The College View - Issue 8 - Vol XVIII

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Wednesday, 8 March, 2017 www.thecollegeview.com Vol. XVIII, Issue 8

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CRC votes to hold referendum on constitutional changes The amended constitution was presented to class reps by the constitutional review committee last week. It will now be voted on by the student body.

Elsa McEvoy Sub Editor @thecollegeview

A new student support line was in-

Hayley Halpin & Rebecca Lumley News Editors @thecollegeview

A referendum to amend the DCU Students’ Union Constitution is set to take place following the Class Representative Council voting in favour of the suggested changes within the document.

Chaired by First Year Officer Bryan Mulry, the Constitutional Review Committee, comprising of 13 members, was elected at the last CRC of semester one to overlook and modify the DCUSU constitution.

This occurred as a result of class representatives voting against having a referendum on constitutional amendments last semester. Class reps voiced concern that the Executive should not be allowed to call a referendum without consulting the council.

The committee met six times and presented the revised copy of the Constitution to CRC last Wednesday.

According to Mulry, the new Constitution deals with three things; “Representation, clarity and efficiency.”

A number of amendments within the Constitution could not be agreed to pass amongst the Committee and instead were brought to a vote at CRC. These, along with the changes decided by the Committee will be brought to the DCU student body to pass during the referendum.

Class reps will correlate with class numbers

Counselling service launches new student helpline

DCU group Strike4Repeal during a photocall for today’s protest which calls students to skip lectures in order to put pressure on the goverment to repeal the Eighth Ammendment Credit: Darragh Culhane

class. The new amendment states that “the number of Class Representatives elected per class shall be in line with the number of students in their class.” Every class of up to 75 students will have two reps. For every additional 75 students another class rep will be allocated.

“The more students in the Class, the more representation you have.

This means that BA with 426 people will now have more Representation than Global Business Germany with 8 people,” Mulry explained.

SU’s power to call referendum Following the debates surrounding the SU’s power to call a referendum, the question was brought to CRC. After a heated debate amongst Class reps at CRC voted that the council, it was ultimately voted Class Reps are now elected in line to amend the constitution to clarify with the number of people in their that the SU may not hold the pow-

News

Sport

New SU Centre opens on St. Patrick’s Campus 8

DCU ladies book place at O’Connor Cup weekend 20

er to call a referendum without first consulting CRC. CRC also voted to retain the position of the First Year Officer on the Executive.

The new Constitution “also clarifies things and makes things more accessible. There is now a clarity on the system for removing a Class Rep, what happens if a Sabat steps down and the position of the Returning Officer,” Mulry said.

“We didn’t want there to be any ambiguity in the document, which was the main cause of the emergency CRC and the drama that unfolded last semester.”

“A DCUSU that represents the New DCU”

“This constitution cleans up the work done by the last committee and creates a DCUSU that represents the

Arts

Your guide to clubbing this Paddy’s Day 2

New DCU, with more students, more campuses and a wider range of problems to be dealt with,” he said.

Postgraduate Officer to be retained The position of Postgraduate Officer will be retained as an Executive position under the new constitution, despite being removed in the draft constitution presented to CRC in semester one.

The draft constitution sought to remove the position of postgraduate officer in favour of amalgamating it with the sabbatical position, Education and Placement. It was argued that this move would increase representation for postgraduates as the new position would be full time, while the Continued on page 3

troduced on campus last Tuesday by the Counselling and Personal Development Service of DCU. Lorna Galligan, administrator of the counselling service and one of the people behind the idea said that the line was set up for three main reasons. Primarily, the line will provide students with support after 5.30pm, after the DCU counselling services have closed for the day. The line will also aim to accommodate students who study at DCU but might be away on INTRA or placement, who may not have access to the service on campus, but still, need support.

The initiative also allows anonymity for students who may not be comfortable coming to an appointment with a counsellor.

Psychotherapist Anne Dempsey from Third Age Ireland brought about the initiative, while a subgroup of volunteers from Third Age Ireland will offer their services to the helpline.

Though Galligan explained that the line offers support from trained adult volunteers who had previously worked for helplines, the volunteers received extra training focused specifically on student issues.

She said that they received further training to “really take their skills and develop them further in the context of DCU”.

The helpline will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays between the hours of 5.30pm and 8.30pm and is available strictly for DCU students.

Galligan said “Students in DCU should know that no issue is too small to discuss. The helpline is set up to support students no matter their problems.”

There are two numbers available to students to call for support, depending on which network students are with. The helpline is a pilot programme and will continue throughout the semester until Thursday, May 25th.

Opinion

Features

Students say “no” to consent classes 10

What does Trump mean for the Trans* community 16

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Editorial INSIDE

Lifestyle DCU fashion show: The Evolution of Style Read more on page 6

AARON GALLAGHER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

C

Gaeilge Seachtain Na Gaeilge Read more on page 12

News

Trump press ban may lead to better journalism Read more on page 3

Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief: Aaron Gallagher Deputy Editor: Aidan Geraghty

Video Editor: Leanne Hanafin Deputy Video Editor: Ciara Moran

Production & Layout Editor: Scout Mitchell Deputy Production & Layout Editor: Hannah Kelly Production Assistants: Stephen Keegan, Daniel Troy, Amy Lawlor & Barry O’Sullivan

Illustrators: Laura Duffy, Zoe Ryan Chief Sub-Editor: Bríon Hoban

Sub Editors: Enda Coll, Kyle Ewald Elsa McEvoy, Conor O’ Doherty, Gavin Quinn, Fionnuala Walsh, News Editor: Hayley Halpin & Lauren Ennis, Lucy Mangan, Katie Rebecca Lumley Gallagher, Oisin McQueirns, Liam Deputy News Editors: Paul Dwyer, Ashton, Diana Elena Oprea, Zainab Brein McGinn & Kyle Ewald Boladale, Sadhbh Kennedy & Aoife Marnell Opinion Editor: Shirley Donlon Contacts Lifestyle Editor: Amy Lawlor Deputy Lifestyle Editor: Michelle editor@thecollegeview.com Martin news@thecollegeview.com Features Editor:Shauna Bowers Deputy Features Editor:Orla features@thecollegeview.com O’Driscoll opinion@thecollegeview.com Irish Editor:Cal Ó Donnabháin Deputy Irish Editor: Áine Marie gaeilge@thecollegeview.com Monk sports@thecollegeview.com Sports Editor: Aidan Geraghty Deputy Sports Editor: Patrick Lynch Printed by Datascope, with the DCU Journalism Society Arts Editor: Stephen Keegan Deputy Arts Editor: Emer Handly Thanks to Sportsfile, SLC, Office of Student Life Images Editor: Darragh Culhane Deputy Images Editor: Laura Logo design by Lauren McConway Horan

hange is necessary, but not always welcome. That has been the case in Dublin City University during the 2016/17 academic year, where three colleges have amalgamated into the university to form one single entity.

St. Patrick’s College Drumcondra, Mater Dei Institute and the Church of Ireland College of Education have all come under the remit of Dublin City University this year, with all students of the former colleges now registered as students of DCU. Clubs and societies have merged and there now exists one sole Students’ Union, which has officers based on both the Glasnevin and Drumcondra campuses.

However the recurring topic of conversation on the Drumcondra campus, where the majority of the students of incorporation are based, has been the sense of anger, frustration and disappointment they feel towards the university’s hierarchy at what has been done.

They feel that they have suffered more than gained as a result of an incorporation which the university described as “historic”, with the individual histories and identities of their separate colleges, they say, being wiped away to make room for a larger conglomerate.

The new students have been welcomed, but sadly feel like isolated outsiders at a college which is not their own.

The fact that two separate colleges, one of Catholic and one of Protestant identity have come together under one secular, pluralist roof is undoubtedly groundbreaking and indeed unimaginable prior to the Good Friday Agreement.

However the university has failed those students of incorporation by not giving a voice to their reasonable grievances which include having to partake in multi-campus lectures, the loss of individual clubs and societies, the restructuring of courses and the loss of certain modules, which may impact a student’s degree and post-college career, on top of establishing one Students’ Union to cater for 16,000 students across three campuses.

The feeling among St. Patrick’s and CICE students which will not grace any press release or carefully managed PR campaign to ensure the move runs

smoothly, is of unreserved disgust and revolt at what has taken place.

Those students did not give consent to their amalgamation and many were unaware as to it taking place when they first entered each college’s respective doors.

All change will ensure problems arising for the greater good of future generations, however the number of issues arising from the incorporation, the lack of transparency from DCU to clarify them and worse still, the lack of care and proper representation given to those graduates of 2017, 2018 and 2019 has been a failure on behalf of the college.

In a survey conducted by this paper, just 20% of respondents said the incorporation had had a positive impact on their lives, with 51% saying it had affected them negatively.

None of this was mentioned during RTE’s Nationwide special on the New DCU, which documented the significance of the incorporation. Nor was it considered in the “WE ARE THE NEW DCU” campaign launched by the university, which has since been mocked and ridiculed by students for its ignorance of what students really feel about the move.

Ultimately the incorporation will succeed in its long-term ambition of creating a hub of progressive teaching education by establishing Ireland’s first ever Institute of Education.

However what was and will remain voiceless beyond the printed ink of student newspapers will be the echoes of discontent from those students who suffered in silence as a result. A voiceless silence which fell on the deaf ears of the university who claimed to have their best interests at heart.

Here at The College View, we will remain committed to an obligation of giving a platform to the voiceless as the stories of those who were marginalised following the Incorporation continue to come to the fore.

This is not an agenda-driven desire, but rather the duty of all free and independent press to inform, critique and hold those who possess power accountable.

A protest organised by Strike4Repeal will take place today (March 8th). Students are encouraged to leave lectures and demonstrate in order to pressure the government into triggering a referendum on the Eighth Amendment. Credit: Darragh Culhane

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NEWS CRC votes to hold referendum on constitutional changes

DCU SSDP to host annual national conference

Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Hayley Halpin & Rebecca Lumley News Editors @thecollegeview Continued from page 1

Postgraduate Officer is a part-time member.

This was heavily criticised by current Postgraduate Officer, Allan Stevenson, who said the decision would be “completely and utterly detrimental” to postgraduate representation.

Postgraduates misrepresented

He argued that as there are approximately 13,000 undergraduates and just 3,000 postgraduates in DCU, a postgraduate would likely never be elected to the sabbatical role. Postgraduates argued that they could not be adequately represented or understood by someone who is not themselves a postgraduate.

As well as the retention of Postgraduate Officer as a voting member of the Executive, plans are in place to appoint Postgraduate Faculty Assistants, who will act as points of contact for postgrads in each faculty.

According to Stevenson, this initiative will increase postgraduate representation, as “it will be easier for them to talk to someone in their own faculty about any problems, issues or suggestions they may have and the assistants will be able to inform the Postgraduate Officer of any issues that need to be raised at University level.”

“The Postgraduate Assistants would also be in contact with the faculty reps with any issues that concern their specific faculty,” he said.proximately 13,000 undergraduates and just 3,000 postgraduates in DCU, a postgraduate would likely never be elected to the sabbatical role. Postgraduates argued that they could not be adequately represented or understood by someone who is not themselves a postgraduate.

As well as the retention of Postgraduate Officer as a voting member of the Executive, plans are in place to appoint Postgraduate Faculty Assistants, who will act as points of contact for postgrads in each faculty.

According to Stevenson, this initiative will increase postgraduate representation, as “it will be easier for them to talk to someone in their own faculty about any problems, issues or suggestions they may have and the assistants will be able to inform the Postgraduate Officer of any issues that need to be raised at University level.”

“The Postgraduate Assistants would also be in contact with the faculty reps with any issues that concern their specific faculty,” he said.

Hayley Halpin News Editor @HayleyHalpin1

THE 4th Annual National Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) Conference will be held in DCU for the first time, on March 11th.

