The College Tribune - Volume 35 - Christmas Issue by The College Tribune

COLLEGE TRIBUNE CHRISTMAS EDITION

Issue_X.35

30.11.2021

PROTEST ON CAMPUS! SEE PAGE 6

Conor Paterson Co-Editor

and return UCD to the top division of Irish football.

CD AFC has achieved promotion to the League of Ireland Premier Division following a 2-1 victory over Waterford FC in Richmond Park on Friday night.

After a turbulent week for Waterford in which manager Marc Bircham was unexpectedly sacked on the Tuesday before match day, the Munster side started strong and took the lead after a fine Anthony Wordsworth strike.

Goals from Dara Keane and Ireland under 21 international Colm Whelan was enough to overturn an early Waterford goal

However, it didn't take long for UCD's quality to shine through and close-

range efforts from Keane and Whelan put the students in the driving seat well before half-time. UCD had a gruelling playoff process to secure the Richmond Park clash. Fridays result was perfect revenge for the students over Waterford who beat the young side in the cup quarter-final at the Bowl earlier this season, much to the delight of the travelling UCD faithful.

Exams to Proceed As Planned Under New COVID-19 Restrictions Mahnoor Choudhry Co-Editor

niversity College Dublin (UCD) has issued new guidelines and plans for the trimester this afternoon following the implementation of new

COVID-19 restrictions by the government. The guidelines and plans include not attending campus if you have cold-like symptoms as well as there being no change to the current exam schedule released two weeks prior. Continued on page 3...

Editorial

The week this editorial was written began with 5,600 positive cases of COVID-19 reported in Ireland. Yesterday, for (approximately) the 625th day in a row our phones buzzed with the Irish Times notification of yet again another lump sum of positive cases being reported. So much has remained certain. That we must look after ourselves, wear face masks to reduce the rate of infection and the sheer fact that we are still in the midst of a global pandemic But what’s also ironically remained certain is University College Dublin’s (UCD) uncertainty when it comes to making a university-wide decision. This editorial board is of the view that UCD should take the decision to move all exams online rather than to leave the decision up to individual schools and module co-ordinators. Staff were told via bulletin on the 19th of November by UCD President, Andrew Deeks, that the university’s “planning to support face-to-face end of trimester examinations will continue”. However, faculty planning in-person exams have been advised to have “alternative assessments in place in the event of any change in government advice”. Students were told by Deputy President and Registrar, Mark Rogers that “the timing and nature of your assessments remains as published unless you are informed otherwise”. With exam week only two weeks away and the stress of assignments and end of term deadlines creeping up with cases rising to worrying numbers; it is, frankly, a cop-out for our university to not make a concrete decision on how students will be assessed. This editorial board recognis-

Editor@collegetribune.ie +353 1 716 8501

COLLEGE TRIBUNE ning.

However, what is more important in a time of a public health crisis is certainty and the subtraction of the added stress of risking your health to sit an in-person exam. Academic integrity has to mould to the circumstances at hand. We must remember that students in university right now are studying in circumstances very differ-

The Team

“

UCD not making a university-wide decision is another strategic removal of accountability from its actions ent to past students. Our degrees will still be measured against one another in post-graduation. Academic integrity cannot be measured in the same way. Furthermore, this newspaper believes that UCD not making a university-wide decision is another strategic removal of accountability from its actions. Approximately two years into a pandemic and it has yet to acknowledge the added pandemic anxiety posing a risk to the educational wellbeing of students in this institution. It shows a structural issue within UCD’s decision-makers not acting in time and waiting until it is absolutely necessary, to make decisions. It would save the students studying here so much uncertainty-induced stress to just have a solid plan in place from the very begin-

Connect With Us

PO Box 74, Student Centre, UCD, Belfield Dublin 4

Letters to the Editor should be sent via email and no longer than 300 words.

@collegetribune www.collegetribune.ie Download our app on the Google play store for androis users or the iTunes for iOS users!

DCU Lecturer's Anti-BLM Blog Sparks Anger and Protests

Mahnoor Choudhry - Co-Editor Conor Paterson - Co-Editor

UCD Energy Institute Researching Domestic Uses of Hydrogen for Sustainability say UCD Can "Always Do More"

Ministers to Discuss Delayed Report on Third-Level Funding Next Month 7

Emma Hanrahan - Deputy News Editor Rhoen Eate - Features Editor

By Hugh Dooley

Angelina Pierce - Ents & Lifetyle Editor Calum Buchan - Sports Editor

Jack McGee - Head of Investigations

By Conor Paterson

By Mahnoor Choudhry

Hugh Dooley - News Editor & Graphic Designer

Rosie Roberts-Kuntz - Assistant News Editor

30-11-2021

News

Exams should be online rather than in-person, so students don’t have to risk their health and the health of those they live with and this should be university-wide to remove the lack of clarity and coordination.

Features

UCD at Christmas

By Rhoen Eate

Danielle DerGarabedian - Political Correspondent Ruth Delaney - Arts & Lifestyle Correspondent Louise Kennedy - Law Correspondent Saoirse Melia - Film & TV Correspondent Mark O'Rourke - Business Correspondent UCD's Lack of a Backbone - for Editorial material Conor Paterson - HR Manager

News Tips Sometimes the best news story is right under your nose.

Letters to the Editors Criticisms and comments on any articles published in our publication are always welcome.

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

es that some schools are better equipped for online examination than other schools and that many students have been preparing and studying for exams which were predicted to be held in-person. The board also acknowledges the importance of academic integrity.

“

For any news tips, on and off campus, please contact the editor via social media, telephone, email, or traditional mail. Alternatively, you’re welcome to stop by our Newman Building Office.

A Very Covid Christmas By Rory Fleming

Christmas Spending Boost Gives Hope After Difficult Year for Retail By Mark O'Rourke

Lifestyle Album Review: Red (Taylor's Version) By Mahnoor Choudhry

Get Inspired With Our Gift Guide By Ruth Delaney

The Problem with Creating Christmas Classics By Danielle DerGarabedian

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

News

News COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Exams to Proceed As Planned Under New COVID-19 Restrictions Mahnoor Choudhry Co-Editor

niversity College Dublin (UCD) has issued new guidelines and plans for the trimester this afternoon following the implementation of new COVID-19 restrictions by the government. The guidelines and plans include not attending campus if you have cold-like symptoms as well as there being no change to the current exam schedule released two weeks prior. Upcoming conferring ceremonies are to go ahead as scheduled in December. UCD Registrar and Deputy President, Professor Mark Rogers, reminded students to “remain vigilant to the symptoms and manage [your] social contacts”. Students have been advised to not attend campus or in-person examinations if they have even minor cold-like symptoms. Furthermore, close contacts to a positive COVID-19 test have been advised to do the same if they are required to restrict movements. Finally, it has been recommended that students should reduce social interactions to a small number of people when attending social or sporting events. Rogers also states that “the timing and nature of your assessments remains as published unless you are informed otherwise”. However, there are no extra supports to be provided for those students who test positive for the virus or are experiencing COVID19-like symptoms and are unable to attend their examinations. These students have been advised to apply for extenuating circumstances and further details are to be provided in the FAQ section of UCD’s website as it is updated.

In a bulletin sent to staff this afternoon, UCD President, Professor Andrew Deeks, reassured recipients of the bulletin that “our planning to support face-to-face end of trimester examinations will continue”. However, faculty planning in-person exams have been advised to have “alternative assessments in place in the event of any change in government advice”.

The bulletin states that the University is continuing planning for the Spring trimester to have a full on-campus student experience.

face masks. Deeks states that “the order of proceedings will be modified to minimise interactions […] We will be forgoing the traditional after-ceremony receptions”.

Conferring ceremonies in December will go ahead in O’Reilly Hall with guests being permitted to attend. However, COVID-19 certificates will now be required for entrance to the event and participants will be required to wear

UCD Staff has been advised to conduct activities that can be done at home “effectively and effectively” to do so and meetings involving individuals from different work units to “utilise Zoom where practicable”.

News

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

30-11-2021

News Stand UCD’s Prof William Gallagher named SFI

Researcher of the Year

Hugh Dooley News Editor

DCU Protest Anti-BLM Lecturer More than 100 DCU students and lecturers attended a protest last week in response to a Computer Science lecturer who was found to be running a blog in which he described George Floyd as “another useless criminal who dug his own grave." DCUSU joined in supporting the protest saying: “we completely condemn the views expressed in this blog.”

TCDSU Vote Against Joining Irish Times Boycott Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union voted against joining the boycott of the Irish Times by a narrow margin, with 58% voting in favour of the motion, just short of the 60% mark needed to pass a longterm policy referendum. During the same meeting, the union passed a motion, 85% vote in favour requiring TCDSU to lobby Trinity College to divest from arms manufacturers.

Maynooth Moves Exams Online After 4,000 Signature Petition Maynooth University announced that most of the college’s January exams will take place online after a petition set up by the Maynooth University Students' Union received thousands of signatures. More than 4,300 students signed the petition which called for exams to be moved online due to the "uncertain public health situation nationwide". Exams for all students, bar final years', will now take place online.

Mahnor Choudhry Co-Editor

he Science Foundation of Ireland (SFI) announced its 2021 award winners at the annual SFI Science Summit on the fourth of November. This year, Professor William Gallagher from the UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science was awarded SFI Researcher of the Year. Other UCD faculty to have received awards include Dr Dara Stanley, UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science for Early Career Researcher of the Year; Professor Helen Roche, Director of UCD Conway Institute for Biomolecular and Biomedical Research was awarded the SFI Mentorship and Dr Aileen Doran for the SFI Science Image of the Year.

The Summit took place virtually for the second consecutive year where awards were presented by Professor Mark Ferguson, the Director-General of SFI and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government. The summit is an annual gathering of Irish scientists, researchers and academics to celebrate significant achievements made in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths). Gallagher is a cancer biologist and the Deputy Director of Precision Oncology in Ireland. He is the former Director of UCD’s Conway Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Research. He is currently leading the SFI Investigator Programme which is exploring and identifying prognostic biomarkers for early-stage prostate can-

cer and breast cancer. Speaking to Silicon Republic, Gallagher stated that he is “indebted to other researchers and colleagues”. He went on to note that “practically every family in the country is being or has been affected in some way by this complex collection of diseases, including my own”.

UCD’s Vice President for Research, Innovation and Impact congratulated Gallaghar, saying that he is a “highly deserving recipient of the SFI Researcher of the Year award, based on his many achievements in the field of cancer research that reflect a rounded academic career of the highest quality”.

Ferguson congratulated winners, stating that “the annual SFI Science Awards is an opportunity to recognise some of the very best outputs and achievements of our research community”. He said he is “confident that their [the winners’] success will be a source of inspiration to their peers and, more importantly, to the next generation of researchers in Ireland.” Professor

Orla

Feely,

NUIG Considering Rebranding Due to Confusion Surrounding its Name he National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) is to consider changing their title to ‘University of Galway’. This rebranding is reportedly due to ambiguity surrounding the university’s name, as well as lack of international recognition.

