rome (20th), Brussels (21st) and London (22nd).

UCD Holds Dragons Den The Investors and Entrepreneurs Society is hosting the final of their Dragon’s Den on Tuesday, March 3rd, at 6pm in the Quinn Building. Students will pitch business ideas and be judged by a panel to win a cash prize of €2,000.

Holi Comes to Belfield UCD IndSoc are hosting a Holi Festival (the festival of colours) on March 6th from 2pm to 5pm in the UCD Brava Lounge, located in the Old Student Centre.

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Alex Lohier - Deputy Editor

n February 2020, eight UCD students represented the university in the 67th session of the Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN). The delegates stepped into the role of decision makers, negotiating on major international crises and subjects. UCD was well represented, with a mix of experienced HMUN negotiators and new-joiners. The delegates spoke on the topics of climate change and the threat of a future refugee crisis (Matthew Shi-

el and William O’Brien), legal topics (Síofra Brady and Ellen Groom), security and disarmament (Harry Curley and Ciaran Soden) and economics and finances (James O’Connor and Orlaith Barry). Ran by the UCD Investors and Entrepreneurs Society and sponsored by Arthur Cox, the delegates travelled to Harvard to take part in the event between January 30th and February 2nd. Having registered in early 2019, the UCD delegates had less than one year to prepare for their respective topics. One would think that’s time aplenty, but, as

delegate Matthew Shiel explained to the College Tribune, ‘’drafting resolutions for such complex problems requires countless hours of not only research but brainstorming and debating. There was never a time when I felt I had thought of every point of view or angle to take when drafting potential resolutions’’. The first stage of the programme is the preparatory phase, where the teams must research and become knowledgeable in their prescribed areas. According to Matthew, he “found it the most intimidating part! De-

spite months of research, the best preparation came from the last minute bouncing of ideas off each other on the plane’’. Starting research early can give you a competitive edge over others, as it allows for the consideration of multiple problems, and thus solutions, which may present themselves during the negotiations. Síofra Brady, another delegate, told the College Tribune that her rationale to be involved was to gain an ‘’understanding of the political, economical and social events happening in countries dotted across

the globe’’. From her experience in the programme, she recognises that having ‘’knowledge of other countries ameliorates our ability to interact with people from across the globe’’. UCD will be hoping to send another delegation of students to HMUN in 2021, and one can only imagine that an opportunity such as this would be beneficial to students. Applications for next year’s programme open in May 2020; from Matthew and Síofra’s insights and praises for the HMUN programme, becoming involved is not to be missed.

Everything We Know About the New Residences So Far Alex Lohier - Deputy Editor

CD’s plans to nearly double student accommodation on campus, the funding of which will be facilitated partially by a controversial hike in rent prices of over 12% over three years. This will involve the construction of 3,006 bedspaces, in 7 apartment blocks ranging from 5 to 10 storeys, in 12.95 hectares of space within the Belfield campus. Phase 1 of the project will centre on the construc-

tion of 3 new buildings beside Merville and Centra, encompassing a total of 924 beds. The apartment blocks, dubbed ‘Block D’ and ‘Block E’, will house 455 and 409 rooms respectively, and total a cool €100 million. A portion of the beds will be ‘ambulant’, meaning they will be tailored to students with special accessibility needs. Central to the Phase 1 development is the ‘Fulcrum’ building, a 5-storey building with a 2-storey student centre housing a 290seat auditorium, restaurant,

grocery shop, cafe and food pop-up stores (with the po-

UCD was the overall winner of the Great Agri-food Debate in Belfast on February 26th. The final debate, against Waterford Institute of Technology, was on the motion of ‘Global free trade, not subsidies, will deliver a sustainable future for European agriculture’.

UCD researchers are developing a “climate-friendly cow”, with methane reduction levels of up to 50%. A panel of experts, including UCD’s Paddy Wall, Professor of Public Health, discussed the subject to students in UCD last week.

Volume 33 - Issue 08

Strong Representation from UCD at Harvard MUN

Ag-Debate Sees Big UCD Win

Same Cow Less Fart

03.03.2020

tential for a bar), a gym, a health and wellbeing centre and numerous meeting rooms. The upper floors will house 60 studio apartments, presumably being the most expensive offerings of the new development. The site will include 2,104 bike racks and the provision for 994 designated car parking spaces, many of each being in the basement level. More excitingly for students, there are plans for a bank branch, a dry-cleaners, a new bus stop, a barber shop and a sporting area suitable for basketball, volleyball, netball, handball and rock climbing. In terms of sustainability, the roof of the Fulcrum building is set to be covered in solar panels, and UCD is aiming to mitigate the amount of trees felled, whilst planting new trees, shrubs and hedges.

The developments come at a time where on-campus accommodation is stretched and rising rent prices are forcing students to live further afield from UCD due to the unaffordability of campus life. Though the increase in rooms and communal space is certainly welcome, many within the UCD community are opposed to the manner in which it is being funded, namely through raising rent prices for existing students. This has led to numerous protests (see pages 10 and 11) over the last couple of weeks, as concerned students and staff aim to revoke this decision from the UCD management. Phase 1 should be completed by Summer 2020, with the food and restaurant areas opening in early 2021.

4 in 5 Young Adults Have No Plans For STI Check in 2020 Adam O’Sullivan Reporter

ccording to health insight company L e t s G e t C h e ck e d only 22% of 18-24 year olds plan to get checked in 2020. Although this figure is up from last year’s 14%, student representatives have called the results “shocking.” Dr. Dominic Rowley, medical director of LetsGetChecked, and Union of Students in Ireland (USI)

welfare officer Roisin O’Donovan have urged for greater awareness among students on their sexual health, encouraging regular checks. This survey was carried out as part of Sexual Health Awareness and Guidance (SHAG) week, a national campaign run to promote awareness around sexual health and consent. The results were even lower among 25-34 year olds as only 9% of this cohort intended to get screened in 2020. These re-

sults clearly reveal that regular STI check-ups in Ireland are at a relatively low level. The USI find these statistics particularly worrying as the HSE found that STI notifications in Ireland increased by 7% in 2018 compared to 2017. Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia were up 7% while Syphilis was up a worrying 22%. Young people aged 15-24 years were particularly affected. In response to these findings, Dr. Dominic Rowley of LetsGet-

Checked stated “there is an epidemic of STIs in the western world at the moment” and that “the findings are particularly alarming in this era of increased information and ease of access to testing”. The survey, carried out by Empathy Research, also discovered that 37% of 1824 year olds have researched STI symptoms online. Testing is not as popular, but figures show that turning to ‘Dr.Google’ is on the rise.

This self-diagnosis phenomenon is often due to young people discovering so-called symptoms even though the majority of STIs have no symptoms at all. Dr.Rowley has warned against such behaviours; he encourages regular checks every three months with a trusted organisation such as LetsGetChecked.

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ASCOUGH FIASCO

n early February, UCD president Professor Andrew Deeks spoke with the Irish Independent in a wide-ranging interview where he discussed competition for places in the college, gender neutrality, and the notorious impeachment of Katie Ascough. In the interview, Deeks told the publication that he “would have liked to have seen her (Ascough) serve out her term” and that she was “a good SU president”. He followed this up by commenting on Ms Ascough’s alleged treatment by UCD staff. Deeks refuted such claims, stating: “I would be very disappointed

if that was going on. It was clearly her perception that was going on. I have no information and nothing to make me believe that it was” The UCD president went on to say that if such an incident was reported, it would be dealt with in accordance to the UCD Dignity and Respect Policy. He claims the college could not intervene in the student politics, which he described as: “quite brutal”. In the wake of the interview, Katie Ascough responded to Professor Deeks’ comments. In a brief interview with the Irish Catholic, she told the publication she “still doesn’t think [Deeks] is aware of the issues Catholic students face at UCD.” Ascough went on to tell

the publication that “it is not uncommon for lecturers to scoff at and disparage the Catholic Church, sometimes with incredible bluntness.” She further claimed that staff in UCD were less than impartial. Ascough retorted Deeks’ comments on her potential “sensitivity” to the situation in stating: “I think any student would feel wronged if they were told by a lecturer “I want you gone””. While both Ascough and Deeks expressed a level of respect toward each other, the accusations of mistreatment to catholic students from staff raise questions on the diversity and acceptance that UCD is championed on.

RATE OF TREE PLANTING Alex Lohier Deputy Editor

n 2019, the UCD campus saw an increase in the rate at which trees were being felled, figures obtained by the College Tribune under the Freedom of Information Act have shown. In 2018, the number of trees felled in UCD versus those planted was 7.2%. In 2019, this number rose to 19.5%. Despite a marginal increase in total trees planted, a larger pro-

Environmental Workshop Fosters

Cross-Society Collaboration Mallika Venkatramani Arts & Lifestyle Editor

aster of Public Administration in Development Practice student Charlotte Thumser organised a workshop titled ‘Connecting for the Future - Mainstreaming the SGDs at UCD’ on 17th February to explore the SDGs. UCD’s student societies, clubs and campaigns might all be inclined towards differ-

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The workshop brought in distinguished speakers from the UCD Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and World Vision Ireland

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ent spheres, but in one way or another, this workshop showed they share the ability to incorporate and inspire their members to follow sustainable practices. The aim of the interactive workshop was to get participants to think about how their respective club’s or

campaign’s challenges could be tackled in line with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by all the Member States of the United Nations in 2015. The

workshop brought in distinguished speakers from the UCD Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and World Vision Ireland and was coordinated by Davie

Volume 33 - Issue 08

UNIVERSITY SLOWS DOWN

NEVER ENDS I I Luke Murphy Reporter

03.03.2020

Philip of cultivate.ie and Cloughjordan EcoVillage in Co. Tipperary. The workshop was well-represented, with attendees belonging to a vari-

portion of trees were felled in 2019 than in the previous year, culminating in a slower growth of new trees on campus. This is despite UCD’s intention to ‘’continue to expand campus woodland over the coming years’’. UCD is yet to be recognised as being a Green Campus within Ireland. Other third-level institutions, such as DCU, UL, UCC, Trinity, Maynooth University and NUIG have all been awarded the title for their efforts. As of February 2020, “UCD are

at the stage of putting together a draft application for the Green Flag,” confirmed Green-Campus Manager Dara Dever, and are “one of 36 campuses currently registered on the programme.” UCD recognises the importance of a healthy world in its Strategy 2020-2024, which is “committed to a sustainable future built on a healthy biosphere.” Theme 3 of the revised Strategy is devoted entirely to “Building a Healthy World.”

ety of student societies and campaigns - GreenCampus UCD, UDC GeogSoc, UCD Mountaineering, UCD Fair Fashion, UCD Fossil Free Campaign, UCD VegCampaign, to name a few. When I spoke with Charlotte, she told me that she was glad about the turn-out. “There was this group of students who wanted to learn more about the SGDs. This is why I decided to do an event to bring in different societies

and campaigns to bring in the dimension of SGDs that they could implement to deal with their own challenges,” she added. The workshop revolved around brainstorming different challenges faced by the different groups and then relating each of those challenges to the 17 SDGs and their 168 smaller targets. The attendees’ involvement contributed to the real buzz of the workshop, with students actively contributing their inputs, both on paper and with one-another. “This is a good way of seeing how our personal challenges fit in with the SDGs. Also, it was interesting to see this framework of goals that encompass so many countries,” said Chris Little, the Co-Founder of Fossil Free UCD, one of the attendees. As we wrapped up, I asked Davie himself about his insights on how the SGDs could be relevant to university-level student groups. “SDGs are a common language to bridge all the different challenges,” he shared. “It is so important to have some cohesion (when all the societies are working on different things).” I couldn’t agree more. It was fascinating how so many challenges had overlapping goals to work on. Different as groups might be, there will always be some similarities in the missions we are working for, and collectively working together might be more effective than problem-solving independently. This approach definitely needs more tapping into for its infinite potential.

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Volume 33 - Issue 08

UCD STUDENTS PROTEST RENTS, Conor Capplis - Editor Hugh Dooley - Reporter

News Breaks of Maximum Rent Increase UCD’s on-campus accommodation will increase by 4% year on year for the next three years. A premium of €1,000 on average will also be charged to the 1,000 newly built student bedrooms. This news was announced on February 5th by UCD Students’ Union. In the weeks to follow, Belfield would see several acts of protest from various student groups on-campus, with unending calls to reverse the increase. A UCD spokesperson has said the decision was made “in order to secure adequate funding for the maintenance of existing on-campus student accommodation and the provision of 3,000 new beds; 924 to come on stream in September 2020.” In an “infuriated” press release, UCDSU President Joanna Siewierska hit back at UCD, saying: “It is shocking to see Ireland’s largest, public university use student accommodation to make a profit, and do nothing to help students manage the crippling rents in Dublin.” The Students’ Union is also calling for an “immedi-

ate reversal” of this decision. The decision to increase UCD’s on-campus rents was made by the University Management Team (UMT). The UMT is made up of 12 UCD Staff members, including: Professor Andrew Deeks (President of UCD), Professor Mark Rogers (Registrar and Deputy President of UCD), the heads of the six colleges of UCD and other notable UCD staff members. The revenue gained from an increase in rents will help fund the ‘Residences Masterplan’, of which the latest development on Belfield’s south end will be a large part of. In a wide-ranging interview with the University Observer, UCD President Deeks said: “What we really need to do is address the housing crisis in Dublin, and that can only be addressed by building more houses. It can’t be addressed by capping or reducing rents; that doesn’t solve a housing crisis. It can’t be addressed by subsidising students; it just means that pushes the rents up further. So, we need to build more housing, we need to build more residences, and that is the way to solve the housing crisis.”