Student activists, drug-researchers, harm reduction experts and doctors from across the world are expected to attend the conference on St. Patrick’s College Campus, to discuss the world of drug policy.

SSDP is an international network of students with an interest in the impact that drug abuse has on communities, with their groups around the world participating in political movements in the aim of achieving “sensible policies”

around drug legislation.

With the largest SSDP society in Ireland, University College Cork has hosted the conference for the past three years. Trinity College Dublin founded their first SSDP society this year and in light of this, the Irish SSDP societies chose to hold this year’s conference in Dublin.

“This year, Trinity was the main factor. We really wanted to introduce Trinity into the SSDP as welcoming as we could because we try to have a no borders policy and keep it intervarsity,” Oscar Windbourne, DCU SSDP committee member said.

“We originally looked to try get

it in the Trinity campus but they couldn’t get it. Then we thought we’d try to get it in St. Pat’s when it fell through in Trinity so that’s where it’s ending up,” he said.

According to Windbourne, one of SSDP’s main objectives is to get their message out to the public because one of the problems with being a political group is that they can “create an echo chamber and not actually think about delivering the message to other people.”

An array of drug and law organisations are due to attend the weekend and provide talks and workshops, including Katy MacLeod of

Chill Welfare and Suzanne Sharkey of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition UK. Help Not Harm, an organisation aiming to update Ireland’s current approach to drugs will also be in attendance at the conference.

“We’ve also got Hemp Ireland, which is trying to get people aware of the environmental benefits of using hemp-based products and stuff like that as well and how crazily drug legislation plays into our ability to grow hemp,” Windbourne said.

Tickets for the conference are selling at €10 for non-alumni, while students can attend for free.

LEGO Education Innovation Studio opens in DCU Credit: DCU

Amy Lawlor Lifestyle Editor @thecollegeview

THE newly completed LEGO Edu- of Digital Learning at DCU’s Incation Innovation Studio (LEIS) has been officially opened on DCU’s St Patrick’s Campus.

The studio will act as a dedicated interactive learning hub to help DCU student teachers and Irish schools develop innovative and creative approaches to teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) subjects in the classroom.

Professor Deirdre Butler, head

stitute of Education met Ross Maguire the head of STEM solutions and Learnit two years ago, at the science festival in Dublin Castle.

It was here that Ross’ initial interest sparked in the work Deirdre had done to date with her students.

The conversation between the two parties eventually led to the construction of the LEGO Education Innovation Studio, which is now locat-

ed in Block F of St. Patrick’s Campus.

At present the studio caters to the science, technology, engineering and math’s faculties, however, Deirdre hopes to spread this new form of learning into the arts.

“I was just talking to Regina Murphy, head of the School of Language, Arts and Movement and we were talking about how we could bring the initiative into the arts,” she said.

Although it has still to reach

the arts faculties this new method of teaching is slowly beginning to integrate across different teaching programmes in St. Patrick’s College.

“It’s currently embedded in some of our minor and major programmes,” said Deirdre.

As part of engineering week this week the studio will host a professional development session workshop on March 9th for two hours, the aim of this is to teach primary school teachers how to use the LEGO reading materials to promote STEM in a classroom environment.

Deirdre revealed that pending a conversation with Ross from STEM solutions “they hope to run summer camps for children that will be based in the innovations studio.”

The camp intends to use ‘STEM focused’ learning techniques, according to Deirdre. Alongside summer camps Deirdre would like to run workshops for DCU community members in the studio, “as part of the DCU’s integration initiative we hope to run workshops where parents can come in with their children and avail of the studio,” she said.

NEWS

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DCU Chaplain: Counselling and chaplaincy sometimes interchanges Credit: Laura Horan

Playwright Marina Carr receives WindhamCampbell Prize for Drama Aaron Gallagher Editor-In-Chief @AaronGallagher8

Brein McGinn Deputy News Editor @thecollegeview DCU Chaplain Philip McKinley believes chaplaincy often goes hand-in-hand with the role similar to a counsellor, even though he is not qualified in the latter field.

This comes following an Irish Times article published last month which interviewed UCD Chaplain Scott Evans, who admitted he was more of a “big-brother figure that people can unload on”, rather than an outlet for faith guidance.

McKinley, who qualified to become a chaplain at around the same time as his UCD colleague, believes the huge shift in his role is down to a few things, one being the decreasing numbers of clergymen across certain religions.

However, McKinley also feels the role that he holds has a natu-

ral dimension for supporting others due to the human interaction he often encounters with others.

He said, “At the heart of all our work is people to people. Connecting on a real, human level and therefore, nothing can flow unless you connect human to human.

“Universally for chaplaincy, you just can’t do your job unless you connect well with people. It is a very social role and I love people, so I love being a chaplain because I love people and I enjoy all the great diversity of people, especially in DCU.” McKinley however went onto reveal that chaplaincy can be much more than that. Sometimes, a person may come to him at the Inter-Faith Center and just open up about their problems,

take a break in their quiet room or go for prayer as an outlet to relieve stress on their own, which are different angles he feels they offer that are different to a counsellor.

He said, “There is a councillor here who is also a qualified chaplain and my colleague in Trinity is a councillor before he became a chaplain. You do have an interchange with it.

“We have an amazing counselling service here and they do incredible, incredible work. They have made a massive impact on many people.

“I am not a professional counsellor, but there is a whole body of work that I think chaplaincy adds really uniquely to

ACCLAIMED Irish playwright and DCU lecturer Marina Carr has been awarded the Windham-Campbell Prize for Drama from Yale University.

Writer of more than a dozen critically acclaimed works, Carr is one of just eight English language writers to be awarded the prize, worth €156,926.

She will be conferred with the award at an international literary festival at Yale University from September 13-15th.

Carr is the Creative Director of the university’s MA in Theatre Studies programme and has written numerous acclaimed works, including Bog of Cats (1998), On Raftery’s Hill (2000), Ariel (2002), Woman and Scarecrow (2007), The Cordelia Dream (2008), 16 Possible Glimpses (2011) and Hecuba (2015).

She has received the Puterbaugh Fellowship (2012), the E. M. Forster Award (2001) and a Susan Smith Blackburn Prize (1997), while her adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina ran in the Abbey Theatre in Dublin during December and January.

Born in Dublin in 1964, Carr was raised in Tullamore by her parents, playwright Hugh Carr and poet Maura Eibhlín Breathneach.

Recently, Carr delivered a reading of her work That Trojan Queen which describes the life of Hecuba, the fabled Queen of Troy at TEDx DCU in The Helix last November.

A member of Aosdána, she has also received the Macaulay Fellowship, the American Ireland Fund Literary Award and the Irish Times Theatre Award.

The Windham-Campbell prizes were established in 2013 as a gift from American novelist Donald Windham in memory of his late partner of four decades Sandy M. Campbell.

They are administered by Yale’s Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library and are awarded to English language writers in the areas of drama, fiction and non-fiction.

On receiving the award, Carr said: “Lady luck is shining on me today. My thanks and appreciation to those involved in selecting my work.”

The other recipients of the 2017 Windham-Campbell Prizes were André Alexis and Erna Brodber (fiction), Maya Jasanoff and Ashleigh Young (non-fiction), Ali Cobby Eckermann and Carolyn Forché (poetry) and Ike Holter (drama).

Trump press ban may lead to better journalism Rebecca Lumley News Editor @RebeccaLumley1

THE recent barring of certain me-

dia outlets from a White House press “gaggle” may have a positive impact on journalism in the long run, according to DCU communications lecturer, Declan Fahy.

The Guardian, the New York Times, the Washington Post and CNN were just some organisations excluded from an off-camera press briefing at the end of February, while reporters from a number of conservative publications were handpicked to attend.

Though Fahy acknowledged that there has been a lot of “hand-wringing” about the exclusion, he believes the journalism industry will benefit from the change.

“They (the American press) have been too willing, perhaps to let the press secretary set the agenda for news on a daily basis,” he said.

“This occurrence has allowed reporters to now become more free to start looking for news and stories outside of the press briefing room. That will have an overall positive effect. They won’t be waiting for a crumb from the table.”

Journalism has always produced tension between access and accountability, with too much ac-

cess to high profile sources producing “insular, samey, samey” journalism according to Fahy.

“The more access you have, the less accountable the reporting often is. So now I hope it’ll be a stronger shift towards much more accountability journalism.”

Many of the same organisations barred from the press briefing have been slurred by the Trump administration over the production of “fake news.” The buzzword was popularised by the President but, according to Prof. Steven Knowlton of the School of Communications in DCU, it isn’t a new concept.

“Fake news goes back to Gutenberg. It probably goes farther back than that,” he said.

“Fake news is a very popular new term for bad journalism, which we’ve had for a very long time.”

As well as accusations regarding false information, many members of the press are struggling with their duty to remain objective in the face of policy decisions they find distasteful or unethical.

According to Knowlton, journalists mustn’t give up on their core journalistic principles.

“These are unique times. I don’t think we should abandon the principles of journalism. I think journalists need to become a lot more aggressive, I think they have to stop being dazzled by the bullshit, I think they have to pay attention to the real story.”

Credit: Reuters

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NEWS Credit: irish Times

New SU Centre opens on St. Patrick’s Campus Credit: irish Times

DCU take on new environmental standards for EcoCampus Lauren Ennis Sub Editor @thecollegeview

DCU is one of twenty-five Irish cam-

puses that are working to promote environmental education as part of the EcoCampus programme.

The programme which was initially launched in Ireland in 2007, was set up as a ‘Green Schools’ programme for third level institutions and has since recognised 25 campuses in Ireland for their environmental standards.

The Green Campus programme allows each college to choose their own personal theme and projects based on their local environment.

The long term plan set out as part of DCU’s environmental strategy is to increase the number of students

and staff members taking public transport daily to 90 per cent and to also achieve a carbon neutral campus.

“We now have 16,000 students and 2,000 staff in a 2.5km radius, so active transport is a key area for us,” Sustainability Officer of DCU, Samantha Fahy, told the Irish Times.

In order to achieve these transportation objectives, the college have been working closely with Dublin Bus to reroute buses from their St. Patrick’s campus and Glasnevin Campus.

They have also recently introduced free water bottle filling stations, bike maintenance classes and inter campus bike schemes.

Other third level institutes involved with the programme include Maynooth University, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, the Royal College of Surgeons and Pearse College of Further Education.

Each of these campuses have taken on their own unique

theme to meet the environmental standards of the programme.

Galway- Mayo Institute of Technology have focused their projects on outdoor education, Maynooth University’s green campus committee aim to improve the energy efficiency of all buildings on campus while Pearse College, Crumlin, are working with Dublin City Council and local community groups to renovate derelict spaces in the area to create publicly available community gardens.

Similar programmes to the above have also been introduced in other European countries.

However, unlike other countries in Europe who allow the enrolment of individual campuses in the programme, Ireland have adapted a whole-campus approach to the Green Campus scheme, meaning that the whole university must be involved with the project.

Dublin City Council meeting discusses new transport plans for DCU Lucy Mangan Sub Editor @thecollegeview

PLANS to improve the infrastruc-

ture of the transport system surrounding DCU were presented at the North West Area Committee meeting two weeks ago.

Samantha Fahy, DCU’s Sustainability Officer, presented the highly ambitious plans at the meeting, which aims to improve public and private sector bus services and also create a high capacity rail service.

Fahy hopes that this rail service will serve the catchment area surrounding DCU, but it may be years off, if it is to go ahead. Concerns about the projected Luas link in Finglas were also raised at the meeting,

as the area may be unsafe for travelling at night due to anti-social behaviour.

In 2015, DCU received €3.5mil to help make St. Patrick’s College more accessible to buses, by removing a pinch point and ensuring continuous bus lanes are provided near the Cat and Cage Pub and the college itself. The project was funded by the National Transport Authority from grants provided by the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport.

