TheGown. The Independent Student Newspaper at Queen’s University Belfast, Established 1955
OPINION: NO FRACKING WAY
AN INTERVIEW WITH LAWSON’S JOEL PEAT
FREE Monday 23rd Septemeber 2013
THE GOWN GUIDE TO FRESHERS’
FAREWELL TO AN ICON
From Everywhere and Nowhere by Colin Davidson. The painter’s exhibition, Between the Words, shows at the Naughton Gallery at Queen’s until October 6th. Kylie Noble News Editor @Kylie_Noble94
Staff and students have paid their respects to Irish Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney, following his death in a Dublin hospital on Friday 30th August. The Queen’s alumnus was admitted to Blackrock Clinic for an operation but died before it could be carried out. It is believed his admittance to hospital was linked to a fall earlier in the month. His health had been affected since a stroke in Donegal in 2006, however he remained active in literary circles. Only two weeks prior to his passing, Mr Heaney had performed at
the Merriman Summer School at Lisdoonvarna, alongside his long-time friend and fellow poet Michael Longley. As Mr Heaney was laid to rest in his hometown of Bellaghy on Monday 2nd September (following a requiem mass at the church of the Sacred Heart in Donnybrook, Dublin), staff, students and alumni of Queen’s added their voices to a chorus of tributes to the writer. Books of Condolence were opened to the public at Belfast City Hall and at Queen’s University’s Welcome Centre. At City Hall, Lord Mayor Máirtín Ó Muilleoir was the first to pen a tribute to the poet. Acting Vice Chancellor of Queen’s, Professor James McElnay, reflected that, “He was self-
less in his contribution to Queen’s. Whether giving his name to the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry, crafting our University’s Centenary Stanza or contributing copies of his early works, Seamus asked for nothing in return”. Pro-Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Tony Gallagher, echoed these sentiments, noting, “His death is a tragedy, but his legacy will live on for generations, and it was most striking that, at the time of his death, everyone could remember a line of his poetry - few people ever have had that impact, and I suspect few in future ever will”. Mr Heaney had been a student, staff member and honorary graduate of Queen’s University. He was a great supporter of The Gown, where many
of his early poems and writings were published. He commenced undergraduate study at the university in 1957, reading English and graduatingwith a first class degree in 1961. During these years he was an active member of An Cummann Gaelach, the Catholic Students’ Society and The Literific Debating Society. Consequently, Mr Heaney trained as a teacher at St. Joseph's College (since merged with St. Mary's College), where he would go on to become a lecturer. In 1966 he earned the position of lecturer of Modern English Literature at Queen's University’s School of English, resigning in 1972 to move to Glanmore, Co.Wicklow. In an illustrious career, he also taught at Berkley, Harvard and Oxford Universities.
Queen’s Announces New Scholarships Fiachra O’ Maolcraoibhe News Editor @fiachra1992
Queen’s University has introduced a new scholarship scheme – the Queen’s Scholarship - worth nearly £150,000. The scholarships are to be awarded annually to 10 first year students from Northern Ireland, hoping to pursue studies across a range of fields at Queen’s. The inaugural Queen’s Scholars were announced earlier this month, having been whittled down from a shortlist of 138 students nominated by 74 schools and colleges across
Northern Ireland. Having received the scholarships, they will now have their tuition fees paid for by the university, for the duration of their undergraduate degrees. The Scholars are as follows: Connor Carville of St Patrick’s
51 potential candidates before attending a selection day at the university where they were said to have been, “assessed on a range of competencies by a number of business leaders”. They will begin their studies this
Student Recruitment Officer Adam McGrath added, “They [the Queen’s Scholars] are the latest addition to Queen’s annual undergraduate scholarship package, which is worth £300,000 per year, benefits approximately 200
College, Maghera; Mark Curran of St Colman’s College, Newry; Aimee Donaldson of The Wallace High School, Lisburn, Bryony Gault of Limavady Grammar School; Katie Grant of St Louis Grammar School, Kilkeel; Aaron Hutton of Carrickfergus Grammar School; Thomas Lee of St Patrick’s Grammar School, Armagh; Beth Malcomson of Bloomfield Collegiate School; Sam Mathers of Ballyclare High School and Sophia Turner of Dominican College, Belfast. The pupils earned a place on a shortlist of
September.
students, and represents a crucial investment in Northern Ireland’s future”.
When announcing the recipients of the scholarships, Director of Student Plus, Isobel Jennings, said “Each of the Queen’s Scholars has demonstrated exceptional leadership and enterprise skills and an outstanding commitment to social responsibility which, alongside their academic strengths, mark them out as the best and brightest young people Northern Ireland has to offer”.
“Queen’s”, he continued, “is committed to investing in the delivery of an exceptional academic and non-academic student experience, leading to excellent career opportunities”.
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The Gown
02 The Gown Editorial The Gown is the independent student newspaper at Queen’s University Belfast, established 1955. The Gown Team 2013/ 2014 Editor Tara McEvoy editor@thegown.net General Manager Megan Liddy business@thegown.net News Editors Kylie Noble Fiachra O’ Maolcraoibhe news@thegown.net Assistant - James Douglas Arts Editor Peter McGoran arts@thegown.net Assistant - Conor Kerr Correspondents Film- Patrick McAnea Music - Hayley Gault Theatre - Colm Doran TV - Adam McAllister Features Editor Matthew Law features@thegown.net Assistant - Níamh Marley Lifestyle Editor Sonia Benhassine lifestyle@thegown.net Health Correspondent Michael Grant
Tara McEvoy Editor @tara_mcevoy
It’s that time of year again: Freshers’ Fortnight has brought with it the latest crop of wide-eyed students to brave the hallowed halls of Queen’s. In the spirit of this cycle of rebirth, The Gown has a new editorial team. It’s an honour to be able to serve as editor of the publication in the year before its 60th birthday, and a privilege to work with the
Design Editor Matthew Morete
Those of you with slightly longer
Photography Editor Darragh Hobbs Assistant - Desmond Eastwood Business Manager Orry Robinson business@thegown.net
Contributors Kerry Campion Jennifer Gorman Prof. Ciaran Carson Anna Cafolla Elli Kontorravdis Hannah Greenfield Gaibhin McGranaghan Ms. Medbh McGuckian @TheGownQUB /TheGownQUB letters@thegown.net The Gown Queen’s University Belfast Students’ Union University Road Belfast BT71NF 028 9097 1057 The Gown would like to dedicate this issue of the paper to Seamus Heaney, a man whose contribution to Queen’s University and this publication will not a forgotten. To a man who made history and hope rhyme.
In days when most of us exist on a diet of rolling news and social media updates, it’s heartening to realise that the good old-fashioned newspaper still holds a special place in many peoples’ hearts. And so, as you arrive at Queen’s – or arrive back – I hope that you’ll keep reading The Gown throughout
the rest of your time here. It’s easy to bemoan the apathy of students, but in my time at Queen’s, I’ve been given cause to believe that the student body is as engaged – and engaging! – as it’s ever been. To those who are just starting out, then, I hope that you’ll make the most of what truly is a remarkable opportunity. Remember, they don’t call your university days the best days of your life for nothing.
The Hood The Hood is The Gown’s anonymous whistleblower cum satirist. Founded in 1976 by a generous donation from the Sir Humphrey Hood Foundation, the Hood has consistently broken news of wrongdoing in the elected officials of the Students’ Union, as well as the wider student movement and the university itself. Loved by people who care too much about SU politics and despised by officers who should care more, the Hood delivers the news and the schmooze on those who waste your union dues. @upthehood
Web Manager Anna Growcott Social Media Manager David Stewart
Opinion Editor Brian Martin info@thegown.net
I’d like to take this opportunity to extend my utmost thanks to a number of people without whom this issue would not have been possible. Firstly, to Megan Liddy, last year’s editor, who will this year be joining us as general manager. Thanks also to the entire Gown Trust, VP Campaigns and Communications Connor Daly, Ben Finch and the host of other former Gownies who’ve been
there to lend a hand over the past few months. And of course, thanks to you, the reader, for ensuring that The Gown continues to thrive over half a century since it was first published.
The Hood
The first article of the new semester is always a challenge. On the one hand, a lot happens over the summer that shapes the year to come. On the other hand, it all happened some weeks ago, and the memory span of the student body is slightly shorter than the average tweet trend. Of course, this is what the higher-ups bank on, and always try to release their most noxious ruckuses around the exam period leading into the summer break, so that the outrage dies down when we come back, to see that the Union security have been replaced by terminator prototypes/Lovecraftian fish-people/members of G4S. (Freshers - to get up to speed with this epic saga, check out thegown.net circa May 2013).
Sports Editor Michael Doran sports@thegown.net Assistant - Conor Coyle
talented and dedicated individuals on our team, including all our contributors.
memories will be gratified to know that that particular attempt to shrug responsibility from the Union by [REDACTED] failed catastrophically, and we got to keep our beloved, surly, gently smouldering DCs. The new sabbaticals will doubtlessly be keen to distance themselves from the various skyward-scrotums of the last administration, who made it absolutely clear that not a single official finger would be lifted to help the DCs. We can now look back at the most successful campaign bandwagon since the Kidd administration’s fight against tuition fee hikes rolled on past. The fact remains that the new sabbs are new sabbs, and even if they have the best intentions (HAHAHA) nothing, sabb nor human, can stop the force of mighty bureaucracy
that moves so slowly, it took two years for a real threat to even develop. Those of you wishing to start a career after university might want to start by applying for something with more advancement opportunities, like McDonald’s. Exciting volunteering opportunities that will boost your CV and your self esteem (formerly the employment model of massive corporations, fathead celebrities and Roman latifundia) are now part of the Union’s operational procedure, and so you too can volunteer (for free) on behalf of the organisation that you already pay to be a member of. Holy serfdom Batman! Of course, if the Union were to plead poverty, and perhaps
This Month On TheGown.net
economise across the board, I might be more understanding (unlikely, but stranger things have happened). However, news has reached me that the SU have also hired help to ‘promote’ their ever failing Thursday night gig, when everyone goes to the better bars in Belfast. Makes you wonder why they bother trying. Finally, my little birds inform me that a rift has already begun to grow in the glass office upstairs, as the sabbs keep trying to organise a game of five a side between themselves at lunchtime. Unfortunately, they haven’t yet seemed to realise the inherent problem in that there’s only seven of them. That’ll be one to keep your eyes on. I am The Hood, king of kings, look on my works ye mighty and despair!