The college has stated that they are hoping to decide upon a name that will work in both English and Irish due to their wish to maintain a strong relationship with the language. NUIG is not the first Irish university to change their name in an attempt to bolster their global reputation, in 2014 NUI Maynooth rebranded itself as Maynooth University.

Previously known as Queen’s College Galway, then University College Galway, NUIG believes that reinventing for the fourth time will strengthen the college’s identity. “We can confirm that the university is currently assessing the potential for rebranding. While Údarás na hOllscoile, the governing authority of NUI Galway, and staff have been briefed on considerations around a project of this nature, no decisions have been made.”

However, its legal name remains NUI Maynooth under the 1997 Universities Act, which binds all constituent NUI universities to legal standards regarding their titles. It is this act which also makes UCD’s official name ‘University College Dublin, National University of Ireland, Dublin’. Eyebrows are often raised at the fact that the word ‘Dublin’ is included in UCD’s crest, but the university states that this is to “reinforce the status of the Universi-

Ella Waddington Reporter

ty and its sense of place”. They claim that this also prevents confusing UCD with other universities internationally. Rather than reiterating the fact that the college is in Ireland, UCD maintains that

Dublin must be the main focus as its location has played a key role in shaping the college and its future in becoming one of Europe’s leading universities. Hence, the word must be printed twice in the crest.

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

Homeless Student Forced into Wetherspoons to Study Rosie Roberts Kuntz Assistant News Editor

19-year-old student recently spoke of his lived experience with homelessness and how it has impacted his ability to study, The College Tribune has learned. The second-year English Literature student, spoke to broadcaster Joe Duffy about the issue, under the pseudonym of Aaron, announcing that he uses a Wetherspoons pub as a study space as a result of homelessness. Aaron’s days are spent studying either in his college’s library or in a Wetherspoons pub. “I just buy a coffee, sign on to my lectures and stay there for the day,” he said. He accepted that the situation is “scary enough” but pointed out that he has nowhere else to do his lectures. In speaking about his experience, Aaron told Joe that he has been homeless since August for “personal reasons”, and that he currently resides in emergency accommodation. The 19 year old said the situation makes him fear for

his safety, which has had a detrimental impact on his mental health: “It’s a really tough situation. You struggle to sleep when you’re there because people are doing room checks every two to three hours. I just want a bit of security. It’s terrifying in these hostels — you’re always looking over your shoulder. I’m working and in college, but it’s still really difficult to navigate the circumstances that I’m in." Despite being in receipt of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), Aaron is struggling to find a landlord who will accept it: “The one thing I’ve kind of found is that (landlords) have a kind of hesitancy to start HAP tenancies. It’s a bit weird since it’s guaranteed rent.” His situation is not unique. Aaron spoke to Joe Duffy in order to highlight that anyone can find themselves homeless: “It just goes to show that you can’t believe the stereotypes (of homeless people). Anyone can get into this situation… I’m doing all that I can to get out of it.”

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

News

DCU Lecturer's Anti-BLM Blog Sparks Anger and Protests

Conor Paterson Co-Editor

controversial blog post in which a DCU lecturer describes George Floyd as ‘another useless criminal who dug his own grave’ has surfaced, sparking fury among students and has led to Black Lives Matter protests in the north Dublin campus. Dr Mark Humphrys, a faculty member at the School of Computing in DCU, also said ‘Floyd, a black career criminal (armed robber), was stopped by police after using forged money while high on drugs. He physically resisted arrest and was held to the ground where he died.’ Dr Humphrys was referring to George Floyd, who died at the hands of Minneapolis police in May, 2020. Since then, Minne-

apolis police officer Derek Chauvin was tried and convicted of the murder. After the blog post surfaced online, Dr Humphrys said in a statement on Twitter that he had kept 20 years of online political views and his teaching profession separate. He said ‘this week some students discovered my views on the Black Lives Matter movement of last year and got offended,” he said. “I never showed these thoughts to any student. I do not discuss politics with students ever.’ DCU also issued a statement saying ‘We understand and acknowledge that people will find parts of this blog offensive. DCU is deeply committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. The university does not endorse any of the viewpoints expressed in this

blog and they do not reflect the views of the university, its staff or student body.’ Last Friday, DCU students and lecturers held a Black Lives Matter protest yesterday in response to a lecturer's 'horrendous' personal blog being found online. The protest was organised by students Christine O' Mahony and Darragh Adelaide. Speaking at the protest, Christine O’Mahony said ‘This lecturer claims that there is no racism in the US police force. I ask, has this lecturer been living under a rock for the past ten years?’ She added that ‘DCU claims that they are committed to diversity and inclusion but college and especially computer science lecture halls no longer are a safe place for BIPOC students.’

UCD Energy Institute Researching Domestic Uses of Hydrogen for Sustainability say UCD Can "Always Do More" Mahnoor Choudhry Co-Editor

niversity College Dublin’s Energy Institute (UCDEI) and Gas Networks Ireland are collaborating on a project to research whether hydrogen energy could be harnessed for domestic use in Ireland. Dr Ali Ekhtiari and Dr Eoin Syron from UCDEI are working on the project alongside Liam Nolan, GNI Head of Technical Development and Technical Training. The project consists of testing household appliances to investigate their performance when powered with varying levels of hydrogen and natural gas blends. The project is being undertaken in UCD’s Integrated Energy lab and GNI’s hydrogen innovation facility located in west Dublin. It is hoped that the project will pro-

vide data on the impact of switching to hydrogen in Ireland’s gas networks to allow for a smooth transition to this energy source with minimal disruption to customers. The project also aims to ensure Ireland’s gas pipelines are capable of safely transporting and storing this carbon-free gas. UCD’s Dr. Syron has commented that “the decarbonisation of Ireland’s gas network is essential if the country is to transition to a net-zero energy system in Ireland by 2050” to follow the government’s Climate Action Plan. Ireland’s gas network is responsible for providing 30% of the energy consumed in the country and this figure includes generating 50% of the country’s electricity. The European Union’s Green Deal also encourages this switch to

hydrogen-based energy with countries such as the UK already having adopted transition strategies. Speaking to the College Tribune, Dr Ali Ekhtiari from UCDEI commented that this project “is going to be really important for reducing Ireland’s reliance on fossil fuels and meeting its climate change targets.” He further noted that “To decarbonise the energy system, renewable electricity will lead the way, but renewable electricity is not available all the time so we need to find solutions to make sure that carbon-free renewable energy can be provided 24/7. One of the potential solutions is to use this renewable power to generate green hydrogen and incorporate it into the gas network where it can be used to heat homes.”

When questioned whether UCD is a sustainable campus and if it could be doing better, Ekhtiari told the College Tribune that “UCD has taken many steps to become more sustainable and should be commended for this, but like each of us, it can always do more. Every time we use the car when we don't really need to put too much water in the kettle to make one cup of tea or buy coffee in a disposable cup, we are being less sustainable. A balance needs to be found to allow for the University to continue its activities, develop and improve while at the same time minimise its environmental impact. We all have a role to play and I believe that each school, each department, and each project should focus on how we can transition towards a clean and sustainable campus. All

these changes take time. The creation of a UCD Sustainable Energy Community has been a positive development but there needs to be more focus in this area. Finally, it might be of interest to undergraduate and graduate students to know that, as part of our research, we have developed gas network modelling tools to analyse gas physical parameters incorporating green hydrogen (produced from excess renewable electricity) in an integrated energy system. Anyone interested in pursuing their study and research in this field can contact us through the School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering and the Energy Institute!”

News

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

Photo credits: Hugh Dooley

ROSA, the Socialist Feminist Movement, held a protest against sexual violence in UCD on Thursday, the 25th of November Despite just 20 people attending the protest, the gathering was interrupted by interactions with estates services beside the Photo credits: Hugh Dooley main UCD lake.

Photo credits: Hugh Dooley

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

News

USI Lead Nationwide ‘F#ck the Fees’ Protests Conor Paterson Co-Editor

from Trinity College, DCU, Maynooth University and NCAD.

that she was fed up with seeing "friends choose rent over food".

ast week saw a three day series of protests organised by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) held in Cork, Galway and Dublin with a clear message of ‘F#ck the Fees.’

In her speech on Tuesday's protest, President of the USI Claire Austick, highlighted the fees faced by Irish students were the highest in Europe and she also reiterated the difficulties students face in focusing on their education in the midst of a very serious student accommodation crisis.

Much of the anger has originated from comments from the President of University College Cork, John O’Halloran, who described the €3,000 annual college fees as cheap.

On Tuesday, the protests took place in front of the Dáil on Molesworth Street. Despite the cold weather, the protests were well attended with students angry at the €3,000 annual college fees, the highest in the EU. Many Student Unions were represented at their regional protest. The Dublin protest last week heard from SU representatives

The event also heard from the President of the NACD (National College of Art and Design) Students Union Caoimhe Cronin. She spoke against the lack of student union engagement in government decisions regarding third-level education. She also said

Facebook BANS Ads for College Essays Aimed at College Students

Hugh Dooley News Editor

fter a Fine Gael TD called on the social media company to stop hosting illegal ads for college ‘essay mills’ Facebook has responded by removing a number of large campaigns advertising the service. An analysis of advertising campaigns on Facebook by The Journal last week found eight active advertisements for essay-writing services for college students. The campaigns were running targeted campaigns on Facebook, Messenger and Instagram. The advertising of essay-writing services has been illegal in Ireland since 2019 under the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Amendment Act. Emer Higgins, TD, called on Facebook to take down a number of essay-writing advertising campaigns stating that the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act “explicitly criminalises” the sale of and advertisement of these services. This is banned under the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and

Training) Amendment Act, introduced in 2019, which makes it an offence to provide or advertise essay-writing services to college students, or to run advertising campaigns promoting them in Ireland. A spokesperson for Facebook told The Journal that the social media firm would remove the offending advertisements. A later search of Facebook’s advertising campaigns confirmed that the social media giant had removed a number of the ads but were still in the process of taking down three of the eight illegal campaigns. A spokesperson for USI (Union for Students Ireland)said that essay-writing services targeting third-level students were “malicious” in how they focused students who may be stressed over assignments saying: “It’s become such a serious problem that we really can’t ignore it [...] These are companies that are targeting vulnerable students who are under pressure, and selling them a dream. We need to try and ensure that students can reach out to legitimate support services instead, rather than relying on ones that mask themselves as being the right thing to do.”

Earlier this month, at a Cork Chamber business breakfast, Mr O'Halloran said: ‘One of the messages people have said to me, and this won't be popular, 'but why is education so cheap? Why is it only €3,000 a year? It is a difficult subject, but some people will be paying more than that for second-level schools today and when they come to university they are paying less.’