Speaking about the bus lane, Professor Daire Keogh, President of St. Patrick’s College said, “After 150 years, St. Patrick’s Campus now opens directly onto Drumcondra village, and we look forward to increased engagement with the village and our great city.”

Fahy also expressed plans that more on-site student accommodation will be added to DCU, to help

curb demand for parking on campus.

Currently, DCU offers 1,837 parking spaces, with a need in excess of 5,000.

The need for parking for students has increased in recent years, with many students being clamped on the grounds. Last year, 11 student cars were clamped in the overflow carpark, despite not being told that it was not for student use anymore.

Labour Councillor, Aine Clancy, also expressed concern at the meeting that the demand for on site parking was causing problems with residents in the surrounding areas, as many residential streets are used by students as parking. Streets such as Shanowen Road are densely populated with cars throughout the peak hours of the day.

Speaking at the meeting, she hoped that in future DCU will “liaise with the community”, about its concerns over an increased student population.

Rachael Kellegher & Kyle Ewald Reporting from Drumcondra @thecollegeview A new permanent Students’ Union Centre opened up on St. Patrick’s Campus DCU in block D as a result of the Incorporation Programme, which included an integration of DCU’s Glasnevin and St. Patrick’s Student Unions.

Vice President for Education and Placement, Manus McLoughlin, said he believes the new centre has been an overwhelmingly positive development for students as well as officers that now have a permanent space to work.

“This is something which we’ve never had before, we have had to move every year to a new room, new office, new block so it’s great to see it in a permanent space for once,” said McLoughlin.

Primary school teaching student Críostíona Ní Laimhín said that while she feels St. Patrick’s students were better represented when they had their own SU, there were also advantages with becoming closer to DCU and the SU this

year have done the best they can.

“It’s good to know that there’s a fixed place we can go for help, and that it’s close by too,” said Laimhín . “Glasnevin is so far away especially when you only have like one hour off between 9 and 6.

“My friends and I have started hanging out there more recently because Pats campus is so packed this year with the extra courses located here,” said Laimhín. “It’s nice to have a quiet space where you can just sit and chat.”

Irish and Journalism student Ali Spillane studies on all three DCU campuses: Glasnevin, St. Patrick’s and All Hallows. She said St. Patrick’s students often feel outnumbered and overpowered by Glasnevin students, but the new SU block will “help make the ‘us and them’ more of a ‘we’”.

“Many [St Patrick’s and All Hallow’s] students are confined to one campus for lectures and so would not really be on Glasnevin, “explained Spillane, saying it will be “easier for SU reps to recognise and deal with [students’] issues if they are present on the campus”.

The new Students’ Union space is open to all DCU students. SU Reps rotate spending time in the block to ensure accessibility to both campuses.

Credit: Ciara Tamay

NEWS Irish teenage living in Australia faces large fees to study back in Ireland Gabija Gataveckaite News Reporter

@thecollegeview

AN Irish girl living in Perth is facing

fees of €7,000 if she plans to start studying in DCU next year.

During a trip back to Ireland, Molly Boggan found that her lifelong dream of returning home to study law at DCU may not become a reality. For her to study in the state she would have to pay doubled fees.

Speaking to the Irish Independent last week, she described how she felt ‘punished’.

“My family just cannot afford this. I think it’s unfair, it’s not my fault or my family’s fault that we had to leave the country and now it feels like we are being punished because I want to return home,” Boggan said.

The rate for resident students to study in the country is €3,043.

However, the rate for Molly, as an Irish citizen but whose family has not been living and paying taxes in the state for three of the last five years, equates to €7,000.

“I just don’t understand how if I have an Irish passport, my parents own a property in Ireland and have always paid their taxes, that I have to deal with these crazy fees to study in my birth country,” she told the Irish Independent.

“The government is talking about bringing the young people of Ireland back to their native home. However, for me and I’m sure for many others in my situation who would love to return home, we just can’t do so as we are faced with outrageous fees.”

“I think this is an issue that the government are going to be facing a lot more in the coming cou-

6 Credit: Independent.ie

ple of years with Irish citizens returning to Ireland after the recession,” said Dylan Kehoe, president of the student’s union at DCU. “It’s probably something that many people didn’t see coming and I think the government will have to take it into account in the near future. This case will hopefully highlight the issue and something can be done about it,” he said.

First Year Representative at DCU, Bryan Mulry, has called the situation ‘annoying’.

“One simple rule has doubled her fees and made it impossible for Molly to return home. It’s annoying how bureaucracy and Red Tape can cause something like that to happen.”

“It just goes to show how constitutions, rules and governmental regulations can all have such a major effect on everyday life,” he added.

20% drop in number of Irish students applying to study in the UK

Credit: Business Insider

Empowerment campaign encourages female participation in politics Aoife Horan News Reporter @thecollegeview

DCU’S Students’ Union ran its first

Paul Dwyer Deputy News Editor @thecollegeview

THE number of students applying to study in the UK has dropped by about 20% since the Brexit vote in 2016.

Although students who secure places in UK universities have been reassured that the cost of their tuition will not increase while attending their course, many potential students are worried that the cost to study in England may increase significantly due to the uncertainty of the British economy once they leave the EU. This has since led to a significant drop in the numbers of Irish students applying to study in the UK compared with last year’s figures.

This makes continental European countries, such as France, Italy and Germany, a more attractive

proposition than Britain for Irish students looking to study abroad.

Only 3,900 Irish students applied to UCAS – the UK’s equivalent of the Central Applications Office – in 2017, which was down from 4,750 on 2016.

The UK has lost some of its draw for Irish students due to Brexit and higher costs associated with withdrawal of NHS funding to nursing and paramedical programmes.

The possibility of a significant increase in the cost of Studying in UK third level institutes has also emerged as a key concern among young people in a government consultation report on Brexit.

The report, due to be published

by Minister for Children Katherine Zappone, found that young people in Ireland are concerned about the cost of college and their enthusiasm at prospect of attending Eu-

ropean universities, other than the UK, has increased due to the potential increase in costs due to Brexit.

The increase in interest in European colleges is due to the fact that many of these universities, which rank in the top 100 global rankings, are charging lower tuition fees and are admitting a higher number of Irish students each year.

However, concerns among Northern Irish students which emerge in the report include restrictions on access to the Erasmus programme and their right to an Irish and EU passport.

The consultation report includes those who work with or for young people, such as the ISPCC, the youth wings of political parties and representatives from the Ombudsman for Children and the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People.

Empowerment Week in conjunction with the nominations for the SU Elections, opening on Tuesday.

The Empowerment Campaign featured a series of talks and open discussions with the SU, aimed at encouraging people around campus to get involved in student politics, as well as promoting women in politics.

The week was organised primarily by Eimear Maguire, VP for Engagement and Development, who is collecting nominations to run for SU President in the upcoming election.

The Sabbatical team held two open hours on both the St Pat’s and Glasnevin campuses during the week for students seeking information on running for their respective positions in the upcoming elections.

“It’s about the people who have

ideas but not the confidence and the know how to get things done.” said James O’Nuallain, a DCU student ambassador, speaking at a motion writing workshop held during the week.

Among the week’s events was a talk with USI’s Equality and Citizenship officer, Síona Ní Chátháil, on the subject of women in leadership and how to run a successful campaign. Ní Chátháil is heading the USI’s Women Lead project this year.

Speaking of the gender disparity evident in politics, Ní Chátháil said, “Women are not running for election, the data is there to prove it so it’s about how we can target that.”

“Even in the Elections last year I was the only one in the five running for my position that was female,” said Maguire, the only woman on the SU’s full-time Sabbatical team.

The talk was an informal event held in the Mezz and, despite the being about women in politics, it’s attendance counted twice as many men as women.

Credit: Laura Horan

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NEWS

8

Trinity college set Students unsure of new to acquire Iveagh contraception app that claims Grounds sports facility Oisin McQueirns Sub Editor @thecollegeview T]rinity College’s proposed purchase of Iveagh Grounds sports facility is set to save a number of sports clubs from relocation according to the chairman of the Guinness Athletic Union.

The facility is currently owned by the GAU, who are a part of the Diageo group, and plays host to a number of sports clubs including St James Gaels GAA. Eddie Tyrell the chairman of the Guinness Athletic Union, told The College View how the deal has stopped Diageo from getting rid of the historic sports ground.

“It’s terrific. Everyone’s in favour of it alright” said Tyrell. “It was a case of either, continue to stay here and rent and have our club or Diageo were going to get rid of it anyway.”

Tyrell outlined how the GAU had been given the use of the Iveagh Grounds by Edward Guinness during the 1920s in a trust, however, he explained that Diageo allegedly knew nothing about this trust and that they now wanted nothing to do with the sports grounds as it was “costing Diageo too much money.”

There had been a number of issues surrounding the deal between the two parties with the GAU originally having no say in the negotiations according to Tyrell.

“What happened was the company (Diageo) told us ‘this is what’s

happening’ and we had no hand act or part in it and because we were members for the last 80 odd years we are not cooperating with Trinity until the company give us a position for negotiation and that eventually turned around. The company are going to support us for the first two years just to make sure that it works so an agreement was reached” In an interview with the University Times last week, the Chief Financial Officer at Trinity College Ian Matthews outlined that negotiations would reach a conclusion in the next coming weeks and this sentiment was echoed by Tyrell with April 1st being expected confirmation date.

“We haven’t signed anything, began Tyrell...Trinity haven’t signed anything, we spent four hours yesterday, we’re spending two hours again today.”

We’ve meetings from practically now until April with them but we haven’t signed anything, we are heading into the direction of that but we still have a lot of roadblocks to cross.”

A spokesperson for Diageo told the Irish Times in June that they offered to provide “significant financial assistance to support the costs of transition over the next few years.”, which had previously been outlined

by Tyrell.

Tyrell concluded by saying that Trinity’s ownership of the grounds was a “much better deal” than what they previously had with Diageo and that the college had promised that the grounds would always be used for sporting events in the future.

to be as good as the pill

Credit: Susi.ie

John Morley News Reporter @thecollegeview DCU students expressed mixed views on a new app which claims to be almost ‘as good as the pill’ at preventing pregnancy.

The “Natural Cycles” app is a fertility awareness-based contraceptive method of birth control which calculates when a woman has passed her fertile period of the menstrual cycle.

It also accounts for a rise in a women’s temperature during ovulation with a thermometer as telling.

The European commission recently approved the app as a viable means of contraception. The app, however, received a sceptical response from DCU students.

“I would have to trust the girl first,” said first year journalist Hugh Farrell. He said ‘one night stands’ were not in question with the app.

Most of the discontent with the app and the idea behind it came from women. ‘The app wouldn’t stop you’ said Elayna Keller pointing to the fact that this method only works at certain stages of the month. However, she said it would be effective as a ‘menstrual cycle app.’

More people worried of the reliability of the app. ‘I don’t trust technology in general,’ said Gerard Grimes. While Amy Donohoe wor-

DIT lobbies for new attitude on drug addiction

Kyle Ewald Deputy News Editor @thecollegeview

DIT hosted an ‘Addiction Awareness’ cam-

paign this month to get students talking and thinking about addiction and change the way it is perceived by the public.

The campaign was put together by VP for Welfare at DITSU, Tara O’Brien, who believes that the long-established “Just Say No” attitude towards drugs is not effective.

This attitude has been echoed by other drug safety organisations such as Help not Harm and Students for a Sensible Drug Policy.

A 2015 study conducted by the National Student Drug Survey revealed that 82 per cent of Irish third level institution students have tried drugs, only 6 per cent attrib-

uting their usage to peer pressure, further showing that the “Just Say No” attitude is only applicable to a small group of people.

The study surveyed 3,000 students from all Irish colleges and universities. Other reasons provided by students for drug usage included curiosity (27 per cent) and “switching off” (19 per cent).