Undoubtedly our astute returning readers will have noticed that our print edition has undergone somewhat of a redesign over the summer months. We’ve tried our best to maintain all the elements that make us ‘us’ while updating our format to keep it fresh- so we’ll be continuing to bring you all our usual content, just newly packaged. With any luck, you’ll agree that the paper isn’t holding up too badly for a publication knocking on sixty years of age. Those of a digital persuasion needn’t feel left out, however, as we’re also in the process of updating our site for readers who would prefer to peruse articles online – adding more functionality and diversifying the content we bring you. So keep an eye out over the coming weeks and months for changes to www.thegown.net – and let us know if you like what you see via Tweet, Facebook message, e-mail or post.
The Gown
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KYLIE NOBLE | QUB Ranked Amongst Top 15 Universities in UK JAMES DOUGLAS | NUS-USI President Condemns Health Minister’s Action on Adoption KYLIE NOBLE | Former QUBSU President in Hot Water over Tweets KERRY CAMPION | McClay Library Waives £8,557 Fine for Overdue Book GAIBHIN MCGRANAGHAN | Student Loans to be Privatised
News
DAVID SANDS | Open Your Mind Gears Up For Busy Semester
QUB Ranked Amongst Top 15 Universities in UK Queen’s rockets to claim a top spot in annual National Student Survey on student satisfaction with their third level institution. Kylie Noble News Editor @Kylie_Noble94
Queen’s University has received an overall satisfaction score of 90 % in the National Student Survey (NSS), only one percent less than the score awarded to Oxford University. The survey saw Queen's ranked 12th in the U.K for student satisfaction, the highest the university has ranked to date. The National Student Survey invites final year students across all disciplines to rate their institution based on teaching, assessment and feedback. Other factors taken into consideration include academic support, organisation, management, learning resources and personal development.
Many individual courses scored highly, with 24 subjects out of 41 achieving ratings of over 90 %. Courses rated particularly highly include Anthropology, Medicine and Aerospace Engineering. Professor Ellen Douglas-Cowie, a Queen's Pro-Vice Chancellor, was pleased with the positive results, stating, “This result is testament to the quality of education and opportunities on offer at Queen's. Our NSS ranking has risen steadily over the last number of years, reflecting the fact that we are an institution which both listens to its students and is committed to investing in their future." President of Queen’s Students’ Union, Niall McShane, remarked on the
wide range of opportunities open to students of the university: "We place great emphasis on ensuring that students at Queen's are given every opportunity to make the most of their time here and that they are equipped with the relevant skills to give them a head start in the graduate employment market. These latest results from NSS verify that in coming to Queen's, students are making a decision that will impact positively on the rest of their lives”. The NSS began in 2005 and surveys approximately half a million students across the U.K annually. This year, around 304,000 students took part in the Ipsos MORI-conducted study, with the University of Bath topping the chart.
The Lanyon Building. Photo by Desmond Eastwood.
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The Gown
04 News NUS-USI President Condemns Health Minister’s Action on Adoption Thousands of people have signed an online petition calling for the resignation or removal of Health Minister Edwin Poots.
James Douglas Assistant News Editor @JCDouglas11
Rebecca Hall, President of National Union of Students – Union of Students Ireland (NUS-USI) has moved quickly to condemn Mr. Poots’ decision to oppose adoption rights for same-sex and unmarried couples in front of the Supreme Court. In a statement released on Friday, Septmeber 13th, Ms. Hall announced, “It is an absolute disgrace that the Minister is set to do this. Why can he not accept the ruling of the High Court and the Court of Appeal?” The NUS-USI President added, “Northern Ireland needs equality for gay and unmarried couples immediately. I would appeal to [the Health Minister] to take a step back, reverse his decision and deliver equality now”.
Her comments coincide with the launch of an online petition which began on Monday, September 16th on campaigning site Avaaz, entitled, “We call on the Northern Ireland Assembly to seek the resignation of Edwin Poots, or for his removal from his post as Health Minister and thus bring to an end his disgraceful waste of public money in pursuit of a personal agenda”. The petition received over 3,000 signatures in its first day, and comes as the Department of Health’s legal team prepare to contest the Court of Appeal’s ruling that prohibiting gay and lesbian couples from adopting is unlawful. MLA Steven Agnew of the Green Party empathised with the sentiments of the petition, remarking that the Health Minister has been using public money to “promote his own agenda”. Mr. Poots’ critics have opposed the use of public funds in financing the
Health Minister Edwin Poots addresses delegates at the 2012 Annual DUP Conference last November. Photo by Brian Thompsn/ Press Eye, from Flickr. legal challenge. The Health Minister, however, claims that “95% of people” in Northern Ireland are against any proposal to amend adoption legislation to include same sex or unmarried couples. The Minister’s opponents have challenged the va-
lidity of his data, obtained through public consultation in 2006. During this time it was also confirmed that to date, Mr. Poots’ department has spent over £37,000 on a sustained effort to defend the current ban on gay men donating blood.
The case will now go before the Supreme Court in London where a decision on whether or not to uphold the Court of Appeal’s ruling will be made. At time of going to press, the petition calling for Mr. Poots’ resignation holds 7614 signatures.
Former QUBSU President in Hot Water over Tweets Ciarnan Helferty, Former President of QUBSU and NUS-USI, has Ciarnan attracted Helferty,criticism who acted asfor his use of social networking site Twitter. Following accusations of insensitivity over a series of ‘jokes’, he has stepped down from President his position of Queen’sas University’s UK Chairperson of Amnesty International. Students’ Union (QUBSU) between Kylie 2007 and 2009, andNoble President of News Editor National Union of Students-Union of @Kylie_Noble94 Students Ireland (NUS-USI) between 2009 and 2011, has resigned from the position Ciarnan Helferty, of Chair who of acted the Board as of Directors of President ofAmnesty Queen’s International University’s United Kingdom Students’ Union (AIUK). (QUBSU) between 2007 and 2009, and President of Mr. Helferty National Union was of elected Students-Union to the voluntary of Students role in Ireland January (NUS-USI) 2011, and be-had overseen tween 2009 controversial and 2011, and has drastic resigned changes from thetoposition the financial of Chair operation of the of AIUK. Board of His Directors decision ofto Amnesty step down Infrom the role ternational United follows Kingdom his exposure (AIUK). to intense criticism after left-wing blog website Mr. Helferty Political wasScrapbook elected torepubthe lished several voluntary rolecontroversial in January 2011, tweets and which had overseen he had previously controversial penned. and The tweets drastic changes date back to the asfinancial far as June 2010, whenofMr. operation AIUK. Helferty His decision was not to yet chairdown step of AIUK. from the role follows his exposure to intense criticism Whileblog after Mr. Helferty website Political has received Scrapbook some supportseveral republished from those controversial who claim his tweets tweets which werehe‘blackly had previously humourous’, it seems penned. The tweets criticism revealed has been date the more as back prominent far as June reaction 2010, to when his upMr. dates - which Helferty was not several yet have chairdeemed of AIUK. offensive to sufferers of mental illness. Mr. While TheHelferty tweets, published has received in full on Political some support Scrapbook, from those poked whofun at disorders claim his such tweets as were Schizophrenia ‘blackly and Obsessive Compuslive humourous’, it seems Disorder. criticism has been the more prominent reaction Katy to hisGray, updates editor - which of Stillseveral Here have Magazineoffensive deemed - a free online to sufferers publication of for the sufferers mental illness. The of schizophrenia, tweets, pubpsychosis lished in full and on other Political mental Scrapbook, illnesses – was outraged poked fun at disorders by the tweets. such as Schizophrenia and Obsessive Com"When IDisorder. puslive first saw the jokes Ciarnan Helferty made about mental health, my initiwhen Katy Gray, editor I learned of StillheHere hadMagaresigned, zine - a free I must online admit, publication I did feelfor Photo courtesy of Flickr.
the sufferers of schizophrenia, psychosis and other mental illnesses – was outraged by the tweets. “When I first saw the jokes Ciarnan Helferty made about mental health, my initial reaction was one of anger and nausea”, she told The Gown. “So when I learned he had resigned, I must admit, I did feel relieved. I appreciate his apology, and believe that resigning as the UK Chair of Amnesty International was the best move he could make. After all, with the amazing work that Amnesty International do around the world, it would be a real shame for all that to be undone by some insensitive jokes made by one member.” Mr. Helferty referred himself to AIUK’s internal standards procedures, and has individually apologised to all who contacted him on Twitter stating their disapproval of his comments. Many AIUK members threatened to quit the organisation, which is widely regarded as one of the most-respected human rights organisations worldwide. Amnesty International believed Mr. Helferty’s tweets to be in opposition to their values. Their stance on mental health is shared on their website: “Too often, prejudice and stigma hamper the development of mental health policies, and are reflected in poor services, low status for care providers and a lack of human rights for mentally ill people.”
Amnesty Ireland’s Republic of Ireland branch is also currently running a mental health campaign with headlines such as “People called Liam weak. Recovering his mental health made him stronger.” and “Teenage depression was devastating. Childish reactions made it worse”. The Gown approached Mr. Helferty to speak on the matter, but at time of going to press no reply had been received. Similarly no reply was received from Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland office on the issue. In a press release from AIUK’s head quarters, Mr. Helferty expressed his regret for any offence caused: “I understand why concerns have been expressed and apologise unreservedly for any offence or embarrassment caused by my jokes. This was not my intent and I remain deeply committed to equality, human rights and the effective support of those living with disabilities and mental health problems”.
The Gown
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News
05
McClay Library Waives £8,557 Fine for Overdue Book Forgetting to return a library book to Short Loans is the stuff of most students' nightmares. But the McClay isn’t always determined to press fines... Kerry Campion Contributor A Queen’s University Professor has been spared a fine of £8,557 after returning a library book that was 47 years overdue. Emeritus Professor John Foster, from the university’s Institute of Irish studies, recently uncovered the missing book by English poet Arthur Hugh Clough. He found it while clearing out his locker at the University of British Columbia, where he had taught until 2002.
Photo by Desmond Eastwood.