The protests are part of the USI’s 'Cost of College' campaign in which it is calling on the Government to abolish the €3,000 student contribution charge alongside a reform of the SUSI grant system, to ensure that students are fairly assessed and that the income thresholds are increased. The USI has also demanded funding and a plan to develop more affordable, purpose-built student accommodation and rent controls and legislation to retain student accommodation beds.

Ministers to Discuss Delayed Report on Third-Level Funding Next Month

Hugh Dooley News Editor

report from the European Commission on the future plans for funding higher education will be brought to cabinet later this month according to Simon Harris, TD and Minister for Higher Education. The European Commission report gives an evaluation and update of the Cassells report which claimed that Irish Higher Education institutions needed an additional €600 million a year. The report sets out three options for the future funding of the higher education sector, but Mr Harris has already indicated a student loan scheme is out of the question. The Cassells report, which was originally released in 2016 outlined 3 schemes for third-level funding: a predominately state-funded system, increasing state funding into higher education and keeping the current student contribution charge of €3,000, or introducing an income-contingent student loan scheme that charges students either 4k or 5k per year of study, to be paid back later when they start earning over €26,000 a year.

Third-level students in Ireland currently pay the highest fees in Europe following Brexit. The UK previous had the highest fees, around €10,000, but that title is now held by Irish students with fees of €3,000. This latest update from the European Commission will be brought before a cabinet subcommittee in December, Harris stated in an interview with the Irish Examiner last week. Harris continued saying: "We'll decide what course of action to take at that meeting. I don't intend to be another minister who publishes another report about funding. What I intend to be is a minister who publishes reports when he's reached an agreement across Government as to how we're going to address it. "Sometimes, people suggest that the publication of the report is holding up funding to third-level. It's often not remarked that we're providing the greatest level of funding to third-level education this year than ever before.

Unqualified Students Working to Fill Sub Teacher Shortage

Caolan Dooley Reporter

hird and fourth-year college students are being made available to primary schools to negate staff shortages due to a lack of available substitutes. The recent announcement comes following pleas from the Irish National Teachers Organisation for an immediate review of the Government’s Covid response strategy. Across a 12-day period, schools reported 11,778 substitutable days. Of which, 31.98% (3,693 days) went without a replacement being found. On the days where a substitute was available to take a class, less than half of these days were filled by registered primary school teachers. 10.66% of these days were taken by registered teachers who were not primary teachers, and a further 7.34% of these days were filled by others not registered with the Teaching Council at all. From 877 schools surveyed 605 teachers tested positive for Covid during this period, which amounts for 3.62% of all teaching staff nationwide. A spokesperson for the Department of Education has since released the following statement: “Following positive engagement with the higher-education institutions (HEIs) that provide primary initial teacher education programmes, they have agreed to facilitate release of PME and B.Ed. year 3 and year 4 students to support schools up to the end of term. “They have also agreed to explore flexible options in relation to the assessment requirement for programmes in the context of students being available to support schools. “The education stakeholders, including the Department, the HEIs and the Teaching Council, will continue to work together to address any practical issues and ensure the ongoing availability of student teachers to support schools preand post-Christmas.”

Agony Aunt

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

30-11-2021

Aunt in Agony H

ello, my most beloved readers. Amid studying, exams, and trying not to feel the crushing weight of my singleness this festive season, I have returned to provide my eternally thoughtful, insightful, witty (and humble!) advice. Before I begin, I want to wish you all luck on your exams. If you hear anyone wailing in the RDS, it’s probably me :’)

I feel like I might be socially alienated for being a conservative on campus. I really don’t believe in all this recognising your privilege nonsense. The ability to decide whether you believe in recognising your privilege or not indicates to me that your outward appearance has not negatively impacted you enough to realise how quickly people are dismissed and degraded because of their gender, skin colour, sexuality, religious beliefs etc… Not everybody can ignore the ways in which society views and discriminates against anyone who is not the straight white cis male. UCD is filled with students who cannot just decide whether they believe in privilege and whether they recognise the effects of it. They cannot just ignore that there are those will find it easier to make their way through the world without the prejudice of others creeping in to decide just how high up the social, professional, and academic ladders they can climb. It can be difficult to admit just how much you benefit from conservative society, and how those benefits come from stepping on a hundred other people to get there but the minute you do and see how your conservative

beliefs negatively affects the vast majority around you, things might start to change for you.

I hope they do. I hope you see how much privilege there is in just being able to ignore the privilege you have.

“

UCD is filled with students who cannot just decide whether they believe in privilege and whether they recognise the effects of it

”

How do you cope with exam stress and just getting through the studying not to mention actually sitting the exams? I don’t even know where to begin and it feels like everyone else is miles ahead of me. I can absolutely guarantee you that everybody else is *not* miles ahead of you. We are all desperately struggling through the exam season, so do your best to keep your focus off how much smarter you think others are. I find the best way to approach studying is to start studying the material I understand best, am most passionate about or already remember bits of. Build up your confidence by working off this material that you somewhat understand and then push into the material that is a

little more complex. Once you feel like you understand the information, the stress should ease a little bit.

When you get to the exam get a warm drink or snack. Avoid engaging in the pre-exam panic talk and studying, and when the exam is done, don’t listen to the post exam talk, just go and do something relaxing e.g., a ten-minute walk or a stroll through

“

I feel like you could absolutely turn to UCD Confessions. I have never seen one account strike up so many relationships

the shops.

”

Is getting into a relationship in peak cuffing season actually a good idea? I mean, yes but also, no. Is it going to be a long-lasting relationship filled with romance and the eternal commitment we all chase to ignore the pain from our childhoods? Not likely. Will it spark joy on Christmas morning when you get a silly little Merry Christmas text? Probably. Life is short, enjoy your cuffing season romance. I am going to be the only cousin single at the family gathering this year, seriously considering nabbing a hottie for the event, any advice?

I need to check with the co-editors what the rules are on me shooting my shot without abusing my power as agony aunt, but please know I’m available and also don’t want to be single at the family gatherings. Hottie could be a stretch, but I can wear a really cool outfit and I love feeling like I’m in a Christmas romcom. However, if I’m not the hottie of your dreams, I feel like you could absolutely turn to UCD Confessions. I have never seen one account strike up so many relationships. It’s terrifying. I’ve been struggling a lot this semester and now Christmas is coming up and I might not even get home for Christmas. I just feel so alone.

“

I think one should bully the straights just a little

”

Christmas is one of the loneliest seasons, and potentially not being able to get home on top of it all really doesn’t help. I don’t know if there’s anyone around you that you could spend the holiday with, but if there’s even a chance that that person exists, reach out to them. I know that so many of us would hate to think someone spent Christmas alone, and honestly, you might be surprised by just how many people/families would welcome you in for the holiday. I know it’s no replacement for going

home, and I know reaching out to people who feel like strangers is difficult, but you could be pleasantly surprised by how willing people are to include any and everyone in the holiday cheer. In general, reaching out to people often helps. It’s possibly too late to get involved around campus this semester but next semester it could be worth a shot going to some of the society events. Lots of them are trying to do both morning/afternoon and evening events so with any luck you’ll be able to find something that suits you. Other than that, while not always the greatest service, UCD counselling may be able to help you further with the feeling of loneliness and the struggles of the past semester/ year. Dear agony aunt, I am tired of seeing the straights go to the Wild Lights at Dublin Zoo. Am I straightphobic or just painfully single? I just googled tickets for Wild Lights, and you can’t even get any anymore so I think one should bully the straights just a little. How much can folks want to pay to see Christmas lights? I simply do not understand it. Do they not know that you can just wander/drive around and look at Christmas lights, for free?

And so, brings a close to yet another aunt in agony ignoring her problems to figure out your own. It is, (scientifically speaking) better than therapy. I hope you all enjoy the festive season and cook up some new agonies for me in the New Year, my inbox is always open!

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

It's satire, please don't sue us

Hony Toolohan (Student Health and Immunity Task Officer) SHITO Online Exams Considered as Cases of Procrastination on the Rise Jack Donlon Occasional Pop Music Hater Occasional Satirist

orrying figures were released by the Student Health Executive (SHE) this week which show an alarming increase in cases of Procrastination in the lead up to exam time. Professor Kuke O’Leill and his team have discovered a new variant of the disease, which is four times as virulent as variants seen before, which can’t be cured by conventional means such as Adderall and making a to-do

list. Student bodies have called for immediate action from the college authorities, with social media awash with cries for Christmas exams to be put online. One student who had been suffering with long procrastination, a side effect which is associated with the conventional disease, hadn’t opened a book since October 2020. There are fears that procrastination could spread if no action is taken, and projections from THPEN

have suggested that we could have almost 30,000 cases by mid December. Students have been advised to distance themselves from chancers and people who think that its ok to go to the clubhouse at 11am on a Wednesday in order to contain the outbreak, but if cases worsen significantly, it is almost certain that alternative arrangements will have to be put in place for exams.

UCD11 - Elitist College Tribune Co-Editors Rank UCD Celebs

Editor Chowder & Editress Paterson of the Highly Esteemed, "The Trib"

oesn't UCD11 just have a better ring to it than TrinityTwenty? We thought so, too! 11. Nathan Old Or young… whatever is more fitting for his age. This guy is known for printing his newspaper on the tallest sheets so you can use them as a duvet when your friends forget to give you blankets when you crash at theirs. 10. Colm Whelan His free-scoring season to lead UCD AFC to promotion has brought his goal tally in UCD colours to a whopping 41. Lionel Messi, on the other hand, has only scored 4 goals for PSG...just saying!

9. Andrew Deeks Famous in UCD’s legacy of villains. 8. Libro Cop Listen, Libro Cop has unified us as a community by striking the universal fear of God in us through the booming orders to stop eating in the library. 7. Swan gang It’s the swans’ campus, we’re just allowed to walk around in it. The emperors of Belfield get an esteemed number seven in our rankings! 6. Beibhinn Parsons Only 19 years old and already making waves for women in Rugby. Our personal favourite! 5. Everyone on ArtSoc These sound guys are our neighbours and we love them (slightly more after they threw a Taylor Swift themed party last week)

4. Bluebird Baristas Again, they are a part of UCD’s legacy of villains. Notorious for making you repeat your order until you yourself are embarrassed of it. 3. Dolores Cahill A personal College Tribune favourite. Thanks for making our front page scandalous, babe x 2. Ruairi Power Our News Editor’s crush and a true gent who never fails to call UCD out on its bullsh*t. For that, he is number two on our favourite campus celebs. 1. UCD Confessions This person revived the original confessions page and is even more successful than the first? A gender-neutral girlboss if we ever knew saw one. UCD Confessions is the only one doing UCD scandal and gossip better than the Trib. For that, they are our number one!

