The Suss - Issue 8 - Vol III

THE COLLEGE VIEW’S ARTS & LIFESTYLE SUPPLEMENT

THE SUSS ///THE SUSS INTERVIEWS DUBLIN’S CULT INSTRUMENTALISTS///

OVER OVER HEAD HEAD THE THE ALBATROSS ALBATROSS

Arts the massively entertaining Sim Simma crew. Tickets are currently priced at €20 for this one.

Sussed: Paddy’s Day Gig Guide

BY JOSH COGLEY

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s everyone knows, it’s our national duty to go out and have fun on March 17th. Avoidance of this sacred tradition is tantamount to high treason. Yet maybe wading through a sea of puke and smashed pint glasses in Temple Bar, dodging punches and shamrock hats isn’t for you. And that’s perfectly ok. For those of you that would like to avoid trad music and irritating tourists this St Patrick’s day, read on for some alternative Paddy’s Day ideas.

Higher Vision Festival The Irish festival scene is going from strength to strength over the last few years, with events like BD and Boxed off providing one day extravaganzas of world class techno and house. Higher Vision, the latest addition to the list, may turn out to be one of the greatest. A one day, bring your own beer festival on our national day of drinking, St Patrick’s Day? It’s such an inspired idea it’s amazing that it took this long to come about. The beautiful Bellurgan Park estate in Louth is the location for this showcase some of

Image Credit Page 1; Liza Geddes PR Page 2: District 8, Higher Vision Festival; Page 3:Mobo.jpg; Page 4: Liza Geddes PR; Page 5: Riverdale.jpg; Page 6: David Gannon; Page 7: Joe.jpg, google images; Page 8: Gourmet Burger Kitchen,

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the top international and Irish DJs on the scene today. District 8 favourite Ejeca tops the bill, and his sets are always a high-energy treat. Disco whiz Dimitri From Paris joins him in headlining duties, along with techno duo Dense and Pika, and Julio Bashmore. Supporting them will be a collection of international and local DJ’s, over five stages.

With a combined crowd from North and South meeting in Bellurgan, the atmosphere at Higher Vision should be very high energy. The organisers have chartered festival trains from Dublin and Belfast to the site, which should lead to crazy scenes too. Tickets for Higher Visions are in short supply however, so any latecomers should get on it ASAP for fear of missing out.

Tale Of Us – District 8 While the main event takes place in Louth, the District 8 team are bringing a festival atmosphere to St Patrick’s Day all of their own. Dublin’s most popular techno club is opening its doors at 2 o’clock, for an eight hour all day show. House and techno innovators Tale of Us are the main attraction of the day. The North American born, Berlin based team are known for their diverse and emotional sounds, taking inspiration from pop, disco and rock music to create a unique collection of ambient tracks and dancefloor belters. They will be taking the lead on the indoor stage, while the courtyard stage will be manned by

Wigwam For anyone looking for a bit of nostalgic craic on the cheap, Wigwam’s first monthly Reeling In Your Ear’s party could be your new favourite thing. The premise is simple, they select a different year each month, and play all the best tunes from that year, from 12pm until closing time. The first one up is 1991, so attendees can expect a wide selection of classics from every genre, from Nirvana to Salt ‘N’ Pepa, Queen and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

Entry is free, (over 20s) and in honour of St Paddy, Guinness Pong will be featured. This will be well worth sticking the head into if you’re stumbling around town.

Euphoria – Button Factory Euphoria, the self-professed largest LBGT club night in Ireland, are celebrating their 3rd birthday with an all day party in the Button Factory. They will be bringing their signature high energy house music and international influences from 5pm, with Belgian house DJ Andrei Stan serving as the entertainer in chief. Tickets are €12 each, or five for €48.

Hangar What says St Patrick’s Day more than a club night dedicated to two French robots?

According to the good folk at Hangar, absolutely nothing. They are throwing a Daft Punk appreciation night on this most Irish of days, as a smart answer to having all of their main DJs performing at Higher Vision. Given that Daft Punk are probably the greatest and most iconic electronic act of all time, they could have done a lot worse. With cheap entry and cheaper cans on offer to accompany the majestic sounds, Hangar could be an ideal final destination on your Paddy’s day-long odyssey.

Arts

Skepta and Stormzy leading Grime’s renaissance

BY REBECCA KEANE

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hen one hears the word grime, we immediately think of Dizzee Rascal, Wiley and Lethal Bizzle – the usual suspects.