Students Start Making Some Noise Despite vocal calls from the

Students’ Union, the UMT showed no signs of going back. On Tuesday, February 18th, over one hundred students marched to UCD’s Tierney’s building. The protest coincided with a meeting of the UMT. Students gathered in the Atrium of the Old Student Centre early that morning. Led by UCD Students’ Union, Fix Our Education UCD and Anti-Casualisation UCD, students began marching towards the centre of Belfield campus at 9:30am. When the group arrived at the building, students began chanting directly below the third-floor windows of UCD President Andrew Deeks’ conference room. While the chanting continued, six student leaders made their way to the UMT meeting. UCDSU President Joanna Siewierksa, Graduate Officer Conor Anderson and a representative from UCD Anti-Casualisation entered the UMT meeting. They were not allowed recording devices or photography. They read out a statement to President Deeks and his colleagues. The student leaders also submitted their demands and a petition signed with 2000 signatures to the committee. These demands included: an immediate retraction of the decision to increase on-campus rents, a reduction of on-campus ac-

commodation rent and the establishment of a student rental-assistance fund for students on and off-campus. UCDSU President Joanna Siewierska said in a statement that the three student groups are “on a united front that the rent increase is unacceptable. Our rents are already way too high on campus and we also wanted to present the issues faced by casualised PhD labourers on campus.” She went on to say “we want to make it clear to management that the decision they took two weeks ago to increase the rent by 12% over three years has not gone down well with students at all. Not only were we locked out of that decision-making process, and our demands have not been responded to in two weeks, but this decision is going to continue crippling students who want to pursue an education here.” When asked about the response from the meeting, Siewiersksa said “I asked for a formal response and we got a few words from our University President, just acknowledging our presence in the meeting. I would like to see a formal response from the University Management Team for our petitions and our demands.”

UMT Gives A Big Fat No Following this first protest, the UMT decided not to back down on the planned on-campus rent increases. In a letter to UCD Students’ Union regarding the rent hikes, University President Andrew Deeks has said that “it is in the best interests of our community overall to proceed.” The Tribune obtained the letter which was sent in response to two previous S.U. correspondences on the 4th and 18th of February. The entire University Management Team signed off on the letter sent to the S.U. on Wednesday February 19th. The letter explains that it is the view of Andrew Deeks and the University Management Team that “proceeding with these developments will contribute to longer term rent stability and potential rent reductions, and that it is in the best interests of our community overall to proceed.” It continues by saying that while the Management Team sympathizes with calls for a rent freeze from the Student Union, “such an action would require [UCD] to freeze any further development of student accommodation.” The letter further accounts for the rise in rent by explaining that “the

bringing of student accommodation under the Rental Tenancies Act, together with inflation in the costs associated with maintaining and developing accommodation, has meant that [UCD] must raise the accommodation charges.” The official response acknowledges the difficulties that both students and employees of UCD are having in finding affordable accommodation “within reasonable commuting distance of the University”. The letter explains that UCD are increasing the current on-campus housing stock by 40% in comparison with that of 2014 “in order to help release pressure on the Dublin housing market”. The UMT claim that this “ambitious programme” will have added 3300 additional bedrooms by 2025. The letter also suggests a number of existing supports for students struggling with accommodation: “We recognise that some students will not be able to afford our accommodation or indeed any accommodation within a reasonable commute of UCD, and so we have put in place an increasing range of scholarships and hardship funds to assist these students. The money for some of these scholarships comes through philanthropy, while others are supported

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FUNDING & GRADUATE CONDITIONS through operating funds.” In response to UCD Anti-Casualisation’s calls to increase pay and improve working conditions amongst graduate students, the UMT stated “We reject any suggestion that we are casualising our workforce” citing that the University has created more than 500 jobs in the past 6 years. The UMT have also announced that they “will be undertaking a review of the payments for casual teaching to ensure that these contributions are appropriately recognised.” Anti-Casualisation, the graduate student group claiming to fight for better working conditions, have defined casualisation as “any kind of work which is done without a salary.” A spokesperson for UCD Anti-Casualisation responded to the UMT’s rejection of “any suggestion that [UCD is] casualising [its] workforce” and their announcement that they will be “undertaking a review of the payments for casual teaching…” The spokesperson said: “Though they claim they created 500 jobs, and they reject claims of casualisation, what kind of jobs have they created? Short-term, casual workforce without any guarantee of health. That’s a huge problem. […] [The review] has to be genuine and they have to take our claims

seriously. It can’t be some kind of lip-service that they are paying to our demands.” She also stated: “The undergraduate teaching is overly dependent on tutorials. […] Who is taking on the responsibility of taking care of these students, getting the lessons out to them? It’s the PhD students. Who are the most exploited? It’s the PhD students, because they don’t get a stipend to do [teaching].” In response to the UMT’s statement, the spokesperson concluded: “UCD has got to take research seriously. PhD students are creating value for the university, in terms of research, in terms of teaching and the responsibilities that they undertake. So, PhDs should not be paying fees to do research and the work that they take on should be remunerated properly. […] It’s time to mend things. It’s time to make things right.”

Peaceful Protest of Governing Authority Students later protested outside a meeting of UCD’s Governing Authority (GA). On Thursday 20th February, members of the Students’ Union, Fix Our Education UCD and Anti-Casualisation UCD organised a silent sit-down protest, in which they broadly obstructed the

entrances of the GA meeting. The peaceful protest attempted to highlight students’ upset with the recent decision to increase on-campus rents. SU President Joanna Siewierska explained that they are protesting “to ensure that it’s clear to governors that we’re not happy with that decision.” The students dressed in t-shirts labelled with “#notabusiness” and “STOP THE RENT INCREASE.” After the SU provided coffee and refreshments for the would-be political activists, the students sat around the entrances to the Red Room in the UCD Student Centre. Signs were held up saying “STOP The 12%” and “#notabusiness”. The peaceful obstruction began shortly before the GA’s 11am meeting, with the up to 37 members intermittently arriving in awe and amusement of the student antics. Though the GA did not make the decision to increase rents by 4% year on year for the next three years, totalling over 12%, the student groups were keen to show their opposition to the UMT’s decision. SU Sabbatical Officers Joanna Siewierska, Brian Treacy, Úna Carroll currently sit on the UCD Governing Authority. The SU reportedly circulated their demands to GA members before the meeting, with a plan

to discuss the rent hikes. UCD President Andrew Deeks arrived shortly before the commencement of the meeting. After briefly speaking with SU President Siewierska and Graduate Officer Conor Anderson, Deeks meandered around the students to enter the meeting.

Students Camp Out for The Morning The next action for the student groups was to be a tent action at the main entrance of the Belfield campus. The action on Thursday 27th February, which lasted from 8:30 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon, had a small number of students and a number of local politicians in attendance. Ruth Coppinger and Richard Boyd-Barrett of People Before Profit paid a visit to the students. This is not the first time that UCD Students have pitched tents to protest an increase in campus rents. In April 2010, UCD students held an eight-day tent action and successfully lobbied the University Management Team not to increase the on-campus rents. Then UCD Student Union President Gary Redmond explained to the Tribune that the students were “sending a message to the university authorities that we will

not tolerate their ludicrous policy of increasing campus rents annually”. The rent increases were frozen for two academic years, until they began increasing again in 2012. Speaking to the Tribune at the tent protest, People Before Profit TD, Richard Boyd-Barrett, explained how he felt it was “utterly disgraceful to increase already extortionate rents on a public university campus without any consultation or consideration of the stress or financial hardship that it will cause students and their families.” “It is beyond belief,” Barrett continued, “that rents on a public university campus would be more expensive than private off-campus accommodation. So, the University is acting as rack-renting landlords rather than acting in the interests of students.” Speaking to what the government could do to alleviate the crisis, Barrett explained “I think the government should abandon what is obviously a deliberate agenda of corporatizing our universities. We should have the same levels of investment in third level education and the students as the rest of Europe, which we are chronically below in this country.” During the protest Stu-

dents’ Union President Joanna Siewierska told the Tribune: “Two things which we discussed with the University were that we need to get the Student Union a lot more involved in budget discussions for the year ahead.” Siewierska cited the need for the Union to have greater inputs on student supports and to be able to negotiate in the budgetary process. “What we need is a student partnership agreement between the university and the union to set out exactly what committees we sit on and our ambitions are going forward.” Other Universities across Ireland have also protested similar rent increases in their respective campuses. Numerous sources have suggested a continuation of protest in UCD, with students being asked to keep their calendars clear for March 4th. Student groups are galvanising together on a national level and preparing for larger, bolder action. This political game of chicken will likely end with the students or management blinking first. Both parties are firm in their stance, and not backing down. With rumours of national action from student groups, we may not have seen the end of rent protests in Belfield.

Business

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UCD I&E Win €10,000 at

Trading Competition Patrick Doherty Business Editor

he Bank of Ireland FX Trade Off Competition tests university students’ ability to trade currencies, promoting and encouraging participation in the global FX markets country-wide. The competition is popular amongst aspiring financiers

and numerical brains alike, with over 1,000 entrants this year. It is open to all third level students throughout Ireland, with UCD performing well each year since the inaugural event in 2017. Bank of Ireland, the competition’s chief sponsor, provides lucrative prizes to the winners of the competition, including internships in the company for the top two competitors.

Each student is given $1,000,000 to trade in their simulated account, with the aim being to make the most return on investment over 5 weeks, and is fiercely contested. BOI also provide trading tutorials and general advice to all competitors. On an individual level, UCD’S Investors and Entrepreneurs Society were hugely successful, bringing home a plethora of prizes, most

notably 2nd place, won by Robin Twist, which saw him pick up €1,000 along with a guaranteed internship in Bank of Ireland’s Global Markets division. Other winners included Luke Harris (3rd place), who won €750, and Cian Percival (4th place) who cashed in €500. Speaking to the College Tribune’s Alex Lohier, Robin Twist explained his strategy for placing 2nd; ‘’no point in a sensible, real-life, policy of diversification. Steady gains weren’t going to cut it. My plan was maximum risk, place or blow up spectacularly’’. Robin’s angle was to focus on currencies, focusing on the Pound Sterling. ‘’I

03.03.2020 needed volatility; Sterling it was!’’. He paired this against the New Zealand Dollar as it offered the greatest fluctuation, thus providing the greatest potential rewards (and, conversely, losses). Political and economical decisions made during Robin’s investment strengthened his position, resulting in his coming second in the competition. When asked would he recommend it, Robin commented that ‘’a Master’s is a busy year and the FX Trade Off Competition sucks up your time, four of us in the top seven made hundreds of trades each, but I highly recommend it’’. The Investors and Entre-

Volume 33 - Issue 08 preneurs Society also won the prize for the best performing society in Ireland. This is an incredibly prestigious prize to win and saw the society receive €10,000 for their successful efforts. These wins are testament to UCD’s impressive track record in investing and finance, with the Investors and Entrepreneurs Society now the largest student-run business society in Ireland. The university is quickly gaining a reputation as the leader in financial education in Ireland and a big player on the European and world stage.

Start-Up Spotlight:

Alex Lohier Deputy Editor

harlie Butler is co-founder of Bounce Insights, an ‘’all-encompassing market research tool that can ask any questions companies want, to any consumer they want, faster and cheaper than any current alternatives’’, and a final year Trinity Global Business student. Outside of this, he is also the co-founder of the charity Tribe and a Founding Board Member of the Irish Graduates Network. I chatted to Charlie about what it takes to run a company as a young Irish entrepreneur. Firstly, I wanted to know if consumer insights was an industry he always had a passion for, or whether it is simply a seized opportunity. ‘’It is definitely a combination of both, I don’t think anyone aged 22 has a burn-

ing passion for market research! Anyone who builds their own company from scratch becomes obsessed with the industry, and that’s the way it has to be’’. The unpredictable nature of startups encourages many students to work in a graduate role, whilst maintaining their business on the side until it grows sufficiently. Not Charlie; ‘’anyone who knows what Brian (my co-founder) and I are like, will know that this was never just a ‘side project’. This has been something that has been our first priority since we started working on it in January 2019. We have always wanted to run our own company, and we are so excited to finally finish college so that we have no other distractions’’. Considering they are in the final stages of their seed round, this makes things manageable. What is less manageable, however, is working on

Charlie manages working on a company and a charity whilst in final year of college; “it’s just down to time management, a ridiculously supportive team, family and friends, and working as hard as I possibly can’’ a company and a charity whilst in final year of college. I wanted to know how Charlie manages it; “it’s just down to time management, a ridiculously supportive team, family and friends, and working as hard as I possibly can.” More specifically, Charlie notes that ‘’every minute of my week is planned to make sure I am managing all of my tasks effectively. That includes my relationships, and looking after my own mental health, which is essential for me to maintain productive and happy in what I am doing’’.

Personally, I would also side with this methodology, having recently began planning extensively and bearing the fruits it offers. One aspect of running a company at such a young age, which has yet to be covered in the Start-Up Spotlight Column, is whether age acts in favour or to the detriment of young business people. For Bounce Insights, thus far, Charlie believes it has been advantageous. He is of the opinion that students have a ‘’free license’’ to meet and chat to anyone, irrespective of rank, com-

pany, rival companies etc. One exception, which must be borne in mind, is that investors may understandably have concerns putting money towards such young ‘’first-timers’’. But, Bounce Insights have surrounded themselves with ‘’incredible and experienced advisors that have negated such an issue’’. Charlie seemingly welcomes every opportunity that comes his way. In his view, ‘’if there is ever something I can help someone with, I think it is always worth making that effort and, from my experience, good things usually come from it’’. Bounce Insights is evidently on a positive trajectory, and so it’s with little surprised that Charlie highly recommends launching a company whilst still in college. In fact, he visualises it as ‘’one of the most unique times in your life where you

will have minimal hours a week in college, you are surrounded with exceptionally talented people, and have 3 or 4 years to pursue something creative or unique’’. That’s an interesting angle to view it from, and perhaps one we can all learn from. I hear you; working this hard during your college years might sound laborious, or, worse, might expose you to a failure. As Charlie puts it though; ‘’if you fail, who cares? You’ve probably learnt more than you would have in any other job, and you can have another go. Everything is about attitude, and I would love to see more students pursuing entrepreneurship in the years to come’’. Wise words to end on, and ones I hope resonate with a few of you reading; you could do much worse than striving to emulate some of Bounce Insights’ successes.

