Issue 5 of The College View

Wednesday November 29th 2017

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DCU student group petitions for an Opt-In Students’ Union

. Est. 1999 .

a student group has been formed in NUI Galway to discuss the possibility of leaving the union. According to DCU SFFR, the groups have banded together to form one national movement.

TWO petitions launched by DCU “It is extremely clear that there Students For Fair Representation are students all over the country who involving SU membership and SU are dissatisfied with how their Stuabortion stance have been put fordent Unions are functioning, indeed ward to the Returning Officer. there is a great degree of dysfunction The Returning Officer is curin many S.U.s at the moment and rently in the process of verifying the it is no wonder that students wish signatures of both petitions and dates to enact positive changes to their will be organised for referendums if representative bodies. We have come accepted. together to highlight that change is The student-led movement necessary,” said an SFFR represenlaunched the petitions on November tative.

13, the first calling for a campus “DCUSU has shown us that referendum on DCU SU’s stance on it has more than enough money abortion. This movement comes after to function. If they can afford to a debate held by DCU Debate Soci- waste €20,000 on a marquee then ety on the topic “Students’ Unions we shouldn’t be worried about Rachel O’Toole and Emily O’Gorman compete in DCU Rag Rumble on Monday 20th of November Credit: Niamh McKeown should be neutral on abortion”. their ability to keep the lights on,” The second petition is calling for said an SFFR representative when commented on the matter saying, things for students, which is what Business Faculty Rep Bryan a campus referendum on the memquestioned on the sustainability of a “on a personal level if you’re pro we do.”

Mulry said he understands the bership structure of DCU Students’ non-mandatory SU. choice or pro life that is completely “This should have been done request for a referendum on a neutral Union.

In relation to the SU abortion your choice, that is your opinion, but though the class rep council and abortion stance, but the idea of an DCU Students For Fair Represtance referendum, SFFR said “[a] the opt-in referendum would disrupt this does feel like a rogue bunch of opt-in SU could be “very damaging”. sentation (SFFR) said there is no major problem that arises when a way more than the political nature students who are dissatisfied with the “I’ve not heard a coherent visible, well publicised mechanism Student Union takes a stance on of the Students’ Union. It also would union, who are doing these things argument for an opt-in. I’ve heard to opt-out of the SU and sees this as highly divisive topics such as aborhave much more ramifications as that they think that their opinion is nothing, I’d love to hear one. For a violation of student rights to freely tion is that it serves to establish the well as completely waste resources the majority opinion and obviously example that we voted pro-choice associate with the Union. “correct” stance for the entire student and time of the union in the next few we’ll have to wait and see that, but pre incorporation, now that’s a fair Similar petitions have been body to sign up to.” weeks to run this referendum now I think that it’s a massive waste of point, I would have no problem with launched in UCD and Trinity and DCUSU president Niall Behan when we should be busy doing other time and money,” said Behan. that, that’s fine,” Mulry said.

Kyle Ewald & Fionnuala Walsh News Editors @kyle_ewald @fionnuala_walsh

DCU student found with nearly €4000 worth of narcotics Cáit Caden and Callum Lavery Contributor & Deputy News Editor @thecollegeview AN Garda Síochána raided house six in the DCU Hampstead student accommodation complex in search of drugs on the 15th of November.

One witness recalled seeing a male student being escorted out of a Hampstead house and into the back of a car by Gardaí between 3 and

Features

No good time for goodbye Page 14

4pm. The student in question was seen with their hands out in front of them but they were draped in a black covering.

“As part of ongoing investigation into sale of drugs in Santry area Gardaí searched under warrant an address at apartment complex in Santry. A quantity of drugs were seized and man in his 20s was arrested and taken to Ballymun Garda Station he has since been released and a file will be prepared for the DPP,” according

to a Garda spokesperson.

The Gardai discovered almost €4,000 worth of narcotics, thought to be ketamine, cocaine, and MDMA, according to LovinDublin. €700 was also found in his apartment, according to an anonymous source who knows the student. Another witness said the student received a phone call moments before the Gardaí arrived, after which they returned to their apartment.

“Dublin City University has a clear

no drugs policy. Any contravention to this policy, by a student or staff member, will be brought to the attention of the Gardaí in the first instance and will result in the initiation of the University’s disciplinary procedures,” said the Communications Officer in DCU. “The value of the seizure is a reflection of the current demand and market for illicit substances amongst students. Ideally, we would see the abolition of the black market entirely,

by means of introducing a regulatory model,” said Eleanor Hulm, Chairperson of DCU’s Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP).

VP for Welfare Podge Henry acknowledged the incident but did not want to comment any further about the student although he did say “there are support services in DCU for anyone who is involved with drugs.”

Although contacted, DCU security is yet to comment on the arrest.

Sports

Opinion

Gaeilge

News

DCU through to CUFL quarter finals

Does privilege trump talent?

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Page 10

Oireachtas na Samhna 2017

Page 11

EIB loans to address student accommodation crisis

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Editorial

INSIDE The Hype

Editor-in-Chief Shauna Bowers

TV Lord of the Rings TV Series Read more on page 4

Editor’s piece

Lifestyle How and what to consider when changing your look Read more on page 14

Facebook: TheCollegeView Twitter: @thecollegeview Read more on our website; thecollegeview.com Corrections: Last issues Powers consumption story’s headline should have read ‘Decreases’ not ‘Increases’ Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief: Shauna Bowers Deputy Editor: Kyle Ewald Production & Layout Editor: Daniel Troy Deputy Production Editor: Amanda Ward Production Assistants: Kyle Ewald, Elsa McEvoy, Fionnuala Walsh, Méabh Riordan & Sam Roberts News Editors: Kyle Ewald & Fionnuala Walsh Deputy News Editors: Elsa McEvoy, Shauna Coen & Callum Lavery Opinion Editor: Megan Conway Deputy opinions Editor: Gabija Gataveckaite

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Contacts Lifestyle Editor: Katie Gallagher Deputy Lifestyle Editors: Adam Daly & editor@thecollegeview.com Rachel Farrell news@thecollegeview.com Features Editor: Orla O”Driscoll Deputy Features Editor: Arthur Velker features@thecollegeview.com Irish Editor: Ali Spillane

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sports@thecollegeview.com Printed by Datascope, with the DCU Journalism Society Thanks to Sportsfile, SLC, Office of Student Life Logo design by Lauren McConway

There has been much controversy surrounding the purpose of a students’ union in recent months. It all began when UCDSU President Katie Ascough was impeached. Upon her appointment, all of the major news organisations published mass amount of articles regarding her pro-life stance but representing a pro-choice union. It was a new point in student politics whereby you could be elected even if you verbalised your strong opinions, they may not be the popular choice supported by the common electorate.

Months passed and many students still did not support her being president but despite this, she was elected democratically and that was respected.

Honestly, the issue at hand when the impeachment campaign came about was not her stance on abortion, it was more so the fact that she didn’t delegate tasks relating to abortion, like she promised to do during her election campaign. The students in UCD felt that a SU president that didn’t respect their stance when Ascough removed the abortion information in the Winging it handbook. This too, shows the evolution and progression of student politics and activism.

So as the story goes, after a hefty campaign, Ascough was impeached in the month of ***.

This movement to stand up for beliefs has ignited a passion with in students to stand up for what they believe is right. A group of students in DCU are now campaigning for DCUSU to have another referendum on their stance on the Eighth Amendment and they are also campaigning for the membership to the Students’ Union to become optional.

It is understandable why students may feel that being a part of a union is unimportant but perhaps that is because they do not realise just how much a students’ union does. If you are lucky enough to be in a situation where you do not need to speak to the welfare and equality officer, then that is great

but to the people who do need assistance from the SU representatives then they should not be deprived.

The events that are held by the SU such as the freshers’ ball, Halloween ball, mental health week etc. They are all organised to help the students within the university. But if people aren’t members of the union, then they will need to be excluded from these events. But that is almost contradicting the point of the events.

University is supposed to be a wholesome community that accepts everybody. However, if we have events that exclude certain people, then how is that encouraging inclusivity and community spirit? That is one of the reasons why the students’ union is an important concept in universities.

The referendum on the stance of the Eighth Amendment makes sense. The mandate was introduced before the incorporation in September 2016.

The Students’ Union now represents all of DCU’s campuses including St.Pats and All Hallow’s, but the referendum may not.

The only issue is that the topic of the Eighth Amendment always results in heightened emotions.

No matter what side of the debate you stand on, you must remember that the people who stand opposite to you are fellow students.

If this referendum proceeds, then we need to be kind with our words and actions when campaigning. Although you may have differing opinions on the matter, that doesn’t mean that you should act viciously or negatively to anyone one or off the campus.

I think in the face of student activism, which we are seeing more and more of in the last few years, we must recognise the need to respect the opinions and values of everybody else. The increase in student activism is a positive one. We should stand up for what we believe in. The issue, however, is that so many people need to learn the difference between healthy political debate and aggressive, personal attacks.

News

Students’ Union budget to be released 11 weeks into semester

Kyle Ewald & Fionnuala Walsh News Editors @kyle_ewald @fionnuala_walsh THE provisional Budget for the Students’ Union will be released today in the third Class Rep Council of the year, in breach of DCUSU constitution.

The budget which outlines expenditure for DCU students’ union was delayed for release until week eleven due to delays in election of class reps and queries raised by the Office of Student Life.

CRC reps asked that the budget be shared via email prior to CRC2, but Úna Redmond, manager of Office of Student Life is required to approve the budget before release. Redmond as well as SU president Niall Behan and VP for Education and Placement Mathew Davey were out of the country and could not approve it before the second meeting of the CRC. Article 10 of the constitution which deals with Management of Finance, Property and Employment, states that “the Budget shall be submitted to Class Representative Council at its first meeting of the year for approval or rejection, but not modification.”

The Office of Student Life needed to confirm the budget

The CRC has never rejected a SU budget before, according to faculty representative for the business school Bryan Mulry.

Aaron Harper, rep for third year Multimedia, expressed concern during the last CRC meeting that the budget had not yet been released eleven weeks into the semester, considering money has already been spent by the SU on events such as the Halloween Ball.

“At the last CRC they said that the only reason that we didn’t get the budget was down to people being

away, which isn’t really a factor especially with Úna who is away with Niall and Matt in America,” said Harper. “They knew they were going away, they do that every year, so surely they can take that into consideration. Why did it take so long to get the budget finalised before that when they would have been working on the budget since before June?”

Harper asked for an AOB in which the sabbatical officers would provide an explanation of why the budget had not been presented at the council or through email.

Credit: Mark Carroll

SU representatives said the budget will be emailed before CRC3, but will not be approved or rejected by Class Reps until tonight.

“I would (vote to reject) even if it ruins this year, or that it puts a lot of people under pressure. It would mean that in years to come that they would be a bit more fiscally responsible with the money because it’s a lot of money that they are put in charge of and if they’re just gonna spend it so irresponsibly I think that they should be held to account for that,” said Harper.

EIB loans to address student accommodation crisis

Shauna Coen Deputy News Editor @thecollegeview THE student accommodation crisis rages on, as the cost of renting in Dublin continues to rise, jumping 12.3 per cent in the past year.

According to the latest Daft.ie rental report, the cost of renting in Dublin is now €4,000 a year higher than during the peak of the Celtic Tiger.

With widespread low availability in the private rented sector, students are competing with professionals who are often in a position to pay higher rents.

To tackle the crisis and take the pressure off the private sector, universities such as DCU have secured

loans from the European Investment Bank to fund infrastructural improvements and develop more campus accommodation.

Plans for the construction of a further 560 student beds on the Glasnevin campus were outlined in the university’s Campus Development Plan in 2016.

The construction is timetabled to commence once the building of the new Student Hub and Stokes extension is completed. According to the university, a design team for the construction of the student accommodation will be appointed before Christmas.

A spokesperson for DCU said plans for an additional 260 beds are currently being examined which would bring the total on-campus capacity to 2,200.

The college is also looking at other potential options to increase the provision of additional beds above and beyond the 2,200 target but no timeframes have been mentioned.

The accommodation crisis is not exclusive to Dublin as places such as Galway city — where students make up twenty per cent of the population

Hampstead

during term time — struggle to keep up with demand.

NUI Galway Students’ Union Welfare Officer, Megan Reilly, said the lack of rental space and purpose-built student accommodation means many students are settling for “inadequate living conditions as it’s the best they could find.”

NUI Galway recently received a

Credit: Mark Carroll

loan of €60 million from the European Investment Bank for campus development which will include the creation of 900 additional student bed spaces.

According to the university, the construction of 430 beds has already commenced on the north campus and is due for completion in September 2018.

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Universities now allowed to hire staff on salaries up to €250,000 Colin Gannon Contributor @thecollegeview NEW Government measures will allow universities to hire staff on salaries up to €250,000, in a bid to attract world-leading scientists and engineers.

The Department of Education has said such top academic appointments will be limited to research projects funded by Science Foundation Ireland - a State body - where salaries will be paid for by the third-level colleges themselves.

It is understood pay will be capped at €250,000 - which is €60,000 more than what the Taoiseach earns annually.

DCUSU President Niall Behan points to the potential of a post-Brexit exodus of top academics in the UK as being the primary motive behind the decision.

“It’s in direct response to some universities feeling that due to Brexit, they would miss out if they couldn’t offer the top level academics from the UK the most attractive salaries,” he said.

Increasing dependence on private sources of funding has led to increased calls from universities for leeway on academic appointments and pay-levels. Salaries are not capped in countries with the best performing third-level institutions, such as the UK and US. However, there currently exists a mechanism which allows for the appointment of staff at salaries that depart from implemented payscales, known as the ‘Departures Framework’.

Under the framework, prior approval is only required from Higher Education Authority or Department of Education if a university wishes to appoint an existing member of staff or to offer a permanent contract.

The HEA told the College View that DCU did have one such appointment, a fixed-term contract between 2015 and 2017 following an international search. This individual’s annual salary remained below €140,000, however.

Whether or not DCU presently has exceptions to these payscales, is currently unknown. Professors in the university can expect to earn between €110,060 and €139,501, depending on their point on the scale.

On average, a professor in DCU will receive a salary of €124,377.

“Proposed salaries for a few trophy staff is no response to a full decade of policies that have forced huge numbers of highly qualified researchers in our universities to emigrate or seek alternative employment,” said Joan Donegan, General Secretary of Irish Federation of University Teachers.

News

4 News in Brief Rag Rumble packs a punch Over 450 people attended the Wright Venue on Monday night to witness 15 fights of pure intensity, featuring some of St Pats and DCU’s well known faces. The thirty competitors who have been preparing and training for over seven weeks did not disappoint in the high-level entertainment they produced on the night even though many never stepped into a ring before.

The chairman of the Raising and Giving society Seanie Germaine said, “all the money raised tonight will go towards the social projects that the RAG society has on campus from cookery classes to working and providing Christmas presents for homeless children”.

Up to 3,600 unqualified people have worked in Irish schools A total of 32,000 days were covered by these unqualified individuals during the academic year, which has said to be causing severe disruption to some students.

An unregistered person may only be appointed as a last resort where “no registered teacher is available to take up the position in question”, the Department of Education said in a statement. However, unregistered individuals cannot be paid from public funds for a period of more than five school days.

MPS 24 Hour Broadcast will raise funds for SOSAD This year’s Media Production Society annual 24 Hour Broadcast is in aid of the charity SOSAD. SOSAD is an Irish suicide prevention and bereavement support charity. The charity has helped many people and families that have been affected by suicide.

The Broadcast involves students being locked in the Henry Grattan building for 24 hours and producing a live-streamed broadcast. Students have the option of making a thirty minute pre-recorded show for the broadcast or producing a show live on the night.

This year they had 140 show submissions and had to narrow it down to 46. Those that tune in on the night can expect versions of shows like Gogglebox, The Late Late Toy Show, Come Dine With Me and many more.

The first licence for medicinal cannabis in Ireland issued Chronic pain sufferers were granted a three-month licence for a cannabis product to treat their condition by Ireland’s Department of Health this month.

This is the second licence of its kind issued by the State, but the first used to treat chronic pain. The introductory licence was approved last year for three-year old Tristan Forde who was diagnosed with severe epilepsy, making him the first person to use the drug legally in Ireland.

DCU to receive €1.5 million for the development of technological universities Ellen Fitzpatrick Contributor @thecollegeview

DCU are receiving €1.5 million of the allocated portion of €6.3 million for the development of technological universities.

Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, announced on November 14th that €6.3 million was to be allocated across a number of universities for the ongoing development of technological universities.

It aims to improve teaching and learning and build skills to strengthen higher education which is to benefit Ireland’s economic recovery.

The development of these technological universities is done by restructuring the current programs and highlighting social and economic advances in their regions.

This is done through an establishment of different programmes at levels six through eight on the National Qualifications Framework and industry focused research. “€1.5 million of the €6.3 million total funding allocated was made to the major restructuring project which has seen the incorporation of DCU, St. Patrick’s College Drumcondra, Mater Dei Institute and Church of Ireland College of Education”, a spokesperson for the Department of Education and Skills said.

DCU have used this funding to

The Funding began January 2014

create a ‘New DCU’ pluralist teacher education centre of international relevance and scale, according to the Department of Education and Skills spokesperson.

“Prior to the latest allocation, the incorporation project had received €9.91 million in Exchequer funding since 2013”, according to the spokesperson.

Technological University for Dublin are being allocated €2.26 million and €1.2 million is going towards

Credit: Mark Carroll

Connacht Ulster alliance. The €1.5 million given partially to DCU is also going to be shared among NUI Galway and technological universities across Munster and the South East of the country.

There are currently four institutions in the process of becoming technological universities which consist of Technological University for Dublin, Connacht Ulster Alliance, Munster Technological University and Technological University for the

South East.

Technological University for Dublin is the unification of Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Tallaght and Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, where their headquarters will be located at the DIT Grangegorman campus.

This funding falls under the Technological Universities Bill which began its work in January 2014.

DCU in non-monetary agreement with Coppers with profit of 72m

Fionnuala Walsh News Editor @fionnuala_walsh DCU Students’ Union is in a “non-financial relationship” with the nightclub Copper Face Jacks, which this year earned €72 million in accumulated profits.

Copper Face Jacks on Dublin’s Harcourt Street, last year recorded pre-tax profits of €5.16m – or just under €100,000 per week for the company Breanagh Catering Ltd, according to thejournal.ie.

Due to construction, DCU does not have a purpose-built venue to host society events, and there is a visible lack of events held on campus compared to other years, according to SU

president Niall Behan.

When looking for other venue options which included the Regency Hotel, Wrights Venue, Access Theatre and even the Omni shopping centre after hours, Behan said they had the idea of Copper Face Jacks.

“What goes on at Copper Face Jacks between seven and eleven?

Nothing,” he said.

“So usually they charge a rental fee, but we went in and had a meeting with them and were like look, if this is something that you can offer to clubs and societies we’d like to have an official-unofficial partnership,” Behan said.

“It’s completely non-monetary. We look out for them; for example if we had an event like the Halloween ball, the buses went into town we were like look, it’s free into Coppers. Which is our way of thanking them, but on their end they offer clubs and societies free venue hire and then they get free in that night as well.”

“DCU students are going to be going to Coppers anyway, we’re kind of facilitating what is already happening, but we’re not contributors,” he said.

Credit: Sarah O’Neill

Last year, the company’s accumulated profits increased from €67.58m to €71.96m.

The cash mountain at the Coppers firm last year jumped by €5.1m from €54.79m to €59.84m. This refers to the money that a company has available to spend, for example to buy other companies, or to give to shareholders.

Pay to directors went from €684,498 to €790,568 last year which makes a pre-tax weekly pay of €15,203 for owner Cathal Jackson and board member Paula Jackson.

The number employed by the company increased from 195 to 218 with staff costs increasing from €3.94m to €4.42m.

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News

Third Level development plans at risk due to possible funding restrictions versities in Ireland have borrowed almost €700 million in the last decade from the EIB. Trinity borrowed the most with €145 million.

IRISH universities may be prohibited The Central Statistics Office from borrowing money needed for (CSO) is currently making a report development depending on a decito recommend which universities sion soon to be made by Eurostat. to include in the state’s accounts.

Universities are left off the state’s Eurostat, the European statistics balance sheet each year and can boragency, will make the final decision row money from banks such as the based on their own findings and the European Investment Bank (EIB).

CSO report. A decision is expected Institutes of Technology are included before 2018. in the balance sheet and are banned “The classification of universities from borrowing money. is currently being revised by the If Eurostat decides that univerCSO. This work is still in progress sities are included in the balance and until such time as a ruling has sheet, they would likely be restricted been made the CSO is not in a to smaller loans. Experts acknowlposition to give more information,” edge that the state’s “fiscal space” is said a CSO spokeswoman to the Irish limited at the moment and if univerTimes. sity borrowings were included on In the past Eurostat have shown the national accounts, it would eat to differ from the views of the CSO. further into their resources.

It was widely reported in 2015 that DCU announced in April 2016 that the CSO pushed for Irish Water to be they had borrowed €76 million from listed as an off-balance sheet organthe EIB to partially fund developisation. Eurostat decided it should ments across the four campuses. UniOrla Dwyer Contributor @thecollgeview

If universities were included in the balance sheet, they would likely be restricted to smaller loans.

Credit: Dreamstime

Reports of assaults on mental health staff reach 149

Elsa McEvoy Deputy News Editor @elsamcevoy ALMOST 150 mental health staff reported being physically assaulted by their patients in 2017 so far, an increase of 138 since 2015.

A recent FOI from the HSE revealed that 149 of staff working in the mental health department reported being assaulted by their pa-

tients this year alone in comparison to just 11 in 2015 and three in 2014.

The figure jumped to a worrying 145 incidents reported in 2016.

The number of incidents is cause for worry among student nurses going on placement.“Just like any placement, you’re anxious about it but in particular the psych placement because you’re weary about saying the wrong thing,” said first year Lauren Walsh studying general nursing in DCU. “[Mentally ill patients] can’t help it and we have to help them but I don’t think it’s acceptable for nurses to be treated like that,” she said.

Final year general nursing student in DCU, Aoife Long said, “No, we don’t get any kind of self-defense training but I had no problems on my psych placement.”

A spokesperson for the HSE said that they view the safety of their staff as a very serious issue.“The Mental

A worrying 150 nurses were assaulted by their mental health patients in this year alone.

Health Lead for Quality and Service User Safety continues to work with staff members in all Community Health Organisations (CHOs) and the National Forensic Hospital to further improve safety in all of our mental health settings,” they said.

Derek Cunningham, a spokesperson for The Psychiatric Nurses Association of Ireland, also commented on the number of assaults reported and feels that the figure is underestimated.“While psychiatric nurses accept that assaults do happen in the course of their work there is growing concern at the incidence of assaults taking place,” he said.

“The PNA believes that even the latest figures may be an underestimate of the true extent of the problem and will be conducting its own survey in the coming months to assess the numbers of assaults taking place and the factors contributing to them.”

Credit:

stay on the balance sheet.

Borrowing has been an essential part of university expansion over the past decade as state investment declined and student numbers rose.

The amount of people entering higher or further education is expected to climb by more than 25 per cent over the next decade. €5.5 billion will be needed over the next 15 years to facilitate these increasing numbers, upgrades, health and safety improvements, equipment renewal and maintenance costs, according to the Cassells report into the future financing of higher education.

The Government announced an investment of €200 million in 11 institutes of technology in October, aimed at creating an additional 8,000 third-level places.

The EIB has financed investments to improve teaching, research and student facilities in all of Ireland’s universities over the past decade.

They are currently examining additional funding for investment at other third-level institutions in Ireland.

Hubby McHubface among possible names for new student centre

Calum Lavery Deputy News Editor @callum_lavery THE DCU Students’ Union want you to help them name the new student centre.In a video released on Facebook, SU President Niall Behan asked all students to help them name the new centre, with prizes like vouchers and iPads up for grabs for the best ideas. All applications must be PG and DCU reserve the right to have the final decision.

Names put forward include: NuHub, The Hive, Is DCU a Third Level Institution Centre, Susan Boyle Hall of Fame, Dear Leader Imperial Palace, DCU Den, Daniel O’Donnell Kingdom, and Hubway.

Currently, The Hub, The Anne Louise Gilligan Centre (named after the late St. Pats theologian) and Hub McHubface are the most popular names.

“We thought it would be a nice way to build a buzz and a good way to get students involved in the creation of the centre. It really is a DCU SU

centre by students for students,” said Behan.The new centre will include: An Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub providing creative work-spaces to support and nurture student innovation.A Student Leadership and Life-Skills Centre to provide mentoring and training programmes.An Arts and Culture hub for the performing, visual and multimedia arts including a performance space for concerts and festive events with capacity for up to 2500 students.A Global Student Centre which will provide a meeting point for all DCU students, representing more than 115 nationalities.

The new centre will have three stories and provide an additional 4,000m2 of modern purpose built space for students’ social, cultural, global engagement and entrepreneurial activities. The target date for its completion is February 28th 2018.

The competition is reminiscent of the famous Boaty McBoatface online poll to name a ship that was eventually called the RRS Sir David Attenborough. Although Boaty McBoatface was the most popular suggestion in the #NameOurShip poll, the suggestion was not used.

Instead it was announced the Boaty McBoatface would be used for the submersibles aboard the Sir David Attenborough instead. The results of the poll inspired similar results in other naming polls including the current naming of the student centre.

Credit: DCUSU

News Former DCU President selling castle for €13.5 million

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Taoiseach supports plan for ‘European University’

Bridget Fitzhenry

Sub Editor

Leo Varadkar said he would like a new technological university

@thecollegeview

THE former president of DCU, Ferdinand von Prondzynski, is selling his Westmeath castle for €13.5 million.

Von Prondzynski served as DCU’s second president from July 2000 to July 2010. He is currently the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of The Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland. He has held these positions since 2011.

His property, Knockdrin Castle, has a ballroom, a drawing room and a library. The gothic revival castle is 19,375 square feet and it is set on over one thousand acres of land. The seven-bedroom property has four estate lodges and is listed on Sotheby’s International Realty website.

Winston Churchill stayed there during the War of Independence, according to Sotheby’s.

Von Prondzynski comes from a wealthy German family who amassed a fortune from a cement business. His father, Hans von Prondzynski, was a captain in the German army during World War 2.

The von Prondzynski family moved to Ireland for a quieter life in 1961 while Ferdinand was a child.

They settled in Knockdrin Castle, just north of Mullingar.

They returned to Germany in 1968 but retained the castle. Ferdinand

Credit: The Journal

idea that one of the new universities could be part of that new European University,” said Varadkar.

In response to questioning received as to why a new university TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar called should be set up in Ireland, Varadkar for an Irish third-level institution to emphasised that setting up a new join the new network of European university as the country’s branch in universities currently being proposed the new European chain would make

by French President Emmanuel the most sense.

Macron.

“People can often question why The plan being set out by Macron you would set up a new university states that Europe should have at in Ireland – do we not have enough least 20 “European universities” of them? Actually, setting up one as which would allow students to move our branch of a European university between the various institutions with would make sense,” he added. ease and take classes in at least two MA in Translation Studies gradudifferent languages. ate, Alison Nolan, believes the conThe French President believes cept will be beneficial to language having a chain of these universities students in a variety of ways. would help to “create a sense of “As a past language student who belonging” that will be the “strongest completed an Erasmus year, I feel cement for Europe”. it would be extremely beneficial Speaking on Sunday, 19th Nofor students, both academically and vember, The Taoiseach expressed socially, to experience different his enthusiasm towards the proposal, languages and cultures. adding that he would like at least one “Such a development would Irish institution to form part of the increase the linguistic strength new project. and multicultural savviness of the “Over the next couple of years, future workforce. In a society where it’s quite probable that we’ll set up multinational corporations are in maybe one or two new universities abundance, such a strategic plan in Ireland and I spoke to him [Mawill be of great advantage to those cron] today about how enthusiastic seeking employment in the future,” we would be about exploring the added Nolan.

James Nolan Contributor @thecollegeview

Knockdrin Castle formerly owned by a DCU president

returned in 1976 and studied law at Trinity College and earned a PhD from Cambridge University.

He was appointed as a lecturer in employment relations law at Trinity in 1980 before becoming a law professor and dean at the University of Hull until 2000.

Throughout his tenure at DCU, he authorised the introduction of a bachelor’s degree in civil law. He also oversaw the establishment of the DCU Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship.

During his presidency, DCU’s income for research increased from £3 million in 2000 to nearly £40 million

Credit: LeadingEstates.com

in 2009, according to his biography on the Robert Gordon University website.

His presidency saw the university enter the Times Higher Education world rankings at number 300 in 2007 and rise to number 279 by 2009.

Von Prondzynski is known as a public commentator on academic affairs and he was a vocal advocate for increasing third-level fees in Ireland during his time as DCU president.

According to his DCU profile, he has achieved “an international status as an authority on employment and commercial law”.

DCU research addresses the challenges of pancreatic cancer cancer are still alive after five years.

Pancreatic cancer is the 9th most common cancer in women and the 11th most common cancer in men, primarily affecting people aged EACH year 540 people are diagbetween 50-80. However, there is far nosed with pancreatic cancer in Ireless awareness of pancreatic cancer land,with close to the same number than there is for other cancers. of deaths caused by the disease annu“Most people would be very aware ally, according to the Irish Cancer of breast cancer campaigns and the Society.

Marie Keating foundation… personDr. Sandra Roche of the National ally I think the reason why that is, is Institute of Cellular Biotechnology because breast cancer has people that spoke about the research currently survive the disease, who can become being carried out by the Pancreatic patient advocates. In general, a lot Cancer Research Group at the NICB. of pancreatic cancer patients don’t “It’s an area that is so under survive.” researched… a lot of Irish cancer reThe research group comprised of search is in breast cancer research,” lab-based researchers is located on Dr. Roche explained. campus in DCU. They collaborate on “The survival rates are extremely a national and an international level poor,” added Dr. Roche. The fiveto try and tackle the disease. year survival rate for pancreatic canThe NICB website explains that cer is roughly 7 per cent, according pancreatic cancer is difficult to treat to the American Cancer Society. That because it’s hard for the drugs to means approximately 1 in every 13 penetrate the tumors. The group people diagnosed with pancreatic hopes that their work will eventually Amy Murphy Contributor @thecollegeview

enable them to open up tumors and therefore allow better drug penetration.

Currently, the cause of pancreatic cancer is unknown. However some of the factors that are known to increase the risk include alcohol, smoking, and being overweight.

The symptoms associated with the disease, such as abdominal pain, indigestion, loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss, can be hard to distinguish from other illnesses and may be associated with other less serious conditions, according to the NICB website.

Over 50 per cent of people with pancreatic cancer are diagnosed when the disease is at stage IV, according to the National Cancer Registry Ireland. With the disease being detected at such a late and advanced stage, it becomes even more difficult to treat.

The research group hopes that through their samples and a variety of techniques, they will be able to

Testubes

identify patients earlier. “We want to be able to give the Irish patients,

Credit:Public Domain Pictures

hopefully, a little more hope,” added Dr. Roche.

8

US Embassy urges J1 hopefuls to apply now

News UCDSU passes new motion on abortion information

Megan Conway

Opinions Editor @thecollegeview

Last year the US Embassy faces a backlog of J1 applications.

Credit:Shauna Bowers

STUDENTS who are hoping to do a J1 this Summer are being urged to book early to ensure their place on the popular summer programme.

The US embassy in Dublin issued a statement warning J1 hopefuls to “be proactive and begin the application process as soon as possible.”

The J1 visa programme is an important summer work and travel opportunity for Irish students. Over the last 50 years, 160,000 Irish students have travelled to America with the programme to live and work.

However, last year the US embassy faced a backlog of J1 applications and are hoping to avoid this by encouraging to students to apply

early to avoid disappointment and to secure their job. There will be a total of 7,000 places available to Irish students this year, the same number of visas issued in the summer of 2017.

The Embassy also praised the success of the global pre-placement policy which means that students have to secure a job prior to travelling. Previously, students often spent weeks in temporary accommodation looking for suitable jobs and places to live. However, the new rules ensure that students can start working as soon as they arrive.

Róisín Kenny, a student who availed of the J1 programme last year said that “It’s so important to apply early because you don’t want the stress of having to organise it during

your summer exams. Also, talk to people who went to the city you’re going to the year before because they’ll tell you what companies to book with and where to live and get jobs.”

A spokesperson for USIT Ireland stressed the importance of booking your J1 early this year as it is more beneficial to the students.

“Booking early will allow you attend the mandatory interview with the US Embassy early, and not be left having to attend your interview during your end of year exams.”

The J1 programme is offered to full-time third level students and there are a number of designated visa sponsorship companies who are on hand to guide students through the whole process.

Making Cents: Consumers urged to use gift cards early

Shauna Coen

Deputy News Editor @thecollegeview

AS the Christmas shopping season kicks into high gear, consumers buying gift cards and vouchers have been warned to use them up early to avoid falling victim to overly restrictive terms and conditions.

The gift voucher business is worth more than €300 million in Ireland each year and while many vouchers will be redeemed, complex rules over their lifespan - some as short as six months - will see a number of shoppers losing out.

Currently, stores that issue vouchers and gift cards are entitled to set down an expiry date on the voucher and can also deduct amounts from their value for every month over the use-by date.

The deduction can be as high as €3 a month after the expiry date.

The lasting period can typically be found buried in the small print on the reverse of a card, meaning buyers and recipients are rarely aware of them.

Last week, Kildare North TD Catherine Murphy introduced a new Bill before the Dáil which would tilt the balance in favour of consumers by banning many of the charges associated with gift vouchers.

The Social Democrats Consumer Rights

The gift voucher business is worth more than €300 million in Ireland each year

(Gift Vouchers) Bill 2017 aims to limit expiry dates on gift vouchers to five years. It also promises to ban charges for repayment of credit balances to gift vouchers and to prevent companies applying charges to unused or inactive balances.

“The whole area of gift vouchers and gift cards is largely unregulated in Ireland with everything stacked against the consumer,” said Ms Murphy.

“Retailers are free to put any expiry period on gift vouchers with many opting for just 12

Credit: marinesuperstore.com

months. This amounts to an unfair ‘use it or lose it policy’ and is just not acceptable. These (vouchers) are not gifts from the retailer – they are actually money, paid for by customers” she added.

One of the worst offenders is the ‘One4All’ gift card which although can be spent in 8,000 outlets -including Penneys and Boots will penalise shoppers with a monthly inactive balance charge of €1.45 after the card has been issued for 12 months.

Gabija Gataveckaite Deputy Opinions Editor @thecollegeview UCD Student Council passed motions on handing out free pregnancy tests and abortion information on campus on Tuesday, the 14th of November.

The Welfare Officer now has the responsibility of providing free pregnancy tests. The Campaigns and Communications Officer along with the Students’ Union Communication Team is required to produce and distribute a pamphlet containing abortion information.

“I completely support the idea that UCD has passed. We hand out contraception so I see no reason as to why we should not be there to help those who cannot afford one themselves but who may have had an unplanned pregnancy,” said DCU’s VP for Welfare, Podge Henry.

“I think this is something we will definitely look into after seeing it from UCD’s success,” he added.

Following the impeachment of UCD SU President Katie Ascough, the passing of the motions may be a response to Ascough’s decision to remove abortion information from Winging It handbooks.

“Giving out free pregnancy tests is great, it really de-stigmatises unplanned pregnancy. I wouldn’t be so sure on distribution of abortion information as it’s an illegal act in Ireland,” said UCD student Thomas Matthews.

“The only thing that annoys me is that none of the students knew these motions passed.

That exemplifies the way UCD might be run now. I don’t have confidence in the UCDSU now,” he added.

“It’s great for our student body to know we can rely on our student union for help in such potentially emotional and stressful times,” said Faye Helen Butler, a UCD student.

She explained how Ascough let students down. “Abortion rights affect the health and mental health of students, so this is a really great thing for us!”

Here in Glasnevin, DCU student Elayna Keller discussed the importance of free pregnancy tests and the distribution of abortion information.

“It’s more effective to have these things available to students on campus and I think they should be available in DCU.”

The student council passed a motion allowing access to free pregnancy tests

Credit: Dualstock

9

Opinion

Varadkar’s homelessness comments show a lack of sympathy Following the Taoiseach’s recent remarks about the homelessness crisis in Ireland, Callum Lavery looks at whether or not the the Taoiseach showed a lack of sympathy. pretend that the issue isn’t as big a problem that it really is. Move along, nothing to see here. Blame the individual, not the institution. Fault the beggar freezing on the street Christmas Day, not the government. For he is obviously there by his own volition.

Even Eileen Gleeson of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive seems to support this notion: “Let’s be under no illusion here, when somebody becomes homeless it doesn’t happen overnight, it takes years of bad behaviour probably, or behaviour that isn’t the behaviour of you and me.” Varadkar’s comments like Gleeson’s shows his misunderstanding of the issue, his disinterest in the problem, his aloofness to lower class issues. His overall classism and elitism, as members of the Simon community and rival politicians have already pointed out.

We should not be surprised when officials with backgrounds like Varadkar fail to look past the figures and see the faces of those affected. Putting it bluntly, either his comments were poorly researched to make himself look better, or it shows apathy towards the problem. I do not know which of is more worrying.

Comments like these are a recipe for disaster, so remember to take them with a pinch of salt.

Callum Lavery Deputy News Editor @callum_lavery

V

aradkar’s comments on homelessness are unproven, visibly uninterested and frankly unsettling.

Homelessness and housing is the biggest hot-button topic in Irish politics right now and so, when high ranking officials comment, we all pay attention.

However, Leo Varadkar’s recent remarks at a party conference in Cavan saying that Ireland had one of the lowest rates of homelessness by international standards should be treated with both scepticism and scrutiny.

Our Taoiseach’s comments join a long list of homeless crises rejection by Irish politicians. From Conor Skehan, chair of the Housing Agency calling Irish homelessness “completely normal” to the Junior Minister for Housing Damien English worrying that media coverage was “damaging to Ireland’s international reputation.” How can we trust an official who seems unable to take matters seriously?

Varadkar’s observations were unproven for one; the two reports used to back up his statement, one provided by the Housing Department and the other by the Government Press Office, both failed to include people living in

The homelessness crisis needs to be tackled as the winter months set in

direct provision, in domestic violence centres, people staying in prisons and hospitals without a home to return to and the ‘hidden homeless’, those staying temporarily with family and friends or doubled up in bedrooms.

The problem is that Ireland only classifies homelessness under three categories: those living rough, those in emergency accommodation and those living in accommodation designed for the homeless. These are just three categories out of six used by the European

Image Credit: Mark Carroll

Typography of Homelessness (ETHOS) which countries such as Denmark, Finland, and Sweden all use. Recent surveys found that Ireland currently has around 8,400 homeless, including over 3,100 children. However, if we were to use the same classification as other countries, Thejournal.ie found our number of homeless could be over 17,000.

This is a great example of an Irish reaction to crises. To sweep trouble under the rug and

The crackdown on learner drivers

The government are cracking down on car owners who permit learner drivers to use their cars unaccompanied but is this too harsh?

Niamh Dunne Contributor @thecollegeview

O

ver the past week, new legislation has been brought before the Dáil regarding learner drivers.

The new legislation, called the Road Traffic Amendment Bill, states that an unaccompanied learner driver will have the vehicle seized.

The driver of that vehicle will then have a fine of €2,000 and a possible jail time of up to six months. The new legislation has sparked a huge debate across the country and left many learner drivers appalled at Minister for Transport, Shane Ross, and the decision of his department to bring this legislation forward to the Dáil.

Minister Ross decided to act after the request of Noel Clancy, who had lost his wife and daughter in a car crash due to an unaccompanied learner driver. The case of Geraldine and Louise Clancy shocked the nation with the tragedy of its nature.

This has been one of the many fatal accidents that have occurred over the past number of years. Between 2012 and 2016 there were forty-two fatal collisions due to learner drivers. 8-year-old Zoe Scannell from Limerick was killed back in 2014 when a learner driver failed to maintain control of his car. While

many have deemed this new legislation too harsh and unfair, from the statistics it’s clear that something needs to be done to eradicate this problem.

Those on the opposing side have come out against this legislation, stating the harshness and severity of the penalty. Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae opposed this legislation and offered a rebuttal to Minister Ross. In an RTÉ article, Healy-Rae stated, “Wouldn’t it have been way more productive if had made an order that speed limiters be fitted to cars while they are provisional drivers’ cars?” more anxious. Some listeners claimed that they

‘‘

As a learner driver myself, I have had several encounters with drivers who exhibited nothing short of impatience and compassion.

On a Spin1038 talk, several listeners strongly disagreed with this as some people had no fully-licensed driver in their family.

Some people spoke about how sometimes driving with a non-instructor can make them

Learner drivers are not permitted to drive a car unaccompanied

held a provisional license for nearly 14 years.

To have a driver who has clearly failed their test a number times can be fatally dangerous out on roads.

The legislation that Minister Ross is trying to legislate is needed in this country but not necessarily in the way he is executing it. It would be ignorant of me not to address the fact there is a huge stigma surrounding learner drivers. As a learner driver myself, I have had several encounters with drivers who exhibited nothing short of impatience and compassion.

Bear in mind- my parents don’t let me drive the car without one of them there. However,

Image credit: Mark Carroll

the true information and facts surrounding deaths caused by learner drivers need to be made clear.

The numbers of deaths are staggering and the government need to think of an effective way to fix this issue, in a way which isn’t so harsh.

The problem begins with how driving is being taught. Twelve lessons aren’t enough to fully equip a person with the rules of the road and a good road sense. The government needs to change and update the learner driver system. If they don’t, the situation will only continue to worsen.

10

Keep your tweets to yourself

Opinion

Following Barry Walsh’s resignation from Fine Gael, Megan Conway looks at how powerful Twitter can be for politicians and influencers.

Megan Conway Opinions Editor @thecollegeview

I

n an age when social media is a key part of our everyday lives, it’s no wonder that politicians are taking to Twitter and using it as another platform to boost their profiles. However lately Twitter has become a political playground where politicians are causing much more outrage than good on the platform.

Twitter is not responsible for how its users use the platform. Although what a politician says on the network is entirely freedom of speech, when world leaders are treading the fine line of war with North Korea and calling the leader “short and fat”, that becomes an issue for almost everyone.

The problem doesn’t just lie with Trump.

It hit home over the past few weeks that Twitter abusing politicians and influencers exist in Ireland as well as the states. These politicians, who hold both power and influence and who represent the voices of the

people are the ones who need to be silenced.

Fine Gael Executive Councillor, Barry Walsh, resigned this week following a series of offensive and misogynistic tweets aimed at female politicians and pro-choice campaigners. Walsh made comments on Twitter about comedian Tara Flynn, who told her abortion story publicly, saying she “couldn’t be bothered having a baby. So she had it killed.”

This political misbehaviour has created a wave of anger and distrust from the public and from the Government. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar called for Walsh to resign from the party. But why are politicians using the platform to bully and is this necessary?

Trump and Walsh are examples of politicians and Government influencers who are undermining the public’s sense of trust in the Government and the people they elect to represent them. Twitter is a platform which encourages freedom of speech and no doubt they have financially reaped the benefits of Trump and his constant rigmarole of

“

Twitter gives everyone a voice, but it’s important that everyone respects the voice that they are given.

Twitter has become an important platform for politicians

tweets. Twitter should be encouraging politicians to engage rather than making and broadcasting rash statements. Political leaders and activists should not be using online trolling as a way to govern.

Twitter is a powerful tool for politicians.

They have the power to influence how citizens and the media think in a 280-character bracket. Both Walsh and Trump have used this opportunity to effectively use and abuse their power. But the capacity Twitter holds is terrifying. People are powerful behind screens and sympathy is non-existent.

Political leaders and influencers wouldn’t make similar statements if the social media age was non-existent so it shouldn’t be so common for them to be made today so casually. Twitter gives everyone a voice, but it’s important that everyone respects the voices of others. It’s important that those with the most power and the most influence respect all voices because at the end of the day they are the representation of the people and they shouldn’t want to silence them.

Image Credit:Twitter

Does privilege triumph talent?

Employers are now more cut-throat than ever when hiring- Gabija Gataveckaite discusses if privilege prioritises people with famous parents.

Gabija Gataveckaite Deputy Opinions Editor @thecollegeview

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rowing up, middle-class children usually have a single philosophy drilled into their heads by their parents: study hard and work hard. We’re told to revise for the Leaving Cert, get a university degree and build contacts so we can get a good job. Luckily for some kids, all they have to do to land a oneway ticket to success and a prolific career, is be born.

The incredible successes of celebrity children is nowhere near a new phenomenon. 2017 saw Brooklyn Beckham release a photography book before he even started college. Matilda Ramsey has her own cooking show on the BBC and cooking book out and she’s only 16. Kendall Jenner is one of the most famous supermodels in the world at the moment and many argue that it’s all thanks to her last name.

Born lucky. Born into a family with wealth and

notoriety, where opportunities knock at your door and come over for dinner, family friends since before the child is even born. When the little diddums reach a somewhat mature age, say 13 or 14, the world becomes their oyster.

The best schools, the best managers, all the money a little heart can desire. What about the rest of us who have to take out loans to go university? What about those of us that shed blood, sweat and tears to get their dream job, but are pushed aside because a famous surname sent in a CV? In my opinion, it’s a form of corruption.

Some may claim that they’re extremely talented, and know everyone in the industry personally, citing their influences, and work portfolio. Although that’s true, all those

“

Born into a family with wealth and notoriety, where opportunities knock at your door and come over for dinner, family friends since before the child is even born.

Children of celebrities are often given greater opportunities over others.

things have been achieved because they were born into the right family. Don’t tell me Kylie Jenner would have built a multi-million-dollar empire off selling liquid lipsticks if her mother wasn’t Kris Jenner. Of course, not all celebrity children choose an easy career path for the sake of it - Anna Wintour’s father was a British newspaper editor and helped Anna get a kick start in her career. What she did with Vogue from then on was all of her own work and talent.

Certainly, if I had the same opportunities as celebrity kids I would utilise them also. You’d be stupid not to. However, I firmly believe that employers should not by any means prioritise children with celebrity parents over any other recruits that are just as, if not more, talented.

Their CV and portfolio may be impressive, but you wonder if their surname had anything to do with it.

Image Credit:HELLO! Canada

For the first time in my life, I quote Donald Trump’s famous speech on how he got a kick start in his career: “My father gave me a small loan of a million dollars.” Money is perhaps the root of all evil. Celebrity children don’t only have an unlimited supply of funds, but the relevant contacts, which is perhaps the more important part.

As the saying goes, ‘It’s not about what you know, it’s who you know.’ Nepotism is a very, very real concept and it’s incredibly frightening. For creatives, it’s a death wish - it prioritises potential contacts and attention over people who really love their job and have a true talent.

Brooklyn becoming a photographer, Kendall choosing to model; these aren’t coincidences, these are conveniences. Of course, they’re going to choose a career they’re guaranteed to succeed in through nepotism and corruption wouldn’t you?

Gaeilge

11

Cé hí Peig? Gaeilge sa 21ú hAois Oireachtas na Samhna 2017 Tá na Gaeil ag dul ó neart go neart sa Ré úr teicneolaíochta.

Ali Spillane Eagarthóir Gaeilge @thecollegeview

L

e fada tá argóint déanta ag daoine gur teanga seanfhaiseanta as dáta í an Ghaeilge. Chun tacaíocht a thabhairt don argóint sin is minic a luaitear leithéidí Peig Sayers, ainm nach bhfuil fiú cloiste ag an gcuid is mó don aos óg.

An mhalairt ar fad atá fíor, tá an Ghaeilge ag dul ó neart go neart sa ré úr teicneolaíochta atá ar siúl faoi láthair.

Tá sé ag freastal ar cainteoirí dúchais agus ar fhoghlaimeoirí chomh maith.

Anseo tá liosta de 10 rud atá ar fáil ar líne le taispeáint go bhfuil an Ghaeilge nua-aimseartha agus faiseanta sa lá atá inniu ann.

Is é an chéad rud ná an podchraoladh Motherfoclóir. Inniu tá podchraoltaí ar fáil gach áit, ar gach topaic, i mbeagnach gach teanga. Is i mBéarla atá an ceann áirtithe seo ach is í an Ghaeilge an t-ábhar atá á phlé ann. Le Darach Ó Séaghda @theirishfor atá sé. Agus é ag cur síos air, dúirt sé gur ‘gateway drug to Irish’ atá ann. Oireann sé don fhoghlaimeoir, don chainteoir dúchais agus don té nach bhfuil ach suim acu i gcúrsaí teangleolaíochta.

Is é an dara rud ná podchraoladh eile; Beo ar Éigean (BAE). Is é seo an chéad podchraoladh lánGhaeilge ó RTÉ. Triúr mná óga ó RTÉ atá i gceannas ar an gceann seo. A mhalairt atá fíor faoin gceann seo, is don té atá líofa (nó a bhfuil ard-chaighdeán Gaeilge acu ar aon nós) atá sé dírithe. Pléitear rudaí a dtaitníonn leo, cúrsaí saoil agus gach gné den saol nua-aimseartha.

Tá spraoi agus craic ag baint leis.

Podchraoladh deas réchúiseach neamhfhoirmiúil atá sa cheann seo.

Ag cur síos air dúirt Siún Ní Dhuinn, duine den triúr, go ndéanann siad iarracht an cúrsaí teanga a sheachaint.

Tá na Gaeil beo ar Snapchat chomh maith. Tá sár-iarracht déanta ag TG4 ar na meáin shóisialta. Tá beirt láitheoir iontach acu idir Chaitlín Nic Aoidh agus Micheál Ó Ciaraidh atá lán le fuinneamh agus spraoi ar an gcuntas Snapchat.

Podchraoladh Gaeilge nua le RTÉ

Is fiú go mór iad a leanúint (tg4tv).

Tá go leor vlagadóirí Gaelacha ar Snapchat chomh maith @ caoimhechats ina measc. Iriseoir físe le meon eile ag cur fuithi i mBéal Feirste bíonn sí i gcónaí feiceálach ar na méain. Freastlaíonn sí ar fhoghlaimeoirí agus ar chainteoirí dúchais idir óg agus aosta. Tá vlag aici den ainm céanna ar Youtube chomh maith. Agus anuas ar sin tá sí mar leath den chaineal Youtube TusaTube. Cursaí saoil a bhíonn á vlagáil aici ar na gréasán uilig, agus é go hiomlán trí Ghaeilge. Ach bíonn fotheidil Béarla ar na Snaps chun freastal ar na bhfoghlaimeoirí.

Ag muid leath bhealach tríd an liosta ba chóir dom aird a thabhairt ar aipeanna Gaeilge atá ar fáil. Cúpla mí ó shin seoladh aip darb ainm ‘Loinnir’.

Tinder na nGael a thug neart daoine air. Bhunaigh Dónal Ó Catháin agus Edmond Ó Floinn é tar éis Hackathon i UCD. Agus é faoi agallaimh ag an Oireachtas dúirt Dónal gurb ‘meascán de Tinder agus myTaxi é.’ Is é an t-aidhm atá leis ná gréasán na nGael a chruthú agus chun é a dhéanamh níos éasca teacht le chéile le daoine eile a bhfuil Gaeilge acu. Tá sé ar fáil

‘‘

Tá an Ghaeilge nuaaimseartha agus faiseanta sa lá atá inniu ann.

ar android faoi láthair saor in aisce.

Is aip eile atá ag freastal ar fhoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge timpeall an domhain ná Duolingo. Is féidir go leor leor teanga a fhoghlaim ar an aip idirghníomhach seo. Ach tá an-tóir ar an nGaeilge. Tá níos mó ná 2 milliún duine ag foghlaim an Ghaeilge ar an aip, níos mó na leath den uimhir sin thall sna Stát Aontaithe.

Is gréasán domhanda iad na Gaeil. Tá leithéidí an grúpa Gaeilge Amháin ar Facebook iontach chun iad uilig a thabhairt le chéile. Is féidir le daoine idir fhoghlaimeoirí agus cainteoirí dúchais ceisteanna a chur ar a chéile agus smaointí a scaipeadh eatarthu ann. Tá fáilte roimh gach duine bheith páirteach ann. Is é an t-aon coinníol atá ann ná go mbíonn ort an Ghaeilge a úsáid agus an Ghaeilge amháin.

Is réimse iontach mór de na meáin faoi láthair ná blaganna. Bíonn blagadóirí de gach aon saghas ann, blagadóirí Gaeilge ina measc. Is é an chéad blag atá le clúdach anseo ná Gaeilge le Glam. Blag faisin atá inti bunaithe ag ceathrar múinteoirí Gaeilge ó Gaillimh. Bíonn cursaí stíle agus faisin i measc na n-ábhar a bhíonn á phlé acu. Bíonn siad gníomhach ar na

Image Credit: Twitter

meáin shóisialta chomh maith ar an gcuntas Snapchat ach go háirithe.

Is é an chéad bhlag eile atá ar fáil ná ceann dátheangach ag Ursula Savage dar teideal, ‘Ag smaoineamh os ard’, oiriúnach don fhoghlaimeoir os rud é go bhfuil cuid den ábhar as Béarla. Ní hé go mbíonn gach uile rud aistrithe ó Ghaeilge go Béarla nó a mhalairt. Uaireanta bíonn sí ag scríobh as Béarla, uaireanta eile as Gaeilge a bhíonn sé.

Den stíl céanna, is é an ceann deirneach ná blag dátheangach ‘As an Nua’ le Siún Ní Dhuinn (as Beo ar Éigean). Cuid den am as Gaeilge a bhíonn an t-ábhar, amanntaí eile as Béarla a bhíonn sé. Bíonn gach réimse ó stíl agus faisean go feimeanachas agus leabhair agus ealaíon pléite ann.

Mar sin is féidir a rá go bhfuil an Ghaeilge beo sa 21ú hAois ní hamháin sa Chlub Conradh nó ag an Oireachtas nó ar Raidió na Gaeltacha ach ar líne, ar na meáin shóisialta agus sa Ré teicneolaíochta freisin.

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Gaeilge

Brón an Gheimhridh

Moladh ó Mhéabh ar bhealaí chun an meabhairshláinte a fheabhsú sa Gheimhreadh Méabh Riordan Scríobhneoir @thecollegeview

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hí mé féin agus cara liom inár suí i gcafé an tseachtain seo caite, caifé á ól againn agus muid ag féachaint amach an fhuinneog. Gan choinne thug muid faoi deara cé chomh gruama is atá mí na Samhna.

Thosaíomar ag plé ár gcuid cásanna agus tuigeadh gur cuireadh an Samhain lionn dubh orainn ach cén fáth? Bhuel, tosaíodh leis an rud is soléire dúinn: athraítear an aimsir agus éirítear an-dorcha an luath sa tráthnóna, ina theannta leis an bhfliuch agus an fuacht feanntach, níl an t-airgead ag daoine na rudaí a thugtar taitneamh dóibh a cheannach mar tá ár bpócaí dírithe ar an Nollaig agus an costas bunaithe ar an bhFéile.

Smaoinigh ar seo, roimh an Samhain ní raibh cíos cás ná cathú orm dul amach agus oíche scléipe a bheith againn, anois, i míosa diúltaíonn mé féin dom seacláid the ‘grande’ a fháil! Agus bheadh ionadh ort an meangadh beag a chuireann bua an lae mar seo ort!

Ag breathnú ar an gceist níos dáiríre, cuirtear béim mhór ar an ábhar meabhairshláinte le linn na Samhna.

Fuaireamar go léir na ríomhphoist ón SU faoi i míosa agus an réimse leathan imeachtaí a bhíonn le heagrú chun feabhas a chur ar an meon. Go bhfios bhí coileáin luaite mar sheift sonais agus fógra á scaipeadh ag insint go mbeadh seachtain dírithe ar an gcás – 13ú-17ú Mí na Samhna. Chomh maith le sin, oibrím ar shuíomh

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Cuirtear béim mhór ar an ábhar meabhairshláinte

le linn na Samhna agus ag tógáil aire duit féin mar phríomhchúram na míosa.

Mar sin de, conas is féidir linn ár meanma a hardú de bharr críoch na míosa? Tá cúpla moladh agam duitse agus creid é, táim ag caitheamh

Ag déileáil leis an mbrón a thagann le mí na Samhna agus conas a dul i ingleic leis

gréasáin eile ag scríobh ábhair dó agus ba é an tsláinte ag meangadh mór faoi láthair.

An rud is mó a dtaitníonn liom ná mo chuid ceol. Thuig mé an chumhacht le ceol agus an tionchar atá aige ar an meon ach níor thuig mé sula rinne mé an t-athrú. Slán le ‘Sam Smith’, fáilte roimh le Spotify Cheesey Hits! agus scairt speisialta de chuid ‘SClub 7’. Amhrán eile iontach go bhfuair mé amach ná ‘I Ran’ leis an ngrúpa ‘A Flock of Seagulls’. Feictear sliocht don amhrán sa scannán ‘La La Land’ agus mholfainn daoibh agus é an chéad

chasadh breathnú ar leis an radharcach do Emma Stone agus a damhsa den scoth. B’fhéidir go gcabhródh na liricí agus muid ag éalú ó mhí na Samhna?

Téigh i ngleic leis an bhfuacht agus ceannaigh scairf nua! Cheannaigh mé mo cheann i H&M agus níor bhris sé an banc agus é ar nós duivé muiníl. Chonaic mé ceann ar líne agus é ag glioscarnach – chun cur i gcuimhne tá sos ag teacht, tá an Nollaig ar fhíor na spéire. Bíonn réimse leathan láidir i bPenneys i gcónaí agus tú ar bhuiséad nó fan go dtí ‘Black Friday’ agus b’fhéidir go

Image Credit: Tara Shiels

dtabharfadh pléisiúr beag duit féin.

Mar fhocal scoir uaim, mothaímid go léir mar an gcéanna agus an pearsantacht Samhna ag teacht i dtír orainn. Is rud coitiana é ‘November Blues’ agus an t-aon rud is féidir linn a dhéanamh ná díriú ar ‘conas is féidir linn ár meon a fheabhsú’.

Don chuid is mó déantar leis na pléisiúir beaga – gan costas breise ar leamhachán is fiú le seacláid the ón ‘Insomnia’.mbeidh gach duine phologamach nó a chomhionannan, ach i bhfianaise na firicí thuas tá súil agam go mbeidh neart daoine ag baint triail as.

Rugbaí an Gheimhridh Tugann Cal a thuairim faoin easpa paisin atá ag lucht féachana an Rugbaí faoi láthair Cal Ó Donnabháin Scríobhneoir @thecollegeview

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e 51,000 duine suite san ‘Aviva Stadium’, fuacht an tráthnóna ag fógairt go bhfuil séasúr na scairfeanna tagtha arís, thugadh éinne faoi deara nach raibh an t-atmaisféar ann lena mheaitseáil.

Páistí ag útamáil sna suíocháin, iad ag streachailt leis an bpaicéad criospaí sa lámh acu agus sluaite bailithe ag an mbeár ar thóir dí cé go bhfuil an cluiche fós ar siúl. Níl an rugbaí ar intinn ag tromlach an luchta freastail, ach iarracht á dhéanamh acu íomhá áirithe éigin a chaomhnú, go bhfuil gá ann tú féin a ghléasadh sna héadaí is fearr a bhfuil agat agus iad ag tabhairt faoi mar a mbeadh an staidiam ina chlub oíche.

Níl sé go bhfuil ‘ultras’ ag teastáil ón rugbaí mar atá ann sa sacar, go gcuirfeadh duine a s(h)aol i mbaol ar son na foirne a leantar, ach go simplí, tá aire de dhíth. B’fhéidir go bhfuil an fhadhb ann toisc nach bhfuil aon sprioc ann don dá foireann mura bhfuil siad in iomaíocht le chéile don chorn domhanda nó corn ‘6 Nations’, ach bhí sé le feiceáil ar an Satharn díreach caite againn nach raibh suim dá laghad ag daoine áirithe

sa chluiche, triúr cailíní ag suí in aice liom ag an gcluiche, pionta sna lámha acu agus iad ag labhairt faoi na bhuachaillí agus faoi na himreoirí is ‘teo’.

Tuigim go maith gur ócáid mhór é do chlanna agus do chlubanna rugbaí ar fud na tíre agus iad ag taisteal go Baile Átha Cliath don Satharn, ach mura bhfuil suim ag duine a bheith ann ní fheicim cén fáth go dtéann

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Mura bhfuil suim ag duine a bheith ann ní fheicim cén fáth go dtéann siad

I mbun imeartha, gualainn in aice gualainn

D’fhéadfá an locht a chur ar thicéid saor in aisce chomh maith, sa tslí a dháileann cuideachtaí ar a bhfostaithe iad go neamhshrianta. Is féidir foinse an easpa atmaisféir a aimsiú suite in aice leis an duine ar a dáileadh na ticéid, an ‘móide aon’ nó ‘plus one’, gan suim dá laghad acu sa chluiche idir lámh ach sa seisiún i Searson’s ina dhiaidh, iad i mbun

brionglóide faoi bhlas an Guinness ar bharr a theanga cheana.

B’fhéidir go bhfuilim cantalach anois toisc go raibh páiste taobh thiar dom don 80 nóiméad uilig, é ag screadaíl ó am go ham agus ag croitheadh bratach aimsithe aige in aghaidh mo chloigeann gach uair a bhí scór ann, ach b’fhéidir gur féidir liom seasamh le mo bheart agus go bhfuil daoine

Image Credit: Super Rugby

eile in aontas liom. Ní raibh amhráin canta, ní raibh mórán le cloisteáil ón slua ach amháin nuair a bhí scór ann agus bhí macalla geabaireachta ann ó thús go deireadh, táscaire cinnte do mo phointe.

Ní theastaíonn uaim ach breis paisean on lucht feachana agus rannphairtiocht le laghdú ar na féinphiceanna, b’fhéidir.

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FEATURES

No good time for goodbye Suicide and funerals, the darkest day without the process of sharing

Darkness through suicide touches far more than the person who has died.

last decade. Human and medical interventions and recognition, that life can be bloody tough sometimes, have also played their part.

Funerals For those left to deal with such traumatic deaths, the torment begins with the word suicide, a word that poses questions that will never be answered.

Dr. Tony Bates clinical psychologist and Founding Director of HeadOrla O’Driscoll strong says: “The death of someone Features Editor by suicide is I think different because @DublinCalled there is extraordinary grief. Suicide robs family and friends of the normal arkness does not disprocess of bereavement. No matter criminate. Few people how stressed we are over a death, are bypassed when the messenger offers dire there is a natural process, we are all sad and heartbroken and we grieve possibility and selftogether and tell anecdotes about the doubt to eradicate even the faintest deceased, and it takes time, but we glimmer of light. Darkness can live can settle into a new experience of within us all. For most, it pays only life.” fleeting visits, suicide is not it’s Planning a funeral after suicide name. is a vagueness of goodbye. In cases There are almost half a million-people living with depression in where the deceased has left a note, it often leaves more questions than Ireland, for some the burden is too answers. much to take. Of 30,390 deaths in Bates says: “Suicide steals the nor2016, a total of 1344 were attributed mal process of grief and it introduces to ‘injury and poisoning’.

Of these deaths, 399 can, so far, be something that is very hard to digest.

That this should not have happened, ruled as being caused by intentional and it taunts us ‘we could have done self-harm resulting in suicide. this’ or ‘we should have done that.’

These figures are stark. There has The ‘why’ is never answered.” been a decrease of more than fifty deaths by suicide since 2011, they The Post Mortem should however, still cause shock Anecdotally, those who did not and anger.

There can be little ambiguity; sup- complete the act of suicide say the fear of not getting a second chance, port and services for mental health of disappointing those who care, issues have improved greatly in the

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“Suicide robs

family and friends of the normal process of bereavement. and of not knowing if they would complete the act once begun, were reasons quoted for not going through with suicide.

David Flanagan of Flanagan undertakers says: “A suicide funeral is much more sensitive, and there is a different dynamic, in fact even the language changes. For most families they want to know if they will be able to see the body, or if the coffin can be open. This has its own practicalities and we must be extremely sensitive to how we address this and how we treat families. With a sense of absolute despair and anger for the family, they need total guidance.”

Apart from the practicalities of a funeral there is a legal requirement that deaths from unnatural causes, including suicide, are reported to the Coroner. The Coroner will request a postmortem and an inquest into

the death. Prior to 1993, suicide was a crime, therefore, figures prior to decriminalization cannot be definite.

Many families, terrified of stigma for their loved ones, or fearing the possibility of burial in unconsecrated grounds, sought alternate means to report the death.

Funeral Rules Bates says: “You cannot apply the same rules at a funeral of someone who has taken their own life. Generally, at funerals people say things like, well at least he or she is out of pain now, gone to a better place, but you can’t do those things at a suicide funeral because they sound so inane, there is no comforting words. There is nothing anyone can say to lift the day. It is different for very definite reasons.”

Credit: Megan Hannan

Bates offers the analogy of people trying to get over a barbed wire fence, the fabric of their clothing getting snagged on the razor-sharp wire. “Bereavement through suicide to me, is very much like that, people getting snagged on the what ifs and the why.”

DCU has engaged with mental health awareness week, but there is a necessity for conversations about suicide to be heard and initiated.

The HSE looks at coping with the impact of a death by suicide, and isolation for families after the burial. It’s support book ‘You are not alone’ shows a need for openness to deal with ‘the hunger for information and the inner emotional turmoil that suicide leaves.’

Last year almost 400 people got no tomorrows, their lives ended by suicide. For those who loved them and their circle of friends, they have every tomorrow to live with the torment of questions that never cease.

Some call it a permanent solution to a temporary problem. That is too simplistic.

We may know darkness, but not the depths of despair. If we don’t open a conversation about suicide and its interminable destruction, then many more families will watch as the ground becomes the resting place of their darkest fears and their deepest loves. * Samaritans: 116 123 - Pieta House: 1800 247 247 -Aware: 1800 80 48 48

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FEATURES

Zen and the art of garden maintenance A community garden that gives life in more ways than one.

Niall O’Donoghue Chief Sub-Editor @niallodonoghue6

of water, waste and electric services in the garden, such as a water filtration system and a beehive research project. The President’s award for engagement in 2014 was awarded to the Horticultural Society for their efforts.

However, the garden had a problem with long-term engagement, due to incompatibility of the undergraduate timetable and growing seasons, according to Fahy.

The solution? Garden Gnomes.

The Gnomes, a group of agricultural entrepreneurs, volunteered in DCU’s community garden for over a s you walk into DCU’s year under the Community Employcommunity garden, tucked away in a corner ment scheme, developing techniques for biologically intensive farming. behind the library, the Training for about 20 hours a week, sounds of the outside world fade from earshot as a myriad the Gnomes brought a lasting consistency to the garden. of sights and smells cocoon you in “The guys provided the continuity an isolated world of greenery and so that when people weren’t down vegetation.

As recently as 2013, however, the there the garden still ticked along, the briars didn’t grow back over garden was empty and had been out again,” said Fahy. of use for over ten years.

Essentially, bio-intensive farming “When we found it, it was nothing focuses on yielding as many crops but a barren patch” said Samantha Fahy, Sustainability Officer at DCU. out of a small area as possible.

Fahy started small. After applying “You’re reducing the need for a tractor; what you can do is you can for €2,500 in funding from Local grow about five times the crops on Agenda 21 to clear the garden, she the same amount of area that you started a collaboration with DCU’s would conventionally, so you’re regreen committee and Horticultural ducing the amount of space between Society to re-generate the garden. crops,” according to member Martin Resources came from Corporate Social Responsibility projects, a col- Matthews.

These techniques have allowed laboration of DCU and An Taisce’s green communities program. Compa- the group to produce over 500kg of crops in just two poly-tunnels, 1/50th nies organised volunteer days, such as Deloitte funding and constructing of an acre, since May, according to Matthews. a polytunnel in the garden. Student projects accommodated for the lack

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In the garden, a place to release stress and find peace

Matthews and member Jason Maguire came up with the idea of The Gnomes out of a shared passion for agricultural work.

“You’re unconsciously connecting with nature, you’re unwinding, you’re relieving a lot of stress and anxiety when you’re working with the plants. You get a deeper understanding of life,” said Matthews.

The Gnomes stressed the benefits of ‘getting your hands dirty’ for the headspace of students, with Martin describing garden work as providing an outlet for his anxiety during college.

“I do come down here, just, there’s a smile on my face for no reason but I know it’s because of this place,” said member Shane Matthews.

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Developing a community For Fahy, the garden represents a chance to change the negative perception of DCU in the wider Santry community. She mentioned a retired man who visited the garden after a line of trees were cut down behind the library, allowing him to see it for the first time. He initially worried that he’d be kicked out if security found him.

Fahy heard about the man and gave him a visitor’s card for DCU. “He could now wander in and out whenever he wanted, all he’d do was go down, sit in the garden and have a chat with the lads… for him it was an engagement, it was someplace for him to go.”

You’re unconsciously connecting with nature, you’re unwinding, you’re relieving a lot of stress and anxiety when you’re working with the plants.

Travelling to the garden provided him with a source for exercise and a healthier diet. “Everybody wins, and he’s pulled a few weeds along the way,” laughed Fahy.

The development of both a men’s shed and a social shed for the garden are receiving funding from Dublin City Council. DCU plan on collaborating with the Ballymun men’s shed to operate the sheds upon their projected completion in early 2018.

These projects are part of DCU’s action plan to achieve Carbon neutrality by 2022. Fahy and DCU plan on expanding community gardens to the St. Patrick’s and All Hallows DCU campuses, as well as creating native grassland, woodland and school garden areas in the St. Patrick’s campus.

“The reason we’re doing this is so we can educate new students. The whole idea is to open their mind-sets so that the students who are leaving DCU have an understanding of what sustainability means, to understand what their impact is on the world and what they can actually change,” said Fahy.

The Gnomes and Fahy want to introduce a guided volunteer program to encourage students to participate in the garden, suggesting that students look after small four-by-two foot allotments.

With winter setting in, the Gnomes set about covering the ground, removing shale, weeding and clearing the polytunnels. Despite the cold, these old friends find comfort and companionship over some hard labour, a connection to the soil and a cup of tea.

Credit: Niall O’Donoghue

FEATURES

Balance of religion

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How does religion and catholicism play out in university life

Rosary Beads

devout these individuals are and was clearly displayed in the 2016 census report.

Shauna Bowers Editor-in-Chief @shaunabowerss

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ur Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name,” is forever engrained in the minds of any young person who attended a Catholic primary school. A prayer in the morning, a prayer before or after lunch and then a prayer before you left school for the day. Sometimes, to make it a little bit more exciting, you would be allowed to sing the lunchtime prayer.

In a lot of secondary schools, even the non-denominational ones, you were obliged to undertake religious education as a subject for the Junior Cert. Although this educated students on more than just Catholicism, it was still religion, a subject some people had no interest in.

Once the Junior Cert is over, religion is no longer forced on students. By the time they leave secondary school, and enter third-level, a lot of people have had no interaction with religion in two or three years. This is obviously going to have a huge impact on how

Do students still believe in Christianity?

Students were the largest grouping of people who said they had no religious affiliation in the Census 2016.

Some 15.3 per cent of students said that they did not have any religion, up from 9.4 percent in 2011. However, the church is definitely trying to counteract this pull away from Catholicism in third-level institutions.

“Students are definitely the biggest demographic that are moving away from religion, and Catholicism in particular,” said John Hamill from Atheist Ireland.

“It’s harder in this day and age to convince people to be religious to the core. Younger people are more ready to challenge some of those ideas when they’re demonstrably superstitious and less beholden to historic and cultural traditions.”

However, Phillip McKinley, a chaplain in DCU, said that 18 to 25-year-olds were always the group of people who practised religion the least but that doesn’t mean that chaplains should try and force religion on them. He believes chaplains are in universities for so much more than just religious matters.

“The religious landscape in Ireland is so much more diverse now, and that should be reflected in the work of the chaplains. All chaplains should be chaplains to all people. Neutrality doesn’t mean inclusion. Nobody is completely neutral, you should be able to include all people no matter your religious belief,” he said.

DCU set up their interfaith centre

“Students are definitely the biggest demographic that are moving away from religion, and Catholicism in particular 27 years ago, meaning it was way before its time. DCU didn’t have religious origins whereas many others universities in Ireland have a very Catholic history and that is why they are trying to preserve its ‘heritage’.

ed chaplain Paddy Rushe.

Atheist Ireland were also informed that students who were brought up Catholic and are seeking Evangelism from other religions have to first sit down in discussion with the chaplain.

Counteracting decline in However, Rushe said that this Catholicism is untrue and that the new website Dundalk IT (DKIT) are one of the layout and policies are to present a universities trying to counteract the non-denominational outlook. trend of students moving away from “If a student is unable to find Catholicism, according to students. such a contact, we are happy to help They previously had a diverse people make contact with the faith range of faiths and religions on their group of their choice. As we say at website which they have recently induction ‘If I’m not the person who removed under a policy implemented can help you, I will do my very best by their newly appointed, state-fund- to find the person who can’,” Rushe

Credit: iStock

said.

Paying for university chaplains There are over 20 Higher Education Institutes in Ireland and the funding for them comes in a variety of forms. Most are state-funded, some are paid for through non-exchequer university resources, others are paid for through donations or by churches.

Many people have an issue with the fact that some are state-funded; people of all faiths, and none, are paying for chaplains in universities that they may not be attending.

However, in the case of Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, the chaplain is paid for through the student contribution fee, which often goes unbeknownst to students. If students in the Limerick area want to become a primary school teacher, they are forced to pay the salary of the chaplain in the university, no matter their religion.

The chaplaincy website for Mary Immaculate does however state that all religions are welcome and not just Catholics. Mary Immaculate were unavailable for comment when contacted on this issue.

Religion and, Catholicism in particular, has always been dominant in Ireland. However, students are beginning to point out the flaws in not only the teachings, but also the way in which its presence is distributed.

One student said: “Although I’m technically a Catholic, I’m not afraid to stand against certain teachings and actions that the church undertakes.”

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FEATURES

Cash in on the lash At 21, Thammy has created a product that has an international market.

Alison Rothwell Contributor @thecollegeview

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21 year old eyelash technician and entrepreneur has brought her booming beauty business to DCU campus.

Thammy Nguyen is the owner of ‘Thammy Lash’, a lash enhancing business. Nguyen built it up from nothing, and it now has an international market. This hugely successful business runs across three salons in Dublin, and has given Thammy quite the social media profile for her product and services.

‘Thammy Lash’ use their own products and Thammy said “I just listened to my clients, and gave them the kind of products they wanted.”

“The same thing happened when I decided to make the move to DCU. I had a client who was coming to me from DCU to Clarehall, and was getting two buses to come to her appointments. I just thought well if no one else is doing it there, why shouldn’t I give it a go?”

“The ages of girls that come to me are between 19-22, and I just thought to myself here’s a place with hundreds of girls that age walking around,” she said jokingly.

Despite starting her business

Lashes for cash for 21 year old entrepreneur

over three years ago, Thammy’s rise to success occured over the past year. She flippantly notes that really, it happened “by accident”.

“I started doing eyelashes three years ago and it was all because I got a starter kit from a friend. I used to do one appointment a week just to cover petrol money, but then my business just took off from there.”

Thammy said.

“I set up a Facebook page, and didn’t really do much advertising because the news of my business just spread by word of mouth. It’s funny it just kind of happened,” she said.

As well as working as a technician, Thammy decided to bring out her own eyelash products, “After the interest in my Facebook page took off, I decided I wanted to do something different and not just be like everyone else. Why would I use other people’s products on my clients, when that money could be staying in my pocket,” she said.

“I said to myself, listen, if making my own products doesn’t work out, I’ll just use them for myself. But that was last January and I haven’t looked back since, it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life.

“My products are what I would want in a lash, and I think that is something very important when you’re creating new products; would you use it on yourself?”

Despite being one of the most sought after go to people in the Irish industry, Thammy didn’t have an easy start, and worked hard for everything she has now.

Thammy and her family only moved to Ireland from Vietnam in 2003, “When I was six, I came over with my Dad first, and then my Mam and my little brother came over afterwards. My parents still don’t speak English.”

“It was very hard when we first moved over, we were renting and moving around a lot, and had very little money. Then my parents opened up a Chinese takeaway, and I was running it since I was 15.”

Before her interest in eyelashes, Thammy was heavily involved in weightlifting, and was the first girl to enter competitively in weightlifting

for Ireland at an underage level.

“Sport is my passion. My whole family is sporty, and I love weightlifting, and am quite good at it. But the time came where I had to start making money, and I knew eyelashes would give me more of a comfortable life than weightlifting could.”

While most 21 year olds are interested in completing degrees or going out to expand social lives, Thammy is very committed to her business, even at such a young age. For Thammy, her motivation to set up a business while all her friends are at very different stages to her came from her parents.

“I’ve been translating for my parents since I was six, and I think that’s why I’m so mature now.

“It was just a simple little idea, that has made me a brand ‘Thammy

Lash’. I send my products all around the world, I ship to the US every week.

“I’m now bringing out my own foam cleanser, which is for girls who don’t know how to clean their lashes.

I really just listen to my clients and what they want, and that’s how I spot the gaps in the market for new products.”

“What I’m hoping to do for my next step, I don’t know. I am trying to branch into the UK market now with my products, and they seem to be popular in Manchester. So I’m just going to keep going with my gut feelings, it hasn’t done me wrong so fair.

“I’m going to just sit back and watch it grow, and I hope it does continue to grow.”

“I just listened to my clients, and gave them the kind of products they wanted

Credit: TheMakeUpChair on Youtube

SPORT

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DCU women’s volleyball claim intervarsity plate title The women’s side took home silverware while the men’s side made the semi-final at the Mardyke Arena in UCC

Alex Dunne Sports Editor @alexdunnesf

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CU women’s volleyball side triumphed in the plate competition in the Irish Volleyball Intervarsities at the Mardyke Arena in University College Cork.

After a successful knockout campaign, a hard-fought victory over GMIT in the final brought the plate home for the college.

The men’s side managed to make it to the semi-finals of the plate but were defeated by Institute of Technology Carlow. Club member Ciarán Ramsbottom remained in good spirits following the tournament’s conclusion.

“The tournament was a roaring success for the women’s team,” Ramsbottom told The College View.

“In a hard fought game against GMIT, they came out as the winners of the plate.

“The men weren’t as fortunate, sadly. We managed to make our way to the plate semifinals but that was as far as we go.

“I think the plate stage was to be expected for us. The men were missing a lot of key players, so we had to try and adapt to a team we weren’t used to playing with on the day.

“As for the girls, we’ve a lot of novice players and it’s important that we let them get game time to develop their skills, so again, the plate stage was a realistic expectation for us, and the girls exceeded it.”

Ramsbottom singled out setter Jorge Campillo for particular praise, as well as the whole of the women’s side for their commitment. “[Campillo] is the most experienced of us and did an amazing job leading the team every day,” he said.

“Everyone on the girl’s team who was down at the competition gave 100 per cent every second they were on the court.”

Ramsbottom remains optimistic about the standards of DCU’s volleyball side, as well as the improving standards of volleyball overall countrywide.

“The standard down in Cork was

Credit: DCU Vollyball Club

The victorious DCU women’s volleyball side.

fantastic,” he said.

“For the men, we were unfortunate enough to play UCC, the eventual winners of the men’s cup, in the group stage, and their level of play was amazing to watch.

“We didn’t come away with a win against them, but we played a hard

fought second set with them that went down to the wire.

“UCC’s women’s team was equally impressive and I assumed they’d be coming away with the women’s cup title as well. Imagine my surprise when I saw UCD’s women team properly route them in the finals.

“I think the standard of volleyball in DCU and other colleges is always improving. I wasn’t on the team for intervarsities last year, but I’ve heard that our team this year is even better than last year when we came away with a win in the plate final.”

Eight golds for DCU at swimming intervarsities tion is a decent standard for a club competition and a warm up for varsities. All the events were 100 metre swims.

“I think we could win varieties he DCU Swimming and this year, if all goes well maybe, it’s Water Polo club swept just that UCD have numbers on us, up at the intervarsity gala held in NUIG on the which is how you usually win since it’s a points scoring,” he explained.

18th of November, win“We would win more events, but ning eight golds between individual they would have someone in every and relay races. final.”

Twenty-two swimmers travelled Varsities are usually held in early to Galway for the invitational gala, March and are often won by UCD. which is held in November every year. David Prendergast, Cillian Col- Their women’s team victory in the 2017 varsities was their eighth vin and Brendan Hyland won gold consecutive win. The men’s team in their individual races taking first were also victorious. University of in categories including front-crawl, Limerick finished between UCD and back-crawl, breaststroke, butterfly DCU in both the men’s and women’s and Individual Medley. competitions.

They also participated in relays University College Dublin invest with Ben Griffin, Yuan O’Neill, heavily in their swim teams. Using Shauna McGahon, Emma Vaughan and Kate Anderson all claiming gold. corporate sponsorship, they employ professional coaches and have a DCU student and head coach state-of-the-art 50 metre pool.

Brendan Hyland said the competiDCU have been competing well

Róise McGagh Contributor @thecollegeview

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Credit: DCU Swimming Club

The DCU Swimming Team

considering the team train in a leisure pool with no starting blocks.

“There is a sports scholarship [for swimming in DCU], Ross Munnelly has been good for that... but I don’t know if they would ever be up for

investing in it the way they do in athletics,” said Hyland.

The coaches have high hopes for 2018 and are confident they can do well if they get the numbers for the competition in semester two.

“It would be great to win since UCD put so much money into it and we just have these two lanes,” Hyland reflected.

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DCU Ladies football side secure league final berth after thrashing Athlone IT DCU went mental in the midlands, mauling the Westmeath side by 28 points Courtney Fitzmaurice Contributor @thecollegeview

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he DCU GAA Ladies football team hammered Athlone IT away on Tuesday night in the Division One Football semi-final, with an impressive tally of 5-26 to Athlone IT’s 2-7.

DCU were dominant throughout the match, and the forward line found it easy to break down AIT’s defence.

DCU Captain Aishling Moloney told The College View that she was happy with the win but that it was unexpected.

Moloney, who also stars for her county Tipperary, said that all of the focus is now on the final.

Goals from Aisling Sheridan, Sarah Rowe, Muireann Atkinson and Éabha Rutledge helped secured the side’s win.

Moloney said DCU are a young and eager side who have developed over the last few months and is wary going into the final against the University of Limerick (UL), who she said are the team to beat.

“They are the hardest team in the competition as it comes,” she added.

There is a great rivalry between DCU and UL, Moloney said. UL have had great success in the last number of years and have captured the O’Connor Cup three

“

We’re a bit ruthless, but that’s the way you have to be

times in the past four seasons.

DCU lost to UL by only one point in the league in October, so Moloney said they are hopeful they will be able to compete with UL again in the final.

In March, DCU lost to UL in the O’Connor Cup semi-final by four points - a loss that still resonated with Moloney when she spoke with The College View in September - so there’s no doubt the ladies are motivated for the final.

“Our ambitions for this year would be to make up for the O’Connor Cup loss and challenge for it this year,” she said.

DCU have had their share of successes, winning the Division One league in 2015. Peter Clarke returned as manager this year, looking to rec-

reate the success of his O’Connor Cup winning sides that won threein-a-row between 2009 and 2011.

DCU ladies enjoyed a lot of success last year, including a Giles Cup victory and a fantastic performance from the Freshers’ side.

With high-calibre players such as Rowe, who shone playing for Mayo in this year’s All Ireland Senior Ladies’ Football Championship, this could be a great season for DCU. The final against UL is Tuesday 28th November so the team don’t have much time to prepare, but Moloney’s focus is on her side’s hunger to win.

“We’re a bit ruthless,” she said, “but that’s the way you have to be.”

Aishling Moloney in action for Tipperary

Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

DCU through to CUFL quarter finals

A second place in the group stages was enough for DCU to qualify for the new year’s knockout stages

Gavin Quinn Deputy Sports Editor @gavinquinn97

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CU have qualified for the College and Universities Football League Quarter Finals after a strong league campaign saw Declan Roche’s side finish second in the CUFL Premier League North Division behind UCD. DCU can now look forward to the prospect of a Quarter Final in the new year, after the campaign saw the Glasnevin men pick up three wins in their five fixtures.

DCU progressed to the last eight on goal difference.

Roche’s side, also coached by former St. Patrick’s Athletic and

The DCU side going forward to the knockout stages

Shelbourne boss Johnny McDonnell, enjoyed a great start to their campaign back in October thanks to a 5 -1 win over Trinity College that saw striker Alan O’Sullivan pick up a hat trick.

DCU’s opening day momentum was halted by DIT in late October when DCU conceded two late goals in the first half and simply could not recover in the second half of

a frustrating game for Roche and McDonnell’s side as they slumped to a 3-1 loss.

November proved more successful for DCU as they picked up a vital victory over rivals UCD in a tight game before the challenge of NUIG was brushed aside at home in an impressive 7-0 victory to see DCU take nine points from a possible twelve.

It was to go down to the wire as a

Credit: Fran Butler

3-0 loss to Maynooth University last week saw three teams tied on second place behind UCD on 9 points.

DCU qualified through attaining a goal difference of plus seven, compared to Maynooth University’s plus two and DIT’s minus one.

“It definitely was not a 3-0 game,” Johnny McDonnell told The College View, claiming that the scoreline was not reflecting of the performance of

DCU on the day.

DCU can be thankful of their defence as Roche’s side conceded just seven goals and scored fourteen during the campaign, McDonnell felt that the team has still work to do if they are to progress further.

“It’s trying to get the balance again between scoring and conceding,” he said.

DCU won the Harding Cup in the 2016/17 season, this season has seen a lot of the young players involved in that side integrated into an already strong senior presence.

McDonnell however, is a newcomer to the DCU set up, but still felt the blend of youth and experience has added to Roche’s side.

“We’ve a good mix, we’ve a good mix definitely,” he said.Yet more frustration was to follow in the Women’s Doubles final as the DCU pairing of Katie Lowry and Anna McWilliams failed to topple the Trinity pairing of Dearbhaile Roe and Niamh Sheehan in straight sets.

Unlike the other finals however, this was a close one, as the DCU pair were unlucky in the 6-4 6-4 defeat.

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Glasnevin triumphs over St Pat’s in battleof-the-campuses hurling final An all-DCU final was contested in St Pat’s

Shane Brennan Contributor @thecollegeview

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CU Dóchas Éireann won Tuesday’s hurling freshers B final against DCU Dóchas Éireann St. Pat’s campus 0-13 to 0-11 in a close and passionate affair in St. Pats.

Glasnevin were hurling champs as they beat their Drumcondra counterparts in an all DCU final, in a game that showed defensive skill and lacked accuracy in shots.

DCU DÉ (in blue) and St. Pat’s (in yellow) started the game in a lacklustre fashion when attacking, with the first point not coming until 10 minutes into the game - a free converted

by Tommy Walton - his first of 6 converted frees for the game.

One problem for both sides was the lack of accuracy in their shots, with 18 wides in the first half between the two teams, including mid-range frees.

Despite this the game showed a competitive edge in midfield and defence, as players from both sides put in a great effort to produce impressive blocks and challenge for the ball well.

One advantage for the eventual winners was the back three of Daire Keogh, Donal Ryan and David Murtagh, who showed good strength and composure under pressure in clearing the sliotar and blocking the balls that were pucked towards the goal.

The two sides had different approaches to getting scores in the first half. The hosts tried to get the ball as close to the goal as possible before shooting, usually taking their chances if they found space near the 20-metre line. This was often halted by DCU

DÉ’s defence. However, it worked well when Kevin Murphy scored a good turning point for St. Pat’s.

The visitors however took many long shots and rarely had possession inside the 20-metre line.

This resulted in 9 wides for the half, but they still led 0-7 to 0-4 at halftime.

The second half started with St. Pat’s campus applying pressure on the visitors immediately, having 7 shots in the first 10 mins of the half and much of the possession - but only two of these shots were scores, and they posted five wides.

The failure to capitalise on this momentum was a crucial downfall to St. Pats as they could have built a strong lead to hold on to in this period - instead they only scored one point from play in the half.

DCU DÉ regained composure as the half progressed and the will to win was shown greatly by all the players.

The home goalkeeper, Ciarán McHugh was particularly passionate and showed his feisty side after scoring his first of two frees on the day.

In the competitive atmosphere every free given by the referee was met with argument and pumped up celebration, especially as most of the points at this end of the match were from frees.

The game’s most exciting period was in the last 15 minutes when the two sides were rarely separated by more than a point.

In the last five minutes there was a goalmouth scramble where Pat’s could have scored a winning goal.

However, persistent defending from the visiting back 3 prevented the home side from breaking the deadlock.

In the closing minutes, Glasnevin

The Glasnevin side celebrate with the trophy

buried the hosts chance of winning the game, when two quickfire points won the game in the last minute.

DCU Dóchas Éireann: Ronan Murray, Daire Keogh, Donal Ryan, David Murtagh (0-2), Jack Higgins, Charles Flynn, Conor Lennon, Jack McGraham, Liam Stacey (0-2), Cian Wilson (0-2), Sean Graham (0-5, 0-3f), Jack Doyle (0-2, 0-1 f), Bobby Tynam,

Credit: Mark Carroll

Conor McCarthy, Mickey Bambrick.

SUBS: Philip O’Brien, Gavin Jackson, Eoin Ryan, Cillian O’Finneida, James McGonagle, Oisin McCann, Ciaran Murphy, Dennis O’Brien, Michael Fitzpatrick.

DCU Dóchas Éireann St. Pats campus: Ciarán McHugh (0-2f), Ronan Haye, Cathal Laverly, Michael McBrearty, Conor Fallon, Eoin Porter,

Niall Nimmo, Fran Kieran, Tiernan Lane, Pauric Kane, Kieran Conway, James McNally (0-1), Kevin Murphy (0-1), Tommy Walton (0-7, 0-6 f), David Murtagh. SUBS: Sam Murray, Cian Power, Kevin Fennelly.

DCU Athletics Club regain road relay honours DCU were particularly successful on the day, with the men’s team placing first and the women’s team coming second

Ally Daly Deputy Arts Editor @thedalyally

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CU Athletics Club reclaimed the title at the Irish Universities Athletics Association’s road relay championships last

weekend.

The Intervarsity road relay race took place in Maynooth on Saturday the 18th of November with eleven colleges represented, including University College Dublin, University of Limerick and Queens University Belfast. DCU were particularly successful on the day, with the men’s

team placing first and the women’s team coming second in their respective races.

The men’s team, comprised of Jonny Whan, Gary Campbell, Eoin Strutt, Paul Robinson and Andrew Coscoran, claimed first place with a one minute and three seconds to spare over QUB. The team performed strongly and from the third man, Eoin Strutt, DCU held first place for the remainder of the race.

DCU had four men’s teams competing, with the other teams placing in 4th, 5th and 13th place.

The women’s team were pipped to first place by a strong UL team, who won by 17 seconds.

The DCU team of Avril Deegan, Una Britton, Nadia Power and Rachel Smyth were one of the numerous teams DCU women’s teams that competed in the race, with the B, C, D and E teams placing in 4th, 6th, 11th and 15th respectively.

It was an overall strong performance for all members of DCU Athletics Club who also achieved some The DCU men’s winning team Credit: Irish Universities Athletics Association/Facebook fantastic personal results.

Una Britton was the fastest in the had broken DCU’s three year win- 10th overall title since the race began 2nd leg of the women’s race while also fastest in their legs.

The DCU men’s team reclaimed ning streak. This is the fourth title in 1987.

Eoin Strutt and Paul Robinson were the title from 2016 winners UL, who DCU have won in five years and their

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INSIDE

Glasnevin beat Drumcondra in inter-campus battle

Podge Henry has back-to-back win at RAG Rumble The Raising and Giving Society’s landmark event took place last Monday, attracting 450 people to the Wright Venue in Swords Conor Breslin Contributor @thecollegeview

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ver 450 people attended the Wright Venue on Monday night to witness fifteen fights of pure raw intensity as the annual DCU RAG Rumble took place, featuring some of St Pat’s and DCU’s well known faces.

The thirty competitors who have been preparing and training for over seven weeks did not disappoint in the high-level entertainment they produced on the night - even though many had never stepped into a ring before.

The main event fight featured the rematch between Vito Moloney Burke and DCUSU VP for Welfare and Equality, Podge Henry, that was contested at RAG Rumble one year ago. The crowd was not disappointed as they screamed “one more round,” at the end of the fight.

Henry walked away the victor with a unanimous decision for the second year in a row.

“I’m the better fighter but Vito is a better dancer,” Henry joked.

“For the moment I’ll stick to my job at the Student Union, it’s not as tiring.”

The chairman of the Raising and Giving society, Seanie Germaine, said, “All the money raised tonight will go towards the social projects that the RAG society has on campus, from cookery classes to working and providing Christmas presents for

Credit: Aaron Harper

Podge Henry was named the victor

homeless children.”

The first year from Co Wicklow said the work provided by the boxing society in running this event was outstanding and it would have never have happened without their commitment and effort.

“This could be right up there with the top events of the year, it was unbelievable,” Germaine told The

College View.

The fighting did not fail to disappoint either, with all fighters giving everything they had, including quick speed and agility around the ring.

Often the occasional gumshield would fly out of the mouth, or the fight would be paused for the fighters to clean their face due to the presence of blood.

The fighter of the night David Dcruz said, “I didn’t realise until I took a shower that I was even bleeding until I saw blood dripping down my body.”

Hosts on the night, Conor Walsh and Aoife Murphy, described the allSt Pat’s Fight between Karl Daly and Jamie Storey as “something from a WWE wrestling match”. However,

some matches ended on a light-hearted note, such as Shauna Butterly receiving a birthday cake and a standing ovation after her unanimous victory over Aoife McDermott.

Head of the boxing society Sadhbh Candon summed up the night saying: “it was a fantastic night with very dedicated volunteers and fighters who really got the crowd

Prelim success gives DCU boxers confidence to go all the way Faolan Rahill and Terry McEntee were both successful in their initial fights in the National Boxing Championships

Christy Dunne Deputy Sports Editor @thecollegeview

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riday saw the commencement of the IABA National Senior Boxing Championships at the National Stadium,

Dublin.

The event is Ireland’s elite amateur boxing competition with over 100 competitors among 18 weight classes represented over both men and women’s competitions. Among these were two members of DCU boxing. Longest serving member Faolan Rahill represented DCU Boxing at Light Heavyweight and Terry Mc Entee at 60kg representing his local club.

The two men got their preliminary bouts underway on Saturday morning, with convincing performances.

Rahill dispatched Marble City’s Kevin Kehoe decisively, earning a 4-1 decision. After a close first round, Rahill adjusted his game plan and became more aggressive against Kehoe, who was more comfortable

fighting at range. After finding a lot of success on the inside Rahill began to establish more dominance and continued to exert pressure.

Even more impressive was Terry McEntee in the last fight of the evening making easy work of his opponent, Eoin Meaney, to claim five rounds and progress to the next round. After putting Meaney on the canvas, many were expecting a 10 count but a durable Meaney brought McEntee to a decision.

On the back of a 10-week camp and a compelling recent performance in London, Rahill feels he has reached peak fitness leading into the business end of the tournament.

Rahill understands the importance of avoiding complacency. He maintains, while looking to stay ground-

ed, he has his sights sets on going all the way.

“I’m in it to win it,” he said. “I’m confident I can do it but I’m trying to stay humble. “The fight in London was everything coming together really, my fitness was there. So everything after that has just been working on my technique.”

McEntee believes he’s not only representing his local club, but also fighting for DCU Boxing Club simultaneously. He says, “Although my club entered me into the tournament, I feel like I’m boxing for both”.

Both men take to the ring again this weekend for the next round of the National Senior Championships with the finals taking place in December.

Credit: DCU Athletic Boxing Club

Faolan Rahil following victory in London