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Features.
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Are C&C Keeping Their Promises?
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What’s Going on In North Korea?
The Sociology of Nightclubs
Abortion on the Small Screen
The best Insta Eats in Dublin
UCD AFC Focus
College Tribune.
0131
Student Newspaper of the Year 2017
UCD Res Rent Rise Has No Impact on Occupancy Rates Cian Carton | Editor
• Licence fees for 2017/2018 increased by another 3%, on the back of 7% and 13% rises over the past two years
• UCD Residences down 47 Beds after Dominican Order declines to renew Muckross Halls lease
C
ontinuous price hikes for on-campus accommodation has had no effect on the demand for beds in the UCD Residences. Information obtained by the Tribune has revealed that on-campus accommodation occupancy rates averaged 94% in September 2016, 99.1% in October 2016, and 98.2% in March 2017. Only Roebuck Castle Catered and the now closed Muckross Halls Residence had less than 92% of their rooms filled for the start of the last academic year. Once the year began, occupancy rates rapidly rose, with 6 of the 9 Residences at over 99% capacity in October 2016. UCD’s most recent development, Ashfield, opened last year. 340 of its 356 beds were filled in September 2016. It was at
full capacity in both October 2016 and March 2017. Accommodation costs for last year were €8,104 for the two semesters. This year, the rate is €8,334. Construction costs were estimated at €15.5 million last year, while income of €2.8 million was projected for its first year. After letting out all of its rooms during the year, UCD should achieve this projected income target. The 2015/2016 academic year saw a 13% increase in rent, as part of UCD’s plan to raise its residency fees by 40% over three years. A further 7% increase was implemented for the 2016/2017 year. Conor Viscardi, then UCD Students’ Union President, confirmed that rent increases for 2017/2018 would be in the “range of 2-3%.” Last year, the Tribune revealed that
UCD received €18 million in income from student residences in 2015. Maintenance expenses cost €7.7 million, leaving the university with over €10 million in profit. A full 3% increase has been applied to licence fees this year. The cost of utilities, insurance, and catering is the same as last year. For example, the licence fees for Ashfield, Glenomena, Proby, and Roebuck Castle were all € 7,673 for 2016/2017. The €230 rise for each of these puts the licence fee for this year at €7903, or a full 3% price hike. The increase meant the price for each of the residences went from €8,104 to €8,334. This represents an overall increase of 2.8%. Image: landdirect.ie
Issue 01 Volume 31
CT.
0131
Editors
Cian Carton Rachel O’Neill
Section Editors News. Cian Carton
Politics. Aaron Bowman Features. Rachel O’Neill Film. Muireann O’Shea & Ciara Dillon Music. Adam Bielenberg Fashion. Shannon Doherty Arts. Holly Lloyd LifeStyle. Ciara Landy
Editorial: New Year, New Editors, Same College Tribune Rachel O’Neill Editor
T
he College Tribune has managed to survive the year under Jack Power’s tyrannical rule and he has begrudgingly handed over the reins of power to myself Rachel O’Neill and Cian Carton. It’s a daunting task to follow in the footsteps of an editorial team who managed to win Student Newspaper of the year 2017 at the Smedias. When asked how I was going to follow on from Jack and George, I simply said that I couldn’t. Thus, it’s time for Cian and I to establish our own totalitarian regime. Some would question the legitimacy of a newspaper becoming a dictatorship but here at the Tribune we enjoy keeping up with the latest fashion trends. To start with, as a neuroscientist I’ve declared that we must have a science section while Cian has instated a new Business and Law section so he can write about highbrow things that the rest of us just don’t understand. We will also be keeping with tradition of annoying the UCD hierarchy as much as possible with our tried and tested brand of inves-
Cian Carton Editor tigative journalism. We do this without any sort of funding from UCD or the SU. We do it for the love of the story but also because there’s nothing more entertaining than sticking it to the “man”. Both Cian and I are really excited for the coming year and we hope to bring you stories and publish your own contributions that you care about. We also want to publish pieces that really make you think. From accommodation to the 8th amendment, from sports to fashion, we’ll be here all year to make sure that UCD students are well informed of what’s happening around them. For example, our lead story this issue is about the residency rates within UCD accommodation. Students are under severe pressure to find accommodation and the fact that these residences are fully booked when they cost up to €9,000 a year shows the desperation that many students are facing. Keep an eye out for the paper this year and we’ll keep an eye on the UCD hierarchy so you don’t have to.
W
elcome to Volume XXXI of the College Tribune. Despite his best efforts, Jack Power failed to get the paper kicked off campus last year, but we can always try to one up him. While Jack was busy making himself well known in the Tierney Building, George Hannaford’s redesign of the Tribune flew slightly under the radar. His continued help with design, particularly the fashion section in this issue, is appreciated. Over the past four years, I’ve been fortunate to come across many people who have helped me more than the ever should have. From the Observer, the editors of Volumes XX and XXI are responsible for my early career in student journalism. If you want to blame someone about the quality of articles in this paper, then complain to Killian Woods and Kevin Beirne for continually giving me the chance to report the news back when I was in first year. I haven’t stopped writing since; I still don’t know whether that’s good or bad.
Cormac Duffy and David Corscadden were either wise or foolish enough to keep me on. James Brady was always a friendly face in the office. I will never forget showing up to a pre-Smedias party, not knowing anyone in the paper, only to be greeted by James and his moustache who then proceeded to show me the shark he drew on the map with directions to his house. Classic James. A few departures (bye Yvanne!) also helped me move up the ranks. A special thank you to Megan Fanning for quitting the paper to run for election, there was only ever room for one News Editor! From the Tribune side, Sean O’Reilly and Una Power were always willing to run my ideas and taught an old dog some new tricks. Jack and George? It’s like they never left. Looking forward, Rachel and I can’t wait to extend these same opportunities to all of you. Whether you just want to read the paper or get involved, do not be afraid to get in touch, for the paper belongs to everyone.
Science. Orla Daly
Join the Team.
Gaeilge. Erin Nic An Bhaird & Lorraine Stack Business & Law. Cian Carton
Every year we look to create a great team
Turbine. Ronán O’Sullivan
towards the paper.
of individuals to contribute If you are into writing, editing, sales, design
Sports. Conor Lynott & Chris Foley
or any the sections in the paper, let us know!
Designer
Getting involved is really easy.
Rachel O’Neill
Just email us,
0131 Contributors
editor@collegetribune.ie
Aisling Dowd News
and include your name, area of interest
Alison Graham News
and year. We’ll forward on your name to
John O’Connor News
the relevant section editor.
George Hannaford Features & Design
Seán Fearbuckt Turbine Conor Byrne Sport Helena Carton Proofreading
Contact CT.
editor@collegetribune.ie +353 1 716 8501 Po Box 74, Student Centre, UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4.
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Connect with the College Tribune. Join the CT social media. Just search for College Tribune.
12.09.2017.0131
Kate Donovan Gaeilge
Editorial Note 0131 On this Day: In 2000, the Netherlands introduces laws allowing for same sex marriage, adoption and divorce. 0131
12.09.2017
*Cover Continued UCDNEWS. p.06
UCD continues to stagnate in World Rankings
Politics.
p.10
How do you solve a problem like North Korea?
Features. p.12
Are digs really the solution to the student housing crisis?
Music. p.15
Film. p.17
An interview with Dublin fourpiece Otherkin.
How is abortion portrayed in film & TV?
Fashion.
p.18
Arts. p.22
This year’s autumn & winter trends!
Preview of this year’s Dublin Fringe Festival
LifeStyle. p.24
The best places to eat and Instagram in Dublin.
Science. p. 26
CRISPR-Cas9 and why it matters.
Image Right. Ashfield Residences where the yearly cost has increased by 3% to €8,334.
Belgrove had 779 places available last September. 746 of these were taken in that month, while 778 were filled in October 2016. The number dropped by 2 to 776 in March this year. It cost €6,607 for last year, and has now risen to €6,792. Occupancy rates at Merville were similar to Belgrove. Both cost the same last year and this year. Merville had 564 of 610 beds occupied last September. This rose to 608 in October and 609 in March. Glenomena had 699 of its 736 beds occupied last September. Occupancy rates rose to 732 in October and fell slightly to 723 in March. Glenomena cost €8,104 last year, and €8,334 this year. Roebuck Halls Residence had 297 places filled out of 300 in September 2016. It was at full capacity in October, then had 4 empty beds in March. There are two main residences at the Blackrock Campus. The Blackrock Halls had 138 of 142 available places filled in September 2016. This increased to 141 in October, then dropped back to 134 in March. The Halls are part of UCD’s Blackrock campus. The Proby Residence, located on Carysfort Avenue in Blackrock, had 114 spaces last September. 108 of these were filled that month. Occupancy increased to 111 beds in October, then fell to 99 beds in March. While targeted at students who attend the Michael Smurfit School of Business, they are open to all students. The Tribune previously revealed in February that UCD was spending €2.5 million to turn 40 old rooms on the Blackrock Campus into corporate seminar rooms. The two catered options, Muckross Halls and Roebuck Castle Catered, had the lowest percentage of occupied beds out of all the Residences in September 2016. 51 beds out of 62 were filled in Muckross Halls in September, 53 in October, and 49 in March. Only 94 of the 133 places available at Roebuck Castle Catered were occupied last September. However, occupancy shot up to 124 in October, then up to 131 in March. Muckross cost € 8,272 for the
Gaeilge.
p. 28 Macnamh ar samhradh i Kaziisi le UCDVO
year. Roebuck Castle Catered was the most expensive option available on campus, costing €10,480. This year it is available for €10,710. These prices all include the €2,376 catering cost. The cost of accommodation in the Residences far exceeds tuition fees of students. An Irish student who qualifies for free fees would have to pay the €3,000 Student Registration Charge and the €254 Student Levy to attend UCD for the year. Only Blackrock Halls is cheaper than twice that amount. It costs double that figure to stay in Belgrove or Merville, while a catered experience in Roebuck Castle is triple the cost of fees. UCD has increasingly targeted non-EU fee paying students for on-campus accommodation as it is more difficult for them to secure accommodation from abroad, while their higher tuition fees means UCD sees them as being more able to pay the higher accommodation costs. Since 2013, an increased number of residences are reserved for first years and international students. The UCD Residences Masterplan aims to have 6,000 bedrooms available for students in the coming years. UCD’s Campus Development website states that “a planning application will be submitted shortly for the masterplan, with developments being proposed to be delivered in a phased basis over a 5-7 year timeframe.” Ashfield is the first completed project of the Masterplan, but was financed by rent hikes. Barry Murphy, UCDSU Campaigns & Communications Officer, commented “it's great that UCD have 3,000 new beds in the pipeline and that building them is a priority.” However, he expressed disappointment that “this expansion of Res is being funded by rent increases on existing units, which means that campus accommodation has gotten more and more expensive over the past 4 years.” The exact number of beds available remains slightly unclear. The FOI obtained by the
Business
p.30
Brexit & the Irish Border
Tribune listed the total number of beds at 3,230. The webpage from the UCD Residences Masterplan is dated February 2017. At that time, UCD claimed to have 3,170 beds on campus. The numbers in the two could be explained with reference to beds not openly available to students. For example, the FOI listed the capacity of the Muckross Halls Residence at 62 beds. When the Tribune reported last month that the Residence would not be available for students this year, Eilis O'Brien, Director of Communication and Marketing at UCD, confirmed that there were 47 beds taken off the market. Yet, there were at least 49 occupied beds there during the 2016/2017 academic year, according to the FOI. The 354 beds in Ashfield helped to offset the closure of the 40 rooms in Blackrock last year. However, the announcement that the Muckross Halls Residence would no longer be available for students this year brings UCD’s capacity down by another 47 places. Last month, the Tribune broke the story about the Muckross Halls closure. UCD rented the residence in Donnybrook on a year-byyear basis from the Dominican Order. The Order opted against renewing the lease this year as it plans to build a school on the land. Speaking to the Tribune at the time, O’Brien stated the Muckross was “always a short-term arrangement as it is our intention to expand and manage on-campus accommodation” and noted it was “historically was less popular than on-campus accommodation.” High costs have deterred many students from seeking accommodation on campus, but those on the hunt off campus are also facing many difficulties. Eoghan Mac Domhnaill, UCDSU Welfare Officer, explained how the Union has been “inundated throughout the summer with students contacting us about accommodation. The general lack of supply, along with the poor standard of housing and massive rents have left students really struggling for accommodation.''
Turbine
p.32 Satirical takes
on Trump, agonistics and more.
Sport. p.34
Review of the Women’s Rugby World Cup. p.3
UCDNEWS.
Are UCDSU Campaigns and Communications Promises Being Kept? Cian Carton Editor
T
his year’s UCD Students’ Union (UCDSU) Sabbatical Officers made campaign promises about being quick off the mark to promote UCDSU’s campaigns and services to students. The College Tribune recently caught up with Barry Murphy, UCDSU Campaigns & Communications Officer, and Eoghan Mac Domhnaill, UCDSU Welfare Officer, to see if they have been living up to these promises. Murphy was elected to his position without any prior Union experience, but had plenty of society involvement. He spoke about increasing the amount of cross-promotion between UCDSU and societies while on the campaign trail. When asked if he was fulfilling that promise, Murphy talked about what he has been up to with societies. “I have already been working on my manifesto promise of working with societies. UCD Nutrition Soc, a new society this year, helped provide our
Healthy Breakfast during Fresh Fest. They were given the opportunity to pitch to students and promote their events. Juggling Soc also took part in Fresh Fest. I worked closely with LGBTQ+ Society in the build up and during Pride back in June. I have met and planned events with Horticulture Soc to work on reducing UCD’s carbon footprint.” He has also been working with James Alkayed, Chair of the Societies Council, over the past number of weeks. The pair gave “Get Involved” talks together during Orientation Week, which encouraged students to “to dive head first into campus life.” They are set to meet again after Freshers’ Week to “talk about collaborations and society event promotion.” Regarding the future referendum on abortion, UCDSU’s Repeal campaign is being directed by Murphy. He mentioned that UCDSU ran a voter registration drive during Orientation Week
with the help of with Gardaí from Donnybrook Station, which aimed to get incoming Freshers to register to vote. Since the date of the 2018 vote is yet to be decided, Murphy confirmed UCDSU would instead be “focusing on grass roots, campaign strengthening events like the March for Choice on September 30th which we had a great attendance at last year and will do again this year. We’ll buy in placards, t-shirts, megaphones and hold poster making sessions beforehand to get the same crowd out again.” Similarly, during his
campaign Mac Domhnaill promised to do more to promote UCDSU’s welfare services to students. He explained that in “terms of advertising, we’ve begun during Orientation Week giving welcomes in the vast majority of the Dean’ welcomes. He used these talks to inform the incoming students about the Union. He also revealed that there is a “communications plan being rolled out for the entire semester” that he is working on with Murphy “so there will be a consistent communication throughout the semester.”
Image Above. Murphy plans to invest heavily in placards and t-shirts for the March for Choice on September 30th.
