Wednesday October 17th, 2018
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Irish pirate radio archive donated to DCU Cáit Caden News Editor @AreYou_Caden_Me DCU received an extensive Irish Pirate Radio Archive including a transmitter that was camouflaged as a biscuit tin in the event a station was raided by post officials. This item, which originally belonged to novelist Pat McCabe, as well the rest of the Archive was donated by broadcast historian Eddie Bohan to DCU’s Media History Collection in DCU’s O’Reilly Library. “It’s very appropriate that the Archive is coming to DCU since so many pirate radio stations, and their DJs, originated in the North Dublin area,” said Professor of Journalism History in DCU, Mark O’Brien. DCU became the owner of the Collection in time for the 30th anniversary on New Year’s Eve of pirate stations shutting down due to the launch of independent and regional stations, which are broadcasting today. The Archive will consist of posters, flyers, magazines, photographs and audio recordings. The Collection is on view in the Library on DCU’s Glasnevin campus. It will soon be catalogued and made available to researchers. The long term goal for the Archive is to be used for a
digitisation project which will make the Collection available online. This project currently needs to find funding to be achieved. Ireland’s era of pirate radio was a catalyst for how broadcasting changed. It emerged when the airwaves were dominated by one radio station which did not represent the country’s young demographic or their ‘pop music’ tastes. “Pirate radio, for the most part, wasn’t political, but it allowed a younger generation to develop their own culture which fed into wider processes of slow social change,” said O’Brien. Both rural and urban Ireland were united by the broadcast revolution as “every town and village had a pirate radio station at some stage, even if they only lasted for a short time,” continued O’Brien. These stations were illegal but largely innocuous, however when pirate stations brought in advertising raids became frequent which resulted in transmitters and other equipment being seized. This exact equipment recently found its “forever home” in DCU according to O’Brien. “Radio Melinda was in Sean McDermott Street, where we got raided and fined two quid,” said radio broadcaster Declan Meehan to the Irish Times. “But we wanted to change the mo-
Credit: Daria Jonkisz
One of the pieces of the pirate radio archive which was donaed to DCU.
nopoly of Radio Éireann at the time,” he continued. Through a partnership between the School of Communications and the university library, DCU established a varied com&pilation of media artifacts over the past decade from over 40 donations of material. These include pieces of photojournalism and papers form editors and journalists. Consequently, DCU has become “a ‘go-to’ place for people who are look-
ing to give material relating to media and journalism,” says O’Brien who is “thrilled” that DCU was chosen to receive the archive. Broadcaster that have become household names in Irish media history, such as Gerry Ryan and Tony Fenton, pioneered their careers through pirate radio. Brian Dobson, Anne Cassin, Marty Whelan, Declan Meehan, Ian Dempsey and Colm Hayes are among others which contributed to this period
of Irish history. The historical paraphernalia was made available to the public on Friday the 5th of October. A further event will take place on October 20th in Ballsbridge Hotel where pirate radio station owners, DJs and people who raided the stations will have their stories recorded.
Those in relationships were then dared to make provocative calls to partners and family members, with some students having to break up with or say they cheated on said partners to stay in the running. The final three remaining couples each had to sing a different song. The couples stripped to varying degrees during these performances. One man fell off a table while stripping down to his underwear, and he later removed another student’s top. Kinsella said the voting process was based on who got the loudest cheers. He said: “it seemed to be less of a mathematical thing and more of a mania.” On the information page for the original EGM, A&F said students should bring their own drinks, and both committee members and ordinary members alike drank throughout the event.
In their second EGM, the head of A&F Oran O’Donoghue said that as the society had been suspended from all social events, their planned European mystery tour was cancelled for now. He added that this was not due to “the action of any one participant, but the distastefulness of the process,” and that the circumstances are under review. O’Donoghue, said he was disappointed that their actions lead to the loss of certain privileges, and explained how the situation escalated. “Partly it was due to the crowd that was there, and it was the situation that we put them into that allowed all that kind of reaction to occur,” the marketing innovation and technology student said. However, O’Donoghue also said that this kind of behaviour is quite com-
mon place both in DCU, and colleges in general. This sentiment was shared by another member of the society, who refused to give her name. “If you’re going to it to do it to one society, you should inspect what other societies did for their EGMs as well before making such a harsh punishment,” she said. Amy Colgan, chair of DCU’s Feminist Society, said that A&F’s actions cannot be written off as a mistake or as ignorance, and that they revealed that a “boy’s club” culture in DCU. “What it does is it reveals an underlying culture of misogyny, entitlement and objectification that harms all of the students on campus – not just women”. O’Donoghue said that he didn’t believe anyone was treated differently, and that fifty per cent of the A&F committee are women.
Society suspended following inappropriate conduct
Brendan Fernando Kelly Palenque Deputy News Editor & Clara Kelly Deputy Opinion Editor @thecollegeview THE Accounting & Finance (A&F) society are suspended from social activities for semester one after inappropriate conduct during their Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM). Clubs & Societies deemed A&F’s actions to go against DCU’s respect and dignity policy. They also ruled that the entire A&F committee must attend a respect and dignity workshop. In their original EMG, A&F had students go through a series of tasks in order to become their first-year representative. Those who ran for the position back on October 4 were put
into pairs. The first task was to pop a balloon placed in between the hips of each pair. The last couple to pop the balloon were eliminated from the running. The remaining students were then split into two groups: people in a relationship, and people who were single. The people who were single had to “shift” (tongue kiss) someone to move onto the next round. Accounting and finance student, Charlie Kinsella, who ran for first year rep at both EGMs, said the event took place on the last day of DCU’s smart consent classes, and that despite this, consent was never brought up. “They were basically jumping on top of people, they didn’t seem to really want to do it.” He said. “But there was 160 euro [the free mystery tour ticket]; That was certainly a big motivation.”
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2 INSIDE The Hype
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Lady Gaga soars in A Star is Born Read on Page 4
Editor’s piece Budgets, blasphemy and presidential ballots.
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Dublin Uploaded: What to do this weekend Read on Page 14
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Four weeks into the semester and we find ourselves at a very busy time. From the 2019 Budget last week to the upcoming elections and referendums. Irish students are again asked to voice their concerns on what matters to them, what laws impact them and what funding could influence them. It seems that we did not do enough last week. Budget 2019 was a missed opportunity that did nothing to address the major gap in core funding for higher education, and left students and faculty feeling under-appreciated and forgotten. Rather than assist students, this year’s Budget set aside €1.5 billion for a future rainy day fund, while students across the country screamed that their rainy day is now. From failing institutions and paying the second highest fees in Europe to the current accommodation crises, students feel that this Budget never had them in mind. With many members of the USI and Irish Federation University Teachers (IFUT) calling it a landlord’s Budget, not a student’s Budget. It seems that Irish students will have to wait it out in the cold for yet another year. But students should not be disheartened, for they still get to have their say. In just over a weeks time, we will be again asked to vote on whether or not the constitution should be
changed and who should be our head of state. “The publication or utterance of blasphemous, seditious, or indecent matter is an offence whichshall be punishable in accordance with law.’ The Blasphemy referendum on the 26th of October will decide whether or not this term will remain in our constitution. It almost seems like it was a referendum that went under the radar. There were no parades or marches in the city, or murals on the streets, and yet it is still an important vote that matters to us all. It is especially important for those of us here are The College View who are influenced and impacted by all laws that determine what we can write and what we can share. On a same, but arguably less interesting note. That Friday we will be asked to decide who will take the reigns of the Irish Presidency. A outrageously ridiculous election with no real competition and of shockingly little interest to the general population when compared with previous years. Not that we are saddened by the lack of Donald Trumps and Jair Bolsonaros in the race. But it is still an election and the lack of interest is appalling. We can only hope that we are pleasantly surprised on polling day that the numbers turn out.
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News
Steamed passengers puts Iarnród Éireann off track
Callum Lavery Editor -in-chief @callum_lavery IRISH rail has set up an alcohol ban on four of their rail services following “constant complaints” of antisocial behaviour. As of October 12th the 11:25am, 1:25pm and 3:35pm from Dublin’s Heuston Station to Galway will be alcohol free on Fridays. The ban has also been extended to the 2:45pm train to Westport. ”The vast majority of customers who wish to enjoy an alcoholic beverage on-board our services do so without impacting in anyway on their fellow passengers, but unfortunately there is a minority that do over indulge, particularly those travelling in large groups, who can disrupt others in a negative way,” a spokesperson for Iarnród Éireann said. ”There have been high volumes of complaints of such behaviour on these services so we have taken the decision
to ban all alcohol from them.” A number of services have already had bans on alcohol in place such as the 1:15pm and 3:10pm services to Waterford from Heuston Station on Fridays. On Sundays, the 1pm service from Galway as well as the 12:40pm, 3:10pm and 6:05pm from Waterford have also already been established. “I think it’s common culture to drink on the train for hens and stag parties. Assuming it was the effects of alcohol that has brought on this decision, it’s very difficult to monitor the behaviour of the people drinking so the easiest thing to do for Irish rail is to get rid of the option to drink altogether,” said Chairperson of DCU Sober Society, Adam Healy. Information of the alcohol ban is available at the stations affected, and on Irish Rail’s website for customers booking online. Passengers attempting to board these services with alcOHOL will have their drink confiscated or may be asked to leave the train. Alcoholic beverages will no longer be sold on board. Students in DCU have noted that in the past the behaviour of inebriated passengers have impacted their commute to college at the weekends. “There’s plenty of other places to drink other than the train where kids, older people, or maybe just people trying to do college work could be annoyed by you,” said DCU Physics and Astronomy student, Sean Goodwin from Castlerea, Co. Roscommon
Canadian cannabis legalised Jay Gorman Contributor @thecollegeview
Passengers will no longer be able to purchase alcohol on board.
However some students felt that the ban was unnecessary. DCU general science student, Rory Martin from Banagher, Co.Offaly said “When commuting last year, I spent quite a bit of time on Sunday evenings and Friday evenings on train.
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“But I honestly can’t remember a single instance of alcohol-fueled antisocial or inappropriate behaviour in all that time.”
DCU student Conor McCrave wins Bursary Award James Nolan Production Editor @JamesNolan97
A DCU graduate received the top award and a sum of €1000 at the recent Bursary Awards of the Press Council of Ireland for students of media, journalism and communications. Conor McCrave, a graduate of the MA in Journalism programme in DCU, was honoured by Chairman of the Press Council, Sean Donlon, for a series of five articles he wrote on the topics of foster and residential care in Ireland. “I was inspired to start writing and researching the topic when I heard advocates speaking about the issue on the radio. The overview of the situation and the difficulties facing the many children was an eye opener for me,” McCrave said when asked why he took an interest in the story. “As a result, I investigated the issue further and found that the system was basically crumbling, leaving nearly 1000 children in great difficulty. I felt I needed to promote awareness.” The Irish Independent journalist saw the Bursary Awards as a great opportunity to showcase his pieces and highlight the key issues affecting foster and residential care in Ireland today. The type of investigative journalism sought by the judging panel in the Press Council of Ireland was seen in line with the work McCrave produced in his series of stories. “I read the criteria for the Bursary Awards and saw a great opportunity to get my findings out there. The panel seek journalism that represents public interests and affairs. My main objective
Conor McCrave was awarded a bursary award by the Press Council for his work on residential care.
was to portray the current situation as it is, I am just fortunate that my findings were viewed favourably in terms of winning the top prize.” McCrave praised DCU’s School of Communications’ programmes in Journalism for equipping him and many other young journalists with the appropriate skill set to be able to be in contention for such prestigious awards. “In compiling my research into
the stories, I used most of the skills I learned while being a School of Communications student in DCU. I applied skills I acquired across various modules, such as those in research and critical thinking to enable me to search in the right places and speak to the right people on the topic.” “The most satisfying aspect of compiling the information was talking to people on the issue. I enjoyed listening
Credit: Conor McCrave
to the stories of people with real life experience with the system and how it has impacted their lives.” McCrave will continue to research and write stories on the issue of residential and foster care in Ireland. He is currently investigating a recent report on foster care released by EPIC, an advocacy group for people with care experience.
CANADA decriminalised the use of marijuana on October 17, making it the second country to do so after Uruguay. Bill C-45, The Cannabis Act, legalises possession of up to 30 grams of marijuana for anyone over the age of 18. The Canadian Parliament voted in June with a result of 52 in favour and 29 against. The main aim of the act is to regulate and control the use of marijuana in the country, especially for minors. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Twitter: “It’s been too easy for our kids to get marijuana - and for criminals to reap the profits.” The decriminalisation of marijuana allows for far easier regulation of the quality and purity of the substance and makes it generally safer for people who use it. It also takes profits away from the gangs who usually circulate cannabis products. Advocates for legal marijuana often argue against viewing cannabis consumption and possession as a criminal issue and suggest looking at it as a health and addiction issue. Since Portugal took this approach its drug use per person fell, as well as its mortality rates for harder drugs. Portugal has invested money into addiction and support services, and hopefully, Canada will follow suit. Cannabis is still not legal in Ireland. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said earlier this year that decriminalisation of cannabis was “under consideration”. The Green Party announced their support for this motion and said that they wanted to bring an Amsterdam style cannabis coffee shop culture to Ireland. In addition, they want people 18 and over to be allowed to possess up to five grams of marijuana, as well as being able to cultivate up to two plants for medicinal or personal use. Under EU law, the use of cannabis oil and products with less than 0.2 per cent THC is legal, allowing for the opening of Blooms Café, a cannabis café in Waterford. This is a small victory for the pro-cannabis crowd in the country and a step towards what the Green Party is advocating. The Irish public seems to support the proposal of decriminalising cannabis. A poll on the Irish Independent shows that 94 per cent of readers are in favour of the Green Party’s policy. The government, however, haven’t made much - if any - progress on the issue. The Irish National Drugs Strategy’s report showed that among people who used cannabis in the last year, 32.1 per cent of people who answered could be considered “cannabis dependent”.
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DCU and the Irish Heart Foundation team up to introduce a new physical activity programme Alison Clair Images Editor @ thecollegeview ACCORDING to research carried out by DCU’s School of Health and Human Performance, it was found that one in four Irish young people are overweight or obese This research has resulted in Dublin City University and the Irish Heart Foundation teaming up to introduce a new physical activity knowledge and movement programme, which aims to help over 200,000 teenagers at Junior Certificate cycle get active. “We are all aware of the importance of literacy and numeracy for our young people, it is not disputed. Physical literacy is arguably far more important - it is about the health of our children now and into their adulthood, protecting them from the range of chronic diseases related to inactivity”, said Dr Sarahjane Belton, the DCU
lecturer who led this research. The new initiative called Y-PATH PE 4 ME (Youth-Physical Activity Towards Health) is a three year programme, developed as a result of this research. This initiative wants to improve both physical activity levels and fundamental movement skills among Irish teens aged 12-15. Fundamental movement skills are basic physical skills such as running, jumping, catching, throwing and kicking which children should master around the age of six or seven. In her research Belton found that fewer than one in every one hundred young Irish people have mastered these basic fundamental movement skills. As Physical Education has now become a compulsory part of the curriculum in Irish schools, the objective of Y-PATH PE 4 ME is to change how our young people experience PE class. Traditionally focused on competitive activities and games, PE class used to
often alienate inactive young people, and move them farther from an active lifestyle. This new initiative encourages a healthy mindset around the benefits of physical activity and its impact on a person’s social, emotional and physical development. Ciara Walsh, the chairperson of The Science and Health society in DCU said that they are “delighted to hear that DCU is promoting healthy lifestyles among teenagers. We’re excited to see how this initiative goes and will support it in any way we can”. The Y-PATH PE 4 ME programme will be implemented in schools across the country by DCU and the Irish Heart Foundation in conjunction with UCC, along with the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) and Sport Ireland. They aim to have reached their target of 200,000 in three years.
The government aim to bring sexual consent classes to all universities Ellen Fitzpatrick News Editor @elinfizpitryk SEXUAL offences are up by 10.2 per cent, according to the Crime Statistics released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan noted that rise in these statistics are concerning and he strongly welcomes the reporting of these crimes. “The rise in the recorded incidents of sexual assault, and particularly rape, is concerning. I strongly welcome the reporting of sexual assaults which are generally under-reported and urge victims to come forward. An Garda Síochána are fully committed to tackling this insidious form of violence and abuse,” said Flanagan in a press release. These figures coincide with the Minister for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, stating that all universities should partake in sexual consent classes. Mitchell O’Connor spoke to a group of representatives, stating that she was “appalled” by the increase of sexual offences in Ireland, especially in universities. “While we have some good practice in some colleges, it is important that all institutions integrate a proactive approach in their college policies,” Mitchell O’Connor said. NUI Galway recently published a study in which it was said that around 70 per cent of women and 40 per cent of men have reported experiencing
DCU and the Irish Heart Foundation are teaming up to get 200,000 young teenagers physically active.
Trinity continues investigation into cyber fraud Thomas Hamilton Contributor @thecollegeview
Miniter for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor says that consent classes are a necessity in third level.
some form of unwanted advances during their third level education. “In general, an increase in recorded incidents of sexual assault can indicate an increase in the reporting of sexual crimes and the Minister would continue to encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault to come forward and report the incident to An Garda Síochána,” said Cathal Redmond, the executive officer for the Department of Justice and Equality press office. DCU have recently held a number of sexual consent workshops since the beginning of the semester and throughout last year, run by the Students’ Union. “These workshops are so important and help us to encourage students to
Credit: Craig Shaaban
have open, healthy discussions and dialogue around sexual We should be working on a national level to develop a framework to educate all students on this topic equally to ensure the decrease of sexual offences not just on campus but everywhere,” said DCUSU vice president for welfare and equality, Aisling Fagan. “We are also working on ESHTE (Ending Sexual Harassment and Violence in Third Level Education) alongside many other HEI’s and the National Women’s Council of Ireland, which aims to prevent and combat sexual violence and harassment (SVH) and build a culture of zero tolerance in 3rd level education throughout Europe.”
Credit: Irish Heart Foundation
TRINITY College has spent €184,000 in an effort to investigate the cyber-scam that saw the Trinity Foundation losing €790,741 on April 27th, 2017. The investigation effort saw the college spending money on IT specialists, and to pay legal fees to try and recover funds. €217,000 has been recovered from the funds that were lost last year, TCD secretary John Coman said in a note to the Dáil Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Combined, the loss of funds and the cost of the investigation effort totaled to €974,781 as of July 2018. According to a report from The Irish Times on October 7th, over €60,000 was spent on an inquiry into the fraud, with an additional €76,500 spent on legal fees. The money lost was donor funds to beneficiaries of the programme, tourist fees from Book of Kells and The Old Library visits were used to make up the difference in donor funds, so everyone who was due to receive donations were not affected by the incident. The Trinity Foundation, a pro-
gramme used to help disadvantaged young people get in to the university, was victim to the “Invoice Redirect” or “CEO Fraud” scam, which saw the scammers hacking email accounts of beneficiaries of the programme to receive payments from the university. Last year, the crime was discovered when Gardaí were informed by police in the UK that there were a number of suspicious transactions related to the Trinity Foundation in Bank of Ireland accounts. Up to €250,000 was frozen in a number of bank accounts in the UK and the US. Following the cyber-scam, the internal audit unit of the university carried out a review of the incident, and a detailed audit of the Trinity Foundation’s operations, which recommended a number of improvements. The most efficacious outcome of the investigation is the improvements the university has made to its online security systems and its IT department in general. It is unknown how much of the €570,000 that is still stolen will be recovered, what remains to be seen is how much more effective the college will be in dealing with a similar situation that may occur in the future, as online payment fraud continues to be the one of the most common methods of scamming this decade.
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Michael D Higgins Ellen Fitzpatrick News Editor @elinfizpitryk WITH equality and diversity as his main focus, the incumbent President Michael D. Higgins faces another round of voting to secure a second term. Higgins, who has served as Ireland’s president since 2011, is the most popular candidate in the running, but a candidate that is facing new challenges if re-elected. When asked why he is running again, Higgins said that the challenges for the next seven years are different, mentioning issues of climate change, Brexit and housing. “I will next year, if I’m back in office, make proposals to maybe, for example … I don’t think we tell people sufficiently what we do in the Áras in terms of the amount of sheer busi-
Sean Gallagher Cait Caden News Editor @AreYou_Caden_Me SEÁN Gallagher is running for the Irish Presidency for a second time after losing to President Michael D Higgins seven years ago. His main campaign is on employment which he believes is at the “root” of community, sustainability and good mental health. Topics which Joan Freeman and Michael D Higgins have focused on strongly also in their campaigns. “I believe that our young people represent 25 per cent of the population but a 100 per cent of the future,” said Gallagher to The College View. Gallagher believes he can “do for jobs what Mary McAleese did for the peace process.” Gallagher was leading in the polls in 2011 until the “Tweetgate” controver-
Joan Freeman
Róisín Phelan Deputy News Editor @thecollegeview
PRESIDENTIAL hopeful Joan Freeman aims to win the hearts and votes of the public with her straightforward campaign. Freeman wants the country and the government to take a step back and ‘focus on itself”. The 60-year-old, mother of four was first nominated for the Seanad in 2016 by Enda Kenny, the Taoiseach at the time. She has since worked as an independent senator. During this time, she helped form the Committee of Future Mental Health Care which plans to have a long-lasting positive effect in Ireland. She now chairs this committee during its meetings. So far, Freeman has led a “president for the people” campaign in her hopes
Presidential
ness and activity we do,” Higgins said during an interview with Ireland AM. President Higgins began an academic career in the 1960s teaching sociology in the US and Ireland but by the end of the decade began working for the Labour party and served as a senator in the 1980s. Higgins began representing Galway West in the Dáil from 1987 until his presidency in 2011, during this time he also served as minister for arts, culture and the Gaelteacht in the 1990s. He is a passionate advocate of the Irish language and heritage, as a fluent Irish speaker and published poet, Higgins’s campaign slogan states that he is a “president for us all.” The president’s manifesto sets out four broad themes, the first of which is equality and inclusion. In this, he includes diversity and marginal people. The second is sustainable communities, in which he aims to combat climate change and improve the environment.
The third is his handling of centenary celebrations, most notably his organisation of the 1916 rising celebrations. He aims here to commemorate the first Dáil in 1919 and reviewing the changed society since. The final theme is his role as a representative of Ireland abroad as he aims to make Ireland a champion in human rights. It is these themes that he endorses that he and his campaign believe set him aside from the other candidates. Despite this, Higgins has been criticised recently for the €317,000 annual allowance that has no state oversight. He has defended this stating that it has been in existence since 1938 and used for events held in the Áras. “What I can absolutely say is that everything was spent in accordance with the 1938 Act,” he said. “First of all, I think you should be very, very clear about this. At the end of a presidential period anything unspent goes back to the exchequer.”
sy where Pat Kenny read out a tweet which alleged Gallagher had financially corrupt involvement with Fianna Fáil. “I am the living proof that unprecedented things can happen in the closing days,” said Gallagher, after the first Presidential debate on Saturday, when asked if how he felt about being behind in the poles. Higgins is a strong favourite to win the 2018 Presidential Election, with 70 per cent support from the Irish public, according to a recent poll, ahead of the first official debate between himself, Gallagher and the four other candidates. Fianna Fáil backed Gallagher in 2011 but have not done so this time. Other candidates received political backing such as Higgins with Labour and Liadh Ní Riada with Sinn Féin. Gallagher is one of three other Dragon’s from the programme Dragon’s Den contesting the Presidency. The businessman, originally from
County Cavan, stated in his 60-second presidential pitch that he “overcame adversity” and added that it wasn’t his story but “your” story, when addressing the people of Ireland. Gallagher is the father of two children and the husband of Patricia Gallagher. His alma maters include Teagasc Agricultural College, Maynooth University, Dundalk Institute of Technology and the University of Ulster where he earned his masters. Gallagher ran for a second time as he believes “Ireland is changing and the next President needs to provide a fresh approach at this important juncture for Ireland. “We have as a people an opportunity to redefine the role of President in the context of a changing society, while cherishing all that is unique about Ireland,” he added.
to represent Ireland. Freeman wants the government to focus on supporting the people of Ireland. In particular she wants a stronger focus on those affected by mental health and on the elderly. She has voiced her commitment to standing for the youth and elderly of the country saying she wants to, “give a voice to the young people” and to “change the language” that surrounds elderly people in our day to day lives.’ When asked by The College View why students should vote for her, Freeman said, “All my adult life, my work has focused on young people…I understand the issues facing young people today; housing, rising third level fees, gender issues, mental health difficulties, and I want to continue to highlight these issues as President.” She continued, “As President, I will include young people on the Council of State… We need to listen to young people and that’s why I want to give
them a voice in shaping the Presidency for the next seven years. Her focus on mental health has been prevalent for years. This focus is what originally brought her to the eyes of the public in Ireland. She founded the suicide intervention and prevention organisation, Pieta House in 2006 and since then has established 12 centres in Ireland that offer free therapeutic services. Pieta House’s goal is to, “support people and communities in crisis by providing freely accessible, professional services to all.” Famous for its annual event ‘Darkness into Light’, Pieta House and what it stands for has become a household name. The familiarity of the organisation has greatly benefited Freeman and her publicity in the run up to the campaign.
Credit: The Irish Labour Party
Credit: David Conachy
Credit: Joe Houghton
News
Election 2018 Gavin Duffy Emily Sheahan News Editor @emilyaine_s IN the run up to the presidential election, candidate Gavin Duffy has said he is “mellowing as a capitalist” and is more open to social policies. Duffy told The Irish Times that he doesn’t think everything should be determined by cost and that he would like to talk about a more compassionate society. “I do not want my children and your children to be dispensable contractors,” said Duffy. The candidate has come under backlash after it was revealed that he was involved in a crash, seriously injuring a motorcyclist in 1978. Duffy, now 58, was 18 when the incident occurred. Duffy also received a driving disqualification in 1981 after being caught driving without insurance or tax, and was later prosecuted for dangeous
Liadh Ni Riada Catherine Gallagher Deputy News Editor @Cather_i_ne A Process of reconciliation will be the main theme of presidential candidate Liadh Ni Riada said in her welcoming speech last week upon receiving her nomination from Sinn Féin. Ní Riada credits her background and appreciation of Ireland’s identity as two key components that she believes makes her to be a suitable candidate for the Presidency. She joined Sinn Féin in 2011 as the party’s national Irish language officer. In 2014 Ní Riada was selected as the Sinn Féin candidate for Ireland South for the 2014 European Parliament elections. During her time as MEP, she raised issues such as Brexit, rural Ireland, climate change, neutrality and both eco-
Peter Casey Brendan Fernando Kelly Palenque Deputy News Editor @thecollegeview IRISH people across the globe should be brought together through technology according to presidential candidate Peter Casey. Casey, like two of his competitors, is best known for being an investor, or “Dragon”, on RTÉ One’s Dragons’ Den. This isn’t his first venture into politics. In 2016, he attempted to win a Seanad seat but was ultimately unsuccessful. The Derry man, born in 1957, was the third of nine children. His mother was the deputy headmistress of a primary school and his father was the bursar in the grammar school. Casey attended both schools and later went on to study business administration politics and economics
driving in 1993. Duffy said the dangerous driving was “inexcusable” and claims he has “always put [his] hand up and apologised about that”. He suggested that his work in pirate radio may have lead to a lower level of respect for the law. He said he has left his “boy racer days” long behind him. Before venturing into politics, Duffy was a broadcaster, a presenter on Marketplace, and a PR consultant to Denis O’Brien. He was also an investor on the entrepreneurial show Dragons’ Den. Candidates Sean Gallagher and Peter Casey also featured as “Dragons” on the show. Duffy featured on all eight seasons. He recieved a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 for his contribution to local businesses and small-to-medium enterprises. In an interview on RTÉ Radio 1, Duffy said that President Michael D Higgins had “dropped the torch on Northern Ireland”. He said that Hig-
gins’ work in Northern Ireland did not compare to that of Mary McAleese. “The ground work in Northern Ireland has not happened in this presidential term,” he said. Duffy said that with an upcoming Brexit, Ireland needs “a major diplomatic offensive in the UK”. Sinn Féin candidate Liadh Ní Riada said that the people did not want an “establishment” person, or someone who was disconnected from the people, as president. Duffy said that one of his priorities as president would be to tackle cyber bullying on social media. “The big five tech companies are so powerful now, they’re running the world almost,” he said. Duffy laid out fives pillars for his campaign: Youth, Age, Diversity and Inclusion, Respect, and Working Together. He said that he has no doubt that the “Office of President would benefit from greater scrutiny, openness and transparency”.
nomic and social justice. The mother-of-three also enjoyed a career in television and ran her own production company. She served on the board which set up TG4. “As someone who lost both parents at a young age, I have faced personal challenges and hardship. Myself and my siblings raised each other. This has given me a strong sense of independence and an empathy for those who are struggling,” she said. The nominee grew up in west Cork and she was raised in the Gaeltacht in an Irish speaking family. She is the daughter of Seán O Riada, who composed and arranged Irish traditional music. He went on to become one of the most influential figures in the revival of Irish traditional music during the 1960s. Ní Riada said that Ireland has “radically changed” since the last Presidential election, but added that this is only the “beginning of the chapter.” The Sinn Féin presidential candidate
has stated that the state of the homelessness crisis is of concern to her: “I want to use my role as a president to address the House of Oireachtas to discuss the national issues such as the housing crisis.” The Ógra Shinn Féin society in Dublin City University (DCU) welcomed Ní Riada’s nomination: “With Liadh having Unity as a central theme to her presidency campaign, it is only aiding in putting forward the idea of an emerging united Ireland to the general public and the copious benefits which it will bring for the people of Ireland,” a spokesperson for the group said. They added: “Liadh as president will address the government when necessary on issues such as the housing crisis to help ensure that an inclusive and progressive Ireland exists for its citizens which previous and the current government have failed to do.”
at Aston University in Birmingham. He said he spent a third of his life in Ireland, a third in Australia and a third in America. As such, he’s met many Irish people living around the world, which he said gave him a different perspective. “Everywhere I go I meet Irish people, and they’re so proud to be Irish and that’s something that, you know, I sometimes think you have to leave Ireland to really understand how amazing it is to be Irish,” he said. He plans on spending the lowest amount of money on his campaign out of all six candidates: €100,000. Casey told The Irish Independent that he’ll be relying on his own wealth to fund the campaign. That said, he spent €5,000 on his launch, which is more money than any other candidate spent on their launch. The public should get a breakdown of the president’s expenses according to him. He also said that the Áras an
Uachtaráin should be used for profit. “Buckingham Palace is a money-maker and there is no reason why the Aras could not be a money-maker. And at least not such an expensive drain on the Irish Exchequer,” he said to the Irish Sun. Back in late September, a video was published of Casey driving a golf ball into the sea. This causes controversy as a non-biodegradable golf ball can take up to 1,000 years to decompose. Despite the fact that he said he would give a breakdown of expenses every three months, Casey refused to reveal his tax details. He gave up no information on how much tax he’s paid since 2011 and said he would only do so if all candidates also did as well. “When did Ireland become so obsessed about money?” he said to the Irish Examiner
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Credit: Sinn Fein
Credit: Peter Casey Facebook
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News
Increase seen in reports of online child sexual abuse Nobel Prize winner pledges content
Orla Dwyer Opinions Editor @orladwyer_
CHILD sexual abuse content reported online increased by 44 per cent last year in Ireland, according to statistics from Hotline.ie. Hotline.ie, an organisation for confidentially reporting illegal content online, particularly focusing on child sexual abuse, revealed that 79 per cent
of the reported imagery and videos featured children appearing to be aged 0 to 12 years. “Knowing that behind every image/ video there is a real child being sexually abused, who may have not been identified and rescued from their abuser, makes the Content Analyst job one of the hardest imaginable jobs in the world,” said Ana Niculescu, Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland (ISPAI) Hotline.ie manager, in the report. There were 524 cases of confirmed child sexual abuse imagery (CSAI) and videos found in 2017 by Hotline. ie. This was the first time in eight years that none of the images or videos were traced back to the Republic of Ireland. “These should not be read as 524 images but rather sources which in most cases led to hundreds and thousands of Child Sexual Abuse images and/or videos,” said Hotline.ie in the report.
Irish law states that it is illegal for anyone to “knowingly obtain access to child pornography by means of information and communication technology”. 52 per cent of the child sexual abuse imagery assessed showed rape and sexual torture between adults and children. Roughly three quarters of all reports received by Hotline.ie were not illegal because they were adult pornography or just age inappropriate child posing. “While it is disturbing to see evidence of such crimes, I welcome the fact that such images have been rendered inaccessible and are being dealt with by appropriate law enforcement,” said Minister for Justice and Equality Charlie Flanagan in the foreword of the report. Hotline.ie said that one in five of the confirmed CSAI reports was for a disguised website used for child sex abuse images and videos. The service
has seen an increase in these sites every year since 2014. On the websites, CSAI is only shown to users who followed a pre-set digital pathway. Otherwise, the websites show only legal content. Along with the CSAI findings, the organisation found 11 financial scams and four cases of xenophobia and racism. These areas also fall under the service’s remit of online reporting. Over 98 per cent of reports made on the site are anonymous. Hotline.ie was set up in 1999 and is a part of INHOPE, a global network of hotlines. It receives funding from the ISPAI and the EU. The organisation liaises with An Garda Síochána in its reporting.
Two people crushed in Maynooth nightclub
Róisífn Phelan Deputy News Editor @thecollegeview
STUDENTS at the Maynooth SU Fest were evacuated following people getting crushed in Mischief nightclub. Gardaí carried out an evacuation of the nightclub after two people were injured after being crushed on October 4th at the fest. The nightclub located on Main Street, was hosting popular acts including DJ Hannah Wants. Tickets were sold for the event online, at the SU and at the door on the night. The crush occurred at approximately 2am during DJ Hannah Wants’ set. Three Maynooth students have spoken to The College View about the atmosphere of the crowd at this time and across the night. First year music technology student Niamh Oliver described it as a “disgrace.” “The crowd was so rowdy from the start and continued for the whole night because the place was extremely overpacked and you could not move an inch,” she said. There are two levels to the venue, with DJ Hannah wants playing on level two. Prior to the night, the venue had issued warnings over the capacity of the two separate levels during their online promotion. The notice stating: ‘Each level has a capacity limit so for safety reasons we will be operating a “One in one out”’ was included on the event’s Facebook page. “It was ridiculously crowded, like you couldn’t move around without peo-
Two People were crushed in Mischief, the popular nightlclub in Maynooth.
ple banging into you…. everyone was just fighting, and security were going crazy trying to control everyone, but they couldn’t,” said a second year in Maynooth who chose to remain anonymous over fears of being discriminated against in Mischief. Mia Scully, second year social science student agreed by saying: “As the night went on it became more and more obvious that there were way too many people”. Scully, who fell during the crush
said, “Gardaí arrived after a few of us had fallen but the entrance was blocked with what looked like a fallen barrier, so the Gardaí had to physically help us over.” Gardaí have confirmed to The College View that they “attended at a premises on Main Street, Maynooth in the early hours of the morning of October 4th 2018.” They added that “patrons were evacuated from the premises with the assistance of the Gardai and other emergen-
Credit: Florin Baben
cy services.” Following the evacuation, students said they had to wait up to “40 minutes in the lashing rain” to get their coats and bags out of the venues cloakroom. DJ Hannah Wants took to Twitter following her performance saying: “Big up Maynooth that was crazy, security had to go get barriers for the crowd.” Wants described Mischief as “the hottest club” she’s ever played in.
to donate prize winnings
Sonja Tutty Contributor @thecollegeview
NOBEL Peace Prize winner Nadia Murad has announced that she will donate her $500,000 (€432,650) winnings to helping survivors of sex crimes. The 2018 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Murad and Denis Mukwege for their efforts to end sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict, on October 5th. The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the prize to Muwege, a gynaecologist and to Murad, a former ISIS sex slave. Muwege treats victims of sexual assault in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His team have focused on helping those affected by this war crime, mainly those affected by the current civil war that has claimed the lives of up to 6 million Congolese. He established the Panzi Hospital in 1999, mainly made of tents. However, it has since become a major health facility in DR Congo and treats more than 3,500 women a year. In a country labelled the ‘Rape Capital of the World’, Muwege has acted on his principle that “justice is everyone’s business” and now serves a population 400,000 including patients from neighbouring countries. Mukwege said that he discovered he was awarded the prize while he was working in the operating in the hospital. “I can see in the face of many women how they are happy to be recognised and this is really so touching,” he said. While Mukwege has treated victims, the co-recipient of the prize, Nadia Murad was one of those victims. Murad was kidnapped by ISIS militants when they came to her village Kocho in Iraqi Kurdistan made up of Yazidis. Her mother and brothers were all executed, but many unmarried women were taken as sex slaves. As a Yazidi, ISIS rule permits her slavery and the abuse she endured. After three months she managed to escape to Mosul where a Muslim family helped her receive fake Islamic identification to leave ISIS territory. She has since spoken at the UN Security Council, published a New York Times bestselling memoir titled “The Last Girl” and has received numerous other awards. In 2016 she was named he UN’s first Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking. “I’m committed to being the voice of those who have no voice,” she said in a speech at the National Press Club. She also urged governments to take responsibility and fight sexual violence, adding that justice must be served to criminals and victims. The Nobel Committee said: “A more peaceful world can only be achieved if women and their fundamental rights and security are recognised and protected in war.”
Science and Health
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“Groudbreaking” Alcohol Bill passes through the Oireachtas Emily Sheahan News Editor @emilyaine_s
A piece of legislation known as the Public Health Alcohol Bill was passed through all stages of the Oireachtas as of October 10th, over 1,000 days since it was first introduced. The Bill will introduce labelling of alcohol products with health warnings, ingredients and calories, minimum unit pricing and restrictions on advertising. The Bill also includes provisions for the sale of alcohol in retail outlets which will see reduced visibility and segregation of alcohol products. Minister for Health Simon Harris said the Bill aims to save thousands of lives by addressing Ireland’s “unhealthy relationship with alcohol that damages health and harms many fam-
ilies”. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar commended Harris on the passing of the Bill saying: “[The] decision made today will be remembered by history and will save countless lives.” “This is the first time in the history of the State we have endeavoured to use public health legislation to address issues in relation to alcohol,” said Harris. “It is therefore a groundbreaking measure.” Regulations regarding the advertisement of alcohol products, as outlined in the Bill, includes a watershed of 9pm for television and radio advertisements. It will also prohibit advertising in certain areas, such as within 200 meters of schools, on public transport or in playgrounds. The Bill has been before the Oireachtas since 2015 and will be passed into law once signed by Pres-
ident Michael D Higgins. The legislation took two years to pass through the Seanad. Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI) said that the overall goal of the legislation is to “reduce our per capita alcohol consumption in Ireland from 11 litres to 9.1 litres for every person aged 15 and over by 2020 and to reduce alcohol harm”. AAI reported that if Ireland were to follow the HSE low-risk drinking of alcohol guidelines, the country’s consumption rate would be 40 per cent lower than it currently is. According to the World Health Organisation in 2014, 39 per cent of Irish people aged 15 years and over had engaged in binge-drinking or “heavy episode drinking” within the past 30 days. A Healthy Ireland survey in 2015 showed that 79 per cent of Irish peo-
ple drink alcohol, 53 per cent on a weekly basis. The study showed that more deprived areas had lower levels of drinking but higher levels of binge drinking. The survey concluded that “drinking to excess on a regular basis is commonplace throughout the population”. The AAI said that this legislation will treat the problem of misuse of alcohol as the public health issue it is. Chairperson of DCU Sober Society Adam Healy said: “The hope for us is that the Bill means less young people will be turning to drink at such an early age as they are now and they’re not being exposed to it every time they turn on the television or go into a supermarket.” Healy said they are hopeful that the Bill will bring “more information regarding safe alcohol consumption from the government itself”. He said
that as drinkaware.ie is in association with the beverage company Diageo, it would be “preferable to have a national information service at our disposal regarding alcohol consumption”. Manager of the DCU student bar, Nubar, David Kineavy said that the Bill will not effect their prices. “They didn’t go up in the Budget so we won’t be putting them up,” he said. Kineavy said that the prices went up for the first time last year due to the Budget but because Nubar no longer has an off license, they won’t be effected by the Alcohol Bill.
Majority of women agree to assist in smear test review
Ellen Fitzpatrick News Editor @elinfizpitryk
THE majority of 94 per cent of women have agreed to a review of 3,000 smear tests carried out by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). Following the CervicalCheck scandal earlier this year, 1,300 letters were sent out asking if they would consent to this review, with 330 of these being returned by the end of that week. Minister for Health, Simon Harris, has said that each woman who has had a cervical cancer diagnosis since 2008 will have their smear tests reviewed. The review will be carried out by a team of cytologists from the RCOG in London. Over 1,300 letters were issued by the HSE, with them expecting the majority of the remaining letters to be issued or completed in the coming week, excluding any involving nextof-kin. The Department of Health are working with the HSE to ensure that these letters are issued as soon as possible.
19 women have passed away due to the CervicalCheck scandal that came to light earlier this year.
The review is aiming to see if whether the original misread smear tests had an impact on treatment and outcome. This review was initially aimed to be carried out in May but was delayed due to the issue of consent and a delay in women being contacted. The government will continue “to
support and facilitate RCOG and the HSE in progressing this review as expeditiously as possible, and to do so in a way that ensures quality, comprehensiveness and integrity of the results.” This news came before the death of Emma Mhic Mhathúna, a woman at
Credit: HSE
the centre of the CervicalCheck scandal, at the age of 37. Mhic Mhathúna was diagnosed in 2016 with cervical cancer three years after her smear test incorrectly resulted as normal. The mother of five discovered she had cervical cancer after receiving incorrect results from two separate
smear tests. Mhic Mhathúna died at University Hospital Kerry in Tralee on the morning of Sunday, October 7th, 2018. She was told in May that the cancer was terminal and by August it had spread to her brain. In a statement, her family said: “Emma, who battled her illness with great valour, passed away peacefully in the comfort of her family’s loving embrace.” “We will miss Emma beyond words: her intellect, her love, her quick wit and infectious smile are irreplaceable to those closest to her in these difficult days,” they continued. Mhic Mhathúna was one of 221 women affected by the CervicalCheck scandal, and the 19th who died from this, that occurred earlier this year. Many were unaware that Cervical check had done internal reviews, confirming the wrong results. The scandal came to light after Vicky Phelan, a mother from Limerick, took her case to the High Court in April after her diagnosis. It was then found the following month that the majority of these CervicalCheck internal reviews had not been passed on to the women affected and that they were completely unaware of this issue. “It would make sense to check, check and re-check the smear test, rather than hand out the big cheque,” Mhic Mhathúna said about the scandal.
Science and Health
10
PrEP accessibility may Delays in eye care may lead to increase patients going blind
Brendan Fernando Kelly Palenque Deputy News Editor @thecollegeview
THE Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) want to provide an HIV preventative drug for free to atrisk patients with medical cards. The drug, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), costs €400 for the brandname medication, Truvada, and €100 for the generic kind. The Chair of DCU’s LGBTA society, Dean O’Reilly, described the current health care system in Ireland as “classist”. “Even looking at medical card holders, the limitations on how many people can have them per year and how many can even get like access to them is difficult,” he said. HIQA are doing a Health Technology Assessment to see the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a PrEP programme in Ireland. The assessment is due to finish in early 2020. If HIV negative people take PrEP daily and properly, their chances of contracting the virus from a positive person greatly decreases. A Canadian and French study reported an 86 per cent decrease in contraction in highrisk groups of gay men and trans women. A record number of over 500 new people were diagnosed with HIV last year, according to The Irish Times. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre reported provisional data of 212 new diagnoses in the first five months of 2018.
Of the 508 new diagnoses in 2016, 51 per cent were among men who have sex with men (MSM), a report by the Health Service Executive showed. However, 42 per cent of HIV positive MSM were diagnosed as such before arriving in Ireland. In general, 32 per cent of new diagnoses that year were from people who had already tested positive abroad. The number of new diagnoses in MSM not previously diagnosed abroad dropped by 14% in 2016 compared to 2015. Of the men born abroad, the highest number of them came from Latin America. O’Reilly said the increase in positive HIV diagnoses is a clear sign that access to PrEP is an absolute necessity. “It’s not a replacement for traditional contraceptives or traditional safe sex practices but it is an additional layer that can provide people the safe of mind that what they’re doing is safe,” he said. As of October 10, 104 pharmacies stocked PrEP in Ireland. 57 of those pharmacies were in Dublin. There are two PrEP monitoring clinics in Dublin: The Gay Men’s Sexual Health clinic in the Baggot Street Hospital and the Prevention Support Clinic in the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital.
Conor Breslin Contibutor @thecollegeview
PATIENTS in the south of the country may go blind as a result of delays in the provision of eye care, hospital consultants have warned. The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) said at its annual conference in Galway on October 6th that the widespread and chronic shortage of hospital consultants, beds and other facilities in public hospitals was severely impacting patient care across the country. IHCA President Dr Donal O’Hanlon said a combination of having one of the lowest numbers of specialist hospital consultants in Europe and over 500 unfilled posts were resulting in patients not being able to access timely medical care. Dr O’Hanlon said in the eye surgery services in Cork around 6,000 patients were awaiting outpatient reviews. “Consultants are concerned that some patients will lose vision permanently and irreversibly as a result of the delays,” he said. It was also announced that over 6,500 children are waiting for an MRI and ultrasound scans in Crumlin and Temple St Hospitals, while over 220 patients with significant brain injuries or stroke are waiting to be admitted to the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dublin. Dr O’Hanlon also warned the number of patients enduring delays on trol-
Up to 100,000 patients are set to endure delays on trolleys this year.
leys are set to top 100,000 for the first time this year, forcing the cancellation of surgery for waiting list patients. “Patients are deteriorating on lengthy waiting lists and the State is putting in place sticking plaster solutions of outsourcing through NTPF [National Treatment Purchase Fund] or facilitating patients to travel abroad for operations that have for decades been provided in our public hospitals”, he said. In Galway University Hospital ca-
Credit: Opticians Midleton
pacity constraints resulted in over half of patients planned for surgery, in certain specialties, not being operated on because no beds were available despite the theatre and staff being ready to operate. Whilst in the Mater Hospital all elective admissions except cancer patients were cancelled and in St James’s Hospital, 4 of the 13 operating theatres were closed due to inadequate resources in terms of beds and staff.
Families pay up to €28,000 for private autism care Amy Donohoe Deputy Images Editor @amydonohoe1
Families are paying €28,000 for private autism care per child, many of which are lone parent families.
Credit: DCU.ie
FAMILIES pay €28,000 per child on private autism care services, some of these being lone parent families according to NUIG researchers. Aine Roddy and Ciaran O’Neill published the study last week in the international journal, Autism – The International Journal of Research and Practice which focuses on the economic impact of childhood autism disorders. They collaborated with staff from the Centre of Public Health in Queens University Belfast and they were by the Irish Research Council and Autism Ireland. The study showed that on average, the annual cost per child for families was over €28,000 which was the result of paying for private autism spectrum disorders (ASD) services, while over €14,000 of state funded services were consumed. “The additional costs associated
with having an autistic child are unjustifiable, the extra expenditure puts families and parent(s) under immense pressure to pay never-ending bills, solely in an attempt to give their autistic child the same opportunities as a child without the mental condition.” NUIG student, Charlotte Lucas said. “Looking at these figure it’s apparent that the government should invest money both into health and education to help support families struggling with these extraneous costs.” The objective of their study is to estimate the cost of childhood autism spectrum disorders and explain the variation in costs between state and family out-of-pocket expenditure. Families whose children were more severely affected on the spectrum of autism disorder and those with more than one child affected faced substantially higher costs. 15 per cent of children with autism spectrum disorders in the survey were from lone parent families who struggle to meet needs. Autism spectrum disorders are as-
sociated with a significant economic burden, although little is known about the relationship between state and family out-of-pocket expenditure. Roddy from NUIG’s Business School and lead author of the study said that results show that more support is required for families raising a child with autism. “The study shows that access to autism spectrum disorder services in Ireland is overly dependent on the ability of families to pay for those services,” said Roddy. She added that it “places substantial financial hardship on families already facing many challenges in meeting the complex needs of children with an ASD.” Professor O’Neill, Adjunct Professor of Health Economics in NUIG said: “The study provides valuable insights into a neglected area of research. The findings should spur policy makers in Ireland to rethink the support provided to children with ASD and their families.”
Business and Tech
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Go-Ahead take over four Dublin Bus routes Rachel Power Contributor @thecollegeview
GO-AHEAD Ireland began its operation of four Dublin Bus routes on Sunday October 7th. The private company will now be in control of routes 45a, 59, 63 and 75, all of which run from Dun Laoghaire. In August 2017, the company which is based in the UK won a tender competition to run 10 per cent of Dublin Bus routes. It is the second phase of their operation in running 23 of the existing Dublin Bus services. Customers will need to use the TFI app to view real time passenger information as these routes are no longer available on the Dublin Bus app. Early on Monday morning, Dublin Bus alerted passengers by posting in the ‘News’ section of their app announcing the routes change of operation to Go-Ahead Ireland. Chief Executive of the National Transport Authority, Anne Graham said that passengers should expect to see “a very substantial increase in frequency and service levels on about 50 bus routes in Dublin” during the final months of the year. According to the NTA, there will be minor route alterations as well as changes in regularity for all four routes. The route 45A from Dun Laoghaire to Kilmacanogue will see an updated frequency of daytime service to every 20 minutes and evening and Sunday times will see updates to every 30
Go-Ahead takes control of the routes 45a, 59,63 and 75.
minutes. The same route will apply as before to the 45A routes that divert via Shanganagh Cliffs Estate will be numbered the 45B to avoid confusion. Route 59 from Dun Laoghaire to Killiney will travel through the same route. Time of departure from Dun Laoghaire and Dalkey have been coordinated with the route 111 to offer
evenly spaced departures. Route 63 from Dun Laoghaire to Kilternan has maintained its frequency of every 30 minutes, with an enhanced service in evening times and on Sunday daytimes to every 30 minutes also. The route 75 from Dun Laoghaire sees the most changes to its service of the four routes. Journeys travelling via
Credit: Sonja Tutty
Sandyford Business Park will continue, but service will be changed at peak times. In Dundrum, the route has changed to serve Main Street, Taney Road and Sydenham Road. A coordination with route 175 between Tallaght and Dundrum will offer evenly spread departures daily.
Additional Sunday morning and evening journeys will be introduced. First and last travel times will remain similar. According to the Go-Ahead Ireland website, the company will continue overtaking several Dublin Bus service routes that will amount to 23. This means that by the end of January 2019, it will operate the 10 per cent of bus networks it is contracted for. The company began their second phase of their operation in September this year by introducing their first bus route, the 175. This route currently operates from CityWest to UCD and provides a good, reliable service to the public. It is of benefit to students in UCD, some of which often had to get two or more buses in order to get to their college. As a second-year student in UCD, Matthew Carty said that the new routes have “removed the stress of two buses for a majority of students” in his local area. He says that the service by GoAhead so far seems to be “quite punctual and is generally at the stop when it’s due”. However, one drawback he noticed is that to find real time information for the buses, you have to go through the journey planner in the app, which is “sometimes awkward and takes longer to use.” Go-Ahead Ireland will continue overtaking a number of bus routes until January 20th, 2019, however dates are subject to change by the NTA.
Colt expand network over Northern Dublin Gabija Gataveckaite Deputy Editor @gabysayshey
AN additional 150km of 100GBs/s fibre will be invested into the greater Dublin area, to include DCU, by 2019. Colt Technology Services, a multinational communications company, will invest a further €15 million into the city, doubling its current 150km of fibre to 300km. The development is part of the company’s major 18-month global rollout, stretching across Europe, Asia and North America. “We see Dublin as being one of Europe’s key growth cities in the coming years,” said CEO of Colt Technology Services, Carl Grivner. “With multinational investment in Ireland only likely to increase, it’s crucial that Colt has the technological backbone in Ireland to support its anticipated traffic growth. The extended fibre network will provide higher bandwidth solutions in the area. This means that incoming or existing businesses within the 300km region will now have access to more customers and the ability to commu-
nicate faster. “The expansion also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to enabling the digital transformation of businesses in today’s increasingly fast paced digital economy,” he added. Colt’s existing network currently connects 350 enterprise buildings and 23 data centres around Dublin. Globally, the company connects 850 data centres across 28 countries. Griver explained that the company views the Irish capital as being in the top five for growth potential, hence finalising their decision to proceed with the development. According to Engineering student Michael Kelleher, this is a welcomed development and one that the city lacks. ”In my opinion, these types of investments are absolutely vital,” he told The College View. “Just from an engineering view, over the last decade or two the, the courses taught at university have gone through drastic changes. The use of computers has gone from practically non-existent to being used in nearly every module. If DCU’s degrees and as a result part of the Irish
economy want to keep up with the rest of the world, these investments need to continue,” he added. Kelleher explained that these kinds of investments will not only create jobs, but may potentially stop qualified graduates from emigrating. “The main reason why some of my friends and I are thinking of leaving Ireland is because of better job opportunities abroad,” Kelleher added. “If these investments improve job prospects for us I think a lot less students would consider leaving Ireland,” he concluded. According to the Irish Online Economy Report 2018, published in February, 6 per cent of the Irish economy now takes place online, which is ahead of the European average of 5 per cent. 24 per cent of all Irish retailer’s revenues now come from international visitors. Colt, which is headquartered in London, has stated that their new connectivity solutions will be rolled out in several phases, having already kicked off proceedings last September. Commuications organisation, Colt Technology invests €15 million in fibre within Dublin.
Credit: ColtTechnologyServices
Business and Tech
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Ireland endeavours to lead Europe’s data economy Aine O’Boyle Deputy Arts Editor @ainyerrrr
IRELAND’S €9.96 billion data economy drives forward a ‘best in Europe’ ambition for Irish data centres. Despite its considerably low population and location on the western edges of Europe, Ireland has emerged as a huge player in the industry of data computing. With 50 data centres located primarily in a small cluster in Dublin West, the industry has the potential to unlock a further €9.91 billion into the Irish economy through greater financial investment and the acquisition of a highly skilled workforce. With the prospects of employment bountiful in this sector, it hints towards a bright future for students graduating in the related sectors of Data Science and Computing. According to Alan Smeaton, Pro-
fessor of Data Science at Dublin City University, ‘the skills which our data scientists are gathering... are making their importance future-proofed’. ‘These skills will be essential, and it’s not just for the students taking the B.Sc. in Data Science but every other student who is doing a bit of data science in their work… sometimes called mathematics, or statistics, or visualisation, or data processing’. Trends in this industry are difficult to predict and how it may further progress depends upon external factors such as the impact that Brexit may have on Irish Data Centres and the Irish economy as a whole. Smeaton said, ‘there’s almost a guarantee that our predictions for our future will always be wrong and the only question is by how much they will be wrong’. This growth in the data economy came about primarily due to expansion into cloud computing. Data centres such as Interxion are providing
businesses with specialised clouds to suit all of their data needs. Much of the attention of these data centres is geared towards dealing with ‘big data’ that has the power to determine trends within human interactions and behaviour. According to Tanya Duncan, managing director of Interxion, a data centre in Grange Castle, Dublin, “We are really noticing that the sectors of finance, digital media and analytics and legal are increasing their presence in data centres.” At a contentious time, where people are more cautious than ever with regards to protecting their data, businesses and people alike want transparency and to know exactly where their data is going. Scandals such as the outing of Cambridge Analytica, harbouring the data of 50 million Facebook users, demonstrate the fact that data must be protected and dealt with correctly.
CSO and Met Éireann team up in new “rescue” project
Ireland is becoming one of Europe’s best for data economy.
Vodafone apologises after “sinister” marketing campaign
Sabrine Donohoe Contributor @thecollegeview
MET Éireann and the Central Statistics Office (CSO) have launched a climate data ‘rescue’ project. The CSO records daily meteorological data provided by Met Éireann, including historical data dating from the 19th century previously held on dated and vulnerable manuscripts. The data records 40 variables, such as air pressure, humidity, cloud formation and sunshine hours. The project will improve examinations of correlating weather conditions such as drought and extreme rainfall over a period of 200 years. The data will improve weather risk management and help understand climate change, while eliminating the over-inclusion of more recent weather events which have “better media coverage and folk memory”. “We’ll be adding on 130 years of pre-industrial data, before people were flying and had cars,” said CSO spokesperson Gerry Brady in a telephone interview. “This will enable climatologists to benchmark pre-industrial data with today”. The project further aims to calculate the costs of damage, harm reduction, and adaption following major weather events. The Phoenix Park meteorological station is the first of many to add to previously devised information in the areas of population and agriculture. The station recorded the longest ‘absolute drought’ to date, which lasted for 32 days and occurred in 1947.
Beibhinn Thorsch Deputy Lifestyle Editor @BeibhinnJourno
The data records 40 variables, such as air pressure, humidity, cloud formation and sunshine hours.
An absolute drought occurs after 15 consecutive days of less than 0.2 mm of rainfall per day. The highest recorded air temperature in history is 33.3 °C, recorded at Kilkenny Castle, Co Kilkenny in June 1887. The lowest stands at -19.1°C, recorded at Markree, Co Sligo in January 1881. On an international level, the World Meteorological Organization set up the international data rescue project ‘I-DARE’, which provides information on climate data from across the globe in one place. This includes Ireland, with the Met Éireann and the CSO project expanding the range of
Credit: Eoghan Murphy.ie
Irish data. “While it is good to have these documents conserved, it is about what we do going forward to tackle climate change,” said Dr David Robbins, a lecturer at the School of Communications who covered research in media and climate change. The metrological stations in Blacksod Bays (Co Mayo), Roches Point (Co Cork) and Valentina Observatory (Co Kerry) are to provide the next rounds of weather data. The data from the Phoenix Park station between 1832 and 1859 is expected to be fully recorded and checked by spring 2019.
Credit: Data center knowledge
VODAFONE Ireland’s latest marketing campaign has been referred to as “creepy” and “sinister” after journalists were sent framed pictures of themselves that appear to be smashed on October 3rd. Vodafone has issued an apology to two of the journalists who were sent the pictures, and who subsequently sparked media backlash on Twitter. One of the recipients Sinead Ryan, who covers consumer and finance issues, described the campaign as a “serious PR misstep”, later tweeting: “Speechless...Don’t care what you’re advertising; I had a stalker once who sent me one too. For real. Did this look ‘cute’ at your planning meeting??” alongside a photo of the package she received. Her sentiments were reiterated by fellow recipient Jill Kerby, a personal finance journalist, who tweeted: “this...thing… arrived at my old office” and “…women journalists love getting framed pictures of themselves that someone has stamped on.” In response to her original Tweet concerning the incident, Kerby said:
“I wonder what made them think they could use my image or Sinead’s without our permission as part of a promotion campaign.” In the apology issued by Vodafone, they wrote: “Our intention was not to cause any distress. The frame and accompanying information leaflet were intended to highlight the launch of our new fix & go screen repair service.” Vodafone also say they issued a private apology to the two journalists individually, saying that “Again, we very much apologise if this has caused upset.” Vodafone said that they wished to show the association between smart phone photos, such as selfies they were trying to replicate, and shattered glass screens and the service they intended to promote. There was also some positive reaction to the received pictures, with others describing the photos as “smashing” and “cool”. The photos used seem to have been taken from Google images and the social media pages of the journalists involved. The media package received by journalists was an extension of advertisements being placed in participating shop windows, where similar vinyl overlays as to what were used in the marketing package photos were placed over the windows, to create a shattered glass effect. This is not Vodafone’s first misstep with PR stunts. In 2002 they were made to apology for sending two streakers who were naked except for a Vodafone logo on their back, onto the pitch during a rugby match between Australia and New Zealand.
Opinion
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How impactful are body positive magazine covers? Clara Kelly and Orla Dwyer discuss the controversial Cosmopolitan magazine cover featuring plus-sized model Tess Holliday. Clara Kelly Deputy Opinion Editor @clarabkelly
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t seems that more so every day, we, as a society, are addressing the issue of body positivity. There has been a surge in the plus-size modelling industry in recent years, with more brands and fashion magazines looking to stray from the norm of size six or smaller. Some popular brands, like Fenty Beauty, even used pregnant models in their fashion week show recently. More commonly, Tess Holliday’s recent cover for Cosmopolitan has caused controversy in the realm of body positivity. Many people have been asking, is this representation good or bad? Is the body positivity movement, in general, a positive or negative thing? In my opinion, I don’t think the Tess Holliday Cosmo cover, or more representation of other body types in general is a bad thing. I just don’t think it is helpful. I’m not against the idea for the reason that has been previously stated everywhere since the emergence of the body positivity movement, and more recently, the Tess Holliday cover, that it promotes a dangerous way of life to a young target audience. I think it would be hypocritical to say that, when some of the skinnier models promote an equally toxic message to the young women who read the magazines. I just think that if we are going to have an issue with one unhealthy body type, we should try to remove that problem completely, and showcase women of all body types, not just extremes on either side of the spectrum. Another issue with these portrayals is that unrealistic body images are still apparent in these covers and magazines, no matter what size the model they use to show them. The images are still Photoshopped, airbrushed and edited. Even for those that aren’t, the models are clad in designer clothing, luxury beauty and skincare products, and expensive hair care. All of this creates an idealistic image of what women should look like, regardless of size and they make people, specifically women, self-conscious. If the women are self-conscious, they will buy those products in an attempt to look like the models on these covers, big or small. I simply do not think that these movements can be fully positive or impactful on a larger scale to us, as a society, when so much else needs to change first. Now we seem to be looking away from traditional media sources, with
print and magazine paling in comparison to social media platforms and other representation. It could be argued that it is unhelpful to have more representation showcased on magazines and TV shows, when most young people are turning to the likes of Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube for their media instead. Influencers on these sites are pedalling tummy teas and tooth whitening kits, while also wearing the same over-priced clothing and products as models in magazines. Having easier access to apps and filters makes it even easier to showcase an unrealistic image to young people. Overall, I think this movement and the Tess Holliday cover aren’t helpful, and won’t be until we address the larger issues at hand.
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People do not have to justify their weight to the world
Tess Holliday on the cover of Cosmopolitan UK caused controversy.
Orla Dwyer Opinion Editor @orladwyer_
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utting a plus-sized model on a magazine cover does not promote health problems any more than featuring a particularly slim celebrity. UK Cosmopolitan recently ran into controversy over their October issue front cover. They featured Tess Holliday, American plus-sized model, on the cover and people had a lot to say about this choice. “I’m at the heaviest I’ve ever been in my life now and it took me being the heaviest to finally love myself,” Holliday said in the interview. This is an important message and
Credit: Today
one we do not hear often. For years, Cosmopolitan and other similar magazines were the ones perpetuating these negative body images and stereotypes, advising young girls that being skinny was the only way forward. It has been argued that this will normalise obesity, a claim Holliday herself has rebutted. The model says she exercises several days a week, but she should not have to say this. People have all sorts of genetic disorders and health issues that affect how their bodies look, but that’s not the point. Regardless of their reason, people do not have to justify their weight to the world. This controversy is also under the deluded impression that the general public still look to magazines as their guide to life. In 2018, this is simply not still the case. As editor of Cosmopolitan, Farrah Storr said on Good Morning Britain: “Are people going to look at that and go, ‘Do you know what? I’m going to go and mainline doughnuts, this is what I want for my life’. Of course not. It’s patronising to say. I’m celebrating her. I am not celebrating morbid obesity.” It is very assumptive to believe people are not able to decide for themselves what is and is not a healthy lifestyle for them to lead. People won’t look at the cover of Cosmopolitan, see Tess Holliday and actively try to mimic her body type. Somebody can see a person love their body without wanting theirs to look the same. The same argument could be made for any of the many, many cover stars who are quite slim, such as Hailee Steinfeld in the January 2018 issue. Are they promoting an unhealthy lifestyle when they make it clear in the article that they are leading a healthy and happy lifestyle, as Holliday did? Of course not and it is ridiculous to say so. Magazines are not hugely influential in our society anymore. Seeing a woman not hating her plus-sized body is not as refreshing as it used to be in the past, but it is still needed for young girls and anyone who looks like her. Even for those who don’t, it removes the stigma we have been taught growing up through media and television that plus-sized people are often something to laugh about. Among all those outdated Friends gags, there are more fat people jokes than you can count. It is great to see people like Tess Holliday, who are being interviewed and featured for their lives, rather than their weight. It’s disappointing that, as always, the reaction focuses more on the latter.
Opinion
14
We need free sanitary products, period
Cáit Caden considers the possibility of free period products for all and how this could be implemented across the country. Cáit Caden News Editor @AreYou_Caden_Me
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ublic bathrooms are nobody’s favourite ally when it comes to hygiene. However, despite the assortment of germs usually found in them, public bathrooms offer refuge to those on the brink of an accident, whether induced by a long car journey or those who need to break the seal after one drink too many. For women about to bleed onto their clothes because of an unexpected period though, public bathrooms offer no sanctuary. It is not a requirement in Ireland for toilets in public places to provide free sanitary products, yet other resources used to maintain good hygiene are. These include toilet paper, soap and water. Why is providing tampons and sanitary pads a step too far for some establishments? It could be possible that some believe that because the time at which a woman gets her period can be accurately estimated then the onus is on her to be prepared at all times. If this is the reasoning behind the lack of free sanitary products, then people
must always carry with them their own supply of toilet paper as they are surely bound to use a public bathroom at some stage during the day. If not, then go see your GP. Maybe it’s down to the belief that if they were provided then they would be stolen. If this is the case, I defy any student to say that they have not stolen toilet paper on occasion when the funds were running low and no one batted an eyelid to this societal norm. The lack of sanitary products in public establishments can be deemed a sexist issue. Periods are a natural occurrence which need specific toiletries to be managed. Without which, severe embarrassment and consequentially wearing unhygienic clothing would be the result. These are the exact reasons public bathrooms were set up in the first place: to allow members of society to relieve their bladders without having an incident. Why then does society have such an attitude of alienation over blood than it does with urine? It is not just those who did not bring enough sanitary products in their bag or the girl who got her period unexpectedly for the first time that are the only victims of the tampon and pad plight.
Free period products are not available in public places unlike other necessities such as soap and toilet paper.
Period poverty is a growing problem in Ireland. Various groups have been set up nationwide to tackle this issue. The Homeless Period is one of these groups which encourages people to donate fresh tampons to those who simply cannot afford them. The average woman spends €132 a year on sanitary products. 50 per cent of Irish females between the ages of 12 and 19 cannot
afford this according to Plan International. A Bloody Good Period is a second advocacy group which aims to help one of the most vulnerable demographics experiencing period poverty due to a lack of free sanitary products. This demographic is refugee women. Particularly those in direct provision who must rely on just over €20 a week.
Credit: Orla Dwyer
Pharmacies must also take some of the responsibility for period poverty in Ireland as they have a supply of moon cups in stock which they could provide to the public for free. This product can be used instead of countless tampons and not only save money but help the environment as well.
The dangers of unprofessional tweeting
There have been many cases of people losing their jobs as a result of reckless tweeting. Béibhinn Thorsch asks if it is too extreme to place this much importance on online activity. Béibhinn Thorsch Deputy Lifetyle Editor @BeibhinnJourno
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hen someone says something they regret or says something the wrong way, it can be quickly explained to the small group of
people who may have heard it and then it can be forgotten. It’s becoming more obvious that this isn’t the case when it comes to the written, or typed, word. Recently it was Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, whose name was put into the spotlight. Musk is known to go big or go home, and has just been sued for libel for calling British caver Vernon Unsworth a “pedo” and “child rapist”. Unsworth had helped rescue 12 Thai kids
and their soccer coach, earlier this year. While Unsworth is seeking to “punish… (and) deter him from repeating such heinous conduct”, recently Musk has come back under fire for more online comments. It seems that Musk has not changed his approach to the way he handles his own social media. Mentions of pedophilia have always been difficult to take with a pinch of salt due to their dark nature. While
Musk’s tweets were made earlier this year, recently the filmmaker James Gunn has come under fire for tweets where he made jokes over a decade ago on the same topics. “I’ve developed as a person, so has my work and my humor. It’s not to say I’m better, but I am very, very different than I was a few years ago;” Gunn said
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Our actions are still our actions
Is it fair for people to lose their jobs over unprofessional tweets?
Credit: Alison Clair
as part of his apology. Gunn’s apology feels genuine and gives real reason behind his actions, but most importantly tells how he’s changed. It’s important to consider how maturity may change accountability for actions, and how someone can grow to really understand their wrongdoings where they may have found it difficult before. “The message is very clear, especially to women at the company: if Reddit
wants you fired, we’ll fire you,” Jessica Price, a narrative designer for video games. Price said when she made a comment to someone who had replied to a post she made on Twitter, which subsequently riled up a large group of video game fans. Both Jessica Price and James Gunn experienced huge personal losses from the backlash of their Tweets. While Elon Musk has not experienced huge losses so much as he has experienced huge negative press, he has recently resigned as chairperson of Tesla after some online comments (which turned out to be false) about making Tesla private. While these events were on a much larger scale, it’s not unheard of for ordinary people to experience consequences for things they have said or done online. Now that the world has evolved so that we have a life online, it makes full sense for our online actions to carry equal consequence for actions performed offline. Meaning the more our technology evolves, so to does its ability to affect our lives, personal and professional. The biggest difference is only the amount of people who have first-hand access to evidence of these actions. Our actions are still our actions, so the consequences remain so.
15
Gaeilge
Laoch Meiriceánach ag foghlaim na Gaeilge Insíonn Róisín dúinn faoi léachtóir Meiriceánach a bhfuil ag foghlaim na teanga faoi láthair
Róisín Ní Chuillinn Príomh-fho-eagarthóir @thecollegeview
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a lá atá inniu ann, ceapann a lán daoine go bhfuil ár dteanga “marbh”. Ceapann daltaí go bhfuil sé ró- dheacair. Cén fáth go bhfuil orthu an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim don ardteist? Níl clú dá laghad ag turasóirí cén fáth go bhfuil ár gcomharthaí scríofa i nGaeilge. Tá sé deacair an cáineadh seo a cloisteáil, go hairithe nuair atá tú ag staidéar an Ghaeilge i gColáiste. Ach, uaireanta tá dea-scéalta le cloisteáil. Uaireanta cloiseann muid faoi dhaoine speisialta, daoine a spreagann daoine eile an teanga a fhoghlaim. Is é Joe Cullinane sampla iontach de na daoine seo. I mo thuairim féin – is laoch é . Is ollamh Meiriceánach é Cullinane , ag obair in Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath sa roinn Ghnó. Is cathróir Éireannach é . Ní raibh a fhios aige go bhfuil an Ghaeilge i mbéal na daoine nuair a bhí sé ina chónaí i gCalifornia. “I didn’t have an appreciation for Irish until I came to Ireland.” Bhí ionadh ar Cullinane nuair a chuala sé ár n-uachtarán ag caint as Gaeilge. “I wasn’t aware that it was the first language… The President will start his speeches in Irish.” Cinnte, tá athbheochan na Gaeilge ar siúl arís ar Twitter, i gColáistí, sna tithe tábhairne. Tá Gaeilge ina teanga oifigiúil san Aontas
An tseamróg - Éireann agus An Mheiriceá mar aonad
Eorpach anois. Mar a dúirt ár gcara Meiriceánach ,“It is picking up steam as a langauge.” I Meiriceá sa lá atá inniu ann, is ábhar luachmhar í an Ghaeilge. Múineadh í i gcoláistí cailúila mar shampla – Havard agus NYU. Bhí Cullinane ina
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Credit: LizWestcmyk
chónaí i gCalifornia, mar sin, ní raibh an méid deiseanna ann chun an teanga a fhoghlaim. Níl sé láidir ag foghlaim teangacha eile ach thit Cullinane leis an Ghaeilge agus an cultúr ag baint léi. “I love the traditional music in Irish.” Is duine de
Cabhraíonn na hamhráin an Ghaeilge a scaipeadh ar fud an domhain mar go bhfuil an cheol agus an Gaeilge ceangailte le chéile.
lucht tachtaíochta ‘Ye Vagabonds’. Is aoibhinn leis a gcuid amhráin go hairithe nuair a chanann na deartháireacha (Brían agus Diarmuid Mac Gloinn) i nGaeilge. Dísreach ó Cheatharlach iad Brían agus Diarmuid. Tá a chéad albam acústach ar díol anois. Cabhraíonn na hamhráin an Ghaeilge a scaipeadh ar fud an domhain mar go bhfuil an cheol agus an Ghaeilge ceangailte le chéile. Níl sé ag iarraidh anois a bheith líofa ach – dar leis tá sé fíor tábhachtach go bhfuil daoine in ann na ainmneacha agus log ainmneacha a rá i gceart. “Pronunciations are really important.” Ag an am seo, tá sé ag fiosrú na bealaí éagsúla ar fáil do na foghlaimeoirí teanga, maidir le suíomhanna ar líne, ranganna oíche agus rudaí mar sin. Tá ollamh in Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile
Átha Cliath ag cabhrú leis freisin. Tá rud amháin cinnte- i Ré an Nua Teicneolaíochta tá gach saghas áis ar fáil, feicfidh sé deiseanna i ngach áit an Ghaeilge a fhorbairt. Tá sé ar intinn aige fanacht anseo mar tá sé tógtha leis ár gceol, ár gcultúr, ár dteanga. “I hope to stay in Ireland. I like it here.” Bhí muid ag caint faoin nGaeilge sna scoileanna agus an fáth go bhfuil daoine óga ag gearán fúithian Ardteist. Ach ceapann Cullinane go bhfuil sé fíor tábhachtach do theanga agus do Ghaeilge a ghlacadh. “Students should definitely be aware.” Is gnáth rud í an Ghailge inár saol ach is rud speisíalta í i saol Cullinane. B’fhéidir ní thugann muid an urraim di a bhí dlite di. Uairaenta tá sé tabhachtacht gné eile a thaispeáint. Uaireanta tá sé tábhachtacht féachaint ar gnáth rudaí trí shúile eile. Tá muid ró- ghnóthach. Tugann Joe Cullinane an deis seo dúinn, deis féachaint ar an nGaeilge don chéad uair arís. Cad a bhíonn na deacrachtaí ag baint léi? An bhfuil áit don Ghaeilge i Meiriceá sa lá atá inniu ann. An bhfuil ort dul go dtí an Ghaeilge chun a bheith líofa? Tá a lán ceisteanna agam. Ach fuair mé an freagair is tábhachtaí inniu- an freagair don cheist iontach conspóideach- An bhfuil an Ghaeilge márbh. Níl sé. Tá sí i gcroí gach foghlaimeoir teanga. Tá ár dteanga bheo, tá sí beo sna scoileanna, tá sí beo sa Ghaeltacht, tá sí beo ar na sráideanna agus beidh sí beo go deo na ndeor nuair atá daoine cosúil le Cullinane á fhoghlaim í agus ag coimeád an spiorad beo. Ní cheapann Cullianne go mbeidh sé líofa roimh dheireadh na mbliana ach bhí sé in ann m’ainm a rá i gceart, agus mar a deir an seanfhocal- Tús maith leath na hoibre. Tá sé ag déanamh iarracht an cúpla focal a úsáid- iarracht níos fearr ná cuid den phobal. Beidh The College View ag coimeád súil ghearr ar a bhealach.
Fanaigí gnéasúil agus ná bígí dúnmharaithe Insíonn Clíona faoi leabhar nua atá i mbéal an phobail Clíona Hughes Eagarthóir na Gaeilge @ hughescliona
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reannmhar nó dáiríre? Tá na mílte leantóirí, a ghlaotar ‘Murderinos’ orthu, ag an bpodcraoloadh ‘My Favorite Murder’ a chaith láithreoirí Karen Kilgariff agus Georgia Hardstark i mbéal an phobail agus iad i mbun leabhar a fhoilsiú. Fadó, bhí sé do-ghlactha a bheith ag caint faoi na rudaí seo go hoscailte, gan bacadh le suim a léiriú ann. Tuigeann Karen Kilgariff, 48, agus Georgia Hardstark, 38, go bhfuil suim ag go leor daoine i scéalta maidir le scéalta marthanais, scéalta fhuadacha agus scéalta dúnmharaithe. Níl siad á rá gur dúnmarfóir iad na daoine a bhfuil suim
acu sa topaicí seo, ach deireann siad gurb uirlis í an suim chun eolas a bhailiú ionas gur fhéidir linn muid fhéin a chosaint in eachtra mharfach, nár lige Dia.
seónna aonair í Karen agus scríbhneoir teilifíse agus is scríbhneoir agus lái-
beo acu ar fud an domhain le ‘Murderinos’ ag iarraidh a scéalta féin a roinnt leis na mná clúiteach seo agus píosa craic a bheith eatarthu. Tá siad ag cruthú
Thosaigh Karen agus Georgia lena bpodcraoladh ag tús 2016, a bhfuil figiúí ceannródaíoch acu anois ar iTunes. Is bean ghrinn a dhéanann
comhrá gnaíúil timpeall topaicí a bhfuil Credit: LizWestcmyk mícompórdach agus tá siad threoir teilifíse ar The Cooking Chan- rathúil timpeall an domhain, cé go bhnel í Georgia Hardstark. Bíonn seónna fuil an podcraolaodh seo conspóideach
mar choincheap.Tá siad tar éis leabhar a scríobh agus beidh sé foilsithe i mhí Bealtaine 2019. Tá siad ag iarraidh gné nua a chuir lena gcuid scéalaíocht, ag roinnt scéalta pearsana agus ag insint conas gur thosaigh an suim atá acu sna coirscéalta fírinneacha. Is urlabhraí meabhairshláinte iad beirt agus is léir go inseoidh siad na scéalta pearsanta atá acu sa phodcraoladh ach le níos mó sonraí. Faightear léargas ar pearsantachta Karen agus Georgia, ach is léir go mbeidh siad féin ar thús cadhnaíochta mar théama sa leabhar seo, seachas na scéalta dúnmharaithe a insíonn siad sa phodcraoloadh. Tá an leabhar darb ainm ‘Stay Sexy and don’t get murdered’, ainmnithe i gcuimhne ar an mana atá acu, ar fáil le réamhoird faoi láthair.
16 Rinne mé dearmad: Modhanna a bheith níos eagraithe ar an ollscoil
Gaeilge
Tá do smideadh ag dul in éag i ngan fhios duit Labhraíonn Clíona faoin dainséar atá ag baint le smideadh
Andrea Howard Scríbhneoir @thecollegeview
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á aisling ag gach aon duine a bheith chomh spreagadh agus eagraithe do choláiste is gur féidir leo, agus tá a fhios againn i saol réalaíoch ní tharlaíonn sé. Táimid anois cúpla seachtain istigh do léachtaí agus tá an liosta oibre ag méadú, tá na spriocdhátaí níos congraí ná mar a cheap tú agus tosaíonn tú ag fáil buartha. Tarlaíonn sé don chuid is mó mic léinn, déanann muid dearmad ar an léitheoireacht bhreise a bhfuil ag teastáil chun an tasc a dhéanamh, mar sin, fanann tú suas an oíche roimhe chun é a léamh agus ansin tá tú i do zombaí an lá dár gcionn ag déanamh iarracht é a scríobh. Ach tóg an alt seo mar do threoirleabhar nua chun a bheith níos eagraithe ar choláiste ionas gur féidir leat fós taitneamh a bhaint as saol na hollscoile. An chéad rud atá thar a bheith úsáideach ná chun dialann bheag a cheannach duit féin, ansin aon obair atá le déanamh agat scríobh síos anseo iad seachas i measc do chuid nótaí a bhreac tú síos I léacht. Braithim go n-oibríonn seo níos fearr toisc gur féidir leat teacht orthu níos éasca. Ná bí buartha mura thaitníonn leat a bheith ag scríobh rudaí síos an t-am ar fad, is féidir aip a fháil ar do ghutháin cliste chomh maith. Tá an bunús céanna acu is féilire pleanála é agus is féidir leat gach rud a eagrú istigh ann agus d’amchláir léachtaí a chur isteach ar an gcóras. Tá roinnt cinn éagsúla le fáil ar Iphone nó Android. Cabhraíonn sé chomh maith chun scarbhileogh dhathchodaithe a chruthú, roghnaigh dath I gcomhair gach modúil agus ansin scríobh síos na dátaí móra ina bhfuil obair le bheith déanta. Ar an scarbhileog chomh maith scríobh síos aon léitheoireacht breise atá le déanamh. Is smaoineamh maith é chun scríobh síos go soiléir an léitheoireacht atá le déanamh agat. Mar shampla: Dé Luain: Caibidil 1 le léamh i Séadna. Má dhéanann tú é seo beidh a fhios agat go díreach cad atá léite agat agus céard nach bhfuil. Nuair atá tú críochnaithe is féidir líne a chuir tríd agus mothóidh tú láithreach níos eagraithe agus táirgiúil. Má oibríonn tú níos fearr le daoine, roghnaigh a chara a bhfuil a fhios agat go féidir libh obair le chéile agus a bheith dírithe. Ansin is féidir dul chuig an leabharlann leo idir léachtaí agus tús a fháil ar do chuid oibre. Rud eile a n-oibríonn domsa ná, má tá cláir raidió is fearr leat a úsáid an tam sin chun do chuid oibre a dhéanamh agus tú ag éisteacht leis an gcláir. Bíonn an chuid is mó do chláir raidió ar siúl i gcomhair dhá nó trí huaire agus ní mhothaíonn tú an tam ag imeacht. Beidh trí huaire caite agat agus chuid mhór do thascanna críochnaithe. Lean leis an treoirleabhar seo i rith na mbliana agus beidh fós a lán am agat le caitheamh i NuBar le do chairde.
Clíona Hughes Eagarthóir na Gaeilge @ hughescliona
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e ghnáth, cuirimid gcuid smideadh bhruscar nuair atá tirim nó nuair atá
ár sa sé sé
críochnaithe. An raibh a fhios agat go dtéann do chuid smideadh as feidhm níos luaithe ná a cheapann tú? An raibh a fhios agat go raibh do chuid smideadh in ann dul in éag, fiú? In amanna is taithí dhóite a mhúineann thú, tá sean smideadh díreach chomh dona is a bhfuil seanbhia - ní íosfadh duine ar bith bia a bhfuil imithe in éag ar feadh bliain nó dhó
- smaoinigí ar an mbaictéir. De ghnáth, téann pailéad scáthú súil as feidhm tar éis bliain, tar éis é sin, níl sé sábháilte é a chuir ar do chuid súile toisc go bhfuil baol ann go bhfásfaidh sleamhnáin nó calaisín ort. Níl na heasláintí seo suáilceach in aon cur toisc go bhfuil mionobráidí na t-aon réiteach de na rudaí seo i gcásanna. Níl dáta faoi leith ar ár gcuid smideadh, agus is dócha go bhfuil sé seo an fáth nach bhfuil a fhios ag mórán faoin ‘riail’ seo. Déanta na fírinne, tá rud ann chun do chuid sláinte a shábháil agus is é sin an tsiombail PAO. Is íomhá é ar chúl do chuid smideadh de thobán beag le huimhir in aice le ‘M’ scríofa air. Ciallaíonn an uimhir an tréimhse tar éis an táirge a oscailt go bhfuil tú in ann é a úsáid go sábhilte. Mar sin, má tá ‘6M’ scríofa ar chúl do bhuidéal mascára, caithfear é a chuir sa bhruscar tar éis 6 mí. Uaireanta, áfach, níl an tsiombail PAO ar smideadh, agus tá sé deacair a bheith fhios agat cathain an táirge a chaitheamh amach. An rún atá ann chuige seo a oibrigh amach ná na chomhábhair. Má tá uisce nó ola sa táirge, fásann baictéir go tapa agus de ghnáth, ní mhaireann siad níos mó ná 6 mhí. Tá baol ann ó thaobh can-
tal agus galrú craiceann. Go bunúsach, ná bíodh ag coimeád taisce smideadh i do sheomra. Deascéal atá ann, i ndáiríre, beidh tú in ann roinnt airgead a shábháil toisc nach fiú é an iomarca a cheannach a thuilleadh.
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In amanna is taithí dhóite a mhúineann thú
Bainistíocht ama
Credit: Mikey Walsh
Canúintí - an gheit a bhain siad asam Pléann Lauren a taithí maidir le canúintí difriúla in DCU
Lauren Ní Chatháin Scríbhneoir @thecollegeview
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ugadh agus tógadh mé i bPort Láirge - an teach cónaithe d’An Rinn. Nuair a bhí mé ar scoil (scoileanna béarla ba ea iad) d’fhoghlaim mé Gaolainn na Mumhan. Ní dheachaidh mé go dtí an Ghaeltacht chun fhreastail ar coláiste Samhraidh ach chuaigh mé go dtí Contae Chiarraí ar laethanta saoire cúpla uair riamh. Níor tháinig mé ar na canúintí eile go dtí an Teastas Sóisearach - go dtí an chluastuiscint diabhalta. Nuair a chualamar “an bhfuil tú ‘m-eye’” nó “’gia guich’”, chuireamar ár bpinn síos agus screadamar. Nuair a chualamar “Caidé mar atá tú, a Sheán” sheasamar suas agus shiúlamar as an rang. Roghnaigh mé Gaeilge agus Iriseoireacht mar is céim ar leith í. Bhí Córais Eacnamaíochta agus Pholaitíochta an chéad léacht ar siúl. Dúirt an léachtóir “wem” agus “wetch” - ní raibh aon chlú agam cad a dúirt sé. Ghlaoigh mé mo Mham agus tháinig líonrith orm. Ní raibh a fhios agam cad a bhí ar siúl. “An ndearna mé botún mór?” a cheap mé. Dhá nó trí seachtaine níos déanaí, thuig mé cad a dúirt an léachtóir ag an chéad léacht: UAIM. ‘oo-im’. UAIT. ‘oo-it’. Tháinig frustrachas orm ar an
Canúint = dialect
bpointe sin. Cén fáth go bhfuil na canúintí chomh difriúil? Is tír anbheag í Éire. Nuair a thosaigh mé ag déileáil le mo shaol le canúintí eile, thosaigh na léachtóirí ag baint úsáid as mo chanúint. Ní raibh Gaolainn na Mumhan ag aon duine eile ar mo chúrsa. Mar sin, chuir siad ceisteanna orm an t-am ar fad. “Conas a deir tú ‘oideachas’?” “Conas a deir tú ‘oideachas’?” Ní raibh fadhb mhór agam lena ceisteanna sin. Ach, ag deireadh na bliana, bhí an scrúdú béil agam. Tho-
saigh mé ag léamh an sliocht ar dtús - chonaic mé go raibh an scrúdaitheoir ag éirí saghas corraithe. “Is as Cúige Mumhan tú, sea?” “Tá, is as Port Láirge mé.” Bhí grainc uirthi. “Cén fáth nach dtéann tú go dtí Coláiste Mhuire gan Smál?” Like, cad sa diabhal? Tríd is tríd, is maith liom a bheith ag éisteacht do na canúintí eile. Insíonn na canúintí scéal na Gaeilge agus bíonn daoine (mé féin) an-bhródúil as a canúint agus a cheantar dúchais. Mar is eol do chách, is é Gaolainn na Mumhan an canúint is fearr.
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Credit: Sabrina Donohoe
Níor tháinig mé ar na canúintí eile go dtí an Teastas Sóisearach
Features
17
Risky business
The so-called ‘world’s oldest profession’ has seen a new lease of life in recent years
Reportedly, five per cent of students have dabbled in the sex industry.
Gabija Gataveckaite Features Editor @gabysayshey
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hame, sex and promiscuitythe oldest profession in the world thrives in glamorous brothels, red light districts and dodgy alleyways. Universities are no exception. In 2016, the Irish League of Credit Unions reported that 68 per cent of students are in either full or part-time employment to fund their third-level education. An unknown number of these choose sex work. Financial reasons are ‘overwhelmingly’ the main cause of students choosing to do sex work, according to UglyMugs.ie spokesperson Lucy. “Financial reasons are the reason for which most people are doing sex work, because it’s the best way they can find of making the money they need to support their life,” she explained to The College View. “People choose different types of work- some people would see that sex work is suitable for them because they’re okay with doing that kind of work, as it’s a particular kind of work that not everybody would be able to do, but some people find it convenient
for them. With flexible hours, they can start and stop quite easily,” she added. UglyMugs.ie is an Irish non-profit initiative which utilises technology to keep sex workers safe. Through an app and a website, workers have a platform to report clients which may be of danger; hence utilising the Australian term ‘ugly mugs’ and warn other workers to proceed with caution. “Quite a lot of part time sex workers are in third level,” said Lucy. “At different times of the year, particularly summer when there’s a break from college, a lot of people are working and tend to dip in and out of the work.” The modernised digital world has caught up with prostitution also- Lucy explains that the majority of sex work in Ireland is online. Cases of ‘girl working on the corner’ are now quite rare, as meetings can be arranged from the comfort of a worker’s own home. “Most sex work in Ireland is online and there’s a case of several different websites- for example, vivastreet.ie with free and paid ads, and Escort Ireland, a premium website with paid for advertising and adult work is popular here also. Workers can choose to do webcam work or meet in person.” Either through apps or websites, workers create profiles using pseudonyms, photos and a description of services they offer. “Everyone offers different servicesfor example, massage only, or full service- meaning sex. Almost everyone has preferences with the kind of services they provide specified on the advert,” she added. Legislation in many countries sees sex workers driven underground, their careers hidden in drawers full of lingerie. In Ireland, buying sex was criminalised in March of 2017 in an effort
Credit: Glamour Land
to shift the focus away from workers in and out of sex work, which conflicts commissioned by a religious order,” themselves and onto those who fund with the estimate of a thousand. she added. the industry- however, its effectiveness “But we don’t see that much acaWest explained that this is because is questionable. demic research unfortunately in the of Ireland’s thinking. “We do still have a conservative mindset, especially amongst the middle classes. Groups such as the National Women’s Council of Ireland have banned the Sex Workers Association of Ireland from joining, and feminist groups have rejected research from Amnesty, WHO, and other large international groups that have found that sex workers wanted decriminalisation of their work as it keeps them safer,” she explained. Not only is there a lack of in-depth, independent research, the official estiSex workers in the Republic of Ire- area so it’s hard to firmly establish the mates of people regularly undertaking land have reported 54 per cent more reasons for the large amount of crime,” sex work are inaccurate. It is unclear crime from March 2017 to March she adds. how many students are sex workers 2018, in comparison to the previous While prostitution is heavily re- in Ireland- but The Student Sex Work year. Violent crime specifically, has searched in the UK, it is forgotten Project, conducted by Swansea Uniincreased by a staggering 77 per cent, about in Ireland, with little to none in- versity, provides useful insight in the according to Ugly Mugs. dependent research conducted. UK. “We saw a situation even before the Caroline West, a DCU PhD student, The reports finds that 5 per cent of law came in where crime was rising holds an MA in Sexuality Studies. Ac- students have ever worked in the sex year-on-year but it has very sharply ris- cording to West, Ireland’s culture and industry and that those who engage in en when the law came in but we don’t past is a pivotal point in the lack of sex sex work do this on an irregular basis know entirely why, it may be down to work research. and the money that is made from it is the law,” explained Lucy. “Sex work research is relatively new likely to be ‘low, mostly spent on daily So how many workers- and specif- in Ireland, and for years the narrative living expenses’. ically students- are at risk? Official about sex work was dominated by reIt explains that student sex workers’ numbers speculate approximately ligious groups and institutions such motivations are centred on the need to 1,000 sex workers in the country; how- as the Magdalene Laundries,” she ex- generate money in a flexible way but a ever, Lucy believes the number is far plained. substantial group of student sex workgreater. “We have a culture of shame and ers are also driven by more intrinsic “Our active membership on the site stigma attached to sex and especially to reasons related to anticipated pleasure. is 12,000- active members are people sex work, furthered by feminist groups About one in four student sex workers working in Ireland who were active in that campaign against sex work. So re- do not always feel safe while working, the last two years,” said Lucy. search has to catch up,” West added. and this is more so for those involved “The estimates of around a thousand Before the new law came in last in direct sex work. are not correct estimates- they don’t year, Lucy noted a significant lack of The risky business that is the infatake into account that people use ad- independent research. mous ‘world’s oldest profession’ goes verts and do not work full time over “Sisters of Charity carried out by an mainly over looked both in our legislathe course of a year, you would find at independent research on prostitution- tion and society- but for many, it simleast several thousand people working but it wasn’t independent as it was ply just another way of making money.
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Violent crime against sex workers has increased by a staggering 77 per cent
18
Features
An estimated 10,000 Irish students travel to Northen Ireland and the UK for third-level education.
Credit: Sabrine Donohoe
Breaking Brexit- breaking barriers As unrest continues in Westminster over the uncertainty of Brexit, third-level education has lacked consideration
Ellen Fitzpatrick News Editor @elinfizpitryk
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rexit. That one word that everybody questions. Regardless of how Brexit is viewed, the impacts of it affect mostly the UK and Ireland, especially those who travel either to or from the UK for a third level education. The future of Ireland’s relationship with the UK will have serious implications for those who wish to study in Britain, or for British people who arrive on Irish soil to get their education. Currently, students can travel freely between the two islands and pay the EU standard college fees coinciding with whatever country they choose to study in. When Brexit is signed in next year, this will all change. British students studying in DCU and other universities across Ireland will now be treated as non-EU international students, meaning fees will be significantly steeper. Thousands of students each year travel from the UK and Northern Ireland
for a college education while it is estimated that approximately 10,000 Irish students travel to the UK and Northern Ireland for third level education. Since the Brexit vote, the numbers have significantly dropped as students fear the unknown when it comes to opportunities with their education. “When the UK will no longer be a member state of the EU, British citizens will be treated as third country nationals in the EU, even though, due to the Common Travel Area, special rules apply in the relations between Ireland and the UK,” said Federico Fabbrini, Full Professor of Law and Director of the DCU Brexit Institute. The Common Travel Area is an open borders area within the UK and Ireland in which citizens can travel freely between without having to apply for a visa. It has been in operation since the 1920s and allows for one to travel all islands off the UK coast, excluding overseas British territory. Due to the British withdrawal from the EU, it has been agreed for this territory to remain despite what will or has come from Brexit negotiations. “Thanks to the rules of the Common Travel Areas, British citizens will not be required to obtain a visa to study in Ireland, but in my view, it is quite likely they will be subjected to the higher University enrolment fees that apply to non-EU citizens,” added Fabbrini. Negotiations have come and gone and will return on the issue of the border in the north. It has been established that a hard border will, more than likely, not be the outcome, but the Brexit ne-
gotiators are adamant that a soft border will not occur either. A middle line will have to be reached and then, what is the effect of this for students traveling between the north and the republic? Whatever the outcome, students in this position will have to deal with its consequences. “The question of the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is of course the key issue which the EU and UK negotiators are trying to solve at the moment. Finding a solution to this problem is crucial in order to ensure an orderly withdrawal -- but no one can exclude a hard Brexit at this stage,”
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However, Sam Gyimah, the UK’s higher education minister, has stated that Irish students in the UK will avoid paying extensive fees after Brexit and the current situation is to remain, giving them the same access to student loans also. Gyimah has said that he is adamant to maintain the rights of students during Brexit negotiations and that UK students in Ireland would be treated the same way as domestic students in Ireland. “We are working towards agreeing the high-level principles with Ireland and considering details of future eligibility criteria for student loans and
Students either side of the border will be affected in some shape or form said Fabbrini when asked about the issue of the border. “Given the uncertainties these are pure speculations. But it’s clear that a hard border would complicate free movement of persons, including students -- while of course a soft border would maintain things exactly as they are, with the resultant benefits in terms of ease of access to University education in the south,” added Fabbrini.
support in England following the end of the implementation period in December 2020, including ways to ensure Irish students continue to have access to student finance support,” Gyimah previously explained. “This includes rights to qualify for home fee status, student loans and other support, subject to meeting the same eligibility criteria as UK nationals.” The University of Oxford has ap-
proximately 260 Irish students enrolled among the 10,000 currently studying in the UK or Northern Ireland. It is believed at this point that the increase of fees to an international degree will only serve to decrease the numbers of those attending British universities. “That is why we have made a commitment to maintaining the rights of Irish nationals to access higher and further education courses on equal terms to UK nationals, on a reciprocal basis. This includes rights to qualify for student loans and support,” said Gyimah. Although the effects of Brexit on students is unknown as of yet, and it is unclear as to the position of students in the UK or Ireland in terms of fees and access to education there, Irish applications to UK universities have decreased since the vote on Brexit. While there has been no real change in policy yet, the amount of Irish students applying to study in the UK through UCAS, which is the UK’s version of the Central Applications Office, has fallen by 18 per cent, the number dropping from 4,750 to 3,900 this year. This is almost identical in Ireland as there has been a 15 per cent drop in CAO applications from British students, and 10 per cent from Northern Ireland. The issue of Brexit is complex, even more so for students in the depths of it. Although free travel will remain under the Common Travel Area, the question of fees still lingers. Students either side of the border will be affected in some shape or form, but how exactly is yet to be decided.
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Binging on a budget
Features
With Halloween just around the corner, the bottle has beome the focus of many seasonal holidays Béibhinn Thorsch Deputy Lifestyle Editor @thecollegeview
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t has never been a secret that university students are some of the most avid binge-drinkers. A National Alcohol Diary survey done in 2014 found that almost two thirds of 18-24 year old drinkers consume six or more standard drinks on a typical drinking session. The World Health Organisation also found that while adolescents may be drinking less often they consume high levels of alcohol when they do drink. With holidays such as Halloween, Christmas and the New Year approaching; how will students habits with alcohol adapt to the frequent party environment? Speaking to Adam Healy, DCU’s Sober Society chairperson and Student’s Union Humanities representative, he told of the society’s work to create more events around these times, as he believed it as a time that students went “hell for leather” to make the most of the holidays. Adam Healy, chairperson for DCU’s Sober Society says that the society plans to hold more sober events around the holidays as he believes that students go ‘hell for leather’ to make the most of the holidays. “The fact the time comes once in a year incentivises people, especially students, to drink as much as they can,” said Healy. A Health Ireland Survey from 2015 found that 39 per cent of those who meet for a drinking occasion will binge drink. While new figures from the Revenue Commissioners suggest that overall consumption of alcohol in Ireland fell in 2017, a trend which has continued since 2005, binge drinking levels remain similar. Alcohol Ireland notes that the reason for the decline in alcohol consumption was due to an “increase in excise duty, followed by the recession, impacted on alcohol’s affordability”. There are no clear figures to show the direct impact of special occasions on these figures, however, students and faculty alike feel the added pressure to drink more during these times. Amy Donohue, third year student in DCU, feels as though the current generation of young people in universities have adapted to drinking larger amounts. “I think young people feel pressured to drink on special occasions because they think it’s necessary to consume a major amount of alcohol to celebrate. They feel as if they have an excuse to go wild and because most other students have the same mindset, we don’t hesitate, get hyped and go out,” Donohue added. At the heart of the issue are those capitalizing on student drinking and encouraging them to binge, such as clubs and pubs offering student drink
Image credit: Sonja Tutty
Excessive drinking is a widespread issue among Irish students
deals, student nights, and even clubs and societies offering promotions for nights out. “With the student discounts on drinks and cheap entry into nightclubs it is a gateway to a night of heavy drinking. It is the norm, in my opinion to drink a lot and drink often as a college student.” said Donohue. Binge drinking is of course damaging to the health of the individual, with over 1,000 deaths per year in Ireland caused by alcohol. Alcohol is also a factor in half of all suicides in Ireland, but most importantly alcohol is also involved in over a third of cases of deliberate self-harm, peaking around weekends and public holidays. But while there is obvious harm done to many people who drink, the effects those who drink excessively bring onto those around them are often overseen as a side effect of use. This year a report by Alcohol Ireland showed that alcohol has been identified as a contributory factor in 97% of public order offences as recorded under the Garda PULSE system. While some drinkers may become dangerous, whether through aggression or drink-driving, around the holidays we also see an increase in anti-social behaviour such as vandalism and assault on those in the emergency services. Halloween 2017 was noted as be-
ing particularly bad in these regards. In Dublin alone there were over 1,000 calls to the Fire Brigade throughout the night, compared to 700 calls made on the same night in 2015. North Dublin was described as a “war zone”, with children setting off fireworks and underage drinking rampant among the teens. Dublin Bus was forced to withdraw service in areas where anti-social behaviour was particularly bad. Overall, six in ten people involved
saying they also feel unsafe on public transport with people who have been drinking excessively. With a reported two thirds of undergraduate students engaging in hazardous drinking every week, and women drinking almost as much as men despite varying tolerance levels, consequences of these habits expand to include missing days from university and lower academic performance - according to a 2015 report from University
“Students go ‘hell for leather’ to make the most of the holidays
in the Alcohol Action Ireland survey ‘Alcohol - Where’s the harm?’ said they were negatively affected by someone’s drinking. Because of the levels of drunkenness people in Ireland often get to, others feel unsafe in public. 45 per cent of people went out of their way to avoid drunk people, with 18 per cent
College Cork. “A decade ago the college lifestyle and attitudinal national survey noted males were drinking more than their female counterparts. We are now seeing women drinking as much as men,” researcher Martin Davoren, who led the study, said.
“Our relationship with alcohol as a nation is unwholesome and detrimental to health. It impacts on us all and these findings should not be seen as merely a young person... issue,” Davoren said. “Our relationship with alcohol as a nation is unwholesome and detrimental to health. It impacts on us all and these findings should not be seen as merely a young person... issue,” Davoren said. If change is going to occur, it may have to be the work of young people themselves to normalise the opposite of the drink culture there is currently, and to tackle the pressure students feel to drink in order to be social and make the most of celebrations by consuming more alcohol. Healy explained that the society plans on helping in this movement. While the majority will always enjoy drinking and that inherently may not be a negative, it is the cause and effect of excessive drinking that will continue to be a topic of concern for students and the public alike.
Features
20
The consent question
With America reeling in the aftermath of Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment as a Supremne Court Judge, consent crops up time and time again Ciara O’Loughlin Deputy Features Editor @ciara_olo
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ver since the #MeToo campaign, it is not unusual to log onto Twitter or listen to the radio and hear of a famous body or political figure facing sexual assault allegations After this campaign and the Belfast Rape Trial verdict in April the topic of consent has been in the national sphere of conversation. The latest allegation which has women all over the world sharing their story with the hashtag ‘WhyIDidntReport’ on Twitter is Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations against Brett Kavanaugh. On the 27th of September, Ford, a psychology professor and mother of two, swore to tell the truth in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. She spoke about the sexual assault which allegedly happened almost 36 years ago. Brett Kavanaugh, who was nominated by Donald Trump as an Associate Judge of the Supreme court of the United States, vigorously denied the allegations. “I thought it was my civic duty to relay the information I had about Mr. Kavanaugh’s conduct, so that those considering his nomination would
know about this assault,” stated Ford in her testimony. She said that people who have accused her of acting out of partisan political motives do not know her. She followed up this statement by announcing to the court room that she is “an independent person” and is nobody’s “spawn”. Despite Ford’s allegations on October 9th, Brett Kavanaugh was appointed Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The day before this decision Trump made a public apology to Brett Kavanaugh and his family. “On behalf of our nation I want to apologise to Brett and the entire Kavanaugh family for the terrible pain and suffering you have been forced to endure. In our country a man or a woman must always be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty,” said Trump the day before Kavanaugh’s appointment. Néamh Maguire, a social care worker in a Women’s refugee center, worries that Kavanaugh’s appointment will further discourage women to open up and report sexual assault. “From our perspective this would put off women from reporting but as professionals we need to make our voices heard and encourage women to come forward. This case could also have aneffect on how the stigma around men reporting rape will also increase” she
Brett Kavanaugh has been appointed to the US Supreme Court
explained to The College View. Due to these recent events many Irish Universities, as well as schools are discussing the topic of consent. DCU’s Student Union started a ‘Smart Consent’ workshop this year for incoming first year students. The SU aimed for the workshops to be fun, interactive and informative. They were student run and every participant gained a certificate at the end. 15 per cent of first year students in DCU attended the workshops.
There were 20 workshops in total in both the Glasnevin and St.Patrick’s campus across four days. “Our consent classes where a huge success this year. Even 10% [attendance] is proven to have a substantial ripple effect. These workshops are so important and help us to encourage students to have open, healthy discussions and dialogue around sexual consent,” said Aisling Fagan, the DCUSU VP for Welfare and Equality. “We discussed factors like gender
Image credit: The Independent
roles and sexual orientations in the classes to make people understand how significant the topic is, especially in a society where the #metoo movement is a current, topical theme. I hope the consent classes will be open to other year groups in the future as I think everyone needs to be educated on this, not just first years,” said Amy Donohue, a facilitator of the smart consent workshops in DCU.
A place to call home
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Budget 2019 did little to assist the housing crisis, which has now peaked for students Carrie Mc Mullan writes:
here is now a light at the end of the tunnel for students who have paid ever-increasing rent prices for student accommodation during the past few years. This glimmer of hope comes with the Dáil vote which supported the motion to declare the housing crisis a national emergency on October 4th. The motion was put forward by Solidarity-People Before Profit and was supported by all parties outside the Government. S-PBP previously backed Sinn Féin’s submission of no confidence in Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy. This follows continuous accusations made that both Minister Murphy and the Government are passing the blame onto local authorities for the housing crisis. The submission called on the Government to declare the housing and homelessness crisis a national emergency to increase the capital spending on housing in Budget 2019 and enshrine housing in the Constitution. The housing crisis has affected students nationwide as they are faced with the decision of struggling to pay high rents to be close to college, or settling for their last choice option as it was all that was available. The National Housing Report released by the Union of Students in
Ireland last year found that 71 per cent of students live in accommodation away from home. Three-quarters cover their own rent and of this group only half have leftover income after paying rent. The housing crisis was brought forward for debate as I r e l a n d ’s homelessness figures near 10,000. Students typically fall into the 18 to 24 age bracket which makes up almost 10 per cent of the homeless population. Reportedly 12 thousand people turned up for the Raise the Roof rally in Dublin on October 3rd, the day before the Dáil vote. At least 100 students took part in a sit-down protest outside Government buildings
Credit: Roise McGagh
at the end of the march. In a video on Twitter posted on October 5th, Leo Varadkar listed several actions the Government is making and planning to make to address the housing crisis. Students will find benefit from the introduction of rent caps in urban areas and the strengthening of laws that protect tenants’ rights. In these Rent Pressure Zones, the cost of rent is capped at an increase of four per cent each year. “The housing crisis isn’t going to be easy to resolve. There are no easy answers, and no quick-fix solutions,” said Varadkar in the video. “And we are very much playing catch-up. But we are catching up, and we are making progress, and we will
get there.” However, in the Dáil, Varadkar dismissed a proposal from Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald to introduce a three-year emergency rent freeze and temporary tax relief for renters. During the debate, Varadkar defended the Government’s handling of the housing crisis. He stated that the Government is spending €60 million on placing people in emergency accommodation. He also mentioned that almost 20 thousand houses and apartments will be built by the end of this year. He added that 100 thousand social housing units will be completed in the next 10 years in his video on Twitter. Despite the motion passing, it is unlikely that it will result in any major changes in the Government’s current plan of action. Budget 2019 was announced by Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe on October 9th. The Government allocated €2.3 billion to housing which is a 26 per cent increase from the last Budget. A further €1.25 billion was put towards building 10 thousand new social housing units. In the rental sector the Government announced tax relief for landlords. However, no equivalent was mentioned for renters.
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Sport
Third level football recreational leagues launched
A scholarship scheme targeted at developing football administrators and increasing participation levels on campus, has been launched by the FAI. Conor Breslin Contributor @thecollegeview
number of years “With this scheme, we hope that the current programmes can be augmented with improved participation and create opportunities for new students to get involved. We look forward to supporting the student activators in their role and I’m sure thamany of these students will become future football leaders.”
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he Football Association of Ireland have announced a new scholarship scheme within colleges and universities nationwide, targeted at developing future grassroots football administrators and increasing participation levels on campus. The scheme, in conjunction with the Student Sport Ireland (SSI) Physical Activity, Health and Well-Being committee, will see 28 Student Activators appointed across 19 different campuses tasked with coordinating on-campus programmes in an effort to increase the rate of participation in football. Over the last five years, UEFA statistics have revealed that there has been a drop off of four million registered players across Europe as fewer adults commit to the demands of playing 11-a-side club football. This initiative will aim to reverse the trend and provide more small-sided games competitions for adults. It will also look to provide more opportunities for more women to get involved in playing the sport. Speaking upon the launch of the
“ The growth of Third
Level Football has been brilliant
DCU Director of Sports & Wellbeing, James Galvin with DCU’s FAI Student Activators Festus Ejike and David Azcona. Credit: DCU Men’s Soccer Club
scheme on October 3rd, FAI CEO John Delaney said: “The growth of Third Level Football has been brilliant to see in the last number of years with over 1,000 men’s players and over 700 women’s players registered to play last year alone.” “The FAI are helping to assist by fully supporting these new Recreational Leagues, which will get more
students around the country involved in football. Third Level football is very important to the development of our game and fits into the elite player pathway with many players involved in the SSE Airtricity League and Continental Tyres Women’s National League.” “It is great to have RUSTLERS on board as sponsors in this area and we know that these new Recreational
Leagues prove to be a success.” The FAI National Coordinator for Schools and Third Level Football, Mark Scanlon added: “This is an exciting new initiative and we are delighted with the support we have received from the Colleges and Universities Sports Departments to date, many of whom have been running recreational leagues for students over the past
Fran Butler, DCU clubs Soccer Development Officer, said: “DCU Soccer Club and DCU Sports & Wellbeing are delighted to partner with the FAI in their efforts to increase recreational football participation levels at Third Level. “We have been running our own highly successful and popular 5-a-side Astro Leagues for many years now with volunteer organisers called DCU Active ambassadors. This new FAI scholarship scheme to develop future grassroot football administrators fits well with what we already do. The organisers now will be called FAI Student Activators and we wish our first two recipients, Festus Ejike and David Azcona all the very best in their new roles.”
DCU Ladies Soccer stage second half comeback to beat IT Sligo Goals from Abbie Molloy and Niamh Farrelly screamer beat IT Sligo
Eoin Harte Deputy Lifestyle Editor @thecollegeview
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CU staged an impressive second half comeback to beat IT Sligo 3-2 in their CUFL Women’s Premier Division match on Tuesday, 9th of October. IT Sligo were dominant in the first half, exerting serious pressure on DCU from the get go. Sligo almost found the back of the net in the opening fifteen minutes, with Sligo striker Amber Lynch missing an early opportunity, as she dragged her effort wide of the far post. The visitors had another great chance minutes later as Lynch was played in on goal by a ball over the top but one-on-one with the keeper, she got the ball tangled between her feet and DCU managed to clear.
Three players injured following a collision on the pitch.
It didn’t take long for them to open the scoring as they took the lead in the 32nd minute through a goal from Amy Boyle-Carr. Boyle-Carr was played in on the left wing, rounded Maria Byrne in the DCU goal and slotted into an empty net. IT Sligo then deservedly extended their lead in the 40th minute as Amber Lynch found the bottom left corner of Byrne’s net after again getting in behind the DCU defence. As the second half started the match
showed no sign of changing, with DCU goalkeeper Byrne being forced to make a fine save in the 48th minute. However, DCU made three substitutions around the 55 minute mark, bringing on Abbie Molloy, Shauna Geldon and Aoife Burke, in what proved to be a major turning point in the game. Substitute Abbie Molloy got DCU back in the game with a finish from close range after a fine ball in from Elena Lopez split the IT Sligo defence. DCU then made their final replace-
Credit: Hugh Farrell
ment soon after, bringing on substitute goalkeeper Shauna Lennon in place of Maria Byrne. With their tails up, DCU made the most of exploiting the tiring IT Sligo team. The sides were brought level after a fine shot from Niamh Farrelly sailed over the head of the Sligo keeper from roughly 35 yards out in the 81st minute. DCU found the winner only minutes later with Abbie Molloy scoring her
second goal, sliding in to beat Sligo keeper Shania McElhinney at her near post. DCU endured a nervous final few minutes, holding on to win the game 3-2. Speaking to The College View after the game, DCU’s Denise Callinan saw the second half substitutions as being crucial to DCU’s success. “We had way better possession in the second half, it was a good choice to make the substitutions.” “Once we settled down and got a pep talk from Fran [DCU manager Francis Butler] we settled into the game”, she said. DCU’s next league match is away to Letterkenny IT next Wednesday on the 17th of October. DCU: Maria Byrne (Shauna Lennon); Erika Graham, Aine Fennelly, Denise Callinan, Jennifer Dowling; Niamh Farrelly, Rebecca Conlon (Shauna Geldon), Elena Lopez; Hadleigh Richard, Mairead Walsh (Aoife Burke), Claire Geraghty (Abbie Molloy). IT Sligo: Shania McElhinney; Emma Gibbons, Katelyn McLoughlin, Grainne Gallagher, Amanda Healy; Denise McGrath, Ella McLaughlin, Amy Boyle-Carr, Katie Melly; Kirsty Gallagher, Amber Lynch.
Sport
Moya Ryan wins first international medal
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Moya Ryan talks to The College View after she and her doubles partner, Kate Frost, won their first international honours in Bulgaria. Joseph O’Gorman Contributor @thecollegeview
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CU student Moya Ryan recently represented Ireland in the Babolat Bulgarian Badminton International where she placed second in the Women’s Doubles competition with her partner Kate Frost. Ryan’s love for the sport started early, she started playing by age 7, and at the age of 10 she began playing competitively. “I loved the sport and enjoyed meeting new people when I had the opportunity to travel to new places,” Ryan said. After some success in competitions, Ryan was selected to represent Ireland at the age of 13. “It was difficult to manage my training and secondary school life, especially when it came to Leaving Cert. I used to travel to Dublin twice a week after school to train.” “I have won various national underage titles as I progressed through the underage ranks of Irish Badminton. I have also represented Ireland at European Junior championships,” Ryan told The College View. Ryan is currently in her third year in DCU, studying Physical Education and Biology. “When I got the opportunity to move to Dublin to go to university I knew it would help me progress my badminton
further. I would be able to train at high quality and intensity every day”. “My sports scholarship has helped me to keep on top of my studies while also train hard and travel as part of my badminton career.” “My move to Dublin helped me progress as a player training in the national training centre with the best players in the country,” Ryan said. Ryan won her first senior cap for Ireland earlier this year. “This was a big achievement for me and has inspired me to work even harder to continue to improve,” she said. The recent Bulgarian International, was where Ryan and her doubles partner Kate Frost won their first international honours, a silver medal. “Myself and my doubles partner knew before we travelled we could do well at this competition if we performed at our best level. We had won two competitions in Ireland in the lead up to travelling and we felt we were playing at a high level.” “A couple of pairs withdrew in our half of the draw which meant we had to play less games than we anticipated,” the Irish international said.
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We were proud of our first medal at international level
DCU’s Moya Ryan and her doubles partner Kate Frost.
“We won our semi final convincingly against a Greek pair. We knew the final would be difficult against the Swedish pair. We felt our nerves got the better of us in the first set. We settled well in the second but it wasn’t enough to win.” “On reflection we were proud of our first medal at international level. We are now more determined than ever to work hard to improve our level to compete with some of the higher level pairs on the European circuit and we look
forward to the challenges we face.” Looking to the future, Ryan has a busy couple of months ahead with international competitions and the Irish Open to look forward to. “I will be playing in a number of competitions within Ireland to keep me match sharp. In November I will play international competitions in Scotland and Wales, and also the Irish Open which is the international competition hosted by Ireland.”
Credit: Badminton Ireland / Twitter
“These competitions will be targets for me as I continue to work hard to improve my level. “They are big challenges which I look forward to facing. I also am looking forward to playing for Leinster in the English League where we will play as a newly promoted team in the premier division,” she added.
Aussie game will bring challenges, admits Rowe Former DCU and current Mayo star Sarah Rowe is switching football for the AFL.
John Morley Deputy Sports Editor @johnmorleysport
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ayo and Former DCU star Sarah Rowe says the AFL tackle and reading the game will be the biggest challenges when she joins Collingwood women’s AFL team at the start of November. “The tacking and the physicality will definitely be the biggest challenge along with game understanding,” said Rowe. “With football (LGFA), all that is kind of instinctive so getting a sense of the game will definitely take some time,” she said. Rowe will join fellow Mayo forward Cora Staunton down under this sea-
son as she looks to help Collingwood qualify for the Aussie showpiece next spring. She will join a Collingwood side which registered just three wins out of seven last season, making the Mayo sharp shooter a timely signing. Rowe had ambitions of playing AFL last season but wished to finish her degree in DCU before going professional. “Education is so important. I was obviously finishing off my degree in DCU last year and I had a bit of a shoulder injury,” said Rowe. “Now that I’m finished my degree and injury free it just seemed like the perfect opportunity. I said no last year but going professional was something I really wanted to do, even in soccer a few years back,” she said. The AFL season gives Rowe the chance to play professionally and not miss out on any championship action with Mayo but Rowe is not pleased to miss the League. “I don’t like missing out on the League with Mayo. The way the season goes I should be back towards the semi-final stage of the League but it’s definitely something I’m not happy about,” said Rowe. “Mayo is my priority. All of my friends are there, and the girls mean everything to me,” she said.
Credit: Oliver McVeigh / Sportsfile
Sarah Rowe scores for Mayo against Cavan.
Rowe heads over to Australia on the 2nd of November to get immersed straight into AFL but will touch base with Mayo over the Christmas base. Rowe will have a week-long camp on her own with the Collingwood coaches to get her used to the game before joining the rest of her new teammates. “I’ve been doing a bit of kicking in my spare time (with the oval ball). I did
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Mayo All of there, mean me.
is my priority. my friends are and the girls everything to
a bit in May as well when I was over there, but it will really all be starting when I get over there,” said Rowe. “The skills side won’t be that difficult though. It’s mainly the tacking that will be challenging.” she concluded.
Sport
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Raymond-Hoey awarded Australian cricket scholarship Una Raymond-Hoey has been awarded a scholarship which will see her play with South Perth Cricket Club in Australia
Gerard Grimes Sports Editor @gerardgrimes11
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CU scholarship athlete and Irish international cricketer, Una Raymond-Hoey, has been awarded an overseas development scholarship. While in Australia, Raymond-Hoey will play with South Perth CC and undertake her INTRA placement with the Western Australian Cricket Association. “I’ll be traveling to Perth after our exams at the end of January for 3 months and playing five 50-over matches for South Perth CC,” Raymond-Hoey told The College View. “I’ll also be undertaking a Sports Science Internship with the Western Australian Cricket Association and working with their professional women’s team and underage Academy sides in the area of S&C and athlete monitoring.” Raymond-Hoey worked with Enda Murphy over the summer in DCU and is now looking forward to getting
experience with high level athletes. “I gained some experience in the area of exercise physiology working with Enda Murphy in the DCU labs over the summer, but I’m really looking forward to also getting some practical experience working with top-class athletes.” “I’m able to pursue this opportunity as I was one of four recipients awarded an Overseas Development scholarship from Devenish Nutrition and Cricket Ireland this week,” she said. This season was Raymond-Hoey’s return to cricket after a 17 month layoff due to a torn ACL. Her first match back after the layoff, made longer due to the timing of cricket seasons, was for Ireland against Zimbabwe in Harare. “I returned to captain my home club, Clontarf CC, this year, as the team was returning to Division 1 after being relegated 3 years ago.” “It was also my first season back after missing the entirety of the 2017 season due to a torn ACL, so I really enjoyed being back playing for Clontarf and my Super 3s team, the Scorchers.” “My first match back following the injury after a 17 months layoff was for Ireland against Zimbabwe in Harare last February,” she said. “I’d only made my debut a couple of
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months before I tore the ACL so while I didn’t get any big scores during that series I was really pleased to be back competing at that level and opening the batting internationally.” The 21-year-old praised DCU and Ross Munnelly, who were both a huge support for her, both when the injury occurred and through her recovery. “DCU and Ross Munnelly were a huge support for me when the injury happened in November 2016 and backed me all the way through my recovery, as I had high aspirations to return to play internationally.” “The biggest motivating factor for me during those winter months was getting to stay involved with the other DCU Scholarship athletes and learning from them.” “I think DCU has created a really good sporting culture within the university where all their athletes are valued and supported.” Raymond-Hoey says the 2018 series has been the most enjoyable so far in her career and this summer she captained the Ireland A side in Scotland and opened the batting for the senior women against New Zealand. “The 2018 series was definitely my most enjoyable season so far in my career as I just really appreciated being back playing with my teammates and
It made me reassess what I wanted in my career
Una Raymond-Hoey in action against New Zealand
training every day.” “Obviously no one wants to be injured, but I think it made me reassess what I wanted in my career and the work I was willing to put in to try and achieve that,” Raymond-Hoey said. “I was delighted to be asked to captain Ireland A in an away series against Scotland this summer as I love the extra challenges that captaincy brings
Credit: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
- such as managing teammates and tactical awareness.” “The highlight of the season for me from an international perspective was opening the batting against New Zealand in a home series against the Kiwis in June and top-scoring for Ireland in one of the ODIs, which happened to be played at my home club.“
DCU soccer teams merge DCU Soccer have announced the merging of their men’s and ladies clubs to form DCU Soccer Club
Hugh Farrell Deputy Sports Editor @HughFSports
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CU Soccer have recently announced the merging of their men’s and ladies clubs to form DCU Soccer Club. The decision stemmed from a state of crisis that the ladies club were in due to low numbers. Fran Butler, the Soccer Development Officer for DCU explained that issues had risen for the ladies teams as they didn’t have enough players to field their second team. This led to a fine, which was later overturned, due to the team having to forfeit a match due to lack of numbers. The club tweeted that the two clubs would be joining together following
the election of the new committee which saw Karley Leavy become the first chairperson for the new club. Butler explained that this was part of the original idea for the merger as the club were in a dangerous position by the time he found out. The idea of joining the two clubs then began to take shape as Butler got in touch with Mark Scanlon, the FAI National Coordinator for Schools and Third Level Football, and was told that if their squad got “sturdier” reinstatement was possible. The idea of a merger seemed to allow a greater level of communication and access for the ladies portion of the club. Butler had no idea why they hadn’t thought about doing it before and said that “there are no down sides” to the idea. It made more sense to him as he looked at the clubs and societies around and saw that they were for both genders. With the clubs being pulled together there could have been an issue with the amount of staff but Butler said that there was already a good deal of staff leaving. This meant that the merger had come at a time where there would be no need to lay off members of staff. Butler believes things have been
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DCU Ladies Soccer team before their league opener against IT Sligo.
There are no down sides
working out well since the decision, with even numbers of male and female members on the committee working to represent all members of the club. The society aspect of DCU Soccer will be expected to benefit greatly and will now aim to have more events with a mix of genders. Such measurements
Credit: DCU Soccer/Twitter
are already being put into place with news of a new Astro League for women’s teams. Outside of the men’s and ladies teams the Powerchair team are also part of the club and are also showing the quality of the club having advanced to the Champions Cup in Denmark.
SPORT
INSIDE
Sarah Rowe talks to The College View about her upcoming move to Australia and the AFL with Collingwood.
Ireland calls for Hooban after Inter Pro victory DCU rugby star Emma Hooban talks to The College View about her surprise at her first senior Ireland callup
John Morley Deputy Sports Editor @JohnMorleysport
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CU and Leinster rugby star Emma Hooban has been called up to the Irish women’s rugby team for the autumn test
series. Hooban admitted being shocked after getting the call up to the Ireland team given she is one of the youngest called up as she is 20 years old. “I suppose the Friday after the Munster game I got the call from Andrew Briggs telling me that I was getting the call up to the squad for the autumn test series”, said Hooban. “I was just really shocked as I had missed out on the Inter Pros the previous season because I was recovering from a medial ligament injury and then this year, I got the call up to both the Leinster and Ireland team,” she said. Hooban acknowledged that the professionalism the Ireland squad brings is a big step up to what she was used to in previous set ups. “Its definitely a big change. Before the Ireland sessions I would never have done a gym session because I was swimming and never needed to, so that
was a big change,” said Hooban. “It wasn’t too daunting going in though because I would’ve known Eimear Corri and a few of the girls from Leinster, so everyone was really friendly and there’s a very good atmosphere in the camp,” said Hooban. Hooban impressed for Leinster in their Interprovincial victory as hooker for the victorious Leinster team. The St Mary’s player made the switch from the backrow to the hooker during the campaign and found the pressure of the new role to be much more substantial. “Yeah, there’s definitely a lot more pressure with the role with the line outs, the set plays and basically just keeping possession,” said Hooban. “I really enjoyed it though. I would’ve played hooker for my own
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Being apart of the squad will be an unbelievable experience
Emma Hooban during the Women’s Interprovincial Championship match between Leinster and Ulster.
club Portlaoise at underage a bit, so I was just glad to put in a performance for the team,” she said. Hooban reflected on the dramatic end to the inter pros which saw her Leinster side salvage a last gap draw against Munster to claim the title. “Yeah, we were probably lucky to get the draw. We played into their hands a bit. They would’ve wanted a physical match and that’s what we
gave them for about seventy minutes,” admitted Hooban. “We should’ve attacked the space more and ran the lines earlier on, but that’s what eventually got us the late try, so we did implement that later on,” she said. Looking forward to the test matches Hooban spoke of the comradery and dedication in the Ireland camp. “We are training and doing gym ses-
Credit: Piaras O Midheach/Sportsfile
sions three days a week. Two of the sessions are in the Aviva.” “The girls on the southside come up to DCU to collect us because there’s no buses to the Aviva from campus,” said Hooban. “I don’t think I’ll actually start the test matches but being apart of the squad will be an unbelievable experience,” she said.
DCU Powerchair Club make European Champions Cup Aoife McNicholl spoke to The College View ahead of DCU Storm PFC’s involvement in the European Powerchair FA Champions Cup in Denmark. Ian Brennan Podcast Editor @thecollegeview
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CU Storm Powerchair FC represented DCU at the European Powerchair Football Association Champions Cup this week in Denmark. DCU Storm were drawn in a tough Group A alongside hosts, Aarhus Rolling Devils, Northern Thunder from England and two French teams, Les Egles de Vevay and current World Champions Auch. Meanwhile in Group B, Midlands United, also representing Ireland, were joined by Aspire from England, FC Inter from Finland, Grafteaux of France and from the host country, BSF. This is DCU Storm’s second appearance in the championships, having participated in 2016 as well, where they were also held in Denmark. Aoife McNicholl was a part of that team in 2016. She tells at how important that event was for the team. “For the DCU team, it was our first ever experience playing internationally.“ “We would have learned a lot from that event, just even getting to play top
DCU Storm Powerchair FC
quality sides from England, France, like I say, France are World Champions.” “Just getting that exposure and experience and I suppose, lifting our game as well to try and match that for this tournament. So, in terms of that it was really useful and just coming back and seeing where we did well and maybe where we didn’t do so well and how we
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We’ve been putting in a lot of extra hours
Credit: John Owens Photography
can improve this and that.” McNicholl feels the team’s preparations are going well. “So far, so good. We’ve been putting in a lot of extra hours in training and preparing for the tournament.” “We had two league matches there last weekend and we won both comfortably, so I suppose that was good preparation for us moving into next
week.” The psychology student acknowledges how difficult a test the group stage will be, however. “In our group, the English and French sides would be quite good, especially the French team, they’re the current World Champions. They have three players from the French team that won the last World Cup as well.” The other Irish team in the tournament, Midlands United, fell victim to a DCU Storm team that won the League last year whilst not losing a single game. McNicholl knows that a possible meeting in Denmark would be a good game. “Ah yeah, we played them through last year, we haven’t actually played them yet, this year. The games are always competitive, I suppose we’ve come out on top the last number of matches that we’ve played against them.” “There is always that bit of rivalry between the two of us. But yeah, look, if we do meet them in Denmark, I’m sure it’ll be a competitive game and hopefully we’ll come out on top.” The Champions Cup kicks off in Hou, Denmark on the 15th of October and concludes on the 17th.