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Business

The Business Interview with... Denis O’Brien

Pictured Above: Denis O’Brien with a pupil at the official opening of Ecole Nle de Jolivert funded by Digicel in Haiti

enis O’Brien is an entrepreneur who founded Communicorp, a commercial radio and emerging digital media provider, and Digicel, a complete communications provider serving the Caribbean, Central America and Pacific - along with other companies. Mr O’Brien is a believer in philanthrocapitalism to help global communities grow and flourish. As patron of the Digicel Foundation, a board member of Concern Worldwide, chairman of the Frontline Defenders, and Chairman of the Council of Patrons of Special Olympics, O’Brien remains committed to shaping a world where nobody gets left behind. The College Tribune’s Neil Stokes (NS) was grateful to get the opportunity to interview Mr O’Brien (DOB), one of UCD’s most distinguished alumni. NS: Where did your penchant for enterprise and innovation originate? DOB: My father taught me a huge amount about business. In the car on the way to school he tutored me. He set up a successful international Equine products company, Plusvital, and I worked with him during school holidays. His mantra was ‘trust, fair dealings and long-term

relationships’. He instilled in me a very strong work ethic and never doing a half job. Loyalty was a very important characteristic in my Dad and is something I carry with me in my relationships today. NS: I’m sure working for Tony Ryan was also an invaluable experience? DOB: I became Tony Ryan’s first personal assistant. He was a stickler for detail. There would be very detailed lists of plans relating to Guinness Peat Aviation, his farm in Co. Tipperary, and his investment in The Sunday Tribune. His attention to every aspect of a business and his expectation for tasks to be undertaken quickly taught me so much. He was one of the greatest Irish entrepreneurs, firstly, setting up one of the largest aircraft leasing companies in the world and, later, having the vision, belief and determination to set up Ryanair, a truly world class business. NS: What kind of part-time jobs did you take on growing up? DOB: From my early teens I had part-time jobs. When I was 14, I worked as a bellboy at the Central Hotel in Dublin where I earned about €8 a week. I later worked as a waiter in Dobbins restaurant. I learnt a lot about human behaviour as a waiter. In my mid-teens, I went to London where I got a job as

a painter and stone cleaner. NS: What do you remember from your student days at UCD? DOB: I studied history, politics and logic for an Arts degree at UCD. I was not the most dedicated student. I was more interested in making new friends and taking on part-time jobs for pocket money to enjoy and fund my social life. I benefited enormously from my UCD years – I made many great, lifelong friends and took part

ever, with a stint Stateside following. Tell us about that. DOB: I got a scholarship to study for a Masters Business Administration degree at Boston College on the encouragement of UCD Politics lecturer and Chancellor of NUI, Maurice Manning and also Professor Philip Bourke. They both helped me a lot. I found it tough initially because I missed Dublin and my friends, but it was an exceptional experience and gave me a great base of knowledge.

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I think when you are in University you are subconsciously absorbing so much about life generally. I graduated in 1977 and I regard the years I spent in UCD as some of the happiest of my life.

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Neil Stokes Business Writer

in sports and activities. I did a lot of running up in the Wicklow Mountains around Lough Dan at the time – something I have continued ever since. I think when you are in University you are subconsciously absorbing so much about life generally. I graduated in 1977 and I regard the years I spent in UCD as some of the happiest of my life. NS: Your formal education didn’t finish at UCD how-

NS: Alongside your success in business, you are also one of the world’s most committed philantrocapitalists. Your work with the Special Olympics stands out among your achievements in this sphere. DOB: I was privileged to be Chairman of the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Ireland and I have continued my involvement as Chairman of the Council of Patrons of Special Olympics in Ireland to this

day. Digicel also sponsors Special Olympic teams in 20 countries. The opening ceremony with 80,000 athletes and families will always be a standout moment. NS: What would be the one policy, if any, you would implement to improve the Irish business environment? DOB: Ireland needs to urgently double down on funding for universities and third level institutions. We need to be ready with a strong pool of graduates to meet the demand for job opportunities that will be available in several key sectors, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, human genomics, precision medicine, drug research, quantum computing, science and data sectors. NS: We also cannot continue to be a ‘bed and breakfast’ location for multinationals taking advantage of our tax policies. We need to get out ahead of the imminent OECD tax changes and change our ways rapidly. DOB: Climate change will force Ireland to become much more responsible about energy forms and no time should be wasted in accelerating our efforts regarding climate change and sustainability. There is too much feet dragging by the Government. The next generation will hold us responsible if we don’t implement

rapid change. There will also be challenges and opportunities in the foods sector, as global trends put pressure on beef and dairy products. NS: What are your thoughts regarding the future of mass media in the age of digitisation, the growth of social media and decline of traditional media? DOB: The decline of traditional media is regrettable because they are largely governed by rules, regulations and standards. The growth of social media has been allowed to spread the globe without checks, without accountability and in most cases hidden behind the cloak of anonymity. This growth is so rampant that governments and regulatory authorities just look the other way. All this has resulted in the truth being compromised and the reputations of good and decent people frequently shredded. It’s only a matter of time before Facebook is regulated. NS: Finally, what are your best and worst business decisions? And do you have any business regrets? DOB: Investing in Irish Companies ... in the downturn of 2011-2013 made for good outcomes. Investing in the newspaper industry in the early 2000’s was the wrong decision.

Law

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Volume 33 - Issue 08

Ireland’s Struggle to Regulate GDPR Continues Aaron Bowman Former Tribune Editor

ith the advent of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation in 2018 Ireland has become the EU lead data regulator for the majority of international technology companies. This means that by default if any European citizen has a complaint against Facebook, Google, Twitter or many of their peers, their complaint must first be handled through the Irish Data Protection Commissioners (DPC) office. This “one-stop-shop” mechanism was intended to streamline and simplify the process of managing complaints for not only companies, but also for regulators, by making clear who holds the authority on complaints and prevent overlap. However, a rather predictable issue has emerged and become an increasingly frequent talking point amongst those who deal with the DPC. How is one of the smallest data protection commissioners meant to

deal with the biggest companies in an effective and timely manner. This has become an increasingly sore point for the various other European authorities who have become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress from their Irish counterpart. To date the DPC has failed to issue any judgements under GDPR against any of the intentional tech companies in its jurisdiction under GDPR. In recent months the ire of the European authorities has turned from the Commissioner to the Irish Government. In their 2019 prebudget submissions Helen Dixon, head of the commission requested an additional €5.9 million to bring her total budget to €21.1 million in order to effectively enforce GDPR and advise Irish firms on compliance. She only received €1.6 million. This has led several of her European counterparts to criticise the Irish Government for underfunding the Commissioner’s office at a time of heightened scrutiny. Only weeks before the budget, the DPC had issued a highly critical report of the Government’s imple-

mentation of the Public Service Card (PSC) and outlined several steps that the Government would need to take to bring the card into compliance with the law. This report also noted that more findings against the Government in relation to PSC would be made in 2020.

The Government has chosen to challenge these findings in a move seen by some as undermining the Commissioner. With the recent hiring of lawyers specialising in calculating the quantum for large fines, it would appear that the DPC is preparing to

issue its first serious GDPR enforcements irrespective of its lack of support. Additionally news has filtered out of several cases where it has stopped new products and services being launched by tech companies who have not complied with regulations on data protection,

most notably Facebook’s dating service and “I voted” feature, both which were quietly shelved in February after DPC intervention. Though the question remains how long it can continue to compete with big tech if its funding requests are ignored.

Pictured Above: Commissioner for Data Protection, Helen Dixon

Climate Activists Escalate to Supreme Court Appeals

rom flooding in the west, to moody weather changes in the east – Ireland’s climate has taken a disastrous turn of events in the last decade. In 2017, Ire-

land’s carbon dioxide emissions were 20% higher than the European average, as researched by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. This was a driving force for Friends of the Irish Environment, leading them to bring a case on behalf of the citizens of Ireland. The case

is an attempt to hold the Irish government responsible for not taking adequate steps to address the growing climate change calamity. Friends of the Irish Environment argued that the government has knowingly contributed to the effects of climate change. The case was

based on the National Mitigation Plan approved by the government in 2017 being a violation of the 2015 Climate Act and a violation of human rights obligations. The complainants also claimed that the National Mitigation Plan fell short of its obligations under the Paris Agreement

which requires countries to do as much as possible to ensure that temperatures do not increase more than 2°C per year. It was contended that Ireland being the third biggest emitter of greenhouse gasses in the EU, that this obligation was not being fulfilled adequately. On the 19th of September 2019, the High Court gave its judgement against the complainants. However, Mr. Justice McGrath agreed that climate change poses a threat to Ireland and

of powers doctrine where in the judiciary was reluctant to infringe on the role of the government. Friends of the Irish Environment lodged a ‘leap frog appeal’ to the Supreme Court and in light of its importance to public interest, on February 13th the Supreme Court accepted to hear the case. Climate Case Ireland is only the third case globally to be heard in front of the highest national court. 18,000 signatures from the public in its sup-

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Climate Case Ireland is only the third case globally to be heard in front of the highest national court. 18,000 signatures from the public in its support afforded the case with the high level of public and legal interest

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Mahnoor Choudhry Reporter

the world at large. He also accepted that the unenumerated right to a healthy environment however did not believe this right was impacted by the making of the National Mitigation plan, which he said was drafted in light of the 2015 Climate legislation. As well as this, the judgement was cautious of overstepping the separation

port afforded the case with the high level of public and legal interest, leading to the Supreme Court’s acknowledgement of the importance of this case to the Irish population. Climate Case Ireland is now awaiting a date for the Supreme Court appeal hearing.

Volume 33 - Issue 08

03.03.2020

Turbine

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

THE TURBINE “Fuck the Rents”

Research Finds Student Body Is Entirely Made Of Coffee

Hipsters Panic As Tweed Berets Go On Sale In Penneys

It’s satire, please don’t sue us. Lecturer Receives Comedy Award For Jokes Made During Lectures

UCD Launches New Scheme to Address Campus

Rents, called the “Don’t Be Poor” Scheme students that hadn’t protestTamarin Tooley Turbine Zoological Specialist ed anything in at least two

days. Speaking indirectly to The Turbine via smoke signal, UCD President Andrew Deeks explained the launch of the new scheme; “I think that the ‘Don’t Be Poor’ scheme makes a lot of sense.” The scheme, Deeks continued, is the manifestation of his many years of work. Responding to the criti-

UCD Would Have Gotten Away with the Increases if it Weren’t for those Meddling Kids!

CD’s rising rents aren’t just affecting students, the Turbine has learned. In conversation with the swans of UCD’s very own lakes, we learned that they themselves were forced to cough up more in return for living on campus. Their cost, though? Their own children. “Honk”, said one swan. It would appear that this is being done in efforts to profit more from the swans, or at the very least, to eventually work towards clearing them out to repurpose parts of campus that they currently live in. There are rumours of plans to build a yacht club for the staff as an extension to the new UCD University Club, which would encroach upon the territory of the swans.

We have confirmed that the swans were being forced to offer up their own children and, in exchange, they could continue to live on campus.

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The swans are being forced to cough up more in return for living on campus. Their cost, though? Their own children.

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Agam Cobwag Turbine Swan Charmer

What happens to their children is uncertain, and what happens when they eventually run out of children to offer is also unknown. In conversation with the swan’s caretakers at UCD Estate Services, we were shocked that this hasn’t

Dugh Hooley Tribune Slave

peaking exclusively to the Turbine after the recent tent actions by UCD students, an anonymous source on the University Management Team admitted that “It was US that rent gouged the students, and we would have gotten away with it too if it wasn’t for those meddling kids.” This was just after two members of the UMT had their masks pulled off in front of a large group of students. They were revealed

to be the Grinch and Scar of Lion King, and were discovered by some stoner and his dog.

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The heroes are wanted for the distribution of edibles codenamed: “Scooby Snacks”

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ews of the “Don’t be Poor” scheme has surged across UCD like a Haitian tsunami engulfing conversation by conversation in a tidal wave of offense and outrage. The plan, which seeks to eliminate all students whose net worth is less than €100,000, has been vocally opposed by loads of

After their legs were seen creating miniature tornadoes while running on the spot the Doberman and its

cism, Andrew Deeks stated, “It has come to my attention that many students will not be able to afford on-campus rents...,” the evil mastermind stated while stroking his white cat ominously, “so our plans are working perfectly”. Deeks then broke into a fit of maniacal laughter which lasted for 15 minutes. Deeks explained his entire wicked plan in intricate detail over a 3 hour period to the UCD SU President Joanna Siewierska who he had trapped in his evil mansion. Deeks refused to give comment on why he was explaining the plan while admiring his own reflection in a large window. owner were seen escaping the scene in a beaten down Volkswagen van labelled ‘Mystery Machine.’ Campus authorities have been requesting information from anyone who might have seen a green and blue van speeding out of the Belfield Campus. While many UCD students have been swearing that they “know yer man from somewhere”, An Garda Síochana have announced that the student’s heroes are wanted for the distribution of edibles codenamed: “Scooby Snacks” in the Dublin area.

Belfield Swans Forced to Offer up their Children to Afford Living on Campus been the first rent related change for Belfield’s beloved birds. “Rents have been going up for years. The swans don’t even need to pay more money this time around. We are instead taking advantage of a natural biological process.” “We understand that it may come as a surprise they pay at all, but rest assured that this practice is consistent across the board - to us, everyone on UCD campus is just another animal”. The UCD University Club, in the meantime, has also added new “poultry meat” of unknown origin to their menu, and we’re sure that change will ruffle a few feathers.

Big Reads Spending a Day with Students’ Union Education Officer Brian Treacy

Government Formation XXXIII: The ‘Shinners’ Strike Back?

Every UCD Political Society on Solving the Housing Crisis

I can’t afford a coffee Returning to College on campus, can you? in my 40s

Isabelle Keenan - Opinion Writer

he time is 8:50am and you’re just about to head into the dreaded 9am lecture that you have pulled yourself out of slumber for. When the scent of fresh coffee beans and pastries catches your attention. What else could be more fitting at this hour? But as you smile thinking about that fresh buttery croissant in your hands, the dream is cut short by the constant reminder that you and your flat mates are all chipping in for dinner tonight and garlic bread is on you. With a wave of students walking out of classes, reality hits and just like that: the dream is over. You shut the lecture door behind you and take a seat. In fact, you are not alone, your fellow peers are probably feeling the same stresses you do financially when it comes to the issue of food costs and diversity in college. I conducted a small survey across 1st and 2nd year students in the arts and science blocks on campus. 20 students were asked several questions regarding their thoughts on the current food services in UCD. When asked if they regularly buy food on campus 60% told me yes, leaving the remainder of 40% bringing packed lunches. When asked if they would like to see more diversity and improvements to the system over 90% told me they would like to see changes made to the current food facilities on campus. Not one student told me they were currently satisfied with the current accommodations. Here’s some students’ thoughts regarding the issue: “I buy food on campus and most of the time personally I get by, but I think it really depends on the student and the circumstances they are in,” Cadhla Doyle in 1st year tells me. “The snacks can get boring and breakfast foods should be cheaper and more accessible to students in the morning when they are running to class.” She also speaks about the difficulties of accessing snacks that give you high energy and keep you fuller for longer. One student told me that she can spend over ten euro a day of her work earnings on breakfast and snacks alone. As young people

facing increasing rent costs and a lack of mental health services, it would be nice if food and beverage costs would be one less thing to worry about. It seems that food on campus is almost more unaffordable to students than that of food off campus. Something needs to change. 1st year student John Moloney discussed with me his complete avoidance in buying food on campus because of the prices. “I think they should start to introduce meal deals, like the ones that lets say Tesco or boots do for example.” His frustration at the lack of affordable meals and snacks is evident and he is one if many students who have completely abandoned buying food on campus, instead opting to bring a packed lunch. The option should be realistically available for students to do either, but for some this is not an option. Lukas Bubendorfer tells me he hopes to see more vegetarian and vegan friendly options readily available to students within the next few months, as this can be a real issue for students looking for meat free options within their diet between classes. Food costs should not be an issue for young people in UCD. Not one student I interviewed felt the current system met their needs. We as students, want change and we must be the voice in place to meet our demands. So, the next time you crave that morning coffee and are on a budget, know you are not alone.