However, anyone thinking the original prophets of British grime will bring the genre to the grave with them when they grow grey and old would be categorically wrong.

Mainstream radio and grime have had something of a tumultuous affair, with radio picking and choosing on an on and off basis in regards to what songs they deem suitable for the masses.

I remember first hearing more diluted, pop versions of grime on Starz Music - Dizzee’s ‘Dance Wiv Me’ with serial banger merchant Calvin Harris and Skepta’s ‘Rolex Sweep’. Their voices and sounds were like nothing that I’d heard of before, but all I knew was that I wanted more. Whenever either songs came on, I became entranced but younger me could never predict the renaissance of grime that artists such as Skepta and Stormzy would bring.

Skepta’s recent Mercury Prize win certainly wipes the slate clean for the earlier Rolex Sweep which left some diehard grime fans a little less than impressed.

The 34-year-old artist has become something of a veteran of the grime genre, working long and hard on both his own and other artists’ work to ensure productions of the highest quality.

Having worked on albums such as Greatest Hits, Microphone Champion, and Doin’ It Again, it was not until May 2016 that the Brit would become a household name with the raw yet polished Konnichiwa. Tracks such as ‘That’s Not Me’ and ‘Shutdown’ demanded to have people recognise the clarity, the sharpness and the soul Skepta creates and illuminates his music with, in so far as winning him the prestigious Mercury against candidates such as David Bowie, Laura Mvula, The

1975, Radiohead and Michael Kiwanuka.

Skepta’s win not only shone the light on his craft and skills, but also the entire genre he plays such an integral part in.

With artists like he and Stormzy – it begs the question… why aren’t more people listening to what these guys have to say?

The two at the forefront of the movement have worked long and hard and it seems only fair that the pair are finally getting the praise and the radio play they deserve.

Stormzy, a self-professed fan of Skepta, first emerged at the tender age of 20 on Jools Holland with ‘Not That Deep’. The young rapper captivated the public from his early releases like ‘Know Me From’ and ‘Shut Up’ and going from both his social media and interviews, it’s easy to see why. The 23-year-old is open, honest and caring when it comes to tweeting fans, inviting fans to his birthday party or even his hilarious Snapchat account. Stormzy’s long hiatus from April 2016 to the recent release of Gang Signs and a Prayer certainly built anticipation in the droves of Stormzy’s dedicated fans which shows his likeability and relatability to people of all ages and cultures.

When it comes the very bassline of grime, both Stormzy’s and Skepta are primes example of people the children of today can look up to. From the former’s Snapchats proclaiming his love for Louis Theroux, his greetings to Bradley Walsh on the red carpet at the Brits and

his interviews discussing topics such as depression in such an open, caring manner, to the latter’s devoted connections to communicating with friends on Twitter and Instagram.

Both artists, Skepta and Stormzy and indeed other grime artists are making the music of daily conversation. We can see this in Stormzy’s Lay Me Bare where he cries out to God for help with his mental health issues, something many young people struggle with today.

So with two chart-topping artists – why aren’t more people listening to grime? What will it take for two formidable men like Skepta, Stormzy and others to finally get the praise and applause they deserve?

With England being the birthplace of the genre, it only makes sense that those involved in expanding the genepool of grime will have their fans and friends as their biggest supporters. In Ireland however, grime still struggles to get airplay on our Irish stations. Not to make excuses but it is worth bearing in mind that Irish artists themselves have a hard time getting their songs played – so we can only hope and pray that it is sooner rather than later that we hear the voices of Skepta and Stormzy on our radios.

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Arts

Arts

“If we never made

another album again

at least we’d made that one. We got to throw

the kitchen sink at it.”

How Overhead, The Albatross made a Choice-nominated album

BY STEPHEN KEEGAN

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here’s a soft laugh over the phone. “Yeah, I guess we’re perfectionists in one way,” Stevie Darragh of Overhead, The Albatross tells me.

That much is clear.

It’s that perfectionism that allowed the Dublin instrumentalists to grow a dedicated cult following, a following that flocked to Vicar Street to catch them headline last November.

It’s the same perfectionism that has granted the five-piece the opportunity to return to the venue this March - this time playing the Choice Music Prize ceremony after their debut album Learning to Growl was nominated for album of the year.

That laugh comes though, in acknowledgement of the downside of perfectionism. The widescreen cinematics of Learning to Growl took three years to make.

“At the time there was six of us in the band - even though we all lived around Dublin, getting everyone together just purely to write music - it was quite tricky to do,” Darragh says.