Student Loans to be Privatised Gaibhin McGranaghan Contributor The UK Treasury has confirmed that the Coalition Government intends to pursue plans to privatise student loans. The measure is the latest in a series of public spending cuts announced by the Government in an attempt to tackle the budget deficit. Speaking to the House of Commons earlier this year, the HM Treasury’s
Chief Secretary Danny Alexander announced that the Government “will take action to sell off £15 billion worth of public assets by 2020”. Mr Alexander went on to specify that up to £10 billion of the total sum would “come from the sale of corporate and financial assets like the student loan”, whilst the remaining £5 billion would be raised through land and property sales.
Details of plans to privatise loans were revealed by The Guardian newspaper, who published excerpts from a previously classified Governmentcommissioned report produced by the Rothschild Investment Bank. According to the publication, the report recommends a proposal to life the cap on interest rates paid by students who took out loans from 1998 to 2012.
Professor Foster originally borrowed the book – The Poems of Arthur Hugh Clough - while studying at Queen’s in 1966. The text’s due date was October 11th the same year, rendering the book nearly half a century overdue by the time it was returned. In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, Professor Foster commented: “Fines from the McClay Library are 50p per day for their seven-night loans, so I was looking at a steep bill. As the Americans say: ‘You do the math!’”
The McClay Library was grateful to have the book returned and expressed their thanks by waiving the hefty fine that had accumulated over the years. If students do find themselves facing expensive fines for overdue library books, Professor Foster offers this nugget of advice: "I suppose the moral of the story is if you discover an overdue book make sure it's really, really overdue before you think about returning it”.
H.M. Treasury confirms that Student Loan debt will be sold-off to alleviate pressure on UK’s economy. With outstanding balances amassing higher rates of interest, the averageearning graduate would take longer to repay their student loans and would have to make more repayments; thus they would repay more money overall. Such a measure is expected to affect over 3.6 million students – current and former – across the UK. Interest payments on their debts, which average over £40,000 for those who started their
studies in 2012, could more than double. The Labour Shadow Minister for Universities and Science, Shabana Mahmood, has roundly condemned the proposals, calling them, “a complete betrayal of the 3.6 million affected students who thought they were taking out loans on completely different terms”.
Open Your Mind Gears Up For Busy Semester Deputy NUS-USI President Thom Hinds speaks to The Gown on the importance of the mental health initiative. David Sands Contributor Thom Hinds, Deputy President of National Union of Students-Union of Students Ireland (NUS-USI), has reiterated the importance of the Open Your Mind mental health awareness project of which he is lead co-ordinator, as his team prepares to run a series of events throughout Freshers’ Fortnight. Speaking to The Gown, Mr. Hinds described the project – aimed at students aged 16-25 across Northern Ireland – as “an evidenced based, peer-lead initiative, which meets the needs of the transient populous”. The program works by recruiting student volunteers who, after training, run the campaign on their campuses. The aims of Open Your Mind are to identify and deal with the risk factors of mental illness, to raise awareness of mental health issues and to reduce the stigma of mental illness. The campaign acknowledges that university years are often a stressful period in peoples’ lives. Readjustments concerning living away from home, making new friends and course demands have been shown to induce stress. In 2006, the Journal of College Student Development discovered that 50% of university students suffered an episode of stress or emotional problem over the course of one academic year. Additionally, 2011 statistics from Northern Ireland’s Public Health Agency highlighted that the province’s suicide rate
Open Your Mind Logo rose by 64% between 1998 and 2008. Growing up in Northern Ireland - a report published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in 2011 – suggested, "that suicides among the 15-34 age group accounted for the greater part of this rise." Recent findings by Gauge NI (a social enterprise business which provides research and evaluation services in the country) revealed that 68% of Northern Irish students had been concerned about their mental health. To address this issue, NUS-USI partnered with Mindwise, a mental health charity, to launch Open Your Mind in 2007. For the academic year 2013/14, Open Your Mind is planning to run awareness activities during Freshers’ Fortnight at Queen's. The scheme, according to Mr. Hinds “has provided a life-line to students at risk”.
The Gown
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06
Heaney Remembered The Poet and the Paper Whether in his capacity as a student or a staff member, Seamus Heaney was a supporter of The Gown newspaper: penning articles, contibuting original poetry and even granting the paper an interview as recently as 2009. Here, we remember some of the highlights of his involvement with The Gown.
The Poet Didn’t Know It In 2009, former editor of The Gown, Catherine Wylie, informed Mr. Heaney of the closure of the Queen’s library named after him. Catherine Wylie Former Editor of The Gown
FROM CONTRIBUTOR TO COVER STAR
Seamus Heaney looked surprised when The Gown asked how he felt about the demise of the Seamus Heaney Library. He also commented on the lack of community on campus, an issue which has been some-
what of a hot topic this semester. The famous poet hesitated when the question about 'The Heaney' was posed, before stating, "I didn't know that the library was no longer operational." He did however state that he wasn't dissapointed, commenting, "The Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry is a permanent
honour, and the fact that a library was ever named after me was a lovely gesture on behalf of Queen's." In regard to whether or not the closed Heaney library should be re-opened following suggestions by students that the new library will fail to cope with the exam rush, he said, "If I remember back to my own
Queen's days correctly, things like this are complicated. It really is none of my business." He expressed an interest in hearing more about Vice Chancellor Peter Gregson's expenses scandal, but refused to express his opinion, stating once again that it was none of his business.
A Daylight Art (For Norman MacCaig) An original poem by Seamus Heaney first published in The Gown Literary Supplement, 1986. Seamus Heaney
October 1968 Mr. Heaney offers up his thoughts on the People’s Democracy in a contribution to the paper.
On the day he was to take the poison Socrates told his friends he had been writing: Putting Aesop’s fables into verse. And this was not because Socrates loved wisdom And advocated the examined life.
The reason was that he had had a dream. Caesar, now, or Herod or Constantine Or any number of Shakespearean kings Bursting at the end like dams.
dreams. But hardly Socrates. Until, that is, He tells his friends the dream had kept recurring All his life, repeating one instruction:
Where the original panoramas lie submerged Which have to rise again before the death scenes – You can believe in their believing
Practice the art, which art until that moment He always took to mean philosophy. Happy the man, therefore, with the natural gift
Heaney at Whitla
January 1986 Mr. Heaney contributes a poem to The Gown’s Literary Supplement.
Kevin Smith Former Contributor
rial through to the ‘Mad Sweeney’ translations.
It says something, I think, of a poet’s quality and significance that seven hundred people will pay good money and venture out on a cold, wet evening to hear him read. At the first of the [Belfast] Festival’s poetry series, the Whitla Hall was filled for a reading by Seamus Heaney. Having recently completed his first work for some time, Heaney took this opportunity to give a comprehensive review of his past career; from the early ‘Death of a Naturalist’ mate-
Many poets are notoriously bad at reading their own poetry. Heaney is not among them. His deep, resonant voice is well-suited to the rich and earthy texture of his verse, and this, coupled with confidence and feeling made for very enjoyable listening. The selection also, was well chosen, including what are now considered Heaney ‘standards’, such as ‘Death of a Naturalist’, ‘The Tullen Man’, ‘Sunlight’, etc.
For practising the right one from the start, Poetry, say, or fishing; whose nights are dreamless; Whose deep-sunk panoramas rise and pass Like daylight through the rod’s eye or the nib’s eye.
A review of Mr. Heaney’s 1983 performance at the Belfast Festival at Queen’s, by Kevin Smith. From later work, ‘The Otter’, ‘The Underground’, and ‘Shipping Forecasts’ were representative of the maturing style and increasing range of subject matter, and Heaney’s comments on ‘Shipping Forecasts’ in particular, gave insight into his own ideas on poetry writing. The pieces taken from his recent translations based on the legends of Mad Sweeney suggested that Heaney has found a practically inexhaustible framework in which to explore his Ireland.
that he gave, it seems that those elements which most occupy him in his own work, observation, sensual awareness, memory, are really those in the essence of all poetry. Speaking of the poem ‘The Railway Children’, Heaney recalled how as a child, he ‘used to lie with his ear to the line’, and how he believed that ‘words travelled the wires’. A different ‘line’ today perhaps, but Seamus Heaney is still listening well.
Looking back on the poems that Heaney read and at the insights
Civil Rights Not Civic Weeks A 1968 piece penned by Mr. Heaney to summarize his thoughts on the student protests erupting across Northern Ireland. Seamus Heaney
December 2009 An interview with Mr. Heaney graces the cover of The Gown.
This is a matter of conscience and individual tactics for both students and staff... Marches for the moment have gone as far in winning sympathy and making practical points about Civil Rights as they
are likely to. I am in agreement with marching – with the proviso that if a march has a University prefix attached to it, it would have to be non-political... The People’s Democracy must be seen not to play into the hands of people who allege it to be a pro-
vocative rather than a conciliatory organisation... As a teacher and a writer I found the meetings impressive in the ways they were run – they were slightly embarrassing because of the invention of a new and loaded jargon...
The “P.D.” must remember the real hinterland of prejudice which people are fighting on both sides and not lose sight of this reality in a fury of rhetoric... Late night sittings in a crowded and excited atmosphere could possibly produce rash if righteous decisions.
The Gown
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Heaney Remembered Seamus Heaney
07 THE DAY HE DIED
Professor Ciaran Carson established the Seamus Heaney Centre For Poetry at Queen’s University and is its current Director. Here, he reflects on the life and legacy of his former teacher and friend.
By Ciaran Carson
Professor Ciaran Carson Director of the Seamus Heaney For Poetry at Queen’s University
the corridor but dimly lit
I join the many people all over the world who have been deeply shocked and saddened by the death of Seamus Heaney. Like many others, I remember the different kind of shock – a wholly pleasurable one – that I got when first reading his book Death of a Naturalist, back in 1966. To the aspiring poet I was then, it was like a bolt out of the blue: a poetry utterly without pretension, written in a simple language – our language, the language of the North – that resonated deeper and deeper the more you looked into it, like the well in ‘Personal Helicon’, a poem dedicated to Michael Longley: ‘I rhyme/ To see myself, to set the darkness echoing.’ Later, as a student of English at Queen’s from 1967 to 1971, I had the privilege of being taught by Seamus, and of being welcomed by
him into the now almost legendary group of writers simply known as The Group, along with others of my generation such as Paul Muldoon, Frank Ormsby and Medbh McGuckian. Seamus was always generous with his time, and in his comments on our novice work. Many years later, in 2003, I found myself appointed Professor of Poetry and Director of the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry at Queen’s: a place I would never arrived at had it not been for those early encounters with Seamus, and his guiding hand on my work. Quite simply, those poets I have mentioned, and many others, would not be who they are without his example. It goes without saying that Seamus Heaney’s death has left a great void in our lives. There is no poet in Ireland who has not been influenced by his example, and is in his debt; but so is everyone who has been touched by his poetry, and they are innumerable. For all that he was the
is certain in my memory
as I pass through the swing doors following the trolley into where
Photo courtesy of QUB’s Communications and External Affairs Office. quintessential ‘poet’s poet’, he spoke to everyone. The apparent simplicity of many of the poems was always resonant and deep. In 2009 I published a book of poems called On the Night Watch, poems written in a very spare, skinny form that went down the page in short lines. It wasn’t until halfway through that I realised that I’d taken some of that form from the kind of poems Seamus had been writing in the 1980s, poems which he describes as ‘kinds of drills or augers for turning in and they are narrow and long and deep.’