INFO COMBAT, the only part of the TURBINE giving you the conservative TRUTH Dugh Hooley Snooze Man

Is UCDConfessions Polluting the Minds of INNOCENT Students?

f you were to believe the lies on UCDConfessions, one might fall into the terrible falsehood that UCD students are having… sex… shh, don’t let the New(man) World Order hear you say the word! They’ll come along with their lubes and their condoms, which I trust as much as those darn liberals. INFOCOMBAT would like to issue an official warning to students about the horrific danger that reading this confessions page may have, such as delirium, delusions that people will sexually objectify you if you attend the library frequently enough. Some cases of Confession Syndrome even exhibit signs of thinking they are the 'brown haired student from Newman' an extremely vivid description with no vaguery at all. If you are someone you know is suffering from Confession Syndrome,

please text RAILME to 353 1 716 1666. The president's office would be ecstatic to engage with their students and provide as much aid as possible to you, as they always do… right? Right? Rumours of explicit displays of coitus on campus have been circulating wildly across campus, these truly disgraceful reports may be polluting the impressionable minds of college students. Speaking to an expert on the topic, INFOCOMBAT was told: "UCD Confessions is a demonic entity named which is run by Lucifer himself. The stories of people calling for people to 'rail them' is an example of the level of confusion in students. There's students seem to believe that they are trains… it is very concerning." Similar reports from the James Joyce Library have said, "we are glad to see that the students are living up to the writings of Joyce himself. Had he lived to see the days of catcalling via Instagram confessions pages he would have been disappointed about the lack of detail in the posts." For additional information on this topic research the disgraceful letters he wrote to his wife Nora, make sure to cover your laptop in Holy Water first.

Features 10

Features

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

UCD at Christmas

Rhoen Eate Features Editor

he most wonderful time of the year has dawned upon us with a jingle as the Autumn Trimester comes to a close. We’re mellowing down with hot chocolates instead of pumpkin-spiced lattés and perking up with the blistering cold instead of espressos, which have now turned into a quiet addiction instead. With controversy and stress swirling over exams, early-closing nightclubs and covid cases, we must remember that there is still hope for festivities in this festive season. From campus happenings to a decent county-spread of plans, there’s never a minute to be spared idle as the most wonderful time of the year rears its head. When it comes to Campus Events there are a plethora of options, or so to speak… We have our very own Christmas Day on the 2nd of December with roasts (student edition) and house parties filling up the calendar. But if you get caught with a minute to spare, popping down to the campus’ Christmas Market is the perfect way to get a little air in between library bookings. With an ominous “more details to follow” advertising the event on Instagram, keep an eye on the page to find out the particulars of what’s bound to be a brilliant couple of hours.

Aside from the efforts of our beloved Students’ Union, be sure to stay up to date on society pages to keep clued in on the upcoming happenings and get-togethers for a very Happy Campus Christmas. And what if your Christmas Day is looking to be a little dead? Luckily for us, Dublin’s nightlife is still opening its arms to save the day. There are the usual spots; Dicey’s, Coppers, The George, literally anywhere on Camden Street… Niche bars are also popping up left, right and centre during the past couple of months just begging to be tried out; such as Antisocial Social Bar, No Name, and others that are just a little google away. There really is no excuse for having a quiet night this Thursday, unless of course, you’re prioritizing studying and assignments, then all the best to you, certainly couldn’t be me. So now that Christmas Day is sorted, what about those gruelling days before returning home to home-cooked dinners and washed laundry? There’s the classic ice-skating day out or even 12 pubs, but if you’re going for the more warm and fuzzy vibe, be sure to check out Dublin Zoo’s WildLights or even the Wonderlights at Malahide Castle if you’re up for a longer trek. Markets are dotted around the county too with hundreds of stalls to hunt through for last-minute presents that boast that subtle unique flare, all the while

supporting small and local businesses. Middletown, Dandelion Christmas Market, and Dun Laoghaire’s market are my personal favourites and are well worth a visit. With Christmas time being notorious for also being the time of giving, I think it’s also important to give your time. There are plenty of charities put under strain throughout the winter season and are more than happy to accept any help that people are willing to give. So maybe we could all do a little something to get brownie points and get back on the good list after the havoc we wreck while partying, and volunteer for an hour or two. No matter what your cause, be it helping the homeless, feeding strays, or fundraising, there are a vast amount of charities who’d be happy to have an extra pair of hands. But what about those of

us that perhaps won’t be making it home this Christmas? We’ve had our parties and our get-togethers, but when it finally comes to the day this huge build-up leads to, do we find ourselves forgetting about the people who need to be remembered the most? Many of us may feel trapped in the city this year more than any other, with international or exchange students not being able to travel back home, or even a few of us simply not being able to make it this year. What then? It seems that there are no on-campus facilities to cater for such circumstances, with those affected being left to fend for themselves until their friends and peers slowly yet surely return. Not only is this unfair, but it is hypocritical for a university that ‘strives’ to better its mental-health facilities.

Yet as nothing seems to be changing in this regard as it stands, we must ensure to remember our friends who may not be having a family dinner this year. We must remember to reach out where we can, and realise that even a five-minute call can make a person’s entire day. And so we have it. As ever, Dublin city is alight with the hustle and bustle of a commercialized holiday (my favourite one in fact, but we won’t get into it), supporting small businesses is as important as ever, and UCD’s lack of planning and student consideration is once again saved by the Students’ Union and our lovely societies. But as I would hate to end this year’s final article on a cynical note, I’d like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and the best of luck in the exams. You all deserve it.

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Politics

A Perspective on Gender Violence: Nationally and Internationally

Giulia Laratta Politics Writer

iolence against women and sexual and gender minorities is often depicted as something that “does not happen in our country” or that “to be fair, is quite unlikely to take place”. Looking at everyday interactions around us, or even looking at a larger, more public scale, we can see that people often seem reluctant to initiate a discussion about this subject. Unluckily, numbers are here, and they send a very alarming message.

ported 74 transphobic episodes between 2014 to 2016 and 28% of non-binary students have been victims of sexual violence during college, according to data from NUI Galway and the Union of Students in Ireland. This is just some of the data that have been collected in Ireland alone. Such data only include the cases that have actually been reported; many more numbers and stories remain hidden behind fear or other types of constraints.

Photo Credits: Hugh Dooley ROSA, Socialist Feminist Collective Protesting on the 25th of November in UCD

According to Women Aid’s 2020 survey, if we focus exclusively on women who have been in a relationship, we find out that one in four have been the victim of abuse by a former or current partner. Moreover, since 1996, 236 women in Ireland have been violently killed, mostly in their own homes by an ex or current partner. The Transgender Equality Network Ireland’s re-

“

Men dominate in our capitalist and sexist system; the violence that they carry out against women and sexual and gender minorities is a simple reflection of their privileged position in the social hierarchy

”

An understanding of how violence against women and sexual and gender minorities differentiates itself from other kinds of aggression is a process of crucial importance. It allows us to come to the conclusion that this type of violence is embedded in a larger picture of systemic oppression and that it constitutes a central instrument and results from male domination. Men dominate in our capitalist and sexist system; the violence that they carry out against women and sexual and gender minorities is a simple reflection of their privileged position in the social hierarchy. To raise awareness on this worrying issue and to give the victims the place and the attention that they deserve, an International

Day for the Elimination of Gender Based Violence takes place every 25th of November of the year.

well as in other main cities of Ireland (as detailed in ROSA’s social media accounts).

This day was established in Latin America in 1981; its purpose was to pay homage to three Dominican activists, known as the Mirabal sisters, murdered in 1960 because of their politically dissident actions against the on-going dictatorship. This date remains crucial nowadays, with mass-protests spreading through the main cities of different countries.

Joining one of these actions is a small but significant step forward in the fight for the elimination of gender-based violence.

Dublin is no exception: on the 25th of November 2021, a protest organized by the ROSA socialist feminist collective took place at The Spire from 6pm onwards. Some actions were also planned on UCD’s campus at 12pm in front of James Joyce Library, as

In order to acknowledge the notable role that mass actions play in societal change, we can have a look, for example, at the removal of the Eight Amendment in Ireland or at the legalization of abortion in Argentina that followed large, national strikes. Besides their concrete importance, protests are central on a symbolic level too. They are a powerful way to show support to the victims, even though too many of them are not here to see it anymore.

They also allow these terrible crimes not to go unnoticed, as well as to show that we, the minorities and our allies, are here, are many and are ready to fight the battle against patriarchy and gender-based violence.

“

Since 1996, 236 women in Ireland have been violently killed, mostly in their own homes by an ex or current partner

”

Politics

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

30-11-2021

A Very Covid Christmas ap for the winter months. There is a looming sense of déjà vu, as we put our Christmas plans in the hands of the people who have time and time again shown a certain degree of incompetence in formulating a coherent and steadfast route back to some semblance of normality. The Irish people have played their part, accepting the longest and most stringent lockdown in Europe in 2021. They have also overcome the wave of dissemination of vaccine misinformation which currently grips many other nations, to boast a 93% vaccination rate.

Rory Fleming Politics Writer

hristmas plans are on thin ice this year, yet again. We’ve been here before, with December 2020 still sober in the minds of the Irish people. It was just a matter of weeks ago that victory on COVID was to be declared. October 22nd was meant to be D-Day, the day the vast majority of restrictions would end and life would go back to “normal”. How has the script been flipped at such speed? At the time of writing this piece, we are seeing record-breaking case numbers. ICU capacity is on the brink, thousands of healthcare workers are on sick leave and the threat of a new variant looms large. Despite record levels of vaccine uptake, a rate which betters every other EU member state, the Irish nation still sees a rapid infection rate.

“

So now as we enter the festive season, the nation collectively holds its breath

”

Whilst the general population can appreciate the ever-changing complexion of a pandemic, the hesitance of the government and Nphet to adapt to this complexity is cause for concern. The constant stream of mixed messaging appear-

ing en masse throughout the media in recent weeks has left the Irish people confused as to what to expect over the coming weeks. We have seen both Micheál Martin and Tony Holohan on television and radio shows to such an extent that you’d be forgiven for thinking they were promoting a new album. However, almost routinely, these public health announcements leave the public feeling confused and overwhelmed. On one show you can witness Martin attempting to put the population at ease, whilst half an hour later Mr Holohan is expressing his thoughts on further restrictions. It is not for me to say who is right or wrong, but an element of consistency in the messaging from the powers that be would be much appreciated in a time of such uncertainty. This incoherent approach to the implementation of public health policy is perhaps best exemplified by the new rules and regulations regarding nightclubs. Reopened for only a matter of weeks after more

than 18 months shut, the industry is now facing being the government sacrificial lamb in attempting to portray the right ‘optics’ to the public. Last week’s new restrictions on closing times only emphasises the sectors’ exposure. If the industry really were a principal cause for a new surge in case numbers it should be shut down altogether, but there is little to no evidence to support this claim. Nphet wants the nightclubs to close,

the government care about their public credibility, and what the public is left with is an amalgamation of restrictions that make little to no sense and only serve in punishing the businesses which have borne the brunt of this pandemic. So now as we enter the festive season, the nation collectively holds its breath as government ministers and Nphet reconvene this week to lay out the roadm-

Perhaps the sentiment of this article will be disproven and Christmas 2021 will be an affair of joy and reunion. Maybe I am still reeling from the scars of previous lockdowns, it is certainly my hope that I am left with mud on my face. However, the inability of the Government and Nphet to properly manage this pandemic has been clearly laid forth in this article, and this capacity for incompetence is something I’m not sure mince pies and mulled wine will fix. Bah humbug!