“The way I see it, the ‘just say no’ approach doesn’t work; you can’t tell people what to do. It’s not to tell people do or don’t do drugs, do or don’t have a pint, don’t be buying scratch cards, etc,” said O’Brien in an interview with Campus.ie. “Do what you want but just know your boundaries.”

O’Brien went on to make a point about all the forms drug addiction can take, including legal vices such as tobacco and alcohol. Whether it be a cigarette, or an illegal substance, it is an addiction all the same.

This newer approach to drug education has

ried about the compatibility with the app and her menstrual cycle. This is backed up by the creators of the app Elina Berglund and Raoul Scherwizl who state that women with irregularities in their cycle or medical issue would be less successful with this app.

“In the end, what we want to do is add a new method of contraception that women can choose from without side effects,” Scherwizl said.

Though the app also does not protect against STI’s, its selling point

is as an alternate to the pill and other hormonal forms of contraception as it produces ‘no side effects.’

Listed side-effects of hormonal contraception include mood changes, nausea, weight gain, headaches and other symptoms.

“I think its a nice option for girls who aren’t able to take the pill or bar,” said student Aoife Horan.

The app comes with one month’s free trial with subscriptions monthly subsequently.

Credit: College Crime Watch

also been represented by TCD’s and UCD’s Student Unions who teamed up with DIT and the Ana Liffey Drug Project in past years in a campaigning for safer drug use among students.

While DCU does have a Students for Sensible Drug Policy society that provides a platform for students to discuss drug pol-

icy and its effects on our society, there has yet to be a Drug Awareness/Addiction Week or event similar to that of DIT’s.

DCU has put on Alcohol Awareness weeks in years past, but illegal drugs have been treated as a separate issue and the zero-tolerance policy still remains.

9

OPINION

Has feminism taken a turn for the worse?

Lucy Mangan argues that although feminism has advanced in society in recent years, perhaps it has taken a turn for the worst in its aim to promote the equal rights of both men and women

I

am an advocate for an equal society, but just because I am a woman, this does not mean I am a feminist. Feminism began as what can only be described as a challenge for an equal society, when women were not allowed to vote, own a property or even earn money.

These women’s liberation movements fought for a balance in democracy.

And women succeeded. From 1918 onwards, feminism thrived and grew, into the first and second movements, giving women a chance at something that they had never experienced. A vote, education and the right to work after marriage.

In countries other than our own and those of the Western world, women are still being treated like second class citizens and the need for an equal society could flourish through feminism. They are still in an era where feminism is really about equal rights.

Unfortunately here in Ireland and most developed countries, feminism has seen a shift, moving away from equal rights for all and towards the mindset that men’s rights do not exist, or are not as important as women’s rights.

I have seen countless tweets and Facebook posts about how we should rise up and kill all men or how men are the root of all our problems. When did this become part of feminism?

Do not get me wrong, the plight of women does not go unheard of in my life. Getting catcalled, harassed and having men think that they have a human right to be given attention, just because I am standing alone is normal to me. But when exactly did feminists forget that men face real problems too?

In a society where our mental health is one of our most valued possessions, it falls through the cracks, especially for men.

Nearly 300 more men died by suicide than women in Ireland in 2015, and the same kind of statistics can be found in the years before, because ‘men don’t cry’?

There is a stigma surrounding a man talking about his feelings or his mental health, just in case he seems ‘weak’ or ‘unmanly’.

If this statistic alone is not enough to convince feminists that society disadvantages men too, then what is or what will ever be enough?

Feminism used its voice in the media to portray what they wanted. Where a movements voice in the media is its center point, it is what everyone hears and focuses on.

It used this to create the illusion that women are the only downtrodden gender.

That men are the only culprits for crimes such as violence, domestic abuse and cat calling, creating feelings of mistrust and suspicion towards all men, even though it is a minority perpetrating these crimes.

What does this mean for society?

This bias in the media has indicated that some women are adopting a mindset that their husband need to help out more at home or doesn’t do any housework. Despite them

Americanlookout.com

working all day and being the only person who earns money in the home. How can this be equality?

The meaning behind the word feminism has been moulded and changed from equal rights for men and women, to women advocating solely for women’s rights.

Feminism lets women beat down on men, and then play the victim. Using lies about the wage gap and campus rape culture in America are prime examples of this.

Now women are abandoning feminism in their droves, leaving behind the extremists, who are screaming for blood instead of equality.

In a survey done in the UK, only 7 per cent of women surveyed considered themselves feminists. However 74 per cent believed in gender equality.

We are using an old and outdated definition of feminism to fight for equal rights in a society where the meaning of equality has changed. We are no longer fighting a male dominated society where women have no rights.

Instead, we should be fighting together to make the world a more fair and just place.

Rather than women solely campaigning for women’s rights or men campaigning solely for men’s rights. We need to campaign for equal rights for both sexes.

Feminism has advanced society, there is no doubt about that. But feminists need to realise that women are not always the

“

The meaning behind the word feminism has been moulded and changed from equal rights for men and women, to women advocating solely for women’s rights

victims. Men face issues of their own, which may have been created by feminism in the first place.

There are plenty of examples of how feminism has actively fought men in their pursuit of equality. For example, feminism fighting paternal rights and feminism fighting educational changes to help boys.

Whereas when questioned about what feminism has done for men’s rights, they have no answer.

Feminism was meant to be a battle for equal rights, but it is not. Equality is not a battle for just one gender, it is a battle for the human race as a whole.

I do not think I can ever call myself a feminist. I believe that society equally disadvantages both men and women.

If campaigning for women’s rights or men’s rights is what you are passionate about, then more power to you. I am just sick of hearing the word feminism.

OPINION

College identity is a self-defeating concept

10

Following the incorporation of St Patrick’s College, Mater Dei Institute of Education and Church of Ireland College of Education with DCU, Bríon Hoban discusses the aftermath of the incorporation from a St. Pat’s perspective.

BRÍON HOBAN CHIEF SUB EDITOR

T

he Incorporation has not been a success story for the students of St Patrick’s College. They have had to endure numerous drawbacks without receiving much in return.

Students have been forced to commute between campuses rather than being based in a singular location. The abolition of their clubs and societies was an absolute travesty and it is without question that students have suffered more than prospered.

Incorporating the St Pat’s Student Union into DCUSU has also proved a folly, as senior

members of this new union publically insist the Incorporation has been a success rather than listen to the majority of its members who disagree.

The recent survey commissioned by this newspaper revealed widespread dissatisfaction with the burdensome changes, not to mention that more than half of respondents felt the Incorporation has been an overall negative endeavour.

Yet there is one aspect of the replies that is slightly perplexing. Many respondents felt that the incorporation has led to a loss of identity within the Drumcondra college.

It is well-known that many students of St Pat’s take pride in being a part of their college. This seems a rather self-defeating state of affairs.

That is not to say that St Pat’s is not an excellent college. It would be just as self-defeating for a student to take pride in attending DCU, or indeed any third-level institution.

Where exactly is that pride being directed?

Taking pride in being a member of your particular student body is understandable, but taking pride in a nebulous institution which will never return a trace of the respect you show them is unwise.

No university is worthy of your pride. To the heads of a university you will only ever be a statistic from which they draw funding for a small handful of years.

Credit: Zoe Ryan

R e member that DCU did not invade St Pat’s, Mater Dei or CICE with tanks and artillery. In every case it was the heads of each institution that chose to throw in their lot with the Glasnevin University.

While the top officials of DCU are indeed the people who are making the decisions that

ail you, remember that it was the top officials of your college who sold you out first. The top brass have proven they do not have your best interests at heart.

Thus your college does not deserve your loyalty. Give that loyalty to your fellow students instead and see how much you all might accomplish.

Your lecturers may also be worthy of loyalty. The recent strikes of CICE lecturers proves that they too are suffering from this Incorporation.

The students of DCU, St Pat’s, Mater Dei and CICE should not be at each other’s throats over the I n corporation. Such actions only distract from fighting against the university officials who are the true culprits of these mounting injustices.

Many St Pat’s students feel as though DCU is attempting to force a new identity upon them.

Sever the ties between your identity and your college, and DCU can never threaten your identity again.

Limited mental health services leaves students suffering Lucy Mangan looks into mental health services provided by primary and secondary schools, arguing that there are not enough resources available for those seeking help.

O

ne in five young people in Ireland suffer from a mental health disorder and Ireland has the fourth highest rate of suicide in the world. They are big figures for such a small country.

Irish people are known for trying to brush their problems under the carpet and shamefully hide what they do not want to be known as by ‘the parish’, which has lead to bigger and bigger problems coming to the fore regarding the mental health of this country.

A nasty spotlight has been shone on mental health in recent years, however, it was badly needed. Teen suicide rates have been steadily on the rise since 2012, coinciding with the prosperity of social media and cyber-bullying.

But not everything can be blamed on the internet. Mental health services in primary and secondary schools across the board are next to none.

How can a forty minute or less check-up session with your overrun and tired guidance counsellor in secondary school be of any help?

How are they supposed to notice that you are depressed when you don’t even know it yourself?

Mental health has been catapulted into the limelight by numerous different people and campaigns. Bressie speaking out about his depression and campaigns such Cycle against suicide have become nationwide.

But why hasn’t the way schools look at mental health changed?

Schools in Ireland seem to have an act, rather than a react mentality towards mental health.

If something happens, then it is dealt with, otherwise it flies under the radar.

Credit: Zoe Ryan

Almost 75 per cent of all mental health disorders first emerge between the ages of 15 and 25. This lands in the laps of secondary schools, where resources are tight for teaching, never mind extras like counselling.

Even the government has not been fighting the right battles in terms of youth mental health.

Take the Government’s decision to abolish dedicated guidance counsellor allocations for schools, for example.

This has dramatically reduced access for young people to counselling supports.

Mentally healthy young people are more

likely to enjoy good mental health as adults.

Research has also shown that resilience and coping skills are best developed early in a person’s life. So why are schools not reflecting the obvious need for mental health services for young people?

It is not just schools in Ireland that are finding it difficult to help their students, it is the same all over Europe. Schools cannot adequately provide sufficient mental health support to their students.

A number of problems blocking the implementation of mental health policies in schools

are to blame. These include limited staff capacity, limited access to specialists and local mental health services, and a lack of funding and national policy.

But should these problems be stopping the importance of promoting positive mental health? The cost of poor mental health in Ireland was estimated to be €3 billion, in 2006, which can only have risen since then.

The budget for mental health is now €853 million. Hopefully some of this will be put where it is much needed, in primary and secondary schools.

GAEILGE Seachtain na Gaeilge

11

Tugann Cáit Ní Cheallacháin, Oifigeach Gaeilge DCU, eolas dúinn ó thaobh “Seachtain na Gaeilge” de agus na himeachtaí a bheidh ar bhonn ar champas le linn na tréimhse

Cáit Ní Cheallacháin Scríbhneoir @thecollegeview

C

ad go díreach ar chóir go mbeadh ar eolas agat do Sheachtain na Gaeilge?

Tá Seachtain na Gaeilge ag rith ón 1 - 17ú Márta i mbliana.

Beidh rudaí ar siúil i ngach cúinne den tír, go háirithe DCU. Beimid á ceiliúradh idir an 6ú - 9ú Márta.

1ú Márta Seachtain na Gaeilge faoi lán seol.

Déan cinnte nach ndéanann tú dearmad go bhfuil sé mar chearta agat do Ghaeilge a úsáid i ngach aon stát seirbhís, san áireamh sin tá na Gardaí, aon chearn de na córais taistil, fiú do aois-chárta, d’fhoirm cháin (faigh an Muirear Sóisialta Uilíoch sin as Gaeilge). Ó thaobh do chomhairle áitiúil, glactar leis más rud é go bhfuil aon iarratas nó aon sórt foirm scríofa as Gaeilge. Ba chóir dóibh aistriúcháin Ghaeilge a chur ar fáil agus a úsáid maidir le logainmneacha, sloinne, chomh maith le haon seirbhís eile ina bhfuil ag teastáil.