I ended up dedicating the book to him, and sent him the manuscript in advance of publication. As usual, he responded with immense generosity with one of his beautiful handwritten letters, praising the work. The book was written in the shadow of the illness of a loved one, and some of the poems refer to my father’s death. I think the generation of poets here that came after Seamus thought of him as a father of sorts. I think it appropriate to end with one of the poems from that book here (poem cited to the right).
An Interview with Dr. Sinéad Morrissey Seamus Heaney is survived by one of the most vibrant poetry scenes in the world, in his former university city. The Gown catches up with the poet leading Belfast's literary vanguard - and Queen's lecturer - Dr. Sinéad Morrissey. How does it feel to have been nominated for this year’s Forward Prize? It feels really great to be on the list. Five collections.... I don’t expect to win, but it’s lovely to be on the list. There’s going to be a celebration in London on National Poetry Day!
Photo courtesy of QUB’s Communications and External Affairs Office. Tara McEvoy Editor @tara_mcevoy
What legacy do you feel Seamus Heaney will have? I think he was unusual as a poet in his own lifetime because he received so much recognition and fame and his work in his lifetime was accorded such importance. Such importance in Ireland, North and South, through the whole country, but such importance in the English speaking poetry world, all around the world. He was
a superstar in his own life. His legacy was already enormous in his lifetime, and I think that’s only set to grow and become more monumental. What are your favourite Heaney poems? Lots and lots and lots. I love all of his collection North. I love in particular his poem ‘Casualty’. It’s one of my favourite poems. One of my favourite poems from his later period is ‘In Iowa’. I’ve got that outside, it’s stuck on the noticeboard outside my office.
It’s been a great year for your career, as earlier this summer it was announced you’ll be acting as Belfast’s first Poet Laureate, too. My Annus Mirabilis (laughs). Yeah, the laureate is amazing. Gosh, I mean, Belfast is such a fantastic city for poetry. So many amazing poets from Belfast, who have lived in Belfast. Such a rich tradition and such a vibrant poetry scene now. So many budding poets now, living in Belfast. So it’s a huge honour and I’m very excited to be working with the Mayor. I’m happy to be a part of this Mayor’s vision, because I really do believe in it. What do you think it is about Belfast that inspires such great poetry? I don’t know the answer to that, whether it’s an accident of geography or not. But it’s a very divided city and it has a huge and abiding problem, as we all know. It’s still with us, to a certain extent. I suppose if you think about someone like Ciaran Carson, and his writing about the city, which I think is so brilliant, because it’s a poetry of dislocation – physical dislocation, and dislocation within language
itself. So maybe the tensions and the difficulties and the complexities of this place can be generative of great art, which I think by definition has to be very complicated too. It has to be multi-layered, and have resonances beyond the obvious. Can pretty much anything provide you with subject matter? I don’t think there are subjects for poetry, and things which are not. In saying that, I don’t think the subject is that... I mean, it’s important, but the way you say things, the form and technique that you use in order to say things, is much more interesting. Language is more interesting. How do you enjoy your position as a lecturer (of Creative Writing) here at Queen’s? I love it. I feel very privileged to be here, and have a job in which I can talk about creative writing and poetry, with people who are interested in that. I love the interaction with students – some of the students I teach are just unbelievably gifted, and much, much more gifted, and much better read than I was at their age. It’s a very impressive group of students. Finally, do you have any advice for those studying – or creating – poetry? Enjoy it! Read, if you’re writing, read a lot. I think try and remember that the important thing is not self expression, but saying it fresh.
he will leave this life but at what moment I saw his life leave him I cannot tell From On the Night Watch, 2009
A PAULINE VERSE FOR ONESIMUS An orginial poem by Medbh McGuckian I warned Paul, now that we know The latest half-rhyme for dear Seamus, Wasps, leaves and berries at Lammas, The twittering of gathered swallows, I would twitter all his name means, The golden means in what was his name, From ah to Amen, amass and ame, Amuse and Amy. From ash to Ashe And ashes to ashen, assume to aum. From ease to easy, eheu and emu. From ham to hay to hey to hen, From he to hue to hum, human And Hume. From hymn to hymen, No less.From eyes to Enya. From mane to manse to may To May and many, from my To mash and mesh and mush, Meas and Mass, mensa, mens Sana, Manus, mess and messy. Muse ever. From nay to neem, To Nessa, same to sane to say And seam, Sean , seem and seen, See and semen, sea and shy, Shun, shame, sense, sans and seamy. From snamh to sauna, she to sheen To Sheena, Shauna, Sue to Susan, Susy. From sum to sun, us to use, yea to yeah, Yeah, yeah. From yam to yes and yum: From hem to Esme. Suas to anuas. From Una To Esau to Aeneas. From me to Shaman.
For further coverage on Seamus Heaney, please visit our website: www.thegown.net
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THE GOWN GUIDE TO
FRESHERS’ FORTNIGHT
What to Expect as a Fresher Hannah Greenfield Contributor
The first thing you should know about University is that living out comes at a price. Whilst carrying out intensive and important research for this article, a second year told me that her biggest shock after coming to university was the price of cheese (£4.50 for block of Cathedral City). Of course, cheddar is a delicacy for only the most refined of palates, so whilst this may not affect everyone, it’s worth being aware of the cost of food in general. If your budget is
low, shop around! Fresh produce at St. George’s Market is cheaper than most supermarkets and by planning your meals ahead it is possible to save a lot of money. Most importantly, avoid going food shopping if you’re hungry. This tends to result in the purchase of a cheesecake amongst a variety of other foods most commonly found in the ‘frozen desserts’ aisle. If you are a freshly-squeezed sixth former, you’ll probably still hear the words of teachers ringing in your ears: “you won’t be spoon-fed like this at University”. This is totally true:
What to Do in Belfast? Sonia Benhassine Lifestyle Editor @MissSoniaBH
In the initial weeks of term, many first years are still trying to find their way around the city, and what Belfast has to offer. You may become overwhelmed by the amount of promotional leaflets for different nightclubs handed to you on your way to class. Therefore we’d like to give you a quick guide to the best pubs, nightlife and places to eat around Belfast.
Bars Cuckoo Known as the purveyor of craft beer and ping pong, Cuckoo has the perfect combination of quirky decor, movie themed cocktails and something different on every night. Cuckoo is perfect for a couple of chilled out drinks with friends, pub quizzes and open mic nights. The Empire For many students living in the Botanic area, this is your local. With a relaxed atmosphere and black and white films on the projectors in
the background, this is a great spot for sneaky pints and watching the football. Lavery’s Somewhat of an institution in Belfast, Lavery’s is the perfect melting pot for locals of all ages (and students). There’s always something on in Lavery’s, whether you just want a quiet drink or a dance party like Friday night’s Gigantic club night.
Nightlife Ollie’s Located next to the Merchant hotel, with a great smoking area boasting an acoustic guitar player, Ollie’s is a fab venue for a night out with a big group of people! Menagerie A hidden gem in the student heartland of the Holylands, this is a great spot for those who prefer an alternative night. It’s also a great venue at which to support local bands! Love and Death Love and Death is a restaurant, cocktail bar and
Freshers’ Essentials
If you’re feeling a bit disorientated by your new surroundings, never fear - we’re hear to give you the low-down!
if you stop handing in essays, nobody will chase you; if you stop turning up to lectures, nobody will call your parents. Whilst uni may represent the independence for which you’ve yearned since you were first made to practice your twelve times tables at the tender age of three, it can come at a cost. If you find yourself having difficulties with your time management, or are anxious about anything, it is absolutely worth booking an appointment to see somebody – the Student Guidance Centre is a great help. They can assist
University is what you make of it, regardless of whether you choose to frequent the Eg or the McClay. You’ll need to learn to be self-sufficient in order to stay afloat. Nevertheless, if you find yourself struggling, remember the (admittedly paraphrased) words of Dumbledore: “Help is always available at Queen’s to those who ask for it”.
New to the social scene or even just looking to mix things up as you enter another year of study? Read our guide on what to do in Belfast. night club all rolled into one. Similar to the Menagerie, Love and Death is a great place for music, playing indie, hip hop and everything in between. With great DJ sets and local band nights, not to mention cocktails to die for, if you want to change it up a bit, this place is for you.
Food Boojum A vital part of your student life in Belfast is losing your Boojum virginity. Based on California’s burrito bars, this food nirvana located on Botanic Avenue is a real treat for your taste buds. If you’re hung-over, or need a well deserved break from studying, a Boojum is always good comfort food. Maggie Mays Another cult classic of a restaurant, Maggie Mays is a little bit more on the traditional side of Boojum, if Mexican food isn’t really your thing. With all day fry’s on the go and a menu designed for the day after the night before, Maggie’s is sure to see you through your Freshers’ experience!
Sonia Benhassine Lifestyle Editor @MissSoniaBH
What to pack for your first foray into the ‘Big Smoke’. As you embark on the journey of university life, your parents will doubtlessly have packed you off with enough clean tea towels and pasta to see you through the next decade. However chances are, you’ve forgotten some of the essential items for surviving Freshers’ Fortnight. Here’s a compilation of the crucial bits and pieces: Playing cards The essential pre-drinks item. There is no better way to get to know your new house mates than over the dreaded ‘dirty pint’! If, however, your cards do not stink of vodka by the end of the week, you’ve not done Freshers’ right! Phone Numbers of Local Taxi Companies If you are still getting used to your surroundings in Belfast, it’s probably not the best idea to walk home after a night out.