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Law

The College Tribune’s Law Section is Proudly Sponsored by the Maples Group

The Issue with the Mens Rea for Rape in Irish Law

In this article, our Law Correspondent discusses what the required mens rea is to convict an accused of rape in Irish law and why it is not an ideal legal rule. Louise Kennedy Law Correspondent

his critical note on the mens rea of rape will endeavour to outline the current law, offer some arguments in favour of this law and some rebuttal of these arguments, explore some arguments against the current law and finally offer a proposal for reform in this area. The Current Law in the Area The mens rea for the offence of rape is currently enshrined in s.2(b) of the Criminal Law (Rape) Act, 1981 (as amended). This section sets out the mens rea for rape as being knowledge or recklessness as to lack of consent and is a primarily subjective test. The basis for this legislation came from the test of the House of Lords in the English case of DPP v Morgan [1976] A.C. 182. Here it was held that a conviction would not succeed where the defendant held a mistake belief that the victim consented despite the absence of any reasonable grounds for such a belief. While the legislature in England has moved away from this primarily subjective test (see s.1 Sexual Offences Act 2003) to a more objective test of reasonableness, the Irish law in this area still remains the same as set out in Morgan. This was highlighted in the relatively recent case of DPP v C’OR [2016] 3 IR 322, IESC 64 on appeal to the Supreme Court. In this court Charleton J clarified the Irish posi-

tion in an explanation of the mens rea for the offence. Here he said; ‘The absence of consent to sexual intercourse is an objective fact. The accused’s view as to the existence, or non-existence, of this fact is subjective. An honest, though unreasonable, mistake that the woman was consenting is a defence to rape.’ Arguments in Favour of the Current Law (i)Unfair to hold someone liable for a serious crime when he could not have foreseen the risk of harm. As discussed in the report of the Law Reform Commission, ‘Knowledge or Belief Concerning Consent in Rape’, it could be argued that the current law allows for an understanding of the mental capacity of the accused rather than assuming the mental state of the reasonable man. While this is a fair point to raise, it appears to this writer that this is an issue that is more fitted for a defence concerning diminished capacity rather than a need to refuse to lend an objective element to the current law. Capacity should by all means be a separate matter left for a jury when considering all of the evidence before them and determining a verdict, rather than being subsumed into the general mens rea test for the offence. (ii) Honest belief is rarely the central issue at trial. The argument here surrounds the fact that in most cases there is a dispute as to the material facts of the case rather than to the honest belief of the accused. While this may be the case it is hardly a basis for declining a reform of the law. Simply because this issue is not regularly contested does not mean that it is not

inherently flawed and as such it should not be upheld on the basis of this weak argument in favour for the current law.

“

This jurisdiction is in desperate need of a more satisfactory standardisation for the mens rea of the offence of rape

”

Arguments Against the Current Law (i)Honest belief not consistent with consent as ‘free and voluntary agreement’. S.9 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990, was amended by s.48 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 to provide a statutory definition for consent, including reference to consent as a ‘free and voluntary agreement’. The premise of this definition is that consent is a bilateral agreement on part of each of the par-

ties involved. The defence of honest belief serves to make this agreement unilateral and undermines the very statutory definition of consent by making

the mens rea of rape primarily subjective. (ii)The honest belief test allows an accused to rely on unreasonable beliefs and ‘places premium on ignorance.” The English Court in the case of R v Peter Geoffrey Phelps Gardiner (1993) 93 CCA dealt with this issue and concluded that any such lack of thought as to consent, if not highly unlikely, is distinctly culpable. The argument here is that the law should not allow basic ignorance to take precedent. Rather, the law is tasked with imposing a standard on society to act with a certain degree of care in relation to their involvement with other people. (iii) Primarily subjective test allows a defendant who never even averted to consent to be acquitted. Aisling Murray deals with this argument extensively in her article, ‘The Mens Rea of Rape in Ireland: Legal, Moral and Social Consequences.’ The general argument here is that if mens rea is designed to assign moral blame, then

the law should not accept that a unilateral decision made on the part of the accused, without advertence to the victim, can evade blame as it serves to objectify the victim by denying their subjective experience of the encounter. This lends to a more philosophical consideration of the defence of honest belief. Issues of morality arise in applying an advertence requirement to the mens rea for rape, as by all standards the defendant who did not advert can be considered morally culpable per se. Intercourse requires mutuality for legitimisation and as such a staunchly subjective approach to mens rea, as seen in Irish law, is contradictory to law and public policy in and of itself. Recommendations for Reform In the Law Reform Commission’s report mentioned above, the general conclusion is that Ireland needs to insert a form of objective test of reasonable belief into the mens rea of rape, mirroring other jurisdictions who have done just such. Looking at New Zealand, for example, s.128(2) of the New Zealand Crimes Act 1961 (as amended) defines the fault or mental element of rape as being; where the accused does that ‘without believing on reasonable grounds’ that the woman was consenting. Overall this jurisdiction is in desperate need of a more satisfactory standardisation for the mens rea of the offence of rape. Inclusion of an objective reasonableness factor will serve to ground this legislation in the public policy demand for a certain standard that all individuals should comply to in the course of their actions and omissions.

Business

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

30-11-2021

Christmas Spending Boost Gives Hope After Difficult Year for Retail Mark O'Rourke Business Correspondent

ost people’s first thoughts when it comes to the Christmas season are of the presents, food, music, and time spent with family. However, lost amongst the many upsides of the holiday period is the huge economic boost that Christmas brings. The lead into the Christmas is a period of huge economic importance. It is often the time when the retail sectors are at their busiest and consumer spending reaches its peak. Last Christmas, shoppers spent significantly more in the four weeks leading up to Christmas than they did the previous year. This increased spending was largely due to the huge rise in consumer savings as a result of the pandemic and a hunger for a “normal Christmas” after

a turbulent year of dealing with lockdowns and Covid 19 restrictions. During the pandemic, consumer savings hit record highs of over €31 billion, higher than levels during the Celtic Tiger. While total savings reached €135 billion.

Consumer spending is not expected to hit the levels of last year, however retailers are hopeful of the usual Christmas boost in revenues. Figures for October show that consumers began Christmas shopping earlier this year, largely due to concerns around supply chains and the availability of products. This was reflected in October spending on toys and gaming rising by 58pc, according to Bank of Ireland’s card data. The biggest single day for retailers in the lead up to Christmas is Black Friday. Irish consumers were expected to spend over

€25,000 a minute during Black Friday. In the lead up to Christmas there has been increased emphasis on the need to shop local and buy Irish. Campaigns by the Irish Small Medium Enterprise Association, as well as the government, have urged consumers to shop local. Every €10 spent locally on Irish

products generates more than €40 of benefit to the local community in terms of employment. According to Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, “It’s more important than ever to look for local and support the small businesses in your community”, especially as the economy looks to rebound from the impact of the pandemic. The economic importance of Christmas cannot be understated. Consumers spend approximately €1.2 billion on Christmas shopping. In total approximately €4.8bn will be spent on retail sales during December. All of which is of vital importance to a retail sector that was severely impacted by the pandemic.

As we come to the end of another difficult year, which saw many businesses closed for prolonged periods, the Christmas season will come as a much-needed boost to the sector. As the saying goes, currently it seems the only certainty is uncertainty, and with case numbers rising once more and talk of new Covid variants, we might not have seen the last of public health restrictions. A fact that the retail sector will be all too aware off. However, the Christmas period is a time of hope and businesses will be hoping that Christmas and the economic boost it brings with it will mark a more positive end to what has been a difficult year for the sector, and the country as a whole.

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Gaeilge

Eolaire Nollag Éireannach Doireann O'Sullivan Eagarthóir Gaeilge

á saoire na Nollag ag druidim linn, buíochas mór le Dia, agus má tá aon éinne agabhse cosúil lomsa, ní bheadh bronntanas amháin ceannaithe agaibh go fóill. Bhuel a chairde, ná bí buartha. Táim chun brú an tsaoil a laghdú daoibh san alt seo! Bhí an t-ádh dearg orainn i mblianna go rabhamar in ann bhlaiseadh den saoirse a bheith againn arís, ach níor athraigh gach rud. Ní féidir a rá go raibh an saol díreach mar a bhí sé cheana do dhreamanna áirithe. D’fhualing gnólachtaí ar fud fad na tíre mar gheall ar na srianta deacaire i mblianna agus is ag an t-am seo a bhíonn rian chúinsí aisteacha na bpandéíme le bhrath go láidir. Mar sin ba chóir dúinn ár bpáirt féin a ghlacadh chun casadh a chur ar an scéil. Seo liosta de bronnatanaisí Gaelach ó fhiontair Éireannacha ar féidir libh tacú má tá pingin rua

Brontannaisí Faisin Is fíor go bhfuil na clubanna oíche ag dúnadh ag a dó dhéag agus lear mór do na scrudaithe curtha ar líne, ach beidh deiseanna eile agaibh bhur gcuid stíl a thaispeáint. Má chaitear aon cheann dos na nithe thíos beidh daoine in éad ort, dabht ar bith faoi sin.

1)MálaToteExecuteexist 2)FleeceSew It Seams 3) HataBaile Clothing 4)GeansaíBeanantees Bronntanaisí Bia Go hiondúil ní bhíonn aon gheanntanas do sholáistí blasta ag am Nollag, ach bíonn réímse mór de chomlachtaí Éireannacha ag iarraidh rogha níos leighne fós a sholáthar i mblianna. Cuir na bronn-

tannaisí sin i dtaisce áit éigin shabháílte, ní mhairfidh siad i bhfad..

1)Bean and Goose‘Sharing slabs’ 2)Braw barraSeacláide 3)Tony’s Chocolonelys- Bosca roghnúcháin 4)3Fe CoffeeDríodar caife

Bronntanaisí don Mhac Léinn Cé go bhfuil sé spraoiúil bronntanas galánta nach gceannófá riamh duit féin a fháil ó ham go tam, de ghnáth is fearr rud phracticiúil a bheith agat don tseamaistair a tá le teacht. Is aoibhinn beatha an scoláire.. Ach eiríonn sé níos fearr nuair a bhíonn stocaí faoin gcrann Nollag!