Níl aon leithscéal agat do chuid Gaeilge a úsáid agus do chearta teanga a úsáid, GO ÁIRITHE le linn Seachtain na Gaeilge.

4ú Márta - Spraoi na Seachtaine Beidh Spraoi na Seachtaine ar siúil Dé Sathairn i bhFaiche Stiabhna (Stephens Green). Beidh ceol ar siúil ann ó 11:00 - 15:00, le linn seo, beidh John Spillane, Kíla, agus Seo Linn.

I rith an lae, beidh cúinne ceardlainne ann chomh maith, san áireamh beidh amhránaíocht ar an sean-nós, rince sean-nós, drumaí agus fiú beidh ceardlann ióga. Chun cur le sin, beidh comórtas Óráidíochta, Díospóireacht agus REIC (an Cheardlann Fhilíochta). Mar sin, níl aon leithscéal agat gan a bheith ann.

6ú Márta - Seachtain na Gaeilge DCU faoi lán seol.

Ar DCU, beidh seoladh againn ar Champas Naomh Pádraig agus Campas Glasnaíon, le balúin agus píosa beag ceol le craic chomh maith maidin Dé Luain. Beidh feachtas na Gaeilge ar siúil ar champas don lá ar fad. Bígí ag faire amach don chúinne Gaeilge ar Champas Naomh Pádraig agus an Tráth na gCeist ina mbeidh ar siúil an oíche sin ar Champas Glasnaíon.

7ú Márta - Shite Night Gaelach.

Ansin oíche Mháirt, beidh Shite Night Gaelach againn san NuBar, cheann de na hoícheanntaí is fearr na bliana, leis an cheol is fearr leat measctha le píosa beag Lurgan.

Beidh Feachtais Fhocail is fearr leat ar siúil an lá ar fad chomh maith. Mar sin, bígí cinnte teacht

síos go dtí an Hub chun do fhocail Gaeilge is fearr leat a chur ar an mballa. Beidh Tae le Plé ar siúil mar is gnáth ar Champas Phádraig ach beidh níos mó rudaí deasa ar fáil.

8ú Márta Beidh cúigear an taobh ar siúil ar champas Glasnaíon, le roinnt cumainn in aghaidh a chéile, so bígí cinnte chun teacht síos chun na himreoirí CLG is fearr a fheiceáil!

Beidh Club Comhrá ar siúil againn sa Mezz chomh maith le píotsa agus rudaí deasa tar éis na gcluichí.

An oíche seo, beidh Seó Tallainne ar siúil i gConradh na Gaeilge. Beidh daoine ó na coláistí difriúla ann chun tallainne na campais ar fad a thaispeáint!

Bígí cinnte bheith ann chun tacaíocht a thabhairt don choláiste.

9u Márta GaelGáirí insan Conradh.

Beidh na daoine is greannmhara Gaeilge ann ó 8in. Tá costas €5 ar an doras, agus beidh daoine ar

nós Martin Angolo, Bláithín de Búrca agus Ger Staunton ann. Tar éis é seo, beidh oíche amach mór ag an dream in DCU chun deireadh a chur le Seachtain na Gaeilge 2017.

Is deis iontach í Seachtain na Gaeilge snas a chur ar do chuid Ghaeilge agus buaileadh le daoine a bhfuil suim acu sa teanga chomh maith, cé nach bhfuil líofacht i gcónaí i gceist. Tugann sí seans duit éalú ón timthriall laethúil, deis éalú ó na leabhair agus is féidir aithne a chur ar dhaoine nua chomh maith le páirt a ghlacadh sna himeachtaí iontacha ar fad a bheidh ar siúl idir na campais ar fad.

Leanfaidh na himeachtaí agus na ócáidí ar aghaidh go dtí an 17ú Márta - Lá Fhéile Naomh Pádraig.

Ná déanaigí dearmad go bhfuil an méid sin cearta agat an teanga an t-am ar fad, ní amháin Seachtain na Gaeilge. Ár dTeanga, Do Rogha.

Trasinscne - Transgender Sceimhlitheoir - Terrorisy Imeachtaí - Proceedings

“

Leanfaidh na himeachtaí agus na ócáidí ar aghaidh go dtí an 17ú Márta - Lá Fhéile Naomh Pádraig! Ná déanaigí dearmad go bhfuil an méid sin cearta agat an teanga an t-am ar fad, ní amháin Seachtain na Gaeilge ! Ár dTeanga, Do Rogha!

Focail na seachtaine Tionchar - Influence Ag faire amach - Keeping lookout Comhairle - Council/ Advice

12

GAEILGE

Sraicfhéachaint ar Éifeacht Donald Trump i nDiaidh Míosa Caitheann Jordan Hussain súil ar Donald Trump agus an méid déanta aige le mí anuas.

Jordan Hussain Scríbhneoir @thecollegeview

T

ar éis mí mar Uachtarán ar Stáit Aontaithe Meiriceá, tá sé soiléir go bhfuil Donald Trump dáiríre faoi na gealúintí tugtha aige nuair a bhí sé ag rith don ról i rith an tSamhraidh an bhliain seo caite. Tá méid mór i ndiaidh tarlúint ónar ceapadh é agus cuid cinntí a bhfuil impleachtaí móra bainteach leo. Níl ach mí imithe ó shin, ach tá Meiriceá i bhfad níos difriúla anois.

Ceann de na céad athruithe a rinne Trump tar éis ceithre lá ná gur shínigh sé ord gealúint go mbeadh balla tógtha idir na Stáit Aontaithe agus Meicsiceo. Dúirt sé i rith a fheachtais go mbeadh sé ag tógáil balla chun inimircigh neamhdhleathacha a choimeád amach as a thír, ach ní raibh aon duine cinnte an raibh fírinne leis an méid a dúirt sé. Le sin ráite, tá sé soiléir anois go bhfuil sé ar intinn aige leanúint le tógáil an bhalla ach ní fios d’aon duine cathain a thosóidh sé.

Ar thaobh an ghnó de, an cinneadh is tábhachtaí agus is rioscúla a rinne Trump ná d’fhág sé an TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership). Séard atá i gceist leis an TPP ná comhpháirtíocht idir 12 tír, an Astráil agus

an tSeapáin ina measc, chun trádáil agus fás eacnamaíoch a fhorbairt i dtíortha na mball. Shínigh Barack Obama, Iar-Uachtarán Mheiriceá, an conradh le linn a sheal sa ‘White House’ agus chreid sé go gcabhródh sé le geilleagar agus trádáil Mheiriceá, ach bhí tuairim dhifriúil ag Trump, áfach, agus d’fhág sé an TPP. Dúirt Trump nach raibh aon chúis go mbeadh SAM sa TPP agus go raibh sé níos tábhachtaí go mbeadh an bhéim ar na Stáit Aontaithe i gcónaí. Níor aontaigh sé leis an TPP toisc go raibh SAM ag tabhairt earraí agus rudaí eile tábhachtacha dos na tíortha eile agus cheap sé nach raibh siad ag fáil an dóthan ar ais i gcomparáid leis an méid a bhí siad ag cur amach. Léirigh sé i rith a fheachtas go mbeadh sé mar aidhm aige an chomhpháirtíocht a fhágáil nuair a cheaptar ina uachtarán é.

Nuair a chuir Trump cosc ar inimircigh agus teifigh ó 7 dtír éagsúla teacht chun na tíre ag tús Feabhra bhí uafás ann ar fud an domhain. Na tíortha a bhí i gceist ná: an Iaráin, an tSúdáin, an tSiria, an Iaráic, an Libia, an tSomáil agus Poblacht Éimin. Deirtear gur roghnaigh an tUachtarán na tíortha seo de bharr go bhfuil siad liostaithe mar thíortha a bhfuil sceimhlitheoirí iontu nó tíortha a bhfuil ag tabhairt cúnaimh do sceimhlitheoirí, de réir rialtais na Stáit Aontaithe. Bhí fearg

ar dhaoine go forleathan toisc nach raibh ach mionlach an mhionlaigh sna tíortha seo ag obair le sceimhlitheoirí agus iad ar fad sa chatagóir chéanna i súile rialtais Mheiriceá.

Creideadh go raibh an cinneadh seo ciníoch agus go bhfuil Trump é féin ina chiníochaí. Toisc an cosc seo bhí agóidí ar fud an domhain agus faoi dheireadh cuireadh ar ceall an cosc ar feadh 120 lá de bharr rialú a rinne an chúirt fheidearálach.

Ní conspóideach eile a rinne Trump le déanaí ná shínigh sé ord a chuireadh deireadh le daoine trasinscne ag úsáid leithris an inscne lena gcomhcheanglaítear iad féin leis. Dúirt Trump agus na hoifigigh thartimpeall air nach bhfuil aon idirdhealú i gceist agus go ndearna siad an cinneadh toisc go raibh an dlí ró-theibí i dtaca leis an lucht trasinsnce agus bhí sé an-éasca do dhaoine mí-úsáid a bhaint as an míchruinneas seo. Mothaítear tionchar na malairte seo den chuid is mó sna scoileanna toisc go gcreideann a lán scoileanna gur chóir go mbeidh daoine trasinscne ábalta an leithreas a oireann dóibh a úsáid. Tá daoine i gcoinne an dlí seo de bharr go bhfuil seans ann nach n-athróidh siad an dlí arís agus go mbeidh bac ar chearta na ndaoine trasinscne. Níl aon nuacht amach fós i leith forbartha leis an gcás agus níl aon ráitis suntasach i leith thodhchaí an lucht trasinscne.

“Léirigh sé i rith a fheachtas

go mbeadh sé mar aidhm aige an chomhpháirtíocht a fhágáil nuair a cheaptar ina uachtarán é.

Labhraíonn Trump faoi ‘Fake News’ i gcónaí ach thóg sé céim i gcoinne an ‘nuacht bhréagach’ an tseachtain seo caite nuair a chur sé cosc ar roinnt ghníomhaireacht nuachta teacht go seisiún faisnéise don phreas. Is iad CNN,The New York Times,Politico,Buzzfeed agus The Guardian na gníomhaireachtaí a cuireadh cosc orthu. Tá na foinsí nuachta ag díriú níos mó ar Trump anois agus á chur i gcomparáid le deachtóirí difriúla de bharr an

ghnímh seo agus tá agóidí beaga le feiceáil sna Stáit Aontaithe, líonta le daoine a bhfuil ar thaobh na meán.

Níl srian leis an méid cinntí conspóideacha déanta ag Trump agus a dhéanfaidh sé, ach is gá a cheistiú ‘an bhfuil sé ag smaoineamh i leith maitheasa mhuintir Mheiriceá?’ Cé go bhfuil fuath ag méid mór daoine dó agus dá pholasaithe, vótáil an tromlach dó agus tá slua chomh maith atá i bhfabhar an Uachtaráin.

13

FEATURES

The legal and ethical poles of the Eighth Amendment In relation to abortion, we always discuss what is right and what is wrong, but maybe what we are really debating is what is legal and what is ethical.

SHAUNA BOWERS FEATURES EDITOR

T

he subject of the Eighth Amendment has been one which has gained mass amount of attention over the last year especially. It has been discussed and then discussed again as everyone passionately exclaims their postulations, claiming that their opinion is the right one.

However, if we sit down and think about what it is that drives our opinion, it comes down to two very simple things. It is the age-old debate of legality vs. morality. There are, of course, other factors that play a part in our decision making such as religion, upbringing and personal experience but at the heart of even those factors, it is natural to still consider what is legal and what is ethical.

“Well I think people’s views on ethical decisions are formed by a number of influences and one of them is a person’s religious beliefs or lack of those. I think all religions have beliefs and values and make statements on various types of moral issues that contribute to a person’s views,” Donal O’Mathuna a lecturer in DCU, said.