Government Funding Key to Driving Down on-Campus Accommodation Costs Cian Carton Editor
W
hile their work this summer has seen them go undercover to expose sub-standard houses for let, Barry Murphy, UCD Students’ Union (UCDSU) Campaigns & Communications Officer, recently spoke to the Tribune about the on-campus situation. As covered in our lead story, the increasing on-campus rents have not slowed down the number of willing occupants. There are currently over 3,000 beds available in the UCD Residences, while the UCD Residence’s Master Plan aims to have 6,000 in total over the coming years. Murphy said that “at a time when there seems to be more hotels in development across Dublin than residential properties, it’s great that UCD have 3,000 new beds in the pipeline and that building them is a priority. What’s not great is that this expansion of Res is being funded by rent increases on existing units, which means that campus accommodation has gotten more and more expensive over the past 4 years.” He then set out UCDSU’s position on the matter. Previously UCDSU has been “focused on trying to get university management to consider a different funding model, whereby
www.collegetribune.ie
the university would look for outside finance from the Irish Strategic Investment Fund for example.” This year, they are aiming to secure increased capital funding from the Government. Murphy explained how “capital funding is a specific type of finance that is used for infrastructural purposes like property development. This is where the money for building more Res units should be sourced rather than rent hikes for students living in campus accommodation.” UCD has continued to justify price increases on the ground that the profits are used to build more accommodation. Murphy claimed that they have had “success in lobbying the Government so far on their inaction” and argued their “brief on capital funding for higher education is particularly outrageous. According to a recent RIA paper, the Higher Education capital budget has been reduced by 85% since 2008.” He noted how “a number of UCD’s choices over the past few years can be viewed in the context of those kind of austerity cuts, which management offset by increasing the contribution demanded from students.”
Image Above. Barry Murphy, the C&C officer for the SU.
p.4
UCDNEWS.
Alkayed Aims for Society Success Aisling Dowd News Writer
J
ames Alkayed, the new Chair of the UCD Societies Council, the representative body of all student societies in UCD, recently spoke to the Tribune about upcoming preparations for Freshers’ Week. Only appointed in July, he explained how he has been “getting to grips with the job, constantly reading into the job and meeting the different people [he] will deal with during the year and getting to know this year’s auditors and their respective committees.” The job description for the Chairperson role noted how the Council is “responsible for the allocation of funding and grants to each student society, providing support and assistance to the officers of each student society in carrying out their duties, and oversight of all student society activities.” As Chair, Alkayed works with UCD’s administration to represent student interests on behalf of the societies. Alkayed’s predecessor Eoghan Murphy stepped down following three years in the role. Although James Green had initially been announced as his replacement, Alkayed confirmed that he had withdrawn from the job due to “unforeseen time pressures and changes in circumstance.” Subsequently, he was re-interviewed and offered the position. Alkayed is confident in his ability to handle the role, contracted at 20 hours per week, in addition to the stress of his final year in college. He explained that he has “been
balancing [his] degree along with very demanding extracurricular activities for the past two years.” His involvement with societies included serving as Public Relations Officer of both the Literary and Historical Society and the Food Society during the 2016-2017 academic term, as well as being engaged in the public relations and media for more than 10 societies in UCD. When asked about his motivation to apply for the position of chair he cited his involvement in societies making his “college experience the best it could be,” and added “having seen how societies work on every level, I couldn’t resist taking it one step further.” The immediate pressures of his new job include meeting with this year’s auditors and their respective committees, with the current aim of ensuring societies are prepared for Freshers’ Week. Alkayed confirmed auditor training was taking place on September 9th so that auditors could be in “the best possible position to execute their events in Freshers Week and run their societies effectively throughout the year.” With over 80 active societies in UCD, the job requires significant communication skills. However, Alkayed believes “societies are always incredibly engaging, easy to deal with and easily accessible.” His key goal for the upcoming academic year is “making Refreshers Day more engaging and allowing ourselves to involve students who may have missed
Freshers Week or who don’t know societies exist.” He also asserted that he will be working to increase societies’ exposure in order to “highlight how important getting involved actually is.” During his campaign Barry Murphy, the incumbent UCDSU C&C Officer, promised to help promote society events and collaborations between societies and UCDSU. The new Chair verified that he had already arranged to meet with Murphy to discuss the matter once Freshers Week was finished.
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UCDNEWS.
Dean of Business to be Next President of Law Lecturer Seeks Senate Spot NUIG John O’Connor News Writer
P
rofessor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh (pictured right), Dean of Business in UCD, has recently been announced as the new President of NUI Galway. The Galway native will return to his home city to take up the post in January 2018, once the ten-year term of James J. Browne comes to an end. Originally appointed as Dean of Business back in 2011, he previously worked in academic leadership roles in Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand and in Dublin City University. He is currently a member of the Audit Committee at the Department of Finance. Ó hÓgartaigh completed his undergraduate degree in NUIG, and also holds a PhD in Accounting from the University of Leeds. He taught Financial Accounting III to undergraduate students up until last year. While the module is still listed in SISWEB, there is no information about course content
Cian Carton Editor
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and lectures, unlike other modules. Professor David Fitzpatrick is listed as the module co-ordinator. Ó hÓgartaigh’s appointment as the 13th President of NUIG was overseen by Catherine McGuinness, the former President of the Law Reform Commission and a retired Supreme Court Judge, who is now Chair of NUIG’s governing authority. She commented that “with a track record of leadership and achievement nationally and internationally, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh brings both the necessary experience and vision to this role and I look forward to working with him as we chart the next stage in the University’s journey.” NUIG retained its 201-250 spot in the Times Higher Education World Rankings earlier this month. The university has continued to improve in the international rankings, having languished back in the 351-400th spot as recently as 2012.
r Noel McGrath, a lecturer in the Sutherland School of Law, is challenging for election to the Senate of the National University of Ireland (NUI). The NUI is made up of four Constituent Universities, four Recognised Colleges and three Colleges of a Constituent University. UCD is one of the four Constituent Universities, alongside NUI Galway, NUI Maynooth, and University College Cork. The NUI Senate consists of thirty-eight members, including a Chancellor, Registrar and the Chief Officers of the Constituent Universities, which includes Andrew Deeks, President of UCD. Each of the four Constituent Universities elects four members. UCD’s representatives as elected by the Governing Authority are Professor Thomas Brazil, Professor Pat Guiry, Mr Tom Harrington, and Professor Patrick M. Shannon. Mark Rogers, UCD Registrar and Deputy Presi-
dent, is one of four co-opted members of the Senate. The government is also able to nominate four members. Eight people are elected by convocation every five years. Four must be men, and four must be women. Only five people were elected during the last election in 2012. Since only four women have put themselves forward, they will all be automatically elected. McGrath is one of five men fighting for four spots. All NUI graduates are automatically registered, but to vote in this election they must apply to the Clerk of Convocation in writing for voting papers no later than Monday 25th September 2017. The election will take place in the National University of Ireland, 49 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, on Tuesday 3rd October 2017 at 10 o'clock a.m, where the poll will remain open for one hour. Further information is available on www.nui.ie/elections.
UCD Still Stuck in 201-250th Spot in Times Higher Education World University Rankings Alison Graham Senior Reporter
U
CD has failed to rise out of the 201-250th place category following the release of the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2018 earlier this month. UCD dropped 22 places last year, falling out of the top 200 and has remained within the 201-250th zone. Trinity College Dublin (TCD) climbed 14 places to 117th, up from 131st in 2015. It was left out of the 2016 rankings due to a data error. Robert Sweeney, UCD Students’ Union (UCDSU) Education Officer, told the Tribune that UCD’s “continued stagnation is disappointing, and is due to one reason, the current government's continued lack of commitment to funding higher level education. Fine Gael stated in its manifesto that €100m was required in additional funding for higher education ‘just to stand still.’ Despite this it committed only €36.5 million in the last budget to higher education, a major shortfall.” Sweeney noted how the stagnation was a reflection of the Irish education system’s failures on a broader level. He discussed the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) annual "Education at a Glance" reports which measure the performance of national education systems. Regarding at the 2015 and 2016 reports, it was “clear that when looked at from an overall position Ireland's performance ranks in the bottom quartile.” The reports measure education against a total of 10 Sustain12.09.2017
able Development Goal (SDG) targets by 2030; the aim of these targets is to reach the goal of “inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” Sweeney said that the 9 top performers in the 2015 report are Australia, Canada, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Denmark, Japan and Sweden. “However. when Ireland is ranked amongst these countries in 2015 using a GDP Per Capita perspective it ranks in 3rd place. This shows that the government is not making education a priority.” NUI Galway and the Royal College of Surgeons (RSCI) both kept their place alongside UCD in the 201-250th category. The RCSI attributed its performance to an expansion in its research activities over the past two years. NUI Maynooth (NUIM) fell into the 401-500 the category, and now sits alongside Dublin City University (DCU). The drop has been linked to a falling doctorate to academic staff ratio and citation impact. NUIM was the only Irish university to drop places this year. Professor John Boland, Dean of Research at TCD, told the Irish Times that success had come despite intense international competition and domestic under funding. Sweeney commented that “while Trinity may have reversed its previous downward trend, when looking at these rankings in the context of this report it is clear that even those who criticize these ranking systems cannot deny that the OECD report shows the Irish
Education System is in crisis and a furthermore a state of managed decline.” Unsurprisingly, Phil Baty (pictured above), Editorial Director of THE Global Rankings, said that Irish universities risked a decline unless third-level funding is increased. However, he noted that Brexit presented a chance for Irish institutions to recruit researchers from top UK universities in the coming years. Oxford took first place overall, with Cambridge in second. The US saw their California Institute of Technology and Stanford University receive joint third. US institutions secured 15 of the top 20 spots. European universities secured 101 of the top 200 places, but Asian universities continued to show the greatest growth potential. 0131
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Politics.
Where Do Political Parties Stand On The 8th Amendment? Aaron Bowman Politics Editor
T
he 8th Amendment and its future in the Constitution has been the most divisive political issue in Ireland for years. While there now appears to be a broad consensus across political parties that change is needed, the exact nature of that change is decidedly less clear. The Citizen’s Assembly was established in the aftermath of the general election in 2016 by the Fine Gael-Independent Government to consider exactly what should Ireland’s approach to abortion should be. On the basis of this a Dáil committee would be established to consider those recommendations. On April 23rd 2017 the Assembly recommended that Ireland should adopt a significantly more liberal regime than is currently in place. They recommended that abortions should be lawful if; •There is a risk to the life of the woman
•There is a risk to the health of the woman •There’s a serious risk to the mental health •The pregnancy is as a result of rape •The foetus has a fatal foetal abnormality •Socio-economic reasons
Fine Gael
Fine Gael have simply stated that they would allow for a free vote, or a vote of conscience for the members in the Dáil with regards to the 8th amendment. Neither they nor any of their TD’s sent submissions to the Citizen’s Assembly. No formal party stance beyond that currently exists on the issue. Party leader and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said “I don’t agree with abortion on request but I also am very sure the 8th Amendment is too restrictive” during the leadership race, and has said a referendum is to be held on the issue. In a comment to the Tribune Young Fine Gael reinforced their position adopted during the summer and said “Young Fine Gael recognises that the issue of the 8th amendment is an important issue of conscience; one on which our members have a variety of very strong views across both sides of the debate. It is right that everyone comes to their own conclusion on this sensitive issue and so the Young Fine Gael organisation as a whole will not be adopting an official position in the event of a referendum.”
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil have simply stated that they would allow for a free vote, or a vote of conscience for the members in the Dáil with regards to the 8th amendment. Billy Kelleher TD submitted to the Citizen’s Assembly on behalf of the party. Here he states that “Our party believes that it is not a simple question of deleting Article 43.3.3[The 8th 12.09.2017
amendment]. This would require the public trusting the Oireachtas to introduce legislation and trying to cover certain views and beliefs on this particular issue.” Ogra Fianna Fáil have stated that “The option to terminate pregnancies in the case of fatal foetal abnormalities, which have been diagnosed by the relevant medical experts, should be available.” They also support the
Sinn Fein
holding of a referendum to determine whether to retain, repeal or amend the 8th amendment. Sinn Fein would enact legislation permitting access to abortions in cases involving the following; •Rape •Incest •Fatal foetal abnormalities. Sinn Fein Republican Youth have said that they “support women having full bodily autonomy within this country.” Sinn Féin are have also said that their TD’s will be under the party whip while sitting on the Dáil committee to consider the recommendations of the Citizen’s Assembly. They are the only party to have taken this step.
Labour
The Labour party have stated that they support the Repeal of the 8th Amendment and would legislate for access to abortions in cases where it has created a risk to the physical or mental health of the woman.
Image Above Ms Justice Mary Laffoy who presided over the Citizen’s Assembly earlier this year.
•There exist a fatal foetal abnormalities •Real and substantial risk to the health of the woman •Where rape, incest or serious sexual assault Labour Youth said in a statement to the Tribune that they do not support the party stance per say, but “understand that the party’s stance on abortion is a realistic step that Labour would take to legislate on the issue.” They noted that the Labour party policy on abortion is rather vague and is left open to interpretation and would view it as a good first step from which they can build on.
Social Democrats
The Social Democrats told the Tribune that they are prioritising repeal as until the 8th is repealed no legislation can properly implemented. The party recently joined the Coalition to Repeal the 8th amendment and have two elected representatives on the coalition. Furthermore, they stated that the party is currently undergoing a member’s consultation to establish what the legislative position would be and are hoping to build on that shortly. The UCD Social Democrats said that as they are not a separate entity but rather another branch of the Social Democrat party, their position is that of the overall party.
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Politics.
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Politics.
What is Going On in North Korea? Politics editor Aaron Bowman explains the situation in North Korea and examines the international response to it.
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orth Korea has once more found itself in the news for threatening its neighbours, mainly by conducting missile tests. As of Sunday the 3rd of September it conducted its 6th test of a nuclear weapon. This represents a complex situation for the international community, with numerous global powers having a vested interest in the ongoing situation.
Background
North Korea, or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as it is formally known, is a highly impoverished military dictatorship positioned in the north of the Korean peninsula. It borders China, Russia and South Korea and has been ruled by the Kim family since the partition of Korea at the end of World War 2. The current leader is Kim Jong-un who came to power in 2011. North Korea and South Korea fought a war from 1950 to 1953 which because of the intervention of the USA, USSR and China ended in a stalemate, returning both countries to their starting borders. The countries never signed a peace treaty as formally war was never declared by any of the participants. Instead an armistice was signed and the Korean Demilitarized Zone was created along the border. This would evolve into the most heavily armed border in the world with thousands of artillery pieces and troops positioned by both side along the length of it.
The Tests North Korea has conducted a total of 6 tests of nuclear weapons since 2006. The program has its roots in the 1960s when the USSR and China refused to help North Korea develop weapons, but instead provided the
materials and training to develop nuclear power plants. From the 1980s onwards they began to use these materials and expertise to develop the technology to create nuclear weapons. North Korea has claimed to have nuclear weapons since 2005, a claim confirmed with their first test on October 9th, 2006. They have also been developing and deploying various forms of short and longrange missile since the 1960s, aiming to develop a system that can deliver a nuclear warhead to the United States. This is the primary concern of the international community at this time, as without these missile North Korea is unable to deliver their nuclear weapons. The most recent missile test was on August 29th when North Korea fired a missile that passed over Japan before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. It is estimated that the most advanced missile in North Korea’s possession, the Hwasong-14, can travel approximately 10,000km. This is sufficient to reach the US and parts of Northern and Eastern Europe. It remains unknown whether a nuclear warhead can be mounted on this missile.