1)Badly Made BooksLeabhar nótaí 2)Narcissips Buidéal inathnuaite 3)The Happy PearLeabhar cóicearachta 4)Donegal Sock CompanyStocaí

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Opinion

Love Ireland, Hate UCD An International's Dilemma

Jack McGee Head of Investigations

mend to this poor unsuspecting Yank?

ast summer, when I was back home in New Jersey and fending for myself at a family barbeque, I struck up a conversation with a friend of ours. He’s just starting the college process, which in the States is primarily about “shopping around” for the school best suited to the needs of yourself and your family.

What accommodation bloc should he pick, the older ones with the paper-thin walls, or the new ones that might lack shower-heads? What if he got a room like I had in first year, so infested with bedbugs that, after a

He asked about Ireland, and I started my usual spiel, about how the country is beautiful, the people are lovely, and how he simply must visit. Typically, the conversation ends here, because he was really only asking to be polite and my rambling has usually managed to kill whatever curiosity he once held. But to my horror, he asked more - this time specifics about UCD. And this is where I started to have difficulty sticking to the Fáilte Ireland-approved script. I genuinely love Ireland. This experience has changed my life for the better, and I do not regret a moment of the threeand-a-half years I’ve spent studying here. But what about UCD could I, in good conscience, recom-

“

For a university that markets itself as tailored to the “global” experience, UCD is quite poor at actually providing it

”

full semester of insisting there was an issue, he’d finally have to be moved to a temporary apartment for a month? Would that be better than him fending for himself in Dublin’s riddled housing market? Once he got onto campus, what else might go wrong

for him? Would his student loans get caught up in red tape, leaving him financially insecure? What about his scholarship, would that be applied correctly? How many times would his results be held back for a bureaucratic issue outside of his control? If he needed mental health support, how far down the queue would he be? Every international student I know has a dozen of these stories, ranging from maddening inconveniences to times we were so frustrated that we considered going home. We’re not naive: we understand that moving to another country is hard, and that we can’t expect everything to go our way all the time. But for a university that markets itself as tailored to the “global” experience, UCD is quite poor at actually providing it. The reason why Ireland “worked” so well for me is because I cheated: that

is to say, I lucked out with a reliable and prexistant network of family and friends in this country who have supported me since the moment I got off the plane. They, and the wonderful people I have met along the way, were able to provide what UCD could not: consistency. The entire student body of this university is let down by UCD’s unreliability, but internationals feel this far more acutely. Irish students are fully settled on this island, whereas internationals are wholly dependent on UCD as the entire premise of their lives here. This overreliance has become an even more significant issue during the pandemic. When the second lockdown began, international students who had committed themselves to UCD were left to rot after buying the promise of a campus experience that the university had no ability to deliver. Even at this so-called “late

stage” of the pandemic, UCD’s inconsistent decision-making has cost international students dearly. While UCD’s perplexing approach to announcing online exams is certainly inconvenient for domestic students as well, it is unnecessarily disruptive for this school’s large community of internationals. Their holiday travel plans are delicate, expensive, and entirely structured around the reliability of UCD’s decisions. Imagine if they had made this call as a whole university, across the board, and just a few days earlier. A few homesick Americans could have made it home for Thanksgiving, and most could at least have saved hundreds on cheaper flights back home. UCD is a bloated, bumbling mess of a university. For it to meet the needs of international students and the community at large, significant changes need to be made to how it is administered.

Music

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

Entertainment & Lifestyle Red (Taylor's Version)

Against the personal growth that reflects in her latest albums Folklore (2020) and Evermore (2020), one appreciates Red even more, knowing that it is the bridge between the artist’s career’s beginning and her undescendable peak

hen Taylor Swift first released Red in 2012, music critics saw it as a giant leap from Taylor’s usual country music to pop. Fast-forward to 2021 and Taylor has not only shown the diversity of her range through her 9-album discography but she shows her fans how her vocals and production style has matured through the rerecording of her music. For everyone who isn’t a hardcore Swiftie, it’s important to highlight the meaning behind “Taylor’s Version” and exactly why Taylor is rerecording her pre-Lover (2019) music. Taylor’s old record label, Big Machine Records was sold to Scooter Braun. This meant that Braun inherited all rights to the master recordings of music produced by Taylor under Big Machine Records. Braun worked with Kanye West who has had a previous tumultuous platonic relationship with Taylor and Braun owning the rights to Taylor’s master recordings meant that he would be in charge of how her music is used. With Taylor’s current record label, Republic Records, she owns the master rights to any music she produces. This is why she is rerecording fan-favourites such as Fearless and Red - to own the rights to these songs. These songs are “Taylor’s Version”. Going back to the much-anticipated rerecording of Red, which was released on the 12th of

state”. Beautifully romantic imagery is illustrated through the motif of the scarf which young Taylor leaves at her lover’s house. The scarf that her lover keeps because “it reminds [you] of innocence and it smells like me”. A freeing, passionate love is conveyed through memories like “there we are again in the middle of the night dancing ‘round the kitchen in the refrigerator light”.

Mahnoor Choudhry Co-Editor

November,it has always been known as Swift’s most pivotal album, capturing her maturity in style and her vulnerability when it comes to writing about love. Furthermore, it established her as one of the top female pop songwriters of this generation. It certainly is an album that many believed would be unimprovable. However, the effect of Red is even more impactful with the maturity heard in Taylor’s vocals. Against the personal growth that reflects in her latest albums Folklore (2020) and Evermore (2020), one appreciates Red even more, knowing that it is the bridge between the artist’s career’s beginning and her undescendable peak.

Taylor exceeded her fans expectations and surprised us with ten songs that never made it on the original album which she named “(From the Vault)”. “Nothing New” was an instant favourite, incorporating singer Phoebe Bridgers’ soft indie vocals with Taylor’s melodic singing and imaginative songwriting. This song captures the essence of growing up as a woman. The line “how can a person know everything at 18 and nothing at 22” has become a hit with both Taylor’s and Bridgers’ fans. The most anticipated of the new songs on the album was of course, the 10 minute version of every ‘Swiftie’s beloved ‘All Too Well’. The Rolling Stone magazine went so far as to

call it Taylor’s ‘magnum opus’. The song lived up to every fan’s expectations and was played so much that it is the longest song to have reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The uncut version of the song gives further insights into love, loss and healing, which are the main running themes through Red. It is full of the grief, anger and sadness one would feel after a heart-breaking end to a relationship. The song is again a testament to Taylor’s magical storytelling narrative that is ever-present through her discography. The song begins with Taylor bringing her fans down memory lane of the various trips taken with her lover, “getting lost up-

With the same poeticism, Taylor moves on to describe the heartbreak and each lyric sang by Taylor in lower, somber harmony clutches at our heart strings. Heartbreak feels like “time won’t fly, it’s like [I’m] paralysed by it”. By the end of the song, we see an empowered version of Taylor singing the iconic lyric “I’ll get older but your lovers stay my age”. The entire ten minutes of the song have been relished by fans and the already romantic and poetic lyrics hit even harder with the uncut, raw honestly of the original lyrics. The short film accompanying the song, starring Dylan O’Brien and Sadie Sink is full of autumnal imagery and embodies the heartbreaking essence of the song. Red (Taylor’s Version) proves that Taylor Swift constantly exceeds expectations and is perhaps one of the most creative and imaginative artists of this generation.

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Music

31 Christmas Crackers: A Festive Playlist Kerri Pender Lawless Music Writer

It is hard to believe that the Christmas season is just around the corner! As the Autumn semester draws to a close, many of us will spend the remainder of the year in full festive mode. While there is no denying that Christmas music is one of the best aspects of the season, a lot of Christmas classics can get a bit repetitive. Here we have compiled a list full of old and new! Whether you’ll be listening to the playlist on your commute to work or college, having dinner with loved ones or enjoying a few drinks with friends, this playlist is sure to keep you in the Christmas spirit. There is one for every day of December, so get listening!

1. 8 Days of Christmas- Destiny’s Child 2. All I Want for Christmas is You- Mariah Carey 3. Back to December- Taylor Swift 4. Blue Christmas- Elvis Presley 5. Christmas in Hollis- Run DMC 6. Christmas Tree Farm- Taylor Swift 7. Christmas Wrapping- The Waitresses 8. December Song- George Michael 9. Do They Know It's Christmas?- Band Aid 10. Driving Home for Christmas- Chris Rea 11. Fairytale of New York- The Pogues 12. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus- The Jackson 5 13. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday- Wizzard 14. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like ChristmasMichael Bublé 15. Jingle Bell Rock- Daryl Hall & John Oates 16. Last Christmas- Wham 17. My Only Wish (This Year)- Britney Spears 18. Merry Christmas Everyone- Shakin’ Stevens 19. Merry Xmas Everybody- Slade 20. Oh Santa- Mariah Carey 21. Run Rudolph Run- Chuck Berry 22. Santa Baby- Eartha Kitt 23. Santa Claus is Coming to Town- The Jackson 5 24. Santa Tell Me- Ariana Grande 25. Step Into Christmas- Elton John 26. Thank God it’s Christmas- Queen 27. This Christmas- Donny Hathaway 28. Underneath the Tree- Kelly Clarkson 29. What Christmas Means to Me- Stevie Wonder ft John Legend 30. Wonderful Christmastime- Paul McCartney 31. You Make it Feel Like Christmas- Gwen Stefani ft Blake Shelton

Music

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

30-11-2021

All I Want for Christmas is... countdown to Christmas, (which seems to be getting earlier and earlier

Jack Donlon Music Writer

“

t doesn’t take much effort or heavy digging into your memory to finish that particular line of lyrics. Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” has been permanently etched into the consciousness of almost every living being in the Western World.

Many popular artists have produced Christmas sin-

“ Love it or

hate it, you still sing along to it and know almost all the lyrics

“

gles and many of them have faded out of public memory almost as soon as they were released. Lots of artists have released a Christmas number, from Lady Gaga to Crazy Frog, and it is always an attempt to make some quick cash, or revitalise a failing career. Crazy Frog’s Christmas themed contribution

“

Love it or hate it, you still sing along to it and know almost all the lyrics. Unlike most Christmas classics, “All I Want for Christmas” was released relatively recently, in 1994. It has been a mainstay ever since, being played in every shop, on every radio station, and being the first addition to any Christmas playlist on Spotify. But what exactly makes it such a special song?