O’Mathuna is a lecturer in ethics in the School of Nursing and he spoke at The Citizen’s Assembly on the pro-life side of the argument. He spoke of personal autonomy, making something good out of something harrowing in the case of rape victims and he spoke of the responsibilities we undertake when we decide to engage in sexual relations.

“My opinion is that I would defend the current wording of the Constitution, that I believe the unborn do have important rights and that does include, especially, the right to life. That means in my view, the only time that an abortion can be acceptable is when there is a conflict between the life of the unborn and the life of the mother,” O’Mathuna said.

On the legal side of this argument, article 42a of the Constitution, which was introduced after the 2012 Children’s referendum, provides that the State must protect ‘all children’.

Justice Richard

Humphreys said that since an ‘unborn’ is ‘an unborn child’, article 42a protects children ‘both born and unborn’.

Another DCU lecturer, Vicky Conway, also feels quite strongly about the Eighth Amendment, but she stands on the pro-choice side of the debate. The Socio-Legal Research Centre, a group established in DCU and a group in which Conway is a member, entered a submission into the Citizen’s Assembly outlining their reasons why they believe a repeal should occur.

Many of the members have published on the topic and so they cannot speak at the assembly as a result

which is something that Conway thinks could impact on the assembly because it means the Assembly does not have access to the ‘most informed and researched opinions’.

However, that is why they sent in their submission so that they could still contribute to the campaign.

The submission states that its goal is to ‘go beyond the letter of the law’ of the Eighth Amendment and to analyse ‘broader context’ and the ‘impacts’ on ‘Irish society as a whole’. Conway, in particular, feels that abortion pills should be made available in Ireland due to the fact that the World Health Organisation Credit: Laura Duffy

(WHO) described them as ‘essential medicine’.

“For me, what’s most important is that the laws in Ireland don’t operate in breach of the human rights of women as they currently do,” Conway said.

According to a poll by Amnesty Ireland in February 2016, 87 percent of respondents are in favour of expanding access to abortion in Ireland, at least in the minimum circumstances required under international human rights law.

In June 2016, the UN found that Ireland’s ban on abortion caused inhumane treatment to Amanda Mellet whose foetus has a fatal abnormality.

However, if we look at countries who have a rape stipulation in place, they have a mechanism there whereby a judge, a public prosecutor or police chief look at the case and try to evaluate whether this woman truly was raped or not.

“I believe that if we introduced a rape ground in this country, we already have a situation where it’s one of the most underreported crimes here in Ireland. I suspect what would end up happening if they could afford it, those women will still go to England. Why put yourself through the ordeal of reporting and proving rape if you could just hop on a plane and avoid all of those questions?”

Conway said.

But on the ethical side of the argument, is it ethical to force a woman to give birth to a child she does not want? Is it ethical to force a child to be born into a family that cannot financially or emotionally support them?

No matter whether you think the matter is a legal issue or an ethical issue, the one thing that we should all agree on is that this is an issue that needs to be discussed and debated, such as is happening in The Citizen’s Assembly.

As H.L.A. Hart, a British legal philosopher once said: “Surely if we have learned anything from the history of morals it is that the thing to do with a moral quandary is not to hide it.

FEATURES

14

Sticks and Stones

Professor Mona O’Moore details how bullying can affect all people, in all stages of life.

ORLA DRISCOLL DEPUTY FEATURES

S

EDITOR ticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me; perhaps that used to be true. Or, perhaps it applied to a time before technology invaded safe spaces, before the insidious nature of the internet brought ‘name calling’ along an information super highway which can creep beneath a pillow, late at night.

The reach of social media and its ability to slither into the places which were historically safe has opened challenges, both for the victim and those caring for them; innocuous looking devices can contain the most devastating abuse.

Professor Mona O’Moore, is the founder of the Anti-Bullying Centre (ABC) based in DCU, St Patricks campus.

Norwegian by birth, O’Moore has embraced Ireland as her home for over 30 years, and has fought a long path to ensure her research into the area of bullying and victim intimidation has a place which offers a very real look at cause and effect.

“If anyone can manage to hurt them (the bully), then they will go away. But, they will find a new victim. They pick on someone who won’t go and tell, someone who may not be so assertive. That is the tragedy.” She says of those who bully.

Bullying is not confined to the playground, or the mobile phone, or the internet, or indeed to those under 20 years of age. Bullying is a global phenomenon, and a differentiation of age, is rarely the factor that drives the bully.

Back in 1993, O’Moore’s name became synonymous with tackling bullying. Parents and schools sought out her advice and ABC became both a centre for research, but also, and perhaps more importantly, it became a professional counselling service.

O’Moore is very clear in her belief that the aggression shown by young people at an early age is both manageable by screening and intervention, but also that it is indicative of the behavioural issues which will come up for young people as they

“

Bullying is a global phenomenon move on through their early and later teenage years. More worryingly though, is her belief that people bullied, or victimised at an early age will face those demons later in life, often with catastrophic consequences.

Healing the internal wounds caused by bullying can take a lot longer and requires a lot more effort than healing physical wounds Credit: Newstalk

Ireland, has a massive rate of young male suicide: “Boys in particular think it is a sign of weakness to come home and say they are being bullied. For fear, perhaps, of being told that its character building. They hide a lot from their parents”, says O’Moore.

In relation to stopping the bully and correcting the behaviour at an early age, O’Moore does not believe enough is done on a prevention scale to challenge inappropriate behaviour: “The minister for justice is now tackling so called domestic violence, and I have said it for years that we have this information research to show that children who are engaged in bullying are at a huge risk of engaging in domestic violence and anti-social behaviour, and adult crime. 64 percent of 8 year olds whose aggression has not been challenged will, by age 21 have a criminal record.” She says.

The costs for staffing detention centres, prisons, offending centres, and for Gardaí to patrol these

facilities is an issue which arises year after year. Yet the budget and support given to anti-bullying campaigns is a pittance, and according to O’Moore: “It is not enough. To make a change more investment is needed.”

Bullying is not just name calling or the prolonged antagonization of another, it is being ostracised, being laughed at, being ignored - and it is the power that the bully holds over their victim. Bullying is not just confined to playground behaviour.

“It stands to reason, that anyone who is allowed go through school and young adulthood unchallenged, pushing others aside by physically abusing them, or mentally taunting them will believe they can carry on that way. Essentially what they then have is a very manipulative tough minded need to control. A dominant approach. But they need help too, but it needs to come very early on.”

Says O’Moore.

In 2006, Didier Lombard, a French Telecommunications CEO,

told senior staff to shed 20,000 employees. ‘Managers should do everything possible to push them to do so “through the window or the door”’, according to a report in The Telegraph Newspaper.

Unions say, within a year 35 employees had taken their own life, and when asked to explain the suicides, Mr Lombard described it as a “fashion”, sparking widespread outrage.

Workplace bullying is very real here too, and O’Moore has spoken both to those who have been bullied and employers, to put in place workplaces Anti Bullying measures: “Everyone suffers, families, partners, children, everyone suffers with this level of workplace abuse.” Says O’Moore.

Bullying is a reason people take their lives; don’t eat, or eat too much, or do both and vomit. It is insidious, subtle, forthright, sneaky, and devastating, and wrong.

With sticks and stones, the bruises are mostly on the outside, where they can, eventually, heal.

FEATURES

Safeguarding your sexual health

15

There are so many ways that you can prevent contracting STIs and it is very important that you do Cáit Caden Contributor @thecollegeview

S

exually active students are advised to avail of DCU’s free testing for sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) due to an increase of Chlamydia sufferers, according to the HSE. A total of 1,765 STIs have been reported this year alone by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) and 1085 of them were reports of chlamydia, otherwise known as ‘The Clap’, Ireland’s most popular STI amongst 20-29 year olds.

In an effort to tackle the spread of STIs, the Union of Students Ireland (USI) erected a campaign known as Sexual Health Awareness and Guidance (SHAG) week last year.

DCU launched a similar campaign called SHIFT week, lest anyone be uncomfortable by the word SHAG. This kind of discomfort sur-

rounding the most literal form of sex talk could be the cause of an STI increase nationwide.

“I don’t actually know what Chlamydia is or does if I’m honest, or what half of the others are either. All I know is that you try and avoid them by having a condom handy but that’s not always the case”, said DCU Communications student Kelly Quinn.

Although we might be screaming “I’m feeling sexual” in the middle of Coppers, when it comes to talking about the bare facts we tend to tense up. Irish people are notorious for our embarrassment and sometimes disrespect for all things concerning the topic of sex.

This was demonstrated by some on the ‘No’ campaign during the same sex marriage referendum. Perhaps it is due to years of Catholic guilt passed down through the generations that made us believe we were a nation immaculately conceived, or the rise of the smartphone and our perfect, filtered STI free worlds we have created

for ourselves that has caused our dismissive attitude towards sex.

There are many myths surrounding STIs and most of them are completely false. Some people say that STIs cannot be cured but this is not true in all cases.

Most STIs are caused by a bacterial infection and can be cured with treatment. These include gonorrhoea, syphilis, and chlamydia. However, HIV and herpes which are viral cannot be cured but can be effectively managed.

Another common myth is that you cannot get or pass on an STI from oral sex. This is also untrue.

You can receive and pass on an STI from oral sex. These include herpes and thrush and that is why it is advised to still use protection when partaking in oral sex.

Maintaining a healthy sexual lifestyle as an adult is proven to be beneficial to your mental health. Sex is a natural stress reliever, releases endorphins and is the purest form of

sexualhealthliverpool

natural happiness and pleasure. This should not be affected by the fear of getting an STI. The pill may stop your chances of getting pregnant but con-

doms stop your risk of contracting an STI. Condoms are always available in the SU and in the reception of the campus GP.

Is Remediate the remedy for polluted soil?

A project called REMEDIATE is taking place in DCU, among many other universities and their hope is to reduce pollution in soil.

Peter Brennan Contributor @thecollegeview

I

ncreased industrialisation and production is linked to higher levels of pollution, and still society continues its industrial and urban growth, producing more greenhouse gases and hazardous waste year after year.

Environmental regulations are becoming more demanding, and now planning permission and zoning laws will not permit development or use of land where the land is above contamination limits.

These improved regulations combined with contaminated land often being centred near valuable urban areas, make contaminated land management and remediation an important emerging industry.

When toxic substances enter soil, they can enter the food supply and drinking water via groundwater pathways, causing symptoms ranging from mild headaches and fatigue to seizures and cancer.

Bioremediation is a green science approach whereby bacteria are used to clean up and destroy hazardous chemicals. Incredibly, different strains of bacteria have evolved to destroy and reduce many toxic and man-made pollutants, including the plastic used for soda bottles and even uranium.

A lot of current environmental sciences focuses on discovering, stimulating, and monitoring these

bacteria. That’s where REMEDIATE comes in.

REMEDIATE is a Marie Curie Actions EU funded training network of 13 PhD students across Ireland, UK, Denmark, Germany and Italy. Each student is researching innovative methods for detection, removal, and management of pollution.

REMEDIATE focuses on how to improve contaminated land management to remediate pollution in soil from a diversity of perspectives including engineering, biology, and chemical approaches.

Based in the Organic Geochemistry Research Lab (OGRe) in DCU, some students are developing underground sensors powered by electricity-generating bacteria to monitor pollution and nutrient concentrations.

These remarkable bacteria use natural nutrients from soil or wastewater to generate electricity in systems called Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC). Foster’s, the beer company, aided one of the largest pilot studies of MFCs to reduce their nutrient rich brewery water, generating almost a kilowatt of electricity, just enough for a dozen lightbulbs.

These fuel cell sensors will never produce enough power to boil a cup of tea but they can stay alive for years without replacing the batteries.

Coren Pulleyblank, a member of REMEDIATE and OGRe, is feeding bacteria present in polluted soils nutrients to stimulate degradation of key carcinogenic pollutants on site, removing the necessity of

keepakronbeautiful.org

transporting soil for treatment, and improving options for remote areas.