Why?
Image Above. Kim Jong-Un at a missile test which ultimately failed in April 2017.
The justification that North Korea frequently presents for its nuclear program is self- defence or self-preservation. The ruling powers of North Korea are subscribing to a variant of the Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) theory of nuclear warfare. In essence, if they have the power to strike the United States or their allies with a nuclear weapon, then the United States will not attack them because the consequences will be too great. As a part of the history taught in North Korea, everyone is taught to fear unprovoked aggression by the USA who they believe aim to see the utter destruction of their home. This fear of American
International Response
Images: latimes.com, defencetalk.wcom
12.09.2017
aggression stems from the Korean war which the North was winning until the USA intervened and pushed the North Korean army all the way back to the Chinese border in the north of the country. This anti-Americanism is particularly dangerous now as President Trump seems to play to the narrative, rather than attempt to disprove it. The big international players left in this situation are the USA and China with Japan and South Korea both factoring in, but simply adopting the US’s approach. China was seen to be the power behind North Korea for decades, to such an extent that President Trump has stated via his preferred method of Twitter that “I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!” However, there is a growing belief that China has lost what control it did have over North Korea. They denounced the most recent set of nuclear and missile tests and as a sign of how serious they were, banned the most valuable of North Korean exports to China, cutting off a vital financial lifeline for an isolated and impoverished regime. China may now look at North Korea not as a valuable tool to keep the region on edge, but rather an excellent chance to prove they are the dominant force and a serious global player by finding a solution to this problem. The USA and its allies are the second big player in the area. Currently they just want to stop the weapons tests and to oversee the disarmament of North Korea’s nuclear weapons. However, the US would eventually wish to see the Kim regime lose its power in the country. The biggest issue with the approach from the US now is Trump’s unpredictable statements. Trump said earlier this year in an interview with Bloomberg News “If it would be appropriate for me to meet with him, I would absolutely, I would be honoured to do it”. At the time, it seemed like he was going to continue the US policy on North Korea, namely sanctions to punish them with the ongoing offer of negotiations if they co-operate. Since then he has threatened “fire and fury” if they continue their tests. Whether Kim will respond to this threat remains to be seen. 0131
New York Times
Features.
The Sociology Behind Nightclubs George Hannaford
students of other disciplines will begin to pause. As I walk down Harcourt Street at eleven o’clock at night I begin to regret not leaving the Bleeding Horse earlier. Ugh they’re out! The people who have chosen to cloak themselves not only with their ‘evening wear’ but an impenetrable layer of perfume. Perhaps I shouldn’t be so hastening to judge. After all these people did spend plenty of time carefully selecting their wardrobe and artistically presenting themselves as young, happy and above all attractive individuals looking for a good time. I mean this all seems reasonable up to this point until we think about the social activity that takes place. One of the key element of any behaviour of the nightclub is the demographic of people. A strong tendency to note is that most
clubs on Harcourt Street apply to the largest demographic. The music played is back-to-back charts. If I am to be portentous I might say that this style of DJ is by no means creative, and the music is all too commonplace. So it can hardly be the music driving people to these clubs, there has to be something else. In great contrast to clubs of DTwo or Dicey’s Garden, there lies a selection of clubs scattered and sprawled which present an atmosphere not wrapped solely in alcohol consumption but rather presenting a space to listen to music mixed live with a creative backbone. Such clubs tend to offer an intimate setting of a smaller crowd, usually all adhering to a particular style. I am distinctively referring to are that of the Workman’s Club, Wigwam and The Sugar Club.
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If I am to point out just one of the strangest features of the nightclub is the behaviour enacted by two completely random individuals whom have their tongues down each other’s necks.
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he nightclub is a strange place. It’s social character and behaviour is rarely discussed of or examined in any great deal. On the surface, the club is a place of loud music, people, and generally speaking the wild consumption of alcohol. However, on a second look there lies something striking in nature which never fails to raise my eyebrows - the social interaction of the club. I’m hooked by how people’s social actions are manifested within chaotic scenes. Namely that of highly diverse and dynamic environments such as bars and pubs. Sociology is the cause of my torment to reach for understanding, hopefully students of Social Science may resonate and
And so it would be unfair to make judgment for people’s behaviour without understanding the environment they are in. However I do believe that if one was to look closely it would be seen that clubs such as that on Harcourt Street are oftentimes visited by those of a younger audience. While music may not be a centre of their night out they do offer the space to meet up with friends, dance and most importantly drink. Smaller more distinct crowds draw from what could be an older crowd, gaining in drinking maturity and looking for a night with extra depth. If we may pause and pretend that we have a bird’s eye view of a Harcourt Street nightclub what would we see? From our perspective on the dance floor there are two modes of examination. First the broader, large inclusive image of the people as a whole, and then the up close and intimate image of individuals. The broad image of the people is one of a massive clump. Any floor space is all but an illusion and the people have taken to filling out the entire surface area of the floor. (I’m pretty sure the club managers have let too many people in... again.) There is also a strange out-of-sync ripple effect, similar to open water as the clump moves against the beat. It’s quite bizarre to witness, because even though the track is changing the ripple doesn’t seem to change significantly. However notable ‘tunes’ in the DJ’s repertoire does bolster hands to raise suddenly with screaming. But the larger image bores me, it is the close-up perspective that holds to much headache requiring comprehension. Up-close the behaviour becomes muddled and messy. The sweat is pouring, so much for that so called impenetrable layer of perfume or cologne, the scent is stale. Yet it is in this close up realm questions concerning motives and attitudes come alive. If I am to point out just one of the strangest features of the nightclub is the behaviour enacted by two completely random individuals whom have their tongues down each other’s necks. We all know the scenario we look round, witness, and roll our eyes. When in discussion with a friend I brought up this scenario, to which there didn’t seem to be any confusion about how such an event would occur. ‘You look over and like what you see, they do too, and you kiss’. My friend’s testimonial lays a lot to be desired. This is a nightclub, surely the dynamic isn’t this simple but more complex. For starters in review of said testimonial ‘they do too...’ it can be easy to say that you like the look of somebody, but finding how true the other side is. Is this not the origin of much disconcerting feelings? But there is a difference here - there is alcohol, a catalyst of what only time can tell to be either laudable or regretful actions. But to reiterate surely this is a question regarding motive. One thing that I can’t get out of my head is the concept that not everyone there is at the nightclub to ‘get lucky’ (to put it simply). So when the hovering begins or the hands begin to touch, perhaps surely there is a less invasive means of finding out if ‘they do to’? But whatever the environment and whatever the crowd, there stills lies odd behaviours on an up close level that raises eyebrows and sets the mind on a range of meandering thoughts that require further examination. p.11
Features.
The Student Housing Crisis:
Are Digs a Quick Fix? Editor Rachel O’Neill examines the housing crisis and asks students their views on living in digs during college.
www.collegetribune.ie
age more homeowners to rent out their spare rooms and ease pressure on the rental market. Whether this campaign is working remains to be seen. An ad spotted on one Facebook group from a potential homeowner considered offering a room Monday to Friday provided that the renter was a dog lover and would walk the owner’s Labradoodles 4 times a week. I spoke to 4 students who have lived in digs to learn more about their experiences
Alanna Murphy, 23 A science student in UCD, Alanna lived in digs for 3 out of 4 years in college and hav “The first year I choose digs because I had no other option. I was moving up to Dublin for the first time as a college student and struggled greatly to find accommodation. The second time I choose digs was because I had to tried to live in student accommodation by myself for a year and didn’t really like it. It turns out I’m far too lazy to make food for myself.” Paying €650 a month in her second digs, Alanna had a dinner made for her every night and really got on with her host. “The women who ran it was lovely and was always up for a chat, which can be nice after a difficult day. The ‘vibe’ in my second digs, which was family occupied was very mellow and helped keep me in a positive frame of mind. I got along really well with the whole family. My landlord and her husband have been very kind to me. They have both given me lifts to college on many occasions and have picked me up too.”
Alex Jones, 20 A student in Trinity College, Alex has lived in two different digs in the last 2 years. She says that living in digs is generally cheaper than accommodation and has some advantages.
“ Rents are now 13% higher than they were at the peak of the Celtic Tiger in 2008.
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A
campaign headed up by Campaigns & Communications Officer Barry Murphy has exposed the problems that students are facing with getting acceptable accommodation around Dublin. The campaign involves UCD students going undercover to view potential places and exposing their shoddy conditions using Snapchat. Some of the conditions revealed included kitchen utensils being stored in the bathroom due to lack of space in the kitchen. In another house, a bed can clearly be seen in the kitchen. Many of these spaces are advertised as single rooms when the reality could meaning sharing with up to 15 other people. Some of the landlords are requesting up to €750 a month with no lease or contract provided to the tenant. In one case, a potential landlord can be heard telling the students to go get a deposit out of a nearby ATM. The problem is exacerbated when you read a new report from Daft.ie which revealed that rents are now 13% higher than they were at the peak of the Celtic Tiger in 2008. The problem is particularly bad in Dublin where the average monthly cost of renting a house is now €1,741. This is 1.5 times greater than the nationalr average of €1,159. The report also revealed that the cost of a single room to rent in Dublin is €632 which is €200 more than in Cork and €250 more than Galway. In an attempt to give a student specific solution to the ever growing housing crisis, UCDSU teamed up with TCDSU and Daft.ie to highlight the advantages of digs to both students and potential landlords. Geo-targeted adverts placed on websites like DoneDeal.ie, Daft.ie and Adverts.ie encourage homeowners to let out their spare room to students. Under current legislation, homeowners can earn up to €14,000 tax free by letting out their spare rooms. The aim of this campaign is to encour-
“There’s a person or family that you know are nearby to call if there did happen to be a crisis. I know from my parent’s point of view, they found it a lot easier letting me go knowing that I would be in a house with 'real adults'.” However, there are some problems with living in digs as Alex found out: “You must bear in mind that often you're moving into a family home. They will have a set up for how they like things done and it may be very different to the set up you had at home.” This can be particularly difficult with the student lifestyle of going out during the week and coming home late at night. “One of the difficulties I faced during the second year was that as I was very active in the societies in college. I would frequently be home late and want to cook when I came in. I don’t drink but my landlady found that I came home too late home to cook in the evenings so gave me a curfew in terms of when I was allowed use the kitchen.” This was a problem for Alex but wasn’t the worst rules she came across. “Personally, I found this very frustrating as it resulted in my needing to eat out more and thus increased my expenses. However, there were various other digs I heard of in which you just weren't allowed use the kitchen.”
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Ryan, a student in UCD lived in digs for around 2 years. He said he chose digs because he had to. “There were very few alternatives available because campus accommodation was either unavailable to certain year groups or too expensive. Renting as a student was not affordable either. Digs was a last resort.” Ryan was charged €150 for 5 days a week and was given dinner every evening. The owner was quite lax about rules compared to others. While his experience in digs was on the whole quite positive, Ryan explains his frustration about the housing situation for students as a whole: “The overreliance of digs options for students feels like a symptom of a government-proposed, unsatisfying solution to the wider issue of lack of affordable housing for students in the city. Home owners are being encouraged to open up their properties to students looking to rent as a way of making possible additional income but in reality digs options are compensating for the wider failure of the rent situation in Dublin and lack of rent options.” He also highlights the problem with living in someone else’s home: “Some owners can be abrasive and overly strict. It does not feel like you have your own personal space
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I got made homeless for some pretty minimal things, without any notice and it’s only because I have amazing family that I wasn’t left literally on the street with nowhere to live.
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Ryan Murphy, 22
as you do not own the property and live in it under the rules of the owners. It feels like you are invading someone’s personal life at times. Not being around people your own age such as elderly owners or families is not the most ideal experience and can at times impact your emotional experience of college.”
deposit I paid for that one week. The deposit was like €350 from which she took €18 out of it to replace the sheet.” Katie was in utter shock. “I got made homeless for some pretty minimal things, without any notice and it’s only because I have amazing family that I wasn’t left literally on the street with nowhere to live.”
Katie Farrell, 22
The Problem
Katie was undertaking a PLC in advertising in 2015 when she lived in digs. At first living in digs started off fine with the rent being relatively cheap and no particularly harsh rules in place. “I had to keep to specific spaces within the kitchen in terms of where I stored things and I had to make sure I cleaned up after being there. I had full use of washing machine and there was no dishwasher so I had to wash up. I could be around at weekends if I wanted to be but for the most part I preferred to go home.” This all changed around 6 weeks into the arrangement as Katie describes: “They’d been away the week beforehand so I’d been there on my own. I went home for the weekend. I arrive back on the Sunday evening. I was in the kitchen getting a drink and they corner me kind of and are tell me ‘it’s not working out and we’re asking you to leave’. The reasons they gave was apparently I’d left the kitchen messy, and that I’d gotten a stain on a sheet. They also said that I’d left clothes everywhere in my room. They told me to either move out the very next day or that I could stay for a week but they’d be taking the
Digs were never meant to be a permanent solution to the housing crisis but right now, they seem to be all we have. With rising rents for sub-standard accommodation right across the city many students will have no option but to opt for digs. The experiences highlighted in this piece are only a handful and not representative of everyone who has lived in the digs but the trend is concerning. A recurring theme throughout my interviews was people feeling unwelcome or being unable to be themselves fully when living in digs. You’re also at the mercy of the landlord and so minor infractions can put you in a pretty perilous situation as Katie found out. Each interviewee was asked for advice that they’d give students who were thinking about moving into digs; Alanna: “I’d choose digs if you don’t mind living in someone’s home and are able to live with the restrictions this can place on you.” Alex: “People should be wary to understand what digs are and don’t expect their rent to be written up officially. Landlords can be liable to change rules because in their eyes it is their house after all. Checking what potential rules may arise is very important in deciding if digs is for you.” Ryan: “I would recommend digs to other students as they are often more affordable than renting a house or on-campus accommodation. However, be careful to find a place whose owners’ personalities work well with their own.” Katie: “It was the best option available to me. I wouldn’t have chosen it if I’d had other options. I wouldn’t recommend it to students after the experience that I had.”
Conclusion With colleges like Galway now looking at the possibility of using floating accommodation to house students, it’s clear that a quick fix to this problem is not on the horizon. Perhaps it’s time that UCD put those lakes to good use. *Please note that some names have been changed to protect the identities of the people in this piece.
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Music.
Albums in Review
Adam Bielenberg
Freedom Child
The Script
CT Rating 8/10
F
or their fifth album, The Script have opted to refurbish their sound; departing from their spineless light rock to EDM-pop. This renovation makes their music seem more marketable and even more fit for the radio. But what is more interesting is their decision to touch on political themes. Freedom Child was inspired by recent terrorist attacks and the polarisation of America - with the most obvious link being the track “Divided States of America”. While it’s refreshing to hear a pop act take on weightier subject matter, The Script do so in an overly schmaltzy manner. Danny O’Donoghue really sings about the need to find solidarity and love in midst of political turmoil – a message too trite to have much of an effect. Freedom Child is overflowing with tenth-rate hooks and some awful lines such
American Dream
as “I’m your great white, you’re my great piranha”. The lyrics are celebratory of the world-conquering impact of love. It’s all together a saccharine affair. On “Wonders”, O’Donoghue reads out a bucket list, expressing a desire to see the wonders of the world and on “Make-Up”, he takes on the persona of a father telling his daughter to accept her beauty. O’Donoghue also trips up when attempting to sing in falsetto on multiple occasions. There are moments where the glossier production reaps rewards. Wedged in between the dead matter is “Deliverance” – which is an excellent track bound by an infectious groove. The opener “No Man is an Island” is also a respectable pop song, with a tincture of reggae in it. However, overall, despite their modifications, those songs can’t save The Script who fail to hit any heights here.