“All I Want for Christmas” is essentially a standard mid 90s pop song with sleigh bells overdubbed

to our ears was a cover of Wham’s “Last Christmas”, which reached number 16 on the charts in 2006. People really will buy anything as long as it’s Christmas themed. Even the Killers have entered the world of the Christmas single, with the bizarre and disturbing “Don’t Shoot Me Santa”, released in 2007. I’d strongly recommend that you give this one a miss.. “All I want for Christmas” is a rare exception to this trend, joined by the likes of “Fairytale of New York” by the Pogues and “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” by John Lennon. These songs have a right to remain as Christmas mainstays, they are masterpieces. “All I Want for Christmas” is essentially a standard mid 90s pop song with sleigh bells overdubbed on top and yet, it maintains its dominance over the very idea of Christmas culture. The song isn’t just associated with Christmas, for many, it is the epitome of Christmas.

It is estimated that Mariah Carey brings in around $600,000 in the months of November and December through sales and streams of “All I Want for Christmas”, which is a pretty nice Christmas bonus if you ask me. Although she has had a hugely successful career, many people

only associate her with this one song. It is so popular and culturally significant that it has eclipsed the iconic career and achievements of the very artist who sings it. And so, this song will continue to creep up every year to remind us of the

every year), and take over every radio station and Spotify playlist for two months, only to fade out of the public sphere, with the process being repeated the following year, and the year after that, and the year after that. It is as inevitable as your aunty getting you socks and a toiletry set for Christmas, and some people like that but sometimes you wish your aunty would try something different for a change.

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Arts & Lifestyle

Get Inspired With Our Gift Guide Ruth Delaney Arts & Lifestyle Correspondent

ith Thanksgiving and Black Friday out of the way, whether you like it or not, it is time to start thinking about Christmas shopping. Dreaded by some and loved by many, it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to shopping for a loved one over the festive period. With our gift guide, we hope to help get the ball rolling and spark some inspiration that will bag you the perfect present this year.

For the Friend You Want to Pamper: Revlon Salon One-Step Dryer & Volumizer For many, drying our hair can be a tedious task. If you’re like me and your hair is on the frizzier side, this tool is a dream come true. The Revlon hair drying brush works like a round hot brush that dries

your hair frizz free. With the dyson air wrap taking the internet by storm, this is a much more affordable option but is arguably just as impressive. Retailing at about €50 on a range of websites, this is a brilliant idea to treat your mother, sister, girlfriend or any long haired loved one.

For the Music Lover: JBL GO3 Bluetooth Speaker & House of Marley Headphones JBL is a great brand for electronics, and their speakers never disappoint. A speaker is something guaranteed to impress the music lover in your life, and with this portable and affordable option available at a range of retailers, this is a safe bet. It retails for roughly €35.00. For someone who hasn’t taken to the AirPods and prefers headphones, try some House of Marley ones, with prices starting at €45.00.

For the Sporty Friend: The Ever Popular Half Zip The half zip has become a staple piece in not only your sporty friend’s wardrobe but anyone looking for a cosy top. Comfort is key, especially after a hefty Christmas dinner and what better way to cosy up in the evening than sporting a new hoodie or half zip? For the brother, Dad or boyfriend in your life that is hard to please, this is a gift they’ll wear all year long. For students on a budget, check out ASOS - they have hundreds of brands including Nike, North Face, Topshop/Topman and Adidas and they almost always have sales and student discounts on offer.

For the Home Decor Enthusiast: A Candle & Cosy Blanket Ah, candles and blankets. Where would we be without them? They are an ideal gift, be it the parent who wants to add some lovely fragrance and style into the house, the student who wants to relax and unwind during assignment season and everyone in between. Yankee Candles are always an ideal go to, but if their price range is a little steep, other popular stores such as Marks & Spencer are selling a ‘Calm Scented Candle’ for €11. A solid and often underrated present. Home Store & More, TK Maxx and Dunnes are hotspots for finding affordable, fluffy blankets that are ideal for these winter months.

For the Person Who Loves Their Bits & Bobs: Visit I Want One Of Those If you really want to wow this Christmas, even on a budget, visit the website iwantoneofthose.com they have a range of retro gifts including vintage

games, giant beer steins, poster challenges and more. They also have categories such as 3 gifts for €20 and their top 50 items on their website to make

your browsing all the more beneficial. You’re sure to find something for the person who loves a bit of everything.

Arts & Lifestyle

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

30-11-2021

Cheers to Christmas Órla Slattery Arts & Lifestyle Writer

Everyone loves a toasty drink to warm them up in the holiday season. Below we’ve given you two different hot drink recipes, both can be made vegan and both can be made alcoholic, what’s not to love?

Vegan Eggnog

Baileys Hot Chocolate

t’s tough not being able to make it home for the holidays, but fear not, because even those of you who aren’t able to make it back across the pond for the holidays can have a taste of the American Christmas right here on the wonderful Emerald Isle. Almost every American Christmas film features eggnog, and while it is relatively difficult to find a pre-made eggnog here in Ireland, it’s actually pretty easy to make yourself.

Hot chocolate is such an excellent Christmas treat for those of us who aren’t massive fans of traditional Christmas spices but still want to feel festive. This recipe can be made vegan using Baileys ‘Almande’ and Schlagfix Vegan Spray Cream (which is not that much more expensive than dairy whipped cream- available from your local Supervalu) and a non-dairy milk of your choice.

Ingredients: • 2 cups Oat Milk (or canned coconut milk- whichever you prefer) • 2 tbsp Sweetened condensed coconut milk (can be store bought or easily made at home!) • 3 tbsp Maple Syrup (or more if you’d prefer more sweetness) • 1 tbsp Cornstarch (or arrowroot powder, however that can be very expensive) • 2 tsp Nutmeg and Vanilla (add 1 tsp Cinnamon if you want to spice things up!) • For an alcoholic eggnog, add some bourbon, brandy, dark rum, or cognac if you’re feeling fancy Method: 1. Measure out all ingredients to make your life a little easier 2. In a large pot, whisk together all ingredients (minus the alcohol) until smooth 3. Place the pot on your hob and turn it on to a medium-high heat until the eggnog begins to boil 4. Reduce the heat to low and whisk for 3-4 minutes until it thickens 5. Remove from the heat and leave to cool, allow it to chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours 6. Add alcohol before serving if you wish and enjoy Ingredients: • 50ml Baileys Original (or Baileys ‘Almande’ for the vegans) • Your favourite hot chocolate powder • Approximately 100ml milk (or non-dairy milk either) • A can of whipped cream (dairy or non-dairy, your choice) • Any sort of chocolate (sprinkles, brownies, fingers, sauce) to garnish Method: 1. Make a hot chocolate as per the instructions on the packet, pour into a mug 2. Add Baileys 3. Top with whipped cream and ALL of the chocolate 4. Enjoy!

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Life & Film

On Campus for Christmas Ana Glushchenko Arts & Lifestyle Writer

he JJ library is constantly packed, the lecture halls are basically empty, and the sweet smell of stress fills the air on campus. This can only mean one thing, Christmas is on its way to UCD. How will the season be spent this year on campus? It is very exciting to see what events are lined up for us and slightly nerve wracking to think of how restrictions may impact them. UCD has yet to fully embrace the Christmas-ification of campus as of yet, but we have only just arrived in the month of December. Of course, the Newman building is set to take first place when it comes to Christmas decorations, which is not surprising as it is home to many of our creative geniuses on campus. UCD is yet to set a date for the annual tree lighting cer-

emony that failed to take place due to Covid restrictions last year. Although the current decorations are lacking, the students themselves have been buzzing for this trimester to be over and have some Christmas fun. You can spot quite a few Christmas jumpers and Santa hats all over campus, which definitely heighten the festive vibes. Societies, UCDSU and UCD Residences have undeniably made the biggest efforts for on campus Christmas events. Last month the UCD Residences team organised a love-

ly Thanksgiving dinner for its residents, tickets were booked at lightning speed and enjoyed by many. The weekly 5-A-Side soccer matches have also been a nice addition to the ResLife events recently. Events such as UCDSU’s Christmas Market and Musical Soc’s Charity Concert, have been our frontrunners in spreading the festive spirit so far. With upcoming events such as Law Soc’s debate on Christmas Music and other society treats hopefully coming up, students have some seasonal op-

portunities on campus. What about when the trimester comes to an end? What’s it going to be like for those who are staying on campus over Christmas break? The Christmas spirit has definitely reached campus accommodation, as many windows have some sort of festive décor or even proper full length Christmas trees on show. As much as these Christmas festivities are all well and fun, many of our international students this year will not be able to travel home for the holidays, whether it

be because of high coronavirus cases or other reasons. Unfortunately, they are left on campus for the official celebrations- and as much as UCD is a wonderful campus, there isn’t an incredibly large list of things to do on campus. Ideally there should be more events planned for those remaining here during the holidays, especially for those who may feel isolated or lonely as digital technology can only do so much. However, after conversing with a few international students, we did hear whispers of plans for nights out and parties over Christmas, so hopefully more students have taken planning into their own hands this year. We would highly recommend for all students to enjoy any and all opportunities, even the few ones that are available and go enjoy these festivities while they last. Don’t stand around and wait for more plans and events to be made, make your own and enjoy the upcoming holidays!

The Problem with Creating Christmas Classics t is widely accepted that the late 1940s films Miracle on 34th Street and It’s a Wonderful Life, are everlasting Christmas classics which have withstood the test of time.

ed as Christmas films, in the hopes that they will make a quick buck. Maybe they think that they will hold up as the years go on, earning the honor of being dubbed a Christmas classic? So, in the last 10 years how can we determine whether we have watched any Christmas classics in the making?

Over the decades, various films earned the honor of being called a Christmas classic such as A Christmas Story (1983), Elf (2003) and the Polar Express (2004). Even the contentious choice of Die Hard (1988) garners enough favouritism to earn the title of Christmas classic. Rarely are new films put out that disrupt this delicate list of classics. However, Hollywood churns out multiple films each year, brand-

Christmas films released in the last 10 years are sequels or remakes that no one asked for or they follow a cliché formula that ensures success in terms of the bare minimum. Rarely do we get an original story that gives us a greater appreciation of the Christmas season. Often, we are introduced to an archetypal Scrooge who needs to learn a particular lesson through latching onto the people closest to them and therefore learn

Danielle DerGarabedian Political Correspondent

the meaning of Christmas. Another favourite formula is that the character is a down on her luck woman who finds love just around the holidays. The stories are the same, predictable and offer little to Christmas cinema. When you think about movies such Last Christmas (2018) it combines both cliché formulas with the result being a mediocre film that does little to ignite any sense of Christmas wonderment. An irreverent comedy with a huge rager at the center of it is becoming a trope often seen in comedies and was poorly done in an attempt to fulfill all office employees dreams in Office Christmas Party (2016), this movie had its Scrooge and in the end was all flash over substance, hoping that the

more Christmas junk they threw on screen the more the viewer would think to themselves they were watching a Christmas movie. Netflix seems to be the worst offender as it not only produces these cash grab Christmas films but releases them in sequel after sequel. When films like The Princess Switch (2018), The Princess Switch 2: Switched Again (2020) and The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star (2021) or A Christmas Prince (2017) and A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby (2019) get released through the platform the effort seems low as does the production, script and directing. This is commercialisation at its finest and truly sucks the magic out of the Christmas season. Looking past

Netflix, the recent remake of the Grinch (2018) turns the short made-for-TV film and extends its length, adding unnecessary story which at times strips the eponymous anti-hero of his depth and character. Now what do all these films lack? It’s true heart and a sense of the Christmas spirit. It is clear what the aim of the films are as you sit there and watch it, and it is not to fill your heart with Christmas cheer. It is to capitalise on Christmas because these stories offer nothing new; they are mediocre retellings of the classic tropes. However, Christmas films from the last decade such as Arthur Christmas (2011), Klaus (2019), Krampus (2015) and the Night Before (2015), stand a better chance at becoming future classics.