Rachel Thornburgh - Opinion Writer

hrough a series of unexpected, life altering events, I found myself embarking on a post grad in UCD. My name is Rachel and I am a forty-year-old student. I found myself in a precarious situation at the end of Summer last year. I was made redundant after fourteen years in a post that I loved. Apart from bumming around Australia during my ‘gap year’ and job jumping on various J1s, I had never been out of work before...ever. Most people I shared the news with wished me ‘congratulations.’ I’m still not sure that’s the right word for it. I gave myself until January to pull my socks up and get my arse in gear to find my dream job. Every evening I would peruse various social media platforms and sign up to a plethora of free webinars, claiming to have all the answers and find the right career path for me. Until one night I found an ad from the UCD Innovation Academy offering a Postgraduate certificate through Springboard. It brought back a vague recall I had had when I was obliged to attend my intro office to participate in an information forum with fellow job seekers. I could potentially attend a college course, wait for it lads...for free! A CV was requested, and a Statement of Interest (a wha?) aka a letter of motivation (I had to google it) ...selling myself in other words. Vom. After drafting up a CV and letter and calling upon my father to read it over, (yes undergrads, I still turn to my parents for advice, they are packed full of wisdom that is extraordinarily useful and I no longer take it for granted) he gave me the nod to submit my innermost insecurities to the academy. I gathered all of the necessary remaining documents and pressed the submit button as a thin layer of panicky sweat presented itself on my upper lip as the portal asked me again and again, “Are you sure?, once submitted, the application cannot be changed.” I gingerly pressed go. No going back now!! I really wanted to have a decent excuse for having to turn down all those jobs I had been offered since I walked out

the doors of my office for the last time back in August...NOT! There were no job offers. Despite all of my former colleagues telling me how amazing I was and how any company would be lucky to have me, there was nothing readily forthcoming. I needed to belong. I needed to be busy with something. A short stint in UCD would be just the thing. Several weeks later, I received the email: “Congratulations, you have secured a place on... blah blah blah…” I did a little dance in my kitchen, a bit like Tom Cruise in Risky Business (ah you’re too young!) followed by an “Oh F**k” as the reality of the situation kicked in. I was going back to college! Fast forward several weeks and day one arrives. I found myself thrust into a system that I had to navigate and navigate fast! Just like signing up for the dole as a job seeker, it was all new to me. A surge of vulnerability reared its ugly head and I questioned why the hell I had chosen this path for myself. I spent the whole of Sunday night trying to figure buses out and ended up finding the perfect public transport solution that would deposit me right into the bowels of Belfield. Only it didn’t quite work that way, and alas there was no sign of my chariot. My first thwarting of the day. Eventually, through veritable bribery, I made it to campus with some time to spare and plenty of determination to locate the O’Brien Centre. I wandered around the abyss like an eager freshman, trying to pretend that I knew where I was headed and strayed into the Newman building. It bore resemblance to a communist airport with a hint of hospital about it with the various coloured stripes on the floor. I was unnerved and had started to sweat. Why did this have to be so complicated?? Where were all the bloody signs?? Where is the O’Brien building?? After a group of terrifying undergraduates grunted directions at me and I found my shining beacon, I was reassured to discover that the majority of the participants on the course were of a similar vintage to me. Over coffee a number of us decided our first mission was to collect our ‘Ucards.’ Back over to the communist airport, I held my student card like a trophy and thought to myself,

Volume 33 - Issue 08

03.03.2020

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Features

The Students’ Union’s Unsung Hero

Spending a Day with Brian Treacy Conor Capplis - Editor

tarting his day with a cheeky bowl of Weetabix, Brian was about to spend a whole day with me. Madness. He was surely eager to see me at our 8:30am meeting as he beat me to it by a quick minute. Formerly named in the Tribune as “The Thinker”, your SU’s Education Officer agreed to give me a behind the scenes look at an unseen side to the Union. The Cashel native spends up to 60% of his working time on something that never makes headlines, and never gets the recognition it deserves in UCD. The Students’ Union do a lot of things that Belfield at large pays no heed of. Not to say that their work isn’t important – giving the student

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There’s a lot that goes on that doesn’t get flashy press releases or Instagram stories. [...] Dealing with individual student cases is something that usually avoids the spotlight. “students might feel a little bit more comfortable coming to us for peer-to-peer support.” A lot of student queries come via email, sometimes teasing out simple questions, other times students would pour their hearts out into an email. The kind of problems students usually come to Brian with are regarding lectures, lecture slides, academics

troubles. Brian is enthusiastic about helping students, devoting huge amounts of time to “day to day issues students go through” and then adapting policies on an institutional level that reflect the needs of students. On the day I spent with Brian, he had an individual student case meeting. It was confidential so I got to take a breather from his

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We then took a break for lunch; Brian bought a chicken and brie sandwich at the library’s SU shop and we chatted in the Tribune office for a bit. He really likes chicken, it’s not really relevant but I thought you might like to know.

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voice a seat at the table on UCD boards and governance is pretty cool – but there’s a lot that goes on that doesn’t get flashy press releases or Instagram stories. This huge part of both the Education Officer and Welfare Officer’s roles is dealing with individual students, something that usually avoids the spotlight. To find out more about the man himself and what goes on with student cases, I spent the day with Brian – more or less. According to Brian his role is “to advance the student body with regards to anything of academic interest. That could be from assessment to appeals to maintenance grants, different kind of academic policies within the university and how they interplay with the lives of students.” As well as sitting on more boards than he can count, Brian deals with individual student cases every day. Students often turn to the Union for a last resort when the existing University structures fail to help them. Brian says that students would “bounce the idea off the university and student advisors or whatever service, and it comes back at them and it’s not quite solved.” He also suggests that

Pictured Above: Katie O’Dea (Campaigns & Engagement Officer) and Brian Treacy (Education Officer and Sound Lad).

not correcting assessments on time, SUSI grants, extenuating circumstances, academic questions around exam time, etc. But these simple queries aren’t the only thing he’s tasked with. Many students have meetings with Brian, coming to him quite stressed out about academic

Tip accent for a bit. When we met up after, he explained the general issue and how it was solved. Classic Brian. He’s also keen on improving UCD’s academic structures through tackling “local issues.” Surprisingly, there’s a relatively low number of formal complaints

in this area in the university, making it difficult to formulate accurate improvements within the academic structures. Because students can’t make anonymous complaints in UCD, Brian says that students are sometimes afraid to speak up through formal structures. He explains that it’s often because of students that come to him that policy is revised to reflect the needs of students following particular cases. We then took a break for lunch; Brian bought a chicken and brie sandwich at the library’s SU shop and we chatted in the Tribune office for a bit. He really likes chicken, it’s not really relevant but I thought you might like to know. To summarise what makes student cases important to Brian, he tells me: “Fundamentally we are here to represent the voices of our students and the concerns that they have. […] When [students] do come into us, it is rewarding to be able to try and solve the problem that is specific to them. But also, to see their personal story in a broader picture within the university and see the inequality and how it plays out. I think it gives you a great picture of what the university is.” Brian, a graduate of Social Science here at UCD, is planning

on running again for his position as SU Education Officer next year. He’s also applying for Masters courses at UCD as a cheeky backup. I asked Brian what he does when he’s not at the office. He responded jokingly “student politics.” Although we joked about it, the reality is that those running the Union and calling the shots give up a hell of a lot of time for UCD students. Alas, the day was coming to an end. Brian may have saved the day for every student he met and emailed, but that sort of stuff usually doesn’t make the headlines. He’s like an underappreciated Superman. Good man Brian. He went home late that evening after telling me all the top-secret Union gossip (that’s a joke – don’t come to me looking for Union gossip) and then told me he was planning on having Chicken Carbonara Pasta for dinner. As well as being a big fan of chicken, his actual favourite food is pasta. It may have been a regular day at the office for Brian, but for the students he helped in small ways, he was an everyday hero. Thanks to Brian for being sound and letting me follow him around for a day.

Features

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

03.03.2020

Volume 33 - Issue 08

Academic Spotlight: Dr. Andrew Jackson

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Dr. Jackson has played an integral role in publishing literature on leading climate and biodiversity issues

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publishing literature on leading climate and biodiversity issues and has also acted as one of the driving forces behind Climate Case Ireland, a first-of-its-kind, landmark Irish case brought to hold the Irish government accountable for its failures to adequately address the Climate Emergency - the case is currently before the Supreme Court. Welcome to Academic Spotlight! This segment takes a look at the people in front of our lecture halls and behind UCD’s leading research. Have you ever wondered what your lecturer does outside of teaching you your degree? This segment delves into the personalities of the people behind your lectures and brings to you a complete snapshot of their stories. Dr. Jackson is an incredible lecturer whose passion for environmental issues is wellknown in UCD. I sat down with him and talked about everything from his career to the importance of our generation in moulding a greener future for our planet. Let’s dive in! From Corporate to Climate When working for an international corporate and commercial law firm in London and Paris, “I ultimately decided it just wasn’t for me, both the lifestyle and the work,” says Dr. Jackson. “ I was beginning to think, what am I interested in outside of work, what am I passionate about? And I decided I should align my interests with my career.” Dr. Jackson then progressed

Lecturing Lecturing in UCD is something Dr. Jackson is enthusiastic about, particularly given the importance of the modules he teaches, “I love working in a university environment, I find it a really positive environment, working with talented colleagues and students with their lives ahead of them, finding their way in the world.” Dr. Jackson goes on to say that “environmental law and policy is so vital. I see it as critical: if we don’t solve climate breakdown and biodiversity loss, we can forget about all of the other goals we have.” He also feels “really positive about the fact that the environmental law undergraduate class has more than doubled in size in the past year.” Contemporary Issues in Class Living in a time where School Strikes for Climate are becoming a regular occurrence, I asked Dr. Jackson what impact he thinks they have on his students. “For me, contemporary movements like the Greta Thunberg-inspired School Strikes

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For me, contemporary movements like the Greta Thunberg-inspired School Strikes reinforce the sense of urgency, and that helps to create political momentum.

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r. Andrew Jackson is a lecturer of Law in UCD. He is an environmental and planning lawyer and teaches these subjects at undergraduate level as well as Climate Change Law and Policy at post-graduate level. Dr. Jackson has had an interesting career ranging from beginning as a corporate and commercial lawyer in Slaughter and May in London and Paris to pursuing his passion for environmental issues. He has played an integral role in

in to the government legal service with the UK’s Department for the Environment and greatly enjoyed the work but, when advising civil servants, felt that, “in meetings with government scientists, the scientists sometimes seemed to lump me in with the policy makers, thinking ‘you are just a lawyer, what do you know?’” This inspired Dr. Jackson to complete a masters in Biodiversity and Conservation in Trinity College. He then completed a PhD, pursuing his interests in research, and later worked as an in-house lawyer for a leading environmental NGO before moving to UCD in 2015.

reinforce the sense of urgency, and that helps to create political momentum. I try to bring a sense of that urgency into class and try to emphasise that the climate and biodiversity emergencies are defining issues of our lifetimes and that the next ten years are really crucial. The other thing I try

to do is to highlight the unique contribution of law and lawyers.” Where does change begin?

at undergraduate stage could see so clearly that these are the things that need to change.” “I hope people like yourself

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Fundamentally, I think we should always consider ‘what are the impacts of what I’m doing or thinking of doing on the climate and biodiversity crises? How can I make things better?’

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Mahnoor Choudhry - Reporter

Dr. Jackson recalled Mary Robinson’s Climate Justice event which he hosted in the law school last year and noted that “as an undergraduate student, she set out her platform regarding the issues she felt were important and she dedicated her career to addressing those issues. To me, it was so inspiring to think that someone

and your friends are thinking as you go into your careers, ‘what are the issues presently that are going to be the defining issues of our lifetimes?’ so that in twenty years’ time, you’ll look back and say, ‘wasn’t it crazy that this is the way things were then and somebody needed to rock the boat and change things’. I hope that

you see a role for yourselves in that and see how you can use the law as an instrument for positive social change.” He believes that “every action matters” and that “systemic change and individual change both need to be pursued urgently.” Advice for Students “My main piece of advice would be to find something that you are passionate about and do that. Because you will be good at it and you will find that if you align what you’re interested in and passionate about with what you do every day then you will love what you do. And fundamentally, I think we should always consider ‘what are the impacts of what I’m doing or thinking of doing on the climate and biodiversity crises? How can I make things better?’”

Volume 33 - Issue 08

03.03.2020

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Politics

Government Formation XXXIII: The ‘Shinners’ Strike Back? Conor Paterson - Politics Editor

n any representative democracy government formation is often a complicated and painful process. However, the general election saw perhaps the most fundamental shift in Irish politics since the civil war. The traditional big parties of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have lost their duopoly and now face a third party in Sinn Féin who also see themselves as a party ready to lead a government. But

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The traditional big parties of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have lost their duopoly and now face a third party who see themselves as a party ready to lead a government.