LCD Soundsystem CT Rating 8/10
O
f all comeback records, the thought of American Dream was the most mouth-watering. James Murphy’s inimitable oeuvre has always stood out from the dance music scene. The musical stratosphere has witnessed several vicissitudes in the seven years of his absence so it was always going to be interesting how it fits in. Despite some self-deprecating musings on here, Murphy has still got it. This is instantly evident as soon as the opener “Oh Baby” gathers steam. There is an impressive smorgasbord of styles incorporated into American Dream – from krautrock to techno; rendering this LCD Soundsystem’s most eclectic effort to date. There’s a moodier tone to this album On previous albums, you wouldn’t have encountered a song as desolate as “I Used To”, which could slot into Bowie’s Blackstar any day of the week. The warbling title track is worthy of some lighter-waving. Murphy’s wit only makes an appearance less than a handful of times. It’s most pronounced on “Tonite” with his facetious take on mortality and the social
Gig Guide 12.09.2017
media. There is also some side-splitting selfparodying here. Through a muffled speakerphone, Murphy proclaims himself as “the hobbled veteran of the disk shop inquisition”. The centrepiece is “How Do You Sleep?” – a behemoth of a dance song. It commences with a tightly-woven tribal rhythm before being transmogrified when the colossal, jouncing bass synths enter. Murphy’s voice is reduced to a distant cry, drowned out by the towering instrumentation. Lo-fi lead single “Call the Police” is an anthem reminiscent of Is This It-era Strokes, filled with air-punching euphoria. The long comedown closer “Black Screen” is a poignant threnody to Bowie, who Murphy regularly communicated with by e-mail. LCD Soundsystem’s recrudescence is a triumph. At a time where there has been a scarcity of quality music coming out, American Dream is a godsend – a sonic, aural adventure to lose yourself in. When Murphy utters “I’ve got nothing left to say, I’m just too old for it now”, it’s the only mistake he’s made on the entire album.
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM: THE OLYMPIA SEP 27, 28 & 29
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS: 3 ARENA SEP 20 & 21
THE NATIONAL: VICAR STREET SEP 17 & 18
The most mesmerising live act around, James Murphy & co. play a triad of concerts. They’ll be bound to incorporate loads of instruments and will be fresh off the release of their first record in 7 years.
The California stalwarts will bring their funk rock extravaganza to the 3 Arena in support of last years album The Getaway. These dates were rescheduled from December 2016
To coincide with the release of their 7th album, The National play two dates in Vicar Street. Singer Matt Berninger’s baritone voice and the band’s anthemic sound is a joy to behold.
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An Interview with
Otherkin Music editor Adam Bielenberg chats to the Dublin fourpiece Otherkin who are rapidly rising through the ranks of the Irish music scene and whose debut album has been a long time coming.
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he band are fresh off the back of gracing the stage at Reading & Leeds and Electric Picnic. With their debut album OK about to surface, I had the pleasure of having a chat with bassist David Anthony and drummer Rob Summons. The inception of Otherkin goes back to 2010 when David and Conor Wynne (lead guitarist) who knew each other from school met Luke Reilly (vocalist/guitarist) in college. The three of them spent a summer in Toronto together, a trip which proved to be an inspiration as David explains. “We ended up spending half of the summer playing music on our porch and then we got home and decided we should start a band”. The project was fully set into motion when they found Rob on an online forum in 2012. The band name comes from a subculture that socially and spiritually identify as partially or wholly non-human, something which Rob and David assured that they are not part of.
Image Above. Otherkin will play an in-store gig in Tower Records the same day. On December 15th, they will play at the Button Factory. OK comes out on September 29th on Rubyworks Records.
At a time where there is a palpable absence of guitar-driven music from young, vibrant bands, Otherkin are the exception. The band shares a love of Queens of the Stone Age, the Clash, Ramones and Nirvana. Rob feels they have “slight elements of grunge, punk and indie”. They loved the energy of modern skate punk bands like FIDLAR and grew up with noughties indie rock. Otherkin are aware of how the musical landscape has changed in the past decade; “the whole indie rock revival has gone - stuff like grime and hip hop has replaced it” says Rob. David agrees, “the largest rock bands are heritage acts… we are definitely trying to make sure that rock n’ roll comes back into the frame”. Rob says that “for a lot of bands, their live performances are pretty boring; that flair has been missing”. Otherkin really thrive when playing gigs and the songs are written with a view to them being played live. The quartet have put out two EPs so far The 201 and The New Vice. However, their debut album is a major feather in the cap for the band. “It’s the amalgamation of years of writing music” Rob explains. “There are some songs which are 3 or 4 years old”. David adds “We took time to write OK - it’s one cohesive piece of music of music that represents Otherkin”. The record is a ride through modern day anxieties replete with relatable themes such as betrayal and being messed around by somebody. Otherkin don’t hide away from social commentary although they do not consider themselves to be a political band. “There are a lot of songs on the album that address issues close to home, here in Dublin such as drugs and homelessness” according to David. To get their creative juices flowing, Otherkin retreated to rural Irish farmhouses, writ-
ing a lot of OK in them. “We locked ourselves away in a place down in Cavan down for a while” explains Rob. They were free of any distractions such as the Internet. “We just wanted to really force ourselves into isolation and see what came about” David adds. There was an element of cabin fever for the band. “Half of the album was written in a music room in Dublin; the rest of it was written in the middle of nowhere”. Otherkin have striking music videos to accompany their songs which are both artistic and memorable. The colourful video for “REACT” features a man in a suit, gradually expanding in size, prancing around the band. While “Yeah“I Know’’s video contains a dark, callous murder scene filmed in monochrome.” In Rob’s view, Otherkin are a very visual band. He points out that the band are highly aware of their appearance given they are normally dressed in black and white. The relationship between music and music videos has changed significantly since when Rob and David were growing up. David describes the situation - “there is more chance to go viral now but at the same time the era of music television is gone”. Otherkin have been amassing recognition on a global scale. Metallica’s Lars Ulrich played “Yeah I Know” on his Beats 1 show twice in a row. They were included in NME’s Radar section, whichhas, over the years thrown up acts that would go on to achieve fame. Otherkin have been given a taste of large crowds as a support act for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fall Out Boy and Guns n’ Roses at Slane which was a magical moment for Luke who is a local resident of the town. At a time where rock music is in need of a facelift or revival, Otherkin could be the ones to save the day.
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Film.
Film In Review:
Atomic Blonde Film Editor Ciara Dillon reviews David Leitch’s new spy flick.
T
he spy-thriller genre is often viewed as either over-thetop cheesy and rather unbelievable, as demonstrated in the older James Bond films, or else gratuitously actionpacked to the point where there is almost no room for anything else, as seen in the Bourne series. David Leitch’s Atomic Blonde attempts to inject a bit of life into a genre that can so easily become repetitive, and for the most part, he makes a solid effort. Set during the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, Atomic Blonde centres on MI6 killing-machine Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron), who is sent to Berlin to retrieve a valuable list of double agents after a fellow British agent winds up dead while carrying it. She is also tasked with murdering Satchel, a doubleagent who is believed to have leaked information to Soviet agents. Lorraine enters a chaotic Berlin and, with the help of the shady and unreliable David Percival (James McAvoy) and seductive French beauty Delphine Lasalle (Sofia Boutella), she must navigate her way through a sea of double-crossers and Russian enemies. Atomic Blonde does a lot of things right. The film is flashy in the best way, boasting striking colours and a banging soundtrack that hugely compliments the action-packed scenes. The fighting sequences are choreographed to perfection, with an excellent balance between slick editing and hide-behindyour-hands violence. The soundtrack, particularly the sloweddown version of 99 Luftballons played over the final sequence, adds just the right amount of whimsy to the film, stopping it from overflowing with gratuitous blood and gore, but allowing it to remain sleek. Visually the film is a joy to look at. Leitch makes fantastic use of vibrant colours and exciting contrasts. In fact, the white-blonde hair of Lorraine Broughton does an excellent job at intensifying the striking surroundings of the comic-esque world. Charlize Theron proved herself as an action superstar in her acclaimed role as Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), and Atomic Blonde allows her to shut down anyone who may have doubted her ability. Her fighting is phenomenal and her performance as steely Broughton is as Cold as the War itself. Theron puts her male counterparts to shame, making use of everything and anything, from a hose to her own stiletto, to ensure her www.collegetribune.ie
survival. Rocking one of the fiercest looks I’ve seen onscreen, Theron’s performance keeps the film’s tension ticking over, even though at no point do I fear for her losing a fight. However, Atomic Blonde is not a flawless film. My biggest issue had to be runtime. For such a fast-paced film it began to feel quite drawn out towards the end, and the concurrent timeline of Broughton being interrogated seemed to detract from the film rather than enhance it. This ultimately delayed the ending and felt like two storylines needed to be wrapped up rather than one. For me, it felt like a niggling issue that had to be dealt with and, though the outcome was entertaining and in keeping with the film, made an otherwise exciting film seem that bit slower. With the exception of Theron’s portrayal of Lorraine Broughton, the character development in the film did not exactly grab me. James McAvoy’s performance as Percival, though well done, was not dissimilar to other roles he’s had in the past, and overall the air of shadiness about his character made the outcome of the plot a little predictable. The other characters are given little opportunity to shine. Sofia Boutella does well to convey the
Director: David Leitch Cast: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, John Goodman, Til Schweiger, Eddie Marson, Sofia Boutella & Toby Jones Cert: 16 Runtime: 115 min
‘small fish in a big pond’ idea of a young girl who got herself caught up in something way out of her depth, and her one-on-one scenes with Theron are quite standout in the film. Toby Jones and John Goodman have little to work with. Eddie Marson performs well and his role is key, however he feels like more of a prop to enhance the respective performance of Theron and McAvoy, and ultimately my attention was drawn to them over him. Atomic Blonde is a battle between spectacle and story, and spectacle most definitely comes out on top. The film is visually powerful and makes fantastic use of a retro soundtrack that somehow still manages to give the movie a very modern vibe. This was matched with snappy, exciting editing and incredible fight sequences to make for a visual delight. Charlize Theron gave a stellar performance as icy blonde death-dealer Lorraine Broughton but ultimately the appearance of the film overshadowed the plot, which for me felt a little too drawn-out. Nonetheless, David Leitch’s creation makes for an exciting, entertaining watch and definitely one for gals who are sick of watching men be the heroes. 0131
Once Bitten, Twice Shamed Film Editor Muireann O’Shea looks at how abortion is portrayed in film and television and asks is it realistic?
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“ Often, there’s no moral ambiguity for characters who have abortions; If you are a morally good person, you decide not to have the abortion.
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bortion is possibly the most volatile word in Irish society. Even a simple insinuation can elicit intense responses both sides. Ireland is sandwiched between two media giants, America and Britain, whose legal stance on abortion is completely different to ours. We rarely see our countries particular predicament portrayed on screen. This summer, Irish filmmaker Tom Ryan brought the reality of Irish women travelling to England for abortions to the big screen in his film Twice Shy. Post-Leaving Cert, in a pub in Tipperary, Andy asks Maggie to the debs. Some three years later, he’s driving her to the airport, so that she can fly to London for an abortion. Flashbacks fill us in on the rise and fall of their relationship. It’s a bonafide road trip movie, only with an abortion at the end. Mid-journey, Andy is horrified to learn that Maggie is travelling alone to London and planning to stay in a hostel dorm room. But this is the reality of Irish women who need abortions, how can she afford anything else? The film doesn’t make some grand political statement about the 8th amendment. Instead, its comments on the shame deeply ingrained within Irish society. Just as Maggie keeps her pregnancy a secret, Andy hides his father’s struggles with mental illness. The pivotal moment comes when Andy asks his dad (the scene-stealing Ardal O’Hanlon) for help. Andy’s father is not aware of Maggie’s pregnancy, but his message is universal; whether we are up against Irish society’s stigma surrounding mental illness or abortion, we must support each other whenever possible. It’s unfortunate that Twice Shy is one-of-a-kind, but it’s a blessing nonetheless. Pre-dating Twice Shy, America had a similar turning point in its depiction of abortion on screen with 2014 romcom Obvious Child. Recently “dumped up with” Donna becomes pregnant after a drunken one-night-stand with a stranger and decides to get an abortion. She cries during her consult at Planned Parenthood, not because of some moral quandary, but because the price of the procedure is her entire month’s rent. She tells the father, but it’s not a point of conflict. The film features an abortion and a happy ending for the couple involved, this shouldn’t be revolutionary, yet it is. While on television, we see more talk of abortions, but much less realism. Gretchen Sisson analysed 78 major abortion storylines between 2005 and 2014. She found that 51% of characters who considered abortion actually went through with the procedure, while the rest had last-minute change of hearts or “convenient” miscarriages. 9% of the analysed storylines ended in adoption, when in reality, only 1% do. In the film Juno, the pregnant teen needs only be told that her baby already has fingernails for her to decide against abortion. It doesn’t help that the abortion clinic Juno visits is decrepit, with vulgar staff and abusive protesters. This film is a quirky coming-of-age tale, but Juno’s pregnancy is rarely more than a slight inconvenience to her; nothing that a little punk music can’t fix. In Grey’s Anatomy, Christina has two abortions throughout her time at Seattle Grace Hospital; having children was never
part of her plan. In House of Cards, Claire has three abortions and is often criticized for not having children. Similarly, Scandal’s depiction of abortion angered many viewers as Olivia Pope aborts the president’s baby, smiling, to the soundtrack of Silent Night. Three strong and ambitious characters chose their career over children, it’s completely understandable, and yet, we are still made to see them as cold and unloving for not wanting to become mothers.
O
nly recently have writers began to defy the TV trope that “Good Girls Avoid Abortion”. Often, there’s no moral ambiguity for characters who have abortions; If you are a morally good person, you decide not to have the abortion. Degrassi, a veteran of the after-school-special scene, and the similar, but soapier show The Fosters, have both recently featured sixteen-year-old characters having abortions. Both girls, Lola and Emma, go to clinic appointments, not with the fathers or friends, but with a classmate and boyfriend’s older brother, respectively. Their main concern is not if they are making the right decision, but if they are horrible, or immoral, people for not feeling bad about having an abortion. Of course, these two stories are shrouded in ludicrous plotlines. Emma informs her boyfriend of the abortion by letter, but unfortunately, he is hiding that, after a recent brain injury, he cannot read. While Lola’s pregnancy is the result of sleeping with her best friend’s older brother while his boyfriend is in a coma. The bigger picture seems like melodrama at its most unrealistic, but these
two abortion storylines alone are treated with the greatest sensitivity. Australian show Please Like Me featured, perhaps, the most realistic depiction of abortion, as we follow Claire to the clinic, past protesters and into the bathroom for the most intimate parts of the procedure. Conflicted, Claire truly believes in her right to her own bodily autonomy, and yet cannot shake the shame that society makes her feel. She explains how she spent a long time trying to decide what to wear to the clinic, she didn’t want people to think she was like the other girls there, and she hated herself for thinking that. When she says, “I thought my politics would keep me safe from my feelings” she gets to the root of what it is to be pro-choice. No singular person or plot line can represent every person’s experience with abortion. The decision to have an abortion is, first and foremost, a personal decision, not a political one. For TV abortions, the drama lies in the moral dilemma, rather than the barriers, like finance or stigma, that more commonly exist in real life. And the people getting abortions on TV are disproportionately whiter, younger and richer than in reality. Why do we see so many inaccurate tales of abortion on screen? For the same reason that Criminal Minds is nothing like really working for the FBI; storylines must be dramatic (though a lack of female screenwriters is another possible reason). Though this article comes from a pro-choice standpoint, encouraging realistic stories of abortion on the big and small screen can bring us closer to a solution to this divisive debate in Irish society. p.17
Fashion.