Photo courtesy of Flickr.
you with most things, from finance problems to creating CVs and helping with your general wellbeing.
Painkillers and Bottles of Water Seems pretty obvious but if you forget them,
Photo courtesy of Darragh Hobbs. Little Wing Not somewhere for an everyday lunch or dinner on a student budget, Little Wing is, however, a great place to go on a date - and with weekday offers you won’t have to break the bank to have a nice meal.
getting up to go to shop the morning after the pub crawl will be your Everest! It’s advisable to keep these beside your bed - you’ll thank us later. Photos and Personal Items Starting university is hard for everyone. For those who are living away from home an extra strain is added. While you may be having the time of your life getting to know new people and going out during Freshers’, it is completely normal to suffer from homesickness. Taking photos of friends and family or keepsakes which remind you of home is a perfect way of helping you settle in while making your room your own. A Personality Basically, whether or not you enjoy Freshers’ is mostly up to you and you tend to get out of it what you put into it! Whilst you may feel anxious just remember that most people you meet will be in the same position as you are. Freshers’ is the time of year to put yourself out there and meet new people, so don’t let it pass you by!
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What’s on Offer at Queen’s Sports? The best that campus has to offer in the way of fitness. Conor Coyle Assistant Sports Editor @ccoyle212
Whether you’re a Fresher embarking on an exciting new adventure, or a post-grad that’s trying to make the transition from student to working life, finding time for sporting and exercise activity can be an arduous task. Queen’s Sport has always provided a huge variety of clubs and facilities to cater for a wide range of interests, and this year is no different. From soccer to rugby, trampolining to mountaineering, there’s sure to be something to catch your interest. Recreational activities are always to be found, whether at the state-of-theart Physical Education Centre complex, or at the Dub, the brand new playing fields in Upper Malone that play host to numerous field sports.
The Physical Education Centre. Photo by Desmond Eastwood.
Located at the back of the iconic Botanic Gardens, the PEC is the heartbeat of sport at Queen’s. The majority of sporting clubs and societies are based here, and it will be the first port of call for any of you eager Freshers, or indeed, anyone that has decided those years of
boozing and junk food must come to an abrupt halt. The gym and swimming pool areas are second-to-none, with a number of membership options available to both students and nonstudents. Why not try something completely different and unique? There are a number of little known and downright wacky sporting societies situated in and around QUB. We caught up with Josh McCann, who is involved with the Ultimate Frisbee team. “We’ve been here for four years as an official club at Queen’s and many of the players have represented Ireland at international level”, Josh told us. They are hoping to bring the All-Ireland colleges’ competition to Belfast this year. The club is based on campus and trains outside the PEC every Wednesday. New members are always encouraged, regardless of your level of Frisbee expertise. This is just one of the many enjoyable sporting clubs available, and over this week (and more) you are likely to see the majority of teams scouting for their new stars. Get signed up!
Fresher’s Flu, Fresher’s 15 and Everything In-Between If you don’t want your Freshers’ experience ruined by a bout of mystery illness, follow these helpful tips for staying well during the next fortnight. Michael Grant Health Correspondent @mickgrant
Living on your own, starting university and meeting new people – you’re in for a wild few weeks. A few weeks that you’re not going to want to miss just because you’re feeling under the weather. Unfortunately, this can happen to the best of us but The Gown is here you to equip you with some tips so you don’t end up blowing your booze budget on nothing but Lemsip. Falling ill in your first few weeks at uni is a well-known phenomenon - “Fresher’s flu”. The reason that this happens is also one of the reasons why university is so enjoyable in the first place: diversity. The local bacteria and viruses from your home don’t make you sick anymore because you’re immune to them, but with new pathogens comes a new level of risk. So, short of investing in a hazmat suit, what can you do to stay healthy? It’s all about nutrition and sleep. Adapting to a life without home-cooked dinners courtesy of dear old Mum
is hard, however this is the time when supporting your immune system is most important (during your exposure to a cocktail of all the germs the UK, and abroad, have to offer). In terms of sleep, try to get at least 6 hours. Studies have shown links between the amount of sleep that a person gets and the strength of their immune system. This doesn’t mean you can’t have late nights, just try to get a lie-in the next morning – so plan your nights out around early lectures. In terms of diet, there is no “perfect” diet. However there are a few things that can help maintain a healthy lifestyle :
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Keep hydrated – Whenever you get a chance try to get a glass of water or your favourite juice (not beer). Aim for about two litres a day. Five a day – Get fruit and veg into your diet somewhere. Keep them varied to benefit from the range of vitamins and minerals that different foods offer. A good tip
Photo by Darragh Hobbs. is to try to make your plate as colourful as possible; red peppers, green peas, yellow sweet corn, etc.
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Supplements – Not eating either junk food during the entirety of Freshers’ is pretty much impossible, so supplements are a good way to boost your intake of the vitamins and minerals that your 3am kebab will lack.
Sticking to these tips is also a good way to avoid “Freshers’ Fifteen”. This refers to the number of pounds that a student tends to gain when they head to university. Likely due to a trifecta of poor diet, drinking too much and lack of activity (who wants to go to the gym hungover?), this weight tends to stick around long after Freshers’ Fortnight has ended. Moderation is key. Think of it this way, having two less drinks one night is a lot more fun than spending the next two nights sick in bed.
A Crash Course in Mastering Hangovers The morning after is never as much fun as the night before, but pay attention to this guide and maybe it won’t be quite as horrific! Michael Grant Health Correspondent @mickgrant
We all know the story: “Not going out” becomes, “Okay, just a few pints”, and it’s all downhill from there. Next thing you know, you’ve woken up and it says that it’s 11:55am on your phone’s newly broken screen. Your head feels like someone has taken an axe to it, your mouth is drier than a cream cracker in the Sahara and you’ve got a tutorial that starts in five minutes’ time - you, my friend, are hungover. As we begin to piece together the jig-saw of flashbacks from the night before – while keeping our head low to avoid being asked a question by the tutor – we ask ourselves, “What
even is a hangover? And how will I avoid them in future?” The hangover is a complex beast. It isn’t completely understood, medically speaking, but the information available at present has allowed me to assemble the following tips that will help you to avoid the “Irish flu”: Let’s start our adventure right; let’s line our stomachs. Alcohol can be directly absorbed through the stomach’s walls, so it’s best to have something already in your stomach when you start drinking to slow this process down. Next - the amount of alcohol. The art of predrinking can make this all the more difficult. A good way of limiting yourself can be to decide how much you’re going to drink in total, then bringing half that amount to the “pre” and
bring enough money to buy the other half of the drink once you get out. The type of alcohol can also play a role. A group of chemicals – known as congeners – that give your favourite tipple its colour and taste, make your hangover worse. Different drinks have different levels of congeners: red wine, whiskey and brandy have the highest levels while vodka, gin and white wine have the lowest – so sticking to the latter is a good idea. Last, but not least, is hydration. Alcohol interferes with the function of anti-diuretic hormone; this is a hormone that manages the levels of water in your body. Some bottles of water are a good investment to stash near your bed, in case you’re not up to the long trek to the kitchen in the morning.
These tips will help but, unfortunately, there’s no way to completely avoid a hangover. Unless you don’t drink at all; in which case, good for you – it is the pioneers like you that help us drunkards stagger home, point our heads at the nearest toilet bowl and stroke our backs until the last of the jägermeister leaves our bodies like some kind of demonic exorcism – and we are forever in your debt. For the rest of us though, when it comes to hangovers, there may not exactly be a way of having your cake and eating it too, but hopefully these few tips mean at least the next day you won’t be puking up that cake all over yourself.
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MATTHEW LAW | The Gown Guide to the Students’ Union JENNIFER GORMAN | Hillary Clinton: Savior of the Democratic Party? MATTHEW LAW | The World at War
Features
The Gown Guide to the Students’ Union Everyything you need to know about the hub of your university experience - home to student council, sabbatical officers and club nights! Matthew Law Features Editor @Nantan_Cochise
To a lot of people on campus, the Students’ Union is simply the name for that big building that holds bars, coffee shops, and an office for some weird people called the “Gown". When you join Queen’s, you are immediately made part of a Students’ Union - it represents you in many ways and can be a big part of your time here at Queen's.
"Sabbs", as they are commonly known, are a team of seven elected, paid, student officers that essentially run your union. They consist of the President (Niall McShane), VP Welfare (Tiernan McAteer), VP Education (Eoin Deeney), VP Clubs and Societies (Martin Lilly), VP Campaigns and Communications (Connor Daly), VP Community (Sarah-Louise Baird), and VP Equality (Caoimhe McNeill). Each deal with certain aspects of your time here at the university, and are available for personal consultation.
When you start to get more familiar with the university you may begin to wonder why there is a giant poster of seven scared looking people on the entrance to the union building. They are your sabbatical officers.
The first week of March is student election season. It’s a great opportunity for any student interested in student politics, student journalism, or simply for those interested in scrutinising candidates to decide
who they would like to see in office. Another key aspect of union goingson is student council. Even as a first year, you can still make your voice heard by running for a seat on student council. At council meetings, one can raise any issues related to university life that they feel are important to discuss/ vote on (plus, there’s free pizza at every council meeting). The running of your Students' Union may seem confusing – it may even seem uninteresting, but this is really not the case. It’s a very important part of your university experience, and one where involvement really is both rewarding and enjoyable. QUB Students’ Union. Photo by Desmond Eastwood.
Hillary Clinton: Saviour of the Democratic Party? As the rumour mill starts spinning ahead of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Race, we question Hillary Clinton’s ability to lead the Democrats to a another term of success. Jennifer Gorman Contributor
Hillary Clinton. Photo courtesy of Google Images.
The World at War Matthew Law Feature Editor @Nantan_Cochise
With the way that the Western media works, one is excused for thinking that only a handful of armed conflicts are taking place in the world right now. When you switch on your television, and turn to your favourite 24 hour news station, you will almost definitely hear of the happenings in Syria, Egypt, Afghanistan and, depending on the news outlet, possibly updates on the condition of Iraq.
But what about the rest of the world? Are we expected to believe that everywhere outside of the Middle-East and North Africa is at peace, with no organised battles or conflict ongoing? Well, the general assumption is, yes, we are. In reality, one war or one country should not be anymore important than another. But, for some reason, this seems to be the case. Central, Western, and Eastern Africa rarely make the news - and when they do it is usually for a piece on poverty, starvation, or a humanitarian cause.