There are a lot of other important projects happening through REMEDIATE and the OGRe lab.

At DCU, Aisling Cunningham is mapping pollution of carcinogens in Dublin Bay, and Anthony Grey is studying how bacteria capture car-

bon dioxide in soil.

At Queens University Belfast (QUB) Ricardo Costeira uses DNA sequencing to investigate biological solutions to widespread pollution events, and Tatiana Cocerva examines what happens when metals enter the digestive system.

In the University of Copenha-

gen, Yi Zhao and Stacie Tardif, are making DNA chips, like microchips, and other tools to rapidly detect genes associated with pollution.

With their research, farmers could quickly detect and control pollution in their fields. Researchers in England, Germany, and Italy are also contributing these projects.

FEATURES

Phoning your feelings in DCU

16

There are many different methods of counselling, and the interest in over the phone counselling has increased in recent years.

Gabija Gataveckaite Contributor @thecollegeview

J

ust a few weeks ago, DCU saw the establishment of an over the phone counselling service. An exclusive for DCU students, the helpline will operate for three hours, two nights a week every Tuesday and Thursday.

Some 16 volunteers will be there to listen to the various worries students may have. This is only a pilot scheme and may not be available next year, as it is set up by the DCU Counselling and Personal Development Service in conjunction with Third Age and relies solely on the students’ interest.

However, which is the better option to choose for somebody who feels like they may need to talk to someone about their mental health? Over the phone counselling is more anonymous for those who maybe do not have the confidence to sit in front of a stranger and discuss their issues.

It is also more readily available, as help is only a phone call away in times of stress, when an appointment with a counsellor is too long a wait. Jigsaw, the Irish charity which works with young people and their mental health, provides Samaritan’s, Childline and Teenline numbers on their website for those who need to talk to someone right now.

Over the phone counsellors are a great help when there is an issue and sometimes, with mental health, moods may change unexpectedly and therapist appointments may not suit.

Alternatively, there is the traditional route of going to see a doctor, or a counsellor. DCU offer a free counselling service, so this

Credit: Laura Duffy

takes away from the pressures of expensive doctors which many people cannot afford. Unlike a

home.”

phone counselling service, face-to-face counsellors usually keep track of appointments and psychotherapists prescribe medicines and different types of treatment for complex mental health issues.

Although over the phone counselling may be a form of temporary and emergency help on dark nights, face to face counselling is perhaps a long term solution for those struggling to cope.

Cody Byrne, DCU’s Welfare Officer, noted how it is “a service that students may access from the comforts of their own

“If you’re feeling consistently low, the willpower to access ser-

vices requires getting up, being presentable, walking to the service. It is much more engaging.”

Byrne also noted how it will have different benefits to different people: “You’re lacking that person-to-person interaction which could prove more beneficial for certain people. As far as I’m concerned, it is still beneficial.”

“I want to take the time to really emphasise just how outstanding our Counselling and Personal Development Services, under the Student Support and Development (SS&D) framework really is. They’re very innovative with their approaches to youth mental health and I could not recommend them enough,” Byron continued.

Although it may not suit everybody, the over the phone counselling service is a start and provides room for expansion. Even though 24-hour hotlines like Samaritan’s and Childline work tirelessly to provide help for those in need, the new hotline is a positive step in the right direction of providing mental health services for all of our students, at all times.

Removing Obama’s guidance: What does this mean for the trans* community?

Niamh Dunne Contributor @thecollegeview

O

n Wednesday the 22nd of February, the Trump administration made the decision to withdraw the guidance that permitted transgender students to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with. The decision was met with fierce opposition from civil rights groups ACLU and the LBGTQ. The guidance of Title IX was first introduced by the Obama administration which required that public schools give transgender students access to bathrooms and locker rooms of the gender they identify with in public schools.

However, last Wednesday, in a letter released by the Departments of Justice and Education, the Government outlined that it is up to State and local school districts in establishing education policy. The letter also stated that schools must bear some responsibility in the harassment and bullying of trans students.

The removal of this guidance is a major setback for transgender students and the transgender com-

munity. Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Centre for Transgender Equality stated, ”This is a mean-spirited attack on hundreds of thousands of students who simply want to be their true selves and be treated with dignity while attending school”.

This action came as a shock as President Trump and Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, promised to protect the LGBTQ community.

Ultimately, the letter states that the withdrawal of the guidance ‘does not leave students without protection from discrimination, bullying or harassment’.

DeVos reaffirmed the admin’s responsibility to “protect every student in America and ensure that they have the freedom to learn and thrive in a safe and trusted environment”.

The removal of this guidance particularly affects one transgender student, Gavin Grimm. Gavin Grimm is a seventeen-year-old trans student and he has issued a lawsuit against Gl. Grimm was 15-years-old when he revealed to his family that he was a transgender and while his family were supportive he school was not. After two school board meetings, the school board barred Grimm from using the boys bath-

Credit: Zero Hedge

room and required that al trans students should use a separate ‘single user’ bathroom.

Grimm said he if needs to, he goes to the nurse’s office. Grimm decided to file a lawsuit against Gloucester County School Board, which is to be brought to the Supreme Court within the next few months.

The removal of this guidance

doesn’t stop the case, however, it could give the courts an opportunity to send it to a lower court. The court also could decide to send the case back before the arguments.

Even famous trans celebrities have spoken out in support of Gavin Grimm and the trans issue at hand. They are calling upon President Trump to support the trans community and to ensure that the

law makers are on the right side of this debate.

A week later and the country is still divided on this issue. The outcome of this discussion is still unclear, leaving millions of transgender people living in fear. On the other hand, Conservatives are concerned of the safety of their children, leaving the American people in disarray.

17

SPORT

SPORT Freshers’ hurlers come from behind to win All-Ireland in Cork

Darren Byrne receives the John Corcoran Cup from GAA President Aogán Ó Fearghail Credit: Uachtarán CLG

AIDAN GERAGHTY DEPUTY EDITOR DCU Dóchas Éireann University of Limerick

D

1-15 1-13

John Corcoran Cup final CU’s freshers hurling team tasted All-Ireland success for the first time in its history on Thursday, March 2nd, with a 1-15 to 1-13 win over the University of Limerick at the Mardyke in Cork.

A late equalising point for UL forced another 20 minutes, and a four-point lead in the additional period for the Shannonsiders gave the impression that all hope was lost for DCU. A resilient comeback just moments from time ensured that the John Corcoran Cup headed north on the M8.

The two teams traded blows for the duration

of the first half. On six different occasions, DCU took the lead only to be pegged back by their mid-western opponents.

A controversial penalty for Limerick after 25 minutes was not converted, but a goal from play five minutes later sent the sides into the dressing room with UL leading by two: 1-5 to six points.

The teams again traded points for the duration of the second half, this time with UL maintaining a slim but crucial lead.

A Donal Burke free with five minutes to go levelled the scores, before the Dubliner gave his side a one-point lead with another free with only a minute of regulation time left.

Despite holding a single-score lead for most of the three minutes of injury time, DCU were lucky to make it to extra time. A 55-yard Limerick free dropped short to create a goal chance.

The close-range effort was heroically saved

by Wexfordman Oisín Foley in the DCU goal, but another free for UL before the final whistle once again levelled the sides, forcing another 20 minutes to be played.

It looked as if DCU would be punished for allowing their opponents a foothold in the game.

UL kept ticking over to give themselves a fourpoint advantage at half-time in extra time: 1-12 to 11 points.

Just after the restart, another free from Burke reduced the deficit to only three, but the real turning point was Colin Currie’s goal for the Glasnevin side to cancel out Limerick’s hardfought lead.

The flawless free-taking of Donal Burke af-

forded DCU the opportunity to take the lead in the dying embers of extra time. The Na Fianna clubman pucked one over from 65 yards out.

The final minutes weren’t without a scare for Eoin Roche and his team, however. What would have been the winning goal for UL was denied, when Aron Shanagher’s shot found nothing but the ash at the end of Foley’s hand.

Traditionally, hurling has been the weaker of the two major codes in Gaelic games in DCU, with the University’s football teams being far more renowned. This season, however, an overachieving Fitzgibbon Cup side laid the foundations for a change in that culture and this result is a further indicator of the strides taken by the small ball game in Dublin 9.

DCU fresher football captain Brendan McCole attributed part of the motivation for his team’s All-Ireland success the following night to Eoin Roche’s hurlers.

“We were definitely aware of (the fact that they had won the All-Ireland),” McCole said, in his interview with Jerome Quinn (see page 18).

DCU’s senior hurling team already has a strong core. Future Dublin stars Paul O’Dea and Eoghan McHugh represent Na Fianna in Nick Weir’s team, and the addition of Donal Burke and Colin Currie next season should be seamless given the presence of their fellow clubmen in the senior setup.

ny); Oisín Lanigan (St. Vincent’s, Dublin), Shane Howard (Fingallians, Dublin), Daire Gray (Whitehall Colmcille, Dublin); Ciarán Dowling (Lucan Sarsfields, Dublin), Fergal Whitely (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin); Conor Burke (St. Vincent’s, Dublin), Conor Hearne (Shelmaliers, Wexford), Donal Burke (Na Fianna, Dublin); Edmond Delaney (Conahy Shamrocks,Kilkenny), John Donnelly (Thomastown, Kilkenny), Colin Currie (Na Fianna, Dublin).

DCU: Oisín Foley (Crossabeg/Ballymurn, Wexford); John Curran (Dungarvan, Waterford), Darren Byrne (Blackwater, Wexford), Darren Mullen (Ballyhale Shamrocks, Kilken-

UL scorers: Eoghan Murray 0-7f, Ross Malone 1-0, Michael O’Shea 0-2, Mark Hughes (sub) 0-2, Michael Mackey 0-1, Ronan Hardiman 0-1.

DCU scorers: Donal Burke 0-6f, Colin Currie 1-2, Edmond Delaney 0-2f, Ciarán Dowling 0-2, Darren Mullen 0-1, Daire Gray 0-1, Fergal Whitely 0-1.

UL: Páraic O’Loughlin (Clonlara, Clare); Gavin Dunne (Holycross-Ballycahill, Tipperary), Nathan Fox (Parteen, Clare), Mark Kearns (Mooncoin, Kilkenny); Conor Doheny (Dicksboro, Kilkenny), Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry, Limerick), Cathal Noonan (Killanena, Clare); Rónán Hardiman (Athenry, Galway), Ciarán O’Connor (Kilmallock, Limerick); Ross Malone (Oranmore-Maree, Galway), Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones na Sionna, Clare), Eoghan Murray (Cappoquin, Waterford); Michael Mackey (Adare, Limerick), Michael O’Shea (Smith O’Brien’s, Clare), Jack Kenny (Kilnadeema-Leitrim, Galway).

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SPORT DCU claim AllIreland glory in both fresher codes

Carter: Robinson is key to DCU’s IABC hopes

DCU teammates spar together in training Credit: Laura Horan

AIDAN GERAGHTY DEPUTY EDITOR

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ublin City University’s freshers teams in both Gaelic football and hurling tasted All-Ireland glory this past week.

On Thursday, March 2nd, Eoin Roche’s hurlers lifted the John Corcoran Cup for the first time in the University’s history, as they earned a 1-15 to 1-13 win against the University of Limerick at the Mardyke in Cork (see page 17 for full report).

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” DCU captain Darren Byrne said, speaking to Jerome Quinn.

“The boys were unbelievable. There were 25 of them there sitting on the bench and every one of them had a part to play.

“Even the lads that didn’t get a run were driving us on, they were up on their toes.”

UL went ahead by four points in extra time, but a remarkable comeback saw Byrne and his teammates take the Cup back to Glasnevin.

“I did (think it was gone),” Byrne admits.

“We stiffened up a small bit at half-time and just said ‘lads, enjoy yourselves. Hurl to your ability.’ Gar O’Brien put a big emphasis on that.