2017 TREND REPORT
AUTUMN WINTER
Maison Margiela
IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN, WHERE WE DESPERATELY SEEK OUT THE KEY TRENDS WE NEED TO APPLY TO OUR AUTUMN WARDROBE. ALTHOUGH IT’S HARD FOR US TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT SUMMER IS COMING TO A CLOSE AND IT’S TIME FOR US TO PUT AWAY OUR SLIDERS AND OUR SUNGLASSES (IF WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO EVEN GET THE CHANCE TO TAKE THEM) Shannon O’Doherty Fashion Editor
MaxMara
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CORPORATE CHIC
The tailored twosome is essential when discussing trends for autumn and winter of this year. Whether it be Isabel Marant’s hourglass silhouette two piece or Lemaire’s corduroy two piece, one thing’s for sure - no two are the same. This trend incorporates elements of the power suit from the nineties such as the boxy shape and the doublebreasted jacket but adapted so that it has a relaxed style yet tailored in a modern fashion. Examples of these have been seen on the catwalks of Victoria Beckham, Haider Ackermann and Maison Margiela.
MaxMara
‘IT’ COLOUR
The ‘it’ colour of the rapidly approaching season is without a doubt red. The runways featured fifty shades of this extraordinary colour, donned by Prada, Fendi and MaxMara to name a few. Not only was red shown on the runways, it was emphasised that when it comes to red this season - the bolder the better. Lucky for us, red also happens to be the colour that is most suited to every skin tone! A recurring trend to be familiar with also is the combination of red and pink, it’s so audacious that you have to love it even if you hate it. Of course, it’s not practical to assume that we will all be walking around campus wearing red two pieces and a floor length red trench - but incorporate this daring colour into your wardrobe one way or another this season.
Stella McCartney Nina Ricci
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DENIER DREAMS
It’s no secret that fishnet tights was the accessory of last season, and we have Kylie Jenner to thank for that. However, this season hosiery is far from out. On the catwalk of Mulberry, we found mohair tights in a variety of colours - blue, green, and even brown. Nina Ricci has a complete different approach to the hosiery trend, showing off lace embroidered almost bridal-like tights. Whereas Alexander Wang’s look is determined to take us back in time to our youth with Bella Hadid donning opaque tights under shorts, paired with some stiletto heeled boots.
Nina Ricci
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Victoria Beckham
Chanel
Chanel
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FUTURISTIC FOILS
Crystal bodysuits, metallic jackets and glitter boots are all trends to follow if Alessandro Michele, Christopher Kane and Karl Lagerfeld have any say in the matter. Karl Lagerfeld based his entire collection around his Chanel Space Centre where a rocket that was soon to be launched was based in the centre of the Grand Palais. Of course we’re not all going to be able to afford Chanel’s space cadet uniform so instead keep an eye out for metallic detailing when looking to incorporate this theme into our autumn/winter wardrobe.
EQUESTRIAN-ESQUE Stella McCartney paid homage to equestrian fashion in her autumn/winter collection with tweed two-pieces and oversized coats in a minimal utilitarian palette of biscuit, sand, grey and khaki. Stella’s outfits have fitted torsos whilst being slightly oversized which adds to the classic femininity of the collection. She even has knitwear pieces in this collection with images of horses on them. Altuzarra also pays tribute to the equestrian theme as well as the previously mentioned corporate theme with a tweed jacket that has the perfect smart, sophisticated yet stylish look.
Elie Saab
Alexander McQueen
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DECADENT GLAMOUR
Feathers are both eccentric and extraordinary, they add luxury and character to a look and can be the minor detail which can alter the entire outfit - from a cliche to something much more unique and extravagant. Feathers were definitely something of the past but fashion is determined to make them fabulous again. Alexander McQueen and Elie Saab both approached the feather comeback by donning the feather trim, which is a much more accessible approach to this trend. Whereas Balenciaga showed off an overwhelmingly staggering floor length feathered gown. Miuccia Prada addressed this trend by showcasing the feather headdress. Pearls are a symbol of luxury and elegance, and fashion also saw to the reviving of this jewel in this glamour trend. The autumn/winter shows saw heavy pearl embellishments on the likes of Alessandro Michele’s Gucci accessories, while also showing dainty pearl embellishments as seen on Mulberry’s pearl charmed loafers. Dior
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CHUNKY KNITS Layering is without a doubt the best part about autumnal fashion and a key layering piece, the granny-esque cardigan, is having a fashion reboot. These can be seen at Prada’s shows - both menswear and womenswear. Who doesn’t love a good chunky knit? If you want to amalgamate two trends, you can do so by looking for knits with pearl embellishments or various other embroidering. A popular trend among the trend of knits is the pairing of knitted jumpers and midi skirts - shown at Balenciaga and Dior.
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THE SOCK BOOT The sock boot is a trend that has been around for a while, and you’ll be happy to know that the trend isn’t going anywhere this season. This was brought in with the athleisure trend and it’s still a very dominant shoe on the runways for this autumn/winter. It’s appeal stems from the functionality and wearability of the shoe - it’s extremely easy to wear, all you have to do is just slip it on. Although the sock boot trend is here to stay, it has evolved slightly. It’s been modified and made into a more sophisticated shoe with a more pointed toe and stiletto heel. You can see this from the likes of Balenciaga and Alexander Wang.
Jeremy Scott
Jeremy Scott
AW 2017 TREND REPORT
BEAUTY NOW THAT THE COLDER SEASON IS UPON US THE BEAUTY TRENDS ARE DUE FOR A MODIFICATION, AND THE AUTUMN/WINTER CATWALKS ARE THE VERY PLACE TO LOOK FOR THIS CHANGE IN TRENDS. Shannon O’Doherty Fashion Editor
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The trend of bold eyeliner was flaunted on BOLD the runways of all four of the fashion weeks EYES in New York, London, Milan and Paris, but
especially so in Milan. Bold eyeliner trends varied across the board of the four fashion weeks. Pat McGrath smudged out black liner and topped it with blue for Prada. Eyes were lined and smudged with kohl liner from the inner corner to the temple at Balmain and Versace. The makeup artists went for a 60s eye with winged liner at Chloe. Similarly, Prabal Gurung approached the cat eye but in a more futuristic way by using bold primary colours along the eyelid or across the brow bone. Jeremy Scott opposed the general minimalist rule by adopting a doll-like effect by using lash maximalism. Hoawever, since we’re in the real world and not on the catwalks, clumping our eyelashes together might not be the best idea. Instead what we can take from Mr. Scott is to make our eyelashes stand out by layering mascara or even adding a few individual false eyelashes to our look.
Oscar De La Renta
Gucci
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SLICK RICK
Straight, sleek hair was a recurring look throughout the fashion weeks, Oscar De La Renta had models with glossy, tightly-secured high pontytails. Whereas Loewe and Erdem, who also went for the high-shine look, embraced a low ponytail that tightly gathered at the nape of the neck with a centre parting. The models at Topshop Unique also had sleek, smooth and glossy hair. In terms of hair styling, the shows were split down the middle in the sense that one side supported the sleek, no frizz look. The other side however backed the tousled, laidback, minimal effort look. You can attempt to achieve this by applying minimal effort, but for the vast majority of us that method won’t get us hair like Romee Strijd. If only the minimal look required minimal effort!
STATEMENT MANI The statement manicure was a prominent feature of the autumn/winter catwalks, so book your nail appointments because it’s time to bring back the claws. The likes of Gucci showed off crystal-studded talons, and Antonio Marras’ models had nails with pearl embellishments. In contrast, Balenciaga and Moschino opted for a subtler approach - Balenciaga with a logo mani, and Moschino with a reverse tan french 60s style mani. Jeremy Scott made a statement by incorporating the ‘it’ colour of the season and donned scarlet red hooks.
Arts.
What’s On In Dublin This Month? The Dublin Fringe Festival Arts & Events Editor Holly Lloyd casts her eye over the highlights of this year Dublin’s Fringe Festival.
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ith the Autumn term comes the usual excitable feelings and back to college rituals. Fortunately the Autumn/Winter period continuously boasts an effervescent program of arts events, and the 2017-2018 calendar certainly appears to continue this tradition. One of the highlights of the cultural year, the Dublin Fringe Festival, happens to occur over the first two weeks of the first semester. The Festival has gained a huge following of art enthusiasts and newcomers alike to the scene. Its aim is to combine a multitude of artistic disciplines, such as theatre, comedy and dance, to bring fresh, innovative interpretations of these disciplines to the audiences of Dublin. The festival runs from the 9th-24th September with several shows performed each night in several different performance spaces across the city.
Created by Peter Power and Conflicted Theatre, Neon Western has been described as ‘part rave, part theatre.’ The play is set in the Soiled Dove Saloon, a place which we can quickly identify is an area of little to no morals. As well as an interesting story, the high point of this play is the interactive feel and the merge between audience and theatre space, as well as the use of lighting and effects. Showing on 9th-10th and 13th-17th September in the Samuel Beckett Theatre.
12.09.2017
Alison Spittle; Worrier Princess:
For a lighter side to the Fringe Festival, comedian Alison Spittle will be doing her new show following the success of her last show ‘Alison Spittle Discovers Hawaii’. Her honesty and genuine tales of worry will have you in an elated mood from the minute you step into the auditorium, Showing 11th-17th September at the Bello Bar.
Soldier Still:
Junk Ensemble Dance Theatre have a reputation for consistently brilliant productions and prove again and again that Ireland holds an incredible level of dance theatre and contemporary dance. Twin sisters Jessica and Megan Kennedy have created Solider Still, a dance theatre piece involving dancers and former soldiers to give form to the trauma and violence so often experienced by soldiers. Text, spoken word and visuals are incorporated to fully explore the concept. Showing from 9th-14th September in the Project Arts Centre.
Not at Home:
With the current campaigns surrounding the 8th amendment, this play is particularly relevant as it explores the idea of the abortion clinic waiting room. Produced by Emma Fraser of Nine Crows and Grace Dyas of Theatre Club, they have spent over a year collecting testimonies of 163,514 women's experiences of travelling abroad for terminations in order to retell these stories in a non judgemental way through an artistic platform, and more importantly to connect women who have gone through the same experience. It will run from 14th-17th September in the NCAD gallery.
ring. The two have become a force in new theatre after the success of plays “My Name is Saoirse”, “Maz” and “Bricks and Overshadowed”, focuses on the theme of anorexia and has recently been commissioned by BBC Three to become an eight part drama. These ladies are creating relatable, intriguing works and is a must see of the festival. Showing September 20th-23rd at the Smock Alley Theatre.
Neon Western:
Bulmers Comedy Festival:
The Friday Night Effect:
Images: dublinfringefest.com
This new play has just had a run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and received rave reviews to no surprise. Theatre company ‘Sundays Child’ made up of Eva O’Connor and Hildegard Ryan are responsible for the creation and writing of this play, with O’Connor also star-
Images: dublinfringefest.com
The Bulmers comedy festival will take place from the 7th-30th of September. The festival will feature 17 award winning comedians who will perform every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the month. The festival will take place at the Laughter Lounge in Dublin, and arrival before 7:30pm each night, will be rewarded with a complimentary Bulmers pint or cocktail! The four main comedians performing are Stuart Goldsmith from the 7th-9th, Andrew Ryan from the 14th-16th, Nigel NG from the 21st-23rd and Owen O’Neill from the 28th-30th, with special guests on each night
Images: dublinfringefest.com 0131
Fresh Fest 2017
A Handy Guide to the Best Societies
Holly Lloyd Arts & Events Editor
F
reshers’ Week is one of the most exciting opening weeks of the UCD calendar. It not only creates a great buzz around campus, but is the true beginning of college integration and can really help freshers find their feet when they get involved with a society that fully immerses themselves in the same interests as theirs. With over 80 societies to choose from, the freshers tent will be sure to cover all interests. As well as societies, registration will be available for all sports clubs. From rugby to skiing, hurling to ninjutsu, there are over 50 sports clubs to sign up to for the year ahead. Many societies gain huge membership and have a full calendar of events over the term.
Horse Racing Society: The HRS is a relatively new society, but it hasn't stopped them becoming one of the most active. Auditor Laura McAteer has ensured that this year will be its best yet, with trips to Cheltenham, The Prix de l’arc de Triomph in Paris and regular yard trips and member deals for irish horse racing tickets. You’re guaranteed to have a lot of fun and to make a close knit group of friends from this society.
Musical Society: MusicSoc was established in 2009 as a sister society of Dramsoc, and they have certainly made their mark. Previous shows include Grease, Cabaret, Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods to name a few. With great staging and professionalism, this society is wonderful for any creative students.
Image Above.
The SU have rebranded Freshers’ Week this year in an attempt to get students more interested and engaged with the college.
Dance Society: Dance Society could be described as one of the most vibrant societies on campus. It has exploded in popularity despite its youth, with weekly classes in all styles, regular performances and the intervarsity competitions for its three crews, Fusion, Hip Hop and Irish Dancing who are regular winners. Dance Soc caters for every level, and is full of friendly faces who really familiarise themselves with the members. Whether you want a few beginners classes or are crew level, you won't want to miss being a part of it.
Image Below.
Students will have the opportunity to attend the Cheltenham Festival this year with the Horse Racing Society.
Commerce & Economics: The Commerce and Economics society is one of the oldest and well known societies in UCD, now in its 105th session. C&E Soc is a far more broad society than you may perceive.Students from every discipline are involved. They are probably most notable for their Iron Stomach competition at the beginning of the year, and of course the annual Comm Ball. They are constantly producing events over the year, and have gained a high status for a reason.
Literary & Historical Society: The L&H founded in 1854, is UCDs largest and most established society. The L&H are most notable for their incredible guest speakers and fiery debates, including the UCD vs Trinity colours debate. The L&H are regularly host interesting events and is certainly not just for those with an interest in debating.
Law Soc: Law Soc is another society that boasts brilliant guest speakers, such as Bob Geldof. The society are big on promoting mooting and debating competitions and are constantly debating against many of the top colleges. If you have a flair for public speaking, this society is definitely the one for you. p.23
.LifeStyle.
The Best of AirBnB If you have been blessed with a reading week in semester one, why not get a group together to head away for an alternative Halloween? We’ve trawled through Airbnb for the best deals so you don’t have to!