As swathes of America’s blue voters question the direction in which President Barack Obama has taken their party, Hillary Rodham Clinton has become a symbol of perseverance, determination and enthusiasm for the United States. The first female senator to represent the state of New York, Clinton went on to become a key figure within the Obama administration, through her role as Secretary of State. Within this role, Clinton weighed in on a number of controversial topics, such as the 2011 Egyptian Protests, the Libyan Civil War and the U.S mission to assassinate Osama bin Laden. The question now for American
politics, with Obama in his second term as President, is, “What does the future hold?” Clinton has claimed that she has no interest in running for President again but, despite this, polls indicate that she would be an overwhelming favourite among Democrats. A common theory in American politics is that, “Republicans fall in line, Democrats fall in love.” Essentially this means that Republicans recycle old candidates whilst Democrats are much more open to having fresh, new faces – Clinton turns this notion on its head. Meanwhile, Republicans are still searching for a saviour to break their losing streak.
that Clinton is the correct candidate for President in 2016, with the ‘Ready For Hillary’ campaign. This is a web-based campaign which encourages Clinton to run for President through an online petition, and also acts as a vehicle for fundraising. James Carville, Democratic strategist and acclaimed political commentator, has remarked that, “The enthusiasm and hunger for a Hillary Clinton presidency is unlike anything I’ve ever seen”. Based on such support, the future of the Democratic Party looks set to be a very interesting one should Hillary Clinton decide that not only are her voters ready for her, but she is ready to run.
Democrats at the grassroots level have also demonstrated their belief
No matter which news channel you watch, its unlikely that recent scenes of conflict have escaped your gaze - but are we really getting the whole story? Asia? Again, generally an underreported topic, unless you consider North Korea. The reasons for this are highly debatable, but the point is that wars, conflicts, and terrorist activities are happening across the globe right in front of the blind eye of our politicians and media. In February of this year, clashes broke out in Guinea, West Africa. Security forces reportedly opened fire on protestors in the wake of the 2013 elections, with approximately 95 people killed and over 200 injured in the clashes. The
international community did little: several countries and the UN "voiced concern". The violence continues. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, conflict is part of life. The M23 Rebellion began with the end of the Second Congo War in 2003, but intensified in early 2012. The fighting has seen the deaths of a reported 400 people, with over 200 wounded and the government confirming the capture of a further 374 people. Furthermore, there is the insurgency in the Maghreb. This is probably the most heavily-reported of the cases listed, but due to its longev-
ity (it began in 2002), it still fails to attract the coverage granted to other conflicts. The death toll of the insurgency is reportedly in the thousands, with claims that it has hit 6,000 people as of this year. These are just a few examples. It is supposed to be the international news media's job to report on events form the entire globe, not just certain sections of it. However, it seems that if a conflict doesn’t affect the United States or the U.K, we don’t hear much about it.
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HAYLEY GAULT | Art and Anarchy in a Culturally Hijacked NI PETER MCGORAN | Gown About Town PETER MCGORAN | Interview with Lawson’s Joel Peat CONOR KERR | An Interview with Silhouette’s Shauna Tohill
Arts GOWN ABOUT TOWN Peter McGoran Arts Editor @PeterMcGoran
We know how you’re feeling. You probably had the best summer of your life. You went to all manner of exotic places and had incredible experiences and the idea of going back to the grind of university seems repellent. But don’t despair, Belfast isn’t that bad. In fact, the list of ways to entertain yourself or experience some authentic culture in Belfast this month is almost endless. Read on. Music Shine Productions offer up the established pop-rock band The Magic Numbers in the Empire Hall on Wed September 25th, successful newcomers The 1975 in Mandela Hall on Tues October 1st, and the American post-hardcore band Sleeping with Sirens also in Mandela Hall on Thurs October 3rd. Not interested? Go to Limelight and see Everything Everything put on their live performance in Limelight 1 on Wednesday October 9th. Then, for something lower-key, folkrock band Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit will be at Limelight 2 on Thursday the 17th of October. If the gig-in-a-small-venue vibe doesn’t rub well with you, then the Lyric Theatre are offering Brian Keenan & Colin Reid in Concert - two of Northern Ireland’s leading acoustic guitarists. Festivals & Exhibitions The Belfast Comedy Festival – which runs from the 25th of September to the 6th of October and features such comedians as Stewart Lee, Ardal O’Hanlon and Phill Jupitus – is going to be absolutely hilarious. With over 40 acts performing in more than 20 venues across the city you’re sure to find something that fits with your sense of humour. The Belfast Festival at Queen’s, which has been running for over 50 years now, is an artistic institution. Running from the 17th – 27th of October, the festival contains classical music and visual arts, theatre and dance acts, as well as a talk by bestselling author Simon Singh about the mathematical secrets of The Simpsons…I told you, something for everyone.
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CONOR KERR | An Interview with The Answer’s Cormac Neeson
Art and Anarchy in a Culturally Hijacked NI Art has always been used as a form of protest, but as Hayley Gault reports, its potential is being exploited in today’s NI. Hayley Gault Music Correspondent @hayleygault1
This summer, Northern Ireland has been dominated with images of violence, politics and protest. From the flag protests to the international ramifications of the G8 summit, the gaze of the world has been upon us. However dissent didn’t merely come in the form of feet on the streets. Far from masked anarchy and secretive summits, peaceful demonstrations were experienced in galleries and on walls across our towns and cities. The ambitious Belfast Exposed exhibition, which spanned two galleries and an accompanying publication,
Northern Ireland: 30 Years of Photography, is one such vehicle of cultureled regeneration. Outside the gallery, artistic demonstrations as a form of protest are also gaining momentum and demanding our attention. Artists are keen to participate in the political debate more actively and immediately in response to what is happening now. Instead of documentation, it is creation that is the tool for enlightening the masses and interrogating the few. In light of the G8 summit preparations, artists mocked the use of well established wealthy aesthetics of tourism to cover disused and unsightly wasteland in Fermanagh.
When questioned on the importance and impact of this type of artistic response as a form of protest, co-curator of Cultural Hijack (an archive of pop-up protest artwork at the fore of the movement), Peter McCaughey explained, “This summer I travelled to Enniskillen to poster the windows of ‘fake’' main street shops with Peter Kennard's Casino Boy, and other collages that protest the inherent greed of the G-club. I was arrested for my troubles and the posters were immediately removed. I was left to reflect on the complete irreverence of my action. Perhaps art is inherently a form of protest, and the commitment to express yourself despite what others think, to engage the world even if your action is ef-
fectively invisible and to intervene in your own life on a regular basis is as vital and important as art gets”. In their capacity to change the role of external and social spaces, these creative movements offer an alternative to political agenda and propaganda, producing a clear visual language in which the communication of social unrest may be heard and understood by all. Yet artists may only pose questions, producing images of violence, warning and possibility - hoping for an answer of peace and equality.
Reviews
The Gown gives you the run down of the music, theatre and cinema to check out over the coming weeks (and what you might want to avoid)!
Album (True Panther Sounds) Delorean - Apar
Film (Adnuco Pictures) A Belfast Story
By Anna Cafolla Hailing from Basque country, alternative dance quartet Delorean have delivered Apar- a hazy, sun-kissed album that recalls the heady heat of their home town. The band seem to have progressed a lot since their last album, Subiza, released back in 2010.The production is evidently much tighter, and the introduction of female vocals (most prominent on “Keep Up” and “Unhold”) creates new sonic layers that Subiza simply did not have. The album has a strong fluiditythough this can be its most major downfall. The songs become a haze with only a slight peppering of standout tracks. The likes of “Walk High’ and “Inspire” become lost and disappointing fillers. Overall, Apar is a light, bright listen; at times maybe nothing more than background music for the Spanish poolside (you wish) but its warmth and happiness is contagious.
By Peter McGoran Nobody can question the intent of writer and director, Nathan Todd, whose movie goes about tackling Troubles-related issues that most writers wouldn’t touch. The movie starts off with an interesting premise but suffers from a poor execution and a perplexing ending. Colm Meaney is believable as a hardened, seen-it-all-before style detective who is called upon to figure out who keeps killing ex-IRA members and why. But as the movie progresses the story boils down until it’s essentially cliché – there’s the wet-behind-the-ears sidekick who vomits at gore, the angry boss who just wants the press off his back. You get the feeling that - when compared with that other recent Troublesinpsired thriller, Shadow Dancer Todd could’ve made this thriller just a bit more…thrilling.
Album (Tri Angle Records) Forest Swords- Engravings
By Hayley Gault It is always a challenge for artists to bring something new to the table in the oversaturated world of electro and dub, yet UK producer Matthew Barnes’ strikingly original and thoroughly refreshing new album Engravings offers to do so. The Wirral-born creative force behind Forest Swords spent a year on the sequel to Dagger Paths, mixing the album outdoors in the countryside in which he grew up. The intensely atmospheric sounds produced are astonishing. The distinctly sparse use of sound in places and bold use of repetitive and fidgety beats in songs such as ‘’Onward’’, are reminiscent of playing an old scratched record, yet the confidence in which they are included make them seem completely right. From sounds that range from orchestral to tribal and everything in-between, the blend from desolate to euphoric is seamless and as fluid and organic as the natural landscape that inspired him.
Theatre (The Lyrice Theatre) Pride and Prejudice – The Musical
By Peter McGoran Richard Croxford and Mark Dougherty’s take on one of the most well known and cherished novels in the English language is both ambitious and richly entertaining. And coming in at just over three hours in length, it’s a good thing too. From the beginning right up to the final scene, the musical retains all of the drama and wit that made Austen’s novel so loved; the multiple love-stories, the interweaving plots and sub-plots and, of course, the inevitable happy ending means that the novel lends itself perfectly to the theatre. It’s not an overly intellectual play by any means but nor does it pretend to be. Why should it? This musical doesn’t labour with the denser themes but redefines the story in its own way; the reward being that it makes it more accessible without trivialising it.