Their solution was to go all-in. Following the release of their single Think Thank Thunk in 2012, the six packed all into a rickety van and drove to rural Czech Republic to live and write and record together for three months in a tiny

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studio with no internet access.

“We had no choice but to work on music,” Darragh says - it helped the band grow up, he feels. “When we came back we had the bulk of the material which we would turn into the album eventually - but I think as a live band took a notch up after that ‘cos we spent so much time together. I’d recommend any band do it.”

The intention was to have the album recorded and finished by the end of the trip, but over there they realised there was much more work to be done, says Darragh, “There were one or two tracks that were finished but there was a lot that needed complete rewrites.”

“You think, realistically, making an album in three months - including the writing process, that’s really a very small period for a band like us... we really spend a lot of time on every detail in our tracks,” Darragh says. “Czech was just pre-production for us in the end.”

Once back in Dublin, there was another “year and a half of just writing the songs”, Darragh says. “One of the things that made it take so long to finish - music, songs change with your mood. Three months ago that track sounded amazing, now it’s like what were we thinking?”

The band continuously expanded the

scope of the album, drafting in choirs, brass and string sections. “We’d put so much work into it at that point we said look we may as well go all out,” Darragh says. “It cost money to do all that stuff but y’know if we never made another album again at least we’d made that one.

We got to throw the kitchen sink at it.”

It became a difficult task to let go of the songs, to accept they were finished.

“It’s so important that it sounds right to us,” Darraghs says. “It’s hard to find a pristine end point. I think it’s more a psychological thing - to say I’m not going to think about it anymore and then over time you let it go. Even though there’s always things you wanna change, you’re still like wow, I’ve never been so proud of work.”

It’s fair to say that the ambition of the work paid off, leading to that Vicar Street show. “We really didn’t think we’d ever get to play a gig like that in this band’s lifetime. I still don’t know if that actually happened,” Darragh laughs.

The return visit for the Choice ceremony is “an amazing thing to be part of,” Darragh says, honoured by the company they’re in. “I was thinking, are we the odd ones out here?” he laughs.

“Everyone else I could see why they got in, but we write eight minute long no-lyric songs - but I’m not gonna question it too much. I’m looking forward to the night just to see the other acts play.”

Darragh laughs again when asked how he’d advise someone who wanted to make a Choice-nominated album. “Jesus, I dunno,” he says.

“All we ever did was make the music we wanted to make, never settled. We’re obsessed with our music, to the point that it’s annoying. It’s more about just keeping things selfish, pleasing ourselves. It just so happened that someone else thought it was worth a choice nomination.”

Perfectionism pays off.

Arts

Drama makes Riverdale riveting

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ecrets, lies, heartbreak and family drama - just some of the factors that make up the spine of any teen TV series, and Riverdale is no exception. Almost a year in the making, Riverdale is one of Netflix’s most anticipated TV shows this year. The question surrounding it however, is it worth the hype?

Riverdale is a moody TV adaptation of the renowned graphic novel series, Archie Comics. We’re immediately drawn into the mysterious town in the pilot episode, opening with a murder plot within the intriguing flaming redheaded family, the Blossoms.

We then fast forward to the start of the new school year and the arrival of sassy New Yorker, Veronica Lodge, played

by Camila Mendes. Like every teen drama, we have the heartthrob Archibald ‘Archie Andrews’ (KJ Apa), who happens to be the love interest of his next door neighbour Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart). Old school Disney fans will remember the Sprouse twins from ‘The Suite Life of Zack & Cody’, and Cole Sprouse’s return to acting as narrator Jughead Jones has been gathering interest since the

BY RACHEL FARRELL show was first announced.

Originally taken up by Fox in 2014, the show’s concept moved to The CW in 2015, with a new episode released every Friday on Netflix. One of the most attracting features of the show so far is the cinematography which colourfully captures the intensity and underlying sense of threat that lies underneath the characters everyday lives. It’s almost too perfect, but it adds to the sense of hidden danger. It’s telling us that not everything is what it seems in the small American town.

What’s also interesting is the storyline involving the parents.

We get a look into the life of Betty’s controlling mother Alice Cooper (Mädchen Amick) quite early in the series, as well as the apparent rocky relationship between Veronica’s parents. It’s evident the older residents of the town have their secrets too, not just the youngsters.

From the onset, Riverdale presents itself as a Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars hybrid.