Mayo Collanmore Island Lodge is situated on a private island, just a 10 minute drive from Westport. With a hot tub, steam room and even its own bar, the lodge would be ideal for a group staycation. 3 nights (from October 31st-November 3rd) based on 16 people sharing will set you back €135.
Insta Eats:
Good Places to Eat & Snap. Ciara Landy Food & Lifestyle Editor Zozimus
Food & LifeStyle editor Ciara Landy scours the internet for good food places so you don’t have to. If you’re looking for a the best place to upload your Instagram of your smashed avacado or your craft beer then read on..
Relatively new on the scene, Zozimus is amazing for a decadent weekend brunch or evening of cocktails. While its price range may be out of the average student budget, the standard of service and art deco interiors of the Anne’s St bar would rival any Manhattan hotspot, perfect for the occasional treat!
Foam Foam is a bright, unique and cosy café located on Strand St in Dublin’s city centre. The décor is incredible – think your granny’s sitting room meets a Tim Burton movie! It is well worth popping in for a cup of coffee or treat, even if just to witness these insane interiors in person.
Cork Silver Birch House in Glengarriff is a West Cork retreat that does not disappoint. The house contains 11 spacious bedrooms (9 of which have ensuite bathrooms!), 3 large kitchens, sauna and fully equipped games room, luxury most students renting in Dublin will not be accustomed to! 3 nights (October 31st – November 3rd) is €150 per person, based on 22 people sharing.
Image: tripadvisor.com
Network This Augier St. joint does some of the best latte art around, and has gone from strength to strength since its opening over a year ago. With a tasty brunch menu (think avo toast, waffles and quality banana bread) and incredibly friendly service, Network deserves a visit.
Image: Network Facebook Page
Arctic Stone Arctic Stone specialises in hand-rolled, flash frozen ice-cream that anyone who has visited South East Asia has featured on their snap story. A new food start-up run by brothers Tom and Caolán Cullen, Arctic Stone has a permanent premises in the Blackrock market and you may also spot them at various markets and festivals across the country.
Image: Arctic Stone Instagram
Galway Eathos
Galway is an enduringly popular destination for a student getaway – why not forgo the grimy hostel and opt for an Airbnb instead? This 6 bed house is located in the heart of the city, a mere 2 minute walk from Eyre Square - there will be no need to pay costly taxi fares when you go out! The 6 bed can squeeze in 17 guests, at €56 per person for 3 nights (October 31st-November 3rd).
If you’re looking for a photogenic meal in the Dublin region, be sure to check out Eathos on Baggot St. Eathos are known for their salad bar and pastries – a great spot for lunch or just a coffee and chat. Their açaí bowl may be a hefty €9.50, but the accompanying social media exposure will surely be priceless.
Images: yelp.com www.collegetribune.ie
Image: ft.com 0131
Going Up West Cork
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Named by the Restaurant’s Association of Ireland as the country’s top “Foodie Destination” for 2017.
Penneys Stationery
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Penneys are coming in strong with great back-to-college stationery this autumn. Some favourites include a 3 pack of marble notebooks for €1.50 , a rose gold tape dispenser for €5 and a rose gold stapler for €8!
Smithfield Fruit Market Eatyard Eatyard is one of Dublin’s best outdoor food markets, boasting an amazing array of vendors including; Just Wing It, Box Burger, Veginity, Kerala Kitchen (you may know these guys the UCD village markets), Pasta Box and Bubble Waffle. Located beside the Bernard Shaw, the market is open Thursday to Sunday from 12pm. Eatyard, in conjunction with the Bernard Shaw will play host to the Brewtonic Beer Festival from September 29 to October 1, which promises good music and independent brews.
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A great spot for students to get affordable fresh fruit and veg and easily accessible via the 145! The market is open 7am-11am on Saturday, 6am-2.30pm Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 6am-12.30pm on Tuesdays.
Going Down Instagram “Before” & “After” Posts The Fumbally The Fumbally has a shabby chic, Happy Pear-esque vibe, with amazing food and coffee to match. Located on Fumbally Lane, Merchant’s Quay, this café may prove a little far out for many students living close to UCD, but you will definitely not regret paying them a visit! The Fumbally’s all-day breakfast menu is very reasonable and well-within a student budget. Lunch provides some great options toofrom salad plates and falafel wraps to a pulled porchetta ciabatta, there is something to suit every palate.
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These are increasingly popular across all social media platforms perhaps due to the incredible response that they often receive. Call me cynical but at this stage, the “after” shots in this kind of post are almost as contrived as the “before” photos. #ladiesletstalkaboutbloating
The Great British Bakeoff
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With nearly 20 mins of ads and no Mary Berry, the Channel 4 takeover seems to have collapsed on its soggy bottom.
Starbucks Republic
Image: coolbeans.ie 12.09.2017
Image: justaddattitude.com, cnttraveller.com
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The US coffee giant is set to expand their Dublin operation likely to the detriment of existing independent coffee shops. Earlier this month over 20 Irish-owned cafés in the city offered free coffee for a day in protest at the proposed development. Please support your local independent coffee shop! p.25
. Science.
Breakthrough in Genetic Engineering Orla Daly Science Editor Our understanding of genetic engineering was advanced over the summer as scientists in China repaired a gene with an inherited genetic disease in a human embryo, But what are the ethical questions posed by this research?
www.collegetribune.ie
thy, which can cause sudden death. This achievement has implications for a range of devastating genetic conditions. CRISPR, or Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, which alludes to the structure of code, is a revolutionary technology used in many areas of science to edit the genetic code of an individual. Its interdisciplinary origins come from the pioneering biochemist Jennifer Doudna and her microbiology counterpart, Emmanuelle Charpentier. Interestingly however, the patent on the technology is hotly debated as Feng Zhang and his laboratories lay claim to CRISPR technologies as well. Nonetheless, it was Doudna and Charpentier that examined the potential of the bacterial gene-enzyme duo, CRISPRCas9. In essence, CRISPR is a gene in bacteria that recognises a viral attack
and tells the Cas9 protein to essentially snip out some of the viral DNA and record it in its own DNA, creating a sort of library of past disease to repel possible future attacks. It is this snipping ability that was of interest to the intrigued scientists. Although a long way from clinical use, this research is monumental and may pave the way for the use of gene editing in protecting babies from a variety of hereditary conditions. However, there has been a lot of speculation that this feat of human genetic engineering may also lead to eugenic ‘designer baby’ traits such as higher intelligence, more creativity, or greater athleticism. An ethical quandary often ensues when discussing the consequences of making inherited changes to human DNA. If this technology is allowed to flourish uninhibited, could it lead to a major disparity between those with means being able to mail order designer babies and those born with disabilities being devalued? Ok, I’ll hold off on the Charlie Brooker dystopia just for now, but with currently only being on the frontier of this novel technology, who’s to say what possibilities are out there. The study, published in Nature, comes hot of the heels of an American National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine committee convened to advise guidelines for modifying embryos. While some scientists called for a complete blanket ban on research involving human embryos and the editing of their DNA, a restricted approach was welcomed with the committee endorsing only alterations to genes known to cause “serious diseases and
“ Although a long way from clinical use, this research is monumental and may pave the way for the use of gene editing in protecting babies from a variety of hereditary conditions.
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he field of genetic engineering passed a major milestone this August. According to an article published in Nature, scientists have successfully corrected a severe diseasecausing gene mutation in healthy, viable human embryos for the first time. Our genetic code is the fundamental properties of what makes up each and every one of us and what makes us an individual. Our genes are pieces of the code that order everything in the cell what to do and sometimes there are errors in the code that can cause problems and disease such as cancer, blindness, or cystic fibrosis. Inherited errors in the code from either parent have been the hardest to fix thus far. Scientists announced in August that they had used CRISPR technology in human embryos to repair a mutation linked to hypertrophic cardiomyopa-
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The CRISPR-Cas9 method which was used to modify the embryos. Image credit: Nature.com
Technology for the Taking in Berlin Orla Daly Science Editor
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Jennifer Doudna whose original work on CRISPR-Cas9 led to this breakthrough disability” and only if in a situation with “no reasonable alternative.” These stringent and explicit guidelines make it very difficult for any genetic research to be performed in the US, leaving it to countries like China and Sweden. In this study, scientists at the flagship Oregon Health and Science University, along with colleagues in California, China and South Korea, reported that they repaired a mutation that causes a common heart condition in dozens of embryos. If these embryos with the repaired mutation could develop into babies they would be free of the disease and free from passing it on to any descendants. The key to this study was that the embryos made were disease-free in all of their cells, with previous efforts only applying the change in some cells. Of course, this research is still in its infancy and is nowhere near ready for clinical trials. However, if the technology can be proven to be safe and prevent other mutations, it has the potential of helping out couples that cannot have healthy children. There are over 10,000 diseases caused by specific inherited traits including breast and ovarian cancers, cystic fibrosis, Tay Sach’s disease, and some early onset Alzheimer’s cases. Ireland has one of the highest per capita amount of cases of cystic fibrosis, caused by an error in the CFTR gene, and this technology could help couples who are carriers of the gene have healthy, CF-free babies. Genetic screening to identify mutations in embryos is already common among couples undergoing in vitro fertilization. Another ethical issue arose surrounding prenatal screening in Iceland, with close to 100% of parents whose embryos tested positive for Down’s Syndrome choosing to abort. In any case, fertility specialists one day may be able to offer the option to repair the DNA of an embryo instead of discarding it if a mutation
is found. This procedure is only experimental and the embryos that were used in the study published were destroyed after three days. Outside of the ethics debate, the research did reveal one exciting new discovery on how embryos repair themselves. Usually, genes that copy a DNA template introduced by scientists carry out the editing process. In these embryos, the sperm cell’s mutant gene ignored that template and instead copied the healthy DNA sequence from the egg cell. The mutated gene is the MYBPC3 gene, which can cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease affecting about 1 in 500 people. If one of the parents has an affected gene, there is a 1 in 2 chance of a child receiving it. Sperm from an affected male fertilized 12 eggs from healthy women. After CRISPR-cas-9 was injected into the sperm, it acts as a scissors snipping out mutated sequence of DNA from the male gene. The researchers injected a healthy template DNA sequence in the fertilized egg, hoping it would copy the template sequence into the cut section. Instead, the male gene copied the healthy sequence from the female sequence, which was surprising as we do not know and can only speculate why this happened. Perhaps it’s an evolutionary response to growth and development. It is currently thought that the same process should occur for disease-causing mutations on maternal genes by copying the healthy paternal genes. The technique would not work, however, if both paternal and maternal genes were mutated. The new research although raising ethical concerns, has given us new insight into infertility and miscarriage, which is something that affects many people. Whichever side of the fence you’re on, it’s clear to see that this research has us on the verge of something great.
he IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung) just took place in Messe Berlin running through September 1 – 6. Europe’s biggest technology bazaar did not disappoint with everything from smartphones to Wi-Fi fridges on exhibition. All the major tech companies like Samsung and Sony were present as well as smaller startups exhibiting their new gadgets. Smartphones, wearable technology and mixed reality headsets were among the pieces on view to the general public. The IFA saw Sony come out swinging with a broad range of items including its updated Xperia phones, an improvement on its popular wireless headphones, the addition of Google Assistant speaker, and a new RX0 minute personal GoPro-like camera. Their highlight was the Sony Smart Speaker, a severely stylish connected gadget that utilises Google Assistant. It has gesture control and dot matrix allowing it to easily surpass its counterparts in Amazon and Google. Samsung launched three new wearables and with having already released the Galaxy Note 8 earlier this year the main attention for smartphones was given to the LG V30. LG are a company that tend to teeter on the periphery of the highend smartphone platform, with the launch of the V30 they seem to have cemented their place for at least a while longer. It’s immaculate 6-inch OLED screen display tuned at 2,880 x 1,440 shows off LG’s FullVision tech very well. Its headphone jack has a built-in DAC allowing for a great-sounding audio quality. Alongside 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and a 3,300mAh battery it has dual 16MP cameras, fingerprint scanner on the back, and many more smart features included. If LG have their pricing right, the LG V30 will definitely be in the running for best smartphone of the year. Mixed reality headsets were also
the rage this year with Lenovo unveiling its Explorer mixed reality headset to glorious reviews while Microsoft failing to deliver on the mixing of both virtual and augmented realities with critics maintaining that there is still more emphasis on the VR side of things. Hopefully their new release on October 17th will have critics reneging their claims While many consumer tech products have been previously unveiled at the CES in Las Vegas back in January, a few fresh nuggets were still on show at the labyrinthine Mecca of Tech. IFA gladly did not abandon its household-device roots and served as a showcase for many types of artificial-intelligence-powered devices. The Japanese juggernaut that is Panasonic wowed the crowds in their Better Living Tomorrow section. This section involves prototype concepts that serve to inspire and also highlight the new developments in the Internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, allowing them to connect to the Internet and perform complicated tasks autonomously. The Sustainable Maintainer not only has a catchy name and is bang on trend with its integrated styling, it also serves as a washing machine that launders items individually. It initially assesses an item by picking it up with robotic arms and scanning for a label and how dirty it is. It then washes this item accordingly and after it is dry it is folded delicately by another robotic arm. Another device from Panasonic that catches one’s attention is the Movable Fridge. Activated by voice control or mobile device, this fridge has built in sensors than can help manoeuvre itself from its location to yours, meaning that you won’t have to lift a finger. Primarily aimed at people with disabilities and whom are incapacitated, this model is still only a protocol and so I can’t see it making its way into Merville Residences any time soon. p.27
Gaeilge.