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The Gown
12 Arts An Interview with Lawson’s Joel Peat They’ve played sold out shows all over the UK and now Lawson are coming to Belfast. The Gown spoke to lead guitarist Joel Peat in preparation for the gig. Peter McGoran Arts Editor @PeterMcGoran
How did the band meet? We got together 5 or 6 years ago when we all moved to London to pursue a music career. I’d known Ryan for years; we used to do gigs together. Then Andy met Ryan in London. Adam contacted Andy on Myspace and we all just met up. We really sucked at first. But we put our heart into it, bought ourselves a van we which we had to jumpstart after every single gig and toured for four years until we got signed. And how’d you pick the name? We were originally called The Grobels, which meant nothing. We realised we needed a name that meant something to us. Andy had had a brain tumour when he was 19 and he’d had a horrible experience. The doctor who basically got him through it and saved his life was a guy called Dr. Lawson. And the idea to name the band Lawson trumped all our ideas! That’s an incredible story. Now you’ve been compared to bands such as Maroon 5 and The Script.
Do you think that’s a fair comparison of what you’re trying to do musically? The Script are an amazing band and have been an inspiration. Everyone always seems to bring them up and we’re definitely influenced by them but we have loads of influences. We also like bands like the Eagles and the Stones. Things like that. I think people see a picture of the band sometimes and get the wrong impression. All I can say is come see us perform live because we’re more inspired by bands who, like us, pride themselves on putting on a good show. You’ve had a string of top 20 hits and played shows across the UK. How has the success affected the band? The good thing is that we were virtually unknown for four years so we’re not so much affected by it. Sometimes all the attention seems stupid. We’re coming to Belfast in October to play in the Ulster Hall and we’ve toured so much in the past that we literally know the smallest venues and now we’re playing in the biggest ones. I think we’re all just really grateful to be where we are and it’s made us more driven.
Lawson. Photo courtesy of Chuff Media. You just released six new songs on the repackaged album Chapman Square: Chapter 2, can we expect to hear them on the tour? Yeah, we’ll be playing pretty much all of them. I’m really excited about playing them live. We go into rehearsals and try to make our songs
original, a bit different from what you’d normally hear. We have a lot of acoustic versions of songs off the first albums so we’re going to be replicating that on stage as well. We’ll hopefully be doing that when we’re playing at the Ulster Hall!
Lawson play the Ulster Hall on the 20th of October. Chapman Square: Chapter 2 is out now.
An Interview with Silhouette’s An Interview with The Answer’s Shauna Tohill Cormac Neeson The frontwoman of local band Silhouette speaks to Conor Kerr.
Conor Kerr Assistant Arts Editor @CKerr_92
Member of Northern Ireland’s favourite rock exports takes five for a quick chat about their new material.
You most recent EP Can’t Keep Up was released in May. Have you any more material lined up to follow it? There are a few singles that are planned to come out, but we’re just finalising a few business details behind the scenes. I would like it to come out in the autumn. In terms of your lyrics, are there any particular topics or issues you address? At the moment I’m actually really inspired by the Troubles. Over the Twelfth I put together a montage about all the trouble that was going on and put “Can’t Keep Up” over it. But I was really saddened actually, that people have so much hatred, and I just felt like we could all just get on with each other. Are there any topics you would avoid? I wouldn’t really bring politics into it because to be honest I’m quite neutral with the whole thing. I don’t really take either side. Everyone should be loved for who they are and what they do. I probably wouldn’t talk about politics as such, I just draw inspiration from the things I see, the kind of emotion I see in it.
Conor Kerr Assistant Arts Editor @CKerr_92
Silhouette perform at the Ulster Hall, 2011. Photo from The Gown archives. Who is your favourite artist and who influence your music and songwriting the most? I love Ludovico Einaudi; he’s an amazing contemporary classical artist. He makes amazing use of chords and his piano lines are amazing. Tori Amos is great, because she has that kind of quirky, eccentric thing going on. I really love Jessie J at the moment; she’s got lot of attitude. And Avril Lavigne, she’s amazing! Are there any artists at the moment that you’d like to collaborate with? Loads! Trent Reznor of Nine Inch
Nails. Regina Spektor. I’d love to do something with Sia. Deftones perhaps. What’s next for Silhouette? More writing. More releases. More touring. Just go over to Europe to do the international development sort of stuff. Try to get more roots planted in different areas. We’re working on a tour in October so hopefully the dates will be through to me in the next couple of weeks.
How is New Horizon different from previous albums? It’s hard to sum up in a nutshell. There are clear differences there between New Horizon and Revival. It’s probably more akin to the ethos that we had going on with Everyday Demons in that we’ve tried to write a bunch of very punchy, rock n roll songs that don’t take too long to get straight to the point. I think it’s quite an aggressive album. I think we’ve channelled any frustrations in the right way and filtered them out through the songs on this record. So there’s that sharp edge, and it’s really four guys enjoying what they do and very much looking forward to the future, and I think that comes across very clearly on the record. Are there any new tracks that you’re particularly proud of? I’m proud of them all. I really am very happy with this record. “Spectacular” is obviously a favourite because we put it out as a single. But the title track, “New Horizon”, we played it live at Glasgowbury there
and it went down great. There was a big mosh pit going for it in the middle of the song which is good to see. There’s a song on the record called “Call Yourself A Friend” that I suppose you could call the most experimental song on the record, it’s six or six and a half minutes long and it’s a proper journey from start to finish. I think our fans are going to really enjoy that one. What’s next on the agenda? Tour for a while? Yeah, I mean the record is out on the 30th September across Europe. We’ve got a trip to America at the end of September to launch the album in the States and then a 40 date European tour kicks off in the Limelight in Belfast on 11th October. And then that’ll run right through until Hard Rock Hell on the last day of November. We’ve to go to Japan and we’ll go back to America early next year to follow up on the launch. Then that’ll all roll into the festival season next summer, and hopefully that will be a very busy summer for us.
The Gown
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SONIA BENHASSINE | The Cliques of Uni DAVID SANDS | What’s the Craic? (A Guide to Northern Irish Slang) MICHAEL GRANT | Let’s Have The Talk
Lifestyle
The Cliques of Uni What’s the Craic? (A Guide to Northern Irish Slang) Think cliques are a thing of the past as soon as you step into the hallowed halls of third level educational institutions? You may want to think again. Sonia Benhassine Lifestyle Editor @MissSoniaBH
Leaving the world of secondary school, you may think that the Mean Girls mentality of socialising is far behind you as you enter the melting pot of university. However you'll soon learn that this isn't necessarily the case - sometimes the phrase “high school never ends” rings incredibly true. You will inevitably become familiar with various social groupings during your first semester, but here at The Gown we’d like to give you a pre-emptive crash course in the various cliques and clichés of university life. Sports Jock Usually those in the Rugby or GAA teams on campus. If you’re wondering how to spot this cliché, you won’t be left puzzled for very long. Often members of this clique will sport an item of clothing clearly indicating they are part of the teamand won’t take it off all semester! Gap Yah! That person who believes that the year they spent travelling between school and university has given them all the life experience they will ever need. No doubt within a matter of weeks they will have regaled you
with hundreds of fascinating stories which sound like an extract from Eat Pray Love. When the novelty starts to wear off you soon realise these people are just as clueless as the rest of us are in first year! The Future Politician This person exudes confidence from day one. With handshakes and “Well, what about ye?” greetings thrown in every direction, this person is determined to make an impression on you, and will want to count on your vote! These people will spend most of their university career climbing the slippery poll of student democracy. The Social Ladder Climber You will introduce yourself/be introduced to more people over Freshers’ Fortnight than any other time in your life. Chances are you’ll not keep in contact with the vast majority of these folks. Most people will recall that person they thought they were close with for the first few weeks that eventually ended up hopping from one group to another. While you will become content with the friends you make who stick, it will still annoy you when the social ladder climber snubs you during lectures or nights out - this person is the living embodiment of the phrase “high school never ends”.
Let’s Have The Talk
Bout ye muckers? What’s the craic? Are you an eejit or a geg? If this is all Greek to you, you might want to check out our handy guide to NI Slang (it’s wee buns, like). David Sands Contributor We’ve all been there: trying to spark up a conversation with a language barrier present is pretty difficult. But the prospect only seems to become more daunting when we factor in the linguistic idiosyncrasies of Northern Ireland, a place where our speech is notoriously littered with region-specific slang. How many times have your innocent enquiries (“What’s the craic?”) been met with the fearful/ confused response, “I don’t do drugs”? Luckily, to better put you at your conversational ease – and help out the international students joining the ranks at Queen’s this year – The Gown has compiled a brief guide to Northern Irish slang which should see you through even the most awkward of encounters. We will begin with the word ‘craic’, possibly the most frequently-uttered word on the island of Ireland. A word with many meanings - yet the best possible definition of the word is as follows: the fun and enjoyment you experience in the company of others. For example, you might say, “The craic was powerful last night”.
It may also be used to describe any interesting news or gossip. Just as people would say “What’s happening?” you’ll probably hear them asking, “What’s the craic?” However, Northern Ireland’s slang doesn’t end with ‘craic’. There are several other province-centric words which it may be useful to keep in mind: ‘Aye’ Translated as ‘Yes’, it is mainly used as a term of acknowledgement. The closest international equivalent of this would be the German ‘Ja’. ‘Banjaxed’ Something which is broken or not working.
‘Catch Yourself On’ Wise up/ take a good look at yourself. Often used after you’ve said or done something stupid. ‘Melt/Melter’ Someone who is annoying and needs to ‘catch themselves on’. ‘Steaming’ Slang for drunk: If you hear about how your new classmates were ‘steaming’ last night, chances are they might be having a rough morning. If you wish to explore NI slang further, the book Essential Norn Irish by Owen Kelly will keep you right.
For many young people, the freedom offered by university life represents an opportunity to become sexually active: but it’s important to stay safe! Michael Grant Health Correspondent @mickgrant
Sex. The birds and the bees. The beast with two backs. Whatever you want to call it, sex is a part of life- one which becomes all the more relevant now that you've flown the coup and are an independent young university student. But whether you're a virgin or a veteran of all things venereal, there are a few things that you need to know about knocking boots.
Photo courtesy of Flickr.
Photo courtesy of Flickr.