Film&TV

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

TV Specials: Festive Edition Modern Family – Undeck The Halls

Sophie Melia Film & TV Correspondent

Aired during their first season in 2009, Modern Family created a heartfelt comedy classic Christmas episode.

hristmas is fast approaching and there’s no better way to get into the holly jolly spirit by watching a few Christmas episodes of our favourite shows. This is a great alternative to committing to a film for an hour or two and hence is a lovely break in between studying and working on assignments. So, sit back and relax with a few of these suggestions Santa

When Claire (Julie Bowen) and Phil (Ty Burrell) are meant to host Christmas, a suspected cigarette burn on the sofa is the centre of their family drama. Meanwhile Claire’s father Jay (Ed O’Neill) is trying to introduce his Colombian wife Gloria (Sofia Vergara) and stepson Manny (Rico Rodriguez) to American Christmas traditions. Cam (Eric Stonestreet) and Mitchel (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) ruin the mall Santa experience for everyone involved.

Mr Bean – Merry Christmas Mr Bean Starring our beloved Mr Bean, played by Rowan Atkinson and directed by John Birkin, we get to enjoy Mr Bean in the Christmas spirit. We see him enjoy the Christmas traditions we know and love, such as the Nativity play, writing Christmas cards, wrapping presents and cooking the iconic Christmas dinner, which ultimately ends up a little more untraditional! The episode has a lot to enjoy and the sketches are hilarious from start to finish, often inspired by our own Christmas successes and failings. The Mr Bean special is one not to be missed for fans old and new!

Father Ted – A Christmassy Ted The classic priest comedy series directed by Andy DeEmmony and Declan Lowney also has an iconic Christmas special that is dear to the nation's heart. The special originally aired on Channel 4 back in 1996, and has become iconic in the Christmas TV Guide, and it’s hard

to imagine a year when it won’t be shown. It contains all the humour we know and love and some added comedic gold such as Mrs. Doyle’s tea machine, Ted’s award speech and the priests stuck in the lingerie section! While the humour could keep you going all night, it also touches on key Christmas themes like friendship, family, nostalgia and celebration.

The X-Files For a slightly alternative Christmas special, why not spend the Christmas season with Detective Mulder (David Duchovny) and Detective Scully (Gillian Anderson). We have a couple of Christmas specials such as “Christmas Carol,” and “How the Ghosts Stole Christmas.” Both episodes deal with confronting ghosts from their

pasts and is influenced primarily by Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol.” If you’re sick of traditional Christmas specials then this supernatural take on the holidays will be perfect for you to enjoy!

Friends – The One With The Holiday Armadillo The series, love it or hate it, came out with one of the most known and loved Christmas specials. The episode which aired in 2000 during their seventh series, tells the story of Ross (David Schwimmer) being concerned that his son Ben (tiny Cole Sprouse) isn’t celebrating Hanukkah. To help Ross out Chandler and Joey come to help and create more laughs and chaos than can be imagined. While Thanksgiving is more important to their American audience, the

writers gave Christmas the same attention to detail and comedy that can be enjoyed by everyone!

Each household comes to understand the true meaning of Christmas and how it’s nothing without spending it with your family.

30-11-2021

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Film&TV

Battle of the Streaming Sites: Who Does Christmas Better? Angelina Pierce Entertainment & Lifestyle Editor

othing beats settling down on a cold winter evening to watch something good. With Christmas fast approaching, it is good to know which festive films and series are available on what streaming platforms. In this list you’ll find the hard work done for you as I’ve scanned Netflix, Prime and Disney+ to see what’s available. Netflix has given a helping hand with its Holidays genre found under the films heading and Disney+ has provided a Merry Christmas section. However, Prime has not been so kind.

Netflix From searching through Netflix it is evident that the site is more concerned with promoting their own terrible Christmas films than investing in good ones. It was difficult to find suggestions here that did not have the big red N stamp, but here are a couple.

Love Actually* is currently streaming on Netflix. The modern Christmas classic has not been without controversy as the years have gone on. However, a young Hugh Grant as Prime Minister dancing is nonetheless a mandatory Christmas watch. Deck The Halls may never reach Christmas cult film status, but Danny Devito and Matthew Broderick undoubtedly create a good comedy Christmas duo in this film. The pair become arch nemesis as they strive to have the best house on their street, leading to plenty of chaos and festive fun. Honourable Mentions • Nativity* • The Nutcracker (Royal Ballet 2018) • The Holiday • Anna Karenina

ing finds like some Christmas concerts/specials.

Prime Video

Christmas Cartoons was a surprising find on the site and contains 14 classic Christmas cartoons such as Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and Jack Frost. It’s a nice little watch to have whilst wrapping presents or baking some Christmas Treats.

Prime seriously lacks decent Christmas or Holiday films. However, they do have some very interest-

Scrooge (1951) was also unexpected but another little gem on the site. Based on Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, the

film gives another spin on the classic story. Honourable Mentions • The Night Before • André Rieu: Home for Christmas and André Rieu: Christmas in London • The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show • Gordon Ramsey’s Christmas Cook-along • *Also has Love Actually and Nativity

Disney+ The clear winner of the battle of the 3 streaming sites, it would be highly worth getting Disney+, even if you cancel it in January. There are plenty of decent holiday films and also they round up Christmas specials of Disney shows, great for some childhood nostalgia and also the Star shows. Home Alone & Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, are two key modern classics for the festive season. Perhaps a controversial take, but I would argue the sequel is better primarily as it’s not as overplayed and Christmas in

New York is absolutely beautiful. The Nightmare Before Christmas being either a Christmas or Halloween film can be debated. However, why not enjoy it for both? The animated tale created by Tim Burton is a less traditional Christmas film but actually gives an interesting take on the meaning of Christmas. Honourable Mentions • The Santa Clause 1-3 • The Muppet Christmas Carol • Edward Scissorhands TV Specials • The Simpsons • Futurama • Black-ish • Modern Family • Grey’s Anatomy • Desperate Housewives • The X-Files • And many more Missing from these sites but are not to be missed • Miracle on 34th Street • How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) • It’s A Wonderful Life • Meet Me in St. Louis • Elf • The Polar Express • A Christmas Story • Die Hard

SPORT Sport

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Volume 35 - Christmas Special

30-11-2021

How the Students Clinched Promotion Callum Buchan Sports Editor

niversity College Dublin AFC sealed promotion to the SSE Airtricity Premier Division on Friday night with a 2-1 victory against Waterford FC at Richmond Park, the home of the 2021 FAI Cup winners St Patrick’s Athletic. Talisman Colm Whelan and midfielder Dara Keane were on the scoresheet as the College came back from an early goal down to secure top-flight football for Andy Myler’s side in 2022. This was the cherry on top of a positive end to this season’s campaign. Momentum After a heartbreaking last-minute defeat to Friday’s opponents in the FAI Cup quarter-final in September, UCD had two poor defeats on the bounce at the hands of promotion-rivals Galway United and bottom of the table Wexford FC. It appeared that the Students were hitting bad form at the wrong time in the season. However, they managed to turn it around in the final three league games against Cork City, Treaty United and champions Shelbourne with two wins and a draw, respectively. This meant that the College finished third in the table, and more importantly went into the playoffs with positive momentum. Playoffs A trip to Limerick to face Treaty Utd was the first

game of UCD’s playoff journey. The match always had the potential to be a tough affair for the Students as Treaty had one of the best defensive records in the division. Yet, the free-scoring College made light work of the contest as they put three past the usually solid Treaty backline. A late Whelan brace sealed the victory after Paul Doyle opened the scoring. The three-goal cushion allowed Myler to rotate some of his starting eleven in the second leg at Belfield, with the likes of Adam Verdon coming into the side and scoring in the 2-1 loss. Although the visitors were superior on the night, UCD progressed to the next round as they won the tie 4-2 on aggregate.

COLELG TRIBEUGN xGam GsaTtLoIGPrTtRc

the top flight next season. Turmoil at Waterford

In somewhat of a surprise, Bray Wanderers beat second-place team Galway United in the other playoff semi-final which meant they faced the Students in the crunch match to see which First Division side will face the ninthplaced Premier Division team in the promotion/relegation playoff.

There is never a dull moment in the soap opera of the League of Ireland. Nowhere more so than at Waterford who went through a spell of naming only three or four players on their bench at the beginning of this season under the previous manager Kevin Sheedy, the Irish international legend.

The affair took place in the neutral venue of Dalymount Park, an iconic ground in Irish football history that will soon be rebuilt and modernised. Again the class of Whelan, who scored a rocket of a freekick, and Doyle proved too much for the opposition and the College were 2-0 victors against the Seagulls. It would be Myler’s fledglings to face Waterford to decide who will make up the final spot in

Despite the various and recurring scandals in this league, it will be hard to top the week that the Blues had when preparing for this crunch match. On the Tuesday before the game, manager Marc Bircham revealed to his Twitter followers that he would not be in the dugout on Friday night as he had been given a week’s suspension following a disagreement with the owner, Richard Forrest.

The club was not happy with Bircham washing their dirty linen in public and proceeded to terminate the cockney’s contract following the tweet, leaving the Waterford players managerless for their season-defining match. The story doesn’t end here. Many of the League of Ireland community tuned into TalkSport to get some answers on the reason for all the turbulence as Bircham announced he would be on the radio station to discuss his exit from the Blues. Shockingly, Bircham claimed that the falling out with Forrest was concerning the manager’s decision to not play the owner’s and that he would not be in his plans for next year. All of this drama and uncertainty would no doubt distract players in their preparations for a big game and was defi-

nitely an advantage for UCD going into the tie. Promotion The College went into the game as underdogs despite the on-goings at Waterford, but the young side proved too strong for a fragile Blues as Whelan and Kerrigan put in standout performances. Myler will be hoping the Students can have an improved display mixing with the big boys this time around after a disappointing season in 2018 saw them relegated back to the First Division. UCD will make up one of the five Dublin based teams in next year’s Premier Division as there is a clear regional split in the country now, with Tallaght Stadium being the most southern ground in the top tier of Irish football.