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how will this all play out? Can Irish politics adjust to this new reality? Given the arithmetic of the 33rd Dáil, there is no clear path to form a government. In fact, each possible route to the 80 seats needed for a majority seems very unlikely and clouded in political and ideological problems. Even if two of the biggest

three parties go into coalition, they will still need support from more TD’s to form a government. Also, there is a political dimension to all of this. Between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, it would be politically advantageous for each party to go into opposition while the other goes into coalition with Sinn Féin. Both parties contain members and politicians alike who are vehemently opposed to any dealings with Sinn Féin. After the election of Fianna Fail’s Seán Ó Fearghaíl as Ceann Comhairle, both Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin now come to the negotiation table with an equal number of Dáil seats of 37 with Fine Gael just behind on 35. Clearly any government formed would require two of the big parties. While the traditional civil war parties have ruled out deals with Sinn Féin, it is difficult to ignore the fact that Sinn Féin won the popular vote. If no government is formed and a second election is called it is very likely that with more candidates running, Sinn Féin will win even more seats. Is this enough to motivate Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to put aside their long-held differences and build a government together? So far, the answer has been no. They are not parties used to working together and have both enjoyed trading power for almost a century.

Sinn Féin’s attempts to form a government without the big two parties have so far failed and look very unlikely. The numbers are simply not there. It has also expressed a willingness to work

with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael but has so far failed to convince either that its past is fully behind it and that they could share a compromising programme for government. Clearly, in this high

stakes political environment, parties will have to shift drastically to form a government or else we could be facing another general election the likes of which we have never seen before.

COMMENT: Media Bias Skewed the General Election

he recent general election exposed many truths: Many are unsatisfied with current policies and want change. But something which received less clout in the weeks leading up to February 8th was the evident partisanship of one of

the country’s most popular media organisations. The Irish Independent received significant backlash across social media for what many people identified as a right-wing bias in the run-up to the election. An opinion piece written by journalist Eilis O’Hanlon, titled ‘So why didn’t younger voters care about

Sinn Fein crimes?’ sparked much controversy across Twitter. Some referred to the article as ‘just pathetic’, whilst others labelled the Irish Independent itself as part of the ‘Tory Press’. O’Hanlon’s words appeared cynical towards young voters who she claims, ‘seemed to think they were terribly radical and bold voting for Sinn Fein at this

appointed him to the board of Bus Eireann in 2011 and was accused of political ‘cronyism’. The real misfortune resulting from this bias is that we, as a nation, lose one of our main newspapers

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If a platform exercises political partisanship, then readers are left with uninformed opinions.

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Blathnaid Corless - Politics Writer

election.’ Of course, O’Hanlon’s job in the Irish Independent is to write opinion pieces and she is entitled to hold and express such views. The real issue is the claim from many people of a bias towards certain political parties from the Irish Independent. The paper itself was accused of not giving fair coverage to all major political parties. One recent example of such bias was a decision by the paper not to publish a poll by Red C Research showing voter preferences for a prospective coalition, which showed the top result as Sinn Fein leading a coalition with smaller parties. Another source of controversy comes from the people at the top of Independent News and Media. Henry Minogue, for example, is the CIO of Independent News and Media. Minogue ran as a Fine Gael candidate for Castleknock in the 2014 local elections. He is also known to be a good friend of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who

as a source of objective political information. If a platform exercises political partisanship, then readers are left with uninformed opinions. The media are the eyes and ears of the public – our senses will soon become impaired should one of the country’s main newsrooms engage in biased practices.

Politics

Poli-Ticker Conor Paterson Politics Editor

Student Union Calls for Action on Housing: In a press release, SU president, Joanna Siewierska, hit out at policymakers saying, ‘The response to the student housing crisis has been abysmal.’ The SU called for more regulation of ‘digs’ accommodation and a scheme to deliver affordable student rooms.

Labour Leader Brendan Howlin Resigns: The Wexford TD has been the leader of the Irish Labour party since May 2016. TDs Alan Kelly and Aodhán Ó Ríordáin have both been nominated to replace him with the result of the leadership race due in early April.

Sanders Leads Race for Democratic Nomination: The Vermont Senator is now favourite to win the race to face Donald Trump in the US presidential election after a resounding victory in the Nevada primary.

EU-UK Trade Talks Due to Commence: The 27 members of the European Union have agreed its mandate for the UK post-Brexit trade deal. This clears the way for negotiations to commence on the 2nd of March.

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

03.03.2020

Volume 33 - Issue 08

EVERY UCD POLITICAL SOCIETY ON

SOLVING THE HOUSING CRISIS Conor Paterson - Politics Editor

he housing crisis is a major issue in Irish politics. It is a topic that many UCD students are passionate about and the current crisis is affecting students all over Ireland. Sinn Féin were not available for comment. We asked all the political parties on campus for their solutions to the problem, here’s what they said:

Fine Gael While the amount of housing being constructed is rising, we are not yet at acceptable levels. A dramatic increase in the supply of quality and affordable housing is vital for housing. Measures must be taken to help those currently in vulnerable positions while supply is being ramped up. We advocate an increase in funding in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for the Capital Assistance Scheme. This will help provide homes for young people. Also,

universities should be required to provide accommodation for at least 15% of their students. We would also propose a cap on student rent increases. Current proposals of an annual 3% rises will serve as a barrier to attending university. We support the reintroduction of a rental tax credit to assist working people earning less than €30,000 a year. Finally, height restrictions must also be reformed to at least 10 storeys all over the city.

Labour Labour’s housing policy is one of our five policy commitments that must be at the core of any agreement with other parties in the next Dáil. Labour will freeze rents until enough homes are built, to immediately alleviate the housing crisis. Labour will build 80,000 homes on public land over the next five years, using a fund of €16 billion from state reserves and other sources. Now that the state’s finances

have recovered, there is no need to raise taxes to build homes, the government has enough money. Fine Gael has simply refused to allow direct homebuilding for ideological reasons. The homes that Labour will build will be energy-efficient and they will be built as part of well-planned neighbourhoods, with access to transport, schools and other services.

Socialist Worker People Before Profit Students condemn the decision of a number of college administrations to increase student rents on campus. Colleges are placing the burden of funding on students and staff. People Before Profit’s Student branches calls on all Students and political parties to support a broad, open and united front to fight back against these rent hikes that are squeezing working-class students out of Third Level Education in Ireland.

These increases will compound the crisis. The emergence of extortionate, private student accommodation has allowed college authorities to charge more for campus rent, and they have jumped at the opportunity to follow suit. We should not only reverse the rent hike but also demand subsidies for disabled and disadvantaged students in need of affordable accommodation. We should fight for full tenancy rights for renters.

Fianna Fáil In government, Fianna Fail’s central goal will be solving the housing crisis. We believe in home ownership and want to increase the rate of it. Over the 5 years of our government, 200,000 new homes would be built, including 50,000 social homes and 50,000 affordable homes. To help those renting to be able to save we would introduce

measures such as a €600 tax credit and a national affordable rent scheme. History shows that Fianna Fáil is the best party to deal with this housing crisis, we are the party that built tens of thousands of social homes even through the worst economic hardships and we can and will do it again.

Green Party How we currently provide housing isn’t working, and the homeless crisis reflects that. The Green Party would provide public housing on public land through a national housing plan. They would implement the cost-rental model of housing, which would reduce the costs of renting while continuing to build new housing. The Housing Assistance payment would be reformed to invest in new social housing, rather than sourcing

from the private sector. Vacant properties would be put back into use by implementing a Site Value Tax. Better protections for renters would allow them to live securely in good quality housing. Sustainability and community building should be at the heart of how we provide housing. This is done by community-led development, and developing in tandem with goods and services, rather than individual private developments.

Social Democrats The Social Democrats believe that the core purpose of housing policy is to deliver affordable homes, not profit to developers. We must move away from the market-led model in order to tackle the current housing and homelessness crisis. That’s why we propose the state should build public housing on a major scale and costrental accommodation that is

all well connected by reliable and frequent public transport. A vacant property tax ban on vulture funds and ensuring that only college campuses are allowed to build “student accommodation” would put an end to developers extracting huge profit from unnecessary “luxury” student accommodation. Build affordable homes.

Volume 33 - Issue 08

03.03.2020

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Science

Wave Particle Duality for Feckin Eejits

hysics gets a lot of media attention for its pretty pictures of space and rumours of people in Switzerland recreating the Big Bang and blowing us all up. Most of us read the headlines or know the lingo like “E=mc2” but presume it’s too complicated for us

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I’m going to try to explain some quantum mechanics, famous for being unexplainable… so bear with me.

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to understand. Beneath the jargon some of these concepts aren’t as difficult to understand as they seem. One exception is quantum mechanics, which the scientists don’t even understand themselves, and that’s what makes it so cool and interesting. I’m going to try to explain some quantum mechanics, famous for being unexplainable… so bear with me. It’s called waveparticle duality, maybe you haven’t heard of it, but it’s the basis of the theory of quantum mechanics. The idea is that light is both a wave and a particle at the same time. So, what even is a wave? We all know waves on the sea, and that’s basically what all waves are. Waves can travel through different mediums, water being one of those. When sound waves travel through the air we can hear them, but if there was no air at all (like in a vacuum) we’d hear nothing. All waves have a frequency and

a wavelength. Sticking to water waves because they’re the easiest to visualise, the frequency is how often the waves hit the shore. The wavelength is the distance between the top of one wave and the next. For light this is important because a different wavelength or frequency is what gives light its colour. Red light has a long wavelength and low frequency and purple/blue light has a short wavelength and high frequency. Yellow and green are in between, hence the order of colours in a rainbow! And a particle? Just a piece of matter. A physical thing. The point is that one behaves in a particular way and the other behaves entirely differently. For example, if you throw a ball (a particle) at a wall with a hole in it, it will either go through and continue on or hit the wall and bounce back. If you imagine a water wave travelling towards the wall, on the other hand, it will spread out on its way and when it hits the wall some will splash back. The water that travels through will start spreading out again from that point. If there’s more than one hole in the wall it

will start a new wave at both points and as they spread out they’ll hit each other and create a new pattern.

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Anything can behave this way, even you! Well, if you’re about as small as an atom.

“

Georgia Stynes - Science Writer

Light does this pattern thing like a wave. For many years, physicists were in agreement that light was a wave until in the 1900s it was discovered that sometimes it behaves like a physical particle. It could hit electrons out of an atom like it was a ball on a pool table. One little bunch of light fired at the atom equals one electron fired out of the atom. Light behaves as a wave in some situations and a particle in others, and this is what we call wave-particle duality. This confuses everyone in physics, so some of us just decide to call it a warticle. Later, however, we discovered

that anything can behave this way! Even you! Well, if you’re about as small as an atom, because quantum mechanics really only makes a difference at the teeny tiny scale. That is why we didn’t notice its effects for so long and this is such a relatively recent discovery. An electron for a long time was the smallest particle we knew about, approximately 5 million billion billion times lighter than a grain of sand. Why am I talking about electrons? Because they too can behave like waves! This is super confusing, because unlike with light we can actually see that they are particles under special microscopes. We know they can do this because someone did the hole in the wall experiment with electrons. They fired an electron beam at two slits and looked at the pattern left on a screen at the other side. The pattern left on the screen was the type you would get from a wave rather than a particle. The pattern meant that one electron was going through both holes at the same time, like a wave and hitting into itself at the other side. No, it doesn’t make sense and we have no idea how it does this, so they tried to take a closer look. A detector was put at the slits to try watch the electrons as they approached and see what in the world was going on, but the pattern disappeared on the far screen! The electrons just went back to behaving as particles going through either one slit or the other, as if they knew we were watching. The detector was removed, and the wave pattern returned. I know, we asked every question under the sun when it came up in our first lecture on this stuff, but they’ve tried everything we could think of. It seems it’s just that weird and wonderful. For now, it’s anyone’s guess how it works or why but that’s one of the final questions physics has left to answer.

The Lab Report Adam Boland Science Editor The water flow in the Colorado river, which supplies water for 40 million people, has dropped by more than 11% in the last century due to climate change.

It was discovered that Aboriginal rock art in Western Australia is around 12,000 years old after scientists carbon-dated the tiny remnants of mud wasp nests found above and beneath the paintings.

Researchers have discovered a new antibiotic compound using artificial intelligence. The compound is able to kill bacteria which are resistant to all previously known antibiotics. The antibiotic was named ‘Halicin’ after ‘Hal’, the AI from ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’.

Astronomers have discovered an exoplanet similar to Jupiter which makes a full orbit of its star (1 year) every 18 hours.

It was found that blue tits and great tits can learn to avoid certain foods by watching videos of other birds eating. The birds recognised the disgust response in their feathered brethren.

Researchers have discovered a 550-million-year-old digestive tract; the oldest guts ever found. The fossils date to just before the Cambrian explosion, suggesting that the development may have helped to facilitate this massive growth in biodiversity.

Philosophy

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Volume 33 - Issue 08

Quiet Authoritarianism & The Office Space

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Even the way in which an office space is organised, the way the desks are placed, open or closed plan format, all affect how power relations operate in the workplace.

Within his landmark work, “Discipline & Punish”, the French philosopher Michel Foucault looked at the layout of the modern workplace, prisons, schools and hospitals, showing how societies of control use these spaces as a means of maintaining efficiency, productivity, surveillance and manipulation. Even the way in which an office space is organised, the way the desks are placed, open or closed plan format, all affect how power relations operate in the workplace. In the factories of the 1800’s, stations for each

particular stage of production were subdivided, and forced to operate on a strict timetable. The division of the factory allowed for managers to be hired and to oversee the workers, and most importantly to prevent them from stopping or slowing down production. Nowadays we have moved into a post-Fordist economy, with much of the same issues disguised as different ones. Many have seen through media or have worked in the typical modern tech company office that feature; open plan layouts, a young and hip manager that rides an electric scooter to work and pats you on the back when you arrive at your desk. Slovenian philosopher, Slavoj Žižek and Mark Fisher argue that modern employment tactics create the illusion that our employer is not involved in employer/ employee power relations but is actually our friend. The economic and professional sphere is blended into the personal, we’re all too familiar with the typical employer mantras of; “Can you not stay a while longer? I really need you for this, I’ll owe you one. We need to be a team.” Slavoj Žižek analyses the postmodern workplace under the lens of what psychoanalysts refer to as the symbolic-structure or Big Other. From this perspective, there’s an officially accepted

perspective/view/culture at odds with a general awareness held by individuals. An example of this in action would be if a private company makes it officially wellknown through PR that they give a certain percentage of their income to charity, they care for their staff,

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As the average viewer realises that the show creates a facade of reality, it’s “fakeness” doesn’t dissuade the viewer for the most part because truth is not its purpose.