As hard as it may be to believe for some of you, getting pregnant is not necessarily the worst thing that sex can cause. Don't get me wrong, bringing a new bundle of joy into the world can be a great thing but it's certainly not at the top of many university students’ priority lists. But focusing solely on avoiding a trip to the maternity ward can be dangerous when we consider the real threats that come from a tussle
between the sheets; sexually transmitted infections. A Google Image search for any STI you can think of will no doubt produce a wealth of photos that are sure to put you off your pot noodle, but you also need to remain vigilant about those infections that aren’t so immediately obvious. Take gonorrhoea for example. While some infected individuals can experience – ahem – discharge, up to 50% of those who suffer the condition experience no symptoms. You may think, “Great, so what’s the problem?”- the problem is that if the infection goes untreated because you’re not aware of it, not only will you infect between 20% and 50% of all your future partners, the infection can leave you infertile. Infertility is serious but, on the spectrum of STIs, Gonorrhoea is a fairly mild condition when you compare it to more serious bacterial infections. Syphilis, currently on the rise in the UK & Ireland, and viral infections
– such as genital Herpes and HIV/ AIDs - all have much more serious implications. The asymptomatic nature of a lot of STIs means that regular testing is the only way for a sexually active person to actually know whether of not they have been infected. But it isn’t all doom and gloom. For the vast majority of STIs, early detection means that treatment can be as simple as a course of antibiotics. All that scary stuff aside, there is one last important thing to remember enjoy yourself. Be smart about sex; protect yourself and your partner by getting tested and always using a condom. If you are concerned about your sexual health, or just fancy a check up, you can find friendly and confidential help at the University Health Centre (located at 5 Lennoxvale) or you can contact the local GUM Clinic directly on (028) 9063 4050.
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Opinion
The following articles are based on the personal beliefs of their authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gown’s editorial team.
No Fracking Way The controversial practice of fracking continues to polarise opinion – here, Queen’s University’s Friends of the Earth Society member Elli Kontorravdis takes us through the basics of the process, and her thoughts on why it’s damaging the environment. Elli Kontorravdis Contributor There’s been a lot of talk about fracking. The most common form of the procedure sees companies being granted permission to drill thousands of large holes, pump millions of gallons of water, sand, and countless ‘trade secret’ chemicals into the ground to fracture shale rocks and release natural gas. So why am I, and so many others like me - against fracking? There is a significant risk that well casing will leak and pollute local water supplies. The toxic water, both from the chemicals used in extraction and in combination with the gas retrieved, has disastrous effects on the health of the people and wildlife of that locale and beyond. Even if the wells weren’t to leak, the water returned from the process requires energy intensive treatment (which doesn’t necessarily remove all the hazardous substances). Aside from the effects on water, fracking releases toxins into the air; the gas that cannot be captured either escapes or is flared - creating carcinogenic byproducts and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
Exploratory wells are planned throughout the UK and Ireland, some only 200m away from houses – these devalue properties and the desirability of the land by which they are surrounded. In order to make extraction profitable a large number of wells are needed – for an area the size of Leitrim and Fermanagh, 6,000 wells have been suggested. For an island whose greatest industries are tourism and agriculture the consequences hardly need stating. Irrespective of what unconventional gas companies say about their strict compliance with regulation, the European Commission has recognised that compliance alone cannot definitely prevent pollution, because the method of extraction poses unavoidable risks. The recent nine month cross-party parliamentary inquiry concluded that fracking is “unlikely to give the UK cheap gas”. So why take the huge aforementioned risks if we cannot be sure that this potentially harmful dangerous juice is worth the squeeze? The minor short term anticipated economic benefits seem to be far outweighed by the costs to people, the environment, and the economy of repairing the damage done by fracking.
Drug Running in Peru: The Holiday from Hell? The ‘Peru Two’ may be subject to trial by media - but what’s the real story? Brian Martin Opinion Editor @BrianMartin2010
The recent Peru drug run scandal has shocked people from this part of the world. All too often we associate the drug running business with Mexican cartels or shady looking characters that eventually make it to Tony Montana Heights or the cover of GTA 5. This baffles me. Michaella McCollum Connolly has being pillared in the media and until the facts of the case come to light we can only guess what the truth of the story is. But I wouldn’t be so quick to judge. I believe what happened to Michaella is a lot more frequent than this isolated incident, and not only that – we are all in danger of it happening to us! If you’ve had your finger anywhere near the pulse of this issue you’ll realise cases like these are common throughout the holiday destinations we so often go to ourselves. I think the real issue to focus on here is that the seemingly idyllic and often envied travelling of some of our friends or family, is dangerous.
Now I’m not saying don’t travel. I know many who’ve travelled all throughout the world and wouldn’t discourage anyone from making a very productive and all round beneficial move to travel. But I AM saying that one must be careful. Going to these holiday destinations to work in clubs carries risks. I don’t want to speculate on the facts of Michaela’s case, but one thing I find very obvious. This girl didn’t go to work abroad in a holiday nirvana island with the intention of smuggling drugs. Or at least I hope not. And thus you can now ask yourself, what went awry that this ended up being the case? Michaella may have gotten caught up in the party/ holiday islands culture. Or she was manipulated. Or any other number of things may have happened. But what I believe did happen was that she was exploited and this is the risk those who go to work in the party scene face. My advice would be to go out with friends. Stay with them. Stay in contact with home. And above all remember, despite the culture of partying and holidaying – any one of us could find ourselves in Michaella’s position.
Sports Field of Dreams Opens for Business As a new pitch opens at the Dub playing fields, The Gown is on hand to witness the action - and offer an overview of a jam-packed season to come! Darragh Hobbs Photography Editor @DHobbsPhoto
Queen’s GAA unveiled its brand new floodlit pitch earlier this month at the Dub. Having undergone a major facelift over the summer months, the Malone Road venue is now ready for one of the most pivotal years in the sporting history of the university. 2014 will see Queen’s host the four biggest Gaelic intervarsities tournaments in the country. It is the first time that any one institute has hosted more than one of these high profile evens. The Fitzgibbon, Sigerson, O’Connor and Ashbourne competitions will be run over four successive weekends throughout February and March and the festival promises to be the highlight of the sporting year. Two exhibition games were lined up for the evening with Queen’s All-Ireland winning Ladies footballers taking on Armagh in the curtain raiser. Early patrons were treated to a masterclass of fast flowing football as the two sides applied their trade. Drawing a sizeable crowd for the main event, the spectators witnessed a top class hurling encounter between Loughiel Shamrocks of Antrim, the 2011 all Ireland club hurling champions, and Lucan Sarsfields, one of Dublin’s oldest GAA clubs who are still awaiting their breakthrough at national level.
It appears Queen’s sport is now reaping the rewards of a multi-million pound investment in facilities that began as far back as 2007. At the interval Down senior football manager James McCartan gave his thoughts on the new developments and paid homage to the effort of all involved in bringing the project to fruition. Speaking to The Gown afterwards Queen’s GAA development officer Aidan O’Rourke highlighted the importance of such a facility in attracting prospective students from throughout the country. “Every ambitious player wants to surround themselves with quality. We believe that our investment in facilities, as well as people, in the last five years will establish Queen's in the long term as the University of choice in this part of the country & further afield”. Looking forward to the year ahead, Mr O’Rourke is hoping the investment in sport will pay off in a big way for the university and silverware will continue to adorn the halls at the Dub: “2013/14 represents a fantastic opportunity for all GAA teams at Queen's to really kick on towards high achievement. There has been progress across all codes in recent years, with each of the four clubs winning an All-Ireland league or championship in the past two years”.
“scratching the surface” of the wealth of talent that exists here.
He feels though, that more can be achieved using recent success as a foundation from which to establish Queen’s as a big name in intervarsity sports and that at the moment they are just
And so with the return of the students fresh from the summer break, bringing with them the hunger and passion that has become synonymous with Queen’s GAA, they will have
Áine Canavan, daughter of legendary Gaelic player Peter Canavan, plays in the first match on the new pitch. Photo by Darragh Hobbs. at their disposal a state-of-the-art set up, with top class support, a recipe that is sure to bring success. The eyes of the GAA world will be upon them this spring, what a year it would be to do it. The 2014 GAA Festival and the Field of Dreams is open for business.
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The Gown
16 Sports QUB Rowing Club Suffers Vandalism Blow
The summer has seen the university’s Rowing Club hit hard by criminal damage.
Donegal Star Set for Queen’s Murphy’s arrival announced by QUB Twitter account. Michael Doran Sports Editor @MichaelDoran_
In what marks a sensational coup for sport at Queen’s, it has been confirmed that All-Ireland winning Donegal captain Michael Murphy will form part of the inaugural intake of the university’s 'Elite Athlete Program' for the upcoming academic year.
QUB Boat House. Photo by Desmond Eastwood. Michael Doran Sports Editor @MichaelDoran_
A pair of £30,000 boats belonging to the Queen's Rowing Club were maliciously damaged in early July whilst the club undertook summer training in Armagh. After an afternoon session on the 6th of July, the equipment was locked away in a yard - when the
team returned the following morning, the boats were found to have had holes drilled into them, leaving a costly repair bill which ran into thousands of pounds. Reports suggest that a man had previously verbally abused the rowers and questioned the legitimacy of their usage of the lake. Head Coach Mick Desmond described the events as "lunatic behaviour". It is understood that the club will not be
returning to use the lake after the incident due to safety concerns. The PSNI confirmed they were investigating the matter and the incident was condemned by the Mayor of Newry and Mourne Michael Ruane, who stressed that it "Did not come from the people of Camlough who, like all responisble others, wish to see the culprits involved face the full rigours of the law".
Having completed his studies in Physical Education at Dublin City University, the All Star full forward will undertake a Master’s Degree in Sport's Psychology, famously the field of expertise of his mercurial county manager, Jim McGuinness. Despite the GAA's strict ethos as an amateur organisation, higher education scholarships have been part and parcel of Gaelic football at Sigerson Cup level in recent years. Whilst the Queen's GAA Academy initiative has gone from strength to strength since its establishment in 2004, only now has the university been able to
offer packages as lucrative as those which are commonplace south of the border. Upon its launch earlier this year, the program was described as offering “access to a significant contribution towards fees, accommodation and international competition cost... individual academic support and career advice, lifestyle management, a catering and nutritional budget, expert coaching and the very best in athlete support services”. The university is yet to announce the full details of its recipients, but it is understood that they will represent a variety of sports. Although Donegal suffered an unexpectedly severe defeat to Mayo at the quarter-final stage of this season's All-Ireland series, the 24 year-old Glenswilly attacker arrives in South Belfast as a player at the peak of his powers, with a medal haul amassed in recent years representing a broad spectrum of the highest possible honours at university, club, provincial and county levels.
For more news, info and competitions - check out... www.qubsu-ents.com
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