Macnamh Ar Samhradh i Kaziisi Le UCDVO Kate Donovan Schríbhneoir Gaeilge
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á sé fós fíor-deacair le creidiúint gur chaith mé thart ar mí i Uganda an samhradh seo, tír iontach tarraingteach ó thaobh na radharcanna de agus ó thaobh na daoine dochreidte a gcónaíonn ann. Bhí mé mar bhall den fhoireann UCDVO, carthanas atá bunaithe anseo in UCD. Foireann iomlán bunaithe ar daoine le cúlra i gcúram sláinte, 17 dúinn san iomlán. Inár measc, mic leinn ó fisiteirpe, leigheas, altrainis, diaitéiteach agus cothú. Tar éis tréimse sé mí a chaitheamh ag ullmhú don turas idir earraí don ospidéal a bhailliú agus an teanga Rutiga a fhoghlaim, faoi dheireadh shroicheamar Uganda ar an 9ú d’Iúil. Bhíomar bunaithe in Ospidéal
12.09.2017
Kisiizi, baile beag in iardheisceart Uganda, timpeall leath uair ón mbaile Kabale. Ag breathnú siar anois, táim fíor-bhródúil as ár bhfoireann agus an méid oibre a fuaireamar déanta i gcomhpháirt leis an bhfoireann i Kisiizi. Go bpríoma, bhí mé mar bhall den fhoireann fisiteirpe chomh maith le beirt eile ó mo rang agus beirt atá cáilithe cheana féin. B’é príomh tionscadal a bhí againn ná chun campa a cur ar siúl ar feadh coicíse i gcomhair páistí a rugadh le pairilis cheirbreach agus a gcuid tuismitheoirí. I rith na seachtainne sin, d’ullmhaíomar sceidil pearsanta i gcomhair gach uile páiste agus an duine a bhí in éineacht leo. Le linn an
tréimhse sin, rinneamar fisiteiripe i ngrupaí chomh maith le seisiúin príomháideacha leo. Le na páistí a bhí breoite, chuamar i gcomhairle le na dochtúirí san ospidéal agus leanamar na treoracha a thug siad dúinn. Chuireamar ranganna ar siúl cúpla uair in aghaidh na seachtaine, ag múineadh faoin tionchar atá ag PC i saol an duine agus conas é sin a laghdú. I gcomhoibriú linn, chuir na daoine eile ón ár bhfoireann ranganna ar siúl maidir leis an sort bia gur cheart dóibh ithe agus conas galair éagsula a sheachaint agus conas iad a aithint. Chomh maith lenár dtionscadal fisiteirpe, bhíomar go léir gnóthach san ospidéal thar an tréimse. Rinne na
dochtúirí ar ár bhfoireann iniúchadh ar an méid ama a chaitheann daoine san ospidéal idir teacht isteach agus cóir leighis a fháil, agus thug siad moladh do na dochtúirí agus altraí conas an am sin a laghdú agus conas na seirbhísí a fheabhsú sna áiteanna a bhí cabhair ag teastáil. Bhí na cothaithigh agus na diaitéiteach thar a bheith rathúil lena clinicí míchothú a chur siad ar siúl. Chaith siad
dhá lá gach seachtain ag dul amach i measc an pobail, ag eagrú scagthástáil i gcomhair na páistí a bhí cónaí orthu ann. Bhí siad in ann dul i dteaghmáil leis an ospidéal in Kisiizi maidir le páisití a bhí i mbaol maidir le WHO guidelines, agus an comhairle ceart a thabairt do na daoine a bhí mar chúramóir páiste. Bhí na altraí UCDVO i gceannas ar ranganna ag iarraidh ‘pressure care’ a
mhúineadh do na daoine éagsula a bhí ag obair san ospidéal, idir daoine a bhí bainteach le páistí agus daoine fásta. D’ullmhaigh siad póstaeir chun crocadh timpeall na háite, ag léiriú na príomh pointí. Chomh maith le sin, chuir siad iniuchadh ar na seirbhísí diaibéiteas a bhí i Kisiizi ar siúl a bhí fíorrathúil.
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Business & Law.
Irish Border Becomes Key Topic in Brexit Negotiations
Image Left Both Britain and Ireland are keen to avoid the hard borders and checkpoints of the past.
Cian Carton Business & Law Editor Principles Transmitted to EU27 for the Dialogue on Ireland/Norther n Ireland” has received the most media coverage so far. Most of that attention is down to Michel Barnier, the French politician now serving as the EU’s Chief Brexit Negotiator, after he used the release of the EU’s paper on Northern Ireland to attack the UK’s one. The short paper curtly states the EU’s position; “The present paper does not put forward solutions for the Irish border. The onus to propose solutions which overcome the challenges created on the island of Ireland by the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union and its decision to leave the customs union and the internal market remains on the United Kingdom.” The paper does note, however, that a “thorough understanding of the other issues beyond customs arrangements which are relevant to the border is also required” to advance discussions. The UK’s decision to leave the EU must take into account and protect the “very specific
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The paper does note, however, that a “thorough understanding of the other issues beyond customs arrangements which are relevant to the border is also required” to advance discussions.
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orthern Ireland is taking its turn in the international spotlight as the Brexit sparring session between the EU and UK looks at the fate of the six counties. Last month, “Northern Ireland and Ireland: Position Paper” was released by the UK Government, which set out its objectives on Northern Ireland for the Brexit negotiations. Protecting the Peace Process, the Common Travel Area (CAT), and avoiding a hard border were key parts of the document. The UK also set out a detailed decision for the preservation of “NorthSouth and East-West cooperation, including for Energy.” Now, the EU has struck back with its own paper on Northern Ireland. The document is part of the EU’s latest release of papers which set out the EU’s position at the negotiating table. Papers on data protection, intellectual property, public procurement and customs issues were also made available. Despite being far less detailed than the UK’s one, “Guiding
and interwoven political, economic, security, societal and agricultural context and frameworks on the island of Ireland.” Therefore, “these challenges will require a unique solution which cannot serve to preconfigure solutions in the context of the wider discussions on the future relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom.” The paper discusses the preservation of the Good Friday Agreement and the Peace Process. Five points are listed. Bodies and institutions which provide a framework for the two countries to co-operate “will need to continue to operate effectively.”
The avoidance of a hard border is identified as another key objective. Due to the “unique circumstances on the island of Ireland, flexible and imaginative solutions will be required to avoid a hard border, including any physical border infrastructure. This must be achieved in a way which ensures that Ireland’s place within the Internal Market and Customs Union is unaffected.” The paper recognises the CTA pre-dated the EU. Irish and British citizens are able to “travel and reside in either jurisdiction without restriction and provides for associated
rights and privileges in both jurisdictions.” The continuance of the CTA is “fundamental to facilitating the interaction of people in Ireland and the United Kingdom,” as it “underpins the peace process and the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement, in particular the citizenship and identity provisions.” The UK’s willingness to continue the CTA is acknowledged within the paper. The EU is currently taking it easy with the Northern Ireland situation by insisting that since the UK decided to leave, it’s up to them to handle it. However, both sides’ papers identify the 3 key issues and make similar points. There was no mention in the EU’s paper of the Single Energy Market (SEM), which has seen the unification of the energy market on the island, with work already underway to launch an improved SEM next May. While the EU may have side-stepped the problem here, it will be interesting to see how it ultimately chooses to respond to the issue.
Business & Law: News Roundup Cian Carton Business & Law Editor UCD Hosts SLS Annual Conference
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he Sutherland School of Law has become the first ever location to hold The Society of Legal Scholars’ (SLS) Annual Conference outside of the UK. Founded in 1908, the SLS has nearly 3,000 members largely made up of legal academics from the UK and Ireland. The Conference was held in UCD by virtue of Professor Imedla Maher’s election as President of the Society for the 2016/2017 year. Already well known for being the inaugural Sutherland Full Professor of European Law, she recently became the new Dean of Law at the School. The event ran from the 4th to the 8th of September, and was centred around a theme of “The Diverse Unities of Law.” It included a number of high-profile attendees from the judiciary. Baroness Hale, who is set to become President of the UK Supreme Court next month, chaired a plenary session around the main theme of the conference. Irish Supreme Court judges Donal O’Donnell and Iseult O’Malley participated in a session with peers from Northern Ireland, Scotland and the UK. Frank Clarke, the new Chief Justice of the Irish Supreme Court, was also present. www.collegetribune.ie
Demand Continues for Business and Law Courses
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oints for business courses in UCD were on the rise following the release of the CAO offers last month. Commerce, Economics & Finance, Actuarial & Financial Studies, and Business & Law courses all increased in points. Only Commerce International stayed the same as last year, while the main entry route to Law (DN600) remained stable. Business & Law dropped 8 points in the round two offers, to one point less than Law, which remained at 522 points. The single major Economics course, which is counted as part of Arts & Humanities, fell slightly from 495 to 488. This year marked the beginning of the new points system. Mark Rogers, Registrar and Deputy President of UCD, commented that the “provision of points for the H7 grade has increased the uptake of students taking subjects at higher level without apparent impact on the entry to courses.” UCD’s largest course, Arts, which has over 1,200 places, increased from 310 to 326 points in what will be its last year as a three year course. Round two offers went out to those with 322 points. 0131
The License to Reside & Rights of Entry Cian Carton Business & Law Editor In the first of a series of articles on leases, licences and all things property law, Cian Carton looks at a subtle change in UCD Licence to Reside Agreements
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he Tribune’s lead piece in this issue focused on occupancy rates in the UCD Residences. It noted that the ever-increasing licence fees were not stopping students from paying up each year. Charging high fees for these is one thing, but what sort of protections do these students receive for paying such high costs? For those unaware, the Licence to Reside agreement which students have to sign to get a place in the Residences has a long and controversial history. It last caused major problems three years ago, but will surely become an active issue again.
UCD's Right to Reside
Clause 23 of the 2012/2013 Licence to Reside stated that “In the event of an actual or potential risk of injury to people or of damage to property, enforcement may include the use of CCTV or other recording devices which may record the activity of the occupier and any other persons attending at the premises.” This essentially allowed Residential Assistants (RAs) to enter a room and record anyone inside it. The Tribune reported back in September 2012 on this use of cameras in residences. The issue proved to be extremely controversial as the clause itself was only a last-minute addition. Naturally, the licence reserved UCD the right to alter it any point in time, but the circumstances of the clause’s inclusion only served to fuel the controversy.
UCDSU Campaign
UCD Students’ Union (UCDSU) and the Student Legal Service (SLS) continued to object to the clause and private recordings of
residents. The ResRightsNow Campaign culminated in a march from the UCDSU office in the Student Centre up to the Meville Residences Office., on Thursday, 21st November 2013. UCDSU made four key demands: “Reduced residences fines, Fair representation when it comes to appealing fines, Ending the use of inspection cameras on residence, and an official commitment from UCD to renegotiate the licence to reside by Summer 2014.” UCDSU Residences’ Policy was last updated on the 1st of May 2014. While the issue has been relatively quiet since then, there have been some alterations to the licence in favour of students.
Contracts
Past Licence to Reside agreements are available on the UCD Residences website. Looking back over the agreements over the past four years, some changes are evident. The 17/18 Licence is similar to the 2016/17 and 2015/16 ones. While the recording clause disappeared out of later licences, UCD required that a resident must always allowed them access to the premises. For example, section 6 of the 2014/2015 licence noted that: “The Occupier hereby acknowledges that it shall not have any right to exclusive possession of the Accommodation, Premises and Complex and shall allow The Licensor or its duly authorised agent access to the Accommodation at all times and to every part thereof and it is hereby expressly agreed that a nominee of The Licensor shall be a joint key holder of the Accommodation with the Occupier.” In effect, this
empowered an RA to be able to demand immediate entry to the accommodation whenever they wanted. Section 2 Licence to Reside for 2017/2018 sets states that a Student Occupier does not have exclusive possession of the room. UCD has the right to “a. Enter the Room at any time for any reason as referred to in this Agreement; b. Require You to move to a different room as referred to in this Agreement; c. Where your Room is of a shared type UCD requires You to share it with another person.” Section 7, Part IV, says that: “Upon giving You at least 24 hours notice UCD or its agents or work personnel may enter the Room and examine the state of repair and condition of it and may carry out repairs or renovations to the Room or any adjoining premises. UCD may enter the Room without notice in an emergency situation or where a breach of discipline is suspected under the provisions of this Licence Agreement or under the provisions of the Student Code.” This means that UCD must give residents a 24 hour notice period before entry, unless there is an emergency situation or a suspected discipline breach.
Conclusion
The modernisation of the Licence to Reside in the UCD Residences has been a gradual process. The negative press and legal threats from several years ago has given way to a more harmonious situation at present. While UCD now seems to understand that excessively restrictive licences are not worth the pushback, it must be aware that students will be looking for more value as the licence fee continues to go up. p.31
Turbine.
The Turbine A lway s S ati r ical - O c cas ional l y H u mou rous
Sun Recovering After Looking Directly at Trump
Peeing on Jellyfish Stings “A Joke Too Far” Say Doctors
Seán Farbuckt Turbine Writer
Seán Farbuckt Turbine Writer
The Sun has told the Turbine of the injury she received after looking directly into the eyes of the President of the United States during the solar eclipse a few weeks ago. She said “I was wearing those protective glasses for a while, but then for some reason I wanted to see what that glowing orange orb would look like without the glasses.” The Sun then felt a “serious pain” in her eyes as Mr Trump’s eyes pierced her retinas leaving her almost completely blind. She now suffers from cataracts so bad that she needs help from neighbours who live nearby in order to do the most menial of things such as rotate. One of those neighbours, Mercury, lamented how bright and energetic she used to be, claiming “you would see her sitting outside her house in a deck chair, watching everyone going around and she was always so polite to everyone. Saying hello and offering heat to whoever needed it. Now all she does is lie down on the old bench in her garden and cry. It’s tragic.” President Trump has yet to apologise for the incident. In a recent interview Trump said “I was watching the solar eclipse, with the billions and billions of my supporters, and I was wearing those glasses too, and they were the best glasses believe me, nobody has better glasses than I do. I take them off for 2 seconds and then this orb looks into my eyes. What was I supposed to do?” If we have learned anything from this unfortunate incident it’s that no matter who you are, you should never look directly into Donald Trump’s eyes without protective glasses, even if you are a massive ball of fire at the centre of the solar system.
The World Doctors Association have admitted in a recent statement to the press that jellyfish stings are not cured by urinating on them, as they once claimed. Dr Owen Lee and Dr Joe King told press gathered outside their medical centre the claim that urine could cure stings from the sea creature started off as a joke but quickly got out of hand. Dr Lee remarked “at first we all thought it was hilarious. We didn’t think people would actually do it. But then one day Joe and I were hanging out on the beach and we saw some guys with way too many bracelets and one of them had gotten stung by a jellyfish. His friends turned down the Coldplay song they were listening to, pulled down their Diesel jeans and started to urinate on their friends leg. We almost died from laughing. We probably should have stepped in at that point because everyone was looking at them. We felt awful. But look it was just hilarious.” Dr King then said “ We realise that people should be able to trust their doctors, and we absolutely apologise for lying to you all. The joke clearly went too far and we are all very sorry. People shouldn’t be forced to doubt medical professionals. But you have to admit it was pretty funny.” After years and years of people being forced into incredibly awkward situations with their friends and families, it is unclear whether the public will ever regain their trust in doctors. Indeed this revelation will now most likely cast some doubts over the recent medical discovery that eating an entire raw onion cures headaches.
Agnostic Extremists on The Fence About Terror Campaign Seán Farbuckt Turbine Writer A controversial report from An Garda Síochána, which was released to the public last week, outlined Gardaí fears of potential Agnostic extremism boiling over into terror attacks in Ireland. In recent years the Irish Agnostic community have become more and more isolated. Entire communities of Agnostics have sprung up in many areas of Ireland leaving many citizens feel-
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ing uneasy. In this report, Gardaí claim “Militant Agnostics may or may not carry out terror attacks in Ireland in the future but there is no way of knowing for certain.” The report also said that “there is no evidence that there is going to be an imminent attack however there is also no evidence there is not going to be one. There’s a possibility, and the authori-
ties are not denying that, it’s just there’s no concrete evidence. The only way we could find out if there is one planned is if one occurs but then it will be too late.” It is the opinion of an Garda Síochána that just accepting the ambiguous nature of the terrorist attacks is the only logical way forward. In response to this report, the leader of the Irish Agnostic community told the Turbine,
“these claims that we could start a terrorist campaign probably don’t represent us as a community. They might, but maybe they don’t. I don’t know, nobody knows, nobody can know. Let’s all just accept the ambiguous nature of these things and go to the beach and listen to some Coldplay songs while wearing baggy Diesel jeans and an unnecessary amount of bracelets.”
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Sport.
Kelly Looks to Add to Tally
New Year, New Resolutions Conor Byrne Sports Writer
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Chris Foley Sports Editor Georgie Kelly looks to propel UCD to a 3rd place finish as the U19’s prepare to head to Norway.