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any of our readers here at the Tribune are hard working people who often have to hold down a minimum wage job in order to fund their dayto-day lives, on top of completing their degree. Since the recent election, issues such as the national housing crisis, affordable accommodation for students, ending zero-hour contracts, and better working conditions have been on the tip of any politically active tongue. While these issues have been consistently important for many generations of people, the economy and the way we experience work has fundamentally changed. Yet is it a change in the right direction? When I think of the modern working environment, the film Office Space (1999) by Mike Judge comes to mind. It follows a profoundly unhappy, unmotivated and tired pencilpusher named Peter Gibbons who works for a tech company mired in infinite memos and bureaucratic nonsense, trumpeted by a boss who personally couldn’t care less for the wants and needs of his staff. In his book Capitalist Realism, Mark Fisher comments on the film stating that; “naturally, the memo concerns a bureaucratic

practice: it aims to induce compliance with a new procedure of putting ‘cover sheets’ on reports. In keeping with the ‘being smart’ ethos, the management style in Office Space is a mixture of shirtsleeves-informality and quiet authoritarianism.”

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Aaron Collier Philosophy Columnist

and their products are well made and fair-trade to some degree. Following this it is eventually found out by the wider public that this company does not pay a living wage, unjustly fires its workers for joining a union, and their goods are not actually fair trade. The result would be disastrous for the shares of the business. An example within Office Space would be when Peter happily admits his actual habits during his workday in speaking to the downsizing inspectors, like

sleeping at his desk, coming in late and regularly “spacing out.” While workers, customers and even management are generally aware of these goings on, they would never adopt it as official by the wider PR structure. These theories work their way back to Karl Marx’s pre-cursor understanding of alienation, whereby the worker cannot achieve fulfilment through their labour within the current cog-like industrialized capitalist system. He states, “under these economic conditions this realization of labour appears as loss of realization for the workers; objectification as loss of the object and bondage to it; appropriation as estrangement, as alienation.” Through this process of objectification, workers feel incredibly small, unimportant and separate from the powers of decision making. If this contemporary issue interests you I would highly recommend following the Facebook page, “Inhumans of Late Capitalism,” as it collects photos that show Latestage Capitalism in its most absurd, darkly humorous, ruthless and amoral forms. For example, there was a picture of an ad campaign for a world renowned show brand that asked its shoppers to buy their new line of shoes before taking part in the “revolution”. This can be seen as an incorporation of anti-capitalism into capitalism itself, as it constantly tries to renew itself, adapt and expand even at the expense of itself. This may seem counterintuitive, but it helps companies seem more like responsible and caring entities in the eyes of the public. The marketisation of the academic sphere is particularly notable nowadays, as universities across the country including UCD have been jacking up rents for on-site accommodation, and are seen by many as treating their students as an endless money pool or “cash-cow.” Mark Fisher states: “This is in part a consequence of the inherent resistance of certain processes and services to marketization. (The supposed marketization of education, for instance, rests on a confused and underdeveloped analogy: are students the consumers of the service or its product?)” While we may not be slaving away in a coal mine or factory, at least those in previous generations knew the role that their employer played, as that of the boss, not as a manipulative friend.

Volume 33 - Issue 08

03.03.2020

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Culture Pop Smoke’s Death is Indicative of Deeper Systematic Problems

‘Colour-Blind’ Copperfield Breaks Ethnic Barriers

“The Absolute State” Brings Real Irish Stories To Stage

Honeymoon

Man Alive!

★★★

★★★★

Sound Waves

The Slow Rush Tame Impala

★★★★★

Beach Bunny

Nicholas Lane - Music Writer

Kasia O’Connor - Music Writer

The sands of time have certainly shifted in the five years since Tame Impala released Currents. This pop/ psych-rock album was a global sensation and led polymath Kevin Parker to work with huge artists including Travis Scott and Kanye West. On this latest project, Parker embraces self-reflexivity, nostalgia, and temporal existence with his entrancing lyrics and immersive sound. Layers of meaning unravel as you sink deeper into the sands of this track list.

The Chicago-based artist, Lilli Trifilio has had a reputation in the DIY scene for quite some time, with her anecdotal-style lyrics and candid delivery on her solo project, Beach Bunny. After a steady stream of EPs and singles since 2016, Beach Bunny came out with their first full-length album, Honeymoon, as a four-piece band earlier this month. With only a 25-minute runtime, Honeymoon is a concise representation of the band’s established talents, namely Trifilio’s unique vocals, influenced by the likes of Sidney Gish and Charly Bliss.

The album opens strongly with “One More Year”. Parker’s lyrics reminiscing on his early career aspirations, are accompanied by a boisterous, disco beat, which retains Impala’s trademark trippy tone. There’s a cyclical feeling, as on the final track, “One More Hour”, Parker sings “whatever I’ve done, I did it for love”, “never for money”. Parker’s meditations on mortality and life are highly inspiring, like on “Lost in Yesterday”, where he sings “What was I ever afraid of? Why did I worry?”. His lyrics encourage listeners to embrace what “calls you”, face what “haunts you” and erase what “holds you”. The Daft Punk-esque, disco-inspired sound of this album is highlighted on “Breathe Deeper”, which gives us a defiant, daily mantra: “If you think that I can’t hold my own. Believe me, I can.”

Her introspective lyrics take centre stage on the record, backed by the band’s signature sound, and indie-rock legend Joe Reinhart’s producing talent. The album opens with ‘Promises’, setting up themes of heartbreak, crushes, and relationships - fitting for its Valentine’s Day debut. Musically, Honeymoon is much more diverse than the band’s previous releases, with ballads like ‘Racetrack’ and ‘Rearview’ breaking up the pattern of light-hearted pop-punk on the rest of the album. For their first full-length album, Honeymoon presents Trifilio’s unique approach to songwriting and lyricism to the admittedly tired tropes of insecurity and superficiality in Gen-Z relationships. For a pop-punk record, Honeymoon is an easy listen with just the right amount of self-reflective awareness.

King Krule

Matthew Derwin - Music Editor After releasing The Ooz to great critical acclaim in 2017, Archy Marshall, better known by his stage name King Krule, returns with Man Alive. It’s an extremely impressive entry in Marshall’s discography, imbued with an irresistible energy that, on paper, should completely contrast with its sludgy tones and signature mumbled vocals. ‘Cellular’ is a fantastic opening track with a melody that harkens back to Marshall’s 2015 electronic project, A New Place 2 Drown. ‘Stoned Again’ perfectly distils the essence of urban youth depression, but later tracks such as ‘Energy Fleets’ showcase a far more optimistic, forward-thinking side of Marshall that we rarely see – “why stop reading when the page is ‘bout to turn?”. However, ‘Perfecto Miserable’ is a comparative dirge, where Marshall initially gently moans about his struggles with loneliness before being accompanied by his traditional backing screams and a slowly swelling riff. With a shift away from the more straightforward, guitar-focused crooning on his previous albums, Marshall refines his style to a pin-sharp point and still manages to innovate on his sound. Where The Ooz enveloped the listener in a darkly atmospheric cityscape, Man Alive allows the listener to become immersed in Marshall’s very own mind.

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Music

COMMENT: Pop Smoke’s Death is Indicative of Deeper Systematic Problems n February 19, 2020, the hip-hop community gathered once again to mourn the loss of another one of its brightest talents. Pop Smoke, a New York native, was only 20 when his Los Angeles home was broken into and he was murdered at gunpoint in the middle of the night, a story that feels all too familiar nowadays. People are quick to lay the blame on the victims for not looking after themselves better, but it would be incredibly naive to lay the blame at the feet of teenagers who are murdered simply for being successful. This issue of young people trying to make it out of their neighbourhoods/ boroughs only to get tragically murdered before they can truly flourish in their new lives is one that has been ever present for the black community and other ethnic minority groups in the United States. The real problem at hand here is that the poorest and most vulnerable communities in the United States are never told or shown by their own government that there is more to life than bringing one another down for personal gain, to fatal effect. When people think of black-on-black violence in America they tend to paint a romanticised image of the Bloods and Crips, particularly in Compton, but there is so much more to it than just gang signs and

rapping, and gang activity. Making it as a successful athlete or musician is incredibly difficult, and as a result, some children are often left with no alternative but to turn to drug dealing and gang violence, often in an attempt to provide for their families who can barely look after themselves due to crippling debt as a result of overly expensive housing or healthcare. Poor, particularly AfricanAmerican children become surrounded by violence at an incredibly young age, and

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Making it as a successful athlete or musician is incredibly difficult, and as a result, some children are often left with no alternative but to turn to drug dealing and gang violence...

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Nicolas Murphy Music Writer

it becomes a career for many of them, and many lose their lives at an equally young age. For reference, New York rapper G Herbo (age 24) recently dedicated his upcoming album to 50 of his friends who have all passed away due to drug overdoses or gang violence (again, he’s 24). The violence, pain and death in these areas is woefully neglected, and as a result of such, it continues uninterrupted,

Fresh, to name a few, were all murdered within 4 years of Pop Smoke’s unfortunate passing, and the heart-wrenching common denominator in this scenario is that all these people grew up in poor black communities, and right on the cusp of long-lasting global and financial success, they were all killed. In communities such as the ones each of these artists grew up in, the dream is to get rich and “make it out of the hood”, but what worth does that dream hold when it, along with your life, is taken away before you even get to fully realise it? Poverty puts a target on the back of people in these areas. Those who may be susceptible to violence or other criminal activity due to fear and/or desperation. However, success puts another target on your back. Now you have something worth taking, no matter the consequences. It’s tragic that those who grow up living the same lives, having the same experiences, sometimes even knowing the same people, ultimately feel the need to turn against one another in a cruel, but equally tragic, effort to elevate one’s own status. It would be naive to assume that this black-on-black violence is simply criminals in gangs declaring war on each other. It is, at least to some degree, symptomatic of a system which never truly allows the most impoverished, vulnerable and impressionable members of a society to imagine a life where everyone can get their own and live peacefully side by side.

Upcoming Gigs Matthew Derwin - Music Editor

JPEGMAFIA

March 3rd - €17.50 The Academy Experimental rap firebrand JPEGMAFIA will be taking his blistering tunes to the Academy on the 3rd of March. With his 2019 release All My Heroes Are Cornballs, he truly cemented his status as one of the most genuinely exciting names in modern hip-hop. Known for getting up close and personal with the audience at his live shows, there’s sure to be plenty of crowd-based chaos at this gig. Tickets from €17.50.

Pictured Above: King Krule

Blanck Mass

March 14th - €16.00 Workman’s Club Blanck Mass, a project of Fuck Buttons’ Benjamin John Power, plays the Workman’s Club on the 14th of March. Releasing Animated Violence Mild in 2019, Power is a visionary when it comes to making sounds that are as violent as humanly possible. His electronic music ranges from droning, thumping beats to outright mind-shattering noise, and with a setting as intimate as this it’s bound to be a show to remember. Tickets from €16.

King Krule

March 19th - €30.00 Olympia Theatre

trap music. Across America, particularly in poor black areas, public services, such as schooling, sports teams and youth centres are critically underfunded and neglected by the government, and children are driven to the streets from a desperately young age. From their teenage years, and even earlier on, poor black children are often only presented with 3 career paths: athletics,

only to be acknowledged in the news or at the Grammys’ ‘In Memoriam’ section when a public figure meets the same heart-breaking end. However, this violence is not just contained in neighbourhoods and gangs. As a matter of fact, Pop Smoke isn’t even a oneoff case as far as musicians go. Nipsey Hussle, XXXTentacion, Jimmy Wopo and Bankroll

These children grow up around poverty, violence, death and despair, and ultimately, a lot of them feel they have no choice but to continue the vicious cycle. R.I.P Pop Smoke, and all those who lost their lives in a system that failed to help them.

American rockers The Growlers will be playing at the Button Factory on the 25th of February. Releasing their latest album, Natural Affair, last year, they have a lengthy discography that’s consistently good enough that they’ll be sure to have an engaging and appealing setlist. Their unique melding of surf rock with loud and gritty garage stylings is sure to make for an interesting show for any discerning rock fan. Tickets from €24.00.

Film & TV

Film & TV News

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Volume 33 - Issue 08

Film Review: Birds of Prey

Jack O’Grady Film & TV Writer

Netflix’s March release schedule is full of original series, movies and comedy specials. Mark Wahlberg will star as an ex-cop taking on Boston’s criminal underworld in the actionpacked thriller, Spenser Confidential. Later in the month, Jason Bateman returns for the highly anticipated third season of smash-hit drama Ozark. In TV news, the Friends cast have announced that they are reuniting for a special episode of the sitcom, more than fifteen years after “The Last One Part 2”. The instalment will air on the HBO Max streaming platform in May and will include all the main characters from the much-adored TV

Pictured Above: Margot Robbie in Birds of Prey

★★★★

Brendan O’Brien - Film & TV Writer

irds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn is an immensely chaotic and vibrant action comedy which will have you squirm and laugh simultaneously. The fabulous Margot Robbie displays an energy so unique and psychotic that you cannot tell if you love her or are terrified of her. Robbie brings a never before seen vulnerability to the character of Harley Quinn, leaving her role as one that is meant to “serve”, and establishes a much awaited agency to the character. She has finally broken up with “Mister J” and is determined to forge her own path in a Gotham where she is no longer protected by the Clown King of Crime. Robbie exhibits the power of Harley as a woman without boundaries, in an ecstatic series of insane scenes. The choreography in some of these action scenes is astounding; explosions of colour compliment Harley’s acrobatic fighting style beautifully. Harley is not to be toyed with in this new ferociously fantastic female action film. When examining the entire cast the excellent Ewan McGregor portrays a distinctive Black Mask. The character itself has never had a truly interesting personality on paper. He is usually relegated to the bag of side villains within the DC comic universe. However, McGregor’s representation of

Black Mask is violent, volatile, and unstable. There is a stark contrast between Harley and Black Mask, with one embodying the film’s delightfully overbearing sense of fun, while the other acts as a counterbalance, a way to explore the dark side of city life. McGregor’s character is a source for the film’s unexpectedly sinister scenes. These sections pollute the tone of the movie,

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The director understands the unfairness that women of the modern world are forced to go through, and attempts to conquer it through the amazing tenacity and ferocity embodied by the Birds of Prey.