While Gossip Girl ended in 2012, the final 6 episodes of Pretty Little Liars are to be released in April, with many fans keen to fill the teen-angst hole with a new series. Riverdale is

probably the closest they’ll get, but as we’re only half a series deep, there’ll be no bingewatching involved.

While nothing will ever be as shocking as the reveal of Gossip Girl or Big A’s identity in the other programmes, Riverdale may follow as a close second.

Many have already compared Betty and Veronica’s friendship to the likes of the iconic lovehate relationship between Blair and Serena. That’s not where the similarities end- Gossip Girl was famously dramatically narrated by Kristen Bell as Gossip Girl, similar to Cole Sprouse’s novel-writing character creating the narration for Riverdale.

The similarities with Pretty Little Liars lie with the ‘whodunnit’ plot, trying to piece clues together to figure out who the culprit behind the murder is, and why they did it. As much as we hate the suspense, it’s the suspense that will more than likely keep this show running. As we reach the halfway mark in the series, we’re still no closer to finding out who the bad guy is, and it really is one of the best parts of the show.

There appears to be something missing however, potentially a relatable character that

everyone appears to love. Veronica is the girl we wished we could be, and Cheryl Blossom is the girl we were intimidated by. Perhaps it’s the pressure for it to live up to the standards of its comparisons, but Riverdale lacks a bit of the lustre that enticed us into the lives of the Upper East Side or Rosewood kids.

The kids are talented, and we know there’s more to them beneath the surface, but we’re yet to find out what. The characters still need a lot of development, as there’s almost a sense of distance between them and the viewers at home.

Jughead (Sprouse) and Veronica (Mendes) stand out amongst the other characters so far, with Jughead providing the valuable narration that keeps us in the loop. We’re only five episodes into a twelve episode first series, so there is potential for the series to grow.

With attractive characters, bright visuals and a catchy soundtrack, Riverdale ticks all the boxes for an addictive teen series. It’s a little bit cheesy, but it wouldn’t be the same without it. Will it live up to its predecessors? We’ll just have to keep watching to find out.

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Arts Lifestyle

DCU Fashion Show the ‘Evolution of Style’ DCU’s Fashion Show process begins on the first day of college, organising models, sponsorship and most importantly clothes for the show is a monumental task left up to DCU’s very own Style society. Lifestyle editor Amy Lawlor attended the show this year to see what the massive production entails.

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major obstacle just hours before the show. Retail brand Jack & Jones decided to pull out last minute which left head stylist Gráinne frantically looking for an alternative solution.

“It was really stressful but I managed to pull a few more looks from nine crows which balanced everything out, …I The first half of the show consisted of was just lucky to have such “Statement, classical pieces whereas an amazing styling team who “ pulled together last minute to the second half had an edgier modern make it work,” said Gráinne.

Although the unforeseen vibe to the collections showcased.” fashion obstacle, the production of the show was seamless. Choreographers Sine McGoff and Leanne Brady took a contrasting approach to last year’s strict went for a minimal dewy look journalists and photographers. catwalk regulations. for the first half and decided to It’s main event being its stuInstead of your typical narrow dent-run fashion show, this year add a bit of glitter and a statement wine lip for the second constructed walks and frontthemed the ‘Evolution of Style.’ half,” said vice chairperson facing stricken poses this year’s The ‘Evolution of Style’ marks Shaylyn Gilheaney. choreography had flairs of the 12th annual DCU fashion The process of obtaining the personality and originality.

The show. Ran entirely by students, clothes for the fashion show models had feeling in their faces the show is deemed to be ‘one wasn’t an easy task for the two with the occasional smile and of DCU’s biggest events’, achead stylists Soraya James and giggle and appeared to be encording to DCU Style societies Gráinne Binns.

“Contacting joying the show as it progressed chairperson Rheanna Waters. shops to feature in the show befrom walk to walk.

This year the show was pregins at the start of January, from The staging of the catwalk sented by social media star and this we can gauge their intergave the show a different dycolourful commentator James est in featuring in the namic to previous years. With a Patrice, who show,” said chairperset featuring scaffolding and an immediately son Rheanna Waters. on stage grand piano, if the augot the show “It’s a really long dience weren’t impressed by the off to a viprocess, you need to clothes, then the staging was brant start. bargain with shops to enough to grab their attention.