“He just said to us, ‘keep hurling and it will come.’ The same thing happened in the semi-final. We were two points down and came back to win by two points. It’s a credit to the boys.”

Pressure The hurlers’ dramatic win put even more pressure on the already favoured Gaelic footballers in the following night’s Dave Billings Cup final, which was moved from Roscommon to Abbotstown, Dublin 15, with only a few hours’ notice due to inclement weather in the west.

The Glasnevin side didn’t feel the pressure though. They defeated NUI Galway by a score of 1-13 to 1-10 to round off an incredible weekend for Gaelic games on the Northside.

DCU captain Brendan McCole emphasised to Jerome Quinn that 27 counties were represented on this year’s panel, making the achievement even more significant.

“It’s a big step for us, for 27 counties to win an All-Ireland. Some of these boys might not play in an All-Ireland again.

“It was nice to complete the double,” the Mountcharles (Donegal) clubman said.

“We were definitely aware of what the hurlers did and it was great for them, I think it was their first ever Championship title.”

A Galway goal in the second half put some pressure on DCU, but the Liffeysiders grabbed a late goal of their own to end the game as a contest.

“They had a tight defence in the second half,” McCole claimed.

“We were playing against a stiff breeze too but thankfully we kept attacking the goal and eventually killed it.”

The success of the freshers teams will be welcomed in DCU, especially at the end of a season in which the senior Gaelic football team crumbled under enormous pressure when they fell to St. Mary’s in the Sigerson Cup quarter-final.

Interview Credit: Jerome Quinn

DCU Boxing Club rose to success at an astronomical pace after it was established in 2012. Liam Ashton spoke to club chairman Shane Carter about the upcoming Intervarsity Amateur Boxing Championships.

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ifteen students will compete in next weekend’s Intervarsity Amateur Boxing Championships at the National Boxing Arena.

Society chairman Shane Carter believes the team has done enough work over the last number of months to secure an overall win for the University.

“If you’re a college boxing team you want to be the best one in the country and I think we have done that for a number of years at this stage probably since its establishment.”

A number of the fighters had the chance to get some fight practice in last Friday at the Dublin Championships. Carter won his bout comfortably in the 71kg (11st 2lbs) category while Conor McGinn lost his fight on a split decision.

Looking forward to next weekend’s competition, Carter feels all fighters are capable of winning their respective bouts however Jack Robinson is a stand out performer in his eyes despite being out of the sport for some time.

“He’s been on a bit of a hiatus in the sport for the last few years due to a shoulder injury but he’s back now and he’s looking sharp in the club so I’m pretty sure he’s going to put on a show.”

Carter puts a lot of the success of the athletes in the society down to two elite coaches in Derek

Ahern and Terry Keegan.

Keegan is someone who has been involved in the training aspect and running of the organisation since it was set up only a few years ago.

“There’s a lot to thank Terry Keegan for in all parts and aspects of the club. He set it up in and in 2012 it won most promising club that year and club of the year for the three years following.”

Charity Carter also talked about a charity competition the society will be taking part in Manchester on March 11.

“The first day is to help the peace process in Warrington and the second day all the money raised goes towards children in the community from disadvantaged backgrounds to build projects for them.”

He also alluded to how Irish boxing stars who have had success in the Olympics will reach the same levels of success of other Irish combat sportspeople.

“You see people like Katie Taylor and Mick Conlon that might not have reached that level of superstardom of Conor McGregor at this stage but he probably won’t be too long in catching up based on their quality.”

“

There’s a lot to thank Terry Keegan for in all parts and aspects of the club.

He set it up in and in 2012 it won most promising club that year and club of the year for the three years following.

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SPORT

DCU taste defeat against old rival after astonishing Collingwood start AIDAN GERAGHTY DEPUTY EDITOR Dublin City University 8 Royal College of Surgeons 0 Collingwood Cup first round Dublin City University 3 NUI Galway 2 AET Collingwood Cup quarter-final Dublin City University 1 University College Cork 2

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Collingwood Cup semi-final year of unprecedented success for senior football in DCU ultimately ended in disappointment with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of University College Cork in the Collingwood Cup semi-final, but manager Declan Roche remains proud of the programme’s achievements this season.

“It was a great achievement for us to win the Harding Cup, play five games in twelve days and then reach the semi-final of the Collingwood Cup. Following the success of the freshers team in the Harding Cup, Roche admits that he had to

make a lot of changes to the team to face the Royal College of Surgeons two days later.

The fresh-faced Northside team wasn’t phased, though, as they put eight past the St. Stephen’s Green outfit without reply to advance to the quarter-final.

It was there that DCU faced NUI Galway, by whom they were eliminated from last year’s tournament. It looked as though one goal would be enough to progress to the final four, but a last minute equaliser by the Tribesmen sent the game into extra time.

In the additional period, the westerners tookthe lead, only to be pegged back and finally put to bed by the Dubliners to avoid a penalty shootout.

In the semi-final, DCU had a chance to avenge their CUFL Premier Division semi-final defeat against University College Cork. They looked as if they would do so when Rory Feely gave them the lead, but a brace from Daniel Pender booked the Corkonians’ place in the final, and they would go on to win the cup.

“The demands placed on the team were really high,” Roche claimed in relation to fixture congestion.

“Too high, in fact.

“But we were really delighted to achieve what we did. Even on the day (against UCC) we played really well.

“I think we were a bit unlucky. We missed some chances near the end but that’s just how it went, as it does in football.”

“I would also say that Cork probably have a wee bit more experience at the moment. They’re a club team, they play together every week.

“They got to the Premier Division final which they lost to UCD, but bounced back to win the Collingwood final.

“For us to match them all the way on two separate occasions is a huge achievement for us and it’s something we’ll look to as we try to improve.”

Dedication

Roche has received widespread praise in college football circles this season, but the former Shelbourne striker modestly attributes his team’s success to the dedication of Soccer Development Officer Fran Butler.

“We’ve done a lot of hard work but Fran in particular deserves a lot of credit.

“He’s been the cornerstone of everything we’ve done. He’s given me the freedom to just get on with my work while giving us huge support.

“Pretty much anything we’ve wanted to achieve, he has organised it in the background.

“There’s no doubt about how much Fran has done for soccer in DCU. Despite his elation at how this season has progressed, Declan admits that players at UCC, UCD and Maynooth University’s experience of playing together as a club every week gives them an advantage over his own team.

“It’s always going to be difficult when you’re competing against UCD and Maynooth, and indeed Cork. They have different structures regarding how they recruit their players.

“For instance, they all have club teams that play in regular leagues. So the players are playing together every week.

“We don’t have that structure here. All of our players play at outside clubs.

“That means we’ve had to do things slightly differently. To the players’ credit, they’ve put in the extra work that was required by training early in the morning and things like that.

“We’re very proud of this year’s Harding group and now the Collingwood group because what we’ve achieved is magnificent.”

On a closing note for the 2016/17 season, Roche thanked a number of officials who have facilitated the football programme’s constant improvement.

“We’ve received a lot of support from Ross Munnelly who came in as Sports Development Officer. I’d also like to give a mention to Michael Kennedy, Ken Robinson and the President Brian Mac Craith.

“They were all very supportive. They were at the Harding final and the semi-final of the Collingwood Cup. They can all see the effort that’s been put in and what we’re trying to do.”

Declan added that he firmly believes DCU now boasts “one of the top four teams” in college football in Ireland. The huge strides taken by the programme over the last number of years is a credit to Declan Roche, Fran Butler and everybody involved with football at the University.

DCU team v UCC: Lee Doyle; Karl Melling, Gavan Kearney, Chris McMenamin, Craig Dowling; Rory Feely, Luke Kelly, Jamie Lennon, Jack O’Connor; Ross Tannehy, Alan O’Sullivan.

DCU again fell at the hands of UCC in the Collingwood Cup Credit: Fran Butler

SPORT

INSIDE Hurlers win freshers’ final in Cork

DCU ladies dominate Pats to reach O’Connor Cup final DCU’s Leah Caffrey sizes up a tackle in Drumcondra Credit: Darragh Culhane

Gavin Quinn Sub Editor @CVSport

DCU Dóchas Éireann 0-16 St. Patrick’s College 1-04

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O’Connor Cup quarter-final

he DCU Senior ladies’ Gaelic football team has qualified for O’Connor Cup weekend after a strong display saw them overcome local rivals St. Patrick’s College (Pats) by nine points on Wednesday afternoon in a physical affair in Drumcondra.

Stephen Maxwell’s side were slow to start but never looked back when they took the lead mid-way through the first half with Sarah Rowe and Aisling Sheridan terrorising the Pats defence from the very first minute while Rutledge and Atkinson’s work rate in the middle third proved decisive.

Pats never threw in the towel as they looked

to reel DCU in during a cagey last ten minutes that prompted the referee to stop the game due to an off the ball altercation with just five minutes remaining. Pats kept pushing and were rewarded with Niamh Kelly converting a last gasp penalty, but it would only prove a consolation as DCU emerged victorious by nine points.

It took nine minutes for either side to register the first score of the game in a blustery Drumcondra, a period that saw DCU register four consecutive wides as their forwards looked to struggle settling into the game.

Pats took advantage of DCU’s lack of accuracy, racing to a two-point lead courtesy of two short range Kelly points, one a free and one from play. DCU continued to register wides before Mayo’s Sarah Rowe cut inside her marker and slotted over a beautiful left footed strike.

The home side replied with another Kelly free, won after DCU failed to deal with a long ball sent in from midfield as Pats looked to be in control, leading by 0-3 to 0-1.

DCU seemed to almost kick into action soon after as Sheridan began to terrorise Pats’ defence, first winning a key free before kicking a point of her own of the right, Éabha Rutledge’s free-taking proved decisive as DCU took con-

trol of the quarter-final tie.

More frees from Rutledge were complemented by excellent scores in the form of Lauren Magee’s close range effort and an excellent end to the half that saw Sarah Rowe blow Pats away with two demoralising scores to make it 0-9 to 0-3 at half time.

Pats were struggling to create scoring chances with their half-forward line drawn into the midfield battle, isolating their full-forward line.

They looked to start the half well thanks to yet another Kelly free from close range left them five adrift.

Hopes of a second half fight back were all but extinguished however as the game reached the final quarter thanks to scores from Éabha Rutledge and Sarah Rowe but it was the exploits of Aisling Sheridan that stole the show as the corner-forward sent DCU into a commanding lead thanks to three outstanding points from play.

Pats refused to roll over and continued the same level of intensity despite the inevitable result in the last ten minutes with Muireann Ní Scanaill and Ellen O’Brien ensuring it was not to be easy for Stephen Maxwell’s side.

Their hard work was rewarded in the closing stages when a well taken Griffin penalty sal-

vaged a consolation for the resilient Pats side, the goal seeing Pats’ tally reach 1-04 to DCU’s 0-16.

The O’Connor Cup weekend will be hosted

by Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology on the weekend of the 10th and 11th of March as the DCU ladies look to end a famine of six years without triumph in what is sure to be an exciting weekend.

St. Patrick’s College: H. Lynch; R. Lawless, Sarah Jane Winder, C. Purdy; A. Leahy, S. Cleary, R. Lenehan; M. Ní Scanaill, E. O’Brien; S. Hughes, A. Darcy, C. Traenor; N. Kelly (0-04 (0-03 f)), S. Shannon, L. Griffin (1-00 Pen).

Substitutes: E. Mullen, S. Murphy.

Dublin City University: A. Tarpey; K. McKinney, G. O’Loughlin, H. Hegarty; L. Caffrey, L. McGinley, K. Murray; K. McDermott, L. Magee (0-01); S. Woods, M. Atkinson (0-01), E. Rutledge (0-05 (0-04 f); A. Sheridan (0-05), E. Woods, S. Rowe (0-04 (0-01 f)).

Substitutes: N. Rickard, K. Fitzgibbon, M. Mohan, A. McAuliffe.