“

The 92nd Academy Awards ceremony was a relatively staid affair until revitalised by Parasite’s victory in both Best Picture and Director categories. The dark satire about class warfare in modern Seoul became the first foreign language film to walk away with Hollywood’s top accolade. The South Korean thriller won two other Oscars; adding best original screenplay and international film to its impressive haul. Joaquin Phoenix won his first Oscar for his performance as the psychotic villain, Joker. The Best Actress award was preordained, going to Renee Zellweger for her titular role in Judy. Laura Dern, Brad Pitt, and Taika Waititi maintained their winning record, securing respective prizes for Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay. Meanwhile, Best Picture favourite, 1917 had to be content with wins in the sound mixing, cinematography and visual effects categories. In honouring Parasite, voters interrupted Netflix’s ascension. Despite garnering twenty-four nominations, the streaming heavyweight left with only two statues. Academy voters remain uncomfortable with the studios’ strategy of mostly sidestepping cinemas in favour of online releases. Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman failed to convert any of its ten nominations for the streaming provider.

adding blotches of black to a film so colourful and humorous. This blended tone is to the film’s credit as through the addition of these twisted scenes the film lends itself a soberness that acts as a way to break up the constant comedy. The scenes are handled with care and do not offend, but still evoke in you an anxiety that leaves you twitching in your seat. Cathy Yan, the director of Birds of Prey has done a stellar job in the creation of this truly unique comic-book movie. Yan has made the

decision that this is not a children’s movie and uses ominous segments to highlight the dangers surrounding women in a male dominated society. The film deals with issues women face in the workplace, on the street in day to day life, and while enjoying the nightlife of a city. Yan understands the unfairness that women of the modern world are forced to go through and attempts to conquer it through the amazing tenacity and ferocity embodied by the Birds of Prey. Birds of Prey is an original and incredible all female action movie that highlights the need for more of these types of scripts to be developed in Hollywood. It is so refreshing to see a new take on the super hero “team-up” movie, and it is a relief to see DC improving their comic-book franchise. However, Birds of Prey is not a perfect film. The plot itself is quite bare, with no amazing storytelling to be found. There are inconsistencies in the action scenes, where some, to put it bluntly, are much worse than the wonderfully chaotic and funny choreographed scenes that are present for most of the film. The supporting cast struggles to compete with the two acting juggernauts that are Robbie and McGregor. Scenes where the two leads are missing have an immense dip in quality. Overall, this film is delightful. The comedic spirit of the film is infectious, making it a joy to watch. If you have nothing else going on this weekend and need a break for two hours, go and enjoy this visually vibrant and bombastic piece of film.

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03.03.2020

Film & TV

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Crime Edition

Netflix Recommendations Don’t F**k with Cats Documentary Series

★★★★

Diving into the world of online criminal catching, this intense documentary follows a group of vigilantes tracking down Luka Magnotta, a self-obsessed model turned cold-blooded killer. When things begin to escalate, those involved question whether they have been encouraging the crimes. The intrigue surrounding Magnotta has turned into viral notoriety, which is exactly what he craved. The horrifying raw footage of the suffocation of animals is stomach-turning, so this three-part series is definitely not for the faint of heart. The most interesting aspect of the online hunt is how the group uses tools that are accessible to everyone namely Google Street View - to go beyond even the abilities of law enforcement. This incredible story encapsulates our own fascination with murder tales with the dangerous new twist of social media and internet fame. A must-see.

Gerald’s Game

★★★★★

★★★★

Nominated for 10 Oscars at this year’s ceremony, The Irishman injected new life (quite literally using CGI) into epic gangster dramas. Based on the non-fiction book I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt, Martin Scorsese packs the violent underpinnings of 50’s and 60’s American politics into a three and a half hour long movie. The use of flashbacks keeps you on your toes, and the main character Frank’s solemn narration of his life ensures that the story of the rise and fall of mob glamour does not leave your memory after you’ve finished watching. The production and costume design is detailed and never fails to place you right there in the action. The acting power of De Niro, Pacino, and Pesci contribute to Scorcese’s ode to his directorial roots, ensuring that this will be a unique masterpiece in his crime movie legacy.

Although I am yet to finish season 2 of the Netflix Original series You, I think I am somewhat qualified to weigh in on the slightly trashy thriller series that takes stalking to the next level. With smatterings of millennial culture and humour and some cringe-inducing moments reminiscent of Riverdale, You still doesn’t fail to draw you in by unknowingly allowing you to sympathise with, put simply, a psychopathic murderer.

Film

Series

Although plot developments are sometimes unrealistic and might urge you to give up, surprising twists and cliffhangers make it an addictive binge-worthy series. Showing the unnervingly tragic side to modern romance and social media, You has chalked up to be a riveting show that completely flips your expectations of how a cutesy New York relationship should go.

Gemma Farrell - Film & TV Writer

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Iannucci, the film’s director, has spoken of his insistence on ‘colourblind’ casting for the films characters choosing actors fit for his vision, irrespective of race or ethnicity.

“

Ella Ryan Film & TV Writer

You

The Irishman

‘Colour-Blind’ Copperfield Breaks Ethnic Barriers he latest of the ‘Personal’ Histories of David Copperfield may seem but one amongst the plethora of adaptations which have arisen ever since the very first publication of the serial novel in the mid-19th Century. However, Armando Iannucci’s latest retelling of the beloved story is arguably the most daring and, despite this film being made over a century and a half after Copperfield’s birth, the most relatable. Iannucci retains every drop of the charm, realism and whimsy of Dickens’ tale of David Copperfield’s journey through life, all against the backdrop of a rapidly changing Victorian England. Despite the disparity between the London of today and that of Dickens’ era, the characters stand the test of time, reminding us that though centuries apart, fundamental human nature remains the same. Today’s conversations on mental health are significantly more open and advanced, however Dickens’ creation, Mr Dick, is thought as one of the first literary figures to suffer with mental health issues, such as they are known today. While a ‘Mr Dick sort’ may once have been rejected as being troublingly eccentric or simply mad

Pictured Above: Dev Patel as David Copperfield

Film

This uber-freaky psychological thriller sees a woman, Jessie, accidentally kill her husband while handcuffed to a bed in a remote cabin. The horror escalates when

her mental state begins to decline, and she hallucinates her husband dishing out emotional abuse. The personal ordeal she suffers adds to the overall suspense of the film, and goes beyond the average horror/ thriller film by allowing the audience to truly connect with the main character. It explores the theme of misogyny in a relationship between a wife and husband while throwing us with supernatural elements, creating a paranoia fuelled nightmare setting. If you are not familiar with Stephen King adaptations, then this is a perfect introduction into the existential and emotional nature of his stories.

for believing in his sudden acquisition of the mental troubles of Charles V, he is portrayed by both Dickens and Iannucci as a troubled soul but still fundamentally kind and goodnatured. Iannucci’s painting of mental suffering in the film is strikingly relatable to a 21st Century viewer, and proof once again of the undying, common humanity of the characters. Arguably, however, the most significant aspect of the modern take on this classic lies in its casting. Iannucci has spoken of his insistence on colour-blind casting for the films characters - choosing actors fit for his vision, irrespective of race or ethnicity. The result is a wide and wonderfully diverse cast, including Benedict Wong, Rosalind Eleazar and (Mr Copperfield himself) Dev Patel, who is of Indian heritage. Speaking to The Guardian on his decision to undertake this color-blind approach, he wondered aloud “Why are we not doing this?”. As there are still questions of diversity in film, which just weeks ago hung heavy in the air at the BAFTAs, Iannucci’s quest to deliver a colourblind cast seems all the more significant. The wholly impressive ensemble performance is testament to the effectiveness of Iannucci’s vision. When you see ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’, you begin to wonder how the characters were ever played by anyone else, reinforcing the question rightly articulated by Iannucci - it’s 2020, why are we not doing this?

Arts & Lifestyle

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Volume 33 - Issue 08

Self Care: A Letter to My Younger Self Leah Commandeur Arts & Lifestyle Writer

ear Leah, Hopefully you receive this letter at an important stage in your life, as it may hold some of the questions you have inside your head but refuse to allow the world to hear. I ask for you to listen to some words from the more worldly version of yourself, but don’t be fooled into believing I have all the answers to the great questions of life; I’m patiently awaiting my own letter from my ‘older’ self as I speak. The first piece of advice I wish for you to follow is to live in the moment. This phrase is overused to death and for a good reason. I

know you spend most of your time thinking about the future, both near and far, with a look of curiosity and wonder in your eyes, but don’t wish your youth away. Once you get a few years older (and wiser), days will feel like hours and you’ll be sitting there reflecting on those days when you viewed the world through rose-tinted glasses. Those days where no dream was too big or no idea too wild - those are the days you will remember for the rest of your life. Shoot for the stars and never look back. Please try not to allow overthinking to become a hobby. It is the killer of all things spontaneous, innocent and free. You will spend many nights tossing and turning in bed as you stare at the horrid pink walls in

your room, as anxiety eats away at your brain. Despite how powerful you think you are; you can’t reverse time. If it’s meant to happen, it will. I can promise you (hand on my heart!) that the issues which seem like they will end your world, will make you laugh in years to come. Try to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you think there is only darkness ahead, it is there, you just need to look close enough. A final word of advice I ask of you to listen to is to be proud of who you are. I feel like I shouldn’t have to say this but unfortunately, I know you need to hear it. There will be times when you are the only one in your group who doesn’t follow the latest trend (don’t pluck the death out of your eyebrows,

they will never be the same), or don’t get invited to the biggest party of the year. You shouldn’t change who you are just to make other people view you in the way you believe they should. These words hopefully give you the freedom you have been searching for. Sometimes all you need to know is that somebody believes in you and I am here to reassure you that you will make it. You will persevere through the tough times. Feel worthy in the rewarding moments and prove to yourself that you are stronger than you thought. With love, Your older self

“The Absolute State” Brings Real Irish Stories To Stage Alessia Mennitto - Reporter

pproaching the creation of a verbatim theatre piece for the first time, UCD student Luke Shanahan brings “The Absolute State” on stage on Saturday 29th February, at the Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin. In line with the characteristics of this emerging genre, the play is built upon salient parts from a series of interviews that have been conducted among 45 young Irish people, aged between 18 and 22, during the summer of the past year. The scope of the play is to highlight the role of alcohol within the Irish youth captured through the neutral lenses of a non-drinking author. It is precisely this latter trait that sparked Shanahan’s curiosity

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Using real, lived experiences as the script gives the play a unique authenticity in addressing the role of alcohol within the Irish youth

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and led him to bring on stage Irish drinking culture as it is “a big thing in Ireland” among students, he commented. Indeed, the title “The Absolute State” is all but casual. It is built upon three layers of meaning with the first one referring to the common Irish phrase “the absolute state of ya”, used to indicate someone really drunk. The second level is a direct reference to the renowned brand Absolut Vodka. Finally, the third layer of meaning is given by a thoughtful association of the state as nation which sees Ireland as the nation with an absolute attitude towards drinking: either you drink, or you do not and that creates a label for students’ personalities. As a result, Shanahan puts on stage the construction of identity of young people through drinking and the personal repercussions it entails. Using real, lived experiences as the script gives the play a unique authenticity in

addressing this delicate topic. The guarantee of complete anonymity has for instance allowed interviewees to reveal intimate details of their adventures which everyone can relate to and empathise with. So the feeling that the show wants to convey is that of self-identification and comfort. The main

challenge has thus been to faithfully show these adventures as the author remarked he and the actors felt a great sense of “responsibility in terms of representing someone’s experiences”. Not only that, they had to be communicated in an engaging and straightforward manner to the audience in a

one-hour show though the overall recordings amounted to 30 hours. A substantial work has been done to develop this play that reflects the author’s passion in portraying such a felt issue among the Irish youth.

Volume 33 - Issue 08

03.03.2020

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Arts & Lifestyle

Science Through an Artistic Lens

Mallika Venkatramani checks out UCD Science Day Mallika Venkatramani Arts & Lifestyle Editor

e Science students are mighty proud of ourselves. Not only do we have one of the coolest buildings (ouch, Arts students cooped up in drab Newman, that must have hurt), we have fabulous keynote lectures, workshops and all that ‘sciencey’ jazz all year round. But if we are criticised for having the occasional chip on our shoulders, one of the big reasons is because of Science Day. I mean, what’s better than showing off to other students that what we do is so profoundly, mind-blowingly fascinating? Also, we get the entire day off lectures (except for some folks who still had labs for want of available lab slots). Kudos to UCD Science Society (SciSoc) for organising yet another amazing Science Day a couple weeks back. Truly, science is more than facts and figures. Rather, it is an art. In the words of Albert Einstein, ‘After a certain high level of technical skill is achieved, science and art

Van de Graaff generator at UCD Science Day

tend to coalesce in aesthetics, plasticity and form. The greatest scientists are artists as well.’ I could go on about my love for science but let me allow other science students to convince you that Mr. Einstein’s words were golden. Let’s start with physics. “Art is in everything. There’s beauty in nature and physics is nature,” says Hugh Kelly, theoretical physics student and SciSoc committee member. Another physics student Juliette Casals shared about the night sky studied in astrophysics, which has inspired countless artists. “You get really cool images from particle accelerators and airflows that have inspired artists,” she added. “Da Vinci is mentioned a lot in fluid mechanics because he was the first to sketch and observe flows. Also, NASA, ESA and all space companies always have artists who draw sketches of what would be expected visually from a set of data taken by telescopes.” Need any more convincing? Just look at Da Vinci’s sketches! Chemistry is no different. Emily Bollard, environmental chemistry student and SciSoc committee member shared an interesting thought: “When we go into a lab, we take basic ingredients and make something out of it. The excitement of not knowing what you are going to produce, be it something new or something that has already been discovered, that is art in itself.” Next, you can’t spell out science without mentioning biology. Indeed, biology is so vast and has its countless sub-fields but let us examine art in biology’s basic unit - DNA. Favour Ogundare, genetics student, says: “It’s so fascinating how each strand of DNA comes together to make the work of art that is the genome. Each work of art is different from the next.” As a genetics student myself, I couldn’t agree more. Finally, let’s talk maths. Now the math kids sometimes feel sore because Maths is at times not regarded a ‘science’ by other

Guns and Cats Akimbo Milo Mehigan - Arts & Lifestyle Writer

itting atop of the nose bleeders, the curtain rose at The Gaiety Theatre and filled the room with laughter and gunfire for its two-hour run time. Overall, the performance was an enjoyable one and here are the reasons why. Martin McDonagh’s comedic writing and personal comedy style can be seen throughout the production. From dark jokes referencing bombing chip shops and the IRA to several moments of comedic timing, McDonagh’s production has an abundance of dark humour, and he also allows time for his jokes to settle with the audience. The contrast from serious moments to funny ones gives this play a good balance. So, if you are a fan of McDonagh’s comedy, you will definitely be a fan of this production. When it comes to contrast in the play, a person that symbolises that is Mad Padraic.