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espite hopes of promotion having already been dashed courtesy of the FAI’s new restructuring plans, there is still lots to play for in UCD’s upcoming tie, as a result away to Longford would mathematically guarantee a 3rd place finish for The Students at the expense of ‘The Town’. If this season’s form is anything to go by, the omens are good for the visitors, with Longford having had rather indifferent form at home, losing 5 of their 12 games at Flancare Park. The hosts will be relying on top scorer David O’Sullivan to fire them to victory, and will be counting on big performances from other star players such as Kaleem Simon and former Wolves midfielder Kevin O’Connor. At the other end, our own Georgie Kelly, currently the league’s top scorer on 14 goals, will be looking to add to his tally, particularly with ex-teammate Kieran ‘Marty’ Walters not far behind on 12 goals for local rivals Cabinteely as the race for the
golden boot hots up in the coming weeks. With both sides fresh from the international break, an entertaining tie is surely in store. The game kicks-off at 7.45 this Saturday, as always @UCDAFC will be on hand for twitter updates.
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n other news, our much revered under-19 side have been drawn against Norwegian side Molde FK in the prestigious UEFA Youth League competition. Having qualified by virtue of being crowned champions of last years Airtricity Under-19 League, UCD are one of just 32 teams around Europe to have qualified in this manner. Molde FK are a side steeped in history, with three Norwegian league titles to their name, and are currently managed by Manchester United legend Ole-Gunnar Solskjær. This is UCD’s first foray into Europe since the famous Europa League run of 2015 which saw Luxembourg outfit F91 Dudelange put to sword before eventual elimination by Slovakian side
Slovan Bratislava. Details of the tie are yet to be announced but it is expected to be played by the end of September.
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CD AFC’s finest product in recent times, Conor Sammon, has a point to prove this weekend. The Sammon of College has yet to get on the scoresheet since joining Scottish Premiership side Partick Thistle on loan this summer, but will be looking to put that right this Friday as The Jags face Rangers. Elsewhere in Scotland, ex-student Gary Dicker’s Kilmarnock are still in search of their first win of the campaign, they are away to Aberdeen this weekend. While in sunnier climes, former under-19 player Ayman Ben Mohamed’s Esperance Tunis side are flying high in the Tunisian League, with three wins in three games, as they face a struggling Gabés side this Saturday.
Image Above Conor Sammon who has yet to score for his new club Partick Thistle.
ontemporary notions of exercise and health often have most of us breaking out in a cold sweat. From quinoa oil, to suspect assurances and five vegetables I bet you didn’t know you could spiralise! The belief system that to be healthy means to immerse oneself in the toxic subculture of the raw, pure and whole life, detracts from the true nature of sport itself. Ditch the tedium of gym routines and monotonous jogs, and try something new. Sport has benefits far outweighing that of strength and aesthetic gains. Endorphins to disproportions, engaging in sporting activities improves overall bodily functions, inside and out. New years resolutions do not only follow a Gregorian timeline, and the sporting community thriving in UCD is as varied and abundant as they come. Offering 52 different sports clubs and counting, life on the Belfield campus provides an opportunity for everyone. Rock climbing, caving and mountaineering through the earth; swimming, surfing and sailing on water; trampolining and fris-
Traveling home to
Donegal or Derry?
beeing through the air and even the firing of arrows, all of the elements are tackled. Each and every one of these clubs is filled with dynamic and exciting members, all contributing to the warm and inviting sporting community. Freshers’ Week, beginning the 18th of September sees the commencement of registrations for all societies and clubs. There will be a sporting fair held within the Sport’s Centre itself, with each club present, advertising their own department. Go down, listen, and lose yourself in what could be a very new but exceptionally rewarding first step. Reap all of the rewards that UCD Sport has to offer, boosting your own health, and creating new relationships with others and most importantly, yourself. This year the College Tribune will be doing a very special feature on a different UCD sports team in each of our editions. Similar to health notions, it is important not to allow oneself to be blinded by what is big and bold and we look forward to reporting on the meetings of Capoeira and Kite Club, as much as we do the Sigerson Cup team.
Moville
Annagry
Derry
Letterkenny
Lifford Omagh
Monaghan
• Direct Express Service • City Centre Pick-up from Parnell Square • Free On-Board Wi-Fi • Competitive Fares • Sunday Night Drop to UCD
Route A Route B
Tel. 074 9135201 • www.johnmcginley.com p.33
Sport.
Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 Sports Co-Editors Chris Foley and Conor Lynott analyse the tournament and ask where did it all go wrong for Ireland?
The Pools Chris Foley Sports Editor
Image Right The eventual winners, New Zealand.
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midst a myriad of Italian teenagers on campus looking to hone their English in the Anglophone heaven that is Dublin 4, there was an unprecedented level of excitement in Belfield this summer, as a very different kind of guest came to reside in our on-campus accommodation. The Roebuck and Ashfield residences played host to athletes from 12 different nations, as the world’s elite came to take part in the pool stage of 2017’s edition of the Women’s Rugby World Cup. And what a rollercoaster couple of weeks it turned out to be for all concerned. Whether it was the All Blacks performing the Haka in the middle of Ashfield square, or the constant confusion in the Merville reception at the number of languages being spoken in the office, there was never a dull moment. From an Irish point of view of course, the tournament was ultimately a failure. Despite early promise in the form of a narrow victory over Australia and a ten point win over a dogged Japanese side, our girl’s hopes were eventually crushed, somewhat emphatically so, by a French side who outclassed our much-fancied hosts. Even the less-engaging 7th/8th place play-off against Wales failed to provide us with any kind of consolation, as a 27-17 loss left us with the ignominy of losing our automatic qualification place for the 2021 competition. That said, Ireland aside, the UCD-leg of the competition was an overwhelm-
ing success. The pool games were a complete sell-out, with a total attendance of 17,516, and with many more congregating in the fan zone behind the nearby student centre. These figures proved to be a vindication of the IRFU’s Impact Beyond initiative which aimed to establish a legacy of the competition that would raise the profile of women’s rugby in this country long after the conclusion of the tournament. Among the aims of the initiative was to have the trophy itself tour all 32 counties of Ireland over a five month period before eventually reaching Kingspan stadium in time for the final. On the field, the pool games presented us with some highlights to cherish. The aforementioned clash between Ireland and Australia proved to be one of the most thrilling match-ups of the pool, while other games allowed us to marvel at the class of some of the more dominant sides. Eventual champions New Zealand in particular, dispatched of their group stage opponents with admirable ruthlessness, notching up 213 points along the way. On the other end of the spectrum, highlights included Hong Kong’s delight at recording their first try of the competition in their game against Japan, and Spain’s hard-fought victory over a gallant Italian side. All things considered, the pool games exceeded expectations and served as a great opening to the tournament, before the four triumphant finalists headed north for the business end of the competition.
Image Below. Ireland battering through an Australian tackle.
The Knockouts
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he skill levels of this summer’s Women’s Rugby World Cup were high and Ireland failed to adjust. Ireland had one trick and one trick only – they hoped to find soft shoulders to blast out of the way. The problem was that by the time the group phrase came around, there were no soft shoulders. An essential part of ten-woman rugby is an accurate kicking game from the flyhalf and scrumhalf. Unfortunately, without the leadership of Niamh Briggs to call on, Ireland were without a half back partnership of the same level as their men’s counterparts, Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray. Time and again, Ireland failed to vary the point of the attack by dummies, decoy lines or adventurous passing. Their opponents, France, Australia and Wales did just that and they were found out. In terms of the overall tournament, England and New Zealand showed just what this tournament was capable with a whopping eleven tries. There was brawn, yes, but there was also speed and lines of running that even the best defences would struggle to contain. Joy Neville deserves credit for how she used the advantage law well and allowed to string attacks together
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Conor Lynott Sports Editor fluidly. The main reason why New Zealand won the final in the end probably has something to do with improving their fitness levels from previous tournaments. However, both teams threw off the shackles and shunned a set-piece dominated game in favour of attacking the wide channels from deep and putting ball into space in whatever way possible. Despite the thrilling final, however, it has to be said that New Zealand were deserving winners. They tore the United States to pieces in the semi-final, who are a good side in the women’s rugby game. They also showed the character of champions to come back after a disastrous first quarter in which England ran riot. In terms of the overall tournament, then, it shows us four things: First, it shows the increasing professionalism and quality of the women’s international. Second, Ireland has a lot of catching up to do. Thirdly, talk of the abandonment of women’s rugby union to sevens is premature. Fourthly, and finally, the tournament was a brilliant advert for the game and a boost to Ireland’s hopes of hosting the men’s tournament in six years’ time. Bring on the host announcement in November. 0131
Pro 14 Preview Conor Lynott Sports Editor
Sports co-editor Conor Lynott previews the four home provinces and assesses their chances in this years competition.
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ith two rounds of the new Pro14 season elapsed and two new teams from South Africa in the mix, the College Tribune previews this season’s prospects for the Irish provinces:
Leinster
Since their last league triumph in 2014, the pattern for Leinster has not been unlike their pre-2009 predecessors. They have plenty of talent and promise, but are plagued by an inability to get over the line. First against Connacht and then against the Scarlets, who have become a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps it is a case of gaining the required experience to peak at the business end of the season, while also being consistent. This is the responsibility of the coaching ticket. They must manage the international windows and the league format. Gatland showed during the Lions tour that playing senior players more often ensures that they hit form at the right time, as long as they are conditioned properly. Whether Coach Leo Cullen follows this example or not, Leinster’s level of talent means that Leinster must land a title this season.
Munster
There is anger within Munster Rugby cycles about the manner of Rassie Erasmus’s exit and understandably so. Some feel hurt by his lack of openness regarding his ambitions for the South African job. However, Munster must now deal with the reality. The shortcomings of Munster’s game, so successful for much of last season, were apparent in the business end of last season against Saracens and Scarlets. The route one approach of pummelling opponents into submission was not sufficient against determined and organised
defences. Additionally, Munster were increasingly reliant on Simon Zebo to provide a creative spark. Erasmus’ successor has his work cut out in terms making sure Munster maintain their forwards game and increase backline skill levels. How quickly or smoothly this happens depends on how early the new coach comes in and the calibre of coach. Munster may not reach the dizzying heights of last season, but a quarter final Pro14 appearance must be the minimum target.
Ulster
Ulster are a strange one as there is a consistency problem present. They put in a massive performance against Clermont Auvergne in the European Cup, so we know what this team is capable of. Too often, Ulster don’t show it domestically, however. In many league games last season, even when it was last-chance territory against the Ospreys, they looked as if the players did not know how to read each other’s games. Passes weren’t sticking, there were basic communication errors being made and, simply put, they looked bereft of ideas. Coach Les Kiss needs to develop a cohesive game plan that players buy into and stick to. Clear communication would go a long way to improving Ulster’s chances.
Connacht
Connacht were not helped by the timing of Pat Lam’s announcement regarding his departure for Bristol. Regardless, teams have figured out how to stop the Westerners from playing. Kieran Keane, Lam’s successor, will look to maintain Connacht’s attractive style, while also proving that they can get down and dirty when they need to. If Bundee Aki can up his game, perhaps Connacht can make the Pro14 quarter finals.
Images Above. Munster winger Simon Zebo is being relied upon more and more to be the creative spark for Munster. Connacht coaching replacement Kieran Keane has big shoes to fill following the departure of Pat Lam.
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Brave Yet Inept as Ireland Lose At Home to Serbia Ireland’s World Cup dreams now hang by a thread with games against Wales and Moldova still to be played.
Conor Lynott Sports Editor Ireland Serbia
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e learned yet again on Tuesday night that where there is a will, there isn’t always a way. Ireland performed with more gusto and enterprise than they mustered in their previous three matches, but the blustery pursuit of good intentions was not enough to avoid defeat against the group D leaders Serbia. Aleksandar Kolarov’s second-half goal gave Serbia a lead that their spirited but imprecise hosts could not claw back, even after the dismissal of Nikola Maksimovic. Perhaps if Martin O’Neill’s team had played liked this against lesser opponents they would not be in the predicament in which they now find themselves: third in their group and more than likely needing to win in Cardiff next month to claim the runners-up spot back from Wales. One suspects O’Neill would love to call on Séamus Coleman to help subdue Gareth Bale in Cardiff, but Ireland’s captain has yet to recover from the broken leg he suffered in a tackle by Neil Taylor in March. O’Neill urged his squad to win next month for their captain; “The players love him to death and if there is anything to keep you going, it would be for Coleman to make it to the World Cup.” Coleman flew to Dublin to watch Tuesday night’s match from the stands and he, like nearly everyone else in a capacity crowd, must have been pleased by much of what he saw. For a while the prospects of Ireland pulling out another rousing triumph against the odds looked bright. Even Serbia’s captain, Branislav Ivanovic, was impressed, saying
afterwards that this was the toughest of the 96 internationals he has contested. O’Neill, who had to fend off accusations of negativity following the non-performance in Georgia, showed attacking intent with his team selection. Glenn Whelan and Harry Arter, both sloppy in Georgia, were dropped replaced by David Meyler and by Wes Hoolahan. The 35-year-old Norwich City player is still widely viewed as Ireland’s most intricate playmaker and it was his first competitive start for his county since November’s win in Austria. Both he and Myler played well showing dynamic and progressive football from the base of midfield. Serbia started strongly and might have taken the lead in the second minute if Shane Duffy had not hurled himself in front of a shot by Nemanja Matic. By the seventh minute their possession had become so ominous that James McClean clattered into Antonio Rukavina as if keen to do something to unsettle the visitors. He escaped a booking (but picked one up later so will be suspended for the match against Moldova, as will Robbie Brady) and as soon as play resumed, Ireland swept forward for the first time. With Irish players buzzing around them Serbia looked less comfortable, but their threat still lurked. Cyrus Christie had to gallop back in the 13th minute to prevent Aleksandar Mitrovic from finishing off a sharp counter-attack. Five minutes later Shane Long went close with a shot from distance, Vladimir Stojkovic tipping his 20-yard drive over the bar after
a canny pass by Jonathan Walters. Darren Randolph had to do even better in the 33rd minute to deny Mitrovic after Ireland were sliced open by Dusan Tadic and Fred Kostic. Both teams could have taken the lead early in the second half. Tadic shot feebly at Randolph after Mitrovic had opened the route to goal with a clever dummy. Then Walters misdirected a header from close range. A goal was coming and came it did via Kolarov who was merciless in the 55th minute. After Ireland’s first really flimsy piece of defending, Serbia won the ball near the home box and Kostic fed Tadic, who laid it into the path of the on-rushing Kolarov. The former Manchester City left-back thrashed a shot from 15 yards into the net via the underside of the crossbar. O’Neill switched to a more direct approach and replaced Hoolahan with Daryl Murphy. The change paid off in the 68th minute when Murphy chased a flick-on from a long punt. Maksimovic chopped him down and was sent off. Brady failed to do justice from the freekick. The referee waved away claims late on for a penalty after Murphy went down. Ireland lacked coolness at crucial times, with McClean and Conor Hourihane among players to fire wide from dangerous positions. “One of the distinguishing features of really top-class sides is the ability to pick a pass under pressure, you have to play with your head.” O’Neill added. If Ireland are to stand any hope of qualifying for Russia 2018, we’re going to need a bit more than that.