The first see if they’ll give you The opening of the show saw half of the as much looks as you model Kelvyn O’Riordan play a show conwant, then there is the soft sequence on the piano as sisted of process of pulling the an introductory to the first walk. statement, clothes, which usuThe music later was brought classially happens the day to life by DJ Jaz Keane whose cal pieces before and the day of energetic beats brought life to whereas, the the fashion show.” the show. second half The styling team The final of Project Young had an edgier consisted of the two Designer is an annual ritual that modern vibe head stylists and five takes place during the show. to the colassistant stylists who Student designers throughout lections were faced with a the country compete to earn CU Style Society was founded in 2005 by Laura Whitmore and Mikey Robinson. It has since grown to become one of the largest student societies in Dublin City University. It organises fashion themed events throughout the academic year for aspiring stylists, fashion

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showcased. The glamorous 32 models were brought to life by Inglot make-up artists and hairdressers from Dylan Bradshaw.

“For the hair, we decided to go for a sleeked back style, which we felt would tie in with the first and second half of the show … as for the make-up we

their design a place in Om Diva’s fashion house. The winners design will be available to purchase from the Om Diva store located in Temple Bar in the heart of Dublin City Centre.

The three fashion renowned judges, stylist Justine King, Cari’s Closet owner Lisa Kavanagh Duffy and Totally Dublin fashion editor Sinead O’Reilly carefully choose their favourite pieces from the five finalists.

The winning design was awarded to Kirsten Clancy whose dress was a sheer pink material with an intricate beaded design of a set of eyes and lips. The undergarment of the dress was a red bralet and high wasted red shorts, which caught the attention of the judges.

“I was in awe of this design when I saw it in the semi-finals, it’s sheer chic and valentine inspired colour palette left me wanting to wear it for the romantic occasion,” said judge and stylist Justine King.

The show came to a close with thank you speeches from DCU Style societies chairperson and vice chairperson, flowers were given to the head stylists and choreographers and finally the models took to the catwalk for the last time, where glitter fell from the sky and the audience applauded until the final person left the stage.

Arts Lifestyle

Things to do on St.Patrick’s Day

BY KATIE GALLAGHER

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o matter where you are in the world there is always a host of activities to attend and enjoy on St. Patricks day with or without a pint of Guinness in hand.

Find yourself a parade There are so many parades held around Ireland let alone the rest of the world so pop to the nearest town or better yet, get involved in one of them. Most of them are family friendly events that you definitely don’t need to be drunk to enjoy. The St. Patrick’s Festival Parade in Dublin City is always a major event and this year the theme is Ireland You Are. Expect a bit more hustle and bustle though than some of the smaller parades and try to get there early to get a nice view.

Funfairs & Tours Another drink free, tamer Paddies day event to enjoy is the City at Play funfairs at Merrion Square and Custom House Quay. A festival favourite, this will brighten up your sober paddies day with

the colourful carnival setting and an exciting thrill of the attractions. Alternatively, join in in some of the walks in Dublin City such as ‘In the Footsteps of St. Patrick’ which are led by the renowned Dublin histo-

rian and author Pat Liddy If you are drinking, be merry The party starts early on St. Patrick’s Day and continues on until the early hours, perhaps even the rest of the weekend this year considering it’s falling on a Friday so head to the pub before and after the parades and get yourself a Guinness for the day that’s in it.

Trad sessions Whether you are home or abroad, in the countryside or in Dublin’s Fair City you will never be far from a ceili and trad session on St. Patrick’s Day. Lap in the traditional music and enjoy a few beers, celebrating your treasured culture in the place and in the company that you love the most. If you are looking for something a more organised head to ‘The Secret Session’ in the RDS for a ‘true celebration of everything Irish’.

The History of St. Patrick’s Day

BY BRONWYN O NEILL On the 17th of March, we wear green in honour of St. Patrick’s Day, but why exactly are we celebrating? Writer Bronwyn O’Neill looks at the history behind our national holiday.

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aint Patrick’s Day is the time we pin shamrocks to our chest, go to mass, get steaming drunk and scream Irish songs at the top of our lungs. But where does Saint Patrick’s day come from exactly?

If you went to any Catholic school in Ireland, you know that Saint Patrick was a Welsh man who was kidnapped by Irish raiders and was brought back to Ireland to tend sheep.

He then converted all the pagans of Ireland to Catholicism

and drove the snakes out of Ireland.

What you may not know is that the snakes he drove from our country were actually the druids of paganism, as Ireland never had any snakes, unsurprisingly. The celebrating of Saint Patrick’s Day on the 17th of March is due to his death allegedly being on that date.

Of course, Saint Patrick in legends not only drove the snakes out of Ireland, as well as using shamrocks to portray the three beings in one of God,

the Son and the Holy Spirit. bigger throughout the States.

This is why shamrocks are a Whilst the origins of dying rivsymbol of Saint Patrick’s day ers green started in Chicago and, by extension, Ireland it- in 1962, when city officials self. It is also said he converted decided to dye a portion of the Oisin, from the legend of Tir Chicago River green. na nOg, to Catholicism when Whereas Ireland is the he returned from the magical country of origin of the saint land. and the feast day, it seems like Surprisingly, the first Saint Americans have really upped Patrick’s day parade was held the status of the festival. The in New York in 1762, not celebration has morphed in Ireland. The widespread imrecent years so it is not only migration of Irish people to a religious day now but also a America during the 19th cen- celebration of Ireland as a natury made the celebration even tion and our heritage.

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Arts Lifestyle

Fine Dining on a Student Budget

Food on the go in Dublin

BY LIAM ASHTON

BY ZAINAB BOLADALE

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ating well and in luxury does not have to break the bank every time. The next time you want to treat yourself to a sit-down meal you will enjoy every minute of, why not try these suggested restaurants which I have verified as being of a high standard.

Kathmandu: This Nepalese and Indian restaurant is situated on Dame street and is home to one of the most delicious authentic curries Dublin has to offer. For quality service, I would recommend going during the afternoon as it is less busy and you will be greeted by smiling cheerful staff and bright open spaced interior. Another benefit of going early is that you can avail of the set lunch menu before 5 pm and this menu allows you to get a starter and a main with tea or coffee for €10. The same would cost you €20 after 5 pm.

The most popular dish this place is known for is their Madras and Korma.

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Gourmet Burger Kitchen: If you are a fan of a

big juicy burger with all the works served at a reasonable price, then this is the place for you.

With three locations in the city centre and one in Swords, you will have no problem finding a GBK close to you. From 12 pm - 5 pm a burger and a refillable drink cost €5.95. The downside, however, is how busy GBK can get. This means you could walk in on a manic atmosphere but seating is rarely a problem.

Brasserie Sixty6: If you are already familiar with this Brasserie Sixty6 then you will know that this is the most expensive place on this list. One dish could cost you up to €15/€20 and while there is not a student meal deal, there is, however, a set lunch menu that is capped at €10 per dish.

There is also another way to pay less and get more and this is by visiting the Groupon.

Brasserie Sixty6 have set dishes available for 2 people for less than €25 but, all you have to do is make a reservation and pay using your Groupon voucher. The warm enclosed ambi-

ance makes it an ideal date spot and it is also worth mentioning that this is home to one of the best-herbed mash potato, cream sauce and chicken wings Dublin city has to offer!

The Mongolian BBQ: This is a serve yourself buffet style restaurant, it is very different in its experiences as you all the ingredients for your favourite type of noodle dish is made available and you combine it with the meat, spices and sauce of your choice. You then bring it to the chef who cooks your dish right in front of you and serves it up in a bowl. It is a fun way to eat out and the restaurant claims to be very health conscious hence why they offer 14 vegetable choices and use as little oil as possible while cooking on the hot plate styled grill. This unique place resides in the heart of temple bar. While they have student offers that change regularly, one lunch bowl here is priced at €6.90 or you can opt for an endless refill of your bowl for €13.90.

The amount of money students spend on food is ever increasing, so it is essential when eating out that we get the best value for our money and take advantage of the offers to be obtained from a student card.

Captain Americas is the ideal place to do just that, with student drink promotions Monday to Wednesday and a deal running during the week which allows students to buy two main courses for the price of one. Aside from student deals, there are a handful of budding restaurants around the capital catching the eyes of students and critics alike.

Bóbó’s Burgers has become popular in recent years due to their free meal giveaways looking to target the younger market. While it is more expensive than other burger chains such as GBK and Bunsen the quality of food makes up for it if there is extra cash to be spared. Chains are found on Dame Street, Wexford Street and most recently on Abbey Street.

Five Guys fast food is taking Dublin by storm after opening their first chain in Dundrum shopping centre in the last few months. Having been criticised for being too expensive like their rival fast food diner Eddie Rockets, Five Guy’s slightly more gourmet menu justifies the price as well as the long haul bus journey to Dundrum.

Xico on Lower Baggot Street has become a reputable restaurant in recent months among students for its reasonably affordable and unique menu. The Mexican cavern bar runs a promotion known as ‘Tasty Tuesdays’ offering 6 tortilla style wraps and two drinks for €25 making it an ideal choice for students.