This contrast can be seen firstly by how the character dresses, a white t-shirt and a black leather jacket, but that’s not all. The personality of Mad Padraic is rather complex, he can go from merciless when it comes to tormenting a drug dealer, to caring about his sick cat all in the span of a few seconds. Mescal’s range of emotions in the scene can only be considered as professional. As well as having mood swings, Mad Padraic is fearless in the face of danger. In one scene he has three guns pointed at him, and all he can do laugh. Paul Mescal performs the cocksure character at a high level, he gives the audience 110% and he leaves nothing on the stage. The cast includes many talented actors, such as Paul Mescal (Mad Padraic), Aisling Kearns (Mairéad) and Alex Murphy (Davey). In addition to this, many of the actors involved in the play were a part of other theatre productions, with Kearns featuring

Chimac ★★★★

Aungier Street, Dublin

€€

Alex Lohier - Deputy Editor

Da Vinci Sketch

Particle movement from a Particle Accelerator science folks. But I beg to differ from that notion, hence I spoke to Anna Hepple and Cian Geraghty, applied maths students and MathSoc committee members. “Maths creates the whole world - it’s a foundation for all sciences, whether it is biology, chemistry or physics,” they shared. “Just take the number pi or the natural logarithm ‘e’ that are so important in other sciences, or imaginary numbers that create really beautiful graphs and are even used in animation.” They proceeded to show me stunning graphs of fractal geometry. If only my high school maths teachers had described the subject in such a manner, my days cribbing over sums might have been very different. In short, art is science, and science is art. Whether you experienced electrical static from a Van de Graaff generator, learned how liquid nitrogen could be used to make delicious ice cream, or carried a gorgeous

Martin McDonagh’s ‘The Lieutenant of Inishmore’ in Asking For it, and Mescal being the lead in The Great Gatsby in 2017 at The Gate Theatre. So, because of this experience, their talent can be seen in this production, and this experience translates to a high level of acting and chemistry onstage. As well as the play featuring many talented actors, the play is directed by a veteran of the theatre, Andrew Flynn, who has directed other Martin McDonagh works, such as The Cripple of Inishmaan, A Skull in Connemara and The Pillowman. As it so happens, A Skull in Connemara shares a similarity with The Lieutenant of Inishmore is the inclusion of violence as well as humour, primarily dark or farcical. Overall, this play was a joy to experience. From the superb acting from Paul Mescal and Aisling Kearns, to the rib-hurting and knee-slapping humour, and the complex set design, this play is not to be missed!

Nestled tidily on Aungier Street, Chimac rustled a few feathers when it opened a while back, claiming to bring what they promised to be the best chicken burger Dublin had ever seen. A bold claim which, much to my pleasure, I wanted to put to the test. When you walk in, you’re exposed to the familiar scent of fried chicken; not a bad welcome if you ask me. The setting is clean, bright and very much Korean-inspired. As per their website, ‘’Chimac comes from ‘chi’, short for ‘chikin’ plus ‘mac’ from ‘maekju’, Korean for beer’’. The menu, perhaps unsurprisingly then, consists mainly of twice-fried chicken and beer. Some will dislike the lack of choice, but for me, it’s usually an indicator of a great meal. I’ve had the Kimcheese and the Classic burgers, with the former being fantastic, oozing with cheese, cheddar sauce(?!), spring onion kimchi and gochujang mayo. The latter is almost equally as good, served with Korean hot sauce, pickled daikon slaw, fresh coriander and zesty lime mayo. Personally, the coriander ruins the flavours of the meat and accompaniments, but that’s a personal choice. In both choices, the twice-fried Korean chicken is slotted between a potato bun, with the ratio of chicken to bun being amusingly disproportionate; something often lacking from most chicken burgers. A nod of praise is merited for the bun, which is much tastier and less dry than the norm. This, combined with the juiciness and crispiness of the chicken and the sauces, makes for a fantastic meal, and certainly distances itself from the average, dry, plain chicken burger. Accompanied with a cold brew

from their selection, it really is a truly great meal. For those of you of the vegetarian persuasion, the team at Chimac can substitute chicken for a panko tofu burger. Not that I’d recommend this, but it’s good to at least have the option. As I was wolfing down my own food, people around me were ordering wings and nugs. From what I saw, I can safely say I will be obliged to return and sample those too.

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Volume 33 - Issue 08

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Sport

UCD AFC Set For First Division Title Tilt

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Founded in 1895, under the name of ‘Catholic University Medical School Football Club’, the club won the inaugural intervarsities competition, ‘The Collingwood Cup’, in 1914

Shamrock Rovers failed to lose another game in the competition for over three years – until they lost to UCD again in 1988.  That win saw UCD qualify for the prestigious European Cup Winners Cup. The draw pitted them against Everton, then one of the leading sides in Europe. In the first leg, UCD held the Merseyside outfit to a scoreless draw. The return leg at Goodison Park almost produced a cup shock of seismic proportions, with UCD hitting legendary goalkeeper, Neville Southall’s crossbar with only minutes remaining. UCD would have progressed on away goals had they scored. Everton held on to win 1-0 and went on to win the competition as well as fending off the greatest Liverpool team ever to win the League ChampionshipEverton were also voted best club side in the world for that year. ‘The Students’ had to wait until 2000 for another chance to play in European competition, bowing out on

away goals to Velbazhd Kyustendil in the Intertoto Cup. Our usually immaculate disciplinary record, enabled us in 2014 to become the last ever side to qualify for the Europa League through good behaviour via the UEFA Fair Play League despite having been relegated that year. That team made further history by virtue of winning a first ever European tie for the club, before bowing out in the second qualifying round. By this stage, UCD were now playing in the cavernous amphitheatre that is the UCD Bowl (having moved in 2008), which has witnessed attendances of up to 3,000 people for important matches. Most recently, our underage team impressively qualified for the UEFA Youth League beating Norwegian side Molde before losing out on away goals. Many a famous player has worn the sky blue jersey in the past including former Manchester United player, Kevin Moran; Leeds United record goalscorer Peter Lorimer; and former

Ireland international, Conor Sammon. Our most famous ‘player’ though never actually donned the UCD jersey. Contrary to popular belief, Brazilian legend Socrates never, in fact, played for UCD having supposedly lined out for the reserve team whilst studying medicine in Dublin. That a former Brazilian

Historically, UCD has acted as a feeder club of sorts to Ireland’s best club sides and for the better ones, a transfer to England is the reward. Many young players has continue to avail of the university’s scholarship system before moving on following completion of their degree. Dylan Watts’ move

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Many a famous player has worn the sky blue jersey in the past including former Manchester United player, Kevin Moran; Leeds United record goalscorer Peter Lorimer; and former Ireland international, Conor Sammon.

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fter a disappointing end to last season, UCD AFC will seek an immediate return to Ireland’s Premier Division in 2020 and thus, regain their status as the only university in Europe to have a soccer team competing in their national first division. Having been promoted as First Division champions in 2018 and with a talented young squad, ‘The Students’ will certainly feel hopeful of repeating the feat this time out. To do so would only add to the steeped history of the club, which is far more storied than some may think.  Founded in 1895, under the name of ‘Catholic University Medical School Football Club’, the club won the inaugural intervarsities competition, The Collingwood Cup, in 1914. UCD were invited to join the League of Ireland for the first time in 1922 but had to turn it down given their inability to field a team in the League of Ireland Shield that September (the Academic year didn’t commence until October). The club’s final season as a non-league outfit came in 1957 with a move to league football following soon after.  In 1970 the club was elected to the League of Ireland B Division and embarked on a series of landmark tours, becoming the first Irish team to play in places like India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Jordan, Philippines, China and Australia. A second invitation to join the League of Ireland was accepted in 1979 when Cork Celtic were expelled. In 1983, the hitherto amateur club turned semi-professional, and players outside of the college were allowed to represent

the team for the first time. This is still the situation today, although in reality most of the players are either students or former students. By the end of the 1983–84 season, UCD had won a first FAI Cup, beating Shamrock Rovers 2–1 after a replay.

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Neil Stokes - Sports Writer

captain could not manage to break into the UCD first team was hard to believe, but the man himself dispelled any doubts when announcing shortly before his untimely death in 2011 that not only had he never played for UCD, but he had never even set foot on Irish soil.

to then English champions Leicester was the most highly publicised in recent times, but a look at Dundalk’s double-winning side of 2018 reveals no fewer than 7 former UCD players called Oriel Park their home last year. The team heads into the 2020 campaign bolstered by

plenty of new additions and with a new manager, Andy Myler at the helm. As a player, Myler was renowned as a prolific goal scorer, scoring 131 league goals during his career. He joined UCD as a player in 1994 before leaving in 1997, playing a crucial part in our First Division title winning campaign in 1994/5. His most notable coaching achievements include managing Shamrock Rovers to “A League” success in 2009 and an U20 title in 2010 before moving to the 1st team coaching staff with current Stoke City manager Michael O’Neill, where they became the first Irish team to qualify for the UEFA Europa League Group Stages. With a core nucleus of exciting young players and high-performing underage teams, the prospects are promising for the longterm. As for the current season, stand by for a strong promotion challenge; an attacking, expansive game style; and hopefully, another exciting chapter to add to an already storied tome.

Sport

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Mountaineering Katie UCD Mountaineering PRO On the weekend of February 15th and 16th, UCD Moun-

taineering competed at the Irish Rock Climbing Intervarsities hosted by DCU. For lots of the UCD climbers, it was their first time ever

Club came 3rd in the intervarsities and 4th in the Banter League, a fantastic

competing. The club placed 7th overall. In the male Fresher category, Daniel McMorrow placed second.

result showcasing yet another talented sporting team based in UCD.

The UCD Canoe Club competed at the intervarsities over the weekend of February 23rd and 24th, placing 2nd in the Whitewater category, 3rd in the Freestyle category and 5th in SlalomX. In those categories, Shanley Shaw came 3rd overall in Freestyle and Jayne Stevens came 2nd out of the women and 5th overall in Whitewater. Overall, the UCD Canoe

Things have been quiet recently in the UCD Badminton Club on the competitive front. One of their teams made it to the final of the Dublin & District’s Division 2 Mixed Cup at the weekend of February 15th and 16th. The team consisted of David Dwyer, Jamie Topping, Aela

Emre Oktay UCD Olympic Handball The UCD Olympic Handball team had a busy time on the weekend of February 22nd and 23rd. The UCD Women’s Team (5th) came into their game against Dublin International HC (2nd) as clear underdogs and, almost, pulled off one of the shocks of the season in the IOHA senior league, leading for the majority of the game only to let it slip towards the end and draw 24-24 and gained their first point of the season. Although it was devastating to not get all 2 points with a win, it was a massive improvement from their last encounter. Many positives can be taken away from this, including Emily Jennings getting onto the scoreboard for the first time this season with an excellent penalty! Some inspiring play from the entire

team, Friederike, Mathilde, Manon, Sasha, Ciara, Neza, Julia, Catriona, Anna and some great saves from Aoibhin! UCD Women should be proud of their respectable performance and can only keep their heads held high for their remaining 3 games; their play-off chance is still in the balance and this side is on an upwards rise. As for the Men’s team (3rd), a spirited performance on the night of the 17th saw the men finishing the game with the closest points difference ever against DI (2nd) and they were determined to overturn that defeat into a win on Sunday 23rdnand return to 2nd place. After a slow start, they clawed their way back into the game and got to within 3 points of DI before some controversy at the beginning of the 2nd half saw our top goal scorer, Timo Worm (106 goals), awarded a red card - an al-

tered decision from the original 2 minute suspension decision - which, fortunately, does not rule him out of our next match. The boys acted professionally and were well drilled to keep up the defensive work and keep the points gap close. Despite losing 44-34, it was a great team performance which included some fantastic passing display, unbelievable saves from point blank range by goalie Justus Assmann and a few screamers from Max who stepped up, scoring 10 this game, and Stefan, the latter managing to somehow find the net using all three steps from the halfway line and diving into the area with a well-worked shot! The boys are now hungrier than ever for their last league clash with Dublin International HC, (A team UCD have never beaten) this time on home turf.

ruary, and received 2 medals for their students and 2 for their alumni/coaches. Phoebe Ireland placed 3rd in the Women’s Saber category, whilst Sun Haocheng and

Tom O’Brien placed 1st and 3rd respectively in the Men’s Èpèe category. In the Women’s Foil competition, UCD Coach Joana Romalho came 1st.

Fencing Tlamelo Malima UCD Fencing Many of the UCD Fencing Club members participated in the East of Ireland Open on the weekend of 8th of Feb-

Badminton George Harding Badminton Captain

Volume 33 - Issue 08

Olympic Handball

Canoe Club Conor Knowles UCD Canoe Club

03.03.2020

Athletics O’ Flynn and Niamh Evans (Sub for Cliodhna Duggan), and was a massive achievement for the club to have a team in a final at such a high standard. At present, the teams are finishing off their Dublin & DIstricts League campaigns, and are getting teams ready for the National Intervarsities, which aren’t until the 26th March.

Ciarán Crowther UCD Athletics UCD Athletics were competing on the weekend of February 15th and 16th, winning a total of 5 medals at the IUAA Indoor Championships. They came courtesy of Lystus Ebosele (7.73m for 2nd in Weight for Distance and

11.75m for 2nd in Shot Putt, both new UCD records set by her); Diana Markina (3rd in the Women’s Pentathlon with a points total of 1,829); Israel Olatunde ( joint-third in the Men’s 60m in 6.91 seconds) and Rose Finnegan (1st in the Women’s 1,500m in 4:40).

College Tribune - Volume 33 - Issue 8

Articles inside

The Business Interview with... Denis O’Brien

Big Reads

The Absolute State” Brings Real Irish Stories To Stage

Film Review