The Eagle: A Year in Review

The Eagle: A Year in Review

By Ellen Hyland, Copy Editor, SS Law and Political Science

As the grass outside of the Pav becomes invisible due to the swarms of students forgetting about their deadlines for the sake of a few hours with their friends in the sun, it is perhaps time to accept that another academic year is coming to an end. For many, this year has been marked by welcome changes – no longer are we cooped up in our bedrooms pretending that Zoom drinks are the same as a night out, that texts can replace speaking face-to-face, or that college life can be properly replicated online.

I first joined The Eagle in September 2020. Sitting at home churning out assignment after assignment like an OSCOLA machine was not fulfilling my need to express myself through writing – I had always loved writing silly stories and poems throughout my childhood and adolescence and immediately hiding them under the bed, writing funny cards for friends’ birthdays, and even writing history essays for my Leaving Certificate (yes, I was that girl). So, when a few people in my class started talking about this legal gazette called The Eagle, which was more conversational, more accessible, and most importantly, more informal than both the essays I had been writing throughout my degree and other law publications, I decided to apply for the editorial board. I thoroughly enjoyed the year I spent on the board, under the amazing leadership of Samantha Tancredi who cannot be given more credit for elevating the paper, and therefore applied for the position of Copy Editor for the year 2021/2022 and won.

The articles that I have read and edited over the past year have been incredibly diverse, well-written, accessible, and informative. My area of expertise - The Eagle’s blog – has seen some tremendous pieces of work as authors tackled assorted topics such as stealthing, space law, Peng Shuai’s disappearance, and Polexit. My Grandmother phoned me one day simply to praise Emma Bowie’s piece on the Stardust Fire Inquiries, stating that it was one of the most informative pieces of journalism she had ever read. Indeed, I was always delighted to hear that people read our blog and had opinions on it. A stellar example of this was a piece by Karl Egan published as a response to editorial board member Mark McGrane’s blog post on Irish neutrality. The facilitation of dialogue is always important as the law is not black and white – nuanced conversations can be had with facts to back up both sides on many issues in the legal realm, and we at The Eagle are delighted to promote these conversations.

This is not to even mention the issues printed this year. Our first issue really set the tone for the year, with Jacob Hudson’s interview with Ivana Bacik, Antóin Fletcher’s article on the Afghanistan crisis, and Kate Flood’s article on HGV drivers meaning that the issue was as contemporary as it was varied. Our second issue, focusing on access to justice in collaboration with Trinity FLAC, was a huge success with many passionate and well-argued submissions that showed just how broad and important the theme of justice can be. Articles on environmental justice, refugee rights, justice for those in Tuam, and language rights (written in Irish – a first for The Eagle) means that the issue stands as an important testament to the swathes of people in Irish society and the world who are deprived of being treated fairly – something law students would do well to reflect on as they embark on their careers.

Our second issue was also ushered in with a launch event on January 25th, which allowed us to meet many on the editorial board in person for the first time. It was a lovely evening in Regent House, with pizza and wine to stimulate chatter about anything and everything under the sun. Our Editor-in-Chief, Matthew O’Shea, gave a speech that night which showed his passion for the paper, something that is so completely transparent if you ever spend any time with him. Our third issue, published on the 11th of March, also showcased some very talented authors, as does the issue being edited as I type this – although somewhat tech illiterate myself (which is partly why I am writing this review piece), it is so fascinating to see how differently people have interpreted

the theme of technology.

None of this year’s feats would have been possible without our sponsors, authors, and especially our editorial board – every single one of you have made The Eagle a success this year, without your edits and feedback to the authors the paper would simply not be able to function. I am also fortunate to have worked with the rest of the executive board. To Zoe, thank you for tolerating me when I admire you for the hundredth time about the stories you put up on our socials, they are some of the most creative and professional things I have ever seen, and you have such an eye for detail. To Kat, thank you for all of the hilarious voice notes you send at 2am explaining your second-round edits which I groggily reply to in the morning, I have never met anyone with your work ethic. To Matthew, thank you for always making the choice of the cover photo for the issues some of the most entertaining conversations I have, your photographic skill (and perfectionism) knows no bounds. Although I am sad to leave the paper and all of its people behind this year as I graduate, I cannot wait to see who takes up the mantle for next year. I may not know exactly what post-college life has in store for me, but I do know that wherever I am, I will be reading